Muslim Ban: Shock Event?

A family member passed this on through a Facebook 'Copy & Share' message from Heather Richardson, professor of History at Boston College. I felt like sharing it with you, because it does ring true for many reason. The main thing to remember is not to be frozen in our shock, anger, fear, or confusion. Now is the time for all of us to come together and find commonality. We must not let the current Trump regime divide us.

Heather Richardson writes; "I don't like to talk about politics on Facebook-- political history is my job, after all, and you are my friends-- but there is an important non-partisan point to make today. What [Steve] Bannon is doing, most dramatically with last night's ban on immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries-- is creating what is known as a "shock event."

Such an event is unexpected and confusing and throws a society into chaos. People scramble to react to the event, usually along some fault line that those responsible for the event can widen by claiming that they alone know how to restore order.

When opponents speak out, the authors of the shock event call them enemies. As society reels and tempers run high, those responsible for the shock event perform a sleight of hand to achieve their real goal, a goal they know to be hugely unpopular, but from which everyone has been distracted as they fight over the initial event. There is no longer concerted opposition to the real goal; opposition divides along the partisan lines established by the shock event.

Last night's Executive Order has all the hallmarks of a shock event. It was not reviewed by any governmental agencies or lawyers before it was released, and counter-terrorism experts insist they did not ask for it. People charged with enforcing it got no instructions about how to do so. Courts immediately have declared parts of it unconstitutional, but border police in some airports are refusing to stop enforcing it. Predictably, chaos has followed and tempers are hot.

My point today is this: unless you are the person setting it up, it is in no one's interest to play the shock event game. It is designed explicitly to divide people who might otherwise come together so they cannot stand against something its authors think they won't like.

I don't know what Bannon is up to-- although I have some guesses-- but because I know Bannon's ideas well, I am positive that there is not a single person whom I consider a friend on either side of the aisle-- and my friends range pretty widely-- who will benefit from whatever it is.

If the shock event strategy works, though, many of you will blame each other, rather than Bannon, for the fallout. And the country will have been tricked into accepting their real goal. But because shock events destabilize a society, they can also be used positively. We do not have to respond along old fault lines. We could just as easily reorganize into a different pattern that threatens the people who sparked the event.

A successful shock event depends on speed and chaos because it requires knee-jerk reactions so that people divide along established lines. This, for example, is how Confederate leaders railroaded the initial southern states out of the Union.

If people realize they are being played, though, they can reach across old lines and reorganize to challenge the leaders who are pulling the strings. This was Lincoln's strategy when he joined together Whigs, Democrats, Free-Soilers, anti-Nebraska voters, and nativists into the new Republican Party to stand against the Slave Power.

Five years before, such a coalition would have been unimaginable. Members of those groups agreed on very little other than that they wanted all Americans to have equal economic opportunity. Once they began to work together to promote a fair economic system, though, they found much common ground. They ended up rededicating the nation to a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

Confederate leaders and Lincoln both knew about the political potential of a shock event. As we are in the midst of one, it seems worth noting that Lincoln seemed to have the better idea about how to use it."

Plato Warned Us of Trump

I have been frozen in my thoughts, words, and actions for what seems like eons, but is actually just over a week. The monstrous cabinet of the new President of the United States seemed like the biggest threat to progress, but it was the least of what should have concerned me. I never realized that 'Executive Orders' and 'Memos' could literally bring a thriving Democracy to the teetering edge of collapse in a matter of a week. I was ignorant, lulled by years of shadow actions hidden from view, pretty words for the public, reassurances of business as usual, and relatively kind if largely inept politicians.

I always assumed that the big decisions of Governments, done in 'peacetime', or what we have been told is peacetime while more than half a dozen wars involving Allied Forces rage around the world, are slow moving and involve constitutional lawyers, teams of people that plan implementation of such new legislation, after passing both the house and senate. I guess I didn't understand, I was ignorant, and I fear my own lack of knowledge about the machinations of American Politics. Quite simply, I was wrong.

I heard Trump rant on about his bigotry, his proposed Muslim ban, his cruel and erroneous characterizations of Mexicans and Latinos, his ancient and rigid descriptions of the Black Community and inner-city ghettos and crime, and his mocking of those with less affluence or different physicality. I was always struck by the sheer inanity of his words, hoping against hope that not one voter would embrace his message. Yet, I always knew there were those who did. What I did not count on was how many supporters, enablers, and defenders he had. I assumed that bigotry could not be legislated in a country that embraces it's Constitution, that even a party that has refused to separate church and state would have an ounce of Christian good will and kindness. I have never been so wrong, and that is a shocking awakening to meet at my age, I assure you.

His election was sobering, his inauguration a funeral for progress, but I thought that it would take time for someone as inept and unaccustomed to the working of government to actually get any traction, get his wrecking-crew cabinet approved, and manage to do any serious work. I was right about many of those assumptions, but what I did not imagine is the sheer power of the office of the presidency being used as a bully pulpit to push through an agenda of almost entirely unconstitutional orders. So much has happened so fast, I can hardly remember each order amidst the whiplash of photo-ops and media spin.

And I keep asking, how this has happened? Why now? What has made this entire debacle possible? Then my sister shared an amazing short video clip from BBC Newsnight, and it all suddenly coalesced into this awful cold and empty feeling in my gut. The writing has been on the wall since it was possible to capture political thought, and as someone who did not study political science in my wide yet relatively focused years upon years of post-secondary education, I now want to know it all, to know more, I want to understand.

Please do watch this short clip about what Plato can teach us about Donald Trump. If it doesn't hit you directly in the gut, then perhaps you are one of the few that has the knowledge I so desperately seek. I am not sure if I envy you, or if I am all the more saddened by those voices who tried to speak out, or could have, but were not heard or listened to, now to our mutual peril.


 

Calling Out 'Nasty' Behavior

Why That 'Nasty' Comment Got Us All Riled Up

It is the comment heard around the world, the "Nasty Woman"-gate if you will. During the third and final presidential debate, if Mr. Trump had said "That was a nasty dig/comment/thing to say" instead of calling Secretary Clinton a 'nasty woman', this entire nasty incident would be a non-issue.

What makes it an issue is that it is the epitome of who Donald Trump is. What Trump lacks is the basic ability to understand the impact of his choice of words. It is a sign of immaturity. It is a matter of higher understanding to be able to separate an act or comment from the person(s). What he claims is a war on 'political correctness', is actually his lack of interest, after some seventy years on this earth, in the feelings or basic dignity of others.

You can dislike someone's behaviour or actions, you can disagree with a person's politics, that is absolutely essential to the American democratic system. But one of the first things you learn as you develop relationships is that you can be civil, close, kind, and maybe love someone, even if you don't happen to like their behaviour or opinions on certain things. It should be the basis of every marriage, parenting relationship, work environment, government, educational environment, etc.;

When your toddler throws a down on the floor flailing screaming tantrum in the grocery store, you may be righteously pissed or embarrassed or frustrated, but you still love your child. You still can empathise with being a little person who is having a meltdown, maybe because they are frustrated too, or tired, or hungry, or thirsty, or they don't understand what they are experiencing. They are not 'bad' or 'nasty' children, they are acting/saying/behaving in a manner that you dislike greatly in the moment, but as an adult - we can still see the individual as deserving of respect and decency and compassion even. We do our best as parents and remember that we love these people desperately, we want them to be successful and able to moderate their emotions and thrive, we want them to learn compassion and empathy too.

I know Secretary Clinton made a calculated comment in reference to the lack of proof that Mr. Trump has ever paid federal taxes. I wasn't impressed by it, I know the story about Trump's refusal to release his taxes, I know there is serious speculation that a billion dollar loss he took may have allowed him to defer taxes for some 18 years. I don't approve of 'nasty' comments and asides during a debate, they are not relevant and waste time. But it had the desired effect, Trump couldn't help himself. Instead of using that moment to be the bigger person, to be the adult he should be, he attacked her entire person - not her comment, not to refute the claim and explain why it was wrong, not to advance the discussion, Trump attacked her very essence and then tied it to her being a woman. He didn't say "You are a nasty person', he was caught in the moment and it was absolutely candidly Trump, referring to women with particular terms; weak, lacking stamina, ugly, and yes, nasty.

Even if you don't agree with them, they still deserve civil behaviour

The point of all my rambling is thus, when you are seeking public office, and you are trying to represent all your constituents, the people in addition to your party and platform - even if you don't agree with them all they still deserve your respect and civil behaviour, because you are charged with the mantle of representing their views and needs; not your own. So you need to measure your words, they have impact, think of the most famous Presidential remarks in history. Think of moments of crisis, the ability to see people separate from their beliefs or acts is essential for any leader. Seeing civilians in war zones as human, even if their governments or leaders are acting in a way that is meant to provoke the US into a conflict.

In addition, American children are in the process of learning about the American Democracy System. They will be exposed to elections, campaigns, and events that are happening in real time. As future politicians, voters, tax paying citizens - they deserve to see the best examples of campaigns and ideals, ones they can watch without a censor to evaluate it's appropriateness for children. Certain things, world events, disasters are not meant for a child's unprepared consumption, parents understand that they have a job to do. But a child growing up in US needs to be able to have a president they can respect and maybe even admire for their positive attributes, one they can watch undertaking one of the most important jobs in the world.

Trump has no ability to moderate his impulses, he doesn't think before he speaks. It's not about being politically correct, it's about showing others the respect they deserve as human beings. Understanding that there are circumstances where that is very difficult. We may not condone a sexual predator, we may despise his acts, but you understand he is still a person, a person that will hopefully be met with the full force of the judicial system and public scrutiny, be brought to justice, whatever that might mean.

I might add, I felt similar the moment I saw the tape of Hillary Clinton refer to some of Trump's loyal base as a 'Basket of Deplorables'. It was precisely the wrong thing to say because it can be taken out of context by anyone who was leaning towards the former Secretary of State's opponent. It was a poor choice of words to say the least, and not befitting a candidate for President who is hoping to eventually represent all those 'deplorables' if elected. It is also glaring because Clinton is a lawyer.

There are certain inalienable rights that apply to even the most heinous individual

One reason that lawyers in particular may be more successful politically. They learn to carefully consider their words in the courtroom, they learn that there are certain inalienable rights, including constitutional rights, that apply to even the most heinous individuals. That may be a changing trend, I hope it is. Nurses and teachers, engineers and innovators, business moguls and volunteers, everyone who is self-actualised understands that government is meant to represent all the people, and their unique skills and perspectives can only make a good system better, not perfect, just improved.

There is no such thing as perfect. There is only 'better'. You can work to do better next time, to study more, practise harder, to improve; but there is no end marked perfect. You just need to embrace the concept that there will never be a perfect outcome, you do your best, and you learn from the process. Trump needs to go back and be that father in the grocery store with a toddler in meltdown, he needs to go back to learn that it's OK if everyone doesn't think or act exactly as he wants them to, and that's why America is already great.

Friday Funny: Trump's "Unrelated Assertions"

Donald J. Trump speaks with Matt Lauer at the Commander-In-Chief Town Hall on NBC.

This brilliant 'Security Questions Asked' vs. 'Unrelated Assertions' tally and score is my favorite new video. This video deserves to go viral in the most important way. Donald J. Trump hangs himself with his own words by dancing around, never actually answering a question directly. He has the most obvious 'ADHD Thinker' presentation I have ever listened to. The more you listen, the more disturbing his inability to stay on topics becomes.

The video is part of The Young Turks Network of channels, this one is specifically from TYT Politics. In it's bleak simplicity, it shows how Donald can never stay on subject, never focus his answers, and just simply links subjects in a bizarrely tangential way. He actually never really firmly says anything, lies endlessly about how world conflicts of the past evolved, and seems to double-down on his exposed lies and assertions. According to Trump, all past and present military conflicts are the result of what he calls the 'Obama-Clinton' regime, completely ignoring VP Joe Biden or current Secretary of State John Kerry;

The official TYT Politics description of this video;

Donald Trump supporter and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who had been on the short list as Trump's running mate, thought he was doing his candidate a favor by letting him go on stream of consciousness rants rather than answer his questions about how he would deal with ISIS, Iran, Libya, Syria, and Iraq. But he might have given Trump a little too much rope for his own good.

Trump responded to 7 softball questions about U.S. foreign policy, terrorism, and the Middle East with 5 wafer-thin answers and 87 wildly unrelated assertions, according to a count by TYT Politics.

The audience cheered for answers like, "We have to solve it bigly and strongly," which was in response to the question, "What is your Iraq strategy as Commander in Chief?" As silly as that sounds, we scored it as an answer, rather than a non-answer because it does reveal what is going on in Trump's head when it comes to military affairs.

The Q and A spectacle was moderated by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who had been on the short list as Trump's running mate and spoke at the GOP convention. Incredibly, Flynn, who has had some experience in military affairs and foreign intelligence, responded to each rambling non-answer as if he had just heard something vaguely coherent. Although he did hover around the Middle East region with his questions, at one point asking the same question twice, hoping for at least one utterance that showed a basic grasp of U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.

We did not score the accuracy of Trump's statements, but we'd love it if our viewers could do that part!

The event took place on Sept. 6, 2016 at the Sandler Center in Virginia Beach, VA, ostensibly as a tuneup for the Commander In Chief Forum on Sept. 7, 2016, the first time that Republican presidential nominee would appear on the same stage (albeit at different times) with his Democratic opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

I am not certain who on the TYT Politics team, including Jordan Chariton, put this together, but it is the best example of the absurdity of a Donald J. Trump presidency. Well done TYT Network, always bringing a different perspective and a healthy dose of laughs. Remember, if you are able to become a member of The Young Turks, please consider it.

To start your membership, all you have to do is visit the The Young Turks online and join. You can become a part of the TYT Nation for just $10 US per month via PayPal, or less with a one-year plan. The Young Turks is a true fifth estate establishment; bloggers, journalists, hacktivists, and media outlets that operate outside of the mainstream media. TYT is your source for daily news, political coverage, human interest stories with witty analysis and diverse opinions. We need to support independent media both locally and abroad if we want real alternatives to the mainstream media propaganda machine.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Foreign Policy of Trump

Trump Calisthenics; open mouth, put foot in mouth, remove foot by spitting out bizarre lies, repeat with other foot. On Tuesday, once again Trump found himself unprepared and caught in another self-spun web. On July 31st Trump was being interviewed by ABC News Anchor George Stephanopoulos, saying a lot and yet still nothing of consequence when the topic shifted to Trump's knowledge of Russia and the Ukraine. Trump was adamant that Russian President Putin, would not be going into Ukraine [sic]. When corrected about the fact that the annexation of The Crimea and parts of Eastern Ukraine by Russia had infact happened two years prior, Trump once again doubled down. Perhaps we have found the source of Trump's failed Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City. Donald seems unable to walk away from the tables, and infact doubles down on every bad investment, refusing to leave the table (or topic) until he comes out on top or another debacle takes it's place.

"He's not going into Ukraine, OK, just so you understand. He's not going to go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down. You can put it down. You can take it anywhere you want," Trump said in an interview on Sunday with ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week." Source: CNN Politics.

By Monday, August 1st Trump hammered away at the topic again by emitting several tweets obviously aimed at saving face. Now suddenly an expert on the Ukraine, he explained that what he 'meant' to say was that under a Trump Presidency 'it never would have happened'. He doesn't know what 'it' he is talking about, but at least he now knows he could have prevented it. He might actually have a group of imaginary advisors in his mind that could have done a better 'deal' than any other candidate in the history of forever.

By the time Tuesday came, Trump went on Fox "News" Show 'The O'Reilly Factor' with Bill O'Reilly, to clarify still further, now adding that "Obama is the worst president in the history of the United States", which is convenient since he has actively campaigned, supported, and/or run for office with at least three entirely different political parties over at least six different election seasons. I had not realized how rabid Trump's appetite was for studying the history of the US Presidency was. To suggesting that Obama is the 'worst' and 'weakest' ever would require extensive scholastic efforts. Trump then added, "I know more about foreign policy than [Obama]." [video below]

More about foreign policy or foreign tax loopholes? I think Donald may be confused. They are not the same thing Mr Trump. To suggest you know more about foreign policy and relations than a sitting Two-Term President that has travelled the world to international summits, met with heads of state, and had eight years of actual experience with foreign relations, is frankly absurd. Let us not forget to mention President Barack Obama is an Ivy League Educated Lawyer, widely respected, who can actually read and understand the language of policy documents.

Taking military steps to intervene at the time of the annexation of the Crimea by Russia would have destroyed decades of work from GOP and Democratic Presidents alike, but also may have led to actual war. Had Obama acted in a 'tough' not 'weak' way, as Donald puts it, we may well have seen an escalation in the conflict, being called upon by NATO agreements to send over, house, arm, clothe and feed thousands of military personnel, endanger the lives of servicemen and servicewomen, as well as innocent civilians, including women and children. Let's remember folks, Russia has a nuclear arsenal and would not hesitate to use it on us. But then, had we survived a potential Nuclear war, Trump would be listing all of the things Obama had done wrong by being 'too tough'. I'm not even sure that Trump could define what he means when he calls people 'weak' or 'tough', he has no ability to employ nuanced or quantifiable terms. He 'alone will fix', as he says so eloquently, I know those details will be released soon, right along with his tax-returns.

There has never be anyone so contradictory in his own interviews and speeches as Donald J. Trump. The thing is, I believe I may know more about foreign policy than Trump, and I am a Canadian and a Nurse by profession. I just want to have an idea about what is going on in the world. Quite simply, I read and research information when I have questions about world events, I have studied statistical interpretation of research and know that almost without exception every mainstream media outlet has it's own agenda and political ideology. It's almost a comedy routine whenever Trump starts to lash out at the media for being 'unfair', I can hardly keep track of which outlets are on his good list. This is a grown ass man, 70 years on this planet and he has yet to understand that the media is not your personal playground, The televisions news business is after all a business. It is there to inform and interpret daily events, sell lots of ads, pull in the ratings and go where the story is. There is no loyalty in the mainstream media, they are corporate owned entities that seek to turn a profit, and they don't care who they take down.

A sign of a mature adult is one that is not afraid to ask for help. Unlike Trump, I would want the best trained, most experienced, and most knowledgeable aides and advisors to help me become ready to take on such a tremendous responsibility. Being responsible for the safety of every US citizen, it's allies, and ultimately the planet, is not a joke, it's not a publicity stunt. The presidency is often frenetic and overwhelmed, sometimes isolated or maybe boring, repetitive, frustrating, and definitely a twenty-four hour responsibility. It is not so much Trump's lack of knowledge, he can hopefully learn anything he sets his mind to, if he is of sound mind. It is Donald's stubborn 'My Way or No Way" attitude that is sinking his ship. Mr. Trump, please just admit to America that you don't know it all but you are willing to learn it all because you take the office of POTUS very seriously. Unless of course you aren't willing to put in the work, and don't actually want the job, which would be fine by me.

Bad News for 'Disgusted' Donald

Most normal people have moments where they are generally offended by something gross or disgusting. Let's face it, life is messy. Most parents or pet owners have cleaned up snot and vomit, not to mention other bodily fluids, the whole deal. At some point you have to plug your nose, put on the latex gloves and get to work. While we all have something or other that absolutely sends us into the 'nope' zone, we generally mature past the point of making a public spectacle every time we are put off by an odor, sound, or sight.

After nearly a year of watching Donald Trump tweet, repeat the same speech over and over, and use his incredibly limited vocabulary of 'the best words', one word has come to symbolize everything that is immature, underdeveloped, and quite frankly alarming about this likely narcissistic sociopath. 'The Donald' uses the word 'disgusting' an awful lot when referring to almost any normal bodily functions, particularly as they relate to women's bodies. Here are some prime examples of 'disgusted Donald' being his rude, self-centered, and sexist self using his most favorite word.

In December of 2015, Trump referred to rival Hillary Clinton's seconds late return to the debate stage after an apparent restroom break 'disgusting'. To a group of adoring approximately 7,500 supporters he said in an almost sing-song voice, "I know where she went -- it's disgusting, I don't want to talk about it." Affecting a look of mock-horror, as the crowd laughed and cheered, Trump continued,  "no, it's too disgusting. Don't say it, it's disgusting."[1]  I am not sure most actual children would say something quite so childish about something as simple as a bathroom break. I defy Donald to try to rush in a restroom break while wearing a pair of Spanx, if you have never worn a pair, it is rather like trying to escape from a straitjacket while suspended over a water tank, as a clock ticks down. In this particular case, I am definitely 'with her'.

This is hardly his most noteworthy use of his favorite word. In 2011, Trump famously called a female lawyer 'disgusting' when she asked for a brief pre-approved break during his deposition. Trump's lawyers had objected to the request. It seems Trump was once again in court facing claims of defrauding investors, when opposing counsel, Elizabeth Beck asked the court for a medical break. Facing this objection, Beck, a breastfeeding mother of a 3-month old infant, took out her breast pump to show the urgency of the situation, one many women can well relate to, particularly in the workplace. Trump's reaction was off the charts, even for him. Beck recalled the incident for an interview on CNN this year, “[Trump] got up, his face got red, he shook his finger at me and he screamed, ‘You’re disgusting, you’re disgusting,’ and he ran out of there”. This from a man that continually asserts that in his organization, women are equally respected and valued for their contributions. Beck referred to Trump's behavior “an absolute meltdown.” Trump's lawyers have agreed with Beck's recollections of the event. [2]

Women aren't the only target of the 'disgusting' label, as Trump made glaringly clear when describing his Republican opponent, Ohio governor John Kasich, in the primaries. In April 2016, having been photographed and interviewed while at several eateries during his campaign stops, Kasich often was seen eating meal after meal. Trump must not have appreciated anyone else being in the spotlight when he opined to an encouraging crowd "I have never seen a human being eat in such a disgusting fashion." The Donald decided us simple folk needed context for his rather below-the-belt attack adding "This guy takes a pancake and he's shoving it in his mouth. It's disgusting. Do you want that for your president? I don't think so. I don't think so. Honestly, it's disgusting." [3]

This is apparently a catch-all term from the Trumpster, as he has painted everything from his media coverage [4], the fatal police shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling [5], and a protester at one of his rally stops [6] as disgusting. Trump seems incapable of nuanced descriptions, seemingly equating the way a man eats with the filmed aftermath of a tragic police shooting. It becomes utterly clear that Trump's language, behavior, and blatant bullying are not just signs of being a 'tell it like it is' straight-shooter, but rather a man incapable of weighing the relative gravity of events while being completely devoid of any sign of human empathy.

Far from an ideal parental role model, Trump's two eldest sons seem to be following right along in their father's inflammatory footprints. Donald Trump Jr. seems particularly disposed to using his father's most favorite of adjectives. In May of this year, Donnie Jr. was in downtown Vancouver, Canada while promoting the highly controversial 'Trump International Hotel and Tower'. Several politicians as well as local residents in the region have openly railed against Donald Trump, calling him a racist, and demanding his name be removed from the development. Donald the younger responded in the most Trump-like way possible, by suggesting the Mayor of the city and members of local city council "should be disgusted by themselves”. Trump Jr. did admit that his father's views are controversial, but doubled down on his wordsmithing by adding “to throw it out there like that, it’s a shame. And it’s disgusting.”[7]

If Donald J. Trump is disgusted by the mere idea of a woman having to use a restroom, he has another think coming. The joke's on Trump it seems, currently many of Trump's fellow Republicans are absolutely obsessed with the topic of public restrooms. Specifically, many GOP conservatives are hell bent on not allowing transgender citizens to freely choose the restroom that they feel most comfortable using. Cries of pedophilia and grown men throwing on a dress and being in bathrooms with little girls are preposterous and statistically non-existent. What we do know is that the GOP seems less concerned with actual facts about pedophilia or the abuse of minors, particularly among its own members, than it does for actually keeping children safe [8]. There is going to be a lot of 'potty talk' around Mr. Trump if he remains the Republican nominee for President. Somebody get that poor delicate turmeric-tinted man a few dozen boxes of latex gloves and a nose plug, and while you are at it, get me some ear plugs.