July 29, 2020

The ‘menu’ of what to write about today is overwhelming – like almost every other day these days.

Pandemic:  There is, of course, the ongoing pandemic that is raging out of control across the country.  Despite the increasing death toll, which has surpassed the total number of people killed in the Civil War, Trump continues to push to reopen the country, especially schools.  The Major League Baseball season got underway and within four days, games had to be cancelled and some teams are seeing significant numbers of players testing positive for coronavirus.  And we are going to open schools safely how?   Oh, that’s right, we’re going to follow the national plan put out there by Betsy Devos, Secretary of Education.  I seem to have lost my copy – has anyone else seen it?

Testimony of Attorney General Barr:  Attorney General Barr testified before Congress today and was combative as expected, and continued the narrative that the Mueller probe was wrongly instituted and conducted.  That in spite the findings of the DOJ Inspector General and the Republican led Senate Intelligence Committee that the Mueller probe was entirely appropriate.  He has appointed his own investigator who will no doubt come to a completely different conclusion that the DOJ inspector general and the Senate Intelligence Committee supporting Barr’s narrative that the ‘Russia gate’ probe was bogus.  This report will no doubt be released shortly prior to the election!  Barr has made it eminently clear, despite his vehement protestations, that he has become Trump’s Attorney General rather than the Attorney General of the United States.  Lobbying to have the charges against Michael Flynn dismissed; weighing in to reduce the sentence of Roger Stone; firing the lead attorney for the Southern District of New York (and lying about it in the process); – he has completely undermined the credibility of the Department of Justice to the point where over 1,000 former DOJ prosecutors have called for his resignation. 

Deployment of Federal Troops to US Cities:  Trump, supported by Bill Barr, continues to deploy Federal troops to US cities, ostensibly for purposes of ‘Law and Order’. (And why is the footage of some of these encounters ending up in Trump campaign ads?)   However, the Federal troops are uninvited by the local authorities and appear to be bent on escalating the violence.   I wonder what kind of reaction Trump would have if a bunch of uninvited ‘guests’ descended upon Mar A Lago!  Sending Federal troops is guaranteed to escalate violence.  Regardless of what is going on, they will always be viewed as an invading force and be treated as such.  This has nothing to do with ‘Law and Order’ but everything to do with politics.  It’s a page right out of the Authoritarian Playbook.  One of the more interesting exchanges in Barr’s testimony before Congress yesterday when he was challenged as to why he didn’t send Federal agents to protect the Michigan State capitol and Michigan’s governor, when a bunch of heavily armed white people were protesting against the governor’s coronavirus containment measures and were threatening to lynch and behead her!!!  Of course, we all know the answer to that – the people in Michigan were white and supported Trump and the BLM protesters are a mixed bag including a lot of people of color and who do not support Trump.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out.

Congressional Gridlock Holds Up Coronavirus Aid:   The $600 unemployment benefit will run out for a lot of people on July 31^st.  Congress has known this for weeks.  The House passed a bill 10 weeks ago.  And what has Mitch McConnell been doing?  He has continued to push through judicial nominees with dispatch.  That seems to be the priority.   The Senate coronavirus relief bill was done without any input from Democrats and is just now hitting the street.   One has to ask, “What the hell is Congress doing?”   Just for the record – these people work for us, theoretically –  and if we were to collectively write a performance appraisal, they would likely be terminated for cause.

Trump complains that no one likes him:  It is very sad that I am even writing this.  Here we are in the midst of the largest health crisis facing this country in a century and the President of the United States is more concerned about the approval ratings that Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx are getting versus his dismal ratings.  It’s appalling that we have a ‘leader’ who acts like a petulant, jealous child.  The explanation is very simple.  Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx are doing their jobs.  They are providing fact-based recommendations based upon science and data.  Trump, is not doing his job and he constantly lies to the American people.   It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out.  But, then again, Trump lives in ‘Trumpland’ and we all know that is a different reality that most of the rest of us live in.

Melania Trump announces Rose Garden makeover:  And, of course, with all of this chaos going on, the White House feels that its appropriate to announce the First Lady has decided to redo the Rose Garden at the White House.  I think that’s just lovely.   It’s just another example of how this White House is absolutely tone deaf with respect to what is really going on in this country.

If Trump loses will he transition power peacefully:  What the hell is going on in this country?  Never in my lifetime was this even a question.  Now I read more and more articles voicing concern that Trump will do everything to contest the election.  He is already sowing seeds of distrust in the electoral process.  The United States of America, once viewed as the beacon of democracy will become the laughing stock of the world if Trump loses and fails to hand power over peacefully and without protest.   The reputation of this country is already damaged around the world and such a scenario will cause irreparable damage.  This is just another example where it is patently obvious to anyone that cares to give it serious thought that Trump doesn’t give a shit about the United States of America – Trump cares about Trump, period!