Melania Trump Plagiarizes Michelle Obama's Speech About Hard Work And Honesty.

This photo has been flying around the Internet this morning
after Melania Trump plagarized parts of Michelle Obama's
2008 address at the Democratic National Convention. Ooops. 

Hoo Boy.

The Republican National Convention is NOT going that well.

All the headlines this morning are about Melania Trump's speech.

That was expected.

What I didn't expect was this morning's headlines to note that Melania said exactly what Michelle Obama said during the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Yep,  it seems Melania Trump plagarized Michelle Obama. And she plagiarized the section of Obama's speech that dealt with hard work and honesty.

Ahem.

Melanie Trump last night said that her parents told her that "you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promises; that you treat people with respect."

Actually, Michelle Obama, not Melanie's parents told her that.

Here's what Michelle Obama said during the 2008 Democratic National Convention:

"You work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect."

Hmmm, see any similarities between Michelle Obama in 2008 and Melania Trump in 2016?

Last night, Melania Trump went on to talk about children: "We want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."

In 2008, Michelle Obama said., "We want our children - and all children in this nation - to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."

OK, Melania changed a few words around, but, um.....

You'd think somebody would have vetted the speech and found the copycat lines. Or did the Trump campaign think nobody would notice?

Let's list some of the problems with this, just to spell it out to the Trump campaign:

1. People have such good memories. Especially of good speeches. Like Michelle Obama's.  Even Donald Trump himself tweeted in 2008 after Michelle finished: "Very good speech by @MichelleObama - and under great pressure - Dems should be proud!"

It was just as easy for everybody else to find Michelle's speech as it was for Melania to find it.

2. Melania's speech was given at the Republican National Convention. Michelle's speech was given at a Democratic convention, those commies!   Is the GOP going soft too and acting like those "horrible liberals?"

3. As noted, the lines Melania lifted were about honesty and hard work. Explain, please, how it is honest and hard working to copy and paste words from a speech given eight years ago.

Social media this morning is of course having an absolute joyous field day with this.

The big trending hashtag on Twitter this morning is #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes.

Two of my favorite are: "Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago."

And:

"I have a dream that one day this nation wil rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: Marry rich."

Of course, the Republican convention has already given us other related laughs.

Scott Baio, that famous actor (who the hell is he? Oh yeah, Joannie and Chachi) gave a speech in which he defined what America means. Said the Great Scott:  "It doesn't mean getting free stuff."

Yeah, like plagarized sections of Michelle Obama speeches.

Let's see, there's Antonio Sabato Jr., the former underwear model, stumping for Trump at the convention by tellling everyone who would listen that he "absolutely" believes Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Yeah, yeah, Antonio, put your pants on will ya?

At this point, I can't WAIT for Donald Trump's speech,  during which, in a stroke of originality, he will tell us "we have nothing to fear but fear itself and I'm going to make you very afraid," and "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for me." 

Maybe We Don't Stop Mass Shootings Because They're Good For Fundraising

Today's scene at the San Bernardino mass shooting

As I write this late Wednesday afternoon, another mass shooting is unfolding, this time in San Bernardino, California.  Last I checked at least 14 people are dead, 14 are injured, and they're still looking for the shooters.

The mass shootings are coming on faster and faster and faster. It's almost like the nation is in a civil war, with lots of tiny mini factions fighting it out through terrorist attacks.

I get it. Preventing mass shootings is tricky business. They tend to involve a convoluted mess of hate, extreme politics, a gun culture, and laziness on the part of leaders.

Or is it laziness? I really hope I'm being way too cynical here. Is our nation's inability to stop mass shootings deep down a function of them being good for business?

Obviously most of us loathe mass shootings. Few people want to see innocent people die.

But I notice after every mass shooting, people from advocacy groups, and politicians try to outdo each other saying outrages things about the latest shooting.

On the surface, these loudmouths don't like the death of innocents, either. But is a little part of them, deep down, actually happy these kinds of things are happening with increasing frequency?

After all, the loudmouths say their outragous things, which riles up their base, who donate money to the cause the loudmouth is supporting, and they make oodles of money.

Here's the type of comment I'm talking about:  As the incident was unfolding, pundit Ben Shapiro snarkily Tweeted: "The answer to the San Bernardino shooting is clearly whatever the left wanted to push before the San Bernardino shooting."

Thank you, Ben. Of course I have no idea what goes on in Shapiro's head, or exactly what motivated him to say this.  Maybe he really just loathes liberals and it's as simple as that, who knows? I certainly can't accuse Shapiro of the money making cynicism I described. Because I just don't know.

But are some people using these shootings as a fundraising scheme? Yes, innocent people are dead, but hey, there's money to be made, right?

Another horrible aspect of this, as if there weren't enough, is to make all of us live in some level of fear. Will you, or I be the next person to be caught up in a thing like this?  Fearful people tend not to make rational decisions like calm people would.

So they might vote for a loudmouth reactionary as a response to their fear. Instead of really taking the time to consider who best would bring our country, our society forward in peace.

Another win for the offensive loudmouths.

I so hope I'm wrong.  I so hope I'm far too cynical and bitter.