Is Donald Trump too unwell to be president?

"I do the weave. You know what the weave is? I’ll talk about, like, nine different things that they all come back brilliantly together. And it’s like friends of mine that are like English professors, they say: ‘It’s the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen,’” 

- Donald Trump

It is unspeakably dangerous for the president of the United States to be mentally and physically unwell.  It is obvious that Donald Trump is both.  He is a threat to the security of Americans and to the world.  Why isn't corporate media questioning Trump's fitness to be president more strongly?  The Republican presidential nominee is not funny and he's not entertaining.  He is downright scary, and yes, weird.  It is frightening that so many American's are willing to support such a man.  It's as if his behaviour has been normalized.

Trump's speeches have become more and more bizarre, and increasingly more incoherent. They are longer and more rambling. Trump realizes this himself, as you can tell from the quote above.  He is in no shape to be president.  To be blunt, he is losing it.  He does not have all his mental faculties, and he is only going to get worse.  If, heaven forbid, Trump should ever win the election because of the electoral college and the right wing Supreme Court, he will be a complete and utter disaster.

Nevertheless, Trump has the backing of the Republican Party.  Sadly, the party of Lincoln is no longer a real political party.  It is a cult party, completely controlled by a severely ill 78-year-old man.  Trump is in no condition to be anywhere near the nuclear codes.  He is in no condition to deal with Vladimir Putin or the war in Gaza.  He should never set foot in  the Oval Office again.

If you doubt me, just take a look at Trump's physical appearance.  He doesn't look healthy with his orange-toned puffy face.  He spouts incoherent gibberish about Hannibal Lector, Al Capone and sharks.  When Joe Biden appeared unwell during a debate with Trump, the pressure was immediate and relentless for  him to bow out of the presidential race, which he eventually did.  

Donald Trump did not expect President Biden to bow out, simply because he can't conceive of a politician voluntarily relinquishing power.  Trump doesn't understand why Biden put his country above himself.  He has no comprehension of sacrifice or loyalty to anything or anybody but himself.

There is clearly a double standard in America.  Much of the mainstream media are not focusing on Donald Trump's mental state and his obvious cognitive decline.  Why not?  Joe Biden was considered not fit for the office of the presidency.  Donald Trump is a great deal less fit to be president than Joe Biden.  Biden, who is only three years older than Trump, struggles with age-related issues.  However, Biden is not a sociopath.  He would never attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government, as Trump did on January 6, 2001.  Biden is not a convicted felon, as Trump is.  He is neither a racist nor a misogynist.  Unlike Trump, Biden believes in democracy and wants to preserve it.

There have been several American presidents who had serious health issues.  Abraham Lincoln suffered from depression.  Today he would have been prescribed Prozac.  Lincoln's depression was not anywhere near as serious as Trump's mental issues.  Lincoln was 56 years old when he was assassinated in 1865.

Lincoln

Woodrow Wilson had a near-fatal stroke on October 2, 1919, which left him incapacitated.  The severity of Wilson's condition was hidden from Congress and the American people.  All messages to him were relayed directly to his wife, Edith.  Wilson finished his term in office in 1921.  He died on February 3, 1924.

Wilson

In February of 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt was very ill when he met Josef Stalin and Winston Churchill for a conference at Yalta, a Russian spa on the Crimean coast.  FDR died about two months later on April 12, 1945, without completing his fourth term as president.  

FDR

In September of 1955, Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered an acute heart attack while vacationing in Denver, Colorado.  Eisenhower ran for a second term in office in 1956.  He won, defeating the Democratic candidate, Adlai Stevenson.

Eisenhower

In 1972, Democratic Senator George McGovern chose Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri as his vice-presidential running mate.  It was revealed that Eagleton had received electroshock therapy for clinical depression during the 1960s.  The senator was later diagnosed with bipolar II.  

McGovern initially backed his running mate "1000 percent"  However, after confidentially consulting with prominent psychologists, McGovern was told that a recurrence of Eagleton's depression was possible and could imperil the country should he become acting president.  At McGovern's request, Eagleton then withdrew his candidacy for vice president.

Eagleton was replaced by Kennedy in-law Sargent Shriver.  The addition of Shriver, a diplomat, and the driving force behind the creation of the Peace Corrps, was not enough to save the McGovern campaign.  He and Shriver were defeated by Richard Nixon in a landslide victory for the Republicans.

Eagleton

Eagleton was much younger that Donald Trump when he was forced to remove himself from his candidacy for vice president.  He was in his early 40s, while Trump is 78 years old.  Eagleton did not ramble incoherently.  He did not slur his speech.  Trump's mental state is so much worse that Eagleton's.  Yet the spineless Republicans still anointed him as their 2024 candidate for president.

Many of Trump's most ardent supporters are billionaires.  They desire the tax breaks he will give them if he becomes president again.  They don't care if it means a deranged man is the leader of the United States of America.  How this race is even close is beyond me.  In the United States, all are supposed to be equal before the law.  Trump has been able to evade justice at every corner, either by delaying tactics or intimidation and bullying.  On November 5th, the American people are going to have deliver the verdict on democracy in America.  If Trump wins, he will not allow another free election in the United States.  He will permit his friend and fellow alpha male, Putin, to run roughshod over Ukraine.  By the way, Putin and Trump may act tough on the outside, but like all bullies, they are mush on the inside.

I urge Americans to rise up and use your vote to prevent Donald Trump from regaining the presidency. The American judiciary system has failed to stop this deranged demagogue.  It will take the power of the people on November 5th to keep him away from the White House.  It will take the power of the electoral ballot to bring Trump down.

- Joanne

Our surprise parking ticket

Thursday, August 22 was an ideal day to visit the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto, which we locals call "the Ex."  It was sunny, but not too humid.  It was also a fine day for a football game.  So, my husband and I decided to spend some time at the Ex and then attend the Toronto Argos game at BMO Field on the CNE grounds.

We prefer taking the GO train to the Es, so we parked our car near the Mimico GO station.  There were many unoccupied reserved parking spaces close to the station.  We could have parked illegally in one of them, but we didn't.  Instead of taking our chances by parking in a reserved space, we chose to park our vehicle a little further away, on Wesley St.  After a short walk, we caught the next train to the Ex.  

After an enjoyable time at the fair and at the football game, we caught a GO train back to the Mimico station.  We soon noticed an unpleasant surprise on our windshield - a yellow parking ticket.  At first we were mystified because we hadn't noticed any NO PARKING signs where we parked.  However, we were fined $40 for parking longer than three hours.  Again, we were mystified.  We hadn't seen any sign informing us that there was a time limit.  Is the city so cash strapped that it is handing out parking tickets here, there and everywhere?

It seems so blatantly unfair.  Much more than three hours is required for a day at the Ex.  We don't see how we were careless or negligent.  We don't think we deserved the parking ticket.  We had no idea about restricting our parking time to three hours.  How were we to know when there was no sign?  If we are missing something, we would like to know.  We also don't want to give up taking the GO train to the Ex or to sporting events at BMO Field.

- Joanne

Why do we rush the summer?

Today is August 20th, and many will say that the end of summer is nigh.  I am not one of them.  I find enjoyment in all four seasons, but summer is really special.  I revel in those lazy, hazy days of sunshine, and those long, lingering summer evenings.  Yes, I know it must come to an end, that it's all part of the cycle of life.  Summer must end to make way for fall and winter, and, of course, life must go on.  What I don't understand is why it has to be rushed.  Summer should be savoured.  It should be sipped slowly.

The back-to-school sales seem to be starting earlier and earlier every year.  That's the way advertising works.  However, the autumnal equinox falls on September 22, 2024.  That's over a month away.  We actually have more than a month of summer left.  What's the rush?

For many, summer ends when school begins.  In the province of Ontario, where I've lived all my life, the first day of school is traditionally the Tuesday after Labour Day.  Here in Toronto, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) runs from mid-August until Labour Day.  When I was a child, the CNE or "the Ex" was summer's swan song, its last blast before the beginning of a new school year.

In other areas, school begins earlier, often the last week of August.  For most students, summer ends when school begins, but what about all the people who aren't students or teachers?  There is still much to enjoy in the month of September, even if you have returned to school and must concentrate on your studies.

Every moment of summer is  precious, and I don't want to waste a single one.  I prefer to sip the seasonal elixir for as long as possible. 

- Joanne

Maritime photos: New Brunswick

 I recently toured the Maritimes.  I love Atlantic Canada/  It is one of my favourite places in the world.  On this trip, I visited Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.  Here are some New Brunswick photos.  My Nova Scotia and P.E.I. photos are on separate pages.

- Joanne

NEW BRUNSWICK

Alma, New Brunswick

Fundy National Park

Baie Verte, New Brunswick, Near Sackville      

Bistro Le Chat Bleu

Maritime photos: Nova Scotia

I toured the Maritimes from July 5 to July 17, 2024.  I love Atlantic Canada.  It is one of my favourite places in the world.  On this trip, I visited Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.  Here are some Nova Scotia photos.  My New Brunswick and P.E.I. photos are on separate pages.

- Joanne

NOVA SCOTIA

Halifax

Point Pleasant Park

Point Pleasant Park

Point Pleasant Park

Point Pleasant Park

Halifax restaurant: The Bicycle Thief

Halifax waterfront

Lunenburg

Peggy's Cove

              

Maritime photos: Prince Edward Island

I recently toured the Maritimes.  I love Atlantic Canada/  It is one of my favourite places in the world.  On this trip, I visited Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.  Here are some P.E.I. photos.  My Nova Scotia and New Brunswick photos are on separate pages.

- Joanne

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND   

Summerside

Spinnakers Landing

South Rustico

St. Augstine's Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic church on Prince Edward Island, was built in 1838.

Cavendish    

Cavendish Beach

Sunset at Cavendish Beach

Cavendish Sand Dune

Green Gables Heritage Place

Anne of Green Gables House

Lover's Lane and Haunted Forest

       

Charlottetown

Arts Hotel

Cows ice cream store

J.D. Vance and his childless cat ladies

J.D. Vance

"We’re effectively run in this country—via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs—by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”

- J.D. Vance in a 2021 interview with former Fox host Tucker Carlson.  Vance then mentioned Vice President Kamala Harris by name.

Donald Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, has really opened up a Pandora's Box.  His 2021 comments have come back to haunt him.  That' why, he tried to backtrack in a July 26, 2024 interview with Megyn Kelly.  The junior senator from Ohio told Kelly that "Obviously, it was a sarcastic comment.  He addend, "I've got nothing against dogs.  I've got one dog at home, and I love him, Megyn.  "But, he continued, "people are focusing so much on sarcasm and not on the substance of what I actually said, and the substance of what I said, Megyn, I'm sorry, it's true.  It's true that we've become anti-family.  It is true that the left has become anti-child."

Vance tried to cover up his odious views by using sarcasm as an excuse.  So, J.D., tell us how we are supposed to know whether you are being so sarcastic or not?  Furthermore, what right do you have to judge women?  What right do you have to claim that non-conservatives are anti-family and anti-child?.  How dare you!

Vance's comments about childlessness are are deeply disturbing, incredibly vile and profoundly offensive.  Full disclosure.  I am one of J.D. Vance's "childless cat ladies."  However, I would still feel the same way if I were a biological mother.  Vance's comments are terribly insulting to all women, and especially insulting to stepmothers and adoptive parents, who are not "childless."  If I could vote against the Trump ticket, I would.  However, I am a Canadian citizen and will not be able to vote on November 5th.

It's is nobody else's business why a couple is childless.  The couple may be painfully infertile.  There may have been miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies or endometriosis.  There could be a number of medical reasons, or they may just be childless by choice.  Not everyone is fit to be a parent.  

Perhaps a couple or an individual prefer to adopt a child who is already in the world.  Misogynous males such as Trump and Vance should mind their own business.  They devalue women.  The regard females, especially non-white females, as second class citizens.  They don't think that women who do not have biological children deserve as much stake in a democracy.  They would relegate these women to third class citizenship.

Kamala Harris is looking to the future.  She said, "We are not gong back."  Trump and Vance would like to retore 1950s America.  They would like to return to June Cleaver's America., which is gone forever. Theirs is a falsely idyllic vision of America that doesn't exist anymore.  It is an America controlled by white males, an America where women did not have a choice to be anything but homemakers.  This is definitely not to demean homemakers, but women have far more choices now, and they have fought hard for those choices.

It's interesting, but not surprising, that Vance has said nothing about childless men.  Americans need to be reminded that their first president George Washington, the father of their country, had no biological children  On January 6th, 1959, Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, a 27-year-old widow with two children, John Parke Cutis "Jacky" and Martha Parke Custis "Patsy."  He became a devoted stepfather to the two children.  He and Martha raised them together.

Below is a portrait, circa 1759, of George Washington with Martha and his stepchildren.

When Kamala Harris married Doug Emhoff in 2014, she became the devoted stepmother to her husband's two children, Cole, 29 and Ella 25,, from his first marriage.  Ella and Cole affectionally refer to her as "mamala."  

Kamala with Doug and Ella and Cole

Doug's ex-wife, film producer Kerstin Emhoff, described Vance's comments as "baseless."  In a statement to NBC News, she said, "For over 10 years, since Cole and Ella were teenagers, Kamala has be a co-parent with Doug and I.  She is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, and always present.  I love our blended family and am greateful to have her in it."

In a recent Instagram story, Ella Emhoff said, "How can you be 'childless when you have cutie kids like Cole and I?  I love my three parents."

- Joanne

The difference between Christian Nationalism and Christianity

  CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM:  Our country is blessed.  It's manifest destiny.  Our ways are superior.   Our constitution is divine.  Our people first.  God chose US.

 CHRIST (to all nationalities):  Love your neighbour.  Serve others.  Welcome the stranger.  Care for the sick.  Feed the hungry.  Be a peacemaker.  For God so loved the world.

- posted by Stephen DeVol, Catholic Internet Television Network

Political nationalism can be very dangerous.  We have witnessed the horrors of Hitler's German nationalism, as well as Putin's Russian nationalism.  Unfortunately, religious nationalism can be just as dangerous. It can lead to hatred, violence and strife.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing Hindu nationalism, for example, has incited anti-Islamic sentiment in India.  By the way, Modi recently provided a warm welcome for war criminal and dictator Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Islamic extremists, such as the 9/11 terrorists, are fueled by Islamic nationalism.  They believe that they are fighting a holy war, despite the fact that their actions are contrary to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

Sadly, many American evangelicals and right-wing Republicans have embraced Christian nationalism.  A prime example is Mike Johnson, speaker of the United States House of Representatives. The ultra-conservative Johnson is closely associated with the leaders of the New Apostolic Reformation, which advocates Christian dominion over all aspects of society, ending or weakening the separation of church and state.

Mike Johnson

Johnson and his fellow MAGA Republicans support convicted felon Donald Trump for president, a man who consistently violates the major tenets of Christianity, a man who sews hatred for Blacks, women, immigrants, Latinos, homosexuals and the disabled.  In 2015, this same Mike Johnson wrote on Facebook that "Donald Trump . . . lacks the character and the moral center we desperately need again in the White House."  He added, "I am afraid he would break more things than he fixes.  He is a hot head by nature, and that is a dangerous trait to have in a Commander in Chief . . . I just don't think he has the demeanor to be President."

Mike Johnson has certainly changed his tune about Donald Trump now that he is a leading figure in a Republican Party that is under the absolute control of the mob boss former president.  Johnson is also second in line to the presidency after Vice President Kamala Harris.

- Joanne

Thoughts on American Independence Day 2024

"President Joe Biden's debate performance was a disaster. His disjointed responses and dazed look sparked calls for him to drop out of the presidential race.

But lost in the hand wringing was Donald Trump's usual bombastic litany of lies, hyperbole, bigotry, ignorance, and fear mongering. His performance demonstrated once again that he is a danger to democracy and unfit for office.

In fact, the debate about the debate is misplaced. The only person who should withdraw from the race is Trump.

Trump, 78, has been on the political stage for eight years marked by chaos, corruption, and incivility. Why go back to that?"

- Editorial in The Philadelphia Enquirer, June 29, 2024

Dear America.

Today is July 4th, Independence Day in the United States, the day when Americans celebrate the birth of the Republic in 1776.  248 years later, the United States faces one of the greatest challenges in its history.  Someone has emerged who wants king-like powers bestowed upon him.  Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, demands loyalty to himself, not to the United States of America.  This is how authoritarians behave.  Trump's words and deeds are extremely disturbing, a threat to America's freedoms.  If Trump wins the election, he will assume king-like powers, especially after the Supreme Court's decision that would give him immunity in official matters.  

The Supreme Court's decision means that if Trump wins the presidency, the guardrails would be off.  He could order the assassination of a political opponent, organize a military coup, or take a bribe in exchange for a pardon.  It is not difficult to imagine Trump acting in this way if he regains he highest office in the land.  

On his social media platform, Trump has called for a televised military tribunal for former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, and the imprisonment of top elected officials, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.  He has decreed that Cheney is guilty of treason because, even though she is a conservative, she has been severely critical of Trump.  She has bravely defended the rule of law.

"The rule of law means in this country that the law is not used as an instrument of the ruler -- the rule of law is supposed to contain the ruler. The Supreme Court just undid that, and it's binding." 

- Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

As a Canadian, I am profoundly worried about the political climate south of the border as the November 5th election draws closer..  I write this out of the utmost concern and consternation.  It is not an exaggeration to say that the 2024 election is the most consequential in American history.  It must be emphasized that the election is much more than just a choice between two men, Joe Biden and Donald Trump.  The real choice is between democracy and rule of law (represented by President Joe Biden) versus chaos and authoritarianism (represented by former president Donald Trump.  Democracy is on the table.  It is on the ballot.  In fact, American Republic has not been so severely threatened since the Civil War of 1861 to 1865.

Donald Trump will not accept the results of the 2024 election unless he wins.  During the recent debate, he was asked if he would respect the peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election.  He replied that he would absolutely accept the results of a fair election.  For Trump, the only fair election is one in which he is victorious.  Otherwise, he considers the election a scam.

It saddens me that there are people in the United States who wear T-shirts proclaiming "I'm voting for the convicted felon."  Since when has being a convicted felon become a source of pride, something to brag about?  Trump brings out the worst in Americans and he gives them a licence to be crude and rude and racist.  He is a cult leader who has convinced many of his followers that he has been sent by God to save America.  

 

Donald Trump is the biggest whiner and complainer on the planet, constantly portraying himself as a victim.  He's gotten away with far too much for far too long.  If anyone else had done what Trump had done, he or she would be prison right now.  Michael Cohen served prison time for his crime, the same crime that Donald Trump committed.  Isn't justice suppose to be blind to wealth and privilege?

Frankly, the mainstream corporate media are far too easy on Trump, despite the fact that Trump is a clear and present danger to the United States and to the world.  Joe Biden is not a racist or a misogynist.  He did not lead an unruly right-wing mob in an attempt to overturn the results of a valid election.  He has not threatened anyone's life the way Trump's mob threatened to hang then-Vice President Mike Pence.  Biden has not given tax cuts to billionaires.  He has not ignored the threat of climate change.  He has not praised dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.  Nor has had tried to keep classified documents for himself/  Nor has he been found liable for sexual abuse and defamation as Trump has in the E. Jean Carroll Case. Nor has he locked up the children of migrants in detention centres, separating them from their parents.  President Biden has not behaved like a mob boss.

Despite all of this, it is Joe Biden who is facing a whirlwind of criticism over his debate performance, some from his own Democratic party.  However, very few Republicans are calling for Donald Trump to step down in the wake of his criminal behaviour.  Many Republicans have criticized Trump in the past, but are standing by him now.  They are only concerned about winning power, not the welfare of their country.

Trump hates the free press whenever he is criticized.  He has called the media "the enemy of the people." in the chilling language of a despot.  However, as the former host of a reality show, Trump understands that the media thrive on controversy and ratings.  He is a showman, a bully and a con man,  and the press falls right into his hands.  

It's Biden who is on the defensive, while Trump seemingly gets away with everything.  For the most part, Trump's delaying tactics have prevented the courts from giving him the justice his deserves.  However, his luck can' last forever.  Sooner or later, he's destined for a reckoning.  This is not to argue that Biden should not be under scrutiny, or that there should no be questions about his performance during the debate, but why hasn't Trump been criticized more strongly for his outright lies during the debate?

Why is Tramp allowed to run for the office of President of the United States after all he has done?  He is a sick man and he is becoming more unhinged every day.  Democracy in America has a strong heartbeat. but is it strong enough to withstand the onslaught from Donald Trump and his supporters?  We'll find out on November 5th.  Meanwhile, I will continue to alert you to the consequences if Trump is returned to the Oval Office.  Don't ever say I didn't warn you.

Sincerely,

Joanne

Reflections after Canada Day

 

CANADA'A MOTTO

A Mari usque ad Mare

"From sea to sea"

Yesterday, on Canada Day, we celebrated the 157th anniversary of this great country.  I spent most of the day at Harbourfront in Toronto.  The weather was beautiful and very temperate.  Thankfully, there were no gusty winds and it was not overly humid.  I  must say, it was heartening, in these troubled times, to witness people of all ages, and a multitude of different races and religions, simply relaxing and enjoying themselves by Lake Ontario.

It's time for Canadians to lighten up.  Those on the far right claim that Canada is broken.  Some on the left claim we have nothing to celebrate because of colonialism and the treatment of the Indigenous peoples.  All we can do is acknowledge the sins of the past, and work toward healing and reconciliation, Once we recognize our failures, three is no choice but to move forward and look to the future.

The Confederation of 1867 was truly remarkable, almost a miracle, considering the odds against it ever happening.  It is an extraordinary achievement that such a vast territory, with disparities in language and tradition, could be united, especially with such a powerful nation to the south.  Yet, it happened.  It happened without war or revolution.  75 years ago, in 1949, we welcomed Newfoundland and Labrador as our 10th province.  In 1999, the territory of Nunavut was established, with an independent Inuit government.

No country is perfect.  Every nation has its blemishes.  However, it isn't helpful to throw away the baby with the bathwater.  Unlike those on the far right, I do not think Canada is broken.  I just it needs some retooling and repairing.  That can't happen over night.  Political opponents must work together to build a better Canada.  They are not enemies.  They have a common purpose.  That purpose is to improve the lives of the people of this country.  Canadians must not allow Trumpism to infect our body politic.  Donald Trump and his supporters have set the tome for a language of hate, especially of immigrants and refugees.

These are uncertain times.  The last few years haven't been easy.  The world has endured a devastating pandemic, only to see the cost of living rise greatly as a result of the COVID virus.  Our wages have not kept pace with inflation.  Nevertheless, Canada has weathered the storm in better shape than most countries.  Whining and complaining is not helpful.  It never solved a problem.  We need to find practical solutions.  I understand that people are hurting, but whining and complaining won't help.  

My grandparents were Italian immigrants from Sicily.  I am proud of my Italian heritage and I am grateful to my grandparents for allowing me to have the life I have in Canada.  We have freedoms and opportunities that people in other countries can only dream about.  This is a vast country, a diverse country from the Arctic Circle to the Great Lake waters.  I am proud to call myself a Canadian.

- Joanne