Sieg Heil!! and greetings from the United States of Trump. But on to this evening's history reminder: The framers of the US Constitution built in measures to ensure each of the three branches of government are kept in check. This essentially to protect the people from their leaders. To prevent any of the three divisions from becoming too powerful lest we fall into dictatorship or anarchy. This after several thousand years of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. The people who put together the U.S. Constitution wanted to try something else. It was a good idea.

Your current president is testing those protections. Like a child, searching for boundaries. Trying to determine just how far he can go, how much he can get away with before someone finally calls bullshit. So far the built-in measures have provided, at least at the domestic level, some limits to the damage he has caused.  Example - A third federal judge ruled on Tuesday against the Trump Administration's campaign to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for undocumented immigrants, ordering the administration to not only continue processing applications but also to resume accepting new applications. U.S. District Judge John Bates of the District of Columbia Circuit was withering in his 60-page ruling, calling the administration's attempt to end the program known as DACA, "arbitrary, capricious, virtually unexplainable and - unlawful."   The Trump Administration immediately went into full-on 4-year old child pout mode and attacked the ruling as unfair.
Sieg-fucking-heil Adolph Trump.    

Thanks to the founding fathers its possible Trump hasn't yet broken anything so much that it can't be fixed. This is very clearly not for lack of trying (and he still has plenty of time.)   

The Constitution is in place to protect us from our government. What the Constitution is not able to do, however, is protect us from ourselves. To wit -
Donald Trump was elected president. An almost majority actually voted for him.

Questions, and just a few of the most obvious here - how is it possible that ANY woman supports Trump? Seriously. And yet many do. How could anyone with even a morsel of Hispanic background feel anything other than disgust and anger? Or how can a human being of color continue to cheer him on? How can anyone who has family friends or has even only heard of someone who has been in the military maybe even given their all for this country, how could anyone like that be in favor of this draft dodging veteran slamming whimpering little coward of a traitor? How is it that people with education levels beyond that of first grade voted for this guy? How is it that anyone who professes faith in pretty much any religion, maybe particularly "Conservative Christians", how can those people support Trump and still be able to look themselves in a mirror? No judgment (believe me, I'm not what anyone would call a bible-thumper). I'm just wondering how something like that can happen. Or.....how can anyone with anything even remotely resembling a moral compass see anything other than a weak, lying, thieving whore who can't stick to the same script for more than about ten minutes? How is it that so many people sold themselves out for this guy?

And those are just a few of the more obvious questions. Yet somehow, an almost majority of voters, an almost majority of such people put him into office. He almost really won. And more still - how do all these people continue to support him even as every day, every single day he finds new ways to show all what a fuck-up he is? Your president has already cemented his name in history as the commander in chief who most actively tried to destroy the USA. Only question remaining is, will he succeed? As it is he is still only well on his way to shredding the place. Isn't quite there, but certainly making progress. Even if we survive him it may be decades before the carnage can be repaired. Foreign policy alone will take a monumental effort to fix even if he stops tearing it down today. His latest attempt to destroy the world economy using kindergarten level economic theory (create a trade war for no reason other than he can and it will cause still more chaos and distraction from the truth, a trade war we can only lose) has reasonable odds to put us into a full-on 30's style depression.

That he was elected at all is sad commentary on us, people. That he remains in office absolutely defies logic. And yet here we are.

Some of reading this are Trump supporters.
Do I think you are idiots?  While it would be easy to say - of course I do..........but I am willing to consider the possibility not all of you are. You're welcome. I suppose another reason you support him could be on account of you letting him play you. Letting him prey on your anger, your hate. That you have been duped, used, and otherwise made a fool of.
Though even if you let yourself realize it you will quickly push it aside. All part of the disgusting human condition he exploited to get your vote.

What's maybe most frustrating with this debacle is it all comes down to the little fact that, without daddy's money and influence the very highest position this pathetic clown would have attained, and this only if someone did him a favor, would be night manager at McDonald's in Toadfuck, Oklahoma. And without all his lawyers and reality stars and porn mistresses and utterly unqualified family members and the other low-life leaches and hanger-ons he surrounds himself with - your so-called president would have failed at even that.

He is an embarrassment to this country.
He is an embarrassment to you.
All of us, you me every one of us should be ashamed to be Americans. And not a single one of us has the right to do what we are doing to negate the efforts of those who came before us and gave so much.

That so many still don't see such simple truth is beyond rational thought.

Correction:  do I think people who support Trump are idiots?  Of course I do. I have a functioning brain.  

I am tired of putting up these posts.   The therapeutic value is gone.  The pathetic joke otherwise known as the United States of America is no longer funny. 

You me and everyone else needs to hope the people who put together the founding documents of this country were thorough enough to withstand a festering sore the size of your president. 

"Will We Stop Trump Before It’s Too Late?"
Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright is openly pondering that issue to include warnings about today's authoritarian rulers in Eastern Europe, North Korea, Turkey and Russia. And the United States of America. Ms. Albright goes on to describe how Hitler and Mussolini came to power in the 20th century.
Albright, who was born in Czechoslovakia and fled with her family after the Nazis occupied the country in 1939, notes that the United States has traditionally been viewed as a nation that opposes authoritarianism and supports democratic principles and human rights, but that perception is changing — because of the actions of President Trump.

When asked is she thinks Trump is a fascist, Albright responds with “………Trump is the most anti-democratic leader that I have studied in American history. His attacks on the judiciary, undisguised attempts to suppress the media, interference in the economy, dismal human rights actions all of it amounts to something much different than democracy."

It is not O.K. to stick your head in the sand and hope this isn’t happening. History is crowded with examples of the results of that strategy. When someone who fled the death squads of Nazi Germany, when that someone went on to hold many positions in our government to include Secretary of State, when that person is openly voicing fears of a repeat of history – you listen. You take notice. Covering your ears closing your eyes tight and humming real loud is not going to make this go away. That approach amounts to being accessory to the disaster. It makes you against America.

Far too many before us have given their all to provide and protect our way of life. You, me none of us has the right to turn our back on this and let it go. What is happening is wrong, and on a scale that threatens everything. To stand idly by is not only not good for the County, it is being activity Anti-American. You are helping to put all of us into harms way.

reminder - all this whining comes from someone, me,
who didn't give a wit about politics until about 16 months ago. Clearly I do now and it is based on well-founded concern for the future of my country. Your president has shown himself certainly to be unstable, probably unwell. And you decided to let him play you like a puppet. He is a parasite, feeding off your anger, hate, feeding off your fear. He is using that to turn his supporters into enemies of the state. He is stoking Anti-American sentiment. He is certainly not making America great again.
He is dismantling it.

Look at history. There is nothing new under the sun. People, societies have been in similar situations before. Over and over again. What is happening with this current heap of human filth is nothing new. Based on this and how it has turned out time and time again - there is a rapidly increasing chance things will not end well this time, either.

And if it does all go to pieces tomorrow or whenever and you wonder who to blame - look in the mirror. It will have been you who stood by and did nothing as it happened.

Trump is a symptom, not the disease. The real issue here is anger and hate and fear and frustration. The real issue is ugly human nature. Trump, along with Bannon and the rest of his merry pack of parasites just happened to be able to tap into all that negative energy.

It's a shame, really that we can't ever seem to, even once, try to rise above it. Try to stop history from repeating itself. Then maybe we could stop banging our heads against the wall on our path to self-destruction. That will never happen but, you know. it's still a happy thought.

"Trump Deploys National Guard to Secure Border with Mexico and Make America Safe;" "Law to Mandate Pictures of President, VP at Post Offices" ; "Trump Tells Baltic Presidents not to Call on American Reporters - No More Fake News"; "Trump Continues Attacks on Media"; "Trump Continues Attacks on Amazon"; "Trump Lashes Out at "little" CNN Executive"; "17 States Sue Trump Administration"; "Trump's Trade War Threatens U.S., World Economies"; ""All It Takes is One Mistake" - Worries Over Sending Troops to Border"; "Stock Market Convulsing as Trade War Heats Up"; "World's Two Biggest Economies at Brink of Most Perilous Trade Conflict Since World War II"; "Mueller Questions Russian Oligarchs on Campaign Contributions to Trump"; "China, Russia Pledge Military Cooperation Against U.S., West"; "Stormy Daniels Sues to Prevent Arbitration";

Sampling of today's headlines. Not even a particularly busy day.

This is the new normal. And we've become numb to it. Constant drone in the background now. Every day brings new drama with his constant and frantic attempts to avoid attention on the important issues. Every day and against all odds he somehow finds a way to stoop even lower. Every day, making our country.........less. Making us weaker. Continuing his obvious mission to make you and me and our country the laughing stock of the planet.

Your president continues to represent a clear and present danger to this Country. To the world.
It isn't right. None of this, is right. It is destructive, it is dangerous, it is utterly devoid of class, dignity. If I wasn't so worried about your low-life nutjob president blowing up the whole place I might be embarrassed to death.

Impeach. Invoke.

"NRA taunts Parkland teens: "No one would even know your names if your classmates were still alive."" - MSN news

That is what you are supporting. That's the point of view your NRA membership dues pay for.

Perhaps the biggest argument in favor of gun control is now the NRA.

I do not particularly care one way or the other if you own firearms. I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. What I DO have a problem with is someone or some organization forcing me to defend imaginary rights to grab a freaking machine gun and mow down school kids, concert goers, etc etc etc. Don't force your mistakes on me.

Members should demand the NRA become a responsible part of the solution rather than the big part of the problem they are. This is the time to work together. To compromise. To act like the America the Constitution envisioned.
As members you should call on the NRA to stop being UN-American. But rather than do that you are allowing fringe elements to take over the organization. People, adult human beings who actually taunt recently traumatized school children - that is who you are supporting with your membership dues. You are championing that person who is making fun of a kid who had to watch as 11 bullets were pumped into her 14 year old friend all because they both made the mistake of going to school that day.
If I have to explain what is wrong with that picture than it is too late to save you from yourself.

I'm not talking about typical, responsible gun owner members. Most people I know own guns. But the NRA is being led more and more by ... a different element. More of a click-your-heels-together increasingly uber ....... something not healthy kind of leadership. This is not opinion, it is simple observation. Some of the quotes coming from upper management there? Seriously? And you continue to give money to the organization? More and more the NRA seems a group espousing something much different than what the United States was founded on.

It is becoming increasingly dangerous, not the least for those who support responsible gun ownership. The NRA is very much becoming a poster child for supporters of gun control.

The NRA is in a position to do a great deal of good. A chance to shine, to - in a major way, positively contribute to society, to show that the organization cares about the values this country was founded upon. To forge a trail of reasonable compromise. To be Americans.

I very much hope they change direction, but to this point the NRA has chosen the opposite path. By using their members, by using YOU, they are protecting their pocket books. Nothing else. This is not about anyone's "rights." Certainly not yours. To leadership at the NRA this is about power and money. Nothing more. NRA members - stop allowing yourselves to be used. Demand change. Stop paying for NRA upper management's mansions and fancy cars with the lives of our children. Instead be part of the solution. Try to help fix this uniquely American problem

"When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history," "... you will not destroy America...America will triumph over you."

- John Brennan, former head of C.I.A. commenting on one of countless recent screw-ups by President Donald J. Putin.
Copied here in celebration of Mr. Brennan's proper use of some big words.

biggest joke in the history of ever. You, me and the rest of this disaster otherwise known as the United States of America. A very big very stupid very dangerous joke.
If I wasn't here witnessing the train wreck firsthand I would not believe it could happen. Yet seemingly every day, every single day your president finds a new way to screw up. Another way to screw us over. To embarrass us. To make us weak.

We are being led by a possibly retarded likely demented playground bully imbecile with a nepotistic criminal revolving door freak-show of an administration that better belongs at the head of a failed third-world country. In just over a year Putin, excuse me - Trump has pulled us down from our position as leader of the free world to instead being an unstable dangerously unpredictable sinking ship.

Impeach invoke do something before he completely destroys 242 years of effort. Otherwise learn how to speak Chinese, or Russian. You know, from one of those countries that is going to last.

"Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law changes to school safety and gun access on Friday."
"The new legislation raises the age to buy rifles from 18 to 21, extends a 3-day waiting period for handguns to long guns, bans bump stocks that allow guns to fully mimic automatic fire and allows some school staffers to be armed."
"The NRA immediately filed suit to block it from taking effect." Because the NRA is showing its true colors. The NRA has become a threat to responsible gun owners. With their self-serving and legally flawed reading of the Constitution, along with absolute unwillingness to compromise -e.g. their Un-American behavior, the National Rifle Association continues with its primary mission of making money for itself with which to buy politicians and provide obscene amounts of compensation to management.

Repeat:

That the Second Amendment continues to be misinterpreted to the benefit of those in favor of gun ownership remains one of the biggest stains on our nation. The language of the second amendment is clear, and so is the intent. The Second Amendment provides for armed militias for purpose of protection of the state. Put another way - as a group we are allowed weapons to be used for protection of the government.
No reasonable interpretation allows me to have my very own goddamn machine gun, whether I use it for "hunting" or mowing down school children. In fact, the Second Amendment doesn't guarantee me the right to own even a water pistol. Instead, it explicitly allows the government to decide who can bear arms, and when. It provides for, even requires government regulation of firearms.
Or, as put by Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger: "The Gun Lobby's interpretation of the Second Amendment is one of the greatest pieces of fraud - I repeat the word fraud - on the American people by special interest groups that I have ever seen in my lifetime. The actual purpose of the Second Amendment was to ensure that State armies - the militia - would be maintained for the defense of the State. The very language of the Second Amendment refutes the argument that it was intended to guarantee every citizen an unfettered right to any weapon."

For those of you who don't remember Justice Burger - he was considered conservative, very. He'd have made Stevie Bannon look like a daffodil-toting liberal. Basically he was a redneck's dream.
Well, except for his annoying tendency to state the truth. In this case, that you, me neither of us has a constitutional right to own a weapon whether it be firearm or butter knife.

If you want a gun I suppose you're going to have a gun. Just don't misquote the Constitution as part of your justification.
The Second Amendment is clear. Allowing convenient misinterpretation to the benefit of private gun owners requires massive sums of money and political clout. Enter the NRA and gun manufacturers, e.g. very wealthy individuals and groups, padding politicians pockets lest they might actually start enforcing the guiding documents of the United States of America.

Rather than using their positions of power to be part of the solution, rather than seizing on a true opportunity to make things better - the NRA and like groups instead continue with their hate-filled rhetoric, pushing self serving and blatantly incorrect legal arguments to the massive benefits of their wallets.
And in so doing absolutely positively 100% guaranteeing more massacres.

The NRA is no longer concerned with the rights of gun owners. The NRA has become a money-making machine with main purpose being to pad the wallets of management and pay off politicians. In fact, by showing absolute unwillingness to compromise they are becoming a threat to responsible gun owners. Add in a fringe element - NRA supporters actually threatening children who survived the latest school massacre - and the group is becoming the face of political peril (regardless of your thoughts on firearms most of us realize how disgusting and flat-out chicken it is to threaten these kids. Yet the bigwigs, the millionaires in management at the NRA who have become rich off your dues are strangely silent.)

At some point the scales may tip, and politicians continuing to accept money from the NRA will be finding themselves un-electable. By continuing to show unwillingness to do the right thing, to become part of the solution, the NRA will devolve into a small, unimportant club of haters.

Responsible members should demand immediate change or separate from the organization. The NRA is becoming a very visible reason for increased gun control. (I am fully aware none of this will happen. What WILL happen is things will settle down again, we'll all kinda forget, and instead find something else to concern ourselves with. God knows there's enough other stuff to worry about.

Then another massacre will happen a bunch more kids shot to pieces. There will be much crying and gnashing of teeth. Again. The NRA will continue its convenient misinterpretation of the Constitution will continue to blame everyone except those responsible and will continue to pull in massive sums of money with which to buy politicians and shower on management. The circle will keep going round and round. The only winners in this uniquely American tragedy will continue to be the wealthy elite on the top rungs of the NRA. Laughing all the way to the bank.
And once again, and again and again - the rest of us will be left to try and rationalize our part in pumping eleven bullets into a fourteen-year old girl who's biggest sin was going to school on an unlucky day.

Build a wall around Melania