Monthly Archives: November 2017

Elephants & RINOs

Politics

 

On Wednesday, November 15, the Trump administration reversed “an Obama-era ban on hunters importing trophies of elephants killed in Zambia and Zimbabwe during government-approved big-game expeditions.  (USA Today, 11/16/2017)”  A spokesperson for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service justified the action as follows.

Legal, well-regulated sport hunting as part of a sound management program can benefit the conservation of certain species by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation.

Chalk this one up to the same mentality that thinks massive tax breaks for the already wealthy addresses the issue of income inequality.  In August, 2016, the World Conservation Congress reported a 30 percent decline in the African elephant population over ten years with an annual average loss of eight percent.  In Trump New Speak, the best way to preserve an endangered species is to encourage killing them for sport and bragging rights.

As long as Trump has made it open season on elephants I suggest we follow the old adage, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”  Except the endangered species I suggest we pursue are not African elephants, but American ones (you know, Republicans).  In fact, I would suggest some Democrats jumped the gun (no pun intended) on November 7 by thinning the herd and adding a few rogues to their trophy cases.

  • Democrat Danica Roem becomes the first transgender woman to be elected to a state legislature by defeating self-proclaimed “chief-homophobe” Bob Marshall (R).
  • Democrat Chris Hurst, an news anchor whose finance was gunned down on live television, defeated Republican Joseph Yost and his A+ NRA rating.
  • Wilmot Collins, a refugee of the Liberian civil war, defeated James Smith, a 16-year incumbent, to become the new mayor of Helena, Montana.

Keep in mind, these victories were not in swing districts.  These contests took place in (dare I say) Republican “sanctuaries.”  So just as the rules have changed for pursuing African elephants in supposedly safe havens, so have they been reversed for the American pachyderm.  Having been given the green light by Trump and his minions, it’s now legal to take down these lumbering, gray former titans who have had the run of the Washington, D.C. jungle.

Which brings me to another unique American species which has evolved since first appearing on the political landscape in the early 1990s:  RINOs.  The term, short for “Republican in Name Only,” became a pejorative description of Congressional members of the GOP considered to be insufficiently conservative.   You know, individuals who believed in things like choice, civil rights and protecting the environment.  Signs like the one to the right began appearing during Republican primaries and at Tea Party rallies.

There’s just one problem.  The original RINOs were the true guardians of the party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.  They believed:

  • As did Lincoln, every American deserved the same rights and privileges.
  • As did Roosevelt, supported protection of national treasures such as wilderness areas and natural monuments.
  • As did Eisenhower, Nixon and both Bushes, believed America was stronger when it was an active player on the international stage, politically and economically.
  • And as did Reagan, believed Russia ran counter to American values and interests and should be viewed as a partner in international affairs only with a sufficient dose of skepticism.

When you look at the 157 year history of the GOP, those who now call themselves Republicans are nothing but a mutant, viral strain of RINO.  In what can only be called reverse Darwinism, the party of Trump and Bannon represents “the survival of the unfittest.”  They do not respect the institutions — a system of checks and balances,  the courts and a free press — which are the bedrock of a democratic society.  Because they support policies which an overwhelming majority of citizens reject, they make it as difficult as possible for people to vote against them.  They talk about American strength and exceptionalism, but are afraid to play in an international arena where their world view might be challenged.  They tout American innovation, but degrade the very foundation of our success: leadership in science and research.  And finally, they cloak themselves in the trappings of moral superiority but enable con men, racists, anti-Semites, xenophobes and sexual perverts.

I am generally opposed to actions which contribute to the extinction of any species.  But the sooner we rid the nation of these RINOs, we increase the likelihood we can eventually return to an era of different perspectives about what is good for America and healthy debate about which views should prevail. Only then can we again journey down that often bumpy and non-linerar path toward realizing a more perfect union.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

 

The Boys in the Brand

Media
Deprogramming101 Productions
presents
A Dr. ESP Film

Alternate title:  GOD! NO! FATHER
Let’s make them an offer they can’t refuse!

Starring:
Donald Corleone
Donald Corleone, Jr.
Eric Corleone
Jared Rizzi*

*Ivanka Corleone’s husband who gets whacked for selling out the family. Nothing like life imitating art.  Except, in this case, it’s not business, it’s personal.

 

Coming to a theater near you before the mid-term 2018 elections or sooner if screenwriter Robert Mueller turns in the final scene before then.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

 

An ACTUAL War Against Christmas

Politics, Religion

 

In the interest of truth in advertising, I need to remind my readers I am a culturally Jewish agnostic in a mixed religious marriage.  And I prefer to wish everyone I meet “happy holidays,” except on December 25th when I gladly greet my Christian friends and colleagues with “Merry Christmas,” in the same vein I wish Americans “Happy Independence Day” on July 4th and not all summer long.

Holidays occurring in November and December cover the tapestry of American diversity.  However, I would never challenge the fact December 25th belongs to those of Christian faith nor would I support anyone who challenged the right of Christians to consider that specific day sacred.  However, last Friday, those who accuse people like me of waging an imaginary “War on Christmas” need to turn their weapons on one of their own who has done more to de-legitimize the holiday than I ever could.

Related imageIn defense of alleged child molester and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Roy Moore, Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler dismissed the charges against Moore in the Washington Examiner, stating:

…take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus. There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here. Maybe just a little bit unusual.

Ziegler’s comments reminded me of the politically incorrect joke which has made the rounds on the Internet, tee shirts and in graffiti.  “Easter has been canceled — They found the body.”  I could not find the origin of this meme which people like Jim Zeigler must surely and justifiably find offensive.  So you think someone who promotes the evangelical version of Sharia law would choose his own words more carefully. On Friday, Zeigler became the equivalent of a modern-day Judas.  He might as well have said, “Cancel Christmas — Jesus is not the son of God, he is the offspring of an adult carpenter.”  I have yet to see this headline on Fox News or in Breitbart.  Instead, they prefer to point their fingers at those of us who believe we should welcome the stranger into our hearts and minds during the holiday season regardless of faith or spiritual preference.

I sometimes wonder what Jesus would think of actions taken in his name,  if there was in fact a second coming.  In this case, I have no doubt on which side he would align when it comes to a “War on Christmas.”  And I wonder if even he might find it hard to “turn the other cheek.”

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

 

In a Nutshell

Economics

There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you.  Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.

~George W. Bush, September 17, 2002

That’s our W!  Perhaps the single biggest beneficiary of the Trump era.  It only goes to prove rehabilitation is relative.  For decades to come, sliced bread–as in “the best thing since” — will have a new counterpart in Donald J. Trump — as in “the worst thing since.”

We all know what W was trying to say.  Learn from the past.  And when it comes to giving people something to learn from, the Bush years were a master class.  Today, let’s just focus on the economy.  Thanks to sound economic policies including tax INCREASES, jointly crafted by a Democratic administration and a Republican Congress, George Bush entered the White House after three years of surplus revenues and a reduction in the national debt of more than $425 billion.

But despite the historical evidence from the Ronald Reagan, David Stockman and Arthur Laffer era that supply side and trickle down policies were in fact “voodoo economics (per George H. W. Bush),” the “Po’ Thang Clan” of W advisors thought it deserved another shot.  And to make sure it got off to a roaring start, Bush proposed and Congress passed the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.  (Remember the $800 check and the money the Treasury wasted on postage to tell you that check was in the mail.)  But that was just the beginning of this unpaid-for-federal-free-for-all.  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which scores the fiscal impact of all bills estimated the legislation would add $1.5 trillion to the national debt over ten years.  (Keep that number in mind.  It will miraculously reappear later in this post.”

So how did that turn out?  Sure, we had a major terrorist attack which was a drain on the national economy, but an analysis by CBO in 2011 resulted in the following graph.  While the cost of two unfunded wars do regularly contribute to the annual deficit, it pales in comparison to the impact of the Bush tax cuts and the economic recession resulting from that and other Bush era policies.  As the old saying goes (or should), “A picture speaks a thousand billion dollars.”

On November 2, 2017, the GOP-led House introduced The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.  There are many things to dislike about the proposal including how the liar-in-chief claims he will lose money under the revised tax code even though the bill contains the following three provisions which, based on what little we know about Trump’s finances, will save him and his progeny over a TRILLION dollars in taxes.

  • Elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax.
  • Retention of the carry forward provision.
  • Elimination of the estate tax.  (Maybe the younger Trumps consider this reparations for having been saddled with a narcissistic, dishonest father figure.)

I’m just waiting for Trump to claim he would have written the check but he has bone spurs in his fingers.  Perhaps we should call these provisions tax deferments rather than tax cuts.

But the bigger tragedy is who will pay for this reverse Robin Hoodism.  CBO says the bill may cost at least $1.5 trillion over the next decade and more in the out-years.  (I told you to keep that number in mind.)  We’ve seen and heard this before.  So where is W when we really need him.  Listen closely, maybe you can hear him practicing his next speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce annual conference.

There’s an old saying SOMEWHERE — exactly where, I’m not quite sure — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you, you know — the Republican mantra of personal responsibility.  Fool me — even if I’m the one fooling me — still shame on you.  Buy this hokum a third time, shame, shame, shame on YOU again.  Too bad you didn’t get it the first time.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

 

The Old Fashion Way

Economics, Politics

 

What does it say about the American economy when our memory of iconic businesses is shorter than their advertising campaigns?  Such is the case with Smith Barney.  In a September 25, 2012 press release, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management announced it would cease using the “Smith Barney” moniker even though Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman conceded, “The Smith Barney name stood for investment excellence for three quarters of a century.”  So much for standing on the shoulders of giants.  Edward Smith and Charles Barney became an inconvenient reminder of the days when clients’ interests came before executive compensation and golden parachutes.

Historical Footnote:  Morgan Stanley reached a $3.2 billion settlement for misrepresenting the risks of mortgage backed securities during the 2008 housing and financial crisis.  On second thought, maybe James Gorman had a midnight visit from the ghosts of Smith and Barney demanding he take their good name off Morgan Stanley’s label.

Image result for smith barneyYet, it is next to impossible to erase Smith Barney spokesperson John Houseman’s voice reminding us, “We make money the old fashion way,  we earn it.”  I thought about the commercial when I read Washington Post writer Petula Dvorak’s article about, “…the middle-finger salute seen around the world.”  The story chronicled how an employee Juli Briskman of Akima, a government contracting firm, had been fired after admitting she was the unidentified cyclist who, when biking past Donald Trump’s motorcade, visually expressed her displeasure with Trump’s policies and behavior.  As one would expect, the alt-right propaganda machine became more hysterical than Gone with the Wind’s Aunt PittyPat during the burning of Atlanta.  “My, my, how awful.  Such disrespect.  Is chivalry and honor dead?  Whatever will become of us?”

Now there are many issues associated with Ms. Briskman’s termination which deserve our attention.  She was not representing her employer or even on Akima’s premises at the time she exercised her First Amendment rights.  What does that say about an employer’s control over one’s private life?  How about the double standard?  When another Akima employee called a colleague “a fucking Libtard asshole” on a Facebook conversation about Black Lives Matter, he was allowed to delete the comment and remains in his senior director position at the company.  In contrast to Ms. Briskman, the poster’s Facebook page clearly identified him as an Akima employee.

But today I want to focus on the “supposed victim,” the entitled-in-chief Donald J. Trump.  His defenders were quick to point out the office of the president deserves respect regardless of the occupant.  (On yesterday’s episode of the new PBS program Mr. Obama’s Neighborhood, children are being asked “Can you say hypocrisy?”) But an office is an intangible concept.  And individuals who are respected come to that status, as Smith Barney used to claim, “…the old fashion way, they earn it.”  Something Donald Trump clearly does not understand.  Remember, he…

  • Accepted a Purple Heart he did not earn.
  • Constantly references the Super Bowl Ring he received from Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft which he did not earn.
  • Claimed to understand the dangers of going to Vietnam by comparing it to his not contracting STDs.
  • Takes credit for an American economic revival by promising everything and accomplishing nothing.
  • Brags about his net worth even though he inherited $200 million from his father.  And, if he had invested it in an indexed stock fund, would be richer than he is today without multiple bankruptcies, bilking employees and subcontractors, laundering money and playing footsie with organized crime and America’s adversaries.

You want respect Donald?  Take your own advice from your October 29, 2017 Twitter meltdown about the failure of Republican members of Congress to save you from Robert Mueller.  “DO SOMETHING!”

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP