"We hold our hearts so they don't break"

The slaughter of the Kurdish fighters has greatly escalated.                                             ........................... "Our brave Kurdish soldiers, men and women, are now dying every day in greater and greater numbers..... "The bombs from Turkish and Syrian fighter planes rain down on us every day now. The American president abandoned us to die,, all without warning.            We learned of our abandonment by the president's tweet." 
Military commanders, both US and Kurdish..were given no pre-warning...not even the Pentagon. The Joint Chiefs of Staff learned of the 'ordered withdrawal' on the morning news - a 4 AM 'tweet' by the president.

  Left: Late October, 2019.Kurdish soldiers hold funeral, pay last respects for a beloved Kurdish army colonel.   

                      ***

"My father was buried without a funeral, without people saying goodbye.” People were too frightened,” Elyas says. “It was too dangerous. When people gather, that’s when the bombs come, sometimes in just minutes." Abdulrahman Khalil Elyas’s father died in Rojava last week. Because of the bombardment of the Kurdish-controlled north-east region of Syria, he was hastily buried without a funeral. 

This past August: ??? Did 'this' influence Trump to 'suddenly' decide to pull our troops out of Syria (he was facing a business loss and loss of prestige):...
      REVENGE: Turkey's Erdoğan told..... 'SEIZE Trump Towers Istanbul'... in retaliation to sanctions

President Trump. October 16, 2019:"My strategy was brilliant." Trump hailed his decision to withdraw US troops in Syria, paving the way for a devastating Turkish army offensive, as 'strategically brilliant', declaring that the Kurds he abandoned were 'much safer now' - "not angels." 11,000 Kurdish soldiers have died fighting the Turkish military in the last decade. The Kurds have been the US 'surrogate army' in that violent region for over ten years, holding the Turks and the Russians at bay.

Kurdish woman fighter: "We have no choice but to fight to the last. We have no other place to go. I am resigned to whatever comes now.                                                                                    The Kurds have been the US's surrogate army for over a decade - holding the Russian-friendly Turkish government at bay. Trump has now joined Russian and Turkey as 'an ally'...Trump - abandoning even our own US soldiers - from the previous commitment to protect and fight alongside the Kurds.
                                                                                                                    

700 ISIS prisoners escaped during two days of bombings. Many are making their way to Europe, others into northern Iraq. Trump's 'brilliant strategy' has resulted in turning over vast territory back to Turkey and Russian control....Fifteen years of US troop involvement, providing stability in the mid-east - gone with a Trump tweet - leaving the Kurds to die by  Russian, Turkish hands.                                                 

                                                                *****

My Question to president Trump: "What kind of country have you turned us into, president Trump,?  A country where American honor and American guarantees to US Allies - mean nothing?

Trump's Erratic Foreign Policy elevates Russia, elates Putin. Trump now clearly sees himself as a strongman like Putin, indifferent to our laws, totally indifferent to our US Constitution.....The frightening aspect of it: 36% of Americans approve...the 'Trump Base'.. 

"Here's to you Donald Trump...my very good friend.....Friend of Russia."

NC "End of Life Option" bill fails.....Arctic sea ice coverage shrinks to record low:

Ice and Glaciers going away! NOAA Report this week:

Ice coverage recorded in October was 32.2 percent below the 1981-2010 average, according to the NOAA, and the 10 smallest extents of sea ice coverage for the month of October have all occurred since 2007.                                                         

  

     The data also found Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, the Hawaiian islands and Oceania all recorded temperatures among the highest ever recorded for October in 2019, and the world’s average sea surface temperature ranked second-warmest ever recorded for the year to date, and a fraction of a degree colder than 2016’s record warmth.
                                                                                                                               

NC "End of Life Option" bill, HR-879 fails again: Not even allowed to be read on the floor.

A bi-partisan bill to give certified terminally ill patients 'the right' to determine how, when, and where they will die, was blocked once again by the Republican House Speaker and pressures from conservatives to not even allow the bill to read on the House floor. It died in committee. Eight US states enacted the law: Oregon, Washington, Montana, California, Hawaii, Colorado, New Jersey, District of Columbia

Huge pressure from the Christian Coalition and the Catholic Church - in concert with powerful NC conservatives convinced the Republican leadership not to even read the bill, much less put it to a vote. Over 70% of Americans polled, said they were 'in favor' of a dying patient to at least have 'the right' make the decision of how they will die, to allow them to 'pull the plug' - with loved ones present, plus a physician and a nurse in attendance.

     The end of life would come through a legal prescription of drugs (an overdose) approved by two different physicians. Canada already has the law in effect. Australia just passed the law two months ago. In Europe, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland have long had the law in effect.
So far, in the US, only 'Blue' states (Democratic) have succeeded in passing it.  The Republican Party 'fears' that even if ONE southern state succeeds in passing the law - a landslide rush by other southern states will follow. The Christian Coalition and the Catholic Church along with wealthy southern conservatives have, so far', 'keep the south in line."

.

I will be publishing my book, "My Right to Choose, Dying with Dignity', 215 pages,  in the coming 4-6 weeks. It covers the entire 'Right to Die' movement starting in Switzerland in 1940 right up to the failed NC bill HR-879, just a few weeks ago. For more info on North Carolina's efforts here, go to the website: 'Dying Right', headquartered in Hillsborough, NC but in weekly conference with several other states among the 27 that are now also trying to pass this type bill.

Trust in US Government is fading:

    MSN report today shows that 68% of Americans have no trust  or 'little trust' in their politicians. This is up 9% from a year ago. While the president vowed to Make America Great Again the disparity in wealth between the top 1% and the median US household income grew wider than ever. The top 10% of US wage earners are doing well....Middle-Class, even those families with 2 or 3 children, those with incomes of over $100,000, are seeing budgeting pressures those they did not feel eighteen months ago. Wage increases are flat, not keeping up with the high-rollers that garner most of the headlines.

                                                                   

                                                    

Trump's Health?????????  Whutzzsup? Traditionally, a president's annual physical is announced days in advance to the press. Not his time. Late Saturday afternoon Trump clandestinely visited Walter Reed Army Hospital for 'partial physical'??? Could it be hemorrhoids and he did not want the world's press discussing them? We don't know what the reason was., 

Duke rises to No. 1 and UNC rises to No, 5 here in the early days of the new basketball season. Kentucky got flummoxed yesterday, losing badly to a totally unranked Evansville team.

HIGH DRAMA this Wednesday: Gordon Sondlond, EU ambassador is now like 'a deer in the headlights. He was caught lying under oath, twice changing his story about 'what he new about Ukraine and the extortion of the  Ukrainian president,

Opinion: I think – that after this week – about 60% of America will have decided Trump Must GO!

Microphone turned off! Schiff gave masterful summary..WATCH.

Fox News anchor: "Chris Wallace, on Fox: ..."If you are not moved by the testimony of Marie Yavonovich, you don't have a pulse."

....Wallace took earlier issue with Trump's threats against her: "Things are going to start happening to her."

GOOGLE...Ambassador Yovonovitch - 'The Intel hearing Audience applauded.  The GOP microphone turned off at end of Yonovitch hearing'. (See following):
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/audience. Adam Schiff gave a powerful, succinct  closing summary of the day's hearing. He was the Master Prosecutor at the end...No one can dispute what he said...GOP microphone turned off at end of the hearing -one Republican yelling and yelling as the audience's applauding turned to a crescendo of appreciation for Maria Yonovitch..."
https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/dwx0w5/.
                                                                 

 Obama tells Dems to EASE OFF on TALK of REVOLUTION: The Washington Post article said that his message was aimed directly at Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders with their sweeping motions and declarations that a 'wholesale change' must come. Go to the Post article. My opinion: The Dems will lose this 2020 election IF 'Revolution' is the message. Independents will reject it wholesale - and if we don't have the majority, the large majority of the Independents? We lose.
                                                                                                                 
 ROGER STONE - GUILTY! Trump's close adviser for over 25 years - Found GUILTY on all 7 counts against him. The latest Roger Stone, a former aide and longtime friend of President Trump, was found guilty on Friday of obstructing an investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. –

Key Republican - Now marginal of Trump! - Angry! Frustrated! "Trump blew up our entire defense strategy we developed for him! NOW with just one damned crazy ill-timed TWEET!. We knew if we attacked Ambassador Yovonovitch, it would only evoke more sympathy for her. What does the president do -REAL TIME? He proceeded to blow us all up- including him!".....He walked away, shaking his head.

NYT: The trial included previously unrevealed testimony from a former top campaign aide that Trump expected, he anticipated the  leaks - he 'knew' they were coming' during the 2016 campaign that could hurt Hillary Clinton -- and his campaign openly welcomed them. – CNN

  Stone’s fate now rests in part with Trump, who has the power to issue a pardon. While the president has danced around the question for months, he tweeted criticizing the verdict within minutes of it being read in open court. - (Politico).....Stone stood and braced himself with his fingers on the counsel table as the seven guilty verdicts were read. He showed no visible reaction, but he put on his glasses to look at the jurors as the nine women and three men were then polled individually at the defense's request to confirm their agreement with the verdicts.

TRUMP - His dark, malevolent administration, his world - BECOMING UNRAVELED.                                                                           

                                          'That WOMAN!......Yovonovitch - 'She is Bad News'!
                                                                             

                                                                   
                                            Sever Question?  Is Trump an immoral, unethical, lying sociopath?
                                                       He cannot control his worst instincts.
                                              Is he undermining 243 years of American pride and honor?

KAMALA HARRIS'S CAMPAIGN MELTDOWN.... Politico. - Today.By Christopher Cadelago : "Offices are being closed down. There is widespread bickering among staff members - 'We have no clear message. There is no direction - her fast-shrinking headquarters are deep into the finger-pointing stages. And much of the blame is being placed on campaign manager Juan Rodriguez." Several staff members walked out his week.

Venice is flooding. Trump is drowning in a sea of lies. Mrs. Vovonovitch defends her 30 years of service

VENICE..."Venice is on its knees." Italy is set to declare a state of emergency in Venice after the Italian city was engulfed by 1.87m (6ft) high water levels, flooding its historic basilica and cutting power to homes. More than 80% of the city, a Unesco world heritage site, was under water when tides were at their highest. Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the flooding as "a blow to the heart of our country".

A massive infrastructure project called MOSE has been underway since 2003 to protect the city, but it has been plagued by cost overruns, corruption scandals and delays. Scientists and some government officials say this catastrophic historic flooding can be blamed on human failure and climate change."It hurts to see the city so damaged, its artistic heritage so terribly compromised, its commercial activities on its knees," Mr Conte, who visited the region late on Wednesday, wrote in a Facebook post (in Italian). The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, blamed climate change for the highest water levels in more than 50 years this week, saying the impact was "huge" and would leave "a permanent mark".

WOW!Archaeologist moved these giants! The Abu Simbel temples are two massive rock temples at Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل‎), a village in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. They are situated on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km (140 mi) southwest of Aswan (about 300 km (190 mi) by road). The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments",which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae (near Aswan). The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BC, during the 19th dynasty reign of the Pharaoh Ramesses II. They serve as a lasting monument to the king and his queen Nefertari, and commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. Their huge external rock relief figures have become iconic. The complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968 under the supervision of a Polish archaeologist, Kazimierz Michałowski, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples was necessary or they would have been submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the River Nile.

A most noble and courageous woman: Ambassador Marie Vonovich. President Trump is terrified of her 'live testimony' today. His aides 'tried' (without success), advising him 'DO NOT TWEET AN ATTACK ON HER DURING HER 'LIVE' testimony. He was advised that it will 'feed into his rising 'OBSTRUCTION of Justice' charges.He attacked her anyway. Intel Committee Chairman, upon hearing of the presient's contemptible Tweet and attack on her...Stopped her testimony to say: I am now going to read to YOU Mrs. Vovonitch, what the president just said - to the nation - about you, ten minutes ago: The Chairman read Trump's comments out loud...you could hear the gasps of 'disbelief'. Trump previously tweeted: "That woman is bad news, brings bad news with her, everywhere she goes...and famously threaten: "She is going to start having some problems." American Tragedy? 36% of Americans, (Trump's 'Base')….are totally OK with his character assassinations. Totally 'OK" when he says he can 'Grab a woman by her P**** - and she won't do anything about it. I am a great celebrity. They say nothing."...or..."I can go out in the streets of Manhattan and shoot somebody in the face, and the next morning? All my supporters (36% of the nation)..'will still be there for me!" The Tragedy? What Trump says about his 'Base', the 'Women for Trump' lobbyist group.....All he does or says - totally acceptable. Trying to destroy a highly respected US woman diplomat's reputation -LIVE ON TV- same time as she is testifying against him...TOTALLY OK with the Trump Base. My question, as a writer, and as a historian: "How in the hell did America come to this? Who the are 'these people'? <

The TRUMP DAM is cracking, starting to leak badly:Trump's TV appearances remind me of the McCarthy-Army hearings of he 1950s: Republican Joseph McCarthy and his little troll, nasty side-kick and attorney, Roy Cohn, made national headlines for weeks. They accused various US Army officers, some US Democratic Congressman and many Hollywood actors as being 'COMMUNISTS'.Between the two of them, they destroyed many reputations, careers. Many movie stars never made a another movie, the movie execs were fearful of 'employing maybe 'shadow communists'. McCarthy and Roy Cohn were vicious. Cohn lived on to become an early 'advisor' to Donald Trump...Remember Trump's whining lament during the Mueller probe: "Where's my Roy Cohn?" (Cohn died years earlier).

Here is Trump years later in the late 1980s with Roy Cohn who he admired greatly: Cohn's advice to ALL of his clients: 1. DENY EVERYTHING. 2. Accuse your accuser, loudly, of the very same charge they are making against you! claim - 'It is a witch hunt! Always be on the aggressive side, attack, attack, deny, deny!"

"HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF DECENCY, sir?" His name was Joseph Welch (October 22, 1890 – October 6, 1960) was an American lawyer who served as the chief counsel for the United States Army while it was under investigation for Communist activities by Senator Joseph McCarthy's Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, an investigation known as the Army–McCarthy hearings. His confrontation with McCarthy during the hearings, in which he famously asked McCarthy "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" is seen as a turning point in the history of McCarthyism.McCarthy's Senate tenure ended not long after. He virtually disappeared.

“NEVER!” Longtime, 35-year diplomat Bill Taylor testifies that he had never seen a US president make foreign aid conditional on their personal or political interests, actually exhorting the president of foreign country. “NEVER in my entire life did I ever send a telegram to a Secretary of State. This, however, was an emergency.”

WHO is Bill Taylor? A graduate of West Point, finished 4th in his class of 800 cadets. Upon graduation, he could have gone straight into a Pentagon staff position. He chose to enlist in the US Army and went straight to Viet Nam. On this day, November 13, 2019, this professional career diplomat who was first appointed by Ronald Reagon, then served under GW Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton, George Bush, Jr., then retired, but came out of retirement, being RE-APPOINTED by Donald Trump -TODAY testified: The president who referenced the $400 in military aid to Ukraine - already approved in a bi-partisan vote, endorsed by the US Military Joint Chief of Staf....but then, on the phone said: "I would like a favor....'though'...Trump then bribed, and exhorted the president of Ukraine to start an investigation 'into the Bidens'. TODAY: Bill Taylor then dropped THE BOMBSHELL...there was yet another phone call - Taylor was listening to Trump ask US EU chief diplomat, Gordon Sondland: "How is the investigation going?" Sondland (who will testify under oath Tuesday said this: "They are all set. Ready to move forward." Trump had Sondland tell Pres. Zelesky to 'go to the mic' and say he was now launching an investigation into the Bidens and Hillary Clinton"

DONALD TRUMP 'was trying to steal another US election - blackmailing a foreign country's president, to 'dig up some dirt' on his presidential rival, Joe Biden. Trump was convinced Biden could very well get elected.

Gordon Sondland's wife to her husband: "Tell the truth about what you heard! You could go to jail for perjury!" Sondland 'suddenly' changed his testimony: NEXT WEEK, Tueday, Sondland will be 'The STAR WITNESS'... "I now do seem to remember the president of the phone with me, asking about 'how is the investigation going? I 'now' remember telling him: "They' are all set, ready to go forward." Instead - President Volodny Zelesky - heard that 'suddenly' Washington released the $400. He never 'went to the mic'. Trump 'saw that the lid was coming off, that the 'light of day' was coming down on him - he panicked, released the money.

900 bottles of booze - back from the bottom of the sea: Divers salvage 100-year-old liquor from WWI shipwreck In May 1917, the SS Kyros was transporting the 600 bottles of cognac and 300 bottles of liquor from France to Russia. DeHartmann & Company of France bottled the cognac and Benedictine liquor. It was being transported when WWI German sub sunk the ship in Baltic Sea. All crewman were saved. Now, this year, Ocean X Team and iX Explorer used robots and worked 24/7 for one week and recovered a large amount of the total shipment. The popular spirts company, Bacardi now owns the retrieved bottles.Bacardi is anxious to determine whether the product is now drinkable. We shall soon know.

SHOCKER! First it was Michael Bloomberg, coming out of the bushes saying "I am all in! I want to be president, too!" NEXT: 'Whispers'....Pssst. Eric Holder is about to announce... 20 BILLION:Michael B can finance his own NATIONAL campaign. He can spend as much as 100 million - one-tenth of his fortune. His 'main reason' for running? To have a national stage just to pound and pounce on president Donald 'Bone Spurs.' NOW- today!!!, Santa Claus will announce that he is going to enter the Dem primary, bringing the total number of Dem presidential candidates to 82.

OBAMACARE! Tell your friends! It is worth spending 30 minutes just to find out what your MONTHLY Premium would be. It costs you nothing to find out. Folks here in Carteret County - Give one of our 'Get Covered Carteret' Navigators a call: Call this number - 'at least' talk to a Navigator here in Morehead City or Beaufort:252-422-1354, Barbara Thomas. 252-646-1550, Karen Baggott. 252-269-0775, Helene Kelly. 919-218-3210,Fred Harvey. We have a great group of volunteers wanting to help! The 'average' premium last year was $89.00! We are sponsored by the North Carolina Legal Aid Society out of Raleigh.

National Shame: American military drones have seen evidence of Kurdish fighters being executed. Refugees fleeing their homes tell of Turkish military executing Kurdish civilians. History: The Kurds have fought alongside of US troops in Syria; the Kurds volunteering to take the leading role. routing out the mail ISIS force, reducing ISIS to just a shadow. Now hundreds of ISIS prisoners have escaped the jails they were in - Now they are free to begin terrorizing European cities again. So far, the Kurdish military, fighting both ISIS and Turkish military, they have had over 11,000 dead. Now, we have abandoned them - and we also abandoned all of our multi-million dollar US military bases in NE Syria - US fighters, firing Tomahawk missiles were ordered to destroy our own bases and buildings to keep them out of the hands of Russian and Turkish military. Donald Trump NEVER even consulted any of his Pentagon, or CIA, or any of the members of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. He 'just announced' - "We are now pulling out the last of our troops in Syria!" No warning was given to the Kurdish generals. The back story: Trump did this to 'appease' Turkish president Erdogan who had begun to criticize Trump - 'threatening' to remove his name from Trump Tower in Ankara if he did not remove US troops from Syria. Erdogan's long-time goal has been to totally wipe out the last Kurdish fighters in Turkey. Now, he is free to do that. Vladimir Putin and the Turkish president got this 'gift' from 'our US president'. Trump chose to protect a Trump asset - at the expense of Kurdish freedom fighters lives. General 'Mad Dog' Mattes resigned over this one issue - Trump wanted to do this earlier. Mattes opposed him in meetings. The US SHAME? Sadly, so many Americans do not even know this. The TV station they watch - never mentions Syria - rarely ever criticizes the worst behavior of their president. Every lie, every crime is 'OK"> Therein lies a US tragedy. Amazing - About 15% of the Kurdish military fighters are women.

CARTERET WRITERS GROUP: Do you like to write? Thinking of getting your work published one day? Here's the place. We meet the 2nd Wednesday each month, at Clawson's Restaurant, 11:30AM. We have interesting guest speakers - Editors, published writers, poets. Go the to Carteret Writer's Group website.

ZANTAC WARNING: The FDA announced the recall of over-the-counter ranitidine tablets, prescription capsules and syrup due to unacceptable levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine or NDMA. The Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients and medical professionals of a voluntary recall of a popular heartburn medication, ranitidine, also known as Zantac. Cartoons, 1 and 2, Guardian of London. Bloomberg:from Stock.XCHNG.Santa Claus from WikiCommons.

Veterans Day

WAR: On this VETERANS DAY:... In England ‘Remembrance Day’ Nov. 11 Remembering and thanking our Veterans this day. Many went. Many came back. Some gave all......................... .......................................................5 Veterans of Afghanistan war speak out: “GET OUT NOW! UNWINNABLE. One vet said:......"Fifteen years from now, I don’t want my kid to die in the war that I went to.” New York Times, this Veterans Day. ...... ... WWII: More than 52,000 American airmen were killed in the war..................... ..... ...Vietnam War Casualties (1955-1975) America paid a terrible price for its involvement in the Vietnam War - nearly 60,000 killed-in-action, over 150,000 wounded, and some 1,600 missing. ... ......... ................................................WAR Poem: .......Rudyard Kipling wrote after his son died in war:.... “If they us ask why we died, tell them, our fathers lied.”.................... .......IMPEACHMENT: “OMG.It feels like an ongoing, never-ending horror movie,” said one high-ranking veteran Republican senator who is up for election in 2020, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly describe the consensus.............................................

OH, what to do? 20 Republican senators ‘quaking’ in their boots! Teeth rattling: With the Senate trial, all the TV testimonies - Veteran diplomats all saying Trump bribed, extorted President Zelensky - Public opinion will mount against the Orange Man. Right now, these ‘conservatives’ are not exactly pillars of integrity The theatrics outspoken defenders of the Trump belie the deepening unease many Republicans now say they feel — particularly those in the Senate who are dreading having to weigh their conscience against their political calculations in deciding whether to convict or acquit Trump should the Democratic-controlled House impeach the president..................

In other words, they are having…. a ‘conscience problem’…..whether to support a, corrupt, lying, villainous president, (and hopefully save their cushy jobs) – OR, decide to support their United States and thus protect our Democracy and our laws and judicial system.............................................. ....... ..Senate IMPEACHMENT?.Will the Senate remove Trump from office…… if the House impeaches Trump? Don’t know. At least 15 Senate Republicans have expressed reservations or ‘concerns’ about Trump’s actions as they relate to asking foreign governments for political help, but none have said they’d vote to impeach him. Most Senate Republicans ‘support’ Trump So right now the math is in Trump’s favor. To remove him from office, it would take at least 20 Republican senators to join Senate Democrats and vote to remove him. As new revelations come out, Senate Republicans are lying low, trying not to comment on what’s happening. ....................................

BOO! It's me! MICHAEL BLOOMBERG .......and ERIC HOLDER: Democrats are widely divided over who can best beat Trump. They are getting nervous. IMO…Medicare for All and free college for all as a platform is a sure way to lose what should be – a sure win-election for Dems in 2020. Now – it looks cloudy. ENTER: MICHAEL BLOOMBERG…and just maybe ERIC HOLDER. I support Bloomberg’s entering the fray. He is a moderate Democrat, once a moderate Republican. He was a good, an effective mayor of New York City…His main reason for entering the race: He wants to see Trump defeated. Warren and Sanders are far, far, to the left – too far. Holder’s entry? Whole new ballgame.......................................................... .....................................................ZANTAC WARNING.......: The FDA announced the recall of over-the-counter ranitidine tablets, prescription capsules and syrup due to unacceptable levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine or NDMA. The Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients and medical professionals of a voluntary recall of a popular heartburn medication, ranitidine, also known as Zantac. Cartoons, 1 and 2, Guardian of London.Bloomberg:Stock.XCHNG..

WARNING! Anonymous.....

WARNING! ANONYMOUS: BLOCKBUSTER! Book by ‘Anonymous’ describes Trump as ‘cruel, inept and a danger to the nation’. This author, known only to the NYT still works in the White House. He is described as a senior official. Trump in a rage in a White House meeting said he wanted ‘Anonymous’ tried for Treason. 12 Senior Trump administration officials considered resigning en masse last year in a “midnight self-massacre” to sound a public alarm about President Trump’s conduct but rejected the idea because they believed it would further destabilize an already teetering government according to this new book by an unnamed author. WH staffers keep their resignation letters updated. Some men keep the letter in their suit jacket pocket. ..................... 12 YEAR OLD: Trump, ‘like a 12 year old’: Trump is described as ‘careening from one self-inflicted crisis to the next, “like a twelve-year-old in an air traffic control tower, pushing the buttons of government indiscriminately, indifferent to the planes skidding across the runway and the flights frantically diverting away from the airport.” ...............Rudy Giuliani turned down by top lawyers: Giuliani is in a world of legal trouble. “Giuliani is toxic as a client. He always wants to run his own defense, no matter what we would advise.” George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state testified: “This long-time, top U.S. diplomat told congressional investigators that Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani conducted a "campaign full of lies" against the U.S. Marie Vovonovitch, 30 year veteran diplomat, ambassador to Ukraine, before she was fired from her post. Kent said Trump wanted Volodymyr Zelensky to ‘go on television, and say these words – (the subjects of a Ukrainian corruption investigation) ‘Biden, Clinton’. (Drawings by Ken Humphrey

..........DANGEROUS TREND . District Judge Paul L. Friedman of the District of Columbia said Trump’s rhetoric “violates all recognized democratic norms” during a speech in Washington on Wednesday. Paul Friedman slammed President Trump for attacks on our judicial system and “feeding right into this destructive narrative” with repeated attacks and personal insults toward judges he dislikes. “We are now in dangerous uncharted territory,” said Friedman, 75.

............... LET ME TESTIFY! John Bolton says he ‘wants to testify’. However, he says he will do it only after a Federal Judge rules that he can and with a subpoena served. Legal opinion: Since Bolton is no longer a US government employee, several former prosecutors say he can ‘legally’ testify. IF…Bolton testified, given his anger at his previous boss, one can only imagine what a ‘blockbuster effect’ that would have. Bolton knows everything! Bolton and Trump had been at odds in recent months. Trump was infuriated when Bolton described Giuliani as ‘a hand grenade’ that will ‘blow us all up.’ (cartoon via Wikicommons.)

.................AG, William Barr: “For Bill Barr, it is a little too late.” (Dana Millbank, Wash.Post). The distancing maneuver is plainly an attempt by those sympathetic to Barr to make him look a bit less like the president’s mob lawyer — done anonymously so that Trump wouldn’t rage at Barr but instead blame the “degenerate” Post, as he did Thursday. But Barr has sealed his fate. As Trump’s impeachment looms, Barr has degraded the office Elliot Richardson once dignified. Barr has turned the Justice Department into a shield for presidential misconduct and a sword wielded against political opponents. ......................... .................Jennifer Williams, VP Mike Pence’s top Foreign Policy aide testified Wednesday Ms. Williams stated her alarm over the call. She said it was outside of State Department and diplomatic protocol. Mike Pence did not want her to testify but he did not order her not to.

Beaufort election 2019. Alas, I did not win enough votes to unseat any of the three incumbents.  I congratulate the three incumbents who won, Mrs. Sharon Harker, Mr. John Hagle and Mrs. Marianna Hollinshed. I fell a 'bit short', amassing, raking in only 136 votes out of 1575 cast. As a newcomer to Beaufort, of 21 months, I had to yield to their good record and good performance in office and as long-time residents of Beaufort. Beaufort governance is in good hands. Thanks to my amigos who voted for me. Congratulations to all again, and to the re-election of Mayor Everette Newton who ran unopposed. 
...(Hmmmm? Luck of the draw?...Our local, only newspaper,did not run my bio, my photo, until just two days before the election -only AFTER two weeks of early voting had ended. All other municipalities were featured well before early voted ended.) I shall go back to my writing and trying to roundup folks to enroll in the Affordable Care Act.
                                                    

Our FIRST US DICTATORSHIP: Donald Trump defies all American law.
Today, in this Republican administration, US LAW means nothing. Courts are to be defied.Trump is essentially saying to all in the US and to the world:      
    “I AM THE LAW NOW - get over it.” 
     It is no longer debatable. We have the first US president-DICTATOR in our 243-year history. 38% of the US population is willing to exchange 243 years of United States Democracy for a Trump-Banana Republic.
His Republican congressman and US Senators cower under his dictatorship. They  cower under the threat of being ‘Primaried’. Simply, cowards.
This, now,  banana-Republican government and Trump’s administration are willing to trash the United States government, its laws, its traditions of governance – in exchange for a Dictator they fear - and for fear of losing their positions:
The United States Democracy be damned!
“We’re fighting all the subpoenas!" He defies all thrown at the White House and his business empire, President Donald Trump said last week. “Let’s see what they do.”

THE QUESTION NOW: What will the American public do? Will they, in the end, forfeit our Democracy and codify and anoint a Trump dictatorship? Ol' Ken H. is an optimist! Trump will lose. He may not even be in Washington, DC come November 2020.

“The Trump Ukraine Caper”. This one will go down in history, written about as much, or more, than Watergate. Five US diplomats, some Trump appointees, all have certified, under oath, that YES, president Trump did (1.) Bribe, and (2.) then threatened, and (3.) then Blackmailed the newly elected president of Ukraine to wit: President Levesky, If you do not ‘publicly’ announce that you are starting an investigation into the Biden family, Joe Biden and his son, I will personally hold up the $400 million military aid that the US Congress and the US Pentagon has already approved for your country to defend itself against the Russian invasion threat.Note: The UKrainian state prosecutor who aide Giuliani, has been fired.

Threatened by Trump:...US Ambassador, Mrs. Marie Vovonovich :July 25, 2019

The president relayed his misgivings about Yovanovich to Zelensky on July 25th, describing her as “bad news.” Trump added that.... “she’s going to go through some things,” ... Yovanovitch had already been removed from her position. Here’s the excerpt from the transcript released Monday: (At 1AM, she got a call from a State Dept. official advising her. "You need to get on a plane, right away, and return to the US,..... earliest flight you can get." She did leave.

Q: At the bottom of that same page, President Trump says, “Well, she’s going to go through some things.” What did you understand that to mean?
A: "I didn’t know what it meant. I was very concerned. I still am.
Q: Did you feel threatened."....."YES.:

Five witnesses, Trump, Pompeo appointees... VERIFY- Trump threatened the UK president if he did not slime the Biden and his son..."I need a favor ....'though'.....
....."There definitely was a 'Quid Pro Quo': Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, Ukraine diplomat Bill Taylor, Tim Morrison, aid to Mike Pompeo, EU ambassador Sondman changed his testimony to 'YES" there were threats to the Ukraine president and finally, even Trump's chief of staff Mick Mulvaney confirmed it: "Yes. That happened. it what governments do all the time."

Affordable Care Act - Revelations!

VOTE NOVEMBER 5TH! 

Beaufort folks – I am asking for your vote for one of the 3 open commissioner seats!

The Affordable Healthcare Act lives on! 

Efforts to kill it have failed time and again. Here’s the deal: In2019 5,088 Carteret County residents were enrolled. 94% received financial aid to help cover monthly premiums which averaged just $74 per month! 60% qualified for cost-sharing reductions! It lowered deductibles and co-pays/coinsurance. ACA, dear hearts – It is A DEAL! Talk it up. Tell your friends! 

Call one of our local Navigators:
Karen Baggott………. 252-646-1550 

Helene Kelly…………… 252-269-0775 

Fred Harvey……………… 919-218-3210 

Barbara Thomas……… 262-422-1354

MEDICARE FOR ALL:

 An increasingly bumpy (harrowing) road for Democratic presidential candidates. ‘This is going to cause down-ballot damage’: Liz Warren's $20 trillion health plan fails to quiet critics. The Massachusetts senator’s MASSIVE ‘Medicare for All’ proposal is new ammunition for her rivals. Down-ballot damage is predicted in purple states. This one-size-fits-all big government-run plan that cancels private health insurance and raises taxes – NOT POPULAR even among many Democrats. 

MAJOR BLOWBACK: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also let it be known Friday that she’s not on board. "I'm not a big fan of Medicare for All," Pelosi told Bloomberg TV.


Brexit or No Brexit – London, UK. BREXIT is causing chaos for UK, Euro companies:

Now, almost every Brit hates it. So many did not know ‘what they were voting for’ (Like voting for Trump)…….The super-rich are preparing to immediately leave the UK if Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister, fearing they will lose billions of pounds if the Labor leader does “go after” the wealthy elite with new taxes, possible capital controls and a clampdown on private schools. Lawyers and accountants for the UK’s richest families said they had been deluged with calls from millionaire and billionaire clients asking for help and advice on moving countries, shifting their fortunes offshore and making early gifts to their children to avoid the Labor leader’s threat to tax all inheritances above £125,000. The wealthy see potential taxes imposed by Jeremy Corbyn as a bigger threat than Brexit. UK’s Brexit has set the future of the UK’s and the European markets in a state of turmoil and confusion. NO ONE knows – for sure - what is going to happen.

The State of the Donald Dumpster: 

‘Bad’ and getting worser and worser. Experts on Trump's conduct: ….' Plainly an abuse of power, plainly impeachable'…. Republicans may argue Trump’s actions were not impeachable – but scholars say it’s a solid example of a high crime. Ol’ Ken’s prediction: One, extremely influential ‘former’, high profile person (maybe even present staffer) is going to come out of the bushes, saying: “YO! I will testify before the House Judiciary Comm.” John Bolton (if subpoenaed). Don McGhan, president’s former WH attorney?


Further Prediction: 

Trump will not run for president in 2020. He will announce: “I have made America Great Again! Done all the great work that needs to be done! He will ride off in the sunset to Mar a Lago to retirement – where he will be arrested in the first week and thrown into jail, charged with 30-40 counts of criminal acts: Embezzling from his now-defunct charity. For money laundering in lock-step with Russian Oligarchs. For being a traitor, under the direction and control of Vladimir Putin. Lil’ Donald, Eric, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, join him in jail..awaiting trial.


2020 Elected President? 

Maybe ‘some Democrat’, or possibly, Michael Bloomberg. My old trope: “Democrats will find a way to snatch defeat from the sure jaws of victory’ – seems be getting ready for print. 12 candidates remain. Kamala Harris is shuttering her offices. Beto bailed. My man Joe Biden was forced to appeal to ‘Big Money’, as he fell to 3rd in fundraising behind Liz Warren and the Bern.