Author: Darlene Mitchell

35 Reasons To Smile

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35 Reasons To Smile

D. S. Mitchell

Calamity Politics was temporarily disabled on Sunday, and because of that issue  I did not post my regular Sunday Reasons to Smile. So, it’s Monday and let’s find some things that make me smile, and hopefully you too.

Forget politics for a few minutes and join me for 35 Reasons To Smile:

1.) Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade cook book series  2.) “Doing” breakfast  3.) Blowing bubbles  4.) Saturday night Roller Derby  5.) Popeye cartoons  6.) Aquariums  7.) Tug boats  8.) Winning 9.) Tootsie Roll Pops  10.) Costco food samples  11.) Fitted sheets  12.) Window seats  13.) Spa Day  14.) KoolAid  15.) A freshly sharpened pencil  16.) Chasing rainbows  17.) Day hikes  18.) NASA 19.) Birdhouses 20.) Caves  21.)  Beach bonfires  22.) Song birds  23.) Hot fudge sundaes  24.) Balcony  25.) Gymnastics  26.) Playing Frisbee with the dog  27.) Windsurfing the Columbia Gorge 28.) Clam Chowder in a bread bowl  29.) The shape of water 30.) Indian summer  31.) Hot tea  32.) Wishing on a star  33.) Baskets of Geraniums  34.) Toddler’s in snowsuits  35.) Secret family recipes.

I’m happy now. Hope you found something to smile about.

Join the Resistance

Dar

Time To Plug-In

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Time To Plug-In

D. S. Mitchell

Calamity Politics had a “plug-in failure” Sunday night.  The failure involved temporary loss of multiple features on the blog.  This failure was extremely aggravating, and it wasn’t resolved until Jane worked her magic.  However, she hasn’t been able to fix everything, yet. But, she is on it, and I’m sure all of our features will be available again, soon.

The reason I’m even mentioning our Calamity Politics catastrophe is because it demonstrates a life truth: shit happens. And when that shit happens to concern health care, there are several subsistence safety net programs for Americans. The big three are,  Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.

My anger has grown steadily as the Republicans prepare to destroy American health care. Just  watching Mitch McConnell smirk into the camera surrounded by the Republican caucus sends me into a rage.   They are all looking tail-wagging happy with themselves.  Is that the way you are supposed to look when you are throwing millions of people’s lives  into chaos?

Last week in the Capitol of the United States of America handicapped individuals, protesting the proposed draconian cuts to Medicaid, were pulled from wheel chairs, zip-tied, and arrested.  It was one of the most disturbing and disgusting sights, I believe I have ever seen.

I believe the next 2 days are vital if we are to have any chance of stonewalling this legislation. Call Republican Senators and tell them to put conscience above party. Phone calls are very effective. Please call and demand they “vote no” on the Senate Repeal and Replace ACA bill.  Stop TrumpCare.

Join the Resistance

Dar

OPEN LETTER TO NANCY PELOSI

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6/22/2017

Dear Nancy,

I woke up to a very somber crowd at the Morning Joe table.  All kinds of thoughts and commentary were tossed around about how the ‘face’ of the DNC is Nancy Pelosi, and in many districts, your name has become toxic.

It seems that brilliant powerful women cannot be tolerated in this country. If you were morphed into your male alter ego, HE would go down as one of the most brilliant strategic planners and policy makers in House history. And, without a doubt one of the biggest fund raisers.

With that said, I must acknowledge that I am 71 years old. I know that you are 77 years old. As an older person I am glad to see the new faces in the stores, in the offices, and hopefully soon in the Congress. Nancy please step aside.  When you step aside, it should not be in anger, or contention, but rather a natural changing of the guard.  Teach your successor. Nancy, pick your successor and then help them succeed, that’s what great leaders do.

Your admiring fan,

Darlene Mitchell

 

Another Beach Day

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Another Beach Day

D. S. Mitchell

I have been trying to stay calm.  Morning meditation, a 3 mile walk on a misty beach, background acoustic guitar played today while I worked on my *novel.  No cable news.  Just me, and steady controlled breathing.

There are two special elections in the South today.  The South, since the late 1960’s has been  Republican red.  When I was a kid, the Democrats owned the South.  But, strangely enough in reaction to Civil Rights Legislation backed by the Democrats the South moved lock, stock and barrel to the Republican party.

I donated to both Democratic candidates, Archie Parnell in South Carolina, and Jon Ossoff in Georgia. Not much money, because I’m a pensioner, but I felt I had to at least put something in the pot. Not that I expect the Dems to win, but I have hope.

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Senate Death Panel: Thirteen, Old, White, Men

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Senate Death Panel: 13 Old White Men

D. S. Mitchell

It’s nice to say, “Hi,” when you pass a person in the hall, or when seated next to each other at a luncheon, but what would really be a good thing is for the Democrats and the Republicans to stop the bullshit, and hold their noses if they have to, and come together for the benefit of this country.

If it is a big piece of legislation such as the health care law, let’s take our time, let’s have some hearings, let’s find out who will feel the brunt of this new proposed bill.  The looming behemoth TrumpCare legislation will effect 1/6 of the United States economy and reportedly force 24,000,000 or more people completely off of health care.

The Republicans screamed that the Dems shoved the ACA down their throats.  That is an absolute lie. There were months and months of hearings, all the while President Obama and his surrogates stumped the country selling the program. So, if you don’t believe me, go back and check the records yourself. With the 24 hour news cycle, we often forget what happened just a few days ago, much less 7 years ago. In fact, I truly believe a little less conversation would have been beneficial for the ACA.  There was fatigue, overwhelming fatigue, by the time it was all said and done. Hell, it wasn’t until the Republicans threatened to repeal ObamaCare that people even figured out what a great deal it was.

Now that the Republicans are in power, Mitch McConnell has picked 13 old, white, men to his own secret Death Panel. I use that term with caution. But, quite honestly, I can think of no more appropriate name.  If you collapse in the street they will haul you to the hospital and they will do emergency care. Period.

I worked as an RN for thirty five years and have seen the situation pre-Obama and post-Obama, and I would not be able to work, ever again, in a system that tells people their cancer won’t be treated because they have no insurance. Or, to know that a child’s broken leg could literally be the straw that sends an uninsured family that is already financially challenged toward a spiral of bankruptcy.

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Flag Day shootings

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Flag Day Shootings

D. S. Mitchell

Calamity Politics is a political blog where we try to post relevant political news, tart commentary, engaging analysis, focusing on progressive opinions and speculations primarily written by me, Darlene Mitchell, a life long agitator and troublemaker.  Due to some recent health issues I have been silent for several days.  I’m doing fine, but I have a few tests and doctors visits in my near future.  So, enough on my medical condition, let’s get to what’s going on in the United States political news scene.

Flag Day, June 14, 2017, ironically is my son’s birthday and the birthday of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States.  June 14, 2017 was also another day of gun violence in the United States.

In an upscale Alexandria, Virginia neighborhood, a well armed lone gunman, opened fire at a Republican baseball team practice, wounding 4. Three Capital Police officers, assigned to Majority House Whip Stephen Scalise returned gunfire, by witness accounts, saving multiple lives.  The legislators and aides had been practicing for the last several weeks for their up coming annual benefit game against the Democrats.

Within minutes, officers from local police departments converged on the site in response to numerous 911 calls.  The arriving officers immediately engaged the shooter. Two of  Scalise’s security detail, Capital Police officers, were wounded in the gunfire. Crystal Griner  was wounded in the ankle and another Capital Police officer, David Bailey was wounded in the leg. Bailey was treated and released, while Griner remained hospitalized for her injuries.

Representative Scalise was shot in the hip.  The rifle bullet tore through internal organs and left the Louisiana House Rep, near death.  Also critically wounded was Matt Mika. Mika was shot multiple times and was at last report on a respirator. Mika is a former congressional staffer, now working as a lobbyist for Tyson Foods.

A staffer for Representative Roger Williams, Zachary Barth, was also shot and is hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.  Roger Williams (R. Tx) was also injured in the melee, spraining his ankle as he ran for cover from the hail of gunfire. Roger Williams, was treated and released on crutches.

The shooter has been identified as 66 year old, caucasian, James T. Hodgkinson from Belleville, Illinois. Hodgkinson was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.  Hodgkinson, a former home inspector, who had sold his business and allowed his Illinois contractor license to expire last November was identified by his Illinois driver’s license. His wife told reporters that “he sold everything and went to Washington, to work on taxes.”

Neighbors state that Hodgkinson has been visible in the Alexandria, Virginia up scale enclave for the last 4-5 months.  Hodgkinson, who was described as “quiet, but a bit gruff,” had been seen daily at the local YMCA, and appears to have been living in his white cargo van.

Hodgkinson’s motives are unclear. Multiple anti-Republican and anti-Trump postings were found on his Facebook page.  Posts condemning Clinton were also noted, however not to the extent of his rants and ravings on social media against the Republicans. Hodgkinson claimed to have worked for the Bernie Sander’s campaign, however Sander’s quickly came out denying any connection with the shooter after reviewing volunteer records from Illinois.

Additionally, the names of six Republican law makers along with their Capitol Hill office numbers were discovered among the shooter’s personal effects. And, at least one bystander reported the shooter asking, “Who’s playing, Republican or Democrat?”  Early information seems to support the theory that Hodgkinson may have been specifically targeting Republican office holders.

Statements from President Trump, and both Democratic and Republican leadership, stress a need for folks on both sides of the political argument to turn down the heated rhetoric and focus on getting the people’s work done.  It looked like a real Kumbayah moment for everybody. Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi took to the House floor and spoke of a unified voice against violence.  I guess when gunshots are flying by your ear, it might be a ‘Pass Jesus in front of you moment’.

Grab hands; forget that we have had knives at each others throats for nearly a generation.  Since the time of the divisive, combative and disgraced former Speaker, Newt Gingrich, the tone has been hot and nasty. Very nasty.

Speaking of the divisive Mr. Gingrich he has been making the rounds of the cable news networks, working to gin up the right wing base with attacks against any and all “liberals,” “lefties,” and the “Democrats” specifically, because these groups are “inciting radical violence” against President Trump, and the GOP. Citing the Alexandria shooting on “liberals.”

The Republicans have sunk so low that a SuperPac promoting the Republican candidate for congress Karen Handel in Georgia’s 6th District is using attack ads against Democrat Jon Ossoff showing pictures of wounded Rep. Scalise being carried from the field alleging it to be a “liberal attack” against the Republican baseball team. Mind blowing.

Cynic that I am, I think any moderation in tone is a momentary thing.  It can’t and won’t be sustainable.  But, I’m willing to watch and comment along the way.

I must mention that firebrand musician Ted Nugent is calling for a cool down of the rhetoric. Thank you, Ted.

Lastly, I want to say that I am appalled at the second mass shooting on Flag Day, in San Francisco, where three people were killed and two wounded by a disgruntled UPS worker at a packaging center, where after shooting his co-workers, the gunmen turned the gun on himself, committing suicide.

At some point, we as a country need to decide if the killing of thousands of people in this country annually by gun violence is worth examining.

Dar

Join the Resistance

99 Things To Make You Smile

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99 Things To Make You Smile

D. S. Mitchell

Welcome to Calamity Politics. Calamity Politics is based on the North Oregon coast. We attempt to present relevant and engaging political commentary, opinion, argument, speculations and predictions regarding the US political news scene.

Once a week I do a post entitled “Things That Make Me Smile”. The number of reasons to smile usually change with each post. No reason. Just because I can, I guess.

So, take your mind off of politics; including your grandmother losing her Medicaid, the “de-construction of the administrative state”, the possible Russian collusion with the Trump campaign, the Qatar blockade, and try if possible to focus on the good things in your life.

Today I offer 99 Things That Make Me Smile:

1.) Being on time
2.) Watering the flower boxes
3.) Lots of helping hands to make a big job, go fast
4.) Stumbling on to a “new” favorite restaurant
5.) Early to bed, early to rise.
6.) A winter tan that makes co-workers weep
7.) Blackened hot dogs. Yum.
8.) Dad’s work bench
9.) Weathered barns
10.) Orderliness
11.) Orange juice with my morning coffee
12.) Napping in the afternoon
13.) Singing in the shower
14.) Living in a vacation town, during the off season
15.) Import/Export stores

16.) B & B escapes
17.) Slow dancing with him
18.) Being in balance
19.) Pizza with crispy paper thin crusts
20.) Wild strawberries peeking up in the flowerbeds
21.) Ivory soap, it floats
22.) Ski week-ends at Mt. Bachelor, Bend, Oregon
23.) Calling anyone wearing a name tag by their name
24.) Cobblestone streets and meandering alleys
25.) Handmade

26.) Rain drops hitting a pond
27.) Having to ask the only guy in the room to open a tight jar lid
28.) Front row seats
29.) Spring cleaning
30.) Amazon (I may have said this one before)
31.) Rational thinking
31.) Mother May-I?
32.) Half price sales
32.) Peas dangling from a trellis
33.) Freedom of Speech
34.) Hipfish
35.) Cookbooks with food stains on most every page
36.) Author signings

37.) Watching a smile break into a laugh
38.) Watching an old couple walk hand in hand
39.) Telling a joke and getting it just right
40.) Songbirds
41.) Tossing coins into a fountain with a wish
42.) Stepping out of my comfort zone
43.) Realizing my moral compass was tested, and I remained true to my core beliefs
44.) Rethinking time worn assumptions
45.) Watching a talent blossom
46.) Tracey’s homemade ice cream
47.) Childhood remembrances, with a childhood friend
48.) The pace of 1960’s life
49.) Following Estate Sale signs
50.) Offering someone hope
51.) Riding in small town parades
52.) Knowing when to turn back
53.) Loving the one ‘you’re with’

54.) Putting pennies in a jar
55.) Deciding to change a bad behavior
56.) Being able to never have to go to the bank
57.) Bicycle days
58.) Fresh cut grass
59.) Starry nights
60.) Comics and cartoons
61.) Vampire movies
62.) Puzzles
63.) Sandcastles
64.) Essential oils
65.) The excitement of Las Vegas
66.) Zen koans (Collection of Stones and Sand)
67.) Realizing it is time to stop talking
68.) The roar of the ocean
69.) An encouraging word
70.) Pyramids of tea sandwiches
71.) My birthstone, the amethyst
72.) Tickets to the opening Blazer game
73.) The lawn mower starting with first pull

74.) Ferry boats
75.) Pull over sweaters
76.) Being a Pisces
77.) Biographies of accomplished people
78.) Using actual hand signals for turns
79.) Knowing when its time to work and when its time to play
80.) Buying a CD of old time radio shows, turn down the lights, find a comfortable chair, and let the magic happen
81.) Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
82.) Magicians
83.) A kiss with meaning
84.) Frank Sinatra with dinner
85.) Paying my Visa card bill with my MasterCard
86.) Grand kids for the week end
87.) Refrigerators full of beer and soda pop

88.) Gothic beauty
89.) The aroma of fresh baked cookies
90.) Having a real home office
91.) Having a plan
92.) The Benson Hotel, Portland, Oregon
93.) Rag & Bone
94.) Being ready for a surprise question
95.) Having someone in my life that I can be totally honest with
96.) Pushing aside old food prejudices
97.) Being smart
98.) Acting stupid
99.) Planting something

Take your time. The scandal and corruption in the Trump Administration is going to be around for a longer time than I would ever want, so think of your own 99 Things that make you smile.
I’ll be back Monday, or later tonight. Weekends at the beach always brings friends.

Dar

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Twitter And Me

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Twitter And Me

D. S. Mitchell

I love Twitter. I hate Twitter. I love Twitter. I hate Twi….I know.  I sound a bit confused in my base emotions surrounding this global social sparring arena, and I am. My relationship with the Twitter platform,  reminds me of a couple bad relationships I’ve had in my life. I hate you, I love you, I apparently, “love to hate you”. There is something to be said about high adrenaline, at times, however it is usually like placing a pile of papers on a table and turning on a fan.  I forgot who said that, but I think it is applicable.

To all of the clear thinking, intelligent, brilliant folks that hope for a more tolerant and inclusive world, I love tossing tweets back and forth, and I love you all. So many caring and committed individuals wanting to do everything they can do, to advance the Progressive agenda.

The ‘I hate’ side of me, comes out when somebody in the audience decides to suddenly join in, by launching a vile attack.  Why would someone chose to do that?  Hmmm. Good question.  Not all vicious attacks come from  paid Russian trolls, I have decided. Is it because the offender didn’t get any nookie last night, or did Mom yell at him,  did he get a bad grade, was he passed over for a promotion, did he have a fender bender?

Who, the Hell knows?  The angry emotions propelling those rapid little finger hits on the phone keys  subvert the medium itself, “I can’t see you. You can’t see me.  So, I will say something disgusting and revolting because there are no consequences for my actions”.  That excuse makes no sense if you are a person with a moral compass.  Each of us are the words we speak, our words are our legacy.

It’s easier to be thoughtless and insulting, when an individual doesn’t have to look an opponent in the eye. I can tell by the tone of the tweets that many of the folks in the cyber world are red faced, white knuckled, jaw grinding angry.

So, all I’m saying is that,  if someone is mad, they should be able to find enough self control, to re-channel that anger, turn it to energy and go run a couple miles, go for a swim, clean out the garage, wax the floors, do the laundry, walk the dog, VOLUNTEER. Get that unhealthy anger out, through exercise and accomplishment, rather than attacking someone 5,000 miles away that you will never see.

Being a bully, whether at work, on the playground, or on the web, is just ugly.  It’s inexcusable. It is disgusting and it needs to stop.

If you are angry and you want to increase the value of your argument, be intelligent, and thoughtful in your comments.  People will listen.  People are ready for fresh and inspirational ideas and solutions.

Anyone can put a string of four letter words together, even me. But, I’m asking that we aim to be better than that.  We are all, in the end, just human beings trying to do the best we can in an uncertain world.

As such, we don’t always attain the level of goodness that we aspire to, but if there is no aspiration then there is no gain.  There  is no improvement or advancement.  If we are going to resort to base instincts, then I suggest we are still cavemen, but now we have technology as our club.

I listen to conservatives, all the time.   I don’t need to agree with them, but I try to listen until they begin attacking, or trying to spin their arguments BACK TWO DECADES to the actions of Bill Clinton’s scandal plagued presidency.

I find it truly offensive that someone who doesn’t even know me, resorts to calling me such vile names as, bi—, sl–, cu–, wh—, as—–.  I feel, that only people who really know me and have evidence to support those epithets, should be allowed to use them.  You know, what I mean.  Save those really nasty words for someone you know that can live up to them.

Twitter should be respected as a great social platform, where people can safely exchange ideas in a civilized manner. A good fight is one thing, but using an outhouse of vile, foul language to shut down the exchange of ideas is really inappropriate. I understand passion.  Passion comes from understanding your goals and developing a sensible plan to reach those goals.  As such, it is not achieved through angry vile rants to someone that has volunteered an opinion on a topic you oppose.

Some people are blaming the impulsive, out of control behavior displayed by the Trump White House, as the cause.  The theory is that “if Trump can do it, so can I” has taken over social media thinking, and on-street hostile behaviors.  I’m not sure I’m ready to jump on the back of that hypothesis.

I am however, ready to ask folks on social media to respect a couple of the basic original Twitter platform objectives of idea sharing and participation in live events, in a safe, albeit, abbreviated manner.  In my mind, it is almost like the old telegraph communications translated to cyber space.

I think sometimes 140 characters is too limiting, and maybe that fact leads to misunderstandings. I don’t know,  I just know that today I felt, I needed more than those 140 characters to express my feelings on this issue.

So, follow me on Twitter, and talk nice.

Calamity Politics prides itself in addressing relevant topics and hopefully opening a dialog for political discussion. The commentary usually consists of a daily, mildly caustic post.  The viewpoint is definitely progressive in nature.  Calamity Politics focuses primarily on the United States political scene.

Remember, if you are against the Republican agenda, or just against the Trump regime; step up and take action.  The action does not need to be earthshaking, but it needs to be done consistently. Write a letter, join a protest march, put a “resist” bumper sticker on your car, call the White House, run for office. Take some action.  It is the collection of many actions that brings success to a movement.

Dar

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Karl Rove Goes On Trump Attack

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Karl Rove Goes On Trump Attack

D. S. Mitchell

I have not heard Karl Rove’s name for quite sometime. When George W. Bush was in office Karl Rove dominated the news. Today he runs a SuperPac, or something.

Mr. Rove was not someone that I particularly liked when he was in the spotlight. However, in the Wall Street Journal yesterday Karl Rove took a bite at Donald Trump’s ankle. Here are a few samples of the criticism from that WSJ Op Ed.

Rove’s first nip was just another attack chorused by many Washington insiders, “He (Trump) lacks the focus or self discipline to do the basic work required of a president.”

Karl, most of us out here in the real world have known that simple observation for quite some time.  In my opinion, if Trump hadn’t inherited $300,000,000 million dollars when his father died I doubt whether he would have been able to hold a job due to his severe personality disorder.

Without his massive inheritance I can see Trump  drifting from job to job and living in his cousin’s trailer.  I think that sometimes the public believes that these rich guys are really, really smart. Yeah, some of them are really smart.  However, a whole lot of them inherited vast fortunes, have built up an inside network beginning at their private schools.  It’s nice to be an insider, it takes a lot of money and a lot of time.  It’s all about who you know and who you break bread with.

Rove continued his ankle biting attack, ” His (Trump) chronic impulsiveness is apparently unstoppable and clearly self defeating.  Mr. Trump may have mastered the modes of communication (Twitter) , but not the substance, thereby sabotaging  his own agenda.”

Pretty strong words coming from “Bush’s Brain”.  Getting fired up, Karl continues, “Mr. Trump has figured out how to tweet his way around the mainstream media.  Yet, by disregarding basic fact checking, he is deepening the already considerable doubts Americans have about his competence and trustworthiness.”

I probably shouldn’t give Karl too much credit for his Trump attack.  I assume that Karl Rove is more about saving the GOP, than Donald Trump.  My gut tells me that Karl was approached, in some way, by a group of rich Republicans who are beginning to feel the heat, and are getting nervous about Trump and want to distance themselves from the coming cataclysm.

What I find so amazing is that there are so many pans on the stove that the cook is unsure which one to take off the burner first;  Russian collusion, money laundering, bribery, self-dealing, corruption, obstruction of justice.  My hope is that Robert Mueller is able to pull the pans off the stove at the right time and produce a banquet of charges against Trump, The Trump Organization, The Trump Campaign, Jared Kushner, Mike Flynn, Jeff Sessions, Paul Manafort, Mike Pence, and everyone of those other folks who have been twisting the law for their own enrichment and holding hands with a foreign government while swearing to protect the United States Constitution and its people.

Remember, do something today to forward the Resistance. Write the letter, make the call, share a progressive tweet. Stay involved. Stay invigorated. Do not give into fatigue. We are fighting the most dangerous threat to Democracy since the founding of the Republic.

Dar

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Charitable Giving Stays ‘In House’ With Trump Family

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Charitable Giving Trump Style

D. S. Mitchell

About Calamity News

Calamity Politics is a progressive political blog published on the North Oregon coast.  Calamity News and Politics aims to present engaging political commentary and analysis, where we, in our own sarcastic and cynical  manner put a spotlight on interesting and topical news issues.  Since January 20th, 2017, Calamity Politics has focused its energies on keeping the media spotlight on the calamitous and outrageous scandals centering around the Trump Administration. The Trump family is a scandal factory.

Trump News

The headline news, and the back pages too, of  yesterday’s papers were full of juicy stories.  I know… I complain about it a lot. Too many absolutely incredible salacious stories for me to keep up with. Nobody can write fast enough. I keep struggling on, however. Trump’s Twitter Turds. Mar-a-lago advertisements on the White House website. Melania Trump advertising her jewelry on Pinterest.  Speaking of Melania; a whole crop of nude photos from the 1990’s have surfaced. Kellyanne Conway is hawking Ivanka Trump’s apparel in front of the Presidential Seal. It keeps me slack-jawed.

Arm Waving Outrage

Never in my lifetime could I have imagined such outrage. If you aren’t mad, I mean screaming, arm waving, foot stomping mad, you are not paying attention. Listen, ladies and gentlemen the ongoing scandals, brewing up from the sewer of corruption known as the Trump Administration, is beyond comparison. I am not even talking about the possible conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians.

The Eric Trump Foundation

The above three paragraphs were just me on a rant. Pardon me. The subject of today’s story is the manipulation and clear corruption of The Eric Trump Foundation by Donald Trump Sr. According to a Forbes story, in 2007 Eric Trump established the Eric Trump Foundation. The stated goal was to raise money for St. Jude’s Research Hospital. St. Jude’s is a hospital that specializes in cancer treatment of children. At that time, Eric chose several of his friends to sit on the board.

Initial Event

According to the promotional for the first event, The Eric Trump Foundation claimed costs would be minimal. Eric stated he could use the Trump National Golf Course, in Westchester County, New York for “free’. At the time Eric said, “We get to use our assets (the golf course) 100% free of charge.”

St. Jude’s Hospital

Information provided by several outlets including NBC, MSNBC, Forbes, and the Washington Post, show that Eric Trump delivered $11,000,000 between 2007 and 2015 to the St. Jude’s Research Hospital.  Sources further show that in addition to the $11 million Eric helped raise an extra $5,000,000 for St. Jude’s “through events hosted by other groups”.

Trump Sr Gets Involved

According to Eric Trump Foundation IRS filings the overhead cost of the golf course charity event was around $50,000, and although not “free” as claimed, certainly within reason for such an event. After 2010 apparently, Donald J. Trump, Sr caused expenses to more than double. A former employee, Ian Gillule, stated that Donald Sr. went on a terror when he learned that The Eric Trump Foundation wasn’t being “billed” for the club use. When the old guy flipped out according to Gillule he insisted that “EVERYONE” gets billed. From that point on, costs ballooned. In 2011 the costs were up to $142,000.  By 2015, the costs for the invitational golf event exceeded $322,000.

Excessive Fees

Forbes reported the increased costs for the tournaments coincided with two events. The first being Donald Trump, Sr deciding to “bill” the charity event.  Second, changes to The Eric Trump Foundation Board of Directors. Reports claim The Eric Trump Foundation began using its charitable status to “funnel” donations that donors believed were going to St. Jude’s Research Hospital, instead to The Trump Organization. This was done by charging excessive fees to use Trump properties during fundraisers, and then “re-donating” other funds to charities “friendly” to Trump interests.

Paying Daddy

Numerous news sources report The Eric Trump Foundation paid $1.2 million dollars to the Trump Organization between 2007 and 2015 despite Eric Trump’s claims they had “free” use of the links and buildings for the St. Jude’s event.  Based on filings from The Eric Trump Foundation and other charities, it becomes clear that the course was not free.

Watchdogs

Charity watchdogs told Forbes Magazine “the listed expenses defy any reasonable cost justification for a one-day golf tournament”. Dan Alexander writing for Forbes reported that they had uncovered that the Donald J. Trump Foundation, “apparently used Eric’s charity to funnel $100,000 into generating revenue for The Donald J. Trump Foundation.

Investigations

New York state is investigating The Donald J. Trump Foundation for its not so charitable activities. The president’s foundation had come under earlier scrutiny for “self dealing and advancing the interests of its namesake” rather than those of charity. Alexander wrote,”All of this seems to defy federal tax rules and state laws that ban self-dealing and misleading donors.  The Eric Trump Foundation suspended operations in December of 2016, after his father won the presidential election. Currently, Eric and Don Jr. are running the Trump Organization. That fact alone, raises larger questions about Trump family dynamics and whether Eric and Don Jr. are handling the Trump Org independent of their father

Hallucinating Mind

I think we all know there is no separation between the president and the affairs of the Trump Organization. The veil is obviously fake. It is clear old man remains involved in Trump Organization. Such activities should disqualify Trump from holding any public office, much less the presidency. Trump has not set up a blind trust by any stretch of the imagination. The Forbes story summation, “Altruism as a business development strategy isn’t necessarily illegal.  But, a situation in which outside donor money is redeployed away from the core mission in ways that seems to ultimately benefit the family that pays the majority of the Board is–at best–an appearance problem”.

Keeping It In House

Think about it. Just another example of the Trump family keeping the money ‘in house’. Remember, you can’t just sit around. These are challenging times. The president is head of a crime family. He must be replaced. Support the Resistance. Make a phone call, write a letter to the local newspaper, write a letter to your Senator, your representative. If you want to become more involved start a blog, march in a protest, run for office. Pick one small task each day, and do it.  It is the totality of action that moves mountains and societies.  Taking a phrase and reusing it in a whole new way, ‘just do it”.

Join the Resistance