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™ – 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™ – 5/20/17 edition
May 20, 2017
Can we all agree if there’s one person who should be able to recognize, a nut job it’s Donald Trump? Unfortunately, James Comey is not one.
Can we all agree revelations that the probe into Russian influence in our election, has now reached the White House, is only a surprise to one person?
The President and Melania Trump arrive in Saudi Arabia. (NYT photo)
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s Thursday characterization of the investigation as a ‘witch hunt’ ring a bit hollow this weekend? Especially since it appears he knew Michael Flynn was under investigation before he was appointed to a top White House post.
Can we all agree Robert Mueller’s appointment to lead the Russian influence investigation seems to have bi-partisan support, but is worrying to observers who are more concerned with fact finding than criminal prosecution?
Can we all agree, many Baby Boomers will have a sense of deja vu when Mr. Comey testifies before Congress, as we remember the start of the Watergate hearings, which began this past week in 1973?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s arrival in Saudi Arabia has the nation on edge, as we wait to see how he will embarrass us on the world stage?
Can we all agree, only Mr. Trump can ban Muslims from entering the US and then flip-flop by claiming to be their strongest supporters when he visits their countries?
Can we all agree the victory by ‘moderates’ in the Iranian election proves there may be some semblance of Democracy in that ancient civilization?
Can we all agree Trump has managed, once again, to prove President Obama right, when he signed the nuclear deal with Iran?
Can we all agree instability in Brazil, destabilizes all of South America?
Can we all agree the removal of Confederate statues in New Orleans may mark the end of an era for some, but it’s really only another step along the long road to racial equality?
Can we all agree as soon as the GOP figures out the Trump Presidency cannot be saved they will push to have him removed as soon as possible to avert the disaster that will be the 2018 elections?
Can we all agree the fact that security guards working for a foreign country can attack US citizens exercising their rights to free speech, without a word of condemnation for our own government is unbelievable?
Can we all agree Mr. Comey and Hillary Clinton appear to have at least one thing in common – a desire to avoid a Trump hug?
Can we all agree, news that foreign diplomats are providing special favors to Ivanka Trump in an attempt to reach her father, are exactly why she should not be an advisor?
Can we all agree. internet providers are reacting cautiously to the FCC’s decision to relax net neutrality regulations because they know the rules can be overturned by the next administration?
Can we all agree Emmanuel Macron is disappointing those on the left with his conservative cabinet appointments in France?
Can we all agree the choreographed praise for the late Roger Ailes cannot overcome the more popular characterization of him as a sexual predator responsible for perverting US journalism and giving us Donald Trump?
Can we all agree one response to changes Education Secretary Betsy Devoss seeks, might be to make every public school a charter school?
Can we all agree, news that at least one high-level GOP congressman thinks Trump and one other politician may be on the Putin payroll, should be a major story, but these days its barely a ripple?’
Can we all agree it’s easy to see why Mr. Trump finds such comfort in meeting with foreign dictators since he longs for the kind of power they wield – such as arresting journalists?
Can we all agree, It would be nice to think the EPA will pay attention to the outpouring of public support for enviromentail regulations, but it’s doubtful Scott Pruitt will even care?
Can we all agree the most entertaining story of the week was either Mr. Putin’s offer to supply his own account of the Russian Foreign Minister’s meeting with Mr. Trump or the details of how the session was arranged?
Can we all agree when they write the eventual history of the Trump administration, the last two weeks will be a major focus?
Can we all agree, you know health care is an issue when it reaches the Miss USA Pageant?
Can we all agree the world is eager to believe this week’s cyber- attack on the world’s computers, came from North Korea?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s incompetence is making it possible for North Korea to continue nuclear and missile testing?
And finally:
Can we all agree New York Times writer David Brooks had a great week of columns, including this quote:
“We’ve got this perverse situation in which the vast analytic powers of the entire world are being spent trying to understand a guy whose thoughts are often just six fireflies beeping randomly in a jar.”
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 3/11/17 edition
March 11, 2017
Can we all agree Speaker Paul Ryan’s replacement for the Affordable Care Act is DOA unless he agrees to some changes?
Can we all agree the future of health care in the United States has more to do with politics and tax cuts for the wealthy, than with actually getting people medical care?
Can we all agree, that despite attempts to malign the credibility of the Congressional Budget Office, their estimate of the cost of the new health care program may seal its fate?
Can we all agree most uninsured Americans wish their health care was as easy to purchase as an iPhone?
Wall Street’s newest statue: The Fearless Girl
Can we all agree the ‘Fearless Girl’ statue on Wall Street should become permanent?
Can we all agree job growth numbers suddenly don’t look so phony when you’re in the White House?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump is not going to stop making unsupported accusations about Mr. Obama or anyone else, until he is forced to pay a price, like an impeachment investigation?
Can we all agree Donald Trump deserves criticism for taking credit for economic improvements that really happened during the Obama administration?
Can we all agree, Marines would not have been able to post nude photos of female comrades without the tacit approval of their commanding officers?
Can we all agree the major news of the week might be the GOP’s proposed restrictions on class action lawsuits?
Can we all agree no-one is really surprised that the National Football League forces its players to abuse drugs?
Can we all agree many Republicans show how little they understand the insurance business, when they question why men should pay for pre-natal coverage?
Can we all agree the North Koreans are trying to take advantage of Mr. Trump and the impeachment of the South Korean President?
Can we all agree the Wikileaks revelations about CIA espionage really have no impact on most Americans? No, they are not watching you through your TV: Others might be, but not the CIA.
Can we all agree the new head of the EPA may not believe in climate change but a lawsuit filed by 1o-year-olds may force him to change his attitude?
Can we all agree, the thought of additional US troops on the ground in Syria is exactly what the American public does not want?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s new immigration policy still looks like a ban on Muslims?
Can we all agree separating families when they cross the US border is just mean spirited?
Can we all agree trading the Coast Guard and TSA for a wall on the Mexican border does not make the country safer?
Can we all agree the more Attorney General Jeff Sessions tries too explain away his lies to Congress, the worse he looks?
Can we all agree Ben Carson has no business running a federal department that many minorities count on? Maybe his budget deserves to be cut 14%.
Can we all agree the satirical columns of Andy Borowitz would not be mistaken for real news, if members of the administration did not make such outrageous comments?
Can we all agree the thought of a campaign official being paid by a foreign government would be outrageous for any politician except Donald Trump?
Can we all agree, speaking of fake news, could the GOP media mouthpieces get any more outrageous in their attempts to explain away the Russian connection to the Trump campaign?
Can we all agree the Trump administration’s reaction to the plea by all 100 senators for action on the threats made to Jewish Centers across the country, was deafening in its silence?
Can we all agree it is no longer entertaining to laugh at White House aides trying to defend Mr. Trump’s tweets to TV talk show hosts, or his weekend temper tantrums?
Can we all agree , whether its the Chinese government or the US candy industry, Mr. Trump’s conflicts of interest will keep piling up until someone files a lawsuit and the courts force some action?
And finally this week’s good reads:
The tragic story of two 97-year-old sisters who lost their lives on a cold night in New England.
Plus:
The California drought is over, but anyone who has visited our state and taken the breathtaking drive along Route 1 through Big Sur, should pause to see what the winter storms have done to that area.
CWAA: Can We All Agree ™- 3/4/17 edition
March 4, 2017
Can we all agree even the biggest supporters of Donald Trump are starting to get a bit nervous about the number of contacts between Trump associates and Russia?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s vacation from Twitter, and his attempts to ‘act Presidential,’ only lasted 3 days? He’s obsessed with Mr. Obama and Mr. Schwarznegger.
Can we all agree the best story of the week is the Mountain View, CA school which made a killing when Snapchat went public? Only in Silicon Valley.
Can we all agree our new Interior Secretary knows how to make an entrance?
Can we all agree universities need to figure out a way to insure free speech, even for people with controversial views?
Can we all agree Uber has created a real public relations nightmare for itself, which seems to get worse by the day, and is really a reflection of its CEO?
Can we all agree the advertising phrase ‘He got it at Jared’s’ took on a whole new meaning this week, as the company and it’s sister firm, Kay Jewelers, were accused of encouraging sexual harrassment?
Can we all agree, Oprah Winfrey might make a good president, but I doubt she has the stomach, or ego, for the campaign? Besides would the voters really elect a TV personality…again?
Can we all agree it’s pretty amazing that Vice President Mike Pence thought he could criticize Hillary Clinton for using a private email server, and not think his use of a private server would be discovered?
Can we all agree making Flint Michigan residents pay for water they still cannot drink without a filter is just absurd? Yossarian would be proud.
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s steps to completely gut the EPA and virtually every other agency involved in climate science, have nothing to do with satisfying his base, unless you mean industry donors?
Can we all agree the Russian ambassador must have been the busiest man in Washington, given all the meetings and phone calls, he’s had with the Trump campaign?
Can we all agree the assistant US attorney who will oversee the probe into the Russian contacts, provides some hope that the inquiry might actually be balanced?
Can we all agree the probe shouldn’t be too difficult with both the Trump and Obama administrations trying to help, sort of?
Can we all agree Attorney General Jeff Sessions didn’t have much choice but to recuse himself? It was that or quit after three weeks on the job.
Can we all agree, it won’t be long before someone on trial for perjury cites the AG’s actions as justification for lying?
Can we all agree it’s pretty amazing that California public officials would think that their emails would not be public just because they did not use a government server?
Can we all agree it’s hard to believe that a string of bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the country apparently had more to do with a lover’s quarrel than anti-semitism? You can’t make this up.
Can we all agree the new office of immigrant crime has a decidedly Orwellian ring to it? Kind of like Homeland Security.
Can we all agree Kellyanne Conway finds a way to stay in the news even when she’s barred from TV?
Can we all agree the real message of that Oval Office meeting seems to have gotten lost?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s speech to Congress marked a temporary change in tone but not in policy?
Can we all agree the ‘bad hombre’ immigrants who were taken into custody this week, probably haven’t noticed any policy changes?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s real priorities can be seen in his budget?
Can we all agree his use of a dead Navy Seal, which he declined to accept responsibility for, was simply a cynical ploy? I didn’t see William Owens’s dad watching from the gallery, wonder why?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump can complain all he wants about delays in approving his cabinet nominees, but the process might have gone more smoothly if two had not voluntarily withdrawn?
Can we all agree that when both of the Obama’s books are published they will be instant best sellers?
Can we all agree, it’s a good bet that many golfers don’t even know some of the rules that are being changed?
Can we all agree the new baseball rule changes will do little to speed up the game? How many intentional walks are there in a game, really.
Can we all agree, the North Korean’s seem to have taken a page from the Trump playbook, by proposing alternate facts to explain the death of their leader’s half brother?
Can we all agree it seems likely there might be environmental causes for the rise of colorectal cancer among young people?
Can we all agree the medical community might need to rethink their approach, if they believe new drugs are the way to kill bacteria who have developed resistance to existing drugs?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump has to be the last person to figure out that reforming health care is complicated?
Can we all agree Mr. Trump officially found a way to drain the swamp although it probably wan’t what most of his supporters had in mind?
Can we all agree those of you who are worried about the health of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, might want to try her daily workout?
Can we all agree there will probably be a pretty long list of folks who want to book a ride on the Space X flight around the moon?
Can we all agree the ending to this year’s Oscar broadcast probably brought more viewers to both movies? Too bad the mixup overshadowed Viola Davis’s speech.
Can we all agree the Democrats can do whatever they want to reform their party, but it won’t make any difference if they don’t have a good candidate in 2016?
and finally:
The tragic story of an Ebola fighter who died because medical staffers were afraid to treat her when she suffered complications from child birth.
and RIP Bill Paxton.
CWAA: Can We All Agree – 11/12/16 edition
November 12, 2016
Can we all agree even Donald Trump did not really expect this week’s result?
Can we all agree it’s time to board the Kamala Harris 2020 bandwagon? Maybe she can create the Democratic unity party leaders want.
Can we all agree, no-one is surprised it only took Mr. Trump a few hours to mess up his first job as President-elect?
Can we all agree there is no way to predict what Mr. Trump might do once in office, now that he’s already altering many of the policy proposals he offered while on the campaign trail?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s supporters are going to be disappointed if they think the manufacturing jobs lost over the last 20 years, will be coming back any time soon?
Can we all agree that the exit polls may explain what happened but they don’t explain the why?
Can we all agree that, among other things, the Trump presidency will mean the end of financial reform and any efforts to curb global warming? It’s probably the reason the stock market has hit record highs and lobbyists have been celebrating on K Street, while coral reefs continue to die.
Can we all agree Mr. Trump’s first test on immigration may come with the surge in migrants from Central and South America?
Can we all agree it would appear that the plants are smarter than a good portion of the US voting public? They seem to understand the need to scrub pollutants from the atmosphere.
Can we all agree we’re disappointed to see that the parties in the Trump University lawsuit are negotiating a settlement?
Can we all agree, putting Mike Pence is charge of the transition is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?
Can we all agree that the split in the voting public means that there are probably parts of the United States that President Trump will never be able to visit without continuing protests?
Can we all agree, many people were offended that President Obama used Veterans Day to urge us to come together to support Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree we would expect nothing less than the calls for an open mind from Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton? But one wonders if that’s the kind of concession speech Mr. Trump would have delivered if the roles had been reversed?
Can we all agree that GOP leaders, who say we should accept Mrs. Clinton’s defeat, like they accepted Mitt Romney’s loss 4 years ago, don’t understand the difference between a qualified candidate and a racist, misogynistic liar or the hate that he has spawned?
Can we all agree, the world is in shock, journalists are embarrassed and no-one knows what will happen during a Trump administration?
Can we all agree the best news story this week was the prediction that Mr. Trump will probably be impeached?
Can we all agree the Trump victory has almost buried one of the other major news stories from the election: Marijuana is well on it’s way to becoming legal in the United Stated? If the NFL wants to start using it a tipping point has been reached.
Can we all agree that ISIS has taken advantage of our preoccupation with the election to begin a campaign which includes massacring civilians as they abandon territory in Iraq?
Can we all agree that Leonard Cohen, who died this week, deserved more coverage than he got?
Can we all agree that immigration raids, which have already reached record levels, will be increasing in the coming years – until business lobbyists make their case and Mr. Trump quietly ends the deportation program?
Can we all agree, China’s recent crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, makes you wonder if the city is really governable as a democracy?
Can we all agree there is a certain symmetry to Mr. Trump’s victory and news that the state of New Jersey will take over Atlantic City’s government?
Can we all agree the owners and reporters at Rolling Stone Magazine do not deserve sympathy as they lost the first of several court battles over their poor performance in reporting an alleged rape at the University of Virginia?
Can we all agree we thought the smog in Bejing was bad until we read about the problems in Delhi?
Can we all agree Prince Harry is right to complain about the way the British press has been treating his girlfriend, but we doubt anything will change?
and finally:
Only in San Francisco could one stuck shoe ruin the morning rush hour for thousands of BART commuters.
And my train wreck of the week award goes to football player Colin Kapernick, who created a storm of protest by declining to stand for the National Anthem, to highlight the condition of ‘oppressed people’ and then didn’t even bother to vote.
and:
In honor of Veterans Day I’m reposting my story on my Dad, who would not believe his sacrifice has led to a Donald Trump White House. Dad’s story
CWAA: Can We All Agree – 6/25/16 edition
June 25, 2016
Can we all agree, the long term impact of the Brexit vote is probably somewhere between the doom and gloom of the economists and the euphoric reaction of Donald Trump?
Can we all agree that only Mr. Trump could put it in context by telling us how good it will be for his Scottish golf course?
Can we all agree with the members of the major EU members: If the separation must happen it should be done quickly?
Can we all agree that it probably won’t have much impact on the election in the United States? There’s a big difference between leaving a political union and electing a racist egomaniac – more likely it will serve as a warning to Americans.
Bedlam in the US House. (AP photo)
Can we all agree House Speaker Paul Ryan is probably wondering what he has to do toy get some headlines for any of his GOP platform plans?
Can we all agree the Democrat’s sit-in was the best social media event of the political season?
Can we all agree the Democrats may not have won any votes on gun control measures but they have succeeded in framing the conversation and putting pressure on the GOP?
Can we all agree that Connecticut’s law limiting gun possession may become the template for other states now that the Supreme Court has upheld it?
Can we all agree the battle over California’s gun-control ballot measure will add some interest to the fall election?
Can we all agree this week’s New Yorker article may be the definitive look at guns in America? And if you don’t have time to read it catch Terry Gross’s interview with the author.
Can we all agree that George Lucas will have to make some changes in his approach if he wants to build a museum for his Star Wars art? Two cities have now rejected his initial plans.
Can we all agree the last thing the Brazil Olympics needed was a suspension of their drug testing laboratory?
Can we all agree it seems the list of athletes who will not be going to the Rio Olympics may be longer the list of who will be attending?
Can we all agree The GOP glee over the Supreme Court’s non-decision on the President’s immigration plan will be short lived if it costs them the Senate and the Presidency this fall?
Can we all agree that Bernie Sanders has pretty much lost all the leverage he thought he had over Hillary Clinton and the platform committee?
Can we all agree VW’s rumored $10b settlement with owners of diesel cars may be a bargain if it at least puts the issue to bed?
Can we all agree the wildfire burning east of Los Angeles could be the most serious fire no-one is paying attention to?
Can we all agree the owners of Justin Wines may have done everything growers should not do when they want to expand their vineyards?
Can we all agree it’s good to know the Marines finally got it right when they tracked down the real participants in the famous flag raising photo of Iwo Jima?
Can we all agree that, as far as the Baltimore police are concerned, a ‘not guilty’ verdict does not mean the officers did not bear some responsibility for what happened to Freddie Gray.
Can we all agree we’re not sure what the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action really means?
Can we all agree the pilots of the plane which rescued two ill workers from the South Pole are worthy heroes of the week?
Can we all agree it will take public pressure to regulate the fracking industry now that the Supreme Court has delayed the EPA plan to regulate the use of public lands?
Can we all agree that, while it’s hard to believe, Mr. Trump hit a new low this week in his pandering speech to Evangelicals ?
Can we all agree that the closing of the investigation into the 1964 murder of three Civil Rights workers is a sad end to an embarrassing chapter of American History?
Lebron James: NBA finals MVP but he won’t be going to Rio Olympics.
Can we all agree most of us never dreamed we would hear that the energy produced by California’s sooner-to-be-closed Diablo Canyon Nuclear plant could be replaced by alternative energy sources?
Can we all agree LeBron James deserved the MVP trophy in this year’s NBA finals series?
Can we all agree the USGA deserves all the scorn they have received for their mind-boggling decision in last weekend’s US Open Championship?
Can we all agree that Hillary Clinton is learning what GOP rivals learned the hard way: No matter what you say or do it’s difficult to keep Mr. Trump out of the headlines even if it’s because of lies, bizarre interviews or incompetence?
Can we all agree that Venezuela should now be considered a failed state?
and finally:
Can we all agree the courage of the rape victim in this story is remarkable?
CWAA: Can We All Agree – 6/18/16 edition
June 18, 2016
Can we all agree, banning the Russian track team from the Olympics in Rio was the right thing to do, but it could makes the games less compelling to watch?
Can we all agree the last thing Brazil needed was a state of emergency declaration for the state hosting the Games – even if they claim all their financial commitments for the Games are fulfilled?
Vice President Joe Biden and President Obama leave the Orlando memorial to victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting (Reuters Photo)
Can we all agree the Mayor of Oakland, CA never imagined she would be looking for her fourth police chief in less than 2 weeks? What a mess.
Can we all agree the tragedy in Orlando sounds more like a hate crime against the LGBT community, than a terrorist attack?
Can we all agree that this Baptist minister in Sacramento deserves a special place in hell for his comments?
Can we all agree, that the murder of a member of England’s Parliament, sounds more like the work or a deranged citizen than a political statement in the battle over EU membership?
Can we all agree the head of the Boston University School of Public Health needs to attend some freedom of speech lectures in the BU law school for rescinding an invitation to Bennet Omalu (the concussion doctor) because of comments he made about the University?
Can we all agree it’s nice to get good news from Iraq, for a change?
Can we all agree when 50 diplomats, possibly including the current Secretary of State, call on the President to change course in Syria, maybe it’s time to rethink our strategy?
Can we all agree that 149 days before our general election, the Orlando murders and the comments by Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton may mark the turning point in this political cycle?
Can we all agree the actions by two Connecticut politicians at least helped restore some faith in our system? Not much, but a little?
Can we all agree the tide might have begun to shift, ever so slightly, against the NRA?
Can we all agree it’s good to have the AMA on your side in a gun battle with Wayne LaPierre?
Can we all agree the GOP convention in Cleveland has now taken center stage as political theater this summer?
Can we all agree Bernie Sanders wasted all his political capital and has become Mr. Irrelevant in the Democratic Party?
Can we all agree that it is it comforting to know hot beverages and not hot coffee that might cause cancer? Ice coffee for everyone!
Can we all agree that Marco Rubio is showing his true colors as he decides to re-enter the race for a position (The Senate) that he disdained just weeks ago?
Can we all agree that Disney’s ‘No swimming’ signs were inadequate as a way to explain to folks from Nebraska, that there were alligators in the water behind their resort?
Can we all agree the Baltimore Aquarium may be starting a trend by getting rid of their dolphin exhibit and reacclimating the animals to the wild?
Can we all agree Mr. Obama really hit the nail on the head when he answered comments made by Mr. Trump and the GOP?
Can we all agree that with everything else going on this week we may have missed two major stories when the Supreme Court essentially ruled that internet access was a utility and could be regulated by the FCC and the EPA could regulate emissions?
Can we all agree that we are dumbfounded that two Russian agencies felt it was necessary to hack into the DNC computers to get dirt on Donald Trump? All they needed to do was read a newspaper.
and finally:
Can we all agree the best thing on the internet this week was the graduation speech of an Illinois eighth grader who entertained the crowd with imitations of Trump, Clinton, Cruz, Obama and Sanders? It’s worth watching for all nine minutes.
CWAA: Can We All Agree – 1/23/16 edition
January 23, 2016
Can we all agree that Sarah Palin’s injection into the GOP presidential race, raises the absurdity quotient to unimaginable heights? The happiest folks are the late night talk show hosts and comedians worldwide.
NYDN front page
Can we all agree that until Ms Palin’s speech, Mr. Trump’s performance at Liberty University was the week’s biggest head-scratcher, narrowly edging out the British parliament’s debate over banning Trump?
Can we all agree that her endorsement speech might be the the most illogical batch of nonsense ever uttered during a political campaign – at least until she gives her next speech?
Can we all agree that Michael Bloomberg’s reported interest in running for president as an independent, throws a monkey wrench into everything? Wait, isn’t this the year of the monkey coming up?
Can we all agree there is enough blame for everyone in the Flint water crises but the Michigan governor and the EPA deserve special mention?
Can we all agree that the Academy of Motion Pictures had to do something about their overwhelmingly older white male voting base?
Can we all agree that after three weeks of rain, it’s nice to know we might be making a dent in the California drought?
Can we all agree that no-one is surprised that Mr. Putin may have known about the poisoning of a former agent who had defected to England? The number of political adversaries who have mysteriously disappeared makes his tactics pretty obvious.
Can we all agree that if scientists confirm the existence of a new planet the name has to begin with a “P” so we can get back to the old sentence we all learned, to remember the names of the celestial bodies circling our sun?
Can we all agree that it will probably be just about a year before we have a new winner in the ‘hottest year’ competition?
Can we all agree that the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the challenge to the President’s immigration plan, insures that the topic will be front and center right through the November election?
Can we all agree that we have lost another major talent with the death of Glenn Frey?
Can we all agree that last week’s Democratic debate may have been a Sanders victory, but most non-GOP voters are interested in backing someone who might actually win?
Can we all agree that Delaware North Corporation deserves all the scorn they are getting for demanding $51 million for the naming right to the Ahwahnee Lodge and other landmarks in Yosemite National Park?
Can we all agree that it will be a welcome day when media outlets can stop proclaiming he ‘first women’ being elected to lead a country? Taiwan elected a woman and the sky did not fall, the next day.
Can we all agree that the lifting of the sanctions against Iran and allowing that nation to participate in world politics will help ease world tensions in the long run?
Can we all agree, speaking of planets, it’s probably worth an early morning walk to see the five planets that all be visible from earth (below) simultaneously?
Where to look for planets about an hour before sunrise.