The Better Angels of Our Nature

There is much to admire in Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, and anyone who contemplates our current political divisions would do well to read it in its entirety. Check out the following link to read it: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/lincoln1.asp There is, nevertheless, a famous quote that has resounded down thru history and seems particularly appropriate at this juncture in our history.

To my friends who support Trump, and to those who share my disdain for the man:
"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

A Prophecy: This is not going to be pretty!

The results of the midterm elections and a couple of years of polling have convinced me that a majority of the country will accept the findings of Mueller and company regarding Trump, but I am also confident that a sizable minority (perhaps as high as 40-45%) of the country will either not accept them or greet them with glee. What is my evidence for the second part of that prediction? I could say that it's based on the same two things (midterms and polling), but there is also strong anecdotal evidence for my second prediction.

Have you been listening to what Republicans and Trump's other supporters have been saying (or not saying) about what has recently been revealed about those investigations in the media? I fear that many on the Left simply do not understand Trump's support. They cannot bring themselves to believe that there are folks out there in the heartland who actually share his views about the courts, immigration and trade; but there are! I asked my brother if he'd heard the news about Cohen's sentencing the other day, and what that indicated for Trump. "I knew that Trump was morally bankrupt when I voted for him" was his reply. Trump says that his supporters would revolt if anyone tries to impeach him. I think he may be right. 

Who appointed Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State?

On Friday, Trump tweeted: "Mike Pompeo is doing a great job, I am very proud of him. His predecessor, Rex Tillerson, didn’t have the mental capacity needed. He was dumb as a rock and I couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. He was lazy as hell. Now it is a whole new ballgame, great spirit at State!"

Reading that, you'd think that Rex was a holdover from the Obama Administration! Do you remember who appointed Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State (arguably the most important Cabinet position in his power to appoint)? Do you remember who confirmed him to be Secretary of State? What does that say about the judgment of Trump and the senators who voted for him? How did Tillerson ever get to be CEO of ExxonMobil? What were the Boy Scouts of America thinking when they made him their president? And the folks at the University of Texas must have been asleep at the wheel when they gave him a degree!

On the Passing of George Herbert Walker Bush

When I turned on my computer this morning and saw that our 41st President had passed away, I was overwhelmed with sadness and a sense of appreciation for his life of service to our country. In this time of rancor and extreme partisanship, it is heartwarming to see him and his service applauded by both Democrats and Republicans. While I didn't agree with every decision he made as president (though I agreed with many of them), I never doubted his decency, kindness or devotion to our country and the principles which underpinned it. For myself, I am proud of the fact that he and Barbara were kinfolk, and that I voted for him for president in 1988. May God bless George Herbert Walker Bush, his memory, and the family and nation which mourns his death.