DEFINITION of INCOMPETENCE = "TRUMP"

INCOMPETENT!  Not a good word to hear when talking about the President of the United States (who used to also be known as the “Leader of the Free World”).  But, because we see it happening every day before our eyes, we cannot escape its truth (for example: how about some disinfectant injected inside your body, or doses of hydroxychloroquine as a preventative medicine that has been shown as having harmful side-effects?) 

We also see a con man acting out a role for us that involves:

·       Stealing money from taxpayers and foreigners alike to line his own pockets

·       Lying about anything and everything as needed to hide his incompetence and his many failings

·       Bullying, intimidating and using spineless sycophants who cow-tow to him

·       Capturing the other branches of government so that his will prevails

·        Using the functions (and the functionaries) of government to his own ends and his self-aggrandizement

·       Making friends with every dictatorial leader he can find to fulfill his ambition to ‘rule the world’ no matter what it takes to do so

·       Blaming everyone he can for his own failings and incompetence: Obama, Pelosi, Schumer, Democrats-in-general, immigrants, Muslims, Governors, department heads, intelligence services, the CDC and W.H.O., Inspectors General, military generals, scientists, women – the list goes on because he accepts no responsibility for anything that "doesn’t go the way he wants it to" (which, by the way, is the exact reason Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo gave for the recent firing of the State Department's Inspector General). 

·       De-constructing a government that he cannot manage and that he sees as a “deep state” full of career professionals who oppose his every desire and fantasy is revealed again in Trump's recent expressed desire to fire all the IG's who were appointed by President Obama (four have already been fired!).

·       Constructing fantasies and conspiracies that enable him to hold a base votership intact while destroying everything that base believes in and does not question, like:

o   Good jobs with benefits like affordable health care (fast disappearing in 14.7% unemployment)

o   Wages that enable one to live comfortably (flat-lined)

o   A few extra benefits like owning a home, an extra car, college for the kids, nice vacations, a reasonable pension (requires extra effort like 2-3 jobs, now unavailable)

·       An inability to deal with a crisis of any kind, especially a pandemic disease (but who can forget separating children from their parents at our southern border, or throwing paper towels to victims of a hurricane, or abandoning the Kurds to Turkish forces in Northern Syria – and the beat goes on!) 

Donald J. Trump is simply out-of-his-league.  He doesn’t have the temperament, the training, the experience, the empathy, the emotional or mental capacity or the smarts to tackle this job.  Unlike Barack Obama who demonstrated all of those leadership traits, and many more!  

What is more – Trump repeatedly demonstrated that same lack of knowledge, temperament, human decency and competence in the business world.  Casinos failed and closed; bankruptcies declared, real estate deals gone awry, a university he founded sued for incompetence and false representation; use of courts to bilk clients and delay lawsuits; use of the tax system to gain income for himself through write-offs and false assessments of assets, money-laundering for foreign interests, and, of course, hiring of illegal immigrants.

David Cay Johnston, the Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and best-selling author who has closely followed this con man’s activities for over 25 years, has a lot to say about Trump’s incompetence, but he warns us not to tread too lightly here because “The Donald” takes full advantage of perceived weakness.  Let us briefly explore some of Johnston’s comments from his book, “It’s Even Worse Than You Think” (written just 18 months into Trumps presidency).

“This is a presidency marked by chaotic lurching actions that often make no sense, leaving even some top Trump appointees baffled.  The political termites Trump has loosed into our government are a wrecking crew doing damage not so obvious because they eat away at the foundations of good government… This is a government of the worst people.  The Trump administration can be described with three words: Dissemble, Dismantle and Destroy.”

Then, he lists some of his predictions (several of which I have paralleled in postings on this Blog), such as:

ü  Trying to start wars – North Korea, Iran

ü  Vowing to ‘drain the swamp’ and run against Wall Street, he instead  stocked high government offices with “swamp monsters” from Wall Street, letting financiers run free “to take advantage of borrowers, escape penalties for abusing customers…lying to customers about loan terms.”

ü  Ignored his inaugural promise to Champion the ‘Forgotten Man.’  Instead, he has destroyed or “wrecked decades of laws and rules that protect consumers from unsafe foods, unsafe job sites, unsafe chemicals, and proposed massive cuts in science” and hides or ‘muzzles’ research findings

ü  Let polluters write government policy and then freed them from rules and regulations “to dump toxic wastes into the water and air instead of cleaning up after themselves.” The effects on our children—asthma, cancer, heart disease -- won’t be evident until after Trump has been out of office

ü  As a lazy, unserious man, he has “spent more than a fourth of his days as president playing golf at his own courses while failing to fill many important government posts…often skips his daily national security briefings.”  He is so “appallingly ignorant of world affairs…that much of what is in the…Daily Brief is too complicated for him.”

ü  Spending your money with little regard for his campaign promise to pay off the $19 trillion debt in eight years.  Tax cuts for the wealthy, huge increases in military spending (and now the costs attributed to the COVID19 pandemic) have raised the debt to a level that will again have its greatest effects after Trump leaves office.

ü  In brief, some other damages include:

o   Appointed many federal judges whose records show their favoritism to corporate interests over people, maximum freedom for gun owners and minimal freedom for women to have control over their own bodies

o   Seeking to make life harsher for the poor: raising rents on public housing,   In 2018  a report called for reducing noncash welfare for children, the disabled and the sick; proposed work requirements to get Medicaid, public housing and food stamps….in spite of the fact that a third of Medicaid spending is for nursing home residents, and children count for half of all food stamps (SNAP).

o   Denigration of long-standing alliances along with allied leaders.

Trump caters to Putin, and praises Putin’s’ achievements; has strongly supported Putin’s account of non-interference in our elections  

o   “If you harbor any doubt that Trump is a dictator in waiting, that he believes in his own mind that he is the greatest person of all time and that those who came before are, as he calls them, ‘idiots,’ remember what he said about Kim (Jung Un) and the America Trump wants to force upon us all: ‘He speaks and his people sit up at attention.  I want my people to do the same’.”

ü  What distinguishes the Trump presidency from all those who came before is that “those administrations had in common the pursuit of policies that they believed would make for a better America and would benefit the American people.”

“THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY IS ABOUT TRUMP.  PERIOD.”

Therein lies the overwhelming reason for his inability to deal with our current health crisis in anything other than an incompetent manner.  He is incapable of doing so because:

§  He can’t see the problems to be solved because he thinks the main problem is losing an election that he must win for himself.

§  He can’t use the very instruments and structures available to him in government because he not only isn’t interested, he doesn’t understand how good government, peopled with competent, professionals, handles crises and knotty complicated problems every day.  
He doesn’t trust those people because they do not think like he does, nor do they act as he does, on whims and rumors, on fantasies and lies.

§  He doesn’t have a clue how to mobilize thinkers, innovators, data technicians and other experts because he doesn’t trust them.  He thinks every intelligent person is a potential threat to him, or perhaps a rival or an enemy, so he is frozen in place because he can’t take the risk that leaders must take in trusting, partnering, cooperating, and acknowledging that others have something to offer that you alone do not. 

§  In short, Donald Trump is incapable of being a team member.  He only knows solo action and self-aggrandizing success.  Anything else is anathema to him because it means putting someone else in his spotlight where only he – who knows it all – can be.    

§  He can’t fathom the depth and breadth of this pandemic because he doesn’t have a clue as to what it is, how it manifests itself, what the scientific data show us about it, or how one must fight it without medicine or vaccination, for the time being.

§  He can’t work on a non-partisan or bi-partisan basis because he can’t allow his base to think he is not in-charge or that he is catering to a bunch of socialists or intellectuals or liberals.

§  And, as we now realize, he can’t manage the federal bureaucracy; can’t put together a national response plan, can’t mobilize private industries to make needed PPEs; couldn’t, and still can’t, manage to get testing and tracking into gear, much needed long before this point. 

And, because he can’t do what needs to be done, he has diverted a health pandemic into a concern for the stock market, the economy and small businesses, as well as supporting the fabricated issue that government is forcing people to stay indoors, stay out of crowds and wear masks when outdoors.

However, one of the things he can do well is to use lies and made-up scenarios to divert a certain gullible base of the population from any issue that does not serve his insatiable desire to win another term as president.  We find several such recent attempts:

1.     Dr. Fauci’s expert guidance on the horrendous nature of this coronavirus Trump has declared as unacceptable;

2.     A close second is the now acknowledged move to stifle new CDC guidelines on reopening the economy; what got released is totally sophomoric and inadequate

3.     Of all his attempts to minimize the seriousness of this virus, Trump is reported to be carrying out a plan to under-count the number of deaths that are a result of the coronavirus. Deaths related to the virus will soon show themselves as by-products of his mishandling of this viral attack:

a.     suicides will increase under economic and health failures;

b.     more children will suffer death because of the effects (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children) of the virus; 

c.      poverty and hunger forced upon families will take their toll as will lack of adequate affordable health care to handle other illnesses and needed surgeries; 

d.     there will be more drug overdoses; and, of course, more deaths among the  already vulnerable populations in nursing homes and other institutions, 

e.     plus, more deaths among the homeless whose number is already expanding.  

And those numbers will never make it into the total count of deaths caused, in one way or another, by the coronavirus.

Plus, one more late and farcical entry into the fray:

4.     Trump again seeks to blame someone else for his self-manufactured problems.  He wants you to think that somehow President Obama (and Vice President Biden) were behind some conspiracy that involves General Flynn; that they wanted to unmask Flynn as someone mentioned in a security report to affect the 2016 election.  Trump also implies that Obama was behind the FBI Russian-connection investigation of candidate Trump.  Trump presents no explanation or documentation, as usual, unlike extensive documentation of his corruption and failures, both here and elsewhere.

To these examples of propaganda and lying, we can add the made-up Right-Wing talking points that the government is interfering in our lives, keeping us locked up on purpose and that we have vanquished this enemy.  We end up with the false impression that this president has defeated the enemy and all that is needed is for Democrats who control the House to let us get back to normal functioning.  Mitch McConnell, that huge excuse for a Senate Leader, has joined the deception by declaring that any further legislation regarding the receding pandemic is unneeded and unnecessary,and can be delayed or now, especially the latest three trillion-dollar stimulus Bill passed by the House of Representatives! 

SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT – the Trump and Alt Right Republican Plan for dealing with the worst health threat in our lifetime: deny it; belittle it; misreport its effects, blame someone else for its existence and outcomes; bring up unrelated matters to divert attention; then pretend that all is well! 

Ooops, excuse me  – that’s not his plan for controlling the pandemic – that’s his Plan for winning the election in November! Trump obviously has another motivation than simply saving lives.  He has his future in mind, and nothing – not a pandemic, or death numbers, or breakouts of the virus in meat-processing plants or in prisons or nursing homes or midwestern states – will deter him from his goal: total control of the levers of government to permit him in another four-year term to overturn the deep state and to establish a cultish group of followers who will sit up and pay full attention and loyalty to their despotic leader.     

This extremely dangerous, villainous and despotic incompetent must not only be turned out-of-office in November, but he should face citizen criticism and censure for every lie, conspiracy, diversion, inaction and policy failure over the next 5.5 months that could contribute to the loss of another million lives!

LET THE WORD GO OUT: 

SAVE LIVES – REJECT TRUMP

SUPPORT JOE BIDEN!

MORALITY and POLITICS: an uneasy togetherness?

POLITICS and morality are like bread and butter or like apple pie and ice cream, or toast and jam: one without the other feels empty, askew or plain wrong. 
POLITICS is meant primarily to  reflect the best that human beings have to offer like love, caring, empathy, compassion, and familial closeness. 
Our political machinations are tied inextricably with a moral code or an ethical system or a set of biases and myths (values in the broadest sense) with which we approach life, not only as individuals but as social creatures.  Like it or not, we all approach life with some sort of moral content, often defined by somebody as “good” or “bad” or, by others as “lacking” or “amoral.”                                                           
Today’s post revolves around the question:  just what moral standards are we -- as individuals, as members of a society, as citizens of a sovereign nation, as members of a diverse world and as members of a human race-- willing to accept as moral (and therefore desirable) or as immoral (thus undesirable)?
Much of life is devoted to this quest and yet POLITICS seems often to ignore its serious implications or imperatives. 
Art, literature, music, journalism, religion and our legal system pay great attention to the life implications and outcomes that occur from the application of ethical principles.  Determining right from wrong, the amelioration of sanctions or the application of punishment or the life-altering aspects of illegal or immoral acts are a few of the themes dealt with in works of art and literature.  Generally, we seem to end up with renowned pieces of art or literature (like “TO KILL a MOCKINGBIRD”) but who ever heard of anything produced by congressional Committees on Ethics?   
POLITICS as MORALITY is not a theme that sits well with politicians nor with some citizens, it appears. Thus, we end up with revealing but uninspiring phrases like:

ü  “Oh, that’s just politics” or

ü  “Politicians are all alike” or

ü  “What can you expect from politicians” or maybe

ü  “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you” and too often

ü  “I don’t wish to get involved in politics”
Given my subject today, here are my answers to such categorizations:
Ø It’s never “just politics” – more often than not morality or values are involved
Ø Politicians are not all alike; but some similarity most often comes into play when they embrace an ideology or value system that pushes them to act alike on certain values, good or bad
Ø We can expect so much more- like stricter qualifications and duties for elective offices- and yet we don’t.
Ø So often the government does come to our aid, making daily life more livable, easier or more meaningful, but we ignore or forget that fact (until a pandemic occurs and we gather to show appreciation to front-line workers)
Ø Involvement in politics is not merely a choice; it is a responsibility for every citizen or would-be citizen. After all, We the People are the crucial progenitors and protectors of our constitution and our system of governing. Without us taking responsibility, it does not function as it was meant to do.

It is my contention that we as a People have allowed POLITICS to become tarred with the feathers of misnomer.  POLITICS after all, has become a system of behavior that is not even mentioned in our Constitution.  We have tended to define POLITICS by words that denote flaws, shortcomings, corruption, machinations, manipulations, flawed results and unacceptable outcomes.  As a result, we now have a cult of believers who vociferously note that “government is the problem” and needs to be “de-constructed.” 

That is how far we have come from the founding of a government of the People, by the People and for the People to one seemingly dedicated to the aggrandizement of a smaller and smaller core.  This is how far we have come from the founding of a system meant to deliver a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the blessings of Liberty for ourselves and our posterity.

Instead, we currently tend to tolerate a system that promotes divisions among its own people, interprets justice as controlling certain unwanted groups or ideas, turns defense into belligerence, eschews the general welfare and ignores those with special needs, and aims to secure the blessings of liberty for a certain “upper level” segment of the population.  Politics has become a “dirty word” and nations that would like to see our form of governing destroyed, are taking full advantage of our divisions, our disruptions, injustices, and our political aberrations.

It has, in a sense, taken a viral pandemic to make us aware of our need to look carefully at our system and to ask:  Who are we, and what are we doing?  Why can’t we address this threat adequately?  What is the problem?  The most direct answer seems to be we have lost our way.  But, what does that mean? 

I think it means that we have forgotten, denigrated or even set-aside the values – the morality – of governing; of POLITICS.  We have lowered the threshold of what it means to be a citizen, a politician, a servant of the people or even a member of humankind.  We are at a crossroads of our history and we must begin to redefine our politics -- and our system of governance -- in terms of democratic values and humane morality.  Let it be clear that by "morality" I do not mean the adoption of a set of laws and rules promulgated by a certain religion or philosophy.  That direction leads us into establishment of a national religion which is entirely unacceptable.

No; I refer to the rejuvenation of tried and true best practices and tenets common to many cultures and philosophies. For the most part, we already know what they are – we just need to renovate and rejuvenate them in terms of this time and this place.  Here are examples of the type of rejuvenation of which I speak; having taken place in their own moments and space.

Instead of beginning with our Bill of Rights, I have chosen to reach back to one of the documents that influenced those first Ten Amendments to our Constitution, and remind ourselves of the prevalent discussion of rights and values at that time in our history.  I have taken the liberty of emphasizing some words and phrases that may well deserve some major attention toward rejuvenation:

Virginia Bill of Rights, June 12, 1776 (excerpts):

1. That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, namely the enjoyment of life and liberty with the means  (opportunities?) of acquiring and possessing and obtaining happiness and safety

2. That all power is vested in, and derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them.

3. That government is…instituted for the common benefit, protection and security of the people, nation or community; and…that is best which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety, and…effectually secured against the danger of maladministration; and that any government …found inadequate or contrary to these purposes…a majority of the community has an unalienable right  to reform, alter or abolish it in a manner most conducive to the public weal.

4. That no man, or set of men, are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services

5. That the legislative and executive powers of the state…(representatives) may be restrained from oppression by feeling and participating in the burdens of the people …should at fixed periods be reduced to a private station….

6. That elections of members to serve as representatives of the people…ought to be free and that all men…have the right of suffrage, and cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses without their own consent…

7. That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws…without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights, and ought not to be exercised.

8. right to speedy trial, confrontation of witnesses and impartial jury; and not to have to give evidence against oneself

9. no excessive bail or fines; no cruel or unusual punishment

10. general warrants or seizing persons not named or whose offence is not supported by evidence ought not to be granted

11. civil trial by jury preferable

12. freedom of the press is “one of the great bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic government

13. well-regulated militia trained in use of arms is proper, natural and safe defense of a free state; standing army in time of peace should be avoided as dangerous to liberty

14. people have the right to uniform government

15. “no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue, and by frequent recurrence in fundamental principles.”

16. free exercise of religion directed by reason and conviction not by force or violence

The Fourteen Points speech of President Woodrow Wilson was an address delivered before a joint meeting of Congress on January 8, 1918, during which Wilson outlined his vision for a stable, long-lasting peace in Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world following World War I. Wilson itemized 14 strategies to ensure national security and world peace. Several points addressed specific territorial issues in Europe, but the most significant sections set the tone for postwar American diplomacy and the ideals that would form the backbone of U.S. foreign policy as the nation achieved superpower status in the early 20th century.  The first five points and the last, include:

1. Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view.

2. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial waters, alike in peace and in war, except as the seas may be closed in whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of international covenants.

3. the removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers and the establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all the nations consenting to the peace and associating themselves for its maintenance.

4. Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. 

5. A free, open-minded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims, based upon a strict observance of the principle that in determining all such questions of sovereignty the interests of the populations concerned must have equal weight with the equitable government whose title is to be determined.

14.   A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike. (Wikipedia)

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In his 'Four Freedoms' speech, delivered to a joint session of Congress on January 6, 1941, Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed the following as essential attributes for mankind:

• Freedom of speech and expression
• Freedom of worship
• Freedom from want
• Freedom from fear

“This speech was significant in that FDR went beyond the regular freedoms insured by our Constitution and claimed these new rights as American values. They became symbols for Americans to rally around during the turbulent times of World War II. To the citizens of that time period, striving toward these freedoms distinguished the country from fascist nations. The Four Freedoms have continued to act as inspiration for citizens and political leaders to this day.” (https://rooseveltinstitute.org/four-freedoms/)

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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an historic document that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its third session on 10 December 1948 as Resolution 217 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France.  The Declaration consists of 30 articles affirming an individual's rights which, although not legally binding in themselves, have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, economic transfers, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions, and other laws.

The Declaration was the first step in the process of formulating the International Bill of Human Rights, which was completed in 1966, and came into force in 1976, after a sufficient number of countries had ratified them (including the U.S.A).  (Wikipedia)

• Articles 1–2 established the basic concepts of dignity, liberty, and equality.
• Articles 3–5 established other individual rights, such as the right to life and the prohibition of slavery and torture.
• Articles 6–11 refer to the fundamental legality of human rights with specific remedies cited for their defense when violated.
• Articles 12–17 established the rights of the individual towards the community (including such things as freedom of movement).
• Articles 18–21 sanctioned the so-called "constitutional liberties", and with spiritual, public, and political freedoms, such as freedom of thought, opinion, religion and conscience, word, and peaceful association of the individual.
• Articles 22–27 sanctioned an individual's economic, social and cultural rights, including healthcare. Article 25 states: "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services." It also makes additional accommodations for security in case of physical debilitation or disability, and makes special mention of care given to those in motherhood or childhood.
• Articles 28–30 established the general ways of using these rights, the areas in which these rights of the individual cannot be applied, and that they cannot be overcome against the individual.

History is replete with examples of codes, commandments, laws, points, declarations, treatises and even morality stories and fables, all attempting to speak to the need of human beings to express freedoms, rights, liberties and entitlements.  It is one strong indication that human beings understand that politics and governance have an integral relation to the moral fiber of words and actions.  Without Morality, Virtue and Principles --  founded to enhance human life in general and political governance in particular -- something is wrong, askew and dangerous to humankind.

We have an opportunity, spawned by a horrendous experience, that does not come along that often (but do note that such moments often come in the wake of catastrophes).  It is time for a new deal, a reform movement, a structural change in our flawed institutions and a rebirth of our democratic virtues and principles.  We have some clues; we even have examples from our past.  Let us not ignore the possibilities, which include, the following, among many:

• Putting people first and giving them greater direct voice in decision-making; voting is not enough. Advisory Councils, Citizen Commissions, Community Oversight Commissions; Amendments to the Constitution by Citizen petition and referendum and direct involvement in oversight and evaluation are needed  
• “Representation” must be redefined (see posting on 2/26/17).  That long ago Bill  of Rights from Virginia mentions that public service can be enhanced when politicians are given a furlough period of at least 4 years from their duties to return to where they came to re-engage with those they served with  before being eligible to serve again in public office.   in other words: ‘term limits’ or ‘furloughs’ were seen as possibilities for enlivening the fundamental essence of representation which is that of acting “on behalf of” someone else as a servant, protector and benefactor, not acting on behalf of a Party, a Sponsor, a Mentor or personal Benefactor to enhance one’s own status or position.  
• Justice must be redefined.   'Punishment’ and ‘revenge’ are inadequate definitions.  Treatment; living skills training; performing community service and laboring to repay victims are possible choices for sentences that recognize the humanity of the offender and the necessity of second chances.  Incarceration as a profit-making venture must be abolished.
•  Certain vulnerable populations must be provided the necessities of life as a moral imperative, not as a ‘safety net’ or ‘welfare’ subsidy.  The responsibility of government to care for the most vulnerable of society is something that can be traced back to many early religions. A list of some vulnerabilities might include persons caught in poverty; those who are homeless; those challenged by developmental disabilities, sickness  physical or mental  disorders; the aged and infirm and persons who suffer the indignities of discrimination and prejudice; especially children whose lives are affected by obstacles of any kind  
• It is past time to recognize the moral and pragmatic necessity of providing affordable health care for all; but especially for those who cannot afford private insurance. Establishing a single payer system would guarantee health care to everyone but could leave supplemental choices to any who desire them.  I happen to think that there should be absolutely no delay in taking a first step supported by Senators Sanders and Warren – to immediately enroll all persons aged 55 and older in the Medicare program.  Maybe that age could be lowered to another generation by 2022. 
• It is evident that our public health system is in disarray if not in tatters.  Reserves must be adequately supplied; pipelines for getting supplies to sites unclogged and overflow beds identified;  hospitals and clinics put under stricter protocols and inspections (perhaps given a rating to indicate its level of functioning); and protective supplies (PPEs) available from more manufacturers and vendors; monitoring programs and analytics are also crucial; software and hardware need upgrading along with Tech departments  
• If we can build structures that house overflow patients, we can for sure build both temporary and permanent housing for homeless persons.  There is no excuse for allowing a homeless population to grow and grow.  Housing must be an essential government service, to be augmented by needed community services and a bureau of navigators who will match people with services they need or require  
• it is past time to change our political machinery and to lessen the import of political ideology and influence. Eligibility for public office is one key – the mission and functions of each office must be made crystal clear and eligibility of potential candidates vetted to make sure that candidates are both eligible and qualified. Here is a sample of some of the skills needed for any presidential position, such as in a typical company:

o  Innovative, with a vision of the future of the company that they can plan, strategize and execute.

o  Good communication skills, with the ability to communicate with board members, executives and frontline employees.

o  Financial and operational knowledge, as well as knowledge of regulations, policy and procedures that affect the company.

o  Ability to attract, develop and retain top talent.

o  Have a high level of emotional intelligence.

o  Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire people to action through personal influence.

Should we expect any less from the President of the United States?  Then why not make our requirements plain for every candidate to have to validate before they can be nominated? (A sample job description -- somewhat tongue-in-cheek-- for POTUS is available at:

https://ivn.us/2012/11/11/a-job-description-of-the-president-of-the-united-states/;

Moreover, at the end of this posting, you can view my own version of a position description for POTUS.  This is something that should be instituted for all government offices where it does not already exist.

 All candidates for federal office (elective or appointed) should be  thoroughly vetted by a non-partisan group such as the National (or State) Board of Elections, to which candidates nominated by petition, by Party Convention or by a non-profit organization, should, in addition to an oral examination, have to submit their answers to the requirements of the job description, along with appropriate documentation.  Their subsequent approval or disapproval would stand unless successfully challenged in a federal court. This system could potentially increase the number of nominees, but restrict the number of candidates on ballots because of needed approval of the qualifications of all  nominees based,  not upon the whims and desires of Party or donors, but on the judgment of non-partisan commissioners.

v  In addition, election processes and primary politics would have to be amended to reflect this new method of approval based on qualifications and requirements of the office.

v Congress must be streamlined in terms of how work is done and how long legislation is allowed to linger before it is acted upon; time limits must be imposed – no leader should have the power to schedule or to delay legislative action

v It is a mistake for Congress to be able to make all of its own rules, some of which thwart the will of the people, including member privilege and the filibuster with its rule of cloture

v Paramount to such reform is the power of the majority Political Party; this needs revision so that the primary aim and purpose of the Congress can be freed from the clutches of politicians who put party above their representation of the people.  
v It is imperative to provide a third method for amending the Constitution which is initiated by grass-roots citizens; by-passes congressional approval (allowing only for their endorsement or non-endorsement) and is voted on in a general referendum (see postings at 6/20/10; 5/26/14).

v It is also imperative that impeachment be seen as a measure of last resort among other methods for removing a malfunctioning president (or lesser officeholder) from his/her position. Other procedures could allow for recall elections, recall hearings by a non-partisan elective/ appointive commission, or a recall vote within the appropriate house of Congress.

We have much work to do to prepare for and to inaugurate a new era of politics defined by values of a responsible democratic majority instead of the values (or lack thereof) of a chosen few.  Let us return to fundamental responsibilities and actions based on what is Right rather than on the ideology of the Right Wing!  
Let us realize that politics as morality is the lesson of the Good being demonstrated by people making familial togetherness real and available to the widest extent possible.  Yes, we will get through this together, and hopefully take what we have learned to rejuvenate the focus of both our morality and our form of government, mending our brokeness by means of the compassionate acts of millions. 

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For your careful consideration:

ëAttachment: Presidential Job Description

Job Title:	PRESIDENT	Job Category:	Highest Office
Department/Group:	Executive Branch	Job Code/ Req#:	POTUS
Location:	Washington, DC	Travel Required:	Travel Required
LevSalary Rangeel/:	$400,000	Position Type:	Full Time (and more)
HR Contact:	OMB	Date Posted:	1789
Website:	www.whitehouse.gov	Posting Expires:	Never

JOB SUMMARY

The president is tasked with providing strong leadership for this nation by working closely with the Congress, Executive Department Directors and other executives, e.g., State Governors, to establish short and long-term goals, plans and strategies to unite and to benefit the people of this nation; such benefits to include (but are not limited to): ·        protection of inalienable rights and freedoms, ·        protection of legitimate property rights ·        provide for the nation’s common defense and the personal safety of its inhabitants; protection of the States from invasion; ·        establish equality of justice for all; ·        maintain domestic tranquility and promote peace among nations of the world; ·        attend to the general welfare of the people with special consideration given to the needs of the most vulnerable; ·        provide a broad range of opportunities to every citizen to encourage their pursuit of happiness, sense of achievement and chance for a productive life; ·        secure the blessings of Liberty to the people and to our posterity

JOB DESCRIPTION: Roles and Responsibilities

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The president is responsible for presiding over the entire federal executive structure and workforce and will manage its budget making sure resources are allocated properly, effectively and in accord with the mission, goals and objectives of each department. The president will make sure departments meet their individual goals and are accountable to Congress and the general public. S/he will encourage investment and cooperative purposeful involvement from community entities for the enhancement of human life. As the public face of this nation, the incumbent must uphold the dignity and integrity of the office and demonstrate the moral character befitting the values of this Republic; the president should be able to inspire the personal responsibility of every citizen to serve the common interests and well-being of the people of this nation. CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.  Commander-in-chief of the Armed FORCES OF the United States, and of the militia of the several          states when they are called to service of the federal government of the United States; 2.  Grant reprieves and pardons of offences against the United States; 3.  Make treaties with other nations subject to concurrence of 2/3s of the Senate; 4.  Shall nominate and appoint (with advice and consent of the Senate) Ambassadors and other public ministries and counsels, Judges of the Supreme Court and all other Officers of the United States established by law (latter may be proscribed by Congress); shall also receive Ambassadors and other Public officials, and Commission all the Officers of the United States; 5.  May fill all vacancies during recess of the Senate by providing temporary commissions; 6.  Give information and recommendations to Congress in a “State of the Union” report or address; and may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both or just one House of Congress; or may in case of disagreement for adjournment of either (or both) House of Congress, adjourn them to an appropriate  date of his/her choosing;  7.  shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed; bound by oath to support and defend the Constitution Qualifications and Education Requirements At least thirty-two years of age A natural born citizen of the United States A resident of the United States for at least 14 years Prefer candidates who are graduates of four-year renowned colleges or universities; other college education combined with relevant experience is acceptable Prefer prior experience as a government officer: senator, congressman, state governor or legislator; will accept equivalent executive experience in industry or non-profit sector Must possess and demonstrate fundamental understanding of American history and the major functions of government military or national volunteer service activity for 2 years or more is favored but not required Preferred Skills: Innovative, with a vision of the future of the nation that they can plan, strategize and execute. Good communication skills, with the ability to communicate with cabinet members, executives and frontline employees. Financial and operational knowledge, as well as knowledge of regulations, policy and procedures that affect the workings of government; Ability to attract, develop and retain top talent; Have a high level of emotional intelligence; Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire people to action through personal influence. Additional Notes: limited to two full terms of 4 years each.

Reviewed By: Name Date: Approved By: Name Date: Date Last Updated By: Name Date/Time: Date/Time