Lies Are Not Color-coded

Hope Hicks said that she told "white lies" to protect the President. The FBI doesn't have a color scale. It is true or false. If you lie "to protect the President," what does that make the President? A liar, of course, and that is apparent.

Lying by a federal government official is a crime. Crimes do come in categories, but lying isn't one of them. It is on or off, true or false.

We don't know what the Special Prosecutor asked her, nor do we know her response. If she admitted to them that she told lies, that might have made her vulnerable.

"Her resignation came a day after she testified for eight hours before the House Intelligence Committee, telling the panel that in her job, she had occasionally been required to tell white lies but had never lied about anything connected to the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election." 

The New York Times

"F.B.I. Officials warned one of President Trump’s top advisers, Hope Hicks, earlier this year about repeated attempts by Russian operatives to make contact with her during the presidential transition, according to people familiar with the events. 

The Russian outreach efforts show that, even after American intelligence agencies publicly accused Moscow of trying to influence the outcome of last year’s presidential election, Russian operatives were undaunted in their efforts to establish contacts with Mr. Trump’s advisers." 

The New York Times

Spies Like Us

Slowly Rolling Donald Trump

It's going down. Not alone with the theory that Donald Trump has long since had financial entanglements and relationships with Russians that compromise his political integrity, the script is being born out by the Special Prosecutor. It takes more than a plausible theory and circumstantial evidence to build a case that will hold in the court, Congress notwithstanding.

The Trump administration is a target of vulnerability that is exploited by America's enemies and anyone else who wants to take advantage of inexperience or propensity to commit corrupt crimes.

President Trump's having chosen to use his family in The White House for which they could not get top secret security clearances is just one indication.

The case against Trump that could put a noose around his neck and others too who "went along" will be financial threads that lead to collusion and conspiracy to commit harm to the United States of America.

Watch as the facts continue to drip or pour from day to day as this is nearing the end of the rope.

"Washington (CNN)A volley of stunning revelations over Jared Kushner and the Russia probe are rocking Donald Trump's inner circle and suggest a pivotal moment is at hand in the West Wing personnel wars that have raged throughout his presidency. 

First, it emerged Tuesday that chief of staff John Kelly downgraded the top secret security clearance for the President's son-in-law in a bid to clear up a scandal over whether top administration players are qualified to access the most sensitive intelligence. 

Then, The Washington Post published a bombshell report that at least four countries had discussed how to use Kushner's sparse experience, financial troubles, and intricate business arrangements to manipulate him. 

Hours later, CNN reported that special counsel Robert Mueller is asking questions about Trump's business dealings with Russia before the President's campaign, a potentially significant development in the investigation." 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/28/politics/donald-trump-jared-kushner-investigations/index.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ebb%202-28&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

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Guns Too Hard To Handle

When the government is dysfunctional and probably corrupt and illegitimate, addressing the need to change the Second Amendment is too hard and inconceivable. However, the circumstance underscores that this government is unable to ensure the safety and security of its citizens at home.

For young Americans who are vulnerable and without adequate protection, there is no excuse or solace in the situation. For caring parents and the majority of citizens who did not elect Donald Trump as President, there is angst and frustration.

Unfortunately, a majority of Americans elected a Republican majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, and for that, there is only remorse.

If Americans want to restore democracy to the nation, they must impeach and proceed to replace the government with more qualified and better-suited representatives.

Our enemies, led by the Russians want Americans to remain divided. They are enjoying our plight as we demonstrate an inability to control our destiny in a pluralistic society. The challenge is to prove them wrong.

As an independent analyst, I don't cut much slack for the Democrats either. When the nation's democracy is under attack and crumbling from the insurgency, I expect more courageous leadership from the opposition.

"Gun control dominates conversation as Congress returns 

Congress returns this week amid intense debate over the best legislative approach to mass shootings.

Lawmakers and President Trump have proposed a number of controversial ideas, but so far only a handful of specifics." 

The Hill email

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What it Means for Trump to be at 35%

For one thing, Trump's being at his lowest approval rating means that 65% of Americans are not on board with the radical right-wing leader whose incumbency is suspected as being illegitimate. 

It might also reflect that 35% of Americans are what might be described as deplorable. That is, people who are aligned with and going along with the present regime in the Executive Branch and Congress are siding against the rule of law and democracy.

As the news continues to point to President Trump being a stooge for Russians, most Americans wait for due process and prosecutors to make their cases. The cases include many members of the Trump campaign who were high up in the organization that elected Trump. They have pled guilty to lying to the FBI and many other crimes.

"President Donald Trump's approval rating in a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS stands at 35%, down five points over the last month to match his lowest level yet. 

The slide follows a January bump in approval for the President, a finding that appeared connected to a bullish stock market and strong reviews for the economy. His new rating matches a December poll, which marked his lowest approval rating in CNN polling since taking office in January 2017." 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/25/politics/cnn-poll-trump-approval-matches-low/index.html

Unfit and Obstructing Justice

Most Important About Dem's Nune's Memo Rebuttal

The redacted memo from the Democrats shows clearly that the Republican Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee lied and committed intentional errors of omission with the intention of misleading citizens. That is a felony and an impeachable offense.

Chairman Nunes had to recuse himself from the Special Prosecutor investigation because he was conflicted. He continues in his capacity for political reasons that only obstructionists in the Republican Party can explain.

Most significant is that the redacted (blacked out portions of the rebuttal memo) shows that members of the Trump campaign were already under investigation by the FBI and Intel Community.

The Trump organization is akin to a mob gang committing insurrection against the American democracy.
   

"The Democratic memo rebutting Republican claims of FBI surveillance abuse has been released.  

The House Intelligence Committee had voted unanimously to make public the Democrats’ 10-page rebuttal to a GOP document that accused the Justice Department and the FBI of misleading a surveillance court in seeking an application to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. President Trump, however, declined to release it at first and ordered the Justice Department to work with the committee to remove any sensitive material before its release." 

The Washington Post Email

Excerpt from the rebuttal 

The Trump Insurgency

An insurgent penetrated the world's great democracy.

Under the guise of revolting against socialism, and in the name of freedom, capitalists, and bigots aligned to bully the majority.

Without sufficient numbers to win free elections, extremists solicited help from Russian oligarchs to incite and exploit ignorant people with divisive fear mongering to elect Donald Trump.

The Republican Party sacrificed patriotic integrity to advance its political platform that is to preserve wealth for the wealthiest while relieving them of social and environmental responsibility.

The insurgents pitted middle-class Americans against the poor while luring them with empty promises from a failed and failing trickle-down economic model that is unsustainable.

Donald Trump is merely a stooge for oligarchs to usurp democracy and replace it with authoritarianism that is evidenced by the present onslaught that is destroying US government institutions.

Government-by-the-people is not hyperbole. However, Trump and the Republican Congress insurgency would have you believe that it is your enemy for which one must ask, who are your friends?

The Economist Cover

Facts on the Surface

These are the hard facts and not fake in any manner.

Donald Trump staffed his campaign with "unsavory" individuals and attempted to advance them into high positions in government. He succeeded in engaging his daughter and son-in-law in White House duties which is an act of nepotism at a minimum.

Unsavory: distasteful and unacceptable as having broken the law.

Here are the supporting points.

1. Indicted by the Special Prosecutor

"The full list of known indictments and plea deals in Mueller’s probe 

1) George Papadopoulos, former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, pleaded guilty in October to making false statements to the FBI. 

2) Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, pleaded guilty in December to making false statements to the FBI. 

3) Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chair, was indicted in October in Washington, DC on charges of conspiracy, money laundering, false statements, and failure to disclose foreign assets — all related to his work for Ukrainian politicians before he joined the Trump campaign. He’s pleaded not guilty on all counts. Then, this Thursday, Mueller filed a new case against him in Virginia, with tax, financial, and bank fraud charges. 

4) Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aide, and Manafort’s longtime junior business partner was similarly indicted on conspiracy, money laundering, and false statements charges in Washington and a plethora of new tax and financial charges this Thursday in Virginia. But he has now agreed to a plea deal with Mueller’s team, pleading guilty to just one false statement charge and one conspiracy charge. 

5-20) 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies were indicted on conspiracy charges, with some also being accused of identity theft. The charges related to a Russian propaganda effort designed to interfere with the 2016 campaign. The companies involved are the Internet Research Agency, often described as a “Russian troll farm,” and two other companies that helped finance it. The Russian nationals indicted include 12 of the agency’s employees and its alleged financier, Yevgeny Prigozhin. 

21) Richard Pinedo: This California man pleaded guilty to an identity theft charge in connection with the Russian indictments, and has agreed to cooperate with Mueller. 

22) Alex van der Zwaan: This London lawyer pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with Rick Gates and another unnamed person based in Ukraine." 

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/20/17031772/mueller-indictments-grand-jury

2. The probe into Manafort and Gates’s Ukrainian work has ensnared one other person so far: Alex van der Zwaan.

"Van der Zwaan was a lawyer for the London office of the New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. The son-in-law of a Russian oligarch, he worked with Manafort and Gates on behalf of Ukraine’s government in 2012, to write a report defending the government’s prosecution of a former prime minister." 

Vox.com

3. "President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, according to three advisers to the White House briefing on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.

The meeting was also attended by the president’s campaign chairman at the time, Paul J. Manafort, as well as by the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Mr. Manafort and Mr. Kushner recently disclosed the meeting, though not its content, in confidential government documents described in The New York Times."

4. Kershner is working in The White House without a proper security clearance. Trump defends him, though Kershner has yet to pass security muster.

5. Trump's positive behavior toward Russia is inexplicable except when considering that he may be compromised by the Russians.

Next

Listening to the NRA President's Rant

Wayne LaPierre is a radical right-wing extremist who is a lobbyist for gun advocates as CEO of the National Rifle Association. Hearing him speak today helped this independent journalist refine the debate and issues confronting America as he attacked the enemies of the NRA as if the NRA represented all citizens and it does not.

The NRA has 5,000,000 members and claims to have 9,000,000 non-member supporters for an audience of 14,000,000 or 4% of the nation's population.

He claims:

"Our American freedoms could be lost, and our country will be changed forever," he said. "And the first to go will be the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution."

The Second Amendment remains on the books as part of the US Constitution that guarantees citizens the right to bear arms. Here is the problem, the Second Amendment is obsolete and needs amending.

At the time it was enacted, Britain and other foreign nations threatened America. The standing army and navy weren't strong enough to defend the country without supplemental force from citizens. America was a frontier, and people were armed because 1) there was insufficient police and military protection in unsettled territory, 2) there were predator animals, and 3) pioneers were at war with Native Americans.

As the nation matured in our democratic republic, local police protected citizens in municipalities. State militias ( National Guard Units) supplement the military. State police protect the interstate highways. Federal law enforcement protects its jurisdiction.

The government forces at every level are an extension of We the People. They are our "guns."

What about guns for self-protection? There may be remote and rural places where citizens might need guns for protection. That is by exception.

What about guns for sports hunting? Guns can be held in armories and signed out by licenses and qualified persons for hunting, where they are returned promptly when finished.

The notion of gun ownership is simply an obsolete and dangerous situation.

People like Wayne LaPierre who fear that the alternative to gun ownership is socialism are unenlightened at a minimum. They are declaring war on the alternative more peaceful nation.

If they want to support law and order, back the police and rid the nation of guns. That begins by amending the Second Amendment to bring it into focus with contemporary needs and circumstances.

The biggest threat to the nation are lobbyists like the NRA.

Born: Wayne Robert LaPierre, Jr.
November 8, 1949 (age 68)
Schenectady, New York, US
Alma mater    Siena College
Boston College
Occupation: CEO and Executive Vice President of the NRA
Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia US
Salary: $5,051,249 (2015)

"NRA chief cites ‘failures’ in school security, mental health system after Parkland shooting 

By HALIMAH ABDULLAH CHEYENNE HASLETT  Feb 22, 2018, 11:34 AM ET

National Rifle Association vice president and CEO Wayne LaPierre took the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday just over a week after a deadly mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida galvanized a national conversation on gun policy reform. 

In a highly anticipated speech, he made the case that there is room for the gun lobby and gun control advocates to find common ground. 

"The NRA does care," he told the gathering at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. 

In a speech to a pro-Trump and pro-gun rights crowd, LaPierre defended the Second Amendment against what he called "new European socialists" looking to seize control of Congress.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nra-president-wayne-lapierre-addresses-conservative-conference-wake/story?id=53274513

NRA's Big Mouth, Wayne Robert LaPierre, Jr.

Guns in America

Where to begin to address gun violence in America demands education from leaders about the issues in the broader context of who we are in a democratic, pluralistic republic. Having said that sentence, how many readers understand it? You will have to have a university masters degree, and that's a problem.

"About a quarter of American adults, 26 percent, have a high school diploma. Another 21 percent have attained a bachelor’s degree, while 9.3 percent of adults over 25 have a master’s degree. Almost 2 percent of Americans have a doctoral degree, and 1.5 percent have earned a professional degree that requires study beyond a four-year bachelor’s course." 

http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/326995-census-more-americans-have-college-degrees-than-ever-before

Democracy demands an educated population.

"That’s why Thomas Jefferson said a free press wasn’t enough to guarantee a healthy democracy. As he wrote to Charles Yancey, a prominent Virginia legislator, in 1816, 'Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe.'" 

http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/winter11/literacy.cfm

Today, being literate isn't sufficient because the nation and world are more complex, sophisticated, and competitive. Elected politicians and leaders have a difficult time being honest with the US population. Someone needs to say, "Get smarter. You are too ignorant for your good."

Most Americans are clueless about the US Constitution and how the process is intended to keep our laws and regulations current with the needs of our times.

Today, a tyrannical leader with an unAmerican congress is allowing the American democracy to erode. We are in decline because voters permitted their worst behaviors and ignorance to be exploited.

While the nation would be better off to recalibrate the Second Amendment that is the right to bear arms, it is unthinkable in the presence of a regime that is undermining democracy.

I wrote in my book, How to Select an American President by James A. George and James A. Rodger (c) 2017 Archway Publishing that the average American voter has a 10th-grade education. So I pondered, why not let 10th graders vote. In the presence of a failed state that cannot protect children, the wisdom of giving them the right to vote is more apparent.

"Calls for new gun laws are falling on deaf ears 

Renewed calls for stricter gun controls in the wake of a school shooting in Florida that left 17 dead are falling on deaf ears. 

Legislators in states across the country have delayed, defeated or refused to take up new measures to prevent more gun violence — despite the impassioned calls of victims from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla." 

The Hill email

Dereliction of Duty Charged Against Trump

Today, more than one American statesmen and journalists have described President Donald Trump's performance in confronting an attack on the US by Russian cyberterrorists as being derelict and an impeachable offense.

Where is the Republican-led Congress on this charge?

American national security is at stake, and the President is on the golf course. Children are slaughtered in schools because the same Congress is derelict.

Enough. Demand that your elected officials impeach Donald Trump or else they can join him. Purge this illegitimate government at once.

"Trump's staggering dereliction of duty"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-marcus-column-st-0220-20180219-story.html

Impeach Trump Now!

Romney Accepts Trump Endorsement

The news today is not that Romney is running for the US Senate. Instead, it is that he accepted Trump's endorsement. That should be unacceptable to anyone in any political party at this juncture.

I asked myself the question, are there no Democrats in the Mormon state of Utah? What do Mormons believe?

For one thing, the Mormon Democrat site underscores their commitment to male dominance. That is incongruent. Here is their manifesto.

I am working on a new book, and this topic will be a chapter.

By the way, Romney has lost his morals, dancing with the devil.

"WHAT WE BELIEVE 

EDUCATION | We value public education for all children. We support teachers by providing them with the tools and resources needed to teach effectively. Education is the means to self-reliance. Ensuring a quality education now prevents needing help later. Funding education now means meaningful careers down the line. 

ENVIRONMENT | As sacred stewards of the earth, we strive to recycle what we can, use energy wisely, and seek to create a cleaner world. Caring for the environment is a sign of respect for the Earth, God, and our children. Our public policy should reflect that imperative. We only have one earth, we should take care of it like a pearl of great price.  

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | We each have a responsibility to help all reach self-reliance. Honest pay for an honest day’s work creates a strong economy, enabling self-reliant families. A more self-reliant America is a stronger America. #LDSDems Believe that a hand up prevents hand outs in the future. 

HEALTHCARE | Caring for the sick and afflicted is a key aspect of being a part of a moral society. Working to implement and continue healthcare reform is our part of that responsibility. All have a right to be taken care of, when that’s not offered through other means 

IMMIGRATION | Immigration has served as a foundation for American innovation and greatness since America’s founding. Compassionate reform that keeps families together, protects American jobs, allows businesses to find needed employees, and creates a simple path for legal residence is necessary to keep the American dream a reality.  

BIPARTISANSHIP | The best work can come when we share stewardship and agency, working to make America a better place. After all, ‘moderation in all things.’ Working together towards common goals results in ideas that are best for everyone. 

THE SANCTITY OF THE HUMAN FAMILY | Our human family is under attack. We cannot, in good conscience, call ourselves “pro-family” unless we are actively, practically, and concretely looking out for the welfare of all families, regardless of their wealth, religion, sex, skin color, gender, race, health, or sexual orientation. We hope our Republican colleagues and friends will reject their anti-family policies, which amount to little more than cafeteria morality. We invite all to strengthen and maintain families all across the state as the fundamental units of society." 

https://ldsdems.org/what-we-believe/

Any Russians watching?

National Security Danger

The Special Prosecutor isn’t finished. The Russians interfered and Trump is forced to admit it with obvious reluctance.

Now, “the president,” is off on another “tweet” tantrum and it is both embarrassing and exposes how vulnerable we citizens are under this regime.

What’s the danger? Irresponsible actions and impaired judgment are the answers.

It is imperative that Democrats and Republicans who are allegiant patriots compel Trump to knock it off. That may be in the form of censor or an impeachment initiative. Trump is worried because his close associates are indicted and more are flipping. The noose is tightening and it is around Trump’s neck.

If you have read this blog since the Trump administration began, you will know that the path to where were are now has been consistently clear. Go back to read the articles to see the accuracy of the predictions.

Trump lashes out over Russia probe in angry and error-laden tweetstorm 

The defiant president attacks FBI and McMaster, blames Russian interference on Democrats and claims exoneration. 

By Josh Dawsey

The Washington Post

A Danger to National Security

Trump Insurgency, No Laughing Matter

Donald Trump, America's unfit and illegitimate president, continues his predictable behavior of unabated and inappropriate tweeting. 

The fact is that his "unwitting" team members are well on their way to prosecution, where some have already entered guilty pleas of severe crimes that undermined the credibility of the Trump government.

A president's priority is staffing the executive branch with qualified persons for which he has failed miserably. Is it fair to ask about his motivation?

His theme was "drain the swamp." That bumper sticker was a declaration of intent to attack the government institution. He appointed department heads who were hostile to the organizations over which they would "lead." Either the Trump leadership would attack them with purposeful intent or by incompetent neglect. The evidence is clear, and the outcome is chaos.

Chaos is what the Russians wanted, and Trump delivered. He has a conflict of interest; I allege because in his business dealings there lies the evidence that will prove it.

Donald Trump and all who go along are part of the unwitting insurgency perpetrated by Republicans to achieve outcomes that favor them which they could not accomplish without cheating and corruption.

'They are laughing their asses off in Moscow': Trump takes on the FBI, Russia probe and 2016 election in morning tweetstorm 

President Trump questioned the intensifying special counsel's investigation of his campaign and administration while attacking his own national security adviser, the FBI, Hillary Clinton, former president Barack Obama, Democrats in Congress, CNN and others in a remarkable nine-hour span of tweets that included profanity and misspellings.
In a series of tweets, the president suggested that the FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was helping Russia “create discord, disruption and chaos within the U.S.,” adding that “they are laughing their asses off in Moscow.” 

The Washington Post email

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President 'Unwitting'

I can see Russia from here, right here in The White House. It is called a gross conflict of interest. President Trump won the election with help from the Russians, and that delegitimizes his ascent. The conflicted path is why he denounced the CIA and FBI evidence that Russians interfered.

The story is likely to get much worse because we know from public evidence that Donald Trump verbally encouraged the Russians. We know that his campaign staff members participated in a conspiracy to collude with them. For instance, Don Jr. and Jared Kushner meeting with known Russian operatives to gain information to hurt Hillary Clinton. Their intention was clear. If any financial transactions happened to pay for assistance via money laundering, that would be collusion and a felony.

Meanwhile, a mountain of evidence of apparent conflict lies among Trump's senior campaign staff including Paul Manafort who is under house arrest. Mike Flynn has pleaded guilty as have others.

It is evident that Kellyanne Conway is a probable unwitting participant and the dimwit, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has recused and had to correct his statements about meeting with Russians.

It takes a Special Prosecutor to dig deep beneath the surface to follow the money. The prosecutor is learning much more from the likes of Steve Bannon who was an eyewitness.

Who are not so unwitting? The majority of American voters who did not vote and elect Donald Trump deserve and demand a do-over.

I can see Russia from here.

In Russia We Trust, Donald Trump

The Republican-led Congress passed legislation to impose sanctions on Russia as retaliation for attacking our sovereign elections. Trump refused to enact them because the Russians have him over a barrel and he is conflicted.

At a minimum, he should recuse himself and let Vice President Pence take over. The trouble is that Pence was hand-picked by Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, who was a Russian puppet. You see, everyone who went along with Donald Trump fell into the “unwitting” bucket of putting themselves ahead of our democratic republic.

For all of that, I call on all politicians who have gone along with Donald Trump to resign from office or face impeachment or worse as the path to treason becomes more apparent.

“Republicans are acting as partisans, and they are worried about the upcoming elections, but they are also wary of Trump’s supporters, and they hope to preserve their agenda by doing as much as they can to protect the president from any serious fallout. After ceding control of the Republican Party to Trump, and investing themselves in the success of his presidency, Republican lawmakers may be in too deep to extricate themselves. 

 None of this is exculpatory. The president of the United States is unfit for the job and perhaps unable to carry out its duties. And the GOP, at this stage, doesn’t want to do anything about it. Republicans aren’t just gambling with their prospects. They’re wagering the security and well-being of the country.” 

 https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/01/why-do-republicans-keep-defending-donald-trump.html

On the Road to Treason