The Women of the 116th Congress: Portraits of Power Book Review

Progress does not come out of mere wishing and praying. It requires us to step up, take a risk and do something that probably scares the sh*t out of us.

The Women of the 116th Congress was published back in October. With a forward by Roxane Gay, and photographs by Elizabeth D. Herman and Celeste Sloman, the book is nothing short of history making. To be fair, the 2018 midterm elections was history making in itself. Between the House of Representatives and the Senate, 131 women were sworn in. It is the largest number of women in the halls of power in American history. Each woman is photographed and given a brief opportunity to speak directly to reader.

If I had to sum up this book, it would be via a quote from the late Martha Wright Griffths.

“All I want to be is human and American and have the same rights and I will shut up.”

I loved this book. It was a reminder of how far American women have come, but also how far we have to go. This generation of American women stand on the shoulders of women who paved the way for us to succeed. If our daughters and granddaughters are to do the same, it is now up to us to pave the way for their future success.

I absolutely recommend it.

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There is a Silver Lining: Thoughts On The Stacey Abrams & Andrew Gillum Losses

After more than a week of speculation and recounting, the votes in Georgia and Florida are in. Stacey Abrams and Andrew Gillum lost their respective gubernatorial races to Brian Kemp and Ron DeSantis.

Is it disheartening? Of course. Does it make me feel angry and frustrated that the men who won the elections are just another version of the same old politician? Yes. Especially given that Brian Kemp was Secretary Of State and was in charge of the elections while he was running for governor.

But the way I see it, there is a silver lining in spite of the results. There are flaws in our electoral process, but until the flaws are exposed, they cannot be fixed. Stacey Abrams and Andrew Gillum, in spite of their losses, have given hope to those who want to run for office, but are not the traditional candidate. The door has been opened and it will never close again. Women, citizens of color and members of the LGBTQ community now know that they can run for office and can create the diverse America that many of us know is possible.

Victims Of The Trump Temper Tantrum: Jeff Sessions And Jim Acosta

When one takes the mantle of political leadership, there are certain qualities that we expect this person to have. He or she is expected to be mature, level-headed, thoughtful, introspective and basically act like an adult.

After the results of the 2018 Midterm Elections were announced, you know who took an adult temper tantrum. As a result of this temper tantrum, Jeff Sessions is out of a job and CNN reporter Jim Acosta has lost his White House press credentials.

Since Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, his former boss put on a target on his back. Truth be told, I had a feeling that Jeff Sessions would be fired at some point, it was just a question of when rather than if. That point came last night.

For the most part, you know who has had it out for most media outlets since nearly the beginning of his time in office, if not sooner during the campaign. Jim Acosta was doing what every journalist does, making sure that those in power remember who is truly in charge. But he who shall not be named does not like those who do not kiss his feet and proclaim him to be the G-d he thinks he is.

We have two years until the 2020 Presidential election. In the next two years, I hope this country remembers what it stands for and why it was founded. Otherwise, the America that I know and love may turn into a thing of the past.

 

Thoughts On The Midterm Election Results

After months of polling, pundits, ads, campaign rallies and debates, American voters went to the polls last night to vote for their chosen candidates for the 2018 Midterm elections.

While the Blue Wave was not as powerful as some had predicted, the Democrats did not walk away from the election empty-handed. While the Senate remains firmly in the hands of the Republicans, the Democrats gained control of the House Of Representatives and some districts that turned red in 2016.

Any Midterm election is partially a referendum on the President, regardless of who the title belongs to during that specific election cycle. As I was watching the results last night, I was cautiously optimistic. While I was hoping for the Blue Wave, I also understand that you know who holds a certain portion of the voting public in his sway. If nothing else, he knows how to sell, whether it a luxury apartment or a candidate who is running for political office.

From my perspective, the results of the election was not all doom and gloom. Come next year, there will be a balance of power in Washington D.C. The yes men and women in the Republican controlled Senate who automatically kowtow to you know who will have to work with the Democratic controlled House to keep this country moving forward. There was also a major uptick of voters who for whatever reason, had chosen to sit out during previous elections. Many of those who were elected into office last night represent who we are as a country. Instead of electing various versions of the white Christian heterosexual male, many of those who will be sworn in next year are people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ Community.

My hope is that this election reminds us all that we are all Americans and that we have to work together. But in this current political climate, hope often springs eternal.

 

I Voted Today And It Felt Good

Voting is not just the right and privilege of every American citizen, but their responsibility.

I voted this morning before going to work.

When I left my local polling station, I couldn’t help but think of the multiple generations of Americans who had to fight for the very simple and powerful right to vote. What they fought for, I did as if it was an everyday task.

There are not enough ways in the universe to say thank to the men and women who understand how powerful the right to vote is and how vitally important it is to this nation.

I can’t force someone else to vote if they don’t want to or care to. That is their decision. That being said, this person then has no right to complain if they disagree with the decisions made by those who were hired by those who were voted into power.

I voted today and it felt good.

New Randy Rainbow Video-VOTING! – Randy Rainbow Song Parody

The lynch pin of Democracy is the right to vote, regardless of where one stands on the political spectrum.

Tomorrow, November 6th is the day when the American voting public gets to speak their mind. It is vitally important that every adult citizen goes to the polls and tells those in power what they are thinking.

To this end, Randy Rainbow has released a new video. It is entitled VOTING! – Randy Rainbow Song Parody, using the song “What Is This Feeling” from the musical Wicked, as the basis of the song.

Every time a major election rolls around, we say that this is the most important election. But this time around, the 2018 midterm elections feel like it is the most important election. As a country, we have a choice to make. We can choose intolerance, hate and a snake oil, two-bit used car salesman with a Cheetos complexion and the maturity of a ten-year old school yard bully. Or, we can choose to elect leaders who believe in the Democratic process, Democratic norms and will do everything in their power to ensure that both remain as they have for years to come.

Brett Kavanaugh Should NOT Be Confirmed For The Supreme Court

Despite his Presidential shortcomings, you know who is not as dumb as he sometimes appears to be. He knows enough to know that if Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed as the next Supreme Court Judge, his legacy will be cemented for decades, if not generations to come, regardless of how long he is in office.

Brett Kavanaugh should NOT be confirmed for the Supreme Court. Below are the reasons why:

1. Judge Kavanaugh would potentially gut the ACA and Roe V. Wade, in addition to cutting back on the hard-won Civil Rights that citizens of color have been fighting for for generations.
2. Judge Kavanaugh could nullify any charges that are brought against you know who, if he is indicted while still in office.
3. Judge Kavanaugh is another white hetero Christian male. Just what this country needs in a position of political power.
4. Judge Kavanaugh believes that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutional. Millions of Americans would be defrauded out of their hard-earned money by financial institutions if  this important branch of government is rendered toothless.
5. Judge Kavanaugh turned his back on one of the fathers of the victims of the Parkland shooting who went up to introduce himself after the hearing.
6. There are thousands upon thousands of pages missing from Judge Kavanaugh’s record. How is the committee supposed to prepare for the hearing and then make a decision if they do not have all of the facts in front of them?

Only time will tell if Brett Kavanaugh ascends to the highest court in the land. My hope (faint as it is) is that he will not be confirmed But, considering the state of American politics these days, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was confirmed.

P.S. Am I the only one who finds it hypocritical that while Republicans were adamant about not confirming Merrick Garland until the 2016 election, but they are rushing the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh before the 2018 Midterms Elections?