Another Plea to All Local Media--On This Mayoral Race

The topic is Kansas City Mayor.

The election for a new one, after Sly James terms, is coming up, of course, April 2. Weeks away.

All I personally know is that there are at least several people running for the position. This is most of them, I understand

I've seen a few names. I've gotten some mail from a few but really, I've no idea who's running, who they are, what they stand for or what they say they will stand and work for.

I know Clay Chastain threw his proverbial hat in the ring. That's all I need to know about him.

And Jolie Justus. I know she's running and from where she's coming, mostly, since she's been around the area for some time.

I did a cursory Google search today and found this, thankfully, from our local NPR station, KCUR:

Here's Who's Running For Mayor Of Kansas City, Missouri

But if you go there, you'll see they are extremely brief descriptions of the candidates, of one small paragraph. That's it. It is also, brief as it is, the most complete description of these candidates I've been able to find. That's sad.

I don't think our Star newspaper has run articles on all the candidates yet. I don't see every daily paper but I do check in regularly.

There are a couple more links on the interwebs, from national sources:

Mayoral election in Kansas City, Missouri (2019) - Ballotpedia

According to that link, above, there are officially 11 candidates in the race. Six of those candidates are currently on the City Council. Three are on the Council for their first terms--Alissia Canady, Jolie Justus and Quinton Lucas. Two are second-term candidates--Jermaine Reed and Scott Taylor while Scott Wagner is currently Mayor Pro Tem.

2019 Kansas City mayoral election - Wikipedia

The Star did run this piece:

Newcomers to 2019 KC mayoral race most active fundraisers

This is helpful, of course, but it more tells of their fundraising than anything, of course. It's important, sure, but still doesn't tell what they stand for and say they're going to work for in the office. It is also an extremely brief article. If that tells us anything, it's that the one candidate, City Council member and candidate Scott Taylor has the most money behind him and by a long shot. (This may make him the defacto winner. We'll see, of course). Another interesting thing coming from that article is that it doesn't even mention Clay Chastain. 

Finally, Flatland KC ran this online article.

What You Need to Know About KC's Mayoral Election

It gives the most perfunctory information, with links to the candidates own websites so again, it's up to you, the reader and voter to chase down any and all information.

So my question. Is any news media out there--KCUR, KCPT, the Star, Mike Shanin and his program "Ruckus", Steve Kraske and his, anyone, anyone doing any in-depth interviews and research on these people and who they are and where they come from and what they stand for and what they say they'll work for as mayor?

I surely hope there is. If someone's seen or heard something, please let me know. I want and need to know, before the election, just as we all do here in the area. 

It's coming down to election time. We need to know.

With the Star having famously/infamously and recently slashed its staff, it seems unlikely we'll now get this kind of article and coverage, however important.

Seems like the perfect program for KCPT, doesn't it? "Meet the Candidates"?

KCPT? Thoughts?

Link:

Meanwhilere's the scary part. The honestly, deeply scary part.

As Newspapers Close, Role of Government Watchdog Disappears

This President Won't Even Have to be Impeached

According to The Independent out of the UK, the FBI has information suggesting Trump aides coordinated with Russia to damage the Clinton campaign.

FBI has information suggesting Trump aides ‘coordinated with Russia to damage Clinton

If true, and it seems already clear it is, when you put this together with the fact that Hillary Clinton also got 3 million more popular, American votes in the November election, it becomes also extremely clear this administration should be ousted and Mrs. Clinton and a new administration should be installed President and soon as possible.

Impeachment shouldn’t even be necessary.

He and his people, both, are so monumentally bad at their jobs and what they're supposed to be doing and what they're supposed to be working for, they won't have to be ousted by impeachment. They've already been this far beyond the law.

Throw them out of the White House and charge and try them all for treason, no impeachment necessary.

Links: 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/fbi-info-suggests-donald-trump-aides-coordinated-with-russia-a7644901.html

The White House may have skirted federal law to try 
and save its failing health care bill

Poll: President Trump's approval rating hits a new low

New President and Congress Show For Whom They're Actually Working, Already

Check out what the Republicans in Congress have done and are doing for the already-wealthy and corporations--and against the people, ultimately, against the nation and the nation’s best interests since they took over the White House and got back in Congress only two weeks ago.

--Scrapping Dodd-Frank so the big banks can be yet more unregulated and take us ever-closer to one more economic, national and possibly, if not likely, international melt-down

--Scrapping rules against coal companies dumping coal ash into streams

--Scrapping required background checks for the officially mentally unstable

--Scrapping rules that require financial advisers to act on their clients best interests. Those clients would be you and me.

--Scrapping methane rules so corporations can pour yet more methane into our atmosphere

Don't believe it? See for yourself.

Trump Team Promises To 'Dismantle' 

Dodd-Frank Bank Regulations

Trump Moves to Roll Back Obama-Era 

Financial Regulations

'banking caucus' ready to rip apart 

Dodd-Frank

Congress just killed a rule restricting coal companies from dumping waste in streams

GOP rolls back gun control rule that limits sales to mentally disabled people

Trump Takes Aim At Dodd-Frank, Investor Protections Rule In Executive Action

Congress ready to roll back federal methane flaring rule

And then this sort of Republican President, Trump, wants to further erode the separation of church and state by letting churches be political. Ironically, he said it at the National Prayer Breakfast a few days ago.

Trump vows to 'totally destroy' restrictions on churches' support of candidates

Want to see a real beauty? Want to see who this new President Trump and his Republican colleagues are really working for? There's nothing any more telling than this little exchange that took place this week, just a few days ago.

Donald Trump breaks Medicare promise after meeting with Big Pharma lobbyists

Finally, here's another. One last, late breaking example of who Mr. Trump and all the Republicans in Congress are actually working for. And it's not you and me, Mr. and Mrs. middle- and/or lower-class America.

G.O.P. Hurries to Slash Oil and Gas Rules, Ending Industries’ 8-Year Wait

During the campaign for the office he now holds, Mr. Trump said we Americans pay too high prices for drugs and pharmaceuticals in the nation. Like he had to tell us, right? Now? Now that he's President and in the White House and has the power to do anything?  Yeah, well, never mind...

Mind you, this is only the first two weeks, ladies and gentlemen. Who can even imagine what they have in store for us even this month, this year, let alone the next four or six years, depending on the length of their respective terms in office?

The Most Expensive Presidency Ever?

I saw this article today out on FB:

Trump Tower security is costing the 

US taxpayer $400000 every single day

There are so many things about this to know and keep in mind, it's pretty stunning.

That figure alone, $400,000 per day---nearly one half million dollars a day for security for the man in the White House who has not divested and who will not divest from his portfolio, Emoluments Clause or no.

Screw you, America. He has money to make.

Forget that it could--and likely would--cloud his decision making for and on the nation. He and his money are far too important to be bothered with our legality and laws.

Second, think about this. Do some math.

$400,000 per day turns out to be--wait for it--146 million dollars per year.

Just for this President. And only because he won't, again, divest himself of his business portfolio and hey, it's more fun flying back to NEW YORKE SITTY so he can be in his own tower on whatever floor, surrounded by very tacky, lowbrow gold furniture and furnishings.

New Yorkers have to love the inconvenience of having this bonehead in town, too, don't you know? Blocking the streets, making traffic yet more impassable. It must be even more awful.

Then, let's do some more math, fellow Americans.

Over four years---if, God forbid, he makes it that long, given what we've seen of the first two weeks--Mr. Trump and his very reckless, impetuous presidency would cost us, cost you and I, cost the nation 584 million dollars.

Just to keep his tower, his building and him, secure.

That's just under two thirds of a billion dollars.

For security.

For this one President.

Understand and keep in mind not just that this is unprecedented (spelled and used correctly here, please note), but how completely unprecedented this all is. No president has ever needed or required or asked for this kind of security and protection. We've never had this kind of additional, unnecessary expense before. 

This, on top of the fact that Mr. Trump never divested of his business holdings, make this one of the most dangerous and expensive presidencies in the history of the nation, without question.  It's a dangerous presidency because of the risks we incur getting him in and out of New York City but also because of those same risks just having him there, fulfilling his selfish whims.

That it's the most expensive presidency we have ever seen or will likely ever see is shown just in the math, above.

So much for Right Wingers, "Conservatives" and Republicans wanting to be the government of small spending, eh?

Presidential Protests?

As we know, there is what is described to be a large women's protest in the nation's capitol today, Washington, DC after and about the Presidential inauguration yesterday.

Women's March on Washington

Women's March on Washington flooding 

streets of DC

Women's March live: 500,000 people take 

to the streets of Washington

These marches are in big and not so big cities all across the nation today, from Los Angeles to our own, right here in Kansas City.

Women's March LA

Thousands stream into downtown L.A. 

for massive women's march

Boston Women's March For America

Women's March 2017: Thousands Take 

to Washington, Other Cities

Atlanta protesters denounce Donald Trump

'No Trump' chants fill downtown 

New Orleans

Women's March Kansas City Jan 21, 2017

But there are protests in other nations, too, and not just by or for women.

Photos of Anti-Trump Protests 

Around the World

Anti-Donald Trump protests take place around UK during inauguration

Donald Trump protests: Washington leads 

global rallies

Anti-Trump Protests Take Place Around the World

Anti-Trump protests around the world

Trump protests around the world

So here's the question. Let's put this in perspective.

When was the last time a newly-elected world leader, let alone our own newly inaugurated president, just put into office, was protested around the nation? More to the point, when was the last time a newly-elected national leader was ever protested across the globe, around the world?

Never?

Would that be never?

Isn't that instructive? Doesn't that tell us something?

Anything?

Shouldn't it?

Links:

A most dreadful inaugural address

'American Carnage': The Trump Era Begins

Roar

Vote tomorrow, people.  Vote.



And roar.

Want Information On A Candidate?

I just learned of the following political website. It gives non-partisan, non-biased information on political candidates and government office holders.

Project Vote Smart - 

The Voter's Self Defense System

This video tells more of them and the site.

Whatever you do, ladies and gentlemen, get out there and vote tomorrow!

Have a great day and week and God help us all.

Senator Sanders Was---Is---Correct

"There is no justice when so few have so much and so many have so little."

Democratic Socialism and Being Consistent For Over 25 Years

Why Senator Sanders Is Right For America

It's not just that Senator Sanders stands for things and stands for the right things and isn't taking money from the big PACs, though those are all big factors in his campaign.

It's that he stands for so many RIGHT things and that he stands for the people and that he's his "own man."  His views set him so apart, so simply but clearly, distinctly and strongly apart from ALL THE OTHER candidates in this presidential race and that it's basically the same stances he has taken FOR YEARS.

It's clear he's for us. It's clear he's been for us, for the people, for years.

Finally, it's clear he's genuine. It's very clear he's the "real deal."

As president, he wouldn't be and won't be "perfect" and solve all the nations ills, no more than our current president has or did. 

But he's the right man for the job and with a Democratic Congress, a lot of our intrinsic problems in the nation, in and of our government, could and would be addressed, repaired and changed for the better.

Links:  Bernie Sanders - Mayor, U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator

Bernie Sanders - Wikipedia

Meet Bernie Sanders

The Possible Incredibility of Our American Presidency

Sure, I'd prefer Senator Sanders to win not just the Democratic nomination but presidency but.....

but think of this.

If the first black President the Democrats gave the United States was followed by the first female president...

Who then also gave us the first Hispanic vice president....

Clinton-Castro Appearance in San Antonio

But think about it. Think about this 2016 presidential race. 

It looks very like a Democrat will win the whole thing.

When you look at the Republican candidates, it seems clear their candidates are, honestly, far too extreme, at the very least, to be elected, if not just downright.....   well.....  dumb.  Honestly. Legitimately.

So, truth be told, again, we're going to go from the first black president to either the first female...

Or the first, oldest, Jewish president in the nation's history.

Fantastic times, ladies and gentlemen.

Fantastic times.

At What Point Do We Agree On Man-Made Global Warming and Climate Change?

With all that's going on this year meteorologically, at what point do people give in and admit that there is global warming, first and that, second, it is, in fact at least heavily human-influenced if not out-and-out humankind created and that we have to do things about it? And soon as possible.

There have been many, many weather events this year, certainly, like all the hundreds of fires across Canada, Alaska, Washington state, Oregon, Idaho and California, at minimum.

Jul 27, 2015 Scorched earth: U.S. wildfires 

near record level 

What Washington state's wildfires tell us about climate change

Wildfires have now burned a massive 

8 million acres

Then, more recently, like yesterday, there was the unprecedented, unseasonable and deadly sandstorm in the Middle East.

Huge dust storm roars through 

Middle East

For the second week in a row, an expansive dust storm slashed visibility and put hundreds in the hospital with respiratory ailments across the Middle East. The countries most affected include Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan.

This storm comes soon after another dust storm, which was shaped like a pinwheeling cyclone that absorbed light, drastically lowered visibility across Iraq on Sept. 1.

'Unprecedented' sandstorm blasts across 

Middle East

'Unprecedented' sandstorm envelops Lebanon and Syria

Massive sandstorm blankets Middle East for a second day

Not only was there this 2 day sandstorm across several nations in the Middle East but there have actually been many duststorms, internationally, across the globe of late:

Mystery of the dust storms 

sweeping the world

Today we get word of another unprecedented rain and flooding in Japan and not just heavy but, again, unprecedented.

Terrified residents wait for evacuation by helicopter as the overflowing Kinugawa River rages through Joso, Ibaraki prefecture; 90,000 people were forced to flee their homes

Japan floods: City of Joso hit by 

'unprecedented' rain

Record rainfall in Japan has burst riverbanks, ripped houses from their foundations and forced over 100,000 people to flee their homes. The aftermath of Typhoon Etau has also washed tons of radioactive water from the ruined Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific.

In dramatic scenes reminiscent of the tsunami disaster that struck the country’s coast in 2011, residents of Joso City, 34 miles north-east of Tokyo, were rescued from rooftops by Self-Defence Force helicopters. Houses were swamped by a muddy deluge from the Kinugawa River as people were winched to safety, some clutching family pets.

Check out this facts of this rain and flood (emphasis added here):

Weeks of near-daily rain had already left much of Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures, north/north-east of Tokyo, deluged before the typhoon struck, dumping over 500mm (about 20 inches) of precipitation in just 24 hours in some places – twice the average for the entire month of September.  At one point early today over 900,000 people were advised to evacuate. So far, more than 90,000 had been forced to flee the “wall of water”.

It seems the recurring adjective in all this is that each of these events, vastly different as they are and from far flung corners of the planet, is "unprecedented." It's either unprecedented or historic or record-breaking, all true and applicable here.

Other "unprecedented" factors this year? Here's one:

2015 May Just Be Hottest Year on Record

Here's another:

World's Glaciers Melting Faster Than 

Ever Before Recorded

And this last one:

Sea level rise accelerating faster 

than thought

Mind you, these aren't projections, either. This isn't warnings now of what could or might happen in the future. These things are already occurring and they are occurring now, not 20 or 50 or 100 years in the future. And all these events are killing thousands upon thousands of people and displacing and making homeless millions.

Put those few things together---warmer temperatures, more glacier and ice cap melt and rising oceans and to what simple but obvious conclusion do you surely have to come?

Only One Presidential Candidate Talking Solutions

The one candidate running for the presidency in 2016 not talking about the other candidates but instead, speaking about what Americans need and America needs.



Senator Sanders is the one person talking about America's issues, our problems.

He's also the only one speaking to our solutions.

#feeltheBern

Sign up, connect, commit, volunteer, even donate, here: Bernie Sanders

Quote of the Day -- Senator Bernie Sanders

From last evening.

The One Presidential Candidate Asking the One Big Question

Vermont Senator and 2016 Democratic Party Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders asks an important, timely question.



It's a question that needs answering, frankly, and that no other candidate is asking or seeking the answers to.

Only One Candidate for President is Talking Issues and Solutions

That's right. Only one candidate for President right now for our 2016 election is talking America's issues and problems---and solutions.

The Republicans have all these candidates:

And of all of them, all they can talk about is something they want to complain about Hillary Clinton or something they want us to believe about her. Or they want to talk about how gays and/or same sex marriage is going to undo American civilization. Or they want to make yet one more piece of legislation curbing women's otherwise very private and personal reproductive choices, all in the hopes of reducing the number of abortions in the nation. Forget that they're for "small government." They want Uncle Sam to reach into the most private decisions and areas of a woman's and couple's life.

And then there's Hillary Clinton who isn't answering many questions lately. She did reach out and answer some, finally, this week, God bless her. Not much but we'll take it. Because we have to.

So in the meantime? Of all the current candidates for president of the United States of America in the 2016 race, who's the one candidate bringing up America's problems---and offering solutions?? 

The one person?

Look no further than one Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

A possible new ground war with Iraq?

Senator Sanders has made statements on it--public statements.

Taxes, tax issues and fairness?

Senator Sanders has covered it.

Tax breaks for billionaires?

Covered.

Wealth inequality?

Health care in America?

The Patriot Acts and the NSA spying?

Pollution in our environment?

Our colleges and higher education?

All covered by Senator Sanders, Bernie as he's known.

That and a lot more.

So if you--we--really want a candidate who's serious about America's problems and the solutions for them, maybe go to the person who's asking the questions and offering solutions to the REAL issues of the day.

Yes, that would be one Senator Bernie Sanders, candidate for US president, 2016.

Links:  Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Bernie Sanders - Wikipedia

Bernie Sanders For President

Bernie Sanders | Facebook

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders | Facebook

Bernie Sanders - YouTube

7 ways Bernie Sanders could transform America

The Socialist Senator - New York Times

Presidential Candidate Has a Message for Missouri, too

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders made yet another statement on his political stances in his Democratic Party campaign for the presidency:

Bernie Sanders on the death penalty: The state shouldn't be in the business of killing people

Not since 1988 has a presidential candidate for a major political party declared themselves opposed to the death penalty. In announcing his run for the presidency, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has thrown down his gauntlet. During an appearance on “The Thom Hartmann Show” on May 1, a caller asked Sanders if he would end executions of the mentally ill. Sanders replied that he opposes all executions, offering a moral explanation for his position.

CALLER: Execution of the mentally ill, I think […] I’d be more inclined to vote for you if you were to sign an executive order to stop or make a stay on executions of the mentally ill. I think the right wing is actually using that subliminally so that we be afraid of them. […]

SANDERS: Let me just give you an answer that I suspect not everybody will agree with. I am against capital punishment in general. I understand, and certainly for people who are mentally incapacitated who don’t know what they’re doing or what’s happening to them—I think people have been executed who were not even aware of what was going on, and that’s not something that a civilized nation should be engaged in. But in general, this is what I think. Look, there are people who commit horrendous, horrendous, horrendous crimes: we all know that. And we are furious at them, we can’t understand their barbarity. But I think, as with so much violence in this world today, I just don’t think the state itself, whether it’s the state government or federal government, should be in the business of killing people. So when you have people who have done terrible, terrible things they’re gonna spend the rest of their lives in jail, and that’s a pretty harsh punishment. But I’m against capital punishment.

It would be nice if all the Missouri Libertarians and "small government" Right Wingers and even the people who claim to be Christians would all stand up and take this same stance.

It would be the right thing to do.

Two Huge Things the Nation Needs

Great news from--who else? Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders:

Bernie Sanders Introduces Bill To End Offshore Tax Havens and Outsourcing of Jobs

Two things that should never have been put in the books anyway but they were because the wealthy and corporations can buy our legislators with "campaign contributions" and get the legislation they want, in spite of what's good for the nation.

Right now, America, we have laws on the books making it legal to take profits that were made here in the US, take them to the Cayman Islands and so, make them tax free.

That is textbook insanity. It's certainly fiscally irresponsible.

And the other thing that should no way have ever been made law was that companies would get tax credits, too, for offshoring manufacturing and so, manufacturing jobs.

More crazy.

We all know we want more jobs back here in our country, maybe especially manufacturing jobs. This is an excellent way to begin that process.

These two efforts, that is, bringing profits and jobs back "on shore", back to America, would go a long, long way toward fixing two major problems in this country. The first being tax revenue on profits made here in the country and the other of bringing jobs back.into the country.

There shouldn't be one government representative that is against either of these goals.

Sadly, however, because the corporations and wealthy virtually own the Republicans and the Republican Party, they won't be for it.