Oct 172024
 

Yesterday, I finished my research and filled out my ballot. I sealed and stamped it, but haven’t mailed it yet. I’ll work that out by the weekend though. There were more propositions and amendments than usual, and the big book (and it was indeed a big book) which the state publishes was useless. I think I’m smart enough to figure out from the wordings and descriptions how to vote, but in case i miss something, I also wasny to know who is advocating for and against each one. That was where Colorado Public Radio really helps. And there were no County measures at all on my ballot. i did look through the flyer to double check, and there was one for the city of Monument (on the north side of Colorado Springs), one for the city of Colorado Springs (i do not live within the city limits), one each for two school districts, neither of which was mine, and one for a fire district which also was not mine. So, i’m not sure how my school and fire districts collect the taxes due them, but however it it, it will not change next year. That’s a good thing.

Heather Cox Richardson wrote this earlier this week, but I wouldn’t call it stale. Eric Hoffer, whom she cites to good effect, wrote “The True Believer” even longer ago, and his observations are by no means stale. I read it years ago, and have remembered a lot, but had forgotten his thought on why people double down on support even when the lies are blatant – or should I say expecially when the lies are blatant.

Personally, I consider every Republlican candidate to be repulsive these days, simply because they can’t win primaries if they’re not. But that’s a digression from the main point of this story from Atlanta Black Star.

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Oct 122024
 

Yesterday, I heard from my “frosted sister” who lives in Bradenton, FL, right in Milton’s eye. I didn’t hear sooner because she had evacuated (which I was hoping she did), but she’s going back by Monday. The only structural damage to her house this time is to a room that’s more loke a covered porch, but she also lost a shed and a lot of fencing. (Michael, I think it was, took out all her windows, and she only just finished getting them fixed earlier this year.) I’m just glad she and her family and all their pets are safe. But now there’s this (Joyce Vance)   Finally, Robert Reich’s election video week is here.

There has been a lot of complaining by people who do not follow politics that “We don’t know who [Kamala] is.” This week she has addressed that with appearances in the media which this article from HuffPo addresses – and also the effect of it on the polls (mostly good).

Living through Hurricane Milton must be just like living through the pandemic for those in the path, except that the liars aren’t in power (at least not in federal power) and not everyone lives in the danger zone. Doktor Zoom’s “Don’t make me”is actually pretty mild. I’m a “Don’t make me rethink free speech” level myself.

Belle EVs

Dog

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Oct 082024
 

Yesterday was the first Monday in October, and that means it was the beginning of the current term for the Supreme Court of the United States. If, like most of us,you pay attention to this Court when it makes a decision which will affect you or someone you care about (and I admit that describes me), this may be a good time to dig a little deeper. Jotce Vance is not on the Supreme Court (more’s the pity for us, though she is probably happy she isn’t), but she knows more about it than most people do.) You can if you wishm read he “The Week Ahead” column for this week I guarantee you will learn something.

People who love horses will be interested in these two companion stories. I can’t speak for other states, but, at least in Colorado, no horses are being killed in the interest of reducing equine crowding. And I can’t say what the horses are thinking, but the girls in this program must feel like they are in heaven. I haven’t been on the back of a horse for at least 50 years now, and I know myself better than to try it now, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling.

I don’t know what else one would expect from a Trump** nominee. But I also don’t know what the process is to fire an Inspector General. If it’s as hard as it is to fire a Postmaster General, that would explain why he hasn’t been fired. We can at least hope that this report from POGO will generate some action.

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Sep 302024
 

Yesterday, Steve Schmidt posted a new “The Schmidt Storm,” in print and video. And Joyce Vance’s “The Week Ahead” is packed so full that I really can’t just summarize.

I saved this for Monday hoping not to ruin anyone’s weekend. I know you’ve heard the expression that someone is someone else “on steroids.” Well, Musk is Donald Trump** with autism. I mean that as a figure of speech, of course, and yes, it is unfair to people on the autism spectrum. Except that most people on the spectrum do not resemble Trump** to begin with.

I’m sure there’s not a soul here who doesn’t already know the facts here already and the general principle  intuitively. But intuition isn’t evidence, and it’s good to have evidence.

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Sep 282024
 

Yesterday, Wonkette referred to this article in America’s Voice. It’s about something which actually happens a lot, yet is always worth celebrating. I mean, of course, the ceremony conferring American citizenship on those who have jumped through all the hoops. It goes right to my heart every time. Did you know a new citizen can change their name legally when naturalized, without having to go to court? I learned that when I was working at USAA and pulled up a piece of mail which turned out to be an N-400. I forget now what exactly he changed it to, but it was clear he was doing so to honor Dr. King. It made my day. Also, Robert Reich posted episode 4 of his current series.I didn’t use number 3 last Saturday – it wasn’t labeled as part of the series – but I did include it in the Open Thread for September 23. I’m still not 100% sure it’s part of the series, but in case it is, you’ll be able to find it.)

The 19th has no intent to disparage the men not of color who have been outspoken on this topic forever. But that’s different from what is happening here. this is a movemet to raise the voices of men of color who have been right all along but have been silent, for whatever reasons.

Well, this is nice. And it’s about damn time. If those children had lived, they’d be entering college and old enough to vote. Since they can’t, the rest of us have to vore for them -not, certainly, by voting multiple times, but by voting for people and initiatives which would have benefitted them, and against people and initiatives which disrespect them.

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Sep 272024
 

Yesterday, Steve Schmidt referred and linked to an opinion piece in the New York Times by Stanley McChrystal, a now retired General who was in command in Afghanistan intil President Obama relieved him of that command for running his mouth in Rollong Stone. Steve didn’t provide a gift link, so I am providing an archived one. It’s titled “Why Kamala Harris has won me over.” It’s another “policies are not the issue, the issue is character” essay, as was, for instance, Judge Luttig’s, but it’s longer with examples (and it’s interesting that his examples of character were two Deomoctats and a Republican, and the Republican was Lincoln, while his one example of lack of character was Republican Nixon. But that’s among us. I don’t want to step on his centrist stance. Particularly when the only people who are going to listen to him are centrists. MAGAs are mostly lost, and the few who are coming around are doing sofor reasons that won’t get published in an op-ed.) Also yesterday, Senator Hickenlooper used his “Giddy-Update” newsletter to spread the truth about Aurora, Colorado, which, despite all the furor about Springfield getting louder, has also bee receiving harassment from MAGA dupes.

Sometimes living in Colorado can be un-bear-able. Thank you. I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your waitstaff.

If you aren’t able to read or watch Joe Biden’s speech to the UN on Tuesday in full (Robert Hubbell has links: full text and video), Heather Cox Richardson‘s summary is a pretty good substitute. I admit I teared up when I came to “My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. It’s your people…that matter the most.”

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Sep 202024
 

Yesterday, I received a link to a printable flyer (3-page pdf) on Project 2025. It’s in plain English, and organizes the information by groups who will be most adversely affected, explaining how. (I am in all three of the top three groups, as I have realized for some time.) It could come in handy. I also received an email from my junior Senator (Hickenlooper) – of course it was just a newsletter, but for a newsletter it was very personal indeed. I had not known that the Senator an his wife could not have had their son Jack without IVF. Funny how much more real it becomes when it’s someone you know, even if you haven’t even met them face to face. (Apologies for the name of the newsletter. Hick, a Denver businessman, has always fancied himself as a cowboy.) Of course the last thing that would occur to Republicans (at least the crazy ones) is that getting rid of vaccinations for childhood diseases is only going to lower the birth rate when those unvaccinated kids grow up, and the nation will be even more dependent on immigrants than it is now.

I did see this poll, and it did upset me, and yet I’m not sure that it really sank in until I read Steve Schmidt‘s take on it. He’s right. It’s devastating.

The lead article is the one I am posting this link for. But feel free to read anything else below which catches your eye.

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Aug 312024
 

Yesterday, Mary Trump wrote about the Arlington incident (or, as Robert Reich now calls it, “Cemeterygate”) and her take on it is actually simiar to mine. Of course, as an Amercan, I am angry about the disrespect of both federal law and a place that is practically holy to most Americans (certainly to all patriotic Americans), but the part that made me the angriest is that the assaulted civil servant fears retaliation and is afraid to press charges. Mary Trump addresses this powerfully, not just MAGA’s part in it, but also our national failure to protect our citizens from bullies. Heather Cox Richardson also got in on the issue. The only good to come out of this is that it should make things worse got DonOLD. Also yesterday, my water district (I get gas and electric from the city, but water and sewage from a special district – and fire and ambulance from another special district. It’s not confusing once you’re used to it) came by (by appointment) to install a new water meter to go with their new system. It comes with an online tool (sorry, I just hate the word “app”) through which I can track my water usage on a daily basis. Interesting. I don’t know whether I’m required to sign up, but I will.

I have seen very little about this incident, but knowing how Republicans will go on and on, I decided to cover it. Of the only two places who covered it at any length (in other words, with solid facts), this was the one I chose. The other site was PolitiZoom, in case anyone wants more. Apparently there’s a whole movement of people who believe that the 13th, 14th, 15th amendments are unconstitutional because they were passed without representation from the southern states (because we were at war with them – which is why we made them explicitly swear allegiance to the Constitution when they returned – funny how they forget that part.)

I have to wonder how many CMOH citations Steve Schmidt had to read before he found the one he quotes in full in this article. And after all that Carter lived long enough to be promoted and almost almost another twenty years. I am in awe (and in tears.)

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