We’ve
all seen images of the Honduran/Central
American migrant caravan, apparently spearheaded by opponents of Honduran President
Juan Orlando Hernandez, which many dispirited and beleaguered Hondurans and
other Central Americans decided to join. Some may have considered going north
before, but moving along in a crowd offered safer passage than going it alone and
certainly proved less costly than paying a smuggler. However, an effort to tap
into the genuine grievances of caravan participants may have had the unintended
consequence of giving Donald Trump a strong talking point just before mid-term
elections in the United States, paradoxically threatening the very fortunes of
asylum seekers should they actually arrive at the US-Mexico border. This may
turn out to be an effort that backfires on its participants.
Typically,
Donald Trump is now blaming “fake news”
for riling up his supporters and for inciting a rabid defender and faithful Trump
rally-goer to send pipe bombs to his targeted enemies, bemoaning instead the
possible impact on the midterm elections. Trump himself takes no responsibility
for urging his supporters to “lock her up,” or to become physically aggressive
with reporters or with women (‘grab them by the …”). Fake news, he contends, is
trying to pin this one on him when he had nothing to do with it. As in the kids’
chant, “Donald, liar, liar, pants on
fire.”
Trump
has been saying a vote for a Republican candidate “is a vote for me.” But, I
predict that if Democrats prevail in the mid-terms, he will suddenly abandon
the most ardent members of his base to become more cooperative with Democrats.
He’s an opportunist through and through. However, I do agree with him that
prescription drugs are artificially costly in the US. I’ve been saying in my
books that medications, including those made in the US, are actually cheaper
abroad than in this country.
If
enough voters go to the polls, then Democrats will carry the day.
Russians and others (the Chinese?) are back trying to boost Trump and thereby
damage our country and our influence in the world. The US may also sometimes
try to interfere with Russian elections, but probably less successfully, in
part because of less internet use there. Also, the Russians have a lot of
practice interfering and Putin has much greater control over domestic media.
Trump only has Fox News here. It’s hard for some Americans to recognize or
admit that they have been manipulated or duped. We see it also in everyday life. When
presented with contrary evidence, people may cling even more tightly to their
original stance, only too willing to label anything contrary as “fake news.”
In
a last-ditch effort, Trump has been promising voters a “middle-class” tax cut
when there is nothing on the table and the deficit is soaring, even as Republicans
hint at cutting Medicare and Social Security.
While
I consider that Brett Kavanaugh’s
recent demeanor expressed during Congressional hearings indicates he lacks a
judicial temperament, it may be somewhat unfair to evaluate his teenage conduct
by today’s mores. When he was in high school, young men from well-to-do
families were expected and encouraged by peers or even by parents
to “sow their wild oats” before settling down to a career and marriage. Excess
drinking and sexual aggression by youthful males were the norm. And probably
even today, the angry older white male cohort so enamored of Trump grew up approving
such behavior.
However,
the Senate, which must approve
Supreme Court justices and federal judges, is badly skewed in terms of citizen
and voter representation since sparsely populated states like Wyoming and
Vermont each have 2 senators, while populous California and New York have the
same number. Worse yet, DC and Puerto Rico, home to more American citizens that
either Wyoming or Vermont, have no voting reps in either chamber. So, our
nation needs to fix these imbalances and get rid of the Electoral College to provide
a more representative government, but the minority states enjoying advantages now
are not likely to be swayed by arguments for fairness and would block any such
efforts. While Trump and McConnell have bragged about how many judges they have
appointed, including two Supreme Court justices, the Senate’s
unrepresentative nature allowed them to block Obama’s judicial nominations,
including one to the Supreme Court and then to gloat about it later.
McConnell has reportedly said that the “deficit
is not a Republican problem.” Didn’t the Republican Congress and Senate push
through a huge tax cut and an increase in military spending, signed by the
Republican president, that led directly to this huge deficit? What about the
promise that decreased business taxes would be offset by taxes on greater
business profits? That never works. Once taxes are cut and
military spending increased, it’s hard to pull back. Republicans may find it
easier to increase taxes and cut benefits to ordinary citizens, some of whom
are dumb enough to support Donald Trump and their party. And with the US labor shortage,
how about reversing the shutting down of TPS and finally approve DACA, and also give legal
residence to law-abiding long-term de facto residents. Deporting people who are
already contributing will only add to the labor shortage.
Hope that McConnell,
Sanders, and the Trump family have all learned not to show their faces in
public because they are not revered
and respected, rather, ridiculed and reviled. Let them appear only at very
carefully guarded and pre-screened rallies and on Fox News before the rabid minority
who support them.
The
US should be a world leader and not
sell arms to Saudi Arabia, a nation using
them for inhumanitarian purposes, as in Yemen. Let others sell to the Saudis and
be condemned by world opinion. Would we sell gas to Hitler? Trump and his
underlings have reportedly advised the Saudis about concocting a cover up for their murder
of Khashoggi. And while we are at it, we should immediately restore aid to the
Palestinians to express a fair and even-handed approach to their needs and
not turn the whole world, especially the Muslim world, against us. Finally,
while Donald proclaims a love fest with Kim, the North Koreans are expanding and
increasing the range of their nuclear arsenal right under his nose. Hey, Donald
Trump, are you listening? No, the man is tone-deaf except for what he wants to
hear. I agree with Putin that the US is suffering the effects of a whole series
of “mistakes,” mistakes made mostly by Trump and his administration and
supported by a supine Republican legislature. Some of the damage Trump has done may be
irreversible and his faithful and small-minded voters bear the ultimate blame.
Was
glad that Maine residents are
experiencing a boycott after Sen. Susan Collins’
lame explanation for her vote to confirm Kavanaugh. While red state residents
may tout their independence from “elitist” Democrats, outside tourist dollars
are most welcome there.
As
the midterms approach, it’s really scary to think that maybe the Democrats
won’t prevail in either chamber. That would be a horrible disaster and could happen if Democrats don’t go out to vote. We
in DC, a Democratic stronghold, as usual, will have no impact, thanks to
Republican efforts over the years to stifle our vote.
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