Well sir, after reading this article I am reminded of actor William Bendix and his 1950ish TV series called The Life of Riley. His catch phrase was...."What a revoltin' development this is!"
In that our involvement has only made things worse in the middle east I have to agree with Trump and his plan to get the hell out of Dodge.
Trump..."Arm teachers and shootings will stop. Problem solved. I'll be on the golf course."
"Obama should have dealt with the drug problem. Death penalty for drug dealers. Problem solved."
Domestic terrorism in Texas... Trump "It's not terrorism but if it is, and I stress if, my highly dysfunctional, politically motivated FBI who tried to throw the election to Crooked Hillary and my spineless Attorney General will get to the bottom of this. OK... If you need me I'll be at Mar a Lago."
"Putin. Great victory. Congratulations. Can you come to my military parade?"
Jarred and Ivanka, the Kim and Barbie of international politics. They almost seem like characters from a reality television show. Gen. Kelly reportedly said of Ivanka and her role in policy making...."She's playing government."
At my age and past experience, for better or worse, give me bald guys like McMaster and Kelly running things rather than Ivanka and Hope Hicks and their bouncy 'Breck Girl" long flowing curls. Add to this Trump's popsicle stand middle east negotiator and son in law Jarred, an Orthodox Jew (I wonder which side Jarred in on in the Israeli Palestinian peace process?) being manipulated by Netanyahu.
At the 20 minute mark of this YouTube recording of Bill Maher's program from last night Salman Rushdie points out the Russians were working to promote Jill Stein in Michigan and she got 51,000 votes there.
To make sure the world knows how powerful we are (seems the local boys in Afghanistan have not gotten the memo) the Prince of Mar a Lago thinks a May Day parade displaying his military hardware will send shivers throughout the middle east.
Even so, I doubt Trump will refer to Afghanistan or Syria in his future rallies to ask...."Are you tired of winning yet?"
The tax cut (Trump bemoaned his tax bill would negatively impact his own taxes but he wanted to do what was right for the country...cue the laugh tract) makes Trump a big man to his cult following at Mar a Lago. Playing Santa Claus he told them "I'm going to give you a very nice tax cut!"
Economist said from the beginning the rich don't need a tax cut. They concluded the government borrowing another trillion dollars to fill the gap will increase demand for money in the market....therefore interest rates will rise.
So it only makes sense in Trumpworld that we spend $25 billion on a needless wall on the southern border supposedly to keep drugs from coming in. Speaking of drugs....Kellyanne Conway has been tapped to oversee the opioid crisis replacing the 24 year old who held the position.
Bill Maher said this last night...."The GOP is having a retreat in West Virginia this weekend. Yeah, but the small town in West Virginia is on to them. One of the restaurants has a sign that says...Welcome Banana Republicans!"
Trump's cult members like Sean Hannity and Trump's Fox and Friends policy directors are gladly joining in the right wing frenzy to paint the FBI as a criminal "Secret Society" so that when the Mueller report is released they can point to, what I suspect will be damning evidence against our former game show host/ oligarch loving president, and claim...."Conspiracy! Fake News! See we told you they hate the president!" It really is evil genius that could only be accomplished with the help of evangelicals and those who pine for a return of white America.
Unfortunately, W. Bush and Cheney laid the foundation for distrust in our "Slam Dunk" CIA and the bumbling FBI that allowed 9-11 to occur which led to two unnecessary wars and the relinquishing of our privacy.
One might envision a tariff on China's solar exports as support for solar manufacturing here in the US. However we know subsidized coal barons, who employ far fewer workers than Arby's, and oil companies have Trump's devotion and this is payback for their support. In Trumpworld technology is a product of those Godless scientist.
Speaking of Trumpworld. Last night The X-Files ran an episode entitled "The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat" in which fake news is accepted as the norm. The show got a jab in at Trump when an alien descended from his space craft, rides over on his Segway to inform Muller a wall was going to be built around our solar system noting that earthlings are "Bad people, who deal in drugs. and that we are rapist and murderers."
I take it Chris Carter, the show's producer, is not a Trump fan.
Turkey claims it wants to establish a "Buffer zone" and is conducting air strikes to clear the area. Assad has vowed to shoot down any airplanes flying over Syrian soil.
Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, creator of Alibaba, said this last year in Davos.
"The U.S. has wasted over $14 trillion in fighting wars over the past 30 years rather than investing in infrastructure at home."
To be sure, Ma is not the only critic of the costly U.S. policies of waging war against terrorism and other enemies outside the homeland. Still, Ma said this was the reason America's economic growth had weakened, not China's supposed theft of jobs.
Lindsey Graham still wants to send 5000 US troops into Syria. The neocons never learn.
Secularist Bertrand Russell was asked if he had anything good to say about religion's impact on history...."Well I guess they helped straighten out the calendar."
Will be interesting to see if Trump's fulfillment of his promise to pull out of the treaty with Iran, possibly Friday, will have an anti American effect in Iran boosting the anti English speaking creds of the Ayatollah.
Bannon, the failed Hollywood producer, has delusions of grandeur....."Trump. I made you. I can break you!" Using Hollywood as a guide it will take a charismatic good ol' boy" straight out of central casting for a "A Face in the Crowd" to win over Trump's base.
It has to be someone with wit and likeability (which eliminates Hannity and everyone at Fox.) The multi millionaire cult leader Joel Osteen comes to mind but the hurricane proved, although he can cry and laugh on cue, he doesn't have the killer instinct.
To hedge their bets and with their two trillion dollar tax gift in place the kingmakers are surely looking for that replacement. They just need to make sure the replacement will support their war with Iran.
And to no ones surprise the usual suspects chime in....
“You just can’t tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. If I were President Trump, I’d lay out a plan as to how I would engage the regime. I would tell the Europeans and the Congress and the world that America’s going to withdraw from this agreement unless it’s a better deal, and I’d lay out what a better deal would look like. And I would stand with the Iranian people the entire time.”
Yes sir. Lindsey Graham only cares about the Iranian people. Such a humanitarian.
Good for Ms. Muzychuk. Sad to think a woman with her abilities being told she needs a male escort and what is appropriate dress. It's almost like a woman of equal or superior abilities being told she can't become a priest in the Catholic church. Just sit there and look pretty.
Pay $1.5 for a tournament but as John, Paul, George and Ringo would remind you...."Money can't buy you love!"
It's a deadly sign to see Israels lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, tripping over himself to praise and defend Trump. Not unlike the Russians, the neocons know they have a "Useful Idiot" sitting in the White....em...Mar a Lago.
Never one to admit defeat I expect Trump to announce...."I was never for asking the UN to accept Jerusalem as Israel's capital. That was all Nikki Haley's idea. Believe me!"
Bibi made a similar threat to the UN last year in which, from the podium, he slowly shifted his gaze around the assembly hall and proclaimed to those who voted to resend Iranian sanctions..."I'll be watching you!"
I'm sure Netanyahu sent the same collective shiver through the gathered leaders as Nikki did with her "I'll know whose been naughty or nice!" admonition.
Zionist Alan Dershowitz in recent days has defended Trump, a bad omen, by saying "You can't make everything political a crime." Flattering/ defending Trump is a sure way to his black heart.
History will see Trump and his bumbling son in laws efforts "For the first time to bring peace to the middle east" as the equivalent of what Ms. O'Leary's cow did to refashion Chicago.
When Trump rolled out his tax plan and uttered these words..."My accountant tells me this plan will be very bad for me but I want to do the right thing" I immediately knew this tax plan was a con to line his own pocket.
With Trump the CC rule applies. He has no conscience and no compassion. This is the simply guide to understanding everything that is Trump.
"The US was installing an anemic 2.5 gigawatts a quarter this year, way down from the 20 gigs of new solar it did in 2016."
If cancer was eradicated during the Obama administration Trump would eliminate all government funded cancer treatments just to spite the former president.
His poll numbers are abysmal and he hasn't even blown a hole in the deficit and started a nuclear war yet! I predict by the end of this presidency he'll be more unpopular than the HIV virus.
When Trump announced his tax plan he said, "My accountants tell me this bill will be very bad for me personally. But I want to do the right thing!" That was a bald face lie he only promotes his own self interest.
Cowing to Putin is, for whatever reasons, in his own best interest.
As a former residential builder I remember traveling to Atlanta to attend a conference on solar power. At that time ( Carter administration-sky high oil cost) I was shown an arcane system that used water pipes heated by solar panels. The heated water was then pumped to underground tanks filled with rocks. Fans would then suck the heat into the house. Forget about cooling the home. This was solar in its infancy.
What I'm seeing now is so damn exciting. Yet as the good professor points out we need politicians who understand subsidies might be needed early on to make it feasible for the D.R. Horton tract builders to offer Musk's solar roofing and battery wall.
Unfortunately, Instead of progressive thinking politicians we see Trump proposing to build a 1300 mile useless wall at what could end up costing $15 to $20,000 PER FOOT! and their subsiding of what Mr. T calls "Clean coal" (the proposal if for customers of utility companies to pay more on their monthly bill to offset the inefficient use of coal for generating power. )
Further more, instead of calling for engineers who understand solar and wind power to run for office, this week Franklin Graham called for more Christians to run for office so that sex education will no longer be taught in schools.
It appears our Shining City on a Hill is destined to be blocked from view by pollution.
Something I've noticed. In order to demonize Iran, which is now in full court press mode since Commander Bone Spurs has taken the helm, the neocons have enforced a not to subtle talking point rule. The rule being any discussion of Iran must include this tag line."Iran...the world's chief exporter of terrorism."
I don't know if Iran is or is not exporting terrorism but I do remember the country of origin the 9-11 hijackers called home.
Thank you Dr. Cole. I have been sickened by the fawning that has followed W's speech.
Let us not forget the needless wars, torture, trillions of dollars wasted, families..Iraqi and American... irreparable damaged because of this neocon puppet. This war criminal should be wearing an orange jump suit rather than enjoy his retirement turning out childish, amateurish paintings and giving speeches about so called American values.
When does the "Potter Barn" rule expire...You broke it you own it? Our success rate and experience with settling disputes in the middle east and Iraq especially is pitiful. Our only contribution seems to be to supply more gunpowder.
This pot has been ready to boil over for decades. I suspect Netanyahu and his new found influence in the White House will push Trump to support the Kurds in their fight for independence leading to more chaos, which our juvenile president seems to thrive on.
Also, I question if we still have leverage with the Iraqi government to make them play nice. For once, maybe, we should let the Iraqis settle their own civil disputes.
Foreign Minister Gabriel I beg you to please cease using language like..."“A termination of the Iran deal would turn the Middle East into a hot crisis zone.” You're only encouraging Trump.
For some psychological reason Trump prefers crisis to order especially if it means, like in the days of the Pharaohs, undoing anything his predecessor put in place.
Trump swears he has the tallest buildings...he doesn't. He's worth ten billion....he isn't. He has the highest IQ...please.
Naturally, his ego and daddy issues dictate that he been seen as the most powerful president with the biggest nuclear arsenal. Why negotiate when you can intimidate.
This moron might actually like being forever known in history as the man who ended civilization as we know it .
According to one source.... For every $50 fill-up, $33 goes into the coffers of Chevron, ExxonMobile or BP, while very little of the remaining cash goes into the local economy or even back to oil company investors.
Though Exxon contest these numbers the oil companies cannot be happy with the gaining momentum of EVs and the potential savings to the consumer.
I remember 60 Minutes, the program that is to Israel what RT is to Russia, praising the Kurds for their more or less pro Israel stance. This is supported by our very own Zionist of the Senate, Chuck Schumer, saying about the vote..."The Kurds deserve their own homeland." That always works out well.
"Saudi Women are weeping for joy today at this step forward for their gender." Women and gays in Alabama are weeping because gun toting Christian purist Judge Moore will in all likelihood be their next senator. We're going in the wrong direction.
There is little question Trump's style of belittling and antagonizing his opponents originated from his days as a Wrestlemania promoter. It was during this period when he learned from Vince McMahon how to manipulate the gullible fans who actually believed what was happening in the ring was real.
Add to this years of acting as a game show host obsessed with ratings ( I received more votes than any other presidential candidate) and cliff hangers (I'll let you know what I'm going to do about Iran) and you have the huckster we now call President. The Ayatollah is not far off the mark.
Trump's mental weakness and vicious personality, which is without compassion and or conscience, is bolstered every time our former game show host president undoes any of Obama's successful accomplishments such as ACA, environmental safeguards, bank regs, nuclear deals etc. all the while instituting his own ridiculous policies such as building a needless multi billion dollar border wall ( Damn that Mexican president for not playing along) and pushing coal and oil to fuel our energy needs.
My wife and I had a big laugh when we read Rush Limbaugh, who said the hurricane was a publicity stunt to gain revenues for the weather channel and a hoax to promote climate change, has announced he will not be broadcasting today.
For "Security reasons" Limbaugh said he could not say where he would be during the storm....in other words....he would not admit he evacuated his Palm Beach location.
A disgusting display of pandering occurred this week when evangelicals all crowded around Trump in the oval office. Just as when Trump asked his cabinet members to each praise him Trump called on each evangelical leader to say something nice about him. They all agreed...Trump is heaven sent. Sad!
Trump said "If congress doesn't fix the Dreamer situation within six months I will revisit it." That sounds like his arrogant but hollow campaign rhetoric "I and only I can fix this nation's problems."
...and what "Re visit?" He never has visited or addressed the Dreamers other than to say "I love kids." . What a joke.
As The Man With No Conscience stood in front of the crowd in Houston wearing his $40 USA hat along side his wife wearing stiletto heels and her $40 FLOTUS hat (Both available on Trump's website) his first comment was to brag about the size of the crowd who came to greet him.
A comment that had to be so reassuring to the flood victims and first responders.
Climate change to Trump is the thermostat on the wall.
If anyone has any glimmer of hope this will work out well you must watch a VICE video from a few years back "This Is What Victory Looks Like" showing the frustration of US military advisers who work with Afghan militias and Afghan army units.
Spoiler alert....The Afghan soldiers are more interested in young boys than fighting the Taliban.
We all hoped Trump would be a harmless glitch in the American experience but sneering at climate change is only one symptom of Trumps lackadaisical attitude towards potential cataclysmic dangers lurking.
You must read Michal Lewis's Vanity Fair article in which he explains how Trump putting Rick Perry in a position formerly held by a nuclear physicist is like giving a child a loaded gun that could kill us all.
I watched an interesting Hitler documentary and was surprised how much Hitler and Trump have in common.
For instance Hitler only valued his opinion and decision making skills. He belittled others by rehashing his rise to power against all odds. Hitler promised to make Germany great again. He enjoyed watching his subordinates fight among themselves. He avoided contact with intellectuals preferring the company of those who gave him blind devotion.
With all they have in common I would not be surprised to see Trump ending up in history's trash bin of failed demagogues.
Yesterday we saw Trump the showman doing what W did. We all remember the Bush team issuing a red alert on their ridiculous multi color chart when their popularity numbers were tanking.
The North Korean dictator is the perfect villain for a president looking to rally the base. Unfortunately for us Kim is not Saddam.
Not to downplay the seriousness of the situation but I suspect Trump will come up with a derogatory name for Kim in the fashion of Crooked Hillary, Lyin' Ted or Little Rubio.
Something like " I call him Kim Jung- unmanly! When I finish with him he's going to be very un-happy!" Maybe I should Twitter Trump and see if he takes the bait.
Kelly might be able to stop leaks coming out of the West Wing but that leaves the special prosecutor's office, friends of the "Beleaguered" AG, the CIA and FBI both having been belittled by our arrogant accidental game show host president, the senate and house (Both parties), and the entire so called Washington establishment....aka...the "Swamp!"
I predict the next year will be a period of award winning journalism for WAPO....thanks in no small part to leakers.
I don't subscribe to the school of architecture whose philosophy dictates.... "form ever follows function" which leads me to say, solar panels already look outdated and clunky on the rooftop of a residence, especially among neighborhoods in which they are the exception.
I realize this is a shallow complaint about such an important subject but in order to get the major home builders, who build the majority of our homes, to buy into solar, you will have to make solar less of a Jetson looking rooftop and more compatible with the American dream home.
NYT: Trump Jr. Told in Email Lawyer Meeting Was Part of Russian Gov't Effort to Help Father.
So the Russian/ Manafort, Kushner, Trump Jr. meeting was not about allowing Russian orphans into the US ( I'm shocked) but reportedly about allowing known Russian human rights violators into the US . Now that sounds like the Trump we are learning more about everyday.
" US governments are typically deeply beholden to Big Oil, Big Gas and Big Coal."
There is still a "Big coal?"
It's so obvious Trump, like his Fox and Friends, is against whatever Obama was for. Paris Accord, nix it! The Iran deal...worst ever!
As for Trump's mysterious disappearances, we should remember he is an obese 71 year old suffering, no doubt, from jet lag and going through McDonald's deprivation.
Finally, all of this G20 stuff is boring to Trump. He's not interested in being a team member, he's a man who has spent his entire life only concerned with Trump inc.
As Huckabee Sanders said, " People knew what they were getting when you voted form him."
Make no mistake, Trump loves the uproar caused by his tweets even if he has to push Melania, Huckabee-Sanders and Kellyanne Conway into the spotlight to announce his misogyny and belittling of women is just the way he defends himself.
Journalist should get over his tweets and double down on the investigation of his collusion with Russia. They should daily point out the dangers of Trump as shown in this article.
Even his most ardent supporters have to be made aware this former game show host never had a plan to fight ISIS. He never had a health care plan that was going to reduce premiums and that he really doesn't give a rip if a cab drive in Nashville has insurance or not.
The old expression....Don't get mad...get even! is a better way to expose our accidental president than spending hours on psychological evaluations of his tweets....and plus it will drive him crazy...or crazier.
Netanyahu reportedly told Trump an Iranian presence in Syria is not acceptable to Israel which means US policy will continue to support the anti Assad forces.
Even to a novice like myself Haley's comment sounds like an open invitation for US backed militias to undertake a false flag operation.
Trump gloated about how he made money during the last housing crisis while families were losing their homes. It seems unthinkable but a financial crisis might be a good thing for Trump Inc. and his Oligarch financiers. They could buy properties for pennies on the dollar.
Did President Caligula issue a statement..."I phoned Putin and told him I ordered a Syrian aircraft to be shot down while I was dining on the most delicious chocolate cake. It really was incredible."
I think we can rest easy. Trump knows that if he shoots down a Russia fighter jet he will lose financing for his hotels and golf courses.
President Madoff, excuse me President Trump, reminds me of an ancient Pharoah who might eliminate the name of a former Pharoah by vandalizing the former's tomb, chiseling his name off of monuments, etc.
So it seems to be with any law or treaty President Obama enacted during his administration. We have seen Trump attempt to undo Obamacare, sign off on environmental roll backs as well as banking laws, and now Trump is talking of going back to the cold war days with respect to this nations relationship with Cuba. I look for his next destructive act to be directed towards ripping up the international agreement with Iran.
In essence we are dealing with a vengeful spoiled brat whose racist Wrestlemania cult following couldn't be more thrilled.
The recent announcement Carrier is shipping jobs to Mexico despite what the great negotiator told us is a foretaste of glory lost for the coal miners Trump promised would be going back to the mines after he was elected.
Trump said of German car makers...“Look at the millions of cars they sell in the US. Terrible. We will stop this.”
I live in South Carolina. Greenville, SC...just ranked as one of the 5 best cities to live in the US...is home to a vast BMW manufacturing facility. Greenville is also Trump country and is home to Bob Jones University, which is to the right of Liberty University, and a beneficiary of BMW's financial impact on the region.
My guess is that senators Graham, Scott and our Fog Horn Leg Horn governor, McMasters might take issue with our former game show host president's Bronx swagger towards one of the states largest employers.
Then I wonder...what if Russia was the manufacturer instead of Germany?
I read Prof Cole's informative response to Trump's ghost written speech (Best line from the speech..."I am not here to be judgemental") and thought of Bob Schieffer's gratuitous but expected main stream media analysis .."Trump sounded presidential!"
I'm not here to be judgmental but I like what Cohen recently wrote about Trump...."He’s a boy’s idea of a man. He’s a man’s idea of a boy."
The question is....can Trump give a speech without aggrandizing himself?
"Before I talk about terrorist....In the last election you may have heard that I won more states than any American president. At my inauguration, I think we have a photo we can put up on the screen, the crowd stretched for miles. The park rangers said they had never seen anything like it!"
Watching this drama filled administration dive bomb reminds me of Jim Carrey's movie "The Truman Show" in which the public stays glued to the TV waiting for the next real life drama to unfold.
There is no question that if the economy tanks, health care capsizes, the deficit explode or if he is charged with treason and impeached, we can count on an indifferent Trump to put a positive spin on it all...."The cable news networks and the Sunday shows have never had better ratings and they tell me it's all because of me!"
If Trump was a democrat the religious right would be jumping for joy as they raised millions of dollars by claiming Trump's behavior proved him to be the anti Christ.
It will be interesting to see what this does to Trumps approval ratings. On the far right Tucker Carlson is leading the band with "Comey was overdue to be fired" while neocon Krauthammer is taking a much dimmer view of the firing.
My guess is Trump's Wrestlemania following will lap this up in that Trump tweeted about the firing..."Draining the swamp."
But Trump promised to put coal miners back to work. Not unlike the border wall and repeal of the ACA he means to shore up his Wrestlemania / Ted Nugent base for 2020 by pointing to kept promises....environment and the future of our renewable energy industry be damned. It's all about him.
Well sir, after reading this article I am reminded of actor William Bendix and his 1950ish TV series called The Life of Riley. His catch phrase was...."What a revoltin' development this is!"
In that our involvement has only made things worse in the middle east I have to agree with Trump and his plan to get the hell out of Dodge.
Trump..."Arm teachers and shootings will stop. Problem solved. I'll be on the golf course."
"Obama should have dealt with the drug problem. Death penalty for drug dealers. Problem solved."
Domestic terrorism in Texas... Trump "It's not terrorism but if it is, and I stress if, my highly dysfunctional, politically motivated FBI who tried to throw the election to Crooked Hillary and my spineless Attorney General will get to the bottom of this. OK... If you need me I'll be at Mar a Lago."
"Putin. Great victory. Congratulations. Can you come to my military parade?"
The Dick Cheney/ Alberto Gonzales school of acceptable torture would say everything was done humanely and within the boundaries of international law.
Jarred and Ivanka, the Kim and Barbie of international politics. They almost seem like characters from a reality television show. Gen. Kelly reportedly said of Ivanka and her role in policy making...."She's playing government."
At my age and past experience, for better or worse, give me bald guys like McMaster and Kelly running things rather than Ivanka and Hope Hicks and their bouncy 'Breck Girl" long flowing curls. Add to this Trump's popsicle stand middle east negotiator and son in law Jarred, an Orthodox Jew (I wonder which side Jarred in on in the Israeli Palestinian peace process?) being manipulated by Netanyahu.
At the 20 minute mark of this YouTube recording of Bill Maher's program from last night Salman Rushdie points out the Russians were working to promote Jill Stein in Michigan and she got 51,000 votes there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZH1D_-fZf8
To make sure the world knows how powerful we are (seems the local boys in Afghanistan have not gotten the memo) the Prince of Mar a Lago thinks a May Day parade displaying his military hardware will send shivers throughout the middle east.
Even so, I doubt Trump will refer to Afghanistan or Syria in his future rallies to ask...."Are you tired of winning yet?"
The tax cut (Trump bemoaned his tax bill would negatively impact his own taxes but he wanted to do what was right for the country...cue the laugh tract) makes Trump a big man to his cult following at Mar a Lago. Playing Santa Claus he told them "I'm going to give you a very nice tax cut!"
Economist said from the beginning the rich don't need a tax cut. They concluded the government borrowing another trillion dollars to fill the gap will increase demand for money in the market....therefore interest rates will rise.
So it only makes sense in Trumpworld that we spend $25 billion on a needless wall on the southern border supposedly to keep drugs from coming in. Speaking of drugs....Kellyanne Conway has been tapped to oversee the opioid crisis replacing the 24 year old who held the position.
Bill Maher said this last night...."The GOP is having a retreat in West Virginia this weekend. Yeah, but the small town in West Virginia is on to them. One of the restaurants has a sign that says...Welcome Banana Republicans!"
Trump's cult members like Sean Hannity and Trump's Fox and Friends policy directors are gladly joining in the right wing frenzy to paint the FBI as a criminal "Secret Society" so that when the Mueller report is released they can point to, what I suspect will be damning evidence against our former game show host/ oligarch loving president, and claim...."Conspiracy! Fake News! See we told you they hate the president!" It really is evil genius that could only be accomplished with the help of evangelicals and those who pine for a return of white America.
Unfortunately, W. Bush and Cheney laid the foundation for distrust in our "Slam Dunk" CIA and the bumbling FBI that allowed 9-11 to occur which led to two unnecessary wars and the relinquishing of our privacy.
One might envision a tariff on China's solar exports as support for solar manufacturing here in the US. However we know subsidized coal barons, who employ far fewer workers than Arby's, and oil companies have Trump's devotion and this is payback for their support. In Trumpworld technology is a product of those Godless scientist.
Speaking of Trumpworld. Last night The X-Files ran an episode entitled "The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat" in which fake news is accepted as the norm. The show got a jab in at Trump when an alien descended from his space craft, rides over on his Segway to inform Muller a wall was going to be built around our solar system noting that earthlings are "Bad people, who deal in drugs. and that we are rapist and murderers."
I take it Chris Carter, the show's producer, is not a Trump fan.
Turkey claims it wants to establish a "Buffer zone" and is conducting air strikes to clear the area. Assad has vowed to shoot down any airplanes flying over Syrian soil.
Enter 30,000 US backed and funded Kurdish forces
2018 is getting off to a rocky start.
Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, creator of Alibaba, said this last year in Davos.
"The U.S. has wasted over $14 trillion in fighting wars over the past 30 years rather than investing in infrastructure at home."
To be sure, Ma is not the only critic of the costly U.S. policies of waging war against terrorism and other enemies outside the homeland. Still, Ma said this was the reason America's economic growth had weakened, not China's supposed theft of jobs.
Lindsey Graham still wants to send 5000 US troops into Syria. The neocons never learn.
Secularist Bertrand Russell was asked if he had anything good to say about religion's impact on history...."Well I guess they helped straighten out the calendar."
Will be interesting to see if Trump's fulfillment of his promise to pull out of the treaty with Iran, possibly Friday, will have an anti American effect in Iran boosting the anti English speaking creds of the Ayatollah.
Bannon, the failed Hollywood producer, has delusions of grandeur....."Trump. I made you. I can break you!" Using Hollywood as a guide it will take a charismatic good ol' boy" straight out of central casting for a "A Face in the Crowd" to win over Trump's base.
It has to be someone with wit and likeability (which eliminates Hannity and everyone at Fox.) The multi millionaire cult leader Joel Osteen comes to mind but the hurricane proved, although he can cry and laugh on cue, he doesn't have the killer instinct.
To hedge their bets and with their two trillion dollar tax gift in place the kingmakers are surely looking for that replacement. They just need to make sure the replacement will support their war with Iran.
And to no ones surprise the usual suspects chime in....
“You just can’t tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. If I were President Trump, I’d lay out a plan as to how I would engage the regime. I would tell the Europeans and the Congress and the world that America’s going to withdraw from this agreement unless it’s a better deal, and I’d lay out what a better deal would look like. And I would stand with the Iranian people the entire time.”
Yes sir. Lindsey Graham only cares about the Iranian people. Such a humanitarian.
Good for Ms. Muzychuk. Sad to think a woman with her abilities being told she needs a male escort and what is appropriate dress. It's almost like a woman of equal or superior abilities being told she can't become a priest in the Catholic church. Just sit there and look pretty.
Pay $1.5 for a tournament but as John, Paul, George and Ringo would remind you...."Money can't buy you love!"
It's a deadly sign to see Israels lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, tripping over himself to praise and defend Trump. Not unlike the Russians, the neocons know they have a "Useful Idiot" sitting in the White....em...Mar a Lago.
Never one to admit defeat I expect Trump to announce...."I was never for asking the UN to accept Jerusalem as Israel's capital. That was all Nikki Haley's idea. Believe me!"
Bibi made a similar threat to the UN last year in which, from the podium, he slowly shifted his gaze around the assembly hall and proclaimed to those who voted to resend Iranian sanctions..."I'll be watching you!"
I'm sure Netanyahu sent the same collective shiver through the gathered leaders as Nikki did with her "I'll know whose been naughty or nice!" admonition.
This may be a low brow response to the election but here in the south we use a dismissive expression that fits this situation perfectly....
Hey Roy and Kayla....F%&k you and the horse you rode to town on!
Zionist Alan Dershowitz in recent days has defended Trump, a bad omen, by saying "You can't make everything political a crime." Flattering/ defending Trump is a sure way to his black heart.
History will see Trump and his bumbling son in laws efforts "For the first time to bring peace to the middle east" as the equivalent of what Ms. O'Leary's cow did to refashion Chicago.
When Trump rolled out his tax plan and uttered these words..."My accountant tells me this plan will be very bad for me but I want to do the right thing" I immediately knew this tax plan was a con to line his own pocket.
With Trump the CC rule applies. He has no conscience and no compassion. This is the simply guide to understanding everything that is Trump.
"The US was installing an anemic 2.5 gigawatts a quarter this year, way down from the 20 gigs of new solar it did in 2016."
If cancer was eradicated during the Obama administration Trump would eliminate all government funded cancer treatments just to spite the former president.
His poll numbers are abysmal and he hasn't even blown a hole in the deficit and started a nuclear war yet! I predict by the end of this presidency he'll be more unpopular than the HIV virus.
When Trump announced his tax plan he said, "My accountants tell me this bill will be very bad for me personally. But I want to do the right thing!" That was a bald face lie he only promotes his own self interest.
Cowing to Putin is, for whatever reasons, in his own best interest.
Kompromat...the word of the day.
Breitbart's editor came out and said...."Technically, only one of the three girls was under age. "
Well, when you put it that way!
If the GOP didn't wince at Trump, caught on tape bragging about molesting women, I doubt L A bama will be deterred from voting in da Judge.
President of the US...A former reality game show host.
Sec. of Energy....former contestant on Dancing With The Stars who vowed to get rid of the department he now runs.
We're doomed.
Wouldn't it be ironic if Mueller was the one responsible for "draining the swamp."
As a former residential builder I remember traveling to Atlanta to attend a conference on solar power. At that time ( Carter administration-sky high oil cost) I was shown an arcane system that used water pipes heated by solar panels. The heated water was then pumped to underground tanks filled with rocks. Fans would then suck the heat into the house. Forget about cooling the home. This was solar in its infancy.
What I'm seeing now is so damn exciting. Yet as the good professor points out we need politicians who understand subsidies might be needed early on to make it feasible for the D.R. Horton tract builders to offer Musk's solar roofing and battery wall.
Unfortunately, Instead of progressive thinking politicians we see Trump proposing to build a 1300 mile useless wall at what could end up costing $15 to $20,000 PER FOOT! and their subsiding of what Mr. T calls "Clean coal" (the proposal if for customers of utility companies to pay more on their monthly bill to offset the inefficient use of coal for generating power. )
Further more, instead of calling for engineers who understand solar and wind power to run for office, this week Franklin Graham called for more Christians to run for office so that sex education will no longer be taught in schools.
It appears our Shining City on a Hill is destined to be blocked from view by pollution.
Something I've noticed. In order to demonize Iran, which is now in full court press mode since Commander Bone Spurs has taken the helm, the neocons have enforced a not to subtle talking point rule. The rule being any discussion of Iran must include this tag line."Iran...the world's chief exporter of terrorism."
I don't know if Iran is or is not exporting terrorism but I do remember the country of origin the 9-11 hijackers called home.
Thank you Dr. Cole. I have been sickened by the fawning that has followed W's speech.
Let us not forget the needless wars, torture, trillions of dollars wasted, families..Iraqi and American... irreparable damaged because of this neocon puppet. This war criminal should be wearing an orange jump suit rather than enjoy his retirement turning out childish, amateurish paintings and giving speeches about so called American values.
When does the "Potter Barn" rule expire...You broke it you own it? Our success rate and experience with settling disputes in the middle east and Iraq especially is pitiful. Our only contribution seems to be to supply more gunpowder.
This pot has been ready to boil over for decades. I suspect Netanyahu and his new found influence in the White House will push Trump to support the Kurds in their fight for independence leading to more chaos, which our juvenile president seems to thrive on.
Also, I question if we still have leverage with the Iraqi government to make them play nice. For once, maybe, we should let the Iraqis settle their own civil disputes.
Foreign Minister Gabriel I beg you to please cease using language like..."“A termination of the Iran deal would turn the Middle East into a hot crisis zone.” You're only encouraging Trump.
For some psychological reason Trump prefers crisis to order especially if it means, like in the days of the Pharaohs, undoing anything his predecessor put in place.
"I want ten fold!" That's our boy DJ Trump.
Trump swears he has the tallest buildings...he doesn't. He's worth ten billion....he isn't. He has the highest IQ...please.
Naturally, his ego and daddy issues dictate that he been seen as the most powerful president with the biggest nuclear arsenal. Why negotiate when you can intimidate.
This moron might actually like being forever known in history as the man who ended civilization as we know it .
Mueller to Trump...."You'll find out."
According to one source.... For every $50 fill-up, $33 goes into the coffers of Chevron, ExxonMobile or BP, while very little of the remaining cash goes into the local economy or even back to oil company investors.
Though Exxon contest these numbers the oil companies cannot be happy with the gaining momentum of EVs and the potential savings to the consumer.
I remember 60 Minutes, the program that is to Israel what RT is to Russia, praising the Kurds for their more or less pro Israel stance. This is supported by our very own Zionist of the Senate, Chuck Schumer, saying about the vote..."The Kurds deserve their own homeland." That always works out well.
"Saudi Women are weeping for joy today at this step forward for their gender." Women and gays in Alabama are weeping because gun toting Christian purist Judge Moore will in all likelihood be their next senator. We're going in the wrong direction.
There is little question Trump's style of belittling and antagonizing his opponents originated from his days as a Wrestlemania promoter. It was during this period when he learned from Vince McMahon how to manipulate the gullible fans who actually believed what was happening in the ring was real.
Add to this years of acting as a game show host obsessed with ratings ( I received more votes than any other presidential candidate) and cliff hangers (I'll let you know what I'm going to do about Iran) and you have the huckster we now call President. The Ayatollah is not far off the mark.
Trump's mental weakness and vicious personality, which is without compassion and or conscience, is bolstered every time our former game show host president undoes any of Obama's successful accomplishments such as ACA, environmental safeguards, bank regs, nuclear deals etc. all the while instituting his own ridiculous policies such as building a needless multi billion dollar border wall ( Damn that Mexican president for not playing along) and pushing coal and oil to fuel our energy needs.
It's going to be a long four years.
My wife and I had a big laugh when we read Rush Limbaugh, who said the hurricane was a publicity stunt to gain revenues for the weather channel and a hoax to promote climate change, has announced he will not be broadcasting today.
For "Security reasons" Limbaugh said he could not say where he would be during the storm....in other words....he would not admit he evacuated his Palm Beach location.
A disgusting display of pandering occurred this week when evangelicals all crowded around Trump in the oval office. Just as when Trump asked his cabinet members to each praise him Trump called on each evangelical leader to say something nice about him. They all agreed...Trump is heaven sent. Sad!
Trump said "If congress doesn't fix the Dreamer situation within six months I will revisit it." That sounds like his arrogant but hollow campaign rhetoric "I and only I can fix this nation's problems."
...and what "Re visit?" He never has visited or addressed the Dreamers other than to say "I love kids." . What a joke.
As The Man With No Conscience stood in front of the crowd in Houston wearing his $40 USA hat along side his wife wearing stiletto heels and her $40 FLOTUS hat (Both available on Trump's website) his first comment was to brag about the size of the crowd who came to greet him.
A comment that had to be so reassuring to the flood victims and first responders.
Climate change to Trump is the thermostat on the wall.
With the hurricane bearing down on Texas refineries, kicking and screaming, it will eventually dawn on us we should move away from fossil fuels.
If anyone has any glimmer of hope this will work out well you must watch a VICE video from a few years back "This Is What Victory Looks Like" showing the frustration of US military advisers who work with Afghan militias and Afghan army units.
Spoiler alert....The Afghan soldiers are more interested in young boys than fighting the Taliban.
Have an adult beverage standing by.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja5Q75hf6QI
We all hoped Trump would be a harmless glitch in the American experience but sneering at climate change is only one symptom of Trumps lackadaisical attitude towards potential cataclysmic dangers lurking.
You must read Michal Lewis's Vanity Fair article in which he explains how Trump putting Rick Perry in a position formerly held by a nuclear physicist is like giving a child a loaded gun that could kill us all.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/07/department-of-energy-risks-michael-lewis
I watched an interesting Hitler documentary and was surprised how much Hitler and Trump have in common.
For instance Hitler only valued his opinion and decision making skills. He belittled others by rehashing his rise to power against all odds. Hitler promised to make Germany great again. He enjoyed watching his subordinates fight among themselves. He avoided contact with intellectuals preferring the company of those who gave him blind devotion.
With all they have in common I would not be surprised to see Trump ending up in history's trash bin of failed demagogues.
Yesterday we saw Trump the showman doing what W did. We all remember the Bush team issuing a red alert on their ridiculous multi color chart when their popularity numbers were tanking.
The North Korean dictator is the perfect villain for a president looking to rally the base. Unfortunately for us Kim is not Saddam.
Not to downplay the seriousness of the situation but I suspect Trump will come up with a derogatory name for Kim in the fashion of Crooked Hillary, Lyin' Ted or Little Rubio.
Something like " I call him Kim Jung- unmanly! When I finish with him he's going to be very un-happy!" Maybe I should Twitter Trump and see if he takes the bait.
Make America White Again while the Trump family offshores all of it's manufacturing. A US labor shortage won't affect them.
Kelly might be able to stop leaks coming out of the West Wing but that leaves the special prosecutor's office, friends of the "Beleaguered" AG, the CIA and FBI both having been belittled by our arrogant accidental game show host president, the senate and house (Both parties), and the entire so called Washington establishment....aka...the "Swamp!"
I predict the next year will be a period of award winning journalism for WAPO....thanks in no small part to leakers.
Twitter is giving ol Bonespurs hell about his leadership..This one I really like...
Like Blair Witch Project-- "OMG, is this the same bridge?!" "It can't be." "OMG, we went in a circle!"
I don't subscribe to the school of architecture whose philosophy dictates.... "form ever follows function" which leads me to say, solar panels already look outdated and clunky on the rooftop of a residence, especially among neighborhoods in which they are the exception.
Mr Musk, on the other hand, has recently developed a clay tile and slate solar powered shingle that will be more readily accepted by the home buying public while also serving to protect the residence from the elements Take a look at this......https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-17/musk-says-tesla-s-solar-shingles-will-cost-less-than-a-dumb-roof
I realize this is a shallow complaint about such an important subject but in order to get the major home builders, who build the majority of our homes, to buy into solar, you will have to make solar less of a Jetson looking rooftop and more compatible with the American dream home.
NYT: Trump Jr. Told in Email Lawyer Meeting Was Part of Russian Gov't Effort to Help Father.
So the Russian/ Manafort, Kushner, Trump Jr. meeting was not about allowing Russian orphans into the US ( I'm shocked) but reportedly about allowing known Russian human rights violators into the US . Now that sounds like the Trump we are learning more about everyday.
" US governments are typically deeply beholden to Big Oil, Big Gas and Big Coal."
There is still a "Big coal?"
It's so obvious Trump, like his Fox and Friends, is against whatever Obama was for. Paris Accord, nix it! The Iran deal...worst ever!
As for Trump's mysterious disappearances, we should remember he is an obese 71 year old suffering, no doubt, from jet lag and going through McDonald's deprivation.
Finally, all of this G20 stuff is boring to Trump. He's not interested in being a team member, he's a man who has spent his entire life only concerned with Trump inc.
As Huckabee Sanders said, " People knew what they were getting when you voted form him."
Make no mistake, Trump loves the uproar caused by his tweets even if he has to push Melania, Huckabee-Sanders and Kellyanne Conway into the spotlight to announce his misogyny and belittling of women is just the way he defends himself.
Journalist should get over his tweets and double down on the investigation of his collusion with Russia. They should daily point out the dangers of Trump as shown in this article.
Even his most ardent supporters have to be made aware this former game show host never had a plan to fight ISIS. He never had a health care plan that was going to reduce premiums and that he really doesn't give a rip if a cab drive in Nashville has insurance or not.
The old expression....Don't get mad...get even! is a better way to expose our accidental president than spending hours on psychological evaluations of his tweets....and plus it will drive him crazy...or crazier.
Netanyahu reportedly told Trump an Iranian presence in Syria is not acceptable to Israel which means US policy will continue to support the anti Assad forces.
Even to a novice like myself Haley's comment sounds like an open invitation for US backed militias to undertake a false flag operation.
Sounds like he and Trump will get along famously.
Trump gloated about how he made money during the last housing crisis while families were losing their homes. It seems unthinkable but a financial crisis might be a good thing for Trump Inc. and his Oligarch financiers. They could buy properties for pennies on the dollar.
Did President Caligula issue a statement..."I phoned Putin and told him I ordered a Syrian aircraft to be shot down while I was dining on the most delicious chocolate cake. It really was incredible."
I think we can rest easy. Trump knows that if he shoots down a Russia fighter jet he will lose financing for his hotels and golf courses.
President Madoff, excuse me President Trump, reminds me of an ancient Pharoah who might eliminate the name of a former Pharoah by vandalizing the former's tomb, chiseling his name off of monuments, etc.
So it seems to be with any law or treaty President Obama enacted during his administration. We have seen Trump attempt to undo Obamacare, sign off on environmental roll backs as well as banking laws, and now Trump is talking of going back to the cold war days with respect to this nations relationship with Cuba. I look for his next destructive act to be directed towards ripping up the international agreement with Iran.
In essence we are dealing with a vengeful spoiled brat whose racist Wrestlemania cult following couldn't be more thrilled.
The recent announcement Carrier is shipping jobs to Mexico despite what the great negotiator told us is a foretaste of glory lost for the coal miners Trump promised would be going back to the mines after he was elected.
Trump said of German car makers...“Look at the millions of cars they sell in the US. Terrible. We will stop this.”
I live in South Carolina. Greenville, SC...just ranked as one of the 5 best cities to live in the US...is home to a vast BMW manufacturing facility. Greenville is also Trump country and is home to Bob Jones University, which is to the right of Liberty University, and a beneficiary of BMW's financial impact on the region.
My guess is that senators Graham, Scott and our Fog Horn Leg Horn governor, McMasters might take issue with our former game show host president's Bronx swagger towards one of the states largest employers.
Then I wonder...what if Russia was the manufacturer instead of Germany?
I read Prof Cole's informative response to Trump's ghost written speech (Best line from the speech..."I am not here to be judgemental") and thought of Bob Schieffer's gratuitous but expected main stream media analysis .."Trump sounded presidential!"
I'm not here to be judgmental but I like what Cohen recently wrote about Trump...."He’s a boy’s idea of a man. He’s a man’s idea of a boy."
The question is....can Trump give a speech without aggrandizing himself?
"Before I talk about terrorist....In the last election you may have heard that I won more states than any American president. At my inauguration, I think we have a photo we can put up on the screen, the crowd stretched for miles. The park rangers said they had never seen anything like it!"
Would anyone be surprised if this happened?
Watching this drama filled administration dive bomb reminds me of Jim Carrey's movie "The Truman Show" in which the public stays glued to the TV waiting for the next real life drama to unfold.
There is no question that if the economy tanks, health care capsizes, the deficit explode or if he is charged with treason and impeached, we can count on an indifferent Trump to put a positive spin on it all...."The cable news networks and the Sunday shows have never had better ratings and they tell me it's all because of me!"
What fresh hell will today bring?
If Trump was a democrat the religious right would be jumping for joy as they raised millions of dollars by claiming Trump's behavior proved him to be the anti Christ.
It will be interesting to see what this does to Trumps approval ratings. On the far right Tucker Carlson is leading the band with "Comey was overdue to be fired" while neocon Krauthammer is taking a much dimmer view of the firing.
My guess is Trump's Wrestlemania following will lap this up in that Trump tweeted about the firing..."Draining the swamp."
But Trump promised to put coal miners back to work. Not unlike the border wall and repeal of the ACA he means to shore up his Wrestlemania / Ted Nugent base for 2020 by pointing to kept promises....environment and the future of our renewable energy industry be damned. It's all about him.