Liberal

*A few weeks ago Bill Maher tried to explain to the panelists on his HBO program why it will take someone already famous and popular and charismatic to defeat Trump in 2020, and suggested that one of the few people in that category is Oprah.

Not surprisingly the politicians on the panel belittled that idea as quickly and harshly as possible, not wanting to acknowledge that it could be necessary to call upon a non-politician to do a politician’s job; protective of their jobs and situation in the uneasy manner contractors display when homeowners suggest doing their own repairs instead of calling upon the contractor’s expertise.  Of course Mr. Maher could not have been more correct or insightful.

Much of Trump’s initial support was a result of him being a TV personality.  Had it not been for his established fame not only would he not have been elected president … he would never even have been invited to the debates or received the nomination.  He certainly wasn’t a credible politician – or even a credible human being.

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*Our Founding Fathers lived through the wrongs of Europe and knew what they wanted for this country. No one is above the law or our Constitution. No one.

In 1999, part of the media and religious groups focused on Bill Clinton’s infidelity as justification for initiating (charging him) his impeachment. The House charged him with perjury and obstruction of justice. The Senate needed 67 votes to remove him ended up with only 50 and 45 votes to remove him from obstruction of justice and perjury respectively.

Under Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution, the House of Representatives has the sole power of initiating the process of impeachment. The House drafts the articles of impeachment of a President based on any charges of the constitutional standard of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

The Constitution’s Section 3 grants the Senate the sole power to bring to trial all impeachments and convicts or dismisses the charges based on the articles. It takes the concurrence of two-thirds’ of senators to convict and remove an official. To date, no president has been removed from office by impeachment and conviction.

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*Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is!  It’s funny how things stay with you.  Vietnamization will end U.S. involvement in the war.  Even if you’re a kid and you don’t really understand, if you hear something often enough it becomes part of who you are.  Never has it been doubted that everything’s better with Blue Bonnet on it, or what kind of kids eat Armour hot dogs or that Jesus died for our sins or that America is the greatest nation on Earth.

Some of these are ingrained in us before we have any chance to understand what they mean, never mind question them.  Whether we hear them on TV, in church, at school or at home, if words are repeated often enough, long enough, they become part of who we are; and we believe them.  How else can you explain prejudice?  Kids get along fine until someone important in their life tells them why they shouldn’t.

BTW: Fat kids, skinny kids, kids that climb on rocks.  Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chicken pox love hot dogs.  That old commercial could never run in 2018 because of the words used to describe the kids.  Try calling a child fat, skinny, or a sissy and prepare to deal with an onslaught of anger from whoever happens to be standing near!  The words matter.  Now more than ever before.

Insidious: proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.  treacherous; crafty.  

The two most important words in the American lexicon are Fake News. 

The president repeats them more often than beer commercials during a football game.  Keep Reading