Today started off with Attorney General William Barr designating New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, as “Jurisdictions Permitting Violence and Destruction of Property.” His statement responded to Trump’s September 2 memorandum calling for a review of funding to “state and local governments that are permitting anarchy, violence, and destruction in American cities.”
Panama papers and or Pentagon papers here we come. I just hope that the accountants and journalists can work fast enough to get out a revelation each day till Jan 20. This election might only end at that date!
Three points come to mind instantly directly concerning Trump:
Firstly, the mountains of Russian cash the Trump/Kushner have laundered directly through their condominium sales operations.
Secondly, the possible/probable Russian origin of Trumps corporate and personal borrowing through Deutsch Bank. These people aren't happy neither with losing their "laundered" capital through legal foreclosure or criminal bankrupcy nor with being exposed for their criminal behaviour on all the front pages of every newspaper and on headlines of every TV/internt news. Secrecy is golden and its breach deadly...and Putin is both their leader and their principal enforcer.
Thirdly, this will hit the Koch Poltical Network that own, organize and finance the GOP as they will be as exposed as their Russian "brothers" and other Plutocrats. They have the same morals, fears, aims and methods. Trump's campaign is running short of cash and his financiers might be a little annoyed that this breach was allowed and draw in their horns to protect their wealth and the GOP could suffer the consequences across the board. This is going to be fun!
Nothing is certain in life...but i think Trump's happiest days are behind him...if he ever had any! Life in the coming years will not be as he would like...but the world won't be the same as before. We can influence it individually and collectively by our thoughts, prayers and our acts but there are longer-term, non-materialistc forces which will guide our fate mor stongly ...so we'll see where the hurricain blows us.
Wouldn’t it be sweet irony if Trump’s attempt at mega-branding by running for president ends up in his jailed downfall and ignominious end of the Trump Company?
The GOP has no appreciation for your tears, other than to turn them against you. My Christian self is soldiering onward. These fake immoral "Christians" have been outed.
I'm perhaps a little less Christian in this respect...no turning the other cheek and no elation either. The origins of my name seem to be from steward.. I defend vigorously my people from external threats and agression in a fairly forceful manner and in the cause of peace and harmony. No regrets!
I think it's whatever legal fees he has had the whole time, which is actually legal. Although his campaign won't have to pay to defend him against EJ Carroll's defamation suit, if Barr gets away with sticking us taxpayers for that one.
Koch etc's drive to impose their will has cost us a fortune in forgone tax revenus as they have a lot of smart people ensuring that all of their subversive social and political "philanthropy" is tax deductible and that is what is funding GOP etc! The mega (or MAGA) flows of funds through bankers of convenience to interest earning, non-taxed paradises need to be exposed and sequestered untill they are proved legit...and then massively penalized and brought home for all to see.
That is why they screamed when the IRS started enforcing the laws about non-taxable non-profits actually being non-political. Like Roger Stone's Gucci riot to stop vote counting in 2000, it was both despicable and effective.
So the IRS is once again concentrating its meager resources on bothering middle income taxpayers, and not bothering anyone who might be making contributions to 45. Don't discount Roger Stone, Trump sprung him from prison and expects payback.
Tears for the honor being so righteously bestowed upon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
A little relief that justice is tapping more and more cracks into the veneer covering the dark money and greed that threaten our democracy and well being.
I’m so tired of the red/blue divisions. Our elected officials are *supposed* to represent *all* Americans, not just those they like. I have voted independent for years, judging candidates by their actions rather than their political affiliation, but no more. This year I’ll vote Democrat all the way.
The one thing we can depend on, in this group of administration thugs is a smoke screen. Where there is the call of “Fire!” is their cover up for something they want no one to notice. Tiring! Which is another part of the scenario.
I still can’t believe there are his supporters and there are undecided or worse third party voters. A coworker just today said Covid deaths aren’t real. And ACA made our health system worse. I don’t even try to convince her. It’s the undecided I think we need to reach!
Thanks for the daily run down! Clarity in the smoke screen! 💙
I hope your coworker has no pre-existing conditions. Pre ACA, health insurance companies went out of their way to find them. Plus there were caps on the amount that insurance companies would pay out for a lifetime. Hope she realizes how easy it is to hit $1 million in health care expenses. SMH.
Given trump's behavior pattern of accusing oponents of what he is actually doing, I fear that he is making progress in establishing a real deep state...
Exhausting, and the muddling of information by the CDC has lost them much credibility at a time the nation needs strong leadership.
I am however cheered a bit to know that on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will become the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol.
This one is going on my regular Facebook feed. There are a lot of nuggets people need to read. I was text banking late yesterday afternoon to let people know about a event with Jennifer Garner last night. There were a few Republicans that texted me back that they planned to vote for Biden. I know it does not seem like much, however I still did a happy dance. By posting "letters" like this, it will push some "on the fence" over on Joe's side.
The non-university educated, white male and female populations' support of Trump is slipping according to the latest CBS poll.....and that's what put him over the top in 2016. You are not alone in doing a happy dance.
I post these letters daily. After all, it’s how I first found out about this great enterprise to save our democracy. And it’s an attempt to balance out the dis-information scale. I also post videos from RVAT and Lincoln project.
The tagging of Seattle, Portland, and New York as "anarchist jurisdictions" really was the tipping point for me.
I visited NYC for the first time in six months last week. Parts of it -- Times Square and the theater district -- were empty, more like something out of the Twilight Zone than an anarchist free-for-all -- and others -- Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum -- were as ordinary as imaginable, except for the masks. Calling NYC anarchist is nothing more than political vindictiveness against a place that knows Trump for what he is, and all too well. And more than a little hypocritical given Trump's calls for violence to his base, and his plea for armed goons to "liberate Michigan".
The "deal" with Federalism is: the States have their bailiwick, and the Federal government its own, but the States can count on the Feds to fulfill its part of the contract and treat States and their citizens evenhandedly. So...Federalism, on any interpretation, is dead. Full stop.
I keep thinking of the economic historian Albert O. Hirschman's book "Exit, Voice, and Loyalty." He tried to generalize the ways in which actors in all sorts of institutions -- governments, states, businesses, markets, churches, etc. -- can deal with situations where the institutions fail to address the needs and legitimate expectations of those who participate in them. "Exit" is one option: leave your employer, find another brand, join another party, emigrate. "Voice" is another: try to change that institution from within by making noises and being heard. To the extent that "voice" does not get heard, "exit" becomes a more attractive option, the only mitigating factor being "loyalty" to the institution. But loyalty is not limitless. Striking some kind of practical balance between exit, voice, and loyalty constitutes the dynamics of institutional change, preservation, and collapse.
I do not like to draw this conclusion, but the grounds for loyalty to the federation called the USA are disintegrating by the day -- certainly for those locales that the Trump administration is hell bent on punishing. If voice continues to fail, exit becomes the reasonable option. Unless you are a one-percenter, the Federal government is not only useless, it is actively harmful, especially to your health with 200,000 dead from COVID and Jared-the-ghoul's religious devotion to the free market. We are literally on our own now. Whether "we" encompasses the States, or a smaller political unit, will be determined in the next few months. Exit is never an attractive option, but in a sense it's being forced on us, and the form it will take is that of Yeats's "rough beast, slouching toward Bethlehem, to be born."
Joe Biden better be prepared to recognize this: it is either rebirth or endgame for the USA.
It's not only Jared. This is the line that the Movement Conservatives have been pushing for over 50 years. HCR talks about it at length in her books and FB talks. The lineage of the idea goes back to the men who profited from the labor of large numbers of enslaved Africans in the early days of the country, and on through the men who profited from the labor of large numbers of poorly paid and poorly treated factory workers. They hate anything that benefits anyone other than themselves, and want the federal government to do nothing but defend their property. This is why Trump has had so much backing from the Senate and from those who finance the Republican party for his destruction of the federal government and willful ignoring of the coronavirus. It's not only Putin who applauds and finances his attacks on this country.
Oh, for sure it's not only Jared! My reference to him banks on the recent New Republic article "The Psychopathic Incompetence of Jared Kushner". Worth reading: (https://newrepublic.com/article/159407/jared-kushner-coronavirus-free-market-failure) Kushner is but one symptom of this ailment that has been here since 1787 -- no, since 1619.
Goodness...this is a really heavy set of thoughts this early in the morning. But maybe being too optimistic is dangerous as well. Just to let you know, voting in my state started last Friday, and I exercised my right to vote...that is my way (among other things) to try to turn this ship around.
Laura, your analysis of our situation through the lens of "Exit, Voice, and Loyalty" rings true. I wonder how Trump's administration and supporters do not recognize the hand that feeds them in so many cases. Or, perhaps they don't care.
Many years ago I read a book called The Last Days of the Late, Great State of California, which in the final chapter lays out the impact of "the big one," an earthquake that breaks off California and dumps it into the Pacific. It would be interesting to see an update that encompasses the three west coast states. I've fantasized about California, Oregon and Washington forming a federation to secede and establish the west coast as a separate country, but alas, I think "voice" is a more realistic option.
Same here. But I also want to emphasize that the collapse of Federal/National institutions will, to put it mildly, not be fun. The alternative may be worse, i.e., home-grown despotism, but it would still be disastrous.
Yeah, I'm sorry but talking secession is just wasting your breath. Can you name a state that could take up the slack just on the Social Security payments that would be cut off to all older people in that state following secession? That's not counting all the other "income transfers" people depend on. Stop wasting your time fantasizing the impossible. We don't get to take our marbles and leave. Talking secession is a demonstration of political illiteracy.
Yeah, I'm sorry but talking secession is just wasting your breath. Can you name a state that could take up the slack just on the Social Security payments that would be cut off to all older people in that state following secession? That's not counting all the other "income transfers" people depend on. Stop wasting your time fantasizing the impossible. We don't get to take our marbles and leave.
I must repeat what I said yesterday -- we cannot do anything about the SCOTUS appointment. It is now nothing but a distraction. There are plenty of remedies for after the election. It is most important to win the election up and down the ballot. And it will keep the senators who are running in Washington, not out on the campaign trail. We need to keep Covid and trump's awful handling of it front and center, especially now that he has designated the elderly as nobodies. Get the senior vote and we assure a win. It is the one thing trump doesn't want being talked about, so we must.
Someone on Nicole Wallace yesterday theorized that tRump and McConnell have a pact...tRump appoints conservative judges all down the line, (McConnell's goal to pack the courts), and McConnell will see to it that the Senate goes along with whatever tRump and the rest of the thugs want. Sounds reasonable, but on the same show, another theory suggested that pushing this nomination through will be the death knoll for tRump and his sycophants in November. I like the second theory better. While most of yesterdays news continues to rush at us with warp speed, I do sense that people are fed up. I'm seeing a slight ray of hope where I haven't for some time.
I truly hope that pushing the nomination through is the death knell for Trump and company. The devastating mayhem of covid -19 apparently isn't enough.
McConnell's plan all along has been to pack the courts at all levels, so that when the wheel inevitably turns, the oligarchs can still block progressive repairs. The only way to fix that will be a combination of doubling the size of the federal bench, which is long overdue given population changes, and requiring all sitting and future federal judges to pass basic tests of judicial competence to continue in or go into office. That will leave any competent conservative judges in place while weeding out all the hacks who know only to back whatever Trump/McCon want. The Supreme Court, instead of doubling, can go to 15, hearing most cases with a panel of 5 and going to the full court as needed.
We have been living with a distorted justice system for so long that I'm not sure weeding out the hacks McConnell/Trump put in place will be an easy task. At some point eligible voters need to take the process seriously, which millions have not. It's not simply a matter of weeding out the garbage in the judiciary, it's a matter of weeding out the garbage from all branches of government, from city government all the way up the line. Until people realize that their vote actually matters OR simply not voting because of apathy towards a particular candidate, we're screwed.
The removal of an important statement from the CDC’s website and henchman Azar’s literal takeover of all official announcements regarding health/medical issues is not only disturbing, it is downright criminal and irresponsible! Aren’t 200,000 deaths enough, Mr. “president”?
Then again, what does this administration promote that isn’t detrimental to our country and her citizens? Its designation of three cities as “anarchy jurisdictions” or its diversionary tactics to incite war with Iran — with Israel and her two new emirate allies — just prior to the election?
The Most Honorable Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is as worthy of lying in state in the Capitol as any white man before her, and in many cases, more so. That she is the very first woman is exceedingly deserving — that there will be families watching (or there, in person) to pay their respects with their daughters and granddaughters gives me hope.
One of the many things that disturbs me is the projection, saying the cities are violent places deserving defunding when in fact the violence is mostly done by outside agitators, encouraged by the Creature's rhetoric and praise of police who shoot rubber bullets into a journalist's (Ali Veshi's) knee and teenagers who travel there from out of state to kill protestors.
As someone who resides in Portland, I affirm that even just having that projection "floated out there," the psychic damage I feel, at being targeted by our own gov't, is terrifying. What wouldn't they do? To "set an example?"
Each day another episode of the Reality Show “What Would Hitler Do?”
Starring Twitler as The Don, Bill DisBarred as Goebbels, Moscow Mitch as Goering and featuring ICE Dr. Mengele Amin. With a cast of minions playing Nazi cultists cheering on The Don.
Sorry, but I find cynicism cathartic at times. Especially these times. Also posting memes of Repugnant Party Lying Hypocrites:
Not to worry, Rob. I think the "cynicism room" is more than a bit crowded by now!
"Cynicism is an attitude characterized by a general distrust of others' motives. A cynic may have a general lack of faith or hope in the human species or people motivated by ambition, desire, greed, gratification, materialism, goals, and opinions that a cynic perceives as vain, unobtainable, or ultimately meaningless and therefore deserving of ridicule or admonishment. The term originally derives from the ancient Greek philosophers, the Cynics, who rejected all conventions, whether of religion, manners, housing, dress, or decency, instead advocating the pursuit of virtue in accordance with a simple and idealistic way of life."
"... Cynics, who rejected all conventions, whether of religion, manners, housing, dress, or decency, instead advocating the pursuit of virtue in accordance with a simple and idealistic way of life."
:) I am sitting here naked in my studio 1-room apartment as usual & when I go out I will be wearing cutoff shorts, the same as I have since the '70s. I have rejected religion since my teen years. IDK how virtuous, but it is a simple way of life.
Panama papers and or Pentagon papers here we come. I just hope that the accountants and journalists can work fast enough to get out a revelation each day till Jan 20. This election might only end at that date!
Three points come to mind instantly directly concerning Trump:
Firstly, the mountains of Russian cash the Trump/Kushner have laundered directly through their condominium sales operations.
Secondly, the possible/probable Russian origin of Trumps corporate and personal borrowing through Deutsch Bank. These people aren't happy neither with losing their "laundered" capital through legal foreclosure or criminal bankrupcy nor with being exposed for their criminal behaviour on all the front pages of every newspaper and on headlines of every TV/internt news. Secrecy is golden and its breach deadly...and Putin is both their leader and their principal enforcer.
Thirdly, this will hit the Koch Poltical Network that own, organize and finance the GOP as they will be as exposed as their Russian "brothers" and other Plutocrats. They have the same morals, fears, aims and methods. Trump's campaign is running short of cash and his financiers might be a little annoyed that this breach was allowed and draw in their horns to protect their wealth and the GOP could suffer the consequences across the board. This is going to be fun!
Please be right, Stuart!
Nothing is certain in life...but i think Trump's happiest days are behind him...if he ever had any! Life in the coming years will not be as he would like...but the world won't be the same as before. We can influence it individually and collectively by our thoughts, prayers and our acts but there are longer-term, non-materialistc forces which will guide our fate mor stongly ...so we'll see where the hurricain blows us.
Wouldn’t it be sweet irony if Trump’s attempt at mega-branding by running for president ends up in his jailed downfall and ignominious end of the Trump Company?
He loses the election and his company is dead...and perhaps him too! Nobody is going to cry.
My Christian self dictates that I turn the other cheek. So yes, I will cry but they will be tears of joy
The GOP has no appreciation for your tears, other than to turn them against you. My Christian self is soldiering onward. These fake immoral "Christians" have been outed.
I'm perhaps a little less Christian in this respect...no turning the other cheek and no elation either. The origins of my name seem to be from steward.. I defend vigorously my people from external threats and agression in a fairly forceful manner and in the cause of peace and harmony. No regrets!
One can only hope.
$60 million on legal fees ... for Trump? For his personal Use (fighting tax return cases) and/or other things?
NY South AG is almost there on his tax returns and Deutsche Bank records. trump has no legal recourse left.
So when will the next big thing happen?
I think it's whatever legal fees he has had the whole time, which is actually legal. Although his campaign won't have to pay to defend him against EJ Carroll's defamation suit, if Barr gets away with sticking us taxpayers for that one.
Love your 3rd point especially!
Koch etc's drive to impose their will has cost us a fortune in forgone tax revenus as they have a lot of smart people ensuring that all of their subversive social and political "philanthropy" is tax deductible and that is what is funding GOP etc! The mega (or MAGA) flows of funds through bankers of convenience to interest earning, non-taxed paradises need to be exposed and sequestered untill they are proved legit...and then massively penalized and brought home for all to see.
That is why they screamed when the IRS started enforcing the laws about non-taxable non-profits actually being non-political. Like Roger Stone's Gucci riot to stop vote counting in 2000, it was both despicable and effective.
But now Mnuchin is in control!
Until the election and inauguration, one hopes. I'm an agnostic, praying that Biden wins in the Electoral College
It all helps!
So the IRS is once again concentrating its meager resources on bothering middle income taxpayers, and not bothering anyone who might be making contributions to 45. Don't discount Roger Stone, Trump sprung him from prison and expects payback.
Tears for the honor being so righteously bestowed upon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
A little relief that justice is tapping more and more cracks into the veneer covering the dark money and greed that threaten our democracy and well being.
So I'm not the only one...
Jennifer Huber, No, you are not!
I’m so tired of the red/blue divisions. Our elected officials are *supposed* to represent *all* Americans, not just those they like. I have voted independent for years, judging candidates by their actions rather than their political affiliation, but no more. This year I’ll vote Democrat all the way.
Keep the House Blue, Turn the Senate Blue and turn the White House Blazing Neon Blue.
Me too.
The one thing we can depend on, in this group of administration thugs is a smoke screen. Where there is the call of “Fire!” is their cover up for something they want no one to notice. Tiring! Which is another part of the scenario.
I still can’t believe there are his supporters and there are undecided or worse third party voters. A coworker just today said Covid deaths aren’t real. And ACA made our health system worse. I don’t even try to convince her. It’s the undecided I think we need to reach!
Thanks for the daily run down! Clarity in the smoke screen! 💙
I hope your coworker has no pre-existing conditions. Pre ACA, health insurance companies went out of their way to find them. Plus there were caps on the amount that insurance companies would pay out for a lifetime. Hope she realizes how easy it is to hit $1 million in health care expenses. SMH.
Given trump's behavior pattern of accusing oponents of what he is actually doing, I fear that he is making progress in establishing a real deep state...
Exhausting, and the muddling of information by the CDC has lost them much credibility at a time the nation needs strong leadership.
I am however cheered a bit to know that on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will become the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol.
This one is going on my regular Facebook feed. There are a lot of nuggets people need to read. I was text banking late yesterday afternoon to let people know about a event with Jennifer Garner last night. There were a few Republicans that texted me back that they planned to vote for Biden. I know it does not seem like much, however I still did a happy dance. By posting "letters" like this, it will push some "on the fence" over on Joe's side.
The non-university educated, white male and female populations' support of Trump is slipping according to the latest CBS poll.....and that's what put him over the top in 2016. You are not alone in doing a happy dance.
I post these letters daily. After all, it’s how I first found out about this great enterprise to save our democracy. And it’s an attempt to balance out the dis-information scale. I also post videos from RVAT and Lincoln project.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be the first Jew and first woman to lie in state at the Capitol. Her Jewishness was important to her.
The tagging of Seattle, Portland, and New York as "anarchist jurisdictions" really was the tipping point for me.
I visited NYC for the first time in six months last week. Parts of it -- Times Square and the theater district -- were empty, more like something out of the Twilight Zone than an anarchist free-for-all -- and others -- Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum -- were as ordinary as imaginable, except for the masks. Calling NYC anarchist is nothing more than political vindictiveness against a place that knows Trump for what he is, and all too well. And more than a little hypocritical given Trump's calls for violence to his base, and his plea for armed goons to "liberate Michigan".
The "deal" with Federalism is: the States have their bailiwick, and the Federal government its own, but the States can count on the Feds to fulfill its part of the contract and treat States and their citizens evenhandedly. So...Federalism, on any interpretation, is dead. Full stop.
I keep thinking of the economic historian Albert O. Hirschman's book "Exit, Voice, and Loyalty." He tried to generalize the ways in which actors in all sorts of institutions -- governments, states, businesses, markets, churches, etc. -- can deal with situations where the institutions fail to address the needs and legitimate expectations of those who participate in them. "Exit" is one option: leave your employer, find another brand, join another party, emigrate. "Voice" is another: try to change that institution from within by making noises and being heard. To the extent that "voice" does not get heard, "exit" becomes a more attractive option, the only mitigating factor being "loyalty" to the institution. But loyalty is not limitless. Striking some kind of practical balance between exit, voice, and loyalty constitutes the dynamics of institutional change, preservation, and collapse.
I do not like to draw this conclusion, but the grounds for loyalty to the federation called the USA are disintegrating by the day -- certainly for those locales that the Trump administration is hell bent on punishing. If voice continues to fail, exit becomes the reasonable option. Unless you are a one-percenter, the Federal government is not only useless, it is actively harmful, especially to your health with 200,000 dead from COVID and Jared-the-ghoul's religious devotion to the free market. We are literally on our own now. Whether "we" encompasses the States, or a smaller political unit, will be determined in the next few months. Exit is never an attractive option, but in a sense it's being forced on us, and the form it will take is that of Yeats's "rough beast, slouching toward Bethlehem, to be born."
Joe Biden better be prepared to recognize this: it is either rebirth or endgame for the USA.
It's not only Jared. This is the line that the Movement Conservatives have been pushing for over 50 years. HCR talks about it at length in her books and FB talks. The lineage of the idea goes back to the men who profited from the labor of large numbers of enslaved Africans in the early days of the country, and on through the men who profited from the labor of large numbers of poorly paid and poorly treated factory workers. They hate anything that benefits anyone other than themselves, and want the federal government to do nothing but defend their property. This is why Trump has had so much backing from the Senate and from those who finance the Republican party for his destruction of the federal government and willful ignoring of the coronavirus. It's not only Putin who applauds and finances his attacks on this country.
Oh, for sure it's not only Jared! My reference to him banks on the recent New Republic article "The Psychopathic Incompetence of Jared Kushner". Worth reading: (https://newrepublic.com/article/159407/jared-kushner-coronavirus-free-market-failure) Kushner is but one symptom of this ailment that has been here since 1787 -- no, since 1619.
Goodness...this is a really heavy set of thoughts this early in the morning. But maybe being too optimistic is dangerous as well. Just to let you know, voting in my state started last Friday, and I exercised my right to vote...that is my way (among other things) to try to turn this ship around.
Laura, your analysis of our situation through the lens of "Exit, Voice, and Loyalty" rings true. I wonder how Trump's administration and supporters do not recognize the hand that feeds them in so many cases. Or, perhaps they don't care.
As a NYC’er for most of my life, thoughts of secession have now become part of my serious thinking, and that of many of my friends.
Many years ago I read a book called The Last Days of the Late, Great State of California, which in the final chapter lays out the impact of "the big one," an earthquake that breaks off California and dumps it into the Pacific. It would be interesting to see an update that encompasses the three west coast states. I've fantasized about California, Oregon and Washington forming a federation to secede and establish the west coast as a separate country, but alas, I think "voice" is a more realistic option.
Same here. But I also want to emphasize that the collapse of Federal/National institutions will, to put it mildly, not be fun. The alternative may be worse, i.e., home-grown despotism, but it would still be disastrous.
Yeah, I'm sorry but talking secession is just wasting your breath. Can you name a state that could take up the slack just on the Social Security payments that would be cut off to all older people in that state following secession? That's not counting all the other "income transfers" people depend on. Stop wasting your time fantasizing the impossible. We don't get to take our marbles and leave. Talking secession is a demonstration of political illiteracy.
Yeah, I'm sorry but talking secession is just wasting your breath. Can you name a state that could take up the slack just on the Social Security payments that would be cut off to all older people in that state following secession? That's not counting all the other "income transfers" people depend on. Stop wasting your time fantasizing the impossible. We don't get to take our marbles and leave.
I must repeat what I said yesterday -- we cannot do anything about the SCOTUS appointment. It is now nothing but a distraction. There are plenty of remedies for after the election. It is most important to win the election up and down the ballot. And it will keep the senators who are running in Washington, not out on the campaign trail. We need to keep Covid and trump's awful handling of it front and center, especially now that he has designated the elderly as nobodies. Get the senior vote and we assure a win. It is the one thing trump doesn't want being talked about, so we must.
Someone on Nicole Wallace yesterday theorized that tRump and McConnell have a pact...tRump appoints conservative judges all down the line, (McConnell's goal to pack the courts), and McConnell will see to it that the Senate goes along with whatever tRump and the rest of the thugs want. Sounds reasonable, but on the same show, another theory suggested that pushing this nomination through will be the death knoll for tRump and his sycophants in November. I like the second theory better. While most of yesterdays news continues to rush at us with warp speed, I do sense that people are fed up. I'm seeing a slight ray of hope where I haven't for some time.
I truly hope that pushing the nomination through is the death knell for Trump and company. The devastating mayhem of covid -19 apparently isn't enough.
McConnell's plan all along has been to pack the courts at all levels, so that when the wheel inevitably turns, the oligarchs can still block progressive repairs. The only way to fix that will be a combination of doubling the size of the federal bench, which is long overdue given population changes, and requiring all sitting and future federal judges to pass basic tests of judicial competence to continue in or go into office. That will leave any competent conservative judges in place while weeding out all the hacks who know only to back whatever Trump/McCon want. The Supreme Court, instead of doubling, can go to 15, hearing most cases with a panel of 5 and going to the full court as needed.
We have been living with a distorted justice system for so long that I'm not sure weeding out the hacks McConnell/Trump put in place will be an easy task. At some point eligible voters need to take the process seriously, which millions have not. It's not simply a matter of weeding out the garbage in the judiciary, it's a matter of weeding out the garbage from all branches of government, from city government all the way up the line. Until people realize that their vote actually matters OR simply not voting because of apathy towards a particular candidate, we're screwed.
You have a good point. Along with voting rights to cancel out all the voter suppression, we need voter education. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
Like Mary Trump said, “Too much and never enough”.
Another day packed with so much news! Are the wildfires slowing down?
Thank you, thank you, thank you for distilling the news for us, and for writing this history.
The removal of an important statement from the CDC’s website and henchman Azar’s literal takeover of all official announcements regarding health/medical issues is not only disturbing, it is downright criminal and irresponsible! Aren’t 200,000 deaths enough, Mr. “president”?
Then again, what does this administration promote that isn’t detrimental to our country and her citizens? Its designation of three cities as “anarchy jurisdictions” or its diversionary tactics to incite war with Iran — with Israel and her two new emirate allies — just prior to the election?
The Most Honorable Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is as worthy of lying in state in the Capitol as any white man before her, and in many cases, more so. That she is the very first woman is exceedingly deserving — that there will be families watching (or there, in person) to pay their respects with their daughters and granddaughters gives me hope.
Thank you, Heather.
One of the many things that disturbs me is the projection, saying the cities are violent places deserving defunding when in fact the violence is mostly done by outside agitators, encouraged by the Creature's rhetoric and praise of police who shoot rubber bullets into a journalist's (Ali Veshi's) knee and teenagers who travel there from out of state to kill protestors.
As someone who resides in Portland, I affirm that even just having that projection "floated out there," the psychic damage I feel, at being targeted by our own gov't, is terrifying. What wouldn't they do? To "set an example?"
Velshi's
This is dark but it’s a warning nevertheless. Wait till after your morning coffee. https://gregolear.substack.com/p/psychopath-in-chief?r=3hwn3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email
Wow. That is dark. It should be required reading.
Each day another episode of the Reality Show “What Would Hitler Do?”
Starring Twitler as The Don, Bill DisBarred as Goebbels, Moscow Mitch as Goering and featuring ICE Dr. Mengele Amin. With a cast of minions playing Nazi cultists cheering on The Don.
Sorry, but I find cynicism cathartic at times. Especially these times. Also posting memes of Repugnant Party Lying Hypocrites:
https://twitter.com/roboyte/status/1307810924779188231?s=20
Not to worry, Rob. I think the "cynicism room" is more than a bit crowded by now!
"Cynicism is an attitude characterized by a general distrust of others' motives. A cynic may have a general lack of faith or hope in the human species or people motivated by ambition, desire, greed, gratification, materialism, goals, and opinions that a cynic perceives as vain, unobtainable, or ultimately meaningless and therefore deserving of ridicule or admonishment. The term originally derives from the ancient Greek philosophers, the Cynics, who rejected all conventions, whether of religion, manners, housing, dress, or decency, instead advocating the pursuit of virtue in accordance with a simple and idealistic way of life."
"... Cynics, who rejected all conventions, whether of religion, manners, housing, dress, or decency, instead advocating the pursuit of virtue in accordance with a simple and idealistic way of life."
:) I am sitting here naked in my studio 1-room apartment as usual & when I go out I will be wearing cutoff shorts, the same as I have since the '70s. I have rejected religion since my teen years. IDK how virtuous, but it is a simple way of life.
Aha, the plot thickens!
Can imagine how angry he is that RBG is lying in state. I doubt he ever gets that honor.
Placed in a dumpster, maybe.