TRUDEAU THE POLITICAL MORALIST

"We are determined to build an economy which works for everyone, not only for the richest 1%… We are going to refuse to give in to pressure to change our most profound innermost ideas to win easy votes. People of the world expect more from us and we expect more from ourselves. There is a choice to made. Strong, diverse, resilient countries like Canada didn’t happen by accident and they won’t continue without effort. Every single day, we need to choose hope over fear, diversity over division. Fear has never created a single job or fed a single family. And those who exploit it will never solve the problems that have created such anxiety."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, October 1, 2016 to the UN Assembly

There is nothing I can possibly add, except that is the kind of leadership I have wanted here, for a very long time.

CRUZ: TRADES HIS SOUL TO AVOID POLITICAL SUICIDE

“Fools! who from hence into the notion fall / That vice or virtue there is none at all,” he wrote. “Is there no black or white? / Ask your own heart, and nothing is so plain; / ’Tis to mistake them, costs the time and pain.” “Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, / we first endure, then pity, then embrace.”

"We endure, we pity, then embrace"...wise words from Alexander Pope.

His words were foretelling of these political times. Times when a major political party gets hijacked. Times when major leaders of said party publically refuse to follow, to accept or endorse its candidate...then grow silent. Then acquiesce. They fall in line losing what is left of their dignity.

Ted Cruz, now of the bad taste in his mouth club will soon endorse the very man who insulted him and marked him inexorably as a political liar. "Lying Ted!" Lying Ted is about to endorse that madman. That political gaffe machine, the one who claimed Cruz's father was somehow involved in the assassination of a Kennedy. The one who publically shamed your wife as an ugly pig.

Oh you tried to stand on principles...you tried to stand on your two feet...but here we are. You have gotten off your two feet with dignity and now are shamefully on your knees. Nothing is worth this,

Ted. I didn't agree with damn near any of your policies, but I respected you. You were what you presented yourself as. You were not playing a game. You ran on an agenda and set of principles you believed in...and win or lose, your message hardly wavered. You attempted to stand up to the GOP machine and refuse to lower yourself to endorsing your party's candidate...even when facing the entire party at your convention. You seemed to have what so few political insiders have any more...a backbone.

But those days are over. They have won. You traded your dignity and your political soul...for a continued political life. A chance to again stand in the well of Congress and bark at the moon.

I once thought you were an ultra religious, right wing, neo-conservative, nutbag James Stewart...an odd combination of Bailey and Smith...and Bachmann. A man who stood on deeply held principles. I was wrong. Because when push came to shove, your softened, you took the abuse, you overlooked the insults and lies about your immediate family and will give them (him) what he wants.

You endured, you pitied and now you embrace. You disgust me.

And that's the World...The World According to Kimba.

FALSE PROFITS

No disrespect to former First Lady Nancy Reagan...she led a life accomplishing some amazing work; especially for abusers of drugs and alcohol.

 

She devoted herself to her man, the result of which was one of the classic, unbreakable marriage / partnerships of all time. Truly one of the greatest love stories of my lifetime. God rest her soul.

 

Having said that...and hopefully adequately expressing my well-deserved respect for her life and work, and mourning her death. An untimely death...and I do understand that at this precise moment the nation grieves her passing...I really do understand the incredibly poor timing of the following remark, but...

 

I don't understand why every conservative considers Reagan a God...he opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and only signed the bill establishing MLK day as an official holiday when it became obvious the congressional approval vote could easily crush his veto), the Voting Rights Act of 1965, tripled the deficit, failed to respond to the Aids epidemic for years, and sold weapons to the US embargoed Iran in order to raise funds....to assist the contra rebels in civil war torn Nicaragua.

 

I voted for him twice as a governor of California. I voted for his presidency at least once. But I remember his faults. His record of some deeds which can only be described as regrettable, if not repugnant. 

 

I loved the man, but couldn't possibly hold up his presidency as God-like. I don't get it.

PRIMARILY ABSURD

Just a few quick notes based on my observations leading up to Super Tuesday....

Jeb Bush didn't deserve to be treated that way. He didn't deserve to have a career in public service irreparably scarred and finished as a result of running for president. He didn't deserve to be permanently tattooed as soft or weak. But that is how the GOP does it--they eat their young. Don't misunderstand me--Jeb Bush is a terrible campaigner--but he was a sane, nuanced voice in a race in seriously in need.

Speaking of which...I love the back and forth between Trump and Cruz...Trump calls him a baby and Cruz responds with a video of Fat Bastard....they are both correct.

The GOP's refusal to consider any appointee for SCOTUS is the ultimate in low. To go a full year with a four to four deadlock is unconscionable. Obama must appoint a reasoned, moderate appointee that would make the GOP look like the ridiculous gamesman they are...with the cost going directly to the nation, not that they care.

How can Marco Rubio do so poorly in Nevada? He is a former resident, a former Mormon, a Hispanic and a reasoned voice from a party that has none. How could he possibly lose in every voter differentiator? To a bigoted blowhard like Donald Trump? The Mormons and Hispanics should have voted you in by a landslide.

Asking Hillary to provide the notes from her every speaking gig without mandating any other candidate to do so proves what has been obvious for three decades--if your name is Clinton, you will be subject to effort after effort, slur after slur, investigation after investigation based on nothing, and more unjustified attacks--baseless attacks than any politician in American history. And she survives. Trey Gowdy and Darrel Issa have spent every second of the past three years trying to get something--anything--to stick...and have wound up looking like impotent fools.

Why on earth is Bernie Sanders doing so well? A Democrat in name only so he could run for president--a man whose only platform is Wall Street sucks, a man who promises the world and can deliver nothing. A man who consistently fails to say he will need Congress to pass his every promise--promises that will cost billions and billions? Initiatives that will be dead on arrival on Congress's doorstep.  He is trying to play the electorate for fools--Wall Street is going to pay for everyone's college tuition? Do you think we are stupid? Do you really think your every answer for every problem is to throw money at it is going to work in the long run? Sanders for a much bigger government? Great platform to run on...

Why is the main opposition to Clinton a "trust" issue when she is the only one giving nuanced answers and plans to improve without promising "pie in the sky?"

The GOP has to get losers Ben Carson, Kasich and Cruz off the stage as soon as possible. Especially if they want to defeat the ignorant juggernaut named Trump. Or they can continue their decade of nominating unelectable candidates such as Romney, McCain et al.

Have you looked at the people actually behind Trump? No wonder he was screaming "I LOVE THE POORLY EDUCATED!" the other night. Water seeks it's own level. Right--Mexico is saving up to build your wall--just in case you get elected. And oh, by the way you vapid ignorant prick, have you noticed the drug runners have become quite the tunnel engineers?

 As Obama was fond of saying, it is silly season. And I am getting a migraine. What has happened to this country? What has happened to the collective intelligence of the voting electorate? Because unlike the leading GOP contender...I do not like the poorly educated.

And that is the world..my world. The "World According to Kimba." Thanks for reading...and voting and caring...and for gawd sakes...for thinking.

HUNTSMAN...A MAN WORTHY OF SCALIA'S ROBE

You might not believe that I, a dyed in the wool liberal is about to say this, but it's time to nominate a moderate who can get confirmed to replace Justice Scalia.. A moderate, yes.... Republican with unquestioned qualifications.

The Senate couldn't possibly reject a man of Jon Huntsman's experience and intelligence.

I am very confident he would rule based on the constitution and the rule of law instead of pressing his political agenda.

Controversial? Yes, but it would make the conservatives heads explode because it would be yet another instance when we put the country ahead of party. A true man of principle.

 

 "Jon Huntsman, former governor of Utah and U.S. Ambassador to China became a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for President in 2012.

After serving as vice chairman of the Huntsman Corporation, he was appointed deputy U.S. Trade representative and U.S Trade ambassador by George W. Bush. His busy schedule resulted in traveling over 40 weeks a year. In 2004, he and his family returned to Utah, where he successfully ran to become the 16th Governor of Utah. His popular policies won him reelection in 2008 with over 78 percent of the state-wide vote.

In 2009, Huntsman was unanimously confirmed as the Ambassador to China, resigning the Governorship of Utah to accept the post. He impressed his hosts with his immense knowledge of their culture; fluency in Mandarin; and by his riding a bicycle to meetings, rather than travelling by motorcade.

Shortly after a disappointing third-place finish in the 2012 New Hampshire Republican Primary, Huntsman resigned from the race. He chastised his fellow candidates, and the race itself, for the personal attacks and negative campaigning. "At its core, the Republican Party is a party of ideas, but the current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause."
While he endorsed Mitt Romney for president, Huntsman has continued to criticize his party. He has refused to attend the 2012 Republican Convention, telling the Salt Lake City Tribune that he will not go this or any future party convention "until the party focuses on a bigger, bolder, more confident future for the United States—a future based on problem solving, inclusiveness, and a willingness to address the trust deficit, which is every bit as corrosive as our fiscal and economic deficits."

FEEL THE BURN

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, at the debate Thursday night to Senator Bernie Sanders....

"There is this attack that he is putting forth, which really comes down to: Anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees has to be bought. And I just reject that senator," Clinton said. "I really don't think these kind of attacks by insinuation are worthy of you. Enough is enough, if you've got something to say: Say it."
"You will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received," Clinton said. "So I think it's time to end the very artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out in recent weeks, and lets talk about the issues."

Hillary, the victim? Sounds odd, but it's true.

The so called "clean machine" Bernie Sanders, has not run a clean campaign as he would like everyone to believe. Hacking into Hillary's campaign donors list, falsely claiming endorsements which were not true, and aides running around claiming to be members of a union to gain access. And claiming that you can buy an election.

No one has ever bought my vote. The Koch brothers can donate ten billion dollars on advertising...my vote is my vote and it is not for sale.

Back to Hillary's charge? One of many exchanges during the last debate in New Hampshire, and to be fair, Sanders got in a few good licks himself.

But towards the end he looked beat. Mentally and physically. He looked addled and old. He left the stage long before Hillary and looked elderly compared to the energetic and youthful (for her age) Clinton, who was clearly in her sweet spot of a comfort zone.

They say politics is retail, and this last debate was worth every penny.
And I am now in full political mode....bring on more like this one!
God bless America.

THE 2016 WORLD ACCORDING TO KIMBA PERSON OF THE YEAR

Many of my readers may be surprised at my pick for person of the year...some may be appalled (and I sincerely hope you are). But one person has done more for this country than any other. As the leading candidate for one of our two major political parties in all polls, he has proven that you need not have any political experience at all to be considered for the office. None at all. But that is not why I nominate him as my person of the year.

 

In 2016, he came roaring out on the presidential campaign trail with his unfettered personal views...anti-immigrant, anti-minority, misogynistic, bigoted and hateful. He calls nearly everyone stupid and incompetent, slanders every opponent in his way, and bends the truth like an old fashioned blacksmith bends a molten hot piece of metal.

 

He has waged the lowest, most hateful campaign every seen in modern times, all the while egotistically boasting of his enormous talents as if he were the messiah. Everything will be fixed, everything will be huge. No nuance, no specific plans, just empty promises and an endless supply of attacks. But obviously this isn't why I name him my person of the year.

 

My nominee has done this country an enormous favor. He, and his staggering amount of  pre-primary supporters have given us a gift...a sobering look at what our country...at least nearly a third of it is.. truly is at the moment. A scared, bigoted, hate filled populous willing to follow a man who looks down on women, hates minorities and criticizes every portion of our government. He spews his venom from the top of the mountaintop and people follow. And a lot of people are following...and the rest of the country shudders at the thought that so many people might actually agree with him. Might actually vote for him.

 

He has, in a very short period of time, shown us what this once great nation has become...at least what its lowest common denominator believes in their hearts. And for that reason alone, I name Donald Trump as my 2016 person of the year. Good Lord help us all...