Video Thread 6/16/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 162021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Sen. Warren, Rep. Swalwell & Others Demand Presidential Crimes Commission. Here’s How WE Can Help  Here’s the petition link.  You can get to it from the link he gives but it’s not exactly intuitive.

Meidas Touch – with Lev Parnas

Now This News – Biden Says Trump’s ‘Phony Populism’ Isn’t the Future of America

Now This News – History of Biden’s Comments on Putin

Robert Reich – The Truth About the U.S. Border-Industrial Complex

Rob Rogers – Critical Race Theory

Beau – Let’s talk about whether the US is fundamentally racist….

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Open Thread for June 16, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 162021
 

Boring here yesterday – and that’s a good thing. I like boring.

Cartoon

Short Takes

The Hill – White House unveils strategy to battle domestic extremism
Quote: “That means tackling racism in America. It means protecting Americans from gun violence and mass murders. It means ensuring that we provide early intervention and appropriate care for those who pose a danger to themselves or others,” the White House wrote. “It means ensuring that Americans receive the type of civics education that promotes tolerance and respect for all and investing in policies and programs that foster civic engagement and inspire a shared commitment to American Democracy.”
Click through for the full story. This is still in the contemplation stage, so we’ll have to wait to see what comes of it.

Mother Jones – Conservatives Are Hellbent On Attacking Critical Race Theory. They’re Whitewashing Structural Racism.
Quote – When asked about the most troubling thing politicians get wrong about critical race theory, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Anti-Racist, told MSNBC contributor Jason Johnson it is the notion that critical race theory attacks white people, rather than interrogates structures of racism.
Click through for full article. It would appear that it is actually the Colonel Jessups of the world who “can’t handle the truth ” (If you say “2 +2 = 5” and I say “No, it’s 4”, that is not a personal attack. But that is how they are taking this.)

Huffington Post – Key House Dem Demands Answers About Prominent White Nationalist In The Air Force
Quote – The inquiry from Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), who chairs the military personnel subcommittee, concerns Airman 1st Class Shawn McCaffrey, a well-known white nationalist. McCaffrey graduated from boot camp in March, as HuffPost reported earlier this year, even as the military received a historic stand-down order so it could address the problem of extremism in its ranks. “I will be contacting Air Force leadership to find out why this individual ― who has his own author page on a website for far right extremists, describes himself as an ‘activist,’ and co-hosted a weekly podcast in which he attacked Jews, women, LGBTQ+ people, the U.S. armed forces, and many others using unacceptable slurs ― remains on active duty and under review given the very public and abundant evidence of his extremist ties,” Speier said in an emailed statement.
Click through for details. So many good people in Congress and we only hea about thr dorks.

Food for Thought

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Video Thread 6/15/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 152021
 

Glenn Kirschner – America Is Back:

The Lincoln Project (released yesterday)

The Franklin Project – Good leaders keep us on track. Good citizens keep them in check.

Now This News – Ohio GOP Backs New Restrictive Voting Bill – MY SOS tells it like it is.

Puppet Regime – Authoritarian Airlines

Liberal Redneck – Flag Day

Corey Ryan Forrester – an a capella country song for Pride month (NSFW)

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump vs McConnell in 2022….

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Open Thread for June 15, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 152021
 

Well, still a little bit of tenderness and temperature around the injection site – but my actual normal temperature is so low that slight increas is probably right around normal. I’m now feeling confident and won’t mention it again unless something negative happens. So – now one to go. And now to business.

Cartoon

Short Takes

New York Times – Warnings of Democracy in Peril
Quote: [Senator Angus] King [I-ME] said the only reason voters lacked confidence in the voting system was that Republicans — especially Mr. Trump — told them for months that it was rigged, despite all evidence to the contrary, and now continued to insist that there were abuses in the process that must be fixed. “That’s like pleading for mercy as an orphan after you killed both your parents,” he said.
Click through for the full article. There is a paywall but you get one or two free articles a month.

The 19th – Barack Obama: Women have found themselves “in an impossible situation” – from a socially distanced interview
Quote – I’m just incredibly proud of the kind of human beings Sasha and Malia have become. Of course, like all of us, they followed the protests around our country. They got involved. And we had conversations about all of it. My advice to them is the same as it is to all young people, which is that protesting — raising public awareness, putting a spotlight on injustice, making the powers that be uncomfortable — that kind of civil disobedience couldn’t be more important. Throughout our history, that has often been the only way to get the political system to pay attention to marginalized communities. But eventually, I tell them, movements have to be translated into laws and policies — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands. Basically, my advice is to reject the false choice between participating in protests and politics. Do both!
Click through for the rest of what made it in to the interview.

Rolling Stone – Al Franken – Tax the Rich! Also the Very Affluent! But Mainly the Rich!
Quote: Biden is eager for the infrastructure bill to be a bipartisan effort, however, and has been negotiating with Republicans to find a deal everyone can feel good about. But if the Obama years are any indication, Republicans will only feel good if a Democrat in the White House fails. So we shouldn’t hold our breath. Democrats can pass an infrastructure bill through the fast-track reconciliation process if they need to, which only requires a simple majority of 51 votes to pass, which still may prove difficult but is a lot more doable. Because Mitch McConnell naturally doesn’t like any of Biden’s big plans one bit.
Click througfh for a very clearly explained article.

Food for Thought

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Video Thread 6/14/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 142021
 

Glenn Kirschner – YouTube Suspends Sen. Ron Johnson’s Account for Policy Violation

Meidas Touch – MeidasTouch Exploring Legal Action Against Fox News

The Damage Report – Ed Markey EXPOSES What Bipartisan Really Means

Now This News – Jennifer O’Mara Speaks Out Against PA Bill – major hanky alert

Rocky Mountain Mike – It’s The Backside Of Your Pants We View

Beau – Let’s talk about acceptance and reaching rural Americans….

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Open Thread for June 14, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 142021
 

I didn’t mention possible reaction yesterday because I am such a delayed reactor. And, in fact, it wasn’t until after 8 pm yesterday that I noticed a tiny bit of soreness around the injection site – so little I’m not sure I would have noticed it if I weren’t looking for it, but definitely thee.  And I still can’t even find the injection site visually with a mirror and a flashlight.. If I do react to a shot, it’s almost always to a preservative.. I guess the fact Moderna (and Pfizer) have to be kept so cold means that they are very low on preservatives. Tough on the front line handlers , but beneficial to me.

Cartoon for Flag Day

Short Takes

This is especially for Colleen because it’s in San Diego (at least the University is) … but I think we can all enjoy it.

Democratic Underground user “elleng” quotes in full an email from Steve Schmidt. He, along with other Lincoln Project members, have been in the Republican Party a long time – and they know what that party is capable of. So when they speak about that, I listen.
Quote: What we all have to realize is that we are falling into a trap. The media, Democratic leadership, former Republican leaders – we are mistakenly believing this is still a two party system, and we’re missing the point. Everyone is still making an assumption that there are these two parties…but that’s not the fight we’re in. There is only the Democratic Party, and on the other side is an authoritarian movement fueled by Donald Trump. That movement has grown to hold so much power in what used to be the Republican party that it has purged former leaders and left them fearful for the future.
Click through for the full text.

Daily Kos user (“kossack”) Magnifico – I don’t really know Magnifico, but they, like NewsCorpse, hold top mojo, and this article is largely based on two books each by an author I do know and trust – Hannah Arendt and Madeleine Albright.
Quote: The Republican Party’s assault on our democracy is accelerating. The Trump-era has seen the Big Lie be weaponized against truth and facts. At least 14 states, all Republican controlled, have enacted laws this year to restrict voting and elections. Republicans are now escalating the culture war in order to shape and control what people think and believe making a totalitarian state increasingly likely. Democrats, especially those who lead our nation’s institutions, are not reacting with enough speed or force to counter the momentum building against our republic and their slim majority in the Senate is so fractured and paralyzed by money and age to be able to unify to shore up democracy for even the next federal election cycle.
Click through for the full article.

Food for Thought – Republican coin

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Video Thread 6/13/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 132021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Boston Globe Editorial Board Advocates Prosecuting Donald Trump. Here’s Why They’re Right

Meidas Touch – more with Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Thom Martmann – Why Trump Must Be Prosecuted. Kind of long, on account of all the facts,both historical and contemporary.

Now This News – I’ll just comment there is little in which Democrats are more interested than in protecting honest citizens (such as peaceful protesters exercising First Amendment right) from ciminals (like people waving guns around illegally, indeed feloniously.)

Parody Project – KiNG OF CORONA | The Freedom Toast

Beau – Let’s talk about infrastructure in the US and China….

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Open Thread for June 13, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 132021
 

One down, one to go (Moderna)! I didn’t even bleed, so refused a BandAid (having heard an anecdote about someone who thought she was reacting to the shot only to rememner she had not removes the BandAid, and it was the problem.) I also didn’t even feel it. But enough of that now. If you notice a theme today, you are correct.

Cartoon

Short Takes

The Hill – Garland sparks anger with willingness to side with Trump
Quote: The progressive watchdog group Revolving Door Project is tracking court cases that the Biden DOJ inherited from Barr and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Among those cases, which are largely lawsuits filed by advocacy groups and congressional committees, the new administration has sided with the previous one in about a dozen.
Click through for more … but not, alas, for the number of suits that “about a dizen is out of. I’d like to know that, as well as the res of all of them.

Mark Karlin for Daily Kos – This is his letter – it’s an open letter – so I can only presume he sent a hard copy.
Quote: You of all people know that you are in an increasingly hot seat because many Democrats are fearful that once again a Republican president may be getting away with lawlessness due to a Democratic tepidness that doesn’t want to look back, and to your role as head of the Department of Justice that wants to defend institutional precedents — even if they were grossly and repeatedly violated by Trump, Sessions and Barr.
Click through for the whole letter.

Bad News, The DOJ Is Just The Start


PolitiZoom – Bad News, The DOJ Is Just The Start. This is yet another takeon what is happening in the DOJ. Again, I have a pdf if anyone needs one.
Quote: Actually, I feel kind of sorry for Merrick Garland and Lisa Monaco. They thought that they were being brought in to clean up a train wreck, only to arrive on the scene to learn that after the wreck, two 777’s collided overhead at 30,000 feet. And the scary part is that they’ve only turned over the first shovel full of wreckage.
Click through or let me know and I’ll email a pdf.

Food for Thought:

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