Category: Politics/Government

Trump Tactics: Revisionism and Bait-and-Switch

Run-of-the-mill voters are believing revisionist and bait-and-switch storylines that Trump, his minions, enablers and supporters are spinning. This is what we’re up against.

On Storylines and Who’s Buying the Lines of Bull

The guy was buying into Trump Revisionism whole hog, not to mention accepting the kind of bait-and-switch game that’s another of 45’s favorite tactics.

My guy said he’d heard about “some lady” who tried to cut $13 million from Special Olympics funding. Then Trump swooped in and saved the day.

“Not only did Trump put a stop to that, but he added an additional 18 million dollars to the funding,” he said.

He believed it unequivocally.

My guy is someone I like and, for other reasons, respect. I believe he’s at least average when it comes to intelligence. And yet, here he was, repeating misinformation as fact that could easily be disproved via dozens of reputable news organizations.

Hook. Line. Sinker.

This is what we’re up against.

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F*@% Trump’s Fake “National Emergency”

“An irony here is that the United States today is in fact haunted by many actual and interrelated national emergencies. Here below are the top thirty-one that came to the present writer’s mind this last weekend….” – Paul Street

There are plenty of real national emergencies that need our attention.

President Donald J. Trump declared a national emergency last week, calling the “situation” at the border between the United States and Mexico a “national security crisis.”

“It’s an invasion,” (Trump) added. “We have an invasion of drugs and criminals coming into our country.”

He did so to gain access to funds to build his dream of a useless, ineffectual border wall.

Image of a red ladder reaching toward a blue sky (re: Donald Trump border wall)

IV Words calls bullshit. After all, Trump manufactured the problems at the border himself. This is an abuse of presidential power, and he’s being sued by multiple states and organizations to stop it.

Paul Street and Rick Cooley call BS, too.

In a post shared on the Dandelion Salad blog and re-shared on Rcooley123’s Blog,  Street shares 31 actual emergencies this nation needs to address. And these are just the ones from the top of his head. Check them out.

Personal logo of Martin C. Fredricks IV

© Martin C. Fredricks IV, 2019
Political cartoon by Mike Luckovich from the ArcaMax “Political Cartoon Digest.” Copyright 2019 Creators Syndicate Inc. Subscribe here.

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Mr. Bison Goes to Washington

The North Dakota State University Bison football team is going to Washington, D.C. What an honor. Now, if only…

If Only They Were Going to Be Greeted by a Fellow Champion

NDSU’s football team is going to Washington, D.C. Good for them. If any athlete or sports team deserves it, the Bison do. Fifteen national titles and seven of the last eight. Wow.

No matter who the president is, being invited to the White House is an honor.

Or so someone recently pointed out. Made my skin crawl at first. But I’ve come around.

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Trump Delivers Shortest #SOTU in History

New York Times copy editor suffers exclamation-point-induced heart attack.

Speech Dubbed “First #SOTU of the Tweetstorm Age”

President Donald J. Trump gave the shortest State of the Union address in the history of the United States last night to a joint session of Congress and nearly a dozen Americans watching on live television.

Pundits have dubbed it “The First #SOTU of the Tweetstorm Age.”

Prior to the address, Trump’s staff released the text to the media:

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“Fake News”

It’s Official. IV Words is “#FakeNews.” As they say up here in the Great White North, Youbetchya. Since “fake news” is simply news the #RedHatters don’t like or agree with, I agree. And welcome the label.

The IV Words blog has arrived. Sort of.

It’s Official. IV Words is “#FakeNews.”

Yep, official. As they say up here in the Great White North, Youbetchya. At least it is according to several fine #MAGAts who read “There’s No Art in Trump’s Fake Deals” post on Facebook and proceeded to deride and condemn the blog and its blogger.

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There’s No Art in Trump’s Fake Deals

Trump’s self-made messes don’t make for positive negotiations to end the government shutdown. Make a mess, clean it up. And don’t expect special dispensation for doing the right thing.

Self-Made Messes Don’t Make for Good-Faith Negotiations

Apparently “The Art of the Deal” is creating a problem, then offering to fix it in exchange for getting what you want.

It’s hard to be certain without reading the book – not about to – but the actions of President Donald Trump lately make it a fair assumption.

Trump has offered to address certain problems to get the $5.7 billion he wants for his wall on the United States-Mexico border. There’s just one problem with that – he caused them in the first place.

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Establishment Democrats – You Can’t Have It Both Ways

The new generation of progressives is here. Democratic Party, it’s time to listen and act on their priorities, and in the aggressive manner they demand.

“Their Judgement Cometh and That Right Soon”

I’ve been listening to Democrats bemoan disengagement by the younger generation for decades now. “Young people don’t vote,” they’ve whined, and, “young people don’t get involved.”

For a long time, they’ve been right.

Guess what. The young people have arrived. They’re voting. They’re getting involved. And they’re making their voices heard among Democrats and Republicans both.

But many establishment Democrats aren’t too happy about it.

Continue reading “Establishment Democrats – You Can’t Have It Both Ways”

Top 10 Reasons to Become a North Dakota Progressive

Being a “progressive” in North Dakota is the greatest. Just check out all these kick-ass reasons to become one….

Being a “progressive” in North Dakota can be tough. No doubt about it.

This state is so deep red that even the sky is crimson a good part of the time. Especially around suppertime. What’s up with that? To be fair, it’s blue once in a while, too, but always a very light hue.

Even so, there are some things about being a “progressive” in North Dakota that are worth considering. Here are the top 10:

10. Enter a crowded room and you’ll always know exactly where you stand. Don’t worry, it doesn’t take long to get used to being alone in the corner…

9.  Few people around here really understand “progressive” – they’ve never seen one in real life – so you’ll be surrounded by an aura of mystery. The only downside is no one appreciates the sarcastic messages on your political T-shirts.

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North Dakota Moves to Weaken Bakken Crude Conditioning Rules

Five years after Casselton’s near miss with exploding oil cars, the North Dakota Industrial Commission is loosening rules for testing Bakken crude set to ship by rail. What do YOU think?

Industrial Commission Actions Come on 5th Anniversary of Casselton Explosions

Five years after railroad cars carrying Bakken crude oil derailed and exploded near Casselton, N.D., the N.D. Industrial Commission is weakening rules for conditioning oil destined for railroad transport.

The irony is so thick it cuts like Jack the Ripper’s blade through London fog.

But this ain’t London, folks.

It’s our own backyards.

Too Close to “An Ink Spot”

Rory Peterson, who runs the Hardware Hank in Casselton, was spot on when he commented recently to The Forum News Service about the explosions five years ago.

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Give Thanks for Peaceful Protesters

U.S. citizens are a fifth element in our system of checks and balances, along with the three official branches of government and legitimate news media. Peaceful protest is one expression of that responsibility.

This Year, Celebrate the People Who Drive Necessary Change

Before there was a Civil Rights Act, before women could vote, before the devastation of Trump, there were peaceful protesters.

These are people who, by raising their voices, hands and signs, have spurred our government to act on much-needed, necessary, even crucial change or to change course on policies that have been harmful or misguided.

What protesters have done for the nearly two-and-a-half centuries of our existence, and even before, has been no cup of tea.

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