Update no.891

Update from the Sunland

No.891

28.1.19 – 3.2.19

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

            To all,

            The follow-up news items:

-- After agreeing to reopen the government, pay federal employees and charging Congress to pass border security legislation [890], the BIC jumped in to badmouth the congressional effort with more of his incessant “I want my wall” nonsense.  He went right back to I’ll shutdown the government, again, or I’ll declare a state of emergency on the southern border.

-- True to her word, after the shutdown ended [884, 890], at least for now, Speaker of the House Pelosi invited the BIC to give his constitutionally required State of the Union (SOTU) report to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening, 5.February.2019.  I will be watching and listening with an attentive mind.

            On Tuesday, the intelligence chiefs testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee.  They insisted as much of their testimony should be made in a public broadcast to all citizens who sought to listen.  Virtually all of them contradicted the BIC myriad public statements.  Needless to say, the BIC did not take kindly to the truth being made public.  The following morning, the BIC tweeted:

“The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran.  They are wrong!  When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and beyond.  Since ending the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal, they are MUCH different, but....”

5:50 AM - 30 Jan 2019

and then finished with:

“....a source of potential danger and conflict.  They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge.  There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back.  Be careful of Iran.  Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!”

5:56 AM - 30 Jan 2019

            Then, after this latest kerfuffle was instigated and stoked by the BIC, he summoned the DNI and DCI (as if they were the only two offenders of his grotesquely inflated ego) to the Oval Office for a photographic opportunity to prove his power and dominance.  The still photograph speaks volumes; the BIC sitting behind his pristine desk in his fancy chair with Andrew Jackson on the wall and military service flags arrayed beside the desk with his subservient DNI and DCI dutifully sitting in front of him in straight back chairs to receive their dressing down from their commander-in-chief.  The video records him emphatically stating, the intelligence chiefs in their broadcast public testimony before Congress under oath “were totally misquoted and they were totally . . . ah . . . it was taken out of context, and what I do is, I suggest that you call them, and they said it was fake news.”  Several news service did call Coats and Haspel; neither one had further comment.

            OMG WTF, the urge for me to add in so bloody many and profane descriptive adjectives here is almost unbearable. However, the world knows (except for the BIC and his ardent followers, as he is sociopathic, if not pathological) the BIC has no appreciation for the truth or even reality.  Why on God’s little green Earth would anyone wonder why the intelligence service chiefs insisted on testifying under oath publicly?  They wanted We, the People, to see, hear and appreciate their precise words spoken and written by them for one primary reason—that photo-op the next day in the Oval Office. I must say, the intelligence chiefs are far better, stronger, more courageous and dedicated to this Grand Republic than I ever was, or the BIC ever will be.

            I have tried very hard to avoid using the word “lying” with respect to the BIC’s words, since the word implies intent, i.e., the liar willfully and knowingly speaks false statements.  The sociopath, and more so a pathological liar, is largely incapable of even recognizing the truth, set aside speaking or writing the truth.  I can only surmise the BIC believes his supporters would never listen to the public testimony of the nation’s intelligence chiefs and further, they would believe his public statement above all else.  The BIC is doubling down and betting heavily upon our ignorance, complacency or tolerance.  My inherent resistance has failed.  What the BIC publicly stated in that Oval Office photo-op in his own, unscripted words are absolutely, categorically, a bald-face lie—an intentional false statement, period, full stop!  We cannot believe a word he says on any topic, at any time.

            No wonder his lawyers want to avoid him testifying under oath at any time for any reason at all costs.  I now believe the best thing the Special Counsel could do for this Grand Republic, for our future and for history is to subpoena the BIC and force him to testify under oath for the record without constraint. Such a subpoena will undoubtedly instigate a constitutional challenge.  For a long time, I wanted to avoid that confrontation. I no longer believe that confrontation can be avoided.  Under oath, facing perjury, “truthful hyperbole” becomes exactly what it is—lying!

Footnote 1: Hey yoyo, the intelligence chiefs cannot “misquote” words they spoke and wrote. They were their words, no one else’s words.  There was no fake news; there was no news reporting; there was only a recording by video and written statement under oath.  Perhaps those who defend your behavior choose not to listen to public testimony or read transcripts, which allows you to get away with such blatantly false statements.

Footnote 2: If anyone needs to go back to school, it is you.  You have demonstrated your ignorance all too readily and persistently.  You are nowhere near as smart as you think you are.

Footnote 3: The BIC’s public supporters tell us, “Don’t pay attention to his words, watch what he does,” meaning precisely, the end justifies the means. Republicans and especially the moral projectionists among us can tolerate any and all of his shenanigans including the BIC grabbing women by their genitalia and shooting someone on Fifth Avenue, as long as he delivers conservative judges, wasteful tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, and an ebullient stock market.  This episode (noted above) is precisely why I cannot be a Republican or a supporter of the BIC.  I try to respect the office he holds, but I find that respect progressively more difficult with his persistent disrespect for the office. He is unworthy of my support!

            Negotiations with Russia have failed to return Russia to compliance with the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles(AKA Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty [INF Treaty, formally signed on 8.12.1987, by Reagan and Gorbachev]{ratified by the U.S. Senate on 28.5.1988, by a vote of 93-5-0-2(0)}).  The PRC never signed the INF and have never even feigned voluntary compliance.  Once Secretary of State Pompeo publicly announced the U.S. withdrawal from the INF, Russia defiantly proclaimed they were withdrawing from the INF as well (as if they had been in compliance).  On this issue, I am in complete agreement with the BIC and his administration.  Unilateral compliance by the United States serves neither peace nor the interests of U.S. national security.  Nonetheless, it is extraordinarily sad and disappointing that two nuclear-armed dictatorships seek to dominate their neighbors and the United States.

            The BIC received more good news; this week from the Labor Department.  Nonfarm payrolls increased a seasonally adjusted 304,000 in January.  The unemployment rate rose to 4.0%, as more citizens returned to the work force.  The Labor Department indicated the partial government shutdown contributed to the uptick.  Average hourly wages for private-sector workers grew 3.2% from the previous year.  U.S. employers added jobs for the 100^th straight month in January, a streak that is stoking improved wage gains and holding unemployment near historic lows. For the BIC worshippers among us, please note the BIC has been in office just 24 months and only 13 months since the BIC’s vaunted tax cut for wealthy Americans and corporations.  Most of this steady recovery from the Great Recession belongs squarely with President Obama.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.890:

“If you are ever over here, there is a radio station you need to hear.  I think our President owns it.  It is 92.9 FM.  No DJ's on it.  But the station says often - We play what WE WANT!!!”

My reply:

            LOL  I’ll be sure to do that the next time I’m in or passing through Dayton. 

Another contribution:

“What your bully said was spot on ... ‘If Roger Stone was indicted for lying to Congress, what about the lying done by Comey, Brennan, Clapper, Lisa Page & lover, Baker and soooo many others?  What about Hillary to FBI and her 33,000 deleted Emails? What about Lisa & Peter’s deleted texts & Wiener’s laptop? Much more!’

“Amazed, but not surprised, you never mention the obvious truth ever since your bully was elected, from day one they have wanted impeachment.  They are, as the hard left does, constantly pointing the finger the other way to cause distraction after distraction, so as to avoid the MUCH bigger, VERY sinister situation involving past transactions of many top government bodies.

“May the truth win .. May past transgressors still living come to trial for dire transgressions that have occurred over the last 50 plus years .. And May the PEOPLE get the finished wall this COUNTRY needs .. Godspeed President Trump and may God protect him and the people of the United States.”

My response:

            For the sake of debate, let us assume that everything the BIC said in that tweet was absolutely, unequivocally true. What does any of it have to do with Roger Stone’s alleged crimes?  Is the BIC (and you by your staunch support for him) trying to say, they did it, so it’s OK for Stone to do it?

            Now, for the record, after the discussion above, I believe the BIC is predominantly wrong, not entirely, but mostly. As I have written many times, I think Hillary committed a federal crime in deleting her “personal” eMails from the server she used for government communications.  To this day, I would still like to see her prosecuted for her crimes.  However, that does not mitigate, alter or diminish Stone’s crimes.

            The last time I checked, Republicans controlled the Executive Branch, and until the current Congress was sworn in, they controlled the Legislative Branch as well, so why didn’t they file charges against Hillary Clinton (and all the others, if they committed crimes)?

            Wow, that’s rich.  How about let’s all stop pointing our fingers the other way. Two wrongs do not make a right. Stone’s crimes are on the table today.  Other people’s crimes have absolutely nothing to do with his crimes.

            OK, so you believe the BIC implicitly, without exception, and without question.  I understand that.  You may be in the habit of spending large chunks of money with no plan or specificity regarding how, what, when, where that money is to be spent, but I am not.  Spending Treasury funds without an approved plan is an invitation for corruption.  No thank you.  Show me the plan, or no money.

Comment to the Blog:

“I want to point out two events that happened within twelve hours before Chump announced the (temporary) end of the shutdown.  The first, the dramatic, televised arrest of Roger Stone, presents Chump with the tightening of the noose around his Presidency.  The second and more important in national-affairs terms, is that air traffic slowed dramatically that morning due to personnel issues.  That brings pressure on the elites of all stripes, who fly much more than the rest of us.  In turn, they undoubtedly increased the pressure on Chump to concede something on his Quixotic project.  The well-being of Federal employees or the general public means nothing to Chump, but there are people who can bring pressure on him.  Let’s hope someone can keep him from further destruction on this scale.

“The State of the Union has become a grand occasion for speechifying and a bully pulpit to present policy concepts.  The Constitution doesn’t call for anything but a simple report of the state of the nation, and I would gladly leave it at that.

“Michael Cohen’s change of attitude about testifying before Congress is understandable, but I want him to testify publicly.  Public, rather than private, testimony achieves two objectives.  One is that Congress cannot then hide what he says and the other is that (because of that) Cohen and his family are safer.

“In regard to immigration generally and border controls specifically, I’m going to re-state my position in terms more people might understand. It’s not cost-effective to reform immigration in general because immigration brings us a net gain as a nation and there’s not enough further gain available to pay for the effort of changing it. Border controls are likewise probably not cost-effective, but the debate itself costs us too much in Congressional and other valuable time and resources to continue arguing.  As far as the controls themselves, I got a hint at the wall proponents’ concept when one of them commented about the cost ‘per foot’ of the wall.  The USA-Mexico border runs 1,954 MILES, much of it a river that can be waded in some seasons.  If we must do something about that span of distance, such tools as drones and satellites would be more effective.  In any case, the argument has already cost us $6 billion not counting the valuable time and energy of Congress and Federal employees that could have been used to address actual problems.

“Russia gains from all our stress, but keep your eye on China. They’re getting more than a good chuckle from our hard times.”

My response to the Blog:

            I see nothing to argue with in your assessment of the BIC’s conduct in this shutdown fiasco.  It was a huge mistake from the get-go and a strong sign of his desperation.  Still, I have to give him credit for eventually and rightfully backing down. [Unfortunately, the BIC could not focus on the positive, and within days, he started threatening to reinstate the shutdown; he appears absolutely incapable of learning—yet another serious character flaw.]

            The SOTU has a noble and encouraging history. Regrettably, in recent years, it has devolved into just another campaign speech.  We hear enough of that drivel; we do not need more.  I am not looking forward to the latest of the BIC’s SOTU speeches, but I am compelled to listen (and I will be next week).  Once again, I will give him the benefit of the doubt . . . until I have evidence to the contrary.

            I am absolutely with you on the Cohen testimony.  I need to hear his words, his tone, and see his eyes and body language.  I want to hear the questions and see the interaction with senators (and representatives).  It remains unclear whether We, the People, will get that opportunity. We shall hope.

            I want to see the border security plan before I could support further funding.  I cannot accept the BIC’s “I want my wall” as justification, period, full stop!  I guess we shall respectfully disagree on the need for border security and immigration control.

            BTW, the current cost estimate for the shutdown is US$11B, all in the name of the BIC’s vanity wall.

            Oh my, yes, I remain vigilant and quite suspicious of the PRC.  While the motivation of the PRC’s leaders are driven by different forces than Putin and the leaders of Russia, the consequence to us and our allies remains essentially the same.  The PRC is doing exactly the same thing in the South China Sea as Russia is doing in Ukraine.

A different contribution:

“I noticed one of your bloggers upset as he missed the red moon recently. Planet Earth will be having a ‘super full’ moon on the 18^th February 2019 when the moon is at perigee, closest to the earth.  It will be full for 19 hrs so he should be able to catch it.”

My reply:

            Indeed.  I believe he was referring to the eclipse event in combination rather than a usual eclipse or another super full Moon.  Nonetheless, thank you for the information . . . always appreciated.

One last contribution:

“I had this idea or speculative wondering, if you shall, that with Trump pulling out of the INF Treaty, does that give Russia an advantage to quickly build-up with no limitations? In other words, could this **possibly** be giving Russia a gift, by Trump.  Not only does Russia get to reset its strategic/tactical readiness but also it will help their own defense contractors who profit by the resumption of building more weapons."

My response:

            An arms race helps no one and only decreases the margin between war and peace, which is apparently what the dictator Putin seeks.  I believe the BIC and his administration had no choice.  Russia refused to respond favorably to clear statements of the fact regarding their violations of the INF provisions.  Russia has been violating the provisions for years. Russia has been building and deploying nuclear capable intermediate range missiles without regard to the INF Treaty.  It serves no purpose for the U.S. to unilaterally constrain our military forces. Unfortunately, it is the EU that is the most threatened by the Russians forcing an INF arms race.  As long as the U.S. & EU do not confront Putin’s Russia, the dictator will continue his attempts to intimidate and dominate his neighbors.  Russia benefits the most by the BIC’s blind eye acquiescence and the fracturing of NATO.  Pulling out of the INF Treaty is a comparatively mild and passive action with respect to current Russian hegemonic initiatives.

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)