Parade Charade: Trump Once Againt Shamelessly Exploits the Military for Personal Gain

Never in United States history has there been a politician who has mocked, denigrated, disrespected and exploited the military as much as Donald Trump.

Trump's latest transparent stunt came Tuesday with the news that he's directed the Pentagon to plan a Bastille Day-inspired grand military parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. Like France's iconic warrior Napoleon Bonaparte, Trump's all but crowned himself emperor and sees himself as the great national valiant hero. So what's more fitting than a bit of Napoleonic pomp and circumstance?

And why not, right? Trump, the self-proclaimed "counter-puncher," is proudly touted
as a "street-fighter" by his aides and surrogates. You attack him and he hits you back 100 times harder. He's a ruthless bully on Twitter. Armed with an iPhone, his tiny fingers and 280 characters, Trump wages cyber-warfare with Beethoven-like mastery at the keys. At his rallies, where his bombast and braggadocio run amok, he yells in that loud, gravely "get him outta here!" intimidating tone. Apparently, someone told him that if he pretends to sound tough he is tough.

The only problem is that Trump is anything but tough. Anything but a warrior. Anything but a hero. He's a coward. A draft-dodging coward. Unlike Napoleon, who bled on the battlefield, when it was Trump's time to serve his country during Vietnam he hid behind his rich daddy's coattails and imaginary 'bone-spurs' and received five student and medical deferments.

And while 58,000 of his countrymen had died in Vietnam, Trump, in a 1997 interview with Howard Stern, arrogantly bragged that his years of sleeping around, when he faced the danger of sexually transmitted diseases, was his "personal Vietnam."

"I feel like a great and very brave soldier," he impudently boasted to Stern.

But the closest Trump ever came to actually wearing a uniform was as a teenager when he was sent by his father Fred to the New York Military Academy....the kind of strict military boarding school where exasperated parents often send unruly asshole kids to 'become men.' (Fred, if he were alive, should demand his money back plus interest).

And now Trump wants a parade. With weapons, missiles and tanks rolling past the White House while Dear Leader stands like Kim Jong Un basking in the manufactured glow of self-created adulation as everyone salutes him.

But the official White House explanation for the parade is more altruistic:

“President Trump is incredibly supportive of America’s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe," said press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation.”

Nice try, Sarah, but the duplicity of your statement is staggering. Let's revisit some of the many ways Trump has shown his 'respect' and "support" for the military and its "great service members":

*"I know more than the generals"
*Attacked John McCain: He's "not a war hero... He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured"
*Attacked Gold Star families
*Lied to veterans about a $5-million donation
*"The military is a disaster"
*Took a veteran's Purple Heart at a rally: “I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier”

But wait there's more, and it's even worse...

Trump is under independent investigation for allegedly colluding with Russia to hack and influence the 2016 election and then wage a merciless campaign to demean and discredit the special prosecutor, the FBI and Department of Justice. He's also attacked the free press as "the enemy of the people." He's called Democrats "treasonous" and "un-American" because they didn't applaud him during his State of the Union speech. And he's repeatedly demonstrated a general disdain for the Constitution and the rule of law.

What could be more unconscionably disrespectful to our brave soldiers than to attack the bedrocks of democracy...the laws and freedoms...that they died defending?  

You can almost hear them shouting from the grave with clench fists...'spare us your fucking parade.'

So make no mistake: the parade charade is not a celebration of our military but rather a pathetic attempt by the Narcissist-in-Chief to celebrate himself and, more so, to once again use the military as pawns in his War of Distraction from the RussiaGate investigation. An investigation that each day moves closer to the Oval Office door and could ultimately bring and end to Trump's reign of terror.

Before that humiliating end occurs, perhaps Trump, like his idol Napoleon, will abdicate his throne and be exiled to the island of Manhattan...

Here's What Trump's Tweets Might Look LIke in Two Years...

We all know how much Donald Trump loves to Tweet. It empowers him and provides a safe platform to be the "street-fighting counter-puncher" to opponents and enemies ranging from Hillary Clinton to Kim Jong Un. He's so addicted to Twitter that it's impossible to imagine him without it, no matter his ultimate fate.

So here's a sampling of what the Tweeter-in-Chief's missives might look like in two years...

"My impeachment hearing was the HIGHEST RATED in history! So much better than Clinton's! And I would've beaten Johnson too if we had TV back in the '20's!"  

"President Pence says my pardon's coming soon. I'm starting to doubt it. Never trusted that guy. He better watch it. I know things...BIGLY things!"

"Spoke with Paul Ryan today. He's still in shock over losing to Bryce last year. Eric Cantor's been helping him. He had a shocking loss too. THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR!!" 

"Just visited Don Jr. today. He's still adjusting to prison. And I got to meet his boyfriend. Great guy! LOVES TRUMP!!"  

"I WON'T be visiting Devin, Mike, Paul, Rick, George, Hope, Jeff, Carter or Jared. Will never forget how they turned on me. Besides...Trump HATES prison!"

"I love being back in NY. I can tell everybody really LOVES me! They're all just pretending to hate me and ignore me because it's, like, "coolfveve" to hate Trump. WHATEVER!"

"Since Melania left, I've had more pussy than a cat shelter! Talk about MAGA!"

"Eric was just promoted to MANAGER at the Trump Tower Starbucks! (I pulled some strings...he never would've gotten it on his own). SO PROUD!"

"Hoping that maybe this is the month I'll get to see Barron. I've heard he's maybe, kinda, like, not so angry anymore. He knows Trump loves him!"

"Ivanka and Jared's divorce is final. Trump VERY happy! Never got this whole "Jew" thing anyway...'

"Melania just signed a $20-million book deal. I am SO fucked..."

I'm Sorry, But It's Racism That's Created, Enables and Protects Trump

"Make America Great Again." There are many who believe that Donald Trump's campaign slogan (which, btw, he stole from Ronald Reagan) is simple code for "Make America White Again." They're not wrong.

To those who claim that Trump voters were and remain motivated by "economic reasons," or that they wanted to "shake things up" and/or wanted a rich "outsider" who'd use his own money and therefore "not be beholden to any special interests"...I say bullshit. It's about race. And racism. Period. End...of...story.

Throughout history racism has driven seemingly normal, law-abiding, religious people to do very, very bad things. Like commit murder. Remember all the lynchings? The Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner killings in '64? People of color get killed every day in racially-motivated hate crimes. Hatred trumps (pun intended) logic and reason.

To be sure, not every racist is a murderer, a thief or any sort of criminal. But, racists can surely elect another racist president and then proceed to justify, defend and enable his racism and his reckless, dangerous, anti-American behavior every day that he's in office.

Racists can cavalierly cast aside the core values that our great nation was built on, and the Constitution which preserves and protects those values as well as our liberties, freedoms and laws.

Racists will sacrifice their own needs and interests and allow themselves to be subjugated by their racist president.

Racists will turn a blind eye to their racist president's complicity in Russia's meddling in our election and its undermining of our democracy despite obvious collusion, obstruction of justice and a blatant cover up.

Racists will believe their racist president when he spews his relentless propaganda about the Russia investigation being a "witch hunt" despite multiple criminal indictments and guilty-pleas to-date.

Racists will believe their racist president when he and his henchmen wage an unconscionable and unprecedented campaign to simultaneously demean, disrespect and discredit the Department of Justice, FBI and the intelligence community.

Racists will allow their racist president to circumvent the rule of law, attack our independent judiciary and label our free and open press "the enemy of the people."

Racists will allow their racist president to convince them that the media and fact-checkers--the very people who's job it is to fight for and report the truth--are the real liars. 

Racists will believe anything their racist president tells them no matter how obvious and staggering the lies.

Racists will still blindly support their racist president no matter how much he's lied to them and reneged on campaign promises.

Racists will hear their racist president condescendingly mock them with "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters"...and without an ounce of dignity or self-respect still support him.

Racists will accept when their racist president grabs pussies, bangs porn stars and cheats on his wife...even when Melania herself appears to have mentally and physically checked out.

Racists have no problem with their racist president attacking the Pope. Or disabled people. Or Gold Star widows and mothers.

Racists will cheer when their racist president summarily scapegoats and discriminates entire segments of the population because of religion and/or skin color.

Racists are ok with their racist president being what many mental health professionals believe is a sociopath.  

Racists will bastardize everything...everything...they claim to believe in and stand for because of racism...allowing their overpowering bigotry to turn them into heartless, soulless, compassion-and-empathy-bankrupt hypocrites.  

Racists are even ok with their racist president possibly committing treason and being a traitor.

Racism makes people crazy. Racism makes people stupid. Racism makes people self-destructive. Racism is poison. And it's that poison that's brought us to the doorstep of a Constitutional crisis. Of a complete and shocking ethical and moral subversion. Of authoritarian rule.

Make no mistake: Trump is who he is, where he is and does what he does with impunity because of racism.

The Shame of the Union Speech

By most critics' accounts, President Donald J. Trump's first State of the Union speech was great. He did what he had to do, which satisfied his base, his party and its leadership, some independents and many in the mainstream media. And by "great" we of course mean he didn't make any materially ignorant, sexist, racist, xenophobic, divisive remarks. Nor did he insult anyone or deride them with juvenile nicknames. Welcome to the low bar for high achievement.  

Contrasted against Rep. Joe Kennedy III's spirited, empowering big-tent rebuttal, Trump delivered his 1:20 speech in a dull, somber, dispassionate, uninspired tone with the animated cadence of a metronome. And, the speech strayed so far from reality that even the most technologically advanced GPS wouldn't be able to guide him back to the truth.

Whether the subject was the economy, wages, taxes, energy, immigration, crime, immigration or terrorism, the speech was loaded with misrepresentations and blatant lies. It was more like the Shame of the Union speech.

But... he read from a teleprompter like a good boy. He did what he was told to do. Read what was written for him. He fought his overpowering urge to ad lib. He stayed on point. Didn't drool. Didn't slur his speech. Didn't make up any new words like "covfefe" (ok, he did refer to "Opamacare") or call it his State of the Uniom speech. He didn't disparage Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. And he didn't scapegoat, blame or malign anyone, especially his counterparts across the aisle. To the contrary, he offered olive-branch messages of bi-partisanship and unity.  

But most significantly, and this should really be the only thing that matters about the speech (especially in the rush to judge the 'awesomeness' of it), is that Trump didn't say anything that corresponds to his overall behavior since he tossed his hat into the ring in June of 2016. Nothing he said matches either his actual words or actions, or those of his administration and its policies. Talk about fake news. It would be like Bernie Madoff disingenuously orating about honesty, integrity, transparency and the need to protect peoples' investments.  

There was no mention of Trump's many offenses, controversies, scandals and legal challenges. No mention of pussy-grabbing and porn stars. No mention of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. No mention of collusion, obstruction of justice or the RussiaGate investigation. No mention of the multiple indictments and guilty pleas so far. No mention of Russia's attack on our Democracy and the looming threat of yet another meddling in our upcoming election. No mention of the need to combat white nationalism and racism. No mention of his historically low approval rating. No mention of his massive turnover in staff and aides. No mention of our reduced standing in the world, or our dramatically reduced role on climate, trade and human rights.

And even in his desire to project unity, tolerance, inclusiveness and American idealism, Trump still managed to do so in a cold, unfeeling, dire, negative manner. While it lacked the ominously dark "American carnage" rhetoric of his inaugural speech, it offered no sincere rationale for hope and change. We simply got the feeling that he was painfully restrained by his handlers and couldn't wait to get his tiny little fingers back to Twitter where real Trump can be the great counter-punching 'street fighter.' 

So how 'bout we wait to see what real Trump does post-speech, because if history repeats itself, last night's address will likely soon prove to be nothing more than a typically amateurish Trump performance-art piece designed as a break from the daily bombast and bullying.    

WTF Has Happend to the Republican Party?

Imagine Satan rising from the flaming depths of hell, plowing his fiery red hands right through your chest and ripping your heart out. Imagine him wrapping his scorching lips around your entire head and sucking out your soul. Welcome to the 2018 Republican Party. It's the walking dead.

If the GOP's iconic standard-bearer Ronald Reagan were alive today he'd be aghast over what's happened to his beloved party. It would be utterly unrecognizable to him.

Why on Earth would Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan willingly sleep with the devil over Donald Trump? Why are they so loyally protecting an ignorant, sexist, racist, sexual-abusing, pathologically-lying sociopath traitor who presents the greatest threat in history to our democracy and whose vile, dangerous, anti-American behavior runs counter to everything they supposedly stand for?

Seriously guys, what the fuck has happened to you?

When exactly was the point when you decided, "Yeah, it's ok if Vladimir Putin attacks us, meddles in our election, undermines our democracy, creates utter chaos and toxicity, pits Americans against each other and turns us into a laughingstock shithole of a nation...just as long as we get our Supreme Court justice, our tax reform, corporate deregulation and a disintegration of Obamacare."

The GOP once stood for a strong defense, national security and unwavering patriotism.

The GOP was once a staunch, unapologetic protector of the rule of law and the Constitution.

The GOP was once the party of "values." A party that, at least publicly, advocated against corruption and sin. Strong proponents of family and faith...even though behind closed doors many in its ranks led controversial, scandal-plagued double-lives.

But that was yesterday's Republican Party.

Today's GOP is complicit in the greatest political perversion in our history. It's shamelessly enabling Trump's moral, ethical and perhaps criminal assault on America. Allowing the 'kompromised' United States president to subvert our 242-year-old principles and imperil our national security and freedoms. Supporting a likely Traitor-in-Chief who's empowered our enemies while alienating our allies. Who's isolated us on the world stage. Who's stripped us of our leadership role on trade, the environment, immigration and human/civil rights.    

Today's GOP has not just allowed Trump's abuses of power, but is using the levers of government as a partisan tool to fuel and provide cover for them.

Today's GOP has sanctioned Trump's predatory behavior towards women. It's given a thumb's up to his racism. To his white nationalism. It's embraced and condoned his infidelity, and his coughing up hush-money to at least one porn star he's banged allegedly in the first year of his marriage to Melania, when Barron was just 4-months-old.

Today's GOP stands idly by as Trump wages an unrelenting and ill-founded war on the media, our free and open press and our freedom of speech.

Today's GOP shares his utter disrespect and disdain for our independent judiciary, the intelligence community and the FBI.

Today's GOP has condoned Trump's blatant, pathological lying, his unprecedented reshaping of reality and the truth, and his willful misrepresentations to the American public. 

Today's GOP, rather than fulfill its oversight role as a co-equal branch of government, has become Trump's henchmen, carrying out his dirty deeds with reckless abandon.   

Today's GOP has watched Trump incredulously refuse to implement sanctions against Russia that it passed in virtual bi-partisan unanimity.

Today's GOP has allowed Trump to roll up the Constitution's Emoluments Clause like a cone and shove it up their collective assess.  

Today's GOP, rather than preparing Trump's Articles of Impeachment, is instead rolling out the authoritarian red carpet. Allowing him to turn us into a kleptocracy and a banana republic.

Today's GOP is neutered. Ineffectual. Broken. Suspiciously complicit.

Perhaps the biggest question is not what the Russian's might have on Trump, but what he has on Congress.

The Emporer's New Wall: My Ridiculously Simple Border Solution for Trump

The wall. That damned wall. For two years Donald Trump has relentlessly promised it to his brainwashed, xenophobic base.

A "big, beautiful wall," he'd promise.

"And who's gonna pay for the wall?!!"

"MEXICO!" they'd hoot like convicts at a strip club.

And now Trump finds himself threatened with another government shutdown in two weeks over the budget, DACA and border security. He knows he's toast if he fails to deliver the wall to his disciples. The wall is as much a part of his DNA as the orange spray-tan that's leeched into his bloodstream. So he's standing firm. No wall, no DACA. But there's a simple solution.

Trump should just tell his base he got the wall. He doesn't need an actual wall. They'll believe him. They believe anything he tells them. They're so brainwashed they won't know the difference. 

Here's the speech the Liar-in-Chief can give when a deal with Democrats is finally made:

"Good evening...
I am very bigly excited to announce we cut a deal. I mean I cut a deal. I alone. Me. All by myself. With the help of no one else. Just Trump. And it's a great deal. A lovely deal.
The best deal ever in the history of deals. Believe me. Anyway, we've avoided another shutdown. And we have a wall!

Let me tell you about our wall. It's big alright! And it sure as hell is beautiful! And get this...it's invisible! It uses this brand-new Israeli technology that makes things invisible to the naked eye. Ya gotta love the Jews! Are they smart, or what!? 

Our wall... our big, beautiful 60-foot invisible wall... will keep out all those bad hombres trying to sneak across the border. It's like those invisible dog fences. You may not see it, but it'll zap the crap outta ya if ya touch it, believe me!

But be very careful, people. Very careful. If you're ever down there, ya know, by the Mexico/Puerto-Rico Texas border, don't get too close! You may wanna stick your hand out...touch it... see how it feels. Don't do it! It'll cook ya like a taco bowl! But trust me, it's there.

So, we won! WE WON! We beat the Democrats! We got the wall! And guess what? We also got Mexico to pay for it! They're paying in Bitcoin! It's what they call a 'crypto-currency.' The Winklevoss Twins invented it. I think they're Jews too. And if they're not, they worked for Mark Zuckerberg, and he's a Jew. So it's like the same thing. Anyway, I know, it's way confusing to you people because, like the invisible wall, you can't see the Bitcoin. But it's all there, believe me...

Are ya tired of winning yet!?...."

And when the media reports the truth, that there is actually no wall, Trump can simply accuse them of "fake news"... 

And everything will be just fine. 

The base will lap it all up. 

And we can move on.

No more wall talk ever again.

The State of the Union Speech Trump Should Deliver

On the evening of January 30th President Donald Trump will enter the chamber of the United States House of Representatives and deliver his first State of the Union address to the 115th Congress. If history repeats itself, Trump will spend about an hour giving what will most likely be the most dishonest, fact-deficient, reality-challenged propagandistic speech in presidential history. But what if he actually spoke the truth...?

(to muted applause)...

“Thank you! (nodding). Thank you! Thank you! Ok, shut up! Sittttdowwwwnnnnnn!

My fellow Americans. And Democrats. What a fucking year, huh!? Are ya exhausted yet?! I know I am! Despite what Doc Ronny...the physical...he said I’m in...ya know...the exam was incredible...but he’s full of shit. I’m in lousy shape. Just look at me. I’m blowing up more than Bitcoin! My diet is...I can tell you...I eat like shit, I don’t exercise—but I love golf...is it Saturday yet?—and I have more insecurities than an acne-ravaged teenager. I’m a hot mess, people, believe me! Ok, enough small talk. Let’s get this done. I have TV to watch. 

Speaking of which...what idiot decided this speech should be named after “Fake Tapper’s” CNN show? So stupid! 

So...America....let’s...it’s incredible what I’ve...no president has...never before have we....is anyone worse than Trump?! What a shithole I turned it into, huh? I hate this job! The pay sucks, I have to kiss Congress’s ass—although Kevin McCarthy brought me my favorite color Starbursts in a jar with his name on...WTF is up with that?!—and everybody’s watching me 24/7, so I can’t bang strippers and porn stars. I’m bored as fuck. And Melania hates it too. If she comes into my bedroom and whines one more time I swear I’m gonna divorce her. Just as soon as Sekulow can figure out how to break the pre-nup. 

Let’s start with domestic. Yeah, let’s do domestic. How about that tax cut!? First, and I’m proud, biggest in history, no one ever...so massive...but, too bad none of it’s for the poor and middle class. But don’t tell them. They think I’m...it’s for them...ya know, I’m putting money...it’s going in their pockets. 

And regulations!? Bye Felicia! Trump believes...and I’ve said this...believe me...it’s time to...and people agree...companies should be able to, like, do whatever they want. It's our system of Capitalness. Entrepwhenusers must be allowed to succeed without...and this is...we can’t...they can’t be strangled by regulation. 

Now let’s discuss the environment. Can we...this climate change hoax. Gimme a break. No one but Trump is telling you...winter? Like, and believe me, it’s not...have you seen...holy FUCK it’s been cold! It’s been so cold that the lies literally freeze in mid-air as they leave my face! That’s why I...and the French hate me for it...but...the Paris Climate Agreement is a waste of time. I was...we flew and spent....have you been to Paris recently? The weather there’s just fine, believe me. 

Healthcare? Overrated. I wanna say...and this is...here’s the fix: don’t get sick! And...‘single-payer’ insurance isn’t the answer. Married people would want it too. This issue is...believe me, it’s a disaster. So there is...that’s why...and let me tell you...Obamacare is dead. 

But, the economy...what’s more important than...and who knew...and the numbers speak for themselves people...it’s obvious that....to be honest, the stock market is...when Obama was president he tripled it. It’s way up under Trump, but it’s gonna...you know...stocks drop too. Bigly correction probably coming. Very bigly. 

And jobs? Last year was the lowest in about 6 years. Obama created, like, he was more successful...when it comes to jobs he’s beat me every year. I hate that. You know I hate Obama, right? Why is that skinny black guy so much better than me at every goddamn thing!? Arrrgggggg! 

Ok, time to address the 800lb Trump in the room. Racism. You got me! I’m a racist! Have you seen my record these past 40 years!? I’m so racist I make David Duke sound like Barney Frank. Let’s face it, and this is...I’m not the one who...white people are simply better than the blacks. And the Poo-ER-To Ricans. And the Mexicans. Pssst...here’s a little secret: that “Make America Great Again” thing? You know, it...guess what? I can...it really means “Make America White Again” (makes a weird hand sign). 

I’m gonna do foreign policy now for just a minute because...and let me tell ya...I’m sorry...is it exciting? No. I really don’t really understand any of it and..and here’s what...I just can’t because many foreign leaders...and this includes our allies are... and it’s so frustrating...they’re just so weak and lame. Except Vlad. Can we talk about Putin for a second? 

Look, there’s no collusion! Have I said that before? No collusion. Absolutely no collusion. If collusion walked up to me I’d be like...”Hey collusion...I don’t know you, fuck off!” I’m not kidding. If collusion was a pussy, I’d never even grab it. Not even a little. Ok maybe I would because...hey, what can I say...you know how I get around pussy! 

The truth is, Putin doesn’t...there’s no...I’m totally innocent. Let me tell you...and many people are saying...I don’t care...that Dossier...believe me, it’s fake. Fake. A HOAX! I don’t do bad sex things. It’s all lies. Like... I’d never have two red-headed hookers named Olga and Svetlana come to my presidential suite at the Moscow Ritz Carlton at around 9pm on a cold, snowy Tuesday night in 2013 to pee on each other while I was wearing my Superman bathrobe and masturbating with my left hand. Never.

Ok...(yawns)... I’m done here (drinks water from a Power Rangers sippy cup). It’s 9:55 and I have to get upstairs to watch Don Lemon. I pretend that I hate him but...the truth...ya know, I’m not gay...but if I was...he’s a good looking guy. I could get Don Lemon if I wanted, believe me.

So God bless you all...except Jeff Flake...and God bless the Unired Shates of America Ferrara.”

My Wife Was Not Killed By an "Illegal Immigrant"--PART 2

Two weeks before the 2016 presidential election my op-ed on immigration and crime appeared in the New York Times. My late wife, the actor/filmmaker Adrienne Shelly (WAITRESS), had been murdered November 1, 2006 by a 19-year-old undocumented worker from Ecuador. I had been largely silent for ten years about this extremely personal tragedy. Donald Trump changed that.

Witnessing Trump’s incredibly incendiary and relentless attacks on immigrants and refugees, I decided that if ever there was going to be a time where I could share my perspective and have it have maximum impact, it was on the eve of the most critical presidential election in American history. It infuriated me to watch an entire segment of our population be demonized.

I was right. About the election being important, that is. But like a majority of voters, I wasn’t prepared for the result. Nor could I believe that Trump’s hateful racist, xenophobic rhetoric and behavior at that time would be proven pale in comparison to what would follow throughout the first year of his controversial presidency.  

The man who began his campaign with the now-infamous “Mexican rapists” salvo proceeded to ignite his presidency, and his bigoted base, with attempts at a Muslim ban right out of the White House gate. Throughout 2017 his anti-immigrant rhetoric was relentless, including recent claims that Haitian immigrants “all have aids” and that Nigerians live in “huts.”

And 2018 is off to an even more tendentious start. Late Thursday afternoon The Washington Post reported that Trump, during an Oval Office immigration meeting with lawmakers earlier in the day, unconscionably asked “Why do we want all these people from ‘shithole countries’ coming here?,” referring, for example, to Haiti, El Salvador and Africa. He suggested bringing over more people from Norway. White people. The good people. Ya know, Trump’s master race. 

The tragic irony in Trump’s racist comment is that immigrants from Africa, for example, are not just the most educated immigrants living in the United States, they’re also typically better educated than Americans.

Republican strategist and consultant Frank Luntz tweeted: "43% of immigrants from (shithole) African countries have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 33% of the overall American population. Nigerian-Americans, for instance, have a median household income well above the American average." 

While Trump is facing widespread condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans at home and from foreign leaders, the GOP leadership—House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell—has yet to comment as of this writing. Their silence is deafening. And when they fail to condemn, they condone. 

In view of Trump’s continued and shameless campaign of intolerance and hate, I believe my op-ed from October 24, 2016 is as relevant and timely today as it was then. 

To be sure, we’ve had very many ugly days since Trump took office last year. Moments that left us stunned and embarrassed as a nation. But today is an especially dark, sad, shameful day in America’s 241 year history.

America is so much better than this.

No, Trump is NOT 'Presidential'

He sat for 45 minutes and behaved himself. He didn’t fidget much. He seemed reasonably focused, despite his typically short attention span. He appeared interested in what others had to say. He didn’t meander or ramble on about unrelated subjects. He was a bit confused at times and didn’t seem too knowledgeable about the subject matter, nor did he have any particular opinions. And he didn’t get nasty, call anyone names or bully anyone. He actually got along nicely with the others. No, this isn’t from a 12-year-old’s report card. It’s about the President of the United States. 

The media, as they’ve done before whenever Donald Trump manages for a few minutes not to sound like a bloviating buffoon, went ga-ga over this suddenly “presidential” president as he presided over a clearly staged video-opp to steer the narrative away from amped-up allegations of mental instability. 

Pardon me if I’m not impressed. After a week where Trump bragged about the size of his “nuclear button” and defended himself as a “stable genius,” are we supposed to now feel comforted because the Leader of the Free world can run a fucking meeting? That’s it? Have we dropped his bar so low that ants could dance the limbo under it? 

CNN quoted unnamed sources after the meeting as saying it was a carefully orchestrated attempt at damage control in the wake of Michael Wolff’s explosive tell-all book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” in which 100% of staff and aides interviewed believe Trump is mentally unfit to serve as president. 

Well, can’t have the nation think he’s batshit crazy, right? So Trump (more likely Chief of Staff John Kelly) invited Republicans and Democrats over to ostensibly discuss immigration reform, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and border security. But within minutes it became clear that the most powerful human in the world, who wants to “do DACA” and “do bi-partisan,” didn’t bring a lick of vision to the table. And that leaders of both parties were being used as props. 

It got downright bizarre at one telling moment when Trump appeared to agree with Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who suggested he commit to initially passing a “clean DACA bill” before ultimately moving on to broader immigration reform. He contradicted his prior position of insisting the initial bill also end “chain migration” and the current lottery system, as well as contain funding for his border wall, which rankled members of his own party:

“I have no problem...We're going to do DACA, and then we can start immediately on the phase two, which would be comprehensive. I think a lot of people would like to see that. But we need to do DACA first." 

Nooooooo! House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, appearing as if he just shat his pants, immediately sprung into partisan action (God forbid the president might actually be allowed to agree on some level with a democrat) to remind Trump that this DACA-first plan is actually the exact opposite of what he wants and that it must include additional funding for border-security.

"I think that's what she's saying," Trump assured him, causing a desperate cross-current of clarification between stunned Republicans and their bewildered ‘send me any bill and I’ll sign it’ leader. 

It was the best, most surreal theater I’ve seen since the “Pee-Wee Herman Show” hit Broadway six years ago.

And nothing material came from it except proof that the President of the Unites States can run a shitty meeting. 

So please stop asking us to give gold stars to Trump just because he takes a momentary break from acting like a petulant teenager. 

Please don’t insult us anymore with these utterly nauseating attempts to normalize the most unqualified president in American history. 

Trump is not “presidential.” He’s never been presidential. And he never will be presidential. My 13-year-old daughter could’ve run that meeting, and she actually would’ve done a much better job at it. She has more maturity, conviction, intellectual curiosity and is more inspiring than the 71-year-old who occupies the Oval Office. 

And that is terrifying.

The Stable Genius and His Executive Time

It was a wild and crazy first year for President Donald Trump. Much of his 2017 had been spent defending against accusations of sexual assault, collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice, money laundering and excessive golfing. And 2018 has gotten off to an even worse, more bizarre start.

In the wake of Michael Wolff’s bombshell tell-all book “Fire and Fury,” Trump now finds himself having to defend against damaging statements from top aides that he’s “stupid,” a “moron,” “mentally unstable” and “unfit for office.” 

Early Saturday morning Trump tweeted about his emotional and intellectual prowess:

“Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart....I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!”

Later in the day he stood with Republican leaders at Camp David and doubled-down on the bragging:

“I went to the best colleges, or college. I went to — I had a situation where I was a very excellent student, came out and made billions and billions of dollars, became one of the top business people. Went to television and for ten years was a tremendous success, as you probably have heard. Ran for president one time and won.”

Well for one thing, anytime you have to publicly assert that you’re mentally stable, the likelihood is that you’re not. And what’s with the “like” before “smart?” Is the president not really sure? Or, is this just another example of the United States president sounding like a 13-year-old? And, exactly how many colleges did he attend? He seems confused. Lastly, 2016 was not his first attempt at running for the presidency. He actually tried once before in 2000. It failed. 

Keep in mind all of this occurred just days after the “I know words...I have the best words” stable genius misused the word “misnomer” when downplaying his relationship with former chief strategist Stephen Bannon:

"I don't talk to him. I don't talk to him. I don't talk to him, that's just a misnomer."

Clearly, “misnomer” is not one of his “best words.” 

And judging from Trump’s tweets and public comments over the past couple of years, the argument can easily be made that he is most definitely not stable.

Then there’s the explosive revelation which came Sunday in an Axios scoop about Trump’s shrinking work schedule. The administration which gave us “alternative facts” now artfully redefines sleeping, tweeting, watching TV, phoning pals and lounging around the White House residence half a day (or more) as “executive time.” As his presidency’s progressed, Trump has fewer meetings during the day and spends much less time in the Oval Office (typically 11am-6pm), Axios reported. 

Given how little he appears to be working Monday through Friday, coupled with 90+ weekend days playing golf at his resorts, it’s fair to assume he has a general disdain for the job; has zero appreciation for policy and his role both domestically and abroad; and is utterly indifferent to his impact (or lack thereof) on America’s standing in the world. How his detachment both scares our allies and emboldens our enemies. 

It’s a chilling reality to accept, but for the first time in its 241-year history America, in effect, has an absentee president. It is leaderless.

Why I'm Rooting For Trump to Fail

Traditionally, it’s been every American citizen’s patriotic duty to support the United States president whether or not we agree with his basic policies. We’re taught that when it comes to domestic prosperity and security and our standing globally, we must put country before party and root for the Leader of the Free World to succeed. Because rooting against the president is tantamount to rooting against America. Not anymore.

After Donald Trump’s first year in office there’s been a political paradigm shift of epic proportions. No longer are we simply on different sides of the social, economic and foreign-policy spectrum. It’s no longer just about our opposing views on taxation, size of government and nation-building, for example. For the first time in our nation’s history, we have a president who presents a grave danger and existential threat to America. To every American man, woman and child. And to citizens of allied nations. 

With every move, every speech, every tweet, Trump systematically discredits and subverts our democracy. He maligns and undermines our independent judiciary, intelligence community and free press. He is a Baghdad Bob-worthy pathological liar and propagandist who fancies America as a state-run government which therefore makes him the state. He has a fundamental disdain for the Constitution and the rule of law. He’s a home-grown oligarch who’s testing the boundaries of authoritarianism. 

But the most chilling element to Trump’s presidency is his seemingly deteriorating mental state. His massive insecurities and need for constant attention, praise and flattery leads to decidedly unpresidential behavior that is impulsive, undisciplined, immature, undiplomatic and provocative. These emotional shortcomings have left him compromised and exploited by a devious enemy operative like Russian president Vladimir Putin, who’s attacked our electoral system with shocking impunity and threatens to do so again. 

Trump’s questionable state of mind has resulted in him calling the leader of an enemy state, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, “short and fat” as he also nonchalantly threatens nuclear war. 

It’s not unreasonable to imagine Trump sending our sons and daughters to die in battle, or having San Francisco obliterated, simply because someone like Kim pissed him off that day. Or that he needs to Wag the Dog-like diversion given his abysmally low popularity and because special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s independent RussiaGate investigation is approaching the Oval Office door. 

To be sure, it’s always been about Trump and only Trump. The lives and deaths of our citizens are just props in his twisted, alternate-reality show. 

He is, simply put, very, very bad for America. And it’s getting worse.

Which is why rooting for Trump to succeed equates to rooting for America to fail.

The Republican Party's Glaring Diversity Problem

As 2017 draws to a close, the major takeaway from this non-traditional ‘honeymoon’ year for President Donald Trump can be summarized by a more potent political toxicity and a deepening of America’s racial divide.

In the past year we’ve witnessed Trump’s blatant, shameless race-baiting and racism. This includes reviving his birther campaign; his outrageous Charlottesville behavior; continued enabling and/or outright defending Neo-Nazi’s, white supremacists, David Duke and the KKK; attacks on black NFL players; disrespecting a black Gold Star mother and widow; and his insensitivity over black victims of police brutality and his general disdain for the Black Lives Matter movement. And let’s not forget his attacks on immigrants, Muslims, Hispanics and Mexicans.

This week we had front row seats to Trump’s virtually all-white, all-male White House masturbatory tax bill celebration, which highlighted his and the GOP’s utter glee in shafting the poor, middle class, sick, elderly and minorities so the rich and corporations could get tremendous permanent tax-cuts that neither they or the economy need. It shined a blinding spotlight on the massive diversity problem of this administration and the Republican Party.

The statistics are staggering. While 37% of Democrats in the House and Senate are non-white, that number falls to under 5% for the GOP. And while the Democratic Party continues to broadening its tent even further, all of the GOP’s freshman Congressmen this year are white. 

The story doesn’t change much when it comes to gender. Women comprise 37% of Democratic Senate seats and only 10% of Republicans’. Same for the House, where women hold a third of the Democrat seats while less than 9% are Republican. 

Diversity in Trump’s administration is equally lacking. Just 17% of cabinet members are non-white. And just 20% are women. By comparison, the numbers for men of color or women jump to 64% and 45% in Barack Obama's and George W. Bush’s initial cabinets respectively. Making matters worse, most of Trump’s Summer interns were white, as are 90% of his Federal judicial nominees, the highest in decades, according to the Associated Press. Just 20% of his judicial appointments have been women. 

In short, while America is getting more diverse, and while the Democratic Party is reflecting this ethnic and gender evolution in its House and Senate caucuses, the Republican party just keeps getting whiter and dude-r. And in the process, the needs of minorities and women, and the injustices committed against them every day, are being increasingly ignored, and worse, enabled. 

To be sure, the Republican Party has a major problem on its hands, as evidenced by the stunning results of several recent special elections. There’s a reason why 98% of black women who voted in the Alabama Senate election voted for the Democrat, Doug Jones. And it’s not because they, or an overwhelming majority of minorities, feel at home in the GOP. 

All of which spells trouble for the Republican Party in next year’s midterm elections. The latest polling indicates a massive blue wave that’s sweeping across the nation. Americans, by a 56%-38% margin, say they prefer Congress to be controlled by Democrats. This momentum to the left is fueled in large part by minorities, women, gays, independents, college-grads, millennials, seniors and suburbanites. 

Coupled with Trump’s abysmal and rapidly declining approval numbers, this shift in voter sentiment could result in a Democratic landslide come November. No wonder the GOP leadership is in a state of panic.

Hey Democrats, You Wanna Get Rid of Trump? Here's How...

Talk to any Democrat and two things are certain to be heard: (1) “I hate Donald Trump” and (2) “we’re banking on Robert Mueller to take him down.” While special prosecutor Mueller’s RussiaGate investigation may ultimately prove collusion and/or obstruction of justice, the very likelihood is that this Republican-controlled Congress is simply gonna say, “Hey thanks Bob, we’ll take it all under advisement”...and then walk away and throw the file in the trash. So my advice to Democrats is simple: don’t bank on Mueller, Congress or anyone but yourselves. Just vote. Voters have all the power. 

The blue tsunami that’s been crashing against special-election shorelines should give Democrats more than just hope. It’s a very strong indicator of massive voter anger, enthusiasm and engagement, all of which could result in a landslide next November. Stunning victories in Washington, New Jersey, Virginia and Alabama have created sheer panic in the GOP. And even where Democrats lost, i.e. Kansas, Georgia and South Carolina, the margins have been shockingly small compared to prior elections, giving the left momentum in states where they normally wouldn’t have a shot in hell. Even by conservative estimates, it’s already looking pretty bleak for the GOP and we still have another ten months of Crazytown. 

To be sure, it’s quite possible Trump could be impeached, removed through the 25th Amendment or he could resign. We might even see indictments for him and his family. But assuming justice will be served this way is not just ill-advised and impractical, it could shatter bleeding liberal hearts from coast-to-coast. 

Democrats cannot control what happens to Trump within the highly complicated, bureaucratic and politically-charged legislative and judicial landscape. But they can effect tremendous, historic change by simply getting out the vote. The beauty of America’s Democracy is that when those curtains are drawn at the polling booth, everyone is equal. The division of power is split evenly across all socioeconomic and racial groups. It’s the only day of the year when janitors and billionaires have the exact same clout and influence. 

Take Alabama, the reddest state in the nation which turned blue for the first time in 25 years, which proved how incredible our Democracy can be when voters take their responsibility and power seriously. Doug Jones’s Senate victory was fueled in large part by an Election Day swarm of women, blacks, millennials, college grads and suburbanites. Throw in Hispanics, gays, independents and fed-up moderate Republicans (i.e folks like MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough) and a Democratic landslide in next year’s midterms seems quite plausible. To say it’ll be a referendum on Trump and his deplorable elitist swamp-dwellers is a gross understatement. 

Just think of the left’s overall campaign proposition:

“Vote for us...give us back control of Congress...and we’ll undo the damage caused by Donald Trump and the Republican Party. We’ll reverse the massive tax cuts for the rich and for corporations, and increase those for the poor and middle class. We’ll preserve, protect and improve the Affordable Care Act. We’ll restore the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). We’ll pass DACA and protect dreamers...and pass humane immigration reform which creates a path to citizenship for 12-million people who came to our shores with hope of a better life. We’ll increase funding for the EPA, invest in renewable energy and get America back in the Paris Climate Agreement...making us the world’s leader on climate change again....

...”We’ll protect the human and civil rights of women, minorities and gays, while taking a firm stand against intolerance and bigotry from Neo-Nazis, white supremacists and those who seek to spread hatred. We’ll investigate and punish all sexual harassers and sexual abusers in a zero-tolerance policy. We’ll enforce existing laws and legislate new ones to further protect women and men and also make them safer in coming forward when they’ve been violated...”

...“We’ll stop the Courts from turning completely conservative. We’ll stop corporate deregulation. We’ll provide critical oversight on this out-of-control, dangerous Trump administration. We’ll protect the truth, the rule of law and our free and open press. We’ll respect and support our independent judiciary and the brave patriots who serve our country in the FBI and in the intelligence community...”

...“We’ll ensure that Russia’s meddling in our elections, and its future cyber-attacks to undermine our Democracy, is fully investigated without impediment, and we’ll hold those accountable, including the president, if there was collusion and/or obstruction of justice....

...“And we will ensure that no soldier is sent into battle—in Iraq, Iran, North Korea or elsewhere—unless it’s an absolute last resort after diplomacy and all other efforts have failed....

...”Most important, we will restore America’s standing in the world. Earn back the respect, admiration and source of inspiration that’s been squandered in this reckless, undisciplined administration... 

...“Our party is the face of the future. Of all people. All races and religions. The face of the American dream....

...“The Republican Party is the face of Donald Trump, Roy Moore and billionaires. The choice is yours...” 

Now think of what the #GOP’s basic message will be:

“Donald Trump is innocent. Our GOP-controlled Congress has been highly effective. We’ve been really great for you but you’re just too stupid to recognize it. And it’s the media’s fault you don’t like us or our highly unpopular policies. The rich need more. And you will pay for it. And you’ll see how great that is for you. We’ll sexually-harass and abuse you and then shamelessly protect the predators. We’ll stop giving away free stuff to those lazy black people. And oh...brown people are dangerous, which is why we need to build physical walls and diplomatic barriers around us to keep ‘em all out. And those homosexuals...SCARY! We’ll keep them away from you too! MAGA!”

My money’s on the left.

So listen up, Democrats. Stop fantasizing of the day you see Trump taken away in handcuffs because Super MuellerMan is gonna save the day. Focus instead on the more tangible, direct power you have. The power of your vote. The absolute power no amount of lies, deceit and spin can take away from you. You wanna see Trump impeached? You wanna put an end to this 1950’s-era backward ugliness? Do everything humanly possible to ensure that Democrats win both the House and Senate next year. Alabama is just the tip of the iceberg. The way things are going with Trump and the GOP, it’s conceivable the entire nation could turn blue. 

And as Election Day approaches next year, please remind every Democrat you know of what happened in Virginia this week: Republicans lost control of the state legislature for the first time in 17 years because of one single vote. Just one vote can change government. Every...vote...counts.