Donald Trump's impending breakdown

Under the headline of "This is another fine mess you've gotten us into", Donald Trump announced today that he won't be upstaged by former FBI fired director James Comey, who captivated the nation during the June 8, widely broadcast Senate intelligence hearing, about why he was fired. 

 Rather than see Mr. Comey take higher viewer and listener ratings than what Donald Trump's own January 20, inauguration garnered from audiences, the response has been to try and do one better. 

 Now, Donald Trump wants to be interviewed "under oath" about what he said to James Comey in their 9 private conversations.  Honestly, I suspect someone will have to explain what "under oath" means to Donald Trump, because his only experience with this concept is what he apparently requests, when it comes to demanding loyalty from his subordinates.

This what "testimony under oath" means:

Testimony under oath is a solemn declaration and, if not followed, can result in legal liability for the person testifying. (1) At a minimum, the legal liability that would occur is perjury, also known as false swearing. (2) In order for testimony to be considered perjury, the person testifying must intentionally make a statement (to another) about a material matter at issue that is to be taken as true. Depending on whether the legal proceedings are in a federal or state court (laws vary), the person testifying may be fined, imprisoned or both.  

Frankly, I seriously doubt if Donald Trump understands the implications of what it means to testify "under oath".  Indeed, I suspect his legal team is in a catatonic state at the concept of having Donald Trump testify "under oath".  Obviously, this stupid surprise gesture to respond to James Comey's credible testimony wasn't necessary to Trump's defense. Moreover, based on his history of having a short attention span, Donald Trump is likely to suffer a mental breakdown in the middle of extended questioning.

Attorney Marc Kasowitz, was hired by Donald Trump. He is paid at least $1500 an hour, but he better collect his retainer up front before his client, Donald Trump, goes before a Senate Committee to testify "under oath".  Speaking "under oath" just isn't going to work well for his egotistical client, who was labeled a liar on June 8, by former FBI Director James Comey.

Marc Kasowitz, the private legal counsel who Donald Trump hired to defend him, at the cost of at least $1,500 per hour, must be beside himself with consternation about having his client testify before the American people while "under oath".  As a matter of fact, I would advise Marc Kasowitz to collect his retainer before resigning, because he knows, as well as anybody, that Donald Trump is incapable of telling the truth. 

Truth just isn't a word that fits with Trump's needy ego.

Having Donald Trump testify "under oath" is like asking Groucho Marx to reveal the secret word of the day on his old 1950's television quiz show, "You Bet Your Life". 

You Bet Your Life, TV show with host Groucho Marx

Whenever a show's contestant said the secret word, a weird duck would fall from above the set and dangle in front of the audience, while swinging from a string. In other words, knowing the secret word was inviting a lame duck into the quiz game.  It was a stupid gimmick and always threw the contestants off guard.

Donald Trump is incapable of telling the truth.  It's more likely that a duck will dangle from a string, like an albatross, in a Donald Trump hearing where he speaks "under oath", than it is to expect him tell the truth. Trump will always work toward keeping his inquisitors off guard by providing diversionary responses. 

More likely, of course, is that Donald Trump will have a mental breakdown if he is forced to confront the truth. 

In other words, Groucho Marx encore.

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.

Republicans again courting a mainstream candidate Governor Jeb Bush but same old same old with pedigree name

Republicans are justifiably worried about supporting an extremist candidate for 2016 US presidential election.  

Mainstream Republicans, in the past, have supported Senator John McCain in 2008 and Governor Mitt Romney in 2012, because they were reaching to attract politically mainstream voters who never showed up to vote for their candidates.

Now, these Republicans are courting former Florida Governor Jeb Bush to follow the McCain-Romney cycle of candidates, who didn't quite make the election cut. 

Will "third time be the charm"?  Is Jeb Bush like the fairy tale Goldilocks bear, the one who gets it just right?

Well, let's find out what kind of campaign strategy Jeb Bush might support. Immigration reform? Jeb Bush supports what the right wing of his Republican party abhors, ie, a path to citizenship.  Health Care Reform? Jeb Bush will certainly be asked if he will repeal Obamacare and, indeed, he'll have to provide an answer.  

DC Decoder blog reports how Jeb Bush is tanned and rested. But, is he ready to run for president? That’s what some Republican Party bigwigs are asking as they quietly court the former Florida governor for 2016, according to a lengthy report in the Washington Post.

These members of the GOP elite – a mix of Romney campaign veterans, big money donors, and party establishment officials – are in search of a candidate to back who they think can actually win the White House. ("Romney?" OMG. Where's the Groucho Marx "You Bet Your Life" duck? If "Romney" is the secret word it's going to be like a Groucho Marx drop down duck.)  

Imagine Governor Jeb Bush in a political debate with former Secretary of State and US Senator Hillary Clinton.

Secretary  Clinton - "What do you think about protecting women's health and the right to access contraception?"

Now, same question to Governor Bush.  "Governor Bush???? Did you hear the question....? Hello?"

Governor Bush might be an attractive Republican candidate because he carries a pedigree name, but he's more than likely a Romney in Bush clothing.  

Yet, there's an advantage with Governor Bush being a Roman Catholic convert and his wife's Latino heritage. Although these demographics might give Bush a different cut of cloth from the Romney tuxedo, it remains to be seen if he'd really carry these constituencies, when his position on policies will likely be skewed to the GOP's right wing, in order to win their support.  

Obviously, Governor Bush is a more attractive GOP presidential candidate than alternatives who have delusions of being nominated, like Rand Paul or others of his right wing kind. But, when it comes down to Republicans winning a presidential election, based on their positions on the national issues voters really care about, Bush is just the same old, same old, with a pedigree name.