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Trump Either Did or Did Not Commit Obstruction of Justice _______________________________________________________________

3/26/2019

By Mary Ellen Brooks

Mary Ellen is an adjunct professor of sociology and anthropology at Palomar College, San Marcos, CA.

Trump Either Did or Did Not Commit Obstruction of Justice

From my perspective (just minutes after the release of Barr’s summary of the Mueller report), it seems that the long-awaited report only produces additional questions and sows deeper division in an already confused and divided populace.

Based on Barr’s brief summary, we now know that Trump either did or did not commit obstruction of justice. Is that not precisely what we knew before the report and summary were issued?

Trump’s critics have seen evidence that he did obstruct justice. Trump’s supporters claim that he did not. Barr’s summary will be used by the supporters to fortify their already strong support for their President, while the summary will only inflame Trump’s critics who know that the underlying and uncontested reality behind the Mueller investigation is that the Russians interfered with the 2016 election, thereby defeating Clinton and winning the White House for a man unqualified for the office. Trump was not legitimately elected, and the two-year Mueller investigation has done nothing to address the fact that the United States was attacked by a foreign power and a longstanding adversary.

The Trump story of course is not over. The Southern District of New York may yet have something to say about the legality of Trump’s business dealings.

The Congress too has work to do. Issues related to the emoluments clause— the fact that Trump and his family have profited richly off of the Presidency needs to be pursued. If Jimmy Carter had to sell his profitable peanut farm when he won the White House, then how has Trump managed to retain and profit from his real estate holdings and charge exorbitant fees to foreign dignitaries staying in his DC hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue? Clearly Trump and his family are not out of the woods.

And if the legal system fails us, another Presidential election is on the horizon. If we can keep the Russians and other foreign adversaries out of our social media (or at least muzzle them), then We, the People can do what Mueller couldn’t do. A new, capable President taking over the Oval Office in 2021 would be the greatest democratic victory in history.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.
--Thomas Jefferson--

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The Math of the Matter _______________________________________________________________

3/25/2019

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By Dick Eiden

Dick is a poet, attorney, and political activist living in Vista, California.

Editor's Note: I rarely--actually, never--comment on readers' submissions, but I'm posting this in the swirl of reaction to the completion of the Mueller report, the contents of which are still largely unknown to the public. Though Dick wrote "The Math of the Matter" before the report was released, this poem, in its contrast between certainty and ambivalence, triggered the same unsettled feelings I've had as small, unsettling bits of the report have come to light.

The Math of the Matter

Ancient arithmetic adores absolutes -
black & white, either-or, zero-sum
heaven & hell, a hedonist hierarchy
rabble reveling in reckless romance
brooding bums biting the bullet.

Arrogant arithmetic always adds and
subtracts seekers, saints, Sancho Panza
faithful to a fault, formidable friend
skeptic suffering the spiritual stuff
compelling clockwork confessions.

Advanced arithmetic acknowledges ambivalence -
dichotomy of duality, devilish dialectic
of forgiveness, fundamental free will,
mortal monks, materialist ministers,
residual gravity, one hand clapping.

2-19

Ancient arithmetic : Restored Roman ruins in Merida, Spain

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Trump's Tax Bamboozle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3/1/2019

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By Bruce Thompson

Bruce is an adjunct instructor of philosophy at Palomar College,San Marcos, California. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. His major emphasis in philosophy is critical thinking, formal logic, and American pragmatism. He is also a poet, violinist, and raiser of back yard chickens.

Trump's Tax Bamboozle

Hello, Social Media. I'm ready to weigh in on the Trump "tax cut." I saw it reported that social media blew up at the beginning of tax season because many people - including especially Trump supporters - were outraged that they had received smaller tax refunds this year than they had in previous years. Some swore that they had been bamboozled and that they would never support Trump again. To this, sage conservative commentator replied that the size of the refund is not important if one has received a bigger slice of the regular paycheck throughout the year. That's a fair point, so I kept my tongue between my teeth and said nothing.

But, having just been to our tax accountant, I now realize that the charges of bamboozlement were utterly real, and cannot be easily explained away by conservative encomiums. My wife and I knew that we were in the vulnerable "middle" that was most likely to be hit by the tax reforms. So we re-positioned our withholding last year to prepare for the coming hit. Due to pay increases and good employment opportunities we made good money this past year, but dollar for dollar, we took home a smaller portion of each dollar than we had the previous year. To be clear: we did NOT

take home a bigger slice of our paychecks; we merely got bigger paychecks for reasons unrelated to the tax reforms. Could the good economy be responsible? Yes, of course. But the economy has been improving since 2009, after the crash. That fact that WE did not benefit from the improved economy until just this last year hardly redounds to the credit of Trump's tax "cut."

Now the bad news. This year we not only did not get the usual 1.5 to 2 grand that we normally receive in refund, we were told that we would probably OWE about double that amount. Worse, we claimed a tax rebate on our new solar electric system, amounting to about $11,000. So, if we had NOT had the rebate we would have owed well over ten thousand dollars! Next year we will not be able to claim a rebate, and we have already re-positioned our withholding substantially. What are we to do?

That's not a tax cut! By taking away deductions that we count on (such as un-reimbursed business expenses) the Trump tax law substantially RAISED OUR TAXES.

I'd like to end this rant by saying, "I'll never vote for Trump again!" But that would be unfair. I didn't vote for him in the first place.

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Trump Either Did or Did Not Commit Obstruction of Justice _______________________________________________________________

The Math of the Matter _______________________________________________________________

Trump's Tax Bamboozle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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