Nov 012022
 

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….

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Oct 292022
 

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.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

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

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Oct 282022
 

Glenn Kirschner skipped a day (I hope he’s all right.) Harry Litman will stand in.

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party – October 25, 2022

MSNBC – Rep. Himes: The U.S. Has To Decide We Won’t Allow The GOP To Mess With Election

Ring of Fire – Journalist Claims Trump Conned His Son Barron With COVID Misinformation

Cole and Marmalade – MEET MAZ AND CALYPSO! (Cole left for the Rainbow Bridge last year)

Beau – Let’s talk about whistles, DOD policy, and what’s next….

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Oct 272022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Clarence & Ginni, Donald & Lindsey, and the stench of conflict and corruption at the Supreme Court

The Lincoln Project – Answer The Question, Ron

MSNBC – How Democrats Can Combat A Morally Bankrupt GOP

Robert Reich – The Huge Problem With Voting (It’s Not What You Think)

If Virtual Reality Was Honest

Beau – Let’s talk about what’s happening in Gulfport, Mississippi…. (I have no idea why… but I can’t help thinking how close we are to the election … and wondering whether that is a factor.)

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Oct 272022
 

Yesterday, the weather report said (my paraphrase of a graph) “There might be snow tomorrow [today now], but don’t hold us to that; it might just be a little rain.” Snow for Hallowe’en in Colorado used to be like rain at 5:00 pm on a Florida summer day – you could practically set your watch (time or calendar) by it. But that hasn’t been true for a while now. So we’ll see. Otherwise, a quiet day.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Letters From An American – October 23, 2022
Quote – In 1876, “Redeemers” set out to put an end to the southern governments that were elected in systems that allowed Black men to vote. “Rifle clubs” held contests outside Republican political rallies, “Red Shirts” marched with their guns in parades. Their intimidation worked. Democrats took over the South and created a one-party system that lasted virtually unbroken until 1965. Without the oversight that a healthy multiparty system provides, southern governments became the corrupt tools of a few wealthy men, and the rest of the population fell into a poverty from which it could not escape until the federal government began to invest in the region in the 1930s.
Click through for full letter. I learned about “Reconstruction” in school, but I never heard the word “Redemption” in that context. That they should use that word for what they actually did seems to me blasphemous. “Redemption” means “buying back.” Buying involves paying a price. They paid no price – they extorted a price from the powerless.

The Daily Beast – Florida Puts Raging MAGA Moms on Book-Banning Council
Quote – In the name of “curriculum transparency,” Florida’s Republican-controlled state government has appointed several anti-gay and anti-mask conspiracy theorists to take charge of a new effort at public schools: banning books. This hastily assembled censorship council—tasked with retraining public school librarians to abide by new restrictions—is the latest ploy in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ crusade to upend the state’s education system. But the council was also staffed under suspicious circumstances, with the state Education Department ignoring its own call for official candidates from local school districts and instead filling most of the slots with right-wing activists who have a history of proposing book bans. One was even nominated by a religious activist with close ties to the DeSantis administration a week before the department publicly called for candidates, according to government emails, hinting at secret coordination between them.
Click through for details. You can read or listen, your choice. Should Florida just change the name of its high schools to “Hitlerjugend” and be done with it?

Food For Thought

 

 

 

 

 

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Oct 232022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Trump-appointed Judge Carl Nichols refuses to send Steve Bannon to prison for his crimes (Glenn is correct that I can’t imagie a judge would do this for a person of color.  But it could happene, ans has happened, for a poor white person with no prior convictions.)

Robert Reich – Why The Window To Prosecute Trump Is Closing (the title is misleading – other questions are answered, but not that one)

Thom Hartmann – Could Ancient Psychology Technique Win Elections For Democrats? [Abortion, Inflation, Insurrection?]

MSNBC – Justice Department Requesting Funds To Continue Jan. 6 Investigation

Ring of Fire – Republicans Introduce Legislation To Stop Government From Hiring Strippers For Kids

Beau – Let’s talk about snow crabs…. [and the cost of doing nothing]

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Oct 212022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Judge David Carter rules Trump KNOWINGLY filed false documents in court, lying about election fraud

Meidas Touch – Marco Rubio HUMILIATED on live TV in VIRAL debate MOMENT OF THE YEAR

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party — October 18, 2022

MSNBC – Trevor Noah On American Racism Vs. Overt Racism In South Africa

Liberal Redneck – Trashin’ Alabama for Three Straight Minutes

Beau – Let’s talk about two cars in Jacksonville and being a man…. ( did read about this. I recommend a hanky. I won’t write about it because I can’t express anger constructively as well as Beau can.)

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Oct 192022
 

Yesterday, Colorado Public Radio News had a couple of unusual animal news stories. Nine Ukranian refugees have received amnesty at Keenesburg, CO’s Wild Animal Sanctuary. And our native Bighorn sheep and introduced (70+ uears ago) mountain goats are having a turf war over nutritional supplements newly accessible due to climate change. I’ll just provide the links in case anyone wants details. Also, Virgil called – to tell me he’s in prison – apparently he had one of the vivid dreams he has been having and thinks are real, but this time, instead of thinking someone from his past had phoned him, he thought he had been home – and called to tell me where he was. What with all the other dreams, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised – but this is a new level and it kind of shook me. At least he still remembers who I am and that we love each other. On the bright side, my ballot arrived. 24 hours from mailing to arrival is pretty darned good, IMO.

Cartoon – 19 Cornwallis RTL

Short Takes –

truthout – Ron DeSantis’s Ousting of Elected Official Sets a Dangerous Precedent
Quote – In an early August press conference, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a shocking announcement: He was abruptly suspending Andrew Warren, the elected chief prosecutor for Hillsborough County (Tampa) and an outspoken critic of the governor…. All three of Warren’s opinions cited by DeSantis… stand in direct opposition to the governor’s political goals. The two public officials have clashed over these and other issues repeatedly over the past several years…. Warren … argues that his removal violates the will of Tampa voters who elected him in 2016 and 2020. These voters were further disenfranchised when his replacement was handpicked by DeSantis, who lost Hillsborough County by a nine-point margin in the last gubernatorial election.
Click through for details. This is not even the first time DeSantis has done this. I thought the first time that this couldn’t possibly be legal or constitutional. Yet he seems to be getting away with it.

The Daily Beast – New Book Reveals Jim Jordan’s Dirty Tricks With Impeachment
Quote – The book presents a less than flattering portrait of Jordan, who would likely be the Judiciary Chairman if the GOP takes back the House. He is instead consistently shown to be far more interested in defending Trump than getting down to the truth. The book includes scenes like Jordan heading to the White House to read a transcript of Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before it was released to the public, only to receive a partial account that excluded more concrete evidence of a quid pro quo. Trump’s team, Bade and Demirjian say, wanted House Republicans to go on the record defending Trump before they knew all the facts.
Click through for more, including specific examples. It should be no surprise that Jordan is not actually the loose cannon he appears to be – that is a deliberate choice to muddy whatever waters are likely to impede fascism.

Food For Thought

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