Glenn Kirschner – Jack Smith’s TARGET LETTER to Trump identifies 3 crimes he committed. Why these 3? Here’s why
The Lincoln Project – Dark Money
PoliticsGirl – Critical Race Theory (not new, but still needed)
Family Finds Someone In A Taped-Up Box
Parody Project – Witch Hunt
Beau – Let’s talk about Michigan electors and what’s next….
Glenn Kirschner – Trump federally indicted! Here’s what we can expect in the coming days
The Lincoln Project – Our Flag
MSNBC – Jack Smith’s coup probe hits MAGA convict Steve Bannon
Thom Hartmann – You Won’t Believe The Power Behind The Most Corrupt SCOTUS Justice…?
Cat goes WILD for Trader Joe’s ciabatta!
Beau – Let’s talk about Ukraine, Kuwait, and supplies….
Yesterday, there was a very odd story out of Russia – first a bit of background: “eternal flames” are not unknown here, but apparently in Russia there are a gazillion of them, relics of the Soviet era. In a town in the Moscow region but not Moscow, a fifth-grade boy apparently had had enough of the one there, and literally estinguished it. Using a fire extinguisher of the type that are required in cars there), he didn’t spray it (which would not have worked) but tossed it into the flame. An explosion ensued and the flame was gone. I guess there are bunches of dissatisfied people just about everywhere, and some will go to ridiculous lengths to make it known.)
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Crooks and Liars – Dark Money Groups Sue To Remain Anonymous
Quote – At the heart of the lawsuit is the argument that anonymous political speech is protected by the First Amendment. Terry Goddard, a former Arizona attorney general and the driving force behind the Voters’ Right to Know Act, said the arguments against disclosure aren’t new — and have been rejected by courts.
Click through. Because of course they do. If you were pouring money into taking away other people’s money so you could kep more of yours (and keep getting more), you’d not want anyone to know who you are either.
ABC News – What is gender dysphoria and what does transgender youth care consist of?
Quote – Across the country, Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation that restricts transgender health care for minors. At least eight states have passed laws or policies restricting this care, and 23 more state legislatures are considering similar legislation of their own. Medical experts say that understanding transgender identities, gender dysphoria and how gender-affirming treatments work is key to understanding the impact these bans may have on patients.
Click through for details. I’m counting this as a women’s history month article. That’s because I have a theory that LGBTQIA+ phobia ia all based in misogyny. Anything other than straight male is othered. (And if we could eliminate all fear of LGBTQIA+, misogyny would remain.) But we must keep trying. All of us.
CPR – The beloved musical ‘1776’ is coming to Denver, and its cast is as diverse as the Second Continental Congress was not
Quote – A reimagined take on a Broadway classic is coming to Denver, and it’s challenging audiences to think about our country — who we are and why — with a new perspective…. When it premiered on Broadway in 1969, the musical “1776” won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. This iteration of the musical still depicts the Second Continental Congress meeting in the summer of 1776 to write the Declaration of Independence. But, this new production — by directors Jeffrey L. Page and Diane Paulus — features a diverse cast reflecting many representations of race, gender, and ethnicity. That is to say, it’s not all white guys.
Click through – in a way this is fluff – which is why I made it an extra – but I bring it up not because it’s Denver, or because it’s a musical I love, but because of the inclusivity.
Food For Thought
(I wish this were actually from Campbell’s. But “Customer Service” ia a private account, a person or geoup that loves returning the finger to those who give it to “woke” products.)
Glenn Kirschner – More docs found at Pence’s place: Pence/Biden doc issues are VERY different than Trump’s doc issues
MSNBC – Trump lawyers turn over more classified material, including digital copies (Statehood for the USVI !!! – also Puerto Rico and DC, of course.)
Robert Reich – The Dark Side of Sports Stadiums
Armageddon Update – Balloon Terror!!
Woman Finds Spicy Kitten Under Trash Can
Beau – Let’s talk about Biden’s State of the Union fiddle playing….
Yesterday, the radio opera was yet one more comedy – “L’Elisir d’Amore” by Donizetti. I’m not sure when or where they have set it, but, from the look of the steam engine, it might be 19th century America, in country which wold not then have been flyover country, but would have been country where the train didn’t stop unless someone rang the bell for it to do so. I’ve seen it once befrore done in that period, and it’s a good fit – the country lad tenor becomes a cowboy, the Italian recruiting Sergeant becomes a Civil War recruiting sergrand, and – the shake oil salesman stays a snake oil salesman. And the heroine, the hard-to-get farm owner, becomes a hard-to-get ranch owner. The names given to the three male principals are clues to their personalities – I’ll only mention Nemorino, which means “kittle nobody.” His big aria is “Una furtiva lagrima” (a tear she tries to hide) is done a lot in concerts and recitals, and in times when encores are allowed, it gets encored a lot (the first tie Caruso did it at he Met it was encored 3 times in one performance. It was encored in this performanc, but only once.) Despite missteps and misunderstandings, it all ends happily – including for the snake oil salesman, who sells a lot mor of his “elixir” on the strength of Nemorino’s success. This is the last opera from China (this year) – next week the Met broadcast season starts. I’m assuming my local station will carry it, but in case it doesn’t, WFMT will. Tomorrow, I see Virgil.
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truthout – Evangelical Lobbying Threatens Supreme Court’s Independence
Quote – It is likely not a coincidence that both decisions served the conservative evangelical agenda and both were leaked by people with advance knowledge of the results. Although the right-wing members of the court had probably already made up their minds in these two cases, the leaks were apparently designed to strengthen their resolve. The operation was called the “Ministry of Emboldenment,” Jodi Kantor and Jo Becker reported in their explosive November 19 New York Times article, quoting whistleblower Rev. Rob Schenck who used to run Faith and Action. Its goal was to “embolden the justices” to write “unapologetically conservative dissents.”
Click through for details. It is a no-brainer that any kind of lobbying involving gifts and/or favors is wrong. (Although it’s certainly difficult to draw a solid line. When you or I sign a petition to someone in government, we are lobbying. How far up the ladder is it legitimate to go?) But lobbying the Courts – by anyone – wherever the line is, that is definitely past it.
PolitiZoom – It’s Official, Trump’s Got A Babysitter. ‘Official Will Be Present With Him At All Times’ After Fuentes Fiasco
Quote – [W]e have since learned that Fuentes and Milo Yiannopoulos were there to embarrass Trump. He did it to himself. Trump can’t afford any more screw ups like this. There is no other candidate for any high office, let alone president, who doesn’t know who s/he’s sitting down to dinner with publicly and what the ramifications of a wrong move could be. This isn’t the old days, with Trump as the iconoclast. He’s the icon now, supposedly. The MAGA icon at least…. Trump needs to tread the straight and narrow now, and that’s not his style. He has no discipline. This is going to be torture for him, having to do things by the book. Frankly, I’m wondering if he’ll stay in the race.
Click through – Of course the point of this story is that Trump** is and always will be a behavioral toddler. But I was also interested to learn the identity of “The Third Man” (apologies to Graham Greene and Harry Lime.) I was beginning to think it must have been Milo after I saw a photo of him, Ye, and Nick on a private jet together, but now I’m sure. Oh, and, in an update, Trump** is denyng this.
Democratic Underground (CousinIT) – Tribe: Why Raskin’s role in leading Jan.6 efforts to wrap up recommendations is a BFD
Quote – The best news in a long time is that Jamie Raskin was recently named chair of a Jan. 6 subcommittee in charge of “wrapping up outstanding issues and recommending possible criminal and civil charges, while the full panel finalizes the report. I say that because, ever since Rep. Raskin was my student back in the day in constitutional law, and in all my work with him in the years since, he has demonstrated a uniquely deep and historically rich understanding of the democratic and egalitarian aspirations underlying the best features of our complex and compromised constitutional structure and has exhibited an uncanny ability to translate those features into practical realities that people can appreciate and get behind.
Click through for more and sources. This is quoted from Lawrence Tribe. Generally, teachers are very aware of, and very accurate on, the capaiities of their students.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Thanksgiving Day court filing that destroys Trump’s legal argument
Farron Balanced – Court Filing Reveals Lawyer’s Anger Over Matt Gaetz Not Being Indicted
Robert Reich – How a Billionaire Bought a Senate Seat in Ohio
Brent Terhune – Elon’s Saving Twitter
Security Guard Brings Home A Pregnant Stray Cat
Beau – Let’s talk about ignoring Trump tantrums….
Glenn Kirschner – How federal law enforcement should respond to the attack on Speaker Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi
The Lincoln Project – Funding Fascism
Ring of Fire – Conservative Goes Completely Nuts During Insane CNN Interview
MSNBC – AOC And Raskin On Stakes Of Midterms: We Are ‘Facing An Environment Of Fascism’ [Watch while you can. Both are high on the target list.]
Rocky Mountain Mike – The FLaven (with CC) – a day late, but not a dollar short.
Beau – Let’s talk about the US wanting a new internet service….
Yesterday, Paul Pelosi, Nancy’s husband, was assaulted and injured in their San Francisco home. And Joyce Vance was right on it, with an article about the crime of assaulting a Federal official’s family member – before they even had time to question the attacker and report details. By now, of course you’ve likely seen some details. Some of hese Substck subscriptions, even non-paid ones, can certainly make a reader of them look knowledgeable (even when the author is clearly pissed.)
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Letters From An American – October 26, 2022
Quote – Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warned banks that surprise overdraft fees and depositor fees for customers who deposit a check that bounces are “likely unfair and unlawful under existing law.” The CFPB is also looking into credit card fees. The Federal Trade Commission has started a rule-making process that addresses surprise fees for event ticketing, hotels, funeral homes, and so on; earlier this year, it brought actions against junk fees in the auto industry that are awaiting finalization.
Click through for column. Its primary focus is the economy, but there are a couple of other topics (the last is amusing.)
ProPublica – That Cardboard Box in Your Home Is Fueling Election Denial
Quote – Dick and Liz Uihlein of Illinois are the largest contributors to Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who attended the Jan. 6 rally and was linked to a prominent antisemite, and have given to Jim Marchant, the Nevada Secretary of State nominee who says he opposed the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory in 2020. They are major funders to groups spreading election falsehoods, including Restoration of America, which, according to an internal document obtained by ProPublica, aims to “get on God’s side of the issues and stay there” and “punish leftists.”
Click through for article. I had never heard of ULine until a couple of years ago, when they were one of a very few companies which had an unusual item (disposable pipettes.) Not too long after that I heard about the family being RWNJ, and flagged the name in my records.
Food For Thought
