Cheering broke out in the gallery and among Democrats on the floor of the House of Representatives this afternoon when the House passed the $60.8 billion aid bill for Ukraine.
It is interesting to me that appeals to defend democracy did not work. Appeals to equality did not work. Appeals to international rule of law did not work. Perhaps these are too abstract for conservatives? What did work? Accurately pointing out the Russian influence in MAGA positions. Let us hope that the parallels between Medvedev's statement wishing for civil war and the MAGA position of closing down the government are also realized. And, most of all, let us hope this understanding extends to real awareness among voters as well as legislators on all levels and opposing action to the absolutely real Russian influence on Trump himself.
Kem: a close examination of who voted for UK and who did not reveal a difference in Republican politics. Out of the 112 Rs who voted against funding UK, 100 were totally safe Republican seats in the House! They had no political fear from Democrats and they faithfully obeyed Trump! Only 10 who voted Republican votes against funding UK are marginally vulnerable to be beaten in November. What turned this funding bill in favor of UK were 100 Republicans who were afraid they would lose their job in November either because they are in close races for re-election or are in marginal districts located in cities or surburbs with educated Republicans in the majority. Note that every CD in California and NY that Republicans fear they might lose in November voted in favor of funding Ukraine! And other CDs here and there up and down the coasts and the upper Midwest now in Republican hands played it safe and voted to fund UK rather than up piss off American families with backgrounds in Europe who are rooting for Ukraine to beat Russia. In short, this total vote was determined by about 100 local politicians in Congress on the Republican side, many of whom are in danger of going down with Trump in November, and were covering their bases by voting for the brave Ukrainians! Good for them but a good many will be beat in November anyway because of abortion, gun safety, climate change, a great economy and a level headed President who has accomplished so much good against a crazy criminal whose time is finally up forever——thankfully!
'Top GOPers’ extraordinary comments on their party and Russian propaganda' (WAPO)
Ira, the realistic political handicapping that you detailed does not undermine the necessary exposure of the Trump's alliance and far-right Republican's with Putin and what that means in real terms to the loss of rights of the American people. Trump as he sits and squirms in Court looks smaller and smaller. This is an important opportunity for journalists, President Biden, the Democratic Party and a group of Republicans, including Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) and Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio) to expose the infiltration of Russian propaganda in Trump's Republican Party.
'Two key GOP chairmen are merely the latest to warn about how Russian influence has infected their party' (WAPO, excerpt)
'During the first impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in 2019, former Trump national security aide Fiona Hill made an extraordinary plea. Seated in front of congressional Republicans, she implored them not to spread Russian propaganda.'
“In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” 'she told them. She was referring to comments they had made during her earlier deposition, remarks that breathed life into a baseless, Trump-backed suggestion that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.'
“These fictions are harmful even if they’re deployed for purely domestic political purposes,” 'she added.'
'Republicans on the committee blanched at the suggestion that they had served as conduits for Russian misinformation, but Hill refused to back down.'
'Five years later, Republicans are starting to grapple more publicly with the idea that this kind of thing is happening in their ranks.'
'In an interview with Puck News’s Julia Ioffe, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) — none other than the GOP chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — flat-out said that Russian propaganda has' “infected a good chunk of my party’s base.”
'McCaul suggested conservative media was to blame.'
“There are some more nighttime entertainment shows that seem to spin, like, I see the Russian propaganda in some of it — and it’s almost identical [to what they’re saying on Russian state television] — on our airwaves,” 'McCaul said.' (WAPO) See gifted link below.
Thank you for this. This has been going on for a long, long time. I've suspected the reason Putin's government torpedoed Hillary Clinton's campaign is they knew she would be a competent and tough leader.
Susan, just think of all the mess, for lack of a better word, that Trump wrought, that would have been avoided had Hillary won.
Level-headed people would have helped make decisions that would have brought our country together instead of the impulsive, MAGA-related nonsense that has divided us.
There have always been people who are susceptible to being cult members, but Trump brought them out in numbers that I had no idea were so large. I heard one man say, when asked if he would still support Trump as a dictator, that yes he would.. What?? If that's not what being a cult member is, I don't know what is.
There are still many people who think that having a woman president would never work. There are still many people who never have and never will like or respect Hillary. Having said that, I believe we would not have strayed from our belief in the Constitution that no one person should ever be allowed to rule us and stop the workings of Congress because those workings wouldn't benefit him.
I'm not saying that things would have been perfect under Hillary, but I doubt if we would have MAGA crazies and the likes of Mike Johnson and Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to run the show. And what a show they have run. Disgraceful!
I have no doubt that Hilary - knowing how government actually works - would have done a good job as president. But thinking back about Obama's presidency & the disgusting backlash over it - I'm pretty sure the dumpster & his allies would be doing just what they have been currently. Sadly, its not only dumpster boy - its all those cult members that lined up behind him & activated Greene-Gaetz-Gosar-on and on.
I just hope that there will actually BE consequences slapped onto him - finally.
Maggie, I have been so discouraged for eight years, waiting, expecting, hoping, knowing that Trump would be held accountable for all his illegal actions. He never was until now.
If he isn't found guilty of everything he's charged with, then there IS no justice in this world.
I agree that there are always people who disrupt and challenge, but I've never seen the likes of Donald Trump's hold on people who might normally be less vindictive and dangerous.
I just shake my head in amazement when I think of how close we came to have had HRC as the president. Our country would be light years ahead of where it is now, assuming a somewhat cooperative Congress. Trump and his corrupt administration put our country quite literally into the dark ages. And we have not yet climbed out of it.
Thanks again Susans and Fern… many have done their part diligently and most will not see the thanks nor as they walked -need it. Far from many is the behind the scene’s crew getting little but a 100mph scan accolade in credits. Yet they (by my tally) are the silent majority , perhaps even the backbone so early obscured by the noisy crowd glamoring for a feigned hats tip.
The cast of honorees:
President Biden and Team
…and their true BLUES 😊
Liz, Adam , now Mitt…and their sparce wagon full
I will state proudly again though…thanks for the lesson… needing taught again
I can’t help but think that my many calls to my Congressional reps telling them in no uncertain terms that I was NOT for Putin and Russia and did not want my country to side with these autocrats helped to sway this political change.I am sure many, many others placed these calls along with letter-writing and other correspondences.With the upcoming election, Russian propaganda and AI are very real threats to our democracy and we must continue to be vigilant and aware.
I did, but my rep, Tim Burchett, who is Freedom Caucus-adjacent, said he would not send more money to Ukraine “without a plan,” whatever that meant. Later I heard the phrase by someone else and then I realized it was a talking point.
Stefanik is a member of the Neville Chamberlain Fan Club? It what we get by letting the football coaches teach history in middle schools through the country…
I have a summer home in Stefanik’s district. It is home to some of the nicest, most caring, incredibly philanthropic people who go out of their way to support communities of Don’t Tread on Me flags ( they pretty much stopped with the Confederate flag thing) anti Biden yard signs, grossly decorated trucks, who are wary of strangers and disdainful of summer residents like me. I truly hope Trump picks her for VP and we can get back to someone like Bill Owens. “Soviet Stefanik”in the North Country ? Totally weird !
When he first communicated with me (via email) and said that I thought "what is he talking about?". (I think the guy is an idiot normally.) It was later when I heard the same words from one of the "Freedom" people (theirs, not ours) that I realized it was a talking point. I should have thought of that at the beginning.
Thank you fir making the calls. As a Canadian watching I am grateful for all who are working tirelessly to expose the threat of Russia. Your calls do make a difference!
In part, here's the problem, proving the truth of Pres. G.W. Bush's remarks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on 3/31/2001: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." This is an absolute fact, sadly. Putin knows this and he knows that TFFG is firmly under his thumb, probably because of blackmail material.
Social media is an extraordinary tool of disinformation and misinformation. We have lost many journalists in this country, along with newspapers. We must get some of those journalist back through digital outlets committed to journalism - funding essential - government - foundations - universities. Pressure on Biden -- grassroots organization -- WE NEED A FREE PRESS MOVEMENT.
But it is or was the free press and cable news anchors that fawned over tfg's every gasp and treated M. T. Greene as the official spokesperson for the GOP. They ignored Biden's legislative achievements and it's effects on the economy and our lives. TFG is not so interesting as he squirms in the court- room.
I have found a solid degree of journalism as a reader of The New York Times, Washington Post, Atlantic Magazine, NEWYORKER, Boston Globe, VOX and quite a few other journalistic outlets. It may be that I know and follow the strong journalists on those outlets, including writers, such as economist Paul Krugman. It may be that my selection process and knowledge of journalism have kept me busy in the best lanes.
As the MAGA GOP ridicules outlets for being too partisan to the left & calls to defund NPR. It is not the party or opposing goals of a journalist or outlet, it is the focus on alternate facts, misinformation and lack of reviewed & valid data that is deplorable yet ever present in the "news loops" .
Given what we already know about the Teflon Don, I'm deeply fascinated about what the Russians have on him.
I'd also love to see a dump of Epstein's trash some day. Before he got into plying and filming powerful people with girls, he did a lot of interesting money stuff. He knew *all* the shady transactions.
Anyway, I think what Putin has on T might curl our eyelashes.
Here in Flordia Gov. DeSantis wants the schools to start teaching about Communism in grade school, when what should be taught is what makes a democracy works (one person, one vote, majority rule) along with the elements of critical thinking, spotting confirmation bias as the first stumbling block along the way. It is now very obvious that our schools failed in this regard.
Richard, with both parents working and under extraordinary pressure, with no governmental support, much less social play among youngsters, the effects of the way technology without regulation and monitoring are used... Count the ways, Richard.
Yes, the indoctrination begins in grade school. Meanwhile Senator Scott’s campaign ads equate Communism with Socialism. Then he promises to stop the “Socialist agenda” (Democratic policy) in Washington.
In Florida, Democrats are viewed as Communists/Socialists and therefore the enemy while Republicans voice Russian talking points. The blatant double speak is astonishing. MAGA has taken control of our Legislature, many school boards and Universities/Colleges.
Meanwhile the seas are heating up and killing marine life; seas are rising, slowly inundating coastal communities (our biggest tax base); insurance rates are soaring; libraries are banning books; local rule has been decimated by state legislators; a 6 week abortion ban will soon be law; municipalities that defy DeSantis are defunded; Republicans are moving here in droves because of politics and lack of state income tax driving up prices; affordable housing is disappearing; workers can’t afford to live here so service providers can’t find employees to staff businesses; prisons lack A/C or even adequate ventilation.
Yes, Richard, I agree with you. What makes democracy work is what should be taught! All week long the Florida news on NPR has been playing DeSantis saying how important it is to start as early as Kindergarten to teach kids about the dangers of communism, which I am sure will evolve into teaching anti-socialism and pro-capitalism. And I doubt the dangers of fascism will be mentioned. As early as Kindergarten, no less. Talk about early brainwashing! I can understand why so many Florida teachers are leaving to teach elsewhere! Being told what they can and cannot say or teach, what books they can or cannot use, with risks of being fired! Yikes! Parents of young children will need to be vigilant about all this. Plus, if Republicans have their way here in Florida, public schools will become a thing of the past.
Governor worst idiot wants to continue the dumbing down of our young. .,,starting in grade school. There is a place, there is a time, there is so much that would expand understanding, there is so much that would challenge the brain. Sort of like was done for Alexander Hamilton as a young man. And Governor idiot wants to inculcate his view of the world. Does he want the young to know that chump is Putin's stooge. Heaven help us.
No, nonononono! Grade school social studies is for learning about our neighborhoods, communities, local government, then on to US History & government in the middle grades. My civics class in 12th grade in Florida 1967 inccluded one semester of Communism. A few films showing the Red Threat were thrown in. And as Pensacola had the largest Naval Air Station which would be a likely target during the Cuban Missle Crisis we did a fair amount of hiding under our desks, like that would protect us from fallout.
Yes!! This is what I believe too. Start in grade 6 and build up their knowledge on how all governments are created and how they fall. We must push for more public funding in this. We have the same issue here in Canada.
It is MAGA that has Trump Derangement Syndrome. He's apolitical, not opposed to dem policies. His positions on Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Hungary, et. al. have nothing to do with domestic governance or international leadership. He only wants to be king and stay out of jail. He's ludicrous, demented, and unfit full stop. Hillary was right. His supporters are deplorable.
Lauren Lundgren, do you know the effects of Trump's tax cut for the wealthy has had on the country's economy or considered how his lack of addressing our deteriorating infrastructure impacted transportation, commerce, public safety, etc.? What about his lies and negligence with reference to treating COVID? Do you think his lies about the presidential election has had of no effect? What about the attack on the US Capitol? Has his opinions of the press, Muslims, Mexicans, American cities, etc., and appointments of 'pro life' justices to the Supreme Court....have had no effect? That is start on subjects you may want to learn more about with reference to Trump's politics, self-interest and public service.
You misunderstand me, Fern. I believe he is driven entirely by self-interest, and his politics are just a veneer to get what he wants. What I think he wants is unquestioning loyalty and unfettered power to stay out of jail and put money in his pocket. The more he loses in court and from his pocket, the more he puts on the messianic martyrdom he thinks will save him from losing it all.
Of course I know the effect his chicanery has had and will have on the country and the world. I just don't think he cares or even thinks about either. I think he is motivated purely by his psychological demons, and politics is a means, not an end for him.
Thank you for your response, Lauren. My response was with regard to your initial description of the former president. To quote, 'He's apolitical, not opposed to dem policies. His positions on Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Hungary, et. al. have nothing to do with domestic governance or international leadership.' I did not think any of those points were accurate and provided several examples indicating how we differ in our assessments of the former president on the basis that you had laid out. My sense is that we have gone as far as we can for the time being. Salud.
Yes, Fern. Russian propaganda is flooding right wing media. And what’s the goal? Heather left us with the answer in her closing quotation from Medvedev. Another American civil war. Putin and his allies want to reconstitute the USSR as a new Russian empire, and to make that happen they need to get the US out of the way. But they don’t want to bring down the US just to make their path to empire easier. They want to show the world that they can get us to destroy ourselves by putting our national dark side on display. To them, we are not a shining city on a hill. In this view, we just pose as the world’s standard bearer for freedom, all the while serving our own corrupt interests the way the Russians themselves do. No matter what happens to Trump, this propaganda will continue because it’s working, it has a solid foothold, and it serves to satisfy their own grievances with the United States.
Sadly, these "newly awakened" Republicans knew ALL ALONG that Trump was Putin's tool, and that they and their party were infiltrated with (and thus controlled by) Russian money, but it wasn't until The Voters made it clear that their ballots will only support, oh, DEMOCRACY, that they suddenly gasped and exclaimed, "Oh! Who Knew! We Will Stop The Russian Invasion!"
Thanks, as always, Fern, for this gifted article. You are a gift!
MaryPat, my eyes are moist at seeing your name and grateful for your presence. The next few days will keep my attention elsewhere, nevertheless, you are always in my heart. Salud!
Not sure what happened. I had replied about having trouble parsing your quotes, and the meaning of it all, and then you replied, and then my reply to your reply disappeared!
Matt, those quotes indicate how Russian propaganda has infiltrated the Republican Party and Trump's position on Ukraine as well as fundamentally a threat to democracy. To quote again from the Washington Post article that I posted: 'During the first impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in 2019, former Trump national security aide Fiona Hill made an extraordinary plea. Seated in front of congressional Republicans, she implored them not to spread Russian propaganda.' “In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” 'she told them. She was referring to comments they had made during her earlier deposition, remarks that breathed life into a baseless, Trump-backed suggestion that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.' “These fictions are harmful even if they’re deployed for purely domestic political purposes,” 'she added.' 'Republicans on the committee blanched at the suggestion that they had served as conduits for Russian misinformation, but Hill refused to back down.' 'Five years later, Republicans are starting to grapple more publicly with the idea that this kind of thing is happening in their ranks.' 'In an interview with Puck News’s Julia Ioffe, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) — none other than the GOP chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — flat-out said that Russian propaganda has' “infected a good chunk of my party’s base.” 'McCaul suggested conservative media was to blame.'
I'm from Alabama, and unfortunately my congressman - Barry Moore is a MAGA. I wrote and called his office. I also got a few friends and family to do the same on Friday. Then tonight I wrote his office again expressing disappointment - probably to no avail. I will continue to vote blue - although I think my vote in Alabama hardly matters.
I messaged my congressman here in East Texas Saturday morning, urging him to vote for Ukraine aid. He did. He also replied to me complaining about the failure of the border bill. I messaged him again today as follows:
"Thank you for voting for military and humanitarian aid to strengthen democracy and fight autocracy in our world.
As to border security, the Senate sent a timely Ukraine aid bill to the House early in the year that addressed border security, as demanded by the House. Speaker Johnson refused to bring that bill to a vote, perhaps due to fealty to a man who still fancies himself in charge of the U.S. It is Speaker Johnson's fault , and the fault of those MAGA Republicans who hold him hostage, that border security did not accompany aid to Ukraine. In a democracy, there is no room for a shady, shadow alternative "president" - only the President elected by the people.
Sarah- From time to time I have voted for 3rd party candidates who had little chance of winning. But, I did it anyway, because often I knew they were the best candidate for the constiuents. Although I have lived in CA, ME and IL, where the candidates I voted for often won, the other 7 states I voted in were either purple or red.
My advice to you would be to keep voting your conscience. You know who the better candidates are and it's good for the winner that you don't vote for to know that there are people out there that aren't MAGA or whatever.
"My advice to you would be to keep voting your conscience [for third party candidates.]
Invoking conscience to justify doing harm turns ethics its head. Conscience is the inner voice which urges us to look outside our individual impulses towards what we can do for the greater good. Voting for Jill Stein or RFKJR and electing Donald Trump is not an act of conscience. It is an act of self indulgence. Voting is not an individual exercise in personal expression or an exercise in messaging. Voting is a political strategy to transfer power. Uniting at the ballot box is a political
tactic to take power towards achieving shared goals.
Voting for Putin gal Stein to send Trump the message that he doesn't have an absolute mandate did not stop Republicans in power from stacking the courts with racist right wing religious extremists, who are degrading our civil rights and aiding Trump and the GOP insurrectionists to escape accountability. Voting for Bannon boy RFKJR will help Republicans in power continue repurposing our democratic republic as a clerical fascist state.
We have a two party system. It is all about party not persons. Certainly in presidential politics. Because it is through the two party system that persons take power. If you want to change that then you need to build a third party from the ground up, not follow some self aggrandizing Pied Piper over a cliff. Although you could change a major party from within, as the right wing did with the Republican party. It took them decades to do it - and now for decades their Supreme Court decisions will continue to harm our most vulnerable neighbors, fragile planet, and endangered democracy.
lin: You are exactly right to say that voting is NOT the time to exercise self indulgence.
I recently heard about a question on climate change someone asked Bill McKibben who has been so forceful in crying out about the dangers ahead of us as a planet. The questioner asked: "What can I do to be helpful?"
McKibben's answer was this: "Stop being an individual."
Jamie Raskin in a supporter of ranked voting which would make a third party less important. He is very skillful and smart in his politics. I would follow his lead in this.
Ahh. I used to live in Raskin's district. I follow him on CSpan and would follow his political lead on almost any issue. Now, in Maine, I volunteered to institute Ranked Choice Voting. You are absolutely correct - RCV is the answer to more voices and maintaining majority wins.
Lin, so well-said. I try to respond to people who post anti-Biden, pro-RFK or Jill Stein, but you have done it better. I hope you don’t mind if I copy your post and use it with those self-indulgent self-righteous folks?!
Many people have tried to build a 3rd party with little success. The most success people have had is running as Independents and then caucusing with one party or the other. Some of our best Senators have run as Independents - Angus King, Bernie, George Norris.
It's the money in politics that corrupts the system and prevents a 3rd party from gaining traction. Both the Democrats and the Republicans prevented Ralph Nader from debating Bush and Gore in 2000. I voted for Nader party because of this, but mostly because he is the most ethical, intelligent and selfless person to ever run for President.
It's ironic that in our state, there are more Independent voters than Republicans or Democrats and yet there are so few Independents ever voted into office.
Sarah, thank you for contacting your MAGA Rep and encouraging others !
I did the same with my Fl Freedom Caucus Rep who I frequently call.I’d list him in my contacts but don’t want to get my phone infected. 🐜📲 I also email/Resistbot .
Don’t think your vote won’t matter. Even if Moore was to be reelected, the more people vote for the Democrat the more likely he will be to be careful about his votes. He needs to feel vulnerable.
Also, when other people in Alabama are wondering whether it’s worth it for them to run for office, the first thing they’ll look at is the number of people who showed up to vote last time. That’s a reason to keep at it.
You did something important! Calling and getting others to call and express your opinion on that vote is huge. Thank you. It’s sitting back and not trying that is so dangerous.
Thank you for contacting your congressman. And Please vote. We don’t know how many people in red states feel the way you feel and cumulatively, if enough republicans vote blue (just this once), it may help. It won’t help at all, if they decide that their vote doesn’t matter.
Check out Jess Piper's Substack newsletter about being blue in ted Missouri. She ran for office, so her Republican opponent would have to spend money, debate her, and talk to voters. She ran on issues concerned families like the Child Tax Credit. Her opponent ran on things like Hunter Biden's laptop. She ran because otherwise her opponent would have been unopposed. People like her are real heroes.
That is so well said. Thank you. And for whatever reason, I am glad aid to UKRAINE passed. I'm sick of Russian Oligarchs, Trump, and the rest of the rightwing bastards.
Thank you, Susan, Ira, and many I’ve not yet read…Succinct and to that point: 🗣️TOO LATE ‘’bastards’’ ! Your number (S) are forever in the halls of traitors. Be it a lost backbone, cow-towing, coat-tailing, it’s cement shoes you put on yourselves.
Forever this period and those that follow ‘the suits ‘ will be written history, losses 11/5 or the next round, THE RUSE IS UP!
I personally take no glee in it, the stain is purely American .
BRAVO to the Europeans who took up the slack in the rape rope MAGA and their COMPLICIT let loose.
And to those who have steadfast fought to make this all seen from the first spoken LIE …THANK YOU!
Stay the course mates, it’s not over yet, the clean sweep is 🗣️GET OUT YER BROOMS! CLEAN SWEEP!
I wish 100 currently red seats were plausibly at risk of flipping, but realistically it's more like 20.
Nevertheless, you are correct in stating that perhaps THE major driving force in the votes of every Repub congressperson is fear of getting primaried. The fact that it is the faux moderates who seem to always be in the most danger of a primary and not the even-more-extremists tells you where the energy and center of gravity is in the party now. In contrast, the Democrats with the most real chance of getting booted from within this year all belong to the left-most flank, and there are not that many of them to begin with.
The adults have control of one side of the aisle and the toddlers have control of the other.
'Trump struggles to stay awake on the first day of his hush money trial. Could it be that he’s finally as bored with himself as we’ve been for decades?'
'Trump made headlines this week by falling asleep at his trial. But was it really news?
'Don Snoreleone has a long history of catching some z’s during work hours, as these photos reveal...' (A.Borowitzsubstack) See link below.
MLMinET, I did not have a paywall problem but suggest that you google Borowitz substack. There should not be a problem as he would naturally like to increase subscribership.
Will, do you think a more radical right primary figure would actually win? I think the climate is changing away from extremes on both ends of the spectrum.
The sadness, at least for me, is that there is SO much money being thrown at him, when so many children need so much. I want that money, to start centers that teach pregnant teenagers how to raise their babies and work in daycares to assure others a stable beginning. I want that money to go toward setting up a middle school service programs where we lose the entitlement in favor of service.I want that money to go to funding fragile and sacred to people environments, free from plunder by oil and mining interests. And finally,
Thanks also , Will, from Cal., and all those of us who continue closing up the gaping hole like my g.g.g.Uncle Joshua Chamberlain , the win just a whisper in the wind , but solid.
Maybe, but, using Ockham’s razor as a guide, the simplest viewpoint is that being painted as a “commie” sympathizer would not go well in those same red-leaning states, whether in a primary or a general election against a Dem opponent. So it’s not the ones who voted against the aid packages that I am writing about, but those who voted for it.
If Occam’s razor brings to mind images of stubbled gentlemen and shaving cream, you’re not actually that far off! Occam’s razor (also known as the ‘law of parsimony’) is a philosophical tool for ‘shaving off’ unlikely explanations. Essentially, when faced with competing explanations for the same phenomenon, the simplest is likely the correct one.
Namesake William of Occam said the best explanation of any phenomenon is the one that makes the fewest assumptions. A statement that includes many ‘ifs’ should trigger mental alarm bells: you should consider Occam’s razor and investigate it further.
Some argue that the scientific method was built upon the principles of Occam’s razor. Underdetermination says that for any theory in science there will always be at least one other rival theory that could conceivably be correct, so the scientific method uses Occam’s razor in order to circumvent this issue and choose a working hypothesis.
Remember, however, that Occam’s razor is a heuristic, a rule of thumb, to suggest which hypothesis is most likely to be true. It doesn’t prove or disprove, it simply leads you down the path that’s most likely to be correct. Also, ‘simplicity’ is often subject to heavy debate, so you and I might come to different conclusions when faced with a decision between the same 2 hypotheses.
Oddly enough Occam's razor would suggest that your spelling of Ockham is incorrect, but Ockham is another acceptable spelling. Which is the simpler explanation?
Gary, what fun! The simplest explanation is that he was, in the naming conventions of the 14th century, William of Ockham, I.e., from Ockham, and that is how the town’s name is spelled.
Did you watch "The Last Kingdom" where they should the names of the towns in the 9th and 10th century and then translated them into the current town name.
Your post reminded me of that. I was fascinated with how much the spelling's changed over time.
Astute analysis, Ira. I imagine the letter writing over the past several months had a telling effect. Sadly, the MAGA crowd, bolstered by such safe seats, will be back to poison pill the House. I wonder though if this, coupled with a Dem re-win of the House and hopefully a few more seats in the Senate, come November, will begin to move for a reshaping of the Republican Party, into what? I just can't think right now. Let's hope the GOP takes enough hammering on women's reproductive health issues, but i don't know, Trump takes the credit for corrupting the SC but good old Baptist Mitch spearheaded the effort. Be careful GOP what you wish for.
Great , let the Republicans be fearful of losing their seats. I agree with you 100% . Hopefully their realizing that they are at dead end street. Yes , I do agree we will this November.
You make a salient point, Ira. Yesterday I wrote my Representative , Rich McCormick, to express my disgust at his No vote on Ukraine. He only got the job because Georgia gerrymandered Lucy McBath out of the district. (And they have done so a second time now.) His MAGA right wing support for DeSantis and now Trump disgust me. I had to jump through hoops to send that email. Representatives want to collect information about their voters and will not accept contact unless you fill out that information first. I suspect they don't even read it if a person doesn't check the "expect reply" box. I also bet they don't listen to phone calls and toss out the paper letters. Of course, paper mail is in jeopardy in Georgia at least; thanks to Louis DeJoy, the P.O. can't deliver mail on time anymore. Only 38% of mail delivered within metro Atlanta gets delivered within 3 days. This government ineptitude is what McCormick and other MAGA ilk want.
ira, Let's hope that they go down anyway. People should donate to swing district Ds, so that we can help them win against vulnerable Rs. We already have D ads in Oregon for two people that national Ds favor and believe can win even though they haven't won primaries yet. Especially important is the 5th district here in Oregon won by a R. The D that lost against her seems to think she will be the D candidate and hopefully she won't be because she can't win in my county.
KEM. thank you for this excellent post. When I posted the letter to my Facebook page, I called attention to the quote from Medvedev. I always end my posts with vote D.
When you look at comments on political articles on AOL, Newsweek, WAPO, etc. there are so many anti-Biden comments and likes of those comments.
Do you ever wonder about the level of Russian cyber-attacks that are going on out there?
And many of them are Bots that post based on words or names in the articles. Others come from troll farms.
The Ukrainians and the Russian rebels have done an excellent job of bombing targets inside of Russia. I wonder if they have hit any of these troll farms.
The growing distaste for Biden over his open support of genocide is not driven by bots. it's driven by revulsion at the Palestinian Holocaust and America's central role in it. Biden supports Ukraine while surrendering the Arab and larger Islamic world and the global South generally to China and Russia all for fear of AIPAC.
To support Gazans and oppose Netanyahu/War Cabinet policy is NOT anti-Semetic. It is pro-Justice. The Gazans are largely Semites themselves being descended from Abraham, too.
The Gazans have been prisoners of Hamas for 18 years. And most of them had nothing to do with Hamas' October Raid.
After the Fiascoes of the destroyed apartment buildings and Hospitals, and mass murders of 33,000 Gazans, Israel tops off its rampage with the annihilation of the World Central Kitchens volunteers food run in vehicles with clearly marked WCK logos on the roofs.
Today, they followed up with another bungled airstrike that killed 8 more civilians. What Netanyahu's pig-headedness is to create 5 more generations of Hamas 'terrorists' to Israelis, but 'freedom fighters' to Palestinians.
Today also Reuter's reports:
"Thousands of Israelis join anti-government protests".
Maybe someone should inform AIPAC that they do not respresent Israelis?
"Democracy... equality... rule of law... Perhaps these are too abstract for conservatives?"
No, at least not to *actual* old-school conservatives. Trouble is, the lion's share of the current crop of Repub politicians don't have any principles, because they don't need any to do what they do, which is occupy a seat doing nothing but the occasional bout of yelling. They are only there to block the people who wish to take positive, constructive action from being able to do so. Remember, the party hasn't had a published platform in years. Maintaining a grip on power to block progress is the game they are playing.
The very relieving results today were not the result of a sudden urge to bipartisanship, and certainly not a change of heart on behalf of our perpetually gassy-looking Speaker. The results are due to an increase in vocal demands from constituents that made it clear that doing the wrong thing had become more of a risk to their jobs than doing the right thing. Period. Oh, and Dems continually being reasonable, to the level that they were willing to publicly suggest they would cover the opposing party leader's butt with their votes were a motion to vacate made. That too.
The Republicans have been seduced by easy money and TV lifestyles. It's all smoke and mirrors. It's all a kind of weird glitz that any seduction produces.--a feel good, I'm powerful, I'm important, I'm sexy when there is no love, compassion, or courage involved. Eventually, this is boring. Eventually, this is empty. Eventually, the people with spirit and character speak up and that is where I think we are just now.
The problem is that those 'people with spirit and character' no longer exist in the current Republican party. Character? I seem to recall that went out of fashion in the Republican party after Nixon left office: there were Republicans who had character and the courage to confront him. That type of Republican left the party long ago. This current crop only finds 'character' when something threatens them in the next election. Fear is a great motivator: we shouldn't equate it with 'character'.
"therefore, be it resolved, That the Republican National Committee hereby formally censures Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and shall immediately cease any and all support of them as members of the Republican Party for their behavior which has been destructive to the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic, and is inconsistent with the position of the Conference,"
Susan, do you sense, as I do, a little shifting in the wind? Yesterday’s Trump rally in Wilmington, NC was postponed due to weather coming in. So sad, not! Here was another setback for Trump’s campaign. Do you think that the Devil who controls Trump is losing some power, and with Earth Day coming the powers of nature are aligning to set the world right again?
Will, “they are only there to block people who wish to take constructive action…” To me, that’s just another way of saying they want to destroy our government. So, I think we agree—by action as well as word they are echoing Russian goals. The Russian rhetoric has gotten increasingly belligerent, and I don’t know how much longer they will contain that belligerence to just verbal volleys. I used to be frustrated that US aid to Ukraine was just enough to maintain the status quo, and not enough to help Ukraine actually repel Russian invasion. Now I am pondering whether Russia under Putin will ever stop anywhere.
Medvedev:s statement can be read as revealing that the Kremlin understands that its information war operations aimed at Americans have failed, as he used to play the role of the Westernized good cop to Putin, but now we see it's no more Mr. Nice Guy. That said, we would be fools to suppose that these efforts will slacken. Rather we have every reason to anticipate that these efforts intensify even as they prove ineffective.
In so far as your foreboding is concerned, the only good news to be extracted from this Congressional after action report is that, thanks to America, this war will go on; and it will not be over soon. For so long as Russia has its hands full trying to cope with the disaster that Putin has brought up on it by trying to subject Ukraine to his will, it will be in no position to menace any other countries, such as the Baltics in particular, which understand that they will indeed be next. But this still leaves the authoritarian power structure in Russia on place with a free hand to engage in internal repression of restive regional minorities and the pervasive suppression of all dissent and to thus pursue Putin's long stand goal of reconstituting the Soviet Union. (minus communism), eg, the Russian empire. And the sobering truth to be gained from what has happened to Russia over the course of the 21st Century thus far as its slide back into totalitarianism has gained speed, is that this does not mean that Russian society can be expected to crumble merely due to the strain that this war has placed upon it. .Much less will it weaken because of and decisive display of resolve by other countries, nor because of American support for Ukraine, nor for that matter, because of any successes Ukraine may have on the battlefield.
This war is far from over It is just beginning. It will be a long one. How it turns out will be as consequential to America as it will be to all of Europe. There will be a price to be paid for allowing Russia to reconquer Ukraine
Well, Medvedev still has to appear to be Putin's guy, lest he somehow have one of those strange "accidents" that seem to plague Putin's out-of-favor oligarch buddies.
Oh, they are both up to their necks in this. They have sworn a blood oath and feathered their nests sumptuously. I'm gonna go back and review his personal history. My hunch is that he is the one overseeing the Kremlin's information war and foreign influence operations.
Liberty and justice for ALL is never going to be perfect, but we can always do better, and every step in that direction is a step away from preventable suffering.
Very well stated. I grew up with roots in, and respect for, both Parties. No one where I came from would ever have thought of the M.A.G.A. slags hijacking the Party of Lincoln. But that occurred. I scat in 2017 after Justice Kavanaugh was confirmed. I suspect that many of the one hundred twelve Representatives who voted for Ukraine did so largely because it was meet and right so to do. Kudos to them. My suspicion, alas, may be more of *a desperate hope.
Other potential reasons for Mr Johnson's and his GOP's very quick about-face and going against TFG have begun to surface. The below quote was taken from another blog post. It could be bogus but, if true would be a major story. I wouldn't normally repost but mainstream media can't be trusted now due to their both-sidism bias and HCR's readers are well-sourced so, thought it worth sharing to see if anyone has info or can find it. If so, please share. It is suggesting that Johnson's surprise turnaround may have to do with Iran's recent target choices in their attack on Israel were part of the intel within TFG's theft of US Top Secret docs. As said, this is unsubstantiated but, would sure like to hear more if anyone has info on it or can find it. The post below is from GBDoggo:
"Something changed the last few days. Mike Johnson talked to a few people and all of a sudden he and other remaining moderate republicans are on board with working with dems and going against trump and maga. BaddCompani on twitter said some things are about to happen. People were piecing some things together. Iran hit targets in Israel that were in the intel that trump stole. The only way they would have received this is through trump. Israel moved their assets, so Iran didn't get much for their flurry of drones and missiles. Notice the magas, including Marge voted against Ukraine aid and Marge put every talking point of Russian propaganda as amendments on the bill before it passed. Because Mike knows something, they just became a real minority in the house. They won't be vacating the chair, they are now powerless to do anything but crow, but watch that go away soon. Trump can't help them either, he is the millstone around their necks now."
Yes, it appears that *something* is going on in Trump World especially related to Iran’s (et al) recent attacks. It makes me wonder if (or how much) Richard “Rick” Grinell (Trump’s “special envoy”) knows (via Mar a Lago documents) and is spreading on his recent “tour.” Not too scary, huh?
Interesting and arresting, for me in one and should be for Trump in another. My question is how this intel. got to Iran. EDIT: I should add, ¿why would Grinnell or Trump want that information to get into Iranian hands? I thought Trump would want to drumpf Iran rather than help her.
Yes, agreed and which is why it seemed worth sharing. If true, it could remain "classified" (which is what Johnson maintained as the reason he all-of-a-sudden made the decision to back the aid pkg) inc how it got into the hands of Iran. That said, speculation would or will run rampant given that the stolen intel was in the hands of one rapidly deteriorating, desperate and unrepentant, revenge-filled maniac so,......
Here's one additional link that shares Johnson's quote for his change-of-heart when confronted by Maggie Q's equally unrepentant and unforgivable rage for his shift to placing country before party for the first time.
It also occurred to me that those secrets made their way to Putin and then over to the his fellow gangster régime in Teheran. If this hot topic prove true, really why would I be surprised. The question, "Is Trump a traitor?" is almost as rhetorical as the question, "ls the Pope Catholic?" Will enjoy the Q-ball's vid., I am sure; thank you. 🤝
Desperate hope is not altogether bad. All Republicans are not bad people by any means. But Russian influence may be just the threat they need to stand up for democracy against the tranny of stupidity. Ignorance is not our bliss.
Certainly. Trumpies, or the cognitive underclass, include many people who know better. That is my big concern: ambition above everything, ideology over anything.
I'm afraid you're suspicion is right, Ned. Sorry, but all the Repugnants in Congress have done for the last 3 years would support the opposite. Doing the right thing has not occured to any of them save perhaps the ones who've bailed as they can't be a part of it anymore and still look at themselves in the mirror, and McCaul and Turner. The fact that their numbers still include the likes of Gym Jordan, Matt Getz (both with an abundance of child sexual abuse accusations) and Gangrene who's just bat s--- crazy says all you need know about the current party of Lincoln who must be weeping in heaven.
There you have said it in a nutshell Will. Problem is getting the many, those locked in the far right 'silo' out of the silo, willingly or of their own curiosity.
I am from WI where our gerrymandered state legislature, dominated by Republicans, just clocks in and out. They are sitting on a $6 Billion dollar surplus and won’t accept additional Medicare funding lest some (theoretical, fictional) lazy person might get something for free. The streets of Milwaukee, the state’s only first class city, neglected for a long time, are in horrible condition—no exaggeration—everywhere but especially bad in poor neighborhoods. There are still neighborhoods with lead water pipes. There is more wrong. Like sucking public education dollars away to give to religious and other private schools. In my opinion our current WI State Republicans, like their U.S. counterparts, are not humane. They are stingy and cruel. The school boards are being infiltrated by stingy and cruel people too. I think our country was built this way. How do legislators, in good conscience make decisions that leave children underfed and under schooled? We need to once and for all make lasting changes to our federal constitution and say the founding model which values $ and property before people is no longer our vision. Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness should no longer be measured in $ and property. We need to measure our success as states and as a nation by the number of citizens who are in good health, receiving enough food, are well housed, well educated and so forth. If our legislators were to look at their job in that way it would begin to improve the system. In my opinion to make it work and stand the test of time we need to take life essentials out of the speculative markets or drastically protect them from speculation. Not everything should be viewed through a business lens. My two cents.
Hey, KEM. If I may, Timothy Snyder spoke to Congress on April 17. His remarks are imbedded in his latest substack letter to his readers. In it he emphasizes it is not only Russian influence, but what the Chinese are up to while hoping to sew division in the U.S.
KEM, I think pictures of Trump in Court may be a big boost to his undoing and exposure, even before the verdict.
'From stare-downs to shut-eye: Trump’s every move in criminal trial under the microscope'
(NBC Universal)
'Donald Trump has spent most of his adult life seeking the limelight. Inside a frigid New York City courtroom this week, a closed-circuit camera provided arguably the brightest light he’s ever experienced.'
'Not even during his jaw-dropping presidency nor at his raucous rallies has Trump’s every move been so meticulously tracked as during his initial appearances in Manhattan for the start of his hush money trial. Every smirk, turn, stare and scoff he made in the courtroom was chronicled by reporters and blasted out to the world to offer even a glimpse or small insight into how he was handling developments in the case — the first criminal trial ever involving a former president.'
'But behind every scowl, whisper or, yes, even yawn, Trump’s team sees a clear message the presumptive GOP nominee has the opportunity to get across: defiance. The aim? Convince the American people that the 34 counts of falsifying business records he faces are a sham to harm his electoral odds this fall.'
“President Trump proved he will remain defiant in the face of this unprecedented political lawfare, and it is clear that his support from the American people will only grow as they watch Joe Biden, [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg, and the Democrats putting on this bogus show trial six months before the election,” 'said Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson.'
'The central thesis of the charges, as Bragg alleges, is that Trump falsified records to conceal that he reimbursed his former lawyer Michael Cohen for the $130,000 paid to adult film actor Stormy Daniels just prior to the 2016 presidential election — a move made to pre-emptively silence her from alleging that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. (Trump denies sleeping with Daniels but has acknowledged repaying Cohen, who pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal campaign finance charges related to the payment).'
'Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and, if convicted, could face up to four years in prison.'
'Most of the week’s court proceedings featured jury selection, with Trump listening as prospective jurors were questioned about their media diet, opinions on Trump’s presidency and ability to judge him fairly. Some were even pushed on past social media posts, such as one possible alternate juror who was questioned about a 2020 post in which he called Trump' “the devil and a sociopath.” (He was dismissed.)
'In Manhattan, a New York City borough he lost by 70 points in 2020, Trump didn’t find many of the jurors’ answers satisfactory, and at multiple points stared down individuals. Nevertheless, a full jury and alternate jurors were selected, with Trump’s ears perking up when candidates referenced watching Fox News or otherwise making comments he viewed favorably.'
'He crossed his arms Friday, muttering to an attorney seated beside him when one prospective juror described him as seemingly “very selfish and self-serving.” But Trump smiled when the prosecution noted to jurors that some witnesses they will call' “have what you might consider to be some baggage.”
'Trump was admonished by Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday for his behavior toward the prospective jurors, with Merchan telling Trump and his lawyer Todd Blanche:' “I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make this crystal clear.”
'Merchan said he heard Trump say something in the direction of a juror and that he had been “muttering” and “gesturing” toward her.'
'But nothing from the week garnered more attention than Trump looking as if he was dozing off, closing his eyes for extended periods, prompting speculation he had fallen asleep. This was not a single occurrence, he sat with his eyes closed at least once every day he day he was in court." (NBC) See link below.
The thought of his having to listen to normal people’s comments, many of which were negative and unflattering, was very satisfying to me. I think, perhaps, that the solution to his smirks and faces and under-breath comments is something like a dog training collar and someone appointed to hit the buzzer every time he misbehaves. Although, given the reports that he has trouble controlling certain physiological events, that might not be a good idea.
Let him be in the courtroom, Lynn. DJT without a collar is how his image will shrink in the eyes of the those in the courtroom, seeing him on screens as well as photos in newspapers and magazines. The audience will be smirking at him, while watching the ORANGE BALLOON DEFLATE. Your call for a collar, is appropriate for those who would like take him for a walk. Keeping DJT on a leash is a perfect picture and solution to his lethal and vulgar performances.
KEM, as you imply....that "understanding" had better translate into MANY, MANY more votes for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in the upcoming Presidential, state, and local elections...or we are all screwed!
I’m seeing an excellent political commercial built on the framework you’ve laid out here. Convincing to me and anyone who is loyal to democracy, human rights, and USA.
Ally House (Oregon), yes, thanks for confirming. But I don't think ignoring is as good a response as firm and fact-based rejection. If someone can come up with facts, not solely rants and opinions, a civil discussion sometimes is better. In this case, not, but sometimes. There are many people who are single-issue participants, and that's okay as long as they hold a reasonable opinion.
That could be because your're luckily on the side and in the camp of the powerful. It seems that we care little about democracies imperfections when they don't fit our plans in the West, see the Palestinians, who stubbornly insist on staying in their own country, when it doesn't suit the "democratic" Israel.
Sabine, you could not be more wrong about which camp I am in. And the lessons of history do not support your theory that we do not care about our imperfections—we rejected slavery. We rejected child labor. Women can vote. Resistance to being a more perfect Union ebbs and flows, but the march over time is towards more equality. And, I think long time US support of a two state solution says a great deal.
10,000 killed civilians in 2 years compared to 40,000 killed civilians in half a year speaks a pretty clear picture. I'm not in support of Putin, but it is not at all surprising that the rest of the world, about 7 billion people, are not much longer prepared to just swallow the West's self-righteous and self-declared superiority.
We just should keep that in mind while the power balance on this planet is changing relatively rapidly.
Sabine, a parallel has been drawn between Netanyahu and Putin that is also in mind. Recognizing the flaws of “the West” does not mean ipso facto a turn towards authoritarianism or a rejection of democracy. If anything, the balance of power is becoming a trend towards coalitions between forms of governments shared across countries. This, too, is a trend towards more democracy and equality played out on a planetary scale. Is there a long way to go? Of course, especially in economically emerging countries in Africa and Asia. But again, the trend shows steps away from the effects of colonialism and its propitary attitudes and towards self government in which many more voices are recognized.
Medvedev's theory, is just a tactic of fear and propaganda that Russian leaders used to influence people in their country. Mega Republican are trying to used the same strategy here in this country. Frankly, I don't believe it will work because the majority of us in this country believe in Democracy. The first indication was
what happened in the House when they voted yesterday.
The mega Republican party is slowly
coming apart. Trumps hasn't succeeded within the court system. I believe we have a chance to save our Democracy and win this November.
The sad part is that the Russians could help them out so easily. They have done a great job so far. I do believe they are being paid by the Russians. Otherwise, why would they do what they are doing?
Yes, if that statement doesn't open some eyes than indeed all may be lost. Perhaps his statement will finally show those imbecile, trump supporters that RUSSIA IS OUR ENEMY!
💥That quote from Medvedev! Perfection! May the Magats hear it and FINALLY understand that ALL their talk about a civil war, ALL their upside down talk about insurrection equaling patriotism… NONE of that was their own ideas! They weren’t “doing their own research” on the Internet. They were being slow-dripped a steady strong diet of propaganda straight out of the Kremlin. We almost lost EVERYTHING because of their gullibility and lack of critical thinking and, dare I say it?— wholly unChristian values.
I'm sure Russia will double down on social media attacks, so get ready for more telling and hacking and everything under the sun they can do to disrupt America. They are pissed, and it shows!
To think FOX news channel staffed with spewers of conspiracies continues to exist! Adult toddlers cannot be considered journalists. Stepford Wives they are.
MAGAs are Trump loyalists, counting on his return to power, and Trump is visibly diminished. For the last week, he has been sitting in a courtroom with no choice but to do as he is told by the judge while potential jurors have expressed their dislike of him to his face. This is novel for him, and it is clearly taking a toll.
Am I a bad person for reveling that every miniute Trump spend's in a court room where he is one trial is his own personal HELL. He was seething on Friday when the judge politely told him to "Sir, please sit down."
He.looked ready to blow up as he walked out of the court room with his face beet red and his lips pursed.
UnChristian values are exactly right. But we cannot wait for a conversion of MAGITS. They have drunk the Kool Aide and cannot be relied upon to do anything resembling critical thinking. It will be up to those of us who have not drunk the Kool Aide to get ourselves out of this hole.
To dovetail on what Lynn wrote, yes, the "drink the kool-aid" is linked to cult leader Jim Jones who had his followers drink kool-aid laced with cyanide. When it gets linked to what you term "Christian values" it usually means that it is something akin to white Christian Nationalism, which is more of a cult that a branch of Christianity.
There was a cult led by Jim Jones. He convinced all of his followers to drink koolaid; it was laced with poison. They did what he told them to and died.
No. It has nothing to do with Christian values at all. I'm old enough to remember the cult leader, Jim Jones, who had a compound. When he realized his gig was up and he was going to be arrested, he mixed some kind of poison into KoolAide and urged his followers to drink it, which they did. When the authorities arrived they found a bunch of dead people, including Jm Jones. I believe Jones depicted himself as a god, but again, it had nothing to do with Christian values. Hope this helps.
Medvedev's quote about an American civil war gives me the first real hope that such a war will not happen, because the notion is largely driven by propaganda - what my in-laws would call "stuff and nonsense". The authoritarian side in such a conflict is disorganized, small in number, and led by a corrupt few with incompetents in more than a few key positions.
I have gained a glimmer of hope that Democrats are slowly but surely gaining some support from Republicans that appear willing to finally oppose the MAGAS and vote in the best of interests of our country and other countries that need support from us. MTG must be furious! That gives me joy!
MTG most likely didn't come out of womb, she hatched from an egg of an unknown species of a reptile, similar to a rattlesnake. It would give me joy if someone would slap her teeth down her throat. I thoroughly hate and despise that hag. I don't even like to admit i am from the state of Georgia because of her embarrassing and arrogant narcissistic personality. I cannot for the life of me understand why her antics have been tolerated this long. She should have been expelled from Congress 4 years ago for her role in the JAN 6 insurrection and riots at the Capitol building. She is a disgrace to the entire nation.
I do not abide violence against women either. I do not even consider her to be a woman. She is an insult to women just like Donald TUMP is to men. Both MTG and DJT are horrible people and are hell bent on destroying the United States and our way of life. Both of them would fit in with Putin and Russia and should be deported to Russia. They do NOT deserve to be citizens of the United States. I have NO respect for MTG or Donald TUMP whatsoever. They are bad, bad, people just like Adolf Hitler and his minions were. They do not care about anyone but themselves and they would rather see average people dead and gone. 4 years ago, MTG once said, '' when are we going to start the genocide of poor and average citizens in the nation?'' And her blatant disrespect for President Biden at the State of the Union address for 2 years in a row. She is rude and ignorant and i wouldn't defend her anytime even if someone threatened her. She if full of hate and doesn't deserve anything!!!!!!!!!! I can't understand why anyone that is a true Democrat would defend that cretin. She is even said, ''Nancy Pelosi needs a bullet to her head'' Maggot Traitor Goon is NOT a woman!! She is pure evil and should be in a mental institution for the criminally insane.
MTG is VERY bad, the worst. I agree on all points. AND I can't abide anyone discussing or condoning violence against women. Period. Both can be true at the same time. We need to be better. It's not a compromise.
Oh yes, i am certain she will be re-elected. Her district starts about 25 miles north of my residence and a large portion of the population are the AR 15 rifle owning big truck backward type of people just like the people that live close to me in my area including quite a few of my relatives. My personal nickname for MTG is, ''Maggot Traitor Goon'' The house representative member for the district i live is a MAGA asshat also, his name is Drew Ferguson, and he isn't much better than MTG is. In my opinion, all of those extremist MAGATs in Congress are fake humans.
Thank you for your encouragement. I am trying to stay strong and sane. I may sound nuts for saying this, but i think MTG must have been treated badly by someone in the past that made her so consumed with hate. That does not excuse her behavior now as it seems some of the GQP house members have turned on her for her actions.
A big thank you to those on both sides of the aisle who made this happen. The only way to protect Europe from Putin's imperialist aggression is by helping Ukraine. This was a good day.
April 20, today, is a massive rejection of the conservative nationalist movement.
The conservative movement is splintering at the national level, with no one with an understanding of reproductive freedom, democracy and foreign affairs. At the state level, the maga cult is at war with the traditional corporatist Republicans, as we see in AZ, MI, PA. These candidates for Senate are losing traction in these states.
Meanwhile, blue collar workers in Southern states are rushing the gates before the shift whistle, to sign cards requesting a union vote. I think I'm seeing a birth of Democratic Capitalism - from sea to shining sea
VW unionizing in Tennessee is a highly significant breakthrough! Previous attempts to unionize in the South have failed before now, so this more than even Congress's passing the funding bills is a major signal of change. And next month, the Mercedes plant in Alabama will hold their vote. Take a deep breath and let's see what happens!
Shawn Fain is going after Mercedes next and then the other plants in the South.
With the Federal minimum wage stalled at $7.25 an hour this is a big "fuck you" to the South.
He wants to have 5 or 6 companies, at least, involved in the next UAW contract negotiations. He is actually working on several more.
And he is constantly calling out TFFG as a scab for the shenanigans he pulled in Detroit going into a non-UAW shop and telling them how much he supports the workers.
In a way, I’m happy to read this clear statement of what Russia wishes for the USA’s future:
“… I … wish the USA with all sincerity to dive into a new civil war themselves as quickly as possible. Which, I hope, will be very different from the war between North and South in the 19th century and will be waged using aircraft, tanks, artillery, MLRS, all types of missiles and other weapons. And which will finally lead to the inglorious collapse of the vile evil empire of the 21st century—the United States of America.”
Every MAGA member of Congress and of State Governments across America should be asked “Do you want the USA to collapse as the end resort of a new Civil War?”
This just might finally motivate Merrick Garland to prosecute these elected officials… on the charge of seeking through word and/or deed the destruction of the USA!
Thanks for your comment. Lost souls indeed. Their world view is 100 percent based on always and forever living in a world of "winners and losers". A world in which "everyone wins" is something they cannot conceive of happening. These leaders are a ticking time bomb set to destroy humanity's future.
...And there it is D.O. ! A clear statement of differentiation between "Russian leaders" and the Russian peoples. This is what I yearn for in many space like ours regarding 'that' difference, and the difference between far right extremists within the gop leadership and the run of the mill gop voter / party of their declaration. There is a 'huge' difference. I for instance don't believe the average, non upper caste Russian citizen, holds any animosity for America or the West in general; Admiration, perhaps yearning and some measure of jealousy ? Sure, but not weaponized belligerence. My point is that words matter. To continue to collectively lump dissimilar things together, we serve the offensive leadership's purpose by our words for said leadership to point at for identity affirmations.
I share your belief that ordinary Russian citizens do not wish America to be destroyed. For proof look to the Russian space exploration program. These are not what I would call "ordinary" people but they are "non-political" people. And they help run the International Space Station both by sending crew members to the ISS and also using its rockets to get people there and bring them back to Earth.
My people established successful colonies on the volga river starting in the 1700’s.. they developed the grain industry. They were rewarded by being cleansed and the ones who didnt escape ended up as virtual slaves in siberia..luckily my grandparent made it here.
You are correct, the russian have never be a happy country, nor have they been kindly and intelligent.
And we can't exactly blame it on the climate because neighboring countries to the west have a lot better track records for being in the international community for the most part.
My other grandparents came from norway, and one can see more cooperation, kibdness, and many contributions from that society.. there is something dark about those who have risen to power in russia, yes.
I do keep wondering who Trump shared our secrets with. I believe he will dwarf Benedict Arnold in treachery when the dust finally settles. Such a sad excuse for a man. Such a worm of a being. All for what? The lights, camera, action? The twenty minutes of fame on the human stage?
But sometimes he sounds so clueless. This morning NPR played a clip, Biden saying “for 4 years Trump tried to pass an infrastructure bill and failed. I got it done!”
No, Joe, Trump did not TRY to pass an infrastructure bill. He SAID he would. There is no evidence that he meant what he said. Am I wrong?
Given how much Biden has achieved in his first term with such a crazed and antithetical GOP trying to thwart him at every drop of a peanut, imagine the world now if Maga and Frump had just shut up.
It’s my opinion that Joe Biden deserves another term, more than almost anyone before him. And that Frump is the least deserving, proving over and over again how inept, how inadequate how self serving, and how dangerous he is. Not just to America but to the whole world wide rule of law.
The proposal is for two immediate retirements ( term limited Thomas and Alito) with replacements. And two new ones two years later. And two years after that adding two more.
This would mean a six-five conservative majority for the first two years of Biden's second term. Not acceptable, when Biden is going to win re-election by a huge margin.
A great idea. Maybe I will publish an article on Medium and blog about it. This would reach probably 10 readers LOL. Clearly we need journalists to take this up.
Pretty sad that a majority of one of the two governing parties is effectively wishing for the “the inglorious collapse of the vile evil empire of the 21st century—the United States of America.”
Stunning comments from Russian leadership, and a glorious moment of bipartisanship! I am proud of Congress in this moment, and give Johnson a good deal of respect. In this moment.
PS - in regards to (Covid-related) partisan poison, I feel compelled to leave an unrelated link to a post I wrote about Paxlovid for Covid treatment. A lot of doctors (and higher risk people) are failing to take this medicine when sick, and a recent small study in the NEJM about the lack of symptom resolution vs placebo made this worse. Read and share, I sincerely believe it might actually save a life or two:
I recently had COVID. My case was very mild, despite my 70 years, and my doc told me that taking paxlovid carries with it a 20% chance of a new infection after the first one resolves. We talked it out and agreed I didn't need paxlovid. I don't think my temp went over 99 (I normally run 97 point something), and I had no discomfort, although I was slightly woozy.
I suspect the mildness of my case was due to the fact that I take 5000 IU of vitamin D 4 times a week. The immune system is loaded with vitamin D receptors. It needs adequate D to be fully functional, and the only way to get sufficient D during the darker months is to take the supplements. (Rule of thumb: if the sun is low enough in the sky that your shadow is longer than you are, you can't get any D from the sun, because the relevant rays are being filtered out by the atmosphere.)
Molnupiravir is an alternative that does not work as well, but if high risk I do offer/prescribe it. A few others available outside the US, and IV remedesivir should be available orally soon. Vitamin D is insufficient evidence:
Thanks Ryan! Ryan’s Substack is great BTW. Full of down to earth information. I still take as many cautions as possible when it makes sense. Very few people have gotten the boosters which are shown to work.
You are correct, this fall’s updated shots reduced Covid illnesses by 50-70% , comparable to a good year with the flu shot. About the best we can hope for until those nasal vaccines might work better 🤞
I thought there was some evidence the boosters gave some protection for long COVID too. I also had the Novovax booster this time, just to change it up a bit.
I don't know what the deal is with alternate antivirals, but see my comment directly below, about having had covid, the mildness of the case probably due to the vitamin D I take.
David, I've had the habit of taking Vitamin D at levels you state since far before covid reared it's head and have continued such dosage. I also had all suggested immunizations and boosters on a timely basis. All of those immunizations beat me horribly too; I thought I would surely perish as I was so ill. None the less, I caught covid twice in 2022; Once in January, the omicron which left me with long covid, and again in August.
Thx Will. Sorry to have to say it got worse. The long covid manifested into the 'Big C' for which I'm undergoing treatment for. Bad luck is understatement friend. I try to at least salvage what's learnable from ill fortune, by wondering what it has come to teach me.
From my experience, you can or should believe a good deal of what you hear, aside from hypochondriacs. That damnable virus is like a heat - seeking missile for any 'chinks' in one's armor; seems to find them and exploit them - never in the host's favor. I'm enrolled in a treatment program with a renown hospital system that seeks treatment modalities for long covid; likely, and truth told, they are as well obtaining serreptitiously paid-for research via the insureds in their 'care.' "Bad luck" - trust me when I tell you that you don't know the half of it. I wasn't in good shape to begin with - but that's a longer story. I don't favor 'pissing and moaning' about my challenges David; I've no insight as to why I'm wired that way, despite the fact that it is good - in a relieving sort of way to get things out of my head, as I've found that isolating up in my head, is never a good place to dwell for me. Do you keep all of your back copies of LFMA - digitally ? That would be good for me to know and make use of. To your other query, my 'D' levels when checked have always been well within normal range. My feeling is that if it does no harm, it's a good thing, and I'll seek out more info. Btw, I like Boston and have a friend or so there. I do Not like the traffic though. In many respects, it greatly reminded me of Washington D.C. traffic, where I spent a lot of time. The difference is that I knew D.C. like the back of my hand; how and when to use known short-cuts to avoid traffic. Cheers friend !
Do you mean do I keep my back copies of HCR? Most of them are probably in my gmail, but it would sure be hard to find anything specific in them.
Different docs have different levels of D that they consider "normal". Many of them think anything between 20-30ng/ml is "normal" or "good". I don't think you're going to get maximum protection at that level. I'd say you want it over 40 and probably under 60-70, although I'm really uncertaiin as to where risks start to rise. My level is around 55ng/ml both in the summer, when I'm getting most of my D from running shirtless; and at the same level in December, when I'm taking supplements.
I'm sorry to hear that D4N. That's terrible bad luck. I hope you come out the other side in good shape in the near future. The Big C?
One thing: different people need different levels of D, and take different levels. I have one friend who was prescribed 10,000 IU for osteopenia years ago, and she's still taking it. I can't remember if she's had COVID or not. But she works long hours, both as an immunologist at NIH and as the owner of a sheep farm that has up to 200 in lambing season, and does not sleep as much as I wish she would. (She's one of my best friends, and gave me my border collie, who for various reasons was unhappy on the sheep farm.) My brother and sister in law take 4000 IU, I'm not sure how much my sister takes, the three of them haven't have covid. Did you know your blood level of D? Another best friend was taking I forget how much D, and his blood level of it was low, like he wasn't taking it at all due to some quirk in his physiology.
I had all my covid shots on a timely basis, and I never had any reactions to them.
I started taking D in 2004, and my frequency of colds and flu plummeted. (I started getting flu shots in 2013.) My last flu was maybe 5 years ago, it was very mild and lasted a day.
Ryan, thanks for your informative post. Keep posting here about Covid. We have become inured to illness and death as we did with death by tobacco, guns and cars in the 1960s.
I sincerely believe taking Paxlovid saved me from a full-blown case of long COVID, after I caught it from my husband, who went to an educational function with hundreds of high schoolers in one arena.
Ryan, excellent article, thank you. I really appreciate your expert guidance on a subject I’m quite concerned about.
I personally am not very worried about acute Covid. It’s long Covid that I fear. It’s why I still mask and don’t go out much, and it’s why if I get Covid, I will take paxlovid. I’ve had Covid twice, took paxlovid both times, and seem to have escaped relatively unscathed. But I’m immunocompromised from cancer treatment (and said cancer was caused by a virus), and both times I had Covid I was sick longer and tested positive longer than my husband did. To me, that means that the virus had longer to inflict unseen damage. Anything that can help reduce that is desirable. We don’t know what the long term effects of repeated Covid infections will be. I fear we are still at the beginning of a mass disabling event. So yeah, I mask, and with a good N95, and will take every vaccine I’m eligible for. I’m seeking novavax right now.
Hi KR - we are truly kindred spirits, and I believe you have a good handle on the knowns and unknowns here, and the prudence that should follow, especially with your own health risks. I wish you well, and your approach has undoubtedly been protective. I'm looking into a novavax boost too, although I'm not 65, so not sure I should. TMI! Take care, and the mass disabling event is already happening I'm afraid, to varying degrees. I think civilization will limp along though, as we do with a million other existential problems.
I’m not 65 yet either, but hoping my self-identification as immunocompromised will be sufficient. We’re going to Italy in June, and I’d really like to have a booster onboard before traveling.
I’m pretty well informed about Covid (Twitter is an unlikely good source of information if one is judicious), and often feel like I’m screaming into the void. Please do keep posting about it! I think our voices matter, but especially yours, because you are a doctor!
Have a wonderful trip, our 3M aura masks have not failed us yet on planes, in taxis, etc.! I do a monthly rundown on Covid studies, stubbornly, but a lot of people do appreciate it. and it’s getting harder and harder even as a doctor as other physicians trivialize and move on.
Those aura masks are the gold standard, and what I use around town, but it’s a really long flight and they get very uncomfortable. I’ve been using a KN94 which is more comfortable, coupled with a little portable hepa filter, and that has worked for us. I’ve thought about trying to find a sip mask, but for such a long journey you really do need to remove your mask to eat at some point. It feels so risky, but I have a routine - sit up front so you’re served first, blast the fan, use the filter, eat fast, and hope for the best!
This topic makes me crazy. We know how to reduce community spread not just of Covid but other diseases as well, but we lack the will to do it. Improving indoor air quality, especially in schools, via ventilation and filtration, would do much to reduce community spread. Instead of these systemic responses, we are reduced to individual responsibility to mitigate factors over which we, as individuals, have little control. I’ve said it before here but will say it again: we are failing our children.
"visibly diminished". I'd like to see him visibly diminished to invisibility. And he can take his MAGA minions with him on the journey. It's going to be a long, tiresome summer, watching him and the ever-entertaining Empty G on the profit-hungry MSM. I think I'm going to swear off TV, except for "Law and Order" and the occasional movie. Time to go through the stack of unread books.
I'd like to see him diminished to invisibility, but first: a spectacular fall from grace that leaves him humiliated in poverty and in jail, and ridiculed by most of his fans who finally come to desert the sinking ship. Bitter? Me?? Nahhhhh..... :-D
There are many great books to read! I've gotta brush up on my math, and buying used textbooks off of Amazon is a great way to do so. I've been using a method of cubic interpolation for years/decades and I believe I've just found the $8 book (including shipping) that explains it all plus more!
It's much worse than an "attention-seeking and bomb-throwing MAGA faction."
Marble Mouth Marge and her fellow traitors ally with Putin and fellow dictators. The ayatollahs, Russian oligarchs, and other international autocrats all hate democracy, the rights of women, the rights of people of color every bit as do the thug Republicans, their Clarence court activists for their billionaires.
It's the stress on the negative that stews them together. Their nationalism simply allows them a cohering poison, a mean-spirited atavism worse than any mere tribalism or other group sickness.
Even now we see their fat, orange leader in the U.S. rally them all as if for a reality TV show, one with rank sensationalism at its core -- loud-mouthed mutual entertainment for masses who haven't an ounce of love, caring, or human concern for anything in life. Just mad script. With the venom of their obese criminal defendant, the far upper arms of their Marjorie, and the marbles in her sub-literate mouth.
Completely agree. If you admire this type of passionate eloquence, or "savage linguistic beauty," if you will, Steve Schmidt's substack, "The Warning" provides a daily source. It's linguistic precision guided by moral clarity. I'm glad I subscribed there, as well as here.
It's "fat," of course. As in symptomatic of ingesting similar fetid fare of her orange-encrusted, heavily-cosmetics-layered waddling fat role model in scurrilous hatreds.
But might the schools raise standards for humanities of human import -- so they might compete with all the channels stooping to the easily marketable mediocrities and sensationalized stupidities?
It is interesting to me that appeals to defend democracy did not work. Appeals to equality did not work. Appeals to international rule of law did not work. Perhaps these are too abstract for conservatives? What did work? Accurately pointing out the Russian influence in MAGA positions. Let us hope that the parallels between Medvedev's statement wishing for civil war and the MAGA position of closing down the government are also realized. And, most of all, let us hope this understanding extends to real awareness among voters as well as legislators on all levels and opposing action to the absolutely real Russian influence on Trump himself.
Kem: a close examination of who voted for UK and who did not reveal a difference in Republican politics. Out of the 112 Rs who voted against funding UK, 100 were totally safe Republican seats in the House! They had no political fear from Democrats and they faithfully obeyed Trump! Only 10 who voted Republican votes against funding UK are marginally vulnerable to be beaten in November. What turned this funding bill in favor of UK were 100 Republicans who were afraid they would lose their job in November either because they are in close races for re-election or are in marginal districts located in cities or surburbs with educated Republicans in the majority. Note that every CD in California and NY that Republicans fear they might lose in November voted in favor of funding Ukraine! And other CDs here and there up and down the coasts and the upper Midwest now in Republican hands played it safe and voted to fund UK rather than up piss off American families with backgrounds in Europe who are rooting for Ukraine to beat Russia. In short, this total vote was determined by about 100 local politicians in Congress on the Republican side, many of whom are in danger of going down with Trump in November, and were covering their bases by voting for the brave Ukrainians! Good for them but a good many will be beat in November anyway because of abortion, gun safety, climate change, a great economy and a level headed President who has accomplished so much good against a crazy criminal whose time is finally up forever——thankfully!
'Top GOPers’ extraordinary comments on their party and Russian propaganda' (WAPO)
Ira, the realistic political handicapping that you detailed does not undermine the necessary exposure of the Trump's alliance and far-right Republican's with Putin and what that means in real terms to the loss of rights of the American people. Trump as he sits and squirms in Court looks smaller and smaller. This is an important opportunity for journalists, President Biden, the Democratic Party and a group of Republicans, including Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) and Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio) to expose the infiltration of Russian propaganda in Trump's Republican Party.
'Two key GOP chairmen are merely the latest to warn about how Russian influence has infected their party' (WAPO, excerpt)
'During the first impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in 2019, former Trump national security aide Fiona Hill made an extraordinary plea. Seated in front of congressional Republicans, she implored them not to spread Russian propaganda.'
“In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” 'she told them. She was referring to comments they had made during her earlier deposition, remarks that breathed life into a baseless, Trump-backed suggestion that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.'
“These fictions are harmful even if they’re deployed for purely domestic political purposes,” 'she added.'
'Republicans on the committee blanched at the suggestion that they had served as conduits for Russian misinformation, but Hill refused to back down.'
'Five years later, Republicans are starting to grapple more publicly with the idea that this kind of thing is happening in their ranks.'
'In an interview with Puck News’s Julia Ioffe, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) — none other than the GOP chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — flat-out said that Russian propaganda has' “infected a good chunk of my party’s base.”
'McCaul suggested conservative media was to blame.'
“There are some more nighttime entertainment shows that seem to spin, like, I see the Russian propaganda in some of it — and it’s almost identical [to what they’re saying on Russian state television] — on our airwaves,” 'McCaul said.' (WAPO) See gifted link below.
https://wapo.st/4aYBLtO
Thank you for this. This has been going on for a long, long time. I've suspected the reason Putin's government torpedoed Hillary Clinton's campaign is they knew she would be a competent and tough leader.
And trump was compromised (owned) by putin in some ironclad way.
From The Beginning.
The Golden Shower affair perhaps in Moscow?
I was thinking the same thing, Bill!
The GS is too outrageous not to be true, but those of us who need proof will not believe whether it is true or not despite wanting it to be true.
There is a ton of circumstantial evidence of tRump being owned by Putin, we would love the hard evidence, besides his wanting to build in Moscow.
Their very private meeting in Helsinki a few years ago left me wondering!
" BROMANCE" of power and autocracy
And a good deal of misogyny that Russia and the GOP hold toward Hillary and bold women in both Nations.
Susan, I can’t see Hillary Clinton putting someone who’d won the Order of Friendship, a Russian state honour (Rex Tillerson) in her cabinet.
Even Rex Tillerson saw that Trump was an effing moron.
Jenn, too true. I still wonder if Putin told him to put Tillerson on the cabinet to “control” him.
Susan, just think of all the mess, for lack of a better word, that Trump wrought, that would have been avoided had Hillary won.
Level-headed people would have helped make decisions that would have brought our country together instead of the impulsive, MAGA-related nonsense that has divided us.
There have always been people who are susceptible to being cult members, but Trump brought them out in numbers that I had no idea were so large. I heard one man say, when asked if he would still support Trump as a dictator, that yes he would.. What?? If that's not what being a cult member is, I don't know what is.
There are still many people who think that having a woman president would never work. There are still many people who never have and never will like or respect Hillary. Having said that, I believe we would not have strayed from our belief in the Constitution that no one person should ever be allowed to rule us and stop the workings of Congress because those workings wouldn't benefit him.
I'm not saying that things would have been perfect under Hillary, but I doubt if we would have MAGA crazies and the likes of Mike Johnson and Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to run the show. And what a show they have run. Disgraceful!
I have no doubt that Hilary - knowing how government actually works - would have done a good job as president. But thinking back about Obama's presidency & the disgusting backlash over it - I'm pretty sure the dumpster & his allies would be doing just what they have been currently. Sadly, its not only dumpster boy - its all those cult members that lined up behind him & activated Greene-Gaetz-Gosar-on and on.
I just hope that there will actually BE consequences slapped onto him - finally.
Maggie, I have been so discouraged for eight years, waiting, expecting, hoping, knowing that Trump would be held accountable for all his illegal actions. He never was until now.
If he isn't found guilty of everything he's charged with, then there IS no justice in this world.
I agree that there are always people who disrupt and challenge, but I've never seen the likes of Donald Trump's hold on people who might normally be less vindictive and dangerous.
I just shake my head in amazement when I think of how close we came to have had HRC as the president. Our country would be light years ahead of where it is now, assuming a somewhat cooperative Congress. Trump and his corrupt administration put our country quite literally into the dark ages. And we have not yet climbed out of it.
Our hopes are that we can begin to climb out of Trump's hold.
Don't forget the likes of JJJJ jacketless the Jack Jim Jordan.
😄
I think it's time for Liz Cheney to run against Trump.
YES!! Liz Chaney is only one of a few Republicans who has a sense of decency and a respect for the law of the land. I admire her so much!
Thanks again Susans and Fern… many have done their part diligently and most will not see the thanks nor as they walked -need it. Far from many is the behind the scene’s crew getting little but a 100mph scan accolade in credits. Yet they (by my tally) are the silent majority , perhaps even the backbone so early obscured by the noisy crowd glamoring for a feigned hats tip.
The cast of honorees:
President Biden and Team
…and their true BLUES 😊
Liz, Adam , now Mitt…and their sparce wagon full
I will state proudly again though…thanks for the lesson… needing taught again
💙💙VOTE ALL THE COMPLICIT OUT💙💙
I can’t help but think that my many calls to my Congressional reps telling them in no uncertain terms that I was NOT for Putin and Russia and did not want my country to side with these autocrats helped to sway this political change.I am sure many, many others placed these calls along with letter-writing and other correspondences.With the upcoming election, Russian propaganda and AI are very real threats to our democracy and we must continue to be vigilant and aware.
I did, but my rep, Tim Burchett, who is Freedom Caucus-adjacent, said he would not send more money to Ukraine “without a plan,” whatever that meant. Later I heard the phrase by someone else and then I realized it was a talking point.
Yup, and my rep is Stefanik (barf!) whose district is unfortunately very red voted to appease trump . Not hard to see her groveling forVP post.
Stefanik is a member of the Neville Chamberlain Fan Club? It what we get by letting the football coaches teach history in middle schools through the country…
I have a summer home in Stefanik’s district. It is home to some of the nicest, most caring, incredibly philanthropic people who go out of their way to support communities of Don’t Tread on Me flags ( they pretty much stopped with the Confederate flag thing) anti Biden yard signs, grossly decorated trucks, who are wary of strangers and disdainful of summer residents like me. I truly hope Trump picks her for VP and we can get back to someone like Bill Owens. “Soviet Stefanik”in the North Country ? Totally weird !
It’s always so obvious when they repeat their talking points, word-for-word, on all the news stations. I suppose they think we’re too dumb to notice!
When he first communicated with me (via email) and said that I thought "what is he talking about?". (I think the guy is an idiot normally.) It was later when I heard the same words from one of the "Freedom" people (theirs, not ours) that I realized it was a talking point. I should have thought of that at the beginning.
Kudos on the calls and letters, I'm sure there was a deluge.
Thank you fir making the calls. As a Canadian watching I am grateful for all who are working tirelessly to expose the threat of Russia. Your calls do make a difference!
Ohio needs more!!
In part, here's the problem, proving the truth of Pres. G.W. Bush's remarks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on 3/31/2001: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." This is an absolute fact, sadly. Putin knows this and he knows that TFFG is firmly under his thumb, probably because of blackmail material.
Social media is an extraordinary tool of disinformation and misinformation. We have lost many journalists in this country, along with newspapers. We must get some of those journalist back through digital outlets committed to journalism - funding essential - government - foundations - universities. Pressure on Biden -- grassroots organization -- WE NEED A FREE PRESS MOVEMENT.
I agree 100%. Journalistic integrity from whom ever the journalist is and whatever the medium is, be it newspaper or digital platform.
But it is or was the free press and cable news anchors that fawned over tfg's every gasp and treated M. T. Greene as the official spokesperson for the GOP. They ignored Biden's legislative achievements and it's effects on the economy and our lives. TFG is not so interesting as he squirms in the court- room.
I have found a solid degree of journalism as a reader of The New York Times, Washington Post, Atlantic Magazine, NEWYORKER, Boston Globe, VOX and quite a few other journalistic outlets. It may be that I know and follow the strong journalists on those outlets, including writers, such as economist Paul Krugman. It may be that my selection process and knowledge of journalism have kept me busy in the best lanes.
Was it the free press or the corporate owned press?
A true fourth estate!
As the MAGA GOP ridicules outlets for being too partisan to the left & calls to defund NPR. It is not the party or opposing goals of a journalist or outlet, it is the focus on alternate facts, misinformation and lack of reviewed & valid data that is deplorable yet ever present in the "news loops" .
Given what we already know about the Teflon Don, I'm deeply fascinated about what the Russians have on him.
I'd also love to see a dump of Epstein's trash some day. Before he got into plying and filming powerful people with girls, he did a lot of interesting money stuff. He knew *all* the shady transactions.
Anyway, I think what Putin has on T might curl our eyelashes.
So glad you mentioned that quote. It explains so much. Broadcast it from the rooftops, every Repub heard it…
Here in Flordia Gov. DeSantis wants the schools to start teaching about Communism in grade school, when what should be taught is what makes a democracy works (one person, one vote, majority rule) along with the elements of critical thinking, spotting confirmation bias as the first stumbling block along the way. It is now very obvious that our schools failed in this regard.
Richard, with both parents working and under extraordinary pressure, with no governmental support, much less social play among youngsters, the effects of the way technology without regulation and monitoring are used... Count the ways, Richard.
Yes, the indoctrination begins in grade school. Meanwhile Senator Scott’s campaign ads equate Communism with Socialism. Then he promises to stop the “Socialist agenda” (Democratic policy) in Washington.
In Florida, Democrats are viewed as Communists/Socialists and therefore the enemy while Republicans voice Russian talking points. The blatant double speak is astonishing. MAGA has taken control of our Legislature, many school boards and Universities/Colleges.
Meanwhile the seas are heating up and killing marine life; seas are rising, slowly inundating coastal communities (our biggest tax base); insurance rates are soaring; libraries are banning books; local rule has been decimated by state legislators; a 6 week abortion ban will soon be law; municipalities that defy DeSantis are defunded; Republicans are moving here in droves because of politics and lack of state income tax driving up prices; affordable housing is disappearing; workers can’t afford to live here so service providers can’t find employees to staff businesses; prisons lack A/C or even adequate ventilation.
Please, please don’t “come on down”.
Yes, Richard, I agree with you. What makes democracy work is what should be taught! All week long the Florida news on NPR has been playing DeSantis saying how important it is to start as early as Kindergarten to teach kids about the dangers of communism, which I am sure will evolve into teaching anti-socialism and pro-capitalism. And I doubt the dangers of fascism will be mentioned. As early as Kindergarten, no less. Talk about early brainwashing! I can understand why so many Florida teachers are leaving to teach elsewhere! Being told what they can and cannot say or teach, what books they can or cannot use, with risks of being fired! Yikes! Parents of young children will need to be vigilant about all this. Plus, if Republicans have their way here in Florida, public schools will become a thing of the past.
Governor worst idiot wants to continue the dumbing down of our young. .,,starting in grade school. There is a place, there is a time, there is so much that would expand understanding, there is so much that would challenge the brain. Sort of like was done for Alexander Hamilton as a young man. And Governor idiot wants to inculcate his view of the world. Does he want the young to know that chump is Putin's stooge. Heaven help us.
If there is any history book that should be taught in all of America's middle schools, today and forward, it is Democracy Awakening.
No, nonononono! Grade school social studies is for learning about our neighborhoods, communities, local government, then on to US History & government in the middle grades. My civics class in 12th grade in Florida 1967 inccluded one semester of Communism. A few films showing the Red Threat were thrown in. And as Pensacola had the largest Naval Air Station which would be a likely target during the Cuban Missle Crisis we did a fair amount of hiding under our desks, like that would protect us from fallout.
Yes!! This is what I believe too. Start in grade 6 and build up their knowledge on how all governments are created and how they fall. We must push for more public funding in this. We have the same issue here in Canada.
Brava Fern ! That is precisely the same takeaways I've had. A grass roots gop leadership emerging from the frays.
Thanks, Fern, for the link! Imagine Eisenhower’s reaction to having Russian propaganda broadcast on a television channel.
It is MAGA that has Trump Derangement Syndrome. He's apolitical, not opposed to dem policies. His positions on Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Hungary, et. al. have nothing to do with domestic governance or international leadership. He only wants to be king and stay out of jail. He's ludicrous, demented, and unfit full stop. Hillary was right. His supporters are deplorable.
Lauren Lundgren, do you know the effects of Trump's tax cut for the wealthy has had on the country's economy or considered how his lack of addressing our deteriorating infrastructure impacted transportation, commerce, public safety, etc.? What about his lies and negligence with reference to treating COVID? Do you think his lies about the presidential election has had of no effect? What about the attack on the US Capitol? Has his opinions of the press, Muslims, Mexicans, American cities, etc., and appointments of 'pro life' justices to the Supreme Court....have had no effect? That is start on subjects you may want to learn more about with reference to Trump's politics, self-interest and public service.
You misunderstand me, Fern. I believe he is driven entirely by self-interest, and his politics are just a veneer to get what he wants. What I think he wants is unquestioning loyalty and unfettered power to stay out of jail and put money in his pocket. The more he loses in court and from his pocket, the more he puts on the messianic martyrdom he thinks will save him from losing it all.
Of course I know the effect his chicanery has had and will have on the country and the world. I just don't think he cares or even thinks about either. I think he is motivated purely by his psychological demons, and politics is a means, not an end for him.
Thank you for your response, Lauren. My response was with regard to your initial description of the former president. To quote, 'He's apolitical, not opposed to dem policies. His positions on Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Hungary, et. al. have nothing to do with domestic governance or international leadership.' I did not think any of those points were accurate and provided several examples indicating how we differ in our assessments of the former president on the basis that you had laid out. My sense is that we have gone as far as we can for the time being. Salud.
Thanks for gifting this article. You are my mini-HCR, always with relevant information!
Thank you, Marge. HCR's work standards encourage me to go deeper and wider as so many subscribers here do, including you.
Yes!
Yes, Fern. Russian propaganda is flooding right wing media. And what’s the goal? Heather left us with the answer in her closing quotation from Medvedev. Another American civil war. Putin and his allies want to reconstitute the USSR as a new Russian empire, and to make that happen they need to get the US out of the way. But they don’t want to bring down the US just to make their path to empire easier. They want to show the world that they can get us to destroy ourselves by putting our national dark side on display. To them, we are not a shining city on a hill. In this view, we just pose as the world’s standard bearer for freedom, all the while serving our own corrupt interests the way the Russians themselves do. No matter what happens to Trump, this propaganda will continue because it’s working, it has a solid foothold, and it serves to satisfy their own grievances with the United States.
Sadly, these "newly awakened" Republicans knew ALL ALONG that Trump was Putin's tool, and that they and their party were infiltrated with (and thus controlled by) Russian money, but it wasn't until The Voters made it clear that their ballots will only support, oh, DEMOCRACY, that they suddenly gasped and exclaimed, "Oh! Who Knew! We Will Stop The Russian Invasion!"
Thanks, as always, Fern, for this gifted article. You are a gift!
MaryPat, my eyes are moist at seeing your name and grateful for your presence. The next few days will keep my attention elsewhere, nevertheless, you are always in my heart. Salud!
Right back at you! Thanks! Big Hug Fern!!!
Not sure what happened. I had replied about having trouble parsing your quotes, and the meaning of it all, and then you replied, and then my reply to your reply disappeared!
Because your reply is important, here it is!
Matt, those quotes indicate how Russian propaganda has infiltrated the Republican Party and Trump's position on Ukraine as well as fundamentally a threat to democracy. To quote again from the Washington Post article that I posted: 'During the first impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in 2019, former Trump national security aide Fiona Hill made an extraordinary plea. Seated in front of congressional Republicans, she implored them not to spread Russian propaganda.' “In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” 'she told them. She was referring to comments they had made during her earlier deposition, remarks that breathed life into a baseless, Trump-backed suggestion that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.' “These fictions are harmful even if they’re deployed for purely domestic political purposes,” 'she added.' 'Republicans on the committee blanched at the suggestion that they had served as conduits for Russian misinformation, but Hill refused to back down.' 'Five years later, Republicans are starting to grapple more publicly with the idea that this kind of thing is happening in their ranks.' 'In an interview with Puck News’s Julia Ioffe, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) — none other than the GOP chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — flat-out said that Russian propaganda has' “infected a good chunk of my party’s base.” 'McCaul suggested conservative media was to blame.'
Brave & intelligent Fiona Hill set off the alarm siren years ago. The magats bathed in putin propaganda and got away with it far too long.
The contagion began with Fox News.
The mega Republican party will suffer the consequences for using Russian progranda in this country,
in November.
I'm from Alabama, and unfortunately my congressman - Barry Moore is a MAGA. I wrote and called his office. I also got a few friends and family to do the same on Friday. Then tonight I wrote his office again expressing disappointment - probably to no avail. I will continue to vote blue - although I think my vote in Alabama hardly matters.
Keep giving your guy feedback! The most “dyed in the wool” MAGA individuals are the ones who need to keep hearing alternative points of view!
Yesterday we texted to unregistered voters in Alabama through FT 6. Register Democrats -- save democracy.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Sarah, never doubt that your vote matters. It DOES matter. Every single time. Hang in there!
Keep up the good work, Sarah.
I messaged my congressman here in East Texas Saturday morning, urging him to vote for Ukraine aid. He did. He also replied to me complaining about the failure of the border bill. I messaged him again today as follows:
"Thank you for voting for military and humanitarian aid to strengthen democracy and fight autocracy in our world.
As to border security, the Senate sent a timely Ukraine aid bill to the House early in the year that addressed border security, as demanded by the House. Speaker Johnson refused to bring that bill to a vote, perhaps due to fealty to a man who still fancies himself in charge of the U.S. It is Speaker Johnson's fault , and the fault of those MAGA Republicans who hold him hostage, that border security did not accompany aid to Ukraine. In a democracy, there is no room for a shady, shadow alternative "president" - only the President elected by the people.
Thank you again for your vote and your service."
Let's keep the communication going!
Sarah- From time to time I have voted for 3rd party candidates who had little chance of winning. But, I did it anyway, because often I knew they were the best candidate for the constiuents. Although I have lived in CA, ME and IL, where the candidates I voted for often won, the other 7 states I voted in were either purple or red.
My advice to you would be to keep voting your conscience. You know who the better candidates are and it's good for the winner that you don't vote for to know that there are people out there that aren't MAGA or whatever.
"My advice to you would be to keep voting your conscience [for third party candidates.]
Invoking conscience to justify doing harm turns ethics its head. Conscience is the inner voice which urges us to look outside our individual impulses towards what we can do for the greater good. Voting for Jill Stein or RFKJR and electing Donald Trump is not an act of conscience. It is an act of self indulgence. Voting is not an individual exercise in personal expression or an exercise in messaging. Voting is a political strategy to transfer power. Uniting at the ballot box is a political
tactic to take power towards achieving shared goals.
Voting for Putin gal Stein to send Trump the message that he doesn't have an absolute mandate did not stop Republicans in power from stacking the courts with racist right wing religious extremists, who are degrading our civil rights and aiding Trump and the GOP insurrectionists to escape accountability. Voting for Bannon boy RFKJR will help Republicans in power continue repurposing our democratic republic as a clerical fascist state.
We have a two party system. It is all about party not persons. Certainly in presidential politics. Because it is through the two party system that persons take power. If you want to change that then you need to build a third party from the ground up, not follow some self aggrandizing Pied Piper over a cliff. Although you could change a major party from within, as the right wing did with the Republican party. It took them decades to do it - and now for decades their Supreme Court decisions will continue to harm our most vulnerable neighbors, fragile planet, and endangered democracy.
lin: You are exactly right to say that voting is NOT the time to exercise self indulgence.
I recently heard about a question on climate change someone asked Bill McKibben who has been so forceful in crying out about the dangers ahead of us as a planet. The questioner asked: "What can I do to be helpful?"
McKibben's answer was this: "Stop being an individual."
Jamie Raskin in a supporter of ranked voting which would make a third party less important. He is very skillful and smart in his politics. I would follow his lead in this.
Ahh. I used to live in Raskin's district. I follow him on CSpan and would follow his political lead on almost any issue. Now, in Maine, I volunteered to institute Ranked Choice Voting. You are absolutely correct - RCV is the answer to more voices and maintaining majority wins.
Lin, so well-said. I try to respond to people who post anti-Biden, pro-RFK or Jill Stein, but you have done it better. I hope you don’t mind if I copy your post and use it with those self-indulgent self-righteous folks?!
Blush. Public domain.
lin-
Many people have tried to build a 3rd party with little success. The most success people have had is running as Independents and then caucusing with one party or the other. Some of our best Senators have run as Independents - Angus King, Bernie, George Norris.
It's the money in politics that corrupts the system and prevents a 3rd party from gaining traction. Both the Democrats and the Republicans prevented Ralph Nader from debating Bush and Gore in 2000. I voted for Nader party because of this, but mostly because he is the most ethical, intelligent and selfless person to ever run for President.
It's ironic that in our state, there are more Independent voters than Republicans or Democrats and yet there are so few Independents ever voted into office.
Sanders and King worked their way up through small state elected office. They established their base before running for national office.
And thereby we were stuck with Shrub.
Sarah, thank you for contacting your MAGA Rep and encouraging others !
I did the same with my Fl Freedom Caucus Rep who I frequently call.I’d list him in my contacts but don’t want to get my phone infected. 🐜📲 I also email/Resistbot .
Thanks ,Jess Craven! ⬇️
https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions/p/chop-wood-carry-water-419-4e7?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Our votes, and voices, do matter !
🌊💙
Don’t think your vote won’t matter. Even if Moore was to be reelected, the more people vote for the Democrat the more likely he will be to be careful about his votes. He needs to feel vulnerable.
Also, when other people in Alabama are wondering whether it’s worth it for them to run for office, the first thing they’ll look at is the number of people who showed up to vote last time. That’s a reason to keep at it.
You did something important! Calling and getting others to call and express your opinion on that vote is huge. Thank you. It’s sitting back and not trying that is so dangerous.
Thank you for contacting your congressman. And Please vote. We don’t know how many people in red states feel the way you feel and cumulatively, if enough republicans vote blue (just this once), it may help. It won’t help at all, if they decide that their vote doesn’t matter.
Check out Jess Piper's Substack newsletter about being blue in ted Missouri. She ran for office, so her Republican opponent would have to spend money, debate her, and talk to voters. She ran on issues concerned families like the Child Tax Credit. Her opponent ran on things like Hunter Biden's laptop. She ran because otherwise her opponent would have been unopposed. People like her are real heroes.
Good for you!! I hope you keep up contacting Rep Moore even daily!!
Keep the faith. I truly believe “Truth will out”. Hopefully, Rep Moore will be defeated if he runs again!
Nina Truslow McKee
In Tennessee here. I feel your pain. I, too, call and write, while knowing Tim Burchett, Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty are magats.
I believe your vote matters!
It matters! Keep voting 🗳️
I can relate - northen Michigan, oil-owned Rep.
It matters to you and many others too. It represents your integrity and faith in a system that wants to stand for liberty and justice for all.
I write my representatives and I get a form response. Unfortunately, I live in Florida
That is so well said. Thank you. And for whatever reason, I am glad aid to UKRAINE passed. I'm sick of Russian Oligarchs, Trump, and the rest of the rightwing bastards.
Thank you, Susan, Ira, and many I’ve not yet read…Succinct and to that point: 🗣️TOO LATE ‘’bastards’’ ! Your number (S) are forever in the halls of traitors. Be it a lost backbone, cow-towing, coat-tailing, it’s cement shoes you put on yourselves.
Forever this period and those that follow ‘the suits ‘ will be written history, losses 11/5 or the next round, THE RUSE IS UP!
I personally take no glee in it, the stain is purely American .
BRAVO to the Europeans who took up the slack in the rape rope MAGA and their COMPLICIT let loose.
And to those who have steadfast fought to make this all seen from the first spoken LIE …THANK YOU!
Stay the course mates, it’s not over yet, the clean sweep is 🗣️GET OUT YER BROOMS! CLEAN SWEEP!
The only post today so far with the eye on the prize. Vote blue up and down and sideways.
I wish 100 currently red seats were plausibly at risk of flipping, but realistically it's more like 20.
Nevertheless, you are correct in stating that perhaps THE major driving force in the votes of every Repub congressperson is fear of getting primaried. The fact that it is the faux moderates who seem to always be in the most danger of a primary and not the even-more-extremists tells you where the energy and center of gravity is in the party now. In contrast, the Democrats with the most real chance of getting booted from within this year all belong to the left-most flank, and there are not that many of them to begin with.
The adults have control of one side of the aisle and the toddlers have control of the other.
'Trump's Daytime Snoozing: A Pictorial History'
'A Borowitz Report Sunday Read' (Satire)
'Trump struggles to stay awake on the first day of his hush money trial. Could it be that he’s finally as bored with himself as we’ve been for decades?'
'Trump made headlines this week by falling asleep at his trial. But was it really news?
'Don Snoreleone has a long history of catching some z’s during work hours, as these photos reveal...' (A.Borowitzsubstack) See link below.
https://www.borowitzreport.com/
Subscribers only
Marge, I suggest you write Borowitz substack on google and you will
get through,
Paywall
MLMinET, I did not have a paywall problem but suggest that you google Borowitz substack. There should not be a problem as he would naturally like to increase subscribership.
I'll take 20 seats if we can get them.
Will, do you think a more radical right primary figure would actually win? I think the climate is changing away from extremes on both ends of the spectrum.
Less toddlers, more members of trump's crime family
The sadness, at least for me, is that there is SO much money being thrown at him, when so many children need so much. I want that money, to start centers that teach pregnant teenagers how to raise their babies and work in daycares to assure others a stable beginning. I want that money to go toward setting up a middle school service programs where we lose the entitlement in favor of service.I want that money to go to funding fragile and sacred to people environments, free from plunder by oil and mining interests. And finally,
The toddlers get their advice from the head toddler whose is Court still trying to govern.
Thanks also , Will, from Cal., and all those of us who continue closing up the gaping hole like my g.g.g.Uncle Joshua Chamberlain , the win just a whisper in the wind , but solid.
Maybe, but, using Ockham’s razor as a guide, the simplest viewpoint is that being painted as a “commie” sympathizer would not go well in those same red-leaning states, whether in a primary or a general election against a Dem opponent. So it’s not the ones who voted against the aid packages that I am writing about, but those who voted for it.
For anyone not familiar with Occam's razor.
What is Occam’s razor?
Definition and explanation
If Occam’s razor brings to mind images of stubbled gentlemen and shaving cream, you’re not actually that far off! Occam’s razor (also known as the ‘law of parsimony’) is a philosophical tool for ‘shaving off’ unlikely explanations. Essentially, when faced with competing explanations for the same phenomenon, the simplest is likely the correct one.
Namesake William of Occam said the best explanation of any phenomenon is the one that makes the fewest assumptions. A statement that includes many ‘ifs’ should trigger mental alarm bells: you should consider Occam’s razor and investigate it further.
Some argue that the scientific method was built upon the principles of Occam’s razor. Underdetermination says that for any theory in science there will always be at least one other rival theory that could conceivably be correct, so the scientific method uses Occam’s razor in order to circumvent this issue and choose a working hypothesis.
Remember, however, that Occam’s razor is a heuristic, a rule of thumb, to suggest which hypothesis is most likely to be true. It doesn’t prove or disprove, it simply leads you down the path that’s most likely to be correct. Also, ‘simplicity’ is often subject to heavy debate, so you and I might come to different conclusions when faced with a decision between the same 2 hypotheses.
Oddly enough Occam's razor would suggest that your spelling of Ockham is incorrect, but Ockham is another acceptable spelling. Which is the simpler explanation?
Gary, what fun! The simplest explanation is that he was, in the naming conventions of the 14th century, William of Ockham, I.e., from Ockham, and that is how the town’s name is spelled.
😀 You made me LOL KEM.
Did you watch "The Last Kingdom" where they should the names of the towns in the 9th and 10th century and then translated them into the current town name.
Your post reminded me of that. I was fascinated with how much the spelling's changed over time.
Thanks for the laugh.
Learn it. Live it. Breathe it.
"crazy criminals" is a good description of Putin's mob.
Astute analysis, Ira. I imagine the letter writing over the past several months had a telling effect. Sadly, the MAGA crowd, bolstered by such safe seats, will be back to poison pill the House. I wonder though if this, coupled with a Dem re-win of the House and hopefully a few more seats in the Senate, come November, will begin to move for a reshaping of the Republican Party, into what? I just can't think right now. Let's hope the GOP takes enough hammering on women's reproductive health issues, but i don't know, Trump takes the credit for corrupting the SC but good old Baptist Mitch spearheaded the effort. Be careful GOP what you wish for.
except UK is one of the other countries providing a proportionately huge amount of military aid to the Ukraine, Ira. 🙂
UKR for Ukraine. UK for United Kingdom. R's =Republicans CD= ???
Better to use the abbreviation after you have first used the full name for those who are not so savvy or into it.
Thank you for breaking this down, Ira!
Great , let the Republicans be fearful of losing their seats. I agree with you 100% . Hopefully their realizing that they are at dead end street. Yes , I do agree we will this November.
This is a heartwarming vote breakdown, Ira!
You make a salient point, Ira. Yesterday I wrote my Representative , Rich McCormick, to express my disgust at his No vote on Ukraine. He only got the job because Georgia gerrymandered Lucy McBath out of the district. (And they have done so a second time now.) His MAGA right wing support for DeSantis and now Trump disgust me. I had to jump through hoops to send that email. Representatives want to collect information about their voters and will not accept contact unless you fill out that information first. I suspect they don't even read it if a person doesn't check the "expect reply" box. I also bet they don't listen to phone calls and toss out the paper letters. Of course, paper mail is in jeopardy in Georgia at least; thanks to Louis DeJoy, the P.O. can't deliver mail on time anymore. Only 38% of mail delivered within metro Atlanta gets delivered within 3 days. This government ineptitude is what McCormick and other MAGA ilk want.
Thanks. After all, each representative is doing her/his job.
ira, Let's hope that they go down anyway. People should donate to swing district Ds, so that we can help them win against vulnerable Rs. We already have D ads in Oregon for two people that national Ds favor and believe can win even though they haven't won primaries yet. Especially important is the 5th district here in Oregon won by a R. The D that lost against her seems to think she will be the D candidate and hopefully she won't be because she can't win in my county.
Wonderful observation! Much of that is the result of gerrymandering, where, in the states, the real battle plays out.
KEM. thank you for this excellent post. When I posted the letter to my Facebook page, I called attention to the quote from Medvedev. I always end my posts with vote D.
When you look at comments on political articles on AOL, Newsweek, WAPO, etc. there are so many anti-Biden comments and likes of those comments.
Do you ever wonder about the level of Russian cyber-attacks that are going on out there?
And many of them are Bots that post based on words or names in the articles. Others come from troll farms.
The Ukrainians and the Russian rebels have done an excellent job of bombing targets inside of Russia. I wonder if they have hit any of these troll farms.
The growing distaste for Biden over his open support of genocide is not driven by bots. it's driven by revulsion at the Palestinian Holocaust and America's central role in it. Biden supports Ukraine while surrendering the Arab and larger Islamic world and the global South generally to China and Russia all for fear of AIPAC.
To support Gazans and oppose Netanyahu/War Cabinet policy is NOT anti-Semetic. It is pro-Justice. The Gazans are largely Semites themselves being descended from Abraham, too.
The Gazans have been prisoners of Hamas for 18 years. And most of them had nothing to do with Hamas' October Raid.
After the Fiascoes of the destroyed apartment buildings and Hospitals, and mass murders of 33,000 Gazans, Israel tops off its rampage with the annihilation of the World Central Kitchens volunteers food run in vehicles with clearly marked WCK logos on the roofs.
Today, they followed up with another bungled airstrike that killed 8 more civilians. What Netanyahu's pig-headedness is to create 5 more generations of Hamas 'terrorists' to Israelis, but 'freedom fighters' to Palestinians.
Today also Reuter's reports:
"Thousands of Israelis join anti-government protests".
Maybe someone should inform AIPAC that they do not respresent Israelis?
"Democracy... equality... rule of law... Perhaps these are too abstract for conservatives?"
No, at least not to *actual* old-school conservatives. Trouble is, the lion's share of the current crop of Repub politicians don't have any principles, because they don't need any to do what they do, which is occupy a seat doing nothing but the occasional bout of yelling. They are only there to block the people who wish to take positive, constructive action from being able to do so. Remember, the party hasn't had a published platform in years. Maintaining a grip on power to block progress is the game they are playing.
The very relieving results today were not the result of a sudden urge to bipartisanship, and certainly not a change of heart on behalf of our perpetually gassy-looking Speaker. The results are due to an increase in vocal demands from constituents that made it clear that doing the wrong thing had become more of a risk to their jobs than doing the right thing. Period. Oh, and Dems continually being reasonable, to the level that they were willing to publicly suggest they would cover the opposing party leader's butt with their votes were a motion to vacate made. That too.
The Republicans have been seduced by easy money and TV lifestyles. It's all smoke and mirrors. It's all a kind of weird glitz that any seduction produces.--a feel good, I'm powerful, I'm important, I'm sexy when there is no love, compassion, or courage involved. Eventually, this is boring. Eventually, this is empty. Eventually, the people with spirit and character speak up and that is where I think we are just now.
The problem is that those 'people with spirit and character' no longer exist in the current Republican party. Character? I seem to recall that went out of fashion in the Republican party after Nixon left office: there were Republicans who had character and the courage to confront him. That type of Republican left the party long ago. This current crop only finds 'character' when something threatens them in the next election. Fear is a great motivator: we shouldn't equate it with 'character'.
"therefore, be it resolved, That the Republican National Committee hereby formally censures Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and shall immediately cease any and all support of them as members of the Republican Party for their behavior which has been destructive to the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic, and is inconsistent with the position of the Conference,"
Susan, do you sense, as I do, a little shifting in the wind? Yesterday’s Trump rally in Wilmington, NC was postponed due to weather coming in. So sad, not! Here was another setback for Trump’s campaign. Do you think that the Devil who controls Trump is losing some power, and with Earth Day coming the powers of nature are aligning to set the world right again?
Agree....MAGA voters are vapid!
Will, “they are only there to block people who wish to take constructive action…” To me, that’s just another way of saying they want to destroy our government. So, I think we agree—by action as well as word they are echoing Russian goals. The Russian rhetoric has gotten increasingly belligerent, and I don’t know how much longer they will contain that belligerence to just verbal volleys. I used to be frustrated that US aid to Ukraine was just enough to maintain the status quo, and not enough to help Ukraine actually repel Russian invasion. Now I am pondering whether Russia under Putin will ever stop anywhere.
Russia won't stop until it is stopped. Crazy criminals just don't know what else to do.
The culprits always get stopped, such as history is written …in blood
Medvedev:s statement can be read as revealing that the Kremlin understands that its information war operations aimed at Americans have failed, as he used to play the role of the Westernized good cop to Putin, but now we see it's no more Mr. Nice Guy. That said, we would be fools to suppose that these efforts will slacken. Rather we have every reason to anticipate that these efforts intensify even as they prove ineffective.
In so far as your foreboding is concerned, the only good news to be extracted from this Congressional after action report is that, thanks to America, this war will go on; and it will not be over soon. For so long as Russia has its hands full trying to cope with the disaster that Putin has brought up on it by trying to subject Ukraine to his will, it will be in no position to menace any other countries, such as the Baltics in particular, which understand that they will indeed be next. But this still leaves the authoritarian power structure in Russia on place with a free hand to engage in internal repression of restive regional minorities and the pervasive suppression of all dissent and to thus pursue Putin's long stand goal of reconstituting the Soviet Union. (minus communism), eg, the Russian empire. And the sobering truth to be gained from what has happened to Russia over the course of the 21st Century thus far as its slide back into totalitarianism has gained speed, is that this does not mean that Russian society can be expected to crumble merely due to the strain that this war has placed upon it. .Much less will it weaken because of and decisive display of resolve by other countries, nor because of American support for Ukraine, nor for that matter, because of any successes Ukraine may have on the battlefield.
This war is far from over It is just beginning. It will be a long one. How it turns out will be as consequential to America as it will be to all of Europe. There will be a price to be paid for allowing Russia to reconquer Ukraine
Well, Medvedev still has to appear to be Putin's guy, lest he somehow have one of those strange "accidents" that seem to plague Putin's out-of-favor oligarch buddies.
Oh, they are both up to their necks in this. They have sworn a blood oath and feathered their nests sumptuously. I'm gonna go back and review his personal history. My hunch is that he is the one overseeing the Kremlin's information war and foreign influence operations.
Since when is any Russian bound by an oath?..It's more likely they are being threstened blackmail by Putin
…as it has been Tyler, and so should be. Tyranny is thus fortunate to be a step behind than steps ahead.
Perhaps this time, history will be heeded.
By and large, modern "Republicans" crave what Lincoln detested: absolute, unaccountable power.
Putin will not stop unless all of us respect the rule of law and the messy, imperfect, but beautiful hope that democracy enshrines.
Liberty and justice for ALL is never going to be perfect, but we can always do better, and every step in that direction is a step away from preventable suffering.
Yes🙌
Very well stated. I grew up with roots in, and respect for, both Parties. No one where I came from would ever have thought of the M.A.G.A. slags hijacking the Party of Lincoln. But that occurred. I scat in 2017 after Justice Kavanaugh was confirmed. I suspect that many of the one hundred twelve Representatives who voted for Ukraine did so largely because it was meet and right so to do. Kudos to them. My suspicion, alas, may be more of *a desperate hope.
Other potential reasons for Mr Johnson's and his GOP's very quick about-face and going against TFG have begun to surface. The below quote was taken from another blog post. It could be bogus but, if true would be a major story. I wouldn't normally repost but mainstream media can't be trusted now due to their both-sidism bias and HCR's readers are well-sourced so, thought it worth sharing to see if anyone has info or can find it. If so, please share. It is suggesting that Johnson's surprise turnaround may have to do with Iran's recent target choices in their attack on Israel were part of the intel within TFG's theft of US Top Secret docs. As said, this is unsubstantiated but, would sure like to hear more if anyone has info on it or can find it. The post below is from GBDoggo:
"Something changed the last few days. Mike Johnson talked to a few people and all of a sudden he and other remaining moderate republicans are on board with working with dems and going against trump and maga. BaddCompani on twitter said some things are about to happen. People were piecing some things together. Iran hit targets in Israel that were in the intel that trump stole. The only way they would have received this is through trump. Israel moved their assets, so Iran didn't get much for their flurry of drones and missiles. Notice the magas, including Marge voted against Ukraine aid and Marge put every talking point of Russian propaganda as amendments on the bill before it passed. Because Mike knows something, they just became a real minority in the house. They won't be vacating the chair, they are now powerless to do anything but crow, but watch that go away soon. Trump can't help them either, he is the millstone around their necks now."
Interesting, BK. Thanks for sharing it.
Yes, it appears that *something* is going on in Trump World especially related to Iran’s (et al) recent attacks. It makes me wonder if (or how much) Richard “Rick” Grinell (Trump’s “special envoy”) knows (via Mar a Lago documents) and is spreading on his recent “tour.” Not too scary, huh?
Interesting and arresting, for me in one and should be for Trump in another. My question is how this intel. got to Iran. EDIT: I should add, ¿why would Grinnell or Trump want that information to get into Iranian hands? I thought Trump would want to drumpf Iran rather than help her.
Yes, agreed and which is why it seemed worth sharing. If true, it could remain "classified" (which is what Johnson maintained as the reason he all-of-a-sudden made the decision to back the aid pkg) inc how it got into the hands of Iran. That said, speculation would or will run rampant given that the stolen intel was in the hands of one rapidly deteriorating, desperate and unrepentant, revenge-filled maniac so,......
Here's one additional link that shares Johnson's quote for his change-of-heart when confronted by Maggie Q's equally unrepentant and unforgivable rage for his shift to placing country before party for the first time.
https://2paragraphs.com/2024/04/marjorie-taylor-greene-rages-at-republicans-who-stab-american-people-in-the-face/
It also occurred to me that those secrets made their way to Putin and then over to the his fellow gangster régime in Teheran. If this hot topic prove true, really why would I be surprised. The question, "Is Trump a traitor?" is almost as rhetorical as the question, "ls the Pope Catholic?" Will enjoy the Q-ball's vid., I am sure; thank you. 🤝
Desperate hope is not altogether bad. All Republicans are not bad people by any means. But Russian influence may be just the threat they need to stand up for democracy against the tranny of stupidity. Ignorance is not our bliss.
Certainly. Trumpies, or the cognitive underclass, include many people who know better. That is my big concern: ambition above everything, ideology over anything.
"Ideology over anything" sure sums up what I see in my MAGAt friends.
I'm afraid you're suspicion is right, Ned. Sorry, but all the Repugnants in Congress have done for the last 3 years would support the opposite. Doing the right thing has not occured to any of them save perhaps the ones who've bailed as they can't be a part of it anymore and still look at themselves in the mirror, and McCaul and Turner. The fact that their numbers still include the likes of Gym Jordan, Matt Getz (both with an abundance of child sexual abuse accusations) and Gangrene who's just bat s--- crazy says all you need know about the current party of Lincoln who must be weeping in heaven.
I do not understand why I care so much. Yes, I am a conservative by *temperament, but never a straight-ticket type; more like strait-jacket.
Were I nearby (I'm in Portugal) I'd offer my scissors to assist.
Okay, that got me giggling.
There you have said it in a nutshell Will. Problem is getting the many, those locked in the far right 'silo' out of the silo, willingly or of their own curiosity.
I am from WI where our gerrymandered state legislature, dominated by Republicans, just clocks in and out. They are sitting on a $6 Billion dollar surplus and won’t accept additional Medicare funding lest some (theoretical, fictional) lazy person might get something for free. The streets of Milwaukee, the state’s only first class city, neglected for a long time, are in horrible condition—no exaggeration—everywhere but especially bad in poor neighborhoods. There are still neighborhoods with lead water pipes. There is more wrong. Like sucking public education dollars away to give to religious and other private schools. In my opinion our current WI State Republicans, like their U.S. counterparts, are not humane. They are stingy and cruel. The school boards are being infiltrated by stingy and cruel people too. I think our country was built this way. How do legislators, in good conscience make decisions that leave children underfed and under schooled? We need to once and for all make lasting changes to our federal constitution and say the founding model which values $ and property before people is no longer our vision. Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness should no longer be measured in $ and property. We need to measure our success as states and as a nation by the number of citizens who are in good health, receiving enough food, are well housed, well educated and so forth. If our legislators were to look at their job in that way it would begin to improve the system. In my opinion to make it work and stand the test of time we need to take life essentials out of the speculative markets or drastically protect them from speculation. Not everything should be viewed through a business lens. My two cents.
Hey, KEM. If I may, Timothy Snyder spoke to Congress on April 17. His remarks are imbedded in his latest substack letter to his readers. In it he emphasizes it is not only Russian influence, but what the Chinese are up to while hoping to sew division in the U.S.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/political-warfare-and-congress
Morning, Lynell! I saw a clip of Dr. Snyder's testimony yesterday. Powerful!
He's terrific...afternoon, Ally!
Thanks for this important essay from Timothy Snyder.
Ditto. I reposted it.
Agree.
KEM, I think pictures of Trump in Court may be a big boost to his undoing and exposure, even before the verdict.
'From stare-downs to shut-eye: Trump’s every move in criminal trial under the microscope'
(NBC Universal)
'Donald Trump has spent most of his adult life seeking the limelight. Inside a frigid New York City courtroom this week, a closed-circuit camera provided arguably the brightest light he’s ever experienced.'
'Not even during his jaw-dropping presidency nor at his raucous rallies has Trump’s every move been so meticulously tracked as during his initial appearances in Manhattan for the start of his hush money trial. Every smirk, turn, stare and scoff he made in the courtroom was chronicled by reporters and blasted out to the world to offer even a glimpse or small insight into how he was handling developments in the case — the first criminal trial ever involving a former president.'
'But behind every scowl, whisper or, yes, even yawn, Trump’s team sees a clear message the presumptive GOP nominee has the opportunity to get across: defiance. The aim? Convince the American people that the 34 counts of falsifying business records he faces are a sham to harm his electoral odds this fall.'
“President Trump proved he will remain defiant in the face of this unprecedented political lawfare, and it is clear that his support from the American people will only grow as they watch Joe Biden, [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg, and the Democrats putting on this bogus show trial six months before the election,” 'said Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson.'
'The central thesis of the charges, as Bragg alleges, is that Trump falsified records to conceal that he reimbursed his former lawyer Michael Cohen for the $130,000 paid to adult film actor Stormy Daniels just prior to the 2016 presidential election — a move made to pre-emptively silence her from alleging that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. (Trump denies sleeping with Daniels but has acknowledged repaying Cohen, who pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal campaign finance charges related to the payment).'
'Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and, if convicted, could face up to four years in prison.'
'Most of the week’s court proceedings featured jury selection, with Trump listening as prospective jurors were questioned about their media diet, opinions on Trump’s presidency and ability to judge him fairly. Some were even pushed on past social media posts, such as one possible alternate juror who was questioned about a 2020 post in which he called Trump' “the devil and a sociopath.” (He was dismissed.)
'In Manhattan, a New York City borough he lost by 70 points in 2020, Trump didn’t find many of the jurors’ answers satisfactory, and at multiple points stared down individuals. Nevertheless, a full jury and alternate jurors were selected, with Trump’s ears perking up when candidates referenced watching Fox News or otherwise making comments he viewed favorably.'
'He crossed his arms Friday, muttering to an attorney seated beside him when one prospective juror described him as seemingly “very selfish and self-serving.” But Trump smiled when the prosecution noted to jurors that some witnesses they will call' “have what you might consider to be some baggage.”
'Trump was admonished by Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday for his behavior toward the prospective jurors, with Merchan telling Trump and his lawyer Todd Blanche:' “I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make this crystal clear.”
'Merchan said he heard Trump say something in the direction of a juror and that he had been “muttering” and “gesturing” toward her.'
'But nothing from the week garnered more attention than Trump looking as if he was dozing off, closing his eyes for extended periods, prompting speculation he had fallen asleep. This was not a single occurrence, he sat with his eyes closed at least once every day he day he was in court." (NBC) See link below.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/stare-downs-shut-eye-trumps-every-move-criminal-trial-microscope-rcna148651#:~:text=
The thought of his having to listen to normal people’s comments, many of which were negative and unflattering, was very satisfying to me. I think, perhaps, that the solution to his smirks and faces and under-breath comments is something like a dog training collar and someone appointed to hit the buzzer every time he misbehaves. Although, given the reports that he has trouble controlling certain physiological events, that might not be a good idea.
Let him be in the courtroom, Lynn. DJT without a collar is how his image will shrink in the eyes of the those in the courtroom, seeing him on screens as well as photos in newspapers and magazines. The audience will be smirking at him, while watching the ORANGE BALLOON DEFLATE. Your call for a collar, is appropriate for those who would like take him for a walk. Keeping DJT on a leash is a perfect picture and solution to his lethal and vulgar performances.
I need a cartoon for this, complete with bulging eyes and malodorous cloud.
I agree. And I think much of this could have been avoided long ago. It is sometimes dispiriting.
But we are here now so onward we go.
The whole civilised world cheers with you.
Many other countries are sending aid too. But not enough. Thanks for the help.
KEM, as you imply....that "understanding" had better translate into MANY, MANY more votes for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in the upcoming Presidential, state, and local elections...or we are all screwed!
It is almost like democracy, equality, and international rule of law may be too abstract for some of these elected officials.
Two observations: 1) As Tip O’Neil said, all politics is local.2) Reality bites.
I’m seeing an excellent political commercial built on the framework you’ve laid out here. Convincing to me and anyone who is loyal to democracy, human rights, and USA.
Or could it be that the untruthfulness of our hypocrisy-democracies becomes more obvious by the day?
Human endeavor will always be flawed and imperfect. I choose democracy’s imperfections over the alternatives any day and every time.
KEM, don't get sucked in here. This Reader's posts are to be consistently ignored. They are a "one and only one interest" person.
Ally House (Oregon), yes, thanks for confirming. But I don't think ignoring is as good a response as firm and fact-based rejection. If someone can come up with facts, not solely rants and opinions, a civil discussion sometimes is better. In this case, not, but sometimes. There are many people who are single-issue participants, and that's okay as long as they hold a reasonable opinion.
That could be because your're luckily on the side and in the camp of the powerful. It seems that we care little about democracies imperfections when they don't fit our plans in the West, see the Palestinians, who stubbornly insist on staying in their own country, when it doesn't suit the "democratic" Israel.
Sabine, you could not be more wrong about which camp I am in. And the lessons of history do not support your theory that we do not care about our imperfections—we rejected slavery. We rejected child labor. Women can vote. Resistance to being a more perfect Union ebbs and flows, but the march over time is towards more equality. And, I think long time US support of a two state solution says a great deal.
10,000 killed civilians in 2 years compared to 40,000 killed civilians in half a year speaks a pretty clear picture. I'm not in support of Putin, but it is not at all surprising that the rest of the world, about 7 billion people, are not much longer prepared to just swallow the West's self-righteous and self-declared superiority.
We just should keep that in mind while the power balance on this planet is changing relatively rapidly.
Sabine, a parallel has been drawn between Netanyahu and Putin that is also in mind. Recognizing the flaws of “the West” does not mean ipso facto a turn towards authoritarianism or a rejection of democracy. If anything, the balance of power is becoming a trend towards coalitions between forms of governments shared across countries. This, too, is a trend towards more democracy and equality played out on a planetary scale. Is there a long way to go? Of course, especially in economically emerging countries in Africa and Asia. But again, the trend shows steps away from the effects of colonialism and its propitary attitudes and towards self government in which many more voices are recognized.
Medvedev's theory, is just a tactic of fear and propaganda that Russian leaders used to influence people in their country. Mega Republican are trying to used the same strategy here in this country. Frankly, I don't believe it will work because the majority of us in this country believe in Democracy. The first indication was
what happened in the House when they voted yesterday.
The mega Republican party is slowly
coming apart. Trumps hasn't succeeded within the court system. I believe we have a chance to save our Democracy and win this November.
The sad part is that the Russians could help them out so easily. They have done a great job so far. I do believe they are being paid by the Russians. Otherwise, why would they do what they are doing?
“Realized” means made to happen. I think you mean “recognized and understood”.
Yes, if that statement doesn't open some eyes than indeed all may be lost. Perhaps his statement will finally show those imbecile, trump supporters that RUSSIA IS OUR ENEMY!
💥That quote from Medvedev! Perfection! May the Magats hear it and FINALLY understand that ALL their talk about a civil war, ALL their upside down talk about insurrection equaling patriotism… NONE of that was their own ideas! They weren’t “doing their own research” on the Internet. They were being slow-dripped a steady strong diet of propaganda straight out of the Kremlin. We almost lost EVERYTHING because of their gullibility and lack of critical thinking and, dare I say it?— wholly unChristian values.
I'm sure Russia will double down on social media attacks, so get ready for more telling and hacking and everything under the sun they can do to disrupt America. They are pissed, and it shows!
To think FOX news channel staffed with spewers of conspiracies continues to exist! Adult toddlers cannot be considered journalists. Stepford Wives they are.
That gives toddlers a bad name.
Toddlers have a good excuse for very immature behavior. Fox management and staff do not.
True. Toddlers are not malicious, just testing adult limits.
MAGAs are Trump loyalists, counting on his return to power, and Trump is visibly diminished. For the last week, he has been sitting in a courtroom with no choice but to do as he is told by the judge while potential jurors have expressed their dislike of him to his face. This is novel for him, and it is clearly taking a toll.
Am I a bad person for reveling that every miniute Trump spend's in a court room where he is one trial is his own personal HELL. He was seething on Friday when the judge politely told him to "Sir, please sit down."
He.looked ready to blow up as he walked out of the court room with his face beet red and his lips pursed.
Gary, I thought "Sit. Stay." would have been more appropriate.
😂 You made me laugh Ally. Thank goodness my coffee is sitting on the table and not in my hand.
I agree. The judge clearly has control of TFFG and the courtroom.
Hopefully the other 3 judges will be just as good. Unfortunately, Cannon won't be, but maybe she'll be removed soon.
Ally, brilliant reply, again!
😂
If you are a bad person, you are not alone.
You're not a bad person. You're happy real people are looking the orange Cocksplat in the face and aren't intimidated.
He must have loved having one frightened juror break down and need to be dismissed. He will not love those who ignore his threats.
Can't wait for Monday. That's not bad, it's excellent.
UnChristian values are exactly right. But we cannot wait for a conversion of MAGITS. They have drunk the Kool Aide and cannot be relied upon to do anything resembling critical thinking. It will be up to those of us who have not drunk the Kool Aide to get ourselves out of this hole.
I really don't understand this at all.
What does it mean "to drink the kool aid"? Why is it linked to Christian values?
Is it something like Eve's apple?
To dovetail on what Lynn wrote, yes, the "drink the kool-aid" is linked to cult leader Jim Jones who had his followers drink kool-aid laced with cyanide. When it gets linked to what you term "Christian values" it usually means that it is something akin to white Christian Nationalism, which is more of a cult that a branch of Christianity.
There was a cult led by Jim Jones. He convinced all of his followers to drink koolaid; it was laced with poison. They did what he told them to and died.
No. It has nothing to do with Christian values at all. I'm old enough to remember the cult leader, Jim Jones, who had a compound. When he realized his gig was up and he was going to be arrested, he mixed some kind of poison into KoolAide and urged his followers to drink it, which they did. When the authorities arrived they found a bunch of dead people, including Jm Jones. I believe Jones depicted himself as a god, but again, it had nothing to do with Christian values. Hope this helps.
Medvedev's quote about an American civil war gives me the first real hope that such a war will not happen, because the notion is largely driven by propaganda - what my in-laws would call "stuff and nonsense". The authoritarian side in such a conflict is disorganized, small in number, and led by a corrupt few with incompetents in more than a few key positions.
Why did Steven Miller immediately come to mind?
I would hope that Medvedev will be chastised by Putin for telling the truth of the Russian government's intentions.
If Medvedev's call for civil war looks anything like the latest movie, "Civil War," we're toast.
Did anyone see it?
I have gained a glimmer of hope that Democrats are slowly but surely gaining some support from Republicans that appear willing to finally oppose the MAGAS and vote in the best of interests of our country and other countries that need support from us. MTG must be furious! That gives me joy!
She mtg. came out of the womb furious...
MTG most likely didn't come out of womb, she hatched from an egg of an unknown species of a reptile, similar to a rattlesnake. It would give me joy if someone would slap her teeth down her throat. I thoroughly hate and despise that hag. I don't even like to admit i am from the state of Georgia because of her embarrassing and arrogant narcissistic personality. I cannot for the life of me understand why her antics have been tolerated this long. She should have been expelled from Congress 4 years ago for her role in the JAN 6 insurrection and riots at the Capitol building. She is a disgrace to the entire nation.
I deeply dislike MTG yet even so I cannot abide violence against women.
I do not abide violence against women either. I do not even consider her to be a woman. She is an insult to women just like Donald TUMP is to men. Both MTG and DJT are horrible people and are hell bent on destroying the United States and our way of life. Both of them would fit in with Putin and Russia and should be deported to Russia. They do NOT deserve to be citizens of the United States. I have NO respect for MTG or Donald TUMP whatsoever. They are bad, bad, people just like Adolf Hitler and his minions were. They do not care about anyone but themselves and they would rather see average people dead and gone. 4 years ago, MTG once said, '' when are we going to start the genocide of poor and average citizens in the nation?'' And her blatant disrespect for President Biden at the State of the Union address for 2 years in a row. She is rude and ignorant and i wouldn't defend her anytime even if someone threatened her. She if full of hate and doesn't deserve anything!!!!!!!!!! I can't understand why anyone that is a true Democrat would defend that cretin. She is even said, ''Nancy Pelosi needs a bullet to her head'' Maggot Traitor Goon is NOT a woman!! She is pure evil and should be in a mental institution for the criminally insane.
MTG is VERY bad, the worst. I agree on all points. AND I can't abide anyone discussing or condoning violence against women. Period. Both can be true at the same time. We need to be better. It's not a compromise.
Dems should move to censure MTG .
And unfortunately, she will likely be re-elected. She is a fake human.
Oh yes, i am certain she will be re-elected. Her district starts about 25 miles north of my residence and a large portion of the population are the AR 15 rifle owning big truck backward type of people just like the people that live close to me in my area including quite a few of my relatives. My personal nickname for MTG is, ''Maggot Traitor Goon'' The house representative member for the district i live is a MAGA asshat also, his name is Drew Ferguson, and he isn't much better than MTG is. In my opinion, all of those extremist MAGATs in Congress are fake humans.
Deliverance district
Yes indeed!!
I am very sorry for you that you live so close to her and amid all that yuck. That must be very hard. Stay strong. Stay sane!
Thank you for your encouragement. I am trying to stay strong and sane. I may sound nuts for saying this, but i think MTG must have been treated badly by someone in the past that made her so consumed with hate. That does not excuse her behavior now as it seems some of the GQP house members have turned on her for her actions.
...and maybe was dropped on her head.
Probably.
I think you are probably correct.
"Gangrene" is a perfect nickname for her. Easy to recognize who it refers to.
Dear Margarita,
I share your joy!
Yes!
A big thank you to those on both sides of the aisle who made this happen. The only way to protect Europe from Putin's imperialist aggression is by helping Ukraine. This was a good day.
Thank you for reminding me that, in these difficult times, we must all act like states(wo)men now.
Democracy means that we all get a share of agency for our nation's leadership.
Headline;
“Vladimir Putin Losing Grip on US Congress”
Love that one. Make it so, Scotty.
Professor ⭐, You've got to be hardest working scribe in the History biz.
Thank you for this letter that
chronicles such movement and progress.
April 20, today, is a massive rejection of the conservative nationalist movement.
The conservative movement is splintering at the national level, with no one with an understanding of reproductive freedom, democracy and foreign affairs. At the state level, the maga cult is at war with the traditional corporatist Republicans, as we see in AZ, MI, PA. These candidates for Senate are losing traction in these states.
Meanwhile, blue collar workers in Southern states are rushing the gates before the shift whistle, to sign cards requesting a union vote. I think I'm seeing a birth of Democratic Capitalism - from sea to shining sea
VW unionizing in Tennessee is a highly significant breakthrough! Previous attempts to unionize in the South have failed before now, so this more than even Congress's passing the funding bills is a major signal of change. And next month, the Mercedes plant in Alabama will hold their vote. Take a deep breath and let's see what happens!
Shawn Fain is going after Mercedes next and then the other plants in the South.
With the Federal minimum wage stalled at $7.25 an hour this is a big "fuck you" to the South.
He wants to have 5 or 6 companies, at least, involved in the next UAW contract negotiations. He is actually working on several more.
And he is constantly calling out TFFG as a scab for the shenanigans he pulled in Detroit going into a non-UAW shop and telling them how much he supports the workers.
Big car companies built plants in the south because they were sure of the low wages and corporate friendly governments.
They didn't figure on the workers figuring out they were being screwed.
There's hope.
V for vote. V for Victory.
April 20, a palindrome day, (4-20-2024) has US turning against Putin forwards and backwards. It shows the House's Putin Caulk-ass turning to pot.
I see what you did there... ;)
😂 Brilliant!
Repubs cheat, never forget
I like your vision! Just beautiful.
In a way, I’m happy to read this clear statement of what Russia wishes for the USA’s future:
“… I … wish the USA with all sincerity to dive into a new civil war themselves as quickly as possible. Which, I hope, will be very different from the war between North and South in the 19th century and will be waged using aircraft, tanks, artillery, MLRS, all types of missiles and other weapons. And which will finally lead to the inglorious collapse of the vile evil empire of the 21st century—the United States of America.”
Every MAGA member of Congress and of State Governments across America should be asked “Do you want the USA to collapse as the end resort of a new Civil War?”
This just might finally motivate Merrick Garland to prosecute these elected officials… on the charge of seeking through word and/or deed the destruction of the USA!
Like Trump, Russia’s leaders would waste their brief time
upon the stage, to be the bad actors, rather than create a world that all the children can live in, in peace.. what lost souls they are!
Thanks for your comment. Lost souls indeed. Their world view is 100 percent based on always and forever living in a world of "winners and losers". A world in which "everyone wins" is something they cannot conceive of happening. These leaders are a ticking time bomb set to destroy humanity's future.
...And there it is D.O. ! A clear statement of differentiation between "Russian leaders" and the Russian peoples. This is what I yearn for in many space like ours regarding 'that' difference, and the difference between far right extremists within the gop leadership and the run of the mill gop voter / party of their declaration. There is a 'huge' difference. I for instance don't believe the average, non upper caste Russian citizen, holds any animosity for America or the West in general; Admiration, perhaps yearning and some measure of jealousy ? Sure, but not weaponized belligerence. My point is that words matter. To continue to collectively lump dissimilar things together, we serve the offensive leadership's purpose by our words for said leadership to point at for identity affirmations.
I share your belief that ordinary Russian citizens do not wish America to be destroyed. For proof look to the Russian space exploration program. These are not what I would call "ordinary" people but they are "non-political" people. And they help run the International Space Station both by sending crew members to the ISS and also using its rockets to get people there and bring them back to Earth.
I can celebrate your acknowledgement of one half of my points. Thx ?
It's been a long day. I apologize for not commenting on everything you said. It's now nearly 1:30 am here. Good night.
I get it Steve; I'm in EST, old, and beat up. Rest well friend.
President Biden said at the beginning of Putin's war against Ukraine that our fight was not with the Russsian people, but with Putin.
“ In the beginning was the word…”
Yes, words matter.
When chump was our “leader,” I certainly opposed his every breath.
Agree
Russia is - most likely without any real understanding - exporting its own misery to the rest of the world. They've never been a happy country, ever.
My people established successful colonies on the volga river starting in the 1700’s.. they developed the grain industry. They were rewarded by being cleansed and the ones who didnt escape ended up as virtual slaves in siberia..luckily my grandparent made it here.
You are correct, the russian have never be a happy country, nor have they been kindly and intelligent.
And we can't exactly blame it on the climate because neighboring countries to the west have a lot better track records for being in the international community for the most part.
My other grandparents came from norway, and one can see more cooperation, kibdness, and many contributions from that society.. there is something dark about those who have risen to power in russia, yes.
Beautifully said.
I do keep wondering who Trump shared our secrets with. I believe he will dwarf Benedict Arnold in treachery when the dust finally settles. Such a sad excuse for a man. Such a worm of a being. All for what? The lights, camera, action? The twenty minutes of fame on the human stage?
I get a thrill when I re-read "in all sincerity". He not just saying that, he really cares.
Yes. He really cares about wanting America to die. It's in his heart not just his mind. SMH
Russia is - most likely without any real understanding - exporting its own misery to the rest of the world. They've never been a happy country, ever.
Biden’s campaign ads practically write themselves, don't they?
But sometimes he sounds so clueless. This morning NPR played a clip, Biden saying “for 4 years Trump tried to pass an infrastructure bill and failed. I got it done!”
No, Joe, Trump did not TRY to pass an infrastructure bill. He SAID he would. There is no evidence that he meant what he said. Am I wrong?
Given how much Biden has achieved in his first term with such a crazed and antithetical GOP trying to thwart him at every drop of a peanut, imagine the world now if Maga and Frump had just shut up.
It’s my opinion that Joe Biden deserves another term, more than almost anyone before him. And that Frump is the least deserving, proving over and over again how inept, how inadequate how self serving, and how dangerous he is. Not just to America but to the whole world wide rule of law.
…and that’s without mentioning a malign Supreme Court with seriously corrupt justices
Dems should have the ability to add four justices to SCOTUS after the election.
The proposal is for two immediate retirements ( term limited Thomas and Alito) with replacements. And two new ones two years later. And two years after that adding two more.
At least the most viable one I've seen so far.
This would mean a six-five conservative majority for the first two years of Biden's second term. Not acceptable, when Biden is going to win re-election by a huge margin.
A letter that gives me some hope before I go off to sleep.
All pro-Putin republicans that voted against this bill should be published.
A great idea. Maybe I will publish an article on Medium and blog about it. This would reach probably 10 readers LOL. Clearly we need journalists to take this up.
Her you go-
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2024/04/20/ukraine-israel-border-funding-house-vote/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f003
Pretty sad that a majority of one of the two governing parties is effectively wishing for the “the inglorious collapse of the vile evil empire of the 21st century—the United States of America.”
Stunning comments from Russian leadership, and a glorious moment of bipartisanship! I am proud of Congress in this moment, and give Johnson a good deal of respect. In this moment.
PS - in regards to (Covid-related) partisan poison, I feel compelled to leave an unrelated link to a post I wrote about Paxlovid for Covid treatment. A lot of doctors (and higher risk people) are failing to take this medicine when sick, and a recent small study in the NEJM about the lack of symptom resolution vs placebo made this worse. Read and share, I sincerely believe it might actually save a life or two:
https://mccormickmd.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-paxlovid
I recently had COVID. My case was very mild, despite my 70 years, and my doc told me that taking paxlovid carries with it a 20% chance of a new infection after the first one resolves. We talked it out and agreed I didn't need paxlovid. I don't think my temp went over 99 (I normally run 97 point something), and I had no discomfort, although I was slightly woozy.
I suspect the mildness of my case was due to the fact that I take 5000 IU of vitamin D 4 times a week. The immune system is loaded with vitamin D receptors. It needs adequate D to be fully functional, and the only way to get sufficient D during the darker months is to take the supplements. (Rule of thumb: if the sun is low enough in the sky that your shadow is longer than you are, you can't get any D from the sun, because the relevant rays are being filtered out by the atmosphere.)
Thanks, David. And thanks for the "Rule of thumb" info, too!
You're welcome Lynell!
Interesting. Since I couldn’t stay with Paxlovid due to side effects, and now have long covid, what’s this about alternate antivirals?
Molnupiravir is an alternative that does not work as well, but if high risk I do offer/prescribe it. A few others available outside the US, and IV remedesivir should be available orally soon. Vitamin D is insufficient evidence:
https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/supplements/vitamin-d/
Thanks Ryan! Ryan’s Substack is great BTW. Full of down to earth information. I still take as many cautions as possible when it makes sense. Very few people have gotten the boosters which are shown to work.
Thanks Susan ☺️
You are correct, this fall’s updated shots reduced Covid illnesses by 50-70% , comparable to a good year with the flu shot. About the best we can hope for until those nasal vaccines might work better 🤞
I thought there was some evidence the boosters gave some protection for long COVID too. I also had the Novovax booster this time, just to change it up a bit.
I don't know what the deal is with alternate antivirals, but see my comment directly below, about having had covid, the mildness of the case probably due to the vitamin D I take.
David, I've had the habit of taking Vitamin D at levels you state since far before covid reared it's head and have continued such dosage. I also had all suggested immunizations and boosters on a timely basis. All of those immunizations beat me horribly too; I thought I would surely perish as I was so ill. None the less, I caught covid twice in 2022; Once in January, the omicron which left me with long covid, and again in August.
Holy crap. I don't know you but I am so genuinely sorry. This is such bad luck it's ridiculous. The universe is truly chaotic.
Thx Will. Sorry to have to say it got worse. The long covid manifested into the 'Big C' for which I'm undergoing treatment for. Bad luck is understatement friend. I try to at least salvage what's learnable from ill fortune, by wondering what it has come to teach me.
I hope the medical scientists figure out how to stop long covid. I've heard a few other horrible stories about that.
From my experience, you can or should believe a good deal of what you hear, aside from hypochondriacs. That damnable virus is like a heat - seeking missile for any 'chinks' in one's armor; seems to find them and exploit them - never in the host's favor. I'm enrolled in a treatment program with a renown hospital system that seeks treatment modalities for long covid; likely, and truth told, they are as well obtaining serreptitiously paid-for research via the insureds in their 'care.' "Bad luck" - trust me when I tell you that you don't know the half of it. I wasn't in good shape to begin with - but that's a longer story. I don't favor 'pissing and moaning' about my challenges David; I've no insight as to why I'm wired that way, despite the fact that it is good - in a relieving sort of way to get things out of my head, as I've found that isolating up in my head, is never a good place to dwell for me. Do you keep all of your back copies of LFMA - digitally ? That would be good for me to know and make use of. To your other query, my 'D' levels when checked have always been well within normal range. My feeling is that if it does no harm, it's a good thing, and I'll seek out more info. Btw, I like Boston and have a friend or so there. I do Not like the traffic though. In many respects, it greatly reminded me of Washington D.C. traffic, where I spent a lot of time. The difference is that I knew D.C. like the back of my hand; how and when to use known short-cuts to avoid traffic. Cheers friend !
Do you mean do I keep my back copies of HCR? Most of them are probably in my gmail, but it would sure be hard to find anything specific in them.
Different docs have different levels of D that they consider "normal". Many of them think anything between 20-30ng/ml is "normal" or "good". I don't think you're going to get maximum protection at that level. I'd say you want it over 40 and probably under 60-70, although I'm really uncertaiin as to where risks start to rise. My level is around 55ng/ml both in the summer, when I'm getting most of my D from running shirtless; and at the same level in December, when I'm taking supplements.
I'm sorry to hear that D4N. That's terrible bad luck. I hope you come out the other side in good shape in the near future. The Big C?
One thing: different people need different levels of D, and take different levels. I have one friend who was prescribed 10,000 IU for osteopenia years ago, and she's still taking it. I can't remember if she's had COVID or not. But she works long hours, both as an immunologist at NIH and as the owner of a sheep farm that has up to 200 in lambing season, and does not sleep as much as I wish she would. (She's one of my best friends, and gave me my border collie, who for various reasons was unhappy on the sheep farm.) My brother and sister in law take 4000 IU, I'm not sure how much my sister takes, the three of them haven't have covid. Did you know your blood level of D? Another best friend was taking I forget how much D, and his blood level of it was low, like he wasn't taking it at all due to some quirk in his physiology.
I had all my covid shots on a timely basis, and I never had any reactions to them.
I started taking D in 2004, and my frequency of colds and flu plummeted. (I started getting flu shots in 2013.) My last flu was maybe 5 years ago, it was very mild and lasted a day.
Ryan, thanks for your informative post. Keep posting here about Covid. We have become inured to illness and death as we did with death by tobacco, guns and cars in the 1960s.
Thank you, Dr McCormick.
Thank you for this.
I sincerely believe taking Paxlovid saved me from a full-blown case of long COVID, after I caught it from my husband, who went to an educational function with hundreds of high schoolers in one arena.
Ryan, excellent article, thank you. I really appreciate your expert guidance on a subject I’m quite concerned about.
I personally am not very worried about acute Covid. It’s long Covid that I fear. It’s why I still mask and don’t go out much, and it’s why if I get Covid, I will take paxlovid. I’ve had Covid twice, took paxlovid both times, and seem to have escaped relatively unscathed. But I’m immunocompromised from cancer treatment (and said cancer was caused by a virus), and both times I had Covid I was sick longer and tested positive longer than my husband did. To me, that means that the virus had longer to inflict unseen damage. Anything that can help reduce that is desirable. We don’t know what the long term effects of repeated Covid infections will be. I fear we are still at the beginning of a mass disabling event. So yeah, I mask, and with a good N95, and will take every vaccine I’m eligible for. I’m seeking novavax right now.
Hi KR - we are truly kindred spirits, and I believe you have a good handle on the knowns and unknowns here, and the prudence that should follow, especially with your own health risks. I wish you well, and your approach has undoubtedly been protective. I'm looking into a novavax boost too, although I'm not 65, so not sure I should. TMI! Take care, and the mass disabling event is already happening I'm afraid, to varying degrees. I think civilization will limp along though, as we do with a million other existential problems.
I’m not 65 yet either, but hoping my self-identification as immunocompromised will be sufficient. We’re going to Italy in June, and I’d really like to have a booster onboard before traveling.
I’m pretty well informed about Covid (Twitter is an unlikely good source of information if one is judicious), and often feel like I’m screaming into the void. Please do keep posting about it! I think our voices matter, but especially yours, because you are a doctor!
Have a wonderful trip, our 3M aura masks have not failed us yet on planes, in taxis, etc.! I do a monthly rundown on Covid studies, stubbornly, but a lot of people do appreciate it. and it’s getting harder and harder even as a doctor as other physicians trivialize and move on.
I’ve read them, and I’m grateful!
Those aura masks are the gold standard, and what I use around town, but it’s a really long flight and they get very uncomfortable. I’ve been using a KN94 which is more comfortable, coupled with a little portable hepa filter, and that has worked for us. I’ve thought about trying to find a sip mask, but for such a long journey you really do need to remove your mask to eat at some point. It feels so risky, but I have a routine - sit up front so you’re served first, blast the fan, use the filter, eat fast, and hope for the best!
This topic makes me crazy. We know how to reduce community spread not just of Covid but other diseases as well, but we lack the will to do it. Improving indoor air quality, especially in schools, via ventilation and filtration, would do much to reduce community spread. Instead of these systemic responses, we are reduced to individual responsibility to mitigate factors over which we, as individuals, have little control. I’ve said it before here but will say it again: we are failing our children.
I only hope Ds are overwhelmingly rewarded in November.
To sweep we need to out register them. Register Democrats -- save democracy.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Let's work hard to make certain that happens.
"visibly diminished". I'd like to see him visibly diminished to invisibility. And he can take his MAGA minions with him on the journey. It's going to be a long, tiresome summer, watching him and the ever-entertaining Empty G on the profit-hungry MSM. I think I'm going to swear off TV, except for "Law and Order" and the occasional movie. Time to go through the stack of unread books.
I'd like to see him diminished to invisibility, but first: a spectacular fall from grace that leaves him humiliated in poverty and in jail, and ridiculed by most of his fans who finally come to desert the sinking ship. Bitter? Me?? Nahhhhh..... :-D
How farting and pooping his pants in public does that to a good degree.
There are many great books to read! I've gotta brush up on my math, and buying used textbooks off of Amazon is a great way to do so. I've been using a method of cubic interpolation for years/decades and I believe I've just found the $8 book (including shipping) that explains it all plus more!
Oh but SNL has such good fodder
It's much worse than an "attention-seeking and bomb-throwing MAGA faction."
Marble Mouth Marge and her fellow traitors ally with Putin and fellow dictators. The ayatollahs, Russian oligarchs, and other international autocrats all hate democracy, the rights of women, the rights of people of color every bit as do the thug Republicans, their Clarence court activists for their billionaires.
It's the stress on the negative that stews them together. Their nationalism simply allows them a cohering poison, a mean-spirited atavism worse than any mere tribalism or other group sickness.
Even now we see their fat, orange leader in the U.S. rally them all as if for a reality TV show, one with rank sensationalism at its core -- loud-mouthed mutual entertainment for masses who haven't an ounce of love, caring, or human concern for anything in life. Just mad script. With the venom of their obese criminal defendant, the far upper arms of their Marjorie, and the marbles in her sub-literate mouth.
This is a work of savage linguistic beauty and I applaud you, sir.
Completely agree. If you admire this type of passionate eloquence, or "savage linguistic beauty," if you will, Steve Schmidt's substack, "The Warning" provides a daily source. It's linguistic precision guided by moral clarity. I'm glad I subscribed there, as well as here.
Ooh Phil! You say it so beautifully. (Um, far upper arms?)
I'd not realized this error of mine, Anne-Louise.
It's "fat," of course. As in symptomatic of ingesting similar fetid fare of her orange-encrusted, heavily-cosmetics-layered waddling fat role model in scurrilous hatreds.
Waddling. Perfect. You are having a fine day.
TV celebrity impressed his legion of suckers, may his current TV appearances expose the loser that he is to the same suckers
Yes, Jeri. Definitely.
But might the schools raise standards for humanities of human import -- so they might compete with all the channels stooping to the easily marketable mediocrities and sensationalized stupidities?
Sensationalized stupidities, that's where our TV is, commercial blather and some "news"