I am still so upset, that sleep does not come. ARGH! I feel exhausted.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:55 (average 6:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Washington Post: Russian government officials conferred with members of Donald Trump’s campaign team, a senior Russian diplomat said Thursday, a disclosure that could reopen scrutiny of the Kremlin’s role in the president-elect’s bitter race against Hillary Clinton.
The statement came from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who said in an interview with the state-run Interfax news agency that “there were contacts” with the Trump team.
“Obviously, we know most of the people from his entourage,” Ryabkov said.
There’s the proof. Not only is Herr Reichsfuhrer Drumpfenfarten (R-#NotMyPresident) is Putin’s dog, but also, he seditiously conspired with a foreign government to hoodwink US voters.
From The Last Word: Electoral College turns a win to a loss
Lawrence provided fascinating history to explain how the people’s will has been overcome by the loser to install a Republican, again.
From The Rachel Maddow Show: Anti-Trump protests grip cities nationwide
I’m proud that Portland is among them.
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread – 11/11/2016”
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4:49 Since it's from Madagascar, I assume it is endangered.
Ast Word – Eliminating the electoral college would require a Constitutional Amendment, so it's as likely as a snowball in hell. However, there is a way to neuter it that wouldn't require a Constitutionsl Amendment – just a whole lot of work (and some luck). In case you have missed it, which I think is unlikely, here are three petition links to learn about it and sign for it if you wish. It is three links, but not really three petitions, but I signed at all three anyway.
https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/national_vote_qd/
http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/sign-petition-end-electoral-college-elect-americas-presidents-national-popular-vote/
https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/sign-the-petition-abolish-the-electoral-college
The only good thing the Electoral College ever gave us was John Quincy Adams, and that was a hella long time ago.
WaPo – NSSWWYFC. Again.
Rachel – And I'm proud that Denver is one of them. (Colorado springs would be out of the question.)
Cartoon – Poor guy. Poor, poor guy. Poor us.
One more Electoral College petition – this one DOES call for a Constitutional Amendment.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/abolish-the-electoral-6
All petitions signed and shared, thanks for the links.
Last Word: Good video explaining. Signed all three petiions, Thanks, Joanne..
WP: So he was in cahoots with the Russians. Isn't that TREASON? I signed a petititon to open an investigation,
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/appoint-special-prosecutor-investigate-links-between-donald-trump-and-russian-government
RM: Austin was one of them too, at UT. Several were arrested, unfortunatley. Kudos to all who did.
Cartoon: Very telling. Sad.
Salute!! to all our Military Veterans who served this great country of ours…and who grace these pages. Some gave all, my family gave years and tears.
I feel your pain, it's going to be a very long 4 years. Do take good care of yourself, try and get some rest, and Take good care. Thanks, Tom.
Thank YOU, Pat, for the WhiteHouse dot gov petition. It is MUCH easier to sign these than it used to be. You don't need to register and remember a password. Just sign and confirm the signature when they send you and email.
Of course who knows how long THAT will last, come January.
Petition signed.
Live in the now, TomCat. That is all we ever have.
Thanks for the reminder, Jerry!
Be Here Now!
Petitions signed!
Hearing about what Rumpy plans upon doing, knowing that he sure as hell will not be a president for all the people, except that he gets to define what a "people" is, has had me down this evening, and I am working to take Jerry's advise to heart; to take back my "this" moment! Depression is about feeling, among other things, helpless, anxiety is about living in the future, which does have a bleak look to it now. Resilience, we must have resilience!!!!!!!!!!!
Washington Post: Shared this with all my red friends. Let them chew on that for a while.
Lawrence O Donnell: The founding fathers had no concept of the future that we live in now. I have signed several petitions to get rid of the Electoral College, I think the time has come.
Rachel Maddow: I respect the protestors, but feel their actions are futile. Nothing will change due to the Electoral College.
Cartoon: Yep.
I am not sleeping well either.
Puzzle — 3:26 Well that was a thorny issue . . . almost as thorny as the election!
Washington Post — A reason to impeach him? It could likely be said that this is a breach of national security, far more than a private email server.
The Last Word — Good background on the reasoning for an electoral college. Lawrence made an excellent point about the inequality of numbers of electoral college votes — 39,000,000 residents of California get 55 electoral votes or 790,000 people per electoral vote, while South Dakota gets 3 electoral votes for approximately 900,000 residents or 1 electoral vote for 300,000. To paraphrase Shakespeare's play Hamlet: Something is stinks in the state of Denmark!
Rachel Maddow — Even here in Vancouver, and I believe Toronto too, there have been small protests. Even people here are appalled at the probable effect of Trump globally. Protesters in New York have blocked Trump Tower. Oh how will he be able to go out? In additional reading this evening, I read how Trump apparently tweeted how unfair the protests were.
Cartoon — Ah, very honest Abe! I bet he's spinning!.
I think I know a little of how you feel, TomCat, and I don't even live in America. You're upset must be so much larger than mine.
WP: The Russians may either feel very secure that it won't harm Drumpf to spill the beans, or this is just another lie and the next step in destabilizing America. Either has the same result. America has lost most of its credibility with the rest of the world and fast on its way to the bottom, Putin is ready to take over America's position and Russia and China are getting ready for a tug of war over the spoils. Yeah, let's make America great again. Go tell that to the people in the Baltic states.
TLV: Lawrence: "You know what the popular vote is called everywhere else? The vote", "Only in America" and "America has embarrassed itself for the second time in the eyes of the world." "Embarrassed"? Not quite the word that sprung to mind this side of the Atlantic, Lawrence.
Yes, by all means, get rid of the Electoral College, and while you're at it have your election system overhauled completely for all elections and get rid of your gerrymandering as well. But that's filling up the well after the calf has drowned (yes, another Dutch proverb) isn't it. With president Drumpf heading a Republican Congress America now may never get the chance to do so.
RMS: I'm sure protests will flare up again when Drumpf reveals who's in his cabinet and who his aides will be if they are the sorry bunch he has alluded to before. It will not change anything, though. Drumpf will be inaugurated in January.
Cartoon: You could light a whole city up like a Christmas tree on the power generated by Lincoln's spinning in his grave.
Thanks all! Pooped Hugs.