Glenn Kirschner – Why Trump’s Frivolous Executive Privilege Lawsuit Will Fail AND Why It Won’t Help Steve Bannon
MSNBC – Adam Schiff On Jan. 6 Vote To Hold Bannon In Contempt
Thom Hartmann – Was This SCOTUS Judge Working With Jan 6th Coup Plotter?
Ring of Fire – Republicans Are Terrified That Trump Will Destroy The Party Next Year
politicsrus – Native America
Liberal Redneck – To All the Americans Leaving Their Jobs
Beau – Let’s talk about an update on Biden’s wind-power push…
Yesterday, It was pretty quiet. I got to do some knitting and even play at some games a little. Nice.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
The New Yorker (Borowitz Report) – El Chapo Refuses to Share a Prison Cell with Steve Bannon
Quote – The ex-kingpin said that, although he had not heard of any plans to house Bannon in his prison cell, he was speaking “out of an abundance of caution.”… El Chapo’s sentiments have been echoed by the nation’s prison population, two million of whom have signed a petition refusing to share their cells with Bannon.
Click through. Oh, Andy, that’s so disappointing!
AL dot com – A murdered Alabama woman’s wedding ring was sold at auction. The Missouri man who bought it won’t sell to her grieving family.
Quote – “This fella was wanting to buy the ring back,’’ Blaker said. “I bought it fair and square. He thinks I should let him have and him send me the money,’’ Blaker said. “I don’t trust anybody anymore. I’ve been screwed around on deals like this.” Blaker said they didn’t initially agree on the price. Stanton called him again. “He was preying on my sympathy I guess and said, ‘Well that was my wife’s wedding ring,’’’ Blaker said. “I said, ‘Well, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to get rid of anything.’’
Click through for tragic story. Speaking pf people with hearts of stone ….
The Daily Beast – Joe Manchin Isn’t Moved by Dem Attacks—He’s Emboldened By Them
Quote – And it’s exactly these big moments—when Sanders and like-minded Democrats express their endless frustration with Manchin—that help him burnish the gadfly credentials needed for a Democrat to survive in a state that went for Donald Trump in 2020 by 38 points. So, despite visits from angry kayakers, millions of dollars spent on ad campaigns pressuring him, thousands of calls to his office, and countless meetings with various constituents, Manchin has so far not budged a dollar on the Democrats’ signature legislation. If anything, he’s doubled down.
Click through for details. And now he may be thinking about turning Republican (he denies this.)
Food for Thought – This ought to be the last word on Mayor Pete and Chasten:
Glenn Kirschner – The Late Colin Powell: From WMD’s to Secretary of State to Announcing “Trump is a Liar”. (Glenn and I believe much the same about him; I’m just a trifle more outspoken because I’m not a public figure.)
MSNBC – Trump Goes Under Oath For First Time Since His Presidency
Thom Hartmann – He Refused Vaccine Only For COVID Complications To Ruin His Life
Ring of Fire – Big Trouble For Matt Gaetz As Judge Postpones His ‘Wingman’s’ Sentencing
Armageddon Update – Layer upon Layer –
Really American – Lauren Boebert: Dangerously Dumb
Beau – Let’s talk about a crashed tractor and unskilled labor…..
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 –
Glenn Kirschner – NY Judge Orders Trump to Testify at a Deposition on Monday, October 18-What Could Possibly Go Wrong
Don Winslow – #JoeManchinSenatorForSale. Gotta say, Don doesn’t mince words.
The Lincoln Project – Morph
CNN – Acosta Reminds Us That Trump Knows He Is A Snake
MSNBC – Mother Of Ahmaud Arbery: We Will Get Justice For Ahmaud
Now This News – Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin Remembers Colin Powell
Beau – Let’s talk about prices and supply chains….
Yesterday, I did sleep in,and I feel much more rested. I hope I can translate that into fewer typos – or at the very least, more easily interpreted typos. We shall see.
Cartoon – Another prescient one from 2013
Short Takes –
Crooks and Liars – Oath Keepers’ Jan. 6 Trial Delayed Because Evidence Keeps Rolling In
Quote – The federal judge overseeing the Oath Keepers conspiracy case in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection ordered their trial delayed this week, primarily because of the overwhelming amount of evidence still being produced in their cases. Though the delay was expected, its reasons are stark reminders that Jan. 6 will be one of the most complex prosecutions in history and that the investigation remains very active as more evidence piles up. There are likely some very big shoes still to drop.
Click through for examples and more explanation. I know it’s tough. We don’t hear much if at all about people being impatient and frustrated about Al Capone … but if there had been an internet and social media then, I’ll bet we would have.
Buzzfeed – “DANGER WARNING”: WOMEN SAY MADISON CAWTHORN HARASSED THEM IN COLLEGE
Quote – BuzzFeed News spoke with more than three dozen people, including more than two dozen former students, their friends, and their relatives, who described or corroborated instances of sexual harassment and misconduct on campus, in Cawthorn’s car, and at his house near campus. Four women told BuzzFeed News that Cawthorn, now a rising Republican star, was aggressive, misogynistic, or predatory toward them. Their allegations include calling them derogatory names in public in front of their peers, including calling one woman “slutty,” asking them inappropriate questions about their sex lives, grabbing their thighs, forcing them to sit in his lap, and kissing and touching them without their consent.
Click through for story. Like other Republican politicians, this dude is a real piece of work.
Yes, Colin Powell Was Fully Vaccinated. He Was Also Seriously Immunocompromised.
Quote – Here’s another bit of nuance that I haven’t seen anyone really talking about but seems the most significant: The reason Colin Powell died of COVID-19 is that he caught it—which meant that it was still circulating among people he had contact with. This point may seem obvious, but too often we forget that one of the greatest risk factors for contracting COVID-19 is community spread. The more people around you who have the disease, the more likely you are to catch it.
Click through for some truth. I saw one meme or tweet which said “Colin Powell did not die because he was vaccinated. He died because you weren’t.”
Food for Thought –
Glenn Kirschner – Congress Should Refer Bannon for Criminal Contempt AND Trump for a Contempt Conspiracy Investigation
Meidas Touch – Trump in Hiding
MSNBC – Velshi: ‘Sticks And Stones May Break Your Bones, But Words Do Real Damage’
CNN – ‘He should suffer the consequences’: Impeachment witness on Trump’s lies. So Nice to see LTC Vindman.
Amazing Rabbit Changes Man’s Mind About Animals – CHIEF BRODY
Beau – Let’s talk about public health at the border and inconsistency….
Yesterday, I was pretty well exhausted. I had hoped to sleep in, but woke up about an hour and a half before my guideline alarm (which I would cheerfully have slept through) with just enough tickle in my throat to keep me awake. Nothing serious, just a small allergic reaction, most likely to a piece of red or yellow pepper. It vanished quickly once I was vertical. But I may well be sleeping in today. Expect me when you see me.
Cartoon – (from 2013 – nothing’s changed)
Short Takes –
Crooks and Liars – Fox Commenters’ Response To Bill Clinton News Is What You’d Expect
Quote – CNN reports that the former president, who is 75, has a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream, a fairly common medical condition in the elderly. It’s a relatively minor medical problem, so why is the story so prominent at Fox? Because it’s an excellent opportunity for Fox fans to demonstrate the kind of high-minded civic engagement they’re known for. From the comments:
Click through if you can stand to. The comments are pretty disgusting. Big Dog also experienced sepsis, which I would not call minor, but IANAD, and thankfully they were right on that, and he is out of the hospotal now according to various sources.
Vox – The case against means testing
Quote – Means testing have also long been associated with a moral argument that some segments of the population are deserving of government benefits, while others are not. This idea undercuts the belief that a social safety net is intended to help support those broadly in need, and shifts the burden onto individuals to prove that they’re worthy of getting basic help.
Click through for evidence. Means testing sounds so reasonable – until you realize that $100 for groceries if you live alone doesn’t exactly go as far as $100 for groceries if you hve three kids. Furthermore. $100 fpr groceries if your body is perfectly normal doesn’t quite go as far as $100 for groceries if you have food allergies, or any other specialized dietary needs. And actually, the same is true for shopping in just about every category of consumables.
The Hill – Arbery murder trial set to begin this week
Quote – When Arbery, who was unarmed, was cornered by the two trucks he ran at Travis McMichael in an attempt to seize his shotgun, but was then fatally shot. In April, both the McMichaels and Bryan were charged with federal hate crimes in connection to Arbery’s death. The indictment accuses the men of using force and threatening to intimidate and interfere with Arbery’s right to utilize a public street, and alleges that Bryan joined the chase and used his truck during the incident.
Click through for story. I’m surely glad it has come to a trial. I wish I could have higher hopes for its results. They are certainly taking their time over jury selection – I hope that’s a good sign.
Food for Thought –
