Status Thanksgiving 2018
It is hard to keep up with everything happening. I gave up trying to report on all of it. Instead I'm focusing on the most important things to me, things I noticed, or reactions I want to share. I'm writing this on the MARC train. The internet sucks and there are no plugins, so my time is limited. The nice thing is that I can see the towpath from the vehicle. It is almost winter and the leaves already fall. So the view includes the potomac through the trees.The Potomac is high and muddy. Looks almost more like the Mississipi as I remember it than the Potomac I'm used to. Normally the water is boiling and swirling over rapids here. But it looks tranquil right now. The Sun only recently came up. I can hear snips of conversation from commuters. To me this is very peaceful. I never expected my legs to give out the way they did. One of the things I loved the most was walking. Never was good at running. But I could walk for miles. Now it hurts to walk half a mile. So I don't go to DC as much as I planned to when I moved to Brunswick. I'm only 63 years old. Maybe this will improve. Passing point of Rocks. Went under the Bridge that marks route 15.
I should have given you permission to skip this post. But indulge me please
I'm calling Trump Trumptater from now on:
Yesterday, what's been obvious to me since before Donald J. Trump ever went down that stair case became clear to everyone. Trump is a wannabe dictator and is acting like one. Yesterday we found out that He's ordered the DOJ to investigate enemies, tried to have them arrested, and otherwise abused his power. At the same time we were treated to the tragicomic farce of Ivanka getting caught using private emails for government business. The press is ignoring the fact that she, and the rest of Trumptater's mob are using their government transport, resources, and government business to advance their personal business.
Winning the War on Freedom of the Press
That is lost in the outrages of attacks on the first amendment, efforts to suppress or control the press, and Trump calling news he doesn't like "fake news" and trying to eject reporters who ask too many questions from the White House. Those are Trump's "new rules" in the guise of "decorum." No follow up questions allowed!
Reliable Sources reports that the new rules:
“reporters may only ask "a single question" at a press conference. Follow-ups will only be permitted "at the discretion of the President or other White House officials." And reporters must "physically surrender" the mic when directed. Violations of "any" of these rules "may result in suspension or revocation.”
The author goes on to pretend this is normal.
Trump's Ongoing War with Journalism
Trump is at war with journalism as well as with reporters. Behind Trump are the monopolists, "industrialists" & owners, who have been working on controling the press and corrupting it since Reagan disabled protections on monopoly power and Clinton and the "free market republicans" opened up radio spectrum to monopolization. Trump lost his battle to arbitrarily expel journalists from the White House. But whether or not they can disallow journalism is still in question. Trump made his opinion known by blasting the 9th Circuit Court for ruling against him for ignoring laws and regulations. He wants a controlled press not a free Press.
The court ruled on the due process but not the first amendment.
Playing Both Sides
The Washington Post, New York Times, and other major news organizations love to expose Trump. But their editors and some of their press also serve his interests and help him gaslight, confuse, attack his enemies, and spread his lies. They seem to be in denial that this is a major fight. It is a major problem.
But they also have a point. Press freedom is as much in trouble from the News Industry, cynical management and cynical reporters, than from Trump. We need to understand that. People like Maggie Haberman play both sides, protect the people they should be investigating, and do so for the sake of protecting their access to scoundrels. It is a real Crying Shame. The rest try to keep their jobs by pretending there are two sides to every issue and ignoring that most of these are true or false issues, not "truth" or "alternative facts. Trump can only get away with destroying the free press if their bosses put profits, (or in the Case of NBC "Celebrity Apprentice Residuals," over principle and long term survival.
Pause
Pause, the train stopped on the bridge over the Monocacy River (Md). I am treated to a view of trees, water and the canal viaduct. Lovely! Should have snapped a photo!
Killing
Trump loves dictators. He has more bromances than Hitler & Stalin ever did with each other. Maybe the term should be Tatermances. Since if I were a comic I'd start portraying them with "Mr Potatohead" images. Putin is a little skinny PutinTater. Trump is a Trumptater. I consider Putin a Trumptater. The Saudis have a Trumptater too. But Trumptater numero Uno is Donald J. Trump Someone else came up with the nickname. I was calling him #Trumpenfuhrer until they convinced me Trumptater works better.
Trump loves the idea of "toughness." He really does want to kill people. He talks about beating them up, "get them out of here." Trump admires people who kill or jail reporters, political opponants, or folks who criticize him. I'm sure we'll eventuallly find out that Trumptater gave a go ahead to the Saudis to kill Khashoggi. He had, after all, written articles critical of both the Saudis and Jared Kushner. Now that they've admitted they killed him he says about the murder, "it is what it is." Trump gives himself credit for "low" gasoline prices:
“It’s all about America first. We’re not going to give up hundreds of billions of dollars in orders and let Russia, China and everybody else have them. It’s all about -- for me, very simple, it’s America first.”
Actually with Trump it is “Trump First”
But he is probably telling the truth when he says:
“Saudi Arabia, if we broke with them, I think your oil prices would go through the roof.”
He says this for two reasons.
- If he criticized Saudi Arabia their investment in his personal businesses would disappear.
- If we broke with them, they might put on an embargo of oil sales or conspire with the oil industry to raise prices. It is rumored that the oil industry promised to hold up on gasoline price rises til after November. He's afraid of Saudi Blackmail it looks like.
Meanwhile Ivanka used a private account for government business, which makes his pre and post election "lock her up Chants" a hoot. And she is using her government "job" for her private business, which is the more serious observation.
- https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/11/20/trump_presser_saudi_arabia_and_khashoggi_ivanka_emails_asylum_ruling.html
- Ivanka "coincidence", no way:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/business/ivanka-trump-china-trademarks.html
Targeting Enemies for prosecution
I suspect Trump was in favor of the Russian attempted take-over of Interpol. They've already used Interpol to go after their political enemies, which coincidentally are also Trump's enemies, such as Bill Browder. Putin and Trump both love to Trump up totally nonsensical and non-factual accusations (lies) about their political enemies. Only Putin has Chaika to prosecute enemies based on those lies. Trump wanted his Chaika Too! Fortunately, the people who run Interpol rejected Putin's nominee. Phew!!! His target Ben Browder!
Trump Gets his Kingpin!
Trump just appointed Kingpin Whitakertater to head the DOJ, illegally of course. Once he gets his power consolidated, we may never get rid of Trump. He already is asserting power to rule by decree. The cowardly GOP is unwilling to push back against him. We are in Trouble.
A Modern Gulag
According to reports I get from Russian dissidents, they are reviving a modernized version of the old Gulag system in Russia. The Gulag was actually an invention of the Tsar, but Lenin and Stalin perfected an early version of it. It was a system of interconnected prisons, work camps and Siberian Hell Holes. It was efficient at killing enemies. The Russian Gulag even had a secret city for prisoner-scientists. Stalin was smarter than Hitler. Hitler killed scientists and doctors. Stalin put them to work and gave them limited privileges as long as they worked. If there had been an Interpol in the 30s, I'm sure Franco, Stalin and Hitler would have used it to go after their enemies. The USA, France, Britain and dictators in South America organized a mini-Interpol to go after Communists, social workers, playwrites and dissident priests in the 70s-80s. It was called "Operation Condor." The new Axis of Trumptaters and their corrupt governments could use interpol to go after dissidents world wide. I'm sure Trump is all for that!
- Someone is already on it! Buy a Trumptater Tee Shirt!
- https://thetrumptater.com/products/3-4-sleeve-raglan-shirt
Concentration Camps
And of course we changed our policy at the border on refugee applicants. Trump criminalized any attempt to apply for refugee status. Previously, if there was a reasonable claim for refugee status, the immigrant was given court dates, children were released to relatives and people could live with those relatives while awaiting the decision of a court. Trump doesn't believe in judges, unless they follow orders, so he has decided to detain all refugee applicants and people who crossed the border, legal or illegal, pre-trial. And he is building expensive concentration camps. Okay, they call them detainee centers, but that is what they are.
ICE Deportations
He is detaining "illegal immigrants" there. ICE laid out plans to round up and move anyone whose status is undocumented or who is denied a green card, to these camps. This was pursuaint to Trump's first executive order I wrote about in 2017. He also seems intent on denying long time residents with green cards, legal immigration status. He has been trying to send a Muslim Cleric living in this country to Turkey, where that cleric will be murdered, in order to help the Trumptaters in Turkey and Saudi Arabia work out their differences over Khashoggi. He has stated his wishes on "illegal immigrants." He thinks all immigrants (not just illegal ones but including DACA kids, etc...), who aren't white or have lots of money, should be deported. If he can it will happen. The reality is, I was expecting him to be rounding up "illegals" by the tens of thousands by now. So far, mayors and governors in less authoritarian parts of the country, have tried to slow him. He hired tens of thousands of guards, with relaxed vetting so they could hire racists and thugs, so it's not for lack of trying. I think his HS Secretary is leaving because she hasn't worked fast enough for him.
We are in Trouble
I wrote down all this from memory. I had a nice journey to Union Station. At Union Station I talked to A Chinese lady who's issue is China's Gulag. And I had an nice trip to Springfield, where my Sister picked me up. Missed another photo opportunity crossing the Potomac! Just a beautiful day! I updated this to my blog at my sisters house, where we are waiting to eat dinner. Added refernces. Drew me some pictures, and so this is enough for today! If we were operating under Dubya's old Threat level situation, we would be in code red. Our System is under attack. I hope we Democrats can get through to my Republican Friends, just how bad things are!
As usual, I end the blog entry with even more stuff I need to do, than I started with. I hope everyone enjoys their turkey! (or whatever they eat tomorrow!)
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