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.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 7/8/17 edition
July 8, 2017
Can we all agree, as long as Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin release their claims of what they discussed through biased mouthpieces we should be skeptical of anything they say?
Can we all agree it’s hard to believe Mr. Trump pressed Mr. Putin very hard on election tampering, one day after claiming he still wasn’t sure the Russians hacked our election system?
A friend recently published her photos of the Milky Way. (Photo by Annie Lu)
Can we all agree, there is no denying Mr. Trump’s policies are leaving the US on the sidelines of global trade and isolated on most major issues?
Can we all agree, the robust jobs report may have very little to do with Trump’s economic policies, since no one is sure what they are ?
Can we all agree the slowdown in auto sales, and the resulting loss of jobs, may be tough for the White House to explain?
Can we all agree, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell seems ready to admit defeat on repealing the Affordable Care Act, although the White House seems to be preparing one last push?
Can we all agree, any cease fire is good news, but we’ve been down this road many times in Syria?
Can we all agree, the GOP seems to having problems dealing with social media? First their attack on Hillary Clinton backfires and then the Indiana GOP asks for Obamacare horror stories and is flooded with positive comments.
Can we all agree, the departure of the head of the federal ethics office is a sad day for all of us, since it will allow the White House to appoint someone who ignores their nonexistent ethics?
Can we all agree, the two year delay in approving an Illinois budget should be a warning to the GOP – if they ever get around to voting on an increase to the federal debt ceiling?
Can we all agree, the revelations about the ‘successful’ interception of a test missile aimed at California, will not make West Coast residents sleep any easier
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s latest bizarre tweet has to worry even his most ardent supporters?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to believe, he could top his retweet of a doctored video showing him wrestling with a CNN logo?
Can we all agree, if the GOP has lost a solid red state. such as Kansas, they really should rethink their attempts to repeal Obamacare?
Can we all agree, California Governor Jerry Brown really seems to like his new role as ‘Democratic President of the United States.’
Can we all agree, the move to all electric cars may happen faster than anyone expected as France and Volvo jumped on the Tesla technology bandwagon?
Can we all agree, The Presidential voting commission needs to be dissolved now that 44 states have turned down their request for voter data?
Can we all agree, US oil producers don’t seem to understand that the more they sell the lower the price will be and the sooner the oil boom will turn into a bust?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s portrayal, in Poland, of the war against ISIS, as a battle against all Muslims, is counter-productive and needlessly raises the stature of that terrorist organization?
Can we all agree, Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins’ use of a Nazi gas chamber as a backdrop for a campaign ad, has left everyone speechless?
Can we all agree, United Airlines just doesn’t seem to understand that customer service and common sense, need to come before profits?
Can we all agree, no one seems to believe the White House story line that Obamacare is a failure?
Can we all agree, it does not appear that the July Fourth break was particularly pleasant for lawmakers supporting repeal of The Affordable Care Act?
Can we all agree, the recent headline noting that ‘self restraint’ is the only thing standing in the way of war with North Korea should make everyone from Barrow, Alaska, to San Diego, California very nervous?
Can we all agree, that, given the number of executives who have now been fired for sexual harassment, the corporate culture at Fox News must have been terrible for any woman who tried to make a career there?
Can we all agree, NJ Governor Chris Christie, photographed sunbathing this week on a beach closed by a budget impasse gives new meaning to the word chutzpah?
Can we all agree, it appears once again, that the only thing standing in the way of a complete climate meltdown in the US, may be the judicial system?
Can we all agree, it looks like the courts may have to be the last line of defense against Betsy Devoss and her Department of Education also?
and finally:
We should all pause to remember Ms Sheila Michaels.
and
A former member of Congress who now needs the ACA to survive.
Our Population Future
My good friend Joe Aaron is an economic futurist – someone who gets paid to explain trends and what the future will hold.
I asked him about the recent report that the United States fertility rate had hit a new low, since it features prominently in his conclusion that the country is headed for real trouble if we, as a nation of immigrants, don’t change our policies.
I asked if the news changed his opinion. This is his response:
“The short answer is no. It does not change my thinking on demographics here in the U.S. If you read between the lines, the article describes a part of our population, the Millennials, who are putting off having children and marriage.
“The number one reason child birth is dropping in the civilized world today is economic. Young people can’t afford children anymore or are unwilling to make the financial sacrifices. It cost half a million to raise a kid and send them to college. That explains why 20% of our population decides to stay childless.
“The more educated you are, the less likely you are to have an unwanted pregnancy. Women can now get birth control with ease.
Finally, a woman with a good education can have a career and financial independence. If she decides she wants to have a baby she can. She no longer needs a man.
Where demographics are changing in the in the U.S. is at the state level. For example, Maine’s population is actually shrinking each year. Vermont is flat. New Hampshire’s population is flat. But they will both join Maine in the dying category this decade.
These three states have a medium age of 42, the highest in the country. The medium age for the U.S. is 37. This means they are an ageing society. This means their citizens are aging out of the work force. If this trend continues, and I have no doubt it will, in 15 years this will impact the state gov’t’s credit rating.
These three states have an unemployment rates below 3%. This is too low. It puts upward pressure on wages. This in turn puts pressure on a business to consider leaving the state.
If you are a technology company, where are you going to find employees with technology skills? Imagine a recession caused by a lack of workers. It is possible there.
The glass is half empty for small towns and rural area. The kids are all leaving for the bigger cities. It is a brain drain. Manufacturing plants will have jobs that go unfilled. Schools will close.
I find little to be happy about when it comes to our nation’s demographics. We better embrace immigration while people still want to come here.”
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 7/2/17 edition
July 2, 2017
A day late, but hopefully, not a pound short.
Can we all agree, we should all be nervous about the administration’s request for voter data from the states and appalled that they don’t seem to understand why state officials are declining the demand?
Can we all agree, as the nation’s fertility rate declines any rational person realizes we need to change our attitude toward immigration?
Can we all agree, the GOP’s latest failure to pass a health care reform bill has left many Americans in the worst possible position – unable to plan for the future?
Can we all agree it’s hard to understand why these opponents of Mr. Trump’s health care plan would agree to this picture? (AP photo)
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has not been any help to Mitch McConnell?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s about face on health care shows his desperation and makes passage even more remote?
Can we all agree most voters don’t really understand ‘CBO scores,’ and don’t really care since they know what the impact of the Republican bill would be?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s needless fight with two cable TV commentators has revealed the alternative universe inside the White House?
Can we all agree, the National Rifle Association’s latest ad campaign should outrage every American as it incites violence, simply to encourage gun ownership?
Can we all agree, anyone who doesn’t think a grandparent constitutes a ‘bona fide’ relationship should ask one?
Can we all agree, next week’s G-20 summit should be quite the show for Mr. Trump, Germany’s Angela Merkel and Russia’s Vladimir Putin?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump is oblivious to the fact that most of the world is laughing at him?
Can we all agree, Hong Kong is at pivotal crossroads as it celebrates 20 years since the British relinquished control?
Can we all agree, each week EPA administrator Scott Pruitt is allowed to stay in office we get closer to environmental disaster?
Can we all agree, Paul Manafort never should have been allowed to run any political campaign?
Can we all agree, it’s not the $2.7 billion fine from the EU that worries Google, but the threat to their business model?
Can we all agree, the NSA, needs to admit they have screwed up and start helping people combat the hacking tools the agency created?
Can we all agree, the newfound friendship between Mr. Trump and Indian Prime Minister Modi will only last as long as Mr. Modi bows to all Mr. Trump’s demands?
Can we all agree, Germany’s rejection of visas for the body-guards/thugs who wanted to accompany Turkey’s dictator on a state visit, suggest the criminal charges brought in the US may have an impact after all?
Can we all agree, the latest report on the rise in sea level caused by increased carbon emissions makes our government’s position on the environment increasingly absurd?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has created his own echo chamber to support his egomaniacal positions?
Can we all agree, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has become a non-entity on the world stage?
Can we all agree, Serena Williams had a near perfect return for John Mcenroe’s sexist serve?
Can we all agree, gun control supporters were left a bit confused this week as the Supreme Court allowed a California law on ammunition to stand but a lower court issued an injunction preventing the law from going into effect?
Can we all agree, no one is looking forward to stricter airport security rules ?
Can we all agree, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences should be congratulated for their bid to diversify their membership, even if it’s a few years late?
and finally:
A good news story about the heroic actions of a major league umpire.
and
An airline story that might restore your faith in the industry.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 6/24/17 edition
June 24, 2017
Can we all agree, Republican senators who have voiced opposition to the new Senate health care plan, sound like they just want something in exchange for their votes?
Can we all agree, Senator McConnell’s plan has nothing to do with what might be best for Americans but everything to do with politics?
Can we all agree taking money from poor people, who don’t vote, and giving it to rich people who do, is not what we should be doing?
The damage to the USS Fitzgerald, where 7 sailors died. (AP photo)
Can we all agree, it’s unbelievable that a week after the collision of a Navy destroyer and a cargo ship cost the lives of 7 sailors, we still have no rational explanation of why it happened?
Can we all agree, the Obama administration’s handling of the Russian attacks on our electoral system, shows that the former President’s trademark caution was a liability?
Can we all agree, by prohibiting video or audio recordings of the daily press briefings the administration has managed to create the impression they are actually running a functioning government? Nice try.
Can we all agree, if California adds many more jurisdictions to the list of states whose policies we don’t like, Golden State public servants may not be attending any out-of-state conventions?
Can we all agree, most other administrations would object to calls from foreign governments trying to close down a news outlet, but Mr. Trump’s silence is pretty deafening?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has once again revealed himself as nothing more than a schoolyard bully when he claimed to have tapes of his meetings with former FBI Director James Comey?
Can we all agree, threats to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller fall in the same category?
Can we all agree, as long as the drip, drip, drip of Russia related headlines continues, Mr. Trump will not be able to move ahead with the rest of his political agenda?
Can we all agree, the American public deserves to know which state election systems were attacked by Russian hackers?
Can we all agree, Attorney General Jeff Session’s decision to hire a private attorney, doesn’t help?
Can we all agree, now that grizzly bears outside of national parks, are being delisted as endangered species, it won’t be long before one of the Trump sons makes headlines for shooting one?
Can we all agree, Democrats, who failed to capitalize on Anti-Trump sentiment in a Georgia election this week, have a lot of work to do if they want to take back the House in 2018?
Can we all agree, their first step might be to get minority leader Nancy Pelosi to step down?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to know what a ‘shake up’ in a totalitarian government, such as Saudi Arabia, really means?
Can we all agree, The Environmental Protection Agency, is no longer an agency that we can count on to protect the environment?
Can we all agree, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, proves every day that he is unqualified for the job he holds?
Can we all agree, the qualifications of the latest round of nominees for federal posts are simply embarrassing? And it doesn’t look like the talent pool will get any deeper, just ask the folks in New York where a wedding planner now heads the housing office.
Can we all agree, we are heading for large scale wars in Syria and Afghanistan?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s housing policy, which seems to involve cutbacks in everything except programs that benefit him, is pretty transparent?
Can we all agree, the Supreme Court’s decision to hear a case on political gerrymandering of congressional districts, may have more significance than anything Congress does in the next year?
Can we all agree, offensive trademarks may be protected as free speech, but they have no place in a civilized society?
Can we all agree, the award for the most awkward moment of the week has to go to Marco Rubio and Ivanka Trump?
Can we all agree, the high school principal who tried to shut down a critical speech by the class valedictorian, probably wishes he hadn’t?
Can we all agree, the forced resignation of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick should be a lesson for every new CEO trying too disrupt the status quo – there are still rules?
Can we all agree, we can hope that Mr. Trump will run out of friendly places to campaign, but Johnny Depp’s suggestion that the President should be assassinated, just invigorates Mr. Trump’s base?
and finally:
American food icon Alice Waters on what the Whole Foods purchase by Amazon could mean for the US food supply.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 6/17/17 edition
June 17, 2017
Can we all agree, we should all applaud the administration’s decision to allow the so-called ‘dreamers’ to stay in the United States without fear of deportation? Unfortunately their parents will still live in fear.
Can we all agree, Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods has nothing to do with organic food but everything to do with competing with Walmart?
Offering prayers at this week’s Congressional baseball game. (Roll Call Photo)
Can we all agree, Senator Mitch McConnell obviously learned a lot from House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was able to get a healthcare bill passed by keeping it secret until the last minute?
Can we all agree, the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller got a lot more serious this week with the news that Mr. Trump may face charges that he impeded a federal investigation in firing FBI director James Comey?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump continues to make his own situation worse with his tweets and rants?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump is governing ‘like the leader of 35% of the country‘?
Can we all agree, it would be nice to think the shooting of a Congressman, practicing for a charity baseball game could bring the political parties together for more than one day, but it’s doubtful given the rhetoric?
Can we all agree, news that Fox News is dropping its trademark “fair and balanced” slogan, has allowed everyone to admit that it was really just a marketing tool and never true?
Can we all agree, the only person who thinks Mr. Trump’s most recent financial statement clarifies anything, is Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree, news that Mr. Trump’s attorney and the Vice President have both hired attorneys could set off hiring frenzy by White House staffers who know Mr. Trump’s lawyer is not defending them?
Can we all agree, Trump supporters would probably not have objected to the revival of Shakespeare’ s Julius Caesar if the lead character was a woman in pant suit?
Can we all agree, the tragic fire in London may be a bigger test for Prime minister Theresa May, than either of the two recent terrorist attacks?
Can we all agree, those of us who are not sailors have a hard time figuring out how two ships can collide 12 miles from shore?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump conveniently forgot to tell his adoring supporters in Miami that the rollback of travel to Cuba could take three years?
Can we all agree, the manslaughter conviction of a young woman, over the carbon monoxide suicide of her boyfriend hung on just three words -“get back in?”
Can we all agree, the acquittal of a Minnesota police officer in the shooting death of a motorist suggests that there will always be some doubt about what really happens when African-American motorists are stopped by police?
Can we all agree, lottery players in Illinois may be the group that forces a state budget compromise when they find out they can no longer buy Powerball and Megamillion tickets?
Can we all agree, the City of Los Angeles deserved to lose a huge gamble this week, when a sanitation worker won a $17.4 million lawsuit against his supervisors who harassed him into disability by falsely claiming he was gay?
Can we all agree, it’s pretty clear there are very few world leaders who have much respect for Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree, it’s pretty clear the lawsuits brought against 12 Turkish body guards accused of assault, when they attacked protesters in New York, is pretty meaningless, since the men are out of the country and probably are not planning a return trip?
Can we all agree, the Senate surprised everyone this week by voting to impose more sanctions on Iran and Russia and restricting the President’s power to make changes?
Can we all agree, Kamala Harris’ standing as a Democratic star of the future was cemented this week by her prosecutorial performance against Attorney General Jeff Sessions?
Can we all agree, Australia finally made the right move by paying $53 million dollars and closing their prison-like facilities holding refugees awaiting approval to enter the country?
Can we all agree, the Democrat’s lawsuit against Mr. Trump didn’t get much press coverage, given the other events of the week, but it could be the key to the eventual release of Mr. Trump’s tax returns?
Can we all agree, despite the Republican’s best effort to lob softball questions, AG Jeff Session’s showed that he is unqualified to be the top law enforcement official in the country?
Can we all agree, it’s tragic that a now brain-damaged American has become a pawn in the egomaniacal three way chess match between former basketball player Dennis Rodman and the leaders of North Korea and the the United States?
Can we all agree, this week’s first full cabinet meeting was a sickening display of orchestrated ego-stroking?
Can we all agree, it was great to see Melania and Baron move into the White House? But the real question is will Mr. Trump let her leave the building?:
and finally this week’s good reads:
Ann Killions column on Warrior coach Steve Kerr’s reaction to his team’s NBA championship.
and
The Washington Post’s Fact Checking video on all Mr. Trump’s flip flops since the day, exactly two years ago, when he came down the escalator at Trump Tower to declare his candidacy.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 6/10/17 edition
June 10, 2017
Can we all agree, if Donald Trump testifies under oath, perjury charges and then impeachment are sure to follow?
Can we all agree, maybe Mr. Trump is right about Mr. Comey – if there’s one thing Mr. Trump knows, it’s how to lie?
Can we all agree Speaker Paul Ryan should be embarrassed by his suggestion that Mr. Trump can be forgiven, because he’s “unfamiliar with political protocol?”
Just two guys, Barack and Justin, having a night out in Montreal.
Can we all agree the talk about obstruction of justice is irrelevant in the impeachment debate, because impeachment has nothing to do with legality, it’s all political?
Can we all agree, the Senate and Mitch McConnell, take a back seat to no one in the chutzpah department, by passing healthcare reform, while most of the nation was watching James Comey testify?
Can we all agree, Theresa May’s loss in the British election really makes you wonder if this was the real point to the ISIS attacks in London and Manchester?
Can we all agree Montana should be very proud that they will soon have a politician with an assault conviction representing them in Congress?
Can we all agree we should learn a lesson from the Mayor of London who simply ignored Mr. Trump’s ridiculous tweets?
Can we all agree the best story of the week is the dinner between President Obama and Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau – just two guys having a night out?
Can we all agree the funniest story of the week was the North Koreans blasting Mr. Trump as an egomaniac?
Can we all agree, the more South Korea tries to placate their neighbor to the north the more bellicose North Korea becomes?
Can we all agree when the President says one thing and the Secretary of State says another, one of them will be ignored, and it probably won’t be the President?
Can we all agree the EPA administrator needs to check his facts on coal jobs created over the last few months?
Can we all agree the House of Representatives should really stop wasting it’s time on legislation that has no chance of passage in the Senate?
Can we all agree as the administration’s poll numbers continue to deteriorate, it should be only a matter of time before the GOP abandons the Trump ship of state? But it doesn’t look that way.
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s infrastructure plan, announced this week, is little more than a reward for contractors who supported him?
Can we all agree, most Americans doubt that Mr. Trump is really the right person to undo the political crises with Qatar that he may have created?
Can we all agree, after this week’s exchange between Mr. Comey and Mr. Trump, it’s hard to imagine that anyone would want to lead the FBI?
Can we all agree most Americans had little reaction to the ISIS attack on Iran, because they, unfortunately, agree with Mr. Trump’s tweet?
Can we all agree The Chinese had it right this week when they welcomed California Governor Jerry Brown and ignored Energy Secretary Rick Perry?
Can we all agree, at least Mr. Trump’s mention of Pittsburgh, PA, gave the city a chance to show the world how much it has changed since its days as a steel town?
Can we all agree, Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s offer to resign, was almost a dream come true for progressives? Which is probably the reason the offer wasn’t accepted.
Can we all agree Uber’s move to fire 20 employees over sexual harassment claims really makes you wonder why anyone would want to work there? Sort of like the White House.
Can we all agree Harvard University’s move to revoke acceptance to students, over their social media activity, is an ominous warning to the millions of immature high schoolers who don’t realize the internet is forever?
Can we all agree the Democratic race for President might make the GOP’s 20-candidate field in 2016 look very small?
Can we all agree the arrest of a private contractor for leaking sensitive documents, could slow the leaks, as sources worry whether journalists will protect their identity?
Can we all agree Republicans support for the administration’s plan to cut 30,000 employees by creating a private corporation, is surprising since it is essentially unraveling the policies of the GOP’s favorite leader, Ronald Reagan?
Can we all agree there might be a glimmer of hope for the GOP, given what’s happening in Kansas?
Can we all agree Megyn Kelly’s interview with Vladimir Putin, just gave him another forum to lie to the world?
and finally:
We should all take a break and head out to see Wonder Woman this weekend.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 6/3/17 edition
June 3, 2017
Can we all agree Donald Trump abandoned the Paris Climate Change Agreement when he appointed Scott Pruitt to head the EPA?
Can we all agree Vladimir Putin essentially admitted this week that Russians interfered in the US election?
Can we all agree the French President had a great comeback to Donald Trump?
The NY Daily News gets it right, again.
Can we all agree, it’s clear Mr. Trump has no factual basis for his decision?
Can we all agree the countries, states and cities who know climate change is already here have just two words for Mr. Trump: Drop dead?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump doesn’t seem to realize his base, which seems happy with climate change, only makes up about 30% of the electorate?
Can we all agree, it doesn’t really matter whether Mr. Trump believes in climate science? But it would be nice to know.
Can we all agree, it’s pretty clear, Mr. Trump’s policies change depending on who he favors? This week it’s Steve Bannon, and not Jared Kushner.
Can we all agree if Joe Biden, at 76, decides to run in 2020, Trump (or Pence) is toast?
Can we all agree China is more than happy to see the United States make itself irrelevant and allow them to become the world leader in yet another category?
Can we all agree we seem to have hit full employment but it does;’t mean much for all the coal miners who still can’t find work?
Can we all agree it’s becoming clearer by the day that the Senate will not pass a healthcare bill any time soon?
Can we all agree if the spouse of a current employee won’t work for you, you might be the toxic workplace?
Can we all agree the GOP seems intent on hiding their own report on CIA torture?
Can we all agree it’s already pretty clear why the White House didn’t want to release their ethics waivers: the forms are a mess?
Can we all agree the term ‘ethics waivers’ seems pretty absurd for a White House with no ethics from day one?
Can we all agree someone needs to tell Devin Nunes, head of the House Intelligence Committee, that no one cares about any subpoenas he issues, because he has no credibility left?
Can we all agree the world may be distracted this week by climate change, and c0vfefe, but by next week, the probe of Russian interference in the US election will be back to center stage, despite Mr. Trump’s continuing claims that it’s all a hoax?
Can we all agree there was some good news on the environment this week when a California court ruled the state could force Monsanto to label products as carcinogens and Exxon-Mobil stockholders forced the energy giant to report on the impact they are having on climate change?
Can we all agree Ohio’s suit against the makers of opioids will have little impact unless others join in?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump doesn’t seem to realize how bad it looks when he tries to curry favor with the Russians by returning two compounds that were seized as punishment just six months ago?
Can we all agree if the government tries to roll back Mr. Obama’s Cuba policy he will be swimming against a very strong tide?
Can we all agree it takes a pretty small person to steal the belongings of a dying man who tried to defend two women against the verbal abuse of a white supremicist?
Can we all agree the government faces an uphill battle trying to convince the Supreme Court that they are likely to win their case for the Mr. Trump’s immigration ban?
Can we all agree comedian Kathy Griffin gave Mr. Trump a huuuuuge present this week, by posing with a mask that appeared to be his severed head?
Can we all agree Congress has done a great job of hiding that fact that they have made a mockery of internet privacy?
Can we all agree the next financial showdown over the debt ceiling will get here sooner than most politicians expected or wanted?
Can we all agree, say what you will about Texas legislators, they sure know how to embarrass themselves?
Can we all agree French President Emmanuel Macron is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with on the world stage? Just ask Mr. Putin.
Can we all agree the only person who had a successful trip to the Middle East and Europe was Melania Trump? Yes, she of the $51,000 jacket.
Can we all agree the military’s successful test of an anti-missile system does not make me, or anyone else in the Bay Area, feel any safer?
And finally:
RIP: Christian Deford’s dad, Frank, Shannon Allman’s husband, Gregg and Mika’s Brzezinski’s dad, Zbigniew ; giants in their fields.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 5/27/17 edition
May 27, 2017
Can we all agree after 8 years of trying to recover from the poor image created by the Bush administration, it only took one visit to Europe from Donald Trump to destroy the nation’s reputation?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s visit to NATO, not only showed his poor understanding of how the alliance works but his childish attitude in elbowing a fellow leader out of the way to get to the front row of a photo op?
Can we all agree the Europeans seem to have changed Mr. Trump’s views on climate change, but it’s doubtful his EPA chief will change course?
Can we all agree trying to make sense of the administration’s policy on immigration gets tougher by the week?
Jack, the graduate (right) and his big brother, Cole, at the post-graduation dinner.
Can we all agree if the Senate and FBI probe of Russian influence is indeed focused on Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump is in deep trouble?
Can we all agree there was no need to discus secret back-channel communications two months before the inauguration?
Can we all agree, by requesting campaign documents it appears some Senate Repblicans may have finally realized they need to push back against Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree, things were pretty quiet when Donald Trump was off twitter and his staff could manage his message?
Can we all agree the victory of Montana’s new GOP representative seems to prove Trump’s claim that he could murder someone in the middle of Midtown and no one would care? Here’s a guy who assaulted a reporter and voters still elected him and the House doesn’t even care.
Can we all agree whatever the Senate comes up with on healthcare reform will have a tough time passing that chamber but an even rougher time in the House?
Can we all agree, it’s probably not a surprise that Hillary Clinton is going after Mr. Trump, but when she’s joined by John Boehner you know the President has a real problem?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s plan to quickly find a new head of the FBI is stymied by his own actions?
Can we all agree any notion that the swamp is being drained should be put to rest when the White House releases the lobbyist waivers it has granted in order to fill government positions?
Can we all agree the swamp is now a water hazard for the Professional Golfers Association?
Can we all agree it would be tough to prove any Russian influence on any president other than Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree Michael Flynn’s decision to fight a congressional subpoena stands in stark contrast to former campaign chief Paul Manafort– although both men will probably face criminal charges?
Can we all agree, the Supreme Court is facing some weighty decisions that will test it’s political independence?
Can we all agree touting an approval rating that is among the lowest of any new President is not smart politics?
Can we all agree the Senate’s newly approved sanctions on Iran may be counter-productive?
Can we all agree the contrast between Mr. Trump’s visit to Europe and that of former President Obama could not be more dramatic?
Can we all agree the budget office report on the GOP health plan was just about what everyone expected? Now the Senate can officially reject it.
Can we all agree, it takes a lot for the press corps to feel sorry for Sean Spicer, but Mr. Trump managed to do it this week when he excluded the devote Catholic from his meeting with The Pope?
Can we all agree The Pope was a master of ‘not-so-subtle’ messaging in his choice of gifts for Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree Sean Hannity is learning the real implications of fake news?
Can we all agree the British response to leaks from the investigation of the Manchester bombing was much milder than what Mr. Trump might have said if the situation was reversed?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s cabinet secretaries, Betsy DeVos, Scott Pruitt and Ben Carson, continue to display an uncommon lack of understanding about what most Americans want?
Can we all agree all sides of the debate seem to agree Mr. Trump’s budget is dead on arrival, but he has managed to frame the debate so we will wind up with the lesser of two evils?
Can we all agree the downgrade of China’s credit rating will do little to affect their position as a center of world commerce?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s contined embrace of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is, in some ways, more troubling than his admiration for Vladimir Putin?
Can we all agree the US may finally pay attention to what’s happening in Turkey, now that an NBA player has been accused of being a terrorist?
Can we all agree no one seems to care that the Carrier jobs Mr. Trump claimed to have saved are now moving to Mexico?
Can we all agree Melania seems to feel that same way about her husband as most Democrats?
And finally:
Two of the more depressing stories of the week for Democrats: one GOP Congressman found support still strong in his district and what Trumpcare might look like based on the problems in Iowa.
And, once again, the deterioration of the nation’s moral fabric was on full display with 2 murders in Oregon and an ugly scene aboard an airplane.
and:
Anyone hoping to make the long romantic drive up Route 1 along the California coast is apparently going to have a long wait.