Senate – Page 2 – Politics Plus

Open Thread May 26 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:05 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 262024

Yesterday’s radio opera was Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del Ouest” (Girl of the Golden West.” It was taped before the pandemic, and it’s one of the operas I streamed during the pandemic, so no surprises, and I was glad to hear it again. Puccini is famous (notorious?) for the pathos of his doomed heroines, and most of his operas certainly fit the pattern. I am sure of only three operas where the heroine doesn’t die (one is iffy, as there are two heroines, and one dies and the other doesn’t.) This is the only one where the heroine can actually look forward to a new ife with her lover. It follows the play closely, including the blood dripping from the ceiling, and the cheating at cards, but leaving out some things because singing takes longer than speaking – her trip to the mission (on which she meets Dick Johnson – and feel free to laugh – everyone does) is not shown, only alluded to. And this summer Tme General manager’s wife will be touring with the Ukrainian Freedom orchestra, including in Kyiv and Lviv. and next year – Moby Dick.

Although today is not Memmorial Day, the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. most places (but check your local listings( and again at 9:30 pm (immediately after the first airing.) If you have ever seen one of these concerts, you will likely not want to mss it.

I no longer ger newsletters from Mother Jones, but Talking Points Memo referred this article about RFKJr. David Corn has always been an excellent writer and a real journalist, and I think it’s worth sharing.

Heather Cox Richardson looks at Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP through the lenss of Lincoln’s “House Divided speech, including some background that most people don’t know. If only Republicans had any shame, this would devastate them. It’s a pity they don’t.

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Open Thread March 16, 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:48 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 162024

Yesterday, I got very little done. Most of what I accomplished was clearing a way to the best seat to watch the actual television from – now that it’s working again. Escept that when it came time, the heavy snow we’ve has the last two days had mangled the signal so badly I couldn’t watch Fortunately , “Dead Man Walking” will be streamed through Passport – but the streams don’t start until the 19th. I was hoping not to have to wait. (I’ve already waited over 20 years just to hear it.) So, yes, this is skimpy. And i’ll have listened to Turandot and been grateful.

I missed “Pi Day,” so this is a bit late. And this parody is a bit over 8 minutes (about the same as the original IIRC) but it’s worth every second of your time that it takes. It’s upbeat, but it made me reach for a hanky It says, in a dfferent way, so much of what I have been feeling. (I even put it into my email signature.)

If you’ve been wondering why suddenly TikTok is neeing named in bills and voted on in the House, and now going to the Senate, this should make it pellucidly clear.

Open Thread March 9, 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:30 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 092024

Yesterday, after looking into and at the State of the Union address, it was impressed upon me that someone – some journalist – some newspaper or website – should each year find out and make public all the guests invited by the legislators (and anyone else who is allowed an invite.) Legislators speak through their guests, sometimes well and sometimes not so well. But I’d like the opportunity to hear what they are all saying. Just two examples – one legislator invited the first person born through IVF in the US. My Senator Bennet invited the head of Ukrainians of Colorado. CPR News has learned and published the identities of the guests (if any) of all members of the Colorado delegation except two who had not decided. And that’s helpful. But I’d like to see more. Also yesterday, I heard from Barry Burton that Carrie has broken her leg and is in the hospital – there’s a steel bar on her femor now and a cast and a full leg brace over it. And she is not getting anywhere near the care I was getting. If anyone would like to call her, shoot me an email and I’ll send you her cell number. It’s not terribly new, but it has changed since she moved to Alabama. And in any case, thoughts and prayers will be appreciated

If you remember the Biblical story of the widow’s mite – you will have no trouble recognizing the similarity. I hope, wherever he is, that TC can see it or otherwise learn about it. (Hanky alert)

This is a referral from Wonkette. It does explain why I was going to be grieving over the Cakifornia Senate primary no matter what. I did know – because an email from Katie informed me – that losers of the primary would not be able to return to Congress. So, yes, we have lost Katie and we have lost Barbara Lee also. Of course it’s not impossible for her to run again in two years. But as a single mom who never took a penny of rich people’s money, it might be prohibitively difficult for her.

Yes, this is a BFD. And just think where it might be able to go from here. I’m thinking college football, since those players are in just as much danger from concussion as the pros – if not more, since they are younger and more fragile.

Open Thread January 27, 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:20 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 272024

Yesterday, I didn’t have to prepare for today’s opera – it’s “Carmen” by George Bizet. I’ve heard it a lot of times and seen it several times as well. For one production, I played second violin in the pit orchestra. All the string parts are extremely difficult, mostly because Bizet liked to run very fast scales starting in the basses and running all the way up to the first violins umpteenth position, and then back down again just as fast. I did my best (which wasn’t very good). But even then, I can’t say it was a bad production. There may not be such a thing as a really bad production of Carmen. And today’s radio cast is outstanding. Now, next week will be another story.

This certainly doesn’t surprise me. We have simply got to stop believing everything a Republican presents as fact. They just make things up.

I know there are many Democrats who think that, like Manchin, Jon Tester (D-MT) is useless other than for keeping our Senate majority (which is oretty thin.) I would invite all of those Dems to read at least parts of this article about two Republicans, one of whom will be in the Senate if Tester loses his reelection bid. Sheehy is the crazier of the two, but Rosendale is close behind.

By now everyone will have heard this, because it is, to quote the article’s headline, “a big non-fracking deal.” And it certainly took climate experts by surprise. Bill McKibben said, “[I]f it’s true, and I think it is, this is the biggest thing a U.S. president has ever done to stand up to the fossil fuel industry.”

Personal Update December 27, 2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 1:14 pm Politics

Dec 272023

I’m afraid I really am not feeling good today. I could use one of those ginger mints Ruby gave Shaye – I hear both ingredients are good for nausea. But I just got an emal I had to pass on – Alexander Vindman’s twin is running for Congress in Virginia, and pairing up with Adam Schiff for fundraising. I personally have not given anything to the California Senate race because I don’t want to diss Katie OR Adam OR Barbara – it’s not even that they are all the same, because they aren’t – they are all distinct and each would be a fantastic Senator in diferent ways. But I’ll quote from the email from Alexander including the link.

I’m writing to ask you to split a $10 contribution today between my brother Eugene Vindman’s campaign for Virginia’s 7th congressional district and Adam Schiff’s campaign for Senate.

Please let me explain why:

In 2019, in my role on the National Security Council, I witnessed a telephone call between then-President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which Trump pressured Zelensky to launch a political investigation of Joe Biden as a quid pro quo to continue receiving United States military aid. I was shocked.

I alerted my brother Eugene who served as the NSC’s ethics attorney. We immediately informed our superiors and I eventually testified before a closed session of the House Intelligence Committee, on which Rep. Adam Schiff served as chair.

He led a thorough, honest investigation and eventually secured the first bipartisan vote in a Senate impeachment trial to convict a U.S. president in the history of our country. Each in our own ways, we exposed Trump’s abuse of power to the American public.

It was the right thing to do, Joanne — but we all paid the price.

Then-President Trump retaliated swiftly and fired Eugene and me from the White House, ultimately ending our decades of military service.

And Trump, the Republican Party, and the right-wing media have spent every day since seeking to take down Adam Schiff, censuring him on a partisan vote and even trying to remove him from Congress — simply for championing the rule of law.

That’s why it’s up to us to have Eugene and Adam’s backs. Because they will always have our backs in the fight for our democracy and stand up for the integrity of our Constitution like they have for years.

Just look at January 6th and the ongoing attacks on fair elections. Look at Republican attempts to strip the fundamental right to vote. Look at Trump’s plans to purge the government if he wins again.

It’s more important than ever that we have staunch voices in defense of democracy in the House and Senate. Those voices are Eugene Vindman and Adam Schiff.

So please, split a contribution of $10 or whatever you can afford today between Eugene’s campaign for Virginia’s 7th district and Adam’s campaign for Senate. Every dollar makes a difference as we approach the end-of-year FEC fundraising deadline.

Here’s one to show the anti-immigration people (not that they’ll understand it) –

Video Thread 10/24/23

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 12:04 pm Open Thread, Politics

Oct 242023

I have another day to fill in, and we are approaching month end, which means a recap will be coming up, and require yet another. Harry Litman is out and I can’t find out why. But this video is under 10 minutes and interesting (mostly), and I certainly hope DOJ wins this one.
Legal AF – FURIOUS DOJ THROW THE WHOLE BOOK at Trump Conspirators, LOCK THEM UP

The Lincoln Project – American Leader

MSNBC – McConnell signals support for Biden’s request to bundle aid to Ukraine and Israel into one bill

Parody Project – (SITTIN’ ON HER) BUM AT THE PLAY – Parody of Dock on the Bay | David Cohen & Don Caron

Dog Surprise Reunion with Prisoner Who Saved His Life

Beau – Let’s talk about an update on Biden’s trip and more….

Open Thread October 24, 2023

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

Oct 242023

Yesterday, I was exhausted, and slept quite late. So I got busy putting this post together, and at a little before 8 p.m., I received an email informing me Margaret Atwood is having pacemaker surgery tomorrow, Wednesday. The link is to Substack, but if you are interested and don’t mind clicking the popup, you can find out more. She is due to turn 84 next month, and was only 12 whem she experienced her first extrasystole, and also she has a family history of Afib. I did see the episode of Impatient Griselda she alludes to, and no, I had no idea she was having an episode. But I take this seriously, however lightly she speaks of it. Although it’s unavoidable, I hate losing national treasures (even when it’s another nation – in this case, Canada.) And of course the pacemaker may well lenghthen her life significantly, so there’s that. I certainly hope it does.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Axios – Scoop: Marine Corps 3-star general advising Israeli military on Gaza ground operation
Quote – White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at a briefing on Monday that there “are a few U.S. military officers with relevant experience to the operation the Israelis are conducting that are over there to share their perspective and to ask hard questions — the same hard questions we have been asking our Israeli counterparts since the beginning.”
Click through for more. Here’s what I think is going on: Republicans (by whatever name) have much in common with children (particularly toddlers), and one of those commonalities is that, in order to persuade them to do something, you have to be able to get them to think it was their own idea. I could be wrong – but all that brain power looks like it to me.

The 19th – Tammy Baldwin has won big in closely divided Wisconsin. Can she do it again?
Quote – Baldwin is one of the country’s most progressive senators, and she’s running for a third term in what could be the country’s most closely divided state. She played a prominent role mobilizing Democratic voters ahead of a Wisconsin Supreme Court election this year that became a referendum on abortion rights. A lower court ruled this fall that abortions could resume in the state. Democrats believe that 2024 voters will remember the year in which their reproductive rights were in question; Republicans hope the ruling will diminish the issue’s salience next year. Either way, Baldwin also has a formidable track record of appealing to Wisconsin’s more rural, conservative pockets with her economic agenda — and she’s already busy talking to voters and raising money as she waits for a high-profile Republican challenger to enter the race.
Click through for article. I’m old enough to remember when Wisconsin was pretty progressive overall, and I find it actually painful that that has been lost – and so acrimoniously at that. This is Scott Walker’s “legacy.” It needs to go – and I wish Baldwin every success.

Food For Thought