Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Monday, February 6, 2017

Gaga and Melissa Rule


     Americans have experience with this idea. A quick look follows-but first tribute to two Americans who rocked the super weekend.

THE MOST VALUABLE
      Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer is destined for the SNL Hall of Fame. The unannounced star and her skit were a devastatingly hilarious take down of the White House press secretary. The video is already a classic.
       The Super Bowl champion is Lady Gaga. Her beautiful patriotic opening atop the stadium was ample politics before she dropped and tumbled into a stunning explosion of song and dance. As good as was the game it was secondary to a production and performance by the extraordinarily talented and perceptive young artist. "We Were Born This Way" is an anthem and at this time in our history carries even more power.  

America first?
       There's a good chance Trump had no idea the America First movement and slogan is an American artifact. 
       It was one of the oddest amalgamations of Americans and one of the shortest movements in our history.
       Founded at Yale in 1940 it was a movement to pressure the United States from entering the second World War. It lasted barley more than a year but was the largest anti war organization in history. It boasted diverse members, Republican and Democrat Senators, wealthy business leaders, writers, poets, political activists and had nearly 1 million paying members in 450 Chapters. 
       Associated with America First were future presidents Gerald Ford, John Kennedy, a future Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, future Peace Corp director Sargent Shriver, Walt Disney, Gore Vidal, novelist Sinclair Lewis, poet EE Cummings, Frank Lloyd Wright, actress Lillian Gish, political activists as diverse as Charles Lindbergh and Socialist Norman Thomas, members of the House and Senate from both parties.
        The group disbanded three days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. If the current occupant of the oval office read, or studied history he probably would have struck another slogan to hang his shortsightedness on.


THE TRUMPET
news for a post-truth world
      Rest easy Americans, the Donald's got this covered. He and the master counselor Bannon remain one step ahead by use of their blitzkrieg of disruption.
      As heads spin at the production line executive orders the strategy of diversion is working well. As the crooked media react and try to keep up with the Tweets everybody is forgetting about all the other fake news

  • the still pending charges and accusation of sexual assaults. There will be no Clinton moment in this White House. 
  • the non release of his tax returns and his claim "I will release them after the audit."
  • the first failed military operation and US fatality
  • the excoriation on Goldman Sachs instead of his appointment of five Golman Sachs to his team
  • People have already forgotten he has no previous foreign policy experience, no government experience. Not a problem. Look how he's handled Mexico and Australia. Plus he's got good advisers, like Kellyann Conway who is fortunately recovering from her near death experience in the Bowling Green Massacre.  
  • Ethics advisers to George W. Bush and Barack Obama claim trump has not gone "nearly far enough" to absolve himself from potential conflict of interests
  • The Donald will still benefit financially from his business interests while president-but why shouldn't he. He's above the law.
  • There are stricter ethics rules in place for his cabinet members than for him-but why shouldn't there be?
  • The President is the sole beneficiary of his Trust and he can revoke the trust any time. Now that will help make America great again huh? 


         At $400,000 a day it will cost American tax payers $548,000,000 to keep Melania Trump in New York City for four years.

           Or one wonders why shouldn't the first lady be on hand at the White House? One wonders if the old man is as wealthy as he claims to be, why not pay for it himself? 
            Or why not sell or license images from her modeling career to pay for it?

             Wonder what Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird Johnson, Barbara Bush, Bess Truman, Mamie Eisenhower, Rosalyn Carter, and a few other former First Ladies would think? Until now would you ever have wondered how those former firsts would rock a bikini?
            Yep,  Make America Great Again!

         See you down the trail.

10 comments:

  1. Spicer's comment on SNL's Melissa McCarthy's hilarious bit indicates that he doesn't a have clue about what satire is.

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    1. You are right. But you could also have inserted the period and ended the sentence before the word about.

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  2. The only thing that's going to turn our politics around will be when Trump's policies begin hurting the poor uneducated people who believed his hate filled lies and they turn on him, which is a common fate for tyrants.

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    1. I think we may be on a track to see that eventuality. I read a post last evening that quoted a Minnesota woman who voted for Trump as saying she regrets it now.
      I wonder how many people are suffering this form of buyers regret?

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  3. There is an effort to hold a national general boycott on February 17 to protest the fake Trump presidency. See f17strike.com. I've made inquiries about a possible strike event in Cambria or SLO, but so far have heard nothing. Too bad it doesn't seem to be getting enough traction. A national strike that significantly disrupted the economy would definitely get Trump's attention.

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    1. Would it carry the impact of a 2X4 over the head? An old Arkansan, who would know, said that is how you get the attention of a jack ass.
      I would pay to get in a ring and go 3-6 rounds with the vulgarian. That is probably the only legal way I know to smack him. Maybe the general strike would offer a similar release.

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  4. Another great piece Tom. I am betting on either Mr. Minority President either quitting or being impeached before his four years are up. Lots of chaos between now and then, but doubt that this will end any other way. Keep up the good work!
    Ralph

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    1. Thanks Ralph-It is a bit mind blowing to think we are less than a month into a Presidency and there is a growing consensus about something of the sort of which you speak.

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  5. I've noticed the pro Trump asshats I work with have really toned it down since the inauguration. One guy who was really over the top about the Donald's win has been silent. Not. A. Peep.

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    1. Buyer's remorse perhaps. I think even some of his supporters realize how flawed and boorishly child like he is.

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