Reince - Be Honest for a Change, Wouldja?

Okay - I'm confounded, I'll admit it. After all, I'm 'just' a voter. Sitting here, in my kitchen as I write this, it looks like Reince Priebus and his puppet masters are just making things up as they go. This day it's this, the next day it's that - all in an effort to suppress the will of the American voter.

I'm registered with the party of my choice, have been for years. Now I'm holding my nose until June 8th, fighting the waves of nausea brought on by that party's dishonesty and malfeasance. I'm hoping that the nausea won't rise to levels that will overwhelm me - June seems a long way off.

When June 7th comes I'll go out and vote. Which means standing in line and taking time out of my day and life just as tens of millions of others have done this year. Even though I have other things to do, things I need to do and want to do, I'll take however long it takes to go vote, because I think it's important.

On June 8th I will go down to my local post office, and I will pick up a new voter registration card, and I will leave the party of which I have been a (formerly) proud member for nearly forty years. I will re-register as an Independent. I will not sully my soul by staying in the pig sty of Republican politics for one instant longer than it takes for me to vote for Donald Trump in this primary.

But given recent events - what happened in Colorado, the buying and selling of delegate votes in Louisiana and Arkansas and other states - I'm not sure it is important any more.

Across America, millions of people have put their lives on hold for hours at a time - some for five or six hours or longer - to go caucus or stand in line to vote. They voted. The majority to date have said they want Donald Trump to be the next president. In the Republican race, he has won more contests than any other candidate. He's got about two million more votes than Ted Cruz, but all of that might not count.

Ted Cruz is out buying - yes, folks, buying - delegates. And I do not give one little tiny rip that he says he's not, that it's all by the rules.

Call it whatever you want to call it, but buying is when you give someone something in exchange for something else. You give the supermarket your money in exchange for your groceries. That is buying.

In this case, Cruz is buying delegates by promising them things or giving them things. He is shopping through the election aisles for delegates - all sitting on their shelves and waiting for him to make an offer - $1.39 for this, $5.59 for that - and when he gets to the checkout (Convention), he will pay for them.

Delegates should not be commodities easily bought and sold by the highest, sleaziest bidder - they should be required to represent the voices of the people who sent them to Cleveland - and not on just the first ballot. Bound delegates should remain bound for at least two ballots to give the process a chance to work as the candidates buy, sell and trade the souls of those people who are there, allegedly, to represent the voters who got them there.

And I do not give the least little rip if it's a swag bag loaded with expensive gifts (legal) or political favor (not legal). It is precisely the same thing because in the final analysis, it is an exchange: For this I will give you that.

I just wish to Heaven that Reince Priebus would find his spine long enough to shush his puppet masters and then be honest.

Go ahead, Reince, tell all of those tens of millions of people who voted for Trump in Iowa and New Hampshire and all the other states that it was just a show, that their time, their energy, their passion doesn't count for anything.

Instead of wasting our time, our passion, our energy and attention listening to the people who are in front of us as candidates, just tell us flat out so there is no misunderstanding, that there is no point in us even paying attention to this circus. Then we can turn off our television sets, ignore the political ads, and just stop paying even lip service to this. We can go back to living our lives, walking the treadmill of futility all so we can get nowhere.

We can go back to being the hopeless lab rats the RNC and GOP see us as. Sitting in our cages of economic despair, just waiting for the next tax to fall on our shoulders, the next corporation to close its doors, our hope for ourselves and our children and grandchildren to turn to desert dust as we are put out of work while employers move overseas.

Who gives a good goddamn if American citizens live or thrive?

The GOP doesn't. Their actions make it clear they don't.

The RNC doesn't - they are conniving and colluding with other people not even in this race, hiding behind closed doors, working hard to thwart the will of the Americans who have gone out to vote, who have made it clear that we, the People called out in the Bill of Rights and Constitution, want Donald Trump as president.

The Washington Elites don't. Of course they don't because a non-politician, someone who cannot be bought and sold, manipulated and controlled is going to upset their apple cart.

You know what, though? I. Don't. Care. I don't care what they don't want.

From the preamble to the Bill of Rights all through the Constitution, We the People have the power to rule our lives.

This is, as it has been from the outset, a government of, by and for The People - and if the RNC, the GOP Establishment and the Elites don't get it, they shouldn't be surprised if this bloodless revolution they are seeing in the voting booth becomes something else. They will have brought it on themselves.

So, c'mon, Reince - just take that deep breath. Tell us none of this matters, that it doesn't count for anything.

Or get the Hell out of our way. Stop trying to manipulate us and our government - follow the will of the People and tell the delegates that they are not for sale. That they have been entrusted by the voters and are obligated to us.

Now - put up or shut up, 'k?

Philippa

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Sorry - Baby Watch Is A Distraction

Yes - my daughter is on the cusp of making me a grandmother. Dammit.

Don't get me wrong - I am excited for her and for her hubby. It's just that I am too young to be called grandma. Nana isn't in it, or gammie or anything sweet and cute and barfable. I don't know what I'm going to go by, but it ain't gonna be grandma. Sorry.

The situation is made more frustrating (far more for her than for me) by Braxton Hicks. The other day she was having regular contractions for several hours. Four minutes apart by the time she called me. I got all geared up, poised to rush to the birthing center when I got the next call. The stupid things had tapered off and stopped. Grr.

When I spoke with her late Monday afternoon, the poor thing sounded so downhearted I wished I could be right there to give her a big hug, but I wasn't so I sent (and am still sending) heartfelt good thoughts - hoping things gear up again soon.

Which is all why I didn't do anything with this for the past couple of days. That and the fact that I've been nervous about the election. That's what led me to post my letter to The Donald on Sunday.

Yes - that epistle is simplistic, but that was and is from the heart and from the level of someone who's probably an average voter.

What made me nervous?

The spotlighting of childish behavior by the media - which I am DELIGHTED to note Trump has stepped back from. Since stepping back and leaving that nonsense to Rubio, Rubio is now the one who sounds like a three-year old calling his big brother names and stomping his feet because the adults are ignoring him.

There's Cruz out and about telling people all sorts of stuff. Some of it, based on what I've seen and heard, is totally fabricated (lies). Other stuff that's borderline fabricated and a small amount that's true. What's concerning to me is how much of the fabricated stuff will stick?

Like the illegal Polish workers that Trump did not actually hire, but were actually hired by a contractor to Trump's company.

Like Trump's alleged softness on the border. (WTF - the New York Times records an off the record meeting and then leaks it!??? Despicable and an utter breach of trust!) I do not believe, after all these months and all the declarations there is much wriggle room there. Perhaps the height of the wall. Perhaps the process for people who have been here and have behaved could be slightly different than the total unknowns. I don't know. Trump does say all things are negotiable, but I still trust him to build the wall and to get Mexico to pay for it.

Like the David Duke / KKK thing, etc. which brings me to the ongoing media dust-up over David Duke and the KKK. Before this weekend I had no idea who David Duke was or is or what he's affiliated with. Being someone who doesn't listen to others when it comes to making judgements about people, I would have had to ask, 'who's that?' Which sounds pretty much like what Trump did.

On Friday, during an interview (which I didn't see so can't speak to), the media grudgingly admits he did disavow the KKK - rightfully so. But! Somewhere along the way he was asked about an endorsement from David Duke that Trump didn't specifically and separately disavow.

Again, I don't know all the details because, frankly, it's a tempest inside a child's teapot. The press is just looking for anything they can throw at Trump and then point with quivering index finger while they shout, 'see! see!' This is another example of desperation, and they are winding it up as much as possible.

As for the question and answer during the interview, Trump says it was a faulty earpiece and background noise that kept him from hearing the entirety of the question. I wasn't there so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. No matter what else he might be, Trump does strike me as being honest. Which makes it easy to accept he's telling the truth.

Since the weekend, I have been pleased to see a bit more detail in his plans. Not as much as I'd like, but some. Monday night, on Sean Hannity's show on Fox, for instance, they talked about the wall and healthcare. He expanded a tiny bit on both subjects. Not a lot, but enough to satisfy me.

After all, Trump has studied Patton and McArthur, and he's probably read Sun Tzu at least a few times. He knows that surprise is the greatest element in any battle, so disclosing all of the details might give someone else an idea they didn't have previously - something that could swing the balance. Keep your mouth shut, cards close to the vest, and have your plan ready to go.

So Trump is now looking more adult, more presidential, which are both good things. It seems he's going to participate in the next Fox debate on Thursday evening - I hope he does because he has got to face the people no matter which yapping dog is bouncing around and snapping at his ankles.

Hopefully, Kelly will be the consummate professional I know she's capable of being, and will stick to the issues instead of asking petty, airhead 'gotcha' questions that are so annoying.

Last night, after the results of Super Tuesday were almost all known, news was breaking that the Republican Establishment has jumped from worried to frightened. The news is they are starting to raise funds (spending other people's money, instead of their own) to put together a SuperPAC to undermine Trump.

Note two things with that: instead of pooling and spending their own money, as Trump has done for this campaign, these donors are asking you for your money. Do you see the weirdness factor here? I suspect they have bigger paychecks than you or I, yet they want us to spend our hard-earned money for something they want to do. Clue: it's how the rich got to be rich, get other people to pay for it.

Anyway. On one hand, we have a man spending millions of dollars of his own money to run and win and election. On the other, we have a bunch of powerful rich people who are holding out the begging cap, hoping the middle class and the lesser rich will fill it. What is up with that? Why can't they spend their own dinero? It's just weird.

As of yesterday morning, Trump had eighty-two delegates. Ted Cruz had seventeen. Rubio had sixteen. This morning, Trump has 265, Cruz has 161 and Rubio is still in double-digits. The winner, to avoid a contested or brokered convention has to have at least 2,383 delegates of the 3,383 possible. Trump is looking good but could, potentially, still lose if the wheels come off. Particularly if he doesn't do well - look and sound calm, unifying and presidential - during Thursday night's debate.

When Trump walks onto that debate stage on Thursday, if he can hold it together, rise above the yapping ankle biters, be clear and calm - showing a presidential demeanor despite the childish name calling and flat out lies of the others, he could be in a good position to get to the convention with the 2,383 delegates he needs. If he does, the asphyxiated brainiacs from Washington won't be able to contest it. After yesterday, there are several more races with proportional allocations, but then we'll hit the winner takes all states and that will shoot the delegation count up for whoever wins those races.

Me? I'm still nervous. I want President Trump.

Why? Because he's a doer, not a talker. He's got experience in the real world where the rest of us live. He is, so far as I can see, honest. Rough-around-the-edges? Hell yeah! But that makes him more real, less slick, less rehearsed and groomed and it's a refreshing change. If we wanted more slick, rehearsed and slimy, we could go with Cruz or Rubio.

For heaven's sake, look at Ted Cruz - surely you recognize him from the local used car sales lot, right? Rubio looks and sounds like a little kid. He has no clue about how to be tough. He sounds petulant not presidential.

As for Trump, for all the months, since he got into this fight cage, he's been saying he's a uniter. This Thursday and the days after will be a good time to start showing that capability. When he does, and if he's effective in doing it, I'll relax a little. There are still some peculiarities swarming under the surface which could have impacts, but we'll see what happens.

What's interesting / amusing / not surprising is that a lot of in-the-know political types who pay close attention to this kind of stuff appear to be supporting Trump on the sly. They protest and shout and scream along with the others but then, when the time comes, they slide into the voting booth and pull the lever for the man they've just decried.

Dishonest? Yes, but it's politics in America. If you're political and if you have power or position because of your politics, you're not going to slit your throat in public by coming out for the 'wrong' candidate. You'll shout and give lip service to the Annointed One - Rubio - but then turn around and do what you think is right. Which makes it funnier than ever.

All of the Establishment and Brainiacs are pushing Rubio - who has won all of one state. He still doesn't look like he's going to win his own state of Florida where Trump is leading him by double-digits according to the polls. Yet, at the same time that Rubio is being used as a mop head by Trump and Cruz, he's out there declaring he's in the race and he's going to win, by God! Well, yeah. If something were to happen to Trump and Cruz.

But let's not tempt Fate - there's plenty of precedent for that. I just hope the Secret Service detail assigned to Trump has come to like and admire him enough to put his life and safety ahead of the machinations of their political masters. But loyalty is a strange animal and it's another worry that makes me nervous.

So, I'm back to baby watch and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Best~
Philippa

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