Insurrection – Page 28 – Politics Plus

Open Thread for October 20, 2021

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:31 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 202021

Yesterday, I got confirmation for a visit with Virgil on October 30th. So that is good, but it does have me confused now about what they are doing. Perhaps they went to 33% capacity; though I looked on line and the latest still said 25%, sometimes word is slow getting onto the web. I suppose they could have moved all the inmates who have no one on their phone or visitors’ lists into one quarter… sadly, that would not be impossible or even unlikely – many convicts get abandoned by families and friends. TC knew that well and it was one of the things which motivated him deeply to work with prisoners. But I don’t know that, and if I asked, I likely would not get an answer.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Politico – Dems find their anti-Rubio warrior in Val Demings
Quote – For months, the Florida congresswoman challenging Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022 seemed nowhere to be found, eschewing local press and small political events typical for this election off-year, and also avoiding the national media glare in Washington. Now Demings has an answer for her whereabouts: She was campaigning almost exclusively on Facebook, growing an army of small-dollar donors across the nation on her way to raising a staggering $8.5 million in the most recent fundraising quarter —$2.4 million more than Rubio reported and more than any Senate challenger in the country between July and October.
Click through for details. It’s true we haven’t heard a lot from Val lately (but then a lot of other things have been going on.) It’s good to know she has been busy. I pray for her success.

Crooks and Liars – Rev. Barber Blasts Manchin For Pushing Voter ID And ‘Trumpian Lingo’
Quote – BARBER: The Democrats should have started this messaging. They should have had the faces and the voices of people who would be impacted. We tried to say this to the handlers of the president at the White House, and for some reason they didn’t get it. They should have never let voting rights just be a Black issue and then separate it out from the economic issue.
Click through for more of the message. When Rev. Barber soeaks, I listen. And he is right. I wish I had ideas on how to get there from here, though.

HuffPost – ‘I’m So Stupid’: MAGA Fan Who Attacked Officer Mike Fanone Called Himself A ‘Piece Of S**t’
Quote – Rodriguez, according to a transcript of his FBI interview filed in court by his defense attorney on Friday, said that he became radicalized watching videos on InfoWars and from conservative commentators like Steven Crowder, Mark Dice, and the Hodgetwins that convinced him of the conspiracy theory that Trump actually won the election. Rodriguez repeatedly referred to himself as “stupid” for believing that the pro-Trump mob he was a part of could take over the U.S. Capitol and install Trump as president for a second term.
Click through for story. I certainly wish more people would “get it,” even if it has to be belatedly.

Food for Thought –

Open Thread for October 19, 2021

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:54 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 192021

Yesterday, I did sleep in,and I feel much more rested. I hope I can translate that into fewer typos – or at the very least, more easily interpreted typos. We shall see.

Cartoon – Another prescient one from 2013

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Oath Keepers’ Jan. 6 Trial Delayed Because Evidence Keeps Rolling In
Quote – The federal judge overseeing the Oath Keepers conspiracy case in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection ordered their trial delayed this week, primarily because of the overwhelming amount of evidence still being produced in their cases. Though the delay was expected, its reasons are stark reminders that Jan. 6 will be one of the most complex prosecutions in history and that the investigation remains very active as more evidence piles up. There are likely some very big shoes still to drop.
Click through for examples and more explanation. I know it’s tough. We don’t hear much if at all about people being impatient and frustrated about Al Capone … but if there had been an internet and social media then, I’ll bet we would have.

Buzzfeed – “DANGER WARNING”: WOMEN SAY MADISON CAWTHORN HARASSED THEM IN COLLEGE
Quote – BuzzFeed News spoke with more than three dozen people, including more than two dozen former students, their friends, and their relatives, who described or corroborated instances of sexual harassment and misconduct on campus, in Cawthorn’s car, and at his house near campus. Four women told BuzzFeed News that Cawthorn, now a rising Republican star, was aggressive, misogynistic, or predatory toward them. Their allegations include calling them derogatory names in public in front of their peers, including calling one woman “slutty,” asking them inappropriate questions about their sex lives, grabbing their thighs, forcing them to sit in his lap, and kissing and touching them without their consent.
Click through for story. Like other Republican politicians, this dude is a real piece of work.

Yes, Colin Powell Was Fully Vaccinated. He Was Also Seriously Immunocompromised.
Quote – Here’s another bit of nuance that I haven’t seen anyone really talking about but seems the most significant: The reason Colin Powell died of COVID-19 is that he caught it—which meant that it was still circulating among people he had contact with. This point may seem obvious, but too often we forget that one of the greatest risk factors for contracting COVID-19 is community spread. The more people around you who have the disease, the more likely you are to catch it.
Click through for some truth. I saw one meme or tweet which said “Colin Powell did not die because he was vaccinated. He died because you weren’t.”

Food for Thought –

Video Thread 10/18/2021

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:59 am Open Thread, Politics

Oct 182021

Glenn Kirschner – Congress Should Refer Bannon for Criminal Contempt AND Trump for a Contempt Conspiracy Investigation

Meidas Touch – Trump in Hiding

MSNBC – Velshi: ‘Sticks And Stones May Break Your Bones, But Words Do Real Damage’

CNN – ‘He should suffer the consequences’: Impeachment witness on Trump’s lies. So Nice to see LTC Vindman.

Amazing Rabbit Changes Man’s Mind About Animals – CHIEF BRODY

Beau – Let’s talk about public health at the border and inconsistency….

Video Thread 10/17/2021

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 12:18 pm Open Thread, Politics

Oct 172021

Glenn Kirschner – Prosecution of Bannon for Contempt of Congress WILL Impact How Meadows, Patel & Others Will Behave

The Lincoln Project – Peaceful Pledge

MSNBC – White House To Moderna: Make More Covid Vaccine!

Robert Reich – Fire Postmaster DeJoy. I’m not sure how it would help to name his nominees nw – but then, RR knows more about how government works than I do – so maybe some good would coe of it.

SphinxConnect 2017 – “The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed” HANKY ALERT “Sphinx” is an organization which assists young musicians of color (including bron, “red”, and “yellow” as well as black) to enhance their musical talents and abilities through many programs. I have mixed feelines about all those white faces in the video. But if Sphinx posted it, I guess I can. The CC is the lyrics by section and doesn’t contain all the repeats, but it gets the point across.

And to restore a little hope after that – Woman Turns Backyard Shed Into An Apartment For Stray Cats

Beau – Let’s talk about Chicago cops….

Open Thread for October 17, 2021

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 7:07 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 172021

Yesterday, Virgil and I had a good visit, and I got home (and changed and the mail in) but about 6:30 He returns all greetings. It was a better than avergae visit (tey’re all good).I don’t want to break his confidentiality,but he has been having very vivid nightmares lately – so vivid he calls me he tells me what happened in the dream as something that really happened, when it’s impossible. Yesterday was the first time we ever talked about one during a visit, and was able to associate the scariness of the dreams to an actual time period in his life (before we met) which was both sad and scary for real. I hope this knowledge opens up his ability to deal with it better.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Vice News – Capitol Police Officer Arrested for Aiding January 6 Rioter
Quote – Officer Michael A. Riley, an officer with more than two decades on the force, was charged with obstruction of justice for Facebook messaging an alleged rioter and warning them to delete posts that said they’d been in the Capitol. Riley is the first Capitol officer who’s been arrested for charges stemming from the January 6 riots, according to the U.S. Capitol Police. According to the indictment, Riley friended a man on Facebook who’d posted selfies and other evidence that he was in the Capitol during the riots and warned him to take the posts down so as to avoid possible charges. He identified himself as a Capitol officer “who agrees with your political stance,” and told him to “take down the part about being in the building.”
Click through fpr details. I have no words. Well, maybe one – “Goodbye.”

Politico – Law enforcement’s use of force against Jan. 6 conspiracy suspects draws heat — and credit
Quote – FBI agents had just found a cache of firearms during a search at the Nashville home of Eric Munchel — the body-armor-clad Capitol rioter famously photographed carrying zip ties in the Senate chamber on Jan. 6 — when the bureau issued a consequential warning. The FBI warned that police departments seeking to detain Jan. 6 suspects should “exercise caution and consider use of SWAT when affecting the arrest of individuals who displayed body armor or other armament during criminal activity conducted at the US Capitol.”
Click through for story. I was to see a swat team arrest Mo Brooks.

The Hill via MSN et al. – Sen. Whitehouse blasts Alito speech: ‘You have fouled your nest, not us’
Quote – During his speech, Alito took particular exception to what he characterized as media distortions that feed into a false portrayal of the court as a “dangerous cabal.” But Whitehouse said the court’s deteriorating standing among the public has been largely self-inflicted. He ticked off a number of court rulings that he said demonstrates a pattern in which the court’s decisionmaking fits neatly with the interests of well-heeled Republican donors.
Click through for more back-and-forth, and also more sources. I would have one tiny grammatical quibble … but if Sen. Whitehouse wants to say “us” when “we” is correct, he has my permission. With him, it’s the substance which counts. And no one could possibly misunderstand his meaning in context.

Food for Thought –

Open Thread for October 15, 2021

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

Oct 152021

Yesterday, it was pretty quiet. I worked some on a new project which will be largely acrylic and long sleeved but still kind of light weight. I started with the yoke, wondering what it would look like if I made a boat neck with a technique which is usually reserved for buttonholes. It actually looks very good. And O now realize I can use the trick that makes it work to make other kinds of neckline look better too. So, a win-win.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Vanity Fair – KATIE PORTER HAS THE FLOOR
Quote – Over burgers, [Ann] O’Leary [formerly the head of Berkeley Law School’s Center on Health, Economic & Family Security] and Porter observed that part of being a congressperson is the committee structure, where members can use the bully pulpit. When you get your time in a hearing, that time is yours. O’Leary says she saw “a switch [go] off” in Porter. “There are always instructions from leadership,” Porter says. “ ‘This is how you vote, this is what our priority is, this is how you should message, this is how much money you need to raise’—and the questions in hearings, you can show up and do what you want. It’s like looking around and saying, where is it that nobody is trying to control me?”
Click through for story. Is there anyone here who doesn’t love Katie Porter? What looked like a blank paywall popped up for me, but I was easily able to read the full article by scrolling. And I also “printed” it, just in case.

The Daily Beast – Capitol Rioter Decides to Represent Himself in Court, Accidentally Admits to Two New Felonies
Quote – Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst reportedly got Fellows to admit that he gained access to the Capitol through a broken window, and that he tried to get a previous judge removed from the case using the judge’s wife’s contact information. At the end of the hearing, McFadden ordered Fellows back into custody and told him: “You’ve admitted to incredible lapses of judgment here on the stand, not least of which was seeking to disqualify a New York state judge.”
Click through for brief story, and through again from there for more details. Keep it up, seditoinists.

The News Tribune via MSN – Arson investigation underway at Islamic Center of Tacoma after fire damages building
Quote – The fire started at the Islamic Center of Tacoma just before an evening prayer was scheduled to begin. Two people were inside but they were able to evacuate, and no one was injured. An arson investigation was started by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Jeffrey Papen said witnesses reported seeing someone who may have started the fire fleeing the scene.
Click through for what is known. This makes me both sad and furious.

Food for Thought – Share widely. People who want these things don’t always know that they are in the bill.

Video Thread 10/12/2021

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 12:25 pm Open Thread, Politics

Oct 122021

Glenn Kirschner – Trump’s Iowa Rally, DOJ’s Inaction & the Implications for the 2022 Midterm Elections

The Lincoln Project – Package Deal

Thom Hartmann – The National Debt Lie Debunked

Ring of Fire – Cyber Ninjas CEO Says No More Audits After Getting Death Threats From Trump Supporters

Really American – Bannon And Others Defy Subpoenas: LOCK THEM UP

If cryptocurrency was [sic] honest

Beau – Let’s talk about the jobs report, early unemployment, and wages…. exactly the same as Robert Reich, in slightly different words.

Video Thread 10/10/21

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:27 am Open Thread, Politics

Oct 102021

Glenn Kirschner – Bannon is in Criminal Contempt of Congress. The Legal Remedy? Inherent Contempt

For over a week now, Meidas Touch has been posting only complete podcasts (45 min and up), and for three days, so has the Lincoln Project. It’s a good thing I’m ahead on the open thread, because there’s an extra helping of fluff here today.

Now This News – What’s Next in the Fight for Voting Rights