God bless the tweetistocracy!

The enduring lesson of the 21st century; oligarchs be oligarchs. Regardless of race, religion, nationality or geography there exists a small subset of human beings that value power, wealth and adoration above all else. That will ignore tradition, precedent or moral boundaries to advance their own self-serving agenda. Superegos that will go to any and all lengths to amass, consolidate, grow and preserve their privilege.

Beyond their core materialistic values these amorphous chameleons share other key traits. To maintain their disproportionate share of power and wealth requires a willingness to negotiate, to change positions and engage in the art of the deal, at whatever cost. An egocentric transactional view of the world in which there is always a winner or loser. Moral, collaborative, value driven servant leaders need not apply. The objective of an oligarch is never the “collective good.” A win/win solution is a loss in the eyes of the side that needs to be the recognized winner.

A meritocracy a similar flawed result. Equal opportunity for all only invites competition and levels the future playing field. Power is to be maintained, not shared. Love of country, party, or people be damned. Flags, beliefs and alliances are transferable. Pawns to be traded in pursuit of the player’s true objective. Commodities that gain and lose value in accordance with current market conditions.

The one true threat this cabal of corruption faces is that posed by the “power of the people.” A coordinated collaboration of the masses designed to upend the rigged game and remove the systemic rot within it. For the world will be turned upside down once the majority of humanity recognizes their shared objectives in life and coalesces around their common democratic values. Unity and an end to tribal divisions is what the autocracy fears most and will do anything to prevent.

The greatest weapon these obstacles to progress possess is the power of information. Once you control the dissemination of information, you alone possess the power of the Gods. The ability to create new worlds and rules of the universe. To define truth. To present alternative facts, only now without the alternatives. Lies then become truth, and perception reality.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

“Those who willingly accept being conned are as corrupt as those who con them.” – Tom Robbins, Villa Incognito

Friends, deplorables, countrymen, lend me your ears;

Listen, I get it. It sucks to be duped. To get your hopes up believing that someone is the real deal. That they are going to fight the rigged system they got rich off of to level the playing field for the common man.

It’s easy to believe in hope when it’s packaged correctly. Don’t feel bad. Young and old, rich and poor, black or white all of us are susceptible to a good con. It’s truly one of life’s great equalizers that knows no prejudice.

As for Trump, well he is the ultimate con man. He identified a weakness and took advantage of it. Spun a yarn and sold America a big heaping turd of a promise to make us great again.

Now is the time to face reality though. To open your eyes and judge a person on the truth of their action. To tune out the sound bites and instead trust in the leaked recordings. It may sting a bit, but suck it up buttercup.

We’re at that point of the show where the buffoonish villain has overstayed his welcome. Pull on your big boy pants and get out of the grift now. Before we lose everything.

Understand Donald Trump is not on your side. He’s never been on your side. He’s not even a real Republican. Without regards to morality or values he simply follows whatever path he believes leads to the most power and money. #LockHimUpNow

Pawn of the Rich and Putinful

All Americans must understand who Trump is and what we as a nation are up against. We must come to grips that Trump has never been more than the paper tiger king in this battle. The Joe Exotic of American politics propped up by a supporting cast of deplorable characters.

Trump of course is the perfect rube. 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 art of empathy, humility, accountability and communication. A genius only in his own mind who was so poor at business he literally bankrupted both casinos and real estate conglomerates at the height of the economy.

Donald Trump is a man of flawed character. The embodiment of the 21st century American dream. A child of the 1% with no discernible talent, skills or virtue beyond that of self promotion. A self aggrandizing narcissistic sycophant with an unhealthy obsession for celebrity and fame. A self hating man child who overcompensates for his shortcomings by bullying, intimidating and surrounding himself with “yes men.”

A man in constant need of validation because deep down he fears he will never live up to daddy’s expectations, never be truly loved. A man with an ego so fragile he can’t deal with dissent or opposition. Who spent a lifetime avoiding accountability and consequences by silencing critics with bribes, quid pro quos and empty promises. Who justifies his deplorable behavior through incredible displays of cognitive dissonance; scapegoating, and otherwise shifting blame to the underprivileged, the disenfranchised, and those less able to defend themselves.

Like most bullies Donald stands for nothing. He is driven by vengeance, looking only for the next score to settle, fight to win. All he knows is how to marginalize, belittle, conflate, de-legitimize and, when necessary, squash dissent and opposition. Each Trump rally allows him to continue to present alternative facts, only now without the alternatives. Lies then become truth, and perception reality.

Donald Trump is not the cause of America’s ails. He is simply its most recognizable symptom. The dry cough of the national pandemic that is the Republican Party. Each day they spread their poison and choke what little life remains of our system of checks and balances until soon all that will remain is the virus itself

Tales of a Boiling Frog

There’s a story about boiling frogs. According to lore if you place a frog into a pot of boiling water it will jump right out, but if the frog is put in a pot of warm water and then brought to a slow boil it will not perceive of the danger until it’s too late. The poor frog is cooked to death.

The lesson of the story isn’t found in the frog’s death, but in it’s life. It’s that the frog never thought to escape as the water approached its boiling point. Freedom was a simple hop away but the frog chose to remain passive because it couldn’t even perceive of the danger that lay ahead. Welcome to America’s democracy.

The warning signs are all there. The erosion of checks and balances between legislative and executive branch. The partisan judiciary that serves God or dollar before constitution. The integration and influence of church upon state. The war on the free press and mainstreaming of Tucker Carlson and the Fox News Ministry of Propaganda. The reckless wag the dog foreign policy.

The takeover of state legislatures and passage of laws that restrict voting rights. The gerrrymandering of constituents to predetermined results. The enactment of artificial barriers to entry that exclude and limit full representation. Safeguards of the status quo that will enable enable sycophants to overturn the will of the people, even election results in the absence of evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

These, and other successful efforts already erode the power of the individual. When you further implement legislation that grants and bestows individual rights upon amorphous corporate conglomerates. Then you truly tip the scales of influence so that the barons of Wall Street and the lobbyists who enable them enjoy far greater political representation than the individual store clerk, call agent or working class Main Street laborer.

America’s democratic institutions, her standing as the beacon of hope and freedom to the world’s oppressed and underprivileged, is dimming. The vision of our founding fathers compromised by the rise of a global oligarchy. The interests of the few prioritized over the dreams of the many. The majority of us understand this and are able to see through the false equivalents and whataboutism. We recognize that today’s GOP is nothing more than the Guardians Of Putin. A party of extremists who seek only the consolidation of power, wealth, and religious virtuosity within their own privileged tribe. No longer advocates of a representative democracy their entire agenda is to secure the status quo. To do whatever necessary, trade whatever freedom, and betray whatever alliance necessary to secure their privileged place in society long past the point demographics of a representative democracy will otherwise allow.

It’s time for the majority to wake up. We must not allow past experience to lull us into a false sense of security. Trump may be out of office but the same cabal of corruption that lit the stove are still in positions of power and influence. Are continuing to raise the heat on the proverbial pot in anticipation of their next course. Prepping the next January 6th in the hopes of a more satisfactory conclusion. The water is getting mighty warm. It’s time to jump out. Recognize what is at stake. Traditional checks and balances do not apply to unconventional threats.

If the majority of Americans wish to preserve the American political system, we cannot afford to sit back passively and wait for future Election Days to voice the will of the people. The stakes are too high and the future too nebulous. We need to engage in bold and direct action. National strikes, sit-ins, daily demonstrations and other disruptive but non-violent methods. We need to leave our comfort zones and make proactive sacrifice.

We must not wait to remove from positions of influence those who knowingly do not serve America’s interests before all others. The demands for swift accountability to eliminate the threat that corrupt elected officials pose to the very safeguards meant to protect our political system must be heeded. Those dregs of our society who conspired in the orchestration of the January 6th insurrection, or otherwise participated in, aided in, or served as an accessory after the fact to those who sought to interfere with the peaceful transition of Executive power, must be pushed to the shadows and extremes of political debate.

We must insist our leaders collaborate across party lines to restore American democracy. Reestablish accountability and the equal application of the rule of law. Lean into our democratic values, the individual freedoms we often take for granted, and act with the urgency the situation demands. Before the water boils and it becomes too late to otherwise react.

Pawn of the Rich and Putinful

Another day, another conspiracy laden, hate peddling Trump rally. As the de facto lead of the Guardians Of Putin (GOP), it is no surprise that Deranged Donald is is a man of flawed character and limited intelligence. Far from a stable genius the man is nothing more than the embodiment of the 21st century American dream. A child of the 1% with no discernible talent, skill or virtue beyond that of self promotion. A self aggrandizing narcissistic sycophant with an unhealthy obsession for celebrity and fame.

A self hating man child who overcompensates for his shortcomings by bullying, intimidating and surrounding himself with “yes men.” A man in constant need of validation because deep down he fears he will never live up to daddy’s expectations, never be truly loved.

A man with an ego so fragile he can’t deal with dissent or opposition. Who spent a lifetime avoiding accountability and consequences by silencing critics with bribes, quid pro quos and empty promises. Who justifies his deplorable behavior through incredible displays of cognitive dissonance; scapegoating, and otherwise shifting blame to the underprivileged, the disenfranchised, and those less able to defend themselves.

Like most bullies our so called President stands for nothing. He is driven by vengeance, always looking for the next score to settle. All he knows is how to marginalize, belittle, conflate, delegitimize and, if necessary, squash dissent and opposition. Doing so allows him to continue presenting alternative facts, only now without the alternatives. Lies then become truth, and perception reality.

All Americans need to carefully consider their next move. Reflect on your history. Get informed. Ask yourself; when has the leader who ruled through fear, intimidation, propaganda and slogan been on the right side of history?

I’ll spare you the research. The answer is never.

Deconstructed Melting Pot

America has long been known as the great “melting pot.” A mix of diverse people and cultures blending together to live side by side and given equal protection under the law. A country that despite its imperfections welcomed immigrants of diverse nationalities, races, ethnicities and religions into our mixing bowl. Whether warranted or not a country perceived by citizens throughout the world as a land of hope and opportunity. The American identity that of a multicultural experiment in self governance. A representative democracy for the people, by the people.

Donald Trump seeks to deconstruct this identity. Wishes to remove the individual components of the melting pot and divide them into separate parts. Like demagogues of the past he seeks the preservation of his own unique identity above all else. He preys on tribal insecurities and brandishes fear as his greatest weapon. Warns the like minded that individual identities will be lost if the pot is stirred too well. That those who have enjoyed their privileged place in society, the white Christian male, will cease to matter once blended into the others.

The vast majority of Americans have the good sense to understand how flawed this way of thinking is. Are sophisticated enough to recognize that America is at her best when our ingredients are mixed together. To preserve our identity, to pass this experimental recipe on to future generations, requires that we quickly join forces to demand a new chef. One who seeks to unite rather than divide. One who accentuates our complimentary flavors and combines them in a such a way to make clear to the world that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Rise of the Domestic Terrorist

It’s always easier to sleep at night when you can scapegoat minorities and blame your ails on “outsiders.” The time, however, has come for all Americans to wake up. America doesn’t have a Muslim, Black, ANTIFA, Jewish or immigrant problem. It has an America problem. The greatest threat to America’s national security comes from domestic citizens who cloak their hate behind a badge or drape themselves in a white hood, confederate flag or MAGA hat.

We need to do some internal soul searching of our own. An extreme vetting of our backyard. Identify the weeds before they take over the lawn. Trump trounced on HRC for not saying the words radical Islamic terrorism. Let’s hear him call a spade a spade. Let’s hear speak about the rise of these white so called Christian domestic terrorists. Better yet, let’s see our cowardly Comrade in Chief tweet about them.

Presumption of Guilt

Our justice system is premised on the belief that you are innocent until proven guilty. While that does not preclude arrest it should prevent the use of deadly force in all but life threatening situations. Rayshard Brooks was killed for evading arrest while drunk and Black. It is a clear illustration of what is wrong with our policing in this country and why drastic changes must be made.

That a police officer feels the need to shoot a fleeing suspect in the back three times without imminent fear for his/her life is nothing short of murder. The only thing these officers feared was the embarrassment of having their taser swiped and a long foot chase. If Brooks had evaded arrest in the moment he would have left behind his car and the police had all of his information. He was also suspected to be inebriated. How difficult do you think it would have been to find him? Instead the officer valued the collar more than the life of the suspect they knew to be unarmed.

This is why the world is erupting in protest. This is what demands to defund the police to use the money more effectively means. This is why we sadly need to remind each other that black lives matter.

The Divider in Chief

Trump made his fortune as a CEO and reality show producer. Messaging and storytelling are two areas he knows well.To his credit, Trump has been scripting this shit show since 2009. When coming off his 6th bankruptcy he found himself a cash strapped real estate tycoon trying to rebuild an empire at the height of the Great Recession. As fortune would have it our first Black President had just been elected and the entire #GOP was on the cusp of self destruction. Enter the one time Democrat from NY ready to strike a “deal.” The fiscal conservative with no convictions or beliefs beyond money and power. Let the dog whistles begin. Cue the birther movement.

This attempt to divide America is no accident. Trump knows an indictment awaits his return to civilian life and his best hope is to hide behind the shield of executive immunity. To use the resources of the 1% and the insecurity driven hate filled strength of the deplorables to silence public dissent and suppress any efforts to otherwise remove him from office. After all what’s a few conspiracy theory shout outs, and race baiting tweets in exchange for a loyalty oath from the majority of this nation’s gun owners and private militias.

These are the very people who now answer Trump’s dog whistles and overt calls for Civil War. Evangelical con men and opportunists dressed as patriots while dripping in snake oil. Conspiracy theorists and racists who under past administrations were typically ignored by mainstream media. You know the type; KKK members, absusers, people who proudly fly the Confederate flag and hang rubber testicles off their tow hitch. Victims of society looking for someone to blame. Some reason other their own inadequacy to explain their sorry lot in life.

These are the deplorables now emboldened to action by both the words and silence of our Divider in Chief. They draw the swastikas, burn the mosques, drive their vehicles into the protestors, patrol our borders and cheer as migrant children are locked in cages and martial law is enacted to keep the peace. They are the ones who silence opposition through force and chill the fight of moderates with fear tactics, threats and intimidation.

Trump and his caravan of criminal enablers know exactly what they are doing. They know their audience and are playing to their base. For Trump it is all about power and money; a means to ensure his freedom and demand the adoration he desperately craves. For the Raptureheads, Russia enabled military hawks and other domestic terrorists the prize is something far greater and scarier.

This isn’t a political fight, it’s a moral one. Brace yourself for the storms to come

An Unconventional Threat

By all historical and logical standards Donald Trump’s chances of reelection should be close to zero. Past presidents who enjoyed far more initial support were doomed for far less egregious sins. Yet that’s the thing about the Trump presidency; history and precedent do not apply. Time and again opponents and rivals of Trump have used traditional checks and balances and common sense to contain and mitigate an unconventional threat.

There’s a consistent misunderstanding of who Trump is, both as a leader and a person. An almost willful ignorance of what motivates him and sense of denial that convinces others that his agenda is consistent with past presidents. As a result the common analysis is that he’s a loose canon, crazy, illogical and just plain out of his mind. Critics marvel at his incompetence and use quotes such as the one above as proof he knows not what he is doing.

Here’s the truth of the situation. Donald Trump and his caravan of corrupt enablers know exactly what they are doing. They find security in the chaos and uncertainty they sow. They use it to their advantage to consolidate power. They are not blind or ignorant of the risks they create when they withdraw from alliances or dismantle safeguards. Trump himself is no religious zealot. Quite the contrary. He understands cause and effect in the real world; is not blind to science and statistics.

It’s what makes the responses to the risk of this pandemic and systemic racism both so bone chillingly scary and predictable. To Trump the inherent threat of an international conflict, environmental disaster, civil unrest or natural pandemic is not one he seeks to mitigate but to exploit for political and personal advantage. In action and word he actively courts disaster and endangers our nation’s citizenry. Views the ensuing discord as an opportunity to silence dissent and secure his grip on power.