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Annabel, this is very disgusting. It was the lead story on the NBC national news tonight with the result that we shut off the TV. All of them should be discussing that death star is a felon. All of them should be discussing his increasing dementia. All of them should be discussing in depth Project 25.

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In fact, Congress should be passing a law that clearly states that Convicted felons cannot run for or be a US president.

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Linda:

Surely, it is possible for Democrats to propose such a bill, and then challenge their Republican colleagues to explain why they oppose it.

I look forward to the debate. How do you think Rep Jamie Raskin (Maryland) might sweep the floor with certain well-known re-Confederates in the House?

\Vince S

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Linda, I think I oppose it and I'm fully behind all of the Democrats running for their respective offices.

Over 75,000 women have been impregnated in the red states that totally or almost totally ban abortions. I don't know that statistics but I am aware that under Abbott only 1/3 as many rape cases are prosecuted in TX as they were before he took office. That is legalized rape which should be prosecuted but isn't. So most of these 75000 rapists would be able to run for office as they are not convicted felons. Meanwhile people like Kavanaugh. Goetz and CFDT are rapists, but they will never be convicted.

So what will happen is that Republicans will set up a candidate and have them convicted whether they go through with the crime or not.

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Gary, I went looking at Texas rape arrests/convictions when the stats on Texas pregnancies due to rape were published with the number at (rounded) 26,000. In 2023 there were (rounded) 14,000 reported rapes and 1400+ convictions for rape (many of these rapes would have occurred in earlier years, because a fair number of felony trials take longer to be held).

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Thanks Ally. Hmmm. That's even worse than what I read although it was a while ago so the stats may have been a few years old.

26,000 pregnancies but how many were carried to delivery I wonder? And how many of the mothers of the live births are collecting child support from the rapist or incestuous relative?

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Not many, I wager. Not from what I know of professionally.

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If the state is going to prosecute a doctor for performing a life saving medical procedure, then shouldn't the state prosecute a rapist/person that commits incest by making them pay child support for 18-21 years or a fine and jail time?

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I like the Death Star analogy. To calm myself IтАЩve been binge-watching the Star Wars movies and IтАЩve started thinking of him as Darth Rumpus myself. Which raises the question, where is the exhaust port we need to target to take him down and where is the X Wing fighter pilot to do it? Maybe Seal Team 6тАж

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There's only one of those movies worth watching more than once (the one released back in 1977). They've become what Scorsese has termed "international audio-visual corporate entertainment content." As a screenwriter, the stories past the first two are an embarrassment that someone went to an expensive school to learn to write such drivel. (I say that as an actual S-F writer who wrote an S-F "cult classic" movie, and former member of SFWA - before the field became recycled comic books) Anything on TCM is better, like the restored director's cut of "New York, New York" now being shown with the 30 minutes that gave the movie its heart restored. If this version had been what got released in 1977, Liza Minelli would have won Best Actress in a role where she topped her mother.

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I agree they have many flaws but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for Return of the Jedi. ItтАЩs not great cinema but itтАЩs fun. Right now I need the movie equivalent of cotton candy and thatтАЩs what these provide. I could spend all day agreeing with you about the flaws in the prequels and the lack of focus or cohesion in the last three, with a story line that twists more than a rope. But as escapism, well, it fills a niche for me. IтАЩm more a reader than a movie watcher but IтАЩm having trouble focusing on serious stuff right now and between the heat wave where I am and the news, the visual equivalent of cotton candy is what gets me through the night, literally, as we have no AC so IтАЩm sleeping all day under fans and watching movies all night. When IтАЩm feeling less grim IтАЩll watch something more meaty, such as The Green Mile or Shawshank Redemption, which I started last night but realized wasnтАЩt going to suit the mood.

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sounds like a plan. Do check out New York New York. It has this terrible critical history from the first release, then there was a restoration of 20 minutes of the original cut done in the 80s with a one-time release and critics said Oh, it's not as bad as I remember. Then this final restoration and you find a Scorsese masterpiece.

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Manhattan born baby here. 1977/8 were desperate, tragic years for me. I love Liza Minnelli and even enjoyed New York, New York in its first release. The promise of a re-cut with тАШits heart restoredтАЩ is a promise of redemption for both me and Scorsese. Thanks for this information.

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It's a very nice surprise. You can get it on streaming at TCM (in Max streamer)

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Had no idea, thanks

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The Green Mile helped me through a long flight back to the US. I actually stayed awake.

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That is one of my absolute favorite movies, and Stephen King's novel is incredible, and the movie adaptation is so well done. The movie, in particular, gives the best snippet I have ever seen of what a coward with a badge looks like. It is also a cracking good story.

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Wow, I am feeling and acting in the same way Sioux! For me itтАЩs been mystery series on Acorn TV, especially those with lovely English villages and landscapes!

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Sounds like you know what youтАЩre talking about TC. I respectfully request your top 10 list of must watch movies. IтАЩll settle for your top five if you donтАЩt have the time. Many thanks in advance.

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Well, I did spend 40 years in Hollywood learning something. :-)

In no particular order - all available on streaming at MGM+ or TCM - I'll catch these any time they're available:

"1900" (only the director's 5 hour cut - which doesn't seem like that long when you're watching) - the rise and fall of fascism in Italy.

"The Bridges at Toko-ri" (Everybody told me if I did this movie I wouldn't have a career - but I already didn't have a career" - Mickey Rooney. Best aviation movie ever)

"Singing in the Rain" - best "Hollywood movie" ever

"Casablanca" - best movie ever

"Full Metal Jacket" - best Vietnam movie.

"Lonely Are The Brave" - Kirk Douglas' favorite Kirk Douglas movie - mine too,.

"Chinatown" - because it's great

"Godfather" - I and II together.

"Aliens" - best sequel ever

"Band of Brothers" - the 10 best war movies ever made

others may differ

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TC...have to agree about Casablanca which I can watch again and again.

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I've lost count of how many times.

When I was first here in Hollywood, I "educated" myself by writing articles for movie magazines in order to meet Hollywood people doingthings thsat interested me. Fortunately, I have excellent interviewing skills. Steven Spielberg wouldn't spend 30 seconds with Tom Who? but he once spent 90 minutes of a scheduled 45 minute interview with Tom Cleaver from Starlog Magazine talking about Indiana Jones and told me at the end he'd never done that with another interviewer.

Among the people I interviewed was Julius J. Epstein, who with his brother Phillip and Howard Koch wrote "Casablanca." He was still actively at work at age 93, and it took him six weeks to find the time to meet with me. He told me the best story about writing Casablanca.:

As is well known, the writers were a day ahead of production throughout the project. One Sunday, they were desperately trying to come up with a line that would explain the way the cops in Casablanca worked. The Epstein brothers were driving down Sunset Boulevard, headed over to the Warner studio on Formosa in West Hollywood where they worked, and were arguing about lines. They got stopped at the traffic light on Cherokee, just up from the Hollywood Athletic Club. Phil looked out at the people on the sidewalk (the only difference between then and now being hair styles, clothing and vehicles); he snapped his finger, turned to Julius and said "Round up the usual suspects!"

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Missed Full Metal Jacket and Lonely are the BraveтАж otherwise, thatтАЩs my favorite list also!

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You like the 5-hour 1900? That makes you one of the few people cool enough to even know about it! :-)

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Chinatown - happens to be my all time favorite. Thank you TC

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Maybe Field Team 6: https://www.fieldteam6.org/

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Thank you. I see him as barreling through the universe causing death with everything he touches, a giant festering cancerous blob on the body politic. We watch a lot of various series on streaming services. And we read. It has been over a 100 here the last couple days, so we can't be outside and relegated to the AC, and very thankful we have it. I have been getting out early to pick berries when the temps are lower, but the humidity is higher.

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To Michele, Annabel and all of you out there:

HCR's extensive and well-balanced listing of symptoms -- exemplary, public-spirited information work -- remains incomplete as a diagnosis of America's ills.

Mammoth in the room, the fact that -- despite the reality of a remarkable recovery in physical health -- the country itself remains desperately sick: mass dementia, mass psychosis...

The delusions of a raving psychopath should be his problem and his alone but he -- like Hitler and other dictators -- has given voice to the raging fears, resentments and hatreds fermenting in the sump of the nation's collective unconscious.

Driving, corraling, stampeding our demons.

I shall be returning to this enormous issue and its consequences.

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Yes, THIS! ЁЯСП

So written about. So many fell for it.

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It has me stumped. How did we get here?!

Regular people who donтАЩt pay much attention politics still canтАЩt believe these two old guys are the beat choices the country could come up with.

Readers here are well aware of the dangers of Teump and so will vote for anybody else. But he polls well. After all that we went through - all the chaos and Jan 6!!

In Sarah LongwellтАЩs Focus Groups a number of people were turned off by J6 but yet тАж

I do keep remembering that candidate Trump beat Hilary only in the Electoral College. She was far more qualified but he was Change. (Also what Obama ran on!)

After 4 years of Trump, Biden was the steady and experienced hand that we knew we needed, and we were right.

I guess people have forgotten how bad it was under Trump. But how?!?

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Said elsewhere, but all the "smart people" have a wide range of opinions. A couple of them might even turn out to be correct. Feeble still trumps insane

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The BIDEN clarity that is spoken of is every head of country/stateтАЩs leaders indication , in vast array. The experience stands solid, the тАШ 21-24accomplishment is amazing from a political mess and worldwide pandemic is the two best stats. Except from the authoritarians ..who are here in office as well as abroad .

Seals the deal тАж.Wake up America !

The team on hand is exemplary . Vote ЁЯТЩ

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Well said Patricia. Repost as a general comment to HCRтАЩ summation so more readers will see it. I fully agree. тАЬThe team on hand is exemplary. Vote BLUE. And may I add VOTE BLUE UP AND DOWN THE TICKET. It is DEMOCRACY on the ticket, not just one man. Wake Up America!

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TY, Chris.

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You are so welcome. This is not the time to change course. For those candidates down stream worried about their election need to go back to their constituents and speak loudly the truth about democracy so they get over their fear which is being influenced by the Repubs lead by the biggest liar con man of our time who have effectively taken away their rights giving power to big corporations who dictate our sense of daily economy , not the current President and his extremely effective administration.

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I am focusing on sending the message loud and clear Chris. Thanks for being on our solid BLUE TEAM ЁЯТЩЁЯЗ║ЁЯЗ╕ЁЯл╢ЁЯСНЁЯЧ╜

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I agree Michele that it is disgusting that a non-fact checked lead story shouldn't be aired. That's for Fox and the Murdoch RNC networks to report.

We need to ask them to do no HARRM. (Hate Anger Resentment Revenge and Misinformation).

Most of us have one or more friends or family members that are MAGA or Evangelicals. My sister's best friend is a 64 year old school teacher who only cares about one issue and that is abortion. Her and her husband fostered several kids and adopted most of them. They spent everything they had on the kids who were often not model citizens.

She has alienated all of the other teachers with her incessant speeches about what a great guy CFDT is. But she has had cancer for 10 years and my sister feels terrible about arguing with her.

I suggested that she ask her friend to list four things that CFDT did to make America great. My sister is meeting with her today so hopefully she will have a chance to ask her.

HCR lays out the accomplishments of the Biden administration which go way beyond the long list she mentions. I came name dozens of things the CFDT administration did and will do to that are awful as we all can, but the cognitive dissonance is too loud for most of the MAGAs and Evangelicals to hear. But, they aren't the ones we will ever win over in November anyway.

So ask the fence sitters to name 4 things. That bar is incredibly low, but millions of people aren't paying attention at this point. We need them to engage.

And that's what Kamala has been doing at college campuses and ladies groups all across the country. Getting people to engage.

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Gary, fortunately, for us, our relatives who are close at hand are in our camp. The rest of them are in the midwest and all I see from them are the squabbles and bad luck that they seem to have a lot of. They are very good at having children and at this point, I have at least a dozen great greats. And we are also lucky that our friends are also in our camp. I hear from some of them who are not so lucky.

Ah yes, abortion and now we have all sorts of horror stories about what happens to women who need medical attention and doctors who are scared to do anything. It will only get worse if death star prevails.

The fence sitters who get to me are the progressives who do not understand that they can't have their ideals asap and so often do things that undermine hard earned progress. Our garden helper, whose heart is in the right place, is one of those. She thinks Biden sucks and she wondered what Kamala was doing. We explained that Kamala is out there, but it is ver seldom reported. She supported Bernie which I understand. What I couldn't stand was some of his supporters and I told her a story about a couple local jerks who thought nothing, at a meeting of the county Ds, of insulting a long time D who has worked all of her life to make things better.

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Here's an open question that popped into my head to anyone who knows people who work for these MSM organizations, because I don't. How do they rationalize their organization's behavior to people with whom they have a personal relationship when they're asked why they protect authoritarian autocracy from egalitarian democracy? Let me guess. They say, "I'm right, you're wrong, and this conversation is over." In that case, tell them they are responding to a legitimate question in the same as a MAGA cult member.

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Michele. I looked up Project 2025, it is 887 pages with a lengthy forward. Who could read all this propaganda?

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I have waded through about 10% of it. So much blaming of Biden administration for, well, everything. And it's usually at the beginning of each chapter.

But once you get into the deets, it gets worse far worse. Even CFDT is trying to distance himself by rewriting the official RNC platform. But he can't help himself by inserting lie after lie and praising himself for his brilliance. The thing is, there are so many uneducated low IQ people that will never read it.

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