Trump's "Enemies List"--and Mine

I am unalterably opposed to injustice, racism, scapegoating,
violence, murder, wars of mass destruction (--Syria, etc.),
Oligarchies (the Koch Brothers most particularly), cruelty,
ignorance, saber rattling  and...

--Ah. So the above-said is MY enemies list; anything that
disturbs people needlessly and threatens our existence will
land on that list. Anything which demonstrably takes us
further and further away from any putative "civilization" we
supposedly have had on Earth earns a spot there as well.

What of the Don? Rumor hath it he possesses an enemies'
list, presumably peopled by anyone who has roundly
critiqued him or even simply disagrees with him. This bears
further checking, but the Trump's Twitterverse engagements
are strong indicators. "Kelly Kelly" recently publicly "warned",
watch what you say. Will the next U.S. administration spend
most of its time launching libel suits to protect the Trumpster's
already self-tarnished image, largely ignoring the nation's
business? --Stay tuned.

Anything of a negative policy nature will occasion my calls
to various members of our U.S. Congress; anyone of
a frankly unqualified, inimical bent recommended by
Trump heading to the Senate for confirmation must
engender more calls by me to them. Letters from those
of us who object to much of  Donald's agenda may/may
not be effective, depending upon numbers. Petitions,
hundreds of which I have signed over the years, are,
sadly, the least effective means of making change.
--Ditto demonstrations, especially the dramatic,"fun"
ones.

Future refinements of my enemies list will also tally
every stupid and destabilizing mistake the Don,
"Kelly Kelly" and crew make.

Questions, objections and suggestions:
Do you want our Republic to be more democratic?

Then act, please. Happy 2017.

Israel's Nitwit Netanyahu Can't Even Count--Witness His Riposte to Secretary of State Kerry

Many of us applauded John Kerry's eminently reasonable account
of why a Middle East "Two State" solution will be fair to all, will
become the linchpin to peace in the region. He made his remarks
shortly after the United Nations censured Israel (yet again) for
the increasing Israeli settlements encroaching evermore into the
Palestinian people's land. The signal vote by the U.S. to abstain
was a first, firmly underscoring what several administrations have
advocated, namely, a two-state solution.

In his swift, accusatory anti-U.S. reaction, the 'Yahoo Nitwit
couldn't count, claiming Israel has existed for "...nearly a hundred
years..." --REALLY?  In 1948 Israel proclaimed its existence as a
state; we are now entering 2017, not 2048. The man can't count!
(69 years is not nearly one hundred.) I wish our current president
had shown his claws even earlier, but better late than never, as the
old saw has it.

Netanyahu has openly often disrespected Mr. Obama. One
egregious example: by going  over his head and addressing our
U.S. House of Representatives with the low-class assistance of
then House Speaker Boehner, quite the boner.  Some in Israel
feel it is their "divine right" to request and accept many millions in
aid from us, yet dictate our Middle East policy. This is a no-go
theorem if I ever saw one. There are always obligatory ties to
any generous purse strings; whoever ignores such reality risks
rebukes and further unfavorable reactions.

--My reaction? It is time to play hardball with Israel, particularly
Nitwit Netanyahu. The USA did not place Jews into internment
camps, has steadily supported the national aspirations of the
Jews. It's clear they are taking us for granted. Were I king, I
would sharply cut back monetary and military aid to Israel, see
just how "self-reliant" they are, which they are NOT. The people
of Palestine had no genocidal role in WWII, were victimized
by imperial Great Britain in the 1921 Balfour Accords, etc.
They are understandably unwilling to be squeezed out of
existence, although Yasser Arafat and others played into their
opponents' victimizing hands by trenchant violent overkill.

Both President Elect Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are
evincing attitudes reminiscent of Naziism and Fascism.
--Say, boys, are you aiming toward such a legacy?

Meanwhile, Netanyahu, learn to COUNT.

Chicago Cops: New Year's Wishes: We Wanna Have Our Cake and Eat It Too

According to FOP boss Dean Angelo Sr. But my above-said
is an analysis: police union members actually remarked that
they don't wish to be held accountable for "hot mike" mistakes
--rude or inappropriate remarks while at work (Courtesy of
The Chicago Tribune, December 29th, 2016). --REALLY?

Apparently most of these officers have never heard of Marilyn
Moats Kennedy, a job counselor and author. Career Knockouts:
How to Battle Back was one of her most telling works. Among
many good bits of advice, this is the one that applies most
importantly to the police (and anyone working with the public):
I've paraphrased her here: " Your employer does not want the
real you. They require you to be professional, do your job well,
keep your personal proclivities and life away from the job."

Most educated American adults understand that they must
exhibit good manners/behave well in any public setting,
although that number is currently declining; witness the rise in
rioting on airplanes. Working with disturbed and/or out of control
perpetrators or others means keeping one's cool, sticking to
the issues at hand, yet exerting control. This, of course, is hardly
easy, so Chicago's screening test to weed out undesirable police
department applicants who want to be low class like the perps
while on the job MUST be scrapped and re-written, period.
Character counts!

It seems that too many cops haven't risen to the occasion
while at work, feel far too comfortable, "free to be me"
sentiment allowing such officers to say they don't want to
be responsible for their actions... so, quit already! We need
better than that in our troubled  neighborhoods and situations.
Meanwhile, Mr. Angelo quotes such ridiculous complaints
publicly, having had a tone-deaf approach to the public about
his FOP members long since. He attended a forum claiming
he had never been to one before, but I saw him at two different
ones, so....

The holiday celebrations are just about over, including having
one's cake and eating it too. It's high time for all adults holding
responsible positions to resume proper behavior...

Especially the FOP's whining police.

[P.S.: most Chicago police officers are doing a difficult job
well. I'm zeroing in on those who are not displaying the
best attitude to carry out their duties. Sadly, more than
three or four fit my critique; bad behavior by cops then
affects actions on the street and on the beat behavior of
any suspects. Why isn't this realized by everybody??]

Trump's Kelly Conway: Confuse and Conflate?

Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly....(Wow, the Don's version is no smarter
than the eponymous blond of fame on fictional "Cheers". Too bad
this one serves an unqualified president in a nonfictional reality.)
Evasions, explanations and obfuscations aside, if the safety stakes
weren't so high, I'd have to laugh at the extreme tangents to truth
taken by "Blondie" and her boss...

But she does have one thing going for her, however: Kelly Conway
is the epitome of the "Stepford Wife" (see similar-titled movie)
when queried by the media; cool, calm, collected, nothing ruffles
her composure, never mind that she gives no cogent answers to
questions. It may take some weeks before even those who voted
for and supported Mr. Trump realize how calamitous a choice he
is and will be. --"Maverick", anyone? When that describes Senator
John McCain, he is often praised; for fellow "republican"
Rumpster, it merely means out of control, uninformed egotistical
blundering--of an Armageddon-level threat.

In a recent interview, Ms. Conway rebuked criticism of Trump
as attempts to "confuse and conflate"...which astounded me, as
that is EXACTLY what "Kelly, Kelly" does, utilizing projection
and  displacement (a turning the tables scapegoating), a long
and well-understood phenomenon in Psychology.

..And yet, she holds a B.A., a J.D. and owns her own polling
business, so, on paper, she seems eminently qualified for many
professional posts. Interestingly, she won a Blueberry Princess
Pageant, from whence, I surmise, springs her "Stepford Wife"
public persona.

Sadly, No "Cheers" for this "dumb" blond and her cohorts,
or the Electoral College, whose members cared more for their
own prominent positions in the Republican Party than the nation,
voting accordingly. Her spokes-person cool notwithstanding,
the Don's dangerous plans to build our nuclear arsenal anew
has re-awakened wary and weary fears all around the world
--at an all-time, ill-timed moment on the international stage.

What's next? I can't wait. Meanwhile, I'd better rejoin
the Twitterverse, just to keep up. Can Conway con
her way into America's heart? Citizens, stay tuned.

P.S.: OK, her first name is really Kellyanne, but before
she was so famous, I had seen it simply spelled "Kelly",
which I will (obstinately) keep to..."anne" I ain't kiddin'.

Trump Travails: The Don's DC: Draining the Swamp and Replacing it with a Sewer

As promised in the last post, I checked on Trump's personal
lobbying background, finding that many of his advisers are, in
fact, dedicated  lobbyists. (Thanks, Washington Post, CNN,
60 Minutes, et al.--I was woefully behind the Don info curve!)

If any of you think a swamp stinks, try a sewer, which is about
to be DC, if it isn't already one. --A place where all bets, rules,
regulations, precedents are dumped (Trumped) in favor of
whim, ignorance and greed. Chauvinism's chaos propels us
ever closer to a weakened national reality-- the rest of the
world watches warily as we lurch into one dangerous action
and faux pas after another.

How Trump and others can equate worldwide business experience
with expert diplomacy is beyond me--and anyone else who has
studied history as well as current events...the two skill sets are
NOT congruent! Their missions and goals, diametrically different,
presuppose purposes, policies and approaches at odds with each
other. ExxonMobil  CEO Tillerson now put forward as our next
secretary of state is the best example of this highly dangerous and
mistaken philosophy.

The smelliest stink right now concerns conflict of interest charges
being lobbed at the Don from many quarters; his children are
on his transition team, will, supposedly, be running his far-flung
business interests. What expertise/brilliance do any of the Trump
offspring possess to be on any high-level political transition team?

Training by Trump is not what diplomacy and statecraft require;
apparently, the Electors who gave the next presidency to Trump
in defiance of the popular vote seem to think so...not forgetting
the millions who did vote for the Don, blithely ignoring the many
law suits against his practices, the failed and not accredited
Trump "University", his trashy, misogynistic remarks caught
on video, his anti-Muslim rhetoric, his treasonous urging of the
Russians to hack Hillary's website also captured electronically.
The CIA suggests the exhortation was successful; the Obama
White House claims to have been aware of  the hacks into the
DNC but offers a lame, if purportedly high-minded reason for
not intervening--rubbish!

If any of you decides to play tourist, traveling to DC, be sure
to pack some face masks--you're gonna need 'em....

Memo to Trump and Putin: We Are NOT the Union of the Russian-American Republics

--Nor will we be, take that to the bank. In spite of the less-than
properly informed public here in the USA, we will not passively,
idly stand by while Russia tries to take us over by sleight of hand,
shrewd hacking into Ms. Clinton's and the Democratic National
Committee's websites, (according to CIA statements, an already
accomplished fact) OR the Don's attempt to pack his cabinet
with arch-conservative business leaders.

For the third time, with feeling:

Trump appeared on network news some weeks ago actually
encouraging the Russians to hack Hillary--how can he walk
THAT back, other than to say he was way out of line? I have
been terming that little performance as treason, and so it is.
He has nominated several men to his cabinet with far-too-
intimate "business" ties to both the Ukraine and Russia,
few of which possess prior diplomatic or legislative
experience, save for former Texas Governor Rick Perry,
not known to be an intellectual heavyweight, and a lone
congressman or two.

Trump himself has had no legislative experience unless one
counts lobbying, which one wonders why more regarding the
next president's actions about his lobbying interests isn't widely
known. He simply has to have had real estate lobbyists to
DC in his employ; I'll check.

We will rise to the occasion and do what must be done
to scotch Trump's irresponsible, blast-to-the past policies
and appointments, to avoid  Russian entrapment as well.
Better late than never, especially given that Russia et al.
perceive the U.S. as weak, ripe for the the taking, obviously.
Back OFF, Ukrainian  Airlines, Putin and any fellow travelers!

Russia is still the largest nation on Earth by virtue of
landmass; the U.S. is the fourth. Isn't being the biggest
enough for you? Really, Russia, why don't you pay more
attention to your own people, problems, territory and
resources, leave Syria and Assad alone, stop smarting with
shame over the demise of the Soviet Union?

Despite trashy Trump and  putrid Putin, two of a kind,
Russia is not annexing our country--we must resist, resist,
RESIST. But to do so requires an awakening America.

--About time, no??

RiotFest and PTR, Inc. Executive Sean McKeough Dies at 42--No Cowardice on His Set List of Life

How to count the many ways Sean McKeough shined, short
life notwithstanding? He was a polymath: a genius in his options
trading life, his music life, and yes, personally. His generosity
on an individual level was legendary and grand, giving jobs to
many, gifting many with presents beyond any recipient's
wildest dreams, especially anyone hard hit by misfortune.
His kindness was not that of merely writing a check; he put
himself into his giving.

The Chicago Sun-Times, The Chicago Tribune, Billboard,
Rolling Stone and more--over twenty publications, online
as well as hard copy-producing, paid homage to Sean, chiefly
reprising his RiotFest founding and quoting personal testimonials.
These were all touching and inspiring, yet most of those I read left
out his remarkable business acumen, rising through the ranks
from runner at the CBOE to partner in PTR, Inc., a firm in the
S & P pit at the CBOE. The wealth he justly earned fueled
his musical fest promotions, band reunitings and, of course,
the always- mentioned generosity.

Kudos to the Chicago Sun-Times and Maureen O'Donnell
for a more well-rounded obituary... thank you! But it wasn't
until I read one last personal comment that I finally realized the
full measure of  the man: Sean was standing outside his Cobra
Lounge with a  friend when they noticed several guys beating
up on only one other--Sean commandeered a few men from
Cobra and they all intervened, breaking up the unfair fight.
Sean couldn't stand to see anyone suffer, jumping in, even
risking his personal safety.

So, Sean McKeough, here's to you:
No cowardice on Sean's set list of life!

Trump Dumps Decorum and Established Presidential Procedures--AGAIN

So, what's wrong with reaching out to another nation's leader?
Evidently, everything: Not yet in power, Trump jumps the gun
and gives Taiwan's president a friendly little buzz, quite ignoring
the "one China" U.S. policy dating back to 1979, a concept
made possible after President Nixon's historic visit to China
in 1972. (I still have mixed emotions about that one.)

China has formally protested to still-President Obama and
other officials here, stating the incoming president is jeopardizing
relations between the two world giants. Stomping into
power in a tone-deaf, ham-handed manner will not assist
our country on the world stage; it matters, despite all the
bluster of  Trump, his supporters, swaggering ignoramuses,
alt-right aficionados and practitioners among the elected.

China vs. Taiwan gaffes aside for the moment, mistakes
mount up every day for the DON; if knowledge is power,
ignorance and intransigence ruin effective efforts by the
powerful. DT's cabinet appointments, from Defense to
Health and Human Services, are the stuff of the revanchist
delusional. It seems that the USA is blasting back to a
more unenlightened past, say the late 1940s though the
1950s...a deadly error, as this is not a few years after
the U.S. "made the world safe for democracy".  We
no longer bask in the glow of winning WWII--not after
71 years.

I have previously written my opinion of the Donald
as a trashy, super rich blunderer despite his billions
(--Three or ten? He still has not released his IRS
income reporting/tax returns. Hiding his financial
situation smells, period.). He may be shouting less;
he may seem somewhat conciliatory, i.e., sane;
he may even have a good idea or two; but he is still
the same man who said all the things many of us
cannot forget, misogynistic, racist and irrational
things--accompanied by his psychotic-seeming
facial expressions.

The Don dumps decorum and gravitas at every
turn, embarrassing every intelligent American adult.
...Safe and Happy Holidays? Not on your tintype,
apparently.