My Fear: A Second More Tyrannous Term

O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.
—    Shakespeare
[Are we better off today than we were four years ago?  I’m not just talking about 185,000 dead.  I’m not just talking about a crashed economy.  If there were no virus and we were still tooling along at 4% unemployment, were you REALLY better off?  Almost half of ALL Americans were living pay-check to paycheck.  Many are / were working two minimum wage jobs and are / were barely getting by.  Almost 2/3rd of working Americans have almost no savings for a “sudden” $400 emergency, let alone for retirement.  President  Trump (and the Republicans) want to destroy Social Security by de-funding it and promising it will be “paid for” from increased tax revenue from the future “booming” economy.  The truth is the SSA actuarial office has said if SSA taxes are eliminated, the SSA will run out of funds COMPLETELY in 2023!!!  President Trump lies multiple times EVERY day.  He is not being casual with the facts.  He is NOT just kidding.  He is LYING!  And, he is lying to constantly try to stoke fear.  Four years ago, it was the raping and murdering Mexicans invading across the border.  Now, it’s the liberals (i.e. “Democrats”) who are already here.  IF crime, rioting and violence are out of control, why hasn’t he done anything about the root causes of the problems.  The Republican controlled Senate is still dithering about a much needed economic relief package.  Now, when I say “Republican” controlled, what I mean is TRUMP controlled Senate as it’s his Cabinet level team which is doing the negotiations with the Democrats and whatever is agreed will pass both sides of Congress.  Senator McConnell is simply a figurehead manipulating the rules to the Republican advantage.  He is not the player / negotiator in the room with the Dems.  There is no relief because Trump wants to blame the Democrats (Pelosi and Shumer) in the lead up to the election.  So, I ask two questions:  Do you really believe President Trump is acting in your interests?  And, are you better off than you were four years ago?  —  KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2019	Reality And Imperfection
	Day 8: One Stone
2018	Pity The Nation (Part 1)
	Day 41: Hiccup Or End Of Days?
2017	Sharp-Edged Beauty
2016	Start, Keep, Finish
2015	Lifetime Friends
2014	Acknowledgement
2013	Longevity, Tenacity and Diversity
2012	What Reagan Really Cared About
2011	Seeming Sane (Or Not)

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He Wasn’t “Just Kidding The Press”

Any excuse will serve a tyrant.
—    Aesop
In war, truth is the first casualty.
—    Aeschylus
[President Trump is at war with “the truth”, “the Press”, and with every decent “value” America has tried to “stand for” for almost 250 years.  He will do anything (legal or not) and say anything (lying or even a rare truth) to get re-elected.  Senator Mark Rubio (Florida) and Representative Jim Jordan (Ohio) are “defending” President Trump’s publicly asking China to “investigate” the Biden family as a “joke” and an attempt to “chide” and “outrage” the press and liberals.  Let’s make NO mistake about this…   #TrumpIsACriminal was not “just kidding” when he was dangling a favorable trade negotiation / tariff deal with China in exchange for an “investigation”.  The President was OPENLY soliciting aid for his own re-election from a foreign power —  which is against the law   —  because he did NOT want his offer to be misunderstood (by ANY foreign power)…  We have absolutely no reason to believe the President is lying when he says he is willing to commit a Federal crime – when it is in his personal interest to do so – and EVERY reason to believe he is being honest in his criminal offer.  ANY Republican who purports to be supporting / defending the President with this blatantly specious excuse (“he’s kidding”) is being equally treasonous in condoning this Federal crime.  I won’t say they are “accessories” to the crime, but they are getting very close to it (being an accessory).  Senator Rubio should be ashamed of himself for initiating this “defense” because he knows first-hand how unfit for office this President is.    —    KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2018	Thinking About My Hil
	Remember Your Duty In November
2017	Play Well With Others
2016	Surviving And Challenging
2015	On Destroying Historic / Archaeological Sites
2014	Magical Power
2013	How Awesome Would That Be
2012	Two Views
2011	Still Looking For Examples
2010	Giants Win Away 3 – 2!!

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He Claims It’s Fake News And Spies

The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants.
—     Albert Camus
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On This Day In:
2018	Mine, Too
2017	Who’s Turn Is It Now?
2016	Before You Vote In November…
2015	Two Faithful Thoughts
2014	Love Light
	Orange October (III) – Giants Advance To National League Championship Series (NLCS)
2013	Nothing Ridiculous
2012	Keeping Faith
2011	Summon Us, Don’t Criticize Us
2010	Obama’s Wars – Book Review
	Game Two – Hearbreaking Loss

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Just Asking

Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom for himself.
—   Elbert Hubbard
[Despite almost 50 years history of Presidential candidates releasing their tax returns, President-elect Trump now says he won’t release his tax returns while he is under audit.   He has never offered proof he is under audit and the IRS is not allowed to discuss / confirm if he is under audit.  They are not allowed to do so for any person without the person’s permission.  Trump could authorize the IRS to confirm the audit and state which years are being audited.  He refuses to even do this.  Why not?  What is he hiding?  I’m not in the press, but I want to know…
Trump said he would completely set aside his business interests because he was (now) more interested in becoming President and helping this country become great again.  At one of the Republican debates, Trump said running his business was “peanuts” compared to the Presidency.  Now, he will not do this (divest his business interests).  His attorney states that no one should expect him to destroy the business he has spent his whole life building just because he is President.  Why is selling off his assets “destroying the business” if they are worth billions which would then be placed in a blind trust?  Since he is such a great negotiator, would he not get a great price for them?  Are they not worth billions?
Trump is “ceding” control of his company to his sons, but he retains the right to fire them if they don’t do a great job.  Of course there are those nasty little things called gift taxes, so he can’t “give” the assets to his kids without the assets being valued and taxed.  And we all know it’s “stupid” to pay taxes.  The key to a blind trust is that you don’t know what’s going on.  How is it “blind” if you must know what they’re doing in order to judge if they are doing a great job?
Trump is refusing to sell off assets which might lead to a conflict of interest.  Instead he proposes to “gift” to the U.S. Treasury any profits received from foreign governments for the use of his assets.  Of course, he hasn’t said how his company intends to determine “profit” or how it will be independently verified.  Since he is a pathological liar, why should we trust him?
President Kennedy got his brother Robert appointed Attorney General of the United States.  Congress subsequently passed a law to prevent future nepotism in high offices.  Trump wants to appoint his son-in-law as a senior counselor to the President.  If you want to talk to a family member and get his advice, why does the U.S. taxpayer have to pay for it?
Questions big and small…  Just asking?   —    KMAB]
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
―    President Abraham Lincoln
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On This Day In:
2016	Still A Burden
	15 And Counting
2015	All A Game
2014	Two Thoughts
2013	RIP – Dear Abby
	Half-Life Problems
2012	To The Soul…
2011	Reverted!!

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