The article linked below does a good job of explaining how I feel
about what I know about John McCain, with one exception. John
McCain sidestepped taking to task the woman who said to him that she
disliked
Obama "because he is an Arab." I am just not sure that that was the
moment for what the author wishes that Mr. McCain had done then.
Again, I agree of my own knowledge with the rest of it--very much
so.*
"Reckoning
With John McCain: Respecting the best of McCain requires grappling
with the rest of McCain," by Timothy Patrick McCarthy, The
Nation, August 27, 2018.
Not for this article in particular--I hope you remember The
Nation as a famous fount of truth going back to the
Civil War.
love to you and your family,
Larry
sent 8/25/2018 TomDispatch "Can Donald Trump Unite the World (Against Himself)?" (an accumulation of mostly accurate facts from recent history)
"Can
Donald Trump Unite the World (Against Himself)?" by Dilip
Hiro, TomDispatch, August 23, 2018. As usual with TomDispatch,
the article starts below a comment by Tom. (republished
at Common Dreams)
The Rise of an Anti-Trump Movement Globally -- and on His Home Turf
(an accumulation of mostly accurate facts from recent history over much territory--LS)
I hate having to remind you again that Trump's removal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was probably the best thing, if not the only good thing, that he has done, despite recent comments including the one in this article. Remember that the opposition to the TPP was huge and that some of us were part of that opposition. Much or most of the opposition was based on the perceived need for local control of such environmental issues as water and air pollution. This search result has links to many authoritative articles on the topic from back in the days when Barack Obama was the President being criticized for his role in the TPP. As it is now, localities can fight for local control without having to either hire attorneys in Brussels or else hire local attorneys to travel to Brussels to fight. That might actually be your priority.
But there are more things that Trump has done that are listed in the main article that seem unequivocally damaging to our country, not to mention to our world. Those things include opposing the EU with respect to Iran. I think that it might be important to keep it all somewhat in mind for future reference if for nothing else, just for the sake of whatever conscious control you might have over some of the future events in your life.
love to you and your family,
Larry
The Rise of an Anti-Trump Movement Globally -- and on His Home Turf
(an accumulation of mostly accurate facts from recent history over much territory--LS)
I hate having to remind you again that Trump's removal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was probably the best thing, if not the only good thing, that he has done, despite recent comments including the one in this article. Remember that the opposition to the TPP was huge and that some of us were part of that opposition. Much or most of the opposition was based on the perceived need for local control of such environmental issues as water and air pollution. This search result has links to many authoritative articles on the topic from back in the days when Barack Obama was the President being criticized for his role in the TPP. As it is now, localities can fight for local control without having to either hire attorneys in Brussels or else hire local attorneys to travel to Brussels to fight. That might actually be your priority.
But there are more things that Trump has done that are listed in the main article that seem unequivocally damaging to our country, not to mention to our world. Those things include opposing the EU with respect to Iran. I think that it might be important to keep it all somewhat in mind for future reference if for nothing else, just for the sake of whatever conscious control you might have over some of the future events in your life.
love to you and your family,
Larry
sent 8/24/2018 Educational--Pleased to be able to call myself a Quaker time: (You Tube 11min 27 sec) Some Quaker Action on the side of preserving the human habitability of the earth for longer
Subject: Educational--Pleased to be able to call myself a Quaker time: (You Tube
11min 27 sec) Some Quaker Action on the side of preserving the human
habitability of the earth for longer
"How a Small Group of Quaker Activists Took on PNC Bank and Won," by Quaker Speak, July 26, 2018
You can watch the video under the above link to Quaker Speak. To download the video for cleaner watching or for posterity you can, with the right software, download the video from YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=5z07VLcsyrk
At first I wondered about a group of Quakers holding "meeting" in a bank lobby. It is a fine balance for me trying to hold that thought and take it seriously. But then as I listened I realized rather quickly that I really was listening to some Quakers with some serious knowledge of Quaker traditions. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to associate with silent meeting Quakers for more than a few years, during a time that was also very active, the 1960's and '70's. I commend this video to you for educational purposes.
love to you and your family,
Larry
P.S. The main point is to take whatever opportunities may present themselves to help stop Donald Trump (and others for whom he has been setting a bad example) from violating his sworn duty to us.
"How a Small Group of Quaker Activists Took on PNC Bank and Won," by Quaker Speak, July 26, 2018
You can watch the video under the above link to Quaker Speak. To download the video for cleaner watching or for posterity you can, with the right software, download the video from YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=5z07VLcsyrk
At first I wondered about a group of Quakers holding "meeting" in a bank lobby. It is a fine balance for me trying to hold that thought and take it seriously. But then as I listened I realized rather quickly that I really was listening to some Quakers with some serious knowledge of Quaker traditions. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to associate with silent meeting Quakers for more than a few years, during a time that was also very active, the 1960's and '70's. I commend this video to you for educational purposes.
love to you and your family,
Larry
P.S. The main point is to take whatever opportunities may present themselves to help stop Donald Trump (and others for whom he has been setting a bad example) from violating his sworn duty to us.
sent 8/18/2018 "The Freedom of the Press Is YOURS," The Editors, The Atlantic
"The
Freedom of the Press Is Yours," The Editors, The Atlantic,
August 15, 2018
It is your right as an American to read what you will, to write what you think, and to publish what you believe.
Note that this piece continues on, below the first bunch, at least, of links to other Atlantic pieces. In other words, you can skip by those and keep going.
The story of the creation of The Atlantic in 1857 is included and is interesting, the times and the promises the new editors made.
The evil that Donald Trump is doing to the American press needs to be stopped. I have seen enough talk out of his mouth and fingers on this. Just us hearing his words is an evil influence in and of itself. We have our own right to decide which newspeople are worth our time and which are not. Since freedom of speech and freedom of the press are provided by the Constitution, one of Donald Trump's actual job duties is to help protect that system, the system where each of us has his or own right to decide whom and what to read. His putting his other opinions about the press out there in front is a violation of that duty. Many of us are helping him to learn that as an important lesson. Let us not let Donald Trump lead us to feeling guilty about appreciating writers whom Donald Trump has said that he detests. Perhaps you could even feel a bit proud instead--not that that is the main point here.*
love to you and your family,
Larry
P.S. The main point is to take whatever opportunities may present themselves to help stop Donald Trump (and others for whom he has been setting a bad example) from violating his sworn duty to us.
It is your right as an American to read what you will, to write what you think, and to publish what you believe.
Note that this piece continues on, below the first bunch, at least, of links to other Atlantic pieces. In other words, you can skip by those and keep going.
The story of the creation of The Atlantic in 1857 is included and is interesting, the times and the promises the new editors made.
The evil that Donald Trump is doing to the American press needs to be stopped. I have seen enough talk out of his mouth and fingers on this. Just us hearing his words is an evil influence in and of itself. We have our own right to decide which newspeople are worth our time and which are not. Since freedom of speech and freedom of the press are provided by the Constitution, one of Donald Trump's actual job duties is to help protect that system, the system where each of us has his or own right to decide whom and what to read. His putting his other opinions about the press out there in front is a violation of that duty. Many of us are helping him to learn that as an important lesson. Let us not let Donald Trump lead us to feeling guilty about appreciating writers whom Donald Trump has said that he detests. Perhaps you could even feel a bit proud instead--not that that is the main point here.*
love to you and your family,
Larry
P.S. The main point is to take whatever opportunities may present themselves to help stop Donald Trump (and others for whom he has been setting a bad example) from violating his sworn duty to us.
sent 8/12/2018 another bit of serious news: "Missouri Votes to Repeal GOP Attack on Unions"
"Missouri
Votes to Repeal GOP Attack on Unions," by Jake Johnson, Common
Dreams, republished at Truthout August 8, 2018.
There is mention of Republican "right to work" laws in this piece. As you may know, the purpose of "right to work" laws is to make it legal for employers to lower wages to amounts of money that will not keep their employees alive even with most people working outside their homes, cars, or tents--males and females both these days.
love to you and your family,
Larry
There is mention of Republican "right to work" laws in this piece. As you may know, the purpose of "right to work" laws is to make it legal for employers to lower wages to amounts of money that will not keep their employees alive even with most people working outside their homes, cars, or tents--males and females both these days.
love to you and your family,
Larry
sent 8/5/2018 after the headlines pass: "Why Trump’s 'Sloppy' Policies Get Stuck in Court"
after the headlines pass: "Why Trump’s 'Sloppy' Policies Get Stuck in Court," by Mike Ludwig, Truthout, August 4, 2018
"'His supporters think he’s getting a lot done, but in reality [his policies] get caught up in court, and if they are poorly written, they may get shot down, but that’s long after the headlines have already been written,' Nolette said."
You might be interested to note some of the "new policies" that you might have seen in passing headlines and might be assuming are in effect but which are currently blocked or stalled in fact.
And no, no matter what Trump and his Trumpsters might say, to the extent that most judges are honest in applying law this is not happening because Federal judges are members of the Democratic Party.
love to you and your family,
Larry
"'His supporters think he’s getting a lot done, but in reality [his policies] get caught up in court, and if they are poorly written, they may get shot down, but that’s long after the headlines have already been written,' Nolette said."
You might be interested to note some of the "new policies" that you might have seen in passing headlines and might be assuming are in effect but which are currently blocked or stalled in fact.
And no, no matter what Trump and his Trumpsters might say, to the extent that most judges are honest in applying law this is not happening because Federal judges are members of the Democratic Party.
love to you and your family,
Larry
sent 8/4/2018 Bloomberg--"Here's How America Uses Its Land"--many graphics
"Here's How America Uses Its Land," by Dave Merrill and Lauren Leatherby, Bloomberg, July 31, 2018
One tiny tidbit from that very interesting and complex piece: "...Another growth area: land owned by wealthy families. According to The Land Report magazine, since 2008 the amount of land owned by the 100 largest private landowners has grown from 28 million acres to 40 million, an area larger than the state of Florida......." (This is why sales taxes are termed "regressive"--because poorer people have to spend most of their money on consumer goods, whereas people with more money can make investments in land and other things. I got an A+ on a research paper on this topic in an advanced tax course back in law school. No I am not feeling sorry for myself for being poor. I am a bit proud of myself for having invested in Social Security Retirement for the requisite period.)
love to you and your family,
Larry
One tiny tidbit from that very interesting and complex piece: "...Another growth area: land owned by wealthy families. According to The Land Report magazine, since 2008 the amount of land owned by the 100 largest private landowners has grown from 28 million acres to 40 million, an area larger than the state of Florida......." (This is why sales taxes are termed "regressive"--because poorer people have to spend most of their money on consumer goods, whereas people with more money can make investments in land and other things. I got an A+ on a research paper on this topic in an advanced tax course back in law school. No I am not feeling sorry for myself for being poor. I am a bit proud of myself for having invested in Social Security Retirement for the requisite period.)
love to you and your family,
Larry
sent 8/3/2018 (major) The New Yorker "It’s True: Trump Is Lying More, and He’s Doing It on Purpose" + some great videos +
1. (major) "It’s
True: Trump Is Lying More, and He’s Doing It on Purpose," by
Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, August 3, 2018 + some
great videos on various big topics.
In his first year as President, Trump made 2,140 false claims, according to the Post. In just the last six months, he has nearly doubled that total to 4,229. In June and July, he averaged sixteen false claims a day. On July 5th, the Post found what appears to be Trump’s most untruthful day yet: seventy-six per cent of the ninety-eight factual assertions he made in a campaign-style rally in Great Falls, Montana, were “false, misleading or unsupported by evidence.”
2. "The Lasting Trauma of Alex Jones’s Lies," by Megan Garber, The Atlantic, August 3, 2018. The systems that have for so long helped to enforce the notion of collective truth in America are no longer sufficient: Deception is everywhere. And it is dangerous.
---------------------------------
bonus: "How History Classes Helped Create a 'Post-Truth' America," by Alia Wong, The Atlantic, August 2, 2018.
love to you and your family,
Larry
In his first year as President, Trump made 2,140 false claims, according to the Post. In just the last six months, he has nearly doubled that total to 4,229. In June and July, he averaged sixteen false claims a day. On July 5th, the Post found what appears to be Trump’s most untruthful day yet: seventy-six per cent of the ninety-eight factual assertions he made in a campaign-style rally in Great Falls, Montana, were “false, misleading or unsupported by evidence.”
2. "The Lasting Trauma of Alex Jones’s Lies," by Megan Garber, The Atlantic, August 3, 2018. The systems that have for so long helped to enforce the notion of collective truth in America are no longer sufficient: Deception is everywhere. And it is dangerous.
---------------------------------
bonus: "How History Classes Helped Create a 'Post-Truth' America," by Alia Wong, The Atlantic, August 2, 2018.
love to you and your family,
Larry
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