Who Needs Principles, And While We Were Focused Elsewhere *Open Thread*

Honestly, I have struggled with about what I wanted to write today. I am just so disgusted and dismayed by what I am seeing on the news, it is truly difficult to feel motivated to write about what is going on in our  nation right now. UGH.

Specifically this morning, my big problem is this: as the rise of Trump continues, mind boggling as it is to many of us, people with principles are being told to cast them aside, which is frightening in the first place, never mind being told to do so for a man who isn’t even decent, honorable, intelligent, honest, or sane. How the hell can that be?? I admit, I have to resist the urge to just shake my head in despair at that this nation has become. Truly. How the hell did we get to a place in this nation where a man like Trump is the presumptive nominee, a liberal* who is flip flopping on the statements he has made* throughout the campaign, and for whom his minions are demanding fealty? (* Courtesy of Facebook friend.)

I’m not kidding. From Tucker Carlson to Eric Bolling to this Trump sycophant (David Wohl), who tries to go up against the FAR smarter Brad Thor, this demand to become Trump – unprincipled – is the new GOP Motto, apparently :

 

Can you believe that Wohl guy?? Of course you can. He is just like every other Trump sycophant on tee-vee these days. We are all supposed to ignore the bullying, misogyny, rampant lies, ad hominem attacks, juvenile speech and language, liberal history, liberal monetary support, and on and on and on I could go. That anyone would ask of anyone else to give up their principles in the FIRST place is abhorrent, but ESPECIALLY in submission to a man like Trump is so far beyond the pale that they lose all credibility. At least in my opinion, that is.

Ugh.

And speaking of a lack of credibility or principles, guess what the Government did while we were being distracted by whatever issue du jour the media was pushing? That would be the US Government manipulating reality to declare itself a SMALL BUSINESS to get Obamacare subsidies. I am not kidding you. From the Daily Signal:

[…] Rushing to enact the giant Obamacare bill in March 2010, Congress voted itself out of its own employer-sponsored health insurance coverage—the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Section 1312(d)(3)(D) required members of Congress and staff to enroll in the new health insurance exchange system. But in pulling out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, they also cut themselves off from their employer-based insurance contributions.

(It should be noted that, before final passage, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, offered an amendment that would have provided Federal Employees Health Benefits Program subsidies for congressional enrollees in Obamacare, but Senate Democrats defeated it on a procedural vote, 56-43.)

Obamacare’s insurance subsidies for ordinary Americans are generous, but capped by income. No one with an annual income over $47,080 gets a subsidy. That’s well below typical Capitol Hill salaries. Members of Congress make $174,000 annually, and many on their staff have impressive, upper-middle-class paychecks.

Maybe the lawmakers didn’t understand what they were doing, but The New York Times’ perspicacious Robert Pear certainly did.

On April 12, 2010, Pear wryly wrote, “If they did not know exactly what they were doing to themselves, did lawmakers who wrote and passed the bill fully grasp the details of how it would influence the lives of other Americans?” […] (Click here to read the rest.)

Uh, yeah. Sweet deal, huh?? And you know who is paying for all of this, of course: US. Yep. Thanks, Democrats. Again.

Oh, and in answer to Pear’s question, I think they didn’t give a damn how it was going to “influence the lives of other Americans,” just like they didn’t care about disrupting the healthcare of 320 million Americans for 10 million Americans. Nope, didn’t give a damn about that one bit, evidenced by their not even reading the freakin’ thing first.

Ahem. Clearly my language is deteriorating as the morning goes along. Sorry. I am just beyond disgusted with both parties at this point. And I am exceedingly worried about what is happening to our Republic. Hell, I still cannot believe people are taking Trump at all seriously, just like the incredibly inexperienced Obama. Both of them should have been booted off the stage at the first debate, and somehow, Obama became President – twice, and Trump is on the verge of being the Republican nominee no matter all of the liberal positions he CURRENTLY holds, like single payer insurance, raising taxes, and more. Something has happened to Republicans to make them become Democrats with the wave of an orange wand, and here we are:

 

That says it all, especially since Trump flat out SAID he doesn’t need no stinkin’ unity, and yet Republicans continue to support him.

Good heavens…

Okay, this is all I can stomach for now. Feel free to talk about whatever is on your minds, friends. This is an Open Thread.

Tags: Donald Trump, Obamacare, President Obama, Republicans