Mitch McConnell thinks laws proposed by Congressional Democrats to safeguard our elections are highly partisan.
That's true in the sense that Democrats are doing their dead-level best to secure our elections and safeguard them from Russian interference.
And the Rethuglicans are absolutely doing all they can to make sure that doesn't happen.
How very partisan.
In an article that just came out on MSNBC's site, writer Steve Benen takes a look at this situation. It's a succinct and timely article and it's well-worth the next few minutes of your day.
Benen's conclusion is that something has gone terribly wrong in Washington.
And he's absolutely correct.
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
Friday, July 26, 2019
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Today is National Moon Day
As you may know, today marks exactly 50 years since Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Lunar soil.
It is, indeed, a monumental occasion. For so many reasons.
One of the many things that have happened as a result of this historic mission is that today, July 20th, has become National Moon Day.
So today we look back over that amazing achievement. It is, in my estimation, the Crown Jewel for NASA and quite possibly for the U.S. in general.
I will never, never forget what I was doing at the moment Mr Armstrong thrilled our Nation and the world with this stellar feat of human achievement.
And it’s a very good time to just reflect on how awesome it is to have our luminous and singular moon.
And to think about space exploration and new vistas in general.
It’s ever onward and upward!
“Moondog Ben” Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
Photo credit Ben Lawrence Basile
Sunday, July 14, 2019
The GOP wants to destroy Obamacare so bad!
Yes, they most certainly do!
And they'll stop at nothing to do it.
Republicans--with trump's enthusiastic support--filed suit back in February of 2018, hoping to have the courts invalidate the Affordable Care Act and finally wipe away Barack Obama's most important achievement.
They may very well get their wish.
And sooner rather than later.
It is true that the SCOTUS will have the final say, but it is quite possible, if not likely, that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will rule in their favor.
Most within the GOP are hoping that the court will do just that.
But they have no clear plan to move forward if, indeed, it goes their way.
There is some awareness on their part that it will ignite a crisis in our healthcare system and galvanize support among the majority of the American electorate who support the ACA and do not want to see it taken away.
Yes, millions will lose their coverage. Thousands will die as a result.
Yes, the prohibition against insurance companies refusing to cover Americans with pre-existing conditions will almost certainly go away.
This is, without a doubt, the worst part of their disastrous and fool-hardy plan to kill Obamacare.
The chances of the ACA going away, putting at risk millions of Americans who depend on it?
Those chances are pretty good.
The chances of Republicans in Congress competently putting together anything to take its place and protect Americans whose welfare--and very lives--depend on the protections in the ACA?
Those chances are very, very close to zero.
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
And they'll stop at nothing to do it.
Republicans--with trump's enthusiastic support--filed suit back in February of 2018, hoping to have the courts invalidate the Affordable Care Act and finally wipe away Barack Obama's most important achievement.
They may very well get their wish.
And sooner rather than later.
It is true that the SCOTUS will have the final say, but it is quite possible, if not likely, that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will rule in their favor.
Most within the GOP are hoping that the court will do just that.
But they have no clear plan to move forward if, indeed, it goes their way.
There is some awareness on their part that it will ignite a crisis in our healthcare system and galvanize support among the majority of the American electorate who support the ACA and do not want to see it taken away.
Yes, millions will lose their coverage. Thousands will die as a result.
Yes, the prohibition against insurance companies refusing to cover Americans with pre-existing conditions will almost certainly go away.
This is, without a doubt, the worst part of their disastrous and fool-hardy plan to kill Obamacare.
The chances of the ACA going away, putting at risk millions of Americans who depend on it?
Those chances are pretty good.
The chances of Republicans in Congress competently putting together anything to take its place and protect Americans whose welfare--and very lives--depend on the protections in the ACA?
Those chances are very, very close to zero.
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Happy 4th to All Today
And remember that we show our patriotism and loyalty to our great Country by embracing and nurturing democratic values and ideals and not with displays of military prowess or the spouting of slogans.
Happy 4th of July, friends!
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
A laid-back afternoon at the Canaveral Nat'l Seashore
This laid-back sea-side experience is by far the best way to enjoy a trip to the beach. To me, at least!
Such a fine and mellow outing it was. Can’t remember the last time I had that much fun!
My companion for this trip had never seen the Atlantic in that glorious and simplified fashion before; she loved it, to say the least. And we’re going back soon.
We did not miss the tacky beach-side rentals and masses of sunburned visitors at all.
I hope all of you have had an outdoor adventure of your own recently. If not, plan one now and then just do it!
“Beachdog Ben” Basile
© Ben Lawrence Basile
Photo credit Ben Lawrence Basile
Friday, June 28, 2019
Record Spending for the Environment in Florida
One of the really important headlines coming out of Florida this last week was about the just-passed budget for the coming year and how it highlights new priorities in the Sunshine State.
Make no mistake, this thorough re-ordering of spending priorities is a direct result of Gov. Ron DeSantis replacing former Governor and infamous boot-licker Rick Scott.
Some quick facts to help you get a feel for what this new budget in Florida can mean:
If you’d like to dive a little deeper into this issue of the new budget and how it impacts our Florida environment, here’s a link to an excellent article that just ran in the latest issue of Florida Weekly.
This development has certainly been heartening for those of us who keep a close eye on environmental issues in the Sunshine State. Governor DeSantis has been commended over and over again for stepping up on this issue, as well he should be.
I’m hopeful that we all will still be offering kudos to Mr DeSantis for his wise and serious advocacy for Florida’s environment as his time in office draws to a close.
“Bulldog Ben” Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
Make no mistake, this thorough re-ordering of spending priorities is a direct result of Gov. Ron DeSantis replacing former Governor and infamous boot-licker Rick Scott.
Some quick facts to help you get a feel for what this new budget in Florida can mean:
- $100 million for spring restoration in several locations
- $417 million for Everglades restoration in particular
- $40 million for alternative water supply
- $25 million for research to combat blue-green algae and red tide, specifically.
If you’d like to dive a little deeper into this issue of the new budget and how it impacts our Florida environment, here’s a link to an excellent article that just ran in the latest issue of Florida Weekly.
This development has certainly been heartening for those of us who keep a close eye on environmental issues in the Sunshine State. Governor DeSantis has been commended over and over again for stepping up on this issue, as well he should be.
I’m hopeful that we all will still be offering kudos to Mr DeSantis for his wise and serious advocacy for Florida’s environment as his time in office draws to a close.
“Bulldog Ben” Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
ICE Agents Losing Patience with trumpian Chaos
There are so many who've seen from the very beginning that, in addition to being a grifter and con man, trump was thoroughly, irredeemably incompetent.
A few million more Americans picked up on that a few months in. Many of whom had bought in to the "it's a good time to shake things up" idea spouted by so many in the lead-up to Election night.
It's an indicator of just how many are now on to trump's con that a lot of rank-and-file ICE Agents are now waking up and smellin' the covfefe!
Trump's pronouncement that it was time to round up millions of illegals had a nice ring to it for those who'd already quaffed the Kool Aid, but the impossibility of actually carrying out this cruel and insane PR ploy began to dawn immediately on the folks who were actually going to have to carry it out.
They honestly didn't even know how or where to house those sinister illegals once they were properly rounded up!
It turns out there were no adequate facilities, what with all the previous rounds of "rounding up" and all the detentions of asylum-seekers, many of whom broke no laws when they presented at the border to pursue their cases.
An article in The New Yorker shines a bright light on how this story is unfolding and I recommend it highly. It came out yesterday and you can read it here.
This is just one more crystal-clear indicator of how thoroughly incompetent our liar-in-chief truly is and how breathtakingly impossible it is to even make sense of his ideas and policies, much less to implement them.
How, in God's name, can the U.S. take another 19 months of this insane, unparalleled combination of cruelty and incompetence?
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
A few million more Americans picked up on that a few months in. Many of whom had bought in to the "it's a good time to shake things up" idea spouted by so many in the lead-up to Election night.
It's an indicator of just how many are now on to trump's con that a lot of rank-and-file ICE Agents are now waking up and smellin' the covfefe!
Trump's pronouncement that it was time to round up millions of illegals had a nice ring to it for those who'd already quaffed the Kool Aid, but the impossibility of actually carrying out this cruel and insane PR ploy began to dawn immediately on the folks who were actually going to have to carry it out.
They honestly didn't even know how or where to house those sinister illegals once they were properly rounded up!
It turns out there were no adequate facilities, what with all the previous rounds of "rounding up" and all the detentions of asylum-seekers, many of whom broke no laws when they presented at the border to pursue their cases.
An article in The New Yorker shines a bright light on how this story is unfolding and I recommend it highly. It came out yesterday and you can read it here.
This is just one more crystal-clear indicator of how thoroughly incompetent our liar-in-chief truly is and how breathtakingly impossible it is to even make sense of his ideas and policies, much less to implement them.
How, in God's name, can the U.S. take another 19 months of this insane, unparalleled combination of cruelty and incompetence?
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile
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