The big story today is that in Israel, a coalition of eight very different parties has come together to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power after 12 years.
Just heard the high school Valedictorian speech of Paxton Smith of Lake Highlands, Texas. She didn't give the approved speech. She gave a powerful speech on the Texas heartbeat anti-abortion law. Hope she runs for state Senate in Texas ... and beyond! Here's the video.
A woman should have sovereignty over her own body. Period. Or let's have an equivalent law for men which would be a penectomy for rape. Then maybe this nonsense over control of a women's body would stop.
I am so proud of so many young women today. Their willingness to speak out and to be proud, direct, truthful, and serious tells me we have been doing our job correctly. I am proud for any of them to stand on my shoulders and tell legislators to back off and to get out of the way. Their brilliance and light crushes ignorance.
I have been thrilled to hear what our young adults are saying in the graduation speeches from every level of education. Inspiring.
Here's the inspiring theme song for these women -- Standing on the Shoulders by singer/songwriter Joyce "Earthmama" Rouse. The song was written for the 75th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
What I really love is that she recognized the unique moment & platform that she had and she used it, knowing she had the full attention of everyone there.
Just learned that the procedure for removing the balls is called an orchiectomy. And, let me remind you that women have never needed balls to be ballsy.
But only your first suggestion really does the job to stop recidivist rapists. The second just might give them a lifetime licence without downstream liability.....viagra permitting.
We might consider that so abusing a woman is equivalent in psychiatric terms to the "sociability" of the schizophrenic sociopath or even the psycopath and drugs with similar "damping" effects on congnitive ability be administered forcibly to restrain their uncontrollable impulses.
We might also consider similar treatment for those who "only" beat their wives and womenfolk....perhaps in lieu of rape. The men that kill their spouses, girlfriends etc and/or just treat them as property to be disposed of and ordered as they see fit should also fit into this program too as they are unlikely either to be recoverable psychologically nor be subject to "sincere remorse (as opposed to crocodile tears).
As a young engineer I was once out in the lab working near a technician. The technician was mumbling loud enough for me to hear something to the effect he wasn't going to let a woman outshine him or even do this work. So, I said loud enough for him to hear, "Why not? Is my penis too short?" Never had any trouble with him again. I think my boss heard about but never said anything to me about it. Guess they figured I had handled the problem just fine.
I, on the other hand, looked around my class in college and kept lamenting the shortage of women engineering students. They were a ridiculously small minority. Absurd.
Yes what a powerful brave speech this young woman gave. What courage she has!! I can not have imagined hearing or giving that speech at my graduation. It underlines for me just how repressed women are in this culture. White male supremacy is the root of these laws.
People don't realize that we are talking GOVERNMENTAL oversight to determine the medical options and choices for all females in America. To create laws that criminally punish women, doctors, partners, etc. for natural actions and medical options that a woman must choose for herself. The goal is to create and legalize the rights of a zygote over the health and wellbeing o a woman. This speech was awesome!
Whatever this young woman decides to do with her life - it will make a difference! Without doubt. Her parents, her teachers, anyone who loves her, should be so very proud that she had the courage and heart to make that speech.
With her speech going viral (I just posted it on my FB page & ABC has reported on it), she will be influencing far far more people - hopefully not just women - than those were present.
Yeah. Viral. As in Majority of voters. I hope Ms. Smith goes to law school. I hope she argues this issue in front of the Supreme Court. I'd like to see Ms. Paxton Smith give this as opening remarks to Amy Barret. I'd like to see Ms. Paxton Smith crush Barret in a debate with her arguments. I'd like to Ms. Paxton Smith remembered as more important to our history than Barret.
Cathy thank you for sharing Paxton Smith’s courageous and impassioned valedictory speech. Yes we need absolute control over our own bodies—certainly not a trip backwards in time.
Best speech I have heard on the issue. It’s wrong for Texas to “terrorize” women and girls this way. It is their decision to make for their own future. She gave a genuine speech with sound arguments, delivered with passion. This is what the issue demands, this is leadership.
You know, at first glance this may sound like a radical statement, and perhaps it is. Actually it is a brilliant statement. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how brilliant, how rich and multifaceted, how many different levels it addresses. Initial message is suppression and regulation of men the way women have been regulated and suppressed, but it goes deeper. For a man not to recognize that he must keep his sex addiction in check, well, that is the height of ignorance.
Thank you for the link. What a heartfelt speech....I got chills listening to it! I was glad to hear the applause. I'm sure there were many in the audience who were surprised, but I wondered how many were unhappy or angry about her speech.
From what I see and hear, a lot of Texans are pretty fed up and ready to speak out. Who cares that some might be offended? What matters is that she felt safe speaking out, and received the support she deserved. A number of Texan friends feel that Texas is at a turning point. Maybe not a fast one, but sometimes these things simply reach a point at which they swivel. There all along, and then enough things happen, enough people speak up, enough people decide the fear isn't worth it, enough retrogrades stick their feet in their mouth, and the turn happens. It's been there all along, but because headline grabbers like Cruz et al are what gets covered, people though they were alone. Not any more.
I would love to see that happen, Cathy! How about a vasectomy prior to marriage -- after all, it can be reversed, correct?
All these "upright citizens" who believe that they have the right to control women's bodies are also those who scream about the fact that the government has no right to tell them to wear masks, nor to social distance. Am I missing something or are they? White supremacy and colonial domination invariably spew volumes about the injustices and violence against women.
Rowshan, While a vasectomy keeps a man from impregnating a woman, it does not keep him from raping with impunity. One needs to remove his weapon if he is going to use it without the woman's permission. That would mean a penectomy. When my papillon dogs see a scorpion, their instinct tells them to bite the base of the tail to disarm the scorpion. Most of the scorpions I see have very limp tails. So if there is something that would permanently keep things permanently limp that might be preferable to a full penectomy. May depend on the brutality of the crime.
It’s about time for Netanyahu to go. I’m tired of dirty leaders having immunity from prosecution while they are in office.
Hi, everyone, this is my first post to this august group! Heather’s last few posts finally convinced me to support her with more than my rapt attention and admiration. I have been losing sleep along with many people for a long time, and I just discovered that I could read posts from this group a few months ago.
I am a member of Indivisible GA 10, and a supporting volunteer with MoveOn Georgia. I call myself the Invisible Indivisible because I physically can’t attend their meetings, but my heart is with them! I am happy to report that I, along with so many Georgians, drained our bank accounts and ran up the old magic plastic in order to get the Rev. Warnock and Mr. Ossoff to both receive the title US Senator, and we tried so hard to get Stacey Abrams elected as our governor. But this corrupt state government is well entrenched by republicans and the fight is hard. If you want to know what our country could look like in two years, we can show you.
Enough about me and my state for now. I won’t post very often, but I will hear everything you say, and be fighting very hard alongside all of you as we work to get voter legislation through the senate.
And, may I join all of you posters in expressing my deep gratitude for Professor Cox-Richardson’s willingness to share her impressive knowledge and wise perspective with us. I do believe that you, Professor, have more influence on the people who are working to save our democracy than you could ever realize. Thank you!
Good to hear your voice, Gustav. Many here on this page were with you in Georgia as we donated our money and efforts to get Senators Warnock and Ossoff elected. We were so proud of Georgia (and ourselves!) when they were sworn into office. I believe Senator Warnock will be needing us again come 2022. We'll be there again come 2022.
I will, as well! Yes, we pulled it off. We surprised them then, but they will be ready for us in 2022. I too felt deep pride in the people of my state. Confess I was shocked when we pulled it off. But as you well know it isn’t over....Good night, everyone!
I wasn’t shocked, he was a slam dunk just look 👀 at who he was running against. He’s a man of integrity that’s not interested in selling the jobs of Georgians to the Chinese which is exactly what Perdue did while living in China for 2 years.
I fear the Perdues will be back in some fashion, terrified that Loeffler is not done either. They should just enjoy their vast wealth in privacy, and leave us alone. Not sure about Taylor-Greene, a psychotic is hard to read and predict.
I live in NE FL. I showed up for Georgia and the nation. I'm hoping Georgia and the nation will return the favor by supporting Nikki Fried for Governor. Nikkifried.com
Welcome to this awesome community. Many here have saved me from deep depression about the state of this country. Even if you never comment, there is always someone who will echo what you might be thinking.
My mother was born in a village in the Saar, a coal district. Entire family on that side is descended from coal miners.
My father is from a village called Neu-Esting just outside Munich. Front row seat to Hitler’s entrance on the world scene.
The eldest child in my mother’s family, my mother’s older brother, was born in Milan. Their father (our grandfather) was working, if the family history is to be believed, as a translator attached to the Luftwaffe. We know he was a translator, because he studied six or seven languages, including Esperanto. It’s the Luftwaffe portion that is in question. But certainly he was in Mussolini‘s Italy in the role of a German military staff person. My mother, the 2nd child, was conceived in Italy, then they moved back to Germany.
My siblings and I have a little family joke. We must have been influenced by that link to Italy, because we express ourselves more like Italians than like Americans of German ancestry. How do you silence an Italian? You handcuff them or put them in a straitjacket. The joke is that, if our hands were tied, we would be severely hampered in our communication because we use an abundance of body language. It’s not meant to be a slur against Italians, it’s a self-deprecating satirical statement about ourselves.
I had planned on perhaps giving that message to Peter, because it is Peter’s story of his Prussian mentor, a translator, a man he admired, which was the inspiration for me thinking about translators. My maternal grandfather, Peter’s mentor, and Peter himself. Dolmetscher.
Welcome. I love the term Invisible Indivisible. I am one also. Donated to GA candidates and and wrote postcards to GA voters. When each in our own way do what we can, be it a lot or a little we win. We’re in this together.
We must, and we shall! Nice to know that is still fight left in us at our stage of life, and nice to know how many people who don’t live in our state helped us get our senators elected. I just felt that we had a lot of help and hoped for it, and now I know it.
The nice thing about "our stage in life" is that we're not fettered by job responsibilities, so now have time to be more active in the real issues.
Your comment about the Perdues and Loeffler are justified, except that David has said he doesn't intend to run again in the near future. Taylor Greene, though, is very scary. While it's clear that she's psychotic and appears to be a known quantity, and no sane people wouldn't support her, her area of the state is home to many like-minded voters, so she poses a danger if she's not removed from the House. It wouldn't surprise me if they found that she'd "hosted" tours for some of the insurrectionists. She can't be dismissed merely because she's obviously unstable and woefully ignorant!
I'm hopeful that, despite the current attempts at voter suppression, people will be so incensed that they'll turn out in even larger numbers than '20. The angry, panicked minority party has to be taught a lesson. We'll have lots of work ahead, Gustav.
The money I would have sent to NC Dem candidates, had there been more than a slight handful, whom I did support, I tried to spread around to places like Georgia. Lord knows, the Big Bucks were fighting like hell against us in every race, but my paltry help maybe bought a few yard signs or bumper stickers!
In Israel, no public office puts a person above the law. Netanyahu is not the first Israeli PM to be prosecuted while in office. If convicted and jailed, he won't be first at that either.
I totally agree! And kudos to you and your group for your mighty fight! I live in KS, and while I didn't empty my bank acct, did contribute. I, too, live in a Republican state with a Democratic Governor who is dadly hogtied by our legislature
So I have several thoughts about the news in this letter--good morning everyone, by the way! Firstly, these deplorables who jetted off to Israel to save it from itself have no understanding of the degree of contempt to which Bibi is held in Israel. He lost FOUR elections in less than two years. FOUR. The Israeli public wants him to go, they just are divided on their own political ideals because proportional representation in such a small country means fragmentation at the parliamentary level. This is why he has been able to claw back power: no one has heretofore been able to come up with a coalition that can hold up. The President (who, in this la-la land of pseudo British parliamentary systems serves the same function as the queen) has consistently refused to call on Bibi to form a government. This is why this coalition is willing to work together, despite their significant political differences: they want him GONE. The tone deafness of these Trumpistas in trying to interfere is both ignorant and derisory. And it will make them look like idiots. Which they are--in the original Greek sense of the term of mindless and thoughtless fools who fail to do their duty as citizens.
Second, they don't give a crap about Israel or the Middle East. They don't give a crap about Jews or the Holocaust or the idea of a Jewish homeland. They are not "Zionists" any more than Amy Semple McPherson might have been in her day. And the reason why I invoke her is because the REAL reason why these jokers have flown to Israel is because the Americans who support Bibi (as opposed to the Americans who support and respect the political, social, and cultural legitimacy of the State of Israel) are extremist right-wing evangelical "Christians" whose fondest wish is that the Jews will be consumed by fire when the Second Coming and the Rapture happens. But in their twisted theology that cannot occur unless the Antichrist comes out of the Jewish community and appears in Jerusalem. So they "welcome" and "support" the State of Israel because they are eagerly anticipating the End Times and the ultimate death and destruction of the Jewish people forever. This, to me, is the ultimate cynical form of Antisemitism. Bibi is well aware of this phenomenon of the so-called religious Right. He has been equally cynical in his ginning up of support for his personal power by catering to them. The difference between him and the broad coalition--which might not hold at all, but I hope it does because it will force these folks to TALK to each other--is that they are not universally willing to embrace an essentially racist rationale in order to sustain and maintain their personal power.
The end times as imagined and supported by "Christians" who otherwise ignore the words of Christ. If such a place (state) as heaven existed what would happen at the rapture? What would the book of judgement have to say about those "Christians" who have spent a lifetime spreading hate and fear? And, Linda, you're spot on about another thing, they couldn't care less about the Jewish people.
Thanks for this reminder about why so many on the right are such uncritical supporters of “Bibi.” That the religious right have the hubris to call themselves Christians is completely nuts. Their behavior, their racism, their winking at the violence their views engender is so very wrong in every way I can imagine I’m just gobsmacked every time I see an article about this or talk with my neighbor who tries to “ save” me occasionally ( I remind her that I’m a baptized Catholic and the granddaughter of a Methodist minister. Love the looking of frustration on her face, lol)
Hopefully, the coalition holds and the compromises continue. In the meantime, I”m sending postcards to potential voters and other get out the vote activities here at home. Cruz as President? No, no and no. But as you say, its a start for Israel and that’s good news.
https://postcardstovoters.org/ I found this organization here in the comments a couple of weeks ago and honestly, am having a blast writing cards. It is something I can do, every day if I want, and I feel better knowing I'm doing something that counters these egregious efforts to suppress voting in this country.
If I may, some more information about how Jews fit within the Evangelical beliefs of the latter days. (I've been there, more or less, so know from experience...) Part of what is to happen before the very last days, is that there will be 144,000 Jews (12,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel) who will have seen the light of Christ and will then evangelize the world before the Rapture, in order to turn as many people as possible to Christ. This brand of Evangelical Christianity basically are using Jews to achieve what they believe has to come about. We/They were told to expose as many Jews as we could to these events that are to happen, even if they are resistant to the message, so they at least will have knowledge of what is to happen, so that when it does happen they will suddenly then believe...and then begin to evangelize. These 144,000 will then be part of God's "elect" of special saints. Jews/Israel are/is just a piece of the puzzle that will play a part in Christ's Second Coming. These Evangelicals--and this cuts across various faiths...even Evangelical Catholics--believe all these things must come to pass. Of course, John, in his writing down of these symbolic visions that he had in Revelation, also warned of mis-reading these portents. He warned of making a religion out of these signs and messages, something these Evangelicals seem to conveniently overlook.
Safe to say, these people genuinely believe the world HAS to be brought to the brink of destruction before this stuff happens, so any- and everything that can be done to hasten these events is completely justified. THIS Christian does not believe this crap. It is not worth the risk of ending the world to see IF Jesus comes back--and his foot is to split the Mount of Olives, BTW--which is what they believe. What if we get to this point and Jesus DOESN'T come back??? A giant "OOPS! Guess we got it wrong...sorry!" and then the planet is wiped out?? They're willing to risk it all. I, and other Christians like me, do NOT believe this. It is a dangerous form of theology we do not ascribe to AT ALL. Jesus even warned about this very thing, about believing in false ideologies and prophets. Again, for Israelis/Jews to fall for this kind of false alliance is very dangerous. I don't necessarily see it as run-of-the-mill antisemitism, more of merely using Jews/Israel for their own ends. Just because somebody is "nice" to you, which is what I see when right-wing Israelis cozy up to the Christian Right, don't fall for it!
Thanks for the expansion Bruce! I am not a Christian of any stripe, so I see it from the perspective of a Jew who is clearly going to be "left behind" (!). But I would suggest that if Jesus were to show up again, he would not be recognizable to most of the people who claim to adhere to Christianity (including those whose religious bent is towards the more traditional sects). The ideal of a peace-loving, inclusive, know-thyself utopia is lost on most folks no matter what the religious (or non-religious) persuasion. Self-knowledge is hard, bro--as I am sure you know, as does most of the folks on this substack feed.
For all we know, Jimmy Carter (a terrible president but, golly, one of the most stellar human beings alive int he world today) is Jesus. He sure does try hard to live by his teachings, especially the "Love G-d and your neighbor, but especially your neighbor" part.
Exactly. Jesus said time after time, "you will find me where you least expect to see me...", or "I am among the least of these...". That has always resonated with me. It especially was apparent in my mom's funeral service yesterday. She was a nurse who spent 30 years helping her fellow human beings to heal, to be comforted, to die, to live. Literally hundreds of people. She did it out of love, of her service and of her commitment to serve. We are taught that Christ was the embodiment of love. As the priest said in her (I made sure it was a woman priest!) homily, no one was more Christ-like than my mom, because she literally "walked the walk". She did it in a quiet, unobtrusive way, not calling any attention to herself. You want Christ? There it was. She was one of those angels that walk among us. These Evangelical nut-jobs (that's what they are, IMO) have the most twisted concept of what Jesus represents, they are sadly deluding themselves to think that Jesus--whatever and whoever he is/was/will be--would want to have anything to do with him. They have so twisted and contorted his teachings to conform to THEIR idea of what/who he is, they've lost the essence of someone like Jesus is really about. Yes, someone like Carter is another of those people who just sets about doing good works for their fellow humans, asking for nothing in return. It's simple really.
Besides Jimmie Carter, I would add Greta Thunberg, a 17-year old who speaks truth to power. Besides comforting others, Jesus also challenges us. Ms. Thunberg does the same, a modern Joan of Arc!
Bruce, so sorry for your loss! But what a wonderful encomium to your mum. You had a splendid model in her, but it sounds like you are singing from the same hymnal, as it were.
RUSSIAN GOVT. EMPLOYEES (AND ALL OUTSIDE OBSERVERS)
PAY ATTENTION PLEASE
Hello Bruce, thank you so much for taking the time to spell this out.
Let’s see if we can make some sense out of this seeming gibberish.
My analysis:
The “second coming” is a label for a Renaissance. It has never made any sense to think in terms of the reappearance of a solo figure. That solo figure, by the way, made very clear that all of us would be doing greater things than he did. And that’s assuming it was a solo figure. What if The Da Vinci Code is onto something, and because of severe and stifling sexism, Joshua‘s soul partner Mary of Magdala was erased from history as a co-equal partner in the transformation of humanity. But that is a sidebar.
The “second coming“ refers to a return of something, a return of the spiritual source that showed up 2000 years ago in the form of one person and a small team, that expanded into a larger team.
There was an ignition of consciousness in Palestine, and it grew and turned into a wildfire. That wildfire ignited in Russia as well, because the very first early ignition points of Christianity became known as Orthodox Christianity. Orthodox Christianity in Russia is the original ignition for that era’s wave of consciousness, of brilliance, for that particular region of the world. And of course there are orthodox, i.e. original, source points around the planet for that wave.
The second coming is the next wave of consciousness and light, the return, so to speak, of the original. That’s why it’s called the second coming. It’s not a single person. It’s a wave. A revolution. A social renaissance. The second coming of that renaissance is the return of the original one.
Tribes of Israel. That misconstrued phrase is shorthand for classes of humanity. Somebody with more knowledge and experience is going to have to do a better job than I can explaining this. Think of how humans have classified the animal kingdom. There is a similar classification system for humans, for humanity. Roland personally has no idea what that is, he just understands the basic concept.
The 12,000 individuals for each of the 12 classification categories of humanity are the purveyors of that returning social transformation, that glorious renaissance. In other words, 2000 years ago it was one person, if rumors are to be believed. This time around, it’s 144000 people.
If you are reading these words, I would say chances are pretty good (originally I wrote “exceptionally high”) that you are one of those 144000 people.
We are the carriers of “the second coming.”
Unless I am mistaken, even the Russian observers who are reading these words have members of this collective, this carrier wave. Certainly if you understand what I am saying, if it resonates something in you, I recommend considering it.
We are the initiators of the New Golden Age of humanity.
It’s the only way that Bruce’s description makes any sense at all.
What is a Christian. What is a true Christian. The Kristos has the same root as Crystal. A crystal is a gem. Something precious. Something beautiful and brilliant. This forum is a crystal mine. There is absolutely no question in my mind that TC, Linda Mitchell, and so many of you are part of this carrier wave. Christine has the concept built right into her name for goodness sake, for Goddess sake.
Think about it. Wouldn’t be a true Christian be more likely to be found here, in this community, than in some weird cult?
A lovely metaphorical re-interpretation of the ghastly "left-behind" theology! :-)
But....
The "original" Christianity -- as a formal (credal) faith -- was the Christianity of the Council of Nicea, which formalized the creed, and the canon of the Byblos (Book), which determined which of the Jesus-stories could be told. This Nicene Christianity became the unified religion of the Roman Empire, and by the fifth century, had spread throughout the Empire, with five administrative centers, or "Sees," located in Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem. During the fifth century, the Alexandrian See (the Coptic Church) was ejected from the communion over an obscure disagreement in theology, and in the 11th century, the Roman See broke from the rest of the church over the "filioque controversy," which had to do with Rome unilaterally changing the Nicene Creed to include the word "filioque" (from the son). The rest of the churches became known as the "Orthodox" churches because they retained the original wording of the Creed.
That's the official story of the "Orthodox" vs "Roman" faiths. In practice, it was perhaps more of a fundamental cultural and language split, since the Western church spoke and read primarily Latin and was failing as a civilization, while the Eastern Empire churches spoke and read primarily Greek, and were still creating the prosperous Eastern Empire of Byzantium.
The Byblos was translated into Old Church Slavonic in the ninth century, and this formed the core of what became the Russian Orthodox Church. The Orthodox churches tend to call themselves "autocephalous," or "self-headed," as compared to the Roman Catholic Church, which moved toward a Supreme Pontiff who served as God's sole representative on the earth.
I'm personally finding the idea of either a "first coming" or a "second coming" increasingly problematic. People have a tendency to create "miraculous origin" stories for everything. Adam and Eve. The invention of the light bulb. The invention of Wheaties. The invention of democracy. I've come to think of these stories as fundamental marketing. You can't sell soap if it's the "Same Old Soap in a different-colored box." You sell it as a miraculous advance in surfactant technology. NEW! You Won't Believe Your Eyes!
It's not necessarily terrible, in itself, but it does obscure the fact that the new thing followed quite naturally from the old, and has typically brought with it a lot of the problems it purported to solve.
Thank you for the insight. Didn't know paragraph two of your post was in play. Would love to hear more from you on this subject of right-wing evangelical "Christians."
This has been around for quite a long time. I remember decades ago reading about this in a magazine a friend of mine kept getting, courtesy her relatives concerned about her spiritual welfare. She said that at least it keeps her up to date on the latest screwy right wing theology. She wanted to know when the rapture comes so she can go hide in a cave as she had no interest in spending eternity with them (she preferred Earth). This stuff was even covered in the mainstream media as a "thing", but the media of the time failed to take it seriously as a political influence. And here we are.
This assessment comes the closest to explaining a constant head-scratcher for me, which is: why to these RWNJ's support Israel so hard while discriminating against, assaulting, and belittling them here in the US? If I read this right, the SkyPilot will achilleate the Jews and all the Evangelical Christians will be "enraptured" which explains this conundrum for me.
Please note: while I do not follow the path of the Christ, I firmly believe in the freedom of religious expression and participation of those taking a spiritual path.
Ally, as with so many things, evangelicals are not a monolith. There are many shades of evangelical christians. There is no such thing as "All evangelical Christians". One I admire is William Barbur. And keep in mind that MLK jr was pastor in an evangelical church: it has to do with one's commitment to speaking one's faith aloud. Some, as Barbur, do so through their action in things like the Poor People's movement (I'm a supporter). There are groups of evangelicals who work on behalf of the Palestinians out of conviction that they have human rights. Then there is the lay evangelical I know who insists that there will be a sorting when the time comes: some will go, some will not. I like to keep in mind that many times extremists who call themselves evangelicals have predicted the (insert relevant term here), followers have prepared, and then in the morning there they all were, still sheepishly in place. I guess God changed her mind.
Yes, thank you, Judith. I dithered between the two spellings and not in a situation to look it up. Figured if I got it wrong, someone would catch it. No error goes uncorrected for long here, and now I'll have it etched in my mind for next time.
Thank you for that elucidation. I spent my childhood trying to reason out my parents' very confusing politico-religio-social views - which made them love Black church, but not want their children to marry Black folx, be solidly working class, but vote Republican, love Israel, and kinda hate jews.
Spot on! But why offend the Evangelical Christians who believe this about the 'Second Coming'? Believers in any faith accept as irrefutable fact what those outside of their faith might consider as nonsense, and you can't change that. Republican Senators Graham, Cruz and Hagerty are catering to those who buy into the oversimplification that support for Israel has to be support for Netanyahu. Israelis know better and are willing to "think outside of the box" in coming up with this coalition. Republicans in our Congress, including these three, might try such "thinking outside of the box" instead of basing everything on right wing support as did Netanyahu.
I have a question regarding Cruz. How many years did he spend in the military? Somehow that has never been brought up. At the risk of jumping to conclusions - I'm betting NONE?
And yet - he has so very much to say about whats wrong with it! Actually, I believe his whole "issue" with the current military is the fact that there are women serving in it!
Right now I would consider the fate of the Israeli Prime Minister irrelevant to America in the light of the crisis of our looming loss of democracy. We need to help all Americans realize the impact of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights bills not passing. It is time to be outraged! It is time to ACT.
The disrespect being shown to our able bodied and minded President is sad and shameful. Do these politicians and pundits not realize that the seeds they’re planting could undo the very fabric and foundation of our nation?
I have an uncle who repeats the name-calling he hears on his beloved Fox News. The next chance I have, I will remind him that he learned not to do that in elementary school. It’s so basic. Name-calling is not ok. It’s kindergarten through second grade. Trump normalized it. Now France has their own Fox News I heard this morning. C-News. They name call and lie and they want Marine Le Pen to win in 2022 there. I hope the French do better than we did in 2016.
Do we think that would stop them? IMHO they know exactly what they're doing; they just plan on being part of the cabal running whatever kind of nation we end up with.
The big story that I read this morning, after reading today's Letter, was that 25 states will leave 4.5 million workers with little to no benefits next month.
'States canceling extra unemployment benefits will cost local economies $12.3 billion''
'Half of the states planning to cancel the extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits this month could cost their local economies $12.3 billion, according to a new study. The analysis comes a day after Maryland became the latest GOP-led state to opt out of the jobless program'.
"There is little evidence that enhanced UI (Unemployment Insurance) is holding back employment. In fact, ending it could cost local economies more than $12 billion," Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA) said in a statement on Wednesday following the release of the analysis by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC). "If states proceed with their plans to end these critical programs, they will be ripping the rug out from under millions of Americans and further hindering our economic recovery."
'The analysis uses a multiplier effect that shows every $1 in unemployment benefits generates $1.61 in local spending based on estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities'. (Yahoo, Money)
'If you lost your job last year there's nothing for you'. This is a Republican governors decision, and you would not be surprised to learn that 'House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) urged all GOP governors to opt out of the federal programs in a letter earlier in May.' For a few more details about this lack of support for workers by the Republicans (and lack of smarts) while sticking it to Biden and the Democrats for their determination to have government fill in when support is needed, here's link for a few more details:
Republican voters will be hurt by this, too. They're not all rich. Maybe the fallout from opting out of the $300/week will manifest itself in a few lost votes for 'Pubs. Pennsylvania is pushing to become the 26th state. I must say that I have never seen so many "help wanted" signs in my life, from restaurants and hair salons to warehouses. If someone is in need of a job, they are out there.
An anchor person on a cable business show said today that he spoke with a restaurateur about this very subject. He was told that some restaurant workers moved away and some cannot find child care. That is anecdotal, and we don't know what percentage that would account for. Another aspect of this is low wages and what restaurant owners can afford to pay.
Florida is one of those states. If people look at how the Republicans are hurting their constituents and the economy in general, they would never re-elect them again. That’s why all these laws currently in play, especially the part about overturning election results, are so dangerous. They can only win by cheating, but boy do they know how to cheat!
I am curious about your assessment of Nikki Fried. I saw her on Joy Reid's show, but the "interview" struck me more as a campaign announcement and I was unable to form any coherent opinion.
I didn't see the interview so I looked it up on line. Yes, it probably sounded like a campaign announcement, but that's because she announced on that day that she would be running, so that isn't surprising. As far as my opinion, I think she would be a good candidate as she's smart, fearless and very articulate, and is the only state wide elected Democrat. Having said that, she has some serious odds stacked against her. First, Charlie Christ has the big name recognition and is the "moderate" in the group. And already, DeSantis is coming out against her in a strong way, saying she "did nothing" during her time in office. Now, she is the only Democrat in the Florida cabinet and wasn't even allowed in to some of his meetings, which is unfathomable. She will also need to start to define what she will do, and not just be "Anti-DeSantis". If she can do that, then she has a chance of mobilizing the Democrats and especially progressive Democrats. Andrew Gillum lost by a whisker so if that support goes to her, and we get the Dems to come out and actually vote, she would give him a run for his money.
"Yes, it probably sounded like a campaign announcement, but that's because she announced on that day that she would be running, so that isn't surprising."
That was my take on it too. I think Joy Reid accepted it as one too, since she didn't interrupt her. I noticed that she repeated several times, what I assume might become her major point. I liked her at first blush. I hope she can draw in some moderate (aka "old school") GOP voters as well as Gillum's supporters. I know some of the former who live there now and who are completely opposed to the way DeSantis is operating and who despise TFG.
Thanks for sharing. I will follow her and hope to be able to be one of her out-of-state contributors!
The very idea that a bunch of rich white cat grifters DARE to suggest that the measly amount offered to families to keep them out of food lines would be an incentive not to work is evidence of their heartlessness. I hope voters wake up and realize what is at stake in this country.
Graham, Cruz, and Hagerty flew to Israel to show support for Netanyahu and call Biden weak! Call the U.S. President WEAK! THOSE ASSHOLES HAVE GOT TO GO!
Israelis know that Senators Cruz, Graham, and Haggerty have absolutely zero interest in the Israeli situation, and are there to grandstand. Unlike the Republican Party, the Israeli electorate is a pretty intelligent lot, and there is no opinion that they ever hold back. Those three American senators are there to shill for Netanyahu, and most Israelis want him gone as soon as possible. The battle was always over who Netanyahu's successor was going to be, and now that a governing coalition appears to be worked out, Netanyahu is about to be shown the door, and likely as not, the inside of a prison cell. Israelis also know that the temper of the American electorate is not as likely to be as favorable to Israel's expansionist political objectives, as exemplified by Netanyahu's policies as in years gone by. There are internal issues that have been put on hold during the years that Netanyahu's coalition has held power, and those issues need to be addressed. The best thing the Israelis could do right now is to tell Senators Cruz, Graham, and Haggerty 'We've got this', to wish them a pleasant flight home, and not to let the door hit them on the way out. I think the adults in the room will be in charge from here on in.
Well said. I’ve been counting on the adults in the room in America. That is EXACTLY how I viewed President Biden and VP Harris as they assembled the cabinet and leaders in the executive branch.
The behavior and language of Republican politicians & FOX characters match my experience with grade school bullies on the playground.
Israel and Russia are two examples of how Republican politicians do more to offer to and ask for help from foreign countries for their personal benefit than any political group in the world. One might think this is a characteristic of socialists. In comparison, they dismiss a majority of Americans, their votes, their wishes and aspirations, their work and their contributions.
Correct me if I am wrong, but tax credits are only meaningful to people who make enough money to pay taxes. I don't recall ever getting a tax credit without a job and income. The people hurting the most during covid19 were let go from jobs and businesses that closed, reduced hours or couldn't retain a full workforce.
My daughters, all in their late 30s and 40s are unmarried with good well paying careers. They admit that they would be less stressed, financially and emotionally better off if they had been able to find a right partner to marry. Being poor doesn't improve your interest in marriage. It may just force people into relationships that aren't healthy, lead to more domestic abuse, broken homes and damaged children.
Republicans have so many biases, illogical, abusive, nasty, authoritarian ideas that they cast against other people that it's impossible to give them credit for anything worth hearing or talking about as a solution for better living. Their best advice could be to talk less and listen more, if they believe that.
Ugh, Conservatives. Fewer incentives to work low paying jobs. There, I fixed it for him. That, and why should people be forced to marry in order to stay out of poverty? This seems like another way they try to make women dependent upon men as women typically earn less than men, and there are fewer living-wage jobs for non-educated women.
“Scott Winship of the American Enterprise Institute told New York Times reporter Jason DeParle, “It’s not sustainable to just give people enough cash to eliminate poverty…. And in the long run it can have negative consequences by reducing the incentives to work and marry.” “
The same quote jumped out at me. I've come to believe that people need to have hope, a cushion, a safety net. The poorer they are, the more they need this, and less shame and judgement.
Economics in our present society does not provide true opportunities to the underclass or the working class to get ahead. If you have a glitch or two in your family (illness--physical or mental, early death, trauma, dementia, fertility or infertility, etc.), marrying or working extra hard will never eliminate poverty.
if or that matter when does marrying or working hard help when you have broken down cars, the inability to buy a better car with better gas mileage and safety features? Why does our society so willlingly subsidize those that don't need help, and so stringently apply assistance to those who truly need it?
and they sell cars to poor people now with kill switches,(I have been told by poor friends) so if you miss a payment, they TURN OFF YOUR CAR, but you still have it, and owe payments.
Glad to hear Bill Hagerty, TN’s new senator, is hanging out with Ted and Lindsay and traveling to Israel with these statesmen so he can criticize his own president. Marsha Blackburn was AWOL during the 1/6 commission vote last week. TN is so well represented. Not.
“It’s not sustainable to just give people enough cash to eliminate poverty…. And in the long run it can have negative consequences by reducing the incentives to work and marry.”
What a load of complete and utter tosh.
However, it does reveal the American Enterprise Institute is in favor of captive poverty, poverty wages, and forcing women to marry for economic necessity.
"For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance.”
"I never said the Conservatives are stupid. I said most stupid people are Conservative. It is a fact so evident, no gentleman may demur." John Stuart Mill, 1866
What you said, PP. I also can't help noticing that when the AEI and other right-wingers talk about "incentives to work," they never talk about raising the minimum wage.
I like "tosh." It's also indicative of a mindset of the GOP - the party that sees itself as "deserving" while all else exist merely to serve its whims. The very idea that a pittance would be an INCENTIVE not to work is ludicrous. The very idea that a small amount to keep one out of food lines would keep people from MARRYING is just downright dumb.
Just as an aside: I have some personal "love match" stories to share - people who found each other during a pandemic and married. Anecdotal, I know, but it's just one bit of actual truth that when one is less stressed about survival, one can actually fall in love and share hope for a future with another soul.
As much as I loathe Senator Graham, the Jewish News Service reported that Graham did not join Cruz in his attack on President Biden.
Their report states, in part:
“Cruz also criticized Democrats, including U.S. President Joe Biden, for not standing more forcefully behind Israel. “Far too many Democrats morally equivocated between Israel and the terrorists attacking them, and fringe progressive Democrats went even further with wild accusations and conspiracy theories,” he said.
He added that prior to leaving the United States, he urged Biden to move forward with efforts to help replenish Israel’s stockpiles of Iron Dome rockets, which he said saved thousands of lives.
While Cruz and Hagerty met with Israeli officials together, Graham held separate meetings with them, during which he reiterated American support for Israel and pointed out that it was bipartisan, despite a handful of left-wing Israel critics.
“There’s been a big dustup over the last engagement between Hamas and the State of Israel in the United States, but I’m here to tell you that there is a wide and deep support for Israel among the Democratic Party,” Graham said in a press conference on Tuesday.
Unlike Cruz, Graham did not criticize the administration and instead thanked Biden for his unequivocal support for Israel and for the administration’s request of funds from Congress to help replenish Iron Dome systems.”
But was the travel stunt by these three to support Israel or to prop up a Trump ally and sweeten the dreams of the same people who feel the vaccine is the mark of the beast?
"Scott Winship of the American Enterprise Institute told New York Times reporter Jason DeParle, “It’s not sustainable to just give people enough cash to eliminate poverty…. And in the long run it can have negative consequences by reducing the incentives to work and marry.”
Two things jumped out at me here - No one is suggesting or promoting 'just giving people enough cash to eliminate poverty". The goal was to keep people in their homes and able to feed their families while the pandemic gutted the economy. Secondly, his last comment is the GOP 'tell'. It's that comfortable hammock Paul Ryan loved to warn about.
And by the way, I didn't hear anyone on the Right decry the billions that was gifted to Wall St. when they caused the greatest recession since the 1930s! Nor did I see a rush to keep banks like Wells Fargo from making homeowners desperate to work with the banks to save their homes, from being steam-rolled by trickery and deceit, only to see many of those home bought up by the same banks and flipped when market forces turned in their favor. I'm sure they'd say, 'That was just smart business."
Obviously, America's vaunted work ethic only applies to the 'haves'. The 'have nots' only work when treated like the serfs they're meant to be. Once more the Monty Python famous line struck me - "The beatings will continue until morale improves!!"
What strange concerns, this worry over money as a disincentive "to work and marry." Most of us (human beings) attempt to make meaning in our lives. To paraphrase Tina Turner, 'What does marriage have to do with it?"
These white guys (young or old) who want to regulate my body, my choices...even though they are so 19th century, it still ticks me off.
Hannity and Cruz need time out with 4-year-olds. They could perhaps garner lessons about honor and honesty.
And Bibi needs to be put away for a while, perhaps with idjt for company. And Barr, while we are giving folks a well-deserved confined rest...
LOL! Well, since they took it upon themselves to travel there uninvited and insert themselves into the country's business...but then, I would venture to say they would be persona non gratis just about anywhere!
Just heard the high school Valedictorian speech of Paxton Smith of Lake Highlands, Texas. She didn't give the approved speech. She gave a powerful speech on the Texas heartbeat anti-abortion law. Hope she runs for state Senate in Texas ... and beyond! Here's the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpJkErsb7UE
A woman should have sovereignty over her own body. Period. Or let's have an equivalent law for men which would be a penectomy for rape. Then maybe this nonsense over control of a women's body would stop.
I am so proud of so many young women today. Their willingness to speak out and to be proud, direct, truthful, and serious tells me we have been doing our job correctly. I am proud for any of them to stand on my shoulders and tell legislators to back off and to get out of the way. Their brilliance and light crushes ignorance.
I have been thrilled to hear what our young adults are saying in the graduation speeches from every level of education. Inspiring.
Here's the inspiring theme song for these women -- Standing on the Shoulders by singer/songwriter Joyce "Earthmama" Rouse. The song was written for the 75th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjjKXuceRYQ
Thank you. The images of all of those amazing women brought tears to my throat & eyes.
Great!
Yes, but I found the inclusion of Indira Gandhi discordant.
In the context of which we speak, your comment is discordant.
Where have you been all my life Christine?
What a great line! Thank you, Roland.
I'm almost afraid to ask why. But, why?
Indeed.
What I really love is that she recognized the unique moment & platform that she had and she used it, knowing she had the full attention of everyone there.
Yes, she recognized her opportunity. SO glad she took it. Smart girl!
Wow! Very powerful! Thank you for sharing.
Ballsy and brilliant! 👩🎓
Just learned that the procedure for removing the balls is called an orchiectomy. And, let me remind you that women have never needed balls to be ballsy.
But only your first suggestion really does the job to stop recidivist rapists. The second just might give them a lifetime licence without downstream liability.....viagra permitting.
We might consider that so abusing a woman is equivalent in psychiatric terms to the "sociability" of the schizophrenic sociopath or even the psycopath and drugs with similar "damping" effects on congnitive ability be administered forcibly to restrain their uncontrollable impulses.
We might also consider similar treatment for those who "only" beat their wives and womenfolk....perhaps in lieu of rape. The men that kill their spouses, girlfriends etc and/or just treat them as property to be disposed of and ordered as they see fit should also fit into this program too as they are unlikely either to be recoverable psychologically nor be subject to "sincere remorse (as opposed to crocodile tears).
Yes, that's exactly why I proposed the first solution. The second does nothing to deter the act of rape. Thank you for your thoughts on this.
"only" beat their wives or perhaps "only" verbally abuse them!
Irony serves to emphasize.
There should be more emphasis on that issue.
That needs to be tending (long but worth it) #womendontneedballstobeballsy
😂Sally
Or trend with....
#womendonotneed
apenistosonotbeadick
As a young engineer I was once out in the lab working near a technician. The technician was mumbling loud enough for me to hear something to the effect he wasn't going to let a woman outshine him or even do this work. So, I said loud enough for him to hear, "Why not? Is my penis too short?" Never had any trouble with him again. I think my boss heard about but never said anything to me about it. Guess they figured I had handled the problem just fine.
I, on the other hand, looked around my class in college and kept lamenting the shortage of women engineering students. They were a ridiculously small minority. Absurd.
Better yet, let's use the phrase, Ovary up!
🤣
IKR!
That’s for damn sure Cathy!
Point taken. Still, Paxton did and does US proud! May Texas swivel!
Huh, I thought removing of the balls was called a Republectomy.
No, that's a spine-ectomy
...and she is from TEXAS! Land of the evangelical church on every damn street corner (not taken by a gas station)! Bravo!
Or a gun shop.
Yes what a powerful brave speech this young woman gave. What courage she has!! I can not have imagined hearing or giving that speech at my graduation. It underlines for me just how repressed women are in this culture. White male supremacy is the root of these laws.
No doubt about it
Profile in COURAGE!!! Wow!! Thank you for this Cathy! Made my day, my week, my decade! Hope in our Youth!
People don't realize that we are talking GOVERNMENTAL oversight to determine the medical options and choices for all females in America. To create laws that criminally punish women, doctors, partners, etc. for natural actions and medical options that a woman must choose for herself. The goal is to create and legalize the rights of a zygote over the health and wellbeing o a woman. This speech was awesome!
I think the goal has nothing to do with the rights of the unborn and everything to do with keeping women hobbled.
History:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_abortion_law_debate
Abortion in the US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States#Rise_of_anti-abortion_legislation
Whatever this young woman decides to do with her life - it will make a difference! Without doubt. Her parents, her teachers, anyone who loves her, should be so very proud that she had the courage and heart to make that speech.
Agree! And may HER courage inspire others who needed just one more nudge to also begin speaking out.
True - sometimes thats all it takes. At the very least, everyone there who heard her and listened has possibly learned something, right?
With her speech going viral (I just posted it on my FB page & ABC has reported on it), she will be influencing far far more people - hopefully not just women - than those were present.
Yeah. Viral. As in Majority of voters. I hope Ms. Smith goes to law school. I hope she argues this issue in front of the Supreme Court. I'd like to see Ms. Paxton Smith give this as opening remarks to Amy Barret. I'd like to see Ms. Paxton Smith crush Barret in a debate with her arguments. I'd like to Ms. Paxton Smith remembered as more important to our history than Barret.
Men have always had control over womens bodies. It angers the hell out of me.
Cathy thank you for sharing Paxton Smith’s courageous and impassioned valedictory speech. Yes we need absolute control over our own bodies—certainly not a trip backwards in time.
Best speech I have heard on the issue. It’s wrong for Texas to “terrorize” women and girls this way. It is their decision to make for their own future. She gave a genuine speech with sound arguments, delivered with passion. This is what the issue demands, this is leadership.
Chastity belts for boys/men!
You know, at first glance this may sound like a radical statement, and perhaps it is. Actually it is a brilliant statement. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how brilliant, how rich and multifaceted, how many different levels it addresses. Initial message is suppression and regulation of men the way women have been regulated and suppressed, but it goes deeper. For a man not to recognize that he must keep his sex addiction in check, well, that is the height of ignorance.
hey? Wait a second. ALL TEXAS Boys/men! I hear ya though.
Thank you for the link. What a heartfelt speech....I got chills listening to it! I was glad to hear the applause. I'm sure there were many in the audience who were surprised, but I wondered how many were unhappy or angry about her speech.
From what I see and hear, a lot of Texans are pretty fed up and ready to speak out. Who cares that some might be offended? What matters is that she felt safe speaking out, and received the support she deserved. A number of Texan friends feel that Texas is at a turning point. Maybe not a fast one, but sometimes these things simply reach a point at which they swivel. There all along, and then enough things happen, enough people speak up, enough people decide the fear isn't worth it, enough retrogrades stick their feet in their mouth, and the turn happens. It's been there all along, but because headline grabbers like Cruz et al are what gets covered, people though they were alone. Not any more.
It’s amazing how quiet the unfaithful minority is when in the presence of a moral majority, with a moral leader.
I would love to see that happen, Cathy! How about a vasectomy prior to marriage -- after all, it can be reversed, correct?
All these "upright citizens" who believe that they have the right to control women's bodies are also those who scream about the fact that the government has no right to tell them to wear masks, nor to social distance. Am I missing something or are they? White supremacy and colonial domination invariably spew volumes about the injustices and violence against women.
Rowshan, While a vasectomy keeps a man from impregnating a woman, it does not keep him from raping with impunity. One needs to remove his weapon if he is going to use it without the woman's permission. That would mean a penectomy. When my papillon dogs see a scorpion, their instinct tells them to bite the base of the tail to disarm the scorpion. Most of the scorpions I see have very limp tails. So if there is something that would permanently keep things permanently limp that might be preferable to a full penectomy. May depend on the brutality of the crime.
I totally agree with you, Cathy. That said, a great many pregnancies develop from consensual sex, so a vasectomy may be a way to put a stop to those.😏
That's up to the couple to take whatever measures they deem necessary in their situation --- not the government.
Paxton Smith’s words and courage make me more hopeful than I’ve been in awhile.
Thanks for sharing the video. Young people give me hope that all is not lost, yet.
It’s about time for Netanyahu to go. I’m tired of dirty leaders having immunity from prosecution while they are in office.
Hi, everyone, this is my first post to this august group! Heather’s last few posts finally convinced me to support her with more than my rapt attention and admiration. I have been losing sleep along with many people for a long time, and I just discovered that I could read posts from this group a few months ago.
I am a member of Indivisible GA 10, and a supporting volunteer with MoveOn Georgia. I call myself the Invisible Indivisible because I physically can’t attend their meetings, but my heart is with them! I am happy to report that I, along with so many Georgians, drained our bank accounts and ran up the old magic plastic in order to get the Rev. Warnock and Mr. Ossoff to both receive the title US Senator, and we tried so hard to get Stacey Abrams elected as our governor. But this corrupt state government is well entrenched by republicans and the fight is hard. If you want to know what our country could look like in two years, we can show you.
Enough about me and my state for now. I won’t post very often, but I will hear everything you say, and be fighting very hard alongside all of you as we work to get voter legislation through the senate.
And, may I join all of you posters in expressing my deep gratitude for Professor Cox-Richardson’s willingness to share her impressive knowledge and wise perspective with us. I do believe that you, Professor, have more influence on the people who are working to save our democracy than you could ever realize. Thank you!
Good to hear your voice, Gustav. Many here on this page were with you in Georgia as we donated our money and efforts to get Senators Warnock and Ossoff elected. We were so proud of Georgia (and ourselves!) when they were sworn into office. I believe Senator Warnock will be needing us again come 2022. We'll be there again come 2022.
I will, as well! Yes, we pulled it off. We surprised them then, but they will be ready for us in 2022. I too felt deep pride in the people of my state. Confess I was shocked when we pulled it off. But as you well know it isn’t over....Good night, everyone!
I wasn’t shocked, he was a slam dunk just look 👀 at who he was running against. He’s a man of integrity that’s not interested in selling the jobs of Georgians to the Chinese which is exactly what Perdue did while living in China for 2 years.
I fear the Perdues will be back in some fashion, terrified that Loeffler is not done either. They should just enjoy their vast wealth in privacy, and leave us alone. Not sure about Taylor-Greene, a psychotic is hard to read and predict.
I live in NE FL. I showed up for Georgia and the nation. I'm hoping Georgia and the nation will return the favor by supporting Nikki Fried for Governor. Nikkifried.com
Welcome to this awesome community. Many here have saved me from deep depression about the state of this country. Even if you never comment, there is always someone who will echo what you might be thinking.
Pam, I think we'd all be on Xanax if it weren't for this group!
Absolutely!
Welcome Gustav. Willkommen in unsere Gruppe. Wie geht’s, wie steht’s?
Ich bin gut, danke!
Wenn ich fragen darf, wo wohnen Sie denn?
Ich gehe jetzt schlafen, Gute nacht
You and me both. Sleep well. 💤
Jackson County, Georgia
Let me rephrase that question. You live in Georgia. Where is your ancestry? My parents are both from Germany.
Thankfully my albeit limited German got me there alongside you....but the confirmation is a great thought, thanks.
Stuart you’re amazing.
So many amazing and lovely and wonderful people.
Roland, where are your parents from? My dad was from Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg.
My mother was born in a village in the Saar, a coal district. Entire family on that side is descended from coal miners.
My father is from a village called Neu-Esting just outside Munich. Front row seat to Hitler’s entrance on the world scene.
The eldest child in my mother’s family, my mother’s older brother, was born in Milan. Their father (our grandfather) was working, if the family history is to be believed, as a translator attached to the Luftwaffe. We know he was a translator, because he studied six or seven languages, including Esperanto. It’s the Luftwaffe portion that is in question. But certainly he was in Mussolini‘s Italy in the role of a German military staff person. My mother, the 2nd child, was conceived in Italy, then they moved back to Germany.
My siblings and I have a little family joke. We must have been influenced by that link to Italy, because we express ourselves more like Italians than like Americans of German ancestry. How do you silence an Italian? You handcuff them or put them in a straitjacket. The joke is that, if our hands were tied, we would be severely hampered in our communication because we use an abundance of body language. It’s not meant to be a slur against Italians, it’s a self-deprecating satirical statement about ourselves.
I had planned on perhaps giving that message to Peter, because it is Peter’s story of his Prussian mentor, a translator, a man he admired, which was the inspiration for me thinking about translators. My maternal grandfather, Peter’s mentor, and Peter himself. Dolmetscher.
Welcome. I love the term Invisible Indivisible. I am one also. Donated to GA candidates and and wrote postcards to GA voters. When each in our own way do what we can, be it a lot or a little we win. We’re in this together.
Welcome, Gustav.
Welcome to the community Gustav!
Welcome Gustav!
Welcome! Your voice here is appreciated. I have "Georgia on my Mind" a LOT these days.
Welcome, fellow Georgian! Clearly, we must continue the fight. I'll be there with you.
We must, and we shall! Nice to know that is still fight left in us at our stage of life, and nice to know how many people who don’t live in our state helped us get our senators elected. I just felt that we had a lot of help and hoped for it, and now I know it.
The nice thing about "our stage in life" is that we're not fettered by job responsibilities, so now have time to be more active in the real issues.
Your comment about the Perdues and Loeffler are justified, except that David has said he doesn't intend to run again in the near future. Taylor Greene, though, is very scary. While it's clear that she's psychotic and appears to be a known quantity, and no sane people wouldn't support her, her area of the state is home to many like-minded voters, so she poses a danger if she's not removed from the House. It wouldn't surprise me if they found that she'd "hosted" tours for some of the insurrectionists. She can't be dismissed merely because she's obviously unstable and woefully ignorant!
I'm hopeful that, despite the current attempts at voter suppression, people will be so incensed that they'll turn out in even larger numbers than '20. The angry, panicked minority party has to be taught a lesson. We'll have lots of work ahead, Gustav.
Yes, I live in California and donated to both of the Democrat candidates. Deeply deeply concerned about current trajectories in so many states.
The money I would have sent to NC Dem candidates, had there been more than a slight handful, whom I did support, I tried to spread around to places like Georgia. Lord knows, the Big Bucks were fighting like hell against us in every race, but my paltry help maybe bought a few yard signs or bumper stickers!
In Israel, no public office puts a person above the law. Netanyahu is not the first Israeli PM to be prosecuted while in office. If convicted and jailed, he won't be first at that either.
Elaine Tolandjust now
I totally agree! And kudos to you and your group for your mighty fight! I live in KS, and while I didn't empty my bank acct, did contribute. I, too, live in a Republican state with a Democratic Governor who is dadly hogtied by our legislature
Welcome! Your energy and words are invigorating.
Welcome! We’re glad you’re here and you probably already know what a supportive, intelligent and activist group this is.
So I have several thoughts about the news in this letter--good morning everyone, by the way! Firstly, these deplorables who jetted off to Israel to save it from itself have no understanding of the degree of contempt to which Bibi is held in Israel. He lost FOUR elections in less than two years. FOUR. The Israeli public wants him to go, they just are divided on their own political ideals because proportional representation in such a small country means fragmentation at the parliamentary level. This is why he has been able to claw back power: no one has heretofore been able to come up with a coalition that can hold up. The President (who, in this la-la land of pseudo British parliamentary systems serves the same function as the queen) has consistently refused to call on Bibi to form a government. This is why this coalition is willing to work together, despite their significant political differences: they want him GONE. The tone deafness of these Trumpistas in trying to interfere is both ignorant and derisory. And it will make them look like idiots. Which they are--in the original Greek sense of the term of mindless and thoughtless fools who fail to do their duty as citizens.
Second, they don't give a crap about Israel or the Middle East. They don't give a crap about Jews or the Holocaust or the idea of a Jewish homeland. They are not "Zionists" any more than Amy Semple McPherson might have been in her day. And the reason why I invoke her is because the REAL reason why these jokers have flown to Israel is because the Americans who support Bibi (as opposed to the Americans who support and respect the political, social, and cultural legitimacy of the State of Israel) are extremist right-wing evangelical "Christians" whose fondest wish is that the Jews will be consumed by fire when the Second Coming and the Rapture happens. But in their twisted theology that cannot occur unless the Antichrist comes out of the Jewish community and appears in Jerusalem. So they "welcome" and "support" the State of Israel because they are eagerly anticipating the End Times and the ultimate death and destruction of the Jewish people forever. This, to me, is the ultimate cynical form of Antisemitism. Bibi is well aware of this phenomenon of the so-called religious Right. He has been equally cynical in his ginning up of support for his personal power by catering to them. The difference between him and the broad coalition--which might not hold at all, but I hope it does because it will force these folks to TALK to each other--is that they are not universally willing to embrace an essentially racist rationale in order to sustain and maintain their personal power.
That, at least, is a start in Israel.
The end times as imagined and supported by "Christians" who otherwise ignore the words of Christ. If such a place (state) as heaven existed what would happen at the rapture? What would the book of judgement have to say about those "Christians" who have spent a lifetime spreading hate and fear? And, Linda, you're spot on about another thing, they couldn't care less about the Jewish people.
Well said.
Thanks for this reminder about why so many on the right are such uncritical supporters of “Bibi.” That the religious right have the hubris to call themselves Christians is completely nuts. Their behavior, their racism, their winking at the violence their views engender is so very wrong in every way I can imagine I’m just gobsmacked every time I see an article about this or talk with my neighbor who tries to “ save” me occasionally ( I remind her that I’m a baptized Catholic and the granddaughter of a Methodist minister. Love the looking of frustration on her face, lol)
Hopefully, the coalition holds and the compromises continue. In the meantime, I”m sending postcards to potential voters and other get out the vote activities here at home. Cruz as President? No, no and no. But as you say, its a start for Israel and that’s good news.
I have to say, Sheila, you appear to have all bases covered as far as "saved" goes!
postcards? with what organization?
https://postcardstovoters.org/
https://postcardstovoters.org/ I found this organization here in the comments a couple of weeks ago and honestly, am having a blast writing cards. It is something I can do, every day if I want, and I feel better knowing I'm doing something that counters these egregious efforts to suppress voting in this country.
If I may, some more information about how Jews fit within the Evangelical beliefs of the latter days. (I've been there, more or less, so know from experience...) Part of what is to happen before the very last days, is that there will be 144,000 Jews (12,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel) who will have seen the light of Christ and will then evangelize the world before the Rapture, in order to turn as many people as possible to Christ. This brand of Evangelical Christianity basically are using Jews to achieve what they believe has to come about. We/They were told to expose as many Jews as we could to these events that are to happen, even if they are resistant to the message, so they at least will have knowledge of what is to happen, so that when it does happen they will suddenly then believe...and then begin to evangelize. These 144,000 will then be part of God's "elect" of special saints. Jews/Israel are/is just a piece of the puzzle that will play a part in Christ's Second Coming. These Evangelicals--and this cuts across various faiths...even Evangelical Catholics--believe all these things must come to pass. Of course, John, in his writing down of these symbolic visions that he had in Revelation, also warned of mis-reading these portents. He warned of making a religion out of these signs and messages, something these Evangelicals seem to conveniently overlook.
Safe to say, these people genuinely believe the world HAS to be brought to the brink of destruction before this stuff happens, so any- and everything that can be done to hasten these events is completely justified. THIS Christian does not believe this crap. It is not worth the risk of ending the world to see IF Jesus comes back--and his foot is to split the Mount of Olives, BTW--which is what they believe. What if we get to this point and Jesus DOESN'T come back??? A giant "OOPS! Guess we got it wrong...sorry!" and then the planet is wiped out?? They're willing to risk it all. I, and other Christians like me, do NOT believe this. It is a dangerous form of theology we do not ascribe to AT ALL. Jesus even warned about this very thing, about believing in false ideologies and prophets. Again, for Israelis/Jews to fall for this kind of false alliance is very dangerous. I don't necessarily see it as run-of-the-mill antisemitism, more of merely using Jews/Israel for their own ends. Just because somebody is "nice" to you, which is what I see when right-wing Israelis cozy up to the Christian Right, don't fall for it!
Thanks for the expansion Bruce! I am not a Christian of any stripe, so I see it from the perspective of a Jew who is clearly going to be "left behind" (!). But I would suggest that if Jesus were to show up again, he would not be recognizable to most of the people who claim to adhere to Christianity (including those whose religious bent is towards the more traditional sects). The ideal of a peace-loving, inclusive, know-thyself utopia is lost on most folks no matter what the religious (or non-religious) persuasion. Self-knowledge is hard, bro--as I am sure you know, as does most of the folks on this substack feed.
For all we know, Jimmy Carter (a terrible president but, golly, one of the most stellar human beings alive int he world today) is Jesus. He sure does try hard to live by his teachings, especially the "Love G-d and your neighbor, but especially your neighbor" part.
Exactly. Jesus said time after time, "you will find me where you least expect to see me...", or "I am among the least of these...". That has always resonated with me. It especially was apparent in my mom's funeral service yesterday. She was a nurse who spent 30 years helping her fellow human beings to heal, to be comforted, to die, to live. Literally hundreds of people. She did it out of love, of her service and of her commitment to serve. We are taught that Christ was the embodiment of love. As the priest said in her (I made sure it was a woman priest!) homily, no one was more Christ-like than my mom, because she literally "walked the walk". She did it in a quiet, unobtrusive way, not calling any attention to herself. You want Christ? There it was. She was one of those angels that walk among us. These Evangelical nut-jobs (that's what they are, IMO) have the most twisted concept of what Jesus represents, they are sadly deluding themselves to think that Jesus--whatever and whoever he is/was/will be--would want to have anything to do with him. They have so twisted and contorted his teachings to conform to THEIR idea of what/who he is, they've lost the essence of someone like Jesus is really about. Yes, someone like Carter is another of those people who just sets about doing good works for their fellow humans, asking for nothing in return. It's simple really.
Besides Jimmie Carter, I would add Greta Thunberg, a 17-year old who speaks truth to power. Besides comforting others, Jesus also challenges us. Ms. Thunberg does the same, a modern Joan of Arc!
Bruce, so sorry for your loss! But what a wonderful encomium to your mum. You had a splendid model in her, but it sounds like you are singing from the same hymnal, as it were.
..."would want to have anything to do with THEM", not "him"!!
RUSSIAN GOVT. EMPLOYEES (AND ALL OUTSIDE OBSERVERS)
PAY ATTENTION PLEASE
Hello Bruce, thank you so much for taking the time to spell this out.
Let’s see if we can make some sense out of this seeming gibberish.
My analysis:
The “second coming” is a label for a Renaissance. It has never made any sense to think in terms of the reappearance of a solo figure. That solo figure, by the way, made very clear that all of us would be doing greater things than he did. And that’s assuming it was a solo figure. What if The Da Vinci Code is onto something, and because of severe and stifling sexism, Joshua‘s soul partner Mary of Magdala was erased from history as a co-equal partner in the transformation of humanity. But that is a sidebar.
The “second coming“ refers to a return of something, a return of the spiritual source that showed up 2000 years ago in the form of one person and a small team, that expanded into a larger team.
There was an ignition of consciousness in Palestine, and it grew and turned into a wildfire. That wildfire ignited in Russia as well, because the very first early ignition points of Christianity became known as Orthodox Christianity. Orthodox Christianity in Russia is the original ignition for that era’s wave of consciousness, of brilliance, for that particular region of the world. And of course there are orthodox, i.e. original, source points around the planet for that wave.
The second coming is the next wave of consciousness and light, the return, so to speak, of the original. That’s why it’s called the second coming. It’s not a single person. It’s a wave. A revolution. A social renaissance. The second coming of that renaissance is the return of the original one.
Tribes of Israel. That misconstrued phrase is shorthand for classes of humanity. Somebody with more knowledge and experience is going to have to do a better job than I can explaining this. Think of how humans have classified the animal kingdom. There is a similar classification system for humans, for humanity. Roland personally has no idea what that is, he just understands the basic concept.
The 12,000 individuals for each of the 12 classification categories of humanity are the purveyors of that returning social transformation, that glorious renaissance. In other words, 2000 years ago it was one person, if rumors are to be believed. This time around, it’s 144000 people.
If you are reading these words, I would say chances are pretty good (originally I wrote “exceptionally high”) that you are one of those 144000 people.
We are the carriers of “the second coming.”
Unless I am mistaken, even the Russian observers who are reading these words have members of this collective, this carrier wave. Certainly if you understand what I am saying, if it resonates something in you, I recommend considering it.
We are the initiators of the New Golden Age of humanity.
It’s the only way that Bruce’s description makes any sense at all.
Addendum
What is a Christian. What is a true Christian. The Kristos has the same root as Crystal. A crystal is a gem. Something precious. Something beautiful and brilliant. This forum is a crystal mine. There is absolutely no question in my mind that TC, Linda Mitchell, and so many of you are part of this carrier wave. Christine has the concept built right into her name for goodness sake, for Goddess sake.
Think about it. Wouldn’t be a true Christian be more likely to be found here, in this community, than in some weird cult?
Yes. Because what you describe is devoid of religion and brimming with spirituality and light. This is what I find in my fellows on this stream.
Yes. You get it. Good.
A lovely metaphorical re-interpretation of the ghastly "left-behind" theology! :-)
But....
The "original" Christianity -- as a formal (credal) faith -- was the Christianity of the Council of Nicea, which formalized the creed, and the canon of the Byblos (Book), which determined which of the Jesus-stories could be told. This Nicene Christianity became the unified religion of the Roman Empire, and by the fifth century, had spread throughout the Empire, with five administrative centers, or "Sees," located in Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem. During the fifth century, the Alexandrian See (the Coptic Church) was ejected from the communion over an obscure disagreement in theology, and in the 11th century, the Roman See broke from the rest of the church over the "filioque controversy," which had to do with Rome unilaterally changing the Nicene Creed to include the word "filioque" (from the son). The rest of the churches became known as the "Orthodox" churches because they retained the original wording of the Creed.
That's the official story of the "Orthodox" vs "Roman" faiths. In practice, it was perhaps more of a fundamental cultural and language split, since the Western church spoke and read primarily Latin and was failing as a civilization, while the Eastern Empire churches spoke and read primarily Greek, and were still creating the prosperous Eastern Empire of Byzantium.
The Byblos was translated into Old Church Slavonic in the ninth century, and this formed the core of what became the Russian Orthodox Church. The Orthodox churches tend to call themselves "autocephalous," or "self-headed," as compared to the Roman Catholic Church, which moved toward a Supreme Pontiff who served as God's sole representative on the earth.
I'm personally finding the idea of either a "first coming" or a "second coming" increasingly problematic. People have a tendency to create "miraculous origin" stories for everything. Adam and Eve. The invention of the light bulb. The invention of Wheaties. The invention of democracy. I've come to think of these stories as fundamental marketing. You can't sell soap if it's the "Same Old Soap in a different-colored box." You sell it as a miraculous advance in surfactant technology. NEW! You Won't Believe Your Eyes!
It's not necessarily terrible, in itself, but it does obscure the fact that the new thing followed quite naturally from the old, and has typically brought with it a lot of the problems it purported to solve.
Thank you Linda. This really helps me to understand the situation, and why our fake holy men flew to the rescue.
Thank you for the insight. Didn't know paragraph two of your post was in play. Would love to hear more from you on this subject of right-wing evangelical "Christians."
This has been around for quite a long time. I remember decades ago reading about this in a magazine a friend of mine kept getting, courtesy her relatives concerned about her spiritual welfare. She said that at least it keeps her up to date on the latest screwy right wing theology. She wanted to know when the rapture comes so she can go hide in a cave as she had no interest in spending eternity with them (she preferred Earth). This stuff was even covered in the mainstream media as a "thing", but the media of the time failed to take it seriously as a political influence. And here we are.
I take it the evangelicals are not too caught up in logic.
I think your friend had the right idea!
This assessment comes the closest to explaining a constant head-scratcher for me, which is: why to these RWNJ's support Israel so hard while discriminating against, assaulting, and belittling them here in the US? If I read this right, the SkyPilot will achilleate the Jews and all the Evangelical Christians will be "enraptured" which explains this conundrum for me.
Please note: while I do not follow the path of the Christ, I firmly believe in the freedom of religious expression and participation of those taking a spiritual path.
Ally, as with so many things, evangelicals are not a monolith. There are many shades of evangelical christians. There is no such thing as "All evangelical Christians". One I admire is William Barbur. And keep in mind that MLK jr was pastor in an evangelical church: it has to do with one's commitment to speaking one's faith aloud. Some, as Barbur, do so through their action in things like the Poor People's movement (I'm a supporter). There are groups of evangelicals who work on behalf of the Palestinians out of conviction that they have human rights. Then there is the lay evangelical I know who insists that there will be a sorting when the time comes: some will go, some will not. I like to keep in mind that many times extremists who call themselves evangelicals have predicted the (insert relevant term here), followers have prepared, and then in the morning there they all were, still sheepishly in place. I guess God changed her mind.
I think you mean William Barber. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Barber_II
Yes, thank you, Judith. I dithered between the two spellings and not in a situation to look it up. Figured if I got it wrong, someone would catch it. No error goes uncorrected for long here, and now I'll have it etched in my mind for next time.
Ha! I love the word “dithered”!
I love that God can change HER mind.
Thanks for taking it as meant.
Thank you for that elucidation. I spent my childhood trying to reason out my parents' very confusing politico-religio-social views - which made them love Black church, but not want their children to marry Black folx, be solidly working class, but vote Republican, love Israel, and kinda hate jews.
It's no wonder I feel like I'm on the spectrum most of the time!
Wow, what a brilliant breakdown and analysis
Spot on! But why offend the Evangelical Christians who believe this about the 'Second Coming'? Believers in any faith accept as irrefutable fact what those outside of their faith might consider as nonsense, and you can't change that. Republican Senators Graham, Cruz and Hagerty are catering to those who buy into the oversimplification that support for Israel has to be support for Netanyahu. Israelis know better and are willing to "think outside of the box" in coming up with this coalition. Republicans in our Congress, including these three, might try such "thinking outside of the box" instead of basing everything on right wing support as did Netanyahu.
Yep, what you said.
I have a question regarding Cruz. How many years did he spend in the military? Somehow that has never been brought up. At the risk of jumping to conclusions - I'm betting NONE?
No, he did not serve in the military.
And yet - he has so very much to say about whats wrong with it! Actually, I believe his whole "issue" with the current military is the fact that there are women serving in it!
Spot on, Linda.
Right now I would consider the fate of the Israeli Prime Minister irrelevant to America in the light of the crisis of our looming loss of democracy. We need to help all Americans realize the impact of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights bills not passing. It is time to be outraged! It is time to ACT.
Seriously agree, Cathy. The political bait-and-switch from the likes of the 3 traipsing to Israel and Hannity and XFox crew is pathetic and annoying.
The disrespect being shown to our able bodied and minded President is sad and shameful. Do these politicians and pundits not realize that the seeds they’re planting could undo the very fabric and foundation of our nation?
I have an uncle who repeats the name-calling he hears on his beloved Fox News. The next chance I have, I will remind him that he learned not to do that in elementary school. It’s so basic. Name-calling is not ok. It’s kindergarten through second grade. Trump normalized it. Now France has their own Fox News I heard this morning. C-News. They name call and lie and they want Marine Le Pen to win in 2022 there. I hope the French do better than we did in 2016.
Yes, Stuart. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.
Stuart—your thoughts?
And in praising Putin, isn’t Hannity sanctioning the ransom-hacking to our own critical infrastructure done by Putin allies?
Do we think that would stop them? IMHO they know exactly what they're doing; they just plan on being part of the cabal running whatever kind of nation we end up with.
Yes. I think they are counting on it.
That is what they are hoping for.
That may well be the point, don't you think?
For some, likely. In which case, their long sight is shortsighted.
The big story that I read this morning, after reading today's Letter, was that 25 states will leave 4.5 million workers with little to no benefits next month.
'States canceling extra unemployment benefits will cost local economies $12.3 billion''
'Half of the states planning to cancel the extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits this month could cost their local economies $12.3 billion, according to a new study. The analysis comes a day after Maryland became the latest GOP-led state to opt out of the jobless program'.
"There is little evidence that enhanced UI (Unemployment Insurance) is holding back employment. In fact, ending it could cost local economies more than $12 billion," Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA) said in a statement on Wednesday following the release of the analysis by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC). "If states proceed with their plans to end these critical programs, they will be ripping the rug out from under millions of Americans and further hindering our economic recovery."
'The analysis uses a multiplier effect that shows every $1 in unemployment benefits generates $1.61 in local spending based on estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities'. (Yahoo, Money)
'If you lost your job last year there's nothing for you'. This is a Republican governors decision, and you would not be surprised to learn that 'House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) urged all GOP governors to opt out of the federal programs in a letter earlier in May.' For a few more details about this lack of support for workers by the Republicans (and lack of smarts) while sticking it to Biden and the Democrats for their determination to have government fill in when support is needed, here's link for a few more details:
https://www.aol.com/finance/states-canceling-extra-unemployment-benefits-175056664.html
This is the part that breaks my heart, the unwillingness to shore up those most in need.
Exactly, that's the point -- the Republicans' hurt us whenever they can.
Republican voters will be hurt by this, too. They're not all rich. Maybe the fallout from opting out of the $300/week will manifest itself in a few lost votes for 'Pubs. Pennsylvania is pushing to become the 26th state. I must say that I have never seen so many "help wanted" signs in my life, from restaurants and hair salons to warehouses. If someone is in need of a job, they are out there.
An anchor person on a cable business show said today that he spoke with a restaurateur about this very subject. He was told that some restaurant workers moved away and some cannot find child care. That is anecdotal, and we don't know what percentage that would account for. Another aspect of this is low wages and what restaurant owners can afford to pay.
Florida is one of those states. If people look at how the Republicans are hurting their constituents and the economy in general, they would never re-elect them again. That’s why all these laws currently in play, especially the part about overturning election results, are so dangerous. They can only win by cheating, but boy do they know how to cheat!
I am curious about your assessment of Nikki Fried. I saw her on Joy Reid's show, but the "interview" struck me more as a campaign announcement and I was unable to form any coherent opinion.
I didn't see the interview so I looked it up on line. Yes, it probably sounded like a campaign announcement, but that's because she announced on that day that she would be running, so that isn't surprising. As far as my opinion, I think she would be a good candidate as she's smart, fearless and very articulate, and is the only state wide elected Democrat. Having said that, she has some serious odds stacked against her. First, Charlie Christ has the big name recognition and is the "moderate" in the group. And already, DeSantis is coming out against her in a strong way, saying she "did nothing" during her time in office. Now, she is the only Democrat in the Florida cabinet and wasn't even allowed in to some of his meetings, which is unfathomable. She will also need to start to define what she will do, and not just be "Anti-DeSantis". If she can do that, then she has a chance of mobilizing the Democrats and especially progressive Democrats. Andrew Gillum lost by a whisker so if that support goes to her, and we get the Dems to come out and actually vote, she would give him a run for his money.
"Yes, it probably sounded like a campaign announcement, but that's because she announced on that day that she would be running, so that isn't surprising."
That was my take on it too. I think Joy Reid accepted it as one too, since she didn't interrupt her. I noticed that she repeated several times, what I assume might become her major point. I liked her at first blush. I hope she can draw in some moderate (aka "old school") GOP voters as well as Gillum's supporters. I know some of the former who live there now and who are completely opposed to the way DeSantis is operating and who despise TFG.
Thanks for sharing. I will follow her and hope to be able to be one of her out-of-state contributors!
Prob far fetched, but I think Fried and Crist should run as a team.
To use my mother’s phrase: “they are cutting off their nose to spite their face”.
They’re willing to blow up their own house in hopes of damaging Democrats. Pure madness.
Yes, Diane. Their actions are grotesque, cruel and despicable. Think of it, 'public servants'!
Exactly what Trump has done his entire life.
The very idea that a bunch of rich white cat grifters DARE to suggest that the measly amount offered to families to keep them out of food lines would be an incentive not to work is evidence of their heartlessness. I hope voters wake up and realize what is at stake in this country.
I will post a long piece about this that was in the NY Times on another day.
Graham, Cruz, and Hagerty flew to Israel to show support for Netanyahu and call Biden weak! Call the U.S. President WEAK! THOSE ASSHOLES HAVE GOT TO GO!
They are atrocious.
Hagerty was just sworn in this year! We have 5.5 more years!!
Israelis know that Senators Cruz, Graham, and Haggerty have absolutely zero interest in the Israeli situation, and are there to grandstand. Unlike the Republican Party, the Israeli electorate is a pretty intelligent lot, and there is no opinion that they ever hold back. Those three American senators are there to shill for Netanyahu, and most Israelis want him gone as soon as possible. The battle was always over who Netanyahu's successor was going to be, and now that a governing coalition appears to be worked out, Netanyahu is about to be shown the door, and likely as not, the inside of a prison cell. Israelis also know that the temper of the American electorate is not as likely to be as favorable to Israel's expansionist political objectives, as exemplified by Netanyahu's policies as in years gone by. There are internal issues that have been put on hold during the years that Netanyahu's coalition has held power, and those issues need to be addressed. The best thing the Israelis could do right now is to tell Senators Cruz, Graham, and Haggerty 'We've got this', to wish them a pleasant flight home, and not to let the door hit them on the way out. I think the adults in the room will be in charge from here on in.
Well said. I’ve been counting on the adults in the room in America. That is EXACTLY how I viewed President Biden and VP Harris as they assembled the cabinet and leaders in the executive branch.
The behavior and language of Republican politicians & FOX characters match my experience with grade school bullies on the playground.
Israel and Russia are two examples of how Republican politicians do more to offer to and ask for help from foreign countries for their personal benefit than any political group in the world. One might think this is a characteristic of socialists. In comparison, they dismiss a majority of Americans, their votes, their wishes and aspirations, their work and their contributions.
Correct me if I am wrong, but tax credits are only meaningful to people who make enough money to pay taxes. I don't recall ever getting a tax credit without a job and income. The people hurting the most during covid19 were let go from jobs and businesses that closed, reduced hours or couldn't retain a full workforce.
My daughters, all in their late 30s and 40s are unmarried with good well paying careers. They admit that they would be less stressed, financially and emotionally better off if they had been able to find a right partner to marry. Being poor doesn't improve your interest in marriage. It may just force people into relationships that aren't healthy, lead to more domestic abuse, broken homes and damaged children.
Republicans have so many biases, illogical, abusive, nasty, authoritarian ideas that they cast against other people that it's impossible to give them credit for anything worth hearing or talking about as a solution for better living. Their best advice could be to talk less and listen more, if they believe that.
Ugh, Conservatives. Fewer incentives to work low paying jobs. There, I fixed it for him. That, and why should people be forced to marry in order to stay out of poverty? This seems like another way they try to make women dependent upon men as women typically earn less than men, and there are fewer living-wage jobs for non-educated women.
“Scott Winship of the American Enterprise Institute told New York Times reporter Jason DeParle, “It’s not sustainable to just give people enough cash to eliminate poverty…. And in the long run it can have negative consequences by reducing the incentives to work and marry.” “
The same quote jumped out at me. I've come to believe that people need to have hope, a cushion, a safety net. The poorer they are, the more they need this, and less shame and judgement.
Economics in our present society does not provide true opportunities to the underclass or the working class to get ahead. If you have a glitch or two in your family (illness--physical or mental, early death, trauma, dementia, fertility or infertility, etc.), marrying or working extra hard will never eliminate poverty.
if or that matter when does marrying or working hard help when you have broken down cars, the inability to buy a better car with better gas mileage and safety features? Why does our society so willlingly subsidize those that don't need help, and so stringently apply assistance to those who truly need it?
and they sell cars to poor people now with kill switches,(I have been told by poor friends) so if you miss a payment, they TURN OFF YOUR CAR, but you still have it, and owe payments.
That conclusion is pure cloth
Glad to hear Bill Hagerty, TN’s new senator, is hanging out with Ted and Lindsay and traveling to Israel with these statesmen so he can criticize his own president. Marsha Blackburn was AWOL during the 1/6 commission vote last week. TN is so well represented. Not.
“It’s not sustainable to just give people enough cash to eliminate poverty…. And in the long run it can have negative consequences by reducing the incentives to work and marry.”
What a load of complete and utter tosh.
However, it does reveal the American Enterprise Institute is in favor of captive poverty, poverty wages, and forcing women to marry for economic necessity.
"For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance.”
George Orwell, 1984
Orwell was a genius. And prescient.
True words today, Harry.
And all these governors not governing their own shabby elitist selves? It’s exactly how they want to to see the masses. In poverty and ignorance.
"I never said the Conservatives are stupid. I said most stupid people are Conservative. It is a fact so evident, no gentleman may demur." John Stuart Mill, 1866
What you said, PP. I also can't help noticing that when the AEI and other right-wingers talk about "incentives to work," they never talk about raising the minimum wage.
I like "tosh." It's also indicative of a mindset of the GOP - the party that sees itself as "deserving" while all else exist merely to serve its whims. The very idea that a pittance would be an INCENTIVE not to work is ludicrous. The very idea that a small amount to keep one out of food lines would keep people from MARRYING is just downright dumb.
Just as an aside: I have some personal "love match" stories to share - people who found each other during a pandemic and married. Anecdotal, I know, but it's just one bit of actual truth that when one is less stressed about survival, one can actually fall in love and share hope for a future with another soul.
California tried an experiment several years ago, giving money to folks. They kept working, or not. But, boy, did it impact their quality of life.
Thank you, Professor Richardson.
As much as I loathe Senator Graham, the Jewish News Service reported that Graham did not join Cruz in his attack on President Biden.
Their report states, in part:
“Cruz also criticized Democrats, including U.S. President Joe Biden, for not standing more forcefully behind Israel. “Far too many Democrats morally equivocated between Israel and the terrorists attacking them, and fringe progressive Democrats went even further with wild accusations and conspiracy theories,” he said.
He added that prior to leaving the United States, he urged Biden to move forward with efforts to help replenish Israel’s stockpiles of Iron Dome rockets, which he said saved thousands of lives.
While Cruz and Hagerty met with Israeli officials together, Graham held separate meetings with them, during which he reiterated American support for Israel and pointed out that it was bipartisan, despite a handful of left-wing Israel critics.
“There’s been a big dustup over the last engagement between Hamas and the State of Israel in the United States, but I’m here to tell you that there is a wide and deep support for Israel among the Democratic Party,” Graham said in a press conference on Tuesday.
Unlike Cruz, Graham did not criticize the administration and instead thanked Biden for his unequivocal support for Israel and for the administration’s request of funds from Congress to help replenish Iron Dome systems.”
Source: https://www.jns.org/republican-senators-visit-israel-meet-officials-to-pledge-unequivocal-us-support/
But was the travel stunt by these three to support Israel or to prop up a Trump ally and sweeten the dreams of the same people who feel the vaccine is the mark of the beast?
Ah, Graham perhaps saw that idjt’s blog was terminated after 29 days. He’s always flown to the safest coop.
"Scott Winship of the American Enterprise Institute told New York Times reporter Jason DeParle, “It’s not sustainable to just give people enough cash to eliminate poverty…. And in the long run it can have negative consequences by reducing the incentives to work and marry.”
Two things jumped out at me here - No one is suggesting or promoting 'just giving people enough cash to eliminate poverty". The goal was to keep people in their homes and able to feed their families while the pandemic gutted the economy. Secondly, his last comment is the GOP 'tell'. It's that comfortable hammock Paul Ryan loved to warn about.
And by the way, I didn't hear anyone on the Right decry the billions that was gifted to Wall St. when they caused the greatest recession since the 1930s! Nor did I see a rush to keep banks like Wells Fargo from making homeowners desperate to work with the banks to save their homes, from being steam-rolled by trickery and deceit, only to see many of those home bought up by the same banks and flipped when market forces turned in their favor. I'm sure they'd say, 'That was just smart business."
Obviously, America's vaunted work ethic only applies to the 'haves'. The 'have nots' only work when treated like the serfs they're meant to be. Once more the Monty Python famous line struck me - "The beatings will continue until morale improves!!"
What strange concerns, this worry over money as a disincentive "to work and marry." Most of us (human beings) attempt to make meaning in our lives. To paraphrase Tina Turner, 'What does marriage have to do with it?"
These white guys (young or old) who want to regulate my body, my choices...even though they are so 19th century, it still ticks me off.
Hannity and Cruz need time out with 4-year-olds. They could perhaps garner lessons about honor and honesty.
And Bibi needs to be put away for a while, perhaps with idjt for company. And Barr, while we are giving folks a well-deserved confined rest...
I wish Israel would just KEEP Cancun Cruz. Who needs him?
Surely not the Israelis. They have enough problems.
LOL! Well, since they took it upon themselves to travel there uninvited and insert themselves into the country's business...but then, I would venture to say they would be persona non gratis just about anywhere!
They might be welcome in Moscow
LOL! Cancun Cruz better put away "Green Eggs and Ham" and brush up on his Russian.
Amen to your entire post
I assume our taxes paid for Cruz, Graham, and Hagerty’s trip to criticize Biden. As you pointed out, it’s political. Can we bill them?
Can we cancel their return ticket?
Better idea.
If only we could.