It’s time to Break It Down!

Nine years ago, I wrote a post in recognition of Veteran’s Day, and the service personnel we as a nation honor on that day. In 2009, and again in 2015 when I reprised this post, Veterans Day fell on Wednesday. In 2018, this past Sunday was that day. Today, once again, as our nation continues to grapple with conflict overseas, I decided to edit/re-post the Veteran’s Day 2009/2015 Edition of “Break It Down!”

It’s worth noting that while our fighting forces officially exited Iraq in December 2011, we still have military personnel fighting ISIL/ISIS there, and in Syria. We also still maintain forces, roughly 13,000 troops in Afghanistan (the other hotspot referenced in the initial post). In addition, for the record, we have a variety of personnel in Iran, Libya, Mali, Somalia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Yemen…lest you think the world is one big blissful, peaceful place.

I hope you enjoyed your day, and that you took an opportunity to reach out and thank a Veteran. Moreover, for my part, to all of you who are Veterans, “Thank you for your service.”

Many of you may know, or at least faintly recall that I frequently alter the blog format to integrate holiday traditions into the discussion. Often holidays are expanded by days away from work, long weekends, travel, and a host of leisure activities. In those cases, I prefer to scale back in recognition that aside from road map directions, GPS instructions, and the like, very little reading will be taking place.

As most Americans know by now, this year marked the 100-year Anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I, AKA “The Great War,” and/or, “The War That Ended All Wars.” At first, it was known as Armistice Day. It later became known as Veterans Day. But what do we really know about this day that has been set aside to honor real American heroes and sheroes?

Well, first, Veterans Day is not Memorial Day, and vice-versa. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day is intended largely to honor Living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty. Memorial Day honors those veterans who died in the service of their country, particularly those killed in combat, or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

We also know that Veterans Day is a different kind of federal holiday. With the exception of Sundays, it falls on its actual date. In 1968, Congress approved the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This law, which took effect in 1971, amended the observance of certain federal holidays so that Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day would be observed on Mondays instead of fixed dates.

Congress passed the Act to increase the number of three-day holiday weekend for federal employees. After a loud and persistent outcry from Veterans and Veterans’ groups, who argued the historical significance of November 11th was compromised by the change, Veterans Day observance was returned to November 11th in 1978.

So how did this affinity for November 11th come about? As with many historical facts, it evolved. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day. The significance of Armistice Day is that it was the day of the signing of the Armistice that terminated World War I (WW I). In effect, WW I ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. That was when the Germans signed the document, ending hostilities that had begun in 1914. President Woodrow Wilson subsequently proclaimed the first Armistice Day, November 11, 1919.

WW I was deemed The Great War, and was thought by many, at the time, to be “The War That Ended All Wars.” It was, as the numeric designation suggests, the First World War. Of course, more wars would ensue. There was World War II (WW II), later the Korean Conflict, and then Vietnam.

In 1953, a storeowner in Emporia, Kansas, Al King, launched an idea to honor all Veterans, not just those who served in WW I. The idea took root, sailed through Congress, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law May 26, 1954. Congress amended the Act November 8, 1954, changing Armistice to Veterans, and thus it has been ever since.

So now, especially remember “The 11th Hour of This 11th Day of the 11th Month…Redux!” To augment a popular bumper sticker, “If you can read this, thank a teacher”…and a veteran.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

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Consult the link below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month…Redux!

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last week I penned a short post about the midterms. The idea was, recognizing just about everything that could be said about the Election had already been stated, the post served as an opportunity to encourage folks to go vote.

Today, the 2018 Midterm Elections have come and gone. Oh, to be sure, there are still a few races to be called as I write, but the trends are fairly discernible. As was anticipated, Republicans maintained control of the U.S. Senate. They even added to their majority, which will undoubtedly result in less infighting over confirmations, and an enhanced ability to get bills through that Chamber. Contemporaneously, as most prognosticators projected, Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives. This development will increase the challenge in getting Trump’s agenda through “both” Houses.  In key Governor’s races, the GOP appears poised to take an impressive Big 3 in the form of Georgia, Florida, and Ohio. All things considered, there is not much more to say today than last Wednesday.

The pertinent refrain last week was “Elections have consequences, VOTE!” Today, we are left to sift through those consequences. Along the way, there will analyses about Donald Trump’s tactics of focusing on Birthright Citizenship and the Migrant Caravan rather than the soaring economy and plummeting unemployment rate. As Mr. Trump said last week, “Sometimes it’s not as exciting to talk about the economy.”

The bottom line is, also as Trump said, “It’s effective.” It works for him, and it worked for many of the people for whom he campaigned for and supported. But, while many, myself included, would say there was no overwhelming Blue Wave, Democrats re-taking the House is not small ball. It will at the very least mean Mr. Trump no longer has a blank check across all levels of the federal government. There will be new House Committee Chairs, new Committee majorities, and those Chairs and majorities will be Democrats.

Suffice it to say the type and tenor of House Committee investigations will be somewhat different. The rules of engagement will not be the same. Having said that, I caution folks who are disaffected with Trump not to expect miracles. Dems must figure out their own leadership structure before moving on to things Trump. And oh by the way, now that the Election is over, remember Mueller put his investigation on the back burner so as not to distract from the Election process. That probe will likely ramp up again pretty quickly.

I don’t know whether Mrs. Pelosi will get another shot at the Speakership. A number of Democrats believe she shouldn’t. Yet, she was central to the fundraising that led to numerous successful campaigns, and to Democrats returning to a majority in the lower Chamber. I don’t know whether the movement to impeach Trump will garner any substantial momentum, since the Senate is still controlled by Republicans, and that body would never convict, and oust “their” Party’s President.

There are lots of decisions to be made in the coming days and weeks. The balance of power will shift in January. Not necessarily in an overly dramatic fashion. But it will change. Moreover, if you are a Congress watcher, you will notice. Just keep in mind, Adam Schiff, Maxine Waters, Elijah Cummings, Eliot Engel, and Nancy Pelosi will be among the newly shot-calling leaders of the Loyal Opposition. Mr. Trump has derisively mocked several of those members, in some instances, with fervor and frequency. It will be interesting to see how the interactive dynamic between the Executive Branch and the House evolves under the revised terms of engagement.

While there are many things that remain to be seen, this much we know: “House Turns Blue; Senate Stays Red!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your inbox.

House Turns Blue; Senate Stays Red

It’s time to Break It Down!

Consider this post a classic illustration of the aphorism “Less is more.”

The Election is next Tuesday, November 6^th. Elections have consequences, VOTE…“Election 2018: The Midterms!”

That’s it, I’m done, holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your inbox.

Election 2018: The Midterms

It’s time to Break It Down!

As we all know, Donald Trump is many things to many people. To those who think most highly of him, nothing that others say about him, especially those with whom they disagree, matters. That’s why for this brief post; I choose to employ his own words to impeach him.

At a campaign rally Monday in Houston, Mr. Trump declared:

“You know what I am? I’m a nationalist, OK — I’m a nationalist. Use that word.”

Undoubtedly, Trump advocates and sympathizers will endeavor to paint their hero’s remarks as patriotic. However, the term nationalist is not new to the geopolitical lexicon; nor should it ever be confused as a synonym with patriot. Charles De Gaulle (1890-1970), the French general and statesman said, long before Trump ever entered politics:

“Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.”

I could write pages on this topic. But really, what else is there to say? Trump asked that we use that word. So I, for one, will use that word. “Quoth Donald Trump: I’m A Nationalist!”

 I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your inbox.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/22/trump-nationalist-926745

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-23/trump-says-i-m-a-nationalist-in-appeal-to-texas-republicans?srnd=premium

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/412649-trump-you-know-what-i-am-im-a-nationalist

Quoth Donald Trump: “I’m A Nationalist!”

It’s time to Break It Down!

These are curious times. Nationally, we operate under the arc of a man who burnished his reputation by promising to “Make America Great Again (MAGA). He has fashioned, indelibly, his own style of doing so. The people who support him credit him with reviving the economy, making better trade deals, and of course, cutting taxes. Never mind that the economy has been steadily rebounding for at least six years, a large part of the new trade deals are revisions of the pacts that preceded them, and the tax breaks preponderantly benefited the wealthiest Americans, and contributed to a 17% increase in the Deficit, due to the resulting decrease in revenues.

But none of those things are the crux of this post. I want to briefly note the propensity of Donald to Trump to publicly denigrate women. That is not to say that all women dislike him. In fact, there are at least a couple, Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Sanders, who defend him mightily, and frequently.

Nevertheless, despite their boundlessly exuberant protestations, Mr. Trump often tends to make statements that, at the very least, lead to questioning their credulity. Here are 12 examples of his “special” way of addressing women. This list is not a top twelve, and is not in the order of occurrence. It’s just a dozen of many more:

1. Stephanie Clifford, A.K.A. Stormy Daniels:

“Great, now I can go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer in the great state of Texas,” Trump taunted in a tweet yesterday in the wake of the decision he won. “She will confirm the letter she signed! She knows nothing about me, a total con!”

2. Alicia Machado:

He accused her of gaining too much weight after the Miss Universe competition and referred to her as “Miss Housekeeping” — a seemingly racist dig at her Venezuela roots — and “Miss Piggy.”

3. Rosie O’Donnell:

“She announced last week that she suffers from depression,” he said during a 2007 speech. “They call me for comment and rather than saying ‘I have no comment’ or ‘isn’t that too bad, oh that’s so bad,’ I said, ‘I think I can cure her depression,’ — most of you heard of this. ‘If she stopped looking in the mirror, I think she’d stop being so depressed.”

4. Arianna Huffington:

Trump has also targeted media executive Arianna Huffington for her outward appearance — in 2012 he called her “unattractive both inside and out.”

“I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man,” he continued. “He made a good choice.”

5. Hillary Clinton:

Trump also seized on Clinton’s looks throughout the 2016 election and similarly claimed she did not have the right look to be president.

“I just don’t think she has a presidential look, and you need a presidential look,” he said during a Sept. 6 interview with Lester Holt. “She also doesn’t have the stamina.”

A month later at a rally in North Carolina, Trump said he “wasn’t impressed” when the former secretary of state walked in front of him during one of their debates.

6. Heidi Cruz:

Amid the 2016 elections, Trump shared an unflattering photo of Ted Cruz’s wife alongside a photo of Melania Trump.

“A picture’s worth a thousand words,” the meme was captioned.

The insulting tweet came on the heels of an anti-Trump ad commissioned by a super PAC — not affiliated with the Cruz campaign — which shows the first lady posing nude in a shoot for GQ magazine.

7. California Representative Maxine Waters:

“Low I.Q.”

8. Mika Brzezinski:

“Dumb as a rock”,“Crazy”,“low I.Q.”,“bleeding badly from a face-lift”, “had a mental breakdown while talking about me”, “crazy and very dumb”, “very insecure”,“not very bright”, “neurotic”and “wild with hate”.

9. NY Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand:

“Someone who would come to my office ‘begging’ for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them)”.

10. Then Fox News host Megan Kelly:

“Blood coming out of her wherever.”

11. Omarosa Manigault Newman:

“When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn’t work out. Good work by General (John) Kelly for quickly firing that dog!,” Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to his chief of staff.

12. The Billy Bush tapes:

“You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. 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 went on to say, “Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.”

We have had 45 Presidents. Suffice it to say, we have never had one that built this kind of public record regarding his views toward women. While my inclination is to pray we never have another, I understand that not everyone will agree. And that’s OK. For now, I encourage you to reflect upon Trump…Addressing Women: A Recurring Theme!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your inbox.

Addressing Women: A Recurring Theme

It’s time to Break It Down!

Yesterday, Anthony Foxx, former Charlotte Mayor, and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, issued a statement through the online publishing platform Medium, about his reason for joining Lyft, an on-demand transportation company. Foxx, a Charlotte native, discussed how his experiences growing up in Charlotte, as well as his time as Mayor and as Secretary of Transportation, affected his decision to affiliate with the company.

Lyft, based in San Francisco, California, is a competitor to the larger Uber. It develops markets and operates the Lyft car transportation and mobile app. The entity launched June 2012, and operates is approximately 300 U.S. cities, including New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The company provides over 1 million rides per day, and was valued at $15.1 billion in June 2018. It has raised over $5.1 billion, and in December 2017, moved into Canada to challenge Uber.

Foxx will serve as Lyft’s chief policy officer and advisor to its co-founders. He is expected to focus on developing more partnerships with governments and with reshaping mass transit systems in cities. This move speaks to the increasingly central role tech companies play in transportation. He is the first former transportation secretary to join a Silicon Valley startup, and the second prominent Obama official to join Lyft. Former senior adviser Valerie Jarrett was named to the company’s board last year.

Mr. Foxx said in his statement that the company’s mission and values drew him to the enterprise. His entire statement appears below:

“Transformations can happen quickly. Some take time. With so much talk about the growth of cities, the internet of things, the role of regulation in an era of rapid technological change, rising congestion and the need to open the doors of opportunity wider to all segments of the population, change is needed. I have spent much of my public life putting the building blocks in place for that transformation to occur. I see a future in which we get places safer, faster, smarter, cleaner and more connected to opportunity — and each other — than ever before. This future is within our grasp but it will not happen on its own. It will be the product of business and government working together. Because I believe the team at Lyft is best positioned to drive us in the right direction, I am proud to announce that I am joining their team today as Chief Policy Officer and Senior Advisor to the President and CEO.

More on that in a second.

Let me get back to transformations.

There is a transformation underway across the world and in the United States. People are increasingly flocking into cities, seeking better opportunities and quality of life. This growth is compounding the challenges of moving ever larger numbers of people within the relatively tight footprint of our urban regions. If we’re not careful, sheer population growth and slow adaptation of technologies that might otherwise relieve congestion, create more connections and increase economic access will limit our potential as a nation. There will be some trial and error. There will be some transition challenges. But the direction — safer, faster, smarter, cleaner and more connected to opportunity — and to each other — will be worth it. My belief is woven into my life experience.

Growing up in Charlotte, I rode with my grandparents on weekend trips to the grocery store. They were retired school teachers and cared for me throughout my childhood. We routinely passed by the stores closest to us because they offered moldy meats and seafood. These stores would never have attempted to open in more well-to-do parts of my hometown. So, every Saturday morning, my grandparents traveled to three grocery stores across town, one for staple foods, another for meats, fruits and vegetables and still another for fish. It does not get any more fundamental than food.

My grandfather bought used cars. He put enough gasoline in them to make the trips he needed but rarely filled the tank. The car was a necessity but it was also a cost center. We were lucky to have a car. I saw so many nearby families who did not. How much more discretionary money might my family have had if we never owned a car — if there had been a way to pay for the trips they needed instead of the car itself? How about those families I saw growing up who had no choices — not for food, not for work, not for school, not for health care? Lyft is, at its core, a transportation company. It wants to offer solutions we did not see back in those days.

As a mayor and, later, as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, I have a unique perspective. I have made decisions on issues affecting mobility — everything from zoning and land use, to capital budgeting, to street resurfacing, to transit. As U.S. Transportation Secretary, I carried my local government experience to Washington, putting forth the Department’s first Smart City Challenge and issuing the most comprehensive national autonomous vehicle policy framework in the world. I traveled to all 50 states and lobbied for passage of the FAST Act, the first long-term transportation funding bill in a decade. These efforts required strong relationships, creativity, grit and vision. These are qualities that I also see in Logan and John — and the incredible platform they have built.

Lyft has built its brand on getting you there and caring about how you get there. The company remains at the forefront of meeting our nation’s comprehensive mobility needs, but works hard to do so in partnership with key stakeholders. They recognize the extent to which the Lyft platform can bring people together while connecting us to the places we go. They have built an amazing team, and they believe, as I do, that this work, if done well, can lead to a better world. I so look forward to working with this incredible team. Lyft is the future, and I cannot wait to get started.” The foregoing statement reflected, in his own words, “Anthony Foxx: Why I’m Joining Lyft!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your inbox.

https://medium.com/@Anthony_Foxx/why-im-joining-lyft-cd0a91b47725

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyft

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/09/tech/lyft-anthony-foxx/index.html

Anthony Foxx: Why I’m Joining Lyft

It’s time to Break It Down!

Monday was October 1^st. One year earlier, 64 year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire on an outdoor festival in Las Vegas from the 32^nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino across Las Vegas Boulevard during the closing performance by singer Jason Aldean. By the time the shooting stopped eleven minutes later, Paddock had unleashed what is considered the deadliest firearms assault in American history. Incidentally, it displaced the previous record of 49, attributed to the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting at the Pulse Night Club. The toll: 58 fatalities (including Paddock) and 527 injuries.

Paddock had spent three days in his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Using that location as his operations center, he assembled a cache of weaponry that included at least 23 firearms (22 rifles and one handgun) inside the hotel. Some of the rifles were altered from semi-automatic to automatic, using devices known as bump stocks. Once altered, the rifles functioned with the rapid-fire action of machine guns. As police continued investigating the case, they discovered Paddock had at least 47 guns, explosives, and several thousand rounds of ammunition. Let’s not delude ourselves, or others, by saying he snapped. And…if you are an NRA member, or a hard core Republican, then by all means, let’s not even think of introducing the subject of access to firearms, or improved gun legislation into the discourse matrix, because as they have told us for decades, guns don’t kill people; (mentally disturbed) people do.

Paddock used a hammer-like object to break two windows in the suite, from which he launched repeated barrages of gunfire on unsuspecting fans at the concert. The rapidity with which the bullets rained down on the venue created a level of confusion that made it impossible for those taking fire to discern from whence the attack was emanating. If ever there was one, this is an American made tale of woe.

As I noted in this space a year ago, it may surprise some to know, I am an NRA member, a life member, in fact. I maintain an up-to-date CCP…or Concealed Carry Permit, and have qualified for, and held a permit to provide security services. I am not your prototypical “anti-gun” guy. However, I do believe easy access to firearms contributes to the health crisis that is gun violence in America.

Which more or less brings me to my point. After the Vegas tragedy, there was an audacious hue and cry for some kind of action on the gun legislation front. As is frequently the case, in the immediate wake of rampant gun violence, such as in Aurora, or Newtown, or Orlando, the national conversation is so robust, until there is a temptation to believe the discourse might lead to a change in gun laws. In the case of Las Vegas, the chief target was bump stocks.

Following the incident, Donald Trump, several members of Congress, and even the NRA mouthed support for banning bump stocks. They have one purpose; to elevate the degree of carnage that it’s possible to unleash on human beings. Yet, 367 days later, they are still legal instruments of pain and suffering. Meanwhile, we find ourselves immersed in a nationwide discussion about the fate of Brett Kavanagh, as the trio of Trump, Graham, and McConnell endeavor to explain to us how Judge Kavanagh has had his life ruined — because a Clinton conspiracy — to hold him accountable for his actions. Contemporaneously, Don, Jr. has exclaimed that in this environment, he is more concerned about the fate of his young boys, than that of his young girls…presumably because he fears it’s more likely that some woman will falsely accuse his sons, than it is that a man might attack or abuse his daughters. Just for the record, statistics belie his perception, but that’s an e conversation for another time. Conspiracy theories and alternative facts are definitely a thing (or two things) that resonate(s) repeatedly when discussing the Trumps.

The Kavanagh imbroglio is certainly worth its own space. It’s a weighty matter in its own right, and the outcome could alter the trajectory of SCOTUS decisions for decades. I hope it is resolved in an appropriate way. In a way that renders the least onerous outcome on all of us. But in terms of today’s subject, it is another distraction.

I am fond of noting, elections have consequences. And they do. Enormous consequences. The Las Vegas shooting created a dynamic that could have led to altering the landscape of the acquisition of some of the most dangerous and destruction-causing firearms accessories available to man. There are many considerations worth being mindful of as we approach November 6^TH, Election Day. I submit to you, few are more important than electing people who exhibit the courage to take on the gun lobby. Let me be clear, gun legislation is not a magic bullet. In a land with way more than 300 million firearms, more guns than people by most estimates, new legislation will not make the carnage disappear. Howsumever, It could very well be a step in the right direction. In a logic-driven world, Rule #1 is, if you find yourself in a hole, cease and desist digging! Post haste.

Banning bump stocks won’t take a single existing device out of circulation. What it will do is stop adding to the plethora of mechanical accelerants for semi-automatic rifles. That will not be the end of the story. But it could be step 1 in curbing mass violence. That one act could stand as a poignant memorial to the 58 lives lost, and the 527 men and women wounded by Stephen Paddock. On this day, a year ago, it looked as though that was not too much to ask. However, as we turn to the arbiter of hindsight, we are left with the stark and challenging reality…”Las Vegas Shooting One Year Later: Opportunity Lost!” Can we engage and change that narrative?

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your inbox.

It’s time to Break It Down!

For years Donald Trump repeated the trite and untrue bromide that Barack Obama was not born in America. He alleged that he sent his own investigators to Hawaii to prove that non-fact. Not surprisingly, they got zero, zilch, nada, not one scintilla of evidence supporting this ridiculous alternative fact, which by the way is defined as, not a fact.

Yesterday though, Mr. Trump reached way back into his virtual vault of anti-facts. Standing front and center before the United Nations General Assembly, he began to spin one of the yarns his beloved Red Cap crew perennially and unanimously finds so spastically titillating. However, in full disclosure, the foundation for this claim starts with a premise he falsely claimed long before he ever heard of Barack Obama.

Actually, for decades, Trump has argued that people the world over were laughing at Americans, especially their leaders, and ultimately, Barack Obama in particular. You might say he has maintained a decades long fixation with the notion of people in other countries deriding our president.

And yesterday, under the bright lights of one of the world’s most auspicious stages, in reaction to Trumpian pulp fiction, the honorable assembly laughed. Out loud! According to Thomas Wright, a Europe analyst at the Brookings Institution:

“He has always been obsessed people are laughing at the president. From the mid-’80s, he’s said: ‘The world is laughing at us. They think we’re fools.’ It’s never been true, but he’s said it about every president. It’s the first time I’m aware of that people actually laughed at a president. I think it is going to drive him absolutely crazy. It will play to every insecurity he has.”

In a 2014 Twitter rant, he argued that not only had the U.S. been taken advantage of by other countries; he added that we were a “laughingstock to the entire world.” According to those captivated by his spell, his rise was at least in part fueled by his contention and their belief that his strength and resolve could change that situation.

In the early stages of Trump’s speech yesterday, which was intended to establish U.S. “sovereignty” over the whims and needs of other nations, he ran headlong into an unexpected and not at all pleasant dose of reality. In the first minute of the speech, Trump boasted that his administration had accomplished more during his two years in office than “almost any administration” in American history. That bit of fanciful blarney resulted in audible guffaws in the cavernous chamber.

For his part, Mr. Trump was flummoxed. After grasping for a suitable response, he finally managed, “Didn’t expect that response…but that’s OK.” Again, chuckles. This time the laughter was probably in sympathy with or embarrassment for him.

It’s a pretty safe bet Trump is sure to miss the irony of the laughter at his own expense. Later in the day, after he had an opportunity to compose himself, consult with aides, and develop an alternative fact narrative, he suggested the line was intended to elicit laughs.

Sure it was. Better late than never.

Trump would ramble on for another 34 minutes. But no other moments would match the impact or import of his rhetorical nadir for the day. The moment made for a pointed rejoinder for a man who seems to take such an exultant joie de vivre in poking our traditional allies and partners in the eye on trade, security alliances, and general diplomatic bonhomie.

At first blush, the moment was embarrassing, but it was more than that. It tore a gaping hole into a core fabulist assertion that has been a key element in Trump’s stock-in-trade bloviating for decades, and since his election. As I’ve noted on several previous occasions, the New York Times and the Washington Post have kept a running tab on Trump’s false or misleading statements since taking office. In case you are keeping track, the total has eclipsed 5,000.

From The Art of the Deal, to The Apprentice, to the White House, Donald Trump has never been shy about highlighting what he believes to be his accomplishments, even if it means employing a tactic he has referred to as truthful hyperbole. As the midterm elections begin to come into focus, Trump has spent increasingly more time touting his administration’s “long list of accomplishments.”

As he has done so, he has routinely claimed a stunning array of sweeping successes, and placed himself in a favorable position in historical comparison to America’s great leaders. Just last week at a speech in Missouri, he veered off script, asserting that his 2016 election was one of “the greatest movements in the history of our country.” Yesterday’s claim at the United Nations that he has done more in less than two years than most of his 44 predecessors defied reality, hubris, logic, reason, truth, and well, just about any other measure available to us, except perhaps the one he created, truthful hyperbole. Ah, but he apparently failed to account for the fact he was not at a MAGA Rally. Where are the Red Caps when you need them, he may have been thinking?  Sad!

Thomas Wright framed it thusly:

“It’s got to hurt. It was on camera and it was spontaneous. It was on one of the biggest stages in the world.” In summary, “The U.N. Guffawed: The Karma Of It All!” I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

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It’s time to Break It Down!

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, A.K.A. MJ, A.K.A. #23, A.K.A. principal owner and Chairman of the Charlotte Hornets, grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina, and went on to become known and beloved by the masses as the NBA’s G.O.A.T. (A.K.A. Greatest Of All Time). Yesterday Jordan donated $2 million dollars to Hurricane Florence relief efforts in North Carolina.

Hurricane Florence invaded North and South Carolina last week, and to date is responsible for at least 34 deaths, 26 in North Carolina. Wilmington was especially hard hit. Floodwaters cut the city off from the rest of the state, making the peninsula an island. The community was hit with 26.58 inches of rain. The resulting encroaching waters cut off roadways into and out of Wilmington, isolating the city, preventing people who didn’t evacuate before the storm from doing so afterward, and making it impossible for those who did to return immediately after the storm to check on their family members and property.

This is not Jordan’s first philanthropic rodeo. However, his route to this point was not a straight line. In the 90’s former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, the city’s first African American Mayor, challenged Jesse Helms for his NC Senate seat. Twice. In 1990, and again in 1996. Helms won both contests. In the 1990 race, Senator Helms used his infamous anti-Gantt, anti–affirmative action “White Hands” ad.

Despite the Senator’s unorthodox, and racially insensitive ad, and a number of pleas from prominent athletes, including Arthur Ashe, for Jordan to endorse Mr. Gantt, Jordan declined to do so. To add insult to injury, it was reported by a number of sources that Jordan, in declining to endorse Gantt, explained his decision by commenting to a friend, that, “Republicans buy shoes too.” For the record, Jordan has always denied having said that. But, as urban legends often do, the narrative developed a life of its own, and persists in many circles, even to this day.

While Jordan went on to win multiple NBA Titles, six in all, as well as a matching six NBA Finals MVP’s to complement his Rings, and would ultimately leverage his Brand into NBA Team Owner, and Billionaire status, it is both inaccurate and unfair to characterize MJ as just a soulless capitalist, entirely unconcerned or connected to politics.

Speaking in his own defense, Jordan had this to say about his not-so-well-known largesse:

“If I’m guilty of anything it’s of not seeking publicity or keeping a record of everybody I’ve ever helped. We still have racism. But sometimes the more publicity you give it helps increase racism rather than decrease it.”

To point out a few instances of Jordan contributions that may not have been particularly well know, see below:

According to OpenSecrets.org, Jordan donated $2000 to Gantt’s 1996 Senate campaign. (Estee Portnoy, Jordan’s spokeswoman, confirmed the donation to Slate. Despite the donation, Gantt lost that race, too.) Also in 2004, he contributed to Barack Obama’s senatorial campaign, leading Obama to joke that he “wasn’t sure whether he should cash [the check] or frame it.” Moreover, in 2012, he participated in a fundraiser for President Obama and “co-headlined” a $20,000 a plate dinner following it, ESPN reported. OpenSecrets.org also lists donations from a Michael J. Jordan with the occupation “Charlotte Bobcats Owner” to various groups associated with the Democratic Party.

In a statement published on ESPN’s the Undefeated, on July 28, 2016, under the headline “Michael Jordan: ‘I Can No Longer Stay Silent,’ ” Mr… Jordan wrote:

“As a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have been deeply troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers.”

Later in the statement, Jordan announced he would donate $1 million each to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He did not elaborate on why he chose this particular moment to speak out and donate money, and he was very careful to avoid offending anyone in his statement:

“Over the past three decades I have seen up close the dedication of the law enforcement officers who protect me and my family. I have the greatest respect for their sacrifice and service. I also recognize that for many people of color their experiences with law enforcement have been different than mine. I have decided to speak out in the hope that we can come together as Americans, and through peaceful dialogue and education, achieve constructive change.”

So, to be clear about the matter, while Mike has been reluctant to wade into things political, his reticence may have been at least somewhat overstated. Nevertheless, his “Undefeated” commentary and donation announcement is different. It wasn’t just a campaign donation: Jordan decided to use his voice and his platform to weigh in publicly on a pressing issue of race and social justice. He was still measured, and he still gave equal consideration to all sides. But there is no denying this was a long way from “Republicans buy shoes/sneakers, too,” whether he ever said those words or not.

Returning to yesterday, Jordan issued a statement accompanying his donation to assist the recovery effort from Hurricane Florence. In it, he said:

“It’s truly devastating to see the damage that Hurricane Florence is doing to my beloved home state of North Carolina and to the surrounding areas. The recovery effort will be massive, and it will take a long time to repair the damage and for the families to get back on their feet. Together with the NBA, we have launched a platform to aid those most impacted. Please join me, the Hornets organization, the NBA, and donate to one of the local organizations assisting in the relief and recovery efforts. To all those affected, stay safe and know that we’re here to help.”

The 55-year-old Jordan still has relatives who live in coastal North Carolina, including a nephew who attends UNC-Wilmington, which remains closed due to storm damage. In a telephone interview with the Associated Press, Jordan said:

“It just hits home. I know all of those places: Wilmington, Fayetteville, Myrtle Beach, New Bern, and Wallace, which is where my father is from. So quite naturally it hits home, and I felt like I had to act in a sense that this is my home.”

“Local Boy Does Good: No Place Like Home!” I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com or http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.  A new post is published each Wednesday.

It’s Time to Break It Down!

 (This post appeared originally in this space on September 7, 2011. It was re-purposed and presented September 11, 2013, again September 13, 2017, and today, September 12, 2018).

A year ago at this time, and in this space, I opined the buzz for the day, would likely center, as it had for some time, on the weather. At that time the principal thrust was on taking stock of, and responding to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma, the second consecutive Category 4 or above hurricane to reach land in the U.S. after a 12-year absence of storms packing that level of fury.

Today, after several days of having been inundated by serial breaking news updates about the weather, those of us on the Eastern seaboard, especially we who reside in North Carolina, are in various states of battening down the hatches, at least figuratively. According to the National Weather Servicer, the storm, A.K.A. Hurricane Florence, which it characterized as an “extremely dangerous major hurricane,” is predicted to hit the North Carolina coast late Thursday or early Friday morning. Moreover, the National Hurricane Center projects it will drop as much as 30 inches of rain in some areas, and deliver wind gusts of up to the 140 mph range, which would mean it will be the strongest storm to hit North Carolina in over 60 years. But I digress.

Instead of providing virtual storm chasing services, I am going to re-post a past “Break It Down” entry. Yesterday was the Seventeenth Anniversary of Nine-Eleven; a day America will never forget.  With that in mind, I ask that you please spend a few minutes directing your attention to the horror that was September 11, 2001.

(From the Archives, September 7, 2011)

Do you remember where you were, Tuesday, September 11, 2001? Yesterday we observed the 17^th Anniversary of the day that has come to be known simply as, Nine-Eleven (9/11). That day 17 years ago, America lost, in one fell swoop, its blissful innocence, its long-standing appearance of invulnerability, and its deeply ingrained sense of security. By some accounts, what it retained is its self-righteous (some would say) belief in American Exceptionalism and entitlement; but that is a conversation for another post.

Suddenly we were at war, and the fight had uncharacteristically come to us, straightway.  This battle was personal, and it was on our home turf; no longer some shadowy ideological military exercise, or guerrilla warfare episode, played out on foreign soil, half a world away.

U.S. House of Representatives Joint Resolution 71 was introduced with 22 co-sponsors (11 Republicans and 11 Democrats) and approved by a vote of 407-0 on October 25, 2001 (with 25 members not voting).  The bill passed unanimously in the Senate on November 30, 2001.  The Resolution requested that the President designate September 11^th each year as Patriot Day.  President George W. Bush signed the Resolution into law December 18, 2001 (as Public Law 107-89).

On this day, the President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff at individual American homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, home and abroad.  This year President Trump, as President Obama did before him, deemed the day one of National Remembrance and Service. He and Mrs. Trump commemorated the day at a memorial ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, site of one where one of the planes crashed, after passengers were said to have fought back against the hijackers.

Even after more than a decade and a half, with seventeen years worth of context building, and development of perspective, the numbers behind Nine-Eleven are chilling.  Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, and thousands of others were injured, and many more sustained post-event trauma.  Examples of the carnage include:

• 2,977 Victims killed (not including the 19 hijackers)
• 2,606 Killed at the World Trade Center Towers
• 125 Killed at the Pentagon
• 40 Killed in Shanksville, PA
• 87 Killed on American Flight 11/NYC World Trade Center North Tower
• 60 Killed on United Flight 175/NYC World Trade Center South Tower
• 59 Killed on American Flight 77/Arlington – The Pentagon
• 40 Killed United Flight 93/Shanksville, PA
• 19 Hijackers
• 246 Passengers Killed on the four planes
• 19 Hijackers Killed (on the four planes)
• 2,996 Killed on Nine-Eleven
• 411 Emergency workers killed at the World Trade Centers
• 341 FDNY firefighters killed
• 2 Paramedics killed
• 23 NYPD officers killed
• 37 Port Authority Police Department officers killed
• 8 EMT’s killed
• 658 Employees of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (Investment Bank) killed; most of any employer
• 1,631 Bodies positively identified from World Trade Center Towers
• 1,122 Bodies (41%) remain unidentified
• Bone fragments were still being found in 2005 by workers preparing to demolish the damaged Deutsche Bank Building
• 72 Additional remains found in 2010 by a team of anthropologists and archeologists

A Medical Examiner will continue to try to identify remains in the hope new technology will lead to the identification of other victims.  The death and destruction of Nine-Eleven led to the so-called Global War on Terror.  Mostly the front lines have been in Afghanistan and Iraq.  However, a central intent of the action has been to prevent a recurrence of Nine-Eleven-like events on U.S. soil.

The initial thrust began October 7, 2001 when the U.S., British, and Coalition forces invaded Afghanistan, and in March 2002, the U.S. and Coalition forces launched Operation Anaconda and the Taliban suffered significant losses, and left the region.  In the interim, involvement in the region ebbed and flowed, but the war, which the Obama Administration referred to as Overseas Contingency Operation, continues. The War in Afghanistan is officially the longest war in American History.  We have for some time been in the “every day is a new record” era.

U.S. Intelligence sources pointed to Al-Qaeda as the probable instigator behind Nine-Eleven.  It’s leader, Osama bin Laden initially denied involvement.  Over time, bin Ladenbecame more emboldened, first conceding involvement, and ultimately admitting that he was instrumental in masterminding the horrific attacks.  During his Presidential Campaign, Mr. Obama declared he would not relent on the hunt for Osama.  The elusive terrorist was thought to be hiding in Pakistan.  Mr. Obama stated bluntly that if reliable intelligence pinpointed bin Laden, he would deploy U.S. forces to find and kill him, which he did on May 2, 2011.

The good news is, over the course of the past sixteen years, there have been no repeat Nine-Eleven scale events on U.S. soil.  That result is partly due to fastidiously focusing on prevention efforts, partly due to the fortuitous failure of would-be terrorists, and partly due to the fateful intervention of alert by-standers.

As we place the commemoration of Patriot Day 2017 in the rearview mirror, and sixteen years of Nine-Eleven related memories with it, Americans are still advised to be on high alert for potential incursions by terrorists, most likely of the lone wolf variety, where one person acts alone.  So here we are, “Nine-Eleven: A Seventeen-Year Retrospective!” I trust you had a productive Day of Remembrance and Service.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com.  A new post is published each Wednesday.