You Can Bitch & Moan All You Want, But...

... Fat Orange One, You CANNOT Simply Shut Down A Social Media Platform Just Because YOU Don’t Like Their Rules. Period. Full Stop.

We have rules, laws and regulations for a reason, the main one being safety.  If you don’t like a TV show because of the language or the violence or the depiction of certain characters, there’s a simple fix for that… change the channel or turn off your TV.

Likewise with Social Media platforms that set up and require all participants to follow.  Those are usually called something like “Rules Of The Road” (ROTR) or Terms Of Service (TOS).

So, this notion of delicate, widdle, orange toddler man-child Donnie J. Drumpf (yes, the President, sadly) just shutting down or closing them is well, patently absurd.  Not even he, the fat one, can pull off that hat trick.  He sees himself as a king, and not the drag queen she truly is.

Plus if he goes there and is successful, how does he intend to spread his hate filled Social Media messages?  Those are the two largest, most widely used platforms for any political base.  It would make the playing field more even though, for sure.

"Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives’ voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen," Trump tweeted Wednesday. He went on to accuse the tech industry of trying to interfere in the 2016 election, before repeating an unfounded claim about voter fraud stemming from mail-in ballots.

"We can't let large scale Mail-In Ballots take root in our Country," Trump tweeted. "It would be a free for all on cheating, forgery and the theft of Ballots. Whoever cheated the most would win. Likewise, Social Media. Clean up your act, NOW!!!!"

That Tweet triggered Twitter to label two of his Tweets with this label, “! Get the facts about mail-in ballots”.  It’s in blue ink and is a link to a fact-check page.  So, given that label, of course you can see why Donald didn’t like it – Twitter was fact-checking him in real time and, basically, calling him out on his lies.  Can’t have that.  It’s censorship!  
No, it’s accountability.  (Another thing Donald doesn’t like.)

These are a few more choice Tweets that followed Donnie's original whining:

This one is, well, just stupid.  This is the United States, not China and not Iran.

Antifa, I have no idea why they're not fact-checked.

And Peter, Trump NEEDS to be fact-checked and called out... you know that.

And Mr. Freedom, Peter, I'm sure China or Iran would welcome you with open arms, in case you'd prefer living there instead.

Those countries don't have Freedom of Speech.

...and just one more

The Lesser Of Two Evils

For me, the 2016 Presidential Campaign was a perfect storm… of missteps.  It started with the FBI’s investigation into improper use of a personal email server in the private residence of Hillary Clinton, used by her during her time as Secretary of State during the Obama Administration.

At the same time, candidate Donald Trump’s campaign was also being investigated by the FBI and specifically four of his campaign staff members:  Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos, and Carter Page.  They each had various, undisclosed ties to Russia at the time.

Somewhere in there, around July 2016, an Access Hollywood audio recording of Donald Trump and host, Billy Bush came to light.  We were all pretty sure this was the end of the Trump run for president.  (Trump: “And when you’re a celebrity you can do anything you want. They let you.  Grab ‘em by the p*ssy…” ) 

Nope.  It dragged on.

Trump would periodically “leak” information from Wiki-Leaks pertaining to Clinton that just mysteriously appeared on the internet. (That’s another story for another time.)  

“Russia, if you’re listening…”   (And they were listening to every – single – word)

The topper was after FBI Director James Comey announced that, well, Clinton was incredibly careless, but, no, she wasn’t going to be charged with any crimes, so case closed.

Or so we all thought.

Less than 2 weeks before the November 2016 elections, another investigation involving Clinton was opened, discussed, and closed.

We’re now getting down to the wire, general election Tuesday.

Amidst all of this, one phrase in particular sprouted up pertaining to the two candidates:

“The lesser of two evils”.

Let that sink in for a moment – “The lesser of two evils”. 

One or the other.  Hillary Clinton, career politician, or, Donald Trump, career something-or-other.  (*I say ‘something-or-other’, because well, he prides himself on being a real estate developer.  How much “development” goes into buying a building and slapping your name on it in 24 inch gaudy gold letters? – Not much)  And we know he couldn’t even spell “real estate developer” if his life depended on it.  (Remember covfefe ?)

We also know in 2020, that he works overtime on his “image” with zero thought for anything else. Seriously.

For me, it was never about the lesser of two evils since Trump is basically a lazy, arrogant, privileged, ignoramus and a pasty old white dude.

For me, it was fear of the unknown.  To this day, aside from the racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and numerous sexual assaults (which, yes, he denies), we know literally nothing about him.   Something else, while we’re here:  Just because he denies something doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I tend to believe the victims, all of those women, those finger-pointers. 

Oh, sure, I have my hunches about where his “wealth” came from since the mid-1990s, when domestic banks refused to lend his company money because he defaulted on loans so many times and he was considered “high risk”.  He is well-known for inflating his own worth and devaluing something if it keeps him from paying more in taxes.  Dude is not entirely stupid… just mostly.

Remember those places around the globe where he’s slathered on his praise:  Putin and Russia, Xi and China, and Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud (MBS) and Saudi Arabia?   

Remember those exotic little places?  He went to those faraway places for money since the U.S. was not going to fall for his games and antics any longer. 

Deutsche Bank is currently under investigation as it holds many of his assets, and has been subpoenaed numerous times by Congress.  Makes you wonder, huh?

No, for me it was fear of the unknown.  But, now that we know about who Trump is, what he stands for (and doesn’t), where his loyalties lie, we can make a more educated, well-informed decision about the next occupant of the Oval Office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. in November 2020.

Human Hemorrhoid

Don't Shoot The Messenger

"Don't shoot the messenger.  Don't blame the person who brings bad news." This idea was expressed by Sophocles as far back as 442 B.C. and then later by Shakespeare in 'Henry IV, Part II'.

Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Health and Human Services.

Why is Azar's name important? Many reasons, but for my purposes here, it's because Uncle/Daddy Donnie Drumpf's friends at Fox News are doing it... again.  What exactly?
Attacking the messenger (Dr. Anthony Fauci) with tidbits like, "Who elected Anthony Fauci?" "Who appointed Fauci to be virus czar?"  And so on, but you get the idea..
They (Fox News hosts - Tucker, Laura and Sean), like Trump, having no standards, have thus, resorted to name calling:

Tucker Carlson:  "chief buffon of the professional class."
                                "he (Fauci) wasn't elected."

Carlson complained that, "He's had the same job for nearly 40 years.  That means the majority of American voters never even indirectly picked him for the role he has now."

Mr. Carlson, you're clearly tuckered-out, so time for some warm milk and off to bed with you.  

Dr. Fauci, no, he wasn't elected to the White House Coronavirus Task Force... he was appointed.  By whom?  Remember that name?  Azar.  Yeah, that guy.  Okay, so, up to speed now -- appointed NOT elected.    Now, by the same token, I supposed Dr. Fauci could have declined to participate, but as his area of expertise IS viruses, allergies and infectious diseases, he probably wanted to lend a helping hand.

Dr. Fauci is the director of the National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), a position that he was appointed to in 1984 under then President Ronald Reason, nearly 36 years ago.  Again, Tucker, appointed not elected.

It's really weird how those same Fox News hosts flip-flop on important issues, and this one in particular. Initially they were parroting Trump verbatim on the virus outbreak. Then, they had their individual OMG moments, and now, they're back to attacking the messenger, the one person in the room who speaks truth to power. 

So, of course, naturally, almost like a reflex action, Trump and his acolytes at Fox News don't like it.  Fauci, darn him, he's muddying the swamp waters and muddling the message(s) that Trump is feebly attempting to broadcast:

Fauci = BAD.                   Trump = GOOD.  And BIGLY.

Oh, and when the White House even suggests that, well, we may have to postpone the November elections, because... NO. FULL STOP. That's not gonna happen.  And big, flabby and orange as he is, even Trump can't do that.

He can, however, and IS, casting doubt on the Vote-By-Mail systems that are already beginning to be put in place ahead of our elections. 

"Voter fraud. Multiple ballots filled out by the same individuals.

Rigged, it's all rigged, I say!!!" 

 No, it's not rigged, Donnie.  You just can't handle the truth.

Oh and by the way, the information on Dr. Fauci, pretty easy to obtain, free of charge with a simple Google search.  That's how I got it.

New "Normal"

NO.  
This is NOT the new "normal" as many in government (President, Vice President, some Senators, and some members on the House) are saying. 
NO. There is nothing normal about wearing a protective mask anywhere in the world because of a pandemic environment. 
And do NOT get "used to this", either. 
Normal, what many are suggesting, is when the ONLY masks children should be wearing are these:

And NEVER these:

NO.  Don't throw your babies onto a live grenade, and absolutely DO NOT listen to Donald Trump in regards to opening schools, especially grade schools in the fall of 2020.

Now, it the question you're asking is, "Will my child be safe in school?"  That's an easy one. Yes, schools are safe for young children.  

The better, more appropriate question is, "Will my child be in harm's way of contracting  coronavirus?"   Again, that's easy -- a resounding YES.  Think about it. 

What does it say about someone, anyone even suggesting putting 25 to 30 little kids, young children into an enclosed space, no face masks, and insisting that schools reopen?  

Seriously.  What is wrong with people who even suggest that? 

It's rhetorical, but, the short answer... there's a few screws loose upstairs.

Trump's letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about how he is "exercising my power as President to remove... Inspector General of the Department of State."  Just because he can, doesn't mean he SHOULD. (He's exercising.  Who woulda thought?)

 

 

 

Oh, and one last thing.  When we have a President who doesn't fire Inspectors General just because he can, when we have a Cabinet in the Executive Branch AND Attorney General who AREN'T LOYAL to the President but rather follow the rule of law and The Constitution, and a Congress (both the House and Senate) that HOLD THE PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE for 100% of his/her actions, then will be be approaching normal.

Ugh! Donnie, just shut up.

So now, May 7, 2020, you're blaming/shaming meat plant workers for getting sick?  Seriously?
Is it because, well, they're not as tough, fierce, stupid as you, Donnie?  Is it?  These people that work to put food on YOUR table, who actually work for a living?
The bullsh*t  coming from that mouth is astonishing.  Oh, and do you EVER take responsibility for anything?  Or is your entire life, your enter being, just a fluke of nature?

For most of us... YES.  A loud, resounding Yes.

On May 6, 2020, in "celebration", or Trump's version of a celebration, he invited a group of nurses, nurse practitioners and other healthcare workers into the Oval Office for a meet-and-greet.  You know where this is heading.

Trump contradicted a nurse he was honoring in the Oval Office, insisting there are no personal protective equipment, PPE, shortages in the U.S. despite her account that availability could be "sporadic" at best.
An on-the-ball reporter asked the nurses attending the National Nurse Day event if their PPE supplies are where they need to be right now, during the pandemic, and many nodded in agreement.
Sophia Thomas, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners said this, "I mean, I talk to my colleagues around the country.  Certainly there are pockets around the country where PPE is not ideal, but this is an unprecedented time."  She went on the say that she's been reusing a single N95 mask for "a few weeks now."
"We are nurses and we learn to adapt and do whatever we can do for our patients to get the job done and the care provided, and that's what we will continue to do as Covid-19 continues."  

And what does Supreme Leader/Overload Donnie Trump say:
"Sporadic for you but not sporadic for a lot of other people."  Unbelievable.

Pictures, as evidence, don't lie:  

When Nurse Sophia Thomas first speaks about PPE availability

Trump turns his head, as though he hears a noise. No eye contact.

Hmm. Interesting. More noise. Note the arms crossed. He's closing up.

And we have splashdown!  He's heard enough.  Isn't having it. NOT. MY. FAULT.  Completely shut down Nurse Thomas' comments.  Note the folded arms.

This is his typical stance, sitting, when he's heard enough. Conversation over. We're done here.

Pouty, whiny, sad, pathetic little man, Donnie J. Drumpf

 

 I wish, I really do, that Trump, Pence and that whole gang of his enablers in and out of the White House, would get this virus, fast and hard, so that just maybe, they'll change their tune and thinking.  

*Note:
Laurie Garrett, "The Coming Plague".  This book lays out in stunning detail what life will look like after a pandemic, such as Covid-19.  Ms. Garrett has studied this particular issue, viruses, for decades.  Seems like someone our leaders in D.C. (YES, Trump) should be paying attention to right now.

Trump As A Cheerleader

Oh sure, it’s great to have accolades piled high upon one’s self, if he truly, actually deserves it.  Trump, however, has shown, repeatedly over time that NO, he does not.

For example, you remember this:

“I am the least racist person you’ll ever meet.” 

So much going on here.  On the surface, being least anything would seem okay, but here, again NO.  Least racist STILL makes you racist.  

 And on top of that, well, as a white man of privilege, you don’t get to decide if your comments/remarks are racist.  That distinction goes to the person you are berating, you douche bag.  That person, those people, are people of color, and generally, NOT people of privilege. 

I keep waiting for Donald to slip and say something more on target like, “I’m the least intelligent person you will ever meet.  And I have the low IQ test results to prove it. Here’s my charge card receipt, in fact.”

“We’ve done a tremendous job, an amazing job in our response to this pandemic”, not verbatim, but close.  Again, since you aren’t on the receiving end of any PPE, masks, tests, swabs, medical gowns, and on and on, NO, you don’t get to decide if you’ve done a tremendous, amazing job.  Inadequate, at best. 

It’s not surprising this juvenile behavior from the “so-called president”, who frankly can’t tell his sagging, flabby white ass from a hole in the ground.  And listen, having His boy prince/man-child, Jared Kushner, feebly attempt to blow the administration’s horn is patently ridiculous.   “A great success story,” in regards to the Trump Administration’s handling of the coronavirus.  Just pathetic.

Trump recently had a shouting match on the phone with his campaign manager, Brad Pascale, because, apparently, Daddy Donnie’s poll numbers are tanking after Donnie suggested people start ingesting Lysol and other cleaning products to “combat this invisible threat.”   

Yeah, the best response. 

No, the BEST response will come in November 2020 when someone named Trump doesn’t get elected back into the Oval Office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.