Mass deportation - really?

I tuned in to the Republican National Convention because I was interested to hear their thoughts and their plans for this country. And then I saw this:

My heart sank and there was a huge pit in my stomach. I had to turn the channel. I could not bear to be a part – even a distant part through watching – of the hate those people and their signs represent. I'm sure they are proud of their actions but there's no other word for it. Hate. As a history teacher, I was immediately reminded of 1930's Nazi Germany when millions of people were deported and sent to their deaths - and when the German people saluted and worshiped Hitler.

I know why those signs were created. The GOP presidential candidate promises to deport 11 million people when he is elected - 11 million people who are our neighbors, our co-workers, our employees, our friends. As a high school teacher, I taught many young people who were brought to this country as babies and youngsters because their parents were desperate to provide something better for their children. They do not have legal documentation. In some cases, families were escaping violence; in other cases, families were escaping poverty and hopelessness. This country is their home, the only home they've ever known. I will tell you right now that those students, more often than not, came to school every day. They put their butts in the chairs, listened, studied and graduated. I've kept up with some of them and they are doing well - working, volunteering, raising families. Please don't tell me they don't belong here!

Another thought … I have a question for those Republicans so proudly holding those hateful signs as they sit down to the dinner table tonight: just who is going to pick fruit in the citrus and fruit orchards? Who is going head to the lettuce fields in the Imperial Valley when the temperature is 109° F? You? Nah, I didn't think so. I sure don't see a bunch of you filling out work applications to do those jobs!

Let's face it: our immigration policy is a failure and we need to do something about it. The current Republican presidential nominee promised the entire four years he was in office that immigration reform was right around the corner. He lied. He and GOP lawmakers did nothing. Absolutely nothing (and for two years of his term, they had the majority in the House and Senate).

In February of this year, the U.S. Senate crafted a BIPARTISAN bill dedicated to border security. It took hard work, compromise, and a desire to work together to find ways to improve this country's immigration policy. This legislative package includes significant changes that would transform border security and the asylum/immigration process. The bill represents the most significant changes to immigration policy in thirty years and amounts to billions of dollars. But the GOP presidential nominee managed to get Republican senators to refuse to vote for the bill they just created! Why? Because he figured it would help President Biden and make it impossible for him to campaign on the border issue. Of course he denies that, but we all know he lies. A few Republican senators have admitted that's exactly what happened.

Republicans and the man they worship quashed that bill! Kamala Harris says she will resurrect the bill and she will sign it the minute it passes and hits the Oval Office. Quite a contrast to the man who promises to deport 11 million people who have been living in the United States. They work, they pay taxes, they contribute to our country, whether you want to admit that or not.

We have a choice on November 5^th. One candidate is filled with hate for anyone other than those who look and act like him – and he plans to deport them. The other is Kamala Harris who will actually work to improve immigration laws for all of us. I will vote for Harris; she won't take us back to 1930's Nazi Germany.

Promises, promises - and then NOTHING!

I have to laugh.  Really, I have to laugh.

Donald Trump blasted Kamala Harris for "promising" things without giving details.  Really? 

This sad, pathetic old man (yes, that's what he's turned into) made lots of promises before and after he was elected in 2016.  And he had four years (two of which where he enjoyed a Republican majority in Congress) to make good on those pledges.  Let's take a look, shall we?

1) He promised to put forth an immigration reform plan.  NEVER HAPPENED!

2) He promised every couple weeks to announce his plan for healthcare reform.  NEVER HAPPENED!

3) He promised a "huge" package to improve infrastructure.  Again, NEVER HAPPENED!

Hey, Donny ... uh ... what happened to YOUR promises?

Okay, he promised to build a border wall and said Mexico would pay for it.  He did build about 452 miles of border wall.  However, only 80 miles of new barriers were built where there were none before. The vast majority of the 452 miles repaired existing structures at the border that had been built by previous US administrations. In 2019 he used national emergency powers to divert funds from the Department of Defense (yep, from our military) after Congress rejected more money for the wall. And Mexico didn't pay a dime!  Another promise broken.  And just so you know ... in January, 2020, winds of about 30 mph blew down part of his precious new wall in the Calexico, CA area.  Then one day later, high winds blew a section of newly installed panels against trees lining a road in Mexicali, a city on the Mexican side of the border.  

Wow!  So much for the promise of that glorious wall!

Wait a minute ... can't forget his promise to cut taxes.  And he did - kind of.  His tax bill was skewed to the rich! Households with incomes in the top 1 percent received an average tax cut of more than $60,000, compared to an average tax cut of less than $500 for households in the bottom 60 percent.  Shows where his allegiance is, doesn't it? He doesn't care about the middle class and never has.

He also promised that his tax plan would really deliver economic benefits.  According to the Congressional Budget Office that promise failed, too. He said his corporate tax rate cut would lead to a $4,000 boost in household income. But research shows that workers who earned less than about $114,000 on average in 2016 saw “no change in earnings” from the corporate tax rate cut, while top executive salaries increased sharply. 

So, Trump needs to shut his mouth about "promises" because that's all he has.   Harris has an actual record of accomplishment, having been an integral part of the Biden Administration.  Trump has nothing but hot air - and continued lies -  and that's certainly nothing to brag about.  And it gives us no reason to believe that four more years of that blowhard will give us anything different.

Policy or Basic Human Values?

This post is a bit painful to write because it's extremely personal.  And I suspect there are many other people who will be able to identify with my experience and the resulting feelings.

I recently re-connected with a young man I've known for quite some time.  I considered us to be friends.  But after spending some time with him, I walked away knowing that I now see him in a different light and I'm not sure our relationship will ever be the same again.  I am so disappointed. 

He is a proud "conservative" and he made sure to sing the praises of Trump and the Republican Party (because all those liberals are ruining the country).  When he did that, he was actually attacking  and mocking who and what I am!  Trump and the current Republican Party are against everything I've spent most of my adult life supporting and working to achieve or improve:

• Human rights
• Women's rights
• Voting rights
• Equal protection of the laws
• Equality
• Reproductive autonomy
• Public education

These issues are extremely important to me.  They are basic human values.  It became very clear to me that this young man and I do not share those values.  

Now don't get your knickers in a bunch.  Let me repeat: this is about basic human values, not policy. Policy is setting the tax rate or establishing zoning regulations or entering into a trade agreement.  

The concept of equality most certainly can result in policy, but first, it is a basic human right. This seems to be a no-brainer:  equality is something we should value and strive to achieve, right? However,  even as I type, Republican legislatures around the country are trying to figure out how they can achieve even more control over people as they advance their agenda of reducing rights, not enhancing them.  Equality isn't a word they understand, let alone an issue they will value and support. A person cannot say he's all for equal treatment while complimenting -- and voting for -- the current crop of Republicans!  

I've been an activist since I was 13 years old.  That's when I first experienced being discriminated against because I was a female.  A lot of years have gone by since that first kick to the gut and most of those years included working toward equal treatment for all.  That work and those beliefs did a lot to make me who I am today.  When this young man wouldn't even blast the people who attacked The People's House on January 6, 2021, he showed me that he and I aren't even in the same ballpark, let alone playing the same game.

I'm sure others have had similar experiences.  I will think long and hard about this, I'm sure.  This man probably didn't  mean to attack me as a person, but that's exactly what happened because we, as people, are a combination of  our experiences and beliefs ... what we want for ourselves and others ... and how we treat our fellow human beings.

Maybe with the passage of time, I will be able to react differently.  But right now, I'm sorely disappointed and I'm not sure where to go from here.  

To women under 55!

 Okay, look ... let's face it:  women under the age of 55 need to wake up and see what's happening to them!

So, to women under 55 years of age:

• You are losing your reproductive rights.  It's happening NOW as Republican-controlled legislatures all over this country have approved laws that prevent YOU from making decisions about YOUR life, very personal decisions that can change your life.
• Republican-controlled legislatures are also attempting to restrict your right to vote.  They simply cannot understand why their orange man lost the 2020 election and they are trying to find ways to make sure they can't lose again.  
• Republican-controlled legislatures aren't adequately funding public education so YOUR children, YOUR grandchildren will be affected.
• Teachers are being told they cannot say "gay" in the classroom.

Ah, I can see you rolling your eyes.  You really don't get it, do you?  Once someone or some government entity takes rights away from you, it's pretty darn difficult to get them back.  

Maybe you really don't know what it was like being a woman - even 55 years ago.  Well, here's a bit of education (and it's only the tip of the iceberg):

• Women in Phoenix, AZ couldn't get public library cards in their own names!  A man - father, brother, husband - had to get the card for you.  In his name.
• Women in many states couldn't own a home or car outright.  Had to have a man's name on the title.
• Women in many states couldn't get a personal loan on her own.
• Women were not permitted to take certain courses in college, courses that were deemed to be for men only.
• Women couldn't make decisions regarding their own pregnancies, no matter what the circumstances, even health/life of the woman.
• Women in some states were still trying to get birth control pills even though a Supreme Court decision decided otherwise in the  mid 1960s.
• Many careers (firefighting, for example) were not open to women.
• Same sex marriage?  Wasn't allowed.
• Bi-racial marriages were still not allowed in some states.

Many women my age worked very hard to make sure YOU have the rights and opportunities that you now have.  We fought like hell for these rights and opportunities, but you aren't paying attention as they are being taken away from you!  I'm wondering why I should have to fight this battle all over again when you aren't willing to join me!  You and your daughters ARE being affected right now.  And it will only get worse unless we stop the current rash of crap that is taking us back to the 1950s and before.

Gotta join the fight, Ladies!  It only takes a few minutes to call a lawmaker's office or send a postcard.  Certainly you can fit that in your schedule, right?

I'm willing to keep fighting and women my age will continue to do so.  Why?  Because we remember the past.  We know women's history - and we learned from it.  We don't want to lose what we have.

Opinions - not always necessary!

 I am constantly amazed when people make a choice to voice opinions - those critical and rude opinions that are totally unnecessary.  And I am quite sure I'm seeing more of it, especially on social media.

Let me explain with some examples.

I'm in a Facebook group where people share recipes and ideas on cooking with an air fryer.  Group members share tips and ask questions.  Pretty safe and innocuous group, right?  Wrong.

One member posted a recipe for roast beef with a photo of the finished product.  She was excited that it turned out so well and that her family loved it.  But right away, other members started blasting her.

"How can you eat such red meat?"

"Didn't you even cook that stuff?"

"Do you want to hear the cow moo when you cut into it?"

"WAY too rare for me!"

And then came the vegans ...

"You don't care that a cow died so you could eat that?

"Cows are such neat animals.  Why are you killing them?"

Heaven help the member who posted a photo and recipe for a dish that included bacon!

"Why aren't you cooking something more healthy?"

"I can't imagine eating little pigs! You should feel bad about that."

"Doesn't this recipe defeat the purpose of an air fryer?"

Now, all of the above opinions were unnecessary and, in my view, rude.  Why do some people feel the need to criticize others for something that doesn't affect them at all?  They don't have to eat the food and certainly don't have to cook it for themselves, yet they chose to bash someone else for daring to make different lifestyle choices! Have these adults not learned to scroll on by?  I actually asked that a couple times and both times were told that they "have the right" to voice their opinions.

Yes, they do.  But maybe we should all learn that our opinions aren't always necessary or helpful or kind. Sometimes it's better to just scroll on by.

There IS a difference!

 Many times, I hear the complaint: "The two parties are just the same! No difference at all!"

I am here to tell you that there IS a difference between Democrats and Republicans and yesterday - January 6, 2021 - is all the evidence I need to prove my case.

In 2016, I voted for Hillary Clinton. And I was extremely disappointed when she lost.  She is a highly capable, very competent leader who had experience at all levels of government.  But she lost the election.  

Maybe people didn't vote for her because she's a woman.  Or maybe because she is President Bill Clinton's wife and they didn't like him.  Or maybe they didn't like her personality.  Or maybe they simply didn't trust her.  And James Comey's FBI email investigation announcement days before the election didn't help, either.  In spite of all that, Clinton WON the popular vote!  She didn't, however, get enough votes in a few key districts that would have given her the 270 electoral college votes needed.  So, she lost.  Trump won.  It's as simple as that.  Trump won, Clinton lost.

Even though U.S. intelligence agencies had warned of Russian hacking, Democrats did NOT claim the 2016 election was "stolen."  

Clinton supporters did NOT file dozens of frivolous lawsuits - with no evidence - aimed at invalidating election results in key battleground states.  Judges at all levels, many appointed by Republican presidents (even a few appointed by Trump) dismissed the cases.  

Democrats did NOT threaten election officials during and after the election, requiring many officials to need extra security.

Clinton supporters did NOT breach our nation's Capitol wielding long guns and waving Clinton signs, flags and banners. 

We did NOT assault the People's House by breaking windows and ransacking some lawmakers' offices. 

Clinton supporters did NOT vandalize media equipment and threaten reporters.

Democrats did NONE of that.  But Republicans did.

Trump doesn't like the fact that he lost the 2020 election.  No one likes to lose.  But until Trump, every presidential election loser did the right thing:  conceded with grace and professionalism.

The whole world has been watching.  What they saw was a bunch of Republican thugs who would prefer a dictatorship to a democratic republic. Thugs who cannot stand to lose an election. Thugs who were led by their idol who hid out in the White House supporting their illegal acts. Thugs who certainly do not understand, let alone comply with, the rule of law.

If you are a Republican and you did not publicly condemn Trump's verbal diarrhea  and his supporters' actions, then YOU are complicit.  You are no better than they are because your silence encourages them to continue.

At least their actions - and your silence - give us some real evidence:

There IS a difference between Democrats and Republicans.  

And history books will have a field day making sure that difference is laid bare for all to see. 

Now he's the Teacher-In-Chief? Heaven help us!

Trump wants schools to reopen this fall.  He wants in-person classes.  And he doesn't really care about the students and teachers in those classes, nor the other staff members that keep schools functioning.

In fact, Trump wants schools to reopen so badly that, today, he threatened to withhold federal money to schools that don't reopen according to his schedule!  And, he instructed the CDC to make school reopening guidelines "easier" for schools because now they are too "tough."  What is he really saying?  Well, here's what I heard:  He wants to pretend COVID-19 is fading into the distance (while a couple dozen states are showing huge increases in positive cases and hospitalizations), so he wants to force students back into schools and to hell with their health and safety.  To hell with the health and safety of staff members.  He does not care about education one whit ... he wants to look good so he will stand a better chance of winning a second term in office. He needs children back in school so parents can go back to work to help save his disastrous economy. 

Trump, of course, has enablers:  his unqualified Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos and his ineffective Vice-President, Mike Pence.  They smile adoringly as he threatens schools with federal dollars.

Okay, I'm a veteran teacher.  And I want schools to reopen, too.  But not until it is safe to do so!  After talking with a few other teachers, here's what I think would be required to put students back in the classroom safely.   My volunteer work as a CASA gave me the opportunity to visit a first grade class many times over a year's time so I'm basing these requirements on a first-grade class of 26 students. 

1) REDUCE class size drastically!  Public health officials recommend physical distancing in order reduce the chance of infection.  There is NO WAY 26 students can achieve physical distancing in the standard sized classroom.  There should be no more than 10 students in the classroom at one time.  Period.  This means scheduling two school sessions per day in order to make sure all students have classroom time.  It also means hiring more teachers and teacher's aides, and it may mean moving some portable classrooms onto the campus.

2) Require FACE COVERINGS of all staff and students. Schools will need to provide the masks because many families will not be able to afford disposable masks and there will always be students who will forget to bring them from home.

3) Stagger lunch times or even bring lunches to students so they can eat in the classroom.  No way 150 students (or more, depending on the size of the school) should be together at one time in the cafeteria! 

4) Stagger recess times and make sure students comply with physical distancing on the playground.  No touching each other or any playground equipment.  That includes no soccer balls, jump ropes, swings, etc.

5) EVERY student must have his own drawer or box or bin to store his pencils, crayons, glue, etc.  NO community storage of any kind.  Teachers may not loan any school supplies during the day; everything the student needs has to be in her personal storage bin.  

6) Hand sanitizing stations all over the campus and several in each classroom.  At specific times during the day, students will need to be escorted to bathrooms for good hand-washing.

7) NO library in the classroom or at the school.  Since we really don't know how long COVID-19 can last on surfaces, we can't have students using books that may have been contaminated.

8) Every student and staff member needs to be temperature-checked upon arrival at school and anyone with a fever will be sent home.  Substitute teachers must be at the ready to step in when needed so hiring subs on a daily basis is a must.  Students will have to go to the nurse's office until a parent comes to pick the child up.

9) Physical distancing will be required on buses.  That will mean more buses and on board supervisors to make sure students aren't sitting too close.

10) Each classroom and common area must be cleaned after EACH session! And each bus must be cleaned after every run.  More maintenance staff will need to be hired due to the added school session per day and the more rigorous cleaning for the school.

11) No group activities such as exercising, singing, assemblies, or lessons.

Did I forget anything?  I'm sure I did so if you think of something else, please let me know and I will add it.

WAIT ... there is something else:

12) INCREASED FUNDING to pay for additional staff, cleaning, supplies, buses, hand sanitizing stations, hand washing soap (yeah, would you believe some school bathrooms don't actually have soap?), thermometers, storage bins for student supplies, portable classrooms, increased energy costs, copy supplies to give students "books" to read and lessons to complete.  In other words ... LOTS more funding for education!

And let's say we do all that.  Wonderful, huh?  I truly believe in-person learning is much more effective than online classes, especially for elementary students.  But what happens when the student goes home and Uncle Donny comes over for dinner and, being asymptomatic, manages to spread COVID-19 to the child's family?  And then the child goes back to school and possibly infects his classmates and teacher?  Then what?

It's clear that our incompetent president, his ineffective VP and his unqualified Secretary of Education don't care.  They simply don't care.  We know that because they are quite willing to make our children and grandchildren ... and our teachers and support staff (and all their families) ... guinea pigs in their effort to get the Orange Mussolini re-elected.

Critical thinking skills?

You do not have to be a rocket scientist, or a doctor, or an epidemiologist, or a virologist, or an economist, or a statistician ... all you have to be is a rational human being with minimal cognitive thinking skills.

Evidently, he (being the man who occupies the White House) isn't equipped with those very basic skills.

Trump is now pushing for all federal employees to return to their offices.  Most have been working from home and doing their jobs quite well.  But he needs them in their offices, working side-by-side in enclosed areas, to show that COVID-19 is on the way out and the economy is returning to normal.  

He loves public gatherings where people are crammed inside, no face coverings, and no physical distancing.  He loves those events because he needs them for validation and approval (hey, it must be nice having people chant your name while spreading the virus all over the room).  He hopes that you will believe him when he says the virus will just ... poof! ... disappear.  He hopes you will believe that the economy will be back stronger than ever - before Labor Day.

What Trump does not understand is that the current economic slump is directly linked to COVID-19.  And this is where his lack of critical thinking skills comes into play.  Let's take a look, shall we?

When all federal employees (millions of them) return to the pre-virus workplace, there will be more infections.  Employees will get sick.  Even those with mild symptoms will have to stay home.  And those absences will negatively affect  productivity.  

Let's say all bars, restaurants, theaters, shops, malls, theme parks, schools, gyms, hair salons,  and sports ramp up to the pre-virus normal.  Uh, huh.  Employees will be infected.  Here comes that absence rate again and that will affect productivity.  Customers will become infected and there goes the money they might spend.

And let's face it:  who the hell wants to go into a crowded movie theater when 1) positive cases are on the rise, 2) testing is still hard to come by, 3) theater doesn't require masks or physical distancing, and 4) hospitals in many areas are near capacity?  Yes, there are some people who will chance it, but all recent polls indicate that if customers don't feel safe, they will not take unnecessary chances by going out and participating in various activities.  

A recent poll indicates only 22% of those surveyed would feel comfortable going to a movie theater right now.  Hmmmm ... 22%.  A theater would lose money with that low number!  

Take a look at this poll to see various activities and the consumer comfort level with each.  And look at the recent dip in comfort level.  That decrease is most definitely based on the recent spike in positive cases in many areas of the country.  And in states like Florida, Texas, Arizona ... well, those spikes are a direct result of re-opening too soon.

So, Trump ... maybe you should put on your thinking cap (if one actually exists) and, first, do what needs to be done to contain/control the spread of COVID-19.  Use the presidential authority you have and do your job! Then you can work on the economy.  They are linked.  You're doing things out of order - and you're doing it that way for you, not for the American people.  

You told FOX News that the virus will "just disappear ... I hope."

There's no critical thinking involved in that strategy!  Your strategy is no big surprise, though.  You did say it wasn't your responsibility. In the meantime, people continue to die and the economy continues to stink.

We are exhausted!

During a brief conversation with my health care provider, he asked how I was doing - emotionally.  I wondered why he asked that and he said he has seen a "huge uptick" of patients coming to him with complaints of exhaustion, anxiety, anger, and depression.

And why not?  Just take a look at what we are dealing with on a daily basis.

COVID-19 continues to rage through many states, including mine (AZ) and the numbers of new cases, hospitalizations, ICU bed and ventilator use are hitting record highs.  Hospitals in many urban areas are near capacity, but the numbers keep going up.  All this time the so-called president of this country and his vice-president have given up the ghost.  As far as they are concerned, COVID-19 is a done deal!  In fact, DeadlyDon has yanked additional federal money for testing.

DeadlyDon clearly said none of this is his responsibility - hey, why not pass the buck to the governors?  Let them handle it!  And then some governors (like Arizona's DeadlyDoug) passed the buck to the mayors!  Hey, if anything goes wrong, let the mayors take the blame!  Health experts tell us to wear face coverings, wash our hands, and be very careful to physically distance ourselves from others.  Until effective treatments and a vaccine become a reality, we have  to protect others - and ourselves.  DeadlyDon isn't going to wear a mask because he wants us all to do what he's doing:  pretend the virus no longer exists.

Consider this:  while Americans are dying, DeadlyDon is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to dismantle the Affordable Care Act!  Yes, indeed ... let's leave millions of people without health insurance in the middle of a pandemic! 

And then there's the related economy.  Until COVID-19 actually is under control, many people will continue to be cautious about shopping, eating in restaurants, going to gyms and theaters, etc.  If nobody is spending money, those businesses will have to furlough more people and maybe even shut down.  So much for that "excellent" economy ... right?  First, take control of the virus and then we can bring back our economy.  DeadlyDon, however, is willing to watch the death numbers go up so he can campaign on an improving economy.

Now let's add recent racial tension and the protest movement calling for racial justice.  Night after night, Americans who are tired of racial inequality take to the streets.  The injustice has been happening for decades but it took a video of George Floyd losing his life while police made sure he couldn't breathe.  Just another black man?  Not hardly!  We saw this man die on video ... 8 minutes and 46 seconds. And the nation woke up.

How is DeadlyDon reacting?  Again ... nothing.  Nothing except sending armed troops into Lafayette Square with tear gas used against peaceful protesters.  Why?  So he could stand in front of a church with a Bible - and look like a total ass.  This ass lies every time he speaks and he is a whiz at finding others to blame for his problems.

Speaking of ass, we can add Attorney General William Barr to the mix.  He and DeadlyDon are doing their best to destroy the rule of law in this country.  We already know they don't think much of the U.S. Constitution.  And they had to be forced by a judge to release children still in big cages after being separated from their parents at the border.  At this writing, the children have not yet been released so it will be interesting to see how long it will take.

Is it any wonder why we are exhausted?  Why we are angry?  

We are at war and it's a war on several fronts.  The main war in my mind is the November 3rd election.  Remove an incompetent, cruel conman from the Oval Office and we can bring reason and compassion back to the presidency.   Make no mistake about it:  this is a war!

Steve Schmidt, a Republican strategist and one of the founders of the Lincoln Project, said in a Zoom meeting that wars are won in two ways:

1) beat your opponent into submission
2) beat your opponent into exhaustion

DeadlyDon will win only if we allow our exhaustion to overcome our need to get rid of him.  Therefore, we need to maintain our vigilance, maintain our resolve, and find ways to mitigate our exhaustion - the exhaustion he has caused.  You may not have the money to donate to  Joe Biden or to the Lincoln Project or to any candidate you support.  But maybe you can send postcards or emails?  Maybe you can work a phone bank or send text messages?  Maybe you can help educate people on social media outlets? It is truly amazing how you can relieve some exhaustion by finding a purpose!  We cannot let DeadlyDon beat us into submission or exhaustion.  

Why do liberals think Trump supporters are stupid?

I cannot take credit for this.  The following was written by Florida writer, Adam-Troy Castro. 

*   *   *   *   

'An anguished question from a Trump supporter: "Why do liberals think Trump supporters are stupid?"

The serious answer: Here’s what we really think about Trump supporters - the rich, the poor, the malignant and the innocently well-meaning, the ones who think and the ones who don't...

That when you saw a man who had owned a fraudulent University, intent on scamming poor people, you thought "Fine."

That when you saw a man who had made it his business practice to stiff his creditors, you said, "Okay."

That when you heard him proudly brag about his own history of sexual abuse, you said, "No problem."

That when he made up stories about seeing Muslim-Americans in the thousands cheering the destruction of the World Trade Center, you said, "Not an issue."

That when you saw him brag that he could shoot a man on Fifth Avenue and you wouldn't care, you chirped, "He sure knows me."

That when you heard him illustrate his own character by telling that cute story about the elderly guest bleeding on the floor at his country club, the story about how he turned his back and how it was all an imposition on him, you said, "That's cool!"

That when you saw him mock the disabled, you thought it was the funniest thing you ever saw.

That when you heard him brag that he doesn't read books, you said, "Well, who has time?"

That when the Central Park Five were compensated as innocent men convicted of a crime they didn't commit, and he angrily said that they should still be in prison, you said, "That makes sense."

That when you heard him tell his supporters to beat up protesters and that he would hire attorneys, you thought, "Yes!"

That when you heard him tell one rally to confiscate a man's coat before throwing him out into the freezing cold, you said, "What a great guy!"

That you have watched the parade of neo-Nazis and white supremacists with whom he curries favor, while refusing to condemn outright Nazis, and you have said, "Thumbs up!"

That you hear him unable to talk to foreign dignitaries without insulting their countries and demanding that they praise his electoral win, you said, "That's the way I want my President to be."

That you have watched him remove expertise from all layers of government in favor of people who make money off of eliminating protections in the industries they're supposed to be regulating and you have said, "What a genius!"

That you have heard him continue to profit from his businesses, in part by leveraging his position as President, to the point of overcharging the Secret Service for space in the properties he owns, and you have said, "That's smart!"

That you have heard him say that it was difficult to help Puerto Rico because it was the middle of water and you have said, "That makes sense."

That you have seen him start fights with every country from Canada to New Zealand while praising Russia and quote, "falling in love" with the dictator of North Korea, and you have said, "That's statesmanship!"

That Trump separated children from their families and put them in cages, managed to lose track of 1500 kids. has opened a tent city incarceration camp in the desert in Texas - he explains that they’re just “animals” - and you say, “well, ok then.”

That you have witnessed all the thousand and one other manifestations of corruption and low moral character and outright animalistic rudeness and contempt for you, the working American voter, and you still show up grinning and wearing your MAGA hats and threatening to beat up anybody who says otherwise.

What you don't get, Trump supporters in 2019, is that succumbing to frustration and thinking of you as stupid may be wrong and unhelpful, but it's also...hear me...charitable.

Because if you're NOT stupid, we must turn to other explanations, and most of them are less flattering.'

Pro-life ... or pro-birth?

Catholic nun, Sister Joan Chittister, explained that being anti-abortion does not mean you are pro-life:  "I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth."

So here's the test.  Are you really pro-life?  Let's find out, shall we? A recent report by the  National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine estimates that in 2015, 9.6 million children in America — or 13 percent — lived in poverty. Two million of those children were in "deep poverty," which means their families had resources that fell below half the poverty line.

The group says we ALL pay the price when these children remain in poverty.  The cost to the  U.S. is between $800 billion and $1.1 trillion a year, due to lower productivity when poor children become adults and increased costs due to higher crime and poor health. 

This group also says we could cut childhood poverty in half over the next ten years ... but there will be a cost - at least $90 billion a year.  Whoa!  That much money?  Well ... the cost of not doing anything is higher!

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says we could do much to fix the problem by implementing various  combinations of ideas including expanding existing programs, increasing tax credits for families, adding jobs programs, and raising the minimum wage.  There are other ideas and working to find the right combination is the key.  But the panel says it can be done if we are willing to pay for it.

And there's the rub.  Are you willing to have some of your tax money go toward reducing childhood poverty?  As the report indicated, you will be paying one way or the other. 

So, what's your answer?  Are you actually pro-life and are willing to see that children are fed, housed and educated?  

Or are you simply pro-birth?

Sleaze wins the day ...

Gotta love the news today!  Almost all of the slimy, sleazy stories touch the man who slithered into the Oval Office!  No, he doesn't have any direct involvement with those stories (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt), but he is involved in some way - even if it is only by his reaction.  So ... let's take a look, shall we?

1. Jussie Smollett, is an American actor and singer.  He's black and he's openly gay.  Smollett is now charged with a couple felonies because he allegedly orchestrated an attack on himself, then reported the "hate crime" to police.  The Sniffer's reaction:  His fingers turned blue tweeting about Smollett, on and on and on about how horrible Smollett is.  But remember:  Smollett is black and gay.

2.  Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Hasson was arrested last week in federal court on minor drug possession and firearms violations.  But prosecutors say Hasson is a terrorist and he describes himself as a "white nationalist."  Additional charges are pending. He had a large cache of weapons and a list of Democrats and journalists on a hit list, and he wrote about wanting "to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country."  Let's see.  What was The Sniffer's response?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing - until several days later when pressed by an NBC reporter to comment.  The Sniffer said he would get a final briefing later in the day.  Prosecutors say Hasson is a domestic terrorist so you know The Sniffer has been getting regular briefings on the incident.  And yet ... he couldn't bring himself to comment about a suspected domestic terrorist, one of his own supporters.

3. Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta.  Wow, he's one of those "best" people The Sniffer promised us!   Before being nominated by The Sniffer to his Cabinet position (and fast-tracked through the confirmation process by the Republican-controlled Senate), Acosta was a U.S. attorney in Miami.  Investigators say he broke the law in a sex trafficking case by not informing his underage sex victims of a plea agreement!  Oh, Alex, that's just not nice!  These were children!  And it appears Acosta and others willfully worked to actually hide the plea agreement from the victims!  The big gun in this pea agreement is billionaire New York hedge fund manager, Jeffrey Epstein.  Epstein was accused in 2008 of organizing a network of underage girls to engage in sex acts at his Palm Beach waterfront mansion.  Over 80 victims have been identified, many of them 13-16 years of age at the time.  So ... what was the plea that Acosta arranged?  Epstein pleaded guilty to two prostitution charges and served 13 months in Palm Beach county jail, where he was allowed to leave on work release for up to 12 hours a day, six days a week. And ... an FBI investigation was shut down, an investigation that might have led to some other big names.  Okay ... how is The Sniffer involved other than nominating Acosta to the Cabinet position?  I'm so glad you asked!  Epstein and The Sniffer are good buddies and have been for a very, very long time!  What's that old adage ... You are known by the company you keep.  

4. And then there's the Robert Kraft debacle.  Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots,  is another big time supporter of The Sniffer.  Good buddies! Kraft donated lots of bucks to The Sniffer's campaign.  Hey ... the poor guy went to a massage parlor in Florida ... you know, one of those that he knew promised a massage with a happy ending.  What Kraft didn't know is that the place had been under investigation for quite some time!  Everything was videotaped ... and Kraft was arrested on charges of soliciting sex.  The bigger problem is that this house of prostitution ended up being part of a huge sex trafficking ring with women being held prisoner!  The Sniffer says it's "sad" and that he's "surprised."  Sad.  Yes, indeed.

And that is a brief recap of some of today's top news stories.  And all of them relate to The Sniffer in some way.  And all of them are filled with sleaze.

Are you tired of all this winning?  I sure am.  Pardon me ... time for a shower.

Holidays not always filled with cheer

Yesterday, I stopped in a convenience store.  In front of me at the checkout was a young woman (30ish).  The cashier, decked out in a Santa hat and festive sweater was doing his best to get her to smile.  "Hey ... it's Christmas!  A little smile would be a good thing!"

He kept trying.  She just wanted to pay and get out.  He rang a little bell in her face, "Merry, merry, merry Christmas!"  She grabbed her items and left the store as he said, "Hey, you don't have to be the Grinch!"

I had only one item so I was out in a hurry and there, leaning up against an old car, was the young woman.  Crying.  I walked up to her and asked if I could help in any way.  She said, "I'm so sorry.  No.  It's just the holidays - it's not a happy time for me."  I offered to buy her a coffee across the street and she said thanks, but got in her car and drove off.

I didn't ask why she felt the way she did; it was none of my business and I felt like I had already invaded her very private emotional space.

But I've been thinking about her, and she's not alone.  There are many people who don't jump for joy over the holiday season.  The reasons?  Well, those reasons are as varied as the individuals who feel this way.  Maybe this is a time they feel the loss of a loved one who is gone.  Maybe there is no family to share the holidays with ... or maybe there are strained relationships within that family.  Maybe the person is alone and is reminded of that at every office party.  Maybe the shopping, music, bells, stress are just too much. Maybe parents cannot afford presents for their children.  Maybe the memories of holidays past are just too painful.

The "holiday blues" are a very real thing to people who experience them ... and the reason doesn't matter.

While you might decorate your home and head to parties, while you might wear your Santa hat and go caroling, while you might shop 'til you drop and spend hours wrapping gifts, while you turn the radio on full blast to hear yet another version of  "The Little Drummer Boy" ... please remember that not everyone is filled with your Christmas cheer.  Some people are just trying to get through the holiday season.  One day at a time.

The young man at the convenience store didn't mean to hurt anyone.  And the young woman knew that.  As I watched that interaction, I hurt for her.  She was uncomfortable and she was sad and she was hurting.  And, he, not paying attention to how she was reacting, was telling her that what she was feeling was wrong.  This is Christmas.  It's a holiday filled with joy!  Right?

No ... not for everyone.

Two presidents - one focus!

As the world learned about the death of America's 41st president, George H.W. Bush, social media became quite interested in these questions:  Would Donald Trump attend the funeral?  Would he even be allowed to attend?  

On Dec. 4, 2018, FOX News gave us the answers.  Yes, Trump would attend:

"The Bush family has taken great care to assure that services being held to honor the life and legacy of former President George H.W. Bush do not become a political platform for anti-Trump swipes."

Okay ... so Trump would feel safe.  He would not be the focus of the events. He could honor protocol by attending the services for President Bush.

But was he safe?  Well, no, he was not.  And that isn't because any of the speakers at President Bush's services took "swipes" at Trump; they didn't.  It wasn't that he was ignored; he wasn't.

Trump wasn't safe from criticism and judgement because ... he is Trump.  Period.

Trump was not mentioned by any of those speaking.  And yet, he was.

Speakers described George H.W. Bush with a variety of adjectives.  Here are just a few:  honest, honorable, loyal, compassionate, friendly, giving, loving, courageous, patriotic, respectful, decent.  Not one of those adjectives can be used to describe Trump.

Speakers described President Bush's life as one filled with humor, deep faith, public service, and integrity. Trump's life?  Well ... no ... no ... no ... and, no.

There is no way one could avoid comparing #41 to #45.

President Bush respected the institutions of our country while Trump doesn't understand the institutions and is doing his best to tear them down.

Trump may not have been the focus of the services for President Bush, but he was there, front and center.  Not because the Bush Family planned that focus, but simply because Trump is Trump and we, as a nation, have every right to compare these men's presidencies, their presence on the world stage, and their effect on the people of this nation.

I hope Trump learned something from this week of remembering President George H.W. Bush.  I doubt that will happen.  He immediately tweeted his 50% approval rating (a false statement as shown by Gallup poll results).

President Bush, thank you for your service, Sir.  Yours was a life well lived, a life of service to others. 

Politics doesn't affect me!

To the people who "hate" politics and to those who say politics doesn't affect them.  My reply:  HOGWASH!  Politics/government affects you every single day from the minute you wake up until the minute to hit the sack ... and while you're sleeping as well.

• Wake up.  Turn the lights on, go pee.  Your utility rates are controlled by the Arizona Corporation Commission, a political body.  The water/sewer charge is controlled by the city.  Yep - politics/government!
• Take shower, get dressed.  See above for the water/sewer charge.  Now, add up the sales tax you paid for every item of clothing you put on.  Yep - politics/government!
• Make coffee, heat up a breakfast burrito from Taco Bell.  Your water is safe to drink because of government regulations and testing.  Your burrito's ingredients are part of the food inspection program and the restaurant itself is inspected as part of government regulations/requirements.  Yep - politics/government ... again!
• Drive to work. Boy, howdy ... how much time do you have?  Auto safety standards set by the government. Gas taxes. Mandatory insurance. License and registration requirement/fees. Speed limits. Auto emission standards and penalties.  Street construction, traffic control - city's responsibility.  Yep - politics/government ... are you starting to see a pattern here?
• Work. Depending on your job ... 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act >> hours, pay, overtime.  Anti-discrimination laws. Whistle-blower protection.  Yep, politics/government ... even at your job!
• Daughter's conference with teacher.  Schools ... wow ... get ready!  Mandatory school attendance, school district taxes, curriculum and testing requirements, graduation requirements, textbook selection, athletic participation requirements.  Yep - politics/government.  
• Son's soccer game. Public park preparation, control, taxes, maintenance.  Yep - politics/government even at a child's athletic event.
• Night class.  Yes, you want to get that college degree so you can make more money!  Tuition and fees set by the state Board of Regents.  Curriculum and requirements approved through BofR.  Taxes to support higher education.  Yep - politics/government.
• R&R after a long day.  TV programming on major networks controlled by FCC.  Taxes on TV and other entertainment devices.  WiFi controlled by FCC.  Yep - politics/government ... even watching TV.
• To bed.  Be sure to use birth control if you don't want more children because your reproductive choice is a target of one political party. Cost of birth control - taxes.  Some birth control requires doctor appointment/prescription.  Pharmacists in some states are allowed, by law, to refuse filling your prescription for birth control.  Yep - politics/government ... even in your very personal sex life!
• Sleep.  Mattress - truth in advertising and taxes associated with purchase of bed, linens.  Military/police protection so that you have a better chance of waking up in the morning to start all over again.  Yep - politics/government. 

All day, every day.  There is NO part of your day that doesn't involve politics/government.  But you can't be bothered to vote to protect YOUR interests?  Really?  Maybe you WILL once you start losing the things that matter most to you ... but by that time, it might be too late.

Why? Just WHY????

I am constantly amazed at people who will vote against their own interests.  Why do that?  What do you gain by voting against yourself?

Example:  Farmers.  The farm crowd, typically, votes Republican.  They like Republicans despite the fact that liberals actually created subsidies and crop protection insurance.  But, hey ... they like Republicans.  They supported the Republican candidate for president in 2016 because he wasn't a Democrat.  He knew nothing about agriculture and really had nothing to offer them.  Now, with his tariffs and destructive trade wars, farmers (especially those in the Midwest who supported him big time) are in trouble!  But they still support him!  Well, hey ... he somehow found $12 BILLION to bail them out.  But economists say that's a drop in the bucket; there are many more losses to come.  These farmers will still vote Republican because ... they won't vote Democrat.  They will hurt themselves .... and they don't seem to care.

Example:  Wall supporters.  Just this week, the White House announced that the current president is hiring a dozen more attorneys to grab land along the border so he can build his friggin' wall.  Uh ... just wait until those land owners, many of them owners of ranches that have been in their families for decades, are notified that their land falls within eminent domain.  Poof!  Land is grabbed for "public" use.  Will they still support this titular head of the Republican Party?  You betcha ... he's a Republican and they won't vote for a Democrat. They will hurt themselves ... and they don't seem to care.

Example:  Seniors.  Don't get me started on this bunch (and I'm one of them)!  Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell ... and the current resident of the White House ... are ready to slash Social Security and Medicare.  But seniors are still voting Republican!  Wow, the stupidity is mind-boggling!  Republicans came out and actually announced they would be targeting Social Security and Medicare (in order to make up some of the revenue losses from the tax bill they passed), but seniors will head to the polls on November 8 and punch the GOP candidate.  They will hurt themselves ... and they don't seem to care.

Example:  Supporters of public education.  Oh, wow, this one takes the cake!  State legislatures controlled by Republicans have been slashing public education funds for years ... and putting a lot of that money into charter/private schools.  Don't tell me folks support public education, public school students, and teachers ... while they vote Republican!  Their vote tells me exactly what they support and it sure isn't public schools!  They will hurt themselves, their children, their grandchildren and society at large ... and they don't seem to care.

So WHY do people vote Republican when that vote has shown to be detrimental to the general welfare of this country?  I believe it's the old "tax and spend liberals" mantra that Republicans have been shouting for years.  People believe it since it's been hammered in their heads for so long.  Well ... grow up, do some research, and you will find that argument to be false.  A report released last week tells us  that recent tax-and-spending legislation passed by Congress (yes, a REPUBLICAN Congress) is helping to drive up the federal deficit and push the national debt as a percentage of annual economic output to levels not seen since just after World War II. The report comes from the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the figures have been confirmed by the Congressional Budget Office. 

If you are voting Republican because you are a fiscal conservative, then you are incredibly ignorant about the current situation.  Tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations bring in less revenue.  Then when government spends unnecessary funds on a ridiculous wall, farmer bailout ... the list goes on and on ... you have spending that overwhelms revenue.  Any sixth-grader with a $10 allowance can understand that!

Tax and spend ... yep!  Republicans reduce taxes for the wealthy and big business ... and then spend money that isn't coming in. 

And people will still vote Republican even though they hurt themselves ... and they don't seem to care.

I did it on my own!! Uh, no ... you didn't.

Time and time again, I hear the good little Republicans say, "I did it on my own so everyone else should, too."  This is what they say when they attempt to justify a vote that ignores the plight of their fellow citizens.

My response:  Bullshit.  You didn't do it all on your own.  Nobody did.

Let's say you were born into a poor family.  Lots of children are, but they end up quite successful.  Did they end up that way on their own?  Not by a long shot.  Let's take a look, shall we ..... ?

If, as a young child, you needed medical care but your parents couldn't afford it, taxpayers helped out.

If you went to public school, others paid taxes so you  could attend. If you went to private school, someone else  helped fund your tuition.

If you were awarded a college scholarship, someone else donated to make sure that money was available.

Someone paid taxes to pave and maintain the roads you drove on to get to your job.

Someone paid taxes to make sure your property is secure through law enforcement and fire protection.

Someone paid taxes for you to use a public park for your softball tournament.  And someone paid taxes for you to use the public library for research when you were writing your Master's thesis.

Maybe you're my age now.  Someone else is paying into Social Security so your benefit can be maintained.  And someone is paying into Medicare so you can get that cataract surgery.  Because ... come on, let's face it ... even though you paid into Medicare, what you paid in will not cover all the health costs you are now accruing.

Don't tell me you made it on your own.  You didn't.  You depended on the kindness of strangers (apologies to Tennessee Williams, but the phrase fits).

Hillary Clinton is right:  It takes a village.  It's too bad you don't see yourself as part of that village.  And you are clearly delusional if you don't accept this entire post as being the truth.  You did NOT do it all on your own.  Nobody does. Nobody can.

Your guns - I call police!

The NRA tells us we will all be much safer if more people are packing.  Guns, guns everywhere ... all kinds of guns!  Guns at home, guns in schools, guns on the streets, guns in stores and restaurants and bars - and in the car, for sure.  Hey, a gun really comes in handy while involved in a road rage incident on the freeway at 70 mph!

So let me tell you what will happen when I see you walk into a store or a restaurant with your AR-15 ... or any other kind of firearm.  I will call police.

Arizona is an open-carry state.  Do I want to change that?  No.  Do I want to take away your firearms?  No.

But know this:  If I see you with your firearm in a public place, I will do what's necessary to 1) protect myself and 2) protect others.  I will slowly retreat and call 9-1-1.

Now, why in the world would I call police when you are a law-abiding citizen?  The answer is simple:

I WON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE A GOOD GUY ... OR A BAD GUY ... you'll just be a guy with a gun, and I'm not going to take a chance on guessing incorrectly.

Nothing will happen to you, but you will be inconvenienced.  Police have no choice but to stop and question you - and people will be watching and probably taking photos/videos with their phones.  You'll go viral in minutes! Once you have convinced officers that you're packing just because you want to show off what a manly man you are, they will let you go.  

I will be thankful that you didn't open fire on innocent people, but I will also reflect on what might have happened.  And, perhaps you should reflect, too.  Maybe someone else in that store will be armed as well - and won't bother calling law enforcement. The possibilities are numerous - and none are pleasant.