Archives for January 2017

Why people are afraid: domestic edition

January 24, 2017 by Michael Boyle

This comes from Slate today: The Trump-Era Assault on Marriage Equality Has Begun in Texas.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decisions undoubtedly prohibit the government from depriving couples of marriage rights merely because they are gay. Yet the Texas Supreme Court’s inaction prompted outrage from state Republican officials and anti-gay activists, who urged the justices, who are elected, to take the case and allow Texas cities to discriminate against same-sex couples. And on Friday, the court took the first step, caving to Republican demands and agreeing to hear the case in March—a worrying sign that the justices, fearful of a re-election fight, may soon yield to political pressure and roll back marriage equality in Texas.

Source: The Trump-Era Assault on Marriage Equality Has Begun in Texas

Charles Blow: Are You Not Alarmed?

January 24, 2017 by Michael Boyle

In the New York Times, columnist Charles Blow goes a little deeper into the foreign relations issues I wrote about the other day.

Toss ideology out of the window. This is about democracy and fascism, war and peace, life and death. I wish that I could write those words with the callous commercialism with which some will no doubt read them, as overheated rhetoric simply designed to stir agitation, provoke controversy and garner clicks. But alas, they are not. These words are the sincere dispatches of an observer, writer and citizen who continues to see worrisome signs of a slide toward the exceedingly unimaginable by a man who is utterl

Source: Are You Not Alarmed? – The New York Times

Kristie Helms: Why I marched this weekend

January 23, 2017 by Michael Boyle

Important words from an old friend who inspires me far more than she knows.

We march because we care. We care about this country deeply and wholly. We care that it continues to represent all of us and we care that it continues to be a force of good in the world.

Source: Kristie Helms on Facebook

The first days inside Trump’s White House: Fury, tumult and a reboot

January 23, 2017 by Michael Boyle

A very interesting summary of what’s been going on behind the scenes in the new Trump White House.

This account of Trump’s tumultuous first days in office comes from interviews with nearly a dozen senior White House officials and other Trump advisers and confidants, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations and moments.

Source: The first days inside Trump’s White House: Fury, tumult and a reboot – The Washington Post

Missing the Point(s)

January 22, 2017 by Michael Boyle

My friend Ed wrote a great rebuttal to a lot of the nay-sayers about the Women’s Marches yesterday. A short excerpt:

[…]the objective of the Women’s March was not to complain about losing.

The objective was to state loudly and clearly that although the election is a fait accompli, there is much about Trump, the Trump cabinet nominees, and other aspects of the Trump Machine that is already worthy of protest. The lies are as thick as ever, the inauguration speech was downright frightening, the ethical problems with Trump, his family, and his nominees are eye-popping, and his presidency is only a day old.

People against Trump could see this coming. It is absolutely known among clear- and objective-thinking people (both democrats and republicans, as well as people from around the world) that the Trump presidency is a disaster in the making on multiple levels. The Women’s March was protesting the on-coming train wreck, not the vote count.

Source: Missing the Point(s) – The Blork Blog