random thoughts 051519

War powers of heads of state should be for the defense of the nation. They have become an attempted instrument to impose the will of one man on the world. This is called a dictatorship (or a least that of a want-a-be). In times of war the country rallies around flag waving dictators until the cost becomes known. War becomes an electioneering activity. 2020 is around the corner how many must die for votes? How long has this country now been in a continuous state of war with someone and we must now look for new enemies since we can't defeat the old?

Roe v. Wade Christian fanatics again attempting to impose their ideology on all women and the country. They do this in the name of God just to appear pious to congregations but don't apply the same standard to themselves. With fanatics controlling legislatures and courts can we say we are a democracy?

It's clear that Barr served Trump's interest and not the people. He lied to Congress at his confirmation and to the people in his statement on the content of the Mueller report. Clear from the start that Barr was hired to cover up. His refusal to appear before Congress is clearly extending cover up to democracy's grave. A clear case of abuse of power, corruption and betrayal of the rule of law. Impeach!

Trump is guilty of many things; the question is how deeply does his guilt go. There is little doubt that an attempt to cover up administration's questionable actions is underway. To deny Congressional oversight is to disband Congress and overthrow any pretense of democracy. Of course disbanding congress will save money that Trump can waste on his useless wall.

The debt is a sad legacy for our grand children. China does not have to defeat us just foreclose, send the country into receivership and sell off our assets to the highest bidder. American hedge fund model comes back to haunt financial markets. Based on his business record Trump's plan may be to declare national bankruptcy and take a tax write off. It's hopeless to attempt to explain to him the flaws in his plan, a confirmation of low IQ.

DNA testing clearly a Trump plan to build a persecution database of those seeking entry into the U.S. If this flies expect a Trump order for all citizens to be tested for a database to be used against potential Trump opposition. We already have concentration camps for kids expect it to be followed by one for political dissidents, where did this happen before?

Drafting women into the military is equality. In theory the draft will only occur if the country is faced with a national emergency. Does that include the Mexican border? Once the draft registry was only used to fill military ranks to secure the country. Today however giving the government unlimited access to a draft registry is to hand people like Trump a big stick to threaten and abuse men and women citizens. A draft registry is National Insurance, but people should be protected from hackers and most importantly from their own government.

The administration refused to provide investigation reports to Congress.  The New American way, suspects get to control investigations and evidence of their wrongdoing. Al Capone would have loved it, but failure to provide the full report to Congress ends the rule of law in this country.

In his budget request for his so call border crisis Trump set his priories. Looks like we support military dictatorships rather than people in need. 4.5 Billion seems to be a lot of money for just beans and bandages.  Should we ever believe Trump? There may be a wall around his new desert golf course, which will need lots of watering by imprisoned illegal immigrants.  Consideration should be given to his created border crisis victims, but not through Trump and his minions.   Much of the border money has already been diverted.  We are strong on bullets and weak on beans and our foreign aid spending percentage is near the bottom in a list of providers.

Trade war rhetoric is Trump belly bumping for votes.  The result may get a few votes but the country will be walking with a limp from shooting itself in the foot as it tries to raise exports and reduce the trade deficit.  Trump is attempting to manipulate the market in his trade pronouncement.  "We are close to a settlement," and the market surges a week later, "they didn't appreciated my business brilliance," and the market plunges.  White House inside traders could be making a fortune.

Horrors Should Congress rush to impeach Trump? Not yet, Mueller ran his investigation pretty much in accordance with his mandate, Russian influence in 2016 election. Along the way he uncovered other crimes that couldn't be ignored. Despite claims by the White House of Horrors, Mueller didn't pursue other wide ranging leads of other criminal activities of this administration. To begin impeachment proceeding only on the immediate charges will be seen as a partisan battle. There is no doubt that this administration is the most corrupt in the history of the county. Grant's administration previously held that dubious honor but Grant wasn't corrupt just naive about the people around him. Trump on the other hand is using his office to further his own business interest and directing the corruption of those around him. What are needed are further investigations into the full extent of his corruption while in office and even before. It is probable that evident of extensive financial crimes will be uncovered, possible even links to foreign organized crime. The point is that an impeachment indictment should be so complete with incontrovertible evidence that most of the GOP will finally stop covering up for a national criminal enterprise and treason, isn't that accessory after the fact?  If it takes another year to gather all the evidence, so be it. If Trump is out of office before the case is ready to go to trial an honest Attorney General can pursue criminal charges. Trump can have a real first, first former American President to serve hard time. Imprisonment in club Fed is out, no golf for prisoner number one, he cheats anyway.

Iran 062119

With the exception or the four “Rs” (radical, raving, racist, right) believers, few can doubt that the present war crisis is the result of Trump’s blundering electioneering. 

It is possible that the administration now sees more election opportunities, war demands flag rallies, and everyone knows how Trump loves a good rally.   A sure vote getter, war worked four times for Democrat FDR.  War as a political tool in America has historical precedent that dates at least as far back as the Lincoln administration.  It was proposed that the United States declare another war on Mexico so the south would rally around against the common enemy. 

American problems with Iran date back to the fall of the British Empire and assumption of world power in the 1940s.  By the 50s the United States over threw the only democratic elected government in the Middle East, returning a despot to the throne of Iran.  U.S. responsibility for their suffering was not lost on the Iranian population.  Continued exploitation led to revolution and eventual seizure of the American Embassy.  A failed rescue attempt greatly embarrassed America to the point of continued conflict by supporting regional proxy wars.

While Americans don’t remember last week, Iran and the rest of the Muslim world have very long memories.  Minor slights don’t go away they just pile higher and higher.   The Rumsfeld/Chaney plan to take over mid-east oil by control of Iraq and Afghanistan and threatening Iran with a two front invasion has spectacularly failed, resulting in regional instability.  The GOP hard-liners still holds on to the hope of revenge for America’s embarrassment and pushes mindless Trump into a no-win confrontation.

Shots have now been fired and its string of blunders isolates America.  There is no question of the shot heard around the world but where the drone fell is immaterial.  It was there to intimidate Iran.   It’s possible it was American armed drones creating provocations that damaged tankers.  It is also possible that any number of regional dissent groups damaged the tankers.  The administration blames every incident on Iran, which are denied so whom to believe? Should we believe an administration that has never told the truth or its demonized Muslim foe with a motive to tell the truth?

This is a clash of cultures: one embracing game theory of win-win  (can’t lose) with Christian calls for holy crusades, the other who believes win-win means no loser with Islamic values of defense of the faith.  Thump who has no ethics or integrity probably still believes he can bully Iran into a subordinate American colony.  Iran reflects regional history, occupation is not surrender.  The Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Russians, British, French, and Soviets were defeated and ejected from the region.  Trump is hoping to arm Saudi Arabia as an ally after losing influence not only in the region but also the world.  America will never recover and Iran will never surrender.

It may become known as the 2020 hindsight war, but Trump will finally get his military parade, Caissons slow march rolling into Arlington.