Holiday – Politics Plus

Open Thread February 28 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:01 am Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 282025

Today is the day we are all supposed to avoid buying anything, in person or on line. Robert Reich is one of those calling for this action. The more who participate the better, as there will always be some who didn’t get the words, and some who will over-buy just to spite us. Today is also the beginning of Ramadan. It can come at any time of the year, being based on a specific lunar calendar unique to Islam, but when it comes at this time of the year, it can be tempting to think “Oh, that’a the Islamic version of Lent.” It isn’t. Both involve fasting, sure, but with a different approach. With Lent the approach is penitential, and it’s nos supposed to be fun. In Islam, the fasting is approached with joy. And while both come to an end of triumph of some kind, that too is different from the Christian calendar. There’s a big gap between being gifted with the Holy Book and rising from the dead. I am not in any way about to say the one is better – rather I hope to call a little attention to the fact that loving our neighbors becomes easier if we are open to looking at our similarities and differences though others’ eyes and not just through our own.

Mary Trump is, quite reasonably, not happy that main stream media outlets are not taking the danger we are in seriously. And she is right. There are a few people on MSN we can still trust – but we have to wonder for how long. And being able to trust a few individuals does not mean being able to trust the station. I was aware of each point Mary made before reading this, and I expect all the readers here were also. But that’s because we care. So many people don’t – so many claim to “not do politics” and apparently have no idea that politics does them. Sigh.

Robert Reich sums it up. Not everyone on Substack allows unpaid subscribers to read comments – but Reich does. And his readers mange to have actual conversations (which you can see by clicking on the number of replies listed under each post shown.)

ProPublica exposes the collaboration of HUD. Although with all the Mango Monster’s nominees getting confirmed, I don’t expect them to be alone. What’s happening at Defense may be the most obviously scary, but there is plenty of other damage which is being done.

Open Thread February 17 2025

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

Feb 172025

Yesterday, Trinette was by and helped me with the stuff I either cannot do, or cannot do without wearing myself out, or am nervous about doing any given week. And then we chatted for a while. She is not only a great friend, she is also a lot of fun. Also, Axios, which I mostly subscribe to for the breaking news alerts, came out with a story on which states give the Federal government more then they receive from it, and vice versa. We all know the ones that give more are mostly blue states, but it’s handy to have the names, the figures, and the color-coded maps.

This sounds from the headline as if it ought to be a good news story, but it isn’t, because the things which divide us, not being fact based, are extremely difficult to debunk. When your platform is based on “owning the libs,” who are supposed to believe in killing and raping children (project much?), it’s tough to get past that.

If there was ever a week to post Joyce Vance’s “The Week Ahead” column, this would be it. I expect everyone has heard of the “SAVE Act” and y’all probably have a pretty good idea of what is in it, but this makes it pellucidly clear. And that’s just the start. There are other things going on – so many other things that I’m having trouble coping, and I’m sure you are too. Hopefully a little clarity, even if it doesn’t help all that much, can’t hurt.

Open Thread February 14 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:55 am Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 142025

Yesterday, having gotten my Windows 8.1 back on the internet Tuesday with the help of a technician (I knew it was an ethernet cable that wasn’t plugged in, and I even knew which cable but I had no idea where it should go), I went to the 8.1 first to deal with emails. I had 99, and in under an hour I got it down to 44, and that included not just deleting, but unsubscribing where appropriate and signing all petitions – and even adding back in a couple of thanks for signing emails. It is so much faster than the Win10 – and my browser there doesn’t keep bumping me out of the Net. There are a few things I like about 10, like being able to make the mouse pointer both large enough for me to see it and changing to contrasting colors so it jumps out. And there are some things it can do that the 8.1 can’t. But it is so slow. The technician couldn’t get my second and third phone handsets working, but he did explain why (essentially my phone lines are inside the walls) and what I can do about it – several options – and I went with the cheapest and easiest, ordering some new equipment, even though that means I have to wait a bit. It will give me more and better control in the long run. In other news, Josh Hawley said something which was not only intelligent, but Constitutional, and even moral. To reach it at this link you need to scroll down past the second Aaron Ruper Xeet five paragraphs – the one with the quote begins with “This culminated in…” I think you’ll find it worth it. Hawley said it in a Xeet of his own, and I won’t go there, nor make you go there. Finally, for Valentine’s day, the Holocaust Museum has love stories to share. Here’s one.
https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/the-last-guardrail

This from The F* News is more about Musk than Trump** – and possibly more scary, although that’s close to a toss-up. This certainly lays out the grounds for calling Musk “Dork Vader.” The cartoon below is from Steve Schmidt – I don’t know whether he made it, but he owns it, since he is not just allowing but encouraging anyone who sees it to spread it widely.

Doktor Zoom at Wonkette takes on the confirmation of RFK Jr sardonically, as is to be expected. In a separate Substack, Andy Borowitz advises that the NAFD (National Alliance of Funeral Directors) publicly applauded the confirmation. I don’t know about them (assuming they exist, which, Andy being Andy, is not terribly likely), but I do know and am embarrassed to say that the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) is happy with the confirmation (I unsubscribed when they wanted me to ask my Senators to vote to confirm Bobby. ANH has some good ideas, but also some terrible ones, and don’t know – and clearly a lot of member don’t know – where to draw the line.

Open Thread February 2 2025

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

Feb 022025

Yesterday, the radio opera was Verdi’s “La Traviata,” which can be counted on to bring me to tears, possibly not at the end when the heroine dies, but in the second act, when it is all foreshadowed. The Met these days takes February off, and this year, they have asked three singers and a conductor to pick operas they love starring someone who is a role model for them. At least one of them go way back and includes people who were dead before i was listening regularly. However, the conductor chose Leonard Bernstein, and I think most people have heard of him. Also, today is Groundhog Day, and thinking of that made me think of the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” from 1961 (if you missed it, there was a movie in 1967 and revivals in 1995 and 2011, the last starring Daniel Radcliffe in the role Robert Morse won a Tony for.) Why, you ask, would anyone think of that in connection with Groundhog Day? Well, because the original CEO of the company the Morse character ends up the Chairman of the Board of went to college at Old Ivy, whose mascot is the groundhog, and the Robert Morse character pretends to have done so too. And the two of them break into the college fight song. The version I picked from YouTube is just the song, no dance or anything, but from the original cast album with Morse and Rudy Vallee and it’s a hoot. But you can find it with the dancing from the movie or from either of the two revivals and even from a high school production which is surprisingly competent. All of them have the same choreography, which, though not credited to him for reasons which are very much to his credit, was by Bob Fosse. The music and lyrics were by Frank Loesser (who also wrote Guys and Dolls.)

Tomorrow I am having bloodwork done, and on Tuesday a bone density test. The blood work is lightning fast, and I don’t expect the bone thing to take much longer, but there is always getting to and from, not to mention compliance with what and what not to do beforehand. I don’t expect to miss a post, but I thought I would mention it.

I had to get this in for today because of the deadlines. Sadly, I didn’t have that much, so the one I had in this position will not get used – it wasn’t that impressive. This, though it’s not exactly new, it’s been a tradition like forever, is at least pleasant and fun.

Here are three – related – good news stories from Lakota Law. I wish I could just link to a news page there instead of three separate links, but I’m sure that Lakota Law has more important things to do than post their newsletters, particularly if their website isn’t set up for that. So I’ll just quote from their letter, signed by Darren Thompson: “This trio of important wins for Indigenous-led movements will preserve and protect a range of traditional Indigenous lands on the West Coast from additional harm.”

Xtra – here is the link to the donation page for Josh Weil, the blue candidate in the first of the three special elections to replace Congressmen appointed to executive positions. We really need to win all three. I realize not everyone can donate.

Open Thread December 25 2024

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

Dec 252024

Yesterday, I considered starting a crockpot, but decided against it. Instead, I did a little knitting – very little and not really necessary, just a short flurry of mild OCD. But nonetheless satisfying.

I’m not thrilled to be sharing negative news on Christmas – but it won’t hurt to know a little more about the Georgia case, from Harry Litman at Talking Feds.

If you have been wishing for a recipe for a holiday cookie (I say holiday because her family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, and I’m not sure which tradition this comes from. I suspect Hanukkah but could be wrong), Joyce Vance has you covered. They sound quite decadent. I can figure out a substitute I could use for the flour that I could have, but, although I’ve been collecting information on egg substitutes, I’m not sure about that one. Also, there’s no need to go to the linked article she recommends, since I’ll be using it tomorrow.

Open Thread December 24 2024

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

Dec 242024

Yesterday – actually Sunday night, but I saw it yesterday – Heather Cox Richardson had very little to say, but that little was mighty. She wrote about John Trumbull, hired to provide new art for the Rotunda after the War of 1812, being asked to recommend subject matter, and his response. He chose the moment of Washington’s resignation of his commission in 1783. “Madison agreed, and the painting of a man voluntarily giving up power rather than becoming a dictator hangs today in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.” I hope to heaven that when the Apricot Antichrist dies – and he will, sooner or later – that it is in some place or under such circumstances that we can avoid having his corpse lie in state in that very Rotunda. Such as maybe consumed in a fire. Or lost at sea and the body not found. Or falling out of a window in Russia and Putin refuses to release the body. I know, compared to all his destruction, it’s a small thing. But I really hate the idea of his presence, even dead, contaminating that room and that memory. Yesterday for real, President Biden commuted 37 federal death sentences (out of 40) to life without parole. Also, the House Ethics Committee’s report on Matt Gaetz was released to the public, thanks to two Republicans on the Committee, one from New York, one from Ohio, who voted (some time ago, apparently) with Democrats to release it after adjournment. I haven’t looked at it yet – but if there turns out to be more than I already know, it must be damning. If anyone wants it as a Christmas gift, here it is.

Yes, this is from Friday, and we know now that a CR was passed in the House and the Senate and signed Saturday, which we didn’t know then. But Robert Reich is still worth reading, because, with or without a shutdown, we still have battles ahead.

On Saturday night, Joyce Vance wrote about what is happening to Liz Cheney, why it shouldn’t be, and why it is anything but normal. She writes as a former prosecutor, and clarifies why no sane Attorney General and no sane judge would even consider prosecuting Liz Cheney. Since we are all expecting an Attorney General who is not sane, and also since, thanks to Republicans, so many judges are not sane either, I want to pont out that the Senate’s current push to confirm as many Biden-nominated judges as possible is probably the most influential thing which is actually possible to rectify that at this time.

Open Thread December 22 2024

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

Dec 222024

Yesterday, I awoke to find that we have a continuing resolution. I can’t be certain that the F News coverage is the pest on the details, but it’s pretty darned good (should I have said pretty effing good?) so here’s the link. This doesn’t mean I won’t have articles or videos on the potential shutdown for the next couple of days – because there were a few which I thought had continuing value. Meanwhile, the radio opera was Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” in an abridged form and in English (in the spring they’ll broadcast the full one in German and will call it “Die Zauberflöte“). It’s a lot of fun – for adults also – especially in this Julie Taymor production with wretchedly excessive costumes and puppets. It’s designed to appeal to kids, but adults can enjoy is just as well – maybe even better. This opera is famos outside the opera world for the Queen of the Night’s aria (in German, “Die holle Rache,” and known by pro musicians as “The holy racket,” which is not unfitting.) But there are many wonderful tunes in it besides that one. Here’s a whole page of pictures which may give you an idea of the spectacle.

Andy Borowitz has what he calls a “starter kit” to boycott. I’m way ahead of him on all four, and I don’t feel even a smidgen deprived.

This from Wonkette qualifies, I believe, as good news. I will note that the author, “Doktor Zoom,” recently leased an EV and he loves it and, in his own words, “won’t stop talking about it.” So he’s admittedly not unbiased. But pretty much everyone at Wonkette is biased in one way or another, but they all appear to retain the ability to distinguish fact from fiction, even from theory.

Open Thread December 21 2024

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

Dec 212024

Yesterday, Steve Schmidt had this to say about Elon Musk. It’s short, and it’s painfully humorous, as only dumb-criminal-level stupidity can be. So I’m throwing it in as an extra. Also the Talking Points Memo compared Congress to pro wrestling. Happy Solstice to all who celebrate!

As Heather Cox Richardson points out, last Monday, actual President Joe Biden designated a new national monument in honor of Frances Perkins, secretary of labor under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She deserves it. Much of what FDR achieved was due to her ideas and her pushing for them. Almost everything which os keeping us alive (certainly what is keeping me alive) was her concept and promoted by her. Every human being in America should rejoice at her getting a National Monument. Sadly, too many white men (no, not all not by a long shot, but still way too many) are doing their best to make themselves inhuman in the name of “masculinity.”

This article from Lawfare was referred to me by Talking Points Memo. I’m sharing it because it addresses my own biggest worries about a second Trump** administration, and that is that we are going to lose some battles, and it’s not predictable which battles they are going to be. And a big part of that is because we are going to have to pick the hills we are willing to die on. And that is at least in part because there are only 100 Senators, and only about half of them are Democrats. Steve Schmidt for one is saying we must fight hard against everything, and he is not alone. And I would love to be able to do that – but it simply is not going to be possible.

Older Entries