Trump the deal maker

In December 2016 Trump tweeted that the costs of the program for two Air Force One planes by Boeing were “out of control, more than $4 billion.  Cancel the order.”

The planes will now cost only $3.9 billion.

There’s a guy on 9th Street in Lehighton who has a sign in his front yard that says “Drain the Swamp.”  I agree.  This Washington swamp badly needs draining.

Trump awarded Medal of Honor

Here is the wording on the proclamation:

This is to certify that the President of the United States of America has awarded 

HIMSELF 

the MEDAL OF HONOR

for probably running in, even without a weapon, had he only been there.

(I wish I could take credit for thinking of that, but it is from the New Yorker’s daily cartoon, this one by Ellis Rosen.)

Drawing Fair Districts

To determine if legislative districts are drawn fairly, you should look for certain criteria.  First, the districts should be equal in population.  The U.S. Supreme Court will allow some leeway on that, but anything over a five percent differential will be suspect.  The recently overturned gerrymandered congressional districts did pass the equal population test.

Second, the district must be contiguous.  That is, you can’t have a district that consists of two or three separate parcels.  The overturned districts were contiguous, but barely so.  In some cases the districts were connected by a store or a few houses.  They met the letter of the law, but not the spirit.

Third, the districts should not break up municipalities unless absolutely necessary.  In order to comply with the equal population mandate, it may be necessary to split come counties or even cities, but the splits should be reasonable and only applied when necessary.  The overturned districts broke apart many municipalities, obviously for political reasons.

Fourth, the district should unite common interests where possible.  For example, a district should not lump an urban area with an agricultural area.

Finally, in a state like Pennsylvania, if the districts are drawn fairly, most of the districts should be competitive, but some districts should be safe Republican while others should be safe Democratic.  Let say all the districts were very competitive, with every district containing 47% Republicans and 53% Democrats.  If the Democrats did really well in an election, they would win every seat.  That is not good for democracy.

In the map approved by the Pennsylvania Court, all of the criteria of a good redistricting are met.  The districts are equal in population, contiguous, break up a minimum of municipalities, and generally reflect common interests.  The fifth criterion is also met.  I count at least five safe Republican districts, five safe Democratic districts, and eight districts that could go either way.  

This map is amazingly good.  Both parties and the voters of Pennsylvania should be pleased.  Now what we need is a similar process for drawing the state legislative districts.  SB 22 or HB 722 both ensure fair state legislative  districts.  If they pass, Pennsylvania will become a model for the nation.

More cliches in the gun safety debate

Some pro-gun Florida legislator said that if the high school shooter had been unable to purchase his automatic rifle legally, he simply would have turned to illegal sources.  

I know of two licensed gun dealers within ten miles of my house, one in Franklin Township and one to the east of Kresgeville.  Do I know where i could buy a gun illegally?  I know a lot of people, but I don’t know that.  I don’t even know whom I could ask.  I’m pretty sure that the 19-year-old murderer would not know where to purchase an automatic.

I also am amazed by the number of gun safety opponents who say that laws against automatic weapons would be useless.  Those same people are all in favor of strict laws and harsh penalties for heroin and meth.  Don’t they see the disconnect?

Tiresome cliches in the gun safety debate

1.  The Democrats want to take our guns.

     We heard that for the eight years Obama was president, although the Obama administration never pushed any legislation to do that.  True, there is no reason to allow automatic weapons to anyone other than military personnel and police, but neither Clinton, nor Obama, nor Democratic governors, pushed legislation to take away guns.  So why does the N.R.A. push that?  It is a great membership booster and fundraiser.

2.  “More laws governing guns and shooters will have the same results as more laws governing cars and speeders.  You will still have both, and there are more deaths attributed to vehicles crashes than guns.”  

     This was an actual letter to the Morning Call by a Jack Graul of South Whitehall Township.  Laws against speeding do work.  I would drive much faster if I weren’t afraid of losing my license.  As for the second sentence in that letter, that is called a non sequitur.  

3.  If people don’t have guns, they will just use knives.  

     As someone who was attacked by a guy with a knife, I’m still here to post.  Had the guy had a gun, I don’t think I would be here.  Had the shooter at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School run amok with a knife, do you think he would have killed seventeen students?

4.  Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.  

     This cliche doesn’t even deserve a comment, it is so stupid.

5.  We need more guns, not fewer, so the good guys can shoot back.  

     Really.  Our president has even advocated arming teachers.  Mr. Bone Spur seems to know a lot more about weaponry than he did during the Vietnam War.  This is one of those suggestions that sound tough and mean nothing.

Cheat sheet

The president actually needed written talking points when he met with the students and parents from the latest mass murder.  Point number five said “I hear you.”  

How do we know this?  The press was allowed in, and we have photos of Trump holding the card that told him how to show he was empathetic.  Do you think Bush or Obama needed a card like that?  Trump really is pathetic.

Letter to Daryl Metcalfe

Daryl Metcalfe is a Pennsylvania state representative from a portion of Butler County.  He is one of the architects of the gerrymandered districts in Pennsylvania.  He is a Republican.

Yesterday he sent out a message that the Florida high school students protesting lax gun safety laws were not really students, but actors.  Today I wrote the following letter to Rep. Metcalfe's office:

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe

P.O. Box 202012

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2012

Dear person who is pretending to be Rep. Metcalfe:

What have you done with the real Rep. Metcalfe?  I read a quote in the Allentown Morning Call today from a person who was supposedly Rep. Metcalfe in which that person implied that the students protesting in Florida were bused in and not really students.

I am positive that the real Rep. Metcalfe would never say anything that outlandish, which leads me to believe you are an actor who is posing as the Representative.  My question is, what did you do with the real Rep. Metcalfe?

Sincerely,

Roy Christman

Russians read my blog!

Ukrainians, also.  Last night I checked the stats on this blog.  I was curious to see who my readers were.  I can pull up all time statistics, last month’s statistics, and yesterday’s statistics.  

Overall, the largest group of readers is from the U.S., as you would expect.  What amazes me is that Russia is number two.  France is third, and Belgium, where good friends live, comes in fourth.  

But why Russia?  The only Russian I could pick out of a line-up is Putin.

The other worrisome item is that last week one day, more Ukrainians than Americans read it.

Should I be worried?  Should I report this to Mueller?  

I know the Russians are doing their best to sow discord, even sending out extreme fake social media posts on the gun safety debate just to stir up anger in the country and weaken our unity.  But my blog?  How could that be of use?

Kak vashi dela?

Marjory Stoneman Douglas

It is truly fitting that the students at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School should be leading a movement for gun safety.  Ms.Douglas, who died in in 1998 at age 108, was largely responsible for stopping a jetport in the Everglades and preserving the park.  Her book The Everglades:  River of Grass, published in 1947, helped to raise public awareness in favor of Everglades conservation.

The Everglades was not declared a national park until 1947, and it remains under threat from water diversions, chemical laden agricultural runoff, and invasive species.  Douglas knew that Everglades preservation was a tough fight, but she said:  “I know I’ve got my enemies and I feel fine about it, thank you.”

Those kids who are fighting for gun safety laws also have their enemies.  They are the N.R.A. and all the bought and paid for politicians, including Trump.  It will be a tough fight, but I hope they take their school’s namesake as an inspiration.

Lackawanna County Prison scandal

Seven guards have been charged with sexually abusing female prisoners at the Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton.  This behavior went on for years, and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is now looking at whether Lackawanna County officials ignored the abuse.

What is wrong with Pennsylvania?  Luzerne County, south of Lackawanna, a few years ago was home to the “kids for cash” scandal whereby judges sent kids to private jails in return for kickbacks.  

And then we have the mayor of Allentown, on trial for corruption in city contracts.  I have met Mr. Palowski and liked him, but even if he is found not guilty, I believe unethical behavior took place.  Some states have a culture of absolute honesty, like Minnesota or Oregon.  Some have a culture of payoffs and kickbacks, like Louisiana and Illinois.  Unfortunately, Pennsylvania appears to be in the second group.

The government of Wakanda

I see movies from the perspective of a political scientist.  I can’t help it.  It’s who I am.  So what I can’t figure out in “Black Panther” is why Wakanda, with its high-speed rail system, its medical breakthroughs, its gender equality, and its fantastic weaponry, still picks its rulers by hand-to-hand combat among royal families members.

Wouldn’t they have some sort of democratic method of picking their leaders?  Even a technocratic or academic system of ruler selection would be better than two guys duking it out in knee-deep water above a falls.  

I foresee a sequel, “Black Panther II,” in which the common ordinary people of Wakanda perform acts of civil disobedience, demanding the right to organize and participate in free elections.

James Buchanan moves up one rung

Many historians rank our 15th president, and the only president from Pennsylvania, as the worst President in U.S. history.  Today we had a President’s Day party at the Democratic Information Center in Lehighton to celebrate the great news that Buchanan had moved up one rung.  He is no longer the nation’s worst president.

I’ll admit he was not a very good president, supporting the Dred Scott decision, not recognizing that the country was headed toward civil war, and blaming abolitionists for the war when it came.  On the other hand, 

– he never used his office for personal financial gain;

– he did not take advantage of a foreign hostile power to win office;

– he did not suppress votes;

– he did not attack the press;

– he did not abuse or belittle women;

– he did oppose the anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant Know Nothing party;

– he did not threaten war with foreign powers; 

– he did read books; and 

– he did not bring the office of the Presidency into disrepute.

He may have been bad, but he is definitely no longer our worst.

Prayers and condolences

1.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

2.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

3.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

4.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

5.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump.

6.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

7.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

8.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

9.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

10.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

11.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

12.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

13.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

14.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump.

15.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

16.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

17.  “We offer our prayers and condolences.”  President Trump

Harbingers of spring

Yesterday we had four red-wing blackbirds and two grackles at our back yard feeder.  They are the first sign that spring is on the way.  

The blackbirds and grackles have moved up their arrival time; when I was a kid they arrived in March.  This is one more sign of global warming.  I always wonder if people who deny it ever look outside.

Czechoslovakia under Soviet domination

Vaclav Havel, playwright, poet, and the first President of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003, said of Czechoslovakia under Soviet rule that it was “a world of appearances trying to pass for reality.”

When I heard that today, I had to pull over beside the road and write it down.  It is a description of present-day United States.  We keep hearing about our democracy, but we know that a few oligarchs like the Koch Brothers can swing elections, we know that U.S. Senators like Toomey don’t care a fig about democratic values, we know that although a majority of people support gun safety legislation, the NRA keeps Congress in fear. 

Yesterday our intelligence agencies warned us that the Russians, flush from their success in skewing the 2016 elections, are planning to do it all over again in the midterms.  Instead of worrying about that, many legislators are doing their best to suppress votes, gerrymander districts, and cater to lobbyists.  We live in a world of appearances trying to pass for reality.

Where does Trump find these people?

Kirstjen Nielsen, the Secretary of Homeland Security, during the “shithole country” controversy, claimed she wasn’t sure if Norway was predominately white.  

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar headed up a drug company for five years.  During that time the price of its insulin rose from $122 to $274 a vial.

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke took, at taxpayers’ expense, a $6000 helicopter ride to meet Mike Pence for horseback riding.

Gail Collins unearthed these facts in her column on Feb. 10.  She listed more examples of malfeasance and stupidity, but you get the idea.  Articles have recently appeared noting that the Trump administration continues to have many unfilled positions.  Given the record of his appointees, that’s a good thing.

Rich people rule

Trump won in part because common ordinary people no longer believe government listens to them.  You and I know that Trump will make things even worse, but the idea that government no longer listens is understandable.  

Trump brags about the stock market rise, though not so much in the past two weeks.  Most of us aren’t much affected either by the bulls or the bears.  In the U.S. the richest 10% of the population owns 84% of all stock.  In case you are bad at math, I’ll do the numbers for you.  That means that 90% of the American people own 16% of the stocks.

Let’s turn from stocks to lobbying.  Lee Drutman, author of the 2015 book The Business of America is Lobbying, found that “For every dollar spent on lobbying by labor unions and public interest groups, large corporations and their associations spent $34.”  

Of the top 100 organizations that spend the most on lobbying, 95 consistently represent business interests.  

People have a right to be angry.  Too bad they were duped by a charlatan.

Winter Olympics

The skater we watched tonight was a Japanese-American from Arcata, California.  One of our best snow boarders is Korean-American.  It makes you so proud to be from a multi-racial country.  And it makes you so ashamed to have a racist bigot as the leader of that country 

Republican lawmakers love glyphosate

If you don’t like the results of the research, attack the research.  The World Health Organizations’s cancer research program found that glyphosate, manufactured by Monsanto and the main ingredient in Roundup, likely causes cancer.

Monsanto says that “glyphosate has a long history of safe use.”

Now House Science Committee Chair Lamar Smith (R, Texas)) says the U.S. should cut funding for the World Health Organization.

By the way, if you are still using Roundup, you might consider an alternative.  Weeds and brush won’t kill you.

Information for this article came from Michael Biesecker, “GOP Lawmakers Take Aim at Research Group Over Glyphosate,” Lancaster Farming, (Feb. 10, 2018).

Gen. John Kelly, enabler

Remember when Gen. Kelly was supposed to be the “adult” in the White House.  As Chief of Staff he would moderate Trump’s worst impulses and keep him from doing harm.

So much for that.  When he attacked the Florida Congresswoman last year and lied about her conduct, that was boorish behavior, especially after his lies were uncovered and he refused to apologize, but lots of people wrote it off, thinking he was overwrought.

Then there was the comment about the “Dreamers.”  He said they didn’t register because they were too lazy to get off their asses.  He failed to mention that registration cost $500.  (Did you have $500 when you were 16?)  

Finally, he knew about a fellow White House operative who abused not one, but two former wives.  Not a problem.  In the Trump White House, boys will be boys.  

I’d say it is about time Kelly followed Flynn into early retirement.

Holocaust denier likely Republican nominee

In the 3rd Congressional District in Illinois, a white supremacist and Holocaust denier is the likely Republican nominee.  He is Arthur Jones, he has been disowned in strong terms by the Illinois Republican Party, and he won’t win.

Nonetheless, he will get publicity.  He is getting it right here in this post, and white supremacists and neo-Nazi clowns thrive on that publicity.  Why didn’t a mainstream Republican, or even a Tea Party type candidate run in the 3rd District primary?  Because it is a gerrymandered district.  A Republican has not won the district since 1975.

In Pennsylvania the Republicans do it.  In Illinois the Democrats do it.  In both states it is harming democracy, increasing partisanship, and discouraging voters.

Pennsylvania Congressional districts, however, will soon be fairly drawn.  We really owe our PA Supreme Court, excluding, of course, the NRA shill and Republican toady Justice Sallie Mundy.

It just occurred to me that we elected a President who claimed Obama was born in Kenya.  Over a year into this, and I still can’t believe Trump won.

Military parade assistance

The Trump Administration has hired Mikail Alexandrovich, an old Bolshevik who was a major organizer for the May Day parades in Red Square.  Mr. Alexandrovich, who has been somewhat of a mentor to Donald Trump, will help plan Trump’s big military parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.  Alexandrovich pioneered the use of large missiles as an intimidating parade unit, but he also believed that large tanks and howitzers would awe the spectators.

In addition, Trump has asked Secretary of State Tillerson to contact Xi Jinping for help with the parade.  “Those Chinese know how to run a parade that impresses and intimidates,” Trump reportedly said.  “Our parade will be even better, because we are going to show off our nuclear bombs.  That should scare the shit out of everyone.”

Donald Trump and Louis XIV

When Trump said the Democrats who did not applaud his State of the Union speech were treasonous, he was obviously confusing the government of the United States with himself.  I immediately thought of Louis XIV, who is famous for the words, “l’etat, c’est moi.”  If you’ve forgotten your French, it means basically “I am the state.”

If you want to know what is really treasonous behavior, how about getting elected President of the United States with the help of an enemy of the United States.  That, it seems to me, would certainly come close to treason.

Great Victory!

I’m not referring to the Eagles winning the Superbowl, although that was sweet.

What I’m referring to is the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to mess with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that the gerrymandered boundaries for the U.S. House of Representatives violated the Pennsylvania State Constitution.  The U.S. Supreme Court is generally reluctant to interfere in state court rulings on their own constitutions, and today’s action was no exception.

I love this.  The Republicans like Mike Turzai now either have to come up with fair districts, or the Court will appoint a nonpartisan commission to do it for them.

This also helps to preserve democracy.  When people know their electoral system is unfair, they either become completely cynical and drop out or turn to extralegal means to affect policy.  Either of those alternatives is a danger to the Republic.

Superbowl Sunday

When I was in high school in the Fifties, I was a Phillies fan.  Since they never were in contention after 1950, I was also a fan of whatever National League Team played the Yankees in the World Series.  I hated the Yankees.  They always seemed so smug.  In the Fifties you could divide Americans into two groups, and they were not Democrats and Republicans.  They were Yankees fans and Yankee haters.

Now I feel the same way about the Patriots.  Their coach is an ass.  Tom Brady is too good.  The team is smug.  The game is not over, and I know that the Patriots always find a way to win, but this time I hope they don’t.

Tactical nuclear weapons

The Trump administration is advocating the development of “small” nuclear weapons.  Under current standards, the two nuclear weapons dropped on Japan are considered “tactical” nuclear weapons.

The administration argues that such weapons will make nuclear war less likely.  Unfortunately, once that line between nuclear and non-nuclear weapons is crossed, I (and many analysts) believe that an escalation will quickly follow.  We will be in an all-out nuclear exchange.  (I love the word “exchange.”  Makes it sound like Christmas presents.)

It is apparent that the people in charge, including Trump, have no idea of what they are getting into.  With good reason the “Doomsday Clock” has been moved closer to midnight.  

President Donald Trump, role model?

According to a recent poll, 72% of Republicans think Trump would make a good role model for their children.

That’s all I am going to say.  Draw your own conclusions.

Immigrant descendants

Stephen Miller, the White House senior policy advisor, supported a bill that would penalize immigrants who didn’t speak English.  It turns out that the 1910 census shows his great-grandmother couldn’t speak English, only Yiddish.

Then there is Tucker Carlson, who once said “Why does America benefit from having tons of people from failing countries come here?”  Turns out his Swiss ancestor came to the U.S. in 1860 looking for work.

Let’s not forget Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren, who opined:  “Respect our laws and we welcome you.  If not, bye.”  Tomi’s great-great grandfather had been indicted for forging citizenship papers in 1917.

How do we know this?  Jennifer Mendelsohn, a writer who lives in Baltimore who is also a an expert in genealogy, has done the research.  She signs her tweets with the hashtag #resistancegenealogy.

I learned all of this from the most recent issue of the New Yorker, Feb. 5, 2018., pp. 16-17.  

By the way Stephen Miller’s great-grandmother would have a word for him.  You may have even heard it.  He’s a “putz.”