5/30/2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Did you know that “Myanmar is now the world’s third-worst jailer of journalists as of December 2022, behind only Iran and China. According to the Paris-based watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF), it is actually the worst in per capita terms?” The Diplomat had this info in an article about Hmue Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun of the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency who is serving 10 years for “abetting terrorism by donating money to anti-junta resistance groups.” You can do 2 things to address this. 1) Do more to promote a free press in the US by having more conversations with reporters. 2) When you talk to the press, tell them about the situation in Burma.

            I continue to ponder my “Badass (BA)” remarks as I keep bumping into things about female leaders. Yesterday I found a Cosmo article about the 17 ways that RBG was a BA, the 1st being that she “ignore(d) all haters.” You’re good at that. I’m working on it.

            Would you call Diane Feinstein (DGBF) a BA? Dana Bush, writing in 2017 called her a “pioneering” BA in DC for defying BHO when he didn’t want a report on  post-9/11 enhanced interrogation tactics to go public. She continues to ignore all haters, especially those who want her to step down.

            Arwa Mahdawi writing in the G thinks she should. She says that “cynically weaponizing the very real sexism that women in politics face to defend Feinstein’s stubborn decision to cling to power is appalling…. Real leadership, as Jacinda Ardern has demonstrated, isn’t about staying in power as long as possible, but knowing when it’s time to step aside.” I’m afraid she’s right, don’t you think?

            Speaking of real leadership, Jennifer Rubin opines that you demonstrated it by making THE DEAL by “allow(ing) KMM to spin his way out of the corner that he & the Freedom Caucus had painted themselves into.” I agree!

            BYBS,