Remaining Trump supporters lost cause, base turnout essential for 2020

In the aftermath of the 2018 midterm elections, one thing became clear. At this point there is no such thing as a “moderate” or “sane” Republican. Perhaps there were some, suffering under the oppressive weight of capitalism, during the 2016 election cycle who were duped by the fake ring-wing populism espoused by Donald Trump. However, after two years of corporate giveaways at the cost of everyday people, unapologetic white nationalist pandering, brazen misogyny and unhinged attacks on the LGBTQ community, anybody who is still supportive of Trump and the complicit Republican Party are bigoted scum bags or conspiracy-brained, alt-right morons who obsess over decoding QAnon messages. These people cannot be saved within a two-year election cycle. The only way the left will win in the upcoming 2020 election is through turnout of the base via grassroots organizing.

Trump and GOP lean hard into culture war racism

During the recent midterm election Trump and the Republican Party summoned the most vile aspects of American society in order to cling to power. Trump, despite a strong American economy, campaigned on mostly fear-mongering about the asylum-seeking caravan of impoverished families traveling on foot. He described this group of brown-pigmented people as an “invasion” and even claimed there were “terrorists” within their midst, a claim he made without even the slightest shred of evidence. The only purpose this served was to galvanize the right-wing base through racial resentment and fear politics. Also, it was not just Trump who delved head first into the culture war messaging, many racist Republican candidates followed suit, exposing the GOP for what it has always been about at its ideological core: unbridled bigotry and hatred.

The left must utilize electoral infrastructure created during midterms

Given that remaining Trump supporters cannot be flipped at this point, the only thing left to do is turnout the moderate, liberal and progressive base through newly created electoral infrastructure. The current social upheaval caused by the Trump election has galvanized an unprecedented political awareness and broad-based activism. This has resulted in record numbers of people becoming involved in political campaigns on the left via organizing, canvassing, phone banking, text banking and other various activities. The culmination of this is electoral infrastructure which must be taken advantage of by Democrats and those on the political left during the 2020 election cycle.

Even for those elections which Democrats lost during the midterms, the newly formed electoral infrastructure, such as fully-trained and experienced campaign organizers, funding mechanisms and a base of now-experienced campaign volunteers, can provide the push for Democrats and those on the left to win those same seats in the next election cycle. One example of this is Georgia's 6^th congressional district. This historically safe Republican seat experienced an unprecedented Democratic challenge in a special election in 2017, fueled by outrage against Trump. Despite the Democratic candidate narrowly losing in the special election, the infrastructure and base enthusiasm created enabled the Democrats to capture the seat in the recent 2018 midterms.

Florida will be crucial in 2020, galvanizing base essential

Although it is important Democrats fight hard for all 50 states, Florida will be particularly important for achieving success at the ballot box. Florida, which has historically played a pivotal role in deciding presidential elections, is now legitimately a possible swing state with the closeness of the recent governor's race between Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis which has now been forced into a recount. Also, with the voting rights of those with felony convictions reinstated in Florida, the potential Democratic base has been greatly increased. Therefore, Florida organizers must begin outreach to this newly enfranchised population and register as many of them as possible to vote. However, this also means candidates on the left must present policy proposals which help empower this population of voters.

In closing, there is no time to tune out, the political left must not miss a beat and immediately begin strategizing campaigns on a grassroots level in all areas of the country. There were still millions of eligible left-leaning voters who did not go to the polls. These are the people grassroots activists must turn out in order to defeat Trump and the Republicans in 2020.

Five ways the Trump agenda hurts the American consumer

Donald Trump is a threat to both the American people and American democracy. Consequently, it is no surprise that, by extension, Trump is also a huge threat to the regular American consumer. That is because his agenda for America is nothing more than his agenda for himself and Americans are going to pay.

Trump Tax Scam

Trump’s GOP congressional lackeys banded together in December last year to impose his endorsed tax plan – with “plan” used in the very loosest sense of the word.

Contrary to Trump’s pie-in-the-sky assertions that the majority of Americans will be better off as a result, the very same guy that managed to bankrupt a casino, has now overseen a tax cut that actually raises taxes for over 80 million Americans while simultaneously lowering taxes for the top 1% of richest Americans.

Unless you’re a billionaire, possibly with a solid gold toilet, this isn’t really the stuff that regular American consumer spending sprees are made of.

Pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal

The US withdrawing from the “Iran Nuclear Deal” has, unsurprisingly, spooked the oil markets. 

 

The Middle East, the world’s leading oil producing zone, needs more stability, not less, to ensure oil production costs remain in check. Of course, the stable genius that is Trump has now added tension to that geopolitical hotbed and consequently oil prices are on the rise. 

 

Trips to the gas station are an increasingly painful experience for American drivers and small businesses. Maybe the MAGA-crowd likes paying more at the pump to see Trump at one of his cow-shed rallies? Must be a MAGA thing.

Trump and Tariffs

Trump is gunning for a trade war. With his usual double whammy of both wanting to grab the headlines and show how much of a “tough guy” he is (oh how his father should have hugged him more as a child), Trump has implemented tariffs with trading friends and foes alike.

By imposing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, Trump’s recklessness is going to drive up the cost of things like cars, trucks and canned goods for the American consumer.

Mick Mulvaney at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Mulvaney is to consumer protection as foxes are to hen houses. So Trump, naturally, made him acting Director of the CFPB in 2017.

In accordance with Trump’s obsession of repealing anything Obama-esque, Mulvaney is perfectly aligned with Trump’s slash and burn approach to regulation.

Mulvaney has a long history of acrimony towards the CFPB – an organization set up in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to ensure that consumers had better protection from marauding financial institutions and their questionable business practices.

Prior to taking up the CFPB reins, Mulvaney made numerous references about its abolition. As acting Director, he has suspended CFPB recruitment and cancelled investigations, both pending and present, into suspected malfeasance by any number of financial institutions. The end result? The American consumer is at increased risk courtesy of a Trump endorsed henchman.

Net Neutrality No More

Net neutrality was repealed in June this year by the Republican leaning, Trump endorsed Federal Communications Commission. Net neutrality ensured that internet-service providers (ISP) treated all online internet data fairly and provided a level playing field to ensure that ISPs could not levy fees or slow down services for particular online content and websites.

That is no more with the repeal. The bigger ISPs now have the potential to introduce things like “fast-lane” internet services – where if you pay more, you get a better service. Kind of like cable TV, if you are prepared to pay more, you get better service and greater access to internet services – such as those you had previously taken for granted before.

Less internet choice beckons. The only good thing from that? 

 

Maybe you’ll get to see less of Trump’s puerile, offensive Tweets.

Why Thomas Paine would shoot Donald Trump if he were alive today (Part 1 of 3)

Written by Igor Goldkind

Yes, indeed that’s a provocative title; but this ain’t click-bait my friends. This is the real deal. If Thomas Paine was alive today, he’d be in the nation’s capital with a pistol waiting for the #FakePresident. Of course, he’d be waiting a long time considering as far as he knew the capital of these United States was in Philadelphia. I have a vision of old globalist Thomas standing outside Ben Franklin’s door, knocking as hard as he could, shouting “Benjamin!  Benjamin! Come out, our nation’s in trouble and it's much worse than the British.” Kind of like the scene in “Street Car Named Desire” where Marlon Brando is standing outside Stella’s window in the pouring rain in his soaked white T-Shirt.

Marlon Brando would have made a good Thomas Paine in the film, the graphic novel and the computer game but this doesn't answer the question embedded in the title of this diatribe. Why would Thomas Paine if he were alive today, track down Donald Trump and put a bullet in the back of his head? In principle this would require Donald to be on his knees, facing away from Thomas with his tiny hands wrapped around the back of his head. I suppose you, dear reader, are ‘en-titled’ to an answer as to the why and the wherefore; but stay with me as we savor the moment. The ultimate retribution of history: to be shot in the back of  the head by one of the Founders of this revolutionary nation, ironically with a pistol no less. One that Thomas didn’t have to register or submit to a background check to acquire from the antique pistols and muskets booth at the gun show a couple blocks away.

So before Thomas pulls the trigger and the tiny lead ball propels from the pistol’s mouth through his dense skull and lodges somewhere in the soft tissue that Donald referred to as his “brain,” let’s pause and assess the situation. Let’s skip over the time travel details as to how Thomas Paine got from the late 18th century to the early 21st. We’ll leave it to the graphic novel to explain that bit; him jumping a little over two centuries in time. Although we really don’t have to figure out anything at all. Thomas Paine’s words, his ideas and his rebel spirit not only jumped but survived intact for more than two centuries within the soul of our national sovereignty. So if Thomas Paine were brought back from the dead by some mysterious force, it could only be due to his words, his ideas and the nation he fought for being under threat.

And that, my reader, is precisely the point being made by my title and the words you are reading now.  Today, not even two decades into the 21st century, the essential values that built this nation, this American experiment by a motley crew of post-enlightenment landowners, orators, tradesmen and inventors is at risk of being destroyed. Not by Trump himself, you realize. But by Us, by We the People in our impotent complacency to stop him. We are not revolutionaries, we are the revolution Thomas and his friends dreamt, drew the blueprints for, and built on top of the hot blood that soaked the green countryside of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Carolina, whose names are only possible because of the stubborn bravery of these idealists, these socialists, these men of vision that had the hubris to build a nation founded not by the right of kings or church or even the wealthy, but by the enlightenment values of liberty, justice and freedom. 

These values of course aren’t just American, although they are the foundation stones of our democracy.  Thomas Paine author of “Common Sense,” “The Age of Reason” and “The Rights of Man” whose titles alone reveal the nature of his philosophy: to build a nation on reason not religious superstition. It’s not that Thomas Paine didn’t believe in the divine, he just believed in reason more: “It is by the exercise of reason that man can discover God. Take away that reason, and he would be incapable of understanding anything.”

Later, as a member of the French Senate, Paine would lend his hand to writing the Jean-Jacques Rousseau version of the Declaration of the Rights of Man in 1789, along with Thomas Jefferson. Rousseau’s Rights of Man became the basis of the UN Human Rights Charter as well as the EU Human Rights initiative. So next time you hear some jackass complaining about liberals going on and on about Human Rights you might want to mention that they’re disrespecting the  Founding Fathers, two of whom (Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine) contributed to the declaration.

In fact, Universal Human Rights is the soul not only of our Constitution, but the Declaration of Independence, the UN Charter and the adopted law of all members of the European Union. Human Rights is the one thing that Donald Trump can’t abide because he has dedicated his life to the accruement of power for its own sake. Trump really isn’t that bothered by actual money in spite of his public persona. What he is dedicated to is what money buys: people, power and governance; and this is exactly where we have gone astray from the origins of our nation. We have handed our own governance over to banks, corporate interests and the uber-affluent who can afford to buy a congressman or a president.   

Mueller’s investigation will very shortly reveal the origins of the money that bought Trump his presidency. We know already that the NRA contributed 30 million dollars early in his campaign. Do you remember that lie about how Trump said he was incorruptible because he could afford to fund his own campaign? I know, I know, it’s hard to remember all the lies Trump has spouted.

Do you know why the Truth is better than a lie?

Because it’s easier to remember.

Continue reading:  Part 2 of 3.

Check out more writing from the author here:
https://igorgoldkind.wordpress.com/

Trump tax scam thwarts long-term U.S. economic growth for self-serving, short-term political gains

Donald Trump would have the American people believe that the recent GOP tax bill will provide a spark to the U.S. economy while benefiting mostly the middle-class. This would obviously be all well and good, except for the inconvenient detail of it being an outright lie. In reality the GOP tax bill is a duplicitous scam that will limit the potential of the American economy at the cost of everyday people in the United States.

Tax cuts for everyday Americans will disappear, corporate tax looting permanent

Trump and the GOP are banking on the positive effects of the tax bill to be felt in the pocketbooks of the average American voter in time to help Republicans in the upcoming elections in 2018 and 2020. Although most Americans will receive a tax cut, those benefits are only short-term and transitory and will also come at a steep price. Meanwhile the massive tax cuts corporate donors receive from the tax bill will remain permanent, leaving future generations to deal with a more than $1 trillion deficit increase as a result.

Corporate donors carry water for Trump and GOP

Upon passage of the GOP tax bill some corporations who stand to profit handsomely from the new policy attempted to assuage the public's strong disapproval of the tax scheme by literally throwing money at them. Wells Fargo and AT&T were the first corporations to rush to announce bonuses and wage increases which they claim are a result of the tax bill. However, it is likely their intentions are more self-serving than anything else.

These two corporations just happen to be facing scrutiny from the Trump administration over various regulatory issues. Trump targeted Wells Fargo in a recent Twitter tantrum, threatening to levy heavy fines against the bank for past wrongdoings. AT&T has also been under recent scrutiny regarding its proposed merger with Time-Warner. In falling over themselves to announce the worker bonuses these corporations are likely hoping that their strategically timed announcements regarding worker bonuses will stroke Trump's pathetic and fragile ego. Additionally, with a tight labor market and unemployment at historic lows, it would make sense for corporations to already be thinking of raising wages due to increased competition to attract qualified workers, regardless of the GOP tax scam.

Missed opportunity for real economic growth in renewable energy

If Republicans really wanted to revamp the U.S. economy there are numerous better options than to gift loads of tax giveaways to corporate donors. One thing the GOP and Trump could do is drop their regressive energy polices aimed at propping up a dying coal industry while at the same time attacking the renewable energy sector. The solar and wind energy industry are among the fastest growing industries in the world today. Renewable energy has the potential to create millions of new jobs, however, instead, the Trump administration is aggressively looking to take actions which would dampen this potential growth.

Coal is a losing bet for America

Propping up the coal industry at the expense of renewable energy is a losing economic strategy for the long-term. It is obvious that the future trajectory of coal energy is downwards towards obsolescence, making the potential for job growth from coal quite limited. If anything there will be limited job gains in coal in 2018, which Trump will try to use as a political talking point when stumping for GOP candidates in the 2018 midterms. However, in the long-term, coal is a losing bet for the American economy and will cede the booming global renewable energy market to rivals such as China.

Trump immigration stance leaves money on the table

Another way which Trump is dampening future U.S. economic power is through his immigration policies. The administration's xenophobic and racist anti-immigration stance is depriving America of the necessary labor, skills and entrepreneurship which could release the untapped potential of the U.S. economy.

Threats of deportation and harassment of immigrant communities, particularly those from Mexico and Central America, has resulted in the worsening of an already-existent labor shortage for home builders. This keeps real estate supply too low to meet demand, which results in skyrocketing housing prices, keeping housing unaffordable for the everyday American consumer. Also, Trump is currently using DACA as a bargaining chip for his promised massive southern border wall. This causes more fear in the immigrant community which in turn keeps many immigrants out of the labor market and discourages others from immigrating to the U.S., further depriving home builders and other employers of much needed cheap labor. Additionally, immigrant entrepreneurs have historically played a critical role in creating jobs in America and therefore policies making it easier for immigrants to come to America should be promoted.

Trump racism will punish the American economy

Instead of breaking up immigrant families, Republicans and Trump could find a way to make America more welcoming for immigrants who will perform the needed work Americans are not willing to do. This increase in economic activity would even go towards funding the more than $1 trillion deficit the GOP tax scam is expected to leave for future generations. However, this would not be politically tenable for Trump who ran his presidential campaign on stoking racism and hatred among his mostly white base.

GOP tax scam reflects Trump narcissism and duplicity

Ultimately, the Trump tax policy is a perfect reflection of Trump as the narcissistic, self-serving liar that he is. The GOP corporate tax giveaway is essentially attempting to bribe the American voters with minimal economic gains which will eventually be paid back in the form of cuts to important social safety nets such as social security or Medicare. Meanwhile, the tax cuts for big corporations will remain permanent at the expense of the American middle class and impoverished communities.

Wall Street-friendly Trump may be looking to delay or repeal 'fiduciary rule'

One of the most pivotal issues of the recent presidential election was how an unregulated Wall Street is able to gain massive record profits through fraudulent and criminal behavior while wealth inequality is at all-time highs. The Obama administration had recently passed a bill, known as the “fiduciary rule,” aimed at curbing this phenomenon within the financial adviser industry. However, with the election of Donald Trump to the White House this rule may face a delay in implementation or possibly a repeal.

The rule which goes into effect April 2017 is set to put a fiduciary duty on any financial advisers giving advice to consumers. This means that a financial adviser has to make recommendations that put the interests of the client ahead of all other interests, including commissions received by the financial adviser for recommending financial products of specific companies. A majority of Americans believe Wall Street needs to be held accountable for its actions, which is what the fiduciary rule aims to do.

Donald Trump even ran his campaign on promises to reign in Wall Street. On the other hand, his cabinet picks of Wall Street insiders put serious doubt on whether or not he was being honest when making these promises. His choice for Labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, a fast food CEO, has not offered his opinion on the fiduciary rule, according to an article published by Investment News. However, Pudzer's conservative slant towards smaller government and his radical belief that there should be no minimum wage makes it highly likely he would not be looking out for the everyday person and would not likely be a friendly supporter of the fiduciary rule.

As head of the Department of Labor, which is in charge of implementing the rule, Puzder will have significant power to delay implementation of the rule. Delaying implementation is a viable alternative to a straight out repeal of the rule for Trump and the GOP, reported The National Law Journal. A repeal of the rule may also be possible, especially with the Republicans controlling both the House and Senate. GOP House leader Congressman Paul Ryan has been vociferous in his harsh criticism of the fiduciary rule in the recent past, according to an article published on TheStreet.com.

Delay or repeal of the fiduciary rule when combined with the GOP plan to privatize Social Security can put senior citizens especially at risk of being defrauded by unscrupulous financial advisers salivating over privatized, self-directed retirement accounts. Therefore, it is essential the American public voices its disapproval of any delay or attempt to repeal the fiduciary rule. Please contact your local congressional representatives and senators and let them know your concerns about the fiduciary rule. You can also sign CREDO's petition to tell Senate Democrats to hold the line and not help Republicans delay or repeal the fiduciary rule.

Will Trump oppose GOP and keep his promise to maintain Social Security and Medicare?

Donald Trump made many promises as a candidate. Most of them he hopefully does not keep, such as banning immigrants and refugees based upon their religious beliefs or breaking up families through mass deportations. On the other hand, one promise he should keep is his promise to not cut funding for Medicare and Social Security, which millions of senior citizens depend on to survive in an environment of ever-increasing costs of living and medical care.

Trump vs. GOP

However, many Republican lawmakers' positions on Social Security are diametrically opposed to Trump's stated position. GOP lawmakers, led by Congressman Paul Ryan, have repeatedly worked towards cutting Medicare and Social Security and ultimately want to privatize the program. This would result in healthier seniors dropping out of traditional medicare causing increased Medicare spending as well as higher costs for seniors remaining in traditional Medicare, according to an article published by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM). It is likely the GOP will test Trump's resolve to keep his campaign promise to look after America's senior citizens.

Broken promises not uncommon for Trump

Unfortunately, Trump has a habit of not keeping his campaign promises which can already be seen through his cabinet selections. Trump promised to “drain the swamp,” meaning to rid Washington D.C. of Wall Street influence. But, instead of looking out for the everyday American on Main Street, Trump has packed his cabinet full of Wall Street insiders. With this in mind, one has to wonder what the chances are that he will again turn his back on everyday Americans, particularly seniors who depend on benefits from the government.

Promise to repeal ACA contradictory to promise to maintain Medicare

Another factor which could cause an issue is that Trump and his Republican colleagues have promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare. The problem with this is that the ACA has greatly helped in refilling the Social Security trust fund, according to an article published by the NCPSSM. If the ACA is repealed without replacing it with another similar program it would be difficult to avoid having to cut the meager benefits that seniors are already receiving without raising taxes. An increase in taxes to fund government programs is now significantly less likely with the GOP in control of both the House and Senate.

Continue the pressure on Trump and GOP

It is essential that we keep up the political pressure on Trump and the Republicans to honor the wishes of the majority of Americans and steer clear of making cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Along with contacting your Congressperson or Senator one can help to apply political pressure against cutting these important social welfare programs through supporting already-existent organizations dedicated to preserving Social Security and Medicare. The NCPSSM has an outstanding record of success in lobbying lawmakers to not cut benefits. Another excellent organization is Social Security Works. If you have the financial ability to help, please consider these organizations for charitable donations.