Fake President

Trump refers to media outlets (that he has dubbed the "fake news media") as "the enemy of the People ."

The phrase "the enemy of the people" has a long history that Trump may not know about.

Over the course of the last century, it has been used by dictators and autocrats to delegitimize opposition and dissenters.

It came into use in the modern period during the Third Reich's rule in Germany. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels referred to Jews as "a sworn enemy of the German people" who posed a risk to Adolf Hitler's vision.

It gained its widest use by Joseph Stalin. Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin used the term vrag naroda (enemy of the nation/people) to refer to those who disagreed with the ideologies pushed forth by the Bolsheviks. This could include anyone from clergy to writers to political opposition. Later coined by Stalin, such a designation meant immediate imprisonment.

"All leaders of the Constitutional Democratic Party, a party filled with enemies of the people, are hereby to be considered outlaws, and are to be arrested immediately and brought before the revolutionary court," said Lenin in November 1917.

The phrase lost popularity when Nikita Khrushchev came into power and denounced Lenin and Stalin's use of the term.

"The formula 'enemy of the people was specifically introduced for the purpose of physically annihilating such individuals," Khrushchev said in a 1956 speech to the Soviet Communist Party . Nina Khruscheva, Khruschev's great-granddaughter and international affairs professor at the New School in New York, told The New York Times that it was particularly shocking to hear the language of "state nationalism [that] is… the same regardless of the country."

Dialectical relativism.

Are we really living in a culture of moral relativism, shepherding a generation that no longer believes truth can be known? First, reject dualism!

Donald Trump’s affair with Stormy Daniels and the lies he told thereafter do not matter to the Cult of Trump – his true believers. Trump is forever as pure as the driven snow.

Right and wrong, good and evil are now measured by bias and opinion not observation and criticism. The new “truth” is no more than the autistic delusion of a totalitarian narcissist.

Redefining Truth is the strategy that the Trump/Putin partnership has in mind. It is nothing short of washing your mind! Trump’s perspective is the ONLY perspective (he thinks). All other perspectives are “fake.” (Melania watches CNN)

If truth exists, then Trump would not recognize it if it hit him in the ass with a wet mop!

You must be informed to evaluate the overwhelming evidence supporting Russian interference in the election of 2016 and other matters pertaining to our pathological liar-in-chief.

Trump tells you it isn’t there – Putin was Atom Ant (adamant) in his denial and Trump values that over the unanimous conclusion of the US intelligence community. Actually, Trump said Putin's Denial was “Extremely Strong and Powerful” because the word “adamant” is not included in Trump’s 4th grade vocabulary.

That federal investigation into Russian interference, headed by special counsel Robert Mueller, is still exploring whether associates of Trump’s campaign colluded directly with Moscow.

Trump has raged against the investigation, repeating his claim that there was “no collusion.” Mueller has yet to address that specific point.

You must cultivate your own perspective as Trump's attacks on the “fake media” are increasing.

You must not fail to VOTE – to participate in democracy (regardless of who you vote for). The decision you make is expressed in your vote.

The midterms are in November. Register and vote. This decision is timely and critical to our democracy.

retribution

I have heard the trumpster in the dumpster called a lot of mean, nasty, evil things.

I am finding it increasingly difficult to disagree with even one of them.

Trump threatened to strip security clearances from former officials who criticized him thereby signaling his willingness to abuse the powers of the presidency to retaliate against his detractors (as well as his contractors).

Among them are John O. Brennan, the former C.I.A. director; Susan E. Rice, the former national security adviser; and James R. Clapper Jr., the former director of national intelligence.

This marks an unusual politicization of a security clearance process by a wanna-be president.

Trump’s plan appeared to be an off-the-cuff idea — announced just after Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, suggested it to him — rather than a proposal. (Remember, Trump goes shallow.)

Two of Trump's targets, James B. Comey, who was fired by Mr. Trump as F.B.I. director last year, and Andrew G. McCabe, who was dismissed in March as deputy director of the F.B.I., no longer have security clearances as a result of their departures. (Trump is ignorant.)

Former high-ranking officials in defense, intelligence, diplomacy, and law enforcement usually maintain their clearances to advise those still in government. A clearance also helps departing officials get jobs at security contractors or similar firms. (Former Trump folks need not apply)

Trump threatened critics whose titles, experience, and access to the nation’s most sensitive secrets lend weight to their criticism of his folly.

“It is intended to punish and intimidate his critics and is shameful,” said Jeffrey H. Smith, a former general counsel for the C.I.A. He compared it to the so-called red scare of the 1950s, when J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who led development of the atomic bomb, had his security clearance revoked because of Teller.

But, there is probably little the former officials can do if the White House moves forward.

Mr. Clapper declined to discuss the threat but repeated comments he first made in an interview on CNN: “This is just a very, very petty thing to do. And that’s about all I’ll say about it.”

Michael V. Hayden, the former head of the C.I.A. and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush administration, said the removal of his security clearance would not affect “what I say or write.”

As unusual as the suggestion was, it reflects a remarkable dynamic in which so many former senior intelligence officials are willing to criticize the sitting president in public.

Senior intelligence officials are generally nonpartisan. During past administrations, they have attempted to maintain an apolitical posture, limiting their public criticism of current administrations.

But Trump routinely attacks intelligence agencies, portraying them as a deep state, an unelected cabal seeking to undercut him. Last year after a meeting with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump called Mr. Brennan, Mr. Clapper and Mr. Comey “political hacks” as he endorsed Russia’s denial.

After Trump stood alongside Putin in Finland last week and sided with him over the intelligence community to cast doubt about the campaign meddling, the trio repeated their denunciations.

Mr. Brennan, a fellow at Fordham Law School, called Mr. Trump’s performance “treasonous” and said it warranted impeachment. Mr. Comey, whose best-selling book portrays the president as a liar, tweeted that he “sold out our nation on an international stage.” Mr. Clapper, who serves on the advisory board of the Committee to Investigate Russia, mused aloud about “whether the Russians have something” on Mr. Trump.

Mr. Brennan “hasn’t made one penny off of his clearance,” said Nick Shapiro, the former deputy chief of staff at the C.I.A., adding that none of Mr. Brennan’s jobs since leaving government was contingent on his access to classified information.

The president’s animosity toward the six singled out by the White House, makes it next to impossible to continue working with their former agencies.

Security clearances are far more important for former midlevel officials joining the private sector. Before briefly joining the Trump administration, for example, retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, used his security clearance to help build up a lucrative consulting and lobbying business for clients like the government of Turkey.



The Obama administration was hesitant to work with George J. Tenet, the former C.I.A. director, or Paul D. Wolfowitz, the former deputy defense secretary, because of their roles in the Iraq war (a war built on lies).

But security clearances are revoked only for wrongdoing - like the theft of intellectual property.

“The normal drill is if you don’t like what a former official is saying,” Mr. Lewis said, “you don’t brief them.”

Trump’s Visits Devastate Small Businesses

Those who work at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, N.J., have come to expect lockdowns of the runway when President Trump visits Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. The flight restrictions during his stays have crippled the small aviation businesses.

The arrival of President Trump, and his weekend stay at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., where he spends time in the summer brings flying restrictions for the full duration of his stay.

Trump’s visits to Bedminster have upset the aviation world in New Jersey, one of the busiest clusters of local airports in the country.

Each time the president visits Bedminster, the federal authorities implement temporary flight restrictions, or T.F.R.s, which creates a no-fly zone within a 10-mile radius of the golf course throughout his stay.

The restrictions affect nearly 20 private airports and the dozens of related businesses and aeronautical services from aircraft parking and rentals to flight training, fuel sales and maintenance.

These restrictions have crippled the aviation businesses and may force some to fold, airport owners said.

“It’s been devastating,” said Bill Fritsche, who said he was facing tens of thousands of dollars in lost fuel sales and other business at the 100-plane Alexandria Field Airport that he co-owns in Pittstown, N.J., a roughly 13-mile flight from the golf club.

Chuck Owen, co-owner of Skydive Jersey, based at Alexandria Field, said his sky diving charters have been greatly reduced by the additional flight restrictions banning sky diving or balloon flights within a 30-mile radius.



Going into last summer, he said, he was handling 140 customers per day during weekends with the help of a 14-seat plane. Since the presidential restrictions last summer, his company has defaulted on the plane’s lease.

“We lost more than $800,000 in revenue last year because of Trump,” he said, citing sky diving and instructional flights canceled… on short notice.

He said he and Mr. Fritsche presented a lengthy report last year to the white house, claiming the sky diving operation posed no security threat and offering to vet pilots, students, and instructors. White house officials declined.

“Trump’s attitude is: Everyone must defer to him; he owns the sky; and we’re not entitled to use it at all.”



Trump is an Obama wanna-be.

Trump Logic

Trump’s Logic of “The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend”

Wiki: The enemy of my enemy is my friend is an ancient proverb which suggests that two opposing parties can or should work together against a common enemy. The earliest known expression of this concept is found in a Sanskrit treatise, the Arthashastra, which dates to around the 4th century BC.

The Cult of Trump has taken this proverb to heart. Here is their logic. Hillary Clinton is an enemy of Trump. Hillary is an enemy of Putin. Trump is my friend; therefore, Putin is my friend.

This alternate reality fueled by alternate facts makes Putin the friend and the free and open press “the enemy of the people.” Fear and hate drives foolish people to illogical conclusions. Trump actually has no friends but he is in denial about that. And so is his Cult.

Without any doubt, Russia disrupted the last election under orders from Putin. The only question remaining is: “to what extent was the Trump election team involved?”

Hillary does not matter anymore. She lost by her own errors. She was not the logical choice in either the primary or the general election. Between bad and worse, worse won. (Elizabeth Warren should have been the candidate)



Trump and Putin have Hillary in common as a perceived enemy. Come on, guys!

Asked whether he would consider extraditing the 12 Russian intelligence officers accused of hacking the DNC during the 2016 presidential election, Putin fell back on whataboutism and accused U.S. intelligence officials of helping Browder funnel $400 million into Hillary Clinton’s campaign. “We have a solid reason to believe that some [U.S.] intelligence officers accompanied and guided these transactions,” Putin said.

And, in this alternate reality, using seriously flawed logic, that is enough for the Cult of Trump. What could possibly top that?

A free and open press is the enemy of enslaved and closed minds (e.g. like those of Trump and his ilk)

Lie 2K!