No Peace Yet, Just #45, and on why NOT to "work together"

I haven't written in way too long and it is high time because it is 2017 and we still don't have Peace. Instead we have #45. I don't like to say his name, I am writing about the person currently in the White House some of the time since January 2017 who I doubt will bring peace because such people like to be war presidents so they can get a second term. I want to post something to have it available because #45 will probably try to take away net neutrality because it will threaten him too and THIS is a Facebook post which is making the rounds and deserves permanent homes to remind people of the threat which #45 poses:

This is where I stand.
To me, FB is a useful vehicle for passion and activism. I believe that our 45th President, his Cabinet and administration, and the majority of Republicans in Congress are a real and active threat to the 99% of Americans WHO ARE NOT MILLIONAIRES OR BILLIONAIRES. Some people are saying that we should give #45 a chance, that we should "work together" because he won the election and he is "everyone's president." This is my response:
•I will not forget how badly he and so many others treated former President Barack Obama for 8 years.
•I will not "work together" to privatize Medicare, cut Social Security and Medicaid.
•I will not "work together" to build a wall.
•I will not "work together" to persecute Muslims.
•I will not "work together" to shut out refugees from other countries.
•I will not "work together" to lower taxes on the 1% and increase taxes on the middle class and poor.
•I will not "work together" to help Trump use the Presidency to line his pockets and those of his family and cronies.
•I will not "work together" to weaken and demolish environmental protection.
•I will not "work together" to sell American lands, especially National Parks, to companies which then despoil those lands.
•I will not "work together" to enable the killing of whole species of animals just because they are predators, or inconvenient for a few, or because some people want to get their thrills killing them.
•I will not "work together" to remove any persons civil rights.
•I will not "work together" to alienate countries that have been our allies for as long as I have been alive.
•I will not "work together" to slash funding for education.
•I will not "work together" to take basic assistance from people who are at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder.
•I will not "work together" to get rid of common sense regulations on guns.
•I will not "work together" to eliminate the minimum wage.
•I will not "work together" to support so-called "Right To Work" laws, or undermine, weaken or destroy Unions in any way.
•I will not "work together" to suppress scientific research, be it on climate change, fracking, or any other issue where a majority of scientists agree that Trump and his supporters are wrong on the facts.
•I will not "work together" to criminalize abortion or restrict health care for women.
•I will not "work together" to increase the number of nations that have nuclear weapons.
•I will not "work together" to put even more "big money" into politics.
•I will not "work together" to violate the Geneva Convention.
•I will not "work together" to give the Ku Klux Klan, the Nazi Party and white supremacists a seat at the table, or to normalize their hatred.
•I will not "work together" to deny health care to people who need it.
•I will not "work together" to deny medical coverage to people on the basis of a "pre-existing condition."
•I will not "work together" to increase voter suppression.
•I will not "work together" to normalize tyranny.
I will not “work together” to eliminate or reduce ethical oversight at any level of government.
•I will not "work together" with anyone that thinks its OK to put a pipeline to transport oil on Sacred Ground for Native Americans.
•I will not "work together" with any proposed legislation that threatens marriage equality for all.
•I will not "work together" with anything or anyone that threatens the rights of LGBTQ individuals in any way.
This is my line, and I am drawing it because "winning", "being great again", "rich" or even "beautiful" means nothing when others are sacrificed and our most important Democratic Institutions are being devalued, disrespected, attacked and undercut in the process by the holder of the highest office in our land.
If you agree feel free to copy and re-post (this results in larger numbers of people seeing a post), and if you want, sign your name below ours. Also, if we have left anything out, feel free to add it to this list.
Signed by and with:

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Kudos, Rep. Crowley - Speechless

Hats off, to our Queens Representative Joe Crowley for his extremely short but impactful speechless statement on the House floor

The video begins with a distance shot:

Last Fall the American People
Gave us our Marching Orders
Jobs Jobs Jobs ....

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

DFNYC Spring Celebration with Howard Dean

Gov. Dean and Kate Anne
(and Lewis H. Cohen)

Democracy for New York City had a fun spring celebration at SideBar, East 15th and Irving Place, with special guests Governor Howard Dean and Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean. I actually had a brief and pleasant chat with Gov. Dean and was pleased to see that he is both charming and genuine. I took some photos and a short video which will be posted on line but such spirit encourages one to continue to stand up and speak out and I am flying high.

My friend Joan DeCamp had a few minutes with Jim Dean and we compared stories as we took the #7 train home to Queens. It is great when our political work pays such dividends.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Joan DeCamp and Jim Dean

Where has the month gone??

It has been a busy month and I'm not ready to play catch up on Peace Hugs because my busy level is still high, BUT, I have posted autumnal pictures of my Adirondack visit to Dorothy Morehead's Northville cottage, a/k/a camp on Flickr.com and there are more pictures from various events yet to come.

You may have noticed I've been better at posting the quick stuff at Quick TAKES and Tasty Tidbits. You are invited to visit there for various political and personal snippets and recipes (great butternut squash soup!!), but I am reposting the whole thing from today as it bears repeating:

McBush and Folksy Palin endorsed by SNL's GWB

I was at the FreePress.net's 2008 internet Freedom Bash party last night so didn't see it live but George W. Bush endorsed McCain-Palin on Saturday Night Live's Thursday edition last night, with help from Will Ferrell and Tina Fey.

See Dubya, see McCain, or as my friend Judy Young Brannan from Kent Ohio put it: McBush!!! From Judy:

***

OMG -- when I saw Judy's McBush it struck terror into my heart. Now, let's get out there and win. Judy's picture is worth a thousand words. Please help out where you can, the Obama-Biden ticket or progressive candidates to Congress and to the state house and senate. It all matters. Thanks!!!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Hugs to Teddy, Hi to Bobby: a Kennedy reflection

My heart and healing hugs go out to Teddy Kennedy at this challenging time. In truth, though, he has had my heart since my baby boomer childhood. I look back at it all and ponder. The Kennedy family was charmed, even as they were punched time and time again, yet came back for more: to serve, to be challenged, to survive (or not), and to serve again -- or send another family member to continue the tradition. Yes, they weren't perfect. Not all their choices were good ones, but they tried and they did a lot of things positive. And they impacted and inspired several generations. When my first boy friend Ray Hauser helped me win three teddy bears, I called them The Kennerts -- and named them Tedward, Bobbert, and Jackit. But I/we knew who they were named after.

Bobby Kennedy Jr.

I recently took the opportunity (perhaps a little gracelessly) to say hi to Teddy's nephew Bobby Kennedy Jr., at the 19th annual Riverkeeper Shad Fest held at Boscobel [see my earlier post and Flickr pictures]. I had seen and heard him once in person at an event in Astoria but hadn't gotten very close. And it was before Ring of Fire. But at the Shad Fest Bobby was walking amidst the guests and I just had to say a brief, "Hi, Bobby -- I just love Ring of Fire." Then I realized I had interrupted him talking to some others and felt a little awkward, but Bobby generously offered me his hand and gave me a big warm smile before turning back to his party. And all was great. He hadn't held my little faux paux against me. Now that is charm and class.

So now the family gathers around Teddy. Lets keep them in our prayers. Send healing to Teddy. And in his environmental and on-line effort, go, Bobby, go!!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

What a hat! No wonder Bobby smiled! (Yes, that's Kevin Bacon.)

Enough, Hillary / Enough Hillary

After hearing Rachel Maddow's rant from last night on podcast, I went to Hillary Clinton's website and left this suggestion on their contact form (which I duly signed with my full contact information to validate):

I am a woman. I am a feminist. I am a New Yorker. I am a peace and justice activist. Please get out of the campaign. You have lost unless you steal it.

My daughter-in-law abhors you and will not vote for you. I used to like you until you voted for Bush's illegal invasion (and before I realized what a corporatist you have been).

Enough, get out. Now.

Thank you.

Rachel contends that Clinton's decision to take it to the convention will cause the Democratic presidential candidate to lose. I will add that Clinton first and foremost believes in the divine right of Hillary. The party bigwigs have got to sit on her and set her straight. She is not helping women. She is not helping families. She is not helping our country or our world. She is being self-serving. Time, past time, for her to get out. If she won't leave graciously, then the Democratic Party must take action along the lines that Rachel Maddow suggests: They must get 90 super delegates to move right now to Obama to deflect her position about Florida and Michigan and make the subject of these two states moot.

Ah, the ego..... Talk about it. Contact her campaign. Contact any Dems who can help. (And then we will take up how Obama has to get real with his energy policy. There is no such things as good affordable nuclear energy or clean coal -- but that's another post.)

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Ober for Council

Dan, Charlie, Kate Anne

Dan Jacoby held a fundraiser Tuesday night for New York City Council candidate Charles Ober in Sunnyside, Queens, at the lovely Dolce Vita at 43rd Street and 48th Avenue. Charlie is running in a special June 3rd election being held in the 30th Council District, which includes Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood, and parts of Richmond Hill, Woodhaven and Forest Hills. Since opponent Elizabeth Crowley opted out of the City's matching campaign funding program, Charlie is getting a 7:1 match. He deserve this and so much more. He's a hard worker who cares. Go, Charlie, go!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne