Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.
These words were shared at Jesse Jackson's Memorial service.
Obama recalled how Jackson paved the way for people like him by promising everyone “that they mattered, that their voices and their votes counted. He invited them to believe. He invited us to believe in our own power to change America for the better.”
Obama continued: “He was talking about everyone who was left out, everyone who was forgotten, everyone who was unseen, everyone who was unheard. And in that sense, he was expressing the very essence of what our democracy should be, the ideals at the very heart of the American experiment, the belief that regardless of what we look like or how we worship, regardless of where our ancestors come from or how much money we got, we’re all part of the American family. We’re all endowed with the same inalienable rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We’re all obligated to answer the call and step forward and take responsibility for making wrongs right and for caring for our neighbors, and bringing the reality of America a step closer to its glorious ideals.”
“We are living in a time when it can be hard to hope,” Obama said. “Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions, another setback to the idea of the rule of law, an offense to common decency. Every day you wake up to things you just didn’t think were possible. Each day, we’re told by those in high office to fear each other and to turn on each other, and that some Americans count more than others, and that some don’t even count at all. Everywhere we see greed and bigotry being celebrated and bullying and mockery masquerading as strength, we see science and expertise denigrated while ignorance and dishonesty and cruelty and corruption are reaping untold rewards. Every single day we see that, and it’s hard to hope in those moments. So it may be tempting to get discouraged, to give into cynicism. It may be tempting for some to compromise with power, and grab what you can, or even for good people to maybe just put your head down and wait for the storm to pass.”
But, Obama said, Jackson’s life “inspires us to take a harder path. His voice calls on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope…. Wherever we have a chance to make an impact, whether it’s in our school or our workplaces or our neighborhoods or our cities, not for fame, not for glory, or because success is guaranteed, but because it gives our life purpose, because it aligns with what our faith tells us God demands, and because if we don’t step up, no one else will.” [My emphasis added.]
First up, we got more snow last evening. It must be 3-5 inches. I walked to the post office and it was definitely different depths.
Second, tonight is Cookbook Club. We read Stephen and Evie Colbert's cookbook. I've made this chicken salad recipe and will serve it on mini rolls. There are 18 people coming including some non-cooks like Dan who will enjoy tasting everything.
Third, I finished this book this week. I learned that I didn't know a lot about the Revolutionary War, the development of the Constitution, and how close we came to accepting the creed that all men are created equal. Unfortunately for that we failed because of how entrenched the southern states were with slavery. I also learned about how our treatment of the Native Americans started out with good intent with the Creek Nation but federal strength was too new to enforce the borders to prevent settlers from moving in to Creek lands. Finally I learned that Jefferson was the biggest hypocrite of all the founding fathers.
It's a book worth reading.
Now for a thank you to Denise of An English Girl Rambles. She posted a recipe for Shepherd's Pie on Monday. I was planning to use ground turkey in a turkey loaf but after reading her recipe decided to try the Shepherd's Pie. I tweaked the recipe a bit (don't we all?) I used ground turkey, substituted ground sage for the rosemary, added celery, and also thickened the sauce with a mix of flour and heavy cream (leftover from making a tart).
A critical problem — aside from constitutional, political, and moral considerations — with a president taking the country to war with overwhelming public opposition, without congressional authorization, and even without public debate is that we do not know its purpose. From all appearances, neitherDonald Trumpnor any adviser knows the purpose of his strikes against Iran. (If one were being totally honest, the “purpose” likely is to soothe the narcissistic rage of a president headed for a massive defeat.)
Susan Glassertook a stab at listing the ever-fluctuating reasons for sending men and women to die, while spending billions of dollars:
[O]utright regime change, assistance to the oppressed peoples of the Islamic Republic, stripping Iran of “the ability to project power outside its borders,” stopping future Iranian-sponsored terrorist attacks while exacting revenge for past ones, preemptive action against an imminent Iranian threat to attack U.S. forces, preemptive action to block Iran from building ballistic missiles that could hit the U.S. mainland, and preemptive action to stop the Iranian nuclear program that Trump had, as recently as last week, claimed was “obliterated.” Many of these explanations are based on false premises; some already seem to have been abandoned.
Never have we launched a war for yet-to-be-decided reasons without preparation for civilians in the region. We can already draw four conclusions from Trump’s blunder.
First, there was never an “imminent”threatto America. (Instead, while Trump lied that he had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear weapons program in the prior war, Iran is still digging out from the last illegal war.) Trump did not even try to make the “imminent” argument in hisWar Powers letterto Congress, so his minions canstop dissemblingto lawmakers and voters. The notion that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “made” Trump do it is as preposterous as it is pathetic. Netanyahu has unsuccessfully hounded presidents for decades to go to war, seeking to bomb Iran; only Trump took the bait. If we outsourced our foreign policy to another country, that would be an even greater constitutional calamity.
Second, if Trump meant to achieve actual regime change — and certainly called on Iranians to rise up — he inexcusably baited civilians to take action without any capability or desire to assist them. No country has ever achieved regime change, as opposed to regime decapitation, through bombing. Furthermore, those civilians will have to face the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, who have sworn to defend the regime, no matter the cost. The IRGC has an estimated150,000 troopsthroughout the country; if anything, their grip will tighten as we kill civilian leaders without a plan for leadership. Moreover, we cannot possibly ensure Iran will “never” pursue a nuclear weapon since Iran has the know-how and allies to supply necessary materials.
Third, neither Trump nor the Iranians (if they want a truce) know when and how to stop this. Trump has suggested multiple timeframes, including “far longer” than 4-5 weeks. But the enemy and our bombed allies get a say as well. If regime change is the (unattainable) purpose, this will be the quintessential forever war. If the aim is just to damage the regime, one wonders when enough will be enough.
Fourth, to no one’s surprise (in part because Americans do not know why we are at war) Trump’s war isincrediblyunpopular.If meant to divert from Trump’s other unpopular moves — e.g., a pedophile coverup, inflation-boosting tariffs, cuts to healthcare, unleashing a secret police to terrorize Americans — he should have chosen something voters actually wanted. Public opposition is likely to intensify as Americans experience the results of Trump’s self-inflicted economic disaster. “A worldwide sell-off for stocks is slamming onto Wall Street Tuesday, and oil prices are leaping even higher as worries rise that the war with Iran is widening and may do more sustained damage to the global economy than feared,” theAssociated Pressreported Tuesday.
President Trump launches Operation Fury from behind curtains at Mar A Lago (via Wikimedia Commons)
Democrats will need to remind voters that any sensible president could have avoided a calamitous war simply bycontinuing negotiations. Moreover, if Trump had not torn up the Iran nuclear deal, inspectors would have been on the ground to tell us what Iran was doing, thereby eliminating the need for wars based on suspicion of progress toward a bomb. But clearly, Trump wanted this war — the facts, the casualties, the law, and the public be damned.
Trump has committed a grievous constitutional violation. Only Congress has the power to declare war under Article I. If the president drags us into in war in violation of the Constitution and the United Nations Charter (which isthe law of the land), Congress has the power of the purse (i.e. pull the plug on funding) and/or the power to impeach and remove.But MAGA Republicans refuse to uphold their oaths and will do none of that. So, what next?
Democrats have the facts, public opinion, and the Constitution on their side. (They also know TACO Trump often reverses himself when pressure mounts so an irate public or Gulf allies’ ire could trigger retreat.) Democrats do, however, need a clear, unified strategy.
That starts with reminding voters (especially reachable Republicans)constantlythat Trump ran twice on no more open-ended wars of choice. He has betrayed every voter who believed him. Democrats should encourage voters to express (peacefully) their outrage and tell their elected leaders that acquiescence in an illegal, immoral war is a deal-breaker for any candidate on the ballot.
Democrats will not win sufficient votes to implement the War Powers Act or cut off funding, but they must force every Republican to go on the record. No one should be able to duck responsibility for an unconstitutional, reckless war that voters overwhelmingly reject.
Beyond that, Democrats would be wise to connect this betrayal to Trump’s serial domestic failures (e.g., not bringing down costs). Minority Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had it right when hedeclaredon the floor on Monday:
Donald Trump ran for office on the promise to wind down America’s endless wars. What he is doing is exactly the opposite. He is picking military fights all over the world and not taking care of business here at home. One year into office Donald Trump has broken his promise to end forever wars again and again and again—from Venezuela to threats against Greenland to now a new war with Iran.
In sum, Democrats have a succinct, overarching message that is more than a list of complaints. The election is about Trump’s stunning betrayal of voters, all enabled by spineless Republicans.If Trump betrayed your trust and did the opposite of what you wanted (e.g., forever wars, rising prices, terrorized cities), then vote for the only party that will stop him.
It’s that simple.
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