Good morning.

Social Butterfly: I can’t keep thinking about the quote you posted by Michelle Vitalione. The double standard of what’s acceptable and excused behavior for men vs. women is still going strong. Clinton can go under investigation but where are the people shouting to prosecute Trump when there is proof without a doubt that Trump violated the embargo against Cuba?  C’mon Dems, get it together.

Here’s the write from Newsweek:

HOW DONALD TRUMP’S COMPANY VIOLATED THE UNITED STATES EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA

Donald Trump makes his way past television camera crews after taking questions regarding his presidential bid on the Reform Party ticket in Hartford, Connecticut, on December 1, 1999.

Updated | A company controlled by Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, secretly conducted business in Communist Cuba during Fidel Castro’s presidency despite strict American trade bans that made such undertakings illegal, according to interviews with former Trump executives, internal company records and court filings.

Documents show that the Trump company spent a minimum of $68,000 for its 1998 foray into Cuba at a time when the corporate expenditure of even a penny in the Caribbean country was prohibited without U.S. government approval. But the company did not spend the money directly. Instead, with Trump’s knowledge, executives funneled the cash for the Cuba trip through an American consulting firm called Seven Arrows Investment and Development Corp. Once the business consultants traveled to the island and incurred the expenses for the venture, Seven Arrows instructed senior officers with Trump’s company—then called Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts—how to make it appear legal by linking it after the fact to a charitable effort.

On February 8, 1999, Seven Arrows billed Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, Inc. for the $68,551.88 it had incurred prior to and including a trip to Cuba on behalf of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc.

The payment by Trump Hotels came just before the New York business mogul launched his first bid for the White House, seeking the nomination of the Reform Party. On his first day of the campaign, he traveled to Miami, where he spoke to a group of Cuban-Americans, a critical voting bloc in the swing state. Trump vowedto maintain the embargo and never spend his or his companies’ money in Cuba until Fidel Castro was removed from power.

He did not disclose that, seven months earlier, Trump Hotels already had reimbursed its consultants for the money they spent on their secret business trip to Havana.

At the time, Americans traveling to Cuba had to receive specific U.S. government permission, which was granted only for an extremely limited number of purposes, such as humanitarian efforts. Neither an American nor a company based in the United States could spend any cash in Cuba; instead, a foreign charity or similar sponsoring entity needed to pay all expenses, including travel. Without obtaining a license from the federal Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) before the consultants went to Cuba, the undertaking by Trump Hotels would have been in violation of federal law, trade experts say.

Officials with the Trump campaign and the Trump Organization did not respond to emails seeking comment on the Cuba trip, further documentation about the endeavor or an interview with Trump. Richard Fields, who was then the principal in charge of Seven Arrows, did not return calls seeking comment.

Following the publication of this article on Newsweek.com, Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s campaign manager, was asked about the allegations on the television program The View. She replied that, “They paid money, as I understand, in 1998,” but went on to say that Trump had never invested in the Caribbean nation. In that statement, Conway has acknowledged that Trump broke the law. Paying the money for the business trip and meetings in Cuba – regardless of whether it resulted in an additional investment or casino deal – would directly violate the law.

A former Trump executive who spoke on condition of anonymity says the company did not obtain a government license prior to the trip. Internal documents show that executives involved in the Cuba project were still discussing the need for federal approval after the trip had taken place.

OFAC officials say there is no record that the agency granted any such license to the companies or individuals involved, although they cautioned that some documents from that time have been destroyed. Yet one OFAC official, who agreed to discuss approval procedures if granted anonymity, says the probability that the office would grant a license for work on behalf of an American casino is “essentially zero.”

‘He’s a Murderer’

Newsweek’s latest cover, “The Castro Connection.”

Prior to the Cuban trip, several European companies reached out to Trump about potentially investing together on the island through Trump Hotels, according to the former Trump executive. At the time, a bipartisan group of senators, three former secretaries of state and other former officials were urging then-President Bill Clinton to review America’s Cuba policy, in hopes of eventually ending the decades-long embargo.

The goal of the Cuba trip, the former Trump executive says, was to give Trump’s company a foothold should Washington loosen or lift the trade restrictions. While in Cuba, the Trump representatives met with government officials, bankers and other business leaders to explore possible opportunities for the casino company. The former executive says Trump had participated in discussions about the Cuba trip and knew it had taken place.

The fact that Seven Arrows spent the money and then received reimbursement from Trump Hotels does not mitigate any potential corporate liability for violating the Cuban embargo. “The money that the Trump company paid to the consultant is money that a Cuban national has an interest in and was spent on an understanding it would be reimbursed,’’ says Richard Matheny, chair of Goodwin’s national security and foreign trade regulation group, based on a description of the events byNewsweek. “That would be illegal. If OFAC discovered this and found there was evidence of willful misconduct, they could have made a referral to the Department of Justice.”

Shortly after Trump Hotels reimbursed Seven Arrows, the two companies parted ways. Within months, Trump formed a presidential exploratory committee. He soon decided to seek the nomination of the Reform Party, which was founded by billionaire Ross Perot after his unsuccessful 1992 bid for the White House.

Donald Trump at a taping of “Larry King Live” on CNN in New York City on October 14, 1999. Trump said he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee.

Trump launched his presidential campaign in Miami in November 1999. There, at a luncheon hosted by the Cuban American National Foundation, an organization of Cuban exiles, heproclaimed he wanted to maintain the American embargo and would not spend any money in Cuba so long as Fidel Castro remained in power. At the time, disclosing that his company had just spent money on the Cuba trip, or even acknowledging an interest in loosening the embargo, would have ruined Trump’s chances in Florida, a critical electoral state where large numbers of Cuban-Americans remain virulently opposed to the regime.

“As you know—and the people in this room know better than anyone—putting money and investing money in Cuba right now doesn’t go to the people of Cuba,’’ Trump told the crowd. “It goes to Fidel Castro. He’s a murderer. He’s a killer. He’s a bad guy in every respect, and, frankly, the embargo must stand if for no other reason than, if it does stand, he will come down.”

Its Stock Price Had Collapsed

By the time Trump gave that speech, 36 years had passed since the Treasury Department in the Kennedy administration imposed the embargo. The rules prohibited any American person or company—even those with operations in other foreign countries—from engaging in financial transactions with any person or entity in Cuba. The lone exceptions: humanitarian efforts and telecommunications exports.

The impact of the embargo intensified in 1991, when the collapse of the Soviet Union ended its oil subsidies to the island and triggered a broad economic collapse. By 1993, Cuba faced extreme shortages, and Castro was forced to start printing money solely to cover government deficits. Three years later, the U.S. Congress passed the Helms-Burton Act, which codified the embargo into law and worsened Cuba’s economic decline. With many financial options closed off, Cuba attempted to find overseas investment to modernize its tourism industry and other businesses.

Fidel Castro speaks with his brother Raul Castro, right, during the morning session of the Cuban National Assembly on December 21, 1998.

The first signs that American policy might be shifting came in March 1998, when President Clinton announced several major changes. Among them: resuming charter flights between the United States and Cuba for authorized Americans, streamlining procedures for exporting medical equipment and allowing Cubans in the U.S. to send small amounts of cash to their relatives on the island. However, Americans and American companies still could not legally spend their own money in Cuba.

That fall, as critics pressured Clinton to further loosen the embargo, Trump Hotels saw an opportunity. Like the Communist regime, the company was struggling, having piled up losses for years. In 1998 alone, Trump Hotels lost $39.7 million, according to the company’s financial filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Its stock price had collapsed, falling almost 80 percent from a high that year of $12 a share to a low of just $2.75. (After multiple bankruptcies, Trump severed his ties with the company; it is now called Trump Entertainment Resorts and is a subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises, run by renowned financier Carl Icahn.)

The company was desperate to find partners for new business that offered the chance to increase profits, according to another former Trump executive who spoke on condition of anonymity. The hotel and casino company assigned Seven Arrows, which had been working with Trump for several years, to develop such opportunities, including the one in Cuba.

On February 8, 1999, months after the consultants traveled to the island, Seven Arrows submitted a bill to Trump Hotels for the $68,551.88 it had “incurred prior to and including a trip to Cuba on behalf of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc.”

The 1999 document also makes clear that executives were still discussing the legal requirements for such a trip after the consultants had already returned from Cuba. The government does not provide after-the-fact licenses.

“Under current law trips of the sort Mr. Fields took to Cuba must be sanctioned not only by the White House but are technically on behalf of a charity,’’ the bill submitted to Trump Hotels says. “The one most commonly used is Carinas Cuba.”

The instructions contain two errors. First, while OFAC is part of the executive branch, the White House itself does not provide licenses for business dealings in Cuba. Second, the correct name of the charity is Caritas Cuba, a group formed in 1991 by the Catholic Church, which provides services for the elderly, children and other vulnerable populations in the Caribbean nation. Caritas Cuba did not respond to emails about contacts it may have had with Trump Hotels, Seven Arrows or any individuals associated with them.

The invoice from Seven Arrows was submitted to John Burke, who was then the corporate treasurer of Trump Hotels. In a lawsuit on a different legal issue, Burke testified that Trump Hotels paid the bill in full, although he denied recognizing the document.

‘Totally False’

The Cuba venture was one of two assignments given to Seven Arrows at that time, and the second has already emerged as an issue in the GOP nominee’s bid for the presidency. Trump Hotels also paid the consulting firm to help develop a deal with the Seminole tribe of Florida to partner in a casino there. Knowing that the Florida Legislature and governor opposed casino gambling in the state, Trump authorized developing a strategy to win over politicians to get the laws changed in an effort named the “Gambling Project.” The law firm of Greenberg Traurig was retained to assemble the strategy. A copy of the plan prepared by the lawyers showed the strategy involved hiring multiple consultants, lobbyists and media relations firms to persuade the governor and the Legislature to allow casino gambling in the state. The key to possible success? Campaign contributions.

The plan states “the executive and legislative branches of Florida government are driven by many influences, the most meaningful of which lies in campaign giving.” For the Legislature, it recommends giving to “leadership accounts” maintained by state political parties, rather than to individual lawmakers, because “this is where the big bucks go and the real influence is negotiated.” Records show Seven Arrows also incurred $38,996.32 on its work on the project, far less than it spent for the Cuba endeavor.

Aside from deceiving Cuban-Americans, records of the 1998 initiatives show that Trump lied to voters about his efforts in Florida during that period. At the second Republican presidential debate in September 2015, one of Trump’s rivals, Jeb Bush, said the billionaire had tried to buy him off with favors and contributions when he was Florida’s governor in an effort to legalize casino gambling in the state. “Totally false,’’ Trump responded. “I would have gotten it.”

The documents obtained by Newsweek give no indication why the $39,000 spent on Seven Arrows’ primary assignment—arranging for a casino deal with the Seminole tribe—was so much less than the $68,000 expended on the Cuba effort. The former Trump executive could not offer any explanation for the disparity.

Though it has long been illegal for corporations to spend money in Cuba without proper authorization, there is no chance that Trump, the company or any of its executives will be prosecuted for wrongdoing. The statute of limitations ran out long ago, and legal analysts say OFAC’s enforcement division is understaffed, so the chances for an investigation were slim even at the time.

And perhaps that was the calculation behind the company’s decision to flout the law: the low risk of getting caught versus the high reward of lining up Cuban allies if the U.S. loosened or dropped the embargo. The only catch: What would happen if Trump’s Cuban-American supporters ever found out?

Update: Adds Trump campaign manager confirmation.

*****

Readers: It’s Friday…you know what to do.

Blog me.

David: Sorry your first comment went into my spam. It is there now. 

GO VOTE: If you live in a state such as Iowa that has early voting, go out and vote today. Get it done. No matter what the polls say, and how much of a lead Hillary may looks like she has, still go to the polls, and encourage EVERYONE to go because this is not just about making sure that Hillary is the president, we need to make sure we give her coattails to take back the Senate. A SCOTUS will be nominated and it is imperative that Hillary’s nomination is confirmed.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good morning!

Whether you like him or not, let me begin by quoting two tweets by Michael Moore in response to the debate, because his thoughts are my sentiments exactly:

“Pro-Hillary gloaters doing end-zone dance again when still on 50-yard line. U MUST get it in your head TRUMP IS GONNA WIN and act accordingly.”

“Bottom line: Did YOU do anything today 2 get Hillary Elected? If not, she lost. If u spent today relieved & smug about her victory, she lost”

I haven’t followed Moore in awhile but I was curious to read what he’s been saying about Trump. As much as I am a big fan of Keith Olbermann and his recent rants (brilliant) about Trump, I’ve had a revelation when it comes to what’s happening in our country regarding this election.

We can keep pointing out Trump’s characteristics (serial liar, misogynist, xenophobe, racist, +++!); it’s easy to do and Olbermann is excellent at laying them all out for us. However, in my opinion as I posted in yesterday’s blog, truth, racism, lack of qualifications etc., are not going to stop people who are strong Trump supporters from voting for Trump. Whites are going to vote color in spite of Trump’s massive characteristic flaws…and because of that their minds are not going to change no matter how much time and energy we expend showing people just how bad Trump is and telling voters to fact check his endless lies.

Believe it or not, this gives me a bit of relief. Not in “Hillary is going to win, I’m going to rest on my laurels” relief. No, my relief is that I don’t have to be exasperated anymore trying to understand why people are voting for Trump when he is a _______ , _______, ______!! I am crystal clear. Their reasons for voting for him are not based on logic, or what he does or doesn’t do.

I read this on Michael Moore’s site because, I know how the Republicans and Democrats are when it comes to the polls. Republicans will always go and vote for their man, and Democrats…well dems can be lazy (You know…Big L, little a…), and some will just not go because their man is out of the race (Bernie fans. He’s finally out there encouraging the millennials to vote for Hillary), or it’s snowing, or the lines are too long, or they’ll pull a Nadar and vote for Gary Johnson in spite of his “Aleppo moments” and encouragement from Michelle Obama and President Obama - that a no vote or a vote for a third party candidate is a vote for Trump. (Oh, when will Dems realize how badly we’ll be screwed if they do this again? Did we learn nothing from voting for Nadar?) 

This was first posted on Moore’s site almost two months ago but I very much think it is still relevant. You may not agree with all Moore says (I don’t) but he’s making a lot of sense. I like using sarcasm to get a point across. Moore does it in a way where the humor may not appeal to you, but I encourage you to look beyond that and consider the seriousness of what he is saying.

From Michael Moore:

Over the past few days, a number of polls have come out showing Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump nationally by double digits, including in blue collar states like Michigan (10%) and Pennsylvania (11%). If you are a Clinton supporter and have felt a sense of relief when you saw these numbers, your shoulders suddenly relaxing and an audible “phew” coming from your mouth, if you got excited that your belief system was now reassured that there was no chance your fellow Americans will vote for a narcissistic misogynist, then you just became part of the problem — and why Donald J. Trump could actually win on November 8th.

Please do not think for a second this election is over or in the bag. There are three long months to go. If you think that all we have to do is just let Trump keep shooting himself in the head – that “Trump will beat Trump” and the rest of us just have to sit back and watch with glee – well, you are playing with fire. And you’re looking for a way to get out of doing any work. Clearly you’ve forgotten this election is not about whether there are more people “for” Hillary or Trump. Of course there are more people for Hillary! She will lead in the opinion polls from now until Election Day.

AND IT DOESN’T MATTER.

Because this is not a popularity contest decided by polls (or in this year’s edition, a contest over who you dislike the least). As I’ve said, if people could vote from their sofa via their Xbox or remote control, Hillary would win in a landslide. But this election is only about who SHOWS UP to the VOTING BOOTH on November 8th (or to early voting or by absentee ballot). The election this year is not being held as usual on the first Tuesday of November; it’s happening in the second week of the month, so if you live in the top half of the country, that means a greater chance for snow or icy rain — and that means a lower turnout. A lower turnout helps Trump.

This election is ONLY about who gets who out to vote, who’s got the most rabid supporters, the kind of candidate who inspires people to get out of bed at 5am on Election Day because a Wall needs to built! Muslims are killing us! Women are taking over! USA! USA! Make My Penis Great Again! Hillary is the Devil! America First! Fetus First! First in Line at the Polls!

So instead of feeling better this week because of the new polls (BTW, only one of these polls is of “likely voters” – the Reuters Poll – and in that one, Hillary leads by only 4 points), or regaling over Trump’s insanity (so insane, he raised $82 million last month in mostly $10-$20 contributions, stunning the Clinton campaign, because Bernie never had a grassroots month anywhere near that), I would like to suggest a different response. I’d like to ask those who love Hillary to hold off on the victory party ’til the wee hours of November 9th. Please, can we all agree that now is NOT the time to do this: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/25/434585015/not-over-til-its-over-runners-early-celebration-costs-her-the-bronze

Let’s stop the early celebrating and the gloating over Trump’s Bad Week. No premature end zone dances. If you are serious about this election, and if you are smart enough to still take Donald Trump seriously, then here’s 5 things to do – four for you, and one for Hillary:

1. You Are Responsible for Getting 50 People to the Polls November 8th. Start making your list now. Create this list on your smart phone of the people you will personally make sure show up to the polls on November 8th. Enter their email addresses and cell phone numbers. Call it your “November 8th Project.” Add a name to it every single day between now and November 8th until you have 50 people – 50 names in 90 days. Focus on nonvoters. Then, on November 7th and 8th, call, text and/or email every one of them and remind them to vote. Offer them a ride. Offer them lunch. Offer to watch the kids. Offer to mow their lawn. Plan a get-together or a party for everyone after going to vote. You must remind even those people who you think don’t need reminding. This election isn’t about you voting —it’s about you getting 50 others to vote.
2. From Today Until November 8th, You Are in the French Resistance. Imagine what it was like to be in the French underground while the Germans invaded France. The only possible way to win was an unrelenting, round-the-clock commitment to defeat the Nazis. There was no time for one of those 3-hour French dinners. They did not take vacations. They did not sleep in. They did not have time for “playdates.” The Germans were coming! The Germans were there! Well, friends, our fascist (Drumpf!) is coming! That’s the mind-set you need to be in. For the next three months, the kids have to get themselves to soccer! Work on your marriage in December! There’s no time for hot yoga! No one in the French Resistance ever said “I can’t blow up that Nazi train today ’cause I feel like I might be coming down with a cold!”
3. You Must Be Supportive of the Depressed Voter. So many people have given up on our system and that’s because the system has given up on them. They know it’s all bullshit: politics, politicians, elections. The middle class in tatters, the American Dream a nightmare for the 47 million living in poverty. Get this straight: HALF of America is planning NOT to vote November 8th. Hillary’s approval rating is at 36%. CNN said it last night: No one running for office with an approval rating of 36% has ever been elected president (Trump’s is at 30%). Even in these newer polls, 60% still say that Hillary is “untrustworthy to be president.” Disillusioned young people stop me every day to tell me they’re not voting (or they’re voting 3rd Party). This is a problem, folks. Stop ignoring it. You need to listen to them. Chastising them, shaming them, will not work. Acknowledging to them that they have a point, that Hillary Clinton is maybe not the best candidate, and then promising them that you will join them on November 9th in a political revolution that will demand Clinton enact her platform, that might go a long way to getting them to vote. They don’t have to change their opinion about Hillary. They just have to reluctantly vote for her and be allowed to feel very bad about doing it – and very good that we will fight on their side after the election.
4. Hillary Must Slyly Stick Trump with a Comedy Shiv During the Debates. Bill Maher and I will help Hillary with this (Hill, call us!). I’m sure Amy Schumer and Chris Rock would chip in, too. Clinton actually has a good sense of humor, but keeps it mostly hidden (here she is back in the ’90s, sparring with a Republican leader of Congress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XsSydPOgCc). Trump has very thin skin. If she can slide the perfect line of satirical ridicule just under that thin skin of his, he will implode. On live TV. And that, my friends, will be the moment it’s over for him. A complete mental meltdown on a stage without his cheering man-fans in the room. BOOM!
5. I Hereby Appoint You Precinct Captain in Your Neighborhood, in Your School, and at Your Place of Work. Yes, you. Tell them Michael Moore personally named you. Not because I have any authority to do so. Just because I said so. And you said so. Please, friends, do not depend entirely on the “Democratic Party” to pull this off in November. It is often, depending on where you live, an apparatus of numskulls, hacks and former high school student council rejects. Quick, name the local chair of the Dems in your county. They are not of the people. If we depend just on them, we lose. We usually do. Obama had a brilliant campaign team, was a beloved candidate, and that’s why he won. Hillary’s campaign lost 22 states to a 74-year old socialist who had neither a comb nor 50 bucks in his pocket — and was unknown to everyone except me and some hippies in Vermont! Hahahaha! Here’s a tweet this week from one of Hillary’s “top advisers”, the chair of the “Campaign for American Progress”, just to give you a clue as to the brain trust surrounding her:

So we can’t just depend on them alone to stop Trump. That’s why I’ve decided to appoint myself, as of this moment, chair of the “Shadow Campaign to Defeat Donald J. Trump” (or, in short, “The Resistance”) — and I’m appointing each and every one of you as my Precinct Captains in the areas where you live, work and go to college. From this moment forward you will organize the block you live on, or the town or neighborhood you live in, or your dorm, your office, or your place of worship. If asked, just identify yourself as the “Local Head of the Defeat Trump Coalition.” If others want to be the “Head” or say they are the “Head,” just share the title with them. Then appoint more Precinct Captains. Don’t hold meetings. Do actions. Use humor. Conduct flash mobs. Be a disruptor. Think creatively and subversively. Have fun. Defeat Trump.

Because, you see, we have no choice. We’re in the Trump Resistance.

Yours in revolution and future playdates,

Michael Moore

P.S. Still feeling giddy about all the bad news surrounding Trump this week? Here’s another bucket of cold water: Trump can actually lose Florida, Virginia, Colorado and New Mexico — and STILL WIN! All he has to do is carry the rust belt “Brexit States” of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Hillary lost three of these four in the primaries. Nothing can be taken for granted. Once more: This is all about who shows up November 8th — not who’s ahead in the popularity polls right now. On the morning of the Michigan Primary, Hillary was ahead of Bernie in a WJBK/TV2-Detroit poll by 22 points. Twelve hours later, she lost. Leave your bubble now! You are a Precinct Captain! You have work to do!

*****

Readers: So, yes, even though my feeling are that whites are voting color, more than likely I will still continue pointing out Trump is this and Trump did that. But what I won’t do is get complacent and think, “There is no way Trump can win. There is no way that many people will vote for him.”

What I won’t do is assume that just because Hillary has won this debate (and more women are feeling better about Hillary and worse about Trump), or any debate against Trump, that she is going to win the presidency.

I am not going to take that victory lap, or dance in the end-zone until after Hillary has won. I hope you’ll do the same and heed Moore’s advice and do something today 2 get Hillary elected.

Thoughts? Blog me. 

Howard: I so enjoyed reading your comments. Thank you for the kind words. You are obviously very proud of your girls, and you have every reason to be. No apology necessary. I consider all women girls. :) Thanks to you and your daughters for reading.

Social Butterfly: That was hilarious.  I so needed that humor. Thanks for posting. Keep ‘em coming! xo

Thanks too for reminding everyone about VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. READERS: If you haven’t registered, PLEASE DO IT TODAY! :)

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

I was so wrapped up in Trump’s weird behavior during the debate that I never congratulated Clinton for a job well done. While Trump who was just basically crazy,  Clinton was calm, clear, cool, and coherent. So did the needle move to the left?

I read on the Huff Po: ”If there are any women still on the fence about Trump, these latest comments should send them screaming into Clinton’s arms.” 

God, I hope so. I have faith.

Just in case you you’re wondering what it would look like with Trump as President, I was thinking that exact same thing myself.

I found this write. The title caught my interest and the content inspired me to post it. Mostly because I have read many comments from the left on Facebook, a few from people that I personally know, who think there isn’t much difference between Clinton and Trump. That sentiment completely baffles me.

Here’s the write from Common Dreams:

The Left Underestimates the Danger of Trump

 

I know we just had the fifth anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, but there is little to celebrate at such a grim moment. That being the likelihood Trump may very well win.

If he does, Black Lives Matter will be declared a domestic terrorist outfit, just like the Earth Liberation Front was under Bush.

Trump and Attorney General Giuliani would relish using the National Guard to crush blockades of oil pipelines and trains, and indigenous people defending their lands. There will be no more climate justice movement or even hesitant steps toward limiting climate change.An English-only law would likely be passed, DACA be withdrawn, and sanctuary cities outlawed. White supremacists, Neo-Nazis, the Klan, and the Alt-Right would all be welcome into his administration, overtly or covertly.

There would be an all-out assault on reproductive rights and Planned Parentood.

Significant gains made at the National Labor Relations Board in the last few years will be overturned.

Huge swaths of the West under federal control will be turned over to logging, ranching, mining, and oil and gas industries.

Tens of millions would go from inadequate healthcare to no healthcare.

The Alt Right will aggressively disrupt the left.

Massive voter suppression becomes the norm.

There will be organized vigilante violence, perhaps even mini-pogroms, against Muslim and Mexican communities with the state turning a blind eye.

Don’t think it can’t happen; the WWI period saw hideous pogroms against African-Americans and Chicanos with state support. Entire communities were wiped out and thousands killed.

This would just be the beginning. Trump makes Reagan’s Voodoo economic policies like a beacon of rational economic planning. His combination of budget-busting tax cuts, decimating social welfare, roiling U.S. alliances, and abrogating free-trade deals would send the economy into a nosedive. As soon as a recession hits, Trump would immediately go hunting for scapegoats to distract his followers. This could include a ban on Muslim immigration, a registration program, and mass round-ups of immigrants, meaning concentration camps to hold them before they were ousted, overseen by his “deportation force” of Brownshirts.

There is a quaint notion on the left that somehow Trump is hot air. This ignores the dynamics he’s set in motion that will make new types of state-sponsored racial violence all but inevitable. This is not just a quantitative change over Obama and Clinton, but a qualitative one. In fact, it may even be worse that what I am outlining here. This is a man who muses about using nuclear weapons, he ignores even basic bourgeois political norms or rules, and he is lustily cheered by tens of millions when he calls for the assassination of his opponents and mass ethnic cleansing.

Yet a significant portion of the left is obsessed with how terrible Hillary Clinton is, both as a candidate and politically. As if this is somehow news. I see very little from the Facebook left on the extreme dangers Trump represents. I’ve gone to six different Trump events, and it’s evident he has consolidated a white nationalist movement that is demanding a 21st century apartheid state. Even if it doesn’t happen right away, Trump will inevitably go down this path as he sabotages the entire economy and U.S. foreign relations.

Meanwhile, there is a bizarre faith on the left that the ruling class will somehow keep him in check, despite the fact he will have control over every branch of government. This is matched by a warped belief that somehow extreme racist violence will create new left-wing mass movements. In reality, all the recent organizing gains will whither as the left is forced to wage losing defensive struggles against violent white nationalists.

No one will be able to stop his dictatorial, white supremacist agenda. Congress won’t stop him. He will have a majority on the Supreme Court, and while sections of the ruling class may be deeply unhappy, they will still be safe and obscenely wealthy and can always escape.

This election is a choice between two movements. Do you want to see movements like Black Lives Matter, Climate Justice, low-wage workers, immigrant rights, and other left social forces continue to grow and develop? Or do you want to see Neo-Nazis, the Klan, the Alt-Right on the offense and backed by a Trump administration?

*****

Thoughts? Blog me.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good Morning!

Bizarre. There’s no other word to describe it. Ok, maybe there is but that is the first word that came to my mind. I’m sure you watched the debate. These are my rants and thoughts in no particular order:

Trump lied over and over.

Lester Holt had to hold his tongue and that bugged me. But really, there was nothing he could do. There wasn’t much Clinton could do either. Trump lied so much that we would never have gotten to the issues if we just talked about how much Trump was lying, and called him out on it every single time.

But what really drove me insane was how many times Trump went overtime and Holt didn’t do anything! And how many times Trump interrupted!? Too many times to count. I kept saying out loud, “Lester, just interrupt the motherfucker and tell him to stop babbling and shut the fuck up so we can hear Clinton.” Yeah, I was frustrated. Ugh. My better side did not show up.

Trump was unprepared, incoherent, and completely incapable of answering any questions that gave us any idea of his plans. I learned absolutely nothing from him except that he is an insane, infantile, bully, and as we all know, a Lying Sack Of Shit. Please add your thoughts here too.

Trump claims Clinton is not presidential. And he is?! Trump is blatantly insane – did you catch his crazy demeanor? He was constantly in motion – drinking water, twitching, continuous face contortions, sniffing his nose, sighing, and pursing his lips, leaning in, outbursts, interrupting. Did I say interrupting? Got any more to add?

I’m embarrassed. Actually no, I’m not embarrassed. However, I would think anyone voting for him would be. He is not fit to be presidebt…oops president. Go back to reality TV  - That’s where you belong.

And did I mention Lies? LIES Lies lies…And people call Clinton a liar. Why are they not calling out Trump who lies ALL OF THE TIME? What about telling Clinton that she’s “not nice?” Hellooo…do you remember saying horrific things about women, OTW’s, not to mention your racist and sexist remarks? This is such typical republican hypocrisy, why would Trump be any different? His supporters aren’t either. They are more vitriolic and down on Clinton calling her a liar, evil…you name it. But they seem to give good ole Donald a pass on EVERYTHING.

Trump questions whether Clinton has stamina to be president. A sexist remark in my opinion. Clinton spent 11 hours testifying during the Benghazi hearings in Congress, +++…we all know Clinton has stamina. She’s proved it time and time again. What about his stamina? He couldn’t even last 90 minutes during the debate. By the end of the first hour he looked exhausted, dazed, and having a hard time focusing.

And he had the gaul to question Clinton’s temperament. Wha’at?? Need I go on? And I haven’t even said anything about the issues. This was the most bizarre (and frustrating) debate I have ever seen. There was so much weirdness and disconnectedness between the questions asked of Trump and his answers, and Lester…I’ll say it again…”Why didn’t you just Tell Trump to shut the fuck up?”

Sigh. I’m not saying anything about the debate that no one else didn’t notice, including the Trump supporters. Yes, Clinton crushed his ass. There is no doubt, he got trumped – she won. There was a few drop the mic moments, but the only people who noticed were Clinton supporters. I almost missed them myself because I was so distracted by Trump’s behavior.

You think she would be a shoo-in after this debate, right? Any logical person would see that. But logic doesn’t play here. I’d be surprised if the needle moved more than slightly to the left after this one. Sure some on the fence are now seeing the insanity of Trump but I wouldn’t keep my fingers crossed that many will. Why? Because no matter what happened during the debate it all boils down to this, something that he and his supporters all know:

If racism got in the way with what people wanted to do, Trump would be out.

If sexism got in the way with what people wanted to do, Trump would be out.

If having no qualifications to be president got in the way with what people wanted to do, Trump would be out. 

If caring about what’s best for the country got in the way with what people wanted to do, Trump would be out.

If truth got in the way with what people wanted to do, Trump would be done. But…the truth is, Lies don’t matter. Truth never gets in the way with what people want to do. Racism doesn’t either. Sexism doesn’t either. Qualifications don’t either. And I’ll throw in logic too. Because it’s evident that people aren’t being logical about what’s best for the country or Trump would be done. 

The truth is the only thing that matters is COLOR. In the end whites are going to vote color. They may be shouting the mantra “Make the Country great again,” but under their breath they’re saying “Keep the country white.”

That is the only logical reason that Trump is still in the running and why he is polling so close to Clinton. 

And that is why Clinton is no shoo-in. If this truth scares you, then do something. I HOPE my sisters in this country wake up, woman-up and take their position and power. This election is no joke. It is a must that Clinton win. Oh…We do have our work cut out for us.

Readers: I know you want to give your two. I’m done. The forum is open.

Blog me.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good morning!

Mike, TM: I know that you already posted this, thank you. However, I think it is that important to post it again.

Readers: I will repeat Mike’s comment:

OTWs in Ohio unless you want to lose that state including the members they will send to both houses of Congress, you had better get registered now so that you can vote in November. They are now moving to cut off the date you can register which will enable you to vote in November.

This is your heads up. The republicans are trying to steal the state by eliminating same day registration and voting, and early voting. If you want to have a voice in this election, don’t wait –GET REGISTERED NOW. And spread the word.

Here’s the write from Think Progress:

Supreme Court kills last hope of restoring key early voting week in Ohio

The Supreme Court rejected a petition from Ohio Democrats Tuesday morning to restore a crucial week of early voting known as “Golden Week,” the only time voters can register to vote and cast a ballot in a single visit.

About 60,000 Ohioans voted during Golden Week in 2008 and 80,000 did so in 2012. In 2008, black voters were 3.5 times more likely to use Golden Week as white voters. In 2012, they were more than five times as likely.

The Court gave no rationale for their decision and there were no written dissents released, though justices may have disagreed behind the scenes.

Though a federal district court ruled in May that the cuts were “unconstitutional” and ordered the state to restore Golden Week, a federal appeals court overturned that decision in August, siding with Ohio Republicans who sought to cut this opportunity. A dissenting judge on that court criticized the ruling and argued that the early voting cut “imposes a disproportionate burden on African Americans” who disproportionately depend on that week to vote.

The Democratic Party then appealed, pleading with the federal court to stay the ruling until after the 2016 presidential election, in which the swing state of Ohio is expected to play a decisive role.

Because Ohio does not offer same-day voter registration on Election Day, and because the Governor is refusing to implement online voter registration until after the election, the Supreme Court’s ruling effectively eliminates the possibility for one-stop voting this November.

*****

Blog me.

Black Doctor: Thanks for your post. I’ve never heard the term “racial trauma” but the name is to the point and doesn’t leave one guessing what that would mean. I have no doubt that many OTWs are suffering from it. How could they not when their race is constantly having to deal with racism on a daily basis coming from so many avenues? The effects are devastating, and one can only imagine how difficult it is to overcome. My heart hurts for so many. I wish there were more that I could do.

Peace out.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"