The Orange Menace

For 8 years the Right Wing nut jobs told us President Obama was a sleeper cell foreign spy because of the color of his skin, 

His insistence on trying to work within the Constitution, 

Work with Congress 

Give their dumb asses universal healthcare.  

He also;

Passed the $787 billion America Recovery and Reinvestment Act to spur economic growth during the Great Recession

Ordered for the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden
Ended the war in Iraq
Saved the U.S. auto industry
Improved school nutrition with the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act
Expanded embryonic stem cell research leading to groundbreaking work in areas including spinal injury treatment and cancer

So they elected this orange man that's;

•  Married to an Eastern European nude "model"

• Has gone to war with the mainstream media

• Skirted the Constitution

• Bullied our long time allies

• Taken credit for things he hasn't done

• Created fake stories to distract the public from his machinations and failings

• Crippled our national intelligence community by firing the acting chief of the Department of Justice

• Fired the FBI Director, removed key members of Congress by giving them jobs in his administration they weren't qualified for

• Given away military secrets to a foreign leader

• Offered a budget that will give tax breaks to the rich while giving no relief to the lower income supporters

• REFUSED to show his OWN tax returns

• Signed an executive order to take away that healthcare they didn't want but now depend on

• Tried to obstruct justice on an investigation into his campaign

• Openly entertained and showed support for the greatest adversary we've ever by inviting Russian agents into the Oval Office and giving them national security secrets which compromised a long standing ally's (Israel) covert operations. 

 Now, WHICH one seems like a foreign spy?

Where Are Those Reagan Republicans?

“Well, there you go again….,”

Remember that little ditty?  That was Ronald Reagan’s famous line from the Presidential debate against Jimmy Carter.  That line was the “go to” for all mimics and comics when they were doing their Reagan impersonations; don’t believe me?  Go check YouTube and other websites.  But the real takeaway is, that was Reagan’s way of calling bullshit on Carter.  He later used it whenever he gave a press conference and someone in the media, (usually Sam Donaldson) tried to call him on some news worthy story of the day/ week.  Whenever he said it, and even when it was used by others to mock him, Republicans LOVED it!  It was like a juice box for a 5 year old to them. But this question actually brings me to my point, where are those are those Reagan Republicans today?  Back in the 80’s, no matter what the story, the issue, the plan, Reagan had supporters who believed in him and his ideals.  The one ideal of Reagan, the one that “made him” for even those moderate Democrats who disagreed with him on all other issues, was his insistence that Russia (Soviet Union) was “the evil empire” and needed to be blocked and countered at every turn.  Those less informed and shallow in their understanding of world issues, will still, to this day, credit Reagan with causing the downfall of the Soviet Union and winning the Cold War.  But perception is the basis for all reality, or at least it used to be, and that narrative is what Republicans have stood on for decades now.  People like George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Peggy Noonan, Karl Rove and others cut their teeth at the Temple of Reagan.  Those guys and others would have never stood by and let anyone, let alone a “Republican” and especially a Republican President, stand in the White House and praise Russia!  Where is the righteous indignation, that feigned outrage that they, (and others) had when Barack Obama “had the nerve” to put his feet up on the Oval Office desk while he actually WORKED on things to make America great, as opposed to just making grandiose photo-ops when he’s signing more ceremonial executive orders like Trump does.

Being a Reagan Republican became a cottage industry where fortunes were made but “true” patriotism was never questioned.  I have gone on record as saying the most troubling aspect of this Trump Presidency is his refusal to accept and explain truth before the American people.  Ronald Regan never needed to exaggerate the size of his Inaugural audience.  He didn’t need to; he didn’t WANT to, that wasn’t important to him, but it is important to Trump.  Ronald Reagan, despite what Obama haters want to have you believe, didn’t shy away from talking to people he disagreed with; enemies or allies.  Ronald Reagan cozied up to “our European cousins” as he called them, he didn’t try to publicly embarrass them.  Ronald Reagan went to Europe and praised and supported NATO, he understood that the very best defense America had in keeping Russia and the Soviet Union at bay in Europe was NATO.  The lessons of World War II were not lost on him, because whether you agreed with him or not, Ronald Reagan understood that a united Europe was a deterrent to Russia from expanding westward.  For the life of me, I don’t understand why those Reagan Republicans that were banner men for him and those principles aren’t speaking up against the things that Trump is doing today.  Every 4 years, since 1992, Republican Presidential candidates flock to the Reagan Library and pay homage and swear undying fealty to the teachings that flowed from the jaws of “the great man”.  Yet despite that, all those same Reagan Republican candidates and aficionados have seen and heard from Trump’s tweets and mouth since the 2016 general election is contrary to everything Reagan stood for.  The Trump administration after less than 150 days more resembles the Nixon White House during the Watergate cover-up or that Reagan White House during the Iran Contra cover-up.  The scramble to cover lies and fabricate new narratives for obvious flubs is clearly embarrassing, yet none of those Reagan Republicans are calling shenanigans.  Just the most innocuous mistakes, like a typo during a late night tweet, have to be spun into some murder mystery plot just in order to keep the façade of infallibility alive of this man.  Why?!?!  What is this obsession to be better than anyone he’s followed?  Obama, Dubya Bush, Clinton, H.W. Bush, and of course Reagan, all admitted at some point in time that they made a mistake in a policy or even misspoke; it is really OK.

Now, to be fair, men like John McCain, David Frum, and Lindsay Graham have started to finally raise an eyebrow about all of this confusion and ask serious questions about serious concerns about Trump’s refusal to at least posture towards Russia and Putin.  But where are the Pat Buchanan’s, the Newt Gringrich’s?  Where are all of the people who proudly called Reagan “The Cold Warrior” and stood at his side when he declared “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” when he went to West Germany to support our NATO allies?  Why is it so hard, or is it that they all sold their souls to this man so that they could get control of the Supreme Court, to call out Trump on this debacle?  How is it those Reagan Republicans are now blind to things like firing of the Director of the FBI in an obvious clumsy attempt to deter an investigation? 

Look, I never supported Ronald Reagan; I never voted for Ronald Reagan; I never LIKED Ronald Reagan.  But I knew Ronald Reagan and I respected Ronald Reagan; trust me, Donald Trump is no Ronald Reagan and unlike Ronald Reagan, he has no moral compass and cares nothing for those people that voted for him.  This however is the administration that those woolen covered eyed voters wanted.  As my mother is fond of saying, “you ordered shit, you eat shit”.  I hope it tastes good as you drink it with a glass of Russian vodka.

Trump's Lies Matter!

I have been procrastinating on writing this article because it just seems like as soon as I am ready to tie his lies up in a bow, Donald Trump drops another bombshell that is worse than the last and I can't get caught up.  But enough is enough, I have to tailor my point to just not detail them all but encourage you, an informed citizen, to always be mindful that just about all that comes out of that man's mouth is some bull.

We need to start with the fact that Donald Trump's initial foray into this election was taken as a joke by not only myself, but the national (and probably international) media as well.  The people of this country who refuse to read and investigate (if they are at all capable) are so desperate for a person that they can connect with that they mistakenly believe they can connect with a billionaire who wouldn't talk with them if they somehow got stranded together for 3 hours in the same elevator.  But a TV reality show star, who, they have watched for years, and professes to be "super rich" captured their attention.  But you see, that is the first lie.  Donald Trump is not as rich as he professes, which is why most of us are speculating he refuses to release his tax returns.  But though that is the first lie, that is not the most important one.  The big lie that we keep glossing over is, Donald Trump is NOT a "businessman"; he is a salesman.  If you are a salesman/ person, or have dealt with them you know that in order to make a sale, you tell the customer exactly what they want to hear. You emphasize the positives and downplay the negatives.  Donald Trump does this, and does it in spades.  But before delving into that, allow me to explain why he is not a "businessman" as opposed to a salesman.  Do you remember the movie Boomerang with Eddie Murphy?  If you do then you remember Lady Heloise, played masterfully by the late Eartha Kitt.  She was the face of the company that acquired Eddie's company, but she held absolutely zero power within the company.  But like the lunatic fringe of this America, Eddie was determined to get in bed with that face to advance his own selfish ambitions.  And like Donald Trump, Lady Heloise was an aging insignificant who was desperate to be stroked in order to feel better about herself.
Trump sells his name and uses that name to make his money while fooling everyone into thinking he runs anything within his own company.  Trump puts his name on a "university" and promises that if you spend your money there, you will become a wealthy and successful real estate broker.  When that doesn't work out he tells you that YOU didn't have what it takes.  Trump puts his name on steaks and tells you that if you pay exuberant prices for these regular quality steaks you will be getting the best steaks ever.  But you THINK you are on the same level as Trump because you are eating the same steaks he eats; you have bought into the lie yet again.
When I think of a true businessman/ person, I think of a Warren Buffet or Oprah Winfrey or even a Bill Gates.  These are true "business people" who took an idea and built globally recognized successful businesses and are hands on in all important aspects of their businesses.  (Bill Gates is no longer running the day to day operations of Microsoft but until he stepped away no one could argue with the success and importance of the way he ran that company).  If Donald Trump were indeed all that he pretends to be in business, he would not have time nor the inclination to always be interviewed about political matters.  You see that entire farce, where reporters would actually interview him about world affairs, went straight to his overblown ego and allowed his pontifications to seem important and worthwhile, to himself.  Like assholes, everyone has an opinion and Donald Trump has the biggest of both.
But back to the specific lies.  Trump will stand at a podium or even in an interview and tell all who listen that he is can fix all the ills that America has.  No he can't, no one person or President can.  To be 110% honest, all of America's ills cannot be fixed.  But the ills that he is telling you are a problem, either do not exist, or are being over emphasized by the Right while some of the serious major issues are either being underplayed or ignored.  He will tell you that our military is in shambles, it is not and any serious military person would be insulted to be told they are inferior.  Yet, for some reason I will never ever understand, the Republicans always win the military card despite Presidents like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama using them to their fullest without unnecessarily exposing them to harm's way, yet George Dubya started wasting lives as if they were just useless pawns on a chess board.  Trump will tell you that he is doing "great with Blacks", yet he is polling at 0.0% in most polls in urban areas.  Trump will tell you that President Obama and Hillary Clinton are the founders of ISIS, yet the truth is the decision to go to war in Iraq was squarely on the shoulders of again, George Dubya Bush. The lie that Russian leader Putin called President Obama a nigger was an out and out lie that was solely designed to inflame Black voters possibly to his side, while advancing the false narrative that Obama is a weak leader.  The lies become even more bizarre after that when he declared that the NFL sent HIM a letter asking that he change the date of the 1st Presidential Debate so it wouldn't interfere with the start of the season, yet the NFL says no such correspondence ever happened.  And let's just look at THAT one for a second please?  The NFL is the only sport in America that literally owns a day of the week.  They literally print cash.  The last thing the NFL is concerned about is losing ratings to a Presidential debate.  And to be clear, IF the NFL did wish for the date for a debate to be changed, they would make a request to the Commission on Presidential Debates; they are the ones that are in charge of the debates.  Trump will say that the only way he would lose Pennsylvania is if the elections are rigged.  Hello, the rigging of elections are the tool of the Republican party when they make changes to districts and regions to make it more difficult for minorities to get to the polls.  But the truth about that issue alone is that Trump is polling so badly in urban and suburban areas in that state, (as well as other battleground states) that he can't make up ground with his silly and inflammatory rhetoric.
Finally, I have to bring up my favorite of all of Donald Trump's lies; this idea of a wall to keep illegal aliens out of our southern and border states.  The entire idea of a wall is far fetched in and of itself.  Though there is definite need for more border control, and some sort of serious conversation should be brought to the forefront; the idea of a wall and Trump being able to build it is some hooey.  Friends, on a recent trip to Nevada I visited the Hoover Dam.  It is truly a modern marvel and when you consider that in 1937 they were able to get that built in 2 years is utterly amazing.  But this is 2016 and in the atmosphere of this political discord, it would take at least 2 years of jockeying in Congress just to find the funding for such a project.  But if we wanna play "shits and giggles" lets just pretend that on Day 1 of a Trump Presidency he is allocated the say, 40 billion dollars needed just to start a project of this magnitude.  Then if by some other miracle within a few magic days a viable and deliberate effort begins to start construction of an impenetrable wall, how long do you think it would take to complete a wall that would deter determined South and Central Americans from crossing our borders?  How long did it take to clear and rebuild just around ground zero created by the 9/11 attacks in New York?  We are talking about a 20 year project at best, and oh by the way, no, Mexico would NOT pay for it.

The whole thing with Donald Trump is fool's gold.  He is not only a salesman, he's a snake oil salesman and he is selling his followers a bag of beans.  Just as the snake oil salesman of Western lore sold hopes and dreams to those who were too ignorant to know better, Donald Trump is selling a product to people who are willing to swallow any swill that he puts in front of them.  And also like those snake oil salesmen of yesteryear, Trump will be gone as soon as the deal is done, or hopefully rejected.  You have to understand something when it comes to this guy; he is not interested in helping you, helping me, helping anyone in this country other than himself.  Donald Trump is doing this just because he wants to prove to all that disbelieved him and to himself, that his ego is able to be stroked all the way to the White House.  The sad part of all of this is is that Donald Trump is so obsessed with winning this race that he has given little to no energy towards actually governing should he win.  He just wants to prove a point, and he will say anything to get to that point.  And the irony of this whole "candidacy" is this man's lies shows how dangerous he is because of the lies and how sad it is that no matter how outlandish they are, there are those that are willing to believe every word he says.  Trump lies to so he can win; he very well could win because there are always enough people willing to buy snake oil to cure a problem that they don't even have.

A Few Things....,

Iowa, Iowa, Iowa!

Monday marks the official start of the primary season.  First on deck?  The Iowa caucuses.  While Iowa is not the make or break of a lot of campaigns, it will go a long way towards weeding out the contenders from the pretenders.  On the Democratic side, regardless of outcome, Hilary and Bernie will both move on to New Hampshire.  However, this should be the reality check Martin O'Malley needs to have him move out of the way and start his REAL campaign towards respectability in 2020 and beyond.  Any hopes he had of being the next Barack Obama and catching the excitement of a disappointed electorate should be dashed by now; a very distant 3rd place finish should seal that deal.
Now, on the Republican side, the "gang of clowns" who are all fighting to be at least recognized should be whittled down to those that have the stones and the cash to limp into New Hampshire and come up for one last try at the brass ring.  We all know it is really just a matter of time for the reality to slap Christie, Paul, Santorum, Huckabee, and Fiorina in the face and tell them to get off the stage; though I am sure Christie will try to take a "bite" out of that slap before he has to "swallow" his truth.  But Jeb Bush should have the long green needed to keep limping along for a few more primaries, sad to say, but what is even sadder, the choices left to challenge Trump are going to be Rubio, Cruz and Carson; a couple of kooks and a Doctor with dementia!  WOW!

Don't Drink the Kool-Aid!

The situation in Flint Michigan has surpassed absurd and is squarely looking like criminal negligence.  In an effort to save money, the appointed city manager, made a decision that will have disastrous consequences for decades to come.  The water flowing through the pipes and infrastructure of that city is so dirty and so toxic that unlike in areas like the Hinkley California case showcased in the book and movie Erin Brockovich, people are not seeing the effects later in life and in the new born children; the lead levels and pollution is immediate and visible to the naked eye. 
Children are showing effects now, older folks are suffering now, hospitals and restaurants are not able to use the water flowing out of their pipes to clean, cook, or wash.  This is 2016, so how crazy is that?  And in a classic example of the "peter principle", the same city manager who was directly responsible for the decision to change the source of the city's water supply from Lake Huron to the already known polluted Flint River, has been assigned by the Michigan governor to take control of Detroit's school system.  Not up on THAT story yet?  Well it is a disaster of such horrendous proportions that teachers' union has gone all in to bring attention to what is happening to those students, those schools, those teachers and the whole system.  When schools cannot use the gymnasiums because the floors have buckled, when kids are going to class in buildings that are overrun with black mold, when teachers are having to "survive" instead of live off of their salaries; then you have what is by definition, a disaster.  Why is the state of Michigan killing its lower status citizens and then failing to educate its children, and why is this NOT on the agenda of the Republican Presidential candidates?  The governor is Republican.  Why is this not on the agenda of the Democratic Presidential candidates?  Why are we continuing to read and hear about how Obamacare is destroying the future for our children and grandchildren but no one is discussing how the reality on the ground in Michigan is killing the people TODAY?  Do yourself a service, investigate these issues and start asking these hard questions; your NOW deserves answers.  Flint is saving dollars, one life at a time.

Enabling A Murderer: Hey Netflix!  

Look, if you have not watched or started watching the Netflix documentary "Making a Murderer", you should start doing so if at all possible.  I will not reveal anything here as to the final resolution of the story or to any subsequent follow up shows and stories about the case.  What I will say is, I just wish, the same attention, the same scrutiny, the same media attention would be focused on George Zimmerman and the Trayvon Martin murder. 

Nothing about that case made any sense to those of us who understand the fear and outrage of a community that is to this day beset with killings of young Black men.  Why won't someone do some serious in-depth investigation and bring to light details of that fateful night and follow up on the life of the man who pulled the trigger and killed that young man?  Will someone please start asking hard questions about the how the case was turned to make the victim the wrong doer and the killer the hero and how that hero continues to walk the streets and cause mayhem amid societal norms?  What happened in the prosecution's criminal investigation of that night that ended up with a young child dead and a glory seeking asshole walking amongst us?  Nancy Grace, how come YOU are no longer beating the drum for Trayvon?
This country is all abuzz over this case in Wisconsin, but no one is as outraged as the Black community still is over Trayvon.  The shame of it is, the truth should still be released, we owe it to Trayvon.

Oops, Our Bad; We Didn't Mean It

What if you staged a standoff and no one came?  What if you raised a call to arms but forgot to tell people to bring provisions?  What if you provoked the police and they actually fired on you?  Well if you are a White man with a bunch of guns trying to show how big your testicles are based on the caliber of your weapons, you get a quick lesson in what WILL happen IF the government does come for your guns.  Those fools, no, Domestic Terrorists; those Domestic Terrorists in Oregon found the answers to those questions this last week.  After staging a protest in support of people who did not want their support.  After taking over a federal refuge and declaring you were there for a fight, and walking around wearing their AR-15s around the necks and dressed as if they were real soldiers, Ammon Bundy and a few of his followers got the confrontation they SAID they were looking for from authorities.  Guess what?  They fought the law and the law won!  This is not a game People! This is not a show and tell situation where people in the federal government are cowered by seeing big bad men with guns on TV talking big game.
Now, from behind bars, arrested protest leader, Ammon Bundy is telling the 4 fools still at the refuge to stand down and go home.  He is also telling all of us that "this was never meant to be an armed stand off".  Hmmm...., how do they call walking around brandishing guns and saying they aren't leaving, NOT an armed standoff???? Where I come from, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and points a gun at you and says it will shoot if you come for it, that is what it IS!  And finally....,

It IS just TOO Important!

I did a quick experiment on social media the other day.  I asked supporters of both Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders if their candidate did not win the nomination, would they still support the ticket, or do what several supporters of Hilary did in 2008; refuse to throw their support behind Obama.  How short memories are for those who claim to be progressives.  In 2000 people who sought a different kind of candidate wrote in for Ralph Nader, if just half of those voters had put their support behind Al Gore in Florida and Ohio we would not have had 8 years of George Dubya Bush.  Don't be so butt hurt because your candidate won't get the chance to stand next to Donald Trump or Ted Cruz to fight for rational thinking, that you

• lose the chance to keep Obamacare, 
• to set the direction of the Supreme Court, 
• to keep marriage equality,
• to continue the fight against global climate change
• and to keep the Black Lives Matter movement front and center

This election is more important than your personal desires.  This is an election that could change the status quo of  party change every eight years.  Not since Reagan to Bush has one party held the White House in consecutive administrations.  The Dubya Bush years where a disaster both domestically and abroad.  Though the anger of power comfortable White folk have marred the tenure of Barack Obama, his administration has been good for this country.  Respect abroad has encouraged other countries to believe in America's greatness again; whereas England and Israel have already held parliamentary votes to decide if they should ban Donald Trump from their borders because of his crazy divisive rhetoric on the campaign trail. 

I am not choosing a candidate at this juncture, but I am imploring you, if you proclaim to be a Democrat first, then follow your mind and not your heart if Hilary or Bernie is not your first choice.  I was blown away by how many people are so vested in their personal choice at this point that they declared they would either stay home, or refuse to support the nominee if they don't get what they want.  Well if you don't think you will get what you want if either Bernie or Hilary is your choice, wait til you see what happens when a stacked Congress sends Obamacare repeal legislation to the White House and it is signed.
This election is just too important to walk away with your feelings.  Vote the party, both candidates have admiral qualities and either will make a great President.  And either of them are a much better alternative then what the Clown Car is gonna drop off at your doorstep.

Trumpback Mountain - The Art of Screwing Everyone from the Top

When commercial fishermen go to do their jobs, which is to catch as many fish as they can, they do what is called "cast a wide net".  You see the larger the net, the wider the area they can fish, the higher the likelihood they will catch enough fish to have a successful day or "campaign".  The whole idea is not to narrow your options, but to expand them so you can be successful, IF that is your intent.  In case you are reading this and wondering, "where is The Nitelifer going with this one". I will get to my point.
Donald Trump announced his campaign by riding on the wave of anger a certain element in this country feels towards Hispanic immigrants, legal or illegal.  There is nothing new about this in America.  After emancipation, Blacks were framed to be all that were wrong with the country, later it was the Irish, then the Italians.  In the 1980's Japanese were the hate targets for "buying up all of America" and then of course, anyone Muslim is gonna be hated from now on.  But what Trump did that day is what all Presidential candidates do; he chose a target and set the target for his campaign.  The problem is, today, Hispanics actually represent a voting block.  There are stats that say overwhelmingly Hispanics vote together.  Is that 100%?  No, of course not.  But with the percentage of the voting population that Hispanics represent, Trump narrowed his net right out the box. After taking hits from all sectors on this stance, Trump, as you well know, didn't back off; he doubled down.  He stuck to his guns and showed us his "tough side".  Points for the Donald from the xenophobes.
Then less than a few weeks later, Trump got embroiled in a "war on women", by character attacking Fox News' Megyn Kelly.  Not that she isn't deserving of disdain, but by going after her, then Carly Fiorona and other female reporters who had the nerve to find fault and question his methods and words.  So now he has garnered sympathy for women that lots of women (and men) normally wouldn't like.  Well done Sir, you have drawn that net even tighter.  But what does that matter, right?  He still has his base, angry White males, most of the 300 Black Republicans.., oh wait!  Well see there is this guy; Dr Ben Carson?  He's "a Black"...., of course HE is going to get ALL the Black Republicans anyway right?  Sure! So why not attack Carson like Trump did on Wednesday; he was closely associated with the birther movement that was laser focused on proving President Obama wasn't born in America, (spoiler, he wasn't, he was born in Hawaii).  But Trump, always the extremest extremist, took it to another level by saying Obama couldn't have achieved as much as he did academically because you know he is "a Black"!  So what if Trump went after Carson's history, he's no Obama.
Now as you know if you've been reading The Nitelifer this year, I am no fan or supporter of Carson.  In my opinion he is just 3 blinks from full blown insane.  He says things that should make EVERY SINGLE BLACK PERSON IN AMERICA uncomfortable and angry.  Statements like "Obamacare is the worst thing in America since slavery" & no gunshot wound he ever treated in an ER was worse than having our gun rights under attack; are just plain crazy talk.  But Trump attacking Carson and in the process calling out all the people of Iowa who are supporting Carson, just narrowed his net, yet again.  Unless in the course of a week, the population of Iowa skewed dramatically, Trump starting cutting into his bread and butter, middle class, middle America Whites.

In trying to stroke his own ego, (as always) Trump continues to proclaim that anyone who is not for him, is stupid.  He really reminds me of a spoiled brat who, if he cannot have his way, will throw a tantrum and call everyone else dumb.  But what is truly interesting and what you really have to deeply delve into is, by his words Trump is not only casting a shrinking net, he is tossing his existing crew off the boat.  If you start out holding hands side by side a diverse group and keep attacking things that people don't line up 100% with you, you can start losing people to hold hands with; you end up hugging only yourself.  No matter how much money you have and spend, you cannot win an election when you are reducing the amount of people who want to vote for you.
Look, the top of a pyramid is its smallest design point, but in order for that point to be supported, it has to have a broader base.  This is why I am wondering if Trump is really trying to work his way out of this race and find a way to scapegoat everyone and anyone so that he can turn to the cameras and declare "I am still the best, I know what's best, but America is too stupid to want ME".
If you want Trump, vote for Trump.  He will not win, and what is worse, he will do absolutely nothing to help you or your family have a better life here in America.  He will just find a way to blame you when any of his reality TV show ideas get shot down as just fantasy.  But he doesn't want to be President America, Trump just wants a platform that we are giving him so that he can try and show just how great and powerful he is.  Just like the Wizard of Oz what just a hollow man behind a hollow smoke and mirror show, Donald Trump is also just a carnival barker who has a captivated audience.

Right and Wrong Has No Color Line

So if you REALLY REALLY know ME you know that I'm all about calling it like it IS; I don't just call an issue by the social media, news media defined "lines". These days we are being divided along color or political lines at every turn. #BlackLivesMatter is real, but it's not mutually exclusive to the idea that #AllLivesMatter as well. It is important to keep in mind that though the latter is true, what has been documented across this country since the days of slavery is that there is an underlying belief in this nation that a Black life is far less important than a White life. That holds true on both sides of the color line. We Blacks have become desensitized to the value of Black lives almost to the same level as some Whites have. When it comes to police involved killings of Blacks, we have to keep in mind that not all cops, White or Black, are bad and not all are good. You can't arbitrarily condemn ALL cops for the actions of some. You can't arbitrarily DEFEND cops based on "they put their lives on the line every day" mantra that is so quickly trotted out by the #FoxNews pundits who immediately seek to draw lines on any issue that could remotely be framed down racial lines. Truth be told, just as in your life or on your job or in your social circles, there are people who are just WRONG right out the box. Whether they are incompetent or just evil, some people should not be doing the jobs that they do.

I say all this to present this case to you.

 Cops Who Killed Autistic First Grader Arrested for Murder, One Had Prior Indictment for Rape

Again, #BlackLivesMatter and there is nothing wrong with the President saying so. He's the President of this country, not the President of Black America. There is nothing wrong with a candidate, Republican or Democrat saying #AllLivesMatter because though the former is true, the reality that we seem to have forgotten, is ANY life, no matter the color of your skin, SHOULD BE PRECIOUS. White cops in some places are targeting Black citizens but guess what? In some places bad Black cops are targeting Blacks as well and some cops are just targeting PEOPLE! A license to carry a badge is not a license to hunt and kill other people!  So whether you are Black, White, Hispanic, Asian or whatever, this story should not only sicken you, but reinforce what as a child you should have learned, wrong is just wrong and no one should be hunted by those who are SUPPOSED TO serve and protect us!

What it AIN'T About!

America you are disappointing me. The Trayvon Martin story is a sad one but it ain't about what certain people are trying tell you it's about. This story ain't about gun laws or gun rights. This story ain't about George Zimmerman or HIS story. This story ain't about Skittles or hoodies. The story of the tragic death of Trayvon Martin is about the murder of a child. The loss of a mother's 17 year old baby boy is sad in and of itself but when that child is taken from his mother by the hands of someone who felt he had a duty to do makes this even more disturbing and sad.
Shame on those on both sides of the aisle who try to push their own agenda over the body of this kid. Shame on the NRA for trying to defend the shooting and framing the shooter as some sort of hero. Shame on the anti gun lobby for trying to use this story to push their agenda of no guns over this kid's body. I am flabbergasted but not shocked that there are people on Fox News who try to impeach the character of this young man so that they can find some sort of justification for the murder on the street that night. This story ain't about that. Those who try to defend George Zimmerman by making the TV talking head circuit and say he wasn't a racist are profiting either financially or celebrity only to further their own cause. And for those on the Left who shout and pontificate about how it is a certain fact that George Zimmerman is a racist and hated or distrusted Blacks, I am sorry to tell YOU, this story ain't about THAT! As much as I am in solidarity with those that don hoodies and march the streets and stand in front of city halls across this nation to decry what happened in Samford Florida, I am sorry to say, "Lord KNOWS, this story ain't about THAT!! To be sure, racial divides in this country still exist. Let me repeat that because there are those that don't want to read, believe, hear or acknowledge this as fact. But racial divides STILL EXITS in this, the greatest country on this planet. But again I have to say, this story of the death of Trayvon Martin ain't about THAT!
As President Obama said and as Trayvon's mother continues to tell everyone who are open to listen, what this story IS about, is the murder and death of not only Trayvon, his mother's child, but the possibility that if it can happen to YOUR child, MY child and ANYONE'S children if we all don't wake up and take a step back. Was George Zimmerman overzealous in his pursuit of this person HE suspected? Well the proof of that is here for anyone to see. But we all have to work TOGETHER to find a better way my friends. We have to work together to TRY to keep this from happening again.
The police in that community and the in all communities in this country have to step up and stop doing drive by policing. They need to be able to invest in bringing awareness and protection of the people's trust back to the communities they are sworn to protect and serve. This story, this sad tragic totally unavoidable story is about what that mother now has to deal with for the rest of her days, that burden that she must bear so that hopefully no other parent here in America will never have to again. If we as a people, the children of a God fearing nation can come together and work together, none of us, Black, White, Brown, Yellow or whatever will have to wonder if someone who is steeped in distrust will gun down our babies because they fit a certain profile.
My heart cries out to Trayvon's mother and father. My child is 12 and if I were to lose him for whatever reason at 17 to something as tragic and senseless as this, I know I would not have the strength to go on.
Learn to love one another People.

Undone?

Well I have to admit I didn't expect THIS, but I was sure somehow Herman Cain would be derailed from his naive bid to become this country's second Black President. To bash President Obama is one thing, to do it as a Black man is fine, but to expect his staunchest detractors and "haters" to suddenly find religion and endorse another "one" was plain ridiculous; Especially one who is doing things in his own way. So the story today is that way back when Cain was President of the Restaurant Association of America, he had to settle 2 sexual harassment complaints lodged against him. In order to squelch this allegation Cain's crack campaign staff (the ones responsible for these 2 "interesting" commercials  Yellow Flowers & Smoking Man) have flubbed, faltered, and fallen down in the wave of intense news media scrutiny that was sure to come with this kind of story. Everything they have said has either been a refusal to dignify such charges or to defer to records of the Restaurant Association. Are these people THAT naive, or are they just THAT stupid?!? In actuality, I think they are just that arrogant. This is an arrogance buoyed up by Cain's surprising showing in national and local polls, that show him either in front of flip flopping Romney or running neck & neck with him. One can only imagine the excitement within THAT camp, as well as the other bottom feeders who share the stage during these Republican debates. Mitt can now see this whole deal up by showing he's the "Family Values" candidate. He can then look Rick Perry right in the eye and ask, "Rick, while governor of the largest contiguous state in the union, why did you repeatedly call for a vote to secede from the union?". Slam dunk, game over! Mitt please take that longest mile walk to take on President Obama and get crushed by members of your own party (currently Mitt is a Republican though he was once a Democrat) because none of THEM trust your Mormonism.
But back to the man in crosshairs of the hour, Herman (screwed by trying to get screwed) Cain. If he has any chance of not becoming the next John Edwards he has to go into serious damage control mode and start removing top level people who have failed him miserably. However, if these allegations prove to be true, and by allegations, allow me to be clear, I mean the allegations that people were paid off, prove to be true, he needs to get in front of them and say "Yes, people were paid to settle a nuisance complaint instead of fighting them during the time and causing a lot of unneeded litigation". And let THAT, be THAT.  Now, if the facts prove to be what I believe them to be, and he was/ IS a "sexual predator", then he needs to just step out of this race and get to what he really got in it to do anyway, sell books, advance his motivational speaker career, and keep feeling impressed by his own history.
The one thing this all does prove though?  When people with their own twisted agendas (the Koch brothers) decide they want to influence things at the top when they are not normal players in that arena, the vetting process can be a bit incomplete.  Had they been real power brokers, they would have never endorsed this fool in the first place.