The Resistance

According to a magnificent article  by Liel Leibovitz in Tablet Magazine we have three obligatory tasks ahead of us if we are to survive. You can read the article here: http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/217831/what-to-do-about-trump

I'm going to share the three points here. First, "The first, and most obvious, is this: Treat every poisoned word as a promise. When a bigoted blusterer tells you he intends to force members of a religious minority to register with the authorities—much like those friends and family of Siegfried’s who stayed behind were forced to do before their horizon grew darker—believe him. Don’t try to be clever. Don’t lean on political intricacies or legislative minutia or historical precedents for comfort. Don’t write it off as propaganda, or explain it away as just an empty proclamation meant simply to pave the path to power. Take the haters at their word, and assume the worst is imminent."

The second follows:  " Don’t waste any time, then, trying to understand: Then as now, many were amused by the demagogue and moved by his vile vision."

Finally, "Refuse to accept what’s going on as the new normal. Not now, not ever. " The point here is exactly like what the poet Maya Angelo said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." 

He has shown us and the Republican Party led by Paul Ryan has shown us. Let's get our act together and fight them every step of the way. 

We can throw them out of the White House and both houses of Congress if we can stop our infighting and act as a united party. I hope Democrats have the wherewithal to do it. Time will tell. 

Updated: Democrats and a very few Republicans will be the salvation of our democracy. When folks try to get you to vote against a Democrat because he/she isn't currently voting the way they want, check Ballotpedia for that member of Congress' voting record. Most likely they vote with Democrats the majority of the time. If that person were defeated in the primary and lost to a Republican in the general election, do you really think the Republican would vote with the Democrats the majority of the time? Folks who tell you to vote against an established Democrat, especially in areas the are Republican strongholds, may have a hidden agenda. Consider if they are trying to strengthen the Democratic Party or trying to blow it up. 

Love vs Hate

I wrote this last year before the election. Sadly, somehow, America chose hate and fear. Will we survive? Yes!! We will resist this charlatan every step of the way. Need help?  Go here:  theoppofile.com or find a local group of individuals who are also committed to Resistance.


Hate builds walls. It destroys and leads to violence and death. Hate sets people apart and creates fear. Hate divides and labels people.

Love builds bridges. Love brings peace and joy. Love unifies people and creates trust. Love brings compassion and serenity.

One candidate trades in hate. He labels people to create distrust and fear. He promotes violence and promises walls and policies to keep people separate.

My candidate talks about love. She wants to unify America. She promotes community and kindness. Her voice is raised for ALL AMERICANS. I trust her. She has my support. Which will you choose? #ChooseLove

Bernie's Revolution

By definition revolution is:   "an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed." http://www.dictionary.com/browse/revolution

The term can also mean: "a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, especially one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence."

Some of Bernie Sanders' followers seem to be of the second persuasion. But, is that what Sanders himself is seeking? Just yesterday, he continued his call for revolution at a rally in San Jose, CA. 
http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_29909443/san-jose-bernie-sanders-continues-call-political-revolution

Careful review of his message will show that he is not talking about the second type of revolution. Yes, he is unhappy with the status quo within the Democratic Party. And no doubt he will have some influence at the DNC National Convention in July.

In the meantime, Sanders' best efforts need to be directed at taking down Donald Trump and helping turn the Senate Blue by electing Democrats to some of the seats currently held by Republicans.

Rather than view the DNC, the Democratic Party, and Hillary Clinton as the enemy, Sanders and his supporters must focus on defeating Republicans if their revolution is ever to have a chance of changing anything they so disparage about the current political system.

#ImWithHer

I'm a 67 year old woman, wife, mother, and grandmother. I came of age in the 60's. At that time young women were mostly looking to get married and raise a family. Young women who wanted a career were mostly tracked into nursing, teaching, or secretarial work. Before The Pill, women were often derailed in their career goals by their biology. At that time women were subject to and trained to be submissive to their husbands. Many were told who to vote for by their husbands. If they worked outside the home, they were still expected to accomplish all or most of the household tasks.

It was a time of transition. I got married in 1970. Because I had access to birth control, I could finish my education, start my career, and plan the birth of my first child. My husband was a traditional man but he learned to adapt to the changes and together we have helped raise his four children and the three we had together.

I am supporting Hillary Clinton this time because I believe she will be good for America. I have looked at her past actions and her current policy proposals. I like her emphasis on early childhood education and paid family medical leave. I like that she got the children's health program passed. Her plan to make college affordable seems to me more reasonable than free college.

I trust her judgment and respect her diplomatic expertise. Hillary Clinton is no war monger but she isn't a pushover either. She has experience at the statesman level and is the best qualified candidate to ever run for president. That's why she has my vote. And my husband's!

Trump Supporters are Delusional

The reality is that no one person can possibly be all the things that Trump supporters claim him to be. I offer as evidence this article from The Atlantic: 
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/donald-trump-voters/401408/

The article was published last August and the author invited Trump supporters to write to him with their reasons for supporting the egocentric billionaire. Connor Friedersdorf, the author, explains that the responses tend to fall into two broad categories. "Broadly speaking, the men and women who wrote fall into two categories: Those who earnestly believe that Trump is the best choice to lead America and those who are motivated by giddyness at the chaotic spectacle of his success."

Here for your enlightenment are a few of their responses: 
 "A Liberal Who Wants America to Win––“I feel that Trump is our only hope in this next election. This is coming from someone who voted for Obama in the last election!”

Trump is Low Risk, High Reward––“I will vote for Donald Trump (and to a lesser extent Bernie Sanders) because he represents hope… And how much damage can he really do?”

Desperate People Cast Desperate Votes––“Wall Street, the banks, and even illegal immigrants seem to be prospering more than the average American citizen. We are desperate.”

Trump is a Gamble Worth Taking––“I am of the belief that he is conceited and arrogant enough to avoid failing in front of the world at all cost.”

Trump Put Illegal Immigration Front and Center––“We have horrendous problem with illegal aliens, sanctuary cities & crimes.”

Trump supporters rely on magical thinking. They believe him when he tells them to trust him to work out the details. They relish in his bravado. They commend him for being brash and insulting. In other words, Trump supporters are as scary to many of us as he is. 

Try to imagine him as our president. What type of image would he present to the world? If you don't find that a scary thought, then, I worry about you. 

Super Tuesday is Just Around the Corner

March 1 is Super Tuesday. Twelve states will be holding their primary events. More delegates for the party's nominating convention can be won on this date than on any other. "Since Super Tuesday primaries are typically held in a large number of states from geographically and socially diverse regions of the country, Super Tuesday typically represents a presidential candidate's first test of national electability. Convincing wins in Super Tuesday primaries have usually propelled candidates to their party's nomination. The particular states holding primaries on Super Tuesday have varied from year to year." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Tuesday

Which Democratic party candidate will Super Tuesday favor? According to a recent article in The Washington Post, Super Tuesday came about because the Southern Democrats wanted a larger say in selecting the party's nominee. The Southern Republicans agreed.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/02/22/why-super-tuesday-is-so-dangerous-for-bernie-sanders/ 

There are 11 states plus American Samoa are participating in this year's Super Tuesday. Nearly 40% of the convention delegates are at stake next on March 1. Texas has the most at 252. Then there's Massachusetts and Georgia at 116 each and Virginia at 110. 

Can either candidate claim the nomination after Super Tuesday? Probably, not. Yet, clear victories by Hillary Clinton can set her on the path to win the nomination. 

The Senate is Up For Grabs

Assuming we elect a Democratic president on November 8, 2016, she/he will need a different Congress than the one we have now.  The good news is that the Senate is up for grabs. Can we grab more seats for Democrats? There are 34 Senate seats up for re-election on November 8.  If Democrats hope to take back control, we need to elect five seats. Because the majority of seats up for re-election in November are held by Republicans, especially Freshman Senators elected in 2010 midterms, we may have a shot.

According to Ballotpedia, Democrats have made gains in Senate seats during the last two presidential elections. So, we can reasonably hope to do the same this year.  https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections,_2016  Right now Democrats hold 44 of the 100 Senate seats. We are unlikely to gain enough to get a filibuster proof majority, but, we can hope to regain the majority.

There are five states that Ballotpedia has designated battleground states where Democrats have a chance of taking a Republican seat away in November.  They are:  Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Florida. Three more states have the potential to turn into battlegrounds: Colorado, North Carolina, and Ohio.

Democrats in these states need to get active in the Democratic candidate's campaign. We need to volunteer and donate to help them get elected. There are many things you can do to help. We need you to get involved and help elect Democrats this November.

Next Up Nevada

Like the Iowa caucus, the Nevada caucus elected delegates who then go to their county conventions and select delegates who go to the state convention to select delegates who go to the Democratic Party's National convention. There are 35 pledged delegates and 8 unpledged delegates in 2016. The Nevada Democratic caucus will be held on February 20 with voting beginning at 11 AM. For more information on the Nevada Democratic party including their platform and bylaws, check out the article from Ballotpedia here:  https://ballotpedia.org/Democratic_Party_of_Nevada

Now, after the loss in New Hampshire, some are suggesting that it is possible for Hillary Clinton to also loose the Nevada caucuses. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/09/things-could-get-worse-before-they-get-better-for-clinton-post-new-hampshire/

This notion is based on the fact that Nevada caucuses tend to be less diverse and Sanders does better with a majority White population. For a look at why Clinton can hope for a big win in Nevada, see this article about Robby Mook and his organizational plan to bring out diverse voters to the caucuses:  http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/02/hillary-clinton-nevada-caucus-robby-mook-emmy-ruiz

It's Primary Season

The New Hampshire primary kicks off the 2016 primary season. Do you know the different types of primaries? Ballotpedia has a good article explaining the differences between blanket primaries, top-two primaries, and open and closed primaries. You can read it here:  https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_election 

The New Hampshire primary is on Tuesday, February 9, 2016. It is one of 21 states with a mixed primary. In this case, unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary, but, they must chose a party in order to vote.  Later, they can fill out a card to return to unaffiliated status.

Do you know the difference between a caucus and a primary? The first is usually organized by a political party and selects delegates to a county convention which then selects delegates to a state convention which then selects delegates to the party's national convention. In a primary, delegates to the party's national convention are selected directly by the electors. The primary election is conducted by the state's board of elections. http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/2016-new-hampshire-primary/

New Hampshire will be the first state in the nation where voters from each party can vote on their preference for president. Here's a great article on what to look for:  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/new-hampshire-set-to-vote-in-nations-first-primary/

Evolution Not Revolution

Check out this definition:

Revolution | Define Revolution at Dictionary.com

dictionary.reference.com/browse/revolution

Dictionary.com

an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed. 2. Sociology. a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, especially one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence.

Bernie Sanders and his strident supporters are calling for revolution. Not only is this NOT realistic, it is dangerous. Is this really what you want? Do you want sudden upheaval in our government and social structure? Seriously? 

Yes, we can all agree that change is needed. But, we have to get real about it. Reality tells us that the power currently is in the hands of the other party; both at the Federal level and in most state governments. Those of us living in the real world know that Sander's call for revolution is merely pandering to a base that is dissatisfied with the status quo. 

This 'revolution' is not how change happens. Yes, it is appealing to impatient folks who want what they want when they want it. It's appealing to folks who don't want to do the hard work of creating systemic change. If we are going to challenge the status quo and address income inequality and other evils that currently plague our society, we have to be willing to put on our walking shoes and get out from behind our computer screens. We have to volunteer to work for candidates who support the changes we desire. We have to actually DO something and not just TALK about doing something.

Are you willing to do the hard work to create change in our country? If so, then, I encourage you to go to HillaryClinton.com and sign up to be a volunteer. Go to websites of other Democratic candidates that you support and offer your assistance. This is how true change happens. 

Rules of Civility or How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

Back in the days before social media when people actually had conversations, people followed rules of polite society. Think Downton Abbey table conversations. Now, on social media, the rules are out and people seem to believe that it's okay to call names and insult others. In fact, they are being encouraged in this by some political candidates. They use the term "political correctness" like it is a swear word. Obviously, someone missed teaching them the basics of civility or how people in polite society deal with differences.

So, here is a suggestion which you may or may not wish to implement in your civil discourse.
I believe that civility relies on awareness. We need to be aware of all aspects of a situation. Who are we talking with? What is their background? Will we need them in the future? Considering these questions may help us to be more civil in our responses to others. I'm suggesting that we pay attention to both ourselves and others when having a conversation. If we sense that feelings are too strong and logic is escaping, we can take various moves to deescalate and preserve the conversation.

If you are interested in learning more about the topic of civility, I recommend the book:  Choosing Civility, The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct, by P.M. Forni. The author is the founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project.  Here's a link to an article about the project:  http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1211/p20s01-ussc.html

The Iowa Caucuses

Most of us who are not involved directly in Iowa politics don't really know much about the Iowa Caucuses except that they are the first in the nation to name a preference for a president. The fact that there are actually 1681 caucuses that night eludes most of us. Each precinct has their own caucus and the results are then reported to the party to be tallied. Delegates to the county nominating conventions are selected at these meetings. There are 99 counties in Iowa. Once these conventions are held then there is a state nominating convention. So, actually, the February 1 caucuses are preliminary events that culminate in a state convention where the actual delegates to the party's National convention are selected. Interestingly, only about 1% of the party's delegates are selected at the Iowa state convention.  Yet, many believe the candidate who prevails will ultimately be the party's choice at the National convention. If you are interested in how it all works, this is a source for the Democratic Party:  http://iowademocrats.org/about-iowa-caucuses/ and this is a source about the process in general:  http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/2016-iowa-caucuses/

The second link above contrasts the differences in how the Republicans and Democrats hold their party's caucuses. Rules are different, with Democrats being labeled as more complex. You can decide for yourself reasons for the differences.

As we get closer to the February 1st date, we will see many polls of both Republicans and Democrats. Please remember that not all polls are conducted professionally and not all polling data can be trusted. The most recent poll showing that Clinton and Sanders are nearly tied in Iowa actually only polled 422 likely Democratic caucus voters. We know that the smaller the sample, the less reliable is the results. For a refresher on how to understand polling data, please see:  http://www.fallacyfiles.org/readpoll.html

For a great first hand account of someone attending the Iowa caucus, please see:  http://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/guest-columnists/dont-let-party-identification-keep-you-from-the-caucus-20160110 And if you happen to live in Iowa, commit to caucus. You might learn something and you'll certainly not have a boring evening!