Well I have been absent from posting for much of this week. It has been busy. I have started teaching English to another student which has gone very well. She is at a grade 11 level, so our session was much different than the one I have with Lucia. Her daughter is in French immersion so I am also spending some time with her, reading both French and English. Good review of French for me too as I don't use it often enough. My right foot is coming along but I still need some physio. Fortunately it rarely hurts when I walk. And my big news this week, I bought a laptop computer so that I can still work when I am forced to keep my legs up. Also, I am almost finished a programme in pastoral care which really is much like the hospice training I took 17 years ago.
Short Takes
Robert Reich — The Constitution of the United States is clear: Article II Section 2 says the President “shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint … judges to the Supreme Court.” …
In refusing to vote or even hold a hearing on the President’s nominee to the Supreme Court, the GOP is abdicating its constitutional responsibility. It’s not doing its job.
Alternet — If you were to ask Donald Trump’s supporters what they most admire about the GOP front-runner, chances are they would cite his so-called authenticity, his willingness to “tell it like it is” and, perhaps more than anything else, his rejection of that great bugaboo of the Obama Age: political correctness.
Such qualities ought to mean that whatever else Trump may be—a blowhard, a demagogue, a bigot, a reality TV huckster, a malignant narcissist, an unparalleled deal maker—he’s an ardent believer in press protections, free speech and the First Amendment. Indeed, in a Feb. 27 appearance on the Fox News channel, Trump seemed—at first—to be saying so, declaring, “I love free press. I think it’s great.”
But like much of what is taken as a given in the crazy-town vortex that is the Trump presidential campaign, the image of the candidate as a champion of free speech is a mirage. The bullying billionaire can sling mud and demean his real and imagined enemies with the best of them. The problem, however, is that he can’t take it when others fire back.
And who or what is to protect "We the people" from the fallacious statements of Drumpf, his lies, deceptions, and misleading statements, numerous as they all are? And of course there are still the incitements to violence.
Raw Story — Republican elected officials admitted they promised to help a convicted felon run for elected office if he agreed to stop paying his mandated grazing fees.
A newly released recording reveals how GOP lawmakers and local officials were deeply involved with the occupation of an Oregon federal wildlife reserve earlier this year by armed militants, according to an in-depth report by Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Many of the officials are members of the Coalition of Western States, which shares the militants’ stated goal of rolling back federal ownership of public lands for private use.
Is there any doubt that the Republican Party is the party of right wing extremism?
Daily Beast — For seven hours on Thursday, a few dozen conservative leaders gathered in an upstairs room of the Army Navy Club off K Street in downtown Washington, D.C. to rack their collective brains—but reached no conclusion on how to thwart the billionaire’s rise.
Quin Hillyer, a National Review contributing editor, fielded questions afterwards from print reporters and a Chinese camera crew, explaining that the group hoped all the 2016 presidential candidates who haven’t endorsed Trump will coalesce behind a unity ticket. He added that there wasn’t a consensus that conservatives should unite behind Cruz.
“That was not the consensus,” he said, when asked about support for a Cruz-helmed unity ticket. “The consensus was that we need a unity ticket of some sort and we’ll let the candidates work out who the unity ticket is.”
Republicans, like a lot of people, thought that the Drumpf campaign would crater early on. When it was apparent that it would not, Republicans did nothing to curtail his candidacy. Now, as Drumpf's campaign has gained and sustained speed and delegates, the chickens are coming home to roost. IMO, Drumpf is dividing the Republican party and the people. There may be hell to pay come July.
My Universe — h/t Carol B and Ted W
5 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 18/03/2016”
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Wow! Sounds like great use of your time! And thanks fpr posting today.
Multiple thanks for this. It should indeed be seen by everyone.
AlterNet – Oh, he's definitely authentic. An authentic racist, as well as an authentic blowhard and an authentic narcissist.
Raw Story – Wait, what? Help a convicted felon run for office but only if he will break more laws? Orwellian doesn't begin to describe this.
Daily Beast – Are you sure you don't mean hell toupee?
Universe – Lately I seem to get up earlier if I don't set the alarm. Go figure.
RR: Excellent video, passing this on. DO your JOB, GOP Senate!!! Btw..aren't they on a 2 week hiatus now?
RS: Oh my….woe to the Repugs who cheat and lie. Hope they serve a long time in the pen! What a story!
DB: It doesn't look good, does it? It's going to be a loooong hot summer!!
My Universe: What an adorable little baby. My hair looks like that all the time. lol.
Kudos to you for taking on another student. I think immersion is best, imho, to learn a new language. And…kudos to you in finishing up your pastoral care program. Glad that your foot is feeling better, you've been busy.
Enjoy your day, and thank you, Lynn.
Good to hear your foot is getting better.
So you think "there may be hell to pay come July" in Cleveland?
Personally, it's sounding more and more like I might actually enjoy watching some of the Rethuglican National Convention. Nothing like some good blood-sport action viewing them tear each other apart. Let the games begin!
Conhtats on youl Laptop and pastoral care.
Great minds fall in the same ditch.
Amen.
Great catch!
Amen! No Fecal Dump!
Is that a Squatch?
Wow, you certainly have been busy, Lynn. Kudos on all your accomplishments this week. Looks like you're going to be even busier in the future when you've finished that program in pastoral care. And keep that physio up until your PT says it's enough and not because it's stopped hurting.
Leave it up to Robert Reich to get a crystal clear message across: The GOP and its leader in Congress aren't doing their jobs and only public pressure can change that. Get behind that phone right now! For all our sakes. Please.
Alternet: In their hearts Drumpf voters must have a very low opinion of the presidency and care next to nothing for their country, despite his promise to make America great again. They must either think that the presidency is a part-time job and Drumpf can get all the things done he's promised in a few days a week, or they don't mind he turns it into a part-time job because of all the other activities he's got going on. To start with he'll have to take care of the backlog of legal baggage he's dragged into the White House with him in addition to all these new cases he's going to start as soon as he's changed the first amendment and got rid of the SLAPP bill. Then there's the whole Trump Empire to run and enlarge with all the free advertising time he acquired now. No-one can honestly believe Drumpf will leave the running to his children without interfering or ever speaking of it in public, can they? The megalomaniac is simply incapable of that. So to end with Bill Blums' words: "Derailing Trump’s war on the First Amendment or at least confining it to isolated courtroom skirmishes should be easy, but only if we keep one principle foremost in mind: that he must never, ever—and here words almost fail me—become president of the United States." Amen.
RS: This Republican Coalition of Western States seems to be the 'respectable men in suits and ties' camouflage of a terrorist organization, but I doubt that apart from this in-depth report by Oregon Public Broadcasting there will be little consequences for these "elected officials", and Nevada Assembly woman Michele Fiore will continue to defend the militants and their tactics as lawful and even make it to Congress on it.
DB: The Republicans are really in trouble, because they're scared s&*tless by Drumpf, but feel almost the same of Cruz. Their golden boy has turned to lead and they won't get Cruz behind a Kasich-helmed unity ticket. If it wasn't so scary, July would be something to look forward to.
My Universe: I wish I'd look so cute when I miss my alarm.