ANOTHER INAPPROPRIATE APPOINTEE, WHAT ELSE IS NEW!

by Ruth A. Sheets



In the interview process, anyone hoping to get a job in the Trump administration, must profess or otherwise demonstrate racism at a higher level than most Americans could do.  Those in power have done a great job all along making sure that every position they nominate for and that the Senate Republicans approve is filled by a qualified racist, usually a sexist, homophobe, and xenophobe too.  That makes them even more valuable to Mr. Trump and Mr. Steve Miller, the architects of the RWHF (Racist White House Front, as I refer to them).  And, they are all proud members of this not too exclusive group with their overt acts of lying, cheating, deception, and other nefarious deeds proudly performed, then quickly denied through their excellent gaslighting skills.  



While the country is embroiled in protests over ongoing police brutality based on systemic racism, I am not shocked to see that Trump callously placed former Maine Governor Paul LePage as the head of the recently formed Seafood Trade Task Force (another useless board).  Yes, another despicable white man in a job he is not qualified for other than his newly-minted membership in the RWHF.   LePage has a documented history of racist remarks and policies in the lovely state of Maine. This, of course, is what got him nominated and will get him approved.  I would demand the removal of LePage from consideration for this position of power, but it will not happen.  He is the perfect person to represent Trump, Miller and the rest of the RWHF team in whatever post they create for him.



Since taking office, Mr. Trump has done to this country, acts that would never have been permitted under another president.  Trump began with calling Mexican immigrants rapists, then he tossed out the raw meat of the Muslim Ban in his first month in office, just to feed his base, and the Supreme Court (several members belong to RWHF) went right along. 



Trump’s racist sympathetic comments for white supremacists after the brutal 2017 murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, VA fit his racist style of trying to “sound fair and balanced,” but clearly communicating to his base that his white supremacy conviction is still intact.   Then came the attacks launched at NFL football players who protested racism and police brutality by taking a knee during the national anthem.  This is a right that should be available to all Americans, but not Black Americans who were summarily blacklisted for not behaving as “The Donald” wants them to behave. 



As Trump got more ensconced in the white house and the RWHF was branching out, he and Miller thought it would be OK to tear immigrant kids  away from their parents arms and throw them in cages (and, remember,  those folks were not from Germany or Norway).  When Trump wanted a photo op to show his scared white base that he still had their backs, he had protesters outside the white house in the path of where the op would take place pepper sprayed (possibly also tear gassed).  He then dutifully tied his racism to evangelical Christianity by holding up a Bible, (upside down, but for the “base,” the gesture is all that matters).  He was trespassing on the grounds of a church where he had no permission to be, but that couldn’t get in the way of his racist message to his white evangelical fans.   



The list goes on. Now we have the appointment of another outwardly racist person to lead a new “board, agency, or whatever it is” while we are fighting for justice for Black Americans and our communities of color.  This is an unforgivable move. But Trump can’t make it right even by withdrawing the nomination immediately.  He can't because the "base" will not approve of that.  The former appalling governor is so perfect for the RWHF’s purposes.  Trump will yell to the highest rooftops and tweet to the depths of his supporters’ souls that this is the MOST wonderful man the MOST qualified, the BEST person for this extremely important job he knows nothing about, but will learn so fast because he is such an amazing person, and the rest of the BS the RWHF pumps out with each nomination.  And, today’s Republicans, being such good little puppies just smile, nod, and silently salute the RWHF’s continued success toward bringing down our democracy.



I would urge the Senate (or whoever must approve this nomination) to change course and deny it, but I know it will do no good.  Who could be more perfect for the RWHF and the Republican lack of a moral compass than LePage, whom even mostly white Maine couldn’t stand after a while?  The Republican racists on the national level have a new hero.  Maybe they’ll erect a statue to him on the grounds of the capitol.

An Earth Day tribute to Ronald Reagan

You remember President Reagan?  He was the one who deregulated the air traffic controllers and fired the lot of them.  His new hires are now all beginning to retire at once.  Because of the deregulation, the replacements aren't being trained properly, so they're taking naps while on duty.  How ironic that one of the first controllers to be caught sleeping worked at Reagan Airport.

But let's talk about the environment a minute.  Back in the Carter years, OPEC made petroleum scarce and the price of gas shot up to--gasp--over a dollar a gallon.  Everyone started acting sensibly--buying smaller cars, lowering thermostats, etc.  President Carter began to promote alternative energy sources.  One of his projects was to install solar panels on the White House for a hot water system.

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan worked his special magic and petroleum prices came down.  In 1986, Reagan had the White House solar panels removed.  The message:  We don't need no stinkin' unprofitable solar energy.

We're now paying for the Middle East political finagling of those years and the administrations to follow with wars, unrest, and gas prices over $4 and still rising.  We're paying for it more with climate change that's nearly out of control.  The leftover Reagan taming-of-the-Wild-West attitude isn't helping matters.  Unlike the 1970s, people now seem to think they're entitled to their big gas-guzzers.  Small cars are barely advertised.  Homes these days are filled with more lights, and with more and bigger electronics that always pull power, even when they're shut off.  Everyone seems to feel that someone else ought to be doing something to fix environmental problems, but buy a more efficient car?  Turn off the lights and power strips when you leave the room?  God forbid.

Last year, a company named Sungevity offered to donate a full solar system for the White House.  They were refused.  I've read weird excuses for this:  that a White House solar system would only emphasize how expensive they are and show the President as being "out of touch," or that somehow this would encourage every nut out there to donate alternative energy to the White House (is that a bad thing?).

No one who has mentioned the Carter/Reagan solar story has hit on the crucial point:  Since 1986, taxpayers have paid for EVERY DROP of hot water in the White House.  Had Reagan left those panels in place, we would have at least saved money on sunny days.  Over the last two decades, that would have been added up to a fairly substantial savings.

A full solar system on the White House now would not only heat the hot water, but probably make enough electricity to sell back to the power company occasionally.  Imagine, a government project MAKING money.  And if Sungevity donated it, this would be at no cost to the taxpayer.

What the President ought to do to show he gets it about cutting government costs is to have that solar system installed on the White House.  Either that or stop taking hot showers at our expense.

He also ought to encourage companies to RENT solar panels to consumers at affordable prices.  The consumer gets solar energy, the company gets the rent payments plus money from any electricity sold back to the grid.  Everyone wins.  Including the earth.

muon