Open Thread for October 26, 2021

 Posted by at 6:58 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 262021
 

Yesterday, I moved some clothes around – put some away, took some out to be handy both to visit Virgil and to change into when I get home. Of course the pronblem with that is that it take twice as long to recover as it does to do. But I did manage. And rested a little with knitting. (One yarn company has as its motto “Knit. Relax. Repeat.” Almot too cute.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The 19th – The 19th Explains: Key races to watch in November 2 elections
Quote – The year after a presidential contest is not a big one for elections, but two states and several major cities are holding elections this year for governor, state legislators, mayors and more. The debates are shaped by local issues, like housing, and national issues, like the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click through for all eight. It mentions the NYC mayor but not the DA, in which Alvin Bragg is running to succeed Cy Vance. He may, of course, be unopposed.

Crools and Liars – Biden Breaks Stalemate As New Hope Emerges For Transformational Agenda
Quote – The details of the bill are still being worked out, but Jayapal has made clear so far that progressives’ priorities are still in the bill, even though they’ve had to scale back some of the proposals. Manchin and Sinema have continued to be the skunks at the garden party, but Biden seems to have pinned them down on both a price tag and their red lines in the sand.
Click through for the story. Crooks and Liars is an unlikely place to look to for hope, but I’ll take it where I can get it.

PolitiZoom – Gerrymandering On Steroids W. Virginia Governor says He’ll Accept Three Maryland Counties Who Want To Secede
Quote – This is either a Fox News publicity stunt which has gone too far, or maybe state lines will be redrawn in dramatic ways if this is real and it catches on. As you’ve probably heard, three western Maryland counties want to secede from Maryland and become a part of West Virginia. What’s that you say? Who in their right mind would want to leave the 15th largest economy in the nation and move to the 48th? Beats the hell out of me.
Click through for what little else is known. If they can do this without changing the number of House Representatives each state is now assigned, I say go for it.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 10/25/2021

 Posted by at 12:23 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 252021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Here are the Consequences to Democracy if AG Garland/DOJ Refuse to Prosecute Trump’s Election Crimes

Meidas Touch – Former Ohio Dem Chair takes on MAGA FREAKSHOW Josh Mandel

Now This News – What Obama’s Speeches Sound Like as a Symphony – Cue Racist heads exploding n 3… 2… 1…

Ring of Fire – Black Cop Gets Immediately Fired For Calling Out Police Brutality And Racism. I don’t always agree 100% with Farron. This time I would not alter a syllable.

politicsrus – John Lewis HD

Titus – Tactical Chicken

Beau – Let’s talk about individual interests and unions….

Share

Open Thread for October 25, 2021

 Posted by at 6:52 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 252021
 

Yesterday, I managed to find the strength to take some trash and recyclables to the polycarts, and move the polycarts closer to the curb. Not all the way to the curb – pickup isn’t till Thursday – but close enough to be esier to get out on Wednesday. While i was doing that, the neighborhood cat stopped by. He doesn’t care much for the gourmet cat treats I got from Chewy. But I guess he figures that he comes by enough times I’ll eventually open something else (and he is right.) I honestly don’t know what he likes. The one flavor he really liked was Iams salmon, but he is over it now. Not that he needs food. I’ve started calling him “Bustopher.”

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Insurrectionists’ Extremism Deepens In ‘Patriot Wing’ Of D.C. Jail
Quote – More than anything, they appear to focus on justifying their martyrdom. “We have been labeled the enemy, yet clearly we see tyranny as the enemy,” Reffitt wrote. “While our lawyers do our bidding and the judges do their duties, we remain resolute, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the National Anthem all in unison, loud and proud most every day. All because we are us, we are you, we are all Americans and in here, we have no labels.”
Click through for reality. This was prefictable. I don’t suppose the DC jail has any way to break them up. The Feds maybe coupd, but it’s probably not legal to tranfer them to federal facilities – yet.

The Daily Beast – ‘Delinquent’ Matt Gaetz Blocked from Practicing Law
Quote – The Daily Beast has learned that the Florida Bar has branded Gaetz as “delinquent” twice in the past two years. The organization temporarily cut him off in 2019 and again in 2020, because Gaetz failed to affirm that he is properly handling and protecting any clients’ money in trust accounts. Lawyers must abide by strict rules to ensure they are not stealing or misusing money that belongs to the people they represent.
Click through for story. And this is just for failing to pay to renew his law license (or, as the author puts it, “not paying his bar tab”). Look at the next short take for what else is going n.

Democratic Underground – Justice Dept. Adds Two Top Prosecutors to Matt Gaetz Case
Quote – The Justice Department has added two top prosecutors from Washington to the child sex trafficking investigation of Representative Matt Gaetz, according to two people briefed on the matter, a sign of the complex and high-stakes nature of the inquiry into Mr. Gaetz, a Florida Republican who is one of former President Donald J. Trump’s closest congressional allies. The prosecutors — one a public corruption investigator with an expertise in child exploitation crimes, and the other a top leader of the public corruption unit — have been working on the Florida-based investigation for at least three months, the people said.
Click through for detils. I like to use original sources, but cannot access the NYT. Do you suppose he deliberately did not pay for his license because he knew it would be a waste? I doubt it. He’s mot that smart.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 10/24/2021

 Posted by at 12:27 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 242021
 

Glenn Kirschner – The “Treasonous 202” Republicans Who Voted Not to Prosecute Bannon, thereby Eroding Congress’s Power

Meidas Touch – Exposing Ron Johnson’s Covid Disinformation

Now This News – Obama’s Goodbye to Angela Merkel as Chancellorship Ends

Titus – The Worst $25,000 Pyramid Game Show Contestant?

VoteVets – Promise – Virginia

Really American – Trump Launching “Truth” Social Media Platform

Beau- Let’s talk about when Steve Bannon will get arrested….

Share

Open Thread for October 24, 2021

 Posted by at 7:05 am  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 242021
 

Yesterday, The opera on the radio was “Orlando” by Handel. Baroque and Bel Canto oeras (1730-1830 approx) are famous for mad scenes, but they are usually for women. This one has a male mad scene, sung by a counter tenor. Most interesting. I also put meds together for the next two weeks. Annoying, but necessary.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Washington State Rep Locked Out Because Of Failure To Get Vaccinated
Quote – You might remember this doofus from earlier this year, wearing the Yellow Star of David to equate the Holocaust with vaccine mandates.
Click through.  Gotta love it.

Democratic Underground – What was really being planned at the Willard Hotel before the January 6th insurrection?
Quote – We may soon be finding out. Also I hope we find out about all those White House meetings in November, December, and January . . .
Click through – I realize it is a bunch of tweets, but they are presented very readably and are well attributed. This is not meant to be definitive, but rather, suggestive of what may come out.

Mother Jones – Substack Is Profiting Off Anti-Mask and Anti-Vaccine Newsletters
Quote – There’s one less frequently discussed way in which Substack actually might be endangering democracy: It’s become a conduit for public disinformation during a historic pandemic. Indeed, my search of Substack returned dozens of newsletters that suggested that vaccines and masks were ineffective and dangerous, and that “the media” had exaggerated the harms of COVID-19. Many of the newsletters that I found insisted that the government was suppressing evidence in favor of treatments that scientists have shown to be ineffective, like hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin. Other Substack newsletters made similar claims about unproven supplements and other fringe remedies.
Click through for story. Social media is the modern nin-headed Lernean Hydra. Where is our Hercules?

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 10/23/2021

 Posted by at 12:24 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 232021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Any Member of Congress Who Votes AGAINST Holding Bannon in Contempt, Aids/Abets Steve Bannon’s Crime (Answer: All but 9)

MSNBC – Rep. Schiff ‘Surprised’ 9 Republicans Voted To Hold Bannon In Criminal Contempt

Thom Hartmann – Could Harris Use Nixon Playbook To Break Filibuster?

Robert Reich – America is on Strike

Now This News – Elementary School Teachers Surprise Colleague With New Car. (This is the kind of community Beau wirks at making heppen.)

Kitten Refuses to Share Her New Puppy Sister with Anyone

Beau – Let’s talk about paternity leave…. (Just put this beside the article about Cawthorn in Tuesday’s (10/19) Open Thread…)

Share

Open Thread for October 23, 2021

 Posted by at 7:12 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 232021
 

Yesterday, I learned my friend James, who has already been through so much, was in the process f having surgery on his ankle (which had prior surgery, but the screws from that were loosening and coming out.) That, according to his surgeon, usually means an infection, but he wanted to get in and look at it before mronouncing. Sure enough, the pathology lab found one, and he now needs to be on IV antibiotics for 6 weeks before the reconstructive surgery can happen (because otherwise he would lose the leg. Where have we heard this before.) Prayers and good thoughts are invited. (And I also got the email that my ballot has been counted. Yay!)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

CNN – These are the 9 House Republicans who voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress
Quote – Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming (January 6 committee member)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington
Rep. John Katko of New York
Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois (January 6 committee member)
Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina
Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan
Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan
Click through for some background. Two, of course, are on the Subcommittee. But seven aren’t.

Wonkette – Another Criminal Investigation Into The Trump Organization? Sure Why Not!
Quote – In recent months, the district attorney’s office in suburban Westchester County, N.Y., has subpoenaed records from […] Trump National Golf Club Westchester, and the town of Ossining, which sets property taxes on the course, a sprawling private club that is perched on a hill north of New York City and boasts a 101-foot waterfall. The full scope of the investigation could not be determined, but the district attorney, Mimi E. Rocah, appears to be focused at least in part on whether Mr. Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, misled local officials about the property’s value to reduce its taxes, one of the people said.
Click through for details. While it’s entertaining to see TFG screwing up in civil suits, criminal investigations are far more welcoe. I really could not care who puts him and/or his spawn behind bars, as long as someone does. (Incidentally, how can s perso hold his or her mouth in that position?)

The New Yorker – Borowitz Report – America’s Children Demand That Joe Manchin’s Salary Be Tied to Work Requirement
Quote – Declaring “no more government handouts,” millions of America’s children are demanding that all future salary payments to Senator Joe Manchin be tied to a work requirement. Tracy Klugian, who is nine years old, said that Manchin’s current arrangement, in which he is paid for no work whatsoever, amounts to “an obscene ripoff of the American taxpayer.”
Click through for satire. I particularly like the implocation that children are smarter than adults. Sadly, that’s more often true than we like to admit.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 10/22/2021

 Posted by at 11:58 am  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 222021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Bannon is Poised to be the “Target” of a Grand Jury Investigation; Trump Poised to be a “Subject”

Meidas Touch – Matthew Dowd: Democrats are the ONLY party that supports democracy

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party

MSNBC – Charlie Sykes: Understand The GOP Is Setting Itself Up For Restoration To Power. This is late, but it’s a good review and a good discussion

Really American – Trump Again Claims He Doesn’t Like To Be Peed On

City News – Heroic effort by international students saves lives of two hikers in B.C. A Sikh’s turban is both a religious symbol and a part of his identity. This is sort of as if you or I had taken all our clothes off to make that rope. I am so impressed – awed, really.

Beau – Let’s talk about Mayor Pete messing up the supply chain….

Share
 Older Entries  Newer Entries