July 17, 2017

We keep hearing about Trump needing to hold his base -- but how big is his base?

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Trump received the votes of just 26 percent of the voter eligible population, and Clinton received 26 percent as well. A whopping 48 percent voted for neither.

It appears to me Trump can hold onto every single voter who supported him in the 2016 election and still get his posterior kicked by the right opponent. I use those last two words because I am sure we all as individuals have our own idea just who that opponent should be. Not wanting to distract from the essence of this thread by generating heated discussions over who should take him on, I ask you to just reflect on the fact that it appears a myriad of contenders could throw him onto the mat with ease....

And just that thought will help me sleep better at night.

Sam

chart from https://mises.org/blog/26-percent-eligible-voters-voted-trump

July 9, 2017

Is it as easy as 1-2-3 to facilitate the Russians penetrating US voter registration rolls?

or are these three subjects simply coincidences....

Watch your step.

Step one: on the subject of Russia attempting to access voter information rolls in the summer and fall of 2016

In Illinois, investigators found evidence that cyber intruders tried to delete or alter voter data. The hackers accessed software designed to be used by poll workers on Election Day, and in at least one state accessed a campaign finance database. Details of the wave of attacks, in the summer and fall of 2016, were provided by three people with direct knowledge of the U.S. investigation into the matter. In all, the Russian hackers hit systems in a total of 39 states, one of them said.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/us-news/2017/06/13/russian-cyber-hacks-us-electoral-system-far-wider-previously-known

Since the hackers did not get all they wanted, perhaps they took a look at the next step.

Step two: perhaps a surreptitious collaboration can, under cover of a joint cooperation, supposedly be formed to allow those who hack to "work" with those who are unknowingly the target of the attacks.

"The establishment of a working group as reported by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to study how to curb cyber interference in elections in which the Russians would play any role, would be akin to inviting the North Koreans to participate in a commission on nonproliferation," Schiff said in a statement Friday. "It tacitly adopts the fiction that the Russians are a constructive partner on the subject instead of the worst actor on the world stage."

Lavrov's proposal comes amid a new CNN report that cites US intelligence officials who say Russian spies, emboldened by the tepid response to their hacking activities from President Donald Trump and the Obama administration, were increasing their efforts to collect intelligence in America.

http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-putin-cybersecurity-hacking-syria-lavrov-adam-schiff-2017-7

If publicity snuffs this asinine proposal for the Russians to get what they want, go directly to Step 3.

Step three: If at first one does not completely succeed try a different route:

The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity's vice chairman, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, sent a letter to each state Wednesday asking a series of questions soliciting feedback about election administration, voter fraud and the integrity of the process. CNN obtained a copy of the letter sent to Maine's secretary of state.

Kobach also requested that each state provide "publicly available voter roll data" as allowed under each state's laws, which could include full names of registered voters, dates of birth, party registration, last four digits of Social Security numbers and voting history. (bold emphasis added)

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/30/politics/kris-kobach-voter-commission-rolls/index.html

Are these series of events simply coincidences or might the voter registration rolls from the states ultimately end up where one might least expect them, unless of course that is in the hands of hackers.

Think about it.

Sam

June 23, 2017

Let's put names and faces to the phrase "top 400 richest people"

This Forbes article is from October 2016, but for purposes of this discussion, that will work.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2016/10/04/forbes-releases-35th-annual-forbes-400-ranking-of-the-richest-americans/#10401923502f

Check out these people listed who it appears will be receiving a tax break at the expense of poor and disabled citizens losing their Medicaid coverage if the Trump administration is successful in "repealing and replacing The Affordable Care Act." You will have no problem recognizing many if not most of these names and faces Forbes presents in its article.

What prompted me to take a look was wondering simply if Donald Trump was listed. What do you know!

Quoted from the article:

"Donald Trump fell 35 spots to No. 156 this year. Trump is worth $3.7 billion, down $800 million from last year, largely due to a decrease in New York real estate prices and new information about his holdings. Forbes presents an asset-by-asset breakdown of his empire. Forbes has been tracking The Donald’s fortune since the debut of The Forbes 400 in 1982. His fortune is real, though by no means approaching the $10 billion that Trump continues to maintain he is worth." (bold emphasis added)

What a coincidence

If one can get past the simple barbarism of depriving the least fortunate of our citizens of their Medicaid coverage (which I believe those who are simply decent human beings cannot do), how does one justify a so-called President of the United States authenticating this bill when he himself will financially benefit from it? There is a word for that but you may choose your own -- mine is unrepeatable.

Sam

June 16, 2017

Dirty Laundry

It is worth noting that repeatedly washing one’s dirty laundry can eventually clog one’s drains. Once that occurs, it is necessary to hire a plumber. Good plumbers are very expensive. The mechanics of clearing the clog can cost more than one is willing to pay.

On the other hand, failure to remedy the clog in the pipes causes leaks. Serious leaks also necessitate expensive repairs by good plumbers. Otherwise, simply continuing to wash the dirty laundry without repairing the existing problems eventually can cause one’s pipes to burst.

Money laundering in particular is a dirty wash capable of effectuating a devastating bombshell. At that point, one has nothing but an unintended Watergate.

Sam

May 13, 2017

"Va. Democrat Northam ramps up energy in bid for governor, calls Trump a narcissistic maniac"

As a voter who lives in Maryland, I suddenly desperately feel the need to find a way to vote for this candidate for Virginia Governor -- his pitch is rather pithy!

Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), vying to be the next governor, is often called low-key. Genteel. Even dull.

Not so Friday night at the annual St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) that drew about 1,200 people — and every Democrat running for statewide office — to the ballroom of the Kena Shriners Temple in Fairfax County.

In fiery remarks that sometimes bordered on shouting, Northam twice denounced President Trump as a “narcissistic maniac” in a four-minute speech frequently interrupted by cheers from a crowd decked out in green hats, ties and shirts and a smattering of blue Northam stickers.

“We have a fight on our hands, and I want to let you know tonight, I’m ready for the fight,” Northam said. “We need to make sure that that narcissistic maniac doesn’t come anywhere close to Virginia, and we need to make sure together that we take Virginia to the next level.”

(bold emphasis added)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-democrat-northam-ramps-up-energy-in-bid-for-governor-calls-trump-a-narcissistic-maniac/2017/03/18/6ba5c48a-0bd8-11e7-93dc-00f9bdd74ed1_story.html?utm_term=.3e09fa857729

It might be careless to talk about him so enthusiastically when I know nothing else about him, but for just this moment let me say:

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light.
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.*

Sam


*http://tacomaweekly.tripod.com/Irish-Quotations.html