Personal – Page 169 – Politics Plus

Open Thread July 15, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:45 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 152022

Yesterday, I woke up with the wasp sting virtually gone. I can still see a tiny mark, but the swelling and the pain are gone. I really dodged a bullet there. I also emailed a request to visit Virgil Sunday. I don’t usually leave it this late … but now thathe is in an informary – that is not normally supposed to be a permanent assignment – he could be moved again at any time and I wouldn’t be told.So I need to track him on line and wait longer than I like to to minimize the chances of his being oved between the time I reserve a visit and the time of the visit itself. It’s no wonder I use a pop-up reminder system with sound to keep track of when I need to do what. )I try to use sounds related to what the reminder is for, but that’s not always possible.) Bottom line, I hope to visit Virgil Sunday, but won’t know for sure until sometime today.

Cartoon – 15 0715Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

CPR News – Mesa County DA says he will seek to revoke Clerk Tina Peters’ bond
Quote – Mesa County’s District Attorney Dan Rubinstein said he will seek to revoke the bond of Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters after she traveled out of state in violation of her bond. Rubinstein said Peters violated the conditions of her bond when she left for Nevada without permission this week. Peters was speaking at an event with the Constitutional Sheriff and Peace Officers Association.
Click through for what is getting to be a bigger story every day. Apparently there really is no limit to how low Republicans will sink (except those few Republicans, like the DA, who stll have ethics.) And now there’s ben a third arrest. You might think I’d be a bit embarrassed that this happened in Colorado, but actually, I’m proud it was caught. Just because it wasn’t caught elsewhere doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

The 19th – The cost of giving birth with insurance: $2,854, a new study says
Quote – The out-of-pocket costs represent insurance-related bills related to pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. The researchers analyzed a dataset of health insurance claims data from 2018 to 2020, comparing women between the ages of 15 and 49 who gave birth to those who didn’t. The data does not account for transgender and nonbinary people who may have given birth. In total, pregnancy and childbirth for someone with private insurance costs about $18,865. Most of that is paid by the insurance plan but can result in higher insurance premiums down the line. So though the $2,853 figure is just one fraction of the overall cost, it represents the bills new parents have to pay on their own for a single birth.
Click through for details. Yes, pre-natal and at least some post-partum care were included. But it’s still ridiculous – the $2,854 figure is just the co-pays. The real figure is betwen $18 and $19 THOUSAND. I’ve never seen ay data on suicides in pregnant people … but I guarantee if I were in that position, it would certainly occur to me.

Food For Thought

Open Thread July 14, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 7:05 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 142022

Yesterday, after a better night’s sleep, I finally caught up on reading and responding to comments here. Apologies for the delay. I wanted to take out trash and recyclables, but I discovered the hard way yhat some wasps had decided the trash polycart was a perfect place to hang out.. I managed to get the trash I had talek out inot the cart by using my critch (which I always take along outdoors for balance, whether I nned it for any other reason or not) to open the lid, but since they were on the side oppisite the handle, and if I had pushed it down to the curb I’d have been pushing it right through thm, I decided discretion was the better part of valor (and they picj up trash every week – it’s recyclables I have to make sure to get the right week for.) To deal with them I will need bug spray, long sleeves, high neck, a mask, and gloves, and that’s not going to happen n the daytime. The sting feels better now (which is an improvement overe the last wasp sting I got – it hurt for days just as badly as it hurt when it happened), but it has swollen some and may not be finished.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

WaPo (gift link) – Opinion | An expert in political violence urgently warns: The worst is coming
Quote – Greg Sargent: You’ve written that the Republican Party has a “militia problem.” Can you describe it?
Rachel Kleinfeld: For the last few years, we’ve seen an uptick in Republican parties at the local level — though occasionally at the state level — using militias for security at party events, having militias vote on party business, in one case in Michigan having militias introduce legislation. You’re seeing a lot of photo-ops with militia members — things that normalize their interaction with the democratic process. These militias are being used to threaten other Republicans who aren’t part of this antidemocratic faction.
Click through for complete interview (no paywall with the link I have used) I’m worried too. And I don’t have the ghost of a viable suggestion.

The Warning – Steve Schmidt – Arrest Trump
Quote – He must be arrested and charged by the Government of the United States. He must face criminal trial. The era of special treatment for the Queens hustler must come to an end. His appalling dispensations have helped shatter trust and confidence in the American justice system at a moment in which the collapse of faith, trust and belief in American institutions has reached such a dangerous low that extremism has been embraced as an answer…. There are some who say that a trial of Donald Trump may become a catalyst for violence and mayhem. Perhaps. That would be terrible, but in the end, the civil authorities will have to do what is necessary to restore order. The American people must not live at the point of the militia’s gun. We won’t.
Click through for argument. Schmidt knows how to say the quiet part out loud. Let me try my hand at it – every sane American should now be able to comprehend (and empathize with) the feelings of a woman who has been violently raped and whose rapist is still at large.

Food For Thought (a hope rather than a statement – Ojeda)

Open Thread July 13, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:48 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 132022

Yesterday, I of course watched the hearing. It doesn’t appear there will be another this week, but rather probably next week. The last two witnesses today were, I thought, impressive, although who knows what it takes to impress MAGAts. It’s not exactly the Committee’s mission to address political violence in general (as opposed to political violence in the service of Trump**) in the hearings, but I certainly hope it will be addressed as they draft legislation. Political violence at low levels (i.e., without a dominant leader common to the groups involved) can lead to fascismut as surely as a narcissistic ambitious dictator can. Besides the eharing, I didn’t do much else. I did a load of laundry comprising a few sweaters which are machine wash/dry flat and that’s about it.

Cartoon – This reminds me of an anecdote about a sweet elderly lady who had had massive surgeries bu never lost hersense of humor. She called one of her scars “Market Street.”

Short Takes –

Letters from an American – July 10, 2022
Quote – Democratic president Joe Biden appears to be centering his presidency around the idea of rebuilding the middle class through government investment in ordinary Americans. This is a major shift—a sea change—from the past 40 years of Republican policy saying that the economy would prosper if only the government slashed taxes and regulation, leaving more money and power in the hands of business leaders, those “makers” who would invest in new industries and provide more jobs. Watching the effect of his policies is a window into what works and what doesn’t.
Click through for more, and why ir matters politically.

The 19th – What will happen if Obergefell is overturned? Queer legal experts are scrambling
Quote – A concurring opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that ultimately overturned Roe indicates he wants to reexamine whether other rights based on substantive due process have been interpreted correctly. “In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents,” Thomas wrote. Other opinions written by conservative justices show division over how the court should handle similar civil rights issues in the future.
Click through for more legal thinking. Don’t forget Pastor Niemoller’s famous poem – no one is safe.

Food For Thought

Open Thread July 12, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:41 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 122022

Yesterday, having done the research on who picks up donations and who doesn’t, I scheduled a pickup with the Vietnam Veterans of America. The earliest date I could get was August 25, but that will work out actually – I can add to it in bits and pieces. It’ll be the first pickup but I’m sure it will not be the last.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

CPR News – A 150-year-old San Luis Valley farm stops growing food to save a shrinking water supply. It might be the first deal of its kind in the country
Quote – Farmers and ranchers across the San Luis Valley face a deadline: Their underground water source is drying up from a combination of overuse and a decades-long drought driven by climate change. To restore a balance of supply and demand, farmers and ranchers across the valley need to drastically cut how much water they pump out of the ground, according to the Colorado Division of Water Resources. If they don’t, the state has threatened to step in and shut off hundreds of wells, which local water managers say would devastate the valley’s agriculture-driven economy.
Click through to understand the dilemma. When I first came to Colorado in 1976, it was to Alamosa in the San Luis VAlley. That is where Virgil and I met and got married. We only left because we couldn’t find work there. CPR says this story is “hopeful and heartbreaking.” I concur.

Robert Reich – How to handle radical Republicans
Quote – Can we get real? There is nothing conservative about these so-called “conservatives.” They don’t want to preserve or protect our governing institutions — the core idea of conservatism extending from Edmund Burke to William F. Buckley and Barry Goldwater. They are radicals, intent on wrecking these institutions to impose their ideology on everyone else. The Supreme Court’s Republican appointees have all but obliterated stare decisis — the conservative principle that the Court must follow its precedents and not change or reverse them unless clearly necessary, and with near unanimity…. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, are abusing the filibuster and undermining the legitimacy of the Senate.
Clickt through for suggestions. I agree there is nothing conservative about “conservatives” – and there hasn’t been for decades. “Radical” is certainly more adequate, refernceing the “roots” of government and society (which they want to completely tear up.) But radical slao has a positive meaning – wanting to reform government and society from the roots up – so I’, loath to give that th them. “Reactionary” may be the most accurate. Or “extremist” – except that they like that one.

Food For Thought

Open Thread July 10, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:53 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 102022

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Theodora” be George Frederick Handel. This is sort of the opposite of last week, when an opera traditionally staged was presented in concert. Theodora was written as an oratorio, intended to be performed in cocert – but the Royal Opera House (London) fully staged it. It actually stages well, including – maybe especially – in modern dress (which thet used). I have a VCR of it from the seventies, directed by Peter Sellars (not the Englishman who spelled it with an “e” and was then already no longer with us, but the Australian who spells it with an “a” and is still very much alive and quirky), also in modern dress. I believe he was the first to fully stage it, but staging it has since become relatively normal. Sellars is a phenomenon in himself, but I won;t go into that today. The story is about a Christian woman – Theodors – who is in love with a Roman soldier – Didymus – at a time when Christians were still being hunted down by the Empire This can’t end well – and it doesn’t. Of course ther are other characters, and plot twists and turns. Handel actually wrote a lot of Italan style operas in his younger days, and Theodira would probably have been one of them had not John Gay and John Rich come along with “The Beggar’s Opers which made Italian opera obsolete overnight. Of course, without that happening, “Messiah” might never have been written (neither would “The Threepenny Opera,” but I digress.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Colorado Sun – Two Colorado students figured out how to clean an oil spill using human (their own) hair
Quote – Front Range Community College computer science instructor Diane Rhodes says the pair succeeded in part because they had a good idea, backed it with solid engineering and modeling work, and put in the time to overcome physical problems and fix broken parts. But their personalities also made a big impact, Rhodes said. Doing well at innovation competitions requires interaction, practice in public, and a bit of sales, Rhodes said. “They were very enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. They were able to articulate their problem in a concise way. And they were not shy,… [a]nd I never once had to tell them to put their phones down.”
Click through for story. Good news is always welcome. And human (and canine) hair is a renewable resource.

Robert Reich – The Republican Party: God, guns, forced birth, and strongmen
Quote – The connections between these strands of rightwing ideology are growing clearer and louder — theocratic Christianity, gun violence, the subjugation of women through forced birth, and strongman authoritarianism. Christian nationalism now taking over the Republican Party envisions vigilante justice — “good guys with guns,” neighbors eavesdropping on neighbors, and action to stop what they call “abortion trafficking” — women crossing state lines to access legal abortions. Widespread access to guns is essential to keep everyone under control, suppress protests, and fuel fear. To call this a “culture” war is to understate its true meaning and potential danger. Those of us who still believe in separating church and state, guarding reproductive rights, ensuring racial equality, ending gun violence, and protecting democracy must understand that much of the Republican Party now stands for the exact opposite of these values.
Click through for details. Iam seeing many who write about American politics describe the nation as “asleep” – or “sleepwalking.” I fear that is accurate. REally, our best hope is that they have overstepped and that there will be enough outrage from liberals and other decent human beings to give us a Democratic sweep in both the House and Senate – preferably with no DINOs. If that doesn’t happen, this won’t end well.

Food For Thought

Open Thread July 9, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:52 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 092022

Yesterday, I was grieved to learn from Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter (it comes in the middle of the night) that Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minister of JJapan, had been shot, and even more grieved to learn he had died from it. I put the news in a comment in yesterda’s OT, adding I had (politically speaking) fallen in love with him upon seeing his reaction to Trump**. I went looking for the picture, and eventually found it, and I reproduce it above the cartoon to refresh everyon’e memories. Later, I received an almost complete grocery delivery – no substitutions, only one item shorted, and I received two of it out of four ordered – so that was a success. I got it mostly put away within an hour.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Conversation – Abortion decision cherry-picks history – when the US Constitution was ratified, women had much more autonomy over abortion decisions than during 19th century
Quote – But in his rather selective forays into history, Alito doesn’t ask what to me, as a historian, constitutes a set of fundamental questions: Why was abortion eventually criminalized during that time? What was the broad cultural and intellectual context of that period? And, more important, is there something peculiar about the 19th century? As far as women’s bodies and abortion are concerned, the 19th century saw a decrease in the trust in, and power of, women themselves.
Click through for history. For most of my life, it appeared to be that someone who had risen to the level of a Justice on the Supreme court may not have known everything, but they did know enough not to discuss, particularly in decisions, anything they knew nothing about.

Crooks & Liars – Trumpers Sure Seem Happy That Georgia Guidestones Were Destroyed
Quote – Part of a mysterious Georgia monument was destroyed by an explosive device on Wednesday, and conservatives seem really happy about that even though it’s an illegal act which prompted an active police investigation in Elberton, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. And now the monument has been leveled.
Click through for more. I had never heard of them either – the last time I was in Georigia was around 1970, and they didn’t go up until 1979-1980. Really, the only mystery is probably who paid for them. They wre for pretty sure supposed to give guidance after a nuclear war destroyed almost everything. Wikipedia has good details and Beau did a video on them. But RWNJ’s never met a conspiracy theory they didn’t love.

Food For Thought

Open Thread July 8, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:56 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 082022

Yesterday, I finished the last cartoon for July, and set up the template to work on August. I also learned from Heather Cox Richardson that a trailer for the Trump** documentary which was being filmed right around the 2020 election (to include the period of the insurrection) has been released. I scouted around for it and eventually found it – but it’s not embeddable, so it won’t be in the video thread, but here’s a link if anyone’s curious.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The 19th – When abortion clinics close, low-income people will also lose access to other reproductive care
Quote – Robin Marty has three months. That’s how long the money will last. The abortion clinic she runs in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, halted abortions following the reversal of Roe v. Wade last month, but it has enough cash reserves to provide other reproductive health services, including birth control, HIV treatment, prenatal care and gender-affirming care through about September. In that time frame, her staff is working to implement a new model that would keep West Alabama Women’s Center in operation, serving as a key access point for thousands of low-income people in the region who rely on abortion clinics for other services — the kind that are unavailable to them through insurance or that they otherwise would have to get on months-long waitlists to receive.
Click through for story. I probably don’t need to remind anyone that this is a feature – not a bug. Robin saw this coming (and wrote a book about it) – if she isn’t prepared, no one is.

HuffPost – Washington Post Editorial Board Offers Grim Warning About Supreme Court’s ‘Next Move’
Quote – “Our democracy’s path rests mostly with the Supreme Court. If five justices overturn the North Carolina decision, they will know what they are doing, which is writing a recipe for election tampering,” the Post editorial board wrote. “They will also know why they are doing it: not because the Constitution demands it, but because they can.”
Click through for details. Should the Court decide wrongly on this, it will not affect the 2022 midterms – which means the 2022 midterms could just be the last free and fair national election in the United States for the foreseeable future -certainly the last in our lifetimes. How do we convince Democrats that it’s not illegitimate or immoral to campaign on fear when the threat is real?

Food For Thought

Open Thread July 7, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 7:26 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 072022

Yesterday, the Smithsonian’s newsletter was on fire. Just to name three, it included links to articles about “A tour of the future,” a whooping crane “Colt” (that’s what the babies are called) which hatched from a wild egg but is being raised by a bonded pair of adults whose last clutch was infertile, and Orson Welles’s typewriter. After I finished posting, I spent some time withcartoons for the rest of July.There aren’ as manu as someother months – but they are all clusterd at the end of the month, so even though I was already halfway through, there are a bunch to do.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Psyche – Medicine has failed chronic pain patients. Here’s what they need
Quote – Decrying the sorry state of how people in extremis were treated, [ American anaesthesiologist John Bonica] wrote: Many of these [patients] are exposed to a high risk of iatrogenic [medical] complication from improper therapy, including narcotic intoxication and multiple, often useless, and at times mutilating operations; a significant number give up medical care and consult quacks who not only deplete the patient’s financial resources but often do harm; some patients with severe intractable pain become so desperate as to commit suicide.
Click through for details. Not all chronic pain comes from aging, but a lot does – and not all aging leads to chronic pain – but a lot does.

Crooks & Liars – Another Trump Aide To Testify At Next Week’s Jan. 6th Hearing
Quote – Matthews resigned the night of January 6, 2021, saying in a statement that she was honored to serve in then-President Donald Trump’s administration but “was deeply disturbed by what I saw.” She added: “Our nation needs a peaceful transfer of power.”
Click through for a little background. Just before finding this, I had been checking the House dot gov hearing page to see whether anything new had been scheduled.

Food For Thought

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