Politics – Page 3 – Politics Plus

Open Thread February 10 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 102025

Yesterday was the first day this year that the sun waited until 5:30 to set. So I stayed with Virgil till closing. I checked out there at 3:26 and made it home before 5 pm (20 minutes before, to be precise.) That does include putting the wheelchair into the back of the car, putting my car key back on its keychain, grabbing something for dry mouth, putting the driver’s license away, starting the usb sound player, switching glasses and grabbing sunglasses, etc., before leaving the parking lot, as well as stoplights and fire trucks along the way, and changing glasses again at home. Yes, I know trifocals exist, but I loathe them almost as much as I loathe contacts. We had an unusual day with cribbage today – all the best hands were in the cribs. That started with Virgil getting two double runs of three in the crib on the first hand he dealt, and just continued. It wasn’t every deal, but often enough to defy the odds, and pretty evenly distributed between us. Virgil’s pretty good but was having some back pain. He plans to see a medical person about it when that is possible. He says hi to all. I forgot to take out my home-frozen meal from the freezer yesterday or even this morning, so I had to thaw it in the microwave before I could heat it in the microwave. (When people get older, they start thinking more about the hereafter. I often go into a room and ask myself “Now, what am I here after?”) Also I should mention that I saw some advice for all of us to freeze our credit with all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) unless we are currently applying for any kind of a loan, secured (mortgage or car loan) or unsecured. It is free at all three, but Equifax is the easiest one to do it with – the other two tend to route you to paid subscription signups when you are looking for the free one – so Experian is the only one I have completed. I may need to use a different browser on the others, but I will get it done.

The Contrarian is already so much of a brain trust that I seldom know whether a given post is written by someone who is a staff member or by a guest expert. Regardless, Michael Podhorzer has a great point here. Labor unions – “civilian” (i.e. non-government workers) labor unions in particular, but also the ones for government employees and for people who are somewhat in between, such as public school teachers and nurses. He goes into detail which I won’t, but I do want to say, let’s not cross any picket lines – including virtual ones. Let’s punish Amazon for firing duly elected union leaders. Let’s penalize Starbucks for their egregious anti-union pushing (they ought to change their name to Ahabs – since that’s who they are more acting like.) King Soopers (which is Kroger) in Colorado has actual picket lines right now. I was willing to cut them some slack because Albertson’s frivolously sued them for deal breaking when the proposed merger failed – I say frivolously because it was the courts which really stopped the merger, as well they should have. But I’m not about to cross a picket line for them. If anyone knows of some I didn’t mention (I know they exist), please share in a comment.

I apologize for this being a video. I first saw it quoted, with a link to BlueSky, which I saved, but which now does not have the transcript of the letter. YouTube at least has that. And the video is not quite three minutes.

Open Thread February 9 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:04 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 092025

Yesterday, the radio opera was Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman”, which I’ve discussed before. It was the choice of Ryan Speedo Green, who picked it because of the performance of George London in the title role. London started singing professionally in 1945, debuted at the Met in 1951, retired in 1967, and died in 1985 after his third heart attack, so I mostly missed him. (I know a lot of earlier singers from my mother’s 78 rpm record collection and of course newer ones from my own listening and collecting. And that includes a couple of the other principals in today’s recording who worked longer and lived longer.) But Speedo was just the right age to hear his recordings while studying … and to enter a competition and get financial help from a foundation London founded, continued by his widow after he died. I’ve also discussed Speedo’s story, which I find incredibly inspiring, so I’ll shut up now. Off to see Virgil, will check in upon return.

Straight from the Root – a list (not inclusive) of companies which continue to support DEI – in fact, some are doubling down. Many are not useful to me, either because I don’t use what they sell, or because I have rejected them for some other reason, but that’s me. Also, they’re all huge. But you can always look up any company on the internet and see whether they have a DEI statement in their “about us” section.

Dennis Donovan at Democratic Underground shares a post from Norm Eisen (cofounder of “The Contrarian”) – it’s a few days old, but I haven’t seen it elsewhere (which may be just me – I had to skip a lot to get through all those emails.)

This is a 23 minute video (with not bad CC – a couple of clunkers easy to mentally correct) and I can’t – not that I would want to – make you watch it. But in addition to advice, it also has some hope. So I thought I’d add it to Sunday.

Looking to 2026 – Colorado Governor

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:21 pm Politics

Feb 082025

I have a couple of letters I want to share which won’t fit in an open thread. Only this one is from and regarding Colorado. Phil Weiser has been our attorney general for six years – he’s half way through his second term. Colorado is big on term limits, so I assume he is term limited, which is a pity. He has been doing a remarkable job. But our governor is also term limited – and Phil has decided to run for that office. So that’s a good thing. I trust it will be easier to find a different Democrat qualified for AG than for Governor, and Phil will be excellent. I’m glad he is starting to campaign now, since it takes time to build up the enthusiasm he will need, even in a blue state. This letter is not the one I received announcing his campaign, but it provides a much batter summary of his accomplishments than that one did. It’s very personable, and I wanted to share it.

========================================================

It started with a pancake breakfast

To:
Joanne and Virgil Dixon

Mon, Feb 3 at 1:30 PM

I have often talked about how my first visit to the San Luis Valley as a candidate for Attorney General transformed my approach to the campaign and serving as AG. It started with a pancake breakfast with Alamosa Sheriff Robert Jackson at the Campus Cafe (the pancakes and cinnamon rolls there are really great).

My daughter Aviva and I at the Campus Cafe admiring the cinnamon roll Sheriff Robert Jackson and I after our visit

At that breakfast, Sheriff Robert Jackson told me a jaw-dropping fact—over 90% of all inmates in the jail in Alamosa County were struggling with opioid use disorder. The fact was so jaw-dropping that no one believed me when I repeated the story—until Colorado Public Radio later reported it. The moral of that story was very compelling—”I can’t help them,” he told me, “but if you are elected as Attorney General, you can do something about this crisis.”

As Attorney General, I have done something—and we have now brought back over $860 million in settlement funds to Colorado. The latest settlement is particularly meaningful, because it results from the first case I brought to hold accountable those who fueled this crisis through their wrongful actions. A few weeks ago, we announced a settlement with the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma that will bring over $70 million to Colorado, as explained in this Denver Post story. The way the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma lied to people, made a lot of money, and harmed people is sickening. This action provides some measure of accountability.

These funds are making a difference. And that difference is evident in communities like the San Luis Valley, where the regional council, led by Commissioner Lori Laske, developed plans for and received funds to open the first drug treatment center in the Valley in generations. (I discussed the significance of this accomplishment to the Alamosa newspaper in this interview.) That means that Sheriff Jackson has an alternative option—to refer inmates to a drug treatment center as an alternative to incarceration or after incarceration. We have also helped fund medication addiction treatment in all Colorado jails, something I recently celebrated in my talk to the Colorado Sheriffs Association. Here’s a picture of Sheriff Jackson and I (along with my friend Erin, who initially introduced us) at the opening of the new drug treatment center, Hope in the Valley:

Sheriff Jackson, Erin, and I

My leadership on the opioid crisis represents how I plan to campaign for Governor and serve as Governor—to show up, to listen hard, and to develop effective solutions. Our approach to using those settlement funds is a national model—and was recognized as much by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. And we also did something few states did—we created a dashboard that shows how every settlement dollar was spent. That’s how we build trust in government, through listening, innovative and collaborative problem solving, and transparency.

Thank you for supporting me in this important work.

Phil

========================================================

Well, there it is, and I couldn’t be more proud. Not to disparage any other Colorado state elected officials. Our Secretary of State is almost certainly on the Tangerine Turd’s enemies list, for instance. In the close to 50 years I have resided in Colorado, the state has been red, it has been blue, and it has been every shade in between at one time of another. I’m very grateful we are now blue when we most need to be.

(Incidentally, the outfit Phil is wearing in the third picture is known here as a “Colorado business suit.”)

Open Thread February 8 2025

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

Feb 082025

Yesterday, I had more than 100 emails come in, so I was overwhelmed even though I started the day with no new emails. I hope this doesn’t keep up. I also lost 3 hours waiting for a grocery delivery (at least when it came it had no substitutions and nothing missing, which helps.) Tomorrow I go to see Virgil. No snow or other potentially dangerous weather is expected. It should be cold, but that’s not a problem. The visiting room is kept so cold I always bundle up anyway. But of course I will check in upon return.

I’m squeezing this Joyce Vance article in today so it won’t spoil Sunday or have to wait for Monday. I hop eit will be helpful (and I hope the same for the next link.)

I previously shared Robert Reich‘s “What You Can Do,” so now that he has a “Revised and Expanded” version up, I thought I should share that as well. If he’s changed his mind about anything, there’s probably a reason, and we should know it.

Wonkette’s Doktor Zoom speaks about things schools are doing or trying to do to protect children from the horrors of the current Administration. Some things are easier to protect kids from than others, of course – somethings are harder that\n others to protect anyone from. But kudos to those who are doing their best.

Open Thread February 7 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:41 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 072025

Yesterday, although I had wiped out all the emails from Monday and Tuesday on Wednesday, I still had some from Wednesday to get through. By the end of he day I was caught up on them. But to do that I had to do a mostly single-topic OT for today, and do it early. It’s a little different, but hopefully at least thought-provoking.

Here’s a bonus video from Vote Vets. It’s nicely done, only a minute long, and includes excerpts from a speech by Alex Vindman.

And this from Huff Post is related. Both this and the video above are about what is going on with the USAID – not the best known Federal agency, but one of the most important to our national security (so of course the MAGAs want to destroy it, as do the billionaires who want to hand us over to Putin.)

Colorado Public Radio didn’t even take the time to write this up themselves, but instead shared the Denverite version. It looks like Freedom Summer all over again (except for the weather – and in this particular demonstrations, less blood. But there were demonstrations in 50 states, and I’m sure some of them made up for ours.)

Open Thread February 6 2025

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

Feb 062025

Yesterday, I got the results of my bone density test and was disappointed but not terrible surprised to learn I have osteoporosis. I have no symptoms, but I do have the early signs, such as loss of height. I’ve taken calcium religiously all of my adult life, which may have slowed it down some. I’m sure my new PCP and I can come up with something which will help. Off topic – the reason I had to so the blood draw at a place which was so hard for me to find was not that the place near me was booked up – it was because the place near me was closed for repairs. That lab expects to reopen well before the next blood draw I’m going to need in early April. (I already made the appointment for that one. Apparently hypo- and hyperthyroidism are related to osteoporosis. Who knew? Probably Nameless and possibly Dave, but anyone else would surprise me.)

From The 19th from Monday, but we have a whole month to reflect. And this is real stories from real people, which IMO is always refreshing even if not always victorious.

The link to Brennan Center should work. After I copied it, I tried it and it worked for me. But since it looks like a blanket link to the site, I’ll mention thet the name of the srticle I had in mind is “Breaking the Law” and that it’s in the category “Checks & Balances.”

Open Thread February 5 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 052025

Yesterday, I arrived on time for my bone density test, and it didn’t take too long, However, when I got home, I found that USPS had not picked up the Valentine I had put there to send to Loveland and get the cache on the envelope for Virgil. So I went out again and dropped it at the post office. And when I got back from that, it wasn’t even three o’clock yet. And a good thing too, as I didn’t have much – I’m still, as predicted, in email jail. And today, the exterminator comes. I can at least keep working while he (or she – so far I’ve only seen men) is here, but I do lose some concentration. And even at full concentration, I can’t cover everything.

From Democratic Underground, with a link to Lawfare. There really are bunches of good lawyers on the ‘Net, and little excuse for not understanding the ways of the law and the (federal)justice system.

This is the most recent message I have received from The Contrarian. They have done more journalism since this, but I haven’t see any emails. If you scroll to the top and click on the “THE CONTRARIAN” next to the Statue of Liberty logo, you’ll get to the home page and see a list of articles. So things are happening. And at the very least, what you read there will be truth. Unlike, for instance, Politico, which Robert Reich tore into smithereens yesterday.

Open Thread February 4 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:08 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 042025

Yesterday, the blood work went smoothly – I didn’t feel a thing. However, it took forever and was exhausting because I had a lot of trouble finding the place and was pretty late. Fortunately they took my blood anyway – and the results were in by the time I got home. What wasn’t in my inbox was anything from Lona. But – thankfully- that came before the end of the day:

Thanks for asking, Joanne, but fortunately for us this is some 700km north of us. We’ve had plenty of water ij December and January, with some flooding, even from the creek running at the end of my property, but no damage. Just a road blocked for a day or two.

The amounts falling further north from Townsville, where the major floods are now, is absolutely ridiculous. 1 meter (more than 3 feet) in 48 hours and in one spot 1.2 meters in 24 hours. Some villages are completely cut of from the rest of the world because of rads and bridges being swept away.

While in the South a heatwave is killing people (+43 degrees Celsius for days on end) and in the West, whole National Parks are burning out of control. I feel so sorry for them, as I do for the people in California.

I haven’t been able to look at much email, so I’ll be in email jail for a while – and today I have the bone density test. I did note skimming through that the resistance appears to be stepping up with Black History resources, so that’s good.

Heather Cox Richardson for Black History Month. One of many who know this is important, and who will recognize and celebrate it no matter who tries to kill it. I know, I don’t feel much of a celebratory mood either (in a way it reminds me of last week’s opera. But I think that Black people and Black history month can be resurrected, unlike Violetta. It qill take all of us and all of our effort. But without it, there’s no justice – and therefore no peace.)

Yes, this was posted Sunday night and now its Tuesday. But I only promised not to miss a post, not that all posts would have scoops. That’s not happening. Even on Tuesday, “The Week Ahead” is worthwhile.

In the interest of Black History, this from The Root is around a dozen moments from Black History in the US. So it isn’t so much what I think is important as it is what Black people consider important. Each event is described very briefly – but with enough key words to look it up if you don’t remember it.

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