Chicago

So Trump had to cancel his rally tonight there as protesters showed up in great numbers. Trump seems to have unleashed a major protest movement.

This is probably a healthy thing. Having been present at so many civil rights and anti-war demonstrations in the '60s, I know how many social changes occurred eventually as a result.

Does Trump know what he is doing? Who knows. I suppose we will find out a bit more in the coming days...

In any event, as far as I can tell, the protest was peaceful, with people exercising their free speech rights. Apparently there were no arrests or injuries. What other options does anyone have when a large group of people feel deeply insulted and threatened by a candidate's comments?

What kind of America do we live in?

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Taxes

I've mostly filled out all the forms for my accountant to file my tax forms for last year by now; I helped Connie with her's yesterday; handled Aidan's today; and talked with Dylan about his yesterday. Dylan is outraged by the tax bite taken out of his minimum wage paycheck and who can blame him?

He barely made any money last year ($3,000) yet has to pay a bunch of that in taxes. Watching billionaires like Trump grandstand about this and that reminds me of what a huge price poor people pay to prop this country up. Of course, Dylan isn't a poor person, as he is the first to tell you.

"I live with my parents, so I can save money even at the minimum wage" he says. And he is saving money at an impressive rate.

But if he were on his own he couldn't find a place to live in this city based on what he earns. And that is the issue facing the guys in the backrooms of the market where he works, all Latinos, all undocumented, and all struggling just to get by.

If Americans want an authoritarian leader, then this is Trump's time. But if what we need to better understand the poor among us, any other candidate would be far better.

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