The Obama Factor

GOP Eaten by Barack Obama Hate Monster They Created 

For eight years straight, the starting point of conversation coming from so many in the GOP is not about ideas or policy, it’s about what they hate and who they want to stop. What were the choices after Trump? Hater Cruz or empty-suit Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who spoke more on Obama than the current nominee Hillary Clinton? Once being a “real conservative” meant running campaigns on “stopping Obama” the voters landed on Trump.

The GOP has been transformed from a party of policy ideas to a party galvanized around “who we want to bring down.” It’s unrecognizable as compared to the presidencies of George H.W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Despite scandals, paranoia and lists of enemies, even Richard Nixon was generally policy driven. That Republican Party is gone. Republican voters nominated a candidate whose most dominant public act was lying about the first Black President of the United States’ birthplace in a relentless effort to undermine Obama’s authority and legitimacy in the name of ego. Trump couldn’t get his mind around the fact that a Black man in America has ascended higher than himself. Trump’s effort has 300 years of legacy behind it and it was given oxygen by many in the GOP universe.

Debate 2 Is The Voters' Living Room

She now also has the opportunity to stand as a powerful avatar for disgusted and depressed women across the country.

A few lines in the very beginning to denounce Trump’s sexist comments that are all over the media perhaps is unavoidable but the format of the second debate is perfect for Hillary to step into the voters' living rooms. And the average American is a decent person who believes in things like good manners and simple, basic human connection.

A US president is expected to maintain composure in the face of major global crises and just keep doing the job. That is what this is about. Trump should not have the power to distract Hillary who is an exemplary public servant.

But this is also a perfect opportunity for Hillary to address gender as a topic, something she has avoided so far. This is her Chicago pastor moment, only, we all know, Trump is no pastor.

Republican women are done with Trump - POLITICO

“However, I’m a mom and an American first, and I cannot and will not support a candidate for president who brags about degrading and assaulting women.”

Age Of Abundance

“Existential Issues And The Possible Age Of Abundance” @paramendra https://medium.com/@paramendra/existential-issues-and-the-possible-age-of-abundance-b1fc7bca5f0d

Climate Change To Climate Catastrophe?

What About the Planet?

It’s time to end the blackout on climate change as an issue. It needs to be front and center — and questions must be accompanied by real-time fact-checking, not relegated to the limbo of he-said-she-said, because this is one of the issues where the truth often gets lost in a blizzard of lies.

Russia Is Second World

Russia is Second World, India is Third World, soon to be the third largest economy is Third World, because it is about per capita income.

Russia lost the Cold War. It is an economy the size of Italy.

Syria is where Russia has decided to take its last stand before the world comes to realize Russia really, truly did lose the Cold War.

China was the biggest beneficiary of the end of the Cold War. It allowed China to ditch an economics that was obviously not working.

Putin is happy playing second fiddle to China. China does not think Russia is a superior military power. The two economies don't even compare. And it has been only a generation.

The irony is, in seeking power parity with America Russia is going down a path that takes it further and further away from true greatness. True greatness comes from growing the Russian economy.

Democracy and the market economy are it. Sooner or later Russia will have to come around to it for its own good.

It can also be said America did not manage the end of the Cold War as well as it could have. But then how much room to play was there?

The Russian people and leadership have to decide on their own to do right by Russia's future.

The tragedy is Syria. Innocents are getting killed in large numbers. That will be a drag on Russian stature in the long term.

Do Your Homework

“I said forget debate prep. I mean, give me a break,” Trump said at one point. “Do you really think that Hillary Clinton is debate-prepping for three or four days. Hillary Clinton is resting, okay?”

“This has nothing to do with Sunday,” Trump insisted of his New Hampshire stop. “It’s like they make you into a child.”

Trump’s Microphone Complaint: Legit

During the debate when Trump spoke I kept hearing sentence fragments, a disjointed phrase here, a random phrase there, and I was like, what's going on? Why can't I hear this guy straight?

Finally he helped me understand. The microphone was broken.