Open Thread March 11 2026

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

Mar 112026

Yesterday, there was a hearing on disciplinary charges brought against Ed Martin by the DC Bar, and the charges were upheld. He is entitled to appeal – I’m not sure to whom but after the process plays out, he could well be disbarred. Also, Alabama governor Kay Ivey of all people commuted the sentence of Sonny Burton. It’s about damn time – but at least it is in time. Finally, Colorado Public Radio reported that one of the Americans killed in this war was one of ours – stationed at Fort Carson here in the Springs.

I have no desire to use AI – I [prefer to keep my HI as fit as possible by using it. But if I did, at this time, it would be Anthropic. But this link is really for the second story – the kerfuffle in the District of New Jersey. By the time you read this, the hearing will be over, but you can still use this link to get there if you wish. Click on the All Rise logo in the upper left and you’ll get the home page. If the hearing isn’t the first story, scroll down a bit.

Well this was certainly not on my bingo card. But it certainly does make sense.

Archived from Huff Post, this article reminded me of a Kipling quote shared by Malcolm Nance, who us a huge Kipling fan – a quote which could easily become our motto for this war: “with an epitaph drear,/a fool lies here/who tried to hustle the east.” Kipling was not free from racial prejudice, but he was bright enough to see that brains of all kind (intwllectual, practical, strategic, etc.) and a passion for self government were not limited to white westerners.

Pete Buttigieg’s speech last weekend in Selma, AL Only 6 1/2 minutes)

Open Thread January 1 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 12:11 am Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 012026

Well, Happy New Year, everyone. Here’s a link to the complete transcript of Jack Smith’s 8+ hours of testimony to the House Judiciary Committee. There is also a complete video, if you want it.

Robert Reich uses Paul Ingrassia as Exhibit A to demonstrate that the title of this post is an accurate characterization of the current administration. You know, Africa was doing just fine before “white” people decided to start exploiting it. My Exhibit 1 for this is the preview at this link. (Don’t expect the series to be on in February, however – the February the trailer is referring to was years ago. But you can see the full series – if you missed it then or want to see it again – with Passport. IIRC it was Episode 3 which made Professor Gates cry.) As I’ve said before, I can hardly get through aday without saying (or at least thinking) “effing white people” – or “effing pink people” – despite the fact that I myself am white (pink.)

From Common Dreams. I am very proud of my state for standing up to the Apricot Antichrist, and consider his unhinged “statement” a badge of honor. I might point out Peters is not 73 (though she is 70.) Also, if she is sick in a Colorado prison, she is getting medical care – probably not as good as Congress gets, but better than Jeffrey Sterling got in Federal prison. (also, if Boebert is telling the truth, or even close to the truth, this veto can easily be overridden.) Karma is probably already on to ensuring his wish for our officials turns back on him.

This is a video that I normally would not put up, since it’s 3+ minutes over a half hour. But in that half hour, they cover not only what is going on in the Abrego Garcia case, but also what is going in in the pipe bomber case – which doesn’t seem to be getting any coverage from elsewhere – possibly because there was supposedly a confession – which they now question. There is nothing funny about any of this – with the exception of the fact that this DOJ and state Republican officials are so incompetent and their criming and cheating so obvious that it is laughable. (And, sadly, some of it is actually legal.) So if you have the tme, it’s worth the watch and may be a good omen. If not, there’s also a transcript.

Open Thread July 3 2025

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

Jul 032025

Yesterday, I spent about 17 minutes watching a video on Pete Buttigieg’s Substack – an interview with the mother of twin girls, one of whose lives depends on Medicaid. This shows why Pete is the best communicator in the Democratic Party – and one of the best in history. Tissue alert.

Here are two articles from the 19th. One is a detailed story of one person who is a victim of ICE. But even in the context of this incident an entire community is affected. And the regime is taking this to such lengths that anyone could be affected. But the other article is about trends which absolutely will affect everyone over time – everyone who is still above ground.

Joyce Vance on the Supreme Court. I see I am not the only one who turns to Greek mythology to interpret present day events. That – and animals and knittng – I guess are reasons I feel somehow connected to Joyce.

Open Thread June 14 2025

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

Jun 142025

Earlier this week, I mentioned that Pete Buttigieg now has a Substack. A couple of days later, Heather Cox Richardson invited him to a video conversation which was broadcast as recorded. The recording is now available, probably on both Substacks, but I watched it on Pete’s. If you have a spare three quarters of an hour or so, and you’d like to spend it in the company of two people who are intelligent, knowledgeable, sane, and just good people, this may be for you.

As Wonkette does not say (but I do), families are not a certain predictor of a person’s principles. Some apples fall a county, or a state, or a country away from the tree. These people coming up with these conspiracy theories, particularly the ones including trafficking children- I mean, for that to even occur to them doesn’t say much for their own morals.

This opinion piece (I say opinion, but it’s the truth) by Rebecca Solnit got her banned from Facebook. But Wonkette’s “TABs” linked to it. If you are here before going out to a “No Kings Day” event, this is probably the one to read now and the rest later.

I threw in this from Wonkette because I didn’t want it to wait. I also didn’t want it to get buried. Foreign policy is not an area which gets much attention (unless there’s a war – and that goes double for the current isolationist atmosphere) and I thought this important.

Open Thread June 10 2025

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

Jun 102025

Yesterday, I learned that Pete Buttigieg has a Substack. Here’s the link. Just looking at the front page, he appears to be doing less writing and more conversational videos that most newsletters there, but he also appears to be keeping his readership current on what he’s doing. I subscribed – and didn’t even get offered a paid subscription, so it’s free. Just so you know, he has acquired facial hair, so don’t be shocked.

Quite frankly, we do not have enough Democrats in Congress (either House) and there is going to be carnage in the Big Bad Bill that we are somehow going to have to live with, at least for a time. The F* News discusses.

It is, I think, indicative of just how all-consuming the chaos has become that I did not see this faux pas reported anywhere else – though I’m sure it was – on inner pages and below the fold, to use slang from print journalism. Surely Heather Cox Richardson and I are not the only ones who know better.

Yeah, three today – I didn’t want to leave out Los Angeles completely and this seems to be highly thoughtful coverage dripping with sarcasm. Trinette’s family – and there’s a lot of it, even just the California part – lives in Southern Cal, but thankfully not in LA but in Riverside County mostly.

Open Thread–3/2/2020

Posted by TomCat at 7:53 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 022020

Please pardon my brevity. I’ve made ~~five~~ six trips to the throne since 2 AM, and my breakfast experiment went into the sink, leaving screaming heartburn. Oh God, it’s Monday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:26 (average 5:28). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Alternet: Radio personality and CNN weekend host Michael Smerconish came under fire Saturday morning—along with the network—for “casually” portraying the surging prospects of Democratic presidential frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders as comparable to the threat of the infectious coronavirus which continues to spread in the United States and around the world.

He should be fired immediately. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Buttigieg Suspends 2020 Race To ‘Bring Our Party And Country Together’

I think he’s a good VP choice. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Del Shannon – Runaway (Rare Stereo Version)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

The SC Debate

Posted by TomCat at 9:47 am Politics

Feb 262020

The performance that I liked best in the SC debate was that of Elizabeth Warren, but I’m sure my own bias enters into that. I think that Bernie, Joe and Liz did well. Amy and Pete barely held their own, at best. Bloomberg was weak, and Steyer did not belong on the stage at all. Other losers were the boo birds that the Biden campaign planted in the audience to scream BOO every time Bernie opened his mouth.

Seven Democratic presidential candidates took the stage Tuesday night in Charleston, S.C., for a fiery debate days before the state’s primary on Saturday.

The showdown in the Palmetto State also marked the final debate before Democrats battle in the biggest day on the primary calendar — Super Tuesday — next week.

Who won and lost in the latest debate?

WINNERS

Former Vice President Joe Biden

Biden kept his hopes alive with one of his strongest debate performances.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

Warren is the most consistent debater left in the race.

She went after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg once again in this debate. She did not eviscerate him as thoroughly as she did last week in Las Vegas, but she again raised questions about his treatment of women in the workplace….

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

Sanders won on Tuesday by not obviously losing.

He came under the kind of sustained attack that any front-runner faces…

Inserted from <The Hill>

The biggest loser in the debate was CBS News. Here’s an excerpt from an email from Marcos Moulitsas of Daily Kos.

We went from perhaps the best debate ever, last week, to one of the worst ever, Tuesday night. What a disaster, from the questions, to the moderation, to the way they shoehorned one last commercial break at the end, without nothing but a “goodbye!” on the other side, Taking ad money from both Mike Bloomberg and Tom Steyer for commercials was an added insult.

It was insulting that in a DEMOCRATIC debate, moderators spent valuable time asking about North Korea, China, Syria, and other issues that fail to inform the vote of a single Democratic primary voter. As a result, climate change, choice, unions, and other key progressive priorities were ignored.

This was the worst moderation and production of any debate this season.

South Carolina debate wrap: Rivals take aim at Sanders

I disagree that Liz’ statement that she would be a better President was an attack. She was saying something good about herself, not something bad about Bernie. Everyone else on the stage attacked Bernie. Bernie’s honest statement that, over his long career, he has made some bad votes was honest. Kudos. He defused all the attacks well.

Elizabeth Warren: People Want to Hear From the Women Who Worked for Mayor Bloomberg

Mike “Kill It” Bloomberg [R-NY] had to buy that woman’s silence with an out of court settlement. The establishment media attacked Liz for attacking Bloomberg. They said she should have gone after Bernie, because Bloomberg isn’t even on the SC ballot. I disagree. That debate may have in SC, but it was also the debate for Super Tuesday, where Bloomberg hopes to excel and replace Biden as the establishment alternative to Bernie.

I look forward to Saturday and Tuesday with fingers crossed

RESIST!!

The State of the Race–2/24

Posted by TomCat at 11:28 am Politics

Feb 242020

We in a brief pause, before The SC Debate tomorrow, the SC Primary Saturday, and Super Tuesday a week from tomorrow. So here is a look at the state of the race as of now.

Energized by his landslide victory in the Nevada caucuses, Senator Bernie Sanders turned his focus to President Trump on Sunday while his campaign made plans to try to win the coming South Carolina primary and amass an insurmountable delegate lead on Super Tuesday next week.

Mr. Sanders plans to be up on the air with commercials in every South Carolina media market this week, and his staff is scrambling to add new rallies to his schedule as they take aim at their next big target: overtaking the front-runner in Saturday’s primary there, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., to all but extinguish his candidacy.

But attacks on Mr. Sanders began mounting on Sunday, with Mr. Biden criticizing him as disloyal to former President Barack Obama — a charged message with the predominantly black electorate in South Carolina — and others describing the Vermont senator as a long shot against Mr. Trump. Mr. Sanders, in turn, used a rally in the Super Tuesday state of Texas to highlight some favorable polling numbers against the president — and attempt to reassure Democrats about his electability if he wins the nomination… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <NY Times>

I haven’t given up on Liz, but Joe’s attacks on Bernie are as disingenuous as are criminal Trump’s* attacks on Joe. Bernie criticized Obama, but so did I. Neither of us was disloyal to him at any time. In addition, whether ANY Democrat beats Trump* is up to us. It will happen, if and only if we make it happen!

Here is the latest delegate count.

State

Date ▾

Delegates*

Sanders

Buttigieg

Biden

Warren

Klobuchar

Steyer

Yang

Gabbard

Primaries/

Caucuses

Open/

Closed

Pledged
Delegates

–

3979

Superdelegates

–

(771)

Total
Delegates

(2,382 Needed after 1st
Ballot)

–

4750

–

Pledged
Delegates

(1,991 Needed on 1st
Ballot)

–

3979

Iowa

February
3

41
(8)

Caucus

Semi-open

New Hampshire

February
11

24
(9)

Primary

Semi-closed

Nevada

February
22

36
(12)

Caucus

Closed

Here are latest SC Poll Results

Biden

Sanders

Steyer

Buttigieg

Warren

Klobuchar

Biden +3.0

Bernie Sanders has the best chance of any candidate, at this point. I think that when Super Tuesday is in the books, we’ll all have a much better idea.

RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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