Writer’s Lounge

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Frank Sinatra regarded Donald Trump as a cheap asshole – primarily an asshole, but worse yet, a cheap one.

His long time manager, Elliott Weisman disclosed it in a book he wrote, published in 2017, “The Way It Was”.  Sinatra had an arrangement with the manager of operations at the Taj Mahal casino, Mark Grossinger Etess and was scheduled to open the gambling house with a performance in 1990 and also headline 11 other dates.

In the interim, Etess had died in a helicopter crash prior to concluding the contract details. That was when Trump took another look at the proposed contract and decided he’d try to chisel the Chairman of the Board.  Trump  balked at Sinatra’s fee and also rejected Sinatra’s request that Frank’s “Rat Pack” pal Sammy Davis Jr., as well as Sinatra’s long time friends, Steve and Eydie Gorme accompany him on the bill. 

Of Sinatra’s fee for doing the Taj Mahal, Trump said to Weisman that it, (the price of the dalliance) was “a little rich”.

Obviously Donald Trump had no concept of Frank Sinatra.  Most likely Trump, wrongly assumed that Sinatra’s career was on the downslope and that Sinatra could be had at fire sale prices. 

Frank Sinatra, up to the very end, named his price and it is as they say in old Sicily – “Fini”.  It’s not subject to negotiation – take it or leave it and if you don’t like it, shove it where the sun don’t shine. 

In the meeting with Trump, Weisman – after being told that Sammy Davis, who had just recently been diagnosed with cancer (carcinoma of the throat), was not acceptable, Weisman was then asked by Trump, “Who’s Steve and Eydie?” 

But that was far from the worst. Consistent with the Social Darwinist that he is, Trump asked Weisman, “What are you worried about Sammy for? He’s going to die anyway.”

Weisman wanted to strangle Trump and was going to do so, but was restrained by his son from following through on his intentions. Oh, what could have been. At least Weisman’s instincts were sound.

Mr. Weisman said he then called Sinatra to tell him about the meeting with Trump, and Ol’ Blue Eyes, in no uncertain terms, told Weisman he had two choices; either tell Mr Trump “to go f-ck himself” or give the reality show star’s phone number to Sinatra so that he could do it himself.

Weisman says he returned to Trump’s office and told him “Sinatra says to go f-ck yourself!” Sinatra then took a lucrative residence at the Sands Las Vegas.

And to bring matters up to date, Trump, audacious prick that he is, not only disrespected Neil Young by playing 3 of his songs at the shitfest in South Dakota, knowing full well that Young vehemently objects to his music being in any way associated with Trump’s self promotions and politics, but also had Frank’s signature song, “My Way” played.

Well, it turns out that Sinatra’s family is not into Trump either. Mia Farrow, (a Sinatra spouse), weighed in on Saturday:

Frank Sinatra would have loathed Donald Trump

— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 4, 2020

That caught the attention of Frank’s daughter, Nancy “These Boots Are Meant For Walking” Sinatra. She wanted to confirm and underline her former stepmom, Mia’s assessment:

He actually did loathe him.

— Nancy Sinatra (@NancySinatra) July 4, 2020

by Richard Cameron

Why I’m a Progressive

The more I read, think and learn, the more I’m convinced in not only the logic, but the nobility of progressive ideas. This something I have always seen, even when I was very young, but have only recently returned to them.

I’ve come to rediscover that at its core, progressivism is about life and about community. About seeing that the world is much larger than yourself, your culture or religion, or even your nation. Not that these things are unimportant, only their importance doesn’t take center stage in our life or our decisions. It isn’t about thinking less of yourself, or any of these things, such as religion, nation or culture; but about thinking of these things less.

Progressivism is pro-life. It’s about seeing that all human life has value in God’s sight, not just the life that looks, talks, or acts like us; or even thinks or believe the same things we do.

That we are more than the select few, lucky enough to reap the benefits of the wealth and power our race, religion or social standing affords us. Value, based not on what we can gain from our fellow man, but what we can give.

But progressivism isn’t just limited to the protection or value of human life, but about the value of every living thing. The natural resources, plant and animal, even the earth itself, isn’t measured by the value that we can gain as a species; but by the respect we give to the home and resources God has given us. We have been called to steward, not dominate or dictate the world we call home.

Progressivism is about how truth can never be found in the desire to dominate, discriminate or suppress those views, lifestyles, religions and ideas that make us feel uncomfortable.  It’s not to shut ourselves away from these things; to build walls around our hearts, minds or nations, but rather to engage, to question and to discuss these ideas, and share our ideas, lifestyles, views and religion with others; in a loving, caring manner.

Through honest debate, discussion, and a genuine belief that everyone has value, not despite, but because of our differences. Not everyone thinks or lives like white, Western Protestants. Nor should they.

Is progressivism perfect?

No. Any idea, no matter how noble or logical, created by imperfect humans will ever be perfect.

Neither is progressivism inherently evil, despite what the free market capitalists want you to think. As recent history has demonstrated, free market capitalism is just as vulnerable to manipulation, if not more so.

We will always need checks and balances to power, both public and private. Authority must always be questioned, and any ideas debated in the public sphere. Progressivism, like any human creation, is just as susceptible to evil and corruption, as being a force for good.

I am a Christian, and I do believe that a measure of true social justice is possible. That all humans, no matter where they live; no matter what creed, race or religion, deserve to be treated as the special, noble creatures God created them to be. I believe we can and should respect all life, and that the world doesn’t begin and end with us as individuals, Americans or Christians.

This is why I am a progressive.

by Tiffany Elliott

Check out our full collection of Adios to Trump apparel and merchandise.

As if things weren’t always “interesting” with the husband and wife duo of Trump’s serial short order prevarication and spin cook, Kellyanne Conway and spouse, George, the Yale graduate, Constitutional scholar and attorney who is one of the select group who successfully argued a case before the Supreme Court in which the court returned a unanimous decision in favor of his client – the kettle just went to full boil.

As a bit of a backdrop to this item, George is a persistent Trump antagonist.  He steered clear of a Trump appointment in the Justice Department, telling colleagues that Trump’s administration is, “like a shitshow in a dumpster fire”.

He now, is a principal in the #NeverTrump resistance organization, “The Lincoln Project”, which is producing advertisements berating Trump and purchasing air time in markets, (Virginia, Maryland, Florida) where Trump is bound to see them when he watches Fox News. 

Trump can’t control his curiosity about George and George’s devastating assessments of Trump’s lack of fitness for office, because Mr. Conway leases space in Trump’s head.

Well, now we come to discover that the Conway’s daughter, Claudia is also not a Trump fan and couldn’t be less so. Claudia, 15, is a progressive and an avid supporter of Black Lives Matter. She posts and streams a substantial amount of content that savages the (impeached) president. 

The situation erupted on Friday, when, while Claudia was livestreaming her views on TikTok, her mother interrupted the session by taking custody of the phone. This, the dialog between the two from the video proceeds as follows:

“You can get back to it, turn it off,” Kellyanne said in the clip. “Turn it off now, lady.”

Claudia responds: “I’m just showing everyone the truth. You’re literally not letting me use my freedom of speech.”

Eventually, Kellyanne moves in to grab the device.

“Mom, what are you doing?” Claudia asks.

“It’s mine,” her mom replies.

There is something there, that is ironic, if you catch it.  Mom sees the rapid stream of people on the phone screen that are interacting with the TikTok session and comments to the daughter to the effect that they must have something more valuable to do with their time. Truth be known, Trump, her boss, is more distracted by social media and kvetching on it and doing a piss poor impersonation of an insult comic, than a 15 year old girl. 

If only from an ideological frame, this family has one of the strangest household dynamics in play. The mother is a, if you will pardon the expression, because I hesitate to demean sex workers – a partisan sex worker.

Ms. Conway likely has no core views on anything of substance, but she is getting, one would hope, a fat paycheck from Trump. It would seem it would have to be, unless Kellyanne is a freak into self-abasement just for the S’s & G’s.

In contrast, George and Claudia are fascinating as a representation of how despising Trump is a point of unity for many on the left and right.

The intersecting points seen here and which apply to millions of people in America, is that Progressives and Center Right Conservatives are in solidarity that Trump is a menace, an existential threat to either Democracy or the Republic – whichever you prefer. Actually it’s both, but that is a separate discussion. 

Mr. Conway, in all likelihood, has little to no issue with his daughter’s views. He just warned off would be media venues from contacting Claudia, more on the basis of a parent deciding the family drama should not properly pull a barely post -adolescent female into the black hole of public controversy.

It’s too late. The train has already left the station.

by Richard Cameron

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