BLUEDONKEYS
BlueDonkeys.com - A big-tent website serving all Democrats in Clark County
Trump on no gun control
The statistic about gun deaths in America is pretty clear - we are the only modern country with rampant gun deaths especially mass slayings, and the distinguishing differenc in us and the other countries is the huge numer of guns per person in this country. Other countries have the same mental health problems as us but do not have mass killings. It's time to disarm. Trump spoke out for better background checks soon after the Dayton OH and El Paso shootings, but as of Tuesday, just 18 days later, he backpedaled saying the US already has "very, very strong background checks". He cited his supporters love for the Second Amendment as the cause for the reversal.
Trump - "...recession...? OK?"
Trump continues to surpass himself. On Tuesday he was interviewed about his tariff policies on China and their effect on the US economy. He acknowledged the tariffs could cause economic pain or even a recession but that it had to be done. "Somebody had to take China on", he says. He believes, probably correctly, that a weakening US economy will weaken his chance for re-election. So where he has not admitted before that the tariffs may hurt US citizens, he is now acknowledging that they might be harmful.
Many market observers report that a recession is likely. Tariffs are a factor as is the longetivity of the recovery which started under Obama and has continued with influence by Trump until lately with the tariffs. Read the article and all Trump's quotes at - LINK
Many market observers report that a recession is likely. Tariffs are a factor as is the longetivity of the recovery which started under Obama and has continued with influence by Trump until lately with the tariffs. Read the article and all Trump's quotes at - LINK
Trump's tariffs a problem
.The farmers are being hurt by the tariffs with China because China isn't buying our crops, soybeans in particular. Trump says the tariffs do not hurt consumers, but every analyst says they do. In fact, Trump said last week, he was delaying additional tariffs on China until after the Christmas buying season, saying "in case tariffs have an impact". There the double-speak is revealed. Whimsical ploicies is his norm and the volatility of the stock market lately reflects this. It affects how people spend money and plan to spend money. It is widely accepted that the currently good US economy started on a rise in Obama's tenure and has continued since without any real influence by Trump. Market indicators lately say a recession is coming. Admittedly the predictors are not finite or perfectly accurate, but market volatility and withholding of investment dollars are mostly emotional responses to whispers about instability and recession. Such talk unnerves buyers and investors and the economy stumbles. The stage is set through Trump's wooing of dictators, domestic terrorism support, whimsical policies, and government by Tweet that confidence here and abroad is sinking.
Bernie Sanders' day in the sun is past
Froma Harrop of Creators.com clarifies the validity of some Bernie Sanders complaints about how the media, particularly the Washington Post, covers, or doesn't cover, him. She points out that his big moment in life was 2016 when he ran against Hillary Clinton. Bernie has brought his 10-points to the fore, however, with the result that Hillary moved left, and now Elizabeth Warren is touting Bernies' platform. She does it in a way that is much more friendly and somehow feels more doable than Bernie. Read the piece at - LINK
Kevin Siers cartoon: Trump’s teleprompter plea for unity falls flat
This lightly veiled dig references Trump's Teleprompter speech on Monday 08/05/19 after the El Paso and Dayton massacres. That speech verbally, but unemotionally, called for "unity", but the Tweets that day were the same braggadocio and diatribes against critics, like Beto O'Rourke. He continues to dog whistle hatred for brown people and to make that a center-point of his campaign, despite what he might flatly utter in a speech.
Nobody listens to Trump anymore
David Frum, staff reporter for The Atlantic, doesn't like Trump and his machinations. He reports that Trump "shames and debases the office every day". Trump's over-the-top statements are so bizarre that people shrug them off - and wait for a change. And while he makes a worldwide fool of the US daily, he keeps us on the brink of war and recession. Read the editorial at - LINK
Trump is 'the environment'
George Will, columnist for the Washington Post, says Trump is responsible for today's US turmoil. Will quotes Eric Hoffer, American writer and philosopher, that "malice enhances the penetrating power of and idea or opinion", and "rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength". Malice and rudeness are the methods Trump uses to make his points, along with a few dog whistles. The listener is too often inclined to believe Trump's sentiments and seeming direction are guideposts for antisocial behavior. Read the piece at - LINK
It's past time to talk about guns
Greg Jayne, editorial page editor of The Columbian, asks when is the time to talk about gun control if not now. He points out that "the United States is the only country where mass shootings are essentially a daily occurrence". Every other country has mental health problems and video game availability, but none have the overwhelming number of guns per citizen that the US has. He says Herrera Beutler has no interest in banning assault weapons. Read the article at - LINK
Must have the Senate
Mitch McConnell, federal senate leader, is an obstructionist. For meaningful legislation to be passed (gun laws, election protection), he has to go. Eugene Robinson of the Miami Herald has some suggestions - LINK
NRA to Trump >$30,000,000
The Associated Press did a little study on the NRA recently. You remember the National Rifle Association - they used to teach gun safety to kids. Now they encourage owning guns that contribute to school shootings. They are a powerful lobby and have Trump's ear admittedly. The attached article discusses their rather odd CEO, who brought back assault weapons after they were banned. The article notes the NRA contributed $30 million to Trump's campaign. Read the piece at - LINK
Mental health, video games not shooting cause
Here's a factual article by William Wan and Lindsay Bever of the Washington Post that says only about 25% of massacre shooters have mental illness, and that video games are not a problem. Gun availability in the light of resentful thinking or nedd for infamy or narcissism is the tie-in. "Gun access" is what needs to be prevented as is done in other civilized countries. Especially gun access to military grades weapons. In Dayton the shooter fired "41 shots in less than 30 seconds", a speed which was enabled by having a military weapon. Read the WaPo article - LINK
Trump said Monday that “mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun”. Even if this were true, which the above says it's not, then elimination of "the gun" would still prevent the act of atrocity. No other civilized country has this problem. Why do we put up with it?
Trump said Monday that “mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun”. Even if this were true, which the above says it's not, then elimination of "the gun" would still prevent the act of atrocity. No other civilized country has this problem. Why do we put up with it?
Trump on gun violence
The first weekend of August 2019 was particularly violent with explosive shootings in both El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Trump is felt by many to be stoking the fires of domestic terrorism with his inflammatory rhetoric about "fine" racists in Charlottesville, and chants with his followers. He made a speech after the terrible weekend about gun violence prevention through typical R techniques like mental health treatment and violent video games, and denounced white supremacy in a way. But there's no substance to these remarks and the accompanying New York Times article discusses how iterative the process was to finally get him to offer a fairly comprehensive speech. At one point Trump linked gun violence to immigration, somehow. Read the well done article at - LINK.
White bigotry successful?
How will people you know respond to Trump's fear-mongering and race-baiting?
Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald reminds us of George Wallace and other politicians who successfully used bigotry by whites to be elected. If you're woke, it is hard to picture how powerful this tactic can be. If you are around some pretty 'average' folk, and listen, you can see it is a surprisingly useful, and frighteningly successful, tactic. Read the piece - LINK
Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald reminds us of George Wallace and other politicians who successfully used bigotry by whites to be elected. If you're woke, it is hard to picture how powerful this tactic can be. If you are around some pretty 'average' folk, and listen, you can see it is a surprisingly useful, and frighteningly successful, tactic. Read the piece - LINK
'Country first' is gone
Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald points out that the inclination to do the right thing for people over politics is passe. The new paradigm is scary and intolerable - Read the piece at - LINK.
Too much inattention
Here's a little piece by Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post. She pulls no punches about Trump and his misdeeds. Similarly she warns US citizens to pay attention - select a nominee that can beat Trump or lose democracy. - LINK
Local Election
Clark County Elections has posted a "Notice of Primary and Special Election", Tuesday August 06, 2019.
The voter registration deadlines are 5:00 PM Monday July 29, 2019 for on-line and mail registrations.
In-person registration may take place at the Elections Office up to August 06, 2019 at 8:00 PM.
The Columbian has recommended the following candidates so far:
Vancouver City Council Pos. 2: Erik Paulsen
Vancouver City Council, Pos 6: Diana Perez and Paul Montague
Vancouver School Board, Pos. 1: Dale Rice and Kyle Sproul, with a nod to Caressa Milgrove
Vancouver School Board Pos. 5: Tracie Barrows and Chris Lewis
Vote... early and often.
The voter registration deadlines are 5:00 PM Monday July 29, 2019 for on-line and mail registrations.
In-person registration may take place at the Elections Office up to August 06, 2019 at 8:00 PM.
The Columbian has recommended the following candidates so far:
Vancouver City Council Pos. 2: Erik Paulsen
Vancouver City Council, Pos 6: Diana Perez and Paul Montague
Vancouver School Board, Pos. 1: Dale Rice and Kyle Sproul, with a nod to Caressa Milgrove
Vancouver School Board Pos. 5: Tracie Barrows and Chris Lewis
Vote... early and often.
Racism abounds
The horror show is in full swing. Trump has people chanting racist calls about congresswomen. We all remember his respect for the white supremacists in Charlottesville.
The slaves were freed in 1865. The Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964. All to the good and all to the point of understanding and recognizing that all men are created equal.
Unless you are a native American, you have migrant blood in your veins and you're part of the melting pot. But you may not be of color.
This Trump racism seems to be a campaign ploy to energize his base, much like cruelty to asylum seekers at the Southern border is intended to do. One hears that the some R's reject the racist direction but the R party never makes a statement. They like the fear bred by inferring that 'coastals', Democrats, will ruin the country. Check out Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post on Republican racism - LINK
The two words to denigrate Democrats in the 2020 elections are "Socialists", and "Send her back". We have to prove that socialism is not communism, and that we already have huge beneficial socialist programs, not the least of which is the military, followed by tax-fed police and fire.
What do we do to combat racism? We have to not allow it. Over the past 50 years, racism has been driven down, not truly eliminated, but at least the conversation was, to the largest part, politically correct. In the last two years, that political correctness has been washed away and it is okay to attack, slur, and assail another person for their race and/or color.
This is not the America of the our forefathers and our constitution.
The slaves were freed in 1865. The Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964. All to the good and all to the point of understanding and recognizing that all men are created equal.
Unless you are a native American, you have migrant blood in your veins and you're part of the melting pot. But you may not be of color.
This Trump racism seems to be a campaign ploy to energize his base, much like cruelty to asylum seekers at the Southern border is intended to do. One hears that the some R's reject the racist direction but the R party never makes a statement. They like the fear bred by inferring that 'coastals', Democrats, will ruin the country. Check out Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post on Republican racism - LINK
The two words to denigrate Democrats in the 2020 elections are "Socialists", and "Send her back". We have to prove that socialism is not communism, and that we already have huge beneficial socialist programs, not the least of which is the military, followed by tax-fed police and fire.
What do we do to combat racism? We have to not allow it. Over the past 50 years, racism has been driven down, not truly eliminated, but at least the conversation was, to the largest part, politically correct. In the last two years, that political correctness has been washed away and it is okay to attack, slur, and assail another person for their race and/or color.
This is not the America of the our forefathers and our constitution.
Call him "ineffective"
He's calling us socialists and obstructionists and the cause of the border debacle. We call him racist and moronic and a liar. Strong argumentative words.
Let's call him "Ineffective". That label will be like nails on a blackboard to him. This was a suggestion by a panelist on CNN the other day. Try it on some people. The reaction has been good.
"Trump is 'ineffective'".
Let's call him "Ineffective". That label will be like nails on a blackboard to him. This was a suggestion by a panelist on CNN the other day. Try it on some people. The reaction has been good.
"Trump is 'ineffective'".
