dailykos--2020-10-18--This Week in the War on Women, 10/11-17/2020: Elections Edition 1

The election is now two weeks from this coming Tuesday !
Sooner if you have early voting in your state .
$ Rump and his Senatorial minions have made it all too clear that we need BIG change in both the White House and Senate , to reverse everything $ Rump has done and at the same time progress forward from there .
You know who to vote for , for President and Vice President .
So let ’ s look at the Senate .
There are 35 seats in the US Senate up for grabs in the 2020 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held by Republicans .
We need to take those seats and hold onto the 12 we have .
Of course , with the Reptublicans misogynist and the Democrats supportive of women ’ s rights , and the Senate the gatekeeper to the courts , all races are of vital interest to women .
But let ’ s review some of the races with women in them .
Unfortunately , there are several women Reptublican Senators .
These women are not our friends ; in their races , you may feel a need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will alert you to some races where you might want to donate or volunteer for the remaining 2 weeks .
There are many issues we can examine , but to see where they stand on women ’ s issues , female Reptublican candidates were Googled regarding abortion .
Surely if they break with their party , it will be over abortion , right ?
; - ) We ’ ll review more of these races in future weeks .
Arizona : Martha McSally , R incumbent .
Mark Kelly , D challenger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is known as Gabby Giffords ’ husband !
Big issue for him , then , is gun control .
McSally has said she is “ pro-life ” with three exceptions , rape , incest , and life of the mother .
www.azcentral.com/… More about their race here , www.azcentral.com/… Delaware : Chris Coons , D incumbent .
Lauren Witzke , R challenger .
He is considered safely re-electable , but you never know .
Witzke is “ extremely pro-life ” and anti-Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
www.timesofisrael.com/… Sigh .
You might want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for that !
The pastor responded to Bryant ’ s question by declaring that he believes that health care is a “ human right ” and “ something that the richest nation in the world provides for its citizens.
” “ [ A ] nd for me , reproductive justice is consistent with my commitment to that , ” he stated .
“ I believe unequivocally in a woman ’ s right to choose.
” Warnock argued that a woman ’ s decision to have an abortion as “ something that we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” adding that such a decision is “ between her and her doctor and her minister.
” Idaho : Jim Risch , R ; Paulette Jordan , D. www.spokesman.com/… You know who to root for .
Kansas : Pat Roberts , R incumbent is not running for reelection , but was predicted to be replaced by another R. Now the race has become competitive !
Barbara Bollier , D challenger , is looking promising .
slate.com/… Kentucky : You could reasonably argue that Mitch McConnell , Senate majority leader , is King of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he continues to save $ Rump ’ s rump and all his ilk from consequences .
Hopefully Kentuckians are finally as tired of him as they are of the pandemic .
His challenger , Amy McGrath , is a moderate and war hero , so this year has a shot .
Maine : Susan Collins , R incumbent is famously concerned , amongst other reasons , because Sarah Gideon , D challenger , may actually beat her .
www.economist.com/… Collins has weakly supported abortion rights , including confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her on exactly these issues .
www.cnn.com/… More next time !
Meanwhile , please check with your state if it ’ s not listed here and find out more about your Senate candidates !
Be sure you ’ re registered to vote , and consider voting early in person !
If you are at risk , request an absentee ballot and drop it off before Election Day .

The election is now two weeks from this coming Tuesday! Sooner if you have early voting in your state. $Rump and his Senatorial minions have made it all too clear that we need BIG change in both the White House and Senate, to reverse everything $Rump has done and at the same time progress forward from there.
You know who to vote for, for President and Vice President. So let’s look at the Senate. There are 35 seats in the US Senate up for grabs in the 2020 election. Of these, 23 are currently held by Republicans. We need to take those seats and hold onto the 12 we have. Of course, with the Reptublicans misogynist and the Democrats supportive of women’s rights, and the Senate the gatekeeper to the courts, all races are of vital interest to women. But let’s review some of the races with women in them. Unfortunately, there are several women Reptublican Senators. These women are not our friends; in their races, you may feel a need to vote for the guy!
The below will alert you to some races where you might want to donate or volunteer for the remaining 2 weeks. There are many issues we can examine, but to see where they stand on women’s issues, female Reptublican candidates were Googled regarding abortion. Surely if they break with their party, it will be over abortion, right? ;-)
We’ll review more of these races in future weeks.
Arizona: Martha McSally, R incumbent. Mark Kelly, D challenger. Of course, I love him because he is known as Gabby Giffords’ husband! Big issue for him, then, is gun control. McSally has said she is “pro-life” with three exceptions, rape, incest, and life of the mother. www.azcentral.com/… More about their race here, www.azcentral.com/…
Delaware: Chris Coons, D incumbent. Lauren Witzke, R challenger. He is considered safely re-electable, but you never know. Witzke is “extremely pro-life” and anti-Ruth Bader Ginsburg. www.timesofisrael.com/… Sigh. You might want to throw a few bucks at Coons just for that!
Georgia: Kelly Loeffler, R appointed. 20-candidate special election. Rev. Raphael Warnock leading Dems, top 2 runoff in January, www.bloomberg.com/… Rev. Warnock is pro-choice:
The pastor responded to Bryant’s question by declaring that he believes that health care is a “human right” and “something that the richest nation in the world provides for its citizens.” “[A]nd for me, reproductive justice is consistent with my commitment to that,” he stated. “I believe unequivocally in a woman’s right to choose.” Warnock argued that a woman’s decision to have an abortion as “something that we don’t want government engaged in,” adding that such a decision is “between her and her doctor and her minister.”
More details at www.christianpost.com/…
Idaho: Jim Risch, R; Paulette Jordan, D. www.spokesman.com/… You know who to root for.
Iowa — Joni Ernst, R incumbent; Theresa Greenfield, D challenger. www.vox.com/… Ernst is “protecting life,” www.ernst.senate.gov/…
Kansas: Pat Roberts, R incumbent is not running for reelection, but was predicted to be replaced by another R. Now the race has become competitive! Barbara Bollier, D challenger, is looking promising. slate.com/…
Kentucky: You could reasonably argue that Mitch McConnell, Senate majority leader, is King of the Reptublicans even over $Rump, as he continues to save $Rump’s rump and all his ilk from consequences. Hopefully Kentuckians are finally as tired of him as they are of the pandemic. His challenger, Amy McGrath, is a moderate and war hero, so this year has a shot.
Maine: Susan Collins, R incumbent is famously concerned, amongst other reasons, because Sarah Gideon, D challenger, may actually beat her. www.economist.com/… Collins has weakly supported abortion rights, including confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Ms. Gideon is attacking her on exactly these issues. www.cnn.com/…
More next time! Meanwhile, please check with your state if it’s not listed here and find out more about your Senate candidates! Be sure you’re registered to vote, and consider voting early in person! If you are at risk, request an absentee ballot and drop it off before Election Day.
There’s a lot to do. They’re going to need help!
In The News
If You’re Looking To Move….
Here is the Georgetown rating of best and worst states to be a woman. Scholarly long and very interesting. You’re going to find happier pastures if you like cold weather! Or maybe with climate change, that won’t matter so much soon….
https://giwps.georgetown.edu/…
Some places are safer and more pleasant than others!
Violence
Documentary about missing murdered indigenous women in Oregon. And about a woman reporter involved in investigating them.
Ghosts of Highway 20 | NW Film Center nwfilm.org › United States
Who were they and who was responsible? The Oregonian | OregonLive spent months investigating the disappearances, and how the killer evaded prison for years…
This screening of the 5-part documentary series
https://www.youtube.com/…
Misogynist "men's rights" activism is part of a broader vengeful fantasy.
* Trigger warning *
The mother of a five-year-old girl has launched an appeal after her daughter’s rapist was spared jail.
https://sports.yahoo.com/… There were several articles; this happened in the UK (this time). None explained, however, what on Earth the judge was thinking.
Forced Marriage and Harassment
At least 30,000 girls forced into marriage in Iran every year, says minister.
1950's "girl watching" and the rise of street harassment.
Entertainment?
Bill Burr, so-called comedian, did a stand-up so-called comedic routine on Saturday Night Live last Saturday that has been offending normal people, perhaps especially women and blacks, ever since:
“Jim Carrey got fly and Bill Burr got canceled on a buzzy new 'SNL': 'How did you manage to be sexist, racist and homophobic in under 5 minutes?'” https://www.yahoo.com/...
“SNL host Bill Burr made some controversial jokes during his opening monologue”: Bill Burr got more mixed reviews.The SNL audience greeted Burr’s jokes with a mixture of awkward silence and strained laughter, but the host plowed ahead, turning his attention to the white women he claimed “hijacked” the ongoing push for racial equality. “Somehow white women swung their Gucci-booted feet over the fence of oppression and stuck themselves at the front of the line,” said Burr, who has joked about both the Karen meme as well as the #MeToo movement in the past. “I never heard so much complaining in my life from white women,” he added, before accusing those same women of standing by “toxic white males through centuries of our crimes against humanity.” The LGBTQ community wasn’t happy with him either: “Bill Burr's 'Homophobic' 'SNL' Rant About Pride Month Bombs: 'Worst Monologue' in Years.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/… I had never heard of the guy before, so I looked him up. Apparently his fame has been pretty minor: From Wiki on Bill Burr: "He stars as the voice of Frank Murphy in F Is for Family, which premiered on Netflix on December 18, 2015. The show, an animated sitcom, draws on Burr's stand-up and the absurdity of political correctness. " "Rolling Stone magazine called Burr "the undisputed heavyweight champ of rage-fueled humor".[31] Burr often portrays himself as "that loud guy in the bar" with "uninformed logic".[32] In an interview with The Boston Globe, Burr stated, "I'm the 'dude, bro' guy." So I get that being an offensive ignoramus is his schtick. He’s mocking the “dudes” whilst playing one. But it is worse than, as they say, “too soon”. It’s right in the middle of women still, after all this time, having to deal with guys telling us to sit down and shut up. It is not any better if the white guy at issue pretends to be friends of the black community. I don’t even know that what he’s complaining about is true. I have seen women supporting the BLM movement, not trying to take it over. Please feel free to discuss in comments. I note also that Burr used the B word. Sigh. Note also that there seem to be class assumptions, and this is certainly not the first time I’ve seen them, that all white women are relatively wealthy and comfortable and suburban. Not true of me, not true of most single women, not true of some married women. And certainly there are women who feel stuck in domestic violence situations whose lives are every bit as much at risk as a young black man facing a cop. I don’t think any of us should get into a “who has it worse” contest. It’s all dangerous, potentially deadly, and we need to band together and make it stop. White guys who think insulting = funny are part of the problem.
I’ll let a black feminist have the last word: x It’s grand for WM to talk down abt WW bc of course they can. That’s why WW stay mad—they deal with misogyny and violence from these exact men even when they hold them down and lift them up — Kiss Hog (@FeministaJones) October 12, 2020 More Politics
LA Times reported that Barrett confirmation hearing may pressure California senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein (ranking member) and Harris to rein in their "natural political instincts" (in men, this would be called "policies"), Feinstein's being a preference for bipartisanship and comity, Harris's being "her prosecutorial style. Known for tough questioning of judicial nominees and other Senate witnesses, Harris will have to balance expectations for a gotcha viral moment with the demands of a presidential ticket that is leading in the polls and eager to avoid any missteps or undue risks." If these were men, they'd probably be considered as balancing each other out. Personally, I love Harris in her tough prosecutor role with a poor Reptublican sap on the receiving end. This is not a liability to voters heartily sick of Reptublicans.
Good News
Getting Voters Excited ABout Voting
from LA Times - Irani-American entrepreneur, activist, lawyer, media personality and co-founder of I am a voter website,Mandana Dayani, "wants to make voting as epic as the next Marvel movie.
eNTERTAINMENT
Patty Jenkins is going to direct Gal Godot as Cleopatra in a bio being written by Laeta Kalogridis.
This led to wondering if any previous films on Cleo had any women in key behind-the camera jobs. Nope. 1963 film version/story of Cleopatra was directed, produced, written, cinematographed and scored by men, with one woman and 6 men as the starring cast, based on a book by a man, but yay, a woman editor ... ---that's the job women seem to have kept best in that industy -- named Dorothy Spencer who won an oscar for it! and Irene Sharaff together with 2 dudes, won the costuming oscar that year.
The 1934 version was written, directed, produced, cinematographed and musicked by men with yes, a woman editor named Anne Bauchens apparently uncredited, a longtime DeMille collaborator. A 1945 "Caesar and Cleopatra essentially likewise, editor Joan Warwick uncredited.
A 1953 version didn't even have a woman editor. A 1962 version from Italy (that focused on the lead-up to the arrival of Rome/Caesar) also no woman in any key job behind the scenes that I could see. A [1972 shakespeare version] (starring Chuck Heston!) likewise. A 1999 miniseries apparently likewise.
Maybe things finally start to change now in through whose eyes women are seen.
UN Women
Speech on the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action:
https://www.unwomen.org/...
You Think You’re So Tough? Try This One
Have I mentioned lately that women are tough?
Woman Takes Bar Exam While in Labor , Gives Birth, Then Finishes Test
According to ABC Evening News, they have indeed found out that she passed her tests.
(Nope, I couldn’t do it!)
“Leave me alone now. I’m studying.”
As always, TWITWOW is a group effort! Many thanks to ramara, mettle fatigue, Angmar, Tara the Antisocial Social Worker, SandraLLAP, and officebss for news items and discussion!


dailykos--2020-10-18--A Call for Help from the Heartland

A Call for Help from the Heartland

I ’ m nowhere near a political insider .
Aside from reading Kos , Mother Jones , and The Nation to stay informed , I typically engage in very little hands-on political activity in-between cycles .
Crunch times are a little different , though .
I live in Omaha ( NE-02 ) , so we are a swing district in years when the Democratic presidential candidate is running at least four to five percentage points ahead .
In 2016 , I was a volunteer manager for the Nebraska Democratic Party ’ s ( NDP ) voter protection hotline .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election day , hoping for hundreds of calls from people needing help to cast their ballot , only to stare at my silent phone for most of the day .
The lack of energy , with Clinton only ahead about two percentage points nationally , was palpable .
This year feels different .
Biden is up about 10 % nationally .
As a block captain for the NDP , I ’ m responsible for getting 79 of my close neighbors—a mix of registered Democrats and progressive independents -- to cast their ballots ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! )
.
We talk with each other now from across yards , from the opposite sides of streets , with a driveway between us , but the energy is there .
Many of the neighbors I talk to are panicked about the direction our country has taken .
The Trumpist impulse led our state ’ s governor , earlier this year , to threaten to withdraw funding from any locality that opted to require masks in government buildings .
As of today , Nebraska has the fifth-highest rate of Covid cases per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omaha metropolitan area , with a population of one million souls , has fewer than 25 open ICU beds remaining .
We fear how much worse things could get if Trump wins four more years : potentially millions dead from Covid-19 , regular eruptions of political violence encouraged by Trump , wholesale corruption , an energized white nationalist movement , and the continued hollowing out of our democratic institutions .
I don ’ t think it is alarmist to say that many of us here in Omaha—a small purple dot in a sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in peril .
Trump and Trumpism must be resoundingly defeated at the ballot box .
We really need all hands on deck right now .
Biden could still lose .
Or he could win , but with so small a margin of victory that widespread Trumpist violence and a Supreme Court decision authored by Amy Coney Barrett will be the most likely results .
If you want to get involved in the effort , but don ’ t know how yet , there ’ s a virtual training for the Biden-Harris campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday night and another on Thursday night and another on Saturday .
Sign up now .
You can still make a difference without ever leaving your home .
The work is often mind-numbingly boring and the victories feel miniscule in relationship to the need , but this is how campaigns are built .
This year , more than ever , we need every single person pulling their hardest all the way across the finish line .
Every .
Single .
Person .
From the heartland , I ’ m begging you .
Join @ @ @ @ @

I’m nowhere near a political insider. Aside from reading Kos, Mother Jones, and The Nation to stay informed, I typically engage in very little hands-on political activity in-between cycles.
Crunch times are a little different, though. I live in Omaha (NE-02), so we are a swing district in years when the Democratic presidential candidate is running at least four to five percentage points ahead. In 2016, I was a volunteer manager for the Nebraska Democratic Party’s (NDP) voter protection hotline. I still remember sitting at party headquarters on election day, hoping for hundreds of calls from people needing help to cast their ballot, only to stare at my silent phone for most of the day. The lack of energy, with Clinton only ahead about two percentage points nationally, was palpable.
This year feels different. Biden is up about 10% nationally. As a block captain for the NDP, I’m responsible for getting 79 of my close neighbors—a mix of registered Democrats and progressive independents--to cast their ballots (14 down, and 65 to go!). We talk with each other now from across yards, from the opposite sides of streets, with a driveway between us, but the energy is there.
Many of the neighbors I talk to are panicked about the direction our country has taken. The Trumpist impulse led our state’s governor, earlier this year, to threaten to withdraw funding from any locality that opted to require masks in government buildings. As of today, Nebraska has the fifth-highest rate of Covid cases per capita in the country, and the Omaha metropolitan area, with a population of one million souls, has fewer than 25 open ICU beds remaining.
We fear how much worse things could get if Trump wins four more years: potentially millions dead from Covid-19, regular eruptions of political violence encouraged by Trump, wholesale corruption, an energized white nationalist movement, and the continued hollowing out of our democratic institutions.
I don’t think it is alarmist to say that many of us here in Omaha—a small purple dot in a sea of red--feel that our country is in peril. Trump and Trumpism must be resoundingly defeated at the ballot box.
We really need all hands on deck right now. Biden could still lose. Or he could win, but with so small a margin of victory that widespread Trumpist violence and a Supreme Court decision authored by Amy Coney Barrett will be the most likely results.
If you want to get involved in the effort, but don’t know how yet, there’s a virtual training for the Biden-Harris campaign Call Crew on Monday night—and another on Tuesday night and another on Thursday night and another on Saturday. Sign up now. You can still make a difference without ever leaving your home. The work is often mind-numbingly boring and the victories feel miniscule in relationship to the need, but this is how campaigns are built.
This year, more than ever, we need every single person pulling their hardest all the way across the finish line. Every. Single. Person. From the heartland, I’m begging you. Join us. Help us.


dailykos--2020-10-18--Anti-Capitalist Meetup: There Will be Trouble Ahead* -- A long Winded Rant ...

If the difference between an authoritarian and a fascist is mass support , then we need to start talking about fascism rather than authoritarianism if the person is Donald J Trump .
Trump has a rather significant base ( estimates ranging from 25-35 % of voters ) who will support him come hell or high water ; this is not an insignificant number of people .
If you think that 1/4 to 1/3 of American voters supporting Trump ’ s politics is not a problem then you are in serious denial .
Add to this the normalisation of white supremacist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President ( let ’ s not forget that there is international coordination between the far right propagated by Bannon and others of his ilk ) and we need to realise that fixing this problem is not going to be easy .
Even if Biden wins ( and I hope that he does win ) , these people will not automatically disappear .
Even if defeated , Trump leaves behind an extremely divided American population and the normalisation of ideas that that used to be openly anathema .
The use of far right propaganda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a choice ; we need to remember that the ruling class is divided ( it is not only people living in the country that are divided ) .
The current regime of accumulation is not working and stagnation was already evident in many countries before the pandemic and they need to find something to keep the system of growth and accumulation functioning and the further introduction of austerity has not solved the problem and if continued may actually create problems that they do not want to see as they have worked so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some of the ruling class to support a right-wing nationalist in power who advocates the use of federal , state and local police and far-right armed militias against those protesting legally should scare you !
That is the point !
The appeal of far-right ideology to a section of the American working class means that this is not just another Tea Party “ astroturf ” situation … rather we have a serious surge in the support for the far-right ( and some of these people are actually both politicians and members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Divide and rule has been very effective in the US where racism is part of the way in which the system of capitalism has been organised .
Bannon ’ s attempt of normalisation of the far-right has unfortunately been successful .
The fact that in Michigan some members of far-right groups already had plans in motion to kidnap the Governor and seize control of the state government is beyond worrying ; if they exist in Michigan , they exist elsewhere .
While one can scoff and say “ only 13 people , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that this is extremely dangerous .
This is part of a trend of the normalisation of far-right ideology and activities and while the state caught this group of fascists , fascists are organising on the ground and finding sympathisers .
After all , they are very fine people .
So while Trump babbles about the danger of Antifa , BLM , and evil Marxists and Anarchists , what is very clear is with whom his sympathies lay … fascists .
It is not just a product of his narcissism that he supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is sincere political belief .
Really , why would someone oppose Antifa unless they are fascists or have fascist sympathies ?
!
They may not like their tactics , but to blame them for the actions of others is ridiculous .
Trump ’ s attempt to raise the evil spectres of Anarchists and Marxists ( in a period of weakness and division amongst the left ) is a desperate attempt to unite people behind good old American fears of Communism ( think along the lines of “ they may not be sympathetic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , perhaps red-baiting will work ” ) .
In a country where division has often presented opportunities for the worst excesses of the capitalist system ; finding a good right-wing point of unity may serve once again to divert peoples ’ attention from his failures and those of the system itself .
Does anyone really believe that the left in the US is dangerous ?
In both absolute and relative terms ( that is , compared to the strengthening of an armed far-right ) the supposed danger of the left is almost laughable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is the US Presidential elections ( and those eyes are not only located in the US ) things are not only getting strange ; they are outright surreal and more than a little worrying .
This includes the current President running around holding packed rallies in the midst of a global pandemic and continuing to attempt to undermine the obvious evil of science in the form of Anthony Fauci , the NIH , and the WHO We have large numbers of people going to see this nasty right-wing jackass perform – they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ danger of this virus ( and as such , they often refuse to wear masks or do any form of social distancing ) but have actually abandoned the façade of the recognition of social responsibility .
The golden rule of “ love thy neighbour ” that so many of these people claim to be enamoured of due to their religious beliefs are demonstrably not worth the paper they are printed on ( you know the Bible that they all claim to live their lives by ) – their individual right to do what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting others from a deadly pandemic .
That they will continue to spread this nasty virus ( which literally thrives on new victims ) by going to these Trump-love fests , that they deny that they themselves may fall victim to it and their obvious lack of concern about people where they live is frightening .
Watching CNN , I saw one woman proudly proclaim that she won ’ t die from it and if she does it is god ’ s will – does that hold for the rest of her family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to make this decision for them ?
Really who died and elected her the angel of death ?
!
Her choice to do this actually makes her evil by any definition – yet she probably believes she is an upright moral person rather than someone bordering on sociopathy .
The individualism underlying the American dream has led to this nonsense ; the idea of collective responsibility being somehow foreign to these people .
While the coronavirus rages throughout the world ( and the numbers of people infected in the US are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that everything is under control and the worst is over ) , the irresponsibility of politicians is impressive .
This is not only a problem in the US ; all over the world politicians are desperately trying to reign in the virus while keeping the economies open – but the problem is that in the absence of a vaccine ( and while there is promise there , 2 different vaccine programmes are now on hold and Remdesivir has been recently demonstrated to not have an impact on deaths from Coronavirus , although it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lengths of hospital stays ) .
Meanwhile , in Europe the virus has entered its second round and the situation in the US is not much better as the virus has spread out instead of being concentrated in a few areas .
To add to all the surrealism , there seems to be an odd-collection of people that are coming together and holding demos against lockdowns and wearing masks – we have the anti-vaxxers , the covid-19 deniers , Q Anon , weirdly some civil libertarians and of course some groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If this sheer insanity were only in the US , I would be concerned but less freaked-out ; but yet again the US has exported their garbage overseas and there have been demonstrations in Britain ( there are weekly demos ; the unfurling of the British Union of Fascist ’ s flag in Trafalgar Square in London is more than disconcerting ) and in other European counties .
The lack of a national health care system and pandemic plan in the US has not helped the general fight against the virus – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some states pretending that there is not a pandemic .
So to add to the insufficient available healthcare provision and little or no national coordination there is the danger of the continued spread of the virus rather than bringing things under some control .
The problem is the virus doesn ’ t stay in Florida ( for example ) , it migrates along with people .
Even more frightening , Herd Immunity is being raised again and that is a really dangerous eugenicist argument – what it amounts to is willing mass murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think of all the nonsense from Trump lauding his wonderful gene pool and that of all these white Minnesotans in his visit there – the “ strong ” will survive … too bad the virus affects people of colour , the disabled , the poor and the elderly more seriously ( one wonders if we are thought of as surplus to requirements ) .
I spent time this week witnessing the confirmation hearings of Serena Joy ( aka Amy Coney-Barrett ) in the Senate Judiciary Committee .
While I do recognise the masochism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not help getting existential nausea ; I , for some bizarre reason , feel the need to witness the destruction of what so many people have fought for over successive generations .
Alas , it was just as I expected ; there is little that can be done to stop this woman from getting a seat on the SCOTUS .
What we need to understand is that it is not only the SCOTUS that is a problem ; under Trump large numbers of judges have been appointed to Federal courts whose reactionary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , religious ) beliefs strongly colour their views and approaches to the law .
Cleaning up the judiciary will not be able to be done quickly – it will take a while to actually be able to use the judiciary as a vehicle of progressive change ( forget keeping things the way they are as crappy as that is ) — at this point curbing the power of the judiciary may be a better tactic .
Ruth Bader-Ginsburg ’ s death in this period so close to an election is a nightmare ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already been shifted to the right – Amy Coney-Barrett is the final cherry on the shite sundae of 2020 .
Her nomination to the court is the blessing that the right have been fantasising about for a while .
A woman will be the agent of elimination for Roe vs Wade , Marriage-Equality Laws , Civil Rights and voter protection law , corporate and environmental regulation and what remains of the ACA .
While I do recognise that bitterness and the feeling of extreme helplessness and disempowerment are not necessarily useful emotions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a response to this crap , it is hard to not feel this way .
So while wallowing in my misery and fear was useful for a short period ; I finally took control over my need to witness the descent into barbarism and when Ted Cruz said that when Roe v Wade was repealed people are thinking that the right of abortion will disappear overnight but they are wrong , I turned off the SCOTUS hearing .
It felt so good to make Ted Cruz disappear that I considered turning on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it again .
While the leadership of the Democratic Party made clear their concern with the elimination of the ACA arguing that in the middle of a pandemic the last thing that people needed was to lose their health care ; the Republicans not only spoke about why it should be eliminated but how it is actually preventing their state ’ s right to deny healthcare and reproductive rights ( and let ’ s not forget their ability to deny basic civil rights like ensuring the right to vote and actual representation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and marriage equality ) .
My favourite speech was Lindsay Graham ’ s opening of the hearings describing how South Carolina did not need Obamacare but rather “ South Carolina care ” complaining how few people in SC actually took up Obamacare .
But of course he did not address the fact that both the SC legislature and Governor refused to do the Medicaid Expansion which was part of Obamacare which would have covered more people ’ s healthcare and nary a word was said about how many South Carolinians actually have access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is they quite honestly do not care what happens to the citizens of South Carolina ; moreover , racism is a useful sop for divide and rule so that they can carry out their political and economic agenda against the needs of the citizens of South Carolina with the support of some of their citizens .
What is impressive about this point is the chutzpah of the right-wing ( they are not Conservatives ) politicians running state governance complaining about the ACA while actually preventing it from working .
Rather than take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually access healthcare of some sort , they prefer to blame others for their failures of any sense of responsibility .
But as we know , the issue is not only the ACA ; there are far broader issues that will be affected when Amy Coney-Barrett takes her seat on the court .
As we know women ’ s reproductive rights , basic civil rights , voting rights , regulation of corporations , environmental regulations and a whole host of things that people have fought for are endangered .
The fact that Serena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit to Presidential powers ( which are specified in the Constitution ) did not help the feelings of angst that are rising in the minds of many people .
Whatever happened to the Separation of Church and State ?
!
Quite honestly , even though the Dems could not stop this nomination from going forward to the Senate from the Judiciary Committee and its confirmation in the Senate , there are things that I wish could have been raised like her membership in a bizarre cult of the Catholic church in which women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their husband , church leader or father – in other words their owners – I am wondering if their sons will suffice in the absence of these dominant males ) to do basic things – how can any person be thought capable of independent thought if they need to get their man ’ s permission to do things ?
The same problem also held for the odious Michelle Bachmann Presidential campaign even though she is Protestant .
So are we getting only her on the SCOTUS or are we also getting her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well ?
Seems to me that is an obvious thing – the separation of church and state is in the US constitution yet somehow that inconvenience is not mentioned unless right-wing religious fanatics feel somehow that their ability to spread the joy of their beliefs is threatened .
Her specific sect of the Catholic church is so far outside the mainstream of traditional Catholic thought ( even under John Paul II ) that most Catholics would not recognise their religion in this sect – while people would certainly be horrified if a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) were nominated to the SCOTUS ; somehow that it is a Catholic cult means that you can not raise this rather relevant issue .
Even though I was raised in what is a minority religion in the US ; the separation of church and state protects everyone .
While I do respect that people have their own personal beliefs on a whole host of issues and that they are entitled to these beliefs ; what I don ’ t accept is that they try to force me to obey their beliefs – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all of us .
So , while the right-wing Repugs in the Senate may have screamed that her worship of her religion was sacrosanct – actually her religion as well as her political beliefs are relevant in this discussion as they will condition her judicial decisions .
While the latter was raised by Democratic members of the Judiciary committee , the former was not raised and that is a lost opportunity and I believe is an error as this is a basic point .
The Whole Mess feels too big – but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , vote … it will not solve all the problems that we are experiencing but we really need to get Trump out of power ; really if it is the choice between a fascist ( or a right-wing authoritarian populist if you don ’ t think he is a fascist ) in Donald Trump and a true conservative ( Biden ) – the fascist is the bigger danger .
We need to get the Senate out of the hands of these far-right nutters in the Republican Party .
We know the limits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me feel like Sisyphus , but there is a desperate need to at least make a stab at addressing the Environmental crisis and that can not be left in the hands of Climate Change deniers as they will not do anything and we have 10 years before climate change becomes irreversible .
Yes , we know that many Dems are beholden to the Fossil Fuel Industry and that they are loathe to bite the hands that feed them , but even an extremely watered down version of the Green New Deal is better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must do , is to keep the environmental movement alive – that is needed to not only raise concerns about the ongoing environmental catastrophe we are living through , but it will also pressurise the Dems to go beyond Biden ’ s GND minus policy ( alas which supports fracking ) .
A Green transformation can create jobs , re-orient the US towards sustainable energy production and hopefully reduce the US contribution to the climate crisis .
Participate in the climate justice movement , fight for a Green transformation with a just transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainable energy product is placed in areas where people ’ s employment depends on the fossil fuel industry .
We can demand that our green transformation be based upon social , economic and political justice ; environmental transformation must address that this is a class issue and that the oppressed are included in this transformation .
Second , support movements for social , political and economic justice .
BLM still exists and it is still fighting , refugees and migrants deserve support and assistance .
Stand with them , if needs be remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugees and migrants unless you are Native Americans .
The rights of women , disabled people , gay and trans people have been seriously under attack .
Do not let what feels like an insurmountable nightmare of a situation make you stop fighting for a better future for all .
Our standing together with the oppressed in solidarity is a fight against the use of divide and rule by politicians and members of the ruling class .
This solidarity is perhaps one of the few things that can stand against the rising right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unites people and we protect each other from divide and rule .
We must put an end to the criminalisation of poverty and the scapegoating of blacks ; we need to defund the police , put control in the hands of the local communities , we must stop the militarisation of the police and federal agencies like DHS and ICE and we must create a society in which all are valued equally and have an equal say in their future .
Empowerment of the oppressed and exploited is essential if we are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As we know , the economic support for citizens from the Federal government and the protection of jobs during the pandemic and the economic crash has dried up in the US and has been rolled back in many places in the world .
Whatever small economic recovery that was happening will come crashing down if/when general lockdowns are put into practise by governments .
So , foodbank usage is now becoming routine for those that never in their lives have experienced it and those that actually have good healthcare plans tied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in a pandemic .
Can you help in a foodbank ?
Do you have enough to provide goods or money to help them out ?
Mutual aid is important ; it unites us and weakens the impact of fear and unwarranted shame that people feel who are in trouble .
Another nightmare that is coming down the pike is that people are increasingly unable to pay their rents and mortgages ( either due to job loss or the stoppage of government support ) and that means that evictions will start to rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at any time , but in a pandemic and with winter coming , this will be catastrophic as we are talking whole families in deep trouble and their extended families who have to take them in facing extreme hardship as it is not only a couch or spare room that will be needed , it is food , water , medical and heating bills that will rise and , of course , spreading of the virus is also a danger to extended families .
We need to support organisations that are fighting evictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit extra ) or helping those in danger of losing their housing – eviction resistance support and support for the homeless is essential and while we may feel powerless , think of these people and help empower them – community resistance and support is a tangible thing we can do in the name of solidarity .
We can do all this wearing masks and practising social distancing !
We may not be able to fix the Judiciary or force the Federal government to provide support and assistance , but we sure as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our communities in these troubled times .
This is part of a fight-back and getting rid of Trump will not be enough , we need to show solidarity and unity to combat the damage done by the far-right in the US .
If we want something better , we need to fight for it .
We may not succeed , but we must try .

* Yes, I know that the song says “may” but I think we are well and truly screwed … but I do think that love, romance and dancing will certainly make us feel better, otoh, we may need to do a bit more …
If the difference between an authoritarian and a fascist is mass support, then we need to start talking about fascism rather than authoritarianism if the person is Donald J Trump. Trump has a rather significant base (estimates ranging from 25-35% of voters) who will support him come hell or high water; this is not an insignificant number of people. If you think that 1/4 to 1/3 of American voters supporting Trump’s politics is not a problem then you are in serious denial. Add to this the normalisation of white supremacist and fascist groupings while he has been President (let’s not forget that there is international coordination between the far right propagated by Bannon and others of his ilk) and we need to realise that fixing this problem is not going to be easy. Even if Biden wins (and I hope that he does win), these people will not automatically disappear. Even if defeated, Trump leaves behind an extremely divided American population and the normalisation of ideas that that used to be openly anathema.
The use of far right propaganda by a section of the ruling class is a choice; we need to remember that the ruling class is divided (it is not only people living in the country that are divided). The current regime of accumulation is not working and stagnation was already evident in many countries before the pandemic and they need to find something to keep the system of growth and accumulation functioning and the further introduction of austerity has not solved the problem and if continued may actually create problems that they do not want to see as they have worked so hard to enshrine neoliberalism. The willingness of some of the ruling class to support a right-wing nationalist in power who advocates the use of federal, state and local police and far-right armed militias against those protesting legally should scare you! That is the point!
The appeal of far-right ideology to a section of the American working class means that this is not just another Tea Party “astroturf” situation … rather we have a serious surge in the support for the far-right (and some of these people are actually both politicians and members of the so-called mainstream Republican party). Divide and rule has been very effective in the US where racism is part of the way in which the system of capitalism has been organised. Bannon’s attempt of normalisation of the far-right has unfortunately been successful. The fact that in Michigan some members of far-right groups already had plans in motion to kidnap the Governor and seize control of the state government is beyond worrying; if they exist in Michigan, they exist elsewhere. While one can scoff and say “only 13 people, who are they kidding;” the reality is that this is extremely dangerous. This is part of a trend of the normalisation of far-right ideology and activities and while the state caught this group of fascists, fascists are organising on the ground and finding sympathisers. After all, they are very fine people.
So while Trump babbles about the danger of Antifa, BLM, and evil Marxists and Anarchists, what is very clear is with whom his sympathies lay … fascists. It is not just a product of his narcissism that he supports people who like him; rather it is sincere political belief. Really, why would someone oppose Antifa unless they are fascists or have fascist sympathies?! They may not like their tactics, but to blame them for the actions of others is ridiculous. Trump’s attempt to raise the evil spectres of Anarchists and Marxists (in a period of weakness and division amongst the left) is a desperate attempt to unite people behind good old American fears of Communism (think along the lines of “they may not be sympathetic to racism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia, perhaps red-baiting will work”).
In a country where division has often presented opportunities for the worst excesses of the capitalist system; finding a good right-wing point of unity may serve once again to divert peoples’ attention from his failures and those of the system itself. Does anyone really believe that the left in the US is dangerous? In both absolute and relative terms (that is, compared to the strengthening of an armed far-right) the supposed danger of the left is almost laughable …
The Pandemic
With most eyes on the nightmare that is the US Presidential elections (and those eyes are not only located in the US) things are not only getting strange; they are outright surreal and more than a little worrying.
This includes the current President running around holding packed rallies in the midst of a global pandemic and continuing to attempt to undermine the obvious evil of science in the form of Anthony Fauci, the NIH, and the WHO
We have large numbers of people going to see this nasty right-wing jackass perform – they are not only in denial about the danger of this virus (and as such, they often refuse to wear masks or do any form of social distancing) but have actually abandoned the façade of the recognition of social responsibility. The golden rule of “love thy neighbour” that so many of these people claim to be enamoured of due to their religious beliefs are demonstrably not worth the paper they are printed on (you know the Bible that they all claim to live their lives by) – their individual right to do what they want clearly is more important than protecting others from a deadly pandemic.
That they will continue to spread this nasty virus (which literally thrives on new victims) by going to these Trump-love fests, that they deny that they themselves may fall victim to it and their obvious lack of concern about people where they live is frightening. Watching CNN, I saw one woman proudly proclaim that she won’t die from it and if she does it is god’s will – does that hold for the rest of her family members, neighbours and does she have the right to make this decision for them? Really who died and elected her the angel of death?! Her choice to do this actually makes her evil by any definition – yet she probably believes she is an upright moral person rather than someone bordering on sociopathy. The individualism underlying the American dream has led to this nonsense; the idea of collective responsibility being somehow foreign to these people.
While the coronavirus rages throughout the world (and the numbers of people infected in the US are rising irrespective of Trump’s claims that everything is under control and the worst is over), the irresponsibility of politicians is impressive. This is not only a problem in the US; all over the world politicians are desperately trying to reign in the virus while keeping the economies open – but the problem is that in the absence of a vaccine (and while there is promise there, 2 different vaccine programmes are now on hold and Remdesivir has been recently demonstrated to not have an impact on deaths from Coronavirus, although it probably has other used uses relating to the lengths of hospital stays). Meanwhile, in Europe the virus has entered its second round and the situation in the US is not much better as the virus has spread out instead of being concentrated in a few areas.
To add to all the surrealism, there seems to be an odd-collection of people that are coming together and holding demos against lockdowns and wearing masks – we have the anti-vaxxers, the covid-19 deniers, Q Anon, weirdly some civil libertarians and of course some groups of the far-right (and their members). If this sheer insanity were only in the US, I would be concerned but less freaked-out; but yet again the US has exported their garbage overseas and there have been demonstrations in Britain (there are weekly demos; the unfurling of the British Union of Fascist’s flag in Trafalgar Square in London is more than disconcerting) and in other European counties.
The lack of a national health care system and pandemic plan in the US has not helped the general fight against the virus – this is compounded by the Governors of some states pretending that there is not a pandemic. So to add to the insufficient available healthcare provision and little or no national coordination there is the danger of the continued spread of the virus rather than bringing things under some control.
The problem is the virus doesn’t stay in Florida (for example), it migrates along with people. Even more frightening, Herd Immunity is being raised again and that is a really dangerous eugenicist argument – what it amounts to is willing mass murder in the absence of a vaccine; think of all the nonsense from Trump lauding his wonderful gene pool and that of all these white Minnesotans in his visit there – the “strong” will survive … too bad the virus affects people of colour, the disabled, the poor and the elderly more seriously (one wonders if we are thought of as surplus to requirements).
The Judiciary Nightmare
I spent time this week witnessing the confirmation hearings of Serena Joy (aka Amy Coney-Barrett) in the Senate Judiciary Committee. While I do recognise the masochism of my watching these hearings as one cannot help getting existential nausea; I, for some bizarre reason, feel the need to witness the destruction of what so many people have fought for over successive generations.
Alas, it was just as I expected; there is little that can be done to stop this woman from getting a seat on the SCOTUS. What we need to understand is that it is not only the SCOTUS that is a problem; under Trump large numbers of judges have been appointed to Federal courts whose reactionary and right-wing political and ideological (e.g., religious) beliefs strongly colour their views and approaches to the law. Cleaning up the judiciary will not be able to be done quickly – it will take a while to actually be able to use the judiciary as a vehicle of progressive change (forget keeping things the way they are as crappy as that is) — at this point curbing the power of the judiciary may be a better tactic. Ruth Bader-Ginsburg’s death in this period so close to an election is a nightmare; but the composition of the court had already been shifted to the right – Amy Coney-Barrett is the final cherry on the shite sundae of 2020. Her nomination to the court is the blessing that the right have been fantasising about for a while. A woman will be the agent of elimination for Roe vs Wade, Marriage-Equality Laws, Civil Rights and voter protection law, corporate and environmental regulation and what remains of the ACA.
While I do recognise that bitterness and the feeling of extreme helplessness and disempowerment are not necessarily useful emotions in this period as we must start preparing for a response to this crap, it is hard to not feel this way. So while wallowing in my misery and fear was useful for a short period; I finally took control over my need to witness the descent into barbarism and when Ted Cruz said that when Roe v Wade was repealed people are thinking that the right of abortion will disappear overnight but they are wrong, I turned off the SCOTUS hearing. It felt so good to make Ted Cruz disappear that I considered turning on the tv just so I could do it again.
While the leadership of the Democratic Party made clear their concern with the elimination of the ACA arguing that in the middle of a pandemic the last thing that people needed was to lose their health care; the Republicans not only spoke about why it should be eliminated but how it is actually preventing their state’s right to deny healthcare and reproductive rights (and let’s not forget their ability to deny basic civil rights like ensuring the right to vote and actual representation of their citizens so their votes actually count and marriage equality).
My favourite speech was Lindsay Graham’s opening of the hearings describing how South Carolina did not need Obamacare but rather “South Carolina care” complaining how few people in SC actually took up Obamacare. But of course he did not address the fact that both the SC legislature and Governor refused to do the Medicaid Expansion which was part of Obamacare which would have covered more people’s healthcare and nary a word was said about how many South Carolinians actually have access to health care. The reason for this is they quite honestly do not care what happens to the citizens of South Carolina; moreover, racism is a useful sop for divide and rule so that they can carry out their political and economic agenda against the needs of the citizens of South Carolina with the support of some of their citizens.
What is impressive about this point is the chutzpah of the right-wing (they are not Conservatives) politicians running state governance complaining about the ACA while actually preventing it from working. Rather than take responsibility to ensure that their citizens can actually access healthcare of some sort, they prefer to blame others for their failures of any sense of responsibility.
But as we know, the issue is not only the ACA; there are far broader issues that will be affected when Amy Coney-Barrett takes her seat on the court. As we know women’s reproductive rights, basic civil rights, voting rights, regulation of corporations, environmental regulations and a whole host of things that people have fought for are endangered. The fact that Serena Joy refused to even comment on the limit to Presidential powers (which are specified in the Constitution) did not help the feelings of angst that are rising in the minds of many people.
Whatever happened to the Separation of Church and State?!
Quite honestly, even though the Dems could not stop this nomination from going forward to the Senate from the Judiciary Committee and its confirmation in the Senate, there are things that I wish could have been raised like her membership in a bizarre cult of the Catholic church in which women are dependent upon Patriarchal permission (e.g., their husband, church leader or father – in other words their owners – I am wondering if their sons will suffice in the absence of these dominant males) to do basic things – how can any person be thought capable of independent thought if they need to get their man’s permission to do things? The same problem also held for the odious Michelle Bachmann Presidential campaign even though she is Protestant.
So are we getting only her on the SCOTUS or are we also getting her husband and church leader on the court as well? Seems to me that is an obvious thing – the separation of church and state is in the US constitution yet somehow that inconvenience is not mentioned unless right-wing religious fanatics feel somehow that their ability to spread the joy of their beliefs is threatened. Her specific sect of the Catholic church is so far outside the mainstream of traditional Catholic thought (even under John Paul II) that most Catholics would not recognise their religion in this sect – while people would certainly be horrified if a Scientologist (or name your favourite cult) were nominated to the SCOTUS; somehow that it is a Catholic cult means that you cannot raise this rather relevant issue.
Even though I was raised in what is a minority religion in the US; the separation of church and state protects everyone. While I do respect that people have their own personal beliefs on a whole host of issues and that they are entitled to these beliefs; what I don’t accept is that they try to force me to obey their beliefs – that their personal beliefs become the reality for all of us. So, while the right-wing Repugs in the Senate may have screamed that her worship of her religion was sacrosanct – actually her religion as well as her political beliefs are relevant in this discussion as they will condition her judicial decisions. While the latter was raised by Democratic members of the Judiciary committee, the former was not raised and that is a lost opportunity and I believe is an error as this is a basic point.
The Whole Mess feels too big – but we can do something …
First of all, vote … it will not solve all the problems that we are experiencing but we really need to get Trump out of power; really if it is the choice between a fascist (or a right-wing authoritarian populist if you don’t think he is a fascist) in Donald Trump and a true conservative (Biden) – the fascist is the bigger danger. We need to get the Senate out of the hands of these far-right nutters in the Republican Party. We know the limits of the Dems and they often make me feel like Sisyphus, but there is a desperate need to at least make a stab at addressing the Environmental crisis and that cannot be left in the hands of Climate Change deniers as they will not do anything and we have 10 years before climate change becomes irreversible.
Yes, we know that many Dems are beholden to the Fossil Fuel Industry and that they are loathe to bite the hands that feed them, but even an extremely watered down version of the Green New Deal is better than nothing. What we can and must do, is to keep the environmental movement alive – that is needed to not only raise concerns about the ongoing environmental catastrophe we are living through, but it will also pressurise the Dems to go beyond Biden’s GND minus policy (alas which supports fracking). A Green transformation can create jobs, re-orient the US towards sustainable energy production and hopefully reduce the US contribution to the climate crisis. Participate in the climate justice movement, fight for a Green transformation with a just transition to get workers new jobs and ensure sustainable energy product is placed in areas where people’s employment depends on the fossil fuel industry. We can demand that our green transformation be based upon social, economic and political justice; environmental transformation must address that this is a class issue and that the oppressed are included in this transformation.
Second, support movements for social, political and economic justice. BLM still exists and it is still fighting, refugees and migrants deserve support and assistance. Stand with them, if needs be remember that your families were most probably former refugees and migrants unless you are Native Americans. The rights of women, disabled people, gay and trans people have been seriously under attack. Do not let what feels like an insurmountable nightmare of a situation make you stop fighting for a better future for all. Our standing together with the oppressed in solidarity is a fight against the use of divide and rule by politicians and members of the ruling class. This solidarity is perhaps one of the few things that can stand against the rising right-wing tide. A major dose of solidarity unites people and we protect each other from divide and rule. We must put an end to the criminalisation of poverty and the scapegoating of blacks; we need to defund the police, put control in the hands of the local communities, we must stop the militarisation of the police and federal agencies like DHS and ICE and we must create a society in which all are valued equally and have an equal say in their future. Empowerment of the oppressed and exploited is essential if we are going to build a better future for all.
As we know, the economic support for citizens from the Federal government and the protection of jobs during the pandemic and the economic crash has dried up in the US and has been rolled back in many places in the world. Whatever small economic recovery that was happening will come crashing down if/when general lockdowns are put into practise by governments. So, foodbank usage is now becoming routine for those that never in their lives have experienced it and those that actually have good healthcare plans tied to their jobs are losing them and we are in a pandemic. Can you help in a foodbank? Do you have enough to provide goods or money to help them out? Mutual aid is important; it unites us and weakens the impact of fear and unwarranted shame that people feel who are in trouble.
Another nightmare that is coming down the pike is that people are increasingly unable to pay their rents and mortgages (either due to job loss or the stoppage of government support) and that means that evictions will start to rise. This would be an appalling situation at any time, but in a pandemic and with winter coming, this will be catastrophic as we are talking whole families in deep trouble and their extended families who have to take them in facing extreme hardship as it is not only a couch or spare room that will be needed, it is food, water, medical and heating bills that will rise and, of course, spreading of the virus is also a danger to extended families. We need to support organisations that are fighting evictions; either monetarily (if you have a bit extra) or helping those in danger of losing their housing – eviction resistance support and support for the homeless is essential and while we may feel powerless, think of these people and help empower them – community resistance and support is a tangible thing we can do in the name of solidarity. We can do all this wearing masks and practising social distancing!
We may not be able to fix the Judiciary or force the Federal government to provide support and assistance, but we sure as hell can stand with our neighbours and our communities in these troubled times. This is part of a fight-back and getting rid of Trump will not be enough, we need to show solidarity and unity to combat the damage done by the far-right in the US. If we want something better, we need to fight for it. We may not succeed, but we must try.


dailykos--2020-10-18--Happy Orange Day (local)--my CA county becomes covid-orange instead of covid-red

Here ’ s the majority of an email from city hall ( note also the senior living project -- nice @ @ @ @ @ liberal hell-hole ” ) .
We also have a drop-in testing site for people without @ @ @ @ @ ( though there ’ s a line ) while supplies last ( so far they @ @ @ @ @ before end of shift ) , provided by county health .
Santa Clara County is @ @ @ @ @ Silicon Valley ” , and was the first county in the nation to have a @ @ @ @ @ before California ’ s first state-wide shutdown .
For those of you stranded in red @ @ @ @ @ it is like to live under governance that cares if you live or die .

Here’s the majority of an email from city hall (note also the senior living project--nice to live in a “liberal hell-hole”). We also have a drop-in testing site for people without symptoms available from 10-3 weekdays (though there’s a line) while supplies last (so far they have never yet run out before end of shift), provided by county health.
Santa Clara County is the main body of “Silicon Valley”, and was the first county in the nation to have a county-wide shutdown, 3 days before California’s first state-wide shutdown.
For those of you stranded in red states--this is what it is like to live under governance that cares if you live or die.


dailykos--2020-10-18--Here's why Twitter is going wild over this interview by a New Zealand journalist

“ You want to have another crack at answering that ?
” O ’ Brien , political news editor at Newshub , says when Jami-Lee Ross , Advance NZ co-leader , sidesteps her opening question .
She then describes him as being part of a political movement involved in “ peddling misinformation during the election campaign.
” Some quick background on politics in New Zealand : Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern just had a major victory in the country ’ s election , earning her a second term .
Advance NZ , which , according to Ross , got less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportedly made incorrect claims about a vaccine , including suggesting that the government pushed a law to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory in the country .
Just before the election , Facebook removed two posts from the party ’ s Facebook page , as reported by Indy 100 .
When they get to COVID-19 and related misinformation in the interview , O ’ Brien says , “ You knew exactly what you were doing .
You were whipping up fear and hysteria among vulnerable communities.
” “ Not at all , ” he replied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus and appeared to begin to talk about fatality rates of COVID-19 compared to that of other viruses , like the seasonal flu , and O ’ Brien said she was going to stop him right there .
“ I don ’ t want to hear any of that rubbish , ” she said .
“ If you ’ re going to come on the show and say things which are factually incorrect , I can ’ t do that.
” It ’ s also worth noting that while some Twitter users and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rude , and aggressive , if a man was doing the interview , it may very well be described as firm , prepared , and no-nonsense .
Some comments also describe the dialogue as involving yelling and fighting , but both parties appear calm and professional , even while disagreeing .
This is far from the first time we ’ ve talked about the importance of media members speaking plainly and calling out injustices .
A new working paper found a significant relationship between Trump ’ s claims about mail-in voting and fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of people worked up about the subject ( which , in reality , is a hysterical obsession of Trump ’ s ) because of its major media coverage .
We ’ ve heard anchors call out the Trump administration for reportedly muzzling members of the coronavirus task force , like Dr. Anthony Fauci , when it comes to media interviews .
On that day , instead of Fauci , we got to hear from Eric Trump , who took the time to rant about antifa instead of the literal global pandemic still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people being interviewed also have an opportunity to flip the script .
You might remember tennis superstar Naomi Osaka using her international platform to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter and racial injustice by wearing face masks with the names of Black Americans killed by police , including Breonna Taylor and Elijah McCain .
When a journalist asked her what message she hoped to send with her masks , she spun the question on him , saying “ Well , ‘ What was the message you got ?
’ ... is more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point is to make people start talking.
” Sign with Protect the Results to help ensure a peaceful transition of power if Trump loses and refuses to concede .
By signing up , you will receive alerts and updates , be included in calls to action , including mobilizations .

As readers of Daily Kos are certainly familiar with, Donald Trump and his administration are experts at dodging (or at least, trying to dodge) reasonable, important questions from journalists. Whether it’s about the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump’s tax records, denouncing white supremacy, or taking accountability for hateful rhetoric, we have countless examples of Trump and his lackeys sidestepping questions from media during interviews. If you’ve ever watched a video and thought, Why in the world can’t this be challenged, right now, on-air?, you’re probably going to enjoy this clip of New Zealand journalist Tova O’Brien, an anchor on Newshub New Zealand. One particular gem? “I don’t want to hear any of that rubbish.” Maybe O’Brien should moderate our presidential debates?
Here is the four-minute clip that is unsurprisingly going viral even among Americans on Twitter, as well as some context on New Zealand’s recent election.
x this is one of the most hostile interviews I’ve ever seen (I love it) but the New Zealand accent makes it sound so fun pic.twitter.com/W3N0zzUSM3 — garry (@repeattofade) October 18, 2020
“You want to have another crack at answering that?” O’Brien, political news editor at Newshub, says when Jami-Lee Ross, Advance NZ co-leader, sidesteps her opening question. She then describes him as being part of a political movement involved in “peddling misinformation during the election campaign.”
Some quick background on politics in New Zealand: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern just had a major victory in the country’s election, earning her a second term. Advance NZ, which, according to Ross, got less than 1% of the vote, has reportedly made incorrect claims about a vaccine, including suggesting that the government pushed a law to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory in the country. Just before the election, Facebook removed two posts from the party’s Facebook page, as reported by Indy 100.
When they get to COVID-19 and related misinformation in the interview, O’Brien says, “You knew exactly what you were doing. You were whipping up fear and hysteria among vulnerable communities.”
“Not at all,” he replied. He acknowledged COVID-19 as a real virus and appeared to begin to talk about fatality rates of COVID-19 compared to that of other viruses, like the seasonal flu, and O’Brien said she was going to stop him right there.
“I don’t want to hear any of that rubbish,” she said. “If you’re going to come on the show and say things which are factually incorrect, I can’t do that.”
It’s also worth noting that while some Twitter users and commenters characterized this interview as hostile, rude, and aggressive, if a man was doing the interview, it may very well be described as firm, prepared, and no-nonsense. Some comments also describe the dialogue as involving yelling and fighting, but both parties appear calm and professional, even while disagreeing.
This is far from the first time we’ve talked about the importance of media members speaking plainly and calling out injustices. A new working paper found a significant relationship between Trump’s claims about mail-in voting and fraud, for example, and the concerning number of people worked up about the subject (which, in reality, is a hysterical obsession of Trump’s) because of its major media coverage. We’ve heard anchors call out the Trump administration for reportedly muzzling members of the coronavirus task force, like Dr. Anthony Fauci, when it comes to media interviews. On that day, instead of Fauci, we got to hear from Eric Trump, who took the time to rant about antifa instead of the literal global pandemic still raging in our nation.
Of course, people being interviewed also have an opportunity to flip the script. You might remember tennis superstar Naomi Osaka using her international platform to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter and racial injustice by wearing face masks with the names of Black Americans killed by police, including Breonna Taylor and Elijah McCain. When a journalist asked her what message she hoped to send with her masks, she spun the question on him, saying “Well, ‘What was the message you got?’... is more the question. I feel like the point is to make people start talking.”
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dailykos--2020-10-19--Southwest Florida roundup: Early voting starts, Trump disses COVID-infected GOPer, Dems rise

Voting by mail has already been massive , according to both counties ’ election supervisor offices .
In Lee County , 135,997 votes had been cast , a turnout of 27.80 percent , as of yesterday , Sunday , Oct. 18 , at 11 am .
In Collier County , 61,940 votes had been cast , 26.73 percent of the electorate , as of the same date and hour .
The in-person voting comes after an extraordinarily eventful weekend that began with a presidential visit to Fort Myers on Friday , Oct. 16—and the remarkable snub of what many had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have been a big day for Republican state Rep. Byron Donalds ( R-80-Immokalee ) , who is running for Congress in Florida ’ s 19th Congressional District .
Instead , it was a day that saw him forced to declare that he had come down with COVID-19 .
And to add insult to injury he was ignored and overlooked by his hero and idol , President Donald Trump .
During the Republican congressional primary this summer , few candidates touted their loyalty and subservience to President Donald Trump more than Donalds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ incredibly proud to stand with President Trump.
” In the traditional mafia-like mindset in which Trump operates , such loyalty by a soldier should be repaid in kind by the mafia chieftain .
When the Godfather came to Fort Myers , it was an opportunity for a laying on of hands , for a blessing from the Boss himself in front of lots of local media and adoring Trumpers .
It might have been the moment when Donalds decisively clinched the election 18 days before the votes were counted .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting with Trump and turned up positive , which he announced on his Facebook page around 5 pm .
He couldn ’ t come in contact with the president and instead of a public anointing it was his very public infection that was the headline about him dominating local news .
But beyond the embarrassment of a vociferously anti-mask Donalds catching COVID , there was the added disrespect ( dissing ) from his idol and hero .
In his speech at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center , Trump went through a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledging and praising them .
One should not underestimate the importance of these shout-outs during political speeches and events .
They ’ re something every politician does and while they may seem boring and formulaic to those in the audience , they ’ re critical to those named .
In the case of a politician who has a blindly loyal following like Trump , they are an essential blessing and benediction—especially to candidates running for election .
In the middle of his speech Trump took the time to do a round of shout-outs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeSantis ( R ) , whose popularity he compared to Elvis ; he lauded as “ warriors ” Rep. Gus Bilirakis ( R-12-Fla. ) — “ great job , Gus ” —and Rep. Greg Steube ( R-17-Fla. ) — “ another friend of mine.
” Mayor Randy Henderson ( R ) was praised— “ good job , Randy ” —as was Cape Coral Mayor Joe Coviello ( R ) — “ great job , great job.
” He said he was honored by the presence of World War II and Korean War veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wally , I ’ ll tell you .
Two wars and you ’ re looking—you ’ re looking good , ” ( interestingly , not “ thank you for your service.
” ) .
He also thanked members of the Golden Gate Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guard .
And even if Donalds wasn ’ t present in the audience , any experienced observer of political rituals would have expected a shout-out to a faithful follower , especially one running for Congress from the president ’ s party , an ally whom the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term .
So the next name to trip from the president ’ s tongue should have been…Byron Donalds .
But there was no naming of Byron Donalds .
Instead the president moved on to tell the audience how he was fighting to protect them from “ the China virus ” and the “ radical-left movement.
” Make no mistake : Byron Donalds has been endorsed by Trump , who issued a tweet in his favor on Sept. 10—well after the Aug. 18 Republican primary .
An endorsement during the primary race could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Donalds .
However , Trump has only been endorsing Republican candidates after they ’ ve won their primaries in what he regards as safe districts—to preserve his record of seeming infallibility in picking winners .
Nor was there a subsequent word of sympathy or a get-well wish from the notoriously unempathetic president .
Indeed , Donalds got more compassion from his Democratic opponent Cindy Banyai who tweeted : “ I wish him and his family well as he recovers.
” Apparently , when you ’ re COVID-infected you ’ re already dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s visit brought out his supporters , it also mobilized Democrats and other Biden/Harris supporters .
On Friday , activists conducted a Ridin ’ for Biden , “ Dump Trump ” caravan to counter Trump ’ s appearance in Fort Myers .
Inspired by an editorial in The Paradise Progressive , activist Wally Hedman , who has organized Biden/Harris rides in the past , served as organizer and lead driver for the caravan .
Consisting of 20-plus cars festooned with flags , signs and bunting , the caravan traveled up Route 41 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin Luther King Blvd.
, prior to Trump ’ s arrival .
The event was covered by WINK News ’ Zach Oliveri and Fox4 News ’ Rob Manch and the Fort Myers News-Press .
NBC2 News did not cover it .
Democratic demonstrators were also on the sidewalks outside the Caloosa Center to show their opposition to Trump .
While there were some arguments with Trumpers , there were no physical altercations or arrests .
The following day the local chapter of the national Women ’ s March took to the streets of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sidewalks to “ affirm our shared humanity and declare our bold message of advocacy and self-determination , ” according to the local Women ’ s March website .
“ We march against sexism , racism , homophobia , religious discrimination , misuse or abuse of power , sexual abuse , discrimination against immigrants , gun violence , denial of environmental injustice , and lack of respect for human dignity , ” it stated .
Trump ’ s appearance at the Caloosa Center was invitation-only and limited to 400 people , although some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in just prior to the start of the event .
Inside , attendees were distanced from each other and masks were worn .
People coming into contact with Trump were tested for coronavirus prior to the event , which is how Byron Donalds ’ infection was discovered .
However , on the street outside numerous Trumpers were largely unmasked and crowded together , creating conditions for a COVID superspreader event .
As of Sunday , Oct. 18 , the Florida Department of Health was reporting 755,020 cases in the state and a total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Lee County that came to 21,625 cases and 492 deaths .
However , the Florida COVID Action Site created by dissident data scientist Rebekah Jones , who has charged that the state is suppressing coronavirus data , reports 824,724 cases and 16,118 deaths statewide .
In Lee County , it reports 23,005 cases and 502 deaths since March 1 .
With an incubation period of 10 to 14 days , Lee County medical facilities should start seeing an influx of coronavirus victims from the Trump visit around Halloween .

The Paradise Progressive Analysis, Roundup October 19, 2020 5 Minutes
Oct. 19, 2020 by David Silverberg
Early in-person voting begins today in Southwest Florida’s Lee and Collier counties.
Voting by mail has already been massive, according to both counties’ election supervisor offices. In Lee County, 135,997 votes had been cast, a turnout of 27.80 percent, as of yesterday, Sunday, Oct. 18, at 11 am. In Collier County, 61,940 votes had been cast, 26.73 percent of the electorate, as of the same date and hour.
The in-person voting comes after an extraordinarily eventful weekend that began with a presidential visit to Fort Myers on Friday, Oct. 16—and the remarkable snub of what many had considered a rising Republican star.
Donald disses Donalds
Friday should have been a big day for Republican state Rep. Byron Donalds (R-80-Immokalee), who is running for Congress in Florida’s 19th Congressional District.
Instead, it was a day that saw him forced to declare that he had come down with COVID-19. And to add insult to injury he was ignored and overlooked by his hero and idol, President Donald Trump.
During the Republican congressional primary this summer, few candidates touted their loyalty and subservience to President Donald Trump more than Donalds, who amidst his many accolades said he was “incredibly proud to stand with President Trump.” In the traditional mafia-like mindset in which Trump operates, such loyalty by a soldier should be repaid in kind by the mafia chieftain.
When the Godfather came to Fort Myers, it was an opportunity for a laying on of hands, for a blessing from the Boss himself in front of lots of local media and adoring Trumpers. It might have been the moment when Donalds decisively clinched the election 18 days before the votes were counted.
Instead, Donalds was tested for COVID-19 before meeting with Trump and turned up positive, which he announced on his Facebook page around 5 pm. He couldn’t come in contact with the president and instead of a public anointing it was his very public infection that was the headline about him dominating local news.
But beyond the embarrassment of a vociferously anti-mask Donalds catching COVID, there was the added disrespect (dissing) from his idol and hero.
In his speech at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, Trump went through a series of shout-outs to local politicians and worthies, acknowledging and praising them.
One should not underestimate the importance of these shout-outs during political speeches and events. They’re something every politician does and while they may seem boring and formulaic to those in the audience, they’re critical to those named. In the case of a politician who has a blindly loyal following like Trump, they are an essential blessing and benediction—especially to candidates running for election.
In the middle of his speech Trump took the time to do a round of shout-outs. He named Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), whose popularity he compared to Elvis; he lauded as “warriors” Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-12-Fla.)—“great job, Gus”—and Rep. Greg Steube (R-17-Fla.)—“another friend of mine.” Mayor Randy Henderson (R) was praised—“good job, Randy”—as was Cape Coral Mayor Joe Coviello (R)—“great job, great job.” He said he was honored by the presence of World War II and Korean War veteran Wally Cortese—“You look good, Wally, I’ll tell you. Two wars and you’re looking—you’re looking good,” (interestingly, not “thank you for your service.”). He also thanked members of the Golden Gate Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guard.
And even if Donalds wasn’t present in the audience, any experienced observer of political rituals would have expected a shout-out to a faithful follower, especially one running for Congress from the president’s party, an ally whom the president would theoretically need in a second term. So the next name to trip from the president’s tongue should have been…Byron Donalds.
But there was no naming of Byron Donalds. Instead the president moved on to tell the audience how he was fighting to protect them from “the China virus” and the “radical-left movement.”
Make no mistake: Byron Donalds has been endorsed by Trump, who issued a tweet in his favor on Sept. 10—well after the Aug. 18 Republican primary. An endorsement during the primary race could have made all the difference in the world to Donalds. However, Trump has only been endorsing Republican candidates after they’ve won their primaries in what he regards as safe districts—to preserve his record of seeming infallibility in picking winners.
Nor was there a subsequent word of sympathy or a get-well wish from the notoriously unempathetic president. Indeed, Donalds got more compassion from his Democratic opponent Cindy Banyai who tweeted: “I wish him and his family well as he recovers.”
Apparently, when you’re COVID-infected you’re already dead to Donald Trump.
Democrats, women, rise up and ride
While the president’s visit brought out his supporters, it also mobilized Democrats and other Biden/Harris supporters.
On Friday, activists conducted a Ridin’ for Biden, “Dump Trump” caravan to counter Trump’s appearance in Fort Myers.
Inspired by an editorial in The Paradise Progressive, activist Wally Hedman, who has organized Biden/Harris rides in the past, served as organizer and lead driver for the caravan.
Consisting of 20-plus cars festooned with flags, signs and bunting, the caravan traveled up Route 41, through downtown Fort Myers and onto Martin Luther King Blvd., prior to Trump’s arrival.
The event was covered by WINK News’ Zach Oliveri and Fox4 News’ Rob Manch and the Fort Myers News-Press. NBC2 News did not cover it.
It demonstrated a Democratic presence amid the raucous Trump gathering.
Democratic demonstrators were also on the sidewalks outside the Caloosa Center to show their opposition to Trump. While there were some arguments with Trumpers, there were no physical altercations or arrests.
The following day the local chapter of the national Women’s March took to the streets of Fort Myers when approximately 300 supporters lined the sidewalks to “affirm our shared humanity and declare our bold message of advocacy and self-determination,” according to the local Women’s March website. “We march against sexism, racism, homophobia, religious discrimination, misuse or abuse of power, sexual abuse, discrimination against immigrants, gun violence, denial of environmental injustice, and lack of respect for human dignity,” it stated.
Superspeader event
Trump’s appearance at the Caloosa Center was invitation-only and limited to 400 people, although some random people on the street were allowed in just prior to the start of the event. Inside, attendees were distanced from each other and masks were worn. People coming into contact with Trump were tested for coronavirus prior to the event, which is how Byron Donalds’ infection was discovered.
However, on the street outside numerous Trumpers were largely unmasked and crowded together, creating conditions for a COVID superspreader event.
As of Sunday, Oct. 18, the Florida Department of Health was reporting 755,020 cases in the state and a total of 15,967 deaths among state residents. In Lee County that came to 21,625 cases and 492 deaths. However, the Florida COVID Action Site created by dissident data scientist Rebekah Jones, who has charged that the state is suppressing coronavirus data, reports 824,724 cases and 16,118 deaths statewide. In Lee County, it reports 23,005 cases and 502 deaths since March 1.
With an incubation period of 10 to 14 days, Lee County medical facilities should start seeing an influx of coronavirus victims from the Trump visit around Halloween.
Liberty lives in light
© 2020 by David Silverberg