Incompetents, Zealots and Criminals (Lawyers, Guns and Money)

Before I begin my rant I want to put forth two things:

1.    President Trump was legitimately elected by our electoral process.

2.    President Trump in no way has been shown to have colluded with the Russians.
      (To influence the 2016 Presidential Election)

That being said, were you to send a gunman with an AR-15 through an unguarded White House you would have difficult time doing more damage than has already been done to the President's, staff, Cabinet, trusted advisors and campaign staff.  25 bodies that have been fired, resigned or indicted.  Think of what FOX News and Breitbart and MSNBC and CNN would have done to the Obama administration with similar carnage.  Evidence that an inexperienced “Community Organizer” could not possibly manage a White House much less a country.  So many average appointees and yet however bad, I thought they were, they have been worse and a lot of them have been fired or resigned under Twitter fire from the man who empowered them.

But with the Big Orange Man… we are numb.

So my question, for all of you, is…

WHEN DO YOU BEGIN TO HOLD A MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KIND AND CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE HE HAS SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH AND RELIES ON AND TRUSTS?

WHEN?

WHEN DOES THE BUCK STOP THERE?

As a boss I have always been responsible for the people I hired.  My clients held me responsible. My partners held me responsible.  My bank account held me responsible.  For years I have lectured High School kids that if you show me your friends I can tell what kind of person they are.  That gets truer as you get older, or it should.

But as long as our president is angry.  As long as he “says what is on his mind”, he is bullet proof to criticism of the literal madness that has affected his White House.  This same ⅓ of the country that will not leave his side would have impeached our immediate Ex President as a matter of national security if he had hired and fired such an array of incompetents, zealots and criminals.  HW would not have faired a great deal better… and Bill Clinton (or God forbid HILLARY!...) forget about it.

For your consideration:

April 10, 2018 Tom Bossert, President's Chief Adviser on Homeland Security:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-homeland-security-adviser-resigns-amid-continued-turnover-in-trump-administration/2018/04/10/15db518a-3ccb-11e8-a7d1-e4efec6389f0_story.html?utm_term=.1efc408f546e
March 27, 2018:  David Shulkin.  VA Director he inherited from Obama. Replaced with Trumps personal Doctor.  What could go wrong? See below from when I originally wrote this.  Took a month and a half.

March 22, 2018:  HR Mc Master National Security Officer.  Replaced by the rabid John Bolton.

March 16, 2018:  Andrew Mc Cabe.  Set to retire in 48 hours.  Hardly counts.

March 13 2018: President Donald Trump's longtime personal aide John McEntee was fired because he is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes, a source familiar with his firing told CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/13/politics/john-mcentee-white-house-security-clearance/index.html?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email

March 13 2018: Rex Tillerson.... I have no words.  The last grown up officially left the building.  I believe he was Secretary of State.  No big deal.I am sure the President would tell he was "not very involved".

March 7 2018:  Gary Cohn.  Cohn, a classic Democrat gone bad was a former Goldman Sachs banker who was all on board for the making the rich, richer tax cut which proved to be the only legislative success of the Trump first term.  Still, he was a free trade guy and he lost the battle when the President announced tariffs and then refused to back down.  Another one bites the dust as he announced his resignation yesterday and markets opened today down 150 points.  Not earth shaking.  It will be interesting to see if the Republican old school, free tradists will do anything to stop the Tariffs and also interesting to see if they are right about their disastrous effects.

NPR Weighed in with this summary of Trumps departure schedule:  https://www.npr.org/2018/03/07/591372397/white-house-staff-turnover-was-already-record-setting-then-more-advisers-left


2-28-18  Hope Hicks!?  This one is surprising and has to be difficult for the President who clearly relied on her and trusted her.  She appears to be a very talented person but has all the problems that any 28 year old person sitting in the most powerful circles in the world might get.  It is my hope that when her parents found out she was dating alleged wife abuser Rob Porter that they said, "YOU COME HOME RIGHT NOW YOUNG LADY!"  Good for her to get out but she was almost the enabler in chief.

2-28-18  Josh Raffel.  https://www.axios.com/scoop-josh-raffel-leaving-white-house-1519758344-420c51f4-093a-4457-afce-595c50236061.html
He was Communications director for The Office of American Innovation in the White House and ended up being a Jared and Ivanka confidant and champion.  Interestingly he was formerly a Democrat but everyone seemed to like him.  This does not seem to have to do with anything related to our President although EVERYTHING relates to our President.  Jared just lost his security clearance today and now he has lost an ally in the Royal Court.

2-22-18   UPDATE! I don't know what choice I am going to have other than to
update. Robert Weaver, Mr. Trump’s former nominee to lead the Indian Health Service, alleges that he was forced by an official in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “to decide to withdraw or to face the public humiliation of having the White House withdraw my nomination.” I would suspect there will be 10 more bodies this year!

2-15-18    George David Banks, “Senior White House Official:  Resigned because marijuana use didn't allow him to get a security clearance.  

2-10-18            David Shulkin, VA Director (Has not yet resigned or been fired)  takes his wife to

England (the VA does a lot of business there) and There are memos which clarify that his staff invented an “honor” so that agency Would pay for his wife.  According to the Wall Street Journal, “Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin improperly accepted a gift of Wimbledon tennis tickets, misspent taxpayer money and misused department resources in an official trip to Europe last year, according to an inspector general’s report released Wednesday.”  

2-10-18    David Sorenson, White House Speech Writer:   Resigns after allegations of
                 spousal abuse allegations.

2-7-18        Rob Porter Resigns. Staff Secretary (or was fired, the story changes every day)
                 over spousal abuse allegations.

1-20-18            Omarosa Manigault Newman,White House Office Of Public Liaison:  Who knows

why she was fired/resigned. Manigault Newman reportedly drew scrutiny from White House chief of staff John Kelly. She also came under fire for bringing her 39-person bridal party to the White House for a photoshoot in 2017. She is now back on reality TV discussing her time in the White House and How she was “ganged up on” and discussing how God talks to the Vice President.

9-29-17    Tom Price, Health and Human Services Secretary: The movie came after Price 
                 received major criticism following reports of his use of private planes.

8-25-17           Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to Trump.  According to Fox News, “White

House officials told Fox News that Gorka did not resign but confirmed that he “no longer works” with the administration. However, Gorka insisted to the Washington Examiner that he did actually resign.

8-18-17           Steve Bannon, White House “Chief Strategist”:  I am not going to talk about him

but his fall from grace was spectacular.  In every way a classic Trump appointment and departure.

7-31-17           Anthony Scaramucci, White House Communications Director:  Once again, a

Classic Trump appointee on July 21st was murdered by his own troops 10 days later after an inexcusably arrogant interview he gave “off the record he thought”.

7-28-17           Reince Priebus, White House Chief of Staff:  Thought he could ride the whirlwind.

Not a bad guy it seemed and it had to be a relief to leave. He made his own bed

by dealing with the devil.

7-25-17           Michael Short, Assistant Press Secretary:  Quit when the Mooch was hired and

made clear he intended to fire him.  I don't know anything about him.

7-21-17           Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary.  Has a nice man ever been so

overwhelmed by a job, ever in his life.  I cant even make fun of him.  He assumed that the old rules regarding how a President should act, still met something and he was embarrassed every day.  He had to go.  Now we have Sarah Huckabee Sanders who is awesome at resolutely justifying every contradictory statement of our commander in chief.

7-6-17              Walter Schaub, Director of Ethics:  Surprisingly resigned.  Surprisingly clashed

with the President over...everything?

5-17-17           Michael Dubke, White House Director of Communications:  Personal reasons.

3-30-17           Katie Walsh, Deputy Chief of Staff:  Quit when healthcare repeal failed.

2-13-17            Michael Flynn, National Security Adviser:  He could not tell the truth regarding his

business dealings and his meetings with foreign officials.  He has now pled guilty to a felony.

It might be unfair to put Schaub on this least.  He was really just a holdover from previous administration who he consistently fought with also.  I didn't name the following holdovers who are no longer serving but it is impressive:

James Comey, FBI Director:  Fired

Sally Yates, Assistant Attorney general, Fired

Preet Bharara:  Manhattan Federal Prosecutor, Fired

Richard Cordray: Consumer Finance, Quit to run for Governor

Andrew Mccabe: Number 2 at Justice, TERMINAL LEAVE

The list does not include his campaign team members:

Paul Manafort:       Indicted

Rick Gates:            Indicted and as of 2/19/18 apparently will be copping a plea to
                           Testify against Manafort.

George Papadopoulos:    Indicted

Carter Page:                     Mentally Ill?

We have a lot to answer for with what we are tolerating from this man.  Seriously, please, consider this.  Other than the Obama holdovers he has surrounded himself with 18 people in his campaign, his cabinet 18 people who he has either fired, or resigned or have just abused their office and embarrassed themselves and our country.  This does not take into account Jeff Sessions who he is always about to replace and Rex Tillerson who has been undercut so many times that he is totally ineffective and incredible as a representative of the US, calling the President “a moron”.  All of his cabinet appointees have been specifically appointed to dismantle and decapitate their particular branches.  I will not rail against this, he ran on being a disruptor and these people will certainly make their branches smaller, less effective and generally non existent in our lives and it will take a lot to revive them but that is not the point.

The point is this.  We have elected a President (legitimately and without collusion) who does not hold himself accountable for anything.  Everything is someone else's fault.  He cannot help “the mess” of a country he was left with (or the 8 year economic recovery he inherited). But we are all accountable or the people we hire, for the people we surround ourselves with.  We have never had a President who exhibited such dramatically poor judgment in who he relied on, ever.  Look at this list.  Internalize it.  There will be more.  Think about it.  Pray about it.  We are in trouble with this lack of leadership and we are careening dramatically off course.  I don't have an answer, I am NOT calling for his impeachment but I am calling for all of us, to hold this man accountable for his actions.

An Embearrassing Admission: "Royals" by Lordes

Soooooo.....there are many points in life where we stand humbled.  Humiliated.  These are not times to be reveled in.  We would like to ignore them.  Bury them away when they occur as we believe we have done with past humiliations.   I could give you a load of examples ranging from my discoveries that I had no athletic gifts, to my total and continuing lack of understanding of women and on to numerous mistakes academically and professionally.

But you always think when these untoward events and self realizations occur that it will be the last one. That you have suffered through the last embarrassing event or self realization. That certainly by now you are comfortable in your own skin.  Certainly at 51 you have a reasonable idea who you are, what your tastes are and personal limitations. I am self proud, obnoxious music snob. I am disdainful of the taste makers but even more disdainful of the unwashed masses. I have recently attempted to grab on to something in EDM (Eectronic Dance Music) but no matter what I listened to I found that I could simply not "get there from here". That is ok. I tried. I know EDM is cool and that is where most of the young geniuses are working but... I cannot do it. I had the same experience with Rap and Hip-Hop years ago. Shit happens and it allows me to be critical of what is current. What is hip. Tre music I listen to is not hip. It is just good.  Generally in the new music would this attitude has served me well. It has never been easier for talent to put to music out and make it available. The hard part is figuring out what is good.  

There are things we know are not good. Whatever is on the billboard top ten chart is not good. These  are farts in the musical windstorm. Pap for the masses. They are to be endured when one finds oneself for some sad reason in a mall, at a GAP or Old Navy Store.  They don't even play this crap in the Starbucks (leave your gun at home).  Right now perched on top in the one and two spots are Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.  Nuffield said. I too proudly did not know what "twerking" is or was and now sadly I do. Madonna arguably mattered. These chicks don't. They are produced and managed to be famous, not to make lasting music. Watching a girl who can't dance dress in pedophile chic and engage in simulated sex (and someone needs to tell her she can dance) is not music and Katy Perry is not much more talented but at least understands her dance limitations. This is the natural extension of Brittany. Ex Disney kids, pretty and well managed stoking up the machine. Here today, rehab tomorrow, gone the next day. I hate this shit.

Put Katy and Miley at 1 and 2 are not the problem.  The problem is number 3.  I blame Bob Lefsetz...lefsetz.com for telling me about this track.  Lefsetz os one of those filters that allows me to find some good music.  He writes on the industry and has different tastes than me but is age appropriate and seems like a smart little guy.  So several weeks ago  he does a post comparing Katy Perry, Paul Mc Cartneys new single and…”Royals” by… Lorde.

http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2013/09/03/roar/

Which made me listen to it on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFasFq4GJYM

I immediately dismissed it.  All loops.  No guitar.  All production.  Then he sent me again there last week and I listened again, and I couldn’t stop.  This  gal can really sing and she rights tight and hooky.  Any I have listened to it probably 100 times over the last three or four days and I am shamed and embarrassed but it is that good.  And it is number 3 on Billboard which is just… just the worst thing in the world.  Then through the miracle of Spottify I can listen to the rest of the limited catalogue on youtube and Spottify.  Check out the video for “Tennis”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Ymd-OCucs&list=RD02LFasFq4GJYM

There is something about the lyrics.  There is something about her.  I don’t picture her  getting naked and humping her ass on stage for a few more clicks.  I don’t sense the production machine.  Great lyrics, humable hooks and a totally embarrassed music snob but this great and you have probably heard it a 100 times.  I am slow to get to this prom.

But everybody's like:

Crystal

Maybach

Diamonds on your timepiece

Jet planes

Islands

Tigers on a gold leash

We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair

And we'll never be royals (royals)

It don't run in our blood

That kind of lux just ain't for us, we crave a different kind of buzz

Let me be your ruler (ruler)

You can call me queen bee

And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule

Let me live that fantasy

The Charge Of The Lightweight Brigade

Earlier this week I had a slight nervous breakdown and posted this on Facebook:

““OK...R.E.M. disbands ten years too late and now the U.S. Government is threatened with shutdown again. REALLY? REALLY? Again? We seriously cannot do any better than this? This is leadership? From anywhere on either side of the aisle? People pay taxes to support this type of leadership? People die on the battle field to support your current way of governing our great country? Our economy is in decline, people are not working and you squabble like petulant children. Every member of congress, Senator or House Member should be hanging in their head in shame. Real shame.
"It's the end of the world as we know it..." R.E.M.””

Slightly over wrought? Way over wrought? Probably the latter but really guys, this is embarrassing. I had overblown expectations for our President to use his HUGE popular support to be transformative. It retrospect that was very childish but we had come from a Presidency that was so stage managed and tone deaf that I needed change and certainly John Mc Cain was not the change I needed. I can still shudder to think about how his Presidency would look and we would all be beating on an old man. At least with Barrack we are beating on a young man in the prime of his life. But even though he was dealt an unplayable hand, he has played through every attempt to unite our country under a banner of real, PROUD change. Congress failed him totally, first the Democratically run congress and then the democratic minority dealing with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives who was elected with a mandate from the people, God and the Constitution to thwart anything else he tried. But the original fault is with the Democratic congress originally which played the same liberal, entitlement program that has been pretty thoroughly debunked by our countries history. Nancy Pelosi sucked...and she looked really, really scary, especially when she was worked up. The President, upon getting to his office should have asked she and Reed to resign their leadership posts because it was not what this country needed. He didn’t. Now we are here.

My brother, whom I love, is a Tea Party Conservative. God Bless him and them and their cause because they have changed the argument. I don’t believe they have changed it for the better but they have changed it and that is indeed what makes our country the greatest country in the world...still...no matter what the nay sayer’s say. They have successfully thwarted anything being done by government. Seriously, anything. Now I don’t pretend to know what the proper role of government is but I will tell you that it has to have a role and it is our largest employer and that tearing it down quickly, threatening to shut it down every time there is a spending bill, is reckless and stupid. Obama will be a one term President unless they run a crazy man like Perry or a crazy woman like Bachman. You cannot say stupid things frequently in public, and then stand by them and double down. Both of these candidates confuse this for courage and fortitude. What worked on their small stage (and Texas no matter what they tell you is an intellectually small stage) will be a disaster on Broadway (likely because of the pointy headed New York Intellectual Elite). So that is going to take care of itself. Run whomever you want and they should win and they too will likely be a one term President because we are in a deep trough with no easy way out.
But back to my brother. In regard to politics we agree on nothing. Ever. This might almost be a point of pride for both of us. But we have found a common desire and we need another one term President. We need someone who is brave enough to say the following:
1. We are in a deep, bad economy.
2. Government cannot spend or save us out of it
3. The American People are going to have to get us out of it.
4. We are going to have less government services and our churches and not for profits have got to start really stepping up because there will be needs that the government simply cannot meet for the needy and for those without a voice. This is a tragedy but this is reality.
5. We are going to pay more in taxes.
6. Our standard of living as we knew it was the creation of a bubble and is not sustainable. We can argue about this but time and economics have proven it.
7. Our standard of living will still be the highest in the world and we can lead like America should lead, by example.
8. Social security retirement age needs to be rolled back.
9. Means testing for benefits needs to take place. (I don’t know if my brother would agree with that one but my point is that we should not pay out the “safety net” of social security to people like Warren Buffet, or maybe even to people like me who have managed to put some monies away for retirement.)
10. Having troop fight wars overseas (even with radio controlled airplanes) is expensive AND we are going to have to figure out how to employ and equip all these troops we are bringing home for civilian life and it will be VERY expensive for a while but we have to invest in our best.
11. Something has to be done about health care. Here my brother and I would totally disagree so I will stop but that is the third rail of debt. Social security, War and Health care. Something has to be done about health care. Stopping frivelous lawsuits, stopping waste will not even cover next years % growth of the costs. So...something has to be done about health care costs and we will leave it at that for now.

So we need another one term President after Obama or even better we need Obama to embrace for his last year and a half, the role of being a one term President. Lead us to what is next. Dignity. Real Christian values that question our materialistic and militaristic culture and speaking the truth with love, rather than speaking the truth, when convenient, for votes and campaign dollars. But if not Barrack, and not the next Republican President, than it has to be the next guy or we are in some deep shit and the country will be so angry that we will elect a madman. So watch, pray and expect more of these guys. Congress? We cant shoot them. So lets vote them out and see if we can get some people who put America before their party and who can think for themselves without an agenda of talking points to get people to clap and sing God Bless America. What we need as President and in Congress are real people. Smart people. Creative people who are willing to take risks to do what is right and what this country needs. It didn’t have to be this hard. God already has blessed America, and he still is.


*cue the large eagle flying down with American flag in it’s beak...cue the country song about God and Country...fade to black*