Honorable Men, Dishonorable Decisions
Senator Bob Corker is crying out: “the emperor has no clothes!!” He is calling out the President of the United States, questioning his fitness for office, and even going so far as to call the White House, “adult day-care.” Corker, a Republican Senator from Tennessee, has already declared that he is not running for re-election in 2018. He, in his own words, “freed” to say what he is really thinking.
Meanwhile, the drumbeat of events designed to distract from the failures of the Trump Administration continues. Devin Nunes, the Republican Congressman who recused himself from his chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee in regards to the Russian investigation, has now announced an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s actions in 2010 regarding Russian influence in the mining of uranium.[1] This old story, falsely declaring that Russia controls twenty percent of US uranium mining, has been debunked over and over again, but is still a “big hit” in the alt-right media.[2]
President Trump is looking to recall retired Air Force B-52 bomber pilots in order to place the strategic bomber fleet back on “ready alert” for the first time since 1991. “Ready Alert” status would place nuclear armed bombers within minutes of takeoff, an action that was important during the Cold War.[3] While North Korea does not represent the threat to our nuclear weapons that the Soviets did, placing the bombers (most far older than the crew flying them) on alert status raises the tension not just with North Korea, but with Russia and other nuclear powers. And of course, it raises the tension within Americans as well.
For the second week, the President is embroiled in the “condolence call” controversy, a “crisis” created by the President himself with his comments on Monday, October 16th, comparing his actions to other Presidents. He did this to dodge a much more significant question: what was the goal of the US Special Forces in the African nation of Niger. In the midst of this, White House Chief of Staff Kelly has been forced to re-live the military death of his own son in order to “cover” the President, and forced into more controversy with his attack on a Democratic Congresswoman who was a friend of the bereaved family.
And of course, Trump has ordered the release of the redacted Kennedy assassination files. It’s not that he’s interested in the history of the event, or that Ted Cruz’s father might be involved. He’s found a way to embarrass the intelligence community, even if it’s fifty-five year old information.[4]
Distract, divert, disconcert: the Trump plan is clear. Keep the American politic in turmoil, prevent focus on two issues: the danger his continued Presidency represents, and the illegitimacy that may soon be proved.
The Mueller investigation moves on, reaching higher into the Trump administration, with interviews of Spicer, Preibus, and others. The Senate committee is also continuing, where at least one other Republican (Senator Richard Burr) making a sincere effort towards impartiality.
And in areas that are less well known, there are continued investigations into whether the actual vote itself was tampered with in key states: particularly Wisconsin and Michigan.[5] An independent group “Unhack the Vote,” raises questions about the legitimacy of the voting process itself [6], even though Mike Pompeo, Director of Central Intelligence, still proclaims that “the election outcome was unaffected by Russian interference.”[7]
The Republican leadership, despite the constant barrage of tweeted insults, continuing to try to focus on their “agenda.” Their actions smack of desperation, trying to get something done before the Presidential crisis becomes overwhelming. There should come a time when Republicans start acting as Americans rather than politicians who are so worried about their own next election. Corker, and McCain have freed themselves from the shackles of politics, and are showing that Profile in Courage. There are other honorable Republicans who need to do the same.
Two items to keep an eye on:
The Puerto Rican power grid is now in the hands of a three-person company operating out of the Montana hometown of Interior Secretary Zinke. Does it smell like a corrupt deal? Maybe..
After John McCain’s comment about President Trump’s draft avoidance do to “bone spurs” this was good for a laugh:
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-leaders-launch-new-probe-into-obama-era-uranium-deal/2017/10/24/2d7e0c5c-b8d6-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html?utm_term=.208beafec3c0
[2] http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/23/7-uranium-one-facts-every-american-should-know/
[3] http://www.newsweek.com/nuclear-bombers-poised-return-24-hour-alert-after-trump-recalls-retired-pilots-690403
[4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trump-plans-to-release-of-jfk-assassination-documents-despite-concerns-from-federal-agencies/2017/10/21/d036cf36-b65d-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?tid=pm_pop&utm_term=.a1c9fb3299eb
[5] http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/did-russia-hack-the-2016-vote-tally-this-senator-says-we-dont-know-for-sure/
[6] https://www.unhackthevote.com/tag/wi/
[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cia-director-distorts-intelligence-communitys-findings-on-russian-interference/2017/10/19/d7f8e05e-b4ed-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.5e11bffe563a
Thank you Senator Flake. While I disagree with you on almost every political issue – you sir are a man of courage.
My Friend*, I think you are being far too generous in your praise of Sen. Flake, & also Corker. It would be far more meaningful if someone who actually had the courage to stick around & fight this guy from within the GOP called the emperor out in his nakedness. As my former professor, mentor & friend Larry Sabato said, “jeff Flake is no profile in courage.”
https://www.lifezette.com/polizette/sabato-flake-is-no-profile-in-courage/
As the 2nd greatest Republican of all time said,
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
These “timid souls” are only calling out DJT upon exiting “the arena”. That is better than nothing, but hardly a “profile in courage.”
I wish another good friend of mine, who is a GOP Senator whom I deeply admire personally (even if I’m not always aligned with politically) would raise his voice and say, “ENOUGH. And if the voters want to judge me on that, let them.” So far, the closest thing I’ve seen to that on the GOP side has been Ben Sasse.
*You are truly one of my best & oldest friends; but this is also a shout out to John McCain, who truly IS a Profile in Courage.
#justiceforotto
You may be right – I am just desperate for someone with the power to do something (a Republican Senator or House Member) to do SOMETHING. So any action in the “right” direction to me is something to praise.
And I certainly agree that John McCain is doing the most in this regard – and I respect him for all of his service!!
With all of the distractions this week, bringing up more BS about Clinton, Obama and the like, I hope more will stand up for what’s right. I fear that a crisis we haven’t seen since the “Saturday Night Massacre” of Nixon’s days is upon us. And I also agree that our Senator Rob Portman should consider standing up (if John Kasich can – Portman can too!!)