The First words I heard this morning, when Mah*Sweetie's radio alarm (NPR) came on: "...until the President's Impeachment Trial is over." Then he hit the snooze button.
He'll actually be meeting with the acting president and defense minister. But they were appointed by the impeached president, Park Geun-hye, and may not remain in office after the trial is over.
We meet today in freedom's cause And raise our voices high; We'll join our hands in union strong To battle or to die. Chorus: Hold the fort for we are coming. Union men, be strong! Side by side we battle onward; Victory will come. Look, my comrades, see the union Banners waving high. Reinforcements now appearing, Victory is nigh.
See our numbers still increasing; Hear the bugle blow. By our union we shall triumph Over every foe.
Fierce and long the battle rages But we will not fear. Help will come whene'er it's needed. Cheer, my comrades, cheer.
In case DT needs a place to stay, the Presidential Suite [Click] at Fort Monroe remains available, but unfortunately security is pretty lax since the fortress was decommissioned in 2005.
I've been thinking about that theory that the would-be dictators in the White House figured they could intimidate and dishearten their perceived opponents by fast, aggressive action--Blitzkrieg, if you will. But what if people resist, and don't suffer particularly? Then they will probably become emboldened, if they feel adequately threatened. The analogy is far from perfect, but might we be seeing group psychodynamics similar to those that brought about the fall of the East German government?
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."
Senator Pat Leahy asked Vermonters to tell him our first thoughts about Judge Gorsuch. Here's what I just sent:
When I first read about both Judge Gorsuch and Judge Hardiman, I thought that Judge Gorsuch seemed the more reasonable of the two. I would greatly prefer Judge Garland over either of these, as I do not believe that Corporations are people, and I do believe that women are full humans who deserve full rights and choice. My only reason for accepting Judge Gorsuch would be that if we do not, the President may simply offer Judge Hardiman next. Is there even any hope that there would be votes sufficient to keep these two judges out of the Supreme Court? What are the options? It feels very much like our freedoms are not just being eroded, but bludgeoned. Our environment and our national security are in grave danger. How much can Vermont mitigate the messes of this Administration at the State level? My husband and I have been paying into Social Security and Medicare all our lives and are close to retirement. Much money was already taken from Social Security and not paid back. We are concerned that when we come to retirement, we will not have healthcare and Social Security. We have even pondered the idea of withholding taxes until we are assured that our basic needs will be met. We have never had such a thought before! Will our Supreme Court now be favouring corporations over We the People? This article, which tells how we got into this mess, has really given me pause. http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism It suggests that it will be a very long time before we can come through this mess successfully. So it is all the more vital that our Supreme Court actually be a check on the Executive Branch! We are very close to a dictatorship. I feel strongly that Congress needs to find a way to remove this President from power, as being unfit to serve. Meanwhile, anything you can do to mitigate the raping of this great nation by corporate greed and mental illness is *deeply* appreciated. Please take care, good sir.
The First words I heard this morning, when Mah*Sweetie's radio alarm (NPR) came on:
ReplyDelete"...until the President's Impeachment Trial is over." Then he hit the snooze button.
He'll actually be meeting with the acting president and defense minister. But they were appointed by the impeached president, Park Geun-hye, and may not remain in office after the trial is over.
DeleteThat's GAL who's being impeached, listener. But her father was a notorious dictator. Gotta run now.
ReplyDeleteBe of good cheer, comrades!
--Alan
It may only take 3.5% of the population to topple a dictator – with civil resistance [Click] Erica Chenoweth
================
Hold the Fort
Tune by Philip P. Bliss
We meet today in freedom's cause
And raise our voices high;
We'll join our hands in union strong
To battle or to die.
Chorus:
Hold the fort for we are coming.
Union men, be strong!
Side by side we battle onward;
Victory will come.
Look, my comrades, see the union
Banners waving high.
Reinforcements now appearing,
Victory is nigh.
See our numbers still increasing;
Hear the bugle blow.
By our union we shall triumph
Over every foe.
Fierce and long the battle rages
But we will not fear.
Help will come whene'er it's needed.
Cheer, my comrades, cheer.
In case DT needs a place to stay, the Presidential Suite [Click] at Fort Monroe remains available, but unfortunately security is pretty lax since the fortress was decommissioned in 2005.
ReplyDelete—Alan
I've been thinking about that theory that the would-be dictators in the White House figured they could intimidate and dishearten their perceived opponents by fast, aggressive action--Blitzkrieg, if you will. But what if people resist, and don't suffer particularly? Then they will probably become emboldened, if they feel adequately threatened. The analogy is far from perfect, but might we be seeing group psychodynamics similar to those that brought about the fall of the East German government?
ReplyDelete"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."
Alan
Worthy posts, as always, Alan. I am so grateful.
ReplyDeleteI nearly spit out my coffee when I came across your first use of "comrades." I seemed to hear it in a Russian accent.
I think it could catch on.
Here are two vital links, folks.
ReplyDeleteThe first is an interview on NPR with former US Diplomat John Brady Keisling
http://www.npr.org/2017/02/01/512906578/former-u-s-diplomat-weighs-in-on-state-department-dissent-cable
The second is a long and very thoughtful article about WHY we have the situation we have today, WHY Trump has so many followers, and what it means for going forward.
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism
It would appear that the primary intimidatee is Himself--who didn't go to Wisconsin for fear of. . . . RALLIES, lol!
ReplyDeleteKing Fearful and his faithful fearful following.
DeleteI just used a lot of F words.
Senator Pat Leahy asked Vermonters to tell him our first thoughts about Judge Gorsuch. Here's what I just sent:
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read about both Judge Gorsuch and Judge Hardiman, I thought that Judge Gorsuch seemed the more reasonable of the two. I would greatly prefer Judge Garland over either of these, as I do not believe that Corporations are people, and I do believe that women are full humans who deserve full rights and choice. My only reason for accepting Judge Gorsuch would be that if we do not, the President may simply offer Judge Hardiman next. Is there even any hope that there would be votes sufficient to keep these two judges out of the Supreme Court? What are the options?
It feels very much like our freedoms are not just being eroded, but bludgeoned. Our environment and our national security are in grave danger. How much can Vermont mitigate the messes of this Administration at the State level?
My husband and I have been paying into Social Security and Medicare all our lives and are close to retirement. Much money was already taken from Social Security and not paid back. We are concerned that when we come to retirement, we will not have healthcare and Social Security. We have even pondered the idea of withholding taxes until we are assured that our basic needs will be met. We have never had such a thought before!
Will our Supreme Court now be favouring corporations over We the People? This article, which tells how we got into this mess, has really given me pause. http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism It suggests that it will be a very long time before we can come through this mess successfully. So it is all the more vital that our Supreme Court actually be a check on the Executive Branch! We are very close to a dictatorship. I feel strongly that Congress needs to find a way to remove this President from power, as being unfit to serve. Meanwhile, anything you can do to mitigate the raping of this great nation by corporate greed and mental illness is *deeply* appreciated. Please take care, good sir.