Message Forum

Speaking at a rally in Pensacola, Florida, the President said that the decision would ultimately be left up to military commanders at the border.

Trump Now Says If Migrants Throw Rocks Military Will Respond with Paper or Scissors

By Andy Borowitz

01/07/19 01:41 PM

#773

“the Pentagon insisted that Trump’s ‘paper or scissors order’ (backtracking from his earlier suggestion that the military should fire upon migrants if they throw rocks) was ‘not a stunt’ but refused to answer how the military would come up with fifteen thousand pairs of scissors on such short notice.” A. Borowitz

01/07/19 04:45 PM

#774

Donald Henry Kuehn

Trump’s acting Defense Secretary, Elmer Fudd, has come up with a strategy that observers think flirts with brilliance: running with scissors! Undercover agents will infiltrate migrant caravans and distribute scissors to unsuspecting migrants from South and Central America and then start a stampede by falsely claiming there might be free drinking water available further up the road.

01/08/19 10:50 PM

#775

Where are the pesos?

01/08/19 11:26 PM

#776

New polling suggests most Americans favor the building of border walls over extravagant pet projects like structurally sound freeway overpasses.

Nation with Crumbling Bridges and Roads Excited to Build Giant Wall

By Andy Borowitz

01/10/19 09:34 PM

#777

"Does Trump govern by purpose or circus?"

Federal workers across the U.S. are protesting the government shutdown.

More House Republicans are voting to re-open parts of the government.

Where is Leader McConnell hiding refusing to take a vote in the Senate?

No matter what happens in his own mind Trump wins!

01/11/19 12:06 PM

#778

Earthquakes continue in Alaska.

The shutdown is putting our national security at risk.

Mitch McConnell is the person who can end the government shutdown.

Let the Senate vote.

Payday: $0.00 paycheck for 800,000 American workers we rely on / not to mention contract workers and the inevitable ripple effect.

01/11/19 04:17 PM

#779

Trump has taken America hostage.

The responsibility to re-open the government rests squarely on McConnell's shoulders.

(Trump tabled his emergency declaration - the shutdown drags on for 800,000 federal workers, as well as for contractors, and for all who rely on their services - the pain and suffering ripple across America with no end in sight.)

News of the FBI’s inquiry into whether Trump was secretly working for Russia is gripping.

01/12/19 11:53 AM

#780

Marvin Irving Blusteln

Janis,

You are right. This is on McConnell. I repeat my montra of many months ago, shame on the McConnell and the republicans, they are not patriots.

01/13/19 09:51 AM

#781

The road ahead, the mountain in front of us will be difficult to cross... I wonder if we were ever one people OR if Donald Trump (and Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter) reveal the great divide that separates us.

This is bigger than Trump...

it’s all the people who are enabling Trump...

all the people who voted for Trump.

Uncomfortable as it might be, our politics can no longer remain personal and private lest we enable the destruction of our country.

We must not be silent. Democracy requires we engage in political conversation-- which means political discussion is a necessity, not an option.

01/14/19 06:24 PM

#782

First of all, Janis, I want to congratulate you on the huge wins for "The Kominsky Method" at the Golden Globes. I know the Foreign Film Critics have a predilection for offbeat stuff; not that there's anything wrong with that. But I know that you love the show & the big wins must be very satisfying. Also, I just wanted to mention that, per a previous conversation, I found that certain posts will not be on the same pages for eternity, as I see we are currently on Page 37, whereras before we were up to Page 190-something. In your recent post you stated, "...our politics can no longer remain personal and private..." & "Democracy requires we engage in political conversation", and "...political discussion is a necessity, not an option." I agree with your points, which brings me to my current topic. I asked all conservatives out there, about 3 weeks ago (12/22/18), to answer ONE question, namely, "When was America last great?" I never got even ONE answer, but I think 3 weeks is enough time to get a reply from ANY conservatives out there. Or was my question really a stumper? At the end of my post, I stated about differences between liberals & conservatives, that, "I am starting to think it's the way you were raised. Or am I totally mis-reading this? Let me know." No one let me know if I mis-read this. To get things started, I asked if the 40's or 50's was when America was last great. I aked if it was the 1900's, or 1860's. Is it that our conservative brethren & sisterthen don't have even ONE answer to that question? Or, is it that you pushy/annoying liberals/progressives have finally turned off the conservatives, to the point that they won't even answer that ONE question? Or are they even participating, any longer, in the Forum? So, if we need to "Make America Great Again", when was America last great? I mean, what are we aiming for here? Conservatives need to respond - liberals need not apply.

01/14/19 08:12 PM

#783

Stewart, I have been thinking about you. I too noticed the foundation of the Forum was chopped from beneath us - or some might say the Forum was chopped back to size. Unfortunately none of it was archived. I wish folks had listened when you posted about an archivist. Don Schwartz for one shared some posts that were well worth saving. The good news: the posts we were discussing - Post #14 when Kathy Moyes anticipates our 55th and Post #18 when Steve Spitz recalls all that went into planning our 50th remain on the early pages of the Forum as it now exists. We can hope the Forum does not go through a similar shearing in the future.

Scott Mermel emailed all classmates that Sharry Rugendorf is planning a 55th in September 2019 and that information and discussion will follow.

As to liberals and conservatives - somehow it’s not only how we were raised that determines our political bent. There are plenty of families divided by political strife. As citizens we have allowed ourselves to be separated by voices which have no sense of civility or the truth... many have chosen to take sides as if politics is an athletic competition--

Politics is not a contest-- we should be about finding solutions that work for the common good in people’s lives. We must do better.

I for one have transformed from an Independent leaning Republican to an Independent leaning Democrat. I look forward to working to elect a Democrat in 2020 but hope not to gratuitously drop FBombs to get her to the White House.

01/15/19 04:31 PM

#784

Janis, I appreciated your comments on families with divided loyalties. I do have a question about, "I look forward to working to elect a Democrat in 2020 but hope not to gratuitously drop FBombs to get her to the White House." My question is not about you assuming the candidate will be a woman (good tack - I'm all for it!), but the FBombs comment. What are you referencing, exactly? Speaking of referencing, I refer to a post by Carol, dated 11/18, "And this, classmates of Niles West 64, is your message forum. A place where all are made to feel welcome and treated with respect. A place for comradery and sharing. A place to escape the stresses of our country and the world. Are we all having a good time?" If this is, in fact, our Forum, a forum is defined as "a situation or meeting in which people can talk about a problem or matter, especially of public interest; a forum for debate/discussion." I believe that most of the comments have been extremely civil & respectful. I know I try to be respectful & considerate of other's feelings at all times, and hopefully, I achieve that most of the time. but I don't know if there is any REQUIREMENT for a forum to include civility & decorum. My guess is, in ancient Rome, the Forum Romanum hosted many a debate/discussion that were considerably less than civil. Is this a Forum, or not? And how should we define it? Perhaps, we should consider re-naming it. Although, if this Forum is going to run its course & end, sometime later this year, why bother? (BTW, does anyone have any idea when this Forum's run is scheduled to end?)So, I am STILL pondering this question, as to why liberals & conservatives see the same FACTS, but come to totally conflicting conclusions. WHY? I need to know.

01/15/19 08:24 PM

#785

Stewart, the crux of the problem is: liberals and conservatives do not agree on what the facts are, i.e. climate change.

The Constitution designates and defines 3 branches of government: Republican legislators have yielded their responsibility for oversight and given up their power to the executive branch.

01/16/19 10:51 AM

#786

Marvin Irving Blusteln

I am liberal. I believe in live and let live. But, I often find it near impossible to discuss much of anything with conservativess. I find that are philosophy of life is far apart.

01/16/19 07:44 PM

#787

Donald Henry Kuehn

Pelosi tells Trump to “mail it in”. No State of the Union speech. That makes him an uninvited co-conspirator.

01/16/19 08:33 PM

#788

Janis - I think you're on to something. In your last post, you stated. "the crux...is liberals and conservatives do not agree on what the facts are, i.e. climate change." (I love the climate change example - it's a great example.) But, being what they are (facts), can we say "FACTS are FACTS"? Facts don't change, unless they are not facts. Rudy Giuliani has famously stated, "Truth isn't truth." Then maybe facts aren't facts. If we all see the same facts, but come to totally different conclusions, than this whole liberal/conservative thing is a matter of perception. But why are the SAME facts perceived differently by liberals & conservatives. I still have questions about the whole liberal/conservative conundrum, but I feel like I'm inching closer to a real understanding of it. (It would help, if there were more conservative voices out there.) I have to admit, though, that I really don't get it, yet. Don, I also saw today that Nancy Pelosi formally disinvited Trump from giving his State of the Union addrerss on, I believe, 01/29, due to the gov't shutdown & requested he either re-schedule to a later date, after the shutdown is over, or ala pre-Woodrow Wilson, send it to Congress in writing.

01/16/19 08:48 PM

#789

One more thing, I don't believe Trump will mail in his State of the Union address, as opposed to postponing it, for 2 reasons: (1) not sure he has the capabilities, or fluency in English, to put together anything more than a couple of pages of disjointed, nonsensical blather (I understand that there are ghostwriters), and (2) I don't believe he would, or could, pass up an opportunity to address, not just Congress (both houses), but the entire nation, in prime time, and it would all be about him. I could be wrong.

01/16/19 11:20 PM

#790

An "uninvited co-conspirator..." I like it Don.

01/20/19 02:47 PM

#791

Yes, Steve, I did see the very same news report yesterday, about the students from a Catholic H.S. in Kentucky, harassing a native American war vet. I was extremely disturbed by what I saw, kids (who know virtually nothing about life), taking it upon themselves to harass & disturb a native American. The fact that he is a war vet, only makes it more disturbing; although, I would be upset, even if he wasn't a veteran of the Viet Nam war. I don't know, though, if I would have taken the time to communicate with the school, as you did. Although, I'm assuming that the school has some responsibility in this affair, I have to say that, like you, I presume that this whole incident has way more to do with the way these kids were raised by their parents. As far as I know, the veteran did not engage in any back-and-forth with these children; I don't know if I would have as much equanimity, if I were in his situation (although I totally get why he kept his cool). What's wrong with people today? I suspect that this incident may have had a lot to do with our current CIC, who does not do a creditable job of modeling behavior that exemplifies the norms that we all grew up with, as, as far as I know, these kids were ALL wearing MAGA hats. I was going to say, when will this all end? But my guess is that it won't end until Trump is out of office, one way or the other. For you Trump supporters out there, is this the kind of behavior you expect from the leader of the country, after you've seen the effects of his leadership, on multiple occasions, including Charlottesville, VA? How is this possibly good for our country?

01/21/19 09:41 PM

#792

Mitch McConnell acknowledges the solution to the government shutdown lies with the U.S. Senate. However he’ll violate his own stated principle and call a vote on a proposal he knows won’t pass.

America is suffering. We’re approaching the 32nd day (the 2nd month) of the government shutdown.

01/22/19 08:54 PM

#793

The U.S. House passed the NATO Support Act which would prohibit the use of federal funds to withdraw from NATO.

“Beyond asserting Congress’ power of the purse, the NATO Support Act affirms support for NATO and its mutual defense clause, for Montenegro’s accession, for “robust” U.S. funding for the European Deterrence Initiative, and for the goal that each member nation spend at least 2% of its gross domestic product on defense by 2024.

“The action comes as trans-Atlantic ties have been frayed by disputes over defense spending, trade, and America’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.”

Rep Eliot Engel (D-NY), Foreign Affairs Comm Chair, said knowing that splintering the NATO alliance is one of Putin’s top goals, it’s “disturbing, troubling to see the U.S. sending mixed signals about the alliance or treating it as a burden.” In a floor speech ahead of the vote Engel said: “This bill reiterates Congress’ commitment to NATO and would prohibit withdrawal from NATO. It sends a clear message to the administration that this branch of government supports the alliance.”

“Even as his administration has worked to support NATO, Trump has bashed NATO over burden sharing, made overtures to Putin, and said he believes he has the authority to pull out of NATO if he chooses.”

The vote followed news the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs will leave his post in mid-February (after only 16 months on the job).

One of the House bill’s co-sponsors, Rep Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), called Congress “the only check we have (left). It’s urgent and essential that Congress play its constitutional role - it’s often been said the Constitution is an invitation to struggle, and what we are saying here is we are not leaving NATO without a struggle.”

A similar bipartisan bill has been introduced in the Senate, led by Sen Tim Kaine (D-VA), and cosponsored by Sen Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and others. The expectation is the two bills would easily be reconciled.

01/23/19 02:05 PM

#794

Janis, thanks for the info on Congress' support for NATO, which I find extremely encouraging. NATO has provided mutual defense for member nations for almost 70 yrs. now & I feel is the major bulwark against Soviet (Russian) aggression. Putin is a pretty smart cookie & has to be loving that the American president is threatening to leave NATO & Britain is threatening to leave the European Union. I don't think in his wildest dreams, he thought both could be possible. I do wonder why Congress (the Senate) chose now to stand up to an obviously erratic president. Apparently, this was the step too far. Threatening to leave NATO! I certainly think there were far more goofy things this president has done, to earn the enmity of Congress, before this current fiasco. I am getting anxious to get the Mueller report, but I feel my patience will be rewarded soon. I still want to see those Income Tax Returns, as I'm pretty sure that most (if not all) of our questions, will be answered, as to whether our president is a crook, or not.

01/24/19 03:09 PM

#795

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In a bold initiative aimed at ending the shutdown, congressional Democrats on Thursday agreed to fund a border wall and reopen the government if Donald Trump leaves the country forever.

Calling the deal “a huge win for America,” the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said that Trump would get the wall he wanted plus the opportunity to do something “incredibly patriotic” for his country.

Pelosi brushed aside criticism of the offer’s 5.7-billion-dollar price tag, telling reporters, “When you consider what we are getting in return, nine trillion dollars would be a bargain.”

But, even as Pelosi touted the offer, some details remained unresolved, such as finding a country willing to accept Trump.

Although Russia has a practice of providing country houses to former leaders such as Nikita Khrushchev and Boris Yeltsin, it is unclear whether Trump’s two years of service to the Kremlin qualify him for such accommodations.

01/24/19 06:19 PM

#796