“Oh boy, is this great!” –Kent Dorfman

OK, it’s halftime. We know who is leading going into the second half. But who will win the game?

I am not a seer or prognosticator. I do not own a crystal ball. But I do have some reasoned ideas on how the political contests of 2016 will shake out.

Now that I’ve gotten my disclaimer out of the way (even if I’m wrong, could I be more wrong than Karl Rove in 2012?), here is what I predict:

Republican Presidential Nominee

It is hard to bet against a front-runner who has been clobbering his opponents for the past six months, but I predict Ted Cruz will be the Republican nominee. As readers of this blog know, I believe there is something going on between Donald Trump and Cruz. That Trump, the king of the “birthers,” has not hit Cruz on his eligibility to even run for the presidency, having been born in Canada, tells me everything I need to know. Look for Trump to offer up his supporters to Cruz when he exits the race.

But what about Rubio, you ask? The GOP establishment may get behind the boy wonder but the Republican base will have none of it. As much as he tries to paint himself as “outside the Beltway,” Rubio is a sitting U.S. Senator. For GOP voters, this is the year of the outsider. But isn’t Ted Cruz a sitting U.S. Senator like Rubio? Yes, but Cruz is universally hated by everyone in Congress, both Republicans and Democrats. He’s a rebel and loose cannon, very much in the mold of Trump, hence the appeal.

But might Jeb be the nominee? Fuggedaboutit!

Democratic Presidential Nominee

While I’m a big supporter of Bernie Sanders, look for Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic presidential nominee. I say this with one caveat… no new Clinton scandal erupts anytime soon. With Hillary, you never know. So Bernie supporters don’t give up hope… yet.

2016 Presidential Winner

If it comes down to a contest between Clinton and Cruz, look for a Clinton landslide. Cruz is too much of a radical for establishment-type Republicans to rally behind him. As for Clinton, while many Progressives have vowed never to vote for her, cooler heads will prevail. Bernie supporters are a passionate bunch but they are not suicidal. They are intelligent enough to know another Republican in the White House would be a disaster. One simple argument will win them over … the next president will appoint at least one, maybe two, Supreme Court justices.

If you think my prognosticating, in the words of Joe Biden, is pure malarkey, tell me so. I welcome your thoughts.

Happy New Year!

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Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Politically speaking, 2015 will be remembered as the year the old rules of politics ceased to exist. Think of Donald Trump and remember back to when a sitting Senator, and ex-governor of Virginia, George Allen, lost his seat mainly due to a (as in one) racial slur directed at a dark-skinned operative of the opposing candidate. The 2006 incident went viral, later to be dubbed Allen’s “macaca” moment.

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner, has so far defied political gravity, gaining more support from an angry GOP base with each insult hurled at anyone who dares get in his way.

2015 will also go down as the year the GOP establishment lost control of their party. The party’s handpicked candidate, Jeb Bush, has been soundly rejected by a riled up Republican mob no longer interested in business as usual. Political experience has suddenly become “the kiss of death.”

This year also marked the launch of MoronMajority.com. What began in April 2015 as a simple outlet for this writer’s frustration at the dumbing down of our great country is now a well-recognized political blog. Ranker.com currently lists MM as the 24^th best online liberal blog. The site has received over 30,000 visits since its inception.

I thank all the readers and supporters of this “labor of love” and look forward to an exciting 2016. Hold on to your hats and buckle those seat belts. The ride is sure to be bumpy, with many twists and turns, as we head towards election day 2016!

One final thought, and request. If you are an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders and have vowed not to vote for Hillary Clinton if she indeed becomes the Democratic nominee, please think twice. I know, no one wants to vote for the lesser of two evils, but we as a country cannot afford a Republican in the White House… especially one who will, no doubt, appoint one or two new Supreme Court Justices!

Happy New Year to all! May the coming year be filled with love, happiness, good health and a Democratic landslide across the board!

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If there were ever any doubt that about the truth to the war on Christmas, the Hyatt family of Plantation, Florida, offers a stark example.

Every Christmas, the spirit of the holiday moves Mark and Kathy Hyatt to show their love for Jesus by decorating their home. Their Christmas display includes over 200,000 Christmas lights, a Ferris wheel powered by a “chain driven by a 4 horsepower electric motor,” snow blowers that blow fake snow, flying skiers, a giant movie screen and live farm animals, oh and motorcycle parades too.

The Hyatt’s homage to the birth of their savior attracts visitors from far and wide to this quiet residential neighborhood. In fact, the display attracts hundreds of visitors daily, and thousands on weekends.

But the Christmas haters at city hall are having none of it. The city sued the Hyatts in 2014 on the grounds that the “carnival-like atmosphere” was incompatible with the neighborhood claiming it created a nuisance. Ongoing fines against the Hyatts now total a whopping $7000.

The Hyatts have refused to pay and are not backing down. They are accusing the city of trying to bilk them out of money. A trial has been set for June.

“They believe it engenders goodwill and a bond between the community,” said their Fort Lauderdale-based lawyer, James Helf.

“For me this is a public safety concern, it really is,” said the bah humbug Police Chief, Howard Harrison. “You can’t have pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic functioning on the same strip of land. That is a disaster waiting to happen. People and cars don’t mix. Without any control, there is going to be a problem.”

There have been some rumors that the hordes of visiting strangers park on peoples lawns, tear down “no parking” signs, ask neighbors to use the bathroom, cut through their property to see the display and leave trash on the streets. The Hyatts vehemently deny such rumors, claiming they are being spread by the atheistic city government.

When Fox News, protectors of all things Christmas, broke this story, they attempted to verify the rumors by talking with neighbors. Apparently none of them were home. It appears the neighbors, on masse, find it necessary to flee the neighborhood each year as soon as the Hyatt’s glorious display appears.

Photo | foxnews.com

Tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.

-James Agate

Yes, in the coming year … especially this coming year … we should be more tolerant of fools. But that does not mean we should be friends with them on social media! My number one resolution for 2016 is to de-friend any and all Facebook amigos who think Barack Obama has been nothing short of a second Black Death (plague) or think Trump is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

We’ve all experienced this … a college buddy, with whom you haven’t talked politics in years, starts posting right wing articles; an old girlfriend shares posts depicting our president as a circus monkey; a casual friend starts aping Fox talking points.

Up until now, I’ve simply ignored such nonsense and just scrolled down to the next post. Not anymore. Why should I be subjected to such crap? Who are these people to me anyway?

Of course when it comes to relatives, it gets a bit dicier. It is hard to de-friend a brother, a cousin or an in-law. But you’ve known about their political leanings for a long time. You also know trying to reason with them at holiday dinners is just an exercise in futility. So just chill.

As the saying goes, you can choose your friends but not your family.

We will be choosing a new president in 2016. Let’s also choose to loose those Facebook “friends” with obviously closed minds.

And anyway, Facebook should be what it was meant to be: a place where family photos are exchanged and not a political forum.

Image courtesy of Anoop Krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dear Moron Majority readers. I am closing shop for the next two weeks for a much needed holiday break. I am re-posting “The New American Majority.” Have a great Thanksgiving!

The New American Majority

A serious disease has infected our country. No one really talks about it much although signs of this contagion have existed for quite some time. Like a slow growing cancer, the symptoms have gotten progressively worse to the point where they are no longer avoidable. They cannot be denied. The problem we now face is that this cancer has metastasized to an extent where a cure, or even treatment, is very doubtful.

Our media, politicians and business elites have known about this disease for years. They have not only stood by as the disease spread, but have encouraged – and profited from- its propagation. Like a seemingly caring doctor wanting to spare the patient needless pain, the prognosis offered is that all is fine and there’s nothing to worry about.

What is this sickness I am talking about? In one word… stupidity.

We, as a country, once had the “silent majority.” Then came the “moral majority.” Today we have been transformed into a new majority… the “moron majority.”

Is there any doubt we’ve become a nation of morons? Just look around you the signs (symptoms) are as clear as could be. The late night infomercial claiming that drinking a milk shake will make you lose 30 pounds in only two weeks… no exercise needed! The drug company claiming your itchy skin can be a thing of the past if you only take their pill… and, oh yes, the side effects can be vomiting, diarrhea, hearing loss, and, in rare instances, death! Yes, death! But not to worry… just ask your doctor if Itchamedaphin is right for you!

But there is no greater proof that we’ve become a nation of morons than by simply looking at some of our elected political “leaders.” Yes there have always been plenty of buffoons, scoundrels and hucksters in our body politic but the sheer number of such blockheads at the top of today’s political ladder is astounding! Just look at some of the 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls … Ted Cruz, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, and “The Donald!” Could the clown car get any more crowded?

The dumbing down of America has been a slow, gradual process. The first sign that it had reached critical mass became evident during the Bush v. Gore presidential race. An election that should have been an easy victory for Gore (could you have picked a more intellectual lightweight than GWB?) became a defeat (well, sort of!)

The pivotal moment of that election was the first debate. As Bush answered questions in less than a clear and intelligible manner, the camera kept focusing on Gore and his facial expressions. Gore was caught rolling his eyes, shaking his head, frowning and sneering. He was deemed the clear loser of the debate not on the content of what he said but on his body language! Gore came off as the intellectual snob who only has condescension for the less gifted competitor. A veritable Mr. Goody two-shoes. Certainly not the type of guy you’d want to have a drink with! Now Georgie… there’s a guy who can relate to the common folk! Gore tried to change his style in later debates but it was too late. The mold was set right then and there.

Only a nation of morons could elect a dim-witted, draft-dodging, hard drinking frat boy with his “gentlemen’s C” average at Yale over a Harvard graduate (cum laude), Viet Nam War veteran and Vanderbilt Law School graduate. And while there are those who still think Bush stole the election thanks to his brother’s help in Florida, with a big assist from the Supremes, it should never have gotten to that point. As GWB famously said, “Fool me once, shame on… shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.” Oh yeah, enough voters got fooled again by reelecting you, sir.

Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I hate to admit this, but I spent the day doing something that even a person with half a brain would not do: read a bunch of crazy comments on various political blogs on the issue of Syrian refugees being allowed into the U.S. The consensus across the political spectrum was a loud and emphatic: hell no!

Many of the commenters believed that all Syrian refugees are terrorists; that they would be coming here to kill us; that our president is an idiot for thinking otherwise. The heck with compassion and American values! No way Jose … or should I say Abdullah?

Almost every Republican presidential candidate and Republican governor is opposed to the idea of letting Syrian refugees settle in the U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has stated he will be introducing legislation preventing Syrian refugees from entering the United States.

The details of Cruz’s bill are not yet known but in an effort to pander to his Evangelical base, he did agree we should open our borders to Syrian Christians. “There is no meaningful risk of Christians committing acts of terror,” Cruz said.

Government officials have stated that no Syrian will be granted asylum within the U.S. without a thorough vetting. Several federal agencies, including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Department, the National Counterterrorism Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are all involved in the process, which Deputy State Department Spokesman Mark Toner recently called, “the most stringent security process for anyone entering the United States.”

The real issue boils down to one of trust; can our government screen out the potential bad actors? Consensus within the blogosphere seems to be a resounding “no.”

While I believe the gauntlet a refugee would have to run through is sufficient, the major concern of many otherwise sympathetic Americans is this: what about the children?

Muslims have shown a predisposition for not assimilating well into western society. Just look at the experience of most European countries. Muslims do not understand, nor do they seem to want to understand, western culture and its way of life. Most of what they see of western society goes contrary to all they believe. In a place where refugee children run the risk of being ostracized within their new country, the lure of ISIS through slick use of social media could very well find an impressionable ear or two. That should be the real concern about taking in the properly screened, non-radical parents.

Does our government have an answer for this “Muslim youth” question? I don’t know the answer but the debate we should be having on Syrian refugees appears to not be the “if” but the “what then?”

Photo | worldvision.org

There are a number of things in this world I don’t understand. One of the most perplexing conundrums for me is how American Christianity has become so divorced from the teachings of the wise rabbi they venerate as their god.

Anyone with even the slightest familiarity with the teachings of Jesus Christ knows that his message is one of kindness, love and empathy for one’s neighbor. As the Bible teaches us:

Matthew 25:35-40  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

Republicans are seeking to play on the fears of their mostly Evangelical base by proposing the United States reject the plight of Syrian refugees and bar them from our shores. It doesn’t matter that the U.S., as opposed to other countries, is taking in a relative small number of the millions of refugees (10,000).

It doesn’t matter that a refugee entering the U.S. undergoes a security clearance check that could take several rounds, an in-person interview, approval by the Department of Homeland Security, medical screening, a match with a sponsor agency, “cultural orientation” classes, and one final security clearance. This all happens before a refugee ever steps on American soil.

The masters of the wedge issues are at it again. The message is simple: Syrian refugees are terrorists. They are coming here to kill us.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is planning to propose legislation that would bar Syrian Muslim refugees from entering the country. Christian refuges would be allowed to enter the United States, however. Perhaps there is a Christian data bank I am not aware of?

What Republican presidential nominees and GOP governors are doing to block Syrian refugees from entering our country is beyond shameless. That their message resonates with their religious base is shameful. It only amplifies how American Christian fundamentalists have perverted the message of their purported savior.

Photo | statisticbrain.com

American democracy is under siege. A confluence of factors has created a “perfect storm” that seriously challenges our form of government as never before.

So what is the greatest threat to our system of government? Is it income inequality, social injustice, voter suppression, religious fundamentalism, terrorist threats, gun violence or could it be Citizens United?

No. While the above forces are all tugging at the fabric of our democracy, the greatest threat is something more basic: cynicism.

I’m talking about the kind of cynicism that leads many Americans to believe participating in our representative form of government is meaningless. It’s the often heard, “What does my vote matter anyway; all politicians are corrupt.” The sad fact is that many otherwise intelligent individuals are simply turning off and tuning out.

Conservatives from the time of Reagan have hammered the message that government is bad; that government is the problem, not the solution. Through their obstructionism, which has prevented government from performing its role in promoting the public good, conservatives have turned Reagan’s mantra into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our government is bad. It does not work.

It is actually understandable why many Americans feel hopeless given our current political climate. But voting and being engaged in the governance of our country are the bedrocks of a participatory democracy. When people stop caring, they quit paying attention. Not paying attention is the moral equivalent of turning your back on America, on democracy.

Conservatives are shrewd. They’ve had a game plan for years and are executing it to a tee. By getting voters to be disgusted with their government and to believe all politicians are the same, they get the result they want: control of our nation by their rich and powerful overlords.

Wake up people. Enough with the cynicism and pessimism. Become an informed citizen … and vote!

Photo |theharlemvalleynews.net

We Americans are shocked and saddened to learn of the massacre that has taken place within your country. We mourn for the dead and those injured in this most senseless, cowardly act by a bunch of Islamic radicals. Hopefully you will go through your period of grief and find the strength and resolve to go forward. Hopefully your political leaders will take the measured steps necessary to respond to this attack and not make the horrible mistakes made by our leaders after 9/11.

Please understand that there is a minority fringe in this country that will use your tragedy to further their political agenda. They will exploit your misfortune for their gain. Some will be elected officials, including current Republican presidential candidates.

These heartless, embarrassing excuses for human brings do not represent the vast majority of Americans. As a nation we stand with you, one of our country’s greatest allies. We are fortunate to have a president who will undoubtedly do all he can for your country during this dark moment.

Please accept that when a politician, such as Newt Gingrich, blames your citizens for this massacre partly because your people do not carry concealed weapons, you are hearing the logic of an idiot.

Please realize that when a Republican presidential candidate, Ted Cruz, calls for the indiscriminate use of air strikes “against the enemy,” he is catering to a frightened American populace for political advantage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter to many conservatives in this great country that Sen. Cruz does not specify where these airstrikes should take place or what they should be targeting.

Above all, we pray that your citizens do not fall prey to your own political extremists and opportunists who will seek to exploit your loss and divide your country for their own political advancement.

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People ask why did Donald Trump accept the invitation to host NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” especially after the network fired him as host of “The Apprentice” and dropped his beauty pageants due to derogatory comments made about Mexicans? And why would NBC still do business with the man who basically forced the RNC to cancel NBC’s Republican presidential debate set for early next year?

Of course, the answer to both questions is simple: ratings. NBC profits from the “huge” viewership that Trump brings to any TV appearance. Trump, on the other hand, gets to market his brand to a large national audience. It’s what’s generally known as a “win-win” situation.

I will admit I stayed up to watch the entire show. How else was I going to critique it?

I am old enough to remember when SNL was funny. Those were the days of Chevy Chase, Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy, just to name a few SNL stars that went on to bigger and better things.

“Saturday Night Live” is no longer funny… unless stupid and crass humor is your cup of tea. Maybe that’s what today’s youngins want. Maybe I’m too old to know what’s cool (or should I say, rad or sick?)

Donald Trump was featured in only a few skits and his roles could best be described as “cameo.” About the only funny performance was that of Larry David impersonating Bernie Sanders being interviewed by Rachel Maddow.

Will Trump’s appearance help or hurt him in the polls? I tend to doubt Trump could care, one way or the other. It’s all about promoting his brand. And anyway, as has been proven, I doubt there is anything Trump can do to hurt his poll numbers.

Trump told Fox’s Bill O’Reilly he exercised editorial control over some of the skits on last night’s show. It seems he must have nixed the funny ones.

The one thing Trump was able to do by accepting SNL’s invitation to host the show is mobilize Latino voters to get out and vote against the man who so openly denigrates them.

Photo | NBC

Breaking News – According to NBC, with Donald Trump hosting, Saturday Night Live jumped to its biggest overnight rating since 2012. Entertainment Weekly.