ARE WE A GOVERNMENT OF IDIOTS AND MISFITS?

My morning is screwed up. Out of bed early to get an early start on the blog. I wanted to watch the Congressional hearing at 9.

Completed my research. Went downstairs to watch. I intended to write the blog following the hearing.

I lasted 1 1/2 hours. I am back to the computer. Could not handle the hearing.

The Congresspersons and the witness left me upset. Disgusted. Most of the questions were not on the side of getting at the truth. Congresspeople are not trained to do so. Congressional hearings should have attorneys asking the questions.

I thought Joseph Maguire would be a good witness. He is involved in the telephone inquiry which was born of a talk between Trump and the President of the Ukraine.

Instead, another Robert Mueller.

These federal employees are unable to respond to questions simply and directly. Most seem to being covering their asses. Even if they did no wrong.

The hearings another example of our government being in bad shape.

My car. I am without wheels. Dropped the car off at the garage yesterday morning at 9. It was supposed to be returned at 5. Four new tires.

Received a call instead. Wrong tires shipped from Miami. Will receive correct shipment tomorrow. Which means today.  Car not driveable last night. Other things were being done.

So I spent the evening at home. Watched TV all night. Mostly news talk shows. Gearing up for this morning’s hearing. Maybe that is why I was disappointed. Too much prep!

This telephone inquiry has gotten me into the Ukraine. Many interesting stories reported. Yesteryear and today.

The present situation gets confusing. Trump, the Ukraine President. $400 million, Russia, etc. Putin is supposedly Trump’s friend.

We send money and/or military supplies to the Ukraine. To what is called the AZOV Battalion. The Azov uses both in their years long fight with Russia. Putin wants the Ukraine.

A new word has come into my vocabulary because of the Ukrainian situation. “Blowback.”

Trump must know of it and its consequences. I cannot believe he and others in the top level of government are unaware.

Blowback technically defined as the unintended adverse results of a political action or situation. Simply stated, unintended consequences.

A context in which I discovered it in operation this morning involves the U.S., Ukraine, neo-Nazis, and Russia.

Cerytain U.S. citizens are white supremacists. Ukraine has a military force known as the AZOV Battalion. A fascist group.

Americans are traveling to the Ukraine to join AZOV. They are learning military prowess from their Ukrainian fascists brothers in arms. They learn how to bomb and kill.

The kicker in all this is their training and military equipment is paid with American dollars. The AZOV Battalion has become the West Point of Ukrainian neo-Nazis.

While in the Ukraine, the Americans use social media to spread their poison to persons in America. Even how to make a bomb. At some point, most return home. When home, they become part of the neo-Nazi culture.

Some are the neo-Nazis who have participated in various demonstrations, clashed with for real Americans. They become part of the same group which Trump seemingly supports.

The blowback are the social media messages and then their return to the U.S. to participate in new-Nazi programs.

Every facet of their training, etc. paid for with American dollars.

Why doesn’t anyone talk about it? Why does Congress permit it? The President we understand. His mind frame would support them.

Hurricanes continue. The life of a Key Wester.

Something relatively new is occurring this year. Most are turning north before they reach land. Land would be southwest Florida. A new route occasionally appears. North and then northeast out into the Atlantic. Never to reach land.

Lorenzo the most recent doing it the new way. A category 3. Has already gone north and expected to turn northeast into the ocean.

Tropical storm Karen is still out there. Seems Karen has been around forever.

Karen really dancing to a new tune. She is presently heading for Florida, Puerto Rico, etc. She is expected to  slow down and make a complete loop.

The loop unusual. Back to an eastern track.

Again, no problem for the U.S.

Frank Bruni and Nicolas Kristoff are two of the world’s outstanding columnists. Both associated with the New York Times.

This past week Bruni wrote, “From the first moment Trump stepped into the office of the presidency, he has degraded it…..”

Kristof wrote, “Trump’s behavior is beyond the pale.” The five page telephone conference memorandum is “the worst, unbelievable, Mafia type content.”

Military suicides continue to rise. The numbers spiking. The primary cause thought to be repeated deployments.

This past week, 3 sailors killed themselves aboard the USS George H. W. Bush. The Bush was in dry dock in Norfolk, Virginia at the time.

Last year, 68 active duty Navy personnel committed suicide.

In 2014, the number of suicides per 100,000 was 13.1. In 2018, 20.7. The increase obvious. A crisis situation.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

8 comments on “ARE WE A GOVERNMENT OF IDIOTS AND MISFITS?

  1. Nancy did Trump a favor by holding off the inquiry. Of course, Trump did what children do when they get away with bad behavior, they do it again and again. She had no choice but to push back. How does Trump repay her, by claiming she is no longer Speaker. Well Donnie, you stopped being a President seconds after you were sworn in. Graham had it right back when he still had some dignity, Trump is a threat to America.

  2. As the World becomes more overcrowded, there will be more Neo-Nazi type nationalism becoming evident as people turn on each other.

  3. Lou, do you think that if it is proven that Rudi Giuliani was acting at the request of the State Department while speaking to the Ukrainian government, as he himself claims, that he then cannot hold attorney client privilege (Re: Donald Trump), as to any of his conversations with the Ukrainian government? Can, in your opinion, he claim his conversations with the Ukrainian government be considered attorney client privilege between himself and the State Department, and is so would that have had to have been contractual?

    • Ask me about things I might know. Executive privilege out of my league. I have neither experience nor knowledge with it. My expertise was in the environmental field. Ask me about clean air, clean water, polluted landfills, industrially polluted sites and I might be able to help. I will stick my neck out, however. If Giuliani were working in the White House itself, with few exceptions executive privilege would apply. If working at the behest of the State Department, my immediate reaction would be no. On the other hand, the State Department I believe is part of the Executive Branch. It’s a stretch, but the privilege might apply. Trump and his cohorts claim privilege whenever and wherever. There is another consideration. None of what I or you think affects the situation. Executive privilege will be claimed. Recall last week, Corey Lewandowski, who had/has no connection with the White House not the President on a formal governmental basis, claimed executive privilege when testifying. He was absolutely wrong. However, it will take 2-3 years of a court fight before such a determination is arrived at. As long as Trump and his people refuse to follow the laws, they can do whatever they want. And get away with it as they have to date.

      • Hadn’t thought about executive privilege, but was focused on attorney client privilege. Either way I think you are right, the White house will make the claim (hid behind?) either way that Giulini is protected from talking about anything and let the courts (clock run out) decide. Honesty and forthrightness is not this Whitehouse’s way of doing anything.

  4. Yes, you are correct. We have a poorly functioning government. The workers are protecting their jobs. The “deep state” is working for themselves. They do not work for us. Government workers work by the book rules and are not flexible. Trump is from a different world, works differently, honest but different. He has made us all aware of how deep and not in our interest the “Deep State” is.

    • Posts like SF’s above, leave no doubt as to why Republicans and other right wingers who support Trump are treated with disrespect and disdain by normal and honest thinking people.

Leave a Reply to Kokomo Man Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *