ARE THERE GROWN UPS IN THE WHITE HOUSE?
(Photo: Washington Post)
The first week of the Donald Trump Presidency is now in the books. For many Americans it has been just what they wanted from their candidate. They might not fully realize the ramifications of all those actions but you have to say no grass was growing under this President’s wing tips this week. Plus bringing in Vice President Mike Pence at every juncture it seems has at least told me that Trump will not be shutting out his Vice President any time soon nor will be threatened by him politically. However the vexing thing for me is the appearance that the White House is being run like the campaign. On the fly, at the last minute, with truth being whatever they want it be and a certain tone deafness that is evident.
Plus there seems to be no sense of history or frame of reference. It’s almost like American History began on January 20th, 2017 when Trump took office. For many Americans that’s just fine and dandy. A majority of young people have to clue as to who their political leaders were except for the occasional TV sound bite via Hollywood. Plus Civics has pretty much gone by the wayside in most schools.
I’m at a loss to explain how the Refugee ban was signed on holocaust remembrance day. I have heard that Jared Kushner is “so great and smart”, how the Hell did something like that get by an Orthodox Jew?
SPEAKING OF THE REFUGEE BAN….
(Photo: AP)
How about those instant protests that took place today at JFK Airport. Thousands were there because of that ban. While it was imposed, many were in flight and some detained. The demonstrations began early Saturday at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport where, hours earlier, two Iraqis were detained due to the Muslim ban, even though they both had U.S. visas. One of the detainees, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, a 53-year-old man who worked for the U.S. military during the Iraq War, was released on Saturday afternoon. See this broad brush sweeps up the people who were our allies during Iraq and who put their lives on the line but it seems the President never even considered that. Protestors also gathered at Washington Dulles International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and San Francisco International Airport, where several people are also being detained. A demonstration at Los Angeles International Airport also happened.
Meanwhile Cab drivers in New York are furious. The 19,000 member organization came out against Trump’s ban saying "As an organization whose membership is largely Muslim, a workforce that's almost universally immigrant, and a working-class movement that is rooted in the defense of the oppressed, we say no to this inhumane and unconstitutional ban." That statement came from The New York Taxi Workers Alliance which along with other groups mobilized on Social Media.
As more and more react to the strongman tactics of this administration, look for Social Media to be a force.
Here’s what’s different about these protests. It is not about people who are being victimized the first few days out. These people on their way in are NOT terrorists but families who did everything by the book and looking to unite. Most Americans who are not dumb asses will understand that.
HOWEVER, THERE’S ALWAYS AN EXCEPTION
Pennsylvania Idiot Jerry Zimmer (Photo: CNN)
CNN Friday evening gave it’s weekend guy Michael Smerconish a prime time shot at 9PM reviewing Trump’s first week in office. His show was going to be a recap and his first segment featured focus group members that he interviewed in April of 2016 before the Presidential primary in Pennsylvania. He brought back three of them on Friday night. They were Jimmy Finn from Harrisburg and Jerry and Mary Lou Zimmer also from the Keystone State.
Mary Lou was the one in April who told America that she wanted to say “Merry Christmas” again. At first I thought she was flummoxed for an answer but then realized how stupid and insipid her comments were. No one ever stopped anyone from saying ANYTHING in America. At the time I thought this woman was scared but now realize she is just stupid.
Her husband Jerry was another matter. Smerconish asked the two how they’d grade Trump as President. Mary Lou said “An A”. Her husband said, “An A minus”. When Smerconish asked him why, he said that Hillary Clinton was still walking around and not in jail. Then he said that Bill Clinton was still (either “whoring or hoarding” not sure which because he spoke like an ignorant hillbilly) and stealing money from the Clinton Foundation. He has no proof of either but yet he vomited them on national television.
This was the most breathtaking exhibition of ignorance that I have seen in my "54 years of paying attention" to paraphrase the host. A few thoughts here,
1. These three supporters prove James Carville's theory of Pennsylvania, Philly and Pittsburgh and Alabama in the middle.
2. It is one thing to be ignorant, it is another thing to not want to do anything about it. But it is an entirely different animal to be thoroughly proud of it.
3. The woman was the same person who said in April Trump was going to let her say "Merry Christmas" again. Uh no one ever stopped her or anyone else from saying that! I am not a guy in a bubble, I am not someone who shuts out other's opinions if they have a valid argument or facts to base them on. These supporters are poor souls that were like the country rubes suckered by the city slicker. At first I was angry (the HRC crack by Jerry was bullyish, then I felt ashamed they breath the same air I do and then those feelings morphed into hoping and praying SNL saw it. No skit, no cast members, no set, just rerun this video tape and call it, "The Bad, The Ignorant and the Proud!"
I’m told by some that Jerry and Mary Lou Zimmer need to be heard and understood. Their vote for Trump had everything to do with sexism, meanness and ignorance which they displayed proudly on Friday night. I heard their foolishness but don’t need or care to understand Jerry who said that “I felt patriotic for the first time in eight years” when Trump took office. Evidently Jerry didn’t like the color of patriotism in his sorry ass Pennsylvania America before January 20th, 2017. And we're worried about immigrants!
OTHER COMMENTS
I cannot believe how stupid those people are. No education or facts would change their minds. Sorry they are from Pennsylvania. So embarrassing!! I am a teacher/ professor and I want to sit them down and share some facts for hours on end. My middle school kids were much more knowledgeable. I can't get over it!!!
I find people who hated Obama....did so because they could never accept an African American as their President. (They will never admit this because they won't accept it). If they fully understood the state of the economy and the disastrous mess...Bush-Cheney (2 white men) left Obama on day one, they could realize the impressive job he did in his 2 terms. He was not purfect but he was careful, cautious and cerebral. Obama left Trump in much better shape than he inherited. Unfortunately these three are not capable or care enough to invest the time to research the truth. It's easier for them to fall for the tough talk and by into fake news. Sad for this country....but remember, only 27% of eligible voters chose the Atlantic City failure. They are in the minority.....it's the system and the election process that needs overhauled. Americans bigotry elected Trump. Now they are proud to be Americans....my guess is they were proud even when their President lied and invaded The wrong country....resulting in the death of 5,000 US troops, creating chaos in the Middle East. Cheney said it will be over in 30 days....they couldn't finish the job after 6 years and walked away. Electing competent, intelligent Presidents should be taken seriously. It appears a mentally challenged egomaniac who does not mean what he says or says what he means can easily fool this minority of voters. It's all about EDUCATION.....and not buying the degree either!
What the heck was the point of having these fact-denying, delusional Trump supporters on? We all know how the vast majority of Trump voters truly feel and we didn't need to see them, yet again on TV. All this show did was further promote and normalize the insane ignorance of a large portion of Americans. Thanks for continuing to give these "Christian Patriots" a platform to spread their hatred and willful ignorance. These irresponsible, frivolous programs and reporting are part of the problem in the U.S., and how we ended up with Trump in the WH.