Category: Donald J. Trump, President

Trump Turns Religion Political

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churches have been closed during coronavirus pandemic

Trump Turns Religion Political

God’s Word

Trevor K. McNeil

Rights, Right?

It takes the sense of a perceived attack to bring the issue of civil rights into focus.  The measures used by states to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives are now being challenged as unconstitutional. Those arguing against lockdown whining about their rights to do things that aren’t actually rights by any known criteria. Trump tacitly supporting all of them, as part of his half-cocked campaign to downplay the pandemic crisis in case it makes him look bad. While in fact, magnifying the fact that he is an incompetent boob who is not qualified to run a school bake sale, let alone a country.

God Save America

Most recently, Trump has hitched his rickety re-election wagon to the push to reopen churches. A notion on par with putting oil drums in front of the target on shooting ranges, in terms of terrible and deadly ideas. How many pastors and parishioners need to die before people get it though their heads that meeting in large groups in an enclosed space with an airborne disease killing tens of thousands is not the best of ideas? The right to religious freedom not at all withstanding.

Narrow Definition  

That isn’t to say that the right to religious freedom isn’t important and should be, or indeed has been, suspended. Trump has said, “we need more prayer, not less,” but I know lots of religious folks who know full well that this is a false dichotomy. One does not need to be in church to pray. And if there is anyone who is praying less because their holy house of choice happens to be closed at the moment, says more about them and their religious conviction. Trump’s statement is yet another example of the depths of his religious ignorance, including and especially the one he claims to practice in a cynical attempt to appeal to his evangelical Christian base. Going so far as to argue that church is an “essential service.” An absurd statement, not least in terms of the separation of church and state.

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Time For Twitter To Take Action

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When Is Enough, Enough?

By D. S. Mitchell

Hello, Jack Dorsey

I understand that Twitter is a private company. I presume that you are afraid of Donald Trump. He has a lot of people quivering and quaking in fear. You need not look any further than the Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives. He is after all, a man with enormous power. Being the president of the United States however, does not mean that he is above the law, or above basic restraints.

Rules For Everybody

Twitter has posted community rules that clearly describe unacceptable behaviors. Those rules are designed to apply to everyone that uses the Twitter platform. Trump has been misusing Twitter for many years, and sadly Twitter has been complicit. Until yesterday’s institution of “fact check alerts” on some of Trump’s tweets, Twitter has done nothing. Trump and several other politicians, have been allowed to get away with reprehensible and abhorrent behavior, and Twitter has taken no disciplinary action.

@Windsor Mann

Windsor Mann reminded us, “So far today, the president has accused someone of murder, accused Democrats of rigging the election, bragged about 100,000+ deaths, called a congressman a fraud, called the Speaker of the House crazy, and misspelled “too.” And that’s just on Twitter.”

Misuse Of His Office

Trump has demonized his perceived enemies from behind the Resolute Desk. The Oval Office has become the center of false grievances and smear campaigns. Donald Trump has slandered families of veterans and war heroes from the Rose Garden. But his platform of choice is Twitter, where he lies, smears, insults and bullies people everyday. He is an out of control bully. He has been a bully since childhood. His conduct is shameful, and at some point his conduct must be censured.

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Guilt By Association

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Guilt By Association

By Trevor K. McNeil

A Little Bit of History Repeating

History is more of a cycle than a straight line. Those who have looked at it closely recognize trends have a tendency to repeat. Themes and progress ebb and flow in the oceans of time. Sadly, there are some areas where the water is darker than others. One such dark spot in the ocean of time is the anti-Chinese sentiment in North America.

An Ill Wind

One of the more damaging aspects of coronavirus, aside from the death toll, is the misinformation being spread about it. One being the Anti-Chinese sentiment, fostered and fueled by President Trump and his surrogates. Attempting to redirect blame from his colossal mismanagement of the pandemic response Trump continues his attacks on China. Our boneheaded and close to illiterate president regularly promotes the idea that the virus “came from China.”

Historical Reference

Did it spread through China first? Yes. Do we know for a fact that it is where the virus originated? Hell no. In fact, the Chinese point an angry finger to the United States military. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV-2) and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is new and poorly understood. The prevailing theory is that the original carrier was a bat. I’m not sure if you’ve ever noticed, but bats fly. Over a fair bit of distance. As a historical reminder the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic did not originate in Spain, but rather Kansas and was spread by American soldiers.  Not that it matters anyway. The country of origin not nearly as important as how to stop the spread of SARS CoV-2 and cure the disease among those who contract it.

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Biden Metrics

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Biden Metrics

By D. S. Mitchell

The Breakfast Club

On Friday morning, May 22, 2020 Joe Biden ventured ‘virtually’ out of his basement to talk to well-known radio host, Charlamagne Tha God, on his nationally syndicated radio program, “The Breakfast Club”. Charlamagne is a Black man, with a large Black audience. That means he has a lot of power to influence Black voters, a great many of them younger voters. Joe Biden’s interview ruffled a lot of feathers. And now 48 hours later the cable television shows are filled with chest thumping Trump supporters, Democratic hand wringers, and Biden apologizers.

Who I Am

Who am I to weigh in on this issue? Some would call me an elderly White woman. I would describe myself as a writer-journalist. It is all about perspective. First, I want to make it clear that by writing this article I am in no way attempting to minimize or be dismissive of Black suffering in this country. I am in no way putting myself into the shoes of any Black or Brown person. But, I will say, that Black and Brown people are not alone in their struggle against discrimination, including economic and physical abuse. As a woman I want to say I have been denied equal pay. I have been denied credit. I have faced verbal and physical attack, including rape. This country, for all of its proclaimed “greatness” is far less than what it could and should be.

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Equal and Opposite Reaction

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OPINION:

Equal and Opposite Reaction

By Trevor K. McNeil

Together And Then We Are Not

We have all heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder. This may well be true in terms of human relationships, but the opposite seems to be the case in terms of international relations. The Republic of Ireland left the British Commonwealth at the first opportunity and hasn’t looked back. Boris Johnson will lead Britain out of the European Common Market sometime soon.  There is a strong, and ever growing, Republican sentiment in Australia. Basically the Aussies want what America already has. A secular, constitutional republic with no ties to Britain. Can it be any wonder then, considering that over two centuries of separation between the two great nations, that certain differences should arise in the way British and Americans do things? Few places is this clearer than in the response to COVID-19. Particularly the issue as to whether their countries should reopen or not.

Can’t Be Bad As All That

Britons know how to handle a crisis. Which only stands to reason considering how many they have been through. Near constant invasions, only William the Conquerer really being successful, and more foreign wars than Jupiter has moons. Which goes a long way to explain why when London was being blown to bits by the Luftwaffe during WWII, the general response was to Keep Calm and Carry On.

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Behind The Hype

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Behind The Hype

By Trevor K. McNeil

The Public Image

Media Studies and Communications are two academic disciplines that examine the content, history, and effects of mass media on the public. It is well-known that media is able to create a particular image. This is neither good or bad in and of itself. It only goes pear-shaped when the impression given is either deceptive, or lacking in important information. Such as making a boarish, pig-ignorant, retrograde failed businessman turned reality show host, who inherited close to half a billion dollars from Daddy but blew it all, look like a viable candidate for president of the United States.  A distinct opposite being the case of Dr. Anthony Fauci,

Popularity Kills the Cred

The 21st century is littered with examples of fraudulent, or at least dubious individuals claiming the title “Doctor” or more often “Dr.” Most often in an effort to legitimize and profit from their self-serving point of view. Author and TV huckster Dr. Phil, does have a PhD in clinical psychology and once held a license in Texas. The state of Texas censured him more than once, for ethics violations. After settling those ethics violations, he gave up his license to practice in 2006. Dr. Phil has been sued twice in California for practicing without a license.  So much for taking advice from this TV doctor.

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Lessons From History

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Lessons From History

By Trevor K. McNeil

The Blink Of An Eye

Appeals to history are a common theme, particularly is modern American politics. Which is quite odd, because post-Columbian America actually has so little history. 1776 might sound like a long time ago, but there are nations in the world, where 240 years is a mere hiccup in time. China has a written history that goes back over 3,000 years. The Scots and the Germans were having border conflicts 2,000 years ago with the Roman Empire.

Historical Revisionism

Trump’s pronoucements that America is having the greatest whatever “in the history of the world” is dubious at best, and laughable at worst. France literally has toilets that are older than post-contact America. References to America’s long and glorious past, only one of these arguably being the case, is a sterling example of historical revisionism in the service of nationalist propaganda.

Sweet Land of Liberty

America’s founding was all about liberty. A term that can, and has changed radically with time and context. From a historical perspective liberty referred specifically and exclusively to the nationalist movements of the time. The term “nationalist” itself referring to someone who supported a geographical region becoming an independent nation. Exemplified today by the Scottish National Party and Bloc Québécois. George Washington, went from rebel to president. *He was the last American leader to represent such “nationalism.” It was this context in which Patrick Henry uttered the immortal “give me liberty or give me death.” Later echoed by Mel Gibson paraphrasing 13th century Scottish separatist Sir William Wallace in Braveheart. Showing just how far back such sentiments really go.

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Don’t Write Off The Postal Service

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The post office is in big financial trouble.

The United States Postal Service is in big financial trouble partly related to coronavirus country wide stay home orders and other economic issues.

Don’t Write Off The Postal Service

By Wes Hessel

Laying Post Office

The United States Postal Service (USPS) roots are so deep, they predate the country itself.  Benjamin Franklin was appointed by the British Crown in 1737 as Postmaster of Philadelphia. In 1753 he was promoted to one of two Joint Postmasters General for the American colonies.  On July 26th, 1775, the Second Continental Congress confirmed Ben Franklin as the first Postmaster General of the United States. In 1792 the congress created the United States Post Office through the Postal Service Act.

Service Oriented

In 1970, postal workers went on strike. They became the first federal employees to engage in collective bargaining. In 1971, the Post Office was reorganized into an independent federal agency and was renamed the United States Postal Service. By 1983, USPS received no public service funding, except as noted by Wikipedia, “subsidies for costs associated with disabled and overseas voters”.

Times Change

with so many business closing, postal delivery has been reduced, along with income.

The closure of so many businesses and colleges has reduced post office income.

The United States Postal Service had surpluses in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.  However, first-class mail income peaked in 2001.  The agency faced intense competition from FedEx and UPS for parcel and express shipping.  Furthermore, email and social media, dramatically reduced Postal income.  One national crises followed by another also hurt the Postal Service income. First, 9/11, then the Great Recession and now the COVID-19 pandemic.

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OPINION: Rules For Thee, Not For Me

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OPINION:

RULES FOR THEE, NOT FOR ME

By Trevor K. McNeil

Power Of Perception

Perception can be powerful. As Mark Twain said, give someone a reputation as “an early riser” and he can stay in bed until noon. Though, as with most things powerful, such perceptions can also be exceedingly dangerous. Like the “honest man” who turns out to be a con man or thief. Or the “quiet guy” who turns out to be a serial killer. Perceptions, especially unverified ones, make it very easy to deceive, particularly ourselves. Such is the case with American Isolationism.

Divided We Stand

The idea of American independence goes back to the beginning. Not only in terms of the country but with the individual states. At the time of founding, the United in United States was more wishful thinking on the part of the founders than expectation. The reality was less a nation than a loose collection of essentially independent British colonies, each with it’s own local government, and usually a militia group, the British being absentee landlords at best.

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OPINION: Watching Democracy Die

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OPINION:

Watching Democracy Die

By D. S. Mitchell

Wisconsin Outrage

Television images captured thousands of voters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin standing in three block long lines, face masks in place, showered intermittently with hail and rain, risking exposure to COVID-19; to exercise their right to vote. This did not need to happen. This should not have happened. Voting should not be an obstacle course. Voting should be one of the easiest things, we as citizens, ever do. It should be as easy as licking an envelope. The vote by mail push is meeting stiff resistance from the far right, particularly from Donald Trump. The politicians fear it would endanger their grip on power. Republicans in Wisconsin, and other states have used voter suppression to shrink the electorate and limit access to the polls for decades.

Anger

I was disgusted at the sight of what was happening in Wisconsin. Furious to my core. So angry, I was crying. Tears are not always shed in weakness, or defeat. Some tears are a physical manifestation of a rage so great that when held back can lead to plate smashing, door slamming, and window breaking. At other times tears are shed because the injustice of events is beyond the understanding of the human heart. In 2018, according to the Brennan Center For Justice “17 million Americans, or 8% of the nation’s electorate, were removed from voting rolls.” The clear intent was to deny particular segments of the population the right to vote.

The Whigs

In the first days of our country there was no such thing as voter registration; white men just showed up and voted. In the mid 1800’s voter registration laws began to emerge. These laws, were designed to limit participation, not encourage involvement.  One of the first voter registration laws in the country was written by New York state Whigs. The Whigs wanted to limit the voting power of Irish Catholic voters in New York City. The Irish were mostly Democratic party voters. But, the Whigs had a plan, and the legislative power to suppress the power of the growing Irish Catholic vote.

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