WHY TED LASSO?

Changing American Tastes in TV

When I first heard the name Ted Lasso, I thought he might be a Lash LaRue character from a 1950s cowboy movie. Then I found out this modern-day character is played by Jason Sudeikis and my interest was piqued. I wanted to give the show a try but was disappointed to learn it was on Apple TV+, one of the few video platforms we didn’t have.

While out West for a wedding this summer, my significant other spent some time with her old friend who had Apple TV+ and she watched the first eight Ted Lasso episodes. She got hooked and she bought the Apple gizmo when we got home so we could experience Ted Lasso.

I’ve always liked Jason’s approach to humor, so I expected quality comedy, but after watching the first season I realized a number of things were happening with Ted Lasso.

First, the premise isn’t new. It’s similar to the Charlie Sheen movie Major League, which was released in 1989 when Sheen was still funny. Both feature a woman who takes over a professional sports team, but the similarity ends there. The woman in the Sheen film wants to grow her franchise for profit while the Lasso woman wants her London soccer team to fail to anger her ex-husband. To that end she brings aboard Mr. Lasso, an American college football coach from Kansas City who knows nothing about soccer, a game known as football in the UK.

I had an epiphany watching Ted Lasso win seven Emmy Awards the other night. Americans are moving toward different kinds of entertainment and sources of distribution. Maybe it’s not such a remarkable observation. After all, technology has been driving the migration away from over-the-air television during the last ten years. But thinking about the many aspects of how Americans now consume entertainment made me realize just how profound the changes are.

Network TV is no longer satisfying people, especially those who can afford multiple platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+, Peacock, Apple TV+, Sling, YouTube and, well, I could go on, but I’ve made my point. Smart TV’s have enabled the use of those applications at the touch of a button, but it’s not just technology that drives binge watching, it’s the content.

Ted Lasso came along at a fortunate time. We fell for this guy who’s been forced to be away from his family back in Kansas City, perhaps reminding us of FaceTime with our kids and family during Covid. In a sense, the soccer team members are Ted’s kids, and he is trying to give them fatherly advice, even when in the beginning of the series, they totally disrespect him. Lasso knows nothing about soccer but that doesn’t matter. He was brought in to destroy the franchise.

Ted Lasso is a story about redemption. The lead character’s analogies, metaphors and daily doses of shortbread biscuits brought to his boss are totally misunderstood by the locals, but he slowly grows on them. The success of the show has also spawned social media and exploitation experts to give us things like this.

It’s not a sports story as much as it’s a “dramedy” filled with tons of pop cultural references that are easy to miss if you aren’t watching closely. Corny pun driven quips flash by to keep the pace fast and crisp. Clever writing like, “This place reminds me of that movie Once. I liked it so much I watched it twice!” will make you laugh.

The show was developed by Sudeikis, Brandon Hunt, Joe Kelly and Bill Lawrence. The lead actors are totally involved in the writing, as was true with Jason’s roots in Second City and SNL. Unlike most shows, the characters’ lines are not created by a committee of writers and the language is not shaped or censored by attorneys and network suits. The writing technique gives characters their natural vulgarity and relatability. They also have kids using adult language that throws viewers off at times and, well, is funny.

There are some truly heart moving moments in the show. I find myself feeling for these people despite my natural blocking of predictive emotional heart plucking or equally obvious embedded lessons being dispersed. Why is this? Could it be, just damn good writing?

There is a certain vulnerability to Jason’s portrayal of Ted Lasso. The hyper-positive “Pollyanna” outlook of the man, which is magnified by his “cracker” over the top southern accent, keeps you wondering if Ted is the ultimate goldfish out of water or if he’s playing everyone for what they want him to be. As he slowly evolves from “wanker,” to “semi-respected wanker” and you root for him. In our age of cynicism and division, we can see the globalism of the team as well as the divide between the Americans and Brits, but mostly we go along for the ride. Lasso affects everyone, and even lacking success, he makes them feel good about themselves. Instead of a preacher, a politician or even a spouse, we all want to be around someone who rises above the shit of everyday life.

As I watched shows like The Crown, The Queen’s Gambit, Hacks and Mare of Easttown win most of the awards, the influence of British writers, actors and producers on American entertainment became obvious. Then it truly hit me. Oh my God there were no awards for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX or other US network shows. We shouldn’t judge an entire medium based on awards, but people were missing the point while yelling “Oscars and Emmys so white.” The audience was way ahead of the award shows.

Over-the-air networks still have millions of viewers, but they focus on competition shows like The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars and The Voice along with one-season, second-class sitcoms. Perhaps this should come as no surprise. As viewers’ language and community standards change, network TV cannot “go there.” Sure, shows like Blackish are funny, but they fall short of the quality of humor that can be seen for a small monthly fee. We are changing and how we spend our entertainment time is also changing. The only network shows I regularly watch are the late-night talk shows, nightly news, and true crime shows like Dateline, 20/20 and 48 Hours. I’m sure there are many other just like me.

TV has always been used as an escape and the streaming platforms offer better escapes now. Just as Howard Stern left over-the-air radio to be able to say what he wanted on satellite radio, many talented people are now escaping to HBO, Apple, Hulu, Showtime, Amazon Prime and other streaming networks to share their uncensored and authentic stories. The success of Ted Lasso is the canary in the coal mine. The video streaming services have become the renewable entertainment sources of today and tomorrow.

BRAND NEW BOOK

We knew that the great divide in America would have a major effect on the presidential election in the year 2020, but something else was lurking that we didn’t anticipate. The world suffered a global pandemic of Covid-19, and everything changed. The lockdown motivated one author to write MASHED POTATOES: Covid, Cancer & Comfort Food. The cover ironically claims the book is a “humorous” recollection of 2020, but one might ask, “Where was the humor?” This is a work of survival to motivate those who desire to get beyond Covid-19, beat cancer and defend our precious Democracy. The world got Covid, the writer got cancer and we all ate copious amounts of comfort food. It’s time to swallow the truth, survive the madness, take a large spoon and savor some delicious MASHED POTATOES. Get some here.

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THE PROSECUTION RESTS

Worst Case of Disregard by a Party

If you have been watching the second Impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump, you must realize by now the flaw in this whole matter before us. The Democratic House Impeachment Managers have done a terrific job demonstrating that a mob of far-right neo-Nazi, white supremacists and braindead militia attacked the Capitol Building and killed people, but they have failed to convince the sycophants in the Senate that Donald Trump had anything to do with it. Why?

You see, this is not a matter of truth and facts, but that may be appropriate because Donald Trump has never been honest with the American public. I would go so far as to claim Trump isn’t even trustworthy with himself. That advances a premise that the Donald suffers from not only dual personality but schizophrenia. I am suggesting the former president has a long-term mental disorder involving a breakdown between thought, emotion and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions, improper feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships and mental fragmentation resulting in extreme fantasy and delusion.

The big mystery to me is how could seemingly intelligent people in Congress not see this glaring disorder or disease? It could be they have been sucked into a “power guy syndrome.” An alcoholic doesn’t see that his drinking buddy is a drunk, he sees him as a friend. But I get it, they don’t want to piss off Trump who holds all that power they give him. They are literally letting Trump control them, and somehow, they see that as a positive.

The moderates in the Senate who would like to see Trump go away forever so they can get to the job of repairing their party, can’t muster the courage of voting for conviction and disqualification. If they were smart, they would encourage the Spartacus procedure. Remember when his troops were confronted with a demand to turn Spartacus over to the enemy, all the soldiers exclaimed, “I am Spartacus!” thus protecting their leader. If the Republicans wanted to camouflage those who would be hurt by a vote against Trump, they could all vote to convict and take pressure off specific members, but they won’t. They don’t have the courage to do what is right. They are puppets of party loyalty who are incapable of delivering justice to this horrible man.

Trump’s lawyers were given a direction and a big pep talk last night by far-right radicals in the Senate, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee. Where in American justice do the jurors ever have a meeting with the defense to help them convince their jury to get an acquittal? Of course, we’ve been told many times that this is not a real trial, as the process veers further and further away from true American courtroom justice, I’m starting to see the wisdom in an off the cuff remark by one of Trump’s lawyers. Maybe it’s time to move the adjudication of this crime to a criminal court. Let’s make Trump defend himself along with the insurrectionists he gathered and directed. I’m sure things would go much differently.

We have seen many court cases on TV and in real life where two of more people have been charged with a crime and each says one of the others made them do it. Yes, it’s common for a defendant to argue that they were under the mystical spell of another who made them cheat, steal or even, murder. The good news is we can handle that situation. We usually give one of the defendants immunity in exchange for their testimony against the person the prosecutor believes was the ringleader. Unfortunately, that falls short of imposing proper punishment over all who share responsibility.

Had the same evidence that was presented in this Trump impeachment trial number two been presented in a criminal proceeding, Trump would have already been convicted and waiting for the pronouncement of sentence. Most experts believe that one who incited an insurrection could get a one-year jail sentence which would, at best, be embarrassing for Trump.

Far too many times in the last 14 months we have been told that impeachment is a political process, not a legal action. Why it is that? Why should impeachment be relegated to political theater? It would seem to me that a sentence of disqualification from holding any future office makes the process profoundly serious, but the partisan insanity downgrades it. I have lived through three impeachment trials now, and I have a suggestion. Why not first convict — in a court of law — the president of his crime and then hold a vote on disqualification in the Senate? Who would want a convicted felon in the White House?

My idea would require changing the Constitution to detail all the possible actions a president or vice president could engage in that would be considered criminal. This would eliminate the scenario of a president telling us that making a shakedown call to a principal of another country is “perfect.” Why not simply spell out that it’s not? Yes, I am suggesting that we need the details of every possible criminal act to be defined as illegal and applied when the need to remove a bad person from office becomes necessary. If the act of a president inciting a riot and attack on the US Capitol is a crime, spell it out then arrest the guilty son-of-a-bitch!

We already have a solid legal structure in place to do deal with criminal infractions, and if the President of the United States is not above the law, now is the time to prove it. One might argue my idea doesn’t account for a deeply corrupt and partisan magistrate who wants to remove a president, but that is precisely what we have now. There are presently 17 Republicans lacking the guts and moral fortitude to convict “their” president. It’s a miscarriage of justice. When those sycophants acquit Trump, again, the “real courts” will have to deal with his fraud and criminal behavior. Justice delayed, for sure.

This is an extreme case of disregard by a political party that we all must remember. There is already discussion about starting a new Republican party without Trump, but any astute political mind will remind us that a third-party is always the kiss of death. That tactic usually splinters the vote and delivers a victory to the other guy. Just look back to what Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose did to the run by the incumbent, President Taft. Remember what happened in 1992 when Ross Perot ran unsuccessfully as an independent candidate but siphoned off enough votes to help Bill Clinton beat George H.W. Bush.

Much will be written about impeachment part two against Trump, but there are not enough words to solve the problem of division and political polarization in our country. He has been nothing but bad for America. A true crisis is the fact that months after he was soundly defeated in the 2020 Election, we must still deal with him daily. The sooner we can stop talking about Donald John Trump the faster we can begin healing our nation. Until he goes away, he remains a cancer on democracy.

Book for the Recovery – Build Back Better!

How to Hire Great People: Tips, Tricks and Templates for Success

Kindle and Paperback Click Here

The book that tells it like it is…

Gold, God, Guns & Goofballs: If you only read one chapter of this book, try “Take a Knee for America” and think about our never-ending conflicts between minorities and the police. I’m not asking you to take a stand but having a deep and honest conversation about why some people think the way they do would be productive. This is a book for the moment which seeks to start a conversation about peace. And if you are worried about social media, you really should check out the chapter called “Social Media Menace.”

Get the Kindle Version HERE. Or order your paperback edition HERE.

OLD GUYS ROCK IN AMERICA

Oldest President, Oldest Quarterback

We are now starting to see years of hard work and focus paying off for some notable people. We just witnessed the oldest quarterback to ever take the field in a Super Bowl game win for his team and the oldest man to ever be sworn in as US president now living in the White House. We are dealing with a pandemic that sometimes gets us down, but we continue to move forward as we observe lower numbers of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. And while not a precise indicator of our entire economy, the stock market has certainly not suffered in the first months of a new administration.

I obviously love these events because I am an older guy. I have always been respectful of experience, but I have also railed against old fashioned, regressive ideas gumming up the works, no pun intended. The celebration of older age is seen on TV all the time. When a reporter honors a person who has reached 100, their standard question is, “What is your secret?” The reply is often some snappy advice, like drinking white wine at dinner or taking daily walks. Some say simply that the secret is to just keep breathing. The United Nations estimated that 316,600 centenarians worldwide were still breathing in 2012.

George Shultz, economist, diplomat and businessman, died the other day. He was 100 years old and served four presidents over the years. He certainly earned his stripes and staying around for a hundred years provided ample opportunity to make a difference. Perhaps more so than a younger, dead man could.

When I saw 43-year-old Tom Brady win the Super Bowl, I couldn’t help asking myself if 43 is old. Football is a young man’s sport, but Brady is a wonderful example of an older guy taking care of his body and mind while continuing to do the work he loves. While Brady is susceptible to injury at his age, the opposing team’s defense never got to him. Protection is more important to an older person, and one of their safeguards is knowledge about how to avoid the possibility of danger.

I am extremely aware of what I can and cannot do physically. As for mental acuity, I rise to the challenge of staying sharp and on top of things. Being old and retired gives me more time to read and deeply dive into various viewpoints that keep me astute. Old age becomes bad only when one holds rigid positions, outdated viewpoints or off base opinions. The world constantly changes, and a wise and experienced person like George Shultz could always pinpoint the moments of movement and change course accordingly. That’s what kept him successful and young.

I have never accepted modernity without question, but I have always remained open to new ideas, new partnerships and seeing things through the eyes of another regardless of their age. I am invigorated by learning new ways of doing things, especially when it comes to technology and culinary arts. I had no idea that spaghetti could be made from zucchini until just a few years ago.

Throughout my life I have always posed this internal question, “Why is this good for me or society?” I remain unconvinced that being a far-right conservative is good for anyone. The position seems to exist only because someone said it should. Despite pondering it quite a bit, I still have no idea what values Ted Cruz holds or, more importantly, why he is so inconsistent.

I’m sure you’ve had a birthday party or two where you looked around and thought, “Gee, I made it through another year.” Take that to the next level and think about the funeral of a 95 year old person. The church is empty because all of their friends are gone. So, I don’t focus on age as the decline of the journey. I use my acquired wisdom and knowledge to concentrate on those things currently before me. What can I do today that will make a positive difference?

I become frustrated when seeing people get mired in events that enact past mistakes. It brings a pause and makes me wonder if they are stupid. It was tried back in 1967 and it didn’t work then so why would you think it will work now? I admit to getting some satisfaction by saying I told you so to those repeating bad history. As those words tumble from my mouth, I hear the mental echo of things my parents said to me when I messed up as a kid. Yes, I have become my parents.

My mother and father never stopped learning. Even after a rather cult-like allegiance to Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew, they eventually admitted that they misjudged both of those goofballs. As for me, I hope that folks who glued themselves to Donald Trump will wake up one day and realize how ill-informed they were about a man who was totally incapable of handling the responsibilities of a US president.

The community hierarchy of America’s tribal nations was based on law and order. Interestingly, a group of the tribe’s oldest women were the ultimate judges of right and wrong. They not only sat in judgement, but they also decided the punishment for offenses. It was logical to Native Americans that their oldest, most experienced tribe members should execute the laws of the land.

Something great flows when younger people can learn and be motivated by giving older folks their day in the sun. I am sure Patrick Mahomes II, a 25 year old guy from Tyler, Texas, will remember what happened when he played in the 2021 Super Bowl. I have a feeling he will be motivated to work harder because of a 43 year old man named Tom Brady. Oh, to be 43 again, or maybe even 53. Hell, I’ll take 60! Okay, I’m suddenly feeling the need for my afternoon beauty nap. I’ll have more for you another day.

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GOVERNOR WITHOUT A BRAIN

Florida’s Wooden Puppet: Ron DeSantis

Call me crazy, but I have always put people in one of two boxes. A given person is either a reasonable, self-respecting, caring being or a non-thinking, unaware dolt with a lack of will or capacity to learn. The non-learners who are blind to the facts, data and advice from experts are hard to support, especially when their hands, legs and mouths are driven by a single man in D.C.

I live in Florida, and in 2018 we had an election for a new Governor. The battle came down to a 42-year-old Republican attorney, former naval officer and politician who ran against the Democratic nominee, Andrew Gillum, the Mayor of Tallahassee. Mr. Gillum, an African American, waged an excellent campaign and lost by a slim margin. The election propelled Gillum to “next Dem-star status” and a job as a TV political pundit, but his world was about to come crashing down.

Andrew Gillum was reportedly one of three men involved in a drug overdose at a Miami Beach hotel room. No arrests were made, even though the substance in that room was rumored to be crystal meth. In a September 2020 interview with ABC’s Tamron Hall, Gillum came out as bisexual. Thus, things ended for the would-be wunderkind. I share these details for context. Many Floridians think we dodged a bullet with Gillum, but the other guy is a hacksaw of ignorance.

Ron DeSantis has never secreted his love-affair with Donald Trump. He probably believes Trump’s support got him the win, but his obsession with that man has damaged him politically and hurt Florida’s fragile health system during the pandemic.

On May 20, 2020, Ron DeSantis was taking questions from the press about his administration’s handling of the COVID crisis in Florida. Standing next to Vice President Mike Pence, Governor DeSantis didn’t hold back, loudly blasting the press for their fearmongering and overall criticism of his state. DeSantis’ voice rose to a stressed and defensive pitch as he ranted, “Any insinuation otherwise is just typical partisan narrative trying to be spun and a lot of people in your profession who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York in two weeks… Well, hell, we’re eight weeks away from that and it hasn’t happened!”

Yes, at that time Florida was averaging “only” 724 new cases over a seven-day average, but by July 20^th that figure had climbed to 11,000. The mercurial nature of the global pandemic would have been understood by anyone who took the time to learn about novel viruses, but DeSantis was too busy trying to defend doing nothing.

Above all else, DeSantis wanted to please President Trump and not anger him. Now, Florida has more than one million people infected and almost 19,000 dead. In the insanity of this situation our governor has remained frozen and clueless and, yes Mr. DeSantis, Florida has become just like New York.

Just yesterday, when asked about a mask mandate for Florida, DeSantis maintained his opposition. “How has that worked out in the states that have done it? Has that stopped an outbreak in Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan. What about New Jersey? What about all these states where you have an explosion in cases? So, I mean, at some point, does the observed experience matter? I’m opposed to mandates. Period. I don’t think they work.” So, there you have it. Like ill-informed Donald Trump, DeSantis believes masks don’t work.

Support for DeSantis lies not in the major cities of Florida but in the panhandle, a much more conservative and pro-Trump region. Okay, but will there ever come a time when politicians stop the insanity of over-serving their base and direct their attention to the needs to of all the people?

We can make laws to prevent our leaders from doing bad things, but would it not make more sense to elect better people? During Ron DeSantis’ long rant about the press being the problem, he also said he was going to ask for criminal charges to be brought against Rebekah Jones, a scientist working on Florida’s coronavirus internet portal. Ms. Jones claims she was pressured to fudge the infection numbers to make the argument of reopening the state more convincing. Wouldn’t that mean that Ron DeSantis is corrupt?

As would be expected of Trump’s wooden puppet, Governor DeSantis sicced his dogs on Jones and called her a liar on social media. In the coming post-Trump era, we need better protections for whistleblowers. Of course, we must wait until 2023 to replace this hanging wall ornament named DeSantis, but he’s likely to do more damage between now and then. He has introduced a bill that would make it legal for a person to use their vehicle to run down protesters who are blocking a road. Really? That’s obviously against the First Amendment of the US Constitution, but I’m quite sure Ron “DeathSantis” has not read that document.

I wonder who will give DeSantis his orders after Trump is gone. Every discussion with Governor Ron sounds like an argument. I believe he avoids airtime on CNN and MSNBC not only because Trump wouldn’t like it, but because he fears the questions that might be asked. You know, queries like, “Do you regret yelling at the press when you were with Pence?”

A puppet becomes silent when their master’s arm is pulled out of their ass. Let’s hope that Puppet DeSantis learns to listen more, talk less and do the right things. Right now, he’s more concerned about reelection than what Floridians need to stay safe. Short of wearing makeup, it’s hard to tell Ron DeSantis from that other guy. What’s his name? Oh yeah, Donald John Trump, America’s biggest and worst loser ever.

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STOP MAKING THINGS UP

Trump’s Insidious Truth-Bending

The President of the United States is claiming that foreign nations or domestic bad actors broke into our election systems to change the vote counts against him. Now you might think I am exaggerating this, but here’s a Twitter quote from the man himself: “REPORT: DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE. DATA ANALYSIS FINDS 221,000 PENNSYLVANIA VOTES SWITCHED FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BIDEN. 941,000 TRUMP VOTES DELETED. STATES USING DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS SWITCHED 435,000 VOTES FROM TRUMP TO BIDEN.” Let me add some clarity to his words. Dominion Voting Systems is a corporation that makes and sells electronic voting hardware and software. Dominion is a Canadian company with US Headquarters in Denver. They have strongly and convincingly refuted Trump’s claims.

Internet messaging protocol suggests a person posting in all caps is SCREAMING! So, our crazy, current president is screeching his claims of fraud. His tweet inspired action in the intelligence community and they quickly responded with a news release. The group, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Association of State Election Directors, issued what appears to be a definitive coda to the 2020 vote.

“There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised. All of the states with close results in the 2020 presidential race have paper records of each vote, allowing the ability to go back and count each ballot if necessary. This is an added benefit for security and resilience. This process allows for the identification and correction of any mistakes or errors.” Do you know what? I’m going to believe these guys and not the President.

We are 69 days away from removing this narcissist from the White House. Most believe he will never concede to Biden or admit that he lost. As he has done over the last four years, Donald Trump seems to take joy in making things up, even if they embarrass our country or mislead our allies. Everyone in the world knows this man cannot be trusted, and many of them are lining up to phone Uncle Joe and congratulate him. They know it’s over; why doesn’t Trump?

This just in: the Pennsylvania law firm to bring the suit against the state wanting them not to count any mail-in ballots that arrived late but postmarked before or on Election Day, withdrew from the case. In the motion filed at 11:53 p.m. on Thursday, Porter Wright lawyers Ronald Hicks and Carolyn McGee — who work out of the firm’s Pittsburgh office — said the campaign was “in the process of retaining and causing other counsel” to take over the case. The attorneys said they and the campaign had agreed on the withdrawal, but Hicks and McGee were vague about the reason for their exit. I guess one cannot just make things up in court?

It’s shameful that the US State Department is not forwarding messages they receive addressed to President-Elect Joe Biden. It reminds me of a romantic breakup in high school, where two immature ex-lovers take inappropriate steps when ending their relationship. Yes, Donnie, it’s hard to take but can’t you suck it up? Everyone in the world thinks you’re a cry baby, even the Republicans.

Not letting GSA Administrator Emily W. Murphy execute the transition paperwork to facilitate activities, budgeting, office space and, most importantly, daily national security briefs for Biden is a childish, high school maneuver that will be challenged today by several high-ranking Republicans. The President is more focused on firing people he doesn’t like before Christmas, than fighting the virus or facing the fact that he lost the election! Get over it, Donald!

Truth-bending is just as harmful as lies, and some of his supporters say it’s just Donald’s “cute way.” The truth is, Trump’s main method of operation is always based on made up stuff because he won’t take any time to understand the truth. I’m sure you have known people who grab onto a belief early in life and then make it a focus. A well-respected businessman once told me to never trust a man who smokes a pipe. Okay, lots of smart and worthy men smoked pipes but this guy locked onto that one incorrect belief.

I have this thing about Trump’s makeup. A few men in my past wore makeup. One professor I studied under wore a light covering on his face. I always thought he was covering up his closeted homosexuality. I worked in theater and was around a great deal of makeup in those days, but that had a purpose of entertainment. Why is Donald John Trump orange? Seriously, why? When he holds his hands up near his face you can see the vast difference in hue between his mug and fingers.

The lawsuits and the scam of raising money to help him save America from this “rigged election” precisely align with his usual ways of dealing with life challenges. He never looks in the mirror, takes off his makeup and calls it a day. He is driven to call people late at night to bolster his frail and damaged ego. What is most disturbing is the way his rhetoric and deceit have been adopted by other people in high places. When Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick was confronted with the findings of the Heritage Foundation that no widespread voter fraud was uncovered in America, he bluntly blurted, “They are wrong.” That’s it, Dan? That’s all you have? Where’s your evidence or proof? Remember, the Heritage Foundation is a conservative think-tank that picked all of Trump’s Supreme Court nominations. Just saying something is NOT TRUE doesn’t make it so. It makes the person speaking the words look stupid.

Without facts and evidence, no one should believe anything Trump says. I cannot believe I am saying this about a US President, but it’s true. Trump lies about almost everything. Those times he uses an unrelated fact to “prove” an untruthful statement are nothing more than lies. It’s similar to the way some believe that that saying, “All Lives Matter” defeats the slogan Black Lives Matter, which they fear means “White Lives Don’t Matter.” A bad cop, regardless of race, is a bad cop. I don’t have to add that “not all cops are bad” to soften the danger or reality of bad cops.

The best thing now would be some adult forcing Trump into normal order so our long-standing traditions can move us toward a peaceful transition. I don’t need to see Joe and Don sitting in the Oval Office, awkwardly and uncomfortably posing with each other. I don’t need to see Donnie and Melania standing behind the Chief Justice swearing in Joe Biden in as the 46^th President of the United States. Those things would be nice, but realist-me understands they are not likely.

Nothing about Trump is nice. We wish him well, but good riddance! “Don’t let the door hit you where you sit.” Oh, and see you in court, Donald!

Brand New Book for the Recovery

How to Hire Great People: Tips, Tricks and Templates for Success

Kindle and Paperback Click Here

The book that tells it like it is…

Gold, God, Guns & Goofballs: If you only read one chapter of this book, try “Take a Knee for America” and think about our never-ending conflicts between minorities and the police. I’m not asking you to take a stand but having a deep and honest conversation about why some people think the way they do would be productive. This is a book for the moment which seeks to start a conservation about peace. And if you are worried about social media, you really should check out the chapter called “Social Media Menace.”

Get the Kindle Version HERE. Or order your paperback edition HERE.

BELIEVING YOUR OWN EYES

Win or Lose, Trump Has No Mandate

After going in and out of consciousness and drifting between dreams and data from the latest vote count on election night, I was more zombie than human the next day. The biggest flaw in my personal slaw was that I had booked an 8:45 doctor’s appointment that morning. Not a good idea.

I took a brief nap on Wednesday afternoon and awoke to my phone buzzing out some breaking news. The headline was unbelievable, with words to the effect that the President of the United States is suing the state of Michigan and demanding they STOP COUNTING BALLOTS! What? Why would he do that? How could he do that? Do he and his cronies think that ballots are being airlifted from Russia or China just to make him look bad, or is it simply the absentee and mail-in ballots were finally being counted and his chances were diminishing? Yes, and Yes.

Even in those states where Donald John Trump won, the margins are not great. As of this writing, in Georgia, Trump received 2,432,097 votes to Joe Biden’s 2,413,999. That’s not a blow-out win. What this election clearly shows is the country is divided and both sides are firmly planted in their opposing values and needs. Here on the west coast of Florida, the enthusiasm of Trump voters was extreme. I watched them drive around all day in pickup trucks bespeckled with Trump flags and stickers. There was also a strong showing for Joe Biden, although less obnoxious and more hopeful.

The daily crap that Trump shovels out to the American people has created an incalcitrant attitude in Republicans that lacks logic, common sense or a desire for truth. Those folks believe most of what Trump says. Intelligent people on both sides wondered if the final count of mail-in votes would ever see the light of day. Workers in the United States Postal Service blew the whistle on Lewis DeJoy’s plan to sabotage mail delivery right before the election, and there was merit to their paranoia. Trump and his donor criminals are doing whatever they can to keep their piece of the rich guy pie, while hurting the country they claim to love. DeJoy, like Trump and his cadre of lawyers, are corrupt partisans, spellbound in their rapture of greed. Those baby Trumps will one day face the music.

America’s election administrators and workers are good, dedicated human beings. With all the observers and poll watchers, it would be almost impossible for any person or group to cook the election results. We are all at the mercy of computers, servers and the cloud these days, but with control in the hands of local people who must face their neighbors and fellow citizens, the price of deception is great. Besides, who would want to be jailed for tainting election results?

I am hopeful that this experience will trigger a reform to our election process. We must have more consistency. Trump complained ad nauseum that we should all know who won on election day. That’s a precious thought, my loudmouth pumpkin, but when a state has a law stating mail-in ballots cannot be processed until election day, your desires are not their commands. The President of the United States should know that he has NO control over how elections are administered. That’s a good thing. It’s not like cheating at golf. Elections are administered by each state and adjudicated by local judges.

Despite the local orientation, a good idea for the near future might be a national convention of Secretary of States and Election organizers to codify how all states handle elections. America is drifting further away from the arcane ways of our Founding Fathers. They might have known about abortions, but they certainly didn’t know Roe or Wade. We need more consistency in our federal elections with similar and effective security, protocols, timing and techniques across states. I was amazed to learn that in Florida millions of dollars were NOT spent on election security because one man said, “Hey, we don’t need that.” Really? When is not spending money on security a good idea?

Donald Trump’s presidency taught us some lessons about America. First, he showed us that if the press gives a candidate and then President, billions of dollars of free airtime, it’s on us to keep them in check. They think their job is to investigate allegations of corruption, but at times they simply publicize the bad actions of one man. Why? It took four years to learn about the guy in office, and now you need to look in the mirror. Common people cannot comprehend malicious behavior, and you need to say more other than “look at this with your own eyes.” You need more fact finding with investigative journalism and less fluff. There are so many commercials in ABC World News Tonight that most stories get only one or two sentences. Dumb.

If Trump cheats and steals his way into another four years he will be hated by as many people as he is now. He’s a dangerous loser-liar whose words and actions have hurt people and probably killed more than 100,000 of us. He has no more of a mandate to run our country than Alex Trebek, and he’s a Canadian.

I am most proud of the way our courts and judges have handled Trump so far, and I hope they never stop being objective, no matter who might be president. There is something magical in the words, “…with liberty and justice for all.” I want everyone in America to understand that “…for all,” means everyone, all of us, not just Trump lovers.

Brand New Book for the Recovery

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The book that tells it like it is…

Gold, God, Guns & Goofballs: If you only read one chapter of this book, try “Take a Knee for America” and think about our never-ending conflicts between minorities and the police. I’m not asking you to take a stand but having a deep and honest conversation about why some people think the way they do would be productive. This is a book for the moment which seeks to start a conservation about peace. And if you are worried about social media, you really should check out the chapter called “Social Media Menace.”

Get the Kindle Version HERE. Or order your paperback edition HERE.

WHAT TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME

Little Donnie Dictator & the Sycophants

It might be funny if this fiasco of a president didn’t hurt so many with his words, actions and policies. The lunatic in the White House has clearly shown us that we have some serious flaws and cracks in our democracy that need to be repaired and reformed. I do think Little Donnie Dictator & the Sycophants would make a great name for a punk rock band.

If I stand far back from the vapid and endless discussions on cable news, which they’ve perfected into an art form, I can objectively see some strategies for making America stronger. Here are some starting points.

First, it’s time for us to review the distance between our Founders’ intent and the reality of life today in the United States of America. We should think about the three branches of government and do everything we can to preserve the checks and balances while establishing clear definitions of the duties of each branch.

Here’s a short civics lesson. The Legislative Branch makes the laws. Congress is made up of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a slight whiff of checks and balances between the two. The Executive Branch enforces the laws and spends the money appropriated by Congress in a legal way that benefits the citizens. The Judicial Branch interprets the laws as they apply to disputes in the nation, but If the Judiciary gets out of its lane then Congress should step in and make a law. The president has the power to veto if Congress goes too far, but the genius of the Constitution gives Congress the power to overrule the president. Both the Congress and the Judiciary have the power to check a president’s unconstitutional acts. The Supreme Court can rule and the Congress can impeach.

The always polite and positive first leaders of our nation never thought that a president was a king so they gave the holder of that office an amazingly long arm. Part of this stems from a belief that a president would never be so ruthless as to work with a foreign power to undermine our country. The intent of the Foreign Emoluments Clause was making sure Congress knew about any titles granted, money given or valuables exchanged for something from another country and, in a sense, either approved or disapproved. The lack of teeth in this clause must be reformed. By law, any member of the federal government, including the president should be compelled to give up any ownership or financial connection to another country or even donations which could be exploited for favor.

Because Donald Trump withheld his tax returns, we don’t know if he owes money to a foreign entity. We need a new tax law to insure all presidents and candidates for the office release the last ten years of their tax returns. The need for such a regulation shows the current president’s lack of respect for that custom. When a tradition doesn’t work, we must make a law. We cannot afford to have another Trump. Ever.

Like the power of transparency, oversight is a good thing, but it must now be redefined with the current experience in mind. Congress has the power to ask for a person’s legal testimony, and they have the power to subpoena a person to appear before them, but we need to establish a hardline on compliance. The evil corruption of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Joseph McCarthy may have made Congress more careful about “witch hunts” and federal interventions, but the pendulum has swung too far to the other side.

Think about this. According to Forensic News, “The White House leads the count [of those who refused to appear], followed by personal associations of Donald Trump and the Justice Department. Attorney General William Barr refused to comply with five demands addressed directly to him, three of which were subpoenas.” So, the man in charge of the Department of Justice refused three subpoenas. If you or I did that we’d be arrested and put in jail. The Trump administration has blocked or refused to comply with 82 House Committee requests for testimony and/or documents.

This must be changed, and anyone subpoenaed who refuses to appear before Congress should be charged and jailed. They are free to plead the Fifth, but they must appear. It’s time Congress gets some respect, even though many say they don’t deserve it. We should be a country of laws.

Now let’s look at reform of the Supreme Court. Those who work in law and order might say that nothing is broken, but over time its appointed justices seemed to be stamped for life with a certain political bias or leaning. Just as I am writing this piece, the Supreme Court sent a ruling back to a lower court regarding a lawsuit filed by a police officer who claimed he deserved damages from the man who led a 2016 Black Lives Matter protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The BLM leader countersued, claiming his protesting was protected by the First Amendment. The Court sent it back to the state, giving Louisiana the opportunity to decide if their constitution would allow recovery. Why? If this lawsuit is permitted to go forward, wouldn’t anyone be able to sue Donald Trump for everything he has done to gin up the power of right-wing militias and white neo-Nazi groups?

The court wants to move slowly, and that is probably good. They shouldn’t care who the president is, but they also should not allow their political viewpoints to guide their rulings. For example, Brett Kavanagh doesn’t like Hillary Clinton. How do I know this? He admitted it during his hearing, which should have disqualified him. That brings us to this harsh reality. No job in any of the three branches of the federal government should be for life.

The California Constitution provides a term of twelve years for state judges. That makes sense. In Pennsylvania, voters narrowly agreed to raise the age limit of judges from 70 to 75, but Oregon voters handily defeated a proposal to repeal the age limit entirely. It will stay at 75 in Oregon. So, the notion of age limits for government workers, like age restrictions for drivers, is not an unreasonable provision. Had there been an age limit, the Supreme Court would have been changed long before Justice Ginsberg passed. Also, the Senate Leader should never be able to stop a nominee’s hearing after being appointed by the president. That is tantamount to one-man fiat without representation, which is certainly unconstitutional, at least in spirit.

Finally, we must resolve this lying thing. Maybe we need a permanent special counsel to challenge any lie being perpetrated a member of Congress or the White House. Yes, we have Inspectors General, but even when they disclose an event that harms another what happens to the wrongdoer? If the president, who is also a liar, doesn’t fire that person our only current recourse is voting him out of office in the hope we can trust his replacement. There must be a better way.

More than anything else, Donald Trump has taught me the true meaning of the word “charlatan.” He has enticed his followers to believe the centuries old myth that Black people are not as smart as white people. His base may not be dumb, but if they cannot see beyond his lies then they are at least not paying attention. If they really believe all of us are better off than we were four years ago, then perhaps they are stupid. Can’t they see that this colossal failure of a man has killed hundreds of thousands of people? If they don’t care about death, they must be a little bit dead already. I know you’re not in that camp. You are smart and have a solid understanding that TRUMP MUST BE DEFEATED!

Brand New Book for the Recovery

How to Hire Great People: Tips, Tricks and Templates for Success

Kindle and Paperback Click Here

The book that tells it like it is…

Gold, God, Guns & Goofballs: If you only read one chapter of this book, try “Take a Knee for America” and think about our never-ending conflicts between minorities and the police. I’m not asking you to take a stand but having a deep and honest conversation about why some people think the way they do would be productive. This is a book for the moment which seeks to start a conservation about peace. And if you are worried about social media, you really should check out the chapter called “Social Media Menace.”

Get the Kindle Version HERE. Or order your paperback edition HERE.

DUMB BASTARDS

Desperate & Dysfunctional President

Many millions of Americans cannot wait for Donald Trump to go away, forever, and I am one of them. This blog was created four years ago and named WhyWait4Years.com as a call to action, not just against Trump and his foolish cult followers but for all our citizens to become more proactive and involved in the political process.

Most people didn’t take Donald Trump seriously, and that is how be became president. They laughed at his bad jokes and school yard putdowns, never believing that he would become the President of the United States and bash our nation with countless terrible, regressive and harmful acts.

Over the past 24 hours, we have learned that lawyers working with judges and the “system” say they can’t find the parents of 545 migrant children separated by the Trump administration at the US-Mexico border. How can this be? Kirstjen Nielsen, the former Department of Homeland Security Chief, claimed, “there was no policy to separate families.” Well then, why did she sign a memo approving the separation of minors from their migrant family members? Both she and Jeff Sessions, who approved the order, should be brought before either US courts or the World Court and charged with crimes against children, and Donald Trump should be named as a co-conspirator.

Unsurprisingly, Huffington Post claims they’ve received leaked documents showing that the White House knew of a giant COVID-19 spike as the President falsely claimed the coronavirus “affects virtually nobody.” The Donald believes if he simply says we are over the pandemic, then we are. What a dumb bastard.

Now we also know that some nefarious source is sending threatening emails to US voters. According to Forbes magazine, “The email told voters to cast their ballot for President Donald Trump or ‘we will come after you,’ telling voters that they were in possession of ‘all of their information’ and that ‘I would take this seriously if I were you.’'” And the FBI and National Security people announced last night that RUSSIA and IRAN have stolen all the US voter data and are responsible for this activity. Why didn’t Trump fortify our voter systems? Failed leadership is why. The FBI is now investigating the emails as potential voter intimidation, a federal offense that could bring a prison sentence of up to one year.

The desperate and dysfunctional man who claims to be our president lies openly and often, even when his words infect and maybe even kill people. Let’s not forget that 8,338,467Americans have been infected with COVID-19 and 222,220 have died. By the time you read this those numbers will be even greater, and that is blood on the small hands of Donald Trump.

Then there’s this report from Axios, “White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is leaning on the Pentagon to move ahead with a plan to stand up a 5G wireless network, despite opposition from key government and private-sector players, [which] could well outlive the Trump administration.” In straightforward language, TRUMP is seeking to circumvent the legal bidding process which allows the Department of Defense to lease bandwidth capacity to wireless carriers and other companies for implementing 5G technology.

According to the New York Times, “Rivada Networks, a politically connected firm that counts Peter Thiel, a prominent Trump donor, among its investors, appears to be positioning itself for the lucrative contract to provide the technology for such a system.” Rivada has been pushed by GOP figures including Karl Rove and Newt Gingrich, and Rivada principals other than Thiel have contributed to the Trump reelection effort.

Peter Thiel is a billionaire immigrant from Germany who heads Free Forever, a political-action committee. Among other things, it is committed to supporting political candidates who will fight to secure the border, create restrictionism in immigration policy, fund care for veterans and enact isolationist foreign policy. So, it’s ironically strange that this immigrant has made billions in the US but is now fighting hard to keep others out. If Thiel, who was one of the investors in PayPal, Facebook and other big internet companies, wants to take control of the Pentagon’s 5G frequencies, what is in it for Trump? Do Eric, Don Jr and Ivanka own stock in his company? Don’t we have a right to know these things?

Peter Thiel’s Wikipedia page tells us that, “Thiel supported Donald Trump and became one of the California delegates for Trump’s nomination.” During the Republican convention, he announced that he was “proud to be gay!” He also gave Trump a $1.25 million donation in 2016, while his Thiel Foundation is a big supporter of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). That group promotes the right of journalists to report the news freely without fear of reprisal. Are you confused yet? You shouldn’t be.

Peter Thiel gave money to Trump because he’s smart and betting on a payday coming from a corrupt bidding process. If this isn’t pay for play, then I don’t know the meaning of that phrase. The Trump Administration is one huge fucking swamp. And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that he has been a giant critic of Google, the company the DOJ just sued under the Taft-Hartley Act on monopolies. Is Peter Thiel running the government? Is he the deep state?

If you think it’s okay to take children away from their parents, you know, like Hitler did, then vote for Trump. If you think it’s fine to put our citizens in harm’s way and ignore our public health crisis, then go ahead and reelect Trump. If you think it’s business as usual for Trump to look the other way while Russia and other hackers attempt to distort the minds of Americans, then go vote for that corrupt son-of-bitch Trump. If you support voter intimidation by allowing militia tin soldiers with guns and flags in our polling places, then you deserve Trump. Finally, if you let Donald John Trump use our nation as his own personal piggy bank, then you are the DUMB BASTARDS he referred to during one of his speeches.

Should Trump win another four years and you start to complain about how bad things are, get ready for my response. I will simply say, in a clear and calm tone, FUCK YOU.

The book that tells it like it is…

Gold, God, Guns & Goofballs: If you only read one chapter of this book, try “Take a Knee for America” and think about our never-ending conflicts between minorities and the police. I’m not asking you to take a stand but having a deep and honest conversation about why some people think the way they do would be productive. This is a book for the moment which seeks to start a conservation about peace. And if you are worried about social media, you really should check out the chapter called “Social Media Menace.”

Get the Kindle Version HERE. Or order your paperback edition HERE.

THE RELEVANCE OF MICHAEL COHEN

Trump’s Discarded Minions Turn Against Him

There used to be a halo around the heads of most of our Presidents. Newspapers didn’t mention George Washington’s bad teeth. They ignored Woodrow Wilson’s incapacitation during the last year of his final term. Some newspapers might have photographed Eleanor Roosevelt with her mouth open, but they never ran a shot of FDR in his wheelchair. They knew Kennedy was having affairs with Marilyn Monroe and others but gave the guy some space. By the time we got to Bill Clinton, the media went wild reporting Monica Lewinski’s exact words.

We almost expect our presidents to lie about their private lives, but when a leader misleads the American public on domestic policies, public safety and important dealings with other countries, that’s bad, really bad. If this makes you think about Donald Trump, let me drop this in your cup. Lies from his loyalists have only made matters worse.

One could argue the that if John Bolton and Michael Cohen had gone to Capitol Hill and testified truthfully about Trump, he’d be, to quote The Eagles, already gone. But that “coulda, shoulda, woulda” mindset doesn’t solve the current problem. Cohen knew that Trump broke the law. He’s a lawyer and was doing the dirty work. Bolton knew that Trump had committed unethical and possibly illegal acts in his dealings with other countries, but John remained silent. I can hear the justification, “Well, I didn’t want to say anything because the Democrats are also wrong.” Cohen believed that he could get a pardon. He openly admits that when the feds said they were going to indict his wife, he started to help the prosecutors. He’s just another lying, chicken shit, opportunistic fool.

America has a strange way of reconciling justice. Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel which ultimately proved fatal to Hamilton, yet Burr was never convicted of murder. Instead of New York, the duel took place in New Jersey, where killing someone in a duel was less of a crime. In a small measure of justice, there’s a Broadway play about Hamilton, but not one about Burr. Vice President Aaron Burr went behind President Jefferson’s back to buy land in Louisiana and start his own negotiations with Great Britain. The government charged him with treason, but Burr was found not guilty. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall presided over the trial and ruled there was no evidence and not one credible piece of testimony strong enough to convict Burr. The star witness for the prosecution admitted that he had doctored a letter implicating Burr. Why does this feel familiar?

Each of Trump’s former appointees fits into one of two buckets. Michael Cohen, Anthony Scaramucci and Omarosa Manigault knew and worked with Trump for years and have seen the light. The other box contains many sycophants who worship Trump, and are nothing but members of a death cult.

The people who have come to their sense, know the dark recesses of this man’s mind. Michael knows the Donald cheated on his taxes, charities and applications for loans. The racism, Cohen adds, is just icing on a shit pie. Scaramucci is a money man and he knows more about economics and trade than Trump ever could. Anthony didn’t get a million-dollar hope chest from his father and I trust him. He knows Trump is a liar and fraud, but he wanted to bask in the power. He thought he could save the country by being in the White House. He actually did help, and we can thank Scaramucci for getting rid of Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus, two useless ideologs.

Omarosa worked with Trump on his TV show and says that Donald John Trump changed from the person she worked with back then. She knows that his ambition, once seen as a good thing, has eaten him up. To use the words of Lord Acton, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Ms. Manigault focuses on Trump’s style and his lack of care for others. Okay, but it was her decision to join the administration and it’s unclear what her job was in the White House. Perhaps it was believed she would provide outreach to the African American community, but mostly she sat in the background at meetings.

Michael Cohen’s book will probably produce a giant yawn from not only the public but also from those who cover and analyze this presidency. Most of what Cohen has written are things we already know. From Cohen’s testimony, we know Trump lied about the worth of his holdings to get a better insurance deal, while he gave the IRS different sets of numbers to pay less tax. We know Trump makes racist statements behind closed doors. Remember, he’s never denied saying that certain African and Caribbean counties are “shithole countries.” Certainly, Trump’s high regard for Russia is not based solely on Trump’s “boy love” of Putin’s power and wealth. I’m willing to wager that money and business deals are factors in that equation.

Michael Cohen, Robert Mueller and the Southern District of New York have not seen Donald Trump’s taxes. What the fuck, people? Watergate’s “deep throat” told Woodward and Bernstein to “follow the money,” so why in the hell are we listening to Michael Cohen? When someone accused of a crime keeps telling you he cannot provide a single piece of evidence that would either acquit him or convict him, it’s probably the later he’s worried about.

Of one thing I’m certain, if retired Generals John Kelly and Jim Mattis held a press conference and verified what Trump allegedly said about our fallen war heroes, they could change the course of history. Why do these men remain loyal to Trump? Could it be that their military madness compels them to be loyal to the concept of the presidency and, thus, seem loyal to America? It’s sad that they feel no loyalty to the American people by revealing Trump’s feelings and essence before a critical election. Or maybe they’re holding back so they will have information to nest in the future books they will write about this space in time.

Over 1200 books have been written about Trump since he took office. I wrote one of them, and it called for Trump’s impeachment after only 200 days in office. I guess that makes me a “never ever Trumper.” Regardless, Trump will remain president for at least, another four months and I do not look forward to what “lame duck” Donald will do in his last hours in the Oval Office. I am sure he will sell pardons and change laws as fast as he can. The incoming president will be challenged by all the things he will have to unravel.

Michael Cohen is not relevant and won’t change any minds. His time has passed and in the end America will make a choice. That choosing should not be based on the damage of one man’s lies over another man’s lies but, as they say, it should be made based on love for the soul of America. Yes, it might sound like a cliché, but if we let Donald J. Trump have four more years, he will become a total dictator. But then if you regularly read this blog you already know how I feel. I have never wobbled or wavered from my convictions.

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THE EIGHT MYTHS OF COVID-19

Not all that the White House says is true

Donald Trump is a damn bully and the best way to deal with him is to stand up to him. Aside from the on-going self-adulation, dislocated policies and dangerous theories, Trump has managed to confuse his experts, the leaders in the House and Senate, and bamboozle his employers, the American public. I am not a doctor or virologist, but I know how to read and research and today I’d like to bring some logic into the public realm.

As we nearly reach 144,000 coronavirus deaths with four million infected Americans, let’s look at the lies, the myths, the misdirects and the reckless musings of an idiot:

The COVID-19 virus is a novel virus, meaning it has not been seen before and thwarting this evil germ will take techniques that differ from the way doctors treat a flu. The first myth from Donald Trump and many other crazy dictators and leaders around the world was that COVID-19 was just like the flu and not as dangerous. The numbers show otherwise. The global pandemic is twice to four times as dangerous. It’s just math, not myth.
The idea of one country containing a virus might be a semi-valid criticism, and just like Donald Trump downplayed the virus at its start here, President Xi in China did the same. Their motivation was stock market stability. Trump’s over-stated fantasy claimed that he saved two million lives. He also said that keeping the death count below 100,000 would be a total success. What? If we could have confined the virus to those first hotspot states, Washington, California and the tri-state area of New York, we would have saved many of the lives that are now lost. It’s a damn myth that China could have stopped the coronavirus and we can’t either. Calling COVID-19 the “China virus” is like calling a mental disability the Trump syndrome.
If you ignore a virus, it will just go away. Trump’s glowing statements about what he has accomplished when facts prove otherwise, make him look senseless. Here’s a great quote from the highly intelligent Ron Brownstein, “In some ways, Trump has become a prisoner of his own base.” He doesn’t test what he’s about to say against any other measure, than what those red hat heretics want to hear. The fact that Trump said, “If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases, if any.” Even a dead person, if given the chance, would muster enough strength to suggest, “It’s the death, stupid!”
Keeping people away from work, entertainment and school is going to kill them just the same. Trump and his other propagandists have stated that if the economic shutdown continues, deaths by suicide “definitely would be in far greater numbers than the numbers that we’re talking about” for COVID-19 deaths. That is totally insane, but let’s not get confused by the sad statistics on suicides in America. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in America. We had 48,344 people die by suicide in 2018 and they believe there were 1.4 million attempts. In a world where Donald John Trump is so loose with the facts, why would he give anyone the suggestion of suicide as a cure for being confined at home? It’s downright dangerous, but the man never filters his words.
We have heard the distortion by our President that, “99% of COVID-19 cases are totally harmless.” Excuse my French, but “C’est l’idée la plus stupide que quiconque ait jamais dite.” Translation, Trump is fucking nonsensical beyond belief. The facts: 15% of COVID-19 cases become “very serious” and as many as 5% can lead to death. When someone uses the word, “harmless,” the logical conclusion is it’s benign to most people. The jury is still out regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19 and the true percentages. When the word, “harmless” is used, it connotatively suggests we can let our guard down. We cannot.
The latest myth that has crept into the speech patterns of Trump and his clueless sycophants in Congress and around the country is that young kids are not as susceptible to getting COVID and do not spread it as much as adults do. Now I am going to make this personal. My daughter has always worked in daycare and she has been around two-year-old kids for years. In any given year, she and her five-year-old daughter will get as many as five colds and suffer through whatever the current yearly flu might be. To suggest that it’s okay to allow kids to be exposed to the virus and then go home is a form of government sanctioned murder of our teachers and other school workers. Here’s some true bad news for our schools. The Secretary of Education is Betsy DeVos, a rich donor with no experience or expertise in education or medicine; she is simply a useless public servant.
There are no quick fixes like using disinfectants, untested drugs or sunshine to kill the virus. For months we were fed the drivel it will go away as soon as it gets warmer. That lie was based not on specific, scientific COVID data, but on the experiences we’ve had with normal influenza. The successful path would have been rigorous testing to determine who was infected then keeping healthy people away from them. We are doing a terrible job with contact tracing, which could help stop the spread of COVID. If you must go out in public, you should wear a mask. Dr. Debra Birx should be ashamed for not jumping out of her chair saying, “NO, NO, NO,” when Trump suggested ingesting or injecting bleach could cure the virus.
You can trust what is coming out of the President’s mouth regarding the COVID crisis. It’s all defensive posturing, political hogwash and very little useful advice. Any intelligent person watching this governmental cluster-fuck can clearly see that Donald Trump’s approach has made our situation worse, not better. According to Forbes magazine, “64% of Americans distrust what Trump says about the Covid-19 pandemic—including 46% who say they don’t trust him ‘at all’—while only 34% trust what he says.”

I just read something brilliant from Marshall Shepherd, Director of the Atmospheric Science program at the University of Georgia. He has coined the term, “Wishcasting.” This is what we get daily from Donald Trump. Mr. Shepherd amplified his concept, “People ‘wishcast’ scenarios in our minds, but they don’t jibe with what the science or the data is actually bearing out.” When we hear about someone winning the lottery, our first thought is that it should have been us. We don’t feel good for the person who won a million dollars. We “wishcast” our thoughts and prayers every day, but that isn’t how we solve a problem. You could buy a lottery ticket every day of your life and never win a million dollars.

Hopefully, this list of myths will not grow, but I suspect it will. By the way, that is not a wish, just an educated guess. A friend of mine just wrote that in her school district in Georgia, three of her co-worker principals are on ventilators and one high school coach in his twenties has died, I wished it were better there. I know that opening schools is just more “wishcasting” by Trump, who would rather kill some people and win another election then do what is right for America. That isn’t a myth, it’s just who he is.

The book that tells it like it is…

Gold, God, Guns & Goofballs: If you only read one chapter of this book, try “Take a Knee for America” and think about our never-ending conflicts between minorities and the police. I’m not asking you to take a stand but having a deep and honest conversation about why some people think the way they do would be productive. This is a book for the moment which seeks to start a conservation about peace. And if you are worried about social media, you really should check out the chapter called “Social Media Menace.”

Get the Kindle Version HERE. Or order your paperback edition HERE.