Social Security – Politics Plus

Open Thread March 5 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:07 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 052025

Yesterday, The computer I keep the most up to date things on still wasn’t booting. I did some looking up on the other computer, did a little playing around in the system settings, and surprisingly (at least to me) got it to boot. Checking what I did against what I had planned, I hadn’t done too badly. I’m including a few items today which were lost from yesterday, and the rest tomorrow. Thanks for bearing with me. One thing I did fail to mention is that Trinette has been unwell for a bit over a week now – she is getting better, but it’s slow. I’m sure she would appreciate prayers, healing vibes, or however you communicate with the universe (and I would also appreciate on her behalf.)

Heather Cox Richardson from (late) Saturday and including a previously aired interview even older. But some things take time to reveal themselves, and I think this may be one.

Wonkette got the title wrong – it’s clear from the article the correct figure is $2,400 a year. Which makes it even more disgusting that it was blocked. Wealthy people already get a free ride. But they still want even more.

Wonkette is singing my song. Someone should respond to some of these gripes with something like “Tell me you are both ignorant and insecure without telling me you are both ignorant and insecure.” Also, I have noticed (and I never use the phone for anything which can be done by email) that companies are NOT using “Press 1 for English” or anything similar in their menus – haven’t for years. They do have “Press 5 [or whatever] for Spanish,” but it’s clear English is assumed to be the default. If these snowflakes didn’t know that, they can’t be using phones for personal business much, if at all. Also, with regard to the poster from World War II, I might point out that, in a war, if no one on our side can “speak the enemy’s language,” it is impossible to get any kind of intelligence, which almost certainly will cost lives. That is why the Diné code talkers were such game changers. (It’s pretty easy to tell when something pushes my buttons, isn’t it.

Open Thread January 4 2025

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

Jan 042025

Yesterday, while looking at a petition to the Senate to reject Kash Patel as FBI director, I started thinking of why his photos, and particularly his eyes, unnerve me so much. So I looked up the body language of “wide-eyed stare” and discovered it has three possible interpretations – attraction, fascination, and intimidations. I’ll give you three guesses what his is, and the first two don’t count. Also yesterday, Mike Johnson was reelected Speaker. Form the remarks that have been released, I suspect some Republicans had to superglue their noses to vote for him – just holding the nose wasn’t enough. Not that we didn’t all know they were all mouthbreathers anyway (normally I take exception to that word because severe allergic reactions have caused me to temporarily have to breathe through my mouth or suffer possibly fatal anoxia – but for this it seemed to fit.)

Heather Cox Richardson revisits the year 2000 and the “millennium bug” fears. I lived through it and I expect y’all did too, and it’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years. I still have my “Crash: the millennium bug” stuffie which, if you throw it at something hard, like the floor, makes the sound of shattering glass.) But it’s not just nostalgia – there’s, if you will, a moral: “Crises get a lot of attention, but the quiet work of fixing them gets less. And if that work ends the crisis that got all the attention, the success itself makes people think there was never a crisis to begin with.” And also some actual news.

Robert Reich sums up what our final recourses are for just about everything. You may want to bookmark this one.

(possible rerun, but id so, it’s been a minute)

Open Thread November 16 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:01 am Politics

Nov 162024

Yesterday, I was shocked to learn that I apparently agree with John Bolton, of all people, on something. He appears to have gone on record that Trump’s nominees, including Gaetz and Gabbard by name, need to be fully investigated by the FBI *before* any nomination hearings are held. “We need to know exatly what we’re dealing with.” [as quoted by Crooks and Liars]. Also this article from TFN is interesting, although so dripping with sarcasm that when yo read it, try not to get any on you.
https://thefuckingnews.substack.com/p/rfk-jr-to-reduce-number-of-vaccine

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/veterans-day-and-project-2025-on
I admit that this week I’ve not pushed at all to share things that are brand new, and that will continue for a while, because in the days leading up to the transition, there is going to be a great deal of analysis which looks ahead, and most of it will be important, and publication date won’t have much effect on that. This by Joyce Vance is no exception. It’s no longer Veterans’ Day, but Vance’s thoughts on the military are timeless, and her thoughts on Project 2025 are pertinent.

https://www.wonkette.com/p/republican-who-fought-aca-wants-you
Well, this is different. Not that it could not have been predicted, of course. That’s how Republicans roll, and Wonkette knows it as well as anyone.

Belle SS

Squirrel

Video Thread 10/28/2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:51 am Open Thread, Politics

Oct 282023

Glenn Kirschner – Jack Smith goes hard after gag order AND sets Trump up for pre-trial detention if he violates

The Lincoln Project – The Last Sane Republican

Thom Hartmann – What Are ‘Catfood Commissions’ and Why Does the GOP Love Them? w/ Alex Lawson

Armageddon Update – Republicans in SHAMBLES as Jim Jordan LOSES AGAIN! (Yes, a few days old – but still good)

Dog Reunited With Foster Mom For The First Time Since Her Adoption

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump, Pratt, and recordings….

Video Thread 10/25/23

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 12:02 pm Open Thread, Politics

Oct 252023

Glenn Kirschner – Another Trump lawyer – Jenna Ellis – pleads guilty & flips in GA; throws Rudy Giuliani under the bus [Has anyone ever heard before of an actual lawyer putting forward an “advice of counsel” defense?]

The Lincoln Project – Jim Jordan on Social Security

MSNBC – ‘Political earthquake’: Mark Meadows has been granted immunity according to ABC News

Liberal Redneck – The House GOP is Incompetent

Woman Spends 6 Months Getting Stray Cats To Trust Her

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, hot takes, and security….

Open Thread July 29, 2023

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

Jul 292023

Yesterday, President Joe signed an executive order establishing military Offices of Special Trial Counsel, which will be responsible for all prosecutions of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other violent crime – taking those prosecutions out of the chain of command (under which so many cases have died.) About damn time. And good forJoe! Of course MAGA s furious. Also, a superseding indictment came out in the Trump** documetns case, over which people who are interedted in law and crime are salivating. And my area had a little power failure. Annoying – but didn’t last long, and it came with lightning which came with rain and cooled things down a bit. I had had to break out a couple of the knitted bands I keep (wet) in thr refrigerator and put one around my neck and one around my forehead while all the fans were stopped.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Associated Press News – Biden chooses former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to lead the Social Security Administration
Quote – President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to lead the Social Security Administration…. “Governor O’Malley is a lifelong public servant who has spent his career making government more accessible and transparent, while keeping the American people at the heart of his work,” Biden said in a statement. “As Governor, he made government work more effectively across his administration and enhanced the way millions of people accessed critical services.”
Click through for details. I haven’t heard his name for a long time, but Iseem to recall my impression was positive.

The 19th – Newly disabled people aren’t given a ‘how-to’ guide. Disability doulas are closing those gaps.
Quote – Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu began doing disability doula work long before they ever heard the term. From the time they were in middle school, they remember “being responsible for big, intense crisis situations” with their friends. Throughout high school, a close friend self-injured. Kaufman-Mthimkhulu would drive to her house and listen. They would also take care of their friend’s wounds, spend time watching bad TV shows and eat ice cream. What they didn’t do is blame or shame their friend. Now, years later, disability doula work is a core part of both Kaufman-Mthimkhulu’s personal practice and their job as director of peer support organization Project LETS, which works to organize community-based mental health support for people with disabilities.
Click through for story. I applaud their work. I hope they are allowed to continue and to grow.

Food For Thought

Video Thread 2/5/2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 12:18 pm Open Thread, Politics

Feb 052023

Glenn Kirschner – McCarthy wields speaker gavel for political revenge; removes Schiff, Swalwell & Omar from committees

The Lincoln Project – Nikki Haley

Thom Hartmann – The Racist Origins of the Anti-Abortion Movement Exposed (are there any American laws that are NOT racist?)

MSNBC – Rep. Plaskett: We’ll be a “truth squad” on Congress’ new Weaponization Committee

Tiny Feral Kittens Learn To Accept Love

Beau – Let’s talk about Social Security and why the GOP is going after it….

Video Thread 6/12/21

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 1:00 pm Open Thread, Politics

Jun 122021

Glenn Kirschner – Rep. Ted Lieu & House Judiciary Committee Urges AG Garland/DOJ to Reverse Course in Carroll Case

Meidas Touch – THIS Is How You Fight For a Living Wage

Now This News – Why Japanese American Internment Still Matters Today

Thom Hartmann – His title is a bit misleading; makes it sound like SS is treacherous, when it’s actually Republicans – as always.

What Happens When You Leave a Tetherball Hanging in a Forest

Beau – Let’s talk about Snake Eyes and woke GI Joe…. This certainly explains a joke (which I’ll put in a comment in a little while.)

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