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The Screaming Moderate

Defeating Trump is paramount

7/30/2019

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In his two-plus years in office, President Trump has stomped on just about every institution in America, lied to the people and the world multiple times a day, tried to bully his enemies, bullied his “friends” in Congress into complete servitude and sullied the Office of the President. He has demanded loyalty from his appointees but not given loyalty in return.

This is not a good man.

He has been beholden to no man or woman but loyal to his base who accepts his behavior as taking on The Establishment, which they feel has ignored them for years and like his speaking “truth” to power.

He has not expanded his “base” at all and in fact may be losing some of those who voted for him but don’t like what they’ve gotten from his behavior and lies.

Imagine he wins a second term when: if he was beholden to no one in his first term – who would be a check on him in a second term?

So far, our American institutions have held. Courts are so far issuing justice and/but Trump and his cronies have been stacking the judiciary with their people, and without much media coverage. Voters flipped one House of Congress to be a check on the President in 2018 and now he ignores oversight requests, refuses to let his people testify in situations that likely would do him great harm, withholds records from Congress, which has a legal right to see them.

Still, the Senate is there to watch his back, and watch it they do – fearful that any opposition to him would cost them Trump’s base and, thus, their re-nomination to office. In a way the branches of government are split: the Judiciary and the House serving as a check on Trump; the Executive and the Senate controlled by a narcissistic man with no morals and who lies like the rest of us eat potato chips and who angers our allies and bows at the feet of the world’s dictators.

This morning, he claimed that he is getting “many” calls from the black community over his recent racist attacks on Congressmen of color and claims of Democrats “stealing billions of dollars” of federal money intended to help their constituents. Those calls, he claim, praise him for his telling the truth! Of course, he provided no proof of either the calls or the alleged theft of billions of dollars. One would think that if the theft were true, Trump would order his Justice Department to investigate. But, there is no such investigation.

Imagine, if you will, Trump winning a second term. Who would be a check on him then? He wouldn't need to worry about votes and he could consolidate power even more than he has, acting more like an authoritarian dictator than a democratically elected President of the United States.

And, he could win a second term. David Wasserman, an editor at the highly respected Cook Political Report, did an analysis that shows Trump could lose the popular vote by as many as 5 million – about twice the number he lost it by in 2016 – and still win reelection via the Electoral College if he drives his supporters to the polls in swing states.

Now, do you wonder why he plays to no one but his base? Without them, he has no chance to win re-election. His base is not racist but a sufficient amount (white nationalists for example) are that he plays the race card lately whenever he can. It’s only 2019. Are you ready for another 18 months of such behavior?

A second term would mean Trump would be accountable to no one.

He knows his base has to be brought out for him to win.

The rest of us (a majority of the population) need to adopt the same attitude. Not only do we need to coalesce behind a Democratic candidate to make sure he or she wins the nomination. The battle for the nomination shouldn’t be over progressive or moderate solutions to the nation’s problems but over who can defeat this monster of a president and provide leadership for the entire country to get behind. Likely that means a more moderate candidate, but the nomination process is just at the beginning. Time will tell.

The fact, though, is we should not assume that Trump will lose the election. We should do whatever we can – including, most importantly, going out to vote -- the foundation, today, of our democracy – to make sure his is a one-term presidency.

 

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Just the facts, ma'am

7/24/2019

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Special Counsel Robert Mueller had a strategy for his dual appearances on Capitol Hill today: He wanted to make it clear that his investigation did not exonerate President Trump and, as promised, he would stick to the four corners of his report.

He accomplished both, refusing to engage in any response that would lead him to read from his report or to give a clear sound bite (other than the exoneration matter) that would have a long shelf life.

At the morning session he appeared old and a bit out of it. But if you listened closely, he followed every question and responded to them well with precision. He may have said “not in my purview” or “not in my jurisdiction” or whatever but that wasn’t him dodging questions, it was him doing as he said he would – sticking within the four corners of his report and his mandate.

At times he couldn’t hear the question or identify from whom it was coming but if you’ve ever been in Congressional hearing room, you’d recognize that challenge, especially a hearing as crowded as these were.

He seemed more engaged in the second session, getting his sea legs, but he said nothing he didn’t want to say all day as a way of sticking to his role as an investigator, not a decision maker.

His entire day was summed up in the first 10 minutes of the first hearing when House Judiciary Chairman Nadler asked precise yes or no questions and Mueller was able to state why weeks ago he challenged Attorney General Bill Barr's announcement of the investigation's conclusions. Barr had said the investigation turned up no wrongdoing by Trump, which turned into Trump’s “no collusion, no obstruction” mantra.

Mueller clearly said his report did not exonerate the President. With that, it was truly "mission accomplished" for Mueller.

With that, you probably could have skipped the next several hours of questioning.
So, through that statement, through his avoiding, as requested a couple of times, reading from his report and by not offering up a sound bite, he won’t become the poster boy for the next election but he also did what Bob Mueller does – stating what his investigation demonstrated in clear terms: It did not clear the President of wrong doing. Nor did it convict him. He just reported the facts, ma'am, and followed Justice Department policy that a sitting President cannot be indicted.

He is the model G-man, and he continued that reputation today.

  

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Trump isn't sending us back, he's setting us back

7/18/2019

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Chants of “send her back” at President Trump’s political rally last night did not start spontaneously. Someone from his campaign, I’m sure, started yelling the ugly phrase and the crowd, stirred up by Their Leader’s rhetoric, picked it up. Much like that “lock her up" chant of 2016.

When I read about the chant this morning, I literally cried. I didn’t watch his rally because I figured I’ve seen it all before. His comment the other day of “go back to where you came from,” was racist. The U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission specifically cites the phrase as the type of language that could violate anti-discrimination employment laws.

For his packed house of rally-goers to pick up the chant enthusiastically demonstrates that Trump is taking our country to the brink of destruction. He manipulates his supporters to reach his ends. Trump comes alive when surrounded by his supporters and he takes cynical advantage of them to perpetuate his politics of hate.

Many politicians have been labeled “Machiavellian” over the years but Trump could have authored the book. Nothing is more important to him than winning -- or his perception of winning. No American ideal or tradition or even law is beyond his violating and leveraging to his ends.

Consider a few quotes from Machiavelli:

“It is better to be feared than loved.” (Listen up, Republicans in Congress)

“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.” (His Cabinet members have the half-life of a gnat)

“If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance will not be feared.” (Pick anyone he's selected to be the target of his anger)

See what I mean?

Someone Machiavellian is defined as "sneaky, cunning and lacking a moral code."

See what I mean?  

In modern psychology, Machiavellianism is the name of a personality trait characterized by “a duplicitous interpersonal style, a cynical disregard for morality, a lack of empathy and a focus on self-interest and personal gain.”

See what I mean?

It truly is imperative this man be defeated next year. Given a second term, we can see where our country is headed. At the moment, Trump has no fear because he pays no consequences – neither Republicans in Congress nor his base weaken their support no matter what he says. That soothes him. He probably could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it.

With another full term we all can see the destination he’s leading us to -- destruction of the greatest country the world has ever known.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been right to avoid too much talk of impeachment or to allow articles of impeachment to be drawn. She knows that without bi-partisan support and the support of the American people, impeachment will fail.

Only the 2020 election can stop him.

The question is no longer “how low will Trump stoop,” the question is how long will this country allow him to trample on our values, traditions and laws?


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' What have you got to lose?"

7/16/2019

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Toward the end of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign he made a plea to African American voters. He asked them: “What have you got to lose?”

If any one of those voters couldn’t answer that question then, and weren’t certain of their answer a week ago, they now know the answer: Everything.

Some in the media and talking heads are asking why some in the media are calling Trump’s racist tweets targeting four brown-skinned women in the Congress were racist. That is the press’ job, to report honestly and objectively. It isn’t a judgement. It’s a fact. Telling Americans to “go back to their country” is a phrase that goes back decades. It is established as a racist comment. (Those of us of a certain age will recall during the 1960s being told "My Country Right or Wrong." Not a racist comment but a just as ridiculous one.)

The President has shown his prejudices many times during his life, let alone his campaign for and during his presidency. I won’t go through the litany. Others are doing a good job of reminding us of his Mexicans are rapists comments, his "that judge is prejudiced against me because he’s Mexican" comment, and on and on.

As bad as his making these comments, he is doing it not because of the fact that he is a racist but for political gain. Clearly, he thinks that by making the four brown-skinned congresswomen the face(s) of the Democratic Party that he gains an edge in his reelection campaign. News Flash, Mr. President: You’ve already locked up the White Supremacist/racist vote.

The four Congresswomen have some way out there positions on issues and I agree their policies are too far a step. But argue their policies. Trump wants to make Democrats the party of brown-skinned people and Socialists.

I can’t imagine anyone who has brown skin voting for Trump – though I’m sure some will for whatever their reasons. I can’t imagine anyone who is an immigrant or comes from immigrant families (all of us) voting for him. But some will, whatever their reason. Some of those reasons are the economy. Some are conservative judges being appointed. Some are that he gives the appearance that he speaks truth to power.

The weak-kneed Republicans in Congress who have yet to condemn his comments are another story. Why do they hold back their criticism (which most of them have)? For partisan political gain.

Senate Majority Leader McConnell is running for reelection in a state (Kentucky) that gives Trump higher positive ratings than they give McConnell. He’s afraid to alienate those voters. As are the other cowards in his caucus. For partisan political gain.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi – like her or not, she is one smart leader – quickly came up with the idea of forcing Republicans in the House to vote on whether they should condemn the President or not for his comments by recommending a resolution condemning Trump’s tweets and comments.

My guess: Most will stay with the President on this.

For short-term, political gain and long-term destruction to this country.


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He was presidential, for 20 minutes

7/4/2019

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The first 20 minutes of President Trump’s July 4th speech were just fine (well, after he was introduced to the stage by a flyover of what is normally Air Force One). Well written and very well delivered.

Then, though, he began his introductions of each branch of the military’s flyovers. That’s when he took the celebration of our country’s birth and turned it into his own celebration of our country’s military might.

While our military is mighty and has served us more than well over the years, the 4th really is supposed to be more about our values than our might.

He finally gave himself that tribute he wanted ever since France paraded its might, properly, on Bastille Day in Paris when he was visiting.

So, while he didn’t do his typical off the cuff speech about how great he thinks he is and how much he thinks he’s done for the country, he did wrap himself in our heroes in the military for an hour tonight.

 Had he wrapped his speech after those first 20 minutes, he likely would have won praise for not fully hijacking the Fourth and truly giving a speech that reach presidential standards.. But, he still couldn’t stop himself.

Let’s hope we get back to the traditional Fourth next year. Our birth is worth celebrating. Our power to kill is not.

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    B. Jay Cooper

    B. Jay is a former deputy White House press secretary to Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He also headed the communications offices at the Republican National Committee, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Yale University. He is a former reporter and is the retired deputy managing director of APCO Worldwide's Washington, D.C., office.
    He is the father of three daughters and grandfather of five boys and one girl. He lives in Marion, Mass.

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