It's Christmas

For the next week, there us but one thing to remember. It is Christmas.
If your boss yells and an order is cancelled, it does not matter.
If your loved ones pout and fuss, it does not matter/
If your car's transmission goes and your flight back home is cancelled, it does bot matter.
If your cable goes right as a big game starts and if the titkey burns and the eggnog is sour, none of that matters because it is Christmas.
Christmas is the reconciliation of Heaven and Earth and everything else pales into insignificance.
Have the Merriest od Christmases and a Happy and Healthy New Ye.ar

Same Old Story

This morning, in New York City, a pipe bomb went off at the Port
Authority. One of the Nation's busiest centers of activity.
 A bomb went off and the media response was tepid and suvdues. Have we finally come to accept this as business as usual. If so, we have real problems.  A society that accepts the harassment of iys citizens, the constant threat of unpredictable murder and chaos is in rapid decline.
The solution to these threats is not pretty but it is very simple. We must realize that there are real rgewars to Western Civilization and we must end those threats quickly and efficiently.At home, we must oust trouble makers. The bomber caught today is from Bangladesh and should be returned there at ionce as should any ummegrant who shows signs of rejecting our basic belief systems. If that means doing as Trump suggests and sending all immigrants who have not become US citizens home. Then we can get a grip on who we want in and who we want kept out. The rest of the World needs to be reminded that this is our Country.
It seems odd to write these words at Christmas, but maybe not. Western Civilization is based. in large part, in Christianity and these beliefs are under extreme assault.
We must protect the roots of our Civilization is soon we will not be allowed to even say the basic wirds, Merry Christm as,

Ready for the New Year?

Tidings of Comfort and Joy. I hope all of you have a great Christmas and get a chance to relax and recharge because, come the New Year, you're going to need  ot.

The new tax bill, when the effects are finally realized by the average American, is going to cause an enormous \outrage. There is no way around it. The rich will get richer and the poor will stay about the same. The Middle Class, what little is left of it, is going to be hit very hard. Hopefully, their outrage will be the end of the 2 political parties. With any lick and a little pushing, they will go the way of the dinosaurs.

Health care premiums will soar and the bloated, medical system will collapse. Take care og yourselves because doctors will be joining the political parties on the road to oblivion, at least in their present form. It will be a hoot to watch when they are forced to realize that they are just humans, nit deities.

The parade of sex abuse allegations will continue. People love scandal ad it is a good distraction. Not to make light of such abuse, it is a rotten thing to do, but, when you go to work un entertainment, you should expect incidents. It is wrong, but it is hust the way of things/

The weather will grow wilder. Think not? I live in Coastal Georgia. We have little rain this time of year and still, we gave dauly coastal flood warnings and the same is true up and down the Atlantic coast. Think what fun next years hurricane season will be.

But, od course, all of that pales next to the upcoming war with N. Korea. Make o mistake. That war is very likely. Mike Pompeo, ex-military, current CUA head is set to replace Rullersin in the State Department, not a move likely to be made in a time of peace. The only good thing is that the actuak war will be brief, The aftermath will be nightmarish,

But, even that will be insignificant if volcanoes keep blowing. They greatly effect climate and we have enough of that already. Even worse, it the percolating Yellowstone Cauldera blows, politics will be over, as will war and Western Civilization.

But, you know what? So long ago. Jesus said that such things must come to pass and urged
not to be troubled, No matter how bad it gets, something will come through and that something will grow and blossom.

The point? Enjoy your Holiday Season. Enjoy and relax, Next year may be very interesting.

Befuddled

I seldom watch news these days because not much is happening. Well, actually, a lot is happening, but the media is ignoring anything of import,

Sex scandals still dominate, Of course men should learn to keep their hands to themselves. But, why are women waiting 10, 15, 20 years to report this poor behavior. I a also wondering what will happen wneh men start reporting women who have groped them. Such things do happen. All I know is that if you do not report criminal sexual assault because you are afraid it will hurt your career, is that, in plain terms, you gave prostituted yourself, Sorry, but that is precisely the definition of things.

We hear scant mention of the Russia probe. I think that is because the investigation is finding as much Democratic involvement as Republican. That prostitute word pops up again.

Trump seems to have done his thing, making deals, very successfully in the East, Hats off to the President. It was a truly remarkable display of skill, and it has been almost totally ignored by the media.

However, just to show that he has not lost his knack for putting his foot in his mouth, he

is mouth, he used the Pocahontas- Elizabeth Warren joke, which I live, at a gathering that celebrated the WW2 Navaho code talkers, true heroes of that War.
Tacky, at best.

The tax plan, which we were told would pass any day, is looking shaky, but that is not surprising.

Overlooked are several viral bits of news. We are ridding the nation of several violent gangs ar a fairly rapid pace. Vast amounts of opiates have been seized and many dealers arrested. A large numver of child porn and child prostitution rings have been busted. Hats off to President Trump and Attorney General Sessions. On the down side, the climate is changing quickly and we cannot stop pointing fingers long enough to figure out practical ways around the effects. And volcanoes, rather large ones, are blowing, events that in themselves are climate changing, Still, this is ignored so we can gear just who is playing grab ass with who.

Such is life in this very odd time and place. Still, Christmas is here.

Remember, the message. Peace on Earth. Good Will to Men. Maybe we can have that for a little while. We just need to try.

A ReasonablyCalm Week.

The past week has been relatively normal, which is far from normal.

Sire, Congress is fussing over their rather stupid tax bill and the military is boasting of their victories over Isis. Rocket Man is issuing stern warnings and the Russian-Republican0-Demicratic scandals are being tossed around and sex abuse charges are flying all over the land. All that is, oddly enough, just business as usual in these weird times. So, on the whole, it was a pretty boring week in the news.

There is one thing bugging me, Today I saw that Charlie Manson died and so did the fine Country singer Mel Tillis. Of course, Manson is getting more attention. I guess that was to be expected, but it bothers me that a mass murderer gets more attention than a nice, truly talented man.

Still, news wise, it was a pretty boring week. I have frown to like boring,

Remember, All Things Pass

It is true that times are a wee bit strange and it is easy to get caught up in the sheer lunacy. It seems, at times, like the madness is terminal, and I will admit to lapsing into that myself.

Remember, all will pass. It may, and likely will, take some time, but the World goes through cycles. This insanity is but a passing phase. Why? I have no idea.

But, one way or another, we will deal with Korea and taxes and , racial  tensions. Fo;ls will stop shooting each other at such a furious pace and the economy will jump start.

When? Beats me, but sure enough they will. It may be rough for a bit, but change will cone and the pendulum will swing back toward sanity, for a while.

What can we do? Roll with it. Ride out the storm. Be positive and productive and ready to help your friends, family and neighbor. Have as much fun as you can and love as much as you can.

Things will get better, count on it.

Thanksgiving will be here soon and the Christmas and New Years. Why not start the Season right now?

Seriously?

It never ends. A parade of inane, banal, evil. Let's take a quick view of this idiocy.

The latest fad seems to be sexual harassment, both the harassing and the subsequent suing for. Celebrity after celebrity is being accused, although I cannoy qyire grasp why the alleged victims are waiting long years to come forth.

The Democrats area still after Trump over Russia. They may want to rethink that since Mueller is hinting that he has as much on them as on Trump's people.

N. Korea is still at it. War stumbles along all over the middle east and for reasons I cannot fathom, we seem hell-bent to spread those wars throughout N. Africa.

Still no healthcare bill, but we do have a budget that is going to put us on even deeper debt and a tax code reform that may finish the task of destroying the last of the middle class. But, don't worry, we are going to Mas soon.

Or not. We best leave soon because the Antarctic ice sheet is cracking at a high speed and when all that water melts, there will be no Florida or Texas, NASA's favorite launch sites.

Because of hurricanes and fires, expect you grocery bill to rise, a whole lot, real soon.

Last, and I bet you thought O forgot, another senseless massacre.

You folks may want to consider taking up prayer as a hobby

Here We Go Again

I have not written here for a bit. I simply had no desire to do so, but, weirdness calls.

I am old enough to remember Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Whitewater. One thing common to all? We never really found out just what happened. There is still a plethora of theories roaming around the internet, attempting to explain the true events of those disgraces, but not a one succeeds because we have never been given the whole truth. And we never will.

Rissia and Trump? Same thing, We will never get the whole truth. My guess is that the election tampering  issue is a distraction. Probably it has more to do with big money contracts with the Russians, but who knows?

Take a tour of the internet and you will, no doubt, find people trying to link all of this to everything from occult workings to ancient aliens to the return of the Elder Gods. Not likely. Probably just money.

We will not get the true story, just as we will never know the whole story of the Vegas shooting. After 54 years and the release of tons of papers, we still do not have the exact story of the JFK killing.

Will Trump's Presidency survive this? Maybe, if he really gets control of himself and does what he is told to do, which does not seem likely. At the same time, the Democrats seem equally dirty, so maybe the whole rotten mess will just be quietly put to rest in the usual way, by locking up some underlings and calling it  done.

As for all of us. Don't sweat it. Get on with making your own life rich and happy. These sleazy, sorry excuse for human beings are not worth your time.

This May Not End Well

Let me see. Mass murder, scattered rioting, 4 hurricanes, raging wildfires,

No health care bill, no tax reform, no budget.

No end to troops in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and n. Korea still threatening.

Cuba is zapping diplomats with sonic poisons, China is still playing money games, Myanmar, is slaughtering Moslems and in the Philippines Duarte is fighting most everyone while Venezuela is a shambles.

Now a powerful and generally sane Senator, Bob Corker, is questioning Trump's fitness to gold office.

No where do I see competent leadership. We, the people, need to find a way to bypass the government and rake back control of our lives.

The tricky thing is money/ 1% of the Nation controls almost all of it. Remind yourself that this ,money is worthless, just green paper backed by nothing but faith in the Federal Government, and that is shaky at best. A new economy, based on real trade of actual  goods is called for. Of course, the transition will be rough. Also needed is the removal of almost all power from the Federal Government and a return to strong local authorities.

We need to get with it or things may not end well.

What Happened?

Again. Another mass murder. Something odd keeps happening, but what?

Sorry. No answers. Just a bit of history.

In the 60s, a Marine named Charles Whitman killed his wife and mother, then climbed a water tower on Texas carrying a foot locker full of weapons. A short while later, 17 dead and 42 wounded. Whitman was also dead.

Doctors said that pressure from a brain tumor caused him to go insane. Maybe, but many have tumors and do not open fire on strangers. Plus, the attack was planned. After all, he was armed to the teeth.

Some say that Whitman had bee a test subject in some of the more unusual experiments done by the Intelligence community on the MKUltra and Project Artichoke days. Again, maybe. The facts about those days are lost and conjecture is useless.

Still. this latest slaughter has a very odd smell to it, as have many of our other mass shootings.

It is almost like someone wants to keep us off balance

Who? If I knew I would say  I do not and I sure as hell do not know why. Bit something is odd Something is very wtong.

Keep Youre Eue on the Target

We have had 3 hurricanes hut the USA. We cannot  pass any sort of legislation we cannot seem to leave Afghanistan, and the cops are losing a grip on the cities. Heroin is easier to get than weed, suicide rates are way too high and black and Latino kids won't go to school. Water pollution is rampant, decent food is a near luxury, and no one knows just how the climate is changing.

Then, of course there is N. Korea threatening to set off bombs underwater and shoot down our jets. We have no real clue as to what Iran is doing and Israel numbs what's left of Syria on occasion.

We're still investigating Trump and the Russians, prices of gas are rising and a lot of crops were lost.
 to storms. So, what are we worried about?

Football. Players disrespecting the flag.

Okay, I find them to be despicable. They are makong vast sums of monet for acting the way the would if unemployed, like thugs. And they dare protest/ Of they are that concerned about their brothers and sisters, they could just donate half their salary. They would till live very well and we would be spared this aggravation.

On top of the , team owners are joining the protests, on their   players side. They should let their hired goons, er players, know that the next time they protest on the field, they are fired.

But you and I have better things to worry about. If you don't like the player's attitudes, don't watch the games. Don't attend. Ignore the whole sorry lot and when the money dries up, things will change. Until then, find other ways to amuse yourself and save your worries for real problems

America After The Storn

Well. that's 3, all Category 4, in about a month you doubted global warming, that should tip the scales.

We made ot here in Glynn County Ga pretty well. By the time it got here, Irma had wound down and it was mostly just messy. Power was only out a day and cable and the internet were back in 4 days. To gere the County officials you would have thought that Hurricane Camille had torn through.

There was talk of shutting off the water and keeping the County closed for 2 weeks. They opemed up in 3 days with  no big problems.

They did 1 very smart thing. They allowed trucks supplying stores in and urged stores to open. This eliminated the need for points of distribution to distribute food and water. I saw those in S. Florida after Andrew and they are nightmares.

Since I pick on Trump from time to time, I must now congratulate the Administration for rising to
to the occasion, They have been responsive, compassionate and efficient. Hats off to them.

Hopefully, this is it for the storms, but who knows. Stay alert and stay safe. Help your friends, family and neighbors and pray for peaceful weather.

Houston

Houston is devastated. No one know how bad it really is. They were warned. For years, simple thubderstorms have caused flooding there and scientists knew that a bog storm would swamp the whold area. They built too much, too fast and left no way for the water to drain. Plus, they did nothing to deal with the storm surges.

We saw this in New Orleans. WE saw this with Sandy. No one did a thing to deal with major storms in large yrban areas. Last year, Savannah and Charleston were hit by Matthew, a minimal storm, and had  big problems. Now, we have another major storm, Irma, brewing and headed toward the US. Pray that it does not come here.

Politivians, who ultimately decide how to spend our money, like to ignore warnings that may interfere with business. Right now, Trump is considering easing the standards that govern building. I lived in S. F;prids before they toughened the codes. Trust me, they need to be stricter. If it costs businesses more, too bad. If they are operating on a shoestring, let them go broke.

Something has to be done about drainage. Standing water is more than a nuisance. It is a terrible health hazard.

All coastal cities must sit down with a panel of scientists and engineers and figure out solutions. The problem will get worse because, contrary to what our President wants to believe, climate change is very real and simply refusing to admit this will not make it stop. America will not be 'great again' if it is underwater.

Wrong Again

Well, Igott that one wring. The military is now running America and I thought they might bring some discipline and sanity to the land. Nope. Discipline? Yes. Sanity? No.

Trump is re0starting the war on Aphgabisran to stop terrorism, to stop ISIS. Sorry, that ship sailed long ago. ISIS is Worldwide, feeding on poverty and ignorance, traits common to all lands, This is what his generals want and this shows their total lack of sanity.

We cannot win that war. First off, we have no definition of what winning there would be. We may destroy the anti-government forces, for awhile, but they would just come back when we leave. If course we could stay forever, but we cannot afford that since we are flat broke.

What do we want there? That wretched land had rocks and sand, goats, opium, hashish, and folks who love to fight. We have plenty of rocks and sand, we grow vast amounts of marijuana and so much opium here already that folks are dropping like flies from addiction. We raise lots of goats and we certainly have too many folks who like to fight.

The real r4eason? Rea dOrwell's 1094. Nations fought constant battles over useless land, supposedly to stop terrorsits. It was all a sham. They used fear and pseudo-patriotism to keep populations in line. Why? The simple love of power. This is insanity and I am afraid those wielding power in our once freat Nation are quite insane..

America Hang In We may be Alright After All

I have not written in a while because I just had nothing to say. I do now.

First the disgraceful behavior in Virginia. Trump got that one right. There is plenty of blame on all sides. The white supremacist groups are idiots. They all need to go home, grow up. and make something of their ;lives. If all they have to do is stomp around, acting tough, then they are pathetic. And the counterdemonstrators may be even dumber. Those neo-Nazis want a confrontation Ignore them and they just look idiotic. Fight them and they get attention and they will use that to gather more poor stupid souls to their groups.

Now, a good thing. President Trump is losing control of the White House. How cab that be good? Priebys is gone, meaning that the old Washington hacks are out, Scaramicci is gone, so some Wall Street influence is gone. Bannon is being pushed aside, so the fringe right is leaving. That leaves who" The military. These are intelligent, reasonable, disciplined men  and women. They areserious and god knows we need serious, effective people in charge. They will keep Trump in ;ine. That, O am sure was the plan all along.i

Boy Scouts?

I just watched Donald Trump address the Boy Scout Jamboree and cringed, Now, to give the Devil his due, Trump, on the campaign trail was finny, almost like Lenny Bruce. He was vulgar and crude, but, as he rambled his way through his non-speeches, he was genuinely funny. Of course that was when I never believed he would actually be elected. Since then, not so funny.

But to hear him addressing Boy Scouts, age 12 to 18, in the manner he did wasdisconcerting to say the least.

He rambled on about his [political woes, fake news, the media, New York cocktail parties and the hot crowd they brought in, and the failure of his staff to accomplish his agenda *complete with threats of firings) To say this was all inappropriate is a severe understatement 

He has no class. He speaks like a 16 year old bully in a juvenile detention center. He is a bully and

America, ;ool what you have become. This is the man you chose as your chief representative on the World stage. He has all the class of the 3 Stooges. Maybe he'll start throwing pies at thos ehe disahrees with. We used to be a great country. His is not the  path back to that greatness.

America - Madness

We have become a Nation gone completely mad. Clinton, the failed candidate, seemed hell bent on starting a conflict with Russia. She was defeated. Now, we see Trump about to, yes, pick a fight with Russia. This came as a shock, nit only to me, but to the Pentagon. The big Generals seem to have been blindsided by out newest batch of threats against Assad. Assad is a monster, no doubt, and his use of chlorine gas is monstrous, but lets review some history.

Saddam Hussein used chemicals against the Iranians; we gave those weapons to him and scarcely uttered a condemning world when he used them. Thus, we have no room for any holier than thou attitudes.

Second, throughout our sorry excuse for a Presidental campaign, Trump repeatedly said that he had no interest in seeking regime change in any other Nation. Now, we are after Assad and Secretary of State Tillersin has saud that we need such change in Iran.

Throughout the last 100 years or so, we have set up the fall of several regimes. Without going over the whole long list again, let me point out that every single time it has been disastrous. We just don't seem to get it and thus, by definition, this is madness.

Worse still, anyone who can think knows that this is just a proxy war in Syria. We are fighting there as a way of fighting Iran and Russia without actually declaring war . We can fight without a lot of risk, is the thinking. The problem is, sooner or later, someone will get really pissed and then we have a massive problem. It is a really, really bad idea to play a nuclear game of chicken. No one wins.

High Water Everywhere

Bob Dylan's Love and Theft album has a great song, High Water Everywhere. Unfortunately, that seems to be a new reality. Contrary to what our fearless leader, Mr/ Trump. has said, climate change is not a Chinese hoax.

The South Florida coast, Jacksonville, the Gulf coast and the new Jersey coast are all experiencing frequent, serious flooding. Not just during severe storms but often just from the tides. The sea levels are rising/

Tropical weather, while possible in June, is almost unheard of. Today, the Gulf coast is experiencing a tropical storm. I live near Savannah, Ga, where there was no tropical activity for about 200 ueasr. Last year we had 3 tropical storms and a hurricane.

High Water Everywhere may become a new reality. Unless, of course. you live in the Southwest US. The last few days have seen temperatures there around 115 degrees F. No break in sight. At the same time, California just went through a severe drought that was broken by severe flooding.

Portugal is having murderous wildfires. Peru and Columbia are expecting devastating mud slides. All around the World, extremes of weather are becoming the new norm.

At this point, it does not matter what is causing this. The first thought should be, 'what do we do in response?' Later, we can worry about causes and blames. It is probably a natural cycle worsened by the fact that we have turned much of the World into concrete . Our destruction of wet lands and forests have surely worsened things. Cars and green house gases? Maybe yes, maybe no, but they are surely not the major cause and, as I said, that does not matter right now. Our response is what is important.

President Trump may one day wake up and find his Mar a Lago has become waterfront property. For that matter, the White House may become waterfront property. Maybe then he will realize that this is no hoax. When farmlands are alternately flooded and scorched, what will people do? Being rich will not matter. You cannot eat money.

America, The Monarcht Awaits

I understand that Puerto Rico may become a State. Fine with me. In Florida, I had several Puerto Rican friends and they were all hard workers who loved to have fun, so I am all for letting them become a State

At the same time, I understand that California is not fond of Americans in the rest of the land. No problem they can secede. That way, we can still keep those 5o star flags.

Those folks obviously do not like democracy, so here's a thought. They can have a Monarchy, and I propose Hillary Clinton as their first Queen. Queen Hillary sounds sort of royal, doesn't it?

She could have her way and, since she is  so sure she know what's best for the lowly peasant, she could dictate what all her subjects could do, from the poorest farm worker to the grandest businessman, excuse me, business person; we must not be sexist or off with our heads.

Huma Abaden, Loretta Lynch and Elizabeth Warren could be Ladies in Waiting. Bill, of course, would be Prince Consort and Chelsea would be Heir to the Throne. Just think; those two wacky cut ups. John Podesta and Anthony Weiner, could be Court Jestres. Oh what jolly tomes Californians could have;

If all goes well, which I am sure it will, maybe Guam could next get Statehood. To keep those 50 star flags, we could eliminate another State that seems less that Democratically inclined, New York. They may be in luck. By the end of the year, the way things are going, Donald Trump may be available to become their King. I am sure he would love the title and, after all, he already has a son named Baron.

America - Fact vs Fiction

I have been thinking about terrorism a bit and things do not add up. We are supposed to, according to the media, the President, and assorted pundits, be terrified. Instead, lets be rational. I know that is nearly unthinkable these days, but come on and give it a try; it'll be fun.

In the dark period after 9/11, not a whole lot happened in this country. The, in London, Madrid and Indonesia, there were horrific bombings, carried out in a sophisticated style by Al Qaida Okay, things got a bit scary. Here in the USA, we had some failed efforts. Look at them. About the most serious was 'the Underwear Bombe, who, as it turned out could not even blow up his own underwear. Since then, we have had a few multiple shootings and a few knife attacks. Awful? Yes, but remember a few things. We have for the last 50 years been plagued by mass and serial killings. Does  no one remember Charles Whitman, Richard Speck, Manson, the Son of Sam and the Zodiac Killer. Ted Bundy? The Green River killer and the Hillside Stranglers. The point is, for reasons never known, (actually, we have fairly good idea what happened, but this is not the place for that discussion)Americans were slaughtering each other at a furious clip before we heard of Islamic Terrorists. In fact, the monsters just mentioned were far more effective at their ghoulish business than any of our recent terrorist have ever dreamed of being.

Look at recent attacks in England. They were, of course, horrible, but think a minute. There was one bomb in one attack. The other 2 involved guys in vans, plowing into crowds and then waving knives around. Really? Is that the best the dreaded ISIS can do" Then. look at Sandy Hook and Columbine where kids walked in armed to the teeth and killed a lot of other kids.

Yet, instead of coming to grips with the causes of this manic urge some have to randomly kill their fellow humans, we immediately start dropping vast amounts of bombs on the Middle East.
Yes, ISIS and their kind are based in Islamic lands but no one in anything resembling their right mind, believes that all Moslems living in Europe and America want to kill all Westerners. Some of these folks have lived among us for long years and gotten along just fine.

And no number of bombs dropped, which by the way have killed 10s of 1000s of innocent people, can explain our own, homegrown, monstrous killers. Even the monster who killed the folks at the gay club in Orlando seemed more upset by his own closeted sexuality that ant Western oppression, and, we should remember, he was a US citizen.

I have made it clear that I am not fond of importing people from Islamic lands but that his because of costs and culture shock, not fear that they will kill us all.

Who should we be nervous about? A seldom mentioned group, the White Supremacists, the Militia groups, the neo-Nazis and Klan. These people are heavily armed, fiercely violent, and pretty well organized and they are becoming more vocal every day. If you think they are not dangerous, remember the Oklahoma City bombings. We fight in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan while ignoring the monsters we ar breeding at home.

America, Trump and God

I have been having some vision issues recently, so this will be a short post.  However,, I feel a need to touch on Trump's apparent religious zealotry. I don't buy it. He is running around Israel, visiting the Pope and mentions God with great frequency but I just do not buy it.

Donald Trump's God is the Trump family, with himself as Patriarch. But, his Administration is full of devout, ultra right religious zealots and therein lies the danger. Pence, Sessions, Devos, Perry, Bannon, all of these are extremely religious and Trump is being used by them. He gets to act important and they get their agenda through.

The {residential orders he has written guaranteeing absolute religious freedoms are serious. I, myself, am deeply spiritual and essentially Christian, but I recognize danger when I see it. Wpmen will have a tougher time obtaining contraceptives, especially if poor. Gay rights will disappear. If you are non-Christian or non-Jewish, you will have problems.

Son-in-law Kushner is an Orthodox Jew  and this is a group that even Israelis find overbearing. His presence is pushing Washington even further in its pursuit of a pro-Israel direction and this will be supported by all those right wing Christians hanging around because of their belief in a comin g Apocalypse.

Worse still, if en forced as written, Hindus and Moslems will be able to practice such charming religious notions as honor killings without sanction. After all, it is their religion and Trump has now said that they are free to practice with n o restrictions.

Hard core religious fundamentalism and zealotry are nightmarish, but good old Donald has opened the door to a world of dark, deadly, dangerous hard line, men and women who have given up rational thought for simple minded adherence to ancient and malevolent doctrines. God, np pun intended, help us all. 

America - The Insanity Cpntinues

Have You folks got the message yet? This Trump thing is not working. Just look at the facts.

The promise to end out Mid Easr woes? They are worse. The promise to rein in N/ Korea? They just figured out how yo launch an ICBM.
Get tough with China/ They're now our best buddies.

At Home? They cannot write am immigration directive that can pass the courts The Wall is not going to happen. Health Care reform is going to take a wee bit longer. Yax reform is being pushed down the road. Jobs are being created at avout the same ratel we have no huge upswing in employment.

The whole 'buy American' thing will remain a joke since his own daughter's clothing line is produced elsewhere.
The White House gas become a den of backstabbers worthy of the Medici's of old Iraly. They function from crisis to crisis, ,ost caused by the President's bug mouth, over blown ego and increasing paranoia.

This cannot continue or the Nation will be a roral disaster. So, with that in  mind, I want you all to practice saying '{resident Mike Pence."

America and the New Reality Show

It seems that our President, frustrated that the Russian ties to his candidacy just will not go away, has fired FBI Director James Comey. To be sure, Comey seemed an incompetent buffoon, trying to play both sides of the fence. His handling of both the Clinton email scandal and the Russian probe has been a laughable attempt to both please and prosecute everyone and no one. Well, he's gone now and that's that.

But, I am afraid that Trumps woes will continue. The US Attorney in Virginia has issued Grand Jury subpoenas for some of Mike Flynn's associates. The investigations will continue.

The whole affair is beginning to remind me of Watergate, a nothing little crime made far worse by cover ups. The same can be said of Clinton's email fiasco. For those who don't remember, during Watergate, we saw a President, Richard Nixon, become totally unhinged, sinking into a paranoid state unacceptable in a man controlling our nuclear arsenal. This morning, I am seeing reports fro White House staffers of Trump screaming at the TV when he sees unfavorable news reports.

We need to calm things down a bit, have some fun, so I have a recommendation. Trump gained notoriety for his 'reality' TV show, The Apprentice. He is now searching for a new FBI Director, so let's assemble a list of candidates and let them reprise that ridiculous TV show. Trump can give them all silly little jibs each week and at the end of each episode, we can have him say those famous words to the week's loser, "your fired." The last one standing will be the new FBI Director.

The show would get monster ratings. Maybe Trump would calm down when back in a more comfortable role, that of a silly TV host. It makes about as much sense as anything else the Trump White House is doing.

America and the Beauty of the Constitution

The other day, our President actually said that he found the constraints put on him by the Constitution to be frustrating. He seems to be missing an important little thing. That is the point of much of the Constitution.

The Founding Fathers, a remarkable group of human beings, feared strong leaders. They also feared the emotions of the people. A combination of strong leadership. playing on strong emotions in the populace, is dangerous, very dangerous. So, they devised away to keep sanity in charge.

First, and I wish folks would get this, we are not a democracy. We are a representational republic that uses democratic voting to choose representatives. When you vote for Congressmen and Senators, you are electing representatives and when you vote for President, you are voting, not directly for a candidate, you are voting for a representative in the Electoral College, who will then vote for your candidate. This was done to prevent huge states from being overly dominant. Yes, it produces the occasional anomaly, like Trump, but on the whole, it works well.

Now, the constitution sets up checks and balances. The Judicial, Executive, and Legislative Branches each has their function and each watches the other. In essence, it prevents any one group from becoming overly dominant.  As a result, we govern by conversing, arguing, and ultimately, reaching compromises. No body gets everything they want, nor should they. A Texas rancher and a New York stock broker have very different interests and to accommodate every one is not possible at the Federal level. That is why the Fathers left a lot of issues up to the States.

The system set up by our Constitution is absolutely brilliant and I am very glad that Trump feels frustrated. He is supposed to; that's how things were set up. Let's keep things that way.

We do not want a Nation where the emotions of the population converge with the plans of a strong leader. The World saw that about 80 years ago in Germany and things did not end well.

America and the Tiny Apocalypse, Part 5

This is the last part of my series on the demise of bees and its implications. I will offer some ideas about what we can all do to stop this possible catastrophe.

First, urge every politician you can think of to stop the use, or at least the excessive use, of pesticides.  This will be an uphill battle, since we have a President who seems hell bent on removing every environmental regulation we have.

Second, try to buy from farms that use little or no pesticides. We have been on this Earth for long years, growing crops without drowning them in chemicals. This is easier done with smaller scale farms. Hopefully, if enough people get the idea, the huge mega-farms will come to the end of their run.

Third, provide habitats for the little insects. You can do this. Grow gardens with lots of flowers, trees that bloom, and do not spray. Yes, you will see insects chomping on them, but wait. You will soon see other critters chomping on those bugs, frogs, wasps, spiders  birds, etc. Welcome them. Put out bird feeders. Let some parts of your property get a little bit overgrown (a bit, don't get code enforcement on your back). Put in a water feature, just a hole in the ground lined with plastic. These things will draw beneficial animals who will eat the bugs on your plants.

While we're on the subject, get rid of your lawn, all of that useless grass. A bit here and there, as a highlight is okay, but huge grassy lawns are an expense to tend to, feed and water. Replace it with shrubs and flowers and ground covers.

By doing these things, you will provide a habitat for bees and other beneficial creatures.. You will also make your property a lot more interesting.

The loss of bees would be a catastrophic event and it is preventable. Say a prayer for our wee friends. 

America and The Tiny Apocalypse, Part 4

I promised that this time I would mention some alternatives to pollination   by bees. As such, this will be a very brief post. There are only 2.

First, and you might have guessed this, mechanical drones. Yes, technicians are already at work on these mini-substitutes for Mother Nature. As usual, Mother knows best. It seems that they can make wee, tiny drones, and they have come up with a substance that make pollen stick to them. Controlling those flights, getting the drones in and out without tearing up the plants are problems. They are not really very close  to figuring that out. In addition, it will take vast numbers of those tiny machines to do the job, so the cost will be enormous.

Second solution. Hand pollination. This is being done in the apple orchards in China, because the natural pollinators no longer hand out there. Pollen is gathered, by hand scraping into pots, then applied by hand, using paint brushes. The work is physically back breaking and mind numbingly tedious. Can you imagine how many people it would take to hand pollinate some of America's huge farms. On the other hand, it would solve the unemployment problem. Well, no, now that I think about it, because, those folks would have to be fed very well to stand up to that labor and if we are in a food crisis that would be a problem. In addition, you would never get Americans to do such labor. We have become a lazy bunch.

Sorry, I wish there were better alternatives, but that seems to be about it. So, next time, I'll offer some ways we might save our little friends, the bees.   

America and the Tiny Apocalypse, Part 3

This time, let's discuss the politics of the loss of our main pollinators, the bees (keep in mind, I am talking about all bees, not just honeybees and all are threatened).

There will be some alternatives in pollination. That will be the topic of the next post. But, they will be limited and expensive. All fruits, vegetables and meats will be reserved for the wealthy elite. The rest of us, the 99%, will be grain dependent, until we start dropping from lack of nutrients. It will take a lot of grain to feed us. However, there is a problem.

A great deal of the Earth is not suited to growing grain and much that was, is no longer able to grow a lot. China now has to import foods and Southeast Asia seldom has an excess of rice. Same with India. Much of Europe is now unproductive ( this may be why Putin is so concerned with the Ukraine and its rich farm lands). Even in the USA, those 'amber waves of grain' are only found in the Mid West. Trust me, you can't grow a lot of wheat in Florida or Maine or the Rocky Mountains. So, the supplies, under optimal growing conditions will be strained.

To further complicate things, the climate is undergoing some kind of major shift. Just what and what the cause is are debatable points, but we definitely know that what have been prime farming areas will, in some way, change. A few rough weather years in grain growing regions, will further stress food supplies.

Food shortages in a country like the USA and other prominent grain growing Nations will produce shortages and severe rationing, which will lead to extreme unrest, which will lead to intense crackdowns on behavior. Kiss the Constitution and all other guarantees of rights goodbye. It will be devastating.

In other parts of the World, such as the African Nations, where even subsistence farming for small groups is iffy, it will be catastrophic. They will starve and in desperation, bloody wars will ensue.

Just think, all of this because a tiny insect disappears. Next time, I'll discuss alternative ways of pollination and, trust me, they are not great.

America and the Tiny Apocalypse, Part 2

Today, let's look at a number. 70% of our crops require pollination, and bees are the main pollinators.

It is true that some major crops can be grown without the little critters. Grains, such as wheat, barley, oats, and rye. Yes, we could survive on those, but not well and not for long. They provide inadequate supplies of nutrients. Think, no strawberries, no beans, no leafy green, no apples or pears, no oranges, or peaches, no nuts. And that is just a few things we would lack.

Meat? Forget it. True, many animals can live on grains, but  those grains will have to be turned to human use. No wild game either, since they depend on fruits, leaves, etc.

What about sea food and plants? Sorry. We have overfished the water and turned it into a garbage dump. In addition, the climate changes are making the water more acidic and the kelps, etc are dying. The coral reefs, home to many fish and shellfish are also dying.

Could we survive without bees? For awhile, but not long. It is conceivable that we could adapt to such a limited diet, but we evolve slowly. Next time, I'll mention the political fallout from the famine that is. possibly, even likely to occur.

America and the Tiny Apocalypse

When I write this blog, I am often sarcastic. I write, at times, in  a tongue in cheek fashion, exaggerating for effect. This is none of that. I am dead serious. I am going to do a series of posts that should scare you senseless. I am going to tell of the coming Apocalypse. No, not the one written of by John of Patmos. this is a tiny apocalypse. No, this does not involve Iran and Israel, Not Russia or China or N. Korea. Not Islamic terrorist. Well, on second thought, it does, but only as a side result.

America has just placed a species of honeybee on the endangered list. For years we have been told that bee populations have been declining. Not just wild bees, bit also those commercially raised.

For those who gave forgotten their high school science classes (I don't have kids; do they even teach science these days), bees pollinate flowers. Flowers produce fruit and seeds, which we, and many other of life's creatures, eat. We also eat the leaves of those plants and, without those seeds, no more new plants.

You see, I hope, the problem. Bees are dying off at an ever increasing rate. They are not all gone yet, that will take time, but not a lot. Why? Good question.

It seems that they are dying from a combination of 3 factors. One, natural parasites.Two, pesticide uses. Three, lack of proper habitat.

There are other pollinators, bats, some birds, butterflies and moths, and some types of flies. The thing is, most pollinators tend to stick to just a few types of plants. A hummingbird may not, and for reasons due to their physical shape, feed on the same plants that a bee does. A fly may not be attracted to a flower that a moth would make a meal from.

Also, these creatures are having their own issues. You still see hummingbirds, but not in the number you used to. Many moths and butterflies, such as the magnificent  Monarch, are threatened. And, truthfully, how many bats have you seen recently? (besides, the flowers that bats, and not all are nectar feeders, tend to are very limited.

So, as you see, we have ourselves a spot of bother, here. It can, and quite likely will, get worse before it gets better. In fact, it may just get worse and net better at all. Next time, we will look at the implications of the looming crisis and trust me, they are worse than you might imagine.

America - the Rats are Leving the Ship

I had high hopes for the Trump Administration. Well, folks, I will readily admit that I was wrong. I thought we had some serious people, ready to get to work. Wrong.

Monday, FBI director Comey said that he saw no evidence of Trump's claim that he was 'wiretapped.' More important, he said he had approval of the Justice Department to make that statement. That means Donald's old buddy Jeff Session just yanked the rug from under Trump's feet. Comey was seconded by Mike Rogers. another Trump appointee. That pitter patter you hear is the sound of rats starting to flee a sinking ship.

Sessions himself, after promises of stern law enforcement measures, has seemingly gone underground since the accusation that he lied to Congress about that whole Russia thing. Now, with the revelations about Paul Manafort's Russia connection, on top of Mike Flynn's little problem, and Trump operative Roger Stone's Russian ties, there is a problem.

And what of all those top generals? You know, the ones who said they would quickly have a plan to wipe out ISIS and get us out of the Mid East quagmire. The only solution they have so far is to send in 20 or 30 thousand troops. That would work, but what then. We can beat any army in the World, but what do we accomplish, unless we want to take over the running of other countries. That is not a good idea, as we learned in Iraq, or should have learned. The same hot shot military guys also seem to have no viable plan to deal with N. Korea. I distinctly remember being told that these guys were the best and brightest. It looks like they are just another bunch of half bright thugs who want to flex their muscles and spend a ton of money that we don't have.

Secretary of State Tillerson has now stated that he never really wanted the job and that is obvious, since he seems to have no idea what he's doing.

VP Pence is pushing that health care bill, the one that has no chance of passing. Trump's inane budget is also DOA. Without those two bills passing, you can forget those promised tax cuts. Those of you in the middle class, what's left of it, need not worry about that. You were not going to get much of a break anyway.

In economic news, the Dow is bouncing up and down, but with an overall down trend and about 1300 retail stores around the country are closing.

Trump is taking bids on The Wall. He seems to overlook the fact that a much more productive, and cheaper option would be to seal all of those tunnels running from Mexico to Texas and put the Coast Guard off the East coast of Texas on high alert. This is how all the massive amounts of opiates are coming in. the ones he promised would stop.

But, he has solved one burning issue. That football player who refused to stand for the National Anthem is having trouble finding a new team. Trump says that  is because teams fear getting a nasty tweet. Well, thank God for that. This is an issue that has been keeping me awake nights..

That is all I'm going to write about politics for awhile. I am sick of the subject and there is a far more important issue to deal with. I am not being sarcastic. This is of the utmost importance and is being almost totally ignored. Tune in next time for The Tiny Apocalypse

America - Watch the Pea

I imagine most folks have seen the shell game. You know, the one where the con man put a pea under a walnut shell, flanked by 2 empty shells, shuffles them around and the poor idiot who bet with him has to pick the one with the pea under it. The con man always wins. Americans are being conned.

We are being urged to be concerned about wiretapping. Look, everyone spies on everyone. Every nation with any sort of power tries to influence other nations and everyone in any country's political system spies on every other politician. That is just the way things are and no amount of investigating is going to change a bit of it.

We are told that we should be vitally concerned about the Supreme Court Nominee's hearing. Why? It's a done deal. When Trump was elected, he got to make his pick and while you may not be happy about it, that is the way Government works, The Nominee is qualified and, thanks to he Democrat's own parliamentary manipulations, the work of Harry Reid, they cannot even filibuster the matter. Truth be told, with the exception of abortion rights and, maybe gay rights, their is little that the appointment is likely to change. Even in those cases, the issues will likely go back to the States, where they always belonged, and if you are not happy with your State, you have the right to move.

What is being hidden? Two things. First, real climate change. I do not believe humans are destroying the environment with fossil fuels, but we have done plenty of damage by dumping toxic wastes in an indiscriminant manner and by attempting to hide nuclear waste in old mines instead of spending the money to learn how to recycle fuel rods. I might also add our seeming obsession with growing useless grass by wasting vast amounts of good water. But. all that aside, the climate is changing, likely due to natural cycles of change. Geologist know that the climate just sometimes changes, radically and we are at one of those times. No need to panic, we can adapt, but not if we don't get busy. We don't get busy because a great deal if the problem is happening around coastal areas and there is no good solution except moving people out. But, they are important business and resort areas, so we don't want to do that. Atlantic City, NJ and Miami Beach, Fl are subjected to regular flooding these days, but we don't want to deal with it.

The other issue being hidden is the fact that the World has seemingly gone quite insane. Russia is now saying that, if confronted by a threatening conventional army, it would consider using nukes to 'de-escalate' the crisis. This would be like putting a fox in a henhouse to de-escalate a squabble between 2 chickens and it is madness. But, there is more. Israel is now flying bombing raids and lobbing missiles in Syria. The pretext is to prevent arms shipments to Lebanon; the reality is to put pressure on Iran to stay out of Syria, Iran is going to do no such thing, so the tension will rise. Add to this China's reluctance to rein in the fat Korean kid (or maybe they just can't do it) and war of some sort is becoming a real possibility. US officials don't want you thinking about this because they would have to admit that they cannot do much about any of this. Contrary to what we have been taught, we do not rule the World.

So don't sweat all of these Senate investigations. Don't get yourself in an uproar over the Health Care bill (yeah, it's bad deal. Don't fret, it won't pass). Relax, enjoy your time while you can because it is going to get rough soon.

America - That Swamp is Getting Mucky Again

Remember Trump saying. 'we're going to drain the swamp.' Remember how great it looked when he started naming all sorts of new and different people to his Cabinet? Sure you do. It was just a few months ago, and boy, we were all ready for that.

Well, folks, calm down, because that ain't happening. With the introduction of the Ryan/Trump health care bill. we begin to see the mud reforming and I am fairly sure I see a few alligators swimming around.

Suddenly, we are hearing talk of 'committees,' and 'panels.' and compromise. Caucuses are questioning and votes are being lined up on all sides. Talk of parliamentary procedures, like reconciliation, are being bandied about. In other words, business as usual is back.

Trump promised repeal of Obama's wretched health care plan. Then repeal and replace. The Ryan/Trump bill is nothing more than a slight amending of the plan. The changes will hurt some and help others, but the real issue is not addressed. What is that issue? Glad you asked.

The real issue is simple. Health care is none of the Federal Government's business. It is an issue best dealt with by each individual American. What medical treatment I need, is my business and I have no right to tell anyone else how to take care of themselves. Suggestions, medical facts, all of those are welcome. Advice is welcome, but the individual must take care of themselves.

What of those who cannot afford care? Well, for most of the Country's history, family, friends, churches and civic groups helped the poor. Doctors donated time to free clinics or took indigent patients with no charge. We did this because we are basically a decent people who like helping each other.

Guess what? It worked pretty well; not perfect, but nothing is perfect. Then Uncle Sam decided that we all had to be taken care of and turned from Uncle to Daddy.

It does not work and it will not work because, as is always the case, when the Government gets involved, the simple gets way over complicated. Then, because all that easy Federal money starts getting tossed around, special interests get involved and politicians start counting votes and money and the next thing you know, we have the mess that we have, a swamp, a mud hole, full of gators and snakes and quicksand and all manner of filth.

If anyone thinks that after this bill passes, we will get phase 2 and 3 laid out and that, then, at last, our problems will be solved, is quite insane. There is no phase 2 and 3. Ryan and Trump felt the immediate backlash against their plan and came up with that nonsense to shut people up.

Besides, it doesn't matter. Phase 1 is dead in the water, and, along with it, Trump's political power. Don't hold your breath waiting for those tax cuts, entitlement cuts, infrastructure repair bills, and military spending. Definitely, you can forget all of that 'Wall' nonsense. What we will have instead, is 4 long years of bickering by Congress combined with paranoid twitter tantrums from our President. That is, if we don't get in a real war with Iran and/or N. Korea.

The Health Care Problem

The news is all abuzz with the new Health Care Plan. You know, the one that is about the same as the one we were frantic to replace. Trump originally promised to repeal Obamacare. Then, to repeal and replace. Now, it seems that the plan is to reform it, a little bit. Not too much.

How did we get in this mess? Simple. One word. Government.

I remember, when I was a kid, my Mom paid the doctor $10 when she took me for a check up. Folks did not bother with health insurance because doctors were so cheap. Generally, the only folks who had health insurance were those covered by a work based plan, and in Florida at that time, that meant union workers (and since we were a 'right to work' state, there were not a lot of union workers)

Then came Medicare. Doctors, knowing they could get away with charging the Government anything they wanted, started raising prices. The Medicare funds grew and so did doctor's fees.

Then, poor people couldn't afford doctors, so we got Medicaid. And, yes, with more Government money, came higher doctor's fees. And so it went.

Then, health insurance gained importance. When I first had a job that provided insurance, we had Blue Cross Blue Shield. Office visits has a $10 co-payment. Emergency Room services were at no cost. Hospital stays had a $100 deductible. What did I pay for this policy? Nothing. Not $1. After about 12 years, insurance companies were raising rates, of course, so I began paying $10 every 2 weeks. That's all. Now, you could not insure a mouse for that.

Last time I went to a doctor, I had no insurance. Having to pay out of pocket, I went to a walk-in clinic, trying to get the cheapest price I could. The cost? $85. They took my temperature, weight and blood pressure and listened to my heart and lungs. That is exactly what my doctor did when I was a kid for $10. The difference, years of Government intervention. Yes, I know there has been years of inflation, but that too, is the result of Government meddling.

What is the answer? Well, this will not be popular, but the system must collapse. Pull the Federal Government out of Health Care completely. Let the market find its own, natural level. Believe me, without all of that easy Federal money. rates will fall.

Will this happen? Not a chance. There is too much money and too much politics involved. In addition, Americans have become so convinced that they need Washington to provide cradle-to-grave care that they will riot if the Federal rug is pulled out from under them. We have become a Nation of whiny little wimps who will throw a tantrum if they are ever forced to grow up and act like adult human beings.

I've said this before, but it bears repeating. This used to be a damn good country.

America and Our Real, Immediate Problem

Health care, Russian spying, Obama vs Trump disputes, all of these pale into insignificance when we face the really big issues, Iran and North Korea.

Both of thesw Nations are working feverishly on nuclear arms and missile technology. Blessedly, neither has learned how to successfully aim a missile, but they will.

The Iranian leaders, not the common folks, are insane. They are obsessed with a sort of Moslem Apocalyptic vision that tells them that they must start the Big, Final show. It is madness. Fortunately, it will be a long time before they can fire a missile and hit the USA, but not too long before they can hit Israel. In the meantime, they seem determined to harass our ships in the Mid East.

The fat kid in N. Korea is even loonier and seems to have developed a thing for offing his relatives if he suspects they might want his job. He is probably wise to suspect them, but that aside, he seems to want to prove his manliness by trying to pick a fight with S. Korea, Japan and the USA. He is refusing to listen to his one ally, China, and, more and more, I'm not too sure that they are really trying that hard to control him. He has nukes and is getting better with the missiles. He, Thank God, does not know how to put the nukes on the missiles and get them to explode over their target, but odds are his people will figure that out.

Okay, what can we do? In both cases, the answer is the same. We have tried economic sanctions and been woefully unsuccessful. We have tried pressuring their allies, with no avail. That leaves the military support. That can take 2 forms. First, nuclear and we all need to hope that nukes are not a viable option. President Trump, by all accounts, has not been convinced that nukes cannot be used and let's hope some sane folks talk sense to him.

That leaves conventional responses. One problem. After years of absolutely senseless war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, our conventional forces are horribly depleted.

Trump needs to call an emergency meeting of Congress, televise it, and tell everyone to stop all the nonsensical arguing over various issues. We can get back to that later. For now, we need to start a rapid, intense rebuilding of our conventional military forces. Iran and N. Korea are ruled by utter madmen and they must be stopped before we have no options except the nuclear ones.

This Country has responded to emergencies like this before, At the start of WW2 our forces were in sad shape. In very short order, we created an awesome military. We can do so again. The rest of our petty quarrelling can wait.

Pay Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

If you remember the story of the Wizard of Oz, you recall that Oz, the Great and Powerful, was but a light projection run by a man behind a screen. I think that is an apt analogy for what we are seeing. If Trump is Oz, all bluster with little or no substance, then who is the manipulator, the man behind the curtain? Steve Bannon, of course.

Bannon fascinates me. He is the monster in the closet, the ruthless ideologue who drives policy and stomps on everyone who gets in the way, and all Presidents have one. Nixon had Chuck Colson, Reagan had Bush 1. Bush 1 had Lee Atwater, Bill Clinton had Hillary, Bush 2 had Karl Rove (remember what he did to poor Max Cleland).

When dealing with a world that runs on form and tradition, like American politics, every Administration needs an enforcer, a hit man, who will get the job done at damn near any cost.

In previous Administrations, Presidents treated these folks the way you might treat a pet rattlesnake. They admired them, took care of them, but kept them at arm's length and usually locked away, releasing them only when needed then hustling them, quietly, back to their cages.

Trump is not locking Bannon away. Trump has no real ideology. I believe he genuinely wants to see the American people doing well. He, like myself, remembers a much better America and wants that back. Worthy goals, but he has no interest in ideology so he has trouble presenting a coherent plan. He seems to want to do just whatever he thinks will work. That is not a bad plan, but it is very hard to get the ideologues who have run the Country for way too long to go with that. Add on to that, Trump's innate defensiveness, bad temper and overly high sense of self worth, and  he is having a rough go of it. Some, in his Administration seem to want him to tone things down. Priebus is one of those, Pence is possibly another, maybe even Sessions. They are probably correct, but what fun would that be?

On the other hand, there is Bannon. He is definitely an ideologue and his ideology scares the poop out of the Washington establishment. Why? Simple. He wants them gone. His stated goal is the dismantling of what he calls the Washington Administrative State, the system that wants to control every element of our lives; what we do, where we work, what we eat, what we read and listen to, what we think. Trust me. That is the ultimate goal of the Bushes and Obamas and Clintons that have afflicted us for these far too many years. Bannon wants the government and social structure they have built destroyed and America returned to the sort of live and let live attitudes that we have not seen in full effect since the 1950s when the middle class was at its strongest.

Works for me, but I see no way we can jump quickly to that, unless we want a horribly traumatic period of almost complete revolt. Maybe that's the plan. I have little doubt that Bannon would not mind it and, remember, by all accounts, he has long and private meetings with Trump.

Part of me says, why not? Tear it down and let's get back to a sane government. Another part of me says, no, too many would be hurt, people who should not be punished for simply believing the lies they have been fed for so long, by expert liars. Oh well, it really doesn't much matter what I believe, since none of the big players are asking my opinion and, any of you reading this are pretty much in the same boat. All I can say is, don't let it get you down, stay happy and healthy, and be ready for a very rocky time.

America - The Battle Begins

Last night, Donald Trump gave a fine speech to Congress, laying out a clear plan. Now, he has to get it past Congress. The Democrats will vote against anything he proposes. Well, you say, the Republicans control Congress.

True, but many don't like what he proposes. Let's look at a few items. He wants to increase defense spending and lower taxes. How? By cutting certain social programs. The GOP leaders want to attack Social Security and Medicare, Trump ha vowed not to do that. Instead he wants sharp reductions in EPA funding, IRS funding, student loan programs, and medical research funding. The EPA and IRS are beaurocratic nightmares. He might get those reductions through. Student loans make parents, otherwise known as voters, happy, so that will be tough. In fact, any parent who is remotely sane and cannot afford the ridiculous prices of many colleges, will insist that the kids go to a Community College. Then, if they do well, they can transfer to a relatively low cost State school and, thus enter their adult life without a mountain of debt.

Medical research is a huge, fat cow. Of course we want to cure diseases and big Pharmaceutical companies lead the research. The folks make unthinkable amounts of money and have no need for research subsidies. They do not need this. In addition, there are a plethora of private charities supportin research on various diseases. We do not need tax money given to these projects,  but, as I will explain soon, Congress needs the money kicjed back by big drugs to keep their seats.

Trump also wants to cut foreign aid and that ha startled many neo-cons, such as McConnell and Rubio. Well, we now have President who dies not want to play Risk, the game of Global Conquest that Republicans have been at for years. If you stop the game, why do we need the foreign aid? If we have to buy friends, they are not friends. To help the poor in those lands? No. Most aid money goes immediately in the pockets of the leaders, enabling them  to live lives of luxury and to build massive armies. We do not want impoverished, backward nations to have big militaries. We did that in Afghanistan with the Taliban when they fought Russia and, in the long run, that has been a disaster.

The truth is, the programs Trump wants to cit bring money back to our elected representatives, in the form of campaign contributions, They cannot keep their seats without it and Lord knows they are loathe to give up their power. That is sick and one reason why we need term limits.

America - Pay Np Attention to the Words

Our current President is something of a talker. He seems to love speaking to Congress, Governors, and the few members of the Media that he trusts, and he is fairly good at it. Watch those words and then look around to see what's happening.

I never expect a President or any other politician to tell the whole, real truth. They generally manage to throw in a few facts but then they spin them harder than a Tiger Woods wedge shot. Trump, well, he seems to have trouble even tossing us any truths.

Last night I actually heard him say that his Administration had already accomplished most of his campaign promises. Really? He does not even have his full Cabinet seated. He has been forced to backpedal from his terribly written immigration order. Obamacare has not been repealed nor replaced.

The Wall is but a distant dream. The Pipeline is still in negotiations. Russia has not budged from the Ukraine. Iran and N. Korea are still testing missiles. We still have sanctuary cities and folks in Chicago are shooting each other at alarming rates.

It has only been a shade over a month since the Inauguration and any sane person would not expect these amazingly complex problems to be solved. Yet, our President tells us that he has already handled them. Well,  alright then. Guess we can all just forget those, sit back and coast for the next 3 years and 11 months.

Trump's term may or may not turn out well, but he does himself no good by making idiotic statements like this. He carries on about the Media, calling them liars, but he invites criticism by overstating and needlessly embellishing.

There may be a slightly more sinister angle to this. Assuming that he is not simply a blustering buffoon, there is the possibility that he has learned a lesson from the great power seekers of history. That is, tell a lie; make it a big one; and keep telling it. When  anyone calls you on it, get really loud and harsh and make fun of them. If you do this enough, it is surprising how many people will start believing you. Then, once they believe, you can sell them anything, and remember, Trump is a salesman.

I still have hopes for his Administration. I am just waiting anxiously to see when he is going to settle down and let his Cabinet and advisors take over. He picked some good folks and I trust them. Him, not so much.

America and The Wall

I am almost completely befuddled. It seems that in the next day or 2, President Trump will sign new Executive Orders on immigration. However, those analyzing the advance notices about them say that they are invoking already existing laws. May be I'm missing something but, if that's true, whay all the fuss about the new Orders.

They will call, so it seems, for work on the infamous Wall to begin in earnest. I have no issues one way or the other with the Wall, but one thing is being overlooked, The Federal Governe=ment does not own most of the land it will be built on. Buying that land will cost a large, large fortune.

In addition, many of the owners may not, probably won't, want to sell. Okay, if the Feds want it, they can get it, but the whole mess will then end up in the courts and I will bet large sums that no Wall will be built any time soon.

Now, putting more agents on the border will help. Why not put hem to work sealing the many tunnels leading from Mexico to the US.  You know, the ones where countless tons of hard drugs are flowing through. That should be top priority.

Another thing. I hope they're going to buy those agents a lot of boats because no one wants to acknowledge the fact tha a boat can leave Mexico's Eastern shore and shoot up through the Gulf, landing on the Texas Gulf shore. It is a very short easy trip.

In other words, there are a few things that need tending to before we worry about a Wall that very likely will never be built.

America - The Fun is Just Getting Started

This is getting to be fun. Over the weekend, our President stunned the Swedish people when he spoke of their recent terrorist event. There wasn't one. True, violent crime has increased in that frozen country, but no bombs, no shootings, not even a knife attack.

We seem to have an ever expanding list of potential National Security Advisors, now that Flynn has left. We still are short a few Cabinet members. Somewhere, at someone's hands, sensitive documents are being leaked. The Russians are dominating discussions. And the fat Korean kid is growing a wee bit more dangerous every day.

The Iranians are paying zero attention to our demands that they stop testing missiles. Syria is a complete disaster and Iraq is not far behind. Afghanistan is a mystery; we seem to no longer have any say in the events there, yet we still have troops present.

We have an unthinkable opiate addiction problem yet, the Afghani government, who are supposed to be at least somewhat friendly, is doing nothing to stop the growing of poppies. I guess that money beats morality. If we want to keep the heroin out, and we have troops and equipment in place, why have we not simply burned those fields. Again, I guess money wins no matter which side you're on.

More time is being wasted on various immigration orders when, in early summer, the Supreme Court is already set to rule on cases brought during Obama's term and these will say what will and won't happen.

Today, I saw a feature on folks perusing literature with an eye on banning offensive works. They are not just talking about pornography. Remember, there have long been those wanting to ban anything not politically correct. Read Ray Bradbury's masterpiece, Fahrenheit 451. In the meantime, I guess I should hide my copies of Huckleberry Finn and Heart of Darkness, after all, they contain the dreaded 'n' word.

We have vast amounts of hard drugs pouring into the Nation by way of Mexico. We have an infrastructure that is collapsing (look at the California dam issue and the massive sinkholes in LA). We have a complete lunatic in Korea merrily building nukes and testing missiles and a barely saner group in Iran doing the same (remember, that branch of Islam is obsessed with their version of the Apocalypse. We have a President who cannot keep his foot out of his mouth and an opposition party who would attack Jesus if he returned and wasn't a Democrat.

Trump is saying that the White House has never run smoother. If you believe that, I want to again remind you that I am the only licensed realtor handling those Moon colonies Newt Gingrich wants to build.

You might as well laugh at the whole idiotic mess.

America - Get It Together, President Trump

As I have said, I did not vote for Trump and have consistently said that I do not trust him. I have been making an effort to give him a chance, mostly because I like some of the people surrounding him. I assumed that once things settled, he would calm down and let them run things.

Well, I should have known to never assume. Instead, it is becoming 'all Trump, all the time." He is popping up everywhere, giving an alarming number of press conferences. Why he is holding these conferences is a mystery, since he hates the Media, refuses to answer questions from most, and generally spends the bulk of the time ranting about their bias and fake news.

I do not love the news media. I find them to be silly, pompous morons who do little but uselessly pontificate. And, yes, there is a lot of fake news. However, that is true for mainstream, conservative, and alternative media. I am not sure if they are looking for sensationalism or they do not remember how to research properly or if they have simply lost track of what is real. I say a pox on them all, media and politicians.

They never were my favorite group of people, but all sides, Democrat, Republican and all points in between, are acting like spoiled brats. And, that is an insult to spoiled brats everywhere.

It turns out that all of the fuss about immigration orders is a total waste. The Supreme Court is due to hear 3 case, probably in June, brought during Obama's term, that will decide what can and cannot be done.

All the fuss about Russia's meddling in our election, is complete hypocrisy. WikiLeaks has just released documents showing that we took similar actions during France's 2012 election.

Oh, by the way, despite all of Trump's 'make it in America' talk, Ivanka's clothing line is made in China and Hong Kong.

It also seems that no one is that eager to be National Security Advisor. Harwood and Plateaus have both declined, and who can blame them? Why would any sane person want the aggravation of working in a chaotic environment?

Hypocrisy, double dealing, scamming, and out-and-out lying are the norm in our current political climate. That has always been true, but not like this. The President, Cabinet, Congress and Courts need to get their acts together, immediately, and start dealing honestly and intelligently with America's many problems.

America and the Early Days of Trump

Twenty-five days in, and the new Administration is already hit with scandal, a rather silly one on the surface, but, who knows how deep it goes. Mike Flynn, National Security Advisor, has resigned because he talked sanctions with the Russian Ambassador.

Nothing illegal there, although it was a bad idea since they discussed sanctions, which are still hanging around. Then, Flynn supposedly lied to VP Pence who then went on TV saying the sanctions were not discussed. Well, it seems that the FBI heard the talks, information was leaked by someone, and it was 'bye bye Mikey.'

This story just does not quite add up. Flynn, is a General, trained in military discipline. It seems unlikely to me that he would, on his own, just start babbling to the Russians. Then, he claims he didn't remember if he talked of the sanctions. Huh? He doesn't remember. when this is one of the key issues in our foreign policy. Then, in a blink, he's gone. The question being asked is, did Trump know he was going to discuss that issue with the Russians. If so, things get a wee bit murky, since this discussion was in December when Trump was not yet President. Still, it would not be a huge issue, except for the idiotic attempt to cover it up. When you are a President that half the Nation does not like or trust and that even a substantial number of those that voted for, don't trust, you want to be squeaky clean while you get going. The whole thing seems like Nixon's Watergate. The cover up is worse than the crime and leaves the impression that the crime you are caught at is only the surface.

All that aside, we are still beset with demonstrations and court battles over the immigration orders. This was not a 'Muslim ban,' since the Nations covered only account for 10% of the World's Muslim's. It really does not even cover most Nations with terrorist activities. To cover such Nations, we would have to include Saudi Arabia, from which all but 1 of the 9/11 hijackers came and which was also the home of Osama ben Laden.

And, we would also have to include England, Spain, France, Germany and Belgium, all of them home to vast terrorist networks and scenes of horrific attacks.

Will the bans make us safer? Not a bit. Folks conveniently forget that the Orlando shooter was born in the USA, as were the Sandy Hook and Columbine shooters. The Virginia Tech shooter was Asian and not Muslim. Charles Whitman who, in 1966 killed and wounded many Texans while shooting from a tower, was a Texan and a Marine. Timothy McVeigh blew up a few hundred in Oklahoma City and  was American.

I want immigrants from the Mid East kept out for economic and cultural reasons. We cannot afford them and they have an annoying habit of wanting to impose their beliefs and practices on others. However, keeping them out will not much affect our safety. The issue is a smoke screen being used to hide a real agenda, or several possible agendas. Every player on the governmental scene has an agenda and who knows who will win.

And, this is part of the problem.   Trump has assembled a weird blend of establishment types and loose cannons. If he can control them and play one off the other, it just might work. The big issue is can he control himself and is he as powerful as he thinks. And, even if he is, when you are the alpha dog, someone will try to take your spot.

I urge all of you to learn this phrase: President Mike Pence. And for all of you Trumaphobes, out to dump Donald, be careful. You may get your wish and Pence, a devout Catholic and Christian Dominionist, will not be fun for you at all ( note: Christian Dominionists want America to be a strictly Christian Nation that basically follows Old Testament law and that tolerates no variation from the standard).

America - Meet Jeff Sessions

Last evening, Jeff Sessions was confirmed as our new Attorney General. Boy, is this going to be a change.

Sessions is a very bright and energetic man, a fine attorney, and long time Senator. He was a US District Attorney in Alabama. The man is a conservative and very definitely pro law and order.

No more will criminals be coddled as they were during the previous Administration. Gone are the wimpy days of Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch. This Administration has given notice, by naming Sessions to he post, that they are bring a halt to the lax prosecution of criminals that has become the norm in America.

The streets of America, not that long ago, were safe. Now, many of them, are near battle zones. This can be stopped and it will be stopped. No one wants overly harsh enforcement; we are not that kind of Country, but things have gotten completely out of hand.

This will be fun. Everyone needs to get used to the idea that times have changed. The people of the USA should be able to walk the streets. Organized crime is costing a lot of money and angst and must be stopped. Gang activity, slightly less organized crime, has made a nightmare of too many neighborhoods. Time for this to stop.

One last note: Those of you smoking weed, unless it's for legitimate medical reasons, best lay in a good stash. All that cheap Mexican weed is about to go away.

America and the Global Game of Risk

I don't know if people still play the old board game of Risk,, in which the goal was World conquest, but all over the World, that game is heating up and it needs to cool down.

Old alliances are breaking down. The EU is teetering and Brexit is looking more and more sure (the House of Commons has approved it and the House of Lords seems likely to follow).NATO is splintering, with Turkey growing very close to Russia and Trump vowing to review our role in that increasingly irrelevant organization.

The UN has grown so irrelevant that the US is talking about defunding it, or at least cutting the amount we contribute.

The Mid East is torn to bits. It seems that most of the Countries hate each other and share only one thing, their hatred of Israel. Israel must be feeling a tad better with Trump in office. They are undoubtedly glad to see Obama gone, but they must be getting a wee bit nervous over the increasing presence of Russia in the area, especially the great friendship between Russia, Iran, and Turkey. If Assad survives in Syria, he will join those three and I imagine Israel will begin to sweat a little.

Especially with Trump seemingly wanting to be buddies with Russia. I certainly agree that it is better to be cordial with Russia than at each other's throats, but we need to be very cautious. Putin is playing a different game than we are, and the more I read about it, the less I believe that we should trust the man. Reach agreements? Yes. Trust? No.

And what of Asia? That may be worse. China is growing very aggressive, now claiming islands traditionally thought of as Japan's and is claiming waters thought of as International. By all accounts, tales of their fantastic economy have been greatly exaggerated. South Korea is reeling from political corruption. Thailand and Myanmar are unstable. India and Pakistan are still at each other and still remain sewers barely fit for human habitation.  Japan is very jittery, in part because the insane fat kid in North Korea is still building nukes and trying to figure out how to build rockets that work (odd, it seems harder to build working missiles than it is to build nukes; peculiar).

Africa is a disaster. South Africa is relatively wealthy and stable, relatively, for now. The rest of the Continent is torn by tribal and religious wars, and is an ecological disaster, in part because of war, in part because of bad farming practices, and in part because of the whims of the Natural World. The last I heard, and this changes daily, Zimbabwe was almost inaccessible to outsiders and the Congo had 14 different armies fighting for power. The Northern Countries are worse.

South and Central America are slightly better than Africa, but only slightly. Disease, poverty and corrupt leaders, combined with ecological havoc caused by a combination of clear cutting rainforests, poor farming and worse mining procedures and Natural climate changes, have left a vastly over populated and impoverished people.

The big players, America, China, and Russia are playing Risk with the World. They are positioning troops, building industries and spending money in efforts to carve out their spheres of influence. It is fascinating to watch this game of imperialism play itself out, but it is a terrible idea. Imperialism was rampant in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and it all played itself out in the early 20th Century when WW1 shocked the World. This led to WW2 which should have made it clear that imperialism is a really, really bad idea, but it seems that humans just don't learn. We are living in fascinating and very dangerous times.
  

America - Look at What's Happening

This weekend we are going to have the Super Bowl. We have been hit with controversy and protests over the immigration issue and Democrats are threatening all sorts of things they cannot do to stop Trump's SCOTUS appointment. Do not pay any attention to a bit of that. Ignore demonstrations in Berkley. Give not 15 seconds thought to possible LGBT discrimination or religious freedom rants.

Fascinating issues, one and all, but side shows. Watch Russia, Iran, Israel, China and Korea if you want to see the future. We are entering a war time era. Will we see true warfare any time soon? Maybe, but even if we do not, there will be incredible tension. When? Good question. Ten minutes from now is a distinct possibility. Within 10 years is almost a sure bet. However, there is a way out, for the USA. The folks running this Administration, and how much that includes Trump I don't know and really don't care (Trump may be part of the side show), are smart and competent. Russia is playing odd games, but we can deal with them, carefully. China is desperate. They cannot grow enough food and with increasing efficiency in American industries, we really do not need them to turn out cheap goods. S. Korea is a corrupt mess and N. Korea seemingly has a suicide wish because they keep stirring the hornet's nest, even though they cannot possibly get their way. Iran and Israel will, one day, finally blow up and Iran will be no more.

But, what do we do? We seem to be moving on 2 fronts. One, fear. We are scaring the crap out of other nations while getting ready to rebuild and modernize our already awesome military. Second, withdrawal. We are closing borders, ousting illegals and making it clear that all future economic deals will favor us. Corporations are coming home and seem to understand that in the current world atmosphere, home is the safest place to be. They even seem willing to boost the sagging lifestyle of the average American, maybe because of altruism but, certainly because they know a somewhat prosperous middle class (which has been decimated by previous Administrations) is not going to be given to upsetting the apple cart.

So, again, if all goes well, things will be okay, maybe even good. But that will only happen after a very rocky period.

America - Throw a Party

I have a suggestion. In light of all of the protests, the wailing and gnashing of teeth, the street violence, the endless parade of whining celebrities, Americans should respond by throwing a party. Every time a protest is scheduled, folks should arrange to set aside a section of a park or some other public place, with proper permits, of course, and celebrate.

Stay away from counter protests and avoid the possibility of violent confrontation. Don't march and carry signs insulting the opposition. Ignore them and throw a party. Tell the media; local media will quite likely respond. Let every one know that this celebration is your reaction to the nasty, hateful marching and yelling.

It doesn't have to be fancy. Hot dogs and burgers, or even just some cheap snacks. Sodas, beer if allowed, maybe some fruit punch. Schedule games, with maybe some little, silly prizes. Have some music, a variety, so ever one will have something to enjoy. Just a party.

This is the way to deal with the hateful. Just ignore them and have a celebration. Invite everyone. Bring the family. Let the protesters know that you are happy and that you are going to be part of the solution to our Nation's problems and that their ranting and raving does not bother you in the least.

America and Immigration

Today, the new Administration begins the daunting task of dealing with immigration. We really have no idea how many illegal immigrants there are in this Country, but it is a massive amount. We once welcomed immigrants to this Country, but things have changed. People refuse to get this. We are no longer a sparsely populated agrarian economy, nor are we a burgeoning industrial economy. Economically, we are in some period of transition. We just have no idea what we are transitioning to. But, one thing we have no lack of is workers. Economically we do not need more of them.

Illegal immigrants work cheap and are willing to do so because, when they go home or send money home, it is more than they would make in their native land. This willingness to work for low wages, drives down wages for the rest of us. I have lived in areas where illegals are present in large numbers. Because they make little, they are willing to cram as many people into small dwellings as they can. The more people, the less each has to pay for rent. This, in turn, depresses the housing prices in those areas. It also taxes sanitation, education and medical facilities in those areas. Also, poverty breeds crime. These may be politically incorrect statements, but, too bad; they are true.

That whole crime issue should be stressed. Of course not all illegal immigrants are hard core criminals (although the fact that they are here illegally does make them criminals), but things are not what they used to be. A great many have brought with them their gang affiliations and the Mexican gangs are responsible for an enormous amount of drugs entering the Nation.

We simply do not need these people here. They need to go home and, fix the things are that bad there, start a movement to change their homeland.

As far as legal immigration goes, when some one has a skill that is needed in America, great, let them enter, with some noted exceptions and conditions. People from the various terrorist torn lands should not enter. The conditions are simply too volatile and we cannot do adequate vetting. The screening processes would be too time consuming, too costly, and quite frankly, any skills they may have are also possessed by our own people, many of whom are in need of jobs.

The other condition must be acceptance of American law. Keep your religion. Keep your customs. But, only when they do not violate our laws. I bring this up for two reasons. First, there are cultures in Africa, India, and the Mid East that practice such repulsive traditions as female genital mutilation and honor killings. This cannot be tolerated in America and if these people believe that any insistence that give up these reprehensible practices violates their religious freedom, too bad. If they are still in their native lands, let them stay there. If they have immigrated, deport them.

The second problem links to the first. In Europe, Muslim communities have set up areas that are governed by sharia law, a brutally harsh set of laws. There are a few American Muslim communities who would do the same. This is not acceptable. Those who think that we should allow them freedom to do this are idiots. Sharia law includes dress codes for women, restricts education for women, all but prohibits such American traditions as boys and girls dating, practices arranged marriages, and prescribes as penalties for violations of the law stoning and beheading.

In short, why are we debating this? Illegal aliens  are just that, illegal. Deport them and let them apply for legal immigration. Allow that only if they have a marketable skill. Do not allow immigration from lands that are problematic. It really is that simple.

America - Watch Your Backs

Today is the first real work day of the new Administration. I like the direction things are heading and this may work. But, it is going to be a very rocky road, at least for a while.

You are witnessing a massive conflict between two groups who are fighting over what will be the future of the Country. No, I am not talking about Democrats and Republicans.

For a long while, we have been maneuvered and manipulated by those wanting a powerful, central Federal Government, one that would ultimately blend in seamlessly with a powerful, centrist World Government. This is an old idea. In this Country, it really started to take hold when Reagan was shot and Bush 1 became the real force in Washington. It continued through the years of Clinton, Bush 2 and Obama. Forget Parties. They quibbled over fine doctrinal points, but in essence, they were the same.

The Plan, was that either Jeb Bush would become Bush 3 or that Hillary would become Clinton 2. Well, that did not work. Trump is backed by another group. America first is also an old idea, quite popular in the pre-WW2 days. Folks, after the nightmarish First World War, wanted no part of a Second. In fact, they elected Roosevelt because he promised to keep us out of any European conflict, before he dumped us into a European conflict. Woodrow Wilson did the same thing with WW1.

Folks, a lot of them, enough to upset the Election, have decided that we do want to put America first. Mind you, we are not wishing others harm, we h=just want to deal with our own business, ourselves. Seems reasonable to me.

Even more, we feel that States should deal with local issues, not the Federal Government. Think for a moment. Florida does not have the same issues that Montana does and New Mexico's problems are not the same as Maine's. So why does Washington feel it should dictate to the States.

In addition, different folks have different values and that is, mostly, protected by the Constitution. If a group of parents in Alabama have different thoughts on subjects such as education, abortion, gay marriages, and marijuana legalizations than folks in Massachusetts, the why should they not have varying laws. The Constitution does not cover these areas and says that anything that it does not cover, should be left up to the States. The Federal government only has the right to intervene when the States do business with each other and then it is to set up reasonable laws that respect all sides and that are to be enforced only during the interstate processes.

President Trump has surrounded himself with people who are America first people and people who want to take a lot of the money, and money is power, out of Washington and give it back to States and to individuals. Those who have just been ousted and those who are demonstrating in the streets are aghast.

The demonstrators seem to think that. left on their own, individuals will begin some combination of the Salem witch trials and the Spanish Inquisition. The Old Guard Power Brokers are frantic because their plans have come unglued. The first group are silly people who will soon calm down.

The second group will not go quietly. Look for them to pull every dirty trick and produce reams of fake news reports in their efforts to depose President Trump. Do not be taken in by them. Not now, not when we are on the brink of getting our Nation back.

However, they had best think twice, or maybe more, before they act, because, waiting in the wings is Mike Pence and he make Donald Trump look like a raving liberal. Stay tuned. This ought to be fun.