Here's a Cookie - Now Take Your Polls With You!

Good Day World!

After Trump stole the 2016 election, I decided to never listen to pollsters predictions ever again.

It's not easy avoiding polls however, because the mainstream media and social media are crammed with useless polls. We hear their results of polls on TV, and radio every day. 

I'm not impressed by those polls that show "Blue Waves, or "Red Waves" going into the midterms. They're like cotton candy to encourage one base or another that they're doing well despite the fact no one has even voted yet.

I strongly suspect that some polls discourage voters from even voting, thinking their lone vote will make no difference in the outcome of an election.

If you plan on giving a poll a chance here's three things I recommend you pay attention too:

1.) If the poll doesn't disclose its methodology that's a red flag. Ignore it.

2.) Who are the pollsters asking you questions? Some are more credible than others based upon past performances. Knowing the source of a poll is important when it comes to evaluating veracity.

3.) When you look at polling data consider who has been questioned. Some polls will take answers into account from registered voters rather than people who are considered likely to cast a ballot.

I think the safest thing to do with polls is to look at them as less than perfect barometers in a complex guessing game. 

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

Trying To 'Stay Real' In The Trump Era

Good Day World!

In a true reflection of the times we live in, lying has become so common it's actually muddying truth into an afterthought in our public discourse.

The leader of lies, and unfortunately our country, has set a precedent for flagrant falsehoods that even the alt-right have to admit are pure propaganda.

Since Trump stole the 2016 election (with Putin's help) fact-checkers have been following his daily parade of lies (last count he's averaging seven per day).

My point is it's not easy being "real" in this new era of fabrication fostered by a reality show star. Being "real" includes telling the truth, and not claiming to be someone who you're not. Like the orange anus in the Oval Office for example.

Republicans have elected to '"go low" with Trump these midterms. The political adverts are "over the top" as state GOP politicians mimic their master.

When it comes to attack ads, both parties spend too much money and time on them. Most people are repelled when a candidate says he's going to kick his opponent in the face with golf spikes.

Nevertheless, this election cycle is seeing decades of past political attack ads boiled down to state-of-the-art shit-throwing.

A prime attack advert shows six of ten siblings of an Arizona Republican running for reelection throwing their weight behind his Democratic challenger. Now, that's cold.

Apparently the family of Rep. Paul Gosar didn't think he was "being real."

Is Beto-O' Rourke real? This young Democrat has shattered fundraising records, and fills stadiums with eager audiences.

He's not giving the money Texans raised for him to the Democratic National Party (like other members with riches too spare), and has said he's spending it all on his campaign. I personally love that kind of independent approach. 

It sounds like something Texans could respect. O' Roarke has run an outstanding grass roots campaign. But, will all that money and popularity translate into a victory in the heart of red Texas?

Being real - for those Americans who've forgotten what it means - is simply telling the truth and being yourself.

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

Is Trump Aware of Saudi Coverup Plan?

Is

Good Day World!

We all know how this is going to end.

The Saudis Crown Prince bin Salman will get away with murdering an American resident, and reporter for the Washington Post, even though his thugs were caught red-handed and tried to cover it up.

I recall, not so long ago, when Trump told us that Putin said he didn't interfere with the 2016 election...and Trump believed him.

In a repeat of history - just changing the authoritarian leader - Trump has come out defending the Crown Prince after talking with him on the phone yesterday.

The same unreal response that accompanied his love fest with Putin has popped up (like a jaded pervert)…"He said he didn't do it. He really meant it," Trump said in both cases.

Make no mistake, Trump was never going to hold the Crown Prince liable for anything. He said as much to the press when he said he wasn't about to give up a $110 billion arms deal with the kingdom over one journalist. Which was in character for Trump. The opposite of American beliefs and values.

When Trump first heard the news of Kashoggi's murder he quickly called for calm, and made comments like it could have been done by rogue elements. I find that suggestion very telling.

Bin Salman's story follows that plot, claiming the murder was an accident by rogue elements in his government. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

When you take Jared Kushner, Bin Salman's new bitch, and throw his sneaky ass into the mix it's practically a slam dunk. Unreported calls between the White House and Saudi Arabia's new strongman are nothing new.

Can you say conspiracy?

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

Elite Cheating in Real Estate Goes Unchallenged

Good Day World!

I was talking with a neighbor the other day and he complained about how the IRS was pressuring him to pay $2,000 in back taxes because his tax consultant made an error when filing his tax forms.  

The conversation went from the IRS going after the little guys to how the elite in this country get away with cheating.

After I checked with the IRS Data Book, I discovered some alarming facts.

A recent government court filing stated that gift tax cheating in real estate is rampant, ranging from a low of 85% of gifts in the more honest states, to 100% in others.

The recently published expose of the Trump family's fraudulent real estate dealings in the NY Times is the perfect example. 

FYI: the federal statue of limitations has expired (6 years) in regard to holding the Trump family accountable for their past misdeeds. The state of new York however, has expressed some interest in investigating the charges in the article. 

Startling fact: in the US last year, just 865 people were pursued for tax cheating that did not involve drug dealing, bribing politicians or criminal enterprise profits, according to IRS.

Here's what that means; the odds that you'll be pursued are about one in 377,000. Add in those crooks and the risk of prosecution rises, but only to about one in 100,000.

Like my neighbor and I suspected, the working poor get extra scrutiny. We can thank Bill Clinton and Trump supporter Newt Gingrich, for making a deal in 1994 that assured the majority of Americans get screwed. 

One of the reasons the IRS has been hampered in making investigations is that the American population has grown 27% but the IRS staff has shrunk by 34% to less than 78,000 people.

Another big reason for the inequity of our tax system is Congress has added an enormous complexity to the tax code under Trump's regime. That opened more doors for the big accounting and law firms who devised a slew of complex tax shelters.

Finally, the IRS told Congress it lacks the expertise to thoroughly investigate such shelters and determine which are within the law, and which are fraudulent and should be shut down. 

Is it any wonder the wealthy love Trump?

He's proud of gaming the system and has stated such in his rallies. He calls it "being smart."

Another NY Times article that recently came out on Trump's smart-ass son-in-law Jared Kushner's getting away with paying no taxes despite being worth over 300 million dollars. I wonder what the majority of Americans thought after hearing that?

I think, I know. My neighbor confirmed my thoughts when he suggested the elite 1% that own America are laughing at the rest of us chumps who actually have to pay our taxes!

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

Sunday Thoughts: Another Crazy Week Ahead

© Getty Images Trump 'baby blimp' flies over Chicago women’s rally ahead of midterms

                                           Good Day World!

After sipping my cannabis-infused coffee this morning, I tried to digest last weeks news. 

But no! My euphoria state of mind took a lazy turn towards the upcoming week in spite of myself. Trying to diagnose a day in the Trump era, let alone a week, is a losing exercise. I know this, but can't help myself...

Images from last week...

*(Scene) A mentally-challenged rapper hugging Trump in the Oval Office and ranting on for ten minutes that left everyone watching speechless...even Trump himself! 

*Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner threatens to put golf shoes with cleats on and walk all over his opponent's (Gov Tom Wolf) face. 

*Then there was the self-described "Communists" who tried to donate money to a Democrat's campaign. Fail. They were actually GOP activists hoping to get some shit going to derail their opponent. 

This coming week...

Things to watch for: How's Trump going to handle the crisis brought on by the Saudis who assassinated a Washington Post reporter? He told 60 Minutes there would be severe punishment for the Saudis, if I turns out there's no doubt they killed a critic of their crown prince.

The interesting part here is Trump's version of a severe punishment. You can bet it doesn't include stopping arm sales with the kingdom. Be ready for a growing rift between Trump and Congress over how to handle the situation.

*Look for more Trump rallies. They're really presidential campaign rallies for 2020 disguised as rallies for Republican candidates running for office.

*You think some of last weeks campaign ads were nasty? You haven't seen anything yet. I predict the GOP's ad campaign will go so low this next week some GOP party members will be shocked.

*Don't be surprised if you see more protests from women activists this week. After Saturday's rally at Grant's Park, Illinois to turn out the vote, I expect similar rallies will take place in the week ahead.

*Crackdown in Georgia - Last week The Associated Press discovered that Georgia has 53,000 applicants in limbo. Over 70 percent were African-American.

Civil rights groups sued Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, the Republican candidate for governor who also oversees elections in the state, saying the method his office uses to verify new voter registrations is discriminatory.

Expect some more action this coming week, as Kemp continues to try and game the system.

*Finally I predict dollops of midterm madness throughout the week. 

Examples: Who says the biggest whopper? 
Who made the most outlandish campaign claim? 
Who got outed for campaign violations or sexual harassment charges?
Who made the most over-the-top threat to an opponent? 

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

Trump/Saudi Love Affair Faces Universial Condermnation

Good Day World!

Trump was thinking about  sword dances and the red carpet treatment... 

when calls from Capitol Hill for the U.S. to halt arms sales to the kingdom after the murder of a Washington Post journalist rang out. 

Governments around the world are condemning Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder by the Saudis.

Trump Administration Sticks With Saudis As Business Leaders Back Away

Trump is between a rock and a wall. Lawmakers are livid that Saudi Arabia sent a hit squad after Khashoggi for his controversial views on their government.

Congress is demanding to know if the columnist was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Trump, who has private business deals, and presidential stakes in the kingdom, is doing everything he can to tamp down the controversy.

The Turkish government has already provided proof of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi. The next move is Trump's. His reaction to irreversible facts will be watched by the American people and the world.

To be sure, Congress has been concerned about Saudi Arabia's policies and the crown prince's aggressive steps to silence his critics for over a year now.

To Trump's dismay, lawmakers are considering halting a arms sales (that Trump bragged about in his visit to Saudi Arabia) to the kingdom.

Furthermore, there is a push in Congress for sanctions to imposed against the Saudis for human-rights violations. They're questioning America's support for a Saudi-led bombing campaign against Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen.

Least we forget, Trump's business relationships with the Saudi government - and rich Saudi business executives-go back to at least the 1990s.

Trump has a lot of irons in this growing firestorm showdown with Congress. He's going to be politically forced to make some hard decisions.

Expect a spin that will challenge reality.

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

It's About Time: University Offers 'Trumpaganda' Class

Good Day World!

I wouldn't mind going back to college for an eight-week course examining our lying president and his assault on democracy.

Unfortunately for me, I don't live in Illinois where one university is offering a "Trumpaganda" course starting on October 22nd.

In what may be the wave of the future for universities across the country, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is taking on Trump's disinformation campaign and his "running war" with the mainstream news.

According to Associate Media professor, Mira Sotirovic, who is teaching the class, it's critical to learn how to recognize propaganda. Especially since the White House uses it so often.

I think this is a great idea. Perhaps the people who put together this first Trumpaganda class can share a course summary for other colleges to follow.

Informed Americans that know how their being manipulated will stand up to the Trump regime's lies and propaganda. 

There are still facts, despite Trump's fake news; and the Truth is still the Truth. Open eyes will repel lies.

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

The Most Dangerous Man in Washington DC Is Not Trump

Good Day World!

When talking about destructive assholes in our government Trump's name automatically shoots to the top.

But, on closer inspection there's someone that has done even more lasting damage than Donny. I'm talking about the moron from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell.

His accomplishments include inflicting lasting damage to the presidency, the Senate, and the Supreme Court.

When the non-partisan intelligence officials discovered that Russia was interfering with the 2016 election they told McConnell.

His response, as written in a new book by Washington Post writer Greg Miller, was to threaten them with partisan attacks if they made the news public. He also defended the Russians.

The damage that came out of that infamous meeting is incalculable. 

Then there's the damage McConnell caused in the Senate. It may never be the same after his 10-month-long filibuster of Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. He deeply harmed the comity that was still lingering in the Senate.

Finally, McConnell's performance in the confirmation hearing on Judge Kavanaugh was blatantly partisan and ignored all the prior standards of the confirmation process. He managed to get a partisan hack to further infect the conservative leaning of the court.

In the Hater's Handbook that all Republicans are playing by these days, McConnell's achievements were like a hat trick in hockey.

There's no doubt Trump has been the overt face of racial hatred, and a slew of other bad things. However, when you stack up McConnell's accomplishments, it's apparent he's the most dangerous man in Washington DC.

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

Spinning Nikki Haley's Sudden Departure and the Aftermath

Good Day World!

No one saw it coming.

Can you imagine the sense of panic that permeated the West Wing yesterday morning when the word that Nikki Haley was suddenly resigning got out?

The bombshell announcement reportedly blindsided those in the foreign policy establishment, the White House, and even members of Haley's staff.

Why was she resigning? Was she leaving so she could prepare to run for Trump's job in 2020? Was she the anonymous author of the NY Times Op Ed that suggested Trump was crazy and someone found out? 

Why make this announcement just before the midterms? Why was her resignation signed a week before she made the announcement? 

The day before Haley resigned a headline popped up that a Washington watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility  and Ethics, called for an investigation into her use of private travel on the government's dime. Did this cause her to leave ahead of a scandal?

Or, is she aware of something that is going to take Trump down and doesn't want to be part of his administration when that happens?

These questions, and more, rolled out into the halls of the White House and into media land early Tuesday morning.

One of the two credible members (Sec.of Defense James Mattis is the other one) on team Trump, is leaving in December. Twelve weeks from now.

The Aftermath

Speculation is stampeding through the White House and Capitol Hill over who will replace Haley.

I almost lost my breakfast when I saw CNN reports coming out that Trump may put his daughter, Ivanka, in Haley's place! OMG! 

To my utter relief he told reporters later in the day he wasn't going to select Ivanka because he'd be accused of nepotism. (I'm not going to touch that with a 10-foot pole.)

I would add that whoever Trump picks, they'll be uniquely unqualified for the job. One need look no further than his track record of appointments in the last 19 months.

If Trump is listening to any of his advisors (and in recent months that seems to be less, and less) they'll try to get him to put someone with at least some qualifications to hold such an important job. 

Goldman Sachs executive and former White House adviser Dina Powell's name was thrown out as a possible replacement for Haley.

One more thought, if Trump was planning on Haley leaving (the current White House claim) why didn't he have a replacement ready to make a smooth transition? 

Even more surprising to me is the resignation must have been one of the best-kept secrets in a White House known for having more leaks than a faucet without a washer.

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

'Me Too Movement' Takes On Patriarchal Hierarchy in Congress

Good Day World!

Congress is the elite of "good old boys" clubs in America.

Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation was a clear reaffirmation of that fact.

It was a reminder to all women there was more important business to be done: there were ideological agendas that needed to be advanced, and political careers that needed to be protected.

The whole process was rigged from the very start as the Republicans refused to turn over all of Kavanaugh's history while serving under President Bush.

When things heated up after Dr. Ford came out with a sexual assault charge against Kavanaugh, chairman Grassley and Trump made sure the process was poisoned.

With every new revelation, with every apparent lie Kavanaugh told during his testimony, there was always an underlying sense of futility. 

Deep down, we all saw what was unfolding. We sensed the inevitable outcome, but were still shocked when Kavanaugh was finally confirmed. It was like helplessly watching an oncoming train wreck.

Women across the country marched and said, "Me Too," and the Republicans said "So, what?"

Here's so what: we're now going to have a Supreme Court justice who was accused of sexual assault (which was covered up by Grassley and his ass hats) and exposing himself to another woman.

This creep is going to preside over the reproductive rights of women until the end of his natural life, if he so chooses. Americans are stuck with a far, far right court that will undermine women and promote corporations.

Americans like to believe they're virtuous defenders of women's rights. The reality is women are still marginalized in our government and the workplace.

To get any meaningful change, to really challenge the patriarchal hierarchy, women need to make big inroads during the upcoming midterms. Taking The House back looks possible.

The Me Too Movement is real. The fury women across this country feel, is real. Taking The House back is only the first step in restoring true democracy in our crippled Congress.

Please...don't forget to register to vote, if you haven't yet. Your vote has never been more important.

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