As The Donald Turns; Remove All Doubt

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As The Donald Turns
September 6, 2017. Donald Trump gives a tax speech at an oil refinery in Mandan, North Dakota. (Photo courtesy AP)

There is a famous quote, incorrectly attributed to any number of people, that goes like this; “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt.” I am sure Donald would take credit for the quote if he could, (like he did with the phrase “priming the pump”). What he is doing instead is speaking, and writing, and removing all doubt. The latest As The Donald Turns episode, “Remove All Doubt.”

• Donald was at an oil refinery in North Dakota on Wednesday, promoting his tax reform plan, which does not exist. He promised a one-page tax form for everyone to use each year and said Congress was working with him on the specifics. It’s ironic because Congress has not even started on tax reform yet. They are just now holding votes on emergency relief for Hurricane Harvey relief, because FEMA is nearly out of money with four months and at least one more massive hurricane ahead. Donald has been working with the guy he once called “Crying Chuck Schumer” because even his own Republican party won’t give him the bill he wants for hurricane relief and to raise the debt ceiling so America can pay its bills and avoid worldwide financial calamity.

• To “remove all doubt” that he knows almost nothing about the tax structure in this country, he repeated his worn-out claim that America has the highest corporate taxes in the world. According to his own treasury department, the tax revenue from corporations as a percentage of GDP places America 17th in the world. Tax revenue per capita places the US 19th, so even the “average citizens” of this fine country are not being over taxed. In other words, there was not an ounce of truth to what he said. Hey, just as an aside while we are discussing taxes, and estimate, and it is only an estimate, by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy says DREAMers paid $11.64 billion in state and federal income taxes in 2016. How much did Donald pay? Just asking for a friend.

• Yes, the DREAMers. You knew we had to get to that, right? Donald stepped in it, around it, through it and “removed all doubt,” that he is in over his head on the issue. Donald decided to undo President Obama’s order granting undocumented people who were brought here when they were children, the ability to stay, go to school, get a job, serve in the military, etc. Donald says he, “Loves the DREAMers.” He loves them so much he sent Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the podium to announce they were ending the DACA plan, but would wait six months to give Congress time to come up with legislation. So, there stood Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, an immigrant from…well, from Alabama. The former senator hails from a state that has a 7.2% Hispanic population, and that is double the actual number, because the state census counts Hispanics by race AND ethnicity. Add that to the 2% Asian population and you have yourself a real expert on immigration patterns. He said he was going to refuse to enforce an unconstitutional order, (he also refused to take questions after his statement). That’s an interesting position to take. Former acting attorney general Sally Yates also refused to enforce an unconstitutional travel ban and was fired by Donald. It’s curious that Donald and Sessions, (sounds like a country music act) claim it was unconstitutional for President Obama to not engage congress with DACA in determining who could and could not stay in this country. Donald’s claim with the Muslim travel ban? It’s is the president’s prerogative to choose who stays and does not stay in this country.

• With regards to DACA and the DREAMers, sure, the president rescinded the act, putting 800,000 people at risk for deportation. Sure, he decided to continue his presidential philosophy of just undoing everything that has Obama’s name on it. Sure, he took an issue which did not require any immediate resolution, and put it ahead of the budget, the debt ceiling, health care and many more critical issues. And yes, he told these DREAMers that despite their getting an education, and working, and paying their bills, and serving in the US Armed Forces or becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers, and scientists, their place in this country was less valuable than those in Kentucky or Mississippi or other red states draining the welfare fund.

@realDonaldTrump Sep 5
“I look forward to working w/ D’s + R’s in Congress to address immigration reform in a way that puts hardworking citizens of our country 1st.”

But then he said if Congress can’t fix it in six months, well, he might just take a do-over.

@realDonaldTrump Sep 5
“Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!”

• Of course, as president, Donald is also keeping an eye on Hurricane Irma as it puts Florida right in its track. The president who denies climate change, is working alongside the governor who has banned his staff from using the term “climate change” in any official correspondence.”

@realDonaldTrump Sep 6
“Hurricane looks like largest ever recorded in the Atlantic!”

President Meteorologist “removed all doubt” that he still doesn’t get having the biggest storms does not get him some sort of lifetime achievement award.

Here is a thought. When you have two “500 year” storms within two weeks of each other, maybe climate science might be topic worth reading up on…or you know, having someone read to you at night time. And instead of competing for the biggest storms in presidential history, maybe use your twitter account, with 35 million alleged followers and about 10 million real followers, to get critical information out to people to help save lives. The life you save could be that of a DREAMer.

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