Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Good Grief

I don't know why I do this to myself, but I'm watching the ABC news exclusive interview with the Orange Tweeting Toddler.

I came in during the questions about his assertions about voter fraud.  He listed a bunch of supposed fraudulent voter practices going on and the reporter points out that these theories have been debunked.  Trump tries to argue that they haven't been...he's ready the Pew report.  Reporter cuts him off stating that he spoke to the author of that report last night and stated that there was no evidence of any of those things going on.  Of course the response is insinuating that the author of the Pew report is lying.

I think he truly believes that his crowd for the inauguration was the largest ever.  He's truly delusional. Or the best actor ever.

The straw for me was Trump holding up Fox News as the beacon of fair reporting.

I made it through 10 minutes...he's threatening to bring back waterboarding, call in the Feds on Chicago...I'm done.

UPDATE on 1/26/2017

The Washington Post published the full transcript of the interview with some very interesting annotations.  Find it HERE.

Friday, January 20, 2017

The First Day

January 20, 2017...the first day of Donald Trump's presidency.  The first day of taking a step back.  His first two executive orders are to weaken the Affordable Care Act and to cut back on a federal discount program that only benefits middle class families trying to buy a home.

Yeah, I'm a liberal.  You know what that means...it means that, at the end of the day, I believe in "live and let live."  I don't judge anyone for the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their religion, their national origin, or anything else that is really not any of my business.  However, I this does not extend to standing by while my or any other people's rights are infringed on.  While our world is being abused by fossil fuels and decimation of natural resources.  While there are those who think that they are better than us because we are "bleeding hearts;" which, to me, translates as people who care.

Don't deliberately misunderstand...the existence of a gay marriage does not infringe on your rights. The existence of equality for all human beings does not infringe on you in any way. There is enough equality to go around, it is an infinite quality that everyone should get a piece of and it's still there for the next generation.

Barack Obama was a great president.  He accomplished so much while weathering the vitriol and contrary stubbornness of his detractors.  So many were willing to believe the worst lies about him...lies that would have been brushed off as ridiculous if applied to any other president in our history.  No, he wasn't perfect...he made mistakes, especially at the beginning.  However, he got us out of a recession, made sure everyone had access to the medical treatment they needed, and made it possible for people to express their love openly.   He and his family have class, humor, and kindness.

But it's not just President Obama's legacy at stake here.  I live in Texas, very close to Austin, where reminders of the presidency of LBJ are everywhere.  Nobody here realizes that the legacy of our beloved hometown president is at risk as well.

For example:

The Equal Rights Amendment
The Voting Rights Act
Medicaid
Medicare
National Endowment of the Humanities
National Endowment of the Arts
Head Start, Food Stamps, and Work Study
Gun Control Act of 1968

All of these are, in one way or another, in danger or under attack. So, while Texans visit LBJ's birthplace, enjoy the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, or vacation on Lake LBJ...they don't think that the legacy of the President that all of these these things are named for is being spat upon by the new regime.  This is Texas...one of the most conservative states in existence.

Tomorrow there is a Woman's March on ATX, one of many such protests going on this weekend.  It is heartening to know that I am not the only one who feels this way and that we will band together to have one single, strong voice.  We are not powerless, this is America and it's already great because we all can freely express this voice.

We can all loudly, and say with overwhelming certainty:

HE IS NOT MY PRESIDENT