CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 9/23/17 edition
September 23, 2017
Happy 70th birthday to my brother, Joe. To many more.
Can we all agree, Sen. Mitch McConnell and President Trump never should have for pushed for a vote on the latest GOP bid to repeal the Affordable Care Act?
Can we all agree no one really expected John McCain to support the President and repeal the ACA? And Mr. Trump’s reaction was just as predictable.
Can we all agree, there’s no reason why the Department of Homeland Security waited two months to officially notify states that they were targets of Russian hackers during the last election?
Can we all agree, passing a relief bill to help Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria will not be as easy as it was for the City of Houston? Bankruptcy and the fact that they have no voting members in Congress are sure to complicate things.
Can we all agree, “dotard” (for 8 points) was the clear winner in this week’s war of words between Mr. Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong-un?
Can we all agree the President’s pension for creating countries and words, continues to diminish his presidency?
Can we all agree, the world is watching public reaction to Uber’s license denial in London?
Can we all agree, HHS Secretary Tom Price, among others, just doesn’t seem to understand why the public is upset at his wasteful use of private jets?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s latest attempt at a travel ban may not have the legal problems his previous edicts did, but it is no less distasteful?
Can we all agree, whether it’s taxes, repealing the ACA, or defense spending the Senate doesn’t seem to have any problem defying the President?
Can we all agree, the Alabama senate race, might be a referendum on Mr. Trump, but he’s not making the choice easier for Republicans?
Can we all agree, as you might expect, The National Rifle Association’s reaction to new laws banning gun ownership to domestic abusers was to propose legislation making it easier for victims to obtain their own gun permits faster?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s call for assistance from allies in his battle against Iran, will fall on deaf ears?
Can we all agree, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s leader, has learned the hard way, that you can’t avoid responsibility by blaming everything on an internet algorithm?
Can we all agree, despite White House spin, it’s clear that the President is a target in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election?
Can we all agree, for most of us, investigating environmental crimes is more important that protecting the head of the EPA – on so many levels?
Can we all agree, it might be important to have an ambassador in South Korea, since it appears Mr. Trump wants to start WWIII in that part of the world?
Can we all agree, TV host Jimmy Kimmel’s impact on the latest effort to undo the ACA, should not be underestimated?
Can we all agree, it’s embarrassing that, a week after a disastrous quake in Mexico City, Mr. Trump finds time to tweet about the NFL and NBA, but has not even bothered to express sympathy?
Can we all agree, that fact that the latest ACA repeal bill, cut funds to states who voted against Mr. Trump, was a rather transparent political move?
Can we all agree, even some politicians seem concerned that the RNC is paying so much of Mr. Trump’s legal bill?
Can we all agree, it’s not tough to figure out why US tourism is down in 2017? In the same vein, would you want to ‘grow up’ here?
Can we all agree, the drumbeat against repeated blows to the head, created by tackle football continues on multiple levels?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s speech to the United Nations, gave North Korea every excuse it needed to justify making nuclear weapons?
Can we all agree, it’s horrifying to think a future July Fourth parade might become a military display?
Can we all agree, if Donald Trump Jr. does not want secret service protection, so he can embarrass himself quietly, he should be allowed to refuse it?
Can we all agree, the administration can try to hide the real contributions of immigrants to this country, but everyone knows the truth?
Can we all agree, Rep. Nancy Pelosi may be scoring political wins in Washington, but she’s no fan favorite on her home turf?
Can we all agree, the Emmy’s proved there simply is not enough time to watch all the great TV being broadcast? And a new season starts this week…
Can we all agree no one wanted to see Sean Spicer at the Emmy’s.
Can we all agree, shrinking our national monuments, to allow for more oil and gas production is simply the wrong message to send to the world?
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 9/16/17 edition
September 16, 2017
Can we all agree, Hurricanes Irma and Harvey might change the debate over climate change despite the absurd comments from the head of the EPA?
Can we all agree, there may be some changes on details, but there will be an agreement soon on letting the Dreamers stay in the country?
Can we all agree, were it not for the GOP, the DACA issue would have been decided years ago, but now the Grand Old Party finds itself left out entirely?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has left the Republican party stunned by his willingness to work with the Democrats?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has left the Democrats stunned by his willingness to work with the Democrats?
Racism at Fenway Park in Boston.? (Boston Globe Photo)
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump may be a racist, white supremacist and sexist, but he has succeeded in bringing the issues to the surface so the country will have to deal with them?
Can we all agree, even the economic figures don’t lie about the structural gap between Black and White America?
Can we all agree, AG Jeff Sessions probably had the worst week of any DC politician – blindsided on DACA, rejected on Sanctuary cities and forced to relive his earlier humiliation at the hands of The President?
Can we all agree, the only folks who had a worse week might be the tech industry – battered by their own missteps and inability to control the internet monster they created?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s continuing comments on the internal workings of other countries and failure to show sympathy for their problems, shows he has still has not grasped his role on the world stage?
Can we all agree, NASA gets criticized for the tremendous amount of money they spend, but when a ten-year triumph such as the Cassini mission comes to an end, we all marvel at what they can do?
Can we all agree, it’s nice to know that even the over-educated folks at Harvard are no better than the rest of us at dealing with ethical issues such as whether to invite Chelsea Manning to speak on campus?
Can we all agree, North Korea’s leader seems intent on provoking the rest of the world regardless of the impact on his own population?
Saturn’s rings from the Cassini space probe. (NASA photo)
Can we all agree, Nobel price winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s leader, may have irreparably damaged her reputation by her treatment of the Rohingya population she has forced to leave the country?
Can we all agree, the world will be watching Berkeley this week, as the University of California hosts a number of conservative speakers and the campus tries to deal with the expected protests? Calling it “Free Speech Week” was a rather obvious and successful attempt to annoy most area residents.
Can we all agree, we really should not be celebrating Sean Spicer who admitted that he spent the last 6 months lying to the American people at the behest of Donald Trump?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump could care less what Rep. Tim Scott had to tell him about racism, he was more interested in a photo opportunity and making himself look good?
Can we all agree, in the same vein, Mr. Trump had no interest in what Jewish Rabbi’s wanted him to know, during their pre-holiday call on Friday?
Can we all agree, despite continuing objections from Republicans, we are slowly but surely moving toward a single-payer health care system?
Can we all agree, the deaths of nine elderly residents at a Florida nursing home in the aftermath of hurricane Irma, has now become a political football?
Can we all agree, most Americans will now think twice about using Kaspersky anti-virus software?
Can we all agree, Amazon has created public feeding frenzy by announcing that they are seeking a home for a 50,000 employee regional headquarters?
Can we all agree, Education Secretary Betsy DeVoss may have unknowingly done something right in redrafting the rules on campus sexual assaults?
Can we all agree, Equifax’s reaction to their recent data breach has been nothing short of a train wreck?
Can we all agree, Hillary Clinton is entitled to her day in the sun to promote her book, but we all know what was wrong with her campaign?
Can we all agree, Steve Bannon’s interview on 60 Minutes made us all happy he was no longer in the white House?
Can we all agree it’s never too soon to talk about the midterm elections in 2018 or the possibilities for 2020?
Can we all agree the world went slightly batty this week with football teams giving away DNA test kits and a company releasing an anatomically correct life-size sex doll?
and finally:
Some good news stories out of Hurricane Irma.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 9/2/17 edition
September 2, 2017
Can we all agree, that whether we are discussing Hurricane Harvey or the current Bay Area heat wave, climate change is making things worse?
Can we all agree, the devastation in Houston has brought out the best in most Americans?
Can we all agree, our favorite stories are the small intimate portraits of people just trying to survive?
Rescue in Houston (Associated Press Photo)
Can we all agree, there were some responses, like that of the Lakewood Church, that were less than we might have expected?
Can we all agree, city regulations may have contributed to the problem, but in a state like Texas, nothing will change after the waters recede?
Can we all agree, that fact that illegal immigrants in Houston fear asking for help, is a sad commentary on the state of our nation?
Can we all agree, when Congress reconvenes on Tuesday it won’t take long for politics to take over the debate on aid for Southeast Texas?
Can we all agree, Senator Ted Cruz, and his inflammatory rhetoric will relish taking center stage?
Can we all agree, our reduced standing in the world is reflected in the dearth of assistance offers from other nations?
Can we all agree, our president has managed, once again, to make his job, in a crises all about him?
Can we all agree, you have to wonder how much longer Wells Fargo can stay in business after new revelations about improper accounts being opened?
Can we all agree, the split in the Democratic party was on full display this week when California Senator Diane Feinstein urged ‘patience’ in dealing with Mr. Trump – and was soundly booed?
Can we all agree, the administration’s decision to close the Russian consulate in San Francisco has internal US politics written all over it?
Can we all agree, the NFL must realize that public opinion is slowly turning against their decision to ignore the harm their sport is causing?
Can we all agree, as the economy continues to grow, despite the August dip in hiring, it’s pretty clear that the government has nothing to do with it?
Can we all agree, even as the administration cuts funding for advertising, the Affordable Care Act is here to stay?
Can we all agree, it’s become clear that Senator John McCain will spend whatever time he has left in the Senate, as the conscience of the GOP?
Can we all agree, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his boss seem to be the only two people in the country, who think think we are in the middle of a national epidemic of crime?
Can we all agree, despite everything the nation has been going through, the one constant, may be the continuing revelations about how Mr. Trump and his aides sought to curry favor with the Russians and end the FBI inquiry?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump can build all the prototypes he wants, but his wall on the Mexican border is not going to be built?
Can we all agree, no one seems to know what Mr. Trump means when he says there will be no more talk with North Korea?
Can we all agree, if Mr. Trump fires his new Chief of Staff, it will be the end of his Presidency?
Can we all agree, the arrest of a Utah nurse, who was doing her job in protecting the legal rights of a patient, underscore the public’s view that police abuse their authority, whenever they think no one is looking?
Can we all agree, Steve Mnuchin and his wife, won’t be visiting Fort Knox again, any time soon?
Can we all agree, it’s pretty clear Harriet Tubman will not be replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill?
Can we all agree, courts in Brazil did the world a favor this week when they blocked continuing development in the Amazon?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump is trying to spin his tax cut plan as a break for the middle class, when everyone knows it’s just a tax cut for the wealthy and big business?
Can we all agree, Federal courts in Texas saved that state from itself by prohibiting enforcement of their anti-sanctuary-city law?
Can we all agree, the latest FDA approval of a gene editing therapy , starts us down a whole new medical highway?
Can we all agree, our track record in using science to our own advantage is not the greatest – just ask farmers around the country?
Can we all agree, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis seems to be the only grownup in the room who knows how to defuse a controversial policy tweet like banning transgender troops?
Can we all agree, it only takes a few idiots, from the right or left, intent on violence to make a mockery of free speech?
and finally:
The amazing story of one seven year old girl who survived being kidnapped, choked and thrown from a bridge.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 8/26/17 edition
August 26, 2017
Can we all agree, Donald Trump has perfected the art of making unpopular announcements on Friday afternoon. This week it’s banning transgender soldiers and pardoning former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Can we all agree the country is watching the administration’s response to Hurricane Harvey – worried that politics will get in the way?
Can we all agree, presidential advisor Gary Cohn will be out of a job soon, now that he has publicly criticized his boss?
For a few minutes we were united this week. (NYT photo)
Can we all agree, the Pentagon deserves some credit for allowing California National Guard troops to keep the bonus money they were given by the government?
Can we all agree, imposing more sanctions on the Venezuelan government, just allows President Nicolás Maduro to position himself as a patriotic leader battling an imperialistic northern neighbor?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has managed to give himself an excuse in case his Afghan policy fails, by saying his decision “was not his original” idea? But, you have to wonder, has he ever had an ‘original’ idea?
Can we all agree the Bay Area is breathing a long sigh of relief that right-wing rallies scheduled for today and tomorrow, were cancelled by organizers – leaving the stage to counter protestors?
Can we all agree, it is unbelieveable that the Navy has now lost 17 sailors in non-combat situations over the last two months and our Commander and Chief has not made one comment?
Can we all agree, if the Secret Service had run out of money in the first six months of any other administration there would be a Congressional outcry and investigation?
Can we all agree, Boston anti-racism protestors showed the world how to make a point and protect free-speech, by being peaceful and non-confrontational?
Can we all agree, now that Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka, have left the White House, only one openly racist official remains?
Can we all agree, with all the craziness going on in the world it’s hard to get worked up about French President Emmanuel Macron’s $30,000 makeup scandal?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump doesn’t seem to understand that attacking the senators you need to pass your agenda is really not the way to get anything done in Washington?
Can we all agree, threatening to shut down the government over a wall that no one wants, is just another empty rhetorical device to rally your supporters?
Can we all agree, watching Mr. Trump this week was like watching a sociopath with bipolar disorder? A truly dangerous combination?
Can we all agree, Energy Secretary Rick Perry has done a masterful job of issuing an energy report which simply ignores the facts, to promote an agenda?
Can we all agree, the resignation of science envoy, and Cal professor, Daniel Kammen, was a work of art?
Can we all agree, the Girl Scouts have already won their battle with the Boy Scouts?
Can we all agree, the Interior Department’s decision to shrink some landmarks, instead of eliminating them, will not keep them out of court?
Can we all agree, the single winner of this week’s near-record Powerball drawing, will keep us all buying tickets for a very long time?
Can we all agree, even if the prices at the soon-to-be-Amazon-owned Whole Foods, are lowered even slightly next week, Jeff Bezos has already won the PR battle for new shoppers?
Can we all agree, Janet Yellen has apparently decided she does not want to head of the Federal Reserve Board any longer? Speaking the truth to Trump, is not the way to get re-appointed.?
Can we all agree, with the addition of interfaith religious leaders, rabbis, and swing-state Republicans it’s tough to figure out who is left to support the President?
Can we all agree, anyone who was disappointed that they couldn’t hold an event at Mr. Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort can have their pick of dates now?
Can we all agree, it’s too bad the courts can’t impose a financial penalty on legislators who create discriminatory congressional districts?
Can we all agree, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s wife just doesn’t understand what it means to be married to a politician?
Can we all agree, newsroom editors at the Wall Street Journal showed their true pro-Trump colors this week?
Can we all agree, our President can’t even seem to watch an eclipse without creating controversy?
Can we all agree, its heartening to see that, despite Mr. Trump’d best efforts, Robert Mueller’s investigation, just keeps rolling along?
Can we all agree, the ‘Black Man for Trump’ looked like a sketch from Saturday Night Live?
Can we all agree, Jerry Lewis and Dick Gregory had very different styles but they were both defining figures of American comedy?
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 8/19/17 edition
August 19, 2017
Can we all agree, Steve Bannon had to leave the administration or there would probably have been a mass exodus of other officials who blame him for Mr. Trump’s racist stance earlier in the week?
Can we all agree, we will hear even more from Bannon now that he has a website to pressure the President?
Can we all agree, it’s unbelievable that the President of the United States was quicker to comment on a terrorist attack in Spain that he was to comment on an attack in Charlotesville?
Can we all agree, there is a big difference between the statues honoring Confederate heroes and the Boston street sign designating Yawkey Way in honor of former Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey? As a Boston native, I know Mr. Yawkey was racist, but since his death his foundation has made charitable contributions all over the city.
President Obama’s message after Charlottesville. Setting new Twitter records.
Can we all agree, the only reason right-wing racists plan protests in blue cities such as Boston or Berkeley is because they know they will get publicity from the local reaction?
Can we all agree, Tina Fey might be getting criticism for her reaction to Mr. Trump, but it was still pretty funny?
Can we all agree, the national magazine covers were less humorous. but captured the nation’s mood perfectly? But it may be the financial impact that gets the President’s attention?
Can we all agree, it’s good the Navy has disciplined two people for the tragic collision last month, but we still have no idea what happened?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump is skipping the Kennedy Center Honors because he knows what the entertainment community thinks about him and he couldn’t handle the criticism?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump should not expect a visit from the NBA champion Golden State Warriors?
Can we all agree, Wells Fargo Bank is proof positive that we need a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau?
Can we all agree, Steve Bannon may have contradicted the message the administration wants to send, but he was right when he admitted there is no military solution to the North Korea crises? At least Kim Jung Un seems to agree, for now.
Can we all agree, the next major world hotspot may be the China-India border?
Can we all agree, there was no good reason for the administration to end protections for minors from South America?
Can we all agree, it’s easy to blame Mr. Bannon for the President’s racist views, but they have been pretty obvious for many years?
Can we all agree, it seems clear that Mr. Trump has no problem being the President of the people who elected him and alienating everyone else?
Can we all agree, we should all be appalled that children in India were allowed to die because of a hospital billing dispute with an oxygen supplier?
Can we all agree, an American tourist who offered a Nazi salute in downtown Dresden, Germany, deserved to get beat up?
Can we all agree, while everyone was pre-occupied with Charlottesville, special counsel Robert Mueller began the next phase of investigation by requesting interviews with current and former White House staffers?
Can we all agree, pardoning former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio is among the worst ideas Mr. Trump has floated?
Can we all agree, The Department of Justice is overstepping it’s authority by requesting the computer IP addresses of anti-Trump protestors?
Can we all agree, the Congressional Budget Office is making it difficult for the administration to decline to pay ACA insurance subsidies?
Can we all agree, no one seems to take seriously Iran’s threats to restart its nuclear program?
Can we all agree, the Texas legislature has some work to do to convince a federal judge they can draw voting districts correctly?
Can we all agree, a group of former Trump officials trying to mount a voter registration effort is pretty ill timed?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s decision to attack his own party leaders, for no reason, continues to mystify the political pundits on both sides of the aisle?
Can we all agree right-wing leader Chris Cantwell has no idea what he’s doing or the damage he is inflicting on the world?
And finally:
The good news story of the week about a WWII marine returning a Japanese flag to the family of a fallen soldier.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 8/12/17 edition
August 12, 2017
Can we all agree, many of us never thought the Chinese president would be the grownup in the room, refereeing the war of words between a US President and the leader of North Korea?
Can we all agree, it’s tough to predict an outcome when you have two egomaniacal bullies hurling insults at each other?
Can we all agree the folks on Guam probably are not comforted by Mr. Trump’s promise of retaliation, if the island is attacked?
We all make mistakes, but Can we all agree we’d like to think this headline was printed on purpose.
Can we all agree, most of us have been so preoccupied with North Korea we hardly noticed that, despite the billions of dollars spent after Katrina, New Orleans flooded again this week after a severe thunderstorm?
Can we all agree, the longer we ignore climate change reports, the more stories like New Orleans, we will see?
Can we all agree, sometime in the next year the EPA will effectively cease to exist?
Can we all agree, while we should be concerned about what’s happening in Venezuela, we can’t invade every country, where we disagree with the government’s policies?
Can we all agree, the White House may not openly condone the activities of the alt-right, but the fact that an administration aide can pen a memo describing a leftist conspiracy, certainly provides support?
Can we all agree, Google made a bad situation worse this week, when they fired the author of a memo attacking women working in Silicon Valley? We may not agree with his comments, but he has every right to his opinion.
Can we all agree, it’s hard to tell if sports reporters are over-reacting to the cancellation of some high school football programs, or if we are really seeing the start of a death spiral?
Can we all agree, Major League Baseball deserves a pat on the back for their ‘nickname’ promotion later this month? Don’t expect to see anything like this in the NFL.
Can we all agree, it’s about time the highest levels of government admitted that we have an opioid crises in this country?
Can we all agree, the new twitter battle between Senate President Mitch McConnell and Mr. Trump, will do little to advance the GOP agenda?
Can we all agree, the FBI’s pre-dawn raid of former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort, is very bad news for the President?
Can we all agree, despite all the rhetoric, it appears, the XL pipeline may be stymied by state regulations in Nebraska?
Can we all agree, state politicians, like those in Wisconsin, don’t care how much tax money they give away, as long as they can say they brought in new jobs?
Can we all agree, President Trump should take a close look at what’s happening to his good friend Benjamin Netanyahu, as he tries to downplay the special counsel’s investigation?
Can we all agree, Disney may be making the right business decision, by taking their movies off Netflix, but they are making it more difficult for the consumer?
Can we all agree, we should be very concerned that industry lobbyists are re-writing the nation’s regulatory framework?
Can we all agree, it’s been another tough trip home for many GOP politicians?
Can we all agree, coal mining should not be encouraged on public land?
Can we all agree, Vice President Mike Pence is running for his boss’s job? He just doesn’t like to have it made public.
Barbara Cook
Can we all agree, voting for Amy McGrath over Mitch McConnell is a pretty easy decision?
Can we all agree, the Democrat’s shift to the left will not help them in conservative states, even where voters are appalled by Donald Trump?
Can we all agree, it appears the only world leader Mr. Trump does not stand up to, is Vladimir Putin?
Glen Campbell
Can we all agree, White House aides should not be making news at speaking engagements? If they can’t take the criticism, they should not have agreed to appear.
Can we all agree, the world is just a little less lyrical this week with the passing of Glen Campbell and Broadway singer Barbara Cook.
and finally:
Only in America could Back to School shopping get combined with guns sales.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 8/5/17 edition
August 5, 2017
Can we all agree, the August recess in Washington is really a much needed vacation for all of us?
Can we all agree, when a Republican Senate leaves town, but stays in session to prevent a Republican President from making any appointments, it’s not the Democrat’s fault?
Can we all agree, The President may soon be faced with signing a bill which effectively prevents him from firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller?
Can we all agree, Attorney General Jeff Sessions would have a much easier job if he didn’t have to waste time investigating leaks from the White House?
Can we all agree, it would be a disaster if the President fired his national security advisor, H. R. McMaster, since the Lt. General seems to be the only grownup in the White House?
This week’s Newsweek cover
Can we all agree, it’s no surprise the President’s cabinet would be led by a pastor who doesn’t think women belong in politics?
Can we all agree, Newsweek Magazine may have reached a new level of political commentary with this week’s cover?
Can we all agree, until this week, when Mr. Mueller impanelled a grand jury in Washington, many of us suspected the investigation was going nowhere?
Can we all agree, John Kelley deserves credit for bringing some discipline to the White House – at least for one week?
Can we all agree, as the economy continues to improve, it’s clear Wall Street could care less about the Russian investigation?
Can we all agree, the NAACP’s travel advisory for Missouri, will deter travel by more than just minorities or members of the LGBT community?
Can we all agree, The Pope is winning the PR battle with evangelical Christians?
Can we all agree, President Trump probably thinks what happened in the Venezuela election is the same thing that happened last November when Hillary Clinton won the popular vote?
Can we all agree, the transcripts of the President’s conversations with the leaders of Mexico and Australia, just proves the public Trump and private Trump are interchangeable – and both are embarrassing?
Can we all agree, whether we like it or not, may not be on the horizon, even if researchers have been able to edit the DNA in cells?
Can we all agree, the proposed bill to limit immigration, runs counter to the bedrock principles our country was built on?
Can we all agree, presidential advisor Stephen Miller should be deported?
Can we all agree, the senators behind the immigration bill should either read Joe Aaron’s post on this blog, or listen to any of a dozen economists saying the same thing?
Can we all agree, Chelsea Clinton spoke for many of us when she defended the White House against charges that it was “a dump.’
Can we all agree, what Arizona Senator Jeff Flake says in his new book needed to be said, but it’s doubtful he’ll be a senator after the next election? But, you can count on seeing him in 2020.
Can we all agree, Millennials are welcome to the title of most populous generation – now they can get blamed for everything ?
Can we all agree, Donald Trump is once again playing to his base, which has dwindled to just 33%, by asking the attorney general to probe discrimination against whites in college admissions?
Can we all agree, When the President and Congress return from vacation it appears there may be a lot of bipartisan cooperation, although the President may not be included?
Can we all agree, the Chicago Cubs made a great PR move by giving Steve Bartman a World Series ring?
Can we all agree, it would appear the judicial system may be the only way to get the EPA to do its job?
Can we all agree, the best story of the week might be the judge who took the FAA to task for allowing the airlines to reduce the seat sizes and leg room?
Can we all agree, no one needed to be found guilty more than Martin Shkreli?
Can we all agree, the Attorney General, needs to do a better job of laying the groundwork for his case to force communities to back ICE activities?
and finally:
As I’ve said before we seem to have reached the beginning of the end for the internal combustion engine – even the GOP cannot turn back the forces of the free market.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 7/29/17 edition
July 29, 2017
Can we all agree, John McCain saved the Republican party from itself, when he cast the deciding vote against the so called ‘skinny repeal’ of the Affordable Care Act?
Can we all agree, Senator McCain clearly never forgave the President for the slights he was forced to endure during the 2016 campaign and seemed to relish his role?
Can we all agree it was McCain who got the pivotal vote, but it was Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski who took most of the heat?
Senators McCain, Collins and Murkowski: This week’s healthcare heroes.
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump erred badly when he tried to bully Senator Murkowski into supporting the measure?
Can we all agree, GOP lawmakers who turned to sexist rhetoric in an attempt to pressure the female senators were an embarrassment?
Can we all agree, someone in the GOP has to grow up and make a concerted effort to ensure the existing health insurance system will continue to work?
Can we all agree, it was heartening to some degree to see the GOP stand up to the President this week by defending the attorney general, passing tougher Russian sanctions and rejecting calls to ban transgender Americans in the military ?
Can we all agree the White House didn’t have much choice but to sign the sanctions bill?
Can we all agree, Russia’s retaliation for the increased sanctions has been relatively mild so far?
Can we all agree, Reince Priebus, has been a dead man walking since he took the job as White House chief of staff?
Can we all agree, when the nation’s chief executive jokingly condones police violence of any type, he displays a profound disregard for civil rights and insults the majority of the nation’s law enforcement officers who observe professional standards?
Can we all agree, Anthony Scaramucci has no business running a communications team if he can’t even communicate without being vulgar?
Can we all agree, the White House announced policies on gay rights, is simply out of touch with the attitudes of most Americans?
Can we all agree, House passage of a budget bill that has no chance of winning Senate approval shows that Speaker Paul Ryan has no ability to deal with conservative ideologues in his caucus?
Can we all agree, North Korea’s test of a missile that could reach Denver, Colorado should make it clear that they are the number one threat to our country?
Can we all agree, the removal of the Pakistani Prime Minister by that nation’s highest court would normally leave us shaking our collective heads in disbelief, but these days we just wonder if the US is next?
Can we all agree, the Boy Scouts really had no control over what the President would say at their annual event, but at least they realized an apology was necessary?
Can we all agree, the Vice President’s voter fraud commission has no idea how to conduct a legitimate study of the alleged problem?
Can we all agree, the fact that Secretary of State Rex Tlllerson was forced to deny rumors that he wanted to quit, suggests he may be on his way out?
Can we all agree, now that both Britain and France have passed laws banning vehicles with internal combustion engines, we may have reached a tipping point?
Can we all agree, normally when a TV commentator has a private dinner at the White House, it would damage his credibility, but with Sean Hannity, no one even blinked an eye?
Can we all agree, allowing your employer to place a chip in your body for identification purposes sends chills down the spine of many people?
Can we all agree, translating Foxconn’s employment practices in China to the US could be difficult?
Can we all agree, the results of a study of deceased football player’s brains should make parents think twice before allowing their children to play football?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to believe that the only person the Department of Justice could find to run their criminal division was someone with ties to a Russian bank?
Can we all agree, the Democrats new image message was less than inspiring?
Can we all agree, the Polish President’s veto of legislation taking over that nation’s courts, avoided a European crises?
Can we all agree, Jared Kushner’s private testimony before a Senate panel, suggests he’s either stupid or involved in issues way over his head?
Can we all agree, another silver lining to California’s wet winter is a new gold rush?
Can we all agree, the new TSA rules for screening electronics are going to make security lines even longer?
Can we all agree, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, who is taking a job as a religious ambassador, is a poster child for the dangers of refusing to compromise in politics?
and finally:
RIP:
June Foray–the voice of our youth from “Rocky and Bullwinkle” to “Dudley Do-Right,” “Bugs Bunny” and “The Flintstones.”
and
Now you can ask a psychologist to find out if the President really is crazy.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 7/22/17 edition
July 22, 2017
Can we all agree, promising Presidential pardons before charges are filed, only serves to convince people that Mr. Trump knows that he, his relatives and their associates have committed crimes?
Can we all agree, the same could be said for reports from his legal team, that their legal case will be built on trying to undermine Robert Mueller’s credibility?
Can we all agree, someone in a position of power really wants to get rid of Attorney General Jeff Sessions – unless you think reports from secret intelligence cables are available freely from Washington newsstands?
A detailed look at the President’s threat to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller (Washington Post)
Can we all agree, it is unconscionable that a week after an Australian woman who called 911, was shot to death by police we still have no information on how the tragedy happened.
Can we all agree, Sean Spicer’s resignation is not the last high-level change coming at the White House?
Can we all agree, we will miss Melissa McCarthy’s Spicer impersonations on SNL?
Can we all agree, the real impact of Mr. Trump’s visit to Poland was his unofficial encouragement to the right-wing government?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to believe the secret life of the former head of the USC medical school, was unknown to the school’s administration?
Can we all agree, no one seems to know what will happen next week when the Senate votes on an unknown healthcare plan?
Can we all agree, the President fails to understand that no one – ‘not even congressional pages’ – are afraid of his threats?
Can we all agree, the real question for the GOP is will they let the healthcare markets collapse and risk taking heat from voters who would lose their insurance coverage?
Can we all agree, the Senate’s attempt to repeal the ACA got harder yesterday when their parliamentarian ruled against several key provisions on the bill?
Can we all agree, the record low ratings for Mr. Trump, may have something to do with his inability to get congress to bend to his will?
Can we all agree, Jared Kushner might as well resign now since he has lost all credibility with both his boss and the American people?
Can we all agree, it’s probably not conducive to good government when two federal agencies sue each other?
Can we all agree, it’s not surprising that former Trump campaign chief owed money to Russian banks, since many Americans believe Mr. Trump’s taxes will show that he owed even more?
Can we all agree, the high level voter-fraud panel, investigating non-existant voter fraud, is grasping at straws as it seeks more personal data on Americans, so the panel can make it harder to vote?
Can we all agree, even those who disagreed with Senator John McCain, were saddened by news that he has a brain tumor? At times he seemed to be one of the few sane voices in the Senate.
Can we all agree, in hindsight, it was pretty clear that the Supreme Court, with an average age of 68, would come down on the side of grandparents being excluded from the administration’s Muslim travel ban?
Can we all agree, it really doesn’t matter how many meetings Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump have had recently, their bromance has been going on for years?
Can we all agree, the Putin-Trump relationship has tainted virtually any decision that might have an impact on Russia?
Can we all agree, the big news of the week was the firing of the long-time voice of Kermit the frog?
Can we all agree, the public barely noticed when the administration turned its back on two more campaign promises this week, certifying Iranian compliance with the nuclear agreement and bringing terrorists to the US to face charges?
Can we all agree, each week seems to bring new and novel ways for the administration’s cabinet secretaries to deny climate change and global warming?
Can we all agree, the reaction to O.J. Simpson’s parole, suggests the country just doesn’t care about a crime committed over 20 years ago?
Can we all agree, the White House ‘Made in America’ campaign this week underscored the fact that the President and his daughter have their signature products made out of the country?
Can we all agree, it’s tough to feel any sympathy for Ann Coulter in her battle with Delta Airlines?
and:
The only good news this week was a story about Israeli soldiers providing assistance to Syrian refugees. There must be other better news, but it was tough to find.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 7/15/17 edition
July 15, 2017
Can we all agree, there are many Americans (about 65%) who agree with JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s assessment of the current political climate?
Can we all agree, expanding the powers of the Department of Homeland Security to speed up deportations, will not make our country safer?
Can we all agree, it appears Republican governors may have the final say on the fate of the GOP healthcare bill?
Can we all agree, a Federal judge in Hawaii made the right choice when he expanded the President’s immigration order to include grandparents and other family members?
Can we all agree, the inclusion of a suspected Russian spy in the meeting with Donald Trump, Jr. makes a mockery of the excuses he wants us to believe?
Can we all agree it’s Ok for a father to defend his son, but when neither of them have a moral compass it really doesn’t have much impact? Especially since political operatives on both sides of the aisle say that even taking the meeting with wrong.
Can we all agree, the only reason Mr. Trump went to France was to see a military parade?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s off-the-record then on-the-record comments aboard Air Force One on his way to Europe, prove once again how ill-informed he is on a wide range of issues?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump doesn’t even realize when he’s being sexist – like when he commented on the figure of France’s Frst Lady Brigitte Macron?
Can we all agree, this administration has no concept of basic privacy norms – the actions of the bogus election commission just proves the point?
Can we all agree, it looks doubtful the Republicans can pass their healthcare bill – but many pundits said that about the same measure when it was being considered by the House?
Can we all agree, 37-year old Venus Williams is just remarkable despite her loss today?
Can we all agree, if statistical analysis is correct, there were three planes full of passengers who were 11 seconds from disaster at San Francisco Airport this week?
Can we all agree, Chistopher Wray said all the right things at his Senate confirmation hearing, but he didn’t really face the same issues as his predecessor – FBI chief James Comey?
Can we all agree, very few Republicans fear Mr. Trump’s wrath if they do not pass a healthcare bill?
Can we all agree, President Obama would have faced merciless crticism if pastors were seen “laying on of hands” while in the Oval Office, but for Mr. Trump it just generates shrugs?
Can we all agree, we’ve entered a new medical era if the FDA approves gene therapy?
Can we all agree, when Joe Scarborough announced he was leaving the GOP, it sounded a lot like President Lyndon Johnson’s alleged comments when Walter Cronkite voiced disapproval of the Vietnam War?
Can we all agree, the International Olympic Committee really didn’t have too much choice in awarding the next two Olympics to Paris and Los Angeles, since no one else wanted them?
Can we all agree, Idaho’s new law, which strengthens enforcement of non-compete clauses, will make it harder for them to attract new tech workers to the state?
Can we all agree, stories of Mr. Trump fuming as his administration crumbles are becoming all too common?
Can we all agree, Senate President Mitch McConnell’s decision to delay the annual recess by two weeks, is an admission that the GOP simply cannot govern?
Can we all agree, we’re all getting used to Mr. Trump’s shifting position on a wide range of issues, but his latest admission that his wall with Mexico can be shorter and transparent is a non-starter?
Can we all agree the Articles of Impeachment filed by a California Congressman, are a pretty good publicity stunt?
Can we all agree, ISIS may have been pushed out of Mosul but it will be decades before the city returns to anything approaching normal?
Can we all agree, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau deserve credit for at least temporarily trying to reinstate class action lawsuits, to level the playing field between big banks and the average consumer?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s plan to form a cyber-security task force with the Russians was the dumbest idea any president has proposed since World War II? It just shows how easy our President is to manipulate.
and:
If you want a look at how the rest of the world sees our President, take a look at this Australian reporter’s take on Mr. Trump?
or:
If you want your faith in humanity restored read this story about the rescue of 6 swimmers from a Florida riptide.
and finally:
As you sit home in your pajamas contemplating another pastry, take a look at what some folks go through in the name of sport.