Thursday, July 28, 2016

TRUMP'S DARK SHADOW OVER THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION ... AND AMERICAN POLITICS


I don't have much to add to what's happening at the Democratic National Convention that you already haven't heard. The speakers in the line up yesterday - Bloomberg, Biden, and Obama - hit it out of the park. They made it clear that Donald Trump's sanity is in doubt, that he doesn't support working people, and he's not worthy of the American traditions that come with the presidency.

The real incredible part of the speeches is that, while all the speakers went after Trump in their own way, they also offered a positive and even patriotic tone that spoke to America's capacity for rejuvenation at home and inspiration abroad. The spirit of hope and inclusiveness reminded us all what's made American democracy a beacon of light the world over.

This stands in stark contrast with the dark paranoia and fear mongering that Donald Trump wrapped around the Republican National Convention. The divisiveness and hate we saw at the RNC inspired little more than the ghosts of exclusion and hate that we saw in America's past and, now, see in other parts of the world.  



My concern today is - and this should be every Americans concern - what's up with Trump encouraging the Russians to hack into and share U.S. emails? The idea of encouraging another nation to meddle in America's information infrastructure and our electoral process is, quite simply, nuts.

Trump can speak all he wants about transparency (while he continues to hide his tax returns), but he should at least play it straight and tell the American people why he needs to curry favor with the Russians.

Just because Trump can't get U.S. banks to loan him money (he's also seriously in debt to Deutsche Bank) doesn't mean he needs to cozy up to Putin so he will help convince Russian oligarchs to loan him money. Well, on second thought, maybe Trump does have to kiss Putin's ass to secure loans from Russian oligarchs. But why does the rest of America have to pay the price for his inability to secure credit from America's financial institutions?



Then there's the treason issue.

If Trump is ready to throw Hillary Clinton and the American political process under the (Russian) bus because of his personal business interests, what does this tell you about what he'd do as president when Russian oligarchs start backing away from their loan promises (or demand payment)?

Who would Trump share information with in an attempt to shame or paint Russia into a political corner?

Worse, would a "President Trump" start rattling sabers with Russia to distract America from the emails and exchanges that the Russians begin releasing. I'm not simply talking about the Russians blackmailing Trump; I'm talking about Trump using the U.S. military to distract us all from his shady practices and business failures.

And the Republican Party is fine with all this? Sigh ...

At the end of the day, Trump adds nothing to the betterment of the human condition or America's well being.

The fact that Trump has made it this far should tell us all that there are serious issues with both the Republican Party and, yes, politics in America.

- Mark 

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