Open Thread for January 12, 2022

 Posted by at 6:46 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 122022
 

Yesterday, I did take some time to disengageshort sessions with a couple of games just to relax. And deal with a package. And even to stream a movie (“The Canterville Ghost” with Patrick Stewart.) It’s a wonder I got both posts up.

Cartoon – (I’m pretty sure no one ever too TC up on this offer.)

Short Takes –

Here’s where election-denying candidates are running to control voting
Quote – An NPR analysis of 2022 secretary of state races across the country found at least 15 Republican candidates running who question the legitimacy of President Biden’s 2020 win, even though no evidence of widespread fraud has been uncovered about the race over the last 14 months. In fact, claims of any sort of fraud that swung the election have been explicitly refuted in state after state, including those run by Republicans.
Click through for states and names. These may be the most important elections of 2022. As Beau says, “If you live in one of these dtates, and you have ever desired to get interested in electoral politics, now is your time.” (Pass it on.)

Mother Jones – The Jan. 6 Insurrectionists Begging for Pardons Sound an Awful Lot Like Confederate Soldiers
Quote – Radical Republicans feared Lincoln’s 10 percent plan was too lenient. They were proved right when, after Lincoln’s assassination, President Andrew Johnson—who not a year earlier gave a speech saying, “I am for a white man’s government, and in favor of free white qualified voters controlling this country, without regard to negroes”—began undermining Reconstruction. He started by pardoning high-ranking Confederates. Among them was Harry T. Hayes, a former Confederate general who led the rebels at Gettysburg.
Click through for full story. I truly hope we can learn from their mistakes.

The Guardian – Why is so little known about the 1930s coup attempt against FDR?
Quote – The putsch called for [retired US Marine Corps Maj Gen Smedley Darlington Butler] to lead a massive army of veterans – funded by $30m from Wall Street titans and with weapons supplied by Remington Arms – to march on Washington, oust Roosevelt and the entire line of succession, and establish a fascist dictatorship backed by a private army of 500,000 former soldiers.
Click through for details. Those who follow the video thread know that Beau of the Fifth Column has spoken about the United States’ long history of choosing to “protect the Office of the Presidency,” and I expect that had a hand in hiding this history, though of course the rich and powerful were also prime movers. In my view, the best way to protect the Office of the Presidency is to ensure that anyone who defules that Office is held accountable.

Food For Thought:

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Video Thread 1/11/2022

 Posted by at 12:29 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jan 112022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Short: How Kevin McCarthy Has Made Himself a Marquee Witness Against Donald Trump

Meidas Touch – Attorney SLAMS “feeding frenzy” against Merrick Garland: “Garland is the perfect guy for the job”

Thom Hartmann – Shocking Differences Between Trumpian GOP and Democrats

Rebel Headquarters – Crumbley Parents Denied Bond As New Evidence SHOCKS Case (This case is sounding more and more like an incident out of “People of the Lie.”)

politicsrus – May old acquaintance be forgot

Parody Project – WE DO NOT SPEAK YOUR NAME

Beau – Let’s talk about Ted Cruz, Russia, and pipelines….

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Open Thread for January 11, 2022

 Posted by at 7:11 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 112022
 

Yesterday, I was more or less back into routine. Although I was still waiting, after 6:00 pm, for an email that the phone outage had been resolved.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

PolitiZoom – GOPers Hit New Low, Protesting Harry Reid’s Funeral In Las Vegas
Quote – [Candidate for Congress Noah] Melgeri [who took part in the “protest”] is pure MAGA. He says COVID was “an intentional act” and that General Milley should be executed, on live television no less. His wife appears at the local school board meetings and spews anti-vaxx drivel. Pure performance art out of the Greene/Gaetz/Gosar school of political theater.
Click through. People take part in protests because they want change. What change did these people want? Did they want the Senator’s body to rot above ground? Or did they just want him cremated? They didn’t say. This was not a protest, but merely a public nuisance.

Democratic Underground (bigtree) – Yes, the boat hit the iceberg, but putting children in lifeboats is destructive to their psyche
Quote – Look, I too want to survive this sinking, but I look at how people insist on wearing constrictive life-vests and taking to life boats and I sympathize with those who wants to spend their time drilling holes in the hull. Better to show this ocean we don’t fear it than to cower.
Click through for fuller analogy – This is an unspooled (translation: readable) Twitter thread with an extended analogy comparing CoViD to the Titanic. I fear it won’t reach those for whom it is intended, but it’s very creative,

Medium – What Do We Do Now?
Quote – Building the kind of movement needed to win won’t be comfortable. It means working with imperfect allies and getting outside our comfort zones. It means being open to tactics we wouldn’t have been previously. It means, for many of us, putting our personal safety at risk against an opposition that’s more than willing to engage in violence against their opponents. But we can’t win without a common purpose and a willingness to let go of what’s no longer working in favor of something new. And we can’t win without thinking, and doing bigger things — outside of the systems and institutions currently failing us.
Click through for complete opinion. Medium has a paywall, but you get 3 free articles per month. This one is scary, but I believe accurate. Of course one can only do what one can do. But one can do that, whatever it is.

Food For Thought:

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Video Thread 1/10/2022

 Posted by at 11:44 am  Open Thread, Politics
Jan 102022
 

Glenn Kirschner – The Two Faces of Kevin McCarthy: Why He Must be Subpoenaed to Testify About Trump’s Conduct on 1/6

Maidas Touch – Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn URGES patience for Jan 6 investigations {I am not cherry-picking; this one and tomorrow’s and the next day are the newest ones that are not full podcasts, and in that order.}

Now This News – Artist Uses Dead Cockroaches as Canvas The only reason I’m posting this is that I did this in 1969. Except I used spray paint. I hung some on the door of ny BOQ with a sign that said “Bug House.” And I trimmed a small Christmas tree with them. And I assure you, I got no press.

The Lincoln Project – Seb/Ted (There are two kinds of people in Washington – those who hate Ted Cruz, and Ted Cruz.)

Ring of Fire – Mike Pence’s Office Is Reportedly Cooperating With The January 6th Committee

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Parody Project – January 6 Commemorative – THE LAWLESS AND THE CAPITOL

Beau – Let’s talk about whether it was really a coup attempt….

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Video Thread 1/9/2022

 Posted by at 11:52 am  Open Thread, Politics
Jan 092022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Pres Biden & VP Harris Address Nation on 1/6 Anniversary, as 1/6 Committee Ratchets Up Investigation

The Lincoln Project – Biden

Liberal Redneck – January 6th Anniversary

In memoriam Sir Sidney Poitier

MSNBC – Capehart memorializes Sidney Poitier

Colbert – Abhor-Rent

Beau – Let’s talk about Schumer and the filibuster…. Beau has a VERY good idea.

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Open Thread for January 9, 2022

 Posted by at 7:26 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 092022
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” by Terrence Blanchard. It certainly took the Met long enough to present an opera by a black composer (it’s not as if there weren’t any – Anthony Davis has written more than one, including “Amistad” which Chicago Lyric broadcast so long that I have a cassette tape of it which I made from the broadcast), but I must say when they finally did, they did it handsomely. Stunning cast, and premiered on opening might so it could not be ignored. I often think and sometimes say, “Not like opera? It has sex, violence, betrayal, revenge – what’s not to like?” and this is no exception. A black boy – a boy “of peculiar grace” – coming of age in the South (Louisiana) – in the seventies – when Jim Crow was not legal but still seething – and all that implies, and more. OK, it’s not pretty, but as Latonia Moore (who sings Charles’s mother) said, “It shows what you can overcome if you are honest with yourself.”

Also, I got the modem set up by quarter after six.  It would have been faster has I not had to crawl under the desk and untangle a plethora of cords.  But it’s done, and it works.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Nib – “Beyond the Scope”
Quote – A battery researcher’s work is supported by a hidden supply chain. In order to store power, batteries convert electrical energy into chemical energy. these reactions require a material sourcee, extracted from … somewhere.
Click through. It is, of course, a graphic. But you’d have to look hard to find the same information elsewhere, and then it would not be from the same perspective.

The 19th – The 19th Explains: What older people and caregivers need to know about omicron
Quote – Vaccinated older adults have significantly better outcomes than unvaccinated seniors, but the vaccine does not make people bulletproof. COVID-19 is still a threat to older adults, who are at higher risk of severe illness and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Click through. None of us is getting any younger. And there’s been a lot of talk about Omicron’s symptoms being mild … sometimes.

Daily Kos – Cyber Ninjas hit with $50,000/day fine for not turning over public records
Quote – Cyber Ninjas says the firm has shut down and Doug Logan is now the “former” CEO and all workers have been let go. The firm’s lawyer even tried to resign during today’s 2-hour hearing, since he says he hasn’t been paid. Maricopa Superior Court Judge John Hannah was having none of it; Cyber Ninjas is sitting on records that the public is entitled to, and they can’t escape their responsibilities by simply saying they’re out of business.
Click through for story. Lots of poetic justice here.

Bonus – There’s a virtual event coming up which should be – ah- interesting. The Conversation is hosting a webinar with the originator of, and fomer winner of, the IgNobel Prize on the subkect of “Physics and psychology of cats – an (Improbable) Conversation.” This will take place on Thirsday, Januaty 20, at 4-5 pm EST/1/2 pm PST and corresponding times between. Registration is here, and they say it is limited (I’m not sure why, but that’s what they said), although it appears to be free.

Food For Thought:

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Video Thread 1/8/2022

 Posted by at 11:42 am  Open Thread, Politics
Jan 082022
 

Glenn Kirschner – AG Garland Signals DOJ Will hold the “Powerless & Powerful” Accountable for Crimes of January 6

Meidas Touch David Pepper dissects how the GOP is DESTROYING democracy

The Lincoln Project – Last Week Year in the Republican Party

Really American – January 6 – Dress Rehearsal To Overthrow America

VoteVets – Generals – and “True blue.”

Wild Groundhog Won’t Let Woman Go Home Without Her

Beau – Let’s talk about newly disclosed information about the 6th….

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Open Thread for January 8, 2022

 Posted by at 7:22 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 082022
 

Yesterday, the new modem arrived. I didn’t install it because I read the directions (what kind ofperson does that, for heaven’s sake?) and they said it would not be activated until 5 pm today. So, I figured better slow internet than none at all. I still managed to gt two posts up for today and Erinyes ready to post tomorrow with two clicks.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Daily Beast – Liz Cheney Torches Trump on Fox News
Quote – After praising speeches marking the anniversary from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris earlier in the day, Cheney quickly pivoted to attacking Trump. “This was a mob that was summoned by and provoked by the president of the United States in an effort to stop the counting of electoral votes, which is a Constitutional process,” she said, explaining how the events of January 6 were different from the outside threats that hit America in the cases of 9/11 or Pearl Harbor.
Click through for more, including a video. I think that the Committee is doing thiings exactly right, and that includes Liz. No Republican will listen to a Democrat, not will they listen to Kinzinger, who is leaving Congress (redistricted out.) But Liz is not going anywhere, and she can always trot out her dad, to demonstrate even an old-school war criminal Republican approves of her stand, as she did at the Capitol Thursday. [She and Dick were the only two Republicans present.]

Mother Jones – Merrick Garland Issues Dire Warning About Voting Rights on Eve of January 6
Quote – In his speech, Garland referenced the Supreme Court’s decision in the 2013 case Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act and eliminated the provision barring historically discriminatory jurisdictions from altering voting laws without preclearing those changes with the DOJ. Without new legislation to restore those powers, Garland implied, the department lacks the proper tools to protect the right of every American to vote.
Click through for story. So far, Noah and I appear to be the only ones who actually grasped that warning. Given what Republicans are doing, we could win every Congressional, Senatorial, and Gubernatorial race by a margin of 75-25, and still have all the races in red states overturned. And if that happens, it’s game over.

CNN – Manhattan district attorney announces he won’t prosecute certain crimes
Quote – His office will focus on accountability, he said, not sentence length. “Research is clear that, after a certain length, longer sentences do not deter crime or result in greater community safety,” he said, adding that his department will expand its use of “restorative justice programming.”
Click through, with the caveat that CNN is not impressed, and the police and the police union are losing their solid waste. Mr. Bragg has the right priorites. At least the mayor is kinds sorta behind him.  All Bragg is saying is “We’re going to treat people of color like white  people (and LBGTQ like we treat cis peole, etc.”  And that’s what has all those panties in a knot.

Food For Thought:

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