Is this the eclipse of the national soul?

So, after a couple days more to reflect upon Charlottesville, the Confederate President of the Russian province of Dumbfuckistan (formerly known as the United States of America) decided that he was right the first time. Both sides were behaving poorly there. And there were good people among the Nazis and KKK-ers. And they had a permit, so they had a right to act the way they did.

All this Presidential warmth toward racial and anti-Semitic intolerance was well-received by the usual purveyors of hate, David Duke and his fellow White Nationalist Nazi travelers at the Daily Stormer. Duke was so choked up he had to send a congratulatory tweet to the President:

https://twitter.com/DrDavidDuke/status/897559892164304896

Ugh, that felt slimy just posting his link. Following the same "moral plane", The Daily Stormer has been lauding our President, too. However, their Twitter account has been suspended. And their website was yanked by GoDaddy, then by Google. But good news for Nazis everywhere! Today, they have secured a website based in Russia (of course they have).

While the President can speak and tweet to his heart's content, his words and actions do have consequences. Yesterday, the CEO of Merck resigned from the President's Economic Council of Manufacturers. Soon following were two other CEOs of other companies. Because the Merck CEO is African-American, Trump quickly sent out one of his tender-hearted tweets. The other white guys didn't merit a mention.

Until today. Overnight, the remaining CEOs on this and another economic council summarily resigned in protest for his shameful press conference. So what did Trump do? He sent out a Tweet saying he had fired them!

 https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/897869174323728385

Double Ugh. Again with the nasty, slimy feeling for posting that link. Sorry about that, but we at The Daily Kibitz feel strongly in presenting The Facts. So does the President, because that is what he said in defending his very tardy and lame performance on Saturday. He claimed he delayed his response because he doesn't "make a statement without knowing all of the facts." This comes as a complete shock to anyone who has read or listened to him over the last 2 years. He is quite handily our first Fact-Free President (thanks, PolitiFact). 

Speaking of facts, the Nazi march at Charlottesville really set a local Reform congregation on edge. Here is their story, and it ain't pretty at all:

http://reformjudaism.org/blog/2017/08/14/charlottesville-local-jewish-community-presses

Hmmm. Heavily armed Nazi guys standing across the street, glaring. Columns of Nazis and KKKers marching past the entrance, spewing slogans of their contemptible loathing. Congregents afraid to leave! Threats to burn the synagogue down. Yep, America, 2017 edition. Honestly, please read that link!

But not to worry, because the fact is Jews were not the only target of the good people. Basically anyone who got in their way became an enemy. In particular, Heather Heyer, the poor woman who was killed by the Flower of Nazi Youth. Was there any remorse from these fine folk? Oh, ho ho:

"I'm glad that girl died...

It's all quite difficult to believe that such an event could take place in America. But if you have any doubt about what happened in Charlottesville, take a few minutes to watch the remarkable video document presented on HBO/Vice. Follow along with an embedded reporter (man, she was brave!) and get a too-close view of the enormous hatred that propels this Alliance of Awfulness. It is terrific and shocking:

https://news.vice.com/story/vice-news-tonight-full-episode-charlottesville-race-and-terror

Why has the President acted as he has? Maybe he's cognitively challenged, in the throes of a mental decline. More likely, it's because this is the way he is. He has surrounded himself with like-minded people in the White House. The most influential is, of course, Steve Bannon. It is no secret in Washington that Bannon, the previous owner/director of Breitbart News, continues to have a hold on the Chief Executive. He is like Trump's Rasputin. Or better, his Goebbels. Here is an expansive and very revealing read on Bannon and his role in Trump's election and subsequent Administration efforts:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2017/08/17/steve-bannon-donald-trump-tabloid-presidency/

It's long been rumored that Bannon will be canned by Trump, but he remains in the Inner Circle. It's also been suggested that Trump is fearful that firing Bannon will create a whole new set of problems with The Mercers, Bannon's powerful political patrons from the Far Right. Regardless, White House support for groups espousing a National White Ethno State is directly in line with the goals of Steve Bannon.

The best analysis yet for Trump's un-American posture is presented by former Reagan speechwriter/National Review/The Weekly Standard/Commentary editor, John Podheretz. He likens Trump's recognition of his base as more acute than supposed. Imagine "the base" as an atom. The Tea Party/Activists are the atom's nucleus. The Charlottesville alliance of Deplorables is the sub-atomic material of that nucleus. He is very aware of this, and doesn't wish to lose the support of those who initially got on his Trump Train. Great stuff:

https://www.commentarymagazine.com/politics-ideas/explaining-donald-trump-charlottesville-behavior/

So... how to react to all this. Here is a pithy and commonly expressed comment from one of the DC illuminato:

Btw - God damn the news media execs who gave Donnie's campaign billions in free coverage because it was good for ratings. God damn Chris Cillizza, David Brooks, Matthew Dowd, Chuck Todd, and all the other high priests of the church of "Both Sides." God damn the third party voters, butthurt Bernie bros, and everyone else who chose not to recognize what an unmitigated disaster Donald Trump's election would be.

And God damn the GOP. Who have been beavering away at delegitimizing, destabilizing and destroying American democracy for decades in order to keep their base paranoid, bitter and resentful and their wealthy donors happy. This is on you. May you all rot in hell.

It is easy to feel such anger. It is easy to fall into hate. But to absorb the hate is to enter the same home where these Deplorables live. As difficult as it may be, it is vital to remain outraged, but not to hate. Can we do this?

Here's a guy who thought so. George Harrison. He was in a 60's band called The Beatles. After they broke up, he released a 3-record set called "All Things Must Pass" and it remains the best post-Beatle recording, by a wide distance. Listen to it - it really stands the test of time! Anyway, Harrison was primarily interested in maintaining Love as the animating force in our lives. He was all about Love as a tool for Transcendence. But he was also of this world, as much as he wished to evolve to the next. Here is his masterful cautionary tale, "Beware of Darkness". It is a song for our times.

Watch out now, take care

Beware of greedy leaders

They take you where you should

Not go

While weeping Atlas cedars

They just want to grow, grow and

Grow

Beware of Darkness

(Beware of Darkness)

Some sides are more equal than others...

There exists a sense of futility in trying to comprehend the profound lack of judgment displayed by our President following the awfulness of Charlottesville. His Presidential Twitter lay dormant for over two hours after a State of Emergency had been declared. A White Supremacist had killed one anti-fascist protester and injured nearly 20 more.  Many more had been injured in other violent brushbacks. The day (and previous night) had been filled with news coverage of the acrimonious high-profile confrontations outside University of Virginia. The Twitterverse was awash with eyewitness accounts and reactions. Even his wife had issued a positive "violence is bad" kinda Tweet!

After he finally weighed in with his oddly weak Presidential Tweet, he appeared for a Veterans Affairs announcement. He stirred the imagination and braced the soul with a full-throated, stout-hearted, roaring defense of American values in the face of Nazis, KKK-ers and White Supremicists. Except he didn't.

Instead, we were treated to a "well, both sides do it, so everyone should go back to your corners and cool off" statement. It is really worth watching if you haven't subjected yourself to it yet.

Egads! These events are terrible! Many sides! And don't forget the children who cannot play in public, with their parents! We need more affection! We need more "sacred bonds of loyalty"! And how about that unemployment rate?! Who's the greatest ever? Oh, and "cherish our history".

And then after some more words about the great and beautiful VA, he was gone again, refusing to answer questions about the role of the Alt-Right. As of 24+ hours later, he still hadn't condemned this portion of his base that constitutes Racism and Anti-Semitism. Instead, he leaves us with a Both Sides Are Bad false equivalency.

Except he really didn't. Let's face it, when we think of Nazis, the Klan and other White Supremicists, non-violence doesn't leap to mind. These thugs make their statements with extreme violence. When he compares them with protesters of this ideology, they win big time and they know it.

Also, "Cherish our history" is a dog-whistle for these same very fine folk who seek to prevent the removal of Confederacy statues. You know, people like David Duke, who previously proclaimed his dissatisfaction with the President yesterday - before the TV appearance -  in a chilling tweet. Today, emboldened with Trump's lack of condemnation, he compares his allies' actions yesterday to the Greeks at Thermopylae. And the rest of this sad bunch of miscreants are rapturous with the support they see from the President.

Nearly forgotten in all the mayhem was the inconsolable fact that a young woman was killed and five more critically injured when a White Supremacist decided to express his feelings by driving into them at an anti-Nazi rally. This is her:

"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."

And this is a short piece from the Washington Post about her:

Heather Heyer

In the meantime, today the campaign to re-elect Donald Trump in 2020 released a 30-second ad. It excoriates his "enemies" like Democrats and the Media. It offers the usual malarky about how great things have become since Trump took office, and how Americans simply want him to be the best President he can be...  It is a curious item, apparently composed in a mood of rancorous, vituperative and divisive sentiment. It is certainly not a document that promotes the President's newly declared suggestion that we all come together as one nation.

Much has already been said about the need to remove this President and his Administration. There will be a time for that in the looming months ahead. What is a greater concern is what happens when he is gone. Someone described Trump as a Hood Ornament for a powerful car that will keep on running long after the symbolic ornament has been removed. It's the engine underneath that is the problem.

To help us focus on what we as citizens must do, let's take a look at what a couple of dudes had to say who were in the crucible of their times:

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people, but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people. Our generation will have to repent not only for the words and acts of the children of darkness, but also for the fears and apathy of the children of light."

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 27, 1965
Atlanta, Georgia

"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must—at that moment—become the center of the universe..." 
 
--Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 1986.

The center of the universe. As Americans, it always seems to be right here among us, although not in the way that Wiesel imagines. Americans carried this sense of center throughout World War II, when we fought Fascists, Nazis and Totalitarians. Here is a nice little piece of US government-produced anti-Fascist propaganda that appeared in theaters everywhere during the War:

It is amazing we have strayed so far in such a short time...

Also this, from our old friend Henry Rollins on the subject of White Privilege. Apparently, some minds are being lost, indeed:

"On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty..."

It's been a week since the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America, Donald Trump, addressed a captive audience of some 40,000 scouts at the quadrennial Jamboree. As has been noted, his remarks did not resonate well. Departing from his teleprompter boilerplate speech, the man who was never a Scout ridiculed his presidential opponent, encouraged everyone to boo his presidential predecessor, waxed on about a rich hedonist with a notorious yacht, reminisced on the Manhattan in-crowd and other topics that were pertinent to Scouting.

It was all typically surreal and ridiculous, including the fact that an apology from the BSA didn't arrive for three days. But it finally did, adding to the President's Terrible, Horrible, No Good and Very Bad Week. Mix in his hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as Communications Director, firing of Sean Spicer, his suggesting that cops handle suspects roughly, his epic failure to shepard a Health Care bill into law, his improvised ban on transgender personnel in the military, his continued goading of Attorney General Sessions to resign (thus pissing off Republican Senators), his unceremonious firing of Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff, his firing of newly hired Anthony Scaramucci, and his continued retainment of everyone else, well, it's been a busy and unproductive week.

So DT was never a Scout. Let's use the Scout Law as a guide post for determining what kind of scout the President would be. A scout is:

Trustworthy. HA. HAHAHA. HAAHAHAHHAHAHA. You can trust that he will tweet batshit crazy thoughts on early Saturday mornings.

Loyal - Trump demands loyalty, but does not reciprocate unless it's to someone who has something on him, like Putin. He has been loyal to Paul Manafort, Corey Lewandowski, Michael Flynn, James Comey, Sally Yates, Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus, Preet Bharara, Katie Walsh, Anthony Scaramucci, Jeff Sessions and many more!

Helpful - The President is not well known for his charitable giving. Pulitzer Prize winner David Fahrenthold has discovered that Trump rarely gives out of his own pocket. He last provided cash to his own foundation in 2008. Trump Foundation gifts come from other people. Fahrenthold questioned the President when it was discovered Trump had not provided a promised $1 million of personal wealth to charities. "You're a really nasty guy," he said to Farenthold; only then did he begrudgingly  give the money. Also: his Foundation gave $7 to the Boy Scouts; it was the registration fee for his then-young son, Donald Jr.

Friendly - Although it's said he can be charming when he wants something, it's part of a four part process: Charm, Bully, Abandon, Sue

Courteous - Yes, the traits of the gentleman: courtesy, civility, empathy, reasoned and considered discourse. Rational and nuanced understanding of our national debate of ideas, and the respect for opposing viewpoints. No. No, this is not his style at all.

Kind - Kindly Donald Trump. We know about his parched personal charitable giving. Here is a Snopes research piece that looks into some claims of kind behavior. It is a mixed bag. The acts of charitable funds come from his Foundation, not his pocket. The rest makes for interesting reading.

Obedient - OK, OK, the President is not the obedient sort. His parents shipped him off to a behavioral military school because of his early obnoxiousness. He was a handful. Today, he expects everyone to be obedient to him, including his staff, Federal agencies, Congress, the Judiciary, all forms of Media, women, children and clouds. He has been curiously obedient to Vladimir Putin.

Cheerful -  Aside from the moment when then Candidate Trump suggested to his campaign rally audience that he'd really like to punch the face of a protestor there, this image truly exemplifies the inherent Cheerfulness of the President and his family. Who is the guy in the white robes??

Thrifty - After surviving a series of career (and probably life) threatening bankruptcies, Trump has learned the value of a dollar. He has a rich history of stiffing his contractors. He probably laughs at his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who sank 1.8 Billion dollars into a Manhattan office tower - in 2007, the peak of the bubble. What a schmuck.  Also, there is that 7 dollars donated by his Foundation to the Boy Scouts.

Brave - A bone spur. Before Viet Nam, he played high school basketball, but got a medical draft deferment for a condition that affects 38% of the population, and causes pain in 5%. Also received four education-related draft deferments. Today, he can accuse Viet Nam war survivors like John McCain of not being a hero.

Clean -  The Pussy-Grabber-in-Chief. Hoo boy, this says it all.

Reverent  - While he improbably remains the champion of Evangelicals (check out this bizarre pix of  Evangelical leaders "laying hands" on him to receive the power of their prayers), our President has never been known to frequent churches or any house of worship. He can't own one, so what's the point? When asked last year about his thoughts on the importance of Easter, he replied, "Well, it really means something very special. I'm going to church in an hour from now and it's going to be - it's a beautiful church. I'm in Florida. And it's just a very special time for me. And it really represents family and get-together and - and something, you know, if you're a - a Christian, it's just a very important day." It reminds one of the movie "The Omen", where the Anti-Christ character could not utter the name of Jesus.

Yep, that's a wrap for the Scout Law and Donald Trump. Regarding the guy that he urged Boy Scouts to boo, there is this:

Yes, Barack Obama was a Boy Scout while growing up in Indonesia and Hawaii. He sent a video to the 2010 Jamboree. He didn't speak to the next Jamboree, probably because of the contemporaneous high-profile fracas that Boy Scouts of America were conducting about gay scouts and leaders. But he continued to meet with them in the White House and other locales.

In the meantime, we as a nation need to keep in mind the tenets of the Scout Law - doesn't matter at all if you agree with the Boy Scouts or not. These are inarguable pillar points for an individual and for a society. We have a President and a whole bunch of Members of Congress who would have difficulty matching up with one or two of these points.

Government is messy. It's where the sausages are made. But for Good Government to exist, one needs good people in government. Right now, we have a severe deficit of representatives with strong moral character when we need them most. How will the careening cart be controlled? Stay tuned...

Make America Great Again - Be Like Russia!

It was not very long ago that Russia was regarded as the USA's enemy by nearly all Americans. They were the Evil Empire, the Soviet Union, whose godless leaders were guzzling vodka and plotting the downfall of our nation . They were "going to bury us" while we ducked and covered while looking for fallout shelters.

President Reagan declared that the Soviets' governance would end up "in the ash bin of history." Russia was the corrupt state of mendacious oligarchs and was antithetical to democratic values.

Today, our topsy-turvy country views things much differently. If Trumpsters/Republicans were asked to put country before party, which country would they choose? The surge in favorable feelings towards Russia is remarkable, and probably tied in with the Cult of Trump, wherein everything DT says is accepted by followers as Truth, despite any evidence to the contrary.

Let's dig in a bit to get a better look at what's happening here. In a Marist/NPR survey last month, the question was posed: "Does Russian hacking of the 2016 election pose a threat to future elections?" The response is revealing:

Dems - 73% say Major Threat, 16% Minor Threat, 3% No Threat, 4% Unsure, 4% Russia uninvolved
Repubs - 17% Major Threat, 24% Minor Threat, 27% No Threat, 7% Unsure, 25% Russia uninvolved
Independs - 51% Major, 19% Minor Threat, 13% No Threat, 6% Unsure, 12% Russia not involved

In a Washington Post/ABC survey from a week ago, in response to the question, "Do you think that the Russian government tried to influence the 2016 election?" the results were similarly intriguing:

Dems - 80% yes;  69% Trump benefited; 7% Trump didn't benefit; 13% Russia wasn't involved
Repubs - 33% yes; 9% Trump benefited; 22% Trump didn't benefit; 55% Russia uninvolved
Independs - 61% yes; 42% Trump benefited; 16% no Trump benefit; 33% Russia wasn't involved

OK, you want some more? Well, here's some more! In a May survey by Politico/Morning Consult, the Republicans' response to how they feel towards Russia:

13% see Russia as an Ally; 36% see it as Friendly; 25% say Unfriendly; 12% say Enemy.

Right, that's roughly half of Republicans think it's Rooty-Tooty for us to hang with the Rooskies and their Dictator. But it wasn't always this way. It's a recent phenomenon. In a Gallup Poll asking about Favorability towards Putin and Russia, we find the following:

Dems - 15% said Da to Putin in 2015, 10% say Da in 2017.
Repubs - 12 % liked Putin in 2015, 32% say Da in 2017
Independs - 12% said OK to Putin in 2015, 23% like him in 2017

That's what they call a Significant Factor in the world of Statistics. But it's not just Putin that gets the love, it's his country, too:

Dems - 26% viewed Russia favorably in 2015; 16% view it favorably in 2017
Repubs - 20% viewed Russia favorably in 2015; 35% view it favorably in 2017
Independs - 25% viewed it favorably in 2015; 32% view it favorably in 2017

So why are so many Republicans and Trump Independents so friendly to Putin/Russia now? Throughout the presidential campaign and pre-inaugural, Trump was openly buddy-buddy with Putin, the most Pro-Russia candidate since 1948's Henry Wallace. He called Putin a strong leader (better than Obama), very smart and a bunch of superlatives. Trump campaigned to pull away from NATO and to disengage from the European Union, both big goals for Putin. He openly solicited Russia to hack the DNC to get Hilary Clinton's emails. When reminded what a monster Putin is, Trump replied, "Are we so innocent?" Apparently, not.

Every boy and girl should get this for their birthdays!

There should be no need to remind why Putin is such a bad guy. Aside from countenancing terrible civilian casualties in Syria, he helms an amoral and violent advancement of his and his oligarch/mob pals' needs. He invaded/absorbed the independent nation of Georgia on George W. Bush's watch. He absorbed the Ukrainian provinces of Crimea and eastern Ukraine on Barack Obama's watch. He has marshaled two horrendous civil wars in Chechnya. He routinely jails and kills political opponents and journalists. His Russia is the same as the worst of the Soviet Union. He is not a nice man.

How can Trump and his supporters like this guy? Over the years, Putin/Russia have cast a powerful and sustained PR spell from its security/intelligence group, the FSB (formerly KGB). These guys are the best at what they do - sorry CIA. Western media and political advocacy sources such as Fox News, Heritage Foundation and lesser life-forms like Info Wars, Breitbart and Drudge Report have been groomed for years. How else to explain their mystifying acceptance of Russia's point of view?

Putin is portrayed as the modern standard-bearer for so-called American "traditional values": God, guns and no gays! Following a Putin speech in 2013 that decried American degeneracy (gay marriage laws), various U.S. right-wing Christian Taliban went rapturous. Franklin Graham and fellow evangelicals saw a man they could do business with. Pat Buchanan wrote: "President Putin is implying that Obama's America may deserve the title ("the focus of evil in the modern world") in the 21st Century." Matt Drudge declared Putin to be "the leader of the Free World." Weekly Standard senior editor Christopher Caldwell called him, "the pre-eminent statesman of our time."

Once the opinion-influencers of the party had been captured, it didn't take long to reach the rank-and-file. (Do read this last link, it's well worth your while.) When candidate Trump emerged from the primaries as the favorite for Anti-Muslims, Anti-Immigrants, Anti-Black/POC, Anti-Gays, Anti-Free Press, Anti-Intellectuals, Anti-Education, Anti-Liberalism, Anti-Feminism/Women's Rights, Anti-Science, Anti-Consumer Regulations, Pro-Guns and Pro-Authoritarian Rhetoric, it shouldn't surprise that Russia embraced him, and he them.

(Note middle finger extension)

Now we have a Russian Asset, a "Useful Idiot", as our President. Whether or not he operates with the Sword of Kompromat over his head, his actions indicate a strong and seemingly irrational bond with Russia. And his base feel Trump and Putin speak the same language. Hellll Ya! There's no pussy-footin' around. You want something in life? Boom! Grab it! Don't waste time trying to get agreement with everyone like that silver-tongued Kenyan Muslim Gay Marxist Obama -- get 'er done!

There is also another chilling indicator of how Trump's America and Putin's Russia are intertwining: Death Rates. It's no secret that Russia has had a sky-high mortality rate, bouncing between 1200 - 1600 per 100,000.

Russian Death Rate - Historical Data Graphs per year

We American used to point this out as Exhibit A why we were better than them. But now we are making our own moves:

White Working Class Death Rate in America

Yes, there's still a big gap... but we are closing it.

Finally, before we add to the statistics by slitting our wrists over all this, let's remember: The KGB-FSB has long used the "firehose" method of creating despondency among the public. They keep spraying huge volumes of falsehoods and distractions so that good people normally become hopeless. It's a classic disinformation tactic and it's being used on us here in the good ol' USA. Hopeless people don't fight back!

So recognize what's happening today. Don't lose hope. Don't fall to apathy. Give a damn and push back. Resist!

A memorial for murdered Russian journalists - an ideal Putin press conference!

And now, to help ease our troubled minds, here is our old friend Sir Paul McCartney performing the classic and timely "Back In The USSR". Dig the videos in the background!!

A Confederacy of Dunces

Good ol' Baghdad Bob. The former spokesperson for Saddam Hussein was a laugh riot during the closing days of the "liberation" of Baghdad. His amazingly inaccurate press statements were astounding, especially when one could see US military vehicles driving past while he insisted that Hussein's Klepto-Kakistocracy army was impregnable. It was comedy gold.

Bob came to mind listening to Republican defenses of Donald Trump, Jr. By now, we all know the basics of his email controversy; the thought that lingers is - what an idiot! No wonder Daddy Warbucks doesn't want to give up his business with a son like that in charge. And while no one is suggesting our own version of Uday and Qusay are guilty of perverted war crimes, they do not appear to be very bright.

Two examples of state crime families

Apples not falling far from the tree seems to be an apt analogy here. However, because his email includes wunderkind Jared Kushner - he who will reinvent government, resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, end the Opioid Epidemic and no doubt present a Cold Fusion formula to end carbon-related energy sources - one has to wonder if Trump Senior has a special knack for attracting outside dimwits as well as siring them. Yes, the very best ones: Flynn. Manafort. Gorka. Miller. DeVos. Perry. Pruitt. Price. Mulvaney. Spicer. Sanders. It's a real Murderer's Row for Team Dunning-Kruger.

Let's take a quick look at a few examples of White House Incompetence from the last week or so:

-- A couple of weeks before the vaunted G20 summit in Hamburg, the White House realized that it had not made any hotel reservations for Trump. When staff called, it discovered Hamburg hotels had been booked for months. Fortunately, the local Hamburg city government stepped in and provided a guest house for the President who is also a Hotel Magnate.

-- Because of this last-minute snafu, Melania Trump was geographically separated from the rest of the summit's spouses. She had intended to spend a day with them, but the guest house was surrounded by protestors, so she stay in by herself.

-- While representing the US at the summit, the President found time to tweet how "everyone here is talking about" Hillary Clinton advisor John Podesta and how he had "refused to give the DNC server to the FBI and CIA. Disgraceful!" Problem was this was entirely false, as Podesta reminded us all when he sent Trump a retaliatory tweet defining him as "our Whack-Job President." Comedy gold, again.

-- During a portion of the G20 Summit, Ivanka Trump sat in for her dad, next to China's Premier Xi. Yes, the President's daughter - not Secretary of State Tillerson or Treasury Secretary Mnuchin (who were in the room). This moment was memorialized by a Russian staffer photograph:

"Let's not talk about my sweat shops in China..."

-- Later, angered by the reaction to this situation, our President fired off this classy tweet:

-- To which, the vulgar and venal Ms. Clinton replied:

Chelsea Clinton 

✔@ChelseaClinton

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not. https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/884378624660582405 …

• 546,772 likes

-- Hoo boy. Then there was the "Republic of China" moment. After meeting with People's Republic of China Premier Xi, the White House issued statements celebrating Trump's meeting. Except that Xi and his country were identified as Republic of China, which is Taiwan, sworn enemy of Xi's country. A little awkward, per usual in this White House.

-- Meanwhile, while the President was in Poland defending Western Civilization from Brown People, US nuclear plants were being hacked by Russia. This is pretty frightening stuff. But then again, we know Russian is capable of hacking lots of our things, like Elections. So, what did our President do when having a Mano y Mano with Vladimir Putin? He proposed an "impenetrable US-Russian Cybersecurity Pact." This was such a horrible idea that even Republican lawmakers blanched. He may as well have proposed an Anti-Terrorism alliance with ISIS, or an Anti-ICBM partnership with North Korea, or an Anti-Death-to-Satan agreement with Iran. 12 hours later, Trump pulled a 180, saying it couldn't happen. Sad.

These are just things that happened at the G20 Summit... there were plenty of other happenings that would fill the display cases of the future Trump Hall of Kakistocracy Fame. Just take a couple of minutes to enjoy Dana Milbank's astonished take upon coming back from a long vacation:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-is-no-rookie-mistake-the-trump-team-shouldnt-even-be-on-the-field/2017/07/11/058faec6-6679-11e7-8eb5-cbccc2e7bfbf_story.html?utm_term=.abda5b9e28e4

Yes, none of this is defensible. And surely the most distilled and cogent of analysis of the last week or so comes from an Aussie reporter. His two minutes of viral global fame begins right here:

It's difficult to conjure up a better rendering of our evolving national disgrace. Stalwart allies are shocked and amazed by this adminstration's intentions and ludicrous behavior. Perhaps the best representation for the international diplomats' public personas can be personified by our own Slovenian First Lady, as she realizes at the Inaugural that she has four years of this nonsense ahead of her:

Finally, regarding the dangers of playing with fire... John Brennan, the tough-as-nails former CIA Director, in Congressional testimony about falling under the influence of Russian meddling...

This is something to consider as we discover more and more individuals being justly tarred with the brush of Treason. As these individuals become revealed, remember Brennan's words. They are not smart people, or rather, they are people driven by baser instincts who went down the wrong path.

When a POTUS is a POS.

Was there ever a time when our nation had a pure and worthy leader? Our schools and traditions have taught us that the Presidency is inhabited by the best and the brightest, men (and someday women) of high moral character who place our country above all else. This idea is usually framed around a patriotic celebration of The Genius of our Democracy.

But as we step back from this exultation of American Exceptionalism and get a closer view of the real people who have worked in the Oval Office, we see all sorts of flaws and wrinkles. Just take a quick spin of Chief Executives from World War I through today and you'll find something not nice or commendable about each one:

Wilson - Racist.
Harding - Corruption enabler extraordinaire and reprobate.
Coolidge - Spoke more than he governed, cared more about Big Business.
Harding -  Didn't stop Great Depression when he could have.
Roosevelt - Japanese-American Internments,  curtailed Jewish refugees.
Truman - Korea, attempted nationalization of the steel industry, Loyalty Boards.
Eisenhower - Dragged feet on McCarthyism, ignored major social issues. CIA/Iran.
Kennedy - Reprobate, Bay of Pigs.
Johnson - Viet Nam, crass vulgarian.
Nixon - Political exploiter and divider, Viet Nam, Watergate.
Ford -  Pardoned Nixon, kinda dim.
Carter - When he hit that rabbit with an oar.
Reagan - Racism enabler, Iran/Contra, Trickle Down BS.
Bush - Forgot about domestic issues.
Clinton - Reprobate.
Bush 2 - Helmed greatest foreign policy blunder, 2nd worst economic calamity in US History.
Obama - Frosty towards Congress. Wore a tan suit once. Likes arugula.

Of course, nearly all these Presidents had copious and compelling positive traits that propelled them into office. Most were elected as strong leaders with sterling character; their shortcomings usually were revealed in office.  Which brings us to our current Chief Executive.  Yesterday, two days before July 4th, he released a Presidential tweet that appears to, well, just look:

Trump taking down CNN outside wrestling ring

Remember, too, that his Press Secretary has said that Trump's tweets are official statements. It's no accident that this hostile tweet appeared - it's all part of the plan. Even more of interest is that the President apparently follows an alt-Right Twitter guy who created the inflammatory GIF. And he is a virulent anti-Semite:

Trump's twitter guy posted this bigoted CNN tweet

Wow, that's some major ugly. But it's not surprising that our Tweeter-in-Chief has attracted the Worst and the Vilest. What is surprising is that 35%+ of Americans seem to think that this is all OK. It has been said to a sickening degree that Trump supporters love him because 'he says what they are thinking.' Let's review, then, some representative statements that he has said over the last couple of years so we have a better idea what they are thinking:

"(Mexican immigrants) are bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists - and some, I assume are good people." (6/16/15)  Retweeted "#JebBush has to like Mexican illegals because of his wife." (7/4/15)  Re: when a homeless Latino man was beaten in Boston by his supporters: "I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again. They are passionate." (8/20/15)

"(John McCain) is not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who aren't captured." (6/18/15)

Fox News Megan Kelly's menstruation: "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever." (8/7/15)

On Carly Fiorina: "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that - the face of our next president?" (8/14/15)

Re: getting military advice - "Well, I watch the (Sunday political) shows. I mean, I really see a lot of great - you know, when you watch your show and all of the other shows..." (8/16/15)

We have to "strongly consider" shutting down mosques. (11/16/15). "Would certainly implement a database system tracking Muslims in the U.S. Absolutely." Should Muslims be legally obligated to register onto the database? "They have to be - they have to be." (11/20/15) Advocated a complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S. (12/7/15)

Claimed to have watched on 9/11 "Jersey City, NJ, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as (the WTC) was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering... there's a heavy Arab population." (11/22/15)

On a protestor being physically attacked at a rally for chanting "Black Lives Matter": "Maybe (he) should have been roughed up. It was absolutely disgusting what he was doing..." (11/21/15)

Mocked a physically disabled reporter at a rally: "... written by a nice reporter - now the poor guy, you gotta see this guy (gesticulates) 'Aah, I don't know what I said! I don't remember!' He's going 'I don't remember!'" (11/25/15)

Re: answer to 'which component of our Nuclear Triad' defense is the most important': "I think - I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the devastation is very important to me." (12/15/15)

To the Republican Jewish Coalition: "I'm a negotiator, like you folks. Is there anyone who doesn't renegotiate deals in this room? Perhaps more than any room I've spoken to... (but) You're not going to support me because I don't want your money. You want to control your own politician." (12/3/15)

Re: Trump University lawsuit - "There's a hostility toward me by the judge. Tremendous hostility, beyond belief. I believe he happens to be Spanish... He's Hispanic." (2/16)  "I think (he) should be ashamed of himself. The judge, who happens to be, we believe, Mexican..." (5/27/16)

Re: rally violence - ""... if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Okay? Just knock the hell - I promise you, I will pay the legal fees." (2/1/16)  "There's a guy, totally disruptive, throwing punches, we're not allowed to punch back anymore. I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks. I'd like to punch him in the face." (2/23/16)

Re: disavowing Racists, KKK and David Duke - "I don't know, did he endorse me or what's going on, because, you know, I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. I have to look at the guy... you wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about..." (2/28/16)

Re: his private parts - "He referred to my hands. If they are small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there is no problem. I guarantee." (3/3/16)

Re: If abortions were illegal - "The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment. There has to be some form." (3/30/16)

Attacked Khizr Kane, Gold Star father of deceased hero Army captain, for speaking out on Trump's bigotry: "If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say. You tell me." (7/28/16)

And then... he became the Republican candidate for President. And his rallies and rhetoric never dimmed in their repugnancy. And he became our President.

But wait! It wasn't like Donald Trump was a blank slate when he announced his candidacy in 2015. Here are some well-known tid-bits about our Schmuck-in-Chief:

"I think the guy is lazy. And it's probably not his fault because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. It's not anything they can control." DT to John O'Donnell, former prez of Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino.

Re: his relationship with the NY media: "You know, it doesn't really matter what they write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of ass."

Re: Olympic champion Katarina Witt - "She could only be described as attractive if you like a woman with a bad complexion who is built like a linebacker."

Re: Women in general - "You have to treat them like shit" (New York magazine, 1992) "I think that putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing."

Re: Princess Diana - "I think I could have nailed Princess Di." (Howard Stern show, 1997)

On his power over women: "They'll walk up, they'll flip their top and they'll flip their panties." (2008)

Re: The "Trump Rule" - He had Miss USA contestants parade past him so he could separate those he found attractive. "Many of the girls found this exercise humiliating. Some of the girls were sobbing backstage after he left.. it was as though they had been stripped bare." (Carrie Prejean, Miss USA runner-up, 2009)

After she wrote about rumors of a DT bankruptcy, NYT's Gail Collins received some mail from Trump - the article, with her picture circled and "face of a dog" written on it. (2011)

Gosh, we're just dipping into the incredibly deep poison pool of the mindset of our President. Suffice to say this post is already too long and too disgusting. As we prepare to celebrate our country's Independence Day, reflect on its meaning. We are governed within a realm of Reality TV, ruled by the norms of Professional Wrestling. And while we become inured by the daily outrages from our President, he and the Republican Party are pushing forward plans to dismantle the EPA, repeal the Affordable Care Act with no one knows, and making permanent their voter suppression schemes.

What would Superman say?