Some Useful Information For Los Angelenos
Biden commutes sentence of Native American activist Leonard Peltier
Month: January 2025
Wish They Were Lost In Space …
Peace & Justice History for 1/20
ACLU will be needed like few times before now.
January 20, 1920 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded by Roger Baldwin, Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, labor leaders Rose Schneiderman and Duncan McDonald, Rabbi Judah Magnes, and others.The ACLU was organized to protect the rights guaranteed in the the Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights. Prior to this the first ten amendments had not been enforced. The ACLU has paid particular attention to • First Amendment rights: freedom of speech, association and assembly, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion as well as a bar against establishment of a state religion. • One’s right to equal protection under the law – equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion or national origin. • One’s right to due process – fair treatment for citizens by the government whenever the loss of liberty or property is at stake. • One’s right to privacy – freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into one’s personal and private affairs. ACLU history The ACLU today |
| January 20, 1942 Nazi Party and German government officials arrived at what they called the “final solution to the Jewish question in Europe.” They developed plans for the coordinated and systematic extermination of all Europe’s Jews during a meeting at a villa near Lake Wannsee in Berlin. Notes of the meeting recorded by Adolf Eichmann used vague terms such as “transportation to the east” or “evacuation to the east” (nach dem Osten abgeshoben). But at his trial for genocide Eichmann testified of the meeting that “the discussion covered killing, elimination, and annihilation.”  The villa on Lake Wannsee, now a holocaust museum. More on the Wannsee conference |
| January 20, 2001 Tens of thousands lining Pennsylvania Avenue to protest the legitimacy of the inauguration of President George W. Bush were systematically excluded from almost all media coverage of the event. They called attention to the election irregularities in Florida, the dispute over a recount, and the ultimate effective choice of the president by a 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court.  |
https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryjanuary.htm#january20
Look Who Moved In!
It’s Ollie! (I’m sorry, Pete, if you’re reading this; he came with the name. I hope he’s a good namesake, and so far, he is.)
Ollie is around 5. He was rescued from a kill shelter by another family, who’s since had a baby, and Ollie and babies don’t get along. I’m sorry they had to give up their doggy, but I’m happy to have a new buddy to play and run with. He’d been here about 3.5 hours, and considering he’s likely confused and worried about what’s happened to him, he’s a very good boy, and we’re getting along really well.
Ollie is half dachsie, half Corgi. He’s about 25 pounds, and very healthy. In the outdoor pic, he was surveying the boundaries of his domain, and receiving a welcome from the neighbor across the street. In the photo above, he was playing with his favorite ball, with me. He’s pretty cute, kinda funny, and again, a good good boy. He’s here for good, too, which is nice, that I don’t have to worry about him going to a rescue for some medical condition. He’ll likely become part of my conversation now and then, and photos will be shared as he allows. I set this up before bed, so I’ll know more tomorrow.
A.M. Poetry
MLK day
by Ann Telnaes
A quick reminder who deserves to be celebrated on Monday Read on Substack
(cartoon from 2018)
I thought this one could be interesting for us to read here.
Also, all of us has a state legislature, and, well, they need our attention.
As Kansas legislators jollily jostle into Statehouse, a low-budget Harry Potter film begins
Clay Wirestone
Members of the Kansas House of Representatives are sworn in on Jan. 13, 2025. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)
Watching senators and representatives traipse merrily into the Statehouse on Monday morning was like watching the beginning of a knockoff Harry Potter movie, one in which lawmakers returned to their majestic chambers full of excitement for the year to come.
Of course, Harry Potter movies feature fewer magical tax cuts for corporations, fantastical abortion messaging bills and terrifying anti-trans legislation.
I felt excitement in the air, as freshly elected supermajority Republicans licked at their lips at the prospect of enacting their agenda without having to pay pesky Democrats the slightest notice. House GOP members were heading out to a caucus meeting across the street — one closed to journalists — and hellos and backslaps echoed throughout the entrance.
It’s going to be a long three months. But don’t worry. I’ll be here writing this weekly roundup to collect bits and bobs that we didn’t get to over the week.
Think of me as Topeka’s own J.K. Rowling, only not transphobic.
Press restrictions
I’ll have more about this Monday, but despite embarrassed protestations from some Republican House members, leadership indeed banned reporters from the chamber’s floor. Either have the decency to own the fact (it’s spelled out on a document sent to journalists) or voice your opposition, but don’t lie.
In the meantime, word of the new restrictions spread across the state and nation.
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker covered the situation here: Kansas House bans reporting from floor, mirroring move in Senate. Reflector editor Sherman Smith appeared on KCUR’s Up to Date on Tuesday to talk about the situation. TV stations KSNT out of Topeka and KWCH from Wichita also wrote about the changes.
Making money moves
Senators and representative have a good reason for the positive attitudes I saw Monday: They’re making a lot more money.
Thanks to a convoluted process involving an independent commission and its binding recommendations, rank-and-file lawmakers’ base pay more than doubled, from $21,000 to $43,000, for the session. If you include per diem reimbursements, that brings the average salary to $57,000. Leadership in both chambers saw their pay increase as well.
I’m on the record praising this idea. Given the aging demographics of our Legislature, these heftier salaries could attract younger talent. Hopefully, they will also cultivate a more professional attitude toward doing the people’s work. We shall see.
Conservative check-ins
We can’t ignore the various conservative lobbying groups that often have lawmakers’ ears, so today let’s check in with Americans for Prosperity and the National Federation of Independent Business.
AFP this week touted a new campaign calling on legislators in Washington, D.C., to renew former and future President Donald Trump’s signature tax cuts. The group claims in a news release that it will spend $20 million across 50 states to spread the word.
“If Congress fails to renew the TCJA, Kansans will be left paying $2,228 more in taxes,” claimed AFP-Kansas director Elizabeth Patton. “Along with increasing the burden of inflation on working families, the expiration of these tax cuts would cripple local businesses with a $988 tax increase and ultimately cost over 6,760 jobs.”
Meanwhile, the NFIB surveyed Kansas members and revealed the results, which mysteriously track with Topeka Republicans’ priorities.
The group writes in its own news release that more than 88% want state property taxes lowered. It also notes that 86% “believe Kansas should require the disclosure of third parties with financial interest in litigation,” and that 62% “support waiving fines and penalties for first-time regulatory errors.”
Kassebaum addendum
In my Monday column about former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal, I noted that other state news organizations had only skimmed the surface in reporting on the honor.
Right on time, Marion County Record reporter Finn Hartnett popped up Wednesday with a lovely profile of Kassebaum at home. Read and enjoy.
Calling contributors
With a new year and new legislative session comes a new call from yours truly for contributors to the opinion section. We have a page of guidelines about what we’re looking for, but the short version is this: If you want to write about Kansas, and you live in Kansas, please drop me a line.
We don’t run traditional letters to the editor (he said politely, so please don’t send them), but I would love to see pieces in the 650-850 word range about the Sunflower State and its extraordinary residents. Take a look at our opinion section to see more.
Who knows, perhaps you can be the next non-transphobic J.K. Rowling along with me.
Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Thinking again…
I saw this pic and it made me laugh. I needed to. Tomorrow my disbelief, my anger, my arguing and bargaining all come to an end and I have no choice but to accept reality, no matter how surreal, and move on. I have suspicions what these next four years will bring, but nothing will surprise me. Ok, I take that back: I will be blown away if the middle class gets a tax break and the top 10% get a tax hike; I will be floored if minorities and the lgbtq are lifted as persons deserving respect and the extremists told to grow up; I will be gobsmacked if the very powerful are forced to concede that the laws apply to them as well as the little people; and I will be outright shocked into immobility if we end this four years with less of a debt than we started. Something tells me I’m not in risk of any of this.
When Trump was elected in his first term, I felt like it was an unknown going against a very unpopular candidate. I knew there were going to be problems, but we would weather through because we had a government that was more than one person. We would survive. We would self-correct and continue down the road just fine. I don’t believe we will be just fine. I believe this is the Bell That Tolls, and we will not simply self correct out of this.
Interesting that in the publication of the 2025 Manifesto, and in the selection of his political nominees, the serious and the well rounded experienced people were, well, not chosen. I kept waiting for trump to laugh in our face and say “psych! Gotcha!!”. Still waiting.
In the short time since fox news has come into popularity, the idea of “fair and balanced” was made a mochery, reality was thrown out the window. They did it for power, for money, they did it because people wanted to believe them.
But, no arguing with success. I don’t believe any of them now. I don’t believe the news shows would tell me the truth if they could.
And no matter how many times you tell them they are being lied to, the so called American Public does enjoy being peed on. Me personally, I’m tired. I’m tired of being lied to and manipulated, and I’m tired of telling folks something they don’t want to believe, don’t want to know. Let’s face it, in this land of internet and free libraries, being undereducated is a life choice.
I guess my only point here is to say “be careful what you ask for…”. Every day before, during and after this election we were shown who he is, but some wanted the snake oil he was selling. They wanted to be strong and virile, so they voted in a cantakerous fat old man? They wanted the truth, so brought back a liar. We wanted prosperity, we got a conman.
And, this pic says it all. Let’s face it, I don’t have deep thoughts. Tomorrow begins a new day in America and in the world. Hugs. Randy
Not going to uphold his oath
MAGAers Mad at Trump for Moving Inauguration Indoors
By Amethyst Martinez, 1 days ago
The Washington Post via Getty Im
MAGAers are angry after Donald Trump announced his inauguration is to be moved inside, causing many to be left out of the ceremony.
Although the president-elect announced that some attendees can go to the Capital One Arena for a viewing party, many were prepared to brave the cold.
Freezing cold temperatures and strong winds are expected to hit D.C. on Monday. The last time an inauguration was moved inside was for Ronald Reagan in 1985 under similar forecasts.
NBC Washington went out to break the news to Trump supporters who planned to attend the inauguration.
“I don’t like it,” Trump fan Ken Robinson told the outlet. “We came all the way from… Oklahoma and now we’re not getting to see it. We might as well have stayed home watching on TV.”
Jorge Gonzalez, another supporter who traveled from Florida, said that the news “sucks.”
“We’re prepared for the weather, it’s not a problem,” Gonzalez said.
“We have farms,” said Harry Troyer, another Oklahoma resident visiting D.C. “And we don’t get to not feed the cows because it’s cold.”
Others posted to X to express their dismay with the decision as many who were planning to attend having already traveled to D.C. in advance. Thousands of chairs were seen outside the Capitol on Friday, set up before the event was moved inside.
“We have coats and will wear them. Already bought expensive hotels, rental cars, subway tickets etc etc,” one user wrote on X. “We the people were prepared for the cold. We want to see Trump in person. Rain snow sleet warm cold it don’t matter.”
“Spent thousands of dollars on a hotel room and now they aren’t having an Inauguration for the public,” another wrote. “Wtf.”
On Monday, officials were beginning to give out more than 220,000 tickets. On Friday, they were then told to tell attendees that their tickets are now “commemorative.” The arena only has a capacity of 20,000.
Scottie's Playtime 