What is "Christian" about Raphael "Ted" Cruz?

Jesus taught the Beatitudes at the Sermon on the Mount - Can Senator Cruz measure up to these standards?

Blogging as a practicing Christian, Roman Catholic, it's impossible for me to understand how Senator "Ted" Cruz calls himself the candidate of the Christian Evangelicals, when it's difficult to understand how he measures up to the standards set forth by Jesus Christ. Let's measure Senator "Ted" Cruz by the tenets explained in the Beaitudes, as taught by Jesus himself.

Jesus taught the eight Beatitudes during his "Sermon on the Mount". Many Christians even consider the Beatitudes to be a renewal of the laws given to Moses in the Ten Commandments.

How does Senator "Ted" Cruz measure up?

1.  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
       I doubt "Goldman Sachs" undisclosed loans is a place where people go when they are poor in spirit.

2.  Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
     Has Senator "Ted" Cruz demonstrated sorrow for the thousands of people murdered by preventable gun violence every year? Not as far as I know. Instead, Cruz hangs out with people who worship guns as though they are a diety.  Senator Cruz has never demonstrated "mourning" for the root cause of gun violence.

3.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 
     I'm open to anything that will lead me to believe there is an ounce of "meekness" in Senator Ted Cruz.  He's spoken about spanking his children; he's explained how condoms somehow correlate with Republican support for birth control. Being meek would not be one of Senator Ted Cruz's attributes.

4.  Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 
     Okay, maybe Senator "Ted" Cruz can self-declare himself as "righteous", it's a matter of opinion. I suspect Jesus was calling on Christians to "thirst" for righteousness, but I don't believe he preached to people in a condescending self righteous manner.  

5.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 
    This is the Beatitude where Senator "Ted" Cruz fails miserably. He has never voiced mercy for the victims of gun violence or those who are caught up in the legal conundrums of America's immigration problems. He has not shown mercy. Instead, he demonstrates callous disregard for the plight of those who need mercy.

6.  Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. 
     "Pure of heart" means not practicing hypocrisy. It's not being "pure of heart" when Senator "Ted" Cruz accused President Barack Obama of being unqualified to be the President of the United States, because he was allegedly born in Kenya, therefore, not an American citizen. Yet, there was never, ever, an ounce of evidence to suggest this lie had any merit, whatsoever. Moreover, it's not being "pure of heart" when Senator "Ted"Cruz was, himself, born on foriegn soil in Canada, and has not bothered to clear up his qualifications to run for the office of President of the United States, while court challenges to his candidacy  are being organized.

7.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. 
     "Peacemakers" do not threaten to close down the American government, putting tens of thousands of people at risk for not being paid and public services in limbo, just because he couldn't get his own way on a Congressional budget deal. This isn't  "peacemaking"; rather, his positions are acrimonious.

8.  Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 
Certainly, it seems to me, many people have been emotionally harmed by policies supported by Senator "Ted" Cruz. Beginning with his terrible lies about President Obama's citizenship, to his strident stand against immigration reform and paths to citizenship for alein residents in the US.  Of course, Senator Cruz would likely claim his positions are "righteous", but he doesn't practice meekness while trying to adhere to policies that are harming innocent people. In fact, the people the Cruz proposed policies harm are those who have no voice or vote, being the immigrants who he will block from becoming American citizens, if he's elected president.

Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10

Although I certainly don't want to be self righteous or lack meekness, in my opinion, there's almost nothing Christian about the policies of Senator "Ted" Cruz.  Consequently, it's a mystery to me why any Christian Evangelical voter could possibly support his candidacy for President. 

Mars Avatar - ready for "my close up selfie" Mars Rover

If Martian intelligent life, in fact, exists, then who or what are they observing about our scientific Mars Rover, as an Avatar - a hybrid human alien, now taking "selfie" close ups on their red planet? Little do these potential Martians know about the enviornment where humanoids live, on planet Earth.

Mars Rover is a robot Avatar, even takes a "selfie". The hybrid "human-robot" is enjoying a peaceful excursion on the red planet

Our Mars Rover is a real time Star Wars "R2D2", electronic Avatar, with a hybrid "human-robotic" personality.

We should warn Martian intelligent life about "real Earth people". Indeed, Mars Rover is probably a lot nicer than about 98 percent of the humans who occupy the planet Earth. It's an asexual (as far as we know) computer Avatar, with thought processes void of political bias.  

Perhaps, humans should be taking philosophical life lessons from the Mars Rover. Mankind might consider reinventing ourselves to be more like the curious robot that's exploring Mars because, frankly, the carefree life of a rover seems preferable to dealing with the polarizing influences now consuming our Earthly domain.  

Republicans must admit to Mars Rover being an undocumented alien to the red planet. This fact alone would give right wing Martians the incentive to throw the Mars Rover right back into space, selfies included. I suspect intelligent Martians wouldn't waste valuable resources building a wall around the Mars Rover, because it's not likely they have any currency to use, to pay for it.

Creationists can rightly claim that "Avatar" life began on 2004, on the red planet, with the arrival of the NASA Mars Rover. Therefore, the Bible fundamentalists could justifiably start their Mars Bibilical calendar, with real data, rather than by carbon dated dinosaur bones.

Mars Rover can launch a lot of scientific data, but it's impossible for it to wage a "war on women", because the Avatars can't reproduce, at least, as far as we know. Being "asexual" has it's advantages, because the Avatars are exempt from bringing forth "little Avatars", spoiled robots that could become a burden on the Mars environment. 

Although Mars Rover sends plenty of messages back to earth, the most classified of them seems to be about the chemical composition of the red soil, which is not too "damn" exciting.

Let's be honest. Mars Rover is the celebrity apprectice "star", the focal point of its own spectacular red planet. It's not Republican, Democrat, Independent, Catholic, Muslim, Libertarian or a "Saturday Night Live" skit look alike. Instead, the Mars Rover is a Trumponian!  It stands alone, taking selfies and grabbing international attention, just because it exsists.  

Unfortunately, the amazing Mars Rover can't return to earth for the purpose of running for President of the United States. At this point in the world of Republican politics, Mars Rover seems like it would be the Avatar worth voting for, if it were remotely possible for it to show up at an Iowa Caucus or New Hampshir primary election. 

Oh Wait!  Did I say, "remotely"?  Well, maybe it's time for the Mars Rover to form a campaign committee by remote control.  "It's time for my close up", Mr. Trump.  

I suppose Mars Rover would win any election over Donald Trump "the Chump", but it certainly seems like the Avatar is having too much fun being the spectacular star of his own private red planet.

If Mars Rover finds water on the red planet, there might be plenty of "political refugee humans", those who simply can't believe what is happening here on earth, who would gladly join the Avatar, to populate the red planet.  

Politics transformed by Donald Trump - Republican in name only

Although Donald Trump "the Chump" declared himself a Republican candidate for President, the fact is, the self declared "Trumponian" is a dangerous change agent.  Donald Trump isn't a member of any party that would have him as a member (thank you Groucho Marx).

"Trumpnians" will likely follow the Groucho Marx mantra. He would never join a "party" that would have him as a member. In fact,Trumponians are Republicans in name only. For Trumponians, Republicans aren't extremist enough. Instead, Trumponians worship "Trump" politics.

Rather, Donald Trump is transforming American politics, precisely because he isn't a politician, although he wants to be one. It's like the cliche "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." Donald Trump isn't a politician, but he plays a Trumponian party boss on the 24/7 news media. Unfortunately, Trumponian politics means that politics of the past risks, eventually, becoming the power games of the rich and famous. Americans will be very poorly served by rich people who "wanna bee" politicians, because we can't sell elections like business mogels trade real estate properties. Politics requires sophisticated expertise in leadership. Being a politician certainly isn't like trading properties in a reality Monopoly game, like Trumponians might be led to believe.  In fact, good politicians set a tone for the future. Yet, Trumponians are simply mezmerized by the "here and now", blinded by the celebrity of their "wizardry" leader. Trumponians are smitten by their candidates wealth. He's a superficial leader, driven by ego, who knows how to  entertain audiences like he's a Saturday Night Live characicture of himself.

To use a quaint Yogi Berra cliche, Americans are at a political fork in the road. Trumponians might change the future of all politics or Americans might (hopefully) turn against the "Trumponian party". Let's hope Americans "take the right road" and turn against the Trumponian party. Let's face it, "Trump the Chump" is a reality Saturday Night Live politician, but he is definitely not a "political leader".  

American perceive "Trump the Chump" somewhere on a spectrum of euphoria, blinded by his celebrity, to being completely disgusted by his bigotry and bombastic intolerance for people he doesn't like. Regardless of how "Trump the Chump" is perceived, the fact is, Trumponians are Republicans in name only.  Unfortunately, the real Republican party (aka the "Grand Old Party") is also branded as "Trumponian". Worse, the GOP may never recover from this label, because, never again, will there be a presidential candidate with incendiary celebrity to ignite angry right wing extremism.

Unfortuantely, seasoned politicians might have to return to public policy 101, to re-learn transformational campaigning. Frankly, Trumponians have transformed the future of the political process. Celebrity will matter. Yet, "hope springs eternal". Let's pray Americans will reject Trumponians and the Grand Old Party will, somehow, wake up and learn how to be "Grand" again. 

Let's reject the Trumponian party and support politicians who respect the political process.

Flint Michigan lead water crises is directly correlated with "less government"

When it comes to risking life with less government, "we all live in Flint...."  by  Elizabeth Sawin
Republicans are wrong to preach about less government. In fact, the irreversible impact of the Flint Michigan lead water poisoning crisis is the result of the practice of removing local government. 

Flint Michigan lead infected water was the result of cost cutting because the Republican Governor removed local government and put in place municipal management without citizen engagement.

As a result of Republican Governor Snyder's decision to remove Flint Michigan's local government, the state's citizens will be saddled with unplanned for law suits and yet to be determined collateral costs required to respond to the water poisoning fisasco.

Common Dreams reports "We Failed in Flint. Here’s How to Avoid Making the Same Mistakes" - although the article is focused on how to avoid making the same mistakes about climate change, the succinct lessons are like a "TED talk" education about the risks of "less government".

Four mistakes that led to tragedy in Flint are dangerously impacting global climate policy.

Less goverenment mistake #1

Breaking the feedback loops between those who make decisions and those who live with the consequences. Flint residents complained for months about the safety of the water flowing out of their faucets, but decision makers and policy enforcers did little in response. There was plenty of evidence of a problem, but those who knew about the problem didn’t have access to the power to fix it. Climate policy is dealing with the same consequences. For example, the people watch their islands succumb to sea level rise or their cultural traditions and food sources disappear under rising temperatures are, by and large, not the same people who are drafting climate treaties or implementing energy policy on the international stage.

Solution #1 - Give decision-making power to those who will live with the consequences of the decision. The people who drink the water should decide about its management, and the people who are feeling the impacts of climate change should have a deciding vote in climate policy. Climate impacts disproportionately hit low-income people and people of color. Good system design (but not current reality) says that the people being slammed by climate change are the best people to craft a response. In that sense, voter registration drives in low-income communities, ‘black lives matter’ actions, and community organizing in support of a livable wage, by increasing the power of marginalized groups, are also investments in a livable climate.

"Whatever fear, grief, anger, disbelief, or horror you are feeling as the crisis in Flint unfolds, imagine those feelings expanded to planetary scale. Flint gives us a preview of the regrets that come from failing to act soon enough."

Less government Mistake #2 

Silencing the voices of future generations. 

The current crisis in Flint began with the switch to the Flint River as a water source. That water source elevated levels of chloride, likely from runoff containing road salt, making it corrosive to Flint’s water pipes and possibly damaging to aquatic life in the river. Who speaks for the river or the beings that swim in it? Who speaks for the children, those most vulnerable to lead toxicity, but too young to have a political voice? And who speaks for the future generations who will bear the brunt of the consequences of climate change?

Solution #2 – Recognize the rights of nature and future generations. Around the world people are experimenting with how best to do this. Some countries are establishing new structures, like the office for the Ombudsman for Future Generations, as existed in Hungary. Others are experimenting with various legal frameworks to protect the rights of nature and the rights of future generations. Still others are strengthening Indigenous land rights, tapping into thousands of years of cultural traditions that acknowledge the rights of Mother Earth and future generations. Imagine a state like Michigan with such rights enshrined in law, and ask yourself if the current crisis could have happened under such an ethic?

Less government Mistake #3 

Failing to recognize that irreversible threats require a different mindset than reversible ones. No words are more horrifying than ‘irreversible neurotoxicity’, but that’s what parents in Flint are facing now. Climate change is also irreversible, at least on humanly relevant timescales. With irreversible impacts, you can’t afford to wait and see how bad something is, and then decide to fix it if the impacts are unpalatable. Lead poisoning and climate change aren’t like potholes or park benches. They aren’t things that you can fix or reposition after you find out you don’t like living with them as they are. But the Flint water managers and the global climate negotiators persist in treating irreversible problems with too much of a ‘wait and see’ attitude.

Solution #3: When facing an uncertain situation with irreversible consequences, stop what you are doing! Doctors, emergency managers, and the military all know the solution that’s called for when the consequences are dire and irreversible. So do parents. If you can’t bear the consequence of a risk, then don’t take that risk. It’s called the precautionary principle in policy discussions, but it’s also just simple common sense.

Less government Mistake #4: 

Failing to invest in prevention, leading to wasteful and potentially catastrophic bills later on. News articles report that the corrosion problem in the Flint water system could have been solved with a relatively inexpensive anti-corrosion additive. Today, because that preventative measure was not taken, the consquential bills are mounting –for emergency response, bottled water distribution, filtration systems, and medical intervention. For some (hopefully very small) number of people, there could be a lifetime of costs to try to compensate for neurological damage. Prevention would have been so much cheaper than trying to ameliorate the resulting damage. The same is true for climate change where the costs to transition to a low-carbon economy are miniscule relative to the costs of trying to carry on in a destabilized climate.

Solution #4: Invest in prevention. It’s not always glamorous, but there is nothing more prudent or effective than preventing problems in the first place. We know this in our own lives, where, like precaution, prevention is common sense. Repair the roof before it leaks, change the oil before the engine seizes up, quit smoking before you fall sick.

When it comes to our global climate, we all live in Flint. Like those in Flint, our climate policy makers are largely disconnected from those with firsthand knowledge of impacts. Like the response in Flint, our climate responses are too slow and too weak when measured against the potential for irreversible harm.

Whatever fear, grief, anger, disbelief, or horror you are feeling as the crisis in Flint unfolds, imagine those feelings expanded to planetary scale. Flint is a preview of the regrets that come from failing to act soon enough.

The biggest difference between Flint and the global climate is that much of the harm of climate change can (hopefully) still be prevented.

Flint and decades of wisdom from environmental justice leaders show us the steps to take. Give voice to the marginalized and to future generations. Don’t risk what you can’t afford to loose. Invest a little now to avoid being hit with a bill (like extraordinary reparations, class action suits and "consent decrees") that will be too big to pay in the future.

What did you learn from this "TED Talks" syle of education?

"If you can’t bear the consequence of a risk, then don’t take that risk.It’s called the precautionary principle in policy discussions, but it’s also just simple common sense."

Donald Trump disdained in Great Britian now Germam Magazine says he's insane

America is at risk for becoming a reflection of Trumponian madness. "Trump cable news" is non stop media entertainment and "quasi news". But, this media circus must end!

It should be an alarming reality check, when the "MPs" in Great Britian's Parliament takes up valuable debate time to discuss whether or not presidential candiate Donald Trump should be prevented from entering their country, because of his intolerance for immigration, and, particuarly, his anti-Muslim statements. Now, it turns out, Germany's top selling magazine, Der Spiegel, is reporting Donald Trump as being insane. (I believe the German translation of "insane" is likely a horribly derogatory adjective.)

Der Spiegel calls Donald Trump "insane", so what dos that label say about his crazy followers?

Americans who follow Trump, because they support his caustic style of presidential camapigning, should look themselves in the mirror.  Perhaps Trunpy's followers should also be banned from entering Great Britian and, likewise, be labeled "insane"?  

In fact, being called "insane" is a rather mild label in Trumponian lingo, considering the bombastic name calling Donald Trump has hurled at anybody who he doesn't happen to like- which are a lot of people. Unfortunately, too many people are likely candidates from being banned in Great Britian and might be called "insane" because they are supporting Donald Trump. 

As a result, America is at risk for electing a president who might be unable to travel to our strongest Western ally, being Great Britian. Moreover, he will be laughed at in Germany because he'll have the ludicrious label of being "insane". This is preposterous! Rather than "make American great again", Trumpy has already caused harm to our nation's image with two of our international Western allies. These negative attributes are not the qualities American wants to see in our leader of the free world.

As reported in the The Hill

Donald Trump lambasted German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her handling of the Syrian refugee crisis, and now Germany's top magazine is hitting back.  Der Spiegel, the most widely read German news weekly, features the Republican presidential front-runner on the cover of this week’s issue.

An ominous-looking graphic features Trump draped by a burning American flag and a caption calling him a rabble-rouser.

The title, “Wahnsinn: Amerikas Hetzer Donald Trump,” translates roughly to “Madness: America’s Agitator Donald Trump.”

In my opinion, being "mad" and "insane" is less serious to "Trump the Chump", than the labels Trumpy hurled on Rosie O'Donnell and pretty FOXNews broadcast journalist, Megyn Kelly. 

Maybe Trump deserves the label "lunatic", rather than mad. Even better, perhaps being banned in England isn't enough "banishment".  Consider, instead, banning Trumpy from being given millions of dollars of free media time on cable news.   

Regardless of the tsunami of negative publicity flooding "Trump the Chump's" presidential ambitions, he is still leading in the political polls.  Yet, Trumpy is clearly disdained by most people who follow politics, including the Republican establishment and now our international allies.

"Trump the Chump" is at risk of being banned from entering Great Britian and he's considered "insane" by a popular German magazine.  In my opinion, Trumpy's followers are a reflection of their preferred candidate's worst attributes.  Even worse, the negative Trumponian tone is also a misrepresentation of all Americans.  

Obviously, Americans must not let "Trump the Chump" become the Republcian presidential nominee!  He's "insane"!

Pope Francis should be the focus of world news- not the 24/7 Trump drama

International drama circulates around the highly publicized Donald Trump, the Republican occupation of all things political. All the while, His Holiness, Pope Francis is planning a history visit to Mexico. Given the political issues around Mexican immigration and the horrible problems with illegal drug trafficking into the US, it seems to me the Pope's Mexico visit in February, should receive more news media coverage. Unfortunately, it's not receiving much coverage except from the Catholic press.

National Catholic Reporter is covering the Pope Francis to visit marginalized communities in Mexico, in February by Carol Glatz.

VATICAN CITY- Pope Francis will also visit Cereso state prison while in Mexico

Pope Francis will visit some of the most marginalized communities in Mexico and seek to bring hope to a country suffering from crime, corruption and inequality when he visits Feb. 12-17.

Francis will stop in six cities, including two in the state of Chiapas and -- across from El Paso, Texas -- Ciudad Juárez, which just five years ago was considered the "murder capital of the world" as drug cartels disputed a trafficking corridor.

The Pope said in November, that he wanted to visit cities where St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI never went. (Given how Pope Francis is a native of Argentina, he is liekly very comfortable going into barios).

But he said he will stop at the capital of Mexico City to pray at the Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"But if it wasn't for Our Lady," he wouldn't go there, he told reporters.

The Pope will fly out of and return to Mexico City each day after celebrating Mass at the basilica on the second day of his trip.

Over the following four days, he will visit a pediatric hospital in the capital as well as families and indigenous communities in the southernmost state of Chiapas, Mexico's poorest state, which gained worldwide attention for the 1990s Zapatista rebellion.

NCR's Vatican correspondent, Joshua J. McElwee, will be traveling with the pope. NCR will have additional reporters in Chiapas and Ciudad Juárez during the trip. 

Watch for coverage onhttp://ncronline.org/feature-series/francis-mexico and a full report in the next print issue.

Francis will visit young people and religious in Morelia, celebrate Mass on the Mexican-U.S. border in Ciudad Juárez and visit its infamous Cereso state prison, where at least 20 people were killed during riots in 2009 triggered by rival gangs among the prisoners.

"We are certain that the presence of the Holy Father will confirm us in the faith, hope and charity and will help the church move ahead in its permanent mission," the Mexican bishops' conference said in a Dec. 12 statement. "It will encourage believers and nonbelievers and commit us to the construction of a just Mexico, with solidarity, reconciliation and peace."

Fr. Oscar Enríquez, parish priest and director of the Paso del Norte Human Rights Center in Ciudad Juárez, told Catholic News Service that Juárez is often seen as an example of overcoming extreme violence. "The pope always looks for the peripheries. Juárez is the periphery of Mexico and it's a place migrants pass through."

Fr. Patricio Madrigal, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in the Michoacán city of Nueva Italia, said that by visiting Morelia, the pope "wants to be closer to an area beaten down by violence. He wants to bring comfort and also closeness."

The pope's meeting with young people and religious in Morelia is important, Madrigal said, as the church there works to keep kids out of the cartels, provide priests with support, and "strengthen us in the faith and our work in attending to victims of violence."

Priests in the rugged Tierra Caliente region there had lent moral and spiritual support to vigilantes arming themselves to run off a drug cartel in 2013.

Francis "wants to give young people a message of hope and that they stay away from the temptation of violence," Madrigal said.

Here is the pope's itinerary as released by the Vatican. Times listed are local. The places the pope will visit are on Central Standard Time, except Ciudad Juárez, which is on Mountain time.

Friday, Feb. 12
12:30 p.m. Departure from Rome's Fiumicino Airport.
7:30 p.m. Arrive at Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City.

Saturday, Feb. 13
9:30 a.m. Welcoming ceremony at the National Palace, Mexico City, with the president of the republic.
11:30 a.m. Meeting with Mexico's bishops in the city's cathedral.
5 p.m. Mass in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Homily by pope.

Sunday, Feb. 14
10:30 a.m. Fly by helicopter to the "study center" of Ecatepec for Mass.
4:30 p.m. Return to Mexico City for visit to the Federico Gómez Children's Hospital.
6 p.m. Meeting in the National Auditorium with representatives of culture.

Monday, Feb. 15
7:30 a.m. Fly to San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.
10:15 a.m. Mass at the city's sports center with the indigenous community.
1 p.m. Lunch with representatives of the indigenous community.
4:15 p.m. Meeting with families at the Victor Manuel Reyna Stadium at Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Speech by pope.
6:10 p.m. Return to Mexico City.

Tuesday, Feb. 16
7:50 a.m. Fly to Morelia.
10 a.m. Mass with priests, seminarians, religious men and women.
4:30 p.m. Meeting with young people at the José Maria Morelos y Pavón Stadium.
6:55 p.m. Return to Mexico City.

Wednesday, Feb. 17
8:35 a.m. Fly to Ciudad Juárez.
10:30 a.m. Visit to Cereso prison.
12 p.m. Meeting with workers and employers at the Colegio de Bachilleres of the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
4 p.m. Mass at the fairgrounds of Ciudad Juárez.
7:15 p.m. Return to Rome.

FOXNews grovels for Trump participation in Republican debate

Donald Trump has no reason to single out Megyn Kelly as his reason to consider a boycott of the FOXNews, GOP debate  - but she is the focus of his anger. He obviously doesn't want anymore "gotcha" quesitons about how Donald Trump treats women.

This political debate soap opera created a humbling made for TV moment! FOXNews personality Bill O'Reilly even groveled about "milkshakes" in a frunstrating effort to convince Donald Trump (aka "the chump") to change his mind about not participating on the cable FOXNews GOP candidates debate. Of course, "Cruz to loose" is livid because the tanking debate TV ratings, resulting from Trump's withdrawal, will destroy any Cruz strategies to engage Donald.

FOXNews often creates the news. Yet, now they're terrified about having Donald Trump upstage their own "news event"- the GOP "line up" in the cable news televised debate.  

Indeed, Donald Trump is almost like the reincarnation of PT Barnam. He didn't fall for the "born every minute" cliche. Consequently, FOXNews is now on the defensive. Once again, Donald Trump is controlling the news while the FOXNews venture has been shut down. 

Megyn Kelly is one reason Donald Trump says he's boycotting the FOXNews detabe.  Seems like an excuse to me and others. It's really Donald Trump controlling the news.

Rupert Murdoch, the FOXNews owner, obviously thought putting pretty Megyn Kelly up against Donald Trump as moderator of the GOP debate would push ratings through the roof. Therefore, having Megyn Kelly face off with Donald Trump, would force all the other news programs to cover the story. It was a brilliant FOXNews strategy - ie., force your news competitors to report on you! 

But, so far, it's backfiring because the news coverage threatens to take down the GOP debate. “I don’t like being taken advantage of,” the billionaire businessman and Republican primary front-runner said, repeatedly telling O'Reilly that he'll, instead, hold a veterans event at Drake University, while his GOP rivals debate.

Bill O'Reilly is so arrogant, he even had the audacity to write about the Crucifixition of Jesus Christ, as thought he attended the tragedy on the Via Dolorosa the "Way of Sorrows" in Jerusalem.

But O'Reilly was uncharacteristically groveling with Donald Trump about bartering for "milkshakes", when he came as close to begging the Republican frontrunner to change his mind about his boycott of the GOP debate, scheduled to be broadcasst, of course, on FOXNews. 

This political drama is reducing political discourse to the level of a "survival show" television saga. Rather than discussing policies to frame the future of America, the political commentary is about "tit for tat" ego juggling. Nevertheless, the result of this negative political energy is another marketing strategy by Donald Trump to control every single media news cycle. Unfortunately, it's working. Controlling the GOP debate news isn't costing Donald Trump much money, but it's now going to take a fiscal toll on FOXNews.

Trumponian "professional wrestling" match with FOXNews - ouch! "Cruz to loose"

Selecting a US president shouldn't be like watching a "Punch and Judy Show" or a "professional" (haha!) wrestling match.  

Surprise-surprise!  Donald Trump made headlines again. Often, Trumponian headlines are "everyday-all day". He's like the new McDonald's breakfast menu!  It's a hit!  In fact, "Trump-it-y- trump-trump-trump" is all the politics pundits can talk about! In fact, Trump makes news, even when he's not doing something he should, like debate with FOXNews diva Megyn Kelly. Poor Megyn! Trump is picking on her again! She's mad and Trump's equally mad. All this "mad-mad" made for TV politicst makes Senator Ted "Cruz to loose" angry, too, because, without Trump he'll be the candidate who must answer questions on the Republican debate stage. Imagine, "Cruz to loose" having to say something meaningful!  Now, this media "marriage a trois" is becoming like a professional wrestling match. In other words, it's politcs made for entertainment and to garner viewers ratings. 

Republican politics is like watching a "Punch and Judy Show", especially when the skit is a "marriage a trois", played out between Donald "Trump the Chump", with diva Megyn Kelly and Senator "Cruz to loose"

None this posturing and power playing has anything to do with selecting America's next president or building confidence in who is qualified to be a Republican "commander in chief".  It's a joke, except it's really not funny (even when it is).  

Many Republicans are likely to stay home from the polls as a protest vote in November, rather than be asked to vote for a "Punch and Judy Show" candidate like Donald Trump or his bookend "Elmer Gantry" stand in, Senator "Cruz to loose". 

Here's the skit - "Trump the Chump" wants all the attention.  He's like the McDonald's new Breakfast menu.  Of course, Trumponian hair-dos notwithstanding, he can't compete with Megyn Kelly for looks on made for TV political drama.  Therefore, Trump-it-y Trump must "create the news" he wants to read.

Megyn Kelly, on the other hand, was going to take "Trumpy" down for the count when she could launch her "punditry" club on him during a FoxNews television debate, where she'llbe the diva moderator.  (We've seen this opera before....the diva always wins...)

Except, not so fast.....now, we have the forlorn candidate, Senator "Cruz to loose", who was unexpectedly just launched into "punching range", because the McDonald's breakfast menu decided not to show up for the Diva Debate, and the upstaged "drama diva" has nobody to strangle hold on her debate mat.  

"Punch and Judy" drama can create an entertaining puppet show, but it's not what our nation needs when trying to make an informed decision about electing qualified leadership.  

Perhaps Donald "Trump"( the "McDonald's breakfast menu candidate") can be given a broken clock award for his justifiable anger against Megyn Kelly.  

Indeed, Diva Kelly is out to get Trump. But, so what? Trumpy dealt with her the first time she moderated the debate. He's disdained the women who adore Kelly's "diva-ness", along with denegrating Senator John McCain, stereotyping immigrants, mocking disabled people, throwing protesters into the cold without coats....so, gee, what's another "Punch and Judy Show" bout with Megyn Kelly, anyway? 

It's probably true that FOXNews will woe the decision to have Diva Kelly moderate the Trumponian breakfast menu. Meanwhile, "Cruz to loose" is sadly doing his soliloquy on center stage, all alone, ....while nobody cares to listen and FOXNews slowly fades into viewer ratings irrelevance.

Terrorism has different faces - Oregon and Michigan

With the world paralyzed about the fear of international terrorism, like the Islamic State or the Taliban, two parallel situations are occurring within the US. In Harney County, Oregon a group of radical libertarians are holding the US government hostage, because they happen to have a point of view about land owner's rights, even though the "land" they're disputing isn't owned by any of the protesters. In Flint, Michigan, the state government polluted an entire city population by allowing lead tainted water to be used by the citizens after it was determined that a new river-water transport system hadn't been corrosion protected.  In both situations, our own citizens caused danger to the public. Yet, because the people who perpetrated the domestic dangers are embroiled in politics, the issues are more complicated than they, otherwise, should be. In other words, if terrorists like radical "Islamic State" occupiers had taken over the Oregon public lands to protest against the US government, the situation would be an international incident. Likewise, if a terrorist group had poured lead into public drinking water, the entire nation would be revolting and heads would roll.

Nevertheless, because the Oregon "occupiers" were right wing extremists, who take pride in defying the US government, they're given the benefit of extraordinary patience. To do otherwise, for example, to create another "Waco Texas siege" nightmare, has the devastating risk of creating boomerang situations, like what happened in Oklahoma City with Timothy McVeigh. Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, was another horrifying experience where right wing libertarians created inflated paranoia about government and, as a result, caused domestic carnage. If the perpetrators of these crimes were right wing "Islamic State" fighters or the Taliban, the public urgency to rid ourselves of them as soon as possible would be overwhelming. Instead, these weirdos have domestic sympathizers.

Now, CNN reports, at least 7 of the right wing Oregon "occupiers" were arrested and one killed, in a police traffic stop. This situation is, frankly, likely to create more weird sympathy for the criminal acts caused by these people, than public relief that they've been stopped.

Flint Michigan residents continue to receive water bills to pay for lead polluted water. It seems like the least Governor Snyder could do would be to call for a moratorium on sending water bills.

Similarly, in Flint, Michigan, the water contamination was the result of cost cutting by the municipal officials who decided to change the city's public water source without taking precautions against lead poisoning.  As a result, citizens of Flint have been exposed to lead in their drinking water for about two years, while the state "investigated" the matter. Now, irreversible health damage has been done to all the children who have high blood levels.  While cutting costs to save money on water transport, the state of Michigan is now strapped with many years of lawsuits and the overwhelming cost of trying to figure out how to fix the problem created by "cutting costs" in the first place.

If a Democratic governor were in charge of Michigan, the Republicans would be screeching about the water contamination issue, using it as an example of "government is the problem, not the solution" argument. Instead, Governor Rick Snyder is a Republican, who is a darling in the future of the "Grand Old Party- GOP". Therefore, the outcry against his leadership is muted byhis apologies. Of course, his apology is two years too late and the "fix" hasn't even begun.  In fact, Michigan plumbers and contractors are waiting for call to begin to fix the Flint water, but they're like proverbial "Maytag repairmen"- waiting with no call.

In fact, Michigan's government isn't doing anything substantial to fix Flint's "lead pollution", except to support bottled water distribution programs and advise people not to use the lead infected water. It's even been reported that the federal money sent to Michigan to help with the problem may not be applied to the fix. Even worse, Flint residents are still sent water bills! 

Meanwhile, more children are at risk for being exposed to the damaging effect of the lead. As one mother said during a television report, "Governor Snyder's children are not exposed to this water so why are we having to deal with this?" Complicating the already emotional and public health problems are the socio-economic situations in Flint. Yes, the people who live there middle class and many are African-American. As a result, Michigan's governor is being accused of environmental discrimination by allowing the lead problem to go on for so long when the problem would've probably never happened in an affluent community. Nevertheless, if an international terrorist group had infected a city's water supply with contaminants, the public outcry would be overwhelming and many political heads would roll. Instead, Governor Snyder is still in office, defending his situation while doing next to nothing to resolve the problem.  

In the absence of any action, the Detroit News reports that the United Nations "Committee for Social Development" has even taken the extraordinary step of investigating the Flint Michigan water health danger. Of course, Americans would expect to feel international outrage, if the Flint water problem were caused by radical terrorism!

So, Americans continue to become victims of right wing extremism. Land rights libertarian groups are terrorists who believe they know more than the government and they're ready to die to prove their points. Furthermore, Republicans have been reticent about criticizing Governor Snyder, even though, unquestionably, they'd be livid, on right wing FoxNews, screeching, if he were a Democrat rather than a political "conservative darling".

In fact, Republicans and their right wing extremists who "wag the party", are hypocrites. They don't seem to care about the common good so long as they're getting attention. Although Governor Snyder apologized for the Flint water contamination, he's done nothing to offer reparations or to fix it....a shallow apology.  

As an American, I demand accountability from Republicans. They must hold their own party to the same standards as they expect from Democrats. Our nation was built on lofty concepts for creating a new world order, but Republicans are dismantling many progressive achievements, not the least of which is political integrity.

Human Trafficking: A tragic public safety issue- victims need care

Nurses are considered mandatory reporters for suspected minor age (under 18) human trafficking victims.

"....and a crime against humanity..." Cheryl Green MSN, RN, CNL

"...many victims suffer from chronic untreated diseases, such as tuberculosis, diabetes or asthma, as well as infestations, poor dentition, dehydration, and malnutrition."

"Victims who are immigrants were probably told that authority figures are the enemy and will seek to arrest or deport them."

Although Republicans are obstinately resistant to progressive changes in the US immigration laws, the facts are accumulating to show how human trafficking is becoming a public safety issue and even tangentially related to illegal immigration, because victims often feel like they're criminals. In fact, while illegal immigrants are worried about being deported, the victims of human traffiking are frightened, because they must hide in the shadows or face criminal charges, plus deportation. Moreover, many of them are physically and emotionally ill, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and are victims of domestic violence.

A nurse may be a victim's only point of contact outside of captivity. It's mandatory for nurses to report human trafficking of minor age children.

In other words, human trafficking is the darkest side of the illegal immigration issue. Worse, it's unlikely the trafficking will stop, just because immigration reform happnes to be resolved.

Public health is at risk for infectious diseases with this growing trafficking problem, because the victims of are usually living in poverty, or worse, and not receiving the benefit of medical care. They're a lost population. 

In the magazine, American Nurse Today, an article by Cheryl Green, MSN, RN, CNL, defines the human trafficking issues.
She calls it a "crime against humanity". 

IN MOST WAYS, human trafficking (modern slavery) is no different from slavery of ancient times: it's brutal, highly profitable business with  no regard for its victims. Trafficking is a crime but it's often difficult for medical providers to recognize the victims and to identify how to help them.

Human trafficking falls into two broad categories:
1.  Labor trafficking- typically is either forced hard labor, usually in agriculture or textile sweatshops; or domestic labor, such as working as a nanny or house servant.
2.  Sex trafficking - involves forced work in strip clubs, massage parlors, pornography production or prostituion. It also may involved  mail-order brides.  

"Human trafficking: Preparing for a unique patient population", by Green describes the most prevalent form of slavery in the United States being "sex trafficking". 

An estimated 14, 500 to 17,500 people are trafficked into the US annually and 100,000 to 200,000 American minors are exploited in the sex industry. Worlwide, 2 million children and young women are trapped in sex slavery.  

Consequences for the victims 
Human trafficking victims face grave physical and emotional dangers every day. Research suggests initial gang rape is a common method of recruitment into slavery. Threats of repeated rape, if the victim doesn't comply with demands, are common.  Some victims rescued from the sex trade report customers who didn't like condoms and paid extra to avoid using them.  This puts victims at great risk for sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancy and physical trauma from rape.

Physical abuse, rampant in the trafficking business, is a primary means of forcing victims to comply. A study of European trafficking victims found about 75 percent were kicked, punched in the face, burned with cigarettes, hit with objects, dragged by their hair or struck in the head. More than half had post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder. Also, many victims then abuse or become addicted to the drugs or alcohol, given to them by their traffickers (sometimes by force) to control them. What's more, many victims suffer from chronic untreated diseases, such as tuberculosis, diabetes or asthma, as well as infestations, poor dentition, dehydration, and malnutrition.

These facts underscore the immediate and imperative need for healthcare advocacy for victims. Unfortunately, caregivers, nurses, the public at large or public safety professionals may have limited knowledge about how to identify victims of human trafficking, especially in the healthcare setting.

Helping to rescue victims
A nurse may be the trafficking victims only point of contact with the environment outside of captivity. To help rescue victims from a horrific life they didn't choose, healthcare providers need to become knowledgeable about this crime against humanity.

Implications for nurses
In 2014, Katherien Chon, senior adviser on Trafficking in Persons, for the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, testified before Congress that roughly 75 percent of trafficked women saw a healthcare provider while they were in captivity. In most cases, this provider was in an emergency department (ED). Indeed, they are obviously seen in the most expensive emergent care setting without opportunity for follow up or access to primary preventive care.

Nevertheless, many trafficking victims can be identified in other settings where health clinics, acute-care hospital units, dental offices and jails.  This encounter may be a victim's only possible entry point into the social safety nets, yet many many trafficking victims aren't identified as such in healthcare settings. Once this opportunity to identify them is lost, it may never arise again, because traffickers typically don't allow visits to care providers unless a victim's health is so precarious that she or he can't work.

Even victims who seek care may go unrecognized or be mistaken for domestic violence victims, drug addicts or prostitutes.  

Failure to identify a trafficking victim in a health care facility can lead to tragic consequences or even death for that person.  

Nurses are front line caregivers and therefore have the opportunity to identify victims and refer them to appropriate resources.

Recognizing trafficking victims
Although human trafficking and domestic violence victims share some common presentations, important differences exist. For example, domestic violence victims usually fear one abuser, whereas trafficking victims may fear many people because they may have multiple abusers.  (If a victim is assessed for having poorly healed fractures or signs of repeated strains, this is an assessment for trafficking....)

Victims who are immigrants probably have been told that authority figures are the enemy and will seek to arrest or deport them.

Consequently, they may fear a uniform, including a nurses uniform. Also, trafficking victims tend to be more isolated than domestic violence victims, to suffer disease or malnutrition and to have little or no family contact. Also, they're more likely to be victims of substance abuse.  

Some victims, although cognitively intact, may be unable to verbalize their current location, if asked. This is especially true of those trafficked into the United State from other countries. Not only are the victims in unfamiliar surroundings, but they may see little of their outside world and may not even know where they are.

Be aware that adults and children who've been coerced into prostitution in the United States aren't (not!) considered criminals. On the contrary, they're victims of human trafficking and protected under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. 

In fact, persons younger than age 18 who are involved in commercial sex exploitation fall into the legal criteria for minor sex trafficking, their traffickers are prosecutable under the law. Nurses are considered mandatory reporters for suspected minor (under 18) human trafficking victims.

Approaching a suspected victim
If you suspect a person or patient of yours is a trafficking victim, consider how to best approach him or her. Never ask outright if she or he is a trafficking victim, especially if a companion is present. Most victims probably don't know what the term "trafficking" means. What's more, few people, no matter how dire their circumstances, want to be called a victim, because they're trying to retain as much dignity as possible. 

If a patient doesn't speak English, call for a medical interpreter.
Be prepared for the companion to insist that he or she can interpret, but decline this offer, explaining that facility policy allows only for certified medical interpreters. Also, consider cultural factors. For example, female victims from patriarchal cultures typically are unwilling to speak for themselves, the same, of course, for minors.

Anticipate that victims will resist help. Feelings of intense fear, shame, and helplessness may even compel some to try to leave the facility without treatment. In some cases, a companion who senses that authorities suspect the true nature of the situation may force the victim to leave. Therefore, if you suspect trafficking, make sure a staff member stays with the victim at all times. (In fact, one way to assess the risk of a person being a trafficking victim is the sense that he or she is under surveillance, at all times.)  Keep in mind, of course, that many immigrants and other foreigners can't read, write or speak Englsh and are accompanied to the hospital by companions who speak for them, yet are not trafficking victims. Consequently, be careful not to base a trafficking assessment solely on these characteristics -  but diligence to the issue will alert the nurse to any unusual interacton or situation.

Human trafficking victims don't receive preventive helth care, so by the time emergency or clinic providers encounter them, many health conditions may have become serious and vcitims may be in dire health circumstances. With this in mind, conduct a head-to-toe nursing assessment, providing as much privacy & comfort as possible.  

Asking certain questions can help determine if the patient is a trafficking victim, without causing fear or alienation.

Be aware that repeated violent penetration may  cause vaginal or anal fistulas. Even young women may have bowel or bladder incontinence, or both.  Many trafficking victims have positive drug screens, infectious diseases, live or scabies infestations or tattoos with brands of gang symbols, trafficker initials or even barcodes.


Psycho-social issues are prevalent among this population. Although victims may have pronounced anxiety or panic, some may even be stoic, almost to the point of complete withdrawal.

Finally, lack of trust may lead victims to suspect you're trying to trap them into revealing information as a test of loyalty to the trffficker, putting the victim, or the victims's family, in danger. Establishing trust is difficult but crucial (!) because the trafficker most likely is the only person the victim feels they can trust and rely on.

Cheryl Green is a cardiac/medical-surgical nurse at Cone Health Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, North Carolina.

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center is a resource for more information:  1-888-373-7888,  Consider posting the phone number where patients can see it.

Trump "the Chump"- a serious problem and he could go broke again

Eventually, Donald Trump will run out money. Hopefully, when he runs out of cash, his followers will evaporate with his diminishing money. Meanwhile, Trump continues to be brash, impolite, rude, caustic, boisterous, cruel, racist and other derogatory, but well deserved, negative adjectives.

Donald Trump "the Chump" has created a new era of hideous political discourse

Therefore, it's difficult to believe in this day of hyper political correctness (PC), to realize how Donald "Trump the Chump" is being buoyed by his own brash incorrectness.  

Eventually, Trump's following will peak because the arithmetic calculation (addition and subtraction) of his diminishing universe of followers will balance to zero.  Nevertheless, plenty of damage is being done by  the ugly Trumponian branding of all who are Republcians. As a result of Trumpy's hideous outbursts, all Republicans are having to defend their brand as being somehow different. What in the world ever happened to "compassionate conservatism"? I guess this slogan has disappeared into a Republican Texan blazing sunset.

Douglas McGrath gives the "Trumponian effect" a summary review in his Shouts and Murmers "We Have a Serious Problem",a tongue in cheek essay in the January 18, 2016 "The New Yorker".

Douglas McGrath wrote about "Trump's problem". In other words, unless he runs out of money, the "Chump" could win.

JUNE 28, 2015

Jeff Landry, an aide to Donald Trump, scratched the back of his right leg with his left shoe, stalling. You have to answer just right, or he goes apeshit. Jeff remembered grimly what a pleasant change he’d thought this job would be, but now he looked back on those six harrowing weeks working for Harvey Weinstein like a long-ago Hanukkah.

The question Trump had put to him was “How do we close this?” Jeff played it safe: “I say go big.”

Trump lit up.

“I can do big,” he said. “This whole thing, which was my idea, incidentally, and a very good idea, really a very great idea, was about bigness. We had a problem: ‘The Apprentice’ was tanking.

I couldn’t get on Fallon or Kimmel anymore. NBC was going to replace me, and that’s bad for my brand. It’s not like bankruptcy—which I have done many times before, and I do it very well, by the way, really better than anyone, because I’m a winner. I win at everything, even bankruptcy. So, before they give me the axe, I announce that I’m running for President and boom! Winner again. Talk shows are begging me to come on. NBC offers me twice my old money. Mission accomplished. But now I gotta get out. Running for President is bullshit. What kind of loser would do this? Get me a rally.”

“And you’ll announce that you’re dropping out?” Jeff said.

“No! I can’t announce that I’m quitting to go back to TV—it makes me look like a joke. I have to be forced out.”

“But how?”

“You know how politically correct this country is—Jesus, it makes me sick,” Trump said. “In fact, if Jesus himself were here he’d agree with me. I know a lot about Jesus, by the way. A really tremendous person—he would’ve loved the Trump West Bank. Anyway, I’m going to say that Mexicans are rapists, and we’re kicking them all out. No one wants a heartless President, but that’s exactly what you want in a guy who says ‘You’re fired’ for a living. Boosts my brand. I’ll be back on NBC by Christmas.”

JULY 12, 2015

Jeff flinched as a half-full box of Krispy Kremes smashed into the wall by his head. “Excuse me?” Trump said. “You’re telling me that I gave the Mexicans-are-rapists speech, which was one of the worst pieces of out-and-out racism ever uttered by a non-Southerner, and my numbers have gone up?”

Jeff nodded, as unhappy as Trump. “By a lot.”

Trump picked the doughnuts up off the floor. There were six left, and he ate them as he thought. “O.K.,” he said, his lips flecked with green and yellow sprinkles. “Here’s my mistake. I’m good at everything, even identifying my own mistakes. I picked on the Mexicans. Nobody cares about the Mexicans. Personally, I love them. They’ve helped me clean out a lot of my properties after they went into foreclosure through no fault of my own. But I forgot that this is the G.O.P. Get me on a talk show. I know how to get the base upset.”

JULY 22, 2015

Jeff wiped sixty-four ounces of iced Dunkaccino off his shirt. He was losing his touch—he’d been sure that the cup would break to the left, but it hadn’t.

“This is not possible,” Trump snarled. “You know I’m a draft dodger, right? Only Cheney got more deferments than I did. The closest I’ve ever come to fatal combat was when I ran into Rosie O’Donnell in a men’s room. So here I am, a known draft dodger, and I go on TV and question the courage of a genuine American war hero, John McCain, and, instead of drumming me out of the race so I can get back to my empire, my numbers have gone up again?”

“Ten points,” Jeff said.

“No wonder I’m a Democrat. No wonder I invited Hillary to my wedding. These people are nuts. Next time, I’m going to go really big.”

JANUARY 12, 2016

Trump slumped in his chair. He’d been holding the last slice of an extra-large everything pizza for an unheard-of five whole minutes without eating it. Jeff’s applications to work for calmer, nicer men—Rahm Emanuel, Robert Durst, the new social-media guy at ISIS—had so far not come through. He hardly slept anymore, and even though he was only thirty, his hands shook as if he’d just survived a plane crash.

“Let’s review,” Trump said. “I said that Megyn Kelly was menstruating. I insulted Carly Fiorina’s face. I did a routine about Ben Carson’s belt that should have provoked a psychiatric intervention. I proposed internment camps for the Muslims already here, and then I said that we should bar all other Muslims from entering the country. And you’re telling me that my numbers are what?”

“The highest ever,” Jeff said, dropping behind a club chair as a platinum blow-dryer shot past him.

Trump wandered over to the window. “We have a serious problem,” he said, almost not eating the pizza. “I might win.” ♦

OMG - Donald Trump needs to figure out that he's bound to run out of money soon. Otherwise, he'll be claiming bankruptecy, yet again, for funding his own buffoonery, especially if this absurdity continues.

Karl Rove negative ads should "Mind Your Own Damn Business" (MYODB)

Surely, we don't need a degree in political rocket science to figure out who Karl Rove want to see running as a Democrat, in 2016.
Republican political operative Karl Rove is creating a negative TV ad campaign against Hillary Clinton. Why? Because he wants to see Senator Sanders as the Democratic candidate! It's obvious the "phantom of Republican politics", Mr. Rove, just can't mind his own business. While Repulican candidates are taking out negative ads, while opposing one another, Mr. Rove is creating ads to stir angst among much better qualified Democrats.  

Karl Rove leads the propaganda machine called "American Crossroads"

Karl Rove is using his propaganda machine to influence Demoratic primary voters- he needs to "MYODB"
It's like Rove knows the threshhold of support for "none of the above" in the Republican line up must, at least, rise above what Democrats can accumulate in support from voters. 

Rove is a strategist who finds devious ways to leverage the negative, in favor of Republican candidates. In the line up of wanna-bees for 2016, there's nobody among the Republicans who is exempt from being reduced to negative rubble, by each other. Therefore, strategist Rove made the decision to do to Democrats what the Republicans are doing, to denegrate each other.

Of course, it's not fair to single out Secretary Hillary Clinton in the "Mind Your Own Damn Business" Karl Rove negative ad campaign. What Rove really wants to do is to expoentially build enough negative campaign momentum within the Democratic candidates, so that they'll do to one another what Repbulicans are successfully doing to turn on themselves. Rove's strategy is revealed as being deceitful by Hillary Clinton.  Also, the intention of the Rove ads is, ultimately, to benefit Senator Sanders so the Republicans can begin their "Willie Horton" style campaign against him.  Nevertheless, qualified Democratic candidates- Senator Sanders, Secretary Clinton and Governor O'Malley, must resist the pressure to create negative ads against each other. If Democrats start throwing political stones at each other, they'll be doing exactly what Karl Rove is hoping to achieve with his "Mind Your Own Damn Business", negative campaign ads. 

Even worse, if Democrats fall victime to the Rove propaganda machine, they'll be allowing political operatives with American Crossroads (aka "Rove Propaganda) to influence the selection of a Democratic presidential candidate.

Hillary: Karl Rove Behind Attacks  NewsMax reports

Republican operative Karl Rove is behind an attack ad aimed at turning Iowa caucus-goers against her, Democrat Hillary Clinton said Sunday on "Meet the Press." (with Chuck Todd) 

Clinton was asked by moderator Chuck Todd whether big banks paying her more than $200,000 per speech hurt her credibility.

Clinton responded that she gave speeches to a "wide array of groups," after ending her stint at President Barack Obama's secretary of state.

"People were interested in what I saw, what I thought," she said. "Americans doing business in every aspect of the economy want to know more about the world."

"You don’t think they expect anything in return?" Todd asked.

"Absolutely not," Clinton insisted, pointing out that she took on Wall Street during her time as the Senator from New York.

"And it's really interesting to me that now Karl Rove is taking money from the financial interests who run an ad against me to try and influence Democrats not to support me," she said. "Why? Ask yourself why? Because he knows, one, I know what needs to be done, and two, I know how to get it done to make sure Wall Street writ large, not just the big banks but the investment banks, hedge funds, and everybody else, can no longer wreck our economy the way they did in 2008."

The ad to which Clinton referred was made by Rove's super PAC, American Crossroads (aka "Rove Propoganda"). In the add, it accuses Clinton of being able to pay for her massive TV ad buys with money from Wall Street interests. (OMG! This is the ultimate Republican hypocrisy! Operatives like Rove obviously have no ethics, whatsoever.  Senator Cruz took plenty from Goldman Sachs, to name just one....)

A graphic in the ad shows Clinton receiving $6.4 million from Wall Street speaking fees and only $118,000 from Iowans contributing to her campaign.

"Hillary rewarded Wall Street with the $700 billion bailout," the ad's announcer says. "Does Iowa really want Wall Street in the White House?"

Clearly, Karl Rove and his unethical operative band of American Crossroads pirriahas want their "last person standing" our of the GOP line up to be running against Senator Bernie Sanders.  Of course, if it's Senator "Cruz to loose" who eventually winds up standing on the GOP nomination platform this summer, then the Karl Rove "MYODB" can easily be turned around.  "What goes around comes around," "eh"? (As they say in Canada)

To be continued: "The Underhanded 'Rove-Cruz' connection".

Syrian Refugees - Greeks and Nobel Peace Prize

In my opinion, the world's most worthy candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize are those people who are helping the despearate Syrian refugees. Obvously, it's likely many people in Syrian are trying to help. the refugees. In fact, there's likely somebody in Syria who is the next "Ann Frank" example, some person who is writing a yet to be discovered chronicle about the ethnic tyranny and the evils perpetrated by the tyrant President Assad. 

Greeks are accepting these desperate Syrian refugees and deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for their humanitarian herosim.

Meanwhile, the Greeks are showing a heroic public humanitarian response to the plight of the Syrian refugees. Although Greece is a nation in economic turmoil, the people, nevertheless, are responding to the despearate needs of the proverbial tsunami tidal wave of Syrian refugees, who are floating on to their soils, in need of humanitarian assistance. In fact, the Greeks are trying to help the refugees.  Americans need to do much more!!!!

Petition calls for Greek islanders to be nominated for Nobel Peace Prize By Tim Hume, CNN

(CNN) Residents of the Greek islands have found themselves on the front lines of Europe's migration crisis. They're rescuing, feeding and sheltering hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants who found their way to their shores.

Now, an online petition has been launched calling for the efforts of these "unsung heroes" on islands in the Aegean Sea to be recognized with a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The petition, on the Avaaz website, is addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee and Greece's Immigration Minister Ioannis Mouzalas and had attracted more than 288,000 signatures by Sunday.  

"Ordinary residents of Greek islands and other volunteers have been on the front lines of Europe's refugee crisis for months, opening up their hearts and homes to save hundreds of thousands fleeing war and terror.

"For their compassion and courage, for treating those in danger with humanity, and for setting an example for the rest of the world to follow, we citizens around the world, nominate these brave women and men for a Nobel Peace Prize.

"Nobody is more deserving of such honor than these unsung heroes."

Greece's government would consider backing the Nobel Peace Prize petition.

A Nobel Peace Prize awarded to help those assisting the Syrian refugees would continue to focus on the plight of these despearate people and provide deserved moreal support for their rescuers.