I write this at least six hours before the Fox News Channel Republican debate, and also before Donald Trump's Jerry Lewis-imitation fundraiser on behalf of American veterans.  The fundraiser will be held during the debate.  Two prominent veterans organizations, VoteVets.org and IAVA, have let it be known they disapprove of Trump's stunt as he supposedly demonstrates his compassion for wounded soldiers while avoiding confrontation with the scary Megyn Kelly, hostess of tonight's debate.
     An indication of the fundraising event's shadiness comes from Katy Tur's report from MSNBC that as of one o'clock Eastern time today, the Trump campaign had not named the veteran's organization or organizations tonight's cash migration will go to.  Donations of $25, $50, $100, or $500 are to be made to the Trump Foundation.  Where the money goes from there, only hours from the event, is still unknown.
     What kind of fundraising event operates like this?  Trump asks for money to help the veterans he claims to care about, although maybe he isn't planning on passing the money along to former POWs? Recall his petty jab at Senator John McCain for "getting captured."  That moment revealed Trump's disrespect for all POWs of the past, present, and future.  He made it seem as if McCain wanted to be captured.  The World War Two era Japanese High Command would've agreed with Trump that surrender is worse than death, that is, if Trump would take his words to their logical ends, which he, like all craven bullshitters, never does.
     Like all charitable rich creeps who want accolades for themselves for being generous, Donald Trump goes a step further by using an organization with his own name on it as the dumping site for all the well-meaning chumps who will donate their earned dollars to yet unknown veterans' charities, trusting the billionaire to disburse the funds responsibly to a group or groups he and his staff haven't bothered to identify.  What kind of idiots throw away their money at such a poorly lit affair, working in the darkness where Trump's devious mind operates?
     Trump supporters.
     If you want to donate money to worthy, legitimate veterans organizations, you can do so directly to them.  IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America), for example, is an excellent organization addressing real needs of this century's American fighting forces, headed by an Iraq War veteran, Paul Rieckhoff.  Author of the excellent and moving Iraq War memoir, Chasing Ghosts, Rieckhoff is the real deal, the opposite of a bullshitter, and a combat veteran who knows what the fuck he's talking about, as opposed to the type of bastard who promotes war but stays comfortable at home.
     Trump, meanwhile, merely seeks self-glorification and ratings, image-whore that he is, by putting on this charade of a fundraiser on behalf of people he merely, like most politicians, pays lip service to for the sake of gaining votes.  If Trump becomes president, he will grind soldiers into hamburger like presidents tend to do, all the while pretending he understands and cares about them.
     Fuck you, Donald Trump, and your stupid goddamn veterans rally.

                                                                           Vic Neptune