Headlines

Biden’s slow rollout rankles Iowa Dems

As US-China relationships sour, Taiwan’s value as a ‘chess piece’ may rise

Hundreds from Ebola-ridden Congo dumped in Texas ...

Donald Trump: Mexico doing more to stop migrant crisis than Democrats

Republicans pray Trump holsters his tariffs

One dead after helicopter crash-lands on roof of midtown Manhattan building

NKorea leader’s slain half-brother was CIA informant ...

[George] Will: U.S. needs ‘as much immigration as economy can take’

Dems yank bill to raise congressional pay after backlash

More China tariffs could push US into ‘Trump recession,’ CEO says

Poll: Angelenos most stressed in USA ...

Poll: Socialism views gaining ground, particularly among women

Headlines

Immigration storm bears down on Republicans

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross': It's 'premature' to assume Trimp's threatened EU auto tariffs will come to pass

Border Patrol arrests drop sharply ...

France: Manhunt for notorious inmate after escaped from prison via helicopter

Bolton downplays North Korean weapons report

Wilbur Ross: There is no downside level in the stock marker that will change Trump's trade policy

Big tech mobilizes for war against CA privacy law ...

Australia ends aid to Palestinian Authority

Mexican Popoulist Lopez Obrador triumphs in  presidential race

Over 800 cryptocurrencies are now dead as Bitcoin is now off 70% from its record high

Merkel future in jeopardy as coolition allies reject immigration deal ...

Romney: 'Not willing to say' he endorses Trump in 2020

Headline

Trump's North Korea Nobel buzz could die with John Bolton

The US Marine Corps just got its most powerful helicopter ever

Buying time? NKorea threat to cancel simmer 'calculated to hide nukes' ...

Leakers to NYT confirm FBI ran spy operation against Trump campaign

Tensions erupt among Trump trade officials ahead of China talks

Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee files $1 billion suit over theft of  image fights

Hamas leader says 50 killed were members of group ...

Senate passes resolution to restore net nutrality

Senate Democrats score net neutrality win in bid for midterm momentum

Report: Government informant spied on two Trump campaign aides

Erdogan urges Islamic world to unite against Israel ...

With no cameras rolling, Comey dodges Senate Russia hearing

The Great Seducer

Donald Trump is a great seducer. He gives young children at the Iowa State Fair rides on his helicopter. He promises old children to build the Trump wall across our southern border with Mexico ... actually now only 1000 miles of a Trump wall for, apparently, it is not needed along the other 900 miles (sound familiar?) Whether The Donald is worth ten billion dollars is unimportant because he behaves as though he is worth that much ... and that is all that counts.

Trump is obviously a huckster in the tradition of P.T. Barnum and Robert Ripley ... and Americans are suckers for hucksters. So there seems an outside chance that Donald Trump might become our next president. I do believe that he could do a ton of good in this role, but he could also do a lot of damage.

If Trump were to go in worth $10 billion, I suspect he might come out worth $50 billion ... unless some strict ethical standards were enforced during his tenure. And, for some stupid reason, this country has gotten quite lax in enforcing ethical guidelines. Perhaps one way that this might be accomplished would be for Trump to be forced to keep Loretta Lynch on as Attorney General? Thus, although Trump might purge the rest of his cabinet of incompetent political hacks, the Aegean Stables at the Department of Justice would have to wait for its catharsis until our next president.

The Anchor

Brian Williams, NBC's extolled anchor[man], lied about his experiences in a helicopter at the beginning of the Iraq war and then he lied about his lying ... see: Washington Post Story and Fox News Story and Daily Mail Story.

So what else is new?

Afterward: For quite a few more words on this issue ... see: The Diplomad.