Petition the Electoral College | Roger Wolfson

Not much to add.  I know many will think this is ridiculous, abhorrent, impossible - but all those sentiments can just as easily be pointed at the Trump Presidency.  

Our American government the way are founders envisioned it and what generations worth of concerned citizens exercising their democracy has been able to create is literally under existential threat by a tribe of people who actually believe they are doing God's work and that all who oppose them are detestable enemies.  These people feel it's their right to fabricate facts when the objective known facts don't suit their personal faith based goals.  Since they presume themselves to be god's chosen (Having no conception of the difference between personal truths and universal truths.) all others get treated with hostility, slander and hidden desires of extermination.  Tragically that really is what lies in the heart of all holy warriors, check that link.  

Rational Liberal leaning American's be scared, be very scared - but be scared into thoughtful constructive action, help turn this tide around.  Here's an example that will get the Trump team's attention and even if not fully successful, if it's a very strong showing, it will help send a warning shot across their bow, while helping jump-start an effective community in defense of traditional American values.  The stronger the outpouring of nation wide indignation at this Russian Obligate self-promoter CEO of American, the more we will moderation the coming carnage.  {The following appeared at the Huffingtonpost blog and is meant to be shared, I thank Roger Wolfson (and Jared Berenholtz) for writing it.}

_________________________________________________________

Here’s What Has To Happen In The Next 14 Days

Roger Wolfson | 12/4/2016

Attorney, writer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roger-wolfson/heres-what-has-to-happen_b_13420246.html

 Www.asktheelectors.org is a simple tool to reach out to electors directly. 

Sign a petition at Change.org, and share it on social media. 

A lot of wishful thinking is happening in America right now. “Maybe Trump the President will be different than Trump the Candidate.” We already know this is a fallacy. Trump the president-elect is exactly the same as Trump the candidate. “Maybe he’ll suddenly become more responsible and balanced.” “Maybe this is the kick in the pants America needs.” “Maybe he’ll be impeached.” 

But the most damaging wishful thought of all is: “Maybe I don’t have to do anything — maybe the electors will choose to appoint someone else, on their own.” 

The Electors should. But they won’t. Not without political pressure the likes of which America has rarely seen before. 

Which means we all need to be motivated. Well — how about the safety of our own lives, and the lives of everyone we love? Because let’s not fool ourselves. Anyone with a rudimentary appreciation of the powers of the president of the United States knows that the stakes are life and death. Pretending otherwise is wishful thinking.

“Objective Truth trumps Personal Faith,” some thoughts

Since I keep going on about how “Objective Truth trumps Personal Faith” my gal pointed me to Trevor Noah’s recent commentary on Trump’s disregard for the truth.  “Adapting to Donald Trump's Lies” does a nice job of considering our Truth-Challenged president-elect.

It’s worth listening to, much sharper than the ‘white bread news’ that seems to be doing their best to lull Democrats back into their usual complacency, “give him a chance,” “lets wait to see what he actually does.”  Yeah right!  While the Alt-Right and Tea-partiers are busy lining up their targets and sharpening their knifes.  Since when should one willingly idle about waiting to get mauled?  Every day matters.  Yes, it is that serious.  Wake up.

Trump has been very clear about what he and the people around him want to do to USA’s government and the protections we’ve fought long and hard to achieve.  Trust Trump's promises, fear for the worst because without massive and effective opposition, you can be certain that the worst will happen!  This isn’t an idle game for them.  There are all too many good reasons to be scared right now.

Actually, much better than just scared is to be scared into action and involvement and learning how to communicate the rationalist's perspective in millions of discussions and communications with each other and our representatives and leaders across the country.  Time to get engaged in the government operations that dictate how we shall live. 

You know, here is where we must reaffirm the need for honesty and the need for observational fact-based decision making rather that self-certain Personal Faith turning the political landscape into a country of enemies, rather then members of the same team USA.

_____________________________________________

Trevor Noah - Adapting to Donald Trump's Lies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P1IVQJdVvE

Published on Nov 30, 2016 - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Even after Donald Trump's mendacious 2016 presidential campaign, 

the media is still grappling with how to report on the now-president-elect's blatant falsehoods.

_____________________________________________

Then after my introduction there’s an 18 minute talk by James Hoggan, founder of the information blog DeSmogBlog.com who offers reflections on what he’s learned from studying the right-wing PR machine driven Climate Science Contrarian movement.  Which is followed by Richard Milne PhD, college level one hour twenty minute lecture for those who want to get into more depth: "Critical Thinking on Climate Change: Separating Skepticism from Denial." It's sad that it has taken Hoggan's YouTube nearly four years to break 500 views.  

Four years of general apathy while the Alt-Right was diligently generating and broadcasting the most outlandish slander and fabricating stories meant to shamelessly and maliciously sow fear and hatred in gullible, scared people’s hearts. 

Reality Check - George Monbiot - Drums of War

I'm a tradesman, a carpenter, evolved into a handyman during these "semi" retired years, which turn out to be way more crowded with commitments and distractions than expected.  My plan had been becoming a semi-recluse devoted to reading, ruminating on my experiences, on the world and trying to write about it.  But as John said: Life is what happens while you're busy making plans.  No complaints, there's a beauty to being needed (and loved) and being able to make a difference, even if writing potential and output suffers.  Still, there are things I feel a need to enunciate that I simply can't get the time required to do them any justice.  Then I read something like this piece from Monbiot and it's bingo - finally something real and potentially useful understanding.

All this is by way of explaining to George Monbiot and Guardian editors, why I've taken the liberty of bootlegging and Reposting yet another full text of an article of his.  Monbiot studies these issues full time and does an excellent job of describing his objective understanding.  He's sharing information that's no longer optional.  It's become required background understanding.  Many more people need to wake up and get up to speed on what has just happened; why it happened; what it means for us, the USA and the world and what you can do to help minimize the coming destruction of decades, heck a century's, worth of progress and awareness.  

These are now extraordinary times !
  

Every single wasted day and 
every unaroused US citizen 
will cost our nation and the world dearly !  

A STITCH IN TIME ~ SAVES NINE !  

Wake up America, this is not a drill ! 
We are under attack by the oligarchs !

Keep in mind the most fundamental observation of this past election is that "The Lie" has become accepted political currency.  Normalized as part of modern living. United States of America is no longer a government with a President, it is now a business with a CEO in charge of marketing and PR.  And people seem okay with that.  Are you? 

For the record, jettisoning honesty is an utterly insane strategy for left, right, rational and faith-based and most of all, for future generations!  Yet, this fundamental far-reaching lack of honesty is largely ignored, an example of destructive seepage if there ever was one.  

The following article by George Monbiot offers a basic, yet detailed overview of the reality that our politicians and our media and our business leaders are doing their utmost to ignore.  If you are concerned, this will offer you valuable background.  Information can be power.  

Thank you Mr. Monbiot for being such an astute observer.
_______________________________________________________________

The Drums of War By George Monbiot, published in the Guardian 23rd November 2016 The combination of automation, complexity and climate change is dangerous in ways we haven’t even begun to grasp. Wave the magic wand and the problem goes away. Those pesky pollution laws, carbon caps and clean power plans: swish them away and the golden age of blue-collar employment will return.  This is Donald Trump’s promise, in his video message on Monday, in which he claimed that unleashing coal and fracking will create “many millions of high-paid jobs”. He will tear down everything to make it come true. But it won’t come true. Even if we ripped the world to pieces in the search for full employment, leaving no mountain unturned, we would not find it. Instead, we would merely jeopardise the prosperity – and the lives – of people everywhere. However slavishly governments grovel to corporate Luddism, they will not bring the smog economy back. No one can deny the problem Trump claims to be addressing. The old mining and industrial areas are in crisis throughout the rich world. And we have seen nothing yet. I have just re-read the study published by the Oxford Martin School in 2013 on the impacts of computerisation. What jumps out today,

Profiles in Appeasement - Alden Meyer

Driving to a job the other morning I heard an interview on “Love of Earth” a NPR program with Alden Meyer a proud old environmental warrior, Directory of Strategy and Policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists.  His advice: “People should just hold their horses a little bit and wait and see what develops. Let Mr. Trump get his transition team in place, get his key nominees in place, and then see how it plays out.”

That response was like getting slapped in the face on top of everything else that’s occurring (... and that’s not occurring.).  Appeasement at it very worst in a time when Meyer and the UCS should be broadcasting and explaining how serious of a national crisis our country has been tossed into.  Nothing less than the active engagement of millions of previous sideliners into our national political dialogue will temper their future achievements.  

Don’t forget Trump and his Alt-Right and neo-Republican people have promised to dismantle huge programs and protections that our nation and its people’s wellbeing have come to rely on, given half a change.  We've f'n given them a full house.  Wake up the oligarchs are in charge now.

Democrats and traditional Republicans have proven themselves to be impotent, younger generations you better step up, lordie knows none of us older ones has your back.

_____________________________________

Love of Earth, interview with Alden Meyer 

Air Date: November 18, 2016  

http://www.loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=16-P13-00047 

The Paris Climate Agreement came into force just before COP22 in Marrakech, this year’s high level UN Climate talks that ended November 18th. Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists tells host Steve Curwood member countries at the meeting in Morocco are determined to push ahead with implementing the Paris deal and work on climate protection even though the incoming US president vowed during his campaign he would ‘rip up’ the Paris accord. (09:45)