+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++'s

Trump does do some crazy stuff, and it is not clear if this is an act or a tactic or what. The issue is that Oregons people are routinely ignored by the 51% needed to ram through their agenda. That is a lot of people who are on PERS and who are deathly afraid the Republicrats will cut the gravy train (which either they do or the state implodes, either way it WILL end). CRazy and different is often a response to the old saying "The definition of insanity: trying the same thing over and over expecting different results". That has been proven in State as well as Federal politics today, so it is time for Crazy and different. It beats being reduced to a money thrall for a few liberal agendas.

"Labelling the election as a result of the folks who elected the current president because "they just wanted something crazy and different" is demonizing a large swath of this nation's voters. "
That's not what I meant in this particular comment. I'm saying people wanted "radical reforms". Some of them (like me) think the fed gov't has gotten too large and intrusive compared to what the Constitution had in mind. Some of them sense that since the post-WWII period income disparity has increased. I agree with that, but most of it is from wealthy people generating more wealth, and I don't think it's possible or desirable to steal their wealth and share it. Other people may have other reforms/changes they want. Note that President Obama won on a slogan of Change.

The next part of the narrative says someone with the levers of power could institute the reforms but they won't because to get to that level they become beholden to people for political favors. In this view there's an obvious fix to many problems, but once politicians get the power to execute the fixes, they get pressure not to do it from people benefiting from the problems. The narrative goes that we need someone crazy and different who will go and pull the levers of power that provide high-paying jobs, make crime go down, shrink gov't, etc. (I completely disagree with this narrative because I think the problems are already getting better, and gov't needs mostly to get out of the way.)

That's what I mean by just wanted something crazy and different. I stand by that and I think the same forces as I said could lead to a Bible-thumping preacher, Sean Penn, or Oprah.

I am not demonizing people who want something different, although I think Clinton was exactly right in saying Trump intentionally appeals to a basket of deplorables, who are think are a small swath of voters.

I do not think MSM are responsible for President Trump's clownish persona. That's his shtick. That's how he gets attention. The media are getting more democratized, and Trump goes straight to the people with his lurid tweets.

That does seem to be the case, and sums it up. I cringe at some of the things he does, and sometimes, I almost think he is a facade and there are some people in the background really making things happen and fighting the fall of night.

It really hits home that Ayn Rand's vision in "Atlas" is even more relevant today than when her book was first published. Too bad there isn't a real John Galt who can invent a "cloaking device" and we could all retire to some obscure valley in the Rockies, instead of a blog site on the internet.

I would note that only extreme extenuating circumstances allow the President to assume direct control of National Guard forces. And in such extenuating circumstances, the President is essentially declaring the Governor unfit and assuming his/her place in the command hierarchy. This is far from normal procedure and even the cited wikipedia article notes only one instance of this being invoked:

September 24, 1957 President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the entire Arkansas National Guard to ensure the safe entry of the Little Rock Nine to Little Rock Central High School. (The Governor was rebelling and preventing federal laws from being enforced.)

All other activations of the National Guard were for foreign military service which is subject to Congressional rules - not Executive ones. The exception is not the rule.

One must make difficult choices in life. I left California and somehow survived.

Yes, we still have to limit their power by not giving them the funding at all levels. We can spend what we earn more efficiently and in our specific pursuits of happiness.

CG, "clownish president"...hmmm. Have you looked at the results of the "clownish president"? Granted folks expect more decorum from their elected offals, but I think the results are worth the show. At least with this current president there are few surprises, like 0zero on his world apology tour and appointing bad actors in his administration. Some of who are still in place making it difficult to get anything of substance done for the people.
Might want to step back from your ideology and re-evaluate what is going on with the current administration.
Labelling the election as a result of the folks who elected the current president because "they just wanted something crazy and different" is demonizing a large swath of this nation's voters. Which the leftists have been doing since Trump was nominated.
Step back, take a deep breath, and let go of the picture the MSM is painting of the current president. Look at results.

Here:


Use of Militia and Armed Forces to Enforce Federal Authority.

Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, assemblages, or rebellion make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any state or territory, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any state. This is another statutory exception to the PCA.

Interference with State and Federal law.

The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means, shall take such measures as he considers necessary to suppress, in a state, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy.

Air and Army National Guard.

Air and Army National Guard can specifically be called into Federal service in case of invasion, rebellion, or inability to execute Federal law with active forces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa...

No Blarman, not true, they are at the Governors control when not activated by the President, the fact other Presidents have been blown off and they meekly went "ok", does not make it right. The President can activate and command the National Guard if he needs to.

maybe not an accident..

The problem is that states rights become like the crazy ass general in Dr Strangelove and look how well that worked out. We exchange one little emperor for another. rapid enslavement.

All true, Oregon is an excellent example of how the majority can force the minority to pay for their insanity, and the Republicans lizards in the state are just as much Dumbocrap as not. They also are arrogant asses who do not want to hear your opinion but will send you the emails for money.

Hard to leave when your work is here, and the nearest sanity is in another state, and they are not immune to the infection either...

Not sure there is a right move left beyond a revolution of some kind, they are starving us for their greedy looter ideas, and is getting worse every week...

All true, we are looking for land to buy, so we can have our horses and maybe no near idiot neighbors, there is some in the southwest still reasonable, but I am afraid as the loony govenors and govt structure is on a ramp up in demanding money day in day out, with no stopping, same in Oregon, the greedy bastards can not get enough...

Similar story ... I am living in West Richland, WA ... moved out to Washington in 1991 for work / employment. The TriCities are an excellent place to call home. And speaking of home, it's been paid for, so I plan to stay here awhile longer.

Historical perspective regarding King County (the Bluest part of the State): "The county was named after William Rufus King who was Vice President when the Washington Territory was created in 1853. On February 24, 1986, a motion to change the namesake to Martin Luther King Jr. was passed by the King County Council five votes to four." I suppose the four voters against were all racists...

If I recall, we recently had a vote regarding education ... something about reducing class sizes because that is better for students [or so some studies indicate -- of course, there are other studies that find no difference in student achievement rates in context of class size] The price tag: $1Billion a year. When you read the fine print -- the money goes toward Administration and school counselors... Not Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Big Education ... Big Government. Take a look at the Teacher's Pensions sometime . . . Of course, It's All For The Children.

I have a few friends on the Silly Side of the Mountains (Seattle) ... and there is really no talking to them in terms of alternate perspectives, whether that be minimum wage, constitutional amendments (2nd in particular), etc... my friends would rather not be upset to have their belief systems challenged. It is all a bit frustrating.

One other item on the agenda -- removal of the Snake River Dams. I tried to posit that "human beings are more important than fish" ... I suppose we can take that topic up on a new thread.

The president has too much power already. States rights should be regained and the constitution intended many of such things to be under the power of the states. (I agree with Trump on this, but he needs to obey the constitution, as do all the violators in DC.)

Nickursis, as a long time former Oregon resident who moved to New Mexico eight months ago, you have my understanding and sympathy.
However, New Mexico is the same, only poor and not as high a profile. Our Democrat leaning Republican governor will soon be replaced with some aspiring leftist, as that's all we have left.
Not sure I made the right move! :-)

I do care, because it's not right for the children of the wackos in Oregon to be safe and let the children of other parents take the lumps for them.

Plus, isn't the President supposed to be able to make that determination (that's a real question...it seems reasonable to me, but apparently I don't know what I am talking about.) Plus there's that thing that no Oregon border is anywhere near the south, as mentioned elsewhere.

Good explanation, and yeah, I don't think you should have to leave all you have achieved just because of some wackos! That was somebody else suggesting that you leave :-) but thanks for recognizing that I was joking to make a point.

I loved it when someone on Fox News recently made the comment (memo to the Oregon governor) that Oregon doesn't actually have a border with Mexico. I think it was Tucker Carlson, but he found it necessary to give a short "geography lesson" (and the graphic came up showing the whole western United States, with Oregon highlighted). Yep, Kate, you weren't going to be asked to contribute National Guardsmen to the border in the first place, because you only border California, Washington, Nevada, and Idaho. Mexico is a little bit south of you - More brilliance from the idiot Left!

Bill Clinton refused to send National Guard to 1st Gulf War. He covered that up after . Was chided by Swartzkoff many times

The proportion of conservatives to liberals in Oregon and Washington is not nearly as small as that (okay, I understand you are joking to make a point). I grew up in Oregon in a small town about 30 miles southwest of Portland and went to Oregon State (Corvallis). I now live and work in Richland, WA (southeast Washington). In both cases, the eastern sides of each state are conservative, but the west sides are where most of the liberals are. Oregon is a slightly bigger state than Washington (by land area), but has only half the population. In Oregon, the Left is concentrated in "Fruitcake Portland." In Washington, the Left is slightly more spread out, but are concentrated in the "Seattle-Tacoma I-5 corridor." Recently, ridiculous gun control schemes were passed (60% vs. 40% by popular vote, and guess where the 60% live? King County, of course!) In the previous election, Governor Jay Inslee won re-election, and the ONLY county he carried was King County. Just like in the Hunger Games, the rest of us out here in "The Districts" don't count. Why don't I move? I was born in Oregon and I have 7 acres in the country that my mom & dad finished paying for back when I was in 2nd grade. Its our family estate and the liberal Nazis are not going to force me to leave. I also have a house here in Richland with only 2 payments left and I'll own that too. The Left is not going to force me out. By the way, most of California (by county) is also a "red state." The only "blue" areas are San Fran-freako, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento. See a pattern here? Thank God for the Second Amendment! We may need it yet.