The Real Deplorables

This is the 3rd night of protests.  Protests of people who state "not my President."  So far, in Portland, Oregon alone there has been close to a million dollars in damages.

Sadly, this is all media driven.  These news sources are owned and run mostly by liberals.  They have created such fear in non-Trump supporters, that riots are now happening.  ("Peaceful protests", my ass.)

The mayors of Portland and Seattle have continued to feed the fire, by inciting riots.  At the very least, by telling officers to stand down, until it gets so out of control it takes hours to disperse.

Upon further observation, it appears the majority of these protests are in democratic run cities.  Coincidence? Doubtful.

Of course, the reporters that have been brave enough to ask the protesters what they really don't like about Trump, have not gotten a straight answer.  Psychologists would look at this and declare it to be "mob mentality."  They are just there, following the crowd.  Sure there are the few that really were there to march against the results of the election, but the rest are a different story.  There are those who use these events as an excuse to vandalize.

It's sad to read and hear about motorists in downtown Portland who have not only been threatened with bodily harm, but also (at least) one carjacking.  How is stealing another person's car or threatening the driver going to resolve your beef with the government.

What are these people really afraid of?  Change?  Isn't that what they voted for 4 and 8 years ago?  Maybe it's the fact they will actually have to find a job, instead of living in mom and dad's basement for the rest of their lives.  (Disclaimer: not all liberals live in their parents' basement.)

According to Yahoo News (at least an article posted there,) Women should fear Trump's presidency for 7 reasons. 5 of which involved their reproductive system.  But that's for another post.

God Bless America!

The Day After

To those who are dealing with a political hangover, my sympathies.  Grief is part of the process.  It has been this way for over 240 years.  Just like the Cubs and the Indians, there had to be a winner and a loser.

In response to the doom and gloom responses seen on social media, let's be logical here.  (That may be difficult for those who think with feeeeeelings instead of their brain.)  LGBTetc crowd: Your marriage is not being threatened.  It is the law, just like Roe v Wade.  Secondly, your opponent was taking money from organizations that throw gays off of buildings.  Please tell me

If you fear you will be losing your health plan, do not fear.  The GOP has stated all along they want to take what IS working with the ACA, such as including pre-existing conditions, while ditching the rest.

For those who are unemployed or underemployed: businesses hire and thrive under a GOP presidency.  Look at the stock market's reaction.  It dropped 800+ points overnight.  Only to rebound, ending up on a record day the following morning.

These are just a few quick, gut-check, responses.  More to come, as Living Right On the Left Coast continues...

The banner yet waves...

Earlier this week Colin Kaepernick's stunt of not standing for the National Anthem hit the media.  As an NFL fan, it should piss me off that they allow this sort of behavior.  Then again, what do I expect from an organization that turns a blind eye to wife beaters and animal abusers?  It's not going to make me give up watching the game.  After all, this was pre-game at a pre-season game, not some shenanigans on the field (i.e.Tom Brady.)

This could be a total blog about all of the hypocrisy surrounding C.K.'s stunt.  That's already been done, ad nauseam.

In between all of the teasers about this stunt was another teaser.  This one advertised an upcoming program for the 15th anniversary of September 11.  

Of course, that brings back the flood of memories of that day.  One of which involves a football game.

It was a chilly Saturday in October.  The first home game at Memorial Stadium, in Lincoln, Nebraska, post-September 11.  The Huskers were playing the Iowa State Cyclones. It was an early 35th birthday gift from my parents, who had bought the tickets at the beginning of the season...not knowing how important this game would really be.

Even though I'm a womb-to-tomb Husker fan, this was the only time I'd been to a live game.  All of the tailgating and hoopla that one would normally expect at Memorial Stadium seemed to be somewhat subdued.  The crowds ebbed and flowed, but the energy wasn't quite up to the normal rowdiness that would have been considered normal.  Mom and I found our seats in the east section, just under the over-hang.  

Not much later, the announcer asked us to stand.  First for a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in New York in the attacks.  Then band started to play the National Anthem.  Many fans, myself included, had tears in their eyes.  

Life was finally getting back to normal. The Star Spangled Banner continues to play.  The United States had taken a massive hit, on our own soil.  We had been attacked by outsiders for the first time since Pearl Harbor.  The strains of the National Anthem signified and unified the patriotism spreading throughout the nation.  The US would not be brought to her knees.

At first, hearing of Kaepernick's "sit down" irritated me.  What arrogance!

Now, I just feel sorry for him.  Sorry that he doesn't feel the pride of a unified nation.  Sorry that he doesn't feel the unity the US had held for most of his young life.  Sorry that he doesn't gratitude for what has been given to him, through the talents he has been granted then developed.  

Whether he or other players stand, or not, is insignificant.

"The banner yet waves..."

Smoke and mirrors

Smoke and mirrors.  That's all the RNC has been about.  You have someone who has the image of being an outsider, who really isn't, being embraced and endorsed by the establishment. Layer after layer of hypocrisy and masks.   One night voting your conscience is a bad thing, and is booed.  The next night, just because the speaker is "one of them," it's accepted with applause.

In an effort to show diversity and love for all, the RNC staged every bit of it.  A closing prayer by a Muslim.  Democratic (Ivanka, at least) speakers.  Rubio and Walker doing their half-hearted endorsement, one of which was taped and not live.

While one speaker is on stage, the cameras pull away to watch the nominee walk into the room.  Not via backstage, but through the back door.  Said speech is accepted with applause, until the nominee walks in, then all of a sudden there are boos.  This is supposed to give the image that everyone should be accepting the nominee.  The irony of this is the speech was layered with what FREEDOM is in the United States.  Then when said speaker uses his freedom to not endorse the candidate, he's the bad guy.

It's sickening to watch all of the people (not just politicians) get in line behind a candidate just because they have been chosen by the party.  Think about it; your friend is part of a highly dysfunctional family.  Instead of being a part of the dysfunction, the friend decides to depart from the family and be independent thinking.  Would you expect them to go along to get along, or walk away?

Sadly, the Republican Party is now fully RINO: Republican In Name Only.

Lives that matter

Martin Luther King Jr. has got to be rolling over in his grave.  The solidarity he marched for is being divided by the same group of people he was fighting on behalf of.  His dream was for all to march together, arm-in-arm, in peace.  Instead we have division; an "us vs them" attitude.

What happened to the goals of being color (of skin) blind?  As the Rev. King preached, it's not the color of a person's skin, but the integrity within.  This is how I treat others, and believe it's how it should be.  You could be green and still be an asshole; making me turn away from you in disgust.  One example of this is Asian/Indian (usually older) men.  (surprise!  it's not blacks!)  Why? Because of their culture and how women are treated oppressively.  Again, if you disrespect me, you will get the same treatment.

BLM claims disrespect by those who are sent to protect them.  Some in this camp don't want to hear "white" logic: If you don't break the law, the law will not come after you.  If you are hostile towards someone, you are going to get that same hostility back.  Although this makes sense to me, those who have been raised to disrespect, or even hate, law enforcement will not understand this concept.

Just like the cultures who are taught to hate Christians and Jews at a very young age, grow up with hate in their hearts. There are those in our own (American) society that grow up with anger and hate in their hearts--just as they were taught the anger and hatred.

Welcome to the United States of Trump

No, this is not a Bernie or Clinton supporting blog.  This is the voice of the heart of a (true) Conservative.

Yesterday, it was revealed (personally, heard on FOX News) That a lot of Trump's campaign expenses are paid to Trump owned companies.  This brought a slew of issues to mind, the top one being conflict of interest.

Of course, it's his campaign, he has the right to spend his money however he wishes.  What sort of precedent is this going to set for future Presidential hopefuls?  Does this mean only billionaire business(wo)men would be able to run?

What if he were actually POTUS?  Would only Trump affiliates be used for products and services?  Will the WH have "TRUMP" branded on it? Or, will the WH move to Trump towers?  Soon, you'll be seeing sign on the highways stating "Highway maintained by Trump Inc."  Food Stamp recipients would be allowed to only use "Trump Products."  Considering in his books (at least the excerpts I've seen) focus on how to brand your business, we could easily be "The United States of Trump."

Then there is the issue of who is really advising him. Recently, he fired his campaign manager, at the insistence of his children.  This brings up the question: Who is going to be his advisers if he becomes POTUS? his kids?  It would be a ready-made dynasty!  Considering the two children that have been rumored to have his ear are both registered Democrats, should raise some red flags.

These are just a few reasons I cannot, in good conscience, vote for Trump.  A protest vote seems to be the only option, at this point.

Fraud vs felon

  What has the US become?  The (presumptive) candidates for the Presidential candidates are either being sued for fraud or under FBI investigation.  If this is the cream of the crop, and the best we can do, what does that say about the US?
   So much for conservatives.  What choice do we have?  We can be like sheep, drink the Trump Wine and drunkenly follow the head sheep to the slaughterhouse.  The only benefit of having Trump in the White House over the next 4 years will be (supposedly) protecting the Supreme Court from being a court of Liberals.
    A vote for Hillary would guarantee she will never be held responsible for the (illegal) actions of the last 7 years.  Thus we would be teaching our children some are above the law. Four more years of Democratic control will remove what few freedoms are left standing.  (Living in a Democratic controlled state (Oregon) gives me a glimpse of what a nation would look like under that kind of control, and it's not pretty.)
    So, what is the alternative(s?)  A third party candidate?  Ok....who?  Honestly, there are too many to choose from.  One would have to be so outstanding they would have to take out both of the other (evils.)  Write in the candidate you've been supporting since day one?  Same problem.
    The Founding Fathers of this country have got to be rolling over in their graves!  This nightmare is what their dreams have become.

Minority Rules

Once again the minority is taking over the normalcy of this nation. A group of people that is less than 1% of the US population, according to multiple sources, is now telling the rest of the citizens they should be able to stomp their feet and use whichever bathroom they feel most comfortable in.

To put this into a greater perspective: A grown man is allowed to dress as a woman, because he chooses to do so.  The same man is now uncomfortable in using the men's restroom, because of how he CHOOSES to dress.  So he uses the women's restroom.  In that same place is a young boy, because he is not old enough to choose where to use the restroom.

Of course the scenario can be changed to the opposite gendered scenario, however this is more likely the case.  A woman looking like a man in the women's room may get a second glance. However, it's not likely for this woman to be assaulted by the rest of the women.

Instead of bowing down to the minority, we should be standing up to them! Let them deal with the consequences of their choices.  These are grown adults, acting like toddlers, stomping their feet to get what they want.  In the meantime, the rest of us have to be uncomfortable with their choice.

The next time I go to a sporting event or concert, I'm just going to waltz into the men's room.  Use the stall (scrub my hands) and waltz out. I know I'll be back in my seat a lot faster than waiting for the women's rooms' lines.  Maybe I'll just sit in whatever seat I choose, because my nosebleed seats are just too uncomfortable.  That should go over nicely, I'm sure