dailykos--2020-07-01--Good News Roundup for July 1, 2020

Good News Roundup for July 1, 2020

And our own Goodie has some wise ( and also kick-ass ) observations as well : Our House is on fire , don ’ t trash the only door to freedom Read the quotes below and then go read the whole thing , goddammit !
Here is an analogy that is not that far off from the truth : We are all living a burning building .
Our house is literally on fire .
People are dying .
People are suffering .
The house itself is being destroyed .
It is terrifying and awful .
We 've been stuck in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a few months we will have our ONLY chance at getting out of this house before it is destroyed .
So I ca n't tell you how fucking furious it makes me that some of the people stuck in here with me - people who agree that the house is on fire - are spending their time and energy telling everyone about the imperfections of the door .
Some of the imperfections might be real -- many of them are n't even real .
But all of them are outweighed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OUT OF HERE and if we do n't all work together , we wo n't get out .
If you ’ ve gotten the message and are in a position to help Joe Biden with a contribution , here ’ s another suggestion from Goodie : I ’ ll begin with a spot-on piece about what to expect from the media in the upcoming months .
Forewarned is forearmed !
Here ’ s the big mistake the media is destined to make in 2020 Here ’ s an easy prediction : Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be published that follow the same template .
They ’ ll begin by reviewing the polls and discussing how “ daunting ” Trump ’ s prospects look at present ...
They will then note that Hillary Clinton also led Trump by a similar margin in the nationwide polling in 2016 , but won ’ t say that it was only for a few days that March ...
These columns will all include some variation of , “ with four months to go ( or , a month from now , with three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s still plenty of time to turn this around.
” The pundit will then argue that despite the grim outlook , there is one thing that Trump could do to “ reset ” or “ right the ship ” of his campaign , and this will be something that he ’ s proven totally incapable of doing ... As soon as it ’ s no longer possible to write that there ’ s still plenty of time left , the punditry will shift to relentless attempts to make the race seem more competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will ridicule these columns and you should too .
The author , Joshua Holland , then goes on to cite the three factors that make it harder for pundits this election cycle : • Election analyses are based on past experience , and the current situation is unprecedented ; • tRump ’ s popularity is unprecedented in remaining unchanged over time ; • tRump ’ s possible paths to a second term are “ impossible to predict and fall outside of the bounds of mainstream political analysis.
” So let ’ s join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and let ’ s vow to call it out whenever anyone quotes it .
Even — or perhaps especially ?
— on DKos 😉 LOTS of withering shade is being thrown on tRump daily I ’ m sure you ’ ve all seen the blistering ad from the Lincoln Project on the appalling Russian bounty story , but here ’ s an equally fiery ad from Don Winslow , posted on DKos by FishOuttaScotch .
I really do think this scandal might be the last straw for all but the most thoroughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good one , too : And yes , this story has legs .
Data on Financial Transfers Bolstered Suspicions That Russia Offered Bounties Meanwhile , we ’ re voting and we ’ re sending good people to Congress : New York poised to send the first openly gay Black members of Congress to Washington I see this as a good sign that we might succeed in energizing enough Kentucky Dems to finally get rid of the Toxic Turtle .
The Black Resilience Fund breaks through its $ 1,000,000 goal !
I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Resilience Fund in Portland .
Here ’ s the email they sent out on Monday with wonderful , amazing news : Today , I woke up –and by some miracle– [ Andra Day ’ s Rise Up ] was the first song I heard .
And I cried nonstop for thirty minutes .
'Rise Up ' was exactly what I needed to wake up to .
After I finished crying , I called my Mom and cried some more .
For 29 years , I 've seen the brokenness and ache of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 days , I 've also seen the best of us– showing up and taking care of our neighbors .
Because of your generosity , today will be # MillionDollarMonday .
[ The total as of yesterday evening is just over $ 1,023,000 . ]
28 days ago , I would 've never imagined we 'd be here .
During such a difficult time when so many of us are hurting , thousands are rising up to send a send a message of hope and healing .
In 28 days , we 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 228,000 and other forms of mutual aid .
And we are just getting started .
The Portland Mercury published a piece on their background story : The Portlanders Behind the Black Resilience Fund Are Young , Black , Queer—and Hopeful Cameron and his BRF partner Salomé Chimuku had a Zoom celebration on Monday , and I had a chance to Zoom-meet them and thank them .
They are smart , funny , humble and passionately committed to helping their community .
I ’ m still feeling joyful a day and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will Stop Using Prison Labor to Do Its Laundry Not quite good enough , but moving in the correct direction !
Two of Oregon ’ s Largest Universities Agree to Cease Calling Their Rivalry the Civil War People are suggesting “ The Platypus Cup ” or “ Platypus Bowl ” instead , because a platypus is sort of a cross between a duck and a beaver .
Apparently Twitter approves !
Walter Cole is not only the world ’ s oldest drag queen ( certified by Guinness ) , he is also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our community and an all-around beautiful human being .
It ’ s delightful to see him being recognized in this way .
I was inspired by the diary freewayblogger posted on June 23 , which was Kris Kristofferson ’ s birthday , to include this song .
The words remain as fresh today as they were in 1972 .
Fun fact : My husband was two years ahead of Kris at Pomona and was the bass player on his first recording , which was never released .
Good news from around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the air , but that doesn ’ t mean people can ’ t use sporting arenas for other activities .
And the most important activity right now ?
Voting .
The Fulton County Registration and Elections Board recently approved a plan put forth by the Atlanta Haws to transform State Farm Arena into a massive polling station for Georgia ’ s primary election on Aug. 11 and early voting for general election on No .
3 .
The idea to transform the stadium came the weekend after the killing of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO Steve Koonin , and majority owner Anthony Ressler came up with the plan .
“ When we saw what we saw on June 9 , it was extremely clear that we have a real issue in the state of Georgia and especially here in Atlanta , ” Pierce said .
“ And we felt we had an opportunity to do something special .
It was encouraging that we were able to think outside of the box and speak this idea into existence.
” The State Farm Arena has an interior of 680,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dozens of suites that could be used for voting purposes .
Voting machines will be set at least six feet apart and voters will follow social distancing practices .
Many ancillary functions of election day such as tabulating absentee ballots , can be performed on site .
The Hawks have volunteered to pick up the expenses for the voting facility , including compensation for 300 full-time State Farm Arena employees and several hundred who work part-time .
‘ The Dad Gang ’ is Celebrating Black Fatherhood and Breaking Stereotypes – From NY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times have you unquestioningly accepted MSM stories about “ absent black fathers ” ?
These guys are changing the narrative , and it turns out they have CDC research on their side .
“ This House Is Bigger Than Me ” —Broadway Actor Robert Hartwell Buys House Built By Slaves Good news from around the world $ 3 Million and an Official Apology : Brazil ’ s Ashaninka Get Unprecedented Compensation for Deforestation on Their Land This is just a summary .
There are a lot of fascinating details in the full story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Around Europe , Inspired By Japan , to Help Restore Biodiversity This is a fascinating article , well worth reading in full .
Outrage over killing of Iranian girl is helping women ’ s rights Just as wide-spread outrage over George Floyd ’ s murder has been forcing long-sought changes in American laws and attitudes , so the “ honor killing ” of an Iranian girl is forcing change in Iran .
Farmer Reza Ashrafi may have considered the death of his 14-year-old daughter Romina in the name of family honor inevitable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is challenging Iranian traditions of patriarchy and improving women ’ s and children ’ s rights had to appear unlikely .
After all , hundreds of Iranian women die each year in so-called honor killings .
Yet revulsion over Romina ’ s gruesome murder by his hand in late May , amplified by the power of social media , has done just that : prompted a national debate in Iran that shows how significant evolutionary change can come to even the most traditional corners of a society .
Lawmakers quickly approved a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , now frequently referred to as “ Romina ’ s law , ” that had languished for 11 years .
President Hassan Rouhani urged that the bill be fast-tracked , along with another drafted eight years ago criminalizing sexual and physical abuse of women .
“ You can ’ t change it overnight , but like other nations that have done that , it is doable , ” says [ Nasrin Izadpanah , a lawyer in Tehran ] .
... “ Five years from now , maybe we can ’ t change anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s social consciousness will change , the culture will evolve , ” she says .
20 Wolf Cubs Born in Zoos Successfully Integrated into Wild Packs to Be Raised As Their Own and Diversify the Gene Pool Recovery efforts for one of North America ’ s most charismatic and persecuted species , the Mexican wolf , received a huge boost this spring as 20 wolf pups born in captivity were successfully integrated within wild packs across the southwest United States .
Captive breeding programs in zoos and wolf centers in Missouri , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , provided the 20 pups from seven different litters , which were in turn placed among seven wild packs in Arizona and New Mexico .
The innovative program is managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department with extensive support from the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service ( FWS ) .
Cross-fostering is a proven method of reintroduction that involves taking pups about 14-days old and placing them in wild wolf dens containing pups of similar age .
Studies have shown cross-fostered wolves has the same survival rate as wild-born pups throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest rate of survival of any wolf-reintroduction methods .
And in local news , there are baby ducks in the pond at Westmoreland Park , one of the places where I walk our dog .
There are four babies with a very protective mama .
The first baby ducks of the season are always a special delight !
A Chinese grandpa and his two adorable granddaughters : thefifthcolumnnews.com/ ... Let ’ s talk about Mississippi , Trump , and the coolest job in the world… .
“ Beau of the Fifth Column ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch this , okay ?
www.politico.com/ ... How a Group of Lifers Cracked the Code of Prison Reform .
National Lifers of America believes that inmates are the best people to advocate for other prisoners .
www.theguardian.com/… From no recycling to zero waste : how Ljubljana rethought its rubbish .
Fifteen years ago , all the Slovenian capital ’ s waste went to landfill , but by 2025 , at least 75 % of its rubbish will be recycled .
Here ’ s how it happened .
www.positive.news/… How communities in Scotland are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Community buyouts are part of an effort to make the ground more even in Scotland , where land ownership is concentrated in the hands of the few .
www.npr.org/… Immense Neolithic Ring Discovered Near Stonehenge .
” The mystery near and around Stonehenge keeps growing .
The latest revelation is the discovery of a ring of at least 20 prehistoric shafts about 2 miles from the famous Neolithic site of immense upright stones , according to an announcement from the University of Bradford.
” Thanks to each and every Gnusie for your smarts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendance at our daily Gathering of the Herd .

Welcome
Greetings to all you Gnusies, Gnewbies, occasional drop-ins, silent regulars, and first-timers! Come sit with us to find and share messages of hope and to celebrate all the ways good people are triumphing over the evil-doers in power. The task we have set ourselves is to search out hope no matter how difficult the situation might be. The past couple of weeks have been full of appalling news, but there seems to be more and more good news at the same time. In fact, I found so many stories to share that I have to warn you it’s going to take a while to get through them!
As always, this roundup is a pot-luck, so please share your own contribution in the comments, which we consider to be The Best Comment Section on the Internet™.
Introductory thoughts
The monsters are real, but we have the courage to fight them
One of the things we pride ourselves on here in Gnuville is that we are gnus, not ostriches. We look at the world head-on, with as much clarity as we can. I thought of that recently when I found a surprisingly wonderful description of courage in an unlikely source — the humorous “Shouts & Murmurs” feature in the New Yorker’s May 25 issue. (My husband and I rarely get through all the articles every week, so we keep most of the issues around for a while to dip into.) This piece by Simon Rich was titled “Everyday Parenting Tips” and riffed on the theme of monsters under the bed. I found the humor hit-and-miss, but after he introduces some real monsters, he finishes the piece in a way that really resonated with me.
[Note: A commenter yesterday — who I believe is new to GNR — appeared to suggest that a violent response to tRump & Co. might be called for. I was delighted when NNNE and Mokurai responded vigorously against the idea of using violence as a political tool. So since I want to be very clear that I’m not recommending violence, I’ve removed some of the imagery from this piece. You’re welcome to click the link to read the whole thing if you want, but the aspects of it that I want to highlight are below.]
Maybe, when your child asks if something’s wrong, tell her the truth: “Yes. Something is very wrong. Monsters are trying to kill us...” Are you saying I should just give up? You could give up. Or you could fight. What are you talking about? I’m talking about taking those monster bastards down. Whoa. Isn’t that impossible? Maybe. But isn’t it worth a shot? ... I can’t! You can. I’m scared! I know. But you’re stronger than you think. You can do this. How? Research the monsters. Learn their weaknesses. ... Strengthen your body and your mind. And then what? When the moment comes, look your child in the eye. Tell her that the stakes are high, but you’re not giving up. Tell her that you will do anything you can to protect her, and, even though it’s possible you’ll fail, you’re going to fight for her with everything you’ve got. … Watch the strength return to your child as she sees you’re in no way fucking around. Listen with pride as she vows to fight the monsters by your side. Look out the window and stare down the monsters together. Dare them to fuck with your family. Dare them to fuck with the people you love. Take your child by the hand. ... Tell her you love her. Open the door.
I don’t know if you feel the same way, but I found this monster metaphor very apt for the present moment, and I was quite moved by the ending. The monsters we face now are real: systemic racism and economic injustice, a deadly pandemic being criminally mismanaged, police brutality, traitors in the White House and Senate and DOJ, concerted attempts to suppress our votes and invalidate election results. It’s impossible to pretend the monsters aren’t there, and they’re definitely big and scary. But we’ve already started to do what we need to do to “take those monster bastards down.” We’re researching them, learning their weaknesses, gathering the resources we need, and strengthening ourselves. And we’re not giving up — we’re going to fight with everything we’ve got. We are in no way fucking around.
Still not sure about Biden? Jon Stewart has some wise observations
I believe we are at a crucial point for getting all Democratic voters on board for Biden — not in a half-hearted, “well, I guess we’re stuck with him” kind of way, but fully committed.
When I saw this conversation between Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, something fell into place for me. I’ve been feeling for some time that I’m actually more enthusiastic about Biden than I expected I would be, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. Jon Stewart did.
Colbert had Stewart on his at-home show on June 24th, and the conversation turned to Biden. Here’s the video clip. (The Biden discussion begins at 2:09 and continues for the remainder of the clip.)
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And if you don’t have time to watch it, here’s my transcription of the parts of the conversation I want to highlight:
Stewart: "Biden was not my guy. ... I was more of a Sanders, Warren [guy]..." ✂ "I feel [the "Uncle Joe" shtick] is not the core of who that guy really is. ... We are a country in terrible anguish right now. ... We are fearful, and we are angry, and we are in pain. And when I see Biden past the shtick, I see a guy who knows what loss is." Steven Colbert: "That's it." Stewart: "Knows grief." Colbert: "That's it." Stewart: "And I think that that kind of grief humbles you. ...[It] brings about a caring that can't be faked, and it can't be contrived. And what I think in this moment this country needs is a leader of humility, that understands that he doesn't understand... Maybe he is the man of the moment. ... I'm not just making the negative case for Biden, it's not just 'Well, we gotta get rid of that [bleep] guy' [referring to Trump]. I actually believe that something in his life experience can benefit this country at a moment when it desperately needs it."
This totally resonates with me. I do believe we need a leader now who can connect to our grief and anguish. We are hurting profoundly from recent tragedies and from a long-standing lethal status quo. The Progressive candidates who have won House and Senate seats since 2018 and the ones we’ll elect this year will tackle the status quo on our behalf. They are our agents of change. Of course we will need a President who supports and promotes those changes. But I believe that the right President for this moment is one whose chief virtue is leading and speaking from the heart. We need to know that our President hears us and feels what we’re feeling. Forget the “gaffes” — when we feel deeply, we often stumble over our words. The “caring that can’t be faked,” as Stewart put it, is what comes through and what is most important.
And our own Goodie has some wise (and also kick-ass) observations as well:
Our House is on fire, don’t trash the only door to freedom
Read the quotes below and then go read the whole thing, goddammit!
www.dailykos.com/…
Here is an analogy that is not that far off from the truth: We are all living a burning building. Our house is literally on fire. People are dying. People are suffering. The house itself is being destroyed. It is terrifying and awful. We've been stuck in this burning house for 3.5 years and in a few months we will have our ONLY chance at getting out of this house before it is destroyed. ✂ So I can't tell you how fucking furious it makes me that some of the people stuck in here with me - people who agree that the house is on fire - are spending their time and energy telling everyone about the imperfections of the door. Some of the imperfections might be real -- many of them aren't even real. But all of them are outweighed by the fact that IT IS THE ONLY DOOR OUT OF HERE and if we don't all work together, we won't get out.
If you’ve gotten the message and are in a position to help Joe Biden with a contribution, here’s another suggestion from Goodie:
We set up a fund to donate to Biden as a Good News Roundup group. Click here to donate to Biden. Your donations will come from you and 100% of them will go to the Biden campaign to defeat Trump, but will be funneled through our Good News Roundup group portal.
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Good political news
I’ll begin with a spot-on piece about what to expect from the media in the upcoming months. Forewarned is forearmed!
Here’s the big mistake the media is destined to make in 2020
From Raw Story:
Here’s an easy prediction: Over the next six-to-eight weeks, dozens of columns will be published that follow the same template. They’ll begin by reviewing the polls and discussing how “daunting” Trump’s prospects look at present... They will then note that Hillary Clinton also led Trump by a similar margin in the nationwide polling in 2016, but won’t say that it was only for a few days that March... These columns will all include some variation of, “with four months to go (or, a month from now, with three months to go), there’s still plenty of time to turn this around.” The pundit will then argue that despite the grim outlook, there is one thing that Trump could do to “reset” or “right the ship” of his campaign, and this will be something that he’s proven totally incapable of doing... As soon as it’s no longer possible to write that there’s still plenty of time left, the punditry will shift to relentless attempts to make the race seem more competitive than the polls would suggest. ✂ I will ridicule these columns and you should too.
The author, Joshua Holland, then goes on to cite the three factors that make it harder for pundits this election cycle:
Election analyses are based on past experience, and the current situation is unprecedented;
tRump’s popularity is unprecedented in remaining unchanged over time;
tRump’s possible paths to a second term are “ impossible to predict and fall outside of the bounds of mainstream political analysis.”
So let’s join Joshua in ridiculing cookie-cutter horse race punditry, and let’s vow to call it out whenever anyone quotes it. Even — or perhaps especially? — on DKos 😉
LOTS of withering shade is being thrown on tRump daily
I’m sure you’ve all seen the blistering ad from the Lincoln Project on the appalling Russian bounty story, but here’s an equally fiery ad from Don Winslow, posted on DKos by FishOuttaScotch. I really do think this scandal might be the last straw for all but the most thoroughly brainwashed MAGA mouth-breathers.
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VoteVets has a good one, too:
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And yes, this story has legs.
Data on Financial Transfers Bolstered Suspicions That Russia Offered Bounties
From the NY Times, June 30:
American officials intercepted electronic data showing large financial transfers from a bank account controlled by Russia’s military intelligence agency to a Taliban-linked account, which was among the evidence that supported their conclusion that Russia covertly offered bounties for killing U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan, according to three officials familiar with the intelligence. Though the United States has accused Russia of providing general support to the Taliban before, analysts concluded from other intelligence that the transfers were most likely part of a bounty program that detainees described during interrogations.
Meanwhile, we’re voting and we’re sending good people to Congress:
New York poised to send the first openly gay Black members of Congress to Washington
From The American Independent:
When the next Congress is sworn in come January 2021, Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones are poised to become the first openly gay Black members to serve in history. Both men are the [now confirmed] winners of New York primaries on Tuesday [June 23]. Both are...in reliably Democratic districts, ...[so] they're all but certain to win in November and take their place in Congress early next year. ✂ "Ritchie and Mondaire have shattered a long-standing political barrier with their primary wins, putting them on-track to becoming the first two openly LGBTQ Black members of Congress," Annise Parker, president & CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement. "Black LGBTQ people — like all LGBTQ people — are severely underrepresented at every level of government, but this gives hope that we are moving toward building a U.S. Congress that is more representative of the people it serves."
Democrats flip Kentucky state Senate seat in special election in Kentucky
I see this as a good sign that we might succeed in energizing enough Kentucky Dems to finally get rid of the Toxic Turtle.
From WLKY:
Democrats have flipped a Kentucky Senate seat. In a special election for Republican Ernie Harris’s seat, Democrat Karen Berg beat Republican Bill Ferko. Harris held the seat for 25 years before retiring in 2020. Harris narrowly defeated a Republican challenger in the 2018 primary before eventually going on to defeat Berg in the general election. Now, Berg is taking his place.
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Good news from Portland
The Black Resilience Fund breaks through its $1,000,000 goal!
I’ve shared in recent GNRs news of the Black Resilience Fund in Portland. Here’s the email they sent out on Monday with wonderful, amazing news:
To our supporters, Today, I woke up –and by some miracle– [Andra Day’s Rise Up] was the first song I heard.
And I cried nonstop for thirty minutes. 'Rise Up' was exactly what I needed to wake up to.
After I finished crying, I called my Mom and cried some more.
For 29 years, I've seen the brokenness and ache of this world. But over the last 28 days, I've also seen the best of us– showing up and taking care of our neighbors.
Because of your generosity, today will be #MillionDollarMonday. [The total as of yesterday evening is just over $1,023,000.]
28 days ago, I would've never imagined we'd be here. During such a difficult time when so many of us are hurting, thousands are rising up to send a send a message of hope and healing.
In 28 days, we've supported over 700 Black Portlanders with over $228,000 and other forms of mutual aid.
And we are just getting started.
The Portland Mercury published a piece on their background story:
The Portlanders Behind the Black Resilience Fund Are Young, Black, Queer—and Hopeful
When queer Black Portlander Cameron Whitten first saw that the police killing of George Floyd was making national front-page news in late May and early June, he didn’t expect meaningful, lasting change to come from it. ✂ It took him a few days, Whitten said, to realize that “this time has been different.” In those early days of the protests against police brutality, Whitten said he received a deluge of check-in calls and texts from friends—many of them white—asking how he was doing. It was clear people were looking for a way they could help, and that gave Whitten an idea. ✂ [He] began accepting donations through his personal Venmo and Cashapp accounts, telling friends and acquaintances that he’d pass the money along to other Black people he knew who could use the help. He raised $11,000 in the first day. Three weeks later, what started as an informal exchange has grown into the Black Resilience Fund... Whitten said the fund will soon be formalized and sponsored by local nonprofit Brown Hope, so people will be able to make tax-deductible donations. All donations go directly to fund recipients, rather than toward overhead costs or salaries. ✂ The Black Resilience Fund gives up to $500 to Black Portlanders in need. ... Funds have been used to pay for rent and utilities, for cell phone plans that allow people to apply for jobs, and for necessary prescription medications like insulin.
Cameron and his BRF partner Salomé Chimuku had a Zoom celebration on Monday, and I had a chance to Zoom-meet them and thank them. They are smart, funny, humble and passionately committed to helping their community. I’m still feeling joyful a day and a half later.
Oregon Health & Science University Will Stop Using Prison Labor to Do Its Laundry
From Willamette Week:
Oregon Health & Science University President Dr. Danny Jacobs announced Friday that the largest research institution in the state [located in Portland] has terminated its contract with Oregon Corrections Enterprises to pay prison laborers to clean the hospital's laundry for less than $1 an hour. Since 1995, OHSU has sent its laundry to Oregon State Penitentiary... Now, following a nationwide reckoning against racial injustice and demands for criminal justice reform, OHSU says the use of prison labor runs counter to its values. ✂ Terri Niles, an OHSU nurse who is also the vice president of the OHSU nurses' bargaining unit, says the change would not have happened without pressure from staff. Since the nurses began renegotiating their contracts in January, Niles says, they've been advocating for racial equity policies, including stopping the hospital's use of prison labor and to no longer have armed security guards staffing the hospital.
Two Portland women start 'Tuesdays for Trash' movement
From KGW:
Sharona Shnayder and Wanda McNealy were on a walk...in early May when they had an idea. Pick up trash and hang out together at the same time. "I think Wanda mentioned we should do this every week as a way to hang out and bond. Then I was like, why doesn't everyone do this every week," Shnayder said. After that moment, the pair started 'Tuesdays for Trash,' a global movement to bring people all over the world together to better improve the world we live in. Tuesdays for Trash believes, "that small acts of change, when multiplied, can transform the world." "I think the biggest eye opener is how quickly you fill up a bag of trash. I think we walk around every day not really paying attention to the trash that's around. Once you do you realize how large the problem is and how quickly you can make a difference," Shnayder said. The movement has picked up some steam around the world. "We've had people pick up trash in six continents so far so we'd love to make our way to Antarctica one day to do a Tuesdays for Trash out there," McNealy said.
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Good news from Oregon
Oregon minimum wage increases July 1
Not quite good enough, but moving in the right correct direction!
The Oregon State Legislature in 2016 approved a set of increases in the minimum wage until 2022, when the wage will be tied to inflation. For the Portland metro area, the minimum wage will top out at $14.75 an hour. This year’s increase for the Portland metro area (within urban growth boundary) is to $13.25 per hour from $12.50. For standard counties (and outside urban growth boundary) it’s up to $12.00 from $11.25 and for non-urban counties it’s up to $11.50 from $11.
Two of Oregon’s Largest Universities Agree to Cease Calling Their Rivalry the Civil War
People are suggesting “The Platypus Cup” or “Platypus Bowl” instead, because a platypus is sort of a cross between a duck and a beaver. Apparently Twitter approves!
From Willamette Week:
Effective immediately, the University of Oregon and Oregon State University will no longer refer to rivalry games between their athletic teams as the "Civil War." "We must all recognize the power of words and the symbolism associated with the Civil War," UO director of athletics Rob Mullens said in a statement. "This mutual decision is in the best interests of both schools, and I would like to thank [OSU athletic director] Scott Barnes for his diligence as we worked through this process. We look forward to our continued and fierce in-state rivalry with Oregon State in all sports." The state's two big rival universities have traditionally referred to contests between their football, basketball and baseball teams, among others, as Civil War games. The decision to drop the reference comes in the same week that UO trustees voted unanimously to change the name of the university's oldest building, Deady Hall. That building was named after Oregon's first federal judge, Matthew Deady, who espoused pro-slavery views in the years leading up to Oregon's attaining statehood.
Portland’s Darcelle XV drag nightclub nominated for National Register of Historic Places
Walter Cole is not only the world’s oldest drag queen (certified by Guinness) , he is also a long-time supporter of the marginalized members of our community and an all-around beautiful human being. It’s delightful to see him being recognized in this way.
From The Oregonian:
A state committee nominated Darcelle XV, the drag club Walter Cole has run in Old Town for 53 years, for the National Register of Historic Places Friday. It is the first business nominated in Oregon specifically for its place in LGBTQ history, said Robert Olguin, the National Register Program Coordinator for the Heritage Division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. ✂ Cole purchased the Demas Tavern in 1967. It was a Skid Row dive and to tamp down the aggression that occasionally broke out, Cole put on a cabaret show. Not long after, he put on a flamenco dress and high black wig and the show gained popularity. The neighborhood has changed around Cole’s club, which he renamed Darcelle XV, after his drag queen alter-ego, but Cole, now 89, still performed four nights a week before the state went into lockdown.
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Musical break
I was inspired by the diary freewayblogger posted on June 23, which was Kris Kristofferson’s birthday, to include this song. The words remain as fresh today as they were in 1972.
Fun fact: My husband was two years ahead of Kris at Pomona and was the bass player on his first recording, which was never released.
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Good news from around the country
Good News, Voters! Atlanta’s State Farm Arena To Become Massive Polling Site
From Tank’s Good News:
The return of sporting events is up in the air, but that doesn’t mean people can’t use sporting arenas for other activities. And the most important activity right now? Voting. The Fulton County Registration and Elections Board recently approved a plan put forth by the Atlanta Haws to transform State Farm Arena into a massive polling station for Georgia’s primary election on Aug. 11 and early voting for general election on No. 3. The idea to transform the stadium came the weekend after the killing of George Floyd. Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce, CEO Steve Koonin, and majority owner Anthony Ressler came up with the plan. ✂ “When we saw what we saw on June 9, it was extremely clear that we have a real issue in the state of Georgia and especially here in Atlanta,” Pierce said. “And we felt we had an opportunity to do something special. It was encouraging that we were able to think outside of the box and speak this idea into existence.” The State Farm Arena has an interior of 680,000 square feet, including a practice floor and dozens of suites that could be used for voting purposes. Voting machines will be set at least six feet apart and voters will follow social distancing practices. Many ancillary functions of election day such as tabulating absentee ballots, can be performed on site. ✂ The Hawks have volunteered to pick up the expenses for the voting facility, including compensation for 300 full-time State Farm Arena employees and several hundred who work part-time.
‘The Dad Gang’ is Celebrating Black Fatherhood and Breaking Stereotypes – From NY to DC
Be honest — how many times have you unquestioningly accepted MSM stories about “absent black fathers”? These guys are changing the narrative, and it turns out they have CDC research on their side.
From the Good News Network:
Four years ago, a woman approached a black father who was shopping at the grocery store with his kids. She commended him for “sticking around,” and doing right by his children. Now, he and his “Dad Gang” are marching in Washington D.C. in an effort to challenge such racial stereotypes. Sean Williams says that moment in the grocery store—in a mostly-white Long Island neighborhood—was not unique, and many of his friends have experienced similar situations. The encounter led him to launch an organization of solidarity for Black dads with a mission to change the way people view Black fatherhood. According to the CDC, African-American fathers who live with their children are more active than other groups in terms of changing diapers and bathing and dressing their kids. Sean wants these positive qualities of black fatherhood to become more well-known and more celebrated in the culture.
“This House Is Bigger Than Me”—Broadway Actor Robert Hartwell Buys House Built By Slaves
From Tank’s Good News:
[Broadway actor Robert] Hartwell, who is Black, recently purchased a home built by slaves. His emotional social media post about the house, the legacy of slavery, and his Black identity went viral... “3 weeks ago I found this house online. I said “this is my house”. I called the seller and was told it was a cash only offer and that “I’m sure that takes you off the table”. Don’t you ever underestimate a hard working black man. I saw the house last week and when I walked in I knew I was home. The house was built in 1820 for the Russell family who owned the cotton mill in town. Slavery was still legal. When the agent asked me why I wanted such a large house I said it was “a generational move”. I know this house is bigger than me. I wish I could’ve told my ancestors when they were breaking their backs in 1820 to build this house that 200 years later a free gay black man was going to own it and fill it with love...”
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Good news from around the world
$3 Million and an Official Apology: Brazil’s Ashaninka Get Unprecedented Compensation for Deforestation on Their Land
This is just a summary. There are a lot of fascinating details in the full story.
From EcoWatch:
An unprecedented court settlement guaranteed reparations to the Ashaninka people of the state of Acre, in the Brazilian Amazon, whose lands were deforested in the 1980s to supply the European furniture industry. The logging company penalized was owned by the family of the current governor of Acre, Gladson Cameli. The conflict was resolved through mediation from the Prosecutor General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, after the case had circulated in the courts with no resolution for 20 years. The indigenous people only agreed with the negotiation because it included an official apology and a recognition of their "enormous importance as guardians" of the Amazon.
Tiny Forests Are Springing Up All Around Europe, Inspired By Japan, to Help Restore Biodiversity
This is a fascinating article, well worth reading in full.
From the Good News Network:
Using the methods of Japan’s most famous botanist, European countries are beginning to dot their urban landscapes with tiny forests, as productive and biodiverse as any in wilderness areas, yet sometimes only as big as a tennis court. The idea is that volunteers can plant densely-packed clusters of seedlings from indigenous plants to create a small functional ecosystem that can restore soil, protect resources like water and air quality, and act as a biodiversity hotspot that can have a measurable effect on both the local and regional environment. Akira Miyawaki was the botanist who in 1970 observed that trees around Japan’s Shinto and Buddhist shrines tended to be native species, well-adapted to the soil and climate of the islands of Japan.
Outrage over killing of Iranian girl is helping women’s rights
Just as wide-spread outrage over George Floyd’s murder has been forcing long-sought changes in American laws and attitudes, so the “honor killing” of an Iranian girl is forcing change in Iran.
From the Christian Science Monitor:
Farmer Reza Ashrafi may have considered the death of his 14-year-old daughter Romina in the name of family honor inevitable. But its ability to spark an uproar that is challenging Iranian traditions of patriarchy and improving women’s and children’s rights had to appear unlikely. After all, hundreds of Iranian women die each year in so-called honor killings. Yet revulsion over Romina’s gruesome murder by his hand in late May, amplified by the power of social media, has done just that: prompted a national debate in Iran that shows how significant evolutionary change can come to even the most traditional corners of a society. ✂ Lawmakers quickly approved a measure to criminalize child abuse and neglect, now frequently referred to as “Romina’s law,” that had languished for 11 years. President Hassan Rouhani urged that the bill be fast-tracked, along with another drafted eight years ago criminalizing sexual and physical abuse of women. ✂ “You can’t change it overnight, but like other nations that have done that, it is doable,” says [Nasrin Izadpanah, a lawyer in Tehran]. ... “Five years from now, maybe we can’t change anything about the law, but people’s social consciousness will change, the culture will evolve,” she says.
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Good news about animals
20 Wolf Cubs Born in Zoos Successfully Integrated into Wild Packs to Be Raised As Their Own and Diversify the Gene Pool
From the Good News Network:
Recovery efforts for one of North America’s most charismatic and persecuted species, the Mexican wolf, received a huge boost this spring as 20 wolf pups born in captivity were successfully integrated within wild packs across the southwest United States. Captive breeding programs in zoos and wolf centers in Missouri, New Mexico, Kansas, California, Arizona, provided the 20 pups from seven different litters, which were in turn placed among seven wild packs in Arizona and New Mexico. The innovative program is managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department with extensive support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Cross-fostering is a proven method of reintroduction that involves taking pups about 14-days old and placing them in wild wolf dens containing pups of similar age. Studies have shown cross-fostered wolves has the same survival rate as wild-born pups throughout their first year of life, the highest rate of survival of any wolf-reintroduction methods.
And in very local news, there are baby ducks in the pond at Westmoreland Park, one of the places where I walk our dog. There are four babies with a very protective mama. The first baby ducks of the season are always a special delight!
* * * * *
58 seconds of pure joy
A Chinese grandpa and his two adorable granddaughters:
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Hot lynx
thefifthcolumnnews.com/...Let’s talk about Mississippi, Trump, and the coolest job in the world…. “Beau of the Fifth Column” is a national treasure — just go watch this, okay?
www.politico.com/...How a Group of Lifers Cracked the Code of Prison Reform. National Lifers of America believes that inmates are the best people to advocate for other prisoners.
www.theguardian.com/… From no recycling to zero waste: how Ljubljana rethought its rubbish. Fifteen years ago, all the Slovenian capital’s waste went to landfill, but by 2025, at least 75% of its rubbish will be recycled. Here’s how it happened.
www.positive.news/… How communities in Scotland are breaking up the old land monopolies. Community buyouts are part of an effort to make the ground more even in Scotland, where land ownership is concentrated in the hands of the few.
www.npr.org/… Immense Neolithic Ring Discovered Near Stonehenge. ”The mystery near and around Stonehenge keeps growing. The latest revelation is the discovery of a ring of at least 20 prehistoric shafts about 2 miles from the famous Neolithic site of immense upright stones, according to an announcement from the University of Bradford.”
* * * * *
Closing music
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❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Thanks to each and every Gnusie for your smarts, your hearts, and
your faithful attendance at our daily Gathering of the Herd.
❤💙 RESIST, PERSIST, REBUILD, REJOICE!💙❤


dailykos--2020-07-04--The Mutiny Of "The Bounty"

The Mutiny Of "The Bounty"

When the history of the 2020 election is written , it is the story broken by the New York Times , chronicling the scheme hatched by Vlad the Imp to pay a bounty for the lives of US soldiers in Afghanistan that may well have been the final nail in the Trump reelection coffin .
For generations now , veterans and active duty military personnel have been two of the richest veins for the GOP to mine .
And they worked hard at it .
For generations the GOP has portrayed itself as the patriotic party , ready to shovel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and with an almost religious reverence for the veterans who served this country .
And now it ’ s all coming down around their greedy , lying little ears .
Donald Trump basically picked up a bullhorn , and bellowed , What a bunch of bullshit !
From day one , Trump has done nothing but disrespect both the military as well as veterans .
He removed a progressive VA Chief who was trying to drag the agency , kicking and screaming , into the 21st century .
He disrespected the days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LaDavid Johnson , sloughing off her pain with a cavalier He knew what he signed up for .
Trump has repeatedly moved to politicize the armed forces , calling them his army , like some tinpot despot .
And even worse , he took tens of millions of dollars of funds earmarked for improvement of bases , especially schools and daycare centers , to build his stupid vanity wall .
And he let the Veterans Administration fall even farther into disrepair with a political hack appointee .
But it is the crisis currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Russia paying a bounty for dead American soldiers that is going to have a catastrophic effect on the election .
Because it is current , it is visceral , and it is intolerable .
The Trump administration has fallen back on it ’ s traditional strategy of bifurcated bullshit .
Call the whole thing a media and Democratic hoax , and then deny that the case against Russia hasn ’ t been proven .
There is no way that Trump will risk waking up some morning and seeing that Wikileaks has decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the Trump organization has been nothing more than a massive ruble laundromat for decades , obfuscate he must .
But that obfuscation is about to tear Trump ’ s electoral map to shreds .
Trump is already down double digits nationally , trailing in every battleground state , and states once thought safe are in play .
Now , with that in mind , think about the number of major military installations in the United States , and the number of not only veterans , but families of active service members spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s actions have just placed the entire eastern seaboard of the United States in play .
There are major military installations in Virginia , North Carolina , South Carolina , and Florida .
And sailors , soldiers , and airmen know bullshit when they hear it .
Trump already alienated the Navy by removing the commander of a nuclear powered aircraft carrier for pleading for assistance for his sailors stricken with the coronavirus .
Trump has taken the military for granted from day one .
Now , let ’ s just take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Texas , and Arizona , states where Trump is struggling .
The men and women who make the conscious choice to wear the cloth of this nation are indeed the best there are among us .
They made a personal choice to put their own preferences aside to serve a higher common good .
They serve for us so that we don ’ t have to serve ourselves .
And they all have families that are rightfully as proud as hell of them .
But if they have a brain in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shitless for them .
And now they are learning , with increasing clarity every day , that the Commander in Chief , the man ultimately charged with the preservation of the well being of their sons and daughters , is , and for months has been , aware of a Russian plot to pay up to $ 100,000 , to send their sons and daughters home in an aluminum box filled with ice .
And the Commander in Chief is just fine with their sons and daughters being buried , just as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t wait to see the military vote totals once this election is in the can .
To know the future , look to the past.before the insanity of the 2020 election , relive the insanity of the 2016 GOP primary campaign , and the general election , to see how we got to where we are .
Copies of President Evil , and the sequel , President Evil II , A Clodwork Orange are available as e-books on Amazon , at the links above .
Catch up before the upcoming release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , President Evil III : All The Presidents Fen Follow me on Twitter at @ RealMurfster35

When the history of the 2020 election is written, it is the story broken by the New York Times, chronicling the scheme hatched by Vlad the Imp to pay a bounty for the lives of US soldiers in Afghanistan that may well have been the final nail in the Trump reelection coffin.
For generations now, veterans and active duty military personnel have been two of the richest veins for the GOP to mine. And they worked hard at it. For generations the GOP has portrayed itself as the patriotic party, ready to shovel boxcar loads of cash at the military, and with an almost religious reverence for the veterans who served this country. And now it’s all coming down around their greedy, lying little ears.
Donald Trump basically picked up a bullhorn, and bellowed, What a bunch of bullshit! From day one, Trump has done nothing but disrespect both the military as well as veterans. He removed a progressive VA Chief who was trying to drag the agency, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. He disrespected the days of gold star widow of Sgt. LaDavid Johnson, sloughing off her pain with a cavalier He knew what he signed up for. Trump has repeatedly moved to politicize the armed forces, calling them his army, like some tinpot despot. And even worse, he took tens of millions of dollars of funds earmarked for improvement of bases, especially schools and daycare centers, to build his stupid vanity wall. And he let the Veterans Administration fall even farther into disrepair with a political hack appointee.
But it is the crisis currently embroiling the Trump administration over this scandal about Russia paying a bounty for dead American soldiers that is going to have a catastrophic effect on the election. Because it is current, it is visceral, and it is intolerable. The Trump administration has fallen back on it’s traditional strategy of bifurcated bullshit. Call the whole thing a media and Democratic hoax, and then deny that the case against Russia hasn’t been proven. There is no way that Trump will risk waking up some morning and seeing that Wikileaks has decided to drop a cache of documents showing how the Trump organization has been nothing more than a massive ruble laundromat for decades, obfuscate he must.
But that obfuscation is about to tear Trump’s electoral map to shreds. Trump is already down double digits nationally, trailing in every battleground state, and states once thought safe are in play. Now, with that in mind, think about the number of major military installations in the United States, and the number of not only veterans, but families of active service members spread throughout the United States.
Trump’s actions have just placed the entire eastern seaboard of the United States in play. There are major military installations in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. And sailors, soldiers, and airmen know bullshit when they hear it. Trump already alienated the Navy by removing the commander of a nuclear powered aircraft carrier for pleading for assistance for his sailors stricken with the coronavirus. Trump has taken the military for granted from day one. Now, let’s just take a look at all of the military bases in Texas, and Arizona, states where Trump is struggling.
The men and women who make the conscious choice to wear the cloth of this nation are indeed the best there are among us. They made a personal choice to put their own preferences aside to serve a higher common good. They serve for us so that we don’t have to serve ourselves. And they all have families that are rightfully as proud as hell of them. But if they have a brain in their heads, they’re also scared shitless for them.
And now they are learning, with increasing clarity every day, that the Commander in Chief, the man ultimately charged with the preservation of the well being of their sons and daughters, is, and for months has been, aware of a Russian plot to pay up to $100,000, to send their sons and daughters home in an aluminum box filled with ice. And the Commander in Chief is just fine with their sons and daughters being buried, just as long as his secrets remain buried. I can’t wait to see the military vote totals once this election is in the can.
To know the future, look to the past.before the insanity of the 2020 election, relive the insanity of the 2016 GOP primary campaign, and the general election, to see how we got to where we are. Copies of President Evil, and the sequel, President Evil II, A Clodwork Orange are available as e-books on Amazon, at the links above. Catch up before the upcoming release of the third book in the trilogy, President Evil III: All The Presidents Fen
Follow me on Twitter at @RealMurfster35
Originally posted on Politizoom.com


dailykos--2020-07-04--Sleaze, slime and slander: Southwest Florida’s summer in the swamp

If you ’ ve been preoccupied with the resurgence of coronavirus in Florida , the breakdown of the state unemployment system , protests and reactions and the general collapse of civilization , you could be forgiven for overlooking the schemes and scandals of Southwest Florida ’ s local politics , of which there has been a bumper crop .
So here , for those who might have missed them and would like to catch up , is a roundup of some of the seamier stories that have burst on the airwaves and Internets this summer .
This one belongs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has been peeling back layers of denial and obfuscation toward something that may be much bigger and badder than first reported .
On June 22 , Elias reported that Matthew Hurley , a campaign staffer with Dr. William Figlesthaler , a Republican congressional candidate in the 19th Congressional District , had been arrested for contempt of court charges in a business contract dispute unrelated to the campaign .
Figlesthaler denied that Hurley had been with the campaign .
( “ Local Congressional candidate denies affiliation with arrested man , despite contrary evidence.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a political consulting firm—owned by his girlfriend , Rachel Schaff—called Southeastern Strategies that was hired by Figlesthaler ( as confirmed by Federal Election Commission ( FEC ) financial reports ) .
Figlesthaler didn ’ t just deny that Hurley was with his campaign , he went all-Trump on Elias and the story .
In a statement , he claimed to be “ the overwhelming front runners ( sic ) in the race ” ( absolutely not true ) , accused NBC2 of being “ fake news media [ that ] utilized lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promote their anti-Conservative , anti-Trump , anti-America message , ” ( that honor belongs only to The Paradise Progressive ) and accused Elias of being “ a long-time liberal activist , open borders proponent , and self-proclaimed Never Trumper ” who attacks “ real America First Conservatives ” ( totally untrue ) .
But the real essence of Figlesthaler ’ s attack and the person against whom he leveled real accusations was one of Elias ’ on-air sources , a woman named JoAnn Debartolo .
“ Elias ’ only so-called ‘ source ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political extortionist JoAnn Debartolo , ” Figlesthaler stated .
“ JoAnn has for years preyed on independently wealthy individuals to pay her personal bills and mortgage .
In March of 2020 , during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic , JoAnn attempted to extort my campaign for more than $ 50,000 in cash .
When I refused to pay her , she quickly aligned with one of my deep-pocketed opponents in an attempt to spread lies about our campaign.
” Debartolo is a long-time Collier County Republican activist who was approached to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down—and provided Elias with the proposed contract to prove it .
Elias followed up his first story the next day , June 23 , with one that provided even more evidence of Hurley ’ s relationship to the campaign : “ Congressional candidate claims coverage of campaign member is ‘ fake news ’ despite piles of evidence.
” The story featured statements by competing Republican candidates Darren Aquino , Christy McLaughlin , Casey Askar and state Rep. Dane Eagle ( R-77-Cape Coral ) attesting that they were all approached by Hurley on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s capacity as a campaign worker or in an effort to get them to drop out ( Aquino ) .
Elias ’ report also revealed that : “ Lawsuits show Hurley owes thousands of dollars in civil lawsuits and has not paid them .
A judge has ordered them paid and an arrest document lists Figlesthaler ’ s campaign as a possible employer to garnish wages.
” As of this writing , there have been no further reports by Elias on the Figlesthaler-Hurley relationship .
However , Elias had solid evidence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date seems to hint at something deeper .
At the very least , Figlesthaler ’ s Trump-like reactions of blame , denial and accusation to the stories indicate the kind of congressman he would be if elected to represent Southwest Florida in the House of Representatives—and he ’ s running on a “ drain the swamp ” platform , no less .
Much more is likely to come on this story .
Stay tuned !
In the 19th Congressional District race , businessman Casey Askar rocketed to the front of the Republican pack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million personal loan to his campaign .
But now it appears that $ 3 million may not have come out of his own pocket .
In a June 9 article , “ Complaint alleges Casey Askar bankrolled with improper loan , ” in Florida Politics , reporter Jacob Ogles detailed a FEC complaint alleging that Askar ’ s $ 3 million was actually a sweetheart , interest-free loan from Northern Bank and Trust .
The complaint was filed by Stan Carter , a conservative activist in St. James City ( on the southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19th Congressional District ) .
Carter told the FEC that the loan “ reeks of fraud to the highest degree.
” While ostensibly a business loan made to several individuals , Carter suggested that it was really a personal loan by the bank ’ s president to Askar .
Kristin Davison , a consultant with the Askar campaign , told Ogles that the loan came from a line of credit Askar had through Northern Trust for years .
Money was drawn from the account before Askar filed for Congress and he then loaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank didn ’ t loan money to the campaign , ” she said .
“ Casey has a line of credit .
Those are his personal funds.
” The fact that the original business loan was made to several individuals meant that the money was not Askar ’ s alone to lend to his campaign , thus violating campaign finance rules , according to Carter .
“ Of course , banks are conscious of the stringent regulations surrounding campaign finance , and they would be all the more conscious of those regulations when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,000,000 , ” Carter wrote .
“ However , Northern Bank & Trust Company blatantly ignored these regulations .
Why ?
Because Kousay ‘ Casey ’ Askar conspired with the President & CEO of Northern Bank & Trust Company , James Mawn , to receive the fraudulent loan.
” As Ogles put it in his article : “ The FEC complaint itself focuses on Askar ’ s loan , suggesting a bank with no personal ties to Askar would never grant such a low-risk deal to a first-time political candidate and saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign account was unlawful.
” Northern Bank & Trust did not return Ogles ’ calls before the article ’ s publication .
In response to a question from The Paradise Progressive , a FEC official confirmed that the complaint had been received at the federal agency but FEC rules prohibited her from providing further details of the proceeding .
Carter ’ s complaint did highlight something that is now being used against Askar by his Republican opponents : his Iraqi immigrant origins and the fact that his birth name was Qusay ( قصي @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spell it ) .
Askar seems to be hitting back with a new video ad that again focuses on his faith and immigrant roots—and allegiance to Trump—called “ Time to fight back.
” It takes aim at the usual liberal targets—but also , it seems , his Republican tormentors .
No sooner had state Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen ( R-78-Fort Myers ) abandoned her quest for the 19th Congressional District House seat and staked a claim on the state Senate seat representing the 27th District ( basically , Lee County ) than her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her bid outraged fellow Republicans in the Florida Senate , who didn ’ t want her in a primary race against a fellow Republican , didn ’ t like her political moderation and thought she was too cozy with a powerful Democratic lawmaker .
The result was a 30-second TV ad whose female narrator intones : “ Planned Parenthood ’ s favorite politician ?
Nancy Pelosi ?
Nope , Heather Fitzenhagen.
” As this is said , Pelosi ’ s face morphs into Fitzenhagen ’ s .
The ad attacks Fitzenhagen for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and being liberal but most particularly her stance on choice .
Produced by Isaac Communications of Jacksonville , the ad is sponsored by the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee , which urges viewers to vote for Fitzenhagen ’ s primary opponent : State Rep. Ray Rodriguez ( R-76-Sanibel , Pine Island , Fort Myers Beach , Bonita Springs ) .
It ’ s also supported by state Sens .
Debbie Mayfield ( R-17 ) and Gayle Harrell , ( R-83 ) , all of whom approved it , as it says in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whenever the ad runs on local television stations it ’ s paired with a 30-second pro-Rodriguez ad that touts his conservative credentials .
Despite the vitriol , an internal poll by the Fitzenhagen campaign showed her leading Rodriguez by 10 points , according to a June 22 Florida Politics article by Ogles : “ Internal poll shows Heather Fitzenhagen with a double-digit lead on Ray Rodrigues.
” Of course there is a Democratic alternative to the 27th Senate District Republicans : Democrat Rachel Brown , a Naples native .
And running for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weber .
Both first-time candidates are campaigning as progressives trying to bring change to Southwest Florida .
Ogles reported on June 16 that state Sen. Gary Farmer ( D-34 ) representing eastern Broward County , urged Brown not to run so that Democrats could vote in an open Republican primary and elect the more moderate Fitzenhagen .
However , Brown refused .
“ How can I tell people I ’ ve marched with that I changed my mind , I ’ m not going to run , and they should go vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just going to take their taxes and use it for corporate handouts ?
” Brown told Ogles .
“ And how can I take a backroom deal that represents the behavior I ’ m fighting to end ?
” In case you didn ’ t enjoy the first round of McCarthyism when Sen. Joe McCarthy ( R-Wis. ) was active in the 1950s , or if you missed it entirely ( like this author ) you have a second chance to see it right here in Southwest Florida .
That ’ s because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New York and now a Republican congressional candidate , is raising the old “ Communist ” canard—and like McCarthy , is doing so without any basis in fact , evidence or truth .
Aquino ’ s far fringe campaign consists almost entirely of tweets leveling insults and spitting hate against everyone around him .
He calls Casey Askar a “ snake ” because he ’ s an immigrant and not a “ natural-born citizen ” and Aquino wants to make immigrants ineligible to serve in Congress .
He also thinks America is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s time to pick a side .
He despises refugees , Democrats , and other fellow Republicans ( he calls Dane Eagle a Republican in Name Only and Sen.Marco Rubio a Never-Trumper , etc . )
He even wants Bubba Wallace thrown out of NASCAR .
And , of course , WINK News is fake news in his eyes .
But Aquino ’ s “ communist ” attack was leveled against Democratic congressional candidate Cindy Banyai , whom he first called a “ socialist ” but then decided to change into “ communist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Robert E. Lee statue in downtown Fort Myers .
Aquino ’ s hysteria would be laughable on the face of it but on June 23 he went on to call for Florida Gulf Coast University to fire Banyai as an adjunct professor because of her views .
The attack is reminiscent of Joe McCarthy ’ s baseless personal smears and the professional price people paid when targeted by him and his assistant Roy Cohn .
Aquino is the only SWFL candidate in any race who is attacking another candidate ’ s livelihood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no indication that anyone—including FGCU—is taking Aquino seriously .
Aquino ’ s bitter McCarthyist revival seems destined to end up in the dustbin of history .
As Karl Marx once pointed out , history sometimes happens twice : “ the first time as tragedy , the second time as farce .
”

The Paradise Progressive Commentary, Roundup July 2, 2020 8 Minutes
July 2, 2020 by David Silverberg
If you’ve been preoccupied with the resurgence of coronavirus in Florida, the breakdown of the state unemployment system, protests and reactions and the general collapse of civilization, you could be forgiven for overlooking the schemes and scandals of Southwest Florida’s local politics, of which there has been a bumper crop.
So here, for those who might have missed them and would like to catch up, is a roundup of some of the seamier stories that have burst on the airwaves and Internets this summer.
Figlesthaler’s news—fake and otherwise
This one belongs to political reporter Dave Elias of NBC2, who has been peeling back layers of denial and obfuscation toward something that may be much bigger and badder than first reported.
On June 22, Elias reported that Matthew Hurley, a campaign staffer with Dr. William Figlesthaler, a Republican congressional candidate in the 19th Congressional District, had been arrested for contempt of court charges in a business contract dispute unrelated to the campaign.
Figlesthaler denied that Hurley had been with the campaign. (“Local Congressional candidate denies affiliation with arrested man, despite contrary evidence.”) Hurley is also a partner in a political consulting firm—owned by his girlfriend, Rachel Schaff—called Southeastern Strategies that was hired by Figlesthaler (as confirmed by Federal Election Commission (FEC) financial reports).
Figlesthaler didn’t just deny that Hurley was with his campaign, he went all-Trump on Elias and the story. In a statement, he claimed to be “the overwhelming front runners (sic) in the race” (absolutely not true), accused NBC2 of being “fake news media [that] utilized lies and distortions to attack our campaign and promote their anti-Conservative, anti-Trump, anti-America message,” (that honor belongs only to The Paradise Progressive) and accused Elias of being “a long-time liberal activist, open borders proponent, and self-proclaimed Never Trumper” who attacks “real America First Conservatives” (totally untrue).
But the real essence of Figlesthaler’s attack and the person against whom he leveled real accusations was one of Elias’ on-air sources, a woman named JoAnn Debartolo.
“Elias’ only so-called ‘source’ in his hit piece was well known political extortionist JoAnn Debartolo,” Figlesthaler stated. “JoAnn has for years preyed on independently wealthy individuals to pay her personal bills and mortgage. In March of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, JoAnn attempted to extort my campaign for more than $50,000 in cash. When I refused to pay her, she quickly aligned with one of my deep-pocketed opponents in an attempt to spread lies about our campaign.”
Debartolo is a long-time Collier County Republican activist who was approached to join Figlesthaler’s campaign and turned him down—and provided Elias with the proposed contract to prove it.
(Debartolo is on this year’s Republican Party primary ballot for the position of state committeewoman. On June 20, Roger Stone—yes, that Roger Stone—endorsed Debartalo as a “conservative Trump supporter” over her opponent in a 41-second YouTube video.)
Elias followed up his first story the next day, June 23, with one that provided even more evidence of Hurley’s relationship to the campaign: “Congressional candidate claims coverage of campaign member is ‘fake news’ despite piles of evidence.”
The story featured statements by competing Republican candidates Darren Aquino, Christy McLaughlin, Casey Askar and state Rep. Dane Eagle (R-77-Cape Coral) attesting that they were all approached by Hurley on behalf of Figlesthaler’s campaign—either in Hurley’s capacity as a campaign worker or in an effort to get them to drop out (Aquino).
Elias’ report also revealed that: “Lawsuits show Hurley owes thousands of dollars in civil lawsuits and has not paid them. A judge has ordered them paid and an arrest document lists Figlesthaler’s campaign as a possible employer to garnish wages.”
As of this writing, there have been no further reports by Elias on the Figlesthaler-Hurley relationship. However, Elias had solid evidence for all his reporting and his work to date seems to hint at something deeper.
At the very least, Figlesthaler’s Trump-like reactions of blame, denial and accusation to the stories indicate the kind of congressman he would be if elected to represent Southwest Florida in the House of Representatives—and he’s running on a “drain the swamp” platform, no less.
Much more is likely to come on this story. Stay tuned!
The origins of Askar’s millions
In the 19th Congressional District race, businessman Casey Askar rocketed to the front of the Republican pack on the strength of a $3 million personal loan to his campaign.
But now it appears that $3 million may not have come out of his own pocket.
In a June 9 article, “Complaint alleges Casey Askar bankrolled with improper loan,” in Florida Politics, reporter Jacob Ogles detailed a FEC complaint alleging that Askar’s $3 million was actually a sweetheart, interest-free loan from Northern Bank and Trust.
The complaint was filed by Stan Carter, a conservative activist in St. James City (on the southern tip of Pine Island, in the 19th Congressional District). Carter told the FEC that the loan “reeks of fraud to the highest degree.”
While ostensibly a business loan made to several individuals, Carter suggested that it was really a personal loan by the bank’s president to Askar.
Kristin Davison, a consultant with the Askar campaign, told Ogles that the loan came from a line of credit Askar had through Northern Trust for years. Money was drawn from the account before Askar filed for Congress and he then loaned it to the campaign.
“The bank didn’t loan money to the campaign,” she said. “Casey has a line of credit. Those are his personal funds.”
The fact that the original business loan was made to several individuals meant that the money was not Askar’s alone to lend to his campaign, thus violating campaign finance rules, according to Carter.
“Of course, banks are conscious of the stringent regulations surrounding campaign finance, and they would be all the more conscious of those regulations when lending a figure as large as $3,000,000,” Carter wrote. “However, Northern Bank & Trust Company blatantly ignored these regulations. Why? Because Kousay ‘Casey’ Askar conspired with the President & CEO of Northern Bank & Trust Company, James Mawn, to receive the fraudulent loan.”
As Ogles put it in his article: “The FEC complaint itself focuses on Askar’s loan, suggesting a bank with no personal ties to Askar would never grant such a low-risk deal to a first-time political candidate and saying the way the money was directed into the campaign account was unlawful.”
Northern Bank & Trust did not return Ogles’ calls before the article’s publication.
In response to a question from The Paradise Progressive, a FEC official confirmed that the complaint had been received at the federal agency but FEC rules prohibited her from providing further details of the proceeding.
Carter’s complaint did highlight something that is now being used against Askar by his Republican opponents: his Iraqi immigrant origins and the fact that his birth name was Qusay (قصي or Kousay, as his critics prefer to spell it). Askar seems to be hitting back with a new video ad that again focuses on his faith and immigrant roots—and allegiance to Trump—called “Time to fight back.” It takes aim at the usual liberal targets—but also, it seems, his Republican tormentors.
Heather’s horror
No sooner had state Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen (R-78-Fort Myers) abandoned her quest for the 19th Congressional District House seat and staked a claim on the state Senate seat representing the 27th District (basically, Lee County) than her opponents opened up with all guns blazing.
Her bid outraged fellow Republicans in the Florida Senate, who didn’t want her in a primary race against a fellow Republican, didn’t like her political moderation and thought she was too cozy with a powerful Democratic lawmaker.
The result was a 30-second TV ad whose female narrator intones: “Planned Parenthood’s favorite politician? Nancy Pelosi? Nope, Heather Fitzenhagen.” As this is said, Pelosi’s face morphs into Fitzenhagen’s. The ad attacks Fitzenhagen for a variety of conservative heresies like opposing Trump and being liberal but most particularly her stance on choice.
Produced by Isaac Communications of Jacksonville, the ad is sponsored by the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, which urges viewers to vote for Fitzenhagen’s primary opponent: State Rep. Ray Rodriguez (R-76-Sanibel, Pine Island, Fort Myers Beach, Bonita Springs). It’s also supported by state Sens. Debbie Mayfield (R-17) and Gayle Harrell, (R-83), all of whom approved it, as it says in the fine print at the end.
Whenever the ad runs on local television stations it’s paired with a 30-second pro-Rodriguez ad that touts his conservative credentials.
Despite the vitriol, an internal poll by the Fitzenhagen campaign showed her leading Rodriguez by 10 points, according to a June 22 Florida Politics article by Ogles: “Internal poll shows Heather Fitzenhagen with a double-digit lead on Ray Rodrigues.”
Of course there is a Democratic alternative to the 27th Senate District Republicans: Democrat Rachel Brown, a Naples native. And running for the seat Rodriguez is vacating is Democrat Anselm Weber. Both first-time candidates are campaigning as progressives trying to bring change to Southwest Florida.
Ogles reported on June 16 that state Sen. Gary Farmer (D-34) representing eastern Broward County, urged Brown not to run so that Democrats could vote in an open Republican primary and elect the more moderate Fitzenhagen. However, Brown refused.
“How can I tell people I’ve marched with that I changed my mind, I’m not going to run, and they should go vote for a mediocre Republican instead who’s just going to take their taxes and use it for corporate handouts?” Brown told Ogles. “And how can I take a backroom deal that represents the behavior I’m fighting to end?”
McCarthyism makes a comeback
In case you didn’t enjoy the first round of McCarthyism when Sen. Joe McCarthy (R-Wis.) was active in the 1950s, or if you missed it entirely (like this author) you have a second chance to see it right here in Southwest Florida.
That’s because Darren Aquino, a retired actor formerly of New York and now a Republican congressional candidate, is raising the old “Communist” canard—and like McCarthy, is doing so without any basis in fact, evidence or truth.
Aquino’s far fringe campaign consists almost entirely of tweets leveling insults and spitting hate against everyone around him. He calls Casey Askar a “snake” because he’s an immigrant and not a “natural-born citizen” and Aquino wants to make immigrants ineligible to serve in Congress. He also thinks America is headed for civil war and it’s time to pick a side. He despises refugees, Democrats, and other fellow Republicans (he calls Dane Eagle a Republican in Name Only and Sen.Marco Rubio a Never-Trumper, etc.) He even wants Bubba Wallace thrown out of NASCAR. And, of course, WINK News is fake news in his eyes.
But Aquino’s “communist” attack was leveled against Democratic congressional candidate Cindy Banyai, whom he first called a “socialist” but then decided to change into “communist” after she called for removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in downtown Fort Myers.
Aquino’s hysteria would be laughable on the face of it but on June 23 he went on to call for Florida Gulf Coast University to fire Banyai as an adjunct professor because of her views.
The attack is reminiscent of Joe McCarthy’s baseless personal smears and the professional price people paid when targeted by him and his assistant Roy Cohn. Aquino is the only SWFL candidate in any race who is attacking another candidate’s livelihood.
At the moment there’s no indication that anyone—including FGCU—is taking Aquino seriously.
Aquino’s bitter McCarthyist revival seems destined to end up in the dustbin of history. As Karl Marx once pointed out, history sometimes happens twice: “the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.”
Liberty lives in light
© 2020 by David Silverberg


dailykos--2020-07-04--The only thing 'self-evident' is we must get better at America-ing

This is a particularly joyless Fourth of July .
It is not just that like all our other commemorations during the Covid-19 pandemic , many of us will be rescheduling our celebrations for 2021 .
It is the realization that this year there is a call to question - what exactly are we celebrating ?
There is little evidence , these days , that the recent obscene displays of my country ’ s essentially racist nature are something to be happy about , so today , I am called to confront some new “ self-evident ” truths .
I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the United States clings to and exalts the shrinking , desperate remnants of our nation ’ s history of white supremacy while absolving himself of leadership responsibility .
I do not understand how we can celebrate the continuing inaction that allows a virus to decimate our communities or how we are supposed to fill with pride when Trump ’ s disdain for international treaties and our common defense does more to serve the goals of our enemies than the prosperity of our own people .
In a nation whose blessing is its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evolve and recommit to the words , “ all men are created equal , ” it feels like , this year at least , the only thing we are celebrating is our own ineptitude and the gross stupidity of many of our elected leaders including , but not limited to our myopic , self-absorbed president , Donald J. Trump .
I constantly hear , “ This time feels different , ” meaning this time of protest and civil unrest may actually lead to permanent policy changes and maybe even revised cultural perspectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so confident these changes will happen ?
We like to believe a dark pall will lift in January when , hopefully , Trump leaves Washington , D.C. , but then what ?
It is time to ignore Trump and his distractions and take responsibility for our own country .
We need leaders and armies of activists who are tirelessly committed to working in their communities to raise up those upon whom America ’ s past sins have weighed low , and we must make actionable demands of those in our communities who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation , we must be people who commit to holding those we elect accountable .
We need our elected representatives to look fearlessly past big money interests and be willing to commit to a clean environment , a shrinking wealth gap , an end to poverty and hunger , and dependable healthcare for all who need it .
These are not new issues , but if this time is truly different , then as we now have come to our feet to take a stand , we must remain on our feet and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond , reasserting our commitment to change every step of the way .
Who will stand up for that ?
Whoever so commits , they are for whom I will celebrate , joyfully , for they are the fulfillment of America ’ s promise made one hot July day 244 years ago .
With that kind of commitment , someday soon , we will be able to stand together , arm-in-arm , rededicated to our republic , and declare , “ We are all founding mothers and fathers , now !
”

This is a particularly joyless Fourth of July. It is not just that like all our other commemorations during the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us will be rescheduling our celebrations for 2021. It is the realization that this year there is a call to question - what exactly are we celebrating?
There is little evidence, these days, that the recent obscene displays of my country’s essentially racist nature are something to be happy about, so today, I am called to confront some new “self-evident” truths.
I do not understand the joy when the president of the United States clings to and exalts the shrinking, desperate remnants of our nation’s history of white supremacy while absolving himself of leadership responsibility. I do not understand how we can celebrate the continuing inaction that allows a virus to decimate our communities or how we are supposed to fill with pride when Trump’s disdain for international treaties and our common defense does more to serve the goals of our enemies than the prosperity of our own people.
In a nation whose blessing is its ability – through often tortured processes - to evolve and recommit to the words, “all men are created equal,” it feels like, this year at least, the only thing we are celebrating is our own ineptitude and the gross stupidity of many of our elected leaders including, but not limited to our myopic, self-absorbed president, Donald J. Trump.
I constantly hear, “This time feels different,” meaning this time of protest and civil unrest may actually lead to permanent policy changes and maybe even revised cultural perspectives. But on what basis are we so confident these changes will happen? We like to believe a dark pall will lift in January when, hopefully, Trump leaves Washington, D.C., but then what?
It is time to ignore Trump and his distractions and take responsibility for our own country.
We need leaders and armies of activists who are tirelessly committed to working in their communities to raise up those upon whom America’s past sins have weighed low, and we must make actionable demands of those in our communities who have been blessed by privilege.
As a nation, we must be people who commit to holding those we elect accountable. We need our elected representatives to look fearlessly past big money interests and be willing to commit to a clean environment, a shrinking wealth gap, an end to poverty and hunger, and dependable healthcare for all who need it.
These are not new issues, but if this time is truly different, then as we now have come to our feet to take a stand, we must remain on our feet and boldly march to the ballot box and beyond, reasserting our commitment to change every step of the way. Who will stand up for that? Whoever so commits, they are for whom I will celebrate, joyfully, for they are the fulfillment of America’s promise made one hot July day 244 years ago.
With that kind of commitment, someday soon, we will be able to stand together, arm-in-arm, rededicated to our republic, and declare, “We are all founding mothers and fathers, now!”


dailykos--2020-07-05--I Create Memes, This One Fits Our July 4th Weekend As The Democratic Experiment Is Under Attack

I am a marketing consultant and often create memes for social media as part of my social , political and @ @ @ @ @ subtle , funny and irreverent .
Others are more serious and on the nose like @ @ @ @ @ “ No Sitting Out ” , when I hope to create a clear unambiguous message @

I am a marketing consultant and often create memes for social media as part of my social, political and environmental activism. Some are subtle, funny and irreverent. Others are more serious and on the nose like this one, I title “No Sitting Out”, when I hope to create a clear unambiguous message.


dailykos--2020-07-05--MR. STEWART GOES TO WISCONSIN: "IRRESISTIBLE" IS, WELL, IRRESISTIBLE. A FILM REVIEW.

July 4 was slow , hot , and rather unscheduled , so upon impulse I changed the feel by going to a matinee movie in a real movie theater , for the first time since early spring .
While most screens remain closed here and nationally , several theaters have reopened in the Milwaukee area , showing a mix of new releases ( there are relatively few of those , because many release dates were postponed ) and great oldies .
A few weeks ago my wife and I went to a pop-up drive-in , several of which have , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We watched a social comedy on a giant LCD screen from our car in a parking lot , windows up for social distance from all the other motorists doing the same .
That was nice , if a bit odd .
By comparison being inside a traditional theater was a real treat .
I had n't realized how much I missed it .
And the theater in suburban Milwaukee was special -- not a modern , big-box multiplex but an old-fashioned , main-street movie palace : Whitefish Bay ’ s Fox Bay Cinema @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with giant marquee .
The pop-up drive-ins around Milwaukee are selling tickets by the carload for a flat rate of up to $ 36 .
The film I was about to see is available for online demand at $ 20 , but I paid only $ 6.50 at this carefully social-distanced theater .
By the time the coming attractions were underway the audience including me totaled six .
We were all very well-spaced in a theater that seats hundreds .
I quickly went soft on a couple of bottles of Miller , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Fox Bay ’ s schedule offered oldies including `` The Matrix , '' `` Psycho , '' `` The Birds '' or `` Batman Begins . ''
I salivated especially over the two Hitchcock thrillers -- it 's been decades since I saw any of these greats on a big screen .
But I chose the new release , `` Irresistible , '' a smallish , well-crafted political satire written and directed by former `` Daily Show '' host Jon Stewart .
Good move , because good movie .
So far I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen “ Irresistible.
” In its first week it played at 238 theaters nationwide grossing $ 100,000 , plus as yet un-tabulated , on-demand rental sales .
Ordinarily that theater gross would define a flop , but in the coronaviral environment this movie is a top ten flick , as it likely would have been without the pandemic ’ s interference .
Although well made with a solid cast including Steve Carell , Chris Cooper , and Rose Byrne , Stewart 's opus has received mostly lukewarm reviews .
I found it engaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ localized ( for me ) plot : A top Democratic Party campaign consultant from D.C. ( Carell ) decides to test possible new strategies in rural Republican communities .
He picks Deerlaken ( that 's pronounced Deer Lock-in , a polyglot confection meaning `` Deer Lake '' when fully translated ; however , “ laken ” also has another meaning in urban slang , which gives away part of the plot , so look it up yourself ) .
The fictional town in the movie is a Wisconsin farm community of 5,000 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employer and has fallen on hard economic times .
Our protagonist finds a well-spoken dairy farmer and former Marine Corps officer ( Cooper ) , and talks him into running against the incumbent , a good-old-boy mayor .
When a top Republican Party strategist ( Byrne ) notices what her Democratic rival is up to , she shows up in town with a full team ready to back the GOP incumbent .
Dirty tricks and hilarity ensue .
But the film is more than just summer confection .
While entertaining us , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pictures a vivid understanding of just how screwed up American democracy has become , thanks to big bucks , super PACs , billionaires with idle whims , over-organized campaign bureaucracies and more .
As a small-town Wisconsin native who attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked most of my career in Milwaukee , I quickly noticed that Stewart had done his homework on Wisconsin culture , politics , and social dynamics .
The story is not just one-offs about cheese curds or red necks , although those show up .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what makes community , and a parable about a country that 's uncomfortably close to reality .
For his research , which included scouting locations , Stewart reportedly interviewed Katharine Cramer , a UW-Madison professor who studied the political makeup of the state in her recent book , `` The Politics of Resentment . ''
In another non-fiction book about Wisconsin published several years ago , I and my co-author Avi Lank also cited Cramer 's scholarly work for its important insights .
How did we as a nation get so tribalized and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only seem to worsen ?
`` Irresistible '' provides some , though not all , of the answers .
Plaudits to Stewart for coming to Wisconsin ( where much of the movie was filmed ) and loading up with real facts before choosing locations and shooting his script .
`` Irresistible '' is funny and raunchy in places but also is rewarding and mature — just like the characters who represent real people Stewart seeks to show us .
By the time the credits roll ( which they try to do several times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has nailed the look , feel , and sentiments of rural Wisconsin .
They are simultaneously more complex and more basic than many observers might notice : Stay together .
Survive .
Be nice .
Be ethical .
Take some risks .
Keep it real .
Leave the campsite ( or the small farm town with boarded up storefronts ) nicer than you found it .
Mix and match the above as necessary , because ideal choices are rare .
Meanwhile , the two self-air-dropped political combatants -- underlying personality strengths and good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a peg .
That 's noteworthy because Stewart , a progressive in real life , is wise enough to know that while Democratic politics generally are more responsible than the Republican alternatives , both parties are captive to big-money distortion .
Earnest attempts to break out of this habit Stewart does all this playfully and yet with immense respect , often tipping his hat toward the fictional locals and thus their real-life counterparts .
His script and camera do not talk down , although his characters sometimes do on the way to ephiphany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional movie critic .
I have n't formally reviewed films in decades .
But this movie is so good ( swiping a joke from Robert Klein ) , that I had to come back from the dead to tell you about it .
`` Irresistible '' is , besides engaging comedy , an important political story , one of the best such stories that this country 's filmmakers ever have told .
Think `` Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , '' only in reverse .
Call it `` Mr. Stewart Goes to Wisconsin @ @

July 4 was slow, hot, and rather unscheduled, so upon impulse I changed the feel by going to a matinee movie in a real movie theater, for the first time since early spring. While most screens remain closed here and nationally, several theaters have reopened in the Milwaukee area, showing a mix of new releases (there are relatively few of those, because many release dates were postponed) and great oldies.
A few weeks ago my wife and I went to a pop-up drive-in, several of which have, well, popped up around here. We watched a social comedy on a giant LCD screen from our car in a parking lot, windows up for social distance from all the other motorists doing the same. That was nice, if a bit odd.
By comparison being inside a traditional theater was a real treat. I hadn't realized how much I missed it. And the theater in suburban Milwaukee was special -- not a modern, big-box multiplex but an old-fashioned, main-street movie palace: Whitefish Bay’s Fox Bay Cinema Grill, a three-screen main-street standalone complete with giant marquee.
The pop-up drive-ins around Milwaukee are selling tickets by the carload for a flat rate of up to $36. The film I was about to see is available for online demand at $20, but I paid only $6.50 at this carefully social-distanced theater. By the time the coming attractions were underway the audience including me totaled six. We were all very well-spaced in a theater that seats hundreds. I quickly went soft on a couple of bottles of Miller, and tucked myself into my swivel chair.
The Fox Bay’s schedule offered oldies including "The Matrix," "Psycho," "The Birds" or "Batman Begins." I salivated especially over the two Hitchcock thrillers -- it's been decades since I saw any of these greats on a big screen. But I chose the new release, "Irresistible," a smallish, well-crafted political satire written and directed by former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart. Good move, because good movie.
So far I'm part of an elite that has seen “Irresistible.” In its first week it played at 238 theaters nationwide grossing $100,000, plus as yet un-tabulated, on-demand rental sales. Ordinarily that theater gross would define a flop, but in the coronaviral environment this movie is a top ten flick, as it likely would have been without the pandemic’s interference.
Although well made with a solid cast including Steve Carell, Chris Cooper, and Rose Byrne, Stewart's opus has received mostly lukewarm reviews. I found it engaging, and not just because of its localized (for me) plot:
A top Democratic Party campaign consultant from D.C. (Carell) decides to test possible new strategies in rural Republican communities. He picks Deerlaken (that's pronounced Deer Lock-in, a polyglot confection meaning "Deer Lake" when fully translated; however, “laken” also has another meaning in urban slang, which gives away part of the plot, so look it up yourself).
The fictional town in the movie is a Wisconsin farm community of 5,000 that lost a military base as its major employer and has fallen on hard economic times. Our protagonist finds a well-spoken dairy farmer and former Marine Corps officer (Cooper), and talks him into running against the incumbent, a good-old-boy mayor. When a top Republican Party strategist (Byrne) notices what her Democratic rival is up to, she shows up in town with a full team ready to back the GOP incumbent. Dirty tricks and hilarity ensue.
But the film is more than just summer confection. While entertaining us, it also transmits in an economy of words and pictures a vivid understanding of just how screwed up American democracy has become, thanks to big bucks, super PACs, billionaires with idle whims, over-organized campaign bureaucracies and more.
As a small-town Wisconsin native who attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked most of my career in Milwaukee, I quickly noticed that Stewart had done his homework on Wisconsin culture, politics, and social dynamics. The story is not just one-offs about cheese curds or red necks, although those show up. It's a human-interest tale, a story concerning what makes community, and a parable about a country that's uncomfortably close to reality.
For his research, which included scouting locations, Stewart reportedly interviewed Katharine Cramer, a UW-Madison professor who studied the political makeup of the state in her recent book, "The Politics of Resentment." In another non-fiction book about Wisconsin published several years ago, I and my co-author Avi Lank also cited Cramer's scholarly work for its important insights. How did we as a nation get so tribalized and divided, and why does that division only seem to worsen? "Irresistible" provides some, though not all, of the answers.
Plaudits to Stewart for coming to Wisconsin (where much of the movie was filmed) and loading up with real facts before choosing locations and shooting his script.
"Irresistible" is funny and raunchy in places but also is rewarding and mature — just like the characters who represent real people Stewart seeks to show us. By the time the credits roll (which they try to do several times before the characters interrupt), Stewart has nailed the look, feel, and sentiments of rural Wisconsin. They are simultaneously more complex and more basic than many observers might notice:
Stay together. Survive. Be nice. Be ethical. Take some risks. Keep it real. Leave the campsite (or the small farm town with boarded up storefronts) nicer than you found it. Mix and match the above as necessary, because ideal choices are rare.
Meanwhile, the two self-air-dropped political combatants -- underlying personality strengths and good intentions not withstanding -- get taken down a peg. That's noteworthy because Stewart, a progressive in real life, is wise enough to know that while Democratic politics generally are more responsible than the Republican alternatives, both parties are captive to big-money distortion. Earnest attempts to break out of this habit
Stewart does all this playfully and yet with immense respect, often tipping his hat toward the fictional locals and thus their real-life counterparts. His script and camera do not talk down, although his characters sometimes do on the way to ephiphany.
For a time I was a professional movie critic. I haven't formally reviewed films in decades. But this movie is so good (swiping a joke from Robert Klein), that I had to come back from the dead to tell you about it. "Irresistible" is, besides engaging comedy, an important political story, one of the best such stories that this country's filmmakers ever have told. Think "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," only in reverse. Call it "Mr. Stewart Goes to Wisconsin."