Archives for September 2017

Trump Talk Of War Could Morph Into Something More Than A Distraction

September 25, 2017 By John DeProspo 2 Comments

There is an old saying that goes something like this: “ Nobody needs a war more than a politician who is low in the polls.”

And boy are Trump’s numbers down! Multiple surveys have found Trump to have the lowest approval ratings of any President in the last 70 years at this point in his presidency.

Of course Donald Trump does not actually want war with North Korea. But he does want to distract Americans from the serious consequences he and his regime face from the ever-tightening noose otherwise known as the Mueller investigation.

So he resorts to name-calling, something he is particularly good at. Calling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “Rocket Man” follows in a long line of pejoratives he has used to smear his opponents. There is “Crooked Hillary,” “Little Marco,” “Lyin’ Ted,” “Crazy Bernie,” and “Low-energy Jeb,” just to name a few of Trump’s greatest hits.

But Kim Jong-un is an unknown entity. It doesn’t appear he is taking Trump’s taunt lightly.

Today North Korea’s foreign minister, Ri Yong-ho, accused the United States of declaring war on his country.

“Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make counter-measures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country,” said Yong-ho.

There is another old saying … “Loose lips sinks ships.” In other words, beware of loose talk.

A spokesman for the head of the UN correctly warned that fiery talk could lead to fatal misunderstandings.

Trump may think strong talk against North Korea is prime meat for his base and a distraction from FBI special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into his links with Russia. It could also inadvertently lead to World War III.

It is way past time for the adults in the White House to reign in our toddler-in-chief. This is not a game. This is not a reality TV show.

Photo | express.co.uk

Like Dubya Before Him, Trump Is Exceeding Everyone’s Worst Fears

September 23, 2017 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

Admit it, even some of you Trump supporters, you never thought Trump could be so bad, so incompetent, so divisive, so petty, so …. well you name it.

Hillary Clinton didn’t.

“I really had such deep doubts about his preparation, his temperament, his character, his experience, but he’s been even worse than I thought he would be,” Clinton told MSNBC’s Joy Reid on “AM Joy.”

Just like George W. Bush’s presidency, Donald Trump and his administration have once again stained America’s reputation around the world … and after only eight months in office!

While Bush lied us into an unnecessary war in Iraq that destabilized the Middle East and world as a whole, Trump is knocking on the door of nuclear confrontation with North Korea.

Just think about this for one second. At a meeting of a world body dedicated to international peace through diplomacy, Donald Trump’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly this week contained a childish taunt of North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, calling him “Rocket Man” who is “on a suicide mission.”

The least presidential American president to ever address the United Nations warned the “Hermit Kingdom” to watch its back because the United States would “totally destroy North Korea” if forced to defend itself or its allies. So much for statecraft!

Like George W. Bush, Trump is a national embarrassment. But it wouldn’t be so bad if making America a global laughingstock were the extent of the damage.

By talking up America’s military might and threatening other countries, Trump is not making us more secure. His irresponsible language is having the opposite effect. He is not helping the cause of world peace but making nuclear war a possibility not seen since the height of the Cold War.

Some have called Donald Trump’s “America First” rhetoric the greatest threat to world peace; his incompetence the greatest risk to international security.

Hyperbole? Maybe not.

Who could have imagined Trump’s loose little lips may one day lead to a nuclear crisis.

If only he were just an embarrassment.

Photo | cnn.com

Trumpcare – The Creature From The Bowels Of Congress Refuses To Die

September 18, 2017 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

“He’s back!” Or more precisely, “It’s back!”

Trumpcare, the evil Republican plan to rob millions of Americans of their healthcare, and jack up premiums for many others, has been resurrected from the dead.

It was only about two months ago that Arizona Sen. John McCain put what seemed at the time to be the proverbial nail in the coffin of what Republicans were pushing as their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.

But thanks to the efforts of Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Republican healthcare plan many now call Trumpcare may live to see another day.

The two senators are pushing Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell for a vote on their new and improved healthcare plan that, from the looks of things, is very much like the old Republican plan. Under the Graham-Cassidy bill, millions would still lose coverage, Medicaid would see the same steep cuts as in earlier repeal bills, and insurers in some states could charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions.

The good news is that the odds of the Graham-Cassidy bill getting the 50 votes needed for passage in the Senate are slim.

Already Sen. Rand Paul has said he would not support the new bill because it doesn’t do enough of a hatchet job on Obamacare. It’s still too generous with those subsidies!

Why are Republicans now trying to breath life into a moribund piece of legislation that is hated by a majority of Americans?

Simple. If the Senate does not vote by the end of next week, it will become almost impossible to repeal Obamacare because the drive to kill the law will lose the procedural protections that allow it to pass the Senate with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes that would otherwise be needed.

Interestingly enough, McCain, the very man who slayed the Republican healthcare monster the last go round has indicated he might “reluctantly” vote for the new repeal bill if the governor of his state supports it. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey supports the legislation!

Unless there is some dramatic change in how two moderate Republican senators vote (Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski) look for the “Creature from the bowels of Congress” to die its ultimate death.

Maybe.

Photo | movieweb.com

Trump Challenges Kim Jong-un To A Game Of Golf

September 12, 2017 By John DeProspo Leave a Comment

In an effort to de-escalate tensions between their respective countries, Donald Trump has invited North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, to a friendly game of golf at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

“I’ve always said some of my best deals have been negotiated on the golf course,” boasted Trump. “The fake news media gives me such a hard time with all the golf I’ve played as president. What they don’t tell the American people is that I’m actually working while I’m golfing.”

The idea of using sports to improve relations with an adversary is not new.

When Richard Nixon sought a thaw in American relations with China in the early 1970s, he resorted to table tennis. In what later came to be known as “Ping Pong” diplomacy, the two countries that had not had diplomatic or economic relations for nearly 20 years, finally broke the ice. Nixon’s gambit turned out to be successful, resulting in opening the U.S.-China relationship and leading the U.S. to lift its embargo against the People’s Republic of China on June 10, 1971.

Already Trump’s attempt to find common ground with North Korea through the game of golf is being called “Fairway Finesse.”

Someone on the White House staff brought up the fact that there is only one golf course in North Korea and Kim is not known to be a player. Wouldn’t Trump, a lifelong golfer, embarrass a man who has probably never held a golf club?

“That’s nonsense,” snapped Trump. “From all I hear Kim is a natural athlete, like his father Kim Jong-il. I heard Kim is a big hockey fan … that he played a secret exhibition game with some of the NHL’s biggest stars and notched a Gordie Howe hat trick in his first time on the ice. And he did it while playing goalie!”

Legend has it the elder Kim was perhaps the greatest athlete of his time. It is well documented he shot five holes-in-one in his first try at golf, only to be followed by a perfect 300 game in bowling … on the same day!

Whether Kim takes Trump up on his offer remains to be seen. But, in an encouraging sign, it is being reported that the legendary golf instructor, Butch Harmon, will be accompanying Kim’s good friend, Dennis Rodman, on his visit to North Korea next week.

The Pentagon, as the entire world, is hoping Kim accepts Trump’s invitation so that our skilled golfer and negotiator-in-chief can work his magic in getting North Korea to give up its nuclear program, making our world that much safer.

Asked for further comment, Trump said, “We’ll see what happens.”

Photo | express.co.uk

Caution – this could be fake news!

Trump To Return Statue Of Liberty To France

September 6, 2017 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

***Breaking News as reported by MoronMajority.com***

Donald Trump is deporting Lady Liberty.

By way of a controversial executive order signed yesterday, Trump is packing up the iconic symbol of American freedom and shipping her off to her country of birth.

“Since 1886, she has been standing in New York Harbor welcoming the tired, the poor and huddled masses,” said Trump. “No more. What she really has welcomed to our shores are criminals, drug dealers and rapists. And some good people, I’m sure.”

“We just can’t afford to have all those foreigners continue to take our good American jobs. And we can’t afford giving them free stuff like food, clothing and shelter, either. Did you know she actually asks other countries to send us their homeless?” Trump pointed out.

Trump has a few ideas for the pedestal that wll remain on Liberty Island.

“I think we should honor a true patriot with a statute. Robert E. Lee, a great man and fabulous general comes to mind,” offered Trump. “Or we could honor one of the greatest American presidents and my favorite, Andrew Jackson. And, by the way, there is no way a radical like Harriet Tubman is going to replace Old Hickory on the twenty-dollar bill. Not while I’m president.”

When informed of the news, French president, Emmanuel Macron, was saddened his country’s gift to America, commemorating the alliance of France and the United States during the American Revolution, was being returned.

“This truly is a dark day for liberty, democracy and for all the peoples of the world that look to America as a beacon of hope,” said Macron. ”But we will re-gift it to a country that still believes in the ideals Lady Liberty stands for … our great friend Canada.”

Mass protests have already broken out in major cities throughout the United States. Americans are up in arms over the removal of the beloved statue.

“Yes, there are some Americans who want to keep Lady Liberty, whose real name is La Liberté éclairant le monde, by the way,” said Trump. “But there are also many people who want her to go. I think many more people.”

An online petition has been started for Congress to pass a law protecting the Statue of Liberty and overriding Trump’s executive order.

Will Congress act in time?

Photo | modernliberals.com

Warning – This could be fake news!

On Repealing DACA, Trump Happens To Be Right

September 5, 2017 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

In her column in today’s Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin calls Trump’s ending of DACA, “Trump’s most evil act.”

Her sentiment is shared by a great number of Americans. In a rare case of unity, both Democrats and Republicans are voicing their opposition to the ending of Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

But is this criticism valid … or does it miss the point?

President Obama created the DACA program, which exempts children brought to this country illegally by their parents from the enforcement of the immigration laws, through executive order. He was forced to do this after Congress refused to enact such a law.

There has been serious question ever since Obama signed the order as to whether the President had the constitutional authority to do so. After all, our Constitution gives Congress the power over immigration policy.

Prior to today’s action by Trump, Attorneys General from Texas and nine other Republican-led states threatened to sue his administration if it did not rescind the program that grants deportation relief and access to work permits to nearly 800,000 “Dreamers,” or undocumented immigrants brought to the country at a young age.

While everyone may like Obama’s order, which treats the innocent children of illegal immigrants humanely, a valid argument could be made in court that the former president’s action was unconstitutional; that it was a circumvention of the legislative branch.

In rescinding Obama’s order, Trump is now forcing Congress to do its job.

The fact that it is good policy should not “trump” the fact that it, most likely, was bad law.

Trump has given Congress a six-month window to enact a law that would give “Dreamers” the protections afforded by Obama’s executive order.

It is beyond ironic that our current president, who likes to run roughshod over our Constitution, is doing the right thing in protecting the sanctity of the document and reinforcing the separation of powers.

As Trump aptly tweeted today: “Congress, get ready to do your job – DACA!”

Will they finally step up to the plate?

Photo | greensboro.com

God Punishing Texas For Voting Trump

September 2, 2017 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

Conservative Christians like to believe natural disasters are the result of God’s wrath and retribution. Sodom and Gomorrah come to mind, as does the Great Flood.

More often than not in today’s world, this means the Almighty is unhappy with man’s “homosexual agenda.”

Even though a handful of conservative preachers are blaming Hurricane Harvey’s destruction of Houston on its embrace of gay rights, few would label the state of Texas as one that has been kind to the LGBTQ community

A more plausible explanation of why God would punish the Lone Star state is that it voted decisively for Donald Trump as president.

Do you think a supreme being could be happy with a state that voted for a bigoted, amoral con man and sexual pervert? Wouldn’t God want to punish Texas?

Ken Storey, University of Tampa assistant sociology professor, certainly thinks so.

“I don’t believe in instant karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realize the GOP doesn’t care about them” tweeted Storey.

Of course, the backlash to Storey’s reasonable comments was swift as they made the rounds. On Monday, the Florida school issued a statement condemning the professor’s comments, and on Tuesday it was followed with a statement saying he had been fired.

So much for freedom of speech in another Trump-loving state!

It should be noted Storey made his comments outside the work place, on his own personal twitter account.

Undoubtedly there are many Trump supporters claiming God punished Texas not because it voted for Trump but for not being faithful enough to him! To them Trump can do no wrong and wasn’t it God (with the help of the Russians) who put Trump in the White House anyway?

Question … why do most natural disasters happen in conservative, southern states? Just a coincidence?

One thing’s for sure. Once a self-sufficent, personal-freedom-loving state is hit with devastation, watch how quickly it begs for federal funds. Everyone is a socialist after a natural disaster.

Photo | (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Warning – this article may contain an element of satire!

Editor’s note – No one is making light of the devastation taking place in Houston. Our hearts go out to all the people suffering in the aftermath of one of the worst storms in American history. Conservative Christians love to blame natural disasters on God’s displeasure with man, specifically the moral decay they see as resulting from the ever increasing rights being afforded the LGBTQ community.The headline gives religious conservatives a little bit of their own medicine by showing the absurdity of blaming the pain and suffering caused by a natural disaster on the wrath of an almighty being.