Sunday, September 30, 2018

NECK AND NECK

45% to 45%, according to a message put out this morning by Harley Rouda!

Had I known the election would be this close, I might not have chosen to be traveling abroad for the next two weeks, but those plans were made months ago. So I'll be watching from afar.

I did send in another donation to the Rouda campaign this morning, before leaving. I hope you'll join me, to the best of your ability.

Saturday, September 29, 2018

JEKYLL AND HYDE

Regardless of the outcome of the FBI investigation, Kavanaugh disqualified himself in public with his ranting, misogynist, partisan performance on Thursday.

He was all boy scout do-gooder in his first appearance. But is that raging Trumpiac we saw on Thursday the kind of person we want sitting on the bench of the US Supreme Court?

I say, No!

(I say No to all bad-faith Republicans, too--and there are many of them!)

Friday, September 28, 2018

MY ANGER. HOW ABOUT YOURS?

My anger knows no bounds. I watched yesterday as cowardly, bullying Republican senators hid behind the skirts of a special "prosecutor"--a woman brought in to do their dirty work, whose questions entirely failed to budge Dr. Ford from her compelling testimony. Once spared the dignified spectacle of their victim, they began to vent their spleen against her and heap praise on her attacker.

Yes, I'm quite clear in my own mind that he was her attacker. The difference between the two could not have been more stark. A modest, calm (though "terrified") and clear minded woman answering every question put to her with consideration and care, and a raging, belligerent bully who answered not one single question of importance and showed appalling disrespect for the senators who asked perfectly reasonable questions--especially, I have to note, the women.

It seems, from this morning's reports, that craven Republicans are lining up with their "yes" vote for a man who lied blatantly in front of them. If he is confirmed, the Supreme Court of the United States will be disgraced for decades by his presence.

In addition to my anger, I feel genuine frustration at my own impotence to prevent this shameless, public atrocity. I can only hope that November will prove the occasion when Americans come together to reject this corrupt, unseemly administration and the party that supports it.

It also came to my attention yesterday that the man who is supposed to "represent" me in the US Congress, Dana Rohrabacher, is an enthusiastic supporter not only of Trump but of Trump's undeserving nominee. We must depose him, run him out of office, and elect a man who can show some common human decency, Harley Rouda, to the US Congress.

Thursday, September 27, 2018

KAVANAUGH

I watched a good deal of yesterday's hearings. In the morning I saw a modest, thoughtful, truthful woman answering questions to the best of her ability. Her story was compelling and convincing. In the afternoon I saw and aggressive, bullying, bellicose man--in fact, a posse of aggressive, bullying, bellicose men--but I watched the one who was the center of attention as he dodged and ducked, never answering a single question with a straight and honest answer.

At the end of it all, the Republicans seemed to be celebrating what they thought to be a victory. I hope they will not have one. I hope there will be enough fair-minded Americans--men as well as women--who were as appalled as I was by this travesty and who will make their displeasure loudly known. I hope they will put the fear of G*d in enough Republican senators to provide the votes needed to defeat this outlandish nomination.

Kavanaugh revealed his true colors at the hearings, showing himself for the belligerent man who is entirely capable of the act he stands accused of.

Please join me in registering your protest.

RIVETING TV

I'm watching Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony on television this morning. Totally compelling viewing. Dr. Blasey Ford is proving 100 percent believable and 100 percent sympathetic. Is there now a chance that one likely sexual predator nominated for the Supreme Court by another admitted sexual predator will be rejected for this lifetime appointment to the highest court in the country? I sincerely hope so!

I hope, too, that the repercussions of this event will be registered in voter disgust with Republicans in November.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

ON ANOTHER NOTE...

Does anyone else find it odd that the man who is supposed to be representing us in the US Congress seems to have settled on a burning issue as his new pet project...? Airport noise!

Well, I agree that noise pollution is pernicious. I'm no big fan of the sound of jets taking off and landing. But what disturbs me far more than their noise, quite frankly, is their contribution to the much more serious air pollution that threatens the very future of our planet.

To be obsessed with the comfort of the (mostly) affluent folk who live in the (mostly) affluent flight path of those jetliners that carry them off on business trips (hopefully profitable: I wish them well) or nice vacations is all very well... but at the same time to deny the effects of climate change on the planet and our entire species is, in my view, to have some very misplaced priorities.

Perhaps you disagree with me. If you live near the airport, you have my sympathies. But still, we surely need a congressman who listens to what science has to say and believes it. And is willing to take action based on scientific fact.

In other words... vote for Harley Rouda in November. And persuade others to vote for him, too. Particularly Republicans. And Independents. Vote Democratic. That's the ticket.

Monday, September 24, 2018

RISE UP!

Last week I posted a couple of entries in solidarity with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. I hope you read them. I now catch wind of the fact that other women assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are stepping forward. Will their voices be heard? In their rush to confirm a nomination by a "president" who is himself an admitted predator on women, I suspect that those white male Republicans will try to find some way of blocking them--without, they hope, losing the support of women nationwide.

I, in my turn, hope they will not succeed. I hope that women everywhere will rise up, appalled by the spectacle of the last bastion of male domination defending itself against the steady march of time. The #MeToo movement is a powerful one because its multitude of voices is passionate and true. Those in denial of the truth they tell will suffer its consequences, and it's my hope that November will prove the turning point.

Dana Rohrabacher is NOT on the side of the angels, in this or any other matter. I believe that sufficient numbers of enlightened women in his district will join those (well, semi-!) enlightened men who support them in their effort, and properly send this one Republican packing in November, with his tail between his legs.

Friday, September 21, 2018

BUNKERED

(My entry today is cross-posted, verbatim, from my other blog, The Buddha Diaries).

From what I read and hear, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been bunkered in the White House for the past three days. (I like the pun, evoking the memory of that arch bigot, Archie!) I suspect he has not been engaged in the kind of self-reflection and self-examination that is called for at a moment of personal crisis, but rather plotting ways in which he can exculpate and extricate himself from the threat to his candidacy brought about by the accusation of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

Here's what I'd want to see from a man I could vote for, were I in a position to do so, to serve for a lifetime on the Supreme Court of the United States: rather than deny, blame, and attack, I'd like to see a man chastened and humbled by the story of a woman that so obviously has not only the ring of truth but the evidentiary support of at least three witnesses. I'd like to see him ask her to confront him with the story in as much detail as she can muster, listen attentively and without defensive reaction to the events as she remembers them, and repeat back to her what he has heard, to be sure that he has fully understood and registered the facts.

I'd like him then to acknowledge that, if he himself has no memory of the event, it is likely because he was too drunk at the time of its occurrence--but that this is no excuse, and is not offered as such; or that his conscious mind repressed it as being too onerous to bear--again, no excuse! I'd like him to accept the truth of her experience and to ask, in all humility, if there is anything he can do to make up for a past he is unable to change and for the pain and suffering his action caused. Should she reject his offer, I would like him to publicly propose his own act of compensatory service, proportionate to circumstance, and commit to its completion.

That, in my view, would be a man who might yet be worthy of confirmation, no matter how despicable the action of his youth. Instead, he is bunkered in the White House--the very place that has become the epitome of intrigue, calumny and lies--presumably plotting out a course for enough exculpation and justification to gain the minimum of votes needed for "success." There is no place on the Supreme Court for one who follows this course. Nominated by a man whose legitimacy as president is in serious question and supported by a band of shameless co-conspirators in the subversion of the laws upon which we have stood for centuries, Judge Kavanaugh could possibly redeem himself with an unsparing and impartial search for the truth. Otherwise, we shall all be witness to a monumental travesty of the justice he is privileged to serve.

Thursday, September 20, 2018

ME TOO, CONT'D

Reflecting on the story of sexual assault that I told yesterday in the context of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's dilemma, I realize...

... that while I have a clear and detailed memory of the incident, my assailant might have wiped it from his memory bank;

... that I do not remember the name of a single one of the several witnesses; but if it had happened here in the US, the FBI would have no trouble in locating some of them;

... that I did not tell anyone about the incident--not the housemaster, who would have been the responsible authority, nor my parents; nor have I mentioned to anyone else since; that I chose, out of embarrassment and humiliation, to remain silent;

... that it was painful and embarrassing to recall the incident, even in the public forum of my blog and Facebook; to be subjected to a grilling about it before a Senate committee and a national television audience would be intimidating indeed.

In short, it is not hard for me to understand Dr. Ford's long silence on this private matter, not her reluctance to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, absent a thorough, impartial investigation by the FBI. To use her reluctance to question the truth she has to tell is a cruel reminder of the easy abuse of power by men who wish to undermine her for their own political purposes.

I do not trust these men half as much as I trust Dr. Ford.

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

ME TOO, DR. CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD

On my other blog, The Buddha Diaries, which I have been writing now for many years, I wrote an account of an experience I had as a teenager in boarding school--one that has a good deal in common with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's story. I admire her courage, and am appalled to see so many powerful white males lining up to add insult to her injury. For this reason, I felt the need to stand in solidarity with her.  There are too many of us--and, yes, men as well as women--who have been subjected to sexual assault. You can read my story here.

Please join me in voting some of these clueless men out of office this November. First one out should be Dana Rohrabacher.

WHITE MALE PRIVILEGE... AGAIN (OR STILL)

I'm for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Aren't you?

1) Her story, insofar as I have read about it, is entirely credible;

2) She has shown incredible courage in allowing herself to be identified;

3) She is under threat not only from the yahoos hounding her on the Internet, who have gone so far that she has been forced to leave her home; but also from establishment white male politicians, including some on the Senate judiciary committee. Why should she be prepared to be "interviewed" by hostile men whose words have shown that their minds are already made up?

4) Her story is one that rings true to me (as a schoolboy, I was also subject to public abuse by a self-infatuated bully), as well as to untold numbers of women who have experienced the same, or similar humiliation.

She is right, The FBI should be instructed to investigate her allegations before she agrees to appear before the Judiciary Committee and the country on national television. She deserves to have the support of a factual investigation in the face of sheer emotional hostility, white male privilege, and prejudice.

Vote the entire Democratic ticket in November. Ask your Republican friends to do the same, if they truly wish to save our threatened democracy.





Tuesday, September 18, 2018

DAMNED IF THEY DO...

... damned if they don't. Senate Republicans find themselves in a no-win bind--one of their own making. If they rush through their Supreme Court confirmation despite credible allegations against the candidate, they risk rousing the ire of every thinking/feeling woman in America who is not a died-in-the-wool Trumpter. The travesty of the Anita Hill hearing rings even more poignantly in the #MeToo era. If they fail to confirm, and soon, they risk not only rousing the ire of their right-win evangelical base, but also losing the seat on the Supreme Court they have cheated and lied for these past couple of years.

I am sufficiently disenchanted with these people and their tactics to enjoy watching them squirm.

Meanwhile, however, let us not forget the goal for this November: to restore those checks and balances ordained by the Constitution, and flouted by the current Republican Senate and House. There is talk, now, of the possibility of Democrats returning with a majority in the Senate. I would like to believe this could happen.

What CAN happen, however, and what it falls to us, in CA 48 to MAKE happen, is the dumping of our current poor excuse for a congressional representative and his replacement with one who listens to his constituents and is capable of what we Buddhists call RIGHT ACTION.

Vote early! Be sure that every friend and associate is ready to vote! Let's elect Harley Rouda for a future that America can be proud of.

Monday, September 17, 2018

MAKING WAVES

I was at the big rally yesterday afternoon outside the William Turner Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. A huge, enthusiastic crowd, in bright sunlight, with shade at a premium. The biggest rally in history, it was said, for a mid-term political campaign in Southern California. By some-one's rough count, at least 1,000 people showed up--as Rouda joked, that's 2,000 by Trump's math.

A rousing reception for all the speakers, especially for Julia Brownley and Ted Lieu...


... current congressional representatives who are eager to welcome new House members from Southern California. I was impressed with the passion and sturdy eloquence of Katie Hill, candidate for the 25th District, and have contributed to her campaign. I hope you will, too.

Our Harley also gave a terrific address--rather short, because the event had started an hour late, and speakers were obviously encouraged to be brief. Still, in a few words, he managed to both royally roast the current incumbent ("Russia-backer") and put forth a few good policy points of his own.

By this time--having waited for an hour and sat for another in blazing sunlight, both Ellie and I were done for the afternoon. We retreated to our air-conditioned car as the indomitable Jackie Goldberg was regaling the crowd with another punchy speech. So sorry to have missed her finale, AND... if he finally made it, Eric Swalwell, who has become, along with Ted Lieu, one of the most eloquent TV spokespersons for the work of Democratic committees.

Okay. I was enormously encouraged by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd. I joined in with their jubilation over the quality and passion of those who currently represent us, and those whom we hope will be representing us very soon. Well and good, BUT...

PLEASE DON'T JUST TRUST THE BLUE WAVE--MAKE IT HAPPEN!...

... as every speaker stressed, we need to keep working. We need to keep contributing what we can, or MORE than we can--because, sadly, American politics is all about money. Here's a link to the Rouda campaign. Please join me in giving just a little bit more today.

And if you have friends who'd be interested in hearing about the rally, please send them a link to this entry. Who knows, maybe they too would click on the donate button.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

STOP THE JUGGERNAUT

The Republican juggernaut is at it again, this time steamrolling the confirmation of a right-wing extremist to the US Supreme Court. They are doing it, as always, shamelessly, in defiance of the majority of their fellow citizens, and without regard to the proprieties of such appointments. They started the process of packing the court with their arrogant rejection of a moderate, thoughtful Obama nomination and the partisan appointment of Neil Gorsuch. Now they are rushing ahead to the almost certain confirmation of a man nominated by a "president" who himself appears increasingly to belong in a jail cell.

It is galling, of course, to a leftie like myself. It is also--I hate to use the word--unprecedented in its abuse of ruthless partisan power. We, the majority of the American people, are treated with contempt by those who represent only a small minority of sadly misinformed voters swayed by the obscene influence of extreme conservative moneyed interests.

Unless we act soon to stop the juggernaut we will all be mourning the death of democracy in America next year, with an out-of-control would-be autocrat for "president", an obeisant court of Republicans paying tribute to his grandiosity, and a band of gloating plutocrats pulling the strings.

We ALL need to get out there in November and do our duty as American citizens. Or, to coin a phrase that seems terribly apt, woe betide us.

Friday, September 14, 2018

REASONS FOR

It gets tiring--and tiresome!--counting the reasons to vote AGAINST the Republican candidate, whether in our CA 48 district or anywhere else in the state and country. There are simply too many of them (reasons... and Republicans!)

Time to count the reasons FOR voting for our Democratic candidate. Let's see...

Honesty

Integrity

Intelligence

Open to reason

A believer in the objective truth of proven scientific fact

A believer in... well, truth!

Compassion

Proponent of Medicare for all

In favor of reasonable regulation of firearms

Supports education reform and opportunity

Campaign finance reform--end Citizens United

Sensible immigration policies

Will work well with colleagues

Will hold Trump and Republican enablers accountable

Responsive to needs and voices of constituents


Anything else? Sure. But enough for this morning. And more than enough to VOTE FOR Harley Rouda--or your Democratic candidate!





Wednesday, September 12, 2018

FREE TEE

I can't remember which organization sent me this t-shirt by way of thanks for a contribution. But... thanks! I'll wear it!


I hope you'll get one too.

DEFICIT SPENDING

It's hard to beat the hypocrisy of Republicans who clamored for so long for others (Democrats) to reduce the deficit. Now, thanks to the tax bill, their budget increases it by a whopping 32 percent. If we don't know this by now, we should: the rest of us are paying for the further enrichment of the wealthiest Americans.
Thomas L. Friedman, NYT: "Increasing the deficit when your economy is already growing nicely is really, really reckless — because you may need that money to stimulate your way out of the next recession."
If you happen to be a traditional Republican voter, please take a moment to think this through. What has your party done for you recently in exchange for your loyalty, except for threatening your health care with extinction and passing a tax bill that helped no one but the rich? And... is your conservatism truly reflected in the Victorian values and the racial divisiveness of the far right-wing?

Vote Rohrabacher and his Republican colleagues out of office in November! Vote, finally, for a return to sanity, honestly, and simple fairness.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

9/11

Time for some quiet reflection... both on the dreadful events of this day and on the aftermath, which has cost many thousands more lives in the name of protecting America. We are overly obsessed with our own safety, overly fearful of threats, both real and imagined. It was fear, in good part--and the anger generated by fear--that the current occupant of our White House managed to play to in his hideous campaign for the presidency; and it is fear he continues shamelessly to play on in his never-ending campaign rallies.

And yet... as FDR so perfectly put it in his first inaugural address, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

It seems to me we all need to take a breath, dig deep, and find the courage to make the changes that we need to restore sanity to a country driven mad by fear. We must elect fearless representatives, who think of their constituents and their country first, before party loyalty, and who are willing to stand up and fight for the kind of government that serves its people, not itself.

I look to the courage and self-sacrifice of those first responders on this day in 2001 and wish we could see more of that spirit in our public life today.

Please join me in voting for change, not more of the same. In CA48, the choice is clear. A vote for change is a vote for Harley Rouda.




Monday, September 10, 2018

FORUM

So... I hear that Rouda is confirmed. Will Rohrabacher show up? What do you think?


YOUNG VOTERS

I have been thinking a lot about young people--especially about those who are now eligible to vote for the first time. They have good reason to be disenchanted. We older generations have not done well by them. We have abused the planet on which they must survive and we are leaving to them, and their children, and their children's children, the job of healing it. We have poisoned the very air they breathe. And in an overcrowded, overheated planet, we leave them a heritage of war and civil discord.

The political example we offer them is one of bitterness and stalemate. They are right to look askance at Washington, where Republicans hold sway and Democrats squabble about who's to blame. At the top of the pile is a president who lacks all moral authority and whose narcissistic self-interest is plain for anyone to see. Americans elected him--or rather, our deeply flawed electoral system enabled the election of a man unqualified and unfit for office.

And yet... we must somehow persuade these young folk that they can and must make a difference. There are some who, against all odds, are already passionately committed. They are better placed to talk to their more cynical peers than we, who have screwed things up so badly and whose lectures must ring hollow and hypocritical to young ears.

It is vital, so it seems to me, to help them persuade the youngest potential voters that their voice counts; that what happens in November is important to them and their future; that it is in their interest to speak up with their votes; that we--unworthily perhaps--depend on them to bring about the change we all so badly need.

So... if I can help to boost the efforts of these already-engaged young people in any way, I'd love to hear from them.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

NEGATIVE ADS

Someone is spending an awful lot of money putting out negative ads about Harley Rouda. I have glimpsed a number of them--some even showing up on MSNBC, obviously targeting "liberal" and "progressive" voters. Those people spending all that money clearly have some evidence to show that ads like this work, that there are those gullible enough to actually believe the lies and half-truths they promote.

That's a sad reflection on a level of education that allows uncritical consumption of whatever shows up on a television screen. It's testimony to decades of virtual right-wing war on education through the slow erosion of school funding and the systematic abuse of the teaching profession.

Is it not time to change our priorities, friends? We democrats (small "d" because I include both Democrats and Republicans) have let our social responsibilities slide for far too long in favor of personal comforts and agendas.

A vote for your Democratic candidate, this November, is a vote to halt the slide into inertia and neglect. There are people out there who are more than willing to exploit the opportunity to cash in on our lack of vigilance. They are the ones who attempt to manipulate us with their negative ads. They wouldn't spend the money if they didn't fully expect to profit handsomely from their outlay when they get their way.

We allow this trend to continue at the risk of everything we claim to value, everything that is currently under insidious attack by Trump and his Republican enablers. We have perhaps the very last opportunity to put a spoke in their wheel in a couple of months. If we fail, they get to take us on a free ride to the end of democracy.


Friday, September 7, 2018

CARE ABOUT... ANYTHING?

I watch the Senate Judiciary Committee's confirmation hearings on the Kavanaugh nomination win increasing disbelief. The indecent haste with which the Republicans are trying to ram through this lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court is a flagrant abuse of their majority power in the US Senate. Nominated by a "president" who will almost be himself the target of legal action or impeachment, this candidate has quite clearly been selected for his extreme positions on presidential privilege and power. In case we doubted it, his obsequious kissing of the Trump ring in his opening statement makes it clear that, should a case involving the "president" reach the Supreme Court, his would be a fifth exonerating vote.

Those Americans who still believe in democracy, the Constitution, racial equality, educational opportunity, universal affordable health care women's rights, and just, oh, generally the rule of law have only one option left: the vote. Republicans still obviously believe that the Trump vote will be decisive in their reelection hopes. We need to make them fear otherwise with the volume and intensity of our voices. We must declare, and keep declaring our outrage, along with our intention to vote AGAINST every Republican in both House and Senate. Which includes Trump supporter Dana Rohrabacher.




Wednesday, September 5, 2018

CARE ABOUT HEALTH CARE?

NYT columnist Paul Krugman tells it like it is:
"Republicans are coming for your health care. If they hold the line in November, health insurance at an affordable price — maybe at any price — will be gone in a matter of months."
Under Obama we achieved the bare minimum. Republicans have tried countless times (more than sixty) to "repeal and replace" it. 

Do they have anything to replace it with? No. 

Can they repeal it? Sure. As Krugman suggests, if these people retain control of the House in November, it could well "be gone in a couple of months." 

Can we afford to give them that chance? No.

It's a no-brainer: if you value your health care and the health and well-being of your fellow citizens, cast your vote for the Democrat in November.

For those of us in California's 48th District, Harley Rouda is that person. He supports Medicare for all.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

AFTER LABOR DAY

I may have mentioned this before, but I note from my stats that I have a growing number of readers for this blog, so I'll mention it again: I live only part-time in OC48, which makes it hard for me to get involved in hands-on, street-level, personal action. Both my wife and I are registered to vote in this district, however. In Los Angeles, where we live for the other part of the time, our home is in a safely Democratic district--one represented by the redoubtable Adam Schiff.

So having decided a few years ago that our Los Angeles district was in good hands, we changed our voter registration to our Orange Country residence, where we felt our voices would count for more. This November, in particular, we are glad to have made that choice. We will be more than happy to cast our votes FOR Harley Rouda and AGAINST Dana Rohrabacher.

Meantime, other than the financial contributions I can afford--or, nearly, not!--this blog will have to stand in for my activism. I commit to entering regular posts up until the time of the election--and, I sincerely hope, beyond, when Harley will be serving the interests of this district in the House of Representatives. Along with you, I will still be "rooting for him" then.

So... if readers can see any way in which the blog can be more effective, I'd be happy if you'd let me know. If you have information that needs to find its way to even a small number of constituents, I'd be glad to hear about it and spread the word. If anyone would like to join me by submitting an entry--with or without attribution--I'm willing to share the cyberspace of "Rooting for Rouda" with those who are rooting for our candidate along with myself. While I describe the blog as "one voter's reflections," there's always room for others... You can reach me easily via the email address listed in "My Profile."

Starting on the first day after Labor Day, we need to redouble our efforts to make a change in Washington. Our best contribution will be a Democratic congressman who will, we sincerely hope, join the ranks of other new Democratic congressional representatives to form a badly-needed majority in the House. Without that majority, the current occupant of the White House--who can bear to even speak the man's name?--will have free rein to continue along his path of destruction, and at a still faster clip!

Monday, September 3, 2018

LABOR DAY

One great way to celebrate Labor Day: attack the President of AFL-CIO!

This is a feat (well, a tweet) that Donald J. Trump accomlished today with his usual grace and bravado.

Richard Trumka's offense was to assert, on Fox News, no less, that the "president" has done more to hurt American workers than to help them.

Imagine! The nerve! After all Trump has done to serve the interests of working people--including, of course, his massive tax cuts for the rich, which must, surely, be trickling down somewhere... No?

VOTE FOR HARLEY ROUDA AND A FAIR SHAKE IN NOVEMBER!

WORKERS OF AMERICA, UNITE!

I'm a bit slow in noting Trump's pre-Labor Day slap-in-the-face to American workers--in this case, those in the federal bureaucracy, but pretty much everywhere (except perhaps in the coal fields...) The nerve of this man who claims (falsely?) to be a billionaire and who awards vast tax benefits to the very richest Americans to underwrite his largesse--in small part only--by depriving federal workers of a measly 2% pay raise!

I'm pleased to note that Harley Rouda responded forcefully:
Our reckless president said he was canceling all pay raises for federal workers because they are "inappropriate" and we can't afford it. 
Are you kidding me? 
The GOP blew a hole in the budget by giving a $1.8 trillion tax break to corporations and the richest few. Now Trump has the nerve to withhold cost-of-living increases for the men and women who serve our nation? Paying for his escalating deficit on the backs of hardworking Americans is an outrage!
Yes! Certainly an outrage!

AFTER THE PIETIES...

What can we expect after the week-long rebuke of the presidency of DonaldTrump that was cannily orchestrated by the late Senator John McCain, and performed before the nation in the form of his many eulogies by distinguished politicians of all persuasions? After the pieties of politicians in off-the-cuff or prepared remarks to the media and, through them, to the American people? After so much lip-service to the greatness of America and the virtues of bipartisan brotherhood? Can we expect more, um... bipartisanship?

Some hope! I suspect that we shall soon be returning to the spectacle of the United States Senate ramming the appointment of a far right-wing justice down the throats of an unwilling America. Will Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley accede to Democrats' requests to review tens of thousands of documents that are key to an understanding of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's credentials? Or will he continue in the Republican attempt to fast-track the nomination and assure Kavanaugh's swift appointment before the November election?

My bet's on the latter, despite the deplorable history of Republican refusal to even consider President Obama's supremely reasonable nomination by the assertion of a previously non-existent Senate rule about "election year" Supreme Court nominations--one that we have since learned to be cynically hypocritical; and despite the odious irony of a Supreme Court nomination by a man who is, if not yet actually proven criminal, then unquestionably corrupt. A man, too, who may well show up on the Supreme Court's docket and require unbiased review.

Will our Senate heed the posthumous entreaty by the distinguished member whose virtues it so loudly and piously proclaimed? Am I cynical to be sitting here, nursing my doubts?

Here's what David Leonhardt had to say about Republican hypocrisy in a New York Times editorial today. A brilliant commentary. Please be sure to read it.

Saturday, September 1, 2018

A LETTER TO MY OC48 DISTRICT FRIENDS

I'll be sending this letter out selectively, one-at-a-time, to my CA48 district friends. I hope you might consider doing the same. (You're more than welcome to use my template, if it works for you...)

Hello, friend,

I hope the summer has been treating you well! Forgive me for intruding on its last days...

I’m sending this out selectively to a few (I hope well-chosen!) friends to share my alarm at talk of a “blue wave” in November. I remember too well the statistics in November 2016, predicting a 74% likely win for Hillary and a bleak 28% prospect for Trump. We were so sure of the outcome!

And now I keep hearing the exact same statistics used to predict this blue wave in November. We can’t afford to believe them this time. A failure in November to regain the House would be a license for Trump to attack what remains of our democracy with impunity.

So I trust you’ll join me in voting for Harley Rouda to replace Dana Rohrabacher—Putin’s best friend in congress and an unabashed Trumpeter.

Still, our vote, at this critical moment, is just not enough—no more than easy condemnations and outrage. We can’t rely on some mythical blue wave. I believe we must all step beyond our personal boundaries, speak out loudly, and ACT in order to—yes, literally—save the world from the whims and tantrums of a man who wields power like a petulant child.

At a Town Hall on Monday, Rouda asked for three things in addition to our vote: time, talent, and money. I'm pledged to donate more than I think I can afford—and I’m no longer hesitant to ask friends to do the same. It’s just a step over to the Rouda for Congress website and a click on "DONATE”!

As for time and talent, I’m devoting mine in part in the effort to reach out to friends, in part to daily entries in my ROOTING FOR ROUDA blog: http://rootingforrouda.blogspot.com/. Please join my growing readership there and, importantly, send out links from the site to family, friends, associates, colleagues—especially to those who might be leaning right! 

What's needed is enthusiasm, excitement, activism, and LOUD voices. Please join me!  If you think the past year and a half have been bad, just imagine what an unleashed Trump and another Republican-dominated Congress could do!

With my very best wishes, Peter