We Mustn't Normalize This President or his Administration

Journalist and political analyst Juan Williams makes what I think is an extremely good, even important point in his piece today at The Hill.

Juan Williams: We must not become numb to Trump's abnormality

A bit from the article:

Normal?

How about a summer in which Americans are not allowed to travel to Canada or Europe? Seriously. That’s due to President Trump’s failure to halt the high rate of coronavirus infections in the United States.

That’s not normal.

Is it normal for an American president to stand in the White House Rose Garden and begin ranting? Trump said if presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins this year’s election, Biden will do away with the suburbs and windows.

Yes, he really said that.

There is so much that is not normal at the Trump White House that Rachel Maddow, the MSNBC host, recently spent an entire segment reading off a stunning list of scandalous acts now accepted as normal in the Trump era.

Is it normal, she asked, that Trump “put his son’s wedding planner in charge of federal housing in the northeastern United States ... fired one inspector general who was investigating the secretary of State ... advertised his wife’s jewelry line on the White House website?"

Any of the Trump scandals, Maddow said, would have amounted to “the biggest scandal to ever afflict any other presidency — but by virtue of the sheer number of scandals that surround [Trump] like flies around a pigpen ... [they] have just become part of what we expect, right?”

"...Trump’s Cabinet features 'a former coal lobbyist as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, a former lobbyist for the defense contractor Raytheon Technologies as defense secretary, a lobbyist for the auto industry at the helm of the Energy Department and a former oil and gas lobbyist as interior secretary.'”

Donald Trump isn't draining the swamp. Far from it. This man his administration ARE the swamp. And they're going to get richer doing it. Meanwhile, they're stripping pollution and EPA laws, dirtying the air water and soil.

What's allowing for all this is that the Republican Party Senate is "running screen" for him, for Trump so he can, to date, do virtually anything and everything he might wish.

So no, we cannot, we must not become numb to any of Donald Trump's actions or words, any of it any more than we should get used to a killing national and international pandemic.

Final note: another thing that's particularly exceptional and welcome about this piece from Mr. Williams is that he is employed by Fox.

That's gotta' hurt the Dotard in Chief.  

All the more.

Coincidentally, The New York Times ran a somewhat similarly themed article yesterday in the paper.

Where Is the Outrage?

Additionally, it was announced earlier this morning that none other than lifelong Republican and former Presidential candidate in that party, John Kasich is going to speak next month at the Democratic National Convention in favor of Joe Biden for President.

Report: Kasich to speak at Democratic convention on behalf of Biden

Huge.

Finally, check out these two reports. First this on Republicans and their recent haul.

Senate GOP posts $35M quarter haul as candidates, Trump struggle

Then this on the Democrats.

Democrats raise more than $700 million in three months through ActBlue

Democrats blow past GOP incumbents in Q2 fundraising

On to November!

Further Proof The Donald Will Lose

After last night's final presidential debate between Hillary "I Got This" Clinton and Donald "I'm Losing It" Trump, it's clear Mr. Trump's declaration that he may or may not accept the results of the election hurt him and badly.  Check out just some of the headlines this morning.

First, on what Mr. Trump actually said:

Trump on Whether He’ll Accept Election Results: 'I'll Keep You in Suspense'

Herewith, some takeaways, responses to Mr. Trump.

CNN's Cuomo Drills Conway On Trump Rejecting Election Results: He's Disavowing the Process!

David Gregory on Refusal to Accept Election Results: 'This Is a Death Blow for Donald Trump'

This, from the very Right Wing pollster Hugh Hewitt. Even he admits Mr. Trump took a hit.

Hugh Hewitt: Trump 'Knocked Himself Out' With Rigged Election Claims

Another Right Wing voice:

Krauthammer on Trump's Refusal to Accept Election Results: 'This is Political Suicide'

Here's one from a Republican strategist:

Steve Schmidt on Rigged Election Claims:  ‘A Moment of Clear and Present Danger’

Two takes from Jake Tapper.

Tapper: Trump Maybe Not Accepting Election Results Was 'Disastrous Answer'

Jake Tapper Points Out That 'Rigged Election' Talk Could 'Hurt Republican Turnout'

Four takes from mainstream media:

Brian Williams on Rigged Election Claims: 'A Disqualifying Moment For Americans' Who 'Respect a Peaceful Transition'

Brit Hume: Trump 'Stepped On' His Best Debate Performance by Hedging on Election Results

Tom Brokaw: 'A Lot of Republicans' Will Have 'Hands Over Their Heads' After Trump's Debate

Chris Matthews: 'There's No Justification' For Trump to Question Election Results

The Associated Press had this rather more maybe official and rather dour evaluation of Mr. Trump's comment.

AP Lede on Trump at Debate: 'Threatening to Upend a Basic Pillar of American Democracy…'

For what it's worth, two opinions and descriptions of last night's comments from Mr. Trump from Rachel Maddow.

Rachel Maddow Calls Giuliani and Conway's Rigged Election Defense: 'Insane'

Maddow: 'It's Inarguable' the Moment of Debate Was Trump Not Committing To Election Results

Mr. Van Jones take on it all will likely surprise no one.

Van Jones Rips Trump's 'Appalling Lack of Patriotism'

Of course, one can always take the course of denial.

Kellyanne Conway Says Trump Will Accept Results of Election — Because Trump Will Win the Election

Bill Kristol Works Himself Into Screaming Fit, Insisting Trump Is a 'Fluke' and Not Representative of GOP

The New York Times conclusion, turning Mr. Trump's own words on him:

Who Won the Debate? Hillary Clinton, the 'Nasty Woman'

Finally, then, today, one last result from last night's debacle for Mr. Trump.

Fox News Drops in 2016 Brand Index Ranking Among Republicans

Ladies and gentlemen, what you are witnessing, what we are all witnessing is the freefall of one Mr. Donald J. Trump, electorally and popularly, and what was formerly known as the Republican Party in America, let there be no doubt.

My only concern is the power vacuum it will create. We have to hope for who and what will replace it.

I will say this, this has been the most fascinating, bizarre, unpredictable and even dangerous election, all, and solely due to Mr. Trump, his candidacy and his pronouncements and reactions in it. The only explanation that seems to make sense about it all is that he put himself up to do this, to run and run in the campaign as far and long as possible, in order to destroy the Republican ticket, if not the entire political party. I'd heard that rumor. It's out there. But by doing this, he's hurt himself, his corporate brand and, yes, the political party.

It's the only thing that makes sense. What little sense it does make.

Links:   Hillary's Best Takedown of Trump During Debate

Donald Trump's Clueless Debate Answers Spawn #TrumpBookReport Tweets

The Trump Effect: The Impact of the Presidential Campaign

'The Trump Effect': Hatred, Fear And Bullying On The Rise In Schools

Journalists Are Calling Out Trump's Lies At The Final Presidential Debate

On the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington

Things that need to be remembered today, on this anniversary:

The Right Wing and Republicans who wrap their arms so squarely around Martin Luther King now--or, at least, his legacy--seem to be doing so extremely conveniently given that so many of them and their political party are now fighting for voter ID laws which disenfranchise, largely, minorities, including and especially black Americans, Hispanics, the poor and elderly in this nation.

It's also so contradictory and hypocritical of them because they and their political party have come out against continuing the Voting Rights Act and because they have, time and again, come out squarely, oh-so-strongly and vehemently against affirmative action.

And now, today, on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, so many years ago, Rachel Maddow so rightly points out the following on her blog and Facebook page:

Why didn't we hear more Republican voices at today's event on civil rights?

It's because GOP leaders didn't accept the invitations to speak.

A partisan advantage at the Lincoln Memorial

Former President Bill Clinton, First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Jimmy Carter, and President Barack Obama

From the article:

If you've spent any part of the afternoon watching the event honoring the 50th anniversary of the March of Washington, you may have noticed something most of the political speakers had in common. They were, well, Democrats -- and I don't just mean those who celebrate democracy.

Viewers and attendees heard from Democratic presidents, lawmakers, governors, and even mayors. So where were the Republicans? Drudge whined, for example, that the King family "blew it" by "allowing no one with different political beliefs on stage."

And while I suspect this will soon become the conventional wisdom on the right, it's worth noting that many Republicans were invited, but declined for a variety reasons.

Republican congressional leaders were absent from Wednesday's 50th anniversary event commemorating the March on Washington.

The offices of Majority Leader Eric Cantor and House Speaker John Boehner both said they were invited to the event, but were unable to attend due to previous scheduling commitments.

Boehner participated in a July congressional ceremony in the Capitol to mark the anniversary and Cantor participated in a pilgrimage earlier in the year to Selma Alabama with civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis. Cantor's office says they only received an invitation 12 days ago, and his calendar was already full.

Boehner, for the record, is on a 15-state bus tour, raising money for conservative Republican lawmakers. It's not clear what Cantor had scheduled for this afternoon.

The Wall Street Journal added that both Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush were invited, but both declined citing poor health. (The younger Bush, you'll recall, is recovering from a heart procedure.)

It's not that the King family "allowed no one with different political beliefs on stage"; it's that Democrats were better able to accept the invitations to participate.

____________________________________________

I say again, why any woman, black American, Hispanic, gay person or elderly in America would vote Republican--unless they're already wealthy--is beyond me.

So don't be too quick to pat yourself on your back, America. We still have a long, long way to go for anything remotely close to equality of any kind, let alone social, economic or socio-economic.

US Economy Leaving Record Numbers in Severe Poverty

Poverty in America: 4 out of 5 adults struggle

Paul Ryan's and the Republican's budget proposal--and why you should care

Unfortunately, it's not a joke, April Fool's or otherwise. They really do want to take money from the workers and middle-and lower-classes and keep it going to the wealthy and corporations

Unfortunately, it's not a joke, April Fool's or otherwise. They really do want to take money from the workers and middle-and lower-classes and keep it going to the wealthy and corporations

No doubt good but important TV tonight

And we all know how rare that can be--even good TV, let alone important, even when it's "sweeps week" or "sweeps month."


Tonight on MSNBC at 8 pm.

Republicans and Right Wingers, hoping for bad American economy

From MSNBC:

"As the indications of a successful economic recovery continue to pop up, pundits on the right seemed to be hoping for bad news. On Thursday’s radio program, Rush Limbaugh seemed willing to sacrifice economic gains just to see the president hurt. “Any immediate economic setback, or the perception of one, could weaken Obama’s clout,” he said. “Maybe a sour economy is worth it if it will distract Obama.”

Sean Hannity spoke wishfully about the possibility of another quarter of economic contraction. “There’s a lot of talk these days about how the GOP can come back politically,” he said. “I’ll tell you right now, the quickest possible way politically, with a contracting economy like this, if it happens again in the next quarter, that’s a recession.”

Although Hannity and Limbaugh would love to blame another economic contraction on President Obama, many experts agree the real cause is the government spending cuts, particularly those at the state and l...ocal level, which typically come from Republican-controlled governments. Republicans have also embraced the defense-heavy sequestration cuts that could slow the economy as well.

 Friday’s jobs report made for mediocre headlines, with 157,000 jobs added and the slight uptick of the unemployment rate to 7.9%. But a closer look showed some good economic news that could ruin the rightwing’s hopes for a tanking economy. January marks the 35th straight month of private sector job growth. Additionally, revisions to last year’s data show that nearly 2.2 million total jobs were created, meaning 2012 was the best year for job creation since 2005.

 There are also more symbolic signs of an improving economy, with the Dow Jones industrial average climbing above 14,000 for the first time since October 2007 on Friday.

 If local governments continue to make cuts, however, it will be difficult to continue growth. The president is unlikely to be able to enact a jobs plan without the help of Republicans in Congress."


The rest here:  Why the rightwing is rooting for another recession

This Republican Party would eat Ronald Reagan alive

Click on picture for larger, better viewing.

Mitt Romney: Repeated flip-flopper...and liar

He seems to have done it--lied--again and again, along with changing his official stances on issues.

This is one "straw man" for the highest office in the land. I hope this is the cake walk it looks like it may well be.

However, that said, if very much voter suppression takes place--and it looks very will like it will, from Florida to Ohio to here in Missouri and all over--the flip-flopping and lies may not matter.

This presidential campaign has been fascinating, sure. It's been nothing but fascinating.

I don't mind if the coming election is fascinating.

I just hope it's fair. And honest. And legal.

Link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/04/1116592/-Rachel-Maddow-Mitt-Romney-has-a-tell

Further evidence of why we need to kill campaign contributions

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Want to help and improve America?

I think we all agree we need to get the big, ugly, corrupting influence of the money from the wealthy and corporations out of our election system and so, our government. Until we do, nothing will change.

Link: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/47623790#47623790

"You can't handle the truth!"

We really don't know--or care to know--what's going on in our country--or what our country is doing in the world.

Do we?

We're in 6 wars?

I love good satire

There's a whole lotta' truth in that satire.