Oct 302025
 

Yesterday, I was led by DU to this in Law and Crime. Does anyone besides me think that a big factor in why their hatred is so ridiculously relentless is Chris Van Hollen? That they somehow think by persecuting Abrego Garcia so far past reason they are hurting – or at least thumbing their noses to – the Senator?

Honestly, no one knows what the numbers are like on the unlawful order issue. But we know there are some on the right side. Here are two of them, courtesy of CBS

I can’t link to just one section of the TPM Morning Memo – so I will just quote this:
Some Counter-Trolling in Action?
Two judges on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals during oral arguments in a terrorism case on Friday wondered aloud if the standard the government was using for aiding and abetting a crime would have swept up President Trump’s remarks in his infamous Ellipse speech on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Politico reports: “What if a large group of people, angry at Congress, gathered on the Washington Mall, some of whom have firearms, and are known to have firearms, and a leader stood in front of them, here, right in front of them, not in another country, and said, ‘Go down the street and fight like hell. I’ll be there with you,’” said Judge Stephanie Thacker, an Obama appointee on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. “To me, it sounds the same. So, if what you’re advocating is a crime, then what I just said is a crime — may be a crime,” Thacker said.

More Perfect Union doesn’t blow its own horn a lot – or, if it does, I don’t see it. But when it does – Katy, bar the door (yes, I’m old.) This is a report which on one level we all knew, but didn’t have receipts. Now we do.

Guest video from Paul Lance. I don’t know who he is either, but this is highly accurate (assuming opinions can be accurate – I think they can.)

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Sep 112025
 

Yesterday, I learned that the (Democratic) Governor of Kentucky was on Seth Meyers the night before. I don’t hav time to watch Seth much, and when I do, it’s usually just “A Closer Look. But I looked up this segment. It’s just under 11 minutes. If the Mango Monster gets wind of it, he’ll be calling for Seth Meyers to be fired along with Colbert and Kimmel.

Well, this is discouraging. I have not yet felt the consequences of DOGE in my Social Security checks – probably no one who has been receiving it electronically for over a decade and has no changes recently or in the near future has felt it, since the cuts so far have been personnel cuts which affect people dealing with new claims or claim changes. Or people receiving paper checks might be affected. Someone in the organization with more brains than God gave lettuce has set SSA’s computer to sent electronic checks early but make them “pending” until the day they are due – mine is due the second Wednesday of each month – but I could see it Monday and Tuesday as a “pending” transaction. There are cuts in the “Big Brutal Bill” but those have been set not to take effect at least until 2026 – possibly even after the midterms – Republicans know perfectly well how unpopular cuts to vital programs, not just SS, are and don’t want to lose their majority. Think that one through. They know they are not electorially safe in 2026 but think they will be in 2028.

There’s a good point being made here. And I’m sure everyone can think of multiple historical examples. If we do not have a way to hold someone accountable for a particular action, we are saying “Go ahead and do it” even if that is the last thing we intended. And it’s not as if we didn’t realize this could happen. My Lai was 57 years ago. We have had plenty of time to figure out how to deal with this. And we didn’t even try.

There’s really no need for me to comment on this article from The Root. It says it all. (Daily Kos covered it also, but it shouldn’t be missed.)

A guest video today – Heather Cox Richardson Longer than usual, but under ten minutes

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