Category Current Topics

Dynamic Duo: Trump and Tillerson

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An Unlikely Choice for Secretary of Statetillerson

I agree with very little that President-Elect Donald Trump says or does. I have to admit though, I am very intrigued by and almost agree with his proposed choice for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Before anyone can get too excited either way, Tillerson will have to face Senate confirmation, and he will be a tough sell. Already, Democrat as well as Republican Senators are expressing their strong disapproval of the multi-millionaire and “friend” of Vladimir Putin. For many of them, his association with Putin is the first strike against him, followed by his lack of formal foreign policy experience. Of course, Donald Trump is considerably deficient in this area and he managed to win America’s top job, so anything is possible.

With Trump’s consideration of experienced candidates like Mitt Romney, John Bolton and General David Petraeus to fill this top cabinet position, Rex Tillerson is an unlikely choice. It seems more prudent to select someone who has a background in foreign policy to fill the void in Trump. Additionally, rumors of Trump’s affinity for Vladimir Putin have been problematic for him throughout the campaign, so why choose someone who has such close ties to Russia? Almost anyone else he selected would be less controversial and more likely to win Senate confirmation. What is Trump thinking?

During his lifetime career with Exxon, Tillerson has worked very closely with Russia. In fact, before becoming CEO, his position was managing the company’s Russia account. In 2011, as chairman and CEO he negotiated a partnership with Russian Oil Company, Rosneft. Vladimir Putin attended the signing ceremony. In 2013, Putin awarded Tillerson the Order of Friendship, one of the highest honors Russia grants to foreign citizens.tillerson-and-putin

What Tillerson lacks in formal experience, he more than makes up for in “on-the-job” training, and because of his long-standing business associations, he has a definite feel for the geopolitics of the region. He is well acquainted with foreign leaders in dozens of countries and no stranger to brokering successful negotiations with them. Having this real-time knowledge and understanding of the area is most likely his appeal to Trump. Russia poses the biggest threat to our national security, and their influence in the Middle East is without question. Our relationship with Russia will be pivotal in most of our foreign relations, especially in defeating ISIS. Having a Secretary of State with an inside track to Vladimir Putin is right in line with, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

Tillerson has a firm grasp of the importance of the oil industry to Russia, China and throughout the Middle East. This makes him uniquely qualified to understand their perspective and their economy, and to use that to our advantage at the bargaining table.

Donald Trump is first and foremost a businessman, so he would naturally be comfortable working closely with Tillerson. They would speak the same language and have similar negotiating styles. It is a given that Trump will find bureaucratic Washington a nightmare, and he will be looking for people who are accustomed to cutting through red tape and moving things along. Rex Tillerson is a man that gets things done.

I am encouraged by Tillerson’s support for free trade and minimal government regulation. In view of Trump’s repeated threats of tariffs and other protectionist measures, I think Tillerson will provide a good balance.

Whether or not Rex Tillerson can sway the Senate on his behalf remains to be seen. I wish him luck. One thing is certain; the bar is low when it comes to Secretary of State. After Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, there is nowhere to go but up.

Book Review: “Killing the Rising Sun”

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killing-the-rising-sunBill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard have another successful addition to the “Killing” series. I have read all six of the books in this series, and it is difficult to select a favorite. Written in a way that gives the reader a birds eye view of the unfolding story, their style of writing is pure genius. “Killing the Rising Sun” transports the reader to one of the most pivotal periods in world history and to the second deadliest war for Americans. The detailed description of the torment and torture that our patriots suffered at the hands of the Japanese is almost beyond comprehension.

Every American should know the supreme sacrifice these brave men made on our behalf. Many of them were still teenagers when they were sent thousands of miles from their home and family to fight a brutal enemy. They earned the distinction of the “greatest generation” because they had no sense of entitlement. They were honored to serve their country and to fight for something they believed was larger than their own life.

High Schools throughout the United States should make this book required reading. Then, perhaps, we might see an end to the current trend where the self-centered denigrate the memory of our fine men and women in uniform every time they burn a flag or take a knee during our national anthem.

Anyone with an interest in history or in World War II will enjoy the book’s unique insight into the minds and character of world leaders as well as lesser known individuals who had influential roles in the war and its outcome. Sincere thanks to Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Dugard for their time and effort in bringing this historical period back to life for current and future generations.

 

French is On to Something

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Preaching to the Choir…Hannity

David French wrote an excellent article in yesterday’s edition of the National Review. I read it today after I saw it “retweeted” by someone I follow. If you are interested, the title of the article is, The Drive to Become “Fox News Famous” Hurts the Right, and it is a great read.

Mr. French writes about the power that Fox News has within the conservative movement, and how an association with them is so highly coveted. It can take someone from total obscurity and propel them into almost instant stardom, especially if they are gifted with a recurring role. He uses himself as an example, and how a brief appearance on The O’Reilly Factor plumped up his own resume. He points out that Governor Mike Huckabee, who had a lackluster performance in the 2008 presidential election, proved such a good fit for Fox that it earned him his own show.

However, despite the huge following that Fox News has acquired since it hit the airwaves in 1996, French does not think it is as much of an asset to conservatives as they believe it to be. Altering their message to fit the Fox News profile and gain access to the “gated community” may ultimately do them more harm than good. He points out that the GOP has only prevailed in one presidential election since Fox News entered the political scene. Although their audience is substantial, it is still limited to other like-minded conservatives. Fox does not draw from the same pool of viewers as the mainstream media, and this greatly affects their national influence.

It’s like the old adage, “you’re preaching to the choir”. While other media outlets are feeding news, information and viewpoints to a diverse group of voters, Fox is self-limiting. The only way for conservative values to prevail over liberal, is to win elections. We can feel superior in serving up seventeen GOP primary candidates to the Democrat’s two, but if the Democrats continue to win, it’s really all just academic. If the conservative movement is going to grow and expand, the movers and shakers need to focus more on appealing to the masses and less on appealing to the “powers that be” at Fox News.

 

It’s All On Them…

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I Voted for Rubio…

Just Hannitybefore the presidential election of 2012, Fox News Contributor, Laura Ingraham, made the comment, and I’m paraphrasing, “If the Republicans cannot win this election with all the failures of the Obama administration, they don’t deserve to win.”

Well, I would say the same is true in the 2016 election, but even more so. The past eight years of the Obama White House has put the country on a fast track to hell in a handbasket. Aside from the abysmal failure of Obamacare, the weak economy, the amoral climate that we now find ourselves in, (courtesy of the liberal agenda) we have the Fast and Furious debacle, and the tragedy of Benghazi, where four Americans lost their lives. I could go on, but you get the point.

If there was ever a time when the incumbent party could be easily ousted, it would be now. The major difference we see in the 2016 election versus the 2012 election, is the caliber of our GOP nominee. Donald Trump is no Mitt Romney; not even close. Out of a fertile field of seventeen candidates in the primary election, the Republican electorate decided to saddle themselves with the absolute worst choice. Instead of selecting ANY of the intelligent, well-spoken and informed individuals in the running, they went with the least knowledgeable and most controversial. Further, they selected the one candidate who consistently lost to Hillary Clinton in every poll. never trump

Now, they expect those of us who have never supported Trump to fall in line behind him. Well, I’m not buying it. And Ingraham, a known Trump supporter, now tells us, “If Trump loses this election, it will be the fault of the “Never Trump” people”. In her opinion, our refusal to support the inept Trump guarantees Hillary’s victory, even if we don’t vote for her. Well, in my humble opinion, those who voted for Trump in the primary get to carry that burden. They saw the polls, they listened to his bombast, and they knew he had no substantive knowledge of government or foreign policy. They ignored all of it. Their vote was more about expressing their disapproval of the GOP, and less about the good of the country.

GingrichThere is no way that anyone with the political acumen of Newt Gingrich, Rudy Guiliani, Pat Buchanan, or for that matter, any of the commentators at Fox News, can honestly say that Trump is a qualified candidate. No way. If you watched even one of the debates, it was painfully obvious that the man had no idea what he was talking about. He could not argue intelligently with them about policy, so he went personal against them and their families. He made outrageous and erroneous comments in an effort to steer the dialogue away from the subjects about which he was unfamiliar and uninformed. Any viewer with even a modicum of political savvy could see right through his ploy.

But the media and many of those in the political arena, gave him a pass. Of utmost importance to them was sending the message that they were through with “establishment” candidates, and Trump delivered it perfectly.

Now, with the polls showing Trump trailing Hillary, they’re in damage control mode. They still sing his praises, and they overlook his constant self-immolation, but they lay the groundwork to cover themselves when he loses. They do not intend to take the fall or bear the guilt for their faulty thinking; they want to lay it squarely at the feet of those of us who saw through Trump from the first debate.

Well, sorry. I’m not having it. I won’t be their “out”. As the saying goes, “They made their bed…

 

A Contentious Trump

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New TrumpDonald Trump’s latest “deal” is negotiating the conditions under which he will agree to debate Hillary Clinton. A nonpartisan group, the Commission of Presidential Debates, (CPD) scheduled the debates almost a year ago, and they are currently slated for September 26, October 9, and October 19. The first two debates are opposite NFL football games, and Trump is not happy. He claims to have received a letter from the NFL arguing that the times are “ridiculous” (although this is in dispute), and he argues that it will adversely affect the number of viewers. Actually, the two 2012 debates that fell on the same night as NFL games garnered the lion’s share of spectators.

Trump is using his usual “rigged” system approach, and made a tentative commitment to participate, pending a fair outcome in the negotiations. In contrast, the Clinton campaign has agreed to abide by whatever the committee decides and appears eager to engage in the televised debates. Presidential debates have historically benefitted the underdog candidate, and with Hillary Clinton leading the polls, Trump would reap the reward of a good performance.  This is vintage Donald Trump though; he is in his comfort zone when he wheels and deals, and his approach to the political scene differs little from his approach to big business.

However, the CPD seems immune to Trump’s efforts and intends to go forward with the established schedule. It’s not in Trump’s best interest to maintain his stubborn stance, and unfortunately for him, he cannot draw from his argument in the primary that his appearance equals high ratings. Debates are always a ratings draw, and many voters make their final decision on a candidate based on his or her performance.

Trump is a loose cannon, and anything is possible with him, but it would be ill-advised for him to take the debates lightly. Hillary Clinton is a formidable opponent, and Trump would be wise not to underestimate her. If he’s nervous at the prospect of facing her in a debate setting, he has every reason to be. His bombastic comments carried him through the primary debates, and took the focus off of his lack of knowledge, but in a one on one format, that will not be the case. If he’s smart, he’ll listen to his advisers and do the necessary prep work to improve his chances. Smarter candidates than him have failed miserably in these match-ups.

One thing is for certain, it will make for some great television viewing.

 

 

Founding Fathers Got It Right

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God governs in the affairs of menBen Franklin

The following paragraph appears in “Light in the Darkness”, by Father Jonathan Morris. The speaker is Benjamin Franklin, and he is addressing George Washington at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Apparently, the founding fathers were clear on who was in charge of the process of making America. I think it serves as a great reminder for all of us during this contentious election cycle.

“The small progress we have made…is, I think, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding…I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing Constitutional Conventionproofs I see of this truth, that GOD governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that “unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”

Open Letter to Donald Trump

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How You Can “Make America Great Again”Donald Trump

Dear Mr. Trump:

Congratulations on your victory in the GOP primary election. Although I did not vote for you, I commend you for a successful campaign. As the late President Nixon once said, “Politics is not for the fainthearted”, and as a novice, you managed to overtake some serious and highly credible competition.

Despite my lack of support for you personally, I must admit your strategy was impressive. As most winners do, you played to your strengths. Your method of branding was sheer genius. What you lacked in substantive knowledge, you made up for in shrewd marketing.

You recognized what many politicians did not; the degree of anger among American citizens. You sensed their frustration with Washington and the machinations inside the Beltway. You knew they were disgusted with the climate of political correctness that is now pervasive in our society. You are a smart man. You seized the opportunity to be their deliverer.

As a businessman, you know the importance of advertising; of keeping your name and product in front of the consumer. You also know that the success of the media is dependent on ratings, and you used them to your advantage. They did the work for you, for free. All you had to do was be yourself and feed them a steady diet of grandiosity and they provided you with continuous news coverage. It was a really good plan and it worked.

It was soon apparent that the more outrageous your behavior and comments, the more attention you received. You gave the voters exactly what they wanted; the antithesis of the traditional politician, and they ate it up. You gave them a voice, and they gave you their undying support. They didn’t care about your deficits in the inner workings of government, or domestic and foreign policy. They didn’t care whether you could provide insightful answers in debates. They just wanted to be heard and entertained, and you did both very well. You are quite the showman.

You have now completed the first part of your task. You have managed to win the nomination to the highest and most prestigious office in the land, and you have done it without any political experience or qualifications. Again, congratulations.

You are poised now to fulfill your campaign slogan of “Make America Great Again”, but you still have one final battle and it will be the most difficult. You have to defeat Hillary Clinton. Can you do it? Every poll during the primary predicted you would lose in a match-up with Hillary. Your competitor, Senator Marco Rubio, actually had the best poll numbers against Clinton. Glenn Beck, who supported Senator Cruz, even predicted that Marco Rubio would “crush Hillary” and “make her look like she’s a 1000 years old”. Can you do that? The current polls still show you running behind Hillary. Some of the greatest political minds in the GOP are convinced you cannot win. Are you willing to take that chance? Do you want America to take that chance?

You know what a nightmare Hillary Clinton would be for America. It would be like Barack Obama all over again, and perhaps worse. Do you want that for our country? Since you are a successful businessman, you know when to make the deal and when to back off. You know all about good and bad risks. Do you think you’re a good risk? Would you stake your fortune on it? If not, then please don’t stake America’s. We cannot afford to lose this election. Our children and grandchildren need us to fix this country or they may never know the freedom and prosperity that we have enjoyed. The stakes are really high.

You can still be a winner. You can be the real hero of this election. You can go down in history as the man who “made America great”, but it most likely will not be as our President. The odds are against you. Can you pass the mantle of leadership to someone who can defeat Hillary Clinton? When you go to the podium Thursday night to formally accept the nomination, can you sacrifice your ego for the benefit of America and implore the delegates to award their votes to someone who can defeat Hillary Clinton?

Your supporters will follow your lead, no matter what. You have tremendous power right now. Please use it on behalf of America.

The Shaming of the GOP

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RNC

A tweet this morning by pollster Frank Luntz did not sit well with me. “The GOP must unite before November 8th, or lose until (at least) 2020.”

Of course, Luntz is not the only one calling for unity. Today’s Twitter feed is brimming with demands for voters to rally behind Trump, and for former candidates like Ted Cruz and John Kasich to endorse him. Prominent members of the GOP are noticeably absent from this year’s convention, and the Trump supporters see it as a betrayal to the Party. I am quite certain that if Trump loses to Hillary Clinton in November, the GOP members who did not support his candidacy will be vilified.

My problem with all this is twofold. First, every poll since the beginning of the primary season has shown Trump losing to Hillary Clinton. He is not a strong candidate. If you nominate someone who is unlikely to win, you cannot blame others for the loss. His success in the primary is not the result of his exceptional knowledge of Government and domestic and foreign policy; he is actually seriously deficient in these areas. He won because, as a businessman, he recognizes the importance of “branding” and he did it very well. He gave himself an effective edge over the other candidates by harnessing the anger of the voters and giving them a voice. He played to his strengths; celebrity and grandiosity, and it worked for him. However, his strategic victory does not make him a more credible candidate or any more likely to beat Hillary Clinton. Some voters chose to ignore the polls and vote for him in the primaries, and they may very well pay the price in November.

Second, no one has the right to “shame” anyone into endorsing or voting for a candidate they loathe. As free citizens, we all have a right to our own opinion and our vote is just that, “ours”. Just because we identify with a certain political party doesn’t mean we have to like or support every candidate within the party. Trump’s disapproval rating ranks right up there with Hillary Clinton, and the #NeverTrump movement made it abundantly clear that many in the GOP were aggrieved at his candidacy. If you know there is strong opposition out there, then don’t be surprised by it. We are all called to follow our conscience, and that is ultimately the determining factor in how we choose to mark our ballot.

This primary season started off with seventeen candidates for the nomination. The voters had a plethora of talent to choose from, and in my humble opinion, they chose poorly.