Know-nots and Russia Bots

Trump’s Base has become a famous pun; it would be a belly-shaker were it not so unfortunate and true. There is base behavior, base policy-making, and base appreciation for the American Democracy. This man used a spurious base- real people who prefer to know-not and saboteurs as Russia-Bots. 

The crass manipulation of the public during the campaign was obvious, palpable and it has resulted in a worse reality than the fearful predictions made during the campaign. He continues to mine every opportunity to sow discord among his fellow and sister Americans.

Since the election, the nation has been diminished in international power, isolated economically, in full retreat from world leadership. It has become government by spite-- dedicated to serving the rich and punishing the poor. 

We witness the US Senate- wrestling with whether to take all or mostly all of the social safety net so that billionaires can save billions in tax obligations.  It's as if they don't realize corporate taxation is already among the lowest on earth--and the protections of American military, economy, and civil law are among the best and most comprehensive--- CLEARLY, WORTH PAYING FOR-- CLEARLY, HOW MOST GOT THEIR MONEY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Hearing His Master’s Voice

RCA used to run a billboard of a dog, head-cocked to one side, sitting next to a large horn speaker.  The caption was:  his Master’s Voice.  There is a growing image now of Trump as hearing a voice and obeying.  He has begun to openly show the soft, pliable relationship with his election-sponsor Vladimir Putin.

The two enemies have met more than our President and our allies. The news of the meeting comes not from the White House and the US press, but from the Russia Media and he Kremlin.  The two will discuss Assad and Syria we are told, and we will have to go to the Kremlin and Russian media to find out what if anything Putin wants us to do.  His Master’s Voice…

Beggar in China

As a youth I saw many disturbing images of poverty in Asia.  Photos of beggars in India and China stay in my mind along with images from the Holocaust. Today, we have an invitation to celebrate a presidential visit to China that was like the old beggars. 

 A lost man seeking alms—was the US President. He was successful, he got the alms—a bunch of repackaged letters of intent worth billions or nothing. The US surrendered economic leadership to China, we WITHDREW FROM THE TPP, which comprises about 40% of the Asia Market—yet, the beggar was pleased with itself—as usual.

There is an investigation underway a long-shot at the truth of the extent of collusion and other criminal activity that took place during the presidential election cycle. Most Americans have serious doubts about the legitimacy of the election, and more are convinced of the solid evidence of Russian interference and Russian criminal activity aimed at damaging our Democratic process.  

  

The President-Beneficiary of the Russian crimes has informed us—Vladimir said he did not interfere.  We must not believe the 300 million Facebook and Twitter shares of Russian-bot defamation of Clinton—or the efforts to plant fake news.

 Putin has spoken, and the US President listens, believes, as if he hears—HIS MASTER’S VOICE.

Weakening America- Trump Dump at the Department of State

Weakening America- Trump Dump at the Department of State

TIME TO ASK WHY? - we have wrecked the State Department and it precious strategic resources.

Ambassador Stephenson of the Foreign Service Association has written an eloquent call for help- I must join with her strong voice-  time to ask why?

As a young law student in Washington DC, I saw first-hand the powerful draw to public service that has blessed this Nation over its history. Millions of Americans have put their career ambitions for achievement and personal satisfaction into public service. The Department of State was a magnet for elite American talent. Many top scholars and young executives competed by the thousands for the few foreign service openings available each year. One friend, dedicated her days to the task. A graduate of Stanford with honors and Masters—she had failed the final cut and for the following year did little else but prepare to redo.

Rachel Maddow did a segment on the decimation at State. She recently and noted that when Hillary Clinton joined the Obama administration nearly 17,000 applicants queued up for about 500 slots. As Rachel Maddow pointed out, the policy was clear- the US Diplomatic presence around the world was a key element of projecting US economic, cultural, and political power. It reasoned correctly, that the military role usually involves hostilities and conquest; there simply are far more US interests than military conflict can or should solve.

 Today, the US interest around the globe need a vigorous defense and a strong presence. Yet rather than building, we are in the depths of a purge of career talent at the Department of State. It is a deliberate, systematic weakening of the US presence around the world.

By an unprecedented level of reduction, we surrender the diplomatic arena to adversaries of democracy and adversaries of the US. As with nearly every Trump policy- from arming the mentally ill, celebrating the KKK, failing to carry out Russia sanctions,  promoting the use of silencers in the aftermath of the Las Vegas slaughter, to banning travel from our ally Chad- these actions weaken America.

The pattern observed in January 2017 continues to the present. One -sometimes insipid- step at a time- the Trump drumbeat has been a systematic march towards self-dealing and deprecation of US interests. The Trump Administration has given the Putin- regime the victories it has long sought, and the Trump people are not done yet.

Tax Policy for Grown-Ups

This article stands in stark opposition to the tax changes, positions, and ideas urged by the GOP and Trumpists as the current session of Congress proceeds from its budget framework to fill in the income and outgo for the nation. You see, they want to give Jeff Bezos a tax cut and make Trump’s grandchildren billionaires at birth.

It’s a long article so I will summarize it here:  Jeff Bezos made $6 Billion one-day last week, and he does not need a tax cut.

Tax policy is one method for doling out economic fairness and justice in America. Tax policy proceeds on the strength of the nation- an asset that belongs to all of us collectively and to none of us individually. 

 A fundamental truth binds tax policy to the sacred social contract between the Government and the Governed, namely, that the US currency and its economy are common assets, and tools for every individual’s “ pursuit of happiness”.

McConnell Gang and an Historically Big Swindle

Alaska from Russia was one sided deal, although Americans ridiculed it, called it Seward’s Folly. Putin may have a plan to get it back. In the meantime, the GOP tax plan hold a credible claim as the greatest theft of our time.  This one involves $1.5Trillion—just for starters.

o   A tax policy that abolishes the estate tax- when it needs to be increased by a large margin- deprives our government of valuable funds needed to provide health care and other support for vulnerable citizens including older Americans. ( No, the money is not just for minorities- need does not know the silly differences of the outer shell when the inner self lacks food, water, shelter or medical care).

o   A tax policy that unduly limits pre-tax savings for workers that need to save for their certain dependence on uncertain Social Security and Medicare, really stands out when Donald Trump’s family might gain $1 billion in additional monies.

o   The McConnell tax cuts will be financed by cutting off medical care for the poor, ignoring public infrastructure, and taking a meat-cleaver to all non-defense spending: Education, research, environmental programs. 

[George Soros was the top Hedge Fund earner with $4 Billion in 2013, we are not feeling sorry for George] 

Privatization plans exist for public education, Veterans medical care Medicare, and the remnants of Medicaid. State governments will lose needed funding and will adjust their priorities with higher taxes, and a greater dependence on user fees.

Should the deficit begin to crowd investment and profits, sales taxes shift the burden onto the poor and middle class and away from the top earners and fabulously wealthy American families.

[ Some top Hedge Fund managers only grossed $1.5 Billion per year in 2016, a bad year—but, they do not need a tax cut]

--Tax and Spending Priorities Define Us

We can now justify the exorbitant amounts of unneeded billions that we spend on defense. The current elected leadership intends to create as many enemies for the nation as possible; they are limited only by the shortness of human life.
 

Given the largest part of the budget is set aside for wasteful defense spending, the payment for the tax cuts must come from the entitlements, domestic spending programs, foreign aid, and research. (Wasteful because it has become obvious to everyone outside of Trumpism that cyber-attacks can neutralize a nuclear arsenal, and reports that Putin has already evaded US antimissile defenses by putting his launchers on untrackable railroad cars spread randomly over Eastern Europe.)

The current so-called tax reform will shape and limit future federal spending. The proposed changes would reduce or eliminate categories of spending that aid Americans directly and indirectly such as Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance, and feeding programs for children.   

The tax changes do not support pressing American goals such as catching up with the rest of the world in education for our children, professionals, and re-trainable workers.  It does nothing to provide jobs for people that want and need them, and it does nothing to help meet the current deficiencies in person power needed for critical fields like Artificial Intelligence, alternative energy, and cybersecurity.

The proposed tax changes would limit the amounts workers can save without taxation for retirement and likely raise the retirement threshold for social security- unless it eventually eliminates social security by privatization.

The current tax reform misses the marks that are important to America and reaches out to those who need it not at all.  It could instead raise taxes for everyone, raise them significantly for businesses, multinational corporations, and upper income earners. It could provide economically beneficial things like the below-listed items.

·         a financial framework for creating 500,000 or more public service jobs to add to and reinforce infrastructure while providing training and experience in trades and crafts (we desperately need more flood protection and trained crafts persons).

·         Infrastructure and power grid improvements to meet the critical pressures from climate change and intensive storms, rains, floods, and communications infrastructure (redundancies to keep vital communications in emergencies)

·         Train and develop a cybersecurity cadre of practicing technology professionals, coders, developers, and teaching professionals. (We need to keep up with adversaries like Russia and North Korea that could now immobilize our defense and civilian electronic infrastructure leaving us as helpless as Puerto Rico after the Hurricane waiting for their President to Twitt-himself a conscience)

--Truth has Consequences

I don’t recognize the widespread popular sentiment favoring the billionaire at birth tax reform, and rule by Oligarchy. These are two of the ways in which the US has begun to take on the Putin- Russia model for economic fairness. In Putin’s Russia, everything the oligarchs want is fair, and the rest really don’t matter because they are trained voters with confined to propaganda and echo-chamber style communications. The enemies wind up in prison, or dead, the available press is bought and paid for—and fake; authentic journalism is rare, and journalists are often killed.

The Politics of Untruth

An election landslide in 2018 should begin with this tax “deform” effort, except that it likely already -began with the repeal-by-sabotage of the nation’s fledgling healthcare system. The public may have the odd sensation of being angry at the politicians that are hurting them rather than those the simply get the blame. 

 Finally, the population can see that Obamacare was not a curse from God, it was just principled but overpriced health insurance—overpriced by the private insurance companies---who are definitely getting some tax cuts. [HM1] 

The Polls have a Message

Trumps popularity rates amongst the lowest in history for a new president, many people see the assault on truth (prosecuting leaks of the truth, assault on the press as fake news) as legally objectionable conduct. To most Americans their idea of a real President is a person that faithfully executes the laws of the land—not just the ones that tickle a fancy, or please a dubious base.

Tax reform thus far is spectacularly unpopular and very few voters see it as relevant to helping their situation. Nearly everyone (more than 72% of respondents in an October 20 Reuters/IPSOS poll) sees the plan as benefits for corporations, businesses, and the wealthy.

If the past is a prologue, this upcoming Presidential cycle will require a lot of voter suppression and help from the Russian-bots; the Trumpists must convince their voters once again to accept the words of someone clearly not known for truth; the voters will have to disbelieve what they see—

GOP voters- believe us and don’t believe your lying eyes.

---

 [HM1]

Africa Weakness - The Price We Pay For Bigotry

Travel Ban of Chad-- why?!!

The Trump Administration banned citizens from Chad from entry into the US.  In reaction to this incredible event, the Government of Chad removed its military forces from nearby regions; it had protected these territories and populations from terror groups.  It is the region in which we recently lost four brave men to an ambush that appears to have been the work  of terror organizations.

The Trump Muslim ban is an irrational policy applied in an arbitrary manner.

The military forces of  the Nation of Chad have proven strong  under fire. In recent years, Chad was a vital combat ally in the fight against terror in Western Africa, a part of the world that is extremely vulnerable to ISIS and Al Quaida.  Chad has  the best military in the region and has used it to police areas in nearby Mali and Niger where lack government presence is an open license for ISIS, Boko Haram, and a lot of terror wannabees.

Another Step to Weaken the US

It may have been a mistake, a fake mistake, or just some  bureaucrat acting out on the little piece of authority he or she might have-- but the net result was, predictably, to weaken the US. Chad's absence on the battlefield and as a host for regional military operations creates a zone of sharply increased danger. The region became more dangerous from the moment Chad began its military withdrawal.

The Nation Of Chad

The sprawling republics in Western Africa include Niger, Mali, and Chad. They re vast regions many times larger than the European nations like France and Belgium that once dominated them in the colonial era. They are prime areas with weak governance that terror groups can exploit. Boko Haram famously established a Caliphate in the region and other groups claiming affiliation with ISIS and Al Quaeda have maintained  deadly operations there. 

Chad has been a stabilizing force in the region with a well-equipped and highly trained military, they have been a solid opposition to ISIS in the region. Chad played key roles in recent years driving out Boko Haram and ISIS supporting and partnering with the US, France and other Western Allies.

CHAD and the Muslim Ban

Despite the history of meritorious cooperation and military commitments from Chad in the fight against extremists, the Trump Administration has banned Chad citizens and residents from entry into the US over concerns about possible terrorists risks. The Rachel Maddow Show presented a detailed explanation of the history and the abrupt insult to Chad from Trump. 

As a result of the inclusion on the Muslim ban, Chad has withdrawn its military support for policing the vast  territories of its neighbors of Mali and Niger.  The analysis correctly points out that without the battle-hardened and skilled Chad military, the vast and poorly governed areas of Mali and Niger have become, and will continue to be far more dangerous.

The Chad Revelations are Important Contributions

The October 20, 2017 RMS report on Chad was an important piece of journalism and scholarship. It exposes a flaw in the current anti-Muslim approach to foreign policy; namely, the pointless and arbitrary actions damage strategic relationships with key regional allies. 

The Muslim-ban actions ultimately reflect racial bigotry, they should be critically examined by the public. The US benefits from alliances with Muslim nations in the fight against violent extremists groups.

Chad offered resources that we can neither duplicate nor replace. They have been a valuable ally and combat partner. By banning Chad citizens from entry into the US, we have provoked a schism. Chad has withdrawn support, and the US has diminished itself in the region. We have reduced our capacity to defend civilian populations in the region as well as our military. We have added further instability to a dangerous region and for a reason that is simply petty and bigoted.

Another Mistake or Fake Mistake- Weakens America

Destabilizing Western Africa will serve the interests of ISIS and other terror groups. It will put pressure on weak governments in Niger and Mali. Nigeria has its plate full with Boko Haram which could re-emerge in Niger and  Mali.

Weakening America is high on the Russian agenda. As they still deal with the economic fallout from the Obama sanctions, the Trump Administration continues to hand them policy achievements that promote Russian interests at the expense of US interests.