Year: 2017

The old saying is “Like father, like son.” And it apparently both applies and does not apply to Donald and Donald Junior.

1) Running off at the mouth. Junior is the opposite in that he seems to be obsessed with telling the truth. That could be a good thing. The bad thing is that he shares his father’s stupidity in that he doesn’t know when to shut the hëll up.

Junior released on Tuesday an email chain in which he was offered damaging evidence by a British journalist in relation to Hillary Clinton during the election, and was informed that the material was Russian and confidential. Now: the law clearly states, A foreign national shall not, directly or indirectly, make a contribution or a donation of money or other thing of value, or expressly or impliedly promise to make a contribution or a donation, in connection with any Federal, State, or local election. Did Junior therefore realize that information is a thing of value and therefore turn it down? Of course not. He said, “I love it.” He flat out admitted that he was contacted and embraced the entire concept.

Yet experts are divided on whether this acceptance constitutes a crime, because…well, because he’s GOP, really. If the situation were reversed and the exchange had been with Chelsea Clinton, Trump’s forces would be up in arms, the GOP would be shouting “Lock her up” every time Clinton (any of them) showed their faces, and Trump himself would be condemning her every hour on Twitter, instead of declaring his support for Junior.

One really wonders what, if anything, was going through Junior’s head. One is forced to the conclusion that he really doesn’t understand that what he did was wrong. It’s a foreign government. It’s the Russians. Anyone with a brain in his head would have known to write back, “No thanks,” and be done with it, but he embraced it.

What a freaking moron.

2) One is the loneliest number. I loved that a picture was released of him at the G-20 conference where every other world leader is engaged in discussion and Trump is sitting by himself alone. Could you imagine Obama sitting by himself and everyone else steering clear?

Did he do anything right? Maybe. At a press conference, he stated, in regards to his decision to pull out of the Paris environmental accord, “Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords, let’s see what happens. If it happens, that will be wonderful, and if it doesn’t, that’ll be OK too.” That is maddeningly vague, but some are seeing it as a hint that he might be thinking of reversing his decision to pull out of the agreement. Granted, it’s amusing that the one positive thing he did was hint that he might overturn his own stupid decision, but one gets one’s triumphs where one can.

PAD

Well, Trump has been fairly quiet this week, but some things have been occurring around him that are, honestly, pretty dámņëd funny.

1). When in the course of human stupidity…. Some years ago, a reporter sent around the script of “Casablanca” to a bevy of agents and producers to get their opinions without the title attached (I think he used the original title of “Everybody Comes to Ricks.”). While a handful recognized it for what it was, many were disparaging of it, relentlessly criticizing the script for the greatest film ever made and saying it simply wouldn’t be successful. Well, this week we had the chance to see American cluelessness at its most divine. NPR, as it does every year, had famous people assemble on July 4th to read the Declaration of Independence. They also tweeted it, line by line. And ignorant Trump supporters (or as we should more properly call them, Trump supporters) attacked. Without recognizing what they were reading, they declared that NPR was calling Trump a tyrant and demanding revolution. It was a delightful orgy of bone chilling ignorance watching dedicated Americans taking the words of Thomas Jefferson, written two and a half centuries ago, as an assault on Trump. Bad enough that William Shakespeare is being condemned for writing a play five hundred years ago that is being interpreted as a Trump attack, but our own country’s Declaration? Seriously, what the hëll?

2). No room at the inn.. Donald Trump can’t get a hotel room at the G20 summit. Let me repeat that: the President of the United States can’t get a room. For some reason–either deliberate or incompetence–his staff failed to get him a reservation at his preferred hotel, and by the time they realized it, every other hotel was booked. Put aside that he’s the president; a guy whose business is running hotels couldn’t find a place to stay. How freaking hilarious is that?

Did he do anything right?. Any week where he does nothing is a good week.

PAD

I watched “1776” with my signed Broadway Bear of William Daniels’ John Adams next to me.

You know, I’ve done two community theater productions of that show. I’ve played Colonel McKean and Richard Henry Lee, which is the best role in the show. But I’m thinking now I’d love to play the representative from New York, because I’d do it with a New York attitude and accent.

Morris of New York: “Newyawk abstains…coiteously.”

Secretary Thomson: New York abstains.

Morris: (shouting) Coiteously!

PAD

This has been an interesting week for Trump. Most of the stuff that was developing, while it was related to him, didn’t involve his actions directly but instead stuff resulting from him. Perhaps because he was bored, he then decided to step in and be an áššhølë personally so he could get our attention. Let’s start outward and work in.

Continue Reading “Freak Out Friday – June 30, 2017” →

It’s been a relatively quiet week for Trump. Aside from his usual litany of idiotic tweets and his speeches to crowds as he is apparently already running for a second term, Trump has been rather sedate. But that doesn’t mean stuff hasn’t been going on.

1). Keep it to yourselves. For the first time in my memory–maybe anyone’s–the White House has declared that henceforth press conferences will not be televised. Because that’s what all fascist regimes do: they endeavor to operate behind closed doors whenever possible and keep everything to themselves. The administration has been at war with the free press since before Trump took office, and this is just another attempt to separate themselves from the public learning what they’re doing. Not only that, but they probably figure that they can then deny anything that the press says by claiming No, that didn’t happen, it’s just fake news. And if the press broadcasts excerpts in their news broadcasts, the White House can just claim that they were taken out of context. Very slick maneuver that will undoubtedly play to the Trump supporters.

2). Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. So the Senate finally unveiled its hidden health care bill, the one that they rushed through in secrecy, doing all the things that they falsely accused Obama of doing. Unfortunately the early reports indicate that it is not only no better than the House version but that it is actually worse. Billions gone from Medicaid while the rich get a tax cut. It’s so bad that several GOP senators have already said they won’t vote for it, and considering they don’t have THAT huge a majority, that would seem to kill the chances of it being passed. And the support for it among the American people is non-existent.

Yet the GOP could actually salvage this mess. Here’s how: The GOP pulls itself together and votes it into law.

And then Trump vetoes it.

It’s a win/win situation. The GOP manages to do what they said they were going to do and vote to overturn Obamacare. And then Trump gets to be the hero by declaring, “No, this bill is terrible and I must save the people from it.” The American public would absolutely love it. See! See! Trump is fighting to protect us! His sagging poll numbers would skyrocket. Sure, the Senate would take a hit, but everyone hates them anyway, so the damage is minimal. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see it pan out that way.

Did he do anything right this week? Didn’t do much of anything, which for him is a win.

PAD

You know, I don’t seem to remember every single week of Obama’s presidency being remarkable for something incredibly stupid or opposed to the best interests of the American people. But each week of the Trump presidency has brought new waves of stupidity, either from him or those who serve him. It’s really rather remarkable.

Continue Reading “Freak Out Friday – June 16, 2017” →

If you have not yet signed up for my Patreon account, now would be a good time to start. I have posted the first chapter of my autobiography, “Mr. Sulu is Grabbing My Úš.” Available to $20 participants, the first chapter introduces the circumstances under which that happened, my participation at the Friar’s Club roast for George Takei, not to mention how I wound up getting Sulu’s first name of Hikaru into canon and my attendance of his wedding. So if you want to get on board, go here.. Thanks.

PAD