The Republican Task, Two Catherine Rampell Columns and Michael Wolff's Pedigree

It's up to the Republicans Now to Get Rid of Him

One doesn’t have to tell Democrats about the President’s incompetence, his lack of qualifications for the office, his ignorance of issues and inability to work with others here and abroad.  Democrats knew and didn’t vote for him in 2016.  Everything that has been revealed about him since then has just served to reinforce what Democrats knew all along.  (It really doesn’t matter that the stock market is booming.  It would be doing so regardless of who sits in the White House.)

 

The problem rests with Republicans.  Supposedly, the President is a Republican, and is responsible for getting some of that party elected because they shared his party label on Election Day.  All but the dumbest of Republicans (about the 30% of them who would support Trump regardless of what he does) 

are gradually acknowledging that the occupant of the White House is a dunce. But saying so can cost them support.  Well, here’s some news for them.  NOT saying so can cost them support too!

Many of them in the Senate still vote to confirm his unqualified nominees for important positions.  Many go along with the besmirching the reputation of those investigating possible Russian involvement in the 2016 election and go out of their way to shield the President from the investigations which have already snared one of his campaign managers and his National Security Adviser as well. They have to face up to facts and truth and stop buying into what they know are Trumpian lies.  Turning them into “Republican lies” will come back to haunt them and they are starting to realize it.

In every race from here on in, Republican candidates will be asked whether or not they support our unqualified and incompetent President and the dirty laundry he brings with him, or are willing to call him out for the self-centered fool he is.  This is a "lose-lose" situation for them because either way they go, they will risk losing the support of those who think “the other way.”  This is why many Democrats are somewhat optimistic about the 2018 elections and will not forget to remind Republicans of the President’s shortcomings, demanding that they state their position in regard to him.  I believe such a strategy will be of benefit to Democrats.  Others seem to prefer concentrating on "issues" rather than on Trump's shortcomings. 

  

The ball is in the Republicans’ court and it is up to them.  The nation is in great danger so long as the very unstable Donald Trump is President.   There must be a bi-partisan effort to get rid of him and then, with Trump gone, let the Democrats and those remaining honorable Republicans who “put country ahead of party” fight it out in Congress to see whose philosophy of government will prevail.

But this is now up to the Republicans.  As I have said, the ball is in their court.  Great issues, domestic and international, are on the table; issues that demand more abilities than the clown in the White House can provide.  Are enough of them smart enough to realize it?  Or was tax reduction for the wealthy all they were ever interested in and now that they have accomplished that, could it be that they don’t give a damn about the nation or anything else?  

Jack Lippman

Bear Market in Stanton Tee Shirts

Just bought a Miami Marlins tee shirt at Dick's Sporting Goods with Giancarlo Stanton's name and number on the back.  Trouble is that he has been traded to the Yankees.  Price tag read $30 ... marked down to $7.49.  

There are many factors, obviously, which can cause such price fluctuations.  So when the Dow's record breaking breaching of the 25,000 level results in elation on the part of many, bear in mind that there are many factors which can affect the value of equities, just as there are in regard to ballplayers' tee shirts.   

Where Michael Wolff Got the Stuff For his Book

Michael Wolff's book "Fire and Fury" says a lot of unbelievable things about President Trump which actually may be believable.  But who is this man who apparently was able to park himself in the White House, without a position there, and watch and listen to what was going on from his perch on a sofa in a hallway.  

How he was able to wangle a White House access pass levels higher than that given to other reporters is still a mystery to me. His background as a New York-based reporter covering the intersection of business, politics and entertainment over the years for several high quality publications (USA Today, New York Magazine ... unlike the "Enquirer" which carries baseless pro-Trump lies on a weekly basis) prepared him well to write this book. 

Professional reporters, to succeed, must be able to come up with the facts on which they base their stories, no matter how difficult this task might be.  Wolff apparently is very, very good at that.  Here is an interesting USA Today article on how he gathered the information for his book.  Check it out by CLICKING RIGHT HERE.  

JL

Read Two of Catherine Rampell's Incisive Columns

Catherine Rampell is one of the newer journalists in the Washington Post’s “stable” of writers.  Formerly with the New York Times, this Princeton Phi Beta Kappa hails from South Florida.  Her work often appears on the Post’s blog and she frequently writes columns for the paper.

Here are two of her recent columns.  One describes the Republican attitude toward higher education.  It has been often said that beside a free press, an educated electorate is one of the prerequisites of a democracy working effectively.  Could it be that the Republicans fear an educated electorate and hence, distrust higher education?  Read this column by CLICKING RIGHT HERE.

Next, Ms. Rampell considers China’s cultural revolution and the less violent manner in which the United States might be undergoing its own cultural revolution, paralleling that of China.  Read this column by CLICKING RIGHT HERE. 

JL

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Jack Lippman 

Sexual Harassment in Macbeth, Why "They" Will Just Love the Tax Reform Bill and Three Columns You Must Read

Those of you who saw the letter I included in the previous posting about the "Malfunctioning of the Democratic Process" might be pleased, as I was, with its being published by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (circulation 106,000) last week.  What a wonderful way to start out the new year!  And of course, a happy, healthy and successful 2018 is our wish to all of you.

Sexual Harassment in Macbeth

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth has seized the Scottish throne, murdering the king and is ruling the land with a reign of terror.  Macduff is in rebellion against him and seeks the help of the exiled Malcolm, rightful heir to the throne.  Malcolm has no reason to trust Macduff, suspecting that he might even betray him to Macbeth.  To test his loyalty, he tells Macduff that however bad Macbeth is, he would be even worse as the king, for he is of all things, unable to control his sexual appetite. Here are Malcolm’s words from Act IV, Scene III, of the play.

“I grant him (Macbeth) bloody, luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin that has a name. 

But there’s no bottom, none, in my voluptuousness; your wives, your daughters, your matrons and your maids, could not fill up the cistern of my lust, and my desire all continent (restraining) impediments would o’erbear that did oppose my will.  Better Macbeth than such a one to reign.”

Malcolm is making all this up as he reveals shortly thereafter to Macduff. (At first, Macduff was willing to accept Malcolm as King so long as his supposed sexual behavior were kept out of the public eye and involved only “willing dames” of which “we have enough.” Malcolm then comes up with some additional lies about the bad things he would do as King.)  For those of you who are not familiar with the play, Malcolm joins up with Macduff and the good guys win. 

The reason I am including this as a blog posting is that even at the beginning of the Seventeenth century, sexual harassment was already an issue which could be raised in regard to politics, and the plays of Shakespeare sometimes had political overtones, often being performed before politically involved audiences. “Macbeth” was performed at the palace in front of the King.  To my knowledge, he did not send out any “tweets” after seeing it.

Jack Lippman

A Cautionary Note to Democrats and Other "Real" Americans

I fear that the Republican,Trump-supported,Tax Reform bill, greatly benefiting the wealthy, reducing the social and economic roles of government and creating trillions of dollars of additional debt for future generations to manage will be very POPULAR with the American people!  How come?  Are they that gullible?  I fear that they are. Almost half of them did indeed vote for a failed real estate developer and “reality” TV host for President in 2016!

  

In their eyes, the bill’s many horrible provisions will be mitigated by its reduction of taxes for many lower and middle-class tax payers for the next ten years!  That’s all that will count for many of them.  Less deducted from their paycheck.  They won’t care about the far greater benefits being afforded to the very wealthy and certain businesses, and unless the absence of our present environmental, regulatory, health care and consumer-oriented safeguards will directly affect them (and not some other guy), they won't miss them. 

  

Show me a voter who is turned off by what might happen ten years down the pike.  Include yourself.   Many Americans don’t look beyond their next paycheck, let alone ten years ahead.  They may be dead by 2027. 

  

Those who oppose our evil President and the evil things the Republican Party does to keep the money flowing into its coffers from certain very wealthy supporters have a lot of work to do in 2018.   It won’t be easy.

JL 

Three Columnists You Should Read

And here are three columns from writers far more skilled than I.  I highly recommend that you read them!

Frank Bruni wrote last week in the New York Times about how Democrats should not jeopardize their chances in 2018 by "pumping up Trump's impassioned adversaries at the risk of confusing and alienating dispassionate Americans in the middle."  Check out his column BY CLICKING RIGHT HERE !

And the Washington Post's Kathleen Parker, after seeing the film "Post," relates it to the "fake news" promulgated by those today who abhor truth.  Check this out BY CLICKING RIGHT HERE !

Finally, that same Washington Post carried Dana Milbank's column on American "Greatness," something upon which a not-so-great person in the White House keeps harping.  Check out his words BY CLICKING RIGHT HERE !

HOW TO BE ALERTED TO FUTURE BLOG POSTINGS.

Many readers of this blog are alerted by Email every time a new posting appears.  If you wish to be added to that Email list, just let me know by clicking on Riart1@aol.com and sending me an Email.  

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BY CLICKING ON THAT SAME ADDRESS, Riart1@aol.com   YOU ALSO CAN SEND ME YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE PUBLISHED IN THIS BLOG AS WELL AS YOUR COMMENTS.  (Comments can also be made by clicking on the "Post a Comment" link at the blog's end.)

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HOW TO VIEW OLDER POSTINGS.                                                

To view older postings on this blog, just click on the appropriate date in the “Blog Archive” midway down the column off to the right, or scroll down until you see the “Older Posts” notation at the very bottom of this posting.  The “Search Box” in the right side of the posting also may be helpful in locating a posting topic for which you are looking.

HOW TO FORWARD POSTINGS.

To send this posting to a friend, or enemy for that matter, whom you think might be interested in it, just click on the envelope with the arrow on the "Comments" line directly below, enabling you to send them an Email providing a link directly to this posting.  You might also want to let me know their Email address so that they may be alerted to future postings.

Jack Lippman 

A Letter to Two Papers, Our Time Warp, Santa's Belt and The Night Before Christmas at Mar-a-Lago

Season's Greetings to All of Our Readers 

                      Christmas Eve Edition      

I Write Letters

Here's the text of a letter which I've sent to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post.  Hope that at least one of them prints it.

When the democratic process malfunctions, that is, when the people make poor decisions, they may get more than they bargained for. The French Revolution in the final decade of the Eighteenth century, the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of Hitler in Germany in 1932 illustrate this. None of these “popular” changes in government ended well. Essential to the democratic process working as it should, ”in the interest of the people,” are a free press, a well-educated citizenry and respect for a legitimate opposition. Their absence can lead to a malfunction of the democratic process which is what occurred in these examples. This is what we are dealing with today in the United States. 

That is why I am proud to be a Democrat, recognizing the Democratic Party’s understanding of the democratic process, a concept which the President and the Republican Party fail to grasp.




Jack Lippman

Living in a Time Warp

We live in the Twenty-first century.  At least that’s what a glance at the calendar indicates.  In “senior” or “over-55” communities, many of which we have down here in Florida, most folks are still living in the Twentieth century!  Take a look at the entertainment provided in their “clubhouses,” the music they listen to and even the kind of restaurants in which they eat.

Too-Jays, a delicatessen chain, has 27 restaurants in South Florida.  There are numerous other purveyors of pastrami, corned beef, chopped liver and other delicacies, loaded in great quantities between two slices of crisp-crusted yet soft rye bread served with a side of cole slaw or half sour pickles here in the Sunshine State.  But clearly, this is a Twentieth century thing for the Twentieth century people inhabiting much of Palm Beach, Dade and Broward counties.  T'ain't so elsewhere.

The last time I was up in New York, it was difficult to find such delicatessens in the “hipper” regions of lower Manhattan.  There remained a few on the lower East Side and on the upper West Side, but they are far outnumbered by Twenty-first century eateries specializing in Japanese, Indian or Thai cuisine or a mélange known as Asian Fusion.  Strictly Chinese restaurants have become rarities in the Twenty-first century except in South Florida, and even there, they are gradually disappearing.  Long time favorites such as the Carnegie Deli and the Stage Deli are history in the Big Apple, but there is an acceptable delicatessen called the Stage Deli in Naples, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, where there also are many retirees living in the last century.

Rodgers with either Hart or Hammerstein, Jerome Kern, the Gershwin Brothers, Irving Berlin and all the other stalwarts of the Broadway Musical scene in the Twentieth century survive in Florida on innumerable stages, far more than on the Great White Way.  Retirees flock to hear singers who offer “tribute” performances dedicated to, or are attempted imitations of, Sinatra, Streisand, the Beatles, the Four Seasons, the Beach Boys and others who hearken back to the days when Rhythm and Blues gave birth to Rock ‘n Roll. Hip-hop, even the intellectualized version presented in Lin Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton,” have yet to penetrate South Florida’s retirees, who still flock to revivals of “Fiddler on the Roof.” 

The appeal of such nostalgia seems to be useful to seniors in postponing the prospect of growing older, which would come with accepting the fact that the Twentieth century is history.

Armed with Twenty-first century technology, many retirees with Twentieth century habits still limit using their costly “smartphones” to just making telephone calls, and many still have the simpler clam shell type phones which can’t do much more than that.   And if they need a ride somewhere, they are often more likely to call a cab, or try to hail one if they are in a big northern city, rather than order a ride via Uber or Lyft which Twenty-first century people do.

Yes, this even extends to the way they dress.  In the Twentieth century world of South Florida, many men still wear white sneakers (usually New Balance) whereas those elsewhere, living in the Twenty-first century, wear sneakers featuring all of the colors of the rainbow.

Yes, we are living in a time warp down here in Florida, where the Twenty-first century is on the other side of the horizon for many of us, even though the calendar says that right now, it is almost 2018.
JL

At this season each year, Jackspotpourri includes our favorite Christmas story, "Santa's Belt."  Hope you enjoy it again or for the first time.

Santa’s Belt  

Jack Lippman

It was that time of the year when things were getting hectic at the North Pole.  Santa and the elves had been working overtime to make certain that everything would be ready to go on Christmas Eve.  After all, children of all ages throughout the world were waiting for Santa to bring them the gifts which they had been wishing for, gifts to make their dreams come true.

“Rufus,” Santa called out.  “Are all of the presents ready to load into my bag?  Have our helpers down on Earth, the toy manufacturers, gotten their toys and games ready for the kids?  And how about the parents?  You know, they all have to do their part too!  Hey, we only have a few days left!”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Claus,” Rufus replied.  “There won’t be any foul-ups this year.  The toys are all ready to go!”

“And is my sleigh ready?  Are the reindeer in good shape?”

“Don’t worry, Santa,” Rufus reassuringly replied.  “The sleigh has been repainted, the runners greased and the harnesses repaired.  And the reindeer are just fine.  Comet and Cupid are over their colds and the others have even gotten used to Rudolf, who wasn’t even in that poem about us.  Even Donder and Blitzen have calmed down.  Santa, you must stop worrying.  Everything is going to be fine!”

It had been three years since Rufus had been promoted to the position of Chief Elf in Santa’s workshop.  Of course, he had been helping out there for many years but only recently had Santa learned of Rufus’ prior experience working closely with Merlin the Magician centuries ago.  Some of Rufus’ innovations, obviously learned from that apprenticeship with the ancient wizard, had greatly increased the efficiency of Santa’s operation.  For example, it was Rufus who had developed the mathematical formulas which, when put into practice, enabled Santa to defy mere physical laws and be in many different of places at the same time.  Rufus had solved the problem of running out of toys with a procedure which in effect, cloned one toy from another, so Santa’s bag was never empty. And of course, he used a lot of old Merlin’s techniques to ease Santa’s trip up and down chimneys throughout the world, without his red outfit ever getting dirty.  Finally, it was Rufus who convinced Santa to include intangible things such as peace, love, brotherhood and wellbeing among the gifts he left on Earth for those who deserved them.

It was just a few nights before Christmas when Rufus encountered Santa in a state of real panic.

“Santa, what’s the matter?  Why are you holding your waist like that?”

“Can’t you see, you darn fool!  I’m holding my pants up!  If I let go, they’ll fall down.  It happened this morning.  My suspenders snapped and I don’t have a belt big enough to fit around me to hold my pants up.  Rufus, they keep falling down and if we can’t fix them, how can I go out on Christmas Eve?  Rufus, do something to help me!  You must!”

“Now, Mr. Claus” the elf answered, holding back a snicker.  “I can see how this happened.  Come to think of it, I should have seen it coming and done something about it.  I’ve watched the way you’ve been eating all of that delicious food Mrs. Claus prepares for you.  Pies and cakes, chickens and steaks, soups and puddings, pizzas and knishes, pasta and dumplings and on and on.  I’ve seen you put away enough for an army at one sitting and top it off with a banana split and a chocolate bar.   What did you expect?”

“Stop your preaching, Rufus!  What would your Merlin do?  Come on.  Think of something so that I don’t disappoint all the children who’ll be waiting for me on Christmas Eve!  I can’t go out there with my pants falling down!”

“Santa, I don’t think suspenders will do the job for you any more because of the pear shape you’ve developed!  We must to get you a belt big enough to hold up your pants!”

“What do you think I’ve been doing all day?  I’ve been looking for one and there just aren’t any made that big.”

Rufus thought for a minute and stroked his chin.  He then turned his eyes upward and look toward the stars, fixing them on the constellation Orion the Hunter.  In an instant, using a mystic incantation remembered from his days with Merlin, he turned himself into a thunderbolt and flew up into the heavens directly at the strip of stars which formed Orion’s belt.  Grasping as many as he could, Rufus flew back to Earth and fashioned a belt from them for Santa.  The old man, finding for the first time since his suspenders had snapped that he was able to keep his pants up, was ecstatic.   


                                          

                                                Star map showing the constellation, Orion the Hunter

A few nights later, Santa was able to travel his appointed rounds delivering gifts to children of all ages throughout the world.  As he headed back toward the North Pole, he smiled up at the constellation Orion the Hunter, whose belt, as you can see on any clear evening when you look up in the sky, consists of only three stars, which was all that Rufus left up there.  

Circling the Earth, Santa made a promise to go on a diet.  He had learned his lesson. Soon, recognizing the welcoming lights of the workshop far below, the reindeer guided the sleigh into a slow descent and the jovial old man once more waved his hand to the world, crying out, “Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night, especially to you, Rufus!”

The Night Before Christmas at Mar-a-Lago

And as a final holiday gift, here's Frank Cerebino's wonderful take-off on "The Night Before Christmas" as it appeared in the Palm Beach Post on Dec. 24.  (If you live in South Florida, you could do a lot worse than subscribing to the Post, either on-lilne or in its traditional "paper" version.  I do.) 

Prepare to laugh at what is probably a unique version of the truth and the funniest thing you've read this year!   JUST CLICK RIGHT HERE FOR SOMETHING I AM SURE YOU WILL FORWARD TO MANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES!

JL


                      

HOW TO BE ALERTED TO FUTURE BLOG POSTINGS.

Many readers of this blog are alerted by Email every time a new posting appears.  If you wish to be added to that Email list, just let me know by clicking on Riart1@aol.com and sending me an Email.  

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BY CLICKING ON THAT SAME ADDRESS, Riart1@aol.com   YOU ALSO CAN SEND ME YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE PUBLISHED IN THIS BLOG AS WELL AS YOUR COMMENTS.  (Comments can also be made by clicking on the "Post a Comment" link at the blog's end.)

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DID YOU KNOW THAT www.jackspotpourri.com IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICES IN A MODIFIED, EASY-TO-READ, FORMAT?   

HOW TO VIEW OLDER POSTINGS.                                                

To view older postings on this blog, just click on the appropriate date in the “Blog Archive” midway down the column off to the right, or scroll down until you see the “Older Posts” notation at the very bottom of this posting.  The “Search Box” in the right side of the posting also may be helpful in locating a posting topic for which you are looking.

HOW TO FORWARD POSTINGS.

To send this posting to a friend, or enemy for that matter, whom you think might be interested in it, just click on the envelope with the arrow on the "Comments" line directly below, enabling you to send them an Email providing a link directly to this posting.  You might also want to let me know their Email address so that they may be alerted to future postings.

Jack Lippman