Category Archives: State Politics

Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful’ Tax Cut Christmas Gift For America’s Middle Class

Mr. Trump says that he wants to give middle class Americans a ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut benefit for Christmas.  Yay!  He has been touting this gift for a while now and is confident that he can either dupe or pressure congressional Republicans into passing his tax bill immediately and putting it on his desk so that he can sign it.  However, there is one minor problem – a small hurdle that he and his Republican minions in congress expect to easily clear along party lines, and that problem is that neither he nor the majority of the congressional Republicans really know what is in the bill.  And those that do have no real idea of the impact that it will have on the economy.  They just know that they have to pass something that at least resembles major legislation before the end of Mr. Trump’s first complete year in office or face  disaster.

It does not matter that if this bill passes – based on the apparent thinking of many congressional Republicans, that the law itself could become a disaster for America; what matters to them is that Republicans while in control of the House, Senate, and the White House, will be able to avoid being confronted with the fact that they did not pass a single piece of major legislation during Mr. Trump’s first year in office.  Just as important, this will increase their chances of being able to avoid the ire of their deep-pocket donors and hopefully prevent them from closing their wallets to the Republican party.

So wait, let me think…  Okay, HELLO, where do those of us who are supposed to be the recipients of this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift come in?!  I’m starting to think that this whole ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift for the middle class is a farce!  Why do the ‘big beautiful’ tax cuts for the middle class sunset and those for the corporations continue in perpetuity?!  And why is it that almost half of the benefits of this ‘big, beautiful tax cut gift go to Americans who are in the top 1 percent?!  Wait, something doesn’t smell right here.  Actually, it’s starting to stink.  Aha!  Now I see clearly.  This ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift is really for big corporations and the wealthy.  And in the long run, the middle class will end up paying for this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift to those corporations and the wealthy.  Give me a break!

Let me tell you what I’m getting for Christmas from my AARP MedicareComplete folks.  They recently sent me a letter that said that the dental coverage I had in 2017 is no longer offered under my 2018 plan.  They said that there is a new optional dental coverage called the ‘Dental Platinum Rider’ instead.  They further said that it would cost $39 per month versus the $13 per month that I am currently paying and that I can either switch to this new plan by letting them know by December 31, 2017; or, they said, if they don’t hear from me by December 31, 2017, my plan will not include dental coverage starting January 1, 2018.  Finally, they said that I will receive a new member ID card in the mail that doesn’t include dental coverage and that I can destroy the card that I recently received from them.  Whoa!  It’s the gift that keeps on giving…one day at a time less of my current cheaper coverage; and like the situation in the ‘big, beautiful tax cut for the middle class in Mr. Trump’s tax bill, even it sunsets on December 31, 2017 and I will have to either pay the higher rate (a 300% increase) or go without dental insurance.

What does this have to do with Mr. Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift?  While I cannot guarantee you that it is directly related to Mr. Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ tax cut gift to the middle class, I do know that he has been working hard to destabilize Obamacare, that the elimination of the Obamacare individual mandate is a part of his ‘big beautiful’ tax cut package, that this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift – if it is passed – will greatly increase the deficit (somewhere between 1.4 and 2 trillion dollars), and that   – ultimately – this increase will likely be addressed by taking the money from Medicare and Medicaid.  Whether directly or indirectly, this has an impact on the rates charged by insurance companies affiliated in any way with Medicare or Medicaid.  I will leave it to you to decide whether this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift directly or indirectly impacts on my situation or has no impact at all.  I know what I think!

In light of the bizarre way that Mr. Trump is conducting himself and the meteoric pace at which America is losing political capital at home and abroad, why should anyone not question where the loyalty of congressional Republicans lies?  Further, why should Americans continue to have any degree of confidence in the current Republican controlled congress or believe any word that comes out of Mr. Trump’s mouth?  This is a question worth asking.  I hope that all Americans, whether or not they agree with me, will get engaged and take a real close look at what is happening in and to America.  Then, I hope that you will remain engaged and help to assure and secure the future of America by fulfilling your responsibility as citizens and exercising your right to vote.  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

Congress Seems To Have Forgotten America

I do not know if you like watching nature shows that show a lot of National Geographic type stuff but I know that I do.  In the event that you do like watching that kind of stuff then you have likely seen the show that I am about to use as an example.  It goes as follows: There were these three male cheetahs that were following this female cheetah that was in heat.  They had been following her for days and when she would stop to rest they would keep their distance from her and, from time-to-time, they would fight with one another.  I suppose that it was to determine which one would be the alpha male that would eventually breed with her.

Whether or not this was the reason, one time when she stopped and they began fighting they did not notice that they were being watched by a pride of lions.  In the event that you are not aware of it, lions and cheetahs are natural enemies.  Anyway, these cheetahs – although they had strayed into lion territory, were so busy fighting with one another that they did not notice that some of the lions had decided to attack them and were openly approaching them.  To make a Long story short, the lions attacked these cheetahs.  While they attacked them, other lions in the pride simply watched what was happening without showing much interest.  As it relates to the example that I just gave you, it does not really matter whether one, all, or none of the cheetahs were either injured or killed.  What matters is that they were trespassing on territory on which they were keenly aware that they should not be trespassing and the lions let them know that in no uncertain terms.

If we were to juxtapose this example onto what is currently happening with Mr. Trump and his administration, Mr. Trump would be represented by the female cheetah, and his administration and his Republican congress enablers would be represented by the three male cheetahs that were eager to mate with her.  The American Constitution would be represented by the land that these cheetahs were trespassing on and those Americans who were active in protecting it would be represented by the lions that attacked these cheetahs for knowingly trespassing on their territory while exhibiting a clear and present intent to do harm.  And finally, the lions in the pride that were simply watching the attack occur would represent those Americans who were likely also concerned about the cheetahs unrightfully infringing on their territory but were not interested enough, at least at the time, to join in on the attack  because they were sure that the attacking lions would easily overpower these intruders; therefore, the outcome was already determined.

I openly acknowledge that this scenario slightly modifies a lion prides’ actual behavior but this modification  will help you to better get the gist of the point that I want to make.  And that point is that not just a few Americans should be concerned about how Mr. Trump and his administration are purposely obfuscating when it comes to the Constitution, that they are ignoring American norms, and that the Republican controlled congress is allowing them to do this unchallenged; but all Americans should be concerned!  Not only should they be concerned because countries that used to look to America for leadership are now laughing at us but they should be concerned because it appears that America is now modeling itself after countries that are led by despots and oligarchs.  How any American could witness this type of behavior by someone who occupies the Oval Office and a congress that is supposed to be representing its constituents and not be prompted to fight against it is mindboggling.  What has happened to us and what will become of us if we do not immediately come back to our senses and immediately begin to fight back?!

What kind of snake oil has Mr. Trump duped congress and the American people into drinking or what kind of voodoo powder has he released into the American drinking water system that would cause us to react in the way that far too many Americans are reacting?!  Thank goodness that the immune system of some of us has detected this virus and been able to fight against it!  Those members of Mr. Trump’s administration, the majority of those who work for him, and congress, seem to somehow have transformed themselves from human beings into some sort of machines that are simply a part of his system to the point where they have no comprehension as regards human needs or human suffering.  Even those people who have been highly respected and held in high esteem before being touched by Mr. Trump, after being touched by him, lose any dignity that they ever thought that they had; kind of like Speaker Paul Ryan.

Congress seems to have forgotten America as they pursue their own political aspirations and protect their party but that should demand that America does not forget them or Mr. Trump and his administration.  America must rise up in defense of our Constitution, regardless of party, and demand that all Americans and those within America’s borders respect it and abide by it.  We must not allow Mr. Trump or anyone else to purposely sow seeds of confusion where something that we hold so scared is concerned!  The way that we can assure that that demand is heard and respected is by way of the ballot box.

Mr. Trump has proven that he is an extremely strong, powerful, and dangerous man.  He has steadfastly ignored the Emoluments Clause and various long observed American norms that all other American presidents in modern history have held in high esteem and honored.  In referring to China’s advantage in the balance of trade with America, he said that China is ‘raping America’.  If he were to take an introspective view and make an assessment concerning the actions that he has taken since he has been in office, I wonder how he would describe what he is doing to America.  Mr. Trump has also proven that, for whatever reason, he has the ability to grate on, if not completely wear down, the will of many of the American people.  You must determine that you will not be one of those whose will he can wear down because he is counting on the fact (assumed fact/alternative fact?) that he can.  You must be and remain determined that you will not be a victim!  If you truly agree with what he is doing and the direction in which he is leading America then fine; but do not be a victim!

It is far past time for all American voters to step up and demand that those people that we elect to represent us actually represent us and do what they were elected to do.  It is especially important that we do that now to assure that the Constitution will not be ignored and that, as Americans, everyone knows that we will not sit by idly while our democracy is being threatened and is in danger of being weakened or destroyed.  Again, the best way to do this is through our vote.  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

Keep An Eye On The Koch Brothers And Their Powerful Cohorts

On August 24, 2016 I wrote an article entitled “Republicans Team With Koch, Donors Trust And Other Rich Conservative Supporters In Their Quest To Amend The Constitution” and posted it to this site.  The article talked about how the Koch brothers and a number of organizations and people that they are associated with were quietly working to convene a convention of the 50 states in an effort to change the U.S. Constitution.  It also encouraged Americans to become and remain aware of this effort and to resist it.  Further, it stated that because they were extremely stealthy in their effort to achieve this goal that many Americans are not aware of it and those who are aware of it continue to ignore it because they believe that it is an all but impossible task.  As a result of this complacency, I reminded readers of the success of the Republicans Red Map program and the part that it likely played in the ultimate election of Mr. Trump.

I want to continue to remind all Americans who are concerned about the things that Mr. Trump and congressional Republicans are doing, how they are governing and the direction in which they are leading our country that they must remain vigilant and relentlessly fight back against this kind of leadership and governance.  The Koch brothers might not be Trump supporters but they are supporters of the current congressional Republicans and their agenda.  And they are still quietly pushing their own agenda.  I have already mentioned how stealthy they are and cited an example of what they have been able to accomplish by way of that stealth; well, they are just as deadly politically as they are stealthy.  Those aforementioned concerned Americans must realize this and prevent them from dealing a lethal blow to voting rights and to middle class America.

If the Koch brothers and those organizations and people that they are affiliated with should ever be successful in their efforts to convene a convention of the 50 states and convince them to change the U.S. Constitution then, obviously, it will also affect local governance and communities in those states.  On Tuesday November 7 – this past election day, states proved the power that they can wield and the kind of impact that they can have on politics from the local level all the way up to the highest federal level.  States such as Virginia, Maine, New Jersey, New York, the entire west coast states and many others showed exactly the kind of power that the American voter can wield when their vote is combined and wielded with those votes of like-minded thinkers.  Those states showed that even though our elected officials might kowtow to billionaires, millionaires, and other powerful people who feel that they should run America and it should not be run by the collective will of the American people, that does not have to be the case.  The American people do not have to bow down to the rich and powerful when it comes to choosing a path forward for America!

Having said that, I will take this opportunity to address a problem that we are faced with in Colorado.  A major issue that we are faced with and struggling to address in Denver is the use of force by police.  Various Denver community members, community churches and other organizations are currently working with the police department in an effort to help them draft a “use of force” policy that will work for police officers and citizens.  Media reports reflect the fact that many other states around the country are faced with this same problem.  My point is that if the Koch brothers are successful in bringing the 50 states together and convincing them to change the U.S. Constitution, this is likely only to exacerbate the problem.

Why?  Because the U. S. Department of Justice’s current ability to have leverage in their effort to work with states to assure a uniform system that incorporates “equal justice for all” throughout all states would likely be severely curtailed; at least, until any proposed changes to the revised Constitution could be implemented and established.  The United States does not need to revise its Constitution, we need to have elected officials who are willing to engage in reasonable discourse and not be intimidated by billionaires and millionaires.  And keep in mind, the Koch brothers concern is not about middle class Americans’ issues and the issues of poor people without a voice; their concern is about their own agenda and what can be done in every state where they have businesses that will have a positive impact on those businesses’ bottom line.  And let there be no doubt that they would put money and other resources into influencing these states and others with regard to what these constitutional changes would entail.  Because, for whatever reason, it seems that far too many rich people feel that they can never obtain enough money!

Republicans in Washington have long trumpeted “states rights” (including its dog whistle meaning) and the Koch brothers have long strongly supported these Republicans.  According to realkochfacts.com the Koch brothers contributed substantial amounts of money to organizations that worked in support of voter suppression.  Voter suppression in states and at the federal level might help to bolster the bottom line of big business but it is something that can only be good in further decimating the middle class and that is something that is not good for America overall.  The fact of the matter is that there is a haunting thread that runs throughout the fabric of America that has always been there; that thread is “Big Money”.

And whether it is in our overall political system, election system, justice system, business system or anywhere else it is like a bad case of cancer.  It is bad and has the potential to be lethal In all cases but just like some types of cancer have more of a potential to cause death than do others, “Big Money” in our election system is like the worse type of cancer.  It has the greatest potential to kill America.  Voting is an intricate part of the American way of life and is key among the things that make America the great country that it is!  You might say that without the right to vote, you are not – or at least you don’t feel like – you are an American.  That is one among the many reasons why it is so devastating to have the word “felon” next to your name.  Felons are stripped of their right to vote.  And in consideration of this kind of consequence alone, one would think that to try to prevent any legitimate American voter from voting would be unfathomable!  …But, obviously, it is not.

America, we must find a way to get “Big Money” out of our election process because, ultimately, it affects far more than the bottom lines of big business.  It, in essence, affects who we really are as Americans.  If we can somehow find a way to get “Big Money” out of our election process, we will be able to work more effectively to solve our problems.  Problems like healthcare, tax reform, infrastructure, gun laws, equal pay for equal work, housing, equal justice under the law and a host of other problems.  Why will things change?  Because, since statesmanship seems to have all but vanished under the relentless pressure of money and power, elected officials will finally feel the direct pressure from voters and, therefore, the need to be accountable to their country and all of their constituents.  They would no longer be relegated to the constant temptation  to morph into invertebrates and ignore the rest of their constituents during election cycles due to the demand on them by their deep pocket donors for fealty; and then, in between these election cycles, struggle to again grow -at least –  a pseudo  spine and return to some semblance of normalcy knowing that this process will only be an endless vicious cycle.

The catch is that the only way that we will ever bring about this change is through our vote.  This change likely will not occur immediately but it will occur if we will value and use our right to vote.  But for some reason that I have not yet been able to fully comprehend, far too many of us take our right to vote for granted!  We treat the franchise like a trivial thing!  We need to end that way of thinking right now and fulfill our responsibility to vote!

Obviously, we have responsibilities as American citizens and among those responsibilities is our responsibility to vote.  We will never be happy as a whole with every outcome that our collective vote produces.  But we can agree to disagree, remain civil toward one another and always willingly engage in any and all discourse that will continue to pull us together as Americans rather than divide us: because we are stronger together!  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!  “Stay Focused” and let’s get to work!

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

Yes, Brock Osweiler Really Started For The Broncos Today

Well, it’s come down to this, Brock Osweiler started for the Denver Broncos against the Philadelphia Eagles…  How about them Avs?!  …Or them Rockies, or them Rapids, or – what’s the name of Denver’s Lacrosse team?  Anyway, how about them?!  Enough about sports already, right?  I know that I have likely agitated, baffled, challenged, frustrated, harassed, irritated, mistreated (at least in your minds), obfuscated, pontificated, ubiquitoustated (I made that word up by adding ‘tated’ to it because I really wanted to have a ‘U’ word in my list) enough by venturing into sports when this is a political blog but…  Oh, wait; let’s use the word ululated instead of “ubiquitoustated”.  “Ululate” is a real word and four of the seven letters in it are also in my first name.  Yeah, that’s a great reason to use that one!

Once again I must say, with all of the chaos and the way that things are in government now as a result of Mr. Trump’s rationale and well thought-out policies (kind of like the first paragraph in this article), for those who follow politics closely, it is important to find something to laugh about; whether it is just to keep from crying or to help us to maintain our sanity.  Sorry teams whose names that I used to pursue that laughter…but not to you Brock; this apology does not apply to you!  After all, you deserted us!  …To go to Houston…and wound up in Cleveland… and only came back to us because…; well, I’m not sure why you came back to us.  But the apology does not apply to you.  I contemplated revisiting and perhaps revising the preceding sentence in the event that you won today so that it would also apply to you but…

The first paragraph of this article is not meant in any way to state or imply that I will never again delve into sports in this blog.  But it was meant to gin up a short respite and laugh for me (and hopefully for you too).  Maybe I was a little bit harsh toward Brock by not including him in my apology.  But maybe he was a little bit harsh to us Broncos fans when he left the way that he did.  So if some of you are upset with me, you might consider giving me a break.  Anyway, the fact of the matter is that I am not going to talk any further about sports in this article.  But I am going to talk about that young preacher again that I spoke about in my article entitled “Stay Focused Democratic, Republican, And Independent Voters” and posted to this site on October 10, 2017.  I am going to talk about him because his latest message entitled “Yom Kippur”, while perhaps not purposely intended to contain political implications, had a political strand that ran throughout the entire sermon although the message was about the responsibilities of today’s church.

This sermon contained political implications because such implications were inevitable since this young pastor said that the church is responsible to speak out loud and clear and advocate for those who are in bondage with respect to equal justice for all.  These political implications were unavoidable because unequal justice for some has long been winked at and accepted all the way from the lowest levels of the US government to its highest levels.  And since the election of Mr. Trump, a glaring bright light has become focused on this problem because it has been dragged onto the public stage at the highest level of government and is quickly making its way to center stage.  Some might argue that it is already there.  Having said that, let’s visit our current helter-skelter world of politics.

It is my opinion that there has never before been anyone like Mr. Trump who has occupied the Oval Office.  Sure, we have had bad presidents before but Mr. Trump has broken the mold.  But this article is not intended to focus on Mr. Trump.  Instead, it is intended to focus on our justice system and the unequal justice that has been dispensed by it for years.  The fact that Mr. Trump is the catalyst that has instigated the keen focus of the aforementioned glaring bright light is about the best thing that I can say about his tenure so far.  Although the reasons, which includes the scandal that he and the head of the Department of Justice is engulfed in, for this keen focus are unfortunate, it provides at least a spark of hope that our congressmen and other elected officials around the country will finally sincerely work to fix this problem.

The young pastor that I mentioned earlier in this article seems to be focused in like a laser beam on the responsibilities of his church; and he appears to be determined to carry forward a message that he believes in and to provide those in need with more than just lip service.  His sincerity and candor has me convinced that he has no intention to be in any way political or to carry forward a political message for anyone or any party.  However, I am just as convinced that he fully intends to carry forward the message that he has been given even if it does infringe on what some might consider to be political territory.  And he intends to encourage his flock to understand, focus in on and – to the greatest degree possible – provide any required services (not just lip service) associated with that message, and carry that message forward as well.  This young pastor is fiery and extremely self-confident!  That is one among a number of reasons why I believe that he has a strong chance to succeed.

I would say “good luck” to that young pastor but I have no doubt that he would immediately challenge those words because I have no doubt that he believes that he has much more going for him than that.  So I will just continue to observe and see where his efforts will take him.  I said that I would not talk further about sports and I have not talked about it, right?  But I have spent quite a lot of time talking about “this young pastor.”  Some readers may believe that I have once again strayed from politics.  They may believe that I have strayed into the church side of the realm of church and state, which has always been kept separate from politics.  Well, I’m not sure that I have ever believed that church has really been kept completely separated from politics where “church and state” is concerned.  But I certainly do not believe that to be the case now that we are living in the Trump era.

Many of the things that America and the world are expected to deal with now likely dance around the edges of, enter into the grey areas of, and perhaps even – at times- fully enter into the church territory of church and state.  Surely, if the church is to do its job, there are bound to be times it will – at the least- blur the line of church and state; kind of like, to my thinking, this young pastor has, even if unintentionally.  Be that as it may – if we and the rest of the world are to remain civil societies, it is extremely important that “state” does its job and it is just as important that “church” does its job.  Although I believe that church and state must remain separated because it could create unspeakable problems if they did not, I fully expect that the line between the two will oftentimes be blurred and even crossed.

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

Trump Fatigue But Can’t Avoid The Subject ‘Trump’

I have never been more tired of writing about anybody or anything than I am of writing about Donald J. Trump.  I’m completely exhausted.  I think maybe this might be a part of his strategy for all of the news media in order to accomplish his goals.  Wear them down and they will begin covering, what he considers to be, his accomplishments and stop covering what he feels is the negative stuff; stuff that he calls ‘Fake News’.  Because, you see, in Mr. Trump’s mind, the president cannot have any conflicts of interest and he or she can do no wrong.  It is unfortunate but, based on the way that Mr. Trump comports himself,  I would not feel at all uncomfortable in leaving out the ‘she’ in the last part of the previous sentence because I doubt that he could actually envision a woman in that position.  And if he could, based solely on statements he made during his campaign, everyone knows that he certainly believes that she could do plenty of wrong.

But just like he sucked all of the oxygen out of the room during the presidential campaign and all of the news stations and other media had to all but ignore all of the candidates other than him, he has continued to do the same thing since he was elected.  He is keeping the world’s attention focused on him.  He is not accomplishing much beyond that but, without a doubt, he is still keeping all eyes focused on The Donald.  It does not seem to matter to him that the news coverage about him is negative as long as all eyes are focused on him.  He needs this and he would be hard pressed to survive without it.  For some of the pundits to say that Mr. Trump is mentally unstable and for some in Europe to say that they believe that he is insane might be unfair but, nonetheless, they are saying it.  Never before can I remember a time when the President of the United States has been referred to in this way.  We have always been looked upon as the world leader in the eyes of the world and perhaps this has spoiled us.  On the other hand, this change and current situation is an embarrassment to America!

Unfortunately, virtually every US Republican congressman is continuing to enable Mr. Trump by continuing to support him despite the controversy that is swirling around him regarding Russia that involve words and phrases like collusion, treason, aiding and abetting the enemy, and high crimes and misdemeanors.  It doesn’t matter to them that Mr. Trump, many of his current and former high-level advisors, cabinet members, spokespersons and, perhaps even the Vice President himself, have been caught up in bold face lies and that many of them have been caught up in one lie after another.  And that, in fact, many of these people are continuing to lie.

Instead of abandoning him, putting the country first, standing on principle and standing up for America, they have chosen to stand up for themselves and the Republican Party.  Instead of standing up for their constituents, they have chosen to stand up for big money and their donors.  Case in point, many of them are supporting Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in his efforts to pass a bill that will repeal and replace Obamacare even though it will devastate their constituents by stripping almost 800 billion dollars from Medicaid and leave millions of them without insurance.  Not only are they supporting this bill but many of them are spinning it, at every possible opportunity, to the media in such a way as to convince their constituents that it will be good for them and will not devastate them or Medicaid.

Many people throughout the country might choose to ignore what Mr. Trump is doing because they believe that his antics only effect things at the federal level and that it is a problem that needs to be dealt with at the federal level by our elected officials there.  While it is true that this is a federal level problem it is also a state, city and local level problem (hello Colorado, Denver and all of Colorado’s other cities and local governance bodies) and all of us need to be aware of this.

When Mr. Trump employs a continuous effort to trample on and discredit the media at the national level, we should not think for one minute that this has no effect on the media at the state, city and local levels.  We must also realize that, ultimately, it is our input at the state, city, and local levels that will dictate the way that our politicians behave at all levels of government.  Too often we feel that politicians like Mr. Trump and those elected officials who support him ultimately control us and our behavior.  That is only the case if we do not recognize the power of our vote and allow them to deceive us into believing that that is actually the case; if we allow them to intimidate us with their high visibility and power that comes from sitting in high places: the high places that we as voters have put them in!  With the way that things are going in America and around the world now, each voter needs to take their responsibilities seriously.  We cannot afford to stand on the sideline and let the other guy deal with the problem.

There was a time when if things were going bad in the world and in America our president could always speak to the nation and calm our fears.  His voice was somehow a soothing and calming voice that Americans could always believe in and count on.  No matter how great and unsettling the storm, that voice calmed us.  Perhaps because we have shirked our responsibilities for so long now, that is no longer the case.

As I said at the beginning of this article, I am exhausted from writing about Mr. Trump and would love to be writing about other things.  But the fact of the matter is that he is continuing to dominate the news.  Therefore, whether I want to or not or whether I am enthusiastic about it or not, I am obligated to write about him.  I have tried very hard not to write about him because it seems that I constantly end up repeating myself.  The reason why I end up constantly repeating myself is because Mr. Trump somehow manages to always create news; and it is usually mostly negative news.  Besides, look where trying to avoid writing about him has gotten me; here it is beyond mid July and this is my first article for the month.  How can I keep you informed if I do not write about The Donald?  Go figure.

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

Republicans’ Skillful Prestidigitation

A while back I mentioned to my City Councilperson that Democrats would do well to immediately put together a program similar to the successful REDMAP program that the Republicans implemented back around 2010.  I hinted that maybe she should be the person to instigate this program by bringing it up either in a city council meeting or mentioning it to the mayor.  I also mentioned to her that I did not really expect her to respond to me regarding my suggestion but that it should certainly be food for thought.  She did not respond.  I’m sure that she has plenty of other things that she is faced with that might cause her to put folks like me on the back burner; so that’s okay.  But I won’t stop pestering her whenever the urge strikes me, especially if I feel that the situation demands it.

That notwithstanding; right now, there is something that Republicans at the very highest level of federal government are assisting their fellow Republicans at the state level around the country to do that I believe amounts to REDMAP 2.0.  It is an all-out assault on the states that, in my opinion, too many Democrats seem to be totally oblivious to.  And Mr. Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are square in the middle of this plot and complicit in every move that Republicans in majority Republican states throughout America are making.  Republicans in these states are continuing to work hard to suppress votes and maintain control of these statehouses while they also work hard to take control politically at the local levels as well.  This includes mayoral positions, city councils, school boards and more.

While Mr. Trump is busy jumping up-and-down, waving his hands and saying and doing all sorts of ridiculous things to attract American voters attention and his cohorts, Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell, are either overtly or tacitly supporting him – despite the damage that he is doing to America and our reputation; Republicans at the state level around the country – out of voters purview –  are quietly adding building blocks to their goals to suppress votes and take control at their local levels of government.  To be frank, I am astonished at how much that Mr. Trump has been able to get away with thus far as he continues to thumb his nose at government and the American people.  One can only hope that those politicians who are responsible to manage the checks-and-balances of our government to assure that the fidelity of America’s best interest is always maintained are holding back because, if they act at this point, it will only serve to hurt the stability of America and the world.  But we must be able to have confidence and believe that they are acutely aware of the situation and are capable of acting quickly and will act when appropriate.

In the meantime, as we continue to monitor the situation, if we take a close look at Speaker Ryan, one key person that he admires and an example of something that likely reflects his values (e.g., his American Health Care Act [ACHA] Bill) we should not be surprised at how he is conducting himself.  The ACHA shows that he has no problem with leaving those people (the takers) who need healthcare insurance the most in his heartless wake of ‘the makers and the takers’ that he and many of his Republican colleagues often refer to.  The ‘makers’ in this reference, by the way, refers to those that are considered by these Republicans to be the productive members of American society.  The ‘takers’ are the flip side of that coin, the non-productive members of American society.  And that one key person that Speaker Ryan highly admires and who, according to him, had a lot to do with him getting into politics?  It is Ayn Rand.  Speaker Ryan says that her book ‘Atlas Shrugged’ is one of the books that he constantly rereads and he insists that his interns, at the least, read it even if they might not embrace her and her ideology.

The point here is that as Democrats, or anyone else who wants to maintain a fair and just American democracy, we must not be distracted by the prestidigitation by Republicans via Mr. Trump and his constant antics.  Instead, in these dangerous times that are full of threats that pose a clear danger to our democracy that could easily morph into an existential threat to it as we know it, we must keep our eyes on the prize.  We must not allow ourselves to be lulled to sleep and duped into thinking that all of the apparent coincidences that exists between Mr. Trump and his administration and Russia are simply that so do not warrant America’s time and scrutiny to flesh out and determine the facts.  If it turns out that these are just coincidences then fine; there will be many Americans, including me, who owe Mr. Trump and his administration an apology.  However, if it turns out that these things are not just coincidences but instead reveal that Mr. Trump and his administration in anyway colluded with Russia to manipulate a U.S. election and/or are still colluding with them now, then they should be held to account.

Keep your eyes on the politics that are taking place at the state level throughout the country and especially in your state.  It is important!  It is important because there is great power at the state level especially when there are leaders at the federal level of government who painstakingly orchestrate the conglomeration of those state powers and then tirelessly work to control how that combined power will be used to further their party’s cause at the federal level.  And if you detect things that cause you to believe that our democracy is somehow being compromised, at the state level or any other level, then get to work immediately to correct the problem.

Finally, to my city council representative – if you happen to read this article, let it serve as my request to you to spread the word to the powers that be so that someone will soon be designated to spearhead the offensive to get elected Democrats and their constituents to focus on local and state power and politics and not just federal power and politics, thwarting the Republicans’ voter suppression efforts, and getting Democrats in gear to regain their power come the 2018 and 2020 elections.

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

Donald Trump Questions If Colorado Is Truthful In Its Vote Counting

Can Republican standard bearer Donald J. Trump go anywhere and be around anybody or anything for any reasonable length of time without insulting them or it? I am beginning to believe that the answer to this question is a resounding no. The Donald recently campaigned in my great state of colorful Colorado and based on Trump standards, was on his best behavior. He has been here a few times before and during his speeches he stuck to slamming the people and things that he regularly slams like Hillary Clinton, Paul Ryan, the Republican Party, the American election system in general, and anyone else who doesn’t support him. However, this time when he was here he veered off course.

From out of the clear blue, he implied that Colorado might be cheating in counting our votes. Then he pointed to the audience and told the audience to watch us; then he looked into the camera and said, we’re watching you. It is Autumn, the leaves are changing colors and it is beautiful! Now I did not hear him say – or imply – that our trees weren’t green enough; or that the change of colors of the trees wasn’t all that great, or that our state isn’t all that colorful. But who knows what might come out of Donald Trump’s mouth next, right?

So if he comes back to Colorado a few more times before Election Day there is no telling what he might say. Well, just in case he is even thinking about slamming Colorado in that way – you know, talking down the trees, their coloration and things like that; in paraphrasing Representative Louie Gohmert I issue this warning. Republican standard bearer or not, I will not tolerate the Republican (gulp) gentleman casting aspersions on Colorado’s asparagus! If you don’t know anything about Texas Representative Louis Buller “Louie” Gomert, Jr. then you probably won’t get the joke…

Anyway, Mr. Trump just seems to find it impossible to not insult people who do not agree with him or things that do not meet his standards. I must admit that he is a formidable adversary who seems to love the very idea of it being him against the world. And he has worn me down more than anyone in any election before has worn me down. It is not the kind of wearing down that normal politicians dish out to their opponents and those in the public who may or may not regularly follow presidential elections and become weary of the obfuscation and hyperbole, it is more like the wearing down that one might experience from being placed in solitary confinement for a long, long, long, long time. It tends to boggle the mind. You want to escape it but the odds of success are miniscule. So like that prisoner that is placed in solitary confinement, in order to survive, you endure it.

To survive Donald Trump’s antics during this election and continue to move forward, I find a bit of levity to be helpful and, without doubt, necessary. Paragraphs two and three of this article was my attempt at that. If you didn’t find it to be funny, don’t worry, it’s okay. It would have been good if you were able to get a good laugh out of it but I will admit that I am in survival mode here and I was being selfish; it energized me and made me feel better.

I imagine that with the way this election has been conducted there are a whole lot of people who are weary and will be glad when it is over. Even if you are one of those who have never before thought about America putting a shorter election cycle into place this election has probably made you at least think about it. As for me, I think that a shorter election cycle is worth considering right along with getting all of the big money and dark money out of it as well. Wishful thinking, huh?

For anyone to experience this election and maintain their sanity might prove to be a struggle but to experience it without it having an impact on how they view our political system and its process is all but impossible. At the very least all of this is frustrating and has the potential to discourage people so that they stay at home and do not vote. I am asking that you not allow that to be the case with you. It is imperative that you do not let your frustration with the system prevent you from voting because your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it! Think about it; your vote just might be that key vote that determines who will occupy the Oval Office beginning in January 2017!

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

Meet The Real Mike Pence

Mike Pence is the current governor of the state of Indiana and is the running mate of Donald Trump to become the Vice President of the United States.  During his recent debate with Senator Tim Kaine, who is running on the Democratic ticket to become Vice President, he looked very presidential.  His demeanor was perfect, the way that he avoided interrupting Senator Kaine (most of the time) was perfect, his hair was perfect and the press – based on the standards of the press – and many of those watching felt that he won the debate.

What more can I say…oh yeah, Mike Pence lied a lot; not always by verbalizing his lies but by wagging his head indicating no or not true at the statements that Senator Kaine was making about Donald Trump.  The problem for Governor Pence is that the statements that Senator Kaine was making about Mr. Trump were true; and Governor Pence knew this.  But whether what someone says is true or a lie is not a part of what the press bases its determination on as to whether one is a winner or loser in these televised debates.

I must agree that Governor Pence had his television presence completely together and performed impeccably before the cameras.  He looked completely presidential.  But looks can be deceiving.  Now meet the real Mike Pence.  Meet the Mike Pence who, although he seemed to be in agreement with Senator Kaine when he explained how he disagreed, based on his religion and personal views, with some of the things that he supported as an elected official but voted for them because of his sworn duty and the fact that he was elected to office to represent those who elected him, took firm and extraordinary stances against abortion and gay rights due to his religious beliefs despite the fact that polls show that the majority of Americans are pro-choice and favor equal rights for gay people including their right to marry whomever they love regardless of that person’s gender.

Meet the Mike Pence who according to an article in thinkprogress.org compared the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Obamacare to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and ‘thanked a town hall constituent who said that President Obama “sounds a lot like Hitler.”‘  And women, meet the Mike Pence who proudly proclaims that Donald Trump will nominate Supreme Court Judges who will overturn Roe v Wade.  According to an article in LifeNews.com Governor Pence made the following statement: ‘”If we appoint strict constructionists to the Supreme Court as Donald Trump intends to do, I believe we will see Roe v. Wade consigned to the ash heap of history where it belongs…”  I couldn’t be more proud to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the next pro-live president of the United States of America, Donald Trump,” Pence told the crowd.’

As regards Donald Trump, I said in a recent post to this blog that all voters should check the records of Mr. Trump and any other candidate running for office and not base their votes on sound bites, the popularity of the candidate or on their personal desire to jump on the band wagon of the popular thing to do crowd.  I want to reiterate that statement in this article in the hope that you will take my admonition seriously and get informed before you vote no matter which candidate that you are contemplating voting for.  Governor Pence might have been very impressive as far as how he performed in front of the cameras in making you believe that he will make a good vice president for all Americans; but his record tells a different story.

And just yesterday, a 2005 video of Donald Trump making some very lewd comments about women surfaced, was obtained by The Washington Post and was made public.  The publication of this video has forced Mr. Trump to apologize for those comments, has his campaign in total disarray, put the Republican Party in a tailspin and has almost certainly ruined his chances of becoming president.

Members of the Republican Party are beginning to abandon him.  Already, Republican colleagues who have endorsed him are beginning to withdraw those endorsements and once again conversations regarding somehow replacing him – this time with Governor Mike Pence, his running mate, have surfaced in Republican inner circles.  This is not good news for Mr. Trump or for the Republican Party.

Whether these Republicans and the Republican Party overall are abandoning Donald Trump because it is the right thing to do or simply because it is the politically astute thing to do is relevant and still important; or at least, it should be.  It should be important because it involves their dignity; again, at least for those who still have any dignity left.  Mr. Trump has already taken that away from many of them.

But even if those Republicans and the Republican Party are now abandoning Mr. Trump because it is the right thing to do, voters still must not forget how long it took and what he had to do to cause them to abandon him even though from the very beginning they had said that he was unqualified and unfit to hold the office of President of the United States of America yet did everything that they could to put him into office.  Those men and women should, at the very least be challenged – and many of them even replaced, because they failed to make a tough decision and instead play politics to help assure that they would keep their jobs.

And this was not just a regular run-of-the-mill political decision where the broad brush of politicians will be politicians can be applied.  This was a decision as to whether or not to place someone in the White House who could ruin America and who regularly demonstrates the temperament of a hotheaded bully who could easily be provoked to do exactly that!  This is a man who insulted our allies, have most world leaders concerned about what he will do about informal agreements and treaties if he is elected, seems to admire dictators and who cozies up to Russian president Vladimir Putin like he would an admired and cherished old friend.  These Republicans and the Republican Party exhibited cowardice, a lack of statesmanship, and no backbone whatsoever.  This recent revelation about Mr. Trump, Republican Party members and the Republican Party overall reinforces my admonition to voters to check the records of candidates and base their vote on this solid information rather than that of sleek sound bites.

Everyone has flaws so we will never find perfect people to select to become President and Vice President of the United States.  But we can get informed and select the candidates that are the best qualified and best suited for the job from among all of those that are available to us.  We can select those whose records indicate that they are indeed who the sleek sound bites say that they are; or who are as close to the ‘I will be the president to all of the people and always protect America and its people and keep them safe’ images depicted by those sound bites as possible.  If we will just commit to do that then America will be fine and continue to prosper, grow, and become even greater than it is now.

So once again I say, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent; always remember that your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!  You will likely continue to hear this refrain from now until the end of the election.  Don’t be surprised or become bored with the redundancy but, instead, internalize the message and embrace its meaning and importance.  Then vote in all elections and not just the presidential elections.  From bottom-to-top, local level to the federal level, they are all important.  So be sure to always vote.

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

A Message To Millennials

I cringe when I hear the response from millennials when the media ask them why they will not vote for Secretary Hillary Clinton for president.  Why?  Because, they opine:

Hillary Clinton is a liar.  My question?  And Donald Trump is not a liar?

Hillary Clinton cannot be trusted.  My question?  And Donald Trump Can be trusted?

Hillary Clinton should be put in jail for allegedly lying about her emails.  My question?  And Donald Trump should not be put in jail for any of the things that he has allegedly done that are in violation of the law?

Hillary Clinton is out of touch with the issues that concern millennials and will not do anything to address our concerns.  My question?  And Donald Trump is in touch with the issues that concern millenials and will do those things that are necessary to address millenials’ concerns?

Give me a break; please!  All politicians tend to stretch the truth and many of them even lie at times but Donald Trump takes this to a completely new level.  Donald Trump has lied time-and-time again, repeatedly proven that he will say whatever he needs to say to any audience that he is addressing at the time and then, immediately after leaving them, deny that he said what he just said even though it is on the record (e.g., regarding Secretary Clinton’s statement that he did not pay taxes in certain years; “that makes me smart” and regarding his meeting with the president of Mexico when the press asked him what the Mexican president said about Mexico paying for the wall that he said he will build if he is elected president; “[the subject regarding the wall] did not come up” ).  Those were lies.

Before you get angry with me and refuse to read the rest of this article I implore you, please hear me out.  There is no doubt that you have legitimate concerns and have much to offer the winning candidate, whomever that might be, that is worth consideration as he or she works to make sure that all Americans receive a fair chance to achieve their dreams and works to make America even better than it already is.  I am not trying to discourage you from voting for the candidate that is more likely to work to address your concerns, is best qualified to lead our country, keep us safe and effectively deal with matters – foreign and domestic – based on reasonable rationale.  But please, allow me to remind you that as guardian of the free world, the leader of America must be steady, always maintain a cool head and not be quick to anger or easily provoked.  Does this description fit Donald Trump?

This person will have access to America’s nuclear codes and potentially will have only a matter of minutes to decide whether or not to retaliate to a threat that could be a false alarm.  Rather than discourage you from voting for your candidate of choice, I am instead encouraging you to make sure that you get as many facts as possible regarding each candidate and base your vote on those facts rather than on sound bites.  This is important!  Check the records.  Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have records.

Hillary Clinton’s record mostly involves politics and Donald Trump’s mostly involves business.  But each candidate’s record tells a story and these stories tell you who each candidate is.  And that record includes what each candidate has said and done during the 2016 primaries and this general election cycle.  Always remember, Mr. Trump is the Republican nominee; the Republican standard bearer!

Have you looked at what Republicans did to encourage the Supreme Court to gut the voting rights act and what has happened as a result of the gutting of this act?  Have you looked at what Republicans around the country in state legislatures are doing to block people, including young people like you, around the United States from voting?  If you have not, you should do it now.

Have you heard what Republicans in state legislatures around the country are publicly saying about why voter ID laws were put into place in their states (they were not put into place to prevent voter fraud but instead to prevent as many as possible of those who might vote for Hillary Clinton from voting)?  You need to know who each candidate is before you cast your ballot and that is why you need to gather as much information about each of them as possible.

No matter how you might feel about Secretary Clinton based on the sound bites that you have heard, her record tells you the real story.  And no matter how you might feel about Donald Trump based on sound bites that you have heard, his record tells you the real story.  This is a watershed election that could completely change the face of America and drastically impact her destiny.  Your choice should not be based on the popularity of either candidate or on your desire to be a part of the popular thing to do.  Your vote should never be based on these things.  But especially in this election, an historical election that might well be a tectonic one for America; how the world views us and whether or not they will continue to respect and accept America’s position as a world leader, all of us must base our selection of a candidate on solid information and nothing less.

There are about 36 days left until Election Day and even fewer left to become a registered voter in Colorado.  In some states it might already be too late.  So find out what the last date to register to vote is in your state.  Then, get registered, get informed, and get it right.  Also remember that a vote for anyone other than Hillary Clinton is a vote for Donald Trump.  And finally, 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

Republicans Team With Koch, Donors Trust And Other Rich Conservative Supporters In Their Quest To Amend The Constitution

Republicans are very quietly working at the state level in their efforts to bypass congress and amend the United States Constitution and elected Democrats at federal and state levels had better pay attention.  Not only should our elected officials pay attention but Democratic and Republican constituents should pay attention as well.  These constituents should pay attention because far too often our elected officials allow their political ambitions to take priority over their fiduciary responsibility to those who elected them.  This time and in this particular case, all of those who have been drawn or will be drawn into this web that these Republicans have constructed were likely or will likely be convinced to abandon their fiduciary responsibility after considering the deep pockets of those who are funding this effort.  These funders are many of the same people who fund their reelection efforts.

This effort that is being funded by the Koch brothers, Donors Trust and other rich conservative supporters is quietly moving forward, virtually beyond public notice, and is well on its way to getting the support of enough states to summon a convention of the 50 states for the purpose of considering amending the U.S. Constitution.  Efforts to amend the Constitution have been tried and failed so many times before that many politicians who do not support this effort are probably ignoring it.

But I will take this opportunity to remind all of the states, with special emphasis on Colorado since that is where I live, of the Republicans’ REDMAP effort that was extremely successful and which likely played no small part in the success that this current effort is having.  To put the gains made in this movement’s current success in the words of Michael Wines; in his August 22, 2016 article in the New York Times entitled ‘Inside the Conservative Push for States to Amend the Constitution’ he said, “But as Republicans have surged to control of state legislatures and moved sharply rightward during the Obama years, what was once a pet project of the party’s fringe has become a proposal with a plausible chance of success.  Some of the former Republican presidential candidates, including comparative moderates like John Kasich and Jeb Bush, have endorsed a state amendment convention.”

Wow!  The Koch brothers, Governor John Kasich and former Governor Jeb Bush; these are powerful people!  With people like these supporting this effort, especially quietly – after all, these are politicians who love publicity – elected Democrats at the federal and state levels had better pay attention now.  At least with REDMAP, which Democrats seem to have ignored until it was too late, it is a situation from which Democrats can eventually recover.  In the case of a successful effort by Republicans to summon states to a convention to consider amending the Constitution, the ability to recover from what transpires at such a convention could be impossible.

Although it is hard to determine what the Republican Party will look like post Donald J. Trump, whether he wins or loses it will not be the same.  Mr. Trump has managed to pull a lot of blue collar workers into his camp and many of them are likely Democrats.  However, what has already been determined is that the Republican Party has for a long time been and currently remains a party of the rich and powerful.  Most of the laws and rules that are currently in place that favor the rich and powerful were fostered and are still supported by this party.

Since Republicans have lost much of their power to pass laws, in large part due to schisms in their party, and it appears that they could lose more of their control on congress after the 2016 election and going forward, this latest effort to amend the Constitution might be their best chance at clinging to some vestiges of power.  Elected Democrats and their constituents and Republicans who have much to lose if a convention to consider amending the Constitution takes place should not take Republicans who are behind this effort lightly.

These Republicans, the Koch brothers, Donors Trust and all of the other rich conservatives behind this effort are desperate and determined to win.  If middleclass America hopes to have any chance of coming back, reestablishing its position as the backbone of America and reestablishing its rightful chance to have a fair shot at achieving the American dream, all of us must monitor this effort to amend the Constitution closely and assure that it is not successful until American citizens fully understand the true purpose behind it and the impact that it could have on all of us.

The best way for the everyday American to assure that they are not used as pawns in the political fray of those who at times are unsure as to whether they should be true to their Party and/or political ambitions or those constituents who elected them is to get and stay informed.  Armed with this, we can and should let our elected representatives know how we feel on relevant issues and hold them accountable to conduct themselves accordingly by way of their vote.  If they do not do this then we can and should replace them.

So get informed on the issues and stay that way and always exercise your right to vote.  And 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