WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: I'd Rather Be Alone

 

Now that the most important, and divisive, Presidential election in my lifetime (65+ years) is imminent, I've witnessed a surge in social media memes that are asking people to be more civil in their discourse. Of course, this is an admirable goal. Even when we vehemently disagree on policy issues, we should always keep our humanity in mind - and, that means, in the end, we need to respect one another.

However, there are limits. At least there are to me.

Disagreements on so-called political issues are one thing. There have been, and always will be room for differing points of view in my life. However, when those views express feelings of turpitude, I am going to call you on them. 

Politics are one thing. Morality is quite another.

So, if you wish to defend bigotry, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, mendacity, greed, sloth, cruelty, malevolence, fear, loathing, and hatred as part of your political ideology, I'm going to call you on it - EVERY TIME. There is absolutely no room in my life for people who espouse these traits as part of theirs'.

People will often offer that we can agree to disagree or we can still be friends.

Well, that depends.

If your moral compass lies in my Red Zone (literally as well as figuratively), the answer to those questions is a resounding NO. I will NOT agree to abhorrent moral behavior OR ideals. And, NO, I will not accept immoral people as friends.

So, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, I'd rather live alone than be surrounded by people lacking in even the least in moral courage.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Reprehensible

Illustration by kaya Mar

Let's be fair and give the man his due when it is warranted. So, just when you thought the bar couldn't be set any lower, Donald J. Trump has set a new standard in abhorrent behavior.

Making ridiculous, child-like facial gestures to mock not only his political opponents but anyone who may have had the audacity to question his integrity or acumen, may be his idea of just having fun at someone else's expense. However, inciting violence against ANYONE, particularly against a sitting governor of one of the Country's largest States, is beyond deplorable - it's downright despicable.

His recent campaign rally (aka, Super-Spreader event) in Michigan set the bar lower than the *Mariana Trench. And, put in the simplest terms, that is lower than whale shit. His criticism of Michigan's Democratic, and lawfully elected governor, Gretchen Witmer, was so vitriolic in its presentation that it whipped his minions into such a frenzy that they began chanting, LOCK HER UP! And, for what - her efforts to keep her citizens safe? Really?

And, the worst part is that he not only refused to calm the crowd, his smiling, applauding approval actually encouraged them to become even more enraged! Considering the fact that the FBI just foiled a kidnapping plot by White Supremacists against Governor Witmer, the reaction was simply vile. Shame on him AND those people who roared with delight!

This man is supposed to be not only the leader of our Country, but also that of the entire Free World. And, here he is making faces and grinning like a buffoon. Worse still, his rhetoric emboldened his howling minions towards violence against not only a political adversary but a woman, wife, and mother.

So, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, Hillary Clinton was wrong; his hardcore supporters are not a basket of deplorables. It's beyond that - they are REPREHENSIBLE (and, just about any other negative adjective you care to add) - and, so is Donald J. Trump - soon to be FORMER President of the United States.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_Trench

Today's MOZEN: Dead Man Walking

Illustration by Kaya Mar

This post, especially at this time, will be like virtually all of my others regarding President Donald J. Trump and his entire Administration: it will be relentlessly negative and will not change a single mind. Those vehemently opposed to Mr. Trump need no more prompting to vote his sorry ass out of office. Those in favor of rewarding him with another 4 years will exercise their right as well and cast their votes for him.

I suppose the difference with this post is that I've become more convinced than ever that Mr. Trump, despite the unwavering support among his minions, is heading for a crushing defeat on November 3rd.

My reasoning is two-fold. First, virtually every National poll has the President trailing challenger Joe Biden, often by double digits. Furthermore, he trails Biden in key, so-called swing States that delivered an Electoral College win for him in 2016. But, as we saw in that election, polls can be inaccurate or, at least, misleading. Therefore, now is not the time for complacency.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, Mr. Trump's already controversial behavior has taken an even deeper decent into the realm of the unhinged. One need not be a psychologist or social scientist to see that he has become so desperate with even the thought of his defeat that not only his words, but his actions too are those of a madman.

He and his Administration's plan (or, more accurately, LACK OF one) to deal with the COVID pandemic has backfired on him to the point that he actually became infected with the very virus he earlier called a hoax. And, his reaction to contracting COVID-19 can only be described as bizarre. His return to the White House after a short stint at Walter Reed Medical Center was right out of the Benito Mussolini handbook! And, we all know what became of il Duce.

His vicious attack on Democratic Vice President candidate, Kamala Harris, calling her a monster and a communist, is the language of a man who has lost not only his cool, but, quite possible, his mind, as well. This, on top his lack of morals and/or scruples, is the mark of a man who is losing his grip on reality.

Unfortunately, the cult of personality which guides his followers cannot be shaken. Despite his obvious meltdown, they will never leave his side. As a comedian/friend said to me, Mr. Trump could walk into one of his follower's homes, shoot their dog, and they would blame the dog. There is no reason or logic as the foundation of their support. I suppose that they are as damaged emotionally and spiritually as he is.

But, that doesn't matter. This Country still has a conscience. And, if that man has done one thing right, it has been to awaken our sense of duty, honor, and compassion - all things Mr. Trump lacks so completely and, to his lasting shame, will prove his undoing. Think of him as the proverbial dead man walking. . . 

F LoBuono

Today's MOZEN: Karma Can Be A Bitch

TRUMP>COVID>KARMA 

Today's MOZEN: The Buck Stops Here

One of the most notable things associated with President Harry S. Truman was a sign on his desk that read THE BUCK STOPS HERE. It was made at the Federal Reformatory in El Reno, Oklahoma and sat on the President's desk from October 1945 until he left office.  It's a term that was first used in frontier poker games. A buckhorn knife on the table was pointed at the man whose turn it was to deal the cards. When a player wished to pass on his turn as dealer to someone else, the knife was moved, thereby passing the buck.

Harry Truman

Truman referred to the slogan on more than one occasion to emphasize the enormous responsibility that sits squarely on the shoulders of the President. He simply CANNOT pass the burden of leadership on to anyone else. No matter what the pain my be, the President must stand alone, resolute in his convictions and decisions.

This is what leaders do.

At least that's how it use to be.

We now have a blustering bully for a President that only takes responsibility for his own perceived greatness. According to him, he has never made a mistake in his life. If anything has gone wrong in his administration, it was not by his ineptitude but rather at the hand of others lacking his great insight and skills: China is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The Press is always lying about him. His staff deserts him because they are corrupt and inept. Health care has not been passed because Congress acts against him. Woman accuse him of sexual misconduct because they are after his money. Businesses sue him because they are jealous of his success.

And the list goes on.

Illustration by Kaya Mar

The Buck Stops Here means that the for better OR worse, the President is ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING that happens on his watch. Excuses be damned. OWN UP or SHUT UP - this President is incapable of either. In fact, it seems that for Mr. Trump, based on a recent NY Times article claiming that, in fact, he is in a great deal of debt, the buck stops NOWHERE - literally as well as figuratively.

Today's MOZEN: Lipstick on a Pig

 

Illustration by Kaya Mar

We New Yorkers (New Yawkas in the local dialect) are often seen as arrogant by other Americans. I believe that's because we have never had an issue with speaking our minds and telling others exactly how things are - take it or leave it. The choice is yours.

And, THIS one is telling you:

No one knows Donald J. Trump better than we who live and/or work in his hometown. He is a liar AND a thief. He was never anything more than that. And, he never will be - title or not. You can put lipstick on a pig and it's still a pig (no insult to pigs). You can package Mr. Trump as King Midas in a made-for-TV unreality show and what you're left with is still a sad, broken, lying sack of shit.

You can prove yourselves to be like minded if you vote for him. That is your right and privilege. However, we in New York have this for you: FUCK THAT. . . 

F LoBuono

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT: Does Good Always Win?

F LoBuono

In the end, good will always triumph over evil.

This is certainly a positive concept that it used by most of the world's great religions to encourage people when times are tough. 

But, is it accurate? Really?

I say, NO, it is most certainly not true. And, I'm not being overly pessimistic when I make that statement. It's not an emotional response, either. It is based on logic and reason.

Hear me out.

Yin and Yang is the ancient Chinese concept that when simply put explains that a balance between all things was created from the chaos evident at the beginning of the universe. It is represented by a symbol that melds an equal amount of both black and white within a circle. It means that for everything that is seen in the light, there is an equal amount of darkness. In other words, where good exists, evil must too.

And, this concept of balance is not only found in the philosophical/religious communities but within the scientific as well in such concepts as Newton's Third Law of Motion (for every action there is reaction) and the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in genetics.

So, When You Think About It, good does not ALWAYS triumph over evil. They are forces of EQUAL power. And, in a sense, one cannot exist without the other - except, perhaps in nirvana or heaven, or whatever we decide is paradise. But, in THIS world we had better get used to the fact that evil has always lived side-by-side with good. And, that evil deeds do, in fact, occur in equal measure as good ones.

So, in my mind, we must accept evil for what it is. However, at the same time, as have been given minds that think and emotions that make us human, we must do whatever we can to accentuate the good and minimize the bad. Then, the world will turn . . . 

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Hillary Was Almost Right

 

F LoBuono

During the 2016 campaign for the Presidency, Hillary Clinton, when describing her opponent Donald Trump's hard-core base, used the unfortunate phrase basket of deplorables. For as many people it pleased, I also believe that it alienated a significant amount of others who were undecided at the time, prompting them to vote for Mr. Trump. That's why I call it unfortunate.

However, those of us who knew EXACTLY what she meant have seen that deplorable behavior demonstrated over and over again by Mr. Trump and his ardent supporters.

The President lies incessantly and his base marches in lockstep behind him, finding every excuse possible to dismiss his mendacity. It's so blatant that it can only be described as, well, deplorable. No wait, let's make that even more accurate - it's fucking deplorable.

The latest example can be found in the death of legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the political game being played in the US Senate to name her successor as quickly as possible, i.e. before the November elections.

Of course, the Republican led Senate is leading the charge to make this happen, conveniently forgetting the statements, oaths, and promises they made in a similar situation under the Obama administration when then President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. There was still nearly a year left for the Obama Administration.

So, with a full 11 months to go before the 2016 election, GOP Senators like Mitch McConnel, Chuck Grassley, Lindsey Graham and a host of others claimed that The People should have a say in the process and that would be expressed by their choice in the coming Presidential election. Because they were in the majority and led by Mr. McConnel, they successfully blocked the appointment of a man whom virtually everyone said was extremely well qualified. And, ALL OF THEM are captured on tape claiming that, by a matter of principal, they would not bring the nomination to the floor of the Senate. In other words, Mr. Merrick would not even be considered for the post despite his impeccable credentials.

Now, with a mere matter of weeks to go before the big election and with Justice Ginsburg not even officially laid to rest, the GOP canaries are singing a different tune. Suddenly, they have an urgency to do the jobs they were elected for and are rushing to confirm her replacement as soon as Mr. Trump gives it to them - no matter whom it may be.

It is simply unprecedented and reeks of political contamination. Even the VERY few GOP Senators who had doubts about the process, like Utah Senator Mitt Romney, have all adopted the party line and will go along for the ride. Honor, honesty, integrity be damned. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Look, it's Washington and political expediency is part of the everyday vocabulary there. Democrats are also on tape during the Garland affair saying that the nomination should be pushed through. It was certainly in the best interests of THEIR party to have it so.

However, the moral equivalence between the two is not the same.

The average time for the entire Supreme Court process is 71 days or 2.3 months*. With Merrick Garland the time frame was 11 months (about 330 days) before the election. This time the GOP wants it accomplished in  just 42 days or about a 1 and 1/2 months (as of this writing 9/22/2020).

Do the math! The two things are NOT equal. They're not even close.

Certainly, this entire course is being charted by Mr. Trump and his cabal of supporters within his Administration and Congress. I fully understand that this is a grab for more power to implement their vision of American. I get that. What I don't understand is how many Americans can still support the deceit and wanton hypocrisy of Mr. Trump and his ENTIRE Administration.

So, when you think about it, Ms. Clinton was almost right - they are deplorable, but they simply don't make a basket large enough to hold them all. . . 

* Congressional Research Office.

 

Today's MOZEN: The Time Draws Nearer

f LoBuono

Perhaps, you may have noticed that lately I haven't posted any of my usual diatribes over the gross negligence and blatant stupidity of our current President and his entire Administration. It's not for lack of content or enthusiasm to see Mr. Trump and his entire entourage sent packing to the shit pile of history. No. Quite to the contrary, every time that he opens his mouth he provides me with a plethora of morainic statements, falsehoods, and outright lies as grist for my mill.

My reasoning is this: it's highly unlucky that ANY of my writing, or anyone else's for that matter, has changed even one mind - especially among his base. You could shove a stick of dynamite up each one of their asses with Trump written all over it and, if you gave them a match, they would light the fuse themselves - and, thank him for the blast!!!!

For me, the choice was clear from the beginning - as it was for the MAJORITY OF AMERICANS (remember, Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by over 3 million). The man is not only unfit for the historic office of President, his poor character makes him unworthy as a human being.

So, even though I know most of my readers are conscientious citizens and, therefore, consistent voters, I urge all of you to stay involved. Be committed to the cause of not only preserving the ideals that are the truly American, but to work towards making a better America through compassion, understanding, truth, justice, inclusion, education, and vision. And, condemn the hatred, racism, greed, and sloth that have always existed in the dark heart of America but have now been given free reign under a man who cares only for himself.

VOTE    VOTE    VOTE    VOTE

The time to make the change will soon be upon us. We must not fail in our mission. STAND UP AND BE COUNTED. 

Send a resounding NO to Donald J. Trump on November 3rd.

 

Today's MOZEN: Unconscionable

F LoBuono

unconscionable

adjective

not guided by conscience; unscrupulous.

not in accordance with what is just or reasonable:unconscionable behavior.

excessive; extortionate:

an unconscionable profit.[ uhn-kon-shuh-nuh-buhl ]

e.g. Donald J. Trump

In a weird sort of way, I almost hoped that the President's latest exposure of another of his extreme personality flaws, i.e. his unconscionable behavior in choosing his hair over the opportunity to honor America's war dead and the subsequent mocking of their sacrifice, wasn't true. I mean NO ONE could sink that low - not even an bilious blowhard like Mr. Trump - Right?

WRONG!!!!!

The man is simply that vile. The evidence presented by the author of the article published in The Atlantic* accusing him of this heinous behavior is both shocking and incontrovertible. Despite what his mindless minions scream about "Fake News", Jeffrey Goldberg, has had his sources checked by virtually EVERY reputable news agency, including Trump ally, Fox News, and they all vouch for the accuracy and authenticity of the information contained within the article.

Perhaps, the only thing more deplorable than the President's behavior is the defense of it by his mindless cadre of worshipers. I only hope that they come to their senses and get on the right side of history. But, I doubt it - that would take fortitude, independence, and some modicum of intelligence, things his followers simply seem to lack.

Unconscionable. Indeed.

That is all . . .  

*https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/