Takeaway Trump and the Republicants, Take 1, Out of the Gates

I seldom comment on current politics.  Television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet are filled to the brim with controversial discussions about the latest changing news about the proposed changes in our Federal Government.  People study and debate these matters to make a living, and are much more qualified than I to evaluate and comment.  I can only express my own opinions.  

I supported the proposals of Senator Bernie Sanders, and his candidacy for President of the United States.  I voted for Democratic candidates at all levels of government.

My problem with the conservatives and Republicants with a slight majority now in power, and with the rather rude maverick and bold Mr. Takeaway Trump, is their inability to see that you can't have major tax cuts AND a multi-trillion dollar federal infrastructure improvement plan, a modified Affordable Health Care plan, and build up the military to higher levels (all proposed by Mr. Trump).  The typical result from Republican administrations is escalating the national debt, and the rich getting richer. Trickle down economics has failed since the days of President Reagan.  (Read Noam Chomsky, Matt Taibbi, and Burt Hall.) 

Building a new Trump Wall along a 1,950 mile long border through largely deserted desert territory seems wasteful and impractical.  This is not an infrastructure improvement or security improvement. I suggest, for example, beginning with solving Flint Michigan's water problems, and a thousand other worthwhile local infrastructure projects.  How about the federal government doing a major national solar energy infrastructure project in our deserts, and repairing aging hydro-electric dams?  How about a plan to work with Canada, Washington, and Oregon to bring needed surplus water to California - a Green Pipeline?  

The Republican rejection of the global warming facts  is unwise and unscientific.  If you live in a coastal U.S. city you had better start worrying. 

I agree with many that Mr. Trump's inflammatory remarks and loose lips have greatly encouraged many of his ardent followers who are racists, bigots, conspiracy boneheads, preppers, gun hoarders, and one issue fundamentalist true believers. 

I do not support conservative and Republicant attacks on women's rights and women leaders.

I strongly support the separation of secular governmental functions at all levels from the many antagonistic and muddle headed religious creeds and their missionary agendas.  Our constitution, a product of Enlightenment thinkers, supports this idea.  However, since the Moral Majority days, the fundamentalist Christians (aka WASPs) and Islamics have been making every effort to force us all to accept their antiquated mores and customs.  Many church zealots don't support secular freedoms.  (Read Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins).  

Republican attacks on our public education system are unfair and not fact based.  Anti-Intellectualism has deep and growing roots in America (read Richard Hofstadter).  Are using federal funds to indoctrinate children in Baptist, Islamic, and Catholic Schools what most people think is wise public policy?  

Mr. Takeaway Trump's constant attacks on the Press are very dangerous to a free society.  Strange, he, the demagogue of fake news and unsubstantiated claims himself, complaining about 'Fake News'?  The news source that criticizes him is bad 'liberal media', and if the same news source compliments him it is praiseworthy.  Trump's Tweets and trolls are often those of a petty, nasty, and argumentative brat.  


I retired at age 70, after 54 years of working.  Since my wife and I now make 60% of our monthly income from an independently managed portfolio of investments, stocks, successful businesses, savings, bonds, large investment organizations, real estate investments, annuities, and company profits, I do favor practical, honest, and fair ways to improve and strengthen our economy.

We earned pretty good money from these investments during President Obama's eight years as President; we did less well during the second term of President Bush Jr. (and the financial scandals of that period), and strong with President Clinton.  Mr. Trump might have some good ideas and plans for national business success - I hope so.  

When I hear Mr. Trump talking about "shutting down the government" it makes me quite alarmed.  What kind of competent leadership is that!  I do make 40% of my monthly income from Social Security, and a small CalPers pension from my 17 years of working part-time as a teacher-librarian; and, I hope not to loose these earned benefits. 

My wife and I have paid Federal and State taxes every year since 1963. However, the free-loading tax manipulators like Mr. Trump and other wealthy people, all the churches that pay no taxes, parents with big families that get many tax write offs and free public education and other benefits for all their many children, and criminal tax evaders all rankle my bones a bit.  Too many people don't financially support the government that benefits them or fights for them.  I favor increased taxes for everybody.


I am not very optimistic about the results of the current leadership in Washington.  I expect my taxes to increase to fund programs I don't support (e.g., subsidies for religious schools, more polluting coal plants, increased military spending), my Social Security or Medicare benefits to decrease, the national debt to rise, political divisiveness to increase, unemployment to rise, systematic attacks on the integrity of the judiciary to proliferate, increased polarization in our society, harassment of minorities to increase, women's rights denied, and our image around the world tarnished.  I hope I am wrong about some of my predictions.  

And, while I worry, Takeaway Trump is golfing with his millionaire buddies and lackeys and 'making deals', and 38% of Americans believe he is doing a good job.  What?  

Who will the new 'president' SCREAM at this week?

Enough said!