TRUMP, REPUBLICANS, ME AND KAYAKING

 As soon as we rounded the tip of the point, we were in the washing machine of wind, waves and tide all colliding in one space. The strategy for paddling in this kind of water is to keep your nose into the waves and paddle like there is no tomorrow. A strong westerly wind was blowing upstream (east) and the waves it produced were at least 3 feet tall and mostly coming straight up-river. I say mostly because some waves were reflecting off Tongue Point and coming crosswise, while others occasionally came at us from the other side. I fell into a rhythm of steady and long paddle strokes, focused on keeping my paddle blade in the water and my nose into the waves, watching the bow of my kayak come off the top of a wave so that 1/3 or more of the boat was in the air, and then plunging into the trough and disappearing below the next wave until it suddenly lifted clear again. Sometimes the nose of the boat would go below water far enough that my waist was almost in the water; this is when a paddler appreciates a drysuit and a well-fitting spray skirt!

I clearly remember to this day the wave that suddenly reared up to my right heading straight for me and slapped me across the face. I didn't see that one coming, but it was very refreshing. What a wild ride, what a fun time, what a lot of work!

This excerpt is from my journal of a 90-mile paddling trip from Portland to Astoria, Oregon, on the Columbia River. And you, dear reader, are wondering what this has to do with Trump and the Republicans. And I'll tell you. 

For the past four years, we have been in the washing machine of Trumpism, tumbling daily between reality and fantasy, truth and lies, normalcy and outrageously abnormalcy. Finally - finally - we had an election and Donald Trump was given his pink slip, his boot in the ass, and shown the door. And yet (which has become a favorite term of mine recently), here we are, nine days after the election, Joe Biden clearly the winner, and Donald Trump refusing to accept defeat. Worse yet, his Republican cronies, his enablers, have his back! What shall we good people of America do?

I know certain things from my many years of paddling a kayak on big rivers and tidal bays. These things are reflexive now. I have been in situations, such as that described above, where there is no time or purpose for worrying, for fretting, for trying to analyze the future. If reflex and determination and persistence do not take over the "deep doo-doo" can be very, very serious. 

So this is what we good people of America need to do: stay focused, keep our noses into the wind, paddle with strength and determination, trust that our vessel is sound and designed to stay afloat, and keep the goal in sight and mind. Sure, some rogue wave might slap us in the face, but it will only make us that much more resolved to move forward. We will get to our destination, and yes, we will be tired but joyful. 

Donald Trump will be gone in January, 2021. If we persist, if we stay strong and focused, if we see our goal as a better America, we will not be defeated. This I know.

My buddy Dave and I did conquer everything the mighty Columbia threw at us that day, and arrived tired, safe, and joyful in Astoria. Let's all work together to conquer the dark and turbulent politics of our time, and arrive safely in a different place. 

(I did not paddle again after that trip for three years, until I had shoulder surgery. And I can't think of a good analogy for that!)

---

PLASTIC BAGS: THEY’RE BACK!

This is a plastic bag that our groceries came in when we did a pickup at Safeway recently. It surprised me, because we have a plastic bag ban in Portland, as well as the State of Oregon. So, um, what the....?

I have not done any research; however, it is obvious that this is considered a reusable bag - it even says so on the bag. This bag is very thick plastic (HDPE) and the text on it says that it can be used at least 125 times. It can be recycled by returning it to the store, so it says on the bag.

This bag seems no different from many of the plastic reusable shopping bags we already have, unless those are made from recycled plastic (these do not appear to be). These are pleated on the bottom, so the stand by themselves when loaded with items. My own reading has led me to believe that, in many instances, plastic could be better environmentally than shopping bags made of cloth or other materials. But that’s a longer post, which I might do someday. 

So, yes, we kept these nice, heavy-duty plastic bags, and will reuse them for a variety of things. For now, during the pandemic, we are not doing our own shopping, so we order on-line and pick up the order curbside at the store. These orders typically come in paper grocery bags, and because I have a garage full of those, the new ones immediately go into the recycling bin. Seems kind of wasteful to me.  

So plastic is back. OK, I’m down with it!

—-

SHOULD WE WISH WHITE HOUSE FOLKS WELL IF THEY CONTRACT COVID-19?

As reported on October 25, 2020, “We’re not going to control the pandemic,” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.” 

Meadows argued that the administration wouldn’t get the pandemic under control “because it is a contagious virus, just like the flu.”

He also said Americans, including the president, should “certainly” follow CDC guidelines, but when it comes to wearing masks at rallies, he said, it’s not mandated because “we live in a free society.”

(Source:https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/25/white-house-chief-of-staff-controlpandemic-432236)

A few days ago, it was announced that Mr. Meadows, the White House Chief of Staff, had tested positive for the coronavirus. A number of other people in the White House have also tested positive in the past week, and this adds to the people, including the President, his wife and youngest son, who have tested positive. 

Everyone on the news programs we watch - MSNBC and CNN - and NPR have made the requisite statement that they wish Mark Meadows well, or don't wish him ill, or similar. But you know what, this sticks in my craw! These folks such as Meadows have bought into a herd immunity strategy that is now the official policy of the Trump administration. So basically, he has contracted the disease because that is the plan - everyone should contract the disease and then it will simply go away. 

So here's what I wish the media folks would do: if they are going to report that people in the White House or the administration have tested positive for COVID-19, they should lead with the fact that the White House pandemic strategy is that everyone should contract the virus. Then they should not wish these folks well, they should congratulate them for complying with the administrations pandemic policy! (Keep in mind that these folks knowingly expose thousands of people to the virus.)

---

AMERICAN POLITICS AS WAR: A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

 The 2020 election is over (yes, Donald, it is), and we now move into a new phase of American history. Here's a thought experiment that could help put things into perspective.

Let's say we think about American politics as war, with two opposing sides battling for dominance. There is trench warfare - in the Congress and state legislatures - and there are major battles every two years, and very major battles every four years.

One side just won a very major battle and will control the Executive branch of government. So let's talk about winners and losers.

When a war is won, a peace treaty is usually agreed upon by both (or all) sides. Often, the winner will agree to help the loser rebuild its economy, infrastructure and other aspects of its society that were damaged or destroyed by the war. And so we can expect the new administration to offer assistance to the people on the losing side in the form of stimulus money, economic development, health care (especially regarding the current pandemic) educational assistance, &c. In other words, give things to the losing side that will hopefully help them salve their resentment towards the winners.

There is a major problem with this analogy of war and politics; the losers didn't really lose. Unlike the period after a war, the losers (Republicans)  still have all of their military leaders in place (in politics this is the electeds), and, importantly, their propaganda machinery is still cranking out the propaganda (in this analogy, Fox News and its ilk). The losing side still controls the judicial system (judges appointed by Trump). And so the analogy breaks down. 

The important point of this thought experiment is this: the Democrats won a major battle, but the war rages on. Without some kind of peace treaty between the two political sides, we can expect the battles to rage on. If very recent history tells us anything, one of the generals on the losing side (Mitch McConnell) will rally his troops to resist any kind of cooperation or collaboration with "the enemy." As the war continues, citizens on all sides will be the ones who suffer, except for the very wealthy class, who fund the generals. 

In a rational society, everyone would understand that politics is not war, and that governance is an activity in which all sides work together, always with some disagreements, to find a path forward that improves society. The job description of members of the U.S. Congress is simple, as stated in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. The Congress "...shall have Power To...provide for the common Defense and General welfare of the United States...." The Section contains a list of Congressional Powers, all of which pertain to providing for the common Defense and the general Welfare. Nowhere does the Constitution state that elected members of Congress must swear to defend their political party; in fact, the oath taken by members of Congress has them swear to "support" the Constitution of the United States (see Article VI). 

President-elect Biden and many others stress that the great divide in our country has to be healed. This can only happen through leadership at many levels. Unfortunately, the Congress of the United States, the legislative body that was established to provide for the general welfare of the country, has devolved into partisan warfare, and the general welfare has suffered greatly. This has to stop. Partisanship in Congress, and the Executive Branch, leads to partisanship among citizens. 

On January 20, 2021, then President Joe Biden will have a daunting set of tasks before him. He alone will not be able to heal the divisions in this country; only the combined efforts of all members of Congress can accomplish that task. Perhaps that is a fever dream. 

---

UM, WHERE AM I?

Everyone I know woke up the morning after the election, looked at the 2020 election results so far, and said aloud and posted on their social media feed, "Where the eff am I? What happened to my country?"

Yes, everyone I know is a coastal elite (whether or not they live on a coast). We were certain - CERTAIN - that after four years of abuse, most Americans would repudiate Donald Trump and everything he stands for. But no. 

As of this moment (November 5, 2020; 08:16 AM (Pacific time), 68,538,176 Americans have voted for Donald J. Trump. Joe Biden has 71,414,442 and is (hopefully) closing in on the magic 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency (he has 253 compared to Donald's 214). 

That's right, sixty-eight million five hundred thirty eight thousand one hundred and seventy six Americans think Donald Trump deserves another four years in the office of President. This is astounding! 

Joe is saying the right things about healing, about being President of all Americans, about finding common ground, about going back to what America stands for while moving forward. But everything seems different now, and the United States of the future will never be something it was before. Various terms are are floating around in our heads: culture wars, civil war, unbridgeable divide. We are all mostly in bubbles of likeness, perpetuated by social media (anti-social media is what I call it) and the mostly partisan news sources we watch and read. 

Do people in Redlandia and those on Bluelandia have values that are so dissimilar that we will never come together? Will we always be divided by narratives - often false - that become fortified mantras? I'm a devoted cynic. No matter how cynical I get, I just can't keep up (thanks Lily Tomlin). But there is hope, and it will require great effort. The hope is founded on changing our behaviors, something we have the innate capacity to do, but usually the mind set to resist. In a recent post I talked about where we humans are in the process of evolution, and I wondered if intelligence is the end point of natural evolution, and the beginning of conscious evolution. We can change our behaviors if we want to. 

And by the way, my map, above, is obviously a great over-simplification. There are many blue folks in red territory, and red in blue. The urban-rural divide is real and a major factor. We have serious issues to deal with, and the best thing we can do is get started.

Now...how will we connect the disparate parts of Bluelandia? High-speed rail? Solar-powered airplanes? Hmmm.....

---

 
 

TRUMP AND HIS SUPPORTERS EXPLAINED, AT LAST

 Don't get me wrong here; Donald Trump is a very, very dangerous man. He is the head of a three-generation New York crime family, and somehow he was elected to the office of President of the United States. He is a fascist, and a wanna-be dictator. He has a base of millions of ardent supporters, and he has somehow kept congressional Republicans under his thumb. How has he done this? How can this be explained?

One easy answer is this: Donald Trump is a buffoon, and people love a buffoon. 

I'm not just calling names here. But seriously, gird your loins and watch some video clips from his campaign rallies (yes, the COVID-19 super-spreader rallies). There is The Donald, in his element, acting the buffoon to a crowd of thousands of MAGA hat-wearing, cheering buffoon-lovers. He does his stand-up comedy schtick, making funny faces, cracking one-liners (usually something mean about someone, and always lies), doing that weird gesture with his hands (palms facing out, jerking out and back at waist level). His fans eat it up; they laugh, they hoot, they shout "lock her up - lock her up" at the mention of any Democratic woman politician, they hold up their stupid signs like "Women for Trump" and "Make America Great Again, Again" and "Trump-Pence 2020" and other bullshirt. 

And they are all crowded together, and very, very few of them are wearing masks (except the ones behind him who are on-camera, and have been told to wear masks to give a false impression), and they are in violation of every rule about the pandemic, and Trump doesn't give a rats ass about that or them, and when he leaves there is a COVID surge left behind. 

Sometimes he has a warm-up comedy act, his robotic wife, Melania. She has some extremely funny one-liners about how Donald is protecting shildren, and has stopped the pandemic, and is fighting bullies, and other stuff that is oh so hilarious in its irony. 

If the Trump family was not such a dangerous cabal of fascist grifters, if we could back away and look at them as if we were observers from another galaxy, well, we would certainly be laughing out loud at their antics and their ironic humor (if we had mouths to laugh through). I'm thinking Charlie Chaplin as The Great Dictator. 

We will get rid of this dangerous buffoon soon enough. Then we need to figure out how to live with his buffoon supporters.* Ugh.

---

* Yeah, I know, we need to talk to people, and heal the divide, and find common ground, and all that. But seriously...

CORONAVIRUS, HUMANS, AND THE NATURAL WORLD

 You can't fool Mother Nature. (anonymous)

Nature is a Hanging Judge. (Professor Scott Morris)

The numbers are not good: 

• total cases, in the world and in the USA: at least 44,300,000 and 8,817,000
• total deaths, in the world and in the USA: at least 1,170,000 and 227,000
• average (7-day running) daily number of new reported cases, in the world and the USA: 450,000 and 77,000 (highest to date)
• in the past week in the USA,
• the daily number of new cases has increased by 20%
• the number of deaths has increased by 5.4%
• the number of hospitalizations has increased by 9.5%

Yes, I'm talking about the SARS-CoV-19 virus that causes COVID-19. In just seven months, this virus has been responsible for the numbers presented above, and the end is nowhere in sight. 

We humans should all feel humbled and afraid. The virus, something that is not considered a living organism (see my earlier post), a tiny packet of genetic material (about 700 of them laid side-by-side would equal the thickness of one human hair), has basically brought humanity to our knees. In the 21st century, a time of advanced knowledge and technology in medicine and science in general, a microscopic, replicating chemical particle is winning its attack on, and invasion of, human beings. And so far there is nothing we can do to stop the virus in its tracks and eliminate it from the planet.

The interesting, and very sad fact is that we humans know how to slow the spread of the virus, and it is not through technology. Behavior is, so far, the only thing that works. Wear a mask. Keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and other people. Do not go into crowds of people. Simple, and proven effective behaviors. And yet...

And yet human hubris enables the virus. The simple virus-slowing behaviors have been politicized instead of accepted as fact. Some political leaders claimed that the virus was a hoax, the scientists and medical experts were wrong, and that political opponents were using the virus as a way to bring down the fearless leader. The truth is a simple equation: science denied = people died. 

Humans, the species Homo sapiens, are not above nature, we are part of it. No matter how strenuously we deny it, we are part of the natural world, and we ignore nature at our own peril. We have carelessly and foolishly significantly changed the chemistry, physics and biology of the planet as a result of our actions in modern times. Climate change is no longer a question to be debated; it is a proven process and our chickens have come home to roost! Drought, violent storms, massive wildfires, altered ocean chemistry, and many more processes of the planet systems are altered from what used to be normal. It is already too late to ask "what if" and instead, ask "what now?" 

My point, if you have not gotten it by now, is that as part of the natural world, we humans are impacted by whatever happens in natural systems. A tiny virus, part of nature, can do tremendous damage to our societies. The systems of nature, such as the atmosphere, that we so wantonly and carelessly abuse will change in ways that negatively impact us. We cannot fool nature; nature will win in the end.

I am not one who says that the planet is in danger, and we need to save the planet. Planet Earth will be fine no matter what we do; it will just be different. The reality is that humans are in great peril, and our social structures, always tenuous constructs, are breaking down at a fast rate. The virus and the changing climate - just those two factors alone - are drastically changing our economies, our demographics, our geographic distribution on the planet, our behaviors, and much more. We humans have the capability, at this moment, to destroy ourselves. We could do it quickly, through nuclear war; we could do it slowly, by continuing business as usual. Perhaps our species will survive and continue to evolve; however, we must keep in mind that other great civilizations of humans once prevailed on Earth and are now long gone. 

Perhaps intelligence is a fatal flaw in evolution. Or perhaps intelligence is the key to successful evolution. Humans are intelligent enough to understand that our own behaviors and actions are destroying the natural system of which we are a part and that keeps us alive. Perhaps natural evolution can only go so far, and once intelligence is reached, the species has to self-evolve behaviorally. In addition to having the capacity to destroy ourselves, we humans have the capacity to change ourselves in ways that will enable survival: acceptance instead of rejection, cooperation instead of conflict, building a world community instead of separate enclaves, loving instead of hating. Technology has a role in this, but it alone will not save us. 

Human. Nature. 

---

IMMORAL, OR JUST POLITICS AS USUAL?

Gleeful hypocrisy is one way to describe the Congressional Republicans as they celebrate the addition of Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court. Another description might use the term "immoral" because of all the lies and breaking of long-held processes and "gentleman" agreements. One side celebrates their tawdry victory while the other licks their wounds and vacillates between thoughts of revenge and how to regain power. 

I personally think the actions of the Congressional Republicans are immoral - "not conforming to the patterns of conduct usually accepted or established as consistent with principles of personal and social ethics." But, on the other hand, we're talking about politics. 

The politics of governance has always been a push and pull between different views and philosophies. In the United States, politics has always been rough and tumble, and perhaps what we are experiencing today is not very different from other periods in our history. So while we might conclude that this is simply politics as usual, that doesn't make it right. 

Should politics operate on moral principles? If yes, whose morals? Should we have rules that politicians must always take the high road? In the present case of Supreme Court nominations, should the Republicans have stayed with their previous position - the one they invented in 2016 - that nominations to the Supreme Court should not be made in an election year? If we say yes, then they would have had to give up a rare opportunity to create a solid conservative majority on the court. 

What would the Democrats do in the same situation? I'm certain they would do the same thing the Republicans just did, and find ways to justify it. It's politics.

And what about the moral obligation of the nominee? Should Amy Coney Barrett have declined the nomination to the court based on moral grounds? She is, after all, a very devout, and supposedly moral person of faith. How does a nominee justify participation in a process that is so obviously cynical, hypocritical and tainted? This should be a tough decision between the once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity and the willing participation in a corrupt political game. The fact that we saw absolutely no hesitation by Barrett should truly give us pause about her character. 

The dice are cast, the Supreme Court is now solidly right-wing, and Americans will live with the consequences for generations. This is not the first time the court has been this conservative, and it won't be the last. Meanwhile, there is an election a week from today, and there is already fighting in the streets of America between the Trumpsters and the anti-Trumpsters. America is at another major crossroad in our history where ideologies clash, social issues motivate mass civic unrest and action, and violence erupts across the country. Our future is uncertain, and there is no easy resolution of the issues that divide us. We don't seem to be the "united" states at this point, and our elected representatives seem incapable, or unwilling, to find a peaceful path forward. 

Can politics be moral? The answer seems to be no. 

---

COVID CREEP

 As The Donald gets closer to the election that looks more and more like he will lose, he gets whackier and whackier. He has held large political rallies, indoors and out, with thousands of packed-in, unmasked supporters. He has had events at the White House where people were not distanced and mostly not wearing masks. There is an outbreak in the White House, with numerous staff testing positive for COVID-19, as well as Donald, his wife and son.  He was hospitalized with COVID-19, came out after a few days, and went out on the campaign trail claiming that the "Chinese virus" is like the flu (he told us that long ago), that it is not a killer, and that everyone should get it so we will all be immune. 

Meanwhile, back in reality....

...the number of new COVID-19 reported cases per day continues to increase...

...the number of COVID-19 cases reported per day in the United States continues to increase...

...the number of reported COVID-19 cases in our State of Oregon is increasing...

...and the number of deaths reported per day related to COVID-19 in the world, USA and Oregon (below) seems to be steady or declining slightly. (All graphics from the Washington Post.)

The medical experts tell us that things are trending in the wrong direction and will get worse as winter approaches. Trump tells us that the "China virus" is going away and everything will be just fine very soon. I know who I believe; how about you? 

I am working hard and hopeful that President Donald J. Trump will be citizen (and inmate) Donald J. Trump as of January 20, 2021. We ned a president who is serious about dealing with a killer pandemic and provides the resources and leadership to get it under control. We need a leader, not a miracle.

---

THE DONALD AT WALTER REED

 

I DON'T WISH YOU WELL, DONALD

I don't wish you well, Donald.
I don't wish you a speedy recovery.
No hopes and prayers from me, Donald.
None of that baloney.

In my heart, I say

"Die, motherfucker!"

But don't die, Donald,

not just yet, anyway.

I want you to suffer, Donald.

Like the people who suffered

and those two hundred thousand plus

who died

because of you.

I want you to suffer, Donald.

Like the children torn from their parents

who were seeking freedom

in the shining city on the hill

and you jailed them

and sent them back to their suffering.

I want you to experience pain, Donald.

Like the pain of poverty and hunger.

Like the suffering of black and brown bodies

under the choking knee of your

America made great (white), again, and again.

My greatest hope for you, Donald

is that, in the moment before

they shove the ventilator tube

down your throat

you have the terrifying realization

that every person trying to save

your miserable life

is Black or Brown or an immigrant,

and that truth shreds your tiny brain

while you are in a life support stasis. 

Am I being cruel, Donald?

Am I being too mean, Donald?

No, not when it's you

as the subject of my wrath.

You see, Donald, I do want

you to live, at least for awhile.

I want you to experience 

a few more things in life,

such as:

the humiliation of losing

in a great landslide of votes;

(which you will undoubtedly spin

as the greatest, largest, best, most beautiful 

election defeat in history!);

the ordeal of being indicted

and arrested by the State of New York

- in public -

for a long list of financial crimes

(oh, how I wish the ICC would indict you

for crimes against humanity);

the embarrassment of having

your head shaved

as you enter prison

and everyone sees you

for what you are -

an old, broken-down narcissist

con man;

the shame of exposure

as the head of a three-generation

crime family that has

conned its way through life

at the expense and suffering of others;

and the repudiation of everything

you and your Republican

sycophants and enablers,

and your supremacist goons,

and your ultra-rich masters

tried to make our country,

and the fixing of everything

you and yours broke

that turned America away from

our path and towards being

a "shithole country;"

I want you to live, Donald.

I want you to see all of that, Donald.

Because it will enrage you

and bring out the best of

your worst little boy tantrums.

Live long and suffer, Donald.

I don't wish you well, Donald.

I wish you hell, Donald. 

---

pfishman

october 3, 2020

 

DISPATCH FROM A LEFT COAST ANARCHIST JURISDICTION

I’ve always said that anarchy is better than no government at all. I now find myself living in what the President of the United States declares to be an “anarchist jurisdiction,” Portland, Oregon. Yeah, that’s what it is, anarchy, it must be. That’s how to explain why I found myself driving the wrong way on a one-way street a few days ago. And I crossed against a “do not walk” signal recently. Someone left their dog’s shit where it was deposited; they didn’t pick it up with a plastic bag. Bicyclists running stop signs and ignoring other rules of the road. Dogs and cats sleeping together! Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

Portland —- the City of Roses, the River City, the place where young people go to retire — has a long history of racism, and a more recent history of progressive liberalism. Portlanders, for some reason, love to protest and demonstrate and march in the streets. Right-wingers, white supremacists, and other creepy types also love Portland as a place where they can demonstrate and get into street brawls. We also have antifa, anti-fascists, who show up to do battle with alt-right and white supremacists. It’s a great mix. 

And so Portland has been at the top of the news for a few months since the killing of George Floyd, as daily, and nightly, demonstrations have gone so long it seems that we are chasing some Guinness Book record. But I need to be clear here; the daily rallies for Black Lives Matter and the end of systemic racism have been well organized and peaceful. Portland police generally don’t even show up at the daily, peaceful gatherings, and offer any assistance needed by the organizers. 

The nightly demonstrations are a different story. These are gatherings of up to a few hundred people, some of whom come dressed in body armor and helmets, carrying large plywood shields, and armed with a variety of weapons and things to throw at the cops, including frozen bottles of water, cans of soup, rocks and chunks of concrete, steel ball bearings shot by wrist-rocket slingshots, laser pointers (t shine into the eyes of cops) commercial grade fireworks, and even Molotov cocktails. (Police have also siezed knives, loaded guns, and other weapons.) They have attacked police buildings, including the police union building, trying to set them on fire, break windows and doors, and various other criminal activities. The cops ask them to be peaceful, then, upon being bombarded with projectiles, declare an unlawful assembly and order them to disperse, sometimes declare the situation a riot (a legal term), often respond with crowd control ordinance or physical force, and arrest people (sometimes dozens every night), until folks get tired and go home, typically at around 1 or 2 in the morning. 

Many Portland liberals I know are down on the police, claiming that the cops are violent and the protestors are not. To be fair, I have only attended one daytime rally (pandemic caution for this elder) and have stayed away from the nighttime brawls. There have certainly been instances of police using excessive or inappropriate force. What I have not heard from my liberal friends is what the police should do in these situations, instead of what they are doing. 

Donald Trump, however, the very stable genius, knows what to do. If we would only let him send in federal troops, he would end the violence quickly. Violence to fix violence? Well, some feds did come to Portland, under the guise of Department of Homeland Security, to protect the federal building that houses federal courtrooms and offices. These guys (we assume they were all guys) were violent and seemingly out of control, and they operated by their own rules. People were hurt, some very badly. People were grabbed and whisked away in unmarked rented vans to be interrogated. These goons (yes, a good term for them) made a bad situation worse. They finally pulled back after the Oregon Governor talked to the Vice-President and worked out a deal using Oregon State Police to protect the federal property. 

If you don’t live in one of Trump’s “anarchist jurisdictions” you might have a false sense about Portland. We are mostly nice people in a beautiful city with great restaurants, live theater, sports teams, museums, great outdoors activities, and many interesting neighborhoods. We are not a very diverse city, which is an issue. We have a commission form of government, something that has its own set of issues. But Portland is a great place to live and visit, anarchy and all. 

I come full circle to my opening statement: anarchy is better than no government at all. If Portland is anarchy, then Trump’s administration is no government at all. I’ll take anarchy. 

—-

FROM THE MOUTH OF THE TOTUS

Much has been said about the guy in the oval who said to George Stephanopolous during an ABC Town Hall: "you'll develop a herd mentality...." But that is not the whole quote. 

You can find the video and hear it for yourself. This is exactly what The Don said: "...and you'll develop turd - like a herd mentality...." That's right, he dropped the t word. 

We can chalk this up to confusion, senior brain, a Freudian slip, or simply that the man doesn't know what he's talking about. Or, more likely, all of the above. In my humble opinion, he was telling us something we already know, Donald Trump has shit for brains - a turd mentality. He is the Turd of the United States (TOTUS).  

There is, however, a serious point here. As Rachel Maddow explained last night, the people The Don has surrounded himself with to give him "expert" advice about coronavirus are not experts, but charlatans. His latest "expert", Dr. Atlas - a Faux (pronounced "fox") News regular, advocates not doing anything, and letting millions of Americans contract the virus so we will develop herd immunity. A conservative calculation tells us that this would result in anywhere from 1.5 million to 6.5 million dead Americans from COVID-19. BUT - the theory of herd immunity is not accepted by the vast majority of real experts. 

And there is now evidence that the Trump Admin is actually telling state governments, including those experiencing major outbreaks of coronavirus, that wearing masks and closing bars and restaurants is not a recommendation! Mass murder? I think so. 

How do you make a turtle disappear? Vote for Biden and the turd'll disappear! 

full stop

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"IT'S GOING TO GET COOLER. YOU JUST WATCH. I DON'T THINK SCIENCE KNOWS, ACTUALLY."

And that was the response by the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, to a plea by the Secretary of the California Natural Resource Agency to work from a base of science, including climate change science, to address forest and wildfire management. 

Anyone who pays attention and has at least half a brain knows that Trump is a climate change denier as well as a science denier. This has been part of his M.O. since taking office and has resulted in major decisions that have made the world a worse place to live (climate, pandemic, etc.).

There is more to this topic that every American needs to understand, however. The issue is not the stupid things Trump says, it is the destructive things his administration does. The most public examples are: pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accords at a critical time in climate action, defunding and then pulling out of the World Health Organization in the middle of a global pandemic, and totally bungling the pandemic in the United States - the "China Hoax" pandemic. But there is more, much, much more.

Trump has placed people in key positions in every federal agency. The main assignment of these people is to deconstruct government in ways that will benefit big business and very wealthy people. In regards to the environment, the Trump administration has rolled back many key environmental regulations (many of which were put in place by the Obama administration). In a recent article, the New York Times lists 100 - and counting - environmental regulations targeted by the Trumpsters, and 68 of these roll-backs have already been completed. The article lists all 100 regulations, and is worth scrolling through. Below is a summary table from the article.

So, yes, we can scoff and laugh at what an ignoranus Donald Trump is, but we need to be really pissed off about what is happening behind his clown characterization performance. This is serious, and the effects will plague us for a long time. 

Trump must be stopped. Every citizen, not just the usual 40+ percent, needs to vote, and every citizen with at least half a brain should understand that another 4 years of Donald Trump could be the end of America as we know it. Seriously. 

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WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION

The election of 2020 is under attack by those who want to unfairly influence the outcome. This danger is unprecedented in our lifetimes, and should concern every American. Free and fair elections are the bedrock of American democracy, and the right to vote for all women and non-white men was won through hard struggle and sacrifice. 

The dangers we face for the 2020 election are:

• a concerted campaign by Donald Trump and his minions to undermine faith in vote-by-mail processes using a false claim that it is rife with fraud (he recently suggested to his supporters that they vote by mail, and then try to go and vote in person to test the system—-in other words try to confirm fraud by committing fraud);
• attacks by Trump and his minions on the U.S. Postal Service, with claims that it will not be able to handle the expected volume of mail-in ballots;
• cyber attacks by Russia and other state actors (China, Iran) against the U.S. election system and the dissemination of false information to voters using social media;
• orders by the Trump White House to U.S. intelligence agencies not to disseminate information gathered about Russian cyber attacks to other federal and state agencies (U.S. intelligence agencies are warning that Russian attacks against our election this year are worse than in 2016, and favor Donald Trump);
• voter disenfranchisement efforts by Republican-controlled state legislators and governors targeting BIPOC and Democratic voters;
• efforts by Republican state and local officials to make voting more difficult in majority Democratic districts and districts with majority BIPOC voters (limited polling locations, long waiting times, elimination of voters from voting rolls, use of provisional ballots that are not counted, and other methods);
• apparent efforts by the Justice Department, under Attorney General William Barr, to favor and assist the candidacy of Donald Trump;
• attempts by Donald Trump and his minions to get foreign governments to assist the Trump campaign by spreading negative information about Joe Biden and his family;
• using false claims (outright lies) about Democrats, liberals, and Joe Biden in campaign literature, video commercials, and social media posts;
• possible violations of campaign laws by the Trump campaign (as in 2016);
• and—-strangely—-Donald Trump is in a sense committing mass murder of his supporters and possibly many thousands of other Americans by holding mass campaign rallies during a pandemic at which most people are not wearing masks and are violating every recommendation by public health experts about avoiding crowds.

Am I forgetting anything? Yes, what does Trump do if he loses? This is a scenario many people are thinking about. All of the items above are ways that Trump and his minions are trying to swing the election his way by enlisting the help of foreign powers and by keeping Democratic voters from voting. He is also setting up the scenario for his loss by putting forward the idea that the election could be fraudulent or "rigged" against him, and therefore not a valid election. The Trump MO, after all, is: tell a lie often enough and it becomes a truth. So if Trump loses, will he go gently into that good night? There is a good probability that he will not. And he has set up his more militant supporters---you know, the ones who refuse to wear masks (COVID) and carry AR-15s and drive big trucks with American, Confederate and even Nazi flags flying---to defend him when he refuses to leave the People's House (a.k.a. the White House). Civil war? Yes.

We know, based on the past 3-1/2 years of Trump, that his sole objective is to make himself great again, again. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the people of America. And he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about free and fair elections, as long as he wins again, again. So how do we stop him?

Other than divine intervention (not likely in my opinion), it is up to us, we the people, to run the crime family patriarch out of the White House. Have a plan for voting. If you can vote early and/or by mail, do it as soon as you have your ballot. Talk to others about voting, and help people who need assistance to register and/or vote. Talk to anyone you know who might not vote because they don’t see a reason to, and convince them about the critical nature of this election. Let’s give Donald Trump the thing he craves the most, the biggest thing ever in the history of this country—-the biggest landslide loss of any previous election! 

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Note: this post has been edited on Sep. 13, 2020, to add the third from last paragraph.

    

THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS IS NOW PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

A thought occurred to me recently after watching a news report about the negotiations between Democrats and Republicans for a second pandemic relief bill. The negotiators came out of a meeting and spoke to the press. The two Democratic negotiators were the party leaders of the two arms of the Congress; Senator Chuck Schumer, and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. The team for the Republicans was Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. In other words, the Republican Congressional leadership was nowhere in sight while the president’s men ran the Republican side. 

During the Senate impeachment hearings of Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell let it be known that he was coordinating with the president’s legal team regarding how he would run the hearing. In other words, Mitch and his Republican gang were simply window dressing for an operation being run out of the White House.

In the House of Representatives, the Democratic majority committees investigating the president issued subpoenas for data and testimony from parts of the executive branch. These were mostly ignored, leaving the House committees with little recourse. Once again, the executive assumed more power than the legislative branch.

The role and powers of the President, at the head of the Executive Branch of government, has been debated for as long as the United States has existed. Some legal scholars, politicians, presidents and others have argued that the power of the president should be larger; others have argued that it should be less. Trump, and the people with brains who work in the White House shadows, think the president should have absolute power, perhaps dictatorial. Trump’s Attorney General, Bill Barr, is of that opinion, and his actions have clearly demonstrated that. Mitch McConnell appears to be of that opinion, also. Donald Trump absolutely thinks that he should be able to rule with absolute and legally protected powers. 

This is a bad turn for the United States. This trend increases the power of the executive while decreasing the power of the legislative branch. It also changes the role of the judicial branch, as the president appoints or nominates federal judges, and the senate approves them. Obviously, if the executive rules the senate, the judicial bends to the will of the executive. 

This precedent has now been set by Trump. If he is elected for a second term, the power of the executive will only grow stronger. Under Trump, this road leads to authoritarianism. Even if he is not re-elected, this new imbalance of power will exist, and future presidents might want to take advantage of that. 

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UN-GUN AMERICA

I have written extensively on this blog about gun violence in America. It is epidemic and shameful. The spotlight is now on the killing of Black men and women by police; the majority of these killings are by gun. (There are also many Black persons wounded by police guns.)  We tend to attribute this horrific toll of human life to racism, and that is certainly a major factor. In this post, I want to talk about guns as a major factor.

Why do police officers carry guns? There is not a simple answer to that question. One answer is to protect themselves from armed criminals. Another likely reason is to look militaristic and convey fear among citizens as a control measure (this could be another post about the history of policing). 

Too often we see or hear about police officers killing someone and think that there was really no reason to use a gun in that situation. Of all the deaths by guns used by police, the alleged crime, if there actually was one, prompting the police action is not punishable by death. (In fact, 25 of the 50 States do not have the death penalty.) Too often recently, we've seen police with their guns out and pointed at someone who either has committed no crime, or perhaps is suspected of committing a crime that absolutely is not punishable by death, and is not doing anything threatening! How many Black men and women have been killed by police guns as they were running away, or sleeping in bed, or getting into their car, or just standing while black? So why do the cops have their guns out?

What if cops didn't have guns? What if they only carried a baton, handcuffs, and maybe a can of pepper spray? That's what cops in London carry, as described here.  OK, that works in England you are thinking, but it would never work here in the US of A. Correct, as pointed out in the quote below from the article linked above: 

Of course it's easier for police to remain unarmed if civilians do the same. Out of every 100 people in Britain, fewer than four of them owns a firearm, according to GunPolicy.org, a project run by Australia's University of Sydney. In the U.S. there is more than one gun per person.

The fact is that America is awash in guns; there are more guns in the hands/homes of people than people in this country. An official estimate is about 423 million firearms (about 1.2 per person in America), and many billions of rounds of ammunition (8.1 billion rounds were manufactured in 2019 alone). There are about 17.7 million assault-style rifles, or long guns (AR-15 and AK-47) in private ownership; this is the most popular gun in America.  (Put the word "guns" in the search field of your browser and you might be shocked at the number of places where you can purchase them online. But beware, you'll likely start getting ads about them!)

So why don't we un-gun America? "Good luck with that!!" is the reply I usually get when I ask this question. No politician would dare suggest we collect people's guns. Hey, Second Amendment, Freedom, My Rights!! Sure, it would not be easy, and it might start another Civil War - but guess what, we are already in a civil war...but that, too, is for a different post. 

Here's the deal. Right now there are about 274 million dangerous machines owned by people in America, but they are highly regulated. To own one of these, you must be old enough, register it with the state in which you live, be certified to operate it, get re-certified every so many years, have insurance covering any damage it causes to other people or their property, and operate it according to laws, upon penalty of fine or arrest. Yes, motor vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, mobile homes), very dangerous machines owned by Americans, are heavily regulated. In fact, the machines themselves must meet certain standards of safety, which change over time. 

So change the Second Amendment to say that you can own a firearm if you comply with the same kinds of rules and laws governing motor vehicles. Who could argue with that, in a rational way? In fact, surveys have repeatedly shown that the vast majority of gun owners favor more regulation. 

Here is the text of the Second Amendment:

 A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. 

Makes a lot of sense, right? Wrong, it makes no sense at all in 2020. 

And here is the revised Second Amendment I proposed on this blog in 2013:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, shall be maintained by the federal government. The right of the people to keep and bear arms, under a well-regulated set of laws and rules to protect the health and welfare of the people, shall not be infringed.

What kind of society is so fixated on firearms that 40,000 people are killed by them every year, that school children are trained how to respond when a shooter enters their school, that a person can walk around with a military-style weapon and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in broad daylight, that over and over and over and over someone with one of these weapons commits mass murder, that thousands of people per year are killed by police with guns? What kind of society is that? Welcome to America.

Come on America. Let's do this. Un-gun Americans and un-gun police officers.* We could do it if we had the will to do so, and if the people we elect to public office grow a spine and make it happen. Make this part of the New American Revolution. 

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* Note: in England, there are special police units that carry weapons and are highly trained to use them for situations where they are warranted, such as terrorism. We could do the same here. And in America, private ownership of semi-automatic long guns (AR-15s and AK-47s) should be banned outright.

HOLDING CITIZENS RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE

 The United States is in the throes of a great upheaval that will affect every aspect of government and the social order. The events will be transformative, in positive or negative ways. A lot depends on the results of the 2020 federal election, as well as those at state and local levels. And a lot of the outcome depends on the actions and behaviors of citizens now, and going forward.

This post discusses the responsibilities of citizens, and how citizens could help be accountable for ending the turmoil in Portland, Oregon that has become global news, and fodder for the Trump re-election campaign. And yes, it is my opinion.

We live in Portland, Oregon, the Portland where nightly protests against police turn violent, and the videos of the violence appear in Donald Trump re-election campaign commercials. A lot has been said and written about police violence. In liberal circles, which includes my friends and family, the majority opinion seems to be that the police are using violence against mostly peaceful protesters, and this is the problem.

Police reform, or reimagining (not abolishing) is long overdue and drastically needed across America.   This is self-evident, people in government know it, people in policing know it. We can all, or mostly all, agree that officers of the law need to be responsible for conducting their business in respectful, non-biased and lawful ways. And they need to be held accountable for any transgression of those responsibilities.  

I wonder if I will find agreement among my liberal friends and family regarding the question of the responsibilities and accountability of citizens. Let me explain.

Protests in Portland have been going on, daily, for almost three months. The majority of protesters/demonstrators are peaceful, and working under the mantra and goals of Black Lives Matter. There are people, anywhere from a couple hundred to several hundred, who go out every night to protest at law enforcement buildings (police stations, a justice center, a federal courthouse, the police union building). Almost every night these events turn violent; some of the demonstrators throw things at police and buildings, fires are started in dumpsters or piles of combustible materials gathered from the area, people try to break through windows and doors and, if successful, get inside and loot/trash the premises and light it on fire (a news channel video of a recent demonstration showed a man leading chants with a bullhorn, including: "Burn the precinct to the ground; burn the precinct to the ground"). The police respond, first with warnings over a loud speaker, and more often than not this escalates to the use of various crowd control munitions (pepper spray, irritant gas, flash-bangs, rubber bullets, etc.) and physical "bull-rushing" or "hand-to-hand combat." This is a bad situation from every angle, and truly has no relationship to Black Lives Matter. (For those readers not from here, Portland has a very small Black population, and the majority of protestors, peaceful or otherwise, are white.)

Many Portlanders feel that the police are too violent in these situations. From where I sit, this is a tough call. But the point of this post is not about the police, it is about citizens. The actions of police during these demonstrations will be reviewed by city government and the courts (as a result of lawsuits filed by people at the demonstrations). Who will review the actions of citizens, other than those arrested? 

People are going to nightly demonstrations with the knowledge that there will probably be violence. There does not appear to be a strategy behind these nightly actions, other than to provoke the police to use force, and then complain about the police using force. Many leaders in the Black Lives Matter actions, as well as community leaders, have spoken out against this violence as being non-productive, changing the narrative, and playing into the hands of the Trumpsters. 

What are the responsibilities of Portland citizens in relation to this cycle of violence and destruction? I would say this: 

• Stay away from demonstrations that you know will turn violent (an obvious hint, from my experience at a daytime demonstration, is young white people dressed like Ninja warriors and carrying large plywood shields); 
• Go to demonstrations that are peaceful (these are mostly during the day);
• If you are at a demonstration and the police issue a legal order to disperse, go home immediately; 
• Don't go to demonstrations that are known to be violent with the intention of protecting the protestors from the police (yes, I'm talking about you Wall of Moms, Wall of Leaf-blower Dads, Wall of Vets, and all other Walls of); 
• Support, in any way you can except perpetrating or condoning violence and vandalism, the goals of Black Lives Matter and other social/racial justice movements;
• Educate yourself and others about the history of systemic racism;
• Educate yourself and others about the workings of the Police Bureau, including what it does right as well as wrong (for example, what has the Police Bureau accomplished under the terms of a settlement agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Justice?);
• Don't demonize police officers; policing needs to be fixed, but the vast majority of the women and men who are Portland police officers truly want to serve their community, and they put their lives on the line every day to do that.

How do we keep ourselves and our fellow citizens accountable for our actions and behaviors in relation to the above? Here are a few things:

• If you see something, say something. This includes seeing someone acting violently towards police or anyone else, and those who are committing vandalism; and also police acting unlawfully;
• Don't promote false news or stories; there is a lot of fake stuff on social media that is meant to confuse people or provoke them to anger - check sources, and ask others to do the same;
• Help people you know understand the complexities of this time of social upheaval;
• Be respectful, and demand respectful treatment for everyone, even those with whom you disagree, and respectfully talk to people who are not;
• Accept the kinds of citizen responsibilities listed above, and add your own ideas to the list.

 I am saddened by the violence and destruction I'm witnessing in Portland. Areas of our beautiful downtown have been trashed, and many businesses are boarded up. Neighborhoods that have a police station are scenes of demonstrations and often violence until early morning hours. Our City Council has been unable to deal with the situation, and does not seem to have a plan for doing so. Some City Council members contribute to demonizing the police, instead of supporting officers as public servants. The cost of police and fire services to deal with these nightly events, as well as the future costs of restoring buildings and public spaces, will be a burden on all of us. (The City Council recently pulled about $15 million from the Police Bureau budget and redirected the funds to community services. The costs for police and fire bureau response to the nightly protests, and the public costs of cleaning up and restoring public property will certainly exceed that $15 million.) 

It needs to end. We hold police accountable. We need to also hold ourselves accountable.

(What do you think? Your comments here would be appreciated.)

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MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN AGAIN

The Republican National Convention is upon us. What new and exciting things will the GOP propose for the next four years under Trump? Nothing. Nada. Zip. The platform of the Republican Party for the 2020 election is exactly the same one they had in 2016. They have made one change, the addition of one word - again. "Make America Great Again Again" is the new old slogan. 

Basically, the repugnicans love Donald Trump so very much, they just want to recycle him again again. As for a platform, well, here is what it says about a platform on the Repugnican National Committee convention website: 

RESOLVED, That the Republican Party has and will continue to enthusiastically support the President’s America-first agenda;

RESOLVED, That the 2020 Republican National Convention will adjourn without adopting a new platform until the 2024 Republican National Convention;

RESOLVED, That the 2020 Republican National Convention calls on the media to engage in accurate and unbiased reporting, especially as it relates to the strong support of the RNC for President Trump and his Administration; and

RESOLVED, That any motion to amend the 2016 Platform or to adopt a new platform, including any motion to suspend the procedures that will allow doing so, will be ruled out of order.

And there you have it: anything The Donald says is what we'll do (MAGAA); in other words: nothing new until 2024; the fake news needs to stop telling lies about Trump's lies; and anyone who tries to do something different will be taken out back and shot (well, maybe it didn't exactly say that). 

I just heard an interview on NPR with a Democrat and a Republican strategist. The R person was so enthusiastic about Trump, and was all over Make America Great Again Again. Oh yes, she enthused, we're going to continue Trump's agenda, such as draining the swamp. WHAT??? Didn't Trump already drain the swamp? Yes, he did. And he created a new swamp, better described as a shithole (his language, not mine) filled with the most vile creatures ever to have walked the planet. 

Make America Great Again Again - these idiots are delusional, again again! 

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BATTLEGROUND PORTLAND: WHAT'S THE STRATEGY?:

In an election year there are always so-called battleground states. This year, Portland, Oregon is a battleground city, literally. Donald Trump has sent federal "troops" (nobody is certain what to call them), under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "protect federal property" (see my previous post for a summary of the protests and the federal response). 

The presence and actions of these federal troops have not eased the demonstrations at the federal buildings in Portland, they have swelled the ranks of protesters. A situation that was slowly losing steam (I'm referring to the violence) is now gaining. More people are showing up, more gas and ordinances and baton beatings are being used by the feds (and peaceful people are being injured by them), and the situation is verging on being out of control. 

In my discussions with family and friends, I seem to have a different point of view than most. I don't see a strategy by protesters or by the Portland government (mayor and city council); I don't see an end point that looks good. 

Many people see the action by Trump and his "goons" as the beginning of, or continuation of the march towards fascism in America. From this viewpoint, it seems to make sense for thousands of people to demonstrate at the federal buildings and challenge the federal troops. This is, in this view, the only way to fight fascism. 

While I agree that Trump is a wannabe fascist - probably is one if given the chance - I do not see the strategy of challenging the feds every night as a winning strategy. Instead, I think we should call Trump's bluff.

This is an election year. Trump is on the path to a huge loss. He now wants to paint himself as the law and order candidate who is protecting America from the leftist, Democratic, violent, anarchistic people and mayors and governors of America, like those in Portland. And so Trump trumps up the story that he has sent federal officers to Portland to protect federal property from violent anarchists who want to smash things and burn things to the ground. Every night, like clockwork, masses of people demonstrate at these federal buildings, most peacefully, until a few start to throw things at the feds and the buildings, including fireworks, Molotov cocktails, rocks, bottles of frozen water and urine and feces &c. Sometimes folks try to rip the plywood off the building windows, and break down the temporary fencing, and start fires against or in the buildings. And then the feds swarm out of their hive like angry wasps, tossing gas canisters, flash bang ordinances, firing "soft" bullets (that have seriously injured people), chasing people and beating them with batons, &c. "Hey, we are protecting federal property!" they say.

So which is it: protecting federal property or advancing fascism? Why not find out by calling their bluff? What if people peacefully demonstrated in various places around Portland every day, and then all went home every evening? What if everyone left the federal buildings alone? Nothing thrown at them, no more graffiti, no more trying to break in, no more fires; simply leave them alone. If the feds continue to swarm out of their hive and attack people who are not near the federal buildings, then we know they are here to advance fascism. If the feds stay in their hive, then we know they are only interested in their buildings. 

As I have stated previously, Trump and his minions want to change the narrative away from Black Lives Matter and the systemic racism of America to a Trump re-election narrative. I am concerned that the nightly confrontations at the Portland federal buildings are following the Trump playbook perfectly. 

And where is the leadership of Portland? Well, the mayor and council members all support the anti-racism demonstrations, and also seem to support the challenge-the-feds demonstrations. The mayor, Ted Wheeler, was out there a couple nights ago and was gassed, along with many other peaceful demonstrators  But supporting demonstrations is not a strategy, and there is no end game that I can see. The most outspoken member, regarding policing, of our City Council has basically declared war on the Portland police. (The focused ire of demonstrators since the George Floyd murder was on the Portland Police Bureau, who were tasked with crowd, sometimes mob control and used many of the same tactics the feds are now using when things got out of hand. Now the Portland police stay away from the federal buildings, and the focus has shifted to the federal troops.) 

I would like to see a unanimous Portland City Council present a strategy for moving forward with supporting the right of people to peacefully demonstrate, cracking down on criminals using the demonstrations as cover, helping to shift the focus away from the federal buildings and directing it in more positive directions, establishing processes for including citizens in initiatives and sharing information to re-imagine policing and the justice system. Lay out a clear strategy and timeline, with goals and objectives, and ask Portlanders to participate. And stop the war between the Council and the Police Bureau by acknowledging the importance of public safety and the men and women who are sworn to serve and protect the people of Portland, while at the same time focus on the broken parts of policing that need to be changed. (And, dear reader, don't get lost in the "good cop, bad cop" argument; focus instead on making positive and needed changes to policing and public safety.)

Don't misunderstand me, as I think some people do; fascism is a real threat to American democracy, especially under Trump and his Congressional Republican accomplices, and we need to guard against it. But let's be smart about it; let's be smarter than they are. 

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FYI: Here is a good summary of the situation in Portland, by The Oregonian reporters.

REVOLUTION 2020: WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE IN PORTLAND, OREGON

Our city, Portland, Oregon, is at the top of the news around the world right now. Not because it is a beautiful green city with a river running through it, but because of violent protests by a small group of people and law enforcement actions resulting from them. If you live here, you know what's going on; if you don't live here, you don't understand. Portland has a history of protests, including violent confrontations between different groups, as well as between protesters and police. But this time is different.

Here is a summary:

• daily demonstrations started after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis;
• many thousands of peaceful demonstrators/protesters filled Portland's streets demanding an end to police violence, defunding or abolishing police, reforming police, rethinking policing;
• a much smaller number of demonstrators, anywhere from 200 to 500, started challenging the police every night at the area downtown where two federal buildings are located, and the county Justice Center that contains court rooms, a jail, and the Portland Police Bureau Central Precinct and headquarters;
• the protests at the Justice Center and a few other locations (the police union headquarters in building in north Portland was broken into and set on fire, for example) have gone on for more than 50 nights, lasting until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning;
• protesters at the Justice Center area have defaced the buildings (photos), broken in and set a fire, and challenged Portland police by throwing objects (rocks, concrete, bottles of frozen water, explosives and other items), shining lasers in their eyes, trying to push down temporary fencing around the building and breaking in, and a variety of other actions;
• Portland police have responded, when they determine it necessary*, with gas, flash-bang munitions, and physical crowd control measures to disperse the crowd.

(* This blog post is not taking a position regarding police use of force and related issues. The use of force, including gas and non-lethal munitions, is controversial. The State legislature, the City government, and the federal court have required the Portland police to only use these measures if a dangerous situation is declared, and to give people ample time with multiple warnings, using loud speakers, to disperse. Various law suites have been filed on behalf of protesters, journalists and legal observers claiming infringement of their rights and use of undue force by police. These issues will be resolved in the courts, through internal review, as well as by on-going efforts by City leaders and the Police Bureau to find appropriate ways to deal with violent crowds. There are some reports of peaceful demonstrators being gassed, hit, shoved and otherwise mishandled by police; these are also under investigation.) 

One important point in all this is that the violence-prone protesters at night are a very small number of people compared to the number of peaceful protesters during the day. The news media tend to lead with the violence.

And then there is Donald Trump. Most likely to bolster his ratings in the eyes of his base, Trump has ordered federal law enforcement officers from several agencies under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) into Portland to save us from ourselves. Trump has tweeted that the liberal, left-leaning, Democrat government of Portland is incapable of controlling violence, protecting federal property, and probably condones the violence anyway, and so he has sent the troops in. (He hates Portland and Oregon because both are self-declared sanctuary jurisdictions and have ordered law enforcement not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.) 

These federal officers do not operate by the same rules by which Portland police or any other Oregon law enforcement agency is required to operate. And these "troops," dressed in Army-type camouflage outfits, not wearing identification, and driving unmarked rented vans, are not just protecting federal property, they have been seen ranging out into the downtown area grabbing people off the street and whisking them away. These federal officers seem to be untrained for crowd control and have severely injured peaceful protesters. 

The Portland mayor has declared that the city did not ask for federal help, does not want federal help, does not need federal help, and wants these federal troops to leave town. The Oregon Attorney General has filed a law suite against the DHS for various violations of the Constitution and laws. The two Oregon senators, members of the House who represent areas of Portland, and the Oregon governor have all condemned the presence and actions of these federal agents. And the actions of the feds have increased the violence and number of people protesting in the area of the federal buildings and Justice Center. 

So, what does all this mean? 

Primarily, it means that we, the vast majority of people in this country who see the need for fundamental changes in our government, starting with rooting out systemic racism in policing and the justice system, need to keep our eyes on the prize. We cannot let Donald Trump and a small number of violent protesters shift the narrative. Both are trying to do this. 

The primary narrative at this moment in time is Black Lives Matter, and everything that phrase entails. Yes, we need to hold The Trump and his goon squad accountable. And yes, we need to hold perpetrators of violence, police and citizens, accountable. But we cannot let that divert our attention; diversion is what they are after.

I am trying to find a strategy and set of goals related to the peaceful protests. I support these protests, but want to know the desired outcomes. A primary early goal was to defund the Portland police by $50 million. The leading advocate for police reform or rethinking on our City Council, Commissioner Hardesty, achieved majority council support for at least two important actions:  

1. disbanded three special units in the Police Bureau and pulled the $15 million** for them out of the police budget to use the money to fund a number of community programs, including the Portland Street Response program that will have non-police respond to certain 9-1-1 calls involving homelessness and mental health issues;
2. extended the police union contract for one year to allow time to prepare for a transparent process that involves the community in discussions about the kind of policing Portland wants and needs going forward. 

These are major and important steps that fit into the goals and demands of on-going protests. In my opinion, the city and the leadership of various groups organizing peaceful demonstrations need to have clear goals and timelines. How do we achieve that? I have some ideas to add to the mix.

• The City of Portland website should have a go-to interactive portal where citizens can find information related to these issues. Presently, one has to search the website of every Commissioner and the Mayor, the Police Bureau site, the City Auditor site and others to find information. (I have proposed this idea to the Mayor's staff, and received a positive response.)
• The Mayor, Commissioners, Police Chief, Police Union President and others should convene a monthly press conference and open community meeting to report out on activities started and underway regarding the issues of race and policing during the previous month. This will keep the public informed on progress, opportunities to participate and comment, and drive action at the city government level.
• We need to hear more from, and involve rank-and-file police officers, not just city and union officials. I have drafted a concept that would lead to a social contract between police officers and the citizens of Portland. The city government and police union would not be involved in this process; it would be face-to-face discussions in smaller groups of people around the city. The goal would be to develop a social contract within which police officers and citizens (many officers are also Portland citizens) would agree on what each expects from the other, how police and citizens would be held accountable for their actions (in social, rather than legal ways), how policing should work (from both perspectives), how two-way communication would happen, and many other items. 
• Many people like me cannot risk going to mass demonstrations because of the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Some of us are not on social media. It would be good to have a centralized website where speeches, information, event schedules and other demonstration items are posted for the public. 
• I understand that there are many organized groups, as well as unorganized people of varied opinions, who constitute the thousands of demonstrators in Portland. The Office of Community & Civic Life could organize and facilitate community discussions, using the existing neighborhood associations, around the issues of race and policing in order to engage as many Portlanders as possible in the process. 
• The Portland City Council needs to issue an unanimous statement of support for the men and women officers of the Police Bureau who put their well being and lives on the line every day to serve and protect the people of Portland  They should acknowledge that there are issues that need to be fixed.
• Stop the aggressive protests at the Justice Center and federal buildings. Peaceful protests at these locations are appropriate; violent protests simply play into the hands of Trump and others of his ilk. If protesters leave the buildings alone, the trumped-up justification for sending federal troops is eliminated. 
• And finally, for many reasons, and especially now to honor the memory of John Lewis, stop the violence. Wage peace through non-violent protest. 

In spite of the efforts of small groups of violence-prone protesters and the Trump goon squad, the message being conveyed by the people of Portland is loud and clear: Black Lives Matter, the system is broken, we can work together to fix it, and we will keep our eyes on the prize! 

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** The City council pulled $15 million out of the police budget to go for community-based items. Since demonstrations began, the city has spent an additional $8.5 million, and counting, in response to the demonstrations. These expenditures are primarily for police overtime and expenses, as well as fire department response to fires set by protesters, emergency services management and other items.