J. D. Vance, the new whacko anchor on Trump. But what everyone wants to know – is he really wearing guyliner?

Stupid is as stupid does
It should be obvious that public policies should be based on the best available information. Reality – that is facts, research and good problem solving techniques – should guide decisions  made by our governments. 

But today half the nation insists on making up their own “alternative facts.” This stupidity can only lead to bad results for all of us. 

Agenda47, Trump’s plan for what he will do if elected, is full of false and inane statements. One example is his false claim that “China is buying up our country...”

Trump says, “China is buying up our technology. They’re buying up food supplies. They’re buying up our farmland. They’re buying up our minerals and natural resources. To protect our country, we need to enact aggressive new restrictions on Chinese ownership of any vital infrastructure in the United States...”     

The reality is much different. In our global, free market economy ownership of assets (real estate, stocks, bonds, companies, farmland) is diverse and open to anyone with the money. It has been for hundreds of years. This is the way the international economic system works and China is just one more participant.   

Regarding U.S. farmland, according to a USDA, in 2021 foreign individuals and entities had a stake in about 40 million acres of U.S. farm and forest land. That’s 3.1% of the country’s privately held farm and forest land. Of this Canadian investors owned 31%, the Netherlands 12%, Italy 7% and China 0.9%. Investors from more than100 countries owned interests in American farmland. 

Republicans falsely claim Chinese ownership of U.S. national debt (treasury bonds) is a problem. But according to Investopedia, China owns only 2.6% of U.S. debt and it would be “impossible for China to call in all its U.S. debt at once.” 

The right-wing notion that China could “call in” this debt and bankrupt our country is absurd. 
The truth is Trump’s statements are pure campaign rally fear mongering. Trump doesn’t know what he is talking about. He is either ignorant of how our economy works or he is a deliberate liar. 

Herding cats
Comedian Will Rogers once quipped, “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.”  

Unfortunately for the American people, Democrats have problems staying on task. Numerous times in the past, when they controlled both houses and the presidency, they have failed to accomplish what they were elected to do. They failed to overturn Citizens United, end the filibuster, end the Electoral College, strengthen voter rights, get the money out of our elections and strengthen our faltering democracy. 

Organizing Democrats was like herding cats. 
Now we are 3 months from the most consequential presidential election in our history. Democracy is literally on the ballot. But the Democrats have no candidate. 

Yes, it is good for President Biden to pass the torch to a younger person. But the time to do this was a year ago. It seems obvious that changing candidates now is a recipe for Democratic defeat and disaster for our country. 

Unfortunately America still has only two choices. One is known to be unfit, a proven liar, convicted felon, adjudicated sexual abuser and an embarrassment to the country. The other is a to-be-announced future draft pick. 

Pretty sad situation for the self-proclaimed “greatest” democracy in the world isn’t it? 
The good news is now there are no excuses. There are no picayune differences to divide voters. So all of us – responsible Republicans, Democrats, independents, uncommitted, the too moral to vote crowd and the diverse herd of cats on the progressive left – must unite for the common good. We must support the future draft pick.  

Second thoughts on Vance
According to New York Magazine, in an article headlined “J.D. Vance Can’t Stop Saying the Dumbest Things Imaginable,” we learn that it was Don Trump Jr. who suggested Vance as a vice president to his father.

Pop must be fuming now that he knows he’s got a lead weight on his ticket.

The article points out Vance’s basic problem: questionable things he said in the past and weird things he is saying right now. 

“Republicans always knew that Vance — who called Trump “America’s Hitler” in 2017 — would bring some political baggage with him. Perhaps they underestimated the weight.”

The New York Times has also been looking into Vance’s pre-MAGA transformation remarks, such as:
• In 2014, after Michael Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, Vance said, “I hate the police.” 

• When discussing Trump’s anti-Muslim campaign rhetoric in 2015, he wrote that Trump was a “demagogue” who was “willing to exploit the people who believe crazy shit.” 

• In a 2016 message, he wrote that, “The more white people feel like voting for Trump, the more Black people will suffer. I really believe that.”

More recently, in fact, just last week, Trump’s running mate said he wanted a “federal response” to women traveling across state lines for an abortion. (Previously he has said that he wants a national ban on abortion.) 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer thinks Trump made a wise choice for Democrats.

“Vance seems to be more erratic and more extreme than President Trump. And I’ll bet President Trump is sitting there scratching his head and wondering, ‘Why did I pick this guy?’ The choice may be one of the best things he ever did for Democrats,” he said.