Robert Reich – Politics Plus

Open Thread March 16 2025

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

Mar 162025

Yesterday, the radio opera was Beethoven’s “Fidelio.” You are welcome to skip the details, although I hope you’ll give it a chance – I am going into more detail than usual, because Beethoven was one of us. I don’t suppose he would be thought progressive today, but in his day he was as progressive as they came, and loud about it. Like pretty much all the progressives of the day, he was fooled for a while by Napoleon – they all thought “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” – until he wasn’t. But this opera is our opera – all about political corruption and the courage to oppose and expose it. Here’s the story: Leonora (Eleanor in English) Florestan is a young (or youngish) woman whose husband disappeared two years ago, shortly after attempting to expose the corruption of the “governor” of a political prison named Pizarro. She has tried and failed to learn anything about hos whereabouts. In desperation, she disguises herself as a young man and applies for a n apprentice warden job at the prison governed by Pizarro, under the alias “Fidelio.” She is a bright, intelligent, conscientious worker, and makes excellent impressions on the warden, Rocco, and also on his daughter, Marcellina, who is ready to throw over her previous suitor, Jaquino, to marry “him,” and Rocco supports Fidelio as a suitor. (This leads to a comic quartet.) Fidelio changes the subject by offering to help Rocco in his duties in the dungeon. Rocco’s response make her almost positive her husband is there. Everyone leaves but Rocco, and Pizarro arrives. Rocco tells him that his (Pizarro’s) boss, the minister (cabinet member) plans a surprise inspection the next day. Pizarro orders Rocco to murder and bury Florestan, who is a close friend of the minister. He also orders that a trumpet be sounded at the minister’s arrival. Rocco refuses to do the murder, but agrees to dig the grave. Pizarro will do the murder himself. Fidelio has come back close enough to overhear the plot, although not soon enough to be 100% sure it’s Florestan they are talking about With Marcellina’s help, she persuades Rocco to let the prisoners out into the garden for a while (her real motivation is in case she’s wrong and Florestan is not in the dungeon, she might see him among the other prisoners), and a touching chorus ensues. It’s on the short side, for fear Pizarro might hear them. Pizarro does hear and demands an explanation. Rocco says they were given a little outdoor time in honor of the King’s name day. Pizarro grants permission for Fidelio to marry Marcellina and also to help Rocco in the dungeons. The prisoners are locked up again as the act ends. Act II begins with a long aria (technically a “scena”) by Florestan – his trust in God, his love of Eleanor, a fantasy that she comes to save him, and then more or less hallucinates being free. Finally he collapses and falls asleep. Fidelio and Rocco enter and start digging the grave. Florestan wakes up, and she recognizes him (his voice, actually), but he doesn’t yet recognize her. He learns that the prison he is in is governed by Pizarro, and realizing he’s doomed, asks to send a message to his wife, but is turned down. He begs for water, and Fidelio is allowed to give him some, She then begs to be allowed to give him a crust of bread and is granted permission. Rocco gives the signal to Pizarro that the grave is ready and Fidelio is told to leave, but hides instead. Pizarro pulls out a knife to kill Florestan, but Leonora jumps between them, saying “First kill his wife!” revealing her true identity. She pulls out a gun, which stymies Pizarro, and just then the trumpet is heard. Pizarro and Rocco leave, Florestan says “Leonora! What have you done for me?” to which she replies, “Nothing, my Florestan, nothing.” Whereupon they have a love duet. The scene changes –
everyone is now out of the dungeon, the minister is there, and the whole plot comes out. Florestan is freed and Pizarro is imprisoned. All the other prisoners are also freed. The chorus sings about how lucky a man is who has a good wife, and all are happy, except Marcellina and of course Pizarro.

This is of course still up in the air (or I hope it is – I think we would have heard if had passed), but the 19th gives background not just on the measure but on co-sponsors Pettersen and Luna (and even though it would have been really hypocritical for her not to co-sponsor this after her own experience, I have to give her credit for co-sponsoring it.)

OK, I admit this is anything but good news. But Robert Reich‘s sharing of his memories is so sweet, and even downright funny in spots, that at least it’s not depressing

Open Thread March 14 2025

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

Mar 142025

Yesterday, I spent most of my time going through the folders in my Yahoo! email account, forwarding the very few emails which needed to be kept to the tutamail address and deleting the rest. Yahoo only allows me to delete a hundred at a time – they claim I can select more, but when I follow the instructions, they don’t work. So far the folder with the most emails in it had around 7500. Yes, I know, but I never intended to leave Yahoo, and they give you a terabyte of storage, and all my folders together were only using 0.37% of it, and I just never took the trouble. Shame on me. I also placed a grocery order for delivery today, and that’s pretty much it. I did change a few usernames, but only a few.

This is a few days old, but it’s also Robert Reich. His take one this was vaguely floating around in my subconscious – but iy would have taken months, even years, before I could have articulated it even clumsily.

This is not news, it’s been floating around for a while, but the 19th, which was started to emphasize news affecting women and other minorities, cover all the details, and some are less obvious. I am fortunate in having my original marriage certificate. I don’t have a birth certificate that qualifies – I have several copies of what California was giving out in 1945, because my Mom was wise enough to get a bunch, but it doesn’t qualify. getting a certified one is not free, but it’s not that difficult. The only passport I ever had was in my teens and no one wants to see that. Forty years ago, when I got married, I was not politically opposed to keeping my maiden name – bit it was “Stangenberger,” and I thought changing it would make life easier. I can actually put together quite a little package of evidence that I am who I am – but most of it would be considered irrelevant under this bill.

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 16 2025

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

Feb 162025

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Ariadne auf Naxos” by Richard Strauss. It is one act with a prologue which is about as long as the Act. This performance was chosen by Lise Davidsen, a Norwegian soprano. I would imagine (demonstrating a lack of imagination) that a Norwegian soprano would be likely to model on someone like Swedish Birgit Nilsson or Norwegian Kirsten Flagstad, but Davidsen has more imagination than that, so her most admired model is the late Jessye Norman, who sang the role of Ariadne in this broadcast. There’s a black history fact, if you will. The opera itself is an atypical comedy, the premise being that a serious opera and a comedy act similar to Commedia dell’Arte are presented on the same stage at the same time, and the participants have to interact somehow improvising as they go, and that is what happens in the one act. In the prologue, the situation is set up, with the prima donna throwing a fit, the composer throwing another fit, and the comedy troupe being more accepting and trying to calm everyone else down. There aren’t any punchlines, the humor is all situational and subtle. And the music is beautiful. Richard Strauss got hos start with “Salome” and “Elektra,” both of which include two or more murders and neither of which can really be called beautiful – although exciting fits, and maybe even enthralling. But Ariadne is compositionally more like his final opera, “Der Rosenkavalier,” which really is beautiful, especially the waltzes, though Richard and the Johanns were completely unrelated.

My state Senate is taking action on censorship – book banning. At least this committee is. And our state house (the Assembly) is also blue. I hope it will pass. It looks like a good bill. It allows challenges, but limits who can legitimately make them and how frequently they can do so. And more.

Robert Reich recognizes six individuals and one group who are willing and able to say “No” to the Papaya Poopy-Pants. And he’s right, it takes courage. And they have it and they exercised it. And, to the gest of my knowledge all are still alive. But sadly, all are now out of a job. Still, all these actions are well worth applauding.

Bonus video to go with cartoon

Open Thread February 12 2025

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

Feb 122025

Yesterday, I learned that Deb Haaland who was Interior Secretary under Biden is running for Governor of New Mexico. Katie Porter has already endorsed her. Now I have too (for what that’s worth.)

I’m an unpaying subscriber to Andy Borowitz, and that means that, at least on Sundays, I don’t get the whole story. Last Sunday, his post was a letter from Richard Nixon to Elon Musk from hell. I was able to read his introduction, but nothing of the letter. I thought at the time, “I’ll bet that’s priceless.” Well, Robert Reich certainly thought so. He shared the whole thing. It’s NSFW, as you’d expect from Nixon. Enjoy it.

This is John Pavlovitz at his most powerful. Giving us permission to hold individual voters accountable. Not that we need it from him – unless we are not yetgiving it to ourselves. Sometimes good people are held back by also being nice people. We can stop that now. (Healso dais, in a separate post, that it’s OK to be exhausted.)

The F* News also had a lot to say, in this case mostly about litigation and the ways in which both very different sides are reacting an responding to it. Given that in the current administration, and the makeup of the House and Senate, any halfway decent national news is more likely to come from the courts than from anywhere else, concentrating on the courts is probably a good idea. I mean, you’ll get the poisonous news that way too,but with a potential antidote as well

Open Thread February 8 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 082025

Yesterday, I had more than 100 emails come in, so I was overwhelmed even though I started the day with no new emails. I hope this doesn’t keep up. I also lost 3 hours waiting for a grocery delivery (at least when it came it had no substitutions and nothing missing, which helps.) Tomorrow I go to see Virgil. No snow or other potentially dangerous weather is expected. It should be cold, but that’s not a problem. The visiting room is kept so cold I always bundle up anyway. But of course I will check in upon return.

I’m squeezing this Joyce Vance article in today so it won’t spoil Sunday or have to wait for Monday. I hop eit will be helpful (and I hope the same for the next link.)

I previously shared Robert Reich‘s “What You Can Do,” so now that he has a “Revised and Expanded” version up, I thought I should share that as well. If he’s changed his mind about anything, there’s probably a reason, and we should know it.

Wonkette’s Doktor Zoom speaks about things schools are doing or trying to do to protect children from the horrors of the current Administration. Some things are easier to protect kids from than others, of course – somethings are harder that\n others to protect anyone from. But kudos to those who are doing their best.

Open Thread January 30 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:51 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 302025

Yesterday, I learned from Talking Points Memo’s “Morning Memo” that, apparently, there was a midair plane/helicopter crash over the Potomac River the night before. First responders were not expecting there to be any survivors. I’m not up to it, but someone really should start a list of all the deaths traceable to actions of the Orange Oligarch’s second administration. I’m sure there were more resulting from the first term than we ever heard of, since the only ones that were catalogued were the ones from CoViD. I’ve linked to that Memo, not because it has the last word on the crash, but because there is a whole lot more in it. In any case, today is the first day of Black History Month. I am going to be using as much Black History as I can – and including prsent day articles throwing light on the Black experience. Bit if you are interested in diving deeper, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has you covered. If The Emperor doesn’t abolish it.

As fast as things change under an administration which has no idea what it is doing other than robbing the poor to give to the rich, this from Wonkette may already be out of date. I personally read the Colombian Tariffs news only a couple of hours before reading this.

This by Robert Reich is an analysis, not a news piece. So it isn’t now dated and isn’t likely to become dated any time soon. The problem now is how to get this analysis to people who need to be aware of it … and how to get those people to grasp its truth. Good luck with that.

Open Thread January 29 2025

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

Jan 292025

Yesterday, I watched/listened to most of a Contrarian interview with Sherrilynn Ifill. Being naturally a better reader than listener, while still listening, I scrolled down into the comments. I noticed a bunch of people complaining about no transcript. Odd, I thought, since the button (not exactly presented as a button but as a word which served the function. I finally came to one which was the last in a thread, so probably a lot of people didn’t see it, which pointed out that before you see the transcript “button” you must click on “Watch now” and it will appear. That may only be true on phones and tablets (those who are complaining who mention what hardware they are using look to all be on phones or tablets), but it’s still good to know. As an unpaid subscriber, I can’t comment, but I can recommend comments, and I recommended that one. Also, the Contrarian does pay attention to subscribers, and from now, instead of sending an email for every new post, or even just the major ones, they will send two a day, morning and evening, which will include a list with short descriptions of of the articles (mostly videos) since the previous newsletter. I hadn’t complained, but that will certainly make my life easier. Also yesterday. the stock market tanked – and Robert Reich knows why. Today, Happy Lunar New Year!

From Wonkette. You likely know about it – but no one says it quite the way Wonkette says it. And we also all knew it was coming, I expect.

These two articles from PoGo are a lot to read, I admit. And getting Congress to do what needs to be done looks darned near impossible. Those three special elections are looking more important every day. Not that they will solve everything, by any means. But every little victory helps a little. BTW if it looks like either of the two links is done, keep scrolling anyway. One had, at least for me, a huge plug for the newsletter – but there was much more after it.

Older Entries