Glenn Kirschner – Oath Keeper Elmer Rhodes gets 18 years in prison; Trump & DeSantis pledge to pardon insurrectionists
Thom Hartmann – These Corporations Force Workers ONTO Welfare…Then Lobby To CUT the Safety Net…
Farron Balanced – Trump Allies Believe He’ll Be Indicted By DOJ Very Soon
Armageddon Update – Financial Armageddon
Tiny Rescue Dog Is So Nervous That He Lives In His Mom’s Pouch
Beau – Let’s talk about SCOTUS and checks and balances….
Yesterday, I slept in, which made me quite late in posting. You may have noticed it in the comments – only authors would have noticed it in the articles, since only authors can see the page which shows whether or not I have schedued the next day. But I’m fine. I had been doing some crtoon planning for May on the day before, and between that and the grocery delivery I went to bed both behind and tired, and I just stayed there until I was ready to rise. I’ll need about one out of every three for May, and that is after checking last year to see whether I had already made a cartoon for any of the missing days. I think I found one (it may have been two, but no more than that.) I’ll need two new ones before I next visit Virgil, so that’s a priority. Most of the rest can wait a while. And, also yesterday, was Carol Burnett’s 90th birthday , including a televised “party,” which I didn’t know about until it was over. You can find some flavor here.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
Huff Post – Federal ‘Work Requirements,’ Benefit Cuts Already Taking Effect For Millions This Year
Quote – Already, more than 16 million households have seen their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits shrivel after Congress canceled an increase put in place at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. This month, seniors saw their monthly allotment fall from $295 to as little as $23. And as many as 15 million individuals will lose Medicaid in the coming months because Congress has canceled the pandemic policy of maintaining enrollment by not continuously rechecking beneficiaries’ eligibility. Millions could lose coverage just by failing to keep up with paperwork.
Click through for details. We shouldn’t really need to be told (or rminded of) this. But – messaging.
ProPublica – As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School
Quote – Recent spectacular derailments have focused attention on train safety and whether the nation’s powerful rail companies are doing enough to protect the public — and whether federal regulators are doing enough to make them, especially as the companies build longer and longer trains. But communities like Hammond routinely face a different set of risks foisted on them by those same train companies, which have long acted with impunity. Every day across America, their trains park in the middle of neighborhoods and major intersections[.]
Click through for story. This gave me chills. I live near a train track. In our neighborhood they are pretty good about not standing still – but also so long that just going through can tie up traffic. When I reached home Sunday, and needed to cross the track, the tail end of the train was just going by. But the backup was enough that there was still a wait on account of the car traffic. I can’t claim to have been inconvenienced – but it could have made a difference for an emergency vehicle.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Prosecutors ask judge to sentence Steve Bannon to 6 months in prison & a $200,000 fine for contempt not long now!)
The Lincoln Project – Social Security
Eric Swalwell’s new ad
Ring of Fire – Conservative Group Loses Bid To Stop Biden’s Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
Liberal Redneck – OPEC, Foreign Oil, Gas Prices, etc
Beau – Let’s talk about a positive note for the weekend…. (…last weekend – I warned you I’d get behind.)
Yesterday, it was kind of quiet. I finished getting my meds together for the next two weeks (I had had to use one of my spares the previous night – but I replaced it in the filling process, and anyway, that’s why I keep spares.) I got an email from Virgil’s facility asking for a new application to visit, and the tone was almost apologetic. I did vaguely know that the public facilities kept their own, but all those years he was in private facilities, they were kept at the DOC headquarters, and therefore transferred, and I got spoiled. I emailed it to her by return, along with my request to visit the 9th.. She won’t see it until today, but that’s fine.
Also, I heard from Mitch. He used my name in the greeting, so I don’t know whether he sent it to others, and therefore will quote it in full:
We were in Pa. since the 23rd of Sept., did not decide to extend our time in Pa., but the airline and Tampa airport did, wisely closing on Thursday. We could not get a flight back from Trenton, at all so flew out of Philly, this morning, after 2 nice days staying with friends, and have been home since something like 3:00 PM, here. All is well, here, but we do not know what is going on with a cousinof Susan’s, who lives in Venice Beach.Our area didn’t get much impact, though, interestingly, the water in Hillsboro Bay got suckedout for a while, the other day.
Cartoon – 03 Rob Roy
Short Takes –
It’s Not Just Ginni Thomas But Roberts’ And Coney Barrett’s Spouses, Too
Quote – Jane Roberts’ clients include lawyers or law firms sometimes with active Supreme Court practices, at least some of which were more likely to work with her because of her status as the chief justice’s spouse…. Justice Amy Coney Barrett redacted the clients and even the name of her husband’s law firm in her disclosure, even though he is featured prominently on the firm’s website.
Click through for story. Figuring that C&L would have at least glanced at other spouse, I didn’t, but I did look up Neil Gorsuch’s mother, being old enough to remember when she was decimating the EPA under Reagan. She’s dead now, but I noted that she was Catholic, so I looked up his religion. He is Protestant now, but was raised Catholic. His doctoral supervisor when he was at Oxford was a priest.
Oregon Capital Chronicle – Under federal $1 billion agreement, Oregon will expand Medicaid coverage
Quote – Under a new agreement, the federal government will give Oregon $1.1 billion to guarantee continued free health care coverage to tens of thousands of young children in households with low incomes and offer wider coverage to low-income young adults, especially those with special needs. The agreement, announced Wednesday in a conference call with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, also includes expanding Medicaid coverage to include housing and food support.
Click through for more details. This actually brought me to tears – because TomCat would have been so proud! Oregon leads the way!
Food For Thought
Yesterday, I was pretty well exhausted. I had hoped to sleep in, but woke up about an hour and a half before my guideline alarm (which I would cheerfully have slept through) with just enough tickle in my throat to keep me awake. Nothing serious, just a small allergic reaction, most likely to a piece of red or yellow pepper. It vanished quickly once I was vertical. But I may well be sleeping in today. Expect me when you see me.
Cartoon – (from 2013 – nothing’s changed)
Short Takes –
Crooks and Liars – Fox Commenters’ Response To Bill Clinton News Is What You’d Expect
Quote – CNN reports that the former president, who is 75, has a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream, a fairly common medical condition in the elderly. It’s a relatively minor medical problem, so why is the story so prominent at Fox? Because it’s an excellent opportunity for Fox fans to demonstrate the kind of high-minded civic engagement they’re known for. From the comments:
Click through if you can stand to. The comments are pretty disgusting. Big Dog also experienced sepsis, which I would not call minor, but IANAD, and thankfully they were right on that, and he is out of the hospotal now according to various sources.
Vox – The case against means testing
Quote – Means testing have also long been associated with a moral argument that some segments of the population are deserving of government benefits, while others are not. This idea undercuts the belief that a social safety net is intended to help support those broadly in need, and shifts the burden onto individuals to prove that they’re worthy of getting basic help.
Click through for evidence. Means testing sounds so reasonable – until you realize that $100 for groceries if you live alone doesn’t exactly go as far as $100 for groceries if you hve three kids. Furthermore. $100 fpr groceries if your body is perfectly normal doesn’t quite go as far as $100 for groceries if you have food allergies, or any other specialized dietary needs. And actually, the same is true for shopping in just about every category of consumables.
The Hill – Arbery murder trial set to begin this week
Quote – When Arbery, who was unarmed, was cornered by the two trucks he ran at Travis McMichael in an attempt to seize his shotgun, but was then fatally shot. In April, both the McMichaels and Bryan were charged with federal hate crimes in connection to Arbery’s death. The indictment accuses the men of using force and threatening to intimidate and interfere with Arbery’s right to utilize a public street, and alleges that Bryan joined the chase and used his truck during the incident.
Click through for story. I’m surely glad it has come to a trial. I wish I could have higher hopes for its results. They are certainly taking their time over jury selection – I hope that’s a good sign.
Food for Thought –
Yesterday I received my approval to visit Virgil and emailed the prison for a reservation. Because of the circumstances, I specified a weekend and gave a day preference, but left the exact date open, so I won’t be certain what day until I hear back. In the meantime, I’ll need to make a point of driving somewhere to keep the battery up. Once I can start visiting regularly, that will be all the driving I eed to do. I also received three packages – one was expected yesterday, one was expected today, and the other one had not been close enough to set a date prior to yesterday so that was definitrely a surprise. The USPS can work very well indeed if it is allowed to. Oh, and I also heard from WWWendy (about some paperwork I had asked her about.) She greets everyone and apologizes for not being here more. Such a sweetie. Finally, I read that British Columbia is on fire – again. Prayers and thoughts for Lynn, please.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
Crooks and Liars – Former Nat. Sec. Adviser Whacks Trump’s Botched Negotiation With Taliban
Quote – You don’t negotiate your own exit with the adversary of the government that you are supporting. And that’s what the Trump administration did. They cut a deal with the Taliban that excluded the Afghan government, effectively again demoralizing them and making them feel like we were simply leaving them holding the bag entirely.
Click through for the story. There is also a video.
Law & Crime – Capitol Siege Defendant Accused of Chanting ‘Fight for Trump!’ Tells Judge He’s a ‘Registered Democrat’ and ‘Not a Trump Supporter’ While Seeking Lighter Sentence
Quote – As the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, “You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.” … Nevertheless, the Defendant continues to maintain that he simply had no idea he wasn’t allowed to enter the Capitol. It is unclear what additional sign the Defendant needed to indicate he was not welcome other than the barricades, tear gas, pepper balls, alarms, and law enforcement officers.
Click through for both sides’ arguments. One thing is certain – the defense arguments have royally pissed off the prosecution, and rightly so. Lying is one thing. Insulting prosecutors’ intelligence with blatant fantasies is another.
AP News – USDA to permanently boost food stamp benefits by 25 percent
Quote – The increase is part of a multi-pronged Biden administration effort to strengthen the country’s social safety net. Poverty and food security activists maintain that longstanding inadequacies in that safety net were laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting an opportunity to make generational improvements that reach beyond the current public health crisis.
Click through for names and numbers. May as well appreciate good news if we can.
Food for Thought –
