White House Briefings Are Back: Divert...Lie ...Divert

                                       Good Day World!

They're back! 

Those folks in the Trump propaganda wing are talking to the press again.

In the first White House press briefing in a month, a new tactic was rolled out to give Sarah Sanders a minimal contact with reporters.

Mission Statement: With less time to lie, Sanders won't get attacked as often.

New Rules of Engagement: let other Trump minions (perhaps with harder shells) use up nearly all the allotted time. Using this new strategy, Larry Kudlow and John Bolton appeared and sucked all of the oxygen out of the room.

Kudlow's manner of speaking was slow and measured, eating up the minutes repeating himself. Bolton, true to form, acted like an asshole and screwed with reporters when asked if he heard the Jamal Kashoggi murder tape.

When Sanders did appear she launched into her normal lying mode. For example she claimed Trump cared about clean air even after he lowered omission standards.

When confronted with Trump's denial of the results of a four-year multi-government environmental study, Sanders said it didn't have enough facts and that's why Trump is not going to talk about it during the upcoming G-20 Summit.

She finished up with a flurry of "You'll have to ask (fill in blank)," "The president's position is crystal clear (she always pulls that one out when Trump's position is anything BUT clear), and a serious of denials.

When Sanders was asked about Trump's tweet (Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!) yesterday morning - in response to Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian ships - she did her usual denial dance replying;

"Again, the President has not laid out a timetable and is still leaving a number of other options on the table. And we're still considering a number of those, and a final decision on that front hasn't been made."

Considering his options eh? 

The orange anus is still considering his options with what to do about his buddy (and fellow authoritarian) bin Salman's ruthless murder of an American journalist for the Washington Post.

I did notice something that no one else seems to be talking about... 

Reporters asked follow-up questions - which (correct me if I'm wrong) was not supposed to be allowed anymore under new White House Press briefing rules, following Trump's embarrassment by the courts for trying to violate reporter Jim Acosta's Fifth Amendment.

Gee...I wonder what happened to those new rules? I'm going to go out on a limb and say the press pool won't play that game...and they knew it.

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

  

There is NO $110 Billion Arms Contract between US and Saudi Arabia

                                      Good Day World!

We now know that Jared Kushner and Trump have wildly exaggerated the amount of arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

If you recall, Trump's first state visit to another country as president of the United States was to Saudi Arabia, where they greeted him like a king.

He's had numerous wet dreams about the experience since, even (longingly) hinting about how much he was impressed by the complete and absolute control the Crown Prince had in his country.

It's no secret Trump has had business dealings with Saudi Arabia for a long time. He bragged about it during his presidential campaign.

With the help of his sleazy son in law, Jared Kushner, they came up with a Memorandum of Intent (not a legally binding contract) suggesting the Saudi's were going to buy $110 billion worth of arms from the U.S.

It was a con from the start. A Trump specialty. Much ado over nothing. A diplomatic nothing burger that he and his ratface son in law sold the State Department and the Department of Defense.

While claiming a diplomatic victory for Trump, Kushner pushed State and Defense officials to inflate the figure of the arms exchanges that were aspirational at best. 

Whatever credibility Secretary of Defense James Mattis had was erased as he supported Kushner's narrative and endorsed the memorandum. The die was cast. More like the conspiracy was launched.

When Saudi Crown prince brutally murdered Jamal Kashoggi and the CIA confirmed it as a fact, Trump rebutted his own intelligence sources to side with bin Salman. At that point, it became Saudi Arabia First...not America First.

He brought up the "significant amount" of investments in U.S. military equipment using the bogus $110 billion as a prime example.

Here's the facts:

There's a $15 billion dollar deal in the works (originally negotiated under Obama's administration) for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system and maintenance for other systems.

This order has not even been fulfilled yet. As for the wildly exaggerated $110 billion figure, it was arrived upon based on an analysis of Saudi requirements in the future and optimal U.S. solutions. In other words...bullshit predications.

There are NO other signed contracts. Period.

Related: The $110 Billion Arms Deal To Saudi Arabia is Fake News

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

Fact vs Fiction: Trump's Alternate America Challenged

Good Day World!

Trump's role as liar in chief of a country trying to cling to democratic ideals under his authoritarian regime, has been an insidious attempt to create another reality.

An alternate reality where Trump tells you what to believe despite the facts flying in front of his orange face. 

Let's look at the latest example (I don't have the room in this post to list all of the examples since he slithered into office).

Mexico's incoming government denied that an official deal had been made regarding migrants staying in the country before entering the United States, despite what Trump told his Fox News buddies. To be fair, The Washington Post erroneously ran a story saying the agreement was a done deal at the same time. 

If there's a hint of deju vu here it's probably because we've heard similar claims of cooperation with Mexico when Trump told his base that Mexico was going to pay for "his wall."

The Mexican government laughed at Trump's assumption so he was forced to go to Congress to get American taxpayers to pay for it.

Frankly, I'm not sure his base understands they're paying for that "big, beautiful wall" that Trump likes to crow about. 

With time running out on getting his beloved wall built, Trump's threatening to take draconian measures like shutting the government down next month to get his way.

The nation's courts have had to impose restrictions on Trump's blatant unconstitutional attempts numerous times since he took office. 

His response to real world laws (that he sees as roadblocks to his agenda) has been to attack the highest court in the land and chief justice, John Roberts. That may be okay in his alternate reality, but the poetic price in the real world will be Roberts presiding over his impeachment trial.

Trump has tried hard to destroy nearly everything we hold dear in this nation in the past 500 days. He's caused some lasting negative impact that won't be easily reversed by his successors.

But...and I can't say this enough...freedom-loving Americans have stood up to the dark alternate reality that Trump has been selling.

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

An Unholy Match: The Church of Prosperity and Trump

Good Day World!

If we have a national religion in the era of Trump, then it must be the fringe Church of Prosperity, where Jesus tells his followers to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they're poor. 

From writer Amanda Marcotte's article:

Here's How the Philosophers of Selfishness Came To Use Christianity As Their Cover Story 

"It’s absolutely disgusting how the politicians who make the biggest show of how much they love Jesus would be the first in line to bash him if he returned with a message of clothing the naked and feeding the poor. 

The Jesus of the Bible multiplied the loaves and fishes. His loudest followers these day gripe about feeding people, claiming it creates a “culture of dependency.” 

They may even comb through the Bible to take quotes out of context to justify their selfishness toward the poor, as Rep. Steven Fincher did when he claimed the Bible says, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 

The fact that those jobs are unavailable didn’t give him (Fincher) a moment’s pause when suggesting this very un-Christ-like plan to his fellow Americans."

Next...

Here's a passage from author Jeff Sharlett, who wrote: Donald Trump, American Preacher

“He (Trump) stands up there and says what we all think,” one attendee said at the rally. “We all want to punch somebody in the face, and he says it for us.”

After a warm-up sermon from a preacher — “He is worthy! He is worthy!” he shouted, meaning both Trump and God — the play list returned to the Stones, mid song, “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” 

Nobody minded the contradiction, sex and the sacred, because it wasn’t a contradiction; it was like the completion of a thought they had all been thinking but hadn’t known how to say out loud: greatness, the end of shame." 

In Summary 

Christianity has been warped to adjust to the 21st century of the gospel which teaches that you can tell how much God favors you by how rich you are.

Yes, some on the Christian right reject the idea as a tad crude, but it's still wildly popular and its adherents, like Oral Roberts, are some of the major architects and organizers for the Christian right.

When a televangelist, Paula White (who is called Trump's spiritual adviser), gave the inauguration invocation America was put on notice:

The die was cast. White, whose former ministry was investigated by the Senate Finance Committee over possible financial improprieties, fit into Trump's world perfectly. 

The rest is history.

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

We're (almost) Halfway Through the Nightmare

Good Day World!

The humanitarian and governmental blight on our country, products of the Trump era, have two more years - if the orange anus lasts that long.

He's going to have to survive a Democratic House that's gearing up to fillet his fat ass for treason, corruption, emoluments violations, campaign violations, and conspiracy with the Russians.

Toss in Trump's refusal to punish the murderous Saudi Arabian Prince for killing a Washington Post journalist (and American resident), and you have a good argument that our pathetic POTUS has underlying reasons for protecting the corrupt kingdom he's bragged of doing business with in the past.

Related: Adam Schiff says House Democrats Will Probe Kashoggi Murder

Trump will be living in fear for the next two years. And, for good reason.

* Trump fears the independent counsel, whose investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election threatens to expose the inner workings of the campaign and of Trump's opaque business empire.

* Trump fears Schiff and other House Democrats he's belittled because they will soon chair powerful committees that will launch their own investigations into Trump's administration and, perhaps, his long-hidden tax returns. 

I realize this reality show nightmare we're living in seems longer than two years we've already suffered through, and the prospect of two more years of Trump motivates some Americans to seek asylum in Canada right now.

But don't give up on America. 

Even if there are two more years of this yammering orange ape, they're going to be Trump's nightmare on steroids. The American people will get to see Trump's trials in the courts and House committees.

In the end, Trump will be fully exposed as a fraud. The greatest fear of his life.

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

Take a Deep Breath... Exhale...It's Friday

Good Day World!

Wow! This week sure flew by.

Holidays are always hectic (my understatement for the day), but this week had more than it's share of madness...

Trump madness! Acting like a dictator!

Our liar in chief decided to verbally attack the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts. In the process he accomplished two things:

1. Besides displaying his appalling ignorance and telling the chief justice to look up laws on the judiciary system, he outed himself as a well-rounded bully trying to discredit the most important court in the land. Nice move for a Fascist, but Trump got ahead of himself this time.

2. When Trump's corruption is exposed, and the time for impeachment comes, John Roberts will be heading up the court's panel to find him guilty, or not guilty. Trump really screwed the pooch on picking this fight.

There's more.

Despite strong evidence from our CIA that bin Salman ordered Jamal Khoshoggi's death, Trump has proclaimed bin Salman innocent because...(if this sounds familiar think the Surrender Summit in Helsinki when Trump stood up for Putin) bin Salman vehemently denied he did it and Trump believes him.

Not our national security community, but the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The orange anus went on to say, "It's a mean and nasty world out there," in order to qualify the assassination.

Meanwhile, our pathetic excuse for a president signed executive orders to stop giving asylum to immigrants. The 9th District Court stepped up and put a hold on that attempt, calling it unconstitutional. (This is where Trump went after the court system, and John Roberts defended it.) 

The topper was when Trump ordered John Kelly (who is not in the military chain of command) to order Gen. Mattis to arm the troops and shoot to kill if there's any trouble on the border.

This sneaky little move is in direct violation of the Posse Comitatus Act that limits the military to only acting in support of the U.S. Border Patrol, and state and local law enforcement officers. They are not authorized to bear arms against civilians unless the "Insurrection Act" is invoked.

There's more.

Ivanka Trump is now going to be investigated for...wait for it...illegal use of a private email server with government business on it! I'm waiting for the calls to "Lock her up!" 

Once again, a judge slapped Trump and his propaganda minions down because they continued to threaten journalist Jim Acosta's First and 5th Amendment rights by taking his hard press pass away.

In passing, I should mention the stock market took a beating, wiping out most of the gains for the year. The market is still in free fall today.

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

Message: Thanksgiving Greetings from Medford, Oregon

Good Day World!

After enjoying a superior cup of coffee on this rainy day in Medford, Oregon, I have a message for my regular (and new) readers:

"May this Thanksgiving Day bring you together with friends and family for a good time where you can appreciate the important things in life. 

Turkey and all the trimmings are fine, but visiting with loved ones - especially ones you don't get to see too often - is much more rewarding."

Okay. Here's some inspirational articles and videos about Thanksgiving Day in the news:

1) Obama Surprises Chicago Food Bank Volunteers and Helps prepare Thanksgiving Meal Bags

2) Thanksgiving Surprise: Couple Finds $1.8 Million Jackpot Lottery Ticket While Cleaning Up Their Home 

3) How A Hurricane-Devastated Community Is Coming Together For Thanksgiving

4) Thoughts On Thanksgiving Day from Andy Rooney (4 short videos)

5) Massachusetts Man Holds Massive Thanksgiving Dinner for Strangers Each Year - 'It Gives People Somewhere To Go'

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

Trump Pardoned 2 Turkeys Yesterday

Good Day World!

After Trump's "reality show/ traditional turkey-pardoning gig" at the White House yesterday, he added a new twist to the ceremony. 

He pardoned another turkey:

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

Despite the fact that our CIA and other intelligence experts have told Trump bin Salman was behind the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi, he flat-out refused to do anything about it.

Trump gave him a free pass for economic and personal reasons. It's no secret Trump's son in law Jared Kushner and bin Salman are "buddies," and have grand financial plans for the future.

Republican Senator Rand Paul, normally a compliant Trump minion, told the press (after hearing Trump reaffirm no more actions were going to be taken against bin Salman) had this to say:

"I'm pretty sure that after hearing this statement it's Saudi Arabia First, Not America First."

Even recent Trump convert, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said there's enough bipartisan support to sanction those involved and the royal family. 

Republican Sen. Corker: "I never thought I'd see the day a White House would moonlight as a public relations firm for the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia."

Republican Sen.Jeff Flake: "Great allies don't lure their citizens into a trap, and then have them killed."

The new Democratic House is not going to let this matter slid by, according to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Once again Trump has conceded all he moral authority that America once enjoyed among the nations of the world. 

His love of murderous strongmen has been reaffirmed by not taking any meaningful action to punish the rogue Kingdom's young leader.

Now, it's up to Congress to restore our reputation.

Related: Trump's Saudi Support Highlights 'America First' Doctrine

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

You Know America is in Trouble When...

Good Day World!

When the orange anus woke up yesterday morning at the WH he renewed an attack against one of the most revered figures in the military.

The spat started when Adm. William H. McRaven a retired Navy SEAL and Special Operations commander who oversaw the 2011 killing of bin Laden, criticized Trump earlier this year. 

Not one to ignore a slight, no matter how old, our liar in chief pulled out his usual bag of shit with baseless claims during one of his temper tantrums.

Trump “has repeatedly and falsely claimed” that he predicted bin Laden was going to attack the United States and that the United States needed to “take him out,” The Washington Post’s Fact Checker wrote in 2015.

You know America is in trouble when...

The POTUS attacks our military heroes.

You know America is in trouble when...

Trump calls the press the "enemy of the people" and kicks reporters out of the WH when he doesn't like their questions...

You know America is in trouble when...

the world laughs at our president and countries protest his visits.

You know America is in trouble when...

the Republican Party morphed into a cult - the Party of Trump.

You know America is in trouble when...

we don't stand up to murderous authoritarian regimes because our corrupt president wants to keep selling arms to one of the biggest backers of terrorists in the middle east - Saudi Arabia. 

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

Political Fire Starter Trump Tours Paradise Lost

Good Day World!

Finally! 

The answer to stopping wildfires is here, thanks to our climate change denier in charge.

The key to halting these fiery infernos threatening California is...wait for it...raking up the leaves beneath the trees!

Rake America Great Again!

As Trump tramped through the ashes of the lost town of Paradise Saturday, he claimed there were no forest fires in Finland because they raked up all of their leaves. Even the most casual listener would challenge that idiotic explanation.

Related story: Trump Suggests Californians Can Rake Their Forests To Prevent Wildfires (He is wrong)

Related story: President of Finland Denies Telling Trump the Country Rakes its Forests to Prevent Fires

Flanked by the outgoing California governor, Jerry Brown, and the incoming governor, Gavin Newsom, Trump waddled through the ashes and didn't listen to a word of explanation about the real causes of wildfires in California.

Using his tiny expressive hands for emphasis, Trump conceded that climate change might bare a little responsibility, but...and the rest is unintelligible trash he's dreamt up in his alternate universe.

The irony of having a political fire-starter for a POTUS discussing raging infernos anywhere is unsettling. At one point Trump even threatened to withhold federal funds for California fire suppression if they didn't use "better forest management," once again demonstrating how uniformed he is.

Perhaps the best example of what a political fire-starter Trump is the reception he got going into Paradise from survivors living alongside the road, when his motorcade passed by.

In an almost surreal confrontation after such devastation it was the non-Trumps vs the Trumpies. People went nose-to-nose exchanging incendiary insults as Trump's motorcade blithely went by.

I can't help wondering how these survivors - who were all in the same boat - were getting along until Trump's tour. 

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

Memo To Trump: There is NO Good Day to Shut Down the Government

"Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" - Crazy Horse

Good Day World!

According to our liar in chief, "It's a good time to shut down the government." 

Our pathetic POTUS's reason; he wants more money for the wall.

The money he's already extorted (over one billion) hasn't been used yet, with the exception of some repairs.

Trump also doubled-down by threatening that the 5,900 U.S. military troops on our southern border may have to stay beyond the mission completion day of December 15th.

Commenting on these troops Saturday, Trump said, "They build great fences. They built a very powerful fence, a different kind of fence, but very powerful. The fence is fully manned." 

Tell me, after reading his quote what did it sound like to you?

A) A kindergartener talking about fences.
B) A first graders first attempt at writing sentences.
C) A racist Dr. Seuss.

Note: the active military troops are almost done with their mission of putting up barbed wire barriers. After that, it looks like they get to sit there and miss out on the holidays as Trump plays Grinch early in the season.

The fact that Trump's God-complex is no secret anymore, just adds to the indignities millions of Americans are experiencing under his corrupt regime.

Trump's not even pretending to serve all Americans anymore. Instead, he's chosen to play to his repulsive base at every opportunity. 

The orange-skinned ape's playbook doesn't have a lot of big words in it:

"Divide. Divert. Lie. Threaten. Fake news.Be boss of everyone." The end.

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