It was definitely a busier week than last week. Congress is back in session and had to work on their economic plan in order to avoid a standoff and subsequent governmental shutdown. That was avoided, luckily. Because it all ended up being squared away, I didn't actually pay any attention to it and you won't find many articles about it here. We also saw the first 100 days come to pass yesterday. I don't know about you, but it's felt like a lot longer than that...!
Science
While the best solution is still to reduce our plastic consumption, this is very exciting and promising information to hopefully take care of the plastic problem we currently have. *Warning-If looking at maggot-like caterpillars would creep you out, don't open this article.
There is finally a malaria vaccine, and it's going to be rolled out in three African nations very soon.
The malaria vaccine is good, but there is a certain logic behind the idea of letting African scientists be the ones to develop the vaccines they need, and distribute them in the way that works best for their countries.
Scientists have developed an artificial womb to help premature lamb fetuses reach maturity. They would like to develop this technology for human use one day. However, that comes with a whole host of ethical issues that must be addressed first. *Warning-If looking at a lamb fetus would creep you out, don't open this article.
The First 100 Days
Being president of the United States is super hard work. Apparently.
100 days into the new administration, here is the world's take on Trump.
Here is an article written by Pramila Jayapal, my Congressional representative, about her first 100 days in office. I might be biased because she's my rep, but she's pretty awesome!
The state of the Democrats 100 days into the new presidency.
Russia Investigation
The first 100 days of the Russian investigation.
The White House has refused to give documents about Michael Flynn to help with the Russian investigation.
Carl Bernstein seems to think there's an active cover-up going on with the Russia investigation. Somebody who helped uncover Watergate would probably know best.
Apparently there is a plan for the investigation's schedule, going forward.
Healthcare
The GOP healthcare plan just passed a huge hurdle towards being approved.
Here is a closer look at the amendments being proposed to the GOP healthcare bill that have won the approval of so many who had opposed the first bill.
Obama Wall Street Fee Controversy
In this week's example of irony, or possibly hypocrisy: Elizabeth Warren complaining about Obama giving a paid speech whilst promoting her own book, for which I am sure she is charging money to readers to purchase…Be careful Dems, we don't want to become the snake the swallows its own tail and destroys itself.
While I'm not sure I agree with this opinion piece, it does explain very well why some people are freaking out about Obama accepting a fee to give a speech for Wall Street. It's good to consider all sides of an argument.
Miscellaneous
New Orleans have begun taking down some offensive monuments from the Civil War era, with plans to take down more soon. They don't know where to put them, however. Might I make a suggestion? The Robert E. Lee or the Jefferson Davis statue, depending on size, might look wonderful in Fremont, across the street from the Lenin statue...
Gift Ngoepe has become the first African to play major league baseball in the United States.
All these judges are being so mean to Trump, shooting down his illegal, unethical, and unconstitutional executive orders...Here's the latest.
Here is an opinion piece about Trump's bullying of Canada that started this week.
This is a clear, well-written, non-hysterical article about net neutrality and the changes proposed this week.
Question(s) of the Week:
I'm not going to pretend to know the answers to these questions, so I am just going to pose them here for us to ponder over time. This whole "Obama fee" controversy feels like much ado about nothing, to me, but apparently it's a big deal? Why is it such a big deal? If the idea of receiving money from Wall Street for giving a speech is problematic, isn't giving the speech at all in the first place even more problematic? Why aren't people upset that Obama is giving the speech at all, instead of the fact that he'll be receiving money for it? And why are people upset at the idea of receiving money for giving a speech? Should all things done by a former president or politician be altruistic in nature? Why shouldn't they profit from doing work? Would you give a speech for free every time? It's not quite the same as being invited to talk at a high school graduation, after all. Why is ok for Elizabeth Warren to write and promote her books while in office but it's not ok for Obama to take money for giving a speech while out of office?
Like I said, I don't know the answers to these questions. They're more philosophical in nature than something with a firm yes or no answer. Each person has to answer them for themselves, really. I wish you luck with that!
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Sunday, April 23, 2017
4/23/17 Week in Review
This week felt off, somehow, news-wise. Maybe because Congress was on break so there was no real news there, but I think most of it was the fact that the focus turned to North Korea and a ton of "what ifs" that the media focused on. And I did have some real life distractions of my own, I must admit. It's possible I missed some stories, but I did manage to find some good stuff, though not as much as a normal week. Check out what I found!
Trump and Co. Drama
The first 100 day mark is coming up and what has Trump done so far? This isn't a rhetorical question, I'm actually asking you this. What has he accomplished so far??
Another Trump top pick bites the dust...
As we have suspected all along, Susan Rice's unmasking of names as a part of her job duties was in fact, much ado about nothing as Trump continued to try and find somebody to blame for his idiotic wiretapping tweet.
Teen Vogue strikes again! Ivanka Trump met with the Chinese president and it went so smashingly, apparently, that she now has a whole new market to sell her goods to. Convenient too, since I think all her stuff is made there...
Russia
Apparently there is some Russia stuff that happened this week. Carter Page, remember that name.
Even Fox News is talking about Carter Page. And after the week they had with firing Bill O'Reilly, the fact that they're even acknowledging the Russia stuff is amazing. And telling.
Interesting turn of events here. Did Trump turn down this request in order to not look like he was playing favorites? I mean really, this would look bad if he'd OK'd this. Or does he truly think this deal was bad on its own merits? We may never know for sure...
Part two of the Russia probe begins May 2nd. Mark your calendar to see how this all works out.
Miscellaneous
The Florida senator who got into trouble last week for using a racial slur has been forced to resign. This is a good lesson, folks, in how keeping up with these fights, we can actually make a difference.
A person protected under DACA has been deported in spite of what the administration has promised to not deport them.
Bill O'Reilly's out of a job at Fox. Just don't forget that Fox news is culpable for all of this and only did what they had to do for the sake of advertising money, not for the sake of actually doing the right thing.
Question of the Week:
Why was the news so boring on one hand, and terrifying on the other hand? North Korea and the threat of nuclear war dominated most of the news feeds that I came across this week. I don't watch news on tv, so I can't say if it was the same for that or not, but if I had to guess, I would guess that it probably was. I'm not sure how things escalated so quickly with North Korea, but my assumption is that the current administration, in hopes of distracting people from Russia and Trump's stupid wiretapping tweet, decided to poke the hornet next that is North Korea, with a stick. Now they have something to fight and protect America from and the media is eating it up.
There were things that developed this week regarding the Russia investigation, but I had to actually search it out. I chose not to share any stories on North Korea because I didn't want to perpetuate what Trump wants, but also because nothing actually happened. It was a week full of "what ifs," "coulds," and "mights" and that is not news. That is speculation and one of the things I vowed to stay away from as much as possible as I started this news project.
Trump has always played a distraction game with the media. When something big comes up, you need to look in the opposite direction to see what he's trying to distract us from. Whatever wasn't dominating the news was probably a welcomed break for Trump, which is exactly why we need to keep the focus on what he doesn't like. Currently, that's Russia and his wiretapping tweet. Keep your eyes on the prize, people.
This upcoming week is bound to be a crazy news week. Congress is back in session, they have to settle on a budget or risk a government shutdown and Trump wants to put financing the Great Wall of Mexico into all of that. North Korea is now a thing and Trump's first 100 days will be this coming Saturday. This week is bound to more than make up for this week's news slump. Stay vigilant, readers, and keep your government reps on speed dial!
Trump and Co. Drama
The first 100 day mark is coming up and what has Trump done so far? This isn't a rhetorical question, I'm actually asking you this. What has he accomplished so far??
Another Trump top pick bites the dust...
As we have suspected all along, Susan Rice's unmasking of names as a part of her job duties was in fact, much ado about nothing as Trump continued to try and find somebody to blame for his idiotic wiretapping tweet.
Teen Vogue strikes again! Ivanka Trump met with the Chinese president and it went so smashingly, apparently, that she now has a whole new market to sell her goods to. Convenient too, since I think all her stuff is made there...
Russia
Apparently there is some Russia stuff that happened this week. Carter Page, remember that name.
Even Fox News is talking about Carter Page. And after the week they had with firing Bill O'Reilly, the fact that they're even acknowledging the Russia stuff is amazing. And telling.
Interesting turn of events here. Did Trump turn down this request in order to not look like he was playing favorites? I mean really, this would look bad if he'd OK'd this. Or does he truly think this deal was bad on its own merits? We may never know for sure...
Part two of the Russia probe begins May 2nd. Mark your calendar to see how this all works out.
Miscellaneous
The Florida senator who got into trouble last week for using a racial slur has been forced to resign. This is a good lesson, folks, in how keeping up with these fights, we can actually make a difference.
A person protected under DACA has been deported in spite of what the administration has promised to not deport them.
Bill O'Reilly's out of a job at Fox. Just don't forget that Fox news is culpable for all of this and only did what they had to do for the sake of advertising money, not for the sake of actually doing the right thing.
Question of the Week:
Why was the news so boring on one hand, and terrifying on the other hand? North Korea and the threat of nuclear war dominated most of the news feeds that I came across this week. I don't watch news on tv, so I can't say if it was the same for that or not, but if I had to guess, I would guess that it probably was. I'm not sure how things escalated so quickly with North Korea, but my assumption is that the current administration, in hopes of distracting people from Russia and Trump's stupid wiretapping tweet, decided to poke the hornet next that is North Korea, with a stick. Now they have something to fight and protect America from and the media is eating it up.
There were things that developed this week regarding the Russia investigation, but I had to actually search it out. I chose not to share any stories on North Korea because I didn't want to perpetuate what Trump wants, but also because nothing actually happened. It was a week full of "what ifs," "coulds," and "mights" and that is not news. That is speculation and one of the things I vowed to stay away from as much as possible as I started this news project.
Trump has always played a distraction game with the media. When something big comes up, you need to look in the opposite direction to see what he's trying to distract us from. Whatever wasn't dominating the news was probably a welcomed break for Trump, which is exactly why we need to keep the focus on what he doesn't like. Currently, that's Russia and his wiretapping tweet. Keep your eyes on the prize, people.
This upcoming week is bound to be a crazy news week. Congress is back in session, they have to settle on a budget or risk a government shutdown and Trump wants to put financing the Great Wall of Mexico into all of that. North Korea is now a thing and Trump's first 100 days will be this coming Saturday. This week is bound to more than make up for this week's news slump. Stay vigilant, readers, and keep your government reps on speed dial!
Sunday, April 16, 2017
04/16/17 Week in Review
Well, here it is, Easter Sunday! I've been a bit distracted this week with my own work drama issues, but I still managed to find some good reads this week. Happy reading!
College Tuition
New York state now offers tuition-free college!
But(there's always a but), there are some caveats...
If you pay student loans, you might need to know about this recent change by Betsy DeVos.
Trump Troubles
Who knew Fox News would be the voice of reason with the Syrian strike issue?
This should be concerning to everybody, regardless of what "side" you're on politically. The president's children should not be able to have such a political influence on the president.
So, apparently this is why Paul Manafort is going to have to register as a foreign agent. I can't imagine this looks good for the Trump administration.
Here is a sound lawsuit against the Great Wall of Mexico. I hope this does what it's intended to do and stops the wall from being made.
British intelligence intercepted quite a bit of communication between Team Trump and Russia in the months leading up to the election. They passed this on to their American counterparts. It does make one wonder why this information was not made public long before now...Like, maybe 11 days before the election?
Trump wants to increase the amount of people patrolling the border for undocumented immigrants. The only problem is not many people seem to want that job. Gosh, if only there was a group of people here who are exploitable and do jobs that most Americans are unwilling to do...Hmm, that is a puzzlement.
African American Community Issues
Like last week's article about black women having to live with different standards for their hair, here is another example of double standards. In this piece, a young woman was told her prom dress was inappropriate because it wasn't "formal" enough. Not because it showed too much skin, but because the material was deemed inappropriate.This is not ok.
The man who killed nine people in a church in South Carolina doesn't deserve to have me type his name out, but he does deserve the nine life sentences he received in court this week.
Miscellaneous
The Texas voter ID law has been deemed a form of racial discrimination by a judge, for a second time. That must mean it really is discriminatory...
Good news for Washington state citizens who use birth control!
I waited for a while to share this story until I saw it come across a reputable news source. Even so, most of it is presented as allegation.
Video of the Week
Sean Spicer has a very special Easter and Passover message for America.
Question of the Week
My question, or thought, stems from this article.
While the thought of Trump's base of voters and supporters starting to turn on him might sound awesome at first, it does make me feel a bit concerned about the long-run. If his base is turning away from him because they feel he is no longer living up to his promises, they are not going to suddenly start supporting a Democrat nominee. They will continue to turn to more and more extremists. As the article says, a lot of them strongly support Steve Bannon and don't like the idea of his fall from Trump's graces. If Bannon leaves the White House in disgrace, and Trump's base begins to feel sympathy for him and sadness because his causes, which are their causes, are no longer being heard, what's the stop them from throwing their support behind Bannon down the road? If we think a Trump presidency is scary, imagine how terrifying a Bannon presidency would be? I don't know about you, but that sounds like the worst idea ever.
So, what can be done about this? These populist-leaning people are not going to change their ways any time soon, they will only continue to look for people who embody their beliefs. The only thing I can think of for how to combat this, is to actually listen to them and hear their concerns. I'm not saying we validate them or normalize them, but all of this is coming from fear, and fear makes people do dangerous things. There has to be a way to come together with these people and help them work through their fears. It's the only way they will be able to move on from these terrifying candidates who have no business being anywhere near the White House. I like to think of Trump as a one-off anomaly, but there is that little thought in the back of my mind, that he might be the first of many if we're not careful...
College Tuition
New York state now offers tuition-free college!
But(there's always a but), there are some caveats...
If you pay student loans, you might need to know about this recent change by Betsy DeVos.
Trump Troubles
Who knew Fox News would be the voice of reason with the Syrian strike issue?
This should be concerning to everybody, regardless of what "side" you're on politically. The president's children should not be able to have such a political influence on the president.
So, apparently this is why Paul Manafort is going to have to register as a foreign agent. I can't imagine this looks good for the Trump administration.
Here is a sound lawsuit against the Great Wall of Mexico. I hope this does what it's intended to do and stops the wall from being made.
British intelligence intercepted quite a bit of communication between Team Trump and Russia in the months leading up to the election. They passed this on to their American counterparts. It does make one wonder why this information was not made public long before now...Like, maybe 11 days before the election?
Trump wants to increase the amount of people patrolling the border for undocumented immigrants. The only problem is not many people seem to want that job. Gosh, if only there was a group of people here who are exploitable and do jobs that most Americans are unwilling to do...Hmm, that is a puzzlement.
African American Community Issues
Like last week's article about black women having to live with different standards for their hair, here is another example of double standards. In this piece, a young woman was told her prom dress was inappropriate because it wasn't "formal" enough. Not because it showed too much skin, but because the material was deemed inappropriate.This is not ok.
The man who killed nine people in a church in South Carolina doesn't deserve to have me type his name out, but he does deserve the nine life sentences he received in court this week.
Miscellaneous
The Texas voter ID law has been deemed a form of racial discrimination by a judge, for a second time. That must mean it really is discriminatory...
Good news for Washington state citizens who use birth control!
I waited for a while to share this story until I saw it come across a reputable news source. Even so, most of it is presented as allegation.
Video of the Week
Sean Spicer has a very special Easter and Passover message for America.
Question of the Week
My question, or thought, stems from this article.
While the thought of Trump's base of voters and supporters starting to turn on him might sound awesome at first, it does make me feel a bit concerned about the long-run. If his base is turning away from him because they feel he is no longer living up to his promises, they are not going to suddenly start supporting a Democrat nominee. They will continue to turn to more and more extremists. As the article says, a lot of them strongly support Steve Bannon and don't like the idea of his fall from Trump's graces. If Bannon leaves the White House in disgrace, and Trump's base begins to feel sympathy for him and sadness because his causes, which are their causes, are no longer being heard, what's the stop them from throwing their support behind Bannon down the road? If we think a Trump presidency is scary, imagine how terrifying a Bannon presidency would be? I don't know about you, but that sounds like the worst idea ever.
So, what can be done about this? These populist-leaning people are not going to change their ways any time soon, they will only continue to look for people who embody their beliefs. The only thing I can think of for how to combat this, is to actually listen to them and hear their concerns. I'm not saying we validate them or normalize them, but all of this is coming from fear, and fear makes people do dangerous things. There has to be a way to come together with these people and help them work through their fears. It's the only way they will be able to move on from these terrifying candidates who have no business being anywhere near the White House. I like to think of Trump as a one-off anomaly, but there is that little thought in the back of my mind, that he might be the first of many if we're not careful...
Sunday, April 9, 2017
04/09/17 Week in Review
What a week it's been. It feels like there's just more and more terrible news happening right now, but in spite of that, there was also some great things that happened this week too. Check it all out here!
This Week in "Trump Won't Give Up on His Wiretapping Tweet"
Susan Rice is this week's victim of Trump's desperation to prove his ridiculous wiretapping tweet right.
Susan Rice's response to being dragged into the drama.
Russia
David Nunes is stepping down from the Russia probe of the White House.
Things just aren't going well for Donald Trump's allies...
Twitter
The government is apparently trying to find out who's behind those rogue twitter accounts. Twitter is disinclined to acquiesce to their request. Keep an eye out for this one.
When the government decided not to pursue the matter any further, Twitter dropped their lawsuit against them. I still say to keep an eye out for this one. The government doesn't need to know who is behind these rogue accounts. If they keep this up, it will have to be sorted out in court.
White House Drama
Steve Bannon has apparently been removed from the National Security Council. This demotion can't be settling well with him.
And it seems that the Bannon drama is even more dramatic than first thought.
Good News
LGBT rights had a huge win this week. Workplace bias rules now protect against LGBT discrimination.
Here's an invention that would make saltwater drinkable. This could change the world!
Belated good news- This is from last week, but as it hasn't gotten a lot of attention, I am sharing it anyway. In spite of the climate rollback signed by Trump last week, it appears that a lot of businesses will not be taking him up on his offer.
The bids have come and gone for companies to build the Great Wall of Mexico. It appears, though, that there aren't as many takers as they had hoped there would be...
In spite of what feels like a lot of setbacks recently in the world of gender equality in the workplace, there are things being done. Use this article to find out what your state is doing to combat gender-based income inequality.
California's years-long drought is now over, but most of their conservation efforts will remain in effect.
Apparently, sexual harassment doesn't pay off, as Bill O'Reilly is finding out...
Bad News
Thursday night, Trump ordered military strikes against Syria in response to the chemical attack earlier in the week.
Is there a plus side for the Democrats to losing the filibuster? Unfortunately, these things swing both ways.
Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed to the Supreme Court.
Miscellaneous
Black women in the United States have a different set of rules for what they can and can't do to their hair, than white women. This can affect their ability to get a job or a promotion. The double standard is disturbing.
Is there hope for Democrats and Republicans ever being able to work together in Congress? We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope so.
Civics 101:
Last week we finished up the Declaration of Independence. Because there are so many annotations and changes to the Constitution, it's not really conducive for me to copy and paste it in pieces here. I am going to include the link for the entire Constitution here for people to bookmark and read on their own time. And since I'm not sure how much people were taking away from this section, anyway, I might not continue it after this.
The Constitution of the United States
Book Recommendation:
I have had thoughts swirling around in my head since I started reading this, but now that I've finished it, I'm having trouble putting them together into something coherent. This was one of the most profound pieces I have ever had the privilege to read. What W.E.B DuBois has to say about white privilege and how the system is set up to work against black people feels ahead of its time, because it's like he's describing how things are today. But when you realize that it's actually not ahead of it's time, it's relevant because nothing has changed since his time, you're overcome with a sense of sadness and anger about it. If he was still alive today, he wouldn't probably notice much difference between the Reconstruction Era, and now.
W.E.B DuBois was one of two big players in what we would call the Civil Rights movement, though it didn't really have a title in those days. DuBois and Booker T. Washington had opposing ideas on how to approach civil rights. They were the Malcolm X and MLK Jr. of their time. And I can't say for Booker T. Washington, but W.E.B DuBois had issues with Washington. So much so, that one of the essays in this book is devoted entirely to what he thinks is wrong with Washington's approach. Washington apparently had a more "work with the system" attitude, whereas DuBois saw that the system wasn't set up for people of color(an actual phrase he uses in this book, well before it become a phrase we use today) and that maybe they needed to not be a part of the system if they ever wanted to have any sort of true freedom or equality. If these men were alive today, I think they'd be engaged in an active Twitter feud.
I highly recommend this book to anybody who is trying to get a better idea of how white privilege works, and how the system we live in today actually started a very long time ago. Go into it knowing that he was a product of his times, though. He didn't seem to have much use for women, and they tend to be side notes in his essays, if they show up at all. I think what he has to say about equality and how slavery still affects the world today, is important enough to overlook this issue. Be prepared to be emotionally moved by this, even to the point of tears, which was sort of embarrassing because I was on the bus when that happened. The version I read was a Bantam Classic edition from 1989, with a foreword written by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. The picture is of this version. If you can find that version, I recommend reading that intro too. Dr. Gates is a big-name voice today, and you can see how he too, was influenced by the words of this great author.
Question of the Week:
This isn't a question, so much as a thought I had this week. Hypocrisy and politics seem to go hand-in-hand so naturally. I am trying to train myself to spot hypocrisies in my own political thoughts and opinions and calling myself on them. If I am ok with something being supported by or undertaken by a Democrat, then I have to be ok with the same thing being done by a Republican. The opposite is also true. If I am not ok with a Republican doing something, then I must also not be ok with it when a Democrat does the same thing. The question is, do I support something because it's being done by a Democrat or do I support it because it's the right thing to do? If it's the right thing to do, then it doesn't matter who does it. It just matters that it's being done.
Do One Thing:
My goal this week was to get my apartment cleaned and under control. And of course that was a big fail, because cleaning sucks! I will get it done, eventually...Also, I am finding it difficult to remember these things and thinking of things to do, so I might discontinue this section as well. That's the good thing about this news blog project, it's something that can change over time depending on what works best.
This Week in "Trump Won't Give Up on His Wiretapping Tweet"
Susan Rice is this week's victim of Trump's desperation to prove his ridiculous wiretapping tweet right.
Susan Rice's response to being dragged into the drama.
Russia
David Nunes is stepping down from the Russia probe of the White House.
Things just aren't going well for Donald Trump's allies...
The government is apparently trying to find out who's behind those rogue twitter accounts. Twitter is disinclined to acquiesce to their request. Keep an eye out for this one.
When the government decided not to pursue the matter any further, Twitter dropped their lawsuit against them. I still say to keep an eye out for this one. The government doesn't need to know who is behind these rogue accounts. If they keep this up, it will have to be sorted out in court.
White House Drama
Steve Bannon has apparently been removed from the National Security Council. This demotion can't be settling well with him.
And it seems that the Bannon drama is even more dramatic than first thought.
Good News
LGBT rights had a huge win this week. Workplace bias rules now protect against LGBT discrimination.
Here's an invention that would make saltwater drinkable. This could change the world!
Belated good news- This is from last week, but as it hasn't gotten a lot of attention, I am sharing it anyway. In spite of the climate rollback signed by Trump last week, it appears that a lot of businesses will not be taking him up on his offer.
The bids have come and gone for companies to build the Great Wall of Mexico. It appears, though, that there aren't as many takers as they had hoped there would be...
In spite of what feels like a lot of setbacks recently in the world of gender equality in the workplace, there are things being done. Use this article to find out what your state is doing to combat gender-based income inequality.
California's years-long drought is now over, but most of their conservation efforts will remain in effect.
Apparently, sexual harassment doesn't pay off, as Bill O'Reilly is finding out...
Bad News
Thursday night, Trump ordered military strikes against Syria in response to the chemical attack earlier in the week.
Is there a plus side for the Democrats to losing the filibuster? Unfortunately, these things swing both ways.
Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed to the Supreme Court.
Miscellaneous
Black women in the United States have a different set of rules for what they can and can't do to their hair, than white women. This can affect their ability to get a job or a promotion. The double standard is disturbing.
Is there hope for Democrats and Republicans ever being able to work together in Congress? We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope so.
Civics 101:
Last week we finished up the Declaration of Independence. Because there are so many annotations and changes to the Constitution, it's not really conducive for me to copy and paste it in pieces here. I am going to include the link for the entire Constitution here for people to bookmark and read on their own time. And since I'm not sure how much people were taking away from this section, anyway, I might not continue it after this.
The Constitution of the United States
Book Recommendation:
W.E.B DuBois was one of two big players in what we would call the Civil Rights movement, though it didn't really have a title in those days. DuBois and Booker T. Washington had opposing ideas on how to approach civil rights. They were the Malcolm X and MLK Jr. of their time. And I can't say for Booker T. Washington, but W.E.B DuBois had issues with Washington. So much so, that one of the essays in this book is devoted entirely to what he thinks is wrong with Washington's approach. Washington apparently had a more "work with the system" attitude, whereas DuBois saw that the system wasn't set up for people of color(an actual phrase he uses in this book, well before it become a phrase we use today) and that maybe they needed to not be a part of the system if they ever wanted to have any sort of true freedom or equality. If these men were alive today, I think they'd be engaged in an active Twitter feud.
I highly recommend this book to anybody who is trying to get a better idea of how white privilege works, and how the system we live in today actually started a very long time ago. Go into it knowing that he was a product of his times, though. He didn't seem to have much use for women, and they tend to be side notes in his essays, if they show up at all. I think what he has to say about equality and how slavery still affects the world today, is important enough to overlook this issue. Be prepared to be emotionally moved by this, even to the point of tears, which was sort of embarrassing because I was on the bus when that happened. The version I read was a Bantam Classic edition from 1989, with a foreword written by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. The picture is of this version. If you can find that version, I recommend reading that intro too. Dr. Gates is a big-name voice today, and you can see how he too, was influenced by the words of this great author.
Question of the Week:
This isn't a question, so much as a thought I had this week. Hypocrisy and politics seem to go hand-in-hand so naturally. I am trying to train myself to spot hypocrisies in my own political thoughts and opinions and calling myself on them. If I am ok with something being supported by or undertaken by a Democrat, then I have to be ok with the same thing being done by a Republican. The opposite is also true. If I am not ok with a Republican doing something, then I must also not be ok with it when a Democrat does the same thing. The question is, do I support something because it's being done by a Democrat or do I support it because it's the right thing to do? If it's the right thing to do, then it doesn't matter who does it. It just matters that it's being done.
Do One Thing:
My goal this week was to get my apartment cleaned and under control. And of course that was a big fail, because cleaning sucks! I will get it done, eventually...Also, I am finding it difficult to remember these things and thinking of things to do, so I might discontinue this section as well. That's the good thing about this news blog project, it's something that can change over time depending on what works best.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
04/02/17 Week in Review
Well, here we are, another Sunday, a long day ahead of us to read the best-written, most interesting articles from the week. Once again, there was no lack of topics being written about this week. Pace yourself, and make sure to read the other items too. We finish out the Declaration of Independence today and I'm sure to upset a lot of you with the Question of the Week that I pose...Happy reading!
White House Issues
Ivanka Trump is going to have a more official unofficial role in the White House.
Another White House worker bites the dust...
LGBTQ Issues
The next census will not contain questions asking about sexual orientation or gender identity.
North Carolina has reached a "compromise" on their transgender bathroom bill, but the details of the compromise don't seem to change much of anything.
Sanctuary Cities
Cities are making preparations to band together against the administration as sanctuary cities.
The city of Seattle is suing the president over his attacks on sanctuary cities.
Russia
The state of things with Russia.
Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn is currently offering to testify in the Russia investigation in exchange for legal immunity for any wrongdoing on his part.
The latest wrap-up of This Week in the Russia Investigation. This thing is playing out like a soap opera...
The Great Wall of Mexico
Here's an article about the White House's plan on how to pay for the Great Wall of Mexico.
The Great Wall of Mexico appears to have hit a few snags...
Miscellaneous
One of the anti-apartheid greats of South Africa has passed away...
Trump's wrath is currently falling on the Freedom Caucus as fallout from the failed healthcare bill last week continues to spread.
Tim Eyman is being sued by Washington state.
Wells Fargo has reached a deal on how much money they'll pay as punishment for fake accounts.
Scientists have discovered a new dinosaur species that might change how we look at the evolution of dinosaurs.
This article about the Democrat vote for or against Gorsuch really shows just how much politics is involved in politics. Strategy, give and take, and constituent wishes, among other things all go into how a Senator decides how they will vote. And then of course, there's the looming nuclear option that could change the rules for the worse...See my Question of the Week section of this blog to explore this topic in further depth.
Civics 101:
This week, we finally finish out the Declaration of Independence. It was a long journey, and a lot to take in, but then again, so was breaking away from Britain! Make sure to read the names of the signers. Some of the names should be familiar.
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton"
Question of the Week:
Should the Democrats vote to confirm Gorsuch to the Supreme Court or should they fillibuster?
Chicago Tribune article
Fox News article
CNN article
The only consensus I can seem to find in all my research on this topic, is that, the nuclear option is something neither Democrats nor Republicans really want to see used. Democrats are hoping that they can push this issue and keep the Republicans from using it, and Republicans are detarmined to see Gorsuch confirmed, no matter what. Unfortunately, both parties are playing a game of chicken with this, and the American people and the functionality of the Senate are truly what's at stake here. What I am sure of, is that none of this is actually about confirming a person to the Supreme Court. And I am also sure, if the nuclear option is used, nothing good will come of it for the American people.
So, what is the "nuclear option"? In case you haven't been researching this issue, you might not be aware of it beyond it being a scary-sounding term. The Senate is the group of people who vote to confirm a person to the Supreme Court. Currently, the Senate needs 61 votes out of the 100 total Senators to confirm a person to the Supreme Court. However, changes can be proposed, voted on, and enacted quickly to change that rule from a total of 61 votes, to a simple majority of 51 votes. This is helpful when you need to push something through and can't get the votes you need from the other side of the political aisle. But it's also a double-edged sword, because it can be used by whichever party is currently in the majority and shuts out the minority party even more. This is not conducive to bipartisanship and generally leads to a larger amount of gridlock and people refusing to work with each other. One of the big issue items when America was being founded, was the concept of the tyranny of the majority over the minority. The nuclear option does not help this issue, whatsoever.
Here are some other terms you might have heard or seen a lot lately:
Filibuster: When the Senate cannot reach its necessary 61 votes, and the debate continues in hopes of swaying people to change their vote, this is known as a filibuster. This is what is expected to happen when the vote for Gorsuch takes place. This adds time to the process and can force the entire process to grind to a halt.
Cloture: This is a call to end a filibuster by taking an immediate vote in hopes of getting to the 61 votes. This is where the nuclear option comes in. Prior to this call, other calls can be made to change the majority from 61 to 51, and then the cloture vote is called on, and that's the end of the debate. The filibuster is over and the vote to confirm Gorsuch takes place where he is elected to the Supreme Court.
"We will never confirm anybody until we get a chance to vote for Merrick Garland!" "We won't pull our nominee, you'd better vote for him or we'll go nuclear!" This is pretty much what I have heard from both sides. Neither is a good or valid argument or form of combat.
The Democrats, while I understand their anger at what the Republicans did to Obama last year when he tried to put forth a Supreme Court nominee, are acting like children. This is a temper tantrum. Sometimes life sucks and rarely is it fair. Suck it up and deal with it. We cannot become the very thing we hated about the Republicans for the last six years: obstructionists. Obstruction for the sake of obstruction might make us feel powerful, but it doesn't help the country. Tit-for-tat isn't power, and it doesn't move people forward. All it does is create a vicious cycle of people getting revenge on each other for past wrongs. Working together to compromise on the things that can be compromised is always how this country moves forward. We have to decide if we are fighting this just to spite Trump or if we are truly fighting this to make the country a better place. When we see compromise as losing, we have already lost.
The Republicans, though, seem unwilling to turn Gorsuch down and tell Trump to pick somebody else. They want to be seen as winners. They want to be seen as able to do anything after six years of being obstructionists. They have to save face, especially after the horrible trouncing they just experienced over the healthcare fail. Perhaps there really are some major issues with Gorsuch that they refuse to entertain. It's their way, or the nuclear highway.
My personal gut feeling is this: Based on what I have researched, we could be a lot worse off than having to vote for Gorsuch. Gorsuch will not alter the outcome of the Supreme Court votes, for now, at least. It will merely restore it to the way it was when Scalia was still alive. Gorsuch isn't the nominee to fight. Sure he's conservative, but you know what? Any nominee in the next four years, is going to be conservative. But this guy isn't the devil people are making him out to be, he's just a conservative that Trump nominated and that eats away at us. Even if the GOP pulled Gorsuch, I suspect the Democrats would nitpick and disagree with every single nominee put before them. They'd say it was because they don't like the stance the person has, but it's really about Trump and sticking it to him in any possible way, regardless of the consequences. People need to put their feelings away for a minute and really look at the situation with their heads for a while. I would recommend this for both the Senate, and the American people. The nuclear option will always loom over our heads while it still exists, and it will be used by somebody, eventually. This isn't the time to force the GOP's hand. That time will be for the next nominee, or the one after that, or the one after that. This might not sound very "liberal" or "progressive" of me, but sometimes you have to lose a battle in order to win a war.
What are your thoughts on all of this? No matter what happens, this is a situation that will truly take the wisdom of Solomon to solve...
Do One Thing:
So, my one thing this week was to walk every day. I did this nearly so. I was out of work on Monday for a sick day, so I didn't walk that day, but I did manage to do some level of walking every day other than that. I definitely want to keep up with this.
For this week's one thing...I want to get my apartment cleaned up, in hopes of keeping it under control. Spring cleaning time!
White House Issues
Ivanka Trump is going to have a more official unofficial role in the White House.
Another White House worker bites the dust...
LGBTQ Issues
The next census will not contain questions asking about sexual orientation or gender identity.
North Carolina has reached a "compromise" on their transgender bathroom bill, but the details of the compromise don't seem to change much of anything.
Sanctuary Cities
Cities are making preparations to band together against the administration as sanctuary cities.
The city of Seattle is suing the president over his attacks on sanctuary cities.
Russia
The state of things with Russia.
Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn is currently offering to testify in the Russia investigation in exchange for legal immunity for any wrongdoing on his part.
The latest wrap-up of This Week in the Russia Investigation. This thing is playing out like a soap opera...
The Great Wall of Mexico
Here's an article about the White House's plan on how to pay for the Great Wall of Mexico.
The Great Wall of Mexico appears to have hit a few snags...
Miscellaneous
One of the anti-apartheid greats of South Africa has passed away...
Trump's wrath is currently falling on the Freedom Caucus as fallout from the failed healthcare bill last week continues to spread.
Tim Eyman is being sued by Washington state.
Wells Fargo has reached a deal on how much money they'll pay as punishment for fake accounts.
Scientists have discovered a new dinosaur species that might change how we look at the evolution of dinosaurs.
This article about the Democrat vote for or against Gorsuch really shows just how much politics is involved in politics. Strategy, give and take, and constituent wishes, among other things all go into how a Senator decides how they will vote. And then of course, there's the looming nuclear option that could change the rules for the worse...See my Question of the Week section of this blog to explore this topic in further depth.
Civics 101:
This week, we finally finish out the Declaration of Independence. It was a long journey, and a lot to take in, but then again, so was breaking away from Britain! Make sure to read the names of the signers. Some of the names should be familiar.
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton"
Question of the Week:
Should the Democrats vote to confirm Gorsuch to the Supreme Court or should they fillibuster?
Chicago Tribune article
Fox News article
CNN article
The only consensus I can seem to find in all my research on this topic, is that, the nuclear option is something neither Democrats nor Republicans really want to see used. Democrats are hoping that they can push this issue and keep the Republicans from using it, and Republicans are detarmined to see Gorsuch confirmed, no matter what. Unfortunately, both parties are playing a game of chicken with this, and the American people and the functionality of the Senate are truly what's at stake here. What I am sure of, is that none of this is actually about confirming a person to the Supreme Court. And I am also sure, if the nuclear option is used, nothing good will come of it for the American people.
So, what is the "nuclear option"? In case you haven't been researching this issue, you might not be aware of it beyond it being a scary-sounding term. The Senate is the group of people who vote to confirm a person to the Supreme Court. Currently, the Senate needs 61 votes out of the 100 total Senators to confirm a person to the Supreme Court. However, changes can be proposed, voted on, and enacted quickly to change that rule from a total of 61 votes, to a simple majority of 51 votes. This is helpful when you need to push something through and can't get the votes you need from the other side of the political aisle. But it's also a double-edged sword, because it can be used by whichever party is currently in the majority and shuts out the minority party even more. This is not conducive to bipartisanship and generally leads to a larger amount of gridlock and people refusing to work with each other. One of the big issue items when America was being founded, was the concept of the tyranny of the majority over the minority. The nuclear option does not help this issue, whatsoever.
Here are some other terms you might have heard or seen a lot lately:
Filibuster: When the Senate cannot reach its necessary 61 votes, and the debate continues in hopes of swaying people to change their vote, this is known as a filibuster. This is what is expected to happen when the vote for Gorsuch takes place. This adds time to the process and can force the entire process to grind to a halt.
Cloture: This is a call to end a filibuster by taking an immediate vote in hopes of getting to the 61 votes. This is where the nuclear option comes in. Prior to this call, other calls can be made to change the majority from 61 to 51, and then the cloture vote is called on, and that's the end of the debate. The filibuster is over and the vote to confirm Gorsuch takes place where he is elected to the Supreme Court.
"We will never confirm anybody until we get a chance to vote for Merrick Garland!" "We won't pull our nominee, you'd better vote for him or we'll go nuclear!" This is pretty much what I have heard from both sides. Neither is a good or valid argument or form of combat.
The Democrats, while I understand their anger at what the Republicans did to Obama last year when he tried to put forth a Supreme Court nominee, are acting like children. This is a temper tantrum. Sometimes life sucks and rarely is it fair. Suck it up and deal with it. We cannot become the very thing we hated about the Republicans for the last six years: obstructionists. Obstruction for the sake of obstruction might make us feel powerful, but it doesn't help the country. Tit-for-tat isn't power, and it doesn't move people forward. All it does is create a vicious cycle of people getting revenge on each other for past wrongs. Working together to compromise on the things that can be compromised is always how this country moves forward. We have to decide if we are fighting this just to spite Trump or if we are truly fighting this to make the country a better place. When we see compromise as losing, we have already lost.
The Republicans, though, seem unwilling to turn Gorsuch down and tell Trump to pick somebody else. They want to be seen as winners. They want to be seen as able to do anything after six years of being obstructionists. They have to save face, especially after the horrible trouncing they just experienced over the healthcare fail. Perhaps there really are some major issues with Gorsuch that they refuse to entertain. It's their way, or the nuclear highway.
My personal gut feeling is this: Based on what I have researched, we could be a lot worse off than having to vote for Gorsuch. Gorsuch will not alter the outcome of the Supreme Court votes, for now, at least. It will merely restore it to the way it was when Scalia was still alive. Gorsuch isn't the nominee to fight. Sure he's conservative, but you know what? Any nominee in the next four years, is going to be conservative. But this guy isn't the devil people are making him out to be, he's just a conservative that Trump nominated and that eats away at us. Even if the GOP pulled Gorsuch, I suspect the Democrats would nitpick and disagree with every single nominee put before them. They'd say it was because they don't like the stance the person has, but it's really about Trump and sticking it to him in any possible way, regardless of the consequences. People need to put their feelings away for a minute and really look at the situation with their heads for a while. I would recommend this for both the Senate, and the American people. The nuclear option will always loom over our heads while it still exists, and it will be used by somebody, eventually. This isn't the time to force the GOP's hand. That time will be for the next nominee, or the one after that, or the one after that. This might not sound very "liberal" or "progressive" of me, but sometimes you have to lose a battle in order to win a war.
What are your thoughts on all of this? No matter what happens, this is a situation that will truly take the wisdom of Solomon to solve...
Do One Thing:
So, my one thing this week was to walk every day. I did this nearly so. I was out of work on Monday for a sick day, so I didn't walk that day, but I did manage to do some level of walking every day other than that. I definitely want to keep up with this.
For this week's one thing...I want to get my apartment cleaned up, in hopes of keeping it under control. Spring cleaning time!
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