The past few days, in addition to the spectacle of two immature, ignorant and nuclear- armed heads of state throwing verbal poo at each other, the media has been filled with images of torch-wielding White Nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia.
A “Unite The Right” rally organized by white nationalist Richard Spencer descended into chaos and violence Saturday in Charlottesville, as thousands of “alt right” activists, Nazis, KKK members, other assorted white supremacists, and armed militia groups fought with anti-fascist groups and other counter-protesters.
Thanks to Trump, the haters now feel confident “coming out.”
Donald Trump’s election was the culmination of years of seething White Christian Nationalist resentment, constantly fed by a conservative media harping on “those” people– immigrants, the LGBTQ community, blacks, feminists– and brought to a boiling point by Obama’s Presidency.
Evangelicals’ embrace of Donald Trump may seem incomprehensible to traditional Christians and certainly to the rest of us, but we shouldn’t confuse genuine evangelical Christianity with the White Christian Nationalism that has increasingly replaced it. As ThinkProgress explains:
Where did this cross-toting, flag-waving, and sometimes confusion-inducing form of Trumpian Christian nationalism come from, and why does it appear to resonate with throngs of Americans? And how in the world did Trump, hardly a paragon of conservative Christian virtue, end up as its champion?…
[T]he Christian nationalist scaffolding currently propping up Trump is … relatively new. It shares many theological ideas with the broader spectrum of evangelicalism, but adds a different brand of intensity and emphasis (especially domestically). Its origins are also more recent, beginning with the rise of the Religious Right in the 1970s, when leaders such as Jerry Falwell, Sr. and Pat Robertson characterized America as a “Christian nation” and urged their supporters to elect conservative Christian leaders who shared their rabid opposition to abortion, LGBTQ equality, and euthanasia, among other things.
The article traces the history of “dominionism,” a theology that has been described as a “strange fundamentalist postmodernism that denies that there is any such thing as objective reality.” That history–and the convoluted doctrine that allows some Christian Nationalists to insist that Trump was “chosen by God”– is well worth reading. In most cases, however, this “Christian” embrace of the president has more to do with his willingness to pander to them and promote their causes than with doctrine.
It also has a lot to do with the fact that Trump’s rhetoric makes their bigotry seem acceptable; he constantly demeans the “others” they hate, and steadfastly refuses to call them out.(CNN reported that Trump condemned hate “on many sides” in response to the violent white nationalist protests and terror attack in Charlottesville; the President did not even mention white nationalists and the alt-right movement in his remarks, and later called for a “study” of the “situation.”)
Analyses of data from the 2016 election have made it increasingly clear that the great majority of Trump voters–whether they self-identified as Christian Nationalists or not–were motivated by racism and traits associated with racism. A commentary in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology reports that a majority of Trump voters displayed one or more (usually more) of the following social-psychological traits:
- authoritarianism and social dominance orientation (authoritarianism is characterized by deference to authority, aggression toward outgroups, a rigidly hierarchical view of the world, and resistance to new experiences);
- prejudice (racial prejudice as well as prejudice against immigrants and outgroups in general);
- lack of intergroup contact (Trump’s white supporters report far less contact with minorities than other Americans); and
- relative–not real–deprivation (Trump supporters feel deprived relative to what they erroneously perceive other ‘less deserving’ groups possess).
The horrendous spectacle in Charlottesville is only the beginning. We can see clearly now just what it is that motivates “Trump’s Troops,” and it isn’t Truth, Justice and the American Way.
Trump and his supporters screamed loud and long that they wanted to take the country back. “Back to what?” I asked and got no replies. If they meant the horrors of the cold war of the 1950s and the racial violence of the 1960s, they have succeeded. But I fear most that what they really meant was the Nazi era of the 1930s. One cannot look upon the events of the past year and not see that evil, pure evil, is on the rise in the United States.
Well said.
Now that we can see the fascist like “Third Force” enabled prematurely by the Trump Administration, the next step must be to organize an EFFECTIVE countervailing force to regain some semblance of national equilibrium before we are threatened by the specter of an open civil war.
At the present time, there is no barrier or antidote to the obvious real threat.
Great synopsis, but the sad reality it has been the “American Way” since our inception of this experiment. Don’t forget, us White Christian Nationalists committed genocide against the “heathens” who occupied this land. Then we brought over slaves from Africa to work for free in the South.
We need to own our heritage before we can correct the behavior. Based on our history books that we’ve white-washed for our young people, that may be a challenge.
As for why Trump won, or Clinton lost, you failed to mention the other half of the equation. As Norman Solomon recently wrote in Truthdig, “Clinton’s youthful support sank to such a low level in national polling that I wrote for The Hill just five weeks before the November election, “If this country had a maximum voting age of 35, Hillary Clinton would now be in danger of losing the election to Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson.”
What has been the strategy of the DNC post-2016 embarrassment?
Doubling down on the same corporatist/militarist strategies which lost them the election and #RussiaGate based on “a few hand-picked analysts within three national security agencies”.
The young people are bailing on the Democratic Party.
We must take the events in Charolottesville, VA, yesterday back to the firing on Fort Sumpner; will it herald in the beginning of another Civil War as many on this blog have referred to for months? Will mimicking attack actions in Europe by using vehicles soon become using the proliferation of weapons the Trump administration and the NRA are so proud of hailing as supporting the 2nd Amendment as being “good Americans”? Never lose sight of the fact that many citizens are much better armed than our police forces; the 2nd Amendment puts no restrictions on freedom to own military strength weapons but many police forces are limited by local laws.
White Nationalism is and always has been much more than “white vs. black” in this country. Richard Spencer’s active involvement is blatant evidence of the anti-Semitism which is rampant but kept in the shadows unlike the police actions against blacks and the black-on-black crimes in all our cities. The immigration and Muslim issues also overshadow the anti-Semitism hailed by Spencer, et al. David Duke is well known as titular leader of white supremacist groups throughout this country. Has he reached the full national level of power given to D.C. Stephenson by the basic KKK organizations known by it’s many other names? (Research Stephenson’s history here in Irvington; his leadership and his fall which led to the fall of the KKK political leadership nationally.) Trump did not turn his back on Duke’s KKK support during the presidential campaign; do not expect that to happen now when it is gaining momentum and Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions have inside seats supporting White Nationalism. Also thanks to what should be the defunct Electoral College which has given us Trump on one of his own gold-plated platters.
An AOL news item reported yesterday that President Obama will be reentering the political action to strengthen the Democratic party. This give me hope that it CAN be strengthened from within; using the current base and building on it to gain strength and support. President Lincoln overcame incredible odds and inside opposition to maintain and strengthen the Union; this takes me back to my original comments regarding the firing on Fort Sumpner which started the Civil War. Can we stop it before it begins in earnest anew? The same hatreds leading to that dark period of our history remain; and they have been strengthened due to the election of Trump…we must not omit Pence from this equation.
The NRA has long promoted the idea of a ” “citizen army” armed and equipped and ready to fight for something most don’t truly understand, far right radio has stoked their fears, the Alt Press Fox, Britbart , and numerous magazines have promoted the militia movement and have teamed with Christian Fundamentalists Outliers to place God on their side. Trump is their leader only by tapping into their anger and his willingness to pander to anyone for a vote, He wanted tanks in the street for his victory parade but would have been happy to see the Militias from every state marching in his sparse parade. This is the way of aspiring dictators not American democracy.
So beware my friends this is the dpangerious beginning that’s being fueled by Trump and the Alt Right Rising.
“We must take the events in Charolottesville, VA, yesterday back to the firing on Fort Sumpner.” ???
I’d hope before we discuss, with some intelligence, the tragic violence of this weekend that we would peruse the documented historical account of our Nation’s beginning by first acknowledging that Thomas Sumter, an American Revolutionary War soldier, fought for our freedom as a Nation and was instrumental in the decision of Lord Cornwallis, of the British Army, to retreat from his assigned mission. As a result of Thomas Sumter’s service during the American Revolutionary War, a fort in South Carolina was named in his honor, Fort Sumter — not Fort Sumpner.
Spencer is a clear and present danger to America and should not be allowed to roam free. He is a perfect fit for the WH and Drumpf’s cabinet.
We are indeed doomed.
Trump, in biblical terms, is reaping what he has sown. He has sown seeds of discord, encouraged violence, picked on both friend and foe if they stand in his way of his monomanic pursuit of a buck, and has in general assumed an anti-establishment role to sate his base. Trouble is, with his bully pulpit in hand, he is the establishment, and true to form, doesn’t have a clue in how to handle it, though he and fellow narcissist Kim must be having lot of fun what with all of the international attention focused on their antics. My message in the wake of missie threats and Charlottesville – stay calm. I do not believe this is the beginning of a civil war #2. New threats to our social cohesion will surface, as they always have, but we will survive them, as we always have.
Mea culpa – missie should have read missile – no racial slur intended.
For our local blog participants, let’s also consider that Marion County, Indiana (the home county for Indianapolis) was named in honor of Francis Marion, a Brigadier General from South Carolina in the American Revolutionary War. Incidentally, Francis Marion is known best by his nickname, ‘The Swamp Fox’ based on his unorthodox methods of ground warfare that ultimately led to his being known as the father of the US Army Rangers.
the recent nra vids are enough,their supporters,all in the boat on gun ownership.with it seems few will step aside and denouce the org. this subversive talk is being aired by anyone who pays the fee,or gets publicity,and will tollerate this new mad house. do we now counter? we boycotted gallo back when the ufw were gaining ground. we boycotted the war machine of southeast asia. the corperations hate publicity,and being accused of supporting such treason. hit em in the wallet. make a voice..whoever permits any channel,service provider,news,or show allowing this movement against our democracy,will be boycotted. all sponsors of products,an d shows who allow the nra,or,rightwing support,or news that tilts its ugly head in the direction of this treason,boycott all sponsors,and make a voice about it. Im a very well read person on how the nazis gained foothold,long before their party existed,there is no diffrence on this movement,or the politics today,supporting this treason. we look bad now also,allowing this to prevail.make a stand,and make sure our children are not drawn into this as pawns in this new game. trump is a firebrand,for being a asshole from new york city,his whole person is nothing but a screw you get out of my high dollar way,your just mud on my shoes. if you cant see this type of person he is,then may i say,take a trip to NYC and get on the street, his type is all over the city,and its not a hidden agenda he prevails on. he could care less about america,hes protected by money and the side of the government supporting this whole mess. now, lets here some republicans voice thier dislike for this,after all, this movement supports them!
I do not believe we are doomed as a Nation as an earlier poster wrote. That thought is simply short-sighted and superficial.
Consider that the weekend’s tragic events occurred, at the base level, over the existence of a single statue in a City park in Charlottesville, Virginia. Using Gerald Stinson’s mention of biblical terminology, I’m reminded that perhaps this single statue of Robert E Lee has now been afforded the prominence of a ‘graven image’ from the Old Testament 10 Commandments that warn us against worshiping a ‘graven image’.
Are we ready to overthrow our Nation because of a single statue, a statue that for some people seem to be a ‘graven image’, a sacred image that represents either the best or the worst of our Nation? I surely hope not.
The President, inevitably, especially in this day of pervasive social media, leads the country in some unique direction. Trump has added new meaning to the “bully pulpit”.
Racism has become fashionable again. (Don’t you love it when racists blame their affliction on Obama?) Hatred’s back in style. Diversity is dead and has been replaced by “just like me”. We are in the grip of a “media storm” that seems to taper only when Trump is on one of his many hardly earned vacations.
Like all for disasters we need a recovery plan. We did this now we need to plan how to end it and longer term how to recover our once functional country.
Let’s hope that baby Trump can hold off on nuclear holocaust until midterms at least and we can go through Congress with sickle and sythe and disarm him. A proper Congress is a necessary straight jacket for Trump/Pence/Bannon/and staffers du jour.
While Trump is releasing one at a time his endless herd of squirrels hourly we need single minded focus to avoid the confusion of chasing down each one.
#1. Repeal and replace Congress.
Does anyone believe that Germany has a statue of Himmler, or Heinrich, or Hitler standing in a public park? When you are defeated in war you lose your symbols.
The interesting thing is that these Trump voter/Trump apologists are not even remotely reasonable. I don’t even try to talk to them. What’s the point in trying? They are simply too stupid, too mentally ill, or too intent on protecting their own interests to participate in a productive discussion. And Trump IS the GOP now, regardless of what the others try to represent, because what they are is the party of the stupid and uneducated, the party of the mentally deranged, and the party of the sociopathic selfish.
Marv Kramer calls it what it is: FASCISM.
The events in Charlottesville bring to mind fascist-Nazi words of the 1920’s and 1930’s: Kristallnacht and Sturmabteilung. Google those words for details. You’ll find that the similarities are stark.
Leaders of the Charlottesville massacre seem well rehearsed in Nazi history and are reanimating it abetted by neofascist Donald Trump.
A century ago the hate-target was the Jewish oligarchy and lesser minorities such as Gypsies and non-Aryans.
Today the hate-targets are myriad. If history instructs, the plethora will coalesce into a single force that can once again threatens the world by holocaust. The killer will not be a nut plowing into a crowd with an automobile, it will be a nut with the atomic code.
What to do? Be vigilant now. Sweep them out in 2018 and 2020.
But I would also note that what we need to pull ourselves out of this is a dying off of the baby boom. The sooner the better (sorry to most of you here who are part of this cohort). The reason young people hated Hillary is that she was part of the generation that destroyed their opportunities. And of course Trump was, too, but he enjoyed vast popularity among the me, me, me generation (of course he did).
There is a brighter America coming.
@Over it, I suspect the majority of the posters here are well beyond the baby boomer cohort years and are more aligned with a group of people in their mid 70’s through their mid 90’s. lol
When the GOP won white voters by dog-whistling white supremacy, Democrats wooed them back with a renewed commitment to “mainstream America.”
https://bostonreview.net/us/christopher-petrella-stone-mountain-white-supremacy-modern-democratic-party#.WP9kIxsxF60.twitter
Over it; I don’t know which is the biggest waste of time, trying to talk to a Trumpist or to someone who has paid no attention to the campaign, the election and what is going on around them today. Neither is aware they are in the same dangerous position as those of us who did not vote for Trump and those who are aware. Many do seem to be affiliated to religion in some way but appear to me to be members of Flip Wilson’s Church of What’s Happenin’
Well – if you want, and you know such misguided beings… send them to my page – ‘www.colunga-hernandez.com’ and just warn them before hand – what they will see there is a truth, and it isn’t like what they learned – Jew, Christian or Muslim! It is time this clown show was put to an end!
I am not sure why we are still referring to armed militant “supremacists” as white christian nationalists, or alt right, or dominionist militants, or any of the other euphemisms presently in play, meant to soften and excuse their behavior and beliefs. That’s exactly what the Nazis were – white, christian, nationalist, militant, terrorists. These people are no different at all. Except for semantics, they are also no different from extreme right wing terrorists who claim to be muslim, or any other ideology. It is the same tribal sickness. Of course, there were different flavors of Nazis. There were the hard core, and variously enthusiastic followers who joined in, and there were those who didn’t agree entirely, but were afraid to stand up to the militants, sometimes for very good reasons. We know how to stand up to them, because we watched Germany fall to them, as they divided and conquered that population, first by focusing on very real problems and resentments in the German economy after WWI, and then with rallies, marches, slogans, designed to be appealing to the desire to join in and support your team, or party, which led to the election of Nazis or their allies to positions of power, and finally with force, fear, and new discriminatory and punitive laws. Eventually it became suicidal to stand up and say the Nazis were wrong. We are somewhere between the focusing rally stage, and the political legitimizing stage with a number of political and departmental leaders, in Congress, and in the cabinet and WH, who either go along to get along, with these Nazi ideals, or strongly, if quietly, support them. Now and then you read some article that questions, why didn’t enough people in Germany stand up to the Nazis, or Brownshirts, early? There are always haters. We have lazily lumped them in with the “lunatic fringe” for years. It takes something more for them to organize in a big way, and come to power. It takes some wealthy people who support Nazi ideals, and their followers, to actively engage in political strategy and influence all levels of government. Then it takes media outlets to manipulate, coalesce, and mobilize their admirers, and appeal to would be allies. It takes a lot of propaganda. It takes a lot of excusing less incendiary proto-Nazi beliefs in representatives who are more “conservative” or “traditional”, but are after all, nice guys, polite – one of us. Those of us who are determined to not let this country go the way of the Nazi Regime, can’t give up public resistance. We have to support candidates who do not follow and encourage those beliefs. We have to point out those representatives and candidates who appear to support, or allow, proto-Nazi beliefs, even when they look like us, or “could be our neighbor”, or use nice euphemisms for some ugly actions. Those police who kept our streets clean and quiet – how did they do that? Did we pay attention to exactly why and how they removed people who didn’t look like us, in order to keep our neighborhood looking “right” or “safe”. We have to pay attention to people’s apparently casual remarks. No more, “Oh, he didn’t really mean that.” We have to stand up to discrimination and prejudice in all the different ways we can. And we have to develop real practical solutions to the economic, and social problems that fester and cause people to turn to hate. It is not “us” and “them”. They are us. We start by paying attention to our own prejudices. We do not mirror behavior we don’t respect, or honor. We help others to step away from their worst feelings, words, and actions, even if it’s scary to be the odd person out in a group of acquaintances. We cannot give up, and we can’t be complacent. This is an old fight. It never goes away entirely. We don’t “lose” a country still growing into the ideals expressed in the constitution – we lay down, close our eyes, shut our ears, and give it away.
I have a suggestion for those who don’t want to give up their statues of Robert E. Lee. Put your statues up, but not in the military uniform he wore, but as the educator he truly was. Prior to the Civil War, he was the commandant of West Point. After the war, he was president of Washington College, which later became Washington and Lee University. He spent more years leading universities than he did leading an army. I’m sure he would approve.
Peggy, I sure don’t approve. In the end Robert E. Lee was a traitor. Sorry… no statue or portrait or public recognition for traitors.
Theresa @ 1:48 pm. I agree with you Robert E. Lee was a traitor. He was worse than Benedict Arnold, who is always labeled as such.
Battle Cry of Freedom, written in 1862 became wildly popular among Union Soldiers (selected lyrics below):
Yes we’ll rally round the flag, boys, we’ll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
We will rally from the hillside, we’ll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
(Chorus)
The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitors, up with the stars;
While we rally round the flag, boys, we rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave,[c]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
A Union war veteran recalling in the late 1880s, the song helped the morale of Union soldiers:
A glee club came down from Chicago, bringing with them the new song, “We’ll rally ’round the flag, boys”, and it ran through the camp like wildfire. The effect was little short of miraculous. It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory. Day and night one could hear it by every camp fire and in every tent. I never shall forget how the men rolled out the line, “And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave.” I do not know whether Mr. Root knows what good work his song did for us there, but I hope so.
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The counter demonstrators to the Reactionary Right should sing out loud and strong the Lyrics to Battle Cry of Freedom. The idea the statues of Lee and the Confederate Flag are some type of neutral heritage symbol is bogus. They are the symbols of slavery.
Charlottesville is less than an hour away from where I live. It has a Black City Manager, until recently a Sikh Mayor and is at least as liberal as Austin. But it is Virginia for god’s sake. Confederate memorials, signs and flags are ubiquitous.
And the two white nationalist leaders who have targeted it are University of Virginia grads (Charlottesville).They said today it wasn’t over and they were going to make Charlottesville the center of the universe. If I wasn’t old and lame I would be over there. Maybe I will anyway.
John Neal; you are SO right, it IS Virginia, the heart of the Confederacy before, during and after the Civil War. Southern states have never conceded the loss of the War of Northern Aggression. Remember that old saying (no idea of it’s origin), “Hang onto your Confederate money, boys, the south’s gonna rise again!” Here it is, nearing full force, with the president of this country at it’s head. I believe it was Moochie, before his quick removal from the White House, who stated, “A fish dies from the head down.” I have no memory of who or what he was referring to but I have a favorite that fits here; “You kill a snake by cutting off it’s head.”
Take that any way you want, readers, I”m fed up. Will members of Congress have the nerve to show up to begin this fall session? Gathering in one place after this nightmare of their August vacation ramping up the violence. Yesterday’s action in Charlottesville, VA, is not the end of this but, as I stated earlier (minus a full accounting of history and a misspelled name of the fort), is this the first shot in another Civil War? We are already watching neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, family member against family member due to the 2016 election campaign and the disastrous outcome. Will it be nuclear war from outside our borders or “boots on the ground” here? There are a few armed families in my Trump-filled neighborhood which I keep an eye on during my daily walks.
What made ordinary people obedient Nazis was the power given to them over others. Power corrupts and absolute life or death power corrupts absolutely.
It absolutely could happen here. That’s why for now the entire focus should not be on chasing Trump’s endeless squirrels but repealing and replacing the toady Congress.
We can walk and chew gum at the same time, and we can get rid of Trump and his congressional toadies simultaneously. I for one believe that Trump will not be around to dump in 2020, having long since been run out of town. However, the toadies will remain until removed by voters and Pete’s suggestion that we must focus on their removal is a good one. The end of the Trump regime is coming into view now because he can’t make anyone happy; either his right wing supporters and the likes of David Duke or the rest of us. Fear mongering via another narcissist (Kim) won’t get it, either, because if we go to war at his behest, he will be lost to history in the wake of our first 100 million person march, 100 million who along with stay-at-homes will demand that Congress either rid us of this cancer on democracy or go home themselves in a soft reenactment of the storming of the Bastille, i.e., sans guillotines).
I would recommend some bedtime reading for some of you who, UNDERSTANDABLY, are having a hard time admitting to American Fascism and its dire implications not only domestically but also world- wide.
It is “The Washington Connection and Third World Fascism” by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman (South End Press, Boston MA, 1979).
President Trump must have missed taking Professor Herman’s class after he TRANSFERRED to the University of Pennsylvania his sophomore year. After observing his intellectual capacity, I’m pretty sure it must have taken some very strong incentives for the university to have admitted him as a transfer student. I could be wrong but probably not.
After reading the Pennsylvania Gazette, Penn’s Alumni Magazine, at least the present President of the university doesn’t honor his prior attendance no matter what the circumstances were.
“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”
`George Orwell, “Notes on Nationalism,” 1945
Quotation from page vii of “The Washington Connection and Third World Fascism.”
Don’t underestimate American Fascism. It is much, much deeper than Donald Trump or Steve Bannon. We need to start looking more at the fascist-like background of Mike Pence. Now is the time to do that, not later after the Republicans have attempted to transfer power to him because of the impotence and incompetence of the President they helped elect.
Don’t forget Wayne Gretzky’s famous quotation:
“I skate to where the puck is going [Mike Pence], not where it has been.”
As Gerald has so well pointed out, Donald Trump isn’t going to make it. But he has fanned the hatred to “TSUNAMI” levels. If Mike Pence escapes from the Trump fallout, it will be all over ACCEPT FOR THE SHOUTING, unless a prior nuclear fall out has taken care of our future problems.
Unlike most of the animal kingdom, we humans, which the author Dorris Lessing has previously pointed-out, are for the most part “unable to take preemptive action.” Our nervous systems, unfortunately, are inadequate at this point of our development.
The world is now facing the potential of FUTURCIDE, it’s much more lethal than DEMOCRACIDE. Let’s be honest with ourselves before it’s too late.
The real question to be answered: Has American democracy, at this point in time, become nothing more than just an EMPTY SHELL?
Please! Stop talking about that idiot in the White House. He thrives on being mentioned, and he doesn’t care whether it’s in a positive light or a negative one.
Switch your allegiance to Al Franken. He’s incredibly bright and incredibly funny. Our Fake President is neither.
Paul – You sound like Lakoff, who also cautioning against even mentioning those who frame issues.
Typo – cautioning should have read cautions. mea culpa.
Yesterday, in the mist of Charlottesville, my husband and I attended a neighborhood party with all manner of people and ages. It was totally lovely, happy, silly and wonderful. This is America. We must remove from office any who are in lockstep to deny our rights.
Marv – Wayne Gretsky also famously noted that “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” which reminds me of FDR’s scattered attempts to pry this country out of depression. The Supreme Court shot down some of his attempts to remedy the situation but, thankfully, he kept shooting, and we are beneficiaries of his Social Security Act, FDIC deposit insurance, Wagner Act etc. This was a man who got things done, unlike the current occupant of the Oval Office, who spends his time nursing his hurt feelings and making policy via twitter. There is pressure building for the Don to sack his self-admitted Leninist and racist adviser (Bannon), which I think will happen, and while firing Bannon I suggest that he do the country and himself a favor by firing himself.
Gerald,
“Marv-Wayne Gretsky also famously noted that “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
I agree with you that Trump will have to distant himself from Bannon which will necessitate his using Pence’s image more and more. Consequently, that will only make it much more difficult to deal with Trump.
Thanks for reminding me of Gretzky’s other famous quote. I was on the phone with a multi-national design firm located in India a few minutes ago. I’ll take my long awaited shot right now. From my vantage point the time on the clock has just about run out.
I believe I mentioned before on this blog that my father was voted the greatest basketball player of the 30’s in North Florida in a poll conducted by the local newspaper many years ago. As many sons of athletes are, I was a touch better. I won’t miss this shot. I’ve practiced a very long time on this one.
Keep the faith. I’ve made this same shot before under a very similar situation.