Quotation of the Day – April 1, 2017

“When the Trump Administration first issued its travel ban executive order on January 27th, it said this was just a temporary action until it could review, and if necessary, enhance the vetting procedures for people attempting to enter the U.S. from seven (now six) countries. At the time, they said the review would take 90 days. Sure, Team Trump has run into some legal challenges in implementing the ban – but the review of vetting protocols should not have been contingent on court action. So our calculation is that the Administration should be two-thirds through their review of how to strengthen entrance procedures. Anybody at the White House, DHS, or State Department care to tell us how that review is going? After all – if this is such an urgent issue – we trust you are well along in completing the process. Right?” – Anonymous, at the Cipher Daily Brief, March 31, 2017

Quotation of the Day – March 31, 2017

“For a Martian historian, the most interesting thing about modern British history would surely be that the country built a massive global empire,” wrote columnist Gideon Rachman. “But for the Brits themselves, shaping a national story that centers around the war against the Nazis — rather than the empire — makes psychological sense. It has allowed Britain to nurture a national self-image as champions of freedom and plucky underdogs . . . rather than imperialist oppressors.” – From today’s Washington Post

Quotation of the Day – March 27, 2017

“Formerly, scientists were political liabilities only insofar as their work clashed with the teachings of TV Bible-thumpers. Now, any person who in any way disputes popular misconceptions – that balancing a budget is just like balancing a checkbook, that two snowfalls in a week prove global warming isn’t real, that handguns would have saved Jews from the Holocaust or little kids from the Sandy Hook massacre – is part of an elitist conspiracy to deny the selfhood of the Google-educated American.” – Matt Taibbi on “Trump the Destroyer” at Rolling Stone, five days ago

Quotation of the Day – March 26, 2017

Trump is a world-class boaster. He promised a health care plan that would be “unbelievable,” “beautiful,” “terrific,” “less expensive and much better,” “insurance for everybody.” But he’s abysmal at delivering — because the basic truth is that he’s an effective politician who’s utterly incompetent at governing.

It’s sometimes said that politicians campaign in poetry and govern in prose. Trump campaigns in braggadocio and governs in bombast. – Nicholas Kristof, from today’s NY Times. 

Quotation of the Day – March 24, 2017

“As a performer I’ve played for 50,000 people and I’ve played for 50 people and I can tell you that it is harder to play for 50 people. 50,000 people have a singular persona, not so with 50. Each person has an individual, separate identity, a world unto themselves. They can perceive things more clearly. Your honesty and how it relates to the depth of your talent is tried.” – Bob Dylan, from his Nobel Prize acceptance speech

Quotation of the Day – March 23, 2017

“If people close themselves and become nationalistic, we then have these parallel societies, and that is not the way to go. This is what happened with the suburbs of Paris,” according to Piet Schaber in the town of Calw, Germany.  Quoted in an article on the wisdom of placing refugees in small towns and even villages, rather than large cities.  What Schaber says applies equally to the natives and the refugees.

See http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/03/22/welcome-to-wimberg-population-1800-300-refugees/

 

 

Quotation of the Day – March 20, 2017

“Honduran cooks in Chicago, Iranian engineers in Seattle, Chinese cardiologists in Atlanta, their children and grandchildren, all of them, are bedrock members of the American community.  There is no ‘us’ that excludes them. There is no American national identity apart from the dynamic hybrid culture we have always been creating together.” – Will Wilkinson, of the Nikanen Center, quoted in Sunday’s Washington Post

Quotation of the Day – March 16, 2017

“The best way to help the needy is to give public money to the rich. That then inspires the poor to work harder, galvanizes the sick to become healthy, forces the lepers to solve their own problems rather than kick back and depend on others. That’s why any realistic health plan has to focus on providing less coverage for the poor, and big tax benefits for the rich. When millions of people lose health care, that’s when a country is great again!” – Pious Paul Ryan, as satirized by Nicholas Kristof in today’s New  York Times.

 

 

 

Thought of the Day – March 13, 2017 (updated)

When the president says, “Nobody knew health care could be so complicated,” what he really means is, “I didn’t know.”

“It’s like saying, ‘Who knew King Tut was dead’ – everybody did!” – John Oliver

The Chaos Kid Strikes Again – March 12, 2017

While it’s normal for a new administration to appoint its own people, it’s also normal to keep some of the old staffers on until the newcomers are up to speed.  That’s what happened for example in the State Dept. during the transition from Ford to Carter, and many time since: Experienced hands stayed in place to make sure the change-over was smooth.  Not so with this president.  His abrupt actions ensure that there will be disruption, then he seems surprised when chaos ensues.  Failure of leadership.