Saudi journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi Consulate. President Trump told America that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia “forcefully denies the killing.”
President Trump then went on to say there may have been “rogue killers” involved and said he was waiting for information. That’s another presidential lie, since Turkey has made clear it shared proof of the murder with the administration.
Never mind the Emoluments Clause of our Constitution — Trump says he doesn’t want to offend the Saudis by canceling a big arms contract. But he and his own companies do a huge amount of business with them, too — personal business enriching him because of his position.
But then the Saudis then ambushed our Liar in Chief by admitting they had, in fact, killed Khashoggi during an interrogation that went wrong. Interrogation gone wrong? What the hell are they talking about?
Fifteen Saudis arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, by plane. They went directly to the Saudi Consulate. There they waited for Khashoggi to walk through the door … and then apparently murdered him, cut up his body and removed it in bags or suitcases!
Only Donald Trump would accept that story of “an interrogation gone wrong,” and only because he’s looking out for his own pocketbook.
When Trump says the purported Saudi arms deal would “benefit our major aircraft manufacturers,” he forgets to mention that there is no agreement. There is no contract between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia … only a memorandum of understanding that is not legally enforceable.
We have witnessed coal companies filing for bankruptcy, Ford Motor and other auto groups losing billions because of Trumps tariffs and major corporations shutting down and laying off employees because of Trump’s “great deals.” How much more good news can we afford from this human lie machine?
Trump Tower seems to be a building filled with human waste seeking favor with the president by signing long-term leases and paying outrageous rent. The Republican Congress, including North Dakota’s Sen. John Hoeven and Congressman Kevin Cramer kiss the dictator-in-chief’s behind. They don’t have the courage or moral values to stand up for what is right.
You may remember I have always maintained that in the time of Trump, the judicial branch of government will provide the common sense our country needs in its decision-making process.
Generally, that might still be true … but there are exceptions. In North Dakota, residents of our Native American reservations use postal box numbers as their address. It is known by now that our only real senator, Heidi Heitkamp, has dedicated herself to helping improve the lot of the Natives; they have shown appreciation by supporting her candidacy.
The federal judge in Bismarck ruled last summer that the GOP attempt to take away the vote from reservation residents was too obvious. Enter the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals with a different ruling. The matter ultimately ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court.
In my humble opinion, the federal judge in Bismarck got it right in the first place. The U.S. Supreme Court majority blew it by siding with the GOP by ruling that residents on the reservations, which don’t have residential street addresses, cannot vote unless and until they can show a valid street address.
Will the government of this country ever stop oppressing our first — and real — Americans? In voting going back decades, no election fraud has been alleged or proven. Now all of a sudden, after the GOP sees the Natives supporting Sen. Heitkamp, it is doing its best to eliminate their votes with the ultimate hope that Heidi will be defeated.
If there is a God in heaven, the GOP will not succeed. In the meantime, someone has to explain why a post office box and drivers license don’t suffice. You know damned well if we were talking about white folks this would not be an issue.
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Measure 1, an initiatied constitutional amendment, would go far in leveling the playing field for the average citizen, including minorities and politicians. It is being opposed by monied interests from across North Dakota and elsewhere who would be required to disclose their support for candidates and issues. The ethics measure would require them to disclose the amount they contribute to candidates or to their opponents. Measure 1 would basically keep people honest. It would be enforced by an ethics commission.
The act is much broader and more detailed than I’ve outlined here. Only organizations and individuals who want to operate in secrecy oppose it.
The time to stop allowing the secret purchase of candidates and offices is now!
I don’t mean this piece to be an endorsement of a candidate. But Heidi Heitkamp is our only federal official who speaks with a straight tongue and represents “we the people” instead the political party. She has proven she votes not for the Republican Party, not for the Democratic Party, but for us Americans who make up the people she has sworn to represent.
When I see what Trump and his minions do and say … without seeing either Sen. Hoeven or Congressman Cramer ever take him to task … all I can say is this: “How far they have fallen!” We still have people with moral and ethical values. We just need to elect more of them to local, state and federal positions. My call to the voters and female candidates of 2018 is loud and clear: Get involved! Get out the vote! And let’s make America great again! Amen.
