Our Dishonest President – Link to LA Time Editorial

It is amazing that one of our major newspapers would be writing an article like this and calling for demonstrations.  What is even more amazing is that they are only speaking the truth.

“But if it is to do so, those who oppose the new president’s reckless and heartless agenda must make their voices heard. Protesters must raise their banners. Voters must turn out for elections. Members of Congress — including and especially Republicans — must find the political courage to stand up to Trump. Courts must safeguard the Constitution. State legislators must pass laws to protect their citizens and their policies from federal meddling. All of us who are in the business of holding leaders accountable must redouble our efforts to defend the truth from his cynical assaults.”  from the editorial

I always hate saying this, but it is a short read.  And it is worth your time.

Link to article: Our Dishonest President

The South Will Rise Again?

Last time I went backpacking in rural Missouri, the American flag was everywhere.  Unfortunately I have come to view the flying of our national flag more an expression of nationalism than of patriotism.  And that scares me.

Last weekend I went backpacking in very rural Arkansas.  I say rural.  In order to get to the trail-head, I went down several small, paved, county roads, and finally turned on a dirt county road which I followed for miles before turning onto a forest service road.  I was officially in the boonies.

I had not noticed driving there Continue reading “The South Will Rise Again?”

How do we get Trump to IKEA?

We had a small gathering at our house the other night in celebration of Robin achieving another year around the sun.  As sometimes happens the conversation turned to politics.  At least in our circle, these conversations never last a long time as we are all in consensus in being appalled and distressed at the current state of the country and the country’s politics.

I made the comment that Trump had started me praying again, a funny thing for an agnostic to do.  I do pray sometime, but I look at it as a way of focusing on what is upmost on my worry prone brain.  I elaborated by explaining that I pray every day that  Donald Trump Continue reading “How do we get Trump to IKEA?”

Must read article from The Atlantic – How to Build an Autocracy

From the article in The Atlantic How to Build an Autocracy:

“Those citizens who fantasize about defying tyranny from within fortified compounds have never understood how liberty is actually threatened in a modern bureaucratic state: not by diktat and violence, but by the slow, demoralizing process of corruption and deceit. And the way that liberty must be defended is not with amateur firearms, but with an unwearying insistence upon the honesty, integrity, and professionalism of American institutions and those who lead them. We are living through the most dangerous challenge to the free government of the United States that anyone alive has encountered. What happens next is up to you and me. Don’t be afraid. This moment of danger can also be your finest hour as a citizen and an American.”

We should all be very concerned.  Part of me wants desperately to run and hide from this cluster fuck that is happening to us.  We need to heed David Frum’s advice.

Support of Trump is a Litmus Test

Rightly or wrongly voting for or supporting Trump has become a litmus test for me. In an attempt to articulate my arbitrary position I have come up with the following reasons:

  1. If you voted for Trump you are possibly intellectually challenged. I deal with enough mentally deficient people, I do not need another one in the hopper.
  2. If you voted for Trump simply because he was the Republican candidate and you always vote Republican, or you did not want to split your ballot, then you are lacking in key critical thinking skills. See number 1.
  3. If on the other hand you have a reasonable level of intelligence and still voted for Trump then you have a twisted world view. And I am sure it is a world view I do not care to associate with.
  4. And finally if you voted for Trump because you thought it would be entertaining to have a narcissistic reality TV star in the White House… I only have a string of malas palabras for you.

In past elections I could at least see where there were some basic philosophical differences that would cause us to vote differently.  That is how is should be, that is why we have elections.  However, this election resulted in putting a thug in the White House.  There was a stark difference in an America for the people versus an America for Trump’s ego.  And if you are responsible for enabling that egomaniac, do not expect to see a Christmas card from me.