Sept. 8, 2019
Hubris suggested I stop trying to do research for my blogs and just rely on my friends to do it for me. This time it was my new friend and neighbor, Bruce, who provided the data on the ratios of G7 countries national debt to their GNP. He did that within hours after I mentioned to him I had sent out my last blog with the disclaimer that I couldn’t find that data. He not only provided it for the G7 countries, he provided it for every country in the world for the last seven years –which did not include the year 2019 because those numbers are not really final yet. However, a quick summary of the available current 2019 data for G7 members is: Japan is in the worst shape with a ratio of 234%, Italy, at 128%, is next, the USA at 109% is in the middle of the group and Germany is in the best shape (relatively) at 56%. And Donald Trump had the gall to insult Angela Merkel! The G7 member average is 113% and that’s way past the extreme danger point. Just to throw in a bit of surprise perspective, Russia has a ratio of 15%. Maybe that’s why Donald Trump has such a high opinion of Vladimir Putin and wants to invite him to the next G7 meeting? Believe that and Hubris and I have a bridge over the Rio Grande we would be glad to sell to you!
Was it a big surprise that President Trump suggested that the G7 members and their staffs stay at his Doral Country Club when their next meeting is held in the United States? I’ve heard rumors that his Doral property is having financial difficulties and an advance booking of the total facilities (which the G7 meeting would require) for a week or so would give that property (and its owner) a real financial boost! I do want to be fair and I remind my readers that our President is severely handicapped in word usage and meaning skills. Not even a normal citizen would be familiar with the term ‘emoluments’. However, since President Trump is being accused in two present legal actions that claim he has taken them, he should, by now, have been informed as to its’ meaning. Quite simply the word ‘emoluments’ means gaining personal financial enrichment by using (his/her) political office to gain them. He just might also have been informed that our Constitution specifically forbids him from doing that in Article 1, Section 9, Paragraph 8 and in Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 7. Given his conduct since being elected to office, I’d be willing to posit that he has shown no evidence of even having read or understanding our Constitution, much less abiding by its’ rules. If my memory is correct, his Presidential ‘oath of office’ specifically charges him with preserving, protecting and defending the laws of our Constitution. Unfortunately, the oath gives him an ‘escape clause’. He only has to do those things “to the best of his ability”. We all should know by now the level of his ‘Presidential ability’ and realize the fact that he has ‘set the bar’ to the lowest level in history. Maybe Mitch should have Congress declare the first week of September ‘National Emoluments Week’ in his honor? It would take the ‘legislative action blocking’ monkey off his back for a month or two. Frankly folks, between the Pence family vacation trip, the ‘Doral’ suggestion, the continued use (since his inauguration) of Trump hotel properties for use by visiting foreign dignitaries and persons or groups visiting Washington for government related business, only a blind elephant wouldn’t realize that Donald Trump is using his position as President of the United States of America for personal enrichment. That’s taking ‘Emoluments’ with a capital ‘E’!
I believe it is time for our congress (and our electorate) to reconsider the issue of impeachment very seriously. How much more damage to our society can our congress let Donald Trump do before it will be irreparable for decades to come? I have a very strong worry that Trump will use Israel as a surrogate to start a war with Iran. That would, most likely, lead to WWIII and a nuclear holocaust like the world has never seen and I hesitate to image in my wildest nightmares! Waiting until the next election will give him almost another year and a half to continue his campaign of hate and societal destruction. Further, I suspect that now is the last chance for the Republican party to save itself from total oblivion— and I’m not sure it doesn’t deserve just that for its’ cowardice in condoning the hatred and inherent evil of Donald Trump’s Presidency. I try to be balanced in my consideration of our political opposites so consider, just for a minute, the possibility of gathering all the good people that resigned from the Trump administration in protest against ‘the Donald’s’ stupidity and you would have an excellent committee to pick a Republican nominee for the next presidential election. As I see it, only those Republican congresspersons with the imbedded characteristics of lust, avarice and greed would prevent them from doing that. If you want to reflect on a surprising turn of events, just imagine me, The Lone Curmudgeon, making such a suggestion to save the Republican Party! I’ll bet you a nickel you won’t hear that suggestion from Mitch McConnell! And, my next bet is that the Republican Party will, in spite of my good advice (?!), continue on the same path of self-destruction it has followed since Trump’s election. Hubris has the final word(s) in my report of this week’s continuing political soap opera tragi-comedy: he reminded me of the old saying, “He is riding a dead horse” but suggested I change the words ‘He is’ to ‘They are’. I’m sure you can manage that revision on your own and see how well it fits the ‘trumpian’ members of the Republican Party.
So, considering it is late Friday afternoon, I saddle up Hubris and with a hearty Hi Ho Hubris Aawaay! we are off on our ditch-bank trails to see what the late summer afternoon monsoon season has in store for us. We’ll resume our Democratic candidates and Trump antics reporting/commenting on Monday.
Lou
Copyright Sept. 8, 2019, Louis J. Christen