Donald Trump: A Clear and Present Danger

 

GOP Strategist Steve Schmidt

As a former Republican, and current independent, it saddens/angers/frustrates me that anyone with an IQ over 80 and an Internet connection could still vote, or consider voting, for Donald Trump. This is not about parties, politics or policy, this is about what type of person should serve as President of the United States, preserving the American experiment and staying true to our Founding Fathers who put their faith in representative democracy. I cannot stress this enough, Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to the United States and the world.

I guess if Donald Trump's:

• Admission to sexual assault (corroborated by 15+ women and pending lawsuit pertaining to raping two under-aged girls);
• Blatant and confirmed racism (his DOJ settlements in the 1970s, Central Park 5, questioning the professionalism of a sitting judge due to his race, calling for a ban of an entire religion from entering the United States, father was arrested at a KKK rally, consistent retweets white nationalists);
• Mentor, Roy Cohn, was the right-hand of Senator Joseph McCarthy who presided over the ugliest 20th century moment of American politics;  
• Open threats of revenge against his political rivals;
• Lack of any public service experience (the only major nominee ever to have none);
• Well documented lack of intellectual curiosity;
• Consistently proven lack of general knowledge about nearly everything about government, the military and presidency;
• Lack of respect for military families and those who serve(d) while dodging military service multiple times;
• Unregulated fascist and authoritarian rhetoric and open admiration for despots and dictators;
• Admission to not paying income taxes and other tax evasion schemes;
• Unprecedented unwillingness to release his tax returns; 
• Multiple bankruptcies;
• Proven charitable fraud;
• Seeming business fraud for which he will be in court this month facing racketeering charges;
• Proven history of not paying contractors or his bills;
• affinity to KKK and Nazi members openly endorsing him;
• Questioning of the United States electoral process and inciting illegal electioneering practices;
• Complete disrespect, even disdain,for freedom of the press;
• Openly and brazenly personally profiteering off his political campaign;
• Dubious international business ties;
• Blatant trade and international manufacturing hypocrisy;
• Lack of understanding or knowledge around foreign policy;
• Lack of respect for American allies and international institutions which have held the peace for 70 years;
• Advisors and campaign staff’s uncomfortably close ties to Russia; 
• Willingness to use and allow proliferation of nuclear weapons;

then his potentially being co-opted by the Russians will not change your vote.

Let me be very clear, I think a vote for Donald Trump spits in the face of our Founding Fathers as his "rigged election" proclamations have incited a potential armed revolt by his supporters if he loses. Any person who is not ignorant of, or intellectually incapable of understanding, Trump’s faults needs to take both a U.S. history and world history class as any educated person can see who and what Trump is and represents. I am not alone; thousands of leading Republican, intelligence, military, legal, economic, academic, international, etc. leaders have voiced their strong concern and unmitigated opposition to a Donald Trump presidency. All but 8 newspapers (out of HUNDREDS) have either endorsed Hillary Clinton (225) or wrote strong condemnations of Donald Trump (60). That includes numerous ultra-conservative and non-partisan newspapers, which either have never/rarely endorsed a candidate or never endorsed a Democrat. It is not because there is a conspiracy against Trump or a collective effort to keep politics as usual, it is because he is by far the worst candidate to ever run for president of the United States. He is completely, utterly, wholly unqualified for the job.

This effort may be futile, but I have to implore any person considering voting for Donald Trump to please reconsider. I understand your frustration with the political system. I understand your concerns about Hillary Clinton. I understand things need to change but Donald Trump is not our savior, he is a conman dressed up as a demagogue who provides no real solutions, nor tangible paths to success. 

I'll end with this, if you are considering voting for the Libertarian ticket, Donald Trump or have serious concerns about Hillary Clinton, Governor Bill Weld, the Libertarian vice presidential candidate, has something to say to you:

 Libertarian VP Candidate Gov. Bill Weld

'Win-win' NFL Stadium, Potential Lose-lose for Nevada Residents, Legislators

 

I seriously feel sorry for the legislators making their way to Carson City next Monday to rubber-stamp an insanely suspect NFL stadium deal. Nevada's most powerful, special interest elite have lined up to push through what amounts to be the biggest corporate welfare program ever introduced in Nevada history (aside from mining, but that is another issue). Make no mistake, this deal is done, cooked fully, is being placed on a golden plate, and, by the end of next week, will be served to Sands Corp., the Raiders, the NFL and Majestic Realty.

I love that the group behind the stadium calls itself the "Win Win Nevada Coalition" but there is no doubt this is a lose-lose for Nevada Legislators (and possibly for Nevada residents). If they fight it, they will lose their seats due to a lack of institutional (gaming, etc.) support. If they support it, the voters are going to smack them down at the polls. Nearly every person I ask the question (business leaders, individuals, etc.) think the structure of the deal (as it stands and will probably be approved) is not good, if not criminal, for Nevada. It is as if you are a destitute family of four which needs to find a way to pay for essentials, like food, for the next 20 years but Dad decides to do an impulse purchase and take out a massive loan to buy PSLs, season tickets and luxury box access to a professional football team knowing full well that money would be far better spent on other, non-luxury items, to keep his family afloat. Maybe Dad can rent out the seats to prop up the family but the risk completely outweighs the benefits, especially when the team may go belly-up and the family, including the kids, has to find a way to pay back the loan on the seats without games to watch.

I REALLY hope this works for Las Vegas and Nevada as a whole but I have serious concerns the process has been rushed and the ramifications of the deal not well vetted. I have yet to hear a cogent, rational argument with realistic numbers to sway my opinion on the need for Nevada to front the money for the most expensive NFL stadium ever built. But that's the point, my opinion means nothing on this issue and the powers that be made sure you, me and every other Nevada resident has little-to-no say in this process. The amount of risk Nevada is taking on is unprecedented (both for the state and in the history of sports stadiums) and when we rank near the bottom of every, single social statistic in the country, I think we need to really think twice about buying what can amount to be an albatross before we address REAL needs we have in this state. Hey, Las Vegas, are we so desperate to be considered a "real city" that we are willing to sell our souls, and our children's souls? If you are not familiar with the specifics of the proposal, I recommend you become familiar as it isn't as simple and risk-averse as many would like you to think. 

 

Oh by the way, Governor Sandoval has also asked state agencies to find $300 million to cut due to a budget deficit . . . you seriously can't make this stuff up.