Yes, Begin Impeachment Proceedings

To much has been made about Robert Muller's appearance, but Muller was always more of a bureaucrat than an advocate. But let's look at what we have on the Trump administration so far.

*Paul Manafort-Trump's campaign chairman convicted on tax and campaign fraud

*Rick Gates-Manafort's deputy pleading guilty to conspiracy against the US

*Michael Cohen-Trump's lawyer, guilty of tax fraud and bank fraud

*The shady Trump Tower meeting of 6/9/2016 involving Donald Jr. and Jared Kushner

*Everybody knows that the Russians interfered in the 2016 election and continue trying to interfere in American elections.

Under any other circumstance these facts would indicate conspiracy (not "collusion.") House Democrats should proceed with impeachment hearings against Trump. In 1998 House Gopers impeached Bill Clinton over a lousy blowjob. Donald Trump is obviously guilty of something worse. But what if Senate GOPers block impeachment? Let them be seen covering for Trump's crimes and see what happens.

Tolerance Must Be Mutual

Kathy Zhu, an obnoxious Trumper and bigot, just lost her title of Miss Michigan for making racist and Islamophobic tweets. Zhu now claims to be a victim of "discrimination". As if being a bigot were her "right." The racists who rally around Trump are making an absurd claim that they are not racists even if they make racist remarks. If you make racist remarks, or defend those who do, then you are a racist. Those who practice intolerance have no claim to tolerance themselves.

As Karl Popper wrote:

Less well known is the paradox of tolerance: Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. — In this formulation, I do not imply, for instance, that we should always suppress the utterance of intolerant philosophies; as long as we can counter them by rational argument and keep them in check by public opinion, suppression would certainly be unwise. But we should claim the right to suppress them if necessary even by force; for it may easily turn out that they are not prepared to meet us on the level of rational argument, but begin by denouncing all argument; they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols. We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.

The Space Race Was A Waste of Money

This week is the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. Everybody is treating it some big accomplishment but if you stop and look at it the whole thing was a waste of money and time. The cost of the Apollo program from 1961-73 was $25,400,000,000 which in today's money is about $153 billion. At about the same time the Vietnam War cost the US $161 billion which in today's money is about $969 billion. With the money that was squandered on the space race and the Vietnam War we could have instead provided everybody with free healthcare, free college, and maybe even free housing.

The space race was actually a horse race between the US and the USSR. When the Cold War ended the space race became pointless. Also the costs no longer seemed worthwhile which is why interest in space exploration died. George W. Bush talked about going back to the moon and more recently Trump has also talked about it. But the costs/benefits ratio no longer seem compelling to a debt ridden America. The only ones who benefitted from the space race were a few white guys.

It Rained On His Parade

Last Thursday we saw Trump's disgusting attempt to turn the fourth of July into an electoral rally. Trump wanted a totalitarian rally with tanks and missiles rolling down Pennsylvania avenue. But it rained. Trump had to hide under a shelter less his comb over wouldn't collapse. He then gave a rant--don't call it a speech--where he reached new depths of incoherence. He mentioned something about airports during the revolutionary war. WTF? Even Trump's Russian "friends" made fun of the whole affair. It was really pathetic.

Trump and George III

As we get ready to remember the Fourth of July, it would be a good idea to read the Declaration of Independence and notice how much Donald Trump has in common with George III (aside from the puffy facial features.)

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.


For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

And finally:

. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.