Author: Ronald

Disrespect For Senator John McCain Another Sign Of Totally Disgraceful Behavior By Trump And His Staff

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The controversy over the disgraceful comments of Kelly Sadler, a Trump White House staff member, about Senator John McCain should have been resolved days ago, with the firing of this woman who has no decency or morals, in making fun of the Arizona Senator as he lays in a position of suffering from cancer, and possible death soon.

What should have been an apology by the Trump White House instead has been one of complaining about the leak of what Kelly Sadler said, and it demonstrates just how evil and despicable Donald Trump is.

Trump has never apologized for anything he or his staff has said or done in his three years since entering the Presidential race.

But his whole life has been one of mean spirited and nasty behavior in the business and social world as well.

This issue is worsened by the unwillingness of Republicans in Congress to condemn him or demand an apology from Kelly Sadler.

Donald Trump, a draft dodger, who has never contributed anything positive other than enriching himself, proves once again that he has no dignity or decency, while John McCain is a true American hero, much to be admired and praised.

Let us hope McCain recovers sufficiently to have a longer life span, as is the case with Jimmy Carter.

Killing Of Dozens And Wounding Of Thousands At Israeli-Palestinian Border Reprehensible, Ending Israeli Moral “High Ground”, And Promoting Endless Warfare

Ronald 5 Comments

This author and blogger is Jewish, and has always been supportive of the nation state of Israel, now celebrating its 70th birthday, recognized by the United States and the United Nations on May 14, 1948.

Being supportive of the Israeli nation and wanting its success and survival, however, does not mean endorsement of the right wing government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu and its tactics.

It is also NOT endorsement of the decision of the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, taking the future status of the Holy City off the negotiation table with its Arab neighbors, the Palestinians.

War and constant tension has existed in the Middle East now in an unceasing manner, and it is acknowledged that there is no easy solution to the morass.

But Donald Trump made a major blunder in caving in to right wing religious demands of the Israeli government. It is also a disgrace that Israel’s government caves in to the born again Christians who see Jerusalem as their city, even though they harbor strong antisemitic beliefs, seeing Jews as going to hell if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their savior, conveniently forgetting that Jesus was Jewish.

To have extremist right wing pastors speak at the symbolic opening of the US Embassy yesterday was disgraceful and disgusting. To have Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner speak as dozens of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were murdered by Israeli soldiers, while thousands were wounded, creates a terrible image that will harm the United States and Israel for the long term.

Between the controversy over Jerusalem, and the unjustified breaking of the Iran agreement last week by Donald Trump, these events insure future warfare and people dying on both sides of the Middle East cauldron for the long haul.

One can condemn Hamas, the terrorist organization which runs the government of the Gaza Strip, and yet agree that their conditions are an open air prison, and the hatred built up insures the death of more Israelis over time.

Israel has the right to defend itself, but the tactics used yesterday make Israel look horrible on the international scene, and Jerusalem’s status should have been left to negotiation, not become the political football it has evolved into, due to the despicable leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.

It also further isolates the United States in international affairs, as its allies are being alienated, in the name of reckless foreign policy.

Three Longest Economic Expansions Since World War II Under Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson

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A fact often not acknowledged is that the three longest economic expansions in American history took place under Democratic Presidents.

The longest was under President Bill Clinton, with the expansion beginning under Republican George H. W. Bush in March 1991, but the expansion lasting until March 2001, a total of 120 months or 10 years, so the vast majority under Clinton.

The second longest is from 2009 to the present, nearly nine years recovery from the Great Recession, begun in late 2009 under Barack Obama, and continuing under Donald Trump.

Obama came into the worst economic situation since Franklin D. Roosevelt, succeeding Herbert Hoover at the worst moments of the Great Depression in 1933.

Donald Trump loves to brag how great the economy has been under him, without giving credit to his predecessor for the nearly seven and a half years of economic expansion that preceded Trump taking the oath, arguably the best inheritance ever in American history.

The third longest expansion was from 1961 to 1969, 106 months, which has just been surpassed now in 2018. It began under John F. Kennedy in February 1961, continued all the way through the term of Lyndon B. Johnson, and ended in December 1969 under Republican Richard Nixon.

Add the fact that nine of the last ten economic recessions occurred under Republican Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush, and it is clear the nation has benefited much greater economically from Democratic administrations than from Republican administrations.

The Death Of The Republican Party In California Since The Anti Immigration Push By Pete Wilson 25 Years Ago

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One would think that the Republican Party would learn from history and its own mistakes.

A generation ago, California was Republican, and then passed legislation (Proposition 187) to crack down on illegal immigration, denying any health, education, and other benefits to such people, heavily Hispanic, but also Asian, and since then, the Republican Party has died out in much of California, and has not win a state wide race in the past decade. The ballot initiative was declared unconstitutional in 1999, and is no longer enforced since then.

The likelihood is that California will have many election contests in 2018 and beyond without Republicans competing, as the Golden State has a system that allows the top two candidates in votes in primaries, even if of same party, to be on the ballot in November.

So except for a minority of House of Representatives seats in the rural interior and other limited areas of California, and a minority of state legislative seats, California has become extremely dominated by Democrats in state wide races, and in the vast majority of legislative seats, both state and national,

Former Republican Governor Pete Wilson is the culprit in this nativist approach, which has led to this disaster.

If the GOP does not watch itself, this could happen in other states, and destroy the Republican future, and Donald Trump could become the national example of Pete Wilson.

The fear instilled in California has backfired totally on the reputation of the Republican Party.

Donald Trump Lacks Any Element Of Compassion, Empathy, And Common Decency: It Is All About Him And Him Alone!

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All observers of Donald Trump and his Presidency know the basic character of the man.

He lacks any element of compassion, empathy, and common decency.

He does not care who he harms, insults, upsets, destroys, as long as he benefits in his ego and his pocketbook.

He disposes of people as if they are vermin, and demands total loyalty, while he has absolutely no such loyalty on his part to anyone, including his three wives and his children, and all of the people he has “used” in his quest for yet more wealth and power.

He does not have a sense of dignity and proper behavior, whether in public or private.

He has a hair trigger temper, and is a nightmare to work for and to be in his presence.

And yet, he has people who he uses and disposes of, who quietly leave, and so far, have not uttered a negative word about him in public.

Not one has yet held a press conference or agreed to an interview by any journalist to “spill the beans” about Trump.

Not one has yet published a book about his experiences with Trump.

It is clear, however, that many people who have worked with Donald Trump have, willingly or unwillingly, behind the scenes, testified to Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

So now that it has been a year (on May 17) since Mueller was hired to investigate the Trump Administration, after the firing of FBI head James Comey, it would seem as if many revelations are coming, and that indictments are due to occur soon, and that the case against Donald Trump, the most disgusting human being imaginable, will finally be exposed, and Trump will meet his “Karma”.

Donald Trump And Jeff Sessions Declare War On Children: A Horrible Crime And Sin

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The Trump Administration has declared war on children, which is a horrible crime and sin.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen have made it clear that any people escaping persecution, violence, and poverty, and arriving at the borders of the United States, will be subjected to detention, with their children of any age, even infants, being separated from their parents.

America has always had a reputation of being a place of refuge and opportunity to immigrants seeking a better life, but now Donald Trump and his administration is creating a new America, without any compassion, empathy, or decency, denying the history of our nation.

Nativism is running rampant, and the government is promoting the growth of hatred and possible violence against anyone who is an immigrant, undocumented or legal in status.

This has happened before, but never at the rate and intensity of what Donald Trump is promoting.

The worse, most despicable elements of human nature are in full display, and history will not treat Donald Trump and his Presidency kindly.

At the same time, the Trump Administration is proposing a cut in the SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program), passed under the Presidency of Bill Clinton, and specifically promoted by First Lady Hillary Clinton. This has been designed to provide health care for poor children not already covered by Medicaid, which has been cut in many states in recent years.

Presidential Campaigns Lost By 15 Presidents

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In our final examination of Presidents and their background and experiences for the White House, we will now examine Presidential campaigns lost by Presidents.

A total of 15 Presidents ran unsuccessful campaigns for Presidents as follows:

Thomas Jefferson lost the Presidential Election of 1796 to John Adams, but then won in 1800 and 1804.

Andrew Jackson lost the Presidential Election of 1824 to John Quincy Adams, but then won in 1828 and 1832.

William Henry Harrison lost the Presidential Election Of 1836 to Martin Van Buren, but then won in 1840.

Martin Van Buren received the most votes on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention in 1844, but failed to win the required two thirds majority, and lost the nomination to James K. Polk. He also ran on the Free Soil Party ticket for President in 1848, and finished behind winner Zachary Taylor and second place finisher Lewis Cass. However, he had won the Presidency earlier in 1836.

James Buchanan competed for the nomination of the Democratic Party in 1848 and 1852, but failed to get the nomination, losing to Lewis Cass and Franklin Pierce, respectively, but then won the Presidency in 1856.

Millard Fillmore ran on the American (Know Nothing) Party ticket for President in 1856, but finished behind winner James Buchanan and loser John C. Fremont. Earlier, he had served as President after the death of Zachary Taylor.

Andrew Johnson competed for the Democratic nomination in 1860, but lost the nomination to Stephen A. Douglas. He later served as President after the death of Abraham Lincoln.

Ulysses S. Grant competed for the Republican nomination in 1880, losing the nomination to James A. Garfield. He had earlier been elected President in 1868 and 1872.

Theodore Roosevelt competed for the Republican nomination in 1912, losing the nomination to President William Howard Taft. He ran in the general election as the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party candidate, having earlier served as President, after succeeding to the officer upon the death of William McKinley, and then being elected in his own right in 1904.

Herbert Hoover competed for the Republican nomination in 1920, but lost the nomination to Warren G Harding, but then won the Presidency in 1928.

Lyndon B. Johnson lost the Democratic nomination to John F. Kennedy in 1960, became his Vice Presidential running mate, and succeeded to the Presidency upon Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, and was elected for a full term in 1964.

Richard Nixon lost the Presidency to John F. Kennedy in 1960, but then won the Presidency in 1968 and 1972.

Ronald Reagan competed for the Republican nomination in 1968 and 1976, losing the nomination to Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, respectively, but then won the Presidency in 1980 and 1984.

George H. W. Bush competed for the Republican nomination in 1980, losing the nomination to Ronald Reagan, but became his Vice Presidential running mate, and then Vice President, and then was elected to succeed him as President in the Presidential Election of 1988.

Donald Trump competed for the Reform Party nomination in 2000, but withdrew before Pat Buchanan won that party’s nomination, and later won the Republican nomination and was elected in 2016.

Also, two future Presidents competed for the Vice Presidency, with Franklin D. Roosevelt being the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate in 1920, losing to Calvin Coolidge; and John F. Kennedy competing for the Vice Presidential nomination of the Democratic Party in 1956, when Presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson opened up the Vice Presidential nomination to be decided by the convention delegates, and Estes Kefauver being selected over Kennedy.

State Elections Lost By Presidents

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Today, we will examine elections at the state and Congressional level lost by future Presidents, indicating that about a third of our Presidents lost election on the way to the White House.

William Henry Harrison lost election as Governor of Ohio in 1820, and as a Congressman in 1822.

John Quincy Adams lost election as Governor of Massachusetts in 1833.

James K. Polk lost election as Governor of Tennessee in 1841 and again in 1843.

Abraham Lincoln lost election as Senator of Illinois in 1854 and again in 1858.

Andrew Johnson lost election as Senator of Tennessee in 1869 and again in 1872.

Rutherford B. Hayes lost election as Congressman of Ohio in 1872.

Benjamin Harrison lost election as Governor of Indiana in 1876 and as Senator in 1887.

William McKinley lost election as Congressman of Ohio in 1890.

Warren G. Harding lost election as Governor of Ohio in 1910.

Lyndon B. Johnson lost election as Senator of Texas in 1941.

Richard Nixon lost election as Governor of California in 1962.

George H. W. Bush lost election as Senator of Texas in 1964, and again in 1970.

Jimmy Carter lost election as Governor of Georgia in 1966.

Bill Clinton lost election as Congressman of Arkansas in 1974 and as Governor in 1980.

George W. Bush lost election as Congressman of Texas in 1978.

Barack Obama lost election as Congressman from Illinois in 2000.

What this all demonstrates is that just because someone running for office is defeated does not mean to give up the idea of running again, as clearly, the proof is that 16 future Presidents did not give up the idea of running for public office again.

It also shows that 9 states defeated future Presidents running for public office, with 4 future Presidents in Ohio, 3 in Texas, two in Tennessee and Illinois. and one each in Massachusetts, Indiana, California, Georgia, and Arkansas.

State Offices Held By Presidents Before Becoming The Chief Executive

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Continuing the analysis of Presidents that has been done on this blog in the last week or so, today we will examine what state offices were held by Presidents before becoming the nation’s Chief Executive.

Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and John Tyler all served in the Virginia House of Delegates.

James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson served in the Tennessee House of Representatives, while Johnson also served in the Tennessee Senate.

James Buchanan served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

William Henry Harrison, James A. Garfield, and Warren G. Harding served in the Ohio Senate.

Millard Fillmore and Theodore Roosevelt served in the New York State Assembly.

Martin Van Buren and Franklin D. Roosevelt served in the New York State Senate.

Franklin Pierce served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

John Quincy Adams and Calvin Coolidge served in the Massachusetts Senate, while Coolidge also served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Abraham Lincoln served in the Illinois House of Representatives, while Barack Obama served in the Illinois Senate.

Finally, Jimmy Carter served in the Georgia State Senate.

Additionally, Martin Van Buren served as Attorney General of New York State; Millard Fillmore as New York State Comptroller; Warren G. Harding as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio;’ Calvin Coolidge as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts; and Bill Clinton as Attorney General of Arkansas.

Also, three Presidents served as Mayors–Andrew Johnson as Mayor of Greeneville, Tennessee; Grover Cleveland as Mayor of Buffalo, New York; and Calvin Coolidge as Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts.

Trump’s Destruction Of Reputation Of Two Professions: Medicine And Law

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Donald Trump has managed to destroy the reputation of two professions, medicine and law.

Dr. Harold Bornstein and Dr. Ronny Jackson are examples of the worst of the medical profession, and both should lose their licenses to practice medicine.

Dr. Bornstein allowed himself to give a preposterous statement on the health of candidate Trump, claiming Trump would be the healthiest President in American history, and allowing Trump to make the statement that he issued under Bornstein’s name. He comes across as creepy, weird, strange, and one wonders what sane person would wish to use Dr. Bornstein as their doctor, assuming such a patient is sane.

Dr Jackson clearly lied in his assessment of Trump’s health a few months ago, claiming that he weighed only 239 pounds, that he was in excellent health, and that he could live to be 200 years of age, because of his genes.

Jackson might be an Admiral in the US Navy, and he might have been the White House doctor for George W. Bush and Barack Obama, but he destroyed his entire reputation, and rightfully has withdrawn as a candidate to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs, as he has zero credential and experience to rush such a large bureaucracy.

Both Bornstein and Jackson have allowed themselves to have ethical and legal questions, two more victims of Donald Trump’s narcissism and egotism.

Any sane person can see that Donald Trump has mental and physical health issues, and that he is a very dangerous man to leave in power in the White House, and the nation and the world are endangered the longer he remains in the Presidency!

Also, the lawyers that have come and gone to represent Donald Trump have demonstrated their lack of ethics, their incompetence, and in some cases, as for instance Michael Cohen, their criminality, and all they have done is to sully the legal profession, and promote the joke that lawyers are “liars”!

Everything Donald Trump touches, he destroys!