By George Smith

President Trump is still saying nothing about Russia offering a bounty on American soldiers in Afghanistan.

The bounty is not a hoax. It is not fake news. The intelligence community has interrogated prisoners, picked up rumblings on avenues of communications and followed the money.

It happened and may still be happening.

Not fake news. Read. Research. Analyze.

Yet our president is silent. Why? Think of the reasons why he has not condemned our global enemy, why he has not expressed his concern and why he did not bring up the issue in a call this week with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. 

None are good. None are reasonable. None are acceptable.

The president who is afraid of nothing…is afraid. Of something. Something big. Something ominous. Something so vile that he would rather show his Barney Fife persona in a public manner than directly confront Putin.

Whatever he’s afraid of is of such magnitude he fears its disclosure more than public ridicule.

Again, whatever the “it” is, it’s YUGE!

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By George Smith

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By George Smith

Joe Biden’s choice for vice president will, in my opinion, determine the 2020 presidential election.

According to writers and commentarors, there have been more than 12 women in the running, a majority of which are women of color.

From former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to Georgia Democratic Party heroine Stacey Abrams, and  from political warhorse and favorite target of President Trump Elizabeth to Florida Sen. Val Demimgs, a former Tampa police chief, the list is impressive.

My personal preference is Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth who brings a sterling array of untouchable attributes to the free-for-all.

Duckworth is a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who was profiled in Vogue Magazine this way:

“There are so many firsts attached to Tammy Duckworth—she’s the Senate’s first member to give birth while in office, its first member born in Thailand (to an American father and a Thai mother of Chinese descent), and, of course, its first female amputee. It’s that last distinction that tends to overwhelm all the others. As a wounded veteran with a Purple Heart, she has introduced or cosponsored bills protecting the rights of veterans—and she’s been fearless in confronting the president over military and foreign affairs.
“Last January, when President Trump accused the Democrats of holding the military hostage over immigration, it was Duckworth who took to the Senate floor, declaring in a now-historic speech, ‘I will not be lectured about what our military needs by a five-deferment draft dodger.’”

Duckworth gave birth to her daughter Maile at age 50; she also is mom to daughter Abigail, 3.

She cuts an impressive figure wherever she goes, striding forcefully around the Senate Office Building on her two titanium legs or in a souped-up scooter. Imagine, just imagine, her in a debate with Mike Pence, who preaches patriotism but never served in the military. (However, more thsn once he has praised his father’s Bronze star and noted his son was a Marine.)

Duckworth was deployed to serve in the Iraq War in 2004 and lost both of her legs when her helicopter was struck by hostile fire. Duckworth became director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs in 2006, and three years later President Barack Obama appointed her assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

In 2012, she was elected to Congress, representing Illinois’ 8th District. Four years later, she was elected U.S. senator, thereby becoming the first disabled woman and the second Asian-American woman in the Senate.

Every woman on Biden’s VP list brings impressive credentials. Duckworth, however, covers a larger demographic appeal — woman of color, military veteran, decorated war hero, working mother, fiercely astute political asset and someone who would be difficult to attack on so many fronts.

My whimsical self can see this tiny package of dynamite in her first debate with up-tight Mile Pence. She is smiling, waiting patiently like an on-alert cobra, ready to strike a cautious mouse.

By George Smith

AFFH.

It’s a government acronym that may not be familiar to a lot of folks.
American Freedom Fighters for the Homeland?Affirmative Force For Humanity?Affiliation of …(you fill in the blanks)..

Actually, it’s a seldom used or seen acronym outside of the Washington-on-the-Deficit Beltway and it won’t be seen again if President Donald Trump has anything to do it.

AFFH is one of the most clumsy of all government acronyms: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

The AFFH act is a legal requirement that federal agencies and federal grantees further the purposes of the Fair Housing Act. In other words, this act is intended to ensure the federal government does what it’s mandated to do, ensure all Americans are treated fairly in the housing industry.

This obligation to “affirmatively further fair housing”  was not of the Obama Administration era, as one pundit opined; it has been in the Fair Housing Act since 1968 and is under the umbrella that is the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

President Donald Trump Sunday announced it was his intention eliminate this part of the federal housing requirements.

Anyone surprised at his decision?

The Justice Department in 1973 sued Donald Trump, his father, Fred, and Trump Management in order to obtain a settlement in which Trump and his father would promise not to discriminate. The case eventually was settled two years later after Trump tried to countersue the Justice Department for $100 million for making false statements. Those allegations were dismissed by the court.

Normally, such an announcement about the AFFH would be made by the head of HUD, which in this case, is Dr. Ben Carson, the only black member of Trump’s cabinet. But this is a race issue, pure and simple, and when it comes to propagandizing the division of the races, no one upstages the president. 

To make sure we’re on the same page,  HUD’s AFFH rule provides an effective planning approach to aid program participants in taking meaningful actions to overcome historic patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice, and foster inclusive communities that are free from discrimination.
 As provided in the rule, AFFH means “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics. Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws.”

Trump is adamant the AFFH must go because its intent is to “destroy” the suburbs (read “white suburbs”).

It’s hard not to wonder why he hadn’t focused on this act previously, based on his feelings and his steady flow of weasel-words of encouragement to white supremacists; after all, he notoriously stated that there were “good people” on both sides of the furor over examples of abject racism in America.
Trump doubled down on the race issue this weekend by declaring his staunch opposition to renaming military bases named for Confederate generals. In his famously  inarticulate manner, Trump declared bases named for Confederate generals

(like Fort Bragg, North Carolina), should not be renamed because, as he said, the U.S. won two world wars — “beautiful word wars” — with soldiers from those bases.

What Trump does not say, and neither will his Trumpuppets, is that those bases were named for Confederate generals in the 20th Century, many in the 1920’s, during a resurrection of the Ku Klux Klan in the South.

Those bases were named for traitors, and glorifying their memory by having patriots to the United States train under their names to fight to protect this county, instead of attempting to tear it asunder, is simply unacceptable.

Racism much, Mr. President?

(Whispered answer: “Every chance I get. Every chance.”)

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By George Smith

For President Donald Trump and his hinny-snugglers to attack Dr.. Anthony Fauci is as dumb as…well, ingesting Lysol to combat COVID 19.

Fauci, an American physician and immunologist who has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, should have a “hand’s-off”  policy from all-things-Trump.

To two-thirds of American voters:

— If Fauci was a television  journalist, he would be Walter Cronkite; if plying his trade on the print side, Bob Woodward.
— If he were an historian, he’d be A-listed with Jon Meacham and Doris Kerns Goodwin.
— Fauci is the Tiger Woods, the Serena Williams and the Lionel Messi of infectious diseases

When attacking a credible icon who is painfully truthful and whose intentions are above reproach, you better have proof of his shortcomings.

Fauci is the most vocal critic of the nation’s response to the coronavirus and no one —NO PERSON — has the credentials, the experience nor the passion to tackle this pandemic than
Fauci.

Trying to minimize his extreme words of caution about the pandemic’s trends is an act of abject stupidity. Dr. Fauci IS the expert on record about this pandemic killer; his words, his beliefs, his recommendations should be embraced, not diminished by hired, partisan tongue/waggers.

Instead Fsucimis sidelined and maligned and diminished in a coordinated effort to suppress his less-than-rosy prognosis for regional, national and global recovery from this highly contagious virus.

This is not only a abjectly asinine political move by Trump and Company but one which will cause unneeded suffering and death of U.S. residents.

Fauci wants to curb the pandemic as quickly as possible and save lives. The president snd his sycophants want business and schools open…economic concerns trump (pun intended, thank you) the health, the very lives of countless residents.

Trump is losing it…his status, his re-election chances, his following, and, it seems, any touch of reality he might have remaining.

Using Fauci as an economy vs. health of citizens punching bag is a no-win strategy.

Prediction: Trump gets knocked out in three (months).

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By George Smith

Words and phrases I thought I would never use to describe any person, much less the president of the United States.

1. Compulsive liar.

At some point in time, it is my belief, every politician bends the truth, omits information or downright lies to create a picture of competence and invincibility. Trump lies knowing he will be caught…and doesn’t care if he i. He simply lies to excuse the lies.

2. Feral pleasure. 

That’s what President Trump appears to feel when is on the attack. There is a lack of basic humanity, of empathy, of soulful emotion as the man attacks opponents or anyone, really, who challenges his errant thoughts and actions. Otherwise, how can his attack on women, minorities, the disabled snd even Gold Star families, his serial lustfulness deigning his marriages be tolerated by his supporters?

3. Greedy beyond redemption

In TrumpWorld, everything — EVERY SINGLE DECISION — boils down to money. Trump’s actions are all geared toward enriching himself, his family and his “friends” to the point that corrupt acts become a part of business-as-usual. His goal in every venture, from building resorts and casinos to setting up a charitable, non-profit foundation to starting  a “university” built on a platform of fraud, lies and deception, is to take money from anyone and put it in his pocket. To him that is his water, his air, his life,

4. Corrupt to his core

Every decision Trump has made as president has a bar code blaring “corruption”.  Two examples: Immigration — Private companies, many donors to his campaign, have made hundreds of millions from this self-declared “crisis”.

Trump’s “Wall” — Again, contracts awarded to private companies connected to donations, and corruption-squared in undermining environmental concerns for a birder barrier which has already been proven does not work.

5. Overt racist:

Donald Trump identifies with white privilege and does little to hide his disdain for minorities, the poor,’ and immigrants from “s***hole countries.” 

He identifies with “white” groups — White Power, White Nationalists — and has made public statement shoring up his unsavory views.

6. Ignorance is a virtue

Having an ego-centric personality is not an attribute. To Trump, it (along with power and money) is what drives him. He prefers ignorance over experience, subject matter experts and facts; he believes his “gut” decisions are better than any data, facts or historical reference. Trump utilizes the “Big I” philosophy: “I” know all and know best. It is hard to imagine him NOT kissing his image in the mirror the start of each day.

This is the man running our government. And, President Trump is being propped up and enabled by supporters that either believe his churlish spiel and juvenile behavior is appropriate for the nation’s highest office or they have a personal agenda that is benefitted by his being in office.

Either way, this president is a global embarrassment who has almost single-handedly undermined democracy, destroyed his political party and torn the always-fragile national social fabric asunder.

Hopefully, after November’s election, Donald Trump will be just a presidential footnote to history. May we learn from this busted experiment in political theater and never, ever feel a compulsion to repeat it.

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By George Smith

Yeppers. Day started off okay. Good, in fact.

Then a old acquaintance from my youth in East Texas decided to pipe up and make a case on my FB page why Donald Trump is being persecuted for doing his job, giving him credit for the economic strides for the first two years of his first term. He is a upfront Trump supporter and while I admire his “loyalty,” the lack of evidence presented of Trump’s competence in any area of political competence is appalling but expected.

There is no logical reason (except for the singular area of the extremely personal emotion raised by the abortion issue) why anyone would defend the corrupt and self-serving actions of Donald Trump.

This is the post on my page that has my blood pressure red-lining:

“…Trump is blamed for everything, the economy is better than it has ever been so let’s just blame Trump he can take it Obama and Biden had 8 years to do something and they did nothing but fill there own pockets, not a president has been treated like trump has and he is still trying to help the American people, But no one is perfect, all the Dem want is to investigate and spend tax payers money instead of doing there jobs.”

Trumpuppets don’t live in the real world, but in a world of soundbites and ludicrous memes and hoax posts on alt-right hate sites or blabber-words from the bilious bile-filled brains of the Rush Limbaughs of the world. They pay apt attention to the hare-mongers who focus on division of the people— of political parties, of races, cultures, issues, religion, sexual orientation… and, add your own items here.

(To keep it real, hardcore liberal members of society can be just as ignorant, just as mean-spirited, just as adamant about the righteousness of their positions. That also makes them just as wrong.)

The point is, this man whom I have known since 1955, man is lost to me. He lives/exists in a world that is of his own making; it exists in his mind and the mind of his ilk.

He is an enabler of the worst president of the 44 that preceded him. History will be the judge. And history will not be kind to his ardent supporters for they are on the wrong side of it.

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By George Smith

There are those who believe I am “obsessed” with the mercurial “Me Donald” doll that happens to be president of the United States.

Please remember: I would have very little word-fodder with which to work concerning Donald Trump if he did not constantly draw attention to himself by doing, saying and tweeting stupid combinations of unvetted words.

You know, like the actions that resulted in this headline; “Trump wages war on CDC over ‘tough’ school reopening policy after lashing out at Dr Fauci”

What could the president possibly be thinking? Attacking HIS administration’s national disease control and Dr. Anthony Fauci, who, in polls, is one of the most trusted people on the planet when it comes to pandemic advice? What rational thought-path ended at that metaphorical cliff?

Trump wants the nation’s schools to open next month. Period. Paragraph. The president hisownself wants schools open, regardless of the coronavirus status, regardless of the Center for Disease Control  guidelines, or feelings of various state officials, school boards, teachers or parents.

Is it clear that Trump wants the schools open, just like  he wants stores and businesses open, and just like he wants to have full-blown “Trump Luv” rallies, just like he wants the virus to disappear.

What Trump wants, he wants…and fully expects to get. Do not try and insert reality into the conversation; it is, as Lightnin’ Hopkins decreed,  just a dead skunk in the middle of the road, a bump, a mere hiccup.

This egocentric man-baby, in his mind,  is not living in the real world that is defining 2020. His off-of-the track slot car mind is laser-focused on giving the economy a shot of optimistic adrenaline, believing that his edicts will halt COVID 29 and that — like a hopeful sigh…Ahhhhhhhh — everything will be back to normal.

(Sound of snapping fingers.)

“Donald. Donald. Mr. President! Please wake up! The country NEEDS you!”

But, sadly, it seems not in the cards for President Trump to obtain a level of knowledge and a sufficient degree of empathy to understand that this country is in the throes of a medical crisis of gargantuan proportions and a companion economic pandemic that has brought the country to its knees.

Record bankruptcies, big chain stores shuttering across the country, residents dying in record numbers…with no end in sight.

All this, and our president is casting blame to any and all the will o’ the wisps that could damage his re-election chances. This week he even  threatened anyone, including state and school officials, who will not follow his decision to reopen schools regardless of the virus status, of local situations, of health officials’ advice.

The nation is not well. Neither is its president.

Isn’t it time — no, past time — for members of his own party to confront him and persuade him to resign for the good of the country and the Republican Party.

Do I believe he will resign? Not for a minute.

Do I believe the Republicans in Congress will confront the president? Collectively, the GOP bloc in Congress has the combined backbone of an  eggplant.

So, here we are. The only ones who   can change this path of national self-destruction are those reading this column and those of a like mind.

Vote in November to end the Trump reign  and oust His enablers up for re-election.

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By George Smith

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By George Smith

The most recent national verbal dust-up caused by President Trump opening his tweeter is about the right of every citizen to vote in open and free elections.

Federal and state governments, if  shareholders believe that all eligible  people should be able to vote in any vote in any election, should make it easy for folks to vote.

Instead, in the national game of “Suppress the Vote of The Opposing Party,” no trick is too dirty, no late-night state law change is unethical, no excuse to put up deterrents to open voting for those philosophically opposed to a specific group voting is beyond the possible.

From outright discrimination to selective tactics — poll tax, intelligence tests, gerrymandering, disabling voting processes, closing voting sites — discrimination aimed at diluting the voting power of specific groups has always been a part of American political history.

Controlling or funneling votes of the
opposition is not limited to the GOP of Donald Trump in 2020, it’s just that the ham-handed tactics of Trumpeters in suppressing opposition voters is just so blatant. (In 1975, Arkansas Democratic Party legislators gerrymandered a U.S. representative district that included a county as far north as one abutting the Missouri line and as far south leaning on Louisiana and Mississippi. (See map in comments below.)

The GOP is 2020 is against voting by mail … now. In 2016, the day party heavily promoted absentee to its base.

Now, however, GOPers are pulling out all stops to squeeze the life out of opposition voters.   Absentee voting is bad, too much chance of fraud; voting with a valid ID is the only way to ensure registered voters cast ballots; dramatically shrinking the number of polling locations will hold down turnout; blasting TV, radio and social media ads negatively listing possible problems (from pandemic exposure to violence) negatively affects turnout.

Changes are needed on a national basis to ensure every single eligible voter is encouraged  to vote and energized to do so.

—Change dates for election to encourage maximum participation by all eligible voters: 1. Major elections moved to Saturday; 2. If on a weekday, general elections become a national holiday; 3. No-excuse absentee and/or mail-in ballot available for every eligible voter; 4. Mandate a voting location for every (x-number, to be determined) registered voters.

Can the U.S. be a true democracy without ensuring and encouraging every citizen to vote and making it easy for them to do so?

And your answer is…?

Below: 1976 gerrymandering of Arkansas 1st Congressional District held by Democrat Bill Alexander contained 80 percent of the state’s minority population.

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