More damning evidence of the pervasive nature of violence against women and how often it is discounted and minimized by those in power. Men in all walks of life are perpetrators and too often protect each other.

While everyone is fixated on the Nunes memo, no one is paying attention to Trump's refusal to enforce the sanctions against Russia.

In yesterday's national security debacle, tens of thousands of Hawaiian residents were needlessly terrified of nuclear annihilation while POTUS golfed. (Is he any different than Nero fiddling while Rome burned?) Our decaying, crumbling infrastructure is in desperate need of updating and upgrading. Our livelihoods and national security depend on it. Yet, our politicians focus on tax cuts for the richest Americans and corporations, who don't need them. Will Americans wake up before it's too late?

If anyone doubts voting in local elections isn't serious business, they need only watch the short clip below where a Louisiana teacher is ARRESTED and put in handcuffs because she asked for a raise at a school board meeting. As this clip shows, Republicans will not hesitate to use fascist tactics to retain their monopoly.

This clip is from an article by Matthew Chapman on ShareBlue Media:

[link:http://shareblue.com/watch-louisiana-teacher-arrested-for-asking-gop-school-board-president-for-a-raise/|

Despite the hype, America is a country in decline and has been for decades One need only look at our crumbling infrastructure, our decaying schools, the millions living in poverty and the costly, and the inefficient health care system as examples to see that something is seriously wrong, and lacking with our leadership. The most recent tax cut (scam) for the wealthiest Americans makes it all so obvious--our leaders are merely looking to take the money and run.

Conversely, there is China They have heavily invested in education and infrastructure and is preparing to take our place on the world stage, and we appear to be inclined to let them. Have our leaders given up on problem-solving and are just looking to cash out while they can? There is so much we could do better for everyone, yet, Americans are more divided than ever, with no end in sight.

The problems we face will take much more than just winning the next election. We've largely lost the ability to work together for common goals for everyone's betterment. It's not that there aren't enough good people. It's that too many of us have become far too cutthroat and mercenary, hyper-focused on petty, meaningless differences. It will take more than loud chants of " USA!" to change our direction. Divided we fall.

In another DU post this a.m., an article from former Minnesota Governor, Arne Carlson, spoke of the Democratic Senators' "rush to punishment" in throwing Senator Franken under the bus. He is absolutely right. At some point, I believe the Senators will regret this poor decision. It's time to change leadership.

It's been said that Trump behaves more like a mafia don and his party is "pillaging and plundering America like a RICO organization:


https://www.theglobalist.com/republican-tax-bill-trump-corruption/

The hit job against Senator Franken is glaringly obvious. Any calls for him to step down are premature, at best and when there is no differentiation between claims of sexual harassment and their nature, women lose. There is a serious problem with widespread sexual harassment and assault that is long overdue for being addressed, rationally. When Dems rush to judgment, as they have in Franken's case, they only embolden the dirty tricksters, and harm women.

Senate Democrats need to be careful they don't look like they're thumbing their noses at the voters of Minnesota and want to pick their own. If and until we learn of any more egregious incidents, Senate Dems (and their donors) need to give due process, and the ethics investigation a chance to work, and do what we tell women every day -- get over it! This has become a sideshow that detracts from the very serious business at hand that needs every bit of our attention.