Elections

Start Packing, Mr. President

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Everyone, including the writer, has been very critical of actions, and inaction, of President Biden in recent weeks. Perhaps we should be focusing on positive steps that the leader can take to benefit America and Americans even if they mark the end of the insane power play by liberals in Congress.

The first thing that comes to mind is the infrastructure deal that nearly every legislator said would be good for the country. Our infrastructure needs an upgrade lest we watch our bridges and roads become more dangerous and crumble before our eyes. Democrats are currently using the $1.5 trillion deal as a bargaining chip to do another $3.5 trillion or more of entitlement giveaways. Virtually every Republican is against the latter deal, and most would vote for the first infrastructure proposal without any hesitation.

Democrats need to be amenable to deferring conversations about borrowing a spectacularly large amount of money for social and environmental improvements. Getting something done would really help Democrats at this moment. And they could assign blame to Republicans for not supporting the follow up legislation. This could have a meaningful and beneficial impact on Democrat political standing in both 2022 and 2024 elections.

Trying to add $5 to 6 trillion to our national debt at this moment is really a terrible idea. And to attempt it without any support from the minority is political suicide for Democrats. Loudmouth progressive crazies in the liberal fold will just have to wait and see and how the chips fall in the coming elections to implement the biggest entitlement program in history. I don’t think the large new legislation is doable in the foreseeable future. Democrats should attempt to push through pieces of the larger deal that would attract Republicans, especially some things relating to climate change.

It may be too late, but Biden really needs to take drastic action along the southern border and stifle illegal immigration. He and Kamala, who is supposed to be managing the process, are just ignoring the despicable refugee conditions that have developed. The suffering at the location is not acceptable. Biden should support “the wall” that most Democrats mocked a few years ago and flood the area with troops that will be needed to stop more illegals from entering the country.

At this point, there will be dramatic and horrific human suffering regardless of what direction the federal government takes. It should opt to end the migration even if the use of force is necessary. It has become nothing less than an invasion.

Biden’s approval ratings are dropping precipitously each day as he dodges questions from the media, and his progressive colleagues continue to talk up unrealistic expectations. Biden’s administration was doomed right from the start by the likes of Sanders, AOC, Pelosi, Warren and all the fashionable progressives in Congress.

Promises were made and no one except the opposition bothered to count votes to see if the razor thin margins in the House and Senate could accommodate such drastic changes in our social programs, much less adding another $6 trillion to the deficit. Biden was snookered into supporting outrageous changes built on a vicious attack by progressives on Republicans and conservatives.

The time is coming when Democrats are going to have to back off and let Biden’s term fritter away. He will be remembered as a dismal president, one who didn’t have the energy, courage or skill to do the to do things demanded of him by power-grabbing progressives.

The least Biden should do is end efforts affiliated with changing our society and economic systems in one presidential cycle. Democrats made promises that were impossible to keep and should be prepared to lose big in 2022. Maybe that will encourage them to work on projects and goals with Republicans that are attainable.

The Human Race Needs Consensus To Thrive

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Have you noticed lately that our federal government is incapable of getting anything done without strong opposition from one group or another? Even the most insignificant items are intensely opposed around every corner.

For the past half century, our country has faced many trying moments. Nevertheless, our leaders and lawmakers were able to conduct routine government business and debate, tooth and nail, on a number of great social and political issues such as abortion, gun ownership and war. The point is our government never stopped operating, even during stressful moments. Obstructionism by the minority party was focused on grandiose changes, not every-day operations of the government.

The problem may be that many Americans have been very unhappy with our presidents no matter which party they represented. Jimmy Carter was incapable of leading the country through the Iranian hostage affair. Ronald Reagan slept at cabinet meetings. George Bush 1 didn’t keep his promises. Bill Clinton was more concerned about satiating his libido than anything else. George Bush 2 was not intelligent. Obama was a political novice. Donald Trump is a wingnut and should never have been elected in the first place. Biden is too old and tired to be president. Is it possible that the US has not had one commander-in-chief in all this time that was supported by a large majority of the country?

The problem with all this political infighting, name-calling and gamesmanship is that the country is no longer able to unify when it really counts. Every American should be concerned with our defense, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, high tech influence over our country, cyber-attacks, inflation, income inequality, immigration reform, diversity, too many guns, voting reform, etc. They are very complex subjects, but together, they constitute huge existential risk to our democracy, our great lifestyle and our freedom. We need to come together to meet these challenges.

What is particularly troubling is the controversy over vaccination of our citizens. Unbelievably, our leaders have not been able to muster a strong consensus to protect us against sickness that has the potential to wipe out mankind. For 100 years, our researchers, scientists, doctors and gurus concerned themselves with one off diseases like cancer and such. And they, for the most part, ignored the risks associated with a pandemic. Moreover, some nations have not been helpful in the process to defeat COVID. Is there any issue that would result in 70, 80 or 90% consensus? Would an invasion by aliens bring Americans and the world together?

I believe in individual liberties. And so, I respect the decision by some Americans to not be vaccinated. However, I don’t understand how they can make such an uninformed choice. It is not their fault that our leaders have not been able to convince them of the benefits of immunization.

Far worse, some politicians and medical people politicize COVID. Are the people who lead us and care for us unable to layout the risks to Americans so they can make a sound decision? It should not be a federal mandate. Our leaders should convince us, in layman’s language, of the health benefits of being vaccinated.

COVID is mutating. Other germs are creeping around looking for victims. The world is fraught with disease and starvation, that need to be addressed now. Teamwork and tolerance are important for the preservation of the human race.

Democratic Monkey Business

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The impeachment stage is thankfully coming to an end. Articles should be delivered to the House of Representatives soon, and Democrats, with their majority will impeach Donald Trump. The Senate will then convene and acquit making the whole process a colossal waste of time.

There are a number of important takeaways that can be drawn from this horrid experience, none of which are positive things for our country or the people we elected to represent us.

The process to impeach the president has completely disregarded the rule of law. It is defined as “a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated.”

The law has not been fairly applied by Democrats during the impeachment of Trump. They kept the whistleblower’s identity a secret for reasons unknown. How can the person who initiated this process not be questioned? Customarily the accused have the ability to face their accusers.

Defendants are supposed to be able to call witnesses. This was not permitted in the House proceedings. And hearsay is typically not admissible. Democrats have not presented one witness who saw or heard with his or her own eyes or ears the commission of an impeachable offense.

There have been multiple accusations against Adam Schiff, the Chairman of the impeachment brigade. Republicans objected to the aforementioned rule of law violations and the way the congressman has scornfully led the process.

In the future any majority in the House will not hesitate to impeach a future president based upon current events. The problem with impeachment is that it costs millions of dollars of taxpayer money and completely paralyzes Congress. Our lawmakers cannot effectively conduct the business of the country while attempting to destroy a presidency.

But most important thing about impeachment is the animosity it engenders. Republicans and Democrats in a two-party democracy must serve as a check and balance against corruption, obstruction and misuse of taxpayer money by the other party. But the venom existing between the parties will likely change the way that lawmakers negotiate with each other in Congress in a bad way.

Democrats moved forward with impeachment despite the fact that another presidential election is right around the corner. Sixty-something million Americans voted for Trump, and he collected 304 electoral votes in 2016. Why wouldn’t Democrats defer to the electorate, rather than defying the will of the voters with such laughable evidence?

The answer is obvious. Democrats do not have a candidate that moves the country. The only way for Dems to beat Trump is to remove him legislatively from office before the 2020 election. Moreover, Dems think that rapid-fire accusations- Trump is a traitor, he colluded with Russia to win in 2016, he obstructed justice, he bribed Ukraine into helping him in 2020 and so on- will denigrate Trump and enable a liberal to win next November.

Things in Washington have never been worse. Yet, the country is chugging along nicely economically, and most Americans are benefiting by high employment, higher wages, low energy prices, etc. There are major foreign affairs issues that threaten our peace and prosperity, but Trump seems to be doing quite well dealing with them.

It’s amazing that conservative and liberal perspectives about the impeachment are so different. Frankly, I think Democrats have struck out during the proceedings. They are not going to be able to throw Trump out of office with hearsay. They have already struck out twice before trying to prove collusion and obstruction.

I hope that voters punish Democrat lawmakers for damaging our country in 2020.

And, of course, there is Trump, the man that Obama installed into the Oval office. He’s a menace, but he’s going to be leading the country for another five years. So, everybody, get over it.

Am I The Only American Disgusted With Trump And House Democrats?

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Millions of Americans are fed up with the current state of the federal government.

For three years Donald Trump has been trying to convince us that he is the greatest American president. His arguments are not convincing considering that about half of the country would like to see him impeached. At the same time Trump’s opponents have been trying unsuccessfully to dig up dirt on the president since his first day in office. Both parties have failed dismally to win over new supporters and most Americans are furious that Congress has been unable to do the people’s business.

Every time I read the New York Times or watch CNN, I want to pull the hair from my head. Can a president actually be as horrible as both of these news outlets portray Trump? But the big question is did the president commit high crimes and misdemeanors? We lived through the Mueller investigation for two years and it was a total bust. No evidence was uncovered to prove Trump colluded with Russia or obstructed justice.

At the same time Trump is lambasting the liberal press and do-nothing Democrats. “Fake news!” is the president’s mantra. In over 11,000 tweets since being elected, he makes fools out of those who criticize him and a fool out of himself. He repeatedly says House Democrats are incompetent, liars, and dangerous to our country.

To make matters worse, many Democrat presidential candidates are trying to convince the electorate that the US should morph into a socialistic state. In particular Sanders and Warren are attempting to buy the loyalty of voters by telling them they will overtax successful people in our country. What a bad plan. Even Bill Gates criticized this ploy. These geniuses say they will provide one-payer health care for all Americans that is projected to cost between $20 and $40 trillion (our current level of debt is about $20 trillion). Even Democrats are attacking Warren for her ridiculous entitlement promises. How does she intend to pay for all of her giveaways without bankrupting the country?

Trump is sashaying across America and every day unleashes a string of offensive tweets like a schoolboy. He says horrible things about anyone who criticizes him. He proclaims that the economy is the best in history. In the meantime a setback in Chinese trade negotiations would reduce the Dow Jones by several thousand points in a heartbeat. It’s true that employment is up, unemployment is down (even for minority groups) and Trump continues to ride roughshod on Iran, Europe, Mexico, Canada and many more countries in an effort to negotiate fair deals.

A disgraceful situation occurred a few days ago when Trump took credit for the assassination of al-Baghdadi, the former terrorist leader of ISIS. From his bunker in the basement of the White House, our Commander-in-Chief “orchestrated” the operation. Trump was not part of the mission, other than giving his approval to move ahead (to which he deserves some credit). I wonder if the president dressed up in camouflage as he directed his special operators.

I’ve had it with the investigations of every move by Trump. In a short year voters will have a chance to change leaders. Democrats believe that they can denigrate Trump so one of their pathetic candidates will win. It’s not going to happen. Voters will resent the obvious outcome of the impeachment- Trump will stay in office because the Senate will acquit. Why are Democrats acting like there is any chance to convince 20 or 25 Republican senators to join them and convict Trump of a high crime?

In the meantime the country is going to hell and a hand basket. Budgets are not being approved, infrastructure is crumbling, LGBTQ rights are being violated, health care is deteriorating, immigration is unsettled and trade agreements are not being signed. I want a government that does its job. I abhor sanctimonious legislators who break the law every day by leaking confidential information and lying to the public.

Obama and Democrats are responsible for setting the stage for a person like Trump. We are stuck with him at least until next November when he will likely defeat an incompetent Democrat, unless Bloomberg jumps into the fray.

Lying Politicians

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The whole purpose of political campaigns, debates, interviews and rallies is to give voters an opportunity to hear from the candidates. The more data a voter accumulates about the contenders, the more informed the voter will be to elect someone who will represent his or her interests and concerns.

When the contenders lie about their experiences or their true feelings about important issues, the more difficult it becomes to make good decisions in the voting booth. Exasperating the experience is the press when its reporting is biased towards one political party or another.

For sure voters in 2020 will receive more information than ever before in history. There are newspapers, periodicals, magazines, news releases, cable TV, social media and so many other sources from which voters can gather data before they decide.

The problem is the information received may be tainted or inaccurate in an effort to sway voters one way or the other. Trump calls this fake news. Or, the “facts” provided are wrong because the outlet reporting them did not vet its sources and/or what it was told.

So that’s the rub. There’s plenty of information to sink your teeth into, but voters really don’t know who’s lying and who’s telling the truth. The real problems occur, and voters get confused, when two politicians stand up in front of the media with the same set of facts and express entirely different perspectives.

The Ukraine affair is a perfect example. Trump said he legitimately spoke with the Ukraine president about alleged political corruption perpetrated by Joe and Hunter Biden. Trump was so sure that his inquiries didn’t cross the line that he declassified and made public a transcript of the conversation.

Our president said it was in his purview to follow up on possible crimes of corruption by either of the Bidens, or any American for that matter. Was Trump investigating because he believed Biden did something illegal, or because Biden was expected to be his rival in 2020? If it were the latter, it would be fair to say Trump was attempting to interfere in the US election with the help of a foreign government. But how can anyone judge what’s in the heart of another person? In other words, is Trump lying about his motive for attacking the Bidens?

Democrats are dead sure that Trump was trying to rig the election and are preparing impeachment papers at this moment.

The backlash has been that Republicans and Democrats spent nearly a week calling each other liars. Trump says Adam Schiff, the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is a liar and even suggested that Schiff helped the whistleblower document his accusations against Trump. Schiff says he will prove the president and Rudy Guiliani are guilty of trying to influence the 2020 election in their conversations with the Ukraines. Who is a voter to believe? The opposing forces have the same “facts” and completely different viewpoints. The Democrats are about to upset the stability of our government, so they better be sure they are providing accurate information.

I don’t have an answer to the previous question and would recommend that voters read the documents involved and then consider what each side is proclaiming. Past lies by anyone erodes the confidence of what they are saying presently. The president certainly has a problem in this arena, as does Schiff.

The veracity of all the people involved in the Ukraine affair is in question. At least Trump provided a document that purportedly gives us the essence of what he discussed with the Ukraine leader. Democrats are trying so hard to find an impeachable offense that they are stretching the truth from my vantage point.

How’s Trump Doing?

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It’s going to drive liberal Trump haters insane to hear that the president is scoring huge victories in spite of his frightful attitude and undiplomatic demeanor. The biggest issue, relating to the election, is the surging US economy.

The stock market hit new highs on Friday. There are competing influences impacting the markets, but generally there’s a lot of positive momentum. However, Federal Reserve Chief, Jerome Powell, said the following “. . . trade tension and a weaker global economy [are] weighing on the outlook and [he] said the Fed was prepared to act.”

Some economists think Powell is intentionally ignoring the strong jobs report and the potential ‘trade truce’ with China. Currently most are expecting a move by the Fed at its next meeting. Critics of such an action say it is an accommodation to Trump. Others point out that problems in Europe, including Brexit, and an economic slowdown in China justify some loosening by the Fed. Who says the Fed is apolitical?

In the meantime inflation is not a pressing problem and consumers are spending at a rapid clip. The former gives license to the Fed to keep interest rates down.

The old adage, “It’s the economy, stupid” is apropos. Trump is going to get a boost in the election if the economy continues to improve, unemployment stays under control and wages for the middle class increase.

Making it more disheartening for Trump naysayers is the possibility that the president may actually negotiate a favorable trade deal with the Chinese. I’ve been saying all along that the US can have a great impact on the Chinese economy. Tariffs are one way to exert this advantage. The US buys far more products from China than China from the US. Tariffs will decrease the current trade imbalance, and this will increase worker furloughs and bankruptcies in China.

One of the most important issues for Xi Jinping is keeping Chinese industry running at full speed and keeping workers on the job. Frankly it’s more important for Xi, personally, to smooth relations with the US regarding trade than any other area of disagreement between the countries.

What can the US gain from negotiations with the Chinese? One thing is respect. US economic strength is far more influential than military might, although America is still, by far, the most powerful nation in the world. China needs favorable economic conditions. Many of its industries are highly leveraged, especially banks, which cannot deal with large credit losses.

Moving to other areas, Trump is going to make a deal with Kim Jung-un. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if a nuclear disarmament treaty is indirectly a part of a US trade deal with China. If I were Trump I would make a NOKO accommodation a required element of the trade negotiations.

Kim is in a position to solidify his regime for decades but he needs desperately to end economic sanctions and to have US become a trading partner. This can only happen if Kim gives up the nukes. If he walks away, economic sanctions will eventually be his downfall. Once again the US’s economic might can ultimately be more powerful and be less expensive than going to war.

The ayatollahs of Iran are on a road to oblivion. By continuing to threaten commerce in the Straits of Hormuz and stoking terror elsewhere in the Middle East, Iran is losing support of the European Union, especially Great Britain. Attacking oil tankers is a stupid and unproductive strategy that my earn Iran a few hundred cruise missiles as a warning. Similar to other countries mentioned above, US economic sanctions are disseminating Iran.

Trump was absolutely justified in abrogating the Iran nuclear deal. Most importantly it gave Iran a pathway to nuclear arms in about a decade.

Domestically, the majority of Americans are not enamored by the actions of Trump. In fact so many despise him that they will not give him credit for his successes. And further, too many Americans would be happy to see the president fail even if the country suffers. This group includes the liberal press.

But Trump presses forward with aggressive comments and distortion of the truth. He seems to relish opportunities to slam his opponents in fiery rallies and on social media. These are unproductive, but Trump says he must defend himself from fake news and unfair treatment by his opponents.

All this is a sideshow to the main attraction, the 2020 elections. Trump looks like a winner mostly because Democrats have moved too far left. A socialist will not be elected in America, at least not yet. Also, Americas will grow to understand that every entitlement can’t be free. The country cannot provide new entitlements without cutting critical services elsewhere, no matter how much they increase taxes. American voters will understand this problem as the debates and the political rhetoric continues to ramp up.

How Trump Will Win Or Lose In 2020

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Currently, polls have President Trump losing to all the major Democratic candidates in head-to-head contests. What may happen between now and the Election that would enable Trump to capture a second term?

The first thing to consider is the polls themselves. It appears that Trump’s base continues to be about 40% of the electorate, obviously not enough to win a general election. He needs 10% more support to gain a majority. Keep in mind the winner must win the majority of electoral votes to claim the presidency. But unless another anomaly occurs, the winner of the popular vote will also be the victor in the Electoral College.

The obvious place for Trump to gain a majority is with independents. Because this group is the least vocal, it’s sometimes hard to read their state of mind. A thriving economy will certainly have a positive impact on Trump’s fortunes with independents, especially since economic conditions are already moving forward at a good clip. The opposite, a poor economic outlook, would be a huge problem for the president.

Trump is treading on thin ice in a number of areas diplomatically that could lead to military action. Specifically these might involve Iran, North Korea and any number of hot spots around the world, in particular, the Middle East. A military strike against either of the countries above will not help Trump’s cause in 2020. However, a resolution of one or both brewing conflicts would substantiate the administration’s tough negotiating style.

Economic warfare is another issue that can make or break the president’s campaign. A positive end to the Chinese standoff would be a huge win for Trump. His unwavering strength in conversations with his Chinese counterpart could be a disaster or a monstrous step forward for America. Moreover a win against China will greatly impact other trade confrontations under way with Europe, Mexico, Canada and Japan.

Turnout will be a big factor in the 2020 Election. Certain groups historically have not been reliable at the polls, in particular young people and blacks. Both groups are overwhelmingly supportive of liberal candidates, but they must go to the polls to exert their influence. High turnout will greatly enhance the prospects of Democratic candidates. The bigger question is whether liberal aspirants will inspire millennials and people of color to ensure their participation.

There are a plethora of other possible events that could sway the electorate, one way or the other.

If Republicans effectively label Democrats as socialists, the latter will lose votes. Given the persuasion of most liberal contenders, this campaign strategy should be a winner for the G.O.P. The country is not, nor will it ever be, anything but a capitalistic society that rewards hard work, ambition and creativity.

A terrorist attack is always a big risk for liberals as it validates all of the paranoia of Republicans. Conservatives are much more aggressive in their rhetoric against enemies of America that as of late include unbridled illegal immigrants on the southern border. The right’s desire for a strong homeland has always been an advantage.

Massive protests are occurring regularly around the world. The latest is in an unlikely place, Hong Kong, as it fights against China’s efforts to stem the tide of personal freedom. If unrest grows in the US, it will probably be in support of one or more liberal causes. This form of expression is very powerful and will benefit the left. The likely issues include income inequality, racial inequality, health care and women’s reproductive rights.

Right now the scales are tilted towards Democrats. But their field of candidates is weak and untested. Nevertheless it would be hazardous to place a bet on the outcome of the 2020 Election at this time.

Democrats Will Not Win In 2020

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Democrats are playing into the hands of Donald Trump. He’s likely to be reelected because the opposition is making so many bad political decisions starting with their selection of candidates.

Most everybody in the country wants the Mueller investigation to end. Liberals were hoping that the president would be implicated in a conspiracy with Putin. It didn’t happen.

A massive collusion was something Democrats were depending upon. They wanted to ride it all the way to impeachment and/or the election. But the truth has been revealed. Trump and his band of dingbats are clumsy, indiscreet and naïve. And, they are totally incapable of orchestrating a massive effort to influence an election.

Would everyone please keep in mind that Trump is not a spy like James Bond. He’s a real estate guy. The president has been incapable of putting together a cohesive and effective administration. How could he possibly mastermind a scheme to take over the US government? It’s all fake news. And now it’s been exposed.

Most people thought Mueller and his ultra-liberal crew were honest hard-working idealists who live to put bad guys in prison. Not true.

They are serial leakers. All they want to do is bring down the president even if the evidence doesn’t justify it. Even now they are sending notes to liberal politicians that AG Barr misrepresented Mueller’s findings. If so, why hasn’t Mueller spoken up? The answer is that there was no collusion.

So what do Democrats want to do? Generally they hope to destroy the president at any cost. Specifically they want to keep alive the conspiratorial fake news gravy train. But it’s not going to help them garner an advantage over Trump, or result in impeachment.

Mueller’s done. He couldn’t find enough evidence to prove what he really wanted to prove. The American public is going to beat congressional Democrats to a pulp in 2020, if they move forward and redo the Mueller witch-hunt.

Democrats are allowing the newest, most inexperienced and most radical elements of their party to set the agenda for the presidential campaign. And the party platform is being loaded up with socialistic and progressive pie-in-the-sky nonsense that voters won’t ultimately support. Why is this not obvious to the bumblers vying for liberal votes?

It’s not necessary to go crazy left to make gains against Trump. Even large portions of the liberal base won’t support contenders that propose the country adopt Marxist principles. America is a capitalistic society in which exceptionalism is valued and rewarded.

Other than idealistic college students who are influenced by left-wing professors, and the most radical elements in our society, no one wants their homes, schools, salary, cars and bank accounts to be the same as their neighbor. People want a chance to be great. They want to innovate, invent, be creative, work harder than others, make more money and have a more comfortable life.

Socialism is a non-starter in this country. Republicans are going to continually point out the pitfalls of socialism including the fact that every meaningful socialistic experiment in the world has failed.

Democrats keep resorting to initiatives that have already failed. Health care aka Obamacare is a bust. Premiums are higher, deductibles are greater and service is declining. Obama’s dream and legacy has become a nightmare for many Americans.

What do Democrats now propose? Universal health care. The Obamacare mandate already has many Americans addled. Why is the government trying to make them buy health insurance if they don’t want it? The answer, Obama’s plan would have this group subsidize the unhealthiest among us.

The latest gambit is to go all in and have every American be insured with the same plan. It won’t work for two reasons. One, almost 200 million Americans are unwilling to give up their company or private health care coverage. Why? Because they want to keep the their doctors, and they don’t want to wait for services.

The other reason universal health care is a non-starter is because our country can’t afford it. Liberals, if they spent any time analyzing the facts, would know that the current health care system, in which nearly 200 million Americans pay for coverage, is already bankrupting the country.

If everyone was 100% subsidized by the federal government, all the entitlements that Americans now enjoy would end and a federal bankruptcy would be imminent.

Nothing substantive legislatively is going to happen prior to the 2020 election. Trump will attempt to do beneficial things for the country and will be stymied at every turn. Total obstruction is what we will experience.

There is one ray of hope for the country. We must all pray that Trump gets fed up being president and resigns. He’s going to win against anyone in the current group of Democratic candidates. But if he resigns, Nikki Haley can save the day. I understand Haley made a big splash at the recent AIPAC Conference.

Support Candidates Who Are Intelligent, Experienced And Honest

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America’s voting process is in great peril. It’s highly likely the electorate will be unduly influenced going into the 2020 Elections. [I am not referring to Russian influence.] This could lead to the installation of many unqualified candidates. Our government has been degraded in recent years by rash decisions of voters who have responded to calls to clean the swamp and elect individuals with no government experience. This led to the unfortunate election of Donald Trump and many other substandard politicians.

Only one or two issues persuade most voters during an election. For instance people that are supportive of a woman’s right to choose will usually vote for the candidates that want to protect Roe v. Wade. On the other hand gun advocates will usually favor those candidates that intend to protect the right to bear arms. Often pressing non-social issues are either minimized or ignored when Americans enter the voting booth. Unfortunately this method of choosing candidates sometimes results in leaders and legislators that are not intellectually or experientially qualified.

Having said this it’s incomprehensible that a voter would cast a ballot for someone whose beliefs are different than his or hers just because a candidate is highly educated. Yet one could make an argument that most social issues are not as pressing as nuclear proliferation, immigration crises, climate change, terrorism, education and the like.

Today some candidates are being degraded because of sex. In their zeal some radical elements are suggesting that female candidates should be elected under all circumstances. During the 2008 and 2016 Presidential elections many wanted a woman as president, no questions asked.

It’s time that females have equal representation in federal, state and local governments. But to select a candidate who is not as strong as another only because of sex is problematic in the short and long run.

Being a white male in this age makes it more difficult for a candidate to be elected. This group has dominated government and politics since the beginning of our nation. A totally understandable backlash is now underway. But logic tells us that one’s sex should not be the deciding factor for a voter. Intelligence, position on important issues and integrity should matter more.

The same thing holds true for affluence. Being wealthy is, in some people’s minds, a negative factor for a candidate. After all, this group has never had to struggle to survive, and they know little about the hardships that average Americans experience each and every day. Should a person’s net worth automatically disqualify a candidate? Consider the plight of Mitt Romney in 2012. He was highly qualified, and yet he was lambasted as a candidate because he’s a wealthy businessman.

The cadre of Democrats seeking the presidency is getting larger every day. They are left leaning, and their rhetoric is often directed at sex, race and privilege. This attitude is stoking class warfare in America.

The single most important issue for radicals is transferring the wealth of the most successful in the country to others. It makes no difference if wealth is garnered through hard work and innovation. The transfer of wealth and the evisceration of exceptionalism are the only important objectives for a growing number of Americans.

The most intelligent voters will consider a plethora of issues when choosing candidates. A candidate being a Democrat or a Republican is not enough information to make a good choice. The sex of a candidate is also not enough. A candidate’s race is not enough information either.

Voters should consider whether a presidential candidate has a set of beliefs that are consistent with the voter. The candidate should be experienced enough to deal with the Washington bureaucracy to keep campaign promises. He or she should be intelligent and have great speaking skills. He or she should be intuitive and empathetic. And finally he or she should have great integrity. I think our government already has too many liars and others who spin the truth.

I firmly believe diversity will make America greater But let’s not be led to think that diversity is the only important consideration.

Obama And Congress Will Clash

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By Sal Bommarito

Has the liberal media participated in an effort to diminish the mistakes and errors in judgment of the Obama administration? Absolutely. Progressive reporters and editorial writers have been protecting the president for the past six years. There has been no misstep great enough to inspire a thorough investigation by the free press. Americans should appreciate the untiring efforts of Fox News, which refuses to let the most egregious actions slip by without comment.

All this came to a head during the recent elections. Voters finally realized that the president’s ideological bent and uncompromising demeanor is responsible for a number of decisions that hurt the economy and America’s reputation abroad. The reaction of the electorate has been so severe that Democrat candidates who supported Obama’s agenda during his tenure eschewed him in their campaigns. The press has thankfully begun to dig deeper into the plethora of scandals and dysfunction that have plagued the White House.

Consider the following two issues.

• Obamacare is a disaster, even though the press has consistently advocated the benefits of this entitlement. Creating an affordable medical insurance program for lower and middle class families is and continues to be a noble objective. But the law was enacted without any concurrence by Republicans and ramrodded through Congress. The result was a poorly crafted giveaway that hurt almost as many individuals and businesses as it helped. A huge number of the poorest beneficiaries have received assistance via Medicaid, something that could have been enacted without Obamacare drama.
• With the help of the press, the administration has downplayed the criminal and unethical behavior of various agencies of the government. The IRS scandal tops the list. It is inconceivable that our tax collectors were targeting citizens who have different political preferences, and now they are covering up their misdeeds.

The list goes on. But most disturbing is the ideological tenacity of our president. He is on a mission to punish, sanction and disparage the most successful and wealthiest Americans. He says some citizens are too greedy and capitalistic. They don’t do enough for the poor. He thinks exceptionalism somehow deteriorates our society. Business achievement is unproductive. 1%ers are not paying their fair share.

The 2012 presidential campaign rewarded Obama’s class warfare tactics. He successfully denigrated a person who built a huge private equity business and benefitted by it financially. The media jumped on the Obama bandwagon and destroyed Mitt Romney simply because he has enjoyed a great career.

Along with voters, Democrat politicians realize that the president is radioactive. Many will no longer tie themselves to his misguided policies. Allegiance to the president during the last several years was the downfall for many liberal candidates. Obama’s presence in Washington, his actions and his arrogance together with low voter turnout (apathy) were the undoing of progressives seeking to retain or gain office. The press was forced to participate in the resultant electoral massacre because the story was so pervasive.

During the next few months, important decisions will be made regarding the confrontation with ISIS and Iran’s nuclear program. For sure, Congress, under new leadership, will step up its oversight of these matters. The media should follow suit. Investigative reporters must shed their biases and provide the facts that will help Americans understand what their leaders are up to.

The president is not going to change his method of operation. Already he is threatening to mandate immigration changes without approval of Congress. If this occurs, it will be a long, hard two years until the next presidential election.