President* Trump, Laura and I drove down to Portland this morning to see my mom and then back again this evening. Despite the masks and social distancing, we had a really nice visit and it was so good to see her – it’d been a long time. There weren’t nearly as many Trump signs along … Continue reading The wheels are coming off the Trump bus
Veterans
Recency bias
President* Trump, It used to be pretty frequently that I’d chew on something I felt the need to write to you about for several days, trying to figure out how to approach it or how to articulate it effectively. Lately, though, I’m finding I just don’t have the mental capacity or the stomach to think … Continue reading Recency bias
Breathtaking and heartbreaking
President* Trump, You probably love, love, love Mr. Mark Thiessen, conservative WP editorialist extraordinaire – he’s really your kind of guy. It probably doesn’t hurt that he seems to love, love, love you. I know it’s not very tolerant or open-minded of me, but I usually don’t even bother reading the titles of his editorials, … Continue reading Breathtaking and heartbreaking
99,805
Dear President Trump, Just now my fingers seemed to want to type “President Tramp” but I overrode them and fixed the typo. I think though, if my fingers had decided to swap in an “o” for the “u,” I might have gone with it today – “President Tromp” fits our current situation exceedingly well since … Continue reading 99,805
Out of the mouths of babes….. and grandmas
Dear President Trump, Sounds like you got an earful during your remarks at the NYC Veteran’s Day parade today. I’m sure some people there think you hung the moon, but there were probably more who’d prefer your view of the moon was from behind bars judging by the copious “lock him up” and “traitor” chants … Continue reading Out of the mouths of babes….. and grandmas
What if it were really true that no one would ever be left behind?
Dear President Trump, I figured the chances of the Sport Clips people seeing yesterday’s letter to you on my blog were nil so I wrote to them directly. I’m snail-mailing the letter to the Shoreline franchise owner and cc’ing the corporate office in Texas because they don’t have a way to contact them online if … Continue reading What if it were really true that no one would ever be left behind?
Three positives
Dear President Trump, When I woke up this morning I decided today’s letter needs to warrant a “positive” tag when it gets posted in my blog. It can have other, less upbeat, tags too, but “positive” needs to be in the mix. The first positive is how when my colleague gave me a pep talk … Continue reading Three positives
A very pricey impromptu federal holiday
Dear President Trump, I don’t have the day off today since I’m considered an “essential” federal employee. Basically, the message at the VA has been that if employees are scheduled to see veterans today or are in direct clinical support roles they are expected to show up and do their jobs. No arbitrary cancellations will … Continue reading A very pricey impromptu federal holiday
Standing in the gap (1)
Dear President Trump, In the last two weeks or so the HP has published several long pieces that all focus on different rips in collective care taking and ways that people are trying to stand in these gaps. The one I’m going to focus on today is about an old way of addressing suicidality that’s … Continue reading Standing in the gap (1)
Surely they know you love them….
Dear President Trump, Who were you so busy calling on Monday that you couldn’t make it to Arlington National Cemetery? Amazing. You sure are piling on the ignoble firsts, aren’t you? It seems especially stupid for you to disrespect veterans. I’m seeing reports that they voted for you 2:1 over Clinton, but the veterans I … Continue reading Surely they know you love them….
