The Trump Mafia 'Don'

If you have been watching the coverage of the current, never-ending, and endlessly sordid US Election 2016 coverage, you will have by now noticed that Donald J. Trump has some issues with 'Emotional Maturity'. Emotional Maturity is the ability of an adult person to respond to situations in appropriate and intellectual ways, as opposed to being led by emotions and having knee jerk over-the-top emotional tantrums whenever things don't meet one's expectations. The following is a good basic explanation of Emotional Maturity;

Source

Trump is a 70 years old grown-ass man, if he hasn't mastered emotional maturity by now, it just is not going to happen. But I have a theory I am playing with as to why 'The Donald' is so emotionally rash and childish in his everyday life, why he views everything in terms of winning or losing, weak or strong, and he reserves no space for facts to enter his rhetoric. Donald Trump is of the same generation as my father, also in his early 70s, and like my father and many of his contemporaries, there is a certain fascination with the Mob, Mafia, and the days of gangsters and pocket politicians, police, and judges. My father always loved to talk about Al Capone, about the Godfather movies, about that era of gangsters, prohibition, and making money hand over fist over gun.

I'll admit it, I also have watched the movies, enjoyed them, learned some of the history, but I see the whole era slightly differently than my father's generation might. I see the violence, the nepotism, the segregation of 'family' businesses by ethnic groups, and the 'family above all else' motto. I've watched the movies, some are among my top 100, and it is with a removed sense of thrill-seeking. You know that some stories are manufactured, some details embellished, there is a certain romance of the era, but it is interesting because it is so removed from my reality. I don't want that kind of life, to be part of a 'Mob' culture would be my worst nightmare. While many people from my father's generation on down the line still find mob lore to be captivating, we all pretty much agree that we don't want to actually live that kind of life, a life where one wrong move can mean a bloody end.

But what about our friend Donald? The man currently running for the highest possible public office in the land. Does Donald see these movies as an entertainment or escape, or does he see them as a roadmap for life? His actions right from the start of his business career suggest he is most happy to manipulate the system for his own gain. His embrace of the title "The King of Debt" is yet another nod to his penchant for screwing people over for his personal gain.  We know he has claimed that the system is 'rigged', Donald says he knows this because he, unlike Hillary Clinton, has learned to make the most out of every rigged loophole he can find. He seems to revel in his eel like ability to slip through the legal cracks and screw over the 'little guy'.

Trump seems to have embraced the mobsters racist view of 'Jews' being the best to handle the money, something he has repeatedly said. The way he describes the life of the 'African American' community is hopelessly dated, incredibly racist, and seems to have come from watching too much bad 80s television. Donald Trump thinks that he is praising a minority group if he links them up to his prejudiced and dated stereotypes, when he is actually insulting every thinking feeling person, regardless of what group he assumes they belong to.

I am starting to really question what is driving Trump's desire to be President. You can only get down in the muck so many times until eventually the muck is all you know.  We know that Trump had admitted to bankrupting at least four businesses, and there are likely more. He has no credit with most American lenders, owes money to the likes of Goldman Sachs, and has for some time been funding his developments with loans from outside the US. So who does Trump owe money to now? Is it possible that the people Trump owes money or favors to are one of the reasons he is seeking to have to power of the presidency? Is all his railing at Secretary of State Clinton's apparent 'pay-to-play' system just more projection on the part of a man who finally owes too much to too many to achieve parity with financial reparations? Is it possible that one or more foreign investors in Trump's business is seeking political payback?

Without getting too far down the 'conspiracy theory' road, the real point I am trying to make is that I fear that Donald J. Trump has patterned his entire life to resemble a Mafia Movie. Does he really think that bullying and threatening to sue everyone who disagrees with him is normal adult behaviour? Has he gotten so caught up in his world of real estate and casinos that he owes some cash to some very nasty people? Without his tax returns, we may never know the full truth about The Donald. If all we can evaluate is his current and past behaviour, his bigotry and misogyny, and his legal public documents, the picture looks very much like some cheesy wannabe 'Goodfellas' movie.

He is endlessly rocking his flagging yellowed pompadour, slick dark suits, hobnobbing with heads of state, politicians, and above all, grooming his children to take the helm of Trump Enterprises when he eventually decides who the next 'Don' will be. My money's on his two eldest sons, who are both following in their father's slimy footsteps, repeating his words and defending his business acumen. His salesman's schtick, his lack of basic information and limited vocabulary, all of these things are badges of pride to the Donald. He cares only for winning, for power, for recognition, and shows no concern or empathy for others. Being tough is his favorite trait, although to be truly mentally tough, you need to also be Emotionally Mature. Not so tough after all, are we Donald?

Just like every other facet of his person, Donald Trump's drive to be President of the United States has more to do with power and ego, and less to do with public service of any kind. If you look at Trump through the lens of a man trying to be a 'gangster', perhaps the most prolific of all time, you start to see the dots line up. He seems to actually believe that a movie series like 'The Godfather' is a guide to life and living well. He believes that he is the original 'Teflon Don', that no matter how much he manipulates and plays with the lives of others it is all worth it if he comes out unscathed. He is betting the american people think he is a smooth operator and 'winner', and he has an entire staff of people supporting his delusions, going on television trying to explain or excuse the inexcusable. The number of people coming to his defense in this election, his red hat wearing band of angry white males, the silent GOP, Fox "news" and Breitbart 'polls' are only feeding his delusions. Trump is not only emotionally immature, a likely sociopath, and delusional about his own stature, he is dangerous. People who think it would be fun to be in the mob generally are not people who have the funds to play the game. People who romanticize the violence, the lifestyle, and the dangers of a mobster mentality are not people who play well with others. I fear Trump has been playing the game with his Daddy's money, losing, and now putting the lives of every american citizen, and therefore every global citizen, in danger.

But then, this is just my own personal theory of Trump. Not that I had any difficulty finding images to use in this post, or sources for facts about Trump's past business practices. Trump himself likes to point out many of his own examples of being 'tough' and 'winning'. Don't take my word for it, there is plenty information on the subject to be had, including the VICE article entitled "A Brief History of Donald Trump and the Mafia", from earlier this year. CNN Politics has also covered this interesting topic in a July 2015 piece called "Donald Trump and the Mob". Just a theory.

Education For All

Those who still see socialism as an image of 'cold war' Soviet Union era government corruption haven't gotten the memo.  In the early eighties we saw images on our televisions of people lining up to buy scarce resources like toilet paper. We confuse socialism' with 'Communism', a regime that was corrupt, closed off from the rest of the world, and hopelessly lacking in all social supports. Real socialism is not about the suppression of capitalism, isolationist nationalism, and it isn't about state controlled media. Nor is socialism it about everyone going without, particularly everyone who is not part of an elite and controlling government regime.

The so-called 'Socialism' seen in the former Soviet Union, North Korea, or Cuba is not the same socialist democracy that US Senator Bernie Sanders has been speaking of as he successfully spread his message of ensuring all member of society to have access to basic Human Rights. Bernie speaks of socialism in terms of some of the most successful social programs in US history.  The right to a living wage, the right to Universal Healthcare, Social Security, the right to a livable environment, and the right to have equal access to education.

Today I want to discuss the notion of Education as a social institution, something that we find perfectly acceptable for the nation's children, but many seem to think must end after public high-school.  Why this arbitrary cut-off occurs as young adults are poised to either continue with higher education, or enter the workforce is telling. Those without post-secondary education are most likely to work in dead-end service jobs, find little to no room for advancement, and are equipped with fewer tools for carving out small business endeavors. This is a widely known connection, I am not telling anyone anything new. So why do we end the socialist education program we credit with making America an educated super-power at the arbitrary cut-off point of high-school?

While Republicans, Regressionists, and Centrist Democrats fail to see the Progressive movement as more than just pie-in-the-sky load of 'free stuff'' for moochers, and laugh off Progressive concepts as more than 'unicorns' and 'rainbow' dreams, no one has discussed the fact that by creating taxpayers and tax-paying jobs, you create a self-funding system. It may take time, but a self-sustaining post-secondary education system is just one of the many benefits of taxpayer funded education initiatives.

Bernie Sanders clarified the issue with no-nonsense practical language. In April 2015, Sanders stated his position thusly, "higher education should be a right".  If an individual is qualified, willing, and able to achieve higher education, that person should have a path to achieve certification or a degree without having to dive into a sea of debt to do it.  No one is suggesting that all applicants should be given a cost-free Ivy League education, but state-run colleges and universities should remain accessible to those willing to put in the time and effort, and that education needs to be of a competitive quality.  This is what socialism really is about, giving everyone the same opportunity to advance, the same empowerment and chance of success, without being penalized for lacking the financial means to do so.

There will always be the cost of administration fees, reading materials, education tools, housing, and food for the socialist post-secondary student. What we need to ensure is that any fees are reasonable, that they are competitive, and that they don't penalize an individual and threaten their future well being by saddling them with endless student debt.

The more educated a person is, the more able they are to participate in the workforce, the more likely they are to have a positive effect on the economy. Other countries, such as Finland, fully cover all education costs for their citizens, and as a result have higher rates of innovation, quality of life, and stable economies. No country has reached the perfect balance of funding all social programs while keeping more money in taxpayer pockets, but there is a great argument to be made that the net gains will always outweigh any losses. Over time, a well educated and engaged population can find ways to better manage the allocation of social resources to eliminate redundancy, and to further improve outcomes. It takes a whole lot of guts to flip the system on it's head and offer more social services to those who have been left out or left behind. It may seem like a losing idea, but Bernie Sanders and other progressive voices are paving the way for enough people to take the 'socialist' plunge.

To Tell The Truth

It has been said that people who tell the truth rarely have difficulty defending their remarks, while those who lie on a regular basis can rarely defend themselves without telling yet more lies. This is as true of a five year-old child who scribbled on the bedroom wall with crayon, as it is of a politician or public figure that makes wildly incendiary statements, then leave the mess behind to be tidied up by their public relations staff or spokespersons.

In the past few weeks we have watched individuals in both the Clinton and Trump camps try to spin public perceptions of comments or data coming out about their candidate.  The difference between the two camps is remarkable in one key way. The Clinton campaign seems to have a united voice, even when addressing some very troubling information, they seem to be on the same page and have plausible, if not appropriate, explanations for their candidates ongoing controversies.

The Trump camp displays the exact opposite to a co-ordinated effort to address the increasingly incendiary remarks coming from the person of Donald J. Trump. Try as they might to explain away his comments, assert that Trump was being sarcastic, or shift the focus of scrutiny back to Trump's opponents, each spokesperson or surrogate seems to have a different take on deciphering Trump's bizarre rhetoric or outright lies. On a regular basis, Trump spokesperson Katrina Pierson is caught in outright lies, revisions of history, and deflections.  Prominent Republicans including Rudy Giuliani and Trump's VP candidate Mike Pence, among others, have participated in efforts to explain Trump's behavior or even suggest that media bias is the true villain.

But if Trump continues to blame the 'crooked' media, to talk about banning whole networks or publications from having access to his campaign, he is only biting the hand that has been feeding him heaps of free advertising for well over a year now.  The moment a media source disagrees with Trump's assertion of facts, or question his inability to stop drawing focus to himself, and in doing so distract from the very real concerns facing his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, he blasts them on Twitter or at one of his many rally stops.  Why telling the truth is so foreign to Trump and his campaign staff is such a challenge, particularly when the candidate himself can't seem to stick to the issues that voters want to focus on, is incongruous with a serious attempt to make a play for Commander in Chief.

Here are the last seven Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump Twitter feed, all posted within the last 12 hours. Each and every Tweet blames the media for misdirecting the conversation away from Hillary Clinton's very real potential conflicts and lack of separation between her role as Secretary of State and the machinations of The Clinton Global Initiative charity. What each tweet fails to recognize in spectacular fashion is that Trump is the reason the focus is being pulled away from Clinton, his actions and behavior are drawing attention, not any particular media bias. It is a case of 'thou doth protest too much, methinks'.

I am not saying in any way that Hillary Clinton is the more truthful of the two candidates, I don't know that to be the case, but what I do know is that Donald J. Trump can't seem to tell the truth from a lie, even when it is a lie he himself is telling. Trump's assertions that he is a non-politically correct, shoot from the hip, truth teller would be perfectly acceptable to his base, if truth had anything to do with what was coming out of the man's mouth or Twitter account. But when a 'truth-teller' seems to have no handle on truth, and no concern for accuracy, no awareness of the right granted under the US Constitution; his claims of media bias simply don't add up.

In the last week, Trump has made wildly untrue accusations about ISIS, complained that the only way he could lose is if the voting stations are rigged against him, he even made crass so-called jokes about 'Second Amendment Solutions' to deal with his political rivals.  The fact that the media has covered these events is not about bias, it is about Trump's loose association with the power of language, the truth, and the seriousness one must have when speaking as a politician on the world stage.  The media didn't suddenly develop a bias, it has been there all along. Trump's complaints about that bias seems rooted in his belief that he is being misrepresented, that others are at fault for his behavior, and that he the media, not his own actions, are shifting focus away from his opponent.

To tell the truth, Mr. Trump, if you want to halt the media in it's tracks, stop being such an outrageous fame-whore and start talking issues. If the Trump campaign could get their act together for even a brief moment, then maybe Hillary Clinton would be forced to deal with the very real issues voters are having with her campaign and it's maneuvering.  As long as Trump turns his anger away from Clinton, and towards the media, he is only making his precarious position in the polls worse, and risking further backlash as one media outlet after another becomes the focus of a Trump attack.

For a man who claims to be a strong winner, a non-insider, a maverick if you will, Trump is all talk, weak excuses, and finger pointing. For a 'tough guy', Trump does an awful lot of whining and complaining about fair treatment. This all tends to lead media and voters alike to question whether Trump is even serious about winning the election, or whether this is just a ridiculous publicity stunt orchestrated to secure Clinton her Presidency, or cement Donald J. Trump as the most ridiculous man to ever have designs on taking public office. I am starting to wonder if both scenarios might be true, simultaneously, and that is my honest truth.

WIN of the WEAK

WIN of the WEAK (Aug.13/2016)

A count-up of five stories that celebrate 'Progressive Wins' or 'Weak Excuses'; or are just plain full of irony and much needed comic relief.

WIN of the WEAK: WEAK NBC Commentator Sparks Controversy By Refusing To Call Gymnast Simone Biles' Adoptive Parents her 'Parents'

Apparently someone didn't get the memo; It is the year 2016, but not at NBC Sports. Families come in all shapes and sizes, all possible configurations and skin colour or ethnicity may a part in that. But when a young athlete, Simone Biles, a woman of colour, nailed some of the most remarkable gymnastic routines seen at any Olympic Games, going on to win several events, NBC felt the need to explain that the family supporting Biles was actually her 'adoptive family'. Why is this a WEAK excuse for journalism? Because to Simone and her Parents, they are a family in every way that matters. Rather than asking Simone about her family, the network felt the need talk down to their audience. There is obviously room to improve in the reporting about what NBC must see as a 'non-traditional' family, but by directing the dialogue to helpful facts or information about adoption, or asking the adoption community how they wish to be represented, they miss out on an opportunity to have a really important and necessary conversation. This is the sort of think that makes us all WEAK as a society.

Simone cleared up her feelings on the matter later in the week while being interviewed by Us Weekly magazine. This girl is a champion, through and through, something quite obvious when she responded with this absolute WIN of a statement;

“I personally don’t have a comment,” the gymnast told Us Weekly exclusively on Tuesday. “My parents are my parents and that’s it.”

Number Two: WIN Jimmy Dore Hilariously Eviscerates Bill O'Reilly Over "Whitehouse Slave" Comments

After FLOTUS Michelle Obama's momentous speech at last week's DNC Convention, in which she spoke passionately about waking up each day in a house 'built by slaves', the ever crude and endlessly tone deaf O'Reilly felt the need to correct the First Lady's assertions. His arguments about the 'slaves' being 'well treated' according to his research illustrated exactly how biased O'Reilly is on the subject of human slavery, which was sadly predictable. What makes this segment of The Jimmy Dore Show so hysterical is that while pointing out the sheer hypocrisy of O'Reilly, his absolute detachment from reality, Jimmy makes us laugh at a very difficult period in American history, while reminding us that we still have a very long way to go. This may be my favorite Jimmy Dore video analysis to date and makes it an absolute must-watch Progressive WIN.

Number Three: WEAK Donald Trump 'Jokes' About A Second Amendment Solution if Hillary Clinton Chooses Future Supreme Court Justices

Another day, another reason for any remaining doubt about candidate Trump's allegiance to country or constitution to be shattered. This week brought on a barrage of bizarre comments from Trump himself, his campaign releasing incongruent explanations for said comment or it's true meaning, and the man seeming to double down against the advice of his campaign managers. Rumors continue to swirl about the discord within the campaign staff itself, but the fallout on the side of Trump's fellow Republicans has been deafening. Not only has RNC Committee Chair Reince Priebus even introduced Trump at one of his many rally stops. It's clear that their is no bottom to the GOP party, they are not willing to risk a four year Clinton presidency to preserve their party or any shred of integrity they might still have. But far worse than Trump's normal lies and conspiracy theories, he seemed to cross a line this week when he put a call out for a 'second amendment solution', a barely coded call for an assassination attempt should Hillary Clinton begin to nominate liberal supreme court justices for consideration. If there is a more dastardly and despicable volley of words from a Presidential candidate, I don't know that I have ever seen recorded proof. The man reeks of, to paraphrase MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, "talk big and carry a teeny tiny little stick." Yes, Mr. Trump, you are WEAK.

Number Four: WIN A South Korean Athlete Takes a Selfie With Her North Korean Counterpart

I have to continue to remind myself that there are other things going on in the world, things besides the 2016 US Elections. While the results of the Election will have major repercussions around the world, there are still other reasons to have hope. For a few moments theses two teenagers were acting exactly like teenagers. Lee Eun-ju of South Korea and Hong Un-jong of the North took a quick shared selfie during a practice session. But the media noted that this one image is the perfect summary of the purpose and pride of the Olympic Games, since technically North and South Korea are still at war with each other. While I don't imagine that this small, normal, gesture is not a potential political hot potato for one or both of these athletes, I do love the apparent heart and sheer normalcy of fellow gymnasts taking a snapshot to help them remember a very remarkable moment in both of their lives. A lovely WIN of a moment.

Number Five: WEAK Hillary Clinton Continues To Endorse 'Troubled' House Candidate Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Despite recent evidence linking Wasserman Schultz to what essentially amounts to a smear campaign against the wildly popular Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton is still rooting for her 'gal pal' to return for a 7th term in that office. Adding further insult to the injury perpetrated against Millennials in particular, but certainly extending to all Bernie Supports. It would appear that candidate Clinton thinks she's got this election in the bag, and by continuing to support (and silence?) Debbie Wasserman Schultz, she is basically giving all those who support Wasserman Schultz' direct competitor, in the person of Tim Canova, the middle finger. It would have been far more appropriate for Wasserman Schultz to have separated herself from the Clinton inner-circle, and to drop out of her race while publicly apologizing for any role she, or her office had in manipulating the Democratic primary process. That would have been the right thing to do, and any other year, it would be a larger issue. Unfortunately, with a reckless baffoon heading the Republican ticket, the Democrats seem to think they can get away with murder while the media focuses on blunder after blunder from the Trump camp.  Perhaps Clinton has every right to think thusly, the strategy seems to have been working fine for her up until now. Secretary Clinton, this reveals just how WEAK your morals and ethics really are.

Children Talk Trump

Having the occasion to spend a few hours with my nephew and nieces, ages 10, 12, 14, and 19, we were flipping channels looking for Olympic coverage when we happened to land on a station featuring yet another shocking story about Donald J. Trump. Trump stood on a a dias, behind his podium, not surprisingly sliding in yet another dig at US President Barack Obama, or as Trump calls him 'Barack Hussein Obama'. This time he was making light of his witty use of sarcasm after having doubled down on his claim that the current president, along with his M.V.P.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were the actual founders of the terrorist group ISIL. As he laughed off the incident as a clear example of sarcasm, Trump couldn't help but give his audience one more gem by adding "but not that sarcastic" in a mock-muffled tone.

Why am I surprised that I am no longer surprised by the sheer volume of verbal diarrhea coming out of candidate Trump? When did this become something I can almost anticipate like clockwork in conjunction with his first Tweets of the morning and ending with his final call of the day to his pep squad over at Fox 'news'.  Is everyone who has been subjected to over 12 months of Trump, not unlike a form of ongoing torture, so used to the shock and pain that we have adjusted our truth-o-meters to accommodate bananas? If we have become immuned to it, what is happening to the children who are watching the Trump campaign break every rule we have been trying to teach them since the history of forever?

We teach our babies to; be gentle, be kind, be a good friend, tell the truth, say you are sorry, play nicely with others, share, be polite, be compassionate. We teach them by showing them the example of lived values. We praise them if the situation warrants, we laugh with them, we cry with them, we help them learn coping strategies. We tell them that there is value in a good work ethic, that cheaters never win in the end, that as long as they do their very best, we will be their biggest cheerleaders. We tell them it is wrong to make fun of people who have limitations or are different from them, that children are children are children. We tell them that boys and girls are both wonderful and important people, and that even though they might not have many persons of colour in their class, that the world is a beautiful place because everyone is different, and everyone has their own unique beauty and gifts. Most of all, we tell them that when they are older and they find someone they love, someone that treats them with loving respect and kindness, that we will be happy for them, because love is precious and all people deserve love.

I looked at the faces of these four amazing kids, all with varying degrees of confusion registered on their faces, and I decided it was time to turn off the television. I really worry about what kids are taking away from the 'race to the bottom' Election 2016 coverage. I decided it was time to check-in with them and ask them what they thought about what they just saw. I simply posed a question and the responses of these four kids, all raised in different homes, all talented in a dozen different unique ways, are a very small snapshot of what parents across the globe, and particularly in the US are currently juggling, actively or perhaps by their inaction.

So I asked the question, a kid-friendly and appropriate question, one I would be likely to ask after a rough day at school or squabble among neighborhood children;

Q: If somebody said something really mean about you, something that wasn't true, and then apologized to you, how would you feel? How would you feel if right after that person made an apology, they said "but I'm not THAT sorry"? 

Without missing a beat, all four sun-bleached, tanned and wide eyed kids starting to shake their heads back and forth. The youngest, and only boy, immediately said precisely what I anticipated from him. A very empathetic and loyal friend, he piped in with "then that mean person was never really sorry at all, they were just saying it because someone told them to". He shook his head a few times and threw his arms up in exasperation adding, "but Trump is a rump". Yes little man, Trump is definitely a rump.

My 19 year-old niece quickly added, "Trump is an old man, he should know that when you say you are sorry for something, you have to mean it. If you can't apologize when you are caught lying, then you are acting like a bratty little kid, not an adult." Yes, she nailed it too. She went on "Trump lies like this every single day, and he even lies about his lies." Clearly someone has been discussing politics in her vicinity, and I owe that person bigtime.

The 12 year old, who spends most days dancing or doing gymnastics, was quick to support her older sister and cousin. "I don't think that guy even knows what an apology is for. Everything he says looks like he is just trying to be funny." Well, leave it to the kids to always call a spade a spade. This little goober went back to trying to do the splits on the area rug in front of the sofa.

Finally, my 14 year old niece looking suddenly much more her age and just returned home from sleepaway camp in Nova Scotia made every one of us in the room choke from laughter as she added, "Oh that's just Donald Trump, he always says crazy things for attention. He is so completely stupid. He knows he makes lies everyday and can't remember what he said, but he doesn't even care because he doesn't know what sorry even means." Then she went back to taking selfies, many many selfies.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Think A Second Time

So after my previous spectacularly anxiety ridden post regarding my overwhelming feelings about how dangerous Donald J. Trump is, not to mention the number of serious problems I have had about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, I found myself spinning my wheels. I have been falling into the proverbial quicksand of the 2016 US Election, the more I try to make sense of something so removed from what fits with any reality I have ever known, the more I seem to sink into the muck. I need to take a step back, catch my breath, and then try to find a newer more objective and less frightening way to consume all the information coming from south of the border.

As he has done many times before, Myles Dyer, a UK based Social Justice activist, vlogger, and all around smart guy in the room, came to my rescue with his latest YouTube video. This week Myles speaks about some very helpful ways you can tweak your internal dialogue to not only process all the information coming in, but to flip the script and feel empowerment as opposed to helplessness. In this video, called Unhelpful Thinking Habits, Dyer gives us 12 concrete examples of just how we can use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to pull ourselves back from the abyss and discover the nuance of the conversation, as well as the likelihood that we (myself included) are blowing things out of proportion.

Please check out all of the videos Myles Dyer has created over his 10+ years as a vlogger on his YouTube Channel, his latest in particular have been instrumental in my ability to consume the deluge of information flowing in while putting it all into a Social Justice and Progressive framework.

When the Joke is Over

I admit that when Donald J. Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States it struck me as absolutely absurd. Here was a man I have watched, over my 43 years on this planet, do outrageous things, say worse, and repeatedly cloak himself in the stink of one failed business after another. I remember in the 1980s, my parents somehow got ahold of a copy of a "Trump" board game, it sat in it's black box with the giant golden monogram of the man's name taking up major real estate on the boxtop. We never once played it, the rules were confusing and it was a gimmick, just like everything else Donald Trump did. It was about using that Trump name to make a buck, screw the consumer, and laugh all the way to the bank.

When Trump began his Twitter career and his turn as a Fox News 'source', I know it escaped my notice. I remember him mainly for his serial relationships, odd fetish for anything gold-plated, and for his grandiose personality from television appearances that culminated in his turn as the big man in charge on 'The Apprentice" back in 2004. I personally found him to be grossly misogynistic, petty, and a self-inflated child. His ego was out of control most turns around his boardroom table, and I must admit it held little appeal for me after the first season. Trump is Trump, he doesn't get wittier or more charming, he doesn't get more magnanimous or more likeable, he was a bully and a blowhard, but in the world of television, he was just a blip on the reality television horizon.

But now things are different, the world is different, and by legitimizing his campaign the mainstream media and all of us who consume it's manufactured news, full of bias, brought this on ourselves. The GOP loved the dash of Hollywood appeal Trump brought to their debate stages, making it must-see TV like never before. By lowering themselves to his level, each of Trump's opponents fell into the trap one by one. They were all unwitting contributors to their own demise, each taking the bait and trying to out-insult the other. It was comical, but we all figured it would end. How was this troglodyte, this well known bullshit artist managing to take-down career politicians. While those of us who saw Trump for the bully he was were aghast, an angry public was looking for an underdog to root for. Trump zeroed in on the lowest common denominator qualities of the 'angry white American male', a group that despite being in a most-privileged category in society was looking for a man who would speak to their most base insecurities and deep seated fears. Fears that must only occur to those who feel threatened by women, minorities, immigrants, and the educated. Fears that those in progressive mainstream society were hopeful to leave far behind, the sooner the better.

So here we are in August, and somehow despite all rational arguments, the weight of his massive record of failures, and trust-fund baby antics, Donald J. Trump is now the Republican Party nominee for President of The United States of America. The rush may be to suggest that I am a liberal, a progressive, a Canadian socialist, a hater, but I have no dog in this race. I am not able to vote in the American elections, and frankly right about now I would be rocking myself in a corner somewhere in the face of a possible Trump or Clinton presidency. The world is watching, and we aren't laughing.

Those of us who have studied some of the darkest periods in history are watching events repeat themselves daily, from calls to ban or 'surveil' entire religions, mocking of the differently abled or ill, to more blatant racism thinly disguised as a jab at illegal migration. It echoes close to the bone, it is painful and frightening to watch, and it scares me. It scares me. If you can't see the signs, I promise you, they are there in flashing red letters.

I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton, nor am I a fan of the American two-party system, but Donald J. Trump is not a statesman, not a leader, not an inspirational figure. He is a con and a grand hoax on the most vulnerable in society. Those looking for real hope and change, those that actually believe he is a man of the people have the most to lose. He is playing games with the fate of America, and the world, our safety and our respectability. 

The Joke is over, we created this monster, and now he has come home to do exactly what he became famous doing, dividing people into categories, inciting and condoning violence of all sorts, and spouting hatred and outright lies with absolutely no consequences. While Trump sees this as his biggest gamble yet, one that has nothing to do with his long track record of party swapping and donating to prominent Democrats, including the Clintons, those watching from the sidelines are wondering how this horrible roller coaster will end. I am not laughing anymore, and I have to wonder about the mental stability of those that find this to be one big joke. It's time someone with the power to stop Trump stepped up to the plate and said publicly, "this man does not represent Conservatives, he does not represent the GOP, and he does not represent America". Unless of course, he really is exactly the politician that America deserves. I have to hope, with everything that I am, that this isn't the simple, ugly, truth of the matter.

Why Universal Healthcare?

In December 2012, the United Nations adopted what was termed a 'momentous' resolution on Universal Healthcare. Support came from across the globe, including the US, but the reality almost four years later still falls woefully short for many individuals and families. The idea that any family is one illness, one accident, away from bankruptcy is absolutely the antithesis of the Universal Healthcare concept, and deeply troubling from an ethical perspective.

 

Living in Canada, I have been the benefactor of a country wide, provincially directed healthcare system. I have been both a lifelong patient, and a nurse working within the system, and there is nothing so comforting as knowing that when I seek quality health care, that I can access it the same way anyone of lesser or greater financial means could.  My family is not in severe debt over health care bills compounding interest year upon year, I have excellent doctors, and I have the ability to seek second opinions or switch caregivers if I deem it necessary.

As a nurse, I don't have to count the number of supplies I use when caring for my clients. I do not have any indication in their records of their financial health, nor whether or not they carry additional coverage for prescriptions, dental and eye care. It means I can give the best care to my patients and not have to give a second thought to whether or not they can cover the cost of that care.  

A colleague of mine opted to practice in the US shortly after we both graduated from University in the late 1990s. She was courted by a US based medical staffing agency with promises of great hours, high pay, and housing allowances.  When she returned from the states, Texas to be specific, she seemed to be entirely disenchanted with Nursing. We spoke about what it was like to work in the states, at that point long before 'Obamacare' had been introduced.

My colleague, who I will refer to as Jane, was most upset by what she could not do for her patients as opposed to what she could.  Patients would arrive at hospital in a variety of ways, but before she even began her nursing assessments, Jane could see it clearly marked on the client charts whether or not they had any health insurance. The point was constantly driven home to her by her supervisors, if the patient had no coverage, they were to receive an absolute minimum of care and be discharged at the soonest possible moment. Conversely, if a patient was admitted who had full coverage and insurance, the staff was encouraged to run any and all diagnostic tests, to slow-track discharge, and to use a heavy hand with supplies and treatments, involving as many members of the Health Care Team.

Jane spoke of other issues, particularly those related to undocumented immigrants, frequently unaddressed language barriers, and the number of patients that arrived at acute care settings long after they should have, often delaying care until a situation was dire.  Once a serious condition or injury has progressed past a certain point, getting it managed and/or healed is often an entirely uphill battle. Contrast this situation to one where a small wound is cared for at a walk-in clinic or physician's office before it reaches the critical point where far more expensive and extensive interventions are required.

Is this story anecdotal and possibly out of date, absolutely. However, it has always remained with me for a very simple reason. I don't want to know my patient's financial circumstance, I don't want it to alter the excellent care I provide in any way, nor do I want to feel pressured to do more or less based on something so far removed from what I believe Nursing is meant to be. Jane almost left the Nursing profession entirely, and likely would have had she not returned to Canada and our taxpayer funded Universal Healthcare System.

Speaking purely as a patient, I wouldn't want to seek care had I no insurance and lived in the US. If I knew I could barely afford food and housing for my family, a strange lump in my breast tissue or persistent infection in my lungs might well be relegated to the bottom of my priorities list. This would be the case particularly if I knew it would bring not only a financial burden, but prevent me from working in a market where full-time employment is scarce. 

Is there any better argument for Universal Healthcare? It costs the system more, not less, to care for an advanced illness. It costs society more, not less, when a taxpaying fully employed citizen is struck down with a catastrophic illness as opposed to a small treatable condition.  It smacks of hypocrisy to suggest that all people can receive equal quality care in a pay-to-play system. It also highlights the growing inequity between those who can and cannot afford health insurance.  Obamacare, and indeed all government directed health programs are never perfect for everyone, but if they benefit the most people in the most humane and cost-effective way, we become healthier as nations and as a society. When you support Universal Healthcare you are saying that the health of your citizens is just as important, if not more important, than the wealth of your citizens. It is just one issue to be addressed on the Progressive dinner plate, but in my view, it is the one staple that all the others require to succeed.

Are We 'Progressives' or 'Regressives'?

Yesterday I read the actual Republican Party Platform as posted online, just for kicks. As I was reading through an endless list of punchy titles (I actually physically recoiled several times), it struck me just how un-American this document seems. So many barely veiled religious references, the discussion of removing essential resources from those most in need, I actually has a visceral reaction to what I was reading. What shocked me most of all was the negative, narrow, limited vision of what America could be.

The third paragraph of the GOP platform 'preamble' states in no uncertain terms the "the American dream is at risk." This is followed by reams of positions that seem to be entirely regressive, not just a matter of maintaining the status quo. For instance, the platform seeks to eradicate abortion access, ban pornography, and return to a traditional judeo-christian definition of marriage as that between a man and a woman exclusively. In the same vein it seeks to reduce taxation on corporations as a means of remaining globally competitive, preventing something the GOP refers to as debt explosion, while at the same time suggesting that it is critical that the United States has a highly trained and skilled workforce. I'm not sure if the GOP missed the memo about the state of the student debt crisis, but they apparently think that highly trained and skilled workers evolve in an education vaccum. Does that even resemble the American anyone wants, knows, or loves? I doubt many dictatorships could top this initial 'wish list'. It seems so backwards that I can only say it is the exact opposite of a progressive way of thinking, it is infact a regressive way of thinking and acting.

Out of fairness, I also looked into the Democratic Party Platform. Here the difference are stark just in the choice of words and the broad range of ideas and issues presented. For instance, the Democratic document speaks of "too many being left out or left behind" in the current political climate. I think all Americans can identify with that sentiment, which is why candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders hold so much appeal as outsiders. The platform focuses more on ways to help America achieve the so-called 'American Dream', as opposed to stressing that the concept is under attack. With the help of Bernie Sanders guiding the platform in a progressive direction, one at least feels somewhat hopeful when coming away from the document, even if they note (rightly so) that it is still not progressive or proactive enough. It's not that I am all about an exclusively progressive outlook for the Democratic Party of the future, but currently I am caught by just the differences in tone. This is not about the presidential candidates, it's just about the ideas and language in the document as presented. While reading this second document, I came away with a very different feeling.

America is not about one side of the aisle or the other, it's about the very best of ideas coming together. I understand the two-party system, the checks and balances, and that no single party has yet managed to achieve an entirely 'utopian' [if we take their platforms to be a model] society. The red team wins some games, sometimes it is the blue team. The balance is what we see today, it is 'western' culture, this mix of ideals and ideas. However, what happens when this system breaks down? 

What if, let's imagine for a moment,  the blue team uses steroids or other performance enhancing drugs, and the red team does not (or vice versa), would we be ok with that? You can easily see these 'influences' as a matter of the moneyed interest driving candidates to vote against their constituents interests. What if it happened for eight years in a row. America would look very different, as it always does, when a two-term President with a majority house and senate leaves office.

Human Beings are fascinating creatures when you think about the way we form societies. For example, the power of the US Supreme Court is pivotal for shaping policy and precedents. We need to recognize our own limitations, but also give ourselves enough credit for having the bravery to reach higher and be better. This wired-in world is so different from the one that I was met with back in the early 1970s. With information comes knowledge, knowledge bringing empowerment, it gives us a more realistic picture of the actual urgency and priority of issues.

So if we have any one party with an eight year stranglehold on government, eventually a lot on their wish list is brought forward for debate. Let's step away from the American two-party system, and open the doors to other parties, independents like Bernie Sanders, and imagine how remarkable these debates would be if instead of just two teams on the field, we see a round-robin tourney of multiple viewpoints representing the nuanced positions that real people, the voters in this case, care about. That is where ideas like the Brand New Congress hold great appeal for those who can see beyond the two-party system. Even if the small handful of independents or third parties in congress can't sway the vote, at least their positions can be heard and evaluated by the people. That is the America I want to see, the America that the people deserve, and the America that is bound in the living breathing document that is the United States Constitution. So the question we should really be asking is not if we are Democrat or Republican, but are we Progressive or Regressive as a society.

A Reminder For All Feminists

Whatever you think of Hillary Rodham Clinton's politics or person, you have to admit that she has faced the scrutiny and scorn of countless individuals and groups during her time in the public sphere. I don't find her to be a credible or progressive candidate, I find she has a very unique relationship with the truth [to put it mildly], and I abhor some of the behind the scenes arms-length efforts to discredit her every political rival with ruthless precision as opposed to focusing on the issues. No matter my personal position on Hillary, it's undeniable that she has faced unrelenting attacks as either being too aggressive and un-first ladylike, or subjugating her pride as a modern woman in favor of upholding her marriage vows.

The first argument suggests that any woman who wants to hold public office deserves the kind of treatment that so many have gotten away with. The second argument is more puzzling as it is bandied about by so-called Conservative Christians, that Hillary is somehow less of a woman for staying in a marriage with a man who grossly embarrassed her in front of the world when his philandering nature was uncovered. As far as I am concerned, Hillary's personal relationship with her husband is her business and no one has the right to tell her how to conduct herself in the very private and complicated bonds of a marriage. In either case, this one point can be clearly seen in this small 3 minute clip that shows just a tiny sample of the asinine and archaic questions Hillary has faced over the last 30+ years.

I don't care what your politics are, there is no way I could have stayed calm while being compared to fictional characters like 'Lady MacBeth' or being labeled a 'nagging wife'.  So today I want to remind women everywhere, and particularly those who are thinking of a future in the political arena, that feminism means that all women move ahead, the ones we love and the ones that we definitely do not love. The point is that men do not have an exclusive monopoly on 'toughness' and women do not have an exclusive claim to 'gentility'. The most impressive argument I have ever heard for women standing up for all women and the injustices we face daily is in a poem by Melissa Newman-Evans, a piece called "9 Things I Would Like To Tell Every Teenage Girl". I am not going to say anything more, it speaks for itself and I hope that you will overlook a few cuss words and embrace the heart and intention behind this passionate plea.

WIN of the WEAK

WIN of the WEAK (Aug. 6/2016)

[I'm hoping to make this a recurring theme as a weekly item. Please weigh in with your thought.]

A count-up of five stories that celebrate 'Progressive Wins' or 'Weak Excuses'; or are just plain full of irony and much needed comic relief.

WIN of the WEAK: Netflix Accidentally Put Aziz Ansari Subtitles on a Nature Documentary and the Results Are Amazing

Source: Imgur

This small gaffe on the part of Netflix is almost entirely harmless and says an awful lot about what is going on with millennials and progressives in one hilarious moment. By combining the power of online entertainment as opposed to the entire television lineup of commercial media, a BBC Nature documentary showing an individual that is engaged and at the minimum curious about life on the planet, and the introduction of comic-relief by a talented comedian who also happens to be one of the first brown comedian to achieve a wide - and much deserved - level of acclaim, this situation is so full of WIN. Or maybe I am reading too much into a technical glitch.

Number Two: WEAK Donald J. Trump Brought to Heel by the GOP, Instead of being Disavowed

While I watched in mild surprise as Donald Trump read from a prepared list of talking points leading to his clear endorsements of high ranking Republicans, Speaker of the House Sen.Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) and Sen, John McCain (R-Arizona), I felt that that the Republicans were missing the larger picture, that this last ditch effort was just delaying the inevitable. If the GOP actually holds to its own platform and traditional christian values to have value, the continual embrace of a man like Donald Trump are not only destroying the Republican Party, but also reckless and highly un-American. Anyone left with any moral compass needs to do what is most difficult but most necessary for the sanctity of life in America. Perhaps that is the real take-away.

Number Three: WIN Most Americans Ages 18-30 Say Neither Political Party Represents Them, Poll Shows

A GenForward Poll out this week indicates that young millennials in particular are choosing issues over party loyalties by saying that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats represent their values. Specifically, only 28 percent of young adults overall are saying the two parties do a good job of representing the American people.This is a huge signal to the Progressive movement that it's future is in increasingly secure hands. When the issues and the realities facing the most people are the driving force behind policy creation, as opposed to a top-down approach, the movement moves forward and we see actual change in the priorities of politicians and corporations.

Number Four: WIN* GOP Convention Scared this Veteran more than Afghanistan

I call this op-ed by Christopher Carey a WIN for one very simple reason. It clearly presents precisely the problem facing every veteran, military serviceperson, or military family in America at this moment in history. These people are American patriots who respect the office of Commander in Chief of the United States. Their respect for this office is hinged upon the belief that the person calling the shots needs to fully understand the supreme responsibility of the office and can respond in the nuanced ways to threats while simultaneously minimizing the cost of human lives, American lives. It is the lives of all Americans that are on the line, and that is not something a man who has been on the front lines doing the very hard job of protecting home and humanity wants in the hands of a nihilistic narcissist like Donald J. Trump. These are the most powerful checks and hits that will drive voters away from a Trump candidacy and into examining other options up and down ticket.

[*Let me officially state that I deeply respect the service of this veteran and abhor any situation that would place such a fear into the heart of anyone.]

Number Five: WIN Team Refugees is an Elegant Political Statement that Cannot be Ignored

This Summer at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, there is a new team in the mix. Not a specific region, country, or state, but rather an example of the actual faces and the plight of the modern refugee. A picture in sharp contrast to that currently volleyed about in the political arena. While close to home Trump continues to paint the picture of refugees and immigrants, whether fleeing climate disaster, war, or political and economic shifts, as criminals and rapists. It is the very best foil for Trump's arguments and it is making it's presence felt on the world stage. This small team of 10 athletes was assembled by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and includes members from diverse backgrounds including South Sudan, Syria, Ethiopia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While I am not naive to the the very real potential that these athletes might be exploited for nefarious purposes, I can't help but be hopeful that if even one person comes to see their brother, sister, son, or daughter among these athletes, the progressive world becomes a richer place indeed. I will be watching with interest to see how the mainstream media and the IOC portray these athletes in the coming days.