dailykos--2020-06-27--Terry Takes Them On: A Military Coup? No way.

Often , in this age of self-quarantine , just sitting in your home exchanging emails with friends you tend to welcome receiving communications from friends and from even those that are not too friendly that gets you thinking .
Recently , my friend Terry sent me a lengthy email about the viability of the belief by some that Trump will use the military to keep him in office should he lose the election .
He had planned to submit the letter to the New York Times .
I have not seen it appear there yet .
Many years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stint as Professor of Military History at West Point .
He was also co-author of a textbook on US military history .
While at West Point , in the summer of 1969 , he was assigned to the White House as a Special Consultant to the White House Urban Affairs Council , working for then Assistant to the President , Danial Patrick Moynihan .
He , along with another colleague from West Point , conducted a field study on the political use of the food stamp and donated food programs in Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which formed the basis for a Memorandum to the President on the Misuse of the Food Assistance Programs intended to provide factual support for President Nixon ’ s proposed “ Guaranteed Annual Income ” legislation designed to eliminate the welfare bureaucracy and make direct cash payments to families in need thereby circumventing local power structures that were using the food programs to enforce racial and political agendas .
Although the ideas were quashed by Martin Anderson an advisor to the president who was a great admirer of the philosopher Ayn Rand and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on June 2 , 1970 , he and his colleague ’ s testimony on the White House Memorandum and Field Report before Senator McGovern ’ s Senate Committee on Hunger created more publicity than anticipated , leading to extensive coverage in the Washington Post , the New Republic , and other national media .
Since then , Terry has had a rather checkered career in public service and business .
Nevertheless , I have always found his insights into national and local politics insightful .
For that reason , I decided to share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A MILITARY COUP TO KEEP TRUMP IN OFFICE ?
IT ’ S HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL NONSENSE Paul Krugman recently lamented in the New York Times : “ The United States could follow the path of Hungary into an authoritarian one-party state ” ; “ Today ’ s Republican Party ” would cheer on a “ Trumpian power grab even if it amounted to a military coup ” .
And that as a result , we are in “ dire political straits ” .
This may make hearts flutter but it is really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States is not now , nor has it ever been , with one possible exception at the end of the Revolutionary War , in danger of a military coup .
And certainly not to maintain a defeated President in office beyond his elected term , as a number of leading politicians fear .
The key to understanding the successful American experiment starts with a victorious General : George Washington .
At the end of the Revolutionary War , the victorious Continental Army , the progenitor of the United States Army , ( US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Revolutionary War ) , had no future .
It also had not been paid for months , going on years .
The highly educated , for its time , officer corps also had not been paid .
These intelligent , powerful , young men had won a war and were dead broke , with families in economic distress , if not facing starvation .
These men were in charge of the only organized institution in the former thirteen colonies that represented the entire United States .
It was a lethal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected government of the United States , the Continental Congress , had no Chief Executive , was without funds because it had no taxing authority and existed only at the sufferance of the thirteen State legislatures .
States reluctantly sent it money to pay for the war .
The War was won , the States had their own problems and The Congress and the Army were on their own .
The problem for the country was that the Army was the country ’ s only disciplined , armed force and was armed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in artillery , infantry , and cavalry regiments .
The only other armed forces were part-time soldiers organized in state militias that had neither the training nor the experience to stand up to a disciplined and trained professional army such as the Continentals had become .
And the Continentals were very unhappy .
They were loyal to one man : their victorious General , George Washington , who had organized and led them through great hardships to victory .
He had begged the powers that be for their food , clothing , arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in defeat and celebrated them in victory .
And now they demanded that he take over the country and govern as an undisputed Prince or King .
Under similar circumstances , Napoleon Bonaparte twenty years later would become Emperor of the French .
But George Washington not only refused but lost his famous temper and castigated his troops for being disloyal to the American Democracy that they had fought and died for .
He told them that his loyalty was to The Congress that had given him his commission as Commander in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would return his Commission to The Congress within a matter of weeks .
He told his officers and men to return to their families , their farms , and their shops and enjoy the liberty that they won with their comrade 's blood .
And in the most important Initial act that occurred in the history of the United States , he voluntarily resigned his commission as Commander in Chief in person to The Congress .
The moment is captured in a large scale painting by John Trumbull and hangs today in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story so important : Because it is taught with great reverence and firmness to all of the succeeding generations of West Point cadets , Annapolis midshipmen and Air Force cadets at all of our military academies .
It is the foundation of the Country ’ s trust in our Armed Forces .
It binds the generations of military professionals who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States .
And that means the Constitutional provisions to elect a President every four years and install and honor the President-Elect in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be enforced , if required , by the Armed Forces .
And there is plenty of historical precedent for such action .
In 1861 when the coming of Civil War threatened the inauguration of President-Elect Abraham Lincoln , General Winfield Scott , a Southerner from Virginia , victor of the Mexican War and Commander in Chief of the United States Army , mobilized regiments of infantry and artillery in Washington to ensure the peaceful inauguration of Lincoln .
In 1876 , outgoing President Ulysses S. Grant mobilized the troops to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hayes , who had been elected by the House of Representatives by the slimmest of margins , be sworn in as President .
There are numerous other examples in American history of the military honoring the requirements of the Constitution and obeying the law , not a particular man .
The recent reaction of the military professionals , both active duty and retired , to President Donald Trump ’ s threat to impose martial law by invoking , illegally and unconstitutionally , the Insurrection Act of 1807 to restore “ law and order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the profound abhorrence of the military leadership and ranks to a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Americans to peacefully assemble and protest their government .
This abhorrence underscores the obvious : the United States Military serves the constitutionally elected leaders of the country only in their legal roles .
Not in actions that may be manifestly contrary to the Constitution .
A President-Elect in January 2021 , whoever it may be , will command the Military ’ s loyalty and devotion .
If directed , they will install and defend the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , foreign or domestic ” .
And that includes an outgoing President Trump .
I sent a copy of this letter to a few close friends .
At least one , Peter , had a strong reaction .
It seems almost like a comment to a Daily Kos post .
I hope the Times prints this letter in its editorial page .
The military ’ s historic loyalty to the Constitution needs to be revealed to all Americans , but also to the Military itself to remind them of their over two hundred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a political philosophy but to the Constitution .
However , I can not remain sanguine that his argument that the history of the US military ’ s defense of the Constitution is adequate to withstand the possible coming constitutional storm .
History is rife with countries and their military 's commitment and loyalty to a specific organizing principle only to have that commitment and more importantly their understanding of the organizing principle to be confused as a result of disagreement over its interpretation .
Today , the politics in America is only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of provisions in the document .
For example , Attorney General Barr ’ s interpretation of the Constitution as granting almost unlimited Constitutional power to the President .
A position that appears a majority of the current Supreme Court seems sympathetic to .
How can we expect the military ’ s loyalty to a Constitution that the people of the country disagree as to its meaning ?
Also , it seems this administration is relying primarily on para-military forces to rally to their defense .
Militarized border security forces , AFT , Secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been called upon by this administration to execute its orders and put down protestors .
Now we also have lurking in the background , disgruntled local police forces who over the years have been armed with military weapons as well as the well-armed right-wing militias to worry about .
We eventually may be looking for military intervention to keep these energized para-militaries under control .
Will they be available , or will the colonels not trained at West Point join with the paramilitary forces already acting of the Crazed Clown ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should its possibility be overlooked .
Like Peter , I am not so sanguine about the military or Trump 's quiescence should he lose in November .
So far , we have received many public comments from retired members of the military General Staff objecting to one or another action of He Who Believes He is the American Dear Leader as well as one or two current members of the General Staff and perhaps from a few lower officers on loan to the administration that have publicly protested specific actions of the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that someone once pointed out that it is not the Generals that lead the coups , but the colonels leading elite fighting units .
Be that as it may , I would expect Trump would rely more on his irregular troops , the KKK , Boogaloo Boys , and the like .
But , of course , I am exaggerating .
But , again , if in November 2016 someone said that by 2020 we would have become the laughing stock of the world , seen tens of thousands of our citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Americans out of work , they would have been criticized for exaggerating also .
Didn ’ t Maya Angelou or was it Disraeli say something like , “ Prepare for the worst and hope for the best .
”

Often, in this age of self-quarantine, just sitting in your home exchanging emails with friends you tend to welcome receiving communications from friends and from even those that are not too friendly that gets you thinking. Recently, my friend Terry sent me a lengthy email about the viability of the belief by some that Trump will use the military to keep him in office should he lose the election. He had planned to submit the letter to the New York Times. I have not seen it appear there yet.
Many years ago, Terry served in the military, including a stint as Professor of Military History at West Point. He was also co-author of a textbook on US military history. While at West Point, in the summer of 1969, he was assigned to the White House as a Special Consultant to the White House Urban Affairs Council, working for then Assistant to the President, Danial Patrick Moynihan. He, along with another colleague from West Point, conducted a field study on the political use of the food stamp and donated food programs in Mississippi, Missouri, California and New York which formed the basis for a Memorandum to the President on the Misuse of the Food Assistance Programs intended to provide factual support for President Nixon’s proposed “Guaranteed Annual Income” legislation designed to eliminate the welfare bureaucracy and make direct cash payments to families in need thereby circumventing local power structures that were using the food programs to enforce racial and political agendas. Although the ideas were quashed by Martin Anderson an advisor to the president who was a great admirer of the philosopher Ayn Rand and was a vehemently opposed to the plan, on June 2, 1970, he and his colleague’s testimony on the White House Memorandum and Field Report before Senator McGovern’s Senate Committee on Hunger created more publicity than anticipated, leading to extensive coverage in the Washington Post, the New Republic, and other national media.
Since then, Terry has had a rather checkered career in public service and business. Nevertheless, I have always found his insights into national and local politics insightful. For that reason, I decided to share this with the readers of Daily Kos.
A MILITARY COUP TO KEEP TRUMP IN OFFICE? IT’S HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL NONSENSE Paul Krugman recently lamented in the New York Times :
“The United States could follow the path of Hungary into an authoritarian one-party state”; “Today’s Republican Party” would cheer on a “Trumpian power grab even if it amounted to a military coup”. And that as a result, we are in “dire political straits”. This may make hearts flutter but it is really historical and political nonsense. The United States is not now, nor has it ever been, with one possible exception at the end of the Revolutionary War, in danger of a military coup. And certainly not to maintain a defeated President in office beyond his elected term, as a number of leading politicians fear. The key to understanding the successful American experiment starts with a victorious General: George Washington. At the end of the Revolutionary War, the victorious Continental Army, the progenitor of the United States Army, (US Army flags proudly carry the battle ribbons of the Revolutionary War), had no future. It also had not been paid for months, going on years. The highly educated, for its time, officer corps also had not been paid. These intelligent, powerful, young men had won a war and were dead broke, with families in economic distress, if not facing starvation. These men were in charge of the only organized institution in the former thirteen colonies that represented the entire United States. It was a lethal and effective instrument of national power. The elected government of the United States, the Continental Congress, had no Chief Executive, was without funds because it had no taxing authority and existed only at the sufferance of the thirteen State legislatures. States reluctantly sent it money to pay for the war. The War was won, the States had their own problems and The Congress and the Army were on their own. The problem for the country was that the Army was the country’s only disciplined, armed force and was armed to the teeth, with thousands of men in artillery, infantry, and cavalry regiments. The only other armed forces were part-time soldiers organized in state militias that had neither the training nor the experience to stand up to a disciplined and trained professional army such as the Continentals had become. And the Continentals were very unhappy. They were loyal to one man: their victorious General, George Washington, who had organized and led them through great hardships to victory. He had begged the powers that be for their food, clothing, arms, and shelter. He had succored them in defeat and celebrated them in victory. And now they demanded that he take over the country and govern as an undisputed Prince or King. Under similar circumstances, Napoleon Bonaparte twenty years later would become Emperor of the French. But George Washington not only refused but lost his famous temper and castigated his troops for being disloyal to the American Democracy that they had fought and died for. He told them that his loyalty was to The Congress that had given him his commission as Commander in Chief of the Army and that he would return his Commission to The Congress within a matter of weeks. He told his officers and men to return to their families, their farms, and their shops and enjoy the liberty that they won with their comrade's blood. And in the most important Initial act that occurred in the history of the United States, he voluntarily resigned his commission as Commander in Chief in person to The Congress. The moment is captured in a large scale painting by John Trumbull and hangs today in the US Capitol rotunda. Why is this story so important: Because it is taught with great reverence and firmness to all of the succeeding generations of West Point cadets, Annapolis midshipmen and Air Force cadets at all of our military academies. It is the foundation of the Country’s trust in our Armed Forces. It binds the generations of military professionals who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. And that means the Constitutional provisions to elect a President every four years and install and honor the President-Elect in his new office. If necessary that will be enforced, if required, by the Armed Forces. And there is plenty of historical precedent for such action. In 1861 when the coming of Civil War threatened the inauguration of President-Elect Abraham Lincoln, General Winfield Scott, a Southerner from Virginia, victor of the Mexican War and Commander in Chief of the United States Army, mobilized regiments of infantry and artillery in Washington to ensure the peaceful inauguration of Lincoln. In 1876, outgoing President Ulysses S. Grant mobilized the troops to ensure that the duly elected President, Rutherford B. Hayes, who had been elected by the House of Representatives by the slimmest of margins, be sworn in as President. There are numerous other examples in American history of the military honoring the requirements of the Constitution and obeying the law, not a particular man. The recent reaction of the military professionals, both active duty and retired, to President Donald Trump’s threat to impose martial law by invoking, illegally and unconstitutionally, the Insurrection Act of 1807 to restore “law and order” to suppress peaceful protests, demonstrates the profound abhorrence of the military leadership and ranks to a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Americans to peacefully assemble and protest their government. This abhorrence underscores the obvious: the United States Military serves the constitutionally elected leaders of the country only in their legal roles. Not in actions that may be manifestly contrary to the Constitution. A President-Elect in January 2021, whoever it may be, will command the Military’s loyalty and devotion. If directed, they will install and defend the duly elected President “against all enemies, foreign or domestic”. And that includes an outgoing President Trump.
I sent a copy of this letter to a few close friends. At least one, Peter, had a strong reaction. It seems almost like a comment to a Daily Kos post.
I hope the Times prints this letter in its editorial page. The military’s historic loyalty to the Constitution needs to be revealed to all Americans, but also to the Military itself to remind them of their over two hundred year loyalty, not to an individual or a political philosophy but to the Constitution. However, I cannot remain sanguine that his argument that the history of the US military’s defense of the Constitution is adequate to withstand the possible coming constitutional storm. History is rife with countries and their military's commitment and loyalty to a specific organizing principle only to have that commitment and more importantly their understanding of the organizing principle to be confused as a result of disagreement over its interpretation. Today, the politics in America is only too often a disagreement over the meaning of provisions in the document. For example, Attorney General Barr’s interpretation of the Constitution as granting almost unlimited Constitutional power to the President. A position that appears a majority of the current Supreme Court seems sympathetic to. How can we expect the military’s loyalty to a Constitution that the people of the country disagree as to its meaning? Also, it seems this administration is relying primarily on para-military forces to rally to their defense. Militarized border security forces, AFT, Secret Service, and the like appear to have been called upon by this administration to execute its orders and put down protestors. Now we also have lurking in the background, disgruntled local police forces who over the years have been armed with military weapons as well as the well-armed right-wing militias to worry about. We eventually may be looking for military intervention to keep these energized para-militaries under control. Will they be available, or will the colonels not trained at West Point join with the paramilitary forces already acting of the Crazed Clown’s behalf? Probably not, but neither should its possibility be overlooked.
Like Peter, I am not so sanguine about the military or Trump's quiescence should he lose in November. So far, we have received many public comments from retired members of the military General Staff objecting to one or another action of He Who Believes He is the American Dear Leader as well as one or two current members of the General Staff and perhaps from a few lower officers on loan to the administration that have publicly protested specific actions of the administration. I seem to recall, however, that someone once pointed out that it is not the Generals that lead the coups, but the colonels leading elite fighting units. Be that as it may, I would expect Trump would rely more on his irregular troops, the KKK, Boogaloo Boys, and the like. But, of course, I am exaggerating. But, again, if in November 2016 someone said that by 2020 we would have become the laughing stock of the world, seen tens of thousands of our citizens die from administrative incompetence, and millions of Americans out of work, they would have been criticized for exaggerating also. Didn’t Maya Angelou or was it Disraeli say something like, “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”


Natural Allies

It ’ s been heartening to see the left coalesce behind Biden but there is still work to be done .
At this point the right is so far out that they revel in caging immigrant children , and they support police brutality against minorities and protesters , and too many other wrongs for me to list here ( tl/dr ) .
It is clear that they do n't care at all about social justice , that 's an insult to them , as are virtue and empathy .
These are the same people the corporate media lobs softballs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand .
If we weren ’ t so close to the election , and in such a perilous time , I would advocate for dialogue and listening to the different viewpoints of these people no matter how crazy they sounded to me , and hopefully getting them to listen to me .
That ’ s a great skill to have and to cultivate , but this is not the time to do that , or to advocate for it .
What we need to focus upon right up to November is unifying with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or not they share your opinions .
Too many of us lefties are not listening to , or trying to understand , other lefties who might not always agree with us .
People who should be natural allies are considered unreasonable or too radical or too conservative .
I hear people complain that those others won ’ t listen , but the listening has to go both ways .
It ’ s a worthy use of your political time and energy .
Let ’ s focus on what we have in common right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Biden ’ s inauguration .
If we are ever going to have a just society the left needs to unify and to have an unwavering commitment to social and economic justice and strong democratic institutions .
We may not agree on everything , but we have to agree on that .
The right understands better than the left that politics is about grabbing and holding power and they are ruthless because they are amoral .
The left needs to realize that gaining and holding power is our number 1 priority too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrifice our morals .
The common thread that runs from the moderate left to the far left in the party is our morality .
We have to turn that to our advantage .
When the Democratic Party sacrifices morality for expediency or monetary gain it weakens itself .
That ’ s what Republicans do .
If people want to vote Republican they ’ ll vote for a real one .
If you are a moderate Dem look to person far to the left of you .
Try to understand them -- you wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a middle-ground .
Of course the same goes for Dems on far left and people in the middle .
Let ’ s stop the talk about “ purity ” now that the nominating process is over , or the castigating of “ Bernie bros , ” and recognize that we agree on the key issues before us : Getting Biden elected , taking Dem control of the Senate , and winning all the way down the ticket .
There will be no kumbayah moment with the white supremacists in the near future , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear , white supremacy is not just a Republican party plank , it ’ s the whole damn platform .
Speaking of Nazis , a big reason they were able to win in 1933 was that the leftist Social Democratic Party despised the Communists almost as much as the Nazis did .
But the only group in the early 1930s that was actively fighting the Nazis in the street were the Communists .
If they had found a way to unify with the Communists instead of compromising with the nationalists things would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this well .
We have to fight together in order to gain power , and we have measure how we use that power not according to what “ people will quietly submit to , ” but with the goal of establishing a truly just society : “ Power concedes nothing without a demand .
It never did and it never will .
Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them , and these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either words or blows , or with both . ''
It 's impractical and unrealistic to try and convert the right in this moment -- but you might find a lot to agree with a Bernie or Biden supporter if you both listen and recognize your common purpose .

It’s been heartening to see the left coalesce behind Biden but there is still work to be done. At this point the right is so far out that they revel in caging immigrant children, and they support police brutality against minorities and protesters, and too many other wrongs for me to list here (tl/dr). It is clear that they don't care at all about social justice, that's an insult to them, as are virtue and empathy. These are the same people the corporate media lobs softballs to and thinks we need to try to understand.
If we weren’t so close to the election, and in such a perilous time, I would advocate for dialogue and listening to the different viewpoints of these people no matter how crazy they sounded to me, and hopefully getting them to listen to me. That’s a great skill to have and to cultivate, but this is not the time to do that, or to advocate for it. What we need to focus upon right up to November is unifying with other people on the left, whether or not they share your opinions. Too many of us lefties are not listening to, or trying to understand, other lefties who might not always agree with us. People who should be natural allies are considered unreasonable or too radical or too conservative. I hear people complain that those others won’t listen, but the listening has to go both ways. It’s a worthy use of your political time and energy. Let’s focus on what we have in common right now and save the pie for Joe the Biden’s inauguration. If we are ever going to have a just society the left needs to unify and to have an unwavering commitment to social and economic justice and strong democratic institutions. We may not agree on everything, but we have to agree on that.


dailykos--2020-06-27--PWB Peeps Open Thread - 2020 Pootie Party Campaign "Mews"

I ’ ve asked Doogle ( cyber dog wonder ) to forward the current files on those nominees being vetted for positions in the new administration .
Here are the few we know are slated for the following seats .
I just got a text from Doogle .
In order to follow Parliamentary procedure , I must submit the rules for review .
That ’ s done , do I hear a vote to continue ( woof ) , do I get a second ( squawk ) .
Let ’ s move on .
The envelope please .
( Psst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been reminded this isn ’ t a repeat of the last Admin ’ s .
un-reality show .
Gabby and Pasta have sent the polling results along with this photo .
Pixie ( left ) holds the overwhelming majority vote for Sec .
of Defense .
Bijou ( left ) Head of Library of Congress .
Carey ( right ) Sec .
of Foreign Affairs Grumpy Cat ( left ) Head of the Federal Reserve .
Na ’ at ( far right ) Sec .
of Education .
Maci ( left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rico ( right ) Sec .
of Homeland Security .
Annie the Alpaca ( left ) Sec .
of Agriculture .
Ari ( right ) Attorney General .
Though Ari ’ s nomination comes as a surprise to some .
Ari counseled Andy in the Congressional hearings and has the experience and qualifications for the position .
Thistle for Sec .
of Parks and Recreation .
With that business completed , may I get a vote of confidence from the pundits .
There are some that are surprised by these nominations and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backing these choices .
An opinion , as well as a vote , is the right of every Pootie Party member .
The candidates welcome your input and comments .
Please stay for the mixer after the meeting has adjourned and mingle .
Could someone please ask Gabby and Pasta to help the caterer with the Toona trays .

I’ve asked Doogle (cyber dog wonder) to forward the current files on those nominees being vetted for positions in the new administration. Here are the few we know are slated for the following seats.
I just got a text from Doogle. In order to follow Parliamentary procedure, I must submit the rules for review.
That’s done, do I hear a vote to continue (woof), do I get a second (squawk). Let’s move on.
The envelope please. (Psst, mumbles) Sorry folks, I’ve been reminded this isn’t a repeat of the last Admin’s. un-reality show. Gabby and Pasta have sent the polling results along with this photo.
Pixie (left) holds the overwhelming majority vote for Sec. of Defense.
Kunmandur Pixie Her selections for Sec and under Sec of the Navy.
Our active military and veterans have pledged full support to Kummandur. Pixie.
Bijou (left) Head of Library of Congress. Carey (right) Sec. of Foreign Affairs
Bijou Carey
Grumpy Cat (left) Head of the Federal Reserve. Na’at (far right) Sec. of Education.
Grumpy Cat Mr. Green (Na’at’s advisor) with Na’at
Maci (left) Sec. of the Interior. Rico (right) Sec. of Homeland Security.
Maci Rico
Annie the Alpaca (left) Sec. of Agriculture. Ari (right) Attorney General.
Annie the Alpaca Ari
Though Ari’s nomination comes as a surprise to some. Ari counseled Andy in the Congressional hearings and has the experience and qualifications for the position.
Andy consulting Ari during the hearings.
Thistle for Sec. of Parks and Recreation.
With that business completed, may I get a vote of confidence from the pundits.
The “ayes” have it and the motions pass.
There are some that are surprised by these nominations and some that are on the fence about fully backing these choices. An opinion, as well as a vote, is the right of every Pootie Party member.
I’m shocked! I just don’t know.
The candidates welcome your input and comments. Please stay for the mixer after the meeting has adjourned and mingle.
Could someone please ask Gabby and Pasta to help the caterer with the Toona trays.


dailykos--2020-06-27--This Week in the War on Women, 6/21-27/2020: Voting Edition

I ’ m putting this first in case you want to listen whilst reading the rest : Was Beethoven Black ?
Probably Not , but These Unsung Composers Were Perhaps the question should not be “ Was Beethoven black ?
” but “ Why do we not hear more of the music of diverse composers ?
” Such composers include Amanda Aldridge ( 1866-1956 ) , successful European opera singer ( and composer under the pseudonym Montague Ring ) : Check out 3 minutes of her compositions , played by Siobhan O ’ Neil : Chrystul Kizer 17-year-old finally released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 years accused of killing her alleged trafficker , Phillip Volar .
She claims self defense .
The sentence that caught my eye : '' Volar was released without bail after being arrested under child sexual assault charges in February 2018 . ''
Even though “ He was arrested for another incident in 2017 when a 15-year-old girl called the police and alleged that he gave her drugs and was planning to kill her.
” Well of course he was .
It ’ s never a one-victim crime with these guys .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This woman was apparently attacked for her race ( and not necessarily her gender ) on June 24 , however setting someone ON FIRE seemed warlike enough for me , to qualify for inclusion under “ war on women ” : Black woman set on fire by white men in Wisconsin .
Police are investigating this as a hate crime .
I ’ m sure in many cases , cowards target women because of their perception of weakness .
If you live in WI , please keep your ears and eyes open .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ widows in the work to `` build back better '' from Covid-19 .
Widows face some of the worst discrimination : Healthcare workers ( HCW ) are , of course , more likely to become infected than the general population .
In a study of HCW in China published in May , the HCW infection rate was 144.7/million versus 41.7/million in the general population .
And about 60-75 % of sick HCW are women ( depending on country of study ) .
Does it really surprise anyone who has worked for big corporations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sociopathy ( I ’ m only surprised the level isn ’ t higher ) ?
Or that of course this doesn ’ t work so well for women ?
Five women veterans who deserve to have Army bases named after them .
They suggest a few diverse women throughout US history .
Now that would be a real change for the Army ( currently there are zero bases named for women , whilst the Army is 18 % female and civilian Army positions are 36 % female ) .
They recommend Harriet Tubman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earley , Mary E. Clarke , and Lori Piestewa , and provide detailed stories at the link !
More positively , one change is already happening : Mary Jackson : NASA to name HQ after first black female engineer Smithsonian Magazine covers an exhibition at NYC ’ s Grolier Club : At Long Last , an Exhibition Celebrates Centuries of Women at Work .
The article is from 6/22 and doesn ’ t mention Covid , but states the exhibition is ongoing ; however , the Grolier Club website at their link states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .
Perhaps it ended up stuck there because of Covid .
At any rate , the permanent exhibit is at Duke University , so if you ’ re in Manhattan , you might call to see if it ’ s still nearby .
And if you ’ re farther South , you might check out Duke .
It ’ s a 45-year collection , so we ’ d like to say our officebss and crew inspired them , but not quite .
Their display also includes the work of “ Dutch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who you may recall we showcased in this space a few months ago as an early environmentalist .
The New York Times started a project a few years back to publish obituaries of people they previously overlooked .
Here was yesterday 's for Valerie Solanas ( “ feminist revolutionary ” ) : She made daring arguments in “ SCUM Manifesto , ” her case for a world without men .
But her legacy as a writer and thinker was overshadowed by one violent act .
More here : Who was Valerie Solanas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warhol ?
According to Solanas : Why am I not surprised that an institution run by men eventually found her tiresome ?
Answers from 2019 were far more diverse than the original survey in 1977 .
As you ’ re all well aware , not only do we have gender and racial pay gaps , with white women earning less than men , black women and Latinas earning less than white women .
But now Covid is making things worse .
Interestingly , usually economic downturns decrease the pay gap , but this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : This time is different : Women ’ s unemployment rose faster and higher than men ’ s , 50 % more mothers lose jobs than fathers , women have less of a buffer of savings , childcare , etc.
, and are more likely to be required to work .
“ We ’ re looking at the prospect of a two-tier workplace where men go back and women stay home .
It ’ s taken us 20 years to get this far on female participation in the workforce , but it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift to flexible work patterns could create a more equal playing field for some working parents , said Smethers .
“ There ’ s no going back , the genie is out of the bottle , ” she said .
But with data from the Resolution Foundation showing that only one in 10 lower earners are able to work from home , and 69 % of low earners are women , it is not a panacea , said the TUC general secretary , Frances O ’ Grady .
“ Working women have led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them are stuck in low paid and insecure jobs , ” she said .
“ We need a reckoning on how we value and reward women ’ s work.
” Trump ’ s 200th Judge Will Mean Decades of Fighting for Our RIghts .
Most are straight ( or so they say ) Christian ( or so they say ) white ( or so they say ) men , who are young , inexperienced , unqualified conservative partisans , anti-immigration , anti-gay , pro-police , and of course anti-abortion .
Can we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did ( assuming Biden wins and we have both houses of a Democratic Congress ) ?
How about expanding the courts and adding judges to all appeals and SCOTUS courts until we have a liberal majority ?
How about disqualifying for incompetence or lack of objectivity ?
From Newsweek : Why Elizabeth Warren is the VP Pick Facebook Doesn ’ t Want to See : So now Patagonia , NorthFace , REI , Upwork , Dashlane , join NAACP , ADL , others : # StopHateforProfit at Facebook .
Interestingly , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren is “ more ” .
Oh well .
I think Liz Warren would say that what counts is getting the job done .
Don ’ t Miss Out on this Exclusive Free [ Online ] Women ’ s Adventure Travel Event : This Monday , June 29 , live at 8 AM ( it would be an adventure for me just to get up that early ! )
, adventure travel industry leaders and experts present a workshop designed by and for women .
It looks to me like it might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include Steph Davis , expert climber ; Azzah Ahmad , diversity expert ; Alanna Thompson , kinesiologist ; and others .
If it sounds interesting to you , be sure to sign up in advance .
Next week I ’ m hosting What ’ s for Dinner ?
( See previous WFD diaries here . )
We ’ ll discuss what makes a good cook .
I hope you ’ ll join us !
This series also posts on Saturday evening , shortly before WOW .
Who says you can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And you don ’ t need to get up early nor sign up in advance !
This column is a group effort and wouldn ’ t be possible without the help of collaborators !
Many thanks for items and discussion this week to mettle fatigue , Tara the Antisocial Social Worker , SandraLLAP and noweasels !

This week was primary week in NY and KY, where I am and where I was. So let’s look at some voting info.
I voted Tuesday for the first time in New York. NY has gone to paper ballots, yay! Presumably that will make certain types of voting hacks impossible. I was the only voter in the gym at about 6 PM. There was increased voter participation, but there were also wildly increased absentee ballot requests (I didn’t do that in time). The vote volunteers told me that they’d had slow but steady participation all day. The voter scans the ballots after filling them out, so the computer can then quickly tally the results, but the ballots are kept if the results raise any questions. The scanner told me that mine was the 138th scan. I understand KY too used scannable paper ballots this year, as well as increased absentee ballot availability. The ballots are filled in with dark black pen, so one’s answers cannot be erased; if a mistake is made, instructions are to return them and take another; the volunteers destroy the wrong ones. Did others have that experience? Does anyone know if this method is possible to scam somehow (I fully expect *Rump and his minions to try)?
Before 1980, a smaller proportion of women voted than men. Since 1980, a larger proportion of women voted than men with an ever-widening gap, from 61.9% v. 61.5% in 1980, to 66.3% v. 64.6% in 1992 (President Bill Clinton’s first term IIRC, the highest participation for both), to 63.3% v. 59.3% in 2016, the last numbers reported. I was not able to find gender-based info for primaries or between years or now, but there were surges in voting interest this year, and presumably absentee ballots would allow a lot more women to vote, since childcare, eldercare, transportation, and other issues that more highly impact women might be resolved when we don’t need to leave home. I do plan to request absentee for November — not worried about them being stolen from my mailbox, like the Orange Dope suggests! We have never had anything stolen from the mailbox. And my 85+-year-old mother refused to go this past Tuesday, despite all the assurances that they would be as careful about infection as possible. My only concern is that if *Rump wins the in-person vote and then loses the absentee vote, he’ll claim fraud and this might make it easier for him to refuse to concede. Any thoughts on this dilemma in the Comments would be appreciated!
Here's an interesting history lesson on voting:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/… :
Women won the right to vote in 1920. Prior to that, they could vote on some issues such as schools (interestingly to me, KY was the first to allow such votes by women!). To do that, men invented voting machines that could be changed depending on the gender of the voter:
In 1899, Lenna R. Winslow of Columbus, Ohio, applied for a patent for a “Voting-Machine.” He had created a mechanical system that adjusted the ballot the voter would see based on whether that voter was a man or a woman. With a simple flip of a switch, “the mechanism is automatically set to restrict certain classes of voters by and during their entrance to the booth,” the patent application states.
(I double checked other sites, "Lenna" is indeed a man! So not a woman’s invention this time. Too bad!)
Back to the present: Election Results: Many races from primary elections this week are still too close to call, but there is increased participation by women running for office. Unfortunately, not nearly as much of an increase as we’d like to see! For more information as the counts progress over the next week or so, the Center for American Women and Politics looks to be a good source.
In Other News:
(Oreo loves a good newspaper in the morning)
intersectionality
I’m putting this first in case you want to listen whilst reading the rest:
Was Beethoven Black? Probably Not, but These Unsung Composers Were
Perhaps the question should not be “Was Beethoven black?” but “Why do we not hear more of the music of diverse composers?” Such composers include Amanda Aldridge (1866-1956), successful European opera singer (and composer under the pseudonym Montague Ring): Check out 3 minutes of her compositions, played by Siobhan O’Neil:
x YouTube Video
violence
Chrystul Kizer 17-year-old finally released on bail after sitting in jail for 2 years accused of killing her alleged trafficker, Phillip Volar. She claims self defense. The sentence that caught my eye:
"Volar was released without bail after being arrested under child sexual assault charges in February 2018." Even though “He was arrested for another incident in 2017 when a 15-year-old girl called the police and alleged that he gave her drugs and was planning to kill her.” Well of course he was. It’s never a one-victim crime with these guys.
"Far too often, survivors of violence — especially Black women and girls — are punished for defending themselves," the statement said. "Chrystul's case highlights the urgent need for the criminal legal system to stop prosecuting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault."
Meanwhile, too many abusers run free.
This woman was apparently attacked for her race (and not necessarily her gender) on June 24, however setting someone ON FIRE seemed warlike enough for me, to qualify for inclusion under “war on women”: Black woman set on fire by white men in Wisconsin. Police are investigating this as a hate crime.
I’m sure in many cases, cowards target women because of their perception of weakness. If you live in WI, please keep your ears and eyes open. Police are asking for information.
covid-19
Including widows in the work to "build back better" from Covid-19. Widows face some of the worst discrimination:
Experience from past pandemics, for example HIV/AIDS and Ebola, shows that widows are often denied inheritance rights, have their property grabbed after the death of a partner, and can face extreme sigma and discrimination, as perceived ‘carriers’ of disease. Worldwide, women are much less likely to have access to old age pensions than men, so the death of a spouse can lead to destitution for older women. In the context of lockdowns and economic closures, widows may not have access to bank accounts and pensions to pay for healthcare if they too become ill or to support themselves and their children. With lone-mother families and single older women already particularly vulnerable to poverty, this is an area that needs urgent attention. -snip- Widows must not be left out of our work to “build back better” from COVID-19. Let us ensure that our recovery prioritizes their unique needs and supports societies to be more inclusive, resilient and equal for all.
But ForProfit-Bailed-Out-California-Hospital-Cuts-Nursing-Staff-Amid-Pandemic: Strike-Notice:
Salutes are nice, but adequate staff, pay, cleaning, and PPE are better!
Worth $36 billion, with $7 billion in profits across the past 2 years, and chief exec compensation $26 million in 2019, HCA still received about $1 billion in federal pandemic funds. Then, according to the unions, it threatened to lay off thousands of nurses, following repeated complaints that inadequate PPE supply to nurses, med techs and cleaning staff was endangering workers, co-workers including physicians, patients, and the public.
Healthcare workers (HCW) are, of course, more likely to become infected than the general population. In a study of HCW in China published in May, the HCW infection rate was 144.7/million versus 41.7/million in the general population. And about 60-75% of sick HCW are women (depending on country of study).
Does it really surprise anyone who has worked for big corporations that CEOs have somewhat higher levels of sociopathy (I’m only surprised the level isn’t higher)? Or that of course this doesn’t work so well for women?
racism/sexism
Here’s a solution to Army bases named for Confederates:
Five women veterans who deserve to have Army bases named after them.
They suggest a few diverse women throughout US history. Now that would be a real change for the Army (currently there are zero bases named for women, whilst the Army is 18% female and civilian Army positions are 36% female). They recommend Harriet Tubman, Edith Nourse Rogers, Charity Adams Earley, Mary E. Clarke, and Lori Piestewa, and provide detailed stories at the link!
More positively, one change is already happening:
Mary Jackson: NASA to name HQ after first black female engineer
Mary Jackson at NASA
history
Smithsonian Magazine covers an exhibition at NYC’s Grolier Club: At Long Last, an Exhibition Celebrates Centuries of Women at Work. The article is from 6/22 and doesn’t mention Covid, but states the exhibition is ongoing; however, the Grolier Club website at their link states that it was only until February 8, 2020. Perhaps it ended up stuck there because of Covid. At any rate, the permanent exhibit is at Duke University, so if you’re in Manhattan, you might call to see if it’s still nearby. And if you’re farther South, you might check out Duke. It’s a 45-year collection, so we’d like to say our officebss and crew inspired them, but not quite.
Per a press release, among the oldest items on display are a 1240 land grant for “a home for repentant prostitutes” in Pisa and a 1478 text acknowledged as one of the first books printed by women. Baskin didn’t discriminate as she curated. While some of the women immortalized in the exhibit bear now-famous names, others received far less recognition for their work, even in the present day. “It’s an intentionally democratic exhibition, featuring both the famous and the forgotten,” says Nelson [Naomi Nelson, director of Duke’s David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library] in the statement.
Their display also includes the work of “Dutch artist and naturalist” Maria Sibylla Merian, who you may recall we showcased in this space a few months ago as an early environmentalist.
The New York Times started a project a few years back to publish obituaries of people they previously overlooked. Here was yesterday's for Valerie Solanas (“feminist revolutionary”):
https://www.nytimes.com/...
She made daring arguments in “SCUM Manifesto,” her case for a world without men. But her legacy as a writer and thinker was overshadowed by one violent act.
(The one violent act was shooting Andy Warhol.)
More here: Who was Valerie Solanas, the feminist revolutionary who shot Andy Warhol? According to Solanas:
Men corrupt all human institutions, including “money…Great Art, Culture…” Men, she wrote, “define Great art as themselves.” -snip- By fall 1967, her militancy had curdled from amusing to tiresome for the Factory, who soon dropped her.
Why am I not surprised that an institution run by men eventually found her tiresome?
Answers from 2019 were far more diverse than the original survey in 1977.
Remakes are in vogue of late, and 43 years after the West Coast original of “What is Feminist Art?” the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art staged its own “recreation of that exhibition,” says Liza Kirwin, the Archives’ deputy director, by posing the same query to a cohort of artists in 2019. The two sets of answers to the still-relevant central question reveal how society’s understanding of feminism, and feminist art, has changed in some ways and stayed static in others.
economics
As you’re all well aware, not only do we have gender and racial pay gaps, with white women earning less than men, black women and Latinas earning less than white women. But now Covid is making things worse. Interestingly, usually economic downturns decrease the pay gap, but this time it is increasing. The Economist: This time is different: Women’s unemployment rose faster and higher than men’s, 50% more mothers lose jobs than fathers, women have less of a buffer of savings, childcare, etc., and are more likely to be required to work.
Thus Covid-19 could set women back decades: Emphases mine:
“We’re looking at the prospect of a two-tier workplace where men go back and women stay home. It’s taken us 20 years to get this far on female participation in the workforce, but it could take only months to unravel.” -snip- A shift to flexible work patterns could create a more equal playing field for some working parents, said Smethers. “There’s no going back, the genie is out of the bottle,” she said. But with data from the Resolution Foundation showing that only one in 10 lower earners are able to work from home, and 69% of low earners are women, it is not a panacea, said the TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady. “Working women have led the fight against coronavirus, but millions of them are stuck in low paid and insecure jobs,” she said. “We need a reckoning on how we value and reward women’s work.”
The woman on the left should be paid!
civil rights
Trump’s 200th Judge Will Mean Decades of Fighting for Our RIghts.
Most are straight (or so they say) Christian (or so they say) white (or so they say) men, who are young, inexperienced, unqualified conservative partisans, anti-immigration, anti-gay, pro-police, and of course anti-abortion.
Liberals need to put the issue of judges front and center for Election Day as well. The effects of the Trump agenda are going to be felt for decades, long after this administration is consigned to the ash heap of history. Clawing back the federal courts, nomination by nomination, is going to be key to pulling us back from the brink of a world where only white straight Christian men have rights.
Can we somehow change it as fast as *Rump did (assuming Biden wins and we have both houses of a Democratic Congress)? How about expanding the courts and adding judges to all appeals and SCOTUS courts until we have a liberal majority? How about disqualifying for incompetence or lack of objectivity?
facebook/#stophateforprofit
From Newsweek: Why Elizabeth Warren is the VP Pick Facebook Doesn’t Want to See:
Last fall, Senator Elizabeth Warren was talking about breaking up Facebook, the largest social network on the planet, as well as other Big Tech companies. This fall, she could become the next vice president of the United States.
Warren doesn’t mince words:
"What would really 'suck' is if we don't fix a corrupt system that lets giant companies like Facebook engage in illegal anti-competitive practices, stomp on consumer privacy rights, and repeatedly fumble their responsibility to protect our democracy," she wrote [on Twitter in October].
This week she tweeted:
Facebook is too big and has too much power—and Mark Zuckerberg's uninterrogated and unaccountable relationship with Trump is a danger to our democracy.
h/t officebss
So now Patagonia, NorthFace, REI, Upwork, Dashlane, join NAACP, ADL, others: #StopHateforProfit at Facebook.
Interestingly, however, according to Forbes:
Facebook has received criticism from civil rights leaders, employees and more for its handling of misinformation, intensified by weeks of anti-racism protests across the world. Calls for change began after Facebook refused to fact check a series of Trump’s tweets, including one from early on in the George Floyd protests that warned “looting” would lead to “shooting,” with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg making clear his stance that social media companies should not be “arbiters of truth.” The #StopHateForProfit campaign website accuses Facebook of facilitating the encouragement of violence, voter suppression and the spread of fake news. “Let’s send Facebook a powerful message: Your profits will never be worth promoting hate, bigotry, racism, antisemitism and violence,” the website reads.
I guess Senator Warren is “more”. Oh well. I think Liz Warren would say that what counts is getting the job done.
just for fun
Don’t Miss Out on this Exclusive Free [Online] Women’s Adventure Travel Event:
This Monday, June 29, live at 8 AM (it would be an adventure for me just to get up that early!), adventure travel industry leaders and experts present a workshop designed by and for women. It looks to me like it might be enjoyable and educational for everyone:
During this virtual event you can expect to hear all about essential wilderness first aid to keep you safe while adventuring in the back country. You’ll also hear about climbing from a pro athlete as well as listening to the experiences and inspirational stories from women forging their own path through adventure sport and travel. You’ll learn about wellness, connection, empowerment and the thrill of outdoor pursuits in a safe digital space where women support women.
Presenters include Steph Davis, expert climber; Azzah Ahmad, diversity expert; Alanna Thompson, kinesiologist; and others. If it sounds interesting to you, be sure to sign up in advance.
Next week I’m hosting What’s for Dinner? (See previous WFD diaries here.) We’ll discuss what makes a good cook. I hope you’ll join us! This series also posts on Saturday evening, shortly before WOW. Who says you can’t be a feminist and a decent cook? And you don’t need to get up early nor sign up in advance!
St. Pat’s dinner: Corned beef, purple cabbage and onions, warm brownies with mint liqueur sauce
late addition
(Slightly older news, but I just ran across it!)
My Hero(ine) of the Year (so far): Sheila Buck (apparently white) attended *Rump’s Tulsa rally wearing an “I Can’t Breathe” T shirt and a head covering. Of course she had to endure a lot of verbal crap. Then she was apparently arrested at the request of the *Rump campaign despite having a ticket to the event. [As I understand the law (IANAL), even if you are invited somewhere, they can uninvite you and legally you have to leave; if they owe you the price of a ticket purchase, you try to work that out later.] Then, although this appears unverified yet, they seem to have had her taken for a mental health evaluation to keep her from talking to media. Through it all, she mostly kept her face masked. I’m sure we’ll hear from her soon! Excellent civil disobedience, thank you, Ms. Buck!
x HereÃ¢ÂÂs Sheila Buck being a brave badass before she was arrested.
pic.twitter.com/lRxLCa7fXz Ã¢ÂÂ Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) June 20, 2020
This column is a group effort and wouldn’t be possible without the help of collaborators! Many thanks for items and discussion this week to mettle fatigue, Tara the Antisocial Social Worker, SandraLLAP and noweasels!


dailykos--2020-06-27--DESANTIS VOWS TO KEEP FLORIDA OPEN, COME HELL OR HIGH COVID

“ We are not shutting down .
We are going to go forward.
, ” DeSantis said during a late afternoon news conference .
“ We are going to continue to protect the most vulnerable .
We are going to urge and continue to advise our elderly population to maintain social distancing and avoid crowds.
” Gov .
Ron DeSantis said that with the rise in testing , we expected to see a rise in cases .
Does that confuse any of you ?
It should .
More testing is an identifier , not a cure .
If we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would NOT see an increase in cases .
A group of Doctors are urging the Governor to make masks mandatory in public but so far , there has been no response .
Most recently trending on Twitter is # DeSantisBetrayedFlorida and the tweets often reference the press briefing when he bragged about low death rates in Florida while V.P .
Pence stood next to him .
Touting low death numbers at a time of suffering shows a total lack of respect and sensitivity to the Floridians who were lost , their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation .
This kind of leadership should not be accepted .
I want to hold him accountable .
Please help me do so .
Sexton , Christine .
`` Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis vows to keep state open as cases surge . ''
OrlandoWeekly.com , Orlando Weekly , 17 Jun .
2020 , www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2020/06/17/florida-gov-ron-desantis-vows-to-keep-state-open-as-cases-surge ?
utm_source=widget & utm_medium=articleblog & utm_campaign=rightrail & utm_content=TabbedPopularity .

“We are not shutting down. We are going to go forward.,” DeSantis said during a late afternoon news conference. “We are going to continue to protect the most vulnerable. We are going to urge and continue to advise our elderly population to maintain social distancing and avoid crowds.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis said that with the rise in testing, we expected to see a rise in cases. Does that confuse any of you? It should. More testing is an identifier, not a cure. If we were ideally doing everything we should be, we would NOT see an increase in cases.
A group of Doctors are urging the Governor to make masks mandatory in public but so far, there has been no response. Most recently trending on Twitter is #DeSantisBetrayedFlorida and the tweets often reference the press briefing when he bragged about low death rates in Florida while V.P. Pence stood next to him. Touting low death numbers at a time of suffering shows a total lack of respect and sensitivity to the Floridians who were lost, their families, the entire state, and the nation. This kind of leadership should not be accepted. I want to hold him accountable. Please help me do so.
Sources:
Sexton, Christine. "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vows to keep state open as cases surge ." OrlandoWeekly.com, Orlando Weekly, 17 Jun. 2020, www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2020/06/17/florida-gov-ron-desantis-vows-to-keep-state-open-as-cases-surge?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=articleblog&utm_campaign=rightrail&utm_content=TabbedPopularity.


dailykos--2020-06-28--League of Women Voters Survey: Richard Thripp for Congress 2020 (Democrat, Florida’s 6th District)

Here are my responses to the League of Women Voters for their 2020 Voters ’ Guide !
Name : Richard Thripp Party : Democratic ( Dem ) Occupation : Adjunct Faculty Member Campaign Website : https : //thrippforcongress.com Campaign Facebook : https : //www.facebook.com/ThrippforCongress Campaign Email : campaign @ thrippforcongress.com Campaign Twitter : https : //twitter.com/Thripp2020 Campaign Instagram : https : //www.instagram.com/thripp2020 Campaign YouTube : https : //www.youtube.com/user/richardxthripp What are the most important challenges facing our country and how do you propose to address them ?
The climate crisis , injustice , and economic inequality are 3 of our biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deal , banning fracking , and developing new technologies to be exported across the world .
Florida is ground zero for hurricanes which are getting worse and worse .
We need to empower the EPA and remove subsidies for fossil fuels .
We need to demilitarize our police , restore federal oversight , legalize cannabis , and federally invest in healthcare , education , childcare , and housing .
We need a fairer and more progressive tax code along with fully funding and staffing our IRS to close the $ 450 billion annual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earth should not have such suffering and inequality !
How will you work to increase job opportunities for your constituents ?
Daytona Beach , and all of Volusia County as well as Flagler County and the rest of the 6th district , has been left behind .
Two-thirds of Volusia County 's schools are Title I. I will work toward increased federal funding for them .
Investing in education will bring us better job opportunities .
Our politicians are selling us a pipe dream of Space Force jobs coming to Volusia County .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy is especially hard-hit by COVID-19 due to our reliance on retail , hospitality , and tourism .
We are also a retirement community .
My strong focus on a $ 15 per hour minimum wage , universal healthcare , and strengthening Social Security and social safety nets will dramatically improve our region 's prosperity .
What will you do over the long term to ensure healthcare access for all ?
I suppose a single-payer universal healthcare system that disintermediates the big insurance companies .
Big businesses merge all the time for synergy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The USA should do the same .
This would be great for Americans ' health outcomes and great for our healthcare providers and local economy .
Recent research shows that rural hospitals are closing at higher rates in states , like Florida , that refused to expand Medicaid .
Stop saying Medicare for All is impossible—we invented the atomic bomb and put men on the moon 6 times !
I think we can get Florida to expand Medicaid if we pass a bill to allow 100 % instead of 90 % federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could get in 2014 .
I will push that bill !
What kinds of policies , if any , will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our country ?
I will be a champion for racial justice .
We need to do it comprehensively .
People of color have the deck stacked against them from the beginning .
In addition to overhauling the way we do policing , we need bold federal funding and action on items like healthcare , education , childcare , and housing .
We need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close our $ 450 billion annual tax gap , repeal and replace the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act , and end insane military campaigns .
Wealth inequality is out of control in this country and has only gotten worse in the past few years .
I support a universal basic income for all Americans ( Andrew Yang 's freedom dividend ) , which is a part of the 2016 Black Lives Matter platform .
Please explain where you see opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on the very serious issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and building coalitions was critical during my Education PhD program at the University of Central Florida .
I 've authored a book , co-edited 2 books and 2 journal articles , worked on many joint projects and grant proposals , and am co-chairing 2 virtual academic conferences next month .
I 'm going to take the same self-discipline and consensus-building skills to Congress to work across the aisle .
Nationally , I 've already worked with progressive anti-Trump Republican congressional candidates such as Dan Larson of Montana .
Under Trump , the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in time , there will be a backlash and an electoral mandate for the GOP to be pro-environment , pro-worker , pro-small business , and pro-education .
Richard Thripp is a Progressive Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Florida ’ s 6th congressional district .
Learn more at ThrippForCongress.com and click here to donate $ 6 for District 6 !

Here are my responses to the League of Women Voters for their 2020 Voters’ Guide!
Published only on Daily Kos.
June 28, 2020
Name: Richard Thripp
Party: Democratic (Dem)
Occupation: Adjunct Faculty Member
Campaign Website: https://thrippforcongress.com
Campaign Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThrippforCongress
Campaign Email: campaign@thrippforcongress.com
Campaign Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thripp2020
Campaign Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thripp2020
Campaign YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardxthripp
What are the most important challenges facing our country and how do you propose to address them?
The climate crisis, injustice, and economic inequality are 3 of our biggest challenges.
I support a Green New Deal, banning fracking, and developing new technologies to be exported across the world. Florida is ground zero for hurricanes which are getting worse and worse. We need to empower the EPA and remove subsidies for fossil fuels.
We need to demilitarize our police, restore federal oversight, legalize cannabis, and federally invest in healthcare, education, childcare, and housing. We need a fairer and more progressive tax code along with fully funding and staffing our IRS to close the $450 billion annual tax gap. The wealthiest nation on earth should not have such suffering and inequality!
How will you work to increase job opportunities for your constituents?
Daytona Beach, and all of Volusia County as well as Flagler County and the rest of the 6th district, has been left behind. Two-thirds of Volusia County's schools are Title I. I will work toward increased federal funding for them. Investing in education will bring us better job opportunities.
Our politicians are selling us a pipe dream of Space Force jobs coming to Volusia County. This won't happen, and our economy is especially hard-hit by COVID-19 due to our reliance on retail, hospitality, and tourism. We are also a retirement community. My strong focus on a $15 per hour minimum wage, universal healthcare, and strengthening Social Security and social safety nets will dramatically improve our region's prosperity.
What will you do over the long term to ensure healthcare access for all?
I suppose a single-payer universal healthcare system that disintermediates the big insurance companies. Big businesses merge all the time for synergy, economies of scale, and efficiency. The USA should do the same. This would be great for Americans' health outcomes and great for our healthcare providers and local economy. Recent research shows that rural hospitals are closing at higher rates in states, like Florida, that refused to expand Medicaid. Stop saying Medicare for All is impossible—we invented the atomic bomb and put men on the moon 6 times!
I think we can get Florida to expand Medicaid if we pass a bill to allow 100% instead of 90% federal subsidies to newly enrolling states like they could get in 2014. I will push that bill!
What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our country?
I will be a champion for racial justice. We need to do it comprehensively. People of color have the deck stacked against them from the beginning. In addition to overhauling the way we do policing, we need bold federal funding and action on items like healthcare, education, childcare, and housing. We need to fully staff and fund our IRS, close our $450 billion annual tax gap, repeal and replace the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, and end insane military campaigns. Wealth inequality is out of control in this country and has only gotten worse in the past few years. I support a universal basic income for all Americans (Andrew Yang's freedom dividend), which is a part of the 2016 Black Lives Matter platform.
Please explain where you see opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on the very serious issues facing our country.
Working with others and building coalitions was critical during my Education PhD program at the University of Central Florida. I've authored a book, co-edited 2 books and 2 journal articles, worked on many joint projects and grant proposals, and am co-chairing 2 virtual academic conferences next month. I'm going to take the same self-discipline and consensus-building skills to Congress to work across the aisle. Nationally, I've already worked with progressive anti-Trump Republican congressional candidates such as Dan Larson of Montana. Under Trump, the Republican party is in crisis. I believe that in time, there will be a backlash and an electoral mandate for the GOP to be pro-environment, pro-worker, pro-small business, and pro-education.
Richard Thripp is a Progressive Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Florida’s 6th congressional district. Learn more at ThrippForCongress.com and click here to donate $6 for District 6!


dailykos--2020-06-28--New DOJ task force is not investigating white supremacy groups or KKK. Targeting Anti-Fascists

Bill Barr sees Antifa as a threat to his idea of an authoritarian style of government where a president can @ @ @ @ @ The hallmark of fascism .
He is creating a boogeyman and trying to link the @ @ @ @ @ early days of the protests to anti-government groups .
Barr and the White House have @ @ @ @ @ violent anti-authority groups like Boogaloo Bois .
They tipped their hand early on that they @ @ @ @ @ an election strategy .
When some men associated with Boogaloo were arrested on the way @ @ @ @ @ and ignition paraphernalia the Justice Department was forced to acknowledge their role in protest violence @ @ @ @ @ made to make them synonymous with those who oppose white supremacy and racism , calling @ @ @ @ @ .
abcnews.go.com/…

Bill Barr sees Antifa as a threat to his idea of an authoritarian style of government where a president can do anything he wants. The hallmark of fascism. He is creating a boogeyman and trying to link the looting and violence during the early days of the protests to anti-government groups. Barr and the White House have lumped in Antifa in with violent anti-authority groups like Boogaloo Bois. They tipped their hand early on that they would politicize the protests as an election strategy.
When some men associated with Boogaloo were arrested on the way to Las Vegas with weapons and ignition paraphernalia the Justice Department was forced to acknowledge their role in protest violence. The decision was apparently made to make them synonymous with those who oppose white supremacy and racism, calling them all “leftists”. abcnews.go.com/…


dailykos--2020-06-29--Social Justice Warriors: The War on Policy Change

Social Justice Warriors , a term coined by typically baby boomers now for those who post on social media about political issues .
While this term usually isn ’ t said in a positive connotation , it ’ s something to be said about the new generation using the new technology provided quickly .
The internet has given a new way to learn and interact with others .
Many have embraced this and now people are honing their skills on the internet to make a change .
In recent weeks , we ’ ve seen a flood of what boomers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting the Black Lives Matter movement on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter .
While many think social media should be a place for family updates and cute cat videos , the new generation has stepped in to say that it should a place of education and advocacy .
I can say that I completely agree .
Social media wasn ’ t built to be a frenzy of links to petitions , but it ’ s grown to be just that .
My time with the Borgen Project has taught me that social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be where you post cute photos of your dog ; it can your battleground to fight for causes around the world from your couch .
In the past few weeks , I ’ ve emailed and called Congress countless times in support of numerous bills and even met with Senator Josh Hawley ’ s office via Zoom .
Who knew the setting political change could be from your bedroom ?
Today you can email or call Congress , sign multiple petitions , and spread awareness all before you ’ ve brushed your teeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borgen Project for opening eyes to so many more opportunities to enact change in my community in the world , and I implore to join us on this journey .
By simply going to you can find many bills to advocate for .
After filling in your information , you ’ ll be matched with your senators and representatives and presented a pre-filled email in which you can send or print and send in the mail .
The process is quick and can take as little as two minutes .
So for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name a badge of honor for change in the world .
Don ’ t let anyone make you underestimate the power that social media holds .
Keep fighting and keep posting my friends , the war isn ’ t over .

Social Justice Warriors, a term coined by typically baby boomers now for those who post on social media about political issues. While this term usually isn’t said in a positive connotation, it’s something to be said about the new generation using the new technology provided quickly.
The internet has given a new way to learn and interact with others. Many have embraced this and now people are honing their skills on the internet to make a change. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a flood of what boomers would call “social justice warriors” supporting the Black Lives Matter movement on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. While many think social media should be a place for family updates and cute cat videos, the new generation has stepped in to say that it should a place of education and advocacy.
I can say that I completely agree. Social media wasn’t built to be a frenzy of links to petitions, but it’s grown to be just that. My time with the Borgen Project has taught me that social media doesn’t just have to be where you post cute photos of your dog; it can your battleground to fight for causes around the world from your couch. In the past few weeks, I’ve emailed and called Congress countless times in support of numerous bills and even met with Senator Josh Hawley’s office via Zoom.
Who knew the setting political change could be from your bedroom? Today you can email or call Congress, sign multiple petitions, and spread awareness all before you’ve brushed your teeth. I’m thankful for the Borgen Project for opening eyes to so many more opportunities to enact change in my community in the world, and I implore to join us on this journey.
By simply going to https://borgenproject.org/action-center/ you can find many bills to advocate for. After filling in your information, you’ll be matched with your senators and representatives and presented a pre-filled email in which you can send or print and send in the mail. The process is quick and can take as little as two minutes.
So for all my social justice warriors, use this name a badge of honor for change in the world. Don’t let anyone make you underestimate the power that social media holds. Keep fighting and keep posting my friends, the war isn’t over.


Anyone Seen Trump?

Trump has been conspicuously absent the past two days .
Recent reports about his concern about getting the COVID-19 aside @ @ @ @ @ been one of his worst , and that ’ s saying a lot .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ not let any story go without a hyperbolic tweet has been temporarily halted .
Why @ @ @ @ @ unloaded on him today with almost no response from Trump .
This is highly unusual @ @ @ @ @ of exposure the president has received though his recent rally events held in virus hotspots @ @ @ @ @ Consider that some staff and secret service team members have been quarantined this past week @ @ @ @ @ outlandish to question the state of Trump ’ s health both physically and psychologically .
@ @ @ @ @ Biden is impacting his mental health according to some reports .
Is there more to @ @

Trump has been conspicuously absent the past two days. Recent reports about his concern about getting the COVID-19 aside, the news cycle has been one of his worst, and that’s saying a lot. Trump‘s pugnacious style to not let any story go without a hyperbolic tweet has been temporarily halted. Why is that?
Joe Biden unloaded on him today with almost no response from Trump. This is highly unusual and newsworthy considering the amount of exposure the president has received though his recent rally events held in virus hotspots like Arizona and Oklahoma.
Consider that some staff and secret service team members have been quarantined this past week. It would not be outlandish to question the state of Trump’s health both physically and psychologically.
Losing his battle with Joe Biden is impacting his mental health according to some reports. Is there more to this?


dailykos--2020-06-30--In times of rebellion and celebration, Black music endures even as political institutions fail

It dawned on me as I was riding the train home afterward that there has never been any time in my life when I felt the government worked the way it was stated to .
It didn ’ t need to completely live up to the ideas of Rousseau or Locke , but the failures have long been more than theoretical .
And in that moment , I had no hope that our institutions could deliver us , no tangible model of a healthy civic life , no belief that justice was anything but a sarcastic joke .
I sighed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My first and defining political disappointment was the election of President George W. Bush .
As a teenager forming my identity in the tradition of Black music—a tradition where discipline , creativity , and mastery are highly valued—watching an anti-intellectual like Bush ride to the top on nothing but cronyism and extreme wealth was a bewildering slap in the face .
Furthermore , at age 14 , I was starting to understand some of the racism of the Republican Party ( it would take me far longer to understand the racism of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gore was decided was the day my faith disappeared ; the corrupt decision revealing that everything I was taught about the sound moral function of American government was a lie .
From then on , any time I ’ d discuss politics , it was to insinuate , decry , or condemn the brokenness of it all .
The Patriot Act was a gesture toward totalitarianism , Dick Cheney ’ s wars in the Middle East were for oil , the resistance to global warming was based in greed and induced ignorance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black people .
Everything seemed to prove my thesis , and yet deep down I wasn ’ t yearning to be right .
Deep down , I sought a vision of the national community—a knowledge that my leaders and country folk could be relied upon , a calling to grow myself in such a way that they could rely on me .
I was seeking the same sense of shared responsibility I found every night on the bandstand , where democracy , negotiation , and common objectives were practiced in real time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2008 , my disbelief in government was as strong as ever .
Still , I played the national anthem at an impromptu but voluminous parade on 125th Street in Harlem .
I danced with a roaring crowd , my fingers on cold brass , the thrill of victory racing through my bones , making the November night air bearable .
But Obama ’ s victory didn ’ t transform the government into something I could believe in .
It just meant that the conspiracy had failed—the establishment corrupt and disorganized .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I played the national anthem not for the country , but just for my friends and our own naive sense of victory .
And , I ’ d come to see , it really was naive : Throughout Obama ’ s presidency , the rise of the tea party , the right ’ s vicious opposition to any attempt at progress , and Fox News ’ heavy fearmongering would all continue to feed my disbelief in a functional government .
After those eight years and the 2016 election disaster that brought us here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a place where I did n't truly have a life-affirming vision for the future of the country .
And that place is terrifying because without a vision , all that we are left with in this country is a gunmetal grey injunction to get yours , justified by the cynical gesticulations of an invisible hand or the bombastic religion of American consumerism or the desperate realization that we may not have much time left .
Then what was I playing for in front of the Barclays Center ?
Just to dance with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get credit for showing up , to increase the numbers that sit next to my name on the internet ?
How uninspired , how selfish , how meager .
But as I rode the train home , I had another thought : Music is beautiful .
As an artist , I am here to make beautiful things , and as a Black artist , I create beauty through the musical tradition that has made American music worthwhile : R & B music that makes people dance at weddings , second line music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music that makes people praise their God in church .
But , if I don ’ t believe that the world of which I am a part can hold beauty or be moved by it , or that the tradition with which I am charged can alchemize existential terror into a brighter future , what am I really offering besides noise and sanctimoniousness ?
In the wake of that protest , I ’ ve come to understand that an inescapable part of my job—one I am still learning—is to hold on to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beautiful than it is .
Perhaps I must make peace with the corruption of the past so that I can fight for a fairer future .
Perhaps I can choose to live and play in a way that others can rely on and thus make the world more reliable .
Perhaps I can help elucidate how a bandstand full of Blackness may be the best example of participatory democracy America has ever produced .
Perhaps I am—and perhaps we are—the ones who can make America what it must become .
Marcus G. Miller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Harlem , New York .
He wants to increase the curiosity , imagination , and beauty in the world .
Find him at imaginewithmarcus.com and on Instagram @ imaginewithmarcus .
Prism is a BIPOC-led nonprofit news outlet that centers the people , places and issues currently underreported by our national media .
Through our original reporting , analysis , and commentary , we challenge dominant , toxic narratives perpetuated by the mainstream press and work to build a full and accurate record of what ’ s happening in our democracy .
Follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram .

by Marcus G. Miller
A few weeks ago, in front of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, a throng of protesters clapped along to live music even as they were shouting the names of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, holding signs, and chanting “Black Lives Matter.” As part of a band led by Jon Batiste, it was the second time I’d performed in front of a live audience in months, and I remember the weight and gelatinous viscosity of the spirit of the crowd—that attention, that passion, that urgency. As a saxophonist, I have spent years of my life dancing with that spirit, exploring ways to make it rise and fall, rage, and swoon. Musicians are often called upon to shape an event’s emotional tone—to add joy to the wedding, solemnity to the funeral, inspiration to Sunday service. That afternoon, the dance steps came back to me quickly, charged with the tragic and rebellious purpose of the gathering: both collective grief and demand for justice.
It dawned on me as I was riding the train home afterward that there has never been any time in my life when I felt the government worked the way it was stated to. It didn’t need to completely live up to the ideas of Rousseau or Locke, but the failures have long been more than theoretical. And in that moment, I had no hope that our institutions could deliver us, no tangible model of a healthy civic life, no belief that justice was anything but a sarcastic joke. I sighed with a deep sense of disappointment.
My first and defining political disappointment was the election of President George W. Bush. As a teenager forming my identity in the tradition of Black music—a tradition where discipline, creativity, and mastery are highly valued—watching an anti-intellectual like Bush ride to the top on nothing but cronyism and extreme wealth was a bewildering slap in the face. Furthermore, at age 14, I was starting to understand some of the racism of the Republican Party (it would take me far longer to understand the racism of the Democrats). The day Bush v. Gore was decided was the day my faith disappeared; the corrupt decision revealing that everything I was taught about the sound moral function of American government was a lie.
From then on, any time I’d discuss politics, it was to insinuate, decry, or condemn the brokenness of it all. The Patriot Act was a gesture toward totalitarianism, Dick Cheney’s wars in the Middle East were for oil, the resistance to global warming was based in greed and induced ignorance. George Bush didn’t care about Black people. Everything seemed to prove my thesis, and yet deep down I wasn’t yearning to be right. Deep down, I sought a vision of the national community—a knowledge that my leaders and country folk could be relied upon, a calling to grow myself in such a way that they could rely on me. I was seeking the same sense of shared responsibility I found every night on the bandstand, where democracy, negotiation, and common objectives were practiced in real time.
When President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, my disbelief in government was as strong as ever. Still, I played the national anthem at an impromptu but voluminous parade on 125th Street in Harlem. I danced with a roaring crowd, my fingers on cold brass, the thrill of victory racing through my bones, making the November night air bearable. But Obama’s victory didn’t transform the government into something I could believe in. It just meant that the conspiracy had failed—the establishment corrupt and disorganized. So, in my most triumphant political moment, I played the national anthem not for the country, but just for my friends and our own naive sense of victory. And, I’d come to see, it really was naive: Throughout Obama’s presidency, the rise of the tea party, the right’s vicious opposition to any attempt at progress, and Fox News’ heavy fearmongering would all continue to feed my disbelief in a functional government.
After those eight years and the 2016 election disaster that brought us here, I found that I had slipped into a place where I didn't truly have a life-affirming vision for the future of the country. And that place is terrifying because without a vision, all that we are left with in this country is a gunmetal grey injunction to get yours, justified by the cynical gesticulations of an invisible hand or the bombastic religion of American consumerism or the desperate realization that we may not have much time left.
Then what was I playing for in front of the Barclays Center? Just to dance with the crowd again, to stunt, to get credit for showing up, to increase the numbers that sit next to my name on the internet? How uninspired, how selfish, how meager.
But as I rode the train home, I had another thought: Music is beautiful. As an artist, I am here to make beautiful things, and as a Black artist, I create beauty through the musical tradition that has made American music worthwhile: R&B music that makes people dance at weddings, second line music that leads parades at funerals, Gospel music that makes people praise their God in church. But, if I don’t believe that the world of which I am a part can hold beauty or be moved by it, or that the tradition with which I am charged can alchemize existential terror into a brighter future, what am I really offering besides noise and sanctimoniousness?
In the wake of that protest, I’ve come to understand that an inescapable part of my job—one I am still learning—is to hold on to the hope that the world can be more beautiful than it is. Perhaps I must make peace with the corruption of the past so that I can fight for a fairer future. Perhaps I can choose to live and play in a way that others can rely on and thus make the world more reliable. Perhaps I can help elucidate how a bandstand full of Blackness may be the best example of participatory democracy America has ever produced. Perhaps I am—and perhaps we are—the ones who can make America what it must become.
Marcus G. Miller is a world-renowned saxophonist and mathematician based in Harlem, New York. He wants to increase the curiosity, imagination, and beauty in the world. Find him at imaginewithmarcus.com and on Instagram @imaginewithmarcus.
Prism is a BIPOC-led nonprofit news outlet that centers the people, places and issues currently underreported by our national media. Through our original reporting, analysis, and commentary, we challenge dominant, toxic narratives perpetuated by the mainstream press and work to build a full and accurate record of what’s happening in our democracy. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.


dailykos--2020-06-30--White House, Fox News Blame Recent Trump Acts of Bigotry on Possession by Racist Ghost

After a string of Internet incidents in which Donald Trump appears to be engaging in racially insensitive behavior , Fox News host Sean Hannity dismissed concerns by declaring the actions were caused by the president ’ s body being taken over by the spirit of a Confederate bigot .
Soon all of Fox News and the White House rushed to issue similar explanations , the president ’ s press secretary Kayleigh McEnany even offering a spooky sound recording labeled “ Halloween Sounds ” as evidence of a supernatural presence .
Hannity ’ s explanation followed a week that included a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president : including a Nazi symbol on a Facebook ad , referring to the Secret Service as the S.S. , retweeting of a video in which one of his supporters shouts “ white power , ” retweeting video of an armed white couple threatening peaceful black protesters , and arguing in favor of Confederate statues while doing nothing when learning that Russia paid bounties to Afghanistan forces to kill American troops .
The White House press office echoed Hannity ’ s criticism that “ liberals are trying to hold President Trump for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence of ghosts.
” Congressional Republicans were quick to agree with this assessment , saying that when near the president they discovered his usual odor of sweat and burger grease was replaced with the stench of death and they could often hear him gibbering creepy nonsense .
Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert ( R ) further asserted that the president ’ s recent descent of a ramp like a dizzy toddler and his inability to drink water with one hand were attempts by the specter to make the president look silly .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that makes me say and do stupid things , ” Gohmert added .
Staff members at Fox News report that the ghost is that of Beauregard T. Abernathy , deceased Confederate general and slave owner , the overturning of whose statue released his vengeful spirit , they claim .
Senate Republicans immediately rushed through a bill allotting 500 billion dollars for “ paranormal activity detection equipment ” that would be distributed to “ unspecified recipients with the guarantee of no oversight , ” assuring their wealthy donors that they would “ get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell chided Democrats opposed to the bill , remarking , “ If these do-nothing Democrats were real patriots , they would stop bellyaching over our inaction on dead American soldiers and our refusal to take care of citizens during a pandemic and instead throw money at this ghost thing .
This is an emergency .
Think how scared that ghost must be being trapped inside the mind and body of Donald Trump .
”

After a string of Internet incidents in which Donald Trump appears to be engaging in racially insensitive behavior, Fox News host Sean Hannity dismissed concerns by declaring the actions were caused by the president’s body being taken over by the spirit of a Confederate bigot. Soon all of Fox News and the White House rushed to issue similar explanations, the president’s press secretary Kayleigh McEnany even offering a spooky sound recording labeled “Halloween Sounds” as evidence of a supernatural presence.
Hannity’s explanation followed a week that included a series of seemingly racist actions by the president: including a Nazi symbol on a Facebook ad, referring to the Secret Service as the S.S., retweeting of a video in which one of his supporters shouts “white power,” retweeting video of an armed white couple threatening peaceful black protesters, and arguing in favor of Confederate statues while doing nothing when learning that Russia paid bounties to Afghanistan forces to kill American troops.
The White House press office echoed Hannity’s criticism that “liberals are trying to hold President Trump for his actions when he is clearly under the influence of ghosts.” Congressional Republicans were quick to agree with this assessment, saying that when near the president they discovered his usual odor of sweat and burger grease was replaced with the stench of death and they could often hear him gibbering creepy nonsense.
Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R) further asserted that the president’s recent descent of a ramp like a dizzy toddler and his inability to drink water with one hand were attempts by the specter to make the president look silly. “I have a ghost in me, too, that makes me say and do stupid things,” Gohmert added.
Staff members at Fox News report that the ghost is that of Beauregard T. Abernathy, deceased Confederate general and slave owner, the overturning of whose statue released his vengeful spirit, they claim.
Senate Republicans immediately rushed through a bill allotting 500 billion dollars for “paranormal activity detection equipment” that would be distributed to “unspecified recipients with the guarantee of no oversight,” assuring their wealthy donors that they would “get their beaks wet on this deal.” Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell chided Democrats opposed to the bill, remarking, “If these do-nothing Democrats were real patriots, they would stop bellyaching over our inaction on dead American soldiers and our refusal to take care of citizens during a pandemic and instead throw money at this ghost thing. This is an emergency. Think how scared that ghost must be being trapped inside the mind and body of Donald Trump.”