Tag: Trump

When I went to school they used to make you take tests. Universal ones so the ministry could see how kids were doing. They’d give you a pencil along with a quiz sheet, and it was your job to fill in the correct circle. And these tests were given by subject. So when I was in grade 8, my rating for math was mid-year grade 11. Top of the class. Then when I actually got to grade 11, I earned top marks on my year-end report card. But in grade 12, I only got 50%. 

There were 38 students in a classroom built for 37, so I spent every morning in the cafeteria eating donuts. I basically skipped the entire first term. Then when the midterm came along, I wrote it from memory. Well, I guess the whole group did poorly because this teacher gave us a scolding. He said, “Guys, this test was pretty easy, one boy got 50 without coming to class.” 

Bottom line, I was good at grade eleven math. 

So was this election unethical? It’s not that difficult to say. Ask any Italian politician and they’ll tell you there are three ways to fix a vote. You either rig the count, screw with the software, or add fraudulent votes—what we call adding cream to the soup. Number one is out. US elections are conducted better than in any other country, and theirs is the only system that employs an elected official to certify the count. Thousands of people are involved and many have been doing this for years. So no matter what happens, all votes get properly recorded. Number one is out.

How about the software? Isn’t everything possible with technology? No, not really. There are so many manual checks and balances that it would be impossible to hyper-jack this result. So in this particular case, there was only one way to put in the fix and that was by adding fraudulence to the cream in the soup. And when you add too many inconspicuous ballots, it shows up mathematically. Wanna know why? Because Trump got too many votes. 

So it doesn’t matter how many scrutineers were observing or what time voters actually came in. It doesn’t even matter about the type II stupefy great all-purpose ballots. What matters is the final end figures. Because the more cream you add, the more it becomes obvious—somebody was cheating. This whole challenge will come down to judging by everyday people, using grade 11 math. 

Now if there was a little bit of cheating, you wouldn’t notice. But if the discrepancies are egregious, somebody is going to jail. For example, in the last election 135M people voted and this time it looks like 149. Anything odd about those additional millions? Let’s look at Michigan. They went from 4.5M in 2016 to 5.5M today. An increase of 22% when the nation is up only 10. Were these extras cast only in Detroit and the surrounding area? This will be the analysis used to establish anything odd.

So that’s the challenge and it will probably take weeks. In the meantime, let’s employ a comedic version of mystery crime writer, Dan Brown, to give us an imaginary foreglimpse into the courtroom.

• Bailiff: Do you swear to tell the truth, the sorta truth, or at least a kernel of the truth. So help you atheist or believer in God?
• Witness: I do.

• Prosecutor: Please state your name loudly into the microphone.
• Witness: DANNY ANGELO BIGIONI. 

• Prosecutor: Hey, are you the kid who’s really good at math?
• Witness: Yes sir, at the grade eleven level.

• Prosecutor: Okay then, tell us your story.
• Witness: Well, I got home around 7:00 to watch the election. First I loaded the computer with the appropriate displays then turned on the telly. 

• Prosecutor: That’s preposterous. Why wouldn’t you just watch it on TV?
• Witness: Because US news is crooked sir. You see, all data comes from the very same place. CNN doesn’t have their own information and neither does Fox. All agencies get their data from one original source–the Associated Press. And it has two sites. One of its own and another only accessible from C-SPAN. The difference with C-SPAN is that it shows total presidential vote.

• Prosecutor: Well, everyone knows the American media is corrupt. What did they do this time?
• Witness: They didn’t report information as it happened. They gave Texas to Trump an hour or two after the announcement but gave Biden everything right away. This way, it looks like the Democrats are always winning. So if people go to bed with the Democrats and wake up with the Democrats, it’s probably over. That’s how they create an illusion. 

• Prosecutor: An illusion? What an illusion? Doesn’t the real winner win? 
• Witness: It depends sir. In a regular scammed election, while people are sleeping, you add cream to the soup. At 11:47 PM MST, I knew Trump was mathematically uncatchable. So in case something happened, I emailed 40 people with the message MARK DOWN THIS TIME. This way I’d always have proof. 

• Prosecutor: Doesn’t Google automatically timestamp everything? Why did you ask friends to write down the time?
• Witness: Because I suspected big tech was in on it sir. And what’s really great is that these people are in Canada so they’re very impartial. Validation by these 40 witnesses will be trusted by everyone. Just fly them in and you’ll have your absolute proof.

• Judge: Very well, mister grade 11. We’ll fly in the witnesses. Let’s have them here by tomorrow because I want to lock up these crooks. But I have one more question for you. Do you think Donald Trump is a solid and ethical person?
• Witness: Yes sir, I do. Along with Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Orr, Herschel Walker, Toby Keith, 50 Cent, and the President of Japan. I feel he’s very much an ethical person. Donald doesn’t always talk nice but look at what he’s faced. Every morning 100 unethical journalists start talking down to him. So it’s not always easy to speak like a gentleman. I know an awful lot of people didn’t like him, but armed with only a cellphone and 72 million voters (which broke Obama’s record) he saved democracy for the world. And I don’t think any man can do better than that.

• You see, not only am I a stout mathematician, I’ve studied deeply in economics. And in my opinion, every policy passed was for the benefit of the American people. And it is my belief that given a second term, he would have addressed the corruption on Wall Street. 

• He’s represented people who were widely forgotten. From fighting in Vietnam to Iraq, there’s been no end to these unjustified wars. Plus folks have been compromised financially through the crash of ‘08 and full globalization that didn’t need to happen. This man, your honour, took up a cause for everyday people and God bless him for that. So for all of these unpassionate reasons, I DANNY ANGELO BIGIONI hereby certify that Donald Trump was one hell of a president. And I stake my personal reputation on it.

In the Dan Brown version, Trump gets to handcuff the culprits with an apologetic media applauding all around. Donald then declares a personal donation towards Canadian mental health. Democracy is restored and the world sleeps in peace. In the real-life version, it comes down to mathematics and discrepancies must be egregious. 

‘Cause most of us can live with “just close enough.”

On the eve of this US election it would be good to look back on what we’ve just witnessed. It’s certainly been a tumultuous 4-5 years that requires closure. But let’s not waste time rehashing all the standard stuff. People know what the pundits have said. Instead, let’s look at America in general and what we have learned about human nature. Here is where the lessons lie. 

This is my top seven list.

• Canadians know zilch about US politics 
• Modern American journalism is loaded with bias
• Most people know nothing about psychology
• We’re emotional beings motivated by ethics and can easily be stoked into hatred
• The current Democrat Party is dirty (just like the Republicans)
• There really is a deep state (and every country has one)
• Corruption and incompetence mostly affects the working class

During the Republican nomination process of 2015, Chris Christie, who’s generally regarded as a nice guy, stood up and said, “What nobody is talking about is entitlements. We have to start lowering entitlements.” For the former lawyer turned prosecutor, the answer to debt caused by the financial crisis of ‘08 was to cut people’s pensions. That’s what a former governor of New Jersey loudly said. So the crisis caused by government incompetence and corporate greed that cost over 10 trillion dollars must be repaid by the average schmuck. 

Up here, thanks to $142 oil and the benevolence of Alberta, most Canadians never knew a crisis existed. We ended 2015 with a $2B surplus and everybody had work. But the years 2008 – 2016 had not been kind to America. People lost homes along with their jobs during a very hard crash, and the recovery was slow. Needless to say, many were miffed.

War

In 1991, the former Soviet Union fell and modern day Russia met bankruptcy. Outsiders gladly appeared with loans and assistance for their former rivals, but this event also marked a unique moment in history. The US was now the world’s only superpower. As a result, a strategy emerged within the Defense Department to clean up the world, starting in the Middle East.

With communism no longer a threat the foreign focus shifted. We needed to stabilize the world’s oil reserves by initiating an occupation in Iraq. “Shouldn’t take much effort and we’ll be home in a short while.” But as you know, modern warfare is nothing like in the past. One side has all the weapons while the other holds great will. 

It’s not the 4,600 deaths or the 37,000 casualties US soldiers had to suffer, it’s watching a 9 year-old get blown up that really gets to you. You see, uncivilized nations don’t know how to fight fair. As a result, most everyone in middle America knows somebody who’s been affected (rich people don’t send their kids). And if not in Iraq, then Afghanistan, Syria, or Hillary’s invasion of Libya during the Arab Spring—which left over 6.6 million living inside a failed state. In short: Americans have spent a very long time at war and many are fed up. Canadians mostly watch it on TV.

Jobs

During the 1980s, world leaders from the G-Special nations decided globalization was a good plan. We’ll civilize other countries by giving them work. And yes, everything started out fine. But when millions of good jobs became exported this philosophy got out of hand. Loads of average workers went from making $32 an hour to only $8.50, and plenty of towns and small cities got decimated. So again, thanks to government incompetence and corporate greed, this policy became “that’s the way it is.” And every politician turned to the public and lied (except for Bernie).

On a world scale, globalization can easily be viewed as a great idea. One could argue that. But there were certainly consequences. Ones felt by a specific class. Low-skilled, physical workers who don’t have the option of joining Microsoft. In Canada, we saw this too. But in a huge land filled with resources, the pain was hardly felt.

Summary

Now let’s put these pieces together. The financial crisis of ‘08, the war in Iraq (plus others like it), and unfettered globalization. Do you think some people got pissed off? Surprise! They did. So while you were feeling stunned by the results of 2016, they were not. And nobody up here knew anything about this (including me).

Obama himself reacted by admitting many Americans felt forgotten and acknowledged this well overdue gripe. Late night’s Seth Meyers did the same thing. This general position held through the entire transition. For months the above mentioned class were no longer deplorables, they became people. No more losers, but everyday citizens. Then on day two after the inauguration, the Steele dossier was presented and this whole cluster show started. And it’s been ugly.

Without a doubt, most Canadians would have voted for Hillary. Our nation has long found the Dems to be best. But for many in the States both parties are the same. Globalization and ’08 weren’t one team’s position and wars have to be sanctioned by both sides. Plus, working class people don’t look to politics for identity and purpose. They just want others to do a good job. And in my opinion, they made the right choice.  

Donald Trump could very much lose this election. A lot of institutions don’t like him and I’ve never seen such an effort to kick out a pres. And if such a thing really does happen, a lot of people will be broken-hearted. He really was their hero. That’s why they showed up by the thousands. And when you think about it, what did they have to lose? 

Condoleezza Rice said populism is when the electorate loses faith in their institutions. That’s what happened in ’16. No one is fooling anyone by claiming the system before was just fine. This country has many problems that never seem to get addressed. So when you start singing, “Hail, Hail, The witch is dead” as Donald Trump gets defeated, try to remember this.

Canadians know zilch about American politics.

Make no mistake about it, Donald Trump is going to win this election. But a lot of people want him out. Not just the Dems, they’re the least of his concerns, all of Hollywood, every comedian, Lebron James, and the entire NFL want him out. Plus a lot of powerful people you don’t even know (e.g., from Switzerland). At the same time a lot of people want him in. So we’re about to see politics at its fiercest. 

First of all, Trump will win. And not only will he win, he’ll capture 70 million votes. One more than Barack Obama’s record 69. Why? Because the whole underclass is with him. He has 82 million followers. Sure, some don’t like the man but he’s still got to have 60. Plus a bunch who don’t tweet. And according to every social media player out there, followers vote. So not only will he win, he’ll win big. A complete annihilation that will take Dems years to rebuild.

This is not a battle between traditional left and right. The old Republicans were idiots and everyone knew it. Remember the Tea Party? Absolute fools. But this new team has been modified to represent working class people. Those not participating in fun capitalism because they never got a piece of paper. This is the Repub’s new demographic (and why Mitch McConnell is smiling). They used to be called Reagan democrats you dummies! 

And they’ll no longer be socially anal. Finally getting the message. Yes, they rely on Bible-thumper support but man, those numbers are dwindling. We need some new blood.

Currently, Democrats are a mess. As the saying goes: liberals were the good guys, now they’re freaking crazy. Much of America is horrified by these thoughts. Besides, Chuck, Nancy, and Joe are closing in on 80, and Bernie’s older than them. What happened to the Obama-Clinton party? Did everyone leave town? There’s nothing positive going on. Only oldies fighting with kids. It’s ridiculous.

Detractors

But a lot of people still want him out. So are they smart? Are they wise? How about athletes? Lebron is easily one of the world’s finest people but has he studied political theory or economics? Can’t he recognize what Trump has achieved within his critique? At least some of it? King James is certainly a great person but I wouldn’t proxy him my vote.

And how about Hollywood? Are they good? Remember they booed Michael Moore off the stage. The Oscar was for Bowling for Columbine, the best documentary ever made. No more noble a left-winger exists than heart-on-my-sleeve Mike and they booed him for saying there were no weapons of mass destruction. It was Day 5 of the Iraqi invasion and Michael knew the fact. So he said it out loud and the pretty dresses would have none of it. “Tuck in your shirt, Mike. We’ve got this.” 

Anyway, Michael hates him too. Even after Trump made jobs for Flint, released all those prisoners, went easy on gay marriage and dope, and opposed YouTube from censoring Michael’s new film. So what’s he saying?

Next on the list are the generals. These boys came out recently with overwhelming disparagement. Again, I wonder. Ever study Eisenhower’s caution over the industrial military complex? You should. The generals were happy when Trump let them have at it with ISIS, but when he decided to pull out they got pissed off. Which translates into motive.

Last on the list is Glenn Greenwald. He also hates Trump. Glenn’s reputation is so impeccable that superstar author and columnist, Matt Taibbi, just left Rolling Stone to join him. They are the best two around. And in case you didn’t know, Glenn broke the story on Snowden, which has two things to say. Glenn’s not afraid of higher power and Edward Snowden felt he was the right choice. You see, Snowden was snitching on his nation which forced Obama into making changes. Ones that protect personal privacy by limiting what government can know about you. Edward chose Greenwald to represent him. As a result, Glenn now resides in Brazil—not allowed back in the States. 

Anyway, Glenn hates Trump. And not only does he hate him, he’s fair about it. Not your everyday liberal. A straight up shooter who digs for the truth. (At least when it comes to important matters—everyone’s got to make a living.) Anyway, over the entire Russia affair, Glenn defended Donald. He called it a deep-state situation not worthy of news. But he still hates the man so he must be holding something.

Summary

The first rule of knowledge is to know where your information is coming from. Solid info doesn’t come from buddies on a soapbox, it comes from professionals who follow this stuff. And there are two types: academics and journalists. Those who study and those who observe. 

Some reporters look up theory but most do it by feel. These three guys are good. Matt traveled on the plane with Trump during the 2016 election and got to know his base. He also called Russia a hoax, but again, Matt doesn’t support Trump. 

So maybe forget about Hollywood before casting your ballot and listen to Glenn, Matt, and Mike. They tell the other side of the story.

Emotions today are definitely running wild, especially when directed toward the President of the United States. With Donald, you can’t help but feel something. But are political sentiments out of control and spreading anger where it doesn’t belong? Many are now using the term hate.

In my church we weren’t allowed to hate. Father John called it an expression of evil—warning of its power. Granted strong feelings are certainly part of nature, but Plato’s dictum was that life’s a battle between feelings and reason. And emotions rarely act alone. When you learn to love, it usually spreads. Making the world a better place. Unfortunately, things work the same way with our darker side. People are now turning their anger for one to core supporters and anyone with something positive to say (like, friends and neighbours). Let’s start with his base.

The base

Not everyone makes $80K/year, then hooks up with a partner whose parents front them the deposit on a house. There are loads of paycheque-to-paycheque people who rent. These are the folk often described as Trump’s base.

In 2016, many (including people of colour and yes, legal immigrants) were looking for work. They saw Trump as a better bet to provide jobs. We then witnessed the proof behind the pudding. President T delivered more jobs, at higher wages, with greater take home pay, and didn’t touch entitlements (pensions, Medicare). But instead of being treated like any other group that voted for itself, they’ve been labeled as “racist pig farmers bolstering swastikas.” And sore losers employed banjo sounds as their inference.

Racists? In a country that voted twice for Obama? How many are there? And who are the real constructive racists, those living and working with minorities or clued out suburbanite do-gooders wishing to feel good? Don’t kid yourself, do-gooders also voted for themselves.

The rich

“Ya, but the Republicans gave a tax cut to the wealthy.” Are you sure? In the US, the top federal tax bracket was reduced from 39.6% to 37%. In Canada it’s 33%. Should we bash Canadians?

Provinces and states then add to the federal rate. Our provinces add more and provide healthcare. American states add less and don’t. It’s just a different system that they’ve been arguing about for years. If states add back the 2.6% (as per Arizona 2020), you’ll have nothing to say. Leave it to them.

Cages

“Screw you. Trump puts babies in cages.” “Everyone is bad who supports such a person.” Really? How much research did you put into this topic? How long do they stay there before the whole family is released into America, bypassing millions waiting in line? Is this the first administration to use separation as a deterrent? And what’s the current system anyhow? Is it the same as Canada’s or much more generous?

More important, WHAT DO THESE CAGES LOOK LIKE? Are they kennels used to house dogs or big gymnasiums like with flood victims? Bottom line is: if you view someone as favourable, you look into outrageous claims. When you have a penchant for dislike, you don’t need many details.

Summary

We’re all emotional. That’s the way it is. And everyone has times when they wish to lash out. But remember what Plato said: life is a balance between reason and emotion, and reason must win. Propaganda artists go straight for the heart because that’s easy. This time they’ve gone too far. Hate is a dangerous emotion that can bring down nations. Adults must rise up and act according to values. Don’t respect just the people you voted for, do it with everyone. And always let reason be your guide.

Since we’re talking politics, let’s end with a story about Justin. One day, in junior high, future PM had lunch with his dad at the House of Commons cafeteria. A member of the opposition walked by and Justin made a snide remark. Pierre said, “In politics, you never disparage the person. Only the position.” Father then took son by the hand and introduced him to the Conservative member. Now you can’t blame Justin for his action—he was just a kid. I did the same thing when I was 12.

Lots of talk these days about tribalism, even in places like Canada. Apparently we’ve changed over the past few years and can no longer communicate. Experts say we’re now different people and it’s all in the brain. What a crock. Here’s what’s happening: US cable news stations are stimulating a fight that makes them a whack of dough and there’s a demographic shift going on that’s bringing lots of new people into politics. Net result: inflamed rookies sitting at the table.

History

Over the years, US news agencies have played with their format. Initially, you got 30 minutes per day from a broadcaster who provided no clue as to how he or she voted. They were professionals. Then in the 80s, the industry adopted the 24/7 option, which worked great for royal weddings and natural disasters. Hello CNN.

Whenever there was a fire or a flood, CNN was there. And they’d stay for days. Half-hour news couldn’t compete and 24/7 cable did well. But this new style had its problems. As soon as the disasters ended, CNN would return to a handful of listeners. Back then viewer mentality was to watch 24-hour news for big events and then jump back to regular TV.

Fox entered the 24/7 scene during the mid-90s. They opted to specialize in political news. Right-wing to be exact. And they flourished. So much so that Microsoft and NBC combined to create an opposition station. So you had Fox News on the right, MSNBC on the left, and CNN in the middle. That was until recently. Today the people at CNN have moved into the one-sided business. They’ve joined MSNBC as the “Fox News of the left” and viewership and ratings now look like this:

Fox = MSNBC + CNN

Many wish they would have told us before making the switch but given the current situation, you can’t blame them. Too much money and the success of reality TV says you have to give the public what it wants. So the numbers at Fox now equal those of the other two combined and the market for bias-based news is expanding. As a result, the polarization everyone is talking about is being caused by the people doing the talking. (Funny, hey?)

Rookies

Now add in a bunch of rookies to the situation. Veteran political-watchers know all about format changes and are aware of WWF-style broadcasting. They checked out long ago. But whether it’s faster internet connections, educated boomers hitting the right age, access to information, the persona of Trump, or people getting smarter, a bunch of new folks are watching the news.

Certainly a positive if you take it as a social step forward (more people care) but nobody told newbies about the rules. As a result, this entertaining trash talk is yielding emotionally charged neighbours just itching to fight. So what’s needed is a basic understanding of how this whole thing works.

Amplify the monster

In the one-sided world, you don’t just casually pick on the other guy. You really let ‘em have it. For example, president Obama wasn’t the son of a Kenyan father, he was a Muslim terrorist who’d sell out the country at the drop of a hat. And billionaire Donald isn’t a businessman with a few economic ideas, he’s a racist slut. That’s how we do it.

Pollsters long ago discovered that toe in observers react strongly to emotion, so they amplify the monster. Cable news is all about brightening the demon so you see only the worst side. And then they jack it up by pounding and pounding, over and over. None of this is reasonable. No serious follower gives any of this credit but it sure is entertaining. And beyond the regular duty of promoting advertisers, WWF is currently upsetting the nation. Rookies don’t yet know how to view bias from both sides, leading to exaggerated beliefs and nasty fights.

And not everyday battles where you walk away thinking me only stupid. Now you’re questioning my ethics. Why? Because the continued pounding permeates your skin and you actually start to believe this stuff. So guess what happens? You tell someone. But if they’re watching the opposite station, you’re starting a fight. The type that cuts deep.

Real News

This demonizing of leaders is readership gold and the American media has never made so much money. Just think, when have you consumed so much news? And lots of nice people are being roped in. But as always, it’s a step towards progress. If you’re interested in US politics, here’s a recommendation:

• PBS – a little left, but you can deal with it. Try Brooks & Shields on Friday nights. David is a nice republican who writes for the New York Times and Mark is a classic (but realistic) democrat.
• Firing Line – also on PBS, is an old conservative show re-imagined by Margaret Hoover. Margaret’s husband is a lefty and the show is well done.
• Face the Nation – CBS’s Sunday morning entry. I find it better than NBC’s Meet the Press and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. The lady is very professional and remains emotionally uninvolved.
• C-SPAN – the granddaddy of them all. This station has proper interviews with real politicians and is what every news organization watches to get their information.
• And if you really like to read, try Real Clear Politics. It simply lists articles from all over the web, alternating between positive and negative views. Like a neutral player.

Plus don’t forget our Canadian outlets. Can-news is the best news and most providers are top notch. They’re also worthy of your support (i.e., take out a subscription). From the National Post (mostly right), to the Globe and Mail (little right), to CTV’s 24-hour news channel, you always get reliable information. And heck, even the CBC is good (though a little left).

Summary

Canadians are now talking in secrets, like Americans do. And this inability to discuss politics is a violation of intimacy. Not a good thing among friends. The US system is different and that’s why it’s interesting. Down there they argue before passing legislation and representatives often exercise independent vote. Our system goes like this: government decides what it will pass and members vote as they’re told. Efficient yet boring.

Another big word these days is populism. Every election is said to be the result of it. Another term that’s ridiculous. Real populism is when the market changes and providers adapt. Like when we started drinking water, Coke offered Dasani instead. Same goes for the news. When people say enough of this one-sided, reality TV journalism, organizations will react. And when that day comes, the programs and stations listed above will flourish. Buy stock.