Open Thread June 1, 2023

 Posted by at 6:02 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 012023
 

Yesterday, I ended up having to go in to my doctor’s office after all to get his signature, and that of one of his staff to certify that she had seen my driver’s license and that I am really me. Unfortunately, she forgot to sign it. I tried one more email with just that page, but I didn’t get home and see it until after the office closed, so I won’t know until today whether I’ll need to go back.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Letters from an American – May 29, 2023
Quote – Beginning in 1943, the War Department published a series of pamphlets for U.S. Army personnel in the European theater of World War II. Titled Army Talks, the series was designed “to help [the personnel] become better-informed men and women and therefore better soldiers.” On March 24, 1945, the topic for the week was “FASCISM!”…. “The basic principles of democracy stand in the way of their desires; hence—democracy must go! Anyone who is not a member of their inner gang has to do what he’s told. They permit no civil liberties, no equality before the law.” “Fascism treats women as mere breeders. ‘Children, kitchen, and the church,’ was the Nazi slogan for women,” the pamphlet said.
Click through for more quotes, many highly prescient, and not a lot of take from Heather because the material speaks for itself.

Slate – The Urgent Warning That Got Cut From a Supreme Court Opinion 20 Years Ago
Quote – More than 20 years ago, then–Supreme Court Justice David Souter tried to warn that big money in politics risked turning United States officials into tools of an emerging “plutocracy.” We now know from recently released case files that Souter had to strike the language in his draft Supreme Court opinion in a 2000 campaign finance case, Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government PAC, as the price to secure Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s vote. It’s too bad, because Souter’s warning is one that American political leaders, including justices on the Supreme Court itself, needed to hear. That warning was never made and thus never heeded. Today, American plutocracy—from Congress to inside the walls of the court itself—is alive and well.
Click through for sad story. And here we are.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 5/31/2023

 Posted by at 12:04 pm  Open Thread, Politics
May 312023
 

Talking Feds – New Trump Lawyer Story REVEALS Shape of DOJ’s Obstruction Argument (Glenn may have posted after I put this up, but see the Open Thread – I had something else to think about.)

PoliticsGirl – Don’t Be Fooled

The Lincoln Project – Cut the Crap

MSNBC – Mississippi police shoot 11-year-old boy after his call to 911

Baby Chipmunk Burrows Into Giant 115-Pound Dog’s Fur (hanky alert)

Beau – Let’s talk about Texas teachers and me missing something….

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Open Thread May 31, 2023

 Posted by at 5:54 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 312023
 

Yesterday, I spent a fair amount of time struggling with the internet and email – trying to get paperwork to my doctor’s office to get my car registration renewed. His email account is set to reject any email from someone he hasn’t approved. He did approve me,but my email was not going through. Thinking maybe it was the number of attachments, I sent seven separate ones today – one for each attachment. But it was late in the business day, so I’ll have to check again today. They were all jpgs – before retiring I converted them all into pdfs in case I have to resend again. If I can’t get it done in time, I’m going to go see Virgil Sunday anyway (I did get confirmation yesterday; I looked for it Monday but of course that was a holiday.) In less personal news (but still kind of personal, since we all love the Carters), Rosalynn has been diagnosed with dementtia. She is still at home with Jimmy and is able to see loved ones and enjoy the spring weather.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

NMAI (National Museum of the American Indian) – Why We Serve
The National Museum of the American Indian is one of many institutions which come under the purview of the Smithsonian. There isn’t a lot of information about Native Americans that you won’t find somewhere under its umbrella. “Why We Serve” is a website dedicated to Native Americans in the military – active duty, veterans, and war dead. It’s an online exhibition that you can wader through, just as you would wander through a physocal exhibition on site. I was pleased to learn about NAWW – Native American Women Warrriors – group specifically for women veterans who are native Americans. The Museum’s “Object of the Month” for May is a blue jingle dress worn by Mitchelene BigMan (Apsáalooke [Crow]/Hidatsa) during the 2013 presidential Inaugural Parade. You’ll find it (along with three others) under the topic “War and Peace.”

The Warning (Steve Schmidt) – The distortion and delusion of the MAGA/GOP view
Quote – The greatest crime in human history began with the rise of a far-right political party of losers, crackpots, opportunists and alienation that sowed division, hate, intolerance and grievance against its enemies, status and condition. The Jews were the target of its scapegoating, hate, conspiracies and terror. Ultimately, an extremist political party became the State and then the nation. Hitler’s rise was abetted by countless small acts of moral appeasement and accommodation by people who were appalled by him. Ambition and cynicism fueled a merger of industry with extremism and hate with national identity. All of it was sustained by propaganda, lies, and conspiracy theories. Before it was over human civilization nearly fell.
Click through for column. You’ll probably have to click on “Let me read it first.” It isn’t the full column, since I’m not a paid subscriber, but it’s enough to sound an alarm.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 5/30/2023

 Posted by at 11:53 am  Open Thread, Politics
May 302023
 

Glenn Kirschner – The Trump Trials: Updates on E. Jean Carrol case; Georgia DA’s case; & a tape in NY DA’s case

The Lincoln Project – Ron Pardons

Thom Hartmann – If Nazis Don’t Approve Your Book Is Banned?

Ring of Fire – Right-Wing Moms For Liberty Group Admits They Have ‘Moles’ Inside Liberal Groups

Very ‘Scary’ Cat Is Obsessed With A Tiny Almond

Beau – Let’s talk about the new Trump documents reporting….

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Open Thread May 30, 2023

 Posted by at 5:47 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 302023
 

Yesterday, I learned something I did not know about the Marine Corps – not all that surprising, since it happened after my time – way, way after my time. But it makes a lot of sense. I just hope some of those mementoes are representative of other faiths. The manger Christans need to respect and in a way emulate is emphatically not the one that Aesop’s dog was in.  And, yes, I did watch the National Memorial Day Concert (a day late) – it’s still available to stream if anyone else missed it the first time.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

John Pavlovitz – Dangerous Christian Drag Show
Quote – They shamelessly don their cheap, glittery regalia, meticulously transforming themselves into a sickening inversion of who they actually are, putting on an unnatural false persona designed to indoctrinate young minds by passing as something they’re not. It is a vile bait and switch that decent human beings should be sickened by.
The political Right is the worst kind of drag show: that of hateful, heartless bigots pretending to be Christian.
Click through for essay. What can I say? He nails it.

Crooks & Liars – Dem Senator Schools Chuck Todd On Why Congress Can Regulate Supreme Court
Quote – “The Chief Justice has to make this decision, though, right?” Todd asked. “Separation of powers, whether, I mean, it’s pretty established, Congress can’t make a law that does that, right?” Whitehouse informed the host he was mistaken about how the Constitution works. “No, it absolutely can,” Whitehouse laughed. “Well, it doesn’t mean it’s constitutional,” Todd quipped. “Yes, it does,” the senator explained. “It means it’s constitutional because the laws that we’re talking about right now are actually laws passed by Congress. The ethics reporting law that is at the heart of the Clarence Thomas ethics reporting scandal is a law passed by Congress.”
Click through for story. Chuck Todd is far from alone in (apparently} believing the “SC” in “SCOTUS” stands for “Sacrd Cow.” It doesn’t. Whitehouse is a gem.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 5/29/2023

 Posted by at 12:05 pm  Open Thread, Politics
May 292023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Oath Keeper Elmer Rhodes gets 18 years in prison; Trump & DeSantis pledge to pardon insurrectionists

Thom Hartmann – These Corporations Force Workers ONTO Welfare…Then Lobby To CUT the Safety Net…

Farron Balanced – Trump Allies Believe He’ll Be Indicted By DOJ Very Soon

Armageddon Update – Financial Armageddon

Tiny Rescue Dog Is So Nervous That He Lives In His Mom’s Pouch

Beau – Let’s talk about SCOTUS and checks and balances….

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Open Thread May 29, 2023

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 292023
 

Yesterday, I did a little work on cartoons for June (the operative word is “little” – but fortunately I don’t need that many.) I also discovered that i am apparently going to have to uninstall and reinstall my printer. First I have to find the CD. I’m pretty sure i know where it should be, but whether or not that’s where it actually is is another question. Also, I’ll have to disconnect it from the computer until I’m finished and then reconnect it, and neither end of the USB cord is exactly easy to reach. I’m wondering too whether I should use a new cord (or at least an unused one) and that would mean reaching both ends. Fortunately, having gotten my Auto ID card printed, I don’t need to print anything right away. Anyway, as i reported ysterday, there is a tentative debt ceiling deal, and I happened to come across two amusing money stories, so at least we can have a laugh or two.

Cartoon – 29 Sojourner Truth (and Memorial Day)

Short Takes –

AP News – Jan. 6 rioters are raking in thousands in donations. Now the US is coming after their haul
Quote – Dozens of defendants have set up online fundraising appeals for help with legal fees, and prosecutors acknowledge there’s nothing wrong with asking for help for attorney expenses. But the Justice Department has, in some cases, questioned where the money is really going because many of those charged have had government-funded legal representation. Most of the fundraising efforts appear on GiveSendGo, which bills itself as “The #1 Free Christian Fundraising Site” and has become a haven for Jan. 6 defendants barred from using mainstream crowdfunding sites, including GoFundMe, to raise money.
Click through for details, I believe it’s called “profiting from a crime,” and it’s a legal no-no. If, of course, they catch you and can prove it. If you brag about it, they probably can.

PolitiZoom – MAGA Moron Buys $2,200 in “Trump Bucks” is Surprised When Bank Won’t Exchange Them
Quote – Purchaser John Amman said “he bought $2,200 worth of Trump Bucks and other items over the past year only to learn that they were worthless when he tried to cash them in at a local bank.”… This writer has to commend you, John Amann, if I were to fall $2,200 dollars deep into such an obvious scam I could not confide my idiocy to family and friends, much less advertise it On Twitter for all to see:
Click through for story. I have no trouble believing it. They used actual imagery from actual money. Sure, they tarted it up to protect themselves against being charged with counterfeiting – but what MAGA would realize that?

Food For Thought

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