iPhone LTTE

I’m writing about Rep. Stefanik’s support of the president’s defunding of World Health Organization. This has been criticized by other world leaders who don’t feel their efforts have been harmed by the organization. The rock-ribbed conservative Chamber of Commerce released a statement, “Cutting the WHO’s funding during the COVID-19 pandemic is not in the U.S. interests.” Why is it the U.S. has over 31% of the cases in the world and the most deaths? South Korea had their first reported case the same day we did and has 234 deaths to our nearly 41,000 as I write this. Is this the fault of the WHO or are they a convenient scapegoat?

Once the crisis subsides a bit there’s much to investigate: WHO, China, the president’s actions and lack there of. Four deaths in Benghazi drew 8 investigations and 33 hearings in Congress. I’d suggest a look at rightwing media as well. How long did Fox News proclaim the virus a hoax? Currently, they’re urging people to ignore and protest the efforts of governors to protect public health. Along those same lines, I wonder if our congresswomen finds the president’s “Liberate” tweets aimed at states with Democratic governors helpful. Inciting insurrection some have called it. At the very least, it doesn’t seem helpful. 

Impeachment Impeded Trump

Since the latest bullshit is that Trump was so busy with impeachment he couldn’t take on coronavirus:

Yes. He held rallies on:
—January 9th
—January 14th
—January 28th
—January 30th
—February 10th
—February 19th
—February 20th
—February 21st
—February 28th

He golfed on:
—January 18th
—January 19th
—February 1st
—February 15th
—March 7th
—March 8th

Thanks to Andrew Wortman on Twitter. And since I’m there. Rick Wilson:

Someone pointed out the cognitive dissonance of the current Trump message. "Trump's handling of Corona has been PERFECT from the start and he was johnny-on-the-spot!" while simultaneously saying, "Oh, the MEAN impeachment was SO distracting."

Warnings Ignored

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It’s Safer Than I Thought

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Wanted to put this where it’ll be handy when I’m freaking out about bring in the mail, the morning paper or a box from Amazon.

Stay Home, Submit On Your IPhone

I read that Rep. Stefanik says “ President Trump should take action under the Defense Production Act to meet our nation’s needs during this national emergency.” He’s not, though. Reps Katko, Slotkin and Ryan have sponsored the Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act. This would force President Trump to use the Defense Production Act to require companies to begin emergency production of medical ventilators, respirators, face shields, exam gloves and surgical gowns. Thirty Democrats and zero Republicans have signed on the last I saw.

This seems like a better focus for her energy right now than the investigation of what China knew when. That can be done once we survive the current crisis. And Democrats can investigate why Trump has done or not done whatever.

A word of praise for all the medical professionals serving us now. Governor Cuomo said, “We are going to fight every way we can to save every life we can.” Stay strong, stay home. Don’t make their jobs harder by following bad advice.

End the Malarkey

I’d like to respond to Mr. Brooks’ attack on people who are critical of Rep. Stefanik. Fox News seems equally down on anyone criticizing the president. Mr. Brooks and Fox were quite critical of President Obama awhile back. Also, I haven’t forgotten the many letters with nearly identical laundry lists of gripes (i.e. gish gallop) about his presidency. During the Ebola crisis Trump called Obama stupid and incompetent and condemned him for golfing. Imagine that. I realize there are some who have a view of Trump similar to that of North Koreans toward Kim Jong Un. If that works for you. I like to view elected officials of whatever rank as employees. 

I also want to denounce strongly the person who left the nasty note on Rep. Stefanik’s car. Our congresswoman has been rabid about it toward Tedra Cobb which I don’t understand. Pretty sure Cobb didn’t leave the note and has no responsibility for it. Stefanik does have responsibility for the continued use of a childish nickname for Cobb. I realize Trumpism is the order of the day in the GOP, but maybe try to elevate the discourse a bit. It was pointed out two years ago how false some of her comments on Cobb’s legislative record were anyway.

Our rep ran her first two campaigns on “Repeal and Replace Obamacare.” The Trump Administration is in court now attempting that total repeal she ran on. That would end any protections for pre-existing conditions. Trump says you’d be protected after ACA is dead. I’m skeptical, but whatever works for you. When Trump and Stefanik unveil their “terrific” replacement plan I’ll stop carping about them. Make America Normal Again. 

The Astonishing Fantasticness of Donald Trump

I'd like to respond to Mr. Sharkey's letter about the astonishing era of Trump. "He has made good on a number of campaign promises." I thought that would surely not include The Wall. But, "He's building that wall on the southern border, too." Ironically, that same day's paper reported on Congressmen unhappy about the raiding of the Pentagon budget for just that purpose. Was it not a campaign promise, repeated ad nauseum, Mexico was going to pay for the wall? Rep. Thornberry of Texas must certainly be on the president's naughty Republican list now. It's worth a mention that a newly constructed section blew over due to high winds recently. The price of corruption?

Barack Obama's record is complete. He left an improving economy and more people with health insurance. President Trump's supporters want to give him a final grade after 3 years. He's going in the wrong direction insuring people and I haven't heard any stock market brags lately. So, the jury's out.

If I was praising Donald Trump I might stay away from the Bible quotes. There are a good number on false witness. Proverbs 19:5 is particularly appropriate. "A false witness shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape." That's especially true when you're false witnessing to Congress or the FBI as George Papadopoulos, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen and Roger Stone have discovered. Being punished by, God made flesh, Donald Trump are Marie Yovanovitch, Alex Vindman and others who did their duty to the American people and told the truth. The constant lies to all of us requires faith that, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward Justice."

Chicken Stretching

Good job by Rep. Stefanik of emulating President Trump. She recently mocked Tedra Cobb on Twitter over a story Cobb relates of her mother "stretching" the chicken to feed nine children. But, maybe empathy, along with honesty, has died in Trump's GOP. It's not much of a transition, though. Stefanik ran on "repeal and replace Obamacare" twice when Republicans had no idea what to replace it with. We're fast approaching the third anniversary of the debacle where they proved it. Any day now Trump should be unveiling his "terrific" plan.

I'd like to also respond to Ms. Graves' remarks on socialism. The socialism is in the house! Trump is paying billions of dollars to farmers who've lost markets due to his trade wars. There's robbing the Pentagon budget to build his wall that Mexico has yet to pay for. If that's not enough government control, there's the president's shifting a Pentagon contract from Amazon to Microsoft. Jeff Bezos is a real billionaire, a self-made one and owns the Washington Post so he must be punished. Central planning much?

Democrats don't want us to become Venezuela either. In countries like that the leader interferes with justice so his supporters receive light sentences and his foes are investigated. Sound familiar? Republican politicians have forever railed at Social Security and Medicare as socialism, too. When it comes time to pay off Trump's trillion dollar deficits incurred by tax cuts on the wealthy that's where they'll look for the money. Better get the recipe from Tedra's mom because we're all going to be "stretching" the chicken.

  

I Hope You Know That This Too Will Go Down On Your Permanent Record

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Our Elise really has become one of the brighter stars in the Trump universe. I really can’t wait to see how it all shakes out.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, has been named to President Donald Trump’s Impeachment Defense Team, according to a news release issued on the eve of the start of the Senate trial.

I Hope You Know That This Will Go Down On Your Permanent Record

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U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is one of six New Yorkers, including four members of Congress, who have been selected honorary state chairs for President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign.

We'll see how well that ages.

Defending Tedra

Link to McGrath Letter

I'm responding to Corey McGrath's criticism of Tedra Cobb. Ms. Cobb's statement was, "Our actions have long-term ramifications that have escalated tensions in the region ... Congress, and Elise Stefanik in particular, must ensure this Administration puts together a coalition of allies and exhausts all diplomatic efforts before moving forward. The lives of American troops, diplomats and innocent civilians are on the line." Sounds reasonable to me.

Mr. McGrath writes in North Country Now, "She only urged Trump to 'exhaust all diplomatic options' before 'moving forward' with the war." First, does exhausting all diplomatic options really rate an "only?" That sounds like the kind of thorough and comprehensive step that, done properly, prevents war. Second, he overlooks the call for a coalition of allies. Perhaps, it would be a group similar to the one that put together the Iran nuclear agreement that was keeping them from working toward those weapons before being abandoned. The final touch is his dishonest extraction of "moving forward" from the statement and attaching "with the war" to the end of it. There's a term I use for that: Hannitization. It's the sort of thing Sean, and his ilk, frequently does.

Mr. McGrath constructs a strawman by altering Ms. Cobb's release. He then spends the rest of his letter painting her as a warmonger. That's as dishonest as anyone who has lied us into the wars he's against. I hope he finds someone sufficiently virtuous to vote for. Meanwhile, the rest of us who are against unnecessarily going to war, and are aware that the perfect is the enemy of the good, will work to elect Tedra Cobb.