Trump Wins Popular Vote !!!

It is now official.

Donald Trump has won not only the votes of the electoral college, but the popular vote as well.

I know this because the president-elect himself has tweeted it.

“In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”

Over 3,000,000  illegal aliens voted for  Hillary Clinton, giving her the 2,500,000 lead in popular vote totals with 500,000 voted to spare. It is simple math. All you do is subtract the 3,000,000 illegal votes and VOILA! Trump  wins the popular vote ! Any third grader can do  the math.

Despite the fact that there is no evidence. Anywhere. None. Zilch. No evidence that any illegals voted,  we know now that over 3,000,000 DID,  in fact,  vote.  But we don’t need evidence. Facts are not the issue. The issue is tweets. And we have tweets!

So now we know that  3,000,000 illegals voted and we know exactly who they voted for! Hillary. Hillary lost.. A loser.  Trump is a winner. BIG TIME !

So, we can put to rest any illusions that 2,500,000  more Americans supported Hillary Clinton than supported Donald Trump.  REAL Americans voted for Trump. Illegals voted for Hillary. The tweet is clear. The tweet is all we need.

We don’t need evidence, we have the tweet of the Donald. He won. People LOVED him.  He is the “bestest” president-elect ever president -elected. He tweets it, so it must be true.

Next tweet: How Donald won the Vietnam War.  I can’t wait !

 

Trump Bait and Switch Part 4

“Lock her up! Lock her up”.

Donald Trump was clear and precise. Hillary Clinton was a criminal. She had so many crimes against the American people that it was unbelievable. Crooked Hillary. Lock her up.

He promised that when he was elected he would call for a special prosecutor to put her in the slammer.

Of course, she HAD been investigated over 9 times over the years. And more. And not a single Benghazi committee (run by her political enemies) or the FBI email investigations (run by her political enemy)  had found anything illegal. Nothing. Zero. Zilch.

(Side note : Trump himself had been found to have broken the law by not renting to minorities and been force to pay a fine. And just this week he as forced to pay $25,000,000 to the poor fools who had enrolled in his Trump University con. Actual court findings.Not to mention whether he was using illegal techniques to avoid paying taxes the rest of us have been paying for 20 years. He also funneled $25,000 to the Florida attorney general when his Trump U was being investigated for fraud. An investigation that disappeared soon after)

So, when the Donald was elected his  little minions were beside themselves with joy.  Chanting away “Lock Her Up”. The chants often led by the man Trump has appointed to  his inner circle. Even in the throes of victory, the viciousness came out .  On election night they shouted “Lock  Her Up”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/live-updates/general-election/real-time-updates-on-the-2016-election-voting-and-race-results/as-trump-amasses-wins-his-supporters-chant-lock-her-up/

She would finally be brought to justice for all her heinous (yet unnamed) crimes over the years. No one was above the law. It was the cornerstone of his campaign. Crooked Hillary.  Lock her up.

Except. Oops.  Another bait and switch. Having gotten the Hillary haters to vote for him by his promises to put her behind bars for some imaginary wrongdoing, (The BAIT)  he has now decided he has more important things to do (The SWITCH).

His spokesperson, Kelly Conway, now says…well.. yeah..but. you see, even though he promised that during the campaign, now that the campaign is over he has …uh…changed his mind. A week later ?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/22/politics/conway-no-clinton-charges-donald-trump/

Personally I was hoping he would appoint a special  prosecutor. The problem was, if he had done so,  he himself could have been deposed by Clinton’s lawyers. And the last thing Trump wants is to be questioned about his own activities over the years.

So, sorry Trump fans. But you will  NOT get to see Hillary in the court. Looks like the conman has just given you your fourth wedgie. OUCH.

Bait and Switch number 4. I am sure there are more to  come..

(I welcome likes, positive and negative comments)

Trump Bait and Switch Part 3

Previous Trump Bait and Switches.

(https://josephurban.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/trump-bait-and-switch-part-1/)

(https://josephurban.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/trump-bait-and-switch-part-2/)

Donald Trump was clear. He was precise. His Trump University was fantastic. People LOVED it. It was legal. It was a real university, not a scam. Those people who were suing him were losers.  He has NEVER settled out of court with folks who try to sue him.

He assured his true believers that he was a successful, honest businessman. And as a billionaire successful honest businessman he would uphold the reputation of Trump University in court. He would win the case in court and be vindicated.

“It would be easy for me to settle the case, it’s a simple civil case,” he continued. “Probably I should, but I don’t want to because I give them a great soundbite, but I don’t settle cases. I don’t get sued because I don’t settle cases, I win in court.”

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Trump-University-Lawsuit-Settle/2016/03/03/id/717221/

That was the BAIT. Honesty. Integrity. Never settle a “phony” lawsuit.

After the election…comes the SWITCH.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/trump-university-lawsuit-settlement-231610

For $25,000,000 Mr Trump agrees that his university was a scam. He settles out of court. Rather go through a high profile trial where all of his “university’s” practices would be exposed, he decided to settle. His “university” cannot stand the public scrutiny.

Rather than stand up for “integrity” and demonstrate to the American people that his university was a great and glorious and HONEST success, he has capitulated and decided that the facts and evidence were better left unheard and unseen.

Was there anything to the case to begin with? From one of his own employees:

“Schnackenberg, who worked in Trump’s office at 40 Wall Street, testified that “while Trump University claimed it wanted to help consumers make money in real estate, in fact Trump University was only interested in selling every person the most expensive seminars they possibly could.” The affidavit concludes, “Based upon my personal experience and employment, I believe that Trump University was a fraudulent scheme, and that it preyed upon the elderly and uneducated to separate them from their money.”

http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/trump-university-its-worse-than-you-think

Of course, Trump will  continue to deny any wrongdoing, but the settlement speaks for itself. 6,000 plaintiffs. All of them are wrong. Only the Donald is right. Yet this man of great integrity refuses to clear his name in court.

Lest any of Trump’s minions suggest that this lawsuit was all about “getting” Trump because he was the GOP nominee, let me remind you. The lawsuit goes back 6 years, long before Trump was given the nomination by the GOP. So that dog won’t hunt. He was already being charged in NY State for running a fraudulent university.  (The case was dropped in Florida after he contributed $25,000 to the Florida Attorney General, now on Trump’s transition team . An amazing coincidence)

“Today’s $25 million settlement agreement is a stunning reversal by Donald Trump and a major victory for the over 6,000 victims of his fraudulent university,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “I am pleased that under the terms of this settlement, every victim will receive restitution and that Donald Trump will pay up to $1 million in penalties to the State of New York for violating state education laws. The victims of Trump University have waited years for today’s result and I am pleased that their patience — and persistence — will be rewarded by this $25 million settlement.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/trump-university-lawsuit-settlement-231610

So we have Mr Trump setting out the BAIT… great businessman …integrity …honesty … and the SWITCH…

Oops, I guess I’ll pay the $25,000,000 rather than go to trial.

Do you mean he lied to us?

(I welcome likes, positive and negative comments. No vulgarity please)

 

Trump Bait and Switch Part 2

When he was running for office Mr Trump promised to “drain the swamp” in Washington, DC. Now, he may have meant that he was going to borrow a sump pump and literally try to drain the Potomac. Perhaps. But most folks thought he meant that he was going to get rid of all the old, “in crowd”. The folks who had been part of the problem.

That would be the Washington insiders. The guys and gals who had been around a long time and fed off the system. Members of Congress, for example. The elites. The Wall Street Gang.. Anyone who had connections with the “establishment”.

And his supporters took the bait.

So, let’s see how that  has played out. As of November 15, 2016, Trump has named 23 people to his transition team. The transition team advises him on who to hire for all the cabinet posts and other jobs in the new administration. I imagine the vast majority will be folks we never heard of. Folks from outside the DC beltway and Wall Street. Common folks. Or at least not political  hacks.

We see he has named the Three Stooges… Donald,Jr, Eric and Ivanka Trump. Definitely outsiders. Together they know virtually nothing about government and have no experience (unless you include inheriting wealth). In fact, the Trump triad knows so little about government that Eric and Ivanka  did not even vote for their pappy in the NY primary. Why not? They FORGOT to register to vote. That is about as outside as you can get.  Might as well throw in Ivankas’s hubbie, Jared Kushnar. Let’s keep it in the family.  Outies 4, Innies 0.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/11/politics/donald-trump-ivanka-vice-president/

Then there is Steve Bannon. Named top adviser. He has a long history of ..well… publishing lies. On the famous Breitbart website. Lies about ACORN. Lies about voter intimidation. Birther lies. Benghazi lies. Lies about the Iran agreement. As an arrested wife beater,he does fit in well with the Trump mentality, but is definitely an outsider. In just about every way. Outies 5, Innies 0.

Then there is Ben Carson. A gifted surgeon. No  doubt. The man can wield a scalpel. But he can’t wield a coherent sentence.A perfect example of someone who  can be very great in one area and a complete loser in other areas. Like most of us.He is on team Trump and is as “outside” as it gets. He denies the reality of evolution. He has said that the pyramids (those nearly completely solid magnificent structures in Egypt) were used for grain storage. He may be outside of not only politics, but sanity. Definitely an outie. Outies 6, Innies 0.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/11/05/ben-carson-believes-joseph-built-egypts-pyramids-to-store-grain-and-it-just-may-get-him-some-votes/

So far Mr Trump seems true to his word…. except…

Mike Pence, former member of Congress, longtime politician…Innie

Chris Christie, long time political hack, major fundraiser for GW Bush (which is why he was appointed to be a federal attorney)… Innie

Newt Gingrich (yes, he is still alive). Longtime Congressman and Speaker of the House,  instrumental in the failed attempt to remove President Clinton from office….Innie

Rudy (Just call me 9/11) Giuliani. Longtime political operative, former mayor of NYC who refused to provide firefighters with modern communications equipment. (Which led to  the unnecessary deaths of many trapped in the Twin Towers. ) Made his living off this tragedy…Innie

http://prospect.org/article/real-911-heroes-speak-out-against-rudy

Jeff Sessions, Senator from Selma, Alabama. A Washington insider since 1997…almost 20 years….Innie

And a list of Congressional insiders,  including the following Congressmen…

Lou Barletta, Marsha Blackburn, Chris Collins, Tom Marino and Devine Nunes. 5 Innies.

Add Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, another innie. In case you have forgotten, she was the AG who dropped the investigation for fraud by Trump U. in Florida. Just AFTER receiving a political  donation from Donald, laundered through the Trump foundation. Trump had to pay a penalty for the illegal  contribution. But at least he didn’t have to face an investigation of his scam university in Florida. Thanks, Pam.

http://www.politifact.com/florida/article/2016/sep/21/donald-trump-pam-bondi-and-25k-was-it-pay-play/

Then there is Rance Preibus, the Republican National Committee Chairman. Can’t get much more innie than that.

Then there is Anthony Scaramucci, formerly with Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers. Remember them? The folks who brought us the 2007-2009 recession. A Wall Street insider.

Steve Mnuchin, who like his father, was a Goldman Sachs insider. Until he left to run a movie company, which went bankrupt. Like the Donald, inherited wealth, family connections  and filed bankruptcy leaving others holding the bag. Another innie.

Another success story. Rebekah Mercer, whose father was a Wall Street hedge fund operator. Remember those unregulated hedge funds? They are coming back soon! She also worked on Wall Street as an insider.

So, what is the final score. Donald PROMISED to “drain the swamp”. Bring in new people. the BEST people. No more Washington insiders. No more Wall  Street insiders. Yet, his transition team is filled with politicians and Wall Street insiders. His transition team has not a single educator, scientist, entrepreneur, police chief, environmentalist, etc. Four of the “outsiders” are his own family.

Final score? Insiders 17, Outsiders 6.

You don’t mean he lied to his supporters? They took  the bait… they got the switch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_transition_of_Donald_Trump

Trump Bait and Switch, Part 1

During his campaign of disrespect and negativity Mr Trump was clear.  On the first day of office he would abolish Obamacare. All of it. Total abolition. No holds barred. No individual mandate. No longer would people over 22 be allowed on their parents’ insurance. Have a pre-existing condition? The insurers can now kick you off and refuse to insure you. The insurance marketplace…done and dusted.

No longer would there be those confusing insurance markets. No more Obamacare. Those 20,000,000 Americans who now had insurance under the ACA would have to look elsewhere.  Period. Non-negotiable. The end. It is over. And his supporters agreed.

Don’t believe me? Here is the section from the Trump website before the election:

“But none of these positive reforms can be accomplished without Obamacare repeal. On day one of the Trump Administration, we will ask Congress to immediately deliver a full repeal of Obamacare.”

And…

“Congress must act. Our elected representatives in the House and Senate must:

1. Completely repeal Obamacare. Our elected representatives must eliminate the individual mandate. No person should be required to buy insurance unless he or she wants to.”

This was quite different than Hillary Clinton.  Clinton proposed keeping the ACA and improving it. Working with Congress to keep the better parts and altering or repealing those parts which did not function well.

For example…keeping the young people on health insurance until they are 26. Making sure those with pre-existing conditions continue to be able to get insurance. Lowering costs and providing financial assistance to those in need. In other words, not a repeal, but a revision.

Trump, of course, rejected a revision. Obamacare must be repealed in its entirety. Period. No discussion. It is gone!

That was the BAIT….

Now comes the SWITCH…

According to an upcoming 60 minutes interview, Mr Trump is now telling his troops  something a bit different.

In addition, from a NYT article, November 12, three days after the election, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal:

“…Mr. Trump even indicated that he would like to keep two of the most popular benefits of the Affordable Care Act, one that forces insurers to cover people with pre-existing health conditions and another that allows parents to cover children under their plan into their mid-20s. He told The Wall Street Journal that he was reconsidering his stance after meeting with Mr. Obama on Thursday….”

You mean he lied to us?

End of Bait and Switch , Part 1. You can be sure this is just the beginning…..

To Trump Voters

A letter to the Trump voters.

To Whom It May Concern:

You have exposed yourself for what you are. You can no longer pretend.You cannot claim ignorance.  You can no longer support any empty fantasy that you are not a racist, or a xenophobe, or a misogynist, or a bigot at heart. You voted with your heart. You are exposed.

Some professional pundits claim that “economics” was at the core of your vote. Really? When the economy has been slowly improving after the GOP Second Great Depression of 2007-2009. When incomes are rising at the highest rate since 2008? When unemployment is at 4.9 % and the last GOP candidate for POTUS, Mitt Romney, said that HIS plans could get the rate down to  6% and that would be considered great news. When your candidate’s only “plan” for the economy is to give the wealthiest even more tax breaks. Sorry, that analysis does not hold water.

Millions of Republicans claim they are “moderates”. That myth has been destroyed by your vote. There is no moderation in the general, vague “plans” of your candidate. There is no moderation in the tone of his speeches. “Lock her up”. “Get him out of here”.  The birther comments. The daily insults directed at women, minorities, Muslim Americans and journalists. You cannot claim to be a “moderate” and vote for a man who tweets vulgarities and nonsense so often  that his own staff took away his Twitter account. The false narrative of the “moderate” Republican was put to rest on Election day. You are a radical.

Some pundits blame the press for not covering your candidate’s lies, falsehoods and crudeness. So you  may try to plead “ignorance”.  But the fact is that all of your candidate’s lies and nastiness and incompetence were were exposed over and over. By his own public speeches.  Covered by the press. By his inability to string together 3 sentences in any coherent fashion at the three debates. It was right there for all to see. A man who lied constantly and with no regard for facts or evidence. A man who called on Russia to try to destroy his political opponent . An analysis  by Politifact found that 70% of his public claims and statement were false. Only 4 % were completely true. The press did its job. You chose to ignore it. You cannot plead ignorance.

Most of you call yourselves “Christian” and condemn Islam as the religion of hate. Really? Does a good Christian vote for a man who prides himself on sexual assault and “grabbing pussy”. Is that supported by the words of Jesus? Maybe in Luke or John?  Would a good Christian support a man who calls for the torture of others and the murdering of families? Is that in Proverbs? Would a good Christian support a man who replaces wives as they age like the rest of us replace old tires? Is that in the “Christian” marriage vows?  Perhaps your Sermon on the Mount says: Blessed are the sexual abusers, the liars, those who cheat and steal, those who do violence to others…An interesting brand of “Christianity”.

You claim you want to “kick out the career politicians”. Really? And who does your candidate surround himself with ? Career politicians he intends to put in his cabinet. Rudy Giuliani whose incompetence lead to the death of the firefighters on 9/11. A man who openly admits he had access to confidential FBI information and the Comey “leak”?  Hardly a new face. Chris Christie, an old political  hack who used his office as governor to punish mayors who would not support him. A man who claims “I knew nothing” about the 3 day closing of the most highly traveled bridge in the world. (While your own candidate said” He knew”.) A new face? Newt Gingrich, the man behind the Clinton impeachment trial, which failed. A new face?  You don’t want new faces, you want a return to the past.  When smart women and hardworking blacks and the undeserving poor “knew their place”.

You have been exposed for what is really deep in your heart. It is not pretty. It is not attractive. It is hate. No matter how you try to rationalize it  and explain it. Hate for immigrants, even though so many of you are 1 or 2 or 3 generations from being immigrants yourself.

Your candidate had no positive message for the nation. And you support him. Hate for people with brown skin. Hate for “liberals” . Hate for foreigners. Hate for objective journalism.   Hate for some imaginary “welfare state” that has never existed. Hate for Obama.Hate for Clinton.  Hate for the 20,000,000 working poor who were able to get health insurance for the first time ever. Hate for successful women. Hate for those “Negroes” that get all the breaks.

So, stop pretending. Own it. The Trump voters, like yourself can no longer pretend you are about “economic policy” or the “Constitution” or “Making America Great” or about “fairness” of “opportunity”.  Rationalize all you want. Prevaricate all you want. The man you voted for speaks for your values and beliefs. You have been exposed. Own it.

The  good news is that the majority of Americans do not share your negative, hateful  vision. The majority of American citizens support a positive vision of America. A majority rejects the politics of hate and division. The majority of Americans have,  in 7 of the last 8 elections, voted for the candidate who has a positive vision of America and is not a hater. Yes, the GOP has won the popular vote only one time in the last 24 years. Only once  in the last 8 elections. ONCE.

Why are we in this place? The gerrymandering and voter suppression has worked. The outmoded, undemocratic Electoral College system has allowed the haters to win this election. That is true. Your candidate was right about one thing: The electoral system IS rigged.   But the fact remains that most Americans do not share your ideas or values. Most Americans are decent human beings.

So, don’t fool yourself. You do not represent America. We are better than that.

Yours sincerely,

A retired, always paying my share of taxes, liberal.