The overturning of Roe completed the bond between the Church, the Supreme Court, and the Republican legislators. Now, they are fearless in their assault on democracy.
The deconstruction of the administrative state goes on. Today Betsy Devos called for closing the Department of Education.
The overturning of Roe completed the bond between the Church, the Supreme Court, and the Republican legislators. Now, they are fearless in their assault on democracy.
The deconstruction of the administrative state goes on. Today Betsy Devos called for closing the Department of Education.
DeVos is just an inadequate rich white woman who knows how to inflict chaos and pain to youth. She is a non-entity, as far as I am concerned. It’s her brother who I worry about.
Agree. The media loves to dig up these trumpers to scare people and get clicks. So sick of it. We have important work to do! Don't be distracted by this game of the media posting scary stuff to get clicks!
My relatives (on my mother's side) come from the Grand Rapids area of Michigan. I was well aware of the kind of person Betsy De Vos was long before she became part of the T**** nightmare. A more racist, tight-fisted, hateful part of Michigan you cannot find.
My mother was born in Grand Rapids and my grandparents ended up in Conklin (in an apartment over a tavern which belong to a relative) to the west of Grand Rapids. I went to Kalamazoo College and in the town of Kalamazoo, no hard liquor was available except in private clubs. So this part of Michigan also took and probably takes much pride in their rigid Christianity. My uncle grew up in Muskegon. They were all Rs and racist as heck. My spouse and I were visiting my grandmother and watching the 1968 D convention and riots around that. My grandmother mostly napped, but she awoke long enough to announce...."It's those damn n----rs." We were astounded having just returned from three years in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone. We also watched Buckley call Vidal a fag on TV. I remember growing up in Elkhart, IN, and hearing lots of causal racism which no one gave any thought to. I was fortunate to have some adult friends (she had been my teacher in grade school) who countered a lot of this.
Oh, I do remember Buckley doing that to Vidal! The man had a vocabulary no one can match but he was an inglorious bigot to the hilt. Glad you escaped your family’s “dynamics” and made peace with your beliefs.
As long as my father was alive, there was no peace around politics. Every time I visited, we had an argument. I also belonged to the teacher's union which was a no-no despite my telling him why it was necessary. I mean we got, among other things, a half hour duty free lunch....before that it was duty with sandwich in hand. He also announced to me, a history major, that history doesn't matter. I often wonder what he would think now. I have to say that for the most part my family were decent people, but accepting of lots of racial talk and other prejudices. For example, I had a younger friend with me and my father referred to a brazil nut by the old name. She had a fit, but I told her you don't change people in their 80s who had grown up with phrases like this.
I was raised in a predominately Southern Baptist town in NC. Unfortunately, the words were used quite often but definitely not in my household. I couldn’t stand it.
We looked up George Taylor and he was the in country director 1965-1967 when we were there. We lived upcountry, so we seldom saw any of the administration except for the doctors. He had quite the illustrious career.
Hi Michele, I am just seeing this! Yes, it is the in country director I had in mind. I was in the Peace Corps in Guyana from 1968-70 and George Taylor was our in country Director. He was a good guy, always supportive and was well respected by volunteers and Guyanese. I had remembered he was previously in Sierra Leone, so thought you might know him.
Yes, nice to meet you too. I don't remember him too well as I was in a place called Pujehun where people didn't come unless they had to. I do remember the American ambassador (not his name) flexing his cheek when the Sierra Leonians had political troubles and the whole group was down for physicals and a meeting. We were in a hotel and the Sierra Leonians had it surrounded with soldiers.
C. A. DeVos’s calling for the closing of the Dept. Of Education reminds me of Lynne Cheney more than a generation ago. She had been chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where she had done some pretty good things. A few years later, when the NEH ‘displeased’ her, she aggressively sought its abolition. Sick birds of the same feather seem to stick together.
Jeri Lynne Cheney’s husband, heavily involved in the disastrous 2003 Iraq invasion, was nicknamed ‘the big Dick’, which was not a compliment.
Devos’s younger brother is Eric Prince. His former company, Blackwater, was a private army of mercenaries who, for a few years, worked for CIA and the State Department. In Iraq some of his employees shot Iraqi citizens in cold blood. Subsequently he has been involved in shady arms and airplane deals.
He just happened to meet a top Russian in the Seychelles in January, 2017. {In fact he had been briefed on this guy and this seemed an effort to establish a back door connection to Trump.) He denied this and later seemed to diss his denial.
As for his personal character: while his first wife was dying, he had an affair with her nurse.
He and his sister benefitted from a billionaire father. DeVos/Prince and Dick/Lynne Cheney deserve a special spot in hell. There may be judicial actions pending against Eric Prince for his highly questionable shenanigans.
And all because Nixon wanted an issue that would continue the divide that civil rights rent in our social fabric. Betsy will do it if chump back to oversee the final nail in the coffin of democracy
We are at a moment in time where none of these people should be ignored. They should be called out for as anti-Americans. Nazis/White Supremacists/Corporatists against America.
I very much resist the sky is falling approach. Then we will be running from one nut head to another being given a voice. Giving full credence to everyone dilutes our focus and renders us wrapped in fear. What I assess is how much immediate power this person has. At this moment DeVos is toothless. Keep her on the radar if she is signaling the intent of the Republicans but the overall goal is going after those actively running for office at this time.
No, she doesn't have much direct influence now, but it is the organizations that she belongs to that make her dangerous. She is indeed carryoing the message of the GOP and the Church. These are the people who drive the right-wing message.
Council for National Policy:
…A Handful Of Men And Women, Individuals Of Character, Had A Vision. A Vision
To See The Return Of Righteousness, Justice, And Truth To Our Great Nation.”
Ronald Reagan, Remarks to CNP’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
Conservative Action Project.
These are the people leading the charge against democracy. The insurrection is not over. It has been in the works since Reagan, at least. All the flashy things going on in the public sphere are pretty serious, but it serves to keep us from looking into the source of funding for all these groups. The people who always remain in a position of plausible deniability.
In West Michigan the DeVos family ARE the gop. They are not toothless. Unwise, self-righteous, bigoted, overbearing, and undermining of democracy, yes.
I am a very optimistic person and I think we will, in the very longrun, prevail. But right now, chicken little, the sky is falling on America and democracy, and we need to be incredibly vigilant and pro-active and our Justice systems need to work.
Excellent article.
The overturning of Roe completed the bond between the Church, the Supreme Court, and the Republican legislators. Now, they are fearless in their assault on democracy.
The deconstruction of the administrative state goes on. Today Betsy Devos called for closing the Department of Education.
An uneducated society is easier to controll.
Roe was the linchpin.
DeVos is just an inadequate rich white woman who knows how to inflict chaos and pain to youth. She is a non-entity, as far as I am concerned. It’s her brother who I worry about.
I worry about them both. Lots of money & power in that family.
Be assured that Erik has his evil paws in any destruction he can exacerbate, or initiate… both spawns of the devil.
Agree. The media loves to dig up these trumpers to scare people and get clicks. So sick of it. We have important work to do! Don't be distracted by this game of the media posting scary stuff to get clicks!
You and I, sister!
My relatives (on my mother's side) come from the Grand Rapids area of Michigan. I was well aware of the kind of person Betsy De Vos was long before she became part of the T**** nightmare. A more racist, tight-fisted, hateful part of Michigan you cannot find.
My mother was born in Grand Rapids and my grandparents ended up in Conklin (in an apartment over a tavern which belong to a relative) to the west of Grand Rapids. I went to Kalamazoo College and in the town of Kalamazoo, no hard liquor was available except in private clubs. So this part of Michigan also took and probably takes much pride in their rigid Christianity. My uncle grew up in Muskegon. They were all Rs and racist as heck. My spouse and I were visiting my grandmother and watching the 1968 D convention and riots around that. My grandmother mostly napped, but she awoke long enough to announce...."It's those damn n----rs." We were astounded having just returned from three years in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone. We also watched Buckley call Vidal a fag on TV. I remember growing up in Elkhart, IN, and hearing lots of causal racism which no one gave any thought to. I was fortunate to have some adult friends (she had been my teacher in grade school) who countered a lot of this.
Oh, I do remember Buckley doing that to Vidal! The man had a vocabulary no one can match but he was an inglorious bigot to the hilt. Glad you escaped your family’s “dynamics” and made peace with your beliefs.
As long as my father was alive, there was no peace around politics. Every time I visited, we had an argument. I also belonged to the teacher's union which was a no-no despite my telling him why it was necessary. I mean we got, among other things, a half hour duty free lunch....before that it was duty with sandwich in hand. He also announced to me, a history major, that history doesn't matter. I often wonder what he would think now. I have to say that for the most part my family were decent people, but accepting of lots of racial talk and other prejudices. For example, I had a younger friend with me and my father referred to a brazil nut by the old name. She had a fit, but I told her you don't change people in their 80s who had grown up with phrases like this.
I was raised in a predominately Southern Baptist town in NC. Unfortunately, the words were used quite often but definitely not in my household. I couldn’t stand it.
Did you know George Taylor in Sierra Leone?
My husband thinks the in country director was named George Taylor. Is this who you have in mind?
We looked up George Taylor and he was the in country director 1965-1967 when we were there. We lived upcountry, so we seldom saw any of the administration except for the doctors. He had quite the illustrious career.
Hi Michele, I am just seeing this! Yes, it is the in country director I had in mind. I was in the Peace Corps in Guyana from 1968-70 and George Taylor was our in country Director. He was a good guy, always supportive and was well respected by volunteers and Guyanese. I had remembered he was previously in Sierra Leone, so thought you might know him.
Nice to “ meet” a fellow volunteer.
Yes, nice to meet you too. I don't remember him too well as I was in a place called Pujehun where people didn't come unless they had to. I do remember the American ambassador (not his name) flexing his cheek when the Sierra Leonians had political troubles and the whole group was down for physicals and a meeting. We were in a hotel and the Sierra Leonians had it surrounded with soldiers.
I need more info. There are many George Taylors in Sierra Leone.
C. A. DeVos’s calling for the closing of the Dept. Of Education reminds me of Lynne Cheney more than a generation ago. She had been chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where she had done some pretty good things. A few years later, when the NEH ‘displeased’ her, she aggressively sought its abolition. Sick birds of the same feather seem to stick together.
I remember Lynne, Both Cheneys contributed to the mess Liz finds herself in today, us as well.
Jeri Lynne Cheney’s husband, heavily involved in the disastrous 2003 Iraq invasion, was nicknamed ‘the big Dick’, which was not a compliment.
Devos’s younger brother is Eric Prince. His former company, Blackwater, was a private army of mercenaries who, for a few years, worked for CIA and the State Department. In Iraq some of his employees shot Iraqi citizens in cold blood. Subsequently he has been involved in shady arms and airplane deals.
He just happened to meet a top Russian in the Seychelles in January, 2017. {In fact he had been briefed on this guy and this seemed an effort to establish a back door connection to Trump.) He denied this and later seemed to diss his denial.
As for his personal character: while his first wife was dying, he had an affair with her nurse.
He and his sister benefitted from a billionaire father. DeVos/Prince and Dick/Lynne Cheney deserve a special spot in hell. There may be judicial actions pending against Eric Prince for his highly questionable shenanigans.
And all because Nixon wanted an issue that would continue the divide that civil rights rent in our social fabric. Betsy will do it if chump back to oversee the final nail in the coffin of democracy
Betsy is Devos is a rich nobody. Why the media continues to give attention to former trumper Cabinet members is ridiculous. Ignore these people.
We are at a moment in time where none of these people should be ignored. They should be called out for as anti-Americans. Nazis/White Supremacists/Corporatists against America.
I very much resist the sky is falling approach. Then we will be running from one nut head to another being given a voice. Giving full credence to everyone dilutes our focus and renders us wrapped in fear. What I assess is how much immediate power this person has. At this moment DeVos is toothless. Keep her on the radar if she is signaling the intent of the Republicans but the overall goal is going after those actively running for office at this time.
No, she doesn't have much direct influence now, but it is the organizations that she belongs to that make her dangerous. She is indeed carryoing the message of the GOP and the Church. These are the people who drive the right-wing message.
Council for National Policy:
…A Handful Of Men And Women, Individuals Of Character, Had A Vision. A Vision
To See The Return Of Righteousness, Justice, And Truth To Our Great Nation.”
Ronald Reagan, Remarks to CNP’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
Conservative Action Project.
These are the people leading the charge against democracy. The insurrection is not over. It has been in the works since Reagan, at least. All the flashy things going on in the public sphere are pretty serious, but it serves to keep us from looking into the source of funding for all these groups. The people who always remain in a position of plausible deniability.
❤️
In West Michigan the DeVos family ARE the gop. They are not toothless. Unwise, self-righteous, bigoted, overbearing, and undermining of democracy, yes.
The important thing to note is the fact of "in West Michigan". Then why is the msm giving her National attention? The answer is clicks.
I am a very optimistic person and I think we will, in the very longrun, prevail. But right now, chicken little, the sky is falling on America and democracy, and we need to be incredibly vigilant and pro-active and our Justice systems need to work.