The Case Against Donald Trump

I was going to gather my thoughts about how unfit this man is for President, but why bother when better writers than me have already done so. To wit:

Donald Trump is the worst president this country has seen since Andrew Johnson, or perhaps James Buchanan, or perhaps ever. Trump has brought our country low; he has divided our people; he has pitted race against race; he has corrupted our democracy; he has shown contempt for American ideals; he has made cruelty a sacrament; he has provided comfort to propagators of hate; he has abandoned America’s allies; he has aligned himself with dictators; he has encouraged terrorism and mob violence; he has undermined the agencies and departments of government; he has despoiled the environment; he has opposed free speech; he has lied frenetically and evangelized for conspiracism; he has stolen children from their parents; he has made himself an advocate of a hostile foreign power; and he has failed to protect America from a ravaging virus. Trump is not responsible for all of the 220,000 COVID-19-related deaths in America. But through his avarice and ignorance and negligence and titanic incompetence, he has allowed tens of thousands of Americans to suffer and die, many alone, all needlessly. With each passing day, his presidency reaps more death.

For the full piece, see below...

Really, is there any doubt?#election2020

Compelling evidence suggests that Donald Trump’s "countless sins and defects are rooted in mental instability, pathological narcissism, and profound moral impairment." Read our endorsement of Joe Biden: https://t.co/L628fjK9o9

— Woodstein (@murrowboy10309) October 23, 2020

Girly Men

Studies have shown this before, but here is an article from the Washington Post that not only provides a psychological profile of Trump supporters, but also reiterates findings of studies that have found conservatives tend to be more fearful, cannot deal with ambiguity, and prefer moral certainties.

Run, Bernie, Run

I have to say that Bernie Sanders' appearance on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert made me a bit of a believer.



No, he's probably not electable and I'm not sure at the end of the day whether he'll make a difference in shaping the conversation as we get closer to election day. But in the same way Trump's unfiltered personality has struck a chord, Sanders' unapologetic indignation on how the system has become increasingly stacked against both the poor and middle class is a breath of fresh air.

Better yet, I admire how Sanders doesn't run away from labels like "liberal" or "progressive," let alone "socialist." At the end of the day, Sanders probably sees labels as pointless, other than being an easy signpost for an electorate that really doesn't try to delve too hard into the issues. But at least he owns them and seems to be a good avatar for showing that these words have little meaning and, more importantly, aren't dirty words whose definitions and traditions have been co-opted by the right.

I can't believe that anyone watching Sanders on the Late Show wouldn't have seen good common sense in words, if not becoming a convert.

On the other side of the coin, Sanders' rumpled, angry old man demeanor has also understandably made him attractive fodder for the late night set, the most brilliant being Larry David's channeling of Sanders on the October 18, 2014 cold opening of Saturday Night Live. (When I saw David come out, I said, "He doesn't even have to act!") Whether Sanders' campaign has any legs will help determine whether David's impersonation makes him the breakout star of this coming campaign as Tina Fey's was of Sarah Palin four years ago.

Baptism by Fire

"It was never my intention to ever imply that this committee was political, because we all know it is not."  – Congressman Kevin McCarthy on the U.S. House Select Committee on Benghazi

While I'm not sure I'd go as far as Rolling Stone's Mark Taibbi to say that the GOP effectively got Hilary Clinton elected president by giving her the opportunity to appear presidential and cool under pressure as they grilled her relentlessly for nine or so hours under the media glare, they certainly didn't do themselves any favors. (Taibbi even references the film All the President's Men by suggesting that the Republicans even managed to make people feel sorry for Clinton, effectively humanizing her.)

Although the hearing pretty quickly broke down into petty partisan backbiting and shouting among its members, Clinton shrewdly positioned herself above the fray, making a statement that the truth about the Benghazi incident was above political ideology and weighed on her heavily.

Of course, it didn't help that the GOP also shot itself in the foot prior to the hearings when Congressman Kevin McCarthy let slip out that the Congressional investigation was politically motivated. I doubt anyone following this circus thought otherwise anyway, but it was still bracing to hear someone within the GOP camp gleefully admit it, however inadvised the comment may have been. Regardless, McCarthy's comments put the GOP and the committee chair, Congressman Trey Gowdy, on the defensive both going into and during the hearings. So it came off a bit hypocritical to question Clinton on the political motivations of her own actions following the incident even as they insist their own ongoing hearings aren't.

A buddy of mine supports Clinton because she's now proven and become virtually bulletproof. Over the years (and decades), the GOP has thrown everything it has at both Hilary and Bill Clinton with little to show for it—it's clear they don't feel they can fight Clinton on the issues, so they have to go into the mud. While this impenetrability has been partly the result of expert political spin, there may be also voter fatigue at work. As much negative as the GOP has thrown at Clinton, she remains standing and has managed to even become the anointed frontrunner. These hearings and the continuing e-mail issue to which Bernie Sanders gave voice to most people's exasperation over the issue were additional tests of fire that only seem to strengthen Clinton's legitimacy as a presidential candidate.

Trump and the GOP Unplugged

Hey, I get why Trump has been so popular—he talks without a filter, willing and able to say what establishment candidates will not, but which many of the electorate are thinking.

But for now, he is a major challenge for the GOP establishment. He’s sucked the air out of the room for the other candidates, monopolizing all the attention and media coverage.

Worse for the GOP, at the end of the day, Trump in reality is a Republican In Name Only. Truth be told, he’s a populist who’s tapped into the anger that the GOP has successfully exploited among a segment of the public for years for votes and money, but really only paid lip service to. And now the GOP is paying the piper.

Trump’s views on issues like executive pay and corporate conduct are anathema to the GOP platform. Trump will likely fade well before the nomination convention as people begin to focus on the election and issues like electability and competency, but it will be interesting how far Trump can get since he doesn’t have the support of the party establishment/power brokers, nor is he beholden to them financially or otherwise. As the GOP's losses in the last few presidential elections have shown, they no longer can win with the same shrinking ageing, white voting demographic they’ve depended on previously, but Trump certainly hasn’t helped them any in that regard.

Click here for a nice overview of the psychological profile of Trump's followers, as well as of liberals and conservatives.

What does Carly FIorina's willingness to die on this hill say about her judgment?

Carly Fiorina's stunning decision to double down on her allegations about Planned Parenthood—which have now been pretty much been debunked, even as the GOP Talibanists attempt to hide the footage—makes me wonder that if she's willing to lie so brazenly about this and die on this hill, what kind of lies would she be willing to tell as president?

Not that this failed CEO would even have a chance.

Scott Walker's Presidential Run Ends

Scott Walker suspends presidential campaign (September 21, 2015)

Thank God -- among all the presidential candidates, I considered Walker the most dangerous because of his unabashed commitment to strip away basic worker rights and undermine the unions who fought for those rights.

A closer look at Wisconsin’s economy under Gov. Scott Walker (July 15, 2015)

Scott Walker's Lagging Indicators (February 24, 2015)

The Grand Delusion

 "What is best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."   —Conan the Barbarian

One of the hallmarks of the right fringe of the GOP — whether it be evolution or global warming — is to simply and willfully disregard any fact or truth that is contrary to their core beliefs. Indeed, this worldview has also formed much of their political strategy: say anything, no matter how blatantly ridiculous or false, and it becomes accepted as truth.

Reality, however, finally caught up with them and kicked them in the ass in this election, as President Obama easily sailed to re-election, shocking a GOP that was convinced — convinced — that the election was in the bag, despite what the polls said. After all, the polls had to be skewed since it didn’t conform with their “gut.”

Up until now, I was sure that the insistence of the leaders of the far right fringe in believing Romney was going to win was simply a ploy to keep the base energized. But by all accounts, it appears that Romney’s camp, Fox News and pundits like Dick Morris and Karl Rove actually and truly did believe their man was going to win! They are indeed more delusional than I thought. That's on them and great for the rest of us.

Your Fifteen Minutes are Up

The main reason Sarah Palin created so much excitement among her Right Wing Christian Talibanist GOP base was because they were desperate for their own “rock star” to counteract the clear charisma of the rival ticket. Palin was physically attractive and sassy, yes, but other than that she was a blank slate on which a disheartened fringe electorate could pin their hopes on. Their disappointment with the ticket they were stuck with was exposed in the “Palin/McCain” bumper stickers that cropped up which flipped the ticket, reflecting the preference of the Christian Talibanists.

As Palin became better known to the rest of the country, however, her appeal and poll numbers plummeted. It seems agreed now that Palin's selection was a disaster for the ticket, piling on top of the campaign's poor decisions and execution, as well as plain bad luck.

In deference to her popularity among the right wing faithful, Palin was a keynote speaker at a recent GOP meeting of governors. The invitation, however, appears to have been a bit pro forma and simply a nod to one wing of the party—her speech does not appear to have been very well received by her fellow governors or consistent, and some of her colleagues grumbled about the attention she received, whisking her away from her press conference after less than 5 minutes.

It's clear that Palin is ambitious—I presume she would not have reached the governorship of Alaska without some intelligence. (She certainly has the political shrewdness). Still, we're talking about Alaska here, which despite what the Governor says, apparently engages in the very socialist ideal of distributing oil wealth to its citizens.

To give Palin the benefit of the doubt, one explanation for her poor performance during the election was that until she had been plucked from the tundra to run as vice president, running for office at the national level was not yet on her radar and she hadn't had the years of preparation and education many candidates undertake when running for national office. Frankly, asking anyone to make the leap from governor of one of the least populated states in the union to vice presidential candidate is a huge one, and not something a few weeks of coaching would necessarily solve.

If Palin is serious about running for office in the lower 48 that would raise her national profile, I would suggest she prove herself as governor and develop some substance. Until then, she is doing nothing but wearing out her welcome and showing herself to be the empty suit she was during the presidential election.

Sarah, please go back to Alaska!

What Makes Us Great

Plenty will be written about the magnificent campaign Barack Obama ran to reach the White House, and of his soaring, inspirational election night speech.

But for now I'd like to give props to John McCain for exiting on a high note and delivering a concession speech that was gracious, healing and unifying. I am astounded McCain chose to run such a nasty campaign and did so to the bitter end despite the polls, partly because it was so contrary to what he seemed to stand for in the past. Nevertheless, at the very end he deserves credit for moving quickly to step aside for the new President-Elect in order to unify the nation behind their new leader.

While it's all part of the theater of American politics, to me it nevertheless underscores what makes the United States so great and unique among modern nations—that even after a bruising political battle, opponents can come together, shake hands, and re-affirm their mutual dedication to protecting and advancing the best interests of our great country.

God Bless America

The Politics of Hate

While I’m not sure whether the Rovian/Bush approach to winning elections by cynically using hate speech to divide the country rather than running on anything inspirational or unifying will truly be completely buried and discredited with the current presidential campaign (depending on the outcome of course), it certainly so far has not gained serious traction. With fear in the air about the economy and the overall future of the country, it’s clear the electorate are looking for leadership and hope, and want nothing to do with the kind of toxic innuendo and hate that has been emanating from the GOP.

Surprisingly—and perhaps as a reflection of the desperation of the McCain campaign—McCain has done little to change his playbook. Indeed, if anything, the attacks have become even more shrill and ridiculous, with members of the GOP now recklessly claiming that some parts of the country are not “pro-American” and Minnesota Congressional Representative Michele Bachmann calling for McCarthy-like investigations of whether her fellow members of Congress are anti-American (which has spectacularly backfired as noted here and here). The GOP has puzzlingly continued this scorched earth policy despite most polls showing that voters are not only turned off by it (which admittedly they always say) but also that this strategy has made little dent to date in the numbers.

Of course, the GOP and McCain—who has embraced the right to the disappointment of those who once admired the Senator’s willingness to break at times with his party during the days of the “Straight Talk Express”—likely recognizes it now has little choice but to play the politics of fear, given that they cannot run on the economy, nor on their record, or on being agents of change. But at the same time, the shrillness and shameless mudslinging of innuendo and guilt of association has not only exposed the level of panic and hysteria in the GOP but also shown it truly is a party of hate, bereft of new ideas.

Colin Powell summed it up best when speaking about his endorsement of Barack Obama. He took the time of his endorsement as an opportunity to also express concern about the direction both of the campaign and the GOP in its strategy of using fear and hate to divide the country and to claim some people for being un-American. It’s a strategy, I trust, that history will eventually condemn as a dark time in American politics.

Mission Accomplished

What does it say about the viability of Sarah Palin's candidacy when her main goal in her vice presidential debate was to prove she isn't a complete drooling idiot—well all I can say is, "Mission Accomplished!"

While some hoped to see Palin meltdown onstage, all indications from Palin's background and experience demonstrated that so long as she prepared, she would do fine. After all, given all her other missteps, one would hope that at least being able to not hurt the ticket further by not embarrassing herself in the debate would be a minimum load she could handle.

At best, Palin did not personally embarrass herself as she has already done numerous times. However, this hardly qualifies her for the vice presidency of the United States. Nor does it help McCain much other than to somewhat stanch the damage she already has done to the ticket. Nevertheless, while many seemed to credit her for at least showing up and standing her ground, in terms of substance and presence, she nevertheless fell far short, as early polls from CNN and CBS seem to suggest. Palin continued to Palinize by skirting around questions and answering with vague message points that were long on platitudes and cheerleading, and short on substance or specific plans of action.

Palin’s answers do not lack confidence, they lack coherence. —Bob Schneider, CNN

Research Shows Conservatives are Genetically Cowardly

Explaining the root cause of the Bush Doctrine, a recent study showed that "people with strongly conservative views were three times more fearful than staunch liberals."

That sure explains a lot—and why, I think, John McCain initially asked to cancel this Friday's presidential debate, and why they are trying to cancel the vice presidential debate.

Fit for the Presidency?

In my view, the issue isn’t so much whether GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s choice for vice president, Sarah Palin, is qualified to be president in the event that McCain, as president, would for some reason be unable to serve—but rather what Palin’s selection says about the judgment of McCain.

All indications state that McCain’s choice was made on the cuff and impulsively, with little vetting or consideration. Cynical reasons aside, while McCain is known for being his own man and often shooting from the hip, one must wonder whether such recklessness—particularly given the past 8 years—is what this country needs in this moment in history.

Even leading, thoughtful conservatives have questioned McCain’s suitability for the job….

Where's the Love?

What's with all the fucking whining about the media coverage Barack Obama has been receiving?

One would think such coverage only fitting to balance out the Pravda-worthy lovefest that the GOP and George W. Bush have enjoyed the past eight years from party flacks like Fox News and Fat Fuck Drug Addict Rush Limbaugh the last eight years. It must be bad when even they're abandoning you though.