I have been reluctant to write about politics and current issues during this pandemic. Out of respect for the health and economic concerns of people, I have held my voice yet may events have been happening that clutch at my conscience. I have chosen six events that jump out for me, fully realizing that you, the reader, could add dozens more. Some of these events have been percolating for a long time, even before the pandemic, but the damage is still actively chipping away at our democracy. The trump regime and its minions, under the cover of the pandemic, are continuing to demolish the social contract that has been a basis for our living together and caring for one another.
Here we go:
1. The DOJ is still actively seeking to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. There is presently a case before the Supreme Court and if it rules against the ACA, then that health care plan could cease to exist. There is no alternative plan to replace it. All this is happening during the coronavirus pandemic. There could not be a worse time to eliminate health care for millions but Trump and Barr march on. This seems for me to be Trump’s obsession to eliminate any trace of that black guy (what was his name now?). I am sick and tired of this blatant hatred and racism continuing to exist just to salve a very small ego.
This is the real Donald Trump.
2. Court appointments of ridiculous white men continues. The latest is Justin Walker, 37 years old. He has been appointed by Trump to the U.S. Court of Appeals on the D.C. circuit. He has previously been rated unqualified by the ABA. He has never prosecuted a case in his life.
This is the real Donald Trump.
3. Trump has advocated for the addition of the entertainment tax deduction as part of his solution for the economic woes caused by the pandemic. It had been previously eliminated. He has stated that a lot of these (his hyperbole again) restaurants will have a hard time reopening without this tax deduction. What will it do? It will allow top tier restaurants to allow for business expenses (i.e. three martini lunches). I am sure Trump restaurants are what he had in mind to be the first in line for this. Do you think it includes any of the family restaurants or diners that most people will be going to will benefit from this? (That is a rhetorical question.)
This is the real Donald Trump.
4. Trump’s EPA is going ahead with rolling back President Obama’s mpg standards and there is his old racism raising its ugly head yet again. When the pandemic is over we will have fleets of high mileage SUV’s hogging the road again.
This is the real Donald Trump.
5. The captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Captain Brett Crozier, has been relieved of his command because of a letter he sent that expressed concern for the health of his crew. Some of you may have seen the video of his crew’s response to his leaving. The dismissal was done by the acting SECNAV, Thomas Modly. (Google his image – he looks, and acts like Howdy Doody. Seriously.) Modly has gone on to call the captain ‘stupid’. Let us be clear – no acting secretary would do something like this without the tacit approval of the president. Even with Trump’s mealy mouthed answers to this dismissal, you can be sure that he is behind it.
This is the real Donald Trump.
6. The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has faced a ruling that its land is no longer sovereign land. Such a ruling has not been issued for almost a hundred years. Why now? The present Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt, who was previously an energy industry lobbyist, issued this ruling. He took over the Interior Department from Ryan Zinke, who was forced to resign because of ethics complaints. The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has land in Massachusetts and they want to build a casino on their land. Eighteen miles from there, in Rhode Island, there are two casinos owned by men close to trump. Now, without sovereignity, they cannot build a casino. You many want to argue against casinos and that is legitimate – for another time. I would like you to focus on the corruption of the trump administration looking to reach out and help their friends. This is also a case of a Cabinet Secretary who would never make such a move without the tacit approval of the president. By the way, the lobbyist for the Rhode Island casinos is Matthew Schlapp. You may know the name. He is also the chair of the American Conservative Union, and a trump apologist who appears on many of the news networks. Google him also. You will recognize him.
This is the real Donald Trump.

Please feel free to generate your own list! There is an election coming up in November that we have to keep our eyes on. I suppose trump may try to find a way to cancel the election, but from what I have read, election or no election, the Constitution is clear that he must vacate the White House if there is no election. Who knows? Nancy Pelosi may become the next president!