The Ides of March

Thursday, March 21, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The Ides of March, March 15, was in Roman times the day to settle debts, and according to Shakespeare, a day to beware of. The Ides of March, last Friday, was chosen for the big international strike by school children for action on climate change. The kids showed in force but were overshadowed by two other tragedies that day, Cyclone Idai and the New Zealand shooting. We also became aware of dangers we previously missed, a deadly design flaw in the Boeing 737 Max and an unnoticed large meteor strike over the Bering Sea. Beware of the Ides of March indeed. 

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Students Across the Globe Go on Strike for Climate Change
• Thousands feared dead after Cyclone Idai rips through southern Africa
• New Zealand mosque suspect embraced white supremacy
• Investigators find similarities between Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes
• Earth hit by meteor 10 times more powerful than nuclear bomb, but no one noticed

The Rise of Andrew Yang

Thursday, March 14, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Possibly the most exciting Democratic presidential candidate is someone you never heard of, Andrew Yang. He is getting a lot of attention from the power of his ideas; see the first video below. He also knows how to frame his ideas for the race against trump and effectively communicate them to the crowds, see the second video. He does not have a chance of winning the nomination, but he could have a surprising impact on the direction of the party.

Here are the first two videos for the meeting:

• ANDREW YANG - UBI and the 2020 Election
• Andrew Yang's Pitch to America

----------------------------------------- Updated 3/14/19 --------------------------------------------

Here is the lead-on video at the meeting that was not in the list above:

• Should Americans fear automation?

Children Climate Crusade

Thursday, March 7, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Children are now leading the battle for action on climate change. Children are pushing Congress to support the Green New Deal. Children are suing the Federal government for lack of climate action. Children around the world are skipping school to protest climate inaction. Are the children being used by climate activist or are they doing this on there own? 

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Dianne Feinstein rebuffs young climate activists' calls for Green New Deal
• The climate kids suing the government
• Climate Kid Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
• Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks at four school strikes in a week
• The disarming case to act right now on climate change

-------------------------------------- Updated 3/6/19 --------------------------------------

In the FULL MEETING, Feinstein comes across less harsh and there is more discussion about her alternative resolution. In the meeting she declines to summarize how her proposal differs from the Green New Deal, but she does hand out copies to the kids. HERE is a draft of the resolution from her website.

-------------------------------------- Updated 3/7/19 --------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Our Children's Trust: An Introduction
• Teens Skip School to Strike for Climate

Trump World

Thursday, February 28, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Trump outlined his foreign policy achievements in his SOTU speech HERE. The two he seemed most proud of was North Korea and Venezuela. Both are making the news this week and will continue to develop in the two days before our meeting. I will get the latest videos available on Thursday morning.

For the meeting, we will start with North Korea and Venezuela.  If there is any time left we will cover the other issues Trump boasted about in his speech, which includes trade negotiations with China, the USMCA replacement for NAFTA, getting other NATO countries to pay more, the end of the INF treaty with Russia, troop withdraws from Syria and Afghanistan, and exiting the Iran nuclear agreement.

----------------------------------------- Updated 2/28/19 ---------------------------------------

Here are the videos shown at the meeting:

• Trump - Kim Jong Un summit ends abruptly with no deal
• Despite no deal at 2nd summit, is Kim Jong Un playing a long game
• Violence in Venezuela Raising Concerns Among Critics of US Policy
• Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó plans to take over as president when he returns
• How should the US depose Maduro in Venezuela
• White House says several hundred troops will remain in Syria
• Afghan government says US withdrawal will not affect security

Border Walls

Thursday, February 21, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For our next meeting, we will discuss Trump's national emergency, the wall on he Mexican border. We will also cover other well known border walls. Here are some of the videos:

• Stephen Miller defends Trump's national emergency decision
• The Great Wall of China, The Berlin Wall, and the History of Border Walls
• National Emergency!

------------------------------------- Updated 2/21/19 ---------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• U.S.-Mexico border wall was once a bipartisan effort
• Why Walls Won't Secure The U.S.–Mexico Border
• Jumping The Tijuana Border Wall
• Why Trump's Wall Won't Stop Music At The U.S.–Mexico Border

Green New Deal

Thursday, February 14, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

H.Res.109, aka the Green New Deal, was introduced in the House last week by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and it expected to come to the floor for a debate and a vote. A similar bill, introduced to the Republican controlled Senate by Ed Markey, is expected not to advance. Even though this bill does not have a chance of passing, it is forcing all potential presidential candidates to take sides. The political Right, will use this issue to paint Democrats as Socialist.

For our next meeting, we will discuss the Green Nrw Deal and its political ramifications. Here are some of the videos:

• Rep. Ocasio-Cortez proposing Green New Deal to fight climate change
• What is the 'Green New Deal?'
• Green New Deal Revealed - What's In It?
• Nominate a dealmaker or a candidate with a bold vision?
• Ocasio-Cortez's 'Green New Deal' receives praise, ridicule
• Tucker grills Ocasio-Cortez adviser over 'Green New Deal'

----------------------------------- Updated 2/13/19 ------------------------------

The Senate will vote on the Green New Deal after all.

• New Deal vote will be embarrassing for Democrats

----------------------------------- Updated 2/14/19 ------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• US Lawmakers Give Mixed Reviews to Ambitious Green New Deal Proposal
• What's the deal with the Green New Deal?  Fact Checker
• 2020 Democrats voice support for Ocasio-Cortez’s ‘Green New Deal’

SOTU 2019

Thursday, February 7, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Tonight is the State of the Union, that was delayed because of the shutdown. This Trump's last best chance to sell his Wall to the American public. Will he succeed?

The SOTU will begin in few hours. We will review what Trump said in our next meeting. Here are a few background video's for tonight's SOTU:

• How the State of the Union address turned into a prime-time event
• When did the State of the Union become such a polarizing political event
• President Donald Trump To Make Call For Unity In State Of The Union

--------------------------------------- Updated 2/8/19 ---------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Trump Delivers State of the Union Address to a Divided Congress
• State Of The Union Theater of the Absurd
• Trump touts unity in divisive State of the Union
• Reactions To Trump's State Of The Union
• Love the fact that Trump went after socialism