Tag Archives: democrat vs republican

Free Press? But Where’s The Integrity?

Posted on by under Election 2024, Free Press Issues, Political commentary, Social commentary

For some time now I have been disappointed and disgusted by the coverage in media outlets I have long placed much faith in, namely The Washington Post and the New York Times, but also Politico, CNN and others.  It seems almost as if they think that for every story they print about Donald Trump or other Republicans, they feel the need to seek a false equivalence by running a story about President Biden’s age, or some faux pas he made, such as tripping over a sandbag that shouldn’t have been there to start with.  I’ve long been a supporter and advocate for a free press, but in return I expect honest reporting with integrity … and lately I don’t think we’ve been getting that.  Turns out I’m not alone, and Robert Reich has a command of words and an understanding far better than my own, so I shall turn this post over to him.

Four ways the mainstream media is quietly helping Trump and his Republican allies

By Robert Reich

27 November 2023

The mainstream media is helping Trump and his authoritarian allies in four ways.

First, it’s drawing a false equivalence between Trump and Biden — claiming that Biden’s political handicap is his age, while Trump’s corresponding handicap is his criminal indictments.

Rubbish. Trump is almost as old as Biden, and Trump’s public remarks and posts are becoming ever more unhinged — suggesting that advancing age may be a bigger problem for Trump than for Biden.

Why isn’t the mainstream media reporting on Trump’s increasing senescence?

Secondly, every time the mainstream media reports on another move by Trump and his Republican allies toward neofascism, it tries to balance its coverage by pointing out some fault in the Democratic Party (such as the ongoing federal corruption and bribery case against Senator Bob Menendez).

The net effect is for readers to assume all politics is rotten. A recent Washington Post article was headlined, “In a swing Wisconsin county, everyone is tired of politics.”

Voters who are turned off by politics are less aware of Biden’s accomplishments — and the media is hardly reporting on them.

One person interviewed by the Post admitted, “I can’t really speak to anything [Biden] has done because I’ve tuned it out, like a lot of people have. We’re so tired of the us-against-them politics.”

As if the “us-against-them politics” is the fault of Democrats as much as it is Trump Republicans. In fact, Trump’s GOP is the party of dysfunctional politics.

Which brings us to the third way the mainstream media is quietly helping Trump. It makes it seem as if the dysfunction in Washington is coming from both parties.

“How do Americans feel about politics?” The New York Times asked recently, answering in the same headline: “‘Disgust isn’t a strong enough word.’”

What the Times failed to report is that much of the GOP no longer accepts the rule of law, or the norms of liberal democracy, or the legitimacy of the opposing party, or the premise that governing requires negotiation and compromise.

Yesterday, the Times attributed the coming wave of departing lawmakers across both chambers and parties to the “breathtaking dysfunction on Capitol Hill,” without telling readers that the dysfunction is entirely due to the Republican Party.

Finally, blaming both sides for this chaos plays into Trump’s and his allies’ goal of wanting Americans to believe the nation has become ungovernable, so it needs a strongman.

The worse things seem, the more convincing is Trump’s case for an authoritarian like him to take over. “I’d get it done in one day.” “I am your voice.” “Leave it all to me.”

Focusing on government dysfunction ignores Biden’s steady hand. This makes America more likely to fall into Trump’s and his allies’ neofascist hands.

As we head into the critical election year of 2024, the mainstream media must adapt to a new political reality: The contest is no longer between Democrats who want more government and Republicans who want less. It is between democracy and fascism.

The Great Chasm

Posted on by under Election 2020, Environmental Issues, Free Press Issues, History, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

A recent Quinnipiac poll came out that had me shaking and scratching my head, while muttering under my breath interspersing the muttering with … “Hmmmm …” and “Say WHAT???”

Now, before I get into the poll results that I find either confusing or unconscionable, let me pose a question for you … and this is one I would like you to ask of some of your friends who support the Republican Party …

If I am taking my trash to the curb and see your young child or grandchild playing in the street just as a large truck comes careening from the other direction, and if I run out and grab your child/grandchild out of harm’s way, what is the first thing you will say to me when I deliver your child/grandchild safely to your door?  Will you ask me whether I am a Democrat or a Republican?  Or will you simply thank me for saving your child/grandchild’s life?  Take a minute with that one, for I pose that we are so politically divided in this nation today that we have lost sight of what is most important to us.  I further pose that if you were a Republican and I said I was a Democrat, you would immediately start thinking of ways that the near miss must have somehow been my fault, rather than your own for allowing your child/grandchild to play out of your sight.

Political leanings seem to matter far too much these days.  For instance, when asked if they approved or disapproved of the way President Biden is handling his job, 79% of Democrats approved, as compared to only 4% of Republicans.  92% of Republicans disapproved, and 4% were still scratching their heads and saying, “Huh?  Who?”

The numbers improved ever so slightly when respondents were asked whether they approve or disapprove of Biden’s handling of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with 81% of Democrats approving, and a whopping 15% of Republicans approving.  77% of Republicans disapprove of the president’s handling of the war and 8% were scratching their heads saying, “Huh?  What’s Ukraine?”

This poll included  19 questions and I found the results both predictable, but at the same time stunning (not in any good way).  This nation, it seems to me, is so divided that the two sides almost represent separate nations in both their thoughts and actions.  It’s as if we are not even seeing the same set of circumstances, or as if we are looking through lens of different colours and levels of distortion.  And the head scratchers, those who have no opinion, puzzle me most of all.  HOW IN HELL can you have ‘no opinion’ or ‘don’t know’ about such things as the most important issues facing the nation today (#4).  How can one ‘not know’ if they have changed their vacation plans this year due to the rise in fuel prices???  And yet, 3% of those polled said they didn’t know.  Seriously, these people must have scabs on their heads from so much head-scratching!

There were some areas where Democrats and Republicans were not that far apart, such as the question (#9) about whether they were paying more, less, or about the same amount of attention to the war in Ukraine as the crisis has deepened.  The two parties were very nearly matched on that question, as well as the one (#12) about the level of concern that Russia would launch a nuclear weapon against the U.S.  But for the most part, the answers were worlds apart, and that, my friends, is the problem in this nation today.  We do not seem to see the world through the same lens, we do not seem to have the same goals, the same hopes for the future.  We are almost as two completely different species.

Six little words say it all …

It’s an old, old quote, attributed to the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop, both directly in his fable The Four Oxen and the Lion and indirectly in The Bundle of Sticks.  I think it is relevant, prophetic even, to our situation in the United States today and going forward.  I don’t pretend to know what will happen in the next 20-30 years … heck, I can’t even predict what will happen in the next 20 minutes.  But I can say with a great deal of certainty that our current situation is untenable.  Will it lead to a new civil war, will it lead to the U.S. as we know it today breaking into two or more warring nations?  How many lives will be lost, families destroyed, because the two sides cannot agree on virtually anything?  This nation is headed for a cliff … can we set aside our differences and instead look for common ground?  Will we before it’s too late?

The Paws and The Big Rock … a Fable

Posted on by under Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

I wrote this post in January 2016, over five years ago, at which time I had few readers and the post received a whopping 4 views. It is one of my very rare forays into fiction writing, for as a rule fiction is not my strong suit.  I think this post is still relevant and explains some things about human nature and perhaps how we have come to be where we are today.

In the Ocean, somewhere off the east coast of the Continent, there is a small island.  On this island live a number of happy critters called “southpaws”.  The southpaws have lived on the island for as long as anyone can remember and they are a great little bunch of critters.  They take care of themselves and each other, always willing to help out their neighbors in times of trouble.

One day a northpaw, a critter very similar to the southpaws, came to the island looking for a new place to live.  He said he wanted to get away from the violence and the way of life on the Continent and was seeking a home where he and his little family could live in peace.  The southpaws knew of northpaws, of course, but had never had one living on their little island, so at first they were leery of the northpaw, but he seemed like a nice enough critter, so they agreed to let him live on the island.

For a long time, all was well.  The northpaw worked hard to fit in, growing his food and sharing with southpaws, as they shared with him.  Then one day the northpaw went to the mainland to visit family and when he returned, he brought with him a big rock.  Though there were no big rocks on the island, the southpaws remembered a time, many years before, when a big rock salesman had come to the island trying to sell big rocks to the southpaws.  Though he tried his best to convince the southpaws that they all needed big rocks to protect themselves, he had been laughed off the island by the southpaws, for they had no need to protect themselves against each other, only against the storms that sometimes raged, and a big rock was of absolutely no use against a storm.

“What’s with the big rock?” asked the southpaws.

“It’s to protect my family,” replied the northpaw.

Now, the southpaws were confused by this, but they were a peace-loving people, so while they may have smiled indulgently at the northpaw, they said nothing more and went on with their lives.  Eventually the big rock was forgotten.  Life went on happily for the southpaws and the northpaw, and eventually some of the northpaws cousins from the mainland came to visit.  The southpaws welcomed them with their usual celebration of fresh fruit, music and dancing.  As the party progressed, one of the northpaws, his belly full of fresh fruit, got a little feisty and started an argument with a southpaw.  Nobody knows what was said, or why the argument started, but eventually it escalated and the northpaw went to his cousin’s house, got the big rock, and smashed the southpaw in the head, killing him.

After this, the southpaws wanted the northpaw, the one who lived on the island, to get rid of the big rock.  Nobody had ever been killed on the island before, and it seemed to the southpaws that the big rock was the reason their friend was dead and they wanted the big rock gone.  The northpaw refused, and things were never to be quite the same again between the southpaws and the northpaw, although eventually they settled back into a peaceful coexistence.

Many years passed, and a few more northpaws moved to the island, some with big rocks, others without.  The southpaws never forgot the incident from the past, but they moved on, living as they always had, helping those who needed help and living their lives peacefully.  One night after everyone was asleep for the night, two northpaws had too much fresh fruit and decided that they would take their big rocks to the beach and have a contest to see who could throw their big rocks the furthest.  Well, one thing led to another, more northpaws joined in the party, and before long the northpaws were making so much noise that the southpaws came down to the beach to see what the racket was all about.  Big rocks were flying everywhere, and three of the southpaws were hit in the head and killed.

The very next day, the peddler, who had many years before, come around trying to sell big rocks to the southpaws returned to the island.  The southpaws didn’t even come out of their dwellings, as they were mourning the loss of their fellow southpaws, but the northpaws eagerly crowded around the peddler.  The northpaws regretted what had happened the night before, but they were truly afraid now that the southpaws would attack them in retaliation.  The peddler assured them that if they had more big rocks, the southpaws would be afraid to retaliate and they would all be much safer, so the northpaws all traded their fresh fruit and other items for as many big rocks as they could get.

The southpaws, meanwhile, had no desire to retaliate against the northpaws, but they did want to clear the island of big rocks.  The loss of three of their own was too much to bear and they feared that this was only the beginning.  So, they held a meeting and chose the oldest southpaw, a well-respected member of the community, to talk to the northpaws and ask that all the big rocks be thrown in the ocean.  Well, the northpaws, now owning hundreds of big rocks, refused, saying that everyone on the island must own a big rock.  This led to harsh words between the northpaws and southpaws.  Harsh words led to pawfights and eventually pawfights led to northpaws slaughtering the southpaws with big rocks.  Soon there were only northpaws on the island, and with no southpaws to smash with big rocks, the northpaws began killing each other with their big rocks.  And soon, the island was inhabited by only a few big, fat, lazy northpaws and the landscape, once a beautiful beach, was now covered in big rocks.

The moral of the story is that more big rocks do not make the island safer.

A Day Late And A Dollar Short

Posted on by under Environmental Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary

Getting legislation passed in both chambers of Congress is and has always been a game of give-and-take, compromise, meeting halfway.  Neither Democrats nor Republicans will get everything they hoped for in a given bill, but it is to be hoped that the hammering out process leads to something positive for the nation and for We the People.

For months, Congress has made half-hearted attempts to come to terms on a new stimulus bill that would help people and small businesses survive the winter of this pandemic.  Yes, I did say half-hearted, for the two sides have been miles apart and no concerted effort was made that I can see to come together, to put aside their own petty grievances and do their jobs.  To an extent, that was the fault of Donald Trump, who insisted he would sign no stimulus bill that didn’t guarantee immunity from liability for companies who failed to take proper precautions to protect their employees during the pandemic.  I’m sure there were other hurdles and stumbling-blocks, but this was the one that stuck in my craw.  WHY should businesses be allowed to put their employees in danger and be held harmless when one or more employees contract the coronavirus because there was no company-wide mask mandate, or staff was not kept adequately distant from one another?

So, the democrats gave in on the employer liability immunity issue and progress was made.  One barrier after another was somehow knocked down and eventually it looked like a deal would be struck.  The Republicans, however, had one demand from which they absolutely refused to budge.  It’s referred to as the “three-martini tax deduction” and what it does is allows business executives a full 100% tax write-off for the cost of business lunches, including alcoholic beverages, tips, etc.  Until now, the limit has been a 50% deduction.

Initially, the bill did not include stimulus payments to individuals, but thankfully Senator Bernie Sanders stood his ground and demanded a $1,200 payment to each person earning under $75,000 per annum.  Through compromise, it was chiseled down to $600.  The country thanks you, Senator Sanders!  Would that others had his cojones.

Negotiations continued and ultimately Democratic leaders agreed to the provision in exchange for Republicans agreeing to expand tax credits for low-income families and the working poor.  Yes, folks, this is how these things work, but seriously … more than 3,000 people in this country are dying of the coronavirus every damn day, 20 million are out of work, lines at food banks stretch for miles, millions are in danger of losing their homes, and the bill to provide minimal assistance might well have failed if Democrats hadn’t agreed that the taxpayers … those of us who actually PAY taxes … should foot the bill for some billionaire executive to take another billionaire executive out to lunch and drink the finest vodka in the place?  This is the very definition of the word ‘unconscionable’, and it is obvious, if it weren’t already, that the Republicans in Congress do not give a damn about the people of this nation unless we have millions of dollars.

At any rate, after the Democrats caving on some things, the bill has now been passed by both House and Senate and is on its way to the desk of Donald Trump for his signature.  The effect for the average person is to be a $600 stimulus check, similar to the one earlier this year, but only half the amount, $300 enhanced unemployment benefits for 11 weeks, extension of eviction protection until January 31st, some rental assistance, and a 15% increase in food stamp benefits.  All indications are that Trump will sign the bill, but at this stage of the game, given his blatant lack of concern for We the People, nothing would surprise me.

I am reminded of that old Schoolhouse Rock video …

What Keeps Us Divided …

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

A Republican and a Democrat are walking down the street when they see a fight between two young black men.  The Democrat walks over, tries to separate the two young men and asks what the problem is, then he tries to get them both to calm down and discuss this reasonably.  The Republican, on the other hand, says, “Let me get my gun!”

A Republican and a Democrat are walking down the street when they see a group of Black Lives Matter protestors holding signs.  The Democrat walks on by, nods to them and gives them a thumbs-up.  The Republican says, “Let me get my gun!”

There are many philosophical and ideological differences between the two major parties in the U.S. – there always have been – but some of the biggest are exemplified in the examples above:  the gun culture, propensity to violence, and racism.

Republican politicos seem to think that appearing in ads with guns, threatening violence, is the way to win votes and influence people.  A few examples …

  • Georgia Governor Brian Kemp was rarely shown in campaign ads without a firearm, including one of him pointing it at his daughter’s boyfriend.  Notice the arsenal behind him in the first picture, and the guns all around the room in the second.kemp-gunkemp-gun-Jake
  • Also in Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Greene is an avid supporter of QAnon, the conspiracy theorist group, and also an avid proponent of assault weapons.  Her campaign ads include pictures of herself holding a gun, and also one of herself in a threatening pose in front of an image of several democratic members of Congress known as ‘the Squad’.     marjory-taylor-greeneMarjorie-Taylor-Greene
  • Madison Cawthorn is a 24-year-old running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina. Madison, partially paralyzed from a car accident 6 years ago, has already been accused of sexual assault by several young women.  He, too, has posted campaign pictures of himself with an assault weapon and enough ammunition to take out a small city.madison_img_2

I am told that this is to make them appear ‘tough’, but in my book it makes them appear to be cowards, for only a coward, a person afraid of something all the time, feels a need to carry a gun.  I’ve managed for 69 years without ever picking up a firearm, have even faced down a gun twice, and still never felt a need to own one.

Another thing that separates the two parties is the attempt to eliminate the opposition in unsavory ways.  I cannot recall a story about someone plotting to kill a republican candidate or official, but the attempts on democrats of late has been astounding.  It seems that republicans are far more in favour of solving their problems with violence than democrats.

Remember Cesar Sayoc who in 2018 sent pipe bombs through the mail to former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, and former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as  Representative Maxine Waters, Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, former Attorney General Eric Holder, two former intelligence chiefs (ex-CIA Director John Brennan and ex-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper), two billionaire Democratic donors and activists (George Soros and Tom Steyer), and actor Robert De Niro, as well as CNN’s world headquarters?  Each of these individuals are democrats — not a single republican.

And just this month the Federal Bureau of Investigation uncovered plots to kill the democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and to kidnap the democratic governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer.  Funny, but I haven’t heard of any plots to kill Mitch McConnell, or kidnap Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis.

And lastly, let’s talk a bit about racism as it is viewed by the two parties.  According to a 2019 PEW Research study, a majority of Americans (56%) say Trump has made race relations worse; just 15% say he has made progress toward improving race relations, while 13% say he has tried but failed to make progress and 14% say he hasn’t addressed this issue.

Not surprisingly, assessments of Trump’s handling of race relations differ considerably along partisan lines. Democrats overwhelmingly say Trump has made race relations worse (84%), including large shares of black (79%) and white (86%) Democrats. Views are more divided among Republicans. About a third of Republicans (34%) say Trump has improved race relations and 25% say he has tried but failed to make progress; 19% of Republicans say he hasn’t addressed the issue, while only 20% say he has made race relations worse.

But what really shines a light on the differences in the way members of the two parties view race and racism is the acceptance or denial that racism even exists in the U.S.  This chart tells the story …

PEW-race

There are many principles and ideas that divide the two parties, and until we find ways to narrow those divisions, to work together, to understand each other and to find common ground, we cannot begin to heal this nation.  We look to the leadership of the nation, our elected officials, to find that common ground, to stop the hating, the violence, and to ensure that every person in this country has an equal opportunity, that guns are regulated in such a way to ensure the public safety, and that violence is strongly discouraged.  For the past four years, the ‘leader’ of our government has encouraged violence, racism, and the gun culture, and this simply must stop, for we are on the brink of becoming a third-rate nation if it doesn’t.

Think about these things when you go to the polls in nine days.  Think about the sort of country you wish to live in, and how best to achieve that.  Donald Trump claimed he would “make America great again” … well, he has done the exact opposite and made this a far less desirable country to live in than it once was.  Again, I ask only that you think about these things.

Dear Senators …

Posted on by under Political commentary

For quite some time now, even for years before the current administration invaded the White House, we have seen a Congress so divided that it almost makes a mockery of the words “democratic process”.  We have seen a Congress that pays little, if any, heed to the will of the people, the betterment of the nation, but rather are acting in their own best interests.  It speaks volumes when even former members of Congress are speaking out against the uber-partisanship and asking Congress to step up to the plate and do what they were elected to do.

A group of 44 former senators has penned a letter to the current and future senators, asking them to set aside their partisanship and self-interest for the sake of guarding our democratic principles.  Will they listen?

Dear Senate colleagues,

As former members of the U.S. Senate, Democrats and Republicans, it is our shared view that we are entering a dangerous period, and we feel an obligation to speak up about serious challenges to the rule of law, the Constitution, our governing institutions and our national security.

We are on the eve of the conclusion of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation and the House’s commencement of investigations of the president and his administration. The likely convergence of these two events will occur at a time when simmering regional conflicts and global power confrontations continue to threaten our security, economy and geopolitical stability.

It is a time, like other critical junctures in our history, when our nation must engage at every level with strategic precision and the hand of both the president and the Senate.

We are at an inflection point in which the foundational principles of our democracy and our national security interests are at stake, and the rule of law and the ability of our institutions to function freely and independently must be upheld.

During our service in the Senate, at times we were allies and at other times opponents, but never enemies. We all took an oath swearing allegiance to the Constitution. Whatever united or divided us, we did not veer from our unwavering and shared commitment to placing our country, democracy and national interest above all else.

At other critical moments in our history, when constitutional crises have threatened our foundations, it has been the Senate that has stood in defense of our democracy. Today is once again such a time.

Regardless of party affiliation, ideological leanings or geography, as former members of this great body, we urge current and future senators to be steadfast and zealous guardians of our democracy by ensuring that partisanship or self-interest not replace national interest.

Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), Richard Bryan (D-Nev.), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), Max Cleland (D-Ga.), William Cohen (R-Maine), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Al D’Amato (R-N.Y.), John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), David Durenberger (R-Minn.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Wyche Fowler (D-Ga.), Bob Graham (D-Fla.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Gary Hart (D-Colo.), Bennett Johnston (D-La.), Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Paul Kirk (D-Mass.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), David Pryor (D-Ark.), Don Riegle (D-Mich.), Chuck Robb (D-Va.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Jim Sasser (D-Tenn.), Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), John W. Warner (R-Va.), Lowell Weicker (I-Conn.), Tim Wirth (D-Colo.)

Fool On The Hill — Mitch McConnell

Posted on by under Election 2018, Political commentary

The date was 23 October 2010 — nearly two years into President Barack Obama’s first term and two weeks before the first midterm elections of his presidency. Speaking to the National Journal, then-Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell made a now-infamous statement: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”  A statement that congressional republicans intended to do everything in their power to thwart President Obama could not have been any clearer.  But, listen to what McConnell had to say on Fox News earlier this week …

“Will Dems work with us, or simply put partisan politics ahead of the country?”

Say WHAT???

Here is McConnell’s OpEd, enhanced by Filosofa’s snarky comments in blue:

Sen Mitch McConnell (R-KY) There are worse pictures of him.Last Tuesday I was proud to see that the American people voted keep Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate. But we also learned that, come January, the Republican Senate majority will be dealing with a House of Representatives under Democratic control. What goes around, comes around, Mitchie.

Needless to say, the past two years of unified Republican government will be remembered as a period of historic productivity.  Define productivity???  You haven’t done a damn thing worthwhile!

Both houses of Congress have taken swift action to right-size a bloated federal regulatory state. The Senate has shattered records in confirming the president’s well-qualified judicial nominees, including two outstanding jurists to serve on the Supreme Court.  Um… Mitchie … ever hear of a little thing called “climate change”?  Those regulations were in place in an attempt to save our earth.  And one of your “outstanding” jurists is a sexual predator!

And together, we passed the first comprehensive reform of the nation’s tax code in a generation. Already, Americans’ paychecks are growing, consumer confidence is high and unemployment has reached a near 50-year low.  Have you looked at the federal debt/deficit estimates lately?  And do you realize that your damn tax reform robbed from the poor and gave to the rich?  Rather a reverse Robin Hood!

After this prolific run, I was not surprised to be asked over the past week about just how much the American people can expect from the next Congress under divided leadership. What can we realistically accomplish?  Restoration of sanity and accountability is my hope.

I have good news: reports of the death of bipartisanship in Washington have been wildly exaggerated. In fact, some of the most significant accomplishments of this Congress have been delivered with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.  Eh?  Such as?  Name one, please?

Under bipartisan committee leadership, we took major steps toward restoring regular order to our appropriations process. The Senate passed more funding measures before the beginning of this fiscal year than at any point in the last two decades.  Funding for what?  Certainly not to help the poor, the homeless, the ill.  Nothing that I can see that benefits the people in any practical manner.

The measures included the largest year-on-year increase in defense funding in 15 years, which put an end to the Obama-era atrophy of our armed forces.  Geez, Mitchie … the U.S. already had the largest military budget in the western world!  How is that “atrophy of the armed forces”???  Ever hear the term ‘guns or butter’?  We. Don’t. Need. More. F***ing. Military. Toys.  Get it?  We need help for the poor, we need healthcare!

Working closely with counterparts in the House, we found common ground on rebuilding America’s crumbling infrastructure. In fact, America’s Water Infrastructure Act – designed to improve interstate commerce, water quality and flood safety – passed the Senate by a vote of 99-1.  Let me just pop over to Flint, Michigan and see how much help you’ve given them …

And in August, the Senate voted unanimously to expand Americans’ opportunities to receive technical and career-focused education.  Meanwhile, you’ve done nothing to improve our public schools, and have made a college education damn near out of reach for the average citizen!  There is much, MUCH more to education than technical and job training …

We’ve passed 22 pieces of legislation produced by the bipartisan work of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. From improving the efficiency of Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities to enhancing access to post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits, each of these pieces of legislation was designed to help America keep its promises to returning heroes and their families.  Not what I’m hearing from the vets.  Have you talked to anybody from AMVETS lately?  I have.

And last month, the Senate passed a landmark package of targeted resources to combat the opioid epidemic. The legislation was produced by five bipartisan committees and included direct input from 72 different senators.  Whoopee.  Meanwhile, those of us who need medications such as insulin to stay alive, cannot afford them. 

Of course, these are just a few highlights of a Congress that has conducted as much serious, cooperative work as any in recent history.  Hah! Let me ask Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi if that’s true …

So make no mistake. The Senate has proven its ability to reach bipartisan solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our nation.  I think you mistake the meaning of “bipartisan”.  I’ve seen naught but infighting and chaos in the 115th Congress.

And looking ahead to the coming year, there will be no shortage of opportunities to continue this impressive record of cooperation across the aisle and across the Capitol.  Opportunities, yes.  But will you put aside your love of all things Trump and join the democrats in holding him accountable?  Will you put the 99% ahead of the 1% just for once?  Will you act with the interests of the nation in mind?

What we can make of those opportunities will depend on our Democratic colleagues. Will they choose to go it alone and simply make political points? Or will they choose to work together and actually make a difference?  Look in the mirror and ask that question, Mitchie.

Last week, the American people made it abundantly clear that they prefer that Congress focus on making a difference.  Is this a new concept to you?

That message may have been lost on a few House Democrats, who have made clear their preference for investigations over policy results. After years of rhetoric, it’s hardly news that some are more interested in fanning the flames of division than reaching across the aisle.  Not ‘fanning the flames of division’, Mitchie … it’s called ‘accountability’.  Look it up in the dictionary.

But however Democrats interpret the latest message from voters, Senate Republicans will continue our commitment to delivering results.  Continue???  When did you start?

We’ll keep working to lift the burden on American job creators and small businesses. We’ll stay focused on helping communities across the country seize new opportunities and realize greater prosperity. We’ll seek new ways to make life easier for working families.  “Lift the burden”???  WTF???  The burden is on the poor and middle-class, not the big corporations whose so-called ‘burdens’ you seek to ‘lift’.

Most importantly, in the face of whichever tactics the far left chooses to employ next, we’ll continue to stand for the rule of law. We’ll continue to confirm more well-qualified nominees to serve on our nation’s courts.  Rule of law?  Where is that, Mitchie?  Where was rule of law when Brett Kavanaugh lied under oath?  Where was rule of law when you and your cohorts refused to ban assault weapons because you are in the pocket of the NRA?  Where, indeed, is rule of law in Trumpdom?

This is what the Senate’s Republican majority was elected to do. And we’ll continue to get it done.  Bull. You’ll keep right on licking the boots of the fool in the White House.

It is obvious to me that McConnell was doing damage control, making it clear to the Fox viewers, which likely includes Trump’s & McConnell’s followers, that whatever goes wrong in the next two years will be the fault of those mean ol’ democrats.  Mitch McConnell has been in Washington far too long … time for him to retire!

Whole Damn World Gone Crazy!

Posted on by under Election 2018, Free Press Issues, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Rants

secret-service-press-release.pngLet me just give you a few samples from this evening’s headlines:

Limbaugh on bomb threats to Democrats: ‘Republicans just don’t do this kind of thing’ – The Hill

Reports that suspicious package was sent to White House are incorrect: source – Reuters

Trump supporters cook up wild conspiracy theory about George Soros bombing himself as distraction from caravan – RawStory

Fox News expert claims mail bombs could be sent by liberals ‘trying to get the Democratic vote out’ – RawStory

The View’s Meghan McCain compares bombs targeting Dems to Republicans getting ‘heckled at restaurants’ – MSNBC

Trump decries ‘political violence’ after years of stoking it – Politico

Trump: ‘Do you see how nice I am behaving tonight?’ – Politico

Let’s take a look at Limbaugh.  Apparently, he was studying under Alex Jones, the master of conspiracy theory, for several years and now that Alex has been essentially neutered, Limbaugh has taken over.

“Republicans just don’t do this kind of thing. Even though every event, like mass shootings, remember, every mass shooting there is, the Democrats in the media try to make everybody think right off the bat that some tea partier did it, or some talk radio fan did it, or some Fox News viewer did it. Turns out, it’s never, ever the case.”

Hmmmm … anybody remember Pizzagate?  Charlottesville? He went on to say that, since none of the bombs actually went off, it was the work of a ‘democratic operative’ trying to give the appearance that there are ‘mobs everywhere’.  It should be noted that there is not a shred of evidence to support any of his statements.  Alex could have done it better.

Then there was the suspicious package allegedly sent to the White House … a package that never was, but that was briefly reported by CNN with no immediate retraction.  Well, in fairness, CNN was dealing with their own problems at the time.

george-sorosAnd what about poor ol’ George Soros?  This guy gets the blame by conservatives for every single thing that happens for which they have no other explanation.  Soros, for those who may not know, is a keenly intelligent investor, business magnate, and most of all, one of the top philanthropists in the world.  He has an acute understanding of how the stock market works, how governments operate and why, and just about anything else you might ask of him.  But he’s always the heavy.  I suspect that long after he is dead, certain elements will continue to blame him for the world’s ills.

Some Trump supporters are claiming that the bombs sent to prominent enemies of Trump are part of an elaborate plot, orchestrated by Soros to shift the 2018 midterm elections.  One Trump fan even went so far as to accuse Soros of trying to bomb himself to distract America from the migrant caravan that he believes Soros is funding. Ay ay ay ay ay!!!  Chinga**! (Horty Rex will understand)

Donald Trump once suggested that “Second Amendment people” could take matters into their own hands if Hillary Clinton won the election.  In 2016, he encouraged the roughing-up of protesters at his campaign rallies. Last year, Trump tweeted a video of himself tackling a man with a CNN logo superimposed across his face, adding the hashtag #FraudNewsCNN. And just last week, he actually praised republican congressman Greg Gianforte who was convicted of assault for body-slamming a reporter with The Guardian who simply asked him a question.

And now … last night, after a day of chaos amid the lies, speculation and conspiracy theories from only the republican side of the aisle … he has the unmitigated gall to say …

“Those engaged in the political arena must stop treating political opponents as being morally defective. By the way, do you see how nice I’m behaving today? Have you ever seen this?”

Was that supposed to be a joke?  Was it meant to be funny?  If so, it fell flat. Where, I ask you folks, is the captain of this ship?  Where is the president who should be leading the nation to peace, who should be trying to heal the rift between right and left instead of stoking it?  I will tell you where he is NOT … he is NOT at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  For the past nearly two years, we have been a rudderless ship, adrift with little or no direction.  Today, however, we are no longer adrift, but are in the middle of a tempestuous storm that is threatening to take this ship down.

Let’s get the pertinent facts clear here:

  • George Soros did not fund the migrant caravan, and he did not send a pipe bomb to either himself or anybody else.
  • The democrats did not send pipe bombs to Secretary Clinton, President Obama, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Maxine Waters, Eric Holder, CNN or Andrew Cuomo. I do not know who sent those bombs, but to assume a conspiracy among democrats in hopes of somehow increasing their odds in the November mid-terms is beyond ludicrous.   It makes as much sense as saying that Trump himself did it, that this is his version of an ‘October Surprise’.
  • The migrant caravan is comprised of people — you remember them, right? Ordinary people fleeing violence in their home countries and seeking asylum in a country where they hope to be able to work hard, to take care of their families in relative peace.

I end this rant with a suggestion — a plea, actually.  I’m tired.  You’re tired.  We’re all tired, no matter what party affiliation, skin colour, religion or gender.  Too much pure bullshit erodes our psyche.  When you come to the end of this post, do me and yourself a favour … go hug someone.  I don’t care who you hug … your neighbor, a stranger passing by, your spouse, kid or significant other, the family dog … just go hug them tight and say, “I love you”.  Please?

GOP Is Making Up Conspiracy Theories/ Lies About Caravan Of Immigrants To Cater To His Base

Posted on by under Election 2018, Global Issues, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

When I read about Trump claiming there is another caravan of immigrants headed this way from Central America, that he has alerted the military, that he considers them a threat to national security, and furthermore that he thinks the democrats funded the caravan, I sighed and said under my breath, “Here we go again, and just two weeks before the election. Distractions, smoke screens and lies, lies, lies … more of the same ol’ same ol’.” And then I sighed again, for I knew I would need to write about this, though I did not want to. And then … it was Gronda to the rescue!!! Her fine post says all that I would have said, and probably even more.
I cannot repeat enough how important it is that we get this message out … there is no threat to national security from a group of people, mainly women and children, coming to the U.S. in hopes of surviving, in hopes of an opportunity to work hard to make a better life for their children. Please take time to read Gronda’s post, for she successfully de-bunks the lies that Mr. Trump is attempting to use to distract the voters in two weeks. Many thanks, Gronda, for writing the post that needed to be written!

Gronda Morin

Image result for photos of refugees on bridge between guatemala and mexico

We have heard all the lies being disseminated by the republican President Donald J. Trump that the there’s the real possibility that leftist groups have sponsored the caravan of refugees/ immigrants that are fleeing the violent ridden country of Honduras via Guatemala heading towards Mexico and then to the USA, to ask for asylum which is supposed to be a legal action.

The president knows that the vision of brown refugees, the majority being women and children on a bridge from Guatemala to Mexico scares the anti-immigration faction of his base to where he has to pander to their fear by painting many of them as being criminals, claims which past credible studies have proven to be way overstated.

Recently, he was heard saying that they are coming to the US, so that they can vote for Democratic Party candidates, which he knows full well is NOT TRUE. They. as…

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Hate Talk

Posted on by under Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

“These are the times that try men’s [and women’s] souls”, said Thomas Paine on 23 December 1776. What makes the times today so trying to our souls is, of course, the government that no longer represents the people, but even more disturbing is the way the head of said government is pitting us against each other. Our friend Hugh has written a piece that is well worth reading and thinking about. Are we falling for the rhetoric coming out of Washington to the extent that we are sacrificing our future? Thank you, Hugh, for your thoughtful and thought-provoking post.

hughcurtler

It has always been so: using emotive language to describe those people we detest reduces them to things. Such is the case with people we don’t happen to like — or want to kill in violent confrontations called “war.” Not long ago the Japanese were called “Japs,” and the Germans were called “Krauts.” We devise hateful names to describe those we hate and want to kill in the name of God and all that is good. It seems to work: it reduces human beings, as noted, to things to be dispensed with.

We now find ourselves living in a society in which our feckless leader has labelled his enemies in order to generate hatred of those things or people he has determined are his enemies — and therefore the enemies of us all. Thus are the Democrats now called “the party of crime. . .  too extreme and dangerous to…

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