There is no use in walking anywhere to preach if your walking isn’t your preaching. | |
— St. Francis of Assisi | |
[I’m predicting they (the Republicans) talk about “free and fair” elections, but they don’t really believe in them OR support them – especially when a Republican President is willing to use a riot to overturn an election he’s lost. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2020 | Morally Treasonable |
2019 | Lost Again Or Still? |
2018 | Why #LazyDonald Starts Work At 11AM |
2017 | At Least Most Of The Time |
2016 | But Doctor, I Never Learned How To Read |
2015 | Punch The Keys, For God’s Sake! |
2014 | Ouch! |
2013 | Revelations |
2012 | Movies And Juicing |
Brady Gets #4 (Prediction) | |
Happy To Get Up | |
2011 | What About Good Blogs? |
2010 | Slowly, Slowly… |
Posts Tagged ‘Republicans’
Do Senate Republicans Believe In The Constitution And The Rule Of Law (Or Not)?
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #45 - The Loser, American Politics, Free And Fair Elections, Philosophy, Preaching, Quotes, Republicans, St. Francis of Assisi, Walk The Talk, Walking on February 4, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Democrats Talking To Republicans
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Democrats, Knowledge, Patients, Philosophy, Politics, Preaching, Quotes, Republicans, Richard Clarke Cabot, Truth on January 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Before you tell the “truth” to the patient, be sure you know the “truth,” and that the patient wants to hear it. | |
— Richard Clarke Cabot | |
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On This Day In: | |
2020 | You Are Not Late (Yet) |
2019 | Too Difficult To Try |
2018 | Hold Fast |
2017 | The Only Real Security |
2016 | Time Said |
2015 | If Only Common Sense Were More Common |
2014 | PTI |
2013 | What Now, Then? |
2012 | Big C, Little B |
Duty, Honor, Country | |
I Wish Republicans Valued Democracy As Much As They Say They Value Freedom
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Cynics, Democracy, Freedom, Philosophy, Politics, Price, Quotes, Republicans, Value on December 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »
A cynic is one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. | |
— Oscar Wilde | |
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On This Day In: | |
2019 | Something Very Different |
2018 | For Most Of Us |
2017 | Stories We Need On Life’s Edge |
2016 | Heart Trouble |
2015 | From The Inside Out |
2014 | Alone And Free |
2013 | Superstition Is Your Way |
2012 | Escape Hatches |
2011 | Sing Like No One Is Listening |
My Fear: A Second More Tyrannous Term
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged #DonTheCon, #IncompetentDonald, American Politics, Democrats, Election 2020, Giants, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Quotes, Republicans, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator McConnell, Shakespeare, SSA, Tyrants on September 6, 2020| 2 Comments »
O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant. | |
— Shakespeare | |
[Are we better off today than we were four years ago? I’m not just talking about 185,000 dead. I’m not just talking about a crashed economy. If there were no virus and we were still tooling along at 4% unemployment, were you REALLY better off? Almost half of ALL Americans were living pay-check to paycheck. Many are / were working two minimum wage jobs and are / were barely getting by. Almost 2/3rd of working Americans have almost no savings for a “sudden” $400 emergency, let alone for retirement. President Trump (and the Republicans) want to destroy Social Security by de-funding it and promising it will be “paid for” from increased tax revenue from the future “booming” economy. The truth is the SSA actuarial office has said if SSA taxes are eliminated, the SSA will run out of funds COMPLETELY in 2023!!! President Trump lies multiple times EVERY day. He is not being casual with the facts. He is NOT just kidding. He is LYING! And, he is lying to constantly try to stoke fear. Four years ago, it was the raping and murdering Mexicans invading across the border. Now, it’s the liberals (i.e. “Democrats”) who are already here. IF crime, rioting and violence are out of control, why hasn’t he done anything about the root causes of the problems. The Republican controlled Senate is still dithering about a much needed economic relief package. Now, when I say “Republican” controlled, what I mean is TRUMP controlled Senate as it’s his Cabinet level team which is doing the negotiations with the Democrats and whatever is agreed will pass both sides of Congress. Senator McConnell is simply a figurehead manipulating the rules to the Republican advantage. He is not the player / negotiator in the room with the Dems. There is no relief because Trump wants to blame the Democrats (Pelosi and Shumer) in the lead up to the election. So, I ask two questions: Do you really believe President Trump is acting in your interests? And, are you better off than you were four years ago? — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2019 | Reality And Imperfection |
Day 8: One Stone | |
2018 | Pity The Nation (Part 1) |
Day 41: Hiccup Or End Of Days? | |
2017 | Sharp-Edged Beauty |
2016 | Start, Keep, Finish |
2015 | Lifetime Friends |
2014 | Acknowledgement |
2013 | Longevity, Tenacity and Diversity |
2012 | What Reagan Really Cared About |
2011 | Seeming Sane (Or Not) |
And Integrity For Today’s Elected Republicans
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Costs, Integrity, Money, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Republicans on December 20, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Money often costs too much. | |
— Ralph Waldo Emerson | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | A Faulty Start, Too |
Honorable Resignation And Syria | |
2017 | Beneath The Tree Of Wisdom |
The Republican Rape Of The American Middle Class | |
2016 | Something Authentic Happened |
2015 | Back On The Bricks |
On, Rocinante!! | |
2014 | Changing Frequently |
2013 | Trifles |
2012 | Simple, Ordinary And Wonderous |
2011 | Humane Writers |
Will John Bolton Testify?
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Impeachment, John Bolton, John W. Gardner, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Republicans, Ukraine on November 25, 2019| 3 Comments »
Our problem is not to find better values but to be faithful to those we profess. | |
— John W. Gardner | |
[John Bolton is a Republican conservative. I can honestly say I have no recollection of EVER agreeing with any of his opinions or policies. Having said this, I have always believed that while I detest his policies, Bolton loves our country and would never participate in allowing Russian interference in our government. We are rapidly approaching the point where his values and his love of country will be severely tested. I remain convinced (and predict) that even if Bolton honestly testifies against President Trump viz-a-viz the Ukraine and political crimes (bribery, extortion, abuse of power), it will not change a single vote for impeachment conviction in the Senate. Still, history will be Bolton’s judge. I fear Bolton, like the Republicans in the House and Senate, will lack the courage to stand up for America, the Constitution, and the rule of law. I would LOVE it if Bolton turns out to have been the whistle-blower all along. Now, THAT would make a great book / movie!! Nah. No one would ever believe it… — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Just Maybe |
2017 | Police In My Review Mirror |
2016 | Full And Rich |
2015 | Go Deeper |
2014 | Intentional Mapping |
2013 | The Sweet Path |
2012 | Living Free And Abolition |
Morning Wood | |
2011 | I Resemble That Remark |
Looking For A Republican With A Profile In Courage
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Black Cats, Confucius, Dark Rooms, Philosophy, Politics, Profiles In Courage, Quotes, Republicans on November 24, 2019| 3 Comments »
The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat. | |
― Confucius | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Hammers, Bells And Songs |
2017 | My Friends |
2016 | In Need Of Some Work |
2015 | Elections Have Consequences |
2014 | An Ear Of Happy Accidents |
2013 | Powerful Substitute |
2012 | Heroes Restored |
2011 | As You Should |
Or In This Case – What’s Wrong
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #DonTheCon, #Impeach45, Doing Right, GOP, Independents, Isaac Asimov, Justin Amash, Morals, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Republicans on November 23, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right. | |
— Isaac Asimov | |
[I hope I am incorrect, but I honestly do not believe a single Republican in either the House or the Senate will vote to impeach or convict #DonTheCon. We are rapidly approaching a sadder day for the GOP than his nomination or election. We are approaching the day when the GOP abandons all moral authority to lead the country and surrenders the Constitution and the rule of law to a criminal running the government as a cult of personality. Assuming he continues to vote his conscience, history will show only Justin Amash of Michigan, (a lifelong Republican who last July 2019 switched to Independent) was the only Republican who had the courage to defend the Constitution. I could almost (ALMOST) understand if the Republican defense was “What the President did was against the law and wrong, but we don’t feel it rises to the level of an impeachable crime.” But, they (Republicans) won’t even go that far because it would then require them to censure the President in an election year. The GOP will be confirming they are a party of liars and cowards. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Just Passing Through |
2017 | True Torture |
Happy Thanksgiving – 2017 !! | |
2016 | Overtaken |
2015 | Alone Praying |
2014 | A Full Man |
2013 | Off Defending The Universe |
Taking Precautions | |
2012 | Never, Never, Never |
2011 | Testing 1, 2, 3 |
Destroying The Republic
Posted in Leadership, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #ImpeachTrump, Afghans, Champions Of Justice, Democrats, Editorials, Fort Bragg, Ideals, Independents, Iraqis, Kurds, Our Republic Is Under Attack From the President, Oval Office, Philosophy, Politics, President Trump, Quotes, Republicans, Rohingyas, South Sudanese, Syrians, The Good Guys, The New York Times, United Nations Security Council, Values, William H. McRaven, www.nytimes.com on October 17, 2019| Leave a Comment »
…As I stood on the parade field at Fort Bragg, one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” | |
Those words echoed with me throughout the week. It is easy to destroy an organization if you have no appreciation for what makes that organization great. We are not the most powerful nation in the world because of our aircraft carriers, our economy, or our seat at the United Nations Security Council. We are the most powerful nation in the world because we try to be the good guys. We are the most powerful nation in the world because our ideals of universal freedom and equality have been backed up by our belief that we were champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate. | |
But, if we don’t care about our values, if we don’t care about duty and honor, if we don’t help the weak and stand up against oppression and injustice — what will happen to the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states? | |
If our promises are meaningless, how will our allies ever trust us? If we can’t have faith in our nation’s principles, why would the men and women of this nation join the military? And if they don’t join, who will protect us? If we are not the champions of the good and the right, then who will follow us? And if no one follows us — where will the world end up? | |
President Trump seems to believe that these qualities are unimportant or show weakness. He is wrong. These are the virtues that have sustained this nation for the past 243 years. If we hope to continue to lead the world and inspire a new generation of young men and women to our cause, then we must embrace these values now more than ever. | |
And if this president doesn’t understand their importance, if this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, both domestically and abroad, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it. | |
— William H. McRaven | |
Retired Navy Admiral | |
Former commander of the United States Special Operations Command and former chancellor of the University of Texas system. | |
Excerpt from his opinion / editorial: “Our Republic Is Under Attack From the President“ | |
Found on the web site for The New York Times: https://wwww.nytimes.com | |
The link to the on-line version is: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/opinion/trump-mcraven-syria-military.html | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Maps For Those Difficult Times |
2017 | A True American Hero |
Or Desserts | |
2016 | What #AmnestyDon Is Really Afraid Of |
2015 | What Are You Doing? |
2014 | The Ideal Man |
2013 | Daring Ripples |
2012 | Evermore |
2011 | Unpredictable Opportunity |
2010 | Giants Fall In Game 2 (1 to 6) – Leave PA With 1-1 Split !! |
He Wasn’t “Just Kidding The Press”
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged #TrumpIsACriminal, Aeschylus, Aesop, China, Excuses, Florida, Ohio, Quotes, Representative Jim Jordan, Republicans, Senator Mark Rubio, The Biden Family, Truth, Tyrants, War on October 10, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Any excuse will serve a tyrant. | |
— Aesop | |
In war, truth is the first casualty. | |
— Aeschylus | |
[President Trump is at war with “the truth”, “the Press”, and with every decent “value” America has tried to “stand for” for almost 250 years. He will do anything (legal or not) and say anything (lying or even a rare truth) to get re-elected. Senator Mark Rubio (Florida) and Representative Jim Jordan (Ohio) are “defending” President Trump’s publicly asking China to “investigate” the Biden family as a “joke” and an attempt to “chide” and “outrage” the press and liberals. Let’s make NO mistake about this… #TrumpIsACriminal was not “just kidding” when he was dangling a favorable trade negotiation / tariff deal with China in exchange for an “investigation”. The President was OPENLY soliciting aid for his own re-election from a foreign power — which is against the law — because he did NOT want his offer to be misunderstood (by ANY foreign power)… We have absolutely no reason to believe the President is lying when he says he is willing to commit a Federal crime – when it is in his personal interest to do so – and EVERY reason to believe he is being honest in his criminal offer. ANY Republican who purports to be supporting / defending the President with this blatantly specious excuse (“he’s kidding”) is being equally treasonous in condoning this Federal crime. I won’t say they are “accessories” to the crime, but they are getting very close to it (being an accessory). Senator Rubio should be ashamed of himself for initiating this “defense” because he knows first-hand how unfit for office this President is. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Thinking About My Hil |
Remember Your Duty In November | |
2017 | Play Well With Others |
2016 | Surviving And Challenging |
2015 | On Destroying Historic / Archaeological Sites |
2014 | Magical Power |
2013 | How Awesome Would That Be |
2012 | Two Views |
2011 | Still Looking For Examples |
2010 | Giants Win Away 3 – 2!! |
Chained To #45
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged Chains, Conservatives, Fools, Politics, Quotes, Republicans, Voltaire on March 19, 2019| Leave a Comment »
It is hard to free fools from chains they revere. | |
— Voltaire | |
[What every happened to the “good old days” when Republicans could be intelligent AND conservative; who you could respect even if you disagreed with their policies? I guess those folks have either died or left the GOP. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Some Men Make Their Office As Small As Themselves |
2017 | Too Many |
2016 | Not Yet, Anyway |
2015 | On Pornography |
2014 | Nudge, Nudge |
2013 | The Journey Will Be Joy |
2012 | Hopeful Flights |
2011 | Irrationally Predictable |
Lawful Restraint | |
#ContinueToResist
Posted in History, Politics, Quotes, tagged #ContinueToResist, #Resist, 2020 Census, Anyone But Trump, Citizens United, Cowards, Dark Money, Electoral College, History, Paul Ryan, Politics, President Abraham Lincoln, Protest, Reapportionment, Republicans, Rust Belt, Silence, Sin, South Carolina, Speaker of the House on January 21, 2019| Leave a Comment »
To sin by silence when they should protest, makes cowards of human beings. | |
— Abraham Lincoln | |
[It is vitally important to continue resisting the programs of President Trump and the Republican Senate. It is equally important to support the Democratic control of the House of Representatives. Remember, if there is no clear election in the Electoral College in 2020, the decision of who will be the next President will fall to the House of Representatives. I believe this is what the Republicans were actually hoping for when the “Anyone but Trump” Republican movement went silent. They didn’t have to get Trump elected President in the popular vote. The Republicans only had to tie up the Electoral College. In which case, Paul Ryan most probably would have been “elected” President. One: he was the Republican VP nominee in the prior election (2012). Normally, when the ticket fails, the VP choice is the next one in line to be put forward. And, two: Ryan was the Speaker of the House, which means he was already the “prime” person to be elevated from the House to the Oval Office. When (in 2016) Florida went to the Republicans and the House was retained by the Republicans, they only needed one of the Rust Belt states and South Carolina to stop Clinton, irrespective of her national popular vote count. The same conditions will be true in 2020, if the Republicans can somehow flip the House back to their control. | |
Added to that (final control of the Presidential election), the House also has primary responsibility for seat reapportionment after the 2020 census. If Republicans flip control back (to themselves) they will use even more gerrymandering to reduce the value of the popular vote. (Of course, this presumes the Republicans retain control of the majority of the State Houses, too. Since they control 32 States to the Dems 14, it seems likely they will.) Don’t misinterpret me. The Democratic Party will also gerrymander, but they “generally” do so to increase the value of the popular vote. They (the Democrats) “only” do this because the demographics of the future favor the the Democratic Party. Basically, older (mostly white male) voters are dying and the younger voters (across all genders, ethnic breakdown, income and education levels) replacing them on the voting roles are trending to the Democratic Party. And without newer ideas, the Conservative / Republican Party will continue to wither away. IMHO: It is only “Dark Money” and the Citizens United decision which have propped the Republican Party up this far. | |
A word to the wise should suffice… Stay engaged locally. #Resist — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | More Executive Time For #DumbDonald |
2017 | Watched The Inauguration |
Two Geniuses | |
2016 | Come Dance And Laugh With Me |
2015 | Looks Good To Me |
2014 | Desire For The Sea |
2013 | The Fierce Urgency Of NOW |
Happy Inauguration Day! | |
2012 | One Path |
Sorrow And Joy | |
The Seven Year View | |
2011 | Emergent Practicality |
#IncompetentDonald: On The Road To Ruin
Posted in History, Politics, Quotes, tagged #IncompetentDonald, 2020 Census, Alaska, Car Mechanics, Delaware, Democrats, Gerrymandering, History, House Of Representatives, Humor, Images, Montana, MSNBC, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Politics, Quotes, Re-Districting The House Of Representatives, Republicans, Senate, South Dakota, Steven Wright, This is the best explanation of gerrymandering you will ever see - Article, Vermont, Washington Post, Wyoming on November 14, 2018| Leave a Comment »
My mechanic told me “I couldn’t fix your brakes, so I made your horn louder.” | |
— Steven Wright | |
[Without any significant accomplishments (which the majority of Americans actually supported) during his first two years as President, #IncompetentDonald chose to use the mid-term elections campaign to spread hate and fear. The results were a (not surprising) repudiation of the President where the number of Americans voting against Republicans increased from three million votes (Trump vs. Hilary popular vote loss count) to over six million (nationwide total – see image below) in the House and twelve million (nationwide total) in the Senate. It is only the fact that Republicans outnumber Democrats in States with smaller populations which has allowed them to retain control of the Senate. In the United States, each State gets two Senators irrespective of the State’s population. The House, on the other hand, gets Districts assigned based on populations with a minimum of one. Some of the States with smaller populations (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) only have one Representative (called “at large”) with their “District” being the entire State. The Senate is “inherently” less “democratic” for the nation by design. Additionally, by only having one-third of its members up for re-election in any given election, it is also “inherently” more moderating (i.e. “conservative”) in representing the overall population of both the State and the nation. (The Senate is the “brake” in this metaphor.) Because the entire House of Representatives is up for re-election each election period, the House tends to reflect the political swings in the electorate more quickly and more radically – direction and degree – when the country is shouting “Stop” or “Speed-up”. (The House is the “horn”.) | |
Of course, the comparison of vote totals above – numbers for President, House and Senate – are comparing apples to oranges to bananas. And / but, they also do NOT take into account the significant gerrymandering done as of the 2010 census, which heavily tilted the House Districts in favor of the Republicans. This makes the wins by the Democrats even MORE impressive! It remains to be seen if those changes will remain when we go back into a Presidential turnout. It also highlights the importance of Democrats working at the State level to regain control of as many State governorships and legislatures as possible heading into the next (2020) census and subsequent House redistricting. The number of seats is controlled at the Federal level, but the actual redrawing of the Districts is done by the individual States. | |
This last part, the census and the redistricting is why it is vitally important for the electorate (the voters) to stay active during the run-up to 2020 (the census) and then immediately after through 2022, when the redistricting will normally occur. In other words, you (voters seeking to make a progressive difference) can’t go to sleep between now and 2022 or the Republicans can continue and increase their relative positions through 2032. By the way, the gerrymander is not (by any means) unique to the Republicans. The Democrats have also used it to protect their seats. The difference is the modern day use of computers to track voters and then specifically target the isolation of opposition voters to maximize their count while minimizing their effect. For example, one State (Pennsylvania) had 51% of the vote (Democrats), but seated 5 out of 18 Districts (28% of the House seats) in 2012 because Republicans controlled the State legislature. So, a word to the wise… If you want to keep the house after 2020, stay awake and stay active! | |
Finally, for an excellent explanation of Gerrymandering, please read the linked article: “This is the best explanation of gerrymandering you will ever see“, which appeared in the Washington Post a few years back. I re-read it every year to remind myself of what is at stake. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | He Says, It Says |
2016 | Marriage Advice |
2015 | To James (and ‘Tasha) |
2014 | Ssshhush, You Are Not Alone |
2013 | So I Chose Living… |
2012 | For However Short A Time… |
2011 | Take A Deep Breath And Continue (Or Not) |
2010 | Tootsie-Roll Day |