Sabbath reflection on Trump and redemption

As a Christian, I don’t like to think of anyone as being beyond redemption. The White House’s current occupant, however, presents a bit of a challenge to this ideal. But it is not an unsurmountable one.

The Donald, just as anyone, could conceivably have a conversion experience. But what then? A conversion means a true turning away from one’s past indiscretions. The Donald would need a neck brace for such turning. The church in medieval Europe knew what to do with deposed tyrants, pretenders to the throne, and other royals who had grown too big for their noble britches. Such were banished to monasteries or nunneries, to live the remainder of their days in acts penance and contemplation.

That is what The Donald (now Brother Donald) would need to show true contrition. Exile in a monastery. A distant monastery. Without wi-fi, helicopters, or a golf course. In a cell hewn from stone. The location, location, location? Er…. Not central; rather, the monastery’s furthest borough from fellow monks and the dining hall. There he could better focus on working out his redemption.

Vocational work is part of the monastic experience. The type varies by the monks’ ability. The intellectuals write, theologize, translate texts. Clearly Brother Donald would not be suited for this. While God can change one’s heart, the brain is another organ entirely. And the Great Jehovah is not the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz. So Brother Donald would be best suited for other work to keep his tiny and newly pious hands busy. He is good at salesmanship, we must give him that. However, the abbot would have to clear any sales presentations for honesty and integrity. OK, so that option is out. Simple, manual labor it is, then.

Regardless, the rest of us could move on while Brother Donald toils quietly, to tweet no more.

Here ends this revenge fantasy of a church history nerd.

Demand end to easy weapon access

Fifty nine people (so far) have been confirmed dead in last night's massacre on the Vegas Strip. They were slaughtered by a white man shooting multiple high-power weapons from his hotel window. Hundreds more lie injured in hospitals.
Cue the "gun debate."
Gun enthusiasts will doubtless ask us to "reserve judgement" and "wait until all the facts are in."
The facts are in and have been for a long time. Our country's obsession with easy access to heavy weaponry is killing us. Gun ownership needs to be regulated and licensed. Period. High-capacity magazines need to be banned. Period.
The usual litany of praying for those injured while praising the bravery of first responders is playing out on TV screens across the country. The talk of "coming together after a tragedy" is unavoidable. Congress has already held its obligatory "moment of silence" while being careful to not offend the gun lobby.
Meanwhile the security expert talking heads discuss how to better "harden soft targets." No. We need to harden access to weapons.
TV news cameras proudly pan the seemingly endless line of people waiting hours in the hot Nevada sun to donate blood, while local businesses contribute food and beverages to sustain those donors. Numerous candlelight vigils and prayerful gatherings are planned for the coming days and nights.
I am tired of the waiting.
I am sick of the dying.
Talk, blood, food, and candles are not the answer. They are just temporary salve.
We don't need salve. We need rage.
We don't need moments of silence. We need loud.
If this grotesque year in politics has taught us anything, it is that each of our voices matter, if raised long enough, loudly enough. We need to use those voices now, not to repeat past cliches, not to indulge in resigned fatalism, but to insist our state and federal representatives take action on reasonable gun control.
Demand change. Demand it now. Keep on demanding.

Help Puerto Rico NOW

Hurricane Maria caused massive devastation to Puerto Rico. So far the federal response has been less than stellar. That needs to change immediately.
Millions of Puerto Ricans are without things as basic to life as drinking water. All are without power. Even hospital generators have run out of fuel, causing patients to die.
This is unacceptable. Our fellow Americans need life-saving assistance, lots of it. Now.
Trump's tweet count last week was NFL - too many to count; Puerto Rico - zero. He did finally fire off a few tweets in Puerto Rico's direction this week. And these were every bit as mature, statesmanlike, well-informed, and empathetic as we have come to expect from 45.
Yes, they were that bad.
He whined.
He whined about the "big ocean" between America and Puerto Rico.
We have big boats and rather impressive planes, if I am not mistaken. Use them to ferry aid rather than honeymoooning Mnuchins.
He whined about Puerto Rico's debt to Wall Street. That's rich, given that Trumpadore is in a sea of red ink himself, mostly to foreign banks as US ones got tired of his welching on his IOUs. Among those he owes millions to - the American taxpayers of Puerto Rico who got stuck with a $33 million tab for one of his numerous failed business ventures.
He whined about the infrastructure. Yes. It's bad. Fix it.
San Juan's mayor, Carmen Yulin Cruz has been on TV for days begging for help. She told Rachel Maddow last night of her frustration with federal officials requesting she send "memos" instead of acting quickly to supply her needs.
This is not the time for memos, or red tape, or tweets. This is the time for action.
The Republicans are always complaining about "government regulations." One shipping regulation which needs to be lifted right now is the Jones Act. This prohibits foreign ships from picking up and delivering products between US ports. It was waived for two weeks earlier this month to help move fuel more efficiently to help Texas and Florida after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma respectively. (The back story on the Jones Act and its impact on Puerto Rico can be found in this article from PBS' website.)
The Trump administration needs to remove barriers so aid can reach Puerto Rico. And the whining needs to stop. I've given up on this president ever being presidential, but can he at least pretend to be human? That would be awesome.

Once more, up the hill, Sisyphus

Sisyphus was a Greek mythological figure condemned to roll a boulder up a hill, only to see it roll back down. Then he would have to roll it right back up again.
Those of us fighting to keep the Republicans from destroying the Affordable Care Act may be forgiven for feeling a bit Sisphusian. We keep beating back "repeal and replace" only to have the GOP send it tumbling down the hill again. They are obstinate. We have to out-obstinate them, no matter how long it takes, no matter how many times we have to roll the same boulder back up the same hill.
With Sen. Susan Collins announcing her "no" vote tonight, it looks like the Graham/Cassidy version of  "repeal and replace" is dead. But various versions have appeared dead before, only to rise again.
Let's keep calling, faxing, visiting until this thing is buried, with a stake in its heart and its zombie brain severed from its zombie body, to mix monster metaphors. Throw in a few sun beams and silver bullets for good measure. Maybe a gallon or two of holy water.
We Resisters could use some reinforcements. New boulder pushers are welcome to join the effort. It actually does not take much time to make a big difference. It just takes a lot of us each doing something.
Here's all you need to do. Call your senators. Tell whoever answers the phone you oppose Graham/Cassidy. You don't need to explain or justify your view. They just want a constituent tally. They will likely ask your zip code so they can see where support and opposition are coming from. That is all. Your job is done. Thank you! Of course if you want to call the DC office as well as the state office closest to you, that would be great. Use this page from Common Cause to find out who represents you and how to contact them. Phone and fax numbers come right up. Hitting the "more" hyperlink calls up that government officials social media links.
Eventually we *will* bust that boulder up into harmless pebbles or build a wall around that sucker so it can't go anywhere.

Let's get the Cabinet to remove 45 via 25th Amendment

Hello all,

Getting the trump Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment seemed like a long shot a few months ago. It still may be, but is definitely worth the effort. I think of it like the Chilean mine disaster. They developed two tunnel plans and set both in motion. The Mueller investigation is the first tunnel out of the darkness that is the trump presidency. The 25th Amendment is a second tunnel.

I have compiled this list of Cabinet contacts in the hopes we will all try to convince members of 45’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment, declaring him unfit for office. I have included names, titles, Twitter handles, mailing addresses and phone numbers where available. Some agencies use a “contact us” form and I have included a page link where possible.

Let's all contact these folks by as any many means as possible to convince them to do the moral thing, the patriotic thing and evict trump from the White House now!

Please feel free to share and also let me know of any corrections, clarifications, and additions.

Cabinet
Vice President Michael R. Pence @VP
c/o White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC, 20500

Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson @Secy_State_US
The Honorable Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520

You can also use this hyperlink:
https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform

Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin - @stevenmnuchin1

Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20220
General Information
(202) 622-2000
"send a message to the secretary" form: https://www.treasury.gov/connect/Pages/Message-to-the-Secretary.aspx

------------

Secretary of Defense James Mattis (can't find a Twitter handle)

Jim Mattis
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
703-571-3343 (general DoD line)
ed. note: Mattis is out as SecDef.

----------

Attorney General Jeff Sessions
ed. note: Sessions is out as AG
"contact us" form
(select "messages to the attorney general" toward bottom of "general topic" pull-down menu) https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
Correspondence to the Department, including the Attorney General, may be sent to:

U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
The Department may be contacted by phone at the following:
Department Comment Line: 202-353-1555
Department of Justice Main Switchboard: 202-514-2000
------------

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke - @SecretaryRyanZinke
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
Phone (with employee directory): (202) 208-3100
ed. note: Zinke is out as Interior Secretary

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue - @SecretarySonny
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
-------------

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. - @WilburRoss
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20230
Main phone line: (202) 482-2000
-----------
Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta - @SecretaryAcosta
Secretary of Labor
S-2521
200 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20210
Please note that all mail to the Department of Labor goes through a security process that may delay the delivery of mail by two to three weeks, including normal mail timing. This security process may cause slight damage to mailed items. (The previous is from the Department of Labor's own website. I recommend sending postcards to minimize mail security problems)
E-mail: executivesecretariat@dol.gov; phone: 202-693-6000

--------
Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price - @SecPriceMD
ed. note: Tom Price is out as HHS secretary
E-mail Address: Secretary@HHS.gov
Phone Number: 202-690-7000
HHS Headquarters
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

--------
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Benjamin S. Carson, Sr. @SecretaryCarson

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street S.W.,
Washington, DC 20410
Telephone: (202) 708-1112
TTY: (202) 708-1455

------
Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao Twitter: @SecElaineChao
US Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
United States
Phone: 1 (202) 366-4000

---------
Secretary of Energy James Richard "Rick" Perry - @SecretaryPerry
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave. SW Washington DC 20585
202-586-5000

--------
Secretary of Education Elisabeth Prince DeVos @BetsyDeVosED
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202

--------
Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin - @SecShulkin
US Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave,
Washington DC 20420

---------
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen
The Honorable Kirstjen Nielsen
Secretary of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528

----------
White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly
c/o White House (see top of list)
Ed. Note: John Kelly is out as chief of staff

-----------
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer @USTradeRep
600 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20508
Phone: 202-395-7360
Email: contactustr@ustr.eop-gov (your message will be directed to the appropriate office)

--------------
Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats @ODNIgov
Main Address:
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Washington, DC 20511
Phone Number:
1-703-733-8600

-----------
Representative of the United States to the United Nations Nikki R. Haley @nikkihaley
Contact us form: https://usun.state.gov/contact

----------
Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney @MickMulvaneyOMB
The Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20503
Information and Directory Assistance: 202-395-3080

---------
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel
By postal mail: Central Intelligence Agency
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C. 20505
By phone: (703) 482-0623
Open during normal business hours.
By fax: (571) 204-3800
(please include a phone number where we may call you)

----------
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt @EPAScottPruitt (also on Instagram and Pinterest)
Ed. note: Scott Pruitt is out as EPA administrator
Phone: 202-564-4700
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Administrator
Mail Code 1101A
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460

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Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda E. McMahon @SBALinda
US Small Business Administration
409 3rd St., SW
Washington DC 20416

Say it with me - 'Nazis bad'

Just watched with utter revulsion 45's woefully inadequate response to rallying nazis and their deadly vehicular terrorist attack in Charlottesville today. Even from trump, I wanted to be able to expect a little more than blaming "many sides" and a call for "law and order." We all know what "law and order" means in trumpland.
Apparently 45 is incapable of uttering "Racism is bad" or even "Nazis bad." How about "I renounce white supremacy?" He was *directly* asked to do that at this press event. He refused.
I will repeat that. The so-called president of the United States of America refused to condemn white nationalism.
So he owns it.
"We are all Americans first" sounds way too much like "America first," the code phrase for xenophobia, for hatred of anyone who is not of white lineage and English-speaking. The language trump used about violence and safety sounded to me like the "American carnage" fear mongering from his inaugural address.
The white supremacists/nationalists are emboldened by trump, emboldened enough to march with torches, spew hatred, assault clergy leading a peaceful counter-protest, then kill and maim bystanders with a car.
And trump does not condemn them. Instead, he praises the police and National Guard, who reportedly failed to adequately keep white supremacists and counter protesters apart and prevent violence, particularly in the early hours of this event. The difference between police response to white supremacist rioters in Charlottesville and Black Lives Matter protesters last year in Ferguson is beyond striking.
Now we have neonazis within the administration. The White House should not the axis mundi for white nationalism. The previous two sentences should never need to be written.
Together we must make such statements unthinkable again.
This presidency must end. Any hope that 45 would "grow into" his role or that taking the oath of office would some instill sober judgment into his character was misguided.
Since he can't say "Nazis bad," he needs to say "I resign" or America needs to say "You're fired."

An open letter to the Secretary of Education

Dear Secretary DeVos,
I was distressed to read that you feel civil rights violations and sexual assault case handling should be scaled down. You also seem reticent to protect our nation's LGBTQA children and teens.
This nation has a troubled history when it comes to civil rights. We have come far but must move forward much farther still. Our public education system is a key battle ground for that fight. Might I respectfully suggest you review, for example, African Americans' long and painful journey toward educational justice in this country? Forward progress must be maintained yet your policies would take us backward. That is not acceptable.
Individual cases must be pursued - aggressively. Broader systemic problems must also be addressed. If you want to look at from a utilitarian/efficiency perspective, solving systemic issues can ultimately reduce the number of individual cases.
If you truly feel that ensuring *all* of America's children receive a quality public education and are kept as safe as possible from discrimination and sexual predation, I recommend you step down. Then someone willing to fulfill all duties of the secretary of education can assume that role. Our nation's children's education is too crucial to entrust to anyone not fully committed to the task.

Hey Cabinet members, please be heroes

Dear members of the Cabinet,
You can be heroes today. You have the power to end this trainwreck of a presidency today. All you have to do is invoke the 25th Amendment. Clearly 45 is not fit for office. Call it "health reasons" if you want. Just do it. Save the Republic. Yes, that sounds a tad dramatic, but that's where we are.
This president is not acting in the best interests of the country. That is not a partisan statement. It's just fact. He is putting our alliances at risk. Our international reputation is in tatters. He seems far more concerned about how events impact Russia than the U.S. He does not "get" separation of powers. He, frankly, does not "get" much of anything. He is toxic and he needs to go.
This untenable administration will end soon. Count on it. But how soon and will your tenure end with his? I expect a President Pence would be more inclined to keep you around.
Let's face it, some of you are not particularly well liked by the majority of the American public. Some of you seem to have been chosen specifically for your antipathy toward the agencies you run. But now we are in a constitutional crisis. You can all come out as patriotic heroes by putting the nation's needs before your own. Set the ship of state aright before this president does even more irreparable damage to our country.
All of you got into politics because you want to serve the public good. Serve it now by invoking the 25th Amendment. History, this country, and the world will thank you.

Open letter to my members of Congress

Dear Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and Rep. Mike McCaul,
Quick question. Do ya'll like your jobs? Want any chance of keeping them beyond 2018 and 2020? Read on.
You may think your seats are safe, given how conservative our state of Texas is. But think again. Many of us are tremendously troubled with events in Washington and your unwillingness to stand up for democracy and the rule of law that the current president is making a mockery of. Most recently and egregiously, he fired the FBI director and admitted in a televised interview he did so to impede the FBI investigation into his administration's alleged ties to and collusion with Russia to influence the 2016 election.
I have made numerous calls for months now to all of your offices demanding that #trumprussia be independently investigated; that 45 be removed from office as he is mentally and morally unfit; and insisting that you hold public town hall meetings to listen to constituents' concerns. I have asked to see some outrage from all three of you about this president's blatant hostility toward the judiciary and a free press.
So far, nada. Zip. Zilch.
Appeals to your patriotism, morality, and logic have failed so let's try a different tack - craven self-interest.
Do you want to keep your jobs? The voters of Texas *will* have congressional representatives who hold this president accountable for his high crimes and misdemeanors. You can stand up now to 45 or you can go down with him later. Those are your choices, your *only* choices at this point.
It's all about timing now. Democrats are screaming for justice. Midterms are coming and the Dems are likely to regain control of at least one house of Congress. Republicans joining with civic-minded Democrats now for a bipartison investigation of 45's alleged collusion, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, emoluments, etc. will have a better chance of surviving the inevitable voter backlash next year. It is in your own best interest to at least feign concern and get out of Democrats' way.
SS Cheeto is sinking. Be a rat. Abandon that ship and swim toward the Good Ship Accountability while Texans still have a half a mind to toss you a political life preserver.
Signed,
One Disgusted Constituent

Regarding walls, bridges and Trumpian economics

The current president and his budget are all about walls instead of bridges, both literally and figuratively. Plans are proceeding for the grossly ill-conceived "border wall" with Mexico even as crucial infrastructure like bridges continue to crumble from decades of neglect.
Build bridges, not walls.
Meanwhile, 45 wants to increase funding for the military - an armed human "wall" to protect us from supposed dangers "out there." Meanwhile, 1) home-grown xenophobic militants who greatly need monitoring and re-education apparently are invisible to 45 and 2) targetted groups do not pose the threat 45 thinks they do. He seems to have built a wall for himself impermeable to logic, facts, and intelligence reports. Sad. America already vastly outspends other nations on the military.
Build bridges, not walls.
Trump's budget decimates cultural and scientific programs that enrich our nation's community life far beyond the meager amounts they cost. Programs like the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities artfully construct bridges between cultures. Other federal programs make science understandable and useful in our daily lives, such as breathing (EPA) and weather reports (NOAA/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Parks and forestry services help preserve and protect our nation's natural heritage and resources. Also under the budget ax are programs which benefit specific at-risk groups like the rural poor, the elderly, and racial minorities.  All these minute expenditures must be protected as they offer a bridge, albeit a shaky one, to a decent life for these vulnerable populations.
Foreign policy under the trump administration seems to focus not just on building new walls instead of bridges but in burning bridges which already exist. Foreign aid funding would be slashed under this budget. Meanwhile the State Department's general budget also faces heavy cuts when its work is more important than ever.
Build bridges, not walls.
Yes, this president seems hell-bent on constructing walls even though the clear road forward would be to build and strengthen bridges. We the people need to speak out and resist. Trump's walls should be met with sledgehammers and artful graffiti. We the people likely will have to build some bridges on our own between ourselves and those under threat of hunger, poverty, isolation. Early America's barn-raising tradition, in which neighbors joined together to help one another may be a useful model for this.
Build bridges, not walls.

Jeff Sessions was warned

Jeff Sessions was warned about perjury, lying under oath to his Senate colleagues during his confirmation.
He was given an explanation.
Nevertheless, he persisted.
Sessions clearly had contact with Russian officials as a trump surrogate during the campaign. He has no business, zero, being this nation's "top cop." He did not have business becoming a federal judge in the 1980s and was rightfully denied that post for his well-documented racism.
That issue came up during confirmation hearing yet voices raising those racism concerns were silenced. We all remember that now infamous Sen. Mitch McConnell statement to Sen. Elizabeth Warren: She was warned; she was given an explanation; nevertheless, she persisted. Jewelry, T-shirts, even tattoos have been made with that phrase.
Now it is time for Sessions to sit down and be quiet. He is clearly part of a much bigger problem of Russian interference with our nation's executive branch. That interference must be thoroughly and independently investigated. All who are tainted must leave or be removed from office. Our national sovereignty is at stake.
Those of us who love our country must warn, explain, and persist in calling out collusion with foreign governments. Those who collude with Russia have no business being public office. Those who collude and lie to Congress under oath about it, need to be gone yesterday.

UPDATE - AG Sessions has recused himself from investigating alleged Russian ties to the trump campaign. That is not enough. He needs to resign. Or be fired. And face perjury charges.

A grownup helped 45 with his (hate) speech

It had sentences and stuff!
Yes, 45 did manage to read complete sentences from his dreaded Teleprompter last night. He even condemned racism and anti-semitism and *seemed* to mean it early in his speech. Don't be fooled, though. His cabinet and his policies attest to bigotry of the highest and most dangerous order. The vast majority of last night's speech followed along with that nationalist theme. It was a bit more subtle. He used his indoor voice but the menace was there, just under the surface.
It was there when he used fear-triggering words to describe immigrants and Muslims and the "need" for a wall on our southern border. It was there when he went on about high crime, though violent crime has been declined for many years. It was there when he used his favorite phrase "radical Islamic terrorism" while ignoring the white supremacists who have killed and maimed so many Americans. And it was there when he spoke of standing by law enforcement without mentioning that such support *must* come with accountability. Numerous police departments have ongoing poor relationships with the African-American communities in their towns due to officers shooting unarmed African-American civilians. No mention was made of *that* racism.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) roundups should alarm us all. Contrary to what 45 says, the vast majority of those being rounded up for deportation are not drug dealers and gang leaders. They are working parents trying to support their children. They are business owners who support their communities. They are our neighbors.
It is as if 45 wants us to fear and hate immigrants, Muslims, and people of color. I won't. But I will fear and speak out against an administration that promotes such bigotry through their words, actions, and what they leave unsaid.

Gender reassignment from Texas' lieutenant governor

The lieutenant governor of the grand and glorious state of Texas just gave me a sex change. It came in a letter with a fancy gold seal and spiffy "state of Texas" watermark. Confused? So was I, a woman named Elizabeth, when I looked at the envelope and enclosed letter both addressed to "Mr. Eli J----."
Below is my initial Facebook response to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

<<Lt. Gov. Patrick - This would almost be funny if it were not so sad. Your office just sent me a letter in response to a discussion I had with one of your aides about the grossly ill-advised "bathroom bill." I thought you did not like transgender people. So why did your office give me a postal sex change - addressing me as "Mr. Eli J-----?" Please explain this one, I am waiting. Did your office assume I was male because I have a voice and an opinion? Does it not occur to you that women stand up for people's rights? Are you simply wishing that all of us #nastywomen would just disappear? Seriously, I want an explanation. And my lady parts back. Thanks. Ms. ELizabeth J-----.

PS: Do I have to use the men's room now, 'cause ewww.>>

Yes, this is funny in a way, but it also illustrates the problem transgender people face - a government official overruling their decision about their gender identity. It is jarring for a person to be addressed as though they were the opposite gender. Those who are transgender have put considerable thought and heartache into deciding they are not comfortable with the gender "nature" assigned to them. Their choice should not be overruled.
This letter also shows a lack of listening. The man I talked with for a good 20 minutes had plenty of time to discern whether I was a rooster or a hen. There is no excuse for truncating my identity and erasing my womanhood. It is offensive and demeaning. Oh, it's just a clerical error, you say? No, things like this matter. Knowing who you are talking to matters.
I do have a followup response:
<<Dear Lt. Gov. Danielle Patricia,
Thank you for your letter of Feb. 22. It was a gift, allowing me to gain a momentary glimpse of what transgender people experience on a daily basis, the disjunction between who I am and how someone else might arbitrarily label me. I offer that back to you and hope it proves illuminating.
Your friend, Eli/zabeth>>

Resisters - We Must Multi-task

I understand the logic behind the current #resist narrative that we should all immediately drop all other causes and focus exclusively on the trump/Russia angle as the best and fastest way to end this nightmare of a presidency.
However, people are being harmed right now by this administration and the bigotry it enables. We must not turn a blind eye or rationalize "We'll fix that later" to these real and present dangers.
America has a shameful history of putting off until "later" the needs of vulnerable populations in order to focus national attention on some grander, broader good. Cases in point: the slavery issue in the Continental Congress and African-American women in the suffragette movement. In both instances, African-Americans were told their needs would have to wait until the nation was formed or until white women got the vote.
Let's not repeat that sin. We can and must impeach and end this toxic presidency AND mitigate/stop its immediate and ongoing harm to our most vulnerable populations.
"Later" is too late for the hundreds of thousands of undocumented Latinos under threat of mass deportation.
"Later" is too late for African-Americans facing violent racism utterly unprotected by the new attorney general Jefferson B. Sessions, deemed "too racist" in the 1980s for a federal judgeship but inexplicably confirmable now.
"Later" is too late for women and girls lacking affordable access to basic reproductive healthcare.
"Later" is too late for our Jewish and Muslim neighbors whose bodies and places of worship are daily being attacked by haters emboldened by the current administration.
"Later" is too late for the disabled, particularly those with "invisible" disabilities such as heart or mental/emotional issues as the current administration appears to believe a disability is not "real" unless it can be seen.
"Later" is too late for foreign or foreign born scholars, technicians, scientists, and laborers who cannot gain entry to this country to fulfill crucial professional roles in our nation.
"Later" is too late for the indigenous peoples trying to protect their sacred land and the natural resources crucial to all of our environmental survival.
Yes, "later" is too late.
We have to multi-task. We must insist loudly and persistently that the Congress do its job. Launch an immediate, full, independent investigation into 45's relations with the Russian government during the presidential campaign, throughout the transition, and in these early weeks of new administration. Meanwhile we must hold ourselves and one another accountable for sheltering and defending those around us at greatest risk of deportation and hate crimes. This multiple-front battle will be exhausting but we can all rest, you guessed it, later.

Holy fake fire, Batman!

Holy fake fire, Batman, *that* was a heck of an entertaining press conference trump gave this afternoon.
My dislike and distrust of the orange emperor burn with the brightness of a thousand suns. And I consider him lower than a snake's belly in the desert. Still, hot damn but donnie can put on a show!
***golf clap***
***clears throat***
However, we must not allow such circus events distract us from the real issue - Russia. Say it with me, "Remember Russia." It is appearing more and more likely that the trumputin bromance runs deep and burns bright. How far back does this relationship go? Did it cost Hillary the election?
We know Russia wanted trump elected.
We know Russia hacked both parties' computer systems.
We know Russia released material harmful to Hillary Clinton's campaign.
We know Hillary won the popular vote.
We know trump won 306 electoral votes because he has repeatedly tells us so. Except he didn't. His vote tally was 304.
We know there was ongoing and extensive communication between trump transition staffers and Russian intelligence. Mike Flynn got fired/was asked to resign over that communication. Or was it for not telling Vice President Mike Pence about that communication?
Now trump wants an investigation into who leaked the American intelligence about the conversations Flynn and Co. had or didn't have with Russian intelligence. Question mark. That's the "fake fire."
Here's what I want to know - Did Team Russia and Team Trump discuss how best to beat Hillary? That would be collusion. That would invalidate trump's "victory."
Let. That. Sink. In.
We must demand en masse a full and independent investigation into trump's ties to putin and Russia. The scope must include the campaign leading up to the general election, the transition, and these early weeks of this administration.
Meanwhile, back at the East Room, this afternoon's press conference was highly entertaining and truly horrifying. It was trump at his evil id "best," by which I mean dishonest, rude, self-centered, disingenuous, combative, racist, moronic.... I am running out of room for adjectives here, but you get the idea.
Seriously, I can't wait to see what fun Saturday Night Live has with this afternoon's press conference. How is Alec Baldwin possibly going to top trump's self-parody of a narcissistic blowhard? Perhaps we can have a cold open with Melissa "Sean Spicer" McCarthy just repeatedly banging his/her/their head on the press podium.
If you missed the event or the absurdities piled on too high and fast to intellectually process, NPR has posted this annotated transcript.
But don't let the show and "fake fire" distract you from the real issue - Russia and trump; trump and Russia. Full, independent investigation needed NOW.

In praise of 'faceless' bureaucrats

Today I just want to give a shout-out to the folks working for the American people in our nation's various government agencies. These are chaotic times for all of us. We have an executive branch seemingly bent on disrupting if not destroying the fabric of our society. We have vacancies at the head of some agencies and at others, appointees whose stated goal is to subvert their agencies' core mission.
And yet the bureaucrats lower down on the pay scale labor on for their *true* employers, the American people. Some risk their positions to share vital information with the nation through the news media via leaks or via anonymously posted tweets to "rogue" and "alt" Twitter accounts. These provide crucial insights into government workings and misdeeds. Others safeguard data on topics like climate change or animal endangerment that the current administration would like to render invisible.
These servants of the people somehow manage to keep the basic mechanisms of government working amid tremendous chaos and uncertainty. It's not easy saying "No" to the president. It's not easy to speak out when "the boss" is lying to the people. Yet many federal agency employees are stepping up to do just that.
So thank you, forest rangers, park rangers, climate scientists, congressional aides answering angry constituent calls, intelligence officers and analysts, diplomats, statisticians, file clerks, administrators, secretaries, under-undersecretaries of fill-in-the-blank. Know that while you may be unknown, you are not unloved.
Thank you.

Remember Russia - That's my new mantra

One good thing about Michael T. Flynn's forced resignation this week is it is helping keep attention where I think it is most productive - on Russia's interference with our election, contact during the transition, administration members' links to Russia, and trump's ongoing fascination with Russia's thugocrat Putin.
Like many of us on the Left, I want trump's perversion of a presidency to end as quickly as possible. Russia can be the key to making that happen, in my opinion. Impeachment will require Republicans along with Democrats. While Republicans may go along with or even support many of trump's wrong-headed policies and examples of executive overreach, they must draw the line at foreign intervention in American governance. At least one hopes. Sen. John McCain and a few other Republicans are already making some loud noise on this.
A strong case is quickly developing for ongoing Russian interference and undue influence. Through hacking, leaks, and a huge misinformation campaign, the Russians tipped the election scales in trump's favor. Then we have Flynn and possibly other trump allies in close conversations with the Russians during the transition. Most damning is the assertion Flynn violated the Logan Act by telling the Russians not to worry about any sanctions placed on them by the outgoing Obama administration. Would Flynn have taken it upon himself to do this? Hardly. It is more than probable he was acting on trump's orders.
Many Republicans in Washington would like us to think that Flynn's resignation solves the problem and we should move on. Wrong. This scandal goes much deeper. Why was Flynn allowed to keep his post for weeks after the administration had been told of his transgression, one which exposed him to blackmail from the Russians? Speaking of blackmail, don't forget about the dossier the Russians supposedly have on trump. Or trump's odd willingness to serve as apologist in chief for his friend Putin.
This all started with election interference, which is no longer old news/sour grapes but rather evidence of an ongoing campaign to subvert our democracy, a campaign we must fight with everything we have.
Undoubtedly the coming days will bring more executive orders, pugilistic tweets, and advisers behaving badly. Many of these are distractions, though some must be responding to in real time (such as unconstitutional travel bans based on religion.) For the most part, though, these distractions should be treated as symptoms and our goal should be to eliminate via impeachment, the source - the trump administration. The most direct and bipartisan way to make that happen - Russia.
Remember Russia.

Mockery as a survival tool

We are three weeks (is that all?!) into 45's presidency, a reign many of us on the Left greeted with fear, anxiety, and rage.
Today I find myself a bit less fearful than I was two weeks ago. This is not because 45 is a better president than I'd feared. Far from it.
He's just not that scary and all-powerful, particularly when we refuse to grant him that power to make us fearful. Yes, he has power but so do we. Ours is growing stronger by the day, aided by those who stand up to him, whether they be judges, forest rangers, or ordinary women and men marching with pink hats. We are gaining our voice and political savvy. And we are fast learners, unlike 45.
What is 45 gaining? Ridicule, well deserved ridicule for his words, actions, even wardrobe. He wants respect and admiration while clearing demonstrating he deserves neither. And so he is mocked, viciously. Nothing defeats fear and perceived power quicker than mockery.
Recently it was leaked that 45 spends his nights wandering aimlessly around the White House in a bathrobe. Hardly the image of an all-powerful head of state. I can picture him shuffling past portraits of his predecessors perhaps in gold lame' slippers, one size too large and just a tad tattered, muttering to himself about how his aides have failed him and need to be fired. The tiny fingers on his tiny hands tapping out misspelled and incoherent tweets on his outdated phone. I bet that phone still has Roman numerals.
This image of 45 is about as nightmare-inducing as Professor Snape wearing Neville's grandmother's grandest dead bird hat in one of the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. The lesson's object was to teach Harry and his fellow Hogwarts students how to defeat their deepest fears by turning them into something ridiculous.
Our 45 does not need help looking ridiculous. He is not a destroyer of worlds, just a tinpot wannabe tyrant with all the intellect, social graces, and emotional maturity of a toddler. Rather pathetic, actually.
Yes, it is pathetic that just enough voters in key electoral college states bought into 45's lies and delusions of grandeur to put him in the White House. For now.
Hopefully little 45 will soon decide this game of playing president is boring and we are all being very mean to him and it's just not fair and his friends are making him look silly and he's going to march right back to his golden tower in his bathrobe and then we won't have 45 to kick around anymore so there.
Keep up the mockery. He makes it so easy. Call out every lie, with sarcasm when possible. Confront every hurtful action. Ridicule every absurd statement. Keep up the pressure on his ego and self-image.
As all toddlers do, he will leave a frightful mess when he goes, whether voluntarily or by impeachment. And that may take years to clean up but I for one am not afraid of a bit of elbow grease.

Time to mitigate and show mettle

Betsy DeVos unfortunately was sworn in this evening as secretary of education, a post she is grossly unqualified for. The Senate vote was 51-50, despite valiant efforts from Democrats and two female Republican senators and countless calls, emails, and tweets to senators urging them to reject her nomination.

Now it's time to mitigate the danger on the local, state, and federal levels. On the local level - get involved. Ask public school teachers what kinds of support will be most helpful. Join the PTA. Volunteer at your local school. Attend school board meetings. Consider running for the school board.

Express support for public education publicly via social media and letters to the editor. Let your positive progressive voice be heard. Counter arguments for vouchers and "school choice." These terms are often code for taking funding away from public schools and public schools need all the funding they can get.

Also stay on top of your state's board of education. These bodies make important decisions that impact students such as which textbooks to buy. Make sure textbooks are accurate, intellectually challenging, and inclusive. Who controls the narratives, history, science, and civics our children read about is important. Minorities and women have often been left out of these texts in the past. Also be wary of conservative attempts to devalue science, particularly evolution.

Stay informed about state and national legislation regarding education. Praise good decisions that further sound educational policy and decry bad decisions that harm students.

In a word #persist.

Democrats are pulling another allnighter as I write this, trying to persuade their Republican colleagues that Sen. Jeff Sessions is not fit to be attorney general. One of those senators, Elizabeth Warren, was officially SILENCED earlier tonight for attempting to read out loud a letter Coretta Scott King wrote in 1986 against Jeff Sessions' nomination for a federal judgeship. He was denied that seat and should be denied the AG spot for the same reasons - animosity toward the rights of minorities and women.

Tomorrow will be another busy day. Senators need to hear from us. Whether they will listen is up to them but I think it is important they see and hear that we will not back down after a defeat. We will keep speaking out against unqualified cabinet nominees. I will be calling my less-than-responsive senators in Texas, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Will you?

A few quick Twitter follow recommends

Hello. Yes, I have several longer posts in "rough draft" form. I would like to offer a few quick Twitter follow recommendations right now, though.
For a laugh, check out @POTUSBathrobe.
@KeithOlberman has been posting some excellent brief videos.
@RoguePOTUSStaff posts some alarming & captivating "behind the scenes" material from the Oval Office.
Many other federal government employees have followed the Park Service @AltParkService and Forest Service's @AltForestService example by setting up their own fifth-column #resist accounts. Follow and thank.
The one that probably needs the most moral support today is @AltDeptEducation.
Peace. Out. #Resist. #Persist.

If trump was my student...

My day job is teaching a college course on comparative religion. The past two weeks I have found myself wanting to say to our new president many of the same things I tell my least successful students.
* Do your homework. Read and study before you start spouting off nonsense. You should not need another world leader to explain what the Geneva Convention is.
* Quit focusing on yourself. Some of my students try to avoid thinking and writing about unfamiliar topics by keeping the focus on themselves and their experience. Shut up about crowd sizes and TV ratings.
* Think before posting. Some students fire off quick replies without thinking through what they want to say and how to say it. Donald - stop with the tweets already.
* Don't be a bully. Don't pick fights. Don't be a jerk. That kind of behavior quickly leads to disciplinary action. I will not allow anyone to make my classroom a hostile environment. I simply will not have it. If you have an issue with a classmate - or the prime minister of Australia - deal with it calmly and privately.
* Get your facts straight. Use credible, objective sources. Hint: Britbeirt is not the paper of record for anything other than hate. Posting or repeating incorrect information will get you on my bad side quicker than just about anything else. I will ask where you got your information and I will correct you publicly.
* Practice professional communication. Many of my students have been out of school awhile so their vocabulary, grammar, clarity, tone, and sentence structure need work. I would strongly recommend writing and proofreading workshops to student trump*.
Bear in mind, these are all things I expect from college students. The leader of the free world should have a broad knowledge base, emotional maturity, intellectual curiosity, oral and written communication skills, and social graces beyond what might be expected from a typical college freshman. The current one does not.
If trump* was my student, I would be anxious for the term to be over so I would not have to deal with him anymore. Unfortunately, a presidential term is far longer than one academic quarter.
If trump* was my student, I would contact his academic adviser early in the term to express concern about his mental state and suggest he might not be up to the task he has taken on.
If trump* was my student, he would take up far more of my time and energy than any other student, likely more than *all* my other students unless I was particularly careful and conscious about allocating my resources. I would still try to teach him because he needs to know this study. He needs to learn critical thinking and opening himself to others' experiences.
If trump* was my student, I would hope he would drop my class and just go away, yes, despite the teacherly attitude stated above. If he did not leave of his own volition, I would be sorely tempted to do something I have never done in 15 years of teaching college. I would throw him out of my class for the sake of my sanity and so the rest of the class could get on with learning without his disruptive and destructive presence.
Impeach trump* now.

Let's not be petulant, fellow liberals

So Cheeto Nero unveiled his Supreme Court nominee last night, Neil Gorsuch. I say give the guy a chance.
Fellow progressives, let's be pragmatic rather than petulant. Let's be the adults here. Let's "go high" as Michelle Obama famously said.
Before his name was announced, some Democrats swore trump*'s pick for the Supreme Court would never get a hearing as long as there was breath in a single Democrat's body. After all, turnabout is fair play ran the argument. The Republicans refused to give President Barack Obama's final Supreme Court nominee a hearing. They were blatant about it. The GOP was not going to give anyone Obama selected any chance at all, because...Obama.
Yes, that was offensive, unfair, undemocratic, nasty, uncouth, etc.
Let's be better than that. Let's not be, to paraphrase Bobby Jindal, "the asshole party."
Tit for tat works on a preschool playground. We are not on a preschool playground, despite the toddler tendencies of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's current resident.
Gorsuch is intelligent and qualified. He has read the Constitution. It's not like Gorsuch is an ambulance chaser bannontrump found through a glance at a back-of-phonebook lawyer ad. He does not want to demolish the Supreme Court. Think about it. He is the only person Orange Man has nominated for anything who does not have utter disdain for the office he is seeking. Yes, Gorsuch is conservative. Anyone who Atrocious Hair nominates will be.
We have to be realistic; 45 is not going to give us Bernie in a black robe. Not. Gonna Happen. Tiny Hands will need some Democratic support to get Gorsuch through. Let him know it's possible, for a price.
It would play right into nazibannon's hands if we Democrats put all our energy and time into obstructing this particular nomination. Instead let's pick our battles, of which there are many, and keep our focus on dethroning the Orange Emperor and his puppetmaster as quickly as possible while minimizing their damage to our country and Constitution.
The Donald's support is not that solid. Part of it comes reluctantly from conservative Evangelicals who held their noses and voted for him because they knew he would nominate a conservative for the Supreme Court vacancy. Now those of us on the Left can say to them, "OK, you've got your conservative justice, now will you *please* help us impeach that immoral cretin?" The grounds on which to do so are many from conflict of interest to incompetence to being broskies with Vladimir Putin.