Cuomo Needs to Resign, Here’s Why

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s troubles are reaching a saturation point with the public and many congressional Democrats, who are demanding that he step down. As more women come forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, the more comical his refusal to resign becomes. These revelations come after data from the New York Department of Health revealed that Covid deaths in nursing homes were underreported by as much as 50 percent, leaving out deaths of patients that had been transferred out of nursing homes to hospitals. This discovery alone should be enough for Cuomo to resign. However, he denied that there was a discrepancy and refused to take responsibility, calling it a delay in reporting.

Since the election, which ousted Trump from the Oval office and ushered in the Biden Administration, the polarization of the American people is more prominent than ever. Many on the far right continue to push unfounded claims of a stolen vote, and the far left appears to still be gloating at President Biden’s significant, yet hotly contested, win. Biden is walking a fine line as he attempts to promote his unity message, and has said nothing about Cuomo’s scandals.

Biden has worked hard to promote his $1.9 trillion Covid relief package, and has been vocal about promoting the role of women in his administration, so his silence seems weird – and intentional. Several members of Congress, as well as New York mayor Bill DeBlasio and others, have made it clear that they believe Cuomo needs to resign.

Cuomo, who has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, appears to be taking a page out of his playbook. The Trump Administration ran roughshod over government and individual accountability over the last four years, denying wrongdoing for obvious transgressions, covering up scandals, and eroding public trust in our democracy. Democrats have made it quite clear that they would make (GOP) politicians accountable for their corruption. By logical extension, this should apply to all politicians, and many Democrats appear to be willing to apply that to members of their own party. Cuomo, on the other hand, is doubling down on his self-righteousness, defending the grievous gap in nursing home Covid deaths and expressing hollow regret for his actions toward the women he allegedly harassed.

Democrats have tenuous control of Congress, and Cuomo is endangering the delicate balance. He is handing the GOP the ammo it needs to wrestle back control in 2022. The New York state Assembly has authorized an impeachment investigation in an effort to remove the stain of his alleged misdeeds before they become permanent. That will take time, however – and more accusations may come forth, making Cuomo and the Democrats look even worse. This is as close to a guarantee that the GOP can grab back control of Congress as one might get.

Cuomo needs to acknowledge the scandals, express true contrition, and step down. He can make the hard choice, or have the choice made for him. His ouster – whether by resigning or impeachment – is inevitable.

Similar article: Being Incarcerated with COVID-19… What They’re Not Telling Us

An Attempt at Redemption in the 11th Hour

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One question keeps playing over and over in my mind. Was it worth it? Four people are dead. More than 60 people arrested, and 50 police officers injured is the direct result of the onslaught on Capitol Hill. I keep asking myself: Was it worth it?  

As I sat and watched, alongside the rest of the world, Trump followers under the guidance of their (cult) leader, ripped through the Capitol to terrorize Congress members, and attempted to derail the vote to certify President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory. Chaos ensued and members of Congress were forced to shelter in place in order to avoid the dangers that awaited them just outside of their doors. All I could seem to ask is “was it worth it?” Was the violence worth it… a culmination of years of lies and propaganda put forth by the President and backed and promoted by the GOP worth the attempted slaughter of our democracy? 

Here we are, now at the end of an anarchic assault, members now wanting to chastise the President’s inciteful actions and we, the American people, are supposed to just accept that? 

I’m not impressed by the sudden change of heart of those Republican Senators whose intentions were to object to the certification, but now decide to move forward with the vote. I’m not impressed by the statements of Senator Lindsey Graham now wanting to publicly state that President Trump’s actions were reprehensible. The fact that Graham is “embarrassed and disgusted” does not absolve him of his involvement, quite frankly, his redemption song is bullshit. We won’t forget. Americans won’t forget.

I find myself wondering how this country can become unified when those who helped launch this attack will ultimately not see consequences for their actions? Senator Graham, Senator Cruz, Senator Hawley, and the like put themselves and their own political self-interests first.

In two weeks’ time, the nation will usher in a new administration, yet we’re left with members of our government who are just as culpable? What are their consequences for fanning the flames to literally overthrow our democracy? As the calls for Trump’s removal increase, so should the removal of those members of Congress who have aided and abetted him in his thinly veiled attempt to turn our democracy into a totalitarian dictatorship.        

This 11th-hour redemption by GOP members is nothing short of a failed hail mary. I only can assume that these new condemnations come with the hope that the American people will overlook the roles they played in the embarrassment and shameful acts that took place on January 6, 2021. The American people should NEVER FORGET what they tried to do to our democracy. As the new administration prepares to take office on January 20th, our nation can begin to have hope in our Democracy again.

Similar Read: My Reaction to the Storming of Capitol Hill

The Grinch that Stole Christmas – Trump & The GOP

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2020… over 300,000 deaths and over 19 million cases of COVID-19. A year has been taken away from millions of Americans because of poor leadership. Trump and the GOP’s bad leadership is not the cause of COVID-19, but there is no doubt that bad leadership (and the lack of good leadership) has been the cause of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Businesses have shut down, hotels, tourism, and restaurants have lost revenue. A stimulus relief bill was passed by the Democratic House of Representatives… in May 2020, but GOP refused to help American families. Late spring, Congress passed a one-time $1,200 stimulus and never released another stimulus. I’m honestly not sure if the GOP cares about people’s long-term finances, and their mental and physical health as well. Americans (who needed it) quickly went through that $1200. There is no way $1200 would have survived the remaining of the year. You do not need an Economic Class to know that the longer the debt, the bigger the debt, and Americans are hurting.

GOP math seems to believe that if you give people a one-time $1200 or $600 stimulus, despite most American’s living check to check, it’ll be enough to make ends meet. The President ironically put a halt on the relief bill, claiming all of sudden he is for a $2000 stimulus relief payment instead of $600. Meanwhile, millions are unemployed and that number increases by nearly 1 million jobless Americans a month. Americans are still being told to stay indoors and socially distance if or when they leave the house, avoid non-immediate family, and be safe. Some are nervous about becoming homeless, losing their cars, and how they’ll eat every day. But on Christmas Day, South Carolina’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was golfing with President Trump. Meanwhile, by the end of the day on Saturday, December 26, 2020, millions were faced with losing their unemployment benefits, and on Dec 31, millions will lose eviction protection and the Government shuts down if not funded. 

Over 26 friends of President Trump were pardoned by the President. Many who have pleaded guilty and even murders were pardoned and the GOP is silent. Russia hacked in the government departments and GOP is silent. Trump used Georgia’s Run-Off election for personal financial gain with zero amount going to Georgia Republican candidates… and GOP is silent. In December 2020, the GOP voted to defund the state Police Departments after they campaign just the opposite. We’re constantly seeing that the GOP never has the interest of the everyday American at heart, instead, their personal benefits, which includes the wealthy. GOP has failed the American people in almost every area… healthcare, wages, infrastructure, funding for schools, hospitals, small businesses, homes, immigration, Civil Rights, and more, and as a result, this Holiday Season has probably been more stressful and tense for Americans than ever before. A time of the year usually meant for peace, celebration and cheer, has been literally stolen by the GOP. The Grinch that stole Christmas… that’s the GOP.

Similar Read: Trump and Smokers

GOP Hypocrisy Laid Bare

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Mitch McConnell intends to have this Senate vote on Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s replacement for the Supreme Court. Trump is planning to announce a nominee as early as Monday before RBG is even laid to rest.

This is in direct opposition to statements that Senator McConnell and other Republicans made in their defense of the historic blocking of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland.

Of the many statements made to justify their unprecedented (yet legal) stonewalling, only one needs to be brought forth as evidence of the clear hypocrisy, dishonesty, and inconsistency of the means the GOP used to attain its ends:

“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president,” McConnell said.

This was 11 months before the 2016 election. The 2020 election is already underway.

Many Republicans expressed dismay at the dangerous precedent it would set to not only block the nominee, but to refuse even a debate. Lindsay Graham said, “I want you to use my words against me. If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination.”

There is bad faith here. There is deceit.

If McConnell and the GOP are more focused on war and victory than peace and compromise, they will be sad to learn that those who live by the sword also die by the sword.

Consequently, if a Trump Supreme Court pick is rushed through the confirmation process before the next Presidential inauguration, and the Democrats win back the Senate and Presidency…

The 2021 Democrats should balance the Supreme Court and appoint two additional Justices. They should also approve statehood for The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to gain four more senators. These are legal maneuvers and turnabout is fair play.

Similar Read: The Legacy of Notorious RBG – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

What the 2019 Election Results Say about 2020

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Tuesday night’s election results have been spun by every pundit to project onto the 2020 presidential race. When put in context, some of the highlights are relatively meaningless. Matt Bevin’s loss in the KY governor’s race is not an accurate representation of the political dynamics in Kentucky. Bevin has repeatedly appeared on the list of the most unpopular governors in the country. It says something about the strength of the KY GOP to nearly carry an incumbent with a 2:1 unfavorable rating to a near tie with the setting Attorney General who is the son of a popular former governor. It also says something that the GOP swept the rest of the statewide races by landslide margins, including the election of the states first Republican (and African-American) Attorney General. In Mississippi, the Lt Governor defeated a popular 4-term Attorney General. People can quibble about the margins in these races, but the real story is not what happened in Mississippi or Kentucky. The election results that matter occurred in Virginia. 

For the first time in nearly 3 decades, Democrats control every statewide office and the state legislature. The political trend in Virginia has benefitted Democrats, but it is a similar trend in other states. George W Bush carried this state by 8 points in both of his elections. Before the 2006 election, the GOP had large majorities in the state legislature, both senate seats, and 2 of the 3 state constitutional offices. The growth of the DC metropolitan area in northern Virginia has fueled the blue resurgence, but the tide in suburban areas is a growing threat to Republican electoral prospects.

In the initial post-mortems of the 2016 elections, the media focused on the rural midwestern counties and communities that flipped from Obama to Trump, but they overlooked the counties and communities that flipped from Romney to Clinton. For all of the blue-collar working-class White voters that broke the Blue Wall of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, there were just as many college-educated middle-class Whites and Latino voters in suburban districts that stayed just beneath the media radar because it did not flip a Romney state to Clinton. While Trump’s margins in working-class states across the Deep South and Midwest were incremental improvements over Romney, he did significantly worse in Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. 

We are witnessing a seismic political reorganization around new issues that shatter the red/blue narrative that has lingered since the 2000 election. Some issues like abortion and guns will not be affected by this shift, but others like immigration, trade, and global relationships/competition will become the new litmus tests. States with a heavy reliance on international commerce and immigrant labor like Texas and Arizona will continue their transition into purple states, while rustbelt states with a skepticism of global influences like Kentucky, Iowa, and West Virginia will continue become more red. 

John Edwards spoke of ‘Two Americas,’ and while he was technically right, his analysis for why this exists is not. The ‘Two Americas’ are not necessarily the right vs poor, it is urban/suburban vs rural and old vs young. States with growing senior populations and states that have fallen behind in the technology revolution of the last decade are the real base for Trump’s political party. As the percentage of college grads increases, Trump’s grip on the state decreases. This trend started under Obama, but Trump has accelerated it. It also means Trump’s coalition cannot win a national election, but like 2016, it is possible for his opponent to lose it. 

Similar Read: The Trump Doctrine: What Ukraine Says About Trump’s Foreign Policy

My Fellow Republicans, We Need to (Finally) Have This Talk

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Dear Fellow Republicans,

This is not something I want to do. I’ve hinted about this for years, but my pleas have fallen on deaf ears. This is not something pleasant to discuss, but it is long overdue. I am not doing this because I feel pressure to please ‘the other side’, it is because my faith has convicted me to speak out, and when you feel the Holy Spirit leading you, this message will reach the people it needs to reach.

For too long, we have allowed a darkness to linger in our party. During the early Bush (43) years, we ignored it. In fact, most of our party leaders tacitly confronted it. Fueled by a growing evangelical movement that was less partisan and more racially diverse, there was a movement in the Republican Party to build upon the gains made in previous elections with minority communities, especially the Latino community. George W Bush rode this momentum to two terms by capturing Hispanic-heavy states like Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, and Nevada. Then something changed, and it opened the door to something that spread like wildfire and has a chokehold on us at this hour. 

It started with several protests that lead to the defeat of Bush’s comprehensive immigration reform. Anxiety about border security was stoked daily by national talk radio hosts and personalities like Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. A so-called conservative uprising, fueled by resentment to millions of people who were here illegally, seized control of the party and set the table for something far, far worse. Opportunistic political candidates leaped at the chance to further stoke this anger for electoral success.

Dan Patrick was a provocative state Senator from the Houston area. He owned a talk radio station, and he had a talk show on the channel. Perhaps the most infamous event his show is remembered for is getting a vasectomy on his live show. In 2014, he challenged the sitting Lieutenant Governor, David Dewhurst, and two other statewide elected officials in the GOP primary. His candidacy, fueled by Tea Party-affiliated groups like Empower Texas, was built upon one slogan, “Stop the Invasion!” He ran ads of people with darker skin climbing over a fence to further stoke the smoldering embers, and by the time the TXGOP convention came around, he was received like a rock star, completely overshadowing every other speaker. 

One year later, another media personality with his own show used the same template and rode it to the GOP nomination and the White House. He took the foundation that Dan Patrick and others had laid and built a national campaign that convinced rural people in midwestern states that illegal immigrants were crossing the border to rape and destroy our country. Now, most Americans believe we need competent border security. In the post-9/11 world, our national security is not negotiable. This does not mean we need to scapegoat groups of people. 

Originally, the consensus argument was, “We support legal immigration, not illegal immigration.” Never mind the intermixing of the terms ‘illegal immigration’ with ‘immigration’, this was the party line used to deflect claims of xenophobia or racism. Then over time, there was a backlash against legal immigration as well. When deciding on what kinds of immigrants we should prioritize (skilled, unskilled, college-educated, etc.), the same people oppose any changes or increases because immigrants would drive down wages. Basically, we are ok with people coming here legally, but we are going to put up every roadblock to prevent you from coming here. Last October, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) released a survey that measured American attitudes towards immigration. Some of their findings are startling, though not surprising.  They found that “74 percent of Republicans think immigrants are a burden, while only 35 percent of Democrats do.” The generational divide on this point is also significant, with 62 percent of seniors believing immigrants are a burden, but only 32 percent of young Americans. As the Republican party sheds young professionals and college-educated voters to market to older White working-class voters, these attitudes are solidified in the party’s structure. 

In the last 15 years, I’ve had a front-row seat watching the progression (or regression) of the party from a suburban, middle-class party with an interest in Hispanic voters to an older rural, working-class party who openly questions if the person speaking Spanish at the booth in the coffee shop in town is here legally. The reality is the racial and xenophobic anxieties were always there. Party leaders like the Bush family, John McCain, and many others did a good job at diffusing these impulses, or at worse, muzzling them. With the rising influence of social media, these anxieties have been fed by talk show hosts like Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, and Lou Dobbs. When you combine it with daily Twitter diatribes from the President, you have a nearly unbreakable support system.

Now I realize that many of you have stopped reading out of anger, and some have created new profanities, and most believe I am a gutless RINO sellout. I also owe you an apology. When I saw these cancerous symptoms a decade ago, I did not actively confront it. I would mention it bothered me on a Facebook post, but at political events, I normally walked away instead of pushing back. I let my political ambitions trump what I knew was wrong. I would defend the party against outsider attacks because while my team has its faults, it is still MY TEAM. I knew one day this intervention would have to happen, and the tragedy that took place at the Walmart in El Paso was the final straw.

The terrorist responsible is a 21-year-old man from a middle-class Dallas-Fort Worth suburb that is best known for having the most expensive high school football stadium in the country, and it is the home of Kyler Murray, the 1st pick in the NFL Draft this year. This person drove 600 miles to a majority-Hispanic city because he wanted to ‘Stop the Invasion’. From what has been discovered from his social media activity, he was inspired by the terrorist that executed 9 people at the church in South Carolina, and he was a passionate believer in the anti-immigration rhetoric used by our president. No, I do not believe the President is liable for the shooting, but it needs to be a wakeup call. A mentally disturbed racist using identical language of one of the most powerful political figures in the state, killed fellow Americans because he was blinded by hateful rhetoric that is used interchangeably by many political activists and elected officials. 

In the youth group room at my childhood church, there are walls painted by students as an expression of what it means to be a Christian. On the wall behind where my youth pastor would preach is a school of fish pointing one direction, with one fish facing the other way. Sometimes, you must buck peer pressure because your peers want you to go along with something you know is wrong. Right now, this could be that moment, and I accept that.  

I will leave you with this. Ask yourself this one question. Is an illegal immigrant a human being? I am not asking what you think needs to be done to solve this complex issue. This is a simple yes or no question. If you asked this question on your social media account, will your friends and allies be able to answer this simple, basic question? If your answer is ‘yes, but…’ or anything other than a simple ‘yes’, you have successfully dehumanized a group of people. If you call yourself a person of faith and fail this simple test, you need to ask yourself what idol you are actually worshipping. The world and this country needs a vibrant, healthy Republican Party. We cannot treat or ignore the symptoms any longer. We must treat the disease instead. I am under no illusion that the treatment will be tough, and the immediate side effects will not be pleasant, but we can choose to take our medicine and start the recovery or let the disease kill us. The choice is yours.

 

Your loyal friend,

 

Luke

NP

2019 State of the Union Address: Fact or Fiction

by with No Comment FeaturedGen ZPolitics

Various news organizations and media outlets analyzed the SOTU transcript. 

According to the U.S. Constitution, The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

President Donald Trump gave this address to a polarized Congress on Feb. 5, 2019, after a 35-day partial government shutdown – the longest in U.S. history. Topics covered included his continued call for immigration reform to the strong economy to the record number of women serving in Congress. 

Starting off his agenda, Trump states he wants to “reduce the price of health care and prescription drugs, to create an immigration system that is safe, lawful, modern and secure, and to pursue a foreign policy that puts America’s interests first.” According to POLITICO, the Trump administration has indeed lowered those costs, particularly on prescription drug prices.

Immigration reporter Ted Hesson confirmed Trump’s claim that in two years he has launched an “unprecedented economic boom.” The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported the U.S. gross domestic product has increased 4.2 percent in the second quarter of 2018, but Hesson added former President Barack Obama surpassed that level four times during his presidency.

We get into a sticky situation when Trump says unemployment has reached the lowest rate in over half a century. Politico staff counter this with links to articles that say in September, unemployment fell to 3.7 percent, the lowest it has been since December 1969. Last month, the unemployment rate was 4 percent.

Trump used his usual rhetoric towards illegal immigration from Mexico, “As we speak, large, organized caravans are on the march to the United States.” The Atlantic criticized President Trump for not devoting more time to speaking on Afghanistan, trade with China, or Venezuela. They reported he “devoted 463 words to immigration and 180 to the wall—a total of 643 words on a subject where he is bound to lose.”

Looming over the State of the Union address was the approaching Feb. 15 deadline to avoid another government shutdown. PBS Newshour reported Democrats have refused to accept Trump’s demands for a border wall, Republicans are increasingly unwilling to shut down the government, and the GOP does not support his plan to declare a national emergency if Congress won’t fund the wall. 

Trump continued by stating, “Year after year, countless Americans are murdered by criminal illegal aliens.” He brought Deborah Bissell, a woman whose parents were burglarized and shot to death in their home by “an illegal alien.” The couples granddaughter Heather and great-granddaughter Madison were also present. Politifact reported there is no quantitative proof specifically documenting how many U.S. citizens have been killed. This is because we do not have a national database on murders committed by immigrants in the country illegally. 

A striking display of applause from female Democrats dressed in white in solidarity for the suffrage movement came after Trump’s comment that women have filled 58% of the new jobs created in the last year. “You were not supposed to do that. Thank you very much,” Trump joked after the freshman congresswoman erupted in applause.

The internet more specifically erupted at the manner in which Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi clapped. Pelosi, who remained seated for a majority of the address, rose to her feet and clapped at President Donald Trump’s call to end the “politics of revenge.”

Although the Washington Post said Pelosi’s clap wasn’t sarcastic, it still made for some fantastic memes amidst the 82-minute speech.

A detailed fact check of the entire State of the Union address can be found at POLITICO.

Blood on the GOP’s Hands

by with 2 Comments Uncategorized

The massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland this past Valentine’s Day has brought forth a debate, the same one that comes up after every mass shooting in recent memory. The issue of gun control is a hot-button; it ignites so much passion on both sides of the aisle that it’s hard to get past the rhetoric and the finger-pointing and the conspiracy theories to see what’s really going on.

The National Rifle Association has been blamed for the rising number of people killed by firearms, including assault weapons – rifles designed for the sole purpose of killing many people in the shortest amount of time with minimal effort. Supporters fight back, citing the Second Amendment, unwilling to give even one inch of ground, for fear of creating a slippery slope of bans, regulations, and limitations.

I’m not against gun ownership. I come from a family of law enforcement officers, and have owned firearms myself. Most NRA members are in favor of responsible and sensible gun laws. I am; however, against owning guns designed for offensive and systematic mass murder. 

The Constitution is vague by design, and can be interpreted in a number of different ways. It’s this vagueness that has made the NRA extremely influential in US politics, and the reason assault rifles and other non-civilian firearms are sold in such vast numbers. While a handful of Democrats have taken money from the NRA, the vast majority of recipients are Republicans.

But this is the tip of the iceberg. Just under $6 million was directly donated to candidates’ campaigns during the 2016 election cycle. The bulk of the NRA’s influence is due to outside, or independent spending –  terms that encompass expenditures for everything other than lining a politician’s pockets. A case in point, an October 2017 Politifact article reveals that the NRA spent more than $200 million on political activities since 1998. Other spending includes promotional efforts, totaling about $250 million per year. 

The NRA didn’t start out as the perceived supporter of murder and mayhem, as some gun control advocates might believe. The humble beginnings consisted of a group of apolitical hobbyists who supported gun safety and responsible gun laws. Some events appear to have changed the focus of the NRA to a lobby for the GOP – the 1966 University of Texas shooting that killed 17 people caused a furor of calls to ban guns, with an equally passionate defense of gun ownership. The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, among other violent events, resulted in the 1968 Gun Control Act, which started a tug or war between the NRA and gun control advocates, and served to start the ideological path of the association to the hard right. The Cincinnati revolt of 1977 also widened the chasm between sensible gun ownership and rabid Second Amendment defense. 

Membership numbers swelled, which put the NRA on the path as a lobby with money to promote its ideology. Currently membership is around four million members, but donations by members, corporations (including gun manufacturers) and other political entities are significant. Total annual donations by individuals totaled $22 million in 2014.

It’s easy to see how the NRA morphed from advocate for firearms education and safety to radical right-wing lobby, willing to halt any and all legislation to regulate firearms. Let’s call a spade a spade – the NRA doesn’t care about the multitudes of adults and children that are killed by bullets. They relish it – gun control proposals make membership surge, and causes a spike in gun sales. It seems that after every massacre, the NRA gains more power.

However, the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida seems to have given rise to a movement that has the potential to give the NRA a taste of humble pie. These kids are sick of active-shooter drills, and hearing the NRA offer “thoughts and prayers.” They will be the ones in office in just a few years’ time, and are likely to change the face of gun ownership for decades to come. 

Trump’s Tax Bill Might Destroy the Middle-Class

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Inside the numbers… According to a recent WSJ Poll, only 24% of Americans believe this is tax bill is a good idea and 41% think it’s a bad idea; 63% of Americans think it’s designed for corporations and the wealthy, and only 7% think it’s designed for the middle-class, which has been a Republican talking point over the past few weeks.

As this recent poll states, this tax plan is highly unpopular.

Without going into grave policy detail… this tax plan will absolutely benefit corporations and wealthy individuals more than the middle-class. It will increase wage inequality and shrink the middle-class, sending more households to the lower class and fewer to the upper class. Also, this tax plan repeals the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act. According to the CBO (Congressional Budget Office), a nonpartisan group of economists, roughly 13 million people will lose their health insurance due to repealing the mandate.

What Republicans are not telling us, excuse me, what they’re not admitting, is that they know trickle down economics doesn’t work. They also know that corporations likely won’t hire more employees or increase wages when these tax cuts are signed into law, instead, they’ll reinvest in their businesses, buy back stock, and give out record bonuses to their top management and c-suite executives. While this tax bill adds $1.5 trillion to our national debt, they’re already planning on proposing huge cuts to entitlement programs in 2018_ all while 6-7-8 figure earners, as well as select groups like real estate developers and private equity professionals, benefit from these massive tax cuts.

With all that being said, Republican’s brilliantly designed this bill to have an immediate positive impact on most middle-class households [short-term]. But considering the personal tax provisions are set to expire in 10 years, it’s important to note that the business tax cuts will not. Therefore, the positive impact for corporations and the wealthy [in the long-term] is astounding and much greater. For example, in 2027, two-thirds of middle-class households will see a tax increase in their personal income taxes, and none of them will see a tax cut.

By design, this middle-class tax honeymoon will surely last long enough to surpass the 2018 mid-terms and 2020 presidential election. However, can Democrats capitalize on recent big wins in Virginia, New Jersey, and most recently Alabama, and pick up enough seats to challenge Trump and maybe win the White House? IF Democrats can somehow win the House and Senate, and the White House in 2020, can such a massic tax bill be easily reversed, or amended to thwart such a negative long-term impact on lower and middle-class households?

Trump is NOT a Racist… He’s Worse

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Trump might NOT be a Racist… He could be something worse.

Trump appears to be a megalomaniac who unconditionally supports whatever group or individual who supports him. 

So far, he has targeted the most fanatical and unwavering groups of voters: 

-Pro-Gun

-Anti-Immigrant

-Pro-Religious Freedom

-Anti-LGBTQ

-Pro-Police (Regardless of Brutality)

-Anti-Black Lives Matter

-Pro-Military Expansion

-Anti-Globalism

-Pro-Big Business

-Anti-Government Programs

-Pro-Birth

-Anti-Planned Parenthood

-Anti-Tax the Rich

-Anti-Universal Health Care

He targets these people because he knows that:

1. They will never waver in their support for him, regardless of his egregious mistakes.

2. They are very disciplined voters. 

Only 58% of Americans voted in 2016. That means Trump only needs 29.1% of the country to support him and actually vote. Trump does not care if 70.8% of the country is for or against an issue, so long as his positions line up with the 29.1% of people who will definitely vote for him (his base). 

But to think that Trump is a racist because he supports the Alt-Right or other blatantly racist organizations is a mistake. Trump supports anyone or anything that supports HIM.

If everyone in the Black Lives Matter movement supported Trump and voted for him unconditionally, he’d say (and at least pretend to do) whatever they wanted him to. As it were, Trump does not see this group as obtainable, loyal to him, or worth pursuing so he goes after the lower hanging fruit: the fanatical, simplistic White Nationalists who don’t require much persuading to gain full support (just some coded, “dog whistle” type statements that they hear loud and clear as supporting their cause while everyone else is skeptical of the true meaning).

If Trump knew that he’d be unconditionally backed by:

-Pro-Gun Law Reform

-Pro-Immigrant

-Anti-Religious Infiltration of Public Institutions

-Pro-LGBTQ

-Anti-Police Brutality/Discrimination

-Pro-Black Lives Matter

-Anti-Military Imperialism

-Pro-Globalism

-Anti-Big Business Monopolies/Deregulation

-Pro-Government Programs

-Pro-Planned Parenthood

-Pro-Taxing the Rich

-Pro-Universal Health Care

He’d support THOSE groups instead… (in other words, he’d be Hillary Clinton: another megalomaniac who definitely could have been the subject of this writing had SHE won).

This recent DACA flip-flop is remarkable evidence of Trump’s neglect for any real values and gravitation towards whatever he thinks will make him appear more favorable. Perhaps he doesn’t feel supported by the anti-Dreamers in the GOP as they have not helped him create any meaningful legislation since taking office. Consequently, Trump sees a victory for himself as siding with the Democrats who support DACA because together they might create the first success of his tenure in office (even if he completely trashes a hallmark value of his campaign and Presidency: getting undocumented immigrants out of the country). 

But this is the dangerous thing about power and politics. These men and women don’t necessarily believe in anything. They just want your vote, your money, your supportive social media posts, and your shaming and harassing of the people who oppose them. Maybe integrity, honesty, and consistency should rank above policy when choosing the next leader of our country. 

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