Legitimacy?

    The scope of the American divide was clarified in California when Governor Jerry Brown defied the "alternative fact" reality of the Trump regime. It also cast new light on the questionable legitimacy of the new presidency.

    Noting California is the sixth most powerful economy in the world he said this state "is not turning back now, not ever."   He called for courage and persistence as California continues to work on climate change, health care and assistance to emigres.

    "We have heard the blatant attacks on science. Familiar signposts of our democracy-truth, civility, working together-have been obscured or swept aside," the Governor said.
     He quoted the Woody Guthrie anthem, This Land is Your Land including an oft deleted verse,
       "Nobody living can ever stop me,
        As I go walking the freedom highway;
        Nobody living can ever make me turn back
        This land was made for you and me."

alternative legitimacy 

       A fact Kellyanne Conway or her boss can not deny is the minority status of the regime. Yes he was elected by the electoral college as is legal, but it is also true he was clobbered in the popular vote and it is true he was rejected by establishment Republicans. But the real factor as to his legitimacy or lack of it, is his disconnect between facts and the lies he spews. As he has done historically he denies reality. Many, if not all, of his followers believe him. They live in a fantasy land, constructed by deceit and ignorance.

        Most of his followers think unemployment rose under the Obama White House. It did not. There has been record job growth. He paints the bleak picture of America gripped by crime and carnage. Crime rates have dropped dramatically, despite the tragic mass shootings empowered by the NRA and its belligerent disregard of America. The economy is not in ruin, it has been on a record setting period of growth, following the near depression. There are more disconnects. In fact the lies are well reported but his supporters are disconnected from truth, they believe their liar in chief.

        Will those who supported him come back to reality? The man now refuses to release his tax returns though he promised to. He is moderating his hardline on deporting illegals. He railed at Goldman Sachs and used Hillary Clinton's connection to the firm as proof of her corruption. He has now designated 5 Goldman Sachs alumni as key members of his team.

        His team includes predatory lenders, crooks who made the life of his "ignored" supporters a hell.  There is the ever charming Conway who claims there are "alternative facts." Here's one, she was reportedly in a fist fight at one of the inaugural balls. How's that for class?  It appears his press spokesman Sean Spicer has saved his job, for the time being. After the weekend tantrum his first regular briefing was more civil and traditional though he too had trouble with facts. He refused too acknowledge that unemployment, as reported by his federal regime, is at a low of 4.7. Spicer said Trump doesn't look at statistics. 

      Perhaps the most festering problem is his bosses continued conflict of interest. What is at the core? There are credible sources who suggest that Trump is mentally ill, in the grips of a narcissism so powerful that he really doesn't know the truth or in his predatory mind doesn't think it applies to him. As he has said a few times he is next to God in ability. The ego maniac in chief may well be so far out of touch he is in fact a danger and at least illegitimate.  How many times can you lie at the rate he does and not be too sick to hold office?  

      The lies and disconnects are warning signs. Yet we live in the "post-truth" world where your opinion matters as much as the truth or facts. I used to think the dire pronouncements about what catastrophe he could bring were over started. Not now, now that so many devotees of the vulgarian refuse to believe the truth. He's perfect for the so called freedom caucus who want to destroy the government. He and they are a disease in the American body.

fresh and healthy

    

   

        Aside from the obvious success of California's economy and a Governor, respected by Republicans and beloved by Democrats the other good news is the ending of the 5 year drought.

     Growing up in Indiana I was used to hard rains, something I had not seen here on the California central coast until this year.

   In five days we had 6 inches of rain in our Phillippi gauge on the ridge. Our total for the year is almost 27 inches. In some places there is evidence of the saturation.

     As we move forward in these uncertain times I can't help but wish a man with the judgement, balance, vision, experience, governing skill, bi-partisan support and character of Jerry Brown was leading this nation. For those of you majority of Americans who worry about the miscreant freak who sits in the oval office, know this western Republic will have your back.

    See you down the trail. 

FREEDOM SEASON IN THE AGE OF A BUFFOON

     Living in the Midwest I envied those who lived where they could grow their own lemons and oranges. Looking upon our small lemon tree and seeing fruit brings an endless joy.

let freedom ring

   On this day in 1791 the people of Virginia ratified one of this nation's greatest tools. The Bill of Rights went into effect upon their vote. 

     Those rights and freedoms so enumerated have been the heart and soul of the Constitution, the very bones of our Democratic Republic.  For 225 years Presidents, Senators and Congressmen have come and gone, but the nation has been better served by the principles of our government encoded in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 

  Maybe it is only more gas bag grandiosity of his inner carnival barker or his ignorance, but the President elect has loudly said things that would impinge on basic rights-his remarks about flag burners being just one instance. He says stupid things and he lies, frequently. 

   Thomas Friedman called him "reckless" as he surveyed cabinet nominees. A "prehistoric cabinet" he wrote, people whose attitudes about climate and environment pre date scientific data and facts. Indeed there are facts in this world, though, Donald Trump disagrees while also ignoring that the national defense establishment and intelligence community consider climate change a global threat.

   California Governor Jerry Brown has indicated the nation's most populous state and 5th largest economy in the world will fight a "reckless" administration that signals stupidity will be the clubhouse pass word. A clubhouse being stuffed with billionaires committed to fossil fuels, even those who presided over suppressing data about climate change, who would eliminate departments they will lead, who have been on the payroll of big oil and who are cozy with the very Russian government that launched a digital 9/11 on our way of choosing leaders.

     I hope those who voted for Trump, especially those who did so because they thought no one heard their pain about job loss and home foreclosures realize their president elect has nominated two men to run his economy who were the kings of foreclosure and did so fraudulently. Secretary of the Treasury Nominee Steve Mnuchin and Commerce designate Wilbur Ross have been accused by legal sources, media and Wall Street insiders as having committed fraud in running the "Great Foreclosure Machine." Predatory lending, buying and stripping companies-eliminating jobs and selling for profit are their history. Mnuchin spent years at Goldman Sachs, who Trump pilloried with Hillary Clinton. 

     Trump said he was a friend of coal miners but Ross ran a company that operated a mine where 12 miners were killed after many safety violations and complaints. Did Ross do anything for the workers? Yes, he cut their benefits and later fired them. How about draining the swamp eh? Feel good about your choice of candidate now?

    A friend with a wicked sense of humor gave me this cap as a gift. Notice where this America Great hat was made? China.

    Donald Trump is a narcissistic liar, a buffoon and an ignoramus. We know that. And so did the minority of Americans who voted for him. Trump can be explained; a spoiled rich boy, tabloid romeo, screw everybody deal maker looking out for himself. He was surprised that he won. What is a challenge to understand is how anyone, even those who hated Hillary, those who felt ignored, those who were angry with the republican dominated gridlock and/or the democrat President's aversion to old fashioned politics, how any of them could vote for such an inexperienced, lout despite warnings from former Presidents, national security experts, those whom he cheated and those whom he sexually assaulted. The evidence is public. I understand how Steve Bannon and his minions of racists, xenophobes, misogynists, and white supremacist nationalists would like Trump. 

    We knew and now we know even more profoundly how reckless and dangerous the choice was. We won't accept this as normal or as anything but a danger. Most American voters know this. I wonder though when those who voted for Trump, hoping that he would make it better, understand they not only wasted a vote, but put in play a plutocratic political scheme that will do the opposite of what he promised and could spiral us into a dangerous vortex.

     Rick Perry at Energy?! That would have been a great sketch on SNL. Instead, the joke's on us. 

    This is Trumpworld, a land of lies, cheating, assault and 5th grade buffoonery. No wonder Putin wanted the buffoon in the Whitehouse. 
      Maybe it is time to take CALEXIT seriously. How I wish this nation could be led by Jerry Brown. 
      And how grateful I am, the Bill of Rights give us the power to fight tyranny. 
      See you down the trail.