I’m doing something different today. I’m going to share with you something I posted last Friday on Facebook when I wanted to vent a little. I usually don’t post something extemporaneous like this on the blog, as I like to use the blog to share information that can help elucidate issues from the news that I think people might want to understand better, or to highlight news items that aren’t getting enough attention. But I’m hoping that this Facebook post actually will do those things in a way. I think there’s an important point in it about something that’s missing when you watch or read most news, and I hope that will be clarifying for people reading this.
Outgunned
Wait, now they’re getting rid of background checks for gun purchases?? What?! If there’s one thing that can really get non-political people animated about politics it’s gun laws. 
Before Trump graced us with his presence in the political arena, most of my friends & acquaintances on Facebook rarely or never posted about politics (oh, how things have changed!). But whenever discussions in D.C. turned to gun laws (always in the wake of a mass shooting) my Facebook feed would fill up with people posting articles and arguments, both for and against, whatever new law was being proposed or – inevitably – had just been defeated.
We’ve Got You Covered
Take a look at four Trump related magazine covers out this week:
The first is from CQ Politics, which is a U.S. publication that as the name indicates, focuses on politics, mostly from within Washington D.C.
Would You Like Fries With That?
YOU get an executive order, and YOU get an executive order . . .!! The executive orders are flying left & right, and it seems like soon enough there might be one for each of us.
The news today is that President Trump signed an order rolling back Dodd-Frank financial reform. He also made another important change in the area of financial regulation, signing an order to undo an Obama-enacted rule called “the fiduciary rule.”
Today’s Special
Something a little different for today: So much news has been happening so fast, as is typical in Trump world, but the last couple days have been especially busy, and I’m having a hard time picking a single item to focus on. 
So instead of doing a deeper focus on just one issue, today I’m going to give you a list of Things I Think You Should Know, with a note about each of them. If you don’t have time to read all the linked articles, my notes will give you an idea of what’s going on. But hopefully you can read the full articles, because the articles all add more colorful & interesting details . . .
The 2-on-1 Date
It’s Tuesday, so that means it’s time for today’s edition of The Bachelor roundup. Last night’s episode featured the dreaded 2-on-1 date. That’s the episode that comes once each season, in which the Bachelor takes two girls on a date and by the end of the date, he must choose only one to give a rose. 
The other girl gets sent home instantly (after a few gratuitously humiliating camera shots of her stewing in rejection). Continue reading
Order Up
“But can he do that?!” That’s the question I’ve been hearing a lot this past week in conversations with friends and family, as we’ve all watched Donald Trump careen his way through his first week as President, eager to show his fans that he’s “getting stuff done.” 
Trump has taken a lot of actions that might leave one wondering if these are things a President is actually permitted to do. What’s probably stood out the most in week one, as far as policy making (ignoring Trump’s personal battles), is his use of the executive order.
Truthy Contest
Donald Trump sees as himself as the ultimate businessman. It makes sense then that for him, truth is just another commodity. ABC News’ David Muir snagged an interview with Trump this past Wednesday night that covered a wide range of topics and – as we’ve become accustomed to with Trump – the interview delivered a number of, shall we say, unusual moments.
I want to focus on just one brief interaction, because of what it reveals about one of Trump’s worst instincts.
Real Ugly
Yup, Trump has the most delicate ego in all the land, but his voter fraud claims are about more than just that. The media has spent the last 2 days chasing down Trump’s increasingly absurd claims of fraud in the 2016 election. Trump had resurrected the stale topic on Monday during a reception with congressional leaders (most likely set off by his stung feelings from the debate over inauguration crowd size and the attention given to the overwhelming turnout at the women’s marches). 
What’s Up?
Just a few updates today, as there are some new developments on several items I’ve written about recently . . .
1. The Bachelor
I’ll start with my favorite thing to talk about on a Tuesday: The Bachelor. In When Worlds Collide I explained how politics and The Bachelor came together in Waukesha, Wisconsin. 
Last night, viewers were treated to a tour of Waukesha, as Nick took his dates on a visit to his hometown. We saw the local roller skating rink, watched Nick cheer on his sister’s soccer team, and got to see Nick and his dates attempt to milk cows.
But the night’s drama centered around this season’s villain, Corrine. Corrine – at least the television version of Corrine – is immature, unfiltered, and entitled. Continue reading
DC Deciphered 