Trumps Latest Attack on the US Military

I get that a lot of Republicans are racist, but just how far are you willing t go?
The latest effort by Trump in saying children board to US service members will no longer count as US citizens is absurd.  So we send a soldier overseas to fight and possibly die for the country and they and their spouses lose a natural American right?
Why are ok with this?  Is it because you think it will only affect colored people? Those of a different religion? Will you make an exception for white people?

The modern Republican party is despicable and keep attacking Americans, our rights as citizens (things like voter suppression and declaring corporations are people, and money is Free Speech), our livelihood (rolling back regulations that protect citizens to give corporations more money, for example), imposing taxes on American citizens to give to corporations such as Tariffs and allowing big companies to pay no federal income tax through loopholes, to stoking hatred and fear using tools such as racism to divide and control the middle and working class so they are easier to take advantage of.

• Illegal Immigrants take jobs Americans dont want and pay billions in taxes for services they are not able to use. If you really think its an issue go after the companies that hire them, but since that almost never happens the real purpose is clear.
• Trump put thousands of veterans on the street in 2017 because he delayed renewing housing benefits for them in efforts to force the Democratic party to fund his wall.
• Trump made tens of thousands of poor children suffer and undoubtedly some died when he pulled the same tactic with CHIP.
• Trump has stolen money from the military and the US Coast Guard to fund his wall.
• Trump and Mitch McConnel block efforts to secure our elections from foreign meddling.

The list goes on and on and its clear, if you vote Republican in 2020 your voting against America.

An Open Letter to Robert Mueller

Dear Robert Mueller,

I've heard you dont want to testify before Congress and that you feel your report stands by itself. I respect that, you seem like a work hard kind of guy and likely expect others to work hard too.  And having read your reports it seems pretty clear and well laid out case.
However most Americans have not, please understand that many are working multiple jobs and have families and dont have a lot of free time. And its hard reading, especially if your not a lawyer, and to be fair its a very hard read. Also many Americans likely feel that if there was anything in there Congress would do its job but all most are hearing are partisan politics. You have a major news channel in Fox telling everyone its a witch hunt and totally exonerated the President. You have the President himself and most of the GOP saying the same thing. So its understandable that Democratic voices are considered partisan hacks, especially since Speaker Pelosi and most of the House has chosen to not begin impeachment.  That tells the American people that they dont have enough evidence so they need to keep digging.

Unfortunately we have corruption and most of Congress looking to protect their own power and political aspirations.Some want to bury the investigation and let Russia and other countries continue their attacks on America to protect themselves and their party. Some just are cowards who are afraid to do what they swore to when they took office and are waiting for the wind to blow the right way.
I understand your disgust at all this and testifying before them will not be fun and you'll probably feel like showering for a month wont get rid of the slime and stench from being in the same room.  I understand the feeling that you served your country yet again and its about time others who are in a position of power to do so stand up and be counted.
But we all know that is not likely to happen soon, in the meantime cyber security has been pretty much nixed and our elections are still insecure as there is no political will to protect the country.

The sad truth is your country needs you again. We need you to stand up and explain in a manner that will get coverage and be clearly understood and repeated by every American. We cant trust Congress to do its job and hopefully we can replace most of them in 2020 for their failure. But efforts to protect our republic need to happen soon if they are to do any good at all. If the President and Congress are allowed to get away with these crimes against our country then things will only get worse.
So I ask, no I beg you to testify, do it soon, and do it publicly.  And I ask that you call out Congress (both parties) on their failure to do their duty.
America needs to hear from you, it may be our only chance.
Thank you,
Rory Fansler
USAF Veteran.
(No war hero, but I served and was willing to die for my country and do not feel its too much to ask the same of my elected representatives.)

MSNBC stats review

Its short and worth the viewing if you want well researched facts.
https://youtu.be/ZTzBVpNlzQg

The Trump and Fox shutdown on Day 21

So we just hit day twenty one in the latest shutdown of the Trump administration. As of midnight it will be the longest one in US history and Congress has adjourned for the weekend so its likely to go into next week. Congress and Trump are showing its simply not an important issue, especially Mitch McConnell who is refusing to even allow a vote to resolve the issue. Apparently giving money to Israel was more important to him.

The Players

• Trump says its a National Emergency despite illegal immigration from the southern border continuing its lowered trend. In other words less illegal immigration than before, starting under President Obama. He cites fake statistics and just lies (surprise) to make it seem like an emergency yet offers no specifics when asked about what hes going to do with the funding if he gets it. 
• The Democratic House voted to open the government by passing previously approved Senate bills that Trump killed after Fox News told him to do so.
• The Republican Senate has decided to bow out and cedeits authority to the President and says they will not vote on anything or try to do a veto overide to open the government. They, through Senator McConnell have declared no votes on the issue until Trump decides he has gotten what he wants.

The Issue

• The Wall is the key sticking point between Trump, Democrats and many Republicans (mostly old fashioned conservatives who dont like spending money and border state Republicans who say there is no emergency or real problem) and Democrats.
• The Secure Fences Act, passed in 2006 was a major effort at securing the border but DHS later leaned away from that for more modern methods. There is still alot of fencing but DHS determined there were cheaper and more effective methods, depending on location.

The Problems

• Trump considers this a campaign issue and needs a fight on this, not a win but an ongoing fight. He keeps changing his requests and when prior funds were approved (most still unspent) he kept ramping up the demands and refusing to negotiate and compromise with the Democrats in return. One of the more talked about incidents was his refusing 25 billion for the wall in return for DACA, The last was him canceling the deal he had with Senator McConnell after Fox News laid into him.
• Related to the above, Trump needs attention and a distraction from the investigations into him. Whenever someone seems to be getting more attention he manufactures a crisis of somekind to get the media focus back on him.
• No one can trust Trumps word since he goes back on it and changes his mind so often. A deal requires trust or a means of enforcing compliance to it.
• If Trump gets what he wants he can be expected to shut down the government again or refuse to sign any bill anytime he wants something. Its a policy of extortion he has shown a tendency for so its like negotiating with a terrorist. So if the Democrats give in, they can expect to see this happen again and again. He did it with CHIP (withholding money for childrens health care), the VA (holding off signing a VA benefits package to get wall funding), and others that dont stick in my mind as much.
• The Republican party shows no willingness to stand up to Trump.

The Solutions

• National Emergency: This was floated so Trump could do what he wants and avoid dealing with Congress. However some people have appeared to talk him down from that ledge for fear of setting the precedent. I dont count this option as complete; out however, as we have seen he frequently changes his mind.
• Trump feels the heat enough to give in but somehow can call it a win.
• Democrats cave into political or moral pressure as more people get desperate at losing pay and the consequences such as losing their homes or apartments. Also, remember its not just government employees but stores, restaurants and other businesses that take a hit.
• Republicans feel enough political heat to be willing to stand up to Trump.
• Someone comes up with a compromise everyone can live with.

Is Compromise Possible?

The trouble here is giving everyone what they really want (not always the same as what they say)

Trump wants something he can declare a win but the Democrats have to be careful to give him a win without looking too weak (or they will be voted out again) or encouraging him to just repeat the tactic every few months (also gets them voted out again).

So as I always say, you have no right to complain if your not offering solutions or at least trying to fix a problem, here are my ideas 

(I keep telling my Congressman, but Rep Lucas staff says its not a focus, Senator Inhofe less said the better, Senator Lankford seems to care but sides with Trump.)

• Democrats offer to rebuild broken fencing and barriers, probably citing specific areas recommended by DHS. Gives Trump a win he can spin.
• More judges (Senator Lankford supports this, Trump opposes it) so we process those seeking asylum faster. This is actually a true conservative ideal since it actually saves us money. Did you know that under Trump were now paying $680 per person per day?! Thats because Trump and Sessions encouraged private prisons and they have seen massive stock rises in return. At taxpayer expense of course.
• Improve inspection stations with upgraded equipment and more personal to more effectively catch imported drugs.
• Improve border patrol with more people and equipment, including drones and fast response stations. Trump has actually taken money from border security (and other organizations, including FEMA, Coast Guard, and the US military) to fund those internment camps which are growing quickly under his new policies (again at taxpayer expense).
• Offer the Democrats a high profile win such as DACA so they can say thats why they voted for it instead of bowing to extortion and the extortion of America. That hopefully keeps Trump from seeing this as a precdent so he keeps doing it, and the Dems feel they wont be voted out for being cowards and encouraging GOP terrorism.

The GOP lost 41 House seats (might end up as 40, depending on what happens with NC but its 41 right now) because they have left Trump unchecked. The Democrats know that (along with Health Care) it was a key issue that won them their seats and failing to hold him accountable will cost them in 2020 just as it cost so many Republicans in 2018.

Remember there is no real Immigration emergency or border invasion. Thats just made up by Trump and alt-right members who promote racism. We know this because the numbers are in decline so its less urgent an issue now than previous years. We actually have more illegal immigrants coming from Canada! But no talk of a border wall there, hmm wonder why...

As for drug importation, most of that is from ports of entry not fence hopping (makes sense its cheaper and get more bulk driving, flying or shipping it in than walking) also most drug deaths are from BigPharma and the opiod crisis, but Republicans want to protect the doctors and pharmaceutical companies so they can keep pushing addictive pain killers.

If there was a real crisis we would hear different numbers from DHS, FBI and others.

If there really a need for urgency why did the Republicans do nothing on the issue when they were in control of both houses of Congress? Why wait till now?

The answer is obvious, there is no actual emergency just the same old issue Congress has failed to address for decades. People need to get back to work, make it happen!

Trump helps Russia, Again

Trump said he is considering pulling out of the nuclear arms deal President Ronald Reagan made.
Some of the media will over the coursew of the next few days talk about it, some will in trying to "analyze" it will say its a distraction to change the topic from the Khashoggi murder by the Saudis.
I'm sure that is partly true.
Fox will undoubtedly play it as a bold move to strike a better deal and say it proves Trump is not under Putins thumb. Putin will of course bluster about how dishonorable America is and that we cant be trusted to keep our agreements and honor treaties.
Under Trump that seems obvious.

Congress could block it, but as we have seen the GOP controlled Congress is unlikely too.
However regardless of what happens countries will lose trust in America, knowing any President can come in and throw out or otherwise sabatoge previous agreements or treaties. That hurts our national security going forward.
Maybe the deal wont be canceled, in which case we gain nothing but lose credibility and power. Maybe the deal will break down and Russia will improve their nuclear capability. Maybe they wont bother since they are still hurting financially. They never really recovered from the Cold War and all that military spending. Maybe they will even use that to get new concessions from the USA to avoid nuclear escalation they cant afford anyhow.
Maybe even Trump will manage to get a better deal than President Reagan was able to, though seriously who really believes that last option?

In the meantime we continue to see a passive GOP weakening our country, increasing the national debt, killing business and weakening alliances while China and Russia gt more powerful and take advantage of the weakness were showing under failed leadership.
Meantime they distract the American people with scandals and divide our country up. While they weaken it so they can retain and grab more power and further line their pockets, they weaken us against our enemies without.

We must stop this nonsense and replace Congress with people who put the country first!

Air Force One turned into a touristattraction

From Buzzfeed, Trump has found another way to use the Presidency to line his pockets at taxpayer expense. Of course the GOP does nothing about it.
We have to vote in independents or democrats to replace the GOP in November!
Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats are our best hope to save the country from the current and worsening corruption that plagues it.

Chain Migration

So President Trump talks a lot about Immigration and one of his pet scarecrows is so called "Chain Migration".
He is claiming it needs to end as it lets immigrants bring in relatives then those bring in more and son the whole country is overwhelmed with races he hates.
Is this true, or just another one of his lies?

Look for yourself

• https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/family-preference
• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration.html
• The Cotton/Purdue Plan

As you can see, it takes a long time and passing strict requirements, including proof of financial capability to sponsor a family member.

Think about this and the other ideas the GOP are floating around.

• They want to end or reduce the ability for American CITIZENS to bring in foreign relatives. This means they want to take away YOUR rights as citizens. This affects soldiers and business people deployed overseas who marry and want to bring their family home.
• The GOP want to limit immigrants who have family here and instead bring in workers to compete for your jobs. As usual its all about the money. The GOP wants to provide cheap labor to the corporations that pay for their campaigns and other perks.

So tell me why Trump supporters think this is a good idea?  Your letting them take away YOUR rights as an American and your jobs!

Immigration Reform does need to happen, but building a wall and trying to bring n cheap labor is not the right way. We should improve border security, but in a manner that is less wasteful of taxpayer money and does a better job.  We also need to focus more on those who overstay Visas which is really where most illegal immigration comes from.

We also need to stop with the idiotic rhetoric against Sanctuary cities. Trump wants to force local police to act as ICE.  Local officials say that States Rights should be protected and why should they have to pay for federal programs. Not only does this unfairly penalize and take away the local rights it increases the risks to local citizens.

When local immigrants are afraid to talk to the police crimes go unreported and gangs grow in power.

Sanctuary cities merely tel ICE to do their own job and the local police will do theirs.  It is a system that works as these cities have lower crime rates and are more prosperous.

The Case for Conspiracy against the United States against the GOP

I uploaded this video and wanted to give my reps a chance to look it over before posting about it.
I am heartened by the Alabama race and some Republicans coming out against Roy Moore.  While I accept the argument that its possible not all the women told the truth.  However you only had to listen to his own word during his interview on Sean Hannity to see that he did indeed do at least some of what he was accused.  Even if as he said he did not 'commonly' do it.

However, while the moral issues and hypocrisy of the GOP infuriate me that is not related to this video. It is the GOP providing cover and enabling the criminal actions of the President and many in his cabinet.

Look for my tax plan later this week!

And the GOP stood by and let America slowly die

You might have heard this poem by German pastor Martin Niemoller or one of the variations of it.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Sound familiar? The following are not posted in any special order....

• The GOP attacked the Socialists than the Trade Unions, then the Left and then minorities and the poor and middle class.
• With President Trump it has gotten more transparent and blatant.
• Trump attacked and objectified women, the GOP stood by.
• Trump called Mexicans rapists and murders, the GOP stood by.
• Trump called for a Muslim ban and the GOP supported or simply stood by.
• Trump ran on Universal Health Care, the GOP heard "Repeal and Replace" and cheered him on.  Not caring about the promise made to Americans but hearing what they wanted which was to get rid of the Democrats Health Care (even if it was largely Mit Romminy's a GOP plan).
• Trump feels insulted he could not get the job done and says will let the AHCA implode because he will stop funding, the GOP cheered.  After all they have already been pulling this tactic by making a month to month decision during President Obamas term to keep the insurance companies nervous and the market unstable.
• Trump violated his oath of office starting on Day one, the GOP stood by.
• Trump compared a confederate general who fought against the USA with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and the GOP stood by.
• Trump is using the White House to line his pockets and promote his properties, the GOP stands aside.
• Trump lies to the public on a daily basis, the GOP stands aside and lets it happen.
• Trump refuses to meet with veterans and sends out Ammorsa to meet them because he cant be bothered, the GOP is quiet.
• Trump wont pay the Veterans charity he did a fund raiser for until they take it to the media. theGOP stands by.
• Trump insults a disabled reporter, a war veteran and more and the GOP stands aside.
• Trump attacks the media and tries to censor the press, the GOP stands by.
• Trump pulls climate change data from government websites and issues gag orders, the GOP stands by.
• Trump attempts to intimidate federal prosecutors and the FBI, the GOP stands by.
• Trump kicks the Secret Service to the street because they ran out of money paying his hotel for office space to protect Trump and his people, the GOP stands by.
• Trump violates the property of an Indian reservation to boost the stock he has in an oil company, the GOP stands by.

And finally...

Trump blames both sides for the death of a young woman, instead of the typical presidential call he claims the mother complimented him and otherwise uses that press conference to brag about himself.

He started off the last conference stating how great a job he has done with the economy (News flash the first year is still based on the previous years policies as it takes time for new company fiscal years) and ended it by bragging he has one of the biggest wineries in the USA. He never once mentioned Heather Heyer by name.  I doubt he even bothered to think about her or remember her name.
The Neo Nazis actually THANKED Trump for his remarks

And though we are hearing a lot of noise only TWO GOP members have called him out on it by name,  The rest continue to aid and abet this enemy of our country and try to provide him cover so they can push their agenda.  Because Party over Country, profit and self interest over patriotism

#GOPKillsUSA.

So far Senators McCain and Graham are the only ones to call Trump out on this by name.

How can anyone trust thisWhite House to be able to handle anything with even a small degree of competence?

Scaramucci is inept.
I wonder if he will last the weekend and if he does it shows yet again how inept the White House really is.  I mean asking the phone call to off the record it would still have been stupid to say but toi forget that key detail?  And this is a communications Director?

His quotes ranked

This is actually kind of funny but after the laugh is over its scary to realize these guys are in charge of the country.

Senator Graham remembers that the government was set up to be a check and balance against abuse of Power.

Senator Graham came out against the firing of Jeff Sessions today
Senator Sasse and Senator Grassley reportedly also came out against the idea.
I wish my Senator James Lankford (forget the useless snowball Senator Inhoffe he cant get his head out of the sand) would do the same.
Additionally Graham says he will introduce legislation (I'm sure Trump will veto it) to protect special prosecutors in the future.  Good news for America, at least a few GOP members are stepping up to their responsibility.

Jeff Sessions under fire for doing the right thing

I don't think Jeff Sessions is a good guy.  I think he is a misogynist and a racist.
However recusing himself in the Russia  investigation was the right thing.
The Dictator in Chief however has been pretty mad about it.  In his mind its all Sessions fault that he is under investigation for the Russia mess.

The bit about he would never have hired him if  he knew he was going to do that tells us a lot about Trump.  It makes it clear that he thinks of the Attorney general as the Presidents lawyer not the countries lawyer.
I think Sessions should stay and rough it out.

I would hope, but of course don't expect the GOP to stand up and protest in mass if he is forced to resign.

Rep Steve King, another traitor to the USA

Listening to yet another GOP member try to deflect and provide cover for Trump.
He made it clar he would rather go back and re-investigate Hillary again over her emails than deal with Trumps Russia issues.
These people need to be removed from office!
I get partisan politics and why they want to blame the other guy for everything but at a certain point you have to step up and put the country ahead of your party and political agenda.
Now I don't defend Hillary, shes corrupt and has lots of problems.  However she had her day in court and its over. The Great Obstructionist Party went after her for years and came up with nothing to convict her on.
STOP rehashing history over a politician who has made herself irrelevant.

And his crack at Obama makes him deserve to be shot for treason.
Could Obama have done more? Yes, Should he? Probably but he did try and the Great Obstructionist Party stopped him. They REFUSED to team up for a bi-partisan complaint over Russian meddling and call for tighter security.  They REFUSED to take the issue seriously and to this day thier dear leader still says nothing to see here and it was some guy in a bed somewhere, or maybe Chinese, or maybe whomever. Republicans did not want to help and now they are culpable.  Had President Obama gone out on his own it would have been the brave thing but it would have backfired and they would have roasted him over it on air.
We ALL know this.


Where is the red line? At what point will the Greed  Over Patriotism group finally step up?

Just look at the public record, the things the average American can see for themselves.
President Trump is guilty of violating the Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution.
He is gettign pay for access and DOUBLED his membership fees for his resort Mara Lago and meets with foreign officials there and shows them off to members.
He golfs almost every weekend and uses the weekends and even the White House website (till he was forced to take it down) to showcase his properties and add value to his brand at taxpayer expense.
He is guilty of money laundering for the Russian mob.
He is guilty of obstruction of Justice and witness tampering and intimidation.  Ok he is incompetent at it and has not succeeded so far but failing does not absolve you of guilt.
His defense of his sons meeting with Russians was that its ok because nothing came of it is not a true defense, nor is it true that anyone would have done the same. Al Gore turned his into the FBI and the gal who tried it with him is in jail.

At what point will these people finally step up and act?
At this point they are supporting and aiding and abetting criminal actions against the United States of America  When will they stop?
When will Trumps loyal base of 35% of America finally have had enough of this?
They waiting for him to get on with his promises? Willing to sell out the country as long as they get what they want?
If I cant appeal to their integrity and patriotism how about their sense of entitlement? He WONT do anything for you!
He has proven and does so every day that he cares about no one but himself.  His inability to stop bragging about himself and stop blaming everyone else but himself for things that go wrong and his inability to stop tweeting stupid shit has erased any chance he had of getting anything done.
A REPUBLICAN controlled congress is still unable to pass any major legislation, 6 months  in.  they are incompetent and so used to obstructing they have no clue how to work together to get anything done.

The Trump supporters and the GOP leadership must step up and start working for the country instead of themselves. The rest of us must vote or otherwise remove them from office at the earliest possible opportunity before they destroy the country.

You stood by while he accused a former president of a felony.
You stood by while he lied to everyone about his connections, even as evidence continues to mount.
You stood by while he wastes taxpayer money and lines his pockets.
You stood by while he takes money from Turkey in return for holding up on supporting the Kurds against ISIS.
You stood idly by and provided cover while he fired investigator after investigator, First Yates, then Bahria, then Comey.
You stood by while he tried to intimidate and threaten witnesses against him.
You stood by while he tried ot intimidate the director of the NSA and CIA into talking Comey down.
Your standing by while he lays the ground work to destroy the credibility of the entire DOJ.
Will you continue to stand by when Jeff Sessions and Rob Rosinsiten are forced to resign?
Will you stand by when he gets rid of Meuller?
Will you stand by when he gets us into a war to get his poll numbers up and provide another distraction?
Will that finally be enough? Though of course by then it may well be too late.

At this point the GOP is guilty of aiding and abetting after the fact, those who did not know about this ahead of time.  Right now I feel your morally and ethically guilty.  At what point will you be legally guilty?
I know your all rich white men so wont ever get charged or go to jail.  That does not make it right, it just means you will get away with your crimes against the country.
Hopefully God will take care of you on the other side.

Trumps Money Laundering Connection

An article in The New Republic called "Trumps Russian Laundromat" makes good reading.  It is well sourced and revealing in just how far back Trumps Russian connections go.
Included sources include not only public statements from his sons but from Trumps own book "The Art of The Deal".
So tell me again why the GOP offered this man as the best the party had to offer?
Why do they continue to support him, no matter how many things keep coming out the GOP just keeps sticking to their support of Trump.

At waht point do we call the GOP to account for this?  In the beginning they could claim they made a mistake and were ignorant.  However every day that gets harder to believe and by continuing to provide excuses and aid in covering up his crimes, refusing to call him to account for the crimes already proven, or impeach him to protect the selling out of the country the Republican party is more and more culpable.
At what point are they criminally liable for conspiracy to defraud the United States, aid and abetting and accessory after the fact in his violations of the Emoluments clause?

Al Gore had someone approach him with info but instead of taking the meeting he called the FBI and the lady is now in jail.  But Trumps lawyers and members of the GOP say this time it was ok, and in fact if there was anything wrong it was up to the Secret Service to stop it.

Republicans were up in arms over China Gate and now complain about the Ukraine, however because this time its a Republican its all ok. Why are ANY of these things ok?
The GOP simply cares more about their party than they do the United States of America.


Plain and simple we must get rid of the people now in charge and replace them with new and honest people. Check out Brand New Congress.

President Trump manages to lower the office of the Presidency even more

This is infuriating.
The Grand Old Party offered this stupid jerk up as the best of them.
He barely even tries to govern, delegating key responsibilities like national defense, and spends more time goofing off and trying to line his pockets than actually running the country.
He has attacked the media, the military, and seems incapable of rational debate.  He keeps getting personal and complaining about people complaining about what he himself say and keeps tweeting over and over.
The latest personal attack is still not enough to get the party of rich old white men to do anything.  A cautious platitudes but we can expect no action.  Had this been a Democrat they would be up in arms and calling for impeachment.  Yet we can all see he is using the office to line his pockets, violates the emolument clause, breaks his oath of office on an almost daily basis and is actually trying to destroy this country.
So why does anyone support him?  The only reason is they think they have something to gain and that is more important than the USA.  No wonder most Republicans are afraid to attend Town Halls.

Party politics is more important to our leadership than our Democracy

There is a lot of blame to go around on the Russian Meddling.  However it really boils down to partisanship.

We need Mitch McConnell and the gang of 8 to testify under oath before the Senate Intel Committee on why they dismissed the warnings and why instead of trying to weaken the House Ethics Office their first action was not trying to secure our elections. 

If it wasn't for leaks we would know nothing about this and they would continue to do nothing!

There is a lot of blame to go around on the Russian Meddling. The Obama administration played it soft for fear Russians would do worse and Republicans would claim Democrats trying to swing the election. The Republicans did not and apparently still do not take it seriously, because it was in their favor.

A set of links for details on what has been reported so far.

• Condemning President Obama
• Highlights of Russian Meddling in 2016
• Detailed Timeline of Russian Hacking and Government response
• President Trumps failure to do anything or even admit it happened
• The dangers of Polarization

As a veteran who served during the Cold war it appalls me how Russia is allowed and even encouraged to meddle with our elections.

For many people Health Care, jobs and the overall economy are the most important threats to Americans.  Those are important issues but to me government corruption and party over country is the most serious threat to our country. If we fix that everything else can get worked out.

We MUST clean house before we can see lasting change and the country can have honest debates over policy.

Please join me in replacing our corrupt congress with new blood who wont take PAC money.

Brand New Congress may be our last best hope to peacefully reform the government.

They don't have to replace everyone but if they get a majority they can enact real change.

Also please sign my petition to get Congressional leadership to testify on the record about what they did last year.

About those Coal jobs

So President Trump said he was going to bring back coal jobs.
He also blames environmental and minor safety regulations as the reason those jobs went away.
Trouble is, like almost everything else he says that is a lie.
Coal jobs have been in decline for a long time and started that under Republican watch.
Coal Countries decline has a long history
Cheaper forms of energy such as natural gas make coal mining less profitable and automation has cut down on the number of workers needed for the same amount of production.
Coal industry leaders recognize that significant jobs will never return.  So what can we do?
Republicans can subsidize coal jobs like they do for oil but as they get more bribery money from oil and gas companies that seems unlikely.
And for he fiscally conservative but ethical republicans that would not sit well anyhow.
We are also losing manufacturing jobs and not so much to foreign site as due to automation.

That is the real key.  We need to invest in long term job growth for new industries.
John Oliver monologue on Coal
Coal Industry Jobs as an overall part of the Economy

Right Wingers say left Wingers are too violent and need to tone down the Rhetoric

So members of the GOP are demanding Democrats and the Left change the tone
Ted  Nugent, the guy who said at a concert President Obama should suck on his assault rifle and Hillary Clinton should be hanged now says maybe we should tone it down.
Karen Handel running for a GOP seat in Georgia had an ad that a vote for Jon Ossaf is a vote for more violence.
Rep Chris Collins said Democrats need to tone down the rhetoric.
Griamonte? body slammed a reporter for asking how he would vote on Health Care.
The GOP had a reporter arrested  for asking questions in the halls of congress.
A lot of other Republicans are saying similar things, though with more class and diplomacy, including my Senator James Langford.

The thing is they have been pushing the hate for years.  Candidate Trump even offered to pay legal fees for people who would assault protesters at his rallies. He has encouraged hate crimes and told the FBI to avoid investigating right wing extremists by specifically cutting funding for those projects.

The President wont speak out when people are killed by right wing conservatives during many of the mass shootings and the recent stabbing in Portland.
 The Conservative movement has been spreading hate and now that the left are getting upset.
Now when the anger is directed at them they want to play the victim card and cry how unfair it is?

Now I am not saying the Left are all good guys, nor am I at this time condoning the Alexandra shooting.  I think we still have a chance to peacefully reform the government. However that chance is slipping away and people are getting more angry all the time.

However I am tired of the hypocrisy of the Right wing and the GOP.  Your responsible for much of the problems we are having in America and have been blaming everyone you can, from immigrants working for less than minimum wage to over regulation and sucking up to the Russians and the Saudi's.  You put forth a bully for a President who treats hand shakes like arm wrestling contests, shoved a Foreign Prime Minister to gt in the front of the line and alienate our allies while catering to our enemies or those who have a more adversarial relationship with us. Choosing Saudi Arabia over Europe, Turkey over Australia and supporting ISIS to cater to Turkey (funny how Trump has property in turkey and the Turkish government moved a convention to his hotel).

Today's Shooting of Republican leadership

It is still early on in the investigation but it turns out the shooter was a volunteer for Bernie Sanders.

I await the hypocrisy on the Right in this but am sure it will come.

To date most of the shootings and violence are from the conservative and extreme right side of the political spectrum.  The Left side are considered (often derisively) by the Right as weak pacifists.

The Left stand for humanitarian causes and civil liberty so violence form that side is far more rare and surprising when it happens.

It is a sign of the times and the frustration Americans have with our government that even leftist people feel the need to take up arms. I do not condone todays shooting, nor does Senator Bernie Sanders. However it was as predictable as 9/11 (I was in the military a the time and using planes as bombs was something we were briefed on as far back as the early 80s). 

What is good about his shooting and indicates it more an act of patriotism and revolutionary action than terrorism is that he attacked the leadership of our corrupt government rather than a night club or school.

Again I do not condone nor wish to encourage violence, but it is predictable and has been escalating and will likely continue to do so.  In fact the Trump administration is actively encouraging it, not just by its rhetoric and treasonous activity but by defunding and ordering the FBI and intelligence organisations to only investigate Muslim terrorism threats and ignore right wing home grown ones (which kills far more people on an annual basis).

Today's shooting was sad but at least it was done against politicians and not innocent civilians.

It was more an act of revolution than terrorism.

I expect we will see much more and hope that people who do feel they have no option but violence will focus and target it properly and not harm innocent civilians. That is the one good message we can take from today's shooting.

All Hail Trump!

Wow, all that fawning and fake praise to make the president feel good was disgusting.
At least Mattis handled himself like a patriot.

Meantime the draft dodger continues to not care about Russia meddling in our election.
According to sworn Senate testimony by both Comey and Sessions he never asked or brought up anything on this issue. No one except Clinton thinks he won because of that meddling but he is willing to sacrifice our national defense for fear of people thinking he might be illegitimate,
Get over yourself and start defending our country you spineless coward!