Open Thread March 21, 2023

 Posted by at 6:47 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 212023
 

Yesterday, I got an email that Al Franken is hosting the Daily Show this week. If you are a regular viewer, you probably already know that. If not, you will have missed a show by now, but they probably can be streamed through The Daily Show’s YouTube channel – if not in full, at the very least highlights (and the guest was only Lindsay Graham anyway). You’re welcome. I also got confirmation to visit Virgil Sunday.

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Short Takes –

Steve Schmidt – Donald Trump: innocent until proven guilty
Quote – I am saying these things because I am about to make an important point — and I want to remind people of my bonafides to make it on the eve of Donald Trump’s long-overdue arrest. Donald Trump is innocent. Let me say it again. Donald Trump is innocent until proven guilty. This moment requires restraint from Donald Trump’s fiercest and most committed antagonists, of which I am certainly one. This moment requires Trump’s most ferocious opponents to be better than his most committed fanatics. This moment requires those of us who despise Trump the most to be the loudest voices for his constitutional rights to due process.
Click through for full article. It is extremely easy to forget this point of law, particularly when the defendant in question is someone you despise, and even more so if you feel that you already have evidence. This reminder is coming from someone who is in both those categories, and is therefore, I believe particularly compelling.

Pro Publica – This Georgia County Spent $1 Million to Avoid Paying for One Employee’s Gender-Affirming Care
Quote – When a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia’s Houston County sought surgery as part of her gender transition, local officials refused to change the department’s health insurance plan to cover it, citing cost as the primary reason. In the years that followed, the central Georgia county paid a private law firm nearly $1.2 million to fight Sgt. Anna Lange in federal court — far more than it would have cost the county to offer such coverage to all of its 1,500 health plan members, according to expert analyses…. In 2016, the county’s insurance administrator recommended changing the policy to align with a new federal nondiscrimination rule. But Houston County leaders said no.
Click through for sad story. It’s nearly always cheaper to do the right thing. Seriously, if an insurance administrator suggests spending money, you can take it to the bank that that spending is going to save you money in the long run.

Food For Thought

The fact that someone found this content offensive is quite a self-own by that person.  For a transcript, highlight the following with your mouse :  Being LGBTQ is not a choice. Being black is not a choice. Being the child of animmigrant is not a choice. Being a Christian IS a choice. Being a busybody IS a choice. Being a Christian busybody IS a really annoying choice. Mind your own business. Learn to leave others in peace.

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Video Thread 3/19/2023

 Posted by at 12:03 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Mar 192023
 

Glenn Kirschner – NY authorities preparing for Trump indictment; Trump’s lawyers says Trump will turn himself in

PoliticsGirl – Must Do Before April 4!!

Ring of Fire – Texas Republicans Push ‘Bounty Hunting Bill’ Targeting Drag Queens

Robert Reich – This One Thing Would Increase Wages By $300 Billion

Spicy Kitten Needs To Be Wrapped in Purrito

Beau – Let’s talk about what went down over Ukraine….

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Open Thread March 9, 2023

 Posted by at 6:40 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 092023
 

Yesterday, I slept late but woke up refreshed. In my emails, I found one from Lakota Law about a Two-Spirit Powwow held lastmonth in the San Francisco Bay Area. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing to link to, but I put up a remoinder for myself for (I hope) early enough next year that I will be able to find it and share links to live streaming. I also worked on some cartoons coming up

Added today at about 10:45 am Pacific – Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized following a fall at a DC hotel. Per a McConnell spokesman: “This evening [now last evening – JD], Leader McConnell tripped at a local hotel during a private dinner. He has been admitted to the hospital where he is receiving treatment.”

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Robert Reich – Greed needs guardrails!
Quote – The Labor Department is still woefully understaffed, and penalties are still too low. Every time the department’s budget is up for review, members of Congress — mostly (but not entirely) Republicans — refuse to appropriate enough funds for inspectors or to increase penalties. So of course migrant children coming into the United States, fleeing violence and poverty, have ended up in dangerous jobs. In Delaware, Mississippi, and North Carolina, young children are working in slaughterhouses. In Michigan, young children are making auto parts used by Ford and General Motors. In Virginia, girls as young as 13 are washing hotel sheets. In Florida and Tennessee, 12-year-olds are doing roofing jobs. In South Dakota, children are sawing planks of wood on overnight shifts.
Click through for full argument – not that we don’t already kniw this, and know why, but he does say things so well.

Mother Jones – Inside the Secret Working Group That Helped Push Anti-Trans Laws Across the Country
Quote – The emails demonstrate close collaboration between groups working behind the scenes to push bills banning transgender health care, including [Alliance Defending Freedom]—which has defended state-sanctioned sterilization of trans people in Europe—and the ACPeds—which has opposed adoption by gay couples and supported conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth. In recent years, ADF has drafted legislation banning trans children from using school restrooms or playing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity. (Both groups are also staunchly anti-abortion; ADF, which drafted the Mississippi abortion ban at the heart of the case that overturned Roe v. Wade, is currently representing ACPeds in a closely-watched lawsuit to ban an abortion pill, mifepristone, nationally.)
Click through for story. Back in the late seventies, when I was in my early 30’s and Bishop of Pueblo Charles Buswell was in his late 60’s, I met him as an informal gathering at my local church. Bishop Buswell was a truly good man (something which cannot be said about all bishops) and also a truly humble man (also rare – it’s easy to get caught up in all the ritual observabces and start believing one’s own PR.) I was chatting with him and the subject of transgender came up (at that time Trinidad, CO was about the only place in the country that a transgender could get gender-affirming treatment at all, and that was not as advanced as it is today.) He mentioned that a priest he had ordained, I don’t know how long prior, was transgender and the Bishop had released her and she had been treated in Trinidad. He then said, “I believe that in such cases the soul of a woman has been born into the body of a man,” and I replied, “That is my understanding too.” He grinned and said, “Well then, our diocese deserves the credit for having ordained the first woman priest.” He seemed qquite proud of that (as he had a right to be.) He died in 2008 (he would have been 95.) We need more like him – but I’m kind of glad he didn’t live to see all of this hatred.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 3/4/2023

 Posted by at 11:51 am  Open Thread, Politics
Mar 042023
 

Glenn Kirschner – DOJ declares Donald Trump DOES NOT have immunity for Jan. 6 speech inciting violence at the Capitol

PoliticsGirl – Fox News Viewer?

Thom Hartmann – Putin Reveals Latest Cause Of Ukrainian War

Mrs Betty Bowers – Gossiping with God

Mama Dog And Her Puppies Found Under A Bus — See Them All A Year Later!

Beau – Let’s talk about Medicaid and what to do if you’re now ineligible….

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Open Thread February 17, 2023

 Posted by at 7:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 172023
 

Yesterday, when I checked around noon, the sun was bright, and a ggod deal of snow had melted, although the temperaure had not yet reach freezing (and would not all day.) I would have had a dry path from my door to the driveway, but not all the way to the mailbox. So the small package which was delivered Tuesday had to wait. Freezing temperatures shouldn’t hurt it as long as it’s dry. Also, it occurred to me that tday, February 17, is my PEBD (Pat will remember that acronym.) In plain English, it’s the day I signed the contract which both entitled and obliged me to report to Officer Candidate School to learn to be a Marine officer. The acronym stands for “Pay Entry Base Date,” I took my oath that day, and all my pay raises based on longevity went into effect that day in whatever year. And that original day was 57 years ago this year. Amazing. One more thing – I doubt anyone missed thepartial release of the Special Grand Jury report in Georgia, but just in case, here it is.

Cartoon – 17 0217Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

The 19th News – An Oklahoma judge just transferred a lesbian mom’s parental rights to her son’s sperm donor
Quote – Legal experts warn that the case could have substantial implications for marriage equality nationwide. Advocates battled a number of cases to enshrine same-sex marriage protections after the Supreme Court granted those rights nationwide in 2015. Among those fights was the right of parentage. The 2015 Supreme Court case Pavan v. Smith found that it was unconstitutional to treat queer couples differently than heterosexual couples when it came to presuming parentage. If married heterosexual couples were presumed to be parents of children born during their marriage, the same must be true for LGBTQ+ couples. However, laws vary state to state.
Click through for story. This case is so unusual I would hope it would not be much of a precedent – but with MAGAts you never know.

Letters from an American – February 12, 2023
Quote – On February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. Exactly 100 years later, journalists, reformers, and scholars meeting in New York City deliberately chose the anniversary of his birth as the starting point for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)…. The spark for the organization of the NAACP was a race riot in Springfield, Illinois, on August 14 and 15, 1908. The violence broke out after the sheriff transferred two Black prisoners, one accused of murder and another of rape, to a different town out of concern for their safety.
Click through for full letter.  The NAACP is still around; over a hundred years later, it is needed as much as it has ever been.

Food For Thought

Just one from a remarkable set of photos – Five-year-old girl recreates photos of influential black women.

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Open Thread December 27, 2022

 Posted by at 6:55 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 272022
 

Yesterday, I got a “best-of-the-year” email from The Conversation (there are going to be a lot of those from every publication – articles as well as emails) and skimmed it. They asked all the editors what their favority article under their purview was. The answers were not that surprising, but what did catch my eye was that, among their politics editors, they now have a Democracy Editor, new this year. Now that scared me. If democracy is in such peril that they need a specialist just to watch it – cleary, we are not out of the woods. There is a new article on new legislation, which I’ll make a short take for tomorrow.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks & Liars – Happy Holidays! Welcome To Our 2022 Crookie Awards!
Quote – It’s been a long and sometimes frustrating year, but still one of the better ones we’ve had. Thanks to vaccines, we were able to get out and do things even if we had to wear a mask, the January 6 hearings came off monumentally well, and heroes and villains were everywhere. We’ve put together our own list of naughty and nice people this year, along with some overall failures and successes worthy of recognition. All of our staff has been busy at work in the Crooks and Liars workshop writing posts to honor and dishonor this year’s awardees.
Click through – The point of the “Crookies” is to call out crooks and liars (says Captain Obvious), but there are some good person and hero awards too.

CPR News – Club Q [couldn’t] have its annual Christmas dinner tradition this year, so a Colorado Springs church [stepped] up to host it
Quote – Every year, for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Club Q was the home of a special tradition. A community tradition that brought together a lot of different kinds of folks to a place that meant so much to them. They sat and laughed — and they shared a meal…. The [Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church] congregation stepped in with an initial plan to host a potluck dinner on Christmas Day — as a stand-in for the Club Q traditional dinner.
Click through for story … which actually gets bigger and better.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread December 8, 2022

 Posted by at 6:42 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 082022
 

Yesterday, after Senator Warnock’s victory, I was at least able to breathe again. Sadly, that was a real nail biter. But it ended well. So I decided it was time to move on to the Supreme Court. Both of today’s short takes are – not eacttly hopeful. But we need to know about them. If you need some comic relief, you can check out this BuzzFeed article on misconceptions (no pun intended) that men have about women’s anatomy and bodily functions. They reach never-before-published levels of absurdity.

Cartoon

Short Takes –

Mother Jones – Con Law: How a Fake Document Could Help the Supreme Court Diminish Our Democracy
Quote – So this August, historians of the Constitution were alarmed to see Pinckney’s fraud credulously cited in a brief submitted to the Supreme Court in Moore v. Harper, a high-stakes case that will be heard on Wednesday and whose outcome could usher in new state-level voter suppression and gerrymandering schemes. If the decision rests on Pickney’s alleged plan or similar shaky foundations, it may also prove to be the most dramatic example of a troubling new trend at the court: the flaunting [sic] of inconvenient facts and the adoption of alternative ones in their place.
Click through for article. Of course the author means “flouting” – flaunting is something quite different – almost the opposite actually. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is a horrible danger. It is impossible to trust Thmas, Alito, and the MAGA three not to fall for it. I would love to be proved wrong.

Colorado Public Radio News – Supreme Court seems poised to side with Colorado web designer in 303 Creative case
Quote – The case, 303 Creative v. Elenis, pits a Colorado website designer named Lorie Smith against state officials trying to enforce Colorado’s Anti Discrimination Act. Smith wants to start creating custom wedding websites. Specifically, she wants to post a message on her company’s site that she would not create websites for same-sex marriage “or any other marriage that is not between one man and one woman,” according to a brief in the case. But state officials would consider that discriminatory behavior based on the state’s laws, so Smith sued the state.
Click through for details. If I tried to express my deepest opinion on this, I would become incoherent, so I’ll fall back on my favorite bumper sticker: “Jesus called. He wants his church back.”

Food For Thought

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Open Thread December 7, 2022

 Posted by at 7:17 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 072022
 

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Yesterday, of course, was the runoff election in Georgia. I followed the New Yorker’s live election results for a while … but every time I looked, Warnock’s lead, though still commanding, was a little smaller. In fact, at 88% counted, it was donw to less than a point. But DeKalb County, apparently the last to come in, went blue enough to confirm Warnock’s win. I wish the margin had been wider … but I’ll take it.
In other news, a report from Colorado Public Radio says the Q-Club shootr was arraigned and charhed with 305 counts, which included muder and hate crimes. That’s a lot of counts. And, in New York, the Trump** Organization was found guilty on all charges. Oral arguments in Moore v. Harper begin today.  And – do we have any Neil DIamnd fans here?

Cartoon (You were expecting maybe Pearl Harbor?)

Short Takes –

The Daily Beast – Why SCOTUS Could Be About to Unleash Frankenstein’s Monster
Quote – Proponents of the “ISLT”–Independent State Legislature Theory–believe that the U.S. Constitution bestows unreviewable power upon state legislatures to determine how congressional elections–and by extension Presidential elections–are conducted. The case is so controversial that more than 70 amicus briefs–“friends of the court”–have been submitted, including everyone from former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the ACLU, with 48 of them being opposed to the legitimacy of the ISLT.
Click through for pretty much all we know right now. This is no ordinary case. And this is no ordinary court. And the decision is going to be a long time coming – although probably not quite as long as it’s going to seem.

Colorado Public Radio – Colorado Springs LGBTQ chorus Out Loud unifies community with song
Quote – That mixture of pride and rage, laughter and tears, is what Out Loud aims for in their upcoming holiday concerts…. The small audience sensed that magic at rehearsal as the chorus progressed through “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” a carol based on a Civil War-era poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about his wounded son. Their despair lifted as the music pulled toward resolution: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: God is not dead, nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall fail … the right prevail with peace on earth.”
Click through for full article, which covers far more than jist one concert. This is a wonderful group. I used to go to their concerts and unjoy them immensely – though of course I haven’t been out to any concerts since the pandemic started, and won’t be going now. I was introduced to the group by a co-worker who was a member

Food For Thought

Added late by request:

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