Open Thread – Page 17 – Politics Plus

Open Thread August 9 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:07 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 092024

Yesterday, VoteVets advised me that the Trump** campaign is swiftboating Tim Walz already. And they are already pushing back. (For the record, if anyone had asked me while I was on active duty what a “Command Sergeant Major” is, I would most likey have said, “That’s a Sergeant Major who can walk on water.”) I have no link to Vote Vets, but here’s one to Wonkette.
And yes, I realize the whole couch story may be just fake news (if a little more believeable than most), but the gif (from Wonkette) was just too good not to share.

This is a couple of days old, but this kind of thing will never get old. I’ve found that on DU one can watch an embed from Xitter full size, without having to go there. Hopefully that will also work for y’all.

They are now trying to break Project 2025 down into “This is what we’re really going to do” and “Just kidding.” Aside from the fact I don’t (and you shouldn’t) believe the “just kidding,” there is literally nothing inthe more than 900 pages of Project 2025, not one thing, which is acceptable or tolerable.

Open Thread August 8 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:57 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 082024

Yesterday, +I noticed that election season is now in full swing – from the number of my emails. Aand that’s OK. In november I’ll have to do some unsubscribingfor my sanity. But tlections are important, and this one especially. Also, if you know even a tiny bit of French, you will appreciate that “Ms Beau” is now “Belle.” I hope y’all will give her a chance, as you did me when we lost TomCat. She’s been working with Beau a long time and the analysis is there. Also the hat, the shed, and the Tshirts (on a hanger to the right.) And when I say that he analusis is there, I’m basing tht on more than you see – the channel (Belle) is still posting 4 every day. I watch most of them, Occasionally I will skip if a title appears irrelevant to our blog, but, I try noy to do that because the titles are still enigmatic. Also, if you are too young for the reference in the cartoon below, here’s a link. Yes, it’s offensive, but somehow Trump** manages to be more offensive – even just in a cartoon.

There’s a lot in here that y’all already know, and some tha you may have known and forgotten, but also some things which are not new but are newly getting publicity. So there’s way too much to remember – but also some terrific points to make.

I’ve been trying not to bitch about it, but yes, grocery prices are too high. (And a merger of Kroger and Albertson’s would absolutely not help.) Glad to see the FTC will be looking at it.

Open Thread August 7 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:56 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 072024

Yesterday, the exterminator came, and my rep is still out on family leave. The replacement didn’t kow whether it was a boy or a girl,so I asked him to take both to the office for the new dad and tell him to just keep the other one for the next addition. I may not have any childen of my own, but I still have a by God commitment to the future.

Steve Schmidt has a new video title: “The Schmidt Storm” I don’t know whether he plans on changing the name of his column or if this is just for the election – heaven knows it would fit either way. About this first use, he says “In the first edition of “The Schmidt Storm”, I answer your questions about the post-Trump Republican party, battling negative Kamala Harris narratives and preparing for another MAGA loss”

This story from The 19th was reproduced from Politifact. I couldn’t find it there (probably just didn’t have the patience), but I did want to point out that the “we” in the last sentence is “we at PolitiFact.” not “we at The 19th.” I don’t know about the 19th, but personally, I would rate it “Pants on Fire.”

Open Thread August 6 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 062024

Yesterday, I saw the creepiest squib in Talking Points Memo’s morning email about RFK Jr. There was no link. There was a video, but it was on Xitter, and I can’t even see those, let alone embed them. So I looked around and found this on Democratic Underground. It has more detail, so it;s even creepier. And also weird (though I’m not really comfortable with that, because there s such a thing as good weird – which I like ti believe I have.) I also received a grocery order. And today the exterminator comes (grin). And then – after putting everything away – I checked my email and learned that an elder had been shot and killed at an Oglala powwow. It wasn’t a mass shooting, it wasn’t actually intended to hurt anyone, the trigger was pulled with one of those good intentions which pave that road.

If you are interested in the “Trump** took a bribe from Egypt in front of God and everybody” story,I doubt you’ll find anyone telling it better than Heather Cox Richardson. Personally, I’m far more interested in why it took so long for it to be revealed.

Back in the day, at least my day, there used to be an expression “how the other half lives.” Of course, nothing is ever exactly half and half, but it’s not only possible but probable that there are groups who, whether through privilege or through necessity, live in ways about which you or I don’t have a clue. If you would like to get a glimpse into some things that black people cope with the knowledge of every day, I recommend subscribing to the Atlanta Black Star. Youdon’t even have to read the articles to get the point. The headlines are more than enough. I’ve picked one story to share here, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. If you don’t want more in your inbox, consider saving this link and looking up the headlines from time to time. It is eyeopening and sobering.

Open Thread August 5 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:10 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 052024

Yesterday, I went to the mailbox and picked up the note from Paul Whelan. The note I sent was dated December 15, 2022. He received it, or at least wrote a response May 8, 2023. The envelope has Russian stamps and postmarks with a postmark date of June 19, 2024. it was a lovely note. I had mentioned Virgil was incarcerated and he included “please do pass along my regards to your husband.” And just about then Virgil called, so I passed along his regards right away.

Pretty sure this means the entire State Department is also on the same page. I realize many feel this is way too late. But a nation cannot just desert an ally without warning – and particularly if there is a treaty, which under the Constitution is the law of the land. He has hated this from Day One. But he goes by the book because the country comes first.

This was written Saturday, but I didn’t see it until Sunday. So Friday, August 2, was the date Chutkan received the case back. No, she isn’t wasting any time.

Dog

Open Thread August 4 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 042024

Yesterday, my Informed Delivery email showed a note from Paul Whelan in my mailbox. I’ll be picking it up today. I can’t imagine how many notes were sent to him that he wasn’t allowed to answer (or maybe even to see.) I hope (and kind of assume) he has people helping him to answer every single one. I’m so glad he’s home (and of course the others.) I gather Kamala had a big part in the dilomacy, though I haven’t (as I type) seen any details yet (too busy listening to the opera – Berlioz “Damnation of Faust”). If you see any details on that before I can post, feel free to share in a comment.
Also – I don’t intend to start adding commentary on Beau as a regular thing. But if you ever watch him at all, do so today. If you don’t, the next time you do, you will think that either he or I, or maybe both, have lost our collective minds. That’s not actually the case.

Weekends tend to be slim pickings. But this is as good a summary of the week (actually the last two weeks) as you are likely to find. And if you’re interested in astronomy, don’t leave the page without scrolling to the bottom. I am pretty sure he is no relation to the telescope (it’s not even spelled the same) but I did wonder.

This appears to be extremely good news. I have a lot of respect for retired Judge Luttig. Of course, he’s 70, which means he’s not only old enough to remember when there were Republicans with honor – he’s old enough to be one.

Open Thread August 3 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:15 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 032024

Yesterday, I started the day by looking for baby booties, and in fact found 9 pair (10 if I can find the mate to the last one.) I can’t just ignore a baby born on my birthday. So I am now ready, be it boy or girl. Also, since it was Friday, here is Robert Reich’s episode #10 of DEBUNK. In regard to Beau, since I live in Colorado, I should tell you that I followed that Democratic primary – started in advance, right after the state Democratic convention, and it appeared there were two front runners. She wiped out both of them, seemingly coming from nowhere. Not that it will make a difference in a district as red as that, but she’s remarkable.

Wonkette sent me to this article in People magazine. But The Root also had thoughts. I can’t begin to sort out my mixed feelings about this – but one thought which leaps out is “Now all the gun nuts will be saying, ‘See! We told you it wasn’t the guns!'”

I’m not sure when I subscribed to Press Watch, but I’m glad I did. What POGO (Project on Government Oversight) does for the Federal Government (some would say “to” the Federal government), Press Watch does for – or to – the main stream media. I like that – and I think the Founders would too. They were under very few illusions about what can go wrong in a democracy.

Open Thread August 2 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:12 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 022024

Yesterday, I was schedued to get a maintenance visit from the exterminator. But his wife went into labor, so they postponed it until Tuesday. Well, that will give me time to see whether I can find a pair of baby booties. I almost certainly can. But in case I can’t, I know I can find a sweater.Also, I replaced the pads on the bottom of my mouse, which works just fine but has been driving me nuts with the way it moves over the desk. I knew there was a reason I had been saving those scraps of fuzzy Contact paper. It works so smoothely and quietly now. Oh, and the news was released that 3 prisoners of Russia are being released and returning to the US, and one of them is Paul Whelan! Did you write to him when his brother asked people to do so? I did, and even printed some labels because I don’t expect even American to read my 79 year old writing with ease, let alone Russians. I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy to be recycling something as I am recycling those which are left.

Tina Peters’s trial started this week. CPR posted an article on the back story of how she got here. She’s really creepy (a word I personally prefer to “weird,” because good weird exists – but good creepy does not). Apparently the evidence will remove any lingering suspicion that her actions might have been impulsive. I wonder how many like her there are in how many states.

I don’t often send you to Steve Schmidt these days, but this time he was the first (at least the first I have seen) to tie JD Vance to Himmler, and I find it convincing (and, of course, frightening.) Himmler was almost certainly smarter. But it’s not necessary to be smart to do monumental damage.

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