This is not going to be, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people." Perish that prospect!!

Let the oligarchs line up at the starting line. America is trending away from democracy to a right-wing plutocracy. Abe Lincoln & U.S. Grant would be appalled.

Great pick!!! Putin's 2020 propagandist with no intelligence experience is Trump's to be the coordinator of over 20 American intelligence programs and have first access to our own network of agents and to intel sources and reports from our traditional allies. Who could Trump entrust more? Sarcastic emphasis duly added!

Putin's hurting, but he's banked on Trump to rescue him from the quagmire caused by his ill-advised and costly aggression vs Ukraine. Why would Trump save Putin vs Ukraine? Trump's not a brilliant American patriot. He's a calculating transaction-focused gamer. He thinks alliances are great as long as he sees the clear-short term benefit (primarily to him). For Saudi Arabia, it's because the Prince invested $2 billion in Jared's LBO firm. For Russia, its because Putin's bank has lent Trump Inc. hundreds of millions that is still on the books. And because Trump hates Zelensky because Zelensky did not throw Biden's son under the bus and because Trump got impeached as a result of a "perfect" conversation with Zelensky.

So, here's another question. Why is Trump choosing not just ill-prepared & incompetent cabinet nominees, but largely odd-ball characters who will be toxic to the government agencies they have been nominated to control and who, as a whole, will wreck those agencies of national policy and protection and America's National Security Council, which weighs in on any and all situations affecting America's safety and international security? It doesn't take a PhD to recognize a sinister and dangerous pattern.

Putin's been spending $ and FSB efforts to destabilize democracies & NATO. Putin's regime has helped "populist" autocratic movements thrive in Hungary & Slovakia and increasingly contributes to help increasingly stronger autocratic-leaning "populist" movements in Germany, France, and Netherlands. (And America?) Why? Go ahead, think about it.

Before Trump's official nominees come up for confirmation, next year's GOP US Senate's members need to dig deeper into why would their consenting to the creation of an Executive Branch Cabinet (and especially the next National Security Council) nearly fully created to help America's enemy Putin and to create chaos across America's institutions and our alliances with liberal democracies in NATO and around the world be in America's best interest? Is it in America's best interest, or would those senators rather sell out what moral courage they have and the nation just to avoid Trump's ire?

Where is the national interest in the Cabinet & National Security Council that Trump is building? His ingredients are a suicidal recipe for our national security and for America's Constitution.

If Congress gives its consent to Trump's Cabinet picks "recipe", it will create chaos throughout our national intelligence and national defense establishments.

Just ask any former SECDEF or FBI or counter intel agency leader about their feelings about Trump's proposed Cabinet's intent. They'll agree, the creation as a whole will be more destructive than the sum of its parts. Beware.

Why doesn't Trump go after Putin if he's going after "War Hawks"?

Trump wouldn't dare call Putin a "war hawk".

I saw that! What a danger. Most national security professionals in the West are appalled by PRC's surveillance state technology. That is right out of Orwell's book "1984". Neighbors give other neighbors patriotism & loyalty scores that the government monitors & uses. Human rights experts think PRC's internal surveillance tracking violates all norms of personal liberties. Scarier still is how PRC tech and social media can be abused, and if PRC already abused its social media and technology to control the population, what keeps them from not being tempted to track and build dossiers on users of its tech in the West?

So it's very scary that Trump sees Xi as a model to try to match.

Already, Putin has begun the construction of a deep water naval base in occupied-Abkhazia's port of Ochamchire, only several miles from Georgia's major seaport. Analysts consider this a provocation to drag Georgia into Russia's war with Ukraine and to rob Georgia of its independence.

If Trump were to squeak through or even to win by a landslide, the next Congress must have the courage and willingness to rein in the next POTUS. If a morally and intellectually deranged Pres. is in charge of America's arsenal and intel resources there's no telling how such power could wreck America and this world.

The next Congress must beware, be wise, and be steadfast for sane government for all.

With Putin advising Trump's campaign, the odds are that a well-studied plan is in place. As a KGB pro in strategies to promote challenges to the world's democracies, Putin's a master in anti-democratic tactics. And Tchump is Putin's tool. But Trump, a patently self-unaware narcissist cannot tell that he's a tool, just a toy, to Russia's dictator.

Ask his Fox Propaganda supporters what happened to "Trump University"? Or Trump Airways? Or Trump Casino? He leaves behind a trail of failures, and cheated people behind. Scum of the earth pretending to be the creme de la creme.

He's a fake, a phony. He's a grifter, a scammer, and a cheat. He knows nothing but pretends he's a genius. He's a sinner who thinks he's God. Need any other reasons be included?

#6. Right. Living at lower rungs on the ladder makes it hard for economic good news to trickle down into your life. And there's room to differentiate whose economic policies have been more beneficial. Trump's trillions of dollars worth of tax cuts for billionaires didn't trickle down very far to compensate for their cost to the economy. Biden's CARES Act and other pro-manufacturing and energy-development initiatives have stimulated the economy much further down the economic ladder.

But my encounter with someone from rural Appalachia's heartland was eye opening at just how disadvantaged live can be for those in rural areas where opportunities and resources can be physically out of reach because of terrain and distances. Also exposure to other populations and experiences can be limited. So when Fox propaganda is everyone's media choice in insular communities, it's hard for folks to know anything but what you yo believe anything but what you hear at your church coffee clatch or at the nearest after hours gathering place. This is a clue as to why so many of the rural areas of the country feel left out and why a snake oil con man like Fox-endorsed Trump does so well in places like that.

Q. What can Dems do to regain the hearts and minds of folks like the Tennessee woman whose working hard just to keep up with her rent and monthly expenses even when the economy for the cosmopolitan class is booming?

The problem with most previous times when the Fed countered inflation by raising interest rates is that the result had usually been a surge in unemployment. And when that happens, if the interest rate yield curve inverts (when short term borrowing costs are higher than long term rates) a recession usually follows.

This time, the yield curve's slightly inverted and inflation is down, but employment is healthy and recession is deemed improbable. Seems like the call is correct.

Now what happens next is going to be less a Fed driven economy, but one driven by domestic fiscal policies and global events. Good luck to us all.

Amazing end of a career who starred as a heroic demoted US Navy Seal, misassigned to a reactivated US battleship in the 1992 movie, "Under Siege". In that movie, Seagal plays the role of the USS Missouri's chef who gets wind of a plot by a gang of nuclear terrorists posing as a rock band given a pass to ride the ship to Pearl Harbor to "entertain" the crew on its final cruise before its formal decommissioning. In a most improbable story line the covert terrorists working for some diabolical organization styled after some rogue former KGB plan to steal the ship's nuclear arsenal. What gives the terrorists their advantage is the complicity of the ship's executive officer with the former Russian KGB officers and their terrorists. Then Seagal's character saves the ship through an amazing and inspiring series of sly and courageous acts that triumphs over the XO and his terrorist affiliates. (Play the patriotic music!)

So 32 years later, Seagal's a 72 yo Russian who renounced his US citizenship to avow his life and love for a diabolical former KGB officer and his mafia-like organization of ex-KGB kleptocrats. How ironic!

If you are financially secure, with enough secure income or assets to meet all expenses, in reasonably good health, and adequately housed, preferably in a home you've owned for five or more years, there's rarely been a period in the past 95 years where the US economy has been so good. Inflation is dipping below 3%, unemployment is near the 3% range, even as workforce participation is trending up. The stock market has hit record highs at least 40 times so far in 2024. And interest rates are coming down. Beyond US borders, the USD is the strongest & most coveted in the world. Even gas prices are falling as US production of oil and natural gas hits record highs. So who could complain?

A month ago in Tennessee, I met a woman in mid-40s working two jobs that required a total commuting distance of 100+ miles/day, driving a 12 yr old pickup that got 19 mpg, making her commute cost $75 a week. Her rent and food costs per month and kids and car costs left her no spare change to invest in stocks. When told that the economy was great, she had only disdain. Of course, being fed a daily dose of Fox propaganda didn't help her attitude, but the encounter highlighted the difference between the investor class and everyone else.

If dictator, fascist loving Trump becomes President ever again, what's to prevent him from allying with Russia? A lot. The democratically aligned NATO nations would protest. But, what would prevent Trump from slow l-walking a move toward a break from our current national security allies? Not much.

If Trump were to become POTUS and to have mostly the kind of Congress he wants, he could effectively dismantle America's National Security structure from top to bottom.

He'd likely start with stopping all funds and support for Ukraine. Then, he could call for other countries to do the same.

Further, to help Putin undermine Western democracies, he could ally with the Russia-leaning leaders of Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, and Austria, and attempt to rally support for Putin-friendly opposition candidates in Poland, Germany and France. He could also take security clearances away from former national security leaders and military officers who disagree with him and stack the Pentagon with fascist & Russia friendly officers and career civilians.

He could also close important bases and decommission important military units and continue to "accidentally" (on purpose) disclose sources and methods of US & allied intelligence. What happened when he did that his first time in office? Nothing. He also kicked out everyone, including his translator, to have a private 20 minute conversation in private with Putin. (It's doubtful Trump can speak any foreign language except maybe German, but Putin is fluent in several languages, including English and including the language of manioulation, especially in manipulating self-serving, low IQ narcissists.) Clearly, under Trump,
national security secrets are at risk.

If Trump fills government and military with his acolytes if he becomes POTUS, the damage he could do to our allies' and our own national security could be immense and possibly permanent.

At least he uttered noble words we hope he truly believes in. Former Trump echoes words borrowed from Mein Kampf and the leader of der Reich. Ugh!

They said that leading Democrats is like herding cats. Lots of independent thinkers in the Dem Party tent. You cannot do more to show respect for both Israel and Palestine and still win a national election than Harris. Stein risks losing it for Arab Americans by potentially diminishing Democratic votes in key swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin, which could helo Trump get the electoral college votes he needs. What a waste of votes. Trump will help Israel's Hasidic colonies in Palestine and will use his real "diplomatic" talents to instill public respect for natives of the mid-East and Arab Americans. Sure!

I posted this on a blog about the debate:

Vance just lied and distorted the whole way through and made many slightly-less outrageous claims of what a Trump + Vance administration would do. But fancy promises are the legacy of slick snake oil salesmen like Trump and Vance.

The most annoying Vance tactic, however, was Vance's referring to the last 3 1/2 years of Biden's presidency as the "Harris Administration" when questioning why Harris's campaign pledges hadn't yet been implemented.

What stupid questions those were!

But without Walz stopping Vance cold when he was using the tactic, a great turning point in the debate was missed.

Walz should have stopped that cold by patronizingly asking why it seemed that Vance doesn't understand the difference between the jobs of the President and the Vice President. And, would Vance claim that the accomplishments of the 4-year long "Pence Administration" out-shined Trump's administration? Walz could have closed that schooling moment by asking Vance a simple pair of questions:

"So, if by odd chance you become Mr. Trump's VP, how would he feel if you were to refer to your position as the head of the Vance Administration'? And just how much authority do you expect Mr. Trump would ever give to a VP of his?"

We all know the real answer to that 2nd question: "Only the authority to agree and to adulate Herr Trump."

Wishing that Walz's debate coach had inspired him to improv some memorable zingers and to be eager to use every juicy opportunity to plop a good zinger in Vance's lap every time Vance got too smarmy for his britches.

Vance just lied and distorted the whole way through and made many slightly-less outrageous claims of what a Trump + Vance administration would do. But fancy promises are the legacy of slick snake oil salesmen like Trump and Vance. The most annoying Vance tactic was Vance's referring to the last 3 1/2 years of Biden's presidency as "the Harris Administration" when questioning why Harris's campaign pledges hadn't already been implemented yet!

What stupid questions those were! But without Walz stopping Vance cold when he continued using the tactic a great turning point in the debate was mussed.

Walz should have stopped that tactic cold by patronizingly asking why it seemed that Vance doesn't understand the difference between the jobs of the President and the Vice President. Would Vance claim that the accomplishments of the "Pence Administration" out-shined Trump's?? And Walz should have closed that comment by asking Vance a simple pair of questions:

"So, if by odd chance you were to become Mr. Trump's VP how would he feel if you were to refer to your position as the head of the Vance Administration'? And just how much authority do you expect Trump would ever give to a VP of his?"

We all know the answer to that l question: Only the authority to agree and to adulate Herr Trump.

Wishing Walz's debate coach had inspired Walz to improv some memorable zingers, and to be eager to exploit every juicy opportunity to plop a good zinger in Vance's lap every time Vance got too smarmy for his britches.

Biased Fox Media wants its viewers to believe life in America is the worse it's ever been. Lies & propaganda, but viewers listen to it's non-stop schedule of biased commentators and they take the messages as truth. Somehow this passive brainwashing needs to stop. Wonder why Trumpsters are cultish? Blame Fox.

#3. Not so fast.

Birmingham is perhaps Alabama's least MAGA cities, with a large non-MAGA minority population and a large, well-educated middle/ and upper middle class population. And the Five Points is Birmingham's more upscale commercial district has some of the area's best restaurants and id a very creative part of the Birmingham scene. More likely the victims were the exact opposite of stereotypical MAGA types.

Thanks Lamp. While the question was mainly rhetorical, you gave so many prominent administration names that show "special" Trump is. Unlike ordinary presidential aspirant who would have been banished from the scene long ago, despite all his lies and schemes, Trump is still endorsed by nearly all of his party's elected officials.

It's hard looking at Trump's record and behavior and listening to his words to not see commonalities between Trump and evil dictators and mob bosses of the past and present. As one evil dictator proclaimed, the path to "success" is paved by legions of "useful idiots".

This documentary also shows that Trumps been aided and abetted by a complicit media company that creates smoke screens and deceptions to help Trump's deprived "official acts" escape criticism from so many everyday Americans.

(Hint: That sly corporate ally has the misleading term "News" after its three letter first name. "Propaganda" would be more accurate.)

Watched twice. Lev Parnas was a real fool who thought he'd get rich hanging out with Trump-supporting multi-millionaires and billionaires. And Rudy Giuliani became Parnas's handler as a backdoor alternative Secretary of State to do Trump's dirty work to make Putin happy.

What the documentary succeeds at is showing what a corrupt Giuliani did at Trump's behest. It also shows how quickly Trump throws his abetting cronies under the bus to keep himself from being discovered as the one pulling his cronies's strings in committing a broad array of criminal acts to implement Trump's wishes. Suckers? Yes.

You have to wonder how many others in Trump's orbit have broken laws to make Trump happy? Anyone know about the convoluted path from Egypt to Trump thst moved $50 million Trump's way when he was President? This documentary doesn't get into that potentially impeachable emolument, but it does show how Tdump associates with such bad actors to engage in crimes on his behalf. It insinuates too that Giuliani and Trump were doing much to keep Putin happy.

In the end, Giuliani is the biggest loser, now at the verge of bankruptcy. One wonders how Parnas retained so much accumulated wealth. Seems that Parnas's lifestyle isn't so bad for someone who went to jail working in the name of Trump in illegal ways that led to jail time. Still, it's great that Parnas helped make this documentary possible.