Yesterday Wendy and I worked so hard, and it was so damn hot, that I was unable to wind down and get to sleep until well after midnight, so I spent the morning napping instead of researching. Therefore this is my only article today, and I will not be sending links messages at Care2.
Jig Zone Puzzles:
Today’s took me 7:01 (average 7:41). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Washington Post: President Trump on Sunday explicitly advocated for depriving undocumented immigrants of their due-process rights, arguing that people who cross the border into the United States illegally are invaders and must immediately be deported without trial or an appearance before a judge.
In the Republican Reich, let the Constitution be damned. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!
From NY Times: 2. Driver’s license offices are closed in black areas.
The year after the photo identification law took effect, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced that it would close 31 driver’s license offices, one of the primary places where Alabamians could obtain photo identification. The closings were in response to budget cuts, but there was a clear racial pattern.
This is the second of seven ways Alabama Republicans have made it harder to vote. Click through for the other six. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!
From Washington Post: Rep. John Carter (R-Tex.) hasn’t won a race by fewer than 20 points in a decade. Veteran MJ Hegar (D) is trying to change that, and she made a big splash over the last few days with an ad that includes a subtle but brutal jab at Carter.
Hegar served three tours in Afghanistan and later successfully lobbied the Obama administration to lift the ban on women serving in combat.
In a new ad “Doors” — which you can watch above [below] — Hegar shows viewers how she opened “doors” throughout her career, facing many that slammed in her face. Behind one closed door was Carter, who she says in the ad she tried to lobby to lift the combat ban.
Great Ad! MJ Hegar for Congress! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!
Cartoon:
Kudos to the winners!
13 Responses to “Open Thread – 6/25/2018”
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9:16. I complained about this image the last time – I won’t re-rant.
WaPo – Teacher Ken at Daily Kos points out that “invasion” (along with “insurrection” is one of the very few conditions in the Constitution during which habeas corpus can be suspended. (He thinks someone must have told Trump that, since he would be unlikely to research it himself) and that it was a very deliberate choice.
NYT – And Doug Jones STILL won. A lot of that was due to black women, and we need to really, really support them, not just this election cycle, but all the time.
WaPo – Daily Kos shared this also, calling it the best political ad of all time. That’s quite a claim … but there is indeed a case for it.
Cartoon – Indeed. Well done.
WP and NYT: Creeping racism, creeping fascism. We MUST NOT allow crap like this to become normalized! Remember what happened the last time? Ask any Jew.
Go Hegar! Hope you successfully ride the Blue Wave. Remember, it will stay a blue wave if, and only if, genuine progressives not only register to vote, but do their homework and cast informed ballots. Losers don’t make policy.
WP: ¡Este presidente tiene que IR!This president has got to GO!
NYT: Wow!!! That’s downright horrible!
WP: She’s up about 50 miles up the road here in TX. Like Amy McGrath, I support our Veterans, and those who follow the road into politics. GO, MJ, and best to you!!
Cartoon: The Battle of Little Bighorn–also called Custer’s Last Stand–marked the most decisive Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. However, sadly, within five years, almost all of the Sioux and Cheyenne would be confined to reservations. *history
Relax and rest. Take good care, enjoy your evening, and Thanks, Tom.
WP: Maybe Dumpy used the word “advisedly,” but just because he says, “It ain’t necessarily so!” Do not let him make the definitions about our reality, he is in one all his own.
NYT: Of course Alabama is in the union, isn’t that what the civil war was about? (wink, wink)
Doors: TC, here we go again- http://www.care2.com/news/member/565542931/4109030
We sure did! ?
Brilliant ad from MJ Hegar, best of luck to her!!!
i despise republicans!!! ?
WP: And Republicans are delighted with this. Drumpf has never been so popular with them. Last chance to stop this fascist onslaught is November 6!
NYT: I remember the outrage when these offices were closed in 2015 and the result was a “federal investigation [which] found that the closings caused “a disparate and adverse impact on the basis of race.” Alabama reopened the offices and agreed to increase their hours in several majority-black counties.” Alabama has tried a lot of other things since then, not all of them working out, but the severe reduction in polling stations and the voter roll purging is something that needs urgent attention coming November. I sincerely hope Democrats are spending time and money on this and do not leave it to the black communities to fend for themselves.
Cartoon: One of the few days the Good Old Days were just that.
Take care of yourself with regular cat naps, TomCat.
The production values on MJ Hegar’s ad are simply phenomenal!
Thanks all! Hot Hugs!
Puzzle — 7:20 I hate this puzzle for what it does to my eyes and brain. JD, I remember your rant and I second it! . . . and third it! . . . and …
WaPo — And this asshole has the audacity to complain about his perceived lack of due process for himself and his sycophant staff???!!! Drumpf said at the announcement of his presidential campaign:
This is my rework of his comment:
Be careful what you say Drumpf because clearly you are talking about yourself and your Republican cohorts and enablers.
NY Times — “State officials say the voting measures are intended to prevent election fraud. ” — Then get rid of Republicans and any iteration of same that might arise!
1) I don’t have a problem with picture ID . . . IF that has been the custom. But in changing the custom to require photo ID, it should be provided easily without charge otherwise it constitutes a poll tax. I can quite appreciate the anger having lost my drivers’ license before and requiring a photo ID to replace it. Maddening but ultimately I did get my license.
2) Clearly unacceptable targeting counties with higher minority populations. This is a public service, not a profit making enterprise. Perhaps Alabama Republicans should look at not giving the wealthiest big tax breaks that screw the state budgets!
3) My understanding is that in the US one cannot get a drivers’ license if one is not properly documented. When voting, have the elector sign a declaration that they are entitled to vote. It works here in BC . . . everybody signs and we do not have the perceived elector fraud that Republicans say exists.
4) The right to vote is constitutionally protected. Removing polling places constitutes a denial of constitutional rights especially for the poor or seniors who may not drive. Hey, but when did Republicans care about constitutionality!
5) The “unintended” consequences? Bull shit!!! Outright hamstringing of the ADC.
6) … “U.S. Representative Mo Brooks, a Republican, and State Representative Patricia Todd, a Democrat — discovered that they had been marked inactive, though both were able to vote after updating their information.” Let me guess, they were both white and knew their rights! . . . and they could advocate for themselves w/o difficulty! Another case of bullshit!
7) I remember this coming up. What a pile of BS. If a state wants to give ex-felons a chance at rehabilitation, they should be allowed to participate in society with voting etc. Figures that this happens in Jeff Sessions’, the elfintine US AG, state. Want to be tough on crime Sessions? Lock up every Republican including yourself and Drumpf!
WaPo — MJ Hegar is a fighter! Kudos!!! Great ad!
Cartoon — AMEN!!! And the US continues with its abuse of First Nations people and their rights.
The most recent time I lost my license, I didn’t need a photo ID … but I did need my birth certificate! I had it, fortunately, and I probably couldn’t have come up with another (current) photo ID, but, in a way, I find that even more intrusive!
“elfintine” – I see what you did there. Brilliant!
It was sheer dumb luck! Sessions is elf like but I didn’t want to diss Keebler so I just used elfintine. I kept hearing the word in my brain. Today in the shower, I finally understood your comment — elfintine vs elephantine. You might think it was brilliant but it was just dumb luck. Of course it helps that the symbol for Republicans is an elephant.
Dumb luck succeeds better then proper prior planning every time. It’s still brilliant!