How To Deal With Trump: Don't Take the Bait!

Good Day World!

After three years you'd think the Democrats would have caught on to Trump's race-baiting tweets and not be diverted by them.

But no.

They went bonkers yesterday when Trump referred to the impeachment process against him as a "lynching." 

Just when I thought the Democrats were on track in their impeachment inquiries, I see a headline like the one in the link above. They're still talking about lynching today.

After over 1000 days (and 13,000 lies) later, Trump is still getting away with one of his favorite diversionary tactics: throwing verbal grenades into the mix.

He manages to curtail controversies he stirs up by saying something so outrageous - and off the subject - it demands a response in return, successfully blunting whatever accusations were leveled against him.

It seems to have worked thus far.

The good news is Trump is fighting for his political life right now, and every day brings more bad news for him. Government employees and insiders are speaking out about his corrupt dealings.

As the evidence continues to build up against him, Trump will get more desperate. 

What he did to the Kurds reflects his desperation. He was more worried about his base than what all of his generals told him not to do - pull out and abandon our ally.

It was a classic wag the dog moment.

Instead of diverting attention away from the impeachment accusations however, it only added to the narrative he's out of control and is a threat to the country.

The Democrats need to be focused in their investigations and not get distracted by Trump's stunts. 

The investigation is coming to a turning point - with 55 percent of Americans wanting Trump impeached and ousted from office. But, the numbers have to keep climbing in order to break the Republican firewall in the senate.

For Congress to succeed in impeaching Trump - especially within a certain timeline - they can't waste time censuring and exposing every stunt or racist remark he makes daily.

Just don't take the bait. His grenades are just smoke bombs.

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

They're Back! Russian Trolls for Trump Are After Joe Biden

                                       Good Day World!

Putin, who has to be pleased with his trolls work in the 2016 election, has turned them loose again for a repeat in 2020.

Every intelligence agency in the U.S. knew the Russians were coming back. The Mueller report predicted it.

The new target? Joe Biden.

It's an obvious quid pro quo after Trump handed over Syria, and ruined America's relationships with all of our major allies.

Throw in the weakening of Ukraine's democratic status, and it was the least Putin could do for his Donny.

In normal times, if a foreign power was caught meddling in a presidential primary the White House would have immediately responded with a stern warning to Russia or whoever the perpetrator was.

But there was no response from the Trump White House.

The fact is, Trump has corrupted part of our government, and is trying to do away with separation of powers so he can become a king.

Yesterday, our wannabe monarch told the press what he thought about the Constitution by calling the Emoluments Clause "Phony."

Fake news and a phony passage in the Constitution. The only real thing in Trump's world is that he's a stable genius and The Chosen One.

As for the rest of us (the majority of the country), we don't want foreign interference in our elections. Trump has welcomed it from the start. He's probably going to need all the foreign interference he can get in 2020.

There's never been a more unpopular president in American history running for re-election. 

If Trump survives his impeachment trial in the Senate, he'll become the first American president to attempt to be re-elected with that dark cloud over him.

To assure victory, Trump's minions have been conducting a worldwide "find dirt on Joe Biden" campaign, touring the Ukraine, Australia, and Italy seeking to prove a debunked conspiracy theory.

The Russian trolls appearance this early in the game shows how serious they are about keeping Trump in power. And, why not? They've been winning since he slithered into office!

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

A Case for Democracy and Democrats on the Far Left

Good Day World!

If Trump is still lumbering around in the White House like a petulant child for the 2020 election, Democrats are going to have to take the kid gloves off and lean to the far left to defeat him.

There's a good chance that despite being impeached, Trump will stay in office thanks to spineless cronies in the senate. If anything, Trump's base will become even more motivated to turn out and vote for him.

Normally, I vote for moderate Democrats in elections. But my concern right now is there's not going to be anything normal about the 2020 election process.

Political gurus all agree that it will be the nastiest election in U.S. history. There will be no rules. Trump thrives in that environment.

Every pol agrees that to beat Trump (even though crippled by Impeachment and record low approval ratings) the Democrats will need a massive turnout. The election needs to be a mandate against Trump's corruption.

Not just a repeat of the successful 2018 elections, but a real tidal wave of blue from energized voters setting an all time voter participant high.

The problem with a moderate approach is it doesn't seem to have the same high energy level the far left has shown thus far, with candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

I like Biden, but I don't believe he would bring the same energized mojo against Trump's crazed base. In these nontraditional times, I predict millions of people will be voting based upon emotion (more than ever) rather than reason or track records.

The far left candidates, with their passionate supporters, will be a more worthy opponent capable of fighting fire-against-fire. Bernie's ground swell campaign support is almost legendary in the 21st century.

Elizabeth Warren's campaign is a nightmare for Wall Street, and Trump's wealthy friends and family, who've been enjoying his graft. 

I also need to point out that another Democrat could emerge as a real challenger for the nomination in the next couple of months. I have no idea who, but there's always that possibility.

As a patriotic American, I have one mission; to make sure Trump doesn't get re-elected. If that means moving my political position further left to have the best chance of doing that... then so be it. 

The Democratic Party of old - mildly liberal but mostly solidly centrist - is a thing of the past. 

How high are the stakes for all Americans today? I'll put it this way; either we'll have a Republic, or a Monarchy, in 2021.

Related: Note to Democrats: Stop Chasing Centrist Suburban Voters

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

A Rare Reversal: Trump's Attempt To Hold Next G-7 was in Foul Territory

Good Day World!

Trump was playing hardball to hold the 2020 G-7 Summit at his failing National Doral Resort... and lost.

Team Trump, led by pitcher Mick Mulvaney, recently announced the best place in the entire United States for the G-7 Summit happened to be Trump's property in Florida.

During a lie-laced press briefing Mulvaney claimed that there were a dozen properties considered for the location of the G-7 Summit.

Mulvaney admitted that it was Trump who suggested his property was the place to go. So much for any vetting of conflict of interest. By passing on all selection norms the game of ethics struck out.

If Mulvaney had steered a federal contract to a business he owned, he'd be sitting in jail right now awaiting arraignment. But, as Team Trump claimed, it's okay for the president because he's (in their view) above the law.

Team Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham suggested it was absurd (!) to believe that the law could apply to Trump. She also falsely claimed that Trump was no longer involved in the family business.

Fact: Trump's own financial disclosure statements show that he retains ownership of Trump National Doral as well as the Trump Organization that operates it, through a trust he created after winning the 2016 election for which he is the sole trustee.

Trump's frequent visits to his commercial properties in Florida, New Jersey, and other locals have funneled federal dollars into his own coffers ever since he was elected.

However, the other team wasn't just idly sitting by and watching Team Trump.

Actions taken before Trump backed off:

* Democrat's introduce 'THUG Act' to block funding for G-7 at Trump resort 

* Senators are demanding answers on the decision to hold the G-7 Summit at Trump Doral

* Trump invites new emoluments fight with G-7 resort pitch 

* Experts: President's plan to hold G-7 at Trump Resort violates the U.S. Constitution

It appears that the "Chosen One's" swing at an ethics grand slam has fouled out. 

That leaves Trump with two more outs left in the game and Congress is working on them with an expert impeachment bullpen.

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

Alert! Trump's Lies Have Hit Critical Mass

Good Day World!

Finally... 

With the exception of Trump's hardcore base (the QAnon crowd), no one in the world believes a word Trump says.

Not even the Republicans aka Trumplicans.

The Democrats already knew he was a serial liar. World leaders who have met Trump - or just know of his reputation for seeking flattery - have found him to be as malleable as clay.

When Trump opened the door for Turkey to invade Syria and attack our ally the Kurds, the entire balance of the Middle East was destroyed.

When Pence and Pompeo met with Turkey's strongman all they could come away with was a 5-day cease fire (or as Turkey put it - a "pause").

It took less than 24 hours for that "pause" to be violated. The Turks used chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians yesterday.

The so-called cease fire was a humiliating defeat for America. Our troops in the region are demoralized because of Trump's betrayal of their comrade-in-arms against ISIS.

When I found out that the U.S. has fifty nuclear weapons in Turkey, a sick feeling hit me. The nukes are on (or near) the American air base in Turkey.

It didn't help matters that Trump insulted Turkey's strongman with the stupidest diplomatic letter ever sent by an American president (or diplomat) to another country.

Erdogan responded with a gas attack and a promise of "more to come" in response to the "devil letter" Trump sent.

It appears Trump's actions have hit a critical mass in the Middle East. Russia, Syria, and the Turks (along with their extremist militias) quickly seized the vacuum our retreating troops left.  

In their wake is a growing humanitarian crisis, a resurgence of ISIS, and a strategic victory for Russia and Iran. It was a shameful exit, as our troops were forced to blow up their hastily abandoned bases.

It's a sad reflection of America's waning power overseas, thanks to Trump's alienation of nearly every democratic nation (our allies) on the planet. Selling out the Kurds only proved that.

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

The Taxman Cometh: Trump Organization Caught Cheating and More

Good Day World!

Trump has steadfastly blocked all attempts to reveal his taxes for nearly three years, but that's changing.

It's been an ugly battle between Congress seeking transparency, and Trump stonewalling all efforts to share his taxes, like the presidents before him have done for almost 50 years.

Trump's stone wall is collapsing

Happening now

The orange ape's real estate business reported different financial figures for two of his Manhattan properties to lenders rather than to New York tax authorities, according to documents obtained by ProPublica.

The scam was simple

The discrepancies made the buildings appear more profitable to the lender - and less profitable to the officials who set the building's property tax. 

As damning as this report is, it's only the tip of the iceberg.

Related: Trump Loses Big and is Ordered to Turn Over 8 Years of Tax returns

Also: Trump Isn't Immune From Demand for Tax Records, Judge Rules

And... Judge Rejects Trump's 'Repugnant' Immunity Claim in Tax-Return Ruling

A gathering consensus among the pols is that Trump's taxes will end up in Congresses hands before next year. Possibly before Christmas.

The Senate will probably be in the midst of the impeachment trial when Trump's taxes are released as evidence of tax fraud and corruption.

Those long-held taxes will just be one of many articles of impeachment that will bring Trump - and his corrupt cronies in government - down.

Trump's biggest nightmare is happening - the taxman is coming for him.

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

The Snake in the Grass: Mulvaney's Vital Part in Ukraine Scandal Revealed

                                       Good Day World!

Today's Ukraine scandal update: Mick Mulvaney worked closely with the "Three Amigos" during the shadow Ukraine policy ordered by Trump.
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BREAKING NEWS: Mulvaney brashly admits quid pro quo over Ukraine aid as key details emerge
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In a Washington Post report yesterday, Mulvaney was said to have played a critical role in the unfolding crisis. 

He often met with Sondland and the details of their conversations were kept from then-National Security Adviser John Bolton, and others who had expressed concerns about the White House's efforts to extort the new Ukraine government.

If you wondered who was behind cutting the funds off that Congress had approved for military aid to the Ukraine, look no further than Trump and Mulvaney.

Mulvaney put the hold on nearly $400 million weeks before Trump's now-infamous July 25th phone call to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to The Post.

That phone call triggered the House impeachment investigation.

The article stated Mulvaney told staff that the money to Kiev could be turned on and off without legal repercussions, though some questioned the legality of putting the aid on hold.

The upshot? 

Without snake-in-the-grass Mulvaney's help the shadow campaign could not have been conducted. He played Don the Cons enforcer in the shakedown of Zelensky.

I suspect Mulvaney, and other high-ranking Trump minions involved in this scandal are going to pay a price for their treason.

If they don't... our democracy is officially overturned.

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

Revenge of the Chicken Hawk: Bolton's Back... and Ready To Sing

Good Day World!

When John Bolton, the former national security adviser, departed the administration he left under mutually bitter terms with Trump.

After Bolton left, I knew the idea of a lifetime war-monger going quietly in the night was as likely to happen as a lamb standing next to a hungry lion and not becoming it's meal.

There would be revenge. I predicted as much in this former post where I posited Bolton might be the whistleblower.

Bolton's back in the public eye again, and he's got a lot to talk about. He's currently working on a new book about his time serving Trump and has a 'lot to dish," according to one knowledgeable source in a Washington Post article.

Apparently, Trump has raised suspicions among his cronies that a spiteful John Bolton is one of the sources behind the flood of leaks against him on the Ukraine scandal.

Bolton's name surfaced Monday before House impeachment inquiry committees, when Fiona Hill, Trump's former top Russia adviser, reported that Bolton told her to alert the chief lawyer for the National Security Council (John Eisenberg) that Giuliana was working with Mike Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, on an operation with legal implications.

According to a New York Times article, Bolton said, "I am not part of whatever drug deal Rudy and Mulvaney are cooking up," to the White House lawyers.

From the moment Bolton became aware of the shadow operation for the Ukraine, he lashed out against it, according to Hill's testimony.

It seems that despite being a chicken hawk, Bolton had a certain line in the sand that even he wouldn't cross. "Giuliani's a hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up," Hill testified.

I think it's safe to say Congress will be wanting to talk with Bolton soon, a dangerous prospect for Trump who ousted him after disagreements over North Korea and Russian policy.

It looks like Trump has found someone more vindictive than himself, and that's saying something. I'm looking forward to Bolton's testimony.

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

Trump's 'Beautiful Wall' is a No Go

Good Day World!

Trump has some explaining to do with his base.

His signature campaign promise in 2016 of making Mexico pay for building a wall on the southern border, has suffered it's final blow.

Not only has Mexico told Trump to look elsewhere, but the courts have all defied his corrupt attempts to take taxpayer money to get re-elected.

A Federal district court judge said Trump violated US law when he declared a national emergency over the country's southern border and funnelled taxpayer money towards his campaign promise.

Trump's proclamation was declared "unlawful" by judge David Briones yesterday. 

The ruling clearly stating, "None of the funds made available in this or any other appropriation may be used to increase federal funding to support Mr. Trump's campaign vow."

The Supreme Court has already stayed a previous ruling that blocked federal funding towards expanding Trump's wall in Arizona and California.

The only wall Trump is going to see built is the one around him in the impeachment inquiry.

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

Congress is Back: Impeachment, One Day at a Time

Good Day World!

Congress is back in town.

The chances of a formal impeachment will be accelerated with numerous Congressional hearings gathering more vital evidence daily.

Today, will feature Fiona Hill, who served as Trump's top Russia adviser until she left the administration in August. She'll be testifying before three committees.

There's some question if Semyon Kislin, a business associate of Rudy Giuliani, will appear for a scheduled deposition today.

In addition, US State Department deputy assistant secretary George Kent, is expected to appear before three committees.
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One of the most interesting interviews is set for Thursday, when Gordon Sondland, the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, testifies in front of a joint congressional committee about his conversation with Trump.
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A slew of subpoena deadlines are up this week

* Vice President Mike Pence is looking at a subpoena deadline by Friday.

* Energy Secretary, Rick Perry, also faces a subpoena deadline on Friday.

* Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, makes it three for Friday.

* Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, associates of Giuliani, face a deadline for documents midweek. Both have been arrested and charged with campaign violations, money laundering, and other financial crimes last week.

* Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, and acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought also face subpoenas.

As polls show continued support for impeaching Trump, the chances of formally filing for impeachment may only be weeks away, as long as the Democrats are patient... and take it day-by-day.

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

Next Up: President Pence?

Good Day World!

As impeachment, and the possibility of being ousted out of the White House looms for Trump, some pols are whispering about Pence being the next commander-in-chief. 

With a majority of Americans for impeachment, Trump's chances of surviving and running for re-election next year are getting smaller each week.

The revelations in the Ukraine scandal has stunned the world. The United States part in international corruption has been exposed in the Ukraine, and our president was behind the whole devious shadow diplomacy.

Let's take a leap and consider Trump's abrupt removal from office has happened.

In the days that follow does Pence get sworn in as our new president? Or, is he going down with the scandal ship, a loyal Trumpie to the end?

Let's say the man who can become a shadow anywhere, is sworn in, and he doesn't go down the drain with his master. President Pence.

What could we expect to see with this change in leadership?

After the constant chaos of the Trump era, a Pence presidency could swing back to some political normalcy. We wouldn't have a foul-mouthed president who picks on people big and small on twitter.

That's not Pence's style. He likes to operate in dark shadows and not stir up any controversy. Anybody that's observed Pence's time in office knows he had no problem with enabling Trump.

While Pence will pursue many of Trump's policies in the hope he keeps part of the orange ape's base, he's going to have to be careful to avoid bullying lawmakers in the House and Senate.

Above all, Pence is a survivor with no shame. Despite the religious facade he puts up, Pence has lied numerous times for Trump. He's a political opportunist with no morals or ethics.

In short, Republican lawmakers will probably embrace him with relief. 

I doubt that will be the case with the majority of Americans who are going to want to see all traces of Trump's corrupt regime erased next November.

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