Update from the
Heartland
No.812
17.7.17 – 23.7.17
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To
all,
With
the failure of the Senate to pass their version of health care reform, we are
exposed to yet another demonstration of Trump’s impetuousness. Our illustrious President Trump publicly
proclaimed:
“We’ve had a lot of victories, but we haven’t had a victory
on health care. Ah . . . we’re . .
. disappointed. I am very disappointed,
because again even as a civilian, for seven years I have been hearing about
health care, and I have been hearing about repeal and replace, and Obamacare is
a total disaster. Some states have
had a 200 percent increase . . . a 200 percent increase [emphasis his] in
their premiums, and their deductibles are through the roof. It’s an absolute disaster. And I think you will also . . . ah . .
. agree that I am been saying for long time, let Obamacare fail, and then
everybody is going to have to come together and fix it. And ah, come up with a new plan, and a
plan that’s really good for the people with much lower premiums, much lower
costs, and much better protection.
And I have been saying that. Mike [to Vice President Pence], I think you will agree, for a
long time, let Obamacare fail, it will be a lot easier. And, I think we are in that position,
where we will just let Obamacare fail.
We're not going to own it. I'm
not going to own it. I can tell
you the Republicans are not going to own it. We'll let Obamacare fail, and then the Democrats are going to
come to us, and they are going to say how are we going to fix it, how do we fix
it, or how do we come up with a new plan.”
There are so many disturbing aspects of the President’s
statement. Where do I begin?
First
off, let’s start with a positive.
OK. At least Trump sees
part of the problem. Everybody is
going to have to come together . . . to fix anything, and most of all the
health care insurance coverage situation.
Second,
the PPACA is NOT a total disaster.
There are millions of Americans who have medical insurance coverage, who
did not have such coverage before the PPACA; that reality is not
a disaster. That said, the premium
increases experienced of late are not due to the PPACA, but rather the
uncertainty of what Congress is doing.
Insurance companies have significant risk exposure due to that
uncertainty. Further, Congress has
failed to allow interstate competition among insurance companies, which is one
of the biggest failures. There is
no open marketplace. While PPACA
was probably destined for failure for that reason alone, Congress (not
Republicans, not Democrats) has failed to fix the problem.
Third,
letting PPACA fail is far more about Barack Obama than it is about health care
insurance coverage. Why are more
than a few Republicans so obsessed with Obama rather than fixing PPACA?
Lastly,
letting PPACA fail is an immature, petulant, uncompassionate, foolish position
to take. He can claim he does not
own it all he wants; his substance-less proclamations do not alter
reality. He is the President of
the United States . . . NOT the president of the Republican Party. Republicans have been yammering,
attempting, shouting about repealing the PPACA, but they cannot agree, even
within their party . . . some want repeal without replace, while others seek
replacement and yet others look for reform (fixing it). So, despite your protestations to the
contrary, Mister President, if it happens on your watch, you own it! And, more than a few of us will hold YOU
accountable. Full stop!
Thus,
my unsolicited advice to you, stop being a Republican, and start being the
President of all the People. Fix
the problem. Fix what is broken,
and do not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The
President, his ardent supporters and his talking head minions clearly want the
whole Russia “thing” to go away . . . since it is a self-proclaimed “nothing
burger” and of course “FAKE NEWS” (always in caps by their choice). If it was nothing, why is not he
clambering for the investigation to move faster – pull out all the stops? Why is he throwing up roadblock after
roadblock, obstacles galore, and apparently doing everything he can to obstruct
the investigation?
Then,
apparently curious, Trump asked how far his pardon power goes? Can he pardon his family, friends . . .
and even himself? Then, Saturday
morning, Trump tweets:
"While
all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of
that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS."
My immediate reaction . . . why on God’s little green earth
is he trying so bloody damn hard to appear guilty? Why?
Once
I calmed down, I thought about it.
The Constitution states in Article II, Section 2, Paragraph 1, Clause 3:
“.
. . he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the
United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
Technically, that authority includes himself . . . well, up
to the point he might be impeached, since there are no other limits specified
in the Constitution. Ethically,
such an action is unconscionable.
Not even Richard Nixon made even a gesture toward pardoning his
lieutenants or himself.
Trump
is, of course, absolutely correct, in fact. The Constitution imposed no limits on the President’s
authority to pardon . . . anyone, for any reason, at any time. Is this some kind of bizarre, obscene
game to him, some really lame effort to appear guilty, only to be ultimately
vindicated, so he can claim . . . see I told you so . . . nothing burger. The Press has been after me all along. Either way, this is a rather sordid
affair.
For ALL the believers and supporters of Donald John Trump:
Is there a limit to your tolerance of his behavior, conduct, ethics (or paucity
thereof)? Will you in fact vote
for him and worship him even if he has committed a felony, or he does commit a
felony like stand “in the middle
of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody.” Where is the limit?
Comments and contributions from Update no.811:
Comment to the Blog:
“For some reason, I didn’t get an email this week.
“Donald Trump, Jr., seems to think incompetence is a
mitigating factor. By his own statement, he accepted and attended a meeting with
the intention of acquiring sensitive information from a foreign power. I don’t
think failure relieves him of responsibility for his conspiracy. The story keeps developing, too. Another
attendee at that meeting, so we’re told, is a Russian-American who has been
accused in a large money-laundering scheme involving Russians back in 2000. That raises some fascinating
possibilities.
“Trump, Sr., embarrasses me. Much of his behavior
demonstrates an utter absence of either sensitivity or good sense. His behavior toward women ought to draw
condemnation from pretty much anyone, and his conduct in international affairs
is dangerous. Were his Cabinet
made up of strong, sensible people the disability clause could be invoked,
although that would leave us with a President Pence. Despite some of the talk from Democrats, I have yet to see
evidence of impeachable offenses by Trump himself. There’s potential there, but so far nothing attached to the
actual incumbent. Nepotism, to the best of my knowledge, is not ‘high crimes
and misdemeanors’ in this situation.”
My response to the
Blog:
First,
my apologies for my response delay.
Second,
I have no idea what or why the Update notice got waylaid this week. Hopefully, this week’s Update
distribution will be normal on Monday.
Re:
“incompetence.” So it would
seem. To me, the search for
political dirt is a regrettable fact of life in modern politics. However, again to me, there is a huge
difference between doing the ground game to acquire information, and a foreign
government operative coming to you and offering information. The potential of receiving what you
think you want instead of the facts is much higher in the latter
circumstance. Incompetence is NOT
a mitigating factor, and Junior is about to learn that reality.
Re:
“embarrasses me.” You are not
alone.
Re:
“His behavior toward women” absolutely, and I have illuminated his misogyny
since his candidacy began, and will undoubtedly continue until he disappears
from public view, since it is highly unlikely he will change. Yes, his conduct (in so many ways)
should have been condemned, and yet 60M American citizens chose to ignore the
reality of his conduct, which speaks volumes about our progress toward
equality, respect and peaceful coexistence.
Re:
“impeachable offenses.” I would
agree, but he has purposefully moved much closer to that threshold. I say that since we are faced with the
reality that essential information remains beyond our awareness. The FBI Director serves at the pleasure
of the President, so he is subject to termination at any time for any reason. However, the details we do know about
that personnel matter virtually ensured that a special counsel investigation
was warranted. I fear the special
counsel may acquire sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the
termination was obstruction of justice . . . that is impeachable. Further, his reported inquiries regarding
pardoning his family and even more shockingly himself is a lot more smoke; and,
his public warning of the special counsel not to dig into family financial
information is a monstrous red flag.
No, we have not seen criminal or impeachable offenses (as yet); however,
the incidental signs continue to pile up, pointing to that potential.
A
little historic observation: I thought the news of the DNC break in (1972) was
little more than a police blotter news item. By the time of the Saturday Night Massacre (1973), whatever remaining
doubt existed in my mind evaporated instantly. Regrettably, I see strikingly similar conduct – then &
now. What’s worse, in all of
Nixon’s troubles, he never considered pardoning himself. To my knowledge, no president in the long
history of this Grand Republic has ever considered such an extension of the
president’s constitutional pardon authority.
Stay
tuned; more to follow, I have little doubt.
My
very best wishes to all. Take care
of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)
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