The first of your wishes, from the wish fairy

Congress moves to repeal health overhaul

Roughly 30 million people will find themselves without health insurance in a week. Well, according to you trump voters, it's what they needed, right? If they didn't have it, they would have got out an got a job, right? 

And more to come. A HUD sec, who while apparently a neuro surgeon, I wouldn't let diagnose a common cold. More than a couple who have said in the past the department they have been proposed to head should be eliminated. What fun for us. His sole qualification is he's owned a house. I'd like him run through a screen for Alzheimer. 

We went from having an honorable, honest man to a huckster, rich because his daddy was, a demagogue in the worse sense of the word. And my, does he have his followers. Does he ever. Outnumbered yes, in the general election, by 2.6 million, but that's meaningless. 

Trump is a geek, the classic definition being the guy who is outside the tent, biting the heads off chickens, to lure passerby's into the tent, to be fleeced. Lots of metaphors there. I wonder how long the GOP inside the tent will tolerate the nut outside. 

Wait till we see who is his Supreme's nomination.  Boy, one can hardly imagine.  

I see 'One Day More' blog has a reminder for us to watch a PBS show, "A Nation Divided". 

It's correct, and where oh where do we go from here........because I understand the divide. I understand the political differences that divide us. A nation, my friends, the readers of this blog. 

We don't disagree.  We actively dislike each other. In at least case of one reader, he hates me. Other's have the dislike that comes from me being a liberal.  We, as a tribe, a region, a country have moved it steps beyond that. We hate each other. All because of this, Trump vs Clinton. On to liberal vs conservative, on to white vs other colors. etc. We can't talk about it, because our voices immediately go into scream mode. I have neighbors I no longer hear from, because I didn't vote for Trump. 

I can think of only one other time it's become so apparent.  1856-59. 

It's pretty fucking sad. 

A recent political survey

My Dem Senator, Jon Tester, who I worked for in his last campaign and actually had a couple shots of Headframe Whiskey, sent a survey, asking us to pose questions to the potential cabinet positions president Trump has submitted.

I like Jon, a lot. Like all politicians, he's learned to survive in his environment.  It's Montana. We won't elect Bernie Sanders. So he carefully treads middle ground mostly. But lord, look at our other Senator, the one I've sent so many 'nasty emails', as Bruce reminded me, that he may be behind our recent sub-zero temps.

Anyway, here's my reply to Jon. It asked for questions to give to the potential cabinet members.

M. Mulligan <mm5.montana@gmail.com>	7:35 PM (6 minutes ago)
to Senator

Senator Tester/Jon

I have serious questions about damn near every one. More than one have previously stated, on the record, that the department they are now being selected to head, should be abolished. What more is there to ask?  "Oh, I was just kidding", "Um, changed my mind", or they could pull a 'Trump' "I never said that. I don't give a damn what the recording says.". 

Sessions. Perhaps he could answer for his statements on racism in the 60's through the 80's. Enough that his peers, peers, mind you, in Republican years, said he was too racist for the judicial job he was trying for. 

What does he say to that? Basically, he has two potential, truthful, answers. One: "I've changed my views, I was wrong. Yes, I can enforce the laws of the the United States", or, "No, that's what I still think. I'll use my position to try to bring the country's laws and enforcement back  to what I think it should be." 

I mean the rest of them, for a Democrat, are repulsive. We're going to lose a lot of ground in the next few years. 

What I don't want to see is you being dragged to the center, then the right, of the party. I know we're a rare breed in Montana, but hell, your principals gotta start and end somewhere, pal. 

Cheers,

Mike Mulligan

Butte, MT

A Song

I've always thought of my girls, Kate and Emily when I listened to this.I encourage you to click on and enlarge the video..

The Reader

It occur's to me I haven't posted a picture of the Adorable One lately.  A bit go I read a post, and damned if I can remember who wrote it, and can't find it, about how the little buggers can pass a cold along like a Montana to Rice pass.

She's in the first grade now.  How fast it goes.

Pool party on the patio this afternoon

Butte, MT

RIGHT NOW

-31°

Clear

3 Jan 2017 10:30am MST

Weather in Barrow, Alaska, USA
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Now

25 °F

Weather in Butte, Montana, USA

Now

-15 °F


Somehow, given the locations, there's a certain wrongness with this.

Warming Trend

For the next few days:

TUE

10%

-18°

4°

WED

10%

-27°

6°

THU

10%

-8°

7°

FRI

10%

-4°

15°

SAT

10%

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SUN

20%

24°

36°