Why

More than Flynn, more than Yates, more than Manafort, more than Comey, more than the obvious personal enrichment, conflicts of interests, or obstruction there’s one unanswered question that keeps me up at night. That hints at something more than mere Russian influence or collusion to help elect Trump. That if taken to its darkest logical conclusion suggests actual Russian control. It’s a simple question that Annie Lennox asked best, “Why?”

It is an established fact that Vladimir Putin actively worked to influence the US election in Trump’s favor and that he continues to do so. That millions in Russian resources have been devoted specifically to maximize the probability of a Trump victory. That these efforts began not just against Hillary, but against the entire GOP field. There was only one candidate the Vlad endorsed. That’s important. It’s one thing for Russia to be anti-Hillary. That makes all the sense in the world. It’s a whole other can of worms that Putin and his henchman were actually pro-Trump.

So the only question that remains unanswered is why? Why would Vladimir Putin, a former KGB agent, a dangerous mind with a ruthless reputation, why would he care who defeated his Democratic foe? Why was this man of high intelligence who has never before acted with America’s best interests in mind be suddenly motivated to make America great again? Why would a man who hijacked Russia’s emerging democracy to orchestrate his own rise to absolute power in ways that would make Frank Underwood blush care what happened here on our shores? Why the sudden change of heart towards our collective well being?

I believe the answers to be obvious. Donald Trump is best case working in cahoots with and worst case compromised and controlled by Putin and Russia. The implications of either choice is so terrifying it’s almost beyond comprehension.

If true it suggests that Trump knows and will continue to act with the knowledge that he has the might of the world behind him. That he may willingly use whatever means necessary and proactively use all the powers of his office, regardless of optics, to squash any attempts to legally remove him from office. That so long as he formally remains Commander in Chief of the most powerful military in the world, he will be the one to resist any effort to bring him down regardless of tradition or precedent; just as Puppetmaster Putin did in his ascension.

When you continue to play the scenarios out they only get more and more horrifying. It’s not hard to see how a new world order emerges. A global oligarchy controlled by a fascist few. An international caste system of haves and have nots in which the world’s most valuable natural resources are controlled by the world’s most powerful nations. The many working for the few. A permanent military state in which any remaining illusion of individual freedoms would be just that.

I concede this is just my opinion that so happens to be supported by a shit ton of objective evidence, common sense and reason. That when viewed through this prism almost all of Trump’s forreign policy decisions suddenly make sense. The wag the dog drama, and ensuing peace agreements with traditional hostile nations a fait accompli. Russia and China in control of their pawns as they formalize their growing international influence through negotiations. Traditional allies pushed aside to make room at the table.

Regardless of my opinion, until that very basic question is answered by an independent and impartial arbiter, I will remain an alarmist. Like the skilled reality show stars they are, our Comrade in Chief and his merry bannon of deplorables seem to create new storylines weekly. Create so many sensational new questions each day that it is impossible to focus on story continuity or consistency.

So in the words of Julie Andrews, “let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to be.” We can no longer afford to be distracted from seeking the answer to the only question that truly matters. Why did Putin do it? It is the only answer that matters. One every American, regardless of party, should be demanding the answer to.

Confessions of a Disappointed Vagenius

I have a confession to make. Roseanne once referred to me as a “vagenius.” It’s true; back in the early lead up to the 2012 Presidential election Roseanne used to frequently retweet my @theseconddarrin account and at one point dubbed me with the oddly endearing title.

Unfortunately she’s since erased much of her online persona from back then so I can’t locate the exact tweet, but here’s a look at a few of the tweets she did pass along,

Don’t shoot at our hoodies, hijabs or yarmulkes and we won’t shoot at your hoods, confederate flags, or tow hitch nut sacks

Do not covet thy neighbor’s ox. Poison the environment so it can no longer survive #GOPCommandments

Thou shalt not steal unless thy designed a system to do it legally #GOPCommandments

As you can see far from the deplorable racist she now portrays, back then she endorsed the views of a social progressive environmentalist. A proud vagenius.

Still, make no mistake at some point after the 2012 election Roseanne began peddling racist conspiracy theory on social media. She proudly ranted and raved against the deep state and built a following among society’s fringes. Another celebrity willing to push her own agenda and dreams of a comeback by exploiting the fears and ignorance of a deplorable base.

Prior to the rumors of her primetime return nobody in the mainstream was paying Roseanne any mind. She maintained a modest online following but failed in her own disrupter presidential bid and efforts at a big comeback. Bitter and perhaps sensing opportunity to rebrand herself once again at this point she began to peddle deep state George Soros conspiracy theory and cater her message to the racist, homophobic, FoxNews fringe audience. Of course, nobody really listened to her until ABC legitimized her hate by providing it with a mass platform.

Let’s be clear. While welcomed news, nobody should cheer ABC’s decision to cancel “Roseanne.” Instead, we should ridicule the decision to bring it back in the first place. Demand our media conglomerates heed the lessons of this fiasco. That they stop giving voice to the fringes and legitimizing their fanatical and dishonest agendas. Notice I say fringes, plural. Those who seek to divide and promote discord amongst our citizenry have no place on our major networks.

By all means keep tweeting and speaking your hate filled ignorance, but do so where you belong. In the shadows, on the fringe, speaking in an empty forest.

Good riddance Roseanne,

From a disappointed vagenius #Karma

The Pathway to Perdition

The pathway to perdition is paved in ignorance. They say there are only seven original stories in the world. If you read enough, and pay attention to life, you can actually begin to see them unfold in realtime. You grow able to predict what the author of that real life story is going to do next. Which story they seek to recreate in their own life.

Donald Trump is far from an original. In fact we’re all familiar with this story he’s writing. For many of us it’s our favorite movie, book or television show. We’ve seen it unfold countless times, albeit in differing variations.

The agents of fear and oppression rise up, usually in the form of a privileged older male pseudo populist whose good fortune depends on preserving the status quo. He uses fear and oppression as his primary tools. His speech comprised of thinly veiled dog whistles that call upon the deplorables of society to rise up. His policies implicitly condone the dirty work and agenda of those who once sat on the fringe of society.

His nationalistic rhetoric encourages them to sow discord; to intimidate others to get on board. to bully, peer pressure, threaten and blackmail similar patriots and relatives who may agree with the message but be resistant to the harsh methods. Over time they too will join the cause or face excommunication from the party. Those branded race or party traitors to be forever blacklisted and cast out.

As he consolidates power the narcissist grows. He begins to divide traditional alliances through rumor, false promises and chaos. He discredits opponents with lies, misinformation and alternative facts.

As the story progresses the emerging authoritarian begins to act more erratic. The threat of a “deep state”, and traditional checks and balances begin to weigh heavy on he who chases the crown.

As the opposition grows and coalesces, the motive of the dictatorial villain grows more transparent. The desire for ultimate power drive increasingly brutal and more brazen tactics. Dissent must be suppressed! Foreign enemies abound! A caravan of rapists and criminals approach unchecked! Now is not the time for #resistance!

Midway through the story a cataclysmic event occurs. The stuff of nightmares. A society’s worst fears realized. Freedoms must be restrained as a new threat rises. At this point resistance is futile. The takeover complete.

That’s the story Trump and his caravan of the corrupt are trying to write. The appointment of Whitaker. The war on the press and needless taunts of our closest allies. It’s clear that we’re already very close to that midway point.

There’s another version of this story though. The one written about the protagonist. A story of hope, freedom and perseverance. How love saves the day. A last minute miracle. A heroic act that thwarts catastrophy and exposes the naked emperor, unmasks the fraud.

In that story truth, justice and the “American” way win out. “We, the people,” can still write that story. Look around, look around. The resistance is real. We are the majority. We simply need that hero to step forward to lead us

Either way; the good news is the story always ends the same way. Love, empathy, sacrifice and acceptance win the day. A new hope emerges in the blooms of renewed unity and tolerance. The villain is denounced and rejected. Grows to be nothing more than a cautionary tale in history’s annals.

I’ve read this book a thousand times. Societies advance, grow more civil and tolerant.

The question is not if freedom wins. It’s how long and at what cost it will take for her to do so. Progress knows but one direction #Forward

The Gaslighting of America

The gaslighting of America continues. Peer past the latest tweetstorms and staged drama orchestrated to distract you from reality. At heart our Donald Trump is a reality show star. It’s the only thing he’s ever been really good at. Scripting fake storylines and passing it off as reality. Manufacturing drama and faux conflict by introducing alternative facts and other stressors designed to produce outlandish sound bites and bombastic over exaggerated reactions to everyday situations. Carefully editing select moments of a person’s most vulnerable moments to create archetypical characters. Misrepresenting them in order to make a show entertaining to the masses. Keep them coming back for more. There’s no denying he knows how to spin a good yarn, keep people talking.

Not only that he has the perfect temperament for it. He holds no real convictions or loyalties and is convincingly able to take any position necessary to advance a storyline. Cross whatever line so long as it furthers his own agenda. A literal caricature of every villain of every film ever made. A billionaire product of affluent affirmative action who sells himself as a man of the people. A self proclaimed tycoon who was placed directly at the top of the business pyramid; never understanding what it means to actually lead. To advance on merit, not name. Able to skip the lessons of middle management the man has never learned the virtues of empathy, humility, accountability and communication.

My fellow Americans, we need to wake up and stop reacting to the newest scandal being scripted by this White House. Tune out the latest episode and ignore the narratives being pushed by this merry bannon of deplorables. Change the channel and end this shit show.

Tune back into the American story instead. The one piloted by our founding fathers nearly 250 years ago. Pitched on hope, equality, opportunity, freedom and in building a better tomorrow. Rooted in resistance to intolerance and hate. Understand that story is now in danger of cancellation. Only a coordinated campaign by “we, the people” will guarantee its renewal #Resist #TheResistance

History Has Its Eyes On You

You can sense the impending explosion. Hear the kindling crackle and feel the intensity of the heat rise as the embers glow ever brighter. You know this is no ordinary fire. That the smart thing to do is take cover. Yet you remain anchored in place by past experience. “You’ve never been burned before so why panic now,” you say to yourself. Besides, you are prepared for an emergency. The fire extinguisher is nearby and other traditional safeguards are in place to prevent catastrophe. So you ignore your spidey senses and do nothing. You stay in place and wait, prepared to react to whatever may come next. Oblivious to the fact you may never get that chance.

We’ve had 44 other presidents in this country. Some who previously served in the role were not good men. Many were corrupt and power hungry. Some had authoritarian tendencies and used the bully pulpit to foster divisions amongst the American citizenry. Others personally profited from the office. A few could probably be best described as immoral or maybe even criminal.

No matter who served in office, however, Americans were able to take comfort in the fact that our checks and balances were architected to prevent catastrophe. We took comfort in the fact that though our democratic institutions and individual freedoms may get temporarily burned, the house and those residing inside it would remain. That we would live to see another day. Another vote.

Unfortunately past experience does not apply to Donald Trump. The safeguards currently in place are ill equipped to adequately protect against such an unconventional threat. They were built on the premise of trust. On the belief that those in office serve the public and will act logically and represent the interest of the majority of the electorate. If not they will be voted out in a free and fair election or otherwise neutralized under the law.

Moreover, to function as designed our system of government relies on the informed consent of the electorate. It assumes facts exist and that a free and independent press will enjoy the freedom to report them, without being required to give equal time to the talking heads espousing alternative facts.

Our founders were well aware the threat a single authoritarian posed to individual liberty. They took great care to design a system of government with three separate, but equal branches of governance. That way if one branch sought to abuse its power the members of the other branches had the tools to bring action to protect the greater whole. Much like a fire extinguisher, however, these tools were not meant to be passive. There success is dependent on somebody being there to operate them.

We know Donald Trump is petrified of the Mueller investigation and where it could lead. Guilty people generally still know what they’ve done. We know Vladimir Putin, a former KGB agent who has never before acted with America’s best interest in mind, went to great lengths and invested precious Russian resources specifically to elect the man who promised to “make America great again!” We know that Mueller, Rosenstein, Comey, Berman and Wray, all life long Republicans, are going to unprecedented lengths to raise the red flags to the American public that there is some serious cause for concern. We know of the public refusal to denounce Putin by name or hold Russia to account for its attempts at interference in our election. We know of the public threats and private attempts to fire Mueller and end the investigation. We know the man who mocked his predecessor for doing so, telegraphed forthcoming military operations to our enemy apparently with ample time for them to prepare! Yet, despite all evidence that an unprecedented threat looms, the vast majority of our elected officials continue to play traditional politics. Act content to rely on reactionary safeguards.

Let me be clear. I don’t give two shits about party politics. This has never been about red verse blue. This is about patriotism. This is about the evolution of the American dream. We can no longer stand by passively. Our representatives need to get off their asses and do their intended job. Grab the extinguisher before the flames erupt uncontrollably and the conflagration consumes us all.

The Hairy Arm Handlers

Do you really think rational people would use fiery language to withdraw from the Iran nuclear treaty under obvious phony pretext and formally move the US Embassy to Jerusalem in the same week if peace was their goal? We need to stop analyzing events in a vacuum.

Peace in the Middle East is not what this administration is after. They didn’t “ignore the warnings” of experts. Far from it. Unrest in the Middle East is good for business. It advances the agenda of everyone in the GOP which is exactly the role our so called President was born to play.

Understand this, Donald Trump is nothing more than a hairy arm. A big heaping turd placed into the picture by forces more nefarious than he. Forces that control, manipulate, and parade the hairy arm as they see fit. Who use it to their advantage to distract from what is really going on. A mistake so obvious, so glaring that all the masses speak of is the hairy arm and how out of place it is. All the while they ignore the focal point of the picture. The new world order being ushered in right under their noses. The giant middle finger Ryan, Pence, Bannon, Putin, and others are holding out to America.

Yes Donald Trump is so obviously flawed and psychologically damaged that he is the perfect hairy arm. A lightning rod bound by no sense of social norms and devoid of self awareness. A master in self promotion and expert in scripted reality. A distraction so glaring that entire news cycles are devoted strictly to him. What he said, what he tweeted, who he insulted. His latest break with protocol and tradition. As important as his ability to distract however is the ease in which a can corrupt and control him. Long before his entry into politics The Donald was known to be a con man of such notorious poor character that he made an easy mark for men of ill repute. A man who operates with no moral or ethical code, recognizes no boundaries and holds no concrete positions. One willing to offer or do anything to advance his own agenda; personal gain, adulation and protecting his family name and legacy. So long as those self interests are served he is restrained by no alliance, tradition or precedent of behavior. It’s all a part of the art of the deal as he likes to brag.

That our so called President stands for nothing should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed his career. It explains the reason so many competing right of center factions are complicit in this deplorable dog and pony show and refuse to hold our so called President accountable for his treasonous and deplorable behavior. Exposes the quid pro quo this lot of enablers received in return for their continued silence and protection. I mean did you see the smirks on the faces of Ryan and McConnell’s faces as each passed the unconscionable tax bill through their respective chamber? The glee in knowing their patience may pay off and they are about to secure the current status quo well past the point demographics would otherwise allow.

Don’t kid yourself. This is the true pay off for the GOP establishments’ (as owned by the Sheldon Adelson and the Koch Brothers) hold your nose acquiescence and endorsement of the naked emperor. The statutory erection of a permanent oligarchy where profits take priority over people and corporate interests are given favor over long term global concerns. All this backed by a stacked judiciary certain to enforce the new laws of the land. The Chief Executive and his willingness to sign any Executive Order to thank for it all.

Next take a look at the alliance of the military hawks. You know the names; Mattis, Kelly, McMaster, the old guard who suddenly find themselves in unprecedented positions of influence within the Oval Office and the champions of historic spending increases for our military industrial complex. Who seem to remain in office despite their distaste for the Commander in Chief. Is it any coincidence that cold wars and faux calls for patriotism also happen to be great recruitment tools?

We must not leave out our Tea Party friends. The proud agitators seeking to drain the swamp who seek nothing more than an all out revolution against the liberal elites. How does one explain their sudden infatuation with the one time New York socialite? Well me thinks its quite obvious what this merry bannon of deplorables gain from their unnatural alliance. To date, it’s been their agenda we’ve seen advance the most under this administration. The “deconstruction of the administrative state.” The collapse of old alliances and treaties. The dog whistles, false moral equivalents and intentional mainstreaming of what once was a deplorable fringe without a mouthpiece. Now empowered we see the results. A once powerful nation being divided by committed Democratic Arsonists who stand armed and ready to defend their Enabler in Chief.

By this point you must be wondering what any of this has to do with Jerusalem. Well the decision to immediately move the Embassy to Jerusalem was nothing more than part of the payoff in the art of the deal. Terms in the quid pro quo to Preacher Pence and the evangelical base that led them to the altar of the peach calf. Designed to usher in an age of chaos and upheaval on scales hereto unimagined.

Hypocrisy aside, there is a reason the so called evangelical Christians are complicit in this deplorable dog and pony show. A logic behind their refusal to hold our Comrade in Chief accountable for his treasonous and immoral actions. This unholy alliance between God’s crusaders and the twice divorced, porn star cheating, wannabe casino tycoon known to serve money above all else is built on the Second Coming itself!

A little known fact but Preacher Pence, Ashy Eyed Huckabee Sanders, and the rest of this jolly group of devout evangelical fundamentalists actually believe the Second Coming is imminent. More precisely they believe the Rapture is. A fanciful belief not even referenced in the Bible in which all Christians, dead or alive, will spontaneously transform to meet Christ in the air—in secret, for it will be unknown to the world of unbelievers at the time of its happening.

This will be followed by 7 years of hell on Earth led by the Antichrist. In this period known as the tribulations, God’s chosen people, the Jews, will occupy and defend Jerusalem. They will rebuild the ancient temple in anticipation of Christ’s return. That the temple needs to be constructed atop the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa mosque, the most sacred of Muslim sites is but a minor inconvenience on the road to salvation. Particularly since those true believers will have already been raptured and won’t be here to witness the bloody consequences.

Regardless a condition of the Messiah’s return is a raging ongoing war between the non-believers. A war in which all citizens of the world must choose a side. A modern day Crusades. Hence the continued provocation of the Islamic community that stretches beyond Jerusalem.

All Americans need to understand that these dispensationalists members of the American Taliban serve God above all else, even country. They believe certain prerequisites need be in place to pave the way for Christ’s return and it is their principle responsibility to pour the cement. That isn’t opinion. Dispensationalists believe they are doing God’s will. Their daily focus is on the glory of God and they put God at its center – as opposed to a central focus on man and humanity’s need for salvation. The Prophet in Chief now their vehicle to eternal salvation.

Moving the embassy to Jerusalem coupled with the carefully orchestrated withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal are not meant to advance OUR national security interests. They are meant to advance the interests of the kakistocracy and the falsely righteous. It is the lit match being tossed into a gasoline tank. Meant to cause an explosion on a global scale, to incite violence.

It’s not all bad though. If Pence, Robertson, Graham, Huckabee and friends are right salvation is just around the corner. The Rapture will come and Christ himself will soon return to sit in Jerusalem, atop the newly constructed altar within his restored temple.