Blog Catalog

Showing posts with label betrayal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label betrayal. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The Atlantic Magazine Gets This So Right

 Yes, it's heartening to see the truth spelled out so big and so bold.


Trump Is the Worst President in History - The Atlantic


I like it so much I'm going to post it twice.


Just a bit from the article:

Three particular failures secure Trump’s status as the worst chief executive ever to hold the office.

President Donald Trump has long exulted in superlatives. The first. The best. The most. The greatest. “No president has ever done what I’ve done,” he boasts. “No president has ever even come close,” he says. But as his four years in office draw to an end, there’s only one title to which he can lay claim: Donald Trump is the worst president America has ever had.

In December 2019, he became the third president to be impeached. Last week, Trump entered a category all his own, becoming the first president to be impeached twice. But impeachment, which depends in part on the makeup of Congress, is not the most objective standard. What does being the worst president actually mean? And is there even any value, at the bitter end of a bad presidency, in spending energy on judging a pageant of failed presidencies?

It is helpful to think of the responsibilities of a president in terms of the two elements of the oath of office set forth in the Constitution. In the first part, presidents swear to “faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States.” This is a pledge to properly perform the three jobs the presidency combines into one: head of state, head of government, and commander in chief. In the second part, they promise to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States....”

As Trump prepares to leave Washington, the capital is more agitated than during any previous presidential transition since 1861, with thousands of National Guard troops deployed around the city. There have been serious threats to previous inaugurations. But for the first time in the modern era, those threats are internal. An incumbent president is being asked to discourage terrorism by supporters acting in his name.

...There are many verdicts on Donald Trump still to come, from the Senate, from juries of private citizens, from scholars and historians. But as a result of his subversion of national security, his reckless endangerment of every American in the pandemic, and his failed insurrection on January 6, one thing seems abundantly clear: Trump is the worst president in the 232-year history of the United States.


It's an excellent, not surprisingly well-documented article. Here's hoping lots and lots of Americans read it so they both know more of our nation's history but also so they can and do put this soon to be former President Trump in the correct light and category, perspective.

Not done there, however, Trump and his administration did this on their way out.



Because I guess there's just not enough lies or stupidity to go around for this guy and his people.

Fortunately, there is, rightly, yet more good news, too.


Yet more goodness.




Have heart, America.  In 24 hours, we'll have intelligent, adult, informed, rational leadership again.


Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Imagine for a Moment You're Donald Trump Just Now


Imagine for a moment you're Donald Trump just now. Yeah, I know. Sorry. Anyway, you're facing the following-- You have your back against the wall and in a couple ways--
  • New York State is investigating your taxes in at least 2 different cases, for possible fraud
  • Ireland is also investigating your for your taxes so that's international problems, too
  • He likely, apparently owes, reportedly, nearly, if not actually 1 billion dollars to who knows who,and then finally,
  • There's anything and everything he may be investigated for and possibly found guilty while he was President.
He's reportedly now turning on his Vice President and virtually, if not actually, everyone.


A bit from the article:

“President Trump, in his final days, is turning bitterly on virtually every person around him, griping about anyone who refuses to indulge conspiracy theories or hopeless bids to overturn the election,” Axios reports.

“Targets of his outrage include Vice President Pence, chief of staff Mark Meadows, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Secretary of State Pompeo and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.”

“Trump thinks everyone around him is weak, stupid or disloyal — and increasingly seeks comfort only in people who egg him on to overturn the election results. We cannot stress enough how unnerved Trump officials are by the conversations unfolding inside the White House.”

So happy holidays, y'all. Think happy thoughts.

There's a vaccine on the way and this Presidency and 2020 are both nearly over.


Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Quote--Fact--of the Day -- Cowardice Edition


 Robert Reich @RBReich Nov 20

The cowardice of all but 2 Senate and 2 House Republicans in not criticizing Trump for refusing to accept the results of the election is one of the worst betrayals of public trust in American history.

________________________________________

It's speaking very loudly.


Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Our Known Enemy Wanted--and Wants--Donald Trump President

 Think about this, folks.


Republicans in specific, Americans in general-- keep in mind that our known, sworn, very public enemy, Russia and it's leader Vladimir Putin worked for Donald J Trump to be President.

Report Shows How Russia Helped Trump Get Elected


Not just once in 2016 but again now, 4 years later, too.


And there's more to this, too. Check this out. A very Republican Party led Senate investigation shows there was work between, with the Trump campaign and Russians to make it happen, too. Remember this from just earlier this year?


Does that tell us nothing?

Thanks, Republicans.

86 45

Link:



Monday, June 29, 2020

How Is Donald Trump Still President?


This President Trump learned, at some point, either last week or months ago, that Vladimir Putin and Russia put out a bounty to pay the Taliban in Afghanistan to kill our American troops, our soldiers over there.

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka last year

His first response to this information

First he said he wasn't told, that he knew nothing of or about it.

Trump Says He Was Not Briefed 

On Russian Bounties


Now he says what he was told, the intelligence, wasn't credible.


Which is it?

Now it's June 29 and still, to this minute, that same President Trump has still done nothing about these bounties to Russia.

That is at least gross, gross dereliction of duty if it isn't, in fact, treason, no exaggeration.

trea·son
/ˈtrēzən/
noun
the crime of betraying one's country


Finally, there's this, breaking today. So much for the "I didn't know" and "No one told me" defense.


Given this and everything else, honestly, this man Trump has done and said while in office, I'm one more who has to ask..

How is Donald Trump still President?
___________________________________

Breaking developments today, this morning:

Pelosi requests US intelligence leaders brief House on reports of Russian bounties
White House says Congress will be briefed on reports of Russian bounties

House Armed Services leaders demand briefing on reported Russian bounties on US troops

Voters must strongly reject the president's abuses by voting him out this November

Intelligence suggests Russian bounties led to deaths of several US troops in Afghanistan: report

Expert Wonders Why GOP Silent, Not Angry, on Russian Bounty Scandal


Saturday, February 17, 2018

What Kills Me About Republicans, This President and His Supporters


Think about this. I know I have and for a long time. I saw this as a Facebook post today then found it's original source as a tweet from one Dan Pfeiffer, a former Obama staffer in the White House.

Related image


It is worth noting that the Russians believed that the best way to damage America was help elect Donald Trump.


I only wish Republicans and all Trump supporters could and would wrap their minds around this. How proud and happy can a person be if the Russians, of all people, wanted to make sure YOUR CANDIDATE wins the election?

From The New York Times:

"The indictment presented in astonishing detail a carefully planned, 3-year Russian scheme to incite political discord in the U.S., damage Hillary Clinton's campaign and promote Donald J. Trump.:

And the Washington Post:

Trump's Russia 'hoax' turns out to be real


"Trump’s own Justice Department has concluded otherwise. A 37-page federal indictment released Friday afternoon spells out in exhaustive detail a three-year Russian plot to disrupt America’s democracy and boost Trump’s campaign, dealing a fatal blow to one of the president’s favorite talking points."

You can find Dan Pfeiffer at Pod Save America and Crooked Media:



Additional link:



Tuesday, May 16, 2017

The Quickly Developing Presidential, Constitutional Saga That Is Donald Trump



It's getting so it's tough to keep up with all that's happening, all that's unraveling from and out of this White House and administration. It's nearly dizzying. Check out this brief analysis of the last 18 hours or so:

"So last night a story breaks that Trump gave classified information to the Russians. Trump sends all his top staff people out to deny it, say it's a dirty lie. Then this morning Trump sends out tweets saying that he did give classified information to the Russians and explains why. No information yet on whether his staff will continue to deny it."

--Bruce Bartlett

It's important we keep this man and his actions in perspective.

"...John McCain was a prisoner of war for 5 years and didn't reveal as much classified information as Trump..."

--Bob Minor, Professor, retired, KU; also with Missouri Jobs with Justice and friend.

And the hell of it is, it's not just that he's stupid or very stupid, though God know that's more and yet more apparent, it's that he indicts himself with what comes from his own mouth.


Who could even begin to guess what's next?

Congratulations, again, Republicans. You got your man in the White House, all right.


Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Quote of the Day -- On Goodbyes


As we say goodbye to President Obama, the very bright to brilliant, educated and extremely talented Mr. Spacey has this so correct.

Image may contain: 2 people, text

Monday, August 5, 2013

On Edward Snowden



Let me get this straight.

You want to fight against your nation's secretive ways that you insist are against the nation and your fellow countrymen and the people of your nation and to do it, you go to Russia?


Seriously?




Thursday, July 19, 2012

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

On Bishop Finn--and the Catholic Church--skating away. Again.

"On July 20, Enda Kenny, Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, rose before the Dail Eireann and excoriated the Vatican and the institutional Roman Catholic Church for the horrors inflicted on generations of Irish children,--my emphasis--horrors that they both committed and condoned. This was an act of considerable political courage for Kenny. The influence of the Church had been a deadweight on Irish politics and the secular government since the country first gained its freedom in the 1920s. Nevertheless, Kenny said: 'Thankfully … this is not Rome. Nor is it industrial school or Magdalene Ireland, where the swish of a soutane smothered conscience and humanity and the swing of a thurible ruled the Irish-Catholic world. This is the Republic of Ireland, 2011. A Republic of laws … of rights and responsibilities … of proper civic order … where the delinquency and arrogance of a particular kind of 'morality' will no longer be tolerated or ignored … as taoiseach, I am making it absolutely clear that, when it comes to the protection of the children of this state, the standards of conduct which the Church deems appropriate to itself cannot, and will not, be applied to the workings of democracy and civil society in this Republic.' He did not drop to his knees. He did not ask for a moment of silence. He did not seek 'closure' but, rather, he demanded the hard and bitter truth of it, and he demanded it from men steeped in deceit from their purple carpet slippers to their red beanies. Enda Kenny did not look to bind up wounds before they could be cleansed. And that is the only way to talk about what happens after the raping of children." --Charles P. Pierce is a staff writer for Grantland and the author of Idiot America. He writes regularly for Esquirem is the lead writer for Esquire.com's Politics blog, and is a frequent guest on NPR. Link to original post: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7233704/the-brutal-truth-penn-state

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Self-serving superintendent

Well, now we find out today that not only did now-former Kansas City Missouri School District Superintendent John Covington go shopping for a job elsewhere, FAR before his contract ended, AND lie about it, and then leave early, during the first week of a new school year--he's not done yet--NOW he also cherry-picked those 3 administrators that just left so he could take them with him to his new, high-paying job up there in Detroit, likely so it could help save his butt. Was this guy Machiavellian or what? Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/10/3258754/covington-introduces-three-from.html

Sunday, August 28, 2011

In sharp and stark contrast to Dr. John Covington

There's a news story out today on Yahoo! News about a school superintendent who's in, as I said above, sharp contrast to our soon-to-be-leaving-because-he's-a-rat-deserting-a-ship-and-walking-away-from-his-commitments-and-responsibilities. This guy is--get this--giving back his annual salary of $800,000.00 to the school district even though he'll be running "325 schools and 35 school districts with 195,000 students, all for less than a starting California teacher earns." He is Fresno County (Fresno, California) School Superintendent Larry Powell and quoted saying: "How much do we need to keep accumulating?" asks Powell, 63. "There's no reason for me to keep stockpiling money." To which I have to ask, how do you suppose the Kansas City, Missouri School District could possibly find such a superintendent for our schools? Link to original story: http://news.yahoo.com/school-superintendent-gives-800k-pay-150206667.html

Saturday, August 27, 2011

A "Dr. John Covington Lesson"

An old friend of mine works for the KCMO School District and has for several years. He works hard and has a good reputation in the District for doing what needs to be done, frankly, and being a good teacher. So much so that they made him a Teacher instructor (I can't remember the exact title) but basically, a teacher who helps teachers be better teachers. At the beginning of this school year, he was offered a great job at one of the Charter Schools, which he would have loved, first, and secondly, which are offered rarely and only to good teachers. So did he take it? No, no he didn't. And do you know why? He didn't take the better job at the better school because he had made commitments already, to the work he was supposed to be doing and because it was the beginning of the school year, for pity's sake and you just don't leave people "in the lurch" like that, scrambling for a replacement like that. At least you don't unless you're one Superintendeny Dr. John Covington. Then all bets are off. "Screw 'em", right, Dr. Covington?

An open note to Dr. John Covington

Dr. Covington, May you have someone do this to you one day--and very soon. That is, take on a responsibility and then, just as it is to get under way, they stab you in the figurative back and resign the job. It's either that or rot in hell but the first one seems far more civilized. Signed, the children and staff of the Kansas City, Missouri School District and the business community and citizens of Kansas City, Missouri. P.S. Airick Leonard West especially sends his thoughts.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Friday, May 27, 2011

To Bishop Robert W. Finn



"Don't trust me. Trust our Lord Jesus Christ, trust his church."

No worry, there, Bishop.

Oh, and, thanks loads.





Bishop admits failure in priest's child pornography case