Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Ain't Hindsight a Bitch?


I have to do some research on the first one-hundred days of the James Buchanan administration (1857-1861). He is generally regarded by most historians to be the most incompetent chief-executive in the history of Idiot Nation. Indeed, so traumatized was he by his four years in the White House, on March 4, 1861 (the traditional Inauguration Day in that time) he is said to have told the new president, Abraham Lincoln: "Sir, if you are as a happy a man upon entering this office as I am upon leaving it, you are a happy man indeed". Buchanan's consistent blundering for the four years he held that job made civil war inevitable. Most people breathed a sigh of relief when the poor old bugger was finally carted away to cushy retirement at his farm in Lancaster, P.A.

I suppose that most of us will also be breathing easier once our esteemed, Common-Pervert-In-Chief is no longer sleeping under the roof of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The difference between 1857 and 2017 (and it's a difference worth taking note of) is that one-hundred and sixty years ago there was no such thing as "the nuclear code". Just thought I'd make that little observation.

Idiot Nation
Not to my surprise, recent polling shows us that only about two-to-four percent of the people who were naïve enough to cast their ballots for this unhinged and blithering twit regret their choice. I suspect that by year's end, that number will rise somewhat - but not too much. These statistics are a sad reflection of what America has become. There is no longer "an informed citizenry", cognizant of the issues and their own interests.  We're just a nation with enough unhinged and blithering twits to keep us in a perpetual state of ruin for generations unseen. Fold up the chairs, strike the tent and go home.

Crappy Days are Here Again

The "first one-hundred days" of various administrations did not become a measuring stick of legislative accomplishment until the opening months of the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. The notable difference between then and now, obviously, is that eighty-four years ago FDR came into office inheriting an economic catastrophe - the kind of which had never been seen before; With twenty-five percent of the workforce unemployed and most-of-the rest barely getting by, the opinion of many was that the "American experiment" had turned out to be a dismal failure. Although there were a handful of slip-ups at the dawn of the New Deal, at the end of those one-hundred days, there was a palpable optimism in the air. The first few steps of the proverbial journey of a thousand miles had been taken, and Americans were making that journey together. The popular tune of the moment was, "Happy Days are Here Again".

Donald Trump, on the other hand, inherited from Barack Obama an economy that, if not completely vigorous, was sailing smoothly - as is inarguably still the case. When the proverbial substance hits the fan (as it will within a year - if not sooner) you can bet that the Donald will not be taking the blame for  the bad numbers, as he is currently giving himself the credit for the good numbers. The buck will never stop at this president's desk.

Yeah, Trump's supporters went to a dark and disturbing place when they sent this fool to the Executive Mansion. They'll deserve everything that happens to them.

In closing here is a friendly reminder to chew on:

The president of the United States of America - and several people within his inner circle during the 2016 campaign - are being investigated for possible treasonous acts.

Oh yeah, this is going to end very badly.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

SUGGESTED READING:

The Defining Moment
by Jonathan Alter

A paragraph from this excellent book:

"The banking crisis peaked just before his inauguration. With the upper Midwest in turmoil, Cleveland banks began to fold, threatening the Ohio banking structure. New Jersey passed an emergency law limiting withdrawals, causing a spread of panicky behavior in the East. In a three-day period starting February 23, Indiana, Arkansas and Maryland declared holidays [in order to close the banks], kicking off a round of more closures the following week. By Saturday, February 25, the Hoover White House received word to expect rioting on Monday in Detroit. where the banks had been closed for nearly two weeks. People couldn't buy gasoline, milk, or bread. Railroad cars stayed on sidings. Thousands of automobiles were abandoned, out of gas in the middle of the road. The only good news was that this lack of transportation made starting a riot harder."

Here's a link to order it off of Amazon.com:
`
This one cannot be recommended enough.
 
AFTERTHOUGHT

Here’s a jolly thought to send you off into Dreamland:
 
The fate of the world now hinges on the temperaments of two unhinged sociopaths with really stupid haircuts.
 
Ain’t that a riot?



19 Comments:

At 6:00 AM, Blogger Jefferson's Guardian said...

Tom Degan: "...Trump's supporters went to a dark and disturbing place when they sent this fool to the Executive Mansion. They'll deserve everything that happens to them."

Tom, I don't think anybody deserves the very real hardships and enormously increased possibility of nuclear annihilation that has occurred with this fool at the helm. Nobody, and certainly no other creatures that cohabit this beautiful planet. Granted, this would be a worst case scenario.

On the other hand, a total economic collapse -- of a severity never seen in this country before -- looms on the horizon. This fool isn't the great kind of mind we'll need to steer us out and away from this tragedy. This fool will only make it worse.

 
At 9:37 AM, Blogger Tom Degan said...

Agreed: Not everyone will deserve the oncoming hardships - no argument there. But it is still going to overwhelm me with a giddy sense of shaudenfreude to see all of these former supporters of the Donald stewing in the juices of their own naiveté.

 
At 10:38 AM, Blogger Darrell Michaels said...

What is sadly amusing was that When George W. Bush left office with $10 Trillion in national debt, we were already well on our way to a total economic collapse. Even then-senator Obama got it right for once when he proclaimed that Bush's spending was "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic". Then the ass took office and doubled that national debt to $20 Trillion. At least we got Solyndra and shovel ready jobs for the money though, right? Oh wait... never mind.

IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE! We will indeed collapse. If not under Trump, it will occur under his successor or two down the road. It is simply a matter of time.

And all the while we whine about cutting funding for Sesame Street or foreign aid to nations that wish for our destruction. We have to take a broad view of that constitutional good and plenty clause... errr... I meant general welfare clause, right?

There are plenty of damnable fools on the right for certain; however, their numbers are easily dwarfed by the shear magnitude of ignoramuses on the left that think we can and should still spend our way out of this mess, and do so on the backs of the EEEVILLL RICH.

Maybe you are right after all, Mr. Degan. Maybe we really are an idiot nation.

 
At 2:46 PM, Blogger Majormajor said...

It's hard to determine what upsets Tom the most, that HRC beat Bernie or that President Trump beat HRC.

 
At 3:33 PM, Blogger Dave Dubya said...

I recall Mr. Paine whole-heartedly supporting the debt incurred by Bush's invasion that spawned ISIS in Iraq .

Now we can add the cost of fighting ISIS to that Paine-approved debt. This is "good debt".

The "bad debt" went to jobs, paving roads, and building infrastructure.

Priorities.

Let's cut those taxes for the rich. THAT will fix everything. Trust them.

 
At 4:05 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

T. Paine doesn't seem to get that Obama cut the DEFICIT in HALF. The ONLY way to really save our economy is to stop giving big corporations like EXXON/Mobile BILLIONS in annual subsidies, and to cut the military budget in HALF.

We could still fight TWO world wars at the same time, which is what trump wants.

Yes, when the "rich" steal 98% of the nations wealth, and THEN claim we "can't afford" social programs that help the poor and middle class, they are "evil".

 
At 5:21 PM, Blogger Darrell Michaels said...

Mozart, we should not have a budget deficit at all. We should have a balanced budget every damned year! We sure as hell should not have a $20 Trillion national debt. Obama spent foolishly and recklessly during his tenure. Yes, previous administrations of both parties have also done this. NO we should not be giving annual subsidies to ANY business. We should not be spending any money on ANYTHING that the constitution does not SPECIFICALLY state is a duty of the federal government. When the damned progressives stop thinking that the "general welfare" clause is their ticket to interpret as the good and plenty clause so that we can spend money on Obama-phones and cash for clunkers, then perhaps we can finally start spending ONLY what we take in as a nation.

"The share of income earned by the top 1 percent of taxpayers rose to 20.6 percent in 2014. Their share of federal individual income taxes also rose, to 39.5 percent.

In 2014, the top 50 percent of all taxpayers paid 97.3 percent of all individual income taxes while the bottom 50 percent paid the remaining 2.7 percent."

https://taxfoundation.org/summary-latest-federal-income-tax-data-2016-update/

Sounds to me that the rich are paying their fair share. The bottom 50% of wage earners in snowflake nation only pay 2.7% of all federal income taxes. So tell me who doesn't have any skin in the game?

 
At 5:23 PM, Blogger Darrell Michaels said...

Sorry for my angry response Mr. Degan. It has been a rough day and I am sick of the nonsense.

I have great love and respect for many folks on the left that are open to a serious debate and exchange of ideals. That is what will save and restore our Republic.

I have lost all patience with those that are nasty and spew nothing but unsubstantiated and demonizing talking points.

Cheers!

 
At 5:51 PM, Blogger Majormajor said...

"the "rich" steal 98% of the nations wealth".....explain how so?

"Obama cut the DEFICIT in HALF."

The amount by which the government’s total budget outlays exceeds its total receipts for a fiscal year. —US Senate Budget Committee

Deficit 2007 $161 trillion
Deficit 2016 $587 trillion

Source: http://www.usgovernmentdebt.us/us_deficit


Mozart doesn't seem to get that $587 trillion is not a reduction from $161 trillion.

 
At 9:35 AM, Blogger Dave Dubya said...

It is interesting Mr. Paine feels we should eliminate the FBI, DEA, ICE and all federal law enforcement agencies not SPECIFICALLY stated in the Constitution as a duty of the federal government. “Regulation of commerce and the general welfare” are to be dictated by conservatives, the rich and corporations, of course.

From the Right’s “Reverence of Wealth and the Wealthy Department”.

Sounds to me that the rich are paying their fair share. (Just ask them) The bottom 50% of wage earners in snowflake nation only pay 2.7% of all federal income taxes. ( Stupid students, retired and disabled EEEVILLL “takers”) So tell me who doesn't have any skin in the game? (Everyone BUT the rich, the banks, and corporations who buy the politicians with their “free speech” money. Corporations are NOT granted personhood under the Constitution but they have a superior right of free speech by wealth, and write our laws.)

Better cut their taxes. That will make America Great Again. Works every time.

 
At 10:34 AM, Blogger The New York Crank said...

"Trump's supporters went to a dark and disturbing place when they sent this fool to the Executive Mansion. They'll deserve everything that happens to them."

They will if it happens, and they would certainly deserve it, including Mr. Paine. Nevertheless I hope you are wrong, because if it happens to them, it will also happen to us.

Better to turn around the current majorities in the House and Senate and then impeach and remove Mr. Trump for being the corrupt and clueless nincompoop he is.

Yours with extreme crankiness,
The New York Crank

 
At 11:21 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

When clucky tells us what conservatives have done for the poor and middle class the last 50 years, I'll explain basic (unspun) economics to him.

 
At 3:20 AM, Blogger Jefferson's Guardian said...

Chuck "Majormajor" Morre: "'Obama cut the DEFICIT in HALF.'"

Yes, actually he did. Mozart is correct. It went from a deficit accrued of $1,413B in fiscal year 2009, down to the latest $587B in fiscal year 2016. Considering the dire straits that the previous jackass left for him, the reduction is admirable.

If Obama would have reduced the War Department's allotment by half during the last few years, he would have handed his successor a palette of black ink -- just like Bush's predecessor handed to him.


"Deficit 2007 $161 trillion
Deficit 2016 $587 trillion
"

I'd hate to see your own personal finances. You're totally off the mark. Not even close. Either get new glasses or quit lying.

 
At 11:10 AM, Blogger Majormajor said...

JG, just quoting from the the govt link: http://www.usgovernmentdebt.us/us_deficit
Take your argument up with them.

Unless of course you are saying that $161 Trillion is more than $587 trillion, you are wrong. Deficit was less when Obama started than when he ended, so the deficit INCREASED.
Of course I could make the argument that the reduction in the deficit between 2009 and 2016 only took place because the GOP controlled the House, but you wouldn't agree with that either, cause as we all know, the GOP can do nothing right.

Mozart, how bout the reduction of federal income taxes the poor and middle class are required to pay in the past 50 years for an answer? As Dave pointed out the lowest 50% of earners pay only 2.7% of the federal income tax. Dave is wrong, here's why.

In 2014, people with adjusted gross income, or AGI, above $250,000 paid just over half (51.6%) of all individual income taxes, though they accounted for only 2.7% of all returns filed, according to our analysis of preliminary IRS data. Their average tax rate (total taxes paid divided by cumulative AGI) was 25.7%. By contrast, people with incomes of less than $50,000 accounted for 62.3% of all individual returns filed, but they paid just 5.7% of total taxes. Their average tax rate was 4.3%. (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/13/high-income-americans-pay-most-income-taxes-but-enough-to-be-fair/)

So how is it Mozart, that "the "rich" steal 98% of the nations wealth"? "Explain basic (unspun) economics to" me.

 
At 9:07 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Now Clucky gets to explain how Trumps announcement to the world that he's incompetent makes us safer! How does his admitting that he's not up to the job and he wants to go home now make him a great leader?

Trash Obama some more. I dare you.

 
At 8:00 AM, Blogger Jefferson's Guardian said...

Chuck "Majormajor" Morre: "Unless of course you are saying that $161 Trillion is more than $587 trillion, you are wrong."

It wasn't "trillion" at all. Hence, the reason I told you to get new glasses. (Still haven't figured it out, have you? You're hopeless.)


"...but you wouldn't agree with that either, cause as we all know, the GOP can do nothing right."

Actually, the GOP is ultra-right... right-wing, that is. Anything they accomplish is always with the intention of helping and supporting their corporate and elitist benefactors -- Wall Street. Never do they consider the needs of Main Street...or skid row.

Anyway, and as I previously said, considering the economic nightmare that George W. Bush left for Barack Obama, his reduction in the deficit by the time he left office was admirable.

Today is Day 100. Except for several key and blatant flip-flops, what has this new administration done for the American people? One thing that's very apparent he's done, but it certainly wasn't done with the American people in mind, is he has continued the permanent war policies of previous administrations. Even worse, he's drawn us closer to thermonuclear war. If the worst comes to pass, and each day Trump is in office leads me to believe we're closer to that eventuality, there will not be any winners -- only losers.

For you, the worse flip-flop has already occurred: Donald Trump has turned into Hillary Clinton. With that, the "worst" is yet to be.

 
At 1:21 PM, Blogger Majormajor said...

Mozart,

What the heck are you talking about?


Dare accepted: Obama just got a $60,000,000 book deal, how much money does he need?


So how is it Mozart, that "the "rich" steal 98% of the nations wealth"? "Explain basic (unspun) economics to" me.

 
At 12:14 AM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Well, Clucky, you managed to deflect again. I'm sure a good capitalist conservative like you can't fault a PRIVATE CITIZEN from accepting an offer like that. It's not like he's a SITTING PRESIDENT using the office for personal gain.

I couldn't help but notice you continue to ignore the obvious. Your boy is tanking, and it's fun to watch.

 
At 10:31 AM, Blogger Majormajor said...

Mozart,

You still haven't shown how "the "rich" steal 98% of the nations wealth"? "Explain basic (unspun) economics to" me.

If you like your insurance can you can keep your plan. BHO
The red Line in Syria BHO
The mess in Libya BHO

Your boy tanked.

 

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