Conservatives have criticized the press relentlessly since the election of President Trump. After being blindsided and embarrassed during the election liberal journalists launched an all out effort to disparage the new president. In this process major newspapers and TV news programs continuously blur the generally accepted line between reporting and commentary.

Over the years newspapers have segregated commentary in their editorial and opinions sections. The other parts of the newspaper theoretically reported factual information to keep readers informed.

Readers understand that when a reporter writes a piece a certain amount of bias colors the facts, but it’s not a big deal. When newspapers become a platform for reporters to express their political opinions and to denigrate those that have different political perspectives, they go beyond the protection afforded to the press by the Constitution. These actions aren’t in the public interest even if reporters believe readers aren’t intelligent enough to formulate their own opinions about current events.

One of the most egregious techniques that has become increasingly prevalent in reporting is the use of information from unnamed and anonymous sources. These bastions of slander, gossip, exaggeration and innuendo are rampant in newspapers and on TV. They make governing by both liberal and conservative politicians extremely difficult.

Moreover unsubstantiated accusations by these sources are fodder for political rabble-rousers who are always delighted to initiate scandal even if they turn out to be untrue. President Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia by as yet unnamed sources is a perfect example of journalistic misbehavior. So far there is no evidence that Trump personally tilted the elections with the help of Putin’s henchmen. Yet the liberal press has written nonstop stories about it and inspired at least three separate congressional investigations of the allegations including one by a special counsel.

Exacerbating the problem is the constant flow of leaks (by members of both liberal and conservative administrations). These acts are illegal when they involve top-secret information. Yet newspaper journalists gobble up and report these regurgitations by unnamed sources.

The problems resulting from treasonous activities are significant. Most importantly is that they may jeopardize the lives of people and foreign and domestic objectives of our government. And responses to hearsay dominate the valuable time of our leaders and lawmakers that would be better spent on important issues affecting our nation.

The press hides behind the skirt of the Constitution. Any efforts to lessen the ability of the press to report (truth and lies) are vigorously litigated by their attorneys. In the meantime laws are being broken by the sources of information that reporters want to protect.

Journalists should be held accountable for the actions of felons who steal information and use them to report it. Both parties are culpable in this crime. The felony committed by the leaker should not be a freedom for the communicator.

Frankly Donald Trump’s assertions about fake news are not as far-fetched as the press would have us believe.

 

A New York Times article on Monday portrays Jared Kushner as a man very much like his father-in-law, President Donald Trump. The similarities are uncanny. But is our nation (and and the world) ready for these two men in the same presidential administration? Will Kushner have a positive influence on Trump? Is Kushner qualified to advise the president about important matters of state?

Kushner is a pampered son of a real estate magnate with an ego as big as the entire outdoors. His aggressive persona mirrors the president’s to a great degree. And most importantly Kushner is assuming responsibilities far beyond his capabilities.

Not to be trite, but how can Americans expect a thirty-something year old to have the experience and wisdom to solve the Palestinian/Israeli conflict? Some great statesmen have been unsuccessful leading the warring parties to peace. Kushner only has his exploits buying and selling real estate properties to draw upon.

Kushner is a talented and remarkably successful young man, but his judgment relating to Russian détente could potentially hamper the Trump administration for many months. His playing Henry Kissinger without any actual experience has already been harmful.

And we have been led to believe that Kushner wields tremendous power in the White House. He’s permitted to participate in any meetings he wishes. In this regard he supposedly was the principal critic of James Comey, possibly one of the worst FBI Directors in history. And yet Kushner misread the political tea leaves and exposed the Trump administration.

Kushner thought that Comey was equally despised by the left (for outing Hillary Clinton and costing her the presidential election) and by the right (for having the audacity to investigate his ultimate boss- the president), so how could Comey’s ouster be anything but a win-win opportunity? Well consider what’s happened. His father-in-law has been accused of obstruction of justice by his opponents and is being investigated by special counsel.

Frankly many Americans are not comfortable with Kushner being at the epicenter of White House decision-making. And we are not at all confident he knows how to deal with experienced Russian, Israeli, Palestinian and Arab operatives.

Regarding the White House Kushner has become the foil of Stephan Bannon, the new Darth Vader of American politics superseding Dick Cheney’s who held the position under George W. Bush. Some Americans would be relieved if Trump axed Kushner and Bannon. Their advice and inability to sway Donald Trump are creating a huge SNAFU in the White House. Trump would be better served by taking direction form the grownups on his staff, like Rex Tillerson and Gary Cohn.

President Trump needs to let the dust settle and get back to the business of implementing his agenda. He must turbocharge efforts to fix Obamacare and reform taxes. He needs to protect America domestically and internationally regardless of protests from his politically correct opposition. And he should stop bickering with Democrats. No matter what the president does he will be criticized and demeaned by them.  And finally the president must reconsider the qualifications,  benefits and disadvantages of the people advising him.

President Trump had some impressive moments during his overseas tour. Optimists among us are hoping that he can convert these successes into new initiatives in America that will make it more prosperous and safer.

In Saudi Arabia he in effect sided with Sunni Arabs against their mortal enemies,  Shiites. Specifically he called out Iran by indicating it is the most destructive regime in the Middle East to the elation of Sunnis around the world. Trump agreed to a huge arms sale to the Saudis and opened the door to a U.S./Israeli/Saudi peace effort. Hopes are growing that perhaps the conflict between Israel and Palestine will finally subside.

In Rome the president managed to avoid a confrontation with Pope Francis. Given their differences this was a diplomatic coup. Trump promised to fight evil forces around the world that impede religious freedom, among other things. Afterwards the pontiff and the president traded gifts. There were no showdowns relating to global warming and immigration, two areas in which the men differ dramatically.

In Belgium Trump called out his NATO partners. For years most of the members of NATO have not met their commitments to spend on defense. The president highlighted this breach of trust and indicated that the U.S.’s promise to protect its allies is dependent upon each of them doing their part. Frankly it’s absurd for American taxpayers to subsidize France, Italy and Germany. Additionally the president insisted that NATO begin to focus more on terrorism, which represents a greater threat to the continent than Russian aggression. Ironically the meeting was held at a new $1 billion NATO headquarters.

Given all these positive moments overseas will Republicans, Democrats and the liberal press cooperate with the Trump administration and help implement its agenda? The simple answer is: not a chance.

One of the most disappointing activities perpetrated by liberal extremists in the country is the set back relating to free speech. On our college campuses and at many public events, the most violent left wing elements have made it impossible for others with different opinions to express themselves. Americans have sacrificed much over the past 200+ years to ensure that all ideas and opinions can be freely conveyed in our country. In just a few short months radical groups in America impacted many of the gains relating to free speech. Culpable in this process, startlingly, is the liberal press. It encourages violent behavior with belligerent reporting, even as its very existence is dependent upon free speech.

Obamacare is imploding, according most liberal and conservative experts. Whether you are generally for or against the law, you should not assume that things will go smoothly if Obamacare is left unchanged. Coverage by insurance companies is decreasing. Premiums are skyrocketing. And the system is flawed in so many ways beginning with the ill-conceived mandates requiring 100% participation.

Most Americans want the needy to have coverage, but it must be accomplished without tearing down the entire health care system. At least Republicans are attempting to fix the entitlement. Democrats are obstructing to deny Trump any legislative victories while the system is falling apart.

Most Americans want tax reform but liberal and conservative perspectives are so divergent that success in reforming the system seems remote. Once again Democrats are dead set against any Trump initiatives for political reasons. The tax system is unfair in so many ways. It discourages economic growth in the country. It decreases employment. And over taxation in certain areas hurts workers. For the first time in a generation legislators are enthusiastic about making productive changes, but alas it will likely not be possible in today’s political environment.

Anyone in favor of open immigration is probably not reading the newspapers or watching TV news. Terrorism abounds throughout the world. More than ever our boarder guards must be diligent and not allow troublemakers, anarchists, jihadists or any other felons into our country. Until our government can effectively do this, we need to take a time out relating to immigration. Individuals from failed states throughout the world will most likely cause problems moving forward. The federal government must limit the flow of immigrants from these places. Otherwise we should be prepared to deal with deplorable attacks against the most helpless among us at concerts, shopping malls, schools and on our transportation system.

Trump is making progress as a leader. Americans must support him in those initiatives that will improve our country and make it safer.

Despite the latest atrocity perpetrated by radical Islamists in Manchester, liberals continue to be averse to stricter immigration standards directed at failed states throughout the Arab world.

The defenders of an open immigration policy are saying the ethnicity of terrorists is not relevant because most attacks are perpetrated by individuals born in the countries they terrorize. They say these attackers are brainwashed by anarchists already in the country and/or by information obtained on the Internet.

I’m startled that there has not been a meeting of the minds on this issue in the U.S. The left continues to concern itself with the feelings and non-existent rights of potentially violent emigrees.

Does it matter that some attackers were born in the places they are detonating bombs and running over citizens with vehicles? The media is always relentless trying to determine whether violent acts are acts of terror.

President Trump and many Americans want more immigration restrictions. Trump’s proposed policies are right on. And his supporters believe that a temporary ban on immigration from failed states, which are unable to help the U.S. vet emigrants from their countries, will have a real effect on the growing anarchistic sentiment in Muslims neighborhoods. Troublemakers who immigrate to the U.S. and try to convince young people to strap on bombs and kill children at concerts need to be barred from the country before they are able to inspire bedlam.

Liberal courts are more concerned with political correctness than our safety and the constitutional mandate that requires the president to protect America. Some courts in the country are deeming bans on several failed Muslim states illegal because Trump is a bigot and xenophobe. Really? Are judges qualified to psychoanalyze the president?

The time has come for the U.S. to be more aggressive in the fight against those that want to destroy us. Sure there are homegrown anarchists in our country. All these people need to be prosecuted.

Terrorism must be addressed before acts like Manchester occur, not in their aftermath. I can only imagine the outrage if a similar act took place somewhere in America. The danger seems less threatening when it occurs elsewhere.

The Trump administration should encourage immigration officials to be much more selective before allowing visitors into our country. They should also monitor hotbeds of anarchy, be they driven by Islamic fundamentalism or homegrown felons. Extra diligence will surely save lives.

The situation in European countries where boarders are open has reached a crisis point. Many nations on the continent have huge Muslim neighborhoods where troublemakers reside. If Germany allows more immigration these people will be able to move freely throughout the European Union. EU members are in effect subject to the most liberal members’ tolerance for terrorism.

The U.S. should not cave into liberal dogma if it may affect our national security.

President Trump has gotten off to a spectacular start on his Middle East trip. He established the conditions on which he will foster closer ties with the Gulf States led by Saudi Arabia. This in turn should have a domino effect on other serious issues in the region.

Trump’s speech on Sunday was historic from several perspectives. For one thing he definitively asserted that the greatest impediment to peace in the Middle East is the irresponsible behavior of the Iran government. The rogue state is the leader of the Shiite sect and works untiringly to destabilize Sunni regimes in an effort to dominate the Arab world. The radical leadership in Iran encourages unrest in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and all places where Sunnis have a foothold.

Exacerbating the situation was President Obama’s folly in believing that arming Iran with nuclear weapons was the way to bring peace to the region and to temper Iranian aggression. This ill-conceived notion created an existential threat to Israel (which is duly recognized by many experts) and Sunni countries. The dismantling of the foolhardy treaty with a dishonest and calculating government is high on the list of Bibi Netanyahu, the Gulf state’s sheiks and the Trump administration. When Trump expressed his objectives relating to the Iran nuke deal he ingratiated himself to the Sunni Arab community of nations, not to mention the Israelis.

The president has decided to side with Sunnis against Iran and all radical elements. In the past the U.S. has unwisely attempted to remain neutral in the feud between Sunni and Shiite factions. This strategy ultimately resulted in two wars with Iraq, the evolution of Al Qaeda and ISIS and an environment that has become increasingly threatening to Israel. The move by Trump to ally with Saudi Arabia against Iran is genius.

Supposedly Iran has moved towards moderation by electing a new president. I hope the Trump administration is not fooled by this subterfuge. The radical ayatollahs are still in control of the country. The dream of fair elections and more liberty has stirred common Iranians. It will never become a reality so long as the radical clerics are in power.

Trump also backed away from American ethnocentrism. The U.S. should not be imposing its standards on others and demanding democratic elections. The Arabs are steeped in centuries-old values not understood by either the U.S. or westerners. Who are we to judge others given that our values and principles are only two hundred plus years in the making?

Moreover foisting democracies on others is a tired and unproductive pipe dream. In many situations aggressive despots best govern violent places in the world. Democracy is not the perfect solution for every nation.

By minimizing conversations about all but serious human right atrocities and allowing other countries to govern as they see fit, the U.S. will be able to build more relationships overseas. Trump said in his speech that he was not going to tell Arabs how to live their lives. It is a staggeringly important new policy for America.

The logjam that has made peace between Israel and Palestine impossible could finally be broken. With the help of the Saudis and the exclusion of Iran, real negotiations could be possible. There are no historical precedents that should give us too much confidence of signing a peace treaty, but the odds of one coming together would be greater.

For years the Palestinian/Israel conflict has been a nagging sideshow to the rudimentary causes of unrest in the region. The influence of a friendly Arab titan like Saudi Arabia could dramatically pave the way to a resolution of this generational problem.

Let there be no misunderstandings about Saudi Arabia. The country has many radical elements. Some were allegedly involved in the 9/11 attacks. Women are treated unfairly. Other religions are not welcomed in the country. These issues can be more effectively addressed after the trust between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is nurtured.

Trump is likely to have a successful foreign tour. Hopefully the circus here in the U.S. does not diminish his accomplishments. And hopefully the liberal press and Congress will endorse good things that Trump negotiates.

The passing of Roger Ailes was a surreal turn of events. Just a few months ago he was on top of the world leading Fox News to outstanding viewer ratings compared to the competition. The man was a true news entrepreneur, talent scout and man of the people. He came from modest beginnings and was deeply aware of the inability of lower socioeconomic Americans to be heard by their government. Ailes was an advisor to many important politicial leaders over the years including several U.S. presidents.

Then the floodgates opened. Ailes was a sexual predator according to a number of women who worked at Fox. He allegedly used his vaulted position to seduce, or try to seduce, females that worked for his company. He attempted to trade compensation, greater exposure on TV and advancement at Fox for sexual favors. Historians will mostly remember Ailes’ sexual proclivities not his media genius.

It’s stunning that so many powerful men are incapable of controlling their libidos. The list of great men who self destructed because of their sexual drive is seemingly endless. You know the cast of characters. They include a president, titans of industry, politicians, athletes, holy men and many more.

Americans are up in arms about the non-stop accusations by women about their male bosses and co-workers. They think it’s about time these men get what they deserve, not a roll in the hay, but a lawsuit and a pink slip.

The backlash by women is certainly warranted in situations like Ailes’. He attempted to have sexual relations with scores of females, women who he managed. Many came forward, and it ultimately cost Ailes his job and tarnished his legacy. Who knows how many other women have remained silent fearing reprisals from the predator’s lackies?

The male-dominated corporate structure in our country makes it difficult to combat sexual misbehavior. When large producers (of revenues) at a companiess go off the rails it’s frequently swept under the rug. “Boys will be boys.” “He didn’t mean any harm.” “We can’t lose a good man because he’s frisky with the ladies.”

Sexual contact at the office has no upside for the participants or the company. Corporations that discourage fraternization of employees are wise to do so. Most of the regrettable things occur after hours with a cocktail in hand. Quite a few organizations prohibit office parties even during the holidays. CEOs want such affairs (no pun intended) off campus and without endorsement or financial support of the company. The litigation and business risks are too much to assume.

Another unfortunate backlash is that the reporting of sexual missteps is sometimes petty. The over response of women after centuries of abuse is perfectly natural. Now they can easily ruin a man’s career based upon one misguided and seemingly innocent comment- “you look really sexy today, Joanne.” Should a man lose his livelihood for such a dumb but otherwise benign comment?

It’s high time that women were protected against unwanted sexual advances, be they physical, verbal, visual or implied. The smart guys should run for the hills if a female colleague says she thinks he’s “gross” (because of an untoward comment) or a “predator” (because he asks a female colleague to have drink with him after hours).

Do yourself a favor, gentlemen, don’t socialize with the opposite sex at work.

Yesterday afternoon Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General, appointed Robert Mueller Special Counsel for the Russian investigation that has entangled our entire political system. The principle issues are whether Russia interfered with the 2016 Elections and whether the Trump administration was a co-conspirator with the Russians.

What will Mueller do in the coming months? As Special Counsel he will investigate the aforementioned allegations by Democrats and the liberal media. He has the ability to issue subpoenas to speak with anyone and access the work of ongoing FBI and congressional investigations.

Is this a good thing? The answer is one word is yes.

Washington is abuzz relating to the dismissal of James Comey by President Trump as FBI Director and allegations that Trump demanded that Comey end his investigation of General Michael Flynn, the former National Security Advisor. If true it could be deemed obstruction of justice and the president would likely be subjected to further legal action including impeachment.

Comey has indicated to the NY Times that he wrote a memo about his conversation with Trump relating to Flynn. No member of Congress has read this document, and it is unknown whether any of Comey’s former FBI colleagues knew about the memo or the essence of Comey conversations with Trump. Comey supposedly documented many other conversations he had with the president. No one knows the nature of these documents.

Comey and others have already testified that no evidence has been uncovered implicating the president in any nefarious activities with the Russians. Yet another investigation has been initiated, but it is more wide-ranging.

Several Trump aides, including Flynn, did speak with Russian diplomats before the election. All have indicated that nothing about the impending 2016 Election was discussed at these meetings.

Russian involvement in the U.S. Election and other elections around the globe are the most important issue on the table. The allegations about Trump however have mushroomed as Democrats are attempting to discredit Trump and delay the implementation of his agenda.

Mueller is a former head of the FBI appointed by George W. Bush and reappointed by Barack Obama. He has always been apolitical and well respected by members of both political parties.

Both houses of Congress and the FBI are already investigating the Russia/Trump affair. Mueller will likely access FBI files so his investigation will be truncated. In other words, he’s not starting from scratch. The investigation will likely stay on point and not diverge to other areas, as most previous Special Counsel investigations have. Ken Starr’s investigation of Bill Clinton lasted for several years as he explored many unrelated issues. The current expectation is the timeline for Mueller will be relatively short.

The appointment of Mueller will likely take the heat off of the Trump administration during the investigation. If Trump or any of his aides acted inappropriately the administration and certain individuals will take a lot of heat, and indictments could ensue.

During Mueller’s investigation the chatter about Russia/Trump should subside because Mueller is not a grandstander like Comey and eschews communication with the press.

Politically Democrats are going to lose a potent issue with the engagement of Mueller. Currently every ultra liberal member of the caucus is calling for impeachment. Obviously they don’t understand that proof of misdoing must be discovered and substantiated before the process begins, then the House votes on impeachment and the Senate tries the case under the guidance of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The more knowledgeable Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader, are saying that they want to see all the evidence before having any conversations about impeachment. In any case unless Democrats can find and encourage more leakers, the Russia/Trump affair will be sidelined until Mueller is ready to report.

Politically Republicans may find a respite. This could give the majority the opportunity to put health care, taxes, immigration and national security back in the limelight.

Mueller has a great responsibility. Our government is in political paralysis. He needs to unravel the web being spun by Trump’s opposition or unequivocally prove the president miss stepped. This process will hopefully get our government back on track one way or the other.

 

Like many Americans I’m following the latest assault on President Trump, accusations of obstruction of justice by James Comey, the disgraced and former head of the FBI.

My general feeling is that Democrats are foaming at the mouth and doing all they can to discredit our president. Criticisms and impeachment suggestions at this early stage before all the issues and facts are known and analyzed will make it more difficult for Trump to keep his promises to American voters- the true objective of radical liberals in this country.

The liberal press is having a field day with the accusations making wild and unfounded assumptions and not vetting the sources of information being leaked to them.

Let’s deal with Comey first. It’s startling to me that confidential information discussed in the Oval Office is so freely available to the press through inappropriate and possibly illegal leaks. A conversation between Trump and Comey, from Comey’s perspective is the basis for the current uproar.

Frankly it would be idiotic for Trump to recruit Comey in any effort to obstruct justice. Did Trump speak with Comey about Gen. Michael Flynn? Apparently. Did Trump express empathy for Flynn and muse that he wished the general were not in any danger of being indicted? Perhaps. Could Trump’s feelings be interpreted as an effort to coerce Comey to drop the charges? Of course, if you hate Trump and want to see him fail.

Trump is fully aware that Comey is a self-promoting egotist incapable of effectively dealing with information that has any political implications. For goodness sake, Comey singlehandedly screwed up the 2016 Election if you believe Hillary Clinton because he fumbled, bumbled and flip-flopped when he came into possession of important information.

Comey is now playing the role of whistle-blower. He wants to save the Republic from Trump. Do you think Comey might have another agenda? In all these types of cases authorities must determine whether the whistle-blower has an axe to grind with the target of their revelations. Comey has been publicly humiliated by Democrats, Republicans, the Democratic nominee for president and most recently by Donald Trump. Would it be crazy to think Comey’s perspective and interpretation of words spoken by Trump might be slightly tilted? Anyone who would stake his or her reputation on a spurned public official like Comey is not so savvy.

An important issue in this controversy is the now infamous memo written by Comey that accuses Trump of obstructing justice. Only a select few have seen the memo, including the NY Times. But no one in Congress and no one at the FBI has indicated they read the memo, so we don’t know exactly what it says or if it’s truthful.

Worse is that a simple statement by Trump indicating that Gen. Flynn is a good guy, and he (Trump) wished this whole affair would go away is hardly a basis upon which Congress should initiate impeachment proceedings.

The NY Times, in an effort to turbo charge its crusade against Trump, has even mustered a group of “scholars” to opine whether Trump has obstructed justice and should be impeached based upon things Trump might have said. Don’t you think this is all a bit premature? These judicial hacks just want to get their names in the paper. I’m not an attorney, but if I were asked to speak to this subject, I would have said that investigators need to examine the Comey memo and Comey must testify under oath.

The writing is on the wall. Trump is going to be under attack every second. He needs to parse his words carefully and find people he can trust, unlike Comey. The direct line between the Oval Office and the liberal press needs to be severed. We should allow the president to do his job with some amount of confidentiality.

In fairness Trump needs to make a lot of changes in his demeanor and attitude and recognize that every word from his mouth can set the liberal press into attack mode.

 

 

Donald Trump has a full plate. Here are ten issues that are hanging over the Trump administration that will consume the president’s time.

Iran. Something significant is about to happen in Iran in the near future. The possibilities could radically change the country. Iran might experience civil unrest that ultimately topples the current regime (the New York Times addressed the growing economic problems in the country in yesterday’s paper). The Iranian government will surely violate the ill-conceived nuclear treaty it signed with the U.S. and others. This will result in more sanctions that could lead to military reprisals. Iran may increase efforts to destabilize the Middle East that will definitely put it at odds with its Sunni opponents. The U.S. will need to be diligent as Iran becomes more unsettled and bellicose.

North Korea. The Kim Jung-un regime is the greatest threat to peace since Saddam Hussein terrorized the Middle East. Unlike Saddam Kim has nuclear weapons that may be capable of reaching the continental U.S., Japan, South Korea and China.

If China does not rein in North Korea the U.S. will be at a crossroads, attack North Korea and attempt to destroy its nuclear arsenal before it can launch a nuke (a risky tactic), or call for direct negotiations with the madman who leads North Korea. Neither option is ideal.

The worst strategy would be for China and the U.S. to wait any longer. This would give North Korea the opportunity to further develop its nuclear capabilities.

Russia/Trump/2016 Elections. There has been no evidence that Trump has colluded with Russia to tilt the 2016 Election. However some Trump associates had conversations with senior Russian diplomats before the president took office. It’s unlikely that this witch-hunt will yield any more dramatic revelations other than those relating to General Flynn. However the efforts by Russia to influence elections around the world must be condemned by the global community of nations.

Nevertheless Democrats in Congress will continue to press the specter of a Putin/Trump alliance to keep the administration on edge, a deplorable and unproductive strategy given the lack of evidence in this regard.

Obamacare. The current health care system is about to implode as it faces higher costs, less insurance company participation, less choice for the insured and skyrocketing premiums. The entire Obamacare adventure squandered trillions of dollars, and yet, the nation is hell bent on providing universal coverage. Trump’s opponents have done everything possible to derail attempts to fix this ill-conceive entitlement, in spite of the obvious need to do so.

Tax reform. For years special interest groups have made it impossible to reform our tax system. Every attempt to decrease taxes and eliminate special deductions to offset lower tax receipts (thereby simplifying tax reporting) has been met with intense lobbying and zero support from Democrats. The latter would rather keep the broken, complicated and unfair system rather than assist the Trump administration in any way. It’s difficult to see how reform will gain any traction given the animosity that exists in Congress.

Infrastructure. The country’s infrastructure is in bad shape and crumbling before our eyes. It’ll cost a ton of money to fix it, but the safety of our citizens and the resulting jobs from the process would make it worthwhile to pursue. Once again Congress will find it difficult to agree on any substantive efforts in this regard.

Democratic Intransigence. Led by two lifetime political hacks (Schumer and Pelosi), Democrats are unwilling to do anything to improve our country and its economy. They are determined to obstruct any efforts to fix health care, lower taxes, build infrastructure or any other beneficial move that would improve the country. A budget is unattainable thereby jeopardizing the stability of our economy. One can only hope that Democrats, once again, shoot themselves in the foot and are decimated in the midterm Elections. This will increase the majorities the Republicans currently enjoy in the Senate and House. Maybe then Congress will be able to get something done.

Republican Intransigence. The disloyalty of Republicans is actually far worse than Democratic behavior. These are the same people who road Trump’s coattail to victory in 2016. These are the same political hacks that demanded the end of Obamacare, only to vote against Republican efforts to do exactly that. I hope these traitors find opposition in the primaries leading up to the 2018 midterm Elections.

Comey’s ouster. It’s difficult to recall an FBI head that has been as indecisive, evasive and more controversial than James Comey. He was despised by both political parties (at different times), and could very well be the reason why Hillary Clinton lost the Election (along with her incompetent political campaign).

Democrats are suggesting that Comey was fired because he was investigating Trump. If this is so the Attorney General should appoint a special counsel. Why can’t Congress conduct interviews with the FBI behind closed doors and ask the question? It would make the whole process so much easier, and believable.

Business conflicts. Trump needs to finally separate himself from his businesses and his family. We didn’t elect Ivanka or Jared. They are not qualified to make peace in the Middle East or to represent the U.S. diplomatically in any regard.

Bonus issue. I can’t resist one additional item. Trump has succeeded in offending 60% of the American population. The most important reasons for this visceral reaction by Americans are his lousy demeanor, arrogant and degrading criticisms of others and his stupid tweets. If Trump would lighten up and civilly address his opponents in news conferences rather than on line, his popularity would surge. It’s trite to say, but he needs to be more presidential.

 

 

 

Hillary Clinton has teamed up with Barack Obama in an effort to bring down the Trump administration. When will these two losers give America a chance to heal from all the damage they did during the previous eight years? All of a sudden they have grandiose plans for America domestically and abroad. Why didn’t they implement them when in office? The tenuous situations facing America are not a function of Donald Trump. They arose from the missteps, lies and non-transparency of the Obama years.

Clinton is still spinning the reasons why she lost the election and blaming everyone but herself for her embarrassing fall from power. It makes sense that the venue she chose to make her comments was Women for Women. She said the Russians plotted against her, James Comey plotted against her and sexist American male voters plotted against her. She only briefly alluded to her pitiful, inadequate and poorly managed political campaign.

Yesterday James Comey, for the umpteenth time was defending himself against attacks by Senate Democrats. Everybody knows what happened except the liberals on the Judiciary Committee. Comey was not out to destroy Clinton. He was investigating the illegal manner in which she and her staff handled secret information. After determining that Clinton was improperly using a personal server in her home, he also found that Huma Abedin and her disgraced husband, Anthony Weiner, had secret information on their personal computer. He announced that a prosecutor would not be successful in an effort to indict and convict Clinton, Abedin or Weiner. Some conservatives were outraged that Comey did not indict the group. This all happened in the final days before the election. Clinton’s actions were the reasons that her campaign was impacted, not Comey’s legitimate investigation and timing of it.

At the same Senate lynch party Comey also was grilled about the alleged ties between Trump aides and the Russians. Comey stated that the Russians tried to interfere with the 2016 election and have been doing so for years in political elections around the world. He did not indicate that Trump was involved with election manipulation although some of his aides have had relationships with Russia. Clinton has said repeatedly that Russia’s efforts to publicize WikiLeak’s information hurt her in the election. They did, and they were true disclosures for the most part. How can Clinton use this excuse for losing when the truth of the disclosures was the reason why some voters chose not to vote for her?

Her main target at her Women for Women appearance was Donald Trump. She said he is ill equipped to deal with Syria, Russia, North Korea and Iran. Clinton failed to acknowledge that the dangerous issues relating to these countries were in great part caused by Obama and Clinton. Obama failed to enforce his line in the sand with Syria for the use of chemical weapons. Putin hates Clinton for her actions as Secretary of State and certainly did not want her to win the election. North Korea made great strides in the development of nuclear weapons during the Obama/Clinton years. And Obama and Clinton were responsible for agreeing to a deal that will enable Iran to build nuclear weapons in the near future. They’re all Trump’s problem now, but Obama and Clinton are not off the hook in the minds of many Americans.

Clinton promised to be an activist moving forward as if America needs her to police the current government. She’s intent on bringing down the new president even though she has no status or platform. She only has her mouth and the sympathy of uber liberals and many women.

History will say that Clinton brought down her party singlehandedly. She was responsible for the catastrophic losses of the Democrats and the rise of Trump. She was the only credible liberal candidate in the U.S. that couldn’t beat Trump. All the criticism directed at her during the election and afterward is well deserved. She should retire gracefully and stop trying to stir the pot. Even the NY Times recognized her irrelevance by putting its article on the bottom of page A18 in the New York City edition.