It’s time to Break It Down!

For several years now, I’ve known, and repeatedly said, we’ve reached a point in this country wherein the chasm separating the left and the right is deep…and wide. It’s been a long time since we were this divided. So long ago, the terms left, and right were not even in vogue as the language that defined our political and ideological differences. It’s been at least half a century since the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and even longer since the Jim Crow era was pervasive, and even longer than that since lynching was the order of the day.

Despite the contentiousness that is subject to jump off at the mere mention of things political in gatherings of mixed ideological leanings, I still delve into those conversations. Undoubtedly, far more frequently than many deem prudent, or rational. There are a number of reasons I could proffer, but the one salient notation I’ll mention is my perplexity arising from what strikes me as the irreconcilable disconnects between what conservatives say and do now, versus what so many of them maintained, right up to the day Trump was elected.

Actually, that single point warrants a dissertation of its own, but that is not the point I am choosing to elucidate today. No, today’s post, the subject of which is prominently etched at the top of the page, is all about the distinction between Donald Trump’s claims and his actions, vis-à-vis COVID-19. My thesis is a segment of the public has been hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray, run amuck, and flat out deceived. Others…don’t care, actually feel they benefit from the discordant direction Trump foments, and a few , flatly revel in it. I fully intend to prove, at least the former, by using a simple tool; Mr. Trump’s own words.

Rising to the top of the political heap in the U.S. brings with it a lot of perks. POTUS is considered by some to be the most powerful position in the world. Technically, that’s probably not true, but the person in that position is by most accounts, the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. In all likelihood, the most powerful person in the world, is some dictator, or autocrat, who singularly controls all or most of a country’s levers of power. But that too, if there is a debate, is an argument for another day. The flip side of all those perks, is being POTUS brings with it an unrelenting spotlight, and good, bad, or indifferent, the capturing for the record of one’s every word, certainly every word on the public record, and as many have learned, quite a few words that were not necessarily intended for public consumption.

Mr. Trump has long been a media maven. For this discussion, I will refer only to his on the record, in front of the media (a far as we can tell, on of his favorite positions), comments.

Earlier this week, CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Trump about some of his previous comments playing down the coronavirus.

In his best Trumpian response, Mr. Trump replied:

“If you look at those individual statements, they’re all true. Stay calm, it will go away. You know it — you know it is going away, and it will go away, and we’re going to have a great victory.”

Chris Cillizza, a CNN Analyst leans into The New York Times’ amazing timeline of Trump’s statements on coronavirus as the framework for comparing and contrasting Trump’s remarks from the beginning of the outbreak until now, which Trump maintains, haven’t changed.

* In late January, Trump, in an interview with CNBC, said this: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” The US did not, in fact, have it totally under control. As of Tuesday morning, there were almost 161,000 confirmed cases in the United States and 3,000 deaths.

* In early February, Trump told Sean Hannity this: “We pretty much shut it down coming in from China.” He had not, in fact, “shut it down.” Again, almost 161,000 confirmed cases in the United States and 3,000 deaths.

* In late February, Trump said this of the number of coronavirus cases in the US: “We’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.” That was, and is, not true. One week ago, the US had 52,000 confirmed cases. This morning we had almost 161,000.

* In mid-March, Trump said this: “This is a very contagious virus. It’s incredible. But it’s something we have tremendous control of.” We did not have “tremendous control” of the virus. See above.

Now there are of course, many more examples. I won’t insult your intelligence by presuming you fail to get the point. I’m certain you do. To coin a phrase, it trumps ridiculous for Mr. Trump to claim with a straight face that every “individual statement” he made about COVID-19 was (or is) true. One would hope, I know I certainly do, that Trump supporters and non-Trump supporters alike (even though that chasm, as aforementioned, is deep and wide) would find themselves unable to draw that conclusion, based upon the evidence. It is simply, logically impossible.

Now was there a method to his madness? Almost certainly!

In January, in February, and even early in March, he was downplaying the virus because:

• He wanted it not to be that bad
• He didn’t want people to freak out, because the economy, on which his campaign is based, would tank

Evidence?

As Trumps said to Acosta:

“The statements I made are I want to keep the country calm; I don’t want panic in the country. I could cause panic much better than even you. I could do much — I would make you look like a minor league player.”

The thing is though, Trump’s attempts to undersell the virus to the public had real-world consequences — including a very slow start to testing for the virus in this country and our current shortages on masks and ventilators. (Doubt it? Read this Times piece: “The Lost Month: How a Failure Test Blinded the U.S. to COVID-19.”)

Now, Trump is being Trump, doing now what he always does about everything: Attempting to rewrite history so that it looks like he was always the smartest guy in the room, the one person who saw this all coming from a mile away.

Evidence? Check out his March 17^th about-face:

“I’ve always known this is a real — this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.”

The temptation is to call that what it is, straight up hot bovine excrement. For the purposes of this post, I’ll instead resort to factchecker’s prose. “That statement is, of course, demonstrably untrue.”

Naturally, we all know, Donald Trump doesn’t care. Habit and history have established that if he simply repeats the story, he wants to be true, plenty of people will follow his lead.

He will blame Democrats, or he’ll blame the media, or he’ll blame both…for twisting his words or making thing up. Remember that he is the guy who said this out loud: “Stick with us. Don’t believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news. … What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”

Yesterday, Mitch McConnell alleged impeachment diverted Trump’s attention from coronavirus. While I don’t doubt he spent a considerable amount of time and energy ensuring that none of his associates and subordinates testified against him, I do question whether he spent any more time doing that than he did holding rallies and playing golf:

Rally Dates:

January 9^th

January 14^th

January 28^th

January 30^th

February 10^th

February 19^th

February 20^th

February 21^st

February 28^th

Golfing Dates:

January 18^th

January 19^th

February 1^st

February 15^th

March 7^th

March 8^th

For the record, impeachment by the way, ended February 5^th.

But if the truth still matters, know this. The truth is that Trump repeatedly downplayed the threat coronavirus posed to the country, providing Americans with false hope when they needed candor and transparency most of all.

At the end of the day, “He’s Lying to You, And You Know It: You May Not Care, But You Know!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/31/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus/index.html

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcconnell-says-trump-impeachment-trial-distracted-federal-government-as-coronavirus-entered-us

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/mcconnell-impeachment-diverted-attention-coronavirus-69898707

He’s Lying To You, And You Know It: You May Not care, But You Know!

It’s time to Break It Down!

So, a certain Senator from Kentucky chose to be tested for COVID-19 last week, reportedly March 16^th. After testing, Senator Rand Paul opted not to self-quarantine. He chose not to because, as he said:

“I did not quarantine while awaiting a coronavirus test because I did not meet the criteria for quarantine. In fact, I did not meet the current criteria for even being tested, much less quarantined.

I have not had an encounter with anyone that health officials recommended quarantining or testing.

I took the test because my wife and I had traveled extensively during the weeks prior to COVID-19 social distancing practices, and I am at a higher risk for serious complications from the virus due to having part of my lung removed seven months ago.

I did attend Louisville’s Speed Art Museum charity ball on March 7. Unlike the other Kentucky government officials there, I had zero contact or proximity with either of the two individuals who later announced they were positive for COVID-19. The event was a large affair of hundreds of people spread throughout the museum.”

As a consequence, between the time he was tested, and getting his test result, the Senator continued to cast votes on the Senate floor. He made a speech, met and lunched with other GOP senators, worked out in Senate gym and was spotted in the Senate swimming pool. After learning Paul was infected, two senators self-quarantined, a Virginia golf club cleaned and disinfected its facilities, and fellow members of Congress were furious that Paul didn’t act more responsibly.

Given all the caveats the Senator provided to qualify his actions as standard acceptable behavior, it’s a wonder he even chose to be tested. Moreover, given that he did, and as difficult as tests allegedly were to come by for normal, non-celebrity individuals and officials; with all those reasons not to be concerned, it might even beg the question why he was able to get a test in the first place. But, as a couple of my favorite video comedians are fond of saying, “that’s irrelevant.” I digress.

The point is, this situation highlights the fact that, as I told an ardent Trump supporter, and in this case at least, an avid Rand Paul advocate, either the Senator is disbelieving of the scientific evidence regarding the potential impact of catching and sharing the virus, or he didn’t care. Perhaps both. I don’t know whether either or both apply, but if it’s neither, he opted for an exceptionally peculiar way to demonstrate it during these times, which I think most would agree, are by no means normal.

Earlier in the month, Senator Paul distinguished himself by being the only senator to vote against a bipartisan $8.3 billion bill intended to help fight the outbreak, which included money for states and local communities to fight the virus as well as funds for public agencies to invest in vaccines, tests and treatments. Last week, he was one of eight senators to vote against the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The legislation expanded paid sick leave, provided for free testing, and enabled recipients to receive additional food and unemployment assistance.

The Senator had been a critic of his fellow Senators for leaning on “spending” to combat the spread of the Coronavirus, as he advocated for alternative plans. Of course, Senator Paul is no stranger to going it alone. He is the scion of Ron Paul, long time Republican, 10-year Libertarian, a former Texas Congressman, who was also known to be dogmatic and unyielding, and who has flatly suggested, and I quote:

“People should ask themselves whether this coronavirus “pandemic” could be a big hoax, with the actual danger of the disease massively exaggerated by those who seek to profit – financially or politically – from the ensuing panic.”

Rand Paul is the first Senator to test positive for the virus. There are those who see irony in this, due to the fact he voted twice against Coronavirus relief bills. Senator Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said after Paul’s announcement, he would be self-quarantining, since he sat next to Paul “for extended periods in recent days.”

When the Senator released a statement Monday afternoon, defending his actions, some believed it carried an even greater sense of irony. In addition to the comments noted earlier, after saying he thought it “was highly unlikely” he would test positive, he went on to add:

“Perhaps it is too much to ask that we simply have compassion for our fellow Americans who are sick or fearful of becoming so. “Thousands of people want testing. Many, like David Newman of The Walking Dead, are sick with flu symptoms and are being denied testing. This makes no sense.”

Given his own actions, that statement sounds somewhat devoid of self-awareness. So much so that perhaps we should wonder…”Business As Usual: Is That Really the Way to GO?”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/todaysdebate/2020/03/24/coronavirus-rand-paul-public-leaders-failing-editorials-debates/2901852001/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/todaysdebate/2020/03/24/rand-paul-why-no-quarantine-after-getting-tested-editorials-debates/2912183001/

https://time.com/5807989/senator-rand-paul-coronavirus/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/03/22/what-to-know-about-rand-pauls-positive-coronavirus-test/2895147001/

http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2020/march/16/the-coronavirus-hoax/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/03/22/reactions-rand-pauls-positive-coronavirus-test/2895113001/

Business As Usual: Is That Really The Way To Go?

It’s time to Break It Down!

Slowly, surely, inexorably! Months ago, I established that three-word sobriquet as my personal working title for the period of history that we will one day deem to have been the Trump era. Yes, it’s a longer title, but it is also inordinately more descriptive. Precisely, of what is it illustrative, you may ask?

I’m glad you inquired. It presents a graphically detailed summation of the stages through which much of the American citizenry must transport itself, before it sees clearly the metaphorical house of cards that is the Trump administration.

According to the Washington Post Fact Checker, by the 1,095th day of Donald Trump’s administration, January 19, 2020, he had uttered 16,241 false or misleading claims. I have previously referenced Mr. Trump’s propensity to deal in non-truths, as cited by a number of fact-checking organizations. Said enterprises explain that they do not simply refer to each and every one of these extraordinary number of falsehoods as lies because they cannot rightfully discern that he intended to mislead, versus he simply doesn’t know any better. Rather than quibble, I’m OK with that. Even if one is described as having uttered false and misleading statements, the bottom line is the statements were other than truthful. I think the point is clear.

Last week I penned a post that I think most would agree was timely, speaking about the serious nature of COVID-19. I characterized it as, among other things, “a serious matter.” The Coronavirus is now in all 50 states.

Since that time, the NBA halted its season, at least temporarily, most D-I athletic conferences scrapped their basketball tournaments, the NCAA cancelled March Madness, the start of Major League Baseball was delayed, along with a host of other sports world cancellations and suspensions. Moreover, a number of state and local governments have issued closures, and the Stock Market lost virtually all the gains made during the 3-plus years of the Trump Administration. But all of that pales in comparison to the tectonic plate shifting news that Donald Trump held a press conference Monday afternoon during which he acknowledged or conceded, with regard to COVID-19:

• The situation is bad
• The virus is not under control
• The country might be heading into a recession
• America may not get back to normal until mid-summer
• We need to implement specific guidelines, including social distancing
• Parents should engage in schooling their children from home when possible
• We should all avoid discretionary travel & eating in restaurants

In other words, you might say, he characterized the situation as “a serious matter.”

He had never, and I mean n-e-v-e-r, before said any of those things publicly, since the onset of the virus having reached our shores. His most decisive and noteworthy action related to the matter before Monday was the imposing of travel restrictions on China. So, what had he done to convey his lack of conviction that COVID-19 was an issue of critical importance and imminent danger? To tick off a few, from January through last week, he claimed repeatedly:

• He had the virus under control
• The number of cases would go down, not up
• The virus might disappear, through a miracle, or something of the sort
• The virus might vanish by April, with warmer weather
• The media and Democrats were overhyping the situation
• This is their new hoax
• No, not at all (In response to an inquiry as to whether he was worried about a pandemic)

An old, but wisdom-laden bromide is “never look a gift horse in the mouth.” To wit, I’m happy to report the change in tenor in Trump’s posture. It was late, but it could have been never. Late is hella better than never.

Undoubtedly, there are some, who, at the very least, wonder what on earth could prompt such a fundamental shift in posture and attitude by such a big-brained stable genius of a guy, who knows more than generals, meteorologists, scientists, Popes and Potentates? Combined! Well, through a lot of Trump watching, and a little bit of reading, I have a few ideas. CNN reported that officials and those close to Trump Monday and yesterday pointed to the following:

1. Plummeting markets
2. Economic data from China showing a devastating impact on growth
3. New statistical models showing millions of Americans could die
4. Private and public urging from his allies to adopt a more serious tone
5. An about-face and new urgency from Jared Kushner
6. At least 3 Mar-a-Lago guests having possibly spread the disease
7. The influence and truth-telling of Dr. Anthony Fauci

On Tuesday Mr. Trump was asked about his change in tone. His response; predictable. He maintained his tone hadn’t changed much at all. In response to a query on the subject, he said:

“I mean, I have seen that, where people actually liked it. But I didn’t feel different. I’ve always known, this is a real — this is a real — this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. All you had to do was look at other countries…no, I’ve always viewed it as very serious. It was no difference yesterday from days before. I feel the tone is similar, but some people said it wasn’t.”

OK, now that I’ve stopped LMAOROTFLOL, I can continue. As I remind others all the time, we know who and with what we are dealing. It would be imprudent to expect otherwise. Indeed, this was simply another effort to spin those not paying attention, and, I suppose, to reassure those who’s mantra is, “In Trump We Trust.” Either way, it’s a dense hot mass of bovine excrement. But you already know. “Trump’s 180 Degrees Conversion: And His Total Compulsively Reflexive Denial!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/fact-check-trump-always-knew-pandemic-coronavirus/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-response-messaging/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/

https://www.facebook.com/OccupyDemocrats/videos/635029780374179/

Trump’s 180 Degrees Conversion: And His Total Compulsively Reflexive Denial

It’s time to Break It Down!

As I start this post it is with the purest intent to keep it brief. First of all because I am not a doctor, and certainly no expert on this or any other strain of virus. Second, because there is probably very little that I will say that you haven’t heard before. Just maybe, you have not heard or seen it all in one place.

Why then, am I writing about it, you might legitimately inquire? I’m writing about it because I think it’s an important topic, and if I can convey that to even one person, it will have been worth the effort.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is part of a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, the viruses typically result in respiratory tract infections. As a group, the viruses were discovered in the 1960’s, and include SARS and MERS, as examples. COVID-19, the currently active strain, was first identified in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019, after having been cited as the source of a pneumonia outbreak in the area. To that end, basically, COVID-19 is shorthand for Coronavirus Disease, the 2019 version.

Over the past three months, the Coronavirus, as its commonly called, has been identified in a number of countries outside China, including Japan, Italy, and most notably, for most of us, here in America, the United States. Yesterday, CNN medical experts upgraded the description of the virus to the level of pandemic.

Now, before going any further, take a deep breath. Characterizing the way the disease is spreading as a pandemic, does not mean you should expect to die. At least not from the Coronavirus. It does mean you should take appropriate precautions.

Here is a Wikipedia summary description of pandemic:

A pandemic (from Greek πᾶν pan “all” and δῆμος demos “people”) is an epidemic of disease that has spread across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or worldwide. A widespread endemicdisease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic. Further, flu pandemics generally exclude recurrences of seasonal flu. Throughout history, there have been a number of pandemics, such as smallpox and tuberculosis. One of the most devastating pandemics was the Black Death, which killed an estimated 75–200 million people in the 14th century. The only two current pandemics are HIV/AIDS and Coronavirus disease 2019. Other recent pandemics are the 1918 influenza pandemic (Spanish flu) and the 2009 flu pandemic (H1N1).

Note that pandemics have come and gone, and most of us who were alive at the time survived. Coronavirus should be no exception to that trend. At the outset, it’s important to know a few key elements regarding COVID-19. According to the White House Coronavirus Task Force:

• Older people and people with chronic diseases are a higher risk
• The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus
• Wash your hands often
• If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with those who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people
• Stay home if you are sick
• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow
• Throw used tissues in the trash
• When washing hands do so for at least 20 seconds, preferably with soap and water
• If you are sick, wear a face mask
• You do not need a face mask if you are not sick, unless you are caring for someone who is sick
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily
• The principal symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath

There are people who believe, and others who claim to believe, reaction to Coronavirus is overblown. My first thought in reaction to such bravado is prototypical bromide, straight from mother wit; better safe than sorry.

Case in point:

One day Congressman Matt Gaetz is mocking the hoopla over Coronavirus by wearing a gas mask. The next thing I hear is that one of his constituents died from it. That was followed shortly by news of the Congressman self-quarantining himself, because of…you guessed it, COVID-19. It’s not for me to say whether The Honorable Mr. Gaetz was just too cute for his own good; I’ll let karma speak to that. What I will say is, in all you do, think before you do, act responsibly, proceed sensibly, and use restraint and common sense. It may be hard to do, but more often than not, it will inure to your favor.

Governments and business of all ilks, including airlines, sports franchises, conference planners, schools, universities, houses of worship and of course hospitals and medical practices are devising special circumstance behaviors to deal with the fallout from this pandemic. Last week, Wall Street temporarily halted trading. Even Mr. Trump has formed a task force (referenced previously), so you know it’s got to be, for real, for real! We are at the point where nearly all the market gains for the entire year were wiped out in a matter of days. This virus is real, and it is really serious.

The total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide neared 120,000 by this morning, with more than 80K in China, and more than 10K in Italy. In Iran and South Korea around 8K confirmed cases have been reported, and other nations are suggesting they will reach similar levels soon.

Across the United States, there are now more than 1,000 reported cases of the virus. At least 19 states have declared a state of emergency; yesterday these included Colorado, North Carolina and Michigan, the latter reporting its first two cases.

The COVID-19 virus in the U.S. has spread to at least 35 states, according to the latest reporting from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with more deaths in Washington state and California. As of yesterday, 26 Americans had died from the virus.

To place this in context, by contrast last year, 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. The annual death toll from the Flu in the U.S. ranges from 27,000 to 70,000. As you can see, we are not even in the ball park. Our collective challenge is to make sure we are working proactively to keep it that way!

I started this post by conceding that I am by no means an expert in this field, and/or on this subject. I certainly didn’t become one over the course of a thousand words. So, in conclusion, I invite you to seek the counsel of individuals versed on the matter before you stake out a course of action. Whatever you do, just remember I told you right here in this post…”Coronavirus: The Next Big Thing!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019

Coronavirus: The Next Big Thing

Yesterday was Super Tuesday 2020, Election Day in NC…and in California, Texas, Virginia, Massachusetts, Colorado, Minnesota, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah, Maine, Vermont, and American Samoa. By the time you’re reading this, most races will have been called. If you are of age, and an eligible voter, I hope you registered and fulfilled your civic duty.

This however, as the title surely revealed, is not a post about politics. I reversed field, and am writing, albeit briefly, about sports. I noted last week that my city was hosting its 15^th and final CIAA Tournament. The Tournament was celebrating its 75th year.

Just as I said I would, I, along with my long-suffering spouse attended games every night, Tuesday through Friday, and the Title Games (Men’s and Women’s) Saturday afternoon. There was lots of basketball played from Tuesday morning to early Saturday evening, much of it very exciting, and some of it quite good. My full disclaimer is, I didn’t see a single day game prior to the Title Tilts. But I didn’t miss any evening games, at least not in their entirety. Translation, I missed the start of a few, especially the 7:00 p.m. games.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to regale you with a play-by-play of the games; not any of them. But as an alum and fan of a CIAA affiliated institution, Fayetteville State University, I am going to take a point of personal privilege and share the shout out to my teams, both of which made to the Finals, that I posted on Facebook earlier this week.

I’m sharing because:

• It was the end of the Tournament’s 15-year run in Charlotte
• The Men’s & Women’s team from the same school advancing to the Finals is special
• Fayetteville State University is “my” HBCU
• Break It Down is “my” blog
• I Can

Here’s what I wrote:

“Resolute and resilient! That defined the Broncos Men’s and Women’s hoops teams last week here in CLT @ the 75th and CLT Finale) CIAA Tournament.

The Lady Broncos were on a mission. They went undefeated in the Southern Division, which they won for the 3rd year in a row. They met and conquered all challenges. Job well done; Congratulations ladies.

The Bronco men had a more difficult task, but performed admirably, nevertheless. As a 3rd seed, they opened with 7th seeded Shaw, a team they’d defeated just 4 days earlier, then their work really begun. They played four games in four days, and the last 3 were against higher seeds, Number 2 Virginia Union (North), Number 1 Johnson C. Smith (South), also the host and home standing team, and finally, Number 2, Winston-Salem State University (South) in the Title Game.

In the fell clutch of circumstance, the Broncos did not wince, nor did they cry aloud. Under the bludgeoning of chance, they may have been bloodied (figuratively), but their heads remained unbowed. Despite the physical and mental challenges, their grit and determination enabled them to lead until the last 4.6 seconds of the Title game. Alas, Winston-Salem State won; kudos to them.

I extend sincere congratulations to the 2020 CIAA Men’s Basketball Champions, the Winston-Salem State University Rams, and their renown Ramily…and richly deserved mad respect, endless love and congratulations to my forever squads, The Fayetteville State University Broncos, 2020 CIAA Basketball Tournament Men’s Runners-up & Fayetteville State Lady Broncos, 2020 CIAA Basketball Tournament Women’s Champions.

A special shout out to Coaches Luke D’Alessio and Serena King-Coleman, and to my favorite Graduate Assistant Coach in the whole world, C.J. Wiggins, Jr. Love you Cuz!

Attitude Check! Proud To Be; GO BRONCOS!”

As I noted above, 2020 marked the end of the annual CLT CIAA ritual. Next year’s festivities will commence in Baltimore. May the Maryland hosts derive as much pleasure from the event as we did in North Carolina. There are mixed feelings in these parts about the Tourney’s departure. Some folks believed that the tournament grew to be a nuisance. A few of our citizens literally fled the premises during CIAA Week. Others “endured” it grudgingly. And then there were those whom, like me, awaited ticket availability anxiously, and bought tix as soon as they became available. Fans also had mixed experiences. Some faced “CIAA taxes” on meals and beverages at uptown facilities, while others were gouged by hoteliers. And then there was the Conference itself, who moved its headquarters to Charlotte several years ago, after one of the contract extension negotiations. The organization felt entrepreneurs played fast and loose with the CIAA name/brand and fought to get a handle on that matter.

In reflection, through it all, I believe the partnership was mutually beneficial. This year’s event is reported to have garnered more than 150,000 attendees, while last year’s event brought in $43 million. The partnership generated millions of dollars in scholarship money to the member colleges and universities. Still, it was a business arrangement, and few things last forever. The union lasted 15 years, which is longer than the tournament stayed at any other venue. Maryland is a fine state, and Baltimore is a historic city. For the next three years, they will host the CIAA Tournament. To that end, I have no crystal ball, so in bidding the event adieu, I put it this way. “CIAA Says Good-bye to Charlotte: For Now, At least!”

Thank you for allowing me to share. 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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://theciaa.com/…/fayetteville-state-defeats-bowie-stat…

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/fayetteville-state-falls-t…/…/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/charlotte-says-goodbye-to-ciaa-tournament/ar-BB10zW8W

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article240799061.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2020/02/29/ciaa-tourney-balancing-basketball-partying-for-75-years/111383322/

CIAA Says Good-bye to Charlotte: For Now, At Least

It’s time to Break It Down!

This week Charlotte is hosting its final CIAA Basketball Tournament. The extravaganza is re-locating to Baltimore in 2021. I was there last night (Tuesday) taking in the first full evening of games. I anticipate feeding my hoops addiction though Saturday, when the 2020 Women’s and Men’s Champions will be crowned. Though I have written about the famed Tourney before, now is not before, and this post is not about basketball.

As the title suggests, I’m coming at you today with a political slant; not one of sports. The CIAA reference was contextual. In other words, it’s late, already after 1:00 a.m., and I’m just starting. The good news is, this will be relatively brief. Having said that, without further ado, let’s do this.

Right out of the gate, what I’m not going to try to do is persuade anyone to vote for Candidate X, Y, or Z. Rather, I’m attempting to make a very simple, and totally logical point.

Mr. Trump allegedly worked furiously to get newly elected Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. He repeatedly urged Zelensky to work with his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, as well as with the U.S. Attorney General, Bill Barr. At one point, when asked about it, Trump doubled down, and added that China should also investigate the Bidens.

Now there are a plethora of details about this matter, most of which, you probably already know. Therefore, I’m gonna save you and me some time, by not restating them here. The long and short of it is, a Whistle Blower was disturbed by a number of aspects of one of the calls Trump made regarding the matter, and ultimately the House of Representatives, on a strictly Party Line vote, impeached him.

If you allowed yourself to be distracted, and subsequently get lost in the sauce, you may have come away thinking that the House’s impeachment, and the Senate opting not to oust Trump were the highlights of the matter. I’m positing that it wasn’t.

Oh, it was important; historic even. Trump became just the 3^rd U.S. President to be impeached, following in the footsteps of Andrew Johnson, and Bill Clinton. Although, it’s always necessary to add the footnote that is Richard Nixon, whom, had he not slinked away in eternal shame, would also have been impeached. But I digress.

My thesis is, Trump and his advisers had one sinister goal in mind, when he set out to engage the agency of another nation(s) in investigating his political rival and prospective opponent. His ultimate objective was so substantial, that even impeachment, which given the composition of the Senate, he was confident of surviving, was worth risking.

As the 2020 Election Year began to unspool, a vast array of Democratic candidates (nearly 25) emerged. As they did, one, seemed to stand out as the most formidable of the lot; Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. Mr. Biden had served as Vice President to Barack Obama, the 44^th President. He presented himself as the presumptive heir to Obama’s political legacy, and despite a number of early stumbles, seemed to poll as the Strongest among a number of viable candidates.

Going all the way back to when President Obama was in office, Trump repeatedly expressed a disdain for him. He made Birtherism a key element of his personal brand. The prospect of being challenged by Obama’s number 1 cheerleader, undoubtedly agitated Trump, who consistently demonstrates he is nothing if not prone to distraction by all things Obama, and to put it lightly, thin skinned.

To wit, it’s fairly apparent the Biden-Burisma narrative was designed to smear Biden and render him ineffective as a serious challenger. In retrospect, I am comfortable saying it’s hard to imagine a strategy with that intent being more ferociously on point. So, while it may be too late for Biden, I simply caution all those folks who have repeated the mantra, “anyone but Trump,” or “anyone who can beat Trump,” or any approximation thereof, take a deep breath, and back up a step or two. Trump is using the power vested in him to manipulate the levers of control, incite in-fighting among his opponents, and, in the final analysis, seduce you to take your eyes off the prize.

As someone who watched, with a knowing despondence, as this scenario played itself out in 2016, I’m warning you now, do not go down the road of déjà vu all over again. “The Biden-Burisma Okie-Doke: What it Means to be Hoodwinked, Bamboozled, Led Astray, Run Amok, and Flat-out Deceived!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump–Ukraine_scandal

The Biden-Burisma Okie-Doke: What It Means to be Hoodwinked, Bamboozled, Led Astray, Run Amok, and Flat-out Deceived

It’s time to Break It Down!

Monday marked the 11^th anniversary of the signing of a nearly $800 billion stimulus package intended to reverse the effects of the Great Recession. President Obama acknowledged his signing the Recovery Act in the common communications currency of the day, with a tweet. He wrote:

“Eleven years ago today, near the bottom of the worst recession in generations, I signed the Recovery Act, paving the way for more than a decade of economic growth and the longest streak of job creation in American history.”

Anyone who knows Donald Trump is familiar with his anxiety laden fixation with all things Obama. As I have come to learn over the last three years, this is especially true when it comes to anything having to do with the economy. Trump, and many of his supporters argue, and some apparently even believe, the current economic conditions begin and end with Donald Trump. They point to his dismantling regulations, and tax bill as the sole catalysts for today’s economy.

I suppose that sounds good to those who are willing to accept everything Mr. trump says, facts, logic, and reasoning, notwithstanding. There is actually a pretty simple way to examine the TrumpWorld view on this matter. Look at the facts.

For example, Trump frequently claims that the US, under his watch, is enjoying the strongest economic run ever. If, however, one looks at jobs created over the first three years of the Trump Presidency, compared to those created during the last three years of the Obama Presidency, Mr. Trump’s narrative does not add up.

The US economy gained 6.6 million jobs during Trump’s first 36 months in office. However, during the final 36 months of the Obama tenure, employers added 8.1 million jobs.

During Obama’s last 36 months in office, the average monthly gain was 224,000 jobs. Under Trump so far, employers have been adding an average of 182,000 jobs a month.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures haven’t hit over 4% economic growth on a quarterly basis during Trump’s time in office. Trump’s 2018 yearly growth of 2.9 matched Obama’s 2015 figures, but on both a quarterly and annual basis, the Trump economy has not yet exceeded the best quarters in the Obama years. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis there were four quarters during Obama’s tenure when GDP exceeded 4%:

• Q4 2009 – 4.4%
• Q4 2011 – 4.7%
• Q2 2014 – 5.5%
• Q3 2014 – 5.0%

The US economy grew at 2.3% in 2019, its slowest pace in three years, according to the Commerce Department. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen by 47% under Trump, through 3:00 p.m. yesterday. During Obama’s second term, the Dow rose 44%. That’s a comparison Trump wins…but not by much. There are other metrics, of course. The unemployment rate has reached record lows under Trump, though for some notable segments (blacks and Hispanics; ones the administration likes to tout), the rate has begun to rise.

On balance, President Obama’s tweet was a simple and unremarkable statement of fact. He did not in any way undermine Trump, nor the level of success of the current economy. He merely stated his actions were a catalyst, a device to stop the hemorrhaging job losses, to the tune of nearly 800,000 per month, and reverse the losses into gains, which his actions help accomplish. In all, Obama’s tenure ended with 75 consecutive months of job growth, or six years, plus a quarter.

For such a tepid comment, on its face, to lead to a contretemps with the current President of the United States would seem unfathomable. But, given Trump’s propensity to be driven to distraction, even by the fact that Obama is an American, one should probably recognize that this is the orbit we are locked in with Mr. Trump.

Like it or not, today’s economic conditions, good as they are (for some), were presaged by policies formulated and put in place by the 44^th President. Without the benefit of those policies, the slow recovery Mr. Trump and his supporters like to point reference, would likely have lagged even more, and required a steeper climb for the current President.  “Trump’s Economy: Thanks Obama!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/02/18/peter-navarro-debate-job-growth-numbers-nr-harlow-vpx.cnn

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/18/politics/trump-obama-economy-analysis/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/18/politics/trump-v-obama-economy-fact-check/index.html

Trump’s Economy: Thanks Obama!

It’s time to Break It Down!

A couple of weekends ago, my wife and I went to see a movie. Nothing unusual about that. It’s a treat we give ourselves on a fairly regular basis. So much so that we’ve actually seen another one since then.

But two weeks ago, we saw “Just Mercy,” based on the book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, Bryan Stevenson’s memoir. The book and the movie regale us with the hardscrabble, heart wrenching, real live story of Walter McMillian. In the movie, McMillian’s character was played by Jamie Foxx, while the role of Bryan Stevenson was played by Michael B. Jordan. In my humble opinion (admittedly, I’m no movie critic…but like in art, I know what I like), both actors did their characters justice. No pun intended. But I digress. This is a short post, and critiquing the movie is not my objective. So, while I will say the movie is about a man, wrongfully imprisoned, and the lawyer who fought against, and beat the odds (and they were many and substantial) to secure his freedom.

Perhaps you know Mr. Stevenson’s story. If you do not, you would be well served to read the book (I have not) and to see the movie (as previously noted, I did).

Seeing the movie was just the onset of the genesis of the post. Three days after seeing the movie, I had the opportunity and privilege to see Mr. Stevenson in person when he came to Davidson College, as the school’s 2020 Reynolds Lecturer, sponsored by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Gwen and I were the guests of our friend and occasional benefactor, Davis Liles, a proud Davidson College alum, and his wife Kay. Thanks again; it was a great way to spend an evening.

Mr. Stevenson, ever humble, spoke about his rural Delaware roots, his compelling and interesting career, a number of his person experiences, several of which dovetailed/intersected with some of the book/movie highlights, but most important, I believe, he delved into the experiences that helped shape his passion and lifelong commitment to social justice activism.

He earned both a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School, and Master’s Degree in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, while at Harvard. He founded and serves as the Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), and also serves as a clinical professor at New York University School of Law.

Stevenson is based in Montgomery, Alabama, home of the EJI, where he has challenged bias against the poor and minorities in the criminal justice system, especially children. He has worked cases that have saved dozens of prisoners from the death penalty, advocated for the poor, and developed community-based reform litigation aimed at improving the administration of justice.

He initiated the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, which honors the names of more than 4,000 African Americans lynched in 12 Southern states from 1877 to 1950. According to Stevenson’s argument, the history of slavery and lynchings has influenced the subsequent high rate of death sentences in the South, where the practice has been disproportionately applied to minorities.

In 2018, Stevenson received the Benjamin Franklin Award from the American Philosophical Society as a Drum Major for justice and mercy. This is the most prestigious award the society gives for distinguished public service.

In summary, Stevenson had devoted his life, and frankly, more times than I’m sure he’d like to admit, put his life on the line, to be a warrior for justice for men, women, and children to whom the justice system frequently, if not routinely, has given short shrift. It’s fair to say, he is the reason why dozens of people are alive today, or at least the reason why they were not killed at a result of the death penalty. He cared so deeply and fought so passionately to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were in every case, deserving of redemption, and frankly, and cases such as that of Mr. McMillian, plainly and simply NOT GUILTY!

Ladies and gentlemen, “Bryan Stevenson: A Real American Hero!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

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

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Mercy-Story-Justice-Redemption/dp/081298496X

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

Bryan Stevenson: A Real American Hero

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last night, over the course of seventy-eight minutes, Donald Trump gave his third State of the Union (SOTU) Address. As is his wont, he mangled numerous facts. Thanks to him, fact checking has evolved into an entire industry unto itself. As reported in the Chicago Tribune, “President Donald Trump’s portrayal of American renewal Tuesday drew on falsehoods about American energy supremacy and the economy as well as distortions about his predecessor’s record.”

Here are a few instances, culled from CNN and the Chicago Tribune, buttressed by my own thoughts, highlighting seven instances during which he blatantly deviated from selected data-driven provable facts, while he clumsily skewed others.

Oil and gas production

The claim: According to Trump, “Thanks to our bold regulatory reduction campaign, the United States has become the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world, by far.”

Not exactly. The facts: “The US did not become the world’s top energy producer under Trump: It took the top spot under the Obama administration in 2012, according to the US government’s Energy Information Administration. 

The US became the top producer of crude oil in particular during Trump’s tenure. “The United States has been the world’s top producer of natural gas since 2009, when US natural gas production surpassed that of Russia, and it has been the world’s top producer of petroleum hydrocarbons since 2013, when its production exceeded Saudi Arabia’s,” the Energy Information Administration says.

Unemployment for disabled Americans

The claim: Trump asserted “the unemployment rate for disabled Americans has reached an all-time low” under his presidency.

That’s debatable. The facts: The unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities is lower than at any point in the Obama administration (probably all that really matter to Trump), but it did go up from 6.1 percent in September of last year to 7 percent in December. In addition, describing this as an “all-time low” obscures the fact that the government has only tracked this data since 2008.

Unemployment for African Americans, Hispanics and Asians

The claim: Trump said the unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanics and Asians are at the lowest levels ever. “The unemployment rate for African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans has reached the lowest levels in history,” Trump said in his speech.

Sorta, maybe, not exactly. The facts: Trump is correct in a manner of speaking. The unemployment rate for each of these three groups is at a record low, at least since the government has been issuing data on them. (The data for African Americans and Hispanics goes back to the early 1970s, while data for Asians only goes back to 2000.) 

Trump inherited a positive trend that has continued during his tenure. The unemployment rate for all three groups had fallen substantially under President Barack Obama from the recession-era levels of 2009.

The African American unemployment rate was 5.9% in December 2019. That is an uptick from the 5.4% all-time low in August 2019, but it is still lower than the rate at any point under any other president for whom we have data.

The Hispanic unemployment rate was 4.2% in December 2019 — an uptick from the 3.9% all-time low in September 2019 but, again, lower than any point under any other president for whom we have data.

The Asian unemployment rate was 2.4% in December, an uptick from the 2.0% low of May 2018 but still a smidgen lower than the pre-Trump record — 2.6% in December 2016, Obama’s last full month in office.

The distinction between on record and in history is subtle, but not indecipherable. African Americans and Hispanics, for example have history in this country that started long before the 1970’s. Both groups were primary sources of labor, albeit free, in the case of most African Americans, and underemployed wage-wise, dating back to their earliest time in this country. Similarly, many of the earliest Asians, unlike contemporary trends, were laborers. The likelihood is that all three groups were fully employed for significant stretches of their time here in this country. Of course, it is often convenient, and always easy to overlook those by-gone eras.

Pre-existing conditions

The claim. Trump has repeatedly promised to protect those with pre-existing conditions, even as he has sought to kill the Affordable Care Act, which greatly expanded those safeguards.

“I’ve also made an ironclad pledge to American families. We will also protect patients with pre-existing conditions,” he said during Tuesday’s State of the Union address.

Nope. The facts: Trump’s claim about protecting those with pre-existing conditions is false. Though Trump says he would do this, his administration has consistently taken steps to undermine the Affordable Care Act — including joining a lawsuit aimed at striking down the law — without presenting alternative plans that would offer similar benefits. 

The Affordable Care Act barred insurers in the individual market from denying people coverage or charging them higher premiums because of their health histories. Also, carriers had to provide comprehensive coverage — offering 10 essential health benefits, including maternity, mental health and prescription drugs.

Trump has worked to undermine the Affordable Care Act from his first day in office, when he issued an executive order directing agencies to interpret its regulations as loosely as possible. He championed congressional Republicans’ bills in 2017 that would have weakened the law’s protections.

And his Justice Department is siding with a coalition of Republican states that are fighting in federal court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act. An appellate panel in December upheld a lower court ruling that found Obamacare’s individual mandate unconstitutional but sent the case back to the lower court to decide whether the entire law must fall.

The President has said repeatedly that he would roll out a new health care plan that would protect those with pre-existing conditions, but he has yet to do so. Last April, he backed away from pushing for a vote on a replacement plan until after the 2020 election.

Meanwhile, he issued another executive order in late 2017 that would make it easier for Americans to buy alternatives to the Affordable Care Act that are cheaper, but offer fewer protections, such as short-term health plans. The law’s defenders, however, fear that such plans could siphon off younger and healthier people, which could cause premiums to rise for those left buying policies in the Obamacare exchanges.

Trump’s administration is also allowing states to make major changes to their Obamacare markets, which could also leave low-income, older or sicker residents with few choices and higher costs. Few states have taken the federal government up on this offer so far.

Immigration

The Claim: TRUMP: “Before I came into office, if you showed up illegally on our southern border and were arrested, you were simply released and allowed into our country, never to be seen again. My administration has ended catch-and-release. If you come illegally, you will now be promptly removed.”

No mas. THE FACTS: Not true. Under previous administrations, Mexicans were quickly returned back over the U.S.-Mexico border, while others were held in detention until they were deported. Some migrants from other countries were released into the interior of the United States to wait out their immigration cases.

And despite Trump’s claims that all migrants are now “promptly” removed, there is a 1 million immigration court case backlog, which means many migrants wait up to three years before a court hearing before a judge who will determine whether someone is deported. And after a judge rules a migrant deported, travel papers must be obtained, which often leads to further delays.

As for ending “catch and release,” Trump actually expanded that policy last year during a surge in migrants, releasing thousands of migrants who flooded shelters along the border. The surge has since passed, so fewer people are being held and fewer would need to be released. But an effort by immigration officials to detain children indefinitely was blocked by a judge, so children are still released into the country.

Jobs and economy

The claim: TRUMP: “The USMCA will create nearly 100,000 new high-paying American auto jobs, and massively boost exports for our farmers, ranchers and factory workers.”

THE FACTS: The president is exaggerating.

The U.S. International Trade Commission examined the deal with Canada and Mexico in an April report. The report estimated that the deal would add only 28,000 auto industry jobs six years after the deal is implemented. Separately, government officials are quoted in the report saying they believe the sector would add 76,000 jobs based on their methodology.

It’s still not the 100,000 jobs claimed by Trump.

The claim: TRUMP: “In eight years under the last administration, over 300,000 working-age people dropped out of the workforce. In just three years of my Administration, 3.5 million working-age people have joined the workforce.”

THE FACTS: Trump is being misleading with numbers to tarnish his predecessor’s record. It’s not clear what he means by “working-age.” But the total size of the U.S. labor force shows that the president is just wrong.

During the eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency, the labor force rose by 5.06 million, according to the Labor Department. The improvement reflected a rebounding economy from the Great Recession and population growth.

As the unemployment rate has fallen, more people are finding it attractive to work and joining the labor force. This has enabled the labor force to climb by an impressive 4.86 million in just three years under Trump.

The claim: TRUMP: “From the instant I took office, I moved rapidly to revive the U.S. economy — slashing a record number of job killing-regulations, enacting historic and record-setting tax cuts, and fighting for fair and reciprocal trade agreements.

THE FACTS: The U.S. economy indeed is healthy, but it’s had plenty of hiccups during the Trump administration.

Trump never quite managed to achieve the liftoff he promised during the 2016 election. Instead, gains have largely followed along the same lines of an expansion that started more than a decade ago under Obama.

Total economic growth last year was 2.3%. That is roughly in line with the average gains achieved after the Great Recession — and a far cry from growth of as much 3%, 4% or more that Trump told voters he could deliver.

The tax cuts did temporarily boost growth in 2018 as deficit spending increased. But the administration claimed its tax plan would increase business investment in way that could fuel lasting growth. For the past three quarters, business investment has instead declined.

It’s too soon to judge the impact of the updated trade agreement with Mexico and Canada as well as the pact with China. But Trump premised his economic policy on wiping out the trade gap. Instead, the trade deficit has worsened under Trump.

Manufacturing

The Claim: TRUMP: “We are restoring our nation’s manufacturing might, even though predictions were that this could never be done. After losing 60,000 factories under the previous two administrations, America has now gained 12,000 new factories under my administration.”

THE FACTS: Not quite.

Manufacturing has slumped in the past year, after having advanced in the prior two years. The president’s tariffs regime and slower growth worldwide hurt the sector in ways that suggest that Trump’s policies robbed it of some of its previous strength.

Factory output fell 1.3% over the past 12 months, according to the Federal Reserve. Manufacturing job gains went from more than 260,000 at the end of 2018 to a paltry 46,000 for the 12 months ended in December, according to the Labor Department. Manufacturers lost jobs last year in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — the older industrial states where Trump had promised a renaissance.

That’s a few of the key issues about which Mr. Trump used his apparent silver tongue, at least to the ears of his followers, to spin a narrative that frequently looked the fact path straight in the eye…and then scurried to take an alternative route. “SOTU 2020: Check the Facts!”

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 in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_State_of_the_Union_Address

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/politics/fact-check-trump-state-of-the-union-2020/index.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-fact-check-trump-state-of-the-union-20200205-o2uxlmfooba75o52acjzl3wabu-story.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/04/state-union-read-text-president-donald-trumps-speech/4655363002/

SOTU 2020: Check the Facts

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last Sunday morning, around 9:45 PDT, a helicopter crashed in Calabasas in Northern Los Angeles County, California. As we now know, that crash ended the lives of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, A.K.A. GiGi, six other passengers, and the pilot, nine souls in total. Kobe Bryant gained immeasurable notoriety as a star among stars in the NBA constellation. There have been numerous memorials, and undoubtedly, there will be countless more.

But before going any further, let’s make it perfectly clear, the accident was a tragedy not just because Kobe Bryant was killed, though that was tragic. Rather it was a tragedy of immense proportion because in a moment, 9 people lost their lives, including one of Kobe’s own daughters, whom Kobe was scheduled to coach in a basketball game at noon Sunday at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy, two of her teammates, both parents of one of them, and the mother of the other, an Assistant Coach, and the pilot, in addition to Kobe. Every single one of those individuals was a vital functioning and contributing member of a family and friends circle. That multiple members were taken from three different families certainly deepens the blow. Those killed include:

• Kobe Bryant, 41
• Gianna (GiGi) Bryant, 13
• John Altobelli, 56
• Keri Altobelli
• Alyssa Altobelli, Daughter, Team Member
• Sarah Chester, Mom
• Payton Chester, Daughter, Team Member
• Christina Mauser, Assistant Girls Basketball Coach, Harbor Day School, and at Mamba Sports Academy
• Ara Zobayan, Pilot

For many basketball fans, Kobe Bryant often appeared larger than life. This was especially true for the majority of folks who claim occupancy in Laker Nation. More than a few consider him the greatest ever. Drafted out of Lower Merion High School, located in Lower Merion, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, he certainly distinguished himself with a highlight reel career that included 20 years with my beloved Lakers. Kobe amassed a resume highlighted by 18 All-Star Team selections, 15 times a member of the All NBA Team, 12 Times All NBA Defensive Team, 5 NBA Championships, 2 Time NBA Scoring Leader, 2008 NBA MVP, 4^th on the all-time NBA regular season scoring list (Just passed by LeBron James this past Saturday night), 4^th in all-time NBA post season scoring, first guard in NBA history to play 20 years, scored 81 points in a single game, and amassed 60 points in his final game as an NBA player. Without question, he’s a Laker Legend, and an NBA luminary of the first order of magnitude.

In laboring through constructing this retrospective, I’m the first to admit, I was not always all-in on Kobe. I am that rare Laker fan who was not the most avid Kobe fan. Don’t get me wrong; I always fully appreciated his talent and totally respected his game. He was all that, and a bag of chips. But in 1996, when the Charlotte Hornets used the 13^th pick of the First Round to Draft him, I therefore and forever adhered to the notion he should have been a Hornet; my home team. Never mind that the Lakers are my all-time favorite NBA Team. Been a fan since the days of Baylor, West, Chamberlain, and Company. But as a Charlotte resident, and original Hornets’ Season Tickets owner, I’m also vested in their success. Moreover, I fully believe Kobe would have significantly altered and elevated their trajectory.

After his retirement, I softened my position. I never abandoned my opinion he should have played his career in a Hornets uniform, but I did understand (as I always did), that he made a shrewdly strategic business decision, and I absolutely respect that. I also recognize that he was instrumental in helping the Lakers win a handful of NBA Titles, and I don’t know if he’d have been able to do the same in Charlotte. On balance, he made the right call for Kobe. Each of us must do that for ourselves.

That brings me back to an undeniable reality. Our time on this earthly journey is brief, and unpredictable. According to Job 14, King James Version:

“Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And doth thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee.”

Mamba obviously had a great career in hoops. He had also created a successful Brand and had become a formidable business magnate. Of late, he was immersing himself into being a model husband and father of four daughters. By most accounts he was committed to helping GiGi develop her basketball talent and eventually achieve her stated dream of playing in the WNBA. More complete biographies will address the challenges Bryant overcame in his quest for unparalleled greatness. I am content to report that he lived his life by the standards he set, and the bar was high. He was not afraid to pursue his passion, or of the success that came from such pursuits. Many will say, he left us too soon. Unfortunately, to paraphrase Job’s sentiment, that call is  not ours to make. It’s above our pay grade.

So, as I conclude, instead of lamenting the irreversible, or framing an even longer good-bye, I say, go with God. “Au Revoir Mamba: A Requiem for Kobe!”

I’m done; holla back!

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For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

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

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/us/priest-kobe-bryant-church-visit/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/us/kobe-bryant-crash-timeline/index.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/27/kobe-bryant-helicopter-crash-here-nine-victims/4586582002/

Au Revoir Mamba: A Requiem for Kobe