Toyota explains the Trump Administration: How damaging the tariffs are on the Auto Industry!

Just as the letter is leaked from Stephen Ciccone, Group Vice President of Government Affairs within the Toyota Motor North America INC, who had written this leaked letter to the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. Who has defended the tariffs on steel and aluminum, which has been on the European Union and NAFTA trading partners.

The reason why this letter is interesting, is because what he reveals, that the Government and Trump Administration will not reveal. The cost of the tariffs will be in jobs in the United States and also for the consumers. The most popular car produced by Toyota, the Toyota Camry with 30 % Foreign Parts, will be costing $ 1,800 more. The company has translated the cost, if the companies put the cost and compensation on the consumers. It would be 25%, an estimated loss of sales because of it could be up 2 million units or 10 % annually. If these numbers are true, than the Trump Administration are not only destroying imports, but local production and car-sales in general. That all because of the tariffs on these set-fixated goods, which is used to produce cars.

Therefore, these tariffs made are directly as the Toyota Company in the United States through the whole chain from factory to the consumer are around 470,000 people hired through the chain. While the manufacturing piece alone is 137,000 in 10 factories (soon 11). They are in Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Texas, California, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Michigan and West Virginia. So it is not like this is just hitting the favorable blue-states, which the Republicans hate. This would hit in the middle of the rust-belts and heartland f the Trump Voter.

Toyota Motor has really put themselves strategically in the United States, as well as put themselves in the midst of ironic territory. As they are in the areas where the President got the most support and also has the strongest loyalty, even as they are not serving the principals of the trade. The cost will be taken by the same people who voted him in and the added cost will be on the voters themselves. Either in lose of jobs in manufacturing, if not in lack of sales as people cannot afford to buy as many cars as they could before. That is not weird as the wages in the United States has been stagnant for so long. Therefore, the rise of prices combined with lack of surging wages, they cannot manage to afford the luxury of new cars, even used ones.

Just imagine the sudden rise of 25% on each imported car and also close to 2 Grands more expensive Camry. That will be costly for plenty of people. That is not mere cents on the can of beans as Wilbur Ross did on TV after the tariffs was made public. This here is much more costly and actually affect as many as 470,000 people in the United States. That is only in Toyota, what about the all American General Motors or FORD? Who knows how they will be hurt or how much added cost this will have on the consumer? Even how many people in their production chain from manufacturing to the consumer will be hurt by these efforts made by the state?

If Toyota is sending this warning and show the real affects on the economy by doing so. In just one company, what will it do to the whole industry and also the possible outcome of the provisions made by the tariff. That should be striking, but wisdom is rare in this administration. They are not concern with other, than their own pride and deluded acts of ignorance. This is destroying industry, not creating or salvaging anything.

Toyota is sending a signal to the Trump Administration, but will they care? No they won’t, unless they are Russian Oligarchs or Putin’s henchmen in the US. Peace.

The White House Sack-Race Continues: Secretary of State Tillerson sacked, because Trump is a ‘moron’!

The former Exxon-Mobile CEO and Russian Friendly Businessman Rex Tillerson was lucky enough to have 13 months as the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State had just left from meeting with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta before his supposed travel to Western Africa and Sahel Region for the Security issues there, as well as the partner-states of the AFRICOM there. After visiting, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. Clearly, the Secretary never got the chance.

Not like the White House in this day and age, that people expect to have the positions for long. This is just over 30^th people who has left the West Wing since January 2017. The turnover rate of appointed officials is huge and insane. But that is the way the stable genius works apparently. I was skeptic to the appointment of him, he seemed like the guy to circumvent the sanctions and be able to bring Exxon-Mobile and Gazproom into business. To make sure the oil dealing could happen.

While the big-shot Rex Tillerson was fired, the same happen to the President’s own assistant John McEntee, who was escorted out. Together with the resignation of Communication Director Hope Hicks and Chief Economic Financial Advisor Gary Cohn. The last few days has been brutal in regards to staff. This is just a little group of the people who has left the building. The stability of the administration is such a pale state, you would be worried if a I-Hop would lose this much of staff and had to recruit and train. You would be worried as a costumer if you knew the turnover at the particular shop was this big.

Tillerson, a man of 13 months, what did he do? Other than getting ridicule and being mocked by the President. This happens hours after he was in Kenya, but also after commenting on the spy-scandal in the United Kingdom. Where Tillerson said the Russians was involved in the poisoning of the spy. This is something that was countering the White House. Because the White House will not directly blame the Russians. Hence, since Tillerson went outside his safe space, he now lost his job. That is how it looks like.

Somehow, when writing about the White House, the Russian involvement always come snickering out of the wood-works, or in the sense of the Trump Administration. Out of the Tanning machine on the second floor. Tillerson was unaware of the firing, just like former FBI director James Comey was, as he was in Los Angeles for function of some kind. Now Tillerson came home early to Washington, since he canceled parts of his Africa trip. Clearly, the pressing issues was there, but he couldn’t solve it or Trump had cheerios on his mind.

What we do know, he has somebody to exchange him with CIA’s Mike Pompeo. One of his favorites. We will wonder how long he will in Trump’s graces, since fires and hires willi-nilly and isn’t hesitating.

Tillerson didn’t deliver for his former oil-company, you can wonder what he has achieved. Since the State Department hasn’t hired the needed staff in many regions. Therefore, not getting the knowledge or relationships needed to deliver the program of the staff there. But we are forgetting, in the Trump Administration, it is only Trump that matters. Not the state, nothing else. Making America Going Apeshit. That is what is happening.

Know that the Trump administration has no currently functioning State Department. They have a new head, but he will be clueless for while. Not like after 13 months Tillerson achieved anything. The reason is Trump and the leadership he has, with is praising his ego and nothing else. Peace.

Most likely offending the Don with this statement, aye?

Opinion: Who will plead the fifth? Sorry, my bad, who want to be hired as the White House Communication Director now?

Yesterday, yet another White House Communication director resigned, the White House under the Presidency of Trump is weird. It is chaotic and this being bluntly. Now that the longest serving Communication Director Hope Hicks resigned, we know that the position isn’t any good. That is evident with the frequent changes of the position. Not weird as well, those incoherent messages of policy must be hectic for someone assigned to spread the information from there.

With that in mind that Michael Dubke, Sean Spicer and Anthony Scaramucci, all came and went. They all served in capacity, the one that we know the least about is Dubke, who was Priebus affiliate and worked in Right Wing Media in the past. Spicer came through the Republic party, while Scaramucci seemed more like a golfing-buddy turned apprentice at the White House. While the hiring of Hicks, was another fellow associate and employee directly from the Trump Organization.

Therefore, that she resigns is a sign of lost hope, after the public defence of boyfriend Rob Porter, and now questioned in the Russian Probe for 8 hours. Clearly, the pressure within the White House is hot. She was in an impossible position, where she couldn’t win. That was evident, with her history with Trump and her close association through business and campaigning. Therefore, if someone knows the real Trump, the man, the self-made legend in his own mind. Hicks would know by the years spent at the Trump Tower and by his side.

These other Communications Directors have not had this standing, they have not had the previous history, even if Scaramucci want to profess of his genuine friendship with him Like that is it, when he was hired and fired, quicker than toast of bread. It amazing that this shortly into his term, that he has 4 Communications Directors and so much changes of staff. It isn’t strange that many lacks Security Clearances and whatnot, they don’t get the time to even scrutinize the forms before the government agencies can dispense what sort of clearance they need or can get.

That Trump who promised to bring the best and brightest, clearly cannot pick them out of bucket, he just brings friends, cronies and family into it and hope they will solve the issues he creates. That is how it looks from the outside. It doesn’t look like a steady ship, it looks like it is sinking and with no moral authority, what so ever.

We can wonder if General John Kelly, the Chief of Staff will have any say in the newly open position or if any suitable candidate want to get there. By now it’s seemingly a position no one should want, because Trump destroy and deflect, lies and deceive anyone for his personal benefit. Therefore, if you want to walk on eggshells and trade his water, you should go there, but if you want a job worth having. Get hired somewhere else.

If there was someone out there who wanted this now, it must the likes of Katrina Pierson, Kayleigh McEnany or even Tomi Lahren. These are the ones who is suitable to be hired and fired, quickly one by one. Therefore, they can continue to spread the narrative and let Sarah Huckabee-Sanders continue to lie in public, just like her boss. It says a lot about the state of affairs, when individuals like these comes to mind, when you are thinking of someone to replace Hicks. Because any ordinary person doesn’t want to be in the line of fire, any ordinary person don’t want to be in a place where you know your days are numbered. It is just a matter of time, before your cut loose, just like the rest of them.

Now we can just wait and see, who will plead the fifth? Sorry, who will be the fifth Communication Director at the White House under President Trump. Peace.

White House Chief of Staff Memo from John Kelly to McGahn, Hagin, Sessions, Coats and Wray – “Re: Improvements to the Clearance Process” (16.02.2018)

Opinion: US Code might allow the White House to Appoint Trump Family Members, but it’s doesn’t make it less questionable!

“3 U.S. Code § 105 – Assistance and services for the President: (e) Assistance and services authorized pursuant to this section to the President are authorized to be provided to the spouse of the President in connection with assistance provided by such spouse to the President in the discharge of the President’s duties and responsibilities. If the President does not have a spouse, such assistance and services may be provided for such purposes to a member of the President’s family whom the President designates” (Cornell Law School).

I don’t know about you, but it’s just one of these days, where you see entitlement in the New York Gang or the Trump Administration. This was made and prepared for the President Donald J. Trump, as he was swearing-in and starting his term. Because the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), who is in-charge of checking and making the sure the personnel and staff is following the codes and procedures for their roles in government. Seriously, the OGE Lawyer worked the laws in his favor, even when I struggle to see it. My first question after reading the US Code 105 Title 5(d), did the President loose his wife? Therefore, because of his tragic loss, he needed counsel from son-in-law Jared Kushner and oldest daughter Ivanka Trump inside the White House. How can you spell the code wrong, “If the President does not have a spouse”. True she was in New York the first months of the Presidency. Still, she was still his spouse, meaning that “he had”. But before I rant, take a look into key parts of the reasoning for the appointments of his family inside the White House!

“Section 3110 of title 5, also known as the anti-nepotism statute, states that “[a] public official may not appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a civilian position in the agency in which he is serving or over which he exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the public official.” 5 U.S.C. § 3110(b). The statute expressly identifies the President as one of the “public official[s]” subject to the prohibition, and a son-in-law is a covered “relative.” Id. § 3110(a)(2), (a)(3). Moreover, under Article II of the Constitution, the President exercises “jurisdiction or control” over the White House Office as well as over the rest of the Executive Branch. See Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52, 163–64 (1926); Inspector General Legislation, 1 Op. O.L.C. 16, 17 (1977). Less certain is whether the White House Office is an “agency”—a term that section 3110 defines to include an “Executive agency,” thereby calling up the definition of “Executive agency” generally applicable to title 5, see 5 U.S.C. § 3110(a)(1)(A); id. § 105. But whether or not the White House Office meets this definition (a subject to which we will return in Part II, infra), we believe that the President’s special hiring authority in 3 U.S.C. § 105(a) permits him to make appointments to the White House Office that the anti-nepotism statute might otherwise forbid” (Koffsky, P:2, 2017).

“A President wanting a relative’s advice on governmental matters therefore has a choice: to seek that advice on an unofficial, ad hoc basis without conferring the status and imposing the responsibilities that accompany formal White House positions; or to appoint his relative to the White House under title 3 and subject him to substantial restrictions against conflicts of interest. Cf. AAPS, 997 F.2d at 911 n.10 (declining, after holding that the First Lady qualifies as a “full-time officer or employee” of the government under FACA, to decide her status under the conflict of interest statutes). In choosing his personal staff, the President enjoys an unusual degree of freedom, which Congress found suitable to the demands of his office. Any appointment to that staff, however, carries with it a set of legal restrictions, by which Congress has regulated and fenced in the conduct of federal officials” (Koffsky, P: 16-17, 2017).

I will not jumping jacks around this OGE Lawyer Koffsky, but office that is run by the President is an Executive Office, that issues Executive Orders and Executive Memorandums. That if followed by current law and within provisions within the state because legal and acts that all citizens has to follow. To subject the White House into a sublime role of the state is demeaning, even if he needs support of the branches of government like the Courts and Congress. But that doesn’t make the White House into a playhouse for playboy bunnies, its the place where executive orders and legal minds meet to determine the future of the Republic. It’s insulting that Koffsky is belittling the office and the White House, so it fits legally President role and his ability to appoint family members.

Yes, the President is allowed to seek advice and that ad-hock with family members. That is without doubt, but that is different ones in while speak with an uncle in Louisiana before making a decision that matters for both United States and the World itself. There is problematic to hire family into the White House, as their supposed restrictions and the boundaries of their roles. Since the family bond will not be cut, but be ever present in the decision making.

That Jared Kushner is a Public Official is clear with his title and responsibilities, as a Senior Advisor to the President, who is working on American Innovation, Peace in the Middle East and combating the Opioid crisis in the United States. Ivanka Trump is by title the Assistance to the President. Both of them has had a public role and been acting as Public Officials. They have been there, traveling with the President and even taking his place when he was tired or wanted to relax. Like Ivanka Trump did during the G-20 in July 2017, when the not-elected family member took the seat G20 Leaders Table. So her assistance goes further than ordinary public officials. Since, this sort of role would usually end on Secretary of State and the Vice-President. However, it isn’t the case in the matter of Trump Family.

“Enforcement. While the statutory language bars the appointment of relatives as well as the acceptance of such appointments, enforcement of the prohibition may be limited. The remedy expressly provided for violating this prohibition states that the appointed individual “is not entitled to pay, and money may not be paid from the Treasury as pay” for that person. The statute itself does not require nor does it provide expressly for removal of the individual from the federal civilian position. As noted above, the provision was directed at stopping the practice of placing relatives on the government payroll, and thus the law assures that a relative so appointed may not be paid from federal funds for any such service. The statute likewise does not provide a penalty for the public official who appointed the individual. However, it may be noted that for some rank-and-file positions, not of a confidential or policy making nature, the appointment of a relative may involve a “prohibited personnel practice” by the appointing official” (CRS Report & Analysis, 2016).

Here is another one giving leeway for the possible hiring of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, that is if they are in their roles unpaid and with ranks. Even, that is an issue with the role of the Senior Advisor Kushner and all his positions, even the clearances he needs to be able to fulfill his duty at the White House. Ivanka has also been part of the close-knitted leadership of his fathers. She been part of meetings and such. So both of them has been have been close to confidential material most likely, as they work so close with their relative, the President.

Just like covered in People Magazine in January 2017: “Though Kushner’s appointment does not require Senate confirmation, it is a controversial one: Anti-nepotism laws forbid the hiring of relatives to Cabinet positions, but are less clear on whether they can be appointed to White House staff roles. In American history, anti-nepotism laws are actually a relatively recent development: They were put into place in 1967 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson not long after one of his predecessor’s appointments raised eyebrows” (Pearl, 2017).

So even if the law and the Anti-nepotism law are put in place to accept family members in White House roles. Still, the nepotism is in full affect. There is no half-step on that. The United States should have a hard time accepting the appointment of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump as Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President. All of this has entitled them and given them a special role in the Executive Office of the United States. What is clear by the U.S. Code 105, title 5(d) and will always stand out for the provision in the code that said this: “If the President does not have a spouse, such assistance and services may be provided for such purposes to a member of the President’s family whom the President designates”.

The President has a spouse, his third wife, Melanie, therefore he doe not need such assistance and services. Instead, they are using the titles in the anti-nepotism statutes, they can most likely not be as valuable as these words. However, Koffsky wrote this: “or to appoint his relative to the White House under title 3 and subject him to substantial restrictions against conflicts of interest”. These words are saying that its set substantial restrictions to the office, even as the President has let them be a vital part of his term, Kushner is nearly saving half of America and the Middle-East. Ivanka is publicly part abroad and in Washington. It’s not like they are restricted in that manner, but creating conflicts of interests. That should worry anyone caring about the honest of the public office.

Therefore it was striking what Jason Chafetz said in January 2017: “According to Josh Chafetz, a professor at Cornell Law School and an expert in constitutional law and legislative procedure, the White House is not regulated in the same way as other administrative agencies. “The bigger issue for the administration is not so much about the technical bounds of these nepotism laws, but it just looks bad,” Chafetz said. “I don’t think there’s anything legal that can be done in terms of the appointment. It just looks like there’s a pattern of cronyism that has emerged, especially in conjunction with the cabinet appointments.” (Delkic & Mallin, 2017).

It’s enough. Peace.

Reference:

Koffsky, Daniel L. – ‘Application of the Anti-Nepotism Statute to a Presidential Appointment in the White House Office’ (20.01.2017)

Cornell Law School – ‘U.S. Code › Title 3 › Chapter 2 › § 105’ link: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/105

CRS Report & Analysis – ‘The Federal Anti-Nepotism Statute: Limits on Appointing, Hiring, and Promoting Relatives’ (12.01.2016) link: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/nepotism.pdf

Delkic, Melina & Mallin, Alex – ‘Nepotism Laws Don’t Apply to Jared Kushner Appointment, DOJ Says’ (21.01.2017) link: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nepotism-laws-apply-jared-kushner-appointment-doj/story?id=44951811

Pearl, Diana – ‘Donald Trump’s Son-in-Law Has Hillary Clinton to Thank for Skirting JFK-Inspired Nepotism Rules’ (11.01.2017) link: http://people.com/politics/jared-kushner-nepotism-laws-donald-trump/

Trump is the Golfing President!

“Boredom forces you to ring people you haven’t seen for eighteen years and halfway through the conversation you remember why you left it so long. Boredom means you start to read not only mail-order catalogues but also the advertising inserts that fall on the floor. Boredom gives you half a mind to get a gun and go berserk in the local shopping centre, and you know where this is going. Eventually, boredom means you will take up golf.” – Jeremy Clakson

Donald J. Trump, the American President has been President only for 196 days. Not so long and has had a rocky road. I am quickly and briefly looking into the high-energy and not taking vacations. Something he promised the electorate and the citizens of United States, just like everything else. He lied and keep lying. First take some quotes and where he was shaming his predecessor Barrack Obama, before we looks into his extensive time-offs since getting into office. Clearly, he is playing a lot of golf. The stats and numbers of that is taken from Trumpgolfcount.com, which is page you should check-out if you don’t believe me.

What President Trump said on the 13^th November 2016:

“When Stall told Trump it is $400,000 per year, he said, “No, I’m not going to take the salary. I’m not taking it.” (…) “There’s just so much to be done,” Trump said. “So I don’t think we’ll be very big on vacations, no.” (CNN Wire, 2016).

On criticizing Obama for vacations:

“Trump has long criticized President Obama for his yearly summer and winter breaks. “He takes more vacations than any human being I’ve ever seen,” Trump told Fox News host Greta Van Susteren in 2011. “It sends a bad message. Here we have a country that really is going to hell in a handbasket. . . . And we have a president that’s constantly, whether it’s Martha’s Vineyard or someplace else, constantly on vacation.” (Tracy, 2016).

So the man who complained and nagged on Obama, are clearly a giant hypocrite and is very low-energy. He doesn’t have the stamina or the will-power to stay in the White House. Certainly, he loves his estates and golf-courses more than actually working on policies and executive orders.

Numbers until now at Mar-A-Lago!

In Miami Mar-A-Lago he has spent 25 days. That is over 3 weeks at the Miami Golf-Course and private club. He has taken 7 flights there and is estimated cost of $ 14,392,000. That is the estimated of the flights down from Washington D.C. not the cost of local reinforcement of police, the cost of Secret Service and all the other efforts to secure the President.

Numbers until now at Trump National Bedminister:

In another club he owns and in New Jersey, the President has spent 11 days at Bedminister. He has had 6 flights costing the public tax-payer $ 3,598,000 in flight charges. That is not taking the extra cost of Secret Service, other security officials like Police and local authorities securing the Trump National Bedminister. This is something that would cost the New Jersey state extra, just like the visits to Miami and Florida State. At the 31^st of July 2017, the President had already been golfing for 41 days in his now 196 days into office.

So with this in mind, as plans to spend 17 more days at the Trump National Bedminister in New Jersey. This means the count when is done is 48 days of total 212, which means that ¼ of his days in office by 212 has been spent on a self-owned golf-club. So that he was bashing others for their vacations and playing golf. Was so, so wrong, since he is himself worse and the biggest orange hypocrite in history.

This is how the Boston Globe staff describe his vacation place:

“Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, they noted, is located in Somerset County, one of the tonier sections of New Jersey that are not visible from the New Jersey Turnpike” (…) “Trump’s property cost him a cool $35 million in 2002 (expensive!),” they wrote. “(A)nd … membership at the Trump-owned golf course there reportedly costs $300,000 (too rich for our blood!)” (Fox News, 2017).

So he is again at golf-club, who seems overprice and expensive, but that wasn’t surprising. Clearly, the amount of time spent on his own properties and his own companies. Are showing how he plans to spend public funding on himself and his businesses, that is still owned by family and controlled by the family. While other Presidents has sold their businesses or put them in blind trust, not like Trump, who has given Eric Trump and Donald Trump Junior the control. So he can have it all close and tight-knit.

But he is a lazy President, a low-energy and a weak one. Since he is using one-fourth of the time on the green and not in the office. That is why there is no legislation victory or written that could get both chambers to win from the President. That is why the Tax Plan is mere a Christmas Wish-list, than actually policy. Koch Brothers should get their greed-on and their drink-on since it is their wishes that will be fulfilled.

President Trump could have worked for Taylor-Made and not for the White House. Since he spends so little time there. Peace.

Reference:

CNN Wire – ‘Donald Trump: Not big on vacations, no salary as president’ (13.11.2016) link: http://myfox8.com/2016/11/13/donald-trump-no-big-vacations-no-salary-as-president/

Fox News – ‘Trump vacation site sparks feud between New England, New Jersey’ (05.08.2017) link:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/05/trump-vacation-site-sparks-feud-between-new-england-new-jersey.html

Tracy, Jan – ‘Ever untraditional, Donald Trump elects to pass on vacations’ (21.08.2016) link:https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/08/21/donald-trump-keeps-busy-work-pace-averse-vacations/vsZK55k2we8AkJP2CpMVmK/story.html

Kid Rock’s Senate Race in 2018 in Michigan would be yet another celebrity into politics!

In a not to distant future the world has to all remember the legacy of men like reality star and real-estate supposed tycoon becoming President of the United States, that being Donald Trump winning the election in November 2016. That after a two year stint of campaigning and doing whatever he could become the Commander-in-Chief. That actually happen by all reach of margins off the electoral college and getting the position. So now in Michigan, there is seemingly a new type of race going to happen possibly between the Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow and against Republican Robert James Ritchie aka Kid Rock.

There are some different reports on Kid Rock’s candidacy, let’s look at them:

“At least since “Devil Without a Cause”—his breakthrough LP, from 1998, which sold more than eleven million copies in the U.S.—Kid Rock has self-styled as a patriotic iconoclast, a rebel cowboy on a rampage against anything effete, élite, or soft. He is particularly enraged by rules or customs that might be construed as infringements on personal freedom, such as the choice to meld rap and rock into a shouty, bullish pastiche. He did not invent the right-wing-outlaw archetype—he’s preceded, in music, by the rock guitarist and N.R.A. activist Ted Nugent, the country singer Hank Williams, Jr., and others—but he nonetheless revels in its actualization” (Petrusich, 2017).

“If Rock is really preparing to run for Senate, it’s news to the Michigan Republican Party. The Michigan GOP has “not had any contact with him at all,” spokeswoman Sarah Anderson said Thursday, “so I can’t speak to the validity of it.” Although the state party does not endorse in Republican primaries, potential candidates typically talk to GOP leaders and activists around the state before launching campaigns. Rock caused an uproar Wednesday when he tweeted a mock image of a political lawn sign and said his website is “absolute YES” for real” (Gerstein, 2017).

“He also responded to incumbent Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who’d tweeted, “I know we both share a love of music. I concede he’s better at playing guitar and I’ll keep doing what I do best: fighting for Michigan.” His take? “I concede she is better at playing politics than I am, so I’ll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS,” said Rock, who hasn’t kept his Trump-supporting ideology under wraps” (…) “ The “Kid Rock for U.S. Senate” website diverts from the typical parameters associated with campaign-affiliated sites in a number of ways. For example, campaign sites must confirm that potential donors are U.S. citizens before completing any transactions” (Czachor, 2017).

Now that we see this, it wouldn’t be shocking in the state of affairs in the United States that Kid Rock would suddenly become a politician. There been certainly a dozen other public figures who became politicians in the United States, even Ronald Reagan was in commercials before becoming President. Therefore, the legacy of the American Democracy would not be destroyed, but would be more of a show. Since the President of the current day is a former reality star and that is showing in his persona.

That this would be a special election in Michigan and the state would certainly become galvanized by such a candidate. As the Democrats knows the volatile state after other election losses of late. Not that the Republicans are Teflon, since the scandals surrounding the President keeps them more hurt and less to show for in their time as majority. Especially considering the devastating legislation’s trough the Congress. This will not benefit a Republican candidate in Michigan and the rest of the Senate races, but a wild-card might help. Certainly, a Kid Rock would be a wild-card and would be something else. After a while, the public see what something does as President and they want to vote for safety instead.

Time will tell, if it is a PR Campaign, if it is real start of campaign as the settling with FEC to become candidate has to happen. Also where he disclose what needed to the state before becoming a candidate. Clearly, he needs also to connect with the Republican Party. If he is not planning to run as an independent. But then the musician turned candidate will work against the two biggest parties. Than, he can’t only run on his celebrity status, but has to show that he is a genuine candidate.

Time will tell if he is a real candidate, who will follow protocol and become a possible senator. If he decides to do so, then the Michigan race will be special for the Senate in 2018. Peace.

Reference:

Czachor, Emily Mae – ‘Kid Rock for U.S. Senate? ‘It’s not a hoax,’ he says. ‘It’s a strategy.’ (14.07.2017) link: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-july-kid-rock-1500056630-htmlstory.html

Gerstein, Michael – ‘Kid Rock amps up Senate tease with expletives’ (13.07.2017) link: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/07/13/kid-rock-senate-run-comments/103678072/

Petrusich, Amanda – ‘Kid Rock’s Senate Run Is a Terrifying New Normal’ (13.07.2017) link: http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/kid-rocks-senate-run-is-a-terrifying-new-normal

USA: EPA Acting Deputy Adminstrator E-Mail – “Agency’s Workforce Shaping through Voluntary Early Retirement and Separation Incentive Payment Authorities (VERA/VSIP) – (01.06.2017)

Republican’s loved the filibuster as minority, but as Majority in the Senate: they killed it!

“In Federalist Papers No. 22, Alexander Hamilton seemed to anticipate the modern day Republican party, writing of the concept of a supermajority, “(I)ts real operation is to embarrass the administration, to destroy the energy of government and to substitute the pleasure, caprice or artifices of an insignificant, turbulent or corrupt junta, to the regular deliberations and decisions of a respectable majority.” (Jones, 2009).

As of today we know that Mitch McConnell and other Republicans do not value their own internal laws for bi-partisanship, neither the value of a silent minority when creating laws. That can be said in the days after the Senate used the ‘Nuclear Option’ to circumvent and have a second vote to secure the newly made nominee for the Supreme Court Judge Neil Gorsuch appointed by them. Even as the Democrats had earlier filibuster move and blocked the appointment. Just as the Republican Party did for a year, when the then elected President Barrack Obama, nominated Merrick Garland for the same slot in the Supreme Court.

This here is pivotal to the ideas of the Senate, as the Republicans clearly now proves that the laws are only mattering when they are in opposition, because when they get in power they will use it to silent the opposition. The reality is that the Democratic Party, is losing more ground quicker than they could anticipate. The Senate are now filled with corporate stooges who could not care about the laws and the true conservative measures, as the filibuster might have stopped processes, but has been there as a safeguard against regulations who might hurt the Republic. That is something the Republicans should care about, but apparently they are hooked on power.

“The filibuster, long seen by its proponents as a necessary check on power and by its critics as a frustrating waste of time, has been around since the mid-19th century. A filibuster simply allows the minority political party to choose to endlessly debate a bill, stalling — and sometimes preventing — an actual vote. The word comes from the Dutch term vrijbuiter (pirate), in addition to the Spanish word filibustero (freebooting). The origins of filibuster use trace back to ancient Rome, and the practice has been common in several other countries including England and Australia. In the U.S., the tactic became known as a label for a Senator who held his colleagues hostage by overtalking legislation” (…) “The first filibuster in U.S. Senate history began on March 5, 1841, over the issue of the firing of Senate printers, and lasted six days. Ever since, politicians have loved filibusters or hated them — depending which side of the fight they were on. Proponents argue the filibuster protects the right to free speech and prevents the Senate majority from steamrolling the minority, thus ensuring that critical legislation gets a sufficient airing before being pushed through. Others contend the practice has gotten out of hand, leaving bills gridlocked in an oft-feuding Senate and stalling important votes for purely partisan gain. Peter Fenn, GOP consultant and former Senate aide, called filibusters the “tyranny of the minority.” (Oloffson, 2009).

The reality of what they have done is that after the first vote on the 4^th April voted a majority Republicans to hold an Executive Session to consider Gorsuch as Supreme Court Judge. Than the Senate tried to fill in a clout on the 6^th April 2017, but that got rejected by the minority after the filibuster rule. Therefore, Majority leader McConnell came with the good idea of using the Reed Rule and overrule the Filibuster through reconsidering the motion and change the rules on how many that needs to vote “yay” to win legislation victory in the senate. So late after a long debate on the 6^th April, the Senate got the amount of votes to get the “On the Cloture Motion” that gave way for the majority in the Senate. So with the new rules, yesterday with 54 Yay over 45 Nay, the victory of the Republicans and the Trump nominee for the Court.

GovTrack explains it perfectly: “A vote on cloture is a vote to limit further debate and move to an up-or-down vote, in other words to prevent a filibuster. With only 55 votes in favor, 5 short of the 60 required, the Democrats blocked cloture so that they could filibuster the nomination. Following this vote, in Senate vote #109, the rule for cloture on Supreme Court nominations was changed to a simple majority. In Senate vote #110, the cloture vote was retaken under the new rules and with 55 votes again, 4 more than was needed on the second attempt, cloture was approved and further debate was limited. Gorsuch was confirmed in the final vote the following day” (GovTrack, 2017).

So with this change, the Majority knows totally control the Senate as the Filibuster is now gone away. It is ironic that the Republicans voting for this week, has as a minority proclaimed their love for the filibuster rule and it value in the Senate. So when themselves needs to circumvent it, it was easy to vote and change so their man could have a slot in the court. But they could use the same rule to stop laws and nominations from Obama.

A few recent times the Republican’s have filibuster themselves:

In 2013: “Ted Cruz called in the doctor to knock down ObamaCare — Dr. Seuss, that is.
The Republican senator from Texas recited Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham” during a wide-ranging, 21- hour quasi-filibuster to blast the health-care law” (Miller, 2013).

In 2012: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) wants to change the filibuster rule in the Senate because Republicans have been abusing it. He pointed out in Politico this September, “Since Democrats took control of the Senate in 2006, Republicans have mounted 380 filibusters. This far exceeds anything we’ve seen before in the Senate. By comparison, in Lyndon B. Johnson’s six years as Senate majority leader, he faced just one filibuster.” (…) “But Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claims that the 60 supermajority vote rule is ordinary procedure. McConnell huffed at Reid’s filibuster reform, “What these Democrats have in mind is a fundamental change to the way the Senate operates.” (Jones, 2012).

In 2010: “Senate Republicans proved their fortitude today when they voted to filibuster the Zadroga bill, the measure to provide health insurance to 9/11 workers. The measure failed by a vote of 57-42. Under the leadership of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Republicans vowed to filibuster any legislation introduced in the Senate until a settlement is reached on the Bush tax cuts and federal funding” (Clabough, 2010).

So there is a precedence and a history of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to use the filibuster on his own grounds and stop the Democratic Party from getting through legislation, as much as 380 times at least since 2006 alone. So it is not like the Republican Party doesn’t know how obstructive they have been in opposition. Nevertheless, when they got in power they used the tools possible to not respect the way the Democratic Majority Leader Reid did, but instead overrule the filibuster to get in the Trump nominee. The Nobel men of the Republican party who, has said they care about the sacred laws of the Senate, we’re lying all these years. Since the minute they get into power and get majority inside the Senate, they use the clouts and the roads not used. To make sure their will get passed. No bi-partisanship, but instead close the gate and says “our will rule them all”.

The Republican Party and their Senate leader will surely be remembered for their ill-will and take control of the Senate, rewrite the rules for their donors and their corporate partners, instead of serving the public will. The Republican Party and their leader can be remembered for not caring that they we’re ones using a 200 year old rule for their benefit, but when they entered the gates as majority. They couldn’t care less. Peace.

Reference:

Clabough, Raven – ‘Republican Filibuster Blocks 9/11 Bill’ (09.12.2010) link: https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/3577-republican-filibuster-blocks-9-11-bill

Miller, S.A. – ‘Cruz reads ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ in marathon filibuster’ (23.09.2013) link: http://nypost.com/2013/09/25/cruz-vows-to-speak-till-he-cant-against-obamacare/

Jones, Sarah – ‘Since Democrats took control of the Senate in 2006, Republicans Have Mounted 380 Filibusters’ (09.12.2009) link: http://www.politicususa.com/2012/12/09/block-blame-successful-republican-filibuster-strategy.html

GovTrack – ‘Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States’ (06.04.2017) link: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/115-2017/s105?utm_campaign=govtrack_feed&utm_source=govtrack/feed&utm_medium=rss

Oloffson, Kristi – ‘A BRIEF HISTORY OF Filibusters’ (02.11.2009) link: http://content.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1933802,00.html

Judge Garland’s ghost will now follow the vacant Supreme Court seat!

“I said I would take this process seriously — and I did. I chose a serious man and an exemplary judge, Merrick Garland. Over my seven years as President, in all my conversations with senators from both parties in which I asked their views on qualified Supreme Court nominees — this includes the previous two seats that I had to fill — the one name that has come up repeatedly, from Republicans and Democrats alike, is Merrick Garland” (…) “Now, I recognize that we have entered the political season — or perhaps, these days it never ends — a political season that is even noisier and more volatile than usual. I know that Republicans will point to Democrats who’ve made it hard for Republican Presidents to get their nominees confirmed. And they’re not wrong about that. There’s been politics involved in nominations in the past. Although it should be pointed out that, in each of those instances, Democrats ultimately confirmed a nominee put forward by a Republican President” – Barrack Obama (16.03.2016 – White House – Rose Garden – from the Obama Archives).

I hate to say it, it doesn’t matter how the creature and individual judge Neil Gorsuch, the nominated person to fill the empty seat in the Supreme Court of the United States. Why I don’t care? It is because of the process he has been entangled into, that has been created by the Republican Party taking away the Executive right for former President Barrack Obama. So, there is certainly no will to give that the new President Donald Trump, as he is just a new politician and President Obama was in his second term as the Executive. There haven’t even gone a 100 days of his presidency, it should take more time, as it soon is election and primary season for the Senate election in 2018. That is if I stand by the same rules the Republicans used against Obama, to not nominate and hired someone to the last remaining seat in the Supreme Court.

I don’t care if is Neil Gorsuch is a mix of Mother Theresa, Pope Francis and Baby Jesus. He can be the best American since John Wayne, he can be mix Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, still not be the man for the Supreme Court seat. To me he is just the trick of the Republican party, to thief away a spot from the Democratic Party elected President. Therefore, I see nothing else than a theft.

The Republicans like Lindsay Graham, the Senator of South Carolina can talk the game he wants about the judge and his profound knowledge of judgment. Still, Sen. Graham doesn’t consider the constitutional rights of Obama, as he neglect the preposterous attempts of filibustering and stopping the sessions at play for months, to give way to Trump so he could nominate someone. The Republicans are hereby saying they are entitled to elected who they please, but other parties has to beg to do so. The Republic can only have Presidents who has the love of the Republican party, if not they are not constitutional. That is the state that Sen. Graham profess to.

Mitch McConnell, Senator of Kentucky and the Majority Leader of the Senate, has said that he does not accept that the Democratic Party representatives to Block Gorsuch, but my initial problem with that sort of statement from a Majority leader is that he blocked Garland all through the 2016 year and until President Trump got into office. Not like he didn’t use all sorts of tricks and pushed the buttons to stop the process of getting an Obama nominated fellow inside the Supreme Court. That is because Obama was not righteous enough, but the pussy-grabbing, shallow-snake-oil-salesman and the fake University owner Trump has the legal mind to pick someone. McConnell himself by October 2016, than suspending the nomination of Garland, said it was a lame-duck, that was only 7 months after vacancy was open.

The seat of the Supreme Court in the total months that Barrack Obama was president was about 12, that is a year, that is one fourth of his last term. That means that the Republican Senators and Representatives suspended and postponed the vacancy through major parts of his presidency. So that they could claim the seat as the Election was on horizon. Because they feared a liberal or a progressive candidate filling Judge Scalia’s place. It is clear this is ignorance and disregard of the ones electing President Obama, that they could not spare him his duty as the Executive or understand his judgment for the picking of Garland.

So if Speaker Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell feels they are disrespected and feels that the Democratic representatives isn’t working within the perimeter of the Constitution and the rights of the Republican President Trump. If they conduct such behavior and claims that the Democratic Party is dissolving the Supreme court vacancy. Than, they are hypocrites.

As Paul Ryan himself stated on the 16^th March 2016:

“This has never been about who the nominee is. It is about a basic principle. Under our Constitution, the president has every right to make this nomination, and the Senate has every right not to confirm a nominee. I fully support Leader McConnell and Chairman Grassley’s decision not to move forward with the confirmation process. We should let the American people decide the direction of the court.” (Paul Ryan, 16.03.2016).

Therefore, if the Republicans can suspend hearings and voting for Garland, why cannot Democrats do it now? The Tea Party representatives and Freedom Caucus representatives have had no issues with stifling the process of Capitol Hill. So if the resistance and the Democrats decides to stop Gorsuch nomination, that would be filibustering and stopping Trumps will. If they would accept it, is it like Republicans only have rights to nominate and the only ones who knows how to pick people for important positions?

Since President Trump has already hired his son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump, so it not like we can question his own methods of picking Gorsuch. The Education Minister Betty De Vos family has been a big donor to the Republican Party and also Trump Campaign. So it not like the donations from big spenders change the ethical perspective of appointments under the Trump Era. It isn’t all white-supremacist and right-wing representatives, more on the financial backdrop and who’s favor Trump has gotten or hoping to get.

Than, with this in mind, what sort of favors has Gorsuch promised to do for Trump? Let’s be clear I don’t care if he is the softest most gentle judge ever existing, if he is the Marvin Gaye of judges. Still, he is the man stealing the possible seat of Garland. Ghost of Merrick will always follow Neil. No matter what happens, the one taking the seat now in the Supreme Court will always have the illegitimate picked person working in the most important legal job of the republic. That shows how low the legal system and the elected representatives of the United States has sunk down too.

President Obama wasn’t given the right to appoint because of people like Senator McConnell and Representative Ryan are the leadership that put forward reasoning for stopping the nominations. So now that they have Republican President and he has made a nomination, which happens to be Gorsuch.

We could talk fair and justice, but this is a sinister political ploy from the Republican party and using the laws to cherry-pick the ones supporting their will. The reality of it all is that the Obama administration was weaken by the control of the senate and the representatives house. The chambers did what they could to silence and stop his policies. Instead of building by bi-partisan ways. Now the Republican party want that from the Democratic Party and their members in the chambers. That train has left the station and hasn’t a plan to return.

The Ghost of Garland, even as he never entered the Supreme Court as an official judge or gotten the seat. Still, the will of President Obama and the denial of process of the appointment has proven that the Congress, the house or the senate didn’t want to fill the seat. The reality cannot be swayed away from this and the current state of affairs. That Trump should fill this seat is justified, as much as he can have ability to fill more if their time on earth stops. That is the rules. So Trump can fill even more in his time. They would have been correct! The appointment of possibly Gorsuch isn’t, and the Republican Party senators and representatives knows this perfectly well. All of them and most of them know they we’re part of the theft.

The grand theft and the perfect crime was orchestrated all through an election year, though all sorts of display and disregard of the President Obama and the Constitution, that they are supposed to keep in high regard. Instead they are propping up all tools and spin-control to let the Democrats leave it alone. That they did not to lose face during the Presidential Election, but here we are and we should know that the ghost of Garland will now overshadow the Supreme Court. Peace.