Temperament

The never ending question is: Does Donald Trump have the temperament to be president of the United States?

David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist in 2008, “This issue of temperament is central to the whole debate.” He cited a line from Clinton’s speech: “A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man you can trust with nuclear weapons.”

Merriam-Webster defines temperament as “the usual attitude, mood, or behavior of a person or animal.”

American Heritage Dictionary

1.

    • The manner of thinking, behaving, or reacting characteristic of a specific person: a nervous temperament. See Synonyms at disposition.
    • The distinguishing mental and physical characteristics of a human according to medieval physiology, resulting from dominance of one of the four humors.

2. Excessive irritability or sensitiveness: an actor with too much temperament.

The synonym “disposition” I believe is a better word to describe Donald Trump’s temperament. That definition by American Heritage is One’s usual mood; temperament: a sweet disposition.

Trump’s shoot from the hip style does not give anyone the impression that he has thought about the things he says.

 A good example of Trump’s words is his concern about Muslims coming to the United States to preform terrorist acts. The truth is that only the couple in San Bernardino were not natural born citizens. All the rest were born in this country.

What would he do to control the possible terrorist acts of American Muslims or others? I want one of the people interviewing him to ask that question.

Donald Trump says one thing about a subject and sometimes in the same day says something totally contradictory.

Does this man have the temperament / disposition for the job of president? Not in my book.

Donald Trump: What sacrifices have you made?

Khizr Khan, whose son Army Capt. Humayun Khan died in Baghdad in 2004, delivered one of the most powerful speeches of the Democratic National Convention. With his wife Ghazala at his side, Khan repeatedly blasted Trump’s immigration proposals — specifically those aimed at barring Muslims — and said the billionaire businessman has “sacrificed nothing and no one.”

 

Trump to Khizr Khan: ‘I’ve made a lot of sacrifices.’

Donald Trump, in an ABC interview, said in response, “I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve had tremendous success. I think I’ve done a lot.”

Other than the 9-11 hijackers the only immigrant terrorists were the couple in San Bernardino California.  All the others were born in the United States.  So how would Mr. Trump monitor their behavior?  Trump is going down the path of the Nazi concentration camps and America’s Japanese internment camps.  Is that the path a majority of Americans want?

If that is the choice of the United States, I will not be a party to that action!

The Key Message in the Hillary Clinton Acceptance Speech Was Vague

Hillary Clinton is not the bombastic speaker. That was and is the path Donald Trump has taken. Mrs. Clinton did not answer Donald Trump’s every accusation about the way the United States has conducted itself both domestically and in foreign policy. She did emphasize some of the more glaring differences between Trump and her. This speech will not go down in history as one to be remembered.

Those that have called Donald Trump the P.T. Barnum of 2016 are correct. Barnum was quite successful.

Following are pieces I thought important taken from a transcript.

Our country’s motto is e pluribus unum: out of many, we are one.  Will we stay true to that motto?

Well, we heard Donald Trump’s answer last week at his convention.  He wants to divide us – from the rest of the world, and from each other.

He’s betting that the perils of today’s world will blind us to its unlimited promise. He’s taken the Republican Party a long way…  from “Morning in America” to  “Midnight in America.” He wants us to fear the future and fear each other.

Now we are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have. We will not build a wall. Instead, we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good paying job can get one.

And we’ll build a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy!

We will not ban a religion. We will work with all Americans and our allies to fight and defeat terrorism. There’s a lot of work to do. Too many people haven’t had a pay raise since the crash.

There’s too much inequality. Too little social mobility. Too much paralysis in Washington. Too many threats at home and abroad.

But just look at the strengths we bring as Americans to meet these challenges. We have the most dynamic and diverse people in the world. We have the most tolerant and generous young people we’ve ever had. We have the most powerful military. The most innovative entrepreneurs. The most enduring values.

So don’t let anyone tell you that our country is weak. We’re not. Don’t let anyone tell you we don’t have what it takes. We do.

And most of all, don’t believe anyone who says: “I alone can fix it.”

He’s forgetting every last one of us.  Americans don’t say: “I alone can fix it.” We say: “We’ll fix it together.”

That’s why “Stronger Together” is not just a lesson from our history. It’s not just a slogan for our campaign.

It’s a guiding principle for the country we’ve always been and the future we’re going to build.

My primary mission as President will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States… From my first day in office to my last! Especially in places that for too long have been left out and left behind.

I believe American corporations that have gotten so much from our country should be just as patriotic in return. Many of them are. But too many aren’t. It’s wrong to take tax breaks with one hand and give out pink slips with the other.

And I believe Wall Street can never, ever be allowed to wreck Main Street again. I believe in science. I believe that climate change is real and that we can save our planet while creating millions of good-paying clean energy jobs.

I believe that when we have millions of hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy, it would be self-defeating and inhumane to try to kick them out. Comprehensive immigration reform will grow our economy and keep families together – and it’s the right thing to do.

In my first 100 days, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II.  Jobs in manufacturing, clean energy, technology and innovation, small business, and infrastructure.

If we invest in infrastructure now, we’ll not only create jobs today, but lay the foundation for the jobs of the future. And we will transform the way we prepare our young people for those jobs.

Look at my record.  I’ve worked across the aisle to pass laws and treaties and to launch new programs that help millions of people.  And if you give me the chance, that’s what I’ll do as President.

I’ve laid out my strategy for defeating ISIS. We will strike their sanctuaries from the air, and support local forces taking them out on the ground. We will surge our intelligence so that we detect and prevent attacks before they happen. We will disrupt their efforts online to reach and radicalize young people in our country. It won’t be easy or quick, but make no mistake – we will prevail.

Now Donald Trump says, and this is a quote, “I know more about ISIS than the generals do….”

No, Donald, you don’t. He thinks that he knows more than our military because he claimed our armed forces are “a disaster.”

Well, I’ve had the privilege to work closely with our troops and our veterans for many years, including as a Senator on the Armed Services Committee. I know how wrong he is.

Our military is a national treasure. We entrust our commander-in-chief to make the hardest decisions our nation faces. Decisions about war and peace. Life and death.

A president should respect the men and women who risk their lives to serve our country – including the sons of Tim Kaine and Mike Pence, both Marines.

All nice words but what is Hillary Clinton’s key message?  I am stumped!

Horrible Campaign for President of the United States

Bernie Sanders was not a candidate as much as he was a spokesman for a cause. That is the reason his followers booed him as he implored them to support Hillary Clinton in two different speeches yesterday (one at a Sanders campaign meeting and again when he spoke at the convention).That cause is the views of the more “liberal” wing of the Democratic Party.

Donald Trump faced the same hostility in the Republican Party. He does not represent the conservative views of most Republicans. No past presidents, many Republican leaders, and many of his primary opponents did not come to the RNC convention to offer their support for his candidacy. Ted Cruz, for reasons only he knows, felt compelled to speak at the convention only to be hustled out of the hall out of fear for his safety. Cruz’s primary comment telling everyone to vote their conscience says everything about where many Republicans are with Mr. Trump.

Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face the same issue. Without the support of a volunteer campaign staff, they will have a difficult time reaching the voters. Trump has run his campaign without a large staff and appears to believe his unorthodox style does not require thousands of volunteers. Hillary understands the need for a significant volunteer army. If Trump wins, future campaigns will not reflect the past.

Public concern should be the future of the United States under the leadership of either of these candidates as they are both seriously flawed.

The Zoo

Given the state of the world a little levity seems appropriate.

 

A blonde lady motorist was about two hours from San Diego when she was flagged down by a man whose truck had broken down……

 

 

The man walked up to the car and asked, “Are you going to San Diego?”

 

 

“Sure,” answered the blonde, “do you need a lift?”

 

 

 

 

“Not for me. I’ll be spending the next three hours fixing my truck. My problem is I’ve got two chimpanzees in the back that have to be taken to the San Diego Zoo. They’re a bit stressed already so I don’t want to keep them on the road all day. Could you possibly take them to the zoo for me? I’ll give you $100 for your trouble.”

 

 

 

“I’d be happy to,” said the blonde.

 

 

So the two chimpanzees were ushered into the back seat of the blonde’s car and carefully strapped into their seat belts, and off they went.

 

Five hours later, the truck driver was driving through the heart of San Diego when suddenly he was horrified!  There was the blonde walking down the street, holding hands with the two chimps, much to the amusement of a big crowd.

 

With a screech of brakes he pulled off the road and ran over to the blonde.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, “I gave you $100 to take these chimpanzees to the zoo!”

“Yes, I know you did,” said the blonde. “But we had money left over so now we’re going to Sea World.”

 

How the Republican Party went from Lincoln to Trump

I have now watched this video twice.  It is well done.  My conclusion is Donald Trump represents the shrinking White majority.  White Europeans descendants will soon be a minority group in the United States.  They already are a minority in California.  38.4% of the California population is White according to state statistics. Those of you reading this who are part of that White group, I understand your fear.  Try to understand that those who do not look like your ancestors are not here to harm you.  They too want their children to grow up and live in the greatest country in the world.

The Republican National Convention Ends its Meeting on a note of Fear

Donald Trump painted a grim portrait of the U.S. and cast himself as its only savior in his GOP acceptance speech.

Donald Trump - I can fix it!
  “I alone can fix it”

 

Donald Trump‘s basic campaign theme is

-Our country has been mismanaged for decades and that has cost the nation its industrial base. That has resulted in a major loss of jobs.

-Illegal aliens from Mexico are coming to the United States to rape and kill us.

-Crime is rampant. I am the law and order candidate.

-The rest of the world no longer respects us because we have not been tough enough on terrorists.

The reason that Mr. Trump has had a successful campaign is that no one has challenged any of his contentions.

Trump’s lack of details on how he will “Make America Great Again” will not sit well with many Americans. Many of those Americans are Republicans. Ted Cruz’s remarks about “voting your conscience” is a message to those disappointed Republicans who see Donald Trump as a phony conservative.

The best line in Trump’s speech was the comparison of Hillary Clinton’s “I’m with her” slogan to his “I’m with you.”

Now we await the Democratic National Convention.

lone

Why We Need Universal Health Care

Health care insurance is too expensive.

The stated goals of health care reform in 2009 (Obamacare) in the USA were

  1. lower costs
  2. cover all Americans
  3. drive quality
  4. and be paid for (without impacting the federal budget)

Premiums for Californians’ Obamacare health coverage will rise by an average of 13.2% next year, according to the Los Angeles Times, more than three times the increase of the last two years. Premiums in the insurance program rose just 4% in 2016, after rising 4.2% in 2015 – the first year that exchange officials negotiated with insurers.

An analysis by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation of 14 metro areas that have already announced their 2017 premiums found an average jump of 11%. The changes ranged from a decrease of 14% in Providence, R.I., to an increase of 26% in Portland, Oregon.

Ouch! What happened to objective 1 – lower costs?

While Obama Care has provided insurance coverage to 11.7 million people there are still 12.9 million people without any coverage as reported in a Gallup Poll. In other words about 4% of the population is uninsured.

 Obama’s intentions were good but his goal have not been met. Single payer health care like Medicare would cover everyone without exception. That would put for profit insurance companies out of business. Putting companies out of business is the stumbling block to genuine health care reform.

Despite Senator Bernie Sanders this is not likely to happen in the U.S. A. that considers free enterprise one of its basic tenants.

GOP Convention 2016

Donald Trump controlled the words of Mike Pence in the Trump/Pence interview on 60 Minutes as Mike Pence hesitated to answer questions until prompted by Trump.

Trump reminds me of a boss I had about 30 years ago. The job was decent but that boss was a “no it all” type who wanted control of everything. It was so bad that one occasion in his car he flipped up the sun visor on the passenger side after I had just put it down. He acted like he knew everything about every subject. Most definitely he wanted to control everything and that is the Trump behavior.

This first day of the GOP convention was perfect for Donald Trump. Every one of those speakers said the things that Trump could have said. Every reporter is examining every word of every speaker. We will all learn about the mistakes in the next few days.  Even the highlight of the night, the Melania Trump speech is already being picked apart as similar to Michelle Obama’s speech in 2008 and maybe there was some plagiarism. I am certain that Trump will defend Melania’s speech as he should.

The question is will this convention win any new supporters for the Trump candidacy? The answer will come after we have heard the last words spoken on Thursday night. That translates to the polls that will follow.  I did not listen to every speech but saw enough to recognize great choreography.

America’s Election System is Rigged to Protect Those in Power

Donald Trump is correct when he says the system is rigged. The United States system of government was created in a way that the wealthy and well positioned will continue to dominate the country in all ways. It was after a wealthy group of people who called the Continental Congress together. The most famous names were all at least well off if not very rich. Benjamin Franklin owned a successful printing business, John Adams was a well known and successful lawyer, Thomas Jefferson was the owner of a large plantation, George Washington was the owner of a large plantation, and John Hancock was the owner of a large shipping company. Not all of those signing the Declaration of Independence also signed the United States Constitution but none were poor.

Those signers had at least one thing in common. They wanted a government that protected them from kings and dictators and also protected their way of life and their wealth.

To ensure that the population would not overturn their preferred form of government they created the electoral college. They gave the state legislatures the power to select their representatives in the United States Senate (later changed to a popular vote by the people). They gave the states the power to determine the boundaries of their congressional districts.

Take a look at your congressional district maps. Here is a link to the 10 most gerrymandered congressional districts.

                   North Carolina-12th disrict

Gerrymandered district

The consequence of the presidential selection process has resulted in two elections where the winner did not receive a majority of the popular vote.

In 1824, John Quincy Adams was elected president despite not winning either the popular vote or the electoral vote. Andrew Jackson was the winner in both categories. Jackson received 38,000 more popular votes than Adams, and beat him in the electoral vote 99 to 84.

In 2000, George W. Bush was declared the winner of the general election and became the 43rd president, but he didn’t win the popular vote either. Al Gore holds that distinction, garnering about 540,000 more votes than Bush. However, Bush won the electoral vote, 271 to 266.

Most states give the total winner of their state 100% of their electors voting for president. The electors are not proportionately assigned. The consequence is that the states with the highest populations could determine the outcome of the election. In Real Clear Politics current surveys Hillary Clinton has a likely lead with 209 electors from 11 states versus Donald Trump with 164 electors from 11 states.

If Donald Trump loses the election in November he will say the system is rigged. He will be correct. The system protects us from the extremists.