A lump of coal

My latest letter to the OC Register, in regard to the recently passed tax reform bill:


It would appear that Carl Cannon took Christmas Eve off from his column. I presume this because it appeared to have been ghost written by the current Administration. Like the Trump White House and most Republican leaders, it perpetuates the myth that the benefit of the new tax bill for middle class Americans will be proved by their 2018 paychecks. Seeing more take-home pay due to lower withholding does not prove anything except a lower withholding tax table. The true proof of the impact to a tax payer’s bottom line will come when they see how they are affected by all the changes to allowable deductions, for those who itemize ( which are many more than the public would be led to believe).  Once all the newly removed or reduced deductions are applied, and compared to the increased standard deduction, the standard deduction may prove the better choice, although it may well be less than prior years’ itemized deductions.  Thus, adjusted gross income may end up being higher than they were taxed on before, sharply reducing or eliminating any of the much touted benefit. 

This will be proved out when 2018 taxes are filed in 2019, conveniently after the 2018 elections. 

In addition, the reduced personal rates expire after yet another election, so all can expect their taxes to go up,  no matter what the possible current benefit. The corporate reductions remain in perpetuity, which remains the gift that keeps on giving.  

The lump of coal in the stocking of the American public will become even more evident, once legislators whose duplicity will not be found out until after the 2018 elections, begin to balance the newly deepened deficit  on the back of those who likely need it most.  The poor, the ill, the elderly. 

Happy New Year, America. 

Elise Power
Garden Grove, CA
714 534 3769 




Sent from my iPad

Harvey W and sexual predators.

So, Harvey Weinstein has been brought up short about his long history of sexual aggression with women that fell under his purview. The old “ casting couch” stories that have been pervasive for years have a face.  As the legions of women speak out, he humbly asks forgiveness for being an old dinosaurs operating under the “ old rules” and being a man of the 60’s. And off he scurries to “rehab” to get better.  Old rules? Rehab? For using his power to come at women sexually?  It’s not an addiction, Cupcake. It is being a predator.  (I was thrilled to hear Emma Thompson say it after I thought it)

Years and years of men saying “ you’ll never work in this town again” to get what they wanted from woman, or doing their best to blackball them if they didn’t get what they were after.

I am lucky that I have had no more than the inappropriate flirtation come my way from male superiors, and well back in my early career.  But I do recall the skepticism I received when I once reported a phone call late at at night on an out of town training trip from a male supervisor.(This is at least 25 years ago, at a bank that I don’t think even exists anymore)  He called me at 1:30am to ask me how I was enjoying the training, and what I thought of it.  He didn’t propose anything, but he sounded drunk and who  calls at 1:30 to ask your thoughts? I told him I needed to get to bed and we hung up. He called me later in the morning to profusely apologize for calling at such an inappropriate hour and that he hadn’t realized how late it was when he called and looked for my ressurance that I wasn’t upset.  I later mentioned it to a female ops manager and our male manager at the time. They both looked at me with an arched eyebrow, and asked “ why would he do that, and why are you telling me this .”  I told them I didn’t know what he wanted, and I was telling them because it made me uncomfortable and that I thought someone besides me should know. They dropped the matter like hot potato, and looked at me sidelong thereafter, as if I had hoped to gain some political capital from the story.

I left that bank  for other career reasons soon thereafter, but that acting male manager nodded when I told him and said “ it’s for the best.”  I couldn’t help but feel that he was happy to see the back of me.  I later found out that the (married) male supervisor who had called me that night had been involved in a long term affair with another woman in the Bank , who had once worked directly under him. It came to light when he died suddenly of a heart attack , and she, upon hearing of it, collapsed in a sobbing hysterical heap, and had to be driven home. As I heard it told, it was an “ open” secret.  Yet my story of a late night call was met with suspicion as to my motive.

I hope we get to a point where women do not have to fear rejection, ridicule or suspicion or accusations of hidden agenda when they tell their stories.

The accusers of Bills Cosby and O Reilly are labeled attention seekers and as looking for a big payday and for their 15 minutes  of fame.  This country elected a man who spoke of forcing his attentions on young woman due to his power, who continues to dismiss the recorded conversation as “locker room talk,” as if that makes it better.  To boast of the power to do such a thing speaks of the character of a man.

Harvey used his power with impunity for decades, and has finally come to grief. We can only hope that the balance of power is tilting the other way.

I have no F's left to give, today.

I have run out of "fks" and the patience that goes with them today, for stupid thoughtless tone deaf people. This includes whiners on Facebook and the current occupant of the Oval Office.

Whiners on FB complaining about the woman judges on The Voice for being "trashy" (Miley Cyrus) and "too loud and full of herself" (Jennifer Hudson) .  Yes, we must remind  women folk to be demure and hush up and know their place, just like Adam and Blake do. (Which they don’t) Women are always too loud  or too forceful or too something when they act too much " like a man"

Our precious president, who has taken his outrage to his panting followers in ego-stoking rallies and on Twitter, with regard to black players who kneel during the Anthem.  He wants the "SOB's" fired for disrespecting the flag. Other have taken up the cry and suggest that these rich players who have never served have no right to comment on the freedoms fought for by veterans. Anybody else hear the irony in the face of the oversized infant who never served or earned his own seed money in his life?  Let's just set aside the fact that many a veteran spoke up in favor of the players right  to peacefully protest, as being part of the very rights they fought for.

If one more person says Love it or Leave it, I am going smack someone upside the head and suggest they observe other American's rights or find a place where they think they can dictate in what manner another can "properly"express their patriotism.

And, if I may be so bold, allow me to suggest to Mr Trump that he take all of the time he has spent on his infantile and inflammatory and divisive tweets and rallies and use it to figure out a way to send supplies to Puerto Rico, which he seems to have forgotten is part of the US.  They are still waiting for our delivery of supplies and desperately needed water via FEMA, because "For Texas and Florida you can send trucks, and Puerto Rico is an island in the ocean, ... a really big ocean". Did I miss the part of the story in which everything that has  been sent to Texas and Florida was all by truck?  Do we not have planes that fly across water? Mark Cuban got a plane there.  Other planes have landed there.  Were we going to paddle the supplies across in a canoe?

I do not know the actual IQ of Donald Trump. But he regularly says spectacularly stupid things. Is he really that clueless?  Tone deaf? Thoughtless?  Or just doesn't give a good God damn?

You pick one.  None is the lesser of evils.

Letters to the editor and other thoughts

I realized that I had not posted in here, in a while, and opened her up and took a look.
I guess that I have been too busy " replying" to FB posts, or commenting on them, as well as writing my marginally infamous letters to the editor of the Orange County Register.  Below is my latest effort, though I don't know if this one will be printed. It is after the terrible damage and death that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma has wrought upon Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean.

As I understood  him, Summers was eager to dispel the economic myth that disasters were good for the economy. Fair enough.

Yet, he stood in favor of price gouging during such a disaster, as a fair and useful practice in a free market. Apparently his definition of a "free market" includes those who have lost everything risking being priced out of essentials like the gasoline needed to escape, or food and water to sustain life when all provisions they had are gone.  A short version of this might be said to read, "If you can afford it, you can survive."

Or more succinctly, as Marie Antoinette was said to have replied when told the peasants had no bread, " then let them eat cake."

This second one is my answer to the Register editorial team asking if Trump was right to pardon the truly infamous , and without morals, Sheriff Joe Arpaio. (This one got published) 

In a word , no. He was not. 

He was within his legal rights, but skirted every convention, courtesy, practice and control ever put in place regarding pardons. 

Pardon requests are usually submitted to the pardon office of the Dept of Justice which screens them and researches them, usually after a minimum waiting period of 5 yrs.  Usually the convicted person has served time, and expressed remorse.

Trump issued his pardon prior to sentencing, thus all but negating the conviction unilaterally. He made clear in his speech in Arizona the day prior that he thought the sheriff was just doing his job, and that violation of the court order (forbidding him and his officers from racially profiling Latinos) was no issue to him. He made it clear he was taking care of his good friend Joe, whom he thought should have not been convicted. His disregard for the court order, ( and for the rights of the people being profiled as possible illegal immigrants) and issuing of the pardon even before sentencing, sent a message of arrogance and disrespect.  And the former sheriff made it clear he had no remorse, and may even run for office again.  

The blatant disregard for the rule of law was palpable on both their parts.  It was not merely "somewhat unorthodox" timing, as you blandly put it.  

Trump has made clear that he will do what he wants, when he wants, no matter the appearance or consequences.  And also, apparently, no matter what the court has ruled. His supporters can only hope that the next person he sets free has not done something to compromise their own personal rights.  

Sad, mad, tired.

I am tired. Tired for a number of reasons. Tired of being angry at the despicable twit of a man and the people who elected him President   It is, however, inescapable. Every day he bleats or tweets some new chunk of narcissistic and self serving crap, and signs (with a showman's flourish) yet another executive order to undo years of progress on so many fronts. Tired of being the only person of the loyal opposition reading my local newspaper full of letters of ignorance and smug condemnation of all things left of center. Writing my furious ( and often published ) letters to the editor when I just can't let something go by.

And in my fury of the state of things, I say and do ( like I always have), whatever I can to keep fighting against prejudice and ignorance.

And exhausted at the thought that the monsters have ( for the moment) won, and have encouraged the worst of our society to feel free to say out loud what they have thought.

And then saddened, even defeated, when comments are made, in print, on Facebook, on TV, to the effect of "who the hell do you think YOU are?" Or " thanks so much, its about time, where ya been”, or "what do you know about it, with all your privilege?"  Well, I am pretty sure I have been right here, saying the same things I always have, supporting the same people I always have.  I am pretty sure this isn't a bandwagon that I haven't been on before.   And, as I responded to someone, although I haven't had to deal with it all my life,  nor from the inside, I still hope to be a help to the work.

Part of the fight ( for reproductive rights) is very much mine.  As old as I am, I also have dealt with my fair share of sexist crap. However, my life has never been in danger for who I am. And I get through my day to day life without being seen as a threat to life and limb or the very fabric of society.

But I care, and hate injustice and prejudice and will keep saying so.  No matter what it looks like to either side, or how late they think I am to the party.