Raser’s Edge:  Reactionary reactions and logical fallacies

One recent Sunday on Meet the Press, Chuck Todd asked Kellyanne Conway about the White House position on the Russian collusion investigation.   She replied something like, “Why are you asking that?  What you should really be focusing on are the Hillary Clinton emails.”  Of course, one has nothing to do with the other and the Hillary investigation was exhaustive and concluded quite some time ago.

 What Conway used is a logical fallacy called “misdirection” or sometimes,  a “red herring.”  Kellyanne is a master of that technique.  She shifted the attention from the real subject under discussion—Russian collusion in the Trump election—to something old, irrelevant and totally unrelated but still a visceral topic with Trump’s base supporters.

This happens a lot with my blogs and facebook posts.   One facebook friend in particular, no matter what the subject is, he will bring up Hillary.  I posted a recent blog suggesting the Republican tax bill was open to many interpretations and that you could find a tax calculator on line and try to figure out what effect the new tax law would have on you.

   

His reaction to my post was:  “Right, Bill, and all the polls said the Hillarysaurus would win. How did that work out?”  (Note the cutesy way he refers to Hillary as “Hillarysaurus.”)

The only reference I made to polls in my post was: “Rather than just look at the polls which say as many as 65 percent of Americans think the Republican bill stinks, I thought I would do some research on what the bill would actually do for me.”   So my only reference to polls was a suggestion to IGNORE them and do some real research with the tax calculators available on line.  Rather than address my basic premise--research the bill’s consequences--he chose to address the irrelevant (but true) observation that the polls showed the bill is unfavorable to a majority of the public.

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Here’s another Republican logical fallacy reaction to my blogs which happens often.  If I am critical of Trump the response is:  There is something wrong with you.  A facebook friend’s recent post called for throwing the bums out of Washington referring to congressional politicians in general.  I suggested we start with Trump.  I was immediately accused of having an “obsession” with Trump and that I am “childish.”  The conclusion that I am “childish” is an example of the logical fallacy called “ad hominem”-- if you don’t have a good counter argument or you don’t like your opponent’s viewpoint, you attack the person.

 

Interestingly, if I post things critical of Trump, my Republican facebook friends do not hesitate to go on the attack, e.g. I’m “childish.”  But, if I share a column by an arch conservative pundit such as the recent one by George Will stating Trump is the worst American president ever do my Republican facebook friends respond that George Will is obsessively childish?   No, of course not.  In this case, another logical fallacy applies.  It’s called “avoiding the issue.”

Raser’s Edge:  Do you believe in Santa Claus?

When considering the Republican Tax Bill, it comes down to ones basic question:  Do you believe in Santa Claus or not?  The Republicans, in this analogy, are Santa Claus.  They tell you all Americans will bask in the beautiful glow of tax cuts, “hard working Americans will have more money in their pockets,” big corporations and small business will have more money to create gazillions of jobs, the economy will boom and everything will start coming up roses.   Our Moron Don President claims this is the “greatest Christmas gift Americans will receive in the history of the world.”

Rather than just look at the polls which say as many as 65 percent of Americans think the Republican bill stinks, I thought I would do some research on what the bill would actually do for me.  If you google something like “republican tax bill calculator” you will find a number of sites where you can plug in your data and see what effect the Republican largess will do for you.  I used the real data from my 2016 tax return.  Full disclosure:  l probably qualify as legitimate ‘Midddle Class.”  I file married-joint, we live on my wife’s teachers pension, my Social Security, my small business pension, income from my very small photography business and we are reasonably financially secure as senior citizens.

So here are the figures:  The New York Times calculator says we will reduce our taxes by $930. That is the best result I found and comes from what Trump calls the fake liberal news media.  But let’s try the Market Watch calculator (Market Watch is owned by Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal so it’s hardy liberal.)  Market Watch is much more detailed so I could enter actual deductions from my last year’s tax return.  According to this calculator, I would owe $534 MORE in income tax by itemizing, but WOW! If I take the new generous standard deduction I would pay $47 less! I really don't think that is an impressive tax cut!

I watched a video in which Trump declared at a cabinet meeting that a family earning $75,000 would cut its taxes by $2,000.  However, when I applied the Market Watch calculator and entered a family filing jointly, with two children, taking the standard deduction they would OWE $1,739 in taxes.

Let’s try a single person, head of household with two children making $25,000.  That person, according to Market Watch, would have $700 withheld from wages and get no tax refund.

What’s the point?  This is a huge tax break for corporations and the wealthy which, interestingly, the Republicans do not dispute.  They tell you that giving all that extra money to the wealthy will make them invest,  create jobs and boost the economy. This has not worked in the past and will most likely not work now. 

As you can see from the above calculations, individuals will not be getting meaningful tax cuts and in some cases none at all. Also, the whole thing is so confusing that different calculators, presumably using the same information on the bill, produce vastly different results.  However, none that I tried produce the tax cut bonanza for the middle class that Trump and Company are promising.

 Another disturbing element of the Republican tax plan is that corporate tax cuts remain in the future. However, individual cuts expire, but, according to Republicans, some phantom congress in the future will extend them and if the bill really does increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion we can easily pay for it by cutting Social Security and Medicare.

By almost all analysis, this tax bill is terrible and very unpopular with the American public, but for the conservatives, big corporations, the wealthy and Donald Trump, here comes Santa Claus!

Raser’s Edge:  Republicans’ “alternate logic”

No need tell you what’s going on with Alabama Senatorial Candidate Roy Moore and Senator Al Franken. You’ve been getting a steady dose of it for a week.  Moore molested minors and Franken did a dumb thing with his now famous tongue and took a really stupid photograph.  As usual, I amused myself yesterday watching the Sunday morning network news shows and once again marveled at how Moron Don’s sycophants can destroy logic and rational thought.

Let’s start with Moore.  Trump has been silent about Moore’s child molesting.  When asked the president’s position on Moore, Marc Short, his director of legislative affairs, dodged around the question numerous times declaring the President was not campaigning for Moore and “It will be the people of Alabama who will decide on Moore.”  When asked about the President’s ignoring his own harassment behavior, Short stated the American people had resolved that issue by elected him.  In other words, by electing Trump, the American people essentially condoned sexual harassment by Trump and if Moore is elected the people of Alabama don’t have a problem with molesting children.  According to Republican “logic,” if the American people, or Alabamians, elect candidates who exhibit despicable behavior then despicable behavior is implicitly condoned by the people (including Evangelical Christian hypocrites).

Now let’s get to Franken.  This one comes from Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.  When asked how come Moron Don can tweet the most derogatory comments on Senator Al Franken (e.g. Frankenstein) and totally ignore his own sexual harassment behavior, she essentially replied Franken admitted his actions, Donald Trump never did.   Trump just said all 12 of the women accusing him are “liars.” So once again the Republicans’ version of rational thought is:  If a Senator admits doing something objectionable, the President has every right to slime him in public.  But, if a Presidential Candidate does something objectionable but does not admit it, it should be totally ignored.  (Of course, he did brag about “grabbing pussy” and that he could get away with anything with women since he is famous but Sanders evidently doesn’t consider that “admitting it.”)

So why is it surprising Republicans have a problem with logic and rational argument?  Might have something to do with their considering it perfectly acceptable to invent “alternate facts.”

Raser’s Edge: Archaeologists find Jesus abused children

A startling new archaeological find reveals Jesus abused little boys and girls. On a new site outside Jerusalem archaeologists from the University of Cambridge found ancient scrolls specifically stating Jesus engaged in inappropriate activities with children.

The finding is based on a scroll referring to “Suffer the little children to come unto me” (Matthew 19:14 and Luke 18:16). The word for “suffer” in these scrolls carries a far different meaning than the one commonly accepted in current versions of the Bible. The new translation of that passage is “Bring those children to me so I can do anything I want with them.”

Alabama Evangelical Christians are perplexed by the new finding but a spokesperson for the Gallant First Baptist Church said “if it was good enough for Jesus then it is good enough for Roy Moore. “

The Roman Catholic Church responded with a statement pointing out that their priests have been emulating Jesus for many years.

(NOTE: This is intentionally false news intended to piss off Republican ultra conservatives and self-righteous Evangelicals but it would not surprise me if some dumbbells actually believe it.)

Raser’s Edge:  The Observation Deck: You never know when you might need a condom or a gun

The BBC interviewed a group of Texans after the recent Southerland Springs shooting and of course several of those interviewed subscribed to that idiotic notion that good guys with guns can stop bad guys with guns.  The interviewer asked them if they had ever used their guns, which they claimed they always carried, to stop a bad guy with a gun.  Of course, they all replied never. One of these self-styled Wyatt Earps commented, “Well when I was younger I always carried a condom because I never knew when I was going to need it.” That would substantiate the psychological theory that these big, tough, macho guys associate their gun with their penis.

Raser’s Edge:  Compassionate Conservative?

Do you remember the term “Compassionate Conservatism “?  That is what is known as an “oxymoron.”   A lot of Trump’s “base” supporters will think an oxymoron is a cleaning compound used by dumb people as advertised on tv so I had better explain it.  An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in combination.    “Compassionate conservatism” is a perfect example of an oxymoron when you apply it to the current Trump Republican Party.   If you are compassionate, you can’t be a conservative and if you are a conservative you are not compassionate.

Moron Don just issued an executive order (remember those things he vilified Obama for issuing) rescinding grants to states to help poor people obtains health care insurance.  So, it appears that Moron Don thinks it’s “compassionate” to cut off an estimated 6,000,000 low income people from health care insurance.  We all know that the real motivation is to destroy Obamacare (the ACA) because the inherently racist Trump Republican Faction wants to destroy everything and anything accomplished by a black president.

    

Our “compassionate Republicans” in Congress also cut off funding the CHIP (Childrens Health Insurance Program).  That probably appeals to Moron Don’s base who would rather spend money on a stupid wall to “keep out them Mexicans” than on children’s’ health care.  Trump’s Republicans also oppose providing school food programs for low income children, you know, “those” people which is the Republican code word for “black.”

Moron Don is also pushing rescinding DACA, the program that allows young immigrants brought here by their parents as children to remain in America.  Would that be “compassionate?”  These young people themselves have really done nothing wrong and nearly all are productive, law-abiding people(but you know, America’ self-righteous Christian hypocrites believe in visiting the sins of the fathers on the sons—and daughters), however, conservative Republicans want to kick them out.

If you think conservative Republicans are “compassionate” then perhaps I can I interest you in buying a laundry detergent called “Oxy-Moron”?

Raser’s Edge:   The Observation Deck:  Moron Don strikes again!

Just when you think Moron Don’s political reality show can’t get any goofier, he pulls off another stunt…  Like sending his VP to the Indianapolis Colts game with instructions to walk out “if “any player takes a knee during the National Anthem.  (These specific instructions to Pence were clearly stated in one of Moron Don’s pre-game tweets.) 

Everybody knew some players would take a knee so it was clearly a set up job, once again, to divert attention from his incompetence.  As Rex Tillerson correctly pointed out, Trump is a moron but, make no mistake, he is not actually dumb.  He has the innate smarts of all professional con men—the art of manipulation, diverting attention and pushing the emotional buttons of the easily impressionable.

The whole kneeling thing started out as a protest against police gunning down black people—which I believe is a very legitimate complaint but one which Republicans ignore.  So Trump, knowing he can whip up his “base” cleverly changes the discourse into “respect for the flag,” “support for our troops and veterans” and “patriotism.”

What no Trump supporter will ever admit is the underlying racism in this kind of subterfuge.  The issue really started with a constitutionally permitted valid protest by African Americans against police shootings.  When a high profile black football player called attention to it by kneeling during the National Anthem, Trump immediately twisted it into an attack on the flag, our military and a lack of patriotism which he knew very well would flare up his “base.”  Trump, with his innate con-man cunning, knew his “base” would conclude black football players are disrespectful to the flag and are not patriotic and would then extend that opinion to include all black people.

Moron Don knows very well he will never get much of the African American vote so it is to his advantage to keep driving a wedge between black America and his white “base.”  Of course he cannot express this openly so he says it is an issue of “respect for the flag” and “patriotism.”   That’s makes it much easier for his white America to justify its bigotry. 

Rescinding DACA and a lesson from Shakespeare

You all know President Trump rescinded DACA, the policy established by Barack Obama that allows children of illegal immigrants who were brought here as children to remain.  You already know that they are mostly employed, in college and very fine young people who know nothing else but America as their home and have not committed any crimes.  In other words, any reasonable person would favor DACA as a decent, rational way to resolve the plight of these young people who now live in horrible fear of deportation.   Of course, reasonable people would not be so mean as to punish kids who had nothing to do with their current situation.  But, then we have Republicans.

President Trump--who whipped up his “base” with hatred and prejudice against immigrants during the campaign-- vowed to rescind DACA.  So he had to deliver, but being the con artist he is, he took the coward’s route and passed it off to Congress (which he has often belittled) to make it the culprit if DACA is not eliminated.  Clever guy.

I am not going to comment further on this but defer to William Shakespeare, who wrote in his play The Merchant of Venice:

“The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes

The thronèd monarch better than his crown.

His scepter shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,

But mercy is above this sceptered sway.

It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.

It is an attribute to God himself.

And earthly power doth then show likest God’s

When mercy seasons justice.”

 Trump’s “base” supporters who probably cannot understand 16th century English can look up a modern English translation.  But I would like to provide here the translation of one line for everyone and especially for Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, a true son of the South who has questionable racist credentials.  In announcing the rescinding of DACA Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III said that “compassion” amounted to “enforcing the law.”  Here, Mr. Sessions, is a modern English translation of Shakespeare’s last line in this speech:  “Earthly power shows its likeness to the power of God when justice is tempered by mercy.”

The Observation Deck:  Lest we forget….

If you Google “Did the Republicans want to get rid of FEMA?” you will find they have been rather hostile to the agency that provides federal help when natural disasters strike.  Romney wanted to privatize it; Rand Paul wanted to eliminate it; Republicans in Congress wanted to drastically cut its budget; Trump considered cuts to the Coast Guard and FEMA to spend money on the Mexican border.  Well, you can call me an old softy but I consider government money and resources provided to help Americans caught up in a disastrous situation as well spent.  Money to fund the exceedingly stupid idea of building a wall with Mexico is not.

Another U.S. destroyer has collided with a merchant ship and the fault of the Fitzgerald collision has been adjudged incompetence on the part of the crew.  I wrote my Fitzgerald assessment back in June but never posted it awaiting the Navy’s judgment.  Here it is now.

Since the USS Fitzgerald and the container ship ACX Crystal collided on June 17 in the Sea of Japan, I have avidly followed the news reports but refrained from making any comment

I intentionally ignored stupid remarks by mainstream tv commentators noting that the ACX Crystal made an “abrupt” or “sharp” u-turn.  A huge 40.000-ton container ship cannot make “abrupt” nor “sharp” turns—they take a long time and a lot of space to turn and can easily be tracked on radar.  The other stupid remark echoed on all the tv networks was “this is a high traffic merchant shipping route.”  Well, yes, it is, but it is not like a metropolitan freeway at rush hour and you can easily track everything on radar since ships are relatively rather show moving.

In matters of destroyers and life at sea, I can claim some expertise.  in the 1960s I was a qualified Officer Of the Deck (OOD) aboard the USS Samuel N. Moore (DD747) a destroyer patrolling the exact same waters where the Fitzgerald and ACX Crystal collided.

The very idea that a slow moving container ship could intentionally ram an American destroyer is beyond ludicrous.  The most probable explanation is extraordinary incompetence on the part of the Fitzgerald crew.

Here is why I believe the Fitzgerald crew screwed up.  Radar today is far more sophisticated and precise than the vacuum tube stuff we had back in the 1960s but we were perfectly capable of tracking any vessels in our vicinity—including fleets of small Japanese fishing boats.  Not only do our Naval ships have radar repeaters on the bridge so the OOD can track traffic in the vicinity, every American combat ship has a Combat Information Center (CIC) below decks, where several skilled radarmen constantly monitor the radar screens and advise the bridge (OOD) of any potential collision threats.

In addition, and this has been mentioned on tv by naval experts including an admiral, the fact that the Fitzgerald got rammed on the starboard (right) side indicates it violated the “rules of the road” which are international rules all ships must follow to avoid collisions.  The rules state that if ships are crossing at or near a 90 degree angle, the ship with the other to starboard must change course to avoid collision.  That means, if the Fitzgerald had the ACX Crystal to starboard, which it must have since it got hit on its starboard side, it should have altered course to pass behind the container ship to avoid a collision.

Now my final point is one of those conventional wisdom things that got drummed into the heads of us officers learning to be OODs.  I will never forget my mentor telling me, “Always, always give merchant vessels a very wide berth.  Most of time there is no one on the bridge, especially at night, and the ship is set on the ‘iron mike’( which is essentially a merchant ship’s auto pilot that just sets course and speed).”

The ACX Crystal had a crew of only 20 men so it is highly likely the ship had no one on the bridge and the whole crew was sleeping at the time of the collision.

The Observation Deck:  What’s in a name?

Trumpists have often praised their leader by saying, “He tells it like it is,” except, perhaps, when what is happens to be Nazis demonstrating and killing people in an American city.

Make no mistake, the people who prepared and organized the demonstration in Charlottesville were Nazis.  Applying verbal deodorants like White Nationalists, Alt-Right and White Supremacists does not alter their underlying beliefs and intentions.

 

It is not “fake news” that the participants chanted explicit anti-Semitic slogans, shouted “hail Trump” with their right arms extended and espouse total white supremacy.  Those are all as Nazi as it gets.

The optimists wave it off as just a distasteful fringe element that will never amount to anything.  Perhaps the cancer analogy is a bit too obvious, unfortunately it’s accurate. If you don’t cut it out immediately, it spreads

To paraphrase Gertrude Stein and William Shakespeare, “A Nazi is a Nazi is a Nazi” and “A Nazi by any other name would smell as foul.”

The Observation Deck: Sunday funday

If you have never watched the Sunday morning tv talk shows, you should try it. They are very entertaining. Every week, Trump’s chumps go on Meet the Press, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Face the Nation and Fox News and declare that the Trumpster did not say what he said, that the dumb, fake media did not understand what he really said, that you should not take him literally or some other cockamamie excuse for the stuff he actually said but they say he didn’t.

I am looking forward to this Sunday. I really want to see which creepy sycophant—Conway, Miller or Gorka—will step forward to chastise the press for not understanding that Trump’s remarks on the Charlottesville tragedy were just wonderful and not intended to please his core supporters—you know, the neo-Nazis, the KKK and White Supremacists
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Of course, the former KKK leader David Duke and various other American Nazis heaped praised on Trump and thanked him for his endorsement and most of the gutless Republican Congresspeople just grumbled and mumbled and fell back in line behind their Supreme Leader or kept silent.

Most Americans, myself included, could not believe how disgustingly The Trump reacted to the Charlottesville tragedy. Callous, unfeeling, declaring both sides were at fault, and neo-Nazis included some “good people.”

The Sunday morning talk shows this week will be very interesting. So if you are not going to spend Sunday morning thanking your god for Trump and how he appointed a devout evangelical conservative to the Supreme Court, stay home and watch the talk shows. You might learn something.

The mouse that roars or Mickey Mouse scares the crap out of Superman

Have you noticed that the North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has several things in common with the United States Supreme Leader Donald Trump?  First, they both have really goofy haircuts.  They both have enormous egos and demand absolute adoration and they both have a unique way of drawing attention to themselves.

When Donald Trump wants attention, he tweets.  When Kim Jong-un, wants attention he fires off a missile.  Now we have these two dropping bombasts on each other like two school boys in the schoolyard shouting “Oh yeah, my dad can beat up your dad! So there!”

Kim  Johg-Un said America would “pay the price” for U.N. sanctions.  O yeah?  Donald smacks back exhibiting  one of his really menacing scowls, “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, or they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”

Oh yeah?   Kim Jong-un counters with a threat that he would strike the U.S. Territory Guam.

So it has gone for the last few months.  How about the story that Hawaii should prepare for a nuclear attack? Or, oh my god, maybe Kim’s missiles could reach Chicago or Washington D.C.!   I lived during the entire cold war when people were building bomb shelters in their back yards because the Soviet Union was going to attack us any minute.  It’s like déjà vu all over again.

Every time America has its doomsday reaction to one of Kim’s missile launches or verbal threats I can imagine him laughing his butt off.  Kim is getting exactly the result he wants.  It shows how tough he is standing up to a super power thus cementing his position within his country, and he makes Trump look foolish by stooping to his level.  Not to mention all the attention Kim is getting on the world stage. Every time Kim shoots off a missile, America starts pooping its pants. It’s like a comic book episode:  “Mickey Mouse scares the crap out of Superman!”  And I am sure Kim just loves it.

Amid all the sound and the fury there is a shred of reason.  Rex Tillerson is attempting to apply diplomacy despite Trump’s unhelpful provocative statements.  Military analysts point out that North Korea is still far away from having a functional ICBM with a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the United States.  Others have totally rejected the foolish notion that the minute North Korea has that capability it will immediately launch a pre-emptive attack on America.   They note, correctly I believe, that all Kim’s bluster and posturing, and his refusal to back off his nuclear program, are primarily to bolster his support at home, become a member of the world nuclear community for prestige and use it as a bargaining chip against sanctions.

 

The hope is that Kim is not so dumb as to start a nuclear war.  The fear is that Trump is dumb enough to do it.

The Observation Deck:  Rex who?

Whatever happened to Rex Tillerson?  Wasn’t he supposed to be Secretary of State?

  Let’s see…Trump has been entertaining a string of foreign heads of state in Washington, making many trips abroad to high level conferences and low level countries like Poland, VP Pence represented Trump in Estonia, Russia is reacting to sanctions, North Korea is popping off ballistic missiles and the last mention I remember of Tillerson in the news (before Scaramucci upstaged everyone) was he was taking a vacation to spend time with his family.

Oh yes, Trump has declared he will cut the State Department’s budget and has been involving himself in the department’s staffing choices.  Is Tillerson next on the Trump hit list? Could this be Trump’s latest tactic—just ignore the person rather than insult and denigrate him in public?  Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of the country’s favorite reality tv show, Swamp Survivors.

The office or the person?

Every time a new president is elected, those who voted for the president say to those who didn’t, “Well, you have to respect the office.”  I do believe that is true, however, with Trump the argument is wearing thin.

For starters, Trump himself has disrespected elements of the government that we as Americans have been taught to respect if not revere—the judiciary, the congress, our intelligence agencies, and the election process.  As a former professional journalist and European correspondent I particularly dislike his attacks on the press and freedom of speech.  He has called the press the “enemy of the people, “he makes endless references to “fake news” when it does not praise him or support his positions, he has threatened to ease libel laws to make it easier to sue news organizations,  he has insulted journalists and refused them access to press conferences and rallies.

So it becomes hard to respect the office when the person holding that office disparages institutions and traditions I, and I believe most Americans, hold dear.  In other words, Trump is tarnishing the office he holds.

There is a marked difference between the image of the office and the actual conduct of the person holding it.  My idea of the presidential image is one of dignity, decorum, high standards, honesty, judgment and integrity.  In my opinion, Donald Trump does not live up to any those standards.

Trump supporters also complain that he is being unjustly and more viscously attacked than other presidents.  I do not agree with that.  I am not going to catalogue the attacks, often racially motivated and explicit, launched against Obama; they are easily documented.  Opponents attacking a president has existed since George Washington, but admittedly today we have sunk to a level of virulent attack that seems to have made our governmental process uncivil if not unworkable.

In conclusion, I believe the intense attacks on Trump are a result of his behavior and performance—tweets, personal attacks on his own staff, profanity, incessant bragging, insults, etc.—not  any disrespect for the office itself.

SEND IN THE CLOWN!

Scaramouche was a 1952 movie. Here is the plot

When the wicked Marquis de Maynes (Mel Ferrer) kills Andre Moreau's (Stewart Granger) best friend in a sword fighting duel and steals his love, Aline (Janet Leigh), the Frenchman vows revenge. While hiding out with a theatrical troupe and posing as the clown Scaramouche, Moreau works with the Marquis' very own fencing instructor to hone his skill with the sword. Once he feels he's up to task, he returns to the city to claim his revenge and win back Aline.

Note the similarity to the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as Trump’s new communications director. He has joined the theatrical group known as the Trump administration and is playing a clown.

Perhaps you did not know that Scaramucccia was a stock character in the Italian Commedia dell’Arte. We now have a new interpretation in La Commedia del Trump
From Wikipedia:
Scaramuccia (literally "little skirmisher"), also known as Scaramouche or Scaramouch, is a stock clown character of the Italian commedia dell'arte. The role combined characteristics of the zanni (servant) and the Capitano (masked henchman). Usually attired in black Spanish dress and burlesquing a don, he was often beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice.
Scaramouche entertains the audience by his "grimaces and affected language". Scaramouche is sly, adroit, supple, and conceited. Scaramouche can be clever or stupid—as the actor sees fit to portray him.

The Observation Deck: The Republicans’ idea of “colorful language”

Trump’s new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, has coined another creative entry for the Republican-speak lexicon. Now, Republicans are free to use the most disgusting vulgarities and brush it off as “colorful language.” You will recall that Republicans invented “alternate facts” to justify their lies and, of course, when Trump bragged about “grabbing pussy” that was excused as “locker room talk.”

Let’s put aside politics for a moment. I find Scaramucci’s “colorful language,” Kelly Ann Conway’s “alternate facts” and Republicans’ excusing Trump’s macho braggadocio as “locker room talk” unacceptable. You can scoff and say I am an old fuddy-duddy and that I was brought up in an era with a different perspective on acceptable behavior. Yes, I was. Believe it or not, in my generation, high school boys did not swear (you know, use “bad” words) in front of girls. Yes, I know it sounds quaint, but it’s true.

I am perfectly aware all that has changed. Have any of you followed teenagers’ twitter accounts? I have followed my granddaughter’s Twitter account through her teenage years and was thoroughly appalled by the vulgarities and disgustingly foul language which is common practice in hers and her friends’ Tweets--both boys and girls. So Trump’s campaign references to opponents as “mother fuckers” and declaring he would “bomb the shit” out of enemies among his other disgusting language usage has evidently become acceptable today.

This is not a partisan thing. I can assure you that if Hillary Clinton had used the same language and appointed officials who spoke like Scaramucci I would feel exactly the same way. There are still many of us who believe the President of the United States should conduct himself with dignity and set an example of class and decorum. Obviously, our current president doesn’t think that way. Instead, he and some of his appointed officials have chosen to behave like immature, foul-mouthed teenagers.

The Observation Deck: Beware the Ides of Trump

It seems almost every day something bordering on the bizarre or at least a bit strange pops up regarding The Trump. This week two things happened. In the publicly televised opening of his cabinet meeting, after The Trump bragged about how massive his accomplishments have been in his first months (which they haven’t, but never mind) then his cabinet members, one by one, declared how wonderful The Trump is and how “honored and privileged” they are to be part of his administration.

When Reince Priebus stated how “blessed” he and his staff were to serve him, I expected them all to start referring to The Trump as “our supreme leader.” The cabinet has elevated groveling for The Trump’s favor to the highest level. Might it be they are intimidated? Could they possibly think that if they crossed the supreme leader and incurred his wrath they would be ignominiously fired and subjected to public disgrace?

Which brings us to event number two. The venerable New York Theater in the Park is staging a production of Julius Caesar portraying Caesar as The Trump and Brutus as a female in a pants suit. Not really very subtle. Now you can debate however you want about whether it is in bad taste, artistically valid, free speech etc. But the point is that two major sponsors of the Theater in the Park, Delta Airlines and Bank of America, pulled their sponsorships. In other words, they were intimidated by The Trump. Both companies groveled to the supreme leader presumably to curry favor in his eyes and essentially publically demonstrated that The Trump can dominate them
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These are both rather ominous signs.

A Plot to Promote Pence

This is the second conservative NY Times columnist to state The Trump is not capable nor qualified to be president. (I shared David Brooks's column a few days ago.) One can imagine this proposal by Douthat could be a calculated move, not so much to get Trump out, but to get Pence in. Douthat is a devout Catholic social conservative. Pence is also a religious social conservative zealot. Since Pence is a professional politician and not a dumbbell like Trump he would methodically pursue advancing all the regressive Republican policies on religion, women's health, education, health care and taxes that are dear to Ryan and McConnell. So when the Republican inner circle of Congress finally gets fed up with Trump, under the 25th they could oust him for incompetence and conceivably put Pence in. The choice is a dilemma. Trump is both dangerous and crazy for the country, Pence is just dangerous.

.

Opinion | The 25th Amendment Solution for Removing Trump

Removal, not impeachment, for a president unfit for office.

NYTIMES.COM

The Republicans are Unquestionably Guilty of Collusion with the Russians

Why don’t we just stop arguing over the question of whether or not the Republican presidential campaign colluded with the Russians to help get Trump elected?  Everybody knows the Republicans are guilty as hell.

Many people have told me Republican campaign operatives had close contacts with the Russian hackers during the campaign.  Some people have said Manifort, Flynn and a lot of other high ranking officials close to Trump had extensive dealings with the Russians including deals where they made a lot of money.  You know that.  I know that.  Everybody knows that.

Now regarding Trump’s tax returns, I have a friend who prepares taxes for very wealthy people and he told me it is absolutely certain Trump will not release his tax returns because they contain damaging proof about his business dealings with China and Russia and how cleverly he avoided taxes.

So perhaps we should get over this and let the Republicans get on with more important things on their agenda like taking health insurance from the poor and giving huge tax breaks to the rich.

The Observation Deck: The U.S. Presidency for Fun and Profit

Now if anyone wants to continue the pretense that the Trump and Kushner families are not profiting from the Donald's presidency I have a nice bridge in New York City that I will sell you. Nicole Meyer, Jared Kushner's sister, made the marketing power of the presidency rather obvious when she said the development of the Jersey City project "means a lot to me and my entire family." (Wink, wink, which includes the president.) So come on you Chinese millionaires fork over a half-million bucks for the Kushner (Trump) project and we'll throw in a great visa allowing you to live in the United States.
Oh, and for the fun part. While Jared's sister was in China hawking the family business,The Trump was playing golf in his Jersey resort. The Trump claimed he was at the resort for "meetings" but a photo of him playing golf popped up on Instagram. Remember, howThe Trump highly criticized Obama for playing golf. The Trump qualifies as the most hypocritical president in the history of the United States.

In a Beijing ballroom, Kushner family flogs $500,000 ‘investor visa’ to wealthy Chinese

Representatives from the Kushner family business urged Chinese citizens to consider investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a New Jersey real estate…

WASHINGTONPOST.COM|BY EMILY RAUHALA

The Observation Deck:  Comey baloney

James “Mildly Nauseous”  Comey’s  CYA testimony made a lot of people, including myself, vomit.  Let’s just put aside for a moment the different treatment the FBI is giving Trump’s campaign dealings with the Russians because “it’s under investigation.” Comey was well aware his reopening the Clinton email case would, indeed, influence the election.  Whatever his intentions, which are now a moot point, there is no question his revelation did influence the election’s outcome.  And, of course, it is now irreversible.  It’s like someone points a gun at you, pulls the trigger and kills you then declares, “Oh, I didn’t really mean to kill you, I just wanted to see if the gun was loaded.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/opinion/james-comey-fbi-mildly-nauseous.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

The Observation Deck:  First you say you didn’t and then you did…. 

Having a buffoon for a president has its advantages; you get a good laugh now and then.  This morning, CNN showed a clip of The Trump commenting on the failure of Trumpcare to get a vote in the House.   The video clearly shows him sitting in the Oval Office saying he NEVER promised to repeal and replace Obamacare.  This clip was followed by about five videos from his campaign specifically showing him declare emphatically that on day one he was going to “repeal and replace Obamacare” to wildly applauding crowds.  Now, I know, The Trump hates CNN and calls it “fake news” but, come on Donald, all those videos are a matter of public record documenting things you have really said and done.  It was very funny watching him at his desk, fluttering his hands and shrugging his shoulders and insisting he never said something he really did.

The Observation Deck:  Did you know?

One of The Trump’s cabinet ministers and a great many Republicans actually believe the earth is 6,000 years old. What you probably don’t know is where that comes from.  That belief is based on the calculations of the 17th Century Irish Archbishop of Armagh, James Ussher, who used the generations and ages given in the Bible to calculate that the exact date of creation was Saturday, October 22, 4004 BC.  Now if you add the years since ancient Christians adopted pagan rituals to determine the birth of Jesus, you add 2017, so the earth is 6,021 years old.  And if you believe that, it is perfectly understandable why you believe everything Donald Trump says.

The Observation Deck: The Republicans’ (Don’t Care) Health Care Plan

Sunday on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services said that Trumpcare would put in place “a patient-centered system where we get patients and families and doctors making medical decision and not Washington D.C.” That is so much unmitigated bullshit I can’t believe even the most avid Trumpist can believe it.

For the past five years, I have dealt with three kinds of cancer, three surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, experimental drugs, numerous scans, lab tests and various consultations and not once, got that, not once has Washington D.C. had anything to do with making my medical decisions.

The Republican Party keeps telling you that “the American people” want choices, they want to manage their own health care, they want to get Washington bureaucrats out of your health care, that the free-market insurance business will make everything wonderful with liberty and health care for all.

No, the American people would just like to have a health care system free from anxiety and clearly understandable. The Republicans flat out do not want to give all Americans guaranteed health care. It can be done. This article is a clear explanation of how. Of course, the Republicans, insurance companies and big pharma would never allow it.

The Fake Freedom of American Health Care

If Republicans really want to give patients more freedom, they should try health care the Finnish way.

NYTIMES.COM

Happy Birthday to me!

Today marks a significant milestone in my life.  On this day, I celebrate my 80th birthday! 

This is a remarkable accomplishment since statistically I should probably be dead.  On March 12, 2012, I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  According to the American Cancer Society I had only a 40 per cent chance of living five years so if I can live a couple more weeks, I shall have beaten the odds.

I cannot think of a better way to celebrate my four score years than lambasting the Republicans for their absurd position on health care.  Let’s get something straight, the Republicans do not want all Americans to have universal health care.  Period.

Why?  Because the only way to give all Americans universal health care is to get private insurers out of the game—completely. Health care in America is a for-profit industry and private insurers, drug companies, cancer clinics et al are only interested in making money.  They could care less about your health.

For Republicans reading this, I will try to explain in terms even they can understand. Health CARE and health INSURANCE are two different things.  When Republicans say the government wants to control your health CARE, they are lying.  The government actually wants to protect you from being screwed by private corporations.  Private insurers are pulling out of the   ACA or raising premiums simply because they are not making enough money.

With Medicare and the ACA, the government provides health INSURANCE so you can pay for your health CARE.  Medicare works because private insurance companies’ involvement is kept to a minimum—the so-called Advantage plans and medigap policies.

Now the Republicans are tossing around things like “privatizing” Medicare (and Social Security)—a dreadful idea—“vouchers” you can use to buy, what? Private insurance and “patient centered care.”  That last one is really stupid.  ALL health care is patient centered. Who do you think is getting the care?   Of course, Republicans claim this is to get the government out of “dictating your health care.”  That is pure bull.  The government does not "dictate" nor get involved with your health CARE.  As you can imagine, I have had a rather intimate relationship with the American health care system for the last five years and the government has had absolutely nothing to do with choosing my doctors, what kind of treatment I would get and where I would get it.  I have not been turned down for anything and I am quite happy with government managed Medicare, thank you, and if it were not for that government program I would be bankrupt, dead or both in that order.

As stated in a previous blog, I am afraid.  I am afraid of the Republicans.  But since this is my birthday I have decided to adopt a positive attitude.  I am optimistic that, fortunately, I will be dead before the Republicans succeed in destroying Social Security, Medicare and the American Democracy I have known and believed in all my life.

From the Observation Deck:  Where do I begin…?

Having just watched The Trump’s performance at CPAC full of sound and fury praising and exalting himself, it’s hard to pick out what to comment upon first.  So, for starters I chose his attack on the “anonymous sources” in the “false press.”  (Note: “false press” means those that criticize him.)  This is a topic I know a great deal about and one about which The Trump knows nothing. For nine years in the 60s and 70s I was a full time correspondent for Fairchild Publications, a New York publisher of business newspapers, three dailies and seven weeklies as well as Men’s Wear Magazine.  We had bureaus all over Europe and in Tokyo.  When correspondent in Paris, NATO was part of my beat and when Bureau Chief for Italy in Milan I covered trade with America.  I had many sources inside NATO and in the Italian equivalent of the Department of Commerce.  Any serious journalist (and despite The Trump’s anti-press rantings, there are still a great many serious journalists) cultivates inside sources.  They are a journalist’s life blood.   Journalists need to get accurate information, that is their job and protecting the sources identity is part the agreement—you give me good information I will not reveal your identity.  Anything, anything that appeared questionable was challenged by my editors in New York.  They would query me on the validity of my source and I told them so they editor and publisher knew but my source was protected. It happened to me 60 years ago and I know it happens today.  So don’t believe The Trump on “anonymous sources”—he has no idea what he’s talking about.  As a final note, The Trump attacking “anonymous sources” is totally hypocritical.  Just recall how many times The Trump cites, “Lots of people agree with me…”   “Everybody knows I’m right…”  “I have a friend who told me…”

This is for those of you who like journalism lore:  When sending stories to New York, by cable (no Internet then) I sometimes would send in “takes” that is, one page at a time.  At the bottom of each take I would type  “-more-” meaning there was more to come. 

   -more-  

The Observation Deck:  Judge to financial advisors, “thou shalt not lie to clients”

With all the attention given to the President’s slamming Nordstrom’s for discontinuing his daughter’s fashion line, and his telling the whole world we have a lousy judicial system, you may have missed the Trump regime’s attempt to make it legal for financial advisers to give their clients bad advice.  The “fiduciary rule” established by the Obama administration requires financial advisors to put their clients’ interests first when giving advice on investments and retirement accounts.  Seems reasonable right?  Well, spearheaded by The Trump’s top economic advisor Gary Cohn, erstwhile president of Goldman Sachs, a law suit was filed to overturn the “fiduciary rule” and basically allow financial advisers to make money by lying to their clients and giving them bad advice.  Fortunately, a federal judge in Texas upheld the rule.  It looks like another “so-called judge” is prepared to stick up for what is right, constitutional and honest and willing to face the wrath of our so-called president.

Observation Deck:  Sunday morning comin’ down

It’s always fun to watch the Sunday morning news talk shows.  It’s amazing the way The Trump’s apologists twist and squirm to explain that he really didn’t say the things he actually said or, the stupid press just did not understand what he said, or—the now classic rebuttal— they offer “alternative facts.”  Oh, remember the other Trumpist rationalization, we shouldn’t take what he says literally.

From a philosophical perspective, the apologists are often dealing with the fallacy known as “the loaded question.”  The classic example is, “When did you stop beating your wife?” Any answer is equally incriminating

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Take The Trump’s declaration that all of the nearly 3,000,000 popular votes that went to Hillary were cast by illegals and were therefore all fraudulent.   Now if you ask Trumpists if they believe that, they are faced with a dilemma.  If they say “no,” they are admitting their leader is a liar.  If they say “yes,” considering the overwhelming evidence against it, they know they will be considered exceedingly gullible and will believe anything and everything The Trump says without question.

This morning’s shows all featured Mike Pence who has assumed the role of apologizer-in-chief.  All three shows—Meet the Press, George Stephanopoulos, and Face the Nation—directly questioned Pence about The Trump’s attack on “so-called” judge James Robart.  Of course he deftly evaded giving a direct answer.  Rather than elaborate here (you can check the video clips) I’ll just quote what Meet the Press panelist Tavis Smiley said about Pence:  “He was twisting like a pretzel.”   Perhaps we should now refer to our “so-called” President.

The Observation Deck:  The more things change…

All ten Democrats on the committee boycotted the hearing to confirm Scott Pruitt as EPA Director.  One Republican commented this was “unprecedented obstructionism.”  A conservative friend--yes I do have some conservative friends I discuss things with--was outraged and declared to me, “The Republicans have never done that!”  Well, yes they did in 2013 when they boycotted Gina McCarthy’s EPA Director nomination hearings.  All eight Republicans refused to participate causing the White House to declare this was a “historic level of obstructionism.”  So now we not only have “alternate facts” we also have “ignorable facts.”

Let's define some terms...

In his first week Trump certainly has whipped up his “base” with lots of macho stuff like “building the wall” (and offending Mexicans), keeping out the “radical Muslim terrorists”(and pissing off the entire Muslim world, especially ISIS), pouting about not being recognized as having the biggest inauguration crowd in the history of the universe (poor little Donny-wonny our whiner-in-chief), declaring the blatant absurdity that all 3,000,000 popular votes for Hillary were fraudulent—otherwise, of course, he would have won the popular vote (another colossal lie but never mind).

This is indicative of what we can expect from our idiocracy for the next four years.  In the interest of clarity, I have decided to establish a consistent terminology for my blog in dealing with our brave new world.  Trump has bragged that he has created a “movement.”  So, of course, it should have a name.  Henceforth, I shall refer to it as “Trumpism.”   This is consistent with the use of the suffix “-ism” which is a suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice, state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion or adherence.  E.g. “Fascism.”

Consequently, all those who adhere to his movement shall be known as “Trumpists” applying the noun suffix that denotes a person who practices or is concerned with something, or holds certain principles and doctrines. E.g. “Fascist.”

Now we come to the question of how to define Trump’s years as president.  Normally, in the United States we call it an “Administration.”  However, in Trump’s case, it would be more appropriate to call it a “regime.”  Webster's definition states that the word régime refers simply to a form of government, while the Oxford English Dictionary defines regime as "a government, especially an authoritarian one".  In The Trump’s case, the latter applies. (Some of you may catch the reference of using the article "the" before his name.)

Right from the outset it appears Trump is establishing a regime with himself as the absolute authority. He has made it clear he expects everyone to do exactly what he tells them to do.  And if his first week in office is any indication, a great many Republicans in Congress are showing a remarkable ability to discard their balls and go along with whatever The Trump tells them.

Why am afraid in 2017

As Donald Trump assumes the Presidency, I admit I am afraid.  Do I fear physical bodily harm? No.  Am I afraid of another terrorist attack in the United States?  No more so than in 2016.  Do I think I am going to get more cancer?  Probably, but so what?  Am I afraid the world is coming to an end?  Of course not.

I am afraid of Republicans.  I consider the Republican Party the new Red Menace threatening America more insidiously than any foreign enemy.  Ever since Ronald Reagan set Americans against their own government with his declaration that “Government is the problem,” Republicans have been methodically destroying our faith and trust in our institutions and now with their new champion Donald Trump it looks like they have finally succeeded in pitting Americans so bitterly against one another they can consolidate their political control over the country.

Republicans have actually been remarkably consistent in not coming up with any new ideas.  Their mantra has not changed for at least three decades since Reagan:  Cut taxes (on the rich), eliminate government regulations (so private industry can screw the public to make a profit), reduce government spending (mainly by eliminating welfare programs), dominate the world with superior military force and let free market capitalism determine the economy.  These so-called “Conservative principles” have not worked, and certainly do not work in the world today.

When Barack Obama was elected President eight years ago, the Republicans vowed to do everything they could to destroy him (you may remember on Inauguration Day, Mitch McConnell vowed the Republicans would obstruct everything so they could deny Obama a second term).  Republicans became the party of “no” and did everything they could to stifle government and were the cause of disastrous gridlock and non-functional government.  Yet, their strategy of blaming everything they caused on Obama and the Democrats worked and now they have full control of the Presidency and both houses of Congress.

The election of a black president was the best thing that could have happened to the Republicans.  At first, to America and the world, electing Barack Obama was supposed to symbolize the United States had shaken off its bigoted, racist past and was entering a great new era of tolerance and equality.  The Republicans knew otherwise.  They knew the election of a black president would allow them to stir up the deep-seated hatred, resentment and bigotry that still simmered below the surface in America.  Donald Trump’s extremely clever campaign consolidated, confirmed and exploited it.  So now we have an America more divided by bitterness, hatred, bigotry and racism than ever before.

Another reason I am afraid of Republicans is that they are liars.  Yes, I know this word has been extremely overused during the campaign but the Republicans have been deceiving the American public for years not just in the absurd mendacity of the Trump era.  You may recall one of John Boehner’s favorite terms was, Republicans “are doing the will of the American people.”  This has been repeated often since Donald Trump was elected.  But it is a lie.   Republicans do not care about what the American people want.

An obvious case in point is the Republican campaign to repeal Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act.  The Republicans have sworn to repeal it for at least six years and have voted for repeal some 60 times.  Now if the Republicans really cared about repealing Obamacare because it is a “disaster” and want to do the will of the “American people” why don’t they have a reasonable, rational replacement ready right now?  Answer:  Republicans don’t care a whit about the American people.  When the Republicans come up with their “replacement” let’s see how the private Insurance Industry, Big Pharma and Health Care Providers make out.

Republicans have essentially vowed to take away rights from individuals—health care, women’s rights, LGBT rights, civil rights. The Republican establishment is delighted with their bombastic, reality-showman leader, because they know they can manipulate his ego to further their “free market” agenda.  Wait until the uneducated coal miners and unemployed factory workers in the rust belt find out they have been swindled by the snake oil con man.  Of course the Republican Party and its corporate constituents will laugh their asses off all the way to the bank.