Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

That Did Not Go Well

Voters, shame on us if we do not stop this madness in 2018.

"In 1980, Ronald Reagan campaigned for the presidency on a platform that included abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. Only recently created by President Jimmy Carter as a political favor to the teachers' unions, the department had failed to deliver either better test scores or more rigorous curriculum dedicated to academic excellence. That sounded like a good idea to me, because I have never believed in federal control of the schools. The vast majority of parents can figure out for themselves how to educate their children and how to provide them with good values. And if some parents can't do so, well, there's most likely someone nearby who can step in. That's what I mean by local control and by the wisdom of letting the fifty states--all those separate laboratories of democracy--chart their own courses on education. The challenge of good schooling, I firmly believe, is best addressed as close to the student as possible."  OnTheIssues

Ethicists and attorneys opposed Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. They knew their work would be endless if she were confirmed. It happened.

If you know an ethicist or attorney this is a good time to head to Washington, or to areas of the country who will be on the front lines opposing this President's cabinet appointments. The ethicist for the Obama White House said attorneys in Washington were bored for the eight years of the Obama administration. Now there's work for everybody.

Next will be the Attorney General, and there's little to no doubt Jeff Sessions will be confirmed. I am counting on the judicial branch of government to hold this administration in check but with the future of the Supreme Court in play, and Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, I am concerned.
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I have a confession. I am extremely bitter toward Evangelical Christians, the Church, and religion. I try to keep that under control but in this environment it seeps through. When you catch me expressing that bitterness I hope you will call it to my attention. I need to be held accountable.
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Now, on to more cheerful things. Here in Portland there is a woman who decided to give a crisp $100 bill to a complete stranger every day for 30 days. I don't have $100 bills to give away but there are other things we can do.


This morning when I read the blog Molly's Folks I was flooded with ideas. Instead of knitting a protest hat perhaps this would be better for my soul. I can embroidery, I enjoy working with felt. I could imagine giving one of these to little white haired ladies that block my path in the grocery store. There must be endless possibilities for using these hearts or other embroidered creations. There are many lonely people in the world and many people are very concerned these days. If not hearts then something else that can fit in your purse to show a little love to strangers.
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The big lesson of Trump's first 2 weeks: resistance works, by Matthew Yglesias

Your Guide to the Sprawling New Anti-Trump Resistance Movement, by Joshua Holland

20 comments:

  1. I'm upset about DeVos. I was glad Maine's Susan Collins voted no, but she didn't do it early enough in the process. DeVos is about as unqualified for the job as anyone can be. Thank you for the plug about the embroidered hearts! I'm going to make more, thanks to you.

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    1. You could make those hearts into little pins. Also make other creations, like animals, Christmas items etc. I'd about as soon have Trump as Pence.

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  2. I am from Michigan, as is Jean, and we are on opposite sides of the aisle, but we agree on DeVos--as we know a lot about here being from her home State. An awful lot of us Republican's didn't want her confirmed.
    I am a Christian, but I don't know if I am an Evangelical one. I'll have to look up the definition and get back to you on that.

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    1. You may be on to something. If Republicans who oppose Trump would join Independents and Democrats wo oppse him it might be possible to form a new party from the best of both parties.

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  3. Okay--I just Googled Evangelical Christians. There are 5 distinct beliefs that set them apart from other Christians. I have 3 out of the 5--so I don't know what that makes me. I do know that I'm not going to drag you down to the altar, kicking and screaming, that's not my modus operandi. I do have a very strong faith and believe in the power of prayer and I have seen one or two miracles in my lifetime. I won't cram my beliefs down your throat, and I hope you can agree that you won't try and change me. LOL

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    1. I doubt you've ever laid eyes on the kind of Evangelical Christian I'm referring to as they're unique to the South. The deeper you go in the Southern states the more ridged they become, Southern Baptists they're called.

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  4. We have a friend at church who is in the early stages of Alzheimers. She crochets to keep her mind focused. She still sings in the choir (and crochets between songs), she acts as usher when she feels well, she visits and chats with those who come to church. She always has an angel she has crocheted to give to visitors. When we go out to lunch, she brings the angels and hands them out to the wait staff. Everyone loves her angels.

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    1. How wonderful she can do that, plus she's gifting a sweet remembrance to her friends to think of her when they see their angel.

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  5. DeVos is bad for public schools. She's all about getting Jesus into for profit schools with tax payer vouchers paying for them. These schools are not preforming as well as the public schools in many cases. DeVos is from my area. Everything around that couple is about advancing their church and making money.

    I am the opposite of you on the issue of federal controls over schools instead of states. When someone graduates from high school, it shouldn't make a difference which state the diploma came from, there are core subjects all kids should know. And history and science books that are written for southern states and northern states are going to be come the norm without federal oversights.

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    1. Woah, do you think I'm for abolishing the Department of Education at the Federal level? Absolutely not. That's the scariest thing I can think of. It gives me nightmares to think of raising a child in Texas with those crazies in charge of education. They've got the scariest people imaginable writing textbooks in Texas. I'd absolutely choose home schooling over public school if I lived in Texas.

      In this day we cannot afford to have education left to the states. Society is too mobile. Need same regulations for schools in every state. Also I want to keep religion out of the schools.

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  6. Two weeks of Trump and things get scarier than ever.

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    1. The Republican Party is as big a threat as Trump. What a mess.

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  7. I did have to backtrack to see that all of that first long paragraph was a quote from, I think. Ronald Reagan. I wanted to shout at it all the way through reading it.
    We lost the Besty Battle today, sadly. I'll now go to work on Scott Pruitt for EPA and Tom price for Health and Human services. I am strongly opposed to Jeff Sessions, but I'm sure we can't beat him.
    I too worry about our system of checks and balances. The Rs in Congress seem to be kowtowing to Trump, and now the courts will be compromised.

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    1. I'm more confused everyday. I'm beginning to wonder if it's possible the judicial branch of government will become compromised and we won't have any checks and balances left. The Republican senators that voted on Betsy Devos are totally compromised. I simply don't know what to think anymore.

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  8. There's no question about the danger the Judicial branch of government is in which is why our leader has been going after them all alone -- discrediting judges, as he continues to do with a press he wants to control. Even if this current immigrant banning case allowing entry to U.S. is upheld, it will likely end up in the Supreme Court and we have to wonder whether or not an interpretation will be reached counter to the leader's will. If not, preserving this democratic republic is on very shaky ground.

    Peter Principle may have kicked in with Devos. A shame we have to pay her to learn about public education those who have experienced it as student, parent, etc. know.

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    1. I don't understand how the judicial system works. I'm just hoping it remains strong and unbiased. Ethicists and attorney's are going to have a field day with DeVos.

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  9. I think almost everyone can agree that DeVos is a horrible pick.
    Those little hearts are cute.

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    1. A terrible pick and an ethics disaster. Clean indication of how damaged the Republican Party really is these days.

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  10. By now you've seen what happened to Elizabeth Warren. This is all terrible for our country. An ill wind is coming. I can feel it in my old bones. It reminds me very much of Nazi Germany in its early stages. The South with their bigotry, anti science stance and religious fanaticism always said they would rise again. Trump just knows how to play them oh so well and the other republicans see more power in their future and that's why they follow him. People are self serving especially politicians.

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    1. The Southern states continue to be a problem when it comes to civil rights, human rights, voting rights and religious freedom. I don't expect that to change in my lifetime.

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