#devoshearing

I don’t have the time to make one of these for each of Trump’s picks for dismantling America his cabinet. However, watching Democrats actually standing up to Betsy DeVos, that’s kind of cool.

Especially since the Clinton wing of the party is for DeVos’s policy.

But first I just have to say, I don’t know if I’ve ever read a piece by D. Watkins before, but he is someone I will pay attention to now. The Salon piece I got this quote from is good. I look forward to making one of these for him without a cross-eyed white woman on it. (I suspect she has a lazy eye. As one of my friends said about his lazy eye you don’t notice it in person, but in photos, you can see it. I don’t want to eye-shame her, just saying it’s a picture of a cross-eyed white woman.)

Nikki Haley, someone who is vocal for defending images of white supremacy, Elaine Chao, who has connections to a drug smuggling operation, John Kelly, who’s the reason people flee from Central America as refugees, James Mattis, an unprosecuted War Criminal, should not have about 90-95% of the Senate voting for them. Every vote should look like Betsy DeVos’s.

Now, I should give a shout out to Kamala Harris who had the courage to vote against John Kelly, Mike Pompeo, and Rex Tillerson, Richard Blumenthal for voting against Kelly and Tillerson (For shame for voting yes on the rest and not showing up for the Pompeo vote, I don’t know the reason why), Chris Coons for voting against Pompeo and Nikki Haley (For shame voting yes on the rest and not showing up for the Tillerson vote, I don’t know the reason why), Chris Van Hollen for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, and Tillerson, Elizabeth Warren for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, and Tillerson (She’s my senator, she voted for Haley and Mattis, Ed Markey, my other senator has only voted against Tillerson and Pompeo. Looks like we need to have a conversation with them.) Catherine Cortez Masto for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, and Tillerson, Cory Booker for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, Tillerson and Chao (I guess the pharmaceutical companies didn’t want the competition from Chao?), Tom Udall for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, Tillerson and Haley, Martin Heinrich for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, Tillerson and Haley, Chuck Schumer for voting against Chao and Tillerson, Kirsten Gillibrand for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, Tillerson, Chao, and Mattis (The only person to vote against Mattis), Ron Wyden for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, and Tillerson, Jeff Merkley for voting against Kelly, Pompeo, Tillerson and Chao, and Bernie Sanders for voting against Pompeo, Chao, Haley, and Tillerson.

Those with the smug satisfaction of living in California, remember, Dianne Feinstein has only voted against Rex Tillerson and now Betsy Devos so far. She and 12 other Democrats voted for Mike Pompeo. Y’all are going to have to collect your people. I only listed the 14 Democrats who voted against 4 of Trump’s nominations. There are 48 Democratic Senators. That isn’t even close to half on the list who are resisting.

Donald Trump is not a normal president and we can’t treat him like he is one. Sadly, most Democrats in elected office right now don’t seem to understand this. Recently I posted an image around Elizabeth King which said “Any contribution to the idea that Trump is “business as usual”—or worse, palatable—is unethical.” She was criticizing the media, but I would say that this also goes for those in elected office.

Those 14 senators failed us when it was their job to delay the ratification of the electoral college and they failed us when they, for example, like Bernie Sanders voted for James Mattis and John Kelly. There is not a single Democrat in the Senate who’s taken up the mantle of completely obstructing Trump’s agenda. To me, that is unethical.

It is unethical because most people in Trump’s Cabinet are unqualified or will try to profit off the backs of the American people. Let’s be honest, that is why that minority of Americans who voted for Trump voted for him! They were tired of the neo-liberal agenda of extracting wealth from the poor to help those at the top. Sadly, since 1980 (And yes, you can argue that this went back to 1968) America has been governed as a neo-liberal state. All presidents since Reagan (And you can argue since Nixon) have been a part of neo-liberalism. That scam that is neo-liberalism is encapsulated in the scam of Amway, it’s a pyramid scheme in which only those at the top can get rich.

YEAs to confirm DeVos - 50: Alexander (R-TN), Barrasso (R-WY), Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Burr (R-NC), Capito (R-WV), Cassidy (R-LA), Cochran (R-MS), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Cotton (R-AR), Crapo (R-ID), Cruz (R-TX), Daines (R-MT), Enzi (R-WY), Ernst (R-IA), Fischer (R-NE), Flake (R-AZ), Gardner (R-CO), Graham (R-SC), Grassley (R-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Heller (R-NV), Hoeven (R-ND), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johnson (R-WI), Kennedy (R-LA), Lankford (R-OK), Lee (R-UT), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Moran (R-KS), Paul (R-KY), Perdue (R-GA), Portman (R-OH), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Rounds (R-SD), Rubio (R-FL), Sasse (R-NE), Scott (R-SC), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL), Sullivan (R-AK), Thune (R-SD) Tillis (R-NC), Toomey (R-PA), Wicker (R-MS), Young (R-IN).

Remember this for at least two years. I hope this seals the voting out of every Republican senator in 2018. (High fives to Murkowski and Collins for listening to their constituents and having a conscience.) I know for a fact that both of my senators received an outrageous number of calls from their constituents of both parties opposing her nomination. DeVos' generous donations to Grassley and Ernst are public knowledge. Money bought those votes. Grassley and Ernst are not representing any of us or our interests.

We homeschool. A voucher system where the money follows the student would be an enormous benefit to our household and make a huge difference in our daily lives. But this lifestyle isn't for everyone, for a variety of reasons, and I WANT strong public schools. I want to live among people who can think critically, read and reason well, and understand the world around and beyond themselves. I want my neighbors and public servants to be smart. Smarter than me, even. I don't have a doctorate and I have deep respect for the people who poured in the work to learn about something enough to become an expert in it. I can't be an expert on everything, so I trust those who are. Excellent public schools make this happen.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fftskn5HFdA)