Bethlehem is Christmas

Bethlehem

The official and only Christmas City for the entire United States of America. 

Having lived here for 34 years I should be bored by Christmas in Bethlehem but I am not.  Every year I get excited.  Granted I have off street parking.  But, it is so much more than that.

It is Christmas in Bethlehem!

Main Street is full and when it snows it is almost magical. 

The police horses are meeting & greeting tourists and keeping the peace.

The horse drawn carriage rides are running non stop and you can ride around Bethlehem pulled by a Princess's coachman - with the Princess herself.

And, what would Christmas in Bethlehem be without the Hotel Bethlehem.  There is not a hotel that does Christmas better!

Today, as we were walking north on Main St. we heard someone say "Walk to the corner and turn around"  the women's parents did and then we heard "Oh my God it's the star of Bethlehem"  her parents, with tears in their eyes hugged each other and stood there holding hands looking down Main Street.

Speaking of holding hands - since I am spending a lot of time on Main St. these days I have witnessed a lot of  same sex couples holding hands or walking arm in arm.  How great is that?

Christmas is a week away you still have time to experience the joy that is my fair city at Christmas!

Stop The Hallelujah Nonsense

We all know Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.  It is song that has been sung by some of the greatest voices of our time.  We all know and love the "Hallelujah Chorus" portion of the song - sometimes it sounds hopeful, sometimes it sounds mournful and sometimes it sounds spiritual or religious.

I have never understood why this amazing and brilliant song is used on Christmas soundtracks and I never understood it is used at times of national mourning or as a song meant to bring us all together and lift us up.

Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah is about........  Wait for it.......... are you ready? ...........

Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah is about - what almost every Leonard Cohen song is about......

The hardship of love.  How painful love is.  How difficult love is. Unrequited love.  The ability to feel the same love another person has for you.  The inability accept love.  Wanting love but knowing you will never feel it.  The inability to give your love fully, truly and completely.  To Leonard Cohen love is a bleak and brutal landscape that must be walked across but every step is painful and in the end you will be left alone.   And, you know that it is going to all happen again.

So, I am begging you do not use this song during your religious program, do not use this during a community gather of hope and recovery.

The only thing this stunningly beautiful song unites us in is that we have all been hurt by love and we have all hurt others in love.

Leonard Cohen in performance

Hey Hey Ho Ho Sal Panto Wants The Days Inn to go

My old friend and current excellent Mayor of Easton Sal Panto has made no secret he wants this hotel to not only be closed but torn down and ripped from the memories of Easton's citizens.

The Days Inn sits on what could be argued one the most important intersections in the city.  At the bottom of the South Side and the Eastern beginning of Downtown.  It does need to go. This shabby place has not been a place for tourists, business travelers or local events for quite a long time.  Back in its early days (I don't remember what chain it represented then) it was a really modern, well run and a place where you were happy to recommend to out of town guests.

Back in the day I attended many weddings, anniversary parties, campaign and charity fundraisers at the hotel.  Cocktails by the indoor pool (sometimes it was a little steamy) and then dinner in the main ballroom. The bar was dark & woody and good place for political deal making and quiet conversations before, during and certainly after the event.

Candidates used it for kick off events and election night parties.  State wide and national candidates used to visit it for fund raisers. It attracted crowds unwilling to drive "all the way to Bethlehem" for events at the far more elegant Historic Hotel Bethlehem.  Plus, Easton is the capital of Northampton County so it was a logical site for politicians of both parties.

The final use of the land has yet to be decided but regardless it appears Mayor Panto is going to take the first ceremonial sledge hammer to this shabby eyesore in early January. Sal does look pretty dapper in a hard hat.

Easton does need a hotel somewhere in it's downtown area.  It needs it for Lafayette parents & alumni, business travelers and tourists.  Easton does have some very good event spaces but somehow attending / hosting an event at The Hilton Downtown Easton has a certain panache to it.

What do you think?

Come to Bethlehem

http://bhda.org/sidewalk-sale-tips-tricks/

I Have Given Up!

Because I am so politically aware, and because I take the long view of American progress and I have thought about this nation's political history I am usually the one my non-political friends come to for advise and comfort after a big election does not go as they (we) hoped.

On this blog I think my most used expression is "This great republic"  and by that I usually mean - we are better than our current political leadership, we have survived a crisis in the past or just a general our country will be fine.

After Trump won enough electoral college votes to become President of this great republic I could not be the comforter to my friends. I could not promise them that this great republic would be safe or even survive under his leadership.

For the first time in my life I began to doubt that this nation's future was going to be better than it's past.

A racist was elected President
A failed businessman was elected President
A TV reality game show host was elected President
A man married 3 times was elected President
A man who bragged about grabbing women by the pussy was elected President
A man who did not understand why we did not use nuclear weapons more often was elected President

I tried to bring comfort to my friends, I tried to say this great republic would survive but I just could not.

But, then I saw congress was incapable of fulfilling his mission and I gained a little hope.  Maybe if we just do nothing over the next 4 years this great republic will hang in there.

And, then Charlottesville happened this weekend.

Today during a summery of events on CBS Sunday Morning I started to cry.

It is 2017.

Racism is thriving in this country.
Bigotry is thriving in this country.

Often after overtly racist events occur politician and pundits say "We are better than this"

Clearly we are not "We are better than this".

If we were Charlottesville would not have happened.

I no longer have hope for our future.

I have given up.

We will no longer a great republic.

We will no longer be the indispensable nation.

We will no longer be Ronald Reagan's Shining City Upon a Hill.

Donald Trump and his racist supporters will destroy this nation and I can think of no way to stop them.

Another Letter to Trump

Friday, August 11, 2017

Trump; 

Wow!  Are you 12 years old?  "Locked and Loaded"  I am sure even the most radical member of the NRA is laughing at you for that.  When was the last time a weapon was "Locked and Loaded"?   It is so funny you trying to sound all tough and shit.  You are a joke.  You seem hell bent on taking this nation to war. 

Why is that?  When your nation called on you to serve you ran and hid behind your illegal immigrant mother and claimed to have problems with your feet, yet you played tennis and golf.  You are such a weak coward.  You claimed the military academy your parents sent you to (to get you out of their home) was better training than actual service in the Army.  You are just pathetic.

"Locked and Loaded"  every time I think about your fat little fingers on your orange little hands tweeting those words I convulse into laughter & tears and then I stop to think about the harm you and your grifter family is doing to this country, I get angry and feel compelled to write you again.

How much money has your filthy family made off your trips to your "Exclusive and Private" golf courses in the last 200+ days?  The fact that you are making the taxpayers of this country pay for all of this just shows how little you really care about us.

Just writing this short of a letter is painful - the fact that someone as vulgar, crude, rude, disrespectful and childish as you is President of this great republic is even more painful.

You are weak.

You are a failure

dcf

A Letter To Trump

If I were to write a letter to a person elected President of the United States I would start it Dear Mr. Ms. President.
I would have done that for President Nixon, President Reagan and President Bush (the younger) three men who I never supported or liked but because they were President I respected them.  Trump - I can't even refer to him as Mr. Trump but that would show some level of respect, something he has not earned and does not deserve.

So here we go.

Donald C. Flad Jr

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Trump;

I am writing this because I am sick of you, I am sick of thinking about you, I am sick of worrying about the harm you are doing to this this great republic, I am sick of talking about the harm you are doing to the world's formerly indispensable nation.  Your very brief Presidency has been sickening.

You comment on the figure of the First Lady of France.  Who are you to comment on how someone looks?  I mean really Trump have you looked in a mirror?  You are not by any stretch of the imagination attractive, your hair is ridiculous, you have a very strange skin color, you may be obese (have you seen the pictures of you in the golf whites you like to wear?  Your hands are oddly small for a man so fat and tall and they way you use them in the odd flapping way is just strange. You are really kind of gross.

I am sick of your children (normally I leave family out of my political discussions but your family is different).  I am sick of Ivanka pretending how pro LGBT she is when you prove at every opportunity how much you despise LGBT people.  I am sick of her husband's pre-pubescent voice as he whines his innocence.  He went to meeting with a non-citizen promising campaign information about an opponent - that is illegal and probably treason.  Oh and boo hoo to Donnie junior whining about how hard his grifter life has been since Putin helped you win the title of President.

I am sickened about the money the taxpayers are spending so you can golf and so your "wife" does not have to live with you.

I am sickened that you are already on your second Chief of Staff, your second Press Secretary, your second National Security Advisor and your second Secretary of Homeland Security and you have not reached the 200 day mark

I am sickened that every time you give a "non-campaign style speech" the group you speak to has to apologize because "The President of The United States"  was vulgar, crude and lied.  I mean really Trump your really weird performance before the Boy Scouts was really appalling.  The fact that you think you did a great job makes it even worse. 

The fact that so many of this nation's police departments had to basically say after your speech to police on Long Island last week "Oh hell no!  This idiot does not speak for us"  speaks volumes to what an dumb ass you are.  Again, it was just so visually odd with you flapping your little orange hands through out the entire speech. 

Watch your speeches Trump - no one will ever compliment you on your figure, skin color, hair or hand size or intellect. 

Your Tweets; the spelling, the grammar, the use of ALL CAPS, over use of !!!!!!! - a 13 year old mean girl's tweets are better structured, better thought out and far more interesting.  Where are you when you hold your smart phone in you little orange hands and use your obese little orange fingers to send out these thoughtless, clueless, OK stupid little tweets.  The sad thing is you think you are making/setting policy with these peculiar 140 letters of insanity.  In reality you are confirming how you are in over your head and you have no idea what you are doing.  

The fact that you do not understand how this great republic's three separate but equal branches of government works is unbelievable.  Did you really go to The Wharton School?  Anybody who graduated from Penn would know how the U.S. government works and you do not.  Is this just another one of your lies?

The fact that you lie about shit that is quickly provable as a lie and then never back down from the lie is a clear example of how unstable you are.  I mean really here are some examples 

The wife of the Japanese PM does not speak English - A Lie 

Your inauguration had the largest attendance EVER! - A Lie 

Your electoral college margin was one of the biggest ever - A lie

Your businesses have no Russian investors - A lie  (your beloved namesake says otherwise)

You claim you have passed more legislation than any previous President.  A lie but please prove me wrong - please try 

Kellyanne Conway (ConArtist) says that you believe in an alternate truth.

You did not think health care was so difficult to understand.  And, according to many reports you never understood the legislation working its way through Congress.  The fact is you do not care about anything other than you was so clear during the health care debate.  You would have signed anything just to say you signed it. 

And, how did the insult to John McCain turn out for you?  Did you really you think insulting a genuine American hero would not be responded to.  I mean really, John McCain willingly would have given his life for this country and you played golf during those same year. 

You once said that your military academy experience was tougher than actual military service and your learned more from it. Because your parents sent you to boarding school is not the same as boot camp.  Did it ever cross your mind that your parents may have sent you to boarding school because they hated you and did not want you around?  Or, maybe they were embarrassed by your thinning hair and oddly small hands.

North Korea is more belligerent than ever - it is because of how weak and clueless you are.  You blame China, you blame Russia.  What country are you going to blame next?  Albania (shout out to my twitter pals for this reference).

Iran is all up in our joint like they haven't been for more than a decade.  And, it is all on you chubby.

I could go on and on and on and I know that my usual group of cowardly tea baggers who use fake names will respond to this blog post in their typical juvenile way .  If history predicts the future they will respond like 8th grade boys.  

 I am sick of you Trump, this great republic is sick of you and I am going to try really hard to blog about some things that matter to me from now on......

Gin

Sushi

Downtown Bethlehem

South Side Bethlehem

Bethlehem

Easton

Meals on Wheels

Third Street Alliance for Women

Health Care

Homeless Vets

Hunger

Civil Rights

Martin on Main Festival

LGBT Business Council 

Homelessness

Climate Change

How much I loathe the Eagles and Phillies

Pleated pants

The best hamburger ever 

Sashimi

RuPaul's Drag Race

The weather

Gail Hoover - Realtor 

How hot Tom Brady is - and Gisele 

How I can set my alarm to my garbage pick up

We are! Penn State

Award season red carpet hits and misses

It rained today

What song I am going to "do" and next years bash

Can I find a better bow tie than Tony Iannelli

Should I run for State Senate

Is it gravy or sauce

It's not the heat it's the humidity

In fact, Trump I am so sick of you and sickened by you that I really wish I never had to think about you and your disgusting family ever again.

......................................................  Having said all this I do not want you to leave office before your term is up because that would make Mike Pence President and he is smarter and more politically astute then you which makes him more harmful to the nation I love so much.

Sincerely 

Donald C. Flad Jr

OMG - Obama's Buy Home in DC

Former President Barack Obama and his wife have decided to buy the sprawling Tudor style home  built in 1928 they have been renting since they left office in January.  They originally rented it so they would not have to uproot their youngest daughter from high school.  Or that is what they said.  Now that they have decided to stay in DC, what could they be up to?

• They just like DC because it is a majority African American population (you know they hate white people)
• It's a big house that sits up on a hill so they can sit on their porch and look down their noses on the neighbors
• It is around the corner from Ivanka & Comrade Jerod and they want to spy on them.
• They figure when Michelle runs for President in 2020 the move won't be that difficult back into the White House (which they will rename the Black House)
• They are planning a coup with all those liberal generals and it will just be easier if they stay in town

Why else would they buy a home in DC?

Pro Violence Anti Democracy = Trump

Trump's hatred of the First Amendment and violent rhetoric about the press brought about this development.

The very Pro-Trump GOP Candidate for the lone House seat in Montana attacked a reporter.  He of course claims it was the other way around but witnesses and tape proves other wise.

This will be just a small part of the Trump legacy.  Violence against anyone who dares to challenge Trump's authority over us.  Violence against people who question their actions.  Violence against anyone who is not like them or with them 100%.

He shares national security secrets the despotic and dictatorial leaders of Russia and the Philippines.  He rejoiced in the victory the soon to be dictator of Turkey. 

The health care reform bill he supports will leave another 23 million Americans without health care within the next 10 years

He is vulgar, he is crude, he is undemocratic, he is a shake down artist as it benefits his extended family.

He did not know that Israel is in the Middle East and anyone who reads his almost psychotic tweets knows he can't spell.

He is shallow, he thoughtless, is unfocused and he is unconcerned about the well being of the people of this country.

He is the single most unqualified man to ever live in the White House.

And, now we have learned that his third wife can't stand his touch or so it would seem sense she seems to recoil in disgust (or is it fear) every time he tries to hold her hand. 

"But, her emails!"

Trump Has a Secret To Tell You.

Trump tells the Philippine President strategic secrets about where 2 of our nuclear subs are positioned.  What is wrong with this man?  Does he think letting world leaders we can not trust our secrets makes him a strong leader?  Or, is he so immature and just can't control or help himself?

Either way he is clearly unfit to lead this nation.

And, in other Trump news

Trump hiring a private lawyer to handle his side of the Russian investigation is probably a good idea .

Is anyone else exhausted by this man and the people around him?

Good Bye

Anthony Weiner to Plead Guilty to Resolve ‘Sexting’ Inquiry https://nyti.ms/2qAAMx0

The Trump Disaster Continues

Former  FBI Director Mueller puts nation first.  Leaves his cushy private practice to ensure the truth is found about Trump, Russia and other things that will or have been turned up by the investigation

The GOP leadership suspected Trump of being a Russian paid prostitute for quite awhile.  When the House Majority Leader denied making this statement he was told that The Washington Post heard the tape of his statement.  And, then silence from him and his office. 

The Republicans know Trump is a crook, they know he is a liar, they know is not qualified, they know he is not mentally fit for the job, they know he and his extended family are benefiting from his being in this office, they know he acts like a child, they know is delusional, they know he is shallow, they know he is not engaged, they are embarrassed him.

And, they think that the 38% of the voters who still believe in him may be enough to get them re-elected since Democratic turnout in mid-terms is very low.

Each week there is a new scandal caused by the Trump himself and yet the leadership of the Republican party stands by their little handed, orange man child.

I Knew President Nixon......

I was teenager when President Nixon was President and Trump is no President Richard M Nixon.

President Richard Nixon claimed that the Watergate was made up and his enemies were just out to get him and that he was not involved and he said "I am not a crook".

Trump has claimed all along that the Russia connection is made up and his enemies are just out to get him and he is not involved.  "Comey told me 3 times I was not a target of the investigation".  That is something every person familiar with FBI procedures says would be unlikely that Comey would use those words.

I am not ready to compare Trump to President Nixon. 

President Nixon was smart

And, a dedicated public servant.  President Nixon believed that government could be used to solve our nations problems - he created the EPA and The School Lunch Program, open the diplomatic door to China and attempted to dial back the tensions of the Cold War.

Trump is vulgar, incapable of thinking of anything our anyone but himself, emotionally immature and delusional. 

And, probably stupid.

President Nixon was brought down by his self doubts, his desire to loved by the people and his need to prove that he was as good as a Kennedy.  For Nixon winning was about how he could serve and be a great President. His fear of losing one more time lead to Watergate.  Don't get me wrong President Nixon was not a good man but he was multiple heads and shoulders better than Trump.  Nixon believed in America - Trump believes in Trump

Trump has no interest in the best interest of the country.  His campaign was about his ego and nothing else.  He said what he needed to say but he does not believe in this country he has no desire to help it to a better future he just wanted to be elected President.

That's it.

Trump's ego is so fragile that is does this

President Nixon's crimes were severely damaging to this country and they came after losing Korea,  the cultural change brought about by Civil Rights movement, the murders of John, Martin and Bobby and Vietnam. The American people were already doubting it's institutions and his abuse of the government powers convinced people that our government was not there for us and the results of President Nixon's actions were deeply damaging to the national unity and we have never recovered.

Trump on the other hand does not care about national unity, the meaning of our institutions.  He is not a democrat (note the small d), he admires dictators and as he is sitting alone in his bedroom (since the First Lady refuses to live with him) channel changing between Fox, CNN & MSNBC to see what they are saying about him he thinks about how great it would be if he did not have to deal with Congress and defer to the authority of the Judiciary.  He clearly has a man crush on Putin, is effusive in support of the soon to be dictator of Turkey and invited the murderous President of the Philippines to the White House. 

There is growing evidence that he, his children and in in-laws are using his position to line their pockets.  Maybe by the time he is no longer living at taxpayer expense he actually will be a millionaire. 

President Nixon was despicable Trump is a grifter.  President Nixon served this country Trump serves himself and his extended family. 

Clearly President Nixon had his demons but Congress and the courts stepped up to defend the nation from them.  Trump's demons seem to be much darker, the courts have stepped up to defend the nation, the GOP controlled Congress thus far does not seem ready to defend the nation from this man.  I hope they do but I have my doubts that men like Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan have what it takes to do so.

I miss Everett Dirkson and Barry Goldwater

Trump Swooning Over Putin

This proves Trump is a weak President

His boss, the real President Steve Bannon (an internet troll and the guy who controls Trump's every move) is doing everything he can to encourage Putin.

And, Donald Trump is just an old dog who wants to please his master.

President Bannon hates this country and loves Putin's Russia.

Of course Putin would flex his muscles.

Did Trump swoon? 

He is all alone in that big old White House (his wife won't live with him) - I am sure as he was sitting there in his pajamas and bathrobe and he was impressed with his mentor's (Putin) audacity and strength.

Trump Pleases His Masters & His President

Either Donald Trump is in bed with the Russians or he and his advisors are clueless or just flat out stupid. 

The day after Trump fired the FBI Director he has leaders of the Russian diplomatic team in for a private Oval Office meeting.  Granted it was already scheduled but the optics of it in light of the Comey firing it was a little cringe worthy.

Since this was a high level meeting of course it was private.  Or was it?

It was indeed private but only to the U.S. media but it was open to the Russian media. 

You know the tool that Putin uses to spread all that fake news the Trump supporters, Fox News and unenlightened nitwits who are Tea Baggers actually believe, they were given exclusive rights to coverage something at our White House.  American news outlets were barred.  And, there was not one complaint from Tea Baggers and their puppets (GOP controlled Congress).

Why do Tea Baggers and Republicans love Putin so much?  Do they hate democracy?  Do they love dictators?

Yes, yes they do.

If Donald Trump was not in bed with the Russians than why was their state controlled media allowed inside the Oval Office and our national media outlets were not?

He needed to appease his masters. I am sure President Bannon is well pleased with his old dog.

This And That

 Another example of Trump as a bad businessman but it is good news for the economy of Atlantic City.

It's stories like this that I love NPR and it is now my primary news source but it is these culture stories that are the most interesting.

In vulgar, privileged wealthy white people news.

Of course the big news of the day James Comey & James Comey &James Comey

Clearly the Old Boys Club is just that, there are no women on the Senate's GOP health care committee

"Trump Has A Dangerous Disability"

George Will's recent Washington Post had that as a headline.

I used to like him even though I disagreed with him I thought he had an honest view of conservatism and how he could serve this country.  He always seemed to be fair. 

And, the Obama was elected and something happened to George Will.  He became a little odd - almost unhinged.  He went to Fox News and then he became irrelevant.

And then Donald Trump happened and he became interesting again.

At least this column was interesting.

Trump on North Korea

He wants a war - it will prove

1. That his penis is not small
2. He is a real man
3. His hands are not small

What will happen when North Korea uses a nuclear bomb?

How will Trump respond?

How will Spicer mangle up the spinning of it?

Will Kellyanne ConArtist wear her inauguration Gucci uniform?

I am making fun but this is serious - Trump is gunning for a war.  Why? 

 

Liberals Hate Obama Making Money

I call bullshit -  liberals are bemoaning the fact that President Obama is going to get a big paycheck for speaking in front of the "Wall Street Crowd".

Making money is bad?
Speaking to people who disagree with you and getting a bad ass paycheck for it wrong?

It is these people who helped deliver the White House to Trump.
How many of them voted for Putin loving Jill Stein ? 

I say you go Mr. President!  Speak the truth to the people who need it most. 

A few things this week

She is a racist, she is anti-Semitic, she is the islamophobias poster child and she is Donald Trump's candidate of choice for President of France.  Marine Le Pen

Will Trump allow the Treasury Secretary to continue to block Exxon from circumventing the U.S. sanctions?

In Putin's Russia this is happening and only Nikki Haley seems to care.  Imagine that? Doesn't Mr. Trump admire Putin? 

In happy news
Bette Midler is getting rave reviews for Hello Dolly







 ,

Justin Chaffetz To Not Run Again

I suppose when you no substance and can only play the attack role. It's not as much fun as it was before so he is walking away.  Few people will miss him.

Jason Chaffetz, Powerful House Republican, Won’t Run in 2018 https://nyti.ms/2pCbGed

Kylie Minogue - Get Outta My Way

This is the video in case Ivanka killed the last link

I Let Them Win

This is a Kylie Minogue video from a few years ago. It is the gayest video I have ever watched and it is fabulous.

Why am I posting this?

Fuck You

I stopped blogging because the only comments I received were from Tea Baggers, Closet Cases and people who hate Bernie O'Hare Jr and all are cowards because not one ever used his/her real name - my favorite is "Earl Grey"  I mean really.  It's not even a good drag queen name.

Anyway!

I am back and just as effete, just as snobby, just as pretentious and just as sure that I am right about everything!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHGaW8lBlSk

And, if this video link did not work - Blame Ivanka.  (The great enabler)

dcf

My President........

In 1980 there was no one who campaigned harder for the re-election of President Jimmy Carter.  I went to DC for the summer and then to the convention on my own dime to support him.  His re-election was the only thing that mattered to me and I thought if he was not re-elected the nation would fail.  President Carter was our President, the President and he was my President.

President Carter lost

I opposed everything President Ronald Reagan stood for and opposed every one of his proposals but he was elected President and therefore he was our President and I always referred to him as The President and always called him President Reagan.

I campaigned my ass off for Walter Mondale in 1984 - He lost - President Ronald Reagan remained our President and Nancy remained our First Lady.

1988 - I supported Dukakis and Poppy Bush won - During his presidency I referred to George Herbert Walker Bush as our President, the President and President Bush.

1992 - A candidate I voted for becomes President so of course I referred to William Jefferson Clinton as our President, the President, President Clinton and My President.

Eight years later a man wins the presidency but not the popular vote.   He won because he won the Electoral College

None the less I referred to George W. Bush as President Bush, our President and the President.

Our, My, The President Barack Obama was elected in 2008.

So, given this history it would seem to be logical that I will refer to Donald Trump as our President, the President and President Trump.

I can't

And, I am bothered by this

But, I just can't

It is not because he lost the popular vote by 3 million votes (GWB lost it by less then 300, 000)
It is not because he is shallow
It is not because he is thin skinned
It is not because he is petty
It is not because he has small hands
It is not because I am opposed to everything he stands for
It is not because he is vulgar
It is not because he is violating the Constitution by gaining wealth from foreign governments

It is because he mocked a man with a physical disability, his clear history of disrespect for women
and because he led the birther movement. 

The birther movement sought to discredit and nullify the first non-white President. A black man was elected President and Donald Trump spent eight (8) years leading a movement to call this man a foreigner and an illegal President.  It was the darkest and most vile movement in American politics since the Joe McCarthy era.

My not supporting Donald Trump does not mean I want this nation to fail and it does not mean I do not love this great republic. 

I have clearly been respectful of President I thought were wrong on every issues. But, they were not racists who attempted to deny a citizen his right to the Presidency

Trump is the legally elected President of the United States so he is this country's President

I will never refer to him as the President
I will never refer to him as President Trump
I will never refer to him as our President

And, he will never ever be my President.......... A vulgar racist will never be my President


++++ NOTE:
Barack Obama won with far more popular votes and electoral votes then Donald Trump and attendance at his inaugural was bigger - much much bigger as are his hands

Anne & Howie

I was going to blog about Trump - but that can wait.

Two people I was honored to call my friends died this week. 

Anne Andes and Howie Gelbert.

When ever I saw Anne or Howie I always smiled.  Anne because she was just so nice and Howie because he was just so goddamn funny.

They were both kind, smart, generous, supportive, compassionate and really just amazing people. 

They loved and were loved by their families and friends - I can't imagine anyone who could find anything bad to say about them.

I learned from them and admired them for their capacity to care and to give back. 

They were both the very best of people.

I really can't find the right words to describe my sadness and I really can't find the words to describe how wonderful each was.

I am honored they considered me a friend and I will miss them both terribly.