Sunday, January 29, 2017

Trumpistan

People are just beginning to suspect that Trump may be a malignant narcissist. One thing you want to watch out for is the amount of chaos and drama they leave in their wake. They are very hard to predict, because they lie so much. You can not believe what they say, which is like most politicians. They all lie. 
You have to look at actions.
What's really interesting to me is in his first Week in office Trump has pissed off people on  these foreign issues, Mexico's president cancelled his visit, the purge of the State Department, the 90 day immigration ban, If you are in an airport and stranded, go to this link,
 https://www.justice4all.org/who-we-are/staff/
 There are lawyers who can help.
So, I want to know how many terrorists have been caught since the ban has been in place? Every single country that's on this immigration ban list is from Paul Wolfowitz neo-con takeover of the Middle East
This is an unprecedented action. One that comes close was Jimmy Carters ban on Iranians after the Iranian Revolution. 
It is a 90 day ban for any non-citizen from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen. Every single country on this list has been subject to mayhem the US has caused. 

Weird, no ban on Saudi's or Egypt, oh wait, our sales professionals with the State Department will be happy to service your contracts for weapons. 
Most of the people who voted for Trump, don't even have a passport, let alone have ever traveled outside of the US. So I doubt it's much of an issue for them. With the amount of problems we've got in this country, this is one of the first actions Trumps takes.
Seriously, I want some statistics as to the amount of undocumented or terrorist people Customs stops. It seems like those people are always on FBI lists but manage to elude everyone, is this going to stop it? 
It seems to me that the people stranded in the airports are the ones trying to get in the country legally. Are there any statistics about immigrants that get into the country illegally through the airports? 
I couldn't find any real information about that. 
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/sep/08/jorge-ramos/ramos-40-undocumented-immigrants-come-air/
It looks like Mexico in 2014 was responsible for 52% of our illegal immigration
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/03/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/

I guess this pretty much says it all, I thought Trump had a fondness for immigrants?
                                       

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Grabbing Pandora's Box

To tell the truth, I was a lot more interested in the Women's March than the Inauguration, this weekend.
 I don't want to keep a sister down, but I am not sure what this march will do, when everyone goes home on Sunday. They say they "aren't going anywhere."
I took a look at the mission statement of the march;
We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families - recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.
There were a lot of women, in my community, who did not know why women were marching. I tried to tell them it was a march about human rights. More than likely provoked by Trumps scary rhetoric, about abortion, among other things.
The problem is, this march is too late. Actually, there's a couple of problems here. If women are so concerned about their rights they should have done something about the hijacking of Bernie Sanders candidacy by the DNC. If anyone could have done something about human rights it was him. I am sure a lot of women are still towing a Democrat Party line and voted for Hillary.
The Mission Statement also states concerns for Native people. Really? Maybe you should have gone to North Dakota then, while our backs were turned and everyone was watching Washington DC, more violence ensued in North Dakota. (Maybe that's fake news?) Which brings me to my third observation...
Not one arrest in Washington DC, no pepper sprayed people, no water cannon. According to one woman, who was quoted saying no one got arrested, because no one was doing "stupid stuff."
Nice one, I see what you did there.
More likely, it was because women weren't marching against the corporate takeover of our government. They weren't protesting against an oil company or against health insurance corporations denying care to their fellow Americans or the more than 20 million Americans who are going without.
They weren't protesting against almost half the country living in poverty, There was an explanation of "worker's rights. You have the right to work crap jobs, however, there was nothing about unions,
 In the "Unity Principles" it explains "workers should have the right to fight for a living minimum wage." So, that's helpful.We already have the right to fight for a fair and livable wage, however, we still don't have one. Bernie Sanders supported a $15 minimum  wage. I am not sure how many women marching  had Saturday off and could afford to go to Washington, they probably weren't working multiple jobs, trying to support their families. They made fancy p*$$y hats, (it takes 4 days to make one, you have time for that, right?) while most women are just trying to buy their kids warm winter clothing, not hats for themselves, but I digress. The "Unity Principles" are on the website.
I am guessing this march, will go the way of Occupy, although Occupy got way more pushback.
It's great, I guess, that there was a march that "couldn't have happened without police cooperation" That's not what happens with most protests and the President was safely locked away, unlike on Friday at the Inauguration, when 217 people were arrested. They should have waited until Saturday I guess, when police were "cooperating". Instead, protesters broke windows at Bank of America and McDonalds, "symbols of American capitalism" Violence and damage to property occurred, whether by agent provocateurs or not, I have no idea.
Does anyone remember People's Climate March? In 2014? Remember #FloodWallStreet? 100 people were arrested, 10 stood trial and were found not guilty. It's been almost three years since that march, most people don't even remember it. My point being either marches are ineffective now, since the government is even more of a plutocracy since Dr. Martin Luther King's time, or you need a bigger march, way bigger. At least it got a lot of publicity for Madonna, but she's been grabbing her own p*$$y for years.
Glad to know women aren't going anywhere after this march. But the women I know were either working or couldn't afford to go or had no one to watch their kids. Which makes me wonder, how much class is an issue here? In the Unity Principles access to affordable childcare was included, but I wonder where any actual action or access is going to come from? Ivanka Trump? Madonna? Maybe Cher?
Lady Madonna's Daycare Center, has a nice ring to it, right? A girl can always dream.


Thursday, January 19, 2017

'Twas The Night Before Trump

'Twas the night before Trump
and all through the nation,                                                
some are full of fear and others jubilation.            
Women will march, others will resist.
But, it's our "shadow" we elected
and that is the gist.
People are fearful
or ready for change, all of their hopes are probably in vain.
A man of business say's "healthcare for everyone!"
Not sure if he know's about the repealing his party has done.
Part Santa Claus. part savior, can he rescue the middle class?
Why you would even think that?
He's completely crass,
Everyday his appointment's, look more like swamp people.
Many are saying it looks like, his dealings are illegal.
Banksters, from Goldman-Sachs he'll appoint,
while people are busted in the street for a joint.
Representatives boycott, as people take to the streets.
It won't change a thing, because of the elite.
The moon over the White House, on inauguration night,
while you work three jobs, where's your invite?
Will he bring back the jobs? Will he last long enough?
Will he get impeached, before the going gets tough?
America will be great again, according to him.
When dealing with the status quo, his chances are slim.
Like Christmas stories and fairytales, these promises are made,
broken in a backroom or right in your face.
The system is broken, Trump cannot save it.
Remember this, when you see every hypocrite, dressed to the nines.
Eating and dancing and drinking fine wine.
While you drag yourself to bed, weary from your day,
your bank account empty from the bills you have to pay.
 Trump will get your jobs back and healthcare for all,
immigrants deported, he'll build that big wall.
 Nothing to worry about, he'll take care of it all.
All Your dreams will come true!
Tomorrow, when Trump makes his inaugural debut!













Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Free! Chelsea Manning!

For the first time, in a very long eight years I am actually happy with the man I voted for in 2008. I haven't voted since, but today he made me glad I did. He commuted Chelsea Manning's sentence and she will be free, May 17, 2017!
Hang in there Chelsea!
After two suicide attempts and a hunger strike, her suffering will soon be over. It is a damn shame this travesty went on for so long.
We owe her a debt of gratitude.
The first time I wrote about Chelsea was during the pre-trial hearings, way back in 2012. I wrote about the brutality she was subjected to, It's shameful and disgusting. I can't imagine what she suffered. I wanted to know why George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, et al, weren't standing trial for lying us into an unnecessary military debacle, killing hundreds of thousands as Chelsea Manning's material showed. They will never have to pay the price for opening a Pandora's box of violence and setting the Middle East on fire.
However, Chelsea Manning has paid dearly and as far as I know, no one died as a result of her actions.
There have been to many who lost their lives in a war that never should have happened. Here is a list of what we know, thanks to Chelsea Manning, Egyptian torturers were trained by the FBI, the 2009 US backed coup in Honduras, Oil company Shell "inserted" it's staff into the government of Nigeria, the US spying on the United Nations, that US used Turkey as a base to transport people to extraordinary rendition locations, it goes on and on.
If you read any of Wikileaks and the Chelsea Manning information, you are never the same after reading it. I know I wasn't, especially after watching the "Collateral Murder" video.
This is a bittersweet moment in American history. President Obama did the right thing, but this situation was cruel and unusual as Chelsea Manning had the longest sentence, for which there was no precedent, of 35 years.
I am so thankful that Chelsea's nightmare will soon be over. I know I was deeply affected by what Ms. Manning did, making the information available, starting me on a 5 year blogging journey, that is still ongoing.
Thank you Chelsea Manning and thank you President Obama!

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

"Not All Psychopaths Are In Prison-Some Are In The Boardroom" Robert Hare

Remember this guy?
An Odd Bird, Most Fowl
He's kind of like this guy, they're from the same kind of folksy place, Indiana.

I really didn't know what happened to Danworth Quayle, I honestly didn't care.
Until I started reading an article about Trump and how much he likes the idea of privatizing prisons.
 I thought, hmmm, wonder who's lobbying for that?
That's when I found out about Hobart Ventures and the group that has retained them for their lobbying services, The Corrections Corp of America.
Sounds a little like the Peace Corp of Incarceration.
So who's a "strategic advisor" for Hobart (HHQ Ventures)?
 J. Danworth Quayle, shocker!
 HHQ "works in Washington D.C., but lives in the 'real world" according to the website. "The real world" of lobbying  for Corrections Corp of America, (rebranded as Core Civic) procuring  "The First and Largest Private Prison Owner" government contracts.
 I clicked and found out that they have one such government contract "to accommodate up to 500 detainees" Currently they are detaining 600 detainees in their 2,016 bed (sounds like a hospital, right?) correctional facility.
I wonder exactly, how much a government contract is worth?
 Plowing through the shareholders report, I noticed lots of bragging about shareholder value, its time consuming just trying to get to the value of the government contracts that's footing the bill for Core Civic & being able to afford to pay Dan Quayle for his lobbying efforts.
What I like best is this; "Taxpayers also benefit from government agencies partnering with CCA. Whether new bed capacity is needed or old, antiquated facilities need to be replaced, partnering with CCA means taxpayers do not incur the upfront capital investment which can often reach hundreds of millions of dollars."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't government agencies funded by tax dollars?
"Every day we remain focused on providing high-quality, safe and secure facilities that meet the needs of our government partners. By consistently doing so, we have experienced more than three decades of continued growth and contract retention rates in excess of 90 percent."
"our ability to meet and maintain qualification for taxation as a real estate investment trust, or REIT" essentially, leasing space,(See below for explanation of REIT*) "facilities owned by our government partners" and they pay no federal income tax, 92015 tax form 10k, Payments by federal correctional and detention authorities represented 51%, 44%, and 44% of our total revenue.
That's not all, not only do they lease out private correctional facilities to their "government partners"
"We currently provide transportation services to governmental agencies through our whollyowned TRS, TransCor America, LLC, or TransCor. During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, TransCor generated total revenue of $4.1 million," pg. 12
"Despite our increase in federal revenue, inmate populations in federal facilities, particularly within the BOP system nationwide, have declined over the past two years." Remember, they pay no Federal taxes, because of the deficit and budget cuts, the funding has been cut. So, that's disappointing.
We provide space and services under contracts with federal, state, and local government agencies that generally have credit ratings of single-A or better. In addition, a majority of our contracts have terms between one and five years, and we have historically experienced customer retention of approximately 90%, which contributes to our relatively predictable and stable revenue base. This stream of revenue combined with our low maintenance capital expenditure requirement translates into steady predictable cash flow. We believe the REIT structure also provides us with greater access to capital and flexibility to pursue growth opportunities. pg 14, (*Real Estate Investment Trustavoid most or all tax liabilities,)
'The demand for capacity in the short-term has been affected by the budget challenges many of our government partners currently face." pg. 24 (ie; less money for government contracts)
 'we have created new business opportunities with customers that have not previously utilized the private corrections sector, expanded relationships with existing customers, including all three federal correctional and detention agencies, converted to a REIT,' pg.14
This next offering made me laugh for all the wrong reasons;
"As an alternative to providing "turn-key" correctional bed space and services to our government partners,
"we also offer our customers an attractive portfolio of prison facilities"pg.24
 Sorry, but, an attractive portfolio of prison facilities?????????
This is the best part "Any or all of our forward-looking statements in this Annual Report may turn out to be inaccurate." Ooops!
I could go on and on, but an attractive portfolio of prison facilities is sickening.
So the next place I go to in my head is; uh-oh, there has to be problems with these psychopaths who think prisoners are a for profit situation and surprise, surprise! It's the employees they are abusing;  History of wage violations, poor treatment of employees, I am sure that is just scratching the surface. If employees are having problems, what is happening to the prisoners?
The CCA passed it's thirty year anniversary, read about it here, Not much to celebrate, unless you're Dan Quayle, or you're on the Board of Directors for CCA, like Thurgood Marshall Junior, Yes, the son, of THAT Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice. I'm sure his Dad would be so proud.

 President-Elect Trump is on board with the whole privatization of prisons, it's nothing new and has been going on for quite some time, When Vice President Pence is finished his term as VP, maybe fellow Hoosier, Dan Quayle can guide him in his post-VP lobbying career.
 I just hope he keeps his spelling pointers to himself.
                                           Dan Quayle helps a kid out by spelling potato WRONG.
*http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/11/117983/2015%20Annual%20Letter%20to%20Shareholders%20-%20Final.pdf
http://www.hare.org/

Sunday, January 1, 2017

2016 Was Full Of Crap

So many people are blaming 2016 for so much.
 I think 2016 was a year of bullshit. Seems like the last 4 years has been nothing but crap and it was crap before that too. It's just that the load of bull and the people talking smack has got exponentially worse. It gets to the point where everyone you meet is a con artist or a scam. I can't even walk my dog without a guy coming up to me to tell me he's a dog trainer, without having a dog any where in the vicinity, but for some reason, he needed to convince me he's a dog whisperer.
This kind of behavior is everywhere, TV shysters acting like reporters or politicians saying they are Republicans or Democrats when they act the same.
Yesterday, a friend of mine who voted for Trump actually told me she hopes he's going to change things. It's hilarious. Did she know who he's appointed for his cabinet? Exactly where does this "hope" spring eternal from? I don't know how may examples of liars who get elected she needs but apparently it's going to take more. My buddy Sean voted for Trump, Why? He told me, it's because he's not a politician. That's the only qualification some people needed. But what does that mean exactly? What exactly is he going to do that's any different?
In the final week of the year some weird things happened. President Obama had some kind of freak out and decided to sanction Russia for "hacking" our election the same day as Russia brokered a cease fire in Syria. Is this a coincidence?
There's a couple of things I want to know, had the election gone Hillary's way, (she did get the popular vote) would this have happened? Maybe it would, because Obama seems hell bent on poking a stick in Russia, causing as many problems as possible. Does this come under the "we can do stuff too" threat? We still don't have any proof that Russia did anything. It's insane and it makes no sense unless, of course, it's bullshit!
Do we really need another Cold War or maybe just go straight to a hot one?
Weirder still, after stealing the DNC nomination from Bernie Sanders, (the guy who actually could have won the election), there are no consequences for the DNC's antics, however, we blame Russia for Hillary's loss. Not the fact that no one wanted to vote for her.
There's been a lot of complaining about 2016 and how awful it was, which brings me to an old
 Mad TV bit; 

                                        
People need to get a grip and stop expecting Trump or politicians to do anything, except probably make things worse. This attitude will improve your outlook for 2017. With lowered expectations, you don't get your hopes up over whatever hype is going on around you. You know it's bullshit and act accordingly, like with "Rick the dog trainer" who thinks he's going to bamboozle me with his mad dog training skills, I just walk the other way as fast as I can. I don't give these assholes a chance to pitch their scam. I don't listen to politicians, except to make fun of them or call them liars.
2016, was a year of death starting with David Bowie and ending with Carrie Fisher and Debby Reynolds, it was pretty brutal. It did seem like 2016 was extreme with the Brexit vote, the election of Donald Trump, the DAPL pipeline construction still ongoing, despite the BS of the Army Corps of Engineers not granting the permits. It obviously doesn't matter, the corporations just do what they want.
Forget 2016 being the year of the monkey, it's more like the year of the corporations. 2017 will be the year of the Rooster! Could that be any more appropriate for someone like Donald Trump to be in office? He's so loud and obnoxious, it's perfect.
There was one ray of hope with the Trans-Pacific Partnership dying a long drawn out death, one of the things that needed to die in 2016. Like so many other trade deals, that have done nothing for the average working person, this one was bad, it's no secret it was a gift for corporations, That's one example of a good thing that happened, because it didn't happen.
 You have to take the good where you can find it.
I can't even imagine what this year will bring when Donald Trump will be President Trump, but like Obama, who had no effect on my life. It will probably be more of the same. I can only hope that the government will be even more ignored and less of an influence, as time goes on. I think Trump will be equally as ineffective as his meaningless tweets. So here's to 2017, the year of the Rooster.