<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-b15df1fb-7fff-aa46-e4ec-57d62c2bd1eb"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The Today\u2019s Issues group will meet TOMORROW, Sunday, November 23, 2025, 9:30 to 10:50 am, to discuss the</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> remarkable bromance between democratic socialist Zohan Mamdani, mayor-elect of New York City, and Donald Trump who may be turning toward socialism (i.e. taking state ownership of Nvidia.)  There are other developments too, Marjorie Taylor Greene&#39;s resignation from Congress (will she be our first woman president?).  We might also discuss Trump&#39;s efforts to impose a settlement on Ukraine</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The Today\u2019s Issues discussion group meets on occasional Sunday mornings at 9:30  in the parlor of the Religious Education building next to the Unitarian Universalist Church at 232 Third St. in Marietta or you can join us on Zoom.  </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Click on this link if you wish to join the discussion on Zoom. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.728;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://zoom.us/j/92505235702?pwd=RmUyN1FOUjhBVHRYSDBWY2dUZWxFQT09" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">https://zoom.us/j/92505235702?pwd=RmUyN1FOUjhBVHRYSDBWY2dUZWxFQT0</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">     </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.728;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.728;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Here are some interesting excerpts from the Mamdani-Trump press conference after their meeting:  If you would like to read the full transcript,</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/158urZ4tPLPncGIJZ0C-2FwUomhRG5tW58EaEHhUNs7k/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline"> click here</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">.  </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.728;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reporter:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> For you, you refer to Mr. Mamdani as a \u201ccommunist.\u201d Can you describe why you feel that way</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">he\u2019s got views out there, but who knows \u2014 I mean, we\u2019re going to see what works.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">He\u2019s going to change also. We all change. I changed a lot, changed a lot from when I first came to office</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reporter:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> First of all, for the mayor-elect: You\u2019re both from different parts of the political perspective. You\u2019re both populist, though, and I just wonder to what extent the president\u2019s campaign styles \u2014 his techniques, his social media use \u2014 inspired any part of your campaign?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mr. Mamdani:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> Well, I actually told the president that, you know, so much of the focus of our campaign has been on the cost-of-living crisis, and when we asked those New Yorkers who had voted for the president \u2014 when we saw an increase in his </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reporter:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> I want to ask the mayor-elect about a House resolution, just passed overwhelmingly, to condemn socialism \u2014 including with 86 Democrats, all of House Dem leadership and the minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, despite his endorsement of you. What\u2019s your reaction to that?</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mr. Mamdani: </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I have to be honest with you, I focus very little on resolutions. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I have been very open about that. And I know that there might be differences about ideology, but the place of agreement is the work that needs to be done to make New York City affordable. That\u2019s what I look forward to.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">He asked about your comment calling the president a fascist,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reporter:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> To be clear, you\u2019re continuing this idea of race-based property taxes.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reporter:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> It\u2019s what you said \u2014</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mr. Mamdani: </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">No, the use of the term was a description of neighborhoods, not a description of intent.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mr. Trump:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> We agree on a lot more than I would have thought. I think he\u2019s \u2014 I want him to do a great job, and we\u2019ll help him do great job. You know, he may have different views, but in many ways, you know \u2014 we were discussing, when Bernie Sanders was out of the race, I picked up a lot of his votes, and people had no idea, because he was strong on not getting ripped off in trade and lots of the things that I practiced, and been very successful on.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Tariffs, a lot of things. Bernie Sanders and I agreed on much more than people thought, and when he was put out of the race \u2014 I think quite unfairly, if you want to know the truth \u2014 many of the Bernie Sanders voters voted for me</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mr. Trump:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> You know, we have a great portrait of F.D.R. that I found in the vaults, that was missing for years. I found it, and I put it up. He\u2019s a Democrat \u2014 to the best of my knowledge, he\u2019s a Democrat, and when </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reporter: He asked about your comment calling the president a fascist,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> and your answer was, \u201cPresident Trump and I have been clear in our positions and views.\u201d Are you affirming that you think President Trump is a fascist?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin:0pt 116pt 11pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mr. Trump:</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(54,54,54);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> That\u2019s OK. You can just say it. That\u2019s easier. It\u2019s easier than explaining it. I don\u2019t mind.</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div></div>