Community Roundtable

Viewing the inspiring ceremony for our nation’s  41st president, televised from the Washington National Cathedral, through smiles and tears, listening to the heart-felt eulogies of those who knew and loved George Herbert Walker Bush, filled me with pride for one of the few Republican presidents I ever appreciated.  The Celebration of his life was fitting, his resume impressive and worthy, but I feel his greatest legacy was in being such a decent statesman, a loving husband and family man, a father respected and cherished for his unconditional love, a loyal friend to many, a gentleman of humor, grace and intellect, a partisan with civility, a responsible, diplomatic  leader.   He signed into law the landmark Americans Disabilities Act, providing access and advancement for humanity.  He “chose a collaborative approach in working with Mikhail Gorbachev for the unification of Germany, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War”.

Trish Forsyth Voss

The unfolding constitutional crises is being perpetrated by Donald Trump & cohorts.  We can see now that recused Jeff Sessions was fired, Matt Whitaker (outspoken critic of Russia probe) put in place to garner information from Manafort’s lawyers on what he told Special Counsel Mueller regarding issues like Wikileaks & Trump Tower meeting; enabling Trump’s answers.  Obstructing Justice.   Manafort breached the plea deal with Mueller by cooperating with Trump’s legal team, the silver lining of which …. could instigate Mueller providing a very detailed public indictment, and introducing grand jury testimony to produce the evidence thereof, the result residing with the sentencing judge, out of Whitaker’s hands, with the information being disclosed to the American people.  No one is telling witnesses to lie; liars lie.   Robert Mueller is a Republican war-hero with integrity, whom I’m guessing is skillful at chess; some say that Trump is adept at ‘whack a mole’.

Trish Forsyth Voss

I’m grateful for the good people of our area community and the multifarious good deeds, endeavors and activities they involve themselves in.  I especially appreciate the learning institutions and educators, the houses of worship that appeal to our better angels, our law enforcement officials that serve to protect us, veteran services that assist and honor those who have already served to protect us, health service workers that help us from pre-natal to geriatrics, all the structures that form the basis of a responsive community.   I’m grateful for the Civic Art center, theatrical and musical productions, and our shared community activities.  Grateful for the variety of restaurants, businesses, and expanding shopping areas we’re gaining, for the new overpasses and underpasses, beautifying and streamlining our town.  Grateful for our Register-Mail newspaper, keeping us abreast of local and national news; and I shout out to Charlie Gruner for congratulating John Hunigan and for kind words he expressed for our sheriff David Clague.

Trish Forsyth Voss

Peter Schwartzman, Knox professor on Environmental Studies, a smart, scientific guy says, “many cities around the world have committed themselves to many goals necessary to avoid calamitous outcomes” from the impacts of global warming.  Cities shifting from fossil fuels to wind and solar energies are great steps toward endeavoring to affect climate control.  Increasing public transportation might reduce the number of vehicles on our roadways.   Weatherizing our homes and using less energy are steps most of us can attempt.  “Trees absorb carbon dioxide and excess rainwater.”  Planting trees, supporting farmers markets, local growers, restaurants and businesses, “enhancing our downtown areas, making it more pedestrian-friendly” helps keep more people shopping and entertained in our burg.  Dozens of trees surround my home, built in 1860, heated downstairs by radiator heat, no heat upstairs, our thermostat set at 62 degrees in winter; we grow a garden, have six hens and a rooster, and I own a Prius hybrid.

Trish Forsyth Voss

The midterms were a “tremendous success”, said Donald Trump; I agree!  He remarked, “a Dem House could be a beautiful bipartisan” thing; he felt he “could very successfully pass legislation with Dems”, over Repubs, who “often wouldn’t work together”.  He said he “respects that Dems stick together”, he “respects Nancy Pelosi,  and very much feels she deserves the job of speakership”.  He tried to minimize losses and extol GOP gains, but his nasty mood was belied by his snarky comments for Republicans who eschewed his support, but lost their races.   Trump came out fighting on Day 1 of a split Congress, with a tweet declaring that if Dems want to “waste time and taxpayer money on investigations”, he can “play that game better than anyone”, then held a press conference, picking a fight with the media, calling them “rude, horrible and racist”; he then fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions.   The next two years are going to be difficult for The Donald.

Trish Forsyth Voss

The “Trump Effect” is like a virus sweeping across our nation, the symptoms presenting as a vastly increased incidence of harassment and violence against racial and religious minorities and women; most of us experience an overwhelming sense of malaise.   Thousands of hate-incidents have been reported since Trump became president.  The number of hate-groups have increased, the growth directly attributable to Trump’s incendiary rhetoric; the extent to which we have all witnessed the  horrifying results.   A hero of mine, Steve Schmidt retorted, “Donald Trump did not mail the bombs, but he created an atmosphere where a sick person would look at those individuals and see an enemy.  His rallies brim with malice; he scapegoats minority populations, alleges conspiracies, calling his opponents the enemy of the people.   He creates a sense of shared and virtuous victimhood, positioning himself as the avenger.  Trump acts like a tribal chieftain, declaring war on half of the country.”   The self-proclaimed white-nationalist president endangers our democracy and our world!

Trish Forsyth Voss

Cutting aid could undermine U.S. security interests, as “Mexico and the Central America’s Northern Triangle countries — Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador  are all facing chronic citizen and economic security crises.  Security conditions in the region continue to deteriorate as rampant corruption, debt crises, weak state institutions have made it nearly impossible to combat threats posed by violent transnational gangs and organized criminal groups, involved in kidnapping, extortion, human, drug and weapons trafficking.  Honduras has the world’s highest homicide rates, averaging 91 per 100,000; El Salvador and Guatemala have the 4th and 5th highest rates at 41 and 40 respectively per 100,000.  In comparison, the U.S. averages 5 per 100,000.   Cooperation among U.S. and Mexican security forces joint operations have resulted in numerous arrests of high-profile drug kingpins and record-breaking seizures.  U.S. Southern Command Joint Task Force –Bravo operates out of Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, conducting and supporting activities against transnational crime and joint military engagement activities.”

Trish Forsyth Voss

“Beyond the usual issues, there’s one big reason to pay attention to governors this year.  Governors elected in 2018 will almost all still be in office in 2021, when the next round of congressional redistricting starts.  In many states, governors will wield a veto plan over the new House and state legislative maps.  The Republicans hold an astonishing two-thirds of the governor’s mansions across the county, giving the GOP an overwhelming advantage in controlling state governments.  This year 26 of those seats are on the ballot.”   This info according to Vox News, “Forecasts from leading election watchers show about 18 of the most competitive races in the 2018 elections are currently Republican-held.  Democrats finally have a chance to regain some ground.  Republican governor Bruce Rauner is sure to be out; Democrat JB Pritzker has a 16-point lead in the polls, 10/16018.  Dems are polling strongly in MI, OH, FL, GA, ME, NV, WS, SD, OR, AK, NM, CT, KS, PN & IA.

Trish Forsyth Voss

Bruce Rauner has sought to “cut pensions and destroy unions instead of bringing people together to grow our economy and pass a balanced budget.  He’s proposed letting Illinois file bankruptcy, which would destroy the state’s credit rating and cost taxpayers billions in higher interest payments; he’s been fighting against working families, vetoed a minimum-wage increase, closed small business development centers, and halted state infrastructure projects, putting thousands of people out of work.  He has dismantled the state’s commitment to agriculture.”   The decline in higher education spending per student in recent years has led to students choosing out-of-state colleges that offer more competitive tuitions, then we lose those educated young people to other states.   JB Pritzker pledges to honor pension contracts, never skipping pension payments, and plans to correct the flawed, exorbitant property-tax assessment system.  He supports decriminalizing marijuana, legalizing and taxing it, reducing mass incarcerations and reinvesting in our communities; he supports adequately funding our public schools, restoring funding for universities, which are hubs of economic growth, workforce training and innovation.

Trish Forsyth Voss

Absolutely not!  Mr. Kavanaugh lied under oath on several issues he was pointedly questioned about by Senators, who had significant background information, before any of the sexual allegations against him surfaced.  He has since been accused by several women of sexual assault; all of these women, the Republican party would have you believe, lied under penalty of perjury about their nominee.  Kavanaugh’s devastating performance during the hearing last week showed us all another side to this man.  His tearful, menacing, partisan-rant, showed that he doesn’t have the proper temperament, restraint or trustworthiness to sit on the highest court of our land.   Many people’s private personas don’t match, under scrutiny, their carefully-cultivated public personas, as we have seen with coaches, priests, judges, celebrities, etc.  Kavanaugh is a liar and a fraud, just like the person who nominated him; and Trump’s abominable performance at the recent Mississippi rally, was a new low, even for Trump!

Trish Forsyth Voss