THE RACE BARR HAS BEEN LOWERED
I had previously posted regarding the ABC sitcom ”ROSEANNE”, and how Roseanne Barr was like left over corn beef hash. The fact that CROOKED DONALD jumped on the show’s bandwagon when it went to the top of the network ratings after it’s debut last month was all I needed to know in avoiding watching it at all. ABC knew full well when they brought in Roseanne Barr what her baggage was, and obviously were more concerned about ratings and advertising dollars than they were about the show’s star’s racist tendencies and absurd conspiracy theories. With the success of the show, apparently Roseanne Barr thought she was POTUS, free to make any racist or bigoted comment without repercussion. So she let loose with an incredibly racist tweet about a former President Obama aide, Valerie Jarrett, mentioning she was a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes”. She was very wrong. The immediate backlash was so severe that ABC was forced to cancel the show. Think about it-the number one rated television show, with all of the advertising dollars it was bringing in, abruptly cancelled, in mid season, including last night’s scheduled rerun. It was an extraordinary move to say the least. I applaud the decision to take this racist conspiracy nut off of the air, but question why ABC gave her a platform in the first place. The answer is plain and simple-$$$$$$!!! And the decision blew up in their face. Ever since Charlottesville, when Donald Trump made his infamous comments regarding the protesters and the Neo Nazis, his base has felt empowered to continue the Obama backlash and racism which started with CROOKED DONALD’S election. His comments and actions regarding immigrants and third world countries, referring to them as “animals” and “shi*holes” have further emboldened people like Roseanne Barr to make racist tweets like this one without consequence. Well guess what, America says NO!!! We have become so accustomed to the daily lies, misinformation and alternative reality of this White House that it seems as though anything goes. But it doesn’t, at least not this extreme racist rant. Roseanne Barr can retweet all she wants about her comment, and Trump’s base can rush to her support as she victimizes herself, but the fact is she is finished. Michael Richards, of “Seinfeld” fame had his career essentially ended by a similar racist rant while performing a comedy routine. A fitting end to both careers, which goes to show that despite all of the negative things happening in our society right now, and on the day of “racial sensitivity” training at Starbuck’s nationwide, Americans still will not tolerate the type of hatred and bigotry these entertainers represent. Our “better angels” won this battle. It will be very interesting to see where Trump weighs in on this, because we know he will sooner rather than later. He can’t help himself anymore than Roseanne Barr could. It’s in their DNA. Stay tuned.
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MEMORIAL DAY-A TIME FOR REFLECTION
As we honor those who have fallen in the service of their country this Memorial Day, from the first soldier killed in the Revolutionary War to the latest Army casualty in Kosovo, let us remember that these and 1,354,664 others who have perished in every war and conflict in between (according to Wikipedia) and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom. We owe them all a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, and it is appropriate that we commemorate their patriotism and pay our respects. Revolutionary War First: Isaac Davis (Apr. 19, 1775) — A gunsmith from Acton, Massachusetts, Davis served as a minuteman with his local company. During the Battle of Concord, his company was selected to advance first on the British. When asked if his company was afraid, Davis is recorded as having replied, “No, I am not and I haven’t a man that is!” As they advanced, Davis was shot through the heart. He is memorialized with a statue in the Acton Town Common. Operation Joint Guardian The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Joint Guardian. Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Robinson, 36, of Los Angeles, California, died May 24 at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, from a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. Robinson was assigned to the 155th Medical Detachment, 261st Medical Battalion, 44th Medical Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As we continue in armed conflicts in a number of countries around the globe, there will certainly be more U.S. military personnel who will give their lives for their country. To each and every active service member who put their lives on the line for us each and every day, we say simply “thank you for your service”. Without in any way attempting to diminish the significance of these individual and collective sacrifices, we should also provide some perspective. Since World War I, Russia has lost over NINE MILLION combat related military deaths, to say nothing of the TWELVE AND A HALF MILLION civilians who perished in World War II alone. That is over TWENTY MILLION deaths, military and civilian in those two conflicts alone, not to mention the Russian Revolution or the brutal purges carried out by Stalin which also resulted in millions of deaths. If anybody wonders why Russia is paranoid about protecting its borders, these figures should help explain their determination to insure these type casualties are never again inflicted upon their country. We are very fortunate to never have had enemy combatants on our home soil since the war of 1812 with the British, and we can thank both those who have made the ultimate sacrifice as well as those currently serving for that. We owe them everything. THE PGA TOUR AND ITS “DIRTY MONEY” SPONSORS-Who’s behind the big bucks???
How you ever wondered how it is possible that the purses being paid out in professional golf continue to grow despite the fact that golf as a general rule has been steadily declining in this country now for a number of years, with economics being the driving force behind club and course closures, diminished fan interest since Tiger disappeared until recently and TV ratings that are not comparable to any major sport except during the four so called “major” tour events? I was watching a Netflix series entitled “Dirty Money” which depicted the criminal activity of HSBC, a bank that laundered literally a billion dollars in Mexican drug cartel money and the ensuing investigation, and then realized HSBC was a sponsor of one of the PGA Tour events. This got me to looking at what other financial institutions were contributing money either as corporate sponsors or actual event sponsors, and here is a partial list. Along with the list of the institutions, there is a number which depicts the amount of money the institution has been fined by the United States government for activities surrounding the 2008 financial meltdown and other transgressions. CitiCorp…..$19,000,000,000 Morgan Stanley…..$8,600,000,000 Wells Fargo…..$27,600,000,000 These fines total FORTY BILLION DOLLARS!! Another sponsor, Chinese company ZTE has recently been in the news as having been involved in espionage against the United States. If this isn’t “DIRTY MONEY”, I don’t know what is!!!! Tim Finchum and his PGA TOUR want us to know all about the charitable contributions made to Shriners Hospital and other worthy recipients, and rightfully so, but the fact is that this money is tainted. It appears that the PGA Tour will take money from any source, as long as they can continue to pay out large amounts of prize money to the limited number of participants in their sport. The amount of money that the top players earn in a year, like that of so many other sports, is totally disproportionate to the economic norms of our society. The top ten players on tour last year collectively earned $40,000,000, or roughly $4,000,000 each. There’s no way that these ridiculous amounts of money can be paid out without a huge influx of cash, and it appears Finchum and company don’t care where it comes from. I say it’s time to take a hard look at this “DIRTY MONEY” and for the PGA TOUR to explain how they can continue to take money from institutions which have been clearly guilty of fraudulent and criminal behavior in the past. For a sport that prides itself on the honor system, maybe there should be some more honor shown in where you get your money. DEVIN NUNES-ONE OF TRUMP’S GOONS!!!
Ever since the House Intelligence Committee started looking into the Russia election interference allegations, Congressman Devin Nunes of California, the Chairman, has sought to use this platform to discredit the Robert Mueller investigation, defer and deflect any information that in any way implicates his idol, CROOKED DONALD and now is attempting to expose a confidential FBI informant who infiltrated the Trump campaign as part of the investigation into campaign collusion. Instead of performing the duties of his office for the betterment of the country, this man is using his office to attempt to obstruct justice. Plain and simple. And he has the apparent full backing of “CRYIN” Paul Ryan to continue to play politics with an investigation that goes to the very heart of our democratic processes. Compare what the House activities have been in this probe compared to the Senate investigation-it’s total amateur hour, with witnesses not being called, information being suppressed as suits Trump/Nunes’ narrative and now an attempt to reveal confidential sources and methods just to take the heat off of CROOKED DONALD as Mueller closes in. All the while, his constituents in central California farm country are suffering as a result. Their needs and the needs of the people of California are being forsaken so Nunes can eat at the “TRUMP TROUGH”, and thereby ingratiate himself to POTUS and the far right who are doing everything they can to save the presidency of CROOKED DONALD from the inevitable day of reckoning. This absence of effort is not going unnoticed in his home district, and it appears that the Democratic challenger for his seat has a much better chance of defeating Nunes than he would have before the California Congressman decided to become another Trump sycophant!!! I’ve said it before and I will say it again-guys like Devin Nunes will be judged very harshly by history when all is said and done. Instead of doing the right thing for their country and constituents, these REPUBLIKAN stooges like him continue to believe that Donald Trump is the end to justify their means. I sincerely hope that come November the voters in central California will realize that goons like Nunes need to be sent packing from Washington. Maybe one of his constituents can find him a job picking lettuce!! That’s about all he’s qualified to do as far as I can see. Devin “the GOON” Nunes is part of the problem-he should be under investigation in my opinion for his role in obstructing the Justice Departments investigation. He is as much a part of the attack on our democracy as is Vladimir Putin!!! VOTE HIM OUT IN NOVEMBER, CALIFORNIA!! A ROYAL RESPITE
Sure I remember my history that our American revolution was fought against the tyrannical British King George and his Tory supporters to win our independence from them as a colony, and they were our mortal enemy. Not ever since. The British Empire in all of its glory once encompassed half the world and then some, and the English represented everything there was, good and bad, about colonialism. But along the way the Americans and British have become the closest of Allies, having fought in two World Wars side by side and in numerous other conflicts as well. The British are currently struggling with Brexit, the UK’s departure from the European Union, while we at home struggle with a President who watches cable news to get his twenty four hour news cycle and reacts accordingly. In short, it would appear in both countries a nationalist tone has taken foot and is causing tremendous divisiveness in political and socio-economic areas. However, there is one HUGE difference in our countries, and that is the British monarchy. The stories from “Game of Thrones” and all of the history in between to Queen Elizabeth and “The Throne”, the history of the Royal family is quite interesting, everything from abdication to treachery to collusion with the Nazis, not to mention all of the scandals in the meanwhile that have plagued Windsor Palace. But while there is indeed the scandalous, there is the downright pomp and ceremony and prestige associated with the Royal family that is unmatched, and the world was graced with Princess Diana, if only for a way too brief time. I’ll never forget that morning I awoke early and switched on the news in the wee hours only to discover the news about the horrible accident that took her life. It was almost as big a shock as the death of JFK to me, or John F. Kennedy, Jr. But today, in absolutely glorious English sunshine, her son, Prince Harry married American Meghan Marckle in a ceremony which could only be pulled off by the Royal family and the British, from the elaborate and ornate décor to the coach in which the newlyweds rode in procession. However, there was that American touch, like “Stand by Me”, the B.B. King love song that was sung at the service. All in all, it was worth watching early in the morning in America. But most of all, it was absolutely elating not to have to think about Donald Trump and the vicious political games being played out in Washington, or his sexual dalliances with porn stars or Playmates. Or pay offs or bribes. Or lawyers. Or listen to the twenty four hour news cycle spin their latest take on the Russia investigation. Or hear about immigration or ICE or walls. Or think about the group of incompetent morons trying to run our great country into the ground with their policies of ignorance and exclusion. No news of another school shooting or more senseless gun violence leading to the death of young adults and those responsible for educating and caring for them. Wasn’t it GREAT to not have to think about any of that, if only for a few fleeting hours?????? Thank goodness for our friends across the pond, and LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!!! THREE BILLS TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY!!
I believe anybody who has been paying attention to the political scene in the United States since 2016 understands just how far our democracy has fallen under the administration of Donald Trump. Our Congress is a complete farce, with partisan politics which can best be described as tribal the driving force behind every single piece of legislation, from the fraudulent “middle class tax cut” to the war on the poor and needy being waged by “CRYIN” Paul Ryan and others in the REPUBLIKAN majority. POTUS is involved in so many legal entanglements with the ongoing Russia investigation and the other civil actions against him such as the Stormy Daniels allegations that he is unable to effectively govern our nation at a most critical time, with N Korea and Iran both threatening to become real shooting wars if his half baked strategies don’t pay off, like his summit with Kim Jong-un or his withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal. Our political system is completely broken. Politicians currently holding office will literally stoop to ANY level to retain their positions, from accepting money from the NRA or Super PACS in exchange for advancing their agendas, which run contrary to the views shared by the majority of Americans. I’m talking about issues like abortion, gay and lesbian rights, immigration, education and on and on. Once in office, they are only interested in perpetuating themselves, not in the interests of the country or their constituents! They will lie, demean and diminish their opponents in any fashion necessary to achieve their objectives. There are a few steps which can be taken to solve our problems. The first one would be to reinstitute campaign finance laws, which were revoked by Mitch McConnell and his REPUBLIKAN cronies in order to open up the flood gates for people like the Koch brothers to buy and sell political offices like shares in their own stock!! There was a time not too long ago when $2000.00 or $2500.00 was the maximum contribution that could be made to ANY campaign by ANY individual OR corporation or PAC. We need to get this law back on the books in order to change the entire electoral process. The second step is the institution of term limits on our Congress which more realistically reflect the nature of political office-to do the bidding of the people, not make an election a lifetime appointment!! I think the current term of six years in the Senate is too long, and should be reduced to four. I believe the two year limit in the House of Representatives is too short, and should be increased to four. The two year term essentially means House members are continuosly running for reelection, since the cycle time in elections now has grown to years instead of months. I believe that the term in office for POTUS should be limited to ONE four year term, to prevent the President from starting to campaign for an election four years down the road the day he takes office, like Trump has done. After four years, it’s thank you for your service, Mr. President, Senator or Congressman, we wish you well in your future endeavors. Not that complicated. FOUR YEARS FOR ALL WASHINGTON elected officials. I'm not talking about gobvernment employees or bureaucrats, just elected officials. The third item involves the elimination of the Electoral College altogether. There are several states that are enacting legislation to award their electoral votes for POTUS to the candidate who wins the popular vote, the “one man, one vote” philosophy. Had this been the case in 2016, Donald Trump would be a footnote in history instead of the worst President to ever occupy the Oval Office, from his lies, misstatements and possible criminal activities and those of his close friends and administration. By implementing these several changes, we could easily change the entire political process from one in which the average American feels completely alienated and disconnected to one where citizen participation is not only encouraged but possible for the common man and woman, not the group of elitists who have bought their way into positions of power and influence which they are unwilling to relinquish that occupy the majority of seats in Congress. If something isn’t done to reverse the current narrative in politics, we’ll end up like the Roman Empire-we will fall victim to our own greed and excesses. We’re headed that way now under our current system, and it has to be fixed before we are overrun by barbarians, who are, by the way, AT THE GATE!!!!! TRUMP’S USA TODAY: “PAY FOR(E) PLAY!”
The revelations over the last few days of the so called “slush fund’ accumulated by Donald Trump’s “non lawyer”, Michael Cohen with contributions ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands from a Russian Oligarch’s shell company to corporations such as AT&T and big pharmaceutical company Novartis and a list of others who spurned his offers of influence peddling such as Ford shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone familiar with “CROOKED DONALD’S” past history. His entire business career has been one marked by shady deals, unpaid bills and lawsuits, as well as questionable funding sources for many of his overseas projects. His own family, from son Donald to daughter Ivanca and her husband Jared Kushner have been involved in this same type behavior but on a much grander scale, the world stage. Then we learned that Trump wants to help bail out a Chinese telecommunications firm that has been involved in espionage against the United States to help “save Chinese jobs” (from the man who campaigned on the pledge to “bury the Chinese in their trade imbalance and protect American jobs!), coming just a few days after the Chinese announced a $500,000,000 loan to help build a Trump property in Indonesia. There are similar conflicts of interest going on in other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Russia, where Trump properties are either being built or under design/construction, and our foreign policy decisions with regard to these countries is now subject to question. When Trump became PUTUS, he declared that he would, as required by our governing laws, divest himself of any business holdings which could in any way, shape or form be construed as a conflict of interest in dealing with such countries. I believe his family, including Jared Kushner, fell under that same legal umbrella. However, it would appear to be far from the case, with Kushner’s family involved in a number of questionable deals at present (his own father having spent previous time in prison for financial fraud ) and Michael Cohen offering to direct any player willing to pay to gain the President’s ear or favor. The fact that the Mueller investigation has followed the money trail which has led straight to a number of these seemingly criminal activities (lobbying without being a registered lobbyist, paying bribes in order to influence official policy decisions within the administration and accepting money from foreign sources such as the Russian or Ukrainian oligarchs being linked to the money Cohen and others had accumulated, money that was used to pay off Stormy Daniels (foreplay) and probably others in the same manner for similar purposes, i.e. hush money. We have yet to find out where the rest of the money was spent or who received it, but I’m quite certain Michael Avenatti won’t rest until he finds out. It really reminds you of a scene from “GOODFELLAS”-Trump with Michael Cohen, Rudy Giuliani and any other crooked lawyer he can con into representing him sitting around the table in the backroom at “Guido’s Pizzeria” determining who is worthy of their consideration and at what price? If you’re not for us, you’re against us, and we will make you pay, one way or another. (See recent relations with Qatar); if you’re with us, we’ll take care of you for life (see Israel). The problem is this mentality will not serve us well in the areas of diplomacy where a more non partisan and less tribal approach is required. We are already seeing evidence of this in Gaza with the slaughter of innocent men, women and children being carried out by our client state Israel. This was the direct result of the inflammatory opening of the U.S. Embassy in the Holy City of Jerusalem, despite alienating Muslims throughout the world, including his new found Sunni Arab friends in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as completely extinguishing any light at the end of the tunnel with regard to settling the Palestinian question. The image of Ivanca Trump and Jared Kushner standing and smiling beside Steve Mnu(r)chin and the smiling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as hundreds were being gunned down in cold blood by Israeli Security forces was one that reminded me of Kent State, with innocent demonstrators being gunned down in our own streets by Nixon’s tin soldiers. The stark contrast between their world of pomp and privilege and the streets of Gaza are so glaring that there’s no way there is any common ground for negotiation involving this administration. The world of domestic politics is now one where candidates are simply bought and sold to the highest bidders, be they wealthy individuals (Koch brothers) or corporations (Novartis, AT&T, etc.). Bernie Sanders has been actively campaigning against the role these so called “Super PACS” have had in shaping our politics. The income gap disparity in this country is growing by leaps and bounds, with the distance between the “haves” and “have nots” increasing significantly in the last few years. The wealthy, like Trump and his family and Wall Street “billionaire boys club” are only interested in perpetuating their own wealth and power, the rest of us be damned!! The CROOKED DONALD administration will be proven to to be the most corrupt in our nation’s history, and the entire “PAY FOR(E) PLAY” mentality starts right at the top with him. By the time he gets through in Washington, the White House will end up looking like the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, an empty shell of a building with lots of bills left unpaid and an owner that’s nowhere to be found!!!!! MAKE AMERICA GREAT
The slogan “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” has been emblazoned on more red hats than the “W” on the ball caps of the Washington Nationals since Donald Trump came onto the political scene. It has been the rallying cry for his so called ‘base’, the thirty per cent or so of the population who elected him and support his policies and agenda. As is the case with so much of the CROOKED DONALD rhetoric, this slogan really rings hollow upon further examination, and I would like to clarify it for everybody in real terms, not in the Trumpian world of alternative reality! My first issue with the slogan is the word ‘again”; when did we become not great? Everybody always says we live in the greatest nation on earth, so where did it go off the tracks? It appears in Trump’s mind that the previous eight years of the Obama administration is the point where we lost our way, and he is the chosen one who can help lead us back to our former position of dominance in the world, like the good ole days. Guess what folks? There really weren’t that many “good ole days” in the last fifty years if you get right down to it, with the Korean “police action”, the Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam “conflict”, Iran hostage crisis, oil embargo, assassinations of JFK, MLK and RFK, Iraq war, September 11th, Afghanistan war, war on terror and on and on…..somebody tell me what was so great about all that?!? I lived through it, and it wasn’t. Now, my ten proposals for what can really MAKE THIS COUNTRY GREAT. Not again-now!! First, the mid term elections. Democrats must win control of the House of Representatives given this golden opportunity. It’s unlikely that they will win control of the Senate, but could further erode the slim REPUBLIKAN majority there. Following this, the newly elected House should institute impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump to remove him as POTUS. Hopefully, when the Mueller probe ends up with positive proof Trump and his campaign were guilty of both collusion with the Russians to steal the 2016 presidential election and subsequently of trying desperately to cover it all up and obstruct justice. While Mike (I’M A LITTLE DENSE) Pence isn’t the ideal replacement, we would only have to suffer through two years or less of his administration before voting him out. Fire Trump’s entire Cabinet and start over again. It truly has been a “CABINET OF CLOWNS, from SCOTT (I DIDN”T DO IT!!) PRUITT to BEN “LARSONY” CARSON to SARAH “HUCKLEBERRY” SANDERS. They all must go and be replaced with competent administrators, not political hacks!! Pass legislation that will once again limit campaign contributions across the board, so that special interest groups like the NRA, the Koch brothers and other so called “SUPER PACS” can no longer buy and sell members of Congress to suit their own agendas. Re up for the Paris Climate Accord. Trump’s environmental policies have been a true catastrophe, and must be reversed ASAP in order to prevent further damage and consequences for our health and safety. Forget about the dying coal industry and focus our resources on renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy, like the rest of the civilized world is doing!! Re up for the Iran nuclear deal we just abandoned, much to the dismay of our closest allies in the UK, France and Germany. The immediate result of our pulling out appears to have given Israel the green light to go to war against Iran, which could have disastrous consequences for the entire region. Adapt an Immigration policy which more reflects the American spirit of welcoming those who are seeking a better life instead of building some ridiculous wall to keep them out!! Pursue economic policies that are aimed at benefiting the true backbone of America, the middle class, rather than just the wealthiest or corporate Amerika, and reducing the income inequality which is tearing at the very fabric of our society. Enact REAL gun legislation to curtail the epidemic of violence which has gripped our country for far too long. I am talking about banning assault rifles and the magazines used to carry out these horrific mass murders; much stricter laws regarding the possession of a handgun or the commission of a crime using a handgun. Stricter background checks and longer waiting periods, as well as age restrictions. Existing weaponry would be grandfathered in, but the sale of any new weapons of mass destruction would be prohibited. End the so called “war on drugs”. It has been a monumental failure, and as a result we are faced with an epidemic of opiod abuse that should have never happened in the first place. Legalize drugs and make them available through regulated outlets just like in those states that have legalized marijuana. Completely overhaul our criminal justice system, especially the number of people behind bars for drug related offenses. The United States currently incarcerates more individuals than ANY NATION ON EARTH!! Most of them are minorities and many of them are in prison on drug related charges. If drugs were legalized, many of the criminal activities which landed these people in jail in the first place, most gang related, would just go away. Focus our resources on improving public education, not on funding elitist private schools or charter schools, and start to treat our teachers with the dignity and respect they deserve-both financially and politically. The future of our country-our children and grandchildren, are in their hands, yet we pay them less than we pay trash collectors. Cut military spending. We spend way too much money on our military when so many other areas of our society are in desperate need of help. Yes, it is a dangerous world we live in, and yes we need a strong military, but to spend $650 BILLION on Defense, a 10% increase and approximately 15%-20% of our total budget for 2018 is simply absurd. To increase military spending by this amount will undoubtedly cause deep cuts in programs in education, social and other programs for the needy. The amount of waste and fraud involved in these military expenditure programs is legendary, and we can certainly afford to take a hard look at where this money is being spent. There you have it. My ten step plan to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT”. I welcome any and all feedback and suggestions. We’re all in this together, so let’s get this thing back on track, shall we? THE WAR ON THE POOR
I was a REPUBLIKAN once, for many years, as a matter of fact. Back in the 1980’s and 90’s, I was right in there with the best of the Reaganites, Bush Clan and all the other ones who made America proud and strong again. I was also working at a job where I once made over $100,000 (not bad money back in those days!), the economy was booming and I was young and healthy. The Democrats were just the guys on the other side of the aisle who were in to giveaways and freebies, really more like socialists than true Americans. It was easy to look through rose colored glasses when the glass was full, as was the case with most Americans. The poor and needy and support programs for them was the furthest thought from my mind-surely that man living beneath the underpass could find a job if he really wanted to!! Now fast forward to the present day. I left the REPUBLIKAN party following George W. Bush’s administration and the disastrous war he got us into in Iraq. I have been retired now for over five years. My retirement was not voluntary. In fact, my last job lasted just over six months, and the company owner terminated me by e mail! I then went on unemployment for a number of months, trying to find another job all the while. It seemed nobody wanted to hire a sixty something salesman. Then “RICH” Mitch McConnell and the REPUBLIKANS decided to abruptly terminate extended unemployment benefits, and essentially forced me to begin receiving Social Security benefits at the minimum age, thus the minimal amount. Having no other income at the time, other than my wife’s hourly pay as an administrative assistant, and bills like a mortgage to pay, I really didn’t have any other options. And I will suffer for it in the long run. Now, under the Trump administration and his “CABINET OF CLOWNS”, the poor and needy are under attack by people like Ben Carson, who wants to significantly cut housing subsidies to “incentivise” the needy to find employment, cut programs that include food stamps and school lunches and Betsy Devos, who wants to take huge amounts of educational funds earmarked for public schools and give it to charter schools. Carson ordered a $31,000 dinette set for his office and Devos' family lost one hundred millions of dollars in a company charged with fraud The REPUBLIKANS passed the worst tax bill in our history and have also created the largest budget deficit in our history, and as a means of paying for it all will now start in on the so called “entitlement” programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, programs upon I now depend for my very survival. I have stated it before and I will state it again-the present day REPUBLIKAN party is mean spirited and elitist, comprised of mostly old white dudes desperately trying to cling to power in a throwback world that no longer exists!!! They literally are REVERSE ROBIN HOODS, from “RICH” Mitch McConnell to “CRYIN” Paul Ryan, their agenda is to take from the poor and needy and to give to the wealthy and corporate Amerika so they can receive huge campaign contributions from SUPER PACS controlled by the likes of the Koch brothers and retain their positions of power and influence. Fear of losing that position is the driving force behind every bad decision and poor policy this party has put forth, and it has only gotten worse under CROOKED DONALD. Instead of using the majority position in Congress and the White House to the benefit of the American people, they have chosen to use it to benefit themselves. The rest of us, the ones who really need help or struggle to get by from paycheck to paycheck like most middle class Americans these days………well “LET THEM EAT CAKE!” The income equality divide in this country is the worst is has ever been, and if things continue the way they are now it will become a bigger issue for our country than just economics. We need to turn over at least the House of Representatives this coming November to turn these stooges out on the street and replace them with politicians with some compassion for the lest fortunate and the needy. We don’t need a stupid wall, we need a little heart!!!! CONFESSIONS OF A QUITTER
I’ve been a huge fan of the comedy series “Seinfeld” since I first discovered Jerry and his band of misguided and unencumbered friends, like George Costanza. The show touched upon many facets of everyday life for most of us, much of it completely mundane and yet in the correct setting absolutely hysterical. It mirrored to a great extent, and still does, the society in which we live. In one particular episode, George is talking about leaving a job and confesses to being a “quitter’, and in fact coming from a long line of quitters!! This got me to thinking about the circumstances in my life where I have “quit”, be it a job or a particular endeavor, and I realized in so doing that I too, am quite a quitter!!! It all goes back to Little League baseball. I had one particular game where I was the hero, and in the next game something of a goat. I went from driving in the game winning hit off of the bench in the sixth inning to whiffing four times as a starter the next game, three of them looking! After that game, on the car ride home, I remember my father telling me that I had “quit”, and he had never seen me “quit” before. I really didn’t understand what he was talking about at age eleven, but many years later and years after his passing I’m beginning to understand what he meant. He had told me on more than one occasion to always finish what I started, to NEVER QUIT!! It simply was un-American to give up!! Let’s just make a list, shall we. I quit taking drum lessons when I played in a garage band in high school because it was too hard;I quit playing baseball in high school because I discovered girls, cigarettes and alcohol were more fun; I quit college after less than thirty hours of night school because I would rather party; I quit my marriage after fifteen years because it was easier to walk away than to try to fix it; I quit smoking cigarettes (of that I AM proud some twenty years ago!); I quit a couple of jobs during my career because I couldn’t tow the company line. I quit the REPUBLIKAN party because it no longer has any compassion for the plight of the common man; finally, I also quit trying to understand what makes the lunatic in the Oval Office do the stupid things that he does or say the ignorant things he does????? CROOKED DONALD always talks about “winning”-everything to him is either a win or a loss. I’m here to stand up for the guy on the other side, the losers and quitters. We will not be shoved aside any longer while the class bully has his way with us!! In my particular case, I will NOT QUIT writing this blog until the day he is no longer POTUS, and I sincerely hope that will be sooner rather than later. No matter, I’m in for the duration this time, and I’m in for every man, woman and child out there who has ever quit and felt bad about it-this one’s for you guys!!!! IF IT FEELS RIGHT, JUST QUIT!!! There’s really no shame in it. |
About Mike ColeBorn in Hamilton, OH but a proud Kentuckian since age two. One brother and three sisters. Suburban, Catholic middle-class upbringing. Attended Jefferson Community College and Pasadena Community College. Proud father of four and grandfather to seven, and most of all, a concerned American citizen! Are you??? Categories |