Where is the Payoff?

One of the more frustrating aspects of being a political junkie is the relative simplicity of American politics, we have our district maps, wonky theory, polls up the ying-yang, driven and focused interest groups, finely tuned messaging to the most subtle of strategies in demographics, and constant look-out for new good candidates.

Then some mental hack and ethical cucumber like Karl Rove throws a grenade of pink Band-Aids at John Kerry, and in a relative sense it works. Or an economic variable like soaring oil prices becomes overriding in the swirl of politics and all else is basically ignored, oh well.

Will We Ever Get Military Spending Under Control?

There is a classic scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where Gene Wilder, seeing yet another obvious disaster unfolding by oblivious children, recites a desultory, dull warning of “Don’t….stop…wait…,” knowing full well a tumbling debacle is about to occur yet again.

Such is my resigned state of mind as I bravely tap forth into the stupefying policy disaster of “defense” spending in the United States. Nothing will change and yet again another horror fiscal show leading to disastrous consequences will pass Congress this year with an unbelievable Defense budget bloat of approximately $560 billion, but duty to country, Party and liberalism propel me forth nonetheless.

Threats are a Very Bad Idea, Donald Trump

All through election season 2016 I have been gripped by an eerie feeling of unreality watching the Republicans implode and splat forth Donald Trump, we live in an advanced industrialized democracy, this cannot be happening. Not to my America, not after WWII, never.

Yet it assuredly, incredibly, most certainly has, I’m sure some readers scoffed at my description of Trump as Mussolini but amazingly just this morning my Twitter feed exploded with threats of violence from Trump, look at this:

It's the Unions, Stupid

I could spend a whole piece talking about Donald Trump’s intentional “gooning-up” of his campaign appeal. It is right out of the fascist playbook. After all, the quickest way to distance himself from his fondness for fascist saluting at his events is to turn the protesters into villains.

Instead, let me say that my views on the fall campaign and Hillary’s chances have now changed in the aftermath of Sanders’ surprise victory in Michigan. Plainly put, Hillary is in trouble now.

Oh Republicans You’ve Done It Now

For someone who so virulently loathes Republicans it may seem strange to some that I so rarely write about them, but the trait stems from two basic principles.

First is that you don’t criticize others without having your own house in order. Not only does this direct energy and attention to where it’s obviously needed, it stops one from being a hypocritical obnoxious jerk.

Approaching a Tipping Point With Our Youth

Tipping points are highly prized policy milestones among activists and political geeks, for they herald cherished and much-worked-for markers of real change. What was not acceptable suddenly is, what was not possible finally will happen.

Of course more intensity will be generated to yell at the politicians to at last get with it, for politicians are naturally innately cautious, conservative policy animals, it’s very difficult to gel a personality and policy set that actually works and wins elections, even though the policy environment has changed they’ll stubbornly stick to their muddy obsolescence, often to their eventual defeat.

Too Many Unknowns to be Gleeful About Trump

Like Amanda Marcotte I share a happy anticipation at the prospect of Hillary Clinton running against Donald Trump, even in the lousy and constrained American democracy she should easily smash him, an enjoyable experience with enormous benefits for the country. There are a number of factors, however, that constrain the natural glee from that evolution and ultimately reveal that Trump as a candidate is a negative outcome overall.

When Trump is officially declared be prepared for an excruciating episode of embarrassment, the rest of the civilized industrialized world will be looking at us and absolutely know something has gone terribly wrong, on some levels it’s funny but mostly there will be vastly grave concern that the United States of America has become sick and broken. We have the potential for great leadership, but it will be forever dimmed if we can’t be trusted, of course we can’t be if we’re so dysfunctional.

Stop the Enthusiasm/Turnout Nonsense

For the umpteenth time, members of the media should stop yapping about an enthusiasm/turnout problem for the Democrats based on this primary season relative to the GOP’s turnout. Such concerns are only valid if you assume that all Republicans will actually vote in November for Donald Trump as their nominee. Not only do we already know they won’t (a Rubio or Kasich voter will not vote for Trump), but we also know it isn’t even clear Trump will be getting the nomination without a gory spectacle this spring or in Cleveland at the convention.

Yes, Hillary is a known commodity for better or worse, and does not inspire millions to come out during the primary season. And it should also be pointed out that unlike Republican crazies and racists, who are angry at everyone else out of a false sense of victimhood being fed to them by a treasonous right wing media, Democrats are largely content and not storming the polling places this spring. Having said that, Bernie may still get the nomination for any number of reasons (a campaign cash advantage, and the FBI investigation of Hillary’s email stupidity).

But if you really think millions of African Americans and Latino voters will be disillusioned by a choice between Hillary and Trump and simply stay home this November, then you are nothing more than a 1) member of the media; or 2) a Hillary hater.

Stop Worrying About Benito Trump

There’s been a lot of hand wringing of late amongst the Sanders’ supporters at MSNBC and the Nation about how bad a Hillary-Trump matchup will go for the Democrats this fall. Namely, we’re told that Trump will destroy Hillary over her email mess and how badly he’ll take the blue collar vote from her because of her Wall Street ties, and his promises to bring back jobs through tougher trade policies.

Really? Tell me first how Trump gets past the GOP convention with a nomination and support from a unified party after he, Rubio, and Cruz smear each other over the coming weeks. Do you really think the GOP will unite behind Trump as their nominee, without seeing significant numbers of Republicans stay home or vote for the Democrats? Do you really think Rubio and Cruz supporters will simply forgive and forget?

Do you really think blue collar Democrats will switch sides this fall to vote for a man who intentionally avoids hiring Americans job seekers here at home so he can hire eastern European visa slaves at his domestic enterprises? And that’s assuming there are that many racist blue collar Democrats who will look the other way and ignore Trump’s obvious bias against people of color.

Please stop with the hand wringing and defective analyses.

Cowardice and Confidence

It has been correctly noted that Republican Senate obstruction to President Obama’s next Supreme Court nomination is an act of obvious cowardice, no Party confident of its mission and ideology would so childishly, churlishly hide behind such useless lies and rationalizations.

Well, Supreme Court and other Executive judicial appointments were never considered the crown jewels of Republican power for positive implementation of an agenda, their primary purpose is to hold the authoritarian, capitalist line and squash down any liberal legislative progress.

Nullifying the Constitution and SCOTUS for Secret Society Cultists

The Senate GOP’s refusal to hold hearings or a vote on any Obama nominee to replace Antonin Scalia not only serves to shine a brighter light upon the Republican Party’s efforts to nullify the United States Constitution, but also endangers several GOP senators up for reelection this year.

Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire)
Roy Blunt (Missouri)
Richard Burr (North Carolina)
Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
Johnny Isakson (Georgia)
Ron Johnson (Wisconsin)
Mark Kirk (Illinois)
John McCain (Arizona)
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
Rob Portman (Ohio)
Tim Scott (South Carolina)
Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania)

Yes, some of these GOP incumbents would be immune from general election pressure, but Ayotte, Johnson, Kirk, Portman, and even Grassley and Toomey can be targeted over the coming months for participating in an effort to undermine the Constitution and the third branch of government.

Then it is a separate question why all the GOP Senate incumbents and presidential candidates talk up their love for the recently-deceased Scalia, and would want another secret-society unaccountable elitist to replace him.

I suspect the more we find out about Antonin Scalia and those he associated with, the more uncomfortable it will be for the GOP's chances this year the longer they block a replacement and demand another like him.