As would be expected, my phone is blowing up with all sorts of Democrats asking for donations. Between the 1/6 hearings and the SCOTUS decisions the Dems are sensing a campaign contribution bonanza.
What wasn’t expected was the letter I received yesterday from "President Donald J. Trump."
The letter contained two pieces of paper: a letter from Trump asking me for $2,900 and a 2022 Critical Issues Survey from the Rep Nat’l Comm.
Both spoke to “far-left gender theories in our schools” and not in the context of gender education being a good thing. In Trump’s letter this was bullet-pointed with three other points -- one being protecting personal freedom issues (gun control and defending the constitution.) ARRRRGH!
As I said, receiving the letter was a shocker. I'm not a closet liberal.
Before I retired, I was in marketing. One national magazine once wrote a cover story about me labeling me as the king of direct mail marketing. . .a dubious title I had embroidered on the pocket of my plaid jacket. I’ve purchased a lot of database info and know that lists can be separated by net worth and political views. My guess is the RNC has decided that at my age and net worth bracket I should be a Republican.
I’m not as shocked about the RNC’s worry about teachers spouting gender theories. I was a teacher for a very short time. You are taught in Teaching 101 that expressing controversial ideas is not allowed . . . it is evidently debatable if treating trans people with love and respect is controversial. It would be horrible for science teachers to talk about the structural differences between male and female brains. . .reflected in the difference between cisgender and trans brains. We wouldn’t want to slow the hatred through education.
What isn’t debatable is that Trump thinks I will send him $2,900, if he makes life miserable for trans people.
I won’t be sending Trump $2,900.
For that matter, I also won’t be sending any money to the Democrats.
The Democrats had many, many opportunities over the last five decades when they could have codified Roe vs. Wade in a way that might have satisfied the wants of the majority on both sides. They didn’t. They choose to keep it as a wedge issue to keep the money rolling in. The Dems could have been stronger on gay issues and passed national laws protecting trans rights.
Yesterday, I heard Trump state that this decision might not be good for Republicans. I took that to mean he thinks people will be less likely to donate to sustain than they did to overturn.
A pox on both their houses!
Jill
Comments
Buying Re-election
The primary job of nearly every politician is to buy re-election. Cozying up to deep pocket special interest groups because of the excess influence of money in elections is the rule.
In an ideal world the responsibility of a politician should be (in order):
what is good for the nation, what is good for their district, what is good for their party and finally what is good for themselves.
I should perhaps add as a first priority what is good for humanity and the planet.
Many of today's politicians have those priorities reversed.
Michelle B
Dirty Little Secret
There are laws against using campaign funds for personal use. Even after you retire.
But supposedly no one checks! So party on Wayne!!! Schwinnggg!
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Is that Coach or First Class?
The electorial system in the USA is one of perpetual campaigning and fundraising even if you are a newly elected senator and won't be up for re-election for almost six years.
The sheer amount of money sloshing around in US Politics at all levels would dwarf the GDP of at least a few dozen countries.
That can't be right.
Samantha
Both Houses?
I would class myself as a Disgusted Democrat for many of the reasons you list. The problem is that the Dems are the only ones who are not actively promoting hate. I sincerely wish there was a party that I could wholeheartedly endorse, but until one shows up I hold my nose and vote.
Saying a pox on both and not voting is a good part of the reason we are in this situation in the first place. Too many of my generation 'tuned in and dropped out' leaving a clear field to Mitch McConnell and his ilk.
There is an "Escobar's axiom of choice"...
That if translated form obscene Russian into English looks like:
"With no alternative to choose from two opposite entities, both will be exceptional nonsense."
(That axiom has no connection to Pablo Escobar of Colombian cartels.)
You can see original first ever statement of that axiom in its native language here (Warning! Lots of obscene Russian language!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giC3-LnnV4c
Once again
It is the evil of two lessers! I wouldn't give Trump the time of day.
Angharad
I’ll go further
I wouldn’t even wee on him, time and urine are too good for that thing.
Madeline Anafrid Bell
I don't know... In "Home Alone 2" he was quite OK.
Also Trump was the first POTUS in at least 100 years who had not started a single war. Even Noble Prize "for Peace" winner Obama started 3 or 4 wars. Trump - had not stopped one of the Obama-started wars and one of the Bush Jr.-started wars. But still is hated by US munitions manufacturers for not increasing their business ;-)
Trump requests for money
I, too, have received requests from both Trump and the Republican National Committee for money. I have been a registered Democrat for about 40 years, leaving the Republican Party during Reagan's presidency because I couldn't stomach the hypocrisy.
While I have differences with the Democratic Party on many issues, I don't think they are trying to destroy democracy. I feel that the current Republican Party has crossed the line from conservatism to Fascism, and, if left unchecked, will lead to the end of the "American experiment."
Agreed
Rockefeller republicans were decent.
Moderate republicans are such an endangered species I don't believe they even exist anymore except in very carefully curated Blue State Preserves.
Erin has already buried this posting but I don't care. This is too important an issue facing our country.
Rockefeller republicans were decent for the US.
For other countries - they were.... not very good. The only way for "Rockefeller republicans" to be good for the USA was to be in constant war somewhere in the world. So you can have house, three car garage, three cars, but not your son alive.
I had seen a multiple pleas for donations from BCTS...
... But there is no legal way for me to support BCTS, as all of the banks I use are under sanctions and my payments into Hatbox could lead to quite long jail sentences for BC administrators... So I, Russian under sanctions, am well off, can finance BCTS for years just to sate my reading addiction. But US government prohibits me from supporting US companies in any way...
PS: Thanks to the US government for supporting Russian industries! Without US support we would have been still reliant on IBM, HP, Cisco and Avaya technologies to survive :-)