I think this mess started with Glen Beck and his high brow history lessons when it was at FOX.
Not to be mean to Glen Beck. He underwent quite a transformation a few years ago when he was quite ill. But, this idea that the past is more important than the future has no place in politics. A History Club might be fun, but, not politics. The history of the country is something to be proud of, but, not something to return to.
I stated this once before, possibly not quite as clearly as here; "The people we have been to allies, friends and each other is possible because of the conscience of our Founders. We are living their conscience. We are living the conscience of many other magnificent American leaders since our Founders. There is no reason to return to the past when we have been given such a bright and promising future."
We need to reach for that future and correct paths of wayward ideas.
The United States of America is a pluralistic society. We always have been. That means we respect the values of others without discrimination, hatred or oppression. That is who we are and that is who we always will be.
"Societies exist under three forms sufficiently distinguishable.
1. Without government, as among our Indians.
2. Under governments wherein the will of every one has a just influence, as is the case in England in a slight degree, and in our states in a great one.
3. Under governments of force: as is the case in all other monarchies and in most of the other republics.
To have an idea of the curse of existence under these last, they must be seen. It is a government of wolves over sheep. It is a problem, not clear in my mind, that the 1st. condition is not the best. But I believe it to be inconsistent with any great degree of population. The second state has a great deal of good in it. The mass of mankind under that enjoys a precious degree of liberty and happiness. It has it’s evils too: the principal of which is the turbulence to which it is subject. But weigh this against the oppressions of monarchy, and it becomes nothing. Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem ("I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery"). Even this evil is productive of good. It prevents the degeneracy of government, and nourishes a general attention to the public affairs. I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.
Unsuccesful rebellions indeed generally establish the incroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions, as not to discourage them too much. It is a medecine necessary for the sound health of government."
Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Paris, January 30, 1787
Friday, October 26, 2018
I am hearing the word threats experienced by journalists. What CNN experienced was not a threat. The danger is real and realize the MAGA crowds obviously don’t have information except for what Trump tells them. It is time journalists stop covering the Trump War Zone unless they are armored to do it. I MEAN THAT. Those MAGA crowds are not low information voters, they are NO information voters.
The Republican voter needs a Radio Free America. I mean that. Maybe broadcast from Canada. Europe. They have no idea what is going on in their own lives except the adrenaline-laced politics.
The Republican voter needs a Radio Free America. I mean that. Maybe broadcast from Canada. Europe. They have no idea what is going on in their own lives except the adrenaline-laced politics.
Environmental injustice.
Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
By Ron Fonger
Flint -- A University of Michigan professor (click here) is calling the Flint water crisis "the most egregious example of environmental injustice and racism in my over three decades of studying this issue."
Professor and researcher Paul Mohai made the comment in an article published Oct. 19 in the Michigan Sociological Review, saying the magnitude of the water emergency, the role of public officials in allowing it and the slow pace of response all factored into his assessment.
"What stands out ... is the apparent indifference and lack of concern that harm might be created," the article says. "And even after the harm was created and finally acknowledged, there has been (an) apparent lack of sense of urgency to fix the problems."
Mohai, a professor at the UM School for Environment and Sustainability, has studied environmental justice since the late 1980s, just a few years after the movement began, the university said in a news release....
Environmental Justice is about equity. It is a very American concept. The idea that every American has the same environmental advantages as every other American. All Americans should receive clean air and water. Their choices should not be impacted by their income or where they live in the USA.
Environmental Justice is often compromised by socio-economic dynamics and if there was an illustration of that it was Flint and the nearby communities. While Flint was receiving clean water up to the point where Governor Snyder removed their elected government; there should have been a real effort to clean up the Flint River since the beginning. They cleaned up the Love Canal, there should have been serious water clean up efforts over the decades.
Case in point.
Nearly twenty years these toxins have been in the air around Flint, but, only when the property has value in a sale is anything done about it. That is ridiculous. It is more than ridiculous, it is outrageous. This is 2018. There is no excuse for any of this.
October 25, 2018
Flint — Officials say the sale (click here) of remaining portions of a massive former manufacturing site in Flint, Michigan, are on hold after another kind of chemical contamination was confirmed.
The Flint Journal reports the update comes after toxins known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS , were found at Buick City, where Detroit-based General Motors once built cars.
Bruce Rasher, redevelopment manager for the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust, says it's continuing to market the property but won't close on a sale "until we have a deeper understanding of PFAS impacts at the site" and come up with a "comprehensive remedial strategy."
Most of Buick City closed in 1999, creating one of Michigan's largest brownfield sites....
Enough of the insanity. We are agreed the Trump speeches and rallies are not balanced? Yes?
I think Trump wants a civil uprising and the installation of a police state. The Righties think they are exempt. I have to wonder if the bomber is waiting for his pardon for being so loyal.
CNN has a tape of the bomber at a Trump rally. The guy was homeless and he was counting on Trump’s White House to change his life. I don’t get it.
There is a profound absence of police at Trump speeches so the crowd literally has control. There is Secret Service, but, there are no police to keep order and escort protesters out. There are no protesters because they have been scared off by Trump himself and his willingness to meet protesters with violence. Trump’s afraid of the picture with egg on his face or tomato so he incites the idea of licensed violence to end it before it happens.
Why are the MAGA crowds kept waiting so long? Where is the impatience channeled after he shows up? Trump has a planned assault against the democracy of this country and he is carrying it out in the name of politics.
Not one journalist is to be injured and not one newsroom disturbed. Work on safety and sane news cycles.
CNN has a tape of the bomber at a Trump rally. The guy was homeless and he was counting on Trump’s White House to change his life. I don’t get it.
There is a profound absence of police at Trump speeches so the crowd literally has control. There is Secret Service, but, there are no police to keep order and escort protesters out. There are no protesters because they have been scared off by Trump himself and his willingness to meet protesters with violence. Trump’s afraid of the picture with egg on his face or tomato so he incites the idea of licensed violence to end it before it happens.
Why are the MAGA crowds kept waiting so long? Where is the impatience channeled after he shows up? Trump has a planned assault against the democracy of this country and he is carrying it out in the name of politics.
Not one journalist is to be injured and not one newsroom disturbed. Work on safety and sane news cycles.
No that is not a food truck. That is mobile voting which Idaho has been doing for at least two years.
By Ruth Brown
First, he found the Ada County’s mobile voting truck sitting outside of the Eagle Public Library. But its line was long. So, he said, he drove down to the county elections office on Benjamin Lane, where the parking lot was too full for him to park.
He drove back to Eagle — and waited an hour for his turn with a ballot.
“It’s a great concept,” Marino, of Boise, said about the mobile voting. “I don’t know if they were prepared for that many people though.”
Marino’s experience Wednesday isn’t necessarily typical for early voting this year.
But with one week of early voting done, and two weeks to go until Election Day, elections officials say it’s clear the high voter interest seen during the primaries is continuing this fall....
Prime Minister went on a diplomatic mission to Oman.
He met with a warm reception and it looks as though he and Sarah had a good time, too.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (click here) made a secret visit to the Gulf nation of Oman on Friday — the first by an Israeli leader in over two decades, and a sign of warming ties between the Jewish state and the Sunni Arab world.
On Friday afternoon, his office surprisingly announced that Netanyahu and his wife Sara had just returned from an “official diplomatic visit” to Muscat, during which they met with Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said.
“The Prime Minister’s visit is a significant step in implementing the policy outlined by Prime Minister Netanyahu on deepening relations with the states of the region while leveraging Israel’s advantages in security, technology and economic matters,” his office said in a statement....
Israel? More border skirmishes. But, Egypt was able to bring about a "Border Ceasefire."
Officially, Egypt is not calling it a ceasefire, but, it is an agreement to return civil activities without violence. I think it's a ceasefire along the border.
President Trump spent some time with his young Black leadership summit talking about how Israel receives no support from other countries. Well. This seems to be support from other countries. Thought I'd point it out.
President Trump spent some time with his young Black leadership summit talking about how Israel receives no support from other countries. Well. This seems to be support from other countries. Thought I'd point it out.
By Almog Ben Zikri and Yaniv Kuhovich
Between 10 and 12 rockets (click here) were fired at Israel from Gaza on Friday night, most of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, the military said. Earlier, rocket alert sirens sounded several times in Israeli communities near the Gaza border and the city of Sderot.
Some residents reported hearing explosions, with some saying they witnessed interceptions by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
The sirens came hours after Palestinian authorities reported that five Palestinians had been killed by Israeli military fire – four in the weekly protests on the Israel-Gaza border and one in clashes in the West Bank....
October 26, 2018
By Jack Khoury
Four Palestinians were killed Friday by Israeli military fire during protests (click here) at the Gaza-Israel border, the Gaza Health Ministry said, adding 85 people were wounded so far.
The first victim of this round of Friday protests was 27-year-old Muhammad Khaled 'Abd al-Nabi. Two other names of Palestinian victims are already known: 22-year-old Ahmed Said Abu Libdah and 23-year-old Aish Sha'ath, who were both hit by Israel army fire during protests east of Khan Yunis.
Organizers of the weekly protests at the Gaza-Israel border called on Gaza residents to demonstrate en masse on Friday under the slogan "Gaza will not surrender."
Earlier Friday, London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Egypt reached a short-term agreement between Israel and Hamas to ease violence along their common border.
A delegation from the Egyptian intelligence service that has been shuttling between Gaza and Ramallah and which has also been meeting with Israeli officials achieved an understanding regarding a halt to the violence by Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza along the border fence with Israel, in exchange for an easing of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, according to the report....
October 26, 2018
The Egyptian delegation which visited Tel Aviv, Gaza and Ramallah (click here) in recent days has reportedly orchestrated an understanding between Israel and Hamas which would stop all violence emanating from the Strip, including incendiary balloons and the mass violent flare-ups at the border fence.
Sources told the London-based Arab news outlet Al-Hayat that Egypt has conveyed a message to senior officials in Gaza and the West Bank that all parties should refrain from escalating the situation, Channel 10 news reported.
The sources clarified that the agreement did not amount to a ceasefire and that Palestinians will be able to continue weekly demonstrations at the border with Israel, but they will not commit acts of violence such as trying to breach the border, flying incendiary balloons or throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli troops stationed in the area....
A group of young people visiting the White House should come away with something.
What did they come away with, because, it sounds confused as to the purpose of the meeting with the President today?
October 26, 2018
A large group of young African-American leaders (click here) gathered Friday in the East Room of the White House to hear from President Donald Trump, and they were treated to a campaign rally in miniature.
If White House observers closed their eyes around midday, the president could have been speaking to supporters inside an airport hangar in Wisconsin or a basketball arena in Texas or a 63-year-old minor league hockey arena in North Carolina.
Trump touted his polls numbers. He boasted about the state of the U.S. economy under his watch. He also thanked rapper Kanye West for his support....
I guess it was a prep rally and they took home hats.
October 26, 2018
A large group of young African-American leaders (click here) gathered Friday in the East Room of the White House to hear from President Donald Trump, and they were treated to a campaign rally in miniature.
If White House observers closed their eyes around midday, the president could have been speaking to supporters inside an airport hangar in Wisconsin or a basketball arena in Texas or a 63-year-old minor league hockey arena in North Carolina.
Trump touted his polls numbers. He boasted about the state of the U.S. economy under his watch. He also thanked rapper Kanye West for his support....
I guess it was a prep rally and they took home hats.
I'll be darn, an angry American White man.
October 26, 2018
By Ken Alltucker, Kevin Johnson and Kevin McCoy
A 56-year-old Florida man (click here) is in custody and is expected to be charged in connection with a sweeping investigation of the 12 bomb-like devices addressed to prominent Democrats, according to the Department of Justice and an unnamed official.
Officials identified the man as Cesar Sayoc Jr., who was born in Brooklyn, New York. Records show Sayoc has a criminal history, including a 2015 arrest in Broward County, Florida, for petty theft and probation violation....
Applause to the US Postal Service. They are so often the target of these acts of violence. They came to work determined to do their job in the face of violence.
Empty hubris.
The GOP has got to be joking about their new ad to attempt to get young people to the polls, right?
Aunt Tillie and her postings to Instagram is coercion? Really?
More insults from the Republicans. They treat Millenials and young voters as brainless morons more concerned with their image on Instagram rather than substantive issues these people face.
Here is a reality check:
The young people targeted by that ad won't even see it because they are working two to three jobs to keep up with their education loans. They don't have the benefit of a living wage and most likely don't have health care UNLESS they are on their parent's policy and still studying for a Masters or PhD.
In North Carolina, along the coast, the hotels are COMPLETELY BOOKED. Trying to get a hotel room is impossible in Wilmington, NC. Why? Because of a booming economy? No. Because residents are living in the hotels after Florence. The young voters of coastal NC probably no longer have 2 to 3 jobs, because, the buildings are still ramshackle and/or flooded.
And what has the Republican President done for these people? Offer FEMA help? Well, it isn't getting them anywhere.
So, there are the issues:
Education Debt
Minimum Wage
Healthcare
Climate Crisis
AND
Upward movement from being a victim of 2008 which resulted in "Occupy Wall Street."
Add to that because of their education debt (which 50 percent of Millenials have a college degree) they can't move into the housing market.
And to entice young people to vote, the Republicans give them attitude and hate of a family member.
I don't think so.
Aunt Tillie and her postings to Instagram is coercion? Really?
More insults from the Republicans. They treat Millenials and young voters as brainless morons more concerned with their image on Instagram rather than substantive issues these people face.
Here is a reality check:
The young people targeted by that ad won't even see it because they are working two to three jobs to keep up with their education loans. They don't have the benefit of a living wage and most likely don't have health care UNLESS they are on their parent's policy and still studying for a Masters or PhD.
In North Carolina, along the coast, the hotels are COMPLETELY BOOKED. Trying to get a hotel room is impossible in Wilmington, NC. Why? Because of a booming economy? No. Because residents are living in the hotels after Florence. The young voters of coastal NC probably no longer have 2 to 3 jobs, because, the buildings are still ramshackle and/or flooded.
And what has the Republican President done for these people? Offer FEMA help? Well, it isn't getting them anywhere.
So, there are the issues:
Education Debt
Minimum Wage
Healthcare
Climate Crisis
AND
Upward movement from being a victim of 2008 which resulted in "Occupy Wall Street."
Add to that because of their education debt (which 50 percent of Millenials have a college degree) they can't move into the housing market.
And to entice young people to vote, the Republicans give them attitude and hate of a family member.
I don't think so.
There is an issue with Jamal Khashoggi's body.
There were reports that the body of Jamal Khashoggi's body was found in the yard of the Saudi consulate. Now, Turkey is stating there is no evidence of the movement of the body from the consulate if indeed it is still there. The consulate is sovereign land to Saudi Arabia, but, it may be in the case of murder or simply a death, the hosting country has to have a "local collaborator" in order to move the body back to Saudi Arabia.
It sounds as though at this point, the forensics is dependent on Saudi Arabia if the body is within the consulate. Turkey probably has a right to examine the body before it is transported. At least it sounds that way. Turkey probably has a right to carry out forensics.
I would think the forensics would have to take place in Turkey so the murder cannot be assigned to a Turkish citizen.
There are all kinds of political statements being made about an opportunity for President Erdogan to be elevated. I think that is a very inaccurate distraction from the facts. If politics is benefited from Turkey's actions and demands, it is because a murder is a very serious issue. To indicate this is all politics is nonsense. This is murder. There are questions to be answered.
26 October 2018
By Bethan McKernan
The Turkish president, (click here) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has called on Saudi Arabia to disclose the location of the body of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi and identify the “local collaborator” whom Saudi authorities say disposed of his remains.
It sounds as though at this point, the forensics is dependent on Saudi Arabia if the body is within the consulate. Turkey probably has a right to examine the body before it is transported. At least it sounds that way. Turkey probably has a right to carry out forensics.
I would think the forensics would have to take place in Turkey so the murder cannot be assigned to a Turkish citizen.
There are all kinds of political statements being made about an opportunity for President Erdogan to be elevated. I think that is a very inaccurate distraction from the facts. If politics is benefited from Turkey's actions and demands, it is because a murder is a very serious issue. To indicate this is all politics is nonsense. This is murder. There are questions to be answered.
26 October 2018
By Bethan McKernan
The Turkish president, (click here) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has called on Saudi Arabia to disclose the location of the body of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi and identify the “local collaborator” whom Saudi authorities say disposed of his remains.
The 18 men arrested in the kingdom over the case “must know” who killed the journalist and where his remains were taken, Erdoğan said in parliament on Friday, adding that the person who “gave the orders” for the alleged assassination must be bought to justice.
The call comes after the president and the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, spoke for the first time on Wednesday about cooperating in the evolving diplomatic crisis....
The reports regarding migrants from the Northern Triad is that these countries are hardening their borders. An article in “The Guardian” is that migrants are having a more difficult time crossing the borders.
There are also human rights groups looking into these measures and there are some reports stating the measures are illegal. There is not a great deal of description as to what these measures are that are creating a barrier to the migration. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the politics in the USA. These are small countries with small populations. If thousands of people are leaving, that is an exodus and not simple migration. There sre significant numbers of these people stating loss of employment and exposure to violence are the reasons they are leaving. Some state their lives are in danger as well. There are mothers with their children in tow within these numbers.
The issue with unemployment is related to unfulfilled expectations of aid from the USA already agreed to and their leadership is caught unaware of the end of funding. In that is the understanding the leadership has little time to ask for humanitarian aid. I don’t know if the agreement between the USA and the countries of the Northern Triad even allows for aid so much as employment.
Besides the obvious reason for work assistance funding, most humanitarian aid is delivered by NGOs to ensure the people receive the food, water, medicine, etc. In that is the understanding the NGO personnel will be safe. There is no such assurances in the Northern Triad. So the entire idea of humanitarian aid falls apart because of the violence.
With the governance falling apart, the mass exodus is not surprising and quite frankly the Trump administration has brought this crisis on itself. There is no timeline as to WHEN the people get here or IF they get here with hurricanes and increased resistance to their movement in their path.
With this so called caravan being a part of the USA right wing political dogma, there are calls from pundits to stop the aid being given to the migrants along the route. The pundits are engaging in empty rhetoric as the people need help to stay alive.
By the way, if the Northern Triad loses a large number of citizens there is the issue of sovereignty.
There are also human rights groups looking into these measures and there are some reports stating the measures are illegal. There is not a great deal of description as to what these measures are that are creating a barrier to the migration. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the politics in the USA. These are small countries with small populations. If thousands of people are leaving, that is an exodus and not simple migration. There sre significant numbers of these people stating loss of employment and exposure to violence are the reasons they are leaving. Some state their lives are in danger as well. There are mothers with their children in tow within these numbers.
The issue with unemployment is related to unfulfilled expectations of aid from the USA already agreed to and their leadership is caught unaware of the end of funding. In that is the understanding the leadership has little time to ask for humanitarian aid. I don’t know if the agreement between the USA and the countries of the Northern Triad even allows for aid so much as employment.
Besides the obvious reason for work assistance funding, most humanitarian aid is delivered by NGOs to ensure the people receive the food, water, medicine, etc. In that is the understanding the NGO personnel will be safe. There is no such assurances in the Northern Triad. So the entire idea of humanitarian aid falls apart because of the violence.
With the governance falling apart, the mass exodus is not surprising and quite frankly the Trump administration has brought this crisis on itself. There is no timeline as to WHEN the people get here or IF they get here with hurricanes and increased resistance to their movement in their path.
With this so called caravan being a part of the USA right wing political dogma, there are calls from pundits to stop the aid being given to the migrants along the route. The pundits are engaging in empty rhetoric as the people need help to stay alive.
By the way, if the Northern Triad loses a large number of citizens there is the issue of sovereignty.
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