For the life of me I cannot understand why there is still going to be an inauguration later this week. The papers regaled us this past weekend – and practically every day – with more and more dishonesty emanating from the President-Elect. The fact checkers are on overload, checking the lies that are being told and yet nothing – absolutely nothing – is being done to prevent this monster from ruining our country.
If you haven’t been following the news, here are just a few samples:
- FEC fingers Donald Trump for $19 million in illegal fundraising- Illegal campaign contributions –
That report dated January 10th, 2017 has also been posted on the FEC official website and is available for public consumption.
- Trump’s most dangerous conflict-of-interest – has nothing to do with money.
- Trump has ordered the immediate firing of the head of the National Guard as soon as he is inaugurated into office which endangers protesters in DC. (I’m building a bunker!)
- They have finally decided to check on Trump’s ties with Russia.)
- The law firm that was Russia’s law firm of the year represents Trump?)
- And how about Comey from the FBI and his role in the cell-phone conspiracy against Clinton?
Or building a wall that he says that Mexico will pay for but Mexico says “no way.” And if someone climbs over the wall what are we going to do? Shoot them?
And it goes on, and on, and on.
My grandchildren, knowing that at one time I was a teacher, have asked me to explain how these things can happen and that there is “no watch dog group?”
They ask how the election could have been lost by 3 million votes and still won by the underdog.
They ask how it is that the President-elect still has not made public his tax returns.
They ask WHY, and HOW he was allowed to make the cabinet selections he has made and Congress, with their “balless” members, only make noise but do not act.
They ask what is going to happen to their health insurance because they are going to school and cannot afford tuition, books, and health insurance. (Come to think of it, I wonder what will happen to my Medicare and Social Security also.)
They ask what is going to happen to Public Education with the appointee of the president-elect. A person that does not believe in public education will be running the department? Can that really happen?
They ask about the environment and what will the earth be like for their kids down the road. They ask about the continued drilling for oil; the use of coal; the lowering of the emission standards.
They ask how a man that openly gropes women was elected President of the United States.
They asked me to explain how he can have so many ties to Russia and it not raise a red flag to his constituents.
They asked me to explain why the white-sheeted men with their pointed hats are gleefully rubbing their hands together and grinning from ear to ear.
They asked why it is now okay to mock a disabled person with no one calling him to task. They wonder why people are being bullied and others that can do something just stand around and ignore it
They wonder who it is possible that in spite of children, innocent people, and minorities are being shot to death on a daily basis the NRA still is stronger than the people of the country. They wonder who is having their palm greased to just sit back and watch, and do nothing but damage.
I’ve been an educator for 54 years! But these are questions I cannot answer. Every day the frustrations gets stronger and stronger.
Every day I hope that when I wake up I will find that Congress did something positive, instead of staying up until 2:00am to strip the funding of birth control pills; of removing the Affordable Care Act so that millions will no longer have health coverage. They couldn’t even wait until there was a replacement for it.
Who are these people that run our government? Are they paid so much under the table that they no longer can see the difference between right and wrong? Are they willing to have a rich, spoiled kid, bully them until they react the way he wants them to react.
Do they have no respect for their mother’s – because they have certainly focused in on the female population – and will now have to deal with the black market abortions, the coat hanger deaths, the unwanted children.
I’m sorry, Grandchildren. All 13 of you. I cannot answer your questions. I can only feel for you and what is to come. Be careful out there; the gun lobby will certain allow guns in your classrooms – in your restaurants, and in your amusement places. I feel for all of you.
But for the first time in a long time – I have no answers for you.
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Did it occur to you that some of the rhetoric swirling around Trump is over the top, made so by forces arrayed against him coming in – while he is clearly a vulgarian, he is marching to his own tune – not a Democrat, not a Republican, in the traditional sense. While Washington is in Deep Mourning (it’s a Democratic town and much of the federal bureaucracy – who work there most of all for job security – are terrified), much of the corporatized press was in the bag for Clinton and don’t know what to expect from him – thus, he is being trashed, whipping the populace into a frenzy. Think about it, get some perspective, read more widely. And, if he is a disaster (and the collective “we” may make him so) then he can be impeached. But let’s give him a chance. He has said he is for things that she never said – lowering prescription drug prices, not going to war with Russia, health care for all. Let’s hold him to these statements but not hang him before he gets a try.
Berta – You are forgetting that the corporate press loved Donald for most of the 18 months of the campaign. It’s false that the media is liberal – see Trump’s war on the press http://obrag.org/?p=116195
The New York Times and Washington Post (and by extension the Boston Globe) can’t stand Trump. They are corporate media, in the tank for Clinton and the DNC. While it has a conservative opinion and editorial section, and a business slant, the Wall Street Journal is a more factual newspaper.
If he is a disaster, he can be impeached? There is so much wrong with that comment. He will be the President of the United States and if he is a disaster with all that power, how many people will he seriously harm? Millions. Impeach? First, how do you do that with a completely Republican government? And, even if that were to happen, look who is behind him? Mike Pence would actually be worse because he is smarter and is a puppet of the Koch brothers. Look at all of his appointments, he is a disaster already just for that and they will compound the disaster. “Read more widely?” I would suggest you take your own advice lady before giving it out.
Look, I was for Benie and gave many hard earned $27 donations. Where is the apology from the DNC and corporate media that colluded to deny me my vote for him in favor of her? Where are the stories about this? Answer – there are none.
Berta, you are not alone in your views. I find the negative energy directed to Trump in these pages counter productive. To me it’s ironic to see self proclaimed progressives support a right wing Democrat Hillary Clinton. Had she been elected issues issues surrounding Trump such as global warming, race, health care reform would have been put to rest and Democrats would have gone back to sleep like they have during Obama. Obama has been a failure and will not be judged kindly in history as his legacy is more war, not less as promised; The expansion of Presidential powers to include assasination of Anericans abroad thus shunning Habeaus Corpus; the unchecked growth of surveillance state and all the accompanying lies about secret program which confirmed suspicions of of every end of the bar ‘conspiracy theorist’; the stain of Gitmo will extend past Obama and the accompanying lies “hands have been tied”by Congress playing politics instead of ending American shame.
And now it’s amazing to watch DemocraticParty accuse election tampering when it was same party that rigged election and produced phoney results in caucus states thereby killing campaign an extremely popular candidate–Bernie Sanders
So yes, you are heard here and in a minority. The died in the wool Democrats who dominate these pages cannot see the Democrat Party leadership has failed the American people by SELECTING perhaps the only candidate who wouuld lose to Trump. And according to –IT IS EVERYONE ELSES FAULT!! Russia! WikiLeaks! Fake News! BernieBros! Big Media conspiracy! FBI! Insert next boogeyman_____ Couldn’tpossibly been the unpopular candidate it put forward. Which is fact if anyone cares to check those numbers.
So no, the coronation of a female former first lady didnt happen. I for one am happy about that. Which doesnt make me a Trump supporter as I was unslyly accused of here. Progressives stand up for what is right no matter who is the current majority. Currently the majority are Republicans and their corporate Democrats that continue their drift right. Reminder; Hillary was pro DOMA, TPP, against $15 /hr minimum wage and clearly in pocket of her Wall Street donors.
Thanks, obJohn. Glad it’s not just me not being what I see as an echo chamber here in OB and elsewhere around the nation. I understand it – given it’s what’s been “fed”, what is the “party line”. However, one must think outside the box these days – and always – in my view.
As for the Dems, did you see that Scott Peters – corporate Dem he – has introduced a bill to investigate Russian “hacking of the election”. He needs to be replaced, working at the grass roots as Bernie would have us do. Any suggestions as to whom we might find to replace him with? I would be ready to roll up my sleeves for this.
OBJohn, you are so off on so many points, it would take too long to respond. From your comments over the months, you displayed a ruthless inability to appreciate the gravity of the election. What don’t you understand about the nearly 3 million voters who chose Clinton over Trump in the popular vote. Stein, your favorite absolutely failed in any statesmanship – until after the vote and it was too late. Clearly Clinton was elected – so what’s up with your “unpopular candidate” stuff?
It does seem that you side with Trump on the issue of Russian involvement in the election.
Are you with the demonstrators this weekend, at least? Do you agree that Trump is a fascist or not?
Frank you can go google the polls re: Hillary being”unpopular candidate” — she ran neck to neck with Trump in that category.
Russian hackers?? Are you kidding me Frank? There has not been a drop of proof shown, you are trusting the word of CIA. Wow. Additionally, what are we even talking about here?? No one has claimed that voting or tallying machines were tampered. So, we’re left with DNC email accounts as hacked as the cause of Trump’s win?
Ok Frank. That’s a pretty huge leap of faith and you take the CIAs word for it. Yeah. .. I guess the CIA knows about election tampering l.
OB John – and obviously you are taking Trump and Putin’s words as truth. “Not been a drop of proof shown”? really? Where have you been? Between the CIA and all 17 intelligence agencies vs Russia/Putin / Trump and Bannon – don’t forget that little neo-nazi – you’re siding with a Russian dictator and the incoming fascist regime. Nice choice.
Hey, we all admit that the CIA does not have clean hands but still look at the choice you’re making.
What about the FBI Comey’s letter to Congress? You’ve heard about that, right?
What are you talking about? An apology? Apparently, you’re willing to give Trump a chance. Sure, collude with a fascist? Wait, you think he’s just a vulgarian, and nothing more.
I liked Bernie too but he didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. If he had been the candidate against Trump, Trump would have murdered him because this country would never accept someone like Sanders with his socialist views. Clinton was a compromise and stood a much better chance, indeed, she clearly won the popular vote. You say the DNC and the corporate media colluded, how do you substantiate such a claim? Maybe everyone agreed with me that the only chance the Democrats had was Clinton. I also wish they had come up with someone more appealing but that didn’t mean I would throw my vote away.
Clinton was a “compromise”? That is not part of any reality. Hillary Clinton was SELECTED years ago by Dem Party leadership to be their candidate in 2016. The same DNC that’s lost four straight elections!
Yes there is a divide here: Those who believe in fairy tales and those who see the reality that Democrat Party is rotten to core, sold out, agenda-less middle of the road institution which has become Republican lite. Therefore it needs complete overhaul or else burial. If not, expect the same continued results.
And for those who need more proof:
Most putrid legacies of Bush continued underObama:
1. Wall Street bail outs, no justice for bankster thieves
2. Middle East war under Bush in Afghan and Iraq spread to Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Libya
3. Guantanamo open for business under Trump
4. Surveillance State unchecked even after Snowden
5. Due to lack of “hope & change” no wonder we have Trump
6. Militarized “policing” on streets of USA.
OB John, you’ve made the same mistake that the German left did just before Hitler’s legal election victory ( a plurality only). The left believed that the Social Democrats were just as bad as the Nazis – saw them as 2 wings as the same bird. So they didn’t campaign against Hitler – until it was too late.
Social democrats (Clinton) are not to be equated with fascists (Trump, Bannon, etc).
So Trump is Hitler? So we’ll be exterminating undesirebles then.
Yeah ok Frank.
Have you not been listening and watching Trump? The Muslim ban, encouraging violence against the press and dissenters, the round-up of immigrants? Where the f**k have you been, bro?
Where have I been ?? Since it’s suddenly an issue for you where have YOU been while Obama set new record by deporting over 2.4 million immigrants?
C’mon Frank discussion must be even handed. Or Were those good deportations since Obama has a ‘D’next to his name?
John, you still have not answered my question: do you think/ believe that Trump is a fascist or not?
“The same DNC that’s lost four straight elections!” What four straight elections are you talking about? If we just count my time, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon/Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush, Obama, now Trump. Other than two Reagan and one Bush Sr., elections, three, what are you talking about?
There are clearly problems with the Democratic party but it is just as clearly preferable over the Republicans. So, just because it isn’t all you think it should be we should give the keys to Trump and the Republicans?
As for your “proof”:
“Most putrid legacies of Bush” and add “the Republican Party”:
1. Wall Street bail outs, no justice for bankster thieves – Bailouts started under Bush. Justice would be nice but not only were the Republicans not calling for that, they blocked any such efforts.
2. Middle East war under Bush in Afghan and Iraq spread to Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Libya – The key part of that statement was “under Bush.” You can’t blame the spread on Obama for a wildfire set by Bush.
3. Guantanamo open for business under Trump – Who opened Guantanamo? Why does it even exist? Obama tried and got a firestorm of protest over that.
4. Surveillance State unchecked even after Snowden – The surveillance state has always been unchecked because they have so much information. Read about past Presidents who tried to rein in the FBI. How is this Obama’s fault?
5. Due to lack of “hope & change” no wonder we have Trump – How is this a “putrid” legacy of “Bush continued by Obama? I think you got off the rails here.
6. Militarized “policing” on streets of USA. – Talk to law enforcement on that one, I wouldn’t even blame Bush for that.
Last four elections which includes midterms have dealt Dems net losses in Congress and now loss in Presidential race. The rest of your hogwash gets no response. Evidently you favor tanks facing off and water canons against peaceful protestors in freezing weather while neither Hillary or Obama said a word.
Ok, good of you to clarify that, even though we were discussing Presidential politics, you were including mid-term elections.
Yes, whenever it is difficult to answer, the response is something insulting. Hogwash is much easier to write.
As for you final comment, you have demonstrated, twice, the final resort of the angry poster. One, just because I don’t support your points doesn’t mean I unthinkingly support everything about my side, no intelligent person would do that. There are valid criticisms of both Hillary and Obama. Second, with nothing left to say, you throw out an insult saying I am the kind of unfeeling person who thinks tanks and water canons used against protesters was fine. This kind of comment usually signals the end of any real discussion because I refuse to get down in the mud like that.
Also impeachment doesn’t mean he will be removed. If he is though, what Geoff said. Careful what you wish.
Chris, read Counter Punch News today – “The Issue is Not Trump. It is us”, by John Pilger. Then you’ll have an idea of where I’m coming from. Counter Punch can be tough, and I agree with it now and then but not always. However, it hits hard at some of the cliches I am hearing from a number of my friends these days.
And IF Trump were impeached, we’d be left with Pence. Pick your poison carefully!
I believe I already made that point here. Yesterday.
Bertha,
Remember Whatshisname has absolutely no concept of true and false or right and wrong; he just makes things up off the cuff. Ergo one must weigh his rhetoric after the fact. Remember also that he has made great strides in utterly destroying the Republican Party, which is to his credit in the long run.
Berta, If you don’t mind a president that grabs at women’s vagina’s; that makes fun of disabled people; that makes disparaging remarks about war veterans that were POW’s; that makes horrible remarks about soldiers were killed defending America; that supports the KKK; then I wish you the very best in your support of that person.
I, however, could never support that type of person, for me, for my children, and for my country.
Judi, thanks for writing this article. It is truly sad & scary. My new mantra is Make America Kind Again. May God bless & protect all of us.
Judi,
Thanks for writing this. It perfectly demonstrates that education is no indicator of intelligence.
Let me try to answer some of your grandchild’s questions:
Q: How is there no watch dog group?
A: We the voting public are the watchdog group.
Q: How could the election have been lost by 3 million votes and still won by the underdog?
A: There was no popular election vote held. Counting all the votes and calling it a popular “win” would be like calling the Superbowl loser the winner just because they had more yards, regardless of the score.
Q: How it is that the President-elect still has not made public his tax returns?
A: There is no requirement to do so.
And one for you:
Q: How Do I Explain to My Grandchildren that a Dis-Honest Man Is About to Take Over the Country?
A: Be honest to your grandchild and explain that every president has been a dishonest man.
I know you won’t publish this comment, but hopefully you might read it and learn something.
Thanks,
Jen
Thank you for your comments, Jen. Lest you think that I am an idiot, albeit an educated one, I already knew the answers to the questions my grandkids asked. The questions were all rhetorical – and were written so that people might give second thought to those things they are taking for granted.
As far as your comment about “each president has been a dishonest man” the only word that I think is correct in your statement is “man”.
I think you should self apply your second sentence “It perfectly demonstrates that education is no indicator of intelligence.” That is assuming your are.
Great article Judi. I especially love your comment here. My sentiments exactly.
In both business and my personal life, I am motivated and surround myself with people who have character. This philosophy and business approach has worked very well for me and my company over the decades.
Trump has no character as evidenced daily by his childish tweeting and boorish male behavior. Where I work no such person would be in any position of authority, because chutzpah don’t buy you anything of true value in the real business world. While Trump lives in the business world too, he has cheated people out if their fair compensation, and then hides his investments in Russia behind his unreleased tax returns.
There!s no reason to show President ? Trump any respect or cooperation because he hasn’t earned nor displayed any such traits himself. I say let’s start a war against the GOP for aiding and abetting our enemies which includes Mr. Trump and Putin. Should we give Trump the benefit of the doubt? I suggest not because of the ever present danger Trump and his cabinet picks pose to all Californians.