Saturday, June 1, 2019

Tariff Wars: Did 'Don the Con' Go Too Far This Time?

Good Day World!

"It's when I sip coffee that I know I can handle anything that life can throw at me." - Anthony Hincks 

Holy crap! It's happened!

Trump has pushed a lot of his minions too far and signs of dissent are coming from the GOP held senate.

Grassley Slams Trump Tariffs on Mexico: 'A Misuse of Presidential Tariff Authority'

The misuse Grassley is talking about is the latest moronic move by an out-of-control president: As of June 10th, Mexico is going to get hit with a 5-percent tariff on all goods.

So Trump, Mr. Art of the No Deal, is attacking another ally. 

His plan to keep increasing the tariff 5-percent a month thereafter, until Mexico somehow miraculously stops illegal immigrants from crossing the southern border in the United States, has shocked his supporters and American businessman are speaking out.

The powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce responded to this stupid move Friday:

Business Groups Might Sue White House Over Mexico Tariffs 

It was only a week ago that Trump's advisers were thrilled when he dropped the steel and aluminum tariff on Mexico and Canada.

These same advisers were hoping to pass the NAFTA makeover with a new trade agreement (negotiated in September 2018) called USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement).

No such luck now. Don the Con quickly reverted back to bullying with tariff attacks on Mexico. Don't expect USMCA to ever get through congress.

Meanwhile...

The stock market has been taking it on the chin, with big losses Thursday and Friday as the market reacted to Trump's so-called "Big League" announcement.

Expect to see more headlines like these:

Beer and Liquor Stocks Get Whacked By Mexico Tariffs

Expect to see the price of avocados and tomatoes go up, along with the price of cars, machinery, and medical supplies.

Keep in mind that this tariff goes both ways. America sold just shy of $300 billion in goods to Mexico. The chances of retaliation from Mexico are high.

I'll be watching GOP senators closely next week as they try to deal with Trump's latest temper tantrum.

Could it be Don the Con had gone too far this time?

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Friday, May 31, 2019

From Oval Office to Romper Room: Ruling By Temper Tantrums

Good Day World!

"I never said I like coffee more than sex. I said I'd had it more." - Kevin Sinnott

Once upon a time in America, the Oval Office was a sacred place in the White House where the president served the people.

Fast forward.

There's been a massive makeover and the Oval Office has become a romper room for Baby Trump. Let's take a look at just this weeks activities:

After Mueller spoke for the first time about his report...

Trump Ramps Up Campaign To Distort Mueller Report Findings

Trump Falsely Claims Mueller Statement Exonerates Him

Fact-Checking Trump's Flurry of Lies Thursday Morning

Trump Admitted Something We All Knew Today. Then He Un-Admitted It

At this point in American history, we are facing a man-child doing his best to tear down democracy and increase his presidential powers to cover his corrupt ass.

I'm renewing my call today for someone to fund raise enough money to fly the, now famous, Baby Trump Blimp as near to the White House as possible. 

When he's gone, the blimp should be donated to the Smithsonian Museum to remind future generations of what happens when a presidential candidate is not properly vetted by his own party.

Meanwhile, the orange ape will continue to throw tantrums and tweet his outrage daily, instead of working with Congress to pass laws serving our nation.

It's all about him. Baby Trump is on a mission to survive and is stirring the shit pots in order to divert the bad news about him and his cronies.

As long as GOP senators are willing to change Trump's dirty diapers and give him clean one's every day, we'll have a romper room in the White House.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Mueller Encourages Congress To Act On His Report

Good Day World!

"No matter what historians claim, BC really stood for Before Coffee." - Cherise Sinclair, Master of the Mountain
  
Reflecting on yesterday's surprise public appearance by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, I find myself going back to one sentence he said;

 "If We had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so."

Mueller, in his understated way, set the record straight about his report, and while doing so exposed Attorney General Bill Barr's partisan attempt to protect Trump by purposely re-interrupting, actually flat out lying about, what Mueller concluded in the report.


In his brief 9-minute speech, Mueller made it clear his hands were tied by Justice Department regulations from the get-go that wouldn't let him charge a sitting president.

It's also clear that Mueller handed over a roadmap to impeachment. Despite Barr's conclusion on the day he released the report (after sharing it with Trump) that it was time to move on because Mueller had exonerated the president on all counts.

The pressure on Nancy Pelosi from Democrats to file an impeachment inquiry has increased tenfold after what some see as a last call from Mueller for justice.

It's also interesting to note that Mueller announced his retirement, after 50 years of service, at the same time.

The White House response was predictable...time to move on. But it isn't time at all after Mueller's last clarion call for justice.

Time for me to walk on down the road... 

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

No Surprise: Trump's Acts Like an Ass During Japanese State Visit


                                         Good Day World!

"Coffee, because crack isn't accepted in the work place." - Barista Life

There's some things you can count on in life.

Taxes. Getting older. A Congress so dysfunctional that when a bill does get passed - any bill - both sides do a victory dance for a week. Then Trump vetoes it.

And, the one thing Americans can count on about Trump is that he will embarrass the hell out them when he visits other countries. From the Surrender in Helsinki to love letters with Kim, he has stripped away all dignity in foreign affairs.

Trump's making lasting relationships with every dictator in the world and throwing our traditional allies under the bus.

Trump's latest state dinner event in Japan is a perfect example of how twisted he really is. 

First, he berates the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about trade inequality, and then goes on to praise Japan's biggest enemy in the world, North Korea.   

In a stunning display of stupidity Trump said - during the elaborate Emperor's dinner - he had no problem with North Korea firing off missiles again! 

Abe definitely has a problem with it, and told Trump it was a violation of the current UN restrictions of no missile testing.

When national security adviser, John Bolton, said the same thing about his idiotic assertion, Trump doubled down (as usual) and said Kim just wanted his attention, and had no intention of starting any trouble.

As the polite Japanese dignitaries listened in stunned silence, Trump upped the ante and suggested Kim was a pretty smart guy because he said Joe Biden had a low IQ. Which of course, is part of Trump's current smear campaign and was heartedly received by the orange ape who agreed with Kim.

Now, wasn't that cozy? Is Kim sending Donny a message like some pundits believe? Or, is Kim trying to get Putin jealous by flirting with Donny? Who knows? 

By degrading a former vice president of the United States with the eager assistance of a bloodthirsty tyrant, Trump has sunk to another new low.

In his lizard brain he sees Biden as a competitor for the presidency next year, and is doing everything he can to demean him.

I'm trying hard not to think about Trump's upcoming visit to England, where he's set to meet the Queen, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry for lunch. Notably, Meghan Markle won't be there because she doesn't like his Orangeness. 

Fun fact: Markle voted for Hillary Clinton.

It's going to be a long time before America can restore its image in the international community. Hopefully, the healing process will begin next year when Trump gets driven out of office.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

2020 Fake Elections: 'Did They Really Say That?'


                                         Good Day World!

"Coffee helps me maintain my "Never killed anyone" streak. - Anonymous

After a crazed rightwing idiot doctored a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, making it look like she was drunk when speaking, we entered another phase in the Trump era.

Full on political fake attacks are already setting the tone for next year's election. What happened with Pelosi is going to become increasingly common as Trumpies become more blatant in their use of doctored photos and videos.

Trump loved the fake Pelosi video so much he re-tweeted it. Even when confronted with the fact that it was faked by slowing the video down 25 percent, Trump shrugged it off.

His favorite liar, Sarah Sanders, explained that he was just getting back at Pelosi for making a negative comment about him. Like that was an excuse for an American President's conduct. It was nothing more than school yard bullshit.

By the time November 2020 rolls around, people are going to be so confused between what's real, and what has been doctored on the internet they're not going to want to vote.

With a president who cares little about reality, or the country, we know what to expect from Trump's campaign. With over 10,000 lies attributed to the orange ape thus far, we can fully expect more of the same in the months ahead.

What's weird, and shocking, is how Trump takes every event he goes to, and treats it like another rally for his base; praising his supposed accomplishments and popularity.

No matter what the occasion, he shamelessly lies about facts and defies his own experts on everything from national security to immigration.

At the rate we're going now the future looks like real fake news - from doctored videos to photos - is going to cause chaos.

"We're already at the point where we're wondering: "Did they really say that?" 

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Monday, May 27, 2019

A Word or Two About Memorial Day


                                          Good Day World!

"THE MUFFLED drum's sad roll has beat The soldier's last tattoo; No more on Life's parade shall meet That brave and fallen few. On Fame's eternal camping-ground 5 Their silent tents are spread, And Glory guards, with solemn round, The bivouac of the dead."

Bivouac Of The Dead, by Theodore O'Hara
I often find that when talking to friends and family there's some confusion about what Memorial Day is really all about.

Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Patriot Day blend together for many Americans. 

Setting the record straight...

Memorial Day (the last Monday of May) is a day to honor those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. This definition comes from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

I would like to take a moment here to remember a veteran, and good friend, James Roberts; who I fought alongside with in Vietnam, and Cambodia (where he was killed in action in 1970).

Moving on:

Veterans Day (November 11th) honors everyone who served the military.

Patriot's Day (September 11th) honors civilians who died during the 2001 terrorist attacks against our nation. 

Here's a good article about the differences - and origins - of Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Traveling Trump Reveling in Attention Allies Are Offering

Good Day World!

A strong earthquake rocked Tokyo shortly before Trump arrived there yesterday in an ominous start to his Asia Tour. 

He loves being treated like "king" for the day. Donny is being feted in Japan - he also gets to give a sumo wrestler a trophy. 

Something his aides have said he was eagerly looking forward to. Those same aides and other presidential staff have chosen not to tell Donny the whole Emperor transfer thing has nothing to do with him.

It is an honor to be the first national leader to witness the historic moment when the old emperor steps down and the new one assumes a new reign in their history.

I expect Donny will be a good boy and not cause a fuss during the solemn ceremonies as long as no one translates and tells him he's not the star of the show.

With England coming next it's going to be another fete Donny day when he meets with the king and queen, and Prince Charles.

As long as he doesn't leave the palace and wherever the government is putting him and Melania up, there should be no ugly incidents.

I mention this because the majority of people in the UK hate The Donald!  Expect to see the Baby Trump blimp over London in honor of his orangeness.

He certainly not getting a Sword Dance ceremony like the Saudis treated him to a couple of years ago. If the royals want him to see some of the country, he and Melania will have to ride in an armored car.

Also on the tour agenda:

South Korea, China, The Philippines, Vietnam. I'm not going to even speculate how he'll embarras our country during these stops. It's too overwhelming!

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Universal Music Power

In a delightful description of the power of music William Congreve wrote "Music hath charms to sooth a savage beast..." in his 16...