Oct 202021
 

Yesterday, I got confirmation for a visit with Virgil on October 30th. So that is good, but it does have me confused now about what they are doing. Perhaps they went to 33% capacity; though I looked on line and the latest still said 25%, sometimes word is slow getting onto the web. I suppose they could have moved all the inmates who have no one on their phone or visitors’ lists into one quarter… sadly, that would not be impossible or even unlikely – many convicts get abandoned by families and friends. TC knew that well and it was one of the things which motivated him deeply to work with prisoners. But I don’t know that, and if I asked, I likely would not get an answer.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Politico – Dems find their anti-Rubio warrior in Val Demings
Quote – For months, the Florida congresswoman challenging Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022 seemed nowhere to be found, eschewing local press and small political events typical for this election off-year, and also avoiding the national media glare in Washington. Now Demings has an answer for her whereabouts: She was campaigning almost exclusively on Facebook, growing an army of small-dollar donors across the nation on her way to raising a staggering $8.5 million in the most recent fundraising quarter —$2.4 million more than Rubio reported and more than any Senate challenger in the country between July and October.
Click through for details. It’s true we haven’t heard a lot from Val lately (but then a lot of other things have been going on.) It’s good to know she has been busy. I pray for her success.

Crooks and Liars – Rev. Barber Blasts Manchin For Pushing Voter ID And ‘Trumpian Lingo’
Quote – BARBER: The Democrats should have started this messaging. They should have had the faces and the voices of people who would be impacted. We tried to say this to the handlers of the president at the White House, and for some reason they didn’t get it. They should have never let voting rights just be a Black issue and then separate it out from the economic issue.
Click through for more of the message. When Rev. Barber soeaks, I listen. And he is right. I wish I had ideas on how to get there from here, though.

HuffPost – ‘I’m So Stupid’: MAGA Fan Who Attacked Officer Mike Fanone Called Himself A ‘Piece Of S**t’
Quote – Rodriguez, according to a transcript of his FBI interview filed in court by his defense attorney on Friday, said that he became radicalized watching videos on InfoWars and from conservative commentators like Steven Crowder, Mark Dice, and the Hodgetwins that convinced him of the conspiracy theory that Trump actually won the election. Rodriguez repeatedly referred to himself as “stupid” for believing that the pro-Trump mob he was a part of could take over the U.S. Capitol and install Trump as president for a second term.
Click through for story. I certainly wish more people would “get it,” even if it has to be belatedly.

Food for Thought –

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  6 Responses to “Open Thread for October 20, 2021”

  1. Good news for you and Virgil. Sadly…a shame about the inmates not having company or being abandoned. I wish that all would get visitors, at least a couple times a month.

    Cartoon: uh…nope! 
    Politico: Love her! I too, pray for her success in all that she does. She’s awesome! 
    C&L: Great video, and to know that the good preacher is speaking the truth in what he says and does. 
    HuffPo: A little too late, but nevertheless…it’s good to read that he is realizing the ‘error of his ways’.
    FFT: Yep. 
    THIS JUST IN:  “The answer to obstructionists in our midst is to elect real Democrats in 2022. We MUST hold the House and win two more seats in the Senate. I’m looking at PA and WI but also OH, FL, and NC. Twomore senate seats, and we have the true votes to complete the mission.” ~ George Takei ~
    2. “We are living through a revolt against the future. The future will prevail.” ~Anand Giridharadas~
    3. “The last best chance to hold the twice impeached and twice acquitted ex-president accountable is upon us. The select committee investigating the 1/6 insurrection is expected to send a criminal contempt referral for Steve Bannon to the full House floor” ~ Nicole Wallace ~
    4. “How is it that the top 1% evades $160,000,000,000 in taxes every year, but immigrants are called ‘freeloaders’?” ~ Rep. Adriano Espaillat ~ 
    5. “Fight like hell to keep your heart soft, even while so many people have become hardened. Yes, the world is upside-down right now but we can make it right—one beautiful act of decency at a time. Keep going. The world needs people like you.” ~ John Pavlovitz ~
    6. “Bannon is the only witness to defy a subpoena. Bannon stands alone in his complete defiance of our subpoena, that’s not acceptable.” ~ 1/6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson ~ 

    • TJI #1 – Sulu is right. The only chance we have of ousting Manchin would be if a Republican took the seat … and that would not be a good thing. Arizonans are not happy with Sinema, but Arizona is strange right now. Now, if we could ever get back to normal CoViD-wise, and then hold the AZ general in August, when all the snowbirds are at home elsewhere, we might have a better chance … but that would be unconstitutional. No, he’s right. Those are the five. I’d love to win all of them To do so, the DNC must listen more to voters on the ground (and listening to Rev. Barbar would not hurt either.)
      TJI #2 – Well, that’s a nice thought. But – when exactly?
      TJI #3 – Adam couldn’t say exactly when, and I think part of that was to keep their plans under wraps. I’m for that. Don’t give the Rethugs time to devise a stunt.
      TJI #4 – Words lose their meaning when they are used to label people and groups. The word “villain,” for instance, originally meant “Someone who lives in a villa,” usually in the country. It went from there to “country bumpkim, yokel” and now – well, you know. “Freeloaders” has not meant people who are actually freeloading for a long time, and it has now morphed completely into the meaning “people who are not ‘like us,’ especially if they are a different color and/or speak a different language.”
      TJI #5 – That’s why, on the one hand the sad personal stories, and on the other the animal rescue stories/videos are needed. They help us remember, on the one hand that real people are really being hurt, and on the other that there are still good people in the world. But do whatever helps you to keep your heart from turning to stone.
      TJI #6 – Yes, the other weasels are at least negotiating. We’ll see how that goes. They may just be a little smoother than he is (which wouldn’t be difficult.) Liz Cheney takes Bannon’s defiance, combined with Trump**’s lawsuit, to mean that Trump** (and Bannon) were personally involved in the planning for the insurrection, and she says so openly. I’m not able to like her yet, and I may never do so, but I believe firmly in credit where credit is due, and if I end up having to be grateful to her for her part in saving the nation, then I will be grateful.

    • TJI #3 – You listening, AG Garland?

  2. ‘I’m So Stupid’: MAGA Fan Who Attacked Officer Mike Fanone Called Himself A ‘Piece Of S**t’

    I think this sounds like a corollary to a kid who killed both his parents, and then asks the Court for mercy because he’s an orphan.

    (But he is right – on both counts!)

  3. Cartoon: No to that.
    Politico: Out campaigning, good for her. Wishing her the best.
    C&L: Liked listening to him. Appreciate his words about Munchin.
    HuffPost: Really too bad that he didn’t think that way, well before his violent acts of hatred on January 6. 
    Food for Thought: Good view.
    Nice to hear they’ve set up your next visit with Virgil. Too bad others don’t have visitors coming to see them. I remember TomCat mentioning his meeting with them every month.
    Hope you had a nice day. 
    Take care. Thanks Joanne

  4. As October 30th is on a Saturday and you were the only visitor the previous Saturday, your confirmation may have something to do with the fact that Saturday isn’t a very popular day to visit. Since you don’t seem to mind, your chances of getting a visit allocated may be double or more of people who insist on Sundays. Or it is just because they like you so much, Joanne, as we all do.

    Politico: I truly hope that Val Demings’ well-filled campaign coffers translate into a win over Rubio. At the same time, it is terribly sad, not to say wrong, that money is still the most important factor in elections.

    C&L: Barber makes a very good point here. Democrats were so caught up in Black Lives Matter that they forgot that voting rights go beyond that scope.

    FFT: There seems to be no realistic alternative scenario.

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