How DARE that seditious weasel Josh Hawley impugn the honor and integrity of General Milley!!! Hawley has never served in the military. (I am the mom of a 20 year retired soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.) Hawley has NO concept of public service; he is only out to advance himself. He is a hateful weasel who ought to be arrested, indicted, tried and convicted of sedition.
As despicable as Hawley may be, he is the product of our democratic system. In 2018, the voters of Missouri gave him about 6% more votes than Claire McCaskill. As much as he is to blame, those who voted for him, and similar voters throughout the nation, are the real problem. To them, all roads seem to lead to Benghazi, which worked just fine for them in 2016. Things will eventually get better, but only after they get a lot worse. It seems that's the way American democracy works.
What really concerns me at this time in our history is that there may no longer be a "road back". There are too many domestic enemies, visible and invisible.
When things gets really bad, American democracy finds a way to extricate itself from the clutches of such enemies. We found a 'road back' in 1776 (although we were barely a nation then), in 1861, in 1932 and we will again when things get bad enough. But that, unfortunately, must happen first.
The comic strip character Pogo: "I have seen the enemy, and he is us." I am very concerned there are far too many of "them" at this point, set out to fully destroy our Republic. The lurk in the shadows and parade under the light of Tiki Torches.
I am a USAF Veteran. Two uncles served in WWII, US Army. One retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel. Older brother, USN. Distant paternal grandfather, American Revolutionary War, Private with the Virginia 9th Regiment. When I hear or see "veterans" who support Trump and his feces driven scum I want to puke. There are LOTS of them here in W. Virignia. I call them phony patriot losers.
My ‘On Button ‘ as well.The other group I call “Convenient Christians .” They are when it suits them.I mentioned this before you notice how they don’t use the Phrase anymore “What Would Jesus Do. ? “ Not what they have been doing, that I am 100% positive of.
They are "Christian" in name only. Were Jesus actually to return, they would once again hang Him on a Cross. They are not mysterious as heretics to those of us who have watched and monitored them closely for nearly four decades. CINO = Christian in Name Only. They have violated and invalidated every principle cited in The Gospels.
Like I said elsewhere, I never knew so many white male morons in one place at one time as the Navy, and now they're just old semi-senile white male morons.
I hate to tell you this, but all veterans are not equal. As a veteran, I can tell you I never knew so many white male morons in one place at one time as in the Navy. And when I run across them at the VA, they're still the dumbasses they were.
Jenn, I am the widow, sister and daughter of U. S. Military veterans. Yours was the first comment I read here this morning and I have to say how much I like your description of Hawley as a seditious weasel. Allow me the honor of adding smarmy to your phrasing. Smarmy, seditious weasel impugning the honor of a 42 year military veteran who’s first concern was protecting this country and the constitution. The good folks of Missouri need to send him packing! Thank you for YOUR service too. Being a military mom, especially for 20 years, is tough work.
Jenn…I feel and appreciate your courage in expressing the sentiment and outrage of what must be in the minds of thousands and thousands of proud and patriotic parents whose children have served our country. Your choice of the descriptors to describe a public servant who castigates the leaders of our young soldiers is unnerving but deserved.
I am so proud of you. And of our sons and daughters.
I'm thankful for your child's service, Jenn. I completely identify with this frustration with senators who grandstand in hearings when they've ignored the war and the sacrifices our forces made over 20 years. This mom of a soldier is with you!
I completely agree. It is beyond audacious that a KNOWN traitor like Hawley and his ilk attacks and condemns a KNOWN patriot. I couldn't watch because this uncivil and unAmerican behavior makes my blood boil.
My license plate reads: "I am a Veteran. My Oath never expires." Sad how Congress treats their Oath as a nuisance, only to be honored at the time of swearing in. After that, they swear at it. I am so sick and tired of the hallowed ground upon which these traitors walk upon, stepping on the necks of average everyday Americans while plying their falsehoods and their offenses. Yet, I am compelled to ask: Where is the outcry and the outrage from Democrats?
I am not sure if we became "desensitized", but more horror struck. The one "failure" I observed during the "Yeti's" apprenticeship (he really never did quite "get it") is how too many sat back idly hoping it would all go away.
Those who could have been far more critical erred on the side of being safe. The MEDIA, in large part, is a complicit partner in the horrors of Trump. Too many moderate Republicans, Democrats and Independents looked on with disgust; but not with the ferociousness of a head to head attack or rebuttal. Even well-meaning Republicans ran for shelter. Desensitization perhaps more like cowardice? Save my skin. Maybe this will go away.
Someone once said, "The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing." (Sorry if it's not 100% accurate; too lazy to go looking for the exact quote, but I expect most/all here know it anyway.)
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. “ actually a spin off of something said by John Stuart Mill though often falsely attributed to Edmund Burke.
I regret that you, and all the families of those who have served, must see this regrettable scene. Like vermin greedily feasting on remains of the warm bodies. Milley strikes me as someone who is not about to be disturbed by such pitiable and craven opportunism.
Well, considering that they're talking about drawing and quartering Hawley in front of a popcorn-munching, beer drinking audience, and since we (at least Democrats) frown on that sort of behavior, I'm conflicted - sort of.
Milley is a traitor and self-dealing weasel. He is responsible for the mess of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The fact that you are a mom of a retired soldier does NOT give you any credibility points. However, I bet if your son was one of those killed and maimed as a result of the terrible leadership of the withdrawal, you would have a different opinion about Milley.
My guess is that you're hoping to promote your newsletter. If your comment is sincere, your goal will not be met here. In my opinion, your ignorance and cruelty make you unfit to shine General Milley's shoes.
LOL. You do realize that you just recommended writing only stuff to an audience that makes them feel better about themselves, instead of reporting facts and whole truth?
Milley is a self-dealing charlatan unfit to wear the uniform.
So he says he told Biden to retain 2500 troops for the withdrawal. Biden says none of his military advisors told him he needed to retain any troops. Which is it?
Either Biden is lying or Milley is just doing personal CYA.
You are a fucking moron. Go stick your head back up your ass, you talentless, semi-literate piece of shit. Lefties like you are a damn embarrassment. YOU FUCKING MORON!!!!!!!!!!!
No, what's worse is when the moron thinks it's on our side. The ultra-left are dumber than the ultra-right. This Keyboard Kommando probably thinks he's being a great antifa warrior. What he proves is that the rule is Don't Trust Anybody UNDER 30.
Boon you sure are a misfit for our nation. Find a time machine, go back to the 1930s and be a Nationalist Socialist Party German. They would have appreciated you.
So did Biden lie when he told George Steffymuffin that his military advisors did not tell him he should retain any troops, or was Milley lying under oath to the Senate that he told Biden to retain 2500 troops?
Try to defend your difference of opinion without the personal insults. If you can. I doubt you can.
J Boone, for 20 years military advisors have recommended keeping military forces in Afghanistan, as well as many other conflicts. I observed the Vietnam War from start to withdrawal. There are always military advisors who want another year, some more forces, some new weapons. Our idea of "winning" as we felt we did in WWII has never worked out. Germany and Japan fortunately accepted our terms, acknowledged their responsibility, took our economic support and became even better western democratic nations at what we do than we sometimes live up to. In contrast, the Confederacy after our Civil War came back as a one party, Democrats, group of states overthrowing Republicans and blacks in their Reconstruction state governments to become Jim Crow, segregation, white supremacists who violently enforced their politics for 100 years. When Democrats led in the Civil Rights laws, these southerners joined the Republican Party with the intentions of returning their states to Jim Crow, one party rule.
Anyway, I heard the testimony of Milley. I take him at his word because it matches what we saw and what I observed during the Vietnam War and what happened when President Trump withdrew our troops suddenly from Syria.
I would like to hear your criticisms of the Trump and Bush administrations during the Afghanistan War, and negotiations and plans that Trump made to rapidly pull out of Afghanistan. Also comment on President Trump's many disparaging comments about US troops who died in wars as "losers" and military leaders in general as not being as very smart, that he, President Trump was smarter and more capable of deciding when and how to address military matters like the withdrawal from Syria. There are always lots of armchair warriors criticizing Presidents and military for not "winning" wars. But looking at how Afghanistan collapsed, I give both Trump and Biden credit for pulling the plug on our occupation and significant daily resources expended in Afghanistan. I regret that we spent 20 years coming to this realization and the Afghanis who suffered along the way as war victims and victims of hope that their nation was ready for being a modern nation.
There is a lot to unpack here, some I agree with based on my understanding of history and facts, but a few other bits don't match up to what I think I know.
Let me be clear that I am not debating the fact that we withdrew, it was that the withdrawal was terribly executed. A disaster really. The withdrawal of 50 or so military advisors from Syria was NOT botched and was not in conflict with Trump's military leaders. Our advisors were not in northern Syria to defend a Kurdish government but to fight ISIS. The fight to smash the ISIS caliphate was over, and we won.
We can make the same case that we defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan and thus should vacate. Again, that is not the
Bob Woodward's book clearly is filled with information that he acquired from Milley. In that book Milley actually gloats about a traitorous move he made to call his Chinese peer over the head of the commander in chief. And now this disastrous withdrawal. And add the focus on woke indoctrination into service members. Milley is clearly unfit. He is a political animal and self-dealing fame seeker.
There is a LOT of rage and anger in his post. Plus, he posits his thoughts based on misinformation and disinformation if I surmise correctly. Likely one of the insurrectionists wannabes if he is not in fact one in the real.
Harsh words, very harsh, for someone who has his own head up his own ass. Do you even know and understand governance in our country? Or, are you channeling Vladimir Putin and the Ghost of Stalin?
Although I wouldn’t be sorry to see Hawley gone (or hung as a traitor) there are way too many of these assholes — we might see a repeat of the French Revolution’s blood bath.
Impossible for you to be a Green for two reasons: 1. You're not an ignoramus and 2. you're not an asshole.
We're all intelligent lefties of various varieties. The Greens are what is known as "immature" leftists. They think making things worse will convince people to fight a revolution to make it better. "Speed the revolution" didn't work for the German communists in 1933 when the Nazis took power, and these idiots who take Republican money so they can screw Democrats aren't part of the acceptable left either.
A Call to Action: A few days ago I read a long opinion piece in the Washington Post by Robert Kagan. It’s titled “Our Constitutional Crisis is Already Here” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/. It's grim; it's very grim. But at the end he offers what he believes could avert the complete disaster that is coming at us fast, and that is the formation of a coalition by the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection, a coalition formed for "the sole purpose of saving the republic," a coalition that would join with Democrats to pass into law the Freedom to Vote Act (Manchin's compromise voting act) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
Robert Kagan is a scholar who, in May 2016, wrote another opinion piece in the Post about Trump's campaign called, "This is How Fascism Comes to America."
I am calling on the tens of thousands of us who read Heather's letters, along with anyone else we can inspire, to call or write posted letters -- snail mail, as email is not effective -- to each of these seven senators. Not the time to argue who is sincere, who has integrity. These are who we've got. Below is a list of their Washington addresses and phone numbers.
Please remember that all of these people have suffered greatly for their vote on that day. My suggestion is to appeal to their love of country, not to criticize them, to tell them their country needs them to prevent radical Trumpists from destroying this nation, to prevent the possibility of Trump winning a second term, to prevent one-party rule -- etc., and that we need them to step up now as the 2022 elections could otherwise mark our descent into autocracy.
I am sorry that you have suffered greatly for doing the right thing with your vote to impeach Trump. You have my eternal gratitude. As a fellow American I am writing to ask for your help again. Our country needs your help to save our democracy and defend the Constitution. We need you to step up now as the 2022 elections could possibly result in the replacement of democracy with autocracy, and we especially need you to reach out to your peers and encourage them to help with this effort.
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill
If you have decent handwriting and the time, writing each letter out longhand shows an additional level of caring and involvement. It’s a greater investment of time and energy than typing one letter, then printing multiple copies with the name edited and makes your appeal more personal.
"Seven Republican senators voted to convict Trump for inciting an insurrection and attempting to overturn a free and fair election: Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Romney, Sasse and Patrick J. Toomey. It was a brave vote, a display of republican virtue, especially for the five who are not retiring in 2022. All have faced angry backlashes — Romney was booed and called a traitor at the Utah Republican convention; Burr and Cassidy were unanimously censured by their state parties. Yet as much credit as they deserve for taking this stand, it was almost entirely symbolic. When it comes to concrete action that might prevent a debacle in 2024, they have balked."
We can at least write them anyway and try to encourage them to step up, and possibly even recruit a few more of their peers to join them in saving our democracy. We need at least 10 total to turn the tide. It's worth a try.
Right. I know that passage very well. But he goes on to say that these anti-Trump senators know there is no future for them in a Trumpian-controlled state, and that with that kind of pressure, it is not impossible for them to make the leap of joining the Democrats even if only on voting rights alone.
I'm sorry, why don't you go hold your breath till those Republicans do anything? Every last one of them is voting in lockstep with McConnell and any vote they might have taken before has no bearing whatsoever on what they do now. And BTW, no politician listens to anyone who doesn't live in his/her district and can vote for them. So, nice sentiment, but be careful if you decide to hold your breath till they act like responsible human beings, because if you try to do that, you'll turn blue and die.
I have stamps, pens and cards. At the very least those 7 should know that many are watching what they say and do, even if we aren't in their districts. It is well known that one person taking the time to write or post an opinion represents many others who share that opinion but don't take the time to express it.
Not if your zip code isn't in their district. Trust me on that. I worked in the business, and no one ever paid attention to anyone who couldn't do anything about whatever it was they were concerned about. And the "anything" is Vote Against Them.
Those who are not running for re-election won't care. The importance to me is that they know people are watching. If they even get a handful of thank you notes for voting to impeach, at least it might in a tiny way offset the hate mail that no doubt they have received an abundance of, because human nature is such that people are quick to criticize but less motivated to express gratitude.
TC is right about being ignored if you are not in a member’s district. I tried to send an email to another representative in my state. I could not get past the zip code barrier. I wanted to communicate with a representative who might heed what I wanted to say.
Writing to my congressman is a waste of time; he votes in R lockstep.
Jenn, this is where the handwritten letters come in. No zip code barrier, and if you don't add a return address, as someone suggested, it won't be so easy to see that you're not a constituent. Remember that these few people bucked their own party, and at great risk, so they're not the usual garden variety Repug. At the very least, they deserve a Way to Go note for their contribution.
TCinLA: From what I've seen in polling about the Biden plan and the majority of people across the country, regardless of Blue or Red states, being in favor of it, it would appear the Repuglicans are absolutely ignoring their own constituents, by refusing to consider helping them by supporting the Biden plans.
TC, I love you, and agree that it might not do a bit of good, but you never know what extending a hand might do. Remember, these people have been abused by their own for having a conscience, so they might be as anxious as we are to see our democracy survive. This certainly can't hurt, can it? If nothing else, I'll admit it will be something that makes me feel as though I'm contributing in a tangible way, besides funneling cash to my favorites. It beats being defeatist. As Janice says, below, at least they'll know that we're watching.
If it would do any good I would be cheering for it. And I cheer for the people who say it needs to be done because their hearts are obviously in the right place. Perhaps it won't change minds, but a letter sent to your representative (assuming they're not a Republican) telling them how strongly you support what they're doing would have the benefit of helping to stiffen their spines - something they're going to very much be in need of right now.
Hey, great idea. Most of these Senators are old enough to appreciate a snail more than an 'e'. My letters will have an Italian postmark. The whole world is watching.
Yes. Thank you for saying this. Some don't think these lawmakers will listen to anyone who is not from their state. I disagree. The whole world is indeed watching.
Yes. Last night I posted it in the comments of Heather's letter on Facebook (huge audience there, as you know; got there right when she posted, so it's being seen), and also on my own feed. And I will be emailing it to friends. Thanks, Gailee.
Hi, yes, the idea it that if these seven were to shift, more would join. I don't believe every single on of the 43 others are opportunistic sharks. Some are just scared. Some are both of course, but I suspect there are another three in there who are more scared than anything else.
Yeah. We don't actually know yet if it is a dream or not. We've never been here before. However, as Kagan points out in his piece, and Heather has described many times, the Republican Party itself was formed in the 1850s by men who abandoned their previous parties when they saw that appeasement about slavery was a threat to the nation itself. We are not asking these senators to leave their party. We're not even asking them to vote for anything beyond these two voting acts.
But there is now no place in THIS Republican Party for anyone who puts country over party. These senators know this. As Kagan writes, if doing what is necessary to save our democratic system "means political suicide for this handful of Republicans, wouldn’t it be better to go out fighting for democracy than to slink off quietly into the night"?
Yes. But my feeling is that for some people, maybe most in the end, their better instincts are often squelched by fear. The idea here is safety in numbers. We've all been there, no? These senators, they're just people, after all. Speaking now of the ones with some integrity, not the vast majority who are power hungry opportunistic hypocrites. Yes, they took an oath, a sacred oath, to protect US not any party, not any leader. It is their sworn duty to do so. And they have fail spectacularly. But it's not over yet, not quite yet. And if these few can be swayed to listen to their better angels, we have a chance.
Did Kagan actually say this? “Their bigotry, for the most part, is typical white American bigotry, perhaps with an added measure of resentment and a less filtered mode of expression since Trump arrived on the scene.” The Hillbilly people. The White Supremacist s like Larry Elder. Come now. Didn’t Hillary claim election fraud? Now it looks like she was behind the Russian hoax that almost took down a sitting President. Deplorable no? It is a two way street. Sadly. Trump is running, but he is actually almost 100% of what is in this Letter everyday. We need to change that and we will find our way.
Just answer directly one question David Carroll: Do you agree that the debt ceiling should NOT be raised? Yes or no. Because the question for our nation right now requires a yes or no answer. I don't want to hear about this and that. Just a yes or no answer please. If you can't do that, you are not worth listening to as far as I'm concerned.
Josh Hawley (R-MO) seems to be the poster boy for the new Republican Party, now shamefully known as the party of Trump rather than nobly, as the party of Lincoln. In its present diminished incarnation, it is the party of lies and cheap shots, like the ones Hawley and the rest of his rude company deployed against General Milley, an honest, honorable and stalwart leader of integrity the United States is fortunate to have as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To his credit, General Milley calmly faced the barrage of insults from the uncouth Republican jackals allied against him, and in his dignified testimony upheld his oath to protect and defend the Constitution, which is more than can be said for Hawley, as his seditious behavior on January 6 demonstrates. It is Hawley, not General Milley, who should resign and subsequently face the consequences of his failure to uphold the sacred oath he took when elected to congress.
Yes, Stewart, exactly my sentiments. Though "jackals" is a great descriptor, I think I would have used "seditious jackasses." Most of them should be in jail instead of allowing them to rip our our devoted and conscientious warriors, other good citizens and our Constitution to shreds.
I read this too fast the first time and wondered why you repeated what I said. Then I just re-read it and have been laughing my _ss off!! Clever compound noun!
Hawley, particularly, is a Dominionist religious zealot who would happily turn this country into a facsimile of Gilead from The Handmaid's Tale. He believes that nothing he does in pursuit of that goal is bad.
It seems just moments ago that people of my generation were repeating a phrase "Don't trust anyone over 30." It was not moments ago, I am now approaching 80. My reaction to the issue of trust in institutions was to serve as a school superintendent (for 25 years, it turned out) and, in one small corner, to work hard to gain public trust in a worthy institution.
In recent years Republicans have degraded trust in such institutions as the CIA, the FBI, the US military, and democracy itself. Republicans (Trumpists, I might say, since most Republicans accept him as leader of the party) seek to avoid losing supporters of those institutions by attacking Democrats as socialists.
I don't know what strategy is best for passing the Freedom to Vote Act and other voting rights bills. Persuade 10 Republican Senators to kill a filibuster? Persuade Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to support Manchin's bill with an anti-filibuster carve out? In exchange, reduce the reconciliation package? Take the steps you believe are right.
At this point, though, I think our battle is in the hands of Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer. We need them to recognize that preserving democracy is more important than ...... infrastructure (hard or soft), keeping the government open, or even paying bits of our national debt immediately when due. We can fight about blame later. If the votes of people who are likely to support the preservation of democracy are suppressed or gerrymandered into meaninglessness, we will lose all of the battles in the future.
Regarding school boards: our district is in an uproar, as are a few surrounding districts. It appears that our community has been targeted as an opportunity for “indoctrination” by a right wing group, the National School Board Leadership Council (despite its name, I think this is an Ohio group with national aspirations). Their aims are despicable. https://nationalschoolboardleadershipcouncil.com/ I believe this is a continuation of the radical right’s campaign to take over local offices, leading right up to Congress. All this, in a district that used to be red but which is now fairly reliably blue, in red Ohio. Those of us speaking against this candidate in public forums have been labeled bullies and liars by her supporters. It is so dang ugly.
What’s mean about that wish, think about it as a logjam being broken up on a river, and that river carries all of the changes our country desperately needs.
Regarding Becky Philips post, I just returned home from a meeting with a man who was our taxi driver when we had our two vaccinations. He speaks English because he was a camera operator for ESPN when he lived in NYC. I wanted to meet with him because I'm hoping to create a documentary about the artists here in Basque Country in the 60´s whose art defied Franco. Mikel is amazing. his father was in prison for 3 years under Franco. He shared that the arts were how the people here spoke out against the fascists. Also, most don't know, but the danger in the U.S. is worldwide. Brexit was orchestrated by Cambridge Analytica. This group is doing the same in all European countries. Also huge connections with the Rump. Everyone must do something to speak out against the Rumplicans and their agenda. Make homemade videos with facts that you can post on social media. Create public forums with facts. Create art projects for your area galleries and public spaces. Create soapbox speeches in public places. Create music for area musicians to sing at their local pubs, bars, wineries. Do something.
Gailee—this is wonderful! Each of us can contribute to making good noise on the internet, radio and tv.
And yesterday, when I was looking for a new list of corporations to write to to let them know they are being boycotted, I found a company called "Done Good." They focus on companies that are socially responsible, ethical and sustainable. That is the shift towards the positive—which we need to grow exponentially. We need to make sure that when we speak out about what is wrong, we add what direction to go in that is socially responsible, ethical and sustainable. We need to offer solutions to the masses. Fox, Murdoch, The Seditious Party, Putin, the Mercers, etc. will not offer solutions because they just want power and control.
Capitalism as we have seen, is not sustainable. It is a Ponzi scheme — constantly having to make money for it's investors. It is unsustainable, particularly for the general well-being of the the planet and everyone on it. All corporations and businesses we invest in should be held to a strong criteria that include being socially and environmentally responsible and sustainable. Is that asking too much? I just received a product whose seemingly plastic bubble envelope is actually completely compostable, made from cornstarch and will break down in 160 days in the compost bin. We the consumers must hold our elected officials and corporations accountable, or send them to the compost bin...or the dustbin of history.
"Capitalism as we have seen, is not sustainable. It is a Ponzi scheme — constantly having to make money for it's investors. It is unsustainable, particularly for the general well-being of the the planet and everyone on it." -- You know, I had never put these two things together. You're exactly right! And I agree with the rest of what you said, too. Thank you!
Right now, I am writing to my favorite vendors whose products I receive regularly. One such sends their product in a plastic "tub" that my recycle center cannot accommodate. So I wrote to the manufacturer asking for them to consider changing the tub to a more eco-friendly alternative.
Then there's the glue that adheres labels to glass containers. Some are easily removed. Most are nigh on impossible to remove! I'm considering contacting these "impossible" manufacturers to have them change their choice of adhesives.
Billboards attract a lot of national attention, maybe one placed in Jefferson City, MO that condemns Hawley's maligning of our military. We've got some eloquent writers in today's comment section.
I agree. I'm currently renting out a room to a millennial who confessed to me that she didn't vote in the last election. She is fascinated when I tune in to my fav hosts on MSNBC in the evening; she had never heard of the Tulsa Massacre, nor the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. If she is typical of her demographic and doesn't keep up with politics at all, a billboard would be the ONLY way to reach her and "those kids."
Absolutely infuriating, that one person, McConnell, wields so much power for evil. My head wants to explode whenever I see a new quoted remark of his. Apparently there is no legal recourse to remove him from office, and his constituents continue to re-elect him year after year.
I just cannot understand how any of these Republicans seem to have no moral compass and no sense of duty to the American people or to upholding the Constitution. It is so frustrating, but I thank Dr. Heather for laying it all out so clearly so that we can make the choice to take action, and to get the word out to others who are not as informed as the rest of us here on this forum.
Finally, Autumn's refreshing chill was in the air in VT yesterday, but in the Senate, Winter's bitter cold was reenacted by icy blasts from the inhuman, self-centered, evil -- yes, aberrant and abhorrent evil -- Republicans.
"Nonetheless, Republicans berated [Gen. Millet], often not permitting him to respond. They seemed to be following the pattern established at hearings during the Trump administration of creating sound bites for later right-wing media stories. In this case, though, there is a deeper story: they are continuing the right-wing media’s undermining of the military officers who defended our Constitution."
Is this the way, US citizens behave for all the world to witness? What kind of example do these ill-mannered, uncouth, so-called human beings set for our youth and innocent immigrants who risk their lives to be allowed entrance to our "sacred" country? For shame! What makes us better than the beautiful Haitians or Guatemalans who have been refused entry? No wonder nothing is solved these days -- no wonder our peace of mind has dissipated into eddies of turmoil. I am aghast at their outrageous incivility they are the ones who should be deported.
Rowshan, they don't care that the example they set is callous and uncouth. They don't care that those desperately trying to gain entry have suffered mightily in their home countries, so much so that they pack a few belongings and walk, sometimes for weeks, to reach the southern border of the US. There is not a single person of sound mind who would embark on such a journey unless they felt abject despair and fear in their day to day lives. We greet them with hostility and treat them like throw away people because we don't understand the depths of their terror and hopelessness.
Sadly, Republicans are not the only ones who participate in the savage behavior against desperate immigrants seeking to gain entry into the US. Most people can't imagine the level of desperation that motivates a person leave home and walk, get on a crowded boat, into a container or a tractor trailer knowing they could die in the process. We're no better than those seeking a better life in the US, we're just a damn sight luckier.
While I can't understand their journey, I understand their hopelessness and their quest for something better.
Living on the streets at 16 taught me a lot about despair and thinking that maybe my life wasn't worth living because it seemed like nobody was willing to reach out and help.
I spent a few winter nights in MI sleeping in a small cave, I slept in the broken cages that used to house animals in a local park and a few times I slept in a jail cell.
I did have some people in my community step up to help, offering their homes for a few nights, buying clothes or other things that would fit in my backpack.
But the system failed me.
I think the people are fleeing the system that failed them, hoping for a better one.
If it wasn't for my husband having LBD, I would open my home to one of them, because I understand how the system has failed them.
Beth, thank you for sharing your story. It's true, there is an untold number of people in the US for whom the system has failed. I am sorry you were one of them. I have the feeling you grew a deep sense of compassion and empathy as a result.of your hardships.🌷
You are strong, because your painful journey didn't ruin your ability to feel compassion for others. Would that people here living in privilege were able to muster your kind of perspective. You're inspirational.
Every time I read about or watched those people who have traveled the thousands of miles to reach our borders, I kept thinking that for those people to set upon that journey (as you have described) things must be really bad in their country. That they would hand over their children so that at least they could have a better life has been heart-breaking to see.
And then knowing that most likely those who show cruelty and indifference to them ,their descents had to escape also which is even why they are here in the first place.Then those who were kidnapped , forced here got treated the worst along with the First Native Americans. The worst of us need to sit down ,shut up and think about that.I’m Irish , German and English decent . Where should I go back to ? And maybe a tad of American Indian. And if we all had complete DNA done we might be really surprised ! The Southern White Plantation owners might have had something to do with it. I know we can’t save the world. But we need always to remember at some point our descents were helped and we should always try to do what we can.The time to worry to me is if no one wanted to come here. And try to help countries find a way for their Ppl to stay in their home countries. That time is now.
Daria. Apparently there are 145 mm People in central and South America that want to immigrate from where they live of which 40% want to explicitly come here. I had no idea. (Thanks to NPR) That does not include the rest of the world. Should we have an Open Borders immigration policy? Is that something we can afford and in our best interest? That apparently is the existential issue sadly we and they face.
David, One of the issues that people either don't know about or ignore is the existence of the Border Industrial Complex (BIC) and how private government contractors have impacted Border and Immigration policies. It is no coincidence that some of the key players in Border protection are also key players in both the Military Industrial Complex and the Corrections Industrial Complex. It is also no coincidence that hefty campaign contributions have been made to candidates for federal office, including, presidential candidates. It is worth noting that contributions by BIC contractors to Biden's campaign ($5,364994) far exceeded those to Trump ($1,730435) by millions of dollars. The link I've provided includes a link for a downloadable PDF that cites many of the issues surrounding how were managing the border in a way the scraps human rights and dignity in favor of profiteering. It also includes tables that break down contributions entity and party.
These things being known and stated can help change the direction of our Border Policies. There certainly are far more humane ways to control a border and screen asylum seekers. Rather than throw more money at contractors fill vacant positions in the the asylum process – screeners and judges. Like every other hot button issue it is far easier to generate support if and when politicians provide the public with extremes - in this instance, worst case scenarios such as, all these people "swamping" the border are violent criminals. We need to rethink our penchant for imprisoning asylum seekers and migrants, most of whom are not criminals, but ordinary people born in places of unrest and violence.
It's time to tell people in the United States the truth about who these asylum seekers and immigrants are and stop the scare tactics and lies around why they are they are coming to our country. People in the United States would be well served by understanding that economic instability, climate change, and pandemic cause severe issues that lead to violence against the least able to withstand disease and deprivation. (Has this not ever happened in the US after a catastrophic weather event?). Cartels, which inflict terror in villages and cities alike, make leaving the house impossible for people to carry out simple every day tasks such as shopping or school. Do people living in a failed state, or a corrupt, violent state not deserve to live in of safety? What makes one group of people more deserving than another? Skin color? Religion? Education?
Throwing a red meat statement like "throw open the borders and let everyone in regardless" is an example of thoughtless, extremist rhetoric geared to generate fear and anxiety. We are a better people than our immigration policies indicate. Maybe we should think about supporting honest, humane immigration reform.
I appreciate that we disagree, David. I'm not able to discuss this further today. I'm way behind on a bookbinding project. Have a good evening.
Daria. I’m not sure we disagree at all. I have no idea how one might even deal with such a terrible reality. I certainly don’t. Thank you for your kind consideration. David.
I was fortunate to catch part of what Anne Applebaum was saying in an interview with Ammanpour on PBS, as she referenced the recent German election and compared it to the where the US is now. We are much more at risk of an authoritarian government. 40 percent of US voters are Republicans whose party has been taken over by the extreme right, and I believe she said the extreme right in Germany had capped and was losing percents, and maybe was at 12 percent. She also had an article, maybe in the Atlantic, describing the cancel culture wars and the affront to Constitutional rights, in particular the way people who don't say or do or promote the right thing are suddenly shunned, lose jobs, not read anymore. She refers to the authoritarian parameters being put around freedom of speech, much like in Nazi Germany.
This is a very disturbing article about a deeply disturbing trend, people with absolutist & extreme perceptions of "reality" destroying lives of others.
Excerpt: " Right here in America, right now, it is possible to meet people who have lost everything—jobs, money, friends, colleagues—after violating no laws, and sometimes no workplace rules either. Instead, they have broken (or are accused of having broken) social codes having to do with race, sex, personal behavior, or even acceptable humor, which may not have existed five years ago or maybe five months ago. Some have made egregious errors of judgment. Some have done nothing at all. It is not always easy to tell.
Yet despite the disputed nature of these cases, it has become both easy and useful for some people to put them into larger narratives. Partisans, especially on the right, now toss around the phrase cancel culture when they want to defend themselves from criticism, however legitimate. But dig into the story of anyone who has been a genuine victim of modern mob justice and you will often find not an obvious argument between “woke” and “anti-woke” perspectives but rather incidents that are interpreted, described, or remembered by different people in different ways, even leaving aside whatever political or intellectual issue might be at stake." https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/10/new-puritans-mob-justice-canceled/619818/
A number of Senate encounters seem tribal, as various senators play their stylized roles. It seems almost like the dance of the storks, which is a male mating dance. The big difference now is that Bad Stork McConnell has absolutely no intention of mating with his Democratic counterparts for the sake of our country. As he declared about President Obama and now about President Biden, his sole objective was to make them both one-term presidents. Thus, his overriding task is to disable the normal wheels of government.
Clearly Bad Stork McConnell has two sets of rules: one when he is Majority Leader and another when Minority Leader. He was boxed in by the physical infrastructure bill which, over years, will provide about $500 billion in new money to put patches on our crumbling physical infrastructure. He is absolutely opposed to Democratic initiatives that, in my opinion, are essential to improve our country and the opportunities for a large majority of Americans. He opposes the John Lewis voting bill, since it would establish federal voting safeguards, which Republicans in two dozen states are seeking to cripple. He is opposed to the ‘$3.5 trillion’ [much less in net expenditures and over 10 years] human infrastructure bill because it would improve the opportunities for a large percentage of Americans and charge corporations and very wealthy Americans a bit more in taxes to fund this essential investment in America.
Bad Stork McConnell considers the Senate Rules Book his Bible. Moreover, whenever it doesn’t suits his wishes, he invents Bad Stork amendments (like his refusal to consider President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court for over a year and then reversing this Bad Stork Amendment to rush Bennett to the SC after Trump lost in 2020).
His current game on funding the government and debt is simple. He could eventually acquiesce on a short-term budget as the new fiscal year commences, but he will not permit Republican senators to follow the traditional bipartisan approval of raising the debt limit to pay for already Congressionally-approved expenditures. Stated simply: APPROVE THE GUN, BUT NOT THE BULLETS. All this is an endeavor to place responsibility for a possible debt default and a government shutdown squarely on the Democrats. Bad Stork seems to be betting that the Democrats, as a last resort, will raise the debt limit through some sort of Senate reconciliation bill.
I don’t know how this will spin out in the days ahead. Bad Stork Mitchell has no intention of dancing to some reasonable mating resolution. I believe that, as Newt Gingrich, he, and Trump discovered in the past, such shabby blackmail hasn’t worked in the past with the American public and is unlikely to work with those who are not wrapped up in the Big Lie.
While Bad Stork Mitchell is flapping his unpatriotic wings, , some of his cohorts have sought to sully the wings of a true American hero—General Miley.
Keith, Thank you for illuminating the dance of 'Bad Stork Mitchell'. Shall there be a rebirth of America via one partner, consisting of the Democrats? What an extraordinary event, a biological miracle? Stay tuned. This next chapter couldn't be more of a cliffhanger, with American Democracy hanging by a thread.
And to a point, the dems are complicit in all of this. For instance , when it comes to Supreme Court justices, the dems let the repugs get away with their antics both with Garland, and Trumps pick!!!
John How do you think the Democrats could have blocked either of these McConnell travesties? Snake Oil McConnell, as Senate Majority leader, determined what was ‘appropriate.’ I was unaware that the Democrats had an effective riposte.
A person might get the impression that I’m anti-democrat. Well maybe an explanation is in order, I vote democrat about 100% of the time, but actually I’m what I call a progressive, I vote Democratic because that happens to be where all of the progressives are at.
And yes, I blame the Trump phenomenon on the D. N. C. ,!!!
What Hawley did & said is unconscionable & almost unforgivable. Why was he allowed to question anyone? He's going to be subpoenaed anyway right? Milley should go down as a hero.
Are the 'rules of engagement' in the Committees being observed? It sounds as though what should be questions are being used as speeches and no response is permitted. Should the chair of the Committee not be intervening and calling all of these out, and if not the chair, cannot members object to these abuses?
Good point. When I started watching proceedings like this, the amount of grandstanding was unbelievable to me. As though the point was to campaign as opposed to find any truth.
Perhaps, Democratic leaders need to convince Today Show host and University of Arizona cum laude graduate Savannah Guthrie, Esq. to primary unhinged Sen. Kyrsten Lea Sinema (?D-AZ). The extremely well-known, bright, knowledgeable and likeable former Presidential debate monitor Guthrie also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University, where she graduated magna cum laude. Just an idea.
This is all terrible but the R efforts to destroy Milley are the most worrisome to me in that their continued and raucous post-truth behavior will clearly lead to fascism if they win in 2022 and 2024.
Of course, McConnell’s proclaiming that any attempt to lessen the wealth at the top to make government work for EVERYONE is socialism, is also a pre-Fascist meme.
We are so much closer than I realized.
I can only hope that the Ds become more vocal about what is happening to this country.
I have greatly respected Biden’s efforts to ignore the trumpsters but at some point—and hopefully soon—he and others in power will start to call them out.
I kept thinking that Trump would start to fade. Even if he does (and for some reason I don’t think he will run in 2024), it really doesn’t matter anymore. The fascists are winning.
Please understand, I do not use this term lightly. I used to teach about fascism and have resisted using this term to explain our country. I realize now that it really “can happen here”. Our institutions are not strong enough to stop madness.
Absolutely agree! Wayyyy too many pages from the fascist/nazi play book of Benito&Adolph that are being played out today! Both of my parents “lived” the WWII reality, pre and post...in their experience, the most destabilizing aspect of a world order turned upside down was the propaganda and it’s erosion of truth.
So true! As soon as Trump was elected, I was terrified fascism was exactly where we were headed. Unfortunately, at this point any adherence to bipartisanship is useless. That is my only problem with Biden (now).
The supreme importance of voting rights at this moment just crystalized for me. I have been wondering about the best way to quickly inform those who don't pay too much attention to politics, and I remembered the power of art: songs, slogans, political cartoons, etc. What about flash mobs acting out a catchy, easily-understood script that promotes voting and voting rights? Just an idea.
Yes! Everyone needs to become involved in this. Also be sure to connect with The Lincoln Project on FB. You can forward their videos. I am going to encourage my friends in theatre, the visual arts, and music to take this on. I am planning to create something as well.
And, Becky, the importance of the Women’s March has just increased exponentially. It’s an immeasurable, democratic opportunity to promote our voice, which is primarily done through the very tenet under attack…voting.
It is really the way to go. Our "fraud" rate (based on the 38 criminal convictions out of 60.1 million ballots cast in a 9 year period is of .00000006% since inception of vote by mail in 1995) is "statistically insignificant.
How DARE that seditious weasel Josh Hawley impugn the honor and integrity of General Milley!!! Hawley has never served in the military. (I am the mom of a 20 year retired soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.) Hawley has NO concept of public service; he is only out to advance himself. He is a hateful weasel who ought to be arrested, indicted, tried and convicted of sedition.
I sent Hawley an email yesterday with the subject title "You are despicable." He is a disgusting amoral piece of crap to be sure.
As despicable as Hawley may be, he is the product of our democratic system. In 2018, the voters of Missouri gave him about 6% more votes than Claire McCaskill. As much as he is to blame, those who voted for him, and similar voters throughout the nation, are the real problem. To them, all roads seem to lead to Benghazi, which worked just fine for them in 2016. Things will eventually get better, but only after they get a lot worse. It seems that's the way American democracy works.
What really concerns me at this time in our history is that there may no longer be a "road back". There are too many domestic enemies, visible and invisible.
When things gets really bad, American democracy finds a way to extricate itself from the clutches of such enemies. We found a 'road back' in 1776 (although we were barely a nation then), in 1861, in 1932 and we will again when things get bad enough. But that, unfortunately, must happen first.
The comic strip character Pogo: "I have seen the enemy, and he is us." I am very concerned there are far too many of "them" at this point, set out to fully destroy our Republic. The lurk in the shadows and parade under the light of Tiki Torches.
Not if all the Democrats turn out to vote.
Perhaps refusal to extend the debt ceiling will make things bad enough. Janet Yellen’s prediction was horrendous. (I do not want to see it happen!)
This is a very interesting disquisition on the debt ceiling by Beau of the Fifth Column. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZYTue0F-uw
From what I am reading, she put it mildly. Very worried.
You have more optimism than I do, Jack, but I'm glad for that.
I hope to live long enough to see this happen. I've always been optimistic, but everywhere we look we see threats and destruction.
Our gerrymandered system. I’m pretty sure that has given the repubs here in MO a 6-8% advantage.
Jack, i cant except that any of those Republican clowns truly won a fair election. No one cheats worse than a Republican.
I hear you and I agree.
Sadly, it will fall on deaf ears.
That's an understatement.
I can't figure out some veterans who support people like him.
I was on a VoteVets page and some of the comments were more knee jerk reactions instead of a understanding of what was being discussed.
Also, there a ton of trolls on FB. I try to tell people to check the peoples pages and don't take the bait, but nah, people just have to argue.
Faux news is a big reason why we are where we are.
If you have cable (gave it up 25 years ago) then tell them you don't want to pay for faux.
Or better yet, cut the cord. You can see everything on line these days.
I am a USAF Veteran. Two uncles served in WWII, US Army. One retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel. Older brother, USN. Distant paternal grandfather, American Revolutionary War, Private with the Virginia 9th Regiment. When I hear or see "veterans" who support Trump and his feces driven scum I want to puke. There are LOTS of them here in W. Virignia. I call them phony patriot losers.
My ‘On Button ‘ as well.The other group I call “Convenient Christians .” They are when it suits them.I mentioned this before you notice how they don’t use the Phrase anymore “What Would Jesus Do. ? “ Not what they have been doing, that I am 100% positive of.
They are "Christian" in name only. Were Jesus actually to return, they would once again hang Him on a Cross. They are not mysterious as heretics to those of us who have watched and monitored them closely for nearly four decades. CINO = Christian in Name Only. They have violated and invalidated every principle cited in The Gospels.
Like I said elsewhere, I never knew so many white male morons in one place at one time as the Navy, and now they're just old semi-senile white male morons.
Don't get me wrong, knew a lot of great people I'll never forget, but way too many morons there.
I hate to tell you this, but all veterans are not equal. As a veteran, I can tell you I never knew so many white male morons in one place at one time as in the Navy. And when I run across them at the VA, they're still the dumbasses they were.
Thank you, Linda. I agree.
Jenn, I am the widow, sister and daughter of U. S. Military veterans. Yours was the first comment I read here this morning and I have to say how much I like your description of Hawley as a seditious weasel. Allow me the honor of adding smarmy to your phrasing. Smarmy, seditious weasel impugning the honor of a 42 year military veteran who’s first concern was protecting this country and the constitution. The good folks of Missouri need to send him packing! Thank you for YOUR service too. Being a military mom, especially for 20 years, is tough work.
Agree “goldstar” family…
Thank you
Jenn…I feel and appreciate your courage in expressing the sentiment and outrage of what must be in the minds of thousands and thousands of proud and patriotic parents whose children have served our country. Your choice of the descriptors to describe a public servant who castigates the leaders of our young soldiers is unnerving but deserved.
I am so proud of you. And of our sons and daughters.
May democracy prevail.
United.
THE CRISIS IS NOW!
https://tcinla757.substack.com/p/the-crisis-is-now?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMjY2MjcyLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo0MTkyNzMzOSwiXyI6ImpDaXpzIiwiaWF0IjoxNjMyOTM5OTUxLCJleHAiOjE2MzI5NDM1NTEsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTUzNjciLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.x6XEzHlm-ah1oYGar5A-1Yo6dccYIFKgJYh11ddbta8
I'm thankful for your child's service, Jenn. I completely identify with this frustration with senators who grandstand in hearings when they've ignored the war and the sacrifices our forces made over 20 years. This mom of a soldier is with you!
As the mom of a 25+ year veteran who served in the Middle East twice, your words ring true to me as well.
The Hawleys of our Republic see America as their game board, period.
I completely agree. It is beyond audacious that a KNOWN traitor like Hawley and his ilk attacks and condemns a KNOWN patriot. I couldn't watch because this uncivil and unAmerican behavior makes my blood boil.
My license plate reads: "I am a Veteran. My Oath never expires." Sad how Congress treats their Oath as a nuisance, only to be honored at the time of swearing in. After that, they swear at it. I am so sick and tired of the hallowed ground upon which these traitors walk upon, stepping on the necks of average everyday Americans while plying their falsehoods and their offenses. Yet, I am compelled to ask: Where is the outcry and the outrage from Democrats?
Yes, but also from the entire nation? And the media? Did five years of the Yeti de-sensitize our nation?
I am not sure if we became "desensitized", but more horror struck. The one "failure" I observed during the "Yeti's" apprenticeship (he really never did quite "get it") is how too many sat back idly hoping it would all go away.
Those who could have been far more critical erred on the side of being safe. The MEDIA, in large part, is a complicit partner in the horrors of Trump. Too many moderate Republicans, Democrats and Independents looked on with disgust; but not with the ferociousness of a head to head attack or rebuttal. Even well-meaning Republicans ran for shelter. Desensitization perhaps more like cowardice? Save my skin. Maybe this will go away.
Someone once said, "The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing." (Sorry if it's not 100% accurate; too lazy to go looking for the exact quote, but I expect most/all here know it anyway.)
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. “ actually a spin off of something said by John Stuart Mill though often falsely attributed to Edmund Burke.
From Plato: “Your silence gives consent.”
Then we should hang the bastard, that’s how you deal with traitors, let them sort it out with their maker.
Sorry, i had to chuckle in sympathy. You said what probably thousands growled under their breath!
I regret that you, and all the families of those who have served, must see this regrettable scene. Like vermin greedily feasting on remains of the warm bodies. Milley strikes me as someone who is not about to be disturbed by such pitiable and craven opportunism.
He understands the Oath he took. Republicans in Congress flip the bird at their Oath.
True
JennSH, that's too good for him. Drawn and quartered, maybe?
Can we rent a stadium, sell beer, soda pop and popcorn? I will donate to the cost of the towing rope.
I'll wield the sword and tie the hangman's knot.
You and TC need to curb your enthusiasm, but . . .
But…? What?
Well, considering that they're talking about drawing and quartering Hawley in front of a popcorn-munching, beer drinking audience, and since we (at least Democrats) frown on that sort of behavior, I'm conflicted - sort of.
Awwww, do we haveta? 😈
Nah.😁
You're right exactly! Thanks for saying so. I hope you send him an email. https://www.hawley.senate.gov/contact-senator-hawley
Mary, thanks to this share and Stewart’s perfect words, I just unloaded on hawley the wretch!
I just did.
Milley is a traitor and self-dealing weasel. He is responsible for the mess of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The fact that you are a mom of a retired soldier does NOT give you any credibility points. However, I bet if your son was one of those killed and maimed as a result of the terrible leadership of the withdrawal, you would have a different opinion about Milley.
My guess is that you're hoping to promote your newsletter. If your comment is sincere, your goal will not be met here. In my opinion, your ignorance and cruelty make you unfit to shine General Milley's shoes.
LOL. You do realize that you just recommended writing only stuff to an audience that makes them feel better about themselves, instead of reporting facts and whole truth?
Milley is a self-dealing charlatan unfit to wear the uniform.
So he says he told Biden to retain 2500 troops for the withdrawal. Biden says none of his military advisors told him he needed to retain any troops. Which is it?
Either Biden is lying or Milley is just doing personal CYA.
It is likely both.
Apparently, you did not read today's newsletter, which fleshes out the advice and circumstances. In any event, we need no further communication.
Heaven's, but you are way out of your league Mr. Boone.
Sure sweetheart
Go fuck yourself, you piece of shit. You just demonstrated with that reply what a klunk you are.
Go away you talentless troll.
You are a fucking moron. Go stick your head back up your ass, you talentless, semi-literate piece of shit. Lefties like you are a damn embarrassment. YOU FUCKING MORON!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you mean righties?
No, what's worse is when the moron thinks it's on our side. The ultra-left are dumber than the ultra-right. This Keyboard Kommando probably thinks he's being a great antifa warrior. What he proves is that the rule is Don't Trust Anybody UNDER 30.
I like your "Keyboard Kommando"!! I can never get ultra right and ultra left separated in my aging mind. I am ultra centrist, I guess. 😊
Actually, it turns out he's a Trumpscum. I was wrong. Don't give him further oxygen. He is a Keyboard Kommando.
Damn! You took the words out of my mouth, TC!
You brighten my day!
I couldn’t agree less J Boone.
Boon you sure are a misfit for our nation. Find a time machine, go back to the 1930s and be a Nationalist Socialist Party German. They would have appreciated you.
So did Biden lie when he told George Steffymuffin that his military advisors did not tell him he should retain any troops, or was Milley lying under oath to the Senate that he told Biden to retain 2500 troops?
Try to defend your difference of opinion without the personal insults. If you can. I doubt you can.
J Boone, for 20 years military advisors have recommended keeping military forces in Afghanistan, as well as many other conflicts. I observed the Vietnam War from start to withdrawal. There are always military advisors who want another year, some more forces, some new weapons. Our idea of "winning" as we felt we did in WWII has never worked out. Germany and Japan fortunately accepted our terms, acknowledged their responsibility, took our economic support and became even better western democratic nations at what we do than we sometimes live up to. In contrast, the Confederacy after our Civil War came back as a one party, Democrats, group of states overthrowing Republicans and blacks in their Reconstruction state governments to become Jim Crow, segregation, white supremacists who violently enforced their politics for 100 years. When Democrats led in the Civil Rights laws, these southerners joined the Republican Party with the intentions of returning their states to Jim Crow, one party rule.
Anyway, I heard the testimony of Milley. I take him at his word because it matches what we saw and what I observed during the Vietnam War and what happened when President Trump withdrew our troops suddenly from Syria.
I would like to hear your criticisms of the Trump and Bush administrations during the Afghanistan War, and negotiations and plans that Trump made to rapidly pull out of Afghanistan. Also comment on President Trump's many disparaging comments about US troops who died in wars as "losers" and military leaders in general as not being as very smart, that he, President Trump was smarter and more capable of deciding when and how to address military matters like the withdrawal from Syria. There are always lots of armchair warriors criticizing Presidents and military for not "winning" wars. But looking at how Afghanistan collapsed, I give both Trump and Biden credit for pulling the plug on our occupation and significant daily resources expended in Afghanistan. I regret that we spent 20 years coming to this realization and the Afghanis who suffered along the way as war victims and victims of hope that their nation was ready for being a modern nation.
There is a lot to unpack here, some I agree with based on my understanding of history and facts, but a few other bits don't match up to what I think I know.
Let me be clear that I am not debating the fact that we withdrew, it was that the withdrawal was terribly executed. A disaster really. The withdrawal of 50 or so military advisors from Syria was NOT botched and was not in conflict with Trump's military leaders. Our advisors were not in northern Syria to defend a Kurdish government but to fight ISIS. The fight to smash the ISIS caliphate was over, and we won.
We can make the same case that we defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan and thus should vacate. Again, that is not the
Bob Woodward's book clearly is filled with information that he acquired from Milley. In that book Milley actually gloats about a traitorous move he made to call his Chinese peer over the head of the commander in chief. And now this disastrous withdrawal. And add the focus on woke indoctrination into service members. Milley is clearly unfit. He is a political animal and self-dealing fame seeker.
He suffers from mental discordance.
There is a LOT of rage and anger in his post. Plus, he posits his thoughts based on misinformation and disinformation if I surmise correctly. Likely one of the insurrectionists wannabes if he is not in fact one in the real.
Harsh words, very harsh, for someone who has his own head up his own ass. Do you even know and understand governance in our country? Or, are you channeling Vladimir Putin and the Ghost of Stalin?
Although I wouldn’t be sorry to see Hawley gone (or hung as a traitor) there are way too many of these assholes — we might see a repeat of the French Revolution’s blood bath.
Whoops! My comment above was in response to Dick’s comment above.
Another “Social Misfit.”
Another "Lefty" piece of shit to embarrass us all.
Did you actually read Heather’s post? Are you grieving the loss of someone close? There is no other reason for your hatefulness.
You must be a Green. You certainly obviously flunk the IQ test low enough to be one of those scum.
Careful TC! There are a lot of Greens and “Lefties”
who would like to end Hawley’s career, including me every fday of the week and twice on Sunday.
Impossible for you to be a Green for two reasons: 1. You're not an ignoramus and 2. you're not an asshole.
We're all intelligent lefties of various varieties. The Greens are what is known as "immature" leftists. They think making things worse will convince people to fight a revolution to make it better. "Speed the revolution" didn't work for the German communists in 1933 when the Nazis took power, and these idiots who take Republican money so they can screw Democrats aren't part of the acceptable left either.
My fondest wish, Hawley plus many of his cohorts, large and small.
A Call to Action: A few days ago I read a long opinion piece in the Washington Post by Robert Kagan. It’s titled “Our Constitutional Crisis is Already Here” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/. It's grim; it's very grim. But at the end he offers what he believes could avert the complete disaster that is coming at us fast, and that is the formation of a coalition by the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection, a coalition formed for "the sole purpose of saving the republic," a coalition that would join with Democrats to pass into law the Freedom to Vote Act (Manchin's compromise voting act) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
Robert Kagan is a scholar who, in May 2016, wrote another opinion piece in the Post about Trump's campaign called, "This is How Fascism Comes to America."
I am calling on the tens of thousands of us who read Heather's letters, along with anyone else we can inspire, to call or write posted letters -- snail mail, as email is not effective -- to each of these seven senators. Not the time to argue who is sincere, who has integrity. These are who we've got. Below is a list of their Washington addresses and phone numbers.
Please remember that all of these people have suffered greatly for their vote on that day. My suggestion is to appeal to their love of country, not to criticize them, to tell them their country needs them to prevent radical Trumpists from destroying this nation, to prevent the possibility of Trump winning a second term, to prevent one-party rule -- etc., and that we need them to step up now as the 2022 elections could otherwise mark our descent into autocracy.
Thank you.
Richard Burr, NC (retiring)
217 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3153
Bill Cassidy, LA
520 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5824
Lisa Murkowski, AK
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6665
Mitt Romney, UT
354 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-228-0836
Ben Sasse, NE
139 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4224
Patrick J. Toomey, PA (retiring)
248 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4254
Susan Collins, ME
413 Dirksen Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator [lastname]:
I am sorry that you have suffered greatly for doing the right thing with your vote to impeach Trump. You have my eternal gratitude. As a fellow American I am writing to ask for your help again. Our country needs your help to save our democracy and defend the Constitution. We need you to step up now as the 2022 elections could possibly result in the replacement of democracy with autocracy, and we especially need you to reach out to your peers and encourage them to help with this effort.
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill
Thank you.
Thank you, Janice and Nomi, for making it so easy for us to do something positive!
If you have decent handwriting and the time, writing each letter out longhand shows an additional level of caring and involvement. It’s a greater investment of time and energy than typing one letter, then printing multiple copies with the name edited and makes your appeal more personal.
Rats...I used to have decent handwriting. Something happened to it. I did handwrite the envelopes😉
Lynell, you wrote letters. You wrote letters! A posted letter means a lot.
Yes.
Add "The Honorable (Full name) to the address line!
Smart! Glad you're on our side!!! I knew that, but might have overlooked the protocol.
The Honorable Senator - ? Good tip, in any case. Thanks.
The addressee line should read "The Honorable Mary Smith." The greeting line should read "Dear Senator Smith."
Thanks!
Absolutely brilliant, thank you.
Thank you, Janice. You made this so much easier...letter is ready to go.
I will be writing letters. Thank you Janice and Nomi for this info.
Me too! Thank You
'Just Janice' is not just Janice, thank you.
Perfect letter - thanks -especially like the John Stuart Mill quote to end with!
Will be sending out these perfect letters!
Done! Thanks JustJanice and Nomi for facilitating this group effort :)
Thanks for sharing the link to the article.
This particular passage is of note:
"Seven Republican senators voted to convict Trump for inciting an insurrection and attempting to overturn a free and fair election: Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Romney, Sasse and Patrick J. Toomey. It was a brave vote, a display of republican virtue, especially for the five who are not retiring in 2022. All have faced angry backlashes — Romney was booed and called a traitor at the Utah Republican convention; Burr and Cassidy were unanimously censured by their state parties. Yet as much credit as they deserve for taking this stand, it was almost entirely symbolic. When it comes to concrete action that might prevent a debacle in 2024, they have balked."
We can at least write them anyway and try to encourage them to step up, and possibly even recruit a few more of their peers to join them in saving our democracy. We need at least 10 total to turn the tide. It's worth a try.
Right. I know that passage very well. But he goes on to say that these anti-Trump senators know there is no future for them in a Trumpian-controlled state, and that with that kind of pressure, it is not impossible for them to make the leap of joining the Democrats even if only on voting rights alone.
Burr, Toomey, Portman, Shelby, and Blunt have all announced 2022 retirements. If the latter three could be convinced, that makes ten.
Don't think Lisa will retire.
I didn’t mean convinced to retire, but rather induced to support voting rights. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.
Great team effort Nomi and Just Janice. While I’m at it, I’ll send letters to my 2 R Senators and 1 D Congressman instead of the usual emails.
I'm sorry, why don't you go hold your breath till those Republicans do anything? Every last one of them is voting in lockstep with McConnell and any vote they might have taken before has no bearing whatsoever on what they do now. And BTW, no politician listens to anyone who doesn't live in his/her district and can vote for them. So, nice sentiment, but be careful if you decide to hold your breath till they act like responsible human beings, because if you try to do that, you'll turn blue and die.
I have stamps, pens and cards. At the very least those 7 should know that many are watching what they say and do, even if we aren't in their districts. It is well known that one person taking the time to write or post an opinion represents many others who share that opinion but don't take the time to express it.
Not if your zip code isn't in their district. Trust me on that. I worked in the business, and no one ever paid attention to anyone who couldn't do anything about whatever it was they were concerned about. And the "anything" is Vote Against Them.
Those who are not running for re-election won't care. The importance to me is that they know people are watching. If they even get a handful of thank you notes for voting to impeach, at least it might in a tiny way offset the hate mail that no doubt they have received an abundance of, because human nature is such that people are quick to criticize but less motivated to express gratitude.
So what actions do you suggest that people who wish to live in a democracy, us, take?
I am writing real letters, the kind with a stamp? To bypass the online zip code issue.
I write postcards. I wrote to Californians, supporting Newsom. I wrote to Virginians. I am writing to Floridians, supporting Vote By Mail.
Smart!
TC is right about being ignored if you are not in a member’s district. I tried to send an email to another representative in my state. I could not get past the zip code barrier. I wanted to communicate with a representative who might heed what I wanted to say.
Writing to my congressman is a waste of time; he votes in R lockstep.
Jenn, this is where the handwritten letters come in. No zip code barrier, and if you don't add a return address, as someone suggested, it won't be so easy to see that you're not a constituent. Remember that these few people bucked their own party, and at great risk, so they're not the usual garden variety Repug. At the very least, they deserve a Way to Go note for their contribution.
TCinLA: From what I've seen in polling about the Biden plan and the majority of people across the country, regardless of Blue or Red states, being in favor of it, it would appear the Repuglicans are absolutely ignoring their own constituents, by refusing to consider helping them by supporting the Biden plans.
To me, the problem is that it is Biden's plan. Therefore, the Repuglicans cannot be in favor of it.
TC, I love you, and agree that it might not do a bit of good, but you never know what extending a hand might do. Remember, these people have been abused by their own for having a conscience, so they might be as anxious as we are to see our democracy survive. This certainly can't hurt, can it? If nothing else, I'll admit it will be something that makes me feel as though I'm contributing in a tangible way, besides funneling cash to my favorites. It beats being defeatist. As Janice says, below, at least they'll know that we're watching.
If it would do any good I would be cheering for it. And I cheer for the people who say it needs to be done because their hearts are obviously in the right place. Perhaps it won't change minds, but a letter sent to your representative (assuming they're not a Republican) telling them how strongly you support what they're doing would have the benefit of helping to stiffen their spines - something they're going to very much be in need of right now.
Thanks for the good idea. I'll be copying Warnock and Ossoff. They're pretty tough, and Warnock has only until the midterms. Love him.
What do you suggest then? Better yet what are you doing now?
What is your solution?
Abolish the debt ceiling before it commits austerity again.
The GOP used the debt ceiling to force spending cuts in 2011. It can’t be allowed again.
https://www.epi.org/blog/abolish-the-debt-ceiling-before-it-commits-austerity-again-the-gop-used-the-debt-ceiling-to-force-spending-cuts-in-2011-it-cant-be-allowed-again/
TCinLA.........sad, but true
Hey, great idea. Most of these Senators are old enough to appreciate a snail more than an 'e'. My letters will have an Italian postmark. The whole world is watching.
Yes. Thank you for saying this. Some don't think these lawmakers will listen to anyone who is not from their state. I disagree. The whole world is indeed watching.
DONE & DONE, X 2 (My wife also). Thank you Big time!
I will do SO, ASAP. Thanks for the suggestion and info!
Will do this and ask friends to do it as well. Thank you for the list, it makes the task so much easier.
Thank YOU, Suzanne.
I have, and I've shared this with friends across the country.
Oh, thank you so much, Gailee. I'm trying to figure out how to get this to more people. This is not something I've done before.
Can you email it to your friends? Post it on all your social media? That is what I am doing.
Yes. Last night I posted it in the comments of Heather's letter on Facebook (huge audience there, as you know; got there right when she posted, so it's being seen), and also on my own feed. And I will be emailing it to friends. Thanks, Gailee.
Seven Republicans is three short of what is necessary.
Hi, yes, the idea it that if these seven were to shift, more would join. I don't believe every single on of the 43 others are opportunistic sharks. Some are just scared. Some are both of course, but I suspect there are another three in there who are more scared than anything else.
That's seven more than we had yesterday! Three could happen if we stay vigilant.
Add Portman, Shelby and Blunt, as suggested above. That's ten, and they're in office until 2022.
Senator Richard Shelby
304 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Senator Roy Blunt
260 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Senator Rob Portman
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Thanks, Lynelle.
I will write to mine, who is not on that list. Hope springs eternal!
Aren’t 10 repub votes needed?
Yes. The idea is that if these seven step up, a few more will join.
"A few more will join" is a dream if there ever was one. But, I'll dream with you, Nomi.
Yeah. We don't actually know yet if it is a dream or not. We've never been here before. However, as Kagan points out in his piece, and Heather has described many times, the Republican Party itself was formed in the 1850s by men who abandoned their previous parties when they saw that appeasement about slavery was a threat to the nation itself. We are not asking these senators to leave their party. We're not even asking them to vote for anything beyond these two voting acts.
But there is now no place in THIS Republican Party for anyone who puts country over party. These senators know this. As Kagan writes, if doing what is necessary to save our democratic system "means political suicide for this handful of Republicans, wouldn’t it be better to go out fighting for democracy than to slink off quietly into the night"?
If they are really patriots, they will go out fighting!
Yes. But my feeling is that for some people, maybe most in the end, their better instincts are often squelched by fear. The idea here is safety in numbers. We've all been there, no? These senators, they're just people, after all. Speaking now of the ones with some integrity, not the vast majority who are power hungry opportunistic hypocrites. Yes, they took an oath, a sacred oath, to protect US not any party, not any leader. It is their sworn duty to do so. And they have fail spectacularly. But it's not over yet, not quite yet. And if these few can be swayed to listen to their better angels, we have a chance.
Portman, Shelby and Blunt, retiring, as above. Can't hurt.
Did Kagan actually say this? “Their bigotry, for the most part, is typical white American bigotry, perhaps with an added measure of resentment and a less filtered mode of expression since Trump arrived on the scene.” The Hillbilly people. The White Supremacist s like Larry Elder. Come now. Didn’t Hillary claim election fraud? Now it looks like she was behind the Russian hoax that almost took down a sitting President. Deplorable no? It is a two way street. Sadly. Trump is running, but he is actually almost 100% of what is in this Letter everyday. We need to change that and we will find our way.
I've read your comment several times and can't figure out what in the world you are trying to say.
He's a troll and not worth responding to.
That is okay. This is common./ David Carroll will hurt your brain if you are a critical thinker. Best to not give it too much time.
Funny. I will hurt your brain if you are a critical thinker. Think about that ;).
Hr’s stoned.
You can’t call half of America racist because they are American first.
What a breathtakingly stupid statement.
DC revels in any kind of attention.
Thank you :)
https://www.axios.com/white-replacement-theory-gains-ground-among-gop-b171e37d-3f27-43f2-bc25-a084c9fe7aad.html
Has anyone mentioned lately that you are a drooling idiot?
Oxygen - remove the oxygen.
You are the first. Thanks!!
Zzzzzzzz….
Just answer directly one question David Carroll: Do you agree that the debt ceiling should NOT be raised? Yes or no. Because the question for our nation right now requires a yes or no answer. I don't want to hear about this and that. Just a yes or no answer please. If you can't do that, you are not worth listening to as far as I'm concerned.
Yes. …. And of course they will. After they play chicken. It’s just part of the game. Funny, they have now switched sides. Crazy.
Wow! You are so confused!
Josh Hawley (R-MO) seems to be the poster boy for the new Republican Party, now shamefully known as the party of Trump rather than nobly, as the party of Lincoln. In its present diminished incarnation, it is the party of lies and cheap shots, like the ones Hawley and the rest of his rude company deployed against General Milley, an honest, honorable and stalwart leader of integrity the United States is fortunate to have as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To his credit, General Milley calmly faced the barrage of insults from the uncouth Republican jackals allied against him, and in his dignified testimony upheld his oath to protect and defend the Constitution, which is more than can be said for Hawley, as his seditious behavior on January 6 demonstrates. It is Hawley, not General Milley, who should resign and subsequently face the consequences of his failure to uphold the sacred oath he took when elected to congress.
Yes, Stewart, exactly my sentiments. Though "jackals" is a great descriptor, I think I would have used "seditious jackasses." Most of them should be in jail instead of allowing them to rip our our devoted and conscientious warriors, other good citizens and our Constitution to shreds.
Personally, I would call them seditious jackalasses.
I read this too fast the first time and wondered why you repeated what I said. Then I just re-read it and have been laughing my _ss off!! Clever compound noun!
TC, I think I was channeling you on this one. But Gwen bested me!!
Hawley, particularly, is a Dominionist religious zealot who would happily turn this country into a facsimile of Gilead from The Handmaid's Tale. He believes that nothing he does in pursuit of that goal is bad.
Same with Ted Cruz.
Stewart, I hope you don’t mind if I share your words above with Hawley!
Sharing points of view and opinions is what Democracy is all about!
It seems just moments ago that people of my generation were repeating a phrase "Don't trust anyone over 30." It was not moments ago, I am now approaching 80. My reaction to the issue of trust in institutions was to serve as a school superintendent (for 25 years, it turned out) and, in one small corner, to work hard to gain public trust in a worthy institution.
In recent years Republicans have degraded trust in such institutions as the CIA, the FBI, the US military, and democracy itself. Republicans (Trumpists, I might say, since most Republicans accept him as leader of the party) seek to avoid losing supporters of those institutions by attacking Democrats as socialists.
I don't know what strategy is best for passing the Freedom to Vote Act and other voting rights bills. Persuade 10 Republican Senators to kill a filibuster? Persuade Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to support Manchin's bill with an anti-filibuster carve out? In exchange, reduce the reconciliation package? Take the steps you believe are right.
At this point, though, I think our battle is in the hands of Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer. We need them to recognize that preserving democracy is more important than ...... infrastructure (hard or soft), keeping the government open, or even paying bits of our national debt immediately when due. We can fight about blame later. If the votes of people who are likely to support the preservation of democracy are suppressed or gerrymandered into meaninglessness, we will lose all of the battles in the future.
Regarding school boards: our district is in an uproar, as are a few surrounding districts. It appears that our community has been targeted as an opportunity for “indoctrination” by a right wing group, the National School Board Leadership Council (despite its name, I think this is an Ohio group with national aspirations). Their aims are despicable. https://nationalschoolboardleadershipcouncil.com/ I believe this is a continuation of the radical right’s campaign to take over local offices, leading right up to Congress. All this, in a district that used to be red but which is now fairly reliably blue, in red Ohio. Those of us speaking against this candidate in public forums have been labeled bullies and liars by her supporters. It is so dang ugly.
☹️
Absolutely. Drag that voting rights bill up on center stage and give McConnell a back seat. I wanted to say heart failure but that's too mean.
What’s mean about that wish, think about it as a logjam being broken up on a river, and that river carries all of the changes our country desperately needs.
I admire your sensitivity, but heart failure for this particular fascist is the very most he should hope for!
Regarding Becky Philips post, I just returned home from a meeting with a man who was our taxi driver when we had our two vaccinations. He speaks English because he was a camera operator for ESPN when he lived in NYC. I wanted to meet with him because I'm hoping to create a documentary about the artists here in Basque Country in the 60´s whose art defied Franco. Mikel is amazing. his father was in prison for 3 years under Franco. He shared that the arts were how the people here spoke out against the fascists. Also, most don't know, but the danger in the U.S. is worldwide. Brexit was orchestrated by Cambridge Analytica. This group is doing the same in all European countries. Also huge connections with the Rump. Everyone must do something to speak out against the Rumplicans and their agenda. Make homemade videos with facts that you can post on social media. Create public forums with facts. Create art projects for your area galleries and public spaces. Create soapbox speeches in public places. Create music for area musicians to sing at their local pubs, bars, wineries. Do something.
Gailee—this is wonderful! Each of us can contribute to making good noise on the internet, radio and tv.
And yesterday, when I was looking for a new list of corporations to write to to let them know they are being boycotted, I found a company called "Done Good." They focus on companies that are socially responsible, ethical and sustainable. That is the shift towards the positive—which we need to grow exponentially. We need to make sure that when we speak out about what is wrong, we add what direction to go in that is socially responsible, ethical and sustainable. We need to offer solutions to the masses. Fox, Murdoch, The Seditious Party, Putin, the Mercers, etc. will not offer solutions because they just want power and control.
Capitalism as we have seen, is not sustainable. It is a Ponzi scheme — constantly having to make money for it's investors. It is unsustainable, particularly for the general well-being of the the planet and everyone on it. All corporations and businesses we invest in should be held to a strong criteria that include being socially and environmentally responsible and sustainable. Is that asking too much? I just received a product whose seemingly plastic bubble envelope is actually completely compostable, made from cornstarch and will break down in 160 days in the compost bin. We the consumers must hold our elected officials and corporations accountable, or send them to the compost bin...or the dustbin of history.
"Capitalism as we have seen, is not sustainable. It is a Ponzi scheme — constantly having to make money for it's investors. It is unsustainable, particularly for the general well-being of the the planet and everyone on it." -- You know, I had never put these two things together. You're exactly right! And I agree with the rest of what you said, too. Thank you!
Well said, Penelope.
Right now, I am writing to my favorite vendors whose products I receive regularly. One such sends their product in a plastic "tub" that my recycle center cannot accommodate. So I wrote to the manufacturer asking for them to consider changing the tub to a more eco-friendly alternative.
Then there's the glue that adheres labels to glass containers. Some are easily removed. Most are nigh on impossible to remove! I'm considering contacting these "impossible" manufacturers to have them change their choice of adhesives.
Thanks for the tip about "Done Good."
Here’s another easy, “do good” that’s free! Quite a few companies are participating.
https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades
Thanks, Ashley...the more the merrier in the recycling effort!
Great idea, Lynell! There are glues that easily dissolvable or peel-able on glass and plastic.
Joined
This is so on point and true. Thank you! I will look for Done Good
Billboards attract a lot of national attention, maybe one placed in Jefferson City, MO that condemns Hawley's maligning of our military. We've got some eloquent writers in today's comment section.
I agree. I'm currently renting out a room to a millennial who confessed to me that she didn't vote in the last election. She is fascinated when I tune in to my fav hosts on MSNBC in the evening; she had never heard of the Tulsa Massacre, nor the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. If she is typical of her demographic and doesn't keep up with politics at all, a billboard would be the ONLY way to reach her and "those kids."
Billboards are a great idea—in strategic locations!
Like I’ve said before, the oligarchs have their eyes on the world!!!
Absolutely infuriating, that one person, McConnell, wields so much power for evil. My head wants to explode whenever I see a new quoted remark of his. Apparently there is no legal recourse to remove him from office, and his constituents continue to re-elect him year after year.
I just cannot understand how any of these Republicans seem to have no moral compass and no sense of duty to the American people or to upholding the Constitution. It is so frustrating, but I thank Dr. Heather for laying it all out so clearly so that we can make the choice to take action, and to get the word out to others who are not as informed as the rest of us here on this forum.
Barbara D. Reed
just now
For your edification, 9/27/21 WaPo cartoon of McTurle holding a gas can and a lantern (Gas Lighting): https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/UMFMBBGNWBCERLAKFPMEWNV5YA.jpg&w=540
The link doesn’t lead to your mentioned cartoon 😩
It did for me.
Dear Prof. HCR,
Finally, Autumn's refreshing chill was in the air in VT yesterday, but in the Senate, Winter's bitter cold was reenacted by icy blasts from the inhuman, self-centered, evil -- yes, aberrant and abhorrent evil -- Republicans.
"Nonetheless, Republicans berated [Gen. Millet], often not permitting him to respond. They seemed to be following the pattern established at hearings during the Trump administration of creating sound bites for later right-wing media stories. In this case, though, there is a deeper story: they are continuing the right-wing media’s undermining of the military officers who defended our Constitution."
Is this the way, US citizens behave for all the world to witness? What kind of example do these ill-mannered, uncouth, so-called human beings set for our youth and innocent immigrants who risk their lives to be allowed entrance to our "sacred" country? For shame! What makes us better than the beautiful Haitians or Guatemalans who have been refused entry? No wonder nothing is solved these days -- no wonder our peace of mind has dissipated into eddies of turmoil. I am aghast at their outrageous incivility they are the ones who should be deported.
Rowshan, they don't care that the example they set is callous and uncouth. They don't care that those desperately trying to gain entry have suffered mightily in their home countries, so much so that they pack a few belongings and walk, sometimes for weeks, to reach the southern border of the US. There is not a single person of sound mind who would embark on such a journey unless they felt abject despair and fear in their day to day lives. We greet them with hostility and treat them like throw away people because we don't understand the depths of their terror and hopelessness.
Sadly, Republicans are not the only ones who participate in the savage behavior against desperate immigrants seeking to gain entry into the US. Most people can't imagine the level of desperation that motivates a person leave home and walk, get on a crowded boat, into a container or a tractor trailer knowing they could die in the process. We're no better than those seeking a better life in the US, we're just a damn sight luckier.
While I can't understand their journey, I understand their hopelessness and their quest for something better.
Living on the streets at 16 taught me a lot about despair and thinking that maybe my life wasn't worth living because it seemed like nobody was willing to reach out and help.
I spent a few winter nights in MI sleeping in a small cave, I slept in the broken cages that used to house animals in a local park and a few times I slept in a jail cell.
I did have some people in my community step up to help, offering their homes for a few nights, buying clothes or other things that would fit in my backpack.
But the system failed me.
I think the people are fleeing the system that failed them, hoping for a better one.
If it wasn't for my husband having LBD, I would open my home to one of them, because I understand how the system has failed them.
Beth, thank you for sharing your story. It's true, there is an untold number of people in the US for whom the system has failed. I am sorry you were one of them. I have the feeling you grew a deep sense of compassion and empathy as a result.of your hardships.🌷
You are strong, because your painful journey didn't ruin your ability to feel compassion for others. Would that people here living in privilege were able to muster your kind of perspective. You're inspirational.
Every time I read about or watched those people who have traveled the thousands of miles to reach our borders, I kept thinking that for those people to set upon that journey (as you have described) things must be really bad in their country. That they would hand over their children so that at least they could have a better life has been heart-breaking to see.
And then knowing that most likely those who show cruelty and indifference to them ,their descents had to escape also which is even why they are here in the first place.Then those who were kidnapped , forced here got treated the worst along with the First Native Americans. The worst of us need to sit down ,shut up and think about that.I’m Irish , German and English decent . Where should I go back to ? And maybe a tad of American Indian. And if we all had complete DNA done we might be really surprised ! The Southern White Plantation owners might have had something to do with it. I know we can’t save the world. But we need always to remember at some point our descents were helped and we should always try to do what we can.The time to worry to me is if no one wanted to come here. And try to help countries find a way for their Ppl to stay in their home countries. That time is now.
And across the arid desert or sending their children across. Thanks, Daria.
You said that perfectly, Daria.
Yes, Daria and Beth. It takes a gravely profound desperation and hopelessness to risk one's life in the way that they do.
Beth, I am so sorry that you had such a difficult start in life, but delighted that hope found you.
Thanks. It was the people who stepped up to help me that has guided me.
I will always be paying it forward and will never truly be able to thank them enough.
Your journey through life is their thanks! Brava, Beth!
Thanks Daria! Your comments above are so completely right on point!
Thanks, Liz.
Daria. Apparently there are 145 mm People in central and South America that want to immigrate from where they live of which 40% want to explicitly come here. I had no idea. (Thanks to NPR) That does not include the rest of the world. Should we have an Open Borders immigration policy? Is that something we can afford and in our best interest? That apparently is the existential issue sadly we and they face.
David, One of the issues that people either don't know about or ignore is the existence of the Border Industrial Complex (BIC) and how private government contractors have impacted Border and Immigration policies. It is no coincidence that some of the key players in Border protection are also key players in both the Military Industrial Complex and the Corrections Industrial Complex. It is also no coincidence that hefty campaign contributions have been made to candidates for federal office, including, presidential candidates. It is worth noting that contributions by BIC contractors to Biden's campaign ($5,364994) far exceeded those to Trump ($1,730435) by millions of dollars. The link I've provided includes a link for a downloadable PDF that cites many of the issues surrounding how were managing the border in a way the scraps human rights and dignity in favor of profiteering. It also includes tables that break down contributions entity and party.
These things being known and stated can help change the direction of our Border Policies. There certainly are far more humane ways to control a border and screen asylum seekers. Rather than throw more money at contractors fill vacant positions in the the asylum process – screeners and judges. Like every other hot button issue it is far easier to generate support if and when politicians provide the public with extremes - in this instance, worst case scenarios such as, all these people "swamping" the border are violent criminals. We need to rethink our penchant for imprisoning asylum seekers and migrants, most of whom are not criminals, but ordinary people born in places of unrest and violence.
It's time to tell people in the United States the truth about who these asylum seekers and immigrants are and stop the scare tactics and lies around why they are they are coming to our country. People in the United States would be well served by understanding that economic instability, climate change, and pandemic cause severe issues that lead to violence against the least able to withstand disease and deprivation. (Has this not ever happened in the US after a catastrophic weather event?). Cartels, which inflict terror in villages and cities alike, make leaving the house impossible for people to carry out simple every day tasks such as shopping or school. Do people living in a failed state, or a corrupt, violent state not deserve to live in of safety? What makes one group of people more deserving than another? Skin color? Religion? Education?
Throwing a red meat statement like "throw open the borders and let everyone in regardless" is an example of thoughtless, extremist rhetoric geared to generate fear and anxiety. We are a better people than our immigration policies indicate. Maybe we should think about supporting honest, humane immigration reform.
I appreciate that we disagree, David. I'm not able to discuss this further today. I'm way behind on a bookbinding project. Have a good evening.
https://www.tni.org/en/bidensborder
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/19/a-lucrative-border-industrial-complex-keeps-the-us-border-in-constant-crisis
Immigration Court Backlog Tracker
https://trac.syr.edu/phptools/immigration/court_backlog/
DOJ requires immigration judges to meet quotas
https://cliniclegal.org/resources/doj-requires-immigration-judges-meet-quotas
Migration Management and Border Security – Lessons Learned
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/migration-management-border-lessons
Daria. I’m not sure we disagree at all. I have no idea how one might even deal with such a terrible reality. I certainly don’t. Thank you for your kind consideration. David.
I'm not ignoring you, David, I'm thinking.
Give that general another star, can we kick hawley to the curb, no wait, how about to jail?
There is no place in hell hot enough or harsh enough for Mitch McConnell and his nation hating thugs.
Truth, kinsman.
😊👏🍀👍
I was fortunate to catch part of what Anne Applebaum was saying in an interview with Ammanpour on PBS, as she referenced the recent German election and compared it to the where the US is now. We are much more at risk of an authoritarian government. 40 percent of US voters are Republicans whose party has been taken over by the extreme right, and I believe she said the extreme right in Germany had capped and was losing percents, and maybe was at 12 percent. She also had an article, maybe in the Atlantic, describing the cancel culture wars and the affront to Constitutional rights, in particular the way people who don't say or do or promote the right thing are suddenly shunned, lose jobs, not read anymore. She refers to the authoritarian parameters being put around freedom of speech, much like in Nazi Germany.
This is a very disturbing article about a deeply disturbing trend, people with absolutist & extreme perceptions of "reality" destroying lives of others.
Excerpt: " Right here in America, right now, it is possible to meet people who have lost everything—jobs, money, friends, colleagues—after violating no laws, and sometimes no workplace rules either. Instead, they have broken (or are accused of having broken) social codes having to do with race, sex, personal behavior, or even acceptable humor, which may not have existed five years ago or maybe five months ago. Some have made egregious errors of judgment. Some have done nothing at all. It is not always easy to tell.
Yet despite the disputed nature of these cases, it has become both easy and useful for some people to put them into larger narratives. Partisans, especially on the right, now toss around the phrase cancel culture when they want to defend themselves from criticism, however legitimate. But dig into the story of anyone who has been a genuine victim of modern mob justice and you will often find not an obvious argument between “woke” and “anti-woke” perspectives but rather incidents that are interpreted, described, or remembered by different people in different ways, even leaving aside whatever political or intellectual issue might be at stake." https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/10/new-puritans-mob-justice-canceled/619818/
Amanpour.
A number of Senate encounters seem tribal, as various senators play their stylized roles. It seems almost like the dance of the storks, which is a male mating dance. The big difference now is that Bad Stork McConnell has absolutely no intention of mating with his Democratic counterparts for the sake of our country. As he declared about President Obama and now about President Biden, his sole objective was to make them both one-term presidents. Thus, his overriding task is to disable the normal wheels of government.
Clearly Bad Stork McConnell has two sets of rules: one when he is Majority Leader and another when Minority Leader. He was boxed in by the physical infrastructure bill which, over years, will provide about $500 billion in new money to put patches on our crumbling physical infrastructure. He is absolutely opposed to Democratic initiatives that, in my opinion, are essential to improve our country and the opportunities for a large majority of Americans. He opposes the John Lewis voting bill, since it would establish federal voting safeguards, which Republicans in two dozen states are seeking to cripple. He is opposed to the ‘$3.5 trillion’ [much less in net expenditures and over 10 years] human infrastructure bill because it would improve the opportunities for a large percentage of Americans and charge corporations and very wealthy Americans a bit more in taxes to fund this essential investment in America.
Bad Stork McConnell considers the Senate Rules Book his Bible. Moreover, whenever it doesn’t suits his wishes, he invents Bad Stork amendments (like his refusal to consider President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court for over a year and then reversing this Bad Stork Amendment to rush Bennett to the SC after Trump lost in 2020).
His current game on funding the government and debt is simple. He could eventually acquiesce on a short-term budget as the new fiscal year commences, but he will not permit Republican senators to follow the traditional bipartisan approval of raising the debt limit to pay for already Congressionally-approved expenditures. Stated simply: APPROVE THE GUN, BUT NOT THE BULLETS. All this is an endeavor to place responsibility for a possible debt default and a government shutdown squarely on the Democrats. Bad Stork seems to be betting that the Democrats, as a last resort, will raise the debt limit through some sort of Senate reconciliation bill.
I don’t know how this will spin out in the days ahead. Bad Stork Mitchell has no intention of dancing to some reasonable mating resolution. I believe that, as Newt Gingrich, he, and Trump discovered in the past, such shabby blackmail hasn’t worked in the past with the American public and is unlikely to work with those who are not wrapped up in the Big Lie.
While Bad Stork Mitchell is flapping his unpatriotic wings, , some of his cohorts have sought to sully the wings of a true American hero—General Miley.
Love your analogy!
Keith, Thank you for illuminating the dance of 'Bad Stork Mitchell'. Shall there be a rebirth of America via one partner, consisting of the Democrats? What an extraordinary event, a biological miracle? Stay tuned. This next chapter couldn't be more of a cliffhanger, with American Democracy hanging by a thread.
And to a point, the dems are complicit in all of this. For instance , when it comes to Supreme Court justices, the dems let the repugs get away with their antics both with Garland, and Trumps pick!!!
John How do you think the Democrats could have blocked either of these McConnell travesties? Snake Oil McConnell, as Senate Majority leader, determined what was ‘appropriate.’ I was unaware that the Democrats had an effective riposte.
A person might get the impression that I’m anti-democrat. Well maybe an explanation is in order, I vote democrat about 100% of the time, but actually I’m what I call a progressive, I vote Democratic because that happens to be where all of the progressives are at.
And yes, I blame the Trump phenomenon on the D. N. C. ,!!!
What Hawley did & said is unconscionable & almost unforgivable. Why was he allowed to question anyone? He's going to be subpoenaed anyway right? Milley should go down as a hero.
“ … almost unforgivable.” ???
Are the 'rules of engagement' in the Committees being observed? It sounds as though what should be questions are being used as speeches and no response is permitted. Should the chair of the Committee not be intervening and calling all of these out, and if not the chair, cannot members object to these abuses?
Good point. When I started watching proceedings like this, the amount of grandstanding was unbelievable to me. As though the point was to campaign as opposed to find any truth.
For the last 20 yrs.As far back as I can remember ?
Perhaps, Democratic leaders need to convince Today Show host and University of Arizona cum laude graduate Savannah Guthrie, Esq. to primary unhinged Sen. Kyrsten Lea Sinema (?D-AZ). The extremely well-known, bright, knowledgeable and likeable former Presidential debate monitor Guthrie also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University, where she graduated magna cum laude. Just an idea.
Sic her, Savannah.
Sign me up for that campaign.
Me too.
I like that idea. Here she is trying to get a straight answer (scroll down for the video bit): https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/10/15/21518763/savannah-guthrie-trump-town-hall-nbc-miami
This is all terrible but the R efforts to destroy Milley are the most worrisome to me in that their continued and raucous post-truth behavior will clearly lead to fascism if they win in 2022 and 2024.
Of course, McConnell’s proclaiming that any attempt to lessen the wealth at the top to make government work for EVERYONE is socialism, is also a pre-Fascist meme.
We are so much closer than I realized.
I can only hope that the Ds become more vocal about what is happening to this country.
I have greatly respected Biden’s efforts to ignore the trumpsters but at some point—and hopefully soon—he and others in power will start to call them out.
I kept thinking that Trump would start to fade. Even if he does (and for some reason I don’t think he will run in 2024), it really doesn’t matter anymore. The fascists are winning.
Please understand, I do not use this term lightly. I used to teach about fascism and have resisted using this term to explain our country. I realize now that it really “can happen here”. Our institutions are not strong enough to stop madness.
Absolutely agree! Wayyyy too many pages from the fascist/nazi play book of Benito&Adolph that are being played out today! Both of my parents “lived” the WWII reality, pre and post...in their experience, the most destabilizing aspect of a world order turned upside down was the propaganda and it’s erosion of truth.
That playbook contains other plays that we need to be aware of and guard against also.
So true! As soon as Trump was elected, I was terrified fascism was exactly where we were headed. Unfortunately, at this point any adherence to bipartisanship is useless. That is my only problem with Biden (now).
The supreme importance of voting rights at this moment just crystalized for me. I have been wondering about the best way to quickly inform those who don't pay too much attention to politics, and I remembered the power of art: songs, slogans, political cartoons, etc. What about flash mobs acting out a catchy, easily-understood script that promotes voting and voting rights? Just an idea.
Yes! Everyone needs to become involved in this. Also be sure to connect with The Lincoln Project on FB. You can forward their videos. I am going to encourage my friends in theatre, the visual arts, and music to take this on. I am planning to create something as well.
And, Becky, the importance of the Women’s March has just increased exponentially. It’s an immeasurable, democratic opportunity to promote our voice, which is primarily done through the very tenet under attack…voting.
For sure!
Get young people involved.
I just voted in Virginia. It’s incredibly easy. I think we have five weeks to the election.
Oregon does theirs by mail as well; we usually get three weeks, I think.
We went with mail last year and the governor here in NV just signed to make it permanent.
It is really the way to go. Our "fraud" rate (based on the 38 criminal convictions out of 60.1 million ballots cast in a 9 year period is of .00000006% since inception of vote by mail in 1995) is "statistically insignificant.