Apr 262024
 

Yesterday, catching up on my email, I came across the comment (about Trump**) that “None of his family has showed up to support him.” Not that this is the first time I have seen it, sometimes with the variant “or friends” (he has no friends), but it was the first time it occurred to me that he probably would not consider their showing up to be support at all. He would see it as scene-stealing, and he’d be furious.

This short (2 minutes) video from the Center for Media and Democracy is about the movement on the right to have a new Constitutional Convention. I don’t like scaring people, but fear exists because it has survival value (in this case the survival of democracy.) We don’t need to panic – it’s not helpful – but we do need to be aware of it. The text under the video (I needed to click “more”) provides two links to more information.

After that, I need – and probably you do too – something upbeat. Colorado Public Radio doesn’t always deliver that – but today they came through.

Share
Apr 232024
 

Yesterday, going through my inbox, I was seeing message subjects like “I underestimated House Speaker Mike Johnson” (Steve Schmidt) and “Mike Johnson Grows Spine And Passes Ukrainian Aid Package” (Wonkette) and “Mike Johnson Measured UP” (also Steve Schmidt) and “Ukrainian Army Celebrates Major Victory Over M – oh, wait, that was Borowitz. Y’all may be seeing some similar ones, since we don’t all get the same emails. Hey, I like the result, but I don’t like the tendency to make Mike Johnson a hero. Yes, Johnson put some foreign aid through and got it passed – four bills – and he did it by making a deal with Hakeem Jeffries. There are multiple theories on the details of the deal – because they are not confirmed I won’t cite any – but I have only seen one comment to the effect that “This was very clever. It looks like something Mitch McConnell might do.” I agree. Yes, he got it done, but don’t go tinking he did it out of the goodness of his heart. We – by which I mean not only us here, but Democrats in Congress – need to watch him very carefully, and to look very carefully at the details of any future proposed deals, and negotiate firmly.

Robert Hubbell looks at the Ukraine vote with particular attention to the margin by which it passed, and extrapolates that in a way which, while not as positive as it might be, yet is more positive than many of us have been thinking. I hope he’s right – or that, if he’s wrong, the reality is even better.

Heather Cox Richardson memoralizes the history of Earth Day, among other things pointing out that environmentalism used to be bipartisan – or, better, to transcend partisan politics.

Share
Apr 212024
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Puccini’s “La Rondine” (The Swallow), his only comic opera (which still has a suffering heroine, but she doesn’t die.) It was written on commission from a Viennese theater. and was intended to be an Italian version of a Viennese operetta. Certainly some of them do not end with the lovers living happily ever after – off the yop of my head, thre’s “Juditta” and “The Land of Smiles”. Viennese operettas do, if I’m not mistaken, all have spoken dialogue, but Puccini only accepted the commission woth a stipulation of no spoken dialogue. The theme is true love v. riches and comfort. Basically, in the first act a poet’s newest work starts a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of both. in the second act she “flies like a swallow” from her sugar daddy to true love, and in the third, she “flies” back. Of course the music is luscious. Also yesterday, the House passed the foreign aid package after months of Republican anal retention (the reference is not to the content of the package necessarily, but to the conduct of Republicans.)

After the package was passed in the House, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) – toold them the truth and they thought it was hell.

This is heartbreaking – but it needs to be widely known. It explains a whole lot. And the article he links to should also be widely spread.

Share
Apr 122024
 

Yesterday, I heard from Trinette that she has a cold, and might not make it Sunday. I said let’s skip a week – I want you to be well. (Thoughts and prayers welcome.) Also, yes, I’m aware that O.J.Simpson died Wednesday. It’s not something I really want to discuss. But the New Yorker, the Atlanta Black Star, and The Root, are packed with discussion, so if anyone wants to, the resources exist.

I realize that conservative groups consistently mis-name themselves to suggest the opposite of whatever bug is in their brains when they form the group – but this is extreme even for them.

This is something Joe can do without Congress. and I think – but am not sure – that the Food for Thought might be another thing. If so, I’m all for it.

Share
Apr 102024
 

Yesterday, Democratic Underground had this short eclipse video from Xitter. I’m not going to send you to Xitter, but the embed is worth watching. (If you read the comments, you’ll know it was first posted by Eric Swalwell.)

Because this is not exactly current events, I held it for a few days. Heather Cox Richardson reviews the history of Yellowstone and of the Antiquities Act. It made me realize how close we came to not having something I have always taken for granted – our National Park system. I’ll try not to take it for granted any more.

Well, this doesn’t look good for my Congressinal District (Not that anything ever looks good for my Congressinal District.) On the other hand,perhaps, with enough publicity about this creep (of course I mean Williams, not Fish)a Dem might be able to win – or at the very least to make a good showing, which might be able to carry forward to 2026.)

Share
Mar 202024
 

Yesterday, I learned that The Borowitz Report is now on substack. That email I received notifying me explains why I hadn’t received any newsletters for some time … although my New Yorker subscription is still up to date. This is not earthshaing in itself – I’m only sharing it to remind everyone that to read freecolumns on substack, there’s no paywall, but there is a request to become a paid subscriber, and you need to find that request and click on “Keep reading” or “Let me read it first” or whatever opt-out Substack has assigned to that particular participant. I recommend we all get used to it. Just since I started reading Substack authors, which is less than a year, Wonkette has joined it, and Talking Points Memo, and now Borowitz, and the number and names of people who blog there would suggest that one might not really need anythng else but Substack in order to be well informed. I’m not going there – I have numerous other sources I don’t want to give up – but just sayin’.

Yes, I know, Joe Manchin. But this time he’s exactly right. And if he can be right on this, he can be right on at least some other things. Which may explain why the party has put up with him for so long.

Right wing jurists. “History and tradition.” G.K, Chesterton once wrote that tradition is de,ocracy extended through time. His example was, Democracy says “Don’t ignore a good man’s opinion, even if he is (insert caste designator here.)” Tradition says, “Don’t ignore a good man’s opinion, even if he is dead.” Aside from the obvious facts that only men are included, and that all appear presumed to be “good” (IIRC he was writing in the nineteen-oughts), I have no objection to attending to the opinions of the dead. I’m fine if they vote. I’m not fine with their being dictators from the grave. History (with a little help from archeology) tells us that human sacrifice was a tradition for literally thousands of years. I don’t know, or know of, anyone who wants it back.

Share
Mar 162024
 

Yesterday, I got very little done. Most of what I accomplished was clearing a way to the best seat to watch the actual television from – now that it’s working again. Escept that when it came time,  the heavy snow we’ve has the last two days had mangled the signal so badly I couldn’t watch  Fortunately , “Dead Man Walking” will be streamed through Passport – but the streams don’t start until the 19th. I was hoping not to have to wait. (I’ve already waited over 20 years just to hear it.) So, yes, this is skimpy.  And i’ll have listened to Turandot and been grateful.

I missed “Pi Day,” so this is a bit late. And this parody is a bit over 8 minutes (about the same as the original IIRC) but it’s worth every second of your time that it takes. It’s upbeat, but it made me reach for a hanky  It says, in a dfferent way, so much of what I have been feeling.  (I even put it into my email signature.)

If you’ve been wondering why suddenly TikTok is neeing named in bills and voted on in the House, and now going to the Senate, this should make it pellucidly clear.

Share
Mar 072024
 

Yesterday, the Beau video I have posted for today actually got a “Wow!” out loud from me (right about in the middle.) The Israeli government may be negligent and pidheaded, but the Israeli Armed forces (the IDF) – well, sometimes I wish our military were as smart and as outspoken as the Israeli one is being now.

This is from the New York Times (without the paywall). You know we always put a lot of effort into GOTV efforts, because when we vote we win – we are the majority. Republicans know that no amount of GOTV will give them wins, so they are putting effort into disqualifying legitimate voters .

I’m not sure what to make of this. It’s so crazy it’s funny – but it seems inappropriate to laugh at something so likely to cause so many deaths. (I wonder what Beau will have to say, if anything.)

Share