Arizona will turn Blue soon

A Blue Arizona finally

I live in Arizona and, due to a large amount of rainfall and the warmer days coming sooner, this state is beautiful! But it's not Blue yet, still Red with a gang of radical conservatives hell-bent on ruining the state. We have some of the loosest gun laws in the country, our educational system ranks 47th in the U.S., with teacher pay a confusing number 50th to 28th nationwide. But, the Hill reports that, "Arizona Democrats see a path to the White House that runs through the Valley of the Sun."

That avenue cited is a result of a doubling population since 1990, that in the past was initiated by retirees who voted Republican. Much of the growth is still the fantastic weather, but now the younger generation has found the Valley of the Sun. They are looking for good jobs and low housing costs — while at the same time holding on to their progressive beliefs. One of the significant results of this is the fact that Krysten Sinema, a woman and Democrat, was elected to the U.S. Senate.

Half of our imports, 537,000 people total, came from California carrying that state's Progressivism in their luggage. I have experienced a local group reading my blog who agree with my posts and express their own Progressive views. And there are the Hispanic voters who have let both parties down repeatedly in the past, but with a younger age group the time just might be right in 2020. When you combine these three groups, the left could make its voice heard in the near future, turning Arizona into the Blue state it should be.

What is gerrymandering?...

GERRYMANDERING IS...

"manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favor one party or class."

In other words, drawing lines that favor your party so the people in a particular voting district will have the numbers to elect the candidate of their choice. It's been done for years, by both parties, but most recently Republican efforts--while Debbie Wasserman Schultz was asleep at the Democratic National Committee--have put the GOP in the enviable position of controlling an important number of voting districts across the country. And this wins elections.

What ThinkProgress calls an "unlikely alliance" in the U.S. Supreme Court could save "Proportional representation" in No. Carolina and Maryland, where cases are pending. During the process of each attorney arguing his or her case, Justice Kavanaugh made an interesting observation. After listening to one of the lawyers with no comment, Kavanaugh suggested...

"that proportional representation provides the courts with a 'judicially manageable' standard to assess whether a particular map is gerrymandered." 

Justice Brett Kavanaugh has been a constant worry of Progressives and Democrats for his conservative views, the most prevalent being abortion. But he, along with Chief Justice Roberts, could help SCOTUS to arrive at an equitable decision for both sides.

Trump determined to take away Americans healthcare

The Oval Office lunatic is on another rampage to repeal Obamacare, just because he hates Barack Obama. You can place Mitch McConnell in that same category (hating Obama-they are both racists) with McConnell's continuing support to get rid of Obamacare. Neither does it for the good of the country or its citizenry, they do it to feed their warped egos and sick minds in the continuing parade to erase anything Barack Obama did in his administration. GOP Senators were blindsided, according to The Hill. And Republicans are screaming, "We need a plan," on another occasion where they are caught short by their own president, says Politico. It remains beyond comprehension how a maniac like Donald Trump can continue to lead the most powerful country in the world.

There is nothing lower than this man

 

Definitely Mitch McConnell

MITCH MCCONNELL. He is the most underhanded politician that has ever been in Congress using his power as head of the Senate to stymie or completely block anything with a liberal tag, even if it's good for the country. McConnell doesn't give a shit about this country, he cares only about pushing a Republican agenda. His latest ploy is to block release of the Mueller Report to the public, having opposed it two times now. A majority of the public wants it and most of Congress, including several Republicans, want it. Yet this lowlife takes it upon himself to decide to keep it a secret. Hopefully the courts will decide to take it out of the hands of this mentally challenged Congress.

Your political bullshit of the day

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Democrats resist another of Donald Trump's stupid ideas to kill Obamacare...To Israel's Premiere, Netanyahu, Donald Trump's corrupt administration is just a joke...Maybe SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts is more liberal than we thought...The anti-vaxxers and their unvaccinated should be banned from all public places...Anyone who thinks the Mueller investigation of Donald Trump is over should read this piece...

Barr sucked up on Mueller Report to get his job

Nancy Pelosi

The above headline is frightening in itself with the implication that Donald Trump selects his staff and Cabinet members just to please his bidding. Naive me. To confirm this, Nancy Pelosi told Democrats in a recent private meeting...

"Attorney General William Barr's words cannot be taken at face value, according to multiple sources in the meeting, arguing Barr got the job in the first place by authoring a memo criticizing special counsel Robert Mueller's obstruction probe as 'fatally misconceived.'"

Trump is known for naming people to posts with the direct opposite views than the post represents, for example, Scott Wheeler, current EPA head, was formerly a lobbyist for the coal industry, the latter which has provided some of the dirtiest air this country has ever experienced. And Pelosi is calling for the full release of the Mueller Report like all Democrats and several Republicans. The Speaker is making her moves because...

"Democrats are facing a torrent of criticism from congressional Republicans and the White House after Barr released his summary of Mueller's report on Sunday."

It is my prediction that Progressives and Democrats will have the last laugh when the truth finally comes out, but Donald Trump will be...to be determined. 

What did Barr "forget" in release of Mueller summary?

The Atlantic says what Barr "forgot" to mention is critical, with writer Natasha Bertrand explaining as follows...

"experts tell me that Mueller’s decision not to charge Trump or his campaign team with a conspiracy is far from dispositive, and that the underlying evidence the special counsel amassed over two years could prove as useful as a conspiracy charge to understanding the full scope of Russia’s election interference in 2016."

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, the summary and complete Mueller Report is inconclusive. In other words, Robert Mueller didn't find anything he could take to court. This is far from exonerating Donald Trump, especially considering all the other federal investigations of the man in progress, plus the New York Atty.  Gen. is after him on several fronts.

David Kris, founder of Culper Partners, who served as the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s National Security Division under former President Barack Obama said...

“there is no question that a counterintelligence investigation would have a wider aperture than a strict criminal inquiry as applied here, and would be concerned, for example, with the motivations and any sub-criminal misconduct of the principal actors.”

He adds, “The American people rightly should expect more from their public servants than merely avoiding criminal liability."

But...have the American people arrived at the point where they have come to accept what the Oval Office lunatic does? If so, this is so pathetic!

Your political bullshit of the day

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Will the courts have to force the full release of the Mueller Report?...What has happened to So. Poverty Law Center credibility?...Russian arms maker Almaz-Antey modifies the Kalashnikov's AK-47 into a flying drone for more sophisticated mass killings...Seniors are looking more to marijuana or its hemp kin to improve their lives...Medicare for all could eliminate health care insurance as we know it, but do we care?...The 10 most unanswered questions about the Mueller report...

Is Trump really on the edge of his cliff, ready to fall/jump?

T-rump cornered

Robert Reich asks, "What does a megalomaniacal president of the United States do when he’s cornered?" That, in itself, is damning, but it speaks to the tragedy of dealing with the sitting Oval Office lunatic. Reich continues...

"Senate Republicans have begun to desert him: Twelve defected on the wall; seven refused to back Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. Almost all have gone on record that they want Robert Mueller’s report made public."

Many are screaming, including some Republicans, Mueller "does not exonerate." Because T-rump has no capacity to contain guilt, there will be no abasement, thus, this idiot will merrily go on his way, continuing to destroy America. Here's what Trump said to Breitbart...

“I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump — I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad.”

A clear assertion of violence if he doesn't get his way. The Intercept asks..."Is Donald Trump inciting far-right terror in the U.S.?" Then they mention the killings by hate groups, including Charlottesville, VA. It goes on...

"contrary to Donald Trump’s warnings, terrorists weren’t coming from Mexico or Syria; they were here in America, and some of them attended his rallies."

Reich sums up "trump's mind" very concisely...

"congressional investigations that could cause him shame and humiliation, and quite possibly result in a prison sentence, will be countered by forces loyal to him: the police, the military, and vigilante groups like Bikers for Trump."

If not impeachment, what??? 

NRA teaches Aussies "How to sell a massacre"

NRA head Wayne LaPierre

According to an Al Jazeera investigation, the National Rifle Assn. has specific guidelines on how to steer the blame for mass gun massacres away from the real reason: too many guns on the street. This is how they coached  Australia's One Nation party... 

"First, 'Say nothing.' If media queries persist, go on the 'offence, offence, offence'. Smear gun-control groups. 'Shame them' with statements such as - 'How dare you stand on the graves of those children to put forward your political agenda?'

Aha, a blatant admittance that, in general, gun nuts are responsible for the gun violence we experience daily. Well, not so much daily "down under" but certainly here in the U.S. If the NRA didn't feel this tremendous guilt for killing children across the country, why would they assemble this "playbook" on mass shootings that was revealed during the course of a three-year undercover sting by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit.

Undercover reporter, Rodger Muller, infiltrated the gun lobbies in the US and Australia. With a hidden camera he recorded "a series of meetings between representatives of the NRA and One Nation in Washington, DC in September last year." Proof, he says of how the NRA "deliberates over mass shootings and seeks to manipulate media coverage to push its pro-gun agenda." And then NRA head Wayne LaPierre stands before the American public spouting his bullshit...

"In our thoughts and prayers," and "Guns don't kill, people do."

Pathetic! 

Mueller Report inconclusive-See below...

Although the smart political pundits are still saying that the Mueller Report is the least of Donald Trump's worries, an analysis of that report yields the following...

"To be clear, only a summary of Mueller's report, and none of his inquiry's underlying evidence, was released. What's more, federal and state investigations into the president's business organization, his charitable foundation, his payment of hush money during the campaign and his inaugural committee are continuing and could lead to legal troubles down the road."

Republicans, of course, will make hay with the fact that Mueller could not conclusively come to the conclusion that T-rump colluded with the Russians during the 2016 election. Despite the fact that many of Robert Mueller's post report statements have left open the fact that the fat lady hasn't sung yet. The special counsel said he couldn't reach a conclusion on the question of obstruction of justice saying...

"While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Now this isn't exactly an indictment of Trump, it is certainly a sorry state of affairs when we're talking about the President of the United States.

NRA gun violence takes its 3rd suicide victim

JeremyRichman, Sandy Hook father

First it was two Parkland survivors, taking their life after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder from the mass killing of 19 fellow students. And then yesterday, the father of a Sandy Hook victim where 20 children died from mass gun violence, Jeremy Richman, was found dead in his Connecticut office building.

Continued "thoughts and prayers" and "guns don't kill, people do" bullshit from Wayne LaPierre's National Rifle Assn. and a cowardly U.S. Congress continue to add to the misery. To say that these suicides are by-products of the mass killing spree that has been going on for some time would be true but tragic.

What is even more tragic is the fact that nothing is being done. Yes, despite the fact that 69 percent of Americans, including 85 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans, want strong or moderate restrictions placed on firearms, there is still that fear of the NRA, thus, nothing is done about gun violence. And here's the worst...

"Among those who want tougher gun laws now, only 14 percent said they were “very confident” their representatives understood their views on firearms, and just 8 percent felt “very confident” their elected representatives would do anything about it."

As long as gun nuts control this country, there is no hope of controlling gun violence.

Trump drives U.S. to recession

Manufacturing is down to its weakest position since June 2017, most likely due to T-rump playing games with China in the trade dispute. This is the second major program he has failed on; the first was his tax reform law that bombed. Here's one outlook...

"The New York Federal Reserve’s projections for Q1 2019, growth will average about 1.29 percent, which is well short of the 2018 growth figure of 2.9 percent."

 And Bloomberg prompts, "Bond Market Flashes Recession Warning Before Round of Auctions," while "investors are about to absorb $131 billion of Treasury note auctions at the lowest yields in months." Yet, Trump has expanded the deficit by $234 billion, which is the largest deficit ever. If we did have a recession, with this deficit "the government would be unable to raise funds for economic stimulus from debt markets due to its already overextended position."

Economists say this is all unsustainable, but if the administration did try to put the clamps on the deficit, we would most likely experience a recession now. Politically there is only one choice for the Oval Office lunatic, but the future won't look pretty. 

Welcome to rampant racism for the ages

U of GA Tau Kappa Epsilon racism

The U.S. doesn't have an exclusive on racism; it is worldwide, says the site Global Issues. It also suggests an interesting concept that racism is a "misunderstanding of Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution." It goes on...

"Some took Darwin’s theories to imply that since some races were more civilized, there must be a biological basis for the difference. At the same time they appealed to biological theories of moral and intellectual traits to justify racial oppression. There is a great deal of controversy about race and intelligence, in part because the concepts of both race and IQ are themselves controversial."

I do not believe the xenophobic red necks who hate anyone who is different than them are smart enough to figure out the above, thus, it is most likely attributed to their double-digit IQs. In other words, they can't rationalize the difference between a white and a black person so the black must be bad. And then there are those with a slightly higher IQ like the University of Georgia fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon.

I am originally from the South and experienced the worst kind of racial hatred, including KKK lynchings. And then along came the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and many of us believed we had solved the problem. Not so, and my gut tells me that today it is worse than those earlier times and for much of this we can thank Donald Trump.

Bernie's weekend in California a YUGE success

Just received an email from the Bern with the interesting news that "in 2020 California voters will receive their ballots in the mail right around the time people in Iowa head out to caucus." It is important that Sanders' supporters continue to stand behind their man. He took his campaign to California this past weekend with a gungho crowds in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Bernie has already accumulated 245,000 supporters in the state.

In San Diego, where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a speech to the people of that city 82 years ago., The Bern attracted 6,000 people; in Los Angeles, 15,000; and San Francisco brought out 16,000, with a total of 37,000. He also stopped by the Islamic Center of Southern California to talk about the recent New Zealand mosque shooting, more encouragement that Sanders is firmly behind gun control for 2020.

Mueller Report release ends further indictments, but...

New York Attorney General

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee has said after the release of the Mueller report, "There is still ‘significant evidence of  collusion.’" House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) ays he "doesn’t need the Mueller report to know whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia." The Hill says if Democrats feel "emboldened" to take it further, it could "look like overreach to many Americans." My gut tells me that only the radical conservatives will take the latter position, with Mueller's remarks leaving open the extent to which Donald Trump should be held accountable. 

But the Mueller Report is, perhaps, the least of Donald Trump's worries. The New York Attorney General is investigating T-rump on several fronts. His business deals, various projects, his finances, and in the latest has issued subpoenas to Deutsche Bank and Investors Bank for records relating to the financing of four major Trump Organization projects. The state of New York will not be impeded by a Republican Congress that has protected Trump during all of his administration, so far. There has to be an end to this, and it isn't likely to be favorable to Donald Trump.

Your political bullshit of the day

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Facebook still getting away with murder re.its handling of privacy...Trump's own economists now agree that his tax cuts were a failure...Anti-vaxxers have caused so much of a health problem multiple states are considering restricting vaccine exemptions...Poor babies Olivia Jade and Isabella Giannulli could be banned from USC for life...And, GoFundMe has banned all anti-vaxxers who raise money to spread misinformation...

I'm in for Bernie's 2020 run

Bernie Sanders in 2020

Bernie Sanders has officially declared for the 2020 presidential campaign and both my wife and I are now satisfied that he does genuinely support gun control. This is his most recent position:

"Sanders supports a ban on assault weapons, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and expanding background checks. However, his record on gun control has been mixed, and he has admitted that he comes from a state with little gun control legislation, though many of the guns used there are for hunting."

OK...this is at least a start.

The above is from Elle magazine where you can also find out where he stands on Taxes, Income and wealth distribution, plus other issues. I was particularly encouraged by the recent Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez comments on confronting the NRA and banning assault weapons. If you really look into what Bernie Sanders stands for, his slate is the most diverse of policies that appeal to Progressives, and they are the issues that are most important today to get this country back where it belongs...a humanitarian nation.

Now it's time to start making our donations to the Bern.

Your political bullshit of the day

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San Antonio airport refuses to let Chick-fil-A restaurant in due to their opposition to the LGBTQ community...Iowa's white supremacist Steve King "Belittles Hurricane Katrina Victims" for Needing Help...Boeing advised airlines their pilots needed minimum training for 737 Max, two of which have crashed killing all aboard...Lori Loughlin has been cited for agreeing to "deceive" the IRS over college bribes...Newsweek: "MORE CHILDREN WERE SHOT DEAD IN 2017 THAN ON-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS AND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY, STUDY SAYS"...USC may revoke degrees gotten through bribery...

Republicans still afraid of Mueller Report

The culprit-AG Wm. Barr

Attorney General William Barr is sending the Mueller Report to Congress...just minus the conclusions. That's like sending an army into war without its guns. And this Congress needs all the help it can get based on its low mentality. Besides, we need to hear Mueller's conclusions in relation to his day-to-day connection to the investigation. Barr may yet release this material to the Hill, but the big question is when the American public will get their chance???

Phantom of John McCain haunts Donald Trump

This baboon sits in the White House

What is wrong with the Oval Office lunatic? John McCain's apparition seems to have Donald Trump mesmerized to the point that he can't put the late Senator out of his head. T-rump has quarreled with McCain's daughter, Meghan, and his wife, Cindy, of course, via Twitter, with comments that only lowlife Trump would make. Like making statements denouncing McCain's naval service in Vietnam. I was not a McCain fan but do respect his efforts in the military and the U.S. Senate. Fox News White House correspondent John Roberts apparently received a disturbing glare from Trump recently over questions on the criticism of McCain. The glare was captured by an ABC News correspondent. A man this troubled should not be in the White House.

Arizona breeds a lower mentality of conservatives

I live in Arizona and most of the time it is a pleasure to be here. But then there are those instances that you wonder how this state survives. Arizona is ultra conservative, the state legislature and Governor being heavily Republican. Progressives like myself are speaking out more these days and the future could be promising. But today was one of those days my wife and were wishing that we were back in California. Friday had been perfect in all respects until, while parked in a shopping center, a gnarly old codger walked up to my wife's side of the car and just stared in at us.

She rolled down the window and asked if he wanted something. His reply was, "Just wanted to see what Socialists look like." Figuring he had seen the Bernie sticker on our bumper, she replied, "That's Democratic Socialists," and what are you? "A patriot," he said, and I immediately pegged him as a Tea Party lowlife. Responding further to my wife, he said, "Oh, a communist." She countered, not even bothering to address his stupid communist comment, "Well, I respect your viewpoint." To which this double-digit bonehead replied, "I don't respect yours."

You know when you're talking to an imbecile so my wife rolled up the window and we drove away leaving a remnant of the disgraced Tea Party behind. 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for gun control

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

I was a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016, despite the fact he never did come out strong for gun control. He recently asked supporters to tell him what we were concerned about and I did...gun control. Now I do not expect to hear from Bernie personally, just want a firm indication that he will support the issue in the White House. This is what he said recently on Twitter...

"This is what real action to stop gun violence looks like. We must follow New Zealand's lead, take on the NRA and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons in the United States."

This is a great start but there is much more to be done than banning assault weapons; like the gun show loophole and universal background checks to name a couple. The Bern feels that this issue should be settled in the states. I don't. My thought is that hundreds, maybe thousands would die before all states got around to passing gun control legislation, although some states have made this move.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is solidly behind federal gun control legislation and it would be nice if she was age 35 and able to run for president. It seems that most of the enthusiasm and good ideas are coming from the young ones.  Ocasio-Cortez is 29; maybe we should change the law for electing presidents.

Top Democratic donors skeptical of Joe Biden

Biden-Sanders-O'Rourke

Bernie Sanders raised $10 million in the first week of his campaign. Beto O'Rourke raised $6.1 million on his first day. Joe Biden hasn't released any figures yet. That fact may be moot since skeptical Democratic donors have told him they won't raise any funds for him at the start of the 2020 campaign. Considering how many Democratic candidates have already declared, I'd say that is very bad news. I would be all out for the Bern by now but at this point, he hasn't shown enough support for gun control for me. It appears all the candidates are afraid to forcefully get behind this issue. Until then, there is a huge void for the Dems in 2020.

KY Gov-Stupidist of the stupid

KY Gov Matt Bevin

Just when you thought you'd heard the worst, in comes KY Gov. Matt Bevin with a new approach for the anti-vaxxers. Don't wait, call your neighbor next door who has the chickenpox and set up an appointment to bring your nine kids over and expose them. Bevin did and, of course, they caught the chickenpox. Bevin is considered something of a wacko, but he has good company in Kentucky with U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Rank Paul, the latter who apparently agrees with Bevin. I have sympathy for Kentuckians but, after all, they elected these three nitwits. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking returns the health care system to the dark ages.