I have written nothing here for a while for a variety of
reasons: I’m overwhelmed. Not just the typical ‘I’ve got too much to do right
now’ type overwhelmed, although there’s been some of that. Not the ‘I haven’t
been feeling well lately’, although there has been some of that as well. There
is of course some Post-traumatic disappointment and anxiety following the Election
as well, (which my Pro-Trump friends at first enjoyed a bit, but now seem
concerned about my well-being.).
Another reason for my absence has been an unprecedented,
astonishing plethora of information regarding the absolute disqualification of
the President-Elect and his Cabinet Nominations. Donald J. Trump stands on the
very real verge of Constitutional Disqualification as U.S. President. I will
say this – never before have we had a more appropriate, and uniquely distinguished
President-Elect.
Donald Trump is the most appropriate, Constitutionally-eligible
candidate for Impeachment in our memory with the possible exception of Richard
M. Nixon. The failed attempted impeachment of Bill Clinton is set-aside here
because in the end, The U.S. Senate did not vote to convict him and he remained
President. Nixon never stood a chance of Acquittal and he knew it.
Never before have we seen a President-elect so uniquely
distinguished in such a vast quagmire of Conflicts of Interest of U.S. Foreign and
Domestic Security and Policy. I’ve stated here and elsewhere that the myriad
enmeshment of Trump Family members in the Presidential Cabinet appointments
process, Foreign Policy affairs, and the Trump Family Business Empire, is in
and of itself, an obvious Conflict of U.S. Government and Trump World-wide
business Interests. I am not alone in this opinion.
“The
president-elect is issuing statements to world leaders that radically depart
from U.S. foreign policy, and benefit his family’s corporate empire.”
“Donald Trump hasn’t
been sworn in yet, but he is already making decisions and issuing statements to
world leaders that radically depart from American foreign policy, all to the
benefit of his family’s corporate empire. Because of this, the next president
of the United States is already vulnerable to undue influence by other nations,
including through bribery and even blackmail”.
“The Trump family’s
dealings in the Philippines will set off a constitutional crisis on the first
day of Trump’s presidency, if anyone in the federal government decides to abide
by the law. There is serious debate as to whether Trump will be violating the Constitution’s
Emoluments Clause—which prohibits office holders from accepting gifts from
foreign states—since the majority of his company’s business is with other
corporations and developers. That is not the case in the Philippines. The
man writing millions of dollars’ worth of checks to the Trump family is the
Duterte government’s special representative to the United States. To argue that
these payments will be constitutional if they are paid to the Trump children,
and not to Trump personally, is absurd. This conflict demands congressional
hearings, and could be an impeachable offense”
The recent appointment of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as
Trump’s Nominee for Secretary of State also exemplify Trump’s blatant disregard
of Conflict of Interest issues. As has been well-publicized, Russian President Vladimir
Putin bestowed upon Tillerson the Kremlin’s Order of Friendship in 2013. In
response, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), a genuine War Hero and no friend of
Donald Trump or Rex Tillerson, commented
that Putin is a ‘Butcher, Thug, Murderer…’ , and that the bestowal of a ‘Friendship
Award, is a concern’. At least.
Sen. John McCain is widely regarded as one of America’s
stalwart foes of Putin and his Gang, and will undoubtedly have more to say on
the nomination of Rex Tillerson.
According to the Wall Street Journal –“Mr. Tillerson
spoke in opposition to the sanctions on Russia at Exxon’s annual meeting in
2014, after implementation of the company’s 2011 deal with Russia had been
blocked by the sanctions”.
“Michael McFaul, who served as U.S. ambassador to
Russia in the Obama administration, said on Sunday sanctions were imposed
because of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine and should only be lifted if Moscow
meets certain conditions.”
“I worry that because of his [Tillerson’s] previous
relationship with these people…that he would have a particular perspective on
that issue,” he said. http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defends-exxons-tillerson-as-world-class-player-1481469868
Once again we see how Trump’s affiliation with International
Commerce conflict with U.S. International Interests. In defense of the
nomination, Candi Rice former Secretary State under Geo. W. Bush, as well as
Bush’s Defense Secretary Bob Gates supported Tillerson’s Nomination.
Remarkably, it’s been disclosed that both Rice and Gates are Partners in a
Consulting Firm working for Exxon Mobil. Conflict?
Yet another disturbing nomination is that of John Bolton
[!], for Undersecretary of State. Thankfully, there is an alliance of
Congressional Members including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), who stand in
adamant opposition to Bolton “holding any position at State. I will vote no.”
Bolton was one of Geo W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney’s
emphatic Neo-cons urging Invasion and War with Iraq. However ‘Noble’ their
intent, their mishandling of the Operation, and misinformation they promoted, ended in unmitigated disaster for the United States. 13 Years later and we are
still deeply mired in that catastrophe, including continued U.S and Allied causalities
and expense.
By Robert
McMahon
Washington, 1 August
2005 (RFE/RL) –“Bolton was first nominated as UN ambassador in March but
quickly became the subject of a battle between senators from the Republican and
Democratic parties.
Senate Democrats raised concern about Bolton's allegedly rough treatment of subordinates as well as allegations he tried to distort intelligence reports in his previous post as the administration's top arms-control official”.
“But Bush used his authority to temporarily appoint Bolton during the U.S. Congress's summer recess. The assignment will last about 18 months”.
Senate Democrats raised concern about Bolton's allegedly rough treatment of subordinates as well as allegations he tried to distort intelligence reports in his previous post as the administration's top arms-control official”.
“But Bush used his authority to temporarily appoint Bolton during the U.S. Congress's summer recess. The assignment will last about 18 months”.
After his 18 Month stint, Bolton resigned instead of facing
Congressional Approval, where he faced both Republican and Democratic
opposition. He is now a senior
fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank
whose vice president has described Trump
as “an idiot.”
So, by now you can see what I mean by overload – we haven’t
even gotten to Trump’s pick of former Republican Texas Governor Rick Perry. In
a G.O.P. Debate, Perry could not even recall the name of the agency he wanted to
abolish, and is now slated to head – the U.S. Dept. of Energy. There’s also retired
Marine Gen. James Mattis, a.k.a. ‘Mad Dog’, a name he himself despises. Mattis
is technically ineligible to be Defense secretary because the law requires
retired military officers to be out of uniform for seven years before they can
become the military's civilian leader. That's in an effort to ensure that
civilian control of the armed forces, a bedrock of the American democratic
tradition, remains inviolate. Mattis retired as chief of U.S. Central Command
in 2013. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), a member of the Senate Armed
Services subcommittee on personnel, said Thursday night that she will oppose Mattis
becoming Pentagon chief. “While I deeply respect General Mattis’s service, I
will oppose a waiver,” she said. “Civilian control of our military is a
fundamental principle of American democracy, and I will not vote for an
exception to this rule.”https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-has-chosen-retired-marine-gen-james-mattis-for-secretary-of-defense/2016/12/01/6c6b3b74-aff9-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html?utm_term=.edcb05ba59cc
Yet, with all this, we’ve just scratched the surface of
Trump’s improprieties, some bordering on Treason. It is imperative then that
there be a full and bi-partisan, extensive investigation into how this International
Business Tycoon poses a Real and Present Danger to the security and well-being
of The United States. Stay tuned.
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