Yesterday, the ACLU was in court defending Rümeysa Öztürk. But they have enough staffers that one could sent out a blanket email asking individuals to urge Congress to vote NO on any bill targeting immigrants and/or international students. In case you didn’t get it (I know many did besides me), here’s a link to the petition. Also, don’t anyone tell the regime, but I suspect SSA is sending payments out a little early (just in case someone tells them not to send them; it can be too late; already done.) Second month in a row. Also, I was in email jail all day. The blood work was easy and quick, but it was the second day in a row I was away from home for a good chunk of time, and things just piled up.
I’ll risk being accused of redundancy and share these four articles, one from Wonkette, another from Robert Hubbell, and the third from Colorado Public Radio. Some euphoria is healthy, particularly when one still has more work to do. As we do.
A little dose of reality from John Pavlovitz. Not that we didn’t already know, but sometimes a pep talk is helpful.
Yesterday, I saw Virgil, found a deck of cards, and we played cribbage. We had a range of hands from awful to unusually good. Today I have an appointment to have blood work done again. My original appointment was cancelled and rescheduled twice – after the second time, instead of changing the day, I went back to the original day and changed the location. My original appointment was at the lab closest to me, but they have just undergone major repairs, and are struggling to pass all the inspections. The location I changed to is the one I got lost finding last time – now that I’ve been there once, that won’t happen again. I know exactly where it is and how to get there now.
In case anyone who participated in “Hands Off” didn’t get pictures, here are some samples. It must have been quite a day. There are so many and they are all so good I’m just going to give a string of links. There must have been close to a million, maybe more than a million, in the US. Andy Borowitz says there were half a million just on Fifth Avenue in NYC. And these links are just a sample. Some here. More here. Also here. And here. Several states here. Several states here too.
I think Robyn (from Wonkette) may be on to something here. The only small town I have ever lived in was Alamosa, and it was a college town (now a university town.) The presence of liberal arts higher education tones down the Parochiality. As, may I add, does the presence of citizen neighbors in large numbers who speak a different language but have nonetheless been there for a lot longer than you have (and many of whom have PhDs.) So I didn’t find it a bad experience. But I’m sure small town exactly like what she describes are more the rule than the exception, and that their primary export may well be Karens.
John Pavlovitz, who always IMO has something to say worth thinking about, makes a confession here which will probably be no surprise to any reader – I think we’ve probably all said much the same at one time or another. But knowing it is not the same as actually feeling the full scope of it. This post and today’s other post are in different ways describing the same thing.
Yesterday’s radio opera, “Ainadamar” (“fountain of tears”) by Osvaldo Golijov, is based on the lives of Federico Garcia Lorca amd Margarida Xirgu, who is sometimes referred to as his muse. It was performed in 2005 at Tanglewood and revisedin 2003, this in Los Angeles and revised again, before having its official premiere in Santa Fe in 2005. In 2005, I was working at USAA and had recently been promoted, which put me at the bottom of the vacation request list. So I was not able to see it then, and became resigned to not ever seeing or hearing it. So this broadcast was an unexpected gift. The plot is kind of muddy, taking place as it does – or at least as it does in flashback – in Spain in the tome leading up to the Spanish Civil War. That was a place and time where and when, an nearly as I can tell from a not very deep dive into the history, when there were multiple political parties in Spain, and, though they ran the gamut left to right, all apparently were authoritarian, and all were violent. And none were tolerant of homoeroticism. Not a good time or place to be a gay playwright with opinions. The opera pins his death on the Falangist party (one of the Fascist parties.) It also calls his death an execution. His body was never found. Since 2005, the opera has been performed all over the world to critical acclaim, but last October’s run was the first time at the Met. What we heard this week was a recording from then. It’s short – only a bit under an hour and a half total – and very listenable, even if it’s a bit tough to follow the action. Also, today, it’s Pat B’s wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, Pat! And it’s Tim Walz’s birthday. He is 61 (just a kid.) Happy birthday, Gov! Off to see Virgil now – will post my return in a comment as always.
Good news – Democrats will be Doing Something. Several Senators who are no strangers to fights are mentioned in the article from Axios.
The Day of Visibility was last Monday (I posted a logo for it), but it’s good to know that state legislators are going beyond that. Colorado, like the nation, has two legislative houses, and since I moved in 23 years ago, both my representatives have been Republicans. But not now. My assemblyperson is still Republican, but my State Senator is a Democrat. And there is a Democratic majority in the Assembly, even though mine is not part of it. So I’m looking to see this bill pass.
This may not be the happiest song, but the selected founders, and their presentations, are so good I wanted to share it. And at least it ends with hope.
Yesterday, Meidas Touch Substack posted a (just over 20 minute) video of a conversation between Ben Meiselas and Gavin Newsom. If you have raised your eyebrows over a few remarks he’s made or things he’s done lately, this might be a good place to come for clarification (though you may still not agree). I didn’t find a transcript, but there is a text summary and a large load of comments.
Colorado Public Radio (although just about everyone has the story) provides evidence that bipartisanship may be on its last legs and gasping for breath, it’s not dead yet. And if it’s saved, it may well be women who save it.
This from Democratic Underground (originally from the Atlantic) has been around for a couple of months. It doesn’t appear to me to have aged at all, so I’m putting it out now.
This from DU, on the other hand, is new. It puts us, and particularly our government, to shame.
Yesterday, Wonkette wrote about Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which was argued Wednesday in the Supreme Court. If you haven’t been following this case, you may be as surprised as I was to learn that Neil Gorsuch, of all people, may have a sense of humor (alternatively, that may be Robyn inserting her analogy, but it reads like Gorsuch may have actually said it.) No one on the correct side had much hope for this case, given Dobbs, but it’s looking brighter now. Also yesterday, Harry Litman made abut a 20-minute video with Michael Podhorzer about the implications of the Mango Monster’s attack on trad unions which is starting with Federal unions. In that poem we all know now, it was third that they came for the trade unionists. One more thing before tomorrow – Joyce Vance has posted a guide to the Insurrection Act and the rights of peaceful protesters, and whether you want it or not, I thought I’d better make it available.
Colorado Public Radio gives out hope with one hand and takes it away with the other, it appears. Not that it’s quite that simple – since nothing is. I live in Colorado, and my husband has ties to CSU, where this is, and I did not know it existed. One can’t fight for it if one doesn’t know it exists.
This was written for The Contrarian on Wednesday, in the wake of Cory Booker’s record=breaking speech, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court victory, so it may be a little euphoric. But it can’t be denied that these are hopeful signs. As this post is published, people across the nation are gearing up for national protests. SoINeedAName posted in a content that he has registered for one (do protect your ears, Nameless). I wish I were younger and more mobile – but the last protest I managed I was in my late sixties, and now, approaching 80, I just can’t. Those of you who can, give ’em hell.
DU routed me to this article. Can’t find any fraud, so they have to create it? Looks that way.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court election if Wisconsin was called for the Democratic judge. Sadly, we lost both special elections for Congress in Florida. But if we were only going to win one of the three, Wisconsin is the one we wanted to win. I don’t know why it has taken so long for Repubs in Wisconsin to be looking at re-gerrymandering after the 2020 census, but apparently it has, because that is what they campaigned on (and apparently plenty of Democrats heard and came out to vote.) So now he districting will be fair. Bob La Follette can rest easy in his grave for a while (he’s been spinning since Scott Walker was elected Governor.) Joyce Vance has a bit more detail. Also Yesterday, Mallory McMorrow – the Wisconsin State Senator who attracted national attention some time ago with a “no BS” statement, announced a run to be the next Senator from Wisconsin. She’s raising funds through the Defeat Republicans PAC.
Robert Reich addresses the regime’s current war on lawyers (not all lawyers-jus honest and courageous ones.) Many of the founding fathers were lawyers – courageous ones – and I would expect earthquakes up and down the eastern seaboard over this. I don’t think all legislators should be lawyers, but there is a good reason why some should be. Lawyers are trained to be able to write legislation which is enforceable, and in particular enforces what it is intended to enforce. Most of us aren’t (although many of us think we have the ability anyway.😉)
Yes, as Joyce Vance says, the Mango Monster is serious. He can’t run for Vice President (and has enough lawyers that he should know it – read Article I of the Constitution.) He might conceivably somehow get himself elected as Speaker of the House and get in that way, however. I’d keep that quiet – but someone’s bound to think of it eventually. I actually think he’s more likely to just refuse to leave. But whatever his plans, he is dead serious.
Just in case you didn’t see this – it is jaw-dropping. I don’t know whether you’d call it “malevolence tempered by incompetence” or “incompetence tempered by malevolence”. But I think we can agree on “despicable.”
Yesterday, both Steve Schmidt and Wonkette singled out the same Senator for praise – Cory Booker. Both are on our side, but they are not the same, so I find this noteworthy. Both were focused on his talking filibuster. I hope this praise will both call attention to how many voters approve of bold action, and inspire other Congressional Dems to do more of it. I had already noticed that it is starting to look as though the Tangerine Palpitine’s regime is getting a little pushback, and likely to get more, from at least some of the Courts. Jen Rubin at the Contrarian ran through some of it on Monday – and pointed out that there is more she did not mention. I am not (nor is she) suggesting we count on the courts to save us. For one thing, the Courts themselves will need loud public support. They won’t get it from this regime.
If I’m reading Harry correctly, and I think I am, he is making the point here that it’s not the individual lies, however disgusting and calumnious they may be, that make the Mango Monster’s regime so very dangerous, as it is the lack of respect for truth itself which is so fatally destructive to democracy. And in the long run he is certainly correct. I really think there are way too many Americans who don’t care much about truth in the abstract and don’t realize how important insistence on the truth is to all our (and our children’s and grandchildren’s) futures. And, incidentally, the House gave its middle finger to Mike Johnson over proxy voting.
And, here at The F* News, is exhibit A. The headline is absolutely correct. The number of people who are saying so (and that includes God knows how many people said so once but no longer are) is staggering. If you give up on truth, you give up on literally everything.
Yesterday, I received a petition from Faithful America. Here is a link. I’m not specifically asking anyone here to sign the petition, though of course you can if so moved. Instead, what I want y’all to see here is the back story, and specifically the words of the church’s pastor. TomCat would have been as proud of this statement as I am. He from time to time wrote about authentic Christians as opposed to pseudo-Christians. Both kinds are all over, without regard to denomination or the frequency with which they “go to church.”
This is a guest post to Wonkette by Ali Davis. I don’t know the correct pronouns, so I’ll use they/them. Ali has their own Substack, which appears new, (only 2 posts there including this one), but appears to be speaking toRepublicans, particularly Congressional Republicans, who are closet ant-Trumpers. I don’t know how to get their posts in the attention of the intended audience (I’m pretty sure that Wonkette is not it, but I appreciate Wonkette republishing it so we can read it), but between this one and the first one (which I found by clicking on the live link on their name at the bottom of the post), I can say they address the real issues that no one else is speaking about to that intended audience, and quite frankly too. If you have a Republican Congresscritter or Senator who at least used to be halfway sane, you could do worse than sneak a copy of either article, or both articles, to them.
I may not need that sarcasm tag for this blog, but I want to be sure no one has even a single-point rise in blood pressure from The F* News here. Certainly as you read you’ll see where he’s going with this – “put up or shut up” and there’s nothing to put up. It’s cleverly done, certainly.
