Up and Running: Bernie Sanders

We have a newcomer to the 2016 Presidential Race, and that's Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Bernie Sanders calls himself a socialist (so that makes him more honest than most Democrats, natch). He has served in Congress since 1991.

Sanders is a former Mayor of Burlington, Coat Factory Vermont and also a former President of Burlington College. Burlington College is at risk of losing accreditation due to financial problems, so, not a poster child for sound leadership.

Anyway, once Sanders got out of Burlington, he established himself as a professional crazy person. In the House of Representatives, he got one bill passed during his 8 terms. He later tried to shut down all nuclear power plants in the U.S. (a bad idea, since we get 20% of our power from nuclear energy).

Sanders' main issues are economic inequality and media ownership. He takes issue with the fact that some people have lots of money, and some of those people use their money to influence politics and the media. One of those people is Hillary Clinton. This would make for an interesting debate...too bad Hillary won't talk to anyone who isn't vetted and pre-screened to make her look good.

Sanders has little support outside Vermont. Though I disagree with just about all his policy positions, I do respect his willingness to say what he believes, and his relative transparency - unlike another pantsuited princess in this race.

Iran is "Testing the Waters" at Bandar Abbas

Something is happening at Bandar Abbas.

Bandar Abbas is a large port city on Iran's southern coast, located about where the Persian Gulf meets the Gulf of Oman at the Strait of Hormuz.

Today, the Iranian Navy seized control of a ship and escorted it to Bandar Abbas. The earliest reports, coming from Middle Eastern outlets, said this was an American ship - which NBC, citing a US Navy official, quickly denied.

 

The real story seems to be more complicated. The ship was flagged for the Marshall Islands - which is a sovereign(ish) country. The Republic of the Marshall Islands willingly entered into a "Compact of Free Association" with the US, which gives the US the rights to missile testing sites and sets parameters on the Marshall Islands in exchange for protection and lots of aid from the States.

The US Postal Service delivers mail there, and the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior are active on the islands as well. Here's where it gets interesting: According to the State Department web site, "The United States has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands."

This ship may have not been American-flagged, but it was American-owned. The Tigris was a Maersk ship. Maersk is headquartered in Denmark. Some reports have said that the crew is American, others have denied any US citizens aboard.

This event is no accident. Iran knows what it's doing - going after a ship that is not technically American, but that America is obligated to protect. Going after a ship owned by a company based in a NATO member state.

Iran is LITERALLY "testing the waters." Now, we wait and see if the White House and Congress make good on their commitment to the Marshall Islands. The Pentagon is sending a destroyer to Bandar Abbas. That's a good fast response - the complete response will unfold over the next hours and days.

Oh, and this should go without saying, but since it won't, I'll say it: Let's not sign a nuclear deal with a country that attacks America and her allies.

On Bruce Jenner

Bruce Jenner didn't owe us any explanation, but he gave us one anyway. That's a generous thing to do.

Source

Diane Sawyer worked with him (and I use "him" because Bruce has not yet specified other pronouns) to build a portrait of a person in transition. That's a big deal because we, as a culture, don't have many statements and images from people who find themselves between genders.

I started out skeptical of this tabloid-fodder-turned-tell-all-interview. Bruce had spent 65 years as a man, been a champion male athlete, married three women, and fathered multiple kids. That's not just a regular male life, it's a remarkably successful one. Turns out that it was also an unhappy one. Bruce's transition has been in the works for decades, and whether you think it's right or wrong doesn't change that this was a well thought out decision on Bruce's part.

Bruce also came out as a Republican. That surprised a lot of people, but it shouldn't have. The entire interview was about a person's individual right to live life on his or her own terms. Bruce talked about taking responsibility for his actions and choices. I honestly don't know what to make of the whole transgender thing, but a central message of the interview was that you and I don't get a vote on how Bruce lives his life. This is up to Bruce and Bruce alone. The question isn't "Why would Bruce Jenner be a Republican?" - the question is, "Why on earth wouldn't he?"

Friday Fun

Oh, April, I like you. I took a tour group through the Capitol on Tuesday, and Paul Ryan walked right by us. He is much taller than he looks on television - which makes me think that Mitt Romney must be a giant, as well, if Ryan looked normal-sized next to him. Anyway. On Wednesday, I went to my first Nationals game of the season! Here are my other favorite things this week:

1. Rebekah Gregory runs the Boston Marathon

Rebekah Gregory is a runner. Rebekah Gregory is still a runner. She was badly injured by the 2013 Boston Marathon terror attack, and had to have one of her legs amputated last November (after 18 surgeries to try to save it). But she came back this year and crossed the finish line. This post-race interview...you have to watch it, I can't describe it.

2. Three tiger cubs born at the Columbus Zoo

Three little baby cubs! They weigh less than three pounds each. Those little whiskers! I die.

3. The reincarnation machine

Slate has a really neat internet device, where you plug in your date of birth and it tells you who you theoretically could have been in your past lives. It told me I have had 20 human lives, and one of them was as Queen of Sweden. Random, but I'll take it! #makeitreign

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

-The Bear

A $limy $ecretary of $tate

I wonder what it would take to bring down Hillary Clinton.
 
She has no major accomplishments as a Senator - that didn't do it.
She also had no major accomplishments of Secretary of State - still, she's hailed as some kind of globetrotting hero just because she took a lot of flights. Results don't matter to HRC fans.
Hillary also used an unsafe email system and deleted tens of thousands of emails - and yet, lots of people dismissed that entirely.
And as for taking foreign money while serving as Secretary of State? Well, the Left won't let anything like international bribes tarnish their Chosen One.

But this morning's New York Times report on Hillary's behavior ought to do it. The full report, found at the link, is very detailed and very damning of President and Mrs. Clinton.

The dynamic(ish) duo accepted tens of millions of dollars from people associated with Russian nuclear companies. Shady.

The Clinton Foundation did not disclose these donations, as was required of them by their agreement with the White House. Shadier.

Then, when a Russian company wanted to take over 20% of U.S. uranium reserves, a high level government committee approved the takeover. Who's on that committee? Hillary Clinton. Shady as can be.

At this point, The Bear wishes to remind you that 1) Russia is a leading supplier of uranium to Iran, and 2) the Obama administration just made a nuclear deal with Iran a couple weeks ago.

If only we could look at Hillary's emails and see what she had to say about allowing Russians to mine uranium in the U.S....oh, wait. We can't. Isn't that convenient for her.

Hillary's formal campaign is less than two weeks old. The next eighteen months ought to be a fascinating look at exactly how she made millions by selling American power to foreign countries.

Up and Running: Waka Flocka Flame

Waka Flocka is running for president. Is it a publicity stunt? Yes. Is it working? YAAS.

Mr. Flame has appeared in videos outlining major policy positions and soliciting the necessary signatures required to become a candidate. His initial announcement was posted by Rolling Stone, a publication in which anyone can say anything and none of it will be verified (think MySpace, but with paid writers).

Waka's central campaign issue is the legalization of marijuana. He is dedicated to reversing the federal ban on marijuana, which is interesting given that the law has clearly not stopped him from procuring and enjoying large amounts of the substance, multiple times a day.

Among the ramblings about pot and Waka's hatred of large feet are some real gems: he understands that women have rights on paper, but those rights aren't always realized. He wants to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, not for economic reasons, but because he likes In-N-Out burger. Mr. Flame is particularly strong on education. He wants kids to learn real-world skills AND all of his lyrics (um, knowing all the words to Waka's songs IS a real-life skill).

Waka Flocka Flame's campaign might be a joke...but it's the best kind of joke, that's sharply entertaining and also makes you think. As he collects signatures for his candidacy, he's friendly and funny with people on the sidewalk. Let's see Hillary Clinton do THAT!


#SQUAD.

Friday Fun

It's Friday! And that means I get to have some extra fun here, and share with you my favorite stories, events, and media finds from this week:

1. The cherry blossoms

DC generally ignores anything pink and fluffy (not serious enough for this town!) but the cherry blossoms are one beautiful exception. All those trees look like cotton candy, and if the wind picks up, the shedding blossoms create swirls of confetti in the air.

2. Countdown to the Royal Baby

How adorable is Prince George? Too adorable. And soon, he's going to be a big brother! On Wednesday, "no parking" signs appeared at the hospital where the baby will be born...could that mean that Will and Kate's Baby #2 is arriving soon? We know that Kate's due at some point in April, but as with Prince George, they haven't released the sex of the baby. Since the last generation was two boys - Will and Harry - I'm totally hoping for a little princess this time around. And I'll be waiting to see if they put "Diana" or "Spencer" somewhere in the name!

3. @ihavethisthingwithfloors

This Instagram account...so pretty. I never really thought of floors as decorative, but these are so colorful and unique that they're works of art all on their own.

4. A so-bad-it's-good tattoo

The first bad decision this guy made was trying to tattoo a Pokemon. I thought those disappeared around 1998? The second bad decision was tattooing himself. And the third bad decision was drawing a charmingly terrible rendering of the character he was going for. It turned out like this:

His loss was the internet's gain. People have started making t-shirts, stickers and such of the dorky little dragon.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

-The Bear

Up and Running: Lincoln Chafee

Lincoln Chafee is running for president. You may have some questions about this, like "Who the heck is Lincoln Chafee?" or "Why does his name sound like a font?" The answers to these are 1) a former governor of Rhode Island, and 2) he's from a prominent New England family and they all give their kids mega-WASPy names. Below, some more questions you may have about Lincoln Chafee:

1. Is he a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent?

All three. He was a Republican Senator, then an Independent Governor, and is now running as a Democrat.

2. Where did he go to school?

He studied Classics at Brown. As a postgraduate, he studied horseshoeing at Montana State University. It's worth noting that several Governors and Senators have come from Chafee's family over the years, and he was first appointed to his father's old Senate seat when his father passed away.

3. What are his foreign policy positions?

Chafee is a non-interventionist, and voted against the Iraq War in 2003.

4. How does Lincoln Chafee feel about Christmas trees?

He ruffled some feathers by calling the Rhode Island Christmas Tree a "Holiday Tree." There is no such thing as a "Holiday Tree." There are Christmas trees, and there are regular trees. There are two types of trees. He can't just go rogue and declare a third type of tree.

5. What are his other political positions?

Chafee supports same sex marriage, teachers' unions, voter ID, and increased tolls and drivers license fees. Chafee is against the estate tax, charter schools, and 2nd Amendment rights.

 Chafee's bad decisions include endorsing Obama in 2008, and parting his hair down the middle.

6. What should Lincoln Chafee be doing right now?

Answering questions from the press - because Hillary won't. Laying out clear policy positions - because Hillary won't. Talking to real, not pre-screened, Americans - because Hillary won't. Do you see a theme here?

Also, if Chafee forces Clinton to debate - that would be good. Force her to explain herself to the people, in her own words. Most of the media is ignoring Chafee because he is not Her Highness the Chosen One - and that's exactly why we should pay him some attention.

Tax Day

Oh, tax day. The annual national bummer. It comes every year, and I have a lot of feelings about them. Here are those feelings:

Paying taxes is hard.

Preach it, Kid President!

But it's also really necessary for things like police, roads, schools, and the military.

Filing your taxes can be pretty complicated.

It's always a shock to see how much the government is taking.

So you start picturing the IRS like this:

When you finish filing your taxes:

 You will want a glass of wine. You will also feel like you've aged 60 years.

If you get a tax refund:

...and when you remember that your tax refund is money you earned in the first place:

When you've fulfilled your civic duty by filing your taxes for the year:

Hooray! Now go treat yo self.

Up and Running: Marco Rubio

Sen. Marco Rubio is running for president! This makes him the third major GOP candidate to declare, Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul being the first and second, respectively.

 Cruz and Rubio (Cruzbio? Nah. Sounds too close to Jason Derulo.) have a lot in common: They're both freshman Senators, both from the South, both Hispanic, both lawyers by training, and both considered Tea Partiers, if that's still a thing.

In terms of experience, Rubio wins hands-down. He's been in the Senate for 4 years, just like Rand Paul (over Cruz's 2 years as a Senator), and was Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives prior to his run for Senate. He was first elected to the Florida House in 2000.

If Rubio doesn't win the GOP nomination for president, I think he would make a very smart choice for Vice President. Rubio is from Florida - a swing state that's gone blue in the past two elections. (Jeb Bush is also from Florida, but has a huge disadvantage: Nobody likes him. The Left doesn't like him because of his last name, and the Right doesn't like his views on Common Core and immigration.)

The immigration issue might be Rubio's undoing in the primaries. Two years ago, he was pushing a bill that would have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. if they payed fines and passed a background check. It wasn't immediate citizenship - it was a 13-year "pathway to citizenship" - but because it would allow millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S., some voters consider it amnesty all the same.

Rubio also opposed a bill that would require a background check before certain firearm purchases. The Bear supports the 2nd Amendment, and also supports keeping criminals away from guns. This bill seemed like a pretty good way to do it. Not a huge issue for me, but a point of dissension. 

The Bear is interested to see what Rubio's home state has to say about him. Florida is America's That Girl - beautiful, but kinda tacky and completely psychotic. With Rubio and Bush in the running for 2016, the opinions oozing out of America's craziest state will matter more than ever. It's going to be an interesting ride.

Up and Running: Hillary Clinton

Today, Hillary Clinton will formally begin the campaign that she really started 8 years ago. Clinton started running in the 2008 Democratic primary, and never really stopped - everything she's done since then has been a calculated move towards the White House.

I'm reluctant to take the bait and pretend that the Clinton campaign is somehow new. But while the media is drooling all over itself at the prospect of another Clinton presidency, the rest of us should be mindful of some reasons that Hillary should not be president:

1. Her home brewed email server was a disaster.

There is mounting evidence that Hillary's email system was unsafe. She deleted thousands of emails that were under congressional subpoena. She also lied about carrying two devices. Hillary never signed a standard exit form when leaving State - which would have pledged, under oath, that she has turned over all her emails. Everyone else signs the form, but Hillary didn't - probably because she knew it would be perjury (otherwise, why not just sign it?). We can't trust her to make and enforce the rules if she thinks she's above the law.

2. Hillary was sort of unimpressive as Secretary of State.

We have seen what Hillary does in a cabinet-level position and it is...okay, I guess. Part of the blame for this is on her boss. But Hillary, more than any other candidate, has had a chance to prove herself on the national stage - and she hasn't convinced hardly anyone of her ability to make the world safer or more democratic. Remember how they touted Yemen as a success story a few years back? Yeah, Yemen has now fallen into anarchy. That's just one example of Hillary using a strategy that doesn't work, and pretending that it does.

3. Hillary tries to exercise authority she doesn't have.

Remember Hillarycare, from when she was First Lady? If you don't, your parents do. People voted for Bill - not for Hillary - and she started trying to create a law anyway. Hillary is the only First Lady to have an office in the West Wing...where the President's offices are located. 

We have watched Obama try to expand the power of his office. Hillary would likely take it farther- and I don't want to see more erosion to the system of checks and balances that is so essential to American government.

4. She accepted millions in foreign money while serving as Secretary of State. 

This is unethical. You can't be the unbiased Chief Diplomat of this country while others are paying you off. We know of one instance in which a huge donation from a foreign oil magnate caused Hillary to support a trade deal that she initially opposed.

The Clinton Foundation does a lot of great work for people in need, and it should do so without taking pseudo-bribes.

5. "But she broke so many glass ceilings!"

Not really. She wasn't the first female Secretary of State, nor was she the first female senator. And if her only redeeming factor as a candidate is that she's a woman...that's cool that she could potentially be the first woman president, but that's not a good enough reason to vote for her. 

This may all come down to humility. If Hillary tells us what she's going to do, instead of asking us for our votes - that's a losing strategy. But if Hillary admits past mistakes and asks the country to hire her for the job - she could be a very strong candidate. Can Hillary explain the wiped emails? The foreign donations, including the ones that made her change positions on international deals? Starting today, she will have to try.

Friday Fun

What. A. Week! I was on vacation on Monday and took a verrrrry early Tuesday morning flight back to D.C. - and jumped right in to a busy time at work. It is finally not freezing here anymore, but still doesn't quite feel like spring! While we wait for the cherry blossoms to arrive, here are some things that I've enjoyed this week:

1. Amal Clooney, style icon

The new Mrs. Clooney is a guest lecturer at Columbia in NYC, and she manages to look stunning while darting between meetings and classes.

This photo is from E! Online, with more of Amal's perfect polished style at the link.
2. Airbnb's pitch deck

Airbnb is such a successful company that it's weird to think of it as a startup - I had no idea it is just barely seven years old! The founders used these slides to convince investors that total strangers would be willing to open up their homes to travelers, and that travelers would love it. A very cool entrepreneurship story!

3. Jack Nicklaus hits a hole-in-one

This list wouldn't be complete without mention of the Masters. Between the celebrities, the cocktails, and the seeing the beautiful Georgia springtime on TV...I thought golf would be the least interesting thing about this year's tournament. However! Jack Nicklaus - at age 75 - hit a hole in one at the Par 3 contest. The Bear congratulates The Golden Bear on his perfect shot.

4. These brilliant ice cream flavors

Image via DesignTaxi

 A college student and graphic designer came up with this fun idea for ice cream. While the labeling makes it clear that it's for a certain, um, medical situation - the titles apply to anytime you want ice cream. Ice cream doesn't ask silly questions. Ice cream understands.

5. Love comes from the heart...and the kidneys

When PJ Spraggins learned that his wife, Tracy, needed a kidney transplant, he signed himself up to see if he was a match. He matched perfectly - but wouldn't be able to donate unless he got healthy enough to undergo the 4-hour operation. PJ and Tracy lost 145 pounds together over the course of one year. They're now recovering from a very successful transplant surgery.

Photo via Daily Mail

They're doing the whole "in sickness and in health" thing totally right.
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Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend! I'll be studying for grad school finals watching the Masters & doing spring cleaning...totally needed after all the shopping from last weekend!

-The Bear

Up and Running: Rand Paul

Tomorrow, Sen. Rand Paul will announce his presidential campaign. He's the second major GOP candidate for 2016, following Sen. Ted Cruz's announcement a couple weeks ago. 

Rand Paul is another Tea Party Senator, who began his first term in 2011. He is also a trained opthamologist (helloooooo Duke Medical School!) so we know he's smart. 

The size of the Paul family could be described as "Romney Lite," or perhaps "Diet Romney with Lemon." Rand is one of five children, and has three sons with his wife, Kelley. The name "Rand" is shortened from "Randal" and not from Ayn Rand or Rand McNally, which is a company that makes maps.

Rand got his start in politics mostly from his father, Senator Ron Paul. Ron Paul is the L. Ron Hubbard of the libertarian movement...including the cult following. Rand is slightly less libertarian than his father on foreign policy issues - for instance, Rand wants us to maintain permanent military bases in foreign countries. Ron, on the other hand, wants to shut down a ton of foreign aid and just see what happens. While I think a lot of foreign aid is unnecessary and even harmful, I don't think we should just stop it all and wait and see if human civilization does okay or if the dolphins take over.

Foreign policy is where Rand Paul will differentiate himself from the rest of the GOP pack. Otherwise, he's a textbook right-winger (not that this is necessarily a bad thing!) He is pro-life and pro-gun. Rand Paul hasn't said much about education, but if his prior politics are any indication, he'll be in favor of state and local level decisions and against common core. This is where he can challenge Jeb Bush - and I think he can win on this big issue.

Also, all Rand Paul has to do is come out (pun intended) in support of marriage equality, and every conservative under 40 will be fired up about his campaign. It's the libertarian thing to do - and it's the strategic thing to do - and this Bear thinks it's the right thing to do. (You can't force churches to marry same sex couples, but for city hall weddings, everyone has to be equal under the law.) 

Rand Paul has already positioned himself as an outsider candidate. He can do this because he and his family have always been outside the mainstream parties - a tremendous advantage, given that you can't be that new, fresh voice if your last name is Bush or Clinton. 

Rand will be one to watch. Most TV news channels are saying he'll never make a dent in the primaries. I think he's too different, and too strategic, to be counted out just yet.

Friday Fun

Hey everyone! This week is finally starting to feel like Spring. I finished up another grad school class on Tuesday (after a twelve-essay final test...yuck) and am currently traveling in the Sunny South!

I have Good Friday off from work - YAY Catholic school! - and am visiting Brother Bear at his college, along with a quick visit home. This is the first time I've been home since Christmas. It doesn't sound like a long time, but it feels like forever - it's been way too long. Meanwhile, here are my favorite finds this week:

1. "Shut Up and Dance" Movie Compilation

This video is a daymaker, y'all. I love how they blended current stuff (Silver Linings Playbook) with some throwbacks (Napoleon Dynamite, Bring It On) and some throw-WAY-backs (Sound of Music, Grease, Mary Poppins). Even though they missed one - Mean Girls Jingle Bell Rock - this is totally worth watching...and watching again, and a third time, because it's just pure fun.



2. NASA is mapping Pluto...and wants our help.

The New Horizons spacecraft will fly past Pluto in July, and will take photos so that scientists can map out the geography of Pluto for the first time. That's cool. NASA is inviting us to submit ideas and vote on the future names of Pluto's mountains, valleys, and other stuff. That's even cooler. The ballot can be found here, and closes on April 7th.

3. This perfect Lilly 5x5

 

Every weekday at 5 PM, Lilly Pulitzer releases a little sketch like the one posted above. I want a gallery wall FULL of these little pops of color! This one is my most recent favorite - first because of the hot pink, and also because of Lilly's Pinterest caption: "Shell Yeah!"

4. Pac Man on Google Maps

Google got in on the April Fool's Day fun by adding a "Pac Man" option to their maps feature. Click "Pac Man" and a line of dots appears on each road, and those little ghosts chase you through your neighborhood streets.

5. Chocolate Easter Bunny = Wine Glass

This one made me say "how did I not think of that?!" So simple - bite the ears off a hollow chocolate bunny, and fill 'er up with red wine. Brilliant.

Have a very happy Easter weekend!

-The Bear