Citing “changing business conditions,” Disney leadership today canceled plans to build an office complex near Orlando, Florida. The construction was estimated to cost about $1 billion, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity projected it would bring to Florida more than 2,000 jobs with an average salary of $120,000. In his email to employees, Disney’s theme park and consumer products chair Josh D’Amaro made it clear that even more was on the line. He noted that Disney has planned more than $17 billion of construction in Florida, bringing about 13,000 jobs, over the next ten years but suggested that, too, was being reexamined. “I hope we’re able to,” he said.
Every day since I escaped Florida in 1985 and moved to Massachusetts, I have given thanks I was able to take advantage of a work opportunity and made the decision to do so. And every day that I read of another action on the part of DeSantis, the correctness of that decision is reinforced. Perhaps this action by Disney will finally get the attention of the rabid Republicans in Florida: it is aimed at their wallets, the only part of their anatomy that might give them understanding. And for the folks in Iowa or New Hampshire who might entertain DeSantis's candidacy for the Oval Office, this has to be a warning to be careful what you support. Giving him an opportunity to spread this poisonous malice to the entire nation is not a good idea.
'Floridians Demand to Know Where Disney Is Going so They Can Come With'
'FLORIDA (The Borowitz Report)—Shortly after the corporate giant cancelled plans for a new campus in Lake Nona, Florida, residents of the state demanded to know where Disney was going so that they could come with.'
'Across the state, Floridians indicated a desperate desire to join Disney in its departure, suggesting that an unprecedented exodus may soon be under way.'
“When I think of Florida, I think of gun violence, draconian abortion laws, and book banning,” Carol Foyler, who lives in Boca Raton, said. “When I think of Disney, I think of teacups, princesses, and singing animals. I want to be where Disney is.”
“I’ve lived in Florida all my life and never considered leaving before,” Harland Dorrinson, a resident of Fort Lauderdale, said. “But, wherever Disney goes, Ron DeSantis won’t be there, and that’s good enough for me.”
'Tracy Klugian, who resides in Tampa, expressed a sentiment echoed by millions of others in the state. “I’d rather live in Disney without Florida than in Florida without Disney,” she said.' (Satire, NewYorker)
I’m glad you pointed out this is satire (although I knew it was by virtue of “Borowitz Report). The thing is, usually his satire is easy to see as satire, while this one seems utterly and entirely plausible.
Fern, are you sure this is the Borowitz report? Sounds more like a real New Yorker interview. This is the giveaway: “I’d rather live in Disney without Florida than in Florida without Disney,” yes, this must be the truth. The moving industry might get rich.
In fact, Irenie, I've come to realize how true it was of you to point out that this 'satire' of Borowitz' is very close to actually mirroring, where we are IN AMERICA. What is the difference between Turkey's fascist president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the intentions of DeSantis? Fascism and America are kissing. Borowitz took the picture.
Steve, if you are not already a regular reader of the satire of Andy Borowitz, his wit offers an excellent respite from the rage and desperation that are the natural reactions to the Republicans' coordinated national campaign to destroy our democracy.
Thank you, Fern. My power went out just after I saw HCR's missive, and just now came back on, to see your post in my e-mail. That may be satire, but too close to the truth to tell.
I left in 1999 for Oregon but visit once or twice a year to see family and friends. Never could I have imagined what Republicans have done to Florida. Sadly, other states are on the way to becoming “Our Hungary.”
Luckily, DeSantis has awakened a Monster Mouse. I suspect what's happening to the Mouse has put other big brands on notice to how the Republicans are now willing to punish them for not towing the radical ideological line on many issues. These brands will push back hard, even it means doing so quietly by shutting off the election donation spigot. Also, the threat of a fiscal meltdown over the debt ceiling is a looming nightmare for businesses of all sizes.
You reminded of the time when IBM, which had made a substantial investment in Boca Raton, purchased land in northern Florida for another site. Florida's government passed a law to tax multinational corporations on their entire worldwide profit, not just on what they made in Florida. That land was sold the next day, and the plans for expansion shelved. And IBM's presence in Florida now is small: the Boca Raton site is no more. Seems like this generation of Florida lawmakers hasn't learned any lessons from their past.
Absolutely unbelievably stupid. Such ARROGANCE on part of Florida then and now. Wonder who was to blame for that first blunder? DeSantis should retreat. Don't even try you are now done.
So, did Gov. Graham sign that legislation? Or veto it but a super-majority overrode his veto? Or....??? Curious about this story. Curious about how a U.S. state could demand tax payments based on a company's worldwide profit. However, I'm aware that some states do tax earnings by a resident of that state that were earned in a different state (at least that's how I recall it).
I'm thinking "research" and "history" arent really high on these **** list! Looking back? Nope not a possibility for them. Apparently think through an idea isnt either.
As the GOP's expansion of not just hate, anti-American ideology and actual overthrow of the govt, but now total destruction of the world's strongest economy continues, it is tempting to expand Floridians' desires to leave that state to all of America. Those with the ability are considering leaving the country they and their parents fought and died for to shores where they can still make decisions with their physicians, read the books they choose, walk the streets / shops without fear of mass murder and light their homes with power from the sun and progressive energies instead of fossil fuels.
These and other visions of the GOP from the Jurassic period are causing citizens to reconsider investment in their own homes just as Disney has. This is all inconsistent with the actual economy which the brilliant Simon Rosenberg of Hopium Chronicles notes remains the strongest in the world and that it is the Democrats that have created it. His, HCR's and few others' work are among those that keep me and my family among those believing we can and Will defeat the GOP and save America. See Link:
I am one of those seriously considering leaving the United States, more especially if the GQP domestic terrorists win the elections next year and king Dictator Donald TUMP cheats and win the election.
John Heroes are those who stay and fight.Fleeing, then kibitzing from afar, sounds like a cop out. As a Foreign Service Officer I encountered a number of ‘Americans’ who had decided to live abroad. Personally, I didn’t consider them ‘real’ Americans.
"Discretion is the better part of valor." Shakespeare cautioned us against taking on challenges that were either too big or too dangerous to result in a success. I think that many of the people who have moved away from the States are trying to balance feeling safe and valued in the society against their direct observation and experience that they are likely neither.
It's not really a cop-out to recognize that there is a point of diminished returns, and that when it's reached, it's time to vacate the premises before worse things happen.
The current Republicans would have been Democrats in a previous time. They are the planters who tried to force slavery on the rest of the country. I recognize that lots of Republicans are not wealthy. They have been duped by culture wars on vulnerable groups--minorities, LGTBQ folks, women, children, etc. so they can't see that the robber barons of today are trying to steal them blind and rip up our pitiful social safety net. Like trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.
It's called divide and rule or divide and conquer, and it's worked for centuries. They create a visibly different out-group as a scapegoat (For Hitler it was primarily the Jews) to hold responsible for all of society's troubles and deprive them of any standing and protection under law, giving the bullied masses a target to bully themselves. It's the one seeming consolation in a top-down regime of bullying and violence, and favors at the price of your soul. Should you find it in your heart to object to the bullying, they come for you.
It is not unbeatable, but the bullies have the powerful emotions of hate, fear and greed on their side.
Lincoln was a Whig who helped create the Republican party. The word "republican" and "public" share the same root, and Lincoln took it seriously; " government of the people, by the people, for the people" being as succinct as it gets; and he labored to bring it to be. Democrats (from "demos", the people) were the party favored by the wealthy slave owners, as well as by the poor whites they duped. Democrats were also the party of "laissez fair" (Reaganomics) in the corrupt "Gilded Age". Teddy Roosevelt, who faced off against plutocrats) came from a family that admired Lincoln. He felt betrayed when his party softened on pandering to plutocrats. Southern Democrats were as proudly and openly racist in my youth. After Democrats embraced Civil and voting rights, Republicans rolled out the welcome mat for Confederate wannabees and authoritarian-oriented evangelicals and morphed into what we see today. I'm leaving a lot out and there is a whole lot I don't know, but I think that's the gist of it.
Been waiting, so many are thinking “what if chump gets back in.” Like our cowardly MSM. Been waiting for Churchills’s prediction to come true. America will do the right thing after they have tried everything else…
Brilliant. I feel bad for the people who will miss out on much needed jobs. But if they'd been SMART to begin with (like YOU), they wouldn't have voted for him.
It just goes to prove how costly it can be to make un-informed decisions and choose instant "gratification" as opposed to using foresight.
Yes, Terri Gamino--so true. Tragically they're not smart enough to realize the causal relationship between their "un-informed decisions . . . instant 'gratification," and their resulting joblessness. They will find scapegoats to blame for their "misfortune," and along with their fellow Acultamuricans, whimsically skip along their uninformed way into a lethal swamp of their own making.
Sadly most of the supporters of this CULT lack enough education to have ever had a critical thinking class. The rest are just greed sick. DeSantis seems like the next Hitler to me. I'm serious.
I agree re DeSantis/next Hitler. Throw in Tucker Carlson and others of his persuasion who are captivated by Orban of Hungary and we see that it’s not just a glitch. I doubt that those foot soldiers across our country do not understand that Orban himself has re-crafted the Hungary’s Constitution so that he is now president for life. No term limits. That is a huge change. And a scary one…..
I totally agree with you, Sarah. He is the next Adolf Hitler. Good critical thinking skills have served me well throughout life. These Rethug fascists supporters than likely don't even know what critical thinking is. They are so ignorant,gullible, and just plain stupid.
I guess that makes us privileged in a sense. In some ways I see these folks as victims. The masses of followers that is. There are definitely some very bad actors as well. But most have been so deceived for so long, indoctrinated since birth likely into a mindset and then not well educated due to poverty and cultural factors. I feel sorry for them in a way. We've all been indoctrinated in ways we don't realize ... meat, eggs, and dairy, for example. There are many other examples. We're all still driving and blasting our AC and heaters, leaving lights on. I'm frustrated and losing patience with them too. They've been weaponized against democracy and they don't realize it. Most anyway. Some are 100% clear on what they are doing and loving it
In the line of "indoctrination", think of all of those people who don't have celiac disease or other wheat-based sensitivity who now insist on consuming only gluten-free products (including products labeled gluten-free which never ever contained gluten in the first place).
I agree, i honestly didn't think there are so many mentally deranged nutso people in the United States. Oh yes, and so pitifully ignorant too.. The people that vote them into important positions in our government are equally ignorant and have very low IQ's.
I am concerned, BTW, that some of the propaganda put forward from the right wing is well crafted and plausible, if you did not already know that specific evidence has been cherry picked, mis-contextualized, and bent, or just plain fabricated. They don't all sound as loony as Trump or MTG.
I think there is enough evil in DeSantis for a Hitler-like despot, and I think of evil as the same as aggressive sociopathy. I also think that if power tends to corrupt, disempowerment often breeds abject followers (and occasionally, liberators), especially if an authoritarian mindset has been imposed from birth. There is a photo of Trump manhandling a bewildered infant while the child's apparent mother and most of the rest of the crowd appear to be ecstatic. One cheerful woman holds up a sign that says "Thank You Lord JESUS, FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP".
There are some real people that are very special, but everyone is human, and we all have flaws. That level of adulation simply isn't grounded, especially for a sociopath like Trump. I suspect that some confuse utter shamelessness with strength and authenticity, when it's nothing of the kind.
" . . . disempowerment often breeds abject followers (and occasionally, liberators), . . ." Yes. Exactly. And too-often the courageous resisters to fascism, were scorned and marginalized by the self-deluded followers. Many of the Jews in Hungary refused to believe the warnings from recently arrived Jews who'd managed to escape from Poland.
Wow, as an animal rights activist trying to awaken people to the horrifying realities of industrialized animal agriculture, labs, mills, etc, everything you must said, including the quoted excerpt from JL Graham, fits perfectly. Animal Ag IS fascism. It's also genocide, speciesism, and the facilities are literally concentration camps (industry calls them CAFOs, concentrated animal feeding operations). They are literally hell on earth. If there's a hell or evil, this is the manifestation of it in real life. The torture and torment are immeasurable and inconceivable, as is the scale of it. I digress but just another example of how what you're saying is absolutely true.
This NASA visualization puts climate measurements into a vivid perspective, and yet remedial action is tepid. The probable impacts are even beginning to bite.
Also, said Washington State Governor in 2021 concerning "January 6th" events:
“I don’t think you can be overly concerned about this. The American psyche has not recognized we were one vice-president away from a coup.”
It's nice to be able to share thoughts with others who use history to help navigate the present. Sad to say, we will probably go down the same path as WWII; I don't know what it will take for humanity to learn from the past.
I think that we are all, to varying degrees, vulnerable to narcissism. I gather that the standard cons, that YOU are among the True Patriots, the holy Righteous, the Master Race, is more compelling when it's aimed at YOU, especially if you were told such things from birth. I also suspect that most of the folks who use this wedge to build their own empires are aware that they are conning the masses, but also flatter themselves as superior beings.
"“Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.” - John Adams
There are still a few prominent Southerners who argue that slavers did Africans a favor by bringing them to America. Teaching kids to "question everything" is a hard row to hoe, because they might actually do so; but it's also highly liberating. Teaching kids to be kind, even as adults, complicates things too.
J L Graham: Thanks for this: "Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.” - John Adams
Jeri Chilcutt: Yes. So tragically true. And many of them are wealthy, politically active, and live in Las Vegas, carrying on the tradition of Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, and winning awards for philanthropy. "Sheldon Adelson Gave Trump and Republicans Over $424 Million Since 2016. The billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who has died aged 87, spent hundreds of millions of dollars in later life as Republican kingmaker—and President Donald Trump was a key beneficiary of this largesse." -- https://www.newsweek.com/sheldon-adelson-donald-trump-republicans-donations-1560883
Yes, we are so fortunate to have Heather and the informed and rational oasis she provides. In regard to humanity learning from the past, tragically, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
What's really rich is that the day will come when they blame the Democratic Party and Biden's administration for not having stopped Disney (and others) from finding better places to conduct their businesses. Whomp-whomp-whomp. Poor Florida, being unfairly picked on by the Meanie Mouse.
Hi Terrie...this is coming to you from inside the Fascist State of Florida. Every day we are more like the Germans just before WWII......as Milton Mayer wrote " They Thought They Were Free."
But, to your point, just want you to know that the DeSantis who has evolved is not the DeSantis of his first election. I did not vote for him and hated his campaign pandering to Trump, but he campaigned on Florida's environmental issues which I could support.
He had some promise-- young, well educated, energetic. He did not come out of the chute a full blown autocrat.
As his power grew ( with the full support of a State legislature) he began using us in Florida as a petrie dish for his presidential aspirations. His poor judgement grew. His autocracy grew. His ambition grew. He became a revenge politician (Disney)--contradicting his own pro-business platform.
Could we "Flori-duh" voters have quite imagined all this back at his first election? I doubt it. By the DeSantis-Crist election we were more culpable but our choice was poor. Still, the Disney debacle and the furious signing of "anti-woke" laws has all happened in this second go-around as he let his (and his wife's) ambition steer his actions. We could not have foretold quite the scope of his actions even this time.
In the arena of "you get what you vote for" the nation needs to pay close attention to what he has done in Florida. He is too immature in judgement and too ego-driven to be President even though he may look " saintly" compared to his once- hero, the former guy. But we have already experienced four years of immature, ego- driven dysfunction with the former guy and, despite Biden's best efforts, are still exhausted from it and its Congressional remnants. Let us not be so exhausted that we do it all over again like some sick, national " Groundhog Day". Because, if we do, all the rest of you will be living in the same kind of Fascism Ron has brought to Florida.
“Too immature in judgement and too ego-driven” - a perfect description of both DeSantis and tfg. I think ego is a quality that most politicians have in spades, it’s the immature judgment that is scary.
We all have an "ego", which is Latin for "I" (Freud called it "Ich"). We all pursue self-interest, but when unmitigated, unsocialized self-interest is ALL one pursues, it can become sociopathic. When we could care less or even get a kick out of who we hurt to satisfy our appetites, is that not the essence of "evil"?
And note how quickly a certain overly orange malignant narcissist turns on former allies the moment they cease to please him. It is indeed very emotionally immature, and there seems to be a part of our human nature that can be capable of admiring it. The crowds went wild for Hitler and Mussolini, and even here, great evils have been celebrated by many.
Carol Stanton: Yes, so true. RE: Milton Mayer wrote " They Thought They Were Free." Evokes the lobsters who don't realize the water they are in is beginning to boil until it's too late.
No personal income tax equates to who cares what the idiots in Tallahassee do! Public education issues, who cares we’re retired! Who cares we send our kids to private schools!
Yes, we had a financial planner once for whom Move to Florida was the answer to any retirement questions. I wonder if she's still in business; we left.
That's very true and also there is a well-financed effort to keep the public uninformed. If the public really is going to control the fate of the society, if we really are to be "in charge", we have got to be semi-professional about our choices 'cause we'll face the consequences, and our children will. And that takes an adequate familiarity with the information necessary in order to make wise choices.
"The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it."
Glad you were able to come to Massachusetts! The weather is a tad dicey some times, but we have great history (even the right wing nuts have to admit our country got a great start here!), education, and health care. It is interesting, however, to read social media screeds from the (relative) minority of people here in MA who are triggered by the liberalism. They are frustrated and often mean and downright nasty in their feeble attempts to promote “Christian” ideals HCR discusses here. On one forum, I offered fact checking regarding the white nationalist who killed 7 people in Allen, TX. One of the stalwarts answered my comment with: “Keep your fact-checking to yourself!!!!”
I've also had run-ins with that relative minority - in my town, one third of the votes in the 2022 election were for Diehl (the T**** following, election denying, nut job). The response to a letter to the editor hoping that Republicans would have the courage to find another candidate was like the one you got. But in this day and age, we have to keep on fighting. The weather? It's just fine.
And all of us in New England have been blessed this year with one of the most amazing spring seasons I remember in my near 20 years here. The apple blossoming was extraordinary!
I am in western MA where there are a higher % of conservatives, but with the bright light of the Northampton-Amherst area. Otherwise, I refer to “local yokels” who have little good to say about Eastern MA, especially because the state house is there(!) and “ those , colleges that groom and indoctrinate “ students. In spite of this, We stand strong!!
On the days when the Beacon Hill crowd seems not to listen to, or care about, we who live outside 128, I can understand their attitude. That the MA legislature steadfastly ignores our attempts at improving its transparency is particularly galling. MA has a one party government now and, while I agree with most of what is proposed, I can also see the attitude problem that that one party rule generates. Democrats are not immune to the effects of power: it corrupts all. Latest example: Ed Augustus as "Secretary of Housing and Liveable Communities" (a title of such frippery it makes me gag writing it) whose record is not exactly as Governor Healey describes. The fox is guarding the henhouse...
It is the exact thing I say to people when they ask “when are you going to move out of Florida. It’s become a dangerous place to live.”
I tell them, yes. This patriarchal bargain whip that Desantis grips in his sweaty hand is enough to scare any Mother for Democracy. But guess what. I am not afraid. And I certainly will not give “them” an inch by leaving. After all, any true Mother for Democracy is also a Motha F*ckin’ Diva so get out my way while I cancel you, Ronnie.
If recent history has taught us anything, Republicans will never back down or turn around. They only know how to double down in the same direction they started under Reagan. Extinction is the only remedy for these dinosaurs.
Truman knew them well back in the day. Ike probably bought in to the “party of Lincoln” crap, a lie even back then. But his 1956 Repub platform was something the current repubs would use for toilet paper.
Roosevelt, Truman, & Eisenhower all knew what needed to be done to save democracy from authoritarian tyrants. The tyrants used to be oceans away, but now they're right here, ignorant of the sacrifices made by millions of freedom-loving and equality-loving patriots from so many countries. Not only are they here, but they have the audacity to "serve" in the House, the Senate, and the SCOTUS, undermining the ideals that were fought for and died for. Have they no respect for those who gave all for democracy this Memorial Day? No Etnics? Truth? Decency?
No. They don’t want all that. They don’t want equality loving patriots. Above all they don’t want equality. With equality they can’t be on top dictating what others must do and who they must be and what they are allowed to be taught and how many children they must have.
Yes James, isn't it nice here in the "Commonwealth"? Far from perfect, but insane retrogression to primitive bigotry and hate doesn't get introduced to law.
My wife and I had a stretch where we were "snow birds". We operated a seasonal business and spent 2 or 3 months in Florida. That was before Florida lost its collective mind and a sensible person like Charlie Christ was a popular governor.
Now we return to the state that has stuck its politics where the sun doesn't shine only to visit family. They are blue dots surrounded by MAGA madness.
I hope you are right about DeSantis. It does seem politically stupid to make war on a nationally treasured institution like Disney. I mean, why would anyone want to make an enemy of Mickey Mouse? If this was part of a movie script, it would have been tossed as ridiculous.
And more importantly, what is the percentage of voters that are LGBTQ or are straight people who support their right to be who they are? Voters that have friends and family members that the government of Florida is demonizing? This can't be a winning strategy in the long run, can it?
What in the hell is wrong with you people? You have tolive in an inverted world to believe
that sexualizing Kindergarteners is a bad thing. Leave the children alone. They don't need to learn about sex or transgenderism as 5 and 6 year olds. Its sleazy and disgusting to want to indoctrinate you children. You live in a very small minority if you believe otherwise.
Furthermore the Florida bill doesn't say "DON'T SAY GAY" THAT A LIE.
As for Disney they decided sexualize their audience with endless content aimed at young children. The worst of the woke are running Disney and its time someone stand up to the bullying.
Its not enough that the transgender movement demand that men can shower in women's locker rooms, steal their athletic competitions, hijack their economic opportunities, and win WOMEN of THE YEAR wards, but the PERVERT sexualization of young children is going to stop.
If you truly believe in this crap I urge you to MAKE it a national referendum in the 2024 presidential election. Let Joe Biden run on demanding K-3rd grade sexual content in the schools. Furthermore if you are going to walk the walk call your Congressman and Senator
and ask them to run openly and unambiguously on the same referendum.
Of course not.
Thank God for Ron DeSantis and every politician who stands up children against the leftist woke bullies.
I've considered that he could be a bot, but if not, he definitely has a screw loose. Either way, ignoring him remains my preferred route. Skewer him with the sword of indifference. 😉
Perfect answer when you have no reply. YOU KNOW you are wrong.
Its really simple. IF YOU TRULY believed in this mission you would STAND up and say
yes HELL yes lets introduce sexual orientation and lifestyles to 6 year old children.
You would say HELL yes I demand that we RUN on this platform. I DEMAND that the SENATE propose a bill TODAY that forces ALL schools to teach sexual orientation to 6 year olds.
I YOU DON"T RESPOND you are a COWARD or A LIAR? Which one?
Of course you won't because you are a phony. This is all about virtue signaling.
Either you believe K-3rd should be taught sexualized content? YES or NO?
What you are standing for is the PERVERTED sexualization of young children for your
own NARCISSTIC virtue signaling.
Just to show how ridiculous your claim is. Who is being bullied? Disney Corporation?
Its not the children or the citizens. They are sick of this crap. A woke corporation lecturing Americans on what their values should be. The media is more than happy to jump aboard.
BTW The left didn't give a damn about children when they locked away during COVID. Look at the results. Depression, drug use, suicide, and severe side effects including myocarditis.
I think you are barking up an imaginary tree. Here's a question for you. When my 6 year old asks about his friends older brother acting more like a girl, what will your answer be? When he asks about his friend having two daddys, what is your response?
Let's get real and honest. Your paranoia is leading you into dark places.
Bill, that's a great question for a reasonable person who is willing to challenge his own thinking, but it's clear to me that's not who you're dealing with.
Bill, A TC bit of language came over me, and I think you can imagine how alien that is to my tongue, when I saw you communicating with ' Oy gevalt! The gants mshuge is back!' It's Yiddish and very appropriate to use when going passed this 'gants mshuge'. Shalom Aleichem!
If you believed in the Mission you WOULD demand that President Biden and ALL Democrats support a Nationwide requirement that ALL 6 year old be taught about SEXUAL ORIENTATION to include Transgenderism to 6 years OLDS.
You would SUPPORT IT right here and right NOW.
You are a phony. You don't believe in the mission.
I don’t believe anyone, Democrat or Republican, supports the teaching of sexual orientation to six year olds. But I do believe it should not be a crime for a teacher or school employee to explain to even six year olds that the people in this world come in all shapes and forms. This should be reinforced at home and at school. To pass a law that silences even the simple explanation that there are families with two fathers or two mothers etc is simply a political ploy of DeSantis to appeal to the far right voters. When a politician has nothing better to offer such as how to increase the economy he/she turns to stirring up the cultural pot.
The truth won. If anyone would had any guts you demand Biden and the Democrats promote a national bill requires K-3rd graders to be taught about sexual identity, gender, and transgenderism, and also allows schools districts to block PARENTAL approval on any curriculum.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE FLORIDAA BILL Says:
Parental Rights in Education; Requires district school boards to adopt procedures that comport with certain provisions of law for notifying student's parent of specified information; requires such procedures to reinforce fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding upbringing & control of their children; prohibits school district from adopting procedures or student support forms that prohibit school district personnel from notifying parent about specified information or that encourage student to withhold from parent such information; prohibits school district personnel from discouraging or prohibiting parental notification & involvement in critical decisions affecting student's mental, emotional, or physical well-being; prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels; requires school districts to notify parents of healthcare services; authorizes parent to bring action against school district to obtain declaratory judgment; provides for additional award of injunctive relief, damages, & reasonable attorney fees & court costs to certain parents.
Of course you won't. You know you would get slaughtered. Instead you lie about the bill and virtue signal to each other how beautiful your beliefs are.
It is that simple. The Florida Bill tightens restrictions on school lessons about sexual identity and gender orientation for K-3rd grade.
You are either for it or against it. If you are against it you should have the courage to say "I WANT sexual identity and gender orientation taught to 6 year olds.
You are coward. Of course you won't stand up for it or push Biden/Democrats to run on it.
They would get slaughtered.
This isn't about the children. Its you wanting to virtue signal to your friends how woke you are.
What school in Florida was sexualizing children or had curriculum where 5 or 6 year olds were exposed to transgenderism and sexual education? I'll wait until you can provide that information... I know you come on here often to make bad faith arguments and detract from the actual discussions but this is a poor attempt at trolling even by your standards. Why don't you go worry about churches and child marriage and child labor if you want to protect kids so bad. You are virtue signaling and creating a strawman argument.
Who is trying to indoctrinate students? Sex ed classes don't happen with six year old kids. Also the bill and its rules were recently extended through 12th grade. You are being disingenuous with your statements. Additionally, the "Parental Rights in Ed" bill doesn't necessarily ban the word gay from being spoken. But it does ban the discussion of gender and sexuality with younger students. This is what the bill actually says "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." Like do you really believe teachers are going out of their way to try to make kids gay?
Additionally, how has Disney sexualized their audience? By showing gay people in a movie or a gay kiss? Like come on mate, you don't have issues with Disney showing hetero couples do you? If you don't like Disney movies just don't watch them, but when it comes to beer commercials or teen movies / shows that show hetero relationships or a woman's body I bet you are okay with those. It seems to me that you see sex in everything. You think the mere existence of gay people in media, or children talking about how they see themselves is innately sexually. That is actual sexualization and you are projecting that on everything else. You clearly are homophobic and transphobic and don't think they should exist or be treated equally. Just say that instead of trying to hide behind protecting women and children, so much for the party of small government huh, unless you can punish an out group huh...
Joe Biden nor any moderate, centrist, liberal, progressive or anyone to the right of you thinks that kids should be mandated to be exposed to sexual content. The disconnect is what you define as sexual vs everyone else. You think that a teacher being gay or a kid having gay parents or gosh even being gay themselves is actually sexual. I do think there should be better sex ed classes in middle school. However, you and people like you who are trying to make it seem like everyone who doesn't agree with you is a groomer is messed up. This bill discriminates against LGBTQ people and kids who may have questions that they may not feel comfortable discussing things at home. This is literally an attack on freedom of speech and freedom and expression, but because its for things you are against then you are willing to throw away the rights of other people. This is the old and true tactic of tapping into parents fears of the LGBTQ community and the fact that you are falling for it shows how naive you are being.
If you hate this newsletter so much, why do you rage follow it?
PhillyT, I think you have great taste in wallpaper, and, for me, that is just a first impression. You standout in at least a couple of ways, including the time you took to address the gants mshuge and reflect on children, sex, Disney, the media... Shalom Aleichem.
Philly T, thank you for reading James the Riot Act. He deserved it. What you said was spot on. You may have done more good than you know. I learned a little about the Florida law thanks to your comment. We're all still learning about LGBTQ (I really couldn't give a good definition of Q) and people are more open and accepting of the differences in others. I think there is much less bullying and repression now and more acceptance. That's great for the kids.
"Christian"? Nationalism?....There is NOTHING "Christian" about DeSantis's antics! In fact, there is absolutely NOTHING "Christian" about the whole Evangelical movement....I am ashamed of DeSantis and the entire movement....shame, shame, shame on them...what comes out of their mouths and out of their pens horrifies me!.....dee McQuesten, Seattle
I think it’s not really about Christianity as Christ preached. ‘Christian’ in this sense is being used as an ethnic identity. what they mean but want to fudge is 'white, european-descended nationalism’
During the Bush '41 "Preppy Years," the acronym was commonly applied to almost all Harvard & Yalies.
My brother married into a Southern Italian Catholic family, and they were outraged at being lumped in with the Protestants, but ok with being called white.
Interesting point Lisa, there are six or seven ways I could expand on your comment from a personal point of view, but suffice to say that certain politicians will gravitate toward the power grab when it suits them. He is a good example of one of them, and if he is following Orban's path to conquest, he is not authentic, he is a "psychophant."
In photos of them marching at least half don’t look very lacking in melanin. Or maybe, that’s an illusion due to being covered in black ink? The whole movement seems to be more a tribal thing, with the cohesion based more on hating the same things then any actual absence of darkly pigmented dermis. Others have commented repeatedly in LFAA on their common denominator being a deep toxic shame
Citizen, re WASP. As much as I am disgusted with the misuse of Religion in today’s political climate, using a stereotype to corral a bunch of innocent folks in with the deplorables is probably not consistent with the work to actually overcome those outlier “nationalists”
Thank you, Joan. Personally, I am disgusted altogether by the disparaging content that some people post regularly. It neither helps our understanding of what's driving these movements, not adds to our ability to maintain an intelligent, meaningful discussion about how we can protect democracy. That saddens me, because that is what Heather's Letters are about- and for a long time, the comments a refuge from Trump's ugly manners. Now it seems that many here have adopted the Trump pattern of meaningless and counterproductive snarkiness.
There's a whole international set of Facebook groups - the one in the US is called IamHereUS - that campaign against verbal hostilities by together making and 'liking' reasonable comments on the same FB-posted news article. The effect is to drive hate down in the ratings so people reading the news see decency by default, and hate only if they keep scrolling. Join in any time!
Thank you, Joan. That's my approach in other forums I frequent, and on the news media. But I've been with Heather's LFAA since it's inception, and feel that it's a different kind of place, or was. Still can be, if people work at it. I'm going to keep reminding people of what we can be. Ironic that Heather put LFAA on substack to minimize the negativity. And now there are entire threads of nothing but name-called and looking down on people who aren't even there. Even by some whose opinions I have respect for, I feel shame that this of all places is no better sometimes than the worst comment sections on MSM.
No part of Christ’s message in their version sharia law! Like the imposters on the Supreme Court who make up their own version of the US Constitution, these creatures pick and choose what tenets they support!
Good question. The problem is the context: “Christian sharia law” is clearly implied to be a terrible thing, which rests on the idea that sharia law is a terrible thing. That idea is generally pushed by people who know as little as I do about actual sharia law, so all they are doing is disparaging Islam. I don’t want anyone’s religious law forced on me, so we are likely agreed on the real point. It can be made without echoing anti-Muslim hate mongering suggesting that Muslim immigrants will impose religious law.
I have mentioned that I have started A Fever in the Heartland which is centered on the rise of KKK in Indiana in particular and other northern states. So much of this sounds like exactly what they were doing and they were led by a drunk, lying, greedy, sexual predator who didn't stop at violence. And the "fighting Irish" for Notre Dame sports comes from the day in 1924 that the KKK had gathered in South Bend to do nefarious deeds at Notre Dame. ND's president told the students to stay on campus, but they didn't and instead attacked the KKK with among other things, potatoes, where they were staying... thus"fighting Irish."
I am also reading “A Fever in the Heartland”. I was telling a friend that it feels like to that same monster is rearing it’s ugly again. Another chance to squash it.
That's on my tbr list. My book club is reading "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis. For a satire piece, it's getting scary. And it was written before Hitler was the complete head of state & the start of WWII.
I think it's time for me to reread that book. I was young when I read it, and the horrors of WW2 still fresh- we thought this could not ever happen again, and certainly not in America. So naive we were. But that naivete also kept my eyes open to the underside of America as it emerged. I learned early that the saying about our enemy would come from within did NOT mean that the Commies were infiltrating us (the cold war fear), but was quite literal about where the danger to democracy would arise in America. In our own neighborhoods.
The current book does sound like the Nazi playbook. And in 1924 a very restrictive immigration law passed Congress lowering significantly the number of immigrants that could come from certain areas or were Jewish. which affected the family of Anne Frank. The KKK aided and abetted that law as well. In Oregon, it was mostly directed at Catholics, shutting down Catholic schools. The number of black people here was not high as they were restricted when Oregon became a state. In Indiana, my paternal family was German and because of WWI, Germans were suspect although my dad's family was anti-Catholic. As I read I can't help but wonder if I knew anyone as a child had been a member of the KKK. And South Bend was always regarded negatively because it was full of Catholics and Ds. I did hear also the Klan nonsense about Catholics storing weapons in their basements and owing allegiance to the Pope.
I thought so too. Apparently there was a grocery store at the bottom of the building and they bought the potatoes there. The QB of the football team (Knute Rockne era) managed to hit one of the lightbulbs on the cross that was on the building. The KKK had burned a cross at ND in 1923 and they were planning more of the same and spread the rumor that there were weapons in the basements of the buildings on the ND campus. They wanted also to destroy the golden dome which is still quite visible from a distance. My father, who graduated from high school in 1929, wanted to go to college and ND was the closest place were he could go and live at home. My grandparents refused to help him because of its being Catholic, so he was able to find a job instead. The 1930 election was the first and only time he voted for Rosie (as he called FDR) and I didn't find that out until he had had too much to drink one time.
No, they do not follow the teachings of the Christ. They follow their narrow interpretations of the Bible flavored with their racism, sexism, and male dominance. But they are Christians. So much evil and destruction has been done in the name of God (regardless of what flavor of deity that is prayed too) that I find no difference between what these Christian Nationalists do and what befell the world in the Dark Ages.
They masquerade as Christians. Just like others have in the past. I hear you and I think all their talk of witch hunt is literally them showing what they plan to do. I'm afraid we're going to see some actual replays of that horrible time in history. Just replace witch with liberal. But I still say they are a cult. Hatred and violence in the name of Christ is simply not truly Christian. It's more like anti-christ because it's literally the opposite of what he taught.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.
Yeah, okay, I have to be inflammatory here: oh, no, not the sex-negative male-supremacist letter-writing tax collector. How 'bout the Sermon on the Mount instead?
Ally, I respectfully disagree with you on this point. Someone calling themselves a follower of someone or something, and actually being it, are different. For example, I have no medical training but suppose I went around declaring myself a doctor. Doing so, without the knowledge, training and expertise in healing, doesn't make me a doctor. It would only make me someone claiming to be a doctor, and trying to gain the unearned respect or adoration that profession brings, without actually having spent the time and effort gaining the necessary education or skills.
I don't disagree that many people with ugly and hostile behaviors, throughout history and into our own day, claim to be followers of Jesus, aka Christians. (A term Jesus himself never coined by the way; Acts 11:26) Nevertheless, I believe it is incorrect to refer to such people as Christian, even if they refer to themselves as such, if their behavior, words and deeds are so contrary to his teaching and life. Since their actions and behavior are a deviation from Jesus's teaching, I believe that a qualifier added to their own self-identification is in order. It's more typing and time but may I humbly suggest self-proclaimed, pseudo or faux Christians instead. Anyone can claim to be a something, but what they do and say is a more honest identification of them than anything they choose to call themselves.
You’re prerogative to disagree. I point out that within established Christian denominations there are a wide difference in practices, all of which are said to be the “one true way”.
I had a call that I responded to that really tested my personal belief in the absolute separation of church and state: a splinter sect of the Latter Day Saints (General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn) does not believe in medical intervention(s). I responded to a call of a deceased subject (a 15 year old boy) who had died from appendicitis. His family’s Christian faith believed that if prayer did not heal him, it was his time to “go to the Lord”.
Ally, the account of that young man's lost life is awful, tragic and his parents distorted beliefs cost him his life. On this we agree. We also agree that many folks claim different ways to follow Jesus. Finally, and I think most importantly, we are in unequivocal agreement that there absolutely MUST be a separation of church and state. The point I was making is that, although many people claim to follow Jesus, that declaration doesn't make their claim accurate. This is especially true if their actual decisions are in stark contrast to the totality of his recorded lessons and deeds. Further to that point, agreeing to award them the unqualified distinction of Christian, a person who not only believes in him but follows his teachings, when their behavior is the opposite, gives an undeserved acknowledgment for something they are not achieving.
Jesus did not teach people to refuse to bring their children to medical experts for help. Yet, these parents warped interpretation of worshipping him was used to choose this negligent action. They didn't follow what Jesus actually said, they chose something their church taught them is how to prove to Jesus that you have faith. All I was trying to say is that many of these folks self-label themselves as following Jesus, but when you look at their choices, actions, adversarial and hostile behavior, etcetera and compare it to his actual words and deeds, they are often completely opposite of what he taught, regardless of how they want to identify themselves.
The process by which Jesus of Nazareth became "The Christ" reflects the process by which the followers of Jesus became part of empire under Constantine.
The Creeds of the Church speak of conformation of belief and never mention the teachings of Jesus.
I'm gonna draw a parallel here. There are good people (many of whom have commented on this thread) who are practicing Christians (I assume) who are appalled by the actions that are being taken at the governmental/political/social level that are based upon those who are taking the action as being based in/on Christian dogma. I get that. The argument made here is that these people are not "real" Christians because their actions are not Christ-like. This original post by Dee said there is "absolutely NOTHING "Christian" about the whole Evangelical movement". Other folks have respectfully disagreed with my assessments about evil being done in the name of Christianity as being based in "real" Christianity.
It does not look like that from the outside. I am not a Christian, nor a deist. If someone beats me with a cudgel that has "Christianity" written on it, I believe that they are representing Christianity. If someone helps me after I've been bludgeoned by treating my injuries and tending to my needs, and tell me they are doing as Christ demanded that they do, I am going to believe that, too. I have watched a local church of a particular denomination go through the process of becoming an "open and affirming" congregation. That process was so distasteful to some that they left that church congregation and went to a different congregation in the same church that refused to let a choir with the word "lesbian" in their name sing with a black choir. This is a nation-wide denomination that has the word "Christ" in its title. Who is right? Who is Christian? Who isn't?
The parallel I want to draw is with law enforcement. We are all cops. There are bad cops, there are good cops, there are mediocre cops. I was a good cop. Derek Chauvin was a bad cop. Kimberly Potter was a good cop who made a serious tactical error. Michael Fanone was a good cop who stood up to insurrection. Chris Kilcullen was a good cop shot and killed by a crazy woman. We were all cops. My point is that you don't get to pick and choose who uses a Bible and proclaims it the Word of God to call themselves Christians.
Ally, I don't disagree that we can't pick and chose who uses a Bible and calls themselves Christians, but we can make a distinction that there are good ones, bad ones and mediocre ones, which was the point we dissenters were making. As you wrote in your analogy, "There are bad cops, there are good cops, there are mediocre cops." That very observation is what makes the acronym ACAB wrong and inaccurate. It just feels like attributing a characteristic to a whole group, without qualifiers, lumps the bad, good and mediocre into the same pot, with exactly the same motivations, actions and results.
I really appreciated reading your point of view. Thanks for considering other viewpoints and posts, and stating your points and counterpoints in such a thoughtful way. I'll close with something I think we can agree on: Dems, led by Biden/Harris in 2024!
CORRECT ! , Dee ! the old Adage, " What Would JESUS DO! Does not FIT ! in ANY WAY in the " Intent, of the HEART !" of the MANY LOST PEOPLE, who THINK, They have a " Handle", .... on Christianity ! PROVERBS 14 / 12 -16 THE BIBLE !
It’s heartening to see Disney stand up to a bigoted aggressor like DeSantis. It marks a sharp contrast with Anheuser Busch’s groveling before its bullies and boycotters in response to the Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light ads, with paeans to creepy nationalistic Clydesdale horses and camouflaged belligerent beer cans on the way. Terrifying, if it weren’t so absurd.
I wonder if Kid Rock filmed himself violently destroying Minnie Mouse, Simba, and Chewbacca in a hail of automatic rifle bullets (like he did with his F Bud Light gift to Satan) - would that be a moment of lucid epiphany for conservatives led astray from any sense of decency… or would it mark a point of absolutely no return, like celebrating the banning and burning of books?
If I actually drank any of ABinBev's revolting excuses for beer, I would be boycotting them after their pathetic fold to the small, vocal, lunatic fringe on the right...
Ryan McCormick: Tragically, Acultamuricans lack the essential intellectual tools for a "lucid epiphany." They don't feel that they have been "led astray from any sense of decency." Just as they celebrated Archie Bunker for telling what had previously been unspeakable, they will celebrate burning the books they have already begun to ban. Like a "snowball rolling down the side of a snow-covered hill," the point of no return began with Regan strategically recruiting them to gain votes, and "every day it grows a little more." Actually, a lot more.
Joanne Gilbert, how is this for the determination and bravery of the Ukrainian leader?
'President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is scheduled to appear in person at the Group of 7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend, several officials said, making an audacious trip halfway across the world as he tries to win commitments for continued arms and aid from the world’s wealthiest democracies.'
'The officials did not say when Mr. Zelensky would arrive, hoping to keep details of his travels vague for security reasons. But the leaders gathered in Hiroshima — who include President Biden and his counterparts from Japan, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Italy — will be talking over the next three days about all dimensions of Russia’s war in Ukraine. That is likely to include discussions about sanctions enforcement, over whether to provide F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv, and about the possibility of negotiations over an armistice or peace treaty.'
'So far, there have been no public announcements about Mr. Zelensky’s plans, and the Ukrainian news media has suggested that he will join the summit virtually. But in the past week, he has visited Britain and other European nations, and his willingness to travel outside Kyiv is intended in part to demonstrate that he has confidence in the stability of his own government. There have been no known efforts by the Russians to interfere with his travels.'
'If Mr. Zelensky arrives in Hiroshima, he will almost certainly have a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Biden. The leaders of India, Brazil and other nations that have been reluctant to support Ukraine are also at the meeting as observers, and Mr. Zelensky’s presence could make it more difficult for them continue that stance, several officials said.' (NYTimes) Sorry, no gifting of article available to me.
They don’t have a winning hand—they just believe that they do. They’re obviously believe in “fake it ‘till you make it”. I don’t believe that the Supreme Court will force the US to default; Harlan Crow and his buddies don’t want to see that.
That said, Putin’s plan to destroy the US democracy seems to be chugging away. I want to see every Democrat running to call out JJ’s committee as an effort to defund the FBI with ads asking whom we call to investigate terrorists and bank robbers when the FBI is no more.
I am afraid that extreme corporate power and extreme right wing dictatorship are two sides of the same thing; follow the money. Absolute Power corrupts absolutely. We have all but abandoned anti-trust, but corporate abuses entangled with extreme government corruption during the "Gilded Age" is why we once tried to keep companies pared down and competitive, and excess money out of politics; by regulating both.
These points are so troubling -- so concerning. While I believe that Disney can win this battle, the antics of the Repugs in DC are far more dangerous and damaging.
Agree, Rowshan Nemazee. The gop don’t need to win. They just need to “break another window” in the Democratic-institution-neighborhood to continue signally to America that democracy is dead. And since it’s dead, anarchy can reign. They methodically push the envelope, bit by bit, each news cycle, to try nudging democracy off the cliff.
Their goal IS TO CRASH THE SYSTEM. They believe the resulting chaos will provide the ultimate opportunity to rewrite the constitution and fulfill the white ethnostate of Confederate Dreams.
In Oregon some of the Republicans are doing "WALKOUTS" to prevent a quorum. In 2020, we passed Measure 113, a Constutional Amendment, to stop walkouts. There are several Republicans who have ten or more unexcused absences right now. That means according to the new Oregon Constitutional Amendment passed in 2020, that they cannot run for office again. But of course, the Republicans are going to go to court to try to nullify the new Amendment, typical Republican behavior.
The way I see it Walkouts are just lower degree Jan.6th insurrections.
It's governance by manipulation any way you look at it. Is that ever justified? Perhaps; but not as the standard operating procedure we see from the "GOP" these days. Everything they do, from the augment against Obama's SCOTUS appointment, to the attempted fake electors, to the threat of default is about rule by dirty tricks instead of a just and faithful republican representation process. Even calling that party "Republican" now smacks of fake Orwellian labeling.
I am waiting for a national speech from President Biden in which he finds a way to ignore the national debt limit, preserve the ‘full faith and credit of the United States,’ and leave McCarthy blabbering with his House renegades.
Any sort of black mail deal would be putting a patch on a gangrenous wound and providing red meat to the Republican jackals.
Biden could use a wooden spike and a silver bullet. Isn’t that what works best against werewolves?
Like movie monsters that can't be killed, those who live to dominate keep coming back, same script if different players. But they can be chased back to their lair. Sometimes the light of day is enough.
Judith I yearn for a Biden prime time speech in which he cuts the balls off castrati Kevin (which would seem impossible, since McCarthy sacrificed his balls to 20 House renegades during the 15-vote-speakership charade.
Biden could be extremely blunt—pointing out that McCarthy had his sycophants are reflecting David Stockman’s failed ‘Starve the Beast’’’ (‘social expenditures) after a massive increase in defense spending.
McCarthy and his buddies are seeking to target core social expenditures while refusing to consider taxes. Personally I would shove this up the Republicans’ arse—which probably is why I’m not Biden’s speech writer. Still—-KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.
It's ok let's not panic because.... Long term all authoritarian measures just do NOT work. Main reason, is , strangely, lack of compassion, lack of heart. The man in the street has more power contrarily to what is thought.
But it does mean that we fight all the way for the good measures, the right choice, the ethics.
The Disney issue is a wake up call fo the voters in Florida, whether you are on one side or the other.
Trust the voter, he/she is more aware than is thought, but let's do our work too. Donna Deagan, Democrat, was elected Mayor of Jacksonville, after a strong showing,
While all authoritarian measures may not work in the long run, I consider what Europe looked like after World War 2 and how long it took for its countries to regain their economic footing. Not to mention rebuild their cities. How many were killed? Exterminated? And how many never recovered in all the ways it means to be human?
While I hold out hope, I worry that we are collectively clever enough to cause our own extinction and not wise enough to take the step that would pull us back from the brink.
Keith, I think you got carried away with zeros and misplace a comma or two but the point is well made. Per Wikipedia: "The United States transferred $13.3 billion (equivalent of $173 billion in 2023) in economic recovery programs to Western European economies after the end of World War II."
Judith I grew up when a millionaire was a person who had a million in assets. (Now it’s a million in annual income). A billion was beyond comprehensive. Now we are tossing trillions around like a badminton cock.
As for billions, I get a nose bleed with are the 0s. It there was an extra ) or two, use them next time you are writing trillion.
Thanks for mentioned what $13.3 billion would be today. (Of course, it was principally used to buy products in the United States (including Missouri mules, which were must larger and orbiter than what Greek farmers had been accustomed to.
I believe that the Marshall Plan ‘saved’ Western Europe. The Brits were exhausted, France was a mess, Italy was a major communist target, and Germany was rubble with millions of starving people. This is one reason why I consider George C. Marshall the greatest American of the 20th century.
I much prefer typing $13.3 billion than to try and keep track of the zeros. I end up counting them on my fingers and mentally adding commas. But I do think all of the zeros make a stronger impression.
That's why we need to stop wringing our hands and do what it takes now to head this off. By peaceful means, but without hesitation. Mass protests, peaceful but determined. Mass postcards and letters to voters.
Mass letters to congress people, and not just the ones we disagree with. It is critical to let the ones we agree with know we appreciate what they are up against and thank them.
We need to stop letting WaDC set the whole agenda for what we do and get REALLY involved at the local level and at the state level. We have recently had some fantastic examples of success because people got to work and elected progressive candidates. We need more, not only because that is where our leaders will come from in the next few decades, but also because RIGHT NOW it sends a message that we will not tolerate having our democracy taken apart.
If we wait until it gets to the point where we are as a nation in a state of violence, we will already have lost. Wanna-be fascists fail before they get established because people stand up to them, because they do the things that keep our votes safe and the decision-making process open. We are pretty close to the edge, but these recent reclaimings of the democracic process are encouraging. We just need to stop wasting time and energy on vindictive name-calling and redirect it to doing the actual work of democracy.
Oh, btw, I forgot to mention here that I am now a Justice of the Peace in my town. The main job of JOPs here is overseeing elections. Our elections here are safe and reliable because VT set up a system to ensure that- but I am happy to be part of the process (at least 2 of our JOPs are simply lazy). Our selectboard chair is a man who literally believes that once the election is over, democracy ends and we become a republic (these are his words) in which the board makes the decisions without input. He has been roundly disabused of that notion.
Enough people are standing up here that the Select Board has had to admit that they were in error, and some remarkable changes have occurred . We now have two women on the Board. For this place, that is huge. The minutes actually reflect what happens town board meetings (helped by the fact that now all board meetings save executive sessions are on Zoom and available as videos). Until recently, executive sessions were black holes that were used for all manner of things. Now must be limited to personnel actions (as required by law), and the results made public asap. Contract negotiations with a union are NOT personnel actions (we won on that).
Yay.
We have a way to go, but what we are now is way different from when I moved here. Still have issues with the Town Dem Committee, because the chair (one of the lazy JOPs, as it happens) does not understand the law regarding the organization of political parties, Well, didn't. I went through, in a meeting with other Dems including our state rep, what the law actually says. I hope it got through to him that the state does not dictate to parties how to function: the law is merely a way for parties to achieve recognition by the state so they can get on the ballot. The parties are completely independent of the government. The parties establish their structure and rules of operation, including how to select candidates. How this basic tenet escaped this man's understanding is beyond me.
But awareness is growing, and I will continue to work with him and other town Dems for full participation in the county and state organizations. We've got some younger people coming up, and we need to make sure those pathways are open for them.
This is one of the most important things we can do to avoid getting to the point that fascists take over. We stop them in their tracks before they get started, and we take them down using the democracy they are trying to undermine.
I'm done with hand-wringing. I love HCRs letters, video talks, and especially her reminder that she does those things so that we will have the information and tools we need to do our part to keep democracy growing. I have gotten so much from many others on board here, but more and more I see familiar names from the early days here in places that are about doing.
I understand, Flo. It is easier to share what we're thinking in conversation over coffee. You're right, of course. In terms of history, it is a short period of time. For a great perspective on that, you may wish to read/reread Carl Sagan's pale blue dot essay. Still, those of us alive at our given point of time in history should be moved to protect the human good.
It’s a sad commentary that any politician, or anyone for that matter, would think destroying democracy, our economy, our country, and our standing in the world is holding a “winning hand.”
These MAGATs don’t “think”. They are incapable. These MAGATS aren’t Christians. They are pretenders. Democratic voters hold the winning hand and just wait: we will PLAY IT!!
MAGAT's are sub-human, freaks of nature and they are most certainly not Christians. They are mentally deranged cretins that aren't capable of thinking, they don't even know what that means.
To get disgusted with them is part of the playbook. Be angry, frustrated, and frightened, but these opponents are not sub-human, nor freaks of nature. Manipulated, Misled, and Dangerous is bad enough. But they are still as fully human as we are. John T. Phillips, you are too good a person to stay in the grip of fascist dehumanizing language and thought. Your outrage is understandable. We are in an insane situation, created by / abetted by fully human neighbors, friends, family, co-workers, community leaders, business leaders, and elected politicians. Foolish, corrupt, misled, greedy, narrow-minded, small-hearted, and hypocritical perhaps. But fully human. I work hard to remember this when I reach the bottom of my sanity.
Thank you so very much for this, MLR. I admire the gentleness with which you defined something I struggle with to grasp. And brought me back from the edge of my own sanity here. Yes, the one thing we need to remember is that our neighbors are fully human and have the right to be treated respectfully, lest we become what we claim they are. Bless you ( and I mean that in the way it was meant to be used),
All that I can say is: "GO MICKEY!!!!!!!" Who would have thought that US democracy would have to depend on a mouse? Wow, just Wow!
Every day, E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y, I think it can't get any worse & then I wake up & it is!
Generic question: "What the hell is going on?" Are Republicans that stupid, selfish, self-centered, unpatriotic, greedy? Do they really want to throw the baby out with the bath water. Oh no, they won't do that, I forgot a fertilized egg is a person & deserves all the rights of a person outside the womb. Silly me!
Who would have thought that it would be republicans that would turn against Big Business. Let's see them play with the mega-banks that have been created from lack of regulation. Wait til they piss off one of their dark money friends. Let's see how far they can go then. In case they don't know, big money doesn't usually care about religion, all it cares about is the bottom line. Christian theology, they could care less. And now you see what big business can do to a state that messes with Mickey Mouse! Seems that I also heard on the news that Disney is rethinking personnel changes, you know, not sending people to Florida. So between lost revenue, lost jobs, lost employees, well Ron, how are you going to spin that!?
And I'm going to keep saying it, they have no idea what authoritarainism can be like. It doesn't just punish & abuse the minorities, the "others". Eventually it impacts everyone except the very top. Those republicans in red states with all their babies & no health care, no safety net, just how do they think they can provide for their families. And the topper is, once they take power they won't be able to blame the democrats any more. Then they'll turn on themselves. In the mean time China & Russia will decide which part of the US they want or which of our allies will fall under the control of Russia & China.
You know, the US with the oceans between us & the major combatents in WWII & our vast supplies of raw materials, a strong manufacturing base, plenty of employees, people willing to sacrifice & to adhere to rationing, that country was able to save the world from fascism. We don't have that unity any more thanks to greed, stupidity & powergrabs. Who is going to save us from ourselves?
You’ve resurrected one of my nieces and nephews favorite shows back in the 1950s—the Mouseketeers with Mickey! They’d spell it out: MICKEY MOUSEKETEER. Now this might be remembered as DeSantis’s swan (mouse) song.
Above all, Don't Say Ron's Gay. And, boycott the Drag Queen Story Hour led by Rhonda Santis. And, will someone please inform Rhonda that white waterproof go-go boots are out.
I look for hope in the poll released in the New York Post yesterday. Biden at 50%, Trump at 37% head to head. Among Independents, Biden had a 28% lead over Trump. I doubt DeSantis would do much better, when more of the electorate finds out. I found it interesting also that the Democrats took the City of Jacksonville Mayoral race on Tuesday. On Morning Joe, Joe said that Jacksonville has been a bastion of Republican power for almost 100 years. He should know, since he used to be a Republican Congressman from Florida years ago.
He said Democrats should "Stop wetting the bed over Biden and his age." It's early yet, but look at the Border mess, that Republicans were hoping to have fester. It seems like Order on the Border is another political meme the Republicans got wrong! Biden, the silver fox outfoxed the Republican Idiot Party again!!.
Biden should be relabeled The Oracle of Washington!
DeSantis in 'revenche' activities with Disney, Uber-Liar Santos still being protected by his ilk, Jim Ignoramus Jordan, and foul-mouth MJT - what an illustrious pack of 'politicians'. America deserves better!
Every day since I escaped Florida in 1985 and moved to Massachusetts, I have given thanks I was able to take advantage of a work opportunity and made the decision to do so. And every day that I read of another action on the part of DeSantis, the correctness of that decision is reinforced. Perhaps this action by Disney will finally get the attention of the rabid Republicans in Florida: it is aimed at their wallets, the only part of their anatomy that might give them understanding. And for the folks in Iowa or New Hampshire who might entertain DeSantis's candidacy for the Oval Office, this has to be a warning to be careful what you support. Giving him an opportunity to spread this poisonous malice to the entire nation is not a good idea.
'Floridians Demand to Know Where Disney Is Going so They Can Come With'
'FLORIDA (The Borowitz Report)—Shortly after the corporate giant cancelled plans for a new campus in Lake Nona, Florida, residents of the state demanded to know where Disney was going so that they could come with.'
'Across the state, Floridians indicated a desperate desire to join Disney in its departure, suggesting that an unprecedented exodus may soon be under way.'
“When I think of Florida, I think of gun violence, draconian abortion laws, and book banning,” Carol Foyler, who lives in Boca Raton, said. “When I think of Disney, I think of teacups, princesses, and singing animals. I want to be where Disney is.”
“I’ve lived in Florida all my life and never considered leaving before,” Harland Dorrinson, a resident of Fort Lauderdale, said. “But, wherever Disney goes, Ron DeSantis won’t be there, and that’s good enough for me.”
'Tracy Klugian, who resides in Tampa, expressed a sentiment echoed by millions of others in the state. “I’d rather live in Disney without Florida than in Florida without Disney,” she said.' (Satire, NewYorker)
Please not California, Fern, - we don't need any more MAGATs - McCarthy is punishment enough.
AMEN, Fay!! Qevin is quite the embarrASSment for CA
He is from Bakersfield.
Yes, Jeri. The armpit of CA and red as red can be!
And the home of some great musicians and music.
Thank you. LOL
I’m glad you pointed out this is satire (although I knew it was by virtue of “Borowitz Report). The thing is, usually his satire is easy to see as satire, while this one seems utterly and entirely plausible.
'AMERICA' by DeSantis & Co. with opposition-research by Borowitz.
Fern, are you sure this is the Borowitz report? Sounds more like a real New Yorker interview. This is the giveaway: “I’d rather live in Disney without Florida than in Florida without Disney,” yes, this must be the truth. The moving industry might get rich.
Irenie, please don't add to people's confusion at this LYING TIME.
That's Borowitz' work subscribers. Yes, it is (and there's a lot of truth to it!)
So sorry, Fern, the last thing I want to do is confuse people. It’s a challenge to know truth from fiction these days.
Borowitz does write the truth.
In fact, Irenie, I've come to realize how true it was of you to point out that this 'satire' of Borowitz' is very close to actually mirroring, where we are IN AMERICA. What is the difference between Turkey's fascist president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the intentions of DeSantis? Fascism and America are kissing. Borowitz took the picture.
You are forgiven, Irenie, and, don't skimp on getting a good night's sleep.
Thank you, Fern. And it’s not daylight on your coast either. Sweet dreams for all of us. Some day.
Some day, indeed
Good old Harland Dorrinson sure moves around a lot. In a recent Borowitz Report, I think he lived in Summit New Jersey.
Geez Fern, You really had me going that time. Kind of like the "one of these stories is true" portion of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me".
Steve, if you are not already a regular reader of the satire of Andy Borowitz, his wit offers an excellent respite from the rage and desperation that are the natural reactions to the Republicans' coordinated national campaign to destroy our democracy.
Fresh and brilliant thought, Steve!
Picking a fight with America's favorite vacation destination for kids = political genius!
Thank you, Fern. My power went out just after I saw HCR's missive, and just now came back on, to see your post in my e-mail. That may be satire, but too close to the truth to tell.
She is powerful--in the best possible way!! Shedding light.
Love your comment.
!!!!
😂😂
I left in 1999 for Oregon but visit once or twice a year to see family and friends. Never could I have imagined what Republicans have done to Florida. Sadly, other states are on the way to becoming “Our Hungary.”
Luckily, DeSantis has awakened a Monster Mouse. I suspect what's happening to the Mouse has put other big brands on notice to how the Republicans are now willing to punish them for not towing the radical ideological line on many issues. These brands will push back hard, even it means doing so quietly by shutting off the election donation spigot. Also, the threat of a fiscal meltdown over the debt ceiling is a looming nightmare for businesses of all sizes.
You reminded of the time when IBM, which had made a substantial investment in Boca Raton, purchased land in northern Florida for another site. Florida's government passed a law to tax multinational corporations on their entire worldwide profit, not just on what they made in Florida. That land was sold the next day, and the plans for expansion shelved. And IBM's presence in Florida now is small: the Boca Raton site is no more. Seems like this generation of Florida lawmakers hasn't learned any lessons from their past.
Absolutely unbelievably stupid. Such ARROGANCE on part of Florida then and now. Wonder who was to blame for that first blunder? DeSantis should retreat. Don't even try you are now done.
Back then it was Democratic Gov. Graham, fighting against his Republican legislation.
So, did Gov. Graham sign that legislation? Or veto it but a super-majority overrode his veto? Or....??? Curious about this story. Curious about how a U.S. state could demand tax payments based on a company's worldwide profit. However, I'm aware that some states do tax earnings by a resident of that state that were earned in a different state (at least that's how I recall it).
That’s the problem. GOP’ers never seem to learn anything good. They are now too busy sucking on the teat of authoritarianism.
I'm thinking "research" and "history" arent really high on these **** list! Looking back? Nope not a possibility for them. Apparently think through an idea isnt either.
As the GOP's expansion of not just hate, anti-American ideology and actual overthrow of the govt, but now total destruction of the world's strongest economy continues, it is tempting to expand Floridians' desires to leave that state to all of America. Those with the ability are considering leaving the country they and their parents fought and died for to shores where they can still make decisions with their physicians, read the books they choose, walk the streets / shops without fear of mass murder and light their homes with power from the sun and progressive energies instead of fossil fuels.
These and other visions of the GOP from the Jurassic period are causing citizens to reconsider investment in their own homes just as Disney has. This is all inconsistent with the actual economy which the brilliant Simon Rosenberg of Hopium Chronicles notes remains the strongest in the world and that it is the Democrats that have created it. His, HCR's and few others' work are among those that keep me and my family among those believing we can and Will defeat the GOP and save America. See Link:
https://simonwdc.substack.com/p/the-may-jobs-report-us-economy-remains
I am one of those seriously considering leaving the United States, more especially if the GQP domestic terrorists win the elections next year and king Dictator Donald TUMP cheats and win the election.
I figure if Ukrainians are moving back home the leasat we Americans can do is stay and fight for our democracy.
John Heroes are those who stay and fight.Fleeing, then kibitzing from afar, sounds like a cop out. As a Foreign Service Officer I encountered a number of ‘Americans’ who had decided to live abroad. Personally, I didn’t consider them ‘real’ Americans.
"Discretion is the better part of valor." Shakespeare cautioned us against taking on challenges that were either too big or too dangerous to result in a success. I think that many of the people who have moved away from the States are trying to balance feeling safe and valued in the society against their direct observation and experience that they are likely neither.
It's not really a cop-out to recognize that there is a point of diminished returns, and that when it's reached, it's time to vacate the premises before worse things happen.
Keep your papers in order and where you can find them.
Such papers have always been important; now they are bordering on ‘sacred”!!!
Where would you go?
"Here I come to save the day! Mighty Mouse is on the way!"
I watched Mighty Mouse every Saturday morning.
And Underdog
"On the sea or on the land, he's got the situation well in hand!"
"This...is a job...for....MIGHTY MOUSE!!!!"
"Party of Lincoln" has devolved into "Bullies R Us".
The current Republicans would have been Democrats in a previous time. They are the planters who tried to force slavery on the rest of the country. I recognize that lots of Republicans are not wealthy. They have been duped by culture wars on vulnerable groups--minorities, LGTBQ folks, women, children, etc. so they can't see that the robber barons of today are trying to steal them blind and rip up our pitiful social safety net. Like trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.
Fox did a masterful job on just that, give Rupert credit…
Along with Reagan and his handlers.
It's called divide and rule or divide and conquer, and it's worked for centuries. They create a visibly different out-group as a scapegoat (For Hitler it was primarily the Jews) to hold responsible for all of society's troubles and deprive them of any standing and protection under law, giving the bullied masses a target to bully themselves. It's the one seeming consolation in a top-down regime of bullying and violence, and favors at the price of your soul. Should you find it in your heart to object to the bullying, they come for you.
It is not unbeatable, but the bullies have the powerful emotions of hate, fear and greed on their side.
Every word of what you said, JennSH. EXACTLY.
The great and wise Lincoln has nothing to do with them. They martyred him.
Lincoln was a Whig who helped create the Republican party. The word "republican" and "public" share the same root, and Lincoln took it seriously; " government of the people, by the people, for the people" being as succinct as it gets; and he labored to bring it to be. Democrats (from "demos", the people) were the party favored by the wealthy slave owners, as well as by the poor whites they duped. Democrats were also the party of "laissez fair" (Reaganomics) in the corrupt "Gilded Age". Teddy Roosevelt, who faced off against plutocrats) came from a family that admired Lincoln. He felt betrayed when his party softened on pandering to plutocrats. Southern Democrats were as proudly and openly racist in my youth. After Democrats embraced Civil and voting rights, Republicans rolled out the welcome mat for Confederate wannabees and authoritarian-oriented evangelicals and morphed into what we see today. I'm leaving a lot out and there is a whole lot I don't know, but I think that's the gist of it.
JL Graham: Is it really the "Party of Lincoln"?
NO
As I said, it devolved. We could use Lincoln rolling his grave as an alternative energy source.
J L Graham: My rhetorical question was posted before your excellent explication!
Been waiting, so many are thinking “what if chump gets back in.” Like our cowardly MSM. Been waiting for Churchills’s prediction to come true. America will do the right thing after they have tried everything else…
Thank you Bob Iger! He’s fearless...
Not even a stretch here in Ideeho!
Brilliant. I feel bad for the people who will miss out on much needed jobs. But if they'd been SMART to begin with (like YOU), they wouldn't have voted for him.
It just goes to prove how costly it can be to make un-informed decisions and choose instant "gratification" as opposed to using foresight.
Ya gets what you pays for.
Yes, Terri Gamino--so true. Tragically they're not smart enough to realize the causal relationship between their "un-informed decisions . . . instant 'gratification," and their resulting joblessness. They will find scapegoats to blame for their "misfortune," and along with their fellow Acultamuricans, whimsically skip along their uninformed way into a lethal swamp of their own making.
Sadly most of the supporters of this CULT lack enough education to have ever had a critical thinking class. The rest are just greed sick. DeSantis seems like the next Hitler to me. I'm serious.
I agree re DeSantis/next Hitler. Throw in Tucker Carlson and others of his persuasion who are captivated by Orban of Hungary and we see that it’s not just a glitch. I doubt that those foot soldiers across our country do not understand that Orban himself has re-crafted the Hungary’s Constitution so that he is now president for life. No term limits. That is a huge change. And a scary one…..
*I doubt that those foot soldiers understand…..etc. (Correction, not caffeinated quite yet….)
I totally agree with you, Sarah. He is the next Adolf Hitler. Good critical thinking skills have served me well throughout life. These Rethug fascists supporters than likely don't even know what critical thinking is. They are so ignorant,gullible, and just plain stupid.
I guess that makes us privileged in a sense. In some ways I see these folks as victims. The masses of followers that is. There are definitely some very bad actors as well. But most have been so deceived for so long, indoctrinated since birth likely into a mindset and then not well educated due to poverty and cultural factors. I feel sorry for them in a way. We've all been indoctrinated in ways we don't realize ... meat, eggs, and dairy, for example. There are many other examples. We're all still driving and blasting our AC and heaters, leaving lights on. I'm frustrated and losing patience with them too. They've been weaponized against democracy and they don't realize it. Most anyway. Some are 100% clear on what they are doing and loving it
In the line of "indoctrination", think of all of those people who don't have celiac disease or other wheat-based sensitivity who now insist on consuming only gluten-free products (including products labeled gluten-free which never ever contained gluten in the first place).
Seems possible that many of them conflate "critical thinking" with "Critical Race Theory".
I agree, i honestly didn't think there are so many mentally deranged nutso people in the United States. Oh yes, and so pitifully ignorant too.. The people that vote them into important positions in our government are equally ignorant and have very low IQ's.
Smart, crazy, and greedy are not mutually exclusive
Part of what made the Nazi regime so vile and creepy was that they were largely well educated, and clever in their pathological agency.
I am concerned, BTW, that some of the propaganda put forward from the right wing is well crafted and plausible, if you did not already know that specific evidence has been cherry picked, mis-contextualized, and bent, or just plain fabricated. They don't all sound as loony as Trump or MTG.
J L Graham: Exactly. The attendees at the pivotal Wannsee Conference were all highly educated and very distinguished in their fields.
I think there is enough evil in DeSantis for a Hitler-like despot, and I think of evil as the same as aggressive sociopathy. I also think that if power tends to corrupt, disempowerment often breeds abject followers (and occasionally, liberators), especially if an authoritarian mindset has been imposed from birth. There is a photo of Trump manhandling a bewildered infant while the child's apparent mother and most of the rest of the crowd appear to be ecstatic. One cheerful woman holds up a sign that says "Thank You Lord JESUS, FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP".
There are some real people that are very special, but everyone is human, and we all have flaws. That level of adulation simply isn't grounded, especially for a sociopath like Trump. I suspect that some confuse utter shamelessness with strength and authenticity, when it's nothing of the kind.
" . . . disempowerment often breeds abject followers (and occasionally, liberators), . . ." Yes. Exactly. And too-often the courageous resisters to fascism, were scorned and marginalized by the self-deluded followers. Many of the Jews in Hungary refused to believe the warnings from recently arrived Jews who'd managed to escape from Poland.
Wow, as an animal rights activist trying to awaken people to the horrifying realities of industrialized animal agriculture, labs, mills, etc, everything you must said, including the quoted excerpt from JL Graham, fits perfectly. Animal Ag IS fascism. It's also genocide, speciesism, and the facilities are literally concentration camps (industry calls them CAFOs, concentrated animal feeding operations). They are literally hell on earth. If there's a hell or evil, this is the manifestation of it in real life. The torture and torment are immeasurable and inconceivable, as is the scale of it. I digress but just another example of how what you're saying is absolutely true.
This NASA visualization puts climate measurements into a vivid perspective, and yet remedial action is tepid. The probable impacts are even beginning to bite.
Also, said Washington State Governor in 2021 concerning "January 6th" events:
“I don’t think you can be overly concerned about this. The American psyche has not recognized we were one vice-president away from a coup.”
Educators stopped being able to cultivate critical thinking skills during the late 80s when we were forced to focus on meaningless standardized tests.
It's nice to be able to share thoughts with others who use history to help navigate the present. Sad to say, we will probably go down the same path as WWII; I don't know what it will take for humanity to learn from the past.
Sad that many who died in WW2 fighting Nazis have relatives today who sign on to that crap. I am one who has both
I think that we are all, to varying degrees, vulnerable to narcissism. I gather that the standard cons, that YOU are among the True Patriots, the holy Righteous, the Master Race, is more compelling when it's aimed at YOU, especially if you were told such things from birth. I also suspect that most of the folks who use this wedge to build their own empires are aware that they are conning the masses, but also flatter themselves as superior beings.
"“Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.” - John Adams
There are still a few prominent Southerners who argue that slavers did Africans a favor by bringing them to America. Teaching kids to "question everything" is a hard row to hoe, because they might actually do so; but it's also highly liberating. Teaching kids to be kind, even as adults, complicates things too.
J L Graham: Yes--all this glorification of "Niceness" is antithetical to critical thinking.
J L Graham: Thanks for this: "Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.” - John Adams
Jeri Chilcutt: Yes. So tragically true. And many of them are wealthy, politically active, and live in Las Vegas, carrying on the tradition of Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, and winning awards for philanthropy. "Sheldon Adelson Gave Trump and Republicans Over $424 Million Since 2016. The billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who has died aged 87, spent hundreds of millions of dollars in later life as Republican kingmaker—and President Donald Trump was a key beneficiary of this largesse." -- https://www.newsweek.com/sheldon-adelson-donald-trump-republicans-donations-1560883
Your statement hit me hard! I had not thought of that. This is all so scary to me.
Yes, we are so fortunate to have Heather and the informed and rational oasis she provides. In regard to humanity learning from the past, tragically, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
What's really rich is that the day will come when they blame the Democratic Party and Biden's administration for not having stopped Disney (and others) from finding better places to conduct their businesses. Whomp-whomp-whomp. Poor Florida, being unfairly picked on by the Meanie Mouse.
Hi Terrie...this is coming to you from inside the Fascist State of Florida. Every day we are more like the Germans just before WWII......as Milton Mayer wrote " They Thought They Were Free."
But, to your point, just want you to know that the DeSantis who has evolved is not the DeSantis of his first election. I did not vote for him and hated his campaign pandering to Trump, but he campaigned on Florida's environmental issues which I could support.
He had some promise-- young, well educated, energetic. He did not come out of the chute a full blown autocrat.
As his power grew ( with the full support of a State legislature) he began using us in Florida as a petrie dish for his presidential aspirations. His poor judgement grew. His autocracy grew. His ambition grew. He became a revenge politician (Disney)--contradicting his own pro-business platform.
Could we "Flori-duh" voters have quite imagined all this back at his first election? I doubt it. By the DeSantis-Crist election we were more culpable but our choice was poor. Still, the Disney debacle and the furious signing of "anti-woke" laws has all happened in this second go-around as he let his (and his wife's) ambition steer his actions. We could not have foretold quite the scope of his actions even this time.
In the arena of "you get what you vote for" the nation needs to pay close attention to what he has done in Florida. He is too immature in judgement and too ego-driven to be President even though he may look " saintly" compared to his once- hero, the former guy. But we have already experienced four years of immature, ego- driven dysfunction with the former guy and, despite Biden's best efforts, are still exhausted from it and its Congressional remnants. Let us not be so exhausted that we do it all over again like some sick, national " Groundhog Day". Because, if we do, all the rest of you will be living in the same kind of Fascism Ron has brought to Florida.
“Too immature in judgement and too ego-driven” - a perfect description of both DeSantis and tfg. I think ego is a quality that most politicians have in spades, it’s the immature judgment that is scary.
We all have an "ego", which is Latin for "I" (Freud called it "Ich"). We all pursue self-interest, but when unmitigated, unsocialized self-interest is ALL one pursues, it can become sociopathic. When we could care less or even get a kick out of who we hurt to satisfy our appetites, is that not the essence of "evil"?
And note how quickly a certain overly orange malignant narcissist turns on former allies the moment they cease to please him. It is indeed very emotionally immature, and there seems to be a part of our human nature that can be capable of admiring it. The crowds went wild for Hitler and Mussolini, and even here, great evils have been celebrated by many.
Carol Stanton: Yes, so true. RE: Milton Mayer wrote " They Thought They Were Free." Evokes the lobsters who don't realize the water they are in is beginning to boil until it's too late.
I think you mean "frog". You put lobster into a rolling boil. https://lobsterfrommaine.com/guide/how-to-boil-lobster/
Hah! So much for my cooking analogies! Thx for the info!
No personal income tax equates to who cares what the idiots in Tallahassee do! Public education issues, who cares we’re retired! Who cares we send our kids to private schools!
Yes, we had a financial planner once for whom Move to Florida was the answer to any retirement questions. I wonder if she's still in business; we left.
Same in Nevada. Plus: Who cares: We're snowbirds!
That's very true and also there is a well-financed effort to keep the public uninformed. If the public really is going to control the fate of the society, if we really are to be "in charge", we have got to be semi-professional about our choices 'cause we'll face the consequences, and our children will. And that takes an adequate familiarity with the information necessary in order to make wise choices.
"The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it."
Great quote J L. That one never fails to stir something in me.
"The Moving Finger writes; . . . " So true . . .
And ya gets what ya votes for, too. Florida has given us:
Rick Scott
Matt Gaetz
Marco Rubio
Ron DeSantis
Mark Foley
Katherine Harris
Pam Bondi
Charles van Zant
... and a host of others, ALL Republicans.
The Miami New Times wrote an incisive description of the boobery and cruelty in an article back in 2017, well worth reading:
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-worst-florida-political-ideas-of-2017-9915369
Glad you were able to come to Massachusetts! The weather is a tad dicey some times, but we have great history (even the right wing nuts have to admit our country got a great start here!), education, and health care. It is interesting, however, to read social media screeds from the (relative) minority of people here in MA who are triggered by the liberalism. They are frustrated and often mean and downright nasty in their feeble attempts to promote “Christian” ideals HCR discusses here. On one forum, I offered fact checking regarding the white nationalist who killed 7 people in Allen, TX. One of the stalwarts answered my comment with: “Keep your fact-checking to yourself!!!!”
I've also had run-ins with that relative minority - in my town, one third of the votes in the 2022 election were for Diehl (the T**** following, election denying, nut job). The response to a letter to the editor hoping that Republicans would have the courage to find another candidate was like the one you got. But in this day and age, we have to keep on fighting. The weather? It's just fine.
And all of us in New England have been blessed this year with one of the most amazing spring seasons I remember in my near 20 years here. The apple blossoming was extraordinary!
And just last fall…. The most spectacular foliage I’ve seen ever!!!!
Very true. Wouldn't trade the seasons for anything Florida has to offer! Apologies to our FL. friends.....
I love our weather in MA too! Like they say if you don't like the weather in NE just wait a minute, it will change!
I am in western MA where there are a higher % of conservatives, but with the bright light of the Northampton-Amherst area. Otherwise, I refer to “local yokels” who have little good to say about Eastern MA, especially because the state house is there(!) and “ those , colleges that groom and indoctrinate “ students. In spite of this, We stand strong!!
On the days when the Beacon Hill crowd seems not to listen to, or care about, we who live outside 128, I can understand their attitude. That the MA legislature steadfastly ignores our attempts at improving its transparency is particularly galling. MA has a one party government now and, while I agree with most of what is proposed, I can also see the attitude problem that that one party rule generates. Democrats are not immune to the effects of power: it corrupts all. Latest example: Ed Augustus as "Secretary of Housing and Liveable Communities" (a title of such frippery it makes me gag writing it) whose record is not exactly as Governor Healey describes. The fox is guarding the henhouse...
Anne, “ We doan knee no fack checkin’ ‘roun cheer”
😀
I had the same thought when I read Anne's comment.
I am a life long MA resident too. My brother and sister sold out to FL years ago. The state of FL just gives me the oogies today.
A Foxer, have no doubt
As in "we dont want those stinking facts"? I guess it could cause confusion!
Well expressed, James. Very well expressed.
…first, well done, James Vander Poel, and
second, well expressed!
Time for all of us to sit up straight and pay mind to Politics Girl Leigh McGowan’s fervent plea to citizens across the US.
https://youtu.be/bcvoo64C6QM
It is the exact thing I say to people when they ask “when are you going to move out of Florida. It’s become a dangerous place to live.”
I tell them, yes. This patriarchal bargain whip that Desantis grips in his sweaty hand is enough to scare any Mother for Democracy. But guess what. I am not afraid. And I certainly will not give “them” an inch by leaving. After all, any true Mother for Democracy is also a Motha F*ckin’ Diva so get out my way while I cancel you, Ronnie.
Salud!
🗽
If recent history has taught us anything, Republicans will never back down or turn around. They only know how to double down in the same direction they started under Reagan. Extinction is the only remedy for these dinosaurs.
Truman knew them well back in the day. Ike probably bought in to the “party of Lincoln” crap, a lie even back then. But his 1956 Repub platform was something the current repubs would use for toilet paper.
Roosevelt, Truman, & Eisenhower all knew what needed to be done to save democracy from authoritarian tyrants. The tyrants used to be oceans away, but now they're right here, ignorant of the sacrifices made by millions of freedom-loving and equality-loving patriots from so many countries. Not only are they here, but they have the audacity to "serve" in the House, the Senate, and the SCOTUS, undermining the ideals that were fought for and died for. Have they no respect for those who gave all for democracy this Memorial Day? No Etnics? Truth? Decency?
None. No respect at all.
No. They don’t want all that. They don’t want equality loving patriots. Above all they don’t want equality. With equality they can’t be on top dictating what others must do and who they must be and what they are allowed to be taught and how many children they must have.
Sorry. "ETHICS."
You can go back and correct by clicking on the 3 dots and selecting "Edit".
Thanks to you from a nontechy.
Yes James, isn't it nice here in the "Commonwealth"? Far from perfect, but insane retrogression to primitive bigotry and hate doesn't get introduced to law.
My wife and I had a stretch where we were "snow birds". We operated a seasonal business and spent 2 or 3 months in Florida. That was before Florida lost its collective mind and a sensible person like Charlie Christ was a popular governor.
Now we return to the state that has stuck its politics where the sun doesn't shine only to visit family. They are blue dots surrounded by MAGA madness.
I hope you are right about DeSantis. It does seem politically stupid to make war on a nationally treasured institution like Disney. I mean, why would anyone want to make an enemy of Mickey Mouse? If this was part of a movie script, it would have been tossed as ridiculous.
And more importantly, what is the percentage of voters that are LGBTQ or are straight people who support their right to be who they are? Voters that have friends and family members that the government of Florida is demonizing? This can't be a winning strategy in the long run, can it?
I understand that if you look up “loathsome creep” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of DeSantis.
Unfortunately his brand of malice is already rampant here in Iowa
What in the hell is wrong with you people? You have tolive in an inverted world to believe
that sexualizing Kindergarteners is a bad thing. Leave the children alone. They don't need to learn about sex or transgenderism as 5 and 6 year olds. Its sleazy and disgusting to want to indoctrinate you children. You live in a very small minority if you believe otherwise.
Furthermore the Florida bill doesn't say "DON'T SAY GAY" THAT A LIE.
As for Disney they decided sexualize their audience with endless content aimed at young children. The worst of the woke are running Disney and its time someone stand up to the bullying.
Its not enough that the transgender movement demand that men can shower in women's locker rooms, steal their athletic competitions, hijack their economic opportunities, and win WOMEN of THE YEAR wards, but the PERVERT sexualization of young children is going to stop.
If you truly believe in this crap I urge you to MAKE it a national referendum in the 2024 presidential election. Let Joe Biden run on demanding K-3rd grade sexual content in the schools. Furthermore if you are going to walk the walk call your Congressman and Senator
and ask them to run openly and unambiguously on the same referendum.
Of course not.
Thank God for Ron DeSantis and every politician who stands up children against the leftist woke bullies.
James A
The people in this forum ARE standing up to the bullies; the fact your self awareness is lacking speaks to the point
Dave, trolls exist only when you feed them.
Nancy, yes, sigh; however bullies exist as long as they go unchallenged. Its a conundrum Its a fine line
I've considered that he could be a bot, but if not, he definitely has a screw loose. Either way, ignoring him remains my preferred route. Skewer him with the sword of indifference. 😉
Dave and Nancy, join me in reporting him to Substack (…under his comments).
Perfect answer when you have no reply. YOU KNOW you are wrong.
Its really simple. IF YOU TRULY believed in this mission you would STAND up and say
yes HELL yes lets introduce sexual orientation and lifestyles to 6 year old children.
You would say HELL yes I demand that we RUN on this platform. I DEMAND that the SENATE propose a bill TODAY that forces ALL schools to teach sexual orientation to 6 year olds.
I YOU DON"T RESPOND you are a COWARD or A LIAR? Which one?
Of course you won't because you are a phony. This is all about virtue signaling.
This is really simple.
Either you believe K-3rd should be taught sexualized content? YES or NO?
What you are standing for is the PERVERTED sexualization of young children for your
own NARCISSTIC virtue signaling.
Just to show how ridiculous your claim is. Who is being bullied? Disney Corporation?
Its not the children or the citizens. They are sick of this crap. A woke corporation lecturing Americans on what their values should be. The media is more than happy to jump aboard.
BTW The left didn't give a damn about children when they locked away during COVID. Look at the results. Depression, drug use, suicide, and severe side effects including myocarditis.
I think you are barking up an imaginary tree. Here's a question for you. When my 6 year old asks about his friends older brother acting more like a girl, what will your answer be? When he asks about his friend having two daddys, what is your response?
Let's get real and honest. Your paranoia is leading you into dark places.
Bill, that's a great question for a reasonable person who is willing to challenge his own thinking, but it's clear to me that's not who you're dealing with.
Jay, join me in reporting him to Substack (…under his comments).
Bill, A TC bit of language came over me, and I think you can imagine how alien that is to my tongue, when I saw you communicating with ' Oy gevalt! The gants mshuge is back!' It's Yiddish and very appropriate to use when going passed this 'gants mshuge'. Shalom Aleichem!
Bill, join me in reporting him to Substack (…under his comments).
Of course you don't want to ANSWER my question.
If you believed in the Mission you WOULD demand that President Biden and ALL Democrats support a Nationwide requirement that ALL 6 year old be taught about SEXUAL ORIENTATION to include Transgenderism to 6 years OLDS.
You would SUPPORT IT right here and right NOW.
You are a phony. You don't believe in the mission.
James, your question is a piece of bait. I am only interested in answering the questions of real children.
What mission? Being honest with kids? Yeah, I'm for honesty.
I don’t believe anyone, Democrat or Republican, supports the teaching of sexual orientation to six year olds. But I do believe it should not be a crime for a teacher or school employee to explain to even six year olds that the people in this world come in all shapes and forms. This should be reinforced at home and at school. To pass a law that silences even the simple explanation that there are families with two fathers or two mothers etc is simply a political ploy of DeSantis to appeal to the far right voters. When a politician has nothing better to offer such as how to increase the economy he/she turns to stirring up the cultural pot.
The truth won. If anyone would had any guts you demand Biden and the Democrats promote a national bill requires K-3rd graders to be taught about sexual identity, gender, and transgenderism, and also allows schools districts to block PARENTAL approval on any curriculum.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE FLORIDAA BILL Says:
Parental Rights in Education; Requires district school boards to adopt procedures that comport with certain provisions of law for notifying student's parent of specified information; requires such procedures to reinforce fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding upbringing & control of their children; prohibits school district from adopting procedures or student support forms that prohibit school district personnel from notifying parent about specified information or that encourage student to withhold from parent such information; prohibits school district personnel from discouraging or prohibiting parental notification & involvement in critical decisions affecting student's mental, emotional, or physical well-being; prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels; requires school districts to notify parents of healthcare services; authorizes parent to bring action against school district to obtain declaratory judgment; provides for additional award of injunctive relief, damages, & reasonable attorney fees & court costs to certain parents.
Of course you won't. You know you would get slaughtered. Instead you lie about the bill and virtue signal to each other how beautiful your beliefs are.
Actually, its not simple. Your comment that it is, speaks to your level of understanding
It is that simple. The Florida Bill tightens restrictions on school lessons about sexual identity and gender orientation for K-3rd grade.
You are either for it or against it. If you are against it you should have the courage to say "I WANT sexual identity and gender orientation taught to 6 year olds.
You are coward. Of course you won't stand up for it or push Biden/Democrats to run on it.
They would get slaughtered.
This isn't about the children. Its you wanting to virtue signal to your friends how woke you are.
Knowledge is power
Restriction of knowledge is ???
What school in Florida was sexualizing children or had curriculum where 5 or 6 year olds were exposed to transgenderism and sexual education? I'll wait until you can provide that information... I know you come on here often to make bad faith arguments and detract from the actual discussions but this is a poor attempt at trolling even by your standards. Why don't you go worry about churches and child marriage and child labor if you want to protect kids so bad. You are virtue signaling and creating a strawman argument.
Who is trying to indoctrinate students? Sex ed classes don't happen with six year old kids. Also the bill and its rules were recently extended through 12th grade. You are being disingenuous with your statements. Additionally, the "Parental Rights in Ed" bill doesn't necessarily ban the word gay from being spoken. But it does ban the discussion of gender and sexuality with younger students. This is what the bill actually says "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." Like do you really believe teachers are going out of their way to try to make kids gay?
Additionally, how has Disney sexualized their audience? By showing gay people in a movie or a gay kiss? Like come on mate, you don't have issues with Disney showing hetero couples do you? If you don't like Disney movies just don't watch them, but when it comes to beer commercials or teen movies / shows that show hetero relationships or a woman's body I bet you are okay with those. It seems to me that you see sex in everything. You think the mere existence of gay people in media, or children talking about how they see themselves is innately sexually. That is actual sexualization and you are projecting that on everything else. You clearly are homophobic and transphobic and don't think they should exist or be treated equally. Just say that instead of trying to hide behind protecting women and children, so much for the party of small government huh, unless you can punish an out group huh...
Joe Biden nor any moderate, centrist, liberal, progressive or anyone to the right of you thinks that kids should be mandated to be exposed to sexual content. The disconnect is what you define as sexual vs everyone else. You think that a teacher being gay or a kid having gay parents or gosh even being gay themselves is actually sexual. I do think there should be better sex ed classes in middle school. However, you and people like you who are trying to make it seem like everyone who doesn't agree with you is a groomer is messed up. This bill discriminates against LGBTQ people and kids who may have questions that they may not feel comfortable discussing things at home. This is literally an attack on freedom of speech and freedom and expression, but because its for things you are against then you are willing to throw away the rights of other people. This is the old and true tactic of tapping into parents fears of the LGBTQ community and the fact that you are falling for it shows how naive you are being.
If you hate this newsletter so much, why do you rage follow it?
PhillyT, I think you have great taste in wallpaper, and, for me, that is just a first impression. You standout in at least a couple of ways, including the time you took to address the gants mshuge and reflect on children, sex, Disney, the media... Shalom Aleichem.
Thanks Fern! Peace be upon you as well my friend :). Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.
Philly T, thank you for reading James the Riot Act. He deserved it. What you said was spot on. You may have done more good than you know. I learned a little about the Florida law thanks to your comment. We're all still learning about LGBTQ (I really couldn't give a good definition of Q) and people are more open and accepting of the differences in others. I think there is much less bullying and repression now and more acceptance. That's great for the kids.
Oy gevalt! The gants mshuge is back!
Another plop-a-lious comment.
Otta here dude.
"Christian"? Nationalism?....There is NOTHING "Christian" about DeSantis's antics! In fact, there is absolutely NOTHING "Christian" about the whole Evangelical movement....I am ashamed of DeSantis and the entire movement....shame, shame, shame on them...what comes out of their mouths and out of their pens horrifies me!.....dee McQuesten, Seattle
I think it’s not really about Christianity as Christ preached. ‘Christian’ in this sense is being used as an ethnic identity. what they mean but want to fudge is 'white, european-descended nationalism’
It might be more accurately called "White Gentile Nationalism".
WASP Nationalism = White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
Please. tell me DeSantis is a wasp. He is of a Southern Italian Catholic family.
During the Bush '41 "Preppy Years," the acronym was commonly applied to almost all Harvard & Yalies.
My brother married into a Southern Italian Catholic family, and they were outraged at being lumped in with the Protestants, but ok with being called white.
Interesting point Lisa, there are six or seven ways I could expand on your comment from a personal point of view, but suffice to say that certain politicians will gravitate toward the power grab when it suits them. He is a good example of one of them, and if he is following Orban's path to conquest, he is not authentic, he is a "psychophant."
Well, Hitler wasn't a German. And Steven Miller is Jewish. So go figure. I guess evil is an equal opportunity lurking everywhere.
In photos of them marching at least half don’t look very lacking in melanin. Or maybe, that’s an illusion due to being covered in black ink? The whole movement seems to be more a tribal thing, with the cohesion based more on hating the same things then any actual absence of darkly pigmented dermis. Others have commented repeatedly in LFAA on their common denominator being a deep toxic shame
Citizen, re WASP. As much as I am disgusted with the misuse of Religion in today’s political climate, using a stereotype to corral a bunch of innocent folks in with the deplorables is probably not consistent with the work to actually overcome those outlier “nationalists”
I didn't even give that a think, and thanks for calling me on it.
Life is a process, right?
👍
Led by the real white, European descended Jesus.
Hate the Poor Obey the Rich, Blast thy Enemy Away with Guns!
All hail Fabio Jesus!
Pharisees all
The Pharisees had their faults, but please don’t use ancient Christian slurs against Jews to object to current people calling themselves Christians.
Thank you, Joan. Personally, I am disgusted altogether by the disparaging content that some people post regularly. It neither helps our understanding of what's driving these movements, not adds to our ability to maintain an intelligent, meaningful discussion about how we can protect democracy. That saddens me, because that is what Heather's Letters are about- and for a long time, the comments a refuge from Trump's ugly manners. Now it seems that many here have adopted the Trump pattern of meaningless and counterproductive snarkiness.
There's a whole international set of Facebook groups - the one in the US is called IamHereUS - that campaign against verbal hostilities by together making and 'liking' reasonable comments on the same FB-posted news article. The effect is to drive hate down in the ratings so people reading the news see decency by default, and hate only if they keep scrolling. Join in any time!
Thank you, Joan. That's my approach in other forums I frequent, and on the news media. But I've been with Heather's LFAA since it's inception, and feel that it's a different kind of place, or was. Still can be, if people work at it. I'm going to keep reminding people of what we can be. Ironic that Heather put LFAA on substack to minimize the negativity. And now there are entire threads of nothing but name-called and looking down on people who aren't even there. Even by some whose opinions I have respect for, I feel shame that this of all places is no better sometimes than the worst comment sections on MSM.
Christian sharia law.... that is what the trumpers are trying to shove down our throats...
No part of Christ’s message in their version sharia law! Like the imposters on the Supreme Court who make up their own version of the US Constitution, these creatures pick and choose what tenets they support!
Please don’t use slurs against Muslims to object to bigotry calling itself Christian.
How is sharia law a slur against Muslims?
Good question. The problem is the context: “Christian sharia law” is clearly implied to be a terrible thing, which rests on the idea that sharia law is a terrible thing. That idea is generally pushed by people who know as little as I do about actual sharia law, so all they are doing is disparaging Islam. I don’t want anyone’s religious law forced on me, so we are likely agreed on the real point. It can be made without echoing anti-Muslim hate mongering suggesting that Muslim immigrants will impose religious law.
Good explanation. They could simply have said that they don't want religious law forced on them. Shortcuts can cause misunderstandings.
Bret, oh the irony of the self unaware, huh?
I have mentioned that I have started A Fever in the Heartland which is centered on the rise of KKK in Indiana in particular and other northern states. So much of this sounds like exactly what they were doing and they were led by a drunk, lying, greedy, sexual predator who didn't stop at violence. And the "fighting Irish" for Notre Dame sports comes from the day in 1924 that the KKK had gathered in South Bend to do nefarious deeds at Notre Dame. ND's president told the students to stay on campus, but they didn't and instead attacked the KKK with among other things, potatoes, where they were staying... thus"fighting Irish."
I am also reading “A Fever in the Heartland”. I was telling a friend that it feels like to that same monster is rearing it’s ugly again. Another chance to squash it.
That's on my tbr list. My book club is reading "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis. For a satire piece, it's getting scary. And it was written before Hitler was the complete head of state & the start of WWII.
I think it's time for me to reread that book. I was young when I read it, and the horrors of WW2 still fresh- we thought this could not ever happen again, and certainly not in America. So naive we were. But that naivete also kept my eyes open to the underside of America as it emerged. I learned early that the saying about our enemy would come from within did NOT mean that the Commies were infiltrating us (the cold war fear), but was quite literal about where the danger to democracy would arise in America. In our own neighborhoods.
I finally read this @ 2017. Horrifying.
The current book does sound like the Nazi playbook. And in 1924 a very restrictive immigration law passed Congress lowering significantly the number of immigrants that could come from certain areas or were Jewish. which affected the family of Anne Frank. The KKK aided and abetted that law as well. In Oregon, it was mostly directed at Catholics, shutting down Catholic schools. The number of black people here was not high as they were restricted when Oregon became a state. In Indiana, my paternal family was German and because of WWI, Germans were suspect although my dad's family was anti-Catholic. As I read I can't help but wonder if I knew anyone as a child had been a member of the KKK. And South Bend was always regarded negatively because it was full of Catholics and Ds. I did hear also the Klan nonsense about Catholics storing weapons in their basements and owing allegiance to the Pope.
Love the potato reference. Seems fitting, Irish and potatoes. (Said as a second generation Irish person!)
I thought so too. Apparently there was a grocery store at the bottom of the building and they bought the potatoes there. The QB of the football team (Knute Rockne era) managed to hit one of the lightbulbs on the cross that was on the building. The KKK had burned a cross at ND in 1923 and they were planning more of the same and spread the rumor that there were weapons in the basements of the buildings on the ND campus. They wanted also to destroy the golden dome which is still quite visible from a distance. My father, who graduated from high school in 1929, wanted to go to college and ND was the closest place were he could go and live at home. My grandparents refused to help him because of its being Catholic, so he was able to find a job instead. The 1930 election was the first and only time he voted for Rosie (as he called FDR) and I didn't find that out until he had had too much to drink one time.
They. Are. Christians.
No, they do not follow the teachings of the Christ. They follow their narrow interpretations of the Bible flavored with their racism, sexism, and male dominance. But they are Christians. So much evil and destruction has been done in the name of God (regardless of what flavor of deity that is prayed too) that I find no difference between what these Christian Nationalists do and what befell the world in the Dark Ages.
They masquerade as Christians. Just like others have in the past. I hear you and I think all their talk of witch hunt is literally them showing what they plan to do. I'm afraid we're going to see some actual replays of that horrible time in history. Just replace witch with liberal. But I still say they are a cult. Hatred and violence in the name of Christ is simply not truly Christian. It's more like anti-christ because it's literally the opposite of what he taught.
Romans 12: 9-21
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.
MAGAts never read about love, they use it as a curse word
Yeah, okay, I have to be inflammatory here: oh, no, not the sex-negative male-supremacist letter-writing tax collector. How 'bout the Sermon on the Mount instead?
Religious Wars. What other kind of wars are there?
Religion and/or land.
wars for resources. wars against totalitarians.
If they are Christians what are the people who follow the teachings of Christ called?
Christians.
Ally, I respectfully disagree with you on this point. Someone calling themselves a follower of someone or something, and actually being it, are different. For example, I have no medical training but suppose I went around declaring myself a doctor. Doing so, without the knowledge, training and expertise in healing, doesn't make me a doctor. It would only make me someone claiming to be a doctor, and trying to gain the unearned respect or adoration that profession brings, without actually having spent the time and effort gaining the necessary education or skills.
I don't disagree that many people with ugly and hostile behaviors, throughout history and into our own day, claim to be followers of Jesus, aka Christians. (A term Jesus himself never coined by the way; Acts 11:26) Nevertheless, I believe it is incorrect to refer to such people as Christian, even if they refer to themselves as such, if their behavior, words and deeds are so contrary to his teaching and life. Since their actions and behavior are a deviation from Jesus's teaching, I believe that a qualifier added to their own self-identification is in order. It's more typing and time but may I humbly suggest self-proclaimed, pseudo or faux Christians instead. Anyone can claim to be a something, but what they do and say is a more honest identification of them than anything they choose to call themselves.
You’re prerogative to disagree. I point out that within established Christian denominations there are a wide difference in practices, all of which are said to be the “one true way”.
I had a call that I responded to that really tested my personal belief in the absolute separation of church and state: a splinter sect of the Latter Day Saints (General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn) does not believe in medical intervention(s). I responded to a call of a deceased subject (a 15 year old boy) who had died from appendicitis. His family’s Christian faith believed that if prayer did not heal him, it was his time to “go to the Lord”.
Who wins? Church (faith) or State (laws)? Why?
Ally, the account of that young man's lost life is awful, tragic and his parents distorted beliefs cost him his life. On this we agree. We also agree that many folks claim different ways to follow Jesus. Finally, and I think most importantly, we are in unequivocal agreement that there absolutely MUST be a separation of church and state. The point I was making is that, although many people claim to follow Jesus, that declaration doesn't make their claim accurate. This is especially true if their actual decisions are in stark contrast to the totality of his recorded lessons and deeds. Further to that point, agreeing to award them the unqualified distinction of Christian, a person who not only believes in him but follows his teachings, when their behavior is the opposite, gives an undeserved acknowledgment for something they are not achieving.
Jesus did not teach people to refuse to bring their children to medical experts for help. Yet, these parents warped interpretation of worshipping him was used to choose this negligent action. They didn't follow what Jesus actually said, they chose something their church taught them is how to prove to Jesus that you have faith. All I was trying to say is that many of these folks self-label themselves as following Jesus, but when you look at their choices, actions, adversarial and hostile behavior, etcetera and compare it to his actual words and deeds, they are often completely opposite of what he taught, regardless of how they want to identify themselves.
or the crusades
Christianity abandoned Jesus almost immediately.
The process by which Jesus of Nazareth became "The Christ" reflects the process by which the followers of Jesus became part of empire under Constantine.
The Creeds of the Church speak of conformation of belief and never mention the teachings of Jesus.
Their Christian should be spelled chri$tian.
I'm gonna draw a parallel here. There are good people (many of whom have commented on this thread) who are practicing Christians (I assume) who are appalled by the actions that are being taken at the governmental/political/social level that are based upon those who are taking the action as being based in/on Christian dogma. I get that. The argument made here is that these people are not "real" Christians because their actions are not Christ-like. This original post by Dee said there is "absolutely NOTHING "Christian" about the whole Evangelical movement". Other folks have respectfully disagreed with my assessments about evil being done in the name of Christianity as being based in "real" Christianity.
It does not look like that from the outside. I am not a Christian, nor a deist. If someone beats me with a cudgel that has "Christianity" written on it, I believe that they are representing Christianity. If someone helps me after I've been bludgeoned by treating my injuries and tending to my needs, and tell me they are doing as Christ demanded that they do, I am going to believe that, too. I have watched a local church of a particular denomination go through the process of becoming an "open and affirming" congregation. That process was so distasteful to some that they left that church congregation and went to a different congregation in the same church that refused to let a choir with the word "lesbian" in their name sing with a black choir. This is a nation-wide denomination that has the word "Christ" in its title. Who is right? Who is Christian? Who isn't?
The parallel I want to draw is with law enforcement. We are all cops. There are bad cops, there are good cops, there are mediocre cops. I was a good cop. Derek Chauvin was a bad cop. Kimberly Potter was a good cop who made a serious tactical error. Michael Fanone was a good cop who stood up to insurrection. Chris Kilcullen was a good cop shot and killed by a crazy woman. We were all cops. My point is that you don't get to pick and choose who uses a Bible and proclaims it the Word of God to call themselves Christians.
Ally, I don't disagree that we can't pick and chose who uses a Bible and calls themselves Christians, but we can make a distinction that there are good ones, bad ones and mediocre ones, which was the point we dissenters were making. As you wrote in your analogy, "There are bad cops, there are good cops, there are mediocre cops." That very observation is what makes the acronym ACAB wrong and inaccurate. It just feels like attributing a characteristic to a whole group, without qualifiers, lumps the bad, good and mediocre into the same pot, with exactly the same motivations, actions and results.
I really appreciated reading your point of view. Thanks for considering other viewpoints and posts, and stating your points and counterpoints in such a thoughtful way. I'll close with something I think we can agree on: Dems, led by Biden/Harris in 2024!
CORRECT ! , Dee ! the old Adage, " What Would JESUS DO! Does not FIT ! in ANY WAY in the " Intent, of the HEART !" of the MANY LOST PEOPLE, who THINK, They have a " Handle", .... on Christianity ! PROVERBS 14 / 12 -16 THE BIBLE !
Bravo!Disney!I think Mickey Mouse is a formidable opponent to Mr Don’t Say Gay
Disney has surprisingly broad appeal across all groups in Florida.
If Disney pulls the plug, a personal income tax will have to be imposed by the gubermint!
And apparently groups around the US and the world, based on our tourist numbers!
It’s heartening to see Disney stand up to a bigoted aggressor like DeSantis. It marks a sharp contrast with Anheuser Busch’s groveling before its bullies and boycotters in response to the Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light ads, with paeans to creepy nationalistic Clydesdale horses and camouflaged belligerent beer cans on the way. Terrifying, if it weren’t so absurd.
I wonder if Kid Rock filmed himself violently destroying Minnie Mouse, Simba, and Chewbacca in a hail of automatic rifle bullets (like he did with his F Bud Light gift to Satan) - would that be a moment of lucid epiphany for conservatives led astray from any sense of decency… or would it mark a point of absolutely no return, like celebrating the banning and burning of books?
If I actually drank any of ABinBev's revolting excuses for beer, I would be boycotting them after their pathetic fold to the small, vocal, lunatic fringe on the right...
So true. Not good beer! Good for baking bread, stoking civil wars, and making chili.
Also, a good hair rinse 😈
Ryan McCormick: Tragically, Acultamuricans lack the essential intellectual tools for a "lucid epiphany." They don't feel that they have been "led astray from any sense of decency." Just as they celebrated Archie Bunker for telling what had previously been unspeakable, they will celebrate burning the books they have already begun to ban. Like a "snowball rolling down the side of a snow-covered hill," the point of no return began with Regan strategically recruiting them to gain votes, and "every day it grows a little more." Actually, a lot more.
Reagan told all by speaking in Philadelphia, Miss
Pretty far away from the real Philadelphia and cradle of Liberty, right? Im from Philly, so I can say that.
“There’s a giant meatball after us!”
___Mickey Mouse
Fern McBride: How shudderingly evocative of "Rover" in the cult classic, "The Prisoner." https://youtu.be/I6Ffr1U7KMY
Joanne Gilbert, how is this for the determination and bravery of the Ukrainian leader?
'President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is scheduled to appear in person at the Group of 7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend, several officials said, making an audacious trip halfway across the world as he tries to win commitments for continued arms and aid from the world’s wealthiest democracies.'
'The officials did not say when Mr. Zelensky would arrive, hoping to keep details of his travels vague for security reasons. But the leaders gathered in Hiroshima — who include President Biden and his counterparts from Japan, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Italy — will be talking over the next three days about all dimensions of Russia’s war in Ukraine. That is likely to include discussions about sanctions enforcement, over whether to provide F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv, and about the possibility of negotiations over an armistice or peace treaty.'
'So far, there have been no public announcements about Mr. Zelensky’s plans, and the Ukrainian news media has suggested that he will join the summit virtually. But in the past week, he has visited Britain and other European nations, and his willingness to travel outside Kyiv is intended in part to demonstrate that he has confidence in the stability of his own government. There have been no known efforts by the Russians to interfere with his travels.'
'If Mr. Zelensky arrives in Hiroshima, he will almost certainly have a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Biden. The leaders of India, Brazil and other nations that have been reluctant to support Ukraine are also at the meeting as observers, and Mr. Zelensky’s presence could make it more difficult for them continue that stance, several officials said.' (NYTimes) Sorry, no gifting of article available to me.
Thanks, Fern.
It shined brightly in a sky of dark clouds.
Thanks for that news, Fern. Keeping Zelensky safe is very important. Having him corner those
leaders who are “on the fence” about supporting him, should squirm. Great tactical move.
What a way to end the letter!
They don’t have a winning hand—they just believe that they do. They’re obviously believe in “fake it ‘till you make it”. I don’t believe that the Supreme Court will force the US to default; Harlan Crow and his buddies don’t want to see that.
That said, Putin’s plan to destroy the US democracy seems to be chugging away. I want to see every Democrat running to call out JJ’s committee as an effort to defund the FBI with ads asking whom we call to investigate terrorists and bank robbers when the FBI is no more.
"Putin's plan to destroy the US democracy..."What? Sounds like a perfect example of USA projection....
https://www.newsweek.com/2017/05/26/inside-putin-campaign-destroy-us-democracy-610401.html#origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&cap=swipe,education&webview=1&dialog=1&viewport=natural&visibilityState=prerender&prerenderSize=1&viewerUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Famp%2Fs%2Fwww-newsweek-com.cdn.ampproject.org%2Fc%2Fs%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2F2017%2F05%2F26%2Finside-putin-campaign-destroy-us-democracy-610401.html%3Famp=1&_kit=1
Woke not a bad thing, try it
I'm no fan of extreme corporate power, however I'm more worried about an extreme right wing dictatorship.
Bring on the 14th amendment and get the job of governing and protecting this country back on track!
I am afraid that extreme corporate power and extreme right wing dictatorship are two sides of the same thing; follow the money. Absolute Power corrupts absolutely. We have all but abandoned anti-trust, but corporate abuses entangled with extreme government corruption during the "Gilded Age" is why we once tried to keep companies pared down and competitive, and excess money out of politics; by regulating both.
Same Play, Different Actors
Yes, extreme corporate power enabled extreme political activity.
These points are so troubling -- so concerning. While I believe that Disney can win this battle, the antics of the Repugs in DC are far more dangerous and damaging.
Agree, Rowshan Nemazee. The gop don’t need to win. They just need to “break another window” in the Democratic-institution-neighborhood to continue signally to America that democracy is dead. And since it’s dead, anarchy can reign. They methodically push the envelope, bit by bit, each news cycle, to try nudging democracy off the cliff.
Their goal IS TO CRASH THE SYSTEM. They believe the resulting chaos will provide the ultimate opportunity to rewrite the constitution and fulfill the white ethnostate of Confederate Dreams.
In Oregon some of the Republicans are doing "WALKOUTS" to prevent a quorum. In 2020, we passed Measure 113, a Constutional Amendment, to stop walkouts. There are several Republicans who have ten or more unexcused absences right now. That means according to the new Oregon Constitutional Amendment passed in 2020, that they cannot run for office again. But of course, the Republicans are going to go to court to try to nullify the new Amendment, typical Republican behavior.
The way I see it Walkouts are just lower degree Jan.6th insurrections.
It's governance by manipulation any way you look at it. Is that ever justified? Perhaps; but not as the standard operating procedure we see from the "GOP" these days. Everything they do, from the augment against Obama's SCOTUS appointment, to the attempted fake electors, to the threat of default is about rule by dirty tricks instead of a just and faithful republican representation process. Even calling that party "Republican" now smacks of fake Orwellian labeling.
Y E S.
And our cowardly MSM helps the not-gop. Nothing grand about the magats
But the click-bait-drama keeps the $$$$$$$ flowing for MSM (which by now we should realize is just an entertainment industry)
Mission Accomplished
Not yet and quite possibly never.
Rowshan Nemazee--All of the "antics" are on the same fascism continuum . . .
I am waiting for a national speech from President Biden in which he finds a way to ignore the national debt limit, preserve the ‘full faith and credit of the United States,’ and leave McCarthy blabbering with his House renegades.
Any sort of black mail deal would be putting a patch on a gangrenous wound and providing red meat to the Republican jackals.
Biden could use a wooden spike and a silver bullet. Isn’t that what works best against werewolves?
And vampires too, Keith!
Like movie monsters that can't be killed, those who live to dominate keep coming back, same script if different players. But they can be chased back to their lair. Sometimes the light of day is enough.
🤩🤩🤩 my favorite comment of the day! 🙏 thank you!
There's this: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-wont-agree-bipartisan-deal-debt-solely-republicans-terms-2023-05-21/
To be followed once he has returned to the U.S. by a prime time speech, I hope, to the American people making the very same points.
Judith I yearn for a Biden prime time speech in which he cuts the balls off castrati Kevin (which would seem impossible, since McCarthy sacrificed his balls to 20 House renegades during the 15-vote-speakership charade.
Biden could be extremely blunt—pointing out that McCarthy had his sycophants are reflecting David Stockman’s failed ‘Starve the Beast’’’ (‘social expenditures) after a massive increase in defense spending.
McCarthy and his buddies are seeking to target core social expenditures while refusing to consider taxes. Personally I would shove this up the Republicans’ arse—which probably is why I’m not Biden’s speech writer. Still—-KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.
LOL! May Biden's speechwriters be reading your comment and taking inspiration... in somewhat more polite language.
Judith Ballderdash!
Mickey Mouse 3 DeSantis 0. If DeSantis is bozoed by a mouse, how would he do nationally and globally, where the animals are man eating?
It's ok let's not panic because.... Long term all authoritarian measures just do NOT work. Main reason, is , strangely, lack of compassion, lack of heart. The man in the street has more power contrarily to what is thought.
But it does mean that we fight all the way for the good measures, the right choice, the ethics.
The Disney issue is a wake up call fo the voters in Florida, whether you are on one side or the other.
Trust the voter, he/she is more aware than is thought, but let's do our work too. Donna Deagan, Democrat, was elected Mayor of Jacksonville, after a strong showing,
While all authoritarian measures may not work in the long run, I consider what Europe looked like after World War 2 and how long it took for its countries to regain their economic footing. Not to mention rebuild their cities. How many were killed? Exterminated? And how many never recovered in all the ways it means to be human?
Sarah Vogel--Yes. Plus, humanity might not have time to survive a "long run."
While I hold out hope, I worry that we are collectively clever enough to cause our own extinction and not wise enough to take the step that would pull us back from the brink.
Glad that you still have some hope . . . wish I did. I don't think we have a political collectivity --especially not one that is clever and wise.
Sarah And without the magnificent Marshall Plan ($13,000, 000,000) at that time, the outcome could have been vastly different.
Keith, I think you got carried away with zeros and misplace a comma or two but the point is well made. Per Wikipedia: "The United States transferred $13.3 billion (equivalent of $173 billion in 2023) in economic recovery programs to Western European economies after the end of World War II."
Judith I grew up when a millionaire was a person who had a million in assets. (Now it’s a million in annual income). A billion was beyond comprehensive. Now we are tossing trillions around like a badminton cock.
As for billions, I get a nose bleed with are the 0s. It there was an extra ) or two, use them next time you are writing trillion.
Thanks for mentioned what $13.3 billion would be today. (Of course, it was principally used to buy products in the United States (including Missouri mules, which were must larger and orbiter than what Greek farmers had been accustomed to.
I believe that the Marshall Plan ‘saved’ Western Europe. The Brits were exhausted, France was a mess, Italy was a major communist target, and Germany was rubble with millions of starving people. This is one reason why I consider George C. Marshall the greatest American of the 20th century.
I much prefer typing $13.3 billion than to try and keep track of the zeros. I end up counting them on my fingers and mentally adding commas. But I do think all of the zeros make a stronger impression.
Judith Reminds me of that WW II song “Johnny got a Zero
Johnny got a Zero
Johnny got a Zero today.
That's why we need to stop wringing our hands and do what it takes now to head this off. By peaceful means, but without hesitation. Mass protests, peaceful but determined. Mass postcards and letters to voters.
Mass letters to congress people, and not just the ones we disagree with. It is critical to let the ones we agree with know we appreciate what they are up against and thank them.
We need to stop letting WaDC set the whole agenda for what we do and get REALLY involved at the local level and at the state level. We have recently had some fantastic examples of success because people got to work and elected progressive candidates. We need more, not only because that is where our leaders will come from in the next few decades, but also because RIGHT NOW it sends a message that we will not tolerate having our democracy taken apart.
If we wait until it gets to the point where we are as a nation in a state of violence, we will already have lost. Wanna-be fascists fail before they get established because people stand up to them, because they do the things that keep our votes safe and the decision-making process open. We are pretty close to the edge, but these recent reclaimings of the democracic process are encouraging. We just need to stop wasting time and energy on vindictive name-calling and redirect it to doing the actual work of democracy.
Oh, btw, I forgot to mention here that I am now a Justice of the Peace in my town. The main job of JOPs here is overseeing elections. Our elections here are safe and reliable because VT set up a system to ensure that- but I am happy to be part of the process (at least 2 of our JOPs are simply lazy). Our selectboard chair is a man who literally believes that once the election is over, democracy ends and we become a republic (these are his words) in which the board makes the decisions without input. He has been roundly disabused of that notion.
Enough people are standing up here that the Select Board has had to admit that they were in error, and some remarkable changes have occurred . We now have two women on the Board. For this place, that is huge. The minutes actually reflect what happens town board meetings (helped by the fact that now all board meetings save executive sessions are on Zoom and available as videos). Until recently, executive sessions were black holes that were used for all manner of things. Now must be limited to personnel actions (as required by law), and the results made public asap. Contract negotiations with a union are NOT personnel actions (we won on that).
Yay.
We have a way to go, but what we are now is way different from when I moved here. Still have issues with the Town Dem Committee, because the chair (one of the lazy JOPs, as it happens) does not understand the law regarding the organization of political parties, Well, didn't. I went through, in a meeting with other Dems including our state rep, what the law actually says. I hope it got through to him that the state does not dictate to parties how to function: the law is merely a way for parties to achieve recognition by the state so they can get on the ballot. The parties are completely independent of the government. The parties establish their structure and rules of operation, including how to select candidates. How this basic tenet escaped this man's understanding is beyond me.
But awareness is growing, and I will continue to work with him and other town Dems for full participation in the county and state organizations. We've got some younger people coming up, and we need to make sure those pathways are open for them.
This is one of the most important things we can do to avoid getting to the point that fascists take over. We stop them in their tracks before they get started, and we take them down using the democracy they are trying to undermine.
I'm done with hand-wringing. I love HCRs letters, video talks, and especially her reminder that she does those things so that we will have the information and tools we need to do our part to keep democracy growing. I have gotten so much from many others on board here, but more and more I see familiar names from the early days here in places that are about doing.
Annie this is awesome work.....
Thank you, Flo. I needed someone to say that. I see we have some things in common, too, from your brief bio!
Lol, I am sure we do ! Nothing like doing small good work, large rivers are made of droplets !!!!
Goodness I didn't mean your work is small... I meant that often we think our actions are small but they are.. not !! lol
Precisely, Annie.
Thank you, Sarah.
I totally agree, Sarah, I meant we fight this. I just meant how history shows that long term these crumble... I didn't mean lets go through it... ;)
I understand, Flo. It is easier to share what we're thinking in conversation over coffee. You're right, of course. In terms of history, it is a short period of time. For a great perspective on that, you may wish to read/reread Carl Sagan's pale blue dot essay. Still, those of us alive at our given point of time in history should be moved to protect the human good.
totally totally.... that's what we are here for.... 😉
I agree Flo! That Donna Deegan win in Jacksonville is huge!! 💙💙
Trust the voter, not where I am. God forbid the MAGAts rule the fools here
It’s a sad commentary that any politician, or anyone for that matter, would think destroying democracy, our economy, our country, and our standing in the world is holding a “winning hand.”
These MAGATs don’t “think”. They are incapable. These MAGATS aren’t Christians. They are pretenders. Democratic voters hold the winning hand and just wait: we will PLAY IT!!
Pretenders and predators.
MAGAT's are sub-human, freaks of nature and they are most certainly not Christians. They are mentally deranged cretins that aren't capable of thinking, they don't even know what that means.
To get disgusted with them is part of the playbook. Be angry, frustrated, and frightened, but these opponents are not sub-human, nor freaks of nature. Manipulated, Misled, and Dangerous is bad enough. But they are still as fully human as we are. John T. Phillips, you are too good a person to stay in the grip of fascist dehumanizing language and thought. Your outrage is understandable. We are in an insane situation, created by / abetted by fully human neighbors, friends, family, co-workers, community leaders, business leaders, and elected politicians. Foolish, corrupt, misled, greedy, narrow-minded, small-hearted, and hypocritical perhaps. But fully human. I work hard to remember this when I reach the bottom of my sanity.
Thank you so very much for this, MLR. I admire the gentleness with which you defined something I struggle with to grasp. And brought me back from the edge of my own sanity here. Yes, the one thing we need to remember is that our neighbors are fully human and have the right to be treated respectfully, lest we become what we claim they are. Bless you ( and I mean that in the way it was meant to be used),
The Follow-the-Money rule eternally applies.
Power is in their sights, no downside to that for the MAGAt crowd
It's really quite a sick response, isn't it Ginni?
Madness.
"Think"???
All that I can say is: "GO MICKEY!!!!!!!" Who would have thought that US democracy would have to depend on a mouse? Wow, just Wow!
Every day, E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y, I think it can't get any worse & then I wake up & it is!
Generic question: "What the hell is going on?" Are Republicans that stupid, selfish, self-centered, unpatriotic, greedy? Do they really want to throw the baby out with the bath water. Oh no, they won't do that, I forgot a fertilized egg is a person & deserves all the rights of a person outside the womb. Silly me!
Who would have thought that it would be republicans that would turn against Big Business. Let's see them play with the mega-banks that have been created from lack of regulation. Wait til they piss off one of their dark money friends. Let's see how far they can go then. In case they don't know, big money doesn't usually care about religion, all it cares about is the bottom line. Christian theology, they could care less. And now you see what big business can do to a state that messes with Mickey Mouse! Seems that I also heard on the news that Disney is rethinking personnel changes, you know, not sending people to Florida. So between lost revenue, lost jobs, lost employees, well Ron, how are you going to spin that!?
And I'm going to keep saying it, they have no idea what authoritarainism can be like. It doesn't just punish & abuse the minorities, the "others". Eventually it impacts everyone except the very top. Those republicans in red states with all their babies & no health care, no safety net, just how do they think they can provide for their families. And the topper is, once they take power they won't be able to blame the democrats any more. Then they'll turn on themselves. In the mean time China & Russia will decide which part of the US they want or which of our allies will fall under the control of Russia & China.
You know, the US with the oceans between us & the major combatents in WWII & our vast supplies of raw materials, a strong manufacturing base, plenty of employees, people willing to sacrifice & to adhere to rationing, that country was able to save the world from fascism. We don't have that unity any more thanks to greed, stupidity & powergrabs. Who is going to save us from ourselves?
You’ve resurrected one of my nieces and nephews favorite shows back in the 1950s—the Mouseketeers with Mickey! They’d spell it out: MICKEY MOUSEKETEER. Now this might be remembered as DeSantis’s swan (mouse) song.
RTN, Actually, as crazy as it seems I think most of these MAGA supporters aren’t engaged enough to understand anything beyond “Own the Libs”
Above all, Don't Say Ron's Gay. And, boycott the Drag Queen Story Hour led by Rhonda Santis. And, will someone please inform Rhonda that white waterproof go-go boots are out.
I look for hope in the poll released in the New York Post yesterday. Biden at 50%, Trump at 37% head to head. Among Independents, Biden had a 28% lead over Trump. I doubt DeSantis would do much better, when more of the electorate finds out. I found it interesting also that the Democrats took the City of Jacksonville Mayoral race on Tuesday. On Morning Joe, Joe said that Jacksonville has been a bastion of Republican power for almost 100 years. He should know, since he used to be a Republican Congressman from Florida years ago.
He said Democrats should "Stop wetting the bed over Biden and his age." It's early yet, but look at the Border mess, that Republicans were hoping to have fester. It seems like Order on the Border is another political meme the Republicans got wrong! Biden, the silver fox outfoxed the Republican Idiot Party again!!.
Biden should be relabeled The Oracle of Washington!
Wow! The New York Post!! Owned by (wait for it) .... Rupert Murdoch.
OMG…the last paragraph is chilling…the MAGA cult wants to destroy our country.
Of course they do and they’re not trying to hide it anymore. It’s as plain as day.
Hidden in plain sight. The "elephant" in the room.
Of course they do. And we can keep that from happening.
DeSantis in 'revenche' activities with Disney, Uber-Liar Santos still being protected by his ilk, Jim Ignoramus Jordan, and foul-mouth MJT - what an illustrious pack of 'politicians'. America deserves better!
Marli: They don't represent Americans--their enthusiastic constituents are Acultamuricans.
Marli, every single day I get my pitchfork and my wheelbarrow and I go pick up those piles you mentioned where the horses have dropped them. (sigh).
This particular piece of Heathers is especially worrisome…the path to Christian Nationalism
Everyone really needs to understand this grisly process …..I put it in my Facebook feed and sent it to more than my usual e mail recipients….
Suggest you do the same!’
Joan Leslie: "Grisly." Exactly.