THIS & THAT #30

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE

Back in the 1960s, the blustery 36^th President held tight reins over many of his subservient Democrats, including his Vice President, Hubert Horatio Humphrey, formerly a liberal Senator from Minnesota. Hubert was aiming to eventually run for the Presidency, and to do so; he would have to remain a loyal lap dog to President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

The November 1966 front cover of Esquire magazine depicted Hubert as a dummy on LBJ’s knee, being manipulated by Lyndon the ventriloquist.

In 2017, a bombastic President tightly holds the reins over his frightened Republican elected officials, including his Vice President, Michael Richard Pence, who was raised in Columbus, Indiana. On his Wikipedia page, Pence affirmed that he was a Christian, conservative, and a Republican, in that order. He will probably acquiesce and vote for a name change to his birthplace if his boss says so. There are nineteen other locales nationally that incorporate the name Columbus, in one form or another.

Pence will have to prioritize his options concerning his eventual bid to become the nation’s next president, based on what happens to his puppeteer or ventriloquist, namely DJT.

Please see the final paragraph regarding Michael’s options.

Pence, the former governor of the grate state of Indiana, was assigned the task of attending the October 8^th Indianapolis Colts home football game against the “rebellious” San Francisco 49ers. He knew that some of the 49ers might not stand at attention during the playing of the National Anthem, as did his boss.

Pence had flown in from Las Vegas at an estimated cost of $100,000, and then after quickly exiting before the game began as part of the planned publicity stunt, he flew to Los Angeles at a cost of $142,500, to attend a Republican fundraiser. That’s a total cost of $242,500 that will be paid for by American taxpayers.

A PUPPET OR A DUMMY

It’s encouraging to know that Pence and Trump are working together to make America grate again, as the veep proudly boasted.

"I left today's Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem," Pence wrote on Twitter.

While Colts players stood arm-in-arm at their home game in Indianapolis, more than 20 of the San Francisco 49ers players knelt during the anthem, as they have for weeks. It was a move that should not have shocked Pence, an Indiana native, whose face clearly demonstrated his disapproval of the action on the field.

"While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don't think it's too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem," Pence tweeted. "I stand with President Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem."

Trump took credit for the departure of Pence and his wife from the stadium in a later tweet, saying, "I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen."

All true Americans are proud of our Second Lady, and I have been unable to find anyone against our soldiers. Those in the Executive Branch seem to be the ones attempting to divide our country even more so, by perpetuating this nonsensical thinking to appeal to their base.

If You Are Waiting

For President Pence

You will have to be patient, since as of Saturday, October 28^th; there will be 1,103 days until the next presidential election on November 3, 2020.

The 46th President won’t take office until January 20, 2021. The only way Michael Richard Pence could become President any sooner, would be if (1) Donald J. Trump resigns from office because of boredom, (2) resigns from office after being severely criticized while receiving a salary of only $ 400,000 a year, (3) resigns from office because he wants even more time to play golf at his various courses, (4) or is impeached for conduct unbecoming a President. There are probably other ways Trump could leave office earlier than planned, but I will let others figure them out, for I am not an expert on the subject, nor do I want to become one. There's enough confusion emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the golf courses, as it is.

THIS & THAT #14

GRUMPY OBNOXIOUS POLITICIANS

AKA the GOP, The Republican Party

The GOP is now the “in-party” that will be attempting to save multinational American corporations millions in taxes, while preventing the billionaire class from becoming extinct,

We haven’t yet heard even a benign utterance from the previous groveling Mitch McConnell, on how he plans to derail whatever Donald J. will be proposing to make America great again.

One half of those who voted in 2016 will be constantly kvetching during the Trump years if they don’t get their way (and they won’t). They may be joined by some of the 95,899,115 who were eligible to vote (41.4 percent), who did not bother to do so.

That includes, among others, Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers quarterback, and social activist, who doesn’t fully realize his basic responsibility as a sell-proclaimed leader.

There were numerous California ballot measures on important issues to his people that   he could have voted on including healthcare, pricing standards for drug purchases, the death penalty, firearms sales, criminal sentences for juveniles, and marijuana legislation.

GROUCHY OBTREPEROUS POOPS

This GOP faction is lead by Mitch McConnell, who is still the Senate’s Majority Leader. He proclaimed in 2010, “The single most important thing we (the GOP) want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”

Mitch continued his willingness to listen to all points of view when he gave an August 2016 speech in Kentucky, in which he said, “One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said. “Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.’”

Interestingly, when he was elected Senator in the 1984 race, he won by only 5,200 votes out of more the 1.8 million cast. Colin, who says that their vote doesn’t count?

Perhaps that’s why Mitch strongly opposes more enforcement on the right to vote, and with an estimated net worth of $22,841,026, he also strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy. He strongly favors never legalizing marijuana anywhere, especially in a state like Kentucky known for its production of alcoholic beverages.

MITCH AIN’T ALONE

The GOP seems united in doing whatever benefits themselves and their sponsors, which sounds like what the Democrats were doing when they were in power.

On December 16, an Oklahoma GOP lawmaker abandoned a measure that would have required public bathrooms display anti-abortion signs, but only after an outcry from business and health providers. They were concerned because of the estimated cost.

In North Carolina, the GOP legislature was upset that their sitting governor was beaten in a run-off with an opponent who was a “Democrat.”  So, in a last minute, year-end special session, lawmakers passed a bill on December 16, that will give the Republicans control of the State Board of Elections during election years. They also passed several other bills that will limit the new governor’s power.

Was there ever power to the people, or only to the people in power?

When you look at al of the changes in our once civil society, you must be aware that you should enjoy where we are, for this is the best it’s going to be.