The Line of Succession - sucks

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Friday March 31, 2017 · 3:04 PM PDT

2017/03/31 · 15:04

I understand the frenzied desire to impeach Trump right away and, hopefully, Pence would go down with him, but strategically that might not really be the best for the country and the world. If you look at the Line of Succession for POTUS there are only corrupt or magical thinking conservatives all the way down. After Pence, it would be the Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan. Ugh.

Here is the list:

Vice President Mike Pence

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan

President pro temper of Senate Orrin Hatch

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin

Secretary of Defense James Mattis

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke

Secretary of Agriculture Mike Young (the only Democrat!!!)

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross

Secretary of labor Ed Hugler

Secretary of HHS Tom Price

Secretary of Housing & Urban. Ben Carson

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao

Secretary of Energy. Rick Perry

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos

Secretary of Veteran Affairs David Shulkin

Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly

It seems the entire line up is made up of all the people we would never want to be POTUS. Perhaps there is a fantasy going around that if Trump is impeached for colluding with Russia to steal the election that somehow the election would be voided and Hillary would be awarded the winner or we would have a special election do-over. However there is absolutely nothing in the constitution that would allow that or even hints at how that would occur. The Line of Succession seems to have been made assuming that it would only be needed in case of death or incapacity of one or more of the top officials. If we actually get our wish and successfully impeach Trump and even Pence, it looks to me like we would just get another unfit asinine conservative as POTUS.

That dire outcome would be the result unless the process drags out such the the final verdict comes after the midterms in 2018 AND we also take the House so that the Speaker would then be a Democrat. That scenario is the earliest we could get a Democrat in the White House. If the impeachment proceeds faster, we will have a Republican Conservative as POTUS until at least 2020.

While we urgently need to get this country back on track for the sake of the environment and for all the people who are being harmed or killed by conservative policy changes, I’m just not convinced that we can have any real success until we get a Democrat (or Democratic Socialist) back in the White House. The fastest way to get there is the 2018 scenario.

How to Defang Drumpf

fayea

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Saturday May 21, 2016 · 11:40 AM PDT

2016/05/21 · 11:40

It is commonly acknowledged that next to the definition of Narcissist in the dictionary there is a photo of Donald Trump with his horrid smirk. I refuse to show the photo because, personally, I am so sick of seeing his face that I suspect that many of you feel about the same and would be happier never to see photos of him ever again.

What does a narcissist fear the most? Perhaps there is a hint in the saying, “What women fear is that men will kill them. What men fear is that women will laugh at them.” A corollary is that a Strong Man who is vying to be the new fascist authoritarian ruler would likewise fear being laughed at. The reason being laughed at is disturbing lies in what happens in the minds of those who witness the subject being laughed at. Respect for the ridiculed man plummets and he loses influence over others. Much of the power of the Strong Man type ruler is being feared. When one is publicly ridiculed they are perceived as quit a bit less scary. Certainly less admired. A star to which you no longer want to hitch your wagon.

I reference the following:

Ridicule as a Weapon

By J. Michael Waller Annenberg Professor of International Communication The Institute of World Politics January 24, 2006

www.google.com/…

Here is a smidgeon from that article:

Ridicule serves several purposes:

Ridicule raises morale at home.

Ridicule strips the enemy/adversary of his mystique and prestige.

Ridicule erodes the enemy’s claim to justice.

Ridicule eliminates the enemy’s image of invincibility.

Directed properly at an enemy, ridicule can be a fate worse than death. “

The article really does an amazing job of exploring ridicule including the pitfalls as well as the power.

Ridicule is instrumental for two things:

to raise the people’s morale by helping them to laugh at their enemies, and to dent the morale of enemy forces.

I have noticed many people on our side becoming somewhat despondent with dread of a possible Trump presidency. It is a truly frightening prospect. Shudder. However, it is not healthy and empowering for us to lapse into that despondency. It is important to rally the morale for those of us who would like to save our country from disaster.

Therefore, rather than trying to defeat Trump by calling out his lies, inconsistency, hatefulness, illogic, etc, we would do better by laughing at him publicly.

A great example of such laughter was demonstrated on Don Lemon’s CNN show:

www.rawstory.com/...

In an ideal world we could convince others of the rationale of our positions with reasoned arguments based on facts and data analysis. This year, especially, that will not prevail over the very emotional tribal identification embodied in Trump supporters. Trump is right that if he went out and shot somebody, his supporters would not adulate him any less. However, if he were held up to ridicule publicly repeatedly, many of those would-be Trump voters would simply fade into the woodwork and not bother voting for him.

Let all the votes be cast and counted

fayea

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Tuesday May 03, 2016 · 9:47 AM PDT

2016/05/03 · 09:47

There are 16 states (or territories) that have yet to vote in the primaries/caucuses. The calls for one of the candidates to throw in the towel because he can’t possibly win are not only premature, but equivalent to calling for all of us in those 16 regions not to vote. Our votes matter in expressing our political preferences even if our candidate doesn’t prevail. It will matter in the end how close we came to winning even in a loss. Our voices should be heard by the Democratic Party, and by the nation as a whole. It should be important to Hillary, the likely Dem Nominee, to know just how much of a mandate she has. It should be important to her to know how many people in her own party want a more progressive agenda. I want my voice to be heard. It is my right to vote. It offends me when people in my own party express that they want to take away one of the choices on my ballot.

But Hillary hasn’t won yet. Yes, it is very likely she will win. But not absolutely a given. Bernie has every right to court the Super Delegates. He can couch it in whatever terms he chooses to try to sway them. You may find his terms unpalatable to you. You may find his attempts silly and futile. But who would want a POTUS that simply rolls over? The quality of applying persistent effort to a goal is desirable in a leader. Nothing he has done is unfair or against the rules. I am proud of Bernie for being persistent. What if Hillary does the equivalent of a Dean Scream? He should be there to carry on.

Now a message to the Bernie or Bust folks. Please keep in mind the one overwhelmingly paramount issue for this election: Climate Change. We must have a POTUS who will not throw the entire Earth baby out with the increasingly polluted bathwater. Even if you truly believe Hillary is not where you are on a whole lot of issues and not even a nice person, she would be worlds better than Trump (or any Repub) on Climate Change. Sure, not as good as Bernie, but a Trump presidency would essentially be game over for human habitation on this planet. There will be no place left to stage a revolution. If this were still the 1970’s, I’d say, sure, vote your heart, choose a third party candidate, allow a moron into the White House and precipitate a revolution. Sorry, those days are over.

A final note to the ardent Hillary supporters: Please let the entire process play out. You may yet win. Your candidate will not be harmed by the democratic process of allowing every vote count and every voice be heard. Trump won’t be using Bernie’s criticisms of Hillary as he has plenty already lined up. Be careful in your proclamations not to alienate the many Bernie supporters who are not die hard Bernie or Busters.

Caligula 2.0 is not cool

fayea

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Saturday November 30, 2013 · 12:08 PM PST

2013/11/30 · 12:08

It seems most of us here have diagnosed the problem correctly: the global corporate power has permeated not only the entire world's economy, but also our democracy, all countries' politics, as well as society and culture. It's Caligula 2.0.

The system is not broken. We can't wait for it to fall under its own unsustainable weight.
The system as it currently functions is working way too robustly. It is like a train heading full speed to the end of the tracks at a cliff edge. At the end of the tracks, the resulting crash will make The Great Depression and the French Revolution look like utopias. The power wielded by the corporate overlords is that of addiction. They have themselves become addicts of power and money and have become the world's biggest pushers of anything and everything that makes the little people dazzled.

Every day decisions by everyday people are the only location of recovering that power from the corporatocracy. The alternatives we need to invent are those that people would choose on a daily basis instead of pressing the lever to deliver more addictive stimulation to their brains. The system (the corporate behemoth) has got most people addicted to the glitz and glamor of shopping malls. Even our food supply has been supplanted by synthetic food-like substances with lots of fat, salt and sugar to light up the chemicals in our brains and make us crave more more more. And people blithely "choose" those tasty treats in spite of the fact that they are getting sicker and fatter. Even the people at the top of the finance world are totally addicted to the rush of the gambling market. Like rats pushing the cocaine lever until death.

If we can't figure out how to convince people that there is a much more satisfying life truly available than continuing to select the things that produce those brain chemicals that feel so good momentarily, we will never stop the train.

I understand that meditation might help people overcome the need for repeated brain over-stimulation, however, it won't wrest the reins of power from the 0.1% if we just sit in our homes meditating ourselves into feeling so peaceful while the children in (fill in the blank) are still starving. Meditation will only be helpful if it serves as the re-calibration of our thoughts and choices such that we go back out into the world and connect with other people.

Religion has historically been somewhat of a motivator away from worldly delights, however, it has become so corrupted and co-opted that I don't see a healthy role for it now. It, too, can simply become another addiction. And another place for authoritarianism to flourish. Plus so many of the religions have a strong impetus to subjugate women which I find really annoying. Pope Francis has started espousing some populist ideas, a most welcome phenomenon, but I'm not holding my breath for the Catholic Church to lead the way.

We need alternatives. We need to show people that a long slow contented life of moderation is much more satisfying than rushing from thrill to thrill with deepening despondency as the unrelenting lull between highs. This will be about as easy as getting a meth head off meth. However, if we don't recognize our species as one that has a vulnerability to addiction, we are not going to stop the pushers.

Education and global transmission of ideas are paramount. I love reason and data, however those methods of idea transmission are pretty dry to many people and their eyes glaze over. Stories are a time tested (like over eons) way to reach people's minds. The fact that "Hunger Games" is so popular is kinda scary to me since it seems that is exactly where we are headed. Music is also very powerful. I actually do remember the 60's and how the counterculture memes were spread on the radio thru music.

Of utmost importance is the "coolness factor". The way the civil rights movement and the women's rights movement and the gay rights movement have made progress is that all of them became cool. Culture changes because the definition of what is cool changes. Now,unfortunately, it is cool to be rich and look and behave like Kim Kardashian. Long hair and protest songs were cool in the 60's and so were on the TV and radio. But of course, the TV and radio had not been totally co-opted by the corporatocracy in the 60's. Occupy was cool for a while but since the media is owned, the exposure of the movement was snuffed out.

So we're going to have to use the Internet. We're going to have to face Facebook. And we have to tell our stories and present our data in cool ways.

Thank you note

fayea

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Saturday November 08, 2008 · 11:53 AM PST

2008/11/08 · 11:53

My Mom and Emily Post taught me to write thank you notes which I hated doing as a child, but given the current import of the recent events in my beloved country, I am now effusively enthusiastic about writing.

fayea

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Monday April 07, 2008 · 7:30 PM PDT

2008/04/07 · 19:30

The topic about Hillary’s story of the pregnant woman being turned away from a hospital ER has already had several diaries. I have posted comments in at least 3 of these. I now feel motivated to post a diary because it seems to me that the main problem with this issue is being missed.

fayea

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Sunday March 23, 2008 · 3:19 PM PDT

2008/03/23 · 15:19

My very feminist younger sister for whom I have the utmost respect, who has been an ardent Senator Clinton supporter, has just admitted to me that she finally has drunk the Kool-aid.

Previously she had said some of her reasons for not supporting Senator Obama included the "just words" assertion, not enough experience, and the sad fact that so many accomplished women have been passed over for promotions in business and government to promote a younger less accomplished male. She cited how painful and prevalent all the misogynistic insults and innuendoes against Senator Clinton have been to which I could only express complete agreement. My sister has worked in the feminist movement actively for many years, helps publish a feminist newspaper, and writes published articles on feminist topics.

What finally caused her to reconsider her assessment of Senator Obama was his speech, "A More Perfect Union".

Poll

125 votes Show Results

Who has a friend or relative newly changed to support Obama?

125 votes Vote Now!

Who has a friend or relative newly changed to support Obama?

a sister

6 votes

a brother

7 votes

a mom

18 votes

a dad

4 votes

an uncle

2 votes

an aunt

1 vote

an offspring

2 votes

a friend

25 votes

a coworker

11 votes

many of the above

29 votes

only my pets

20 votes

RSS

The Line of Succession - sucks

How to Defang Drumpf

Let all the votes be cast and counted

Caligula 2.0 is not cool

Thank you note

She should have known with UPDATE

My sister, newly converted hopemonger