Trump Sues for Breach of Contract

Trump’s lawyers, running out of legal arguments to overturn the 2020 election, have filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract. The lawsuit names The Devil, aka Satan, as the sole defendant and alleges a contract between Trump and Satan. Trump alleges he fulfilled his obligations under the contract, i.e. that he gave his soul to the Devil, and the Devil did not live up to his contractual obligations.

Trump is seeking a court order to force the Devil to overturn the 2020 election plus pay punitive damages in excess of $1 billion. If the Devil fails to respond to the litigation, Trump will win by default. Legal scholars disagree as to whether U.S. courts have jurisdiction over Hades, and the matter will likely head to the Supreme Court, assuming Team Trump can show personal service of the lawsuit on Satan.

Update: Nancy Pelosi’s office refused to accept service of the summons and complaint late yesterday. In a press release, the Speaker’s office stated, “Contrary to popular belief, the Speaker of the House of Representatives in not the Devil’s Advocate.”

Deep State

Someone should tell those QAnon folks that, per Trump, the deep state runs deep in the Republican Party. Governors, Secretaries of State, even Trump-appointed judges are all part of a massive conspiracy to deprive Trump of 4 more years in office. The only way they can avoid being swept up in this massive conspiracy is to leave the Republican Party and start their own party.

Must my 2 ¢.

VOTE !

Back in 2016, I posted this prior to Election Day. A friend found me the video, so here it is:

I feel this is even more appropriate this year than it was back then, although that was really the beginning that is culminating in today’s choice between good and evil.

And here’s the Lincoln Project’s “America the Beautiful” ad – see if Ray Charles’ version of “America” doesn’t bring a tear to your eye.

That’s it. I can’t say or do anything more to change the tide of history, except to vote this evening with Wayne. Hopefully, this time America will stop its slide into hell.

If you haven’t voted yet, VOTE TODAY!

~~~~~~ OPEN THREAD ~~~~~~~

Hey, a New Thread

A new baby in the family – especially in our family – deserves a brand new thread.  Our niece Emily (daughter of my brother Bobby and Wayne’s sister Judy) and her husband Michael brought Arlo James Johnson into the world shortly after midnight on August 13th.

Like all babies, Arlo James looks just like Winston Churchill, especially in this photo:

arlo james

But like all babies, he’s adorable when he’s asleep:

arlo james sleeping

Sadly, this world into which little Arlo was born is a crazy and dangerous place, but knowing Emily and Michael, they’ll be wonderful parents with the intelligence, humor and moral convictions to prepare Arlo to take on the world.

Moving along…I know it’s a little late for International Cat Day, but here’s some cuteness to make up for it:

kitten and toy waving

synchronized yawning

cheetah kitten bottle-feeding

Unfortunately, we now turn to politics.  Our old friend from ThinkProgress, Judd Legum, now runs a site called Popular Information.  He delves into the latest U.S. Postal Service sabotage here, but here’s an excerpt from his newsletter:

 On Wednesday, facing an avalanche of criticism, DeJoy announced that he was suspending his most controversial initiatives, including limiting overtime, decommissioning mail sorting machines, and removing mailboxes. 

Whether DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser and political operative, can be trusted is an open question. The conduct of the USPS warrants further scrutiny.

If you don’t want to take a chance, nearly every state has ways to return your mail-in ballot without using the USPS. Popular Information has compiled all the details for each state HERE.

Speaking of the USPS, here’s Paul Jamoil’s most recent ‘toon:

paul jamoil 08132020 usps

That’s enough of politics.  While I’m heartened now that the Biden/Harris ticket is ready to begin our fight to unseat trump, it’s going to take a lot of good news to dispel my depression and fear over everything else that trump is doing to undermine the upcoming election (along with every other institution he’s destroying.)

Until the election, I’ll continue to distract myself by watching the birds and critters outside my window during the day, and watching my Mets play baseball at night.  It’s as close to ‘normalcy’ that I can get.

Open Thread, talk about whatever you’d like.

 

Right-Wing Bogeymen

Just like in the old days, when I used to get the Newsmax ‘newsletters’ for oppo research, I now get all kinds – and I mean ALL kinds – of newsletters from various trumpian groups.  I delete most of them, but sometimes the subject headline is just so whacked out that I have to take a look.

Here’s one from American Patriot Daily, with the headline, “George Soros is Linked to a Coronavirus Attack – this is why You’ll be Seeing Red.”  Here’s part of this laughable article:

Donald Trump and the rest of his administration are doing everything in their power to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
But now the President is fighting the invisible enemy on a new front.

Democrats are worried that polls showing the American people supporting the President’s response to the coronavirus will lead to Donald Trump’s re-election in November.

Top party officials also can read the polls that show the American people approve of the President’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Polls not only show that the public approves of how Donald Trump is managing the crisis, but that his overall approval numbers are also rising to the highest levels of his presidency.

Priorities USA responded to that anger with an announced TV ad campaign falsely attacking President Trump for a supposedly sluggish federal government response to the coronavirus pandemic.

And George Soros is helping to bankroll this smear campaign by pumping three million dollars into Priorities USA’s coffers.

These folks don’t actually care about the attack of the coronavirus pandemic, they only care about how trump is perceived to be handling it.  I have not yet seen a single poll indicating that the majority of citizens “approve of the President’s handling”  Au contraire, right now the polls are showing that approximately two-thirds of “the American people” DISAPPROVE of trump’s spastic and contrarian responses to the pandemic.  And as of this writing,worldometer shows that 112,639 Americans have died of COVID-19.

Next, another right-wing bogeyman:  Antifa.  From a recent NBC news article:

“A Twitter account claiming to belong to a national “antifa” organization and pushing violent rhetoric related to ongoing protests has been linked to the white nationalist group Identity Evropa, according to a Twitter spokesperson.”

“The antifa movement — a network of loosely organized radical groups who use direct action to fight the far-right and fascism — has been targeted by President Donald Trump as the force behind some of the violence and property destruction seen at some protests, though little evidence has been provided for such claims.”

The tweets in question have been removed by Twitter, but here’s a screen shot – IMHO, all you have to do is read them to know that they’re a clumsy attempt to target Antifa:

antifa fake tweet

Note the misspelt hashtag #BlacklivesMaters.  Yeah, these guys at Identity Evropa are real fucking pros.

And here’s a question from an interview I started to read on Raw Story.  It’s a question that should be asked by EVERYONE in America:

Many people in the news media and among the American public are upset that Donald Trump is not acting “presidential” in response to the nationwide protests and the apparent murder of George Floyd. They keep expecting Trump to behave like a responsible leader who can help calm and heal a country in pain. He is incapable of doing such a thing. This is honestly pathetic: Why do so many public voices keep pleading with Trump to be something he is not?

Lastly, just for fun,  some cute dog pics from Bored Panda – here’s two of my favorites:

funny-dogs-pic1

There’s always ONE family member who refuses to pose normally for the cameras:

funny-dogs-pic2 there's always one

THIS IS OUR OPEN THREAD – AS ALWAYS, TALK ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT.

 

A Room with a View

Even though I spend much of my day sitting at the computer gazing in despair at all of the continually horrifying headlines, I often end up turning instead to watch the various birds and squirrels enjoying our bird feeders.  Right now we just have two feeders:  one is set up about six or seven feet outside the computer room windows; the second is maybe fifteen to twenty feet beyond the first.  In addition, I sprinkle some seed under the feeders for the ground-feeding birds, plus I put a layer of seed on the bench on the back deck.

So far this season, the usual suspects have been hanging out each day:  cardinals, mourning doves, chickadees, titmice, sparrows, red-winged blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, blue jays, grackles, starlings, a family of groundhogs, and the ubiquitous gray squirrels.  In addition, we’ve had a couple of newcomers visiting recently – a male and a female turkey have wandered through separately, but only the female stopped to snack on the seed, and she’s come back more than once.  Red squirrels started encroaching on the gray squirrels’ territory last year, so I’m seeing a few of them in the last week or so.  And we’ve had another bird visiting that I’ve only seen once or twice before in my life, despite their supposedly being ‘common’ in our area: a rufous-sided towhee (aka ‘Eastern Towhee’), which looks like this:

I’ve been very pleased to see that, in addition to the smaller downy woodpeckers, a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers have become regular visitors, particularly enjoying ‘perching’ on the edge of the bench where the seed is easier to access than at the feeders.  A pair of them is shown in the brief video below – turn on the sound for both videos so that you can hear the birdcalls, most of which I’ve recognized for much of my life.

 

 

The few times we’ve been able to open the window, listening to the birds has been a distinct pleasure and distraction during this time of ‘shelter-at-home’.  And when I listen to them, I can’t help thinking about our dear departed friend Ebb (“ebb and flow”, “to ebb and flow”) and her love of all things “on the wing or under the sea.”  I miss her serene outlook, her insightful empathy, and her beautiful soul

This thread is dedicated to the memory of Ebb, whose spirit is flying free.

Open Thread – enjoy this little oasis whenever you need to.

Happy Easter!

Even though we’re all homebound for this holiday, I hope that a little ‘spirit of the season’ remains with everyone.

Little things like bunnies and chicks, daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths, can help to brighten things up –

bunny and chicks

easter flowers

Some members of our family celebrate with the “Easter Rat” – this year having special ‘pandemic’ themes –

This one’s from my brother Bobby and Wayne’s sister Judy:

easter rat 2

And this one is from our niece Emily and her husband Michael:

easter rat emily

Whatever way you celebrate, or if you celebrate at all, I hope that everyone has a special day!  And don’t forget how the tradition of the Easter Bunny started –

easter bunny

OPEN THREAD – HOP ON BY AND TALK ABOUT WHATEVER YOU WANT.

People or Profits?

Trump wants people to go back to work, now.

Texas’ Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is willing to risk getting sick and dying for the sake of the economy…”for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren”.

Here’s what will happen if we end “shelter in place”:

https://covidactnow.org/state/CA?fbclid=IwAR2LsASB2Xn0WgnOrCFr9unH06zWn-ts1930gXahG6Rlw2ZQVFpVvCHXxIY

In Italy, where the healthcare system is already overwhelmed, people over 60 are taken off ventilators and left to die. California would hit that point in about 2 weeks if we end “shelter in place.” With a projected infection rate of >70%, within 2 months the population of citizens over age 60 could virtually disappear. Some 70 million U.S. citizens. Dead. 70 million. Sacrificed. To keep the wheels of commerce turning. To further the economic interests of some 120,000 – the richest 1/10th of 1%.

On the other hand, the economic shutdown due to the coronavirus is just what the planet needs to prevent catastrophic climate change that could lead to the extinction of all humans.

The choice is clear. The math undeniable.

People, or profits?

ICYMI: Yeah, We’re Fucked

First and foremost, I hope that none of our Critters and Zoosters, especially those of you in California and the Northwest, are in imminent danger of contracting the “novel coronavirus”, aka “COVID-19.”

New York state’s main COVID-19 epicenter of New Rochelle, previously only known for being the home of fictional Rob and Laura Petrie, is maybe 35-40 miles south of us.  The illness is cropping up in other NY counties besides Westchester and NYC’s 5 Boroughs, so I’m going to assume that its spread northward is inevitable.

I checked in on our pregnant(!!!) niece Emily and her husband Michael, who live near Boston, which is having its own outbreak subsequent to a recent Biogen conference.  One of the companies which had had a presence at the conference is Michael’s employer; and, even though no one from his particular office was an attendee, the company instructed all employees who could to work from home through May 31st.  Both of them are fine, which relieved me greatly.

I was going to compile some of the many lies that trump has told since COVID-19 arrived on our shores; however, since starting this post, the progression of both the disease and the lies have made that idea pretty much pointless.

So I’ll just include a couple of items along those lines.

First this, from March 7th at Salon, regarding trump’s awful presser at the CDC.   Here’s the video – sorry it’s posted twice, but it’s from the original on the twitter feed of @ddiamond:

And this: after trump finished his recent “presidential address” about the pandemic, apparently he got caught on C-SPAN showing just how seriously he takes this:

In case you no longer trust the info from the CDC, here’s a site that is keeping track worldwide.  You can refresh it throughout the day for updates.

I won’t inflict any more trumpness on you, so I’ll end on a high note.  Crank the music to 11  🙂

Feel better?

OPEN THREAD – DO WHAT YOU WANT

Are You Ready for IMPEACHMENT?

US-POLITICS-INVESTIGATION-WOMEN-RUSSIA

With the Senate’s Impeachment Trial of “donald john trump” beginning tomorrow, here’s some light reading to prepare yourselves regarding each team’s basic arguments, should you wish.

Okay, it’s not really “light reading” – well, the trump team’s “Answer” to the House impeachment managers’ “Trial Memorandum” was “light reading” as far as substance and credibility go. It’s also literally light in weight: at a mere six pages, maybe an ounce?, vs the weightier (in all aspects) 110-page House Trial Memorandum.

Since I haven’t actually read the House’s tome, let’s start with the trump team’s “Answer.”

“Ridiculous” is the best way to describe it, starting with its heading:

IN PROCEEDINGS BEFORE
THE UNITED STATES SENATE

ANSWER OF PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

Seriously, they won’t even use the word “impeachment” in the heading, as if not saying it means it didn’t happen.

The opening paragraph repeats the tired arguments that the Dems have been trying to impeach trump since his inauguration, and trying to “overturn” his election:

The Articles of Impeachment submitted by House Democrats are a dangerous on the right of the American people to freely choose their President.  This is a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election and interfere with the 2020 election – now just months away.  The highly partisan and reckless obsession with impeaching the President began the day he was inaugurated, and continues to this day.

It has already been argued by smarter people than me that, if an election were to be “overturned” (and the second paragraph also mentions “nullifying an election”), then the candidate who lost would become the winner, and all of the current president’s actions would automatically be null and void.  This idea is just as impossible as it sounds, and no one except an idiot would believe it.  Therefore, trump’s minions all subscribe to this notion.

The trump team’s arguments continue by stating that Article 1 of the Impeachment doesn’t indicate any “crime or violation of law whatsoever”, and claims that “At all times, the President has faithfully and effectively executed the duties of his Office on behalf of the American people.” At this point, they go into the so-called “perfect call” to Zelenskyy, trying to push that the call was about corruption and about other countries “not carrying their fair share.”

Here’s the fun part (and from this and other details included in trump team’s arguments, you can see why many say that trump had direct input or wrote some of this himself):

…the transcripts of the April 21 call and the July 25 call disprove what the Article alleges.  When the House Democrats realized this, Mr. Schiff created a fraudulent version of the July 25 call and read it to the American people at a congressional hearing, without disclosing that he was simply making it all up.”

Anyone who watched the first impeachment hearing knows that Chairman Schiff both preceded and followed his ‘mob’ parody of trump’s call with a disclaimer stating that he was paraphrasing.  Conservatives simply don’t get ‘irony’, ‘sarcasm’ or ‘satire’.

In trump team’s argument against Article 2 of the Impeachment, regarding obstruction of Congress, they state, in part:

…the notion that President Trump obstructed Congress is absurd.  President trump acted with extraordinary and unprecedented transparency by declassifying and releasing the transcript of the July 25 call that is at the heart of this matter. [emphasis theirs]

This is an out-and-out lie.  The actual “transcript” is still hidden in the ultra-secret server (gee, I can’t imagine why) and all we have seen is the call memo, which is damning enough.

Here’s one part that I really don’t get:

Following the President’s disclosure of the July 25 call transcript[sic], House Democrats issued a series of unconstitutional subpoenas for documents and testimony.  They issued their subpoenas without a congressional vote, and, therefore, without constitutional authority.

Huh?  AFAIK, a congressional committee doesn’t need a full vote of the House in order to issue subpoenas.  I have no idea whose ass this came out of, but it smells pretty bad to me.

You can read the rest of the trump team’s arguments and see for yourself how pathetic and, indeed, ignorant they sound.

Now the House’s “Trial Memorandum”: as I said, I haven’t read it yet, but here’s a brief synopsis from Raw Story.:

The document divides the argument by the House of Representatives into three points.

“The Senate should convict President Trump of abuse of power,” is the first section.

“The Senate should convict President Trump of obstruction of Congress,” is the second section.

“The Senate should immediately remove President Trump from office to prevent further abuses,” is the third section.

Raw Story also includes the outlines for the House’s arguments regarding each point.  If you’re like me, and watched or otherwise kept up with the impeachment hearings, their arguments should be familiar to you.

I’ll stop here in order for there to be time to read more of the details.

And while I was finishing up this thread, the House Impeachment Managers issued their own response to the trump team’s “Answer.” I should have waited a little longer!

Edit:  For reference, here’s White House Counsel Pat Cipollone’s “fuck you” letter to Gerry Nadler.  I think he used trump’s Sharpie to sign it:

THIS IS AN OPEN THREAD – FEEL FREE TO COMMENT THROUGHOUT THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

GUEST ARTICLE: The First American Dictator

The First American Dictator

by

Kenneth R. Mackie

            The people of the United States of America, the first democratic republic the modern world has ever known, have ceded rule to a dictator for the first time in its 200+ year history.

            A dictator is “one holding complete autocratic control: a person with unlimited governmental power” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary); “a person exercising absolute power, especially a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession” (Dictionary.com).

            A dictatorship is, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica, a

form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations. The term dictatorship comes from the Latin title dictator, which in the Roman Republic designated a temporary magistrate who was granted extraordinary powers in order to deal with state crises. Modern dictators, however, resemble ancient tyrants rather than ancient dictators. … Dictators usually resort to force or fraud to gain despotic political power, which they maintain through the use of intimidation, terror, and the suppression of basic civil liberties. They may also employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain their public support.

            No one becomes a dictator without help. A cadre of loyalists is essential to grab and keep power. And support amongst a sizeable portion of the populace, even a sizable minority, can propel a would-be demagogue into power.

THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE

            Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican President, is attributed with saying, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” This has been taken to heart by Republicans since the days of the “Christian Coalition”, who found that they only needed to fool enough of the people at the proper times (elections). And faith-based voters belong to the ‘some of the people all of the time’ group. The conservative “Evangelical Christian” block can be counted on to vote Republican for the foreseeable future. Throughout 2109, Republicans approval of the First American Dictator ranges in the upper 80s to low 90s percent[i]. The approval rating among highly religious, white and Protestant Republicans is 92% over the past two years[ii]. This translates into millions of faith-based voters who support the First American Dictator.

            Among these is a growing cadre of white nationalists, encouraged to take up arms against all enemies of the current Administration. When “God’s Chosen[iii]” encourages violence, it is a statistical certainty that some will take up arms. Hence the mass murders of Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, etc.

            The First American Dictator enjoyed sufficient support among a mobilized and armed minority to be propelled into power.

THE POWER OF LOYALISTS IN GOVERNMENT

            In the unique structure of the United States government, all one party needs is 51 Senators to control the Senate (or just 50 Senators, plus the Vice President as a tie-breaker), hence the entire legislative branch, and give carte blanche to a dictator to ignore the Constitution. A bare majority of Senators allows a party to block all legislation, or ram-rod bills through regardless of any opposition. Even a minority of only 41 Senators is all it takes to prevent an override of a presidential veto.

            While the Constitution was designed to establish a legislative branch with the power to check a renegade President, it was not drafted to prevent a political party from obtaining enough power to allow the Constitution to be ignored.

            The First American Dictator enjoys the support of a majority in the Senate. As a result, the legislative branch is incapable of forcing him to act within the powers granted to him by the Constitution.

THE POWER OF LOYALTY OATHS

            It has been widely reported that Trump demands a “loyalty oath”[iv] from subordinates[v].

            The 25th Amendment provides that the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet can declare the President unfit for office, at which time the Vice President becomes the Acting President. A “loyalty oath” to Trump, and not to uphold the Constitution, ensures that Trump is protected by loyalists to him. Trump has surrounded himself with loyalists that put loyalty to a dictator above loyalty to the Constitution, or to the country. The First American Dictator enjoys the support of an inner circle of loyalists.

THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE

            Fox News and the network’s opinion shows are widely seen as the propaganda arm of the Trump administration[vi]. One Fox newscaster in particular, Sean Hannity, is seen as an unofficial advisor to Trump[vii]. While Trump lambasts CNN as “fake news”[viii] it is Fox which has the worst track record for making false or misleading statements, whereas CNN ranks the best[ix].

            A majority of Republicans for whom Fox News is their primary news source solidly support the First American Dictator and there is nothing he could do that would make them lose their approval[x].

            When it comes to faith-based voters, nearly all who identify as white evangelical Protestants for whom Fox News is their primary news source oppose Trump being impeached and removed from office[xi].

            The First American Dictator has a propaganda machine spouting falsehoods to help keep him in power.

UNCHECKED POWER

THE POWER TO PROFIT FROM HIS OFFICE

            Trump has the unchecked power to profit from his office, in disregard of the Constitution.

THE POWER TO PROFIT AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE

“The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased (sic) nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.[xii]

            Any profit arising from the possession of a public office is an emolument.[xiii] Trump profits off his office in many ways. He still owns numerous hotels and resort properties. He has taken numerous trips to his resorts, billing taxpayers millions of dollars[xiv]. He has directed members of the armed forces to stay at his property in Scotland, at taxpayers’ expense[xv]. His Vice President and members of his administration stay at his properties[xvi], again lining Trump’s pockets.

In using taxpayer funds to pay for golfing trips and hotel lodging at his properties, Trump is causing the United States to pay him over and above his compensation as set for his office by Congress.

THE POWER TO PROFIT FROM FOREIGN STATES

No person “holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.[xvii]” Foreign governments that make use of Trump’s properties are putting their money into Trump’s pockets. In addition, China has granted Trump or his companies about 40 trademarks since he became President. Congress has not given its consent to foreign money flowing to Trump either directly or through his corporations’ profits. Members of Congress filed a lawsuit in June of 2017 seeking an injunction to bar Trump from further accepting emoluments from foreign governments without first seeking Congress’ approval[xviii]. Trump is currently appealing the finding that members of Congress have standing to seek a court order compelling Trump to comply with the Constitution. Meanwhile Trump does not have to produce any documents showing which foreign governments have paid to stay at which of Trump’s properties, nor how much they paid, nor how much of that has gone into Trump’s pockets while he is in office.

Trump has the unchecked power to profit from his office, billing taxpayers for his vacations at his resort and collecting payments from foreign governments for their rents of his properties.

THE POWER TO DIVERT FEDERAL FUNDING AT WILL

            Congress has the “power of the purse”, that is, to pass legislation to raise revenues, and to appropriate funding[xix]. Trump wanted money for a wall between the United States and Mexico. Congress considered, but did not fund Trump’s request. So the First American Dictator declared an “emergency” that didn’t exist, and diverted funds from congressionally approved projects to his border wall[xx]. Congress responded by passing a bill rejecting Trump’s emergency declaration, which Trump vetoed[xxi]. Thirty-six Republican Senators supported Trump and his veto was not overridden. Trump has the power to divert federal funds at will.

THE POWER TO IGNORE INTERNATIONAL LAW

            The First American Dictator inherited the power to ignore international law prohibiting torture, “secret rendition” aka kidnapping, holding prisoners in undisclosed prisons indefinitely without charges, and invading a country for the purpose of regime change.

            This power has been expanded to include separating children from their parents[xxii], and ignoring international law regarding refugees seeking asylum[xxiii].

THE POWER TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE

            The First American Dictator used the power of his office to obstruct investigations into allegations of misuse of power, first in the Mueller probe looking into potential collusion between his campaign for the office of President[xxiv], then by refusing to let former and present members of his administration testify before Congress as the House investigated possible acts giving rise to an impeachment proceeding[xxv].

            Acting under the First American Dictator’s orders, and without a claim of privilege, Trump’s present and former subordinates have refused to comply with a subpoena to testify before Congress[xxvi]. The First American Dictator has been seen to dangle a potential pardon to influence testimony[xxvii].

Trump’s messages on social media are seen as attempts to intimidate witnesses[xxviii]. He is so bold as to disparage a witness even as the witness testifies before Congress[xxix]. Likewise his administration uses an official social media account to disparage a witness while testifying[xxx].

            Ordering percipient witness to refuse to comply with a Congressional subpoena without a claim of privilege, dangling the possibility of a pardon for witnesses accused of providing false testimony, and disparaging witnesses while they are testifying all point to obstruction of justice.

THE POWER TO BRIBE JURORS

            Republican Senators will make up the majority of the jurors in an impeachment trial of the First American Dictator. “President Donald Trump—who is facing a formal impeachment inquiry in the House—has leveraged his fundraising network to boost the campaigns of struggling Republican senators who have signed a resolution condemning impeachment proceedings.” [xxxi]

            Thus members of the jury who have already come out in support of the First American Dictator are being rewarded with campaign cash to help them keep their jobs. The First American Dictator will not be facing an impartial jury in his impending impeachment trial.

THE POWER TO USE CONGRESSIONALLY APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR PERSONAL POLITICAL GAIN

            The First American Dictator leveraged hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to coerce a foreign government to announce an investigation against a political rival[xxxii]. The ramifications of this unchecked power cannot be understated. With foreign aid tied to political favors, foreign governments will be highly motivated to comply. Indeed, it does not take too much of an imagination to see federal dollars allocated to the various States withheld unless the State agrees to investigate political opponents. This power, the power to generate countless investigations into political opponents, combined with the power of the propaganda machine and the power of loyalists, is the power to destroy all opposition.

THE FIRST AMERICAN DICTATOR

            President Donald Trump is the First American Dictator. By all indications, he won’t be the last. If, and it appears likely, the Republicans in the Senate refuse to remove him from office, his successors will enjoy the same powers – as long as they have enough loyalists in the Senate[xxxiii]. The courts won’t be able to constrain these powers, as the courts have no power to enforce their rulings[xxxiv]. If Trump is allowed to remain in office because the Republican Senate acquits him of “high crimes and misdemeanors” the above enumerated powers will be ceded to the office of President. The crowning achievement of the Republican Party will be to turn a constitutional republic into a dictatorship, with them in control.

Trump will be known as the first of a long line of American Dictators.

Kenneth R. Mackie is a former educator turned attorney. He studied Constitutional Law under Professor John Cary Sims at University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and “Fundamental Rights in Europe and the United States” under Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and Sionaidh Douglas-Scott at the Salzburg Institute in Salzburg, Austria.


[i] https://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-trump.aspx

[ii] https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/248384/highly-religious-white-protestants-firm-support-trump.aspx

[iii] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/11/25/why-evangelicals-like-rick-perry-believe-that-trump-is-gods-chosen-one/

[iv] https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-demands-loyalty-oath-from-job-seekers-who-criticized-him-during-election

[v] https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/donald-trumps-grip-on-the-republican-party-just-got-even-tighter

[vi] http://hillmanfoundation.org/sidney-awards/jane-mayer-wins-april-sidney-elucidating-how-fox-news-became-propaganda-arm-trump

[vii] https://political.com/is-sean-hannity-one-of-trumps-unofficial-advisor/

[viii] https://fortune.com/2018/06/09/donald-trump-cnn-fake-news-g7/

[ix] https://www.politifact.com/punditfact/article/2015/jan/27/msnbc-fox-cnn-move-needle-our-truth-o-meter-scorec/

[x] https://www.prri.org/research/fractured-nation-widening-partisan-polarization-and-key-issues-in-2020-presidential-elections/

[xi] https://www.prri.org/research/fractured-nation-widening-partisan-polarization-and-key-issues-in-2020-presidential-elections/

[xii] United States Constitution, Article 2, section 1.)

[xiii] https://thelawdictionary.org/emolument/

[xiv] https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2019/07/10/trumps-golf-trips-could-cost-taxpayers-over-340-million/

[xv] https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/18/military-trumps-scottish-resort-1501877

[xvi] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/9/3/20847247/mike-pence-ireland-doonbeg-trip-180-miles-away-trump-hotel

[xvii] United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 9.

[xviii] https://www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/trump-and-foreign-emoluments-clause/

[xix] https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Power-of-the-Purse/

[xx] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/09/04/trump-diverts-3-6-billion-military-projects-build-more-border-wall/2208166001/

[xxi] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-congress-emergency/trump-vetoes-measure-to-end-his-emergency-declaration-on-border-wall-idUSKBN1WV06P

[xxii] https://ilg2.org/2018/06/10/trump-administrations-family-separation-policy-violates-international-law/

[xxiii] https://time.com/5626498/trump-asylum-rule-international-law/

[xxiv] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obstruction-of-justice-10-times-trump-may-have-obstructed-justice-mueller-report/

[xxv] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/12/impeachment-report-trump-obstruct/602938/

[xxvi] https://www.lawfareblog.com/revisiting-criminal-obstruction-justice-impeachment-inquiry

[xxvii] https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-pardon-paul-manafort-obstruction-justice-1237150

[xxviii] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/11/20/20970572/impeachment-hearing-judiciary-committee-trump-obstruction

[xxix] https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-11-15/trump-tweets-on-impeachment-witness-yovanovitch-during-testimony

[xxx] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/19/white-house-twitter-attacks-vindman-during-trump-impeachment-testimony.html

[xxxi] https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2019/10/31/trump-accused-of-bribery-after-urging-donors-to-support-senators-defending-him-against-impeachment/#21b769013eb5

[xxxii] https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-house-impeachment-report-highlights-trumps-ongoing-abuse-of-presidential-power

[xxxiii] https://origins.osu.edu/review/imperial-presidency-pushes-back

[xxxiv] https://sustainatlanta.com/2015/04/02/remembering-the-time-andrew-jackson-decided-to-ignore-the-supreme-court-in-the-name-of-georgias-right-to-cherokee-land/

Happy Birthday, RUCerious!

And many happy returns of the day!

So, what kind of birthday cake would you like?

One with your age on it?

bday cake 21
bday cake 30.jpg

One with fruit on it?

bday cake w raspberries

Or one in the shape of a fruit?

bday cake pineapple

Something simple?

bday cake simple

Or something amazingly elaborate?

bday cake elaborate

I know! How about one with frogs on it?

bday cake frogs

Or maybe not frogs – okay, lessee, R2D2?

bday cake r2d2

Something a tad more dignified?

bday cake wine

Now, I like this one ’cause it comes with matching cupcakes –

bday cake w cupcakes

Okay, I think I found the right one – it has my birthday wish to you on it ~

PEACE, MY FRIEND!

bday cake peace sign

~ OPEN THREAD ~

Trump in hot…. lukewarm…. tepid water over calls to Vatican, Boris.

Not only is President For Life Donald Trump in hot water for his call to the Ukraine “allegedly” seeking foreign assistance in the 2020 election, he has recently come under scrutiny for calls placed to the Vatican and Boris (Brexit) Johnson.

Trump “allegedly” asked Pope Francis to make him a Saint. In return, Trump would build a hotel/casino project in Vatican City. Trump felt the Catholic Church owed him the position of Sainthood, given He is The Chosen One. Pope Francis, it is said, was not impressed. He asked Trump to give an example of a miracle he performed. “Hey,” Trump is said to have said, “I haven’t been impeached!” The Pope was forced to agree that rose to miracle status, however, the Pope mused, it could be because Satan has possessed a majority of the American Senate. Pope Francis hinted that many of Trump’s supporters may have already sold their souls to the devil. Trump ended the conversation abruptly, threatening to cut off the Vatican’s supply of nuclear missiles.

Shortly after Trump hung up on the Pope, he speed-dialed Boris Johnson, who owed Trump a favor for his undying support for Brexit, and anything else that would give Putin an edge over Europe. Sources listening in to the conversation, including ham radio operators in Greenland, overheard Trump lobbying for a knighthood. “Sir Trump.” The President of the United States seemed to like the title. He encouraged Boris to sell the idea to the Queen. In return, Trump would give Boris lifetime membership in his golf course in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Boris, as fond as he is of number 45, is said to have balked. He is said to have told Trump that Trump has to be British to be called Sir Trump. Trump apparently retorted that his father was born in the British Sector of Berlin after the fall of the Third Reich and that had to count for something. Boris seemed to indicate he would try to make something up that the Queen would believe, and that maybe Trump would be Sir Trump once the “no-deal” Brexit became a reality, throwing the United Kingdom into economic and political turmoil for the foreseeable future.

Trump, it is said, fell asleep dreaming of tweeting under the #realSaintTrump and #realSirTrump hashtags.

Rambling Idiot Sez What?

cant look at trumps face

At the GOP “Retreat” in Baltimore, trump spit out a whole bunch of words. The transcript is from the Washington Post, with the caveat that it “was compiled from uncorrected closed captioning. (Some of the transcribing errors are pretty funny, BTW.) It’s pretty long, as trump supposedly spoke for 70 minutes. I’m leaving it in all-caps, but I tried to break it up where trump jumped from one topic to another.

THANK YOU, IT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. A LOT OF POWER. A LOT OF POWER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR DEVOTION, TO OUR NATION . I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE WITH SO MANY TERRIFIC REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. YOU ARE TERRIFIC. I WANT TO THANK OUR AMAZING LEADERSHIP TEAM, REPUBLICAN WHIP AND ONE OF THE BRAVEST MEN I KNOW, STEVE SCALISE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] CONFERENCE CHAIR LIZ CHENEY, THANK YOU, LIZ. [APPLAUSE] NRCC CHAIR TOM EMMER. TOM, THANK YOU, TOM. CHIEF DEPUTY WHIP BILL FERGUSON. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU, GREAT JOB. AISLES AND WANT TO PROUDLY WELCOME OUR NEWEST REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN, PEOPLE THAT THOUGHT A BIG FIGHT AND THEY ARE WINNERS. THEY REACTED SO INCREDIBLY UNDER PRESSURE THE WORLD WAS WATCHING. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HOPING FOR THE OPPOSITE OUTCOME BUT MANY MORE PEOPLE WERE HOPING FOR THE OUTCOME WE HAD. A MAN WHO WAS NOT EXPECTED NECESSARILY TO WIN, THEN HE WAS BRUTAL AND BRILLIANT AND DID A GREAT JOB, NOW SOON-TO-BE AND NOW CONGRESSMAN DAN BISHOP FOR MANY YEARS. THANK YOU, DAN. WHAT A GREAT JOB. WHAT A GREAT JOB, DAN. AND ANOTHER MAN WHO FOUGHT SO HARD, AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO WIN BY A LITTLE TINY BIT AND HE WON BY A LOT OF POINTS, IT WAS A BIG VICTORY AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU, GREG MURPHY. HE WILL BE WITH YOU FOLKS FOR A LONG TIME. THEY ARE SPECIAL PEOPLE. NORTH CAROLINA, THANK YOU. IT WAS SOME CROWDS THAT TURNED OUT, LIKE PEOPLE NEVER EXPECTED, AND IT WAS A GREAT EVENING OF TELEVISION. I WOULD NOT SAY THE FAKE NEWS WAS TOO HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME OF THAT IS OK. WE DID IT AND WORKED TOGETHER AS A TEAM. IT WAS VERY INSPIRATIONAL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WATCH.

EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT HAS A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY IN THE FINAL CROSSROADS. IN CONGRESS DEMOCRATS HAVE EMBRACED A DANGEROUS AGENDA. RADICAL SOCIALISM AND OPEN BORDERS. DEMOCRATS ARE DETERMINED TO REPLICATE THE MOST CATASTROPHIC FAILURES OF WORLD HISTORY RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY HAVE NEVER LEARNED. THEY HAVE NOT WATCHED. EACH OF YOU IN THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE IS ON THE FRONT LINES DEFENDING AMERICAN FREEDOM, AMERICAN SECURITY, AMERICAN PROSPERITY AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE. YOU ARE THE ONES DOING THE DEFENSE. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS ARE COUNTING ON US AND SO HELP US, GOD, WE WILL NEVER, EVER LET THEM DOWN. [APPLAUSE]

TOGETHER WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT HISTORIC RATTLES, AND WE HAVE HISTORIC BATTLES AHEAD OF US. GOING TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY EVEN GREATER AND WE ARE GOING TO WIN OVERWHELMING VICTORIES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE SPIRIT WE HAVE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, I DON’T BELIEVE HAS EVER BEEN THIS HIGH. OVER THE PAST 2.5 YEARS WE HAVE ALREADY DELIVERED UNPRECEDENTED PROGRESS FOR CITIZENS OF EVERY BACKGROUND AND WALK OF LIFE. NOW WE MUST GO DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SHARE THE STORY OF WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED AND TO EXPLAIN OUR BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

WORKING WITH REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS, WE SLASHED 30,000 PAGES OF REGULATIONS FROM THE FEDERAL REGISTER. [APPLAUSE] AND THAT IS AN ALL-TIME RECORD AND WE DID THAT IN A LOT LESS YEARS. IT IS A RECORD NO MATTER HOW LONG THE PRESIDENT’S HAVE SERVED. WE SAVED AN AVERAGE AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD $3000. EARLIER TODAY MY ADMINISTRATION FORMALLY REPEALED THE HORRIBLE, DANGEROUS ANTI-EVERYTHING WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES RULE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, LOUIS. THANK YOU, LOUIS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. I ALWAYS SAY THE ONLY THING THAT HAD GOING FOR IT WAS THE TITLE. I SAID I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT WOULD FIND THIS, BUT IT WAS A GOOD THING WE DID, RIGHT, LOUIS? GOVERNMENT WILL NO LONGER TRY TO MICROMANAGE EVERY RAIN PUDDLE AND DRAINAGE DITCH ON PRIVATE LAND. THEY TOOK YOUR LAND AWAY FROM YOU.

WE ENACTED THE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT SO ANYONE WHO MISTREAT OR ABUSES OUR VETERANS CAN BE PROMPTLY FIRED. [APPLAUSE] THERE WAS A TIME YOU COULD NOT FIRE ANYONE KNOW HOW MATTER — ANYONE KNOW MATTER HOW MUCH THEY STOLE OR WERE SATANIST, AND WE HAD SOME OF THOSE. YOU COULD NOT FIRE THEM AND NOW WE CAN DO IT QUICKLY AND EASILY. THEY DON’T TREAT THEM WELL, WE GET THEM OUT. WE HAVE REMOVED 7000, 600 EMPLOYEES AND GIVE OUR VETERANS THE CARE THEY DESERVE. WE ARE ALSO VERY PROUD TO TELL YOU THE VETERANS CHOICE WHICH IS SOMETHING SPECIAL, THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT FOR DECADES AND DECADES, CHOICE SO MORE VETERANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE A PRIVATE DOCTOR IF THEY HAVE TO WAIT IN A LINE, INSTEAD OF THREE OR FIVE WEEKS WITH NUMBERS YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE, YOU ARE SICK, NOT FEELING WELL AND THEY SAY COME BACK IN FOUR WEEKS. NOW YOU GO TO A LOCAL DOCTOR OF YOUR CHOICE, BY THE WAY. UNLIKE SOMEBODY ELSE WERE THEY SAID YOU COULD HAVE YOUR DOCTOR AND YOU CAN HAVE YOUR PLAN 28 TIMES. THAT DIDN’T WORK OUT TOO WELL. YOU CAN SEE A DOCTOR, WE PAY THE BILL AND IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE THING. WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE V.A. HAS BEEN REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL. YOU JUST SEE IT. ALL YOU USED TO SEE AND READ ABOUT WAS HOW BAD THE V.A. WAS RUN, AND I DON’T HEAR THE STORIES ANYMORE. PEOPLE WILL RUN OUT AND START TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY. WHO IS UNHAPPY? THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, PLEASE CALL US IMMEDIATELY AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM. PEOPLE ARE REALLY HAPPY. WHAT WE HAVE DONE THERE IS INCREDIBLE.

WE ACHIEVED RECORD FUNDING TO RESTORE THE HEIGHT OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY, $700 MILLION LAST YEAR, AND NOW JUST TO PROVE , THANK YOU VERY MUCH, $700 BILLION NEXT YEAR, MORE MONEY BY FAR THAN EVER BEFORE. [APPLAUSE] AND REMEMBER THAT IS ALL MONEY THAT IS BUILT IN THE USA. WE BUILD IT RIGHT HERE. AMERICA IS RESPECTED AGAIN. OUR NATION IS STRONGER TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE. WE HAVE THE GREATEST EQUIPMENT. WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH SPIRITS LIKE THEY HAVE NOT HAD. WE HAVE THE GREATEST EQUIPMENT. OUR EQUIPMENT 2.5 YEARS AGO WAS OLD AND TIRED, AMMUNITION WAS LOW, OUR PLANES DID NOT FLY WELL OR AT ALL. NOW WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL NEW PLANES AND JETS AND FIGHTER JETS AND BOMBERS, AND WE HAVE HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING — HOPEFULLY WE DON’T HAVE TO USE THEM MUCH OR AT ALL BUT WE HAVE THE GREATEST MILITARY WE HAVE EVER HAD. [APPLAUSE]

AND TOGETHER, SO IMPORTANTLY WE ENDED THE LAST ADMINISTRATION ‘S HEARTLESS WAR ON AMERICAN ENERGY FOR ALL THE FOLKS IN TEXAS. YOU ARE HAPPY, PLENTY OF OTHER PLACES BUT YOU ARE HAPPY. THE U.S. IS THE NUMBER ONE ENERGY PRODUCER ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD BY FAR. [APPLAUSE] FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 60 YEARS, WE ARE NOW A NET EXPORTER OF AMERICAN NATURAL GAS. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE ENDING DECADES OF FOREIGN ENERGY RELIANCE TO UNLEASH THE BLESSINGS OF AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. WE ARE REALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AND YOU LOOK AT THE STREETS, AND YOU SEE THE SHIPS — STRAITS, AND YOU SEE THE SHIPS BEING TAKEN AWAY — IRAN IS MUCH DIFFERENT. NUMBER ONE, THEY WOULD NOT TAKE THEM. THEY BETTER NOT. NUMBER TWO WE DON’T HAVE MANY THERE. WE USED TO BE FLOODED. WE USED TO GET EVERYTHING THERE. NOW IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY. WE ARE VERY ENERGY INDEPENDENT.

WE HAVE INVESTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO COMBINE — COMBAT THE OPIOID CRISIS AND THOSE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION TO FIND ACCESS TO TREATMENT, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT, TREMENDOUS PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH OPIOIDS , NOT THAT IT GOES AWAY BUT LOOKING VERY STRONGLY FOR SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY TAKE AWAY THE PAIN WITHOUT BEING ADDICTIVE AND WE ARE GETTING CLOSE. THIS IS A — PEOPLE GO INTO THE HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK AND COME OUT DRUG ADDICTS. THEY COME OUT ADDICTED. IT IS A TERRIBLE THING BUT WE ARE WORKING HARD AND GETTING CLOSE, FINDING A PAINKILLER THAT IS NOT ADDICTIVE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE DECADES DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS HAVE DECLINED OVER 30 YEARS. [APPLAUSE]

FIRST TIME. THANKS TO THE ENTIRE REPUBLICAN TEAM IN CONGRESS, WE PASSED BIGGEST TAX CUT AND REFORM IN AMERICAN HISTORY. [APPLAUSE] AND WE ARE NOW WORKING ON A MIDDLE TAX, A TAX CUT FOR THE MIDDLE INCOME PEOPLE THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY INSPIRATIONAL. IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS WHAT EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR. WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING IT IN THE NEXT YEAR. IT WILL BE A VERY SUBSTANTIAL TAX CUT FOR MIDDLE INCOME FOLKS WHO WORKED SO HARD. WE WILL WORK ON IT ALTOGETHER. YOU SEE WHAT THE OTHER TAX CUT HAS DONE AND FRANKLY I AM NOT SURE BUT I WOULD SAY THE REGULATION CUTS, THE MASSIVE CUTS IN REGULATION, STILL HAVE PLENTY OF REGULATION BUT THE MASSIVE CUTS EQUAL THE TAX CUTS IN TERMS OF JOBS AND AND BUSINESSES. THE COMBINATION OF EVERYTHING WORKED BECAUSE WE PROBABLY HAVE RIGHT NOW THE STRONGEST ECONOMY IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION. [APPLAUSE]

AND WHAT THE MEDIA IS TRYING — THEY WANT A RECESSION SO BADLY. THE WORD, AND EVERY TIME THEY GO AFTER US, THE MARKET GOES UP. YOU HAVE GOT TO EXPLAIN THIS TO ME. WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING ANOTHER STOCK MARKET RECORD. WENT UP AGAIN TODAY. I THINK IT IS OVER 100 RECORDS AREA DAYS WHERE THE STOCK MARKET HIT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY ALL-TIME HIGHS. IT IS OVER 100. I WILL GET THE EXACT NUMBER BUT IT IS REALLY SOMETHING. THREE WEEKS AGO IF YOU LISTENED IT WAS LIKE DOOM AND GLOOM. I DON’T THINK THEY BELIEVED IT, BUT THAT IS OK.

WE ARE DOING VERY WELL WITH CHINA. CHINA WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING. WE ARE TAKING IN BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF TARIFFS AND THEY ARE EATING THE COST. IT IS NOT BEING BORNE VERY MUCH BY US. BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, MONEY FLOWING IN. WE NEVER HAVE TAKEN $.10 FROM CHINA. SUPPLY CHAINS ARE BEING BROKEN LIKE TOYS AND PEOPLE ARE LEAVING AND MILLIONS OF JOBS IN CHINA ARE BEING LOST. WE DON’T WANT THAT BUT WE WANT A FAIR DEAL. WE HAVE LOWERED OUR BUSINESS TAX FOR ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD TO ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE. NEARLY $1 TRILLION HAVE RETURNED TO OUR SHORES, $1 TRILLION, PART OF WHAT WE DID.

WE DOUBLED THE CHILD TAX CREDIT. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR THAT, BUT ESPECIALLY THE IVANKA TRUMP. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HER THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD JARON IS HERE, BUT SHE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THAT MEANT. SHE WORKED SO HARD. WE CREATED OPPORTUNITY ZONES TO REVITALIZE THE DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES. TIM SCOTT WAS FANTASTIC AND MANY OTHER SENATORS WHO WORKED HARD ON THAT BUT TIM SCOTT IN PARTICULAR REALLY WORKED HARD, SOUTH CAROLINA AND WE THANK TIM. THEY ARE DOING NUMBERS NOBODY BELIEVED POSSIBLE. SO MUCH MONEY IS GOING INTO AREAS THAT HAVE NEVER SEEN MONEY IN A LONG TIME.

WE ELIMINATED OBAMACARE’S CRUEL AND UNPOPULAR INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. [APPLAUSE]

SINCE OUR ELECTION IN 2016, WE HAVE CREATED 6 MILLION NEW JOBS INCLUDING ONE MILLION MANUFACTURING, ENERGY AND CONSTRUCTION JOBS. REMEMBER WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID FORGET MANUFACTURING, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE ALMOST 600,000 IN TERMS OF MANUFACTURING JOBS AND NOBODY THOUGHT THAT WAS POSSIBLE. AS SOON AS WE GET THE TRADE STUFF PERFECT THE WAY WE WANT IT, ONLY SIGN IT WHEN IT IS REALLY GOOD, WE DO UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS ECONOMY. WE ARE READY TO REALLY ROCK IT EVEN MORE. YOU GO FROM ELECTION NIGHT, THE DAY AFTER, NOVEMBER NINE, AND YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON STOCK MARKETS, OVER 50%, THROUGH ONE CASE ARE — 401K’S ARE THROUGH THE ROOF. 72%, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, NUMBERS THEY HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE, NO ONE SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

THIS IS WHEN WE ARE FIGHTING PEOPLE ON TRADE, WOULD WE HAVE THIS GREAT MILITARY AND WE DEFEND COUNTRIES THAT ARE IMMENSELY WEALTHY AND THEY DON’T HELP US OUT. THEY DON’T PAY US FOR ALMOST ANYTHING. WE ARE TALKING TO THOSE COUNTRIES. THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES. SOMETIMES OUR ALLIES TREAT US WORSE, BUT WE DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN. TAKES A LITTLE GETTING USED TO BECAUSE NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED THEM. WE ARE DEFENDING YOUR COUNTRY, YOU ARE RICH AS CAN BE, YOU HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE BIT. THEY GO NO. NO. MR. PRESIDENT, GOT TO PAY. YOU GOT TO PAY. THE ANSWER IS, BUT NOBODY HAS EVER ASKED US TO DO THAT. THAT IS WHY I AM DIFFERENT. [APPLAUSE] I SAY TELL ME WHY WE ARE DEFENDING YOU FOR FREE. WHY A TINY FRACTION OF WHAT IT COSTS, THEN YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR MANY YEARS ON TRADE. SO WE GET KILLED WITH TRADE, WE GET KILLED DEFENDING YOUR NATION. TELL ME, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. PRIME MINISTER, KING OR QUEEN, WHY ARE WE PROTECTING YOUR COUNTRY, AND THEY GO, BUT NOBODY HAS EVER ASKED ME THAT. THEY CAN’T THINK OF AN ANSWER. THE ONLY THING THEY SAY ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. I SAY IT WILL NOT BE THAT WAY ANY LONGER. YOU GOT TO PAY. IT IS TRUE. [APPLAUSE] NOT GOING TO BE THAT WAY ANY LONGER.

LAST MONTH WE WERE 600,000 PEOPLE JOINED OUR WORKFORCE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, MOST NEW HIRES ARE MINORITIES AND WOMEN. NOBODY KNOWS THAT BECAUSE THE MEDIA DOESN’T GET THAT ACROSS. [APPLAUSE] MORE THAN 7 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE BEEN LIFTED OFF OF FOOD STAMPS AND WE NOW HAVE A 13 STRAIGHT MONTHS OF WAGE GAINS OF AT LEAST 3%. [APPLAUSE] THINK OF THAT. DURING THE CAMPAIGN I USED TO SAY PEOPLE WOULD GO BACK 21 YEARS, WHEN I WAS RUNNING, AND THEY MADE 21 — MORE MONEY YEARS AGO THAT THEY WERE MAKING 2.5 YEARS AGO. THEY WERE MAKING MORE MONEY. ETIHAD TWO JOBS AND EVEN THREE JOBS. NOT ANYMORE. AFRICAN-AMERICAN, HISPANIC AMERICAN UNEMPLOYMENT HAVE REACHED THE LOWEST RATE EVER RECORDED IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. [APPLAUSE] I WONDER IF THAT WILL BE MENTIONED DURING THE DEBATE. I DON’T KNOW. I HAVE A FEELING — KEVIN, YOU THINK THEY WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT? IT IS A GOOD DEBATE POINT. THEY HIT ME LEFT AND RIGHT, I WILL SAY AFRICAN-AMERICAN UNEMPLOYMENT IS THE LOWEST IT HAS EVER BEEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOOD LUCK. BUT ANOTHER GOOD ONE IS AFTER AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC AMERICAN POVERTY RATES HAVE ALSO REACHED THE ALL-TIME IN OUR HISTORY RECORD LOWS. HOW DO YOU LOSE THIS DEBATE? HOW DO YOU LOSE THIS? IT IS A TOUGH ONE TO BEAT ALSO. OUR PLEDGE TO THE WORKERS ARE SECURING COMMITMENTS FOR 13 MILLION EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS. WE HAVE THE GREATEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD AND THEY ARE TRAINING PEOPLE — GOVERNMENT CAN’T REALLY TRAIN THEM. WE ARE TRAINING PEOPLE THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO THESE — WALMART IS AN EXAMPLE AND SO MANY OTHERS. WE ARE GOING TO THE COMPANIES AND THEY ARE TAKING PEOPLE AND TRAINING THEM. NO ONE CAN TRAIN THEM, ONLY THE COMPANY ITSELF. 13 MILLION PEOPLE AND IT IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL TO SEE.

WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE THESE EXTRAORDINARY GAINS. WE HAVE DONE THINGS I DON’T THINK ANY ADMINISTRATION HAS COME CLOSE TO. WE HAVE DONE THINGS THAT FEW HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT DOING, BUT WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING FIGHT BECAUSE THE TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS THAT HAVE MADE THE DREAM POSSIBLE ARE UNDER ATTACK LIKE NEVER BEFORE. YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE PURSUING THE MOST RADICAL FAR-LEFT PROGRAM EVER PUT FORWARD IN THAT HISTORIC CHAMBER.

IT IS THE DEMOCRATS AND IT IS THE MEDIA. WE ARE FIGHTING TWO BATTLES. THE DEMOCRATS AND THE MEDIA. IT IS AS IF THEY ARE ONE BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE. THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER. THEY ARE COLLUDING AND THEY ARE EXTRACTING. — ABSTRACT — THEY ARE OBST RUCTING. WITH THE GRIM SPECTER OF SOCIALISM DESCENDING ON THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IT IS UP TO ALL OF US TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF AMERICAN LIBERTY. WE HAVE A VERY BIG TASK. PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE GOING TO BEAT THIS ONE OR THAT ONE, THEY ARE SO FAR-LEFT. IT IS HARD TO BEAT A SOCIALIST WHEN YOU HAVE A WEALTHY COUNTRY. WE HAVE A WEALTHY COUNTRY. WHEN THEY SAY WE WILL GIVE AWAY YOUR HEALTH CARE, WE WILL DO FREE EDUCATION, WE WILL CUT STUDENT LOAN DEBT DOWN TO NOTHING, $1.6 TRILLION OUT THE WINDOW, EVERYTHING IS GIVEN AWAY, THEN THEY SAY WE DON’T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR TAXES — IF YOU PAY FIVE TIMES WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING YOU WOULD NOT COME CLOSE.

WE ARE WORKING HARD ON A PLACE CALLED VENEZUELA. 15 YEARS AGO IT WAS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST AND TODAY THEY DON’T HAVE FOOD OR WATER OR ANYTHING. THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING. WE ARE SENDING THINGS TO HELP THEM ON A HUMANITARIAN BASIS AND WE ARE WORKING WITH COLUMBIA AND OTHER NATIONS TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY ESCAPE BUT THAT WAS SOCIALISM. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN A SHORT TIME. ISSUE AFTER ISSUE AMERICANS MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT VISIONS THAT WILL DEFINE OUR NATION FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME. MORE THAN 130 DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE BERNIE SANDERS TOTAL GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTH CARE. CRAZY BERNIE. HE IS A CRAZY GUY. WHEN FRENCH — WHICH WOULD DRAMATICALLY RAISE MIDDLE-CLASS TAXES, ELIMINATE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR 180 MILLION AMERICANS AND DESTROY MEDICARE FOREVER. REPUBLICANS WILL ALWAYS PROTECT MEDICARE FOR OUR GREAT SENIORS WHO EARNED IT AND PAID FOR IT, AND WE WILL ALWAYS PROTECT PATIENTS WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. [APPLAUSE]

228 HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTED TO PUT AMERICA BACK INTO THE DISASTROUS PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD. HOW IS THAT WORKING OUT FOR PARIS? THE YELLOW VESTS. THEY DIDN’T LIKE ALL OF THAT MONEY BEING SENT TO PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE COUNTRY FROM WHICH THEY CAME, AND HASN’T BEEN WORKING OUT WELL BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER FOR US. IT WOULD HAVE COST US A TREMENDOUS FORTUNE. THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE AWAY OUR WEALTH AND SAY WE CAN’T DO CERTAIN BUSINESSES. WE CAN’T TAKE NEW ORLEANS GAS. WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ONE OF THE GREAT TRAVESTY.

THAT AND THE CLEAN WATERS ACT DIDN’T GIVE YOU — TODAY WE HAVE THE CLEANEST AIR, THE CLEANEST WATER WE HAVE EVER HAD IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. [APPLAUSE] JUST FOR THE PRESS BECAUSE THEY WILL GET ME, LET’S SAY OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. I WOULD SAY THE FIRST FEW YEARS THEY HAD CLEANER AIR AND WATER BECAUSE THERE WAS NOBODY HERE. I HAVE TO BE ACCURATE BUT THEY WILL NOT PUT IT ON, THEY WON’T PUT THE SECOND PART ON. THEY WON’T PUT THE EXPLANATION ON. WE HAVE CLEAN AIR AND WATER. THE PARIS ACCORDS WOULD DO NOTHING TO IMPROVE OUR ENVIRONMENT. IT WOULD ONLY PUNISH OUR COUNTRY WHILE FOREIGN PEOPLE OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY. YOU LOOK AT CHINA, INDIA, RUSSIA AND OTHER PLACES, SMOKESTACKS POURING OUT, EVERYTHING IS POURING OUT.

WE ARE GOING TO BE CLEAN, BUT ISN’T IT SORT OF NAIVE — THEN THEY TALK ABOUT PLASTIC STRAWS. WHAT ABOUT THE PLATE, WHAT ABOUT THE WRAPPER MADE OUT A MUCH TOUGHER PLASTIC? WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO THAT. JUST STRAWS. SOME DAY YOU WILL EXPLAIN THAT TO ME, LOUIS. YOU ARE A BIG ENVIRONMENTALIST. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE STRAW? THEY CAN’T EXPLAIN IT. WE DID A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE ARE WORKING ON CARS BECAUSE FOR A VIRTUALLY INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ENERGY WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE CARS THAT ARE SUBSTANTIAL BY $300,000 OR SO CHEAPER, LESS EXPENSIVE, MUCH SAFER, BECAUSE THE HEAVIER — THEY ARE HEAVIER, STRONGER, NOT MADE OF PAPIER-MACHE. HEAVY, STRONG AND THEY WILL COST A LOT LESS MONEY.

PEOPLE SAID WHAT IS WITH THE LIGHTBULB? HERE IS A STORY. I LOOKED AT IT. THE ONE WE ARE BEING FORCED TO USE — NUMBER ONE TO ME MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE LIGHT’S NO GOOD. I ALWAYS LOOK ORANGE, AND SO DO YOU. THE LIGHT IS THE WORST. NUMBER TWO IT IS MANY TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THAT OLD INCANDESCENT BULB THAT WORKED VERY WELL AND VERY IMPORTANTLY I DON’T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, THEY HAVE WARNINGS. IF IT BREAKS, IT IS CONSIDERED A HAZARDOUS WASTE. IT IS GASES INSIDE. READ WHAT THEY SAY. IF IT BREAKS, BRING IT TO YOUR LOCAL WHATEVER, HAVE IT WRAPPED — WHAT ARE WE DOING? I SAID TO ONE OF THE PEOPLE TODAY, THEY BREAK A LOT, SO WHAT DO THEY DO — THEY THROW THEM AWAY. THEY CALL IT HAZARDOUS WASTE, BUT MANY TIMES MORE TO EXPENSIVE — IT IS MANY TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE AND THE LIGHT IS NOT AS GOOD. WE ARE GOING TO SELL THAT BUT WE ARE GOING TO SELL INCANDESCENT BULBS AND PEOPLE ARE HAPPY, IT HAS BEEN AMAZING. [APPLAUSE] PEOPLE DON’T TELL YOU WHY. THEY SAY HE IS GETTING RID OF AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT BALL. THEY DON’T TELL YOU ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THE BALD AND THE COST OF THAT BOLD. OVER 100 DEMOCRATS SIGNED UP TO SUPPORT THE $100 TRILLION GREEN NEW DEAL. THAT IS A BEAUTY. NO MORE COWS, NO MORE PLANES, I GUESS NO MORE PEOPLE. BECAUSE KEVIN [McCarthy] IS JUST LIKE A COW , JUST SMALLER. I HAD TO PICK SOMEBODY AND I LOOKED AT THAT BEAUTIFUL, POLITICAL FACE OF YOURS. A LITTLE TRUTH TO THAT.

I SEE HARDENED DEMOCRATS POLITICIANS THAT — I SAY IT IS INCREDIBLE. THEY ARE STANDING BEHIND AOC. I CALL HER CORTEZ. YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE NAME. HER NAME IS CORTEZ. I CALLED HER AOC AND THE OTHERS AOC PLUS THREE. AOC PLUS THREE. THAT IS THE DEFINITION. I SEE WHAT SHE IS TALKING, SHE IS GOING THROUGH THIS DEAL THAT IS SO INSANE BUT I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I HIT POCAHONTAS TOO EARLY. I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOD. SHE HAS EMERGED ON THE ASHES AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE SHE COULD BEAT SLEEPY JOE. HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE IS DOING OR SAYING. PRESIDENT XI OF CHINA, HE IS TOUGH. HE IS A. KIND OF A GUY. GREAT GUY BUT HE IS DYING TO SEE — HE WANTS SLEEPY JOE. IMAGINE THIS, THOSE GUYS IN A ROOM. HERE IS XI. HI. HERE IS SLEEPY JOE. WHERE AM I, WHERE AM I? JUST SIGN HERE. LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, LET US TAKE MONEY OUT OF YOUR ACCOUNT AND KEEP REBUILDING CHINA WITH AMERICA’S MONEY. A LOT OF THINGS ARE STOPPING THAT ARE BAD, FOOLISH AND CRAZY.

BUT WE WON’T LET DEMOCRATS OBLITERATE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY AND CRIPPLE WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES WITH SKYHIGH ENERGY PRICES. DEMOCRATS ARE PROPOSING TO PACK THE COURTS WITH LAWS AND ACTIVIST JUDGES. LOOK AT THESE. DOING WELL, LATELY WE ARE DOING WELL. [APPLAUSE] AND TODAY I SIGNED THE 150TH JUDGE, FEDERAL JUDGE. [APPLAUSE] THINK OF IT, 150 INCLUDING COURT OF APPEALS IN TWO GREAT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. THINK ABOUT IT. [APPLAUSE]

AND YESTERDAY, COINCIDENTLY, WE JUST WON THE ASYLUM CASE, THE BIG ONE, THE BIG ONE. WE WON IT IN A VOTE OF 7-2 SO IT WASN’T A VERY CLOSE ONE. AND TO ME, SO IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BUILD THAT WALL, WE ARE BUILDING THAT WALL BECAUSE THREE MONTHS AGO WE GOT THE CASE ON THE WALL. THAT WALL IS BEING BUILT AND IT IS BEING BUILT RAPIDLY, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE AS MUCH AS 500 MILES OF WALL BUILT BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, 500 MILES. THAT IS A LOT. THAT IS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT. AND THAT IS BEING BUILT DESPITE THE MOST OBSTRUCTIVE GROUP OF PEOPLE I HAVE EVER SEEN. IF THEY WANT TO RUN THEIR CAMPAIGN WITH OPEN BORDERS, THEY WANT TO RUN THEIR CAMPAIGN ON SOME OF THE THINGS THEY ARE SAYING, GREEN NEW DEAL AND ALL IT ENTAILS, I SAY LET THEM GO. DON’T CRITICIZE TOO MUCH, PLEASE.

ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT POLITICS, YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING ONE DAY BUT IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE , LIKE THEY ARE SAYING, THEN TWO WEEKS LATER SAY THE OPPOSITE AND NO ONE WILL EVER CALL YOU ON IT. YOU ARE IN THE CRAZIEST BUSINESS I HAVE EVER SEEN. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT AND TWO WEEKS LATER THEY WILL SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I WANT TO BRING THEM DOWN THE PIKE BEFORE WE START CRITICIZING THE GREEN NEW DEAL. I WANT TO SAY BECAUSE WE ARE ON TELEVISION, EVEN THOUGH I GUESS THEY SHOULD BE WATCHING THE DEBATE BUT PROBABLY WATCHING US — WE HAVE A LOT. SEE THOSE CAMERAS? WE KICKED REPORTERS OUT BUT THOSE CAMERAS, WE ARE ON LIVE. THE GREEN NEW DEAL, WE WANT THAT THING TO GO AS LONG AS IT CAN BECAUSE ANYONE THAT CAN WIN OFFICE PROMOTING THE GREEN NEW DEAL, THEY DESERVE TO WIN. THEY GOT TO BE REALLY GOOD AND HAVE THE GREATEST LINE OF CRAP ANYBODY HAS EVER HAD IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICS. THEIR DELIVERY HAS TO BE PERFECT, SOMETIMES — LOUSY POLITICIANS, BUT THEY HAVE ONE THING THAT IS INCREDIBLE, THEY STICK TOGETHER. YOU PEOPLE HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER. WE HAVE MORE SPIRIT WITH OUR CONGRESS MEN AND WOMEN THAN WE HAVE EVER HAD THAT I SEE. YOU ARE IN A SMALL — JUST A LITTLE SHORT OF TAKING THE MAJORITY. YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IT. YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE THE MAJORITY. [APPLAUSE]

AND DAN, DAN BISHOP, AND CRAIG MURPHY, THEY WILL TELL YOU BECAUSE THEY SAW WHAT HAPPENED. WE WENT INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THEY WENT OUT TO VOTE LIKE NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN. I WILL STAFF IN EVERY COMMUNITY I CAN. WE WILL MAKE A LIST — I GOT A LOT OF ENERGY. YOU DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY, YOU CAN FORGET THAT ONE. EVERY SAYS I GOT TO REST FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER TWO STOPS. LET ME REST. SHE DID NOT LIKE STAIRS, SHE DID NOT LIKE AIRPLANES, SHE DID NOT LIKE A LOT. SHE SAID I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO WISCONSIN TO CAMPAIGN. HER HUSBAND WAS A PRO. I SAW WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN WISCONSIN, I DON’T LIKE IT. A LOT OF THOSE TRUMP AND TRUMP HENCE SIGNS, A LOT OF THEM. I DON’T LIKE IT. DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, DARLING. WISCONSIN WILL BE FINE. THE WINNER OF WISCONSIN IS DONALD TRUMP. A LOT OF SIGNS, SHE SAID. IN MICHIGAN THERE WERE A LOT OF SIGNS IN THE LONG. SIGNS ALL OVER THE PLACE. GOT TO GO BACK TO MICHIGAN MORE OFTEN. MICHIGAN HASN’T BEEN WON FOR DECADES BY A REPUBLICAN. MY PEOPLE TELL ME GREAT. I DON’T KNOW WHO HER PEOPLE WERE. IF THEY EVER THREATEN ME WITH THAT THAT I COLLUDED WITH HER PEOPLE THAT I COULD UNDERSTAND. THAT I COULD. BECAUSE THEY TOLD HER DON’T GO BACK TO MICHIGAN. DON’T GO BACK. DONALD TRUMP HAS WON THE GREAT STATE OF MICHIGAN. DONALD TRUMP HAS WON THE GREAT STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, GREAT STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA, THE GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. REMEMBER THEY SAID WE WOULD LOSE TEXAS. THEY DIDN’T SAY THAT. THEY ARE CROOKED AS HELL, BUT THEY DID SAY TEXAS IS IN PLAY. BEING SOMEWHAT NEW TO THE GAME, I SAID LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND THEY SAY IT IS IN PLAY? IT IS TOO CLOSE TO CALL. I AM SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS AT THIS THING. TEXAS IS IN PLAY. I WENT TO MAKE A SPEECH, WE HAD A LINE MILES LONG. EVERYBODY WAS TELLING ME A GREAT GUY GOT INTO TEXAS, WEARING HIS BIG COWBOY HAT, I WISH WE COULD WEAR THEM — NO ONE WOULD LOOK AT MY HAIR AND CRITICIZE. YOU EVER NOTICE IN TEXAS THEY WEAR THE HAT — I WOULD DO THAT. I WOULDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAIRSPRAY OR MY HAIR BLOWING, BEAUTIFULLY BLOWING IN THE WIND. THIS GUY IS ON TELEVISION, STRONG TEXAS GUY AND THEY ASK HIM ABOUT THE RACE BEING SO CLOSE LIKE FIVE MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION. HE SAID I DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU COME FROM BUT I COME FROM TEXAS. ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TELL YOU FOR REAL, THIS RACE IS NOT CLOSE AT ALL. TRUMP IS GOING TO WIN BY A LOT. GET TO THE EVENING AND THEY ARE SAYING TEXAS IS IN PLAY, IT IS TOO CLOSE. THE POLLS CLOSE AT 8:00. UNLESS YOU HAVE A HUGE COMMANDING LEAD — IT TAKES AN HOUR OR THREE BEFORE THEY SAY WHO WON. THE POLLS HAVE CLOSED, DONALD TRUMP HAS WON THE STATE OF TEXAS. LIKE SIX MONTHS, THEN TODAY I HEARD IT AGAIN.

I THINK IT WAS BUTTIGIEG. THEY SAID — BOOT AND THEN EDGE — NO ONE CAN PRONOUNCE HIS LAST NAME. NOBODY. THE JUDGE. THEY SAY BUTTIGIEG AND TRUMP. WHAT I’VE DONE FOR ENERGY, IF ANYONE BEAT ME IN TEXAS — I DON’T THINK ROCKEFELLER COULD BEAT THE IN TEXAS. THE REAL ROCKEFELLER, THE FIRST ROCKEFELLER. HE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME. THEY SAID BUTTIGIEG — HE IS DOING A ROTTEN JOB RUNNING HIS OWN CITY. LOUSY JOB. BUT THEY SAY BUTTIGIEG IS TWO POINTS UP IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP. I SAID I DON’T THINK SO. I DON’T THINK SO. I DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT TOO MUCH. YOU THINK BUTTIGIEG’S WINNING TEXAS? I HAVE HAD HIM UP TO HEAR. — HERE.

DEMOCRATS CARE MORE ABOUT ILLEGAL ALIENS AND THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS. REPUBLICANS KNOW OUR DUTY IS TO AMERICAN CITIZENS. DEMOCRATS VOTED AGAINST’KATES LAW — AGAINST KATES’S LAW AND THE CHARGE ABOUT GUN POSSESSION WHICH WAS LIKE — GOT AWAY WITH MURDER, CAN YOU IMAGINE? IT IS NOT OVER YET. WHAT A HORRIBLE THING TO LACE IN SAN FRANCISCO, HOLDING HER OTHERS HAND AND SAYING, WHAT HAPPENED, CAN YOU IMAGINE THE SHOCK OF IT? THAT IS INCREDIBLE. THIS LOW LIFE GETS OUT. GETS OUT. PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD SEE THAT AND SAY WHAT IS WRONG WITH UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHEN THEY SEE THAT?

LAST YEAR MORE THAN 80% OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS REFUSED TO SUPPORT OUR HEROES, ICE AND NEARLY EVERY HOUSE TO MCGRATH VOTED IN FAVOR OF SANCTUARY CITIES ALLOWING ILLEGAL ALIENS WITH SEVERE CRIMINAL RECORDS TO TERRORIZE INNOCENT COMMUNITIES AND THESE GUYS WERE TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL IN NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE ALL WE KEPT DOING WAS SAYING THE GOVERNOR AND ALL OF THESE DEMOCRATS, RIGHT, ALL OF THE DEMOCRATS WANT SANCTUARY CITIES AND THEY LET SOMEBODY OUT FAIRLY RECENTLY AND THAT SOMEBODY WREAKED HAVOC. I WILL TELL YOU, IT WAS SO HORRIBLE. INSTEAD OF TAKING HIM, GETTING HIM TO ICE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THE FOLKS AT ICE AND BORDER PATROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY ARE NOT TREATED PROPERLY AND WE RESPECT THEM, MOST AMERICANS REALLY RESPECT THEM. [APPLAUSE] YOU KNOW WE HAVE MS 13, THE TOUGHEST PEOPLE YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BUT NOT AS TOUGH AS ICE. ICE RUNS IN TO THEIR NESTS. THEY CALL THAT A NEST. THEY DON’T LIKE GUNS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PAID FOR IN A. THEY TAKE YOUNG PEOPLE, SLICE THEM UP, BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG AND IN A CASE, 16-YEAR-OLD YOUNG GIRLS WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL. THEY TOOK THEM AND SLICED THEM UP BECAUSE IT WAS MORE PAINFUL. ANIMALS. NANCY COLLUSIVE ATTACKED ME BECAUSE I CALLED THEM ANIMALS. SHE SAID THEY ARE NOT ANIMALS, THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS. I DON’T THINK SO. ICE WILL GO INTO A NEST. THEY CALL IT A NEST. WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM CONGREGATED, UP TO NO GOOD AND ICE WILL RUN INTO THE NEST LIKE IT IS, LIKE THEY ARE HAVING BREAKFAST WITH THEIR FAMILY MONDAY MORNING. THEY ARE TOUGH AND THEY ARE PATRIOTS AND LOVE OUR COUNTRY AND WE ARE THROWING OUT MS 13 BY THE THOUSANDS. WE ARE GETTING THEM OUT OF OUR COUNTRY. [APPLAUSE]

AND EVEN TOUGH SHERIFFS SAY, BETTER THAN THEY DO IT. I AGREE WITH THEM, BETTER THAN THEY DO IT, THE SHERIFFS AGREE BUT THEY SAY BETTER THAT THEY DO IT. THEN THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO KEEP THEM AROUND AND ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF THEM AND PROTECT THEM. I DON’T KNOW, TELL ME IF IT IS GOOD POLITICS AND I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE POLITICS. IT IS SO BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY BUT IF YOU TOLD ME YOU COULD WIN WITH THAT, OPEN BORDERS, — WE TAKE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, REALLY BAD PEOPLE. PUBLIC SERVANTS LIKE A SACRED PLEDGE TO DEFEND THE NATION AND ITS PEOPLE, POLITICIANS WHO SUPPORT SANCTUARY CITIES, HAVE FORSAKEN THE SOLEMN VOW INSTEAD OF MAKING A SHAMEFUL FACT TO SHIELD AND HARBOR CRIMINAL FEUDED — FUGITIVES. THEY WILL DO IT AT ANY COST. PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA, THEY DON’T WANT SANCTUARY CITIES. IT IS THE POLITICIANS THAT WANT THEM. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE REVOLTING. THEY DON’T WANT SANCTUARY CITIES. THEY CAN’T BE SAFE IN SANCTUARY CITIES. THEY ARE PROTECTING CRIMINALS. IN JULY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND DECLARED ITSELF A SANCTUARY CITY FOR CRIMINAL ALIENS, FORCING LOCAL JAILS TO RELEASE THESE DANGEROUS INMATES INSTEAD OF SAFELY HANDING THEM OVER TO ICE. ICE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST. TWO MONTHS LATER EIGHT ILLEGAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A MINOR. LAST MONTH LOCAL OFFICIALS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY RELEASED AND ACCUSED TERMINAL ALIEN RAPIST ONTO THE STREETS, DEFYING ICE’S POWERFUL REQUEST TO TURN THEM OVER TO THEM. HAVE IN MARCH, IN DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA A ARRESTED — A SHORT TIME LATER THAT SAME ILLEGAL ALIEN WAS CHARGED WITH MURDER OF A 19-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN GEORGIA. THIS IS HAPPENING OVER — THESE ARE STORIES I COULD GIVE ALL DAY LONG.

I LOVE THE ANGEL MOM’S. I LOVE THOSE WOMEN. WOMEN AND FAMILIES I GOT TO KNOW A LOT OF. THEY HAVE SUFFERED. THEY ARE SCORNED BY THE RADICAL LEFT. WHO COULD SCORE AND A PERSON WHO LOST THEIR DAUGHTER, PUT IN AN ASHCAN AND BURNED? THEY FIND THE PERSON AND IS LIKE WHO CAN EVEN, WHO COULD GO THROUGH WHAT THEY HAVE? IT HAPPENS A LOT. FAR WORSE THAN WHAT I’M TELLING YOU TONIGHT, FAR WORSE. DEMOCRATS BELIEVE OUR CITIES SHOULD BE SANCTUARIES FOR VIOLENT CRIMINAL ALIENS. REPUBLICANS BELIEVE OUR CITIES SHOULD BE SANCTUARIES FOR LAW-ABIDING AMERICANS. [APPLAUSE] DEMOCRATS ALSO BELIEVE ANY ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO MERELY SETS FOOT ON U.S. SOIL SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY RELEASED INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE UNITED STATES AND GIVEN FREE HEALTH CARE FOR LIFE. THESE POLICIES IMPOVERISH U.S. IMMUNITY’S WHILE ENRICHING HUMAN SMUGGLERS, TRAFFICKERS AND VICIOUS CRIMINAL CARTELS.

208 HOUSE DEMOCRATS, 90% OF THE CAUCUS, VOTED AGAINST NOTIFYING ICE WHEN AN ILLEGAL ALIEN TRIES TO BUY A GUN. DEMOCRATS WANT TO CONFISCATE GUNS FROM LAW-ABIDING AMERICANS SO THEY ARE DEFENSELESS WHEN SOMEONE WALKS INTO THEIR HOUSE WITH A GUN. IT IS LIKE, WHATEVER YOU WANT. WHATEVER YOU WANT. I AM DEFENSELESS. WHATEVER YOU WANT. HOW CRAZY IS THIS? REPUBLICANS WILL FOREVER UPHOLD THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. THE AGENDA OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS THE DEMOLITION OF THE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS. A REPUBLICAN AGENDA IS TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER, FAMILIES STRONGER AND OUR MIDDLE-CLASS BIGGER AND MORE PROSPEROUS THAN EVER BEFORE, AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO DOING IT, BUT WE HAVE TO WIN THIS NEXT ELECTION.

I SAID THE OTHER DAY, I DON’T KNOW IF ANYONE SAID IT BEFORE, SOUNDS LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT IT IS LIKE A PLANT. YOU GREW THE PLANT, PUT IT IN BUT IT HAS NOT REALLY GRABBED ON YET. HE WILL NOT. IT NEEDS TIME. WE NEED TIME. WE HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS CHANGES, TREMENDOUS, AND WE WILL DO OTHER CHANGES, GREAT OTHER CHANGES. WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL TIME TO LET IT GRAB ON BECAUSE THEY WILL DESTROY WHAT WE HAVE DONE. WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN. YOU WON’T HAVE ENERGY, BUSINESS, JOBS, INCOME, IT WILL BE A DISASTER. YOU HAVE TO FIGHT LIKE HELL.

I TELL THE STORY OF A MAN WHO PLAYED — HATES ME, ALWAYS HATED ME AND I ALWAYS HATED HIM. CAN’T STAND THAT GUY. I MEET HIM AND HE IS WORKING WITH MY PEOPLE ON HELPING US OUT WITH FUNDRAISERS AND EVERYTHING. I SAY WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? TRYING TO HELP YOU GET ELECTED. I SAID YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I SAID, YOU DO HAVE NO CHOICE. YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. HE SAID I REALLY RESPECT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, ALMOST THREE YEARS NOW. I RESPECT YOU. IT HAS BEEN GREAT FOR BUSINESS AND JOBS. I HAVE MORE PEOPLE WORKING THAN WHEN YOU BECAME PRESIDENT AND IT IS A CREDIBLE WHAT HAS HAPPENED. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I LIKED THIS GUY. TOUGH GUY. BUT NO, HE IS ONE OF MANY.

I WAS JOKING ONE-TIME, WALKED UP TO — I SAID I DON’T HAVE TO MAKE A LONG SPEECH. YOU HAVE TWO LIKE ME — WHETHER YOU LIKE ME OR NOT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY WILL GO TO HELL IF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE GET IN. IT WILL GO TO HELL. I’M GOING TO LEAVE, I JOKED, THEN I CAME BACK AND TALKED BUT I SAID I WAS JOKING BUT I AM REALLY NOT. YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. WERE THE INCOME OF THE SEINE — THE SANER THEY ARE, THE WORST THEY ARE DOING. THE LEFT WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY, THEY WILL TAKE AND HURT YOUR FAMILIES. I DON’T THINK PEOPLE COULD ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE A COUNTRY THAT IS DOING I THINK BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE, THE ECONOMY THE STRONGEST IT HAS EVER BEEN, MILITARY, ALL OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DISCUSSED AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT SO HARD THAT WE WIN THIS ELECTION.

I HAD A BIG MEETING ON ETHANOL AND THE FARMERS. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. CHUCK GRASSLEY WAS THERE AND JONI ERNST, MIKE DOWNS, A GROUP OF GREAT PEOPLE. JUST SITTING AROUND THE ROOM. BEN SASSE, WHO HAS BECOME GOOD — WE HAD ARGUMENTS BEFORE BUT DOESN’T MATTER, BEN SASSE WAS THERE. WE HAD A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE. AS WE WERE SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE TALKING ABOUT FARMERS, I REALIZED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WIN BECAUSE FARMERS WILL BE TOTALLY PUT OUT OF BUSINESS. MANY BUSINESSES WILL BE PUT OUT. I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING. WHAT ARE THEY DOING? I SENT TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE — SET TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE, STRONG REPUBLICANS, I SAID YOU REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WIN BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T, THIS COUNTRY IS IN SUCH TROUBLE.

I USED TO TALK ABOUT 2016 AS BEING A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION AND IT WAS. IN ITS OWN WAY THIS IS — I WILL NEVER SAY MORE IMPORTANT BUT I CAN ALMOST SAY OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE HAVE DONE, AND THE BIGGEST GAINS ARE TO COME BECAUSE THE HARD WORK OF GETTING IT APPROVED, YOU WERE INVOLVED, IT WAS SO HARD. WE GOT THINGS DONE. THE TAX CUTS, ALL OF THE THINGS WE DID, WE WOULD HAVE HAD HEALTH CARE DONE AND WE WILL GET IT DONE IF WE GET BACK THE HOUSE AND KEEP THE PRESIDENCY. WE WOULD HAVE HAD HEALTH CARE DONE EXCEPT FOR — [APPLAUSE] WE HAD ONE LITTLE SURPRISING VOTE LATE IN THE EVENING BUT WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT DONE. WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT DONE AND WE WILL GET IT DONE IN THE HOUSE. EVEN ON HEALTH CARE WE HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB. THE MANDATE AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO. WE ARE FIGHTING FOR EVERYDAY CITIZENS WHO WORK HARD, RAISE THEIR CHILDREN, FOLLOW OUR LAWS, SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES, RESPECT OUR POLICE AND BELIEVE IN AMERICA WITH THEIR EVERY OUNCE OF THEIR HEART, THEIR SOUL. WE ARE FIGHTING TO PROTECT THEIR JOBS, DEFEND THEIR FAMILIES AND TO ENSURE THEIR CHILDREN CAN LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS ACTUALLY LOVED IN THIS COUNTRY, AND I THINK IN A CERTAIN WAY LOVED LIKE NEVER BEFORE BECAUSE THEY SEE WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THIS COUNTRY, WHAT WE GREW UP WITH, THE VALUES THAT WE WANT. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, SOME PEOPLE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED BUT YOU ARE LOVED. I SEE IT ALL THE TIME. I SAW IT IN NORTH CAROLINA, BACKSTAGE, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR NATION. WHEN YOU HAVE DONE IS INCREDIBLE. SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE DONE IN A SHORT TIME IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE. [APPLAUSE] A NATION’S FIRST DUTY IS TO CARE FOR ITS OWN CITIZENS AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE WORKING TO GIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A HIGH QUALITY — THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. A LOW-COST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WITH MORE TRANSPARENCY AND WE ARE DOING TRANSPARENCY. YOU HAVE SEEN THAT. A MAN WHO CAME IN WHO IS AN EXPERT, TREMENDOUS MAN, WHO I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR. HE SAID TRANSPARENCY. EXPLAIN TRANSPARENCY, SOUND SIMPLE. I GOT IT DONE. THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO HOSPITALS AND PRICE AND PICK THEIR DOCTOR. HE SAID THIS IS BIGGER THAN ANY HEALTH CARE YOU CAN DO. IT WILL BE PUT INTO EFFECT. THE SECRETARY IS DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. IT WILL BE PUT INTO EFFECT SOON. PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GO AND NEGOTIATE THE PRICE IS. YOU HAVE POORER STORIES WHERE A WOMAN WILL CUT HER HAND AND GO INTO A HOSPITAL — DON’T ASK HOW MUCH BUT GO INTO A HOSPITAL AND HAVE THE HAND AND THEN THEY GET BILLED $5,000 AND DON’T HAVE $5,000. THE HORROR STORIES ARE UNBELIEVABLE, AND WE WENT THROUGH IT, SOME OF YOU IN THE ROOM, WHEN I DID SIGNINGS. WE ARE HAVING TRANSPARENCY WHERE YOU CAN HAVE LISTS OF PRICES, SOME PROBLEM, THEY LIST IT. YOU CAN NEGOTIATE PRICES. YOU CAN GO TO THE DRUGSTORE AND SAY, WE WANT TO SEE HOW MUCH IS THAT — RIGHT NOW YOU CAN’T DO THAT. THEY DON’T LET YOU DO THAT BUT NOW WE DO.

WE HAVE DONE A LOT. RIGHT TO TRY IS SOMETHING WE HAVE DONE. [APPLAUSE] YOU HAVE TO SEE THE RESULTS. A PERSON CAN BE TERMINALLY ILL IN THE OLD SYSTEM AND WE COULD HAVE A DRUG THAT WE KNOW WORKS BUT WILL TAKE ANOTHER YEAR OF TESTING UNTIL THE PERSON, SORRY, YOU CAN’T USE THAT BECAUSE IT MAY HURT YOU. IT WILL KILL YOU, YOU ARE TERMINALLY ILL. THEY WANTED TO DO THIS FOR 45 YEARS. IT IS NOT AS EASY AS ALL OF THAT. THE COUNTRY WAS WORRIED THEY WOULD SUE THE COUNTRIES. THE DOCTORS WERE WORRIED THEY WOULD SUE THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. THEY GOT EVERYONE INTO A ROOM. WHAT WE DO IS SIGN AN AGREEMENT WHERE WE GUARANTEE IN OUR TOUGH AGREEMENT WHERE YOU GUARANTEE WE HAVE NO LIABILITY, THE DOCTOR HAS NO LIABILITY, THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY HAS NO LIABILITY AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS AND EVERYBODY IS HAPPY. THEY SAID WE DON’T WANT TO RUN THE RISK. IF A PERSON IS TERMINALLY ILL — WE DON’T WANT THEM ON THE LIST BECAUSE THEY DO A LIST OF SUCCESS. WHEN A PERSON IS VERY, VERY SICK KNEW THE END OF THEIR LIFE, TERMINALLY ILL, WE DON’T WANT THAT PERSON ON OUR LIST AS A SAMPLE. I SAID I UNDERSTAND SO WE WON’T HAVE THAT PERSON. HE WILL NOT HAVE THAT PERSON. — YOU WILL NOT CREATE — VERY, SICK TERMINALLY ILL PEOPLE BUT FOR YOUR LIST — THEY SAID WELL, WE LIKE THAT AND WE GOT IT SIGNED. YOU HAVE TO SEE THE SUCCESS. USED TO GO TO ASIA, EUROPE, ALL OVER THE WORLD IF THEY HAD MONEY. MOST PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE MONEY SO THEY WOULD GO HOME AND DIE. NOW THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRY, AND I WILL CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT BECAUSE YOU WERE THE ONES WHO DID THAT JOB AND GREG WAS GREAT, WHEREVER HE IS. YOU STOOD UP FAST. THAT IS GOOD. THANK YOU, GREG. I CALLED GREG AND SAID, YOU GOT TO GET IT DONE. IT WASN’T EASY. WE HAD MORE PEOPLE COMING AT US. THANK YOU VERY

THAT IS WHY WE ARE ENDING YEARS OF ECONOMIC SURRENDER AND WE ARE CONFRONTING CHINA’S CHRONIC TRADING ABUSES. PAST PEOPLE LET THEM LOOT OUR ECONOMY, RACKING UP TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TRADE DEFICITS. NOW, THE WORLD IS ON NOTICE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT TO THE UNITED STATES ANYMORE. THEY GET IT. THEY COME TO ME, AND THEY SEE ME. THE LEADERS, I KNOW THEM ALL. SOME OF THEM, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR. SOME, I DO NOT GET ALONG WITH AS WELL. THERE WAS A POLL THAT OBAMA IS MORE POPULAR IN GERMANY THAN I AM. I SAID, OF COURSE HE IS. HE IS NOT SAYING TO GERMANY, YOU HAVE TO PAY US FOR THE MILITARY, AND WHY ARE YOU PAYING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO RUSSIA FOR A PIPELINE COMING IN THAT WE DEFEND? WE PAID BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO RUSSIA, AND THEN WE DEFEND GERMANY FROM RUSSIA. DOES THAT WORK? RIGHT, DOES THAT WORK? GIVE RUSSIA BILLIONS AND THEN WE DEFEND YOU. THAT IS A WONDERFUL DEAL. WE HAVE PLENTY OF THOSE. THAT IS ONE OF THE BETTER ONES. WITH YOUR HELP, WE WILL ALSO ACHIEVE AN HISTORIC VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN FARMER, RANCHER, AND WORKERS BY REPLACING THE HORRIBLE DISASTER. TO ME, ONE OF THE WORST DEALS EVER, NAFTA, AND WE ARE REPLACING IT WITH THE USMCA, WHICH REALLY IS BETTER. [APPLAUSE]

GOT TO GET IT UP FOR A VOTE. I GOT TO PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE. THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. UNIONS LOVE IT. FARMERS LOVE IT. I WOULD SAY UNIONS LIKE IT, BUT THEY LIKE IT. WE HATE NAFTA. IT IS THEIR ALL-TIME LEAST — MANUFACTURERS LOVE IT. THE FARMERS ARE DESPERATE FOR IT. IT IS SO IMPORTANT, AND THAT IT BIPARTISAN. I TOLD NANCY PELOSI — NANCY PLOTTED UP FOR A VOTE. YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN TRY AND IMPEACH SOMEBODY THAT DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG. YOU HAVE TO. [LAUGHTER]

I SAID IT IS HARD TO IMPEACH SOMEBODY WHO DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG. “THE MUELLER REPORT IS OUT!” “THERE IS NO COLLUSION” AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS. RUSSIA SAID, YOU KNOW, IF WE REALLY DID PICK HIM, WE MADE A REAL BAD CHOICE. [LAUGHTER]

THINK OF IT. EVEN TONIGHT, I AM TALKING ABOUT — WE HAVE THE STRONGEST MILITARY. WE ARE SPENDING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS. STRONGEST MILITARY, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE STRONGEST ENERGY. HILLARY WANTED WINDMILLS. SHE WANTED SOLAR. SOLAR IS FINE. YOU KNOW, SMALL POTATOES COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER THAT YOU NEED. I LOVE SOLAR. I THINK SOLAR IS GOOD, BUT IT IS LIMITED. THE WIND IS VERY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE YOU PUT UP THIS WINDMILLS — THEY ARE MADE IN GERMANY AND CHINA. THINK OF THE POLLUTANTS THAT GO IN THE AIR WHEN THEY ARE MAKING THESE MASSIVE STEEL THINGS. IF IT IS ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR HOUSE, YOUR HOUSE GOES WAY DOWN IN VALUE. TRY DROPPING A WINDMILL SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO YOUR HOUSE. TRY SELLING YOUR HOUSE. THEY MAKE NOISE, THEY KILL ALL THE BIRDS. THE ENERGY IS INTERMITTENT. YOU HAPPEN TO BE WATCHING THE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE AND THE WIND IS NOT BLOWING, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THEM. WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS DEBATE? [LAUGHTER]

HE SAYS, DARLING, THE WIND IS NOT BLOWING. THAT WHEN MEL STOPPED. THAT WINDMILL STOPPED. REPUBLICANS KNOW THAT AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE THE TRUE BACKBONE OF AMERICA. THAT IS WHY I WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO PROPOSE NATIONWIDE PAID FAMILY LEAVE IN MY BUDGET. VERY IMPORTANT. [APPLAUSE]

WOMEN WANT IT. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY ENJOYS AN AMAZING QUALITY OF LIFE. TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING TO FIX OUR HOUSING FINANCE SYSTEM. WE ARE WORKING ON THAT VERY HARD TO PROTECT THE DREAM OF OWNERSHIP FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE NEW CARS MORE AFFORDABLE AND MUCH SAFER. MY ADMINISTRATION WILL ISSUE STANDARDS THAT WILL SAVE FAMILIES THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS, AS I SAID, OF DOLLARS PER CAR. WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF CITIES LIKE BALTIMORE THAT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY DECADES OF FAILED AND CORRUPT RULES.

THE LEFT-WING AGENDA OF TOTAL GOVERNMENT DOMINATION CRUSHING REGULATION, CRIPPLING TAXES, UNRESTRICTED MIGRATION, AND — I MEAN, THINK OF THIS. IT IS UNDERMINING ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY UNDERMINE LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THEY DEVASTATE AMERICA’S ENTER CITIES. THEY HAVE BEEN — INNER CITIES. EVEN THE CITIES LIKE LOS ANGELES, LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING. IT IS LIKE — LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING! SAN FRANCISCO, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO STEP IN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN TO OUR GREAT CITIES. LOS ANGELES IS A GREAT CITY. WE CANNOT ALLOW IT. IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE, WE ARE GOING TO STEP IN. WE ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN WHERE MAJOR COMPANIES ARE LEAVING THEIR CITIES. LEAVING OUR COUNTRY WHEN THEY SEE THAT! YOU WALK IN, THEY PAY A LOT OF RENT. THEY WALK INTO A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, THE BEST STREET IN CALIFORNIA, AND YOU HAVE A SITE THAT NO BUT — SIGHT THAT NOBODY CAN BELIEVE AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, AND WE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM NOTICE. WE GAVE THEM A NOTICE TODAY. CLEAN IT UP! YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING. WE CANNOT HAVE IT. THESE ARE OUR GREAT AMERICAN CITIES, AND THEY ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT, WHAT DEMOCRATS HAVE LET HAPPEN. REPUBLICANS WANT TO REBUILD OUR INNER CITIES AND PROVIDE A FUTURE OF LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS. AND REPUBLICANS BELIEVE THAT PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO THE SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE. [APPLAUSE]

SO JUST IN CONCLUDING, AND EVERYTHING WE DO, REPUBLICANS ARE FIGHTING FOR THE VALUES THAT BRING US TOGETHER AS ONE NATION UNDER GOD. WE SUPPORT, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. WE STAND UP FOR THE HEROES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE REJECT GLOBALISM, AND WE EMBRACE PATRIOTISM. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO TREASURE ON EARTH MORE VALUABLE THAN OUR AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP. WE BELIEVE — [APPLAUSE] THAT CHILDREN SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO LOVE OUR COUNTRY, HONOR OUR HISTORY, CHERISH OUR HEROES, AND ALWAYS RESPECT OUR GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. THESE ARE THE VALUES THAT UNITE US TONIGHT. THESE ARE THE VALUES THAT BIND OUR COUNTRY. THESE ARE THE VALUES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHARE DEEP IN THEIR SOULS. AND THESE ARE THE VALUES THAT REPUBLICANS WILL CHAMPION ALL ACROSS THE LAND. AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING, AND THAT IS WHY PEOPLE LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. THAT IS WHY PEOPLE ARE LOVING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AGAIN. [APPLAUSE]

OUR TASK IS TO BE CONFIDENT TO THESE TRUTHS, CERTAIN TO THIS VISION, BOLD IN OUR ACTIONS, AND FOREVER LOYAL TO THE CITIZENS WE SERVE. IF WE STAY TRUE TO OUR MISSION, AND WE HAVE TO, AND WE HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER, LIKE THEY DO, THEY GOT NOTHING ELSE ON US, BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY STICK TOGETHER. IF WE REMAIN FIRM IN OUR CONVICTIONS, IF WE ALWAYS PUT AMERICA FIRST, THEN THERE WILL BE NO LIMIT TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE WILL MAKE, NO BOUNDS TO THE GOOD THAT WE WILL DO, NO CEILING ON THE HEIGHTS THAT WE WILL REACH, AND NO AND TO THE VICTORY — END TO THE VICTORIES WE WILL ACHIEVE.

WE WILL WIN, WIN, WIN, AND WE WILL KEEP ON WINNING. YOU KNOW, I TELL THAT STORY, AND SOME PEOPLE LOVE IT, AND PROBABLY, SOME DO NOT, BUT I THINK THEY ALL LOVE IT. I AM GOING TO WIN THAT PLACE LIKE, HERE WE GO. I AM GOING TO USE DAN AS AN EXAMPLE. I AM IN NORTH WE ARE GOING TO WIN — NORTH CAROLINA. WE ARE GOING TO WIN SO MUCH. WE ARE GOING TO WIN, WIN, WIN. OUR COUNTRY, WE GO BACK, AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING SO MUCH WINNING WITH TRADE AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, AND I AM GOING TO GO — I AM GOING TO GO TO DAN BISHOP, AND I WILL SAY, DAN, WE ARE GOING TO WIN. THEY WILL COME IN TO SEE DAN. THEY WILL SAY, PLEASE, PLEASE, STOP THE PRESIDENT FROM WAITING PERIOD YOU ARE A NEW CONGRESSMAN. GO TO THE OVAL OFFICE. HE RESPECTS YOU BECAUSE UNLIKE THESE OTHER PEOPLE, HE DOES NOT KNOW YOU SO WELL, SO YOU ARE SO RESPECTED, AND PLEASE, SEE THE PRESIDENT AND TALK TO THE PRESIDENT. TELL HIM TO STOP WHINING SO MUCH. WE DON’T WANT TO WIN SO MUCH IN THE GREAT STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. AND I AM GOING TO SAY, DAN, I AM SORRY. I AM NOT DOING THAT. WE ARE GOING TO KEEP WINNING, WINNING, WINNING. RIGHT? WE ARE GOING TO KEEP WINNING, WINNING, WINNING. [APPLAUSE]

CONGRATULATIONS. AFTER ALL WE HAVE ACHIEVED AND AFTER EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE. THE BEST IS YET TO COME. [APPLAUSE] THE BEST IS YET TO COME! TOGETHER, WE WILL MAKE AMERICA STRONGER AND SAFER AND PLOWED HER AND GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. YOU ARE A TERRIFIC GROUP, AND I KNOW ALMOST ALL OF YOU. I LIKE MOST OF YOU. I KNOW ALL OF YOU. [LAUGHTER]

NOW, YOU ARE A TERRIFIC GROUP, AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TERRIFIC LONG TIME TOGETHER. KEVIN AND EVERYBODY, I WANT TO THANK YOU. THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE EVENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. (music) (music)

OPEN THREAD – HAVE AT IT!

Hump Day, 9/11/19: Trump Declares Victory over Hurricane Dorian

In a speech meant to commemorate the events of Nine-One-One, Trump veered off course and declared a “complete, total, victory” over Hurricane Dorian. He took full credit for “saving the good people of Alabama” from the effects of the hurricane.

“I could have nuked the hurricane” he said. “Could have. But didn’t. And that would have put an end to it while it was still over the Bahamas. But I didn’t.” Trump held up his “Magic Sharpie Map.”

Trump displays the highly classified NOAA Map showing Hurricane Dorian hitting Alabama.

Trump told the sparse audience at his rain-soaked Mar-a-Lago resort where he spent the week golfing and nominating club members for federal judicialships that he alone deflected Dorian’s path. “I drew other maps, maps that are highly classified. Highly classified. Because they worked. These other maps, drawn with my magic sharpie, which you can all buy a copy of, by the way. Won’t work as good as mine. Yours won’t have my magic in them, but they will bear my official signature, which is magical, by the way. Very magical.”

“I took my sharpie…magical sharpie….and I drew a line showing Hurricane Dorian curving away from Florida, away from this beautiful spot where you are now all standing, and up the coast. And guess what….the hurricane obeyed me. It followed my map.”

A polite round of applause ensued, whereupon Trump declared “I am the Chosen One.”

This, of course, was portrayed by CN”Fake News” Network as Trump talking about trade talks with China once more. The Liberal Left refuses to acknowledge that Trump has the power to change the weather.

However, when it comes to magic, and being the Chosen One, Trump has competition from the other side of the pond.

TRUMP/TRUMP 2020

The latest rumor is that Ivanka and Jared asked dotard Donnie to remove Mike Pence from the 2020 ticket.  What do you expect to happen?  Why it is the TRUMP/TRUMP ticket for 2020.  Dotard Donnie and his “crush” Ivanka would be on the same ticket.  Yep.  He thinks and she thinks that she will be the first female president.  After all, she has been traveling the world with daddy and meeting with diplomats in preparation for her big moment.  Don’t forget all that White House training that daddy is giving her.

Open Thread.  Have at it.

Blogging Allows Venting

It’s been years since I posted something here.  In 2016, my political venting was done on Facebook.  Since then, I have become acutely aware that Facebook is NOT my “Friend”.  Where, o where can I vent?  Tpzoo provides a safe and friendly environment for that.

The campaign season is quickly approaching and there are still too many choices.  Ha!  I predict that by January 2020, the number of candidates left with any money in their campaign funds will be down to 10.  It would benefit our nation and the world if we replace Fatsolini with a Democrat.  In order to reap any benefits from having a Democrat in the White House, it is imperative that we keep the House and we take the Senate back from Moscow Mitch.

That’s about all that I have for now.  It isn’t much, but, it is a start.  I will leave you with what I saw written on a bumper sticker; “Carry like 1776”.  Hmm, guess that means muskets.

Feel free to vent.  It’s good for the soul.

Recent ‘Toon Gnuz from Paul Jamiol

Our good friend and honorary Critter Paul Jamiol has been busy lately: illustrating a children’s book; working on a new collection of his excellent editorial cartoons to come out in early 2020; plus, most days, putting out new, grimly accurate observations on these terrible times.  (All images are copyrighted by Paul Jamiol.)

jamiol banger the sausage dog book cover

pauls new book

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jamiol vileness

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jamoil detention

jamiol racist rant

That’s just a sampling.  For more, and to see how talented Paul’s wife, Lin, is with her green thumb [and who knew that Paul is an amazing photographer!], visit Jamiol’s World.

Paul has been chronicling political/current events since September 2000.  His encouragement and kindness to us Critters when we left ThinkProgress to start TheZoo, as well as our longstanding friendship, will always be appreciated – hell, I still LOVE our personalized header ‘toon.  I know that we here at TheZoo became pretty burnt out trying to do our part – it’s so damned hard to keep covering this shitshow, when day after day, even hour after hour, horrors upon horrors unfold.  Thank you, Paul, for your dedication to illustrating  what could well become America’s downfall.  It’s a grim task, and I don’t envy you.  Please carry on for as long as you can stand it, and we’ll try to keep up.

 

Open Thread – Come and get it!

Old Gnuz: Look Back in Irony

While clearing out an old magazine rack, we ran across – surprise! an old magazine!  (Seriously, we almost never buy any magazines.)  Actually, it was the ‘People Magazine’s 2006 Sexiest Man Alive’ issue, with George Clooney on the cover – which may explain why we happened to have that particular issue.

But don’t worry, this isn’t going to be about sexy men.

Nope – it’s about Donald Trump, Jr., and the “Scoop” in that People issue: 

“Another Trump on the Way”

“The Donald may soon be known as The Gramps.  Donald Trump, Jr. and his wife of one year, Vanessa, have confirmed to Scoop that their first child – the mogul’s first grandchild – is due early next summer.  “Everyone’s very excited,” says Vanessa, 28. Although “if you mention the ‘grandpa’ word [to Donald Sr.], he might not be so excited.”

Complicating the family dynamics:  The new baby’s uncle Barron (son of the elder Trump and his wife Melania) is just 8 months old.  “They’ll be more like brothers, or brother and sister,” says Vanessa, who wants her baby’s sex to be a surprise.

What kind of father will Donald Jr., a Trump Organization executive VP, be?   A lot like his own dad.  “Trumps don’t do diapers,” says Don, 28.  But he does vow to be more hands-on – think playing catch – with his own kids.  “She [wants] five,”  Don says. I’ll wait till [sic/mine] she cranks out one, and then I want to renegotiate that back a bit.”  Spoken like a Trump.”

Looks like he’s had to renegotiate more than just the number of kids his wife “cranks out” – now it’s more like the number of kids he gets to see.    “Spoken like a trump,” indeed.

Open thread – what’s on your mind?

Pregnancies lasting longer as babies refuse to leave the womb

The average length of a pregnancy in the United States has seen a marked increase in the last two years, up from 40 weeks to 42 1/2 weeks. Health officials are at a loss to explain the trend, but Heimlich Schachzug, a heretofore unknown child psychologist, has developed a novel theory.

“Zees people are afraid to leaf der vomb” Dr. Schachzug stated in a recent lecture at the U.S. Conference of Ob/Gyns. “Unt zay haf every reason to be afraid.” The child psychologist went on to explain his theory. People, and unborn people are people, know that as long as they are in the womb, the current Administration will care for them and protect them. But once they are out, they are on their own. Lack of healthcare and “food insecurity” are the two most prevalent reasons people give for refusing to leave the womb.

The trend to remain in the womb is growing at an alarming rate. Dr. Schachzug predicts that by the end of Trump’s first term in office, average gestation times will approach 50 weeks. Other countries, however, do not seem to be experiencing this phenomena.

Preliminary findings in a cross-sectional study suggest a high correlation between pregnant women who watch Fox News and increased gestational times. “Apparently,” Dr. Schachzug concluded, “Fox News scares the sheisse out of zeese people. It is no vunder zay refuse to leaf der vomb.”