It is fantastic that Democrats will have so many new faces entering congress in January 2019; the midterm elections were extraordinary for us and that accomplishment, rightfully, should be celebrated!  It is understandable that those fresh young, new faces coming in feel that they have a mandate and want to see changes made in the party but it is imperative that, in their enthusiasm, they do not jump to conclusions and ruin their opportunities to make real change…Democrats have an infamous reputation for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.  They must stop their bickering now!  Nancy Pelosi must be reelected as Speaker of the House!  Why?  Because she is experienced and smart and Republican House members under the leadership of the House Minority Leader – with the aid of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will not be able to outmaneuver her politically.

Ever since Nancy Pelosi became House Speaker she has always delivered for the Democrats.  She has demonstrated time and again that she has the will power and determination – cojones? or some other ‘manly’ term in this powerful (mostly white) man’s world of the US House and Senate – to keep party members in line.  And in the past whenever she has said that she had the votes to pass legislation her word has proven true.  If the House should decide that they want to replace (hopefully) future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi then that is fine.  Leader Pelosi has already indicated that she is amenable to that.  But now is not the time to squabble about replacing her because Democrats desperately need her leadership and guidance.  No one in the party will be more effective in dealing with Mr. Trump, Senate Majority Leader McConnell and the House Minority Leader.  And House Democrats should immediately stop trying to force her into an agreement that delineates exactly when she will yield her power and pass the torch to a younger leader.

At this point, there are so many things that need to be addressed that were overlooked while the Republicans, who cast aside all of their oversight responsibilities and abdicated all of their power to Mr. Trump, were in power.  Because they were completely frightened by Mr. Trump and his base – in their desire to be reelected, they let him run rampant and do whatever he wanted to do including siding with President Vladimir Putin against his own intelligence agencies and working with president Putin to sell America and her best interests down the river.  Whether wittingly or unwittingly they became pawns in helping president Putin to weaken NATO, America and her allies.

It is frightening to watch Mr. Trump ignore long-held American norms and traditions that were followed by virtually all of the other American presidents who held office.  It is even more frightening when we consider what is happening in the south – due in large part to Chief Justice John Roberts’ and other conservative Supreme Court Justices decisions to gut the Voting Rights Act – in places like Georgia and Florida where voting rights are being trampled and to see that this type of governing has spread to places in the Midwest with a prime example being Kansas.

The recent U.S. senate election in Mississippi between sitting Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is a proven racist and her challenger Mike Espy, provides a prime example of the direction in which Mr. Trump is working hard to lead America.  Mr. Trump threw his full support behind Ms. Hyde-Smith and attended a rally in Mississippi to help get her elected.  Ms. Hyde-Smith garnered a large percentage of the votes during the runoff election on her way to victory.  It is my opinion that it is fair to use an analogy that compares Mississippi to an addict whether that someone is on legal or illegal drugs.  Until that someone is willing to accept that they have a problem, admit that they need help and be open to accepting that help, then no one will be able to help them.  In other words, if Mississippi is not amenable to willingly entering the twenty-first century and leaving their past in the past, then America must be extremely cognizant as to how much time and energy she is willing to expend in trying to drag Mississippi, while kicking and screaming, there!

A lot of negative things have happened in America since Mr. Trump was elected.  His administration is rife with scandals and many other elected Republican officials in leadership positions around the country are emulating him because, with the example that he is setting, they feel that they can get away with it.  Many people in this country are frustrated with our politicians and leaders around the world have lost respect for America.  For a perfect example of how much respect that world leaders have lost for America, just reflect on the visual of Saudi Prince MBS and Russia President Vladimir Putin smiling and giving each other a high-five hand shake at the G-20 conference.  Then look closely at the still picture of Mr. Trump and President Putin as Mr. Trump passes by him.  President Putin’s eyes tell the true story of his disdain for Mr. Trump and America.  Look at the expression on his face then look very closely at his eyes.  America and the world need a strong and honorable American president: a president whose word carries power and the full support of the American people and an honorable American congress.

Under the leadership of all of the American presidents in history, no country would have so blatantly disrespected America as did Russia and Saudi Arabia at the G-20 conference!  America must fix this problem!  We can fix it through always fulfilling our civic responsibilities, which includes voting.  We can vote in a president who will put America above money and his personal interest.  So 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

We must always value our right to vote and expect, no, demand fair elections!

It is unfortunate but too often Americans take our democracy for granted.  Far too often we readily accept what is going on in Washington politics, no matter what it is, as normal.  We say, “that’s politics” – and far too often because that politics is so down in the mud, use it as an excuse not to be involved and also use that as an excuse as to why we don’t vote.  This occurs with all people but it seems to run rampant with America’s young people.  To this I say “horse hockey”, and that young people – and anyone else who uses this as an excuse not to vote should be ashamed of themselves and they should cease and desist using that excuse immediately and VOTE!  There is no doubt that all of those who take their right to vote for granted would look at things differently if that right was taken away from them!

So in the words of President Barrack Obama, “I’M ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE.  Not just in my/[his] ability to bring change in Washington…I’m/[he is] asking you to believe in yours.”

AMERICA IS AT A CROSSROADS AND YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE YOUR VOTE COUNTS (YOUR VOTE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE OF ALL…UNLESS YOU DON’T USE IT!).  SO WHETHER YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN OR INDEPENDENT, MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET TO THE POLLS AND VOTE IN THE 2018 MIDTERM ELECTIONS BEFORE THE POLLS CLOSE!

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

With the way that things are going in Dodge City, Kansas and North Dakota it appears that Trump’s America is thriving.  I will start by addressing the problem in Dodge City, Kansas.  Dodge City recently moved its polling place that accommodates some 13,000 plus voters out of the city limits and to a remote area that is miles outside of the city limits and more than a mile from the nearest bus stop.  Why?  The County Clerk said that it is due to ongoing construction at what was the location inside the city limits that is blocking the area and that would make it extremely hard and dangerous for voters to access the polling area where they would need to cast their ballads.

To make this obvious attempt at covert voter suppression even more obvious, upon receiving a letter from the ACLU expressing concern about the closing of the existing polling place and asking that another one be opened inside the city limits, instead of responding to the ACLU, the County Clerk emailed a copy of the ACLU letter to Secretary of State/candidate for Governor Kris Kobach’s office, which included the expression “LOL”, in essence expressing that she found it funny and ridiculous that the ACLU would even bother to make any request of her that would make voting easier for voters under her auspices.  When Mr. Kobach was asked by reporters as to whether he could assist in any way to correct the problem he said that it was not something that he could address because it was in the hands of the County Clerk.  Well isn’t that special?!  Mr. Kobach is the Kansas Secretary of State and he can’t do anything to address the problem because it is in the hands of the County Clerk?!  Give me a break!

Because the MSNBC Rachael Maddow Show had been following the problems that voters in Dodge City, Kansas were experiencing concerning casting their ballads for the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, its employees had been trying to reach the Dodge City County Clerk but were unable to get a response.  Because they were unable to get a response, the show sent a small team to Dodge City to try to assess the situation and get details on exactly what the problem was.  When the team arrived and researched the problem they found that not only was the new location much harder to reach and plagued with a large amount of large truck traffic, but the old location was not blocked by construction at all.  As a matter of fact, the team found that there are major large events that will be taking place at the site that was closed to voters just days before Election Day and others that will be occurring just days after Election Day: Go figure.

When the ACLU asked the court to intervene to address this problem and stop this obvious attempt to put up roadblocks that would make it harder for voters to vote – or even worse, actually prevent them from voting, the judge refused to do so.  In support of his decision not to intervene he stated that if the court intervened at this stage, it would only confuse matters more and make things worse if a change was made due to the close proximity of the actual Election Day to such a decision.

The situation in North Dakota is basically the same as that in Dodge City with the exception that instead of moving the polling place to make it harder for voters to vote, North Dakota abruptly changed the voter ID requirements.  North Dakota decided that all voters must have a residence address rather than a post office box in order to vote in the midterm elections on November 6, 2018.  Although virtually all voters who live on a reservation in North Dakota do not have a residence address but have always been allowed to vote in the past, including in elections just prior to the subject (November 6, 2018) midterm elections, they have now been told that they cannot vote in the November 6^th midterms unless they have a residence address.  When the court was asked to intervene and prevent this overt attempt to prevent voters from voting, the response was the same as that given to the Dodge City plaintiff’s request.  The court stated that it was too near to Election Day for them to intervene because its intervention would cause more problems than it would resolve.

Although it is blatantly obvious that Dodge City, Kansas and North Dakota are openly working to block Americans with the right to vote from voting, today – in Trump’s America, the courts are simply winking at it and allowing it to happen.  There is no doubt that the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the US Supreme Court has emboldened those organizations and people who espouse this agenda and that this Supreme Court decision has positively impacted on cities and states decisions to move forward with these un-American like choices.  Although it is extremely disappointing that the very entities that are in place to enforce this law and help assure that something that is a core value of our democracy, that is guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States of America and that is an intricate part of the foundation on which America was established is winked at by those who staff them, we must not lose hope.  Neither must we be discouraged or deterred!  Americans must continue to press forward to unite our country and prevent it from being divided…by anyone!

The 2018 midterm elections are extremely important to all Americans because we are at a fork in the road and, as American voters, we must take the first step in determining what path forward America will take.  Will it be the path toward tribalism, division and hate or will it be the path toward togetherness, unity, and love for one another?  The only true and meaningful way that any American can be an integral part of making this choice is through their vote.  So it is from this perspective that I implore all Americans to vote in this election and further implore you to, value your franchise, and vote in all elections.  It is from this same perspective that I say to you that this is arguably the most important election in our lifetime.  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

Most of the time when the word “player” is mentioned, in my humble opinion, most white people will envision a black person whether they envision a man or a woman.  I accept that as life because that is the way that the preponderance of white people have been taught to think.  But, hello white people, players come in all colors!  And, hello again, those who might be naive white people, Mr. Trump is just as much a street player as any person no matter what color they might be!  Mr. Trump is a player among players!  He can outwit and intimidate the best of the best when it comes to players. Why?  Because he is the most powerful man in the world.  He knows this and so do all of the street players out there!  Most street players might not have a formal education but they are not stupid; and, they are not crazy!

Players, especially brothers and sisters – Black folks for those who are unfamiliar with the term, might not like it that Mr. Trump is the top (kingpin) player but they know that he is and they accept that.  Most street people and all thugs know and accept reality even if they don’t like it.  And they know and accept that Mr. Trump is the man.  Mr. Trump knows this too and it is not something that is new to him.  In and with his street-wise bravado, he continues to manipulate American people of all colors as he works his way towards 2020 and making the American peoples’ America Trump’s America!  Players know how to play and manipulate people.  And if there is not someone there who, no matter their color, is experienced in how street people and players play and are dedicated and determined to help Americans to understand this game and what is happening to them, then America is destined to lose.

Whether or not the Republican-led congress realizes what Mr. Trump is doing and is choosing to ignore it for the purpose of party and/or personal gain remains to be determined.  Either way, the fact of the matter is that America is in deep trouble and it is up to us, the American voters, to steer her clear of certain destruction!  Mr. Trump is white but his life experiences make him just as much from “off the corner” as any brother from the ghetto or any poor white person from a really rough neighborhood who has had to fight to survive in life!  Believe me, those white people know who Mr. Trump really is; despite his upper crust title as President of the United States of America.  They know that he doesn’t have the best interest of America in mind and therefore does not deserve to be there but they have to give him some love for, being one of them, having made it there.  He played the game to the max!

Mr. Trump is on top of his hustle and I can understand that.  Even I can understand his attempt to convince all Americans (in street language) not to “hate the player” but to “hate the game.”  But what I am finding it hard to understand is that when Mr. Trump blatantly lies to the American people – like when just before the 2018 midterm elections he talks about enacting a 10% tax cut for middleclass Americans (which no one in congress knows anything about) and how Republicans will strongly support assuring that insurance companies are held to the Obamacare standards that require all insurance companies to provide affordable insurance to all Americans including those with preexisting conditions, why the news media continues to repeatedly broadcast his lies!  They must be aware that the majority of the people who hear these lies do not realize that they are lies and that those same people will never hear Mr. Trump admit that they are lies nor will they hear him retract those statements!

Mr. Trump is completely and mercilessly playing this worm-like Republican-led congress and he knows that it will not hold him to account for what he is doing.  And Republican senators like Senators Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker and Jeff Flake need to stop pretending outrage at the things that Mr. Trump is doing and, like the rest of the Republicans in congress, just go along with whatever Mr. Trump decides to do.  In particular, retiring senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake need to spare us all of the drama and just retire with at least some degree of dignity.  I am extremely tired of seeing pictures of Senator Jeff Flakes’ “sad face” as he talks about the unseemly things that Mr. Trump is doing and how he should not be doing these things and explains to the American people about how he neither believes Dr. Christine Blasey Ford nor Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh with respect to their testimonies before the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee.  Enough already!

I continue to hope that those whom we have elected to represent us and to lead and protect America will come to their senses and do the jobs that they were elected to do.  I continue to hope that they will stop trying to impede democracy, via voter suppression or any other means, by bending it to favor a certain party or group of people.  As we approach the 2018 midterm elections, I want to continue to emphasize that we as American voters must continue to do our part to hold our elected officials accountable.  We must use the threat of how we will vote to chastise them and mentally bludgeon them into doing the right thing.  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

All of my adult life I have closely followed politics.  And I have always been a Democrat.  I have also always known that politicians on both sides of the aisle would oftentimes spin and stretch the truth to the maximum point possible without, in their opinion, crossing the boundary and entering the territory of a lie.  And if that did not work in helping them to achieve their goal, far too many times, they would actually resort to lying.  Even though I always knew this, I found it relatively easy to have a certain amount of respect for them.

I held this respect because of a deep seated patriotic love for America indwelled in me and the overpowering feeling that all politicians harbored this same feeling; but they were doing something about it.  They became elected officials so that they could actually serve our country.  For that reason, I held a certain degree of approbation for them and respected them even more.  I thought that no matter how much Democrats and Republicans fought about the issues and the path forward that America should take that they had a pre-established line in the sand drawn which they would never cross for personal gain, Party or anything else.  I especially held the Oval Office and its occupant in high esteem and I believed that these politicians did too.  Enter the era of Mr. Donald John Trump.

The election of Mr. Trump ripped away my rose colored glasses and all of the perceptions that I had of the honor, dedication and desire to serve their country and a cause bigger than themselves that I had of these politicians and revealed the soft and repulsive underbelly of the corruption, selfishness, personal ambition and greed that exists there.  All of the honorableness and pomp and circumstance seem somehow all feigned by these so called representatives of the American people.  I could not help but to, after all of this time, feel extremely naive.  That is not to say that my opinion of politicians post-Trump should be applied to all politicians, but with what is happening in congress now, given the complete abdication of their checks-and-balances responsibilities and the rubberstamping of everything – even those things that are wrong – that Mr. Trump does, that opinion definitely applies to far too many of them.

Mr. Trump has brought our country and the Oval Office down to the lowest level – one must hope and pray that it can go no lower, possible.  He has brought high level Russian officials and photographers into this office while at the same time banning the American press and photographers and he has allowed crowds of people to surround the Oval Office desk and listen while one of his devoted followers made a long and rambling speech that included profanity.  He has literally stood beside Russian President Vladimir Putin, supported him and disparaged American intelligence agencies as the world watched, he has regularly trashed our allies and supported strongmen and despots around the world, and he seems to be content in heading an administration that is plagued with endless scandals.

The same Republicans who ranted and raved about avoiding an increase in the deficit at all costs now remain silent as the deficit has soared under the watch of Mr. Trump and the current Republican-led congress.  They passed a tax cut that they said would help middle income and lower income Americans.  But instead, it put millions of dollars into the pockets of corporations and the top 1% of Americans and left middle income and lower income Americans with the crumbs off the table.  To make matters worse, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell now says that the deficit is ‘not a Republican problem’.  He says that the problem is the entitlement programs and so he has called for a reduction in the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs to address America’s deficit problem.

Ever since Mr. Trump was elected he has relentlessly worked to divide Americans and pit them against one another.  He seems to be completely focused on his own best interest first and then, maybe – as long as it does not negatively impact his own interest, on the interests of America and the American people.  He wants to “Make America Great Again”!  He wants it to be ‘Trump’s America’!  And although voter suppression is rampant and voters around the country are being disenfranchised at a phenomenal pace he doesn’t seem to care.  To be succinct about Mr. Trump’s feelings about this situation I will paraphrase his response to a question that Leslie Stahl asked him.  When she asked him about how he felt about having mimicked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the victim who accused then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her, Mr. Trump said, “it doesn’t matter, we won.”  His apparent thoughts about the above mentioned voter suppression and disenfranchisements?  To paraphrase him, “it doesn’t matter, we need to win.”

The sad part right now is that Mr. Trump is winning.  He is winning at pitting us against one another and blinding far too many of us through our anger and rage into accepting change in America that defies everything that Americans have stood for from our very beginning and still stand for now.  Change that makes America look more like the countries of those strongmen and despots that he seems to hold in such high esteem.  He is winning at making America ‘Trump’s America’!

The results of the November 2018 elections will tell all Americans how the majority – depending on the success of voter suppression, perhaps not the unadulterated majority – of Americans feel and which path forward they want America to take.  Our democracy is being threatened from inside and outside of America.  As an American, the right to vote is a critical and intricate element in the foundation that supports our democracy.  Let’s not just stand by and watch these attacks happen.  Instead, let’s do everything that we can legally and without violence to assure that they will fail!

We can do this through our vote.  Because we know and we know that they know that our vote is our power, that is even more reason why we must fight through all attempts at voter suppression and disenfranchisement! That is why we must not allow Mr. Trump, the Republican-led congress or anyone or anything else to frustrate us to the point where we just give up and don’t vote!  Let’s be sure to keep our eyes on the prize, focus on our power, show up at the polls in November and vote.  Your vote counts!  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

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

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

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

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

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