BLUEDONKEYS
A big-tent website serving all Democrats in Clark County
Trumped up...
"If you're far enough removed to see the Federal Government shutdown from 10,000 feet - meaning you're not behind in your rent because of it - then the scenarios playing out are interesting, illuminating and sort of comical.
Trump made the ridiculous promise to his base that he would build a wall - "a big, beautiful wall", on our southern border. Moreover he promised that Mexico would pay for it, but we all knew that wouldn't happen.
When he didn't get The Wall money approved by Congress, he wouldn't sign the budget and thereby unfunded about 20-25 of the federal government and let those offices and employees shutter or work unpaid, affecting about 800,000 people. This amounts to a pretty big temper tantrum on his part affecting a lot of people.
For the last 2 years his party has been in control of Congress and therefore budgeting. They provided him with a few dribs and drabs of money to add Patrol personnel and do some security work, but not much for Walls. From that it would appear the Republican-controlled Congress of the last 2 years did not support the Wall project very strongly. Now the Democrats control the House and Trump has waited until their control was imminent to make a standoff over $5.6 billion for The Wall. He waited until now so he could blame the Democrats because he knew the R's were not going to allocate the money either.
The Democrats are not for open borders or opposed to southern border security, and the bills and projects they have supported over the past 2-3 years demonstrate that. The Democrats, like so many Americans, including the Congressional R's apparently, do not think $5.6 billion for a Wall (be it steel, concrete, or whatever) is a wise way to spend money. Other techniques can have better capabilities in preventing illegal border crossings by humans and yet protect the property rights and the animal migrations that exist along the border and the Rio Grande in particular.
So Trump has made a 'trumped up' charge that there is a national emergency on the southern border and illegal aliens and drugs are pouring over the border. He quotes some bogus statistics to support that idiotic idea. He has been on TV once to tout the "emergency" and will do so again on Saturday January 20 at 3:00 PM Eastern. Oh my! What lies will he tell?!
Trump said he'd 'wear the mantle" and own the shutdown. That, like most of his promises, lasted a day or so, and then it became the Democrats fault and the Democrats who were endangering the country from the dire immigrant emergency. So House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, no newcomer to politics, 'trumped up' her own scenario. With the Government shutdown, there isn't enough security available to make the State of the Nation Address safe to give in the House of Representatives. Two can play the game it seems.
Trump responded by preventing Nancy Pelosi and her team from using a military plane to fly to Afghanistan and Brussels for a fact gathering mission. He said they need to stay home during the Shutdown - even though he went to the Middle East right after Christmas during the Shutdown.
All of which is a sad way to run the biggest, best country on Earth. One keeps searching for rational solutions to use. But 'rational' is not a word one can use concerning our irrational president.
INTERESTINGLY, The Columbian editorial (Sun Jan 20,2019) says some very similar things. Check it out at LINK
Shutdown Clock
The Federal Government Shutdown began before Christmas last year and continues:
Election is over - What next?
The Blue Wave did happen!...nationally!
It just wasn't evident in Clark County.
Nationally, Democrats must stand up and stand firm in the House and stop the degradation and destruction of our country and our morals and ethics.
THIS month - December - all the LD's (17, 18, 49) are electing officers. It's a 2-year term 2019/2020 - so it carries us thru the upcoming presidential election. Very important to elect officers that will be cognizant of pursuing candidates that are not only capable of doing the job but can win the election. No point in putting up a candidate that is uber-left and 'ideal', but cannot get 50+%. and actually win the office!
Kavanaugh at all costs for the R's
Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate 50-48. Closest vote ever on Supreme Court Confirmations.
The R's have bet their political lives on this vote. They voted like like good little machines in lock step formation. Just one or two viable brains? - Nope!
On SNL last week, Weekend Update commentater Michael Che said, "I just want to remind everybody that all this yelling and crying happened at this dude’s job interview, typically, when you’re asked about a sexual assault and your drinking problem at a job interview, you don’t get the damn job.”He added: “I don’t know if Mr. Kavanaugh actually has a history of assault or if he actually has a drinking problem, but I do know that he might. And you shouldn’t be on the Supreme Court if you might. You shouldn’t be on the ‘People’s Court’ if you might.” Too prophetic!
Che went on to say,"Why does it have to be him? You can’t just pick another dude from your Illuminati lizard meetings? Are Republicans so pro-life that you don’t even have a Plan B for this?”. The answer to this question is really interesting.
Kavanaugh was the only choice the R's could squeeze in before they LOST one or more chamber of the Federal Congress next month. They have deemed the midterms a loss!. To get the lifelong appointment of unruly, radical-right, partisan Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court bench, they ceded the election of next month.
The Republicans, in the face of the "credible" testimony of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, adjusted their perception of her to say, "Yes, she did have an ugly experience but it must have been with someone other than Kavanaugh." Ignore and distort the truth. This confirmation wasn't a court case requiring proofs - it was a job interview. If you smell something fishy, move on to the next candidate. But no time for that.
So put this trumped-up Supreme Court confirmation hearing on your long list of Republican lies that ignore fairness, honesty, and the credos of our country, and VOTE to make the Blue Wave taller and more real, and bring 2 people to the voting booth, or ballot, in our case.
The R's have bet their political lives on this vote. They voted like like good little machines in lock step formation. Just one or two viable brains? - Nope!
On SNL last week, Weekend Update commentater Michael Che said, "I just want to remind everybody that all this yelling and crying happened at this dude’s job interview, typically, when you’re asked about a sexual assault and your drinking problem at a job interview, you don’t get the damn job.”He added: “I don’t know if Mr. Kavanaugh actually has a history of assault or if he actually has a drinking problem, but I do know that he might. And you shouldn’t be on the Supreme Court if you might. You shouldn’t be on the ‘People’s Court’ if you might.” Too prophetic!
Che went on to say,"Why does it have to be him? You can’t just pick another dude from your Illuminati lizard meetings? Are Republicans so pro-life that you don’t even have a Plan B for this?”. The answer to this question is really interesting.
Kavanaugh was the only choice the R's could squeeze in before they LOST one or more chamber of the Federal Congress next month. They have deemed the midterms a loss!. To get the lifelong appointment of unruly, radical-right, partisan Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court bench, they ceded the election of next month.
The Republicans, in the face of the "credible" testimony of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, adjusted their perception of her to say, "Yes, she did have an ugly experience but it must have been with someone other than Kavanaugh." Ignore and distort the truth. This confirmation wasn't a court case requiring proofs - it was a job interview. If you smell something fishy, move on to the next candidate. But no time for that.
So put this trumped-up Supreme Court confirmation hearing on your long list of Republican lies that ignore fairness, honesty, and the credos of our country, and VOTE to make the Blue Wave taller and more real, and bring 2 people to the voting booth, or ballot, in our case.
County Councilor Chair Race -Holt >YES, Quiring > NO. Lentz > YES, too!
Eileen Quiring is a Madorite. That is to say she supports the divisive points of view held by her predecessors Tom Mielke and David Madore. It's impossible to forget how terrible and self-centered Madore was and how quickly the electorate strove to vote him out.
Quiring states she supports Madore's and Mielke's policies in The Columbian Editorial Board interview (LINK - 54:36).
Vote for Eric Holt for Clark County Council Chair.
AND Quiring is anti-LBGTQ. She went to the Battle Ground School Board Meeting expressly to reduce student availability to transgender discussions. That episode with her comments is in "All Politics is Local" - LINK, (07/25/18, Jake Thomas).
Vote for Eric Holt for Clark County Council Chair.
MOREOVER, Quiring seems in opposition to replacing the I-5 bridge?! A Columbian article picked this up. (The Columbian, Katy Sword, 08/23/18) - LINK.
In the article cited above, Quiring and Jeanne Stewart were the only dissenters about an I-5 Bridge resolution from the County Council. This is a good place to plug Temple Lentz as a superior replacement to Jeanne Stewart come November 06, 2018.
Vote Eric Holt for Clark County Council Chair!
Vote Temple Lentz for Clark County Council, District 1.
Quiring states she supports Madore's and Mielke's policies in The Columbian Editorial Board interview (LINK - 54:36).
Vote for Eric Holt for Clark County Council Chair.
AND Quiring is anti-LBGTQ. She went to the Battle Ground School Board Meeting expressly to reduce student availability to transgender discussions. That episode with her comments is in "All Politics is Local" - LINK, (07/25/18, Jake Thomas).
Vote for Eric Holt for Clark County Council Chair.
MOREOVER, Quiring seems in opposition to replacing the I-5 bridge?! A Columbian article picked this up. (The Columbian, Katy Sword, 08/23/18) - LINK.
In the article cited above, Quiring and Jeanne Stewart were the only dissenters about an I-5 Bridge resolution from the County Council. This is a good place to plug Temple Lentz as a superior replacement to Jeanne Stewart come November 06, 2018.
Vote Eric Holt for Clark County Council Chair!
Vote Temple Lentz for Clark County Council, District 1.
Blue Wave? What's a Blue Wave!
A Blue Wave is a thing of beauty. It's a wave of woke, informed Democrats voting because they know their vote will count in the mid-terms toward stabilizing this country by taking back the Federal House and Senate, and many other statehouses and political jobs everywhere.
Can It happen? Of course!. It can happen, BUT only IF DEMOCRATS VOTE!
Do you want it to happen? Of course you do. Work for your candidates by talking at the dinner table, at the grocery store, over your bridge game, wherever, and urge people to take charge, oust the people who won't do their job and get this country up off its back. Get them to VOTE!
When you think about it, Trump is so in-your-face, he's daring us to fight back and do our jobs! Let's do it!
Can It happen? Of course!. It can happen, BUT only IF DEMOCRATS VOTE!
Do you want it to happen? Of course you do. Work for your candidates by talking at the dinner table, at the grocery store, over your bridge game, wherever, and urge people to take charge, oust the people who won't do their job and get this country up off its back. Get them to VOTE!
When you think about it, Trump is so in-your-face, he's daring us to fight back and do our jobs! Let's do it!
Trump was Drumpf
Donald Trump's paternal grandfather, Frederich Drumpf, migrated from Germany to America in 1885 and changed his name to Trump in 1898.
Snopes quote: "His paternal granddad — who came to America at 16 with little more than a name he later changed — lived a true rags-to-riches life, leaving his widow and three kids a modest fortune when he died, new recor6s show.
Fred Trump, born Friedrich Drumpf, in Kallstadt, Germany, in 1869, had an estate worth $500,000 in today’s dollars when he died in Queens on May 30, 1918, at age 49."
Well that's a fun fact, but what's the point?
The point is that, Donald Trump, like anybody other than native Americans, has a family history of migration to this country. It is completely hypocritical to have your ancestors migrate to this country and then initiate a "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. The greater percentage of the US population is of migrant origin. And many folks are proud of their foreign heritage and celebrate it, or search it out in DNA analysis. Every week brings a new low from our unqualified president.
Snopes quote: "His paternal granddad — who came to America at 16 with little more than a name he later changed — lived a true rags-to-riches life, leaving his widow and three kids a modest fortune when he died, new recor6s show.
Fred Trump, born Friedrich Drumpf, in Kallstadt, Germany, in 1869, had an estate worth $500,000 in today’s dollars when he died in Queens on May 30, 1918, at age 49."
Well that's a fun fact, but what's the point?
The point is that, Donald Trump, like anybody other than native Americans, has a family history of migration to this country. It is completely hypocritical to have your ancestors migrate to this country and then initiate a "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. The greater percentage of the US population is of migrant origin. And many folks are proud of their foreign heritage and celebrate it, or search it out in DNA analysis. Every week brings a new low from our unqualified president.
Looks like Trump is in his own crosshairs
Not much question our president is a man-child, narcissistic sociopath who loves no one but himself. And Robert Mueller is taking a calm, step-wise approach to uncover Trump's collusive ties with Russia. But here at home he may have overloaded his own ability to lie. He has threatened to let the government go into shutdown if he does not get funding for his boondoggle wall on the Mexican border. The money he is looking for - somewhere in the range of $40 billion - has been earmarked by him to come from Homeland Security funds especially FEMA. Now FEMA is in the years-long business of serving and resurrecting the Gulf Coast - again. Oh, if it were only possible that he could think strategically and decide that the wall is out because the money is so much more necessary for the humanitarian efforts in Texas and Louisiana. There's some unfulfilled hope for ya!
Put some cream on the Bern and get real
Here's a Blog piece by Marcus Silva who is very concerned about how Democrats and the Democratic Party needs to act to stay in the game and win Congressional races in 2018. The message is stop worshiping the past and stand up and act like strategic Democrats. LINK to Article
Wake Up Bernie-or-Bust People: You were Conned
A worthy article from the Democracy Guardian, J. Nori, May 04, 2017, that says Bernie is a grump, and is not the messiah his followers blindly adore. A good read. LINK
Something to consider when told that "Bernie could have won over Trump". That is that Bernie was\n't in that race - he'd already LOST.
Something to consider when told that "Bernie could have won over Trump". That is that Bernie was\n't in that race - he'd already LOST.
A good article on why tax cuts are wrong...
The Columbian Opinion Editor makes it clear why tax cuts for the rich don't do anything for the middle class, and "given that Trump has only a passing acquaintance with reality', clarifies where we're headed. Read the piece by Greg Jayne, The Columbian, 04/23/17
Paul Ryan - "Destroy Healthcare"
Thanks for being honest, Paul Ryan! PLAY VIDEO HERE
Strategy has to supersede idealism
Pursuit of ideals requires victories. Victories come from employing strategy. Talk against Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell or lack of appreciation for Gov Jay Inslee is not strategic. Every seated Democrat has to be judged on their overall batting average. Over the course of their office, anyone can pursue a result that is not popular with every citizen. Electeds were elected to enact the will of the people and one misstep does not defeat their purpose for being in office.
Some folks are still sore over the term super-delegates which gave high visibility electeds like Murray, Cantwell and Inslee the opportunity to stump for their presidential candidate of choice from a bully pulpit. They all opted for Hillary Clinton for President much to the chagrin of the Sanders supporters.
Sens Murray and Cantwell also indicated a positive position on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), and recently they voted against an apparent opportunity to import drugs in the US at lower prices via a Sanders supported amendment. Further investigation reveals first that Hillary Clinton had opted against TPP which surely would have changed everything, and the cheap drug amendment was not a good choice. There were good reasons to reject the drug amendment that wasn't going to pass anyway, was non-binding, and would have undermined some ACA provisions.
Subsequently, Inslee, Murray and Cantwell have all stood up -loudly- for continued immigration of Muslims. This is why they are there in office as strong Democrats. Anytime good, strong Democratic candidates are opposed by their own party, bad things happen. Very simply, the seat holding a person positive to our wants and needs is lost and replaced by a Republican who will devastate our agenda.
The message is "Keep Cantwell".
Some folks are still sore over the term super-delegates which gave high visibility electeds like Murray, Cantwell and Inslee the opportunity to stump for their presidential candidate of choice from a bully pulpit. They all opted for Hillary Clinton for President much to the chagrin of the Sanders supporters.
Sens Murray and Cantwell also indicated a positive position on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), and recently they voted against an apparent opportunity to import drugs in the US at lower prices via a Sanders supported amendment. Further investigation reveals first that Hillary Clinton had opted against TPP which surely would have changed everything, and the cheap drug amendment was not a good choice. There were good reasons to reject the drug amendment that wasn't going to pass anyway, was non-binding, and would have undermined some ACA provisions.
Subsequently, Inslee, Murray and Cantwell have all stood up -loudly- for continued immigration of Muslims. This is why they are there in office as strong Democrats. Anytime good, strong Democratic candidates are opposed by their own party, bad things happen. Very simply, the seat holding a person positive to our wants and needs is lost and replaced by a Republican who will devastate our agenda.
The message is "Keep Cantwell".
Did you March Saturday?
Women's March January 21, 2017
Do you feel better having done so? Many who marched, or just appreciated the happening of the marches, felt unified, uplifted, out of the doldrums, re-purposed and other such positive reactions. There were many principles expressed on the signs being carried; abortion, personal rights, anti-Trump, Planned Parenthood, I'm with Her, all the freedoms, etc. But the bottom line is that if there was no Trump in the White House, there would have been no marches.
A million people around the world marched against Trump. More people marched in DC on Saturday than attended the inauguration on Friday. Sorry, Donald, but that's the way an awful lot of people feel...about you.
It's hard to put a finger on any one thing that got us to this point; Bernie Sanders weak endorsement of HRC, Bernie followers voting for third-party candidates, unhappiness among moderns that this is first new generation making less than their parents, the Electoral College, and so forth. A very good exploration of attitudes that led us here is portrayed in the 01/11/17 episode of "Blackish". Here's a link to it. It's reviewed as the "most comprehensive examination of the election that pop culture can provide" (Link). Check out the Lucy character's logic that led her to vote for Trump - scary, but viable, and perhaps sums up how he got elected. Enjoy.
But here we are. The dominant theme in the local and national editorials is to resist loss of rights at every turn of the road. Check out the Sun 01/23/17 Columbian Editorial praising the marches - "extraordinary" - and worrying about our future under Trump. The final message - be watchful.
And read WA Post writer Leonard Pitts, "Proud to be maladjusted to President Donald Trump". It is clear that this new circumstance is different and cannot be allowed to be accepted.
A million people around the world marched against Trump. More people marched in DC on Saturday than attended the inauguration on Friday. Sorry, Donald, but that's the way an awful lot of people feel...about you.
It's hard to put a finger on any one thing that got us to this point; Bernie Sanders weak endorsement of HRC, Bernie followers voting for third-party candidates, unhappiness among moderns that this is first new generation making less than their parents, the Electoral College, and so forth. A very good exploration of attitudes that led us here is portrayed in the 01/11/17 episode of "Blackish". Here's a link to it. It's reviewed as the "most comprehensive examination of the election that pop culture can provide" (Link). Check out the Lucy character's logic that led her to vote for Trump - scary, but viable, and perhaps sums up how he got elected. Enjoy.
But here we are. The dominant theme in the local and national editorials is to resist loss of rights at every turn of the road. Check out the Sun 01/23/17 Columbian Editorial praising the marches - "extraordinary" - and worrying about our future under Trump. The final message - be watchful.
And read WA Post writer Leonard Pitts, "Proud to be maladjusted to President Donald Trump". It is clear that this new circumstance is different and cannot be allowed to be accepted.
Read A Guest Article about Olympia Lobby Day. It's got insight, and info.
What now?!
The President-Elect, Donald Trump, is a mess. He's up and down on his own issues, he's hiring totally unsatisfactory Cabinet members that hate labor, disavow climate change, and believe fake news stories, to mention a few. Republicans have some separation from Trump, and visa-versa, but the Republican control of the House and Senate means they can run over Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, and entitlements in general while granting more tax cuts to the rich. It's all shaping up for an inglorious, horrifying four years for Democrats, for civil rights, for womens' rights and the progress of the country in general.
Mid-term Congress elections will occur in November 2018, less than 2 years away. It's predictable that the electorate, including Hillary voters, Bernie voters and, especially, disillusioned Trump voters. The electorate will be ready to elect some Democrats for office by that time based on the expected ravaging performances by the Republicans and Trump.
The midterm elections are a real chance to get back the House and Senate for Democrats. To do so Democrats MUST have viable, electable candidates. It's up to all of us to consider whether we should be running, or encouraging people to run that can win, or to support candidates that are declaring to run and are capable of winning. Winning is stressed here because it is often, but naively, thought that the candidate to support is the one with the best ideals; the most left, the one with one hand on the Dems platform. That is a good starting place but not a winning scheme.
If the candidate is scary to the average voter because of their appearance, or their inflammatory rhetoric, or extreme left promises, then they won't get votes. So look at all aspects of the candidate, and choose, and make, a winner. It ain't easy, but it often happens that the one the we'd most love to win is not really capable of winning when you consider the emotional structure of the general electorate.
Remember that voters don't vote with their heads, they vote with their hearts. They don't study the candidates, they don't take any time to understand the candidates, they just vote the one with the best, most fun, rumors, circulating around them. Look at the horrifying influence that Fox News has with their ability to lie, and infer, and lie again. Their forte is to knowingly tell a lie and then the viewers believe it and pass it on to their friends and family as if it was true, and spread the lie-as-truth further..
Look at Trump - he doesn't even really want, or understand, the Presidency. But his phony rhetoric and his ability to use reality TV sound-bite style made him have appeal to the emotional voter . The picture the voters made up in their heads of what a "Great America" looks like was never defined by Trump, but was only what a Great America implied to the listeners' imaginations - one listener imagined their dream house, another their dream boat, another their dream job. Hillary was a liar and grifter and never did anything, but Trump, like our Madore, had caught their imagination. He appeared to be a 'change agent'. That's emotional - voters believe in magic.
We do not have to accept the dceimation of rights and relinquish fairness and equality while Trump holds office. There are myriad ways to protest. Trump is not presidential and he's not our president. A fact proven by the popular vote where nearly three million more voters voted for his opponent.
Mid-term Congress elections will occur in November 2018, less than 2 years away. It's predictable that the electorate, including Hillary voters, Bernie voters and, especially, disillusioned Trump voters. The electorate will be ready to elect some Democrats for office by that time based on the expected ravaging performances by the Republicans and Trump.
The midterm elections are a real chance to get back the House and Senate for Democrats. To do so Democrats MUST have viable, electable candidates. It's up to all of us to consider whether we should be running, or encouraging people to run that can win, or to support candidates that are declaring to run and are capable of winning. Winning is stressed here because it is often, but naively, thought that the candidate to support is the one with the best ideals; the most left, the one with one hand on the Dems platform. That is a good starting place but not a winning scheme.
If the candidate is scary to the average voter because of their appearance, or their inflammatory rhetoric, or extreme left promises, then they won't get votes. So look at all aspects of the candidate, and choose, and make, a winner. It ain't easy, but it often happens that the one the we'd most love to win is not really capable of winning when you consider the emotional structure of the general electorate.
Remember that voters don't vote with their heads, they vote with their hearts. They don't study the candidates, they don't take any time to understand the candidates, they just vote the one with the best, most fun, rumors, circulating around them. Look at the horrifying influence that Fox News has with their ability to lie, and infer, and lie again. Their forte is to knowingly tell a lie and then the viewers believe it and pass it on to their friends and family as if it was true, and spread the lie-as-truth further..
Look at Trump - he doesn't even really want, or understand, the Presidency. But his phony rhetoric and his ability to use reality TV sound-bite style made him have appeal to the emotional voter . The picture the voters made up in their heads of what a "Great America" looks like was never defined by Trump, but was only what a Great America implied to the listeners' imaginations - one listener imagined their dream house, another their dream boat, another their dream job. Hillary was a liar and grifter and never did anything, but Trump, like our Madore, had caught their imagination. He appeared to be a 'change agent'. That's emotional - voters believe in magic.
We do not have to accept the dceimation of rights and relinquish fairness and equality while Trump holds office. There are myriad ways to protest. Trump is not presidential and he's not our president. A fact proven by the popular vote where nearly three million more voters voted for his opponent.
