The Grand Old Party?

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. 
 H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Happy Monday, October 24th, 2016!
October 24 is the 298th day of the year. There are 67 days remaining until the end of the year.
ONE WEEK till Halloween (and my show! Details below!!). Speaking of Halloween, this is pretty scary! A holiday known more for disguises than revelations, may be able to predict the winner of the quickly approaching presidential election. (Read MORE)

14 Days till the election. 179 days till Bette Midler's official opening night in Hello, Dolly! 

I was racking my brain trying to figure out the topic of my next blog. I posted that Dumbo opened 75 years ago yesterday with the drawing of Dumbo that you see here. A Facebook friend responded by saying that's one happy Republican. Eureka! I got the idea for today's blog! Dumbo is about bullying and empowerment. Dumbo was made fun of because of his big floppy ears until it was discovered that there was a special power behind those ears. All of us need to look at the positives in each other instead of the negatives. 

This is what the Republican Party envisioned

Getting back to the inspiration for this blog,what makes a happy Republican?

 Conservative, n. - A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.
  -- Ambrose Bierce

Would Dumbo even be a Republican under the criteria of what it means to be a Republican? Is it all a state of mind for all of us and what draws us to the party of our choice. I'm seeking legitimate answers. I truly want to know what it means to be a Republican. When I think of being a Republican, I think of it as the party of obstruction rather than progress. All of my opinions are based on what I have observed in my lifetime.

Perhaps this picture tells us EVERYTHING we need to know

Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards was Texas’ last Democratic governor, and was replaced after one successful term by George W. Bush. Read this article on How to Be a Good Republican.

On November 4, 2008, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected president of the United States over Senator John McCain of Arizona. Obama became the 44th president, and the FIRST African American to be elected to that office.
 He was subsequently elected to a second term over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

However, Mitch McConnell had THIS to say: The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.

And now, we are poised to elect the FIRST woman president in our nation's history and Senator John McCain has this to say: I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton, if she were president, would put up. I promise you.

Please pay attention. This is before she has even come up with one nominee!It's been 252 days since Justice Antonin Scalia died and Mitch McConnell decided no nominee would get any Senate attention: No meetings, no hearings, no votes. It's also Day 221 since Merrick Garland was nominated by President Obama to fill that vacancy.

And now, Sen. John McCain has vowed that Senate Republicans will continue to stonewall anyone nominated by Hillary Clinton to the Supreme Court:

"I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton, if

Six Days Ago: John McCain: 'I don't know' if Trump will be better for Supreme Court than Clinton

she were president, would put up. I promise you."

We are just one intransigent Republican-led Senate away from the first liberal majority on the Supreme Court in a generation.

It all comes down to a few key Senate races and we have 15 days to give Hillary a Senate willing to do their job.

Donald Trump became the Republican presidential nominee in May following a decisive victory in the Indiana primary and the decision by Ted Cruz to drop out of the race.
He closed the door on the Republican nomination for President by winning all five of the remaining primaries — New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, New Mexico and California.
Trump won the last 16 Republican contests before cinching the nomination. Since becoming the

nominee, he has ripped apart the fabric of this nation AND the Republican Party.
He stated yesterday in a speech that this country is very divided. He has himself to thank for a lot of that. The one thing I have heard repeatedly over the past year is that the Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln and/or Reagan. What are the similarities and the differences? Trump is now saying that if he loses, everything is rigged. What IF he wins, is it also rigged? You HAVE to have it both ways.

From The Huffington Post today: 
Second Texas Judge Leaves The Republican Party In The Age Of Donald Trump
“In short, my family values, my Christian value, my core beliefs have been disenfranchised by my party’s nominee for president.” Read THIS.

The Republican Party is an organization; the Party of Lincoln is an idea.

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States (1861–1865) and the first Republican U.S. President

The Republican Party exists to bridge interests and support the mechanics of elections; the Party of Lincoln answers the questions “why and for what?” If the Republican Party, as now appears most likely, More)

succumbs to the candidacy of Donald Trump, it will irreparably sever itself from the Party of Lincoln. (Read
Both Ronald and Nancy Reagan have now passed into history. Increasingly, it appears, the same can be said of the party they took such care in shaping.

Last week, Cardinal Dolan joked that he was fighting off a cold after sitting in the iciest place on the planet, and there’s no doubt that being the one man barrier between Hillary Clinton and

Donald Trump had to be about as much fun as being the ump at a Yankees vs. Sox game seven. And that was before Donald Trump spoke.
The night before, at Wednesday night’s debate, Donald Trump refused to say that he would respect the outcome of the presidential election. It was astounding to everyone, but the next morning. Donald Trump said he will now accept exactly half the possible outcomes.
That is IF he wins!
Can you imagine a candidate like Donald Trump five twenty-five years ago? I can't. Last Thursday, I was asked to be on a panel to discuss the preceding night's debate. I was introduced by the host , Trevor Boggs (son of Bill) of being anti-Trump.

I corrected him. I am NOT anti-Trump. I am anti-bullying. Trump began his campaign on a platform based on xenophobia and bigotry. And with each passing day, he would add racism, misogyny, and other monikers to a list longer than my arm of what a bully truly is. Take it from a bullied kid, I'm no stranger to that world. We all remember the kid in third or fourth grade who broadcast his or her insecurity by saying things like “I’m a better basketball player than you are — you stink!” or “My family is richer than yours is!” They had to make other people feel bad in order to make themselves feel better. As most bullies mature into adulthood, they somehow leave that aspect of their personalities. Some even apologize as they get older to the ones they've wronged.
Of course, there are some who don't. Trump is in the latter category. As a matter of fact, he wears his bullying as a sign of leadership and strength. WRONG!

The strange thing is that with each insult, his base grows. NOT in the shadows, but in the open. It is almost as if his supporters and surrogates are proud to hurl insults and no matter how many times you address it, they pivot with worse claims against Hillary.
Yesterday, I was listening to CNN on the radio and a DEMOCRAT woman spoke.
She said even though she is a democrat, she did not vote for Obama in either election. Her reason was because "we had been bombarded with his religion." The reporter asked her what she meant and she said, "He's a Muslim". The reporter informed her that she was wrong and her response was, "I'm still not voting for Hillary." The rest of this blog is based on what I've seen on social media today.
You have 14 days before the election. PLEASE VOTE.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Even the New York Times is weighing in today: These are all tweets from Trump: The mixed martial arts fighter Ronda Rousey is “not a nice person.” The golf swing of the actor Samuel L. Jackson is “not athletic.” A lectern in the Oval Office “looks odd,” and the mobile carrier T-Mobile’s service “is terrible.” READ MORE.
He needs to take responsibility with where he is in life instead of blaming everyone else.

Curt Schilling, legendary pitcher and world series champion for the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks, has been on the political scene for a few years now after having retired from baseball (and having been fired from broadcasting due to offensive, hate-mongering social media posts).  Lots of money?  Hates minority and LGBT folks?  Sounds like a Trumpist to me. AND he gets rewarded for it! New York magazine reported Sunday that he will join Breitbart News as the host of a daily online radio show.

 

VCS (Volunteer Counseling Service) is offering a workshop on Undoing Racism this weekend in Rockland County. NY:  Are you challenged by how to deal with race issues in your institution,

agency, classroom or boardroom? Are you concerned about the impact of racism in our communities? Workshop participants will engage in a comprehensive exploration of how racism shapes American institutions; often without our conscious understanding that it is doing so. The workshop moves beyond a focus on the

symptoms of racism to an understanding of what it is, from where it comes, how it functions, why it persists and how it can be undone.
For more information, please call VCS at 845 634-5729 x305 or x312.

Your mind is your home and no one else's. Furnish it as you wish. Set the temp so you're comfortable.-Lin Manuel-Miranda

Silence signals a shift from what was easily said, to that which is harder to articulate. - Susan Winter

Fourscore and seven weeks ago Trump brought forth upon this continent a tremendous campaign, conceived as the most lucrative deal ever and dedicated to the self-evident proposition that nobody is his equal. (Read MORE)
Donald Trump's poll numbers have reportedly been slipping in recent weeks, and a recent question asked to rally attendees in Florida may be an indication that the GOP candidate has reservations about his decision to run.  (Read MORE) 
 

Does this sound like the Grand Old Party?

 

In the last few weeks, Donald Trump, besieged by multiple allegations of sexual assault, has lashed out at his female accusers--and the female presidential candidate he's running against--with snide attacks on their appearance.

 Here are a few (but not all) of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's insults and interruptions during a brutal debate in St. Louis on Oct. 9. (Gillian Brockell / The Washington Post)

Today's edition of the New York Times featured a two-page spread listing the more than 200 subjects of Donald Trump's Twitter ire.

Some Republicans are running so far away from their party’s nominee that they are threatening to sue TV stations for running ads that suggest they support Donald Trump. (Source: The Huffington Post)


 

  Still undecided? God help us!
Again, Pay attention to what is going on around you. I urge you to READ, RE-READ, and TAKE NOTES! Some history should not be repeated.

As you can see, we have a LOT to be proud of. We also have a lot to be concerned about. 
Let's all agree to celebrate that pride in each other! 

Please send your suggestions for future blogs to Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Thank you, to all mentioned in this blog for the gifts you have given to the world and continue to give!

With grateful XOXOXs from YOUR pro-active friend,

 

Check out my site celebrating the legacy of Call on Dolly: From Carol to Bette!

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Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!   

        

One Week till Halloween! I Hope you can celebrate with us! with US! Richard Skipper

"I'd turn back if I were you…" -Lion

Celebrates: A Talk/Variety Show encouraging us to celebrate each and every day and the hidden gems therein. PLEASE CELEBRATE WITH us Halloween, October 31^st. AND SAVE THE DATE...Richard Skipper Celebrates...Halloween throughout history! Did you know Dale Evans , Ethel Waters, Barbara Bel Geddes (Vertigo) , Dan Rather, AND Michael Landon (I was a Teenage Werewolf) were all born on October 31^st? The cast includes Leanne Borghesi, Kelley Karel as Hillary Clinton, Laurie Krauz, Marta Sanders, Deborah

Stone AND a Mystery Guest. With musical direction by Bryon Sommers and Jeff Carney on bass. The Triad at 8PM Come dressed as your favorite celebrity and win a fabulous prize! Contact RichardSkipper.com for more info. You never know who you might see there and what might happen. Show at 8PM/Doors open at 7:30.

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Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com