Author Archives: Michael Bryan

Donkey Feed, Sept. 15, 2018

Posted on September 15, 2018 | Leave a comment

By Michael Bryan

Slip off your shoes and strap on the feedbag! It’s time for some Feed…

First, a cool tool: try BallotReady.org. You plug in your address and it will run down every candidate and their positions on the issues. You can even save a completed ballot to take with you to the polls with all your choices.Next, some graphical goodness: contrast the GOP’s tax bill, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) and the recently introduced Democratic alternative, the GAIN Act, in their impact on lower- and middle-income Americans, and ask yourself, which party has your back?

Now, some video fun: Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of the world’s largest hedge fund takes some time out from counting his lucre to explain how the economy’s cycles work. Trust me, it’s worth a half-hour of your time:

Maybe you’d like a new book to read? May I suggest two? The updated Impeachment: A Handbook, New Edition for what must be done to rid ourselves of a troublesome Trump? This book will be re-released on Sept. 18th. And Ray Dalio’s Principles: Life and Work. It’s not often you get the accumulated life experience of a billionaire to give you guidance and insight to live your best life. Dalio has also created a video series covering the principles in the book:

Now, just click Continue Reading for the rest of your Feed…

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Sexual Misconduct Allegation Against Brett Kavanaugh

Posted on September 13, 2018 | 1 comment

By Michael Bryan

Is Judge Kavanaugh about to have a #Metoo moment?

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has reported to the FBI an allegation concerning Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh that appeared to be connected to an incident of potential sexual abuse when he was a teenager, a person familiar with the matter said.

If the allegation has any basis, this is likely to be only the first drop in a leaky faucet of allegations against the Judge, if history and criminology provide any guide.

Could Kavanaugh be brought as low as Yahya Yuksel by a single allegation of misconduct as a teenager? If there is justice in the world, maybe; but there isn’t so much of that, and Kavanaugh is at the peak of his career, not a naive young man starting out in public life, so likely not.

We only need two votes to block Kavanaugh if the Dems hang together. Here’s hoping that Kavanaugh gets some just desserts.

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Donkey Feed, Sept. 11, 2018

Posted on September 11, 2018 | 1 comment

By Michael Bryan

Welcome back to your Feed! This week we take a moment first to contemplate the significance of the date. Then it’s time for some Feed…

Let us all take some time today to remember and mourn those 2,977 human beings (I always exclude the 19 murderous scum from the death toll of 9/11) who were murdered on 9/11/01. But let us never forget the over 6,381 military personnel who have subsequently died in the wars we were drawn into by those atrocities; and let us not forget to mention the tens of thousands of Americans who have been wounded, in body and/or in mind, in those same wars. It has become the norm to commemorate the victims of 9/11 on this day, but we should also contemplate those who have been lost or harmed as a result of our reaction to those attacks.

Nor should we neglect to recall and contemplate the tens of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan that have perished or been seriously hurt by our reactions to the 9/11 atrocities in the subsequent 17 years. Further, we should consider the hundreds of thousands killed, wounded, or displaced by the knock-on effects of our “war on terror” in places like Syria, Lybia, Sudan, Chad, Yemen, and others. The atrocities of 9/11 have created a legacy of death and misery that we should contemplate as a whole on this day. We should resolve to do better for the victims of 9/11 than to continue perpetuating the killing and the dying.

Now, some graphical realness. How many thousands of Americans lose their lives and health every year to accidents caused by distracted driving? It is an established fact that our mobile devices are simply not compatible with safe driving, yet the AZ Lege still will not take action to ban distracted driving:

Next, a little video for you Feeders. This has got to be the most bizarre and thought-provoking economic critique I’ve seen in a minute; puppets, rap, and economic theory!

Now, just click on Continue Reading for the rest of your Feed…

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Posted in 9/11, Corruption, Courts, Donkey Feed, Economics, Editorial, Elections, Healthcare, Media, Michael Bryan, Unions, Veterans, War

Donkey Feed, September 8th, 2018

Posted on September 8, 2018 | Leave a comment

By Michael Bryan

Welcome back to your Feed for the Week! Slip off your shoes and strap on the feedbag! It’s time for some Feed…

First, a graphical cold shower: China’s Research and Development spending already exceeds that of Japan and the EU, and is approaching and may soon overtake that of the United States, with dire consequences for the dynamism and competitiveness of our economy.

And now a graphical warm bath: Democrats are well-positioned to take the 23 seats needed to flip the House and provide much-needed oversight of an out-of-control White House. And with the Dem ahead in the TN Senate race, the Senate might even be in play…

Finally, Red For Ed marches in Arizona in response to AZSC ruling knocking tax measure (Prop 207) off the ballot, and are targeting judicial retention votes this November:

This Nike ad featuring Colin Kaepernick is just too good not a share. It literally gave me chills the first time I watched it:

Now, a new memoir by a great American, John Kerry, the man who should have been President from 2004 to 2012.

John Kerry’s Every Day Is Extra is a memoir of his time in public service including his time in the Senate, his unsuccessful Presidential run, and his service as Obama’s second Secretary of State. It might be read as the curriculum vitae of a potential Presidential candidate in 2020.

Finally, click Continue Reading for the rest of the Feed…

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Donkey Feed September 6th, 2018

Posted on September 6, 2018 | 4 comments

By Michael Bryan

Welcome back to your Feed for the Week! Slip off your shoes and strap on the feedbag! It’s time for some Feed…

First, some video. Former Reagan Budget Director Stockman warns that the Trump economy is not nearly as strong as it might seem and Trump’s policies are making it worse:

Now some graphical goodness showing just how unbalanced in favor of the wealthy the GOP tax cut was, and how much worse it grows over time:

Next, the book everyone will be talking about this week and next:

Bob Woodward’s new book, Fear: Trump in the White House, will drop on Sept. 11th, everyone will be talking about it (WaPo), and it is already breaking news (CNN), and yet more news (Daily Kos).

Now, just click Continue Reading for the rest of the Feed…

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Posted in Arizona State Legislature, Donkey Feed, Immigration, Infrastructure, Internet, Law Enforcement, Michael Bryan, Net Neutrality, President

Ducey Fingers Kyl

Posted on September 4, 2018 | 3 comments

By Michael Bryan

Governor Ducey has decided upon a caretaker, not a competitor, for the McCain seat, naming former Senator Jon Kyl to finish McCain’s term until the 2020 election. It may be a wise move, not giving a leg up to any potential contender wishing to permanently hold the seat, he avoids giving any faction offense that they could take out on his reelection bid.

Ducey gets an experienced hand in the Senate, who most recently acted as “sherpa” for USSC nominee Kavanaugh, but who has no interest in holding the seat for himself after 2020. Ducey may be in line for some criticism of his selection as a creature of McCain by those who backed candidates against McCain, like Kelli Ward. I guess he’s not as worried about that as he would be by promoting a fire-brand like Ward to a position as influential as a Senate seat, given that GOP voters just rejected her: again. Third time’s the charm, eh Kelli?

UPDATE: Now that I think about it, isn’t it a conflict of interest for Kyl to go from lobbying Senators in favor of the Kavanaugh appointment to voting in the Senate on his confirmation? Perhaps Kyl should have to recuse himself from voting on the Kavanaugh confirmation?

UPDATE: When asked about potential conflicts of interest from his lobbying, Kyl merely answered, “No,” he didn’t think he had to recuse himself for anything.

UPDATE: Kyl has only agreed to serve until the end of the current session of Congress, possibly retiring as early as January. Why so short a commitment?

UPDATE: Finally, Jon Kyl is no maverick. He’s about as close to a party-line voter as one can get: