Monday, December 05, 2016

Go, Joe, Go!

Vice President Joe Biden had a political PAC. He should begin his race and begin speeches at fund raising events.

Screw 'em.

There is a very odd pattern manifesting with the Trump inner circle. They are talking out both sides of their mouth.

NATO is an ally, but, NATO should be desolved.

Taiwan is an ally and if China can't see that then screw 'em. 

This inconsistent approach is exactly what occurred with "W" when it came to Iraq. "The Axis of Evil" and then he began a war to end it.

China was "W"s best friend because it delivered cheap labor to Wall Street cronies. Yes, Wall Street cronies. Wall Street used outsourced labor. No one else but me has seen a "Made in China" label other than Walmart? There are also interests within the wealthy families of the USA in Walmart and Koch and Trump himself in manufacturing his fashion products. Koch has an entire family division in China. Walmart is obvious.

Yet, Russia was evil, except, when Bush saw Putin's soul in his eyes.

NATO was an annoyance to "W" because they didn't back his private war into Iraq. Yes, it was a private war, he disregarded the UN, "He tried to kill my father." and it was highly immoral and illegal.

Here Trump finds Russia an ally and the hell with NATO. China is an evil element in the world of global trade and Taiwan is an ally. All of that sounds like war.

AGAIN. Republicans run on hubris. The Tea Party is not running politically on hubris, but, their governance seeks to end the idea their politics is hubris. They are extremists. Don't lose sight of that. They have the potential to be very dangerous in this world and it can happen in a flash of a second as it did with Taiwan.

The sincere relationship the USA has with Taiwan in "The One China Policy" is more Republican crony contracts. Taiwan holds military contracts. Those are crony contracts. Taiwan may think it has an ally, but, in actuality Taiwan simply is a consumer of American military goods. Taiwan is a customer and nothing more. There is no formal alliance. "One China Policy." 

See, Trump's inner circle is invested in being noble in their hubris. They can lose the honor part, it is nothing but inflammatory. There goes the tough guy act. Oh, sorry, tough guy policies.
Jon Huntsman, Jr.
American politician - the 16th Governor of Utah and candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Jon Huntsman has an exceptionally good base of knowledge to be the Secretary of State. There is no one else that has more understanding of the Asia Pacific. Given the mistake in calling Taiwan it is evident this administration needs Jon Huntsman.

He obviously stands with the Tea Party as well.

If the Asia Pacific is going to be a focus of the Trump administration there is no one else as qualified to assist the President with policies that work.

Additionally, John Huntsman, Sr. provided $100 million of personal wealth to build the "Huntsman Cancer Institute." (click here) He knows something about health care.
Existing pipelines in the USA and Canada are already more sufficient than necessary. The existing pipelines need to be replaced in an infrastructure project. The priority for updating pipelines has to come from the governance of the USA, not from the petroleum industry that link new pipelines with labor paychecks for the sole purpose of political pressure.

Labor paychecks can be best served by identifying old pipelines and lobbying Congress for infrastructure projects to make the country safe from leaks and pollution. This entire idea of building new pipelines is out of control.

Kevin Gilbert is again live on Facebook.

Link click here.

They prayed and now are marching to the bridge. The governor did not order this if he stands by his statements previously.

This is a police action of some kind. I believe they are using the Governor's emergency order to justify a move against the encampment. The 400 nations of Native Americans have taken a stand to this water issue and it is important. While it seems strange to talk about drought and protection of water with snowfall and cold conditions this is exactly the problem. Earth's warming is dire and important to address. Any protections of water resources anywhere is vital to end the dangers to our "Common Home." 

There are American soldiers walking with the 400 Nation coalition. This is serious. The police need to realize these people are not leaving until they believe the water is safe. The police are inappropriate in having any hostile outcome to the encampment. The police need to reverse their hostile stand and offer to make supplies coming to the encampment safe from interruption. This has to deescalate. 

The Climate Crisis is not a partisan issue. Former Vice President Al Gore and dedicated activist Leonardo DiCaprio know that.

Both Vice President Gore and Leonardo DiCapro are not casual observers of politics. They became involved with this issue because of the dire consequences to Earth and all the life on it.

I am impressed Ivanka Trump has decided to take this problem as one of her focus to her new standing in the political community. Vice President Al Gore is not a light weight when it comes to speaking the truth and pointing the way to a different resolve to the Climate Crisis. When Vice President Gore accepted the Nobel Peace Prize he began a network of educators in the USA to change the message regarding the Climate Crisis.

Vice President Gore would never turn from any opportunity to resolve this important problem facing humanity regarding it's common home. I, as always, remain hopeful, but, reserve the right to descent if I feel the path is misdirected. I congratulate Vice President Gore for his continued dedication and incredible leadership. I welcome a new face to this problem in Ivanka Trump. Having young children she is, of course, interested what they will inherit.

December 5, 2016
By Ben Mathis-Lilley

Former Vice President Al Gore (click here) waves to members of the media after meeting with Ivanka Trump and President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

...It's not quite totally surprising (click here) that Ivanka Trump would meet with a climate change activist; her role in her father's campaign was to seem kind of reasonable about a few pet issues without actually influencing anything he said or did in a useful or humane way. (She apparently met recently with Leonardo DiCaprio to discuss global warming as well.) But on the other hand, it is totally surprising, because Donald Trump has written that "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive" and has called the evidence of climate change a "hoax" on at least four occasions.
By the way, for our readers who come from the generation of people who didn't recognize Dan Quayle when he had his own Trump Tower meeting: Before he became a climate guy, Al Gore was the vice president of the United States. He ran for president in 2000 and was defeated after a controversial recount process, which is why many people now call him "the original Jill Stein."...

Ben Carson would have been great at HHS.

The nomination of Dr. Ben Carson to HUD is a racist appointment. If he was going to head up the Department of Health and Human Services it would be a far better request.

The nomination of Dr. Carson to HHS would be the logical choice because President Obama began a priority to brain medicine. There was considerable funding for that effort. Vice President Biden has begun a "moon shot" against cancer that took the life of a dearly loved son. If a world class neurosurgeon was nominated for HHS it would have been a very good choice.

I challenge Congressional Democrats to assess the nominations to the President's cabinet and realize why they were PUT IN PLACE. The nominations stick out like a sore thumb.

The Congressional Democrats will not be standing alone.

December 2, 2016
By Beth Mole

President-elect Donald Trump’s (click here) nomination of six-term Congress member Tom Price (R-Ga.) for secretary of health and human services has inflamed the medical community bigly this week, causing widespread and bitter infighting....
Price is an orthopedist. There is huge corporate profit in the orthopedic companies. Price is angry about the medical equipment taxes brought by the ACA. Price is there to address crony complaints and not the well being of the American people.

When Price deregulates medical equipment taxes, where is he going to get the monies for the Medicaid extensions? When Price seeks to remove taxes related to the ACA it should be headlines around the country, especially, in states that have found the Medicaid extension important.

Medicaid is primarily funded by the federal government AND the biggest complaint by Congressional Republicans is that Medicaid is broken. Really? Has the defunding of Medicaid by Republicans over the years broke it? Of course, it did. And now that the impoverished in the USA finally have medical coverage that helps them to receive the MEDICAL COVERAGE OTHER AMERICANS take for granted, the Republicans are going to defund it all the more.

I remind, the Medicaid Extension is saving lives. Medicaid is not about pandering to some sort of constituency of Democrats, it saves lives. People have died when they could still be alive with the benefits of the Medicaid extension. There are deaths on the books in the states where the Medicaid Extension was not accepted and used ONLY as a political tool. It can be measured. What is everyone waiting for?
Price is not a particularly shocking pick by Trump—the Congressman is one of the fiercest Obamacare critics, and Trump vowed during his campaign to quickly repeal and replace the mammoth healthcare law. Beyond that, Price, a former orthopedic surgeon, has maintained strong conservative positions on healthcare policy. He opposes abortion rights and regulations on tobacco, for instance. But he also belongs to a small, fringe, ultra-conservative and conspiracy-laden group called the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS). Among other things, this group decries evidence-based medicine, Medicare, and Medicaid, plus it has peddled discredited, dangerous notions including that vaccines cause autism.

In light of some or all of those facts, many in the medical community were left aghast and fuming by support of Price’s nomination from top medical associations, namely the powerful American Medical Association (AMA) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). In the past few days, thousands of doctors have signed letters and petitions, condemned the groups’ support, and publicly quit the AMA. The hashtag #NotMyAMA has gathered steam on Twitter....
The global trade agreements is a Republican ideology and panders to "Family billionaires" that fund them. The most obvious example is the Kochs. But, the Trumps are a family billionaire company, too. There are some in the USA that are far worse than Wall Street in their crony focus and demands on the DC structure to provide their profits. In the case of the Kochs, their family feeds off the USA federal government decisions. The regulations in the USA are correct to insure the well being of the country, but, family businesses like the Kochs want their own priorities to be federal policy and that has nothing to do with the well being of the people of the USA.

When the TPP came for a vote in the Obama Administration it was the Republicans that passed the agreement. Those votes can't be changed. They are proof of who in Congress actually pass these horrid relationships between countries. The TPP is a Republican ideology that robs the people of their middle class status and casts them into poverty.

The Republican hubris will turn the tables on all this. It is up to the Democrats to be a step ahead of their hubris laden politics. When the Republicans turn their hubris on the Democrats, the DNC has to come forward with THE TRUTH. Fast talking Republicans should be under fire for their past and present allegiance to particular billionaire families that pad their election treasuries. The facts are there and it is the truth. Put the facts forward and for the US House and Senators coming to election in 2018 start it now. 

This administration will be laden with lies. Each lie has to be interrupted before it gets started. The State of the Union speeches are going to provide very fertile words for correction and the truth of the issues stated. I think the Democrats have to come forward to push 'the truth' in their politics. It is the duty of the Congressional Democrats to bring the best governance to the people.

The lie that permeates the Trump administration is the FACT he has a STRATEGY panel against them. That panel is lined with anti-Social Security advisers. THAT IS COMPLETE DISLOYALTY to the people that voted for Trump because he promised nothing would happen to the entitlements of the USA. He lied. This is a huge lie. This is not a casual 'oops.' If Donald Trump is determined to carry out his campaign promises then his administration has been hijacked by the extremists that surround him. It is up to the Democrats to reveal the real agenda of this administration.

The Green Party needs to stay on track with their recounts.

To begin, Jill Stein has good policies. When she came forward to demand a recount of the state's votes she stated this is not unusual for the Green Party. This is what they do. The Green Party seeks answers to odd elections in the USA. No oppression of the cultural focus of the Green Party should occur. I wish her the best.

There is nothing to say during the next four years Jill Stein won't become a prominent leader in the politics of the USA. This is political diversity gaining ground. It is very important.

December 5, 2016

By Wire Reports and NBC 10 Staff

Green Party (click here) presidential candidate Jill Stein is taking her bid for a statewide recount of Pennsylvania's Nov. 8 presidential election to federal court.

After announcing Stein and recount supporters were dropping their case in state court, lawyer Jonathan Abady said they will seek an emergency federal court order Monday. 

"Make no mistake — the Stein campaign will continue to fight for a statewide recount in Pennsylvania," Abady said in a statement Saturday night. "We are committed to this fight to protect the civil and voting rights of all Americans."

He said barriers to a recount in Pennsylvania are pervasive and the state court system is ill-equipped to address the problem.

Brinckerhoff & Abady attorney Ilann Maazel addressed the recount fight at a 10 a.m. news conference Monday....
"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

I am not surprised at any of the nominations to the President's cabinet. I would fully expect the entire administration to be populous. The newspapers cartoonists are going to enjoy this administration. But, I fully express this administration to be governing by Hubris. When "W" took office, I believe it was Maureen Dowd, wrote an Op-Ed about the hubris of that administration. That is what Republicans do and the strategy is to keep their electorate (about 35 percent traditionally) remain engaged.

The fact Donald Trump called Taiwan and gunmen are running around carrying out self-investigations is to be expected. Lone wolves are very much a part of this electorate. These are the folks that elected this guy. The campaign purposely went into the extremists circles in the country to bring voters to the polls.

It is going to be a turbulent four years and I would not be surprised at anything that occurs.

The House and Senate committee members for any of the cabinet posts should be met with public engagement by the Democrats and Independents. There needs to be a strong public presence by the Democrats. Good governance is paramount to engagement of the cabinet members and movement within the congressional committees. The engagement of the public for eight years of President Obama made the governance nearly impossible. Well. This administration will govern by hubris and the majority House and Senate will vote to back that hubris.

Look, Republicans have been reaching into the back allies for votes since "W"/Rove took the White House. These are the people the administration will cater to and seek to carry out their agenda. BE READY and be aggressive in promoting Democratic values. AND FORGET THE TRADE AGREEMENTS.

When Senator Reid retires after the change in the congress, the DNC should bring him on as an adviser. Senator Reid is a great man and loves people, the DNC would be served by engaging their senior members.
This is a remarkable picture. Two First Ladies and Two Presidents. 

Bill Clinton and Donald Trump have been friends a long time. They have even golfed occasionally together.

I think of any two people that should be friends at a very difficult time for the USA it should be the Former President Bill Clinton and the President - Elect Donald Trump. I know Bill Clinton is brokenhearted for his wife's loss, but, he has to admit there were more thumbs on that scale then can be counted. 

Donald Trump has an inner circle from hell. I think a reasonable voice could be garnered if President Clinton doesn't mind being helpful.

I know Bill and Hillary Clinton are looking forward to their work in the Clinton Foundation. They are a remarkable example of people willing to set aside their own Foundation to serve in the White House. Granted they were volunteers, but, none the less it was a remarkable gesture.

Secretary Clinton can also raise funds for Democrats. People like her and she can be reassuring in speeches about the course ahead.

I wish all four of these exceptional people happiness and health. If nothing else it should be interesting.

Oh, by the way, all those grandchildren could get a glimpse of "Hedwig," Harry Potter's owl at the Turnberry golf course in Scotland during the Christmas festivities. (click here)

"Good Night, Moon"

The waxing crescent

(Picture  Crescent Moon over Mont-Saint-Michel and the crescent is less than 27.6 percent)

This moon phase is in Aquarius

5.2 day old moon

27.6 percent lit

4 December 2016
By Ade Ashford

Like the sweeping hand of a vast celestial clock, (click here) the Moon’s passage through some of the aquatic zodiacal constellations (Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces) in early December brings it in close proximity to the evening planets. The lunar-Venus conjunction of 3 December is swiftly followed by an encounter with the Red Planet on 5 December (Mars and the Moon lie within a typical binocular field of view at dusk in the British Isles), but neither Venus or Mars is occulted by the Moon worldwide.
However, for the seventh and final time this year, the Moon does pass in front of Neptune, the outermost planet, on Tuesday 6 December. Weather permitting, this occultation will be seen over a swathe of the Western Hemisphere including the northeastern USA, eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland and the western British Isles.
As seen from Reykjavik in Iceland, Neptune starts to disappear at 22:14:33 GMT, the planet’s 2.3-arcsecond-wide disc taking about 4 seconds of time to be fully occulted. Neptune lies just 9 degrees high in the southwest at the time. In the Greenland capital of Nuuk, Neptune is occulted by the Moon at 6:59pm WGT when the Moon and planet are 16 degrees high in the southern sky....
Aquarius the water bearer.