Merkley Method Sets A Fire
By D. S. Mitchell
Paradise
Another day in paradise, truly. When you are fortunate enough to live on the Oregon coast you have reached Valhalla. Thank God, there’s only a few of us here. Many advantages for a writer. Quiet, incredible beauty and very little political discussion in my little corner of the United States.
Lifetime Of Writing
The foundation of Calamity News and Politics/Calamity Politics began the evening of November 8, 2016. I have been a writer since childhood. I have been writing the great American novel for the last decade. So, writing a blog, seemed a natural response to this devastating event. November 8, 2016 as everyone knows was the night misogynist and white supremacist Donald Trump won the presidential election. I have never had such a visceral reaction to a U.S. presidential election in my life.
Physically sick
I became physically sick watching the returns flow in. Devastating to any progressive person. Truly, not just the progressive but, most citizens of the United States. If you are on Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, ACA, need VA services, if you are a person of color, if you want clean drink water to drink, or want clean air to breath, President Trump’s extreme right-wing agenda will most likely have a negative effect on your daily life, and the quality of that life.
A Long List
If I have to delineate every point, you are probably a Trump supporter. The Russian cloud that hovers over the White House is unprecedented in our 240 year history. Trump’s obvious megalomania, his misogyny, his white supremacist associates, his lack of interest in intelligence meetings, his potential conflict of interest, his refusal to release his tax returns. How many reasons did I need to get excited that November night? The list would probably fill this page.
Resist
Suffice to say, Donald Trump is President of the United States, but that doesn’t mean that I need to accept his policies. I will RESIST and I will PERSIST. I am going to Indivisible meetings and I have started a blog to vent my concerns with a like thinking audience. My goal is to present the political events I see in a concise and sensible way. Along with analysis and comment I will share with any readers my rages, my tears, my fears, my dreams and the realities of our divided political life.
Point Man
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has emerged as point man with a loud and aggressive voice in opposition to a reckless and dangerous president. Thank God, we have Jeff Merkley and other courageous outspoken Democratic Congressional leaders such as Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren and yes, even to his credit, the old dog of the Senate, Republican, John McCain.
Town Halls
Senator Merkley has met with shocked and frightened constituents at Town Hall meetings across Oregon since the election. Three thousand five hundred constituents showed up in East Portland to talk to the Senator early this month. Unfortunately, I could not attend. I did later in the month, meet with him at a Town Hall in Rockaway Beach and presented him with a “Resist” sign I had hand painted. Jeff Merkley was not hopeful, and felt it was going to be an ugly time. The crowd was with him when he said he was going full-bore to resist the president at every turn, and form a PAC to elect Democrats in 2018.
Another View
Despite a light snow I hooked up in St. Helens, Oregon, in December with Ron Wyden. At the Wyden Town Hall, there were about 300 folks. Notably, these Town Halls were prior to Trump’s inaugural. Senator Wyden at that time seemed a bit more measured and taciturn, and seemingly hopeful for a President that the Dems and Indies could work with. So much for hope.
Stand Up
I love our Democratic Senators and Representatives. I realize they have a heavy burden, pushing daily against the Republican-dominated Senate and House. However, I will say here, publicly, I believe that in the case of Donald Trump, I prefer the Merkley Method. Jump up and down, shout, get yourself on the television talk shows. Let people know there is something to object to and that you are damn well going to do everything in your power to do something about it.
Make Some Noise
The folks that have a national voice have an obligation to use it. Use that public megaphone. Don’t think once or twice is enough. Under the current circumstances you must keep up the pressure, don’t let up for a minute, we have right on our side. We have human rights on our side. Because in fact, we are the Human Rights party. Take a note from Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, write some op eds, talk to people, stage a march. Make some noise.
Twitter Fixated
Trump is an undisciplined reactionary who is in way over his head. We have problems and the president reduces everything to a tweet. There are people in this country worried they won’t have food on the table and the president is fixated on attacking Arnold Schwarzenegger, a union leader in Indiana, iconic actress Meryl Streep, the main stream media, and the pigeon shitting on the White House windows.
Lights On
We need anyone with name recognition to step up and help carry this load. Start screaming and do not stop. In case no one’s noticed, we’ve got big problems if we allow Trump and his wrecking crew one moment of peace. Keep the lights on and the doors open. We need to know what is going on every minute. Love the media, love the screaming Senator from Oregon, love the protesters, love the old folks at the Town Halls around the country. Because in the end, these are the folks that will keep us free.
Join the Resistance
