Open Thread April 21 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 212025
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we played cribbage. More “two double run” hands than I’ve ever seen in a sitting, but also more zero hands. I was the only visitor, and Virg was sorry for people who weren’t getting a visit. I pointed out that those people might have kids or grandkids that their family needed to spend the day with, and also that Sunday is not the only visiting day and they might have been visited on Friday or Saturday, which seemed to relieve him. It is true that most people in prisons in the US (and probably elsewhere) don’t get visited at all. I’m more tired than usual; it’s been a rough week for me. So instead of looking for an article explaining “NORRA” (which really should be spelled “NoRRA,” but we all know Republicans can’t spell – and have no feel for language), but instead I’ll recommend you do a search on it. It’s pretty much a declaration of open war on the Judiciary.

Joyce Vance writes on the mass deportation cases we have seen (and can expect to see more of.) She makes it I think as clear as anyone possibly could.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/132270244
https://www.democraticunderground.com/132270260
Here are two videos, both posted at Democratic Underground which have information – information that I wish I didn’t need to know, but since I so, I’d rather have it blunt. Both are embedded at DU so no ads for anyone who watches them there. But also no comments from YouTubers.

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Open Thread April 19 2025

 Posted by at 6:03 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 192025
 

Yesterday, everyone had the story that Senator van Hollen had been able to meet with Abrego Garcia. Some said “in the prison” or “in the concentration camp.” Others said the meeting took place in a hotel. I can’t confirm the hotel story for sure, but from the photos, it was not in a prison and definitely not in a concentration camp. I can’t even imagine the thought of a concentration camp having a visiting area. A prison might – but it wouldn’t look like that. Glass glasses? Ceramic coffee cups? Metal forks? Chairs made of anything other than molded plastic? Tables with inlaid tops? Not hardly. The only ting which might be in an actual prison visiting room was the plastic water bottle. A hotel is at least believable. Sadly, it did not result in Abrego Garcia being released, and although he looks pretty good, the Senator reported that Abrego Garcia had been traumatized. I didn’t watch the Meidas Touch video (I just wasn’t up to it) but the print article has details and is pretty short. This is not over yet.

Do we have any real bakers reading this? A casual cookie baker like me would not be up for this recipe (no to mention I couldn’t use wheat, so the lottery would be wasted on me). But here’s a recipe for authentic Ukrainian Easter Cake using flour made from wheat grown in a demined field in the Kharkiv region. Like other Ukrainian recipes I’ve seen, it does sound yummy. You don’t have to belong to Instagram to see it – just close the popup and it’s all there.

Speaking of food, Robyn at Wonkette likes spinach. So do I – especially with a squirt of lemon juice. But (except for what I have in the freezer, purchased before the Rockmelon Regime*

took over) I won’t be eating any more either, until it’s safe again. Assuming I live that long. Guns are not the only things that can kill you or me which will become more widely available with less warning.

On a new topic, it isn’t often lately that Harry Litman

or any other legal expert finds something that he or she believes will make history, especially in a good way. The full opinion should certainly shame anyone in the Executive branch who is capable of shame, if there is any such (I wish I could believe that there is.) I thought I’d best share.

 

*In case you are wondering, “rockmelom” is another word for “cantaloupe.”

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Open Thread April 17 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 172025
 

Yesterday, Senator Van Hollen (D-MD) was in my prayers all day.  He is in El Salvador to do everything he can to bring back his constituent, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. I have two D Senators, but I doubt whether either of them would do anything like that. They are hung up on “collegiality.” Senator Van Hollen did inspire me to send a single-sentence email to both my Senators, though: “So – what are you going to do when he starts disappearing people who are legally residing in Colorado?” I do hope the Senator is safe himself – that is far from guaranteed. Speaking as a white person, I wish we could bring back Ellis Island, or something like it and screen immigrants, not for tuberculosis, but for white supremacy. Not by asking them whether they are a white supremacist, but with a psych screen. Elon would never have made it through that. Just in case anyone thinks I am overreacting (I know, not likely), here’s a link with thought. Also yesterday, Judge Boasberg issued a ruling that there is cause to hold the Trump** Regime in criminal contempt, and gave them a week to come clean (turn over all information he has requested.) HuffPost has the story.

This all along is what has worried and frightened me the most. And here we are. I may be wrong, but I don’t think Marcie at Wonkette is a lawyer, so I’m also posting the same story as explained by Joyce Vance, who is a lawyer, and not just a lawyer, a former DOJ prosecutor.

Nobody says it better or clearer than Joyce Vance. She doesn’t sugar coat it, and I certainly don’t want to either. And I am about out of words of my own at this point.

May as well add Heather Cox Richardson to the chorus. I really do not think there is any way to over-report this.

John Pavlovitz weighs in also. I think this can be called a righteous rant.

Had I found this in time, I would have used it Tuesday. But it wasn’t posted until late enough Tuesday that I had already scheduled Wednesday.Here it is now.

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Open Thread April 15 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 152025
 

Yesterday, Harvard at least stood up to the regime. I’m pretty sure they are the first (at least the first household named university), but I hope will not be the last. And at that, it decided not to use the language “will not negotiate” in the rejection letter. Axios broke the story and by now has more details. Most of my sources yesterday were fixated on the economy, and I certainly am not trying to blow off the possibility of another Great Depression. But it is Robert Reich, IMO, who has the real story – and it isn’t good.

Robert Reich has the direst warning yet. And I might also refer to Harry Litman. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote during the Civil war: “The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.” It’s a nice thought, but peace and good will will not by themselves turn the trick. Accountability is needed. Has our democracy onl exisited up till now because the Nuremberg Trials were held? Would stronger enforcement of Reconstruction have prevented the 1939 Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden? Will we ever learn that no consequences means no accountability, and no accountability means the poison never leaves. White supremacists – not all of whom are whie, sadly – ARE the enemy, along with misogynists (and I should add that there is massive overlap.)

This from Heather Cox Richardson on April 9 because that was an important anniversary. Its relevance is not limited to that day – far from it. We are still dealing with consequences of decisions made then.

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Open Thread April 12 2025

 Posted by at 6:08 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 122025
 

On this date in 1945, we lost President Roosevelt. But, in spite of having to preside over a World War (which our side won, and I’m not sure we could have done so without him), he pushed for and got legislation which set us up for national prosperity which lasted 80 years. And which it has taken less than three months to trash.

I think I accidentally deleted the Open Thread for Friday.  And I have no backup.  So sorry.  If you had commented, that will also be gone.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/supreme-court-alien-enemies-act_n_67f56408e4b046bb946e0242
The Supreme Court has made several decisions regarding immigration and deportation. including good, bad, and indifferent. The net effect is not all that good. HuffPost explains.

https://www.theroot.com/michelle-obama-has-an-answer-for-those-who-think-her-ma-1851775610
If you are not on social media, and don’t follow black news outlets, you may not even be aware of the rumors. I was aware of them and was also pretty sure they were BS. But then, I have lived through a lot of the same kinds of interactions she has, so I know the territory. The little video in the middle is pretty short and really part of the article so I recommend not skipping it (and yes, the fact that I watched it does mean that The Root has stopped disappearing mid-read for me. Yay!)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220226632
Be sure to at least scan the comments on the Democratic Underground post. I checked the link to Snopes, but feel free – it is a good solid link. Yes, this is what ICE is doing.

Belle Debit Card

Cat

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Open Thread April 10 2025

 Posted by at 5:53 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 102025
 

Yesterday, I watched the first ten minutes (the part that was free) of a video with Harry Litman who had Paul Krugman as his guest. Obviously, in ten minutes, they did not exhaust the subject, but they covered enough to make it worth watching IMO. I also want to note that so often we have remarked on how fast Presidents – real ones – age while in office. Well, Krugman is aging like a President. I was surprised, almost shocked, by how white his hair has become – all of it. I’m eight years older than he is and mine is not anywhere near that white.

This article is from The 19th, which, to quote their masthead, reports on “gender, politics, and policy.” I have to say that any Jewish Americans or LGBTQ+ Americans who are only now seeing echoes of history in the current regime need to fully wake up fast. And straight cis women should probably pay attention – if they can refuse to issue “X” passports, wat stops them from refusing “F” passports?

The F Team nails the regime – not surprising or even anything new. But cheer up. Axios cites an analyst who says we will likely not see the full impact of tariffs until June. so you still have some time to stock up on whatever you need to stock up on.

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Open Thread April 8 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 082025
 

Yesterday, the ACLU was in court defending Rümeysa Öztürk. But they have enough staffers that one could sent out a blanket email asking individuals to urge Congress to vote NO on any bill targeting immigrants and/or international students. In case you didn’t get it (I know many did besides me), here’s a link to the petition. Also, don’t anyone tell the regime, but I suspect SSA is sending payments out a little early (just in case someone tells them not to send them; it can be too late; already done.) Second month in a row. Also, I was in email jail all day. The blood work was easy and quick, but it was the second day in a row I was away from home for a good chunk of time, and things just piled up.

I’ll risk being accused of redundancy and share these four articles, one from Wonkette, another from Robert Hubbell, and the third from Colorado Public Radio. Some euphoria is healthy, particularly when one still has more work to do.  As we do.

A little dose of reality from John Pavlovitz. Not that we didn’t already know, but sometimes a pep talk is helpful.

Belle blame game

Cat

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Open Thread April 6 2025

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 062025
 

Yesterday’s radio opera, “Ainadamar” (“fountain of tears”) by Osvaldo Golijov, is based on the lives of Federico Garcia Lorca amd Margarida Xirgu, who is sometimes referred to as his muse. It was performed in 2005 at Tanglewood and revisedin 2003, this in Los Angeles and revised again, before having its official premiere in Santa Fe in 2005. In 2005, I was working at USAA and had recently been promoted, which put me at the bottom of the vacation request list. So I was not able to see it then, and became resigned to not ever seeing or hearing it. So this broadcast was an unexpected gift. The plot is kind of muddy, taking place as it does – or at least as it does in flashback – in Spain in the tome leading up to the Spanish Civil War. That was a place and time where and when, an nearly as I can tell from a not very deep dive into the history, when there were multiple political parties in Spain, and, though they ran the gamut left to right, all apparently were authoritarian, and all were violent. And none were tolerant of homoeroticism. Not a good time or place to be a gay playwright with opinions. The opera pins his death on the Falangist party (one of the Fascist parties.) It also calls his death an execution. His body was never found. Since 2005, the opera has been performed all over the world to critical acclaim, but last October’s run was the first time at the Met. What we heard this week was a recording from then. It’s short – only a bit under an hour and a half total – and very listenable, even if it’s a bit tough to follow the action. Also, today, it’s Pat B’s wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, Pat! And it’s Tim Walz’s birthday. He is 61 (just a kid.) Happy birthday, Gov!  Off to see Virgil now – will post my return in a comment as always.

Good news – Democrats will be Doing Something. Several Senators who are no strangers to fights are mentioned in the article from Axios.

The Day of Visibility was last Monday (I posted a logo for it), but it’s good to know that state legislators are going beyond that. Colorado, like the nation, has two legislative houses, and since I moved in 23 years ago, both my representatives have been Republicans. But not now. My assemblyperson is still Republican, but my State Senator is a Democrat. And there is a Democratic majority in the Assembly, even though mine is not part of it. So I’m looking to see this bill pass.

This may not be the happiest song, but the selected founders, and their presentations, are so good I wanted to share it. And at least it ends with hope.

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