Category: Government

Self Inflicted Crisis

  By

Self Inflicted Crisis

D. S. Mitchell

What a difference a day makes. Not only has it gone from sun and fun here at the Oregon coast but a big storm has blown in, sending us all here at Calamity Politics, running inside to escape the heavy rain and driving wind.

To top it off, I have managed to lose my eyeglasses. How? I do not know, but that bit of stupidity has proved expensive, and inconvenient. I went into Costco and my prescription is good until July, so they ordered me another pair of glasses. Two hundred nineteen dollars later and a delivery date sometime next week, caused me a bit of frustration and irritation.

In my case, the lost glasses are a bad thing. I’m currently wearing my prescription sunglasses, trying to get enough light to my retinas to see what I’m doing. Considering the change in weather, the sunglasses look really dumb.

So, enough of my personal nonsense. As Calamity Politics’ blogger-in-chief I am frothing at the mouth to comment on the craziness of this week in U.S. political headline news.

Stories are emerging, of a raging and screaming President Trump reacting to the growing Russian collusion reports on television. The televised testimony of Yates and Comey seems to be the true cause of Trump firing the FBI Director.

Continue reading

Trump Slush Fund Scandal

  By ,

Trump Slush Fund Scandal

D. S. Mitchell

Inaugural Donors

After Trump’s election, the campaign asked for contributors to the Presidential Inauguration. Lo and behold, they collected the biggest Inaugural nest egg in history.  The total take, which was just disclosed by the Trump Administration in Federal Election Commission filings this week, totaled a staggering 106.7 million dollars. It was the largest haul in inaugural history. There were obviously some very happy Republicans.

Rachel Maddow Show

The Inaugural fund-raising was the lead story on The Rachel Maddow Show, the other night.  Rachel told her audience that there was an ongoing investigation. In fact, the investigatory group had tracked down a large number of suspicious donor names and phony addresses. According to the watchdogs, there were strange names, such as Katherine Johnson, NASA. Really? Not the Katherine Johnson made famous in Hidden Figures? NASA? I guess the recorder didn’t expect anyone to be checking those names and addresses. There were also several vacant lots listed as residences. Strange.

Continue reading

It’s Just Politics

  By , ,

It’s Just Politics

D. S. Mitchell

The Bloggisphere

Writing for Calamity News and Politics gives me a platform to discuss headline events and political policy. It also provides me a place to vent and fume. If somebody doesn’t like the drum I’m beating, they are fully able, and encouraged to move on; to a site that better satisfies their social view of the world.

My Son

“Don’t get so wound up, it’s just politics”, my son recently told me.  Well, whether I’m saying it to my son, or to a potential reader, or to a neighbor, that is the wrong attitude. In the end, politics is policy, and policy effects everything in our lives. The schools, the hospitals, the parks, the highways, the airports, the waterways, international trade, health care, military defense and social justice.  Nearly every part of our daily life is effected in someway by the policies that our elected officials enact in Washington, D.C., or our state capitols. Got it?

Continue reading

Trump Pay-to-Play

  By ,

Trump Pay-to-Play

D. S. Mitchell

Story Lines

Sometimes, I don’t find a story that calls to me.  I may wander around after researching all day and still not have a firm story subject. But, Friday, Rachel Maddow reminded me of the Florida Attorney General scandal. And that  story’s lingering entanglement to President Donald Trump.

Campaign Clamor

This is the story of Pam Bondi. Bondi is a Florida Republican politician. In 2013 she accepted a $25,000 donation to one of her campaign support groups, by The Donald J. Trump Foundation.  That year Ms Bondi was running unopposed as incumbent Attorney General.  Then Governor Rick Scott and Bondi had both been clamoring for faster executions in their state.

Campaign Convenience

With that “faster execution policy” ringing in the ears of Floridians, Governor Rick Scott granted a request by Bondi to postpone an execution. The execution of convicted rapist/murderer, Marshall Gore, was postponed to accommodate Bondi’s “long-planned” re-election campaign kick-off. It seems to me and many other commentators, no matter what your stand on the death penalty, it is not okay to postpone executions to accommodate political fund-raising. The reason I bring this up as a preface to the Trump-Bondi story, is that it says something about the character of the people involved. Read on, and decide for yourself.

Trump Thinking

In September 2016, candidate Donald Trump paid an IRS fine of $2,500 for an illegal political donation. That fine was for his foundations donation Bondi’s re-election group. It is illegal for tax exempt charitable groups to make political contributions, thus the fine. Trump earlier in his career talked about political campaign contributions.  He said, “I’m a businessman, and a very substantial donor to very important people.  When you give, they do whatever you want them to do.”

Cynicism In Practice

Pretty cynical, but it fits into this whole scheme of getting your money’s worth. What you give to a candidate, and what you demand from that candidate in exchange for your donation money is  ‘Pay to Play’. Segue back to 2013. In her role as top Florida law enforcement officer, Pam Bondi was deciding whether Florida should join in a multi-state probe into Trump University. Trump University was a bogus program that con man Trump used to scam a bunch of folks out of their money.  It was a real estate seminar program with lots of lies, promises, and no benefit to the consumer.

Expectations

While Bondi’s Justice Department was considering jumping into the Trump University investigation, Pam Bondi called Donald Trump. She introduced herself and asked for Trump to appear at a fund-raising event. She then asked for a campaign donation. From this point I’m going to speculate. Trump, knew  Florida was considering joining the multi-state probe into the Trump University. The cynical Trump promptly turned the phone call to his advantage. Obviously, Bondi knew what Trump wanted in return for the donation.  The Miami Herald commented that “this was not the behavior of an ethical prosecutor.” And continued, “If Ms Bondi promised to back off  a Trump University suit, in exchange for a campaign donation, that could be a crime.”

All The Cases All The Time

Later, Bondi would claim she had “no idea” there was a case being reviewed by her office against Trump University.  Seems damn strange to me.  Before I was a rebel journalist, I was an RN.  I was a Charge Nurse, meaning I ran the unit.   As a  Charge Nurse, I needed to know the condition of ALL of the patients at ALL times. When you head a judicial agency, you should know about every potential case. Especially one involving a high-profile celebrity. So, if I had my Sherlock Holmes cap on, I’d suggest Ms Bondi and President Trump have lied to us, about their actions and their motives.

An Inquiry Long Past Due

The Miami Herald, pushed for an inquiry, which to the best of my knowledge has never happened.  The actions of the Florida Justice Department were vigorously defended by attorney Carlos Muniz, Bondi’s chief of staff. What brings this story back to the forefront is Carlos Muniz. Muniz has now been tapped by President Trump to become General Counsel for the Department of Education. The web of scandal and corruption entangling these people is mind-boggling. I’d say that $25,000 bought more than one politician.

Join the Resistance

BLACKWATER PRINCE

  By , , ,

Blackwater Prince

D. S. Mitchell

**Digby Parton for Salon, and Jeremy Scahill for Intercept, have provided most of the investigative information for this story.  Calamity Politics, does not have the ability to do investigative journalism, but instead relies on several reporting sources to bring a story to my readers. The comments and analysis are all D.S.M. 

Who Is Erik Prince?

Erik Prince, is the billionaire Navy Seal and one time owner of Blackwater USA, is in the crosshairs today.  Prince owned the renegade mercenary company when they worked in Iraq.  The private military company was plagued with reports of beatings and theft. In 2007 while guarding an allied convoy, Blackwater soldiers opened fire on unarmed Iraqi citizens, including women and children in Nisour Place, Bagdad.  The massacre killed 17 and wounded 20.

Family Ties

The guilty were prosecuted, after several stops and starts,  the Feds convicted one man of murder, he got 30 years.  Four other Blackwater defendants received lesser sentences. The disgraced billionaire sold Blackwater. Since then he has done financial consulting. A couple of interesting facts have emerged recently. First, Prince’s  sister is the newly appointed and controversial Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.  Second, he is the son of a billionaire far right-wing activist, who spent millions of dollars to push his beliefs legislatively, and as Betsy said, “We expect results, when we give money.”

Back Door

Erik Prince was with Trump on election night.  Prior to the election, Prince would sneak in the back door of Trump Tower, so as not to be seen by the gaggle of reporters in the lobby. When questioned on the Prince association with the Trump campaign, Sean Spicer, denied there was any involvement between the Blackwater founder and the White House. “If there had been an association,” Spicer said, “it was insignificant.” Despite denials of a close relationship between Prince and Trump it is clear that Prince is giving  intel and defense advice. Prince has been a close associate of Mike Pence. Both have an extreme right-wing “militant theocratic worldview,” Salon reported.

On Intel Radar

“Considering that Trump’s knowledge of world affairs can barely fill a shot glass, seeing Erik Prince among the inner circle of advisors is unnerving,” said an inside source, “he has gone off the rails and has exposed many U.S. citizens to criminal liability.” Prince currently lives in Abi Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  Prince a shadowy figure is known to be under investigation by the Dept of Justice and several other agencies for suspected money laundering, and attempts to broker military services of foreign governments. Erik Prince is aware and angry over the surveillance. He has complained loudly that his movements are constantly monitored.  Numerous associates have acknowledged that the government has warned them to, “cease doing business with him. He is on the radar of every Intel service in the world.”

Breitbart Interview

In July 2016, Erik Prince was on Steve Bannon’s Breitbart radio program.  At the time Prince pushed ” a kill/capture” program that the U.S. used in Vietnam.  Prince suggest the need for a “Phoenix program”  to deal with Islamic terrorists. He called it an “assassination ring”. More recently, Erik Prince met for two days in the Seychelles with officials from the Russian government as an  “emissary” from the Trump campaign.

Another Russian Connection

Another, Trump-Russian association. I can’t imagine this. I remember hiding under my desk because the Russians were going the kill me with an atomic bomb.  Now, I find out that the Russians are here running our government. I pray that the conspiracy/collusion stories are false, but I doubt it. If there was no collusion, why are all these meetings secret? I want to get to the bottom of the Russian election interference. The stonewalling at the legislative investigative committee level, gives me deep concerns. Partisanship appears to be guiding the congressional investigation. I truthfully believe this association between the Russian government and the Trump campaign could spell the death to our democracy.

Mission

I will continue to write about the headline news of the day, and the urgent political stories that are keeping Americans awake at night. The political drum beat is pounding irritably. I believe the Republic is in great danger and if there was ever a need to raise your voice, now is that time.

Join the Resistance

 

“I’m A Smart Guy”

  By , ,

I’m A Really Smart Guy

By D. S. Mitchell

Behind My Desk

Calamity Politics is a political news blog reacting to the world around us through analysis, and commentary. The topics change, but my passion for the news and political policy remains hot. I hope that never changes. The activities in Washington, D. C. affect our lives in a wide range of ways. When those results are harmful to the citizenry emotions run hot. Information is important to keep us informed and involved. If you do nothing else, stay tuned in and participate.

Donald Says

Donald Trump claims, “I’m a really smart guy”. Self evaluation by a diagnosed Narcissistic Personality Disordered person must be measured by the facts, not his bellicose statements.

Grow Into The Job

Today, I want to talk about Donald Trump’s “growth.”  A widespread pundit theory has it that Donald Trump is “learning and growing” into the job. Apparently, some people feel comfortable watching Trump learn on the job. I do not. He is the president of the United States, not an apprentice grocery checker.

Campaigning

On the campaign stump, Trump often said running the country was, “so  easy, folks.” The fast talking New York con artist told audiences that Washington wasn’t working because, all those people are “too stupid” and “too corrupt,” to make it work. Finishing with, “I can make it work”. Big claims for a guy who was a historic failure at most everything. He went through bankruptcy six times, married three times and avoided military service with doubtful claims of “bone spurs”. Even more important, he never served in government, and was never elected to office, not even in high school or college.

Lots Of Drama

Trump’s simplistic claims resonated with a lot of people. The speeches ginned up and excited the attendees. “Lock her up.” “Drain the swamp.” Heated rhetoric spun by a know-nothing television celebrity drew big crowds across the country. The violent overtones of the rallies were palpable. Drama, lots of drama. It never seemed real. But, it was. And Trump is now president. The hell with government policy. The hell with experience and knowledge.  Who cares that people are suffering  around this country.  These are vulnerable people who depend on good government to help them with housing, health care, education and food security.

Continue reading

The Deepening Swamp

  By , , ,

The Deepening Swamp

D. S. Mitchell

Diggin’ For Dirt

As a political junkie, my ears perked up when I heard the White House Visitor Log will no longer be publicly available. Journalists and nosy neighbor’s are similar in some respects. We want to know what’s going on. It just drives us bird dogs, tail chasing crazy when there are secrets. It makes no sense to me. Why would an administration that is already embroiled in multiple scandals, on multiple fronts, decide to hide the visitor log information?

It Is Obvious

The answer is obvious. The White House does not want the public to know which corporate executives, lobbyists and other people of interest visit the West Wing of the White House. The more the President and his associates try to run a secret government, the more we will investigate. Us nasty, disgusting, journalists will dig around to uncover “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why” and “how”. And, that process all starts with the basic, “why”?

Continue reading

Trump Claims Immunity

  By ,

Trump Claims Immunity

D. S. Mitchell

Lily

I’m still pounding out blog posts, between answering the Calamity Politics phone and letting the dog in and then out. It is a game Lily likes to play. But, her game is torture to me. If you have a dog you get it. If you have a cat, you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Turn It Off

I turned off the television, quieting the week-end political news shows. I am sick of hearing about North Korean military parades, and listening to the “what we will do next” scenarios. There are several old stories that don’t want to die. This Trump news story began several years ago. And as with most court cases I expect it to drag on a ridiculously long time.

Continue reading

RUMBLINGS AND GRUMBLINGS

  By

Rumblings And Grumblings

D. S. Mitchell

FOREIGN POLICY

The dog has been walked. My Dinner is the remainder of my Cobb Salad, from lunch. I’m waiting for The Rachel Maddow Show to end. Dan Rather is giving an interesting interview, or I would just turn it off.

I worked on a long Calamity Politics blog post earlier today. The article focused primarily on the similarities between Donald Trump and Jared Kushner. What I want to do now, is drink an Irish Coffee, and get into the hot tub, and zone out.

But, I spend 23 hours a day wound up, thinking about the wild, turbulent, U.S. political daily may lay, and have trouble unwinding. Like right now, I cannot forget that 59 Tomahawk missiles were launched at a Syrian airbase on April 7th, 2017 by United States naval forces, for a yet, undefined purpose. Each one of those Tomahawk missiles cost a million dollars.

Less than a week later, the American military dropped the “mother of all bombs,” or, a MOAB, on a set of ISIS tunnels and linked caves, in Afghanistan. So, back to the previous question. What is the purpose? Is there a thought out strategy? We killed 36 terrorists. How much did that bomb cost? I think I read that bitch cost 314 million dollars. That is about $85 million dollars per ISIS fighter.

On top of that, the Carl Vinson and its Pacific Command strike force are headed toward the Korean Peninsula. Where apparently, the 30 year old dictator of North Korea, is having a party to celebrate his Grand dad’s birthday, and possibly detonate a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. Vice President, Mike Pence, is headed to South Korea as the first stop on his Asian tour. Is that reassuring, or not? I mean, Pence being there. If there is going to be a conflagration, wouldn’t he want to stay away? Or, maybe they know that no one is going to push the button and start a war, so it’s okay for him to go, right?

What am I gonna do? I can’t just ignore this stuff. It’s my job to report on the political news. I think I’ll have that Irish Coffee, to start with. Good night.

Join the Resistance

Dar

TRUMP TAX MARCH – Saturday, April 15

  By , ,

Trump Tax March

D. S. Mitchell

Two Hot Topics

I woke up this morning and turned the TV channel to ‘New Day’. There were two hot news topics. Christine Romans and the guests were mostly focused on 1.) Trump’s attack on the Syrian air fields and 2.) how long Steve Bannon would be able to hang on at the White House. It seems Bannon has been banging heads with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. To escape the two big stories, here at Calamity News and Politics I’m going to focus my political discussion for a few minutes on the Trump Tax March, scheduled for April 15, 2017.

Frank Started It

N.Y. comedian Frank Lesser, started it all. Lesser admits he has somehow become the center of the protest tax movement. He is definitely pushing the “Don the Chicken,” mascot theme. Just from a personal perspective, I want to see those dumb birds floating over huge protests from coast to coast.

Changing Story

Trump’s story has changed over time. Before Trump ran for president he said he would release his tax returns. When Trump entered the 2016 election campaign he said he would release his taxes when “the IRS finishes its audit.” After he won the election,  Kellyanne Conway stated flatly that Trump would “never release his taxes.” She did however, back off somewhat, later saying, “maybe,” he would release his tax records.

Tax Returns Tell A Story

As a self-appointed political analyst it is clear to me that the only way Trump is going to publish his tax returns is if the public forces that publication. It will probably come through the courts. There is currently noise in the Congress to subpoena Trump’s taxes. The reason to look at his tax returns is, “to unravel his entanglements with foreign governments to discern whether he used illegal tax shelters,” said Lessor. It is essential we know “who he owes money to”. And how does that debt affect his actions as president.

Ready And Willing

I am hoping for a sizable turnout across the country. I hope political fatigue is not setting in. It hasn’t happened to me. I am still fired up, and looking for a reason to irritate this president in any I can. So, I’m ready to march in Portland, Oregon on 4/15/17. I hope there is a big turnout. But, I won’t be disappointed if it is only me and six friends. Because I am speaking out against the worst scoundrel and liar to ever occupy the Oval Office.

Four Decades Of History

Every U.S. President for four decades has released his tax returns. Trump is being sued right and left over the issue. The suits center over payments from foreign governments that might violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. The American people care what our president is doing financially, and his indebtedness. We care if the president is dishonest. We care where his money is coming from, and where it’s going. There is an unprecedented amount of self promoting going on.  I see Trump frequenting his golf courses, and hotels. Pushing the brand. Ivanka and Melania are seen modeling jewelry on Pinterest. Pushing the family brand never stops. I believe, along with several others, it’s time for Trump to release his taxes.

Robert Reich

I’m going to add some comments that Robert Reich, Former Secretary of Labor, made to Newsweek. Reich thinks Trump would already be facing impeachment proceedings if the Congress was not top-heavy with Republicans.

First Issue

When Trump swore to “faithfully execute laws of the Constitution,” he broke that oath when he went on a baseless twitter attack on Barack Obama, accusing him of wire tapping the Trump Tower.

Second Issue

Article 1 Section 9 of the Constitution which forbids government officials from taking things of value from foreign governments. Trump steers diplomatic delegations to his hotels. He had an application for the Trump brand trademark approved in China, after the election. This was an application that had previously been rejected.

Third Issue

According to Robert Reich, the First Amendment that “bans any law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise there of.” Reich believes the “travel ban,” is a ban on Muslims and as such is unconstitutional.

Fourth Issue

“Abridging the freedom of the press”.  Labeling the press “enemies of the people” and limiting access of the press to the administration. Trump thinks limiting access gives him and the administration more positive coverage. This is a very bad precedent.

Fifth Issue

The fifth cause, Article II Section 3 of the Constitution defines treason against the U.S. “adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort”. Many are saying, supported by growing evidence, that Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russians to win the 2016 Presidential election.

Reich Explains

A President of the U.S. can be impeached for “high crimes and misdemeanors”. Reich says, “The question is no longer whether there are grounds to impeach Trump, but whether there’s the political will.” As long as the Republicans are holding power in the House of Representatives it is unlikely much will happen. Any Bill of Impeachment originates in the House. This is why it is critical to flip the House to Blue in 2018.

April 15, 2017

So, with all of this going on, don’t forget to come to the April 15, 2017 Trump Tax March! Hope to see you there. Any discussion of U.S. politics today has to include the disparity of wealth. The Tax March should be part of that larger protest about the income inequality and Trump’s plans for huge tax cuts for the rich, including himself, his cabinet, his friends and his family.

Calamity News And Politics

Calamity Politics was founded to attempt to understand and explain U.S. government policy. CNP is a grass-roots liberal voice. This is a no profit site. There is no advertising. We present news, argue ideas, comment on events and analyze policy from a Progressive point of view.

Join the Resistance