As he lays out his plans for his first hundred days in office and begins to fill positions, President-Elect Joe Biden is making it clear he intends to rebuild the institutions and alliances Trump has gutted.
You’d think after four plus years of Donald Trump’s narcissism, petulance, and mean-spiritedness, nothing would shock or dismay me - but his utter disregard for a country millions still believe he loves is staggering. He is deliberately setting fires and turning off the water throughout the government. His actions are beyond reckless and continued support from some Americans is going beyond any rational thought. Trump is bound and determined to leave a smoldering wreck so, what, he can start campaigning on January 21, 2021 that since he screwed everything up, only he can fix it? The Trump Republican Party is a disgrace and doesn’t have a ounce of principle or, and in its current iterations should cease to exist as it is acting more as an enemy to America than a political party. Disgusting.
The United States will continue to be an unreliable partner even in the Biden administration and beyond until those with unilateral powers like the President and the Majority Leader are checked. We need real checks and balances without stalemating the entire system. We can not have a continuous seesaw of replacing one set of executive orders with another every four years. Biden's emphasis on community is excellent and addresses our problems at a systemic level rather than simply patching the old systems. But, systemic and cultural changes are extremely difficult and can meet with a lot of resistance. His choice of Janet Yellen will be one key player needed to make successful forward-thinking and long term changes in the economic structure of our country. We are still headed for a Constitutional collapse and even though I'm a pragmatic optimist by nature, the enormity of what needs to change leaves me feeling quite pessimistic this evening. A Shining City on the Hill seems quite tarnished.
The successive dreams that have driven colonialized America have never been totally based on reality......but children grow up to be responsible, independent, socialized adults if they are aided and abetted by the framework that put in place around them by their "founding mothers and fathers". In adult life the dreams of youth evolve into more mature yearnings, structures and dreams for the one's own and one's community's future; dreaming is essential to mental stability.
A starting point might be the recognition that in reality America is not just a "young country" just as France is not just its current "Republic". Native Americans existed well before the arrival of the European-, Afro-Americans and many other ethnic-Americans. Dreams formed their founding myths, governed their individual and collective acts and foresaw their eventual assimilation with generations that had preceded them. America could well start the adult part of its life by dreaming a new founding myth and dreaming inclusive dreams where we are all in this life together regardless of our individual differences.
Once those dreams start to to coalesce and the leaders emerge to fulfill them, we can start to apply pretty well-known Change Theory and make sure the job is done without any backsliding; a total return to the pre-Covid world will just not happen, the adult children now have to leave home and set up outside the "parental dream" and form a new life.
Like this big picture assessment. Fits my optimism in 2020 (the silver lining in a very dark cloud) witnessing protest eruptions in May and being exposed via zoom to youthful political activists directing my efforts to elect BidenHarris. Locally, I’ve seen proof of how hard-to-impossible it is for oldsters-in-power to give up power. But, time is against them. Significant change is possible. Even after destruction life emerges from the ashes. Right now, our focus must be Georgia. Victory would check the evil seditious McConnell. Donate now, if you can, to young leader Stacey Abrams’ efforts to register and get out the vote. ❤️🧡💙
Ever since surviving a near-death experience in 2013 (massive pulmonary embolism took me to within two hours of death), I have been asking everyone I meet what their dream is. My favorite answer is "I'm living my dream." Yes, we can't go home again to a pre-COVID world. Perhaps we are now teenagers being kicked out of the nest. Hope we find our wings...
Have always liked this bit of wisdom:
Learning to Fly
The eagle gently coaxed her offspring toward the edge of the nest. Her
heart quivered with conflicting emotions as she felt their resistance to her
persistent nudging. "Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the
fear of falling?" she thought. This ageless question was still unanswered
for her.
As in the tradition of the species, her nest was located high on the shelf
of a sheer rock face. Below there was nothing but air to support the wings
of each child. "Is it possible that this time it will not work?" she
thought. Despite her fears, the eagle knew it was time. Her parental
mission was all but complete. There remained one final task -- the push.
The eagle drew courage from an innate wisdom. Until her children discovered
their wings, there was no purpose for their lives. Until they learned how
to soar, they would fail to understand the privilege it was to have been
born an eagle. The push was the greatest gift she had to offer. It was her
supreme act of love. And so one by one she pushed them, and they flew!
The symbolism of the Eagle is of course particularly important and pertinent to the American....chosen as the country's symbol in 1782 and Massachusetts 1 cent coin from 1776......and the dream of America is that all can strive to fullfil their dreams, soaring to the heights of their desires, free to deploy their wings.
In Native American culture, the eagle is considered the strongest and bravest of all birds. For this reason, its feathers symbolize what is highest, bravest, strongest, and holiest. It has strong medicine. United States law recognizes the unique significance of eagle feathers in Native American culture, religion, and tradition.
Indeed the eagle has represented continuity in American history and culture for much longer than we would often care to think these days.
In some corporate "touchy feely" class I attended, we were asked to close our eyes and think of where you feel safest. My safe place was soaring high in the air where you could see everything around you. My hobby growing up was Free Flight Model Airplanes. My specialty was the Nordic gliders -- six foot wingspan that you towed up by foot and released hopefully into a thermal so it would continue to rise. A number of times a hawk would join the airplane in the thermal. And even would follow the plane almost to the ground when the plane "dethermalized" (a timer would release the stablizer so the airplane would gently stall and flutter to the ground). It was such a joy to see something you'd built flying with the hawks.
While the Eagle has been a symbol of United States for a couple of centuries including on the Seal of the President, and it was adopted as Germany's coat of arms in 1950, the eagle as a symbol for German Imperial Eagle traces back to Charlemagne and then back even further to the eagle as a symbol of the Roman army. The Eagle originally faced left toward the arrows. President Truman decided to change it to the right which is the proper heraldry direction which made it face to the olive branch of peace. It has been that way ever since.
Yes, I'm quite healthy and well, but with some lung compromise which makes me very vulnerable if I catch COVID. My mantra is six feet apart or six feet under. Those are my choices.
I absolutely love the idea that America is ready to start the adult part of its life - after a particularly painful and prolonged adolescence! The new founding myth with inclusivity at its center is the place to begin.
Stuart, I always enjoy rrading your comments as you are erudite and knowledgeable. However, to quote Oscar Hammerstein, I think in your current post, you are a "cock-eyed optimist."
G & S peppered my school days as the sort of performance the "Parents Association" would put on in school. I do remember my embarassement as a teen seeing my father made-up, and dressed for some reason a kilt, singing songs by the victorian equivalent of Monty Python. Awful experience!
In the Boston area, I played and conducted G&S with the New England Gilbert and Sullivan Society - NEGASS. Once a bunch of us went to hear the Cape Cod Symphony conducted by Royston Nash, THE conductor of the D'Oylye Carte Opera Company who did all the definitive performances of G&S in England. At the reception, my friends embarrassingly introduced me to him as a conductor of G&S. He kindly asked if I had conducted Iolanthe. It was the one show I had conducted at that point so I answered yes. He replied, "Then you've done the best of them."
Thank you, HCR. European friends called with Iran news and the buzz from their TV news channels. All believe Trump is involved. All report the damage to USA standing. Your report about Trump’s continued institutional destruction at home is horrifying. As an average citizen, I am doubling down in my efforts to help Stacey Abrams to register and get out the vote in GA. This is what I can do today to help my country emerge from this nightmare. Support Ossoff and Warnock Senate races any way you can. ❤️🧡💙
The sticky residue left by this vile man will be thick, toxic, expensive and treacherous. But it will not be any surprise--I imagine Biden's busy finding ways to clean it out now.
As if Biden didn't already have enough on his plate! Trump's behavior is criminal. I wonder who is helping him map these treacheries? Miller? Jared? Roger?
He is unsavory, yes, but not saying his name aloud or assigning him a fictional name does little to keep the focus on the person and what he's responsible for. I'm pretty stubborn about that. I believe in precision when identifying a threat. I don't call Trump anything other than Trump or Donald. I don't call coronavirus deniers anything but that. For a while early on I used the term rethuglicans but came to my senses and identified them as Republican Thugs. It is a precise identifier.
To restore true Authority to Amerca's leadersip a great deal more coherence between word, action and symbolism is required. The authority of the French regime was significantly undermined by declaring after the last war that the collaboraters, Petainist and other pre-war leading politicians were "responsible but not culpable" for the disaster that hit them in 1940 and for S years therafter. That authority, once lost is very hard to reconstruct. So far in France, it has been resurrected only briefly in the 60's and at no time since.
I am having a hard time being optimistic. I am thrilled with Biden/Harris but there are a lot of roadblocks that McTurtleneck has put down. He is nothing but a hired obstructionist.
Even if Biden can "clean it out", the effect of Trump will continue. He will be on the airwaves and rallying his fans. He has had a taste of the "wild" and he is not going to cease his bellowing. His family members will also be running for office and continuing their trash talk. Even with Biden/Harris in office, until Trump is gone from the public scene, his recklessness will continue.
Drumpty isn't our president and never was. He is the illegitimate subversive traitor. Never before in our history has an alleged leader actively worked to harm the country. Every one of these acts HRC has listed tonight can be considered acts of treason.
Donald Trump is the greatest piece of shit to ever exist in the history of this country. His supporters are scum and the day is going to come when we're going to have to treat them as The Enemy they are and start treating them the way you treat an active, dangerous enemy.
You would enjoy a recent Amber Ruffin take on how to treat T**** supporters: "Why you don't need to be nice to your racist uncle". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UFQYj1Clo
Regarding this business of Trump's installing 'loyalists' in all the civil service positions to gum up the works for Biden: just practically, that's not going to work.
First of all, he waited until very late to fire dozens of institutional types who will not go quietly, some of them will sue. None of it will be fully adjudicated before January 20, 2021.
Secondly, given what we've seen of the incompetence at the highest levels, does anyone really believe that Trump had literally dozens -- maybe hundreds -- of qualified acolytes that he could installed in these jobs? I don't. That brings up the singular problem that most of them will not be able to do the job sufficiently to remain employed in the federal government.
Furthermore, I know from personal experience that every single person in Homeland Security, for instance -- even the guys in the mailroom -- go through extensive vetting taking a year to eighteen months. None of these people were vetted properly so any serious look into their backgrounds will bring up things that rate immediate dismissal.
But the main reason that this is a false threat -- just another attempt by Trump to sabotage and just plain screw Joe Biden -- is that in government, as in any serious corporation or company, there is a 3 to 6 probationary period in which any new hire can be terminated for simply not being a 'team player.' It is in the contract.
So while this is a cluster fuck and an HR nightmare, I don't really think it is an 'unsolvable' as Donald Trump would like it to be because most of these Trumpists he's trying to install are not remotely qualified for those jobs and as soon as they get slammed with a workload they can't handle, I'm betting they are heading for the doors. I mean, he put his son's event planner in charge of housing and how long has it been since we've heard from her?
Not to say that Trump is totally impotent because Steve Mnuchin is trying to claw back $455 bil in unused Covid funds so Biden can unilaterally send out some more aid to desperate Americans -- cause yeah, Steve Mnuchin is a big dick; and yeah, he is complicit in blowing up Iranian scientist then sending navy vessels in that direction to punctuate his point. You know, "I'M STILL HERE AND I WANT MY BINKIE!"
But the particular business of firing institutionalists and hiring a legion of wedding planners and Uber drivers to run government? That's the governance equivalent of "clean up on aisle nine."
Enjoyed your analysis immensely; however, I wonder if there are not also a few unqualified millionaires among the talentless bunch of new hires who are still waiting for kickbacks for all of their donations to the 2020 (and maybe even the 2016) T**** campaign. There are also probably quite a few Uber drivers out here in the real world who have taken up driving during the pandemic because their real jobs disappeared who would be more qualified than any of the bozos T**** has shoved into place.
I absolutely agree about the overqualified Uber drivers, but the richest of the rich guys don't take those jobs. Those are the Steve Mnuchins, Betsy DeVos and Louis DeJoys of the world or the donors who just give him 'donations' expecting the quid pro quo.
Trump is like an open herpes sore on the body politic – he won’t go away, and he infects everything he touches.
The question is: What can be done to reverse or ameliorate the ill effects of these acts by the current President to essentially sabotage the incoming President?
Murder cannot be undone. If the US conspired with Israel or other State or non-State actors to carry out this murder, could it have been done without the knowledge and cooperation of our senior military, diplomatic and intelligence officials? And if this was an illegal act by State actors, how is responsibility assigned?
If Trump sells off the fleet of reconnaissance aircraft, replacements can’t be built in a day even if Biden is able to rejoin the treaty. Will we be able to lease planes from our allies? Can other aircraft in our fleet be repurposed until replacements can be produced?
If troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan, do we simply put them back on planes and return them? How maddening for these soldiers and their families, not to mention the confusion and turmoil that could result in the region. Is our military slow-walking the order to retreat?
Is Trump criminally accountable for any of these acts? Is it possible to determine a corrupt motive that would somehow cut through the protection he enjoys by acting under the color of his authority as President?
I too hope for a day of accounting that exposes the villainy and vile nature of trump. Politics of retribution is problematic though. Here's hoping justice does find it's way to be served!
Who is masterminding these geopolitical moves? Surely not Trump, whose interest$$$ will be served, of course, but there seems to be more to this relentless strategy.
I've been saying this for four years. He does not have the intellect or grasp of history to have conceived these strategies, let alone to have carried them out. He's had much craftier coaches and they have groomed and flattered him to bring them to reality. Bannon? Miller? Mnuchin? Putin? Remember that Khrushchev stated that the Soviets would take us without a shot - they would destroy us from within. Think about it.
More broadly, I have wondered, though I think I know the answer, whether trump came into office aiming to destroy what he could or if he acted opportunistically. Was he smart enough to have a plan or did he willingly fall prey to people who recognized his weakness and manipulability? I had not thought he was smart enough to plot the evisceration of the government, but now I wonder if he’s some kind of idiot savant.
No way, Marcy. tRump has never worked with his own brain, but relied on others to do the smart thinking for him. He is surely an idiot, but not "savant."
No he is not a smart anything. It was Steve Bannon’s idea from the beginning to destroy the institutions. And with tRump being such a narcissist, all those close to him have to do is stoke his anger at rejection and tell him all the ways that he can “get even”. Then tRump gleefully goes along and executes the plan.
That has a ring of truth for me. Recalls the term Useful Idiot. trump strikes me as a shark, powerful and dangerous, but cruising on instinct, not thoughtful analysis. Other, smarter people see the opportunity he presents and lead him where they want with a little chum in the water.
I finally received and read Mary Trump's book about her family just after the election. While she does write about other family members, the focus is on her uncle Donald and how his father, Fred, raised him to be the tool of smarter and wealthier men. Look for the money and intelligence behind the "throne".
So when narcissists and people with borderline personality disorder--and I know I am psychoanalyzing without a license but I was married to one of these and I recognize the patterns--cannot get what they want through bullying, abuse, and faux charm they resort to tantrums, destruction, and revenge. I'm not talking about just the Cheeto here: his entire "leadership cabal" is made up of similarly-minded people, and ones whose agendas are far more ideological than ego-driven. I am unsurprised that the absolute destruction of the US and its population and government is the aim of these guys and that they are trying to "seed" the federal government with their loyalists in order to effect a coup from the inside. The criminal co-conspirators in Congress are equally craven and equally responsible, but they want this to happen because--just as in the Gingrich-driven era of the 1990s--the idea that they should behave as a loyal opposition and be rational and reasonable is not in their DNA.
The Constitution was created by men whose self-interest was self-evident but who also considered themselves "enlightened" in a particular way that was newly defined in the 18th century--it was paternalistic, misogynist, and racist but it still emphasized Reason (a particular definition of it) and debate over autocracy and ideology. They presumed that this is the direction in which those governing the US would always go. Andrew Jackson kind of blew that out of the water, but the problem is that if you are a true ideologue you can always subvert the rationalists and idealists.
What I find truly disturbing is the fact that so many millions of people are addicted to autocracy--and of a particularly poisonous variety--and crave the strong man to be their Daddy in Chief. Never mind if he destroys the economy, their healthcare, their very lives: they think that he is "punishing" the uppity non-white folk and women who say they have a right to a seat at the table and a chance at leadership, education, health, and prosperity. These are the people who really scare me, because they would support an internal coup.
I have been so impressed by Biden's approach--one I am sure he has been thinking about for 30 years, so he has had time to refine it (!)--but if the Senate doesn't get flipped, he hasn't got a chance to make any real structural change. Unless someone indicts McConnell and his McMinions and gets them out of the way. It's not like they aren't engaging in felonious activities, after all.
Nothing requires people to go to superspreaders such as the religious gatherings that the SCOTUS okayed this week. We need to control ourselves and not rely on authorities to herd us like sheep. Just because gyms and restaurants and churches are open does not mean we have to go to them.
Gwen, I agree with you that just because a place is legally open, does not necessarily make it a good idea for us to go there. It has been legal in Massachusetts for months to hold religious gatherings. The synagogues to which I belong have nevertheless taken the approach that "we are essential, we are open; our building, however, remains closed until it is safe to re-open it." The last time I ate inside in a restaurant was early March. The next time might be in 2022.
However, I think everyone has been so busy interpreting the SCOTUS decision in the light of political movements that the actual decision has gotten lost in the commotion.
The SCOTUS ruling was that religious gatherings cannot be singled out for more restrictive treatment than similar non-religious gatherings. Although I disagree with the justices on many things, including jumping to issue this opinion when the restrictions had already been withdrawn, they make a valid point. Just because a gathering is in a religious building, or for religious purposes, that in itself does not make it more hazardous to health. Public officials are still free to issue restrictions on gatherings based on disease-relevant criteria, as long as the same restrictions apply to secular and religious gatherings. That seems right to me.
This entire pandemic has had us all in a muddle about what to do - partly because the scientists are figuring it out as we go along; partly because officials have to make trade-offs between competing needs; partly because 45 deliberately trashed necessary guidelines; and also partly because there has been too little public education to help everyone understand the reasoning behind any current guidelines and regulations. Massachusetts, for example, has a regulation requiring a 14 day quarantine for anyone entering the state. It has a long list of exemptions, leading many people to point out that what they want to do has just as much claim to be exempt.
It is amazing that Trump and the Republicans can believe they will be able to retain or gain any power if they keep in this destructive path. For Trump it is all about the pain he can inflict on any other living soul. He is deeply disturbed. The fact that McConnell and all the other Republicans can sit by and let him continue to do these atrocious things is devastating. These actions will begin to affect their daily lives. I know the far-right will pound it into their cult that this is a Biden failure. I read some of their Twitter threads and shake my head at how they can believe some of this stuff. I am keeping hope that we can win both Senate seats in Georgia and if not that there are many things Biden can do without the Senate. After all, if Trump can get us into this mess without them we have to hope Biden can reverse it. He will fix our relationships with the world leaders who will stand by us for peace.
The Senate can only turn away so many things before people will see it is really the Republicans causing the problem. It’s tough when Senators like John Cornyn put out a tweet saying stimulus is needed without acknowledging there are 2 bills on McConnell’s desk that he refuses to put up for a vote.
If Biden is not sending judges for Senate approval then won’t the Senate be forced to take up other legislation?
Doing everything by executive order means the next President can undo whatever she wants to overturn any and all the executive orders of the previous President. That isn't stable and makes the rest of the world leery of doing business or treaties with us. The writers of the Constitution were assuming the country would be run by gentlemen with integrity.
Yes. And as successive administrations carry out governance by executive order that becomes the prevailing order of things, and each election and administration entrenches autocratic rule within a democratic shell.
I just looked to see how many executive orders have been issued by President. FDR is the grand prize winner with 3,728, (some of them had devastating consequences for Japanese citizens on us soil during WWII). The president with zero executive orders, William Henry Harrison. According to the Federal Register, as of 12 November, Trump has issued 195 Executive Orders.
Admittedly, Trump's use of this vehicle has been contentious and damaging. 195 the number of executive orders only and does not include other vehicles such as proclamations, memorandum, etc.
wow! thank you daria for researching that... it is now in perspective for me... and it tells me how difficult FDR’s task as president must have been... & i am hoping that joe biden can keep the tool of executive order in his back pocket for when he needs it.
Krishna Das, you can search on Wikipedia as well as the Federal Register. Wikipedia has it laid out on a handy table. You can peruse then dig deeper if you want!
In some cases, that is all it takes. In some cases, it's not enough, because the consequences of the previous order can take time and more effort to unwind. Mim E's link above explains some of it.
As for the all-important Senate runoff election down here, a little historical perspective is in order. Here's a summation of the "complicated" history of elections down here. Both incumbents, David "I Didn't Do Anything Wrong" Perdue and Kelly "Just Call me Rapunzel" Loeffler, are waging negative campaigns of truly epic proportions. The lies and smearing are staggering. I wish I could find the Perdue ads and could show you the obvious splicing/editing of remarks by Abrams and AOC. It is SO amateur as to almost be laughable! YET, people will believe it. Both candidates and the GA GOP are walking a tightrope right now because of their unalloyed support of Trump and his assertions of voter fraud here, which can also put them at odds with more mainline Republicans (and former Trump supporters like Gov. Kemp and Sec'y of State Raffensperger) who are still stinging from Trump's whacked out allegations. It is turning off a LOT of Republicans here on both sides, and many Trump voters are vowing to sit out this election. Trump is supposed to come down here next week to "help" campaign for Perdue & Loeffler. I can't wait. It's fun watching Republicans eat their own. Anyway, here's a recap of our banana farm of a state government...non-stop fun.
It IS! In its history, Georgia has been the "poster child" for voter suppression, by Democrats (or "Dixiecrats") through a lot of the 20th century, and then when things flip-flopped and the Republicans took over--same wine, different bottles. It's why Abrams' efforts of voter registration, and its resulting flipping of GA to blue, is SO noteworthy. It is showing just how important allowing the electorate to register AND vote really is, especially in the South. These are some of the "cracks" in the Republican walls of voter suppression and domination down here.
I see Trump is back to gluing together the blocks, so that the next guy can't play with them. If you read his niece's book, she shares that he did that to his little brother. Now he has repeatedly done that to the country, Mr. Putin is getting his money's worth. I hope Joe Biden shows up at the White House with a big bowl of Mashed Potatoes to dump on his head, another Trump family story. I personally cannot think of a better use for a bowl of mashed potatoes.
As Covid cases and deaths continue to rise, I wonder why there’s no reporting on the medical costs to our country? Many of these deaths come after expensive intensive care. Then there are the costs of premature deaths to families who lose a breadwinner. Lots of reporting about costs of shutdowns—none about costs of letting the virus run rampant.
Sounds like Covid fatigue and djt fatigue have combined to give us quite a national illness. They are linked of course. Theories will abound, to be sorted by the historians, and political scientists of the next generations. But right this minute or hour or day, we are forced to deal with the intimate reality of the now. Control the pandemic using the imperfect tools we have until, hopefully in a few months, we begin to gain control through science with vaccines. Once that vaccine phase starts, many will come.
The politics will be harder. Republicans have played with local and regional politics to secure power and practice the rule of the minority. We must study and combat this with calm voices. Do the hard work of listening to complaints. Give worth to the perceived injustice, while gently uncovering reality. Lack of education and skill, while longing for the “good old days”, was always a no win situation.
My suggestion is to send the “squad” and Stacey Abrams, Tammy Duckworth, Amy Klobuchar and Gretchen Whitmer on retreat(my top of my head list, yours is welcome) and talk and think. Insults and degrading language are always negative forces. Positive words and Ideas might well win Georgia. Reasoned appeals might well win over some republicans in the senate who are frightened by the threat of failure of our democracy.
Finally, business leaders who know first hand the value of diversity and talent world wide. In a world screaming into the future on the basis of AI, CRISPIR, quarks, and quantum computing, and m-rna, the world’s longest democracy needs to be in the world.
You’d think after four plus years of Donald Trump’s narcissism, petulance, and mean-spiritedness, nothing would shock or dismay me - but his utter disregard for a country millions still believe he loves is staggering. He is deliberately setting fires and turning off the water throughout the government. His actions are beyond reckless and continued support from some Americans is going beyond any rational thought. Trump is bound and determined to leave a smoldering wreck so, what, he can start campaigning on January 21, 2021 that since he screwed everything up, only he can fix it? The Trump Republican Party is a disgrace and doesn’t have a ounce of principle or, and in its current iterations should cease to exist as it is acting more as an enemy to America than a political party. Disgusting.
The United States will continue to be an unreliable partner even in the Biden administration and beyond until those with unilateral powers like the President and the Majority Leader are checked. We need real checks and balances without stalemating the entire system. We can not have a continuous seesaw of replacing one set of executive orders with another every four years. Biden's emphasis on community is excellent and addresses our problems at a systemic level rather than simply patching the old systems. But, systemic and cultural changes are extremely difficult and can meet with a lot of resistance. His choice of Janet Yellen will be one key player needed to make successful forward-thinking and long term changes in the economic structure of our country. We are still headed for a Constitutional collapse and even though I'm a pragmatic optimist by nature, the enormity of what needs to change leaves me feeling quite pessimistic this evening. A Shining City on the Hill seems quite tarnished.
The successive dreams that have driven colonialized America have never been totally based on reality......but children grow up to be responsible, independent, socialized adults if they are aided and abetted by the framework that put in place around them by their "founding mothers and fathers". In adult life the dreams of youth evolve into more mature yearnings, structures and dreams for the one's own and one's community's future; dreaming is essential to mental stability.
A starting point might be the recognition that in reality America is not just a "young country" just as France is not just its current "Republic". Native Americans existed well before the arrival of the European-, Afro-Americans and many other ethnic-Americans. Dreams formed their founding myths, governed their individual and collective acts and foresaw their eventual assimilation with generations that had preceded them. America could well start the adult part of its life by dreaming a new founding myth and dreaming inclusive dreams where we are all in this life together regardless of our individual differences.
Once those dreams start to to coalesce and the leaders emerge to fulfill them, we can start to apply pretty well-known Change Theory and make sure the job is done without any backsliding; a total return to the pre-Covid world will just not happen, the adult children now have to leave home and set up outside the "parental dream" and form a new life.
Like this big picture assessment. Fits my optimism in 2020 (the silver lining in a very dark cloud) witnessing protest eruptions in May and being exposed via zoom to youthful political activists directing my efforts to elect BidenHarris. Locally, I’ve seen proof of how hard-to-impossible it is for oldsters-in-power to give up power. But, time is against them. Significant change is possible. Even after destruction life emerges from the ashes. Right now, our focus must be Georgia. Victory would check the evil seditious McConnell. Donate now, if you can, to young leader Stacey Abrams’ efforts to register and get out the vote. ❤️🧡💙
The symbolism of the "Phoenix" would seem appropriate.
Doesn't the Phoenix have to die before it is resurrected. We have too many old buzzards refusing to do so.
The phoenix is in an eternal cycle of death and resurrection, one always following the other. No "old buzzard" this bird.
Lead, follow or get out of the way. Wish the old buzzards would get out of the way so we can get on with the resurrection part of the cycle.
Yes! And also donate to Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock so that ratty mc connell is defanged!
Ever since surviving a near-death experience in 2013 (massive pulmonary embolism took me to within two hours of death), I have been asking everyone I meet what their dream is. My favorite answer is "I'm living my dream." Yes, we can't go home again to a pre-COVID world. Perhaps we are now teenagers being kicked out of the nest. Hope we find our wings...
Have always liked this bit of wisdom:
Learning to Fly
The eagle gently coaxed her offspring toward the edge of the nest. Her
heart quivered with conflicting emotions as she felt their resistance to her
persistent nudging. "Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the
fear of falling?" she thought. This ageless question was still unanswered
for her.
As in the tradition of the species, her nest was located high on the shelf
of a sheer rock face. Below there was nothing but air to support the wings
of each child. "Is it possible that this time it will not work?" she
thought. Despite her fears, the eagle knew it was time. Her parental
mission was all but complete. There remained one final task -- the push.
The eagle drew courage from an innate wisdom. Until her children discovered
their wings, there was no purpose for their lives. Until they learned how
to soar, they would fail to understand the privilege it was to have been
born an eagle. The push was the greatest gift she had to offer. It was her
supreme act of love. And so one by one she pushed them, and they flew!
David McNally
June 1990
The symbolism of the Eagle is of course particularly important and pertinent to the American....chosen as the country's symbol in 1782 and Massachusetts 1 cent coin from 1776......and the dream of America is that all can strive to fullfil their dreams, soaring to the heights of their desires, free to deploy their wings.
In Native American culture, the eagle is considered the strongest and bravest of all birds. For this reason, its feathers symbolize what is highest, bravest, strongest, and holiest. It has strong medicine. United States law recognizes the unique significance of eagle feathers in Native American culture, religion, and tradition.
Indeed the eagle has represented continuity in American history and culture for much longer than we would often care to think these days.
In some corporate "touchy feely" class I attended, we were asked to close our eyes and think of where you feel safest. My safe place was soaring high in the air where you could see everything around you. My hobby growing up was Free Flight Model Airplanes. My specialty was the Nordic gliders -- six foot wingspan that you towed up by foot and released hopefully into a thermal so it would continue to rise. A number of times a hawk would join the airplane in the thermal. And even would follow the plane almost to the ground when the plane "dethermalized" (a timer would release the stablizer so the airplane would gently stall and flutter to the ground). It was such a joy to see something you'd built flying with the hawks.
Absolutely! It doesn't get any better....
Look too at the protective role of Eagles in Tolkien.
Love that you tied the Eagle to our American dreams. It is a beautiful image.
Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but beware the trump and Nazi eagles.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7130932/trump-nazi-eagle-logo-america-first/
While the Eagle has been a symbol of United States for a couple of centuries including on the Seal of the President, and it was adopted as Germany's coat of arms in 1950, the eagle as a symbol for German Imperial Eagle traces back to Charlemagne and then back even further to the eagle as a symbol of the Roman army. The Eagle originally faced left toward the arrows. President Truman decided to change it to the right which is the proper heraldry direction which made it face to the olive branch of peace. It has been that way ever since.
Should be required reading for all parents. Wise words. Thank you for sharing.
Hope you are healthy and well now.
Yes, I'm quite healthy and well, but with some lung compromise which makes me very vulnerable if I catch COVID. My mantra is six feet apart or six feet under. Those are my choices.
Bless you. Be safe.
I absolutely love the idea that America is ready to start the adult part of its life - after a particularly painful and prolonged adolescence! The new founding myth with inclusivity at its center is the place to begin.
Stuart, I always enjoy rrading your comments as you are erudite and knowledgeable. However, to quote Oscar Hammerstein, I think in your current post, you are a "cock-eyed optimist."
Indeed not the "very Image of a modern major general...
Basingstoke it is!
G & S peppered my school days as the sort of performance the "Parents Association" would put on in school. I do remember my embarassement as a teen seeing my father made-up, and dressed for some reason a kilt, singing songs by the victorian equivalent of Monty Python. Awful experience!
In the Boston area, I played and conducted G&S with the New England Gilbert and Sullivan Society - NEGASS. Once a bunch of us went to hear the Cape Cod Symphony conducted by Royston Nash, THE conductor of the D'Oylye Carte Opera Company who did all the definitive performances of G&S in England. At the reception, my friends embarrassingly introduced me to him as a conductor of G&S. He kindly asked if I had conducted Iolanthe. It was the one show I had conducted at that point so I answered yes. He replied, "Then you've done the best of them."
Song it!
Sing it!
Thank you, HCR. European friends called with Iran news and the buzz from their TV news channels. All believe Trump is involved. All report the damage to USA standing. Your report about Trump’s continued institutional destruction at home is horrifying. As an average citizen, I am doubling down in my efforts to help Stacey Abrams to register and get out the vote in GA. This is what I can do today to help my country emerge from this nightmare. Support Ossoff and Warnock Senate races any way you can. ❤️🧡💙
I'm doing the same, and I like the way you think.
The sticky residue left by this vile man will be thick, toxic, expensive and treacherous. But it will not be any surprise--I imagine Biden's busy finding ways to clean it out now.
As if Biden didn't already have enough on his plate! Trump's behavior is criminal. I wonder who is helping him map these treacheries? Miller? Jared? Roger?
Bannon.
Of course, but I don't like to repeat his name aloud.
He is unsavory, yes, but not saying his name aloud or assigning him a fictional name does little to keep the focus on the person and what he's responsible for. I'm pretty stubborn about that. I believe in precision when identifying a threat. I don't call Trump anything other than Trump or Donald. I don't call coronavirus deniers anything but that. For a while early on I used the term rethuglicans but came to my senses and identified them as Republican Thugs. It is a precise identifier.
To restore true Authority to Amerca's leadersip a great deal more coherence between word, action and symbolism is required. The authority of the French regime was significantly undermined by declaring after the last war that the collaboraters, Petainist and other pre-war leading politicians were "responsible but not culpable" for the disaster that hit them in 1940 and for S years therafter. That authority, once lost is very hard to reconstruct. So far in France, it has been resurrected only briefly in the 60's and at no time since.
Of course I say his name - it was a joke.
I completely agree, Daria.
My name for him is Fake 45 as we know how he got into office.
He also got there because not enough people cared for Clinton and didn't bother to look further.
l just think of him as ‘the grim reaper’
He who must not be named.
I’ll take Voldemort over Dumpster Fire any day of the week.
Stephen Colbert has taken to writing these names like the swear words they have become for many of us: T****, B****n, etc.
Bannon and Barr Nun
Barr.
Why pick one? Of course they're all working together. Termites in the governmental edifice. Busy, busy.😢
Vladimir.
You're right. More energy expended on this than most of what they have attempted.
A whole crew of dark money Maybe even Dick Cheney? Lots o’ nasty greedy selfish lying not fit for commands.
And let’s not forget the insatiable Karl Rove!
I feel very Optimistic that Is Exactly what Biden/Harris has been working on.
THIS is going to be a New White House with New Heads!!!!
Hopefully pull the rug right out from under trump, and his cronies left behind🤔😊
I am having a hard time being optimistic. I am thrilled with Biden/Harris but there are a lot of roadblocks that McTurtleneck has put down. He is nothing but a hired obstructionist.
Even if Biden can "clean it out", the effect of Trump will continue. He will be on the airwaves and rallying his fans. He has had a taste of the "wild" and he is not going to cease his bellowing. His family members will also be running for office and continuing their trash talk. Even with Biden/Harris in office, until Trump is gone from the public scene, his recklessness will continue.
He will never be gone. Pandora’s box has been opened.
Hopefully the courts in NY will shut them down, at least for awhile.
Drumpty isn't our president and never was. He is the illegitimate subversive traitor. Never before in our history has an alleged leader actively worked to harm the country. Every one of these acts HRC has listed tonight can be considered acts of treason.
Donald Trump is the greatest piece of shit to ever exist in the history of this country. His supporters are scum and the day is going to come when we're going to have to treat them as The Enemy they are and start treating them the way you treat an active, dangerous enemy.
They should all be rotting in prison together.
Your comment might be my most favorite of November!
You would enjoy a recent Amber Ruffin take on how to treat T**** supporters: "Why you don't need to be nice to your racist uncle". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UFQYj1Clo
Regarding this business of Trump's installing 'loyalists' in all the civil service positions to gum up the works for Biden: just practically, that's not going to work.
First of all, he waited until very late to fire dozens of institutional types who will not go quietly, some of them will sue. None of it will be fully adjudicated before January 20, 2021.
Secondly, given what we've seen of the incompetence at the highest levels, does anyone really believe that Trump had literally dozens -- maybe hundreds -- of qualified acolytes that he could installed in these jobs? I don't. That brings up the singular problem that most of them will not be able to do the job sufficiently to remain employed in the federal government.
Furthermore, I know from personal experience that every single person in Homeland Security, for instance -- even the guys in the mailroom -- go through extensive vetting taking a year to eighteen months. None of these people were vetted properly so any serious look into their backgrounds will bring up things that rate immediate dismissal.
But the main reason that this is a false threat -- just another attempt by Trump to sabotage and just plain screw Joe Biden -- is that in government, as in any serious corporation or company, there is a 3 to 6 probationary period in which any new hire can be terminated for simply not being a 'team player.' It is in the contract.
So while this is a cluster fuck and an HR nightmare, I don't really think it is an 'unsolvable' as Donald Trump would like it to be because most of these Trumpists he's trying to install are not remotely qualified for those jobs and as soon as they get slammed with a workload they can't handle, I'm betting they are heading for the doors. I mean, he put his son's event planner in charge of housing and how long has it been since we've heard from her?
Not to say that Trump is totally impotent because Steve Mnuchin is trying to claw back $455 bil in unused Covid funds so Biden can unilaterally send out some more aid to desperate Americans -- cause yeah, Steve Mnuchin is a big dick; and yeah, he is complicit in blowing up Iranian scientist then sending navy vessels in that direction to punctuate his point. You know, "I'M STILL HERE AND I WANT MY BINKIE!"
But the particular business of firing institutionalists and hiring a legion of wedding planners and Uber drivers to run government? That's the governance equivalent of "clean up on aisle nine."
Excellent and your analysis has lifted my spirits, so thank you!!
Echoing Marlene L-B, thank you!!
Enjoyed your analysis immensely; however, I wonder if there are not also a few unqualified millionaires among the talentless bunch of new hires who are still waiting for kickbacks for all of their donations to the 2020 (and maybe even the 2016) T**** campaign. There are also probably quite a few Uber drivers out here in the real world who have taken up driving during the pandemic because their real jobs disappeared who would be more qualified than any of the bozos T**** has shoved into place.
I absolutely agree about the overqualified Uber drivers, but the richest of the rich guys don't take those jobs. Those are the Steve Mnuchins, Betsy DeVos and Louis DeJoys of the world or the donors who just give him 'donations' expecting the quid pro quo.
Trump is like an open herpes sore on the body politic – he won’t go away, and he infects everything he touches.
The question is: What can be done to reverse or ameliorate the ill effects of these acts by the current President to essentially sabotage the incoming President?
Murder cannot be undone. If the US conspired with Israel or other State or non-State actors to carry out this murder, could it have been done without the knowledge and cooperation of our senior military, diplomatic and intelligence officials? And if this was an illegal act by State actors, how is responsibility assigned?
If Trump sells off the fleet of reconnaissance aircraft, replacements can’t be built in a day even if Biden is able to rejoin the treaty. Will we be able to lease planes from our allies? Can other aircraft in our fleet be repurposed until replacements can be produced?
If troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan, do we simply put them back on planes and return them? How maddening for these soldiers and their families, not to mention the confusion and turmoil that could result in the region. Is our military slow-walking the order to retreat?
Is Trump criminally accountable for any of these acts? Is it possible to determine a corrupt motive that would somehow cut through the protection he enjoys by acting under the color of his authority as President?
I too hope for a day of accounting that exposes the villainy and vile nature of trump. Politics of retribution is problematic though. Here's hoping justice does find it's way to be served!
Who is masterminding these geopolitical moves? Surely not Trump, whose interest$$$ will be served, of course, but there seems to be more to this relentless strategy.
I've been saying this for four years. He does not have the intellect or grasp of history to have conceived these strategies, let alone to have carried them out. He's had much craftier coaches and they have groomed and flattered him to bring them to reality. Bannon? Miller? Mnuchin? Putin? Remember that Khrushchev stated that the Soviets would take us without a shot - they would destroy us from within. Think about it.
Yup Trump just the loud distraction they have needed to get this all done.
Stephen Miller.
I continue to think that Miller is one of the most evil men who ever lived. I am sure he is the cruel, warped brain behind 45.
More broadly, I have wondered, though I think I know the answer, whether trump came into office aiming to destroy what he could or if he acted opportunistically. Was he smart enough to have a plan or did he willingly fall prey to people who recognized his weakness and manipulability? I had not thought he was smart enough to plot the evisceration of the government, but now I wonder if he’s some kind of idiot savant.
No way, Marcy. tRump has never worked with his own brain, but relied on others to do the smart thinking for him. He is surely an idiot, but not "savant."
No he is not a smart anything. It was Steve Bannon’s idea from the beginning to destroy the institutions. And with tRump being such a narcissist, all those close to him have to do is stoke his anger at rejection and tell him all the ways that he can “get even”. Then tRump gleefully goes along and executes the plan.
That has a ring of truth for me. Recalls the term Useful Idiot. trump strikes me as a shark, powerful and dangerous, but cruising on instinct, not thoughtful analysis. Other, smarter people see the opportunity he presents and lead him where they want with a little chum in the water.
The idea was not original to Bannon, he just picked up the ball and ran with it.
My thoughts as well. Bannon is still pulling strings.
I finally received and read Mary Trump's book about her family just after the election. While she does write about other family members, the focus is on her uncle Donald and how his father, Fred, raised him to be the tool of smarter and wealthier men. Look for the money and intelligence behind the "throne".
Stephen Miller
So when narcissists and people with borderline personality disorder--and I know I am psychoanalyzing without a license but I was married to one of these and I recognize the patterns--cannot get what they want through bullying, abuse, and faux charm they resort to tantrums, destruction, and revenge. I'm not talking about just the Cheeto here: his entire "leadership cabal" is made up of similarly-minded people, and ones whose agendas are far more ideological than ego-driven. I am unsurprised that the absolute destruction of the US and its population and government is the aim of these guys and that they are trying to "seed" the federal government with their loyalists in order to effect a coup from the inside. The criminal co-conspirators in Congress are equally craven and equally responsible, but they want this to happen because--just as in the Gingrich-driven era of the 1990s--the idea that they should behave as a loyal opposition and be rational and reasonable is not in their DNA.
The Constitution was created by men whose self-interest was self-evident but who also considered themselves "enlightened" in a particular way that was newly defined in the 18th century--it was paternalistic, misogynist, and racist but it still emphasized Reason (a particular definition of it) and debate over autocracy and ideology. They presumed that this is the direction in which those governing the US would always go. Andrew Jackson kind of blew that out of the water, but the problem is that if you are a true ideologue you can always subvert the rationalists and idealists.
What I find truly disturbing is the fact that so many millions of people are addicted to autocracy--and of a particularly poisonous variety--and crave the strong man to be their Daddy in Chief. Never mind if he destroys the economy, their healthcare, their very lives: they think that he is "punishing" the uppity non-white folk and women who say they have a right to a seat at the table and a chance at leadership, education, health, and prosperity. These are the people who really scare me, because they would support an internal coup.
I have been so impressed by Biden's approach--one I am sure he has been thinking about for 30 years, so he has had time to refine it (!)--but if the Senate doesn't get flipped, he hasn't got a chance to make any real structural change. Unless someone indicts McConnell and his McMinions and gets them out of the way. It's not like they aren't engaging in felonious activities, after all.
Nothing requires people to go to superspreaders such as the religious gatherings that the SCOTUS okayed this week. We need to control ourselves and not rely on authorities to herd us like sheep. Just because gyms and restaurants and churches are open does not mean we have to go to them.
Gwen, I agree with you that just because a place is legally open, does not necessarily make it a good idea for us to go there. It has been legal in Massachusetts for months to hold religious gatherings. The synagogues to which I belong have nevertheless taken the approach that "we are essential, we are open; our building, however, remains closed until it is safe to re-open it." The last time I ate inside in a restaurant was early March. The next time might be in 2022.
However, I think everyone has been so busy interpreting the SCOTUS decision in the light of political movements that the actual decision has gotten lost in the commotion.
The SCOTUS ruling was that religious gatherings cannot be singled out for more restrictive treatment than similar non-religious gatherings. Although I disagree with the justices on many things, including jumping to issue this opinion when the restrictions had already been withdrawn, they make a valid point. Just because a gathering is in a religious building, or for religious purposes, that in itself does not make it more hazardous to health. Public officials are still free to issue restrictions on gatherings based on disease-relevant criteria, as long as the same restrictions apply to secular and religious gatherings. That seems right to me.
This entire pandemic has had us all in a muddle about what to do - partly because the scientists are figuring it out as we go along; partly because officials have to make trade-offs between competing needs; partly because 45 deliberately trashed necessary guidelines; and also partly because there has been too little public education to help everyone understand the reasoning behind any current guidelines and regulations. Massachusetts, for example, has a regulation requiring a 14 day quarantine for anyone entering the state. It has a long list of exemptions, leading many people to point out that what they want to do has just as much claim to be exempt.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/26/939367443/supreme-court-bars-new-yorks-pandemic-related-restriction-on-religious-gathering
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/11/26/scotus-rules-against-ny-religious-gathering-restrictions/
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20a87_4g15.pdf
Gosh, guess SCOTUS forgot about the separation of church and state.
It is amazing that Trump and the Republicans can believe they will be able to retain or gain any power if they keep in this destructive path. For Trump it is all about the pain he can inflict on any other living soul. He is deeply disturbed. The fact that McConnell and all the other Republicans can sit by and let him continue to do these atrocious things is devastating. These actions will begin to affect their daily lives. I know the far-right will pound it into their cult that this is a Biden failure. I read some of their Twitter threads and shake my head at how they can believe some of this stuff. I am keeping hope that we can win both Senate seats in Georgia and if not that there are many things Biden can do without the Senate. After all, if Trump can get us into this mess without them we have to hope Biden can reverse it. He will fix our relationships with the world leaders who will stand by us for peace.
The Senate can only turn away so many things before people will see it is really the Republicans causing the problem. It’s tough when Senators like John Cornyn put out a tweet saying stimulus is needed without acknowledging there are 2 bills on McConnell’s desk that he refuses to put up for a vote.
If Biden is not sending judges for Senate approval then won’t the Senate be forced to take up other legislation?
In playing their "long game" they could just wait 4 years until they would hope to be back in their "rightful" place!
And they always play the long game. ALWAYS.
If 45 did what he did regarding civil service employees using an executive order, can’t Biden undo it with an executive order as well?
Doing everything by executive order means the next President can undo whatever she wants to overturn any and all the executive orders of the previous President. That isn't stable and makes the rest of the world leery of doing business or treaties with us. The writers of the Constitution were assuming the country would be run by gentlemen with integrity.
Yes. And as successive administrations carry out governance by executive order that becomes the prevailing order of things, and each election and administration entrenches autocratic rule within a democratic shell.
One would think Biden could... Trump practically ruled via executive orders...
I just looked to see how many executive orders have been issued by President. FDR is the grand prize winner with 3,728, (some of them had devastating consequences for Japanese citizens on us soil during WWII). The president with zero executive orders, William Henry Harrison. According to the Federal Register, as of 12 November, Trump has issued 195 Executive Orders.
Admittedly, Trump's use of this vehicle has been contentious and damaging. 195 the number of executive orders only and does not include other vehicles such as proclamations, memorandum, etc.
wow! thank you daria for researching that... it is now in perspective for me... and it tells me how difficult FDR’s task as president must have been... & i am hoping that joe biden can keep the tool of executive order in his back pocket for when he needs it.
Krishna Das, you can search on Wikipedia as well as the Federal Register. Wikipedia has it laid out on a handy table. You can peruse then dig deeper if you want!
American citizens of Japanese descent.
Executive Order 9066
My question as well.
In some cases, that is all it takes. In some cases, it's not enough, because the consequences of the previous order can take time and more effort to unwind. Mim E's link above explains some of it.
As for the all-important Senate runoff election down here, a little historical perspective is in order. Here's a summation of the "complicated" history of elections down here. Both incumbents, David "I Didn't Do Anything Wrong" Perdue and Kelly "Just Call me Rapunzel" Loeffler, are waging negative campaigns of truly epic proportions. The lies and smearing are staggering. I wish I could find the Perdue ads and could show you the obvious splicing/editing of remarks by Abrams and AOC. It is SO amateur as to almost be laughable! YET, people will believe it. Both candidates and the GA GOP are walking a tightrope right now because of their unalloyed support of Trump and his assertions of voter fraud here, which can also put them at odds with more mainline Republicans (and former Trump supporters like Gov. Kemp and Sec'y of State Raffensperger) who are still stinging from Trump's whacked out allegations. It is turning off a LOT of Republicans here on both sides, and many Trump voters are vowing to sit out this election. Trump is supposed to come down here next week to "help" campaign for Perdue & Loeffler. I can't wait. It's fun watching Republicans eat their own. Anyway, here's a recap of our banana farm of a state government...non-stop fun.
https://theconversation.com/a-brief-history-of-georgias-runoff-voting-and-its-racist-roots-150356?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Saturday%20%20November%2028%202020%20-%201795517429&utm_content=Daily%20Saturday%20%20November%2028%202020%20-%201795517429+CID_d822d579db61fd3daa1faff79545baf1&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&utm_term=A%20brief%20history%20of%20Georgias%20runoff%20voting%20%20and%20its%20racist%20roots
Non stop fun OR the gift that keeps.on giving!
I was just going to post that very article as my friend who lives in GA just sent it to me! I call it “convoluted voting”.
It IS! In its history, Georgia has been the "poster child" for voter suppression, by Democrats (or "Dixiecrats") through a lot of the 20th century, and then when things flip-flopped and the Republicans took over--same wine, different bottles. It's why Abrams' efforts of voter registration, and its resulting flipping of GA to blue, is SO noteworthy. It is showing just how important allowing the electorate to register AND vote really is, especially in the South. These are some of the "cracks" in the Republican walls of voter suppression and domination down here.
I'm nominating her as St. Stacey!
She deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor.
At the least, a post in the Biden administration!
I see Trump is back to gluing together the blocks, so that the next guy can't play with them. If you read his niece's book, she shares that he did that to his little brother. Now he has repeatedly done that to the country, Mr. Putin is getting his money's worth. I hope Joe Biden shows up at the White House with a big bowl of Mashed Potatoes to dump on his head, another Trump family story. I personally cannot think of a better use for a bowl of mashed potatoes.
Latkes, maybe??? LOVE them. Why waste perfectly good potatoes on Petulant Man-Baby?
Bruce Sellers, I hate mashed potatoes. Dumping them on a certain person's head is the best use I can think for them.
Nope! LOVE my taters!
Amen.
As Covid cases and deaths continue to rise, I wonder why there’s no reporting on the medical costs to our country? Many of these deaths come after expensive intensive care. Then there are the costs of premature deaths to families who lose a breadwinner. Lots of reporting about costs of shutdowns—none about costs of letting the virus run rampant.
Sounds like Covid fatigue and djt fatigue have combined to give us quite a national illness. They are linked of course. Theories will abound, to be sorted by the historians, and political scientists of the next generations. But right this minute or hour or day, we are forced to deal with the intimate reality of the now. Control the pandemic using the imperfect tools we have until, hopefully in a few months, we begin to gain control through science with vaccines. Once that vaccine phase starts, many will come.
The politics will be harder. Republicans have played with local and regional politics to secure power and practice the rule of the minority. We must study and combat this with calm voices. Do the hard work of listening to complaints. Give worth to the perceived injustice, while gently uncovering reality. Lack of education and skill, while longing for the “good old days”, was always a no win situation.
My suggestion is to send the “squad” and Stacey Abrams, Tammy Duckworth, Amy Klobuchar and Gretchen Whitmer on retreat(my top of my head list, yours is welcome) and talk and think. Insults and degrading language are always negative forces. Positive words and Ideas might well win Georgia. Reasoned appeals might well win over some republicans in the senate who are frightened by the threat of failure of our democracy.
Finally, business leaders who know first hand the value of diversity and talent world wide. In a world screaming into the future on the basis of AI, CRISPIR, quarks, and quantum computing, and m-rna, the world’s longest democracy needs to be in the world.
All for The Squad!