Not since “No Child Left Behind” (declaring that every child should perform at or above the 40th percentile,) has Congress shown such incompetence in comprehending simple math.
This was quite apparent in Susan Collins’ 40 minute justification of her yes vote! We all understand this cannot be decided either way with absolute certainty; but her conclusion that the “more likely than not” standard should apply, is deeply flawed. This standard would apply if we were deciding which of two candidates should be elevated to the Supreme Court. There are scores of equally qualified candidates; and finding one without such a sordid past, just can’t be that hard. Basically Collins has said the probability that Kavanaugh has lied, is somewhere below the 50 percentile mark. Now I don’t know if he lied about everything; but it’s pretty clear from both sworn and volume of volunteered testimony, he lied about some things. And it can’t be that hard to find a candidate who at least pretends to be non-partisan! Continue reading
all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.
It’s been almost two years since I wrote you about Trump’s statement on the “Access Hollywood” tape. As he was about to meet my niece Arianne Zucker he told Billy Bush, “When you’re a star they’ll let you do it. You can do anything.” I asked you, “Is it true; will you let him do anything?” It’s time for you to give us an answer. 
We tend to think of polarization and divisiveness as symptoms of the current administration in the U.S. and maybe they will just disappear with future elections; well that’s not going to happen. This has been trending for over forty years and getting rid of Trump will not change this. Putin’s efforts to undermine the institutions of democracies around the world exploits this vulnerability, but this only highlights how bad it can get. With or without Putin’s help polarization will bring an end to many democratic regimes. 
What are we talking here, “treason” and “jaywalking?” Or did our founding fathers have something different in mind? Well, Benjamin Franklin asserted that the power of impeachment and removal was necessary for those times when the Executive “rendered himself obnoxious.” Does that remind us of anyone we know? For most of us, we see these words and think that some kind of crime must be alleged before an impeachment trial can begin. Sure, we call it a trial, but Congress is not a court of law. It is a trial in the sense that there are facts and circumstances to be weighed, whether we are weighing criminality or obnoxiousness. 
Think about it: the Trump campaign was all about throwing stuff against the wall to see what stuck. “Build the wall” stuck so it became a foundation stone. “Mexico will pay for it” stuck making it the next brick. The architect of the Trump platform has been the base, “his base” approving every step of the construction along the way. Like so many cults we have seen in the past, Evangelicals wrap themselves in religion and cherry pick biblical verses that fit their own particular dogma. Now Trump does not share their religious convictions nor for that matter, any convictions. Haven’t we all seen his Presidential theme?
Trump just gives the cult a voice in exchange for the admiration he so desperately needs. The cult doesn’t care that he doesn’t care as long as he is willing to say the things they’re embarrassed to say out loud. 
“Do you or your group want to take out incumbents who haven’t supported responsible gun control legislation? Register with their party and try to take them out in the primary first.”