Ilhan Omar Dislikes Jews, Not Billionaires

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is engaging in her favorite pastime - defaming Jews. Over the weekend, she went on Twitter to make known her views about former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's possible presidential candidacy and philanthropist Leon Cooperman's support for Bloomberg. Omar tweeted, "I wonder why" accompanied by a "hmmmmn" emoji.


Supporters of Omar claim that she was calling out Bloomberg and Cooperman for being billionaires.


But Bloomberg and Cooperman are also both Jewish.


If Omar wanted to take a shot at billionaires then why didn't she criticize Jeff Bezos for urging Bloomberg to run?


Because Bezos isn't Jewish.


Did Omar send out a tweet when billionaire Tom Steyer entered the Democratic presidential race? Nope.




Omar doesn't dislike billionaires. She dislikes Jews whatever their socioeconomic status.


Mind you, Omar sent out the tweet shortly speaking to CAIR, a notoriously anti-Semitic organization.


No doubt Omar supporters will point out her endorsement of Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish. As I argued last month, Omar (along with Rashida Tlaib and AOC) endorsed Bernie to neutralize charges of anti-Semitism. The fact remains that Omar supports BDS whose aim and objective is the end of Israel while opposing sanctions against Turkey calling them part of the "same failed playbook." It is clear Omar does not mind the use of this playbook if it is deployed against Jews. This is how anti-Semites operate.

Thoughts on Veterans Day & Remembrance Day

Today marks Veterans Day in the United States. In Canada, the country of my birth, it is Remembrance Day as it is in all Commonwealth countries.


Both Veterans Day and Remembrance Day began as Armistice Day signifying the end of WWI, the war to end all wars, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. But how November 11th is observed has changed over time.


In the United States, Veterans Day honors all living veterans whereas Memorial Day honors veterans who lost their lives in the line of duty. In Canada, Remembrance Day honors veterans both living and dead although the emphasis is on those soldiers who fell as signified by the wearing of the poppy. The poppy is in reference to the opening line of the poem "In Flanders Field" written by Dr. John McRae in honor of a friend who died at the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium (In Flanders fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row) symbolizing the fragility of life.


As such Remembrance Day is a more somber occasion than Veterans Day and dare I say Memorial Day. In this country, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer and despite our best efforts has become a day of reverie synonymous with barbecues.


But whatever the differences between Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, American and Canadian soldiers have fought on the same soil for the same cause on the beaches of Normandy, in Korea and in Afghanistan. Those who came home deserve our gratitude whether they live in Vancouver, British Columbia or Vancouver, Washington. If you see a veteran be sure to give your thanks. For Those who didn't come home they deserve our grieving whether their coffins and graves are covered with the star and stripes or the maple leaf.

3 Reasons Democrats Won't Nominate Bloomberg

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving really serious thought to entering the 2020 Democratic presidential race.


It was about this time a year ago that Bloomberg pondered getting into the race only to decide against it this past March. At the time, Bloomberg stated:


As I've thought about a possible presidential campaign, the choice before me has become clear. Should I devote the next two years to talking about my ideas and record, knowing that I might never win the Democratic nomination? Or should I spend the next two years doubling down on the work that I am already leading and funding, and that I know can produce real and beneficial results for the country, right now? I've come to realize that I'm less interested in talking than doing.


It would appear Bloomberg is now more interested in talking.


Despite his progressive credentials on issues like climate change and gun control, there are three reasons I can think why Democrats would never nominate him as their presidential standard bearer.


First, much like Donald Trump, Bloomberg was originally a Democrat. But when he sought the mayoralty of New York City in 2001 he switched his political registration to Republican for the simple reason that he could never win the Democratic Party's nomination. If Bloomberg couldn't win the supports of Democrats in New York City then how can he expect to earn the support of Democrats across the country?


Second, Bloomberg is a billionaire. In a party that features Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, nominating Bloomberg is simply inconceivable. AOC believes billionaires should cease to exist. If a critical mass of Democrats believe there shouldn't be billionaires then what makes anyone think they would vote for one?


Third, Bloomberg is Jew who steadfastly supports Israel. The Democratic base will tolerate Bernie Sanders because he denounces Israel every chance he gets and supporting him insulates them from charges of anti-Semitism. Bloomberg, on the other hand, has stood up for Israel as he did when he protested the Obama Administration's temporary ban of domestic flights into Israel during the 2014 Gaza War by flying on his private jet to Tel Aviv and wrote an op-ed to defend his actions. I also remember when he went to Jerusalem in August 2003 to ride a bus route that had been target in a suicide bombing which claimed the life of a New York area Orthodox Jewish woman and her infant son. In a party where AOC, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib and their anti-Semitic remarks and actions are tolerated, it would be simply inconceivable to see the nomination of a staunchly pro-Israel candidate much less one who is Jewish.


Although I have my disagreements with Michael Bloomberg, I would consider cast a ballot for him as our next President. But chances are that ballot would be a write-in. Bloomberg winning the Democratic nomination would surely be a write-off.

My Verdict on Jury Duty in NYC

Last month, I had the displeasure of being summoned to the Manhattan Civil Courthouse for jury duty.


My Dad as well as my colleagues were astonished that my presence would be required after scarcely year in the city. What had I done to warrant such ignominious treatment?


Jury summons are not unfamiliar to me. Indeed, during my 18½ years in Boston I was thrice summoned for jury duty. Twice I underwent voir dire but was not selected for jury duty. In the latter case, I asked to be excused because I was scheduled to undergo an endoscopy early the following week which would have likely conflicted with the trial. Fortunately, I was excused. The final time I was summoned, my appearance was cancelled as no cases were scheduled for the day in question. All in all, other than having to be in court by 8 a.m., these experiences were relatively painless. The same cannot be said for New York City.


When it comes to jury duty, there are significant differences between Massachusetts and New York. In the Bay State, when summoned, one can delay one's service up to one year. In the Empire State, one can only delay one's service from 2 to 6 months. If I chose this route then chances are I would have been summoned again in the dead of winter. So I decided the bite the bullet and get it out of the way.


I made a point of taking the subway down to Lower Manhattan a few days before my appearance. Unlike Midtown or the Upper West Side, Lower Manhattan is not on a grid. Indeed, it reminds me of downtown Boston only on a far larger scale. I'm glad I did this because if I hadn't I surely would have ended up at 1 World Trade Center instead of 111 Centre Street.


In Boston, when jurors were gathered into a room we were addressed in person by judge. In NYC, when jurors are gathered in a room we must watch a UHF quality TV featuring a short film on the importance of jury duty narrated by Nightline co-anchor Byron Pitts. The grainy quality of the film made it look like a hostage video and I think Pitts wanted to be there about as much as we did.


In Boston, we had frequent breaks between the long silences. In NYC, one must be ready to be summoned at any moment. You can go to the bathroom and sign out, but if your name is called and you miss it then you do so at your own risk. In Boston, there were cafeterias where one could buy tasty food at a reasonable price. In NYC, there are no cafeterias and you're stuck with a vending machine dispensing junk food. Fortunately, given my idiosyncratic diet, I brought my own stock of non-dairy protein bars and mushroom based jerky. They served me well. While my appetite was satiated, my ears were subject to unpleasant noises. As I mentioned, in Boston, there was silence. In NYC, the female Indian court clerk felt the need to talk constantly. She sounded like an aspiring DJ who had failed to find a job in radio on account of an annoying voice.


After nearly two hours of disorientation, I was among a group of prospective jurors summoned to a panel across the road at the New York County Criminal Court on 100 Centre Street. The court officers gave us yellow cards so we could bypass security. We proceeded to the 13th floor and escorted into a courtroom. The case in question was one where the defendant was accused of child sexual assault. Obviously a disturbing accusation, but as the judge presiding over the case stated it is only an accusation. Nevertheless this proved a difficult situation for a lot of prospective jurors who disclosed they or members of their family had been sexually assaulted with some breaking down in tears. Needless to say these prospective jurors were excused from the case as was the one prospective female juror who stated those accused of sexual assault weren't entitled to the presumption of innocence.


I was summoned the jury box and questioned at length by the judge as to, among other things, where I was from, where I went to school, with whom did I live and where did I get my news. The last question was particularly interesting because a lot of people said The New York Times and NPR. I wonder if the judge would have dismissed a juror if he or she had said Fox News or Breitbart. But no one made such a disclosure.


The judge gave two minutes apiece to the ADA and defense attorneys to pose their questions. While the ADA was conducting voir dire I had placed my hand under my chin as is my want and she immediately questioned this behavior. I assured her that it was merely a personal habit rather than a reflection of my ability to determine the facts of the case fairly. For his part, the defense attorney asked me to clarify my work with children. I had disclosed that I worked for Massachusetts child abuse hotline run by what was then known as DSS in 2000 and 2001. At the conclusion of voir dire, we were all asked to leave the room to, as the judge put it, "talk about you behind your backs." I'm sure there was plenty of talk about me as I was not among the jurors selected.


There was good news and bad news. The good news is that I had 90 minutes for lunch and I had a nice walk around Chinatown. The bad news was that I had to return to the jury room at 111 Centre Street. In Massachusetts, once you are excused from a jury panel then you are done with your jury service. Not so in NYC. Indeed, one can be kept up to three days before being excused assuming you haven't been selected.


Upon my return, I saw that my phone & iPad were running low on battery life. Fortunately, there was a side room for that convenience. At 3 p.m., another jury panel was convened but my name was not called. Ditto for an hour later. The clerk then said anyone who hadn't been called for the 4 p.m. panel to report to her. Two of us approached. It turns out the court officers had lost our jury ballots. So we had to give her our jury IDs and join the 4 p.m. panel.


Unlike the 11 a.m. panel, the court officers did not give us yellow cards. Security at 100 Centre Street was furious with the court officers and a shouting match ensued. After words were exchanged, security let us in but severely admonished the court officers.


Once again we proceeded to the 13th floor to another courtroom. Another criminal case. Thankfully not another child sexual assault, but rather theft and possession of stolen goods. No sooner than we took our seats, the judge dismissed us for the day and told us to report to the courtroom at 9:45 a.m. the following day.


At the appointed time the 13th floor was jammed full of people from both the 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. panel from the previous day. One of the court officers (an older gentleman who was overseeing the 3 p.m. panel) castigated jurors for not listening to the judge and told them to stop asking him questions to which they already knew the answer. There was a younger, taller court officer who repeatedly demanded people make way for him as he proceeded up and down the hall. "You have to make way for me!!! You have to make way for me!!! There are plenty of seats!!!" There weren't any. These court officers clearly enjoy what little authority they have and the exercise thereof.


Court did not convene until 10:15 a.m. Once again, I was selected to go into the jury box. Unlike the older white female judge who questioned each juror individually, this white middle aged judge had us answer his questions from a laminated handout. This judge also gave the ADA and defense attorneys 15 minutes apiece to conduct their respective voir dire. The young Asian ADA asked me a question but the older German accented defense attorney thankfully did not. The defense attorney made a point of saying, "I don't need to put on a case. I can sit on my ass if I want, but I won't." A bit much arrogance for my liking. However, the judge was annoyed with the ADA who not only went over his allotted time but twice asked to extend his time.


As with the previous days, the courtroom was cleared so the judge and attorneys could talk behind our backs. Yet another half hour passed. Shortly after re-entering the courtroom, I exited after being excluded from my second jury panel in less than 24 hours. Those of us not selected were told to go up two floors to another jury room. Upon entry there was no one there. So we just sat and waited.


After an hour, a female African American clerk entered the room apparently having returned from lunch and was shocked to see us there. We explained that we had been excused from a jury panel an hour earlier. Fortunately, she had the most sense if anyone I had encountered in a day and a half there because she excused us from our obligations, printed us our proof of service and sent us on our way. She said, "We'll see you in four years, but I won't because I'll be retired by then." It was 1:30 p.m. on a Friday and I had the rest of the day to myself.


It was said over and again that trial by jury is the cornerstone of our democracy. But if I were ever appeared in court as a defendant I think I'd prefer a bench trial. I didn't have much interaction with the other prospective jurors. I don't like to bother people and invade their space. In any case, I got the very strong sense they didn't want to be there anymore than anyone else and had other things to do. As such, do I really want to put my fate into the hands of someone who is in a hurry to get to a Yankees game?


What soured me the most was the lack of professionalism among the court officers. They treated us as criminals, not as law abiding citizens. Needless to say, I am not looking forward to having to go back in four years time. This is, of course, assuming that I am still living in New York City by then.

Beto Bows Out

A year ago Beto O'Rourke came within an eyelash of unseating Ted Cruz from the Senate.

Even though he fell short, O'Rourke's political stock was rising.

One year later, O'Rourke would be lucky to sell enough penny stocks to buy a one way ticket to Palookaville.

Today, O'Rourke dropped out of the 2020 Democratic race.

You know your presidential race is going badly when fellow Democrats called upon him to run for the Senate a la John Hickenlooper.

Any chance O'Rourke had of unseating John Cornyn ended the moment he called for a mandatory gun buyback program following the El Paso massacre.

O'Rourke lost me when he bashed Benjamin Netanyahu on the campaign trail and likened climate change activists to American soldiers who stormed Normandy Beach on D-Day.

Where O'Rourke goes from here is anybody's guess. I can't see him running for office anytime soon. Perhaps he'll get a gig at the Kennedy School of Government and then get a reality show on MSNBC where he visits dental offices around the country. He might not become President much less a Senator, but I'm sure he'll never have to worry about his finances. Let's just say his fate is the least of my worries.

Longtime Met Beltran To Be Named New Manager

Former New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran has reportedly been named the team's new manager succeeding Mickey Callaway who was dismissed with one year remaining on his contract. Beltran spent nearly a third of his 20-year big league career with the Mets playing with them from 2005 through the middle of the 2011 season when he was traded to the San Francisco Giants. His playing career ended in 2017 when he earned his lone World Series ring with the Houston Astros.


Following his retirement, Beltran was interviewed for the managerial post with the crosstown New York Yankees after Joe Giradi was sacked. The position, of course, went to Aaron Boone. The Yankees subsequently hired Beltran to be a special adviser to GM Brian Cashman. Ironically, Beltran beat out Girardi who was interviewed twice for the vacancy before ultimately being offered the job in Philadelphia. I think Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen wanted a manager less likely to have his own ideas or at least wedded to them.


This isn't a knock on Beltran. In fact, I think he is the best possible choice. He has credibility with the players and has a very keen sense of observation as he was the one who pointed out that Yankees starter James Paxton was tipping his pitches early this season.


Of course, Beltran is in a tough division with the World Series champion Nationals, back to back NL East champion Braves and a Phillies team with Girardi at the helm. But I think it would be a mistake to sell Beltran short. If anyone can handle the scrutiny that is involved with being the manager of the New York Mets, it would be Beltran.

10 Depressing Reasons Why Trump Will Be Re-Elected

In one November from now, Americans will go to the polls to determine Donald Trump’s fate as well as our own. Despite everything Trump has said and done since his election nearly three years ago, I believe there are a sufficient number of voters who will see fit to re-elect him in a year from now. This is a depressing thought. But no matter how depressing the prospect of a second Trump term, we cannot and must not discount the possibility. With this in mind, here are 10 depressing reasons why I have concluded that voters will stick with Trump on November 3, 2020.

1. People Are Better Off Now Than They Were Four Years Ago

As of September 2019, the national unemployment rate is 3.5%. As the Trump White House boasts, it is the 19th consecutive month the unemployment rate has been at 4% or lower and represents the lowest monthly unemployment rate since May 1969. But unemployment has been trending downward for nearly the entire 2010s. After reaching 10% in October 2009, during President Obama’s first year in office, the unemployment rate had been cut in half by September 2015. When Trump entered office, the unemployment rate was 4.7%.

So Trump inherited a good economic situation from Obama. Mind you, Obama is no more responsible for the decline in unemployment which took place while he was in office than Trump is. Chances are if voters had elected John McCain, Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton in successive presidential elections we would very likely have the same level of low unemployment. But politicians being politicians, they like taking credit for things with which they have little or nothing to do. In Trump’s case, he takes bragging to a whole new level characterizing the economy under his watch as “the greatest in the history of the country” despite all evidence to the contrary.

In Trump’s case, an argument can be made that his tariff policies on allies and adversaries alike could put the U.S. economy into recession. It is estimated that Trump’s tariffs increase average costs per household between $500 to $1700 and lower annual G.D.P.in 2020 an estimated 0.3% to 1%. It might not seem like a lot. But even with unemployment at 3.5%, the manufacturing index of 47.8 in September 2019 was at its lowest level since June 2009 when the country was still in the midst of the Great Recession. The writing is on the wall. Just not on the one Trump says he wants to build.

Notwithstanding these warning signs, by the time the full impact of Trump’s tariffs are realized it will be well after the election and Trump will be safe from the voters. As long as a critical mass of voters are content with their lot in life then they will see no reason to rock the boat even if it is beginning to take on water.

2. Trump’s Tweets Work

For all of their vulgarity and balderdash, President Trump’s tweets work. They work because Trump tweets prolifically and repeats the same messages over and over again. Think “hoax”, “witch hunt”, “fake news” and targets like Hillary Clinton, James Comey and Robert Mueller not to mention the present Democratic field while praising his own efforts to no end. Tweet and retweet the same message, no matter how false, and you can fool enough of the people to believe it as the gospel truth.

Kamala Harris only makes matters worse by demanding Twitter suspend Trump’s account. While Harris is correct to say that Trump’s words are irresponsible, suspending his account would be equally irresponsible. Such a measure would turn Trump into a martyr and have the effecting of mobilizing conservatives – even those not inclined to support him. Then there are practical considerations. Banning Trump from Twitter would not prevent him from communicating by other means. When it comes to Trump’s tweets the answer isn’t banning speech but better speech. Unfortunately, Democrats don’t seem to be willing to offer anything better thus giving voters little reason to change their minds.

3. His Supporters Aren’t Abandoning Him

Trump’s tweets are the foundation of his presidency. It’s like attending a Trump rally without ever having to leave the comfort of your home. Not a single inch of that “big, beautiful wall” along the southern border has been built and, if it ever gets under way, Mexico won’t be paying for it.

You would think Trump’s supporters would feel betrayed by the President. But thought doesn’t enter into the equation. Accomplishments don’t matter. Wall or no wall, Trump’s supporters aren’t abandoning him. They would run through a wall for them and then rebuild it only to run through it again.

After Trump received strong criticism for putting anti-racists and white supremacists on the same moral plane after Charlottesville in August 2017, BBC journalist Katty Kay made the case why Trump supporters will never abandon him:

He defies the normal metrics for success because his voters don't so much support him for what he does as they adore him for what he's against.

Mr. Trump is against the political establishment (the media, the Republican Party, political grandees like the Bushes and the Clintons) and change (which encompasses everything you had but fear you are losing) and he's against the world (which has taken jobs and sent immigrants to take over America).

Peter Wehner, a so-called “establishment Republican” who worked for President Reagan and both Bushes, takes a slightly different view. Wehner believes there are Trump supporters who realize how dangerous he is, but cannot bring themselves to admit they are wrong. “To indict him is to indict themselves, and to indict their own judgment, and that’s hard for any human being," Wehner wrote, "They will defend him regardless of what happens, come hell or high water.”

Whether Trump supporters are true believers or just unwilling to admit they were wrong, they are standing by him. Eric Ostermeier, a University of Minnesota political science professor and founder of the blog Smart Politics notes, “Given everything that has happened to his administration, what I think is very telling, is [his base of support] has not moved more than a few inches. Here in Minnesota it has also been pretty consistent; it was 46 when he was inaugurated, and its 43 now. Some of his negatives have risen, but those who support him have remained relatively stable.”

And with stability comes re-election.

4. People Have Short Memories

Despite the stability in his support, President Trump has behaved in a manner which suggests otherwise. He has said and done many things inconceivable for the President of the United States much less a normal human being.

There is Trump’s constant refrain that the media as “an enemy of the people”, referring to black majority nations as “shithole countries”, his barbs at Senator John McCain months after his death while casually accusing Mueller’s investigators, FBI officials and various members of treason, a crime punishable by imprisonment or death. But for many this is all water under the bridge.

How many of you have already forgotten the video depicting Trump graphically executing his critics in the Democratic Party and the media? This wasn’t Trump’s doing in particular, but it was shown in a room of his most fervent supporters at his Doral resort in Miami. This would be the same Doral which would have hosted next year’s G-7 Summit if not for overwhelming negative public opinion.

Then there are the lies. More than 12,000 from which to choose. Most of these are the same lies – the wall is being built, the economy is the greatest ever, he passed the largest tax cut ever, Russia didn’t interfere in the 2016 election, etc. Then there was the time he deployed a sharpie to claim that Alabama was in the path of Hurricane Dorian and insisted that his lie was true. This might be funny if it wasn't for Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross threatening the jobs of NOAA officials who contradicted Trump - by stating the facts. It's bad enough that Trump lies, but his Cabinet is demanding that civil servants aid and abet those lies or lose their livelihood. Who would want to live in that kind of America?

But the barrage of balderdash and onslaught of insults is so voluminous it is hard to keep up. One outrage can easily make one forget the hundred which came before it. How many of you remember the beginning of 2019 when there was a partial shutdown of the federal government for five weeks? This might as well have been five years ago.

If not for the recent passing of Elijah Cummings, it would have been easy to forget that the former Baltimore area Congressman was a target of racially charged tweets by Trump only three months ago. Tweets which characterized Cummings’ district as "a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess" and that "no human being would want to live there.” Of course, many human beings live in Maryland’s 7^th District and most of them are African-American. This is the sort of thing we ought to remember this when entering the voting booth. But by the time November 2020 comes around, for most people, Elijah Cummings will scarcely be a footnote in the news cycle.

Those who support Trump will either dismiss his insults and lies as fake news or wear it as a badge of honor. Voters who have fewer illusions about Trump, but distrust politicians in general may be inclined to conclude that Trump is no worse than anyone else. But as former world chess champion and Russian exile Gary Kasparov put it, “The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.” If re-electing Trump doesn’t annihilate the truth, it will collapse its foundation and thereby take decades to rebuild.

5. Impeachment is Dead on Arrival

President Trump brazenly called upon recently elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to do him a favor and investigate Joe Biden. If he didn’t it would be a shame if anything happened to their military aid. After initial denials, this account of events was confirmed by White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney (before he denied ever saying any such thing hours later) and by acting Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, Jr. (who did not recant his account). Trump has also called upon China to investigate Biden in exchange for the easing of tariffs. Both of these are impeachable offenses.

While public support for impeachment has increased, so long as the Senate is controlled by Mitch McConnell impeachment is dead on arrival. The Republican Senators who don’t worship at Trump’s altar are scared to death that he will mock them on Twitter. And if they aren’t scared of Trump then they are scared of his supporters who claim impeachment is a coup. That it is a legitimate constitutional process means absolutely nothing to them. It certainly means nothing to the 30 Republican Congressmen who recently stormed a secure area of Congress to prevent a closed door impeachment hearing from proceeding. Trump supporters claim the impeachment process will be undoing a legitimate election. Even if one agrees Trump was legitimately elected in 2016 that doesn’t entitle him to engage in impeachable behavior in 2019. But let us remember Trump believes that being President entitles him to do “whatever the hell I want.”

6. “Investigating The Investigators” is Only Get Started

And what Trump wants to do is to turn the heat on the people who have investigated him during the Mueller Report which he has long characterized as a hoax and a witch hunt. What began as an administrative review of the origins of the Mueller Report by Attorney General William Barr in May has now turned into a criminal investigation led by U.S. attorney John Durham. This far more closely resembles a hoax and a witch hunt than the Mueller Report which actually resulted in a jail sentence for former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and a pending trial for longtime Trump advisor Roger Stone.

Notwithstanding Durham’s stellar reputation as a prosecutor, pressure might be brought to bear from the White House against Durham to lay charges given how Trump expects “bad things” to come of the inquiry. Considering how Trump has railed against the FBI by accusing it of treason, it would not shock me to see indictments against the likes of longtime Trump bogeymen Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Andrew McCabe and perhaps even against former FBI Director James Comey and Mueller himself.

Of course, any indictments which might be brought will have no legal merit whatsoever. There is only treason against the United States, not the President of the United States never mind a presidential candidate. But such indictments would have the effect of intimidating those who dare hold Trump to scrutiny, prevent further inquiry and accelerate this country’s descent into authoritarianism.

Even if no indictments are ever brought so long as the DOJ investigation against the Mueller Report is open, it will be grist for Trump’s mill during the election campaign and his supporters won’t be able to get enough. While most voters will see through it, there will be enough voters for whom this will effectively cancel out the impact of any impeachment proceedings against Trump - especially if Trump is in a pardoning mood.

7. Democrats Won’t Turn Out for Joe Biden Just as They Didn’t For Hillary Clinton

President Trump has asked not one, but two foreign governments to investigate an American citizen and all because he dares to challenge Trump for the office he holds. Yet for all of Trump’s illegality and impropriety, Joe Biden isn’t exactly getting much in the way of sympathy. After all, there more than dozen other Democrats who want to be the one who faces Trump next year. Meanwhile, Democratic Party activists have been lukewarm at best to Biden while displaying outright hostility at worst. Unlike President Obama, Biden garners very little enthusiasm among younger voters. During the Democratic debate in September, I witnessed a room full of NYU students openly boo the former VP.

Biden could still win the nomination, but a critical mass of Democrats have no enthusiasm for him and will sit on their hands as they did for Hillary Clinton in 2016. At this point, Elizabeth Warren has captured the hearts of most progressives and is now viewed as the frontrunner.

8. Donald Trump is a Liar, But Elizabeth Warren is a Phony

Whatever affection the Democratic base has for Warren, she has plenty of problems of her own. Her false claims of Native American identity continue to be her kryptonite. While none of her Democratic rivals have seen fit to challenge her claims, Trump will not be so hesitant. After all, it was Trump who goaded Warren to ill-advisedly take a DNA test to prove her Native American ancestry much to the anger and dismay of the Cherokee Nation.

Now comes her dubious claim that she was fired from a teaching job in New Jersey in the 1970’s due to her pregnancy when in fact she was encouraged to go to law school. It also doesn’t help that Warren can’t bring herself to admit that her Medicare for All proposal will result in tax increases on the middle class. All of which makes you wonder why Democrats keep nominating smug elitists who reside in Massachusetts.

President Trump might be a pathological liar, but Elizabeth Warren only need tell a lie or two to undo her credibility. But for all his fallacious behavior, Trump somehow comes off as genuine while Warren comes off as a phony. If Democrats nominate Warren then you can be sure Trump will call Warren “Pocahantas” and "Fauxcahontas" every chance he gets. Warren might have a plan for everything, but I don't think she has a plan for defeating Donald Trump.

9. Bernie Sanders’ Heart

Whatever one thinks of Bernie Sanders, there is nothing phony about him. He wears his heart on his sleeve. And his return to the campaign trail scarcely two weeks removed from a heart attack has made his campaign something of a feel good story. Endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib demonstrate that he still has a shot at the nomination.

Bernie’s heart might be in it, but there will remain the question if it could give out. President Trump is the epitome of the obesity epidemic in America despite at least one of his supporters insisting that he looks younger in office. With all that being said, Trump hasn’t suffered a heart attack and he would raise Bernie’s ticker in a heartbeat. And when Trump doesn’t tweet about Bernie’s heart, he’ll tweet about AOC, Omar and Tlaib at every opportunity and not without justification. While it was wrong to for Trump to encourage his supporters to “send them back”, he will strike a resonant chord when he raises the legitimate question of their anti-Semitic statements and support of BDS. It will certainly make the case that their endorsement of a Jewish candidate for the White House is little more than a smokescreen.

10. People Trust The Government and The Media Less Than They Trust Trump

As of this writing, President Trump has an overall disapproval rating of 54.4%. You would think this screams, “One Term President!!!” The problem is that Americans have less trust our institutions less than they trust President Trump including the media. At least a third of Americans agree with Trump’s oft-repeated view that the media is an enemy of the American people. Only 17% of Americans trust the government.

While there is such a thing as a healthy skepticism of authority, this level of distrust in the government is the sort of thing which helped allowed Trump get to the White House and probably remain there even though he is now very much part of the government. If we had more trust in government, in our media and other public institutions, Trump’s candidacy would never have gotten off the ground floor at Trump Tower. And yet here we are nearly three years removed from Trump being elected our 45^th President and a year away from signing up for four more years of tantrums, tweets and totalitarian praise.

Conclusion

For all of Trump’s foolishness, impulsiveness, meanness, prejudice and utter disregard for the law by using the White House for personal gain, most of us are doing well enough that we don’t care, don’t want to overturn the apple cart, don’t remember what they had for breakfast yesterday much less what Trump tweeted three months ago or are content to look the other way. Of course, this might result in a lot of sore necks and visits to the chiropractor because there is no reason to believe Trump’s foolishness, impulsiveness, meanness, prejudice and utter disregard for the law will cease.

For all his character deficiencies, Trump stays on message to hold his base. While many who voted for Trump might not worship him much less think of attending one of his rallies. They might even find what he says and tweets to be offensive. But people learn to tune out what he says as the alternatives aren’t viewed in any higher esteem. There are also low opinions of the institutions inside and outside of government charged with holding him to account. In which case, there could be as many voters inclined to believe the origins of the Mueller Report are corrupt than anything Trump has done where it concerns asking the Ukrainian President. It is a sad, depressing state of affairs. But so long as this depressing state of affairs persists then none of us should be surprised if a plurality of American voters gives Trump another mandate in a year from now.