Update from the Sunland
No.861
2.7.18 – 8.7.18
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
This was a rather thin week.
I hope and trust everyone had a most enjoyable Independence Day holiday . . . at least those citizens of this Grand Republic.
Life in our bizarre contemporary times would not be normal without one or more of the BIC’s foolish tweets. I note this week’s sample.
“Many good conversations with North Korea-it is going well! In the meantime, no Rocket Launches or Nuclear Testing in 8 months. All of Asia is thrilled. Only the Opposition Party, which includes the Fake News, is complaining. If not for me, we would now be at War with North Korea!”
He thinks in his twisted mind that he is the singular, sole savior of the world. Even Jesus of Nazareth made no such claim. My persistent thought: Has he lost what little intellectual capacity he has left? Other than the absence of DPRK rocket launches or nuclear device test detonations, there is nothing truthful or correct, even by his twisted “truthfully hyperbole” standard.
A friend and contributor sent this question:
“Just curious if there are circumstances you feel justify leaking classified information.”
(The query stems from the case of Reality Leigh Winner—a former Air Force officer and NSA contractor convicted under the Espionage Act of 1917, for public disclosure of classified information to which she was privy.)
My opinion:
The short answer: No!
A slightly longer answer would be: I suppose there might be extraordinary circumstances where the government has classified criminal conduct. However, even in those circumstances, there are proper, legal means to draw the attention of law enforcement to the criminal conduct.
The genuine difficulty arises when Congress and the Justice Department are culpable in such criminal conduct. When the government has broadly betrayed the People, perhaps there comes a threshold when a person’s only choice is to turn to the People via the Press. Those thresholds have been crossed in earlier administrations, e.g., Pentagon Papers and Iran-Contra. In the Winner case, it is not clear that the threshold was crossed. This appears to be a disagreement over policy rather than the law. Policy is the domain of the duly elected president, not any citizen or group of citizens. That is our form of government.
There were also alternative paths short of violating the law. She could have spoken to a trusted member of the Press, offered clues or hints (short of disclosing classified documents) regarding the issue at hand, and perhaps even guide the Press inquiry, if they pursued it, e.g., “Deep Throat” in the Watergate scandal. By her unilateral action, she placed herself above the president, above the government, and above even We, the People, as a consequence of her trusted position.
Bottom line: I think she was rightly and justly prosecuted for her crime. The path she chose is not the way. I believe my opinion is well documented; I am no fan of the BIC or his administration. I disagree with many (not all) of his policies and virtually all of his conduct or behavior; however, We, the People, elected him president . . . by a substantial margin that was not even close to being contentious, as was the 2000 election—Bush v. Gore [531 U.S. 98 (2000); no. 00-949].
“That’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong.”
Comments and contributions from Update no.860:
“Trump's behavior has no precedent in the real world. It's rather like a novel that would not have been bought by any mainstream publisher in 2015 because it's too implausible. If that simile holds up, we're in trouble. We are anyhow. Even if Trump sought asylum in Russia or North Korea tomorrow, he's the tip of the iceberg and we have suffered much domestic and international damage. Trying to apply logic and reason to minds like that is futile. Whatever manner of creature Trump, his minions, and his puppet-masters are, they don’t operate logically.
“Mr. Justice Kennedy has been a swing vote, not some liberal icon. Whatever motivated his timing, he leaves an interesting situation. Can a man who is under criminal investigation nominate a Justice who may have to make decisions on his case?
“I agree with you on the war memorial case, but getting any part of that across to partisans is a losing cause. I like your solution, but another way is to make a memorial without the religious symbol.
"The Trump v Hawaii decision is tainted as you explain, but I'll make an added point. Trump's action is not ‘purely’ anti-Muslim and not much anti-‘terrorist’ because it does not cover Saudi Arabia, the home of most of the 911 attackers. In fact, it covers no nation where the Trump corporate tentacles reach. Some of those are also good customers of the United States military-industrial complex. However, Trump’s action targets nations, especially Yemen, that Trump’s associates might be fighting.
“Traditional civility serves no constructive purpose now. We have pressing issues and those elected and appointed to resolve them are the cause, not the solution. We must find ways to take our nation back before the rest of the world sees us as too much of a threat and does it for us.”
My response:
Oh my, you got that right . . . much damage. We must never forget, there were 60M+ citizens who voted for him, who want him to do what he is doing, and who truly admire his rogue behavior. Those citizens will still be here when he is gone.
No, Kennedy was no liberal icon—quite true. That is the relevant question. Yet, the BIC has shown no reluctance to defy conflict-of-interest standards and norms. Technically, he is not yet under any criminal investigation . . . at least not that we know of at present. Mueller undoubtedly knows more, but he has given no indication of what he knows.
That particular memorial has been in placed 90+ years; it cannot be undone. The solution must accept that reality. It was wrong to make such a memorial a Christian memorial, but those were different times.
Interesting hypothesis. The BIC has felt no need to resolve the serious conflict-of-interest issues swirling around his hidden business interests. There is little doubt in my little pea-brain that he intends and fully expects to make lots of money based upon his service as POTUS.
Every citizen must vote! It is too bloody important. Further, we desperately need the Mueller report and findings, which bring us back to the pending election. Just shifting the party in control of Congress will not be sufficient, and may well be detrimental for the next presidential election. Congressional Republicans have demonstrated their paucity of any modicum of national spirit, opting for parochial dance-with-the-one-who-brung-ya position. VOTE!
. . . a follow-up comment:
“I believe I have seen a public statement about Trump being under criminal investigation. I cannot recall the source right now, but I'll do some research when the air here thins out a little. The correlation between nations hosting Trump's business interests and nations not included in the Muslim ban is no hypothesis. It's readily available public information.”
. . . my follow-up response:
OK; both items are beyond my knowledge at present. Time shall tell the tale.
Another contribution:
“Thought I'd offer this as a contribution for your consideration:
“During Obama's run-up for his first term, then his winning the 2nd, I recall how many on the right and republicans, said Obama was the picture perfect leader of the political driven psychological/sociological syndrome of Cult of Personality. I recall often Obama's supporters were accused of falling for the Cult of Personality. Interestingly not mentioned much these days, and no comparisons are made, it seems to me that the Trump supporters are falling for far more magnetism if not magic by Trump much more in the context of Cult of Personality. But again, I never hear that mentioned, unless I am missing it. I might also mentioned Mike Pence (VP) seems to have the smallest footprint of any VP I've seen in many administrations. I wonder why that is.
“Would be interested in your keen observations.”
My reply:
I agree with your observations without qualification or equivocation, including the far deeper emersion in the cult of personality that is the BIC. I know the opposition liked to throw that term out at Obama, but I never felt that way—not even an instant. Worse, I have felt that way since well before the BIC won the Republican nomination, when he started winning Republican primary votes and other candidates fell away. I believe he is far more the ultimate definition of the leader of a cult of personality, because he is all personality and little substance. Until his candidacy (before his election), I would have presented Hitler and Mussolini as that kind of leader; no more. History will record the result.
“Mike Pence (VP) seems to have the smallest footprint of any VP I've seen in many administrations.” There is only one answer: the BIC. His serious personality flaws cannot tolerate anyone, not even his vaunted Ivanka, in the spotlight with him. No one around him should garner more Press attention than him, or they are more likely than not to attract his wrath. Mike Pence is not foolish; he knows the reality of his position and the man he works for; he is being the loyal lieutenant.
My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)
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