The Race to Disgrace!

How did we get to where we are? We can say all sorts of things to give reason for our state of affairs, but there is really only one answer. Donald J. Trump won the 2016 Presidential Election because enough people voted for him to win the Electoral vote he needed. Even though he clearly did not win the popular vote, in our democracy, the rules are the rules, and we follow them. Until proven otherwise, Trump is here to stay.

Think about why and who you voted for. Every signal was given to shun you away from voting for Trump. His past business history revealed many self-orchestrated bankruptcies which left working people in the lurch, as well as his unsavory views on women, immigration, and healthcare. His negative rhetoric during a contentious campaign filled with lies and ignorance leaning on the edge of racism. The blame, in my opinion, is on you, the voter. Did you really believe that everyone was wrong? Tony Schwartz, author of the Art of the Deal, warned you that he was a narcissist having the temperament of an eight-year-old. Credible people from all over came out with factual information showing his inadequacies. Many women from his past came forward and claimed his behavior towards them was in the category of sexual harassment. His very words told it all. The negative ads against him, during the campaign, were actually starring Trump. What more did you need? The last, almost, 100 days have proven that voting someone into any office, much less the President of the United States might have repercussions unlike we have ever seen before. So far, he has managed to insult our allies, lie about almost anything, probably because of his lack of knowledge and understanding or just disinterest in learning. Just the other day I heard what I thought was Alec Baldwin making fun of Donald Trump, but when I entered the room, it was actually Trump being interviewed. I cringed, thinking this is my President! His instability and buffoon behavior is clearly the sign of someone you don’t want making important decisions, especially those pertaining to world affairs and the safety of our nation and those allies around us.

I don’t quite understand when someone says to me, “Don’t you wish the President success?” I find it hard to answer, especially when I know the “Cow is not going to jump over the Moon” because that would be a fairytale. I hope and pray that those who voted for Trump can look in the mirror and say, “I made a mistake.” That is all I can ask for. Everyone is entitled to make a mistake as long as they don’t perpetuate this disaster. Know how much damage has been done because this is only going to be 100 days. It is not about Republican or Democrat; it is about our lives, all of our lives, for a long road ahead. Our Democracy goes beyond Politics. Our President has to be held accountable for everything he does, as is everyone else. His Taxes should be released and the Nepotism stopped in its tracks. We are living in dangerous times, not just from outside, but from within. I can wish and hope for the best, but it is not good enough. Trump people have to understand that they are playing with a fire they may not be able to put out. This race to disgrace must be recognized and dealt with in our best democratic ways. Recognizing failure and accountability is a good start!

Who done it?

 It’s really amazing that during the last few days there has been no focus on the investigation of Trump and his administration with regards to their possible involvement with Russia during the 2016 presidential election, or at least very little. The news shifted to another major world event. What a tragedy that happened in Syria, with photos and videos of civilians, adults and innocent children, being assaulted with chemical warfare from their villainous leader, Assad. The question is why suddenly now? Things are bad enough, but somehow the need for a sudden jolt to divert attention once again was an instant success for those who might be complicit and responsible for such a heinous crime. Certainly not to say that Trump is responsible, but someone or some leaders, perhaps Putin himself, might have encouraged this to happen in order to get a cause and effect with our new unknowledgeable and unpredictable administration. If they wanted to push Trump’s buttons, which does not take much to do, they succeeded. Trump, the man who said never to go into Syria, who is also against allowing Syrian refugees to come to our shores, suddenly, without Congress, decides to perform air strikes in Syria. Bravado he needed dearly.

There are many thoughts about this decision to act unilaterally. First reactions are usually followed by more thoughtful rhetoric as to whether it was, and still going on, the right thing to do, especially without a strategic plan. It is scary to think that another Government might be pulling the strings and luring us into something that has no real good ending. Almost like the old Budd Abbot and Lou Costello joke of “Who’s on first?”  In this case, it is a “Who done it?”

VOTING...A MUST!

PLEASE….JUST GET OUT AND VOTE!!

Voting is not a Gift! It was once a cause, and still is in some countries, fought for by brave people who are long gone but hopefully not forgotten.
I am trying to think of what to say to those who are tired, confused and angry about this unusual Presidential Election filled with all sorts of hate, on both sides, Democrat or Republican. Reality is settling in. On Tuesday, November 8th, a candidate will be chosen as the next President of the United States of America and we as the voters will be held responsible for this decision. Thanks to our Democracy, our votes really do mean something. By not voting, you are really accomplishing nothing other than giving someone you may not care for or “hate”, a word I have heard all too often during this campaign season, an edge.
I guess, what I am trying to say is, pick one great happening that the World will look up to us for and take a shot at it. Electing the First Woman President of the United States of America is the most positive message we can be giving the World today. Think about that only, and Draw That Line in the voting booth to make history happen.

Winston Churchill once referenced this, “Hire a man for a great speech” and “Hire a woman when you want to get something done”! This is truly the time to make that decision and break the “Glass Ceiling” once and for all.
I guess this message is for those of you who just can't decide, or Millennia’s, too young to realize that your vote can really count. Just look back to the year 2000, Bush v Gore. Only a handful of votes made the difference! We can only contemplate what our world would have been if that Election turned to a different decision.

I am taking a chance asking for a vote that might not be my decision, but, simple as this sounds, I truly believe that if everyone voted, the right person will be elected, keeping our Democracy safe and sound! Leave no stones un-turned, have no regrets, just Get Out and Vote!!

Trump’s Last Stand...I Hope!

The past week has been so surreal in the face of our 2016 Presidential Election. It gets worse every day with Donald Trump now saying that our entire Democratic System is rigged, all the way down to the FBI having so called secret relationship with the Clintons. He claims that the media is one sided, leaning towards electing Hillary Clinton. Well, why should they not want him to win? It’s clear enough to me that if Hitler was not elected we would not have had the Holocaust. Yes, I am entitled to feel that he is demonstrating the kind of social behavior that has reminiscence of such a despicable figure as Adolph Hitler. From the very beginning of his campaign he lowered the bar for the Republican Party and caused complete chaos among its members. To me, they are wimps, just like Trump wants them. He really expects his opponents to have to beg him to take them back. His aspiring to be “KING” is scary as hell. When the means, any means, is used to justify the end, one has to search their soul before they enter that voting both on November 8th.

When all of our major media comes out against the ideals of a candidate and his ultimate credibility, one has to take notice.  It’s okay to tell the truth about someone, anyone, who is just plain not capable of running this country in a fair and equitable manner, upholding the Constitution and all the good that it has brought to America. It has been a hard road since it’s signing. Many strides ahead for social injustice as well as laws to protect the rights of everyone, not just a few, took the lives of those who fought for them. It’s okay not allowing an impostor, Trump, to usurp the most powerful job in the world, with the least amount of credentials and certainly not the temperament to boot. Sometimes, it is said, when something looks too good it is probably not! In this case, we can say, when it looks that bad, it probably is! Aside from his key platform issue to answer the immigration policy, building a wall, which is absurd and really against American values, his tone, rhetoric, smear tactics and lies fill his audiences with fear and anger towards his opponents. I use that word in plural, because not only is he opposing Hillary Clinton, but anyone in America or the World who disagrees with him on any issue at all.

The only person who is really hurting Donald Trump is Donald Trump! His own words, through tweets and rallies, have been his biggest enemy. All the negative ads are mirror images of his behavior, even Saturday Night Live, which mocked both candidates, made him crazy. I guess Trump really is self-destructive if he doesn't like looking at himself, because that is really who he is seeing.  Self reflection is not his forte. Everyone is wrong, except him! We, as voters, and the decision makers of our own lives, have an opportunity to have our voices heard with our one single vote. Again, a non vote, or a third party vote is just like voting for Trump. So, take some time, and read about Hillary Clinton and her achievements throughout the 30 years she has been around. Forget the smears and conspiracy theories provoked, and do some good for yourself and the country you and your families want to keep, a country where the Democratic Process will prevail.

And the Winner is…..

The Debate is over and Trump’s Surrogates, of course, say that he won with flying colors! They all live in that Trump Reality Show which has no relation to the real deal. He stalked Hillary Clinton like a predator before the kill. Trump was combative and filled the time allotted him with the usual lies and misconceptions about life in America and World Affairs. His statistics on almost every issue were exaggerated or totally wrong. (See NY Times for a rundown of his lies. http://nyti.ms/2dG1TCZ )  It was said that he presented a bully or thug style during the entire 90 minutes. Seemingly, he had command, but Hillary Clinton just let him go on and on. Her answers were cool and calm and filled with information. She connected with the audience. On first appraisal, commentators said she should have been more reactive. I think it was not easy for her to be as calm as she was, given his attacks, especially when, in his final statement, he threatened her with Jail if he were to become President. Can you imagine that? Third World Country talk! These words will appear over and over again just to remind the undecided who they would be electing if they gave Trump their vote. He does have that Dictator behavior, as displayed on many occasions. In the real world, polls are coming out giving Clinton a very decisive lead as to who won the debate. As the days progress and get closer to Election Day, Trump’s poll numbers will plummet, as he well deserves. Just like a student who doesn’t study for a course, failure is bound to happen. Just think about this…Donald Trump would be really dangerous if he knew anything!

As the Beatles song goes, “Goodbye to Strawberry Fields Forever”… and good riddance!

Dear Donald J Trump

Tonight you will be fighting the fight of your life! Say farewell to all that you aspire to be…the most powerful person in the world. Say goodbye to the ability to cover up all the debt you may have incurred in all of your shady business deals. You cannot possibly become a “Born Again Trump” unless you were really BORN AGAIN! I know you had interviews with a few of the women involved in Bill Clinton’s past infidelities. First of all, the last I heard, Hillary Clinton is and should not be held responsible for these unfortunate actions. Former President, Bill Clinton, was not running for President; he already was, for if he were running, he might have not have been elected. The fact that Hillary worked things out and kept their marriage together still does not make her responsible. Just think about this…you, Trump, walk around town and say the abominable things you say along with disgusting behavior….who enabled you? I will answer that….your parents, your teachers, your friends, your supporters, your own wives…all three of them…and then, of course your very own children from three different marriages. If you didn’t have money and that so-called power you claimed you had in the tape that was revealed, you would have nobody! Very soon, Donald, you will be forced to start all over again, rebuilding your Brand. Don’t throw the hats away…just add… “I Almost Did Make America Great Again!” Thank God you will never have that opportunity, and thank God America is already Great! I’m sure you will find a nice warm and cozy spot with your Alt-Right Surrogates… although; once you lose…you know what you always say…”You’re a Loser” or “You’re Fired.” They will all be gone…searching for another sucker to plead their cause.

And, about those tapes that Hillary made….Isn’t it better to have a dream about open borders than closed borders? An immigration policy that opens our doors to those who work, pay taxes, and find a path to citizenship, of course with the proper system that we have today working to make sure we keep out those individuals who appear dangerous to the US. Not a system that picks out one particular group of people by color or religion, but by a list derived from our friends and allies throughout the world, including our own experts. That system, just in case you don’t know, is already in place and working just fine. You must have missed that in all of your studies.

And, about trade….without the proper trade deals, America would be dead in the woods. The missing jobs are not missing, they are just plain obsolete. You must have missed that class also. Hillary Clinton has been working on this while you were scamming your business associates. Some were good, and others have to be changed. That is the way it works when you are making very big decisions. No one person is ever responsible for everything. “It takes a Village”…remember that phrase? Sound familiar? That alone keeps you out of the arena because you are a man that stands alone! He is an “I can do it alone” person is the true sign of an Authoritarian not capable to lead our Democracy.

The Debate is just about ready to start….”Break a leg”…as they say in Hollywood!!

He can “Run” but he can’t Hide!!

I cannot understand for the life of me how it took this, the release of a 2005 tape of Donald Trump speaking in such a lewd and negative way about a woman and inadvertently about him. When you do this, it’s all about power! His own insecurities, and believe it or not, self hate, can be the only reason he needs attention for everything he does. He has no boundaries; anything goes. It’s frightening to me to still see people defend him. What is his magic? He is ignorant to the point of sounding crazy, spouting out anything he wants at any time…to anyone. He is a sick individual who will end up being a case study in history books down the road, as well as a chapter or two in psychology books.

I really believe Trump is a desperate man who owes monies around the world, just moments away from his life crumbling around him. His seeking the Presidency probably started years ago, because he thinks he is smarter than everyone and has all the answers. But really, I think, it is to cover his vulnerability when the “House of Cards” falls. You can only scam for so long, and I think the walls are closing in on him. He saw a great opportunity when Barack Obama was elected to start his campaign. It was not a traditional way of starting, but he did it with the “Birther Movement”, testing the waters of Racism, and wow, was he right. I’m sure even Trump was surprised at how many people really hated the fact that an African American with an unusual name could become President of The United States of America. He jumped right in as soon as he had an audience, setting the stage for his future. How did we let this happen? Media coverage daily put Trump on center stage. As he says, bad or good, media coverage is positive. Is he right? Will this be his Waterloo? In a way, I hope that his negative issue with women is the final blow that takes him out. By now, he should have been disqualified to run for President.

How could people still be undecided? Trump is not qualified, both academically and morally, to be the Highest Power in the Free World. “Not fit to be President” is a mild thing to say. “Dangerous” is more like it! I am sure this is just the “Icing on the Cake” because Trump is not finished with his Campaign. He will display more of his rhetoric, but, at least we know it will be over on November 8th 2016 with him giving his Concession speech to the First Woman President, Hillary Clinton. That will be our only retribution to Trump. It will be interesting to see what road he takes with this task. The truth is, no one but Trump will know, and that is another reason for him to not be President!

Every Vote Counts!

I haven't written for a while because I needed a rest and time to think about the last two weeks of election news. It really is amazing that with all that is out there, negative, about Trump that he hasn't yet fallen totally in the polls. His constituency seems to feed on the negativity and rally around him. That only makes it more important to bring over as many of the undecided voters to really vote for Clinton, especially if they want to guarantee that Trump loses the election. I just don't get it! Is it because people are naive to not realize that life can really change with a Trump administration? I hear people saying, it can never happen, referring to Woman’s Rights being taken away, or the laws for Gay Rights being changed. What about the Supreme Court? They laugh, and say, “It won't happen,” or, “He doesn't mean what he says,” Trump’s hard core supporters feed on his negativity and racist remarks. Then you have what I call the “Country Cub Supporters,” comprised of people, young and old, who are just blinded by his so-called success and totally worried about their own personal monies, as though, if Hillary Clinton were elected there would be a “Money Truck” sent to their individual homes to collect it. They haven't done so badly under Obama, although constantly complaining about everything he has done or even not done. Being a Republican as an answer doesn't cut it when you are talking about Donald Trump. As stated by almost every newspaper throughout the US, he is a clear endangerment to our country if elected President. Their advice, even without supporting Clinton, is not to vote for Trump!

I am not going to try to make you like Hillary Clinton, but like-ability and endangerment are as far away from each other as you could possibly be. You might say you don't like someone, but are not really afraid of them or their ideas. Even if you agree with those who feel she has lied, which has not been proven correct, it is not the same as being unstable and unhinged, an uninformed bully placing his innate values on self serving initiatives only to get support from the lowest of the low. He brought them out from under, and you, the followers, like sheep, are going to be guilty if he wins.

I did something, yesterday, on Rosh Hashanah that I felt was important to me and my family. I took our son who is mentally challenged to get his voter's registration card. He is 48 years old this Thanksgiving and it will be the first time he will be voting in a Presidential Election, or any election. After seeing Donald Trump making fun of a reporter’s disability I felt the need for our son to speak out. His vote against Trump will be one more nail in the coffin for all that he has done to hurt those with disabilities. I hope that other people will do the same. It was really a great feeling seeing him sign his name to the application. Every vote will count!