Category Archives: Federal Politics

Federal Politics

Republican Party Claim To Rule Of Law Title Has Been Abdicated

The claim by the Republican party to be the party of ‘the rule of law’ was officially abdicated at about 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on October 6, 2018 when Republicans, via a virtual party line vote – Joe Manchin who is a Democrat in name only (DINO) voted with them – confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to become a Supreme Court Justice judge.  Judge Kavanaugh was confirmed despite the credible charge of attempted rape that was levied against him by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, by way of support of a so called FBI investigation into that charge which was initiated by and controlled by the Republican Party.

During that investigation, which was supposed to last not more than a week but was closed in about three days, someone in the Republican Party – either the White House or the senate – handcuffed the FBI by limiting it to the number of witnesses it could interview and who those witnesses could be. Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh were not among those who could be interviewed.   Not only was who actually handcuffed the FBI kept secret but once the investigation was complete, its contents were not made available to the public and could only be viewed by senators.  And those senators were restricted from talking to the public about what they had read in the documents provided to them by way of the investigation.

The Republicans then used what they said was ‘the fact’ that the seventh (this investigation) investigation of Judge Kavanaugh still did not reveal any more derogatory information about him than had been revealed in the prior six to clear his name in order to confirm him to become a Supreme Court judge.  In particular, prior to telling America whether or not she would vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh (anyone with the slightest inkling of political savvy already knew that she would vote ‘yes’), senator Susan Collins of Maine went on a rambling 45 minute speech about how great and independent Judge Kavanaugh had been all of his life and is now.  Rather than him being extremely conservative and possibly having even the slightest hint of being a political operative, during her speech she transformed him into the person that she wanted him to be in order for her to get to her vote of ‘yes’ to confirm him, which she wanted desperately to reach.

Senator Collins is not stupid and I do not think that she is naive.  She knew exactly what she was doing when she gave her rambling 45 minute speech.  She desperately wanted to be a team player and to please Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in this situation and the fact that she obviously really likes Judge Kavanaugh made it easier for her to get to her ‘yes’ vote.  Unfortunately, she will likely ultimately find out that Senator Mitch McConnell will treat her like a woman first and then like a team player.  The title ‘man’ for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will always hold priority over the title ‘woman’ when it comes to ‘man’ team player and ‘woman’ team player in the senate.  What Majority Leader McConnell wanted most in this instance was a win…and he got it and more with the help of Senator Collins.  She betrayed victims of sexual assault and perhaps all women for what she hoped would be 12 pieces of silver.  Only time will reveal whether she will receive her 12 pieces of silver or struggle to look at herself in the mirror.  Senate Majority Leader McConnell has proven to be a shrewd political operative and, as such, he will do (and did) whatever it takes to secure a win.

I mentioned in a previous article about how brave and determined to do the right thing that Senator Jeff Flake was.  I also mentioned in that article that although what he did was likely but a brief moment of bravery, it was worth noting and that he should be given credit for it.  That notwithstanding, I do not see how things could have changed so much in his mind with the sham of an FBI investigation that took place that he could with good conscience vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh knowing what he knows and witnessing the way that Judge Kavanaugh conducted himself during his testimony to the senate.

It appears that in the end, Senator Flake chose personal ambition and party over what was the right thing to do.  I choose to believe that Senator Flake’s decision to call for an FBI investigation prior to confirming Judge Kavanaugh was sincere and not a ploy to provide cover for his party.  Only he, and any others that he might have collaborated with if it was a ploy, knows the true answer to this question.  Either way, he – like Senator Collins, will ultimately have to face the person in the mirror.

I cannot end this article without addressing Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.  I did not say Democratic senator Joe Manchin because Senator Manchin, in this case and many others, is a DINO.  He acts like a Republican, talks like a Republican, and obviously votes like a Republican.  It appears that he simply appropriated the title, Democrat, because it is in his best interest.  Some refer to him as a moderate Democrat and others refer to him as a conservative Democrat.  Whichever he is, he has voted with Mr. Donald Trump most of the time (up to 71%).  In the Brett Kavanaugh situation, when Democrats needed him most, he voted with Republicans to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.

Democrats do not need a senator who is a Democrat in name only.  If in crucial situations that person is going to vote like a Republican – if it is not strongly supported by facts that assure that it is the right thing to do, they might as well be a Republican.  I would hope that the DNC would not waste its money by supporting Senator Manchin.  Even if they choose to, I will not donate any of my hard earned money to support him and I believe that there are a lot of other Democrats, men and women, who feel the same way that I do.

Do not be dismayed Democrats and all of those who know that what occurred today, October 6, 2018, was totally partisan, all about power, and the wrong thing to do.  Keep fighting and be sure to show up at the polls and vote in November.  And always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics

Supreme Court Nominee Hearings: Where To From Here?

I watched the testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday September 27, 2018.  Dr. Ford testified first at the insistence of the Republican congress even though during negotiations with the Republican-led Judiciary Committee she had asked that judge Kavanaugh testify first.  Obviously, her request was denied.

I felt as if I were glued to my television from the very beginning of Dr. Ford’s testimony.  Unfortunately, I had made a doctor’s appointment for 1:15 p.m. that day and had to leave for my appointment shortly after Dr. Ford finished testifying.  When I arrived at my doctor’s office, they had the television channel in the waiting room set on the testimony.  As I waited to see the doctor, Judge Brett Kavanaugh arrived at the hearing room and was seated for his testimony.  Just after he was seated, I was called in to see my doctor.

Fortunately for me, when I returned home from my appointment, Judge Kavanaugh was just concluding his opening statement.  I found out later on that during that statement, he had viciously attacked the Democratic Party and said that the Democratic members on the Judiciary Committee had gone from an advise and consent approach, which was their duty, to a seek and destroy approach in a well planned political attack to prevent him from being confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice.

He said that the Democrats on this committee attacked him out of jealousy and anger due to Mr. Trump’s 2016 election victory and in an attempt to assist in orchestrating ‘the revenge of the Clintons’.  He was extremely rude to all of the Democratic senators and regularly pushed back on their questions to him including turning back the same questions that they asked him back on them.

His attack on the Democrats was extremely abrasive, completely partisan, and unprecedented for someone who was being considered for a seat on the highest court in the land.  This was especially appalling and unexpected since Judge Kavanaugh is already a seated District of Columbia appellate court judge and has been since 2006 when he was appointed by President George W. Bush.

The other thing that made the opposing testimonies of these two individuals so bizarre was that the Republicans on the Judiciary Committee had hired Rachel Mitchell, a sex crimes prosecutor from Arizona who was already on the government payroll, to question Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh instead of having the Republican senators on the committee to do their jobs and question them.

And to make things even more bizarre, after Ms. Mitchell had questioned Dr. Ford (in essence, cross examined her) – and a few questions into her questioning Judge Kavanaugh – Republicans took the gavel back from her (in essence, fired her) and Republican senators asked their own questions from that point until the completion of Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony.  When Senator Lindsey Graham’s turn came to ask Judge Kavanaugh questions he did so but during that questioning, he also addressed the Democrats on the committee.  When he did, he was just as abrasive, rude, accusatory and combative as Judge Kavanaugh had thus far been during his responses to questions from the Democratic senators on the committee.

Prior to Senator Graham’s unseemly behavior – after Dr. Ford had testified and proven she was an extremely credible witness and before Judge Kavanaugh began his testimony – Democrats had regularly asked the Republican majority to allow the FBI to reopen their investigation of Judge Kavanaugh.  Republicans had steadfastly refused their requests.  But Democrats persisted in their request even after Judge Kavanaugh began his testimony and addressed this same request to him.

During the entire time that he testified, almost every time that a Democrat on the committee had the opportunity to question him, they asked him if he would agree to allow the FBI to conduct an investigation to help him to clear his good name.  Each time, Judge Kavanaugh – even when strongly pressed to say what ‘he’ would like to see happen with regard to an investigation, demurred and said that he would do whatever the committee wanted to do knowing that they were against such an investigation.

Just when it appeared that Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to become a Supreme Court Justice was all but a sealed deal and the Judiciary Committee vote was about to be called to send his name to the senate floor for a full vote, a virtual miracle in democracy occurred.  Arizona senator Jeff Flake got up from his seat and as he walked past Democratic senator Chris Coons and Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar, he motioned for them to follow him into a private side room of the hearing room.  The scheduled time that Senator Chuck Grassley had set for the vote came and passed as a number of senators progressed in and out of the side room where Senator Flake was.

When Senator Flake finally emerged from the side room, as he walked past Senator Grassley on the way to his seat, he whispered something to him.  He must have asked to speak before the vote because Senator Grassley immediately granted him permission to speak before he called for the vote.  That is when the virtual miracle actually occurred.  Senator Flake had come to a gentleman’s agreement with the Democrats during their meeting in the side room and asked that the proceedings to confirm Judge Kavanaugh be delayed for no more than one (1) week so that an investigation by the FBI could be conducted into the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh.

This was a shocking and historic event.  Senator Flake said that he would vote to move Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination out of committee and to the senate floor for a full vote by the senate but he would vote ‘no’ during the vote by the full senate to confirm Judge Kavanaugh if an investigation by the FBI of the allegations against him was not conducted first.  Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski quickly sided with Senator Flake and called for an investigation.  Under these circumstances, since Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell no longer had the votes to confirm Judge Kavanaugh, he was forced to capitulate to Senator Flake’s request for a delay.  Under these same circumstances, Mr. Trump also agreed to a delay and to reopen the investigation of Judge Kavanaugh.

Although I have more often than not viewed Senator Flake as weak on principles because of his affinity to regularly play politics and to kowtow to his party, this instance was not among those ‘more often’ times.  As a fellow senator from Arizona and an admirer of the late senator John McCain, it literally seems that Senator Flake invoked the name of the late Senator McCain and determined that regardless of the political costs to him, he was going to do what he felt was the right thing to do for America.  On the other end of this spectrum, unfortunately, is the late Senator McCain’s good friend Senator Lindsey Graham who has done a complete 180 since Senator McCain’s passing.  He has not only become a Mr. Donald Trump disciple but his complete toady and is among the biggest hypocrites in congress.

But lest I stray too far from the virtual miracle that occurred, I will refocus on Senator Jeff Flake and the fact that he instigated it.  He deserves all the credit in the world for getting the senate back on track.  He was the catalyst in getting the senate back, if only for that brief period of time, to making Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination hearings about truth and justice rather than about power.  Hopefully, the rest of the senators will benefit from Senator Flakes profile in courage and work harder to return the senate to a collegiate body whose members respect one another, treats each other with dignity and respect, and works hard to always place country above party and personal ambitions.

The bottom line is that there is, even at the writing of this article, an ongoing FBI investigation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.  The important thing to all Americans should be that the investigation is being conducted and not whether or not the information that it yields will prove him innocent or guilty: let the cards fall where they may.  Thank you Senator Flake for stepping forward and doing your very best to pull a polarized America back together again and help a dysfunctional senate to regain its footing and eventually, hopefully, the respect of the American people.

UPDATE: Just before posting this article I read an article published by NBC News that said that the White house was limiting the scope of the investigation.  It is speculated by some that this will hamper the ability of the FBI to get all of the facts and limit their ability to thoroughly investigate the allegations that have been leveled against Judge Brett Kavanaugh.  According to this NBC News article, Senator Jeff Flake said that his understanding was that the FBI would determine the scope of the investigation.

It seems that it is business as usual at the White House.  Let’s hope that if this is some sort of an attempt by Mr. Trump to sabotage the investigation and render it in any way unfair that Senator Flake will perceive this and vote no on confirming Judge Kavanaugh.  And let’s also hope that Senator Susan Collins and Senator Lisa Murkowski will once again join him by adding their ‘no’ vote.

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, State Politics

Senator Susan Collins And Senator Lisa Murkowski are Not Stupid

Neither Senator Susan Collins nor Senator Lisa Murkowski is stupid so why do they expect voters to be.  Or maybe they don’t expect voters to be stupid but they certainly are counting on them to have a short memory.  Perhaps they are thinking, based on many voters’ records, that they likely will have a short memory.  That has to be it because polls show that Judge Brett Kavanaugh is extremely unpopular with the American people.  And certainly these senators can see that not only has he been extremely evasive during his confirmation hearings, but he has obviously lied under oath!  Considering that, along with all of the other baggage that he is strapped with, how can either one of them vote to confirm him?!

Perhaps Senator Susan Collins can vote to confirm him (if the oath that she took when she was elected means absolutely nothing to her) because the word on the street is that she is not going to run again.  But as for Senator Lisa Murkowski, the Alaskan voters saved her bacon in the last election and, at the time, she vowed to always fight for them.  I don’t recall her saying anything like she would fight for them as long as it was in line with the Republican party’s thinking and it did not hurt the party.  Anyway, they cannot fool themselves by clinging to what he said to them about Roe v Wade being settled law especially when he is a proven liar and they know this!  Therefore it has to be that they feel that they can somehow dupe voters.  What a sad commentary for these two women if this ultimately turns out to be their way of thinking!

Even if they decide to vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh and are able to dupe voters, they will never be able to look at the woman in the mirror and say that she is a true statesman who puts country before party; who values her oath of office and puts country before personal political gain.  Our country is in a desperate situation and badly needs Senator Collins and Senator Lisa Murkowski to stand up, woman up and defend our Constitution!  Women have taken the lead in politics in many ways lately and each one of these two incumbent senators needs to do their part to protect our country while at the same time supporting and reinforcing the strong effort of these other neophyte women, in the words of President Obama, to bring some semblance of sanity to politics.

The true sad part of this article is that I have not even mentioned any other Republicans’ names who might vote against confirming Judge Kavanaugh.  Surly, one would think, there will be plenty of Republicans who – after hearing Judge Kavanaugh lie (again) while testifying before congress – will vote against confirming him.  But these are not normal times.  We must remember that a major part of the reason that Judge Kavanaugh was exposed as a liar during his testimony was because Democrats forced the release of documents concerning Judge Kavanaugh that were classified as ‘committee confidential’ by Republicans and, therefore, barred from public consumption.  The senate, after issuing threats to do so, still might punish Senator Cory Booker for his part in forcing the release of these documents.

American politics have all but gone completely insane and there is no one in sight who has the courage, determination, strength and support to reintroduce that lost sanity.  As a matter of fact, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan are complicit in enabling Mr. Trump in the outrageous and unorthodox things that he is doing.  They have completely abdicated their responsibilities and are blindly rubberstamping everything that he is doing even though they know that many of those things are detrimental to the United States and her allies.  This is altogether shameful and neither of these men, after their current term, should ever be elected to a political position again!

The upcoming 2018 and 2020 elections are extremely important.  What we do as American voters at those times will say who we want to be.  What is happening in this country right now does not reflect who we really are as Americans!  We need to rid ourselves of “Trump’s America” and return to being the true America: the America that we have always been and always been proud of!  We do not need to, or should we ever want to, pattern America after the countries run by despots!  They should be patterning themselves after us; the land of the free!  Let’s not let Mr. Trump or the Republican party or anyone else lure us into being anything other than that shining city on a hill that we have always been.

So if there is anyone, no matter who they are, who is trying to sabotage America and lead her down the primrose path, let’s fight back with all of our strength and refuse to allow it.  We can do this!  We can do it by way of our vote, staying informed, always challenging our elected officials when necessary and demanding that they put country first and do the right thing.  So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, State Politics

Senator John McCain, The Man

While I was reading an article in the New York Times and reflecting on Senator John McCain’s funeral services I was captivated by a picture of him with his daughter Meghan.  As I looked at the picture of him standing alongside her, the pride that he had in her and the love that he held for her was so obviously captured in that photograph that those feelings and their depth seemed to leap from the page and engulf me.  This photo was taken by Richard Perry of the New York Times in 2008 while Senator McCain was campaigning in Ohio.  Ms. McCain’s serene smile in that photo, just as sure as her father’s smile expressed his feelings for her, seemed to express her contentment and the love and pride that she had in him.  Kudos to Mr. Perry for an outstanding photograph taken at just the right moment; it captured the true essence of a father and daughter’s unconditional love for one another.

Back in February 2017, I posted an article to this website entitled ‘I Can’t Not Like Senator John McCain’.  At that time, I really did not know why it was so hard for me to not like him.  After all, there were so many times that he was so stubborn and unyielding on issues…even when he was wrong (at least in my hardcore Democrat opinion).  I was determined to dig deeper in my effort to find out why I couldn’t shake liking him.  Accordingly, I watched as many of the ceremonies as I could that led up to his recent burial.  I found that the things that were said about, the man, John McCain gave me a much better picture of why it was so hard for me to not like him.

I can’t recall exactly when I wrote and posted the article to this site sharing the kind of look that my wife gave me when I said that I could vote for Senator McCain for president but I would probably be in danger of that same kind of death roll of the eyeballs if I told her that I like what I have learned about Meghan McCain’s way of thinking, that I believe that she would make a great politician and that she is the kind of Republican politician that I would like to see Democratic politicians have robust discourse with on all of the issues that America is faced with.  So don’t tell my wife about what I just said.  And if you do tell her, I will be forced to hold you responsible for any misery that I might have to pass through.

Seriously speaking, as I have said many times before, Senator McCain is a patriot and true statesman.  My line of thinking was reinforced by the accolades showered upon him by members of congress from both sides of the isle during the previously mentioned ceremonies.  In addition to my thoughts on Senator McCain, I become more convinced each day as I learn more about his daughter Meghan, that she would be just as strong and principled as he was if she were an elected official.  I find myself hoping that she will seriously consider following in her father’s footsteps by serving her country in that capacity; by seeking out and serving deserving causes that are greater than herself.  Only time will tell if she will do this.  But since she is already a chip off of the old block, why not go all in and help America to remain great?  Why not create her own legacy while blazing her own trail and making America even greater than she already is?!  Think about it, Meghan.  You could, in your late father’s words, ‘show them how tough you are’ and make a difference at the same time.

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, Local Politics, State Politics

The Honorable Senator John McCain, A Patriot And True Statesman Has Died

Senator John McCain was a patriot and true statesman who served his country with honor.  He died on August 25, 2018 after a bout with a deadly form of cancer called glioblastoma.  There were more than a few times that I disagreed with Senator McCain and became very angry with him for the things that he was doing or saying.  From time-to-time when he was on the TV for a short period of time doing or saying those things I would say a few unkind words to his image on the TV and let it go at that.  But there were other times when he was on for a longer period of time or made a long speech that I would angrily go back-and-forth with him or simply mumble my disagreement under my breath(don’t tell anybody that).  But although I disagreed with him many times, I seldom doubted his sincerity about his rationale and that he felt that what he was doing was in the best interest of his country and constituents.

All Americans owe the late honorable senator John McCain a debt of gratitude.  So I want to take this opportunity to say publicly, “thank you Senator McCain for your service and sacrifice – while in the military and in congress – to this great country.  We are all better off because of your statesmanship, service and tireless dedication to America and the American people.  I extend my condolences to your family for their loss and to you I say, rest in peace.”  As I reflect on senator McCain and his time in congress, I see him as a savvy politician who strongly supported his party and was a disciplined team player.  But I believe that he always placed country first, above party and personal gain.  He seemed genuinely interested in making America better for all of the American people.

Finally, I recall a time when, many years before Senator McCain ran for president, I said to my wife, “I could vote for him for president.”  I cannot articulate what kind of a look that she gave me but I did not have any problem with how to interpret it.  It was an ‘I totally disagree with you look.’  Actually, I think it was an ‘have you completely lost your mind?’ look.  If I recall correctly, we did not talk any further about my comment but quickly moved on to another topic.  That notwithstanding, I hope that it is obvious through other articles that I posted to this website that I respected Senator McCain and always believed that he was a patriot who stood firmly on principle and his principles and honor were not for sale…to anyone.  If you would like to read those articles, type ‘John McCain’ or ‘Senator John McCain’ into this site’s search box.

Senator John McCain’s shoes will be hard to fill.  But if the person who ultimately steps into them is as honorable and principled as was Senator McCain, then we will have a worthy elected official who will be worthy of serving America and the American people.

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, Local Politics, State Politics

Senator Lindsey Graham Is A Senator John McCain Knock-Off

How senator Lindsey Graham ever became associated with Senator John McCain and somehow was awarded the same status and honor as a man of integrity as that of the honorable Senator McCain is a mystery to me.  I guess that he just found a way to somehow glom on – kind of like a tick or flea does to its unaware subjects – to him.  When the media writes about these two men, senator Lindsey Graham does not deserve to even be mentioned in the same paragraph or sentence – let alone same breath, with Senator John McCain.  It is now very obvious that senator Graham has decided, along with almost all of the other Republicans in congress, to sell his soul to Mr. Donald Trump and pledge his loyalty to him even at the cost of his loyalty to the constitution and the American people.

Senator Graham, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan are all cut from the same bolt of cloth; they place politics and the political games of politics above all else.  They are firmly rooted in the “don’t hate the player, hate the game” mentality and they play strictly by “the game” rules.  They condemn street people who play by these rules and look upon them as the scum of the earth who should always be punished to the full extent of the law for their “crimes.”  But, of course – from their perspective, there is a gigantic gulf between what they are doing and what street people are doing when they commit crimes because there is a gigantic difference between white-collar crime and other (street people) crimes (The overall fairness of the American justice system warrants the attention of another post at another time).  After all, they are government officials who are so-called elected representatives of the American people.

If senator Graham, senator McConnell and Speaker Ryan really cared about the American people and the oath that they took to defend the constitution and this country against all enemies foreign and domestic when they entered office, they would have put Mr. Trump in check a long time ago.  But instead, they have chosen to protect the Republican party, move its agenda forward and promote their own self interest.  What a sad commentary these three men and the current Republican-led congress have proffered to the American people, late founders and the great American institutions that these founders established and worked hard to assure would provide, in perpetuity, a firm foundation that would support America, the American people and the American way of life.

Most Americans do not closely follow politics so they don’t thoroughly realize how cavalierly that the aforementioned three men have handled, and continue to handle, their oath of office, the constitution and their responsibility to the American people.  These so-called elected representatives of the American people count on Americans to not be and remain informed on politics.  That way, they can always dupe them with their election cycle rhetoric when it is time for them to be reelected.  They do not care that Mr. Trump is taking us backwards at a break-neck pace and ruining America’s reputation nationally and in the eyes of the world as long as he is advancing the Republican party agenda.  Hence, “don’t hate the player, hate the game” has been and still remains their mantra!

I don’t know where America will ultimately end up because a large number of Americans – although a minority – still support Mr. Trump and are satisfied with his performance as president.  But I do not like the direction in which we are headed.  Mr. Trump is completely unhinged!  And unfortunately because of his so-called leadership, right now, we are a completely polarized and divided country.  Whether or not it is on purpose or by accident, Mr. Trump is leading America down a rabbit hole filled with chaos that can lead to nothing good for America and her allies.  It is his version of Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter and he is loving it!  The sad part of the whole thing is that he does not really seem to realize that he is doing anything wrong and that his unorthodox leadership has the potential to completely ruin America and forever taint or completely destroy our democracy as we know it!

The bottom line is that all Americans must get involved, get informed and do all that they can to assure that Trump’s America will not succeed!  Therefore, I implore all Americans – whether or not you agree with and support Mr. Trump, to get informed and stay informed on politics.  And once you are truly informed (not just by Fox News), even if you still agree with the direction in which Mr. Trump is leading America, you should always exercise your right to vote!  So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!  Be sure to vote in the 2018, 2020 elections and beyond; America and our way of life are depending on you!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, State Politics

Trump Works To Thieve Hope

Mr. Trump and the spineless Republican-led congress are working twenty-four seven to rob Americans of all hope and any confidence that they have left in our democracy and the American system of governance. This congress is well aware of what Mr. Trump is doing to the American people and the American way of life and yet they still sit back and heartlessly watch because they want to press forward with the Republican agenda.  They would rather count the number of judges that they are able to confirm than to rescue the American people from the slaughterhouse tactics that Mr. Trump is perpetrating upon them!  It appears that as far as congress is concerned, for all intents and purposes, our plight is meaningless to them.  They are treating this whole nightmarish scenario like some kind of a cruel Darwinian game that will ultimately culminate in the survival of the fittest… so don’t look for any help.

They are not even moved to action by the despot-like tactics that Mr. Trump is using against former and current career government employees who are, without a doubt, patriots and who have served this country selflessly and with honor! The most recent victim of these Trumpian tactics is former CIA Director John Brennan.  Mr. Trump unilaterally revoked Director Brennan’s security clearance.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan have cowed to Mr. Trump and abdicated all but a feeble appearance of leadership to him.  As a result, the Republican-led congress has become reprobate and due to the lack of genuine leadership by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan, far too many patriotic Republicans throughout America continue to support this poor excuse of a congress, which is filled with pseudo statesmen who claim to represent them.  Whether these elected officials are doing it explicitly or tacitly, they are helping Mr. Trump in his effort to destroy America; and they know it!

Senate Majority Leader McConnell let Americans know exactly who he is and what he is all about when he refused for 293 days, the longest nomination process in the history of Supreme Court nominations, to hold confirmation hearings on President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. Senator McConnell blatantly lied about why he refused to hold these hearings and shamelessly denied judge Merrick Garland, who was well respected on both sides of the isle, the opportunity to become a Supreme Court Justice.  And he did this for strictly partisan reasons.  He was holding out hope that a Republican would be elected president in the 2016 elections and that Republicans could then put a person on the court that would be further to the right than was judge Garland.  His plan worked and the recently confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was nominated by Mr. Trump, was the fortunate beneficiary of his unyielding tenacity.

I don’t know about you but I am hard-pressed to continue to believe that those senators and representatives that Americans voted for to look out for the best interest of America and to represent them and their thoughts really care even in the slightest about them, their concerns and needs or what they think. Instead, they are locked in on their prospects for personal gain, loyalty to their party, Mr. Trump, big money donors and getting reelected; although not necessarily in that order.  As a regular American citizen it is extremely hurtful and hard for me to understand why everyone in power is sitting by and allowing Mr. Trump to do the terrible things that he is doing without even trying to place checks on him.  Congress has the power to do this yet they are doing absolutely nothing!  Well, they are not always doing absolutely nothing; in many cases they are actually enabling him.

What is happening to us in this country?! What has become of statesmanship and leadership?!  What has become of that instilled human element in all Americans, and especially our elected officials and leaders, to always treat others, whether they are friend or adversary, with that inalienable dignity and respect that they were born with; that degree of dignity and respect that they are not required to earn?!  Is it no longer there?!  And if that is the case, is this the place that we have allowed Mr. Trump to lead us to without us and those that we elected to represent us making any effort whatsoever to prevent it from happening?!  Is this where we really want to be?!  God help us if it is!

Even though Mr. Trump and his minions are doing everything in their power to tear down and discredit Special Counsel Mueller and his team, I still completely trust them. I believe that they will get to the bottom of what happened with Mr. Trump and his campaign and what took place with regards to the Russian meddling in our 2016 elections.  But it is taking soooooo long and Mr. Trump is continuing to ride roughshod over the American people and do damage to America that will be extremely hard to completely recover from if not impossible to recover from.

Still, Americans must continue to support those true patriots who are working to bring out the truth about what happen in 2016 to put Mr. Trump in office and to determine whether or not he is indeed a legitimate U.S. president who was elected without the aid of a foreign adversary. That notwithstanding, those patriots must realize that the American people are hurting and struggling to understand why Mr. Trump is being allowed to do the things that he is doing unchecked by those in power who can do something to halt or at least mitigate, the damage that he is doing to our country.  Most Americans likely believe that they already realize this and empathize with us.  Along with that empathy, however, they must move to correct this problem as quickly as possible without jeopardizing the Mueller investigation or putting America in a position that will force Americans to give Mr. Trump a free pass.  He and all of those who assisted him must be held to account if they colluded with Russia in any way or committed any other criminal acts.

Mr. Trump is becoming more bold each time that he sends up a trial balloon and finds that his supposed overseers are too timid to challenge him even when he and they know that he is way out of line and abusing his power. And each time that this happens he moves what is supposed to be an immoveable Rubicon just a little further from favoring and protecting America and the American people as the Founders intended it to do, to favoring and protecting Mr. Donald John Trump, which completely subverts the spirit and intent of why it was established in the first place.  When will our elected officials step up and address this problem?  Will they wait until it is too late?

Will they be like the frog in the pot of cool water that was brought ever so slowly to a boil and by the time that it realized that it was going to be dinner or have all of its parts that were its very life ripped out and replaced with stuffing, it was too late to do anything about its situation. The point is not whether it would wind up as dinner or be stuffed by a taxidermist and placed in a museum or on someone’s mantel, the point is that its life was over!  Will we wait so long that when we decide to finally put a stop to Mr. Trump’s antics, democracy as we now know it will be over?  That’s a scary thought!  All the more reason why all voting-age Americans should seriously contemplate what is happening now and get informed, stay informed and vote in the 2018, 2020 elections and beyond.

Your vote does count and you can make a difference. So whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, Local Politics, State Politics

Trump, Prestidigitation And The Republican Agenda

Mr. Trump, the Republican party and the Republican-led congress are at it again.  Or perhaps I should say they are still at it because they have never stopped trying to fool the American people since Mr. Trump took office.  The sad part about this is that what they are doing is working.  Since Mr. Trump is championing and carrying forward the Republican agenda, with the obvious help of the Republican-led congress, by way of prestidigitation and his base is loving every minute of it as they boisterously  cheer him on, Republicans are content to put up with his antics.  Especially since these antics provide cover for the fact that their party’s agenda is heartless and just as vile as those eccentric behaviors which Mr. Trump proudly flaunts as the leader of their party and leader of the free world.

In the event that some readers might not be familiar with the word ‘prestidigitation’, please allow me to save you a trip to the online dictionary; it simply means sleight of hand, magic tricks, smoke-and mirrors or deception.  I suppose, since it is a seldom used non-household variety word, I used it as a ploy in an effort to assure that I would get your attention and somehow hold it.  The use of a ploy seems appropriate in light of the subject matter of this article.  And if the trick did grab your attention – even if you do not normally closely follow politics because it is too often too down in the gutter, involves too much mudslinging and is therefore frustrating for you, I hope that you will read this entire article.  Because if there was ever a time when Americans should (and must) overcome their frustrations and political battle fatigue and stand up and fight for what they believe in, that time is now!  It is important for all of us to realize that we have never had – and I believe that most Americans hope that we will never have again, no matter how much and how strongly we might disagree with one another – a leader of the free world like Mr. Trump!

Anyway, the things that the Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Homeland Security and etc. are doing are not just things that are occurring because they are out-of-control rogue Departments; they are carrying out the Republican agenda!  And Mr. Trump provides the perfect cover to allow this to happen!  While the entire nation is focused on trying to decide whether he is a racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic, white supremacist – among many other vile things – president, the Republican-led congress is quietly implementing the Republican agenda.  An agenda which serves and caters to the rich and powerful and has no regards for the poor and those without power.  And they are doing this even though they know that many of the other things that Mr. Trump is doing at the same time is a bona fide  threat to American democracy as we know it!  Hello, Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell!  Where are you?!

All of the scandals involving cabinet members in the Trump administration and the overall scandalous behavior that is taking place since Mr. Trump was elected should not come as a surprise.  Americans knew who Mr. Trump was before he was elected.  And yet, his supporters put him in office to lead America and represent our country in leading the free world.  Look what that got us; a man who is a consummate liar and who acts like an elementary school schoolyard bully!  In the words of Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”  Too many Americans did not believe Mr. Trump.

Even so, due to the magnitude of these scandals and scandalous behavior along with the nonchalant response by our congress, especially under the existing circumstances, Americans should be in total shock.  It is easy to see that Mr. Trump’s campaign pledge to ‘drain the swamp’ in Washington has instead resulted in the creation of a larger swamp with more and larger alligators.  In fact, the swamp that he pledged to drain looks more like an aboveground septic tank.  The way that the White House is being run and the way that it is functioning smacks more like that of a reality TV show than that of the functioning of the residence of the most powerful man in the world.  It certainly does not function like the smooth running well-oiled machine that Mr. Trump has claimed that it is.  Surely only he could conjure that up and then actually believe it!

As a result of this bizarre situation that we find ourselves in, come November 2018, we should be prepared to show those sitting (pun intended because that is about all that they are doing) congressmen that we are holding them to account for the path that America is traveling as a result of the unchecked, unorthodox leadership of Mr. Trump.  We must stand at the ready to perform, not only our civic duty as Americans to vote but to do all that we can to assure that our country will be defended and protected against all enemies both foreign and domestic… despite any differences that we might have with one another as fellow Americans.  First and foremost we must protect our democracy!  We must not stand by and simply watch as politicians – for purposes of personal gain or loyalty to a party or president, stand by and watch our country be sold down the river by anyone; and especially if that someone is our president!

Mr. Trump was not a politician when he was elected and was not at the time hardwired to play politics; and perhaps he is not even a skilled politician now, but he certainly is, and has long been, a master charlatan.  He knows how to manipulate all of the people around him – which one can easily ascertain by the actions of our worm-like Republican-led congress, and he also knows his way around the television ratings world and that helps him in his ability to manipulate the news media in its coverage of him while he is at the same using the news media’s coverage of him to smear them and attack and ruin their own credibility.  Mr. Trump is obviously ignorant and shallow when it comes to the many complex issues that America is faced with and he is ill-equipped to deal with those issues in the way that a qualified and effective leader would deal with them.  Ergo, endless deflection and smoke-and-mirrors.  This is the full extent of what he has in his intellectual, altruistic, leadership and governmental experience toolbox.  And minus a congress with a spine, Mr. Trump’s gain is America’s loss.

All Americans regardless of party and partisan politics must step up now and say enough is enough!  We will not tolerate this kind of politics any longer!  And we will hold you to account come November 2018 and beyond no matter your party affiliation!  The best way for us to do this is by way of our vote.  So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, Local Politics, State Politics

Trumped Again!

I’m going to tell a joke that I heard a long time ago so please indulge me because it seems so apropos to the era of Trump; to be more precise the era of Mr. Donald John Trump. I don’t know who the author is so I will attribute it to ‘an unknown author’.  The joke goes as follows:

A woman returned home from work early one day and when she entered her house she saw her husband on the couch having sex with another woman.  When her husband saw her, he and the woman quickly got up off of the couch, put their close on and the husband shepherded the woman out of the house.  As she brushed passed the wife who was standing there with her mouth agape, the husband rushed back over to the couch, straightened the pillows, picked up the newspaper and began to read it as if nothing had happened.  What were you doing having sex with that woman?!…  And in our house!  The husband casually looked up from the newspaper he was reading and calmly asked, what woman?  The woman that I just saw you having sex with on the couch, the wife said!  I wasn’t having sex with any woman on the couch, the husband responded.  I saw the two of you having sex on our couch just now with my own two eyes, she said!  Honey, I wasn’t having sex with anybody; who are you going to believe – me, or your lying eyes?

Now, here is a quote from Mr. Trump on about July 23, 2018.  “Remember, what you’re seeing and what you are reading is not what’s happening”; [who are you going to believe – me, or your lying eyes].  I added the ‘who are you going to believe…’  Do you get the gist of why I feel that this joke was worth telling in order to make my point?  What a bunch of nonsense there is contained in that joke.  And there is just as much nonsense contained in the quote from Mr. Trump.  And this kind of nonsense has been coming nonstop ever since Mr. Trump was elected.  Do you see where I am headed here?  Is this the America that we live in and must contend with now?!  God help us!

To make matters worse, in an effort to convince Americans to believe him instead of our ‘lying eyes’, according to Rachel Maddow, Mr. Trump and his minions altered the White House official transcript and video of the Trump-Putin press conference by excluding a very important question that Jeff Mason, a Reuters reporter, asked Mr. Putin.  A question to which Mr. Putin responded “yes.”  That question was, “President Putin, did you want President Trump to win the election and did you direct any of your officials to help him do that?”  By the way, this question is missing entirely from the Kremlin’s transcript.

Mr. Trump and his minions said the exclusion was caused by a technical glitch.  But with their reputation of being liars; a technical glitch?  Come on!  And so far they have not changed the White House transcript or video.  When will this Republican-led congress find the nerve to speak truth to power?!  When will they decide to step up and defend America and the American people against the unorthodox kind of leadership, which ignores all norms that all U.S. presidents in recent history proudly and honorably embraced, that Mr. Trump is providing?!  Will it be too late to allow America to ever completely recover from the damage that Mr. Trump is doing to her?

These are very somber and frustrating times and many Americans might feel like just throwing up their hands and giving up.  But that is just what Mr. Trump is counting on us to do.  So for that reason and so many others that impact on whether or not democracy as we now know it will survive, we cannot and we must not do that!  Americans cannot afford to wait for a president other than Mr. Trump to be elected and then hope and pray that they will be able to repair the damage that has been done.  No, we must fight back now!  And in the words of Senator Elizabeth Warren, when we get knocked down we must get right back up and get right back in the fight!  This is too important for us to just throw up our hands and quit; failure is not an option!

So whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!  So get informed, stay informed, get in the fight and get out and vote in the 2018, 2020 elections and beyond.  As a matter of fact, vote in ever election that you are eligible to vote in whether it is at the local, state or federal level.  It’s your civic duty!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

Federal Politics, Local Politics, State Politics

Trump And The Republican Base’s Misplaced Concern

Let’s think about this a little bit; and it should only take a ‘little bit’ of thought.  Which should we really be concerned about as Americans; athletes not standing and placing their hands over their hearts during the playing of the National Anthem or an American, with the aid of a group of other Americans, in essence placing America and its survival as a democracy in the hands of a foreign adversary?  And let’s give this American and the group that is aiding him the benefit of the doubt by stipulating to the statement that all of them stand up and put their hands over their hearts during the playing of the National Anthem.  Which would you say should be of greater concern to Americans?

If we stand and put our hands over our hearts during the playing of the National Anthem but then in some private setting out of sight of the public and absent the auspices of other Americans who might caution, criticize or disagree with us and offer savory counsel admonishing us not to do the thing that we are about to do because it would not be in the best interest of America; and yet we do it anyway, does the fact that we stood and put our hands over our hearts during the playing of the National Anthem make our decision better or mitigate it in any way?  No.

Mr. Trump knows this too and he knows that his ranting and raving about athletes not standing and placing their hands over their hearts when the National Anthem is played has nothing to do with patriotism.  Much the same as some of the fans at these games who do not stand and place their hands over their hearts and those staffing the concession stands and those visiting those stands do not stop and put their hands over their hearts, has nothing to do with their patriotism.  The fact that he is causing these Americans who are angry for various reasons – and many are also confused and frustrated, to misplace their patriotic enthusiasm doesn’t matter to Mr. Trump.  It does not matter because his true aim is not to serve these people who helped to elect him, it is to manipulate them.  And his true aim does not appear to be to honor and serve America and all of the American people but, instead, to enrich himself and his family.  As regards the Republican-led congress that is enabling him, even if they do not share his goals, their actions are reprehensible.

Hypothetically speaking, if Mr. Trump were the ‘American’ referred to in paragraph one of this article, then the picture taken by Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images and used in a recent article in Bloomberg would not only speak a thousand words but it would go a long way in reinforcing the fact that standing and placing ones hand over ones heart during the playing of the National Anthem, if it is not supported by true patriotism, is absolutely meaningless (Mr. Trump stands and places his hand over his heart when the National Anthem is played, even if at times it does take a bit of nudging from First Lady Malania).  The expression on Mr. Trumps face – especially vs. that on president Putin’s face – in this picture is unforgettable and likely etched in the memory of all peoples in the world who viewed it and read the article.  The Bloomberg article was written by Ros Krasny and is entitled ‘Trump’s Two Hours Alone With Putin Still Rattling Washington’.

What a sad thing to think, let alone say, about the person who occupies the Oval Office.  What lofty heights that office has fallen from since Mr. Trump was elected.  Everyone – friend or foe, accept in some cases deserving Americans, is invited into this once lofty office.  Even Russian president Vladimir Putin has been invited to come there.  As to whether or not this will actually happen remains to be seen.  But the very fact that Mr. Trump has invited him is astonishing and humiliating wrapped up in one gigantic ball of confusion.  After all, president Putin did direct some of his military personnel and other Russians to meddle in America’s 2016 elections.  And for this he is being rewarded with a trip to the White House?

Although this whole scenario seems surreal, it is actually occurring right now.  All Americans should be concerned about this.  And since congress is unwilling to do anything about it, all Americans must step up and let these so-called statesmen know that what they are doing (or not doing) is unacceptable.  We must let them know this through all available non-violent means leading up to the 2018 and 2020 elections.  And then, when it comes time to vote in each of these elections, we must let them know by way of our ballot that we mean business.  We must let them know that they must shape up or we will ship them out!

So be sure to get out and vote.  And always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line