Let's Hear It For---

       I'm beginning to really like Rep. Devin Nunes. He's turning out to be the kind of guy you can easily make fun of. I mean, here's a guy who has a very important job as chairman of the House Intelligence committee. He starts out on an investigation into the Russian attempts to influence our presidential election. Hey, you can't get more serious than that.
       But then the fun begins. Nunes goes to the White house and gets to see some highly classified information. In fact its so classified that he cant even see it in the Congressional safe room. Anyway, the next thing he does is hold a media announcement. Then he goes to the President to tell, either him or top aids, about this secret information. Then Nunes publicly states that maybe he shouldn't have said anything. Understand he still hasn't told the rest of the Intel. committee.
       Then we find out that the people who gave him the briefing on the secret material actually work for the President. Oh, and I forgot to mention that he worked for the President's transition team and is now in charge of the committee that is investigating the possible involvement of some in Trump's administration.
       So now its been decided that the ranking Democrat on the committee should see this secret information that pretty much everybody seems to know all about. Then maybe they'll arrange to have the whole committee see it. In the meantime Nunes has canceled all other hearings for the time being. Did I mention he was on Trump's transition team? So basically nothing is being done as far as any investigation is concerned, by the House Intel Committee, which is probably just fine with the President. If we wait long enough you can be sure some other train wreck will take place to nudge the Russia/Trump story out of the news.

Flawed And Downgraded.

       In 1958, 73% of Americans said they "trusted government to do the right thing always or most of the time." In 2015, when the same question was asked, 19% agreed with that statement. According to an article in the BBC this morning America has slipped from a "Full Democracy" to a "Flawed Democracy." The Economist Intelligence Unit which follows 167 governments in the world now lists over 49% of the world's people live in a Flawed Democracy and only 4.5% in a Full Democracy.
       So America offers less democracy and freedom today than it did half a century ago. Andrew Reynolds, a political scientist at the University of North Carolina states that North Carolina should no longer be considered a democracy at all. Freedoms have begun to slip from our grasp and we don't know why.
       So what's causing this loss of democracy? A major cause is the fear of loss of control. Whites have been in the driver's seat since our country's inception but now minorities are beginning to challenge that leadership role. In just a few years its believed that whites will be a minority. At that point they won't be able to control the process. For some, the only answer is to change the rules, the laws, so that many citizens won't be allowed to vote.
       When a country bars some citizens from voting, that country begins to lose its full Democracy status. When rights of any citizens continue to be curtailed, that country falls into a flawed state status. Between our downgraded financial rating and now this downgrade as a democracy, we need to begin to get our act together to get Congress to understand that each member owes a debt to all the citizens of America and has no right to owe that debt to any political party.
       The main reason for our lack of trust in Congress is political partisanship. The parties control government and act in their best interests, not our citizens. And we need to eliminate gerrymandering of congressional seats which confuses the rights of all citizens from being properly and fairly represented and insures the status quo for the parties. To do this, political parties need to be eliminated.

O. T. R.

       Hurray, nobody won and nobody lost. Well actually, some folks won and some folks lost. I'm talking about the Trump/Ryan Health Care bill that went down to defeat. Speaker Ryan said that the Affordable Care Act is "the law of the land." Trump said he would move on and has no intention of bringing up the subject again any time soon.
       So for those who believe they won and for those who believe they lost, now is the time to jump on an opportunity to get it right. Get it right for who? Get it right for the American people. Let's all remember that a healthcare program bill must be in the best interests of the people of this country. The Republicans were never able to agree on what that should be and the Democrats who own the ACA, own an imperfect example of what is best for all of us.
       So isn't it time for both sides to do the job they were elected to do and for which they swore an oath to do? It seems to me that the time is ripe for everyone to be a winner, the President, every House member and the entire Senate to all be winners, to all be able to take credit for doing it right.
       Yes folks, I speak of a Congress that can work together to make the necessary changes and improvements to the Affordable Care Act, the law of the land, so that all Americans can have healthcare at prices they can all afford. And by so doing can eliminate this one huge concern we all have, good health and great care when we don't have such good health.
       Oh, who's kidding whom. There aren't enough stars in the sky to wish upon to make that pipe dream come true. So how about if we just make a few changes to Obamacare and if necessary call it OTR healthcare, for Obama and Trump and Ryan. After all, what does it really matter if everybody takes credit for it. Heck, if everybody takes credit for something, that something will stand the test of time.

What intelligence?

       Let's see if I understand this situation correctly. We have the FBI investigating the White House to see if any of the President's campaign people colluded with Russia. Then we have the head of the House of Representatives intelligence committee, who runs to the White House to tell the campaign people what the FBI is doing and, who knows, maybe what information the FBI has on any individuals.
       Then Mr. Nunes, the head of the Intelligence Committee, apologizes and said maybe he shouldn't have done what he did. Hold on a minute. He's the head of the "intelligence" committee. Shouldn't that position require at least a modicum of intelligence? That committee isn't a department of the Trump administration. Mr. Nunes was not elected to advise Mr. Trump on secret investigations of the FBI simply because he was privy to conversations with the FBI.
       And still the House Representatives can't see any reason why it should be necessary to appoint an independent commission or a special investigation. I'm sorry, but the Intelligence Committee of the House of Representatives does not have the intelligence to keep things to themselves. Ya don't go running to someone outside the House to tattle on the FBI. You shouldn't tattle even to other members of the House or Senate, or anybody else. How dumb are they?
       Rep. Nunes is a surrogate of the Trump administration. Shouldn't he have recused himself from the investigation into the Trump campaign people and Russia? If I ever have to go to court, I hope I can have a close friend or relative on the jury. Everybody would be happy for themselves if we all could. But it doesn't set a very good example, now does it?

This Keeps Me Up Night.

       Much has been said, over the last eight years, of how expensive it was to protect the Obama's during his presidency. His vacations and travel have been reported and misreported ad infinitum. Still the costs to the Secret Service are not all that spectacular when compared to his predecessor, were it not for the fact that Mr. bush had a ranch in Texas where he spent all his free time, his costs would likely have been much higher. The Obama's didn't have such a luxury.
       Never the less, Mr. Obama's expenses pale in comparison to Mr. Trump's. Already, according to a report in the Huffington Post today, The Secret Service was forced to request an additional $60 million for 2018 plus an additional $33 million for additional travel expenses. The $60 million was turned down by the Office of Management and Budget according to the Washington Post.
       Do you realize the President hasn't even been office for two months yet. We should never, ever hear any complaints about Obama's expensive travels and vacations again. In fact, its beginning to look like Trump will set records that will never be topped.
       Don't misunderstand me, I think its wonderful that our President can afford to own a resort in Florida where he goes almost every weekend, a skyscraper in mid town Manhattan for his wife and youngest son, both locations of which are fully protected by our Secret Service. However, if he decides to buy a ski resort in Aspen Colorado, we'd better take out another loan with Russia to cover the cost of covering it. Remind me again why America owns and continues to operate the Presidential retreat at Camp David?
       Just protecting his family, their separate residences, and their individual travels could well increase the national debt by $billions. And all that, is just for the first quarter. My big worry is the question of; should something untoward happen to our president, which one of his family will be crowned head of state?

The Case For And Against.

       It would appear that Senator Chuck Schumer has hit on what must be considered an important precedent in the confirmation hearings of Judge Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court seat of Justice Scalia. Senator Schumer has suggested that further hearings of Judge Gorsuch be held up until the investigation into President Trump's dealings with Russia are concluded.
       The precedent was set by none other than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when he held up President Obama's nominee to the same seat on the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland, until after a new president was elected. Well, until the investigations are completed and decisions are made we won't know what we need to do. We may well find it necessary to replace Donald Trump, the current president.
       If that were to happen it would be unfair to the new President, V.P. Mike Pence, to deprive him of choosing a nominee of his own preference. If this is not a precedent in this case, then there is no such thing as precedent.
       I'm certain that Senate Majority Leader McConnell, being the ultra fair man that he is, will realize the need to place this nomination on hold in order to show that he's a man of true stature in the mold of our Founding fathers. And I hold my breath in anticipation of his announcement to hold up said nominating hearings. Mitch, don't let me run out of breath.

A Lesson In Fiscal Conservativism.

       'Mommy, what's a fiscal conservative?" "Well Johnny, in our president's mind it's someone who is willing to cut funding for almost anything except defense, social security, Medicare, the Great Wall against Mexico, a gigantic infrastructure program and enormous tax cuts for the 1%."
       "Oh, I thought it was someone who wanted to reduce our debt, Mommy." "No son, a fiscal conservative, nowadays, agrees more with Dick Cheney's idea that "Deficits don't matter." Back in older times those fiscal conservatives thought that cutting taxes were less important that keeping the national debt in line or even raising taxes when necessary."
       "Huh, Mommy, I thought that fiscal conservatives are in favor of keeping the debt low."
       "Well Johnny, they used to be interested in that sort of thing, but now they've always more interested in cutting the 15% of the budget that helps the most needy of our citizens so they can cut taxes for the wealthiest of our citizens.
       "But Mommy, don't they know that the poorest citizens can't afford to pay for all those tax cuts and the Great Wall, and the largest build-up of our military in history, and all the infrastructure improvements needed to make our country more productive again, don't they know, Mommy?
       Well of course they know, Johnny, that's why they plan to increase the federal debt by more than $10 trillion. If I had a stick in my hand I'd swat them on their bottom. They just don't seem to understand they're planning on hurting the very people who elected them.
       "Wow Mommy, it sounds like you won't vote for them ever again, huh Mommy?"
       "And how, Johnny."

Washington Problems.

       Ya know I never thought about this before, but an article in ProPublica today has me thinking about having extremely wealthy people in cabinet level positions. It turns out that the fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara had been investigating HHS Secretary Tom Price for "trading on stocks of health-related companies while he was working on legislation affecting those companies."
       Now I'm not suggesting that all wealthy candidates for any President's cabinet are likely to break the law, but for those folks, its more likely if for no other reason than because they do mess with stocks and they do also work in ways that leave them open to accidentally breaking a law. Now you or I aren't likely to be trading stocks in the amounts that would be questionable, nor would we likely be working on legislation that affects such companies.
       This leads me to suggest that all future presidents look for average folks for their cabinets. There are several reasons that make this a good idea. First, they would be willing to work longer hours, and then they would be unlikely to accidentally mess with stocks at all. And they have good ideas.
       For instance, just the other day I overheard a couple of guys talking. They suggested we stop paying all Congressmen and women until they started doing their jobs. Now that's what I call a debt reduction plan for America. Sticking with Congress, I also heard the idea to put all those in Congress on the same healthcare plans as we all have and let them have the same retirement plans we have. I can see the $20 trillion debt we have disappearing over night.
       Then let's make the military purchase all tools for all equipment at the nearest hardware store. So they'll have to design equipment that can be repaired with commonly available tools. I'll bet you could make some suggestions too. Maybe we should hire you for a cabinet post. Which one are you most interested in?

A budget Is One thing.

       Its that time of year when everybody hates the IRS. And why not? After all its sole purpose is to take money from all of us and spend it on all manner of good and bad ideas. But after all is said and done, where would we be without the IRS? I suppose nobody would miss Congress, but if you did, there wouldn't be one if there wasn't any money available to operate it the 130 or 140 days a year its open. And what about our President and his Cabinet? Ya know, they want to be paid too. Heck, even the military we all depend on to protect us couldn't operate without any money.
       Then there's the EPA. If ever there was a useless department its the EPA. Who needs clean water and air anyway? Smog is just fine as an appetizer and ask Detroit if polluted water isn't the cat's meow. Which is more important, corporate profits or lung diseases and irritated bowl syndromes? You may enjoy your view of mountains and streams, but most us don't need all that stuff. And remember, snow should never be snow white.
       I mention these two agencies in particular because President Trump's first draft budget plans to cut the budgets for the IRS and the EPA by double digits. The reason for doing this, and oh yes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard,  and the U.S. State Department, along with dozens of other non-military department budgets are under the knife, is to keep two campaign promises; Expand the military and shrink the government, and another promise, to cut taxes for the wealthy.
       Now I agree that we do need to cut costs and I guess our military needs upgrading to a smarter, more modern force, and by the way, why would you cut the Cost Guard? You do know they're part of our defense don't you? But shouldn't our cost cutting be done a bit smarter. In an article in the National Memo its being called "Meat Ax" targeting. Sounds about right.

Wake Up Call.

       The most concerning event in the life of our democracy is the beginning of the false truths, or the "alternative fact." When truth becomes a falsehood and lies become fact, our democracy and our liberty will almost surely disappear. It's not a conservative thing and it's not a liberal thing, its the end of a republic, its the end of a democracy. That's when authoritarianism can take over.
       That's why we need to hold politicians and the media to account. Fact checking is a really big deal and when politics creeps into the checking of facts, that's an even bigger deal. We need independent, non biased reporting on lies. And no media outlet should be able to support proven lies without providing a caveat to their support.
       I realize we can't mess much with the news media and the First Amendment, but maybe we can tweak it just a bit so as to fight false news, false truth and alternative facts. They need to be outlawed. Of course there's a problem with doing that because it opens the door to all kinds of mischief, So it kinda looks like our desire to be completely free and open leaves us completely open and free to be taken advantage of.
       The only way to stop this kind of mischief from taking over our country is to demand the truth, like it or not. And there will be times when we won't like it at all. When your political beliefs are challenged by the truth, we'll have to swallow hard and accept it. Some times the bitter pill is the best cure. I like America as it was designed. What about you?

W.A.B.B.O.

       Okay, so the CBO report is in on the AHCA. Don't ya just love acronyms? I realize its easier to just write initials, but there seems to be too many that are the same as some other agency or report or whatever. But lets get back to the matter at hand, or "MAH". The non partisan Congressional Budget Office has reviewed the proposed American Health Care Act. And their findings show that nearly 24,000,000,000, that's 24 million, people will lose their health coverage.
       It also shows that over the next ten years there would be a savings of $337,000,000, that's 337 billion. That's a fair amount of savings, even if it is spread over ten years. In fact it comes to $1.40 per person who will lose their healthcare coverage. Or broken down further it comes to 14 cents per person, per year.
       That means that if we charges each person just 14 cents more per year, we could let those 24 million people keep their current Obamacare insurance and Republicans could quit bellyaching about it. Now I don't mean any disrespect for all those Republicans, like Speaker Paul Ryan, who have worked feverishly on this proposed healthcare plan for about nine years, but if that's the best plan you could come up with after nine years, then isn't it time for you to admit that the Affordable Care Act, ACA, was pretty well thought out? And while it does need some improvements and perhaps some minor changes, it should be kept in place. Don't you finally agree?
       In fact, I'll bet that if you spent the next nine years laboring over government spending, you just might find another way to save $337,000,000 in government waste, that's "GW". So, according to the CBO, and as a  MAH, by allowing ACA to continue and scrapping ACHA and eliminating GW, We'd All Be Better Off, or WABBO.

Oh, Stop That.

       I read an Associated Press article today about "Niceness 101. Classes, workshops in civility aim to restore a sense of decorum to American public life." Ya see? That's the problem with politics these days. If you're Conservative you can't even have a conversation with a Liberal because neither of you are willing to listen to the other, even if the other has some valid points, just like you.
       Why is it that the arts of conversation and reconciliation have been discarded? If you vote Democrat, you can't tolerate someone who votes Republican and the same the other way around. We're running around in circles fighting with each other. And what comes of it? We wind up with legislation that won't pass the test of time.
       If we don't soon learn to work together again, we're going to lose our place as the leader of the whole world. And the free world will suffer deeply. The ideas of hardened partisanship just don't work for the good of our country. They might work okay, but just okay, for those parties individually, but if you can't work for each other and with each other you're never going to get anywhere permanently. What you pass today will be turned tomorrow.
       And quit saying you were able to pass a bill with bipartisan support when you got one or two votes from the other party. That's like claiming you were the life of the party when it was really a dream. Stop it. Stop acting like little children. Neither party has the answer. Both parties, together, might just find the answer. I don't think Trump will ever change, but the rest of us, all of us, can try.

What's With This Guy?

       I have to say, the Secretary of the EPA is an odd fit for his department. Scott Pruitt just doesn't like the EPA's mission. He, along with our President, does not like clean water. They don't seem to like clean air either, but its the clean water they are really zeroing in on. Its been decided that it'll be okay to restart dumping earth and coal waste into any of the streams in the coal regions of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio, where mountaintop removal mining is done.
       Just scrape off the top of the mountain to get at a seam of coal and bulldoze everything else over into the streams below. Don't mind that those streams are what create the rivers that flow to cities that get their drinking water from, guess where? Scott can probably tell you, not that he cares.
       All this to save a dying industry. Coal is done, the mine owners just don't know it yet. And then there's the issue of Global Warming and human activity that is the major cause of it. Of course you didn't hear that from Mr. Pruitt. He's a climate change denier.
       Now if you were on a patio in rainy weather with one hundred scientists and ninety seven of them told you that it was going to rain more, but three said it wouldn't, would you join the ninety seven and go indoors or would you stay out in the rain? Because Scott Pruitt is going to stay out in the rain even if it means his corsage droops.
       Now President Trump doesn't seem to care one way or another about the climate. All he cares about is convincing you and I that he can produce new jobs in coal mining even if there's no demand for coal. In fact he's likely to try to create demand for that dying industry, even if it means destroying more jobs in new emerging energy industries. So while Scott and Donald don't care about clean water and climate change, I do, and you should too.

A Change Of Mind.

       A friend of mine told me, the other day, that we need to send somebody down there to straighten "him" out. Of course I knew who she was talking about. Another said he didn't want his high school senior going into the military because "he's" going to get us into a war. I knew who that person was talking about too. It might not be a bad idea to send somebody down there to straighten him out before he does get us into a war.
       The question is who could we send that he would listen to? We could send a strong willed Senator or Representative to talk to him. It would be handy since they're already in town. The problem is none of them seem willing to talk tough to him. How about a governor of a big state, or even a small state? But then he might not listen to them either. Now he does seem to listen to billionaires so maybe we could send one of them. Ah, but then most of them are in his cabinet already. How about some news media titan? Naw, he says they're all fake.
       Ya see how difficult it is to find someone who can get an appointment with him and then talk turkey to him and expect him to agree to follow those suggestions. Its a real problem. Of course we could wait four years to vote him out of there, but he's got a lot of money behind him and besides I think he will own twitter by then. What about Joe the Plumber? No, I think he works for Sarah Palin.
       You'd think somebody like one of the Clintons or Obama or Bush or Romney or Biden or someone of that stature could get his attention, but no, I don't think so. Ya know I think if the Lord Almighty were to try to get an appointment to talk to him like a father, he'd get turned away by him. So if all those would have no effect on him and not even Pence can move him, its unlikely that I could do any good. But at least I'm trying, how about you?

Its A Great Plan.

       Ask any Republican Congressman in the hierarchy of Congress and he'll tell you the replacement plan for the Afford Care Act is a vast improvement. But if you ask if it will adversely affect millions of current policy holders, that same Representative will tell you it will save the government millions of dollars.
       "No, I asked if any people who are currently insured, will lose their coverage?" But the answer will be the same, that is, the new plan to replace the ACA will Save The Government Millions. Now if the new plan will save millions, does that mean millions more will have coverage or millions less?
Ya wanna know what I think? I think a whole lot of good folks are going to lose their insurance because they won't be able to afford it, under the new plan.
       It doesn't look like the new "replace" plan was designed to help anyone get healthcare except maybe the rich. It looks like the middle class and the poor are gonna be phased out of healthcare. Not all at once, mind you, but over time healthcare insurance is gonna get costlier and costlier until you won't be able to afford to pay the premiums or the co-pays.
       But never fear, if you get sick enough, in other words, if you've got one foot in the grave, this new plan will provide the push to get you going. No, Wait, that doesn't sound right. What I mean is if you get really, really sick and if you can get to the hospital and wait in line long enough, you might get to see a doctor who will prescribe an expensive pill you can't afford.
       Its something of a hybrid of the plan to shrink the government. They also want to shrink the population. See, that would make it easier for a smaller government to serve a smaller population. And what with all those robots science has promised, we won't need as many people or even a smaller government. Maybe a tiny government will suffice.

There's An Odor To It.

       Well, how about that bombshell President Trump detonated Saturday morning about accusing Obama of wire tapping his phone during the campaign? Then on Sunday claiming the Congress should investigate it, and that he would say no more until Congress does investigate. When asked about the claim, neither Trump nor his several aids could or would say where the information came from. The only evidence of any talk about it came from an alt-right source and Breitbart news.
       But the head of National Security has stated no such wire tap was done by anyone in his department, the FBI director has asked for the Justice Department to state it did not happen, and the director of the CIA not only denied that his agency had any part of any such wire tap, but he also asked why the President of the United States would ask the Congress for help when he, as POTUS, had all that was necessary to look into it himself. As President, he has that authority. So why ask the Congress to do it?
       Barrack Obama, #44, has denied the story as does all of his staff. And why would he? It wouldn't help him get reelected because he's ineligible to run again. But did you notice how there's a lot less talk about the Attorney General recusing himself in the news now? You don't suppose that's the reason for this deception, do you? Oh, perish the thought. After all, Donald Trump, #45, just doesn't make accusations unless he needs to blind the public to another issue. That or it happens to be a Friday. Fridays are a great day to distract people. Everybody has the time to catch up on the news on the weekend so, its a great time to drop a stink bomb. It covers up the real news.

When Is A Lie A Lie?

       Its getting so the simple lie is no longer so simple. Politicians have long used the lie to assure their constituents that they will be foremost in the hearts and minds of the candidates. The businessman tells little lies like I'm the biggest, or we've got the best or our prices are the lowest and so on. Parents assure their children there is a Santa and Easter Bunny, and all these lies are overlooked as harmless utterances by folks just trying to be good people.
       But now-a-days there's more to a lie than there used to be. Now when you call off sick to go golfing or to attend a political rally, some bosses just might fire you. Now, a politician might accuse an opponent of all manner of vile offences that could land them in jail and even promise to put that opponent in jail himself, if elected.
       Now has came the time when candidates for appointed, critical, national positions seem to think its okay to lie about situations that are fairly easy to disprove, and do it under oath. And they wonder why they're in trouble for it. Of course both parties seem willing to do it which makes it all the more reprehensible. It's getting to the point that lying under oath seems a required strategy The only useful thing about it is that it keeps researchers fully employed. And which research has become a growth industry.
       Now I don't want you to think that all politicians lie. It just seems that only those who get elected lie. Those who don't lie go on to other endeavors. What we have to look at is the degree of the lie. Is it a small thing like telling a constituent that he'll look into yada,yada,yada, when he actually means he'll tell an unpaid staffer to check it out. If he thinks of it and with no authority to look into it. Or is it a lie that could or should land him before a firing squad. Like lying about something, while under oath, to Congress or a court.  Or somewhere in between.
       Of course there's also and always the 'intentional / unintentional' statement to consider too. But no matter how you slice it its becoming more and more commonplace. I'd not be surprised to hear its become a required subject in political science courses. 

Nothing To Hear Here.

       Well, President Trump gave his first speech to both houses of Congress. And as expected, how it was received depends on who you ask. His supporters and nearly every Republican member of Congress found it to be perhaps one of the great speeches of its kind. For Democrats and his opposition, not so much. Its not so much that he didn't soften his rhetoric in the speech, he did.
       He went from a confrontational lie fest to a friendly, but still not too informational, pat on the back, I'll be your friend forever, kind of speech. But it was still something of a campaign talk, just nicer and without the name and blame calling of his previous campaign addresses. But one of the things he didn't leave out was misinformation, the stretching of the truth, sometimes to the point of breaking the truth.
       The fact checking was once again nearly off the charts. Which brings up the point of the fact check in general. Have you noticed how Trump gets fact checked more than any other president in history? Well there are two very good reasons for that fact. First, and foremost, is that the fact checking phenomena is relatively new to the media and second is that no other president in history has such a penchant of misquoting, bending of the truth and downright lying.
       Never the less, last night's speech is a departure from Trump's normal, confrontational style. And while it had very little substance, other than promises without structure, it did make conservatives feel good. At least for the moment. As for progressives, they didn't hear anything, behind the fog of misdirection, that made them feel much different then they did before the speech. 
       You can talk about making sausage, but until you actually do make sausage, it's just talk.