Politics Plus – Page 5 – Overcoming Republican insaniTEA, one day at a time.

Open Thread October 2 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 4:58 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 022024

Could have sworn I posted this before now – guess I didn’t.

Yesterday was International Coffee Day. Generally when Virgil calls me he has a cup of coffee in his other hand. So when he called, I wished him a happy International Coffee Day – and guess what, he had a glass of milk in hand instead. Irony lives. Also, I received a grocery deliviery, which was late, so I was late starting the debate. I observed that at least one mod was doing minimal fact checking. But I was so repelled, I couldn’t stand it and quit early. I’m not worried you won’t find out what happened, since it will be all over the net the second it is over. In any case, Walz is absolutely transparent and Vance shoots off his mouth so much, that the 19th was able to put this together before either one stepped on “stage.”

I get so accustomed to simply remembering that everything that comes out of a Republican mouth is a lie that I tend to forget how painful, how damaging, and mostly how misleading they are. Heather Cox Richardson reminds me why I shouldn’t do that.

And a little parody from our friends in Australia that we didn’t know we had (We knew we had Lona – but she doesn’t know “The Juice.”)

Open Thread October 1 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:04 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 012024

Yesterday, a radio program dedicated to American composers featured Robert Russell Bennett. If you think you have never heard again, let me tell you what I have been calling him for almost 50 years now: “the man who wrote Rodgers and Hammerstein.” Seriously, hammerstein wrote the words, which is not a trivial thing, and rodgers wrote the melodies, also not a trivial thing. But bennett did all the prchestrations – yhe harmonies, the non-verbal countermelodies, the instrumentation – wrote out all the parts – and to do that, you must also know how to transpose some parts, because some instruments play in different keys from others. it ain’t easy – and it’s also not all mechanical. To do it, you must be a real musician. And he also found time to compose original works. (There is also a Richard Rodney Bennett, who is no relation – he’s a Brit -who has composed a whole bunch of movie and TV scores and been knighted for them. I have to keep pinching myself to remember they are not related, the names and their talents being so similar.) Does all this qualify as a “Now you know the rest of the story”?

Mary Trump’s morning dispatch addresses CBS’s decision not to fact check on TV in real time. If I am reading her correctly (and if she is reading them correctly) they will fact check in real time in their live blog in social media. But it seems pretty cowardly of them to fear being yelled at by Trump** – even to fear a lawsuit from him which would surely fail. I wanted y’all to know this in advance in order for you to find a more principled source (in fact, I bumped another of her articles to Thursday to make room for this one. And, if you already learned it elsewhere and have prepared, she also includes a meaty section on how finland teaches its citizens to discern propaganda.) Also, I should say I plan on watching the debate tonight, but am not looking forward to it.

Rasmussen Reports used to have a halfway decent reputation. They were known to have a mild Republican bias, but only about 1.5 point. But then Nate Silver stopped using them, which says something – and now, I guess, they’ve lost any reputation they ever had.

Open Thread September 30 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:59 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 302024

Yesterday, Steve Schmidt posted a new “The Schmidt Storm,” in print and video. And Joyce Vance’s “The Week Ahead” is packed so full that I really can’t just summarize.

I saved this for Monday hoping not to ruin anyone’s weekend. I know you’ve heard the expression that someone is someone else “on steroids.” Well, Musk is Donald Trump** with autism. I mean that as a figure of speech, of course, and yes, it is unfair to people on the autism spectrum. Except that most people on the spectrum do not resemble Trump** to begin with.

I’m sure there’s not a soul here who doesn’t already know the facts here already and the general principle intuitively. But intuition isn’t evidence, and it’s good to have evidence.

Open Thread September 29 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:11 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 292024

Yesterday, the radio opera was Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde,” recorded in July at Bayreuth – the venue which mad King Ludwig of Bavaria spent a fortune on, and which has all the bells and whistles which were available in the late 19th century (Wagner would hav loved CGI.) It takes 4 hours to perform. This production is fortunate that the adulterous love affair depends on a powerful magic love potion, because the betrayed husband is orders of magnitude better looking then the betrayer. It’s just as well I won’t see it (and the only available picture is of part of a program cover which says “Bayteuth” and has Wagner’s autograph.) The music is gorgeous. This is one of only two Wagner operas I bought in vinyl when I was buying vinyl. Some musicologists say that the first chird of the overture (known as “the Tristan chord”) paved the way for the harmonies of 20th century composers. But to opera fans, it’s less the chord and more what Wagner does with it which make the opera a favorite.

It’s been a minute since we had a real head-shaking Karen story, but this one from the Atlanta Black Star definitely qualifies. SMH.

If you have seen any ads for “Trump watches” – and, if you have, I know you haven’t bothered to read the fine print – you might get a sardonic chuckle out of the facts Mary Trump brings to light in her Substack column.

Open Thread September 28 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:53 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 282024

Yesterday, Wonkette referred to this article in America’s Voice. It’s about something which actually happens a lot, yet is always worth celebrating. I mean, of course, the ceremony conferring American citizenship on those who have jumped through all the hoops. It goes right to my heart every time. Did you know a new citizen can change their name legally when naturalized, without having to go to court? I learned that when I was working at USAA and pulled up a piece of mail which turned out to be an N-400. I forget now what exactly he changed it to, but it was clear he was doing so to honor Dr. King. It made my day. Also, Robert Reich posted episode 4 of his current series.I didn’t use number 3 last Saturday – it wasn’t labeled as part of the series – but I did include it in the Open Thread for September 23. I’m still not 100% sure it’s part of the series, but in case it is, you’ll be able to find it.)

The 19th has no intent to disparage the men not of color who have been outspoken on this topic forever. But that’s different from what is happening here. this is a movemet to raise the voices of men of color who have been right all along but have been silent, for whatever reasons.

Well, this is nice. And it’s about damn time. If those children had lived, they’d be entering college and old enough to vote. Since they can’t, the rest of us have to vore for them -not, certainly, by voting multiple times, but by voting for people and initiatives which would have benefitted them, and against people and initiatives which disrespect them.

Open Thread September 27 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:59 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 272024

Yesterday, Steve Schmidt referred and linked to an opinion piece in the New York Times by Stanley McChrystal, a now retired General who was in command in Afghanistan intil President Obama relieved him of that command for running his mouth in Rollong Stone. Steve didn’t provide a gift link, so I am providing an archived one. It’s titled “Why Kamala Harris has won me over.” It’s another “policies are not the issue, the issue is character” essay, as was, for instance, Judge Luttig’s, but it’s longer with examples (and it’s interesting that his examples of character were two Deomoctats and a Republican, and the Republican was Lincoln, while his one example of lack of character was Republican Nixon. But that’s among us. I don’t want to step on his centrist stance. Particularly when the only people who are going to listen to him are centrists. MAGAs are mostly lost, and the few who are coming around are doing sofor reasons that won’t get published in an op-ed.) Also yesterday, Senator Hickenlooper used his “Giddy-Update” newsletter to spread the truth about Aurora, Colorado, which, despite all the furor about Springfield getting louder, has also bee receiving harassment from MAGA dupes.

Sometimes living in Colorado can be un-bear-able. Thank you. I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your waitstaff.

If you aren’t able to read or watch Joe Biden’s speech to the UN on Tuesday in full (Robert Hubbell has links: full text and video), Heather Cox Richardson‘s summary is a pretty good substitute. I admit I teared up when I came to “My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. It’s your people…that matter the most.”

Open Thread September 26 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 262024

Yesterday, Joyce Vance discussed Jack Smith’s latest brief for Judge Chutkan, under the title “Mr. Smith, Back in Washington” (anyone besides me old enout th remember the Jimmy Stewart movie? Let’s hope our Mr. Smith fares better than he did.) She discusses why the legth of brief is limited, unless a judge grants permission for a longer one. She then goes step by step through why this ine was granted, how long it is, what’sin it in general terms, how Trump**’s legal team reacted (no surprise), and how the judge answered them. It also links to her full response (which is NOT 200 pages, but only 6, double spaced. Judge Chutkan is about as common-sense and straightforward as a judge can be, and has no diffivulty in calling an idiot an idiot (politely.)

It’s nice to see Jeffrey Sterling accept a position where his talents and experience are appreciated. He’s been through a lot of crap which he did not deserve.

I no longer get newsletters from AlterNet/Raw Story (same ownership), but our Mitch sent me this link and although you may have seen it, I’m sharing in case you haven’t. Best part – he cannot treat state charges like federal charges, so even if he wins he can’t get out of this (and it’s damn well not an official act, because he’s not – they’re not – officials.

Open Thread September 25 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 252024

Yesterday – well, let’s just say – did you know there was a new PAC called AntiPsychopath Pac? I sure didn’t. But I certainly welcome it!

The author of this article, Jeremy Mohler, works with In The Public Interest, which is probably the most ambitious opponent of inappropriate privatization of government functions (which IMO means almost any privatization of government functions) in the U.S. today. Why do I say that? Because our government was designed, among other things, to “promote the general welfare.” That’s in the Preamle to the Constitution. Corporations are designed to promote the welfare of their stockholders – not the welfare of all their stakeholdres, which would include the general public, along with the conporation’s employees. If you want to call that Socialism, it follows you must believe that the authors of the Constitution were Socialists. I think not.

This article from the Brennan Center for Justice is a referral from Joyce Vance, who is busy with about 11 baby chicks (all of whom are terminally cute. There are pictures.) If one works in any way with the law or legal issues, one does not want to be on the wrong side of the Brennen Center. And it would appear that John Roberts just got there.

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