'Historical pain'
First they came after Confederates, then slave owners. Now the city of Arcata, Calif., has decided to remove a statue of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, who was neither a Confederate nor a slave owner.
In fact, McKinley was raised an abolitionist, fought for the Union in the Civil War and held a progressive view of blacks, even appointing some to federal posts.
No, his crime was "colonialism" and the passage during his administration of the Curtis Act, which broke up the land of the "Five Civilized Tribes" (Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Seminole and Cherokee) in order to sell it to white settlers.
A recent article in the Los Angeles Times on the effort described McKinley as "the most significant casualty in an emerging movement to remove monuments honoring people who helped lead what Native [American] groups describe as a centuries-long war against their very existence."
"Is there a difference between honoring McKinley and Robert E. Lee?" Arcata Mayor Sofia Pereira told the paper. "They both represent historical pain."
But paperwork has been filed with the city to create a ballot initiative that would give voters a decision on whether the 1906 statue goes or stays.
So the assassinated former president may linger a bit longer above the northern California city.
Maybe it's just New Jersey
Garden State voters who were glad to see Republican Gov. Chris Christie leave office now are wondering about their new Democratic governor.
After taking office in January, the administration of Phil Murphy began a series of refurbishment and redecoration projects in the governor's office and residence costing $27,000, a fairly moderate sum.
But $13,000 of that amount went to create a doorway in a conference room that will serve as an office for his wife, Tammy, who has no constitutional role in state government, down the hall from his own.
Media outlets throughout the state have noted that the first lady has been given plum speaking roles at public events and has been influential in policy discussions.
"She has a prominent seat at the table for policy discussions," Murphy defensively said in a statement.
The new expenditures have heightened speculation the governor, a multi-millionaire former Goldman Sachs executive, is just another limousine liberal.
Not only did he stick the people of New Jersey with $1.6 billion in new taxes, but he also said he would be delighted to accept the state chief executive's salary of $175,000 (which doesn't cover the property taxes on his $9.4 million home). Earlier, there had been speculation he would follow in the footsteps of former New Jersey Democratic governor and Goldman Sachs executive Jon Corzine in taking an annual salary of only $1.
Turning back the clock
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., can be the gift that keeps on giving. Once again last week, she gave Republicans ammunition to use in the fall midterm elections.
On the same day she tweeted, "I'm joining (tag officials and tax march) for a #GOPTaxScam teach in. TUNE IN," she also indicated if her Democratic Party won back Congress in the fall, it would undo the tax law the GOP passed in December that has put extra money in America's pockets, given many of them bonuses and helped numerous businesses hire new workers. During a town hall event, the moderator asked her if Pelosi's party would re-write the tax bill from scratch or focus on reversing specific elements.
"We'll sit down at the table and say what would be a tax bill that creates growth, that creates good paying jobs as it reduces the deficit," she said. "It's not about chipping at this piece or that piece, it's about a comprehensive look at what our tax policy should be in the future."
Every Democrat in Congress voted "no" on the bill, and now nine in 10 taxpayers are seeing extra money in their pockets.
Pelosi's turn-back-the-clock plans would result in a massive tax increase. It's hardly what Democrats will want to sell voters in the fall. But Republicans may be delighted to use her words - against her.
Making America rude again
A Texas city councilwoman now has a disorderly conduct charge because she thought it would be the right thing to do to scream obscenities at a group of teen girls - one of whom was wearing a T-shirt supporting President Donald Trump - who were buying cookies to take back to their church.
"Grab 'em by the [expletive], girls," West University Place Councilwoman Kellye Burke told them, according to the father of one of the girls.
The girls initially tried to laugh off the remark and didn't respond to her when she screamed it again. Then the councilwoman added, "MAGA (Make America Great Again), MAGA, MAGA," as she shook her fist at them." Finally, the father noticed her taking a picture of them.
"They were scared," the father said. "They were absolutely scared. My little girl essentially wanted to know if this woman was going to hurt her."
West University Place police referred the case to a Harris County precinct constable's office, which filed the charge.
Some time later, Burke reached out to the teen's mother and met with and apologized to both parents.
"I would be just as angry if any parent said this to my child," the father said, "but as an elected official, I"ll let her voters handle this matter."