Part II: Behind The Curtain

Part II: Behind The Curtain

D. S. Mitchell

I have talked about Donald Trump and his struggle to overcome his boyhood wealth in the dismal back water of Queens, N.Y. and his four decade effort to impress the only world that mattered at the time., the glittery world of Manhattan real estate. It was only later that he set his sights on the White House. Come with me while we continue that tumultuous journey.

In 1988, Donald bought a profitable shuttle line from the failing Eastern Airlines.  He had assembled a $380,000,000 loan from a consortium of twenty-two banks. Trump decided to go “high-end,” turning the shuttle service  into a very pricey hour trip. By 1992 the Trump Shuttle was in receivership and had ceased operations.

Trump has learned the art of spin.  He tells anyone that will listen, that every major bank in the country is begging him to borrow their bank’s money.  What a crock of crap.  In fact, according to many financial sources, Trump had no choice but to morph his real estate business in to a “licensing, branding company, where other people own the assets, because he couldn’t get bank loans, he had no choice.”

Mike Burnett, a transplanted Brit, was riding high in 2002 with the biggest hit on reality television, Survivor. Burnett wanted to spend more time with his children in New York and Survivor was filmed in far off jungle islands.  Burnett came  up with an idea for a show set in New York and he  needed a bigger than life central character to pull it off.

After seeing Trump’s picture plastered everywhere he looked around New York he decided to pitch the project to Donald Trump.

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Part I: Behind The Curtain

Part I: Behind The Curtain

D. S. Mitchell

We are now in the midst of the most controversial presidency in our in our country’s history. Trump’s erratic and often bizarre behavior, his Twitter storms, his failing public agenda, his plummeting poll ratings, the mounting pressure of multiple ethics and campaign investigations, his attacks against members of his own party, keep the world riveted to our various media devices.  Sadly, for the country his first 7 months in the Oval Office have been nearly toxic, starting with his dark and angry Inaugural Address has led to anger and violence on “both sides.” There is an uptick of violence by whites against blacks and other people of color.

How did we go from a Republican House, a Republican Senate and a Republican President that had the potential to ramrod through any legislation they proposed has dissolved into the current chaos. What started as whispers over drinks at dinner between Republican party operatives and legislators, moved to the first timid voices, and what now can best be described as a near free-for-all between the varying Republican factions. Louder voices are demanding either changes in his behavior,  or they will use the power of the Congress and remove his spoiled, delinquent ass, from office.

You can almost see the salivating lawmakers as they look to their quiet former colleague, the up-tight Vice President Mike Pence. The visual is all photo perfect, with Pence looking like a TV game host and sounding like a Baptist preacher. That budding love affair between Pence and the Legislative Branch, is at the moment, only wishful thinking, but as Trump becomes more toxic I can see increased support for the presumptive “new” president.  I can see Trump when forces begin to close in on him; Trump will pardon everyone in sight, including himself and resign, leaving us with that devoted conservative Mike Pence.

I promise you, if Trump resigns, or is removed from office and they try to leave us with Mike Pence I will lose it–seriously lose it.  If Russia colluded with the Trump campaign, then Pence was at the very center of the scandal and should never under any circumstances be sworn into the office of the President of the United States.

So, how did it come to pass that a probable losing candidate for a second term as Indiana governor, could now  be standing this close to being sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.  Paul Manafort is the man behind Trump picking Mike Pence for this now pivotal role. Paul Manafort and Mike Pence. What ties did those two have between them, that made Manafort confident enough in Pence that Manafort would push Pence for the Vice President role, working apparently overtime to convince Trump that Pence was the perfect balance to the ticket.

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Trump Dances Around Conflict Of Interest Complaints

Trump Dances Around Conflict Of Interest Complaints

D. S. Mitchell

On 6/28/2017 Jeremy Venook wrote an interesting article for The Atlantic that pointed to serious conflicts of interest between Donald Trump’s business affairs and his job as President of the United States. I am going to review, comment, and regurgitate some of his points. Venook points to numerous questionable Trump dealings and created a list of what he has identified as conflicts of interest. I ask any readers to please go to the Atlantic.com site and read the accompanying articles addressing all the items of Venook’s list. The list is at the end of his 6/28/2017 article.

That list is as follows: 1.) Clean Water Rule 2.) Real estate development outside New Delhi 3.) Golf course in Westchester county, NY 4.) Russian Trademarks 5.) Trump Organization Event Planner 6.) Saudi Arabia lobbying effort 6.) Golf course in New Jersey 7.) Meeting in Brussels 8.) Tower in Toronto 9.) Condos for sale 10.) Re-election campaign funds 11.) Second hotel in Washington, D.C. 12.) Property in Azerbaijan 13.) Trump Tower penthouse 14.) Resort in the Dominican Republic 15.) Chinese Trademark 16.) Mar-a-Lago meetings 17.) Defense Department Trump Tower rental 18.) Red Cross Ball 19.) Washington, D.C. labor dispute 20.) Palm Beach estate 21.) Trump Organization planned business expansion 22.) Hotel in Vancouver, B.C. 23.) Reality TV show 24.) Pipeline 25.) HUD grants 26.) Golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland 27.) Other billionaire NY real estate developer 28.) Indonesian politician 29.) Emirati businessman 30.) Virginia vineyard 31.) Las Vegas labor dispute 32.) Kuwaiti event 33.) Certificates of Divestiture 34.) Carrier deal 35.) Blind trust issue 36.) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac investments 37.) Phone call with Taiwan 38.) Deutsche Bank debt 38.) Properties in the country of Georgia 39.) Phone call and meet with Turkey’s Erdogan 40.) D.C. hotel 41.) Argentinian office building 42.) Companies in Saudi Arabia 43.) British Wind farms 44.) Indian business partners 45.) Envoy from Philippines.

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Bank Shenanigans

Bank Shenanigans

D. S. Mitchell

Editor In Chief

As Editor-in-Chief here at Calamity News and Politics, I have a lot of leeway on what I chose to write about. The story today, is again, about Donald Trump. Anybody surprised? This guy is sucking up the world oxygen supply. Scandal, corruption, bank shenanigans, money laundering and conflict of interest. There is literally, no end to it. Trump’s Administration is an alley littered with dirty, back street deals.

Tentacles Of Corruption

The world is watching the dynamics of the drama playing out on the world stage. The entanglements of Mr. Trump and his associates are like tentacles of a giant squid stretching it’s long, slimy arms around the globe. Here’s a few more tidbits on Trump that might be interesting to folks that are trying to connect the dots in the Russian collusion/conspiracy investigation.

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