ofthisandthat Weekly Letter to the President |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Custom Search
Copyright © 2017
ofthisandthat.org. All rights
reserved.
ofthisandthat.org. All rights
reserved.
| Questions and Comments backfire@ofthisandthat.org |
INAUGURATION, January 20, 2009
Drunk in its stale air
For two hundred years.
Fettered in mind and body,
The soul, the safe escape
To let me breathe the cries
Of my heart singing
Tears of mel-an-choly.
Drunk in its stale air
For two hundred years.
Fettered in mind and body,
The soul, the safe escape
To let me breathe the cries
Of my heart singing
Tears of mel-an-choly.
The tears flow free today
Washing the stains of blood
And sweat in brotherhood.
Raise the curtain then an'
Let the world look in
On this promised land --
We breathe free today.... almost.
--- Arshad M. Khan
We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.
--- Native American proverb
--- Native American proverb
July 14, 2017 (posted July 17, 2017)
Mr. President: Today, July 14, is Bastille Day. It is the day when the common people
of France, despairing their grievances would never be addressed, stormed the
Bastille It was a turning point for the French Revolution, and is celebrated annually
with parades, fireworks and general festivity.
This year the salute at the military parade down the Champs Elysees was taken jointly
by the new President of France Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald
Trump. France is the U.S.'s oldest ally -- the French navy and French troops helped
American colonists defeat the British and achieve independence over 240 years ago.
The two leaders have one significant fact in common: both took on their political
establishment and won; Trump even took on the media. Both now are happy to
partner against ISIS in Syria, and both favor better relations with Russia. Trump had
a two-hour meeting with Putin at the G-20 meeting; Macron met with Putin twice, first
at Versailles and then again at the G-20.
Trump also talked trade with Macron and even suggested something new on the Paris
Climate Accord.
Does anyone remember 'the October surprise', the 1980 election scandal where the
Reagan campaign is purported to have struck a deal with Iran's Khomeini to delay the
release of American hostages until after the election. It sabotaged President Jimmy
Carter's own deal with Iran's moderate president Banisadr. In comparison, Trump
returned home to another storm in a teacup.
Some Russian promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. He met with Donald Trump Jr. and had
little to offer. As these things go, the Russian was probably enhancing his own
business status by appearing close to the Trump family. The Democrats are back
screaming Russian interference in the election. Question: Would Hillary's people
have followed up on such an offer?
Meanwhile, the long trail of corruption reaching back to Arkansas and how Hillary
miraculously turned $1,000 into $100,000 trading commodities, a significant figure
when her husband was earning about a third of that amount, and many other
questions, will continue to dog her. How about the trade confirmations necessary for
tax purposes, and something anyone with a spouse in politics would keep to establish
propriety. These would surely prove her claims.
Hillary and Bill Clinton have earned $153 million from speech making. In a July 31,
2015 Rolling Stone article, former President Jimmy Carter is quoted as saying, the
U.S. "is an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery." They pay their money and get
what they want. It is no longer the democracy that made this nation great.
By the way, the Jimmy Carter Center is not sitting on billions collected for a
foundation. It has nearly eradicated river blindness (Guinea worm) in Africa, and is
fighting other neglected tropical diseases like trachoma. It also monitors foreign
elections when asked to, fights for human rights, and for peaceful conflict resolution.
While one can disagree strongly with Trump's policies on health care and climate
change and a lot more, one knows they are his policies. He is not beholden to large
donors. And while he is constrained in trying to improve relations with Russia, he is
trying. It is the only country that can blow us up ending life as we know it, and no one
wants that Doomsday Clock edging still closer to midnight.
One also remembers what the hacking did -- it exposed the Democratic establishment
as thoroughly corrupt -- so dirty it needs a ton of Clorox bleach.
Mr. President: Today, July 14, is Bastille Day. It is the day when the common people
of France, despairing their grievances would never be addressed, stormed the
Bastille It was a turning point for the French Revolution, and is celebrated annually
with parades, fireworks and general festivity.
This year the salute at the military parade down the Champs Elysees was taken jointly
by the new President of France Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald
Trump. France is the U.S.'s oldest ally -- the French navy and French troops helped
American colonists defeat the British and achieve independence over 240 years ago.
The two leaders have one significant fact in common: both took on their political
establishment and won; Trump even took on the media. Both now are happy to
partner against ISIS in Syria, and both favor better relations with Russia. Trump had
a two-hour meeting with Putin at the G-20 meeting; Macron met with Putin twice, first
at Versailles and then again at the G-20.
Trump also talked trade with Macron and even suggested something new on the Paris
Climate Accord.
Does anyone remember 'the October surprise', the 1980 election scandal where the
Reagan campaign is purported to have struck a deal with Iran's Khomeini to delay the
release of American hostages until after the election. It sabotaged President Jimmy
Carter's own deal with Iran's moderate president Banisadr. In comparison, Trump
returned home to another storm in a teacup.
Some Russian promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. He met with Donald Trump Jr. and had
little to offer. As these things go, the Russian was probably enhancing his own
business status by appearing close to the Trump family. The Democrats are back
screaming Russian interference in the election. Question: Would Hillary's people
have followed up on such an offer?
Meanwhile, the long trail of corruption reaching back to Arkansas and how Hillary
miraculously turned $1,000 into $100,000 trading commodities, a significant figure
when her husband was earning about a third of that amount, and many other
questions, will continue to dog her. How about the trade confirmations necessary for
tax purposes, and something anyone with a spouse in politics would keep to establish
propriety. These would surely prove her claims.
Hillary and Bill Clinton have earned $153 million from speech making. In a July 31,
2015 Rolling Stone article, former President Jimmy Carter is quoted as saying, the
U.S. "is an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery." They pay their money and get
what they want. It is no longer the democracy that made this nation great.
By the way, the Jimmy Carter Center is not sitting on billions collected for a
foundation. It has nearly eradicated river blindness (Guinea worm) in Africa, and is
fighting other neglected tropical diseases like trachoma. It also monitors foreign
elections when asked to, fights for human rights, and for peaceful conflict resolution.
While one can disagree strongly with Trump's policies on health care and climate
change and a lot more, one knows they are his policies. He is not beholden to large
donors. And while he is constrained in trying to improve relations with Russia, he is
trying. It is the only country that can blow us up ending life as we know it, and no one
wants that Doomsday Clock edging still closer to midnight.
One also remembers what the hacking did -- it exposed the Democratic establishment
as thoroughly corrupt -- so dirty it needs a ton of Clorox bleach.