Category Archives: Election

“The Frogs Who Desired a King,” a Fable for our Times

12 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by in Election, Fables

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Les Grenouilles qui demandent un roi (La Fontaine)
The Frogs Asking [for] a King (La Fontaine)
(Photo credit: La Fontaine’s former site officiel)

Les Grenouilles qui demandent un roi is the fourth fable in book three of La Fontaine’s first volume of Fables (1668) (IX.2). His second volume, containing five books, was published in 1678. The twelfth book was published in 1694, shortly before his death. The same fable is also one of Æsop’s Fables, classified as number 44 in the Perry Index (the classification of Æsop’s Fables).

Les Grenouilles qui demandent un roi tells the story of “silly and frightened” frogs who live in a democracy, but, tired of democracy, ask Jupiter for a monarch. Jupiter acquiesces. From the skies descends a peace-loving king who makes a huge noise as he lands. This king is often represented as a beam or log.

Frightened by the din, the frogs go into hiding, only to return slowly to look at the king. The peace-loving king is a beam, which is not very kingly. The frogs start jumping on the beam-king, which the king tolerates as Jupiter grumbles. The beam-king is a kindly monarch, but he does not move.

Dissatisfied, the people go back to Jupiter to ask for a king who moves. So Jupiter sends them a crane that starts eating them up. In Æsop’s telling of this fable, the crane is a stork.

In Phædrus‘ Latin translation of this fable by Æsop, a second king is sent to the frogs. It is a water snake. There is no second king in La Fontaine.

Our silly frogs complain, and Jupiter tells them, first, that they should have kept their government (a democracy), second, that they should have been pleased to be sent a gentleman-king, the beam-king, and, third, to settle for the king they have for fear of encountering a worse one, La Fontaine’s celui-ci (this one) pointing to the voracious crane.

In Æsop, as noted above, the crane is a stork.

KING LOG & KING STORK

The Frogs prayed to Jove for a king:
“Not a log, but a livelier thing.”
Jove sent them a Stork,
Who did royal work,
For he gobbled them up, did their king.

DON’T HAVE KINGS

ranae_et_rex

An art nouveau illustration by Charles Robinson from an 1895 edition
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To read the fable in French, click on Les Grenouilles qui demandent un roi
To read the fable in English, click on The Frogs Asking [for] a King

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The Baby’s Own Aesop by Walter Crane

The Moral

One of the morals of this fable is the eternal “Leave well enough alone,” but we are also reading a “Beware-of-your-wishes-as-they-may-come-true” narrative. The moral of this fable is also a defense of the status quo, the state of affairs.

If all is well, a change is not necessary. If forewarned of possible dangers, a change may be dangerous. Knowing there are very real dangers, one does not jump into uncertainty. In a serious election, one cannot say “I’ll give him or her a chance.” Acting in such a manner reflects a somewhat flawed understanding of democracy. As I wrote above, La Fontaine calls the frogs who are not pleased with the good king log, a beam: “gent fort sotte et fort peureuse,” very silly and very frightened people.

We do not know the exact origin of this fable. Æsop retold fables told in the Near East, Middle East and India, including Buddhist tales. The most likely source is the Sanskrit Panchatantra by Vishnu Sharma, written in the 3rd century BCE. The storyteller is Pilpay or Bidpai. Bidpai’s stories were translated by Persian scholar Ibn al-Muqaffa as Kalīlah wa Dimnah. Moreover, Æsopic fables translated into Latin, by Phædrus, or Greek, by Babrius, were retold several times after Phædrus and Babrius. There are modern references to the Frogs Who Desired a King or King Log & King Stork. Under The Frogs Who desired a King, Wikipedia quotes New Zealand author James K. Baxter who wrote:

A democratic people have elected
King Log, King Stork, King Log, King Stork again.

Because I like a wide and silent pond
I voted Log. That party was defeated.

Howrah Bridge and Other Poems, London, 1961

These words will be my conclusion.

RELATED ARTICLES 

Sources and Resources

Wikipedia’s The Frogs Who Desired a King is our best source of information on this fable.

Æsop’s Fables
Perry Index #44 (a complete classification)

Ladislas Starevich, 1922

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Arthur Rackham

© Micheline Walker
12 November 2016
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Donald Trump: 370 Economists

10 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

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Mrs Clinton will not forget, at least not easily, but she was very composed while delivering her concession speech. No one expected Mr Trump to be elected to the presidency.

The Letter from 370 Economists

Many of us did our best to prevent a Trump victory, but democracy is flawed. It allows everyone to vote, including those who are incapable of making an informed decision. They are easily led by slogans. Democracy also allows anyone to run for office and, in the United States, the educated, including Nobel Prize winners, are mere ‘academics.’ With Donald Trump at the wheel, an economic collapse can be expected, which is frightening. One listens.

A group of 370 economists, including eight Nobel laureates in economics, have signed a letter warning against the election of Republican nominee Donald Trump, calling him a “dangerous, destructive choice” for the country.
Nick Timiraos, the Wall Street Journal, Nov. 1, 2016

No one listened. Mr Trump is a liar, a racist, a bigot, a bully, a misogynist, and a possible rapist. He is incapable of self-control, profoundly disturbed by Narcissistic Personality Disorder, but he has been voted into the office of President of the United States, despite serious warnings on the part of 370 economists who called him a “dangerous, destructive choice.” A know-it-all America dismissed warnings from the ablest and wisest. Mr Trump did not seek the presidency so he could serve his country. No, not even remotely. He sought the presidency to feed his ego, to serve himself.

bn-qo372_trumpe_m_20161101111503-1Donald Trump campaigns in Warren, Mich., on Monday. Adviser Peter Navarro reacted to the letter Tuesday, saying in part, “You shouldn’t believe economists or Nobel Prize winners on trade.” PHOTO: JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

What Happened?

How this happened is somewhat difficult to explain. It could be an example of the American psyche. (See Glenn Beck, below.)

However, the following is a possible scenario. When FBI Director James Comey reopened the investigation into Mrs Clinton’s emails, he placed her under a cloud of suspicion. Her emails had been investigated, but once wasn’t enough, he reopened the investigation knowing he would find no criminal wrongdoing on the part of Mrs Clinton. Investigating again was a witch hunt and I believe it jeopardized Mrs Clinton’s bid for the presidency of the United States.

The timing points to a set up, un coup monté. However, the ‘bad guy’ was Mr Trump, a sexual predator who was threatening to sue the women who confirmed that they had been assaulted by him. The ‘bad guy’ was not Mrs Clinton who used the wrong server, whatever that is, to send emails. She was cleared for the second time on Sunday 6 November, which was much too late for her to recover. Therefore, on Tuesday 8 November 2016, Americans, who customarily suspect the establishment, shot themselves in the foot and transformed the election into a small, but perhaps not so small, coup d’état.

My question remains. Who put FBI Director James Comey up to this dastardly deed? The United States remains a house divided against itself. The Civil War is not over.

The Greater America

In fact, where is that greater America? I remember years of relative prosperity. For instance, when the interstate was built, President Dwight D. Eisenhower‘s initiative, Americans who could afford a car moved to a bungalow in suburbia. Many of these bungalows were cantilevered. There was a rumpus room, a recreation room, under the bedrooms. That is where couch potatoes slouched watching television. Cars could also take them to drive-in movie theatres where they slouched. In fact, food could be brought to a car and a large percentage of the slouching population got fatter. Smaller potatoes grew into larger potatoes as cars polluted the air. Was this a greater America? It would not be possible for 370 economists, a large number, to instill doubt into the mind of couch potatoes. Couch potatoes vegetate.

Glenn Beck: we don’t listen

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/glenn-beck-we-dont-listen_us_5822bf78e4b0d9ce6fbfedb8

 —ooo—

About two weeks ago, Mr Trump stated that he was then quite certain President Obama was born in the United States, but that he had yet to be persuaded that President Obama was a Christian, not with a name like Barack Hussein Obama. This is an obsession, une idée fixe.

Hillary Clinton greeted supporters after delivering her concession speech on Wednesday in Manhattan. “This is painful, and it will be for a long time,” Mrs. Clinton said. Doug Mills/The New York Times

Conclusion

What next? If 370 economists called Mr Trump a “dangerous, destructive choice,” I have reason to fear. It’s a tragedy.

Canada and the United States are neighbours. We share the Great Lakes and many of us also share ancestry. At any rate, we welcomed draft dodgers and will welcome Americans who may think moving to Canada is an option. But how does one escape Donald Trump?

This, I believe, was my last post on the American presidency.

Love to everyone ♥

Nat King Cole sings “The Falling Leaves”

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© Micheline Walker
9 November 2016 (11/9)
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November 8, 2016: the USA Votes

07 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

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07campaign4-superjumbo
Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia on Sunday. The F.B.I. informed Congress on Sunday that it has not changed its conclusions about Mrs. Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state. (The New York Times)

“WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, told Congress on Sunday that he had seen no evidence in a recently discovered trove of emails to change his conclusion that Hillary Clinton should face no charges over her handling of classified information.” (The New York Times)

What is particularly shocking in this story is not only the timing of Mr Comey’s decision to re-open the investigation into Mrs Clinton’s emails, but the fact that Mr Comey knew that re-opening the investigation would not show criminal wrongdoing on the part of Mrs Clinton, but would give Mr Trump an advantage.

It was obstructionism, i.e. putting obstacles in the way of a nominee, and it was political. Mr Comey gave Mr Trump an advantage. Mr Comey all but removed Mrs Clinton’s bid to the presidency of the United States by suggesting partisanship.

It is for the American electorate to choose the President of the United States, not the FBI. By announcing it was re-opening its investigation regarding emails sent from her personal computer, the FBI put Mrs Clinton under a cloud of suspicion. She is a strong woman, but the stress the announcement generated was harmful.

Colin Powell

  • Donald Trump is a “national disgrace,”
  • Donald Trump is an “international pariah,”
  • Mrs Clinton is an “experienced” politician.

Retired General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is not an admirer of Mrs Clinton, has stated that he would vote for her because she is an experienced politician. He has called Donald Trump a “national disgrace” and “international pariah.” If Donald Trump is a “national disgrace” and an “international pariah,” voting for him makes no sense. One may as well jump off a plane without a parachute.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/leaked-colin-powell-emails-lambaste-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-1473862328

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-u

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/14/politics/colin-powell-dcleaks/

colin-powell

Colin Powell, NYT

I share Mr Powell’s view. Mrs Clinton is a veteran politician and a former Secretary of State. She is “by leaps and bounds” the more qualified nominee. As for Donald Trump, evidence points to his suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. If Mr Trump believes he can be President of the United States without being elected, he is indeed a very sick man. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is relatively easy to detect. Narcissists care for one person only, their person.

apascal001p1

Pascal

Blaise Pascal

Colin Powell‘s attitude reminds me of Pascal’s Wager. Blaise Pascal (19 June 1623 – 19 August 1662) was a mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and a very devout man. His best-known work is entitled Les Pensées, Thoughts, which includes Pascal’s wager.

As a mathematician, Blaise Pascal, in collaboration with Pierre de Fermat, developed the probability theory, or le calcul des probabilités, which has to do with calculating the odds. In the case of Pascal’s Wager, le pari fatal, the discussion is about the existence of God. Pascal states that if one does not believe in God and does not live a virtuous life, one may spend an eternity in hell. Not believing in God could therefore lead to “infinite losses.” On the other hand, one who chooses to believe in God and lives a virtuous life may suffer limited or “finite losses,” i.e the virtuous have to make certain sacrifices. Consequently, Blaise Pascal proposes that the rational choice is to wager that God exists, as one may avoid “infinite losses.” (See Pascal’s Wager, Wikipedia)

In other words, by electing Donald Trump, one has everything to lose. Not so if Mrs Clinton is elected. One may not be an “admirer” of Mrs Clinton—as noted Colin Powell isn’t, but he will vote for her because she knows what she is doing. She is competent. The security of the United States and the world is very much at stake in this election because one nominee is unfit to perform the role he is seeking. If Americans elect Mr Trump, they will empower a Narcissistic ignoramus. Voting for Donald Trump doesn’t even begin to make sense.

Platform & Programme

I have written several times that Donald Trump has failed to present a coherent platform or program. He doesn’t, except for despicable goals.

Normally, I avoid redundancy, but I am quoting New Yorker journalist  for the second time. Mr Gopnik writes that:

His [Mr Trump’s] platform is resentment and his program is revenge, and that is an ideology with many faces and one name. This is fascism with an American face.

By NOVEMBER 3, 2016
The New Yorker

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/why-trump-is-different-and-must-be-repelled

Endorsements

  • Economists foresee a disaster and oppose Donald Trump. (The Wall Street Journal)

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/11/01/prominent-economists-including-eight-nobel-laureates-do-not-vote-for-donald-trump/

  • The Atlantic endorses Mrs Clinton, or disendorses Mr Trump.
  • Mr Trump has been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan.

PRESS ON “The Editorialists Have Spoken… ” TO READ THE ARTICLE

The United States is a Democracy

Americans live in a democracy and cannot allow anyone to take over the presidency, without being elected to the position. Such a person would be a dictator, as was Adolf Hitler.

He would, in other words, exercise absolute power over the American people, depriving them of what has made America great: the freedom to choose their leaders and to live a private life.

Who would have thought, a year ago, that Donald Trump would be the Republicans’ nominee for the presidency of the United States? Americans have been taken by surprise. Could this be an American Brexit?

Conclusion

I’m with Colin Powell. If I were an American citizen, which I am not, I would vote for Hillary Clinton because she is the competent candidate, not Donald Trump.

Remember that Donald Trump

  • wants to build a wall to keep Mexicans from entering the United States;
  • that he will not allow Muslims into the United States;
  • this is how he will deal with the Migrant Crisis brought about by Isis and Autocratic regimes;
  • that he is a racist, endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan;
  • that he does not like women, he’s a misogynist, has assaulted women and may have raped a 13-year old;
  • that he will abolish Obamacare: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;
  • that there is little doubt that he suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder;
  • and that he does not care for the people of the United States.

The only person Donald Trump cares about is Donald Trump.

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Love to everyone. ♥

John Philip Sousa
Semper Fidelis – “The President’s Own” US Marine Band

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Independence Day by Andrew Wyeth

© Micheline Walker
7 November 2016
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This is Nonsense. Vote!

02 Wednesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

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My WordPress colleague B. Ashley is asking:

  • “Do you want a person who is questionably devoid of conscience and empathy with a self-serving orientation and thirst to dominate others, to control war and peace matters? ” and
  • “Do you want someone with a penchant for outrageous, disrespectful and pathologically untruthful statements to represent the United States?”

My answer to both questions is: NO!

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Narcissism

“If the Jack Mitnick episode revealed anything about Donald Trump, it was the direction of his narcissism, that he could take credit for an employee’s expertise as if it were a condition of his own character.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY MSNBC (The New Yorker)

http://www.newyorker.com/news/benjamin-wallace-wells/the-new-york-tale-of-donald-trumps-accountant
(8 October 2016)

Evidence

What also perturbs me is that the FBI (the Federal Bureau of Investigation) did not comply with Mrs Clinton requests for full disclosure.

Why would the FBI not supply the information Mrs Clinton wants everyone to know? The answer that leaps to one’s mind is that the FBI does not have the information Mrs Clinton wants it to release in time for Americans to vote knowledgeably. By not complying with her request, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is not lifting the cloud of suspicion weighing down on Mrs Clinton which is how it is sabotaging the American election.

Casting suspicion will not do if proof is not provided. The people need evidence. One is innocent until proven guilty.

A New Cache: the Timing

Examine the timing. The new cache was found days before the elections, which is much too convenient, so convenient that it is difficult to tell whether or not a new cache has been found. Americans need evidence. The FBI must prove that the cache of emails exists and, if it exists, disclose the content of all emails.

The FBI under a Cloud of Suspicion

If it does not disclose the content of all emails, the FBI is placing itself under a cloud of suspicion. It has to disclose the content of these emails as the American electorate does not otherwise have the slightest reason to believe they exist. The American electorate may in fact conclude that they have been manipulated, like puppets.

An Investigation of the FBI

If the FBI does not have the emails it claims to have, there will have to be an investigation into the FBI as one or more of its employee(s) will have acted irresponsibly and unconscionably. It is highly unconscionable to manipulate the electorate just before an election.

Who and How

Just who put the FBI up to such shenanigans? And how?

A Democracy

There is not such thing as a perfect form of government. A Democracy is the best we poor humans have found. We can vote. This is what made America great. So please vote.

Every adult can vote: black, white, Asian, male, female, rich, poor, middle-class, working-class…

This man, featured below, cannot lead a nation. He has yet to present a platform. He prefers accusations…

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Mr Trump

Mr Trump is now behaving as though he had won the election. Grandiosity! The election is scheduled for 8 November 2016. Only then will we know who has been elected President of the United States. We will not know a second before.

However, I have just learned that the new investigation will not be over before 8 November 2016.

Conclusion

I’m hoping for a miracle. Mrs Clinton has devoted most of her life to the well-being of her nation. She is like a veteran. She has served her country dutifully. Does anyone need more evidence?

Love to everyone ♥

Franz Schubert
Ave Maria

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Independence Day by Andrew Wyeth

© Micheline Walker
2 November 2016
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The Campaign: a Nightmare

01 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

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Hillary Clinton Holds Town Hall In South Carolina Ahead Of Primary

Hillary Clinton in South Carolina (Photo credit: Google images)

A Nightmare

After months of investigation, mere days before the vote, and having failed to find dead bodies in Mrs Clinton‘s closet, the FBI chose to flex its muscles by undermining Mrs Clinton’s bid for the presidency of the United States. It appears that more emails have surfaced. We do not know what they contain but they have jeopardized the success of Mrs Clinton campaign and the security of the citizens of the United States. More importantly, they are putting the world at risk. No Mr Trump is not presidential material.

To be absolutely precise, the FBI, the American Federal Bureau of Investigation, may have sabotaged the 2016 American presidential elections. Are these new emails or emails waiting to be investigated?  How can anyone know? The timing would suggest they were sitting in a file cabinet or were handed over at the worst moment. We have no way of knowing. The campaign was a circus and it has turned into what seems a nightmare.

At any rate, witch-hunting has begun. There were rumours suggesting connivance between Mr Trump and Russia. This matter was dealt with promptly. We have been told that their is no connivance between Mr Trump and Russia.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/harry-reid-james-b-comey-clinton-inquiry

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/clinton-demands-answers-on-fbi-directors-email-disclosure/

witch-hunt

Witch-Hunt by Lucy Gaylor-Lindholm, 2010

Mistaken Identity

Not only does the FBI investigation seem a witch-hunt, but the nominee who is in serious trouble is Mr Trump, not Mrs Clinton. Therefore, it may be a case of mistaken identity.

How can anyone forget that

“Trump’s trouble began on October 7, when The Washington Post released a video in which Trump boasts of sexually assaulting women. “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful [women]—I just start kissing them,” Trump said. “It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything.” He added, “Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.” The video produced a wave of revulsion, and many Republicans denounced him, with some withdrawing support.”
The Atlantic

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/10/donald-trump-scandals/474726/

Sexual assaults are a statutory offence in several countries and damning in the United States, with the possible exception of Mr Trump. The facts that emerged on 7 October 2016 caused many Republicans to distance themselves from Mr Trump. But the FBI did not promptly lift the cloud of suspicion that could lead to Mrs Clinton’s defeat. It could be that the FBI chose to ignore that a known sexual predator was still an official nominee to the presidency of the United States, drowning in an ocean of unsubstantiated suspicion the better qualified candidate. I doubt that Mrs Clinton would have run for office if there were serious improprieties in her conduct.

An Ignoramus

Former General and Secretary of State Colin Powell has credibility. He stated that he would vote for Mrs Clinton because she is an experienced political figure, not a frivolous comment. Mr Trump is new to politics and knows so little about the various dossiers the President of the United States must be familiar with that one wonders why the Republican Party chose him as their nominee to the presidency. They perhaps expected that Mr Trump would present a clear and coherent platform, but he didn’t.

For instance, he gathered a group of women who were ready to say that former President Bill Clinton was a womanizer. Mr Trump should have known that former President Bill Clinton’s indiscretions have nothing to do with Mrs Clinton’s ability to play her role as President of the United States in a competent manner and it so happens that in the current race to the presidency, Mrs Clinton is the competent nominee, not Mr Trump. Mr Trump did not know that forcing oneself on a woman was objectionable and perhaps a crime. It is a crime in many countries.

Besides, Mr Trump planned attack on former President Bill Clinton was a “trumpism.” It was yet again avoidance of a discussion of the many issues facing his nation, such as immigration, gun-control, the crisis in the Middle East, matters Presidents of the United States deal with. Given the years she has devoted to serving the people of the United, Mrs Clinton is familiar with these issues, which, as noted above, makes her the competent nominee. Mr Trump’s campaign was no more than a distasteful sideshow and sadly “bombastic” (Paul Krugman, NYT).

The article below, by Paul Krugman, dates back to May 2016, but it has not lost its significance. To read the article, please click on its title.

Conclusion

Please do keep in mind that, if elected, Mr Trump intends to build a wall separating the Unites States and Mexico. It would prevent Mexicans from entering the United States. He has also stated that, if he elected to the presidency, he would not allow Muslims into the United States. In his opinion, all Muslims are terrorists. Moreover, this sexual predator has threatened to jail women who have undergone an abortion. Finally, as our colleague B. Ashley has written, he suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder (see Wikipedia). Mr Trump’s behaviour is “characterized by an exaggerated feelings of self-importance,” or grandiosity. If a man states that he should be proclaimed President of the United States, by-passing an election, not only is he assaulting democracy, but his perception of reality could be that of an absolute monarch. All humans exhibit a degree of narcissism. We think we are important, but not the point of claiming we should be the president of a country, except as an obvious joke. That would be called a sense of self-entitlement.

After posting my last article, I realized that it lacked a conclusion, or final sentence about democracy. In a democracy, people have the right to choose their president, but they also have to live with the consequences of their choice. Mr Trump does not know poverty. He can afford the best care, the best medication, luxurious dwellings, meals in the finest restaurants and lives in a tower he owns.

If elected to the presidency, will he be able to see that others are homeless, hungry, unable to feed their children or to pay a doctor’s fees? Mrs Clinton can see the needs of others, but although she is an experienced politician, which is an advantage, she has spent decades in Washington. Some people think a change is, by definition, for the better.

Video from France, in English
http://www.lemonde.fr/videos/#ufqurl

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Vladimir Horowitz
Chopin « Polonaise N°6 l’Héroïque »

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© Micheline Walker
1 November 2016
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A Democracy: the Right to Vote

30 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by in Election, United States

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A Street in New York, on a November Day

Our colleague twoifbycharmwordpress.wordpress.com has written several articles on Mr Trump.

I can sense a personality disorder, but it is difficult for me to give it a name. I am not a psychologist, nor am I a psychiatrist. However, our colleague B. Ashley has studied the “Donald phenomenon” methodically and has sought the help of experts. Therefore, she may be able to provide information that go beyond my “trumpism,” which consists in concealing one’s platform or in not having a platform to begin with. It would seem that what ails Mr Trump is Narcissistic Personality Disorder (Wikipedia). There can be no doubt that his behaviour is “characterized by a exaggerated feelings of self-importance,” or grandiosity.

Voter take into account the nominee’s platform. But they also choose the nominee considering the manner in which he or she behaves. Mr Trump has behaved as though he owned the presidency. Mr Trump has avoided presenting a serious and coherent platform, a process I have called “trumpism.” He has also exhibited a sense of entitlement, which is consistent with narcissistic behaviour.

Cancelling the Election? Never!

Mr Trump had stated he would not accept the result of the election unless he were elected. But he has moved a step closer to imposing himself on the American electorate. The moment he heard that more emails had been found that could harm Mrs Clinton, he boldly proposed that the election be cancelled. He was the President of the United States by default, so to speak.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37805525

On the one hand, Mr Trump displayed feelings of grandiosity, and, on the other hand, he forgot a simple and well-known rule, which is that one is innocent until proven guilty. However, particularly egregious is the implication that one can rise to the presidency of the United States dispensing with an election. That would be an assault on democracy. It is the behaviour or dictators.

It could be that Mr Trump is afraid the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will not find information that would disqualify Mrs Clinton and that he felt he should quickly seize this heaven-sent opportunity. Not only would Mr Trump have risen to the presidency having avoided a serious discussion of the many issues at hand, thereby flaunting “exaggerated feelings of self-importance,” but, more importantly, Mr Trump would have circumvented the election to which campaigns lead, which I do not think is possible.

Mrs Clinton has asked, unambiguously, that all information FBI investigators extract from the latest emails they are in possession of be made available to the electorate as soon as possible, if appropriate. This request is reasonable. But it is not reasonable to expect being proclaimed President of the United States by-passing an election. If the FBI finds serious and arguably true improprieties in the emails they are examining, I should think the need for an election would not be eliminated. Americans would still have to choose between nominees.

I do not know what protocol would be used in this worst-case scenario, but I doubt that an election can be avoided. Elections are central to the “rule of the commoners,” the concept that underlies the notion of democracy. (See Democracy, Wikipedia.) A democracy is not a perfect form of government, but it is the best we have. Americans must vote.

Mr Trump has tarnished his image. A nominee to the presidency should know:

  • that sexual assaults are unacceptable;
  • that a defeated nominee must accept defeat because the United States is a democracy;
  • that one does not attack members of one’s party. Colin Powell is a retired General and a former Secretary of State. His support was essential;
  • and that one has to be voted into office. Nominees are not divinely ordained, which would explain why Mr Trump has circumvented a serious discussion of the issues. He is “chosen.”

Let us also remember:

  • that his attitude towards Mexicans and Muslims is unacceptable;
  • and that il n’est pas sortable. He does not have the polite manners that allow one to take him out. He will shame the United States.

Conclusion

To conclude, I will write that if Mr Trump is elected to the presidency of the United States, Americans will have to face with the consequences of their decision, and so will the world. The United States is a democracy.

Narcissus-Caravaggio (1594-96) edited.jpg

Narcissus-Caravaggio (1594-96) edited

Caravaggio (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Narcissus

WordPress has specialists. What a group!  B. Ashley researched “Narcissistic Personality Disorder.” I thank her.

In the area of Greek mythology, Aquileana is our expert. Narcissus is an important figure in Greek mythology, so Aquileana has told his story. Please note that Aquileana has not expressed her view on Mr Trump. Her area is Greek mythology and related Roman mythology. The following link leads to her post on Narcissus.

https://aquileana.wordpress.com/tag/narcissus/

But I will attempt to summarize Narcissus'(story, using Wikipedia and Britannica.

Narcissus was the son of the river-god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. He was a beautiful youth who “disdained those who loved him”  (the nymph Echo loved him and so did Ameinias). Nemesis, “the goddess who enacted retribution against those who succumb to hubris (arrogance before the gods),” was able to attract Narcissus, the son of the river-god, to a river and once he saw the reflection of his face, he could not stop looking at it. “Narcissus lost his will to live. He stared at this reflection until he died.”

However, “[t]he Greek traveler and geographer Pausanias, in Description of Greece, Book IX, said it was more likely that Narcissus, to console himself for the death of his beloved twin sister, his exact counterpart, sat gazing into the spring to recall her features.”[1]

The story of Narcissus is told in Ovid‘s Metamorphoses, Book III. The flower named after Narcissus, the narcissus, is best known as the daffodil or jonquil. The jonquil grew where Narcissus died.[2]

The term narcissism has several meanings, which include grandiosity and egocentrism. Narcissists focus on themselves and themselves alone. For instance, Napoleon had himself crowned Emperor. But this practice has no room in a democracy.

Kind regards to everyone. ♥

____________________

[1] “Narcissus”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 30 oct.. 2016
<https://www.britannica.com/topic/Narcissus-Greek-mythology>.

[2] loc. cit.

jonquil-flower-12

Beethoven‘s “Emperor concerto,” nº 5
Hélène Grimaud, piano

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© Micheline Walker
30 October 2016
Revised 30 October 2016
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DECODING THE DONALD PHENOMENON – Call it what you want. There is an explanation for his behavior.

28 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

≈ Comments Off on DECODING THE DONALD PHENOMENON – Call it what you want. There is an explanation for his behavior.

This post is truly informative. I am re-blogging it and thanking its author.

https://twoifbycharmwordpress.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/decoding-the-donald-phenomenon-call-it-what-you-want-you-have-been-given-the-behavioral-blueprint/

twoifbycharm

Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, we have seen numerous examples of Donald Trump’s behavior fitting neatly into the blueprint presented in this blog.  The “black heart” and “lack of empathy” Mr. Khan so eloquently spoke of falls within the framework of a dangerous personality disorder according to experts.  Some call it Narcissistic Personality Disorder, while other experts describe this behavior as sociopathic, or psychopathic.

The purpose of the original posting below (link to WordPress article dated 07.14.16 is posted here) is to call attention to an apparent mental health issue as it appears to relate to Trump.  It is to provoke thought and incite a broad discussion around Donald Trump’s apparent dangerous personality disorder, and provides a reliable and consistent profile of Trump’s behavior.

Based on Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Martha Stout’s highly-touted book, The Sociopath Next Door, Trump seems to fit the bill of a sociopath, and that…

View original post 376 more words

November 8, mere days from now

27 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

≈ 10 Comments

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andrew-wyeth-independence-day

Independence Day by Andrew Wyeth (Google images)

A Strange Campaign

The current presidential campaign in the United States differs from previous campaigns, such as the 2008 campaign. In 2008, issues were discussed, which has not been the case in this campaign. Mrs Clinton is a veteran politician, so voters know, to a large extent, what they will be dealing with, if she is elected to the presidency. But Mr Trump is not a politician and is not familiar with the numerous issues. He therefore avoids discussing issues.

I have written about his “trumpisms,” which is a dismissive discourse. My best example of a “trumpism” is the failed discussion on gun control. It ended when Mr Trump said “take her [Mrs Clinton’s] guards away from her and watch,” or something to that effect. Mr Trump managed not to address gun control by straying not only from the general to the particular, which could be relevant, but from the general to the personal, quite a gap. The personal is not irrelevant in choosing a president, but in a debate, it is seldom mentioned.

Well, a day or so ago, Mr Trump was threatening to sue the women who confirmed he was a sexual predator. That is another “trumpism.” While Mr Trump threatens these women loudly, real issues are not being discussed, which tells the story of Mr Trump’s campaign. However, should Mr Trump be elected to the presidency and sue the women he assaulted, their testimonial could damn him. He could be impeached. It would be in Mr Trump’s best interest not to carry this discussion an inch further.

He won’t. But issues are not on his mind. Having threatened to sue the women who confirmed he was a sexual predator, Mr Trump is now attacking his Party, the GOP or Republican Party.

As a result, Mrs Clinton is inviting endorsements from Republicans. The colleagues who nominated Mr Trump are distancing themselves. For example, Colin Powell has said he would vote for Mrs Clinton.

Mrs Clinton is familiar with every dossier the President of the United States will have to deal with, and she can tell right from wrong. Mr Powell “spoke about his [Mr Trump’s] inexperience, he spoke about the messages that he’s sending out every day to his supporters, which really paints our country in a negative light across the globe with all our allies.” (The New York Times)

As I was meditating on this drôle de campagne, this strange campaign, a campaign during which few issues have been addressed, I was reminded of French encyclopédiste Denis Diderot‘s (1713 – 1784) Paradoxe sur le comédien, The Paradox of the Actor. In Le Paradoxe sur le comédien, written between 1773 and 1777, Denis Diderot suggests that a good actor does not feel the emotions he displays. He is in full possession of himself, which allows him to play the same role convincingly day after day. (See The Paradox of the Actor, Wikipedia.)

Nominees do play a role. In fact, we all play roles and even “dress” the part: the office, lunch with a dear friend, an evening at the opera, relaxing, etc. As for nominees to the role of President of the United States, their role is to tell the people—it’s all about the people—what they intend to do for them. They are in fact negotiating a social contract: taxation, employment, education, immigration, the Middle East, gun control, the environment, health care and other social programmes, etc. Good leaders build the future and, as the saying goes, the road to the future is always under construction.

If Mr Trump intends to slash into the Affordable Health Care Act, now is the time, or the campaign was the time, to discuss it. Health care must be affordable.

The polls surprised me. I didn’t think Mr Trump would be able to gather as much support among the United States’ electorate as he did. He was a newcomer to Washington and therefore a mostly unknown quantity whose education had not prepared for the position of President of the United States. But he had supporters. Mr Seid, quoted below (italics), may have the answer “populist… .” Could the medium be the message? (See The Medium is the message, Wikipedia.) Truth be told, if the polls now place Mrs Clinton ahead of Mr Trump, it has not been, until now, because of a sneaky conspiracy or ruinous revelations from the best of hackers. So far, Mr Trump is the one who has built himself and undone himself, and he may not be able to walk back a bad performance.

Trumpism

I should note that the Wall Street Journal‘s  also used the term “Trumpism” in an article published on 8 August 2016 entitled “Separating Donald Trump From Trumpism.” No, I did not borrow the term “trumpism” from Mr Seib. I borrowed it from my mother tongue, French. “Se tromper” means to make a mistake, to be mistaken, and “tromper” means to deceive, to be unfaithful to, to fool. Moreover, an elephant has a trompe.

I have given “trumpism” a meaning that is not consistent, or not entirely consistent, with Mr Seib’s who writes that there is Mr Trump and

[t]hen there is Trumpism—the mixture of attitudes and positions that catapulted its namesake to the Republican nomination in the first place. Trumpism is a populist mix of anger at the status quo, skepticism about the virtues of free trade and immigration, doubts about the need for U.S. intervention abroad, fondness for law and order and a dose of nationalism. “Americanization, not globalization, will be our new credo,” Mr. Trump put it in a speech in Detroit on Monday.
“Separating Donald Trump From Trumpism.”

We are days away from the American election. Everything could change. But I doubt it will.

Love to everyone. ♥

024

Big Room by Andrew Wyeth, 1988 (Google images)

Andrew Wyeth “I paint my life”
music:  “Cavatina” by Pat Halling

andrew-wyeth-german-shepherd

German Shepherd by Andrew Wyeth (Google images)

© Micheline Walker
27 October 2016
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Mr Trump & “trumpisms”

22 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by in Election, United States

≈ 38 Comments

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138086512

Donald Trump, Getty Images

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37706499
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-ae25cd31-fdd8-45f8-a0f6-ae7ac1efb08a

Donald Trump will not commit to accept election result

The photograph above was not taken during the third and final debate of the race to the presidency of the United States. During the third debate Mr Trump stated that he would simply look upon an unfavourable result as part of a great conspiracy. He will accept the result if he wins.

Such an answer suggests somewhat of a flaw in Mr Trump’s truly colourful personality. According to Mr Trump, victories and losses are the result of conspiracies. It follows that if American voters do not elect Mr Trump, they will have been indoctrinated by or fooled by conspirators.

Every four years, when an election takes place, it is “rigged.” If Mr Trump believes that elections are rigged, were Mr Trump to be elected to the presidency, theoretically, he would be yet another president whose election was rigged or pre-arranged. However, he, Mr Trump, is suggesting that he is a “promised” President and the only person to guide the nation. If defeated, he will not accept defeat.

In a democracy, the electorate choses one of two or more candidates on the basis of a clearly defined platform, i.e. a description of a candidate’s program, if elected. The duty of nominees—Mr Trump and Mrs Clinton are nominees—is to make his or her program clear to voters in as civil a manner as possible. Citizens of the United States choose their representatives by voting and every adult has the right to vote. This is what made America great. Its greatness does not lie in a vague past. It lies in a past that forged the country so its citizens could vote and their privacy would be protected. No, a politician cannot play doctor and dictate the quantity of painkillers will be administered to a patient. That would be called an intrusion. The US has its Drug Enforcement Administration.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/05/opioid-production-us-epidemic-drug-enforcement-administration

An Assault on Democracy

1. Mr Trump assaulted women but did not know his actions constituted an assault.

2. Mr Trump also assaulted reason. In the matter of gun-control, he has suggested Mrs Clinton’s bodyguards be taken away from her. That would be called a “trumpism” and se tromper FR means to make a mistake and tromper means to deceive, not to be faithful, to fool. When discussing birth-control, he first stated that women who had undergone an abortion should be jailed. However, he is now saying that women get abortions “days before birth.” Doctors disagree, but do they even count, or common sense for that matter?

Although the child may be still-born, days before birth, one gives birth. A “trumpism” is a twisted way of not discussing the issues. The truth is that if a woman dies during childbirth and the baby is alive, his or her life will be saved. Mr Trump lives on another planet. As I noted above, it is for medical doctors, the experts, to make medical pronouncements.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/10/debate-donald-trump-threatens-to-jail-hillary-clinton

3. And, in the third debate of the election campaign, Mr Trump said he would not commit to accept the election result. This is an assault on democracy which no American political party will allow. Nor the electorate. Mr Trump will have to accept the result of the election.

On 8 November 2016, the citizens of the United States will exercise their right to vote and the result of the election will be respected. Americans will elect the nominee who is most likely to ensure their safety. That is the reason why they pay their taxes.

Conclusion

This has been the strangest political campaign.

Camille Saint-Saëns
Le Carnaval des animaux, “L’Éléphant”

46d412491bcc1b612a5e88cc98fcd05e

© Micheline Walker
22 October 2016
WordPress

image in quilt Pinterest

 

 

 

 

Donald Trump as President? It’s still no!

15 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by in Election, The United States

≈ 16 Comments

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Donald Trump is winning only 72 percent of Republicans, compared to Hillary Clinton, who captures 85 percent of Democrats, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. | AP Photo

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/donald-trump-polling-clinton-229576#ixzz4MoHm0XW2
Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook 

The Presidential Election, 2016

  • unsuspected disclosures
  • disrespect for women

I wanted to write a post about the forthcoming United States presidential elections, but somehow, I was too tired. Moreover, I thought it would be a repetition of an earlier post. (See RELATED ARTICLES.) To a certain extent, it is. I still believe that Mr Trump is not qualified to occupy the position he is seeking. However, there have been unexpected disclosures that tend to confirm my reservations. I knew that Mr Trump was not qualified to be elected President of the United States, but I would not have suspected he would grab a woman’s genitalia and force her to kiss him. That is sexual assault and, therefore, a prelude to rape. But let us look at other issues first.

Immigrants: Mexicans and Muslims

It has worried me that Mr Trump seldom addresses issues. His statements are peremptory and he lacks compassion. Where immigration is concerned, he plans to resort to drastic and offensive measures. To prevent Mexicans from moving to the United States, he intends to build a wall between Mexico and the United States. As for Muslims, in Mr Trump’s opinion, all are terrorists or potential terrorists, so, if elected, he will deny them a home in the United States. A blanket rejection of Muslims constitutes an offense to citizens of the Middle East and to citizens of Muslim origin. All Muslims are fellow human beings, and so are the Mexicans who seek refuge in the United States. They do so for compelling reasons. Therefore, that matter should be addressed in a serious and caring manner. Illegal immigrants should not be punished and sent to nowhere.

Women and Mr Trump

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/10/quiet-tragedy-of-melania-trump

melania-trump-people-magazine

Melania Trump (Chip Somadevilla, Getty Images)

Poor Melania and poor all of us, women. Mr Trump was threatening to throw in jail those who had undergone an abortion. When I first mentioned this issue, I noted that Mr Trump did not view women as responsible citizens. Now that he has stated that he grabbed women by their genitalia and forced them to kiss him, I must conclude that he does not know sexual exchanges have to be consensual. One does not assault women. Most women or couples regulate the number of children they will raise without ever resorting to an abortion. Pregnancies are terminated when there are risks to a woman’s health and to the fetus.

54ab2f12ae859_-_elle-13-michelle-obama-birthday-style-elv

Michelle Obama (Google images)

Michelle Obama is indignant and the women of the United States stand by her. They will not be assaulted. You may wish to watch the following video:

http://bcove.me/ooigigtk

Disrespect for human life

He may have been joking, but Mr Trump has stated that he would not object to the use of torture to pry the truth out of a prisoner. Under the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, torture is condemned. Does Mr Trump think torturing will yield the truth? That may not be the case. Under torture one will say anything to end the pain and humiliation, particularly if he or she does not have anything to reveal. One may survive torture, but one does not recover. It’s dreadful.

Given the above, one therefore fears for Americans. If Mr Trump is uncaring, he cannot ensure the safety of Americans and provide all with an income. One has reasons to fear for the sick, the poor, the elderly, the unemployed, the disabled, traumatized veterans, the homeless, and little children. In particular, one fears for minorities, such as homosexuals and lesbians. If elected, Mr Trump will probably revoke the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Modern societies have to make health care and medication affordable. Why not contain spiralling costs?

Presidents: there is a protocol

  • manners
  • sexual assault
  • laws

Mr Trump has now revealed convincingly that he is not a gentleman. He dresses properly and he is clean, but he pouts and grimaces, he is rude and has little dignity and finesse. He has lied and now we are learning that he believes he is at liberty to treat women as if they were mere flesh. In short, one can’t take him anywhere and if one cannot take him anywhere, one does not take him to the White House.

For the last eight years, the United States has had a truly remarkable president: well-educated, polite, respectful, caring, a good father and a good husband. Voters cannot foist Mr Trump on the American people and on the world. Mr Trump cannot be the President of the United States. He is unfamiliar with the dossiers and his lack of manners and view of women and other human beings damn him. There is a protocol to be observed by a president of the United States, and there are laws protecting private life.

Commander-in-chief: flawed judgement

The crisis in the Middle East is of immense importance. As President, Mr Trump would be commander-in-chief. I would prefer the United States ended the strikes. But if it does not, can we trust Mr Trump? He rushes to judgement. Remember Orlando. Omar Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIL at the last minute, but he did not act on behalf of terrorist organization. One does not accuse anyone before one has evidence to substantiate one’s accusations. When Mr Trump accused Mr Mateen, the massacre at Orlando had not been investigated. Mr Trump’s statement was therefore prejudicial.

Mr Trump’s judgement seems flawed. Consequently, he may worsen the conflict in the Middle East. As mentioned above, he has been insulting Muslims by stating he would not allow any of them to enter the United States and Mr Mateen’s mere name was used as evidence that he was a terrorist. Ethnicity and faith do not constitute evidence of guilt. One may deplore a massacre, but one cannot assume an entire population is a terrorist organization.

We all know that, as commander-in-chief, the President of the United States can press buttons, including the wrong button(s). Voters must be careful.

Conclusion

Do I consider Donald Trump the very devil? No, I don’t. However, it would be my opinion that he cannot be elected to the presidency of the United States. Not if all Muslims are terrorists. Not if all Mexicans are undesirable immigrants, not if the American people are irrelevant and not if he views women as scatterbrained and mere sexual objects.

It was my opinion that Mr Trump was un grossier personnage, i.e. elegant, but uncouth to the core. Well, he has not given me reason to change my opinion.

I apologize for the long delay in posting. I am not well.

Love to everyone. ♥

RELATED ARTICLES

Sources and Resources

United States presidential election, 2016, Wikipedia

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/politics/melania-trump-donald-trump-allegations-sexual-assault/

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/10/donald-trump-women-accusations-sexual-assault/504089/

http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21708704-republican-nominee-has-violated-his-party-and-america-these-hands?zid=297&ah=3ae0fe266c7447d8a0c7ade5547d62ca

  4ae76faf0a4b8a65b22fb6dc41fed835

Aram Kachaturiam, Sabre Dance
Caroline Adomeit, violin


800px-president_barack_obama

© Micheline Walker
15 October 2016
(Revised on 25 October 2016)
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