No, Obama Is Not Alone In Continuing Public Life

Former President Obama’s eternal critics are losing it, again. See Obama is daring to stay politically active. The critics assert Obama is breaking with precedent. They’ll tell you all former Presidents leave public life after office.

To bad the eternal critics have not learned how to use Google and educate themselves. If they did they would discover they are completely WRONG. Continue reading “No, Obama Is Not Alone In Continuing Public Life”

Anti Vaxers & The Anti-Science Myths That Will Harm Us

Until recently I had written off “the anti-vaxxers” as alarmists. A few years back I watched Jenny McCarthy eloquently present her case that vaccines caused her son’s autism. As a parent, I needed to know if there was any scientific foundation for her fear that a routine immunization caused her son’s autism.

A quick Google search led me to copious amounts of data that debunked her fears(here is a good quick fact sheet by the World Health Organization). Still curious, I talked to my kids’ pediatrician. He was annoyed at the attention talk shows and the news media were giving McCarthy and others that shared her views. He reassured me vaccinations were not only safe but prevented life threatening childhood diseases. Continue reading “Anti Vaxers & The Anti-Science Myths That Will Harm Us”

If You Are A Syrian Refugee in the US

Yesterday, President Trump signed new executive orders that ban entry into the US by citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for at least 90 days. These orders also halted the US refugee program for 4 months.

The EO banned all refugees from Syria. From a review of social media sites it is clear the vast majority of Americans don’t have a clue what the US does to clear a refugee before they are allowed into the country. Syrian refugees are vetted using the most rigorous standards.

If you are a Syrian refugee currently in the US  you:

  • Are a woman, child, elderly(over 60) or have a severe medical condition
  • Were subject to a lengthy screening process conducted by the United Nations including multiple interviews to determine where in Syria you are from and who you know. You also had your iris scanned to establish your identity.
  • Were subject to a 24 month screening process coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security that included:
    • background checks by the FBI Terrorist Screening Center, Department of Department of Defense and other departments within DHS. These checks included checking your fingerprints against US and International terrorist data bases and a detailed review of all of the countries you visited or applied to visit, ever.
    • In person interviews (multiple interviews) are conducted by specially trained DHS personalized.
    • Paid the US Government back for your plane ticket here within 6 months

We live in a dangerous world. It is easy to fall into the trap of being scared of everybody. In this case, a quick Google search can go a long way to easing those fears. The results of that Google search can help the average American understand why our refugee program has resulted in far less violence than countries in Europe.

Perhaps President Trump should use Google more and Twitter less.

Trump Is Messing With Texas

President Trump is setting a collision course with Mexico that threatens to derail the Texas economy. Too bad the average Trump supporter has no clue of the danger.

Look at social media and you have Trump supporters cheering  ending NAFTA, building a border wall and placing a 20% tariff on the approximately $60 billion in surplus imports will be GREAT for the US. (The $60 billion represents a trade deficit of approximately 10% of total trade of $584b with Mexico).

Meanwhile, trade experts and economists will tell you none of this is actually good for the US. Continue reading “Trump Is Messing With Texas”

Trump Fails To Work With U.S. Ethics Czar

Last week PEOTUS Trump announced his long promised plan to rid himself of his conflicts of interest. Trump is placing his operating companies into a trust and turning over the day to day operations to his two sons. There are a few more details but that’s the gist of it.

Attorneys who specialize in government ethics including lead ethics attorneys from the Obama and Bush administrations Norm Eisen and Richard Painter and Harvard Constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe, were not impressed.

Their opinions and I’m paraphrasing: “You can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig”.

Continue reading “Trump Fails To Work With U.S. Ethics Czar”

Trump and His Broken Tax Return Promises

The lack of transparency displayed by President Elect Donald Trump including his refusal to release his Federal Income Tax Returns is unprecedented in modern Presidential history. His failure to uphold his promise to disclose his Federal Income Tax Returns has left the American people blind to conflicts of interest our President Elect may have.

The financial disclosure requirements for Presidential Candidates is inadequate. Last week it was reported that President Elect Donald Trump under reported his debt obligations by almost $1 billion.  The Wall Street Journal reported this could represent severe conflict of interest issues for PE Trump. Continue reading “Trump and His Broken Tax Return Promises”

Obamacare – Why Don’t Republicans Have a Replacement Plan?

After 7 years of demanding that Obamacare be “repealed and replaced”, Trump and the Republican’s still have nothing concrete to replace Obamacare.  What is the problem? Why can’t Republicans deliver a replacement plan?

The answer is pretty simple and quite ironic: Obamacare co-opted all of the Republicans best ideas. Republicans are out of ideas because President Barak Hussein Obama stole them all.

Continue reading “Obamacare – Why Don’t Republicans Have a Replacement Plan?”

Putin’s Puppet – Delegitimizing Trump

Yesterday, one of the many political talking heads asked if there was a story line emerging on the left to delegitimize Trump’s Presidency.  You know something similar to Obama’s birth certificate that could be used to whip up a frenzy of Trump opposition.

Shockingly no one gave the obvious, blaring, glaring answer – Putin’s Puppet.

Continue reading “Putin’s Puppet – Delegitimizing Trump”

Obamacare – How It Is Failing

We’ve looked at what Obamacare is and who is currently benefiting. Now how is Obamacare Failing.

Continue reading “Obamacare – How It Is Failing”

Trump Selfishly Clings To Conflicts of Interest

We’ve all heard the excuses about why President Elect Trump can not be expected to fully resolve his conflict of interest issues including:

  • Ethics and conflicts of interest laws don’t apply to the President
  • Trump’s businesses are too VAST
  • Trump shouldn’t have to give up everything to be President – it’s just not fair. Besides voters knew Trump owned these businesses.

Here’s the reality –

Continue reading “Trump Selfishly Clings To Conflicts of Interest”