News Connections December 2018

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Democrats Must Persevere

1/3/2019

This federal government shutdown is a defining moment for the Democrats.   Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House and Chuck Schumer, Democratic Minority Leader of the Senate said that there will not be one cent for the wall.

If the Democrats yield to Trump, they will surrender the high ground to Trump for the next two years and perhaps the surrender the Presidency to Trump in 2020.   One of the key raps on Democrats has been their unwillingness to say what they stand for and show that willingness to fight for it.   Too often we Democrats and Progressive make the mistake of thinking that people understand our arguments and are persuaded by them.   In fact, many people judge the potency of our arguments by what they judge is our commitment to what we believe.

It shouldn’t be, but it will be hard to stand for the rational government policy of no money for an ineffective wall. The Main Stream Media, for example, has a frame for government shut downs of two sides, each with a rational position that must negotiate until they reach a solution to save hapless government workers from the lack of a paycheck.

As a former government worker, I sympathize with both government workers and the private contractors who have now replaced workers at the behest of Republicans.

But, elections have consequences. We are on the threshold of mitigating the ill effects of the 2016 election with the results of the 2018 election.   We must persevere.

The New York Times - Davis and Tackett: Trump and Democrats Dig In After Talks to Reopen Government Go Nowhere

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/us/politics/trump-congress-shutdown.html?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad

Trump Has Dug a Hole for Himself and Keeps On Digging

12/31/2018

Looking back at 2018 there were many unprecedented news events. Many of them involve Donald Trump and his catastrophic approach to the Presidency. There was, for example, the Parkland school shooting (among other shootings), the barrage of climate disasters—coupled with Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Accords. Then there was the recognition of the corruption that surrounds his administration—from former Environmental Protection Agency Secretary, Scott Pruitt, to former Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke. Of course, there was the President’s corrupt deal with the Kremlin to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, his subservience to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, and his self-serving lies—almost one every waking hour. And, of course, there is the tightening noose of the Mueller Investigation--highlighted by the conviction and guilty pleas of Trump associates--coupled with their agreements to cooperate with the prosecution’s growing case against Trump and the other 17 investigation against him.

But for me the key event of 2018 was learning how deeply flawed Trump is both as a leader and a person. I always believed him to be very blemished, but I underestimated his faults. The source of his unworthiness may be some aberration in his personality, his profound ignorance, or some innate deficiency in his cognitive ability. It may be any one of these or all three. Whatever the source of his flawed leadership and personal style, it will prevent him from digging out of the hole in which he now finds himself. The results of the midterms are a sign of things to come.

Be assured, no matter who his advisers are, who his Chief of Staff is, who the White House Counsel is, who is personal lawyers are, Trump will make horrendous mistakes in 2019. His proclivity toward self-destruction does not mean Progressives should relax and wait for him self-immolate. We must push him and let him know how much we disapprove of him. He cannot ignore us, and our resistance will help drive him from office either in 2020 or sooner.

The Washington Post - Kessler: A Year of Unprecedented Deception: Trump Averaged 15 False Claims a Day in 2018.

https://wapo.st/2TfHQKC

Progressives Must Wield New Power

12/28/2018

Progressives’ positions on foreign policy issues threaten to contradict some of their values. Progressives are, in general, opposed to military interventions. And this stance was hardened following George Bush and the neocon's invasion of Iraq. One result of Iraq was the destabilization of the entire region. Now, like it or not, the U.S. must play a role in putting the pieces of that region back together again.

Stabilizing this region will almost certainly involve keeping troops in the region for some time to come, even though it will certainly be dangerous for our troops. This is not the case in Syria which did not have the massive casualties that occurred in Iraq. Then, Trump announced a precipitous withdrawal of our troops from Syria. What will happen there now is unknown.

If the U.S. fails to help stabilize the region, the terrorist threat to the U.S. and Europe will increase and the people in the region will suffer even more misery than they otherwise would. Either of these outcomes contradicts progressive values.

Another aspect of foreign policy tied to progressives’ positions is multilateral trade agreements. Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was implemented and subsequently linked to the job loss and de-industrialization of the Midwest, Progressives have been leery of these trade deals. Both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton promised, if elected, to table the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that Barack Obama had worked so hard to negotiate. Donald Trump, as part of his populist agenda, did withdraw from the TPP.

While these trade deals have economic implications, they increase the national security of the U.S. and its allies. They bind our allies close to us and disadvantage our adversaries. And they help strengthen burgeoning democracies and create markets for our goods. NAFTA, for example, was a net economic positive for the U.S., although it dislocated many workers and industries. But opponents conflate the economic effects of trade agreements like NAFTA with the growing political and economic disadvantages of the middle class. With less political and economic inequality, our political leaders could have spread the positive economic benefits of NAFTA among workers in all industries.

Without multilateral trade agreements, the U.S. will be disadvantaged both economically and militarily. Thus, the U.S. will not be able to afford many national and international programs Progressives want. Also, the U.S. might find itself embroiled in military conflicts that are abhorred by Progressives.

Of course, Progressives must obtain the political power to prevent usurpation of the military tactics and policies they must use to achieve their ends.

The Washington Post - Boot: The Democrats Need a New Policy - One that Doesn't Sound Like Trumpism of the Left

https://wapo.st/2Rk4XGM

We need to stop expecting Trump to be like other Presidents.

12/27/2018

President Trump greets U.S. troops during an unannounced visit to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. (Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)

Trump’s trip to visit the troops in Iraq has led to various media pundits congratulating him for finally acting like the President. These pundits, to be fair, then disapproved of how Trump acted. They were mortified when he complained about his discomfort caused by having to fly into Bagdad on a darkened plane to troops who daily risk their lives. It may be that he simply lacks the minimum courage other Presidents found to do their duty.

They criticized him for lying to the troops and saying he had given them a 10 percent pay raise, their only pay raise in years. Perhaps he is so narcissistic he cannot take credit for a pay raise and must exaggerate its importance.

They disparaged his criticism of the government shut down as the fault of Democrats who did not want to protect the U.S. borders. He may be so selfish or transactional he must blame others for what is his responsibility.

They were surprised that Trump told the troops that he was withdrawing from Syria because ISIS was defeated but staying in Iraq to ensure the defeat of ISIS. Possibly he has engaged in policies for such corrupt reasons, he must try to deflect even if it leads to foolish inconsistencies.

And they were surprised that he violated diplomatic protocols and did not visit the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. Maybe he is so impulsive he cannot plan or follow the simplest social or diplomatic guidelines.

The media pundits should know better than to try and normalize his behavior because it appears to be how other Presidents have acted. Even when Trump does “normal” things, he abnormally does them. We need to stop expecting Trump to be like other Presidents.

The Washington Post - Rucker and Sonne: Trump Visits U.S. Troops in Iraq for the First Trip to a Conflict Zone

https://wapo.st/2Q3DdRW

HuffPost - Rasheed and Jalabi: Iraqi Lawmakers Criticize Trump Visit As Blow to Iraqi Sovereignty

https://bit.ly/2LGYX5G

Trump Visits Troops While Federal Government Remains Partially Shut Down

12/26/2018

After nearly two years, President Trump and Melania finally visited U.S. troops in a combat zone. Trump took the opportunity to try and justify his decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria and half of those in Afghanistan. He did not attempt to explain his failure to notify allies or military leaders of his decision before announcing it. He did inform the Turkish and Russian Presidents of his decision.

The federal government remains partially shut down. It is becoming more apparent that the government will not re-open the government until the Democrats take over the House on January 3. Even after that Trump will probably want to wait until there is polling evidence that he, and not Democrats, are being blamed for the shutdown.

New York Times- Karni, Landler, & Gibbons Neff: Trump Makes Surprise Visit to Ira to See American Troops.

https://nyti.ms/2T7w7Oa

Christmas 2018

12/25/2018

Donald Trump promised to make this time of year a celebration of the Christmas spirit and bring joy, hope, and peace to America. Instead the federal government is partially closed; our foreign policy is in shambles; our allies have become distrustful of us; our adversaries and competitors are joyous over what they see as our imminent decline; and the stock market is signaling a recession.
But this is the season of hope. We hope that next year Trump will be out of office so that we can again celebrate inclusiveness. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.

The Wall Is A Racist Creed

12/21/2018

All of the border wall prototypes along the southern US border.(Photo by Mani Albrecht, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Public Affairs - Visual Communications Division)

Donald Trump does not fear recordings that prove he is lying. He is perfectly willing to say something that is contradicted by the video. Media pundits seem unable to accept Trump’s willingness to lie when he has been recorded saying something different. They keep playing the recordings in amazement. The most recent example of this is the meeting between Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and Trump. Trump promised to take the blame for a government shutdown if he does not receive a $5 billion down payment for a border wall costing between $25 billion to $60 billion.

But in true Trump style he now says that a government shutdown will be the Democrats’ responsibility, even though they are willing to fund the continuing resolution needed to keep the government open. And Trump agreed to this until the right-wing media began to pummel Trump for being a weenie for not following through on his braggadocio to shut the government down.

The Democrats are adamant that they will not fund a wall because its symbolism goes against what the Democratic Party stands for. To some of Trump’s true believers, “The Wall” stands for a way to keep the U.S. a majority white country with white supremacist values. While Trump says a wall is what other countries have for border control, “The Wall” described by Trump on the campaign trail is very different from the barricades used by other countries for border control in this century.

As a result of Trump’s insistence on funding for “The Wall” the government will probably close. And despite Trump’s promise of a long closure, it probably won’t last too long because Trump wants to go to Mar-a-Largo to play golf. A short closure should satisfy right-wing media.

The New York Times - Davis and Cochrane: Shutdown to Take Effect at Midnight as Talks Fail to Break Impasse

https://nyti.ms/2A8R8RC

Trump Acts As A Putin Agent Again (And Again and Again)

12/20/2018

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin speak during a joint press conference after their summit on in Helsinki on July 16. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) - Foreign Policy

Trump has done it again! He has carried water for Vladimir Putin and ordered the withdrawal of U.S. 2,000 troops from Syria. These troops were there to train and help Kurds, NATO, and other forces keep pressure on ISIS and preventing their reconstitution as a threat to the region, western Europe, and the U.S. Also, their presence prevented the Russian, Syrian, Turkish and Iranian forces from exerting their influence into what would be a power vacuum. For example, Turkey has labeled Kurdish forces and terrorists and signaled its intention to wipe them out.

Trump’s unilateral decision (he ignored the advice of his military advisers who oppose this decision) to withdraw U.S. troops, mostly special forces and training personnel, has met with almost universal criticism. Members of Congress, former military leaders, the national security pundit class, and U.S. allies worldwide call this decision a catastrophe. They note that it will strengthen Iran, Syrian, and Russian influence in the region while undercutting Israel’s effort to isolate Iran. And above all this action will undermine confidence in the U.S. to follow through on its commitments.

Trump’s reason for his decision to withdraw is the defeat of ISIS and his promise to bring the troops home once ISIS was defeated. While ISIS has lost territory, its radical Islamist ideology is present in the region. Moreover, there are 20,000 to 30,000 ISIS fighters in the region who have been lying low. Once the U.S. withdraws, we will be dependent on other countries, including Russia, Syria, and Iran to keep the pressure on them.

Some observers believe Trump’s reckless decision is another example of his blustering effort to distract from his increasing legal problems, his failure to build “the wall,” and the closure of his foundation for fraudulent behavior. Others believe it was payback to Turkey’s Recep Erdogan for not releasing all the evidence implicating Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the grisly murder of the Washington Post reporter. Still others believe that Trump is kowtowing to Putin and Erdogan because it will financially benefit him. They believe that Turkey and Russia represent two of the few places where his real estate business will be viable once he leaves office.

Kayhan Ozer | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images U.S President Donald Trump (R) and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) shake hands during a meeting at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington D.C., United States on May 16, 2017.

What few people seem willing to recognize is that Donald Trump may be a witting asset or agent of Vladimir Putin. Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria, his decision to remove sanctions from Russia’s aluminum industry, his undermining of the western alliance, his manufacture of a trade war with China, and his sowing of division within the U.S. all benefit Putin. Given how much he has done to benefit Putin’s Russia why is their so much reluctance to consider the possibility that Trump is a Quisling?

The New York Times - Nordland: U.S. Exit Seen as a Betrayal of the Kurds and a Boon for ISIS

https://nyti.ms/2GztJOT

Haaretz - Rothkopf: Donald Trump's Big Lie on Syria Will Come Back to Haunt America

https://bit.ly/2EFNJgm

Haaretz - Shalev: Despite the Blow to Its National Security, Israel Will Bow to Trump's Syria Withdrawal

https://bit.ly/2rPbdYr

The New York Times - Sanger: A Strategy of Retreat in Syria, With Echoes of Obama

https://nyti.ms/2PVofNU

Why Did Judge Emmet Sullivan Rebel Against Michael Flynn No-Jail Recommendation?

12/19/2018

Former White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn leaves the Prettyman Federal Courthouse following a sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court December 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images

At what was supposed to be Michael Flynn’s sentencing hearing, Judge Emmet Sullivan corrugated Flynn for behaving in a disgusting and treasonous manner. Judge Sullivan then warned Flynn that if he wanted to proceed with sentencing, he might have to do jail time. As a result, Flynn decided to take Sullivan up on his offer to postpone sentencing for three months. We have all been wondering why Judge Sullivan’s rebelled against the no-jail plea deal reached by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and Flynn’s lawyers.

Explanations ranged from a cranky judge outraged with wrongdoing by government officials like former National Security Advisor Flynn to an informed judge who thought that the full panoply of Flynn’s actions warranted some jail time. In either event, observers see Judge Sullivan refusal to concur with Mueller’s recommendation for leniency as much a rebuke for Mueller as Flynn.

So, what does this mean? If the former prosecutors who hang out on television interpreting Mueller’s acts are correct, then Mueller was justified in letting Flynn skate. But prosecutors usually delay having their corroborating witnesses sentenced until after they testify in court to prevent any shenanigans on the witness stand. Does the attempt by Mueller to have Flynn sentenced now mean that there will be no testimony?

Robert Mueller Times Magazine; David Butow—Redux

Prosecutors usually try to obtain sure fire convictions even if that means charging for a lesser crime and ignoring crimes that are more difficult to prove. One part of Flynn’s story that Mueller has not explained publicly is why did Flynn lie to the FBI agents about contacting Russians when he could easily justify that contact. Perhaps Flynn was engaged in something with Trump that Mueller cannot prove. If so, then Sullivan may have sniffed it out and want to give Mueller more time to prove it.

The Washington Post- Hsu, Zapatosky, & Leonnig: Michael Flynn's Sentencing Delayed After Judge Tells The Ex-Trump Adviser He Might Not Avoid Prison Time

https://wapo.st/2GvCuJV

Time- Mariotti: Don't Expect Mueller to Charge a Grand Conspiracy

https://bit.ly/2rNVdGo

It's Clearer That Russians Continue to Help GOP - What Will Dems Do?

12/18/2018

As Democrats begin to plan for 2020, they need to consider two things. First, the Russians undoubtedly pushed Trump over the finish line. Democrats should not be lulled into complacency because the Russians did not seem to affect the outcome much in 2018. We don’t know why they didn’t seem to move the needle much, but one thing is clear. Their effectiveness in 2018 had very little to do with the presence of countermeasures.

Second, if it does look like Democrats are going to have another blowout, we cannot take it for granted that Republicans are going to be good sports about their impending loss. Based on what we had seen Republicans do in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan when they lost elections, we should expect them to do something undemocratic if they lose in 2020. Because we don’t know what they might do, it is difficult to plan our response. Even a public airing of the possibility of undemocratic Republican actions may be enough. Democrats, unfortunately, forewarned of voter suppression did too little for fear of disillusioning voters about the integrity of our voting systems. How’d that work out?

The New York Times - DiResta: What We Now Know About Russian Disinformation

https://nyti.ms/2Bqcn1e

The New York Times- Krugman: Conservatism's Monstrous Endgame; Apparatchiks are corroding the foundations of democracy

https://nyti.ms/2Bwn7Ld

The New York Times- Goldberg: Yes, Russian Trolls Helped Elect Trump

https://nyti.ms/2S9RLBe

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