A Question of Constitutional Character ...
... and The Nattering Nabobs of Nincompoop News
October 30, 2024 vs 10.28.24 / U.S. Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.
I'm going to start with the latter topic first.
The Nattering Nabobs of Nincompoop News
Once again, the nattering, chattering nabobs of the nation's TV network news, were effectively manipulated by X-president Donald Trump.
Trump Madison Square Garden Rally - October 27, 2024
On October 9, 2024, USA Today reported Trump had booked the arena for a final campaign push, using this venue - in a heavily blue state - because it's located in Midtown Manhattan in the heart of NYC, which is the nation's media capital, and only a stone's throw from most of the HQ's of the nation's TV network news.
Former General & Former Chief of Staff John Kelly Warns the Nation that Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator in 2nd Term
On October 22, 2024, less than a week ago, the New York Times released excerpts from a number of wide-ranging interviews with former General John Kelly about his time serving as Secretary of Homeland Security [Jan - July 2017] and then as Trump's longest serving Chief of Staff [July 2017 - Dec 2018]. Kelly's remarks, were nothing short of remarkable, as he said that Donald J. Trump was unfit to serve a second term, because he would rule like a Dictator.
Trump Distracts Kiddie Hosted Network TV News with Racist Remarks
So, as former General Kelly's remarks were making their way into the TV news cycle, Trump once again succeeded in upending the TV News conversation by using the Madison Square Garden rally, to change the subject back to immigration, by allowing one [and more] of his warm up speakers to make outrageous remarks, this time denigrating Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans with racist remarks.
Trump & MAGA's Making Racist, Sexist or other Indecent Remarks is NOT NEWS
Will somebody please inform the teleprompter reading nincompoops at the TV Networks' News that hearing Donald Trump and / or his followers making racist, sexist or other indecent remarks, denigrating or disrespecting minorities, women, gays, transgenders, people with different cultural backgrounds, handicapped or even the men and women serving in our military isn't 'NEWS'. It's OLD and stale and generally not news worthy.
And it's also worth noting that not all MAGA supporters are racists, sexists, white supremacists or indecent, disrespectful people. Many of them have voted for Trump in spite of his political theatrics in those directions, because they feel that neither party - Republicans or Democrats - has been listening to them.
If the TV News hosts pulled their heads away from their mirrors and vanities, and turn it in the direction of a computer screen with internet access, they would know this. Need I remind them that Trump launched his first bid for the presidency, back in June 16, 2015, by calling Mexicans rapists ... and it just continued ad nauseum from there. So, Trump or any of his associates, calling Puerto Rico garbage, is definitely not broadcast-worthy news.
- CLICK here for our report about Trump and A Question of Constitutional Character.
A Question of Constitutional Character ...
... and The Nattering Nabobs of Nincompoop News
October 30, 2024 vs 10.28.24 / U.S. Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz. Continued.
Network TV News No Longer Serves the Nation, Only Themselves
But broadcasting something shocking and sensational, regardless of the societal and national collateral damage, is something the national TV networks do, seemingly daily, because it generates ratings, revenue and money, money, money - but it doesn't serve the public interest.
For my money, the TV networks are at least as disinformative as the internet, and probably more so, because at least on the internet, you can quickly fact check whoever or whatever you're reading or viewing, by doing a search about it. That's not the case for the TV audience. They are not only searchless, but oftentimes they are really clueless, as are the people they have entrusted to inform them. Unfortunately, many TV watchers are older, computer illiterate [or don't have easy access], and grew up in an era when what was broadcast on TV was generally factual and true, while today oftentimes what is shown on TV is not true, like so many statements made in the nationally televised presidential and vice presidential debates. This sort of news / truth failure would not have happened while newsmen like Walter Cronkite of CBS were still on the job.
Lastly, why isn't TV News talking about the Federal Reserves very first 'soft landing', as they just managed to successfully reduce inflation without causing a spike in unemployment? Pay attention to this weeks economic & business reports. The TV News people rattled on endlessly about inflation, inflation, inflation for years and years, so now that things are better, why aren't they rattling on endlessly about inflation being tamed, while employment and growth are still going strong? I'm pretty sure this is the first time that the Federal Reserve has succeeded in doing this.
The real news is the Trump record [see last paragraph of this report] - not all of the inane, sensational Trump theatrics. But TV News really isn't a fair and balanced, contextualized, go-to source for the intelligent news anymore. So, that said, let's swing back to the first topic in the headline above, which is the question of U.S. Constitutional character.
A Question of Constitutional Character - Who is Most Fit to Lead?
TV news has been failing Americans for decades now, but never so much as the past ten years. This is coming home to roost again, and if they and the nation don't wake up over the next week, it could be lights out for our aging 233 year old democracy.
Trump's Former & Longest-Serving Chief of Staff & a General, Thinks Trump Will Rule as a Dictator
Obviously, Trump's longest serving former Chief of Staff and former General John Kelly, doesn't think Trump is fit to serve, let alone lead. Kelly was a member of the Armed Services from 1969 - 2016, and in fact lost a son in the war in Afghanistan. Donald Trump, on the other hand, didn't serve the nation when called upon for the Vietnam War, because he had 'bone spurs'. Trump deferred being drafted into the service five times, using other excuses commonly used by children of families with a lot of wealth.
Trump has disparaged those who did serve the nation many times. One of the most notable instances was when he dissed former Senator John McCain, who he essentially called 'a loser' because McCain was captured by the Vietnamese and held captive for years. Trump denies he said this, but he was caught on social media, retweeting someone else calling McCain a loser.
I don't have time to reiterate some of the many times Donald Trump has disparaged those who gave their lives for our nation. But for those who are interested in further detail, it is well documented in an Atlantic story published on June 27, 2024 entitled, 'What Kind of 'Psycho' calls Dead Americans 'Suckers' and 'Losers'? A psycho is defined as, "an irrationally aggressive or cruel person ". The answer to that question, posed by Donald Trump, is, "I don't know Donald. You should know. Tell me." For the rest of this story see - https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/06/what-kind-of-psycho-calls-dead-americans-losers-and-suckers/678807/
Many Former Trump Cabinet Members OPPOSE giving Trump a 2nd Term
The following is a short list of former Trump Administration officials who oppose giving Donald Trump a second term: John Bolton, U.S. National Security Advisor (2018–2019), Ambassador to the United Nations (2005–2006, Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence (2017–2019), U.S. Senator from Indiana (1989–1999; 2011–2017), Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense (2019–2020), U.S. Secretary of the Army (2017–2019), Jim Mattis, U.S. Secretary of Defense (2017–2019), and H. R. McMaster, U.S. National Security Advisor (2017–2018). My source is primarily Wikipedia, but cross referenced with other sources. See Wikipedia for the longer list - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Republicans_who_oppose_the_Donald_Trump_2024_presidential_campaign
There are also 230 former Bush administration officials [both senior and junior] who support Harris and 17 former Reagan staff members.
It's also worth mentioning one of the Reagan Administration officials supporting Harris is Ken Adelman, who was the Reagan Administration's Arms Control Director. It was the Reagan Administration that got the Russians to tear down the wall, and work with the U.S. toward reducing nuclear weapons stockpiles, making the planet a bit less of a scary place.
We're going to focus on and examine briefly, why so many former Trump cabinet officials, particularly those who worked in national security and defense, do not support Trump's election bid, and included in the following discussion we're going to take a closer look at who Elon Musk is, and probe his motivations for spending so much money and time trying to help Donald Trump win a second term.
Trump's Former VP, Mike Pence, Chose to Abide by the Constitution and Not Cave into Trump's Demand for Unfettered Personal Loyalty & Insistence Pence Break the Law
As you can see by what's been presented above, former Chief of Staff and General John Kelly is not the only former Trump cabinet member who has decided not to support Donald Trump. And neither is Trump's former Vice President, Mike Pence.
Pence's decision is worth taking a few minutes to contemplate, because he was a super loyal supporter of Donald Trump and his agenda for four years. Pence was the religious right's representative in the White House. And this is important, because as we all know, Donald Trump is not a religious man. In fact X-President Trump isn't virtuous, ethical, moral, honest, decent or even law abiding either, so these voters should think long and hard before casting another vote in favor of the Donald Trump again. Vice President, Mike Pence did not come to this decision lightly.
During Trump's January 6th attempt to illegally wrest power from the opposition, Mike Pence chose to abide by the law and the U.S. Constitution. X-president Donald Trump did not. During the January 6th Insurrection, Trump supporters went around chanting "Hang Mike Pence", a sentiment for which Trump reportedly expressed his support to his Chief of Staff at the time, Mark Meadows. So, who can blame Pence for making such the decision not to support Donald Trump after Trump reportedly indicated to Meadows that he would be ok with that?
Beware the Personalization of Power, Because When that Happens, the Majority of People Lose Power to a Tiny, Vicious & Insatiable Elite and their True Believing, Generally Violent, Loyalists
President Kennedy once said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". The Trump bizarro equivalent of that is, "Ask not what your President can do for you, but what you can do for your President". Heil.
This sort personalization of power is what kings and dictators do [historically kings and dictators were generally the same thing]. They personalize power, so that it is vested in their personas, and only what they say matters. In our democratic republic, the laws are publicized and we are all asked to abide by them, or face enforcement consequences. But the laws can be changed if enough people agree to the changes. In a democratic republic we all get a say. In a dictatorship, only the dictator and his small circle get a say.
Violence invariably accompanies a dictatorship, because it's a system which is, by it's nature, very unfair. People who are disempowered by the elite, generally don't give up the little power they have without a fight. That's how America got its start. The King of England started grabbing for more power over the colonies by increasing taxes to pay for his European wars. The American colonists decided the King had enough power and funding, and didn't need any more, least not at their expense and without their input. Hence the American Revolution. President Kennedy said, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable."
The Majority of Senators and Congress Voted Twice to Remove Trump in his First Term
The X-president was impeached twice. On both occasions, a majority of the Senate and Congress thought he should be removed from office. On the first occasion, he lost the vote 229 for impeachment, and 198 against; and on the second impeachment 232 voted for impeachment, while 197 voted against. While he lost both votes, a two thirds majority is required to remove a sitting president from office, so there weren't enough votes to have him removed.
It's worth mentioning that Trump also lost the popular vote in 2016, as well as in 2020.
What, pray tell, do you think will happen if Trump wins a second term? Is this sort of turmoil is good for the nation? And what good will come of it?
So Why do so many Former Trump Top Security Officials NOT Support him, and Why are the TV News People Missing in Action?
This is a very important question, and I don't understand why it's not getting more attention by Network TV News.
Perhaps because the foolhardy TV News teams are too busy running off to Springfield, Ohio on a Trump inspired fools' errand, looking for non-existent dog and cat eating Haitians. Or perhaps because they are too busy castigating Donald Trump and his minions, by repeating and amplifying all of the denigrating and hateful things they said about Puerto Ricans and women at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally. The TV News knuckleheads should know by now, that racist, sexist and other disrespectful statements do not offend most MAGA voters - and for many - are the very reason they are voting for Trump. One has to ask how slowly do the TV Network Newspeople learn anything? And if they come to understanding things that slowly, are they really the ones you want to rely on for your 'news'?
So, while TV News is being masterfully manipulated by Donald Trump, who sends them off to do 'in-depth' reports on non-existent nonsense, or gets them nattering, chattering and repeating his shock jock comments, like a bunch of gossips - the real news goes unreported. And this is presumably the Donald's intent, because it's the real news that will hurt him at the polls.
Two short videos worth watching are:
1) Russia if you're listening - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxG8uJUsWU - go to 44 seconds on the video to see what I am talking about and
2) Trump's publicly claiming he has faith in Putin instead of the U.S. Security apparatus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBtsNNXjBPw - go to 27 seconds on the video to see what I'm talking about.
The Numerous October Surprises Compliments of Highly Motivated Trump Allies
There have already been numerous October surprises, all of which appear to have been initiated by Trump supporters. First there was the dockworkers strike led by a Trump ally. Israel's embattled Prime Minister, also a Trump ally, has been ratcheting up tension in the Middle East and most notably the pain and suffering in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Netanyahu does this partially to save his own political skin. But he also does this to interfere in American politics as best he indirectly can, to help Trump win another term, as both men have conservative autocratic tendencies. North Korea's Supreme dictator, Kim Jong Un, reportedly also favors Trump, and he recently sent 10,000 North Korean people to fight for Russia, in a war which is a continent away and appears to have little to do with North Korea. That move also seems to be directed at interfereing in our elections. And lastly, there's Vladimir Putin and South African born billioinaire Elon Musk. Musk's native land, South Africa, is a member of BRICS, which is emerging as the opponent to NATO, in the realignment of global / international politics.
Trump allies generally seem to be extremely self-serving, manipulative liars and thieves.
The Role of Billionaire, South African born Elon Musk
Musk has relations with despots around the globe and Musk doesn't appear to have any sort of moral compass - which is not unlike Trump, Putin, Netanyahu and Kim Jong Un. Both Russia and China have large successful space programs with plenty of rocket technology, which is Musk's biggest fixation. And Russia reportedly has been using Musk's StarLink network for intelligence and communcation purposes, as is Ukraine.
Musk's Tesla produces more cars in China than anywhere else. In the U.S. Tesla does not pay union wages, and instead the cost savings fuel Musk's net worth [rich getting richer], even though Musk is currently the richest man in the world and his net worth is an estimated $274 billion. It's worth mentioning that Musk has given less than 1% of his net worth away, and much of what he has given away has gone to charities that are reportedly influenced or controlled by Musk.
Musk has been in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission and has flouted court hearings and requirements. Musk and / or his companies are being sued for sexual harassment and racial discrimination. It's worth repeating that Musk comes from South Africa where the African people were enslaved by the white minority from 1650 to 1830. And like the Donald, Musk has been accused of sexually inappropriate behavior.
The man and allegations just described above, are of someone who - like Donald Trump - try to do whatever he wants, to whoever he wants to do it to, and bristles at conforming to the morals and decencies of a rule by law civil society. And that is likely why Musk is backing Donald Trump for a second term, so he won't have to abide by the laws of the land and so he can do whatever he wants to anyone. I reckon he will also make a big play for limitless funding of his aerospace projects and pressure Trump for more tax breaks for the super wealthy.
And 'We, The People' will be the ones who pay for all of it, getting little to nothing in return, like the 'subjects' of Russia, China and North Korea.
Multiple Musk companies, like Starlink and Space X, do a huge and disproportionate share of their business with the federal government. Musk also has trouble with government agencies for a fatal accident involving one of his driverless cars. Musk seems to think he should be able to do anything he wants, while the rest of us should be governed by laws. So people have to ask themselves whether putting people who put no stock in the value of a government of laws - like Musk and Trump - is the best way to go. Do you want people who constantly appear to be breaking the laws, to be in charge of them?
Elon Musk has Reportedly had Multiple Conversations with Vladimir Putin over the Past Two Years
ALMOST DONE EDITING. GRAPHICS NEXT. SEE A FEW ADDITIONS BELOW.
Musk denies it. Musk has been rumored to have tried to kill the Wall St. Journal story about these conversations leading up to this election, but for once in his life Rupert Murdoch did the right thing, but possibly too late.
On October 25, 2024 the Wall Street Journal broke the story that Elon Musk has been having secret telephone conversations with Vladimir Putin. Why does that matter? Well, Elon Musk didn't used to actually like Donald Trump up until a couple of months ago, when the two teamed up to get Donald Trump elected for a second term.
In tandem with Musk's tens of millions of financial support, and massive Twitter disinformation campaign, Musk has hit the road with Trump and is now seemingly paying voters to register, which is illegal. The Philadelphia District Attorney has filed suit and the Department of Justice has issued a warning notice. Billionaire Musk dismissed both of them. After all, he's a billionaire and if Trump gets elected, you can be sure that Musk's return on his campaign contributions, X.com disinformation support and campaigning will be richly rewarded - compliments of the American taxpayer / voter, who likely will no longer get much of a say in things.
Other Bad Actors Pulling for Donald Trump
Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Benjamin Netanyahu and more ...
I don't have time to delve into these tonight.
The nutshell is that the reason North Korea has decided to risk the lives of 10,000 North Koreans in the Russia / Ukraine War is 1) Putin is losing and 2) dictator Kim Jong Un needs the cash, and as in any dictatorship, there aren't any constraints on what the Supreme Being can do with everyone else's lives.
Russian dictator President Vladimir Putin has possibly been scheming with Musk in a new effort to undermine the American electoral process, and to get their 'buddy' the Donald elected to a second term so they both get what they want, and the American public gets screwed. Two videos worth watching are
1) Russia if you're listening - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxG8uJUsWU - go to 44 seconds on the video to see what I am talking about and
2) Trump's publicly claiming he has faith in Putin instead of the U.S. Security apparatus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBtsNNXjBPw - go to 27 seconds on the video to see what I'm talking about.
Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [also displays fascist tendencies after ruling Israel for a quarter century] appears to have been prolonging the war in Gaza and Lebanon to defer what is possibly his fate post war - which could be losing the election and going to prison. He wants the Donald re-elected so he can continue it compliments of American taxpayer funding.
I could go on, about the Longshoreman strike, which was initiated by an apparently multi-millionaire union boss, who makes close to a million per year, reportedly has one or more yachts, and huge mansion-like house, and so forth. He was seen in Mara Lago less than a year ago with the Donald. Were they scheming the strike which would have fueled inflation and slowed output and the economy, only a month prior to the election?
All of these are examples of how the Donald will screw us, if he gets a second chance. Last time it was just $2 trillion in foregone taxpayer revenue to reward the rich. So, vote how you will, knowing what to expect, which you won't be informed about, on TV nothingness news.
Basically, the choice is between someone who will abide by the U.S. Constitution and someone who won't. If we get someone who won't, then 233 years of governance will be tossed out the window and it will be rule by fiat. Look around the world, because there are plenty of examples of this. And most people I know wouldn't want to live like that which is why all of those immigrants want to come here. If we lose that edge, they won't want to come, our currency will fall, and you will have no non-violent power to force a change leadership.
I'll try to return to this before election day, to finish up, clean up, and add graphics.
THE REAL NEWS IS THE TRUMP RECORD FROM 2016 - 2020. IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE TRUMP HYSTERICS - INCLUDING TRYING TO BAN TRAVEL INTO U.S. BY ANYONE FROM SIX PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM NATIONS - HIS PRESIDENTIAL RECORD INCLUDES INCURRING $62K / FAMILY IN GOVT DEBT, A MAJOR PUSH TO RESCIND OBAMA HEALTHCARE W/ NO REPLACEMENT, PULLING THE U.S. OUT OF THE 2017 PARIS CLIMATE ACCORDS W/ NO REPLACEMENT, STAFFING THE SUPREME COURT W/ JUDGES WHO RESCINDED WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE HOW TO MANAGE THEIR OWN BODIES. HE ALSO MADE THE WORLD LESS SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY BY HIS OWN AUTOCRATIC WAYS, ENCOURAGING PUTIN - FIRST BY ASKING HIM TO RELEASE HILLARY CLINTON'S LAPTOP & SECONDLY BY SUPPORTING PUTIN VS OUR OWN SECURITY AGENCIES AT 2018 HELSINKI SUMMIT AND THIRDLY BY THREATENING NATO ALLIES. TRUMP ADDED TO TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST BY RECOGNIZING ISRAEL'S ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF THE SYRIAN GOLAN HEIGHTS [CONTAINING OIL FIELDS] AND JERUSALEM AS THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL. AND TRUMP & THE ULTRA RIGHT HAVE BIG PLANS, SHOULD HE GET ELECTED, TO REMAKE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY INTO TRUMP'S OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS, VIA PROJECT 2025.
BE ADVISED THAT THIS IS A ROUGH DRAFT.
