When I made the decision a while back, that instead of casting my votes in this past election in every race on the ballot except for president, that I would indeed vote for Donald Trump, I also told you that there will be many times during his presidency, that I would criticize him. He has not yet been sworn into office, but here comes my first gripe. He has let it be known, via his spokesperson Kellyanne Conway, that he will not pursue charges against Hillary Clinton on either the email or Clinton Foundation scandals. He will help in the healing instead. In my opinion, the best way for healing, is always to achieve justice. Sending the message that the rich and powerful will not be prosecuted is not an answer. It is in fact, not his place to tell the FBI not to investigate, or his Attorney General not to prosecute. That’s what Barack Obama did, when he gave his orders top down. Attorney General first, then from her to the FBI Director.

I would suggest for anybody who cares about international corruption, and dangerous practices, to follow this link

Clinton Foundation Scandal. Australian writer Rohan Smith examines why his country gave so much to the Clintons, and why they are now backing off. In a brief synopsis he gives us a general look at who (which country) gave money, and what they got out of it. Including countries we deem “dangerous”, who received massive shipments of U.S. arms after donating to the Clinton Foundation.  Russia received large uranium deposits in return for money.

With all that said, before we go any further, we do need to look at the whole picture.

The Donald Trump who shoots his mouth off, will return from time to time, but expect a lot more thoughtful, studied comments the rest of the time. The statement that the Clintons would not be investigated or prosecuted has not yet been issued by Trump himself. His spokesperson, while speaking to a newspaper said that Trump wanted us to heal. She said that TRUMP would not order any more investigation or any prosecution. She did not say the FBI will quit investigating. By appearing to give up on the Clintons, they have also lessened the likelihood of a Barack Obama pardon for Hillary. Or for that matter, a Donald Trump pardon. Remember, the statute of limitations does not run out for several years. He always has that “trump card”. Also remember, Congress can investigate the Clinton Foundation.

If he does simply call a stop to it all, am I now disappointed that I wound up supporting Trump? Not in the least. I have no illusions about Donald Trump and the many things I will criticize him for over the next four years. I voted for him, because I did not want the most dishonest, the most criminal, the most evil person ever nominated to run for president, to win. There is a short list of people who I would not have voted for over Hillary Clinton.

Trump’s preliminary discussions with, and his finished appointments for, future cabinet members, have been for the most part, excellent. His choices so far seem well beyond what I could hope for. He is showing himself to be a calm and reasoned person who is not as vindictive as I would have thought.

His decision to run around the so-called mainstream media and create policy videos that are then splayed about in the internet everywhere from his website, to supporter’s email accounts, to YouTube, is brilliant. He give us a chance to see what he is saying, not through the eyes of a partial and jaded media, but without filter. In fact, the media would ignore most of what he says unless they thought it portrayed him in a bad light. I only heard the video on the radio but it was without a doubt, the most presidential he has ever sounded. The content was about what would he try to accomplish in his first weeks in the White House. For those of you who are long time supporters of Trump, don’t get nervous about the things he left out. He was merely speaking of what he can do without the Congress. Many would be accomplished by re-writing executive orders proclaimed by Obama. The others by writing his own orders. Yes that’s right, Obama set a precedent for non-democratic, authoritarian rule that will never leave us again. Thanks Barack!! Most of what he declared, will be accepted by the majority of thinking persons as good policy.

Below is a sad reminder of the past year. This chart does not include accidental guns deaths, highway accidents, knifings, bludgeonings, drownings, heart attacks while wrestling with criminals or while in foot pursuit, or any other form of death while on duty.

2016 is not yet over.

It is a sad reminder of our current president, who has nothing to say, when those who are charged with our protection are murdered, but has called repeated press conferences to lament the death of criminals. In most cases, insinuating the officers in those shootings, are guilty of wrongdoing before they have received any form of due process. Last week there were several police officer execution style murders. President elect Trump called the families to offer his condolences. He did not make excuses for the killers.

If you didn’t hear about those killings, it may be that we are getting so used to this, it is becoming such a part of our weekly lives here in America, that it is no longer news. This past 8 years have been shameful.

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The world lost a despot recently and the sadist part about the death of Cuba’s Fidel Castro, was that he did not die at a younger age.

It is true that as he got older his regime became a little more accommodating to his citizens, but Cuba was never a truly free nation under his tyrannical rule. His son is better than he was but that does not change that he was a communist dictator who imprisoned people for their beliefs or for simply speaking their minds. He tortured some and killed many, for simply saying what he thought might be detrimental to his dictatorship. There is a reason why those who escaped to America from Cuba, and their descendents, are almost always political conservatives and Republicans. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz et all.

His entire nation was held captive.  He was not somebody who decent people admired.

For those of you from the U.S. and Canada who now feel it necessary to wallow in grief for this communist leader, you speak volumes to those of us who treasure freedom and who hate communism.  One such person from our past who felt similarly was Democrat President John F. Kennedy.

All of you on the political left who fancy yourselves Democrats and so loved Castro……you should be ashamed of yourselves.

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My current plan is to fade away from political posts between now and late January, after which I will assume they will be once again front and center. My plans often fail, so that plan is not a promise. There is a lot to share and talk about in the world of photography, and there are a lot of other non-photography stories to comment on beyond politics and social anarchy.

Here’s hoping,

Wayne