Open Thread July 2 2026

 Posted by at 5:54 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 022026
 

“When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” – attributed to Jimi Hendrix. Quoted on a banner two people were attempting to fly from the top of the Statue of Liberty. I hope they have survived. I don’t know the whole story as I type – perhaps y’all do by now.

If you know anything about the British Constitution, you know that a King or Queen nactually has far less power than our President – especially this one. The monarch of England, for example, is forbidden by the Constitution to speak publicly about politics. Elizabeth II spent what, over 70 years? – living up to that. I mention this because Robert Reich implies in the video that SCROTUS made our so-called President a King. They did not. They made him into an emperor- or maybe a demigod. An autocrat. A Dictator. But not a King.

This from “We Are The Mighty” is a flashback to World War II which has a happy ending. This quote – “The Nazis took perverse pleasure in trying to destroy anything that their enemies held dear” rings very now to me. Therearestill Nazis – and they are still practicing this.

Archived from the Huff Post. One response to Mike Johnson: “Don’t threaten us with a good time”

I don’t think the subject of this from The Intercept is getting the attention it deserves. Possibly because it doesn’t sound that bad – but the unintended consequences are massive.

sorry the URL is embedded in Paint. But I put it below the image in case you want to read the story and haven’t already seen it.

https://archive.is/ohZGx

Share

Open Thread July 1 2026

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 012026
 

Monday, I tried to sign this petition and couldn’t – when I clicked on “Start Writing” it took me to a page which was blank except foe the organization’s logo. And I’m not asking you to sign it – it’s just that this is the only link to the story, and I thought y’all would want to be aware. Not that you’ll be surprised.

Yesterday, it was all over the Net that birthright citizenship survived SCROTUS by a 5-4 vote. I didn’t have time to name check before I had a medical appointment, but by now you probably know who the dissenters were – and I would love to read any dissemt that was written – because it would be like watching a circus acrebat act to see them trying to explain why they think an actual part of the Constitution is not Constitutional. If I find one, I’ll share a link.

Next Wednesday, the 8th, Robert Reich will be streaming his documentary “The Last Class” on YouTube next Wednesday, July 8. It will start at 5:30 pm Pacific. To see it, you must preregister. Once it starts, you won’t be able to pause it (so be prepared.) You can see it for free, but they do request a one-time donation which is optional. Here’s the link to register:

Robert Reich discusses how some SCROTUS decisions which are obviously inhumane are also obviously illegal – they flatly ignore Congress, which is the only branch of the Federal Governmen with the power to make law.

Speaking as a homeowner and mortgagor, I find this horrifying.

Share

Open Thread June 29 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 292026
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we played, you know, cribbage. The weather was good, and my air conditioner was working (Both ways, it waited until I got to my destination to ask me to turn it off please as the engine was starting to overheat. Both times I was happy to oblige. After getting home, I went through my email and, among other things, watched a Substack with Joyce vance and an old friend of hers, also a lawyer, who is suing to get Tommy Tuberville off the ballot for Governor on the grounds that he does not meet the [Alabama} Constitutional requirement to have resided in Alabama for seven years consecutively before the election. I wish Joyce’s friend a crushing victory. Alabama may not know it, but it really needs Doug Jones.

This is ridiculous. And atrocious I could go on, but I expect y’all can too.

Harry Litman of Talking Feds on the “investigation” of Governor Newsom

And these are who Stephen Miller and the rest of the regime want to let into the Us – The scum of the earth. Professional victims coming as “refugees.” Doong their best to poison our brains.

Share

Open Thread June 26 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 262026
 

Yesterday, I guess we can be thankful that all the hair on fire about the housing bill and the USPS didn’t spread to forests or buildings. The Apricot Autocrat did not, as far as I have seen, did not say he would veto the housing bill; just that he would not sign it. I’m pretty sure that if he just doesn’t sign it (and provided Congress remains in session), it will automatically become law in ten days. Of course, Monkey Wrench Mikey knows that too and will have no prolem adjourning Congress just long enough. WRT mail in voting (and my state is one which has it for everyone), I was seriously thinking about, as soon as the primaries are over (which would be next Wednesday here), changing my registration to Republican. And then changed it back in November, after voting a straight Dem ticket. If every Democrat did that, it would be like “We are all Spartacus.” Or like MSgt Roddie Edmonds at Stalag IX-A “We are all Jews.” It has a history of working. The enemy may know what you are doing, but has no way of getting the desired information out of it. But then it occurred to me – as it should have sooner, since virtually everything I buy is ordered and shipped, that there are multiple – probably dozens, of small common carriers out there besides (and cheaper than) UPS and FedEx which could be used if and when USPS goes rogue. (And speaking of USPS, Benjamin Franklin is buried in Philadelphia – has anyone heard of any earthquakes there yet?

Like Robert Reich, I’m also seeing an increase in spam and phishing. Fortunately, so far, they are not coming in his name – a name I think we all trust. I will filter carefully anything I out into the blog. But I am not going to be around forever. Y’all who outlive me will need to know this.

A hundred and one is a lot of former judges. Joyce Vance explains what is normal about this and what is – not so much.

This from The Conversation is not hot news, but a step by step explanation of the process used by SCROTUS to decide cases. It might be one to bookmark for future reference – or not – depending on your choice.

Share

Open Thread June 24 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 242026
 

No, I did not make a point of finding news which required me to use long and unusual words in the tags. It just worked out that way. And the tags are still shorter than they would have been if I had gone for periphrasis.

Monday, Alan Greenspan died at 100. Here’s a link to Robert Reich’s obituary for him. Of course there are many more, but this one would be my choice. You won’t have any trouble finding others.

I’m aware that many in the military do not vote for persons or issues which will make the United States better for everyone – and also that many misguided people in the military go so far as to encourage this and call it religion. But there are equally many in the military who understand their oath and take it seriously. Either way, no one eligible to vote should ever be disenfranchised. And it does seem to be particularly ironic to blanket disenfranchise people who are willing to risk their lives on behalf of the nation.

This from CPR is not good news – but not bad news, or news at all, except in the sense that you may not have known it (I didn’t). I doubt that it’s widely known. And I found it interesting.

Defend Our Courts dot com shared this in an email. It took a little time to find the actual story (partly because Alito’s article in Wikipedia shows 2 children, but doesn’t provide their names), but I think it was well worth the effort.

Share

Open Thread June 19 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 192026
 

Happy Juneteenth, y’all! Yesterday, from a comment on Malcolm’s show: “Trump [sic] didn’t get his HEU (highly enriched uranium) but he did get HEI (highly enriched Iranians).” Jim Acosta, on the other hand, called the signing foreign policy flatulence – the fart (maybe even the shart) of the deal.

Robert Reich – is singing my song. Well, except that no one is trying to tell me to slow down, because no one sees the actual work, which mostly consists of goinf through hundreds of emails daily in order to select a few topics – and minimize the explainer part – and minimizing is harder than it looks. But if anyone did say something – I’d have basically the same response.

To quote Nina Simone – “Mississippi God Damn.” Yes, I do know there are good people in Mississippi – that’s proven right in this story by the witneses who are coming forward to dispute the police account. But still.

Glad to learn that someone is taking Tommy Potatohead to court over where he actually lived – as opposed to just owns the houae.

This is a little bonus for today – because it officially opens today – because of course it does – although the big party was yesterday.

SocSecur

Cat

Share

Open Thread June 13 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 132026
 

Yesterday, Malcolm’s show was called the Taco Warcast. Jacob Kaarsbo (Danish intelligence Middle east) pointed out “it tells you all you need to know about Trump and US credibility at the moment. when you have to wait for announcements to be confirmed by Tasnim” (Tasmin is the IRGC media in Iran.) Also, Judge Brinkema in Alexandris, VA turned her temporary injunction against the “weaponization” slush fund into a preliminary injunction which is essentially permanent. She will not let the matter go unless she receives a statement signed by Todd Blnch AND the Secretary of the Treasury, under penalty of perjury, that the fund is dead and will not be resurrected. Finally, Frank Figliuzzi remarked that, unser the currect regime, a total of 1600 people have been allowed into the US (which seems a very small number to me to begin with), and that 1300 of them have been white South Africans.

I bumped this a day so as not to double up on Robert Reich. His analysis is IMO sound, and I don’t think it’s too soon to have it. What if a new Congress makes inpeachment ot the 25th viable? Or what if Dear Leader dies in office?

I hope this from The Conversation isn’t too depressing. How do sane people counter this kind of mentality? If only we knew.

And this from The Lever is also kind of depressing, and for the same reason. How do we counter the irrational? (I do feel any theory which does not address racism and/or misogyny is at best incomplete.)

Grift Certificate

Share

Open Thread June 8 2026

 Posted by at 5:58 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 082026
 

Yesterday, after saying it was a slow day, Malcolm had to come back and make an emerbency sequel when Iran attacked Israel. To steal one of his expressions – “not healthy.” As I type, Ihave noclue what will be happening today.

Remember what I said last week about Graham Platner’s tattoos a while ago, based on my experience with young male Marines? This quote, from a former Marine who served with him and got tattoos with him, says the same thing, only blunter: “No, we did not purposely get hateful fucking shit because we’re racist people,” he said. “We got matching tattoos because we were in our 20s, drunk in Croatia, and that’s it. That’s all that fucking happened.” I had to laugh. It really took me back to the day.

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/whos-most-responsible-for-the-monopolization
This from Robert Reich is history. But it’s history I don’t think is terribly widely known, even if you know the players. I admit it surprised me.

https://thefrankfigliuzzi.substack.com/p/i-see-dead-people-and-the-friday
This Frank Figliuzzi video is from Friday, and I assume most won’t watch the whole thing, or maybe any of it, but there is a full transcript. Scroll down to the line below Frank’s picture on the left, and the last opyion before the three dots is “Transcript.” Frank’s presentations re like a whole newspaper (a real one, back in the day), so skim through it, and you are likely to find at least one thing no one else has covered. Plus there is good news at the end.

https://www.theroot.com/13-organized-plots-against-black-america-that-are-worki-2000109731
This, straight from The Root, is also from Friday, and is also history

Share
 Older Entries  Newer Entries