Today The Guardian broke the news that former president Donald Trump tested positive for COVID on September 26, 2020, days earlier than the White House admitted.
1) Does ANYONE else have any doubt that that Orange Asscactus went to that debate with the unstated but specific goal of giving President Biden Covid? Would you put that past him?
2) I also have zero doubt after hearing yesterday's argument before the Supreme Court on Mississippi's abortion law that Roe v. Wade is dead letter law. I am less certain as to whether the Court will overrule Roe completely or satisfy themselves with gutting it to the point where it no longer has any meaning. Regardless, I think that the Professor's concerns are entirely valid. Once the Court "does what it does", we will see a complete erosion of other federally protected rights (gay marriage will be high on that list, I am sure) and as Justice Sotomayor pointed out, the Court will (deservedly) lose legitimacy in the eyes of millions of Americans. As well, we are now seeing just how the Republican plan to stack the courts (and especially the Supreme Court) with right wing Justices has borne fruit. The Democrats closed their eyes for years to what was going on and now we as a country will pay a huge price for that lack of foresight.
3) One final thing, related to point number two above: I am beside myself with fury at those who sat out the 2016 election because "there is no difference between Trump and Clinton". Still think that, you idiots? I'm especially furious with the "Bernie Bros", who sat on their hands and sulked because their candidate didn't get the nomination. Had they not done so, there wouldn't be three Justices sitting on the Supreme Court who will now hand deliver the anti-choice movement the gift they have been awaiting since 1973. As far as I'm concerned, this is as much on them as it is on the Republicans.
Thank you Ian. You saved me a lot of typing. I share your fury. And I am particularly angry about your number 3. If you hear the sound of a freight train, see it's headlights as it bears down on you...do you get off the tracks or continue an argument over what to have for dinner?
As a Democratic Socialist (Social Democrat?) I am stunned by the stupidity and disunity of the left. The Federalist Society has been plotting this forever. Those three justices are in the process of creating our version of Gilead from the Handmaids Tale.
Our only hope now is to expand the size of the court. This trio of terrorists is young enough to outlive our kids.
Been watching the evil ooze for at least half of my long life. Bill Moyers warned us over and over. Fox and republicans before Rupert charged ahead with evil. Maybe enough people will now see the danger we face. Again I refer to Milton Mayer's "They Thought They Were Free: Germany 1935-1945" It is us...
The saddest part is that Rupert's #1 goal was never to change the political landscape. It was to make money, pure and simple. Dividing our country and creating a crazed cult of fanatics ready to tear down the Constitution out of the "poorly educated" was just the easiest means to that end.
If the US had a Page Six culture like the UK, none of this might have happened.
He did plenty of damage in the UK, Canada as well. One article I read, he said that the reason he got into politics was that whoever was in 10 Downing St would always answer the phone when he called. Don’t kid yourself, power is another goal, not just greed. In Jan 1981, NYT had an article about Republicans hosting a dinner for Rupert to honor his efforts to get Ronnie elected. Jack Kemp was quoted as saying that Rupert “used the editorial page, the front page, and every other page necessary to get Ronald Reagan elected President…” boy, did it pay off the the evil Machiavellian
Unfortunately, #2 rings true for me. The Roe verdict will open the doors to many more federally protected being shot down. And, that probably means that I will have to go back into the closet. Depressing, at the very least. Infuriating at best.
I doubt he knows he’s black, been playing white for so long. Ginni may dump him unless he can still deliver significant power with that lifetime appointment
Yes, indeed, that happened to me, too, Rob -- and I couldn't contact Heather's site to find out if someone on her staff miscoded something. Seems to be fixed.
If you really want to lose your mind, then please consider that Leonard Leo, Federalist Society honcho and Opus Dei acolyte, having packed the courts to dismantle civil rights (yes, voter participation and reproductive rights are just the tip of the iceberg) and opened the fire hose of dark money, is now hard at work on dark money funded schemes to severely limit jury trials. Federal judges already overstep their role by overruling juries (something which even Justice Scalia was concerned about - but that was then.)
The 6th and 7th amendments speak to the Founders support for jury trials - they found that secret trials, particularly of colonists protesting crown abuses, were a strong curb on liberty.
As part of their erosion of government oversight and democratic participation, big money interests want to keep their 'fates' in the hands of 'their' judges.
I thought I couldn’t get any more disillusioned. However, I am not surprised. I have been watching the ooze for half of my life. They play hardball with cheating, propaganda, and no morals or integrity. We still blather about Fox’s latest evil but do nothing.
Please take heart. By uniting, we (Thank You James Clyburn) elected the Biden Harris ticket and a Democratic majority. They are hard at work and making progress. We have to roll up our sleeves for 2022.
I will, but I know how many arms the octopus has and how long it has been growing them. Also when one gets damaged, they can grow another. Been at it for more than 40 years…
3) In 2016, Bernie's legions of ideological purists were blinded by their zeal. And joining them were those who voted for third-party candidates. Together, they gave oxygen to what's become a conflagration of hate that threatens to destroy democracy. I doubt many recognize much less accept their culpability. Pragmatism should rule the day in politics and governing.
I am also furious with those types who, even after death star became the occupant of the WH, held on to their views about HRC. They are still bleating unfortunately, as I reported here about the person complaining that the Elect a D in the new district six in Oregon has Joe (and Kamala) on the top of the page. We need to have a candidate that appeals to more than just Bernie Bros. When I read a letter like today's, I am very glad to be older and have no direct descendants.
I never liked either Clinton or voted for either - in a primary. I campaigned for both in general elections. After caucusing for Sanders, I worked my heart out volunteering for Hillary almost full time for months leading up to election day. My listening to voters convinced me early on that she might lose. People either wouldn't voter for her or believed her predicted win didn't need their vote.
I could go one on one with any Trumpster, Bro, or Dirtbag about the Clintons' personal defects and degradation of the Democratic party. Hillary's dismissing Dean's 50 state strategy, her building bridges to nowhere in Texas instead of mending fences in Wisconsin ... and her 'Trump can't win, I can't lose' arrogance ... all contributed to Trump's win.
Among my activist acquaintances, the majority of Sanders supporters voted and volunteered for Clinton. Just as in 2020 we who'd supported Warren worked to elect Biden.
I don't blame Sanders although I am glad he was more full throated for Biden than for Clinton. Jill Stein is another story but her disgruntled supporters were just as counterproductive.
She was not my first choice and I am aware of her failings, but once she was the candidate, we had choice between her who would have listened to her intelligence reports, not denied COVID, kissed Putin's ass, etc. What we got was a egomaniac dunce who has no redeeming human characteristics, a pile of corruption, and a absolute threat to our democracy. Biden is president now and some these people are still complaining about him instead of touting what has been accomplished. I am not active in terms of being out there, but we did attend one Marion County D meeting where a couple of egos who claimed to be progressive were trying to take over. I felt sorry for their candidate for whatever who was being used big time. Then they tried an underhanded maneuver and insulted someone who had slogged for years in the trenches to make the world a better place and elect Ds. I sat here with a person who, after death star had been elected, did not acknowledge what we had. He even tried to mansplain about US foreign policy. I am a history major, took a whole course on American foreign policy, keep up with current events, and am well aware of of our foreign policy foolishness. He and his mother listened to what his brother described as slit your wrist radio. Fundamentalism in religion and/or politics does not sit well with me.
In the latest on this, I tried to explain to someone that Biden and Harris now lead the party and it would no good to complain that their pictures were at the top of a group page created by someone else. So I heard the word toxic and 7 people upvoted her comment because they felt 'safe' to do so. I don't know what the hell that means. She should know who the enemy is because she is often out videoing the local party of death gatherings, Proud Boys, and religious nuts who took over a large city park all summer. I support her in this, but electing someone in our newly created district requires something beyond purity.
I hope so too. I really am sorry about what young people have to face in this and so many other matters. I do have nieces, nephews, greats and great greats. Most of them are already in the underclass and having children seems to be what they do best.
I'm in the same boat; no direct descendants. BUT: my nephew is one sharp man, and really is doing the political work. My four nieces are all doing well; one is raising two smart, independent girls, one is chugging along running day care and an etsy store, one is (very nearly) a newly minted Captain for Horizon Air, and the fourth is doing post baccalaureate clinical research and applying for graduate school (she is also politically involved).
I'm also sad that Pete DeFazio is retiring; he makes a good point that at 75 it's "time to go", it is just that I hope this doesn't give Alek Skarlatos his seat. Pete seems to have confidence in the democratic majority in his district, but I am worried.
Val Hoyle is running for his seat. Only two of my nephews and their children do well. One is in Eugene and his lady is the manager of the Eugene Symphony. So he's getting an education in classical music which we love. On the other side in the midwest, most of them rail against what they don't understand. I caught one's wife posting Q nonsense. I try to explain. I have no hope for them.
3. I have the utmost distain for those "Bernie Bros", or the "Green Party" voters, who either failed to vote or voted for the third party candidate. I also hold in contempt those (formerly) reasonable Republicans who "held their nose and voted for tRump".
I had to explain to one of my LMTs why he had been conned by the Green Party Candidate whose name I am blocking out I guess because I can't remember it right now.
You don't see the problem. You have joined it. It doesn't matter if the Democrats nominate my dog to run against TFG. By not voting, you will be voting for the monster.
I may share some concerns about Joe Biden. But if you don't see the value of the direction he has taken us in, then I wonder what your values are?
Biden has reversed an enormous amount of the damage done by TFG simply through executive orders. His cabinet is diverse. He has shepherded the most powerful batch of legislation in decades and has saved thousands if not millions of lives. He ended a stupid war. He is resuming alliances. He is not giving campaign info (and who knows what else at Helsinki) to Putin.
I'll forgive Biden a stumbled sentence. He doesn't have to talk and walk like George Clooney for me. I did not vote for Joe in the primary. But he has not disappointed me.
To "abstain" is to assist in the destruction of our democracy.
We did not vote for Biden to be a movie star or great orator. We voted for him to get things done. This isn’t a reality tv show where you make your decisions based on the cuts the producers decide you will see. The right wing only pick little clips to make Biden look bad. Watch a press conference and pay attention to their gotcha questions. Notice how they hate that Jill Biden is such an honest caring person the edit videos to make her look bad or denigrate her doctorate. These are the very same people who defended Trump for every one of his senile, sick and twisted moments including him getting in a car with Covid to wave to his fans.
You make these statements without ever stating a single thing that Biden has done to make anyone think he is senile. My grandfather was sharp as a tack at 95 even though he had heart problems.
Pretending your statement has anything worthwhile and posting it makes me wonder why you are here. Not voting is a vote against democracy. Not voting and coming out here to denigrate the candidates shows you are willing to let every issue and every candidate pass or win because of some flimsy name calling.
I don't recognize this "hbaeurele" from any prior dayd and I suspect David Carroll took a new name? This group tends to just ignore DC and spoil his fun! Awfully hard to be a landline heavy breather on this forum!!
I find the difference in age between tfg and Biden--what is it? 4 years?--to be laughable to saddle Biden with the "old". And while I don't think Biden is at all "senile" I will take that over full-blown psychosis of the orange one.
At 88 I am both tacky and sharp as a tack. Though my sustained energy is less than in yesteryear, my comprehension of what is important has sharpened and I have a greater ability to compromise in order to find a solution rather than some intractable confrontation. Biden, as a relative youngster, suits me just fine. By contrast, Trump flunked at birth and has deteriorated even more in recent years.
Mike S, I have added you to my list of names to look for as you often post astute comments, as is this one is. That being said, I highly suspect that this "commenter" is David Carroll who is a long term troll here, don't waste your intelligence on him. I skim past his posts, don't even read them but have noticed that pretty much everyone ignores him now. I suggest doing the same with his latest iteration.
I agree. TFG has shown signs of senility for quite a while. Anyone remember the stumbling ramp walk and the inability to hold a glass? What about the word salads he dishes up? Remember that doctored hurricane map? LOL! We are no longer subjected to the rantings of a crazed maniac who could not spell on Twitter, thank goodness. But I remember when. Whatever he has snorted or sniffed or taken in pill form has, by now, severely affected whatever remains of brain cells (assuming there were many functioning to begin with.) It is laughable to compare him with the brainpower and ability of our president to utter a speech without having to read it (poorly) off Sharpie notes written on gigantic cards. Biden is in the business of governing and juggling many, massive challenges. All TFG ever did was eat and play golf and watch TV and break things. Other than the golf, he spent his four years as much in assisted living as any person who has dementia and lives with incontinence.
There is a video of TFG being interviewed by Larry King in the late '90s. The difference between 45 then and now is amazing. Back then he was totally coherent, articulate, and how a lot of left wing views--on abortion and family planning, among other things. Yeah, he's definitely senile. (my understanding is the stumbling ramp walk and inability to hold a glass were likely ministrokes.)
Ellen, I love your image of Trump spending four years using the voluminous services and extensive support staff of the White House as his personal, single-patient nursing home/psychiatric inpatient facility.
I don't know where you're getting the impression that Biden is senile. He most certainly is doing a superb job in extremely trying circumstances--a razor thin majority in the House, a majority only because the VP can cast the deciding vote in the Senate, two extremely recalcitrant Democratic senators (I'm referring to Manchin and Sinema in case that's not obvious to you), and Mitch McConnell, whose measure can be inferred by the fact that his three daughters are estranged from him, running the GOPers in the Senate with an iron hand.
It is obvious from reading just slightly deeply in the better newspapers that Biden is in command of all of his faculties. He and Nancy Pelosi inspire me that one can continue to be effective as one approaches, and passes 80 years.
Biden doesn’t serve alone he comes with an EXTREMELY competent administration, which is the opposite of the club of thieves. Whatever, you do you, and be proud you destroyed the world, we’ll all know who did it.
Every time you don't vote, you make the vote of the opposition more powerful. Your vote counts! By abstaining you give in to the bullies and lose your voice.
If that is how you refer to President of the United States Biden then perhaps it is best you refrain from participating in elections. I never understand someone's need to announce not voting. Here is some perspective. There are millions and millions and millions of voters. No worries. We are fine.
I respectfully disagree (about the number of voters) , Barbara. As the last two elections showed, every vote counts, especially in the battleground states. People like "hbauerle" are part of the reason that the Orange Asscactus won in 2016.
With due respect. My point is let's not get taken hostage by those who are throwing the "I am not going to vote" stuff around. Frankly I think it is an attention getting ruse.
Let's move on to working where the voters need information, registering to vote and getting to the polls.
And thank you for the "respectfully disagree" part.
Oh for crying out loud, grow up! Either you're a bot or just plain ridiculous. Under incredibly difficult obstacles, Biden has done an amazing job getting results that work for all Americans. And, he has done so with grace, compassion, and leadership in putting together an administration that doesn't make us gag every morning! If you had any intellectual ability to assimilate real information and facts you'd understand that.
Calling me stupid is rather something i associates with Trump supporters but hey get used to losing with Biden.. maybe thats his new campaign slogan? losin’ with Biden
Bernie would have lost to the Orange Asscactus. Period. His views are NOT in line with those of the majority of American voters. Would Bernie have flipped Arizona? Georgia? I think not. But, hey, you do you. Oh, and FYI, Biden BEAT TFG in November of 2020. So, your comment about "losin' with Biden" is just plain silly.
I stand by my original statement. The loss by Hillary Clinton to TFG in 2016 is every bit as much on you as it is on the Orange Asscactus' cultish supporters. You own it.
The reason Biden was elected was because he appealed to the masses. He was ahead of every other candidate in the primaries. How can you not understand that? Oh, but you do. Take you glib, hate filled rhetoric and go to one of the social media sites that tolerate them. People on this forum care about facts and actions to get things done.
We will have to live with whoever gets the nomination, so again, if you "sit out" 2024 because you're sulking over the fact that your chosen candidate didn't get the nomination, our slide into reactionaryism is as much on you as it is on the Republicans. Oh, and one other thing: If your candidate doesn't get enough votes to get the nomination, maybe--just maybe--your candidate ISN'T someone who will "appeal to the masses". We all live to a degree in echo chambers of like-minded thinkers, but the fact of the matter is that not everyone agrees with you.
If you slide out of the birth canal in 1950 and you are female, you are constantly barraged by life showing up where you have very few options for affecting change. Your first kiss and what might have been your first husband, is blown out of the sky over Viet Nam (or was it really Cambodia?) and from there life is a series of challenges when you can do little to affect change. It appears to me that currently, retaining the filibuster is more important than finding a remedy for minority rule. Retaining the filibuster is more important than finding a path to restore voting rights for all people. Retaining gerrymandering means that Republicans will “govern” from the standpoint of being a minority. The Supremes were hijacked by Mitch McConnell which means they will finally get total control over women’s bodies. How is it that McConnell is not called out for court packing? Why can’t the Democrats add three progressive thinking Judges to the court? My life is all about the inability to affect change, yet I somehow cannot stop trying.
"My life is all about the inability to affect change, yet I somehow cannot stop trying." I'm almost 70 and am thinking about what my life would be if, back then in the '70s - two young girls, hardly any money, and a fling (with birth control) that sent me to a Manhattan abortion clinic. No-one shamed me; just kindness; no judgement. Thank g-d for Roe vs. Wade.
Carla, your final sentence brought Dylan Thomas' words to me: "Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light." We have to rage against the dying of our democracy.
To some extent at least, one can choose to rage or to be frustrated, probably partly depending on one's circumstances. I hope you can turn that frustration into rage, or something more productive.
Who is going to adopt the microcephaly/anencephaly baby, or baby that requires multiple heart surgeries? The anatomy scan is done at 20 weeks. It’s not accurate at 15 weeks. If it’s ruled that life begins at conception, then women should start earning child tax credits upon a PPT (positive pregnancy test). And men should start paying child support. Women can garnish back pay for child support if paternity tests are required. Prenatal care and delivery coverage. Postpartum care and lactation support. Formula. We’re all in this together. It takes two to make a baby.
I don’t know what pivots dems and independents can do, but I feel like they need to be a bit more nimble with these chips away at democracy. I’m not a fan of incentivizing childbirth either, or using abortion as a quick fix for birth control as the other extreme. But 15 weeks is too soon.
Speaking of right to life, how about some gun control reforms so our kids aren’t shot to death at school? What about their right to life? As a mom with school-age kids who moved recently, when picking schools, I specifically thought about which schools have the highest safety likelihood. Things are very different now than when I was in school. Twitter has some decent info on the Michigan shooting, but kids and young journalists are posting on TikTok, with a more granular flare. There are some interesting videos there with additional details of events leading up to the shooting, including letters sent out by the principal about a week apart dispelling any rumors of safety risks, a severed deer’s head placed in the school courtyard, graffiti on the school, weird stuff on his social media accounts, that students took video during the event saying that he (the shooter) actually followed through with it. Some students knew or had a big suspicion the day of and stayed home from school that day. It is heartbreaking. I hope my children will never experience the horror these kids went through. I hope as a parent, I never have to get that text or phone call. These school shootings are uniquely a US problem.
Actually, for any unwanted pregnancy the father should be REQUIRED to raise the child, alone.
This would immediately result in abortion being legal from the moment a women tells the furture father of the pregnancy.
So, just write a law that if the WOMAN does not want the baby the FATHER MUST raise the kid.
In today's world of DNA this is a very, very enforcable approach.
Both people participated in inception equally. So, if the woman does NOT want to participate in child raising, force the kid on the Dad and put him in jail if he does not agree immediately to take on all child raising responsibility.
While it may seem a way to get men more interested in supporting abortion rights, I am fearful that the parties such legislation would most punish are the unwanted children impacted by this suggestion. I realize that it may have been a bit of intended irony or perhaps satire intentions that provoked this suggestion. I feel strongly the best approach is to support women's reproductive rights.
Many states require men to pay child support. My daughter never went after it when my grandson was a baby but when she’d died and he was 16 I used the DHS in Arizona to go after him. They filed all the paperwork and we only had to go to court. They didn’t go back previous to her death but he was required to pay $750 a month for the last 2 years. Arizona took this money directly from him and gave it in an EBT card every month. I think California does the same. There was no cost to us and we had legal representation the entire way.
1) Does ANYONE else have any doubt that that Orange Asscactus went to that debate with the unstated but specific goal of giving President Biden Covid? Would you put that past him?
2) I also have zero doubt after hearing yesterday's argument before the Supreme Court on Mississippi's abortion law that Roe v. Wade is dead letter law. I am less certain as to whether the Court will overrule Roe completely or satisfy themselves with gutting it to the point where it no longer has any meaning. Regardless, I think that the Professor's concerns are entirely valid. Once the Court "does what it does", we will see a complete erosion of other federally protected rights (gay marriage will be high on that list, I am sure) and as Justice Sotomayor pointed out, the Court will (deservedly) lose legitimacy in the eyes of millions of Americans. As well, we are now seeing just how the Republican plan to stack the courts (and especially the Supreme Court) with right wing Justices has borne fruit. The Democrats closed their eyes for years to what was going on and now we as a country will pay a huge price for that lack of foresight.
3) One final thing, related to point number two above: I am beside myself with fury at those who sat out the 2016 election because "there is no difference between Trump and Clinton". Still think that, you idiots? I'm especially furious with the "Bernie Bros", who sat on their hands and sulked because their candidate didn't get the nomination. Had they not done so, there wouldn't be three Justices sitting on the Supreme Court who will now hand deliver the anti-choice movement the gift they have been awaiting since 1973. As far as I'm concerned, this is as much on them as it is on the Republicans.
Thank you Ian. You saved me a lot of typing. I share your fury. And I am particularly angry about your number 3. If you hear the sound of a freight train, see it's headlights as it bears down on you...do you get off the tracks or continue an argument over what to have for dinner?
As a Democratic Socialist (Social Democrat?) I am stunned by the stupidity and disunity of the left. The Federalist Society has been plotting this forever. Those three justices are in the process of creating our version of Gilead from the Handmaids Tale.
Our only hope now is to expand the size of the court. This trio of terrorists is young enough to outlive our kids.
Been watching the evil ooze for at least half of my long life. Bill Moyers warned us over and over. Fox and republicans before Rupert charged ahead with evil. Maybe enough people will now see the danger we face. Again I refer to Milton Mayer's "They Thought They Were Free: Germany 1935-1945" It is us...
The saddest part is that Rupert's #1 goal was never to change the political landscape. It was to make money, pure and simple. Dividing our country and creating a crazed cult of fanatics ready to tear down the Constitution out of the "poorly educated" was just the easiest means to that end.
If the US had a Page Six culture like the UK, none of this might have happened.
But you see, that's exactly the point. Unrestrained capitalism is utterly, irredeemably corrosive.
Back to the Gilded Age we go.
He did plenty of damage in the UK, Canada as well. One article I read, he said that the reason he got into politics was that whoever was in 10 Downing St would always answer the phone when he called. Don’t kid yourself, power is another goal, not just greed. In Jan 1981, NYT had an article about Republicans hosting a dinner for Rupert to honor his efforts to get Ronnie elected. Jack Kemp was quoted as saying that Rupert “used the editorial page, the front page, and every other page necessary to get Ronald Reagan elected President…” boy, did it pay off the the evil Machiavellian
Depending upon the "honor system" in the case of Donald Tя☭mp is a bad joke.
Unfortunately, #2 rings true for me. The Roe verdict will open the doors to many more federally protected being shot down. And, that probably means that I will have to go back into the closet. Depressing, at the very least. Infuriating at best.
I am so sorry that it does. This country seems to be on the verge of taking (yet another) large step backward.
This makes me wonder what Clarence Thomas is going to do when interracial marriages are banned again. Beware of what you wish....
I doubt he knows he’s black, been playing white for so long. Ginni may dump him unless he can still deliver significant power with that lifetime appointment
My thought exactly.
Exactly what they have in mind
You said it, Pam. Infuriating!
SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH SUBSTACK TODAY
I can only hit like or reply to one post. I then have to close & come back to hit one more like or reply.
Seeing these 10 repeats of the same post indicates it ain't just me.
Yes, I have had to hit the refresh button 3 times, one for each like or comment.
Rob, this was happening yesterday, also.
Yes, indeed, that happened to me, too, Rob -- and I couldn't contact Heather's site to find out if someone on her staff miscoded something. Seems to be fixed.
Yeah, I noticed it seemed to be working this afternoon
True
If you really want to lose your mind, then please consider that Leonard Leo, Federalist Society honcho and Opus Dei acolyte, having packed the courts to dismantle civil rights (yes, voter participation and reproductive rights are just the tip of the iceberg) and opened the fire hose of dark money, is now hard at work on dark money funded schemes to severely limit jury trials. Federal judges already overstep their role by overruling juries (something which even Justice Scalia was concerned about - but that was then.)
The 6th and 7th amendments speak to the Founders support for jury trials - they found that secret trials, particularly of colonists protesting crown abuses, were a strong curb on liberty.
As part of their erosion of government oversight and democratic participation, big money interests want to keep their 'fates' in the hands of 'their' judges.
https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/resource/our-rights/rights-chapter-18-right-trial-jury/
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-v
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-vi
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/amendment-vii/interps/125
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/leonard-leo-federalists-society-courts/
https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2020/10/10/snapshot-secret-funding-amicus-briefs-tied-leonard-leo-federalist-society-leader-promoter-amy-barrett/
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/09/the-big-money-behind-the-big-lie
https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=839500
https://judiciary.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4794
I thought I couldn’t get any more disillusioned. However, I am not surprised. I have been watching the ooze for half of my life. They play hardball with cheating, propaganda, and no morals or integrity. We still blather about Fox’s latest evil but do nothing.
Please take heart. By uniting, we (Thank You James Clyburn) elected the Biden Harris ticket and a Democratic majority. They are hard at work and making progress. We have to roll up our sleeves for 2022.
I will, but I know how many arms the octopus has and how long it has been growing them. Also when one gets damaged, they can grow another. Been at it for more than 40 years…
Great post. It will take some time for me to go through it all. Thank you.
Well, geez, THAT's chilling.
3) In 2016, Bernie's legions of ideological purists were blinded by their zeal. And joining them were those who voted for third-party candidates. Together, they gave oxygen to what's become a conflagration of hate that threatens to destroy democracy. I doubt many recognize much less accept their culpability. Pragmatism should rule the day in politics and governing.
I agree. Politics is the art of the possible.
I am also furious with those types who, even after death star became the occupant of the WH, held on to their views about HRC. They are still bleating unfortunately, as I reported here about the person complaining that the Elect a D in the new district six in Oregon has Joe (and Kamala) on the top of the page. We need to have a candidate that appeals to more than just Bernie Bros. When I read a letter like today's, I am very glad to be older and have no direct descendants.
I never liked either Clinton or voted for either - in a primary. I campaigned for both in general elections. After caucusing for Sanders, I worked my heart out volunteering for Hillary almost full time for months leading up to election day. My listening to voters convinced me early on that she might lose. People either wouldn't voter for her or believed her predicted win didn't need their vote.
I could go one on one with any Trumpster, Bro, or Dirtbag about the Clintons' personal defects and degradation of the Democratic party. Hillary's dismissing Dean's 50 state strategy, her building bridges to nowhere in Texas instead of mending fences in Wisconsin ... and her 'Trump can't win, I can't lose' arrogance ... all contributed to Trump's win.
Among my activist acquaintances, the majority of Sanders supporters voted and volunteered for Clinton. Just as in 2020 we who'd supported Warren worked to elect Biden.
I don't blame Sanders although I am glad he was more full throated for Biden than for Clinton. Jill Stein is another story but her disgruntled supporters were just as counterproductive.
She was not my first choice and I am aware of her failings, but once she was the candidate, we had choice between her who would have listened to her intelligence reports, not denied COVID, kissed Putin's ass, etc. What we got was a egomaniac dunce who has no redeeming human characteristics, a pile of corruption, and a absolute threat to our democracy. Biden is president now and some these people are still complaining about him instead of touting what has been accomplished. I am not active in terms of being out there, but we did attend one Marion County D meeting where a couple of egos who claimed to be progressive were trying to take over. I felt sorry for their candidate for whatever who was being used big time. Then they tried an underhanded maneuver and insulted someone who had slogged for years in the trenches to make the world a better place and elect Ds. I sat here with a person who, after death star had been elected, did not acknowledge what we had. He even tried to mansplain about US foreign policy. I am a history major, took a whole course on American foreign policy, keep up with current events, and am well aware of of our foreign policy foolishness. He and his mother listened to what his brother described as slit your wrist radio. Fundamentalism in religion and/or politics does not sit well with me.
In the latest on this, I tried to explain to someone that Biden and Harris now lead the party and it would no good to complain that their pictures were at the top of a group page created by someone else. So I heard the word toxic and 7 people upvoted her comment because they felt 'safe' to do so. I don't know what the hell that means. She should know who the enemy is because she is often out videoing the local party of death gatherings, Proud Boys, and religious nuts who took over a large city park all summer. I support her in this, but electing someone in our newly created district requires something beyond purity.
Hope grand daughters will be formidable advocates for sanity. I worry about their world…
I hope so too. I really am sorry about what young people have to face in this and so many other matters. I do have nieces, nephews, greats and great greats. Most of them are already in the underclass and having children seems to be what they do best.
I'm in the same boat; no direct descendants. BUT: my nephew is one sharp man, and really is doing the political work. My four nieces are all doing well; one is raising two smart, independent girls, one is chugging along running day care and an etsy store, one is (very nearly) a newly minted Captain for Horizon Air, and the fourth is doing post baccalaureate clinical research and applying for graduate school (she is also politically involved).
I'm also sad that Pete DeFazio is retiring; he makes a good point that at 75 it's "time to go", it is just that I hope this doesn't give Alek Skarlatos his seat. Pete seems to have confidence in the democratic majority in his district, but I am worried.
Val Hoyle is running for his seat. Only two of my nephews and their children do well. One is in Eugene and his lady is the manager of the Eugene Symphony. So he's getting an education in classical music which we love. On the other side in the midwest, most of them rail against what they don't understand. I caught one's wife posting Q nonsense. I try to explain. I have no hope for them.
Good to know you’ve got a Eugene connection! I have several friends who are symphony musicians (2 well enough to break bread with)
Then they will know Lindsay and possibly David. He works in a used record place. No idea what it is called.
House of Records, I bet.
The chickens have come home to roost, The republican long game paid off.
1. No. That was intentional.
2. No doubt whatsoever. The stench is real.
3. I have the utmost distain for those "Bernie Bros", or the "Green Party" voters, who either failed to vote or voted for the third party candidate. I also hold in contempt those (formerly) reasonable Republicans who "held their nose and voted for tRump".
I had to explain to one of my LMTs why he had been conned by the Green Party Candidate whose name I am blocking out I guess because I can't remember it right now.
I wish I could give 100 thumbs up for point #3!
Assault with a deadly weapon. Add it to his tntc other crimes.
tntc = too numerous to count? Maybe just spell it out.
Yes
come 2024 there may be the same issue.. decide between orange clown (or his clone) or old senile Biden.. I will abstain.
You don't see the problem. You have joined it. It doesn't matter if the Democrats nominate my dog to run against TFG. By not voting, you will be voting for the monster.
I may share some concerns about Joe Biden. But if you don't see the value of the direction he has taken us in, then I wonder what your values are?
Biden has reversed an enormous amount of the damage done by TFG simply through executive orders. His cabinet is diverse. He has shepherded the most powerful batch of legislation in decades and has saved thousands if not millions of lives. He ended a stupid war. He is resuming alliances. He is not giving campaign info (and who knows what else at Helsinki) to Putin.
I'll forgive Biden a stumbled sentence. He doesn't have to talk and walk like George Clooney for me. I did not vote for Joe in the primary. But he has not disappointed me.
To "abstain" is to assist in the destruction of our democracy.
When people announce not voting I just cut them lose. We need to focus on the people who are voters or may vote or need help with the voting process.
Ignorance is proud these days, I ditch it too
And we don't know who the candidate will be. I do not make predictions this far out. We have a lot of work to do here and now.
Exactly
Agreed, and even sometimes I forget Biden was born with a stutter….
We did not vote for Biden to be a movie star or great orator. We voted for him to get things done. This isn’t a reality tv show where you make your decisions based on the cuts the producers decide you will see. The right wing only pick little clips to make Biden look bad. Watch a press conference and pay attention to their gotcha questions. Notice how they hate that Jill Biden is such an honest caring person the edit videos to make her look bad or denigrate her doctorate. These are the very same people who defended Trump for every one of his senile, sick and twisted moments including him getting in a car with Covid to wave to his fans.
You make these statements without ever stating a single thing that Biden has done to make anyone think he is senile. My grandfather was sharp as a tack at 95 even though he had heart problems.
Pretending your statement has anything worthwhile and posting it makes me wonder why you are here. Not voting is a vote against democracy. Not voting and coming out here to denigrate the candidates shows you are willing to let every issue and every candidate pass or win because of some flimsy name calling.
1000 likes Sharon😎
I don't recognize this "hbaeurele" from any prior dayd and I suspect David Carroll took a new name? This group tends to just ignore DC and spoil his fun! Awfully hard to be a landline heavy breather on this forum!!
I find the difference in age between tfg and Biden--what is it? 4 years?--to be laughable to saddle Biden with the "old". And while I don't think Biden is at all "senile" I will take that over full-blown psychosis of the orange one.
I end with that. Don't feed the troll.
At 88 I am both tacky and sharp as a tack. Though my sustained energy is less than in yesteryear, my comprehension of what is important has sharpened and I have a greater ability to compromise in order to find a solution rather than some intractable confrontation. Biden, as a relative youngster, suits me just fine. By contrast, Trump flunked at birth and has deteriorated even more in recent years.
Yes you are. Sharper than many half your age and your expense and wisdom you share here is invaluable.
*experience, not expense.
Biden is indeed old.
However, he shows no independent evidence of being senile. He does show evidence, at times, of being a long time speech impaired adult with a stutter.
Fox News has taken that speech impediment trait and turned it against Biden with the word "senile".
Don't buy into the lie that Biden is senile. He is not.
He has accomplished much to much to be, objectively, referred to as senile.
The person who approximates senile more is Trump. Clearly, Trump's thinking capacity, which was always limited, is severly compromised at this time.
Mike S, I have added you to my list of names to look for as you often post astute comments, as is this one is. That being said, I highly suspect that this "commenter" is David Carroll who is a long term troll here, don't waste your intelligence on him. I skim past his posts, don't even read them but have noticed that pretty much everyone ignores him now. I suggest doing the same with his latest iteration.
Thanks Miselle. I am not familiar with David Carroll but will look around.
I agree. TFG has shown signs of senility for quite a while. Anyone remember the stumbling ramp walk and the inability to hold a glass? What about the word salads he dishes up? Remember that doctored hurricane map? LOL! We are no longer subjected to the rantings of a crazed maniac who could not spell on Twitter, thank goodness. But I remember when. Whatever he has snorted or sniffed or taken in pill form has, by now, severely affected whatever remains of brain cells (assuming there were many functioning to begin with.) It is laughable to compare him with the brainpower and ability of our president to utter a speech without having to read it (poorly) off Sharpie notes written on gigantic cards. Biden is in the business of governing and juggling many, massive challenges. All TFG ever did was eat and play golf and watch TV and break things. Other than the golf, he spent his four years as much in assisted living as any person who has dementia and lives with incontinence.
There is a video of TFG being interviewed by Larry King in the late '90s. The difference between 45 then and now is amazing. Back then he was totally coherent, articulate, and how a lot of left wing views--on abortion and family planning, among other things. Yeah, he's definitely senile. (my understanding is the stumbling ramp walk and inability to hold a glass were likely ministrokes.)
Ellen, I love your image of Trump spending four years using the voluminous services and extensive support staff of the White House as his personal, single-patient nursing home/psychiatric inpatient facility.
I don't know where you're getting the impression that Biden is senile. He most certainly is doing a superb job in extremely trying circumstances--a razor thin majority in the House, a majority only because the VP can cast the deciding vote in the Senate, two extremely recalcitrant Democratic senators (I'm referring to Manchin and Sinema in case that's not obvious to you), and Mitch McConnell, whose measure can be inferred by the fact that his three daughters are estranged from him, running the GOPers in the Senate with an iron hand.
It is obvious from reading just slightly deeply in the better newspapers that Biden is in command of all of his faculties. He and Nancy Pelosi inspire me that one can continue to be effective as one approaches, and passes 80 years.
Biden doesn’t serve alone he comes with an EXTREMELY competent administration, which is the opposite of the club of thieves. Whatever, you do you, and be proud you destroyed the world, we’ll all know who did it.
Every time you don't vote, you make the vote of the opposition more powerful. Your vote counts! By abstaining you give in to the bullies and lose your voice.
That message needs to be spread far and wide, Pam! Non-voters just give autocrats more power. Better to vote for the least worst than not at all.
If that is how you refer to President of the United States Biden then perhaps it is best you refrain from participating in elections. I never understand someone's need to announce not voting. Here is some perspective. There are millions and millions and millions of voters. No worries. We are fine.
I respectfully disagree (about the number of voters) , Barbara. As the last two elections showed, every vote counts, especially in the battleground states. People like "hbauerle" are part of the reason that the Orange Asscactus won in 2016.
With due respect. My point is let's not get taken hostage by those who are throwing the "I am not going to vote" stuff around. Frankly I think it is an attention getting ruse.
Let's move on to working where the voters need information, registering to vote and getting to the polls.
And thank you for the "respectfully disagree" part.
"Senile"? What is your evidence for this diagnosis?
FWIW: se·nile /ˈsēˌnīl,ˈsenīl/
adjective - (of a person) having or showing the weaknesses or diseases of old age, especially a loss of mental faculties.
Good Lord, heaven help us
In which case you will get the (right wing) government you deserve, and likely another Supreme Court Justice or two. This is on you as well, IMHO.
or the democrats could nominate someone else that will appeal to the masses.. strange concept I know...
Oh for crying out loud, grow up! Either you're a bot or just plain ridiculous. Under incredibly difficult obstacles, Biden has done an amazing job getting results that work for all Americans. And, he has done so with grace, compassion, and leadership in putting together an administration that doesn't make us gag every morning! If you had any intellectual ability to assimilate real information and facts you'd understand that.
My comment was for hbaeuerle.
Calling me stupid is rather something i associates with Trump supporters but hey get used to losing with Biden.. maybe thats his new campaign slogan? losin’ with Biden
Bernie would have lost to the Orange Asscactus. Period. His views are NOT in line with those of the majority of American voters. Would Bernie have flipped Arizona? Georgia? I think not. But, hey, you do you. Oh, and FYI, Biden BEAT TFG in November of 2020. So, your comment about "losin' with Biden" is just plain silly.
I stand by my original statement. The loss by Hillary Clinton to TFG in 2016 is every bit as much on you as it is on the Orange Asscactus' cultish supporters. You own it.
Troll, if you want to be taken seriously, you should hone up on your English. " i associates?"
The reason Biden was elected was because he appealed to the masses. He was ahead of every other candidate in the primaries. How can you not understand that? Oh, but you do. Take you glib, hate filled rhetoric and go to one of the social media sites that tolerate them. People on this forum care about facts and actions to get things done.
Don't feed the troll. You can tell he's getting his ya-yas out over this. Amazing how desperate some people are to get a rise out of people.
We will have to live with whoever gets the nomination, so again, if you "sit out" 2024 because you're sulking over the fact that your chosen candidate didn't get the nomination, our slide into reactionaryism is as much on you as it is on the Republicans. Oh, and one other thing: If your candidate doesn't get enough votes to get the nomination, maybe--just maybe--your candidate ISN'T someone who will "appeal to the masses". We all live to a degree in echo chambers of like-minded thinkers, but the fact of the matter is that not everyone agrees with you.
A wise person once said to me that Democracy is something we have to always maintain.
You’re colorblind and cannot see that he did appeal to the masses. 80 million plus. You want someone who appeals to you but you can’t admit that
If you slide out of the birth canal in 1950 and you are female, you are constantly barraged by life showing up where you have very few options for affecting change. Your first kiss and what might have been your first husband, is blown out of the sky over Viet Nam (or was it really Cambodia?) and from there life is a series of challenges when you can do little to affect change. It appears to me that currently, retaining the filibuster is more important than finding a remedy for minority rule. Retaining the filibuster is more important than finding a path to restore voting rights for all people. Retaining gerrymandering means that Republicans will “govern” from the standpoint of being a minority. The Supremes were hijacked by Mitch McConnell which means they will finally get total control over women’s bodies. How is it that McConnell is not called out for court packing? Why can’t the Democrats add three progressive thinking Judges to the court? My life is all about the inability to affect change, yet I somehow cannot stop trying.
"My life is all about the inability to affect change, yet I somehow cannot stop trying." I'm almost 70 and am thinking about what my life would be if, back then in the '70s - two young girls, hardly any money, and a fling (with birth control) that sent me to a Manhattan abortion clinic. No-one shamed me; just kindness; no judgement. Thank g-d for Roe vs. Wade.
Carla, your final sentence brought Dylan Thomas' words to me: "Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light." We have to rage against the dying of our democracy.
Well said. Thank you for that. I'm not surprised to learn you're a pastor.
That sounds defeatist. Surely you will join the cause of " raging against the dying of the light."
To some extent at least, one can choose to rage or to be frustrated, probably partly depending on one's circumstances. I hope you can turn that frustration into rage, or something more productive.
Who is going to adopt the microcephaly/anencephaly baby, or baby that requires multiple heart surgeries? The anatomy scan is done at 20 weeks. It’s not accurate at 15 weeks. If it’s ruled that life begins at conception, then women should start earning child tax credits upon a PPT (positive pregnancy test). And men should start paying child support. Women can garnish back pay for child support if paternity tests are required. Prenatal care and delivery coverage. Postpartum care and lactation support. Formula. We’re all in this together. It takes two to make a baby.
I don’t know what pivots dems and independents can do, but I feel like they need to be a bit more nimble with these chips away at democracy. I’m not a fan of incentivizing childbirth either, or using abortion as a quick fix for birth control as the other extreme. But 15 weeks is too soon.
Speaking of right to life, how about some gun control reforms so our kids aren’t shot to death at school? What about their right to life? As a mom with school-age kids who moved recently, when picking schools, I specifically thought about which schools have the highest safety likelihood. Things are very different now than when I was in school. Twitter has some decent info on the Michigan shooting, but kids and young journalists are posting on TikTok, with a more granular flare. There are some interesting videos there with additional details of events leading up to the shooting, including letters sent out by the principal about a week apart dispelling any rumors of safety risks, a severed deer’s head placed in the school courtyard, graffiti on the school, weird stuff on his social media accounts, that students took video during the event saying that he (the shooter) actually followed through with it. Some students knew or had a big suspicion the day of and stayed home from school that day. It is heartbreaking. I hope my children will never experience the horror these kids went through. I hope as a parent, I never have to get that text or phone call. These school shootings are uniquely a US problem.
"And men should start paying child support."
Actually, for any unwanted pregnancy the father should be REQUIRED to raise the child, alone.
This would immediately result in abortion being legal from the moment a women tells the furture father of the pregnancy.
So, just write a law that if the WOMAN does not want the baby the FATHER MUST raise the kid.
In today's world of DNA this is a very, very enforcable approach.
Both people participated in inception equally. So, if the woman does NOT want to participate in child raising, force the kid on the Dad and put him in jail if he does not agree immediately to take on all child raising responsibility.
Suddenly, abortion will be legal forever.
This reminds me of the old saying - If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.
So true. I've also said that if men bore children, they would claim that no woman could stand the pain.
While it may seem a way to get men more interested in supporting abortion rights, I am fearful that the parties such legislation would most punish are the unwanted children impacted by this suggestion. I realize that it may have been a bit of intended irony or perhaps satire intentions that provoked this suggestion. I feel strongly the best approach is to support women's reproductive rights.
Many states require men to pay child support. My daughter never went after it when my grandson was a baby but when she’d died and he was 16 I used the DHS in Arizona to go after him. They filed all the paperwork and we only had to go to court. They didn’t go back previous to her death but he was required to pay $750 a month for the last 2 years. Arizona took this money directly from him and gave it in an EBT card every month. I think California does the same. There was no cost to us and we had legal representation the entire way.