#CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 4/29/18 edition
April 29, 2018
Can we all agree, if the historic meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea solve the major issues on the peninsula, there will be little need for a summit with the United States? Maybe that’s Kim Jong-Un’s end game.
Can we all agree, the annual Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, is really just one big inside joke, that has little relevance to the average American?
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince Louis. How can she look this good? (AP Photo)
Can we all agree, until Mr. Trump decides to end his 2016 campaign and actually govern, there is little hope he will help Republicans in the 2018 mid-term elections?
Can we all agree, by using a public genealogy site to track a killer, police in California have given all of us second thoughts about searching our family history?
Can we all agree, Bill Cosby’s conviction, is just the beginning of the impact the #Metoo movement will have on American society?
Can we all agree, ICE agents can claim they are just doing their jobs, but arresting Americans and tearing families apart is not what this country is all about?
Can we all agree, firing the House Chaplain, because he represents the poor and oppressed, exposes Speaker Paul Ryan for who he really is – a cruel ideologue?
Can we all agree, The White House wants us to think, the nomination of Ronny Jackson to head the Veterans Administration, was derailed by a single senator even though it knows the pill-pushing alcoholic sycophant never should have been nominated?
Can we all agree, Kanye West and Donald Trump deserve each other?
Can we all agree, EPA chief Scott Pruitt’s testimony on Capitol Hill comes straight from the Trump playbook – deny everything and claim a conspiracy?
Can we all agree, while there is no chance the bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller will ever get a hearing, the bipartisan committee vote approving the measure, is a warning to The President and a rebuke to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell?
Can we all agree, in a normal news week, say two years ago, Ford’s decision to end production of sedans, would be cause for major headlines and hand-wringing about what’s wrong in Detroit?
Can we all agree, ending public access to complaints filed with the Consumer Protection Bureau undermines the agency’s purpose?
Can we all agree, Housing Secretary Ben Carson’s plan to reduce housing subsidies for the poor, really makes you wonder if he really grew up in a housing project, as he claims?
Can we all agree, French President Emmanuel Macron won the PR battle with Donald Trump, with his pointed criticism of the administration during his speech to Congress?
Can we all agree, German President Angela Merkel wouldn’t put up with the false friendship pantomime of Trump and Macron, so her pointed message barely registered with the public?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump knows that the case against his former lawyer Michael Cohen, could pose the biggest threat to his administration, but he’s having trouble distancing himself from his former ‘fixer’?
Can we all agree, Fox TV has become the PR department for the White House?
Can we all agree, there is probably a Las Vegas betting line on how long it will take before Mr.Trump undermines a statement from new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo?
Can we all agree, the new history of lynching museum will help the nation confront its past?
Can we all agree, Budget Director and Former Congressman Mick Mulvaney, admitted what we all knew – money buys access and power in Washington?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump wants a new deal with Iran, but it’s clear the world will just move on without him?
Can we all agree, Facebook’s new rules, will make no difference to most of us and we’ll continue to let the tech company gather and sell our data?
Can we all agree, the EPA’s ‘transparency rules’ are designed to be just the opposite?
Can we all agree, Armenia’s path to Democracy is heartening, but don’t look for a repetition in other authoritarian countries?
Can we all agree, the GOP may have won an election this week, but a 5 point margin in a district Mr. Trump won by 20 points 18 months ago, is not good news for the Republicans?
Can we all agree, we are amazed that a woman who just had a baby can look this good as she leaves the hospital?
Can we all agree we all want to see more heroes who claim they were doing ‘what anyone else would do’?
and finally:
If Latinos are hired as border agents, will it help humanize the department?
#CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 4/14/18 edition
April 14, 2018
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump will have a tough time convincing Americans that his missile attack on Syria was anything more than an attempt to distract attention from his troubles at home?
Can we all agree, the investigation of New York attorney Michael Cohen, could ensnare more people than the Russian investigation? Even Mr. Trump seems to agree.
Missiles in Syria
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s unhinged reaction to the Cohen investigation suggests he knows what’s coming?
Can we all agree, the war of words between former FBI director James Comey and Mr. Trump, favors Comey, if only because he knows more words?
Can we all agree, anyone who has raised children, knows Paul Ryan is lying when he says he’s leaving Congress to spend more time with his teenage children?
Can we all agree, Special Counsel Robert Mueller is probably happy to have the focus off his probe of the White House and on New York prosecutors – even for just a day or two?
Can we all agree, Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance before Congress proved one thing, elected officials have no idea how technology works?
Can we all agree, the legal pot industry can finally exhale, now that the administration has agreed not to prosecute marijuana users in states where it is legal?
Can we all agree, journalism is under assault from multiple forces determined to push a conservative agenda?
Can we all agree, the courts must continue to protect sanctuary states from the administration’s the vindictive policies?
Can we all agree, there was so much other news this week, no one noticed the continuing flood of ethical issues enveloping EPA chief Scott Pruitt?
Can we all agree, the decision to reconsider the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement, leaves no doubt Mr. Trump’s ‘policy decisions’ are based solely on his ever changing mood?
Can we all agree, the same could be said for his pardoning of Scooter Libby and his investigation into Postal Service contracts?
Can we all agree, whoever thought giving teachers small baseball bats, even as a symbol of defiance, really has no understanding of the mood in our schools after the Parkland tragedy?
Can we all agree, it’s comforting to see The Pope admit that he made a mistake in the Chilean sex abuse scandal?
Can we all agree, it won’t be long before climate science deniers find a way to put a positive spin on reduced ocean circulation?
Can we all agree, after years of railing against budget deficits, it’s pretty clear the GOP legacy will be trillion dollar deficits for years to come?
Can we all agree, no one is optimistic about the administration’s ability to negotiate with North Korea?
Can we all agree, as long as the White House zigzags from one policy crises to the next, there will be no coherent GOP message for their candidates in 2018 and Democrats will benefit?
Can we all agree, it’s ironic that this administration might be toppled by a former porn star and not Special Counsel Robert Mueller?
Can we all agree, travelers to LAX should be cheered by news that an elevated train system is planned to move visitors around the airport?
Can we all agree, the Governor of Missouri needs to resign?
Can we all agree, Budget Director Mick Mulvaney may not has wrecked the consumer watchdog agency, but it’s not because he hasn’t tried?
Can we all agree, there has never been a more unpopular winner of the Masters golf championship?
Can we all agree, the San Francisco 49ers’ response to the domestic violence charges against a player, was shocking – even in the misogynistic world of the NFL?
and finally:
If you attended a March for Our Lives protest, you participated in the third largest demonstration since Mr. Trump took office.
#CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 4/7/18 edition
April 7, 2018
Can we all agree, despite verbal support from Mr. Trump, it sure looks like EPA chief Scott Pruitt has made some powerful enemies, who want him fired from his post?
Can we all agree, Facebook can make some changes, but it will never be able to satisfy critics since it’s business plan is based on selling our personal data?
EPA chief Scott Pruitt, will he be pushed out next? (NYT photo)
Can we all agree, China has the upper hand in any trade war with the US since they don’t have to worry about elections, public opinion and a stock market crash?
Can we all agree, the trade war with China will hurt Trump voters the most?
Can we all agree, Sinclair Broadcasting’s insistence that ‘must run’ segments sent to their stations are ‘non-political,’ doesn’t pass the smell test?
Can we all agree, it doesn’t look like the GOP tax cuts will be giving the Republicans much of a boost as long as Mr. Trump’s approval rating remains at record lows?
Can we all agree, even Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker seems worried that a blue wave will sweep the country this November?
Can we all agree, putting the National Guard on the border with Mexico, just underlines the fact that the immigration service cannot find enough people to patrol the border?
Can we all agree, bringing a loaded gun to a meeting with constituents is just asking for trouble, especially if you are a Congressman?
Can we all agree, it wasn’t a good week for former world leaders: ex-presidents in Brazil and South Korea are facing long jail sentences?
Can we all agree, Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the US have probably already figured out a way around the new regulations?
Can we all agree, even Trump supporters don’t believe that he didn’t know about the settlement his attorney set up with Stormy Daniels?
Can we all agree, anyone planning to visit a National Park should celebrate the government’s decision not to substantially increase entrance fees?
Can we all agree, after reading the terms of his settlements of the sexual harassment complaints, it’s pretty clear former Fox TV host Bill O’Reilly is just a disgusting human being?
Can we all agree, Kentucky taxpayers have every right to be upset that lawmakers hiked taxes on almost 95% of the state’s residents, but gave the richest 5% a tax break?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s head-scratching reversal on Syria, is just one more example of the chaotic state of US foreign policy?
Can we all agree, supporting US businesses used to be the President’s job, but it appears no one told Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree, despite reports to the contrary, no one believes The President isn’t the main focus of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation?
Can we all agree, imposing quotas on immigration judges, might speed up processing, but it will probably leave justice as roadkill?
Can we all agree, most of us would be pretty happy with an offer of a single college scholarship – getting 20 is pretty remarkable?
Can we all agree, inviting Vladimir Putin to the White House, while you are being investigated for colluding with the Russians, defies all political logic?
Can we all agree, there will be more teacher walkouts across the country?
and finally:
How the SF Ballet gave one young girl from Puerto Rico a chance to achieve her dreams.
I may not agree with Chris Christie on many things but he summed up my view of Scott Pruitt pretty well when he told ABC News: “I don’t know how you survive this one, and if he has to go, it’s because he never should have been there in the first place.”
#CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 3/31/18 edition
March 31, 2018
Can we all agree, despite a ‘major’ policy speech, one cabinet change, heightened tensions with Russia and a continuing stream of untrue tweets this seemed like a vacation week in the news business?
Can we all agree, it’s unlikely that, if Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg appears before Congress, he will be able to improve his firm’s image?
Can we all agree, the most useful Facebook related stories have been those explaining how to access your own data and detailing how to delete your account?
Can we all agree, the most frightening story of the week is the ransomware attack that continues to paralyze the city of Atlanta?
Can we all agree, the courts will have the final say on whether citizenship is an appropriate non-political question for the 2020 census?
Can we all agree, the anti-semitism that lives in Europe, has a strong following in this country?
Can we all agree, we are headed for an educational crises, unless we start to pay teachers a living wage?
Can we all agree, the students from Parkland, Florida have brought out the worst in politicians, such as Rick Santorum, and commentators, such as Laura Ingraham?
Can we all agree, one of the more powerful moments in last weekend’s anti-gun rallies was the more than 6 minutes of silence led by Parkland student Emma Gonzalez?
Can we all agree, Malala Yousafzai’s’s return home to Pakistan, and Slovakia’s rejection of authoritarianism gives the world hope that change is possible?
Can we all agree, TV executives will not be the only ones watching to see if Rosanne’s TV show can maintain it’s appeal after the first few episodes?
Can we all agree, the anti-science approach of the EPA, will not serve them well, when they have to justify to the courts, why they are repealing fuel economy standards?
Can we all agree the EPA ‘talking points’ on climate change have no basis in fact?
Can we all agree, cancer warning labels on coffee are not the big issue being decided in a California courtroom: It’s the potential financial penalties?
Can we all agree, President Trump had no factual basis for his attack on Amazon? He’s just upset at Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post.
Can we all agree, it seems likely that the courts will bail out the politicians and prevent the government from deporting the so called ‘Dreamers.’
Can we all agree, European leaders were probably shocked when Mr. Trump went along with their plan to expel Russian diplomats over the poisoning of a Russian citizen in England?
Can we all agree, it’s pretty clear the President feels rewarding his doctor for lying to the American people, is more important than picking a competent administrator to run the Veterans Administration?
Can we all agree, offering pardons to targets in the Special Counsel’s investigation, is patently illegal, and suggests the President is really having trouble building a competent legal team?
Can we all agree, given Mr. Trump’s pension for tweeting, it is odd that he has said nothing about Stormy Daniels?
Can we all agree, it’s possible Mr. Trump’s businesses will be his undoing?
Can we all agree, the Parkland students have succeeded in putting pressure on GOP politicians and have now gotten a second Republican governor to sign restrictions on gun purchases?
Can we all agree, the secret summit between the leaders of China and North Korea suggests the US can easily be out maneuvered in their upcoming negotiations?
Can we all agree, even science says that something can be done about gun violence?
Can we all agree, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, doesn’t seem to understand that perception is reality when it comes to ethics?
Can we all agree, American’s reaction to the Parkland, FL shooting, and the death of a black man in Sacramento, CA show the racial divide that continues to exist in this country?
Can we all agree, even Trump supporters are tired of the President’s meandering, off-topic, stream of consciousness speeches?
Can we all agree, rumors that Paul Ryan plans to resign as House Speaker, are just wishful thinking by GOP conservatives?
and finally:
This beer league goalie lived every fan’s dream: 14 minutes (and 1 second) of fame.
#CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 3/24/18 edition
March 24, 2018
Can we all agree, today’s protests against gun violence in schools are already creating some change: the DOJ will ban bump stocks the new budget bill allows research on gun violence and Citigroup is taking a stance on guns?
Can we all agree, when President Trump threatened to veto (and then signed) the last minute budget deal, it was just to keep the focus on him? He lost the battle – he really didn’t have any choice – Congress had left town.
‘March for Our Lives’ protestors in Washington DC, Saturday (NYT photo)
Can we all agree, the Saudi Crown Prince get what he wanted in his visit to the US – positive PR and billions in new weapons?
Can we all agree, the administration’s efforts to curb nutritional labeling, as part of NAFTA negotiations, does not bode well for the continuing obesity epidemic in the US?
Can we all agree, the widening plastic garbage patch in the Pacific, should alarm us all, but since we don’t see it every day, or even while we’re 0n vacation in Hawaii, everyone ignores it?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s ‘edict’ on transgender troops is so confusing it is really meaningless?
Can we all agree, anyone who is shocked that Facebook, whose business plan is based on selling personal information, was used by political campaigns, is just naive?
Can we all agree, anyone who thinks there will be substantive changes to the Facebook business model, is just fooling themselves? Even if you mange to delete your account.
Can we all agree, we will all get to judge, whether the driverless car was at fault in the fatal traffic accident in Arizona?
Can we all agree, the verbal war of words between Mr. Trump and Joe Biden would be hilarious, if they were just schoolyard antagonists, but, like everything else, it has no place in politics?
Can we all agree, we can try to ignore the latest staff changes at the White House, but the elevation of John Bolton, the architect of the war in Iraq, is truly frightening?
Can we all agree, Sacramento protestors, need to keep the pressure on police to explain how an unarmed man, carrying a cellphone, can be shot 20 times in bis own back yard?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s trade war with China will turn out to be just a lot of hot air, just like his tariff’s on steel and aluminum?
Can we all agree, changing lawyers will not help Mr. Trump’s defense against Special Counsel Robert Mueller?
Can we all agree, aides might think the President was ignoring warnings not to congratulate Vladimir Putin, but they should know, he is incapable of reading anything in his briefing books?
Can we all agree, it’s unfortunate that the heroic action of a resource officer in a Maryland school, will now be politicized in our gun debate?
Can we all agree, we are all numb to new revelations of Trump trysts, but they make for great TV?
Can we all agree, it would be easy to discount another celebrity running for office, but we already made that mistake more than once?
Can we all agree, seeing Tiger Woods on a PGA leaderboard,will invigorate the sport – at least until he retires to the senior tour?
Can we all agree, Saturday Night Live remains must-see TV for political junkies?
Can we all agree, getting tough on drug dealers will not solve an opioid epidemic that starts in doctor’s offices?
Can we all agree, throwing your wife under the bus, to defend your poor judgement, like HUD Secretary Ben Carson did this week, is not the way to foster a great marriage?
Can we all agree, no one can really figure out if Cambridge Analytics even knew what to do with all the data they stole from Facebook?
The Pacific garbage patch
Can we all agree, even $10,000 travel vouchers , will not improve United Airlines image?
Can we all agree, the least we should expect from the White House are press releases without misspellings and typos? But I guess that’s too much to ask of this administration.
Can we all agree, The Pope seems to having a tough month, almost as bad as the former president of Peru?
Can we all agree, the 2018 campaign for Congress has not even hit full steam and the 2020 campaign for President has already started in New Hampshire?
and finally:
If you are over 40, IBM is no longer the right place for you.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 1/20/18 edition
January 20, 2018
Can we all agree, the last thing The President and GOP wanted to see was the headline – “Government shuts down on anniversary of Trump inauguration.”
Can we all agree, as much as the GOP would like to label this the ‘Schumer Shutdown,’ it is really the ‘sh…thole shutdown’ as Republicans embrace the President’s racist comments on immigration?
Can we all agree, it is unfortunate that today’s women’s marches around the country will get second billing to the government shutdown?
Protesters in New York today. (NYT photo)
Can we all agree, there is more than enough blame on both sides, but the GOP will shoulder most of the responsibility since they control the Presidency and both legislative branches?
Can we all agree, the Pentagon’s decision to ignore climate change flies in the face of good sense and the facts?
Can we all agree, by declaring Mr. Trump healthy, the White House doctor has chosen his paycheck over his reputation?
Can we all agree, the President’s doctor is is just the latest in a long line of politicians who have decided that lying for Mr. Trump is the only way to survive?
Can we all agree, for any other President, stories of an affaire with a porn star, three months after your son was born, would prove disastrous?
Can we all agree, no one believes Mr. Trump’s performance on the mental health screening exam says anything about whether he is a danger to the country?
Can we all agree, the nation is more concerned about the flu epidemic than the government shutdown?
Can we all agree, the White House has no idea how to respond to the Olympic detente between the two Koreas?
Can we all agree, the International Olympic Committee has made a mockery of its ban on Russian athletes?
Can we all agree, Former FBI director James Comey, must have chosen the name for the course he will now teach at the College of William and Mary?
Can we all agree, the immigration service’s planned raids of California businesses will add another black eye their already well earned reputation for callousness?
Can we all agree, it’s the same level of enmity shown by the Justice Department’s decision to bypass appeals courts and ask the Supreme Court to dismantle President Obama’s DACA order?
Can we all agree, White House Chief of staff John Kelly seems to be the only man who can tell the truth and keep his job?
Can we all agree, Apple’s decision to reinvest foreign capital in this country is a direct result of the President’s criticism, but you have to wonder if Amazon will choose Toronto for a new headquarters just to annoy Mr. Trump?
Can we all agree, asking Facebook users to rate news sites will be useless in stopping fake news stories?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to read the stories of the 12 California children held captive by their own parents without wondering how no one noticed anything was wrong?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to believe Mr. Trump has only been in office for one year?
Can we all agree, the Pope is having a tough time on his trip to South America?
Can we all agree, the heinous crimes of former Olympic doctor Larry Nassar have not received enough coverage?
Can we all agree, it’s hard to rationalize leaving illegal congressional districts in place, because it would be inconvenient to redraw them before the next election?
Can we all agree, Republican National Committee’s “Fake News’ awards, just call attention to the over 2,000 lies and misstatements of the President during his first year in office?
Can we all agree, The House inquiry into Russian interference in our elections is now being used by the GOP to simply punish Mr. Trump’s enemies?
Can we all agree, Senators Jeff Flake and John McCain sound a lot like Democrats as they blast the President?
Can we all agree, blaming the opioid crises on the expansion of Medicare can only occur if you ignore the facts?
Can we all agree, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, doesn’t care that his advisory panel quit?
Can we all agree, it’s 10 months until the mid-term elections, but the GOP just has to look at early election returns too see what’s coming?
Can we all agree, The President doesn’t even appear care about paying tribute to Martin Luther King?
Can we all agree, the fake missile alert in Hawaii shows what a fine line we tread between war and peace?
and finally:
Would you be this calm calling 9-1-1 with a truck crushing your legs?
R.I.P. Keith Jackson the voice of college sports for a generation.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 1/13/18 edition
January 13, 2018
Can we all agree, we should all be talking about the terrible loss of life in the California mudslides, rather than the uneducated rants of our President?
Can we all agree, it’s rather remarkable that over 60 people have died in California from fires and mudslides and we have heard very little from the highest levels of government? That would not be the case if we were a red state.
Can we all agree, there is no excuse for Mr. Trump’s racist language, period.
Can we all agree, no one wants to listen to a president who speaks like he was in a bar. And no, he’s not just saying what everyone was thinking?
Mudslides in Montecito, CA (LA Times photo)
Can we all agree, those who do not condemn his language deserve just as much criticism? Words matter.
Can we all agree, after 17 years, there is no reason to kick out Salvadoran immigrants unless you are just trying to alienate all Latino-Americans?
Can we all agree, Thursday was a rather remarkable day, even for this administration?
Can we all agree, that what was lost in all the talk about ‘shit hole countries’ was the fate of immigrants already in this country and millions more who still see us as the land of opportunity?
Can we all agree, it’s remarkable that the public would doubt the word of a respected physician, because he was forced to give the Prsident a routine physical?
Can we all agree, the cynics among us are probably surprised the taxpayers have only paid $300,000 to settle congressional harassment complaints over the last 14 years?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump can set all the deadlines he wants for Iran, but he will continue to extend the Obama Administrations nuclear deal?
Can we all agree, as soon as the Winter Olympics are over, the war of words between the US and North Korea will resume, despite what the President thinks about his relationship with Kim Jong Un?
Can we all agree, we’re not surprised Mr. Trump had an affaire with a porn star, we’re surprised he paid to have it covered up?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump should have paid to have the Russian dossier hidden?
Can we all agree, Facebook’s new news feed changes are just a return to what we all thought it was supposed to be doing anyway?
Can we all agree, mental health professionals who say they cannot offer a diagnosis of the President are just worried about lawsuits? But the issue will not go away for the foreseeable future?
Can we all agree, the President’s excuse for canceling his trip to London is, well, trumped up?
Can we all agree, the Democrats on Capitol Hill are finally starting to push back against the GOP stalling tactics. in the investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties with Russia?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump doesn’t seem to realize he has no choice, if special Counsel Robert Mueller wants to talk with him?
Can we all agree, the highlight of Monday’s college football national championship game was Mr. Trump’s non-singing of the national anthem?
Can we all agree, granting Julian Assange Ecuadorean citizenship, probably isn’t going to end his stay at that country’s London embassy?
Can we all agree, no one is going to trust a government application to make sure the right amount of taxes are withheld from their paycheck?
Can we all agree, Trump doesn’t seem to realize his erratic behavior is losing the support of the folks who put him in office?
Can we all agree, the US ambassador to The Netherlands is probably hoping his boss hasn’t noticed what a poor job he’s been doing?
Can we all agree, Walmart did a masterful job in diverting attention from their store closings, by announcing a pay raise at the same time?
Can we all agree, if the Attorney General is spending all his time just trying to please his President, he’s probably not doing a very good job?
Can we all agree, we should not have a former drug company executive running the Department of Health and Human Services?
Can we all agree, Trump has nothing to gain and everything to lose by traveling to Davos Switzerland to hang out with a lot of folks who are much smarter than he is?
Can we all agree, GOP House members look like they are deserting a sinking ship as they retire from Congress? Good thing Joe Arpaio, and his criminal record, are running for Senate.
Can we all agree, requiring medicare recipients to work to receive benefits. plays into GOP beliefs that recipients are lazy, but it will have little impact?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump’s endorsement of earmarks, proves he has no intention of draining any swamps?
Can we all agree, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu now has something else in common with Mr. Trump: an immature, self indulgent son?
Can we all agree, by excluding Florida from the off-shore oil drilling plans, Mr. Trump has effectively killed his whole proposal?
Can we all agree the nuclear and coal industries will not be revived in this, or any other, administration?
Can we all agree Oprah Winfrey’s week had a spectacular high at the Golden Globes and a tragic low as her home was inundated by mud, but it was great week if you are a candidate for President?
Can we all agree, Tonya Harding does not deserve an apology from anyone?
and finally:
If you’ve been wondering why the ‘Do Not Call’ list doesn’t work, here’s your answer.
and
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 12/30/17 edition
December 30, 2017
Can we all agree, it must be frustrating, trying to send a consistent message when Mr. Trump is accessible to anyone dining at his resort or the boss invites a reporter over for an impromptu interview? They would probably rather he stick to golf.
Can we all agree the White House seems to know 2018 will be a disaster for Trump and the GOP?
Three months after Hurricane Maria, half of Puerto Rico is still without power, but few seem to care. (NYT photo)
Can we all agree, it won’t be long before Mr. Trump tries to take credit for the drop in the New York City crime rate or the decrease in Chicago homicides in 2017?
Can we all agree, no one, Republican or Democrat, wanted to see Roy Moore’s court challenge to Alabama election results, succeed?
Can we all agree, Apple owes the owners of older iPhones, more than an apology, for slowing down their devices – even it was to protect the battery?
Can we all agree, maybe the post office should charge more to Amazon for package delivery, but it’s not like Amazon has to stick with the Postal Service?
Can we all agree, Dr. Phil has betrayed the trust of his viewers by promoting drug rehab centers just because they advertise on his show?
Can we all agree, despite what police say, ‘swatting’ may have been the cause of a tragic Kansas shooting, but the police pulled the trigger?
Can we all agree, there is no doubt the Administration has guaranteed another oil well disaster by rejecting rules enacted after the Deepwater Horizon explosion?
Can we all agree, any other president would be in serious trouble if a state was without power 3 months after a hurricane?
Can we all agree, it doesn’t seem to bother anyone in California, that Mr. Trump is the first President in 50 years, not to visit us during his first calendar year in office. Even local GOP leaders do not want him to visit.
Can we all agree, even for Donald Trump, dismissing an advisory panel via a form letter, is just disrespectful?
Can we all agree, it’s sad that we have become so acclimated to Mr. Trump’s insults that we ignore his less-than-subtle digs at climate change while enraging one-third of the country suffering with below normal temperatures?
Can we all agree, Facebook will continue to have problems until they develop a cohesive policy for dealing with unwanted users?
Can we all agree, the courts have, once again, been forced to step in to enforce legitimate public policy decisions made by previous administrations?
Can we all agree, with each new hack, reality gets more like the movies?
Can we all agree, attacking the credibility of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn could be problematic since Mr. Trump has spent the last year praising him?
Can we all agree, The Internal Revenue Service has given the GOP another headache with their ruling on pre-paying 2018 state taxes before the end of 2017?
Can we all agree, it looks like the winner in the Virginia state election will be determined by the courts – which is only marginally better than drawing names from a hat?
Can we all agree, the expansion of Homeland Security’s role in fighting terrorism abroad will have some ominous and unintended implications?
Can we all agree, Sen. Orrin Hatch never read the scathing editorial accompanying his award at Utahn of the Year – and now he looks foolish? Maybe Mitt Romney should run for his seat.
Can we all agree, it’s no surprise the Department of Justice has been lax in its handling of sexual harassment complaints?
Can we all agree, the Russians will continue to test the West, until there is unified opposition – an unlikely prospect with Mr. Trump in the White House?
Can we all agree, it’s surprising Mr. Putin even cares about disrupting the opposition candidates, since he is almost guaranteed of winning next year’s election?
Can we all agree, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin deserved every pound of manure delivered to his front door?
Can we all agree, Democrats should be encouraged by the number of candidates filing to run for office at every level? At least some in the GOP seem to realize they have a problem.
Can we all agree, the rest of the world has moved on from Donald Trump by simply ignoring him? I just wish we could do the same.
Can we all agree, it was only a matter of time before the Bitcoin craze became a partisan issue?
Can we all agree, President Obama’s interview with Prince Harry, once again, makes many of us nostalgic for days gone by?
and finally:
Take a few minutes to watch some of the best moments from the last 12 months of Saturday Night Live.
or
Since California is often the leader in passing laws that other states follow, take a look at some of the new regulations going into effect in the Golden State on Monday – yes, it’s more than just legalized marijuana.
and
RIP Sue Grafton – along with Lynnfield’s own Robert Parker, she helped me wile away too many hours in airport lounges when I traveled for The AP.
CWAA: Can We All Agree™ – 9/30/17 edition
September 30, 2017
Can we all agree, the resignation of HHS Secretary Tom Price was more about the recent failure of ACA repeal than it was about travel at the taxpayer’s expense? If not, we would have had at least two other cabinet resignations.
Can we all agree, the GOP’s tax proposal officially puts to rest any notion that the Republicans ever cared about deficits or anyone but the top 1% of American who donate to their campaigns?
Can we all agree, news that the US has been, ‘in direct talks’ with North Korea, does nothing to calm anyone’s nerves?
Damage in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Can we all agree, the ICE push to target immigrants in so called Sanctuary Cities, is just one more example of the administration’s petty and cynical view of the American legal system?
Can we all agree, the White House’s incoherent and inconsistent foreign policy was on display once again this week as it was forced to disavow its own Israeli ambassador’s comment?
Can we all agree, Sen. Mitch McConnell and the White House couldn’t schedule a tax-plan press conference fast enough after their bid to repeal the ACA went down in flames again? It’s all about capturing the ‘fake-news’ cycle.
Can we all agree, Steve Bannon’s decision to back anti-establishment GOP candidates makes Democratic in-fighting look pretty tame?
Can we all agree, Roy Moore’s victory in Alabama has turned electoral prognostication into a Las Vegas crap shoot?
Can we all agree, a Cambridge, MA librarian has made her point in rejecting a book donation from Melania Trump, but you have to wonder if she would have turned down the same books from say, Senator Elizabeth Warren?
Can we all agree, blaming the mayor of a bankrupt, flood-ravaged island, with no electricity, for your poor response, is a sure way turn off voters?
Can we all agree, the administration’s response to Hurricane Maria’s damage in Puerto Rico has racism written all over it?
Can we all agree, a California legislator’s proposed bill to ban petroleum powered cars and trucks will probably win approval in the state legislature just because it will infuriate the Trump administration?
Can we all agree, the argument that ICE agents have simply ‘gone rogue’ in attempting to enforce the administration’s immigration policy, is proven out by statistics showing arrests are up but deportations are down?
Can we all agree, Twitter and Facebook both should be persecuted for their roles in helping the Russians undermine our electoral system?
Can we all agree, Equifax CEO Richard Smith deserved to lose his job, not because the company’s computers were hacked, but because of his firm’s response?
Can we all agree, by picking a fight with the NFL, Mr. Trump has alienated, a group of people who were his strongest supporters?
Can we all agree, Mr Trump’s outrageous disregard for any legal restrictions makes his aides use of a private email server seem inconsequential – although it cost Hillary Clinton the presidency?
Can we all agree, Target Department Stores deserves some credit for raising wages, but they are really just responding to market forces and trying to find employees?
Can we all agree, Milo Yiannopoulos should be sent a bill for the $800,000 it cost the University of California to prepare for his 15-minute speech on the campus?
Can we all agree, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin proved this week that when it comes to politics, he should stick to budgets and taxes?
Can we all agree it’s been a while since we heard a cabinet secretary threaten his own staff for being disloyal?
Can we all agree, we all breathed a sigh of relief that Angela Merkel won a fourth term and hope that the rise of the far -right party was just a one-time protest vote?
Can we all agree, there is very little chance that any NBA championship team will be visiting the White House in the next four years?
Can we all agree a few folks will be fired in the NCAA, but nothing will change in the world of big-time college basketball despite the latest DOJ indictments?
Can we all agree, Mr. Trump should be saluted for drawing attention to the cause of former NFL quarterback Colin Kapernick?
Can we all agree, even the Supreme Court seems a bit confused about how to handle the latest travel ban?
Can we all agree, very few Baby Boomers, particularly men, will forget Hugh Hefner any time soon? And no, it wasn’t because of the articles.
Can we all agree, Jared Kushner seems to have faded from public view except when he does something really stupid?
Can we all agree, many of us are desperate for news about the Obama family because it helps us remember how nice it was to have a human being in the White House?
Can we all agree, the issues that have plagued embassy employees in Cuba, sound like a cartoon episode of “Spy Versus Spy’ from Mad Magazine? Unfortunately they are all too real.
Can we all agree, Julia Louis Dreyfus deserves kudos for using her tragic diagnosis to promote universal health care?
Can we all agree the Kurdish independence vote this week will spark years of fighting but is the first step toward a Kurdish homeland?
Can we all agree, it probably won’t be long before we hear the first joke about female drivers in Saudi Arabia?
Can we all agree the Department of Justice is nothing more than another political swamp since the current administration took over?
and finally:
Warrior’s coach Steve Kerr gets the last word on Mr. Trump’s criticism of his team’s decision not to visit the White House.
Tell us what you really think of the Trump Administration…
CWAA: Can We All Agree – 12/17/16 edition
December 17, 2016
Can we all agree anyone who has to tell you he is smart, probably is not?
Can we all agree, just by holding a press conference President Obama showed up Donald Trump, who has not held an organized press conference since July?
President Obama at his final press conference of 2016 (NYT Photo)
Can we all agree it can’t be a coincidence the Presidential press conference was held on the same day Mr. Trump promised he would detail his plans to clarify his business dealings while in office? Did Mr. Trump think we would forget?
Can we all agree Mr. Obama’s ‘measured but firm’ response to the Russian’s hack of the election process is far better than Mr. Trump’s false tweets attacking the President?
Can we all agree Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s speech on race relations should be required reading?
Can we all agree, it’s about time Hillary Clinton rejoined the debate?
Can we all agree it’s telling that James Comey’s FBI took months to come to the same conclusion the CIA did, about Russia’s involvement in our electoral process?
Can we all agree China’s capture of a Navy drone cannot be a coincidence after Mr. Trump’s ill timed communication with the president of Taiwan?
Can we all agree it’s also possible the Chinese are just trying to divert attention from new reports that they have installed weapons on the artificial islands they created in the South China Sea?
Can we all agree the GOP establishment must really want Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State, since they are pulling out all the stops to convince key senators that his clear conflict of interest will not sway his judgement?
Can we all agree, new rumors that it may take Britain 10 years to negotiate an exit from the European Union make a mockery of the whole process?
Can we all agree the British kerfuffle over Theresa May’s wardrobe would be funny, if it were not based on sexism?
Can we all agree that Ivanka Trump as first lady seems to be a foregone conclusion, although it’s hard to understand why she is sitting in meetings with her father – unless she will have a voice in policy?
Can we all agree it’s remarkable that Mr. Trump’s security advisor, who has released classified information will be allowed to serve in the government, while Mrs. Clinton who has never released government secrets, will not?
Can we all agree it make no difference what Mr. Trump tells the people who are summoned to Trump Tower to pay homage to him? His overall policy will be made by the people he is appointing to key positions – like the ambassador to Israel or the oil and gas company interests who will have unequalled influence over the next four years?
Can we all agree the irony of Rick Perry heading the Department of Energy, is just too obvious?
Can we all agree, the thought of the President-elect facing a deposition in a court case, just two weeks before his inauguration is a clear embarrassment to the office and every citizen?
Can we all agree that Mr. Trump seems to realize he went too far in trying to argue with the CIA over Russian interference in the election?
Can we all agree, it was a surprise to hear the Senate Majority leader break with Trump and agree to hold hearings on the Russian interference in our election?
Can we all agree it’s nice to see the Democrats are planning to use the same strategy to slow drown Mr. Trump, as the GOP has used to prevent Mr. Obama’s policies – lawsuits?
Can we all agree it is tragic that scientists feel the need to copy all their research and statistics to protect them from the incoming administration?
Can we all agree that we never thought divide and conquer would apply to the United States on so many levels?
Can we all agree California’s Governor has the right idea about resistance to the Trump administration’s climate change agenda?
Can we all agree the Minnesota football team’s threat to boycott a bowl game over sexual assault charges against teammates, makes you think twice about what’s happening on college campuses?
Can we all agree Mark Zuckerberg should be ashamed of his attitude toward fake news that influenced the election through Facebook? Especially now that he’s making it the responsibility of his users to stop it.
Can we all agree, speaking of fake news and college, it seems clear that if adults cannot figure out what’s fake, young people have no chance?
Can we all agree, it wasn’t that long ago that generic drug makers were supposed to be a force to keep drug prices low? Now they are being accused of price collusion to inflate prices.
Can we all agree the reaction of the North Carolina legislature and sitting governor are wrong on so many levels, it’s hard to believe they are not taking place in some third world country?
Map of Syria, confirms that the fighting will not end even after Aleppo falls.
Can we all agree the Federal Reserve’s action to raise interest rates, just proves what a remarkable job President Obama has done over the last 8 years?
Can we all agree the world has failed the people of Aleppo?
Can we all agree Uber did itself no PR favors by ignoring state law and trying to start using driverless cars before getting the correct permits? Their contention that there will be someone sitting in the driver’s seat, does not hold water.
Can we all agree The EPA is trying to make fracking more difficult for the incoming administration by concluding that the process can damage drinking water?
Can we all agree, speaking of fracking, it seems there are some times when Mr. Tillerson actually opposes it – like when it gets too close to his home?
Can we all agree General Motors went way too far in advertising for neo-nazi’s to appear in their next commercial?
and finally:
This week’s heartbreaking great read comes to us courtesy of Alex Trebeck and Jeopardy.
and RIP, TNT basketball reporter Craig Sager and former TV dad Alan Thicke.