Tulip and daffodil time. Living in Denver, but spending time in Breckenridge, I have a "foot in both camps," so to speak. At this time of year the city temperatures are hovering in the 70s, the tulips and daffodils have come and gone, the irises are particularly prolific this year, the early-leafing trees are already providing mid-day shade, and the rest are budding nicely. One of the aspens in front of the house is its usual late budding-self.
In Breckenridge, most of the aspens have buds, but planting anything except pansies is out of the question. After all, there have been several snow squalls the last few afternoons and temperatures still dip near/below freezing at night. In another ten days or so, the usual hanging baskets will begin to appear on the light poles in Breckenridge, Frisco, and Silverthorne. The cool temperatures in late spring and summer make for spectacular flowering baskets on every light pole. One restaurant in Breckenridge is noted for having one side of its building totally covered with floral plantings.
Springtime clouds. The weather patterns have changed, resulting in the puffy, white, whipped cream-like clouds that tower over the plains. They don't always turn black and threatening. If you are flying, you can sometimes watch out the window as your pilot glides between these large cotton balls.
The anti-s have it. This political season is shaping up to be decidedly negative: anti-establishment, anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, etc. You can, if you wish, add your own flavor of anti-. An article in Roll Call comments on the current feelings by the only two Muslim members of Congress. It is a comment on America's diversity that the first Muslim elected to Congress, Keith Ellison, is an African American representing Minnesota's 5th congressional district on the east side of Minneapolis.
Ellison is a member of MN's Democratic party, formally known there as the Democratic-Farm-Labor party. Rep. Ellison says that this current presidential cycle is bringing out candidates who want to divide Americans "on any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral success," i.e. to be elected or re-elected.
The
current political cycle attracts candidates who want to divide
Americans on "any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral
success," Ellison said. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/anti-muslim-rhetoric-trump-muslim-congressmen-ellison-carson-islam-election?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.3zutHAT5.dpuf
the two Muslim members of Congress want Americans to know that it’s not just Trump.
“Anti-Muslim hate spikes with the presidential cycle,”
said Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of
Congress, at an event at the National Press Club Tuesday.
The
current political cycle attracts candidates who want to divide
Americans on "any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral
success," Ellison said. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/anti-muslim-rhetoric-trump-muslim-congressmen-ellison-carson-islam-election?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.3zutHAT5.dpufYou can even use this link to obtain instructions for voting abroad. There is a Federal Post Card Application that may work in your state. If you are really interested, check the FAQs section at the website. In 2012, I voted early and went to the Caribbean. Of course, upon returning I did have to empty my landline's "missed calls" queue, a small price to pay, though.
No Call list. The fact that you are troubled by unwanted phone calls is just a reminder that Congress has used its prerogative to write numerous exceptions into the national "do not call" law. Hence, those unsolicited calls from Candidate X, political party Y, and Charity Z. You can write a disparaging missive to your congressional representative and both senators, then set your answering machine for as few rings as possible and let calls to to voice mail. I have found that "their machine" usually knows that it has reached "your machine" and they automatically disconnect. Besides, if Aunt Lucy calls and you don't get to the phone in time, she will leave a message and you can call her back.
the two Muslim members of Congress want Americans to know that it’s not just Trump.
“Anti-Muslim hate spikes with the presidential cycle,”
said Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of
Congress, at an event at the National Press Club Tuesday.
The
current political cycle attracts candidates who want to divide
Americans on "any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral
success," Ellison said. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/anti-muslim-rhetoric-trump-muslim-congressmen-ellison-carson-islam-election?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.CEUOnaF7.dpuf
the two Muslim members of Congress want Americans to know that it’s not just Trump.
“Anti-Muslim hate spikes with the presidential cycle,”
said Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of
Congress, at an event at the National Press Club Tuesday.
The
current political cycle attracts candidates who want to divide
Americans on "any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral
success," Ellison said. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/anti-muslim-rhetoric-trump-muslim-congressmen-ellison-carson-islam-election?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.CEUOnaF7.dpuf
the two Muslim members of Congress want Americans to know that it’s not just Trump.
“Anti-Muslim hate spikes with the presidential cycle,”
said Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of
Congress, at an event at the National Press Club Tuesday.
The
current political cycle attracts candidates who want to divide
Americans on "any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral
success," Ellison said. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/anti-muslim-rhetoric-trump-muslim-congressmen-ellison-carson-islam-election?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.CEUOnaF7.dpuf
the two Muslim members of Congress want Americans to know that it’s not just Trump.
“Anti-Muslim hate spikes with the presidential cycle,”
said Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of
Congress, at an event at the National Press Club Tuesday.
The
current political cycle attracts candidates who want to divide
Americans on "any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral
success," Ellison said. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/anti-muslim-rhetoric-trump-muslim-congressmen-ellison-carson-islam-election?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.CEUOnaF7.dpufThe other female progressives. Lest you think Hillary is alone, there are more than a few other progressive women running for political office, all hoping the down-ballot syndrome does not jeopardize their quest.
With
money in the bank, the next thing incumbents want is time to campaign.
The Boehner era gave them a steady stream of three-day work weeks that
allowed for more time at home with constituents. In 2014,
the House had 113 works days scheduled
for the year even before Boehner canceled the last week of
session to let members get home to campaign. - See more at:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/john-boehners-parting-gift-gop-knuckleheads-reelection-republican-house?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.zvcNIvAo.dpuf
Your work week. According to an article in [Congressional] Roll Call, in 2014, the US House had a tough schedule -- 113 work days, but then Speaker John Boehner cancelled the entire last week of the session. A steady string of three day work weeks allowed for lots of face time with constituents and, of course, money raising. As George Gershwin wrote, "Nice work if you can get it......"Austria, 84 years later. All of Europe watched as Austrians went to the polls on Sunday, May 22nd, then breathed a sigh of relief. The far-right candidate who had been thought to have a chance of being elected chancellor was defeated. Nevertheless, the closeness of the results served as yet another reminder that right-wing fervor is remains a concern in all of Europe.
Many Europeans were probably remembering the German election of 1932 and then January 1933 when re-elected German president Hindenburg appointed an Austrian, Adolph Hitler (just recently-made German), as chancellor. It was all downhill from there.
Brexit, 23 June 2016. (That is the day-month-year format for a date used across the pond.) And 26 June is surely an important date for Great Britain, indeed, for all of Europe. This is the day Brits vote on whether or not to remain in, or exit from, the European Union. In yet another column, American conservative George Will comes down on the exit side of the question.
He sees no possibility of, indeed no good reason to have, a Europe-wide democracy. "The idea of a continent-wide European democracy presupposes the existence of a single European demos, the nonexistence of which can be confirmed by a drive from, say, Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic." [Emphasis added, to draw the reader's attention to the line from Winston Churchill's famous "Iron Curtain" speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, 5 March 1946.] Europe is indeed diverse and enmities from the past still linger.
Thank you for reading. Enjoy the first week of June.
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