Do Senate Republicans Believe In The Constitution And The Rule Of Law (Or Not)?

There is no use in walking anywhere to preach if your walking isn’t your preaching.
—    St. Francis of Assisi
[I’m predicting they (the Republicans) talk about “free and fair” elections, but they don’t really believe in them OR support them – especially when a Republican President is willing to use a riot to overturn an election he’s lost.   —    KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2020	Morally Treasonable
2019	Lost Again Or Still?
2018	Why #LazyDonald Starts Work At 11AM
2017	At Least Most Of The Time
2016	But Doctor, I Never Learned How To Read
2015	Punch The Keys, For God’s Sake!
2014	Ouch!
2013	Revelations
2012	Movies And Juicing
	Brady Gets #4 (Prediction)
	Happy To Get Up
2011	What About Good Blogs?
2010	Slowly, Slowly…

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Good-Bye #45

The Tears Of A Clown
Favorite Line(s):
Now there’s some sad things known to man
But ain’t too much sadder than
The tears of a clown
When there’s no one around
Comment(s):
Dear #DonTheClown (aka:  #45TheLoser),  We don’t care if you leave mad or sad…  Just LEAVE!!  Oh, yeah…  We will be counting the silverware after you’ve left, ’cause we don’t put simple theft past you, either.  —  KMAB
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On This Day In:
2020	The Burden Of Faith
	On To Superbowl LIV (54)!!
2019	Are Your Dogs Barking?
	Dangerous Waistcoats
2018	And 40+ Years Later?
2017	He Is Alone
2016	Compensation
2015	Charlie Redux
2014	The Crux
2013	Erosion And Rechannelling
	Alliance, n.
2012	How Many Thought… (One I Know Of)
	Choices And Decisions
2011	Speed Spoils
	Simply Intended
2010	A Second 4 Hour Jog

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51 Days Until The Moron (#45) Is Out Of Office

The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men.  As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people.  We move toward a lofty ideal.  On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
—   H.L.  Mencken
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On This Day In:
2019	#Impeach45: Once A Buffoon, Now A Bad Joke
2018	Good Sense
2017	E Pluribus Unum
2016	Lacking
2015	Chip, Chip, Chip
2014	nom de plume
2013	The Real Reason
	From The Book
2012	When Young
2011	14 Ways To A Better Judgement

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#45: The Biggest Loser’s Self-Image

Death is not the greatest loss in life.  The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.
—    Norman Cousins
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On This Day In:
2019	Defining Trumpism In Today’s Republican Party
2018	#45: It’s Tougher Being President
2017	Consequences
2016	Shouting At The Void
2015	Crab Feed
	Happy Thanksgiving (2015)
2014	Beyond Proof
2013	Poor Students Of History
2012	Between Two Worlds
2011	Common Humanity
2010	The Last Two Olympians

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Hey #45, Are You Tired Of LOSING Law Suits Too?

Bad Luck
Favorite Line(s):
You’re downhearted and confused
Because lately, you’ve been startin’ to lose
Losin’ out on everything you might try to do
Bad luck is there, it’s got a hold on you
Losin’ your money, ’bout to lose your home
Done lost your woman and everything’s wrong
Law of average plainly states that chances go around
But if you wanna know the truth about it
I’ll tell you what’s pulling you down, yeah
You got (bad luck, that’s what you got, that’s what you got), yes, sir
Bad luck (that’s what you got, that’s what you got), yeah
Bad luck (that’s what you got, that’s what you got)
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On This Day In:
2019	Many Forms
2018	Serenity Prayer
2017	But The Clock Says It’s Already Two Minutes 30 Seconds to Midnight
2016	Towards No Regret
2015	109 And Beyond
2014	Are You Waiting?
2013	Traditional Human Sacrifice
2012	A Division Of Men
2011	Miles, Legends and Superwoman
	Got Tragedy?
2010	My Company For A Prince!!
	On The Shoulders Of Titans

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#45: You Would Cry Too…

It’s My Party
Favorite Line(s):
It’s my party,
And I’ll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to,
Cry if I want to
You would cry too
If it happened to you
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On This Day In:
2019	#Corrupt45 Fails Another Great Test
2018	Where The Economy Is Headed Thanks To #IncompetentDonald
2017	Time For More Research, Too
2016	Original Thoughts
2015	If They’re Good Enough
2014	Three…
2013	Uncle Joe’s Song
	Live, Then, As If…
2012	Still Trying
2011	Not Deserving

 

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#45: Crying About The American Voters

Going Out Of My Head
Favorite Line(s):
I see you
Each morning
But you just walk past me
You don’t even know that I exist
Goin’ out of my head over you
Out of my head over you
Out of my head day and night
Night and day and night,
Wrong or right
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On This Day In:
2019	And Autumnal Foliage
2018	Up Hill, Both Ways
2017	Trump Carnivores – The Revolution So Far
2016	Election Results
2015	Speak Louder
2014	Why I Frequently Give In
2013	Am Remembering
2012	Sustained Fear
2011	Commitment

 

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#CryBabyDonald Is Too Human

To err is human; to blame it on the other guy is even more human.
—    Bob Goddard
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On This Day In:
2019	With Faith
2018	Spiritual Matter
2017	Until He’s Elected President…
2016	Reasonable Discounts
2015	Poem For A Friend
2014	A Very Unusual Mind
2013	Just Lucky
2012	The Undeveloped Child
2011	What Is Your Canvas?
2010	Giants Win Games 3 & 4 – One Away From World Series!!

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#45: Or All-Consuming Greed

Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions.
—   Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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On This Day In:
2019	Not Personal
2018	Preference For Irrationality
2017	All At Once
2016	One Of My Vices
2015	The War Lord
2014	Orange October (II) – Giants Win NLDS Game 2 In 18 Innings (2 to 1)!!
	Acknowledging Doubt
2013	Fulfilled Acceptance
2012	Error Is Tolerated Here (So Far)
2011	In Defense Of Pain

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Nothing New Here

“Too Much and Never Enough” (2020©)  — book review
Today’s review is for the recently released family psychoanalysis / gossip tale concerning “Uncle Donald” aka: President Donald Trump, the Trump family and the “House”.  The full title is: “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man“, and is written by Mary Trump, PhD., (the President’s niece) who happens to be a trained psychologist.  Mary is the daughter of Donald’s older brother Fred Trump, Jr. With Fred Sr being their father.
According to this story, Trump Sr. wasn’t happy with Trump Jr., feeling Jr. was too weak.  Sr. felt like he was a tough guy and he wanted his heir apparent to be tough, too.  From the sound of it, Sr.’s father was a jerk (a$$hole is a better description), and he passed it down to Sr. who tried to pass it down to all of his children.  It sounds as if Sr. was mostly successful with all of his children (with the possible exception of Jr.), but since the story is being told by Jr.’s daughter, we can’t really be sure.  After all, Jr. threatens his wife repeatedly – at least once with a firearm – and he dies young from alcohol abuse.  Anyway, as near as we can tell from this book, Sr. passed down the coward, liar, cheat, con man, gene to all of his children.  And, by the by, Sr.’s wife was no saint either.  The result of all this is that Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany all seem to be cut from the same poor cloth.  It’s too early to say anything about Barron (the President’s youngest son).  Perhaps his mother has saved him, but it doesn’t seem likely as she is not spoken of well in the book (or in the news) either.
Is this book any good?  Does it shed like on the President, i.e. does it help explain his actions?  Is it worth the time and money to read?  Yes.  No.  And, so-so.
This book is a surprisingly good read.  I fully expected the author to be as incompetent as the rest of the family is presented.  She is not!  Her writing style is excellent and the reader (me) feels like you are right there with her as scenes play out.
Does the book “explain” Donald Trump.  NO!  I started the book knowing (as much as you can “know” anything about a person you’ve never met) that Donald Trump is (in no particular order): a liar, a con artist, a terrible business man, a coward, a cheat – taxes, business and personal, and (IMHO) a narcissistic sociopath with delusions of grandeur.  Basically, he is unmatched as a “LOSER” and the fact he happened to become President and arguably the most powerful person on the planet will never change the BIG “L” which will ultimately be assigned to him by history.  In a very strange way, he has proven himself to be the “greatest of all time”, after all.  I’m just not sure you want to be the GOAT for losers.
At a certain level, reading this book “almost” creates a sense of sympathy for the family.  BUT, then one realizes that lots of perfectly normal people grew up and out of similar familial issues.  To quote my old Drill Sergeant: “I will listen to your reasons, but I will not accept your excuses.”  He is what he is and his upbringing neither excuses his current actions nor does it absolve him of his past ones.  With all the wealth and opportunities he was granted by birth, he has chosen his path(s) and they have always been those of the lazy, the ignorant and the corrupt.
Is this book worth the time and money to read?  If you don’t know anything about the President and his family history, I guess it will have some limited value.  There are lots of particular details about the older brother (Fred Jr.) which I didn’t know.  I also didn’t know the President’s mother was as bad as she is presented.  Other than that, though, most everything has been on the news (especially since the book’s release).  If you don’t watch the news, I guess you may learn something.
Final recommendation: moderate.  This is a surprisingly well written book, a very fast read, but I’m glad I didn’t buy it.  I hope the author wins her suit against Donald and his sister, who both appear to be crooks (based on the book).  This book IS a good gossip read – if that’s what you’re into.  (And, sometimes I am, too.)
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On This Day In:
2019	Love And Leave
2018	Smiling If Not Laughing
2017	Chilled And Smooth
2016	But Sometimes You Have To Stand In Front
2015	The Key Shift
2014	Remember ISIS / ISIL?
2013	What Have You Done Lately?
2012	B8
2011	I’m Definitely Not In Control

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#45: IMPEACHED!!!

Okay, before we go any further, let’s be clear…  There is virtually NO, NONE, ZERO chance that Donald Trump will be convicted and removed from office by a Republican controlled Senate.  Particularly, as a number of Republican Senators have already come out in public to say they are not even willing to consider the evidence and are already working closely with the White House to coordinate the trial.  If there is a “fair” trial, I (for one) will be shocked.
It is important to remember that elections have consequences.  In 2016, after almost 30+ years of spewing poison against Hilary Clinton by the Republicans and Right Wing media, Donald Trump was elected by the electoral college.  Although Trump lost the popular vote by over 3 million votes, Trump won more states and therefore became President.  If (by some miracle) Trump were to be convicted, VP Pence would become President, not Hilary Clinton.  Therefore, the 63 million votes Trump received have still been “heard”.  That’s as far as it goes…
But, remember elections have consequences…  In 2018, in an electoral landslide, the control of the House of Representatives was flipped from Republican to Democratic majority when they picked up 41 seats and out-polled the Republicans by almost 10 million votes nation wide.  With control of the House, the Democrats had the ability to investigate and impeach the President.
So, yes, elections have consequences!
As stated above, I have no expectation the President will be removed from office, but I am encouraged that the Democrats had the spine to stand up to him.  It now falls to the public to insist on a fair trial, and, failing that, to work for a massive turnout in next year’s (Nov. 2020) election to win the White House, but also the Congress (particularly the Senate), and the State houses and State Governorships.  This should be a resounding call to action for all Americans – Democrats and Republicans – who believe in the rule of law.
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On This Day In:
2018	Prediction: Morning Is Coming After A Long Night Of #LyingDonald
2017	While Congress Slept
2016	And A Fellow Who Insists On Telling Us He’s Smart?
2015	Curves Ahead
2014	Sitting?
2013	Misperceptions
2012	Essential Experience
2011	Lest We Forget Those Still In Harm’s Way
	Sound Familiar?

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How #45’s Father Raised Him For Incompetence

When life is too easy for us, we must beware or we may not be ready to meet the blows which sooner or later come to everyone, rich or poor.
—    Eleanor Roosevelt
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On This Day In:
2018	Describing #45 – “The Loser” – As A Successful Businessman
	Raking – #PresidentIdiot Proposes Full Employment For California
2017	Federal Deficit, National Debt And Tax Cuts For The 1%
2016	Picky, Picky, Picky
2015	Another Limitation On Religion
2014	Enduring
2013	Tell Me More…
2012	Passing…
2011	Fake It ‘Til You Make It

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Chaos Is Not Really A New Remedy

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils, for time is the greatest innovator.
—  Francis Bacon
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On This Day In:
2018	History Will Judge Harshly
	Father Time, Perhaps?
2017	Odds Are
2016	Prayer, Too
2015	History, n.
2014	See It Sometime
2013	Precious Friend
2012	It Couldn’t Be Done
	Feeling Surrounded?
2011	Surprise!

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Not One Cent!

I am a fiscally conservative life-long Democrat.  I do NOT support the funding of President Trump’s wall.  Other than providing jobs for American workers, there is no benefit to building a wall.  I do support increased spending on Security (border security and almost all other forms of “useful” security) – even increasing it by billions of dollars – IF NECESSARY!!  But building a wall is NOT necessary.  It will do little to nothing to increase our security or decrease illegal immigration.  MOST illegal immigration happens when people lawfully enter the country and then overstay their visa.  A wall – no matter the height, depth or width – will not reduce this.
And, in any case, when our #IdiotInChief was a candidate he promised (as he was such a great negotiator) that we (U.S. citizens) would not have to pay for a wall.  As President, he was going to make Mexico pay for building his wall.  I say:  “Let him get Mexico to pay for it!”  AFTER we have the funds coming in from Mexico, then we can start building the wall.  And furthermore, not one cent is to be spent on the wall until then, and not more than one cent over what has been taken in from Mexico should be spent on the wall’s construction or maintenance.
I am not in favor of a government shutdown.  In this case, the shutdown is entirely President Trump’s fault.  He has been President for almost two whole years and he has done almost nothing to negotiate funding from Mexico, nor demonstrate that building a wall will do more than minimally increase our security.  The “security” money would be far better spent on increasing the enforcement of hiring legal employees and prosecuting employers who hire those without work permits.  This would actually reduce illegal immigration, by reducing demand for illegals.  It would also improve the economy by marginally increasing wages for those at the bottom scales.  This is because there would be fewer workers willing to accept minimum wages, so the price for labor would go up.  That is, if you believe in supply and demand.
To any Democratic office holder who votes in support of building a wall:  I will make a list.  I will check it twice.  And, I will make a donation to any Democratic candidate who runs against you in your next primary.
#NotOneCent
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On This Day In:
2017	Make Glad The Heart Of Childhood
2016	Sincerest Flattery
	The President-elect: Making Spirits Bright
2015	What Are You Looking At?
2014	Ite, Missa Est
2013	I Hear Voices
2012	Positive Thoughts
	Hope Works
2011	Look! Up In The Sky…
	Humility Before The Unknowable

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Describing #45 – “The Loser” – As A Successful Businessman

He had delusions of adequacy.
—    Walter Kerr
[It also describes #DonTheCon’s competency as President.  When he was elected, I vainly hoped the Office would somehow elevate the man.  I KNEW it would not, but as an optimist, I hoped.  I felt the same when “W” was given the election by the Supreme Court in 2000.  I wasn’t entirely wrong, then.  “W” may have been a terrible President (tax, war, economy and environmental policy-wise), but at least he didn’t actively try to destroy the country’s institutions the way the current President is trying to do.   I guess it’s true that the Presidency hi-lights your weaknesses as much as it does your strengths.  The unfortunate thing is there is no way to predict (even at this mid-stage of his Administration) how much damage #IncompetentDonald will do to the country I love, to our allies around the world, to Western civilization, or with climate change – to the entire planet.  I only hope that last sentence is hyperbole.  I fear it isn’t.  …And I’m an optimist!  —    KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2017	Federal Deficit, National Debt And Tax Cuts For The 1%
2016	Picky, Picky, Picky
2015	Another Limitation On Religion
2014	Enduring
2013	Tell Me More…
2012	Passing…
2011	Fake It ‘Til You Make It

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