One of these days, this blog will resume talking about bicycling and other adventures. After being locked down much of 2020, I’m itching for a little adventure in 2021 – assuming I am able to find a vaccination and the world becomes a bit safer with respect to COVID. I’ve found a couple of bike rides I’m thinking about and a couple of other potential ‘adventures.’ I’ll update this blog as plans get finalized over the next few months. In the meantime – the ongoing spectacle with Trump is just depressing and scary.
I always thought that it was extremely inappropriate for Trump’s most trusted inner circle to essentially be his kids and his son-in-law. The outsized role that Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, took as ‘Senior Advisors to the President’ given their lack of experience in government and international policy was extremely disturbing. And his two sons, Don Jr. and Eric, always seemed to be willing to shoot off their mouths before their brains really engaged. However, and as distasteful as it for me to say this, I really wish the only inner circle that Trump was conferring with now was his kids. Instead, they seem to have been replaced by a real, ‘Ship of Fools.’ The people that Trump is now listening to make the Trump kids and Kushner look like Nobel prize winners. Let’s review.
Rudy Giuliani – one of Trump’s staunchest supporters and, of late, one of the propagators of some of the most outlandish conspiracy theories. The Trump campaign, primarily under the direction of Giuliani, has filed about 60 lawsuits and all but 1 have been withdrawn or dismissed for lack of evidence. Reputable attorneys around the country have called Giuliani’s performance ‘embarrassing.’ He should probably be wearing a tinfoil hat but it wouldn’t stay on his head because of the thick layer of hair dye.
Sydney Powell – Another crack attorney who used to be a Federal prosecutor and was recently bounced off of the Trump legal team because some of her conspiracy theories were just too far out there. (Think about that!). But recently, she has been spending more time at the White House egging Trump on. There is even talk about Trump appointing her as a Special Counsel to investigate voter fraud – which let me remind you, no one has been able to provide any evidence for that would stand up in a court of law!! Some of Trump’s associated have recently labelled Sydney Powell as ‘crazy.’
Michael Flynn – Retired Lieutenant General and admitted felon who was recently pardoned by Trump. Flynn has continued to push the idea for Trump to declare martial law in those swing states where he lost, send in Federal troops and redo the elections under their direction. Isn’t holding elections at gun point something that is done in Third world banana republics? What the hell is wrong with this wingnut?
Steve Bannon – Bannon recently resurfaced at the White House and seems to be throwing gasoline on this fire as he as always done in the past. Of course, now he is under Federal indictment for fraud and is no doubt fishing for a Presidential pardon. He may or may not believe the BS he is spouting; he just needs to make it look convincing enough for Trump to issue the pardon. I’m sure there is no conflict of interest here.
Patrick Byrne – This is likely someone who is not well know but has now made his way into Trump’s inner circle. Patrick Byrne was the CEO of Overstock.com but stepped down in 2018 after making controversial remarks about the ‘Deep State.’ i.e., essentially another conspiracy theorist. The interesting thing about Byrne is that he had a relationship with accused Russian agent Marina Buttina, who was convicted as acting as an unregistered agent and kicked out of the country in 2018. [another link to Russia – how interesting!]
The country continues to be ravaged by the COVID pandemic. Numerous government (and potentially private companies) have been hacked by a foreign entity, most probably Russia, in the largest cyber attack on the US to date. The economy is in shambles. And, with all of these problems facing the country, the above group of A-list misfits, convicted felons and conspiracy theorists are who the President is choosing to spend his time with. We can all sleep easier tonight knowing the country is in such good hands!
If the consequences weren’t so potentially grave, this would really look more like a sketch from Saturday Night Live, than the true leadership inner circle for the United States of America. The Republicans who have failed for 4 years to hold Trump accountable and were (and are) willing to turn a blind eye to his continued attempts to undermine democracy, undermine the Rule of Law, undermine the authority of Congress, and undermine the public trust will have to answer to the American people when Trump and his current brain trust finally cross a line during the next 30 days that even they can’t ignore. Although hell will probably freeze over before that.
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