Election 2016

Trump wins. I'm appalled. I'm horrified. I'm depressed.
I fear for my country. I fear for humanity.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.

First they came for the Muslims, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Muslim.
Then they came for the Mexican Americans, and I did not speak out — Because I was not Mexican American.
Then they came for the LGBTQ community, and I did not speak out — Because I was not LGBTQ.
Then they came for the black community, and I did not speak out — Because I was not black.
Then they came for the press, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a member of the press.
Then they came for the women, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a woman.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.

"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." (Ben Franklin)

“Not voting is not a protest, it’s a surrender.”

3 Reasons to Vote for Hillary Clinton
That Have Nothing To Do with Hillary Clinton

Thinking of voting for Donald Trump? Loyalty to Putin's Russia may actually be a defining theme of Trump's candidacy for president of the United States, and Putin's Russia may be trying to help Trump out--with the leak of Democratic National Committee emails, for instance.

Steve Benen rounds up some of the key points:

* The Washington Post reported, "In the past 24 hours, cybersecurity experts have said that the email cache released by WikiLeaks on Friday appears to have been given to the anti-secrecy group by Russian intelligence."
 
* The Washington Post also reported the other day that the Trump campaign, which generally took no interest in the Republican Party's official platform, took special care to add language about U.S. policy towards Ukraine - a new position that contradicts GOP foreign-policy orthodoxy - that brings the platform in line with the policies of the Russian government. [...]
 
* Noting Trump's anti-NATO posture - another break with decades of Republican thought on foreign policy - The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, a center-right observer, noted last week, "Trump is making it clear that, as president, he would allow Russia to advance its hegemonic interests across Europe and the Middle East."

Josh Marshall, meanwhile, highlights Trump's financial reliance on Russian money. He also write about What's Going on With Putin and Trump and Why It's a Big, Big Deal.

Charles P. Pierce has taken note of Marshall's work: Donald Trump's and Vladimir Putin's Shared Agenda Should Alarm Anyone Concerned About Democracy -- This is all we should ask Trump about until November.

This should be the only story about the Trump campaign until he comes clean. It should be the only question anybody asks him. Frankly, even beyond the threat to this election, it's a measure of the pure arrogance of He, Trump.

For more, see this article which is the source for much of the above.

Do you really want to advance Putin's Russian agenda?

Understanding Trump

by George Lakoff
Long, but well worth reading!

Narcissism

The Mayo Clinic explains “Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultraconfidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”

They add that “a narcissistic personality disorder causes problems in many areas of life.” The sufferer may be generally unhappy and disappointed when they’re not given the special favors or admiration they believe they deserve.

“It was miraculous. It was almost no trick at all, he saw, to turn vice into virtue and slander into truth, impotence into abstinence, arrogance into humility, plunder into philanthropy, thievery into honor, blasphemy into wisdom, brutality into patriotism, and sadism into justice. Anybody could do it; it required no brains at all. It merely required no character.”
  — Joseph Heller, Catch-22

The above was written long before 2016's crop of Republican presidential candidates came along - but it sure seems to apply 100%

2016 Presidential Candidates Graded On Tech Issues

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Donald Trump: America's African President

Scott Walker agreed to take a pic w/this guy whose sign said "Walker 4 president," but then he flipped it around...