Category: Resistance

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

Beep Beep

The verge of a constitutional crisis. Let me tell you what that looks like. You remember the old road runner cartoon. Remember when Wile E Coyote would run over the cliff and how he’d be suspended in mid air for a minute. The camera pans in on him as he looks around and slowly becomes aware of where he is.

Well that moment between wide screen and close up as Wile E sits suspended in a jogger’s or thinker’s pose. The split second before we see him grow despondent in the realization that gravity is about to catch up with him, will send him plunging in freefall to the ground. That moment of clarity is what’s known as the verge of going over a cliff.

That’s the problem with being on the verge of something. Often by the time you realize you’re on the verge, it’s too late to change course. The same way Wile E Coyote didn’t grasp his fate until gravity took hold, we as a nation seem to misunderstand our circumstance.

Our so called President is shielded by a caravan of corruption. He declared the free press the enemy of the American people. Extinguished the beacon of hope and freedom that once lit America’s shore. He openly profits off the office and fights all attempts at transparency.

He is the most corrupt President in our nation’s history. The very question of whether he was hired by and is working for the American people remains under independent investigation. As the noose grows tighter he brazenly fires our AG for no reason other than he does not like how that investigation has been allowed to proceed. He replaces him not with a deputy or other candidate who has already been vetted and confirmed by Senate, but with a hand picked sycophant.

This is not Trump’s personal lawyer we’re talking about. This is America’s top law enforcement officer; sworn to uphold the laws of the constitution. The very man being trusted to oversee our Justice Department, to supervise the Mueller investigation, has not even gone through routine vetting.

We’ve already gone over that cliff. We are in the midst of a constitutional crisis, suspended in space. Well past the verge, the conditions for our fall are set. The only thing missing is an opposing force that ushers in that moment of clarity. The gravity that awakens our senses. The #resistance that forces the fall

Debbie Downer

I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. It’s not really my style to be Debbie Downer….but here’s the thing. I bit my tongue for too long. I stayed quiet for months hoping against hope that I was wrong.

I started this blog with the following words,

“I’ve never used Facebook as a platform before but consider me an alarmist. I believe we all have a responsibility to speak out. The only thing I ever learned in Hebrew school was “never forget,” and I haven’t.

Well I silenced my alarm for a bit. “Who knows, maybe Election Night results will surprise me,” I’d optimistically think. Maybe, to paraphrase Celebrity Apprentice winner Bret Michaels, America would “Give me something to believe in….”,

but alas, it’s past time I blare again. There were no surprises. Absolutely nothing gained that I could suddenly “believe in.” No sudden shift in power that indicates accountability is coming for our Comrade in Chief and the caravan of corruption hiding in his shadow. In fact it’s quite the opposite.

Instead we get the worst result possible. Exactly what an inspiring tyrant would desire. Straight out of the “Rising Dictator” playbook, Chapter 3; page nein

at the first public referendum, create the perception of fairness. Hand the opposition the appearance of power, without giving them any real authority. Allow the minority party to win the lowest chamber of the people’s Congress, but be sure to strengthen your hold on the upper Chamber.

In other words, create the perception of a BlueWave, yet somehow your closest allies survive, your loyalest sycophants squeak by.

As the Democratic leaders hit the airwaves to claim victory in gerrymandered districts; you somehow over perform in the Statewide and highest profile races. Your biggest rivals vanquished. The uniters capable of seizing their own headline, the opposition leaders worth following, capable of coalescing allies, the Betos, Gillums and Abrams, relegated to the sidelines.

Appease the masses for a bit. The so called resistance. Restore their hope in democracy for a minute while you simultaneously ostracize the conspiracy theorists and doomsayers from the previously likeminded. Push the most progressive towards the margin. Lessen their influence.

All the while you create the perfect foil onto whom you blame the forthcoming domestic issues. Of course you stonewall all legitimate efforts to investigate you. Let them litigate your claims of “executive privilege” and evidentiary privilege in the courts you already stacked. Pretend to play nice and have Professor Dershowitz plead your case on FoxNews. Regardless, the worst that can happen is they escalate the matter to the very Senate you just strengthened your hold on.

Ask yourself this?

How difficult will it be to convince the public that Nancy Pelosi is the one who is out of touch with the average American?

The answer takes you right up to Chapter 4; the Reichstag Fire

#WinterIsComing #WeNeedALeader

The Rainbow Wave

I’m as excited as anyone at the prospect of a Blue Wave. I hope with all my being that the American people are given a free and fair chance to right this ship; an opportunity to bring some adults back into the room. Yet if there is one lesson learned over these past 2 years it’s that character matters. It is not, and should not be strictly about party or, even winning. The substance of the candidate matters as well.

If our Republic was functioning as intended it would be more than a wave of Democrats voted into office this election year. It would be our best leaders from across the spectrum. True representatives that would not divide this nation into false “us” verse “them” narratives. A representative body not just diverse in sex, race and color, but in thought as well.

America was a beacon of hope and freedom throughout the world. Exceptional in hee diversity, she was the land of hope and opportunity. A fierce defender of individual freedom, she pledged liberty and justice for all. To get that back will require real leadership.

To truly make America great again, we will need to elect leaders who work for the people they represent. The ones that walk the walk. The greatest leaders do share certain attributes that contribute to their success, but not lockstep political beliefs.

They don’t take positions for convenience or to pander to their base, but because they are passionate about their beliefs and practice what they preach.

Those who emphasize collaboration and inclusiveness. The ones who do not fear diversity, but embrace it.

Those who welcome opposition. The ones who hold town halls and do not suppress feedback or dissenting opinions, but listen and learn from them.

Those who build a shared vision of the future. They do not think perception is reality, but rely on facts, science and logic to shape perception to match reality.

Those who own their actions. They do not finger point, blame predecessors or deny accountability for their decisions. They understand that once empowered the buck stops with them. Period.

Those who problem solve. The ones who do not act a prisoner of circumstance or play the victim, but innovate and experiment with new paradigms to limit or remove walls and obstacles.

Those who prioritize knowing their people, who serve their constituents . They do not view empathy as a weakness. They know it to be a virtue.

Those who extend kindness, who takes the high road when the other goes low. The ones who do not bully, but nurture.

Those who encourage teamwork. They do not ostracize, belittle, or build walls. They promote commonalities, break barriers and build bridges.

Those who lead with hope. They do not rule by negativity and fear. They grow consensus through transparency and communication.

Those who create opportunity for all. The ones who do not close doors or instill artificial barriers to entry, but rely on objective measures to reward and promote all those who merit consideration.

Those who safeguard open communications, and rights to privacy. They do not silence and threaten whistle blowers and leakers. They protect anonymity by offering hotlines and access to independent arbiters.

In the course of history there have been countless examples of leaders who chose to rule otherwise. Who ruled through fear mongering, authoritarian accountability and slogans. Who preyed on the weakness of the disenfranchised to promote their own agenda. Who gave voice to the extremes.

But riddle me this? Has such a leader ever been on the right side of history? Have they ever progressed our collective interests? Brought us closer to that more perfect union our founders dreamed of?

The answers, I hope, are obvious. At least this year they are. It is your civic responsibility to vote, informed consent of the public a constitutional requirement. Well until such time the GOP prove even qualified to perform the job, to act as an independent check and balance on the Executive, they are unelectable. Basic job understanding being a prerequisite for consideration. That leaves most Americans with only one choice. That is unfortunate but the reality we are in.

So this year let’s hope and pray for a #BlueWave. Please go out and vote like your freedom depends on it. In numbers that cannot be denied.

But starting next year let’s hope for the start of a #RainbowWave. The election of the greatest leaders from across the country. The ones whose uniqueness and diversity is instantly recognized across the globe as the example of man’s progress

Yes we can

The oncoming conflict was so obvious. Heck the most notorious American conman alive was the opposition. Did anyone with even half a brain really believe he was there to save American.

It’s truly laughable! We knew he was a pawn…the overwhelming majority of us. A man so repugnant that his own reflection screams back “ImPeach.” Some of us chose to turn a blind eyes for selfish reasons, others out of fear they’d be labeled an alarmist, but we knew he had the stench of caviar and old fashioned American whiskey all over him…a pawn for the rich and putinful.

Even Obama…chose to put his faith in our institutions…The dreams of his ancestors and the audacity of hope…til the end. We would have listened to him. The majority, the military, all of us had he taken a stand. Had he taken that microphone on January 20th and said what the FBI had told him…how the Russians had interfered in our elections…attacked our most fundamental institution…an act of war.

We would have listened had he appointed an independent commission. Had he given them 90 days to confirm one question and one question only…had he conditioned the peaceful turnover of power on that one condition and that one condition only…

One question…ninety days.

Was Donald Trump fairly elected by and if he were to assume office would he be working for the American people?

In the interest of national security we would have listened. Ignored the rantings and protestations that would have followed. It wouldn’t have been easy but we would have listened.

I honestly believe Obama considered it. It was his duty to protect our security interests until his very last day in office. McConnell and the GOP efforts to strip him of his power a year early notwithstanding. A known and imminent threat slithered into the most powerful office in the world, it was not off caravaning many thousand miles away.

Perhaps it was our fault, the majority of like minded Americans who hold the ideals of this nation so sacred. Perhaps it was our responsibility to push this great experiment in individual freedoms forward. Perhaps Obama would have fought harder had it not all been so difficult. Had we fought more for Garland he may have believed he had a play. Instead he put his faith in hope.

There’s still a chance he is right. That we avoid the worst of this.

It’s not the institutions that will save us though. We are past that point where we can rely on the vote as a legitimate check and balance. Go vote Tuesday but more importantly we must act.

Time is not on our side. The caravan is still a month out but the constitutional crisis is here today. I fear that by the time the next Congress is sworn in it will be too late. Our Comrade in Chief has already ordered our military to shoot at the unarmed civilians who may reach our borders. He finds safety and job security in the chaos he stokes.

It’s time we stop turning a blind eye. Take to the streets in peaceful protest and make clear who we are. We are the majority. We can still stop this thing, make our will heard and bring the fight to them.

To move forward the dreams of our ancestors we must demand answers. Take comfort in the audacity of hope and hold those who wish to trample on our ideals to account. The spirit of the American people has been a beacon of hope and freedom throughout the world for over two centuries. Our diversity our greatest strength, the backbone of our success.

Progress knows but one direction and never wishes for a return to the past. It’s time we move forward.

Yes we can, yes we can, #YESWECAN

Tradition, tradition!

Our Comrade in Chief boasts of his refusal to follow the rules established by the political insiders that preceded him. Brags of his willingness to take action where none before him had the courage to do so. Gloats how only he will dares to speak the hard truths the career politicians refused to say.

It’s not just words either. It’s clear in Il Douche’s actions too. He flaunts his disregard for presidential precedence. Treaties and accords negotiated by the 44 who came before him may as well have been written on toilet paper. He gives traditions passed down by past Presidents of both parties as much respect and attention as he does his daughter Tiffany.

Here’s the thing I’ve never really understood. Traditional norms have no place when faced with an unconventional risk. Yet from the day the orange one rode down that escalator to announce he would be our next President our political establishment has responded to his ascent by traditional means. They have given deference to the office and political norms. Refused to go to far outside the lines of acceptability.

For me, that’s the very definition of appeasement. The ultimate “I don’t want to rock the boat, so instead I’ll sit here and drown in it” type of resistance.

It’s nice to see President Obama beginning to shed some of those prior restraints. They’ve largely been soft jabs but he’s testing the water, going a bit each deeper. We need more of that. We need him to keep talking our truth. Need to hear his voice grow louder as the crowds gather again to be reminded of the alternate path this country was on.

Make no mistake, a resistance needs a leader, a uniter through which allies unite. Regardless of results, next weeks election won’t really change the fact that we don’t really have one. We were shattered into a coalition of Hillarys or Bernies, a larger archipelago of Warrens, Kamalas, Betos and Joes has since formed.

Obama has proven the only one able to hold us all together. Who would still garner more votes than them all. We need him to lead and be the voice for progress. We need him to keep talking our truth. We need to hear his voice grow louder as the crowds gather again to hear his message of hope and recovery. Most of all we need to hear him raise his voice in protest as the an who now sits in his old office tramples all over the most fundamental values, traditions, morals and ideals of this once proud nation #Resist

Impede, Impeach, Indict

It’s so simple even the Democrats shouldn’t be able to eff this up.

Impede, impeach, indict.

Yesterday was a good day. The witches are coming home to roost. Our CEO President who should know a thing or two about the art of the interview and importance of due diligence hired a criminal to run his campaign. His one time fixer pleaded guilty to multiple felonies and implicated our Dear Leader as a knowing conspirator in some. To top it all off the stench of the cesspool grew ever stronger as Duncan Hunter, yet another of our Comrade in Chief’s earliest Congressional supporters, was indicted for financial crimes. Safe to say the noose got a lot tighter around that orange neck.

Today should be a turning point. The day in which the resistance seizes the narrative. It no longer depends on the Mueller investigation. The latest tweet, Sarah Sanders soundbite, Giuliani Chewbacca defense, or Propaganda Hannity piece may finally be ignored. The sitting President has been implicated in a crime. His earliest surrogates are dropping like flies. Look out your windows and you can practically see the Russian witches burning at the stake.

Impede, impeach, indict.

Our elected leaders swore an oath to defend our Constitution and the people of this great nation. They can no longer advance the agenda of a man who was already under active investigation for colluding with a foreign adversary and who now stands accused of campaign finance and election law violations. Until we, the people, receive independent assurance that our so called President was elected by and is working for the American people our leaders need to work to actively impede and prevent him from pushing through anymore of his questionable agenda or policies.

Every patriot in Congress, regardless of party, must insist on extreme vetting of all nominees put forth by this administration, regardless of position. After all how can the American people trust the vetting procedure of a man who hired an active foreign agent to head his National Security Agency, an embezzling financial felon to run his campaign, and a bumbling crook as his personal fixer?

The time is now. It starts with Kavanaugh. You cannot allow an accused criminal the ability to handpick 2 members of his jury. Our independent legislative branch must seize the narrative, connect the dots and grind this nation’s government to a halt, if necessary, to ensure her continued independence.

Impede, Impeach, Indict

The Emperor Has No Clothes

My voice feels trapped in a time loop. It’s the same old storylines. Each day a callback to a prior episode with nothing original. A shoutout to the die hard fans who have been following along since day one. A carefully baited Easter egg of sorts for the MSM to grab ahold of and to remind the loyalists that despite what else they may hear, he’s with them. Each piece of “breaking news” scripted to serve up the propaganda driven counter narrative. To cue up a personal wink and nod to those wannabe believers and fuel the cognitive dissonance that allows one to follow a golden calf;

Did you hear the latest dog whistle and overt racist and/or misogynistic policy adopted by this administration? Proof he understands the white man can no longer get a fair shake in this country. It’s not racism, it’s reality. Affirmative action and political correctness have no place in democracy and is a tool of facists. That’s why the deep state is trying to bring him down. It’s just like MLK and Gandhi!?! We mustn’t believe the left’s conspiracy theories and or the witchhunt led by 13 angry Democrats. He’s one of us and will never let us down!

Look at his courage as he speaks truth to power and pulls us out of horrible deals and treaties that Obama the Muslim negotiated. Ignore the hippie’s tears that needlessly mourn the demise of regulations meant to end capitalism. Who cares if he alienates essential allies and disrupts the world order in the process. America first you socialist bastards!

Marvel at his strength and resolve to defend America against foreign enemies even in the face of domestic pressure. We are either a nation of law and order or a nation of anarchy. There is no in-between or alternatives. What must be done must be done; empathy has no place in survival. Throw the alien children down a well! Secure our borders! Build the wall!

His methods may be unsettling at times but you have to admit he is dogged in his defense of traditional values and the Christian agenda. The Lord works in mysterious ways but it is now clear our Dear President is his vessel. Next year in Jerusalem! Look what he’s done for our courts already. Stacked them with religious zealots who will restore biblical order. He may be a Russian agent but I can’t wait to see who he selects for the next Supreme Court Justice. One thing for sure is he will overturn generations of judicial activism and restore our nation’s Christian values. Peace on earth for all the white Christian Anglo-Saxons, just the way God intended!

Fake news has you believe that Trump is unprepared or lacks tact but look how magnanimous he truly is. What can be more diplomatic than the trust and handshake he exchanged with Rocketman? The media may try to distract you with details but how can any objective individual deny that he achieved what his predecessors could not. What most elites thought unachievable; peace with North Korea. An opportunity for peace with Russsia. Award the man the Noble Prize now, scream the masses!

Meanwhile the behind the scenes drama, the outtakes, candids, and ad libs conclusively prove the messenger is a fraud. Leaves any sane minded individual no doubt that without a script, a fixer and skilled producer the deal maker is nothing more than an empty suit with a spray tan. A puppet to the corporate suits and foreign investors who prop him up. It explains why so much of the unaired footage that unmasks the villains true remains on the cutting room floor, unreported.

It’s a tried and true reality show formula. Chaos drives ratings; the fog of war exists. Storylines dependent on manufactured drama and carefully selected narrative keeps the audience talking and tuning in while simultaneously distracting them from the producer’s ulterior motives. Prevents the audience from focusing on the otherwise obvious results that lay ahead as the “season” reaches a dramatic conclusion complete with a shocking reveal.

Spoiler alert: Emerging tyrants are not defeated in the ballot boxes or cause du jour movements.

This isn’t some reality show we’re living. History tells us what comes next, what future episodes may hold in store. We understand the relationship between cause and effect. What happens when leaders say certain things to erode traditional norms. What ensues when they openly attack and celebrate the defeat of political enemies and question the independence of the judiciary. We’ve seen what happens when you deputize a civilian force to maintain the peace and enforce the borders, encourage them to shoot first and beg forgiveness later.

There are no surprises here. No logical reason why the majority of the media, the public and opposition party reacts to each new storyline like a stand alone episode. There is an obvious and consistent thread that runs through every act Donald Trump has taken since the pilot episode that began with his trip down that escalator arrival. An obvious framework and narrative that explains the inaction of the party loyalists and traditionalists who would otherwise gag on the idea they would find themselves aligned with the likes of an irascible immoral scoundrel like Donald Trump.

The only way to expose the naked emperor is public transparency. The masses must seize control of the narrative. Ignore the noise around them; the slogans, rumors and innuendos generated by the powers that be. The ones that tell you to ignore your eyes and experience and focus instead on the latest controversy served up for your viewing pleasure.

It is time we all insist that everyone acknowledge the basic truth before the next episode may be aired or script approved. The leader of the free world is under an active and credible investigation as to whether he was elected by and/or is working for the American people.

Let that sink in. How dare we be so reckless with our essential freedoms and democratic institutions. The public, the media and our leaders must analyze every tweet, press conference, Executive Order, proposed legislation, judicial nominee, Cabinet appointee and public appearance through that context before they allow his complicit enablers to frame the narrative and advance his agenda.

Past the Point of No Return

Our leaders should be taking to the streets reminding Americans of what is at stake. Leading the people in protests and painting a clear picture to all Americans of who we are up against. That Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet era KGB agent is a man of great intelligence who has never once prior acted with America’s best interest in mind. That he is a man who always thinks two steps ahead. For some reason that very man is known to have used the resources of the Russian government and power of Russian intelligence to help elect our so called President into office. And to be clear Putin endorsed Trump to defeat not just Hillary, but to defeat all challengers regardless of party.

The leader of the free world is under active investigation for colluding with Russia and rather than cooperate to prove his innocence he has obstructed every attempt at an independent investigation. Let that sink in. His loyalties are in serious question and hear we stand cheering him on as he embarks in historic negotiations with a depraved dictator. Heretofore known as a ruthless international pariah who seemingly overnight has been legitimized by the so called leader of the free world. And for what? In exchange for a nuclear free peninsula!!

Have you all gone mad? There is no way these two are agreeing on anything that will advance the world’s collective interests. This summit has nothing to with a nuclear free peninsula or the advancement of world peace. This is all about the establishment of a new world order. The merging of the five families so to speak. A coalition of nuclear powered strongmen (Putin, Kim, Trump, Netanyahu, Xi…) coming together to oppose traditional Western values and create an international caste system.

Consider this. Prior to Trump taking office North Korea was known to be nuclear free, and as recently as 2016 was still believed to be several years away from developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the mainland United States with a nuclear payload, and nowhere near capable of acquiring a destructive hydrogen warhead, capable of leveling cities. They were also still considered the most imminent threat to world stability due to their Deranged leader and the stockpile of chemical weapons and highly advanced ballistic missile program he had at his control. A stockpile that still exists today but for whatever reason, along with the gross human right abuses, no longer seem to be a concern to US interests.

It’s hard to explain why that may be since 1) In 2017 the UN Human Rights Council found the Kim regime to be the most repressive authoritarian states in the world, and 2) according to a June 2018 report from the NTI, Pyongyang has concentrated on acquiring mustard, sarin and V-type chemical agents. The North Korea may have tested chemical weapons on prisoners and the disabled in February 2014, and in February 2017, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-nam, was assassinated in the Kuala Lumpur international airport by suspected North Korean agents wielding the nerve agent VX.

The final snooze alarm is blaring. The time has come for all sane minded Americans regardless of party, to engage and demand transparency and accountability. Let’s agree to let bygones be bygones. Our fates are tied together. It’s either appeasement or resistance. Choose wisely #HistoryHasItsEyesOnYou #Resist

http://www.nti.org/learn/countries/north-korea/