The consequences of having someone being president after losing the popular vote by over 2.5 million votes could be dire for many Americans and the world. Trump pledges to greatly increase military spending, in spite of the fact that trillions of dollars given to the military cannot be accounted for by the military. The armed presence of U.S. troops will continue in the 6 countries they are now destroying, resulting in more and more refugees with nowhere to go. He pledges to build a wall so high that no one from the Mexican border could cross over, and those who have crossed over without being able to afford the very expensive papers needed to stay in the U.S. will be either detained or sent back, making it likely that families will be separated and become even more impoverished. He threatens to end the affordable care act meaning that again 22 million people will be left with no health care while the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies and investors of these will become even richer, and the 1% will become even wealthier. He pledged to privatize everything starting with education. Private industry will operate our schools for great profits, and prisons will be privatized meaning many more prisoners with lengthier sentences will be the result. The EPA will no longer be protecting the environment, but easing the way for fossel fuel companies to pollute and make huge profits doing so. And the way to pay for all this Mr. Trump plans to cut corporate taxes and cutting existing programs helping the poor, disabled and aged. He vows to kill off ISIS members, creating even more hatred toward Americans. Mr. Trump, as with many other billionaires, has as his main goal to make money any way he can. He is in the position now to create an even wealthier Trump Empire. The consequences of not having every vote count will soon be dire.(Billionanires and Ballot Bandits: How to Seal An Election in 9 Easy Steps by Greg Palast) This Christmas the Magi and their gifts will be considered more important than the humble, simple Christ child. “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kindom.” ----Don Timmerman
“People are created to be loved. Things are created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved, and people are being used.” ---Dalai Lama
JOKES
Behind every man is a woman rolling her eyes. I was going to wear my camouflage shirt today, but I couldn't find it. If tomatoes are technically a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie? I am sorry I ate all the popcorn on the Christmas tree. I love string.
A man goes to a Dominican priest and says I will pray the rosary for you if you get me what I want. The priest asks, “What is it that you want?” I want a Lexus. The priest asked, “What’s a Lexus?” So he goes to a Jesuit, and he asks the same question. If I pray a rosary for you will you give me a Lexus? You know what a Lexus is? The priest says, “Yes, it is a car. But what is a rosary?
What did Mama cow say to baby cow? It’s pasture bedtime. The amazing thing about President Trump is that the only job he applied for was the President of the U.S., and he got it.
”A man escaped jail by digging a hole from his jail cell to the outside world. When finally his work was done, he emerged in the middle of a preschool playground. "I'm free, I'm free!" he shouted "So what," said a little girl. "I'm four."
The pastor gave A long sermon. After the service, to be social, a woman walked up to a very sleepy looking gentleman, extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn." And the gentleman replied, "You're not the only one ma'am, I'm glad it's done too!!"
A little girl was in church with her mother when she started feeling ill. "Mommy," she said, "can we leave now?" "No" her mother replied. "Well, I think I'm gonna be sick, Momma!" "Then go out the front door and around to the back of the church and then behind a bush." After about 60 seconds the little girl returned to her seat. "Were you sick?" her mom asked. "Yes." "How could you have gone all the way to the back of the church and returned so quickly?" "I didn't have to go out of the church, Mommy. They have a box next to the front door that says, 'For the Sick'."
INTERESTING FACTS
Despite the repressive nature of the Saudi regime, US governments have not only supported the Saudis on the diplomatic front but militarily. Under the Obama administration, this has translated into massive weapons sales of $115 billion. While Yemeni children are starving in large part because of Saudi bombings, US weapons makers, including General Dynamics, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin, are making a killing on the sales.---- Common Dreams, 12/16/16
Percentage by which U.S. railway fatalities outnumbered aviation fatalities last year : 78%
Percentage change since 2014 in the number of U.S. railway workers who have tested positive for drug use : +43%
Portion of global traffic deaths that occur in low- or middle-income countries : 9/10
Percentage by which the number of international borders with barriers has increased since 2014: 48%
Percentage change since 2000 in the purchasing power of U.S. Social Security checks: –22% Portion of those jails that have abolished in-person visitation: ¾
Average percentage change in the stock value of the five largest U.S. defense contractors the week after the election: +8% Estimated number of votes by which Donald Trump won the state of Wisconsin: 27,000 Of registered Wisconsin voters who lacked voter identification: 360,000 ----Harper’s Index
UNICEF said one child every 10 minutes dies in Yemen. ------Democracy Now, 12/13/16` A drug company gets the rights to Epi-Pen, which was developed decades ago by tax payer money, hikes the price through the roof and lobbies Congress to get Epi-Pen in every school and then relocates outside the U.S. to dodge taxes. Insurance costs went up under Obamacare because insurance companies raised their rates. The costs won’t go down if it is repealed because insurance companies raised the rates. “It’s a dirty rotten system.” (Dorothy Day} ----Other 98
In the Philippines, the death toll from President Rodrigo Duerte’s so-called war on drugs continues to rise. Police have killed at least 2,000 people, and vigilantes have killed at least 3,500 more, since Duerte took office this summer. Tens of thousands more have been arrested or turned themselves over to police out of fear they’d be killed. Human rights groups say many of those killed have been summarily shot and had nothing to do with the drug trade. On Wednesday, the White House condemned the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. But a recent BuzzFeed investigation reveals the U.S. State Department has continued to send millions of dollars in aid, as well as training and equipment, to the Philippine National Police.
There are an estimated 50,000 Irish citizens living and working illegally in the United States -- a tiny sliver of the undocumented population, but a considerable number for a home country of just 4.5 million people. ---Washington Post, 12/10/16
At least 257 journalists have been jailed worldwide this year, Nearly 1/3 of these are imprisoned in Turkey alone. ----Democracy Now, 12/13/16
After Castro’s passing the U.S. media referred to the Cuban economy as a “disaster,” but failed to mention that this was because of the vicious U.S. economic blockade of Cuba that lasted 5 decades. When Katrina struck in New Orleans in 2005, 75 Cuban doctors with supplies went to help out the victims. Cuba provides its citizens with free health care, education, and other benefits that are not offered in the U.S. There are 43 million people in the U.S. on food stamps costing $74 billion. Meanwhile the Pentagon “misplaced” $6.5 Trillion. The Federal Reserve cannot account for $9 trillion, and U..S. corporations are hiding $2.4 trillion in overseas tax havens. Why do we blame for the poor for the national debt? ---AlterNet
Donald Trump’s cabinet is the richest in history. The 17 people for Cabinet level positions so far have nearly $10 billion in combined wealth, more than what 43 million poor Americans have combined. ---Democracy Now, 12/16/16
700+ acres of Ohio's only National Forest was sold for fracking---EcoWatch
Recently, Winona MN county banned the taking of frac sand from their land. In April 29, 2013, 35 people, including many Catholic Workers like Roberta, were arrested for resisting the taking of silicone sand from Winona to be sent to areas where fracking was taking place. The court fined each of them and gave the money from the fines to the company that was doing the mining of the sand! This is the only county to have banned the mining of sand for fracking. ----EcoWatch, 12/17/16
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: The rhizomes of the Hostas and the Siberian Iris are deep in frozen ground in our yard. They are gathering strength to emerge in leafy green lushness and purple beauty in the Spring. I have been trying to store up my strength during the past season of Advent and quiet time before a change comes to our country. I pray that the peaceful spirit of Christ will give all of us the strength to boldly and nonviolently speak truth to power. David Krieger wrote on Earth’s Citizen’s Pledge, “I pledge allegiance to the Earth and to its varied life forms ; one world, indivisible with liberty, justice and dignity for all.” May we in the coming year emerge strong and peaceful, bold and beautiful, to exemplify our commitment to be citizens of the earth. Peace, Roberta
++++++++++++++++++
THURSDAY, JAN. 5 -----VIGIL AGAINST DETENTION AND SEPARATION OF FAMILIES BY ICE from Noon to 1 p.m. at ICE, Knapp & Broadway Sts. , Milwaukee
THURSDAY, JAN 12 -----VIGIL OPPOSING GUNS in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from Noon to 1 p.m. at Brew City Shooters Supply, 43rd & Lincoln Ave., Milwaukee. People with guns kill. The U.S. has 30,000 people killed and thousands more injured and disabled
SATURDAY, JAN. 14 -----26TH ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL PRAYER SERVICE AT 1:30 P.M. at All Saints Church, 4051 N 25th St., Milwaukee. Fr. Maurice Nutt, Kc.Ss.R., Dirrctor of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies of Xavier U. in New Orleans will be presenting ”The Strength to Love.”
MONDAY, JAN. 16 ----CELEBRATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AT ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH, 1947 N 4th St. Milwaukee from 1 to 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, JAN 27 ----TRIAL FOR DON at Milw. City Court house starting at 8:30 a.m. He was arrested for attempting to close the ROTC at Marquette U. No Christian institution may teach that violence is the way to peace. Christ was very clear when he said to Peter, “Put away your sword. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”
SUNDAY, FEB. 12 ----CASA KENMITZ JAM at the Coffee House, 1905 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milw. At 7 p.m. Free will donations with proceeds going to Casa Maria. Bret has done this many times in the past. He’s a great man!
“People are created to be loved. Things are created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved, and people are being used.” ---Dalai Lama
JOKES
Behind every man is a woman rolling her eyes. I was going to wear my camouflage shirt today, but I couldn't find it. If tomatoes are technically a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie? I am sorry I ate all the popcorn on the Christmas tree. I love string.
A man goes to a Dominican priest and says I will pray the rosary for you if you get me what I want. The priest asks, “What is it that you want?” I want a Lexus. The priest asked, “What’s a Lexus?” So he goes to a Jesuit, and he asks the same question. If I pray a rosary for you will you give me a Lexus? You know what a Lexus is? The priest says, “Yes, it is a car. But what is a rosary?
What did Mama cow say to baby cow? It’s pasture bedtime. The amazing thing about President Trump is that the only job he applied for was the President of the U.S., and he got it.
”A man escaped jail by digging a hole from his jail cell to the outside world. When finally his work was done, he emerged in the middle of a preschool playground. "I'm free, I'm free!" he shouted "So what," said a little girl. "I'm four."
The pastor gave A long sermon. After the service, to be social, a woman walked up to a very sleepy looking gentleman, extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn." And the gentleman replied, "You're not the only one ma'am, I'm glad it's done too!!"
A little girl was in church with her mother when she started feeling ill. "Mommy," she said, "can we leave now?" "No" her mother replied. "Well, I think I'm gonna be sick, Momma!" "Then go out the front door and around to the back of the church and then behind a bush." After about 60 seconds the little girl returned to her seat. "Were you sick?" her mom asked. "Yes." "How could you have gone all the way to the back of the church and returned so quickly?" "I didn't have to go out of the church, Mommy. They have a box next to the front door that says, 'For the Sick'."
INTERESTING FACTS
Despite the repressive nature of the Saudi regime, US governments have not only supported the Saudis on the diplomatic front but militarily. Under the Obama administration, this has translated into massive weapons sales of $115 billion. While Yemeni children are starving in large part because of Saudi bombings, US weapons makers, including General Dynamics, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin, are making a killing on the sales.---- Common Dreams, 12/16/16
Percentage by which U.S. railway fatalities outnumbered aviation fatalities last year : 78%
Percentage change since 2014 in the number of U.S. railway workers who have tested positive for drug use : +43%
Portion of global traffic deaths that occur in low- or middle-income countries : 9/10
Percentage by which the number of international borders with barriers has increased since 2014: 48%
Percentage change since 2000 in the purchasing power of U.S. Social Security checks: –22% Portion of those jails that have abolished in-person visitation: ¾
Average percentage change in the stock value of the five largest U.S. defense contractors the week after the election: +8% Estimated number of votes by which Donald Trump won the state of Wisconsin: 27,000 Of registered Wisconsin voters who lacked voter identification: 360,000 ----Harper’s Index
UNICEF said one child every 10 minutes dies in Yemen. ------Democracy Now, 12/13/16` A drug company gets the rights to Epi-Pen, which was developed decades ago by tax payer money, hikes the price through the roof and lobbies Congress to get Epi-Pen in every school and then relocates outside the U.S. to dodge taxes. Insurance costs went up under Obamacare because insurance companies raised their rates. The costs won’t go down if it is repealed because insurance companies raised the rates. “It’s a dirty rotten system.” (Dorothy Day} ----Other 98
In the Philippines, the death toll from President Rodrigo Duerte’s so-called war on drugs continues to rise. Police have killed at least 2,000 people, and vigilantes have killed at least 3,500 more, since Duerte took office this summer. Tens of thousands more have been arrested or turned themselves over to police out of fear they’d be killed. Human rights groups say many of those killed have been summarily shot and had nothing to do with the drug trade. On Wednesday, the White House condemned the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. But a recent BuzzFeed investigation reveals the U.S. State Department has continued to send millions of dollars in aid, as well as training and equipment, to the Philippine National Police.
There are an estimated 50,000 Irish citizens living and working illegally in the United States -- a tiny sliver of the undocumented population, but a considerable number for a home country of just 4.5 million people. ---Washington Post, 12/10/16
At least 257 journalists have been jailed worldwide this year, Nearly 1/3 of these are imprisoned in Turkey alone. ----Democracy Now, 12/13/16
After Castro’s passing the U.S. media referred to the Cuban economy as a “disaster,” but failed to mention that this was because of the vicious U.S. economic blockade of Cuba that lasted 5 decades. When Katrina struck in New Orleans in 2005, 75 Cuban doctors with supplies went to help out the victims. Cuba provides its citizens with free health care, education, and other benefits that are not offered in the U.S. There are 43 million people in the U.S. on food stamps costing $74 billion. Meanwhile the Pentagon “misplaced” $6.5 Trillion. The Federal Reserve cannot account for $9 trillion, and U..S. corporations are hiding $2.4 trillion in overseas tax havens. Why do we blame for the poor for the national debt? ---AlterNet
Donald Trump’s cabinet is the richest in history. The 17 people for Cabinet level positions so far have nearly $10 billion in combined wealth, more than what 43 million poor Americans have combined. ---Democracy Now, 12/16/16
700+ acres of Ohio's only National Forest was sold for fracking---EcoWatch
Recently, Winona MN county banned the taking of frac sand from their land. In April 29, 2013, 35 people, including many Catholic Workers like Roberta, were arrested for resisting the taking of silicone sand from Winona to be sent to areas where fracking was taking place. The court fined each of them and gave the money from the fines to the company that was doing the mining of the sand! This is the only county to have banned the mining of sand for fracking. ----EcoWatch, 12/17/16
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: The rhizomes of the Hostas and the Siberian Iris are deep in frozen ground in our yard. They are gathering strength to emerge in leafy green lushness and purple beauty in the Spring. I have been trying to store up my strength during the past season of Advent and quiet time before a change comes to our country. I pray that the peaceful spirit of Christ will give all of us the strength to boldly and nonviolently speak truth to power. David Krieger wrote on Earth’s Citizen’s Pledge, “I pledge allegiance to the Earth and to its varied life forms ; one world, indivisible with liberty, justice and dignity for all.” May we in the coming year emerge strong and peaceful, bold and beautiful, to exemplify our commitment to be citizens of the earth. Peace, Roberta
++++++++++++++++++
THURSDAY, JAN. 5 -----VIGIL AGAINST DETENTION AND SEPARATION OF FAMILIES BY ICE from Noon to 1 p.m. at ICE, Knapp & Broadway Sts. , Milwaukee
THURSDAY, JAN 12 -----VIGIL OPPOSING GUNS in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from Noon to 1 p.m. at Brew City Shooters Supply, 43rd & Lincoln Ave., Milwaukee. People with guns kill. The U.S. has 30,000 people killed and thousands more injured and disabled
SATURDAY, JAN. 14 -----26TH ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL PRAYER SERVICE AT 1:30 P.M. at All Saints Church, 4051 N 25th St., Milwaukee. Fr. Maurice Nutt, Kc.Ss.R., Dirrctor of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies of Xavier U. in New Orleans will be presenting ”The Strength to Love.”
MONDAY, JAN. 16 ----CELEBRATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AT ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH, 1947 N 4th St. Milwaukee from 1 to 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, JAN 27 ----TRIAL FOR DON at Milw. City Court house starting at 8:30 a.m. He was arrested for attempting to close the ROTC at Marquette U. No Christian institution may teach that violence is the way to peace. Christ was very clear when he said to Peter, “Put away your sword. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”
SUNDAY, FEB. 12 ----CASA KENMITZ JAM at the Coffee House, 1905 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milw. At 7 p.m. Free will donations with proceeds going to Casa Maria. Bret has done this many times in the past. He’s a great man!