Worse than misdemeanors

A little over half of Americans believe the House should either impeach Trump or continue investigations to determine if impeachment is warranted for political and financial irregularities tied to his presidential campaign. The Constitution authorizes impeachment for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". Trump may be guilty of all four but we'll never truly know till a thorough Congressional investigation is undertaken.

But what is happening right before our eyes are high crimes and felonies Trump is committing at the border with his administration's treatment of asylum seekers.The splintered families, thousands confined in deplorable conditions, a few dead are all a a piece with Trump's demonization of these folks as "murderers and rapists" at the beginning of his campaign. Those charges and subsequent real life treatment of the weak and powerless are red meat to his xenophobic base. They contain not an iota of decency or humanity, the first order of business of every president. And every one of the 43 men who preceded Trump avoided such cruel, heartless conduct to gain election or re-election. Every one governed the entire populous, not the howling mob.

Trump's treatment of asylum seekers is a seamless transition from a signature Trump initiative to withdraw health insurance coverage from the 20 million who gained it under his predecessor and prevent the remaining 20 million uncovered from gaining a medical lifeline to a healthy life.

Trump's treatment of asylum seekers is a seamless transition from his withdrawal from global climate accords, promoting the return of King Coal. and denigrating the climate science that must be heeded to preserve Mother Earth for our future generations, including Trump's.

High crimes and misdemeanors doesn't quite capture all the damage Trump is doing to our people, our country, our planet. They are high crimes and felonies.

Taft Iran warning 69 years ago resonates today

"If the President can intervene in Korea without congressional approval, we can go to war in Malaya or Indonesia or Iran or South America.” 

- Sen. Robert Taft (R-OH) on President Truman plunging US into Korean conflict of June, 1950, without Congressional Declaration of War. Sixty-nine years on Taft's warning has special meaning with manufactured Iran crisis.

Can't buy love but sure can buy freedom

"I don't care too much for money, cause money can't buy me love" The Beatles

If we've learned one thing from fabulous wealth and the fame and influence it provides, is that it can delay justice for horrible crimes for years, decades, even forever.

Cases in point: Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein and now Jeffrey Epstein. Cosby's persona as America's Dad shielded him from scrutiny as a parade of women came forward with tales of sexual assault. When the heat on Cosby increased he used a parade of publicists and lawyers to question, even denigrate his accusers. If nothing else worked he dipped into his fabulous fortune for payoffs with NDA's (Non Disclosure Agreements). Weinstein had none of Cosby's adoring fame but he had the anonymity, along with the wealth, to keep his accusers at bay. Epstein is a special case. Caught outright, he worked his billionaire magic to get the proverbial slap on the wrist instead of a possible life sentence back in 2008. How much his array of movers and shakers he cultivated since the 1970's aided his Houdini like escape and eleven subsequent years of freedom till re-indicted has yet to be determined. Suffice to say it helps to have friends in high places.

That brings us to Donald John Trump who has roamed the public stage for 48 years now since taking over his late father's real estate empire. Trump is unique in that his alleged transgressions span the sexual, business and now political spectrums. His machinations with wealth, fame and influence make Cosby, Weinstein and Epstein look like amateurs. If he was singing along with the Fab Four he'd change the lyrics to:

"I do care much for money, cause money can buy me freedom"

"Must be done in responsible manner". Translation: never

Prez contender Kamala Harris said the right first word "Yes" when asked if the US should withdraw from Afghanistan. But then she qualified it by saying it must be done "in a responsible manner". That is simply U.S. war party speak for "never". Go to her website and Harris expands on that 'responsible manner' by saying she'll consult with "generals and ambassadors". That also is war party speak for 'never' since every political leader who says that avoids any such experts who wisely advocate prompt and complete withdrawal from America's endless wars. 

Harris says she'll be tough on Iran over their "nuclear threat" when she knows that threat has been non-existent since 2003 and current US withdrawal from the 5 + 1 Iran nuclear agreement is the most dangerous step Trump has taken since becoming president.  She goes on to say one of our challenges is the "chaos and oppression in Venezuela" when she knows our senseless and cruel sanctions are causing starvation and degraded life there. 

If Kamala Harris becomes president she will break the string of 44 men who preceded her. But she will not break the recent string of presidents controlled by the war party practicing the fine art of saying "never" to ending America's perpetual wars.