A poet from back a ways asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. Well, no one would sleep that night, of course. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God, or something. Hell, we'd create new religions on the spot.
Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch t.v.

This extraordinary time when we are so intensely aware of each other and the multiple dangers that threaten our civilization has never happened, not in a thousand years, not in ten thousand years. You, me and the rest of everyone here today are faced with the most complicated, difficult challenges ever faced by anyone.

We are failing. We did not stay up all night in the glory of what was given to us we were not amazed we did not see the stars, and, we did not recognize the looming darkness. Instead we lost sight of the fact that our country, this place we call home is a gift every moment. It is fragile there is nothing about it guaranteed. It needs tending it needs care. Something to be treated with respect, and honor. Dignity and grace. The United States of America, our way of life requires protecting. Your country needs your help.

Am I pessimistic about the future? If you look at the science about what is happening in this country today, right now, and aren't pessimistic, you don't understand the data.

This country was given us by our forebears to shepherd through during our stay. To take care of. Our shift was always meant to be temporary. It is our turn, yours and mine, to hold things together until such time as we give it to the next guardians.

We are failing.

Our country came with a set of instructions. An operator's manual in the form of the Constitution and associated writings. We have misplaced those instructions. Misused the manual, the rules. Bent them to suit the unwell self-serving desires of those who champion darkness. Forgot important rules like keeping separate various branches of government, championing freedom of speech freedom of the press. Forgot about government by the people for the people rather than by and for the dictator wanna-be. We forgot about limitations on the executive branch. Forgot all that nonsense about giving us your poor your tired your huddled masses etc etc. This not even considering the unwritten guidelines such as acting with dignity, class, to not utterly embarrass us in front of the rest of the world. Unwritten, common sense characteristics and actions.

Instead we gave the keys to the low-life haters and now they are running the place. Strippers and lawyers and liars and thieves and traitors and reality stars and mentally unstable impulsive morons and self-serving good 'ol boy astoundingly unqualifieds who bought their way in to a government for sale...…. all balled together into a greasy, nepotistic tangle of human excrement otherwise known as the current president and his minions. It is disgusting it is embarrassing it is increasingly dangerous. Day by day we move closer to being on par with any other insignificant banana republic in some forgotten jungle. But fact is we are not an insignificant banana republic. We are the leader of the free world. If we go down so does the rest. This increasingly looks as if it will not end well. The only apparent winners so far are Russia and China. I am not inferring your president is a Communist and instead would point out they wouldn't take him, anyway. Not smart enough. Too, I am not saying his supporters are Communists. But I can just about promise every Communist out there is a Trump supporter. 'lil Donnie is not just the best president they could buy - he is hands down the very best thing to happen for their political cause. Ever.

These are dark days, make no mistake. That you may have deluded yourself into thinking otherwise does nothing to change that fact.

With that and to cherry-pick some general categories..............for the veterans blindly supporting a five-time draft-dodging, veteran slamming coward who can't even be bothered to visit the National Cemetery on Veteran's Day (it was raining, you know) - good work. It is you putting a smile on Putin's face. It is you weakening the United States of America. It is you disrespecting the memory of my father and his father and all the other TRUE patriots and veterans who like so many others past and present are worth celebrating. People, veterans who care about this country, unlike you.

For women, ANY woman ANY where able to bang her head against a wall hard enough to allow herself to become a Trumpie - what is wrong with you? Seriously. You are not just a traitor to your country - you are selling out your entire gender. What is it like to be the biggest reason the world needs #metoo? Oh, and to be clear: absolutely positively no, I do not want to grab your pussy. The thought disgusts me.

For conservative "Christians" - Jesus effing Christ what the hell are you thinking? Perhaps a more specific question will help you focus: have any of you glanced at the Bible, or even been in the vicinity of that document? Ever? Like maybe even just walked by one laying about somewhere? Have you read even the most basic rules, those Commandment things? Cause you are gleefully cheering on someone who breaks probably five or six of your precious commandments before he even gets up in the morning let alone what happens the rest of the day. You are supporting a liar a thief a coveter an adulterer a murderer, etc etc. How does that fit in with the whole "Christian" thing for ya? As a Christian myself I can answer that one: it doesn't. You cannot be Christian in anything but name while at the same time be in agreement with this administration. See how easy that is? Your welcome, and please stop dragging us actual Christians through the mud.

On a more practical note - for anyone who has money anywhere other than hidden in the mattress, say, the stock market or real estate or commodities or anything else legal - why? Why are you backing this disaster called Trump as he loses benefit of the last vestiges of Obama-nomics and even Bush-onomics and our economy along with that of the rest of the world is teetering on the verge of collapse due to this bozo's kindergarten level economic theory? Why?

For my Hispanic friends, including one who spends far too much time on social media and is a diehard fan of the current administration thereby fully supporting Trump's obsessive hatred of Mexicans everywhere - good work.. You are an integral part of the completely undisguised attack on your culture. Could not be done without your cooperation. Or maybe its more of a "last one in close the door" thing for you? For that matter, anyone reading who is an immigrant, or is a citizen here because of an immigrant (psst. that means EVERYone, including American Indians who just happen to be the first immigrants).....again, - what the heck are you thinking? If Trump or some other twisted hater like him had been in charge when your parents or grandparents wanted in to the USA you would instead today be dodging bullets in some shithole Muslim country.
Or worse yet, Ireland.

For all you people fitting in those categories above, it is too late. You cannot be helped and, in fact, you are the problem. It is YOU ending the 242 year experiment otherwise known as the United States of America.
You did not stay up all night in wonder you did not do your part to protect this country.
You, failed.

We're all looking at the same things, same stars. Difference being you lost interest and went back to watching television.
You got bored and messed up on an epic scale.

Now it's up to the rest of us, those who have NOT been duped and have NOT lied ourselves into the dark corner of rage and hate and fear that is our current leadership - it is up to us.

Yep, it looks bleak. That's because it IS bleak. And yet the most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic not the dreamer (I hope, anyway. Cause I have a dream, right.) This seems a most excellent time to work with that theory.

Done for now.
Merry Christmas. A time of celebration gifted to you by a particular immigrant family from way back. You know, before the "Christians" put up a fucking wall.

:)

(stars metaphor borrowed/thank you PH.)

Well, the midterms weren't exactly the referendum I had hoped for. Sure, the Republicans lost the House, but the same group increased their hold on the Senate. Dems picked up a few governorships, but all in all this was far from a resounding statement.

We as a country did not rise to our feet and announce in a loud proud voice - enough is enough. We did not succeed in our duty to protect the U.S.A.

I am embarrassed and ashamed for all of us. And not just a little afraid for our future.
Yes, I understand this is not a Republican vs Democrat thing. If the Dems had somebody their constituency so blindly followed as with Trump they would be acting like the mindless puppies the Republicans are. And Trump is no Republican, anyway. Trump is Trumpian. 'lil Donnie is a dictator wanna-be. But we are stuck with him still, and his hangers-on.

Trump will continue his mission to legitimize, make O.K. prejudice and paranoia. Rage. Trump will contnue to provide venue for the haters to openly hate.

He did not invent any of this, rather, he is only bringing it out in the open. The underlying anger, rage forming his base in not his doing. But make no mistake, he will continue to feed off your ills. Trump (almost) got elected by playing on, capitalizing on that negative energy. Trump did not create the problems we face today. As the "United" States of American continues to pull itself apart. No, he simply brought the latent ugliness out of the shadows. To his personal benefit. He is using you as would any other parasite.

Those of you continuing your support are either haters who, like Trump, thrive on negative energy, or you have been played. Simple as that. So simple, in fact, no reasonable argument can be made to the contrary. That you support a blatant traitor to the core values this country was founded on, cannot be argued against.

So, as you continue to cheer the unraveling of your country, as you champion darkness, and negativity...….for women trumpites, selling out their entire gender....for anyone in a minority group (other than the 1%) who support this trainwreck, actively harming yourself and your own. For all of you part of the decline of even the most basic moral code, as you support misogyny and prejudice and nepotism and racism and child sexual abuse and prostitution and pussy grabbing and lying and thieving (all you conservative "Christians" raising that bible high, right :)) and the reason for #mettoo. As you continue backing a veritable walking talking Freudian textbook of mental fuck-ups and as you do your very very very best to ensure we continue losing relevance on the world stage, lose power you instead force us to take our place amongst other like-minded back-water banana republics - congratulations :)

I was around during Watergate.  Very troubled period for our Country.  We were actually scared.   Yet even on a GOOD day worse things happen with this current administration than the darkest days of Watergate.  History is proving Nixon was a goddamn patriot compared to Trump.  What we have come to accept as the new "normal" so much worse.  Or, in the recent words of John Dean, Nixon's WH Counsel at the time:  "Richard Nixon was corrupt.  Donald Trump is evil."

We had a chance to largely neuter him, with these midterm elections. We failed.
You failed.  

You are actively part of the sinking of this great ship so many before you sacrificed so much for. You have managed to go a long ways towards undoing 242 years of effort.

Trump is not the problem. Trump has simply laid bare who we really are. This Country always was a bit uppity with its egalitarian founding principles. We have been giving ourselves far too much credit. Simple fact is we are human. Inherently self-destructive. Ugly. I suppose I just always hoped we are more. Hoped we are better than we are. Thank you Mr President for so blatantly proving otherwise.
These midterm elections show that Trump is not the problem
We are. You are.

"A group of Jewish leaders told President Trump he is no longer welcome in Pittsburgh until he denounces white nationalism following the shooting at a synagogue there over the weekend."  

"Members of the Pittsburgh affiliate of Bend the Arc/A Jewish Partnership for Justice penned the letter to Trump following the Saturday shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue."

"Our Jewish community is not the only group you have targeted," the group wrote.  "You have also deliberately undermined the safety of people of color, Muslims, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities.  Yesterday's massacre is not the first act of terror you incited against our country."  

he drained the swamp re-filled it with raw sewage then turned loose the diseased rats he surrounds himself with. Hookers and lawyers and cheats and liars and others like himself. A nepotistic incestuous sold-out tangle of skeeze and skanks. Criminals all from top to bottom. Parasites and leeches feeding off your anger and fear.

And people still support this piece of filth. Either that or desperately look the other way and hope it isn't happening.

I feel as if I'm in a particularly dark episode of the Twilight Zone. Surely others are seeing and hearing the same things I am? What is wrong with everyone? We can't take this place for granted. This country. It is not somehow magically protected. It needs care, and watching over. We have failed in that duty. You me and everyone else who let him in. Every day, every single day piece by piece this low-life open sore is destroying what so many people worked so hard to create. You are disrespecting the sacrifices of my parents. And your parents and their parents far back as our families have been here. You are disrespecting the sacrifices being made today by others. 

None of us, not you not me and sure as hell not a traitorous draft-dodging veteran slamming coward like Comrade Trump has the right to do that. 

Nothing happening in the current administration will Make America Great Again. Comrade Donald and the bucket of scum that is his administration are doing precisely the opposite. They are dragging us down. Every day, the USA is less relevant on the world stage. Weaker. Your president is well on his way to making America an ugly, sad dangerous joke. The world is laughing at us. Laughing at YOU. Trump's bff Putin most of all. 

It would be tempting to identify Trump and his supporters as communist wannabees. They are not. The communists don't want Trump or those supporting him. Not near smart enough. No, what Vladimir Putin (AKA the one really calling the shots) wants is to let Trump do what Trump does best - make chaos and destruction. To screw up. To be Donald Trump. 

To demolish the USA from the inside out like some rancid infection (then lie about it disavow any responsibility and have his morally empty lawyers clean up the mess and charge the rest of us for the effort.) Make the lie big and tell it often. Right Adolph? Or, I mean, Donnie? Meanwhile Putin sits back and smiles as we destroy ourselves. 

What is happening to this country is embarrassing, and terribly sad.  It is dangerous.  

If you are not against him you are for him.  If you are not actively opposed to Trump you are supporting the demise of the United States of America.  We are all seeing the same things. There is no valid argument to the contrary.   

Impeach. Invoke. Get rid of this argument in support of abortion before he damages the United States beyond repair.

If he hasn't already.

re-post.

There is too much wrong.  Really hard to know where to begin.  What I do know is the USA has fallen from its position as world leader, beacon of hope and decency, to instead being well on its way to becoming the biggest little shitlhole country on Earth.  Democracy, attacked from within as if by disease.  Dignity, decency absent at the highest levels.  

Our country, which so many have given so much to protect, and nurture is being assailed by cowards and haters hiding behind their twisted interpretations of the Constitution and the Bible.  

Since I don't know where to begin I suppose I should end.  With a quote appropriate to these dark days.  And these are, dark days.  

This is not for those of you bent on destroying our country, democracy.  Not for supporters of the disaster pulling us down.  Those folks are not the real problem.  

Nope, this is for those of you, most of you, even, who are letting this happen without becoming involved.  Because, frankly, it is you who are to blame.   By not standing up and saying "This Is Not Right" it is you doing the most damage.  By pretending this isn't happening, by hiding your heads in the sand - it is you tearing this country apart.       

Anyway, short and sweet.  This is an excerpt from a speech by Elie Wiesel.  Look it up.  

"Indifference is more dangerous than anger and hatred."  

Went down to the "Patriot" rally thing yesterday. Proud Little Boys and all. I figured, well...……...the way I've been acting just isn't healthy for me anymore. The whole caring about my country thing, you know, democracy being important enough to fight for, decency, equal rights for all. That crap. The way the situation has become, e.g. pretty much hopeless - well, frankly its enough of a challenge keeping my blood pressure at a tolerable level even during good times. It's just, I don't know. Time to throw in the towel. Surrender, give up.
Sell out.

So I went to the coward parade thingee in hopes of signing on. Becoming a sold-out anti-America anti-Democracy fascist loser, AKA a trump voter.

The nice fella carrying the pretty nail studded baseball bat and sporting a face/head cover looking suspiciously like a woman's hijab (although I didn't say anything cause it didn't seem the right time or place) directed me to the helpful guy at the membership table. Clearly taking fashion clues from Red-Neck-Stupid-Fucker quarterly (think "Cosmo" for trump supporters), to include somehow squeezing into leathers about five sizes too small, dude was actually wearing one of those Roman helmet things, full face cover and even with the bright feather stuff along the top. Cause when your a coward you do that. Hide behind masks and stuff. Anyway, and even though it quickly became apparent the helmet disguise was making this person sound exactly, exactly like Darth Vader, he went over the list of membership rules and duties with me. Most were easy. You know, be hateful blame everyone but yourself cite the bible as justification for your sins sound stupid break stuff and of course - hide behind a mask (and of course only pursue these activities when surrounded by a bunch of losers like yourself cause to do it alone would require that one thing you so desperately desire but will never attain: courage.) Gets to the last item which quickly identified itself as most important, and I'm starting to become a bit nervous. Yet really wanting to join up, to become a trumpie - I went on ahead and dropped my pants and shorts. Without even bothering to unfurl the tape measure and in about a billionth of second gladiator boy announces I am ineligible to join. That I cannot be a member of the group an account of me going (way) over their maximum allowed size of.........wedding tackle. Um, Schwanschtooker. Tallywacker. Plonker, pork sword, purple parsnip, winkie, willie, joystick.

I have a penis and therefore am not allowed to play with the Proud Little Boys.

My hopes and dreams of joining that sad freak show otherwise known as the trump circus have been dashed. 

What am I supposed to do now?

we gave the keys to the low-life hatemongering skanks and now they're running the place. Liars and thieves and strippers and lawyers and sell-outs and pedophile supporters and misogynists and deeply prejudiced and draft-dodgers and veteran-bashers and this could go on a long time.......
And that's just the person at the top. The filth he surrounds himself with, feeding off his negative spewing should all be put in quarantine on a deserted island somewhere until we can figure out what's wrong with them.  Seriously. They might be contagious.

It's our own fault. After-all, we (almost) elected the guy.

I only hope the damage won't be so permanent it can't be repaired after this disaster ends. We all should hope, the damage can be repaired. Cause every day, every freaking day, the ultimate drama queen aka your president and the disease known as his supporters come up with new ways to make him and our country look like jackasses. New ways to take us further from democracy, and decency. New ways to attack the principals this country was founded on.
Every day, finding new ways to commit treason.

Read an article today, online, from a self-described conservative "Christian" group. These are people invoking God as their reason for continued support of Putin. Excuse me, Trump.
What we have here is a an example of rationalization. A uniquely human trait, its the ability to somehow get a to a point where we can be O.K. with just about anything we might do. We all practice this particular psychological exercise, some are better than others. But what is probably a mechanism evolved mostly to help us get through the day without losing it can at times go far beyond that. To say the least.

Your president, for example and for you "Christians," likely many times a day breaks most all ten of the Commandments. And yet people describing themselves as "Christian" somehow are blind to this. He is a liar he is a thief his is an adulterer he covets this and that etc etc and based on recent US action in Israel alone, he can be properly described as a murderer. The guy has no apparent moral compass, certainly none that I recognize. He himself once sort of half joked something to the effect...…. "I could step out onto Fifth Avenue, kill somebody - and nobody would stop me." trump cares about trump. Nothing else. 

Yet conservative "Christians" are able to look directly at all this and - through the magic of rationalization, not see any of it for what it really is. Instead convincing themselves the behavior is somehow serving the greater good. Their particular cause. That no matter what he does (and trump tests the theory pretty much every day) no matter what this scumbag does, "Christians" will continue their undying support.

And then each goes on with their day. Oblivious to the destruction they are actively part of through their support. Oblivious to their sins.

History is chock full of examples of the results of such rationalization. These examples are not typically of happy events.

From the article it seems large numbers of conservative "Christians" continue to give him their support. Willing to forgive apparently anything, any sin, because God put him in the White House to save us, right. To save the country. As a Christian myself I feel compelled to ask - Jesus effing Christ you stupid effing morons - what are you thinking? Seriously. I know I'm not supposed to judge, not be the one to cast the first stone and all that and to the extent possible I try not to, but at the same time I am able to at least recognize sacrilege when it slaps me across face. As a friendly suggestion to such "Christians" - if your new hobby is blasphemy you may not want to put it our there in print (the big fella my read it.)

Goes to prove the theory that fanatical anything is just that. Fanatical. Logic, common sense sort of goes out the window. Tying a secular cause to your god, or country or baseball or whatever is more often than not an exercise is trying to mate a monkey with an apple. They are different they don't have any relationship to one another.  Your efforts will ultimately result in failure.  .   
And just as fanatical Muslims do not in any way represent Muslims as a whole, neither do fanatical Christians (I know, I know - Christianity has time and again throughout history shown itself to be far more violent than Islam, but point is the fanatics of each group give the rest a bad rep.) These militant conservative "Christians" are proving me right. Promoting hate, anger, violence, lying, vitriol, misogyny, prejudice pedophilia adultery treason et-effing-cetra.
in the name of God.

Cool.

Can't remember why I started this. Oh -
Impeach.
Invoke.
Get this fascist lunatic out of the White House.
For GOD's sake :)

-signed, a proud ex-Republican. Cause The Republican Party is no more. Dead. Replaced mostly by a bunch of whimpering suck-up chicken-shit trump-ites who have failed miserably and should be ashamed of themselves.