Thursday, February 25, 2016

In Trump's Mind; You're a Loser

By Chuck Marshall



Ironic Fact:  "To fool or deceive" in French is translated "Trompe"


Let me first confess my position.  With all due respect to his ambitious plans for an "amazing wall"  and his plans to make us all winners.......such winners that we're "going to get sick of winning"......  I don't understand a vote for Donald Trump unless the voter has no need for any real solutions.  I have not heard one yet from Trump.  

If you listen to Trump, a lot of his positions are actually business savvy and make sense to  frustrated Americans looking for answers, but they are woefully short on solutions that could really be implemented.   He vents.  The  best example of that is the impossibility of deporting all 11 million illegal immigrants back to their origin as soon as he is President.  Yes, he could enforce the law more strictly (and he should)  but due process is a necessity that he conveniently leaves out of his tirades.   Trump (and now Cruz!)  is only too happy to let uninformed Americans believe that power would come to him miraculously as President (don't ask him how!).   Really the only way he could maneuver that would be if he became a tyrant through some sort of collapse in our government and then proceeded to order it done by his military minions.   That is, of course,  unlikely but with the ego we've witnessed in Trump I'm not totally convinced it hasn't lurked around in his gigantic head.  "Telling it like it is" is all fine and dandy but the power and ability to do these things you rage displays his lack of experience and, to be perfectly frank, his lack of intelligence.  Still, a huge percentage of Republicans seem to follow him like the Pied Piper.  On they march right over a cliff.


Republican voters around the country need to think about this really hard as they have a decision to make in the next month.  Do you  really want such a person representing your party in the general election ?   He is already known and the majority of the public has made up their minds about Trump.  He is an egomaniac, he's crude, he's inexperienced, he's not eloquent, he holds a grudge, he mocks disabled people, he disrespects women, he feeds off anger, he argues with the pope, he provokes the Muslims, he alienates our allies, he's a poor winner, he's a poor loser, and in some ways he's just plain "weird".   To a large  extent, you can decide whether or not Hillary Clinton will be our next president because I doubt his ability to beat her given his personality and lack of experience.   She waits and watches as Republicans vote with rage for her favorite option.  You are on a chess board and you can see the opponent's queen lurking and waiting.  Don't move the pawn to expose your King in the very next move for a check -mate.  You have a choice to make, don't throw a glass of water on the fire and expect to save your house.   You have a choice to  make, don't try a quarterback sneak when a field goal would win the game.

My fellow Americans, I know that if Trump read this blog he would call me a "nobody" and a "loser" and any other personal insult he could come up with.  Don't think for a moment he thinks anything more of you.



Friday, February 19, 2016

Reality TV with Real Consequences Part 8

By Chuck Marshall



Senator Marco Rubio - Republican (Florida)
The Next President of the United States

So, here's why I think this should be;

Intelligence

I have never seen a candidate with such quick answers, and with such consistently effective debating abilities,   He knows what he is talking about regarding foreign affairs and the way our government works.  His knowledge is encyclopedic.   You cannot run this country effectively and/or turn it around from its chaotic path  if you are just a "slick politician".  We have had too many of them !  I see Marco as just plain smart with sterling leadership skills.  

Some people say he speaks too fast.  I think he just has a lot to say and only few minutes to say it. Notice Ted Cruz has no problem pausing.  Why?  Because he has nothing intelligent to say in the first place.   Besides, everyone in Florida knows Rubio just has a Miami accent.  They speak fast when they're excited.  They are Latin and they talk fast !    Relax folks,  he slows down in "one on one" interviews.

He speaks Spanish.  That might not matter to a lot of the  lily white Republican party members, but it is going to make a huge difference in the general elections when Marco can answer questions in heavily Latin communities while his opponent cannot.  And don't tell me Ted Cruz speaks Spanish !   All you have to do is look at a video of the last debate with his sloppy counter-attack to Rubio's comment about his lack of Spanish skills with a garbled sentence in Spanish.  What was that ?   It sounded like a 8th grader reciting a dialogue in Spanish class !

Likability


He has a telegenic smile that will wilt Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton.   If you want the Republican candidate over the Democratic candidate then you want Marco Rubio.  Who would, in contrast, want to look at Bernie Sanders' bottom teeth for the next four years ?   In addition, I think it can only help our country if the President is liked by people.  The President is a salesman,.  He sells our country to foreign countries, he sells his ideas to Congress.  You cannot sell anything if people despise you.  Look what has happened with Obama, "the community organizer".  Obama has never understood that he is essentially a salesman.,   He has been under the mistaken idea that he is our King.   What has the King gotten done?   Practically nothing unless you count his "executive orders" that circumvent the  constitution and can be easily deleted by the next President.   The President must be liked and he must sell his ideas to Congress and the opposing party in order to be effective.

Donald Trump?  You can say a lot of things about Donald Trump but I believe "likable" is not on the list.   Who in their right mind believes he  has a chance against either Democrat? According to a recent poll   Donald Trump is disliked so intensely by the American public that over  65% stated they would  NEVER vote for him under any circumstances., and that includes 40% of Republicans !     Let us just pretend he does make it to the White House.  Get ready for another 4 years of nothing getting done as Donald Trump pisses off Congress, the states, the banks, Wall Street,  the courts. etc...  With that ego he will not back down either and he will hold a grudge as we have all seen.  It would make the last 6 years of a deadlocked government look like the good ole days !   What about Ted Cruz ?  He is probably the most despised man in Washington, DC and that is widely agreed -even he admits it and wears it as a badge  of honor.  But  you must keep in mind that NOTHING WILL GET DONE if Ted Cruz is President !

Great Ideas


Marco Rubio has discussed many intelligent approaches to fixing our government.and our country.  Real ideas, not political rhetoric !  He has constructive, inventive and creative ideas to get things accomplished.   I see him as being .able to bring the government back together to start making the USA work again.  He is conservative, but he is a pragmatic conservative.   I have heard him discuss ideas for fixing issues that normally Democrats take credit for;  helping the poor to help themselves,  cleaning and protecting the planet with pro-business solutions, education shaped  for all kids not just the kids that want to go to a University.  Perhaps, most impressively to me, he is suggesting a constitutional convention for all the states to meet in DC and start fixing some of the issues regarding our bloated and ineffective government.  Marco can fix it., I truly believe that.  

Experience


Whoever suggests Marco has no experience is ill informed.

US Senator  2011 to Present
Speaker of the House, State of Florida 2006-2008
Florida House of Representatives 2000-2006
City Commissioner - City of West Miami - Late 1990's

That looks like experience to me.

"Marshall in the Middle" officially and enthusiastically endorses Marco Rubio for President of the United States.



Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Reality TV with Real Consequences Part 7


By Chuck Marshall





Mr. Donald "Egomaniac.com" Trump - Republican (New York)

I've already mentioned Donald Trump in a previous blog that was not very flattering.  I also had a letter published in the Orlando Sentinel that was pretty clear in my disapproval.    I must admit after observing and listening to him over the past couple of months I've come to appreciate what people seem to like about him.   In fact, in some ways I find him pretty funny- which is always a good thing.  He's got a decent sense of humor and his bombastic style can be a refreshing change from the canned talk of the other Republicans.  He has certainly made the entire election process entertaining and I think both parties understand now that the citizens are not happy right now.  HOWEVER, as President of the United States I think he's out of the question.

"Why, Chuck" you ask ?  I'm going to just simply quote him.  An analysis is  unnecessary if you read what he says.  

“I will build a great wall – and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me – and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/550112/donald-trump-quotes.html#wpTvJ78gUvwto1Xi.99
How trump became pro-life.  "I saw things with people and people that I know and it made me change".    

The Wall;  “I will build a great wall – and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me – and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.” 

On Mexican immigrants;  “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bring crime. They’re rapists… And some, I assume, are good people.” 
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/550112/donald-trump-quotes.html#wpTvJ78gUvwto1Xi.99


Then there are his standard answer to any complicated question;  "We're looking into that" 

"The nuclear triad?  That was a gotcha question"

I'm not going to write anything else about Donald Trump because everything has already been written about him and he gets way more attention than is fair.   Fox news in particular has been his "bitch" for several months now.   He plays all the media like a fiddle.  I'm not going to be played.   Let me say this- in my humble opinion-  his candidacy has been a "horror show", "a disaster", "a disgrace" for the Republican party...."That I can tell you"...."I promise you that".   Still he leads in the polls.... For the political right wing, that's the real horror show.  


Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Reality TV with Real Consequences Part 6


By Chuck Marshall



           Jeb "Desperate !" Bush


Governor Jeb Bush - Republican (Florida)

How do I start with the candidate that I'm most disappointed with in this election ?  As a Floridian I've always been proud of Jeb ! as the smarter, more even keeled, most dignified and likable of the Bush family.  As a governor he was excellent.  You had that feeling that things were getting done and that they were getting done correctly when Jeb ! was governor.  He had that leadership quality. When he spoke you trusted him and he always did what he said he would do.  He was an excellent governor of Florida despite what Donald Trump may lob his way.

In a previous blog I listed Jeb ! as being in my "top three" along with Ben Carson and Marco Rubio but unfortunately for Jeb !  That is no longer the case.  His campaign has slithered into the mud with the rest of them throwing  mud balls that cost millions of dollars--- and still he loses !  He was especially shameless in New Hampshire when he and  Chris "big bully"  Christie clearly calculated to take out Marco Rubio by rattling him up with full frontal attacks from both flanks.   I can't support him for that and for three other reasons;

1)  He's a terrible speaker.  I've never witnessed a candidate who so frequently trips over his tongue.  It's very distracting and it tells me that deep down, he doesn't really want the job.
 
2)  Overall, he just seems timid and unsure of himself.  That won't work in times of trouble in our country.  We need a confident leader who's sure of himself, not just sure of his last name.

3)  He's bringing out his family to campaign for him.  This might have been ok if he had done that from the beginning but that he does it now smacks of desperation.    It's a desperate attempt by a desperate  man who has morphed from a fine leader into a political "sell out".  He is willing to ignore his principles and drag his family out of retirement in order to get a job that he doesn't even really want.

His campaign and candidacy is a fiasco, or to use the words of his arch rival - The Donald -"It's a disaster".

Come back to Florida, Jeb ! and run for governor again.  Rick Scott is an atrocious governor and we miss the good and decent man that you really are underneath it all.  Come back to Florida and shine in the sunshine as the leader that you can be.








Saturday, February 13, 2016

Reality TV With Real Consequences Part 5

By Chuck Marshall




Senator Ted "Grating Voice" Cruz - Republican (TX)

I know I had said in my previous blog that this would be a blog devoted to Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush but I've decided that at  this point each candidate really deserves their own singular blog in my little series.   They are, after all, the last of the Mohicans so to speak.

First I tip my hat to Ted's campaign.  For someone who claims not to be a "typical politician" he certainly has shown us all how it's done.   His debates are usually decent enough, he has taken on Donald Trump with some success and he has had a few lines that are pretty memorable, for example, calling out the moderators at the disastrous MSNBC debate late last year- one of the few times I nearly stood up and applauded during a debate.   In addition, he can be pretty funny with some excellent marketing going on including a brilliant TV ad focused on little kids playing with a Donald Trump action figure. LOL !  We all love to laugh !   ( If you haven't sen it :   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onUaRyvfv1A )   Funny, but deceptive.  That's one of my bigger problems with Ted.   He seems to lie easily and deliberately often using the ignorance of the public to his advantage.  Effectively, he'll lie to the entire country with a smile on his face.  One debate even showed a video of him saying exactly what he proceeded to say he DID NOT say !    Deceptive is an operative word when referring to Ted Cruz.   In my humble opinion, the only other person in this election year who lies more than Ted Cruz is the queen of lies - her majesty- Hillary Clinton.

I know this is trivial, but Ted Cruz' voice is like no other voice I've ever heard.  Something about it just absolutely grates on my nerves.  It's like nails on a chalkboard.

Finally, Ted Cruz is described far and wide as a "political outsider" because he is notorious for not cooperating with his fellow Senators.   He has blocked nearly any compromise in Washington, DC to the best of his ability.  Understanding where my blog title comes from you can probably deduct how I feel about this aspect of Ted Cruz.  He is the ring leader for the "our way or the highway" mindset that has infected our nations's capital for the past  5 years.  Rather than an outsider (a trait which could be a good thing)  Ted Cruz is more a political outcast with a notorious reputation in DC for being disliked by exactly everyone.   How on earth would you get anything done when you enter the office absolutely loathed by the rest of the government ?  You don't grow dislike to that level by being a reasonable or notable person.   You get to that level of dislike by being a self-serving, sanctimonious, lying and power hungry ass.  The little stunt he pulled on Ben Carson in Iowa, I think, is very typical of the Cruz mentality.  Lie, cheat, steal  Whatever it takes.




Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Reality TV with Real Consequences Part 4

By Chuck Marshall


Today is my fourth in a series reviewing the Presidential candidates for 2016.   Today is the New Hampshire primaries so it's possible these two candidates will no longer be in the race after today.   Both of these guys are what I would refer to as genuinely "nice guys" so I will miss both of them in the election if it does come to that.   They are both patriots and they care about our country and have been endeavoring to make it better for us.  God Bless them both for trying.




     John "My top 3" Kasich

     Governor John Kasich, Republican (Ohio).  In my mind, was the forgotten candidate for a while flying low and not getting too much attention except when Donald Trump whacked him a couple of times regarding his record in Ohio.  I have come to like John, and he has actually risen to my "top 3" choices since my first blog regarding the candidates back  several weeks ago.  I like John because he doesn't pick on anyone, he sticks to his guns, and he keeps on fighting.  He is a moderate which is important to me for obvious reasons if you read the title of my blog.  Finally, he has experience as the governor of Ohio, which seems to have been very successful.  So, John Kasich is on my short list, he's on "my top 3" choice list.





       Ben "soft spoken" Carson

     I watched the movie about his life with Cuba Gooding Jr. and I was blown away.   So much hope and faith and a total inspiration to us all that anything is possible, especially in this country.  Carson was my guy for about a month !  Unfortunately for Ben, the left dislikes him because of the color of his skin.  They skewered him over and over because the idea of a Republican black goes against their bigoted ideas of what African Americans should be.  Their behavior towards Ben during this election actually moved me to the right a little bit more because they disgust me so much.

     At the end of the day, though, I do feel that Ben is a little too soft spoken to get his message out effectively in the general election.  There's too much hatred out there.  I believe the Democrats would mock him and do everything they could to prevent his election including to bring up his unique opinions regarding the pyramids that he refuses to disavow or explain effectively.  So, with their narrow minds the left defines a man by one odd opinion and not the lengthy success of his career.   I don't think he could withstand their attacks and so therefor, as much as I like him, if he is the Republican nominee I don't think he would be elected and so by endorsing  him I'm helping the Democrat nominee (and we know that's one of two people) and I do not want either of them. Strategically, I can't support Ben because I don't think he'd win the election.

 God Bless you Ben.


Tomorrow;  Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz.






Sunday, February 7, 2016

Reality TV With Real Consequences Part 3

By Chuck Marshall


Today;

Carly Fiorina and Chris Christie




Carly"one hit wonder" Fiorina

The face that Donald Trump famously chastised !  "Who would vote for a face like that?" he exclaimed.  "Not Nice"  Donald.  Anyway, I think she looks fine.  The thing about Carly is her voice is a little monotone and she always seems to be trying to "out-tough" the guys on stage.  Where's the charm?  Also, she mentions Hillary Clinton too much, implying it would be a great "woman vs woman" match.  Ho Hum.   I'm  a little concerned about her track record at Hewlett Packard which doesn't sound like she really did that good.  But, in all fairness I'm not interested enough to research the facts on this.  Carly had a great debate a while back when she took on Donald Trump with her quick wit but that was her one shining moment.  She never caught on and then she was sent to the "kiddie table" debate which  I've already explained is the kiss of death.  Now we  have the New Hampshire debate and she's pitching a fit because she's not included in the debate.    Her poll numbers aren't high enough.  To her hissy fit I say;  "this rule didn't bother you when you qualified, Carly"  

Final Verdict: Carly had one bright moment but she never caught on.  She's a "one hit wonder".

Chris Christie




Chris "Big Bully" Christie

     This is the first candidate in this series that still has a chance to win the nomination.  But he won't.
Am I the only one that sees him as the Eddie Haskel of this race ?   When he's trying to seem sincere it seems so fake.  "That's a lovely dress  you're wearing Mrs. Cleaver".  I know he also talks tough, but I think that's actually his only personality... the rest is fake.  I have a personal dislike of Chris Christie.

   Chris Christie will never live down the "bridge" controversy where it was revealed that as governor his "people" (he knew nothing about it - ha ha) used a bridge closing and clogged traffic to get back at a political enemy.   I don't remember the details but I do NOT believe that he was ignorant of the situation.  Also, in the New Hampshire debate (last night at this writing) he proved himself to be a bit of a bully with nasty attacks on Marco Rubio that I thought were ugly and personal and revealed his "win at all costs" attitude no matter how he has to do it.  He's Donald Trump minus the charm.

Final Verdict;  He's guilty of being a typical slimy politician who really likes his donuts.



I have another "who's that ?"

Governor  Jim Gilmore- Republican (Virginia)



Jim "Who?" Gilmore


I also need to fill in the blanks going back to the beginning of this election by listing the following as "also rans".  They don't get comments because they dropped out too early, all before Christmas.  Sorry guys !  (but that's actually a good thing for a couple of them)

Rick Perry
Lindsey Graham
Bobby Jindal
Scott Walker
Jim Webb (Democrat)

Tomorrow?

Ben Carson and John Kasich






Friday, February 5, 2016

Reality TV With Real Consequences Part 2




By Chuck Marshall

Huckabee and Santorum

Yesterday was Martin "who?" O'Malley and Rand "perfectly round eyebrows" Paul.   Today, I'd like to review the campaigns of Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.   At this writing both Mike and Rick have bowed out of the race so this is a "retrospect" review of these reality TV stars.

Interestingly enough, after google searching both candidates it turns out they both have the exact same estimated net worth;  $5 Million.   They also both won the Iowa Caucus in past elections.  They both are born again "Evangelical" Christians.  They both dropped out of the 2016 Reality TV Show in the same week !  What a coincidence !  Creepy, right ?  It's  like the Kennedy-Lincoln similarities we've all read about.    




Mike  "Sunday School Teacher"  Huckabee


Governor Mike Huckabee- Republican (Arkansas) -  Mike is already famous due to his run for the Presidency in 2008, so a lot of people already knew him.  Not to mention  he also had a talk show on Fox for a while "Huckabee", which aired from 2008 to 2015.  So, Mike is famous and that  IS half the battle to becoming President.   I've always liked Mike Huckabee.  His "aw shucks" demeanor and his quick wit make him a crowd favorite.  He's likable !  Unfortunately for him, his last name sounds a lot like "Huckleberry Finn",  as in the bumpkin character of  the Mark Twain novel by the same name.   People naturally think of this when they hear his name and so he's immediately at a disadvantage in that he has to prove he's not a bumpkin.   In my mind Mike seems like a friendly, lovable Sunday school teacher not a President.  Also he's a little too far to the right on social issues.  I'm not saying I agree or disagree, I'm just saying it probably wouldn't play well in the general elections.

Final Verdict;  Mike couldn't stay on the reality TV show because his name puts him at a disadvantage and he seems too much like a Sunday School teacher.




Rick "yesterday's news" Santorum

I've already elaborated on Rick Santorum above since he's a near duplicate of Mike Huckabee.  BUT, just to add a couple of comments.  Rick is not as likable as Mike Huckabee but his name does sound more serious, so that's a plus and a minus for Rick.   Rick was relegated to the "Kiddie table" at the Reality TV debates so I sincerely don't have a fresh take on his positions.  He was always hard to the right, but I liked his sticking up for the common guy.  Rick is a big believer in educating young people according to their skills and that we need to stop making all young people feel like they have to go to a University in order to be worth anything.  I really like that he emphasizes that.  Rick had a real chance back in 2012, but he did eventually run out of steam.  He's kind of like "yesterday's news"this election season.

Rick couldn't stay on the Reality TV show because he was sent over to the Kiddie Table for TV debates which is really the "kiss of death".   Also, at the end of the day he lost in 2012, so I think most people see him as "yesterday's news".

Finally, I did want to bring up another candidate that I totally forgot about ( there were a lot !)




Governor George Pataki -Republican (New York)
"Forgot about Him"


Tommorrow?

Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina











Thursday, February 4, 2016

Reality TV With Real Consequences

US Presidential Primaries 2016-  Part 1 

By Chuck Marshall 




     It has been an interesting primary season and even though it's just getting under way I'm already waxing nostalgic for Rand Paul, and Mike Huckabee 'cause "gee" they weren't bad guys and they made some good points.   I think watching these ladies and gentlemen  has been quite a show for all of us.   As much as I criticize the process of electing our leaders, I must say it enabled me to form an opinion and I have made a decision after paying attention with due diligence to each candidate and all their antics.    Although my last blog elaborated that our process is flawed and not an effective rocess., at the same time, it has been entertaining to those of us who are so inclined  to pay attention !  Is this inclination good ?  I don't know.  In some ways it all makes me want to take a shower after watching too much of it, however to be totally honest it  is the best reality TV on earth with REAL consequences to the end result.   (This won't end with the muscle bound dude walking away from the cute blond he impregnated to reveal what a cad he really is !)  So there it is, the guilty pleasure of  the Reality TV that modern politics has become.

One by one, I'm going to review the candidates with you, dear readers, and let's see if we can sort the whole thing out., if nothing else to help future generations understand the nuances of how the early 21st century American population selected the most powerful person in the world.  They certainly won't figure it out by watching old newsreels !  For the  past 6 months those have consisted of one story;  Donald Trump.  I've already said enough about "The Donald",  so I'm not going there... however, I do want to mention I can see how people fall under his magnetism.  The guy is funny and unrestrained and refreshing -- he's truly THE star of this reality TV show !

The Other Characters -- and some shallow observations

Republican- Senator Rand Paul- (Kentucky)  (at this writing, officially out of the race)  Did anybody else notice how perfectly round his eyebrows were ?  It makes him look clown-like, especially with that curly hair bouncing up and down on the top of his head as he urged us all to eliminate the  government entirely.  Only missing a red ball on his nose.  I like a lot of Libertarian ideas but they get a little carried away, it's getting too close to anarchy - in my humble opinion.  I want a wise government not a non-existent government.  Who's keeping the barbarians out ?


Rand "Round eyebrows" Paul





Democrat- Martin O'Malley - Who?

Tomorrow ?  Mike Huckabee & Rick Santorum