The Art of the Deal!

Trump’s best-selling book, The Art of the Deal, was ghost written! The ghost-writer was interviewed for an article (in The New Yorker magazine by Jane Mayer) about the book and about Donald Trump. What Mayer says and what the ghost-writer says is frightening!
by Charlie Leck

In Trump’s announcement this past June that he would run for president, Donald Trump listed his qualifications: “We need a leader that wrote The Art of the Deal!” The book, of course, was ghost written by Tony Schwartz, who recently commented to Jane Mayer for her column in The New Yorker: “I put lipstick on a pig!” I think it’s a terrific piece. I suggest you read it before really deciding to vote for the Donald. Schwartz had gotten to know Trump so very personally, so it is interesting to hear him tell us that the idea of Trump as president (the President) terrifies him.

Tony Schwartz suggests that the book ought to have been called “The Sociopath!” Oh, my! Here’s a clip from the magazine.

“Schwartz had written about Trump before. In 1985, he’d published a piece in New York Magazine called A Different Kind of Donald Trump Story, which portray him not as a brilliant mogul but as a ham-fisted thug who had unsuccessfully tried to evict rent-controlled and rent-stabilized tenants from a building that he had bought on Central Park South. Trump’s efforts – which included a plan to house homeless people in the building in order to harass the tenants – became what Schwartz described as a ‘fugue of failure, a farce of fumbling and bumbling.”

Amazingly, “Trump loved the article!”

I loved the comment Schwartz made in the magazine article about his decision to write the book: “He knew he would be making a Faustian bargain!”

“It was one of a number of times in my life when I was divided between the Devil and the higher side.”

One of the problems Schwartz encountered as he began working on the book was that the man had “no attention span!... like a kindergartner who can’t sit still in a classroom.”

Amazingly, this adult Donald Trump might become president of the United States! Schwartz said of Donald’s ability to sit and think: “…it’s impossible to keep him focused on any topic, other than his own self-aggrandizement, for more than a few minutes… If he had to be briefed on a crisis in the Situation Room, it’s impossible to imagine him paying attention over a long period of time.”

From all that Schwartz said about his time and interviews with Trump, it’s impossible for me to imagine the Donald reading a long, complicated report about international problems or possible dangers to the nation.

In fact, I don’t believe that Donald Trump understands the complexities of being the president. He looks at it as just an office where he can get immeasurable attention while he keeps making his own personal business deals. I imagine he plans to have a staff do all that tough reading and study.

Trump will be a joke in international conferences and in complex meetings with the heads of other nations. He’ll try to get leaders of other nations to allow him to build hotels or gambling casinos on their most attractive pieces of land.

As for the infamous wall, Donald will become bored with this project very quickly. There’s no money in it for him!

Schwartz says he thinks Trump’s problem with paying attention makes him a man with “a stunning level of superficial knowledge and plain ignorance.” (As he said to Jane Mayer who wrote The New Yorker article.)

How many important books of fiction or non-fiction do you imagine that Donald Trump has read – straight through – all the way! I can’t imagine him reading the four volume biography of Lyndon Johnson written by Robert Caro. Douglas Brinkley’s marvelous biography of Jimmy Carter, The Unfinished Presidency, would be an impossible read for him. Forget Thomas Piketty’s important book Capital.

When asked by Megyn Kelly (Fox News) about his favorite book, Trump’s reply is almost unbelievable. Jane Mayer quotes Trump’s answer to the question:

“I read passages, I read areas, I’ll read chapters – I don’t have the time!”

Schwartz told Mayer that “Trump seemed driven by a need for public attention.”

There are a number of examples of Trump’s untruthfulness or, more precisely, as Schwartz says, that “lying is second nature to him.” Schwartz continued…

“He lied strategically. He had a complete lack of conscience about it!”

When confronted by such lies or incredible boasting, as we’ve seen in the campaign, “…Trump would often double down, repeat himself, and grow belligerent.

Are these the traits and characteristics we want in our president – the President of the United States of America?

I can’t believe how many people are being suckered in by this incredible and scandalous liar!

Jane Mayer paints a remarkable picture of the real Donald Trump in her extraordinary article. This particular description sends chills up my spine…

“Often, after spending the day with Trump, and watching him pile one hugely expensive project atop the next, like a circus performer spinning plates, Schwartz would go home and tell his wife, ‘He’s a living black hole!’”

I guess it would be more helpful to all of us, instead of reading The Art of the Deal, if we would read Trump Nation by Timothy L. O’Brien. Mr. O’Brien makes it clear that Donald Trump is a liar of serious dimensions. For instance, Trump has told the world, a number of times, that his wife, Ivana, had been a top model and an alternate on the Czech Olympic ski team. Not true!

Remember Trump’s insistence that President Obama had not been born in America and that he (Donald Trump) had investigators who had come up with interesting proof about this claim of his. There was never any truth to that. Not one shred of evidence was produced by Mr. Trump.

Trump’s life is, itself, a lie. He’s lied about how unimportant his father was in establishing his wealth – that he’s made it on his own. Not true! Had it not been for good-old-dad this man would be a nobody and only the blow-hard and self-obsessed person he is. Donald Trump is a narcissist of worrisome proportion.

Here’s Schwartz’s final word on Trump in The New Yorker article – it’s quite incredible and, I believe, very true…

“If Trump is elected President, the millions of people who voted for him and believe that he represents their interests will learn what anyone who deals closely with him already knows – that he couldn’t care less about them!’”

Think about it!

We mustn’t allow Donald Trump to become President!

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*The article appeared in the July 25, 2016 issue of The New Yorker.

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“Who’da thunk It?”

I’ve come up with a pretty clear picture of Donald Trump. In case you don’t know it, he will run in November as the Republican candidate for President of the United States (POTUS). I absolutely cannot believe it! And I just cannot imagine it! I underestimated the stupidity of a large percentage of the Republican Party – and a large part of the general public. I could never have imagined that either would do this! So, I’ve tried to draw myself a picture of Donald Trump, as closely as I can depict him; and what I’ve come up with isn’t pretty. We have a strange, narcissistic and psychologically imbalanced man who wants to be our president!by Charlie Leck

Since restarting this blog as a way of releasing frustrations, I’ve generally failed both at my predictions and at ridding myself of anger and aggravation.

What rankles me most is that Donald Trump doesn’t mind being a liar, a prevaricator. That makes him a very dangerous person.

I’m also upset that Trump believes almost everything he hears if it will be beneficial to him for those things to be true.

Someone I read in the last day or two compared Donald Trump to Ted Nugent. Do you remember that jerk? Nugent was blatant about calling President Obama “a subhuman mongrel” and once told him to “suck on my machine gun!” Nugent also suggested that President Obama be lynched.

I’ve met and gotten to know people like Donald Trump. These people say whatever pops into their heads without any kind of filtering. They’ll most often preface what they say with something like… “I’ve heard that…” or “someone told me that…” so they don’t personally get charged with slander or lying.

Then I must talk of narcissism! Donald Trump is a narcissist and there is great danger in that. When Donald Trump looks into a mirror, he doesn’t see the image that is staring back at him. He sees something far beyond that and his mind is able to block out any of the big or little defects he sees in himself. That is what narcissism is!

The danger of narcissism in one who is a leader is frightening!

Jeb Bush, who dropped out of the race, was absolutely correct when he said that Trump lacked “the temperament or strength of character” needed by a president. None of the gentlemen Bush fellows will endorse Donald Trump. Mrs. Bush is said to be terribly angry and upset about the Trump candidacy.

Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, South Carolina, said this week that Mr. Trump was unfit to be commander-in-chief.

John McKager Stipanovich, a lobbyist and loyal Republican fund-raiser said it will be difficult to get financial support for the Trump candidacy.

“Obviously, Trump has spent an awful lot of time in the last year disparaging people like that!”

Stipanovich wonders if the Trump workers will eventually come crawling on their knees to the party, begging for help! I wonder if they will get such help and I admit quite freely that they probably will – in return for certain promises!

One of the great dangers of the Trump run is…
its impact on House members and U.S. Senators up for reelection. Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, worries that Trump may be a drag on the rest of the ticket.

There are a whole bunch of Trump mistakes that the electorate will be reminded about. Here are a few…

• Trumps attacks on Muslims and Hispanics
• The David Duke fiasco
• The abortion exchange with Chris Matthews (criminality of abortion)

I am unsettled, and I believe many, many Americans are also, about how seriously Mr. Trump takes the office and the power it presents him. President Obama wondered last week if Trump understand that “...this is not entertainment! This is not a reality show!”

Former Republican Governor of Texas, Rick Perry described the Trump campaign as a “barking carnival act” and said Trump was a “cancer on conservatism!” Now Perry is wondering if he might be Trump’s running mate.

Former Louisiana governor, Bobby Jindal, while still in the race himself, called Trump “dangerous” and a narcissist and an egomaniac.” Now he’s endorsed Trump, but admitted he wasn’t “happy about it!”

Senator Rand Paul, Republican Senator from Kentucky said: “Donald Trump is a delusional narcissist and an orange-faced windbag. A speck of dirt is more qualified to be President.”

Trump has been particularly rough and profane when talking about one of my favorite Americans – Senator Elizabeth Warren – calling her a “goofus” and a “basket case.” It might be because Senator Warren has been one of Trump’s biggest critics, vowing a strong fight to keep him out of the White House.

“Donald Trump has built his campaign,” Senator Warren said, “on racism, sexism and xenophobia!”  She also talked about the enthusiasm that exists for Trump among the leaders of the KKK.

What I and all of Trump’s detractors must realize is that he is very good at dictating the “terms of engagement.” He is a manipulator par excellance. He always tries to get his opponents talking about what he wants to talk about (and is prepared to talk about). Trump will try to put Hillary Clinton constantly on the defensive and he will try to prevent her from making any attacks.

Dana Millbank, of the Washington Post, reminds us that even though there are a significant number of Republicans who will refuse to support Trump, it is amazing that so many are now rallying to him, forgetting the following…

On U.S. companies relocating overseas: “You can tell them to go f--- themselves!”

On China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea: “They’re ripping the sh-- out of the sea.”

On the Islamic State: “I would bomb the sh-- out of ISIS!”

On dealing with China: “Listen you motherf---ers, we’re going to tax you 25 percent!”

On climate change: “This very expensive global warming bullsh-- has got to stop!”

The following is NOT bullshit. It comes from the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: “Trump would increase government spending more than Hillary Clinton.

Many conservatives worry that Trump is more liberal than Hillary Clinton.

Here are a number of Republicans who have said they will NOT vote for Trump in November…

1.  Lindsay Graham (Senator from South Carolina)
2.  Kevin Madden (veteran GOP strategist)
3.  Jeb Bush (former Florida Governor)
4. Scott Rigel (Congressman from Virginia)
5.  Ben Sasse (Nebraska Senator)
6.  Reid Ribbie (Wisconsin Congressman)
7. Christie Todd Whitman (former NJ Governor)
8.   Elliot Cohen (well known, active Republican who served under both Bush presidents)
9.  Peter Weiner (speech-writer under Ronald Reagan, GW Bush and GHW Bush)
10. JC Watt (former Oklahoma Congressman)
11. Mel Martinez (former Florida Senator)
12. Carlos Curbelo (Florida Congressman)

Kathleen Parker, of the Washington Post, wonders if we know that “…because he’s a shrewd dealmaker with deep pockets and unencumbered by a moral compass, both his platform and style were crafted to fit the finding of extensive polling he commissioned before announcing his run.”

She also made the following insightful comment:

“The GOP began digging its own grave years ago and dropped one foot in when McCain selected Sarah Palin as his running mate. With Trump’s almost-certain nomination, the other foot has followed!”

I would add that a lot of these problems with which the GOP is now contending began when it so blatantly flirted with the Tea Party Movement.

Jennifer Rubin, also of the Washington Post, wrote: “Stop Trump, then remake conservative politics!”

I agree – and hope they’ll remake it without the Tea Party influence and without “hate politics!”

The Washington Post Editorial Board says: “Donald Trump sets a new record for economic recklessness!” Who would have thought that would ever be said of the Republican candidate?

In spite of all that I’ve written above and the pretty ugly picture I’ve given you of Donald Trump, I have absolutely no predictions about the out-come of this November’s elections.

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Can You Believe It, Charlie?

The writing appears to be on the wall. The 2016 presidential campaign seems to be set. I can’t imagine that either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be derailed. They will both be nominated to run for the office of President of the United States by their respective parties. Can you f’en believe it?
by Charlie Leck

Ted Cruz is still acting dopey – and I guess that's because he is! Poor Lyin’ Ted, as Donald Trump has baptized him, is still thrashing around, scamming and praying for enough support to derail the Donald; however, Ted’s body is getting colder and stiffer and he’s done. Bernie Sanders, a remarkable and good, good man, is also finished and layin’ off dozens and dozens of campaign workers.

With all kind consideration to Yogi and his laws of nature and competition (“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!"), these campaigns are over!

I, frankly, can’t believe it. It is the most remarkable political development in my entire life. Back twenty years ago it would have been more difficult for me to believe that a fella like Donald Trump could run for the presidency that it would have been to imagine a black man would reside in the White House.

Hitch up your pants and make sure you’ve got yer oldest, badest pair of shoes on – cause it’s gonna get muckier and smellier out here in the arena than you ever coulda believed. Yes, sireeebob!

This is a blogger’s dream! (Or nightmare!) Stay tuned! I’ll be writing three times a week between now and Election Day (8 November 2016).

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Someone was trying to ruin my stay in Manhattan!

I was in New York City (Manhattan) recently and riding in a cab up the West Side Highway, making my way to lunch at one of my favorite little spots (Arco Café at 103^rd and Amsterdam). I looked east, out of the cab window, (to my right) and saw a long row of tall buildings (apartment houses or condos) and one-after-another of them had the same word scrawled on the front of them in large letters – Trump!
by Charlie Leck

Of course, it’s nearly maddening to think of Donald Trump as President of the United States. I’m having a hard time believing his candidacy is really a serious effort. In other words, did even he think he really deserved to be president of the nation – that he could be a president of the nation – that he would have time in-between his golfing, rapscallioning and primping to be president of the nation?

Donald Trump is not even the kind of guy I would be comfortable having as a next door neighbor, let alone having him as the occupant of the White House. Imagine Donald Trump romping with all the cute little boys and girls at the Easter Egg Affair.

My lunch! My lunch! I thought about my lunch as the cab rolled by the big buildings! Has Donald Ross reached in and ruined my joyfully anticipated lunch at this wonderful Sardinian restaurant?

I’m a bit more relaxed now – a few days removed from the sight of that vile word scrawled across those buildings. It’s apparent that the Grand Old Party is not going to allow Donald Trump to be its candidate. Nor does it seem they’ll even allow the goofy U.S. Senator from Texas (silly Ted Cruse) to run for the office under its banner.

That’s what was behind a major speech by Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the other day, in which he tried to clear the air about some of the ill-thought-out comments he earlier made about “the poor” and the poor as “takers.” He’s trying to clear the way for a run at the top office in the land. Make no mistake about it!

“There was a time when I would talk about a difference between ‘makers’ and ‘takers’ in our country, referring to people who accepted government benefits… But as I spent more time listening, and really learning the root causes of poverty, I realized I was wrong. ‘Takers’ wasn’t how to refer to a single mom stuck in a poverty trap, just trying to take care of her family. Most people don’t want to be dependent.”

“…I was callous and I oversimplified and castigated people with a broad brush. There is a lot of that happening in America today.”

Yes, Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of “broad brush” talking coming out of the far-right wing of the Republican Party. Welcome, Mr. Speaker, to a place a little more to the center of political thinking. I won’t vote for you in a presidential race, but I won’t threaten to move to Canada if you happen to win. Deep down, I think you’re a reasonable person and that you really do have unselfish concerns for the nation at the heart of your thinking.

Now, sir, how about rethinking the whole business of not looking at the nomination of Mr. Merrick B. Garland to the Supreme Court of the United States? President Obama has very thoughtfully nominated an extraordinary man to take the position. Mr. Garland is brilliant and uncompromising in his defense of the U.S. Constitution. There is no better mind on the current court and he may be the most deserving nomination in the last 50 years.

At its convention in Cleveland this summer, the Grand Old Party will likely end up crowning Congressman Paul Ryan to run for president.

The campaign will be a civil one! Debates will be well worth watching. Democrats will reach deep into Congressman Ryan’s past speeches and he’ll need to admit stupidity and apologize – or, if he doesn’t, he’ll be soundly beaten. The debates won’t be dog and pony shows as the GOP’s current debates are.

And, I won’t develop an ulcer or blow a blood vessel.

And, Donald Trump can go back to managing his apartment houses and I won’t need to constantly be looking at that incredibly stupid hair-do of his.

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Ad Astra is Open Again!

I’m back because I can no longer stand to stay away. The primaries are already beyond the half-way point and soon it will be time for the conventions – and then the campaigns and the election. I’m so frustrated by the antics of Donald Trump that I just needed an outlet to let off steam and a way to present thoughts about what’s going on!
by Charlie Leck

When I closed up shop almost a year ago, I had a couple hundred faithful readers and many others who came occasionally by; and I was very flattered by that. At the height of the 2008 political campaign I had as many as 5,000 readers look in on the blog. I closed down, as I said in that final blog, because…

“As the pre-election polling results of the 2014 fall voting began to pour in, I became very despondent and angry. I felt enormous sorrow that so many Americans were beginning to find nourishment in the words and opinions of ultra-conservative Americans who I felt were foolish and often questionably motivated. America’s dash to the right at a time when moderation and courage were so desperately needed unhinged me in a very thorough manner.”

Back then it was a broken Congress that drove me to such remarkable levels of anger!

And now has come Donald Trump and I have been angered even further by his boorish and childish behavior as he runs for the office of President of the United States, as if it were just another adventure into business – as if he could bamboozle and scam the voters of the nation as he has skinned so many people in business. Need an example? Begin with “Trump University!” He scammed plenty of people for millions with that little adventure and the corporation is facing current law suits over it.

Yet, even more, I have been amazed at the number of people who believe in this bag of air, this disgorger of manure, this narcissist of the most dangerous order!

Somewhere, somehow this dangerous human being must be prevented from taking over the highest office in the land as if it were just another business that he could suck dry of its resources and then declare bankruptcy and walk away.

David Brooks wrote in the last few days (and I am paraphrasing): “This is the office once held by Abraham Lincoln!”

It was in that office, during my life time, that men of remarkably high caliber toiled faithfully on behalf of the nation – FDR, Ike, JFK, LBJ, RR, Bush father and son, Clinton and, right now, Obama! Each and every one of them treated the office with generous and loving respect.

I’ve spent a lot of time, in the last year, with a brilliant and important book by David Brooks (The Road to Character). I only wish to hell that Donald Trump had sat down with it and slowly allowed it to penetrate his mind and heart. (But I’ll say, in absolute honesty, that I don’t believe Mr. Trump is capable of reading and understand this particular book or any book that requires contemplation and resolve to understand.) Donald Trump is the antithesis of the people Brooks chooses to highlight for us that we may understand better the actual road that takes us to a place of high values and enlightenment –Frances Perkins, Dwight David Eisenhower and Dorothy Day.

Donald Trump could not begin to understand the crucial virtue of moderation – the kind of moderation that was an important part of the character of President Dwight David Eisenhower. That President was fully aware of the inevitability of conflict. Dealing with conflict with moderation, as Eisenhower did, is so much more helpful and productive than dealing with it in the angry and bullying manner of Donald Trump.

I’ve always taken for granted that the voters of the United States were looking for men and women of great character when it came to the presidency. When I see the hundreds of thousands of people who are jumping on the Donald Trump bandwagon, I must step back and question my own assumptions.

No longer do I care about the political party. I care only that men and women of great virtue lead our nation to the destiny in which the founding fathers so deeply believed. Donald Trump will not do that because he cannot!

“Moderation!” It is one of the traits that people of great character will possess. And, this is how Brooks defined moderation in his brilliant book.

“Moderation is a generally misunderstood virtue. It is important to start by saying what it is not. Moderation is not just finding the midpoint between two opposing poles and opportunistically planting yourself there. Neither is moderation bland equanimity. It’s not just having a temperate disposition that doesn’t contain rival passions or competing ideas.

“On the contrary, moderation is based on an awareness of the inevitability of conflict. If you think that the world can fit neatly together, then you don’t need to be moderate. If you think all your personal qualities can be brought together into simple harmony, you don’t need to hold back, you can just go whole hog for self-actualization and growth….

“Moderation is based on the idea that things do not fit neatly together. Politics is likely to be a competition between legitimate opposing interests… Eisenhower, for example, was fueled by passion and policed by self-control. Neither impulse was entirely useless and neither was entirely benign….

Brooks uses Eisenhower’s Farewell Address to the Nation as a remarkable example of this President’s sense of moderation. Ike warned against hubris, celebrated prudence and he called for balance.

For even a brief moment, does this sound like Donald Trump? Trump would, I am certain, fail, in addition to the moderation test, every single other examination that David Brooks’ book establishes to measure great character! Probably none of the current candidates for our nation’s highest office would pass these tests; however, none of them would fail as miserably as Donald Trump does.

Donald Trump must not be allowed to attain this high office. America is too great for that. Good and decent people must begin speaking up and aloud against the terrifying idea that Donald Trump might be President.

The Donald is Wrong Again

Donald Trump sent out a series of tweets that complained about the Electoral College, saying that Obama did not win the popular national vote. In fact, Obama did win both ways.

by Charlie Leck

President Obama, we now know, not only won 332 Electoral College votes (270 was needed for victory) but he also won the national popular vote by pulling in 61,173,739 votes (or 50.5 percent of all votes cast while Mitt Romney received 48 percent of cast votes).

So, it is with great pleasure that I announce that The Donald is incorrect again. He sent out a few tweets on Wednesday, calling for a revolution, a march on Washington and the abolishment of the Electoral College.

One of Trump’s rather insane and irrational tweets said this….

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
He lost the popular vote by a lot and won the election.
We should have a revolution in this country.

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All I’ve got to say is “Yes!”

One story in Thursday’s New York Times pleased me a great deal. Let me say that more strongly: “I took great pleasure from one story in Thursday’s New York Times.”
by Charlie Leck

Here’s the headline to a story in the New York Times, by Ashley Parker, that just really pleased me: “Little to Show for Cash Flood by Big Donors!”

I made that neat move that Tiger Woods makes after he sinks a 35 foot putt to win a golf tournament; that is, I pumped my fist with great vigor into the grand space of emptiness before me.

“Yes!” I shouted with great exuberance. “Yes!”

Sheldon Adelson was one of the big losers! The New York Times calls him “the biggest single donor in political history.”

“Yes!”

It appears that Mr. Adelson supported eight candidates “with tens of millions of dollars” through Super PACs. All of them lost on Tuesday!

“Yes!”

Karl Rove was the organizational genius who pulled all these mega-rich folks together and tutored them on how to funnel their money – perhaps as much as 300 million dollars – into various Super PACs that would then spend the money on behalf of the chosen conservative candidates. Rove has egg on his face today – egg that covers up completely that shit-eating grin that normal spreads across his kisser.

“Yes!”

One of those mega-millionaires spent approximately 100 million of her own dollars dollars on her own campaign. Linda McMahon, a Republican from Connecticut, spent the money on her own candidacy for the U.S. Senate. She lost!

“Yes!”

“The bulk of that outside money came from a relatively small group of wealthy donors, unleashed by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allowed unlimited contributions to super PACs. Harold Simmons, a Texas industrialist, gave $26.9 million to super PACs backing Mr. Romney and Republican candidates for the Senate. Joe Ricketts, the owner of the Chicago Cubs, spent close to $13 million to bankroll a super PAC attacking Mr. Obama over federal spending.

“Bob Perry, a Texas homebuilder, poured more than $21 million into super PACs active in the presidential race and the Senate battles in Florida and Virginia, where Democrats narrowly prevailed. A donor network marshaled by Charles and David Koch, the billionaire industrialists and conservative philanthropists, reportedly sought to raise $400 million for tax-exempt groups that are not required to disclose their spending.”

“Yes!”

“‘Unlimited contributions and secret money in American politics have resulted in the past in scandal and the corruption of government decisions,’ said Fred Wertheimer, the president of Democracy 21, a watchdog group. ‘This will happen again in the future.’”

“Indeed!”

On Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal, a piece written by Karl Rove placed the blame for the election loss on a number of malefactors; like, Hurricane Sandy (it’s possible we could identify that culprit more precisely as God), the editors of the nation’s major and influential newspapers (e.g., the New York Times, the Washington Post and the LA Times), that working stiff who captured Mitt Romney on a cell phone video talking about the 47 percent he didn’t care about, dirty tricks by Obama’s campaign and Mitt Romney (of course). Rove accepts none of the blame.

In a tweet on Wednesday, his royal hindass, Donald J. Trump wrote: “Congrats to @Karl Rove on blowing $400 million this cycle. Every race @CrossroadsGPS ran ads in, the Republicans lost. What a waste of money!”

“Yes!”

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Trumping Donald

If you think this is piling on – after the guy is down – you are absolutely correct!
by Charlie Leck

I don’t care for Donald Trump. I think he’s an enormous phony in both his personal and business life. He’s a master at adjusting the mirrors and fanning the smoke just enough to confuse what otherwise might be a clear view of his phoniness.

The latest, really great bad news for Trump comes from a Washington Post story in this morning’s (Sunday’s) newspaper: DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE’S AN ENVIRONMENTALIST; OTHERS BEG TO DIFFER.

If you want more reasons to detest Donald Trump, I suggest you read the story.

For some unknown, but likely deep-seeded psychopathic, reason, Donald Trump started building golf courses several years ago. They are always classified at luxury golf courses, reserved for the play of the very rich. He’s built them on both coasts and even in Scotland. In nearly every case, he’s made neighbors furious with his invasion of their back yards.

His escapade in Scotland inspired a documentary film, YOU’VE BEEN TRUMPED, that has been playing to sold-out crowds at a film festival in Toronto. Here’s a review of the documentary as it appeared on the Sheffield Doc/Fest web site.

“His terrible toupee might be a joke, but to residents of the Menie estate on the northeast coast of Scotland, Donald Trump is no laughing matter. The flamboyant billionaire businessman is determined to build the world’s greatest golf coast on their land, complete with a massive luxury hotel. The proposal should be preposterous – this is one of Britain's very last stretches of wilderness, and a protected conservation area. But the Scottish government, desperate to bring jobs to the region, have overturned its own environmental laws to give Trump the green light. Now Trump is running roughshod over anyone remaining in his path – including longterm residents whose homes threaten to mar the view. When local filmmaker Antony Baxter begins investigating the dispute, he finds himself abruptly arrested by police at Trump’s beck and call. This storyline might eerily mirror the classic film Local Hero, which was shot here, but for those interested in protecting Britain’s environment, there is no happy ending in sight.”

“I have a great environmental record,” Trump boasts. “I have a record that, in my opinion, everybody would love.”

Of course, the operative phrase above is: “…in my opinion!”

The Washington Post piece points out Trump’s tendency to fly in private jets, cutting down trees by giant groves for his golf courses and his call to strip Al Gore of his Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump built a 36 hole, very private and very expensive golf course near my home town in New Jersey. The construction destroyed many beautiful, mature trees and illegally (it appears) disturbed important wetlands. Trump brags about its bird sanctuary and the private walking paths across the property. A local, however, calls it “eco-Disney.” It requires 69 million gallons of water per year to maintain the course. The Upper Raritan Watershed Association says that strains the local aquifer.

Trump, of course, calls the claim bogus – even as he claims global warming is bogus.

This might be a story you’d like to follow and I can’t wait to see the documentary about Trump’s stupidity in Scotland; however, in all honesty I must tell you that a huge number of the reader’s comments about this Washington Post story call it whacko reporting by the liberal, biased press. Oh, my!

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