Only two minutes of video, important American civics. President Eisenhower was the guy that helped win World War II. A republican I would happily vote for. The entire speech is worth a read or two:
“Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect”… you go General D.
Tell you what, watch the whole video, write me a synopsis, and I’ll send you a dollar.
March of the Plutocrats
The victory of the Plutocrats is complete. Is there anyone left in the country who still thinks Donald Trump is looking out for the little guy? Perhaps you’ve turned off your TV.
Rex Tillerson’s company, Exxon Mobil, has known about the dangers of climate change since 1981. Their scientists wrote some of the initial reports. To protect their profits, they spent millions of dollars not only to keep this information from you, but also to so stir the science that nobody could ever again trust results. The damage caused by that effort is very likely unmeasurable. Rex knows all this. And then he smiles, while he sells you the very product that may kill you. Other than that, though, he’s a nice guy.
I won’t even begin with Tillerson, Manafort, and the Russian connection. This goes deep and broad.
Meanwhile, damage to ‘the environment’ is #10 on Americans list of important issues facing the country. Terrorism at #6. Meanwhile, we are losing species – got that, entire species of life forms – at a clip of 10 a day, while terrorist still kill fewer people than bathtubs and lighting.
The victory of money over truth, common sense, and over life itself … may well be complete. Unless we don’t give up, and are willing to lift our heads from the warmth and security of the sand. The meek are never going to inherit the earth, that’s not the way it works; but we can take it back at the ballot box if the Plutocrats aren’t going to play fair.
Trump is wrong and so are you. Let me explain.
I ask forgiveness in advance for the continuing political screed, but I need to address those who say the protesters should just shut up. Really?
I’m no hater, but you can count me among those who are seriously pissed off at the moment. Personally, I think my anger, and the anger of those many other Americans who are protesting, is entirely valid. Why? I’ll answer that for you. Because our fellow Americans just voted for a guy who:
– spent Obama’s entire term trying to convince Americans he was an illegitimate president.
– has no political experience whatsoever, no knowledge of international affairs, and very little interest in compromise.
– wants to ban Muslims from the country, essentially punishing an entire class of people for the actions of a tiny minority.
– wants to throw millions of generally hard-working immigrants out of the country, and build a wall to keep the rest out.
– uses his money and power to sue and silence women he has himself abused. And admitted to doing so, boasting that his money and power gave him the right to do so.
– wants to ignore years of validated science and let climate change continue unabated, abandoning our leadership in the world on one of its most important issues.
– invites our most significant adversary to hack into our systems and mess with our election.
– floats the idea of America – the richest nation in the world – reneging on or renegotiating its debts.
– suggest abandoning our allies if they don’t pay their bill.
– constantly undermines Americans faith in our electoral system, and in our Free Press.
– lashes out like an angry child at the most irrelevant criticism, and shows no sign of being able to take responsibility for his own actions.
– Has to hide his own financial statements in order to get elected.
– wants to cut taxes, spend billions on defense, and billions on infrastructure. With no new revenues. More voodoo. Again. Do we never learn?
– tweeted after Barack Obama’s 2012 election that Americans should March on Washington in protest. March . On . Washington. Trump’s words.
So, I don’t hate you, and I don’t believe your stupid: in my opinion you’ve just been systematically sold a bill o’ goods, such as that there is a ‘Great Divide’ in our country or that there are massive disagreements among Americans. I think that’s largely an illusion, as is much of what we fear and believe. But you’re buying it and you don’t really want to think about it more than that.
That’s your choice. But, you need to know .. I think the man you chose has no right to be in the office. The contrast between Obama and Trump should be stark to you. And not in Trump’s favor. It boggles me that you don’t see that.
So here it is – I disagree with every single thing you apparently stand for, and will do everything in my power to make sure your policies don’t succeed. The next time around I will work to make sure that a decent man once again gets elected to the presidency of the United States. That’s the least I can do..
If you really want to be taken seriously, please: you need to first get serious. I know you simply hated Hillary – another bill o goods you bought into – and you really had this itch to tell someone ‘you’re fired’. The problem is, you didn’t fire someone. You hired him. And now we all have to deal with the consequences.
That’s my rant. Feel free to jump in and defend any of the above positions. Those that know me know I always have loved a solid intellectual debate. It’s not personal, folks. It’s all about the ideas. I hope and pray that we can keep it that way.
With love and kindness, Dave
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P.S. Other trump horrors added since the election:
– Conspired with Russia to effect the outcome of the election, including (perhaps) collusion to influence the election.
– Cuts foreign aid to anyone even mentioning abortion
– Calls judges who disagree with him ‘so called’ judges
– Says that the free and institutional press is the ‘enemy of the American people’
– Doubles the membership fee on his personal country club to monetize his new position
– Requires Secret Service protection for wealthy family members on business trips.
– Does not ever release his taxes, or divest from his businesses.
More to come. How long will this list get?