'Hi Kids!' Welcome To Mr. Trump's Neighborhood

“Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, COFFEE and acceptance…The SIX stages of waking up!!”
- Comic Strip Mama

Good Day World!

I was thinking about the days of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. 

Remember him? Two words emerge when thinking about the message his children's show had; peace, and mutual respect.

Just for kicks, let's see what's happened since Mr. Roger's Neighborhood went off the air in 2001.

It became a slum around 2015 when a certain lowlife con man took over. Donald Trump. Here's the 2019 version of our ongoing reality show for American kids.

Mr. Trump's Neighborhood

Trump waddles into a classroom where kids are seated and wearing MAGA hats...

"Hi kids! Have you watched an immigrant family get locked up yet today?"

There's a muted response and forced smiles, "Yes, Mr. Trump," they hesitantly answer.

"Oh c'mon now! You little bastards can do better than that! Who wants to end up in a lib re-education camp?"

The assembled children, really frightened now, scream "Yes! Mr. Trump!"

Trump: "That's better.  Now, today we're going to talk about airports during the Revolutionary War and how Washington stormed the ramparts of Ft. McTrump."

Five minutes later Attorney General William Barr hops into the classroom on a pogo stick wearing a clown costume.

Trump: "Oh, look kids! It's Mr. Bo Barr the Clown! I wonder what he wants?"

Barr hops off the pogo stick, promptly lands face down, and then looks up adoringly at Trump whose watching with obvious amusement.

Barr: "Bigly news, master!" 

Trump: "I told you not to call me that in public, you moron. What is it?"

Barr: "I've assembled a crew of unscrupulous lawyers ready to defy the Supreme Court's decision against the census question!"

Trump: (delighted) "Whose a good boy? Look here, kids (pats Barr on the head) Who wants to pet the good boy's head?"

The children sit silently praying they don't have to respond. But Trump is already moving on to another subject...

By the time the episode is over all of the children are huddled in a corner of the classroom suppressing sobs of fear, as they clutch handouts of images of children in cages taken on America's southern border.

Trump: "That's it for today kiddos! Tomorrow your favorite president has a special surprise in store for you! Jeffrey Epstein, your favorite president's friend, is going to stop by a give a talk about young love. Won't that be fun?"

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

Trump's Defiance of Law Takes Another Scary Step

"I don't know how people live without coffee. I really don't" - Martha Quinn

Good Day World!

Casting all pretenses aside about being a law-abiding president, Trump has decided to defy the Supreme Court who told him to come back with a real excuse for adding a divisive question to this year's census.

When the census ruling went against Trump and his team he quickly replaced the DOJ lawyers (who stood by the ruling) with a team of politically appointed Civilian Division lawyers.

Why?

Was it because the DOJ lawyers realized what they were doing was wrong? Were there a few DOJ lawyers left that still believed in the law of the land and ethics? Did they piss him off for not breaking the law?

More than likely.

Trump thinks that he needs to keep the issue going for his base who enjoy defying laws that don't favor them. They expect him to flaunt every law and tradition that defines our country.

By trying to make an end-run around the final arbiter of law in this nation, Trump is showing us who he really is, and has been his entire life...a corrupt con man with the biggest ego in America.

All we can hope for is that our laws and courts continue to stand strong during this unprecedented presidential assault until the orange anus is impeached, or loses the 2020 election.

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

Americans: Reflections of Who We Really Are

"Coffee makes me do the happy dance!" Anonymous

                                          Good Day World!

I'm kicking back a little longer this morning and adding an extra cup of coffee to my normal routine to fully enjoy this morning.

After Thursday's soggy event in Washington DC, two different narratives have emerged:

1) Trump's Sad, Strange Fourth of July

2) Democrats Swore Trump Would Give a Partisan Speech. He Gave a Unifying One 

These two articles reflect who we, as Americans, are...divided and suspicious of one another.

But, as I further reflected upon the event it occurred to me that there are still many unifying themes that Americans still agree on.

First, and foremost, the pursuit of liberty and justice for all. That great concept in our society is still firmly embraced, regardless of what Trump does and says.

This Fourth of July was still a celebration of our Independence, despite pundits opposing views. 

Families gathered nationwide, BBQ was the order of the day, and little local parades and firework displays flourished just like in years past.

As for politics, they will continue to be a nasty affair that divides Americans - something that happened immediately after our two-party system was adopted back in the day.

That's okay. That's who were are. A vibrant, independent thinking collection of characters from all over the world.

As the majority of Americans struggle with the Trump regime and the damage it's doing (and done), a new administration will have to right many wrongs.

Just like the Tea Pot Dome Scandal in 1920 shocked Americans by revealing an unprecedented level of greed and corruption within the federal government, wrongs will be corrected after Trump is duly kicked out of the White House in 2020.

Americans are - and have been - a melting pot of nationalities from all over the world, and nothing will ever change that.

Especially, a wannabe dictator. 

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

Book Review: Author Promotes Book About Pot Causing Psychotic Disorders

"Nothing makes sense before coffee." -Unknown 

Good Day World!

Everybody is writing books these days.

Just about every person that has left the White House in the last couple of years wrote a "tell-all" account of their experiences there.

We're not talking literary masterpieces either. The only thing going for them is the sensational claims they make. Kind of like the author I'm going to introduce to you now...

Book review:

One author, Alex Berenson, has decided to double down on sensational (and unverified) claims about the dangers of marijuana in his new book "Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and  violence."

He recently promoted his book in a New York Times op-ed that blames pot for "sharp increases in murders and aggravated assaults," purportedly observed in some states that allow recreational marijuana use. 

The book manages to reprise the stupidity of the 1930s, when there was virtually no scientific data on marijuana, and ignorant and racist officials publicized exaggerated anecdotal accounts of harms and were believed at the time.

Fast forward to now.

After hundreds of studies disproving those crazy claims 90 years later, there is no excuse for Berenson exaggerations, or the foolish conclusions he drew.

Evidence from research tells us that aggression and violence are highly unlikely outcomes of marijuana use. When was the last time you saw a story about a crazed pot-user attacking a school or church?

It just doesn't happen. 

Based upon laboratory research, during which thousands of doses of marijuana were given to people - carefully studying their brain, behavioral, cognitive and social responses - no research participant became violent or aggressive while under the influence of cannabis.

What has been determined is that the main effects are contentment, relaxation, sedation, euphoria, and increased hunger.

I'm really curious who Berenson's targeted audience is. Based upon the amount of disinformation in it. I suspect it's a guide for the alt-right and the Republicans that identify with Trump.

The only thing I recommend about this book is it's a great example of how partisan lies are publicly shared for a narrow audience of idiots.

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

Playtime is Over Trump: The Ides of September Looms

"Coffee: ok, not really a vegetable, but without it I turn into one." Unknown

Good Day World!

From all accounts, I didn't miss much during yesterday's debacle in front of the Lincoln Memorial, billed as a Salute To America.

Pundits aren't writing about a 4th of July oratory for the ages reminiscent of a speech by Julius Caesar. 

Trump's attempt at telling history led to claims of airports during the Revolutionary War, and a stiff defense of Ft. Henry then...when of course, the Ft. Henry thing (rockets in the air, etc.) happened in the War of 1812.

The water-soaked affair will probably be best remembered for the presence of the Baby Trump Blimp and the Trump on his Thrown Blimp, both of which bobbed happily throughout 

Moving on.

Playtime is over for Trump. Between now and the end of September, he has to come up with a budget, or we'll have another government shutdown.

That would be twice in one year. Someone needs to check and see if that's another dubious record set by the orange anus.

Here's where negotiations stand:

1) The GOP senators can't get Trump to sign on with their budget plan. 
2) Trump doesn't even know what he wants.
3) Republicans are baffled by what Trump wants (the goal post keeps moving)
4) No one's asked what the Democrats want.
5) Trump doesn't care what the Dems want.
6) Any bipartisan agreement could be vetoed at the last moment by our precocious man child Trump.

Caesar ignored the warning about not going to the senate on the Ides of March, and we all know how that turned out. 

I've got to think that two shutdowns in one year is not a ringing endorsement for a smooth government. In the very least, it shows chaos in the administration.

Multiple senators took Caesar down.

Multiple criminal investigations will take Trump down. 

Another shutdown this fall will be considered more evidence of his incompetence. 

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

A Celebration for Trumpies: 4th of July Morphs Into 'Trump Day Event'

"Hand over the coffee and no one gets hurt!" - Anonymous

                                         Good Day World!

I won't be watching the 4th of July celebration in Washington DC today. It would be too painful.

Our wannabe dictator has co-opted the holiday that was once for all Americans, and made it his own.

He's managed to turn this year's 4th-of-July celebration into a partisan rally, complete with a special viewing section for friends, campaign donors, RNC bigwigs, and his family.

This narcissistic move has motivated Trump haters to protest at the event. The Trump Baby Balloon is flying today, although partially grounded because officials wouldn't let the organizers use helium - forcing them to just use air.

Trump's minions saw to it that all of the organized protests will be out of his line of sight. An act reminiscent of covering the name of the USS John McCain, a Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, when he was in Japan because it offended him.

The best selling souvenir is t-shirts, that are going like hotcakes at his bigly event are being offered by a veterans group. They have a photo of John McCain, war hero on on the front.

I'll still be celebrating our country's founding locally. The only difference this year is, I won't be watching a traditionally non-partisan event morphed into a day for a wannabe dictator.

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

One More Tradition Crushed: The Day That 4th of July Became a Partisan Event

I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee. -Carly Simon

Good Day World!

I'm 69 years-old, and have never seen a partisan 4th of July event.

That streak is going to end tomorrow, when Trump turns our most patriotic holiday into a campaign rally for his friends and family.

Trump is promising this 4th of July will be like no other in our history. He's right about that.

There's a reason none of Trump's predecessors in the White House pulled this nakedly partisan stunt before. They wanted the holiday to be for ALL AMERICANS...not just for a fringe minority like the freaks who follow Trump.

Here's the thing; it's important to know the difference between patriotism and nationalism. It is a fine line, but a crucial one.

According to Merriam Webster, "Patriotism is a love for, or devotion to the country. Nationalism is a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of it's culture and interests as opposed to other nations."

Trump and his minions are claiming that those who don't go along with his personal show of power aren't patriotic. In Trump's tiny excuse for a brain, those past presidents were unpatriotic because they didn't get involved and put on a partisan rally.

Then there's Trump's frigging parade. Every since he saw a military parade in France last year, Donny has been lusting for a personal parade to show off HIS POWER.

Related: Park Service Diverts $2.5 million in Fees For Trump's July 4th Extravaganza

America is stuck with a mean little toddler camping out in the Oval Office who stays busy with his toxic Twitter account and his ridiculous demands. 

Cadet Bonespurs realizes the differences in his planned show. He just doesn't give a damn who it bothers, or insults. The orange narcissist is realizing his boyhood dreams when he played with little plastic soldiers and tanks.

Just a quick example of how clueless the orange ape is. He's telling everyone who'll listen that he's going to have some tanks sitting on the National Mall. He even boasted that there will be brand new Sherman tanks there.

For the record; we quit producing Sherman tanks in 1957.

Related: Military Chiefs Have Concerns About Politicization of Trump's July 4th Event

The part that is going to be the hardest to stomach is when Trump spews his shit from the steps of The Lincoln Memorial.

That blasphemy will probably have Lincoln rolling over in his grave.

I only have one hope that this event may get postponed. 

The weather. 

If there is a God, then there's going to be thunder and lightning as the heavens open up and weep!

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

Taking a Blog Break for 3 Days - I'll Be Back on July 3rd

"What goes best with coffee? Another cup of coffee." - Unknown

Good Day World!

It's time for me to take a few days off and recharge my batteries.

While I'm gone, I hope you'll check out my archives from past posts.

I created this blog in 2008. It's been a long and strange journey (thank you Grateful Dead). I hope many more years are ahead for this opinion platform.

I also have another blog - The Creative Chronicles of Dave Stancliff - which is fiction blog. Flash fiction, essays and poems.

May the wind be at your back, and the sun always shine above you...

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

Trump-Putin Bromance Only Highlight of G20 Summit

"It’s amazing how the world begins to change through the eyes of a cup of coffee." - Donna A. Favors

Good Day World!

Bring in the clowns!

The much anticipated G20 summit opened with...laughter!

It was a sight to see. 

Trump and Putin did a great comedy team routine where Trump laughingly told Putin not to interfere in our next election.

Their smiles glowed with inner knowledge while a hoard of reporters watched them mock the idea of Russian election interference in our next election.

That was it though.

Trump meant with China's Xi Jinping and agreed to scale back restrictions on Chinese technology giant Huawei and delay new tariffs.

 In return China said they'd buy "large amounts" of farm products. The bottom line; there's nothing in writing.

They swapped phony pleasant greetings for about 90 minutes and Trump waddled away claiming trade talks were "on track" with China.

If Wall Street was waiting for a big breakthrough the reality must have been tough to deal with. Mr. Art-of-the-No-Deal once again waddled away with vague promises of a better day.

As usual, Trump spent his quality time with other world leaders by harassing them over supposed wrongs.

However, when it comes to dictators it was a different story. 

Related: Saudi Crown Prince Feted at G20 summit

He even extended another invitation to meet with his little buddy that writes "beautiful letters" in North Korea.

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

Twitter's New Disclaimer Is Sure To Piss Trump Off!

"I only need coffee on days that end with a "Y" - Unknown

Good Day World!

Trump's favorite way to communicate with his frenzied base is tweeting. 

That's a fact.

He enjoys getting away with unchecked facts, and bullying everyone from American athletes to foreign heads of state with no repercussions. 

Twitter executives have announced plans to place a disclaimer on future tweets from world leaders that breaks its rules. They will be judging tweets in the "public interest" the company said in a blog post Thursday.

This new policy is going to face it's biggest test from serial tweeter Trump. he's repeatedly tested Twitter's community standards with his regular tirades on the platform and some of his tweets have already ran afoul of twitter's rules.

There's little doubt that this new disclaimer is going to bring a firestorm of criticism on the company republicans in Washington, including Trump, often claim without real evidence that technology companies are biased against conservatives.

"This is not about perceived bias but about providing more clarity if our rules have been broken," a Twitter spokesperson told CNN Business in a recent interview.

Here's what I really like about twitter's new feature; it'll apply to verified government officials, political candidates and people who have over a 100,000 followers.

That select group are major influencers in our society and now they're going to have to play by house rules, or get booted of Twitter.

If there's one thing Trump, and his minions hate, it's facts. By not being able to outright lie and make shit up they're going to have conniptions. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few of them have stokes upon hearing the news.

I expect Trump is already seething, knowing the plan is moving forward. Expect to see an all out battle between Twitter and Trump...

Are you ready?

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

Trump At The G20 Osaka Summit: What Could Go Wrong?

"I would rather suffer from coffee than be  senseless - Napoleon Bonaparte 

Good Day World!

Every time our liar-in-chief leaves the country to represent the American people, I cringe.

My guts tighten up with a combination of fear and loathing because I know he's going to embarrass the hell out of us again. (Please refer to every trip he's taken abroad since he slunk into office.)

The G20 Osaka Summit kicks off today and runs through Saturday. The two main themes are Global Economy and Trade and Investment. 

Before leaving Trump gave us a preview of what an ass he was going to be by attacking our closest allies:

Trump Complains About US Defense Pact With Japan, Blaming G20 Countries

Guess what? We're going to get to see the renewal of the bromance between Putin and his baby blimp Trump. I know. Exciting stuff. Just don't let your kids watch any of it.

The fun doesn't stop there. Oh, Hell no! Trump and Chinese Premier Xi are set for a little tete-a-tete where they're going to discuss their economies.

Will Trump and Xi come to a trade agreement and stop the tariff wars? Hint...don't bet on it. By now, we all know how great Donny is with his art of the deal fail in foreign relations.

Then we have to consider the possibility of Trump picking fights with other leaders for no good reason. Our big baby in the Oval Office has already indicated he was looking for trouble the day he left.

Sometime, I suspect he just needs a diaper change before sitting down with world leaders who are talking like adults.

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