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I (Vern) figured this was timely OC news: Congressman Alan Lowenthal, who represents (besides the Long Beach area) Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Cypress, Westminster, Buena Park, Midway City, Stanton, and parts of Anaheim and Garden Grove, will join the ever-growing list of Congressmen who will not be attending Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday. He joins a list of at least 60 and growing; he’s not even listed yet on this ongoing tally which includes a lot of good quotes.
So, let’s see what Lou does! (Not that this is something I really care too much about.) Here is Alan’s statement, hot off the transom/presses:
“This has been a difficult decision for me as I have the utmost respect for the office of the President and the peaceful transfer of executive power embodied in the inauguration.
“However, President-elect Trump’s recent attacks on Rep. John Lewis were beyond the pale and served as a tipping point which made me re-evaluate my original intention to attend.
“John Lewis is nothing short of a true American hero. He bravely put his life on the line, numerous times, all to bend the long arc of history toward a more justice-filled future for all Americans.
“On inauguration day, our nation invests the President-elect with executive power. We do not anoint the President with respect. Respect must be earned. Donald Trump, in his attacks on Rep. Lewis, and minorities, and women, and the disabled, has yet done little to earn my respect.
“For that reason, and in solidarity with those he has attacked, I have decided not to attend the inauguration. I sincerely hope that over the next four years President Trump will work hard to earn the respect of all Americans, not just those who voted for him. The American people deserve it and the office of the President requires it.”
Congressman Alan Lowenthal represents the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Avalon, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Cypress, Westminster, Garden Grove, Buena Park, Anaheim, Midway City and Stanton in California’s 47th Congressional District. He can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, or his website.
I have gone on record repeatedly with my views of Trump as a horrid human being. So please do not take this as a defense of him in any way. BUT…who gives a rat’s diseased behind who does or does not show up for the Inauguration? Trump doesn’t. I guarantee it. Trump got the job he wanted, and who shows up to attend the party is not the slightest bit interesting to him. So who are these leaders hurting with their absence? I trust they will NOT be drawing any per diem that day if they are sitting home with their safety pins, a bowl of chips and salsa and a cold frosty one?
To that end…(I am gonna get my ass beat here) can we PLEASE stop with the HYSTERIA? Every time I see an article about how “vulnerable populations” should be afraid of Trump, I read through the body of the work, seeking new info that Trump is in fact threatening vulnerable populations, because i DO care about people and I do have compassion for those who live in the shadows and are trapped between a home nation they cannot return to and a broken immigration system that fails to let them become truly part of the American Dream. ANd in reading this “news” I find NOT ONE quote from the Trump administration that would make people fearful. ALL the quotes are from The Left, saying “nobody knows” if Trump will identify non-felons for deportation etc. Uh…well, yeah and NOBODY KNOWS if pigs will fly from the White House rooftop by Valentine’s Day but we are not funding little silk parachutes for porkers. It is The LEFT that is working people into a fearful frenzy and then pointing at Trump as the source of division. One recent article began with the note that Trump had backed down from his position to deport all undocumented immigrants and would only pursue FELONS and then went on to interview liberal union leaders who were quoted GUESSING at what Trump may do next, as they looped back to include non-felons into the mix of those Trump will deport. That same position was confirmed during a recent update by a liberal immigration lawyer, who confirmed in DECEMBER that immigration officials were confirming the last known whereabouts of undocumented FELONS, and some of those confirmation contacts were resulting in “detainments” and it is all Trump’s fault…and I sat there going, uh…he has not yet been sworn in, right? Did I miss it? So the OBAMA immigration officials are cracking down on undocumented felons and it is TRUMP’s fault? So trump will continue OBAMA’s policy of deporting FELONS, and the world is coming to an end?
Gee, fear ginned up by the same guys who find it beneficial to keep fearful people in fear (and therefore under their own control as they seek “protection” from what is so far a non-threat) and this is “news?”
Like I have said, repeatedly, I despise Trump, but thanks to the Dems shoving Hillary down the throats of their own party and pushing people to the 2nd worst candidate in history to save us from the worst one, the people have spoken, and yes a NON-VIOLENT transfer of authority is needed for us to be the America we are supposed to be. If Republicans acted like this we would be mocked (rightfully so) but the hysteria of The Left is old and tired and I can do without it. So I don’t want to give screen time and column inches to those whiny babies who refuse to show up for the lawful transfer of authority that is required of our government simply because they don’t like the end result.We elect them to be the bigger person, set aside their own petty personal views and BE LEADERS who represent EVERYONE and that means representing those of us who did not vote for Trump but recognize enough other people did to make him the next President, and we will respect the SYSTEM of government that so far (mostly) works.
And if I see one more article quoting the left on unsubstantiated fear tactics that “might” happen and entirely absent of new info from the Trump admin that backs up a fear that the Left is creating in those who DESERVE BETTER than this straw monster treatment, I am going to lose my $#!^.
Carry on.
The watchword here on the left is that we don’t want to “normalize” Trump. Not attending the inaugural is part of that process.
I’m not sure what “normalization” is or what it’s supposed to accomplish or how it’s supposed to accomplish it, but I think that it involve taking actions to remind ourselves that Trump is — primarily in his violation of customs and taboos — simply not “normal” for an incoming President. They’re not trying to drive him out of office (it will be the Republicans who do that, I predict); they’re just trying not to act like everything’s OK, in much the that way we wish more Germans had acted when Hitler came to power.
Just as Trump doesn’t care who doesn’t come to his Inauguration (and its parties), those opposing “normalization” don’t care about the opinions of those who don’t see it as justified. THEY see it as justified — and they believe that their actions keep a necessary and appropriate debate alive. Seems fair to me.
I’ll have at least three responses (below) to Cynthia’s long comment.
I respectfully disagree with the substance of your position, especially with this statement : ” It is The LEFT that is working people into a fearful frenzy and then pointing at Trump as the source of division.” The hateful rhetorical campaign by Trump generated the fearful frenzy.
Many of us are patiently waiting to see whether another type of Rick Perry regret
occurs. Patiently observing how our first latina council person does not seem to understand the concerns of the many latinos in her district. This confirms that district elections as valuable as they are, they will not adequately address issues if the council is permanently controlled by one party.
I think if Lou was going to boycott Trump he would have announced that already to get the PR and press. So yeah, I’m saying Lou will attend the inauguration
I guess I was right.
Can someone refresh my memory as to when has he made the news for being PRESENT for something in DC ?
Lowenthal? He has actually been a GREAT vote on opposing the High Speed Rail boondoggle, while ironically his ex-wife Bonnie is all in for it. That has made for some interesting discussions. But I am not otherwise familiar with his record, Big Box? Or are you talking about Lou not clocking in for work?
Ooops. Jon Coupal points out the ugly facts of life, that the rules Dems put into place to screw with others aren’t working well for them. So if they don’t want to show up for the beginning of the end, that is their choice.
https://www.hjta.org/california-commentary/california-democrats-behaving-like-confederates/
“Another example of their being hoisted on their own petard was discussed recently by California political analyst Tony Quinn who noted that the federal courts struck down most of Arizona’s efforts to enforce border security. The U.S. Supreme Court noted that, in the area of immigration, federal laws pre-empt conflicting and even complimentary state laws. That throws into doubt any efforts by California and other left-leaning states to enforce any so-called “sanctuary” policies.
But all this hasn’t stopped California’s top Democratic leadership from posturing (mostly for the cameras) about how they will “stand up” to the federal government to protect “California’s values,” whatever that means. Apparently, Governor Brown and newly elected Legislative leaders have mistaken Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento with Fort Sumter in South Carolina which heard the first shots fired in the Civil War. They need to be reminded that things didn’t work out so well for the Confederacy back then and if, by taking on the federal government, they think they will get a better outcome, they’re probably wrong.”
Democrats didn’t do that; the Constitution’s “Supremacy Clause” did it.
Sanctuary cities are basically passive resistance on the part of a City. There is no comparison between this and Arizona’s proposed law..
*Here is a list of Presidential Inaugurations we would still not attend …even at this late date: LBJ, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and now Donald Trump. These were are great Americans that were able to singlehandedly screw our nation hard and kill lots of our young military folks without any reasonable outcomes. We suggest that the 168 members of Congress who refused to attend the 2nd Inauguration of Richard Nixon might have a challenge with this incoming President….but so far we are looking at only 60 to 120 Members of Congress. However, the message is telling that “Impeachment” is words bouncing off their lips at the slightest provocation. His Cabinet picks are perhaps no worse than those of Nixon, Carter or LBJ…..however – communications have changed a great deal since the years before Windows 95 and folks find out how dirty are people that shoot for the Public Trust. There are some very dirty folks that always want to be in charge, no matter the Administration. Trump probably needed Viola Davis as opposed to Ben Carson for HHS Secretary…eh?
1. I agree, who does or doesn’t choose to attend the inauguration is not the biggest issue around; I thought this was worth sharing because it’s an OC Congressman; I did write “not that this is something I really care too much about.”
I don’t think that any of these boycotting congressmen are really thinking that Trump cares if they come or not. Nor do I think, as you say, that they expect to “be drawing any per diem that day if they are sitting home with their safety pins, a bowl of chips and salsa and a cold frosty one.”
But this is obviously a very serious decision for most of them. I doubt I’d attend if I were a Congressman, I can just imagine how dirty and depressed I would feel watching that coronation and being part of it. One Northern Californian Congressman, Mark DeSaulnier, who obviously put a lot of thought into this, released a video this week explaining his decision that’s worth hearing:
Next: the worries of Latinos and Muslims, and then, the question of whether it’s too early to make an educated guess of what Trump is really gonna do.
My head hurts, mostly from banging it against a wall. Congressman DeSaulnier does a good job of outlining why he does not care for the behavior of the President-Elect, and his concerns are shared by many of us, including those of us who claim allegiance to the Republican party. But he does NOT adequately explain why he will not be in attendance at the peaceful of transfer of power that is an essential part of his position as an elected Congressional representative of his constituency. Don’t like Donald Trump? Join the club. Boycott his birthday party. But dislike or even disgust of the PERSON does not exempt one from participating in the lawful PROCESS.
DeSaulnier’s video “report” claims he believes the President-Elect will be violating his Oath of Office as he takes it. Well then enforce it. Because that is the role of the Federal Government, which means YOU Congressman. If the Ethics Office says Trump needs more separation of his business interests, then ENFORCE THAT. (While claiming it is OK to run foreign donations to yourself through a self-dealing non-profit when it is one of your own.) I would LOVE to see more enforcement of ethics and transparency laws in Washington, the loopholes that currently exist can accommodate the moving vans headed for Kalorama. So enforce the laws, beef up the laws, or shut up. Staying home with the unsubstantiated accusation of violations of the law is beneath the dignity OF YOUR OFFICE, sir.
I expect to see ALL AVAILABLE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES freezing their butts off in the rain tomorrow on that platform to witness the one truly Constitutionally compliant act we have NOT managed to FUBAR in Washington. I not only expect to see each and every one of these men and women present to WITNESS this peaceful transfer of authority, I expect them–in the hypothetical absence of any Judicial authorities present to conduct the swearing in, to be prepared to step up and ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE THEMSELVES if called upon to do so. They can then leave, retch into the congressional shrubbery surrounding the building, and convene a special committee to investigate for the purpose of impeachment the newly sworn President while using their taxpayer issued note pads to draw caricatures of the new President, filled in with orange Crayola. Go for it.
But first you get your partisan asses on that platform and conduct your duties as elected officials. NOW!
There is no requirement that any member of Congress attend.
Again, he is taking a stand against “normalization” of the Trump Presidency.
Your objections to it are largely of etiquette. People differ on that.
The power of the minority to do almost ANYTHING in Congress is limited — especially nowadays. Saying “enforce it” to a member of the Congressional minority is like saying “stop spending money on giveaways!” to Tom Tait between 2012 and 2016. He knows the problem, he’d like to address it — but he was not allowed to do so.
That’s also part of what people don’t want to “normalize.”
I really don’t care who goes.
That being said, the inauguration is one of the most charished sacraments of our Republic.
The peaceful transition of power should not be “boycotted”. That’s just ignorant and stupid.
Want to skip all the parties and nonsense? Fine. But stand up and respect the institution that we have done better than anyone in the history of the world for over 200 years.
2. Are immigrants and immigrant sympathizers overreacting when we think that there will be mass deportation of non-felon undocumented immigrants (i.e. more than Obama did?) Possibly. But you can’t blame them for worrying about that and preparing for it; Trump DID say a few times that he would do that, and suggest it a few other times (and backtrack other times.)
I kind of doubt that there will be mass deportations, or a ban on Muslim immigration, or a Muslim registry, or a big beautiful wall on our southern border paid for by Vicente Fox. The sick fuck just blurts out anything that bounces around in his tiny brain and seems shiny.
The worst part, I think, for immigrants and Muslims in this country, is that Trump got elected by just enough Americans to win the Presidency after promising the above outrages. And now the people who DO want those things to happen feel justified and emboldened, and think that most of the country agrees with them. And that’s why we see incidents of hate and abuse all over the country. And it had seemed, up until a year ago, as though things were getting better.
And the other people who voted for Trump for other reasons – economic or anti-Hillary – weren’t bothered enough by the racist talk to vote against him or abstain. That’s troubling as well.
3. Cynthia, Sean Cocca, et al. urge us to wait to see what Trump will actually do in the Presidency before over-reacting to some imaginary phantom menace. This sounds reasonable on its face. But I think we’re getting a PRETTY good picture of what he intends, by examining the gallery of vandals he’s already naming to his cabinet. I trust those signs more than what he promised on the campaign trail, even more than the promises I liked.
For example his defense and national security team is unreconstructed warmongers, despite his criticisms of Hillary as a warmonger. His pick for Health and Human Services (Tom Price) plans to strip away affordable healthcare from millions of Americans even though Trump promised the opposite.
A Secretary of State who’s Vladmir Putin’s bosom buddy. An EPA director who has long been the EPA’s worst enemy. An education secretary who has always fought against public education. And on and on and on. I think we’re getting a pretty good picture of what Trump is planning for us.
*Never liked LBJ from the start. Disliked Gerald Ford instantaneously…especially after pardoning Nixon. Nixon and his entire Yorba Linda group were dirty from the beginning. Jimmy Carter was pathetic and his brother too. Couldn’t run a lemonade stand much less a peanut farm without Government Subsidies. The Hill and Bill were too much….but still ruined our country with Waco, Whitewater, Ruby Ridge and Elian Gonzales. Cynthia,
sometimes …you just know “Right from the Start”….”You get this feeling in your heart…”
“Baby I knew that you were WRONG for the part….”…with Apologies to Earl Thomas Conley!
Lou gives his answer on the blue kleptoblog. Of course he’s attending.
http://www.theliberaloc.com/2017/01/19/correa-will-attend-inauguration-were-either-at-the-table-or-on-the-menu/
yup.