There have been so many things I've wanted to write about but the sheer volume of them in the short period of time has really set my head spinning. Too much to stay focused, really. And THAT got me thinking...
The President wants us to focus on widespread voter fraud. You know, the voter fraud that literally every secretary of state in every state - red and blue - certified didn't exist; the same voter fraud that Trump's own attorneys argue didn't happen in Michigan when Jill Stein filed for a recount? THAT non-existent voter fraud!
And not just that, the gag he put on government agencies ("Most transparent administration in history" was promised to us...) has taken up a lot of time and effort as well.
And crowd size. Let's not forget about the idiotic, pathetic rantings about crowd size. Talk about being a sensitive "snowflake". We now have a Snowflake-in-Chief.
But perhaps these distractions are by design.
We know that there is no voter fraud. Perhaps there are millions on voter rolls throughout the country but that's not fraud. Why? Well, let's say you have a relative pass away. At what point in the grieving process do you go down to the town hall and make sure that you remove them from the voter rolls? You never have? Yeah...me either.
What about when you move? Did I make sure when I left Nevada for Minnesota that I let the good folks in Nevada know that I won't be voting there anymore? Um...no. I simply registered to vote in my new hometown and that's where I vote. Kind of like Steve Bannon did. Really, not a huge deal. That also does NOT constitute fraud.
I can almost guarantee, though, that when this "investigation" is concluded (at what cost to taxpayers, by the way?) Trump will claim vindication when he "discovers" that many states - red and blue alike - have plenty of voters on the rolls that don't belong there for one reason or another. Not that 3 -5 million "illegals" voted, mind you, just that the rolls need purging.
That's what our President does. He twists (or completely makes up) facts so they suit his conclusions. And then repeats them over and over again until the news cycle sweeps it away.
SEE!! I just went 4 paragraphs on non-existent voter fraud rather than focus on the policies and executive orders that allow the trampling of Native American land rights, virtually closed the EPA, killed science, handed Asia to China, tried to censor the press and removed transparency from our government. We're now a government in secret. And there is a segment of the population that just doesn't care.
"Good for him. He's getting it done. Fuck you, snowflake, get over it. This is what winning looks like."
It may be what winning looks like to Trump but it is NOT what America looks like. I would ask to all you supporters of these antics: if this was done by a Democratic president would you be okay with it? I think we ALL know the answer to that question.
And your boy just may be profiting from the DAPL but we don't know because we don't know his conflicts of interest and investments. Again, would you all allow this from a Democratic president? Of course not.
There have been real concerns from his own party as well (if he really even HAS a party affiliation other than self-interest). Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham have been critical of the President as have conservative columnists George Will and Bill Kristol. I don't agree with these gentlemen on policy but it is hard not to respect their integrity.
As the President continues to tweet about idiotic things with the petulance of a spoiled child, I wonder if it is by design, to try and keep people focused on the ridiculous so he can continue with the important business of dismantling this country. Maybe not. He certainly has zero command of facts, governance or policy so I'm probably giving him too much credit.
However, I do agree with Robert Reich when he stated that there is a faction of the GOP that is willing to use Trump to further their agenda and then look to remove him when he's not longer useful. I would not be surprised if, when Trump is no longer useful or he looks to be a millstone around their necks that the GOP Congress amazingly "discovers" something that is impeachable (hell, they may have it already). Then we get the Pence theocracy. Better? Worse? Well...at least not a total embarrassment in front of the world so there is that, I guess.
If Democrats play their cards right - and we have a LOT to get in order in our own house right now - this could be the best thing to happen to the party since FDR. Though who knows how much irreparable damage will have been caused by that point?
