At a joint news conference with Trump and Putin in Helsinki, Finland - after the two leaders met for two hours in private...(except for a pair of interpreters) - American journalist Lemire posed the following question to Donald Trump.
Jonathan Lemire: "Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016. Every U.S. intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did. Who do you believe?" And Lemire continued..."Would you now - with the whole world watching - tell President Putin, would you denounce what happened in 2016, and would you warn him to never do it again?"
Donald Trump: "People came to me - Dan Coats came to me, and some others - they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin, he just said it's not Russia. I will say this. I don't see any reason why it would be." Trump went on to have Putin's back while he stabbed in the back Director of National Intelligence Coats...the C.I.A....the F.B.I....the N.S.A....and other U.S. government agencies. "I have great confidence in my intelligence people. But I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. And what he did is an incredible offer. He offered to have the people working on the case, come and work with their investigators with respect to the twelve people. I think that's an incredible offer."
Trump was referring to the twelve Russian military intelligence officers who - on Friday, July 13th - were indicted by the U.S. Justice Department as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe. The indictment accuses the Russians of conspiring to hack computer networks belonging to the Democratic National Committee, and e-mail accounts of the DNC and other Democrats, in an effort to interfere with the 2016 election, and to prevent Hillary Clinton from beating Donald Trump.
For Trump to embrace Putin and not the dedicated American agents is despicable. And for Trump to applaud Putin for his self-serving offer would be Trump putting the fox inside the hen house.
In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Jeff Glor, Trump tried to walk back the treasonous comments he made in Helsinki. On Tuesday, July 17th, Trump told Glor that Putin should indeed be held responsible for interfering in our election "because he's in charge of the country."
Trump is a bigger fool and more of a liar than he's ever been...because once he returned to Washington and faced a nation that is appalled by his wicked words in Finland, Trump claimed that he misspoke. Instead of him uttering, " I don't see any reason why it would be"...Trump wants Americans to now believe that "The sentence should have been...'I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be' Russia."
Sorry, Donald. Nobody but perhaps your brainwashed base - only about one-third of the country - will ever have faith that you really meant anything differently than what you actually said in Helsinki.
By praising Putin and burying U.S. agents, Donald Trump has sunk our country to depths that are the lowest our nation has experienced in modern history. Just when I thought Trump could not be any worse, he proves me wrong and becomes more unfit to serve as president of the United States. For now he has betrayed America and Americans...and by doing so, he has not lived up to the oath of office he swore to uphold when he promised to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." How can Donald Trump put his hand on his heart...and stand for the Star Spangled Banner and the American flag...when he clearly lacks patriotism for the United States?
Donald Trump is mentally insane. I'm well aware that I have used that phrase to describe Trump in other editorials beginning shortly after he announced that he was a candidate for the Republican nomination back in June 2015. But there can't be any other explanation. Americans are having to suffer with a mentally unbalanced commander-in-chief living in The White House. I do not make such statements to be hyperbolic. No U.S. president would ever articulate language as Trump did...on live television...for the entire planet to witness...and with an enemy country's president at his side...unless Trump was mentally deranged.
On July 17th, former President Barack Obama said that "Each day (Donald Trump is president) is bringing head spinning and disturbing headlines." Many other Democrats - perhaps all - are outraged by Trump's reprehensible remarks in the "Land of the Thousand Lakes." But some Republicans - including some top politicians in the G.O.P. - have broken with Trump because of his contemptible comments. Now it's time though that Republicans join Democrats in totally condemning Trump...and both parties in Congress need to immediately impeach and remove him from office on charges of treason.
Must America wait until his actions are deadly? It's time now for the House of Representatives to initiate the impeachment of Donald Trump...followed by a Senate trial that will convict him for siding with Vladimir Putin and not trusting America's seventeen intelligence agencies. The U.S. intelligence community compiled a report whereby they came to a definitive conclusion with "high confidence" that Russia did, in fact, meddle in our 2016 election...and that they did so to help elect Trump and destroy any chance for Hillary Clinton to win.
Russia - in essence - performed an act of terrorism...and therefore, declared war against the United States when Putin and his thugs interfered in our election.
At the news conference in Finland, Putin admitted that he wanted Trump to defeat former Secretary of State Clinton. In Putin's own words..."Yes, I did."
Donald Trump has given "aid and comfort" to the enemy...and he has - in front of the world - "adhered to our enemy"...both of which are crimes under the law on Treason Against the United States, as defined in Section 110 of Article III of the Constitution of the United States. For Trump to put Russia first over America is a disgrace...and he has caused our country to agonize through one of the darkest days in American history.
Yet Trump doesn't think he did anything wrong by siding with Putin. Oh he can attempt to convince us that he misspoke...but the vast majority of Americans know better. As for apologizing...there's no power on Earth who could persuade Trump to do that. Why apologize now? He's never voiced the words, "I'm sorry" when he should have in the past. As a narcissistic maniac, Donald Trump will not ever admit that he was wrong. He will never acknowledge that he made a mistake. But this is the straw that will break the camel's back...and either Trump will be impeached and removed from office...or he will be forced to resign the presidency.
During the press conference with Putin, we were reminded of the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia when - following the protests and riots that killed one woman - Trump would not come down on the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who caused the violence. Instead...Trump said, "I think there is blame on both sides." Trump issued a similar declaration in Finland, when in discussing the Russia investigation... and calling it a "total witch hunt"...he echoed his thoughts about Charlottesville. "I hold both countries responsible. We're both to blame." And, of course...when talking to reporters in Helsinki...Trump spewed one of his commonly spoken lines of defense. "There was no collusion."
In that private conference, nobody besides Trump, Putin and the two interpreters know what happened in that meeting. All Americans need to know what the two presidents discussed and what they agreed to do. Therefore, Trump's translator should be subpoenaed to testify before Congress to advise Capitol Hill and the entire country of all the details.
Donald Trump is so dangerous that I don't in any way trust him. But those words are nothing new from me either. And...if what I have suspected all along is true...and Putin has dirt on Trump...then "The Donald" is liable to make deals with Putin that could be detrimental to the United States. (Note the word "dirt" that I spelled out above. Remember...it was "dirt" that the Russians reportedly informed Donald Trump, Jr. in June 2016 that they had on Secretary Clinton.)
Vladimir Putin is playing Donald Trump like a Jascha Heifetz violin. But even though Putin succeeded with his efforts - because Trump cares more about himself than he does about our country - unlike Heifetz...I despise the music that Putin and Trump together have performed. No matter what Trump may think, there will never be any harmony between the U.S. and Russia, as long as Putin is at The Kremlin and Trump is in The White House. And the only melody that will result from their bogus relationship...will be one that elicits a series of disasters...for the United States of America.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
"We'll talk again."
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If your headline wasn’t so said and a lie it would be laughable, you sound like John Brennan the un-American Communist, Trump hater. In 1976, Brennan voted for Communist Party USA candidate Gus Hall for President, that’s un-American! Someone should tell Brennan that it is President Trump not Mr. Trump and unlike what Brennan likes to say, if he is an American he is his President. President Trump is the President of the United States of America and of ALL Americans. Is Brennan an American, maybe not? You asked why “President” Trump didn’t verbally blast Putin to smithereens. There is an easy answer to that; you don’t blast to smithereens the guy who controls the world’s second largest nuclear arsenal. Do you on the left want world war 3, maybe you do, anything to get rid of President Trump. What are a few million lives to the left? I don’t know what you watched but he never defended Putin. President Trump on many occasions has repeatedly said the Russians meddled in our election: Jan. 11, 2017, news conference, Trump declared, “I think it was Russia” behind the hacking, in a news conference in Poland on July 6, 2017, Trump stated: “Well, I think it was Russia and I think it could have been other people and other countries, he said it many, many other times, the latest on CBS this week. Yes, he has said that there may have been other people or countries doing it also. The President has said he miss spoke, he said would and it should have been wouldn’t. The offer that Putin made for the US to be present doing Russian questioning of the 12 is based on the 1999 treaty “TREATY WITH RUSSIA ON MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS” signed by President Clinton and ratified by the US Senate. Nothing the President did in Helsinki was “treasonous” I guess you don’t know what the word means. Don’t even bring up former President Barack Obama the true puppet of Putin and Russia for 8 years, Obama refused to assist the Ukraine, he refused to inforce in “redline” on chemical weapons, he told President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia he would have "more flexibility" to negotiate with Putin after the election who responded by saying “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir,” Obama was the puppet. President Trump has bombed Russian supporters in Syria, expelled 60 of them from the US, closed multiple facilities and increased sanctions. How could anyone believe that President Trump is a puppet or beholding or threatened by Russia or Putin? You stated “Russia - in essence - performed an act of terrorism...and therefore, declared war against the United States when Putin and his thugs interfered in our election,” the question then is did the US commit a “act of terrorism” or “declare war” against all the countries we have meddled in their election, most recently Israel when President Obama’s administration/State Department paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayers grants to an Israeli group that used the money to build a campaign to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Maybe that is worse then what the Russians did in 2016, Obama did it to one of our allies against US Law! President Trump gave NO AID OR COMFORT to any enemy only a person suffering of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” could believe he did. When the President talks about it being a "total witch hunt" he is talking about the fake charge of collusion not the Russian meddling, you know he is hated by the never Trumpers and the democrats for beating Clinton and because he is a threat to their old boy network and their left wing anti-American-way agenda. Why do you not want America to try and have a better relationship with Russia? The worse it gets the more problems we will have with Iran, with Syria, with Turkey, North Korea and others, getting us closer to war and maybe even world war, all because the left let Putin and Russia run wild for 8 years and now instead of talking want us to kick them in the groin in front of the world!
ReplyDeleteThe response to the above reader will be in FIVE parts.
DeletePART ONE OF FIVE
1) I applaud John Brennan. That's a given. As for your unfounded and despicable accusation that Brennan is an "un-American communist...you are so wrong.
FROM POLITIFACT...
"John Owen Brennan was the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from March 2013 to January 2017. He served as chief counterterrorism advisor to President Barack Obama; his title was Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President.
Brennan was present in the Situation Room in May 2011 when the United States conducted the military operation that killed Osama bin Laden. He called President Obama's decision to go forward with the mission one of the 'gutsiest calls of any president in memory.'
(Brennan) had voted for Gus Hall for president in 1976, which was while the Cold War was underway. (The Cold War is generally defined as running from 1947 to 1991.) The New York Times reported Hall earned more support from American voters in his 1976 presidential campaign than in his other three. He won 58,992 votes, putting him in eighth place, behind candidates from the Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, American Independent, American and Socialist Workers parties. 'I froze, because I was getting so close to coming into CIA and said, OK, here's the choice, John. You can deny that, and the machine is probably going to go, you know, wacko, or I can acknowledge it and see what happens,' CNN has quoted Brennan as saying. Brennan told the polygraph operator that he had voted for Hall, but added that he was never a member of the Communist Party. Speaking at the conference, Brennan said he was relieved to have been accepted into the CIA, because he worried about having compromised his chances by being forthcoming. 'I said I was neither Democratic or Republican, but it was my way, as I was going to college, of signaling my unhappiness with the system, and the need for change. I said I'm not a member of the Communist Party, so the polygrapher looked at me and said, OK, and when I was finished with the polygraph and I left and said, Well, I'm screwed.' Brennan used the anecdote to make a point about room for diversity in the CIA ranks. So if back in 1980, John Brennan was allowed to say, I voted for the Communist Party with Gus Hall...and still got through, rest assured that your rights and your expressions and your freedom of speech as Americans is something that's not going to be disqualifying of you as you pursue a career in government,' CNN reported him as saying. Does any of this make Brennan a member of the Communist Party at the time? No. Brennan has openly confirmed voting for a Communist Party candidate for president in 1976. But we did not find any evidence that he was a card-carrying party member. Voting for a particular candidate in a party does not make the voter a member of that party."
GBD
END OF PART ONE OF FIVE
PART TWO OF FIVE
Delete2) As usual with many of my Republican readers...you don't read my column carefully, so therefore, you make stupid remarks that have nothing to do with my editorial. Furthermore, it's obvious you don't have a 5th grade education and you don't know how to use a dictionary. I did indeed ask..."Why else would Trump never verbally blast Putin to smithereens?" Do you not understand what the word "verbally" means? Obviously you don't. Because if you did, you wouldn't then make the following moronic remark. "There is an easy answer to that; you don't blast to smithereens the guy who controls the world's second largest nuclear arsenal. Do you on the left want World War III? Maybe you do. Anything to get rid of Trump. What are a few million lives to the left?"
I really don't like using the following language, but you are a total jerk. I'd use stronger language, but I'll hold back for now. I never wrote anything about war. I said "verbally blast." In other words...speaking words. But you're an idiot. Not only that...you're a disgrace as a human being and as an American. For you to state that I - or other liberals, progressives and Democrats in general - want World War III..."anything to get rid of Trump. What are a few million lives to the left?" is absolutely hateful...disgusting...and beyond vicious.
3) Are you on drugs? No really. Are you an addict? Because if not, then you're just an imbecile. Did you not see Donald Trump's press conference with Vladimir Putin? Did you not read the transcript? I included the exact quote in my column above. But here it is again so you can read it.
"People came to me - Dan Coats came to me, and some others - they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin, he just said it's not Russia. I will say this. I don't see any reason why it would be." THAT...is Trump defending Putin.
Trump went on to have Putin's back while he stabbed in the back Director of National Intelligence Coats...the C.I.A....the F.B.I....the N.S.A....and other U.S. government agencies. "I have great confidence in my intelligence people. But I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. And what he did is an incredible offer. He offered to have the people working on the case, come and work with their investigators with respect to the twelve people. I think that's an incredible offer."
Trump is willing to accept Putin's offer. As I wrote in my column..."Trump was referring to the twelve Russian military intelligence officers who - on Friday, July 13th - were indicted by the U.S. Justice Department as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe. The indictment accuses the Russians of conspiring to hack computer networks belonging to the Democratic National Committee, and e-mail accounts of the DNC and other Democrats, in an effort to interfere with the 2016 election, and to prevent Hillary Clinton from beating Donald Trump. For Trump to embrace Putin and not the dedicated American agents is despicable. And for Trump to applaud Putin for his self-serving offer would be Trump putting the fox inside the hen house."
You can quote Trump from 2017 or anytime before July 16th, 2018, but it means nothing. All that counts is what Trump said at that Helsinki press conference with Putin. Trump cannot walk back what he said in Finland - as he tried to do with Jeff Glor of CBS News on July 17th. The White House claims Trump misspoke in Helsinki. As I wrote in my column..."Sorry, Donald. Nobody but perhaps your brainwashed base - only about one-third of the country - will ever have faith that you really meant anything differently than what you actually said in Helsinki."
GBD
END OF PART TWO OF FIVE
PART THREE OF FIVE
Delete4) As for Trump being "treasonous"...he was, according to the Constitution. I suppose you really didn't read my column because I explain exactly why Trump was treasonous. And numerous Constitutional scholars have stated this fact. "Donald Trump has given 'aid and comfort' to the enemy...and he has - in front of the world - 'adhered to our enemy'...both of which are crimes under the law on Treason Against the United States, as defined in Section 110 of Article III of the Constitution of the United States." Trump's comments in Finland did in fact "aid and comfort" the enemy and "adhere to our enemy." Watch Congress - and special counsel Bob Mueller - take down Trump and use treason as part of the charges.
5) As always, you Republicans are foulmouthed and disgraceful when you continue to rip apart President Obama. You follow Trump and, as he does, you simply want to say bad crap about Mr. Obama that is in no way valid.
6) "Trump Derangement Syndrome? What a laugh.
GBD
END OF PART THREE OF FIVE
PART FOUR OF FIVE
Delete7) You're as insane as Trump. I've explained in many columns in the past that I do NOT "hate" Donald Trump. And Democrats overall do not "hate" Trump because he "beat (Hillary) Clinton" in the electoral vote. We oppose his policies and his entire mindset. Thus, he is unfit to serve as president of the United States.
8) To borrow a phrase from President Ronald Reagan..."There you go again." By calling Democrats "anti-American" is vile and reprehensible.
9) My column has nothing to do with having a "better relationship with Russia." You can't be friends with an enemy when that enemy undermined our democracy and destroyed our election process. And when Bob Mueller concludes his investigation, we will find out that Donald Trump and certain senior members of his campaign did collude and conspire with Putin and Russia in the interference of our 2016 election, and that Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey as F.B.I. director to end the Russia investigation. But it's also going to be many other crimes that Mueller will charge Trump with, which will cause - as I've always stated - Trump to resign long before he would be impeached and removed from office. And when Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, and others get through flipping like a stack of Aunt Jemima pancakes...they're going to spill their beans and throw under the bus Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr, Jared Kushner and others (perhaps even Ivanka Trump).
GBD
END OF PART FOUR OF FIVE
PART FIVE OF FIVE
Delete10) There will NEVER be World War III. The countries of the world know that the next World War would be death to the planet Earth. Nobody wants that. I wrote an entire column on that subject some time ago.
GBD
END OF PART FIVE OF FIVE
Once again you try to twist word, when I said “you don’t blast to smithereens” it was in the context of your comment “verbally” only an idiot with less than a 3rd grade education would take it any other way, I guess that means you. Anyone who doesn’t believe that if the President had “verbally” attacked Putin that Putin wouldn’t have retaliated in some manor is a fool. Putin is a despot who could increase his support for Assad, which could cost American lives, he could increase his support a for Iran and Hezbollah pushing them to attack Israel, which means war, he could push more to take over all of the Ukraine and yes he is a threat to give nuclear weapons to terrorist, all of the above could cause a major or world war. No I’m not on any drugs but maybe you and many others with Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) should be. Once again you edit statement I said “ do you on the left want world war 3, maybe you do, anything to get rid of President Trump” I asked the question that’s all. When you have people like Bill Maher hoping for the US economy to crash to try and get rid of President Trump, It’s not hard to believe that you guys would hope for war! Anyone who could truly believe that what the President did was giving “aid and comfort” to the enemy is a true Trump hater as you are. You can claim all you want that you are not but your actions prove you are. Everything I said about Obama is a proven FACT including the Obama Administration meddling in Israel’s election, but as anyone who reads your column knows you don’t care about facts, you only care about your hate for the President for beating Hillary. Once again you twist words; I did not call Democrats un-American I said “left wing anti-American-way agenda” which their agenda is.
DeleteThe response to the above reader will be in FOUR parts.
DeletePART ONE OF FOUR
I did not twist your words. Your exact words in your first entry were as follows. "You asked why Trump didn’t verbally blast Putin to smithereens. There is an easy answer to that; you don’t blast to smithereens the guy who controls the world’s second largest nuclear arsenal. Do you on the left want world war 3, maybe you do, anything to get rid of President Trump. What are a few million lives to the left?" There was no reference to any other part of my column in your first remarks. You cannot spin this to your liking because I proved you wrong.
Vladimir Putin is not going to "retaliate" with nuclear weapons if Donald Trump were to take a hard stand against him. You're really nuts if you think that. Putin doesn't want a nuclear war any more than we do. World War III is World War Death for the planet Earth.
All Trump does is kiss Putin's ass because Putin has all the dirt on Trump...and Trump knows it. Remember the allegations of that "golden showers thing?" Who knows how much dirt Putin has on Trump? Putin could have more dirt on Trump than there is in the White House rose garden.
When you ask a question like..."Do you on the left want World War III, maybe you do, anything to get rid of Trump. What are a few million lives to the left?"...that's NOT just asking a question...that's a statement in the form of a question. What you're saying is that Democrats want World War III and you're saying that Democrats will do anything to "get rid of Trump." When you say..."What are a few million lives to the left?"...that's hateful, disgusting and beyond vicious. You can't spin it any other way. And you're a hater of liberals, progressives and Democrats overall.
GBD
END OF PART ONE OF FOUR
PART TWO OF FOUR
DeleteHere's exactly what Bill Maher said on his June 8th, 2018 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO... "I feel like the bottom has to fall out at some point. And by the way, I’m hoping for it. Because I think one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy. So please, bring on the recession. Sorry if that hurts people, but it’s either root for a recession or you lose your democracy." You're a real idiot if you think that Democrats "hope for war" because a comedian - yes, that's what Maher is - makes a comment as he did last month.
The Constitution is very clear...and by Trump siding with the enemy, Trump did, in fact, give "aid and comfort" to the enemy. And that enemy is Vladimir Putin and Russia.
I'll say it again and again and again...as I have for 18 months. I...DO...NOT...HATE...DONALD...TRUMP!!! I loathe his actions and his policies and how he thinks...but I hate no person...and that includes Trump. I don't hate him...I wish him no harm...I just want him out of The White House before his delusional and mentally ill brain does something so dangerous that America could be tragically damaged. But again...how many times do I have to repeat myself to you Republicans? My actions don't in any way show hatred.
GBD
END OF PART TWO OF FOUR
PART THREE OF FOUR
DeletePolitiFact/PunditFact has the facts on your false allegations about President Obama and Israel.
"A conservative blog claimed, 'Obama has been sending taxpayer dollars, at least $350,000 to fund anti-Likud, anti Netanyahu groups in Israel for tomorrow’s election.' First, there is the matter of the dollar amount. If any U.S. money was used to mobilize anti-Likud voters, it would have been in Israel. A more accurate figure would be $233,500. Next, there is a matter of the blog’s tense. 'Has been sending' says the action is continuing. In this case, the money stopped flowing in 2014, before elections were called in Israel. Finally, the allegation that the money was spent to fund anti-Likud, anti-Netanyahu groups in Israel for the election is based on speculation. Yes, Obama sent money to OneVoice, a group that promoted a two-state solution. And yes that group partnered with a different group V15 that wanted Netanyahu defeated. But there is no paper trail that the money given to OneVoice was spent on an electoral ground game. It would be naive to ignore that OneVoice’s policy positions mesh well with V15’s voter mobilization, but that’s different from saying that American taxpayer dollars were spent by V15. PunditFact’s ruling: This claim rates Mostly False."
You truly are a hater of President Obama, of Hillary Clinton, of all liberals, progressives and Democrats in general. I certainly do not hate Trump for beating Secretary Clinton in the electoral vote. That simply is not true.
GBD
END OF PART THREE OF FOUR
PART FOUR OF FOUR
DeleteEither you have to learn how to write or don't write at all. When you make a statement like..."you know he (Trump) is hated by the never Trumpers and the Democrats for beating Clinton and because he is a threat to their old boy network and their left wing anti-American-way agenda"...you are indeed calling Democrats (who are the left wing or liberals)..."anti-American." Don't try to spin it in any other way. That's what it means. I didn't twist your words. You wrote them.
GBD
END OF PART FOUR OF FOUR
This is my last comment on these issues. I never CALLED “Democrats (who are the left wing or liberals)… “Anti-American” that is your edited twisting of my words. What I said was “left wing anti-American-way agenda” there is a big difference. The American-way is following the Constitution, such as “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”, Freedom of speech and the press. Honoring the Second Amendment “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights and all the other Amendments. The American-way is also based on “capitalism” not socialism, people having the opportunity to succeed; the American-way is the Federal government staying out of your lives as much as possible, it is local, county and states knowing what are best for its people. The right to pursue the American Dream with no government guarantee of success or interference. There are many other parts to the American-way hopefully you get my point. My statement “left wing anti-American-way agenda” is that I don’t believe that the Democrat’s AGENDA follows the American-way; they push for laws and file lawsuits against people following their religious convictions, they try to restrict the Second Amendment if not by some who to say to repeal it, the Democrat agenda favors socialism over capitalism and handouts over hard work. Don’t get me wrong America and Americans are and should be the most charitable people on earth for all those who need help, when tragedy strikes, when someone is unable to do for themselves but not for those who wish to do nothing or to game the system. Unfortunately most Democrats believe they are following the American-way so they are not anti-American and I would never say they are, just their AGENDA is! They need to be educated on the history of America and the true American-way!
DeleteI did not do any "edited twisting" of your words. It's the way you wrote it. When you write..."left wing anti-American-way agenda"...you are accusing liberals, progressives and Democrats overall as being "anti-American." Furthermore, there is NO "American-way" or "American-way agenda" in the manner of which you speak. Each American has the right to form and develop their own "American-way" and their own "American-way agenda."
DeleteWikipedia describes "The American Way" as..."The American way of life or simply the American way is the unique lifestyle of the people of the United States of America. It refers to a nationalist ethos that adheres to the principle of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. At the center of the American way is the American Dream that upward mobility is achievable by any American through hard work. This concept is intertwined with the concept of American exceptionalism, the belief in the unique culture of the nation."
You've gone off topic as my column did not discuss anything that we are discussing here, but I will make these final comments. America - in many ways - is a socialist country. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, and the United States Armed Forces are all forms of socialism. So the U.S.A. is not entirely a nation of "capitalism." Daily Kos describes America as a socialist country in this way. "America runs on Socialism. Whenever you drive on a highway, drive across a bridge, get electricity from a dam, or go to a school or hospital, you’re probably partaking in American Socialism. To pull the country out of the Great Depression, over 30,000 public works programs were sponsored by the government under FDR’s administration. Infrastructure."
The "true American way" is whatever way that makes a person happy and successful. The American way is freedom. The American way is not hurting yourself and not hurting others, but enjoying life. Unfortunately, some Republicans in Congress...and the current Oval Office occupant are not interested in making sure that ALL Americans are living "The American Way" to the fullest. All Americans deserve to live in that fashion. Tragically, that doesn't happen for many millions of Americans.
GBD
The following comment was e-mailed to Gary B. Duglin on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 8:28 A.M. Since the reader communicated via a personal e-mail, the person's name will not be published here.
ReplyDelete"Boy, can you synthesize. Do you have notes with you when you write these editorials? You pull it all together so perfectly.
In each of the last two days I've thought, 'Boy, they really have him now,' then he and his staff find a way to try to backtrack. His re-explanations are ludicrous, as everyone says. I'm waiting for the approval numbers to go down to about 38 or so. I'm waiting for people like Paul Ryan to do something, but they won't."
Gary B. Duglin's comments, responding to the above reader, were originally e-mailed to the reader on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 9:03 A.M.
DeleteThank you so very much for the kind words. I really do appreciate. GBD
The following comment was posted on Gary B. Duglin's Facebook page on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 10:48 A.M. Since the reader's name appears on Facebook, it will be published here.
ReplyDelete"Gary, couldn’t agree more with your analysis and reasons for impeachment. However, the reality is that as long as our seriously mentally ill president continues to appoint conservatives judges, reduces government regulations on environmental dangers and feeds off the xenophobia of his base, the craven members of the House and Senate will not move to impeach him. They’ve made a Faustian bargain with Trump and he will continue to deliver for them. And not necessarily because he believes in many of their causes. Standing beside him is the homophobe and Christian fanatic-in-chief: Mike Pence. Unless the democrats get their act together before November and unless millennials (only 19% voted in 2016) come out and vote, there will be no stopping Trump until possibly 2020. I feel your outrage on a daily basis. Trump has exposed a disgusting underbelly of the American population who have always been there but now feel emboldened to bask in their sick racism and xenophobia. In Orwellian ways, Trump has managed to convince his followers that truth is a lie and lies are truth. A not insignificant number of Americans are the 21st century version of the “good Germans” who enabled the rise of nazism. Yes, it could happen here. One only has to read Philip Roth’s book, The Plot Against America." - Michael Koski
I wonder do you have your MD with a certification in Psychiatry or a PHD in Psychology or do you just play a shrink on TV if not, what makes you the expert to call the President of the United States “seriously mentally ill” maybe it’s you and your liberal friends that are the ill ones? How can you call him xenophobic? His wife our “First Lady” is an immigrant, maybe you don’t know what xenophobia means, and maybe you suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome and don’t care what the facts are. He is only against “illegal immigrants,” criminals, those that broke the law coming here. President Trump has also offer to grant 1.8 million illegal immigrants legal status and a path to citizenship and your Democrat friends have voted against it every time. DACA was and is an un-Constitutional executive order by former President Obama and eventually will be deemed that by the US Supreme Court, then they get nothing all because the Democrats want open borders. You call out the “craven members of the House and Senate” hate to tell you but the craven members are the Democrats that don’t have the guts to go against Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and do what’s right for America and back this President. To correct you the President is appointing Judges that may be “conservatives” but more so they are Constitutionalist that believe in the document that binds this Country together, maybe you should read it sometime. It disgraceful to compare honest American to “good Germans” or relate them in any way to Nazism, men and women who died fighting in WW II would roll over in their graves by your comments.
DeleteGary B. Duglin's comments, responding to the above reader, were originally posted on his Facebook page on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 1:26 A.M.
DeleteMichael, thank you very much for your interesting thoughts. Your point that "Trump has managed to convince his followers that truth is a lie and lies are truth" is right on target. I can't agree, though, that anyone would allow a Hitler-like person or persons to rise in the United States. However, an upcoming column that I have written will discuss the possibility of an American Civil War II. In June, I posted a brief comment on that subject on Facebook. Thanks again for your fascinating views. GBD
The following response is to the reader above who commented as "Anonymous" on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 2:01 P.M.
DeleteYou responded to another reader who had e-mailed me personally. I have notified Michael Koski and I hope he will respond to you in this forum. GBD
Correction: Michael Koski posted his comments on my Facebook page. He did not e-mail me. GBD
DeleteThe following is a response to the reader above who commented as "Anonymous" on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 2:01 P.M. and who criticized Michael Koski's remarks above. Michael posted the following comments on Gary B. Duglin's Facebook page on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 10:03 A.M.
Delete"Gary: I am responding to the writer who questioned my credentials for calling Trump seriously mentally ill. Please post it."
"I am a PhD licensed Psychologist in practice for over 20 years so I feel qualified to use psychiatric terminology. While I cannot 'formally' diagnose Trump, not having personally interviewed him, let me list for you the criteria established by the DSM (the formal diagnostic tool of the American Psychiatric Association) for what is called a Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They are: a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior with commensurate achievements); preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, etc.; a belief that he is 'special' and unique; requires excessive admiration; has a sense of entitlement, i.e. unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his expectations; interpersonally exploitative (takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends); lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others; shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes. To meet the diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder one must meet at least 5 of the criteria above. Trump meets ALL of the criteria based on his behavior currently and long before becoming president.
Admittedly this Personality Disorder is shared by some successful CEOs, some politicians and actors/actresses and can actually help them achieve some prominence in their field. However, there is a form of Narcissistic Personality that is called 'malignant' narcissism. This form borders on psychotic (inability to distinguish between reality and falsehood) thinking. Perfect example is Trump’s unfounded claim that his inaugural crowd was larger than Obama’s. This form of narcissism is extremely destructive and dangerous because the person loses all contact with reality and suffers from 'delusions' (false beliefs not grounded in reality). A person with this malignant illness is often a serial liar. We all know people in our lives who share these qualities. I would suggest, as have many mental health professional, that this malignant form of narcissism is particularly dangerous and frightening in a person who is the most powerful political figure in the world. Trump’s psychotic thinking has caused him to become more paranoid and isolated, a common result of his mental disorder.
Again, as a licensed mental health professional I am not making a 'formal' diagnosis. But I think a careful reading of what I discuss above would lead most readers to arrive at a similar characterization of Trump."
Dr. Michael Koski, PhD
Awesome, Michael. Absolutely perfect. I hope that your on-target response to the "anonymous" reader who questioned your credentials and your earlier views can digest your sound perspective. But these Trump fanatics are out of touch with reality so anything you or I, or any Democrat/liberal/progressive American says is going in one ear and out the other. That's if they even do that. Thank you very much, Michael. Two thumbs up! GBD
DeleteThe following comment was posted on Gary B. Duglin's Facebook page on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 12:43 P.M. Since the reader's name appears on Facebook, it will be published here.
ReplyDelete"I agree fRump deserves to be impeached by every measure. Except one, the core base of the Republican party. If he were to be impeached there would be civil uprising. Until the fever breaks it's best not to get hyperventilated. Why? Because the only thing these racist religious freaks love more than hating on immigrants is seeing that what they do gets liberals mad. Don't give them the pleasure.
Pretend you are living in an absurd episode of the Simpsons. That's what I try to do. Just laugh it off and be amused at the craziness.
After each outrage I like to watch Sawn Hannity wrap himself in knots defending what was the previous day a core pillar of conservative orthodoxy. fRump has exploded the deficit. Remember when the number one issue was reckless spending? fRump has violated every norm conservatives used to hold sacred and try to wave in everyone else's face.
I'm all for a trade war and big government spending, maybe not transferring all the wealth, but, let's see how far it will go."
Curtis Rhodes
Gary B. Duglin's comments, responding to the above reader, were originally posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 10:44 A.M.
DeleteCurtis, thank you very much for your thoughts. As for "civil uprising," if you recall my Facebook post from June 28th, 2018 (which I will be following up soon with a full column at The Controversy), I think that if the Democrats don't stop the Republicans from holding hearings and ultimately confirming Trump's Supreme Court nominee, then Trump could indeed be the cause of Civil War II. Congress and/or special counsel Robert Mueller must find the proof (the evidence is there, now we need the proof...and there is a difference) that Trump is guilty of a potpourri of crimes including conspiring to collude with the Russians, obstruction of justice, treason, and after Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort flip like a stack of Aunt Jemima pancakes, there will be an assortment of other crimes that Mueller can tack on to Trump including campaign finance violations for paying with campaign funds both a Playboy model and a porn star hush money so that they don't talk about Trump's extra-marital sexcapades before the 2016 election. The recorded tapes will do Trump in. Can you say...Richard Nixon? Can you say...Rose Mary Woods? The people in Trump's brainwashed base are going to be crying so much, Curtis, that they won't have the energy to cause any "civil uprising" if Trump is impeached and removed from office. But as I have written in some of my past columns, I don't believe it will come to impeachment, as Donald Trump - as a narcissist - will sooner resign (as Nixon did) before he is put through the process of impeachment. After all, Trump thinks he's better than everybody else and, therefore, he'll tell everybody to go to hell...or worse to go "F" themselves, as he looks at them all with an attitude of..."I don't need your bull----." In any event, Congress and/or Bob Mueller will put smiles on two-thirds of the country. GBD