All the badness of 2017 started in 2016. And way before then.

Then Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) had a thing or two to say to the republican majority in the Missouri House on the first day of the 2017 legislative session. They got upset.

Secretary of State Jason Kander (D): [….] I know I’m not who you came to hear and I know that none of this was what you wanted to hear. But I am your Secretary of State for a bit little longer, and as a result I feel a responsibility to tell you that even though you have the power to take away the right to vote from the citizens of Missouri, you that shouldn’t.

And that if you choose to follow the example of Wisconsin or North Carolina, well then, I guess we’ll see you in court. [….]

On the day of the inauguration of the current administration around 2,000 people showed up at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City for a rally and protest march.

There should have been more.

On the next day for the Women’s March 10,000 people showed up in Washington Square Park in Kansas City to protest the new administration.

There should have been more.

Less than ten days into the new administration 1,000 people showed up at the International Terminal at Kansas City International Airport to protest Trump’s first Muslim ban.

There should have been more.

The belief in and hope for “bipartisanship” and “compromise” with people in control in our current political environment who neither believe in nor hope for bipartisanship is as useful in modern American politics as signing a petition.

There are some people who will never vote for any Democratic party candidate. Ever. Accept that. Act accordingly. Don’t waste your time or energy.

Interestingly, in our current political environment not one republican member of Congress representing Missouri has seen fit to hold open (and accessible) public town halls for their constituents. Do you ever wonder why? There are no consequences for them. And we let them get away with it.

Yet, in 2017 Senator Claire McCaskill (D) held fifty open public town halls across the state in areas that Donald Trump carried in the 2016 election. People in the City of St. Louis and in Kansas City will be waiting for their turn in 2018.

Call you Senators and Representative. Visit their offices. Tell them what you think. Often. Demand their accountability in open public town halls.

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r), in the 4th Congressional District, has glued herself to Donald Trump and his agenda. Сделать Америку великой Снова.

There is a challenger, but she, too, like previous challengers will be grossly underfunded in the race against an entrenched incumbent funded and beholden to special interests.

Find something constructive to do for the Democratic Party challenger. Then do it. Then repeat.

A pro tip – in October 2018 don’t complain to anyone who’ll listen that the Democratic Party candidate doesn’t have enough yard signs out. Empty lots don’t vote.

If you want to accomplish any good in 2018 don’t waste your time and energy preaching to the choir on social media or signing petitions no one reads.

1) Make sure you’re registered to vote. 2) Be certain you have the required ID to vote. 3) Make sure everyone you know and all the potential voters you help to register to vote have the required ID to vote. Provisional ballots aren’t worth shit. Solve ID problems before the fact. 4) On Election Day in 2018 drag your sorry ass to your polling place and vote. Then drag the sorry asses of your friends and the people you registered to vote to their polling places so that they do actually vote.

“Rule #4: Be outraged. [….] it is essential to maintain one’s capacity for shock. This will lead people to call you unreasonable [….] It is no fun to be the only hysterical person in the room. Prepare yourself.”
– Autocracy: Rules for Survival – Masha Gessen

Elections always have consequences. Ask Supreme Court Justice Merrick Garland about that when you get the chance. Ask the 1% about that, too. Ask any public school classroom teacher.

Don’t waste your time trying to engage fascists or Nazis in “constructive” dialogue. They’re fascist and Nazis for a reason, not because of “economic anxiety”.

“Rule #5: Don’t make compromises. [….] In an autocracy, politics as the art of the possible is in fact utterly amoral. [….]”
– Autocracy: Rules for Survival – Masha Gessen

“Rule #2: Do not be taken in by small signs of normality. [….] …history has seen many catastrophes, and most of them unfolded over time. That time included periods of relative calm. [….]”
– Autocracy: Rules for Survival – Masha Gessen

None of this is normal. Act accordingly. Given the last two years I’m not holding my breath.

Previously:

The Political Year in Pictures – 2017 – part 1 (December 28, 2017)

The Political Year in Pictures – 2017 – part 2 (December 28, 2017)

Our top ten traffic posts for 2017 (December 29, 2017)

The continuation of our retrospective.

July:

Fireworks.

Getting closer (July 3, 2017)

Again, someone from Missouri in Congress isn’t afraid of holding open public town halls.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): even more town halls (July 5, 2017)

Claire McCaskill Town Hall Meeting in Eldon Missouri – video by Jerry Schmidt (July 5, 2017)

On Health Care – Claire McCaskill Town Hall Meeting in Eldon Missouri – video by Jerry Schmidt (July 8, 2017)

Constituents show up, Roy Blunt (r) doesn’t.

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – July 14, 2017 (July 14, 2017)

In Arizona.

But it’s a dry heat (July 29, 2017)

August:

A Keystone XL pipeline protest and march in Lincoln, Nebraska.

March to Give Keystone XL the Boot – Lincoln, Nebraska – August 6, 2017 (August 6, 2017)

Joye Braun, Indigenous Environmental Network – March to Give Keystone XL the Boot – Lincoln, Nebraska – August 6, 2017 (August 7, 2017)

March to Give Keystone XL the Boot – Lincoln, Nebraska – August 6, 2017 – more photos (August 7, 2017)

After Charlottesville, Virginia.

Kansas City for Charlottesville, Virginia (August 13, 2017)

Well, the plan was to hold fifty before the end of the year.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) – town hall in Warrensburg – Press Q and A – August 17, 2017 (August 17, 2017)

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) – town hall in Warrensburg – August 17, 2017 (August 18, 2017)

There was a solar eclipse.

That was some solar eclipse (August 22, 2017)

After Charlottesville, Virginia.

Somebody cared enough to try (August 24, 2017)

Donald Trump in Missouri.

Protesting Donald Trump (r) in Springfield, Missouri – August 30, 2017 (August 31, 2017)

September:

On Labor Day.

Labor Day rally and march in Kansas City – September 4, 2017

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) protest in Kansas City.

In support of DACA – Kansas City – September 5, 2017 (September 5, 2017)

We did a gallery show.

In the gallery – part 3 (September 26, 2017)

Sunrise.

The Earth says hello (September 29, 2017)

October:

A butterfly or two.

A brief moment of peace for a chaotic world (October 2, 2017)

Monarch (October 14, 2017)

Leaves.

In the wind (October 25, 2017)

November:

Hillary Shields (D).

Hillary Shields (D) in the 8th Senate District: Sunday field operation (November 5, 2017)

Hillary Shields (D) in the 8th Senate District: Sunday field operation – a few words from Jason Kander (D) (November 5, 2017)

Hillary Shields (D) (November 7, 2017)

Vicky has an opponent.

Organizing for 2018 (November 11, 2017)

December:

Fear.

“We’d better get back ’cause it’ll be dark soon and they mostly come at night. Mostly. “ (December 1, 2017)

A display.

Again: “…Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard…” (December 11, 2017)

Anxiety.

Still waiting to be interviewed by The New York Times about their economic anxiety (December 18, 2017)

That was the year that was.

Previously:

The Political Year in Pictures – 2017 – part 1 (December 28, 2017)

It’s been another very interesting year for us.

We took a lot of photos in 2017. Many having to do with the aftermath of the 2016 general election.

Over the course of the last year we covered a number of government and political events in Missouri (and elsewhere), in the process taking thousands of photographs. Most of them didn’t make it into the blog. Some of the things we saw and heard made us smile, made us think, made us gasp, made us hope, and made us despair.

We thought we’d provide a retrospective of some of the pictures and stories we consider to be memorable.

January:

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) upsets the republicans on the opening day of the legislative session.

Secretary of State Jason Kander (D): at the opening of the legislative session (January 4, 2017)

Women take the lead. They always do.

Anti-Trump march in Kansas City – January 20, 2017 (January 20, 2017)

Anti-Trump march in Kansas City – January 20, 2017 – part 2 (January 21, 2017)

Anti-Trump march in Kansas City – January 20, 2017 – part 3 – marching (January 21, 2017)

Women’s March – Kansas City – Washington Square Park – January 21, 2017 (January 21, 2017)

Women’s March – Kansas City – Washington Square Park – January 21, 2017 – part 2 (January 22, 2017)

Women’s March – Kansas City – Washington Square Park – January 21, 2017 – part 3 (January 22, 2017)

Another salvo in the “War on Christmas”.

HB 696: Now you’ve gone and done it. You’ve really upset the Pastafarians. (January 23, 2017)

Just nine days into the new administration.

Trump Muslim ban protest at Kansas City International Airport – January 29, 2017 (January 29, 2017)

February:

Meeting with constituents. On immigration.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) – Immigration Town Hall in Kansas City – February 4, 2017 (February 5, 2017)

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) – Immigration Town Hall in Kansas City – press statement – February 4, 2017 (February 5, 2017)

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) – Immigration Town Hall in Kansas City – press Q and A – February 4, 2017 (February 5, 2017)

Not meeting with constituents.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): about those missing public town halls (February 9, 2017)

Meeting with a few constituents.

A stylized dance (February 17, 2017)

More useless legislation from the right wingnut republican controlled Missouri General Assembly.

HB 1014: the exhibit should include pre 1973 medical devices (February 22, 2017)

What can we say? We were in the right place at the right time.

Stormy weather (February 28, 2017)

March:

A sign.

A conversation at the flag pole (March 3, 2017)

We just love Kansas City.

Anti-Trump March in Kansas City – March 4, 2017 (March 4, 2017)

Anti-Trump March in Kansas City – March 4, 2017 – part 2 (March 5, 2017)

Anti-Trump March in Kansas City – March 4, 2017 – part 3 (March 5, 2017)

Someone did resist.

A New York tourist destination (March 21, 2017)

Still no open public town halls in the district.

This is what Democracy looks like – Harrisonville, Missouri – March 22, 2017 (March 23, 2017)

Sometimes they march, too.

You got that right (March 25, 2017)

April:

At least one member of Congress from Missouri does open public town halls.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D): press availability – Parkville, Missouri – April 13, 2017 (April 14, 2017)

What a difference eight years makes (April 13, 2017)

This ain’t 2009 and right wingnut billionaires ain’t paying to rile up teabaggers (April 13, 2017)

Of science.

March for Science – Kansas City – April 22, 2017 (March 22, 2017)

March for Science – Kansas City – April 22, 2017 – part 2 (April 23, 2017)

March for Science – Kansas City – April 22, 2017 – part 3 (April 23, 2017)

March for Science – Kansas City – April 22, 2017 – part 4 (April 23, 2017)

On climate.

Climate March – Kansas City – April 29, 2017 (April 29, 2017)

Climate March – Kansas City – April 29, 2017 – Sergio Moreno (April 30, 2017)

May:

Anywhere, anytime.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): on Zombie Trumpcare – May 6, 2017 (May 7, 2017)

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): on Trump and Russia – May 6, 2017 (May 7, 2017)

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): on Trump’s policies and Missouri – May 6, 2017 (May 8, 2017)

Still no open public town halls in the district.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r) – Columbia District Office – May 10, 2017 (May 10, 2017)

Jackson County Democrats.

Truman Gala – Jackson County Democratic Committee – May 20, 2017 (May 21, 2017)

Truman Gala – Jackson County Democratic Committee – May 20, 2017 #2 (May 22, 2017)

June:

Hate and bigotry.

Anti-Muslim protest and counter-protest, Washington Square Park, Kansas City – June 10, 2017 (June 10, 2017)

Anti-Muslim protest and counter-protest, Washington Square Park, Kansas City – June 10, 2017 – part 2 (June 11, 2017)

Anti-Muslim protest and counter-protest, Washington Square Park, Kansas City – June 10, 2017 – part 3 (June 11, 2017)

Some members of Congress have no problem with holding open public town halls in their district.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D): town hall in Lee’s Summit – June 17, 2017 (June 17, 2017)

Reproductive health and rights.

Planned Parenthood #PinkOut in Kansas City – June 21, 2017 (June 22, 2017)

Where is Roy Blunt (r)?

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – June 23, 2017 (June 23, 2017)

A Sen. Roy Blunt (r) health care story (June 23, 2017)

Photos at Roy Blunt’s Office – June 23 2017 Indivisible – KC Hillary Klofkorn Shields (June 26, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – June 23, 2017 – signs of the times (June 24, 2017)

What’s the matter with Kansas?

Talking about health care at Sen. Jerry Moran’s (r) office in Olathe, Kansas – June 28, 2017 (June 28, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Jerry Moran’s (r) office in Olathe, Kansas – June 28, 2017 – signs of the times (June 29, 2017)