Marty Essen's Blog, page 265

Trump and the GOP got their asses kicked

When you hear Donald Trump and the Republican Cult claim the Blue Wave didn’t happen, keep these figures in mind:

Total Republican votes for House: 48,370,608

Total Democratic votes for House: 53,305,729

Total Republican votes for Senate: 34,260,424

Total Democratic votes for Senate: 47,886,605

Total Republican votes for Governor: 41,331,517

Total Democratic votes for Governor: 42,392,101

Yes, in all three major election categories the Republicans got their asses kicked. Overall America has rejected Republican bigotry and their attempts to destroy health care and the environment. All that saved them from losing the Senate was geography and having fewer seats to defend than the Democrats.

Even in conservative Montana, the most important race went to the Democrats. I can’t say it enough: Donald Trump came to Montana a record four times; Mike Pence came three times; and Donald Trump Jr. practically lived in the state. Nevertheless, Senator Jon Tester persisted and defeated his Republican challenger with a larger percentage of the overall votes than he earned in his two previous election wins. Yes, Donald Trump is a first class loser!

On the negative side, I feel like the United States is becoming South Africa during apartheid. It will be a long fight, but ultimately the United States must get rid of the Electoral College and other antiquated rules that give the minority party the power to rule here. But that’s a post for another day. Did I say Donald Trump is a loser?

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Five elk

Marty’s photo of the day #2713: Can you spot all five elk? Actually, there are six, but one is directly behind the elk on the far right. For the last two weeks, anywhere from 35 to 70 elk have been hanging out on the 25 acres we own, surrounding our house. Unfortunately because of all the trees, and the fact that I don’t want to spook them off our property into the sights of a waiting hunter, I can’t get them all together for a group photo. This shot came from my motion-sensing camera.

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How to eat banana bread like a Martyman

For the next week, Deb is on a huge cruise ship, heading for Mexico, and I’m home alone. My wife, being the big weaver-lebrity she is, is one of the featured speakers/teachers on a “Weaving at Sea Cruise.” She invited me to come along, but being on a ship with two thousand other people just isn’t my style. Instead, I’ll spend my time writing and stream a few concerts she’s not interested in.

Before Deb left, the two of us stopped at the grocery store to pick up supplies, so I wouldn’t starve. When she saw me grab a bunch of bananas, she chuckled and said, “Oh, you just want to make banana bread while I’m gone, so you don’t have to share!”

I hadn’t thought of that, but now that she mentioned it. . . . And it is just about the only food I know how to cook from scratch. Of course, I hadn’t thought about Martyman either. He likes banana bread as much as I do. I just wish he would have waited until I cut him a slice.

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The world’s most beautiful brown bird

Marty’s photo of the day #2712: Of all the totally brown birds in the world, squirrel cuckoos get my vote for the most beautiful.

I took this photo in Costa Rica. This image can also be found in my second book, “Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico.”

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The value of animals . . .

Marty’s photo of the day #2711: At my college shows, I talk about the value of all animals—not only because of their value to nature, but also because of their value to humans. This moose is a great example. Obviously moose are important to the ecosystems they live in, and, also, they provide great value to humans as bush trimmers.

(Photographed in my front yard, several years ago.)

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Back to normal in the good old USA!

I woke up thinking, now that all the election craziness is over, it will be nice to get back to normal for a while. I went on my morning bike ride, settled into my writing room, booted up my laptop, checked my emails, checked my overnight book sales, and maneuvered over to Huff Post. Greeting me there was news of another mass shooting—this time at least twelve people were murdered. And you don’t need a script to know how the rest of the day will proceed:

Trump will condemn the shooting and say, “it wouldn’t have happened if the bar had armed guards,” Republicans will do nothing but offer thoughts and prayers, and ammosexuals will make mass purchases of guns and ammo—as they always do after mass shootings. Yes, we’re back to normal in the good old USA!

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Cactus wren nest

Marty’s photo of the day #2710: Cactus wren nest, photographed in Mexico.

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How do you see this photo?

Marty’s photo of the day #2709: Today is going to be a day of celebration. We can finally resist Trump with real teeth! At the same time, the election was bittersweet, with key races across the country going to the Republicans. Here in Montana, Greg “The Body Slammer” Gianforte has defeated Kathleen Williams for the state’s only U.S. House seat, and things aren’t looking good in the Jon Tester vs. Clone of Trump senate race.

As I tossed and turned in bed last night, it occurred to me that this picture encapsulates the 2018 Midterm Election. If you think, “Awww cute kids,” you probably voted Democratic. If you think, “Grrrr another caravan of rapists, murderers, and drug dealers headed for America,” you probably voted Republican.

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What does Donald Trump want more than (almost) anything?

Marty’s photo of the day #2708: There’s only one thing Tiny Trump wants more than dating Ivanka Trump, being best buddies with Kim Jong-un, golden showering with Vladimir Putin, and making women and minorities second class citizens—that’s defeating Montana’s Democratic Senator Jon Tester.

Okay, maybe he wants to date Ivanka and shower with Vladimir a little more, but work with me here. Montana has such a small population that presidents rarely visit it. Yet because of Tiny’s vendetta against Tester, he has traveled to Montana four times to rile up his cult. Tiny has also sent Mike Pence here three times and Donald Trump Jr. more times than a cultist can chant “lock her up!” So if you’re a Montana resident, the best thing you can do for your country today is to get to the polls (if you haven’t already) and vote for the honorable man in this photo. Believe me, when Tiny Trump watches the election returns tonight, it’s the Jon Tester vs. Matt “Little Trump” Rosendale race that will grab his attention more than any other. And then, if Tester wins, Tiny will whine and cry like the pathetic loser he is. Won’t that be fun?

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The amazing Democratic rally

Marty’s photo of the day #2707: This my wife, Deb, and me at the Democratic rally yesterday afternoon at the Rocky Mountain Grange in Hamilton, MT. For those who aren’t familiar with Hamilton, it’s a little town (population 4,728) in one of the most conservative counties in Montana. Senator Jon Tester, Governor Steve Bullock, and candidate for Congress Kathleen Williams showed up for the rally. The place was packed, and cars were lined up far down the highway. It was a wonderful event. And if people are that excited about the election in Ravalli County, imagine how they are elsewhere. Need I say that sane people across the country must not sit out this election? Get out and vote—and get that liberal friend, relative, or first-time voter to the polls too.

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