The Hell-Raiser's Blog: Protests can be so unseemly ...

Protest of George Floyd's murder, near Seattle's City Hall, after George Floyd's murder
(Photo: SounderBruce)

  

Protests are so unseemly ...

…  Unprofessional.  Useless.  So say people who don’t know any better. 

But when every day in the U.S. seems like a Twilight Zone episode whose plot was inspired by A Tale of Two Cities  …  when we continue to accommodate the ever-metastasizing dystopia created by our government …

… then the usual resistance  –  voting out the bad guys, petitions, emails to Congress, posting a call for McConnell’s/Pelosi’s resignation on Facebook – is not enough.

It’s time for an intervention. Consider: 

Tents, battered cars, pick-up trucks line the road. Next to a battered truck, a bucket filled with water and a sponge...  a muddy doll… what remains of a camp fire.  A scene from The Grapes of Wrath or 2020-style affordable housing? Yes.

A thought leader proposes that some people die for the good of the nation’s economic order. Fiction or reality?  Yes. Jonathan Swift suggests that poor parents sell their babies to rich people to eat (“A Modest Proposal," 1729).  Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick suggests that getting people back to work and “restoring” the economy is too important to let the potential spread of COVID to seniors - whom it might kill - get in the way.  Unlike Swift, he meant what he’d said.

In the U.S. (as of today, July 23, 2020), there are four million known cases of Covid and nearly 143,000 related deaths, 30 million about to lose the $600 they receive in lieu of pre-pandemic paychecks, and 28 million people on the brink of homelessness. 

So what’s Congress doing? Not much. But to be fair, these are huge problems, and there isn’t much time for our leaders to work on them, what with their two-week July vacation and their month off in August. 

What about the president? The presidential candidate challenging him? They have been busy - hawking beans and hiding out. And the public? They are stunned! By Kanye’s presidential bid, not by the contempt, cruelty, and callousness permeating D.C. in the middle of both a  public health and an economic crisis, each of historic proportions. 

When the public puts up with a pandemic that the president appears to treat first as a profiteering opportunity, then as a campaign annoyance … when Mitch McConnell laughs at the prospect of extending the aforementioned $600 lifeline before it expires … it’s time for protest. Time to follow the lead of Black Lives Matter and other activists – e.g.,  Seattle’s Fight for 15 folks and Tax Amazon activists – whose work often has meant the difference between real progress and unity commissions, pragmatic incrementalism, bipartisan “compromise,” and the like. Protest breaks the silence, validate outrage, galvanize activists and allies, and redefine what is possible.

Yes, protests are unseemly. They have to be.  Owen Keehnen, an LGBTQ historian and ACT-UPorganizer, talked about the group’s in-your-face approach to AIDS activism:  “There were people [allies] who feared we’d lose everything we’d gained if we weren’t cooperative and nice.” ACT UP’s response was, according to Keenhen,  “… cooperative and nice is killing us.”  

For a good laugh (or cry), watch CSPAN

First in a Series of Random Dispatches from in Front of My TV Set

Who knew watching CSPAN could be so entertaining? 

If you watched last Wednesday, you may have seen U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) on the House floor, ripping the Affordable Care Act:

If you just do simple multiplication, 12 million [insured individuals] into $108 billion, we are talking literally every single [Obamacare] recipient would be costing this government more than $5 million per person for their insurance. It’s staggering….$108 billion for 12 million people is immoral. It’s unconscionable.* 

At first all that righteous indignation over numbers that do not actually exist is entertaining. Then - let's face it - it's disturbing. This guy is making decisions about how to run the country? How many more like him are in Congress? And what other decisions are they making?

Well, this week, in the Senate, the Budget Committee approved a resolution that would:

• cut funding for Pell grants by 31 percent for FY 2016, and  
• remove 110,000 children from Head Start over 10 years,

among other things.

Of the 22 Committee members, 12 Republicans voted in favor of the cuts, and 9 Democrats and 1 Independent voted against.

I followed the Republicans' explanation for the budget on CSPAN and other news sources. It went something like this: "Oh no! National debt! .... Good Hardworking Americans!...kitchen table!...hard choices!...Our Children! ...Our Children's Children!...going forward...weeks and months and years and decades ahead! ... commonsense budget!...protect us!...disaster!"

Our Children, and  Our Children's Children – because they will have been “protected” from education spending – are going to end up sounding like this guy

Representative Pete Sessions, R-TX

every time they open their mouths. 

Watching CSPAN – a radical act of finding out just how messed up Congress really is.    

* Both the figures cited and the "multiplication" of the incorrect figures are incorrect. Twelve million "into" 108 billion is 9000 - not 5 million. When accurate numbers are used, the number is $4130.

What to Do If Congress Votes on Repealing the Affordable Care Act a 57th Time

So yesterday, House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA)  - for the 56^th time.

If there is a 57^th attempt to debate and overturn the ACA, here’s what we should do: We should form a fund and get friends, neighbors, etc. to chip in a nickel for each minute that members of Congress waste “debating” what they’ve already “debated” 56 times. And we should spend the money on voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

  

Here’s how it could work:

Let’s estimate (based on prior “debates”) that Congress (and staffers) spend 450 minutes on “Debate” 57:

If I get 20 people to donate an average of 5 cents per minute, I raise: 450 minutes x  5 cents per minute per person x  20 people, or 225 dollars.

If 99 Seattleites do the same, we generate 22,500 dollars.

If 9 other cities in  King County follow Seattle’s lead, we generate 225,000 dollars.

If 5 other counties in Washington State follow King County’s lead, we raise over one million dollars.

It just might be enough to ensure that in Washington, in 2016, pro-repeal electeds don’t get back into office, and pro-repeal candidates don’t get on the ballot.

Post-Post-Christmas Debrief: A New Year’s Resolution

If you want to skip to Part II, please scroll down until you see red font. To everyone else: Please keep reading.

Throughout 2013's holiday "season of giving," I watched as our nation's leaders labored to turn the United ("Give me your tired, your poor,") States into something out of a Dickens novel. I wondered how their gifts of fiscal responsibility and respect for the rule of law would be distributed and received. I imagined the holidays from the perspective of someone directly affected by their recent "leadership," and what could be done about it. Here's Part One of what I came up with, in the form of a post-Christmas carol:  

Part I) Pondering the meaning of Christmas:

On the 1st day of Christmas, the SNAP guy gave to me

A cup, and he told me to pee.

On the 2nd day, I learned my per-meal subsidy:

One buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee

The 3rd day of Christmas, the boss deigned to mention:

No more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee

On the 4th day, the border gave Mom big indigestion

Sent to detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee

On the 5th day, I wondered what the Dream Act means

More broken dreams, Mom in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee.

On the 6th day, the food bank again ran out of greens,

I got more beans, more broken dreams, Mom in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee.

On the 7th day of Christmas, my boss proved he’s a slime,

Cut my hours to part-time, more pounds of dried beans, more broken dreams, Mom in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee.

The 8th day, at work, I parked and didn’t see the sign,

95 buck fine, hours cut to part-time, more pounds of dried beans, more broken dreams, Mom  

in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee

On the 9th day, the senator’s wish filled me with rage

No minimum wage?! 95 buck fine, hours cut to part-time, more pounds of dried beans,   

more broken dreams, Mom in detention, no  more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of  pee

On Day 10, no more COLAs insists a DC sage,

Insecure old age! No minimum wage, 95 buck fine, hours cut to part-time, more pounds of dried beans, more broken dreams, Mom in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee

Day 11 wrecked my plans for state-paid rest and enjoyment*,

No help for unemployment, No minimum wage, 95 buck fine, hours cut to part-time, more pounds of dried beans, more broken dreams, Mom in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three and a cup for my sample of pee

On the 12th day, I got news much worse than unemployment:

My son’s deployment! No help for unemployment, no minimum wage, 95 buck fine, hours cut to part-time, more pounds of dried beans, more broken dreams, Mom in detention, no more pension, one-buck-thirty-three, and a cup for my sample of pee

 Part II) Where Can I Exchange These "Gifts"? & What I’d Like Instead

My 1st wish is that Congress with all its looney callousness

Submits to daily urinalysis.

On the other hand, it may be what Congress needs is cannabis,

Psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

3rd wish: For Congressmen to whom all oil is blessed

Fracked water taste tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

4th:  For CEOs who treat the poor like lazy pests,

Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

5th for Congressmen telling the jobless, “No extensions!”

No more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

6th, for all the Mitt Romneys, and all their condescension,

NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

Next, for those who say “No SNAP ‘cause it’s not longer-lasting,”

3 days of fasting, NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

8th, for the one percent who want minimum wage-axing,

90% taxing, three days of fasting, NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

9^th, for those who want Obamacare null and void,

Super-sized hemorrhoids, 90% taxing, 3 days of fasting, NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

Day 10, the congressmen of integrity devoid

Become unemployed, get Super-sized hemorrhoids, 90 % taxing, 3 days of fasting, NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

Next:  since their collective conscience has been downsized

they must be supervised or become unemployed, get super-sized hemorrhoids, 90 % taxing, 3 days of fasting, NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

Day 12, it was clear that we who have been pauperized

we must get organized, they must be supervised, become the unemployed, get super-sized hemorrhoids, 90% taxing, 3 days of fasting, NASCAR conventions, no more pensions! Wall Street arrests, fracked water tests, psychoanalysis, and for most of them, daily urinalysis

New Year’s Resolution (In Lieu of Hemorrhoids...)

We can end their wars on the poor and the middle classes

By being daily pains in their asses**

*because living on unemployment…it doesn’t get much better than that!

**i.e. regular, collective action that puts politicians who serve only the one percent at risk of being thrown out of office by the 99 percent

Austerity Parity

Isn’t it a bit unseemly for our elected leaders to suggest that low-income people, seniors and low-birthweight babies should give up yet more food, shelter, and medical care so that we can reduce the deficit?

If you ask me, it’s poor form … even if you use Father-Knows-Best phrases like  "everybody's gotta take a haircut" to refer to budgets that take food out of the mouths of hungry children.

And if you’re one of 250-plus members of Congress who is a millionaire or spends a lot of time at the golf course, maybe you should try a haircut or two yourself before asking  hungry people to stop eating so much.

When I hear news of proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, food assistance programs, etc., my mind wanders. I like to imagine that by some twist of fate, I get to administer some austerity to our elected leaders who don't understand the "shared" part of "shared sacrifice." So far, I have come up with a program divided into four parts, ordered from easiest to hardest. They are: I) Taking A Haircut, II) Belt Tightening, III) Taking Tough Steps, and IV) Change We Can Believe In. 

Below are examples of areas in which members of Congress would take a haircut:

House and Senate Gyms: The House and Senate each has its own gym, with discounted memberships (subsidized by taxpayers).  

The way I see it, we taxpayers could get more for our money by making these gyms multifunctional - for instance, by making not only the gyms, but also the related shower and laundry facilities available to D.C.'s many homeless residents. I am sure that Mitch McConnell wouldn't mind sharing his Zumba class. And there's an added benefit for the 30+representatives getting flack for using their government offices as free, tax-free personal housing; they could get leads about other places to spend the night for free in D.C. 

The recent brouhaha over the tweeting Congressman who photographed himself at the gym got me to thinking... about photo IDs. I would use part of the gyms to offer services related to civic participation: Gym guests who are waiting for their clothes to dry could get a government-issued ID, which would make it easier for them to vote. But why stop there? Our new civic participation center could also train people to be election judges, advocate for people harassed at polling places, and offer other services that became less available with ACORN's demise.  

On-Site Medical Care for Congress:  In addition to care through personal insurance policies and at military medical facilities, members of Congress can opt into a third source of health care - primary care through the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP). Fun facts about OAP care:

• It's "the best medical care on the planet," according to a former OAP employee.
• OAP physicians, according to Representative Steve Kagen (D-WI) "will see you on the spot, on the beck and call."
• Congressional members get referrals to the best specialists in their fields, often brought to the Capitol to provide treatment at no charge to the patient.
• The total cost per member, per year: $503.

I would make the clinic and its six satellite offices into a community health center. Members of Congress could use it for essential services only, relying on one of their two other sources of health care for nonessential services. The rest of the taxpayer-subsidized health care would go to guests of the gym/civic engagement center. This arrangement would be very handy for the majority of them, who lack access to planes, limos, or bus passes.

Congressional members who oppose universal health care would be eligible for only one plan, which I would design (with help from Fox and Friends and Nevada's former U.S. Senatorial Candidate Sue Lowden). Under my plan, they would get their preventive care, like mammograms or pap smears, at Walgreens, and pay for it with chickens.   

Legislative Dining Rooms and Parking Lots: Congress might have to go elsewhere for fine food and free parking. As has been said many times, this country is broke!! Why are we spending taxpayer dollars on tastefully appointed dining rooms for our members of Congress who would almost certainly prefer thrift to ambience? 

Think about it: Spacious venues. Elegant atmosphere. Historic significance. Free parking. Now consider this:  Thousands and thousands of same-sex couples in New York, eagerly starting to plan their history-making weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, and showers. Cha-Ching! I would use the revenue generated to fund the creation of food banks in each of the gyms/day shelters. 

I could go on and on about Part One, but you get the idea.

Coming soon: Part Two of Four