THIS & THAT #22

WHOM DO YOU TRUST?

Hillary and Elizabeth are not on my “Yes I Really Trust” list; in fact there are only two women I do completely trust.

One is my wife and the other is my daughter. There are only two men on that list including the man who should have been president — Bernie — and our local supervisor, John Leopold.

A FREUD IN NEED

I have been told unconditionally to never contact one of my former far-right friends of some sixty-seven years, who believes that the current President is the greatest thing that happened to American Jews since Kraft began making low-fat Kosher Crème Cheese.

Our country is divided into many areas including by race, wealth, politics, religion, country-of-origin, sexual orientation, and sex. It is in the latter category that today I have been pestered by letters and news coverage from and about female want-to-be leaders, (or wanted-to-be leaders), who are neither my wife nor my daughter.

In today’s news, Hillary is placing most of the blame for her loss on either Putin’s people or on Comey’s belated pre-election pronouncements. There’s little reference to the inept DNC, Debby’s improper and biased actions, and Clinton’s advisors convoluted and misguided pre-election campaign activities.

ALPHABET SOUP

Yesterday’s mail brought in a financial request allegedly from the DSCC, but only after carefully examining the four-page pitch, was I able to discover that those initials represented the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The letter described the group as a “grassroots network of fired-up progressives just like you,” which is an interesting assumption and presumption, since I never signed an oath to be one of them.

THE LIZ BIZ

In reality, the DSCC seems to be an organization primarily for and about Elizabeth. The addressee on the envelope is Elizabeth, ELIZABETH WARREN, DSCC. The letterhead reads “FROM THE DESK OF ELIZABETH WARREN,” and it is signed by Elizabeth, above the words “Senator Elizabeth Warren.” The enclosed pledge card has a photograph of a smiling Liz, with her arm raised in an acceptable winner’s pose, in front of a banner with a field of stars.

Come on Liz, you are campaigning for President, so why not be honest and say so?

TWO OUT OF THREE

Full Disclosure: I have overtly supported three candidates whom I once believed in: Eugene McCarthy in 1968, Bernie Sanders in 2016, and was totally misguided in 2008   when I sent moneys to support a dishonest John Edwards.

It is from what I learned in that latter experience, Liz, that you are not going to entrap me into supporting you or your DSCC, so please remove my name from your mailing list.

You have inspired me to send a check to John Leopold, and to finally sit in the sun and begin reading Bernie’s book, Our Revolution.

A SCARY DUO: SPRINGER AND SPICER

Where we are at today is personified by what is on television at this very moment. On one channel is the Jerry Springer Show, featuring three women who were convinced to see what they could do together in a bubble bath. The parallel is on another channel where Sean Spicer is bending the truth about three other entities; Donald, Chuck and the Democrats, and Mitch and the GOP. Perhaps those three would be able to make America Great Again, while sitting together in an oversized bathtub. They had better do so sooner than later, before Liz demands to be squeezed in.

THIS & THAT #14

GRUMPY OBNOXIOUS POLITICIANS

AKA the GOP, The Republican Party

The GOP is now the “in-party” that will be attempting to save multinational American corporations millions in taxes, while preventing the billionaire class from becoming extinct,

We haven’t yet heard even a benign utterance from the previous groveling Mitch McConnell, on how he plans to derail whatever Donald J. will be proposing to make America great again.

One half of those who voted in 2016 will be constantly kvetching during the Trump years if they don’t get their way (and they won’t). They may be joined by some of the 95,899,115 who were eligible to vote (41.4 percent), who did not bother to do so.

That includes, among others, Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers quarterback, and social activist, who doesn’t fully realize his basic responsibility as a sell-proclaimed leader.

There were numerous California ballot measures on important issues to his people that   he could have voted on including healthcare, pricing standards for drug purchases, the death penalty, firearms sales, criminal sentences for juveniles, and marijuana legislation.

GROUCHY OBTREPEROUS POOPS

This GOP faction is lead by Mitch McConnell, who is still the Senate’s Majority Leader. He proclaimed in 2010, “The single most important thing we (the GOP) want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”

Mitch continued his willingness to listen to all points of view when he gave an August 2016 speech in Kentucky, in which he said, “One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said. “Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.’”

Interestingly, when he was elected Senator in the 1984 race, he won by only 5,200 votes out of more the 1.8 million cast. Colin, who says that their vote doesn’t count?

Perhaps that’s why Mitch strongly opposes more enforcement on the right to vote, and with an estimated net worth of $22,841,026, he also strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy. He strongly favors never legalizing marijuana anywhere, especially in a state like Kentucky known for its production of alcoholic beverages.

MITCH AIN’T ALONE

The GOP seems united in doing whatever benefits themselves and their sponsors, which sounds like what the Democrats were doing when they were in power.

On December 16, an Oklahoma GOP lawmaker abandoned a measure that would have required public bathrooms display anti-abortion signs, but only after an outcry from business and health providers. They were concerned because of the estimated cost.

In North Carolina, the GOP legislature was upset that their sitting governor was beaten in a run-off with an opponent who was a “Democrat.”  So, in a last minute, year-end special session, lawmakers passed a bill on December 16, that will give the Republicans control of the State Board of Elections during election years. They also passed several other bills that will limit the new governor’s power.

Was there ever power to the people, or only to the people in power?

When you look at al of the changes in our once civil society, you must be aware that you should enjoy where we are, for this is the best it’s going to be.