Elizabeth Warren is trying to pass the peace pipe. It’s an honor by invitation only. You do not have to be Native American to smoke, but you do have to be in the tee pee.

Her problem goes beyond lying about her heritage. Her problem now is she is becoming the straight man for Trump’s comedy act. And he never runs short of laughers, intended or not. He will have a good time humiliating her over and over with the Pocahontas monicker, and she will have to swallow it like warmed over crow.

While a guy who lives in a glass Winnebago shouldn’t throw hatchets, some may recall the now famous Tonight Show bit where Ed Ames castrated the cowboy target by tossing the hatchet directly in his loins. The bit was prompted by the actor’s Native American heritage and Carson delighted in the unexpected sight gag.

But nothing is funny anymore. Here’s the thing about families, family histories, and family folk lores about family history. Sometimes what gets passed down through generations is more rumor than fact. And that is apparently what is at work here. While I am not convinced that her declaration of Native American ethnicity on a college application benefitted her, the fact that she had no basis in fact to represent herself as such is regrettable.

If you are interested in claiming what you believe to be Indian heritage flowing through your veins, the process of proving it is arduous. All Indians residing in the United States once forcibly moved to reservations and removed from their rightful lands, were recorded into the rolls. It was a mandatory process for natives living on the reservations. But not all natives chose to live that way and instead opted to live a white life. Some were of lighter skin, with blue eyes, and able to pass as white. They were not included in the rolls and even though the heritage is undeniable, the proof is absent. You must be able to trace your lineage back through the rolls to be considered “legitimate”. Many individuals became interested in claiming native heritage when it became profitable to be Indian. Certain mineral rights and compensations are afforded natives not to mention the burgeoning casino industry.

I believe she trusted the family lore of Indian heritage and was so convinced she took a DNA test, certain in her mind, that she would be vindicated. And as is his SOP, Trump seized on her moment of disbelief and dismay and used it to destroy her. She may still be a candidate, but it will be hard for her to be taken seriously not only because of the Pocahontas albatross, but also because she bears the legacy of Hillary.

I like Warren’s platform and I like her. But she is already too flawed to survive a presidential campaign. Life is full of choices to be made, and years ago she made a choice which will now be her undoing.

All this posturing by dear leader about the border wall is of course not about the wall at all. If he knew what he was doing, he’d be dangerous. Problem is, he’s getting a lot of directions from many sources, presumably a good amount of that from the Kremlin. But now, dear leader is distracted. President Coulter is making the decisions for him. What is distracting dear leader is Coulter’s physical similarities to Ivanka. It’s a wonder he can get out of his pajamas, much less formulate an independent thought.

Now given Trump’s claim that he could walk through Times Sqare, shoot somebody, and he wouldn’t lose a vote, consider that no statement or action can be deemed too outrageous or deviant. Once you accept that fact, you avoid the tendency to feel surprised or repulsed.

Now we can take a journey down the yellow brick road. Here’s the plan: (remember nothing too low or deviant is possible): all that land at the border Trump will seize by eminent domain to build the wall, will instead be used to build condos. Each condo will have a balcony. Each balcony will be constructed to accommodate a gun turret. Each condo will be occupied by rent paying patriots. So not only will Trump be able to make money off the deal, he will simultaneously eliminate the need for border patrol agents. Brilliant. A money saver. “Shake your money maker”. But wait, there’s more. Each condo will have a garden and in that garden will grow marijuana. Also perhaps some lettuce because you know there is a great deal of migrant labor available. Maybe some poppies. Now don’t get carried away…that shit’s illegal.

There it is. Surely the Democrats will agree to some good old fashioned capitalism. If you think that is just too outrageous, too fanciful, then I have to ask what would bring you to that conclusion. He has already separated thousands of kids from their parents and put them in cages. He has already withdrawn from the Paris accord. He has already set about to dismantle the EPA through his cabinet selection. He has already sought to denigrate the Justice Department, the press collectively, the office of the presidency, while simultaneously elevating the likes of Putin, Kim Jong Un, Erdogan, to equal footing with the United States, he has already mused about withdrawing from NATO.  Mueller, if your listening, it’s time to find the missing pee tape.

Dear leader is spinning around like a turd in a commode. Even the fly on the wall is saying, “I’m outta here.” It is so difficult to separate wheat from chaff that most of us will eat white bread in spite of all reports that white bread just ain’t good for us.

Sadly, many Americans are feeling the bloat from a diet of Trumpism. Many of those are farmers, and many more are government employees. And yet, many Americans do not feel any connection to these people and their stories of fear of losing everything because they work but have no pay. Disconnected. The fatal flaw of our society that dear leader understands better than anyone and has used to his despicable advantage.

No collusion! I am beginning to think there may be truth to this. Think about it. Friends get together and share all kinds of secrets and jaunts and escapades and three day runners. It’s good to be with one’s chums. Most of the antics are seat of the pants, but every so often, an adventure materializes that is so epic that a degree of planning must take place. Now, can we seriously consider that collusion? And sometimes buddies get together just to have a beer, get drunk and ogle anything with a heartbeat. During these “meetings” all manner of topics are discussed. Some of these conversations may survive the hangovers.

Trump and Putin. A couple of chums? Perhaps. Dear leader seems to think so. And what’s wrong with getting along with Putin, dear leader has asked. And when you put it that way, you know, it doesn’t sound bad at all. Unless, of course, you are just not paying attention. A sucker born every minute is the essential element to the success of this bait and switch. The dissembling of democracy will not happen in a day, a week, a month or a year and not with any fanfare. We will not notice it happening at all until the fateful day when the deed is done and the jig is up. An orchestra has many musical elements which when working together are not independently discernible. But begin removing pieces and suddenly the flute is right in your face inescapable. Wow…didn’t realize that flute was so damn loud.

So perhaps the idea that politics makes strange bedfellows is incredibly revealing. Literally and figuratively. The connection between Trump and Putin is not a benign buddy frolic. And in this particular liaison it seems there is some dominatrics in play.  If you haven’t heard about “50 Shades of Gray”, you may be under a rock and, not unlike dear leader, clueless. Porn on an international scale. Creepy. Remember, dear leader proclaimed love for Kim Jong Un, but no one took him seriously. Maybe we should have.

Because the way he defers, the way he glances and then glances away, the way he smiles and cajoles, seriously…. Trump is in love with Putin! OMG.

Sick on an epic scale. Deviance without depth. Narcissism, egocentrism, misogyny, flim flam, Ponzi scheme, shell game, and loaded dice. Remember, it takes a special kind of stupid to bankrupt a casino. Pee tape. He should welcome some fake news, our dear leader. Buzzfeed. Please, just stop. If you cannot produce the smoking gun with the spent bullets, you are out of your depth. “Your favorite president”. He doesn’t need any assistance in maligning the media.

Beware the steaming divots.

So how much bullshit does it take to furtilize a rose garden? If the math isn’t immediately clear, do not be deterred from calculating. Because the math here doesn’t matter. The amount of bullshit, whatever that is, is sufficient.

Remember Mexico would PAY for the WALL. Now think. Is the wall built. No. Has Mexico paid anything? No. Will Mexico pay anything? No. How much bullshit are we willing to tolerate.

What we do have is a shutdown of government. There is no depth too low. Trump has decided to dig in for the long term. It doesn’t matter that our system of government is in jeopardy. Nor does it matter that democracy lies in the balance. What matters to Trump is winning…and perhaps saving face. He will say and or do anything to save face and please the base.

It is exhausting watching this reality TV drama play out. Stop the madness.

The Democrats declare that they will strike a deal to get the government open. But unless they acquiesce to Trump’s demand for wall funding, he will not sign it. And now he has hit upon a new strategy: declare a national emergency. Who is coming up with this bullshit? Is it Rudy? Or somebody who has designs on destroying our way of life and our democracy as well.

Democracy can be undermined. We are seeing the process play out in real time. Does  Trump realize what he is doing is destroying us, or does it matter to him. Is it all about money, or is it something else.

If Trump is allowed to continue as president, he will destroy us. If you think that’s okay, then by all means continue to support him. But if there is the slightest, remotested chance that you do not want to destroy our country and our way of life, then make your voice heard. Let the Democrats know that you want nothing less than impeachment. There is no other way. The longer Trump remains in power, the more desperate our situation becomes.

Say no to Trump. Say yes to democracy.

Ah…golf. Dear leader loves the game. And so he should. After all, a guy in remarkably poor physical condition who loves to boast on his own accomplishments, finds golf appealing. He drives to the next tee. Beautiful. When a less than proficient player at golf flubs a shot, there is a real possibility that a club or two will end up in a water hazard.

Like today’s press conference. They simply would not let him play through, and it ruffled his normally calm, unreproachable behavior. He kind of lost it. He threw his clubs in the water. And then he blamed everything and everyone but himself . If dear leader is not a closet drunk, he must simply be crazy.

And then he fired Jeff Sessions.

It’s a mulligan. A wink and a nod and we just pretend like all this Russia stuff never happened. With a lame duck Congress, dear leader can have his cake. Since he owns all the golf courses, it’s unlikely that anyone will bother to notice that he’s cheating on his score card. Bravo.

The Mueller investigation is in serious jeopardy. And it is so, because dear leader can’t handle the truth. But he will deny, and deflect, and obfuscate because the lie is just too appealing. A sirens call. Remember, the most appealing games are simple and easy to follow. Because no one likes to think too hard when they’re having fun. And his devotees are definitely having the time of their lives. Gamblers. The lure is the possibility of winning. The lure is believing you can beat the game. The lure is staying in action. Suckers. One born every minute. Vegas will never run out of money.

#VegasStrong

I had hoped that special counsel Mueller would release some findings before November 6. Because that could be a game changer. Or it could be like Don Jr said, “A nothing burger.” It’s like when some nut says, “Oh I don’t know what I’d do if I won a million bucks,” and any normal person would say, “Well let me win a million and I’ll figure it out.”

I like Nancy Pelosi’s optimism. She says the dems will definitely take back the House. I hope she’s right, but I do not possess that level of optimism. Sort of like when Namath said the Jets will win the Super Bowl. You got to play the game. And if you’re going to prognosticate, you’d better be right.

These are desperate times. We face the possibility that our system of government as we have come to know it, may no longer exist. I repeat, it’s like the nuclear winter…no one has seen it, but it should scare the hell out of you.

What do you suppose dear leader will do if the Republicans  prevail. He will certainly  feel entitled to shake things up. He most likely will stoke the fires of civil war, race war…class war. Lots of war. Maybe something on an international scale.  The menu is intimidating. How about a Blue Wave? Of course he will protest and proclaim voting shenanigans. The lure is not winning the game, but in figuring out how to beat the game. And…losing is always someone else’s fault. And please recall that he already figured out how to beat the game. And the same strategy may very likely still be in play.

So, be afraid, be very afraid. The steaming divots are everywhere.

My mom died today. We were not close. We had differing and divergent views on almost everything. She was at best disappointed in me and at worst disdainful. But she always ended our conversations with “I love you very much” and I believe that she did love me as only a mother can love a child.

Her last days were filled with misery. She was discharged from a rehab facility in Mesquite, NV with no system of care in place and for no other reason than she said, “I want to go home.” She was not mentally competent to make that decision. But Highland Manor knew the amount of legal latitude they possessed and sent her home. When we found her, she was lying in her own excrement, disoriented and dehydrated. We were told to call the Mesquite police department who then dispatched an ambulance to her residence. Once they arrived, we were careful to say precisely that she was in a grave and life threatening situation and that she could not remain in her residence. She was transported to Mesa View Hospital where she remained for 10 days before they transferred her to North Vista Hospital in Las Vegas. She died today.

My last memory of my mother will be her lifeless body with a ventilator tube left inserted in her throat. A sheet draped over her. We had to ask that the tube be removed. We waited for over three hours for the funeral home to come and take her for cremation. We waited because we did not want her to be alone. When I tried to say goodbye, I couldn’t get the words out. My dad died in 1972. I was not prepared for this. I was working to get her placed in a skilled nursing facility. She died today.

When your parents are gone, your own mortality slaps you right in the face. While I try to rise above self indulgence, reality is a cruel master.

I miss my mom.

Amidst all the political maneuvering, there is a sad and familiar story to be told. Because it’s a woman thing, the matter will be given all the consideration it deserves and then all the men in the room will give a wink and a nod and breathe a collective sigh of relief.  Because they all know in the deepest recesses of their souls, the guy in the hot seat is Everyman. Nothing about Kavanaugh’s behavior is unprecedented. How many rich white males go to all boys private schools and lust after anything with a heart beat.

The problem is easy to explain, but difficult to comprehend. Humans are cruel more than kind. A young male surrounded by other young males form a special bond that is lasting and formative. They never forget their school days and their chums. They all share a common philosophy: get what you can, all you can, whenever you want. After all, you’re entitled. If this wreaks of sour grapes, there is some of that. Everybody wants a piece of the rich pie but not everyone has access to the sweet life the way these kids have. Look no further than the White House to catch a glimpse of the inbred dysfunction exhibited by dear leader. Same fraternity.

Women do not share that kind of comeraderie. The mentality is different when you’re the prey. Have to be ever vigilant at the water hole. One eye open, never get complacent. Because like the antelope on the Serenghetti, your ass is dinner if you fail to be aware of your surroundings. It is rare that any woman makes it past puberty without some kind of incident. The only men who share a glimpse of this mentality are those molested by priests. It’s the same violation, but somehow these now men are seen as greater victims than female rape victims. I certainly cannot recall one of these men being asked if maybe they are mistaken. Maybe it was a different priest who looks just like the guy you’re now accusing. Maybe you should have avoided the sacramental wine. Toxic waste.

To be fair, the altar boys were cultivated. Their parents sent them to church for salvation only to become victims of a sick priest’s deviance. Rape victims don’t get that kind of personal touch. Cultivation not required, only accessibility. Professor Ford was where she should not have been all those years ago. Just like those boys should never have been in church. But it probably wasn’t the first time she went to a party like that because that’s what her and her friends did. The water had always been clear and fresh and maybe just maybe she failed to keep that one eye open. And her ass became dinner.

No matter the years removed, the high brow education and degrees, the learning that comes from what only experiences can teach, Brett Kavanaugh is still the same human being who took advantage of an opportunity to overpower another human being because he felt entitled to do so. No wonder Trump refers to him as “one of the finest human beings I’ve ever met.” Same fraternity.

So I both hope and dread that Professor Ford shares her experience of Brett Kavanaugh with all those aged white guys who will give the matter all the consideration it deserves. Wink. Toxic waste.

#VegasStrong

Isn’t it rich?

Omarosa is telling all…now. The time is right to make money, make a splash, make the news. She is perfectly positioned to string us all along until she makes the best deal. The Art of the Deal.

The tail wagging the dog. In this case, the dog is in the White House. And make no mistake, the species was never in doubt, but the breed unclear.

Everything Omarosa feels compelled to tell us about was all just fine until he betrayed her. Now, because she methodically recorded her dialogue with White House characters, she wants us to know how “unhinged” DJT really is. It stretches credulity to think her motivation for this is anything more than self aggrandizement. In fact, this could be the greatest hoodwink played on the American public since PT Barnum declared, “there’s a sucker born every minute”.

Fool me once, shame on you.

At this juncture, the best possible outcome is the fracturing of his support amongst Republicans where he reportedly has approval ratings 90%. Not because of Omarosa, although she will take credit, but because it will begin to place scrutiny on where the priorities lie. You can buy your friends and buy your way around your enemies.

Okay, so I have watched it…a couple of times. But I am not a devotee. I know there is drama and dragons and medieval stuff. How ironic that art imitates life.

Good TV. Bad governance. Trump always craves an adversary. Fortunately for him, there is an endless line of detractors. It fits in so well with Trump’s desire for adulation, for undying devotion and loyalty, for kiss the ring status. Forget that none of it is real. In his demented state, it all makes perfect sense. The emperor with no clothes. Embarrassing and pathetic.

He desires communion with autocrats and dictators. Our friends and allies are just too boring. And they do not appreciate talent when they see it. How common. Putin, Xi, Kim all recognize his special abilities. And he is special, a special sort of stupid. Remember, he went bankrupt running a casino. I rest my case. Statistics and math are so trivial. Kind of the way he runs the country now. Seat of the pants. No studying, no concern for facts or numbers, no reading beyond Cliff Notes and somebody better be prepared to read those to him. You can see why a career military guy like Kelley has to give it up. He did all he could do to deter and deflect but It wasn’t enough and he ended up a disgraced shadow of his purportedly proud former self. While everyone else around Trump seems willing to sell their souls and dignity, perhaps Kelley stood apart. It’s rare any more to find a guy who can’t be bought.

Amidst all the bovine scatology, Trump is the central character, the evil king who rules without conscience or compassion. He enslaves those willing and destroys anyone who dares to oppose him. Chess on a grand scale. Except remember, he doesn’t get it. He rules by his gut and we should all hope that that fried chicken he’s munching agrees with him.