Jimmy Eat World “The Middle”

Jimmy Eat World “The Middle”

Trump's will be moving out of White House. I'd be happy to help them pack.

Jimmy Eat World “The Middle”

It’s time for another Jukebox Choice of the Day. Our friend and contributor Trevor K. McNeil suggested today’s music choice, “The Middle”.  With moving trucks sitting in the White House driveway this happy upbeat tune gives me hope. Looking forward to Trump’s moving day. Enjoy. DSM

45 Reasons “45” Didn’t MAGA

A look at Trump's failures

OPINION:

45 Reasons “45” Didn’t MAGA

By Anna Hessel

  1. America was already great before Trump was elected.
  2. He removed us from the Paris Climate Accord. Despite all the facts – he refers to global warming as a “hoax.”
  3. President Trump insulted our military service members. Insulting the very men and women who put their lives on the line for our nation. He shamefully attacked dead heroes like John McCain and Gold Star families. To top it off, Donnie Bone Spur decided to veto the bipartisan supported National Defense Authorization Act, stopping a 3% military personnel pay raise.
  4. Trump lifted the ban on trophy hunting, because Donnie Jr. wanted him to.  This has allowed the import of lion and elephant carcasses, innocent and majestic animals whose lives were taken away for “sport.”
  5. The Trump administration caged thousands of migrant children. A record number still remain in detention. He has forcibly separated kids from their parents. Over 600 of these children were ripped cruelly from their families, and now those mothers and fathers cannot be located.
  6. Nearly 400,000 people are dead due to Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis. He knew the risk of this deadly virus but he lied to the public. The US is the epi-center of the coronavirus. The refusal of Trump and his “MAGA” followers to wear masks, avoid crowds, social distance, practice proper hand washing, and maintain increased sanitation measures has contributed to the spread of the disease. Other nations are returning to normalcy while U.S. cases continue to rise, and our mortality rate is the highest in the world. His vaccine distribution plan has also failed miserably, yet  his supporters, who originally called the inoculation unsafe, now praise him for allegedly getting us the vaccine.
  7. Trump is the only “president” to be impeached TWICE for criminal acts.
  8. The only “president” in history to be banned by social media outlets.
  9. His orange “comb over” and scowling face has been hard to tolerate and getting harder by the moment.
  10. Empty store shelves, devoid of groceries, cleaning products, and the ever popular toilet paper are directly related to Trump’s failure.
  11. The rampant racism, bigotry, and anti-Semitism he has promoted will leave a stain on our country. His bigotry has encouraged attacks on places of worship, the Muslim community, blacks, Mexicans and Asians.  White supremacy and white privilege pushed to the forefront by his brainwashed supporters.  This deeply failed man, this narcissistic, misogynistic, white supremacist, and self-proclaimed “nationalist” is a hero to his supporters. Trump’s blatant racist mentality has given license and fringe popularity to those with hate in their hearts who wish to commit atrocious and senseless acts of violence in the name of “patriotism.” Trump cannot even decide if those followers are “patriots” or an embarrassment to him.  His frightening attitude has taken our country back to times well before the fight for our civil rights.
  12. Donald J. Trump and his “fan-actics,” including figures like Franklin Graham, have committed acts of blasphemy, claiming this serial adulterer, who knows nothing about the Christian religion, boasts of grabbing women by their private parts, has multiple rape accusations against him, who holds a Bible he doesn’t read in front of a church he doesn’t attend, is “God’s chosen one,” equating Trump to the Lord Jesus Himself. His supporters falsely claim he has done more for Christianity than any other President, when actually what he has done is made a mockery of faith. His actions in no way reflect a “godly man” – they are much closer to an Antichrist.
  13. He is the only “president” or presidential candidate who has refused to release his tax returns.
  14. Donnie-Do-Nothing brought us the first “FLOTUS” seen with a staple in the area of her navel. Unfortunately that was all the coverage she had.
  15. He took credit for the economic stimulus checks, insisting his signature be on the check, as if the money was coming out of his own pocket. While he is largely responsible for the economic decline we are facing due to the coronavirus. A virus which he claimed would just disappear. He disbanded the task force formed by the Obama administration to prevent, address, and combat pandemics.
  16. Wildly unsubstantiated beliefs such as power generation windmills causing cancer.
  17. He misappropriated the words of a popular, strong female motion picture character (Elle Woods, “Legally Blonde”) as his own.
  18. Moments of total idiocy were a daily head shaker. Whether it was his inexplicable spelling mistakes or crazy statements such as saying the Revolutionary soldiers protected the “airports” at the time of the Revolutionary War.
  19. He called our beautiful, accomplished, and intelligent Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris a “nasty” woman. A term he often uses for women of strength and power.
  20. He has poked fun at pet owners – he made a comment to the effect of, “Can you see me walking a dog on the White House lawn? I don’t think so.” Dogs across America are howling a sigh of relief at this revelation, while kitty cats fear being grabbed.   The only seemingly decent thing I can ever recall Trump doing is signing the bill making animal cruelty a felony.
  21. At a rally he viciously and publicly made fun of a disabled journalist.
  22. He consistently denounces the media and journalism in general as reporting “fake news” when they do not agree with his convoluted, conflicted viewpoints.
  23. Donald Trump played golf while our nation has faced the most challenging threat to our safety in over 100 years.
  24. “Bunker boy” is a big bully and spoiled brat.
  25. Trump has attempted to cut or destroy Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, nutrition assistance, and other social programs with no regard to the millions of senior citizens, disabled, working poor, single parents, and military families that rely on them, claiming “socialism” is Communism, when in fact he aligns himself with dictators.
  26. He shares an overwhelming proportion of “hawk”-type personality traits with Adolf Hitler.
  27. Trump and his attorneys have filed numerous frivolous and baseless lawsuits, claiming President-elect Joe Biden and his supporters “stole” the election. The lie so big that AG Bill Barr and federal judges appointed by Trump saw no merit in his accusations.  Joe Biden received  81,283,985 a record number of votes, more than any other presidential candidate in history. Trump and at least one of his attorney’s Sidney Powell is being sued for defamation by Dominion voting machines and a software firm who provided electronic voting programs.  Of course, then there was the interference by Russia in the 2016 presidential election.
  28. His racist border wall…
  29. A ban on Muslims entering the country, prevented needed health care workers from reentering the country. The ban kept an innocent woman from visiting an ill family member residing legally in the United States. The stories are many and they are heartbreaking.
  30. Donald Trump said he would date his own daughter. How sick is that?
  31. He wanted to spend large amounts of American government money on a dictator-like military parade.
  32. Churches, schools, theaters, cinemas, graduations, weddings, and sporting events closed or canceled en masse until further notice.
  33. He told the nation to inject or drink bleach as a cure for COVID-19.
  34. Trump laughingly called himself “a very stable genius”.
  35. His unnerving Twitter rants.
  36. Supporters claim that Trump is the only “president” who has ever run the country like a business. I would like to point out that Trump was a failed businessman,  who filed for bankruptcy  four to six times, depending on the source cited.
  37. Trump pardoned Blackwater contractor war criminals responsible for the massacre of innocent unarmed civilian Iraqis.
  38. He wanted to draw down all United States forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite the security risk. Eventually he left only 2500 troops each in both countries. These numbers still have no strategic sensibility with terrorists threats ongoing. Iraq and Afghanistan now have less American service personnel than Spain.
  39. His threat to veto COVID-19 relief forced the American people to spend the holiday season in stressed concern. Many feel they have been left to fend for themselves as we faced the very worst of this pandemic.
  40. He discussed the preposterous and frightening idea of a martial law declaration so he could get a new election in certain swing states.
  41. His ludicrous claim that, “our country is full and we cannot accept any more immigrants.”
  42. Trump said he wanted to fistfight his presidential opponent, the peaceful and physically fit Joe Biden.
  43. While stupidly and improperly walking in front of Queen Elizabeth during his visit to the United Kingdom he stopped forcing the 92-year-old monarch to step around “The Dumb Donald”.
  44. His present-tense comment about a gentleman who passed away in 1895, which still baffles our brains. “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice.”
  45. Trump is a sore loser, threatening to skip the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, and to leave the country. It looks like he is finally going to make America great…

 

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2019/07/03/fatal-flaw-conservatism-10426/

David Shadrick “Protest Problem”

David Shadrick “Protest Problem”

 

David Shadrick “Protest Problem”

Calamity News and Politics is happy to welcome Dave Shadrick back with some valuable information if you intend to join a protest demonstration. Stay tuned, stay informed.

 

“Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble”

“Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble”
John Lewis was one of the giants of the Civil Rights movement

“Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble”

A Tribute To Civil Rights Warrior John Lewis

By Wes Hessel

Black And White

February 21st, 1940, John Robert Lewis was born near Troy, AL, the third oldest of his nine siblings.  His parents were sharecroppers, eking a living out of the land.  As was typical for African-Americans in the South at the time, segregation was just a part of life.  John was not really aware of the difference elsewhere for some years until he began traveling to visit relatives in the North.  This particularly became apparent when, at 11 years old, an uncle took him to Buffalo, NY, where he saw clearly the integration of Northern businesses and institutions, in stark contrast to the boldly drawn lines of Troy in black and white.

Faith In Action

From a young age, he was a man of faith who spoke out about it and from it.  At 5, Master Lewis was pronouncing lessons over his first flock, the family’s chickens.  Ten years later, Mr. Lewis gave his debut sermon in public.  That same year, John had heard Martin Luther King, Jr.  speak for the first time on a radio broadcast.  Mr. Lewis then watched closely the King-led boycott of the Montgomery city buses, sparked to flame by the resolve of Rosa Parks.  John first met MLK when he was 18.  In addition to Dr. King’s inspiration, Mr. Lewis later credited evangelist Billy Graham as a significant influence on his choice to enter Christian ministry.

“The Boy From Troy”

Having been denied admission by Troy University, Mr. Lewis wrote to MLK, and an invitation was extended for John to discuss it personally with Dr. King.  The civil rights leader and Mr. Lewis considered together the possibility of pursuing a discrimination suit against the school but MLK cautioned “the boy from Troy”, as Dr. King came to call John, that Mr. Lewis’ family could be put at risk.  After conferring with his parents, John opted instead to attend a historically black college in Nashville, American Baptist Theological Seminary.  Mr. Lewis was ordained in the Baptist church, and later continued his education, receiving a second Bachelor of Arts in religion and philosophy from Fisk University.

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Editorial: Surprisingly Unsurprised

Editorial: Surprisingly Unsurprised

Editorial: Surprisingly Unsurprised

**The House of Representatives has drafted a Resolution of Impeachment against Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection” following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. President Donald Trump spoke to his supporters at a rally on the National Mall prior to the mob breaching the Capitol. House Democrats are charging Trump with “willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States.”  “He also willfully made statements that encouraged — and foreseeably resulted in — imminent lawless action at the Capitol.”

By Trevor K. McNeil

Predictability

Humans like predictability, to know, within a reasonable margin what will happen next. If, for no other reason, so they can be prepared for it. We make up rules and reality for ourselves, and get very upset when these rules are violated. One of the mythical theories of the American context, is that of American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism is the idea that America is somehow superior to other nations or that it has a unique mission to transform the world.

How Dare They?

Using this theory as its banner and its hammer, America acts as though it can do whatever it wants in terms of foreign policy or damn near anything else. And boy do Americans get upset when there is any kind of push back. As in the case of the psychological meltdown after 9/11. The Bush administration and most American citizenry were unable to fathom that a small group of Saudi terrorists were able to pierce the bubble of American security.  A theme going all the way back to the civil war with Confederate surprise attacks. ‘How dare they?’ The populace would ask indignantly, ‘don’t they know who we are?’

Strike First, Then Lie

One of the most hilarious examples of this, is the one that has come up in the wake of the events at the Capitol in recent days. Everything is showing the siege was planned, but it was not well planned. The events quickly descended into a chaotic riotous seizure of the U.S. Capitol. The resulting mayhem familiar in the tradition of South America, such as when American troops helped to install Augusto Pinochet as the president of Chile. The shock of such events, despite the clumsy execution, having otherwise intelligent commentators, on CNN no less, referring to when “The British attacked us in 1812.”

We Started It

Two corrections are in order. First, while the war started in 1812, it did not end until 1814. Second, the United States absolutely started it by thinking they could annex Canada from Britain. A notion of which they were disabused when British troops, with the help of Native strategy, drove the invading, that is invading now, Americans back across the border.  The offended Brits burned down the White House and nearly every public building in Washington D. C. in retaliation for the farms the American troops routinely sacked and razed during the course of the war. Still making sure to spare civilian homes. Because the Brits didn’t gain ground in the war, which was never their intention, Americans now mistakenly think that they won the war. The end result being closer to a Vietnam-style stalemate. Neither nation really gained or lost anything but British-Canada maintained its sovereignty.

This Could Be Anywhere

The main cause of dismay in the aftermath of the Trump rioter’s insurrection is that they would dare to attack the Capitol. A sacred temple of holy democracy watched over by God himself. Never mind that there is meant to be a separation church and state. The only problem with this line of thinking is that it is entirely symbolic.

Just A Building

The Capitol is just a building with doors, and can be entered like any other building with doors. There is no force-field around it keeping evil-doers at bay. Nor was there around the capitol building in Serbia when Slobodan Milosevic was dragged out in 2000 by a mass of angry citizens. Capitols are just buildings and governments are made up of people. Right now investigations are underway. The power of social media deserves close examination. Details are emerging by the minute. We may even learn that there were Capitol Police involved in allowing insurrectionists into the Capitol. All we can do is try to learn and see where improvements need to be made.

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2018/10/05/there-is-one-born-every-minute/

Patty Gurdy “One By One”

Patty Gurdy “One By One”

Patty Gurdy “One By One”

It’s another day and it is time for another Calamity News and Politics Jukebox Choice of the Day. This tune was chosen by T. K. McNeil. Love that hurdy-gurdy. In case you are unfamiliar with the hurdy-gurdy it is a stringed instrument that produces it’s sound when a hand-crank is turned, causing a rosined wheel to rub against the strings. According to Wikipedia, “the wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin.” Now you know. Enjoy! DSM

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2020/12/11/generalismo-el-trumpo-15578/

The Fraud of Trump’s “Election Fraud”

The Fraud of Trump’s “Election Fraud”

The Fraud of Trump’s “Election Fraud Claim”

Dave came back early this week with another podcast. He is  pissed off. Time for Trump and his sick sycophants in the Senate and the House to stop trying to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s continuing attempts to intimidate election officials in Georgia has sent us here at Calamity News and Politics off the rails. Anyone not possessed by Trumpism is angry.  Joe Biden’s won the 2020 presidential election and he will be sworn into office on January 20, 2021 no matter what Donald Trump and his desperate supporters  do next.

Goodbye, 2020! You Won’t Be Missed

Goodbye 2020 and Hello 2021

Goodbye, 2020! You Won’t Be Missed…

By Anna Hessel

Baby, Baby…

Happy 2021, and good riddance, 2020! We emotionally reflect on the prior year as we look forward to the future, this year more than ever. I’ve been thinking about the baby new year, and in turn, New Year’s resolutions.  This symbolism actually originated in Greece approximately 600 BC, celebrating Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine.  A parade with an infant carried in a basket was representative of the god’s birth.  It is believed by historians that the ancient people of Babylon created the first new year’s resolutions – not about improving oneself, but instead a commitment to return borrowed objects and pay debts.  They and most of the other early major cultures actually celebrated the new year in March during the spring equinox, since that is when new crops were planted.

Resolve This!

Resolutions in Rome around 40 BC more closely resemble what we resolve for the new year today.  Julius Caesar then decreed that what we now call January to be the month of Janus, after the god with two faces, whose image was found in arches and doorways.  He looked back toward the prior year and forward to the future, so the new year started January 1.  The promise to behave in an exemplary fashion was to honor Janus.  Hopefully, we all have the resolution to show God’s love and to touch the lives of others this year and always.  Of course, for 2021, we must resolve to wash our hands frequently, wear our masks, and maintain our social distance, so that we can move beyond this pandemic.  Also, we finally have a new presidential administration as a blessing this year.

Self Reflection

I realize many of us have personal resolutions to enrich and better our own lives.  For example, I resolve to buy more shoes at my favorite outlet mall, drink more mocha lattes from Starbuck’s, McCafe, or Dunkin’ Donuts, to condition my hair and mop the floor daily.  I believe in making resolutions that I know I can keep.  Hopefully, my husband has resolved to be a bit more careful with the outside mirrors on our Saab; this will certainly improve his wellbeing.  I, in turn, could resolve to allow him to sleep indoors, since our puggie Maggie misses the use of her house.

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COUNTING CROWS “A Long December”

Counting Crows "A Long December"

COUNTING CROWS- “A Long December”

Happy New Year 2021. As many would agree 2020 was a bad one. All we can do is hope that 2021 will bring us joy and good health. Our dear friend and Calamity News and Politics contributor, T.K. McNeil suggested the Jukebox choice of the day. I thought it was a damn good suggestion. So here you go, Counting Crows doing “A Long December.” Lyrics below from Lyric Find. Enjoy! DSM

“A Long December”

Counting Crows

A long December and there’s reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can’t remember the last thing that you said as you were leavin’
Now the days go by so fast
And it’s one more day up in the canyons
And it’s one more night in Hollywood
If you think that I could be forgiven I wish you would
The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it’s all a lot of oysters, but no pearls
All at once you look across a crowded room
To see the way that light attaches to a girl
And it’s one more day up in the canyons
And it’s one more night in Hollywood
If you think you might come to California I think you should
Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower,
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her
And it’s been a long December and there’s reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can’t remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass
And it’s one more day up in the canyon
And it’s one more night in Hollywood
It’s been so long since I’ve seen the ocean I guess I should
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Adam Fredric Duritz / Ben G Mize / Charles Thomas Gillingham / Daniel John Vickrey / David Lynn Bryson / Matthew Mark Malley
A Long December lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group