dailykos--2020-08-02--A Day on the Tennis Court That Will Live in Infamy

What a chode !
President Trump is having trouble in Michigan .
He ’ s the ‘ Al Bundy ’ ( Ed O ’ Neill ’ s role on ‘ Married With Children ) of politics , in the sense that he insults people and is oblivious as to why they don ’ t like him .
In the TV show , Al would see an overweight woman enter Gary ’ s shoe store and she would ask what would look good on her , as to which , Bundy responded .
“ A parachute that fits you.
” She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Afterwhich , Al turns to his co worker .
“ What is wrong with these women ?
Do they want to buy shoes or what ?
” I use that example because that is Donald Trump to the same degree .
He is bold and brazen , throws out insults and horrid personal opinions , then wonders .
“ Why don ’ t they want to vote for me ?
” Don thinks that people are supposed to find him interesting ( which he is , but in a negative way ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resourceful ( can ’ t wipe his butt with two hands ) and cute ( with weird coloring , hair and fish lips ) .
That ’ s right !
The man thinks that he is all that and a bag of chips , as it were .
A legend in his own mind that can do no wrong .
See how blind the man is to his own hubris and the harm it causes .
It ’ s truly monumental .
Mark Bowden , a respected journalist and writer for Playboy magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ) , had the honor ( if you want to call it that ) of meeting Donald J Trump way back in the day at Mar-a-Lago for , what he referred to as an ‘ awkward weekend ’ , with the ‘ Don ’ .
It was there in 1996 that Bowden had experienced Trump as adolescent , hilariously ostentatious , arbitrary , unkind , profane , dishonest , loudly opinionated , and consistently wrong .
In Bowden ’ s own words , “ He remains the most vain man I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one has ever refuted Bowden ’ s objective opinion .
It was there that the true ‘ Trump ’ came to the light of day , and it was anything less than edifying , at best .
He gave commands and demands to those folks aroung him , dictating .
“ Polish this , Tony .
Today.
” , is what Trump directed one of his domestic staffers .
Much of that went on throughout the whole weekend .
There was either praise for people that did him right , calling them geniuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fell from grace for whatever reason there might have been , Donald Trump would refer to the unfortunate people in his ire and wrath as , “ Fucking idiots !
” , along with other negative verbiage .
Along those lines , it all led up to the very best of ‘ Trumps Bleeps , Bloopers and Mishaps ’ .
I laughed and also held questionable thoughts when I read Bowden ’ s part about the ‘ tennis court incident ’ .
It was there that Trump cruised around the court that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Boulle .
After combing the court with his eyes , Trump noticed a small metal box which was a pump and cooler for a water fountain .
The ‘ Great One ’ felt it to be ugly and pointed at the poor pending victim of his inner rage .
“ What ’ s this ?
” Before anyone could utter a word in response , Trump went to town .
He started by kicking the box , then stooped red faced and fuming , so that he could tear it from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , causing a geyser which fell all over the court .
Boulle was horrified and bemused at what had just happened after pain staking efforts to get it there and functional prior to the aggression and destruction .
Trump turned to Bowden , whom was just shaking his head slowly with scrutiny .
“ I guess this will go into your little story.
” Bowden ’ s response , “ Pretty much.
” He later tried to get Bowden to write a book about him , which he declined .
“ Why not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books become best-sellers.
” Bowden proclaimed that , “ Trump is the only person that has ever written about that tried to bribe him .
A lot said and for a great reason .
Donald Trump is a self involved lunatic , devoid of true perspective and seeing what he only wants to see .
Reality means nothing to the man and the mentioned serves us all .
It shows what Donald J Trump is overall .
The story serves a benefit which give a schematic drawing of his design .
He is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever reason .
The water cooler is a symbol of the country , which wanted him to be someone worth supporting and serving .
It also shows what he does when he is not simpatico with whatever .
It follows along with AC/DC ’ s song , Problem Child .
A lyrical line in it is very notable , ‘ What I like , I take .
What I don ’ t , I break .
‘ Cause I ’ m a problem child !
’ Voila !
There you have .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legend ... President Donald J Trump .
I respect the rank , not the man .
This illustrates what was true in the past remains true up to this very moment .
Donald Trump is seriously dillusional and quite ill .
It is a shame too since he once seemed to be tacitly ‘ the voice of reason ’ .
Now .
He ’ s a mad dog with rabies .
The question is do we deal with him as with ‘ Ol Yeller ’ or do we simply wait for November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The man embarsses me , the world and most of all ... himself .
Though it is hard pressing to find if he can see all of that .
If Don could really comprehend all that , the man would get a crying jag for days on end in the Oval Office .
He would proclaim , as did Alec Guiness had in ‘ The Bridge Over the River Qwai ’ , when it was clear that his plan of action was a fiasco at best .
“ What have I done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the bridge being blown up , followed by a Japanese Army hospital train full of wounded Allied Forces P. O. W. ’ s .
that couldn ’ t stop and fell into the river after the destruction of the bridge in question .
That is Trump ’ s position a little before that even unfolding .
Odds are that claiming ownership for his shortcomings and tyrannical actions will never sink in to Trump ’ s extremely thick skull .
He ’ ll never see it , he ’ ll never learn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump has failed in both direct and indirect ways .
He saw the office of president as another venture and something that might be , ‘ fun to do ’ .
Which shows how he really viewed what the job was all about .
Not about duty .
Not about honor .
Not about tolerance .
But about something that he could say he did in his life , whether it was good or not .
As with the water cooler at Mar-a-Lago ( rest its soul ) , we too are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonders why he can ’ t even secure Michigan ?
Real interesting .
As far as I and so many others are concerned , we ’ ll try to stop any more damage from him , will rebuild where Trump has refused to do so , conquer this virus one way or another ( no thanks to him ) and get us back on track .
There is so much work ahead of us to do and it will be done .
Just what way and how long it will take is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with those in concert with him and get them out of the damned way as well for they are just as guillty , if not more so .
I really can ’ t wait for November 3rd and the days afterwards .
Meanwhile , I will get me a drink of water !

What a chode! President Trump is having trouble in Michigan. He’s the ‘Al Bundy’ (Ed O’Neill’s role on ‘Married With Children) of politics, in the sense that he insults people and is oblivious as to why they don’t like him. In the TV show, Al would see an overweight woman enter Gary’s shoe store and she would ask what would look good on her, as to which, Bundy responded. “A parachute that fits you.” She storms out of the store, insulted. Afterwhich, Al turns to his co worker. “What is wrong with these women? Do they want to buy shoes or what?” I use that example because that is Donald Trump to the same degree. He is bold and brazen, throws out insults and horrid personal opinions, then wonders. “Why don’t they want to vote for me?” Don thinks that people are supposed to find him interesting (which he is, but in a negative way), smart (really?) and resourceful (can’t wipe his butt with two hands) and cute (with weird coloring, hair and fish lips). That’s right! The man thinks that he is all that and a bag of chips, as it were. A legend in his own mind that can do no wrong. See how blind the man is to his own hubris and the harm it causes. It’s truly monumental.
Mark Bowden, a respected journalist and writer for Playboy magazine (one of Trump’s favorite’s), had the honor (if you want to call it that) of meeting Donald J Trump way back in the day at Mar-a-Lago for, what he referred to as an ‘awkward weekend’, with the ‘Don’. It was there in 1996 that Bowden had experienced Trump as adolescent, hilariously ostentatious, arbitrary, unkind, profane, dishonest, loudly opinionated, and consistently wrong. In Bowden’s own words, “He remains the most vain man I have ever met.” Notice that no one has ever refuted Bowden’s objective opinion. It was there that the true ‘Trump’ came to the light of day, and it was anything less than edifying, at best. He gave commands and demands to those folks aroung him, dictating. “Polish this, Tony. Today.”, is what Trump directed one of his domestic staffers. Much of that went on throughout the whole weekend. There was either praise for people that did him right, calling them geniuses and such, or, if one fell from grace for whatever reason there might have been, Donald Trump would refer to the unfortunate people in his ire and wrath as, “Fucking idiots!”, along with other negative verbiage. Along those lines, it all led up to the very best of ‘Trumps Bleeps, Bloopers and Mishaps’. I laughed and also held questionable thoughts when I read Bowden’s part about the ‘tennis court incident’. It was there that Trump cruised around the court that was maintained and run by tennis pro, Anthony Boulle. After combing the court with his eyes, Trump noticed a small metal box which was a pump and cooler for a water fountain. The ‘Great One’ felt it to be ugly and pointed at the poor pending victim of his inner rage. “What’s this?” Before anyone could utter a word in response, Trump went to town. He started by kicking the box, then stooped red faced and fuming, so that he could tear it from its moorings which had ruptured a water line, causing a geyser which fell all over the court. Boulle was horrified and bemused at what had just happened after pain staking efforts to get it there and functional prior to the aggression and destruction. Trump turned to Bowden, whom was just shaking his head slowly with scrutiny. “I guess this will go into your little story.” Bowden’s response, “Pretty much.” He later tried to get Bowden to write a book about him, which he declined. “Why not?” Trump asked. “My books become best-sellers.” Bowden proclaimed that, “Trump is the only person that has ever written about that tried to bribe him.
A lot said and for a great reason. Donald Trump is a self involved lunatic, devoid of true perspective and seeing what he only wants to see. Reality means nothing to the man and the mentioned serves us all. It shows what Donald J Trump is overall. The story serves a benefit which give a schematic drawing of his design. He is hell bent on whatever is chosen for whatever reason. The water cooler is a symbol of the country, which wanted him to be someone worth supporting and serving. It also shows what he does when he is not simpatico with whatever. It follows along with AC/DC’s song, Problem Child. A lyrical line in it is very notable, ‘What I like, I take. What I don’t, I break. ‘Cause I’m a problem child!’ Voila! There you have. It describes entirely the man, the myth the legend...President Donald J Trump. I respect the rank, not the man.
This illustrates what was true in the past remains true up to this very moment. Donald Trump is seriously dillusional and quite ill. It is a shame too since he once seemed to be tacitly ‘the voice of reason’. Now. He’s a mad dog with rabies. The question is do we deal with him as with ‘Ol Yeller’ or do we simply wait for November 3, 2020, to finally arrive? The man embarsses me, the world and most of all...himself. Though it is hard pressing to find if he can see all of that. If Don could really comprehend all that, the man would get a crying jag for days on end in the Oval Office. He would proclaim, as did Alec Guiness had in ‘The Bridge Over the River Qwai’, when it was clear that his plan of action was a fiasco at best. “What have I done?” Prior to him getting killed and the bridge being blown up, followed by a Japanese Army hospital train full of wounded Allied Forces P. O. W.’s. that couldn’t stop and fell into the river after the destruction of the bridge in question. That is Trump’s position a little before that even unfolding. Odds are that claiming ownership for his shortcomings and tyrannical actions will never sink in to Trump’s extremely thick skull. He’ll never see it, he’ll never learn. Simple.
We can only recognize that President Trump has failed in both direct and indirect ways. He saw the office of president as another venture and something that might be, ‘fun to do’. Which shows how he really viewed what the job was all about. Not about duty. Not about honor. Not about tolerance. But about something that he could say he did in his life, whether it was good or not. As with the water cooler at Mar-a-Lago (rest its soul), we too are like that water cooler. And he wonders why he can’t even secure Michigan? Real interesting.
As far as I and so many others are concerned, we’ll try to stop any more damage from him, will rebuild where Trump has refused to do so, conquer this virus one way or another (no thanks to him) and get us back on track. There is so much work ahead of us to do and it will be done. Just what way and how long it will take is the question. We need to also deal with those in concert with him and get them out of the damned way as well for they are just as guillty, if not more so.
I really can’t wait for November 3rd and the days afterwards. Meanwhile, I will get me a drink of water!


dailykos--2020-08-02--Justice Ginzburg Must Hang In There

Justice Ginzburg Must Hang In There

Ruth Bader Ginzburg is now battling cancer for the 5th time in her life .
At present she is back home from the hospital having undergone `` a minimally invasive , non-surgical procedure '' and is presumably continuing with chemotherapy .
Let us hope and pray that Justice Ginzburg can resume normal activity .
But let us also pray that , should she choose to retire after this latest bout with the Big C , she can do so at a time of her choosing , which will hopefully be after a new President assumes office .
You can bet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
are hovering like bloodlessly white , near-fossilized vultures , waiting—hoping—for her to leave her job before Trump is thrown out of office next January .
It is a sure bet that , should McConnell be given the opportunity to stuff the Supreme Court with another extremely young hyperconservative , he will do so , completely disregarding his tissue-thin pronouncement that , this close to an election , any appointment to the court ought to be the prerogative of the newly elected president .
This was the excuse he offered as to why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hearing after President Obama nominated Garland a full 11 months before the November , 2016 elections .
McConnell ’ s maneuver paid off .
We now have Brett Kavanaugh as Antonin Scalia ’ s replacement .
No one believes McConnell would invoke what he termed “ the Biden rule , ” which was no rule at all .
That is why Justice Ginzburg must hang in there .
A 6-3 court would be a disaster for generations to come .

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is now battling cancer for the 5th time in her life. At present she is back home from the hospital having undergone "a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure" and is presumably continuing with chemotherapy.
Let us hope and pray that Justice Ginsburg can resume normal activity. But let us also pray that, should she choose to retire after this latest bout with the Big C, she can do so at a time of her choosing, which will hopefully be after a new President assumes office.
You can bet that Trump and McConnell, et al. are hovering like bloodlessly white, near-fossilized vultures, waiting—hoping—for her to leave her job before Trump is thrown out of office next January.
It is a sure bet that, should McConnell be given the opportunity to stuff the Supreme Court with another extremely young hyperconservative, he will do so, completely disregarding his tissue-thin pronouncement that, this close to an election, any appointment to the court ought to be the prerogative of the newly elected president. This was the excuse he offered as to why he refused to even give Merrick Garland a hearing after President Obama nominated Garland a full 11 months before the November, 2016 elections.
McConnell’s maneuver paid off. We now have Brett Kavanaugh as Antonin Scalia’s replacement. No one believes McConnell would invoke what he termed “the Biden rule,” which was no rule at all.
That is why Justice Ginsburg must hang in there. A 6-3 court would be a disaster for generations to come.


dailykos--2020-08-03--Should Democrats impeach Trump after he loses re-election to prevent him from pardoning himself?

If Trump loses his re-election bid , we can reasonably count on the period from Election Day until Inaugaration Day ( Nov. 3 , 2020 to Jan. 20 , 2021 ) to be one of the most perilous , corrupt and weird periods in U.S. history .
One thing that seems certain is that Trump will attempt to pardon himself .
It is an open legal question ( maybe ) whether a Present can pardon himself — in no small measure because no President has ever tried to do so .
But the U.S. Constitution does provide some guidance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , it is at least clear that a President can not pardon himself from ( or during ? )
impeachment .
As a result , if the Democrats were responsible — and had the balls to play power politics — the Democratic controlled House would impeach Trump after his re-election loss ( during the lame duck period ) - or at least ostentatiously begin impeachment proceedings .
And the potential grounds would be every thing we reasonably know : tax evasion , payments to pornstars , election interference , emoluments clause violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , etc .
If the Democrats did that , would it effectively stop Trump from pardoning himself on the way out the door ?
Would Democrats consider doing that ?
I know Republicans would do this if the situation were reversed .

If Trump loses his re-election bid, we can reasonably count on the period from Election Day until Inaugaration Day (Nov. 3, 2020 to Jan. 20, 2021) to be one of the most perilous, corrupt and weird periods in U.S. history. One thing that seems certain is that Trump will attempt to pardon himself.
It is an open legal question (maybe) whether a Present can pardon himself — in no small measure because no President has ever tried to do so.
But the U.S. Constitution does provide some guidance. On this point, it says:
[The President] shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. (emphasis added)
So, it is at least clear that a President cannot pardon himself from (or during?) impeachment.
As a result, if the Democrats were responsible — and had the balls to play power politics — the Democratic controlled House would impeach Trump after his re-election loss (during the lame duck period) - or at least ostentatiously begin impeachment proceedings. And the potential grounds would be every thing we reasonably know: tax evasion, payments to pornstars, election interference, emoluments clause violations, campaign finance law violations, self-dealing, etc.
If the Democrats did that, would it effectively stop Trump from pardoning himself on the way out the door? Would Democrats consider doing that? I know Republicans would do this if the situation were reversed.


dailykos--2020-08-03--Medicaid expansion on the ballot Aug. 4 in Missouri--and pro-lifers are against it?

Following neighboring red state Nebraska ’ s vote in 2018 , Medicaid expansion promoters in Missouri gathered over 340,000 signatures , twice the number needed , to put Medicare on the ballot here .
Such referendums by default are placed on the ballot in November , but the governor pushed it up to the August primary to avoid a strong turnout of left-leaning voters passionate about the issue in the general ( who might then vote for Democrats down the ballot ) .
So , on Tuesday , Missouri voters will decide whether to become the 38th state ( plus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACA .
While voters have elected a Republican governor and supermajorities in both state chambers , the Show-Me State has a strong history of going over the heads of the legislature in enacting Democrat-oriented proposals in the last two years , including raising the minimum wage to $ 12 , overruling the legislature ’ s vote to enact Right-to-Work , easily passing an anti-corruption and anti-gerrymandering measure and voting in favor of medical marijuana .
Medicare expansion would add coverage for about 300,000 people , help save hospitals and could save the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As you can see from the ad in Sunday ’ s newspaper above , a pro-life PAC is ironically among the groups opposing the expansion .
Let me be clear : a pro-life group is opposing an amendment that would save lives .
The measure will result in no more abortions ( Medicaid can not cover the cost of abortions ) , that might save the lives of some unborn ( through coverage of some expectant mothers who might not get the care they need or abort the baby because of not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a baby ) and that would most certainly save lives of the adult poor who can not afford insurance and medical care .
The pro-life movement has been accused of being pro-fetus and not truly pro-life , given that many groups and members in the movement oppose providing the support needed for poverty-stricken children once they are born .
This ad puts that hypocrisy on full display , showing that this organization ’ s hatred of Planned Parenthood ( whose mission is to serve the health care needs of the poor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desire to , you know , be in favor of life .

Following neighboring red state Nebraska’s vote in 2018, Medicaid expansion promoters in Missouri gathered over 340,000 signatures, twice the number needed, to put Medicare on the ballot here. Such referendums by default are placed on the ballot in November, but the governor pushed it up to the August primary to avoid a strong turnout of left-leaning voters passionate about the issue in the general (who might then vote for Democrats down the ballot). So, on Tuesday, Missouri voters will decide whether to become the 38th state (plus DC) to expand Medicaid under the ACA.
While voters have elected a Republican governor and supermajorities in both state chambers, the Show-Me State has a strong history of going over the heads of the legislature in enacting Democrat-oriented proposals in the last two years, including raising the minimum wage to $12, overruling the legislature’s vote to enact Right-to-Work, easily passing an anti-corruption and anti-gerrymandering measure and voting in favor of medical marijuana. Medicare expansion would add coverage for about 300,000 people, help save hospitals and could save the state as much as a billion dollars.
As you can see from the ad in Sunday’s newspaper above, a pro-life PAC is ironically among the groups opposing the expansion. Let me be clear: a pro-life group is opposing an amendment that would save lives. The measure will result in no more abortions (Medicaid cannot cover the cost of abortions), that might save the lives of some unborn (through coverage of some expectant mothers who might not get the care they need or abort the baby because of not being able to pay the medical costs of having a baby) and that would most certainly save lives of the adult poor who cannot afford insurance and medical care.
The pro-life movement has been accused of being pro-fetus and not truly pro-life, given that many groups and members in the movement oppose providing the support needed for poverty-stricken children once they are born. This ad puts that hypocrisy on full display, showing that this organization’s hatred of Planned Parenthood (whose mission is to serve the health care needs of the poor and naturally supports this measure) supersedes the desire to, you know, be in favor of life.


dailykos--2020-08-02--Justice Ginsburg Must Hang In There

Justice Ginsburg Must Hang In There

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is now battling cancer for the 5th time in her life .
At present she is back home from the hospital having undergone `` a minimally invasive , non-surgical procedure '' and is presumably continuing with chemotherapy .
Let us hope and pray that Justice Ginsburg can resume normal activity .
But let us also pray that , should she choose to retire after this latest bout with the Big C , she can do so at a time of her choosing , which will hopefully be after a new President assumes office .
You can bet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
are hovering like bloodlessly white , near-fossilized vultures , waiting—hoping—for her to leave her job before Trump is thrown out of office next January .
It is a sure bet that , should McConnell be given the opportunity to stuff the Supreme Court with another extremely young hyperconservative , he will do so , completely disregarding his tissue-thin pronouncement that , this close to an election , any appointment to the court ought to be the prerogative of the newly elected president .
This was the excuse he offered as to why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hearing after President Obama nominated Garland a full 11 months before the November , 2016 elections .
McConnell ’ s maneuver paid off .
We now have Brett Kavanaugh as Antonin Scalia ’ s replacement .
No one believes McConnell would invoke what he termed “ the Biden rule , ” which was no rule at all .
That is why Justice Ginsburg must hang in there .
A 6-3 court would be a disaster for generations to come .


dailykos--2020-08-04--How Tyranny Works and Doesn't Work!

How Tyranny Works and Doesn't Work!

My late mother had grown up in Nazi Germany and left it when the Russian Communist took over .
Dad was GI Joe in the US Army and brought her here from West Germany in 1956 .
The woman was more American than a lot of Americans in the way that she lived her life .
Anyway , mom was very fortunate and had a wealth of information for me and all those that she knew here in the good ol ’ U. S. of A .
Typically , ordinary German citizens had to follow all protocols .
Six days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( better attend or else ! )
, then church ( protestant mostly and it was best to go , regardless of all else ) , and of course the radio ( no TV at the time ) being the big media with Adolph Hitler screaming like a maniac about everything , along with the fact that you had to watch what you thought and said , both .
One example that sticks out in my mind is one incident that I call , “ The Wicked Hallway !
” People in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a staircase regularly without any problems .
When one woman was walking down the stairs and a black uniformed SS Gestoppo soldier had come up the stairs , there was little room for both .
Since there wasn ’ t , he decided to kick the woman square in the ass and she fell down the staircase .
It caused her back pain ever since and they couldn ’ t do a damned thing about it , nothing .
The authorities turned blind eyes to such things .
Another was when my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards and drinking with his friends one night .
“ Boy !
This Hitler guy has got to go .
Someone needs to put a Luger up to his head and pull the trigger.
” The very next day , at three in morning , loud pounding was at his door .
After opening up , an astute SS officer asked for him politely .
He responded and they took him away , where no one ever knew , but later after the war it was revealed that he was most likely taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s where they put political dissidents , gypsies and other Germans that didn ’ t ‘ fit into the glorious Third Reich ’ agenda .
Prior to that , my mother and my grandmother ( her mother ) shopped at many stores owned by Jewish People .
Systematically , and one by one , they disappeared without a trace .
Although many saw them taken away by the ‘ Men in Black ’ ( no relation to the movies of the same name ) , in unmarked trucks to wherever ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever knew a thing .
Shortly after those folks were out of the way , white graffiti and smashed windows followed .
All the shops were thrashed and scribbled upon them was , ‘ Jude ’ ( pronounced yew dah and was German for Jew ) , with the Star of David next to that .
My mother was a little girl and had a hard time with all that .
“ Where are all our friends going and why are the stores demolished ?
” She asked her mother .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I had a bad feeling about this when Hitler was up for election.
” By the way , you voted either ‘ Ja ’ ( German for Yes ) , or ‘ Nein ’ , ( German for No ) .
My grandparents had voted ‘ Nein ’ and even came home with pinbacks for the same .
Although they were fine , my grandfather was drafted into the German Navy .
Before the war ’ s end , his ship was bombed by the Russian Air Force in the Baltic Sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ( Killed in Action ) .
Before even that , the SS Gestoppo authorities had reservations about my mother ’ s name , Ruth .
They claimed it to be Jewish .
However , my grandfather showed up at their headquarters in his navy uniform and stated that , no , Ruth is not necessarily a Jewish name .
He and they reviewed the Christian Bible and there is ‘ The Book of Ruth ’ .
A German SS officer reviewing that had turned and said .
“ You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fine.
” They shook hands and my mom was able to keep her name .
That was how radical the Nazi ’ s were and assuming that they were right even when they were wrong .
The German people were overwhelmed by the radicals that supported Hitler .
My mom said that they had been afraid of their own people for one never knew the fanatics from the ordinary citizens .
In a nutshell , they were intimidated , compelled and uninformed .
After the war , many had learned of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were appalled .
No one ever knew .
That was how good the Nazi ’ s were at keeping things in order and super secret .
Get out of line and that was ‘ you too ’ .
To illustrate fear , there was a movie years ago that I watched on TV as a little kid .
It was of course about Nazi Germany .
After a bombing raid by the British on a factory , the workers sat outside curbside , refusing to go back to work as a result .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Hogan ’ s Heroes whom always said , “ I know nothing ... nothing ! )
had been different in the movie .
He played an SS officer that had showed up with a ‘ goon squad ’ and a pick up truck with a handman ’ s noose on the back .
He stood with both fists balled up on his hips and condescendingly said , “ So .
Your foreman says that you don ’ t want to go back to work , huh ?
’ They nodded slowly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a price .
Who is willing to pay that price , ja ?
” Scanning the workers sitting down , he pointed and two SS soldiers picked up the unfortunate one and dragged him to the back of the truck , kicking and screaming .
All were in awe and could only watch .
They hung him and let him swing away .
After that , the SS officer turned and said .
“ Who is to be next , ja ?
” Slowly but surely , hands in pockets and head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went back to the factory as ordered .
I talked to my mother about that one and she said .
“ Oh yeah !
Those were the real Nazis .
Not the bumbling ones in Hogan ’ s Heroes.
” Wow !
That always stuck out in my mind .
That and the fact that when the Allied forces were marching into German , the SS Gestoppo goons had taken it upon themselves to arrest retreating Germany Army officers and the like , lining them up against walls and posts , shooting them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cowardice in the face of the enemy was their rationale .
Purely pathetic .
They not only killed tens of millions of other people , they executed their own through no fault of their own outside of retreat , which in the military may be the only thing to do when getting defeated .
Truly a negative and remarkable time indeed .
That is the case not only there , but throughout history with dictatorships run by tyrants .
The lessons learned can never be forgotten nor forgiven .
The German people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such had little , if any , choice .
Japan , the Nazi ’ s ally , had gone to bloody war in spite of the fact that forty percent of the Japanese citizens were totally against military aggression .
They too suffered horrible fates as a result , such as Hiroshima and the like .
Although I am confident that ‘ We the People ’ shall prevail in the end , there are obstacles in the way that we must deal with and never allow something like that here in America .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
There were many like him during those times and unfortunately , in this very time and this exact moment .
I can assure you that I and many others are in unison , some that don ’ t agree with me , fight the good fight regardless of this bunch we have now .
It all starts with me , you and everyone in concert with each other .
Learn from the past and the future will be a given !

My late mother had grown up in Nazi Germany and left it when the Russian Communist took over. Dad was GI Joe in the US Army and brought her here from West Germany in 1956. The woman was more American than a lot of Americans in the way that she lived her life. Anyway, mom was very fortunate and had a wealth of information for me and all those that she knew here in the good ol’ U. S. of A. Typically, ordinary German citizens had to follow all protocols. Six days of school, compulsory Hitler Youth meetings (better attend or else!), then church (protestant mostly and it was best to go, regardless of all else), and of course the radio (no TV at the time) being the big media with Adolph Hitler screaming like a maniac about everything, along with the fact that you had to watch what you thought and said, both. One example that sticks out in my mind is one incident that I call, “The Wicked Hallway!” People in her residential building came and went up and down a staircase regularly without any problems. When one woman was walking down the stairs and a black uniformed SS Gestoppo soldier had come up the stairs, there was little room for both. Since there wasn’t, he decided to kick the woman square in the ass and she fell down the staircase. It caused her back pain ever since and they couldn’t do a damned thing about it, nothing. The authorities turned blind eyes to such things. Another was when my great great grandfather had said while playing cards and drinking with his friends one night. “Boy! This Hitler guy has got to go. Someone needs to put a Luger up to his head and pull the trigger.” The very next day, at three in morning, loud pounding was at his door. After opening up, an astute SS officer asked for him politely. He responded and they took him away, where no one ever knew, but later after the war it was revealed that he was most likely taken to a ‘labor camp’. That’s where they put political dissidents, gypsies and other Germans that didn’t ‘fit into the glorious Third Reich’ agenda. Prior to that, my mother and my grandmother (her mother) shopped at many stores owned by Jewish People. Systematically, and one by one, they disappeared without a trace. Although many saw them taken away by the ‘Men in Black’ (no relation to the movies of the same name), in unmarked trucks to wherever...they were simply gone. No one ever knew a thing. Shortly after those folks were out of the way, white graffiti and smashed windows followed. All the shops were thrashed and scribbled upon them was, ‘Jude’ (pronounced yew dah and was German for Jew), with the Star of David next to that. My mother was a little girl and had a hard time with all that. “Where are all our friends going and why are the stores demolished?” She asked her mother. “I don’t know, my child. I had a bad feeling about this when Hitler was up for election.” By the way, you voted either ‘Ja’ (German for Yes), or ‘Nein’, (German for No). My grandparents had voted ‘Nein’ and even came home with pinbacks for the same. Although they were fine, my grandfather was drafted into the German Navy. Before the war’s end, his ship was bombed by the Russian Air Force in the Baltic Sea and he was assumed to be KIA’s (Killed in Action). Before even that, the SS Gestoppo authorities had reservations about my mother’s name, Ruth. They claimed it to be Jewish. However, my grandfather showed up at their headquarters in his navy uniform and stated that, no, Ruth is not necessarily a Jewish name. He and they reviewed the Christian Bible and there is ‘The Book of Ruth’. A German SS officer reviewing that had turned and said. “You’re right, Herr Muller. The name is fine.” They shook hands and my mom was able to keep her name. That was how radical the Nazi’s were and assuming that they were right even when they were wrong.
The German people were overwhelmed by the radicals that supported Hitler. My mom said that they had been afraid of their own people for one never knew the fanatics from the ordinary citizens. In a nutshell, they were intimidated, compelled and uninformed. After the war, many had learned of the atrosities in concentration and labor camps and were appalled. No one ever knew. That was how good the Nazi’s were at keeping things in order and super secret. Get out of line and that was ‘you too’. To illustrate fear, there was a movie years ago that I watched on TV as a little kid. It was of course about Nazi Germany. After a bombing raid by the British on a factory, the workers sat outside curbside, refusing to go back to work as a result. John Banner (the lovable dufus sergeant in Hogan’s Heroes whom always said, “I know nothing...nothing!) had been different in the movie. He played an SS officer that had showed up with a ‘goon squad’ and a pick up truck with a handman’s noose on the back. He stood with both fists balled up on his hips and condescendingly said, “So. Your foreman says that you don’t want to go back to work, huh?’ They nodded slowly and sheepishly. “Well. That comes with a price. Who is willing to pay that price, ja?” Scanning the workers sitting down, he pointed and two SS soldiers picked up the unfortunate one and dragged him to the back of the truck, kicking and screaming. All were in awe and could only watch. They hung him and let him swing away. After that, the SS officer turned and said. “Who is to be next, ja?” Slowly but surely, hands in pockets and head lowered, the workers got up and went back to the factory as ordered. I talked to my mother about that one and she said. “Oh yeah! Those were the real Nazis. Not the bumbling ones in Hogan’s Heroes.” Wow! That always stuck out in my mind. That and the fact that when the Allied forces were marching into German, the SS Gestoppo goons had taken it upon themselves to arrest retreating Germany Army officers and the like, lining them up against walls and posts, shooting them like ‘pigs on a Saturday’. Cowardice in the face of the enemy was their rationale. Purely pathetic. They not only killed tens of millions of other people, they executed their own through no fault of their own outside of retreat, which in the military may be the only thing to do when getting defeated. Truly a negative and remarkable time indeed.
That is the case not only there, but throughout history with dictatorships run by tyrants. The lessons learned can never be forgotten nor forgiven. The German people, the average ‘Josef’ and such had little, if any, choice. Japan, the Nazi’s ally, had gone to bloody war in spite of the fact that forty percent of the Japanese citizens were totally against military aggression. They too suffered horrible fates as a result, such as Hiroshima and the like.
Although I am confident that ‘We the People’ shall prevail in the end, there are obstacles in the way that we must deal with and never allow something like that here in America. The Nazis and Communists would have loved Trump. There were many like him during those times and unfortunately, in this very time and this exact moment.
I can assure you that I and many others are in unison, some that don’t agree with me, fight the good fight regardless of this bunch we have now. It all starts with me, you and everyone in concert with each other. Learn from the past and the future will be a given!


dailykos--2020-08-04--We Are Confident, Not Complacent - Good News Roundup, August 4, 2020

It ’ s August already and for once I am pleased to see the weeks flying by .
Soon , this nightmare is going to end and we will be celebrating a huge blue wave in November .
I know there is a lot of concern about “ complacency ” and over-confidence among Democrats — but while those concerns are understandable , they are misplaced .
NOBODY is going to be complacent this year .
We have been through hell and we are not going to rest until we ’ ve vanquished the devil and all of his minions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ point to a landslide Democratic victory in November .
We will work our hearts out to GOTV and make sure those votes get counted .
And we could very possibly win all three branches of government .
There may be some big surprises , too ( such as formerly “ red ” states turning blue ) .
The complex PTSD we are all suffering from makes it almost impossible to trust the evidence that supports us being confident , but it is there in abundance .
Lots of news below will give you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of days .
And you will find some excellent articles on this theme in the Lightning Roundup which I put there because they are too good to merely excerpt 2-3 paragraphs .
It is true that trump is going to behave horribly over the next few months .
It is true that he may succeed in doing some awful things .
It is also true that he will blurt out whatever is top of his mind every day — and he will throw out ridiculous threats and outrageous claims to powers he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to these insane pronouncements as if trump has superpowers — as if by merely saying some crazy thing , he can make it happen .
But history has proven to us by now that most of what comes out of trump ’ s mouth is pure bullsh*t. He doesn ’ t think things through , he has no strategy , no evil plan .
He is humiliated and angry at Tik-Tok , so he threatens to “ ban ” it .
He doesn ’ t have the power to ban media in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is fearful of losing the election so he threatens to interfere with elections in various states ; but he has no power to control elections .
That power is constitutionally assigned to the states to administrate as they see fit .
Think of the history : the threats , the chaos , the media panics — and most of it came to nought because he can not actually do the shit he blurts out wanting to do .
Certainly , a president has a lot of power and we all know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the powers he does have , but the strange and lucky thing about a narcissist like trump is that he has no strategic ability , no forethought or foresight .
He is a creature driven by primitive emotions — rage , envy , fear .
And everything he does is a reaction to those feelings — a lashing out against whatever or whomever arouses those feelings in him , or makes him feel threatened .
And the things that threaten him are petty and ridiculous in many ways .
A slight to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is less than he thinks he is — will take up his entire attention .
What we need to remember is that as scary as it is to have this madman in control of our government , he is not in control of himself .
His behavior is erratic and impulsive and self-destructive because he can not help himself .
And by extension , that means he is not really in control of the government either because he simply does not have the self-discipline or the capability to do so .
His enablers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the real dirty work while using trump as a rubber stamp when they can .
But they can not control him any more than he can control himself .
He is going to self-destruct and he is going to bring them down in the process .
We know we are in for a horrible few months .
It is unavoidable with a pathologically disordered personality in the office of the president surrounded by an evil cabal of greedy enablers .
However , we can at least keep in mind that he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stable genius , and all his flailing around will be like a bull in a china shop — he may cause a lot of damage ( already has done ) but it is incoherent and undisciplined and he is not all-powerful .
And his unstoppably reactionary flailing will disrupt and eventually destroy the plans of those connivers around him who do have discipline .
Meanwhile , on the side of the people are : Millions and millions of the people !
And thousands of experts in many fields who are working ceaselessly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are , after all , the ones we have been waiting for and we are the ones who will save the country .
We the people — collectively — will rescue each other and the country .
Let ’ s remember that humans are human — there will be mistakes and snags and there always are .
Let ’ s not allow the madman in the WH to make us mad , too .
Angry yes , but not mad lol .
We need to keep our wits about us and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll throw everything they can at us to try to distract us from the goal — so our job is to keep our eyes on that prize !
No matter what !
As Tea Pain says , don ’ t waste energy on fear — just expect trump & company to pull all sorts of corrupt and criminal and threatening shit — just expect hell from devils .
And keep on going .
We ’ ve got an election to win and a country to save .
Keep your eyes on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
I think so too → A Democratic wave pickup of 10 Senate seats is a real possibility .
kos , August 1 , 2020 .
Minnesota court throws out the witness requirement for Absentee ballots : the attack on mail voting is backfiring in other ways too As Trump leans into attacks on mail voting , GOP officials confront signs of Republican turnout crisis , Amy Gardner and Josh Dawsey , Washington Post , August 3 , 2020 .
More here : Trump ’ s assault on mail voting threatens his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montellaro , Politico , August 3 , 2020 .
Helpful Info to check out now , so you ’ re prepared Why some mail-in ballots are rejected and how to make sure your vote counts , Caitlin Huey-Burns and Adam Brewster , CBS News , August 3 , 2020 .
Yesterday ’ s big news came from New York .
Looks like DA Cyrus Vance is pushing hard on serious trump cases .
This news was revealed because trump ’ s lawyers were trying again to defy the SCOTUS ruling that he must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Court filings suggest Trump is being investigated for fraud : report , Sarah K. Burris , Raw Story , August 3 , 2020 .
More here with no paywall : Prosecutor seeking Trump ’ s taxes cites probe of his business , Larry Neumeister , AP News , August 3 , 2020 .
Justice is coming for dead-eyed Jared , too Deutsche Bank Opens Review Into Personal Banker to Trump and Kushner , Jesse Drucker and David Enrich , New York Times , August 2 , 2020 .
Re : the EO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case could reveal trump ties to Russian mob 🎶 Music in honor of the Jupiter/Saturn/Moon skyshow on Aug 1 🎶 The Republican Party Is Racist and Soulless .
Just Ask This Veteran GOP Strategist .
David Corn , Mother Jones , Sept/Oct 2020 .
Trump campaign sets 'money on fire ' with ads in states he ca n't win , Emily SInger , American Independent , August 3 , 2020 .
Campaign To Recall Whitmer Is In Flames Amid Allegations Of Embezzlement , Simon D. Schuster , mcfn.com , AUgust 3 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly chides him for ignoring 'medical experts , ' getting COVID-19 , Peter Weber , Yahoo , August 3 , 2020 .
Literally everyone could see this coming : After months of favor , Birx raises Trump ’ s ire with grim coronavirus assessment , Ashley Parker , Josh Dawsey and Yasmeen Abutaleb , Washington Post , August 3 , 2020 .
The winds of change appear to be global ; in Siberia , in the USA , in Europe and now in Israel .
People are rising up , protesting corruption and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Israel protests gain strength , Oliver Holmes , the Guardian , August 2 , 2020 .
Anti-Kremlin protests continue in Russia 's far east for 24 consecutive days , Alexandra Odynova , CBS News , August 3 , 2020 .
⚡ He ’ s full of it , about everything , always : Trump ’ s ‘ Full And Complete ’ Health Plan Promise Joins A Long List Of Unkept Vows , S.V .
Date , HuffPost , August 3 , 2020 .
⚡ Yes , people are on to trump : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any attempt at an ‘ October surprise ’ , Greg Sargent , Washington Post , August 3 , 2020 .
⚡ Max Boot has had it : Trump promises to ‘ Respect our Military !
’ His hypocrisy is sickening .
Max Boot , Washington Post , August 3 , 2020 .
⚡ Donald Trump is doomed , and he knows it : But will he go out with a whimper or a bang ?
Andrew O ’ Hehir , Salon , August 2 , 2020 .
⚡ NINE ELECTIONS THIS WEEK COULD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Appeal , August 3 , 2020 .
⚡ Biden ’ s Big-Tent Strategy Seems to Be Working , John Cassidy , the New Yorker , August 1 , 2020 .
⚡ All Your Most Paranoid Transfer of Power Questions , Answered , Ben Jacobs , gen.medium.com , July 24 , 2020 .
⚡ Stop fretting about Trump and do something about it .
Right now.
, Dana Milbank , Washington Post , July 25 , 2020 .
⚡ Also frequently updated : Forecasting the US elections , The Economist , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help save the world in self-isolation !
Here ’ s a bunch of links to help you stay involved at home : Check out this amazing spreadsheet : Flip Everything !
by Mattrek Act Blue — fundraising for Democratic candidates in one easy site .
Vote Forward — whether organizing an effort to encourage voter registration , including providing addressees with voter registration forms — or working toward the BIG SEND ( millions of letters to voters arriving in mailboxes in late October ) , this is one of several “ do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us can really make a difference .
Voter to voter initiatives have a track record of increasing voter turnout .
The Vote Forward letter system is ideal for those who want to contribute but can ’ t write too much .
The letter templates are provided and all you do is put in a line or two of your own and make sure the letters get to the voters on your list !
Postcards to Voters — Our own gnusie , Progressive Muse posts most days with information about PtV and updates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the ideal “ do it at home ” contribution especially suited to those who enjoy getting a little creative and connecting with fellow voters around the country .
Fair Fight — Stacey Abrams ’ initiative which has already made a difference in several elections !
Find out how you can help out at this link .
Spread the Vote — wonderful organization which works hard to help eligible voters obtain valid ID so they can register and vote .
⭐ And finally , for one-stop all-purpose voter information ( check your registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know to vote — This site covers everything any eligible voter needs to know , from how to register , how to check that you are still registered , how to obtain an absentee ballot and what to do if your right to vote is challenged or you are stopped from voting .
It ’ s getting late , so I ’ m going to stop here .
I ’ ve had this song in a GNR before , and it feels like a good time to post it again .

Good day, Newsies! 🎈🎂 Happy Birthday, President Barack Obama! 🎂🎈
It’s August already and for once I am pleased to see the weeks flying by. Soon, this nightmare is going to end and we will be celebrating a huge blue wave in November. I know there is a lot of concern about “complacency” and over-confidence among Democrats — but while those concerns are understandable, they are misplaced. NOBODY is going to be complacent this year. We have been through hell and we are not going to rest until we’ve vanquished the devil and all of his minions.
We can have confidence because all indications point to a landslide Democratic victory in November. We will work our hearts out to GOTV and make sure those votes get counted. And we could very possibly win all three branches of government. There may be some big surprises, too (such as formerly “red” states turning blue). The complex PTSD we are all suffering from makes it almost impossible to trust the evidence that supports us being confident, but it is there in abundance. Lots of news below will give you some highlights just from the past couple of days. And you will find some excellent articles on this theme in the Lightning Roundup which I put there because they are too good to merely excerpt 2-3 paragraphs.
It is true that trump is going to behave horribly over the next few months. It is true that he may succeed in doing some awful things. It is also true that he will blurt out whatever is top of his mind every day — and he will throw out ridiculous threats and outrageous claims to powers he does not have. The media will glom on to these insane pronouncements as if trump has superpowers — as if by merely saying some crazy thing, he can make it happen.
But history has proven to us by now that most of what comes out of trump’s mouth is pure bullsh*t. He doesn’t think things through, he has no strategy, no evil plan. He is humiliated and angry at Tik-Tok, so he threatens to “ban” it. He doesn’t have the power to ban media in a free country with a 1st Amendment. He is fearful of losing the election so he threatens to interfere with elections in various states; but he has no power to control elections. That power is constitutionally assigned to the states to administrate as they see fit.
x Trump is tougher on China for allowing TikTok to be used to mock him than on Russia for arming the Taliban to kill US soldiers Ã¢ÂÂ (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) August 3, 2020
Think of the history: the threats, the chaos, the media panics — and most of it came to nought because he cannot actually do the shit he blurts out wanting to do. Certainly, a president has a lot of power and we all know he can do plenty of damage with the powers he does have, but the strange and lucky thing about a narcissist like trump is that he has no strategic ability, no forethought or foresight. He is a creature driven by primitive emotions — rage, envy, fear. And everything he does is a reaction to those feelings — a lashing out against whatever or whomever arouses those feelings in him, or makes him feel threatened. And the things that threaten him are petty and ridiculous in many ways. A slight to that ego — perhaps the suggestion that he is less than he thinks he is — will take up his entire attention.
What we need to remember is that as scary as it is to have this madman in control of our government, he is not in control of himself. His behavior is erratic and impulsive and self-destructive because he cannot help himself. And by extension, that means he is not really in control of the government either because he simply does not have the self-discipline or the capability to do so. His enablers, the Republican party, are doing all the real dirty work while using trump as a rubber stamp when they can. But they cannot control him any more than he can control himself. He is going to self-destruct and he is going to bring them down in the process.
Keep your eyes on the prize, like me!
We know we are in for a horrible few months. It is unavoidable with a pathologically disordered personality in the office of the president surrounded by an evil cabal of greedy enablers. However, we can at least keep in mind that he is not an evil genius, not even a stable genius, and all his flailing around will be like a bull in a china shop — he may cause a lot of damage (already has done) but it is incoherent and undisciplined and he is not all-powerful. And his unstoppably reactionary flailing will disrupt and eventually destroy the plans of those connivers around him who do have discipline.
Meanwhile, on the side of the people are: Millions and millions of the people! And thousands of experts in many fields who are working ceaselessly to get us through these final months. We are, after all, the ones we have been waiting for and we are the ones who will save the country. We the people — collectively — will rescue each other and the country.
Let’s remember that humans are human — there will be mistakes and snags and there always are. Let’s not allow the madman in the WH to make us mad, too. Angry yes, but not mad lol. We need to keep our wits about us and stay focused on the goal. They’ll throw everything they can at us to try to distract us from the goal — so our job is to keep our eyes on that prize! No matter what!
x I expect this election to be more chaotic than usual.
But then, it might not be. States and voter rights groups are preparing.
GA, to take one example, now has dropoff places for absentee ballots. The populated areas are working to accommodate people going to polls.
11/ Ã¢ÂÂ Teri Kanefield (@Teri_Kanefield) July 31, 2020
As Tea Pain says, don’t waste energy on fear — just expect trump & company to pull all sorts of corrupt and criminal and threatening shit — just expect hell from devils. And keep on going.
x There's no need to fear. He's 100% gonna do it.https://t.co/ix6a0yU8Cv Ã¢ÂÂ Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) August 3, 2020
We’ve got an election to win and a country to save. Keep your eyes on the prize and don’t ever give up.
🎶 Opening Music 🎶
☑ Election News ☑
Analysis, Ratings, Maps and Other Stuff
2020 Electoral Map Ratings: Trump Slides, Biden Advantage Expands Over 270 Votes, Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, August 3, 2020.
It's hard to believe that the hole President Trump dug for himself could get deeper, but it has. A record and widening majority of Americans disapprove of the job he's doing when it comes to handling the coronavirus pandemic; he gets poor scores on race relations; he's seen a suburban erosion despite efforts to win over suburban voters with fear; and all that has led to a worsened outlook for Trump against Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. As a result, in the past month and a half, the latest NPR analysis of the Electoral College has several states shifting in Biden's favor, and he now has a 297-170 advantage over Trump with exactly three months to go until Election Day.
I think so too → A Democratic wave pickup of 10 Senate seats is a real possibility. kos, August 1, 2020.
x IÃ¢ÂÂm proud to endorse this diverse and hopeful collection of thoughtful, empathetic, and highly qualified Democrats. If youÃ¢ÂÂre in one of their districts or states, make sure you vote for them this fall. And if you can, vote earlyÃ¢ÂÂby mail or in person. https://t.co/PSm3Rf3wkF pic.twitter.com/7RXrJriBz8 Ã¢ÂÂ Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 3, 2020
Nevada Passes Legislation to make voting easier and safer
Nevada to mail all voters ballots; Trump promises lawsuit, Sam Metz, ABC News, August 3, 2020.
I like this guy’s friendly face!
Good job, Gov. Sisolak and Nevada legislature! Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed legislation Monday to mail all of the state's active voters ballots ahead of the November election, a move being criticized by President Donald Trump, who promised a lawsuit to block the action. ✄ Nevada joins seven states that plan to automatically send voters mail ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic, including California and Vermont, which moved earlier this summer to adopt automatic mail ballot policies. The plan drew criticism from Trump after making its way through the Legislature over the weekend. The president has long claimed that mail ballots would compromise the integrity of the election, but the consensus among experts is that all forms of voter fraud are rare. ✄ Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid applauded the lawmakers' decision and called Trump's opposition desperate. “He’s lying about our state leaders and threatening a bogus lawsuit simply because Democrats made it easier for people to vote," Reid said in a statement.
Minnesota court throws out the witness requirement for Absentee ballots:
x BREAKING: In big victory for voting rights, Minnesota court ORDERS for November 2020 Election:
1. Ballots postmarked by Election Day must be counted.
2. Witness signature requirement is invalid.
Victory for Democracy and another defeat for @GOP.https://t.co/38vWoYgRtL pic.twitter.com/SZZzyjuQC6 Ã¢ÂÂ Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) August 3, 2020
*pResident’s own actions bolstered court decision
x Minnesota court uses @realDonaldTrump tweet to reject his lawyer's efforts to block our voting rights lawsuit.
There are times I feel bad for his lawyers, and then I remember that they agreed to represent Trump. pic.twitter.com/HTSttVTi5E Ã¢ÂÂ Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) August 4, 2020
the attack on mail voting is backfiring in other ways too
As Trump leans into attacks on mail voting, GOP officials confront signs of Republican turnout crisis, Amy Gardner and Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, August 3, 2020.
President Trump’s unfounded attacks on mail balloting are discouraging his own supporters from embracing the practice, according to polls and Republican leaders across the country, prompting growing alarm that one of the central strategies of his campaign is threatening GOP prospects in November. ✄ Glen Bolger, a pollster with the Republican firm Public Opinion Strategies, said that in one swing state he declined to identify, only 15 percent of voters planning to cast ballots by mail were Trump supporters. “Republicans are skeptical about voting by mail, and that’s a problem up and down the ballot,” he said. ✄ “Please don’t confuse North Carolina’s absentee system with other states’ all-mail elections,” read the message from party chairman. “NCGOP and JoCo GOP agrees with the President that our current absentee ballot request system is safe and secure.” “Why is the GOP sending this out,” wrote another, adding: “You know damn well that we are arguing against this, and here it is our own damn party sending this horse dung out?!!! Whoever is in charge of this should be fired. I am going to the polls, Don’t send me one.”
More here: Trump’s assault on mail voting threatens his reelection bid, Christopher Cadelago and Zach Montellaro, Politico, August 3, 2020.
Citizen Groups Demand Postmaster general be Investigated
Watchdogs demand investigation into “voter suppression tactics” by Trump donor running USPS, Igor Derysh, Salon, August 3, 2020.
Helpful Info to check out now, so you’re prepared
x If you are worried about mailing in time (and you should be) here is a state by state list of how soon a ballot has to arrive. https://t.co/REiniZ7CWe https://t.co/EoI609DWdk Ã¢ÂÂ Dirk Schwenk (Esq, gddmit) (@DirkSchwenk) August 3, 2020
Why some mail-in ballots are rejected and how to make sure your vote counts, Caitlin Huey-Burns and Adam Brewster, CBS News, August 3, 2020.
⚖ Justice ⚖
Yesterday’s big news came from New York. Looks like DA Cyrus Vance is pushing hard on serious trump cases. This news was revealed because trump’s lawyers were trying again to defy the SCOTUS ruling that he must turn over his taxes and financial records.
Court filings suggest Trump is being investigated for fraud: report, Sarah K. Burris, Raw Story, August 3, 2020.
New court filings in New York seem to indicate that President Donald Trump may be under investigation for fraud. According to the New York Times, the documents sought by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance indicate a “significantly broader inquiry than the prosecutors have acknowledged in the past.” The filings argue that Trump should be forced to comply with subpoenas demanding eight years of his personal and corporate tax returns due to “undisputed” reports about the president’s business practices.
x The Manhattan DA's office told a federal court today that it's seeking President Trump's financial records as it investigates "public allegations of possible criminal activity at ... New York-County based Trump Organization dating back over a decade." pic.twitter.com/WaO6mxBHjn Ã¢ÂÂ Brad Heath (@bradheath) August 3, 2020
More here with no paywall: Prosecutor seeking Trump’s taxes cites probe of his business, Larry Neumeister, AP News, August 3, 2020.
x Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) says it would be a Ã¢ÂÂdouble standardÃ¢ÂÂ to fill a Supreme Court vacancy before 2021 & Ã¢ÂÂwould not support it.Ã¢ÂÂ Ã¢ÂÂ Alex Bolton (@alexanderbolton) August 3, 2020
Justice is coming for dead-eyed Jared, too
Deutsche Bank Opens Review Into Personal Banker to Trump and Kushner, Jesse Drucker and David Enrich, New York Times, August 2, 2020.
The Kushner family has been a client of Ms. Vrablic’s since before she joined Deutsche Bank. In 2011, Mr. Kushner brought Ms. Vrablic to meet his father-in-law. At the time, most mainstream banks refused to do business with Mr. Trump because of his history of defaults and bankruptcies. “I introduced him to this woman Rosemary,” Mr. Kushner said in closed-door testimony to the House Intelligence Committee in 2017. “She is one of the biggest private wealth bankers, probably in the world. Amazing banker, amazing woman. Very smart banker. And she banked my family for a long time.” Ms. Vrablic and her superiors soon agreed to take Mr. Trump on as a client, even though he had defaulted on a loan from the bank three years earlier. In 2012, Deutsche Bank lent Mr. Trump a total of about $175 million for his newly acquired Doral golf resort outside Miami and for his Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago. ✄ Ms. Vrablic was thrust into the spotlight when Mr. Trump boasted to The Times in 2016 about his strong relationship with Deutsche Bank — and inflated Ms. Vrablic’s role at the bank. “Why don’t you call the head of Deutsche Bank? Her name is Rosemary Vrablic,” he said in the interview. “She is the boss.” x This is the start of the Great Unraveling. Trump and Kushner will go down with Vrablic and Deutschebank. A den of thieves.https://t.co/XdRnfsJ9E2 Ã¢ÂÂ Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 3, 2020
Re: the EO trying to kick out foreign students
Court dismisses DHS appeal hoping to overturn injunction:
x This is a big, big win against the administrationÃ¢ÂÂs efforts to cut legal immigration. You might not have been following, but on the Ã¢ÂÂimpact to attentionÃ¢ÂÂ ratio, this was a huge score. https://t.co/J0ybHkOGO7 Ã¢ÂÂ Todd Schulte (@TheToddSchulte) August 3, 2020
This case could reveal trump ties to Russian mob
x Today, we filed our response to the government's motion for summary judgment (dismissal).
We have narrowed our challenges to privacy withholdings (#FOIA Exemptions 6, 7C, and 7D).
I've uploaded our response to my website: https://t.co/PbIU6taNUc
3/ Ã¢ÂÂ Seth Hettena (@seth_hettena) August 3, 2020
🎶 Music in honor of the Jupiter/Saturn/Moon skyshow on Aug 1 🎶
Democrats Being Great
Democrats to introduce legislation to tighten DHS intel oversight, Betsy Woodruff Swan, Politico, August 3, 2020.
On Tuesday, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Max Rose (D-N.Y.) will introduce legislation mandating reviews of I&A intelligence products by the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, they announced. The legislation will also mandate that CRCL train top I&A officials on civil rights and civil liberties, according to the release announcing their plans. Thompson chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Rose chairs its subcommittee on intelligence and counterterrorism. “We can no longer assume that the right thing is going to happen, that this office will no longer be politicized and won’t do things that, quite frankly, infringe on people’s constitutional rights,” Rose told POLITICO. “And so we have to mandate it.”
Rep. Adam Schiff not letting DHS hijinks in Portland slide
Letter in link:
Schiff announces probe into DHS intelligence activities in Portland, Orion Rummier, Axios, August 3, 2020.
The House Intelligence Committee will investigate the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis over reports that officials have targeted protesters and journalists in Portland and other cities, chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) announced Monday. Driving the news: DHS reassigned its top intelligence official, acting Undersecretary Brian Murphy, after his office analyzed communications between Portland protesters and supplied law enforcement with lists of journalists that had published leaked agency documents, the Washington Post first reported. What they're saying: "Let me be clear: reporting regarding the monitoring of peaceful protesters, creating and disseminating intelligence reports about journalists and protesters, and potential exploitation of electronic devices is deeply troubling," Schiff wrote in a letter to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Monday.
Pompous zealot facing scrutiny
House committee subpoenas 4 top Pompeo aides, Kyle Cheney, Politico, August 3, 2020.
The subpoenas are an escalation in the committee's confrontation with the State Department, which has resisted repeated oversight attempts by the committee since Democrats' impeachment investigation last year. "The Administration continues to cover up the real reasons for Mr. Linick’s firing by stonewalling the Committees’ investigation and refusing to engage in good faith," Engel, House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a joint statement. "That stonewalling has made today’s subpoenas necessary." Bulatao is seen by Democrats as a linchpin in their investigation, an enforcer of sorts for Pompeo who Linick said attempted to bully him into shying away from sensitive investigations about Pompeo's use of taxpayer resources and stewardship of an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The other aides, Democrats say, were aware of the circumstances of Linick's departure or of the two investigations that he said raised questions about Pompeo's actions. Linick testified to the House Foreign Affairs and House Oversight and Government Reform committees last month, leading the panels to request interviews with Bulatao and the other aides.
🔥 Ex-Republican Speaks Out 🔥
The Republican Party Is Racist and Soulless. Just Ask This Veteran GOP Strategist. David Corn, Mother Jones, Sept/Oct 2020.
“It was all a lie” GOP strategist Stuart Stevens (with Mitt Romney) This was a stunning indictment coming from a longtime political consultant who had toiled on five Republican presidential campaigns and numerous Senate and gubernatorial races. “The Republican Party has been a cartel,” Stevens said excitedly. “And no one asks a cartel, ‘What’s your ideological purpose?’ You don’t ask OPEC, ‘What’s your ideology?’ You don’t ask a drug gang, ‘What’s your program?’ The Republicans exist for the pursuit of power for no purpose.” He huffed that the Republican Party had not merely drifted away from its core positions, as sometimes occurs with political parties: “Fair trade, balanced budgets, character, family values, standing up to foreign adversaries like Russia—we’re all against that now. You have to ask, ‘Does someone abandon deeply held beliefs in three or four years?’ No. It means you didn’t ever hold them.” He added: “I feel like a guy who was working for Bernie Madoff.” Stevens, an erudite fellow who is also a novelist and a travel writer, has become an emblematic ex-Republican. He once believed in GOP ideals and ideas. Now he saw it all as a huge con. His new book is a confession and cri de coeur. The first line is blunt: “I have no one to blame but myself.” In these pages, Stevens self-flagellates, calling himself a “fool” for his decades of believing—and lying to himself—that the Republican Party was based on “a core set of values.” Acknowledging his role, Stevens writes, “So yes, blame me. Blame me when you look around and see a dysfunctional political system and a Republican Party that has gone insane.” The book offers one overarching prescription for the GOP: “Burn it to the ground and start over.”
🎶 Blueberry Moon Music 🎶
Pubs in Panic
White House suddenly orders ‘mandatory’ COVID-19 testing for presidential staff, David Edwards, Raw Story, August 3, 2020.
White House employees will now be subject to mandatory testing for COVID-19, an official said on Monday. In a statement to CNN’s Jim Acosta, the unnamed White House official said that staffers working near President Donald Trump would be forced to undergo randomized testing. “As part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of the entire White House Complex, randomized testing of Executive Office of the President staff, which has been ongoing for several months, will become mandatory rather than voluntary,” the official said.
Trump campaign sets 'money on fire' with ads in states he can't win, Emily SInger, American Independent, August 3, 2020.
The Trump campaign on Monday purchased $38,000 on ads just on Fox News in Washington, D.C., that will run from Monday through Aug. 16, according to Medium Buying, which tracks political ad buys. That follows an earlier $38,000 buy in the same market for ads that ran from July 23 to July 28. The likely audience for Trump campaign ads in such a reliably Democratic area is Donald Trump himself. The campaign first started employing this tactic to mollify its candidate in late May, when it spent $400,000 to run ads on cable news networks in the Washington, D.C., media market as Trump began to worry about his reelection chances. It has spent at least $476,000 on such ads.
PuBs fail trying to Recall Gov. Whitmer (D-MI)
Campaign To Recall Whitmer Is In Flames Amid Allegations Of Embezzlement, Simon D. Schuster, mcfn.com, AUgust 3, 2020.
With all the drama of a soap opera, the first approved recall ballot petition effort against the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has canceled its signature collection amid allegations that the founder, Chad Baase, used the committee’s funds for personal use. The Committee To Recall Governor Gretchen Whitmer has fractured in recent days as organizers cut ties with Baase, who they said had become unreliable and acting suspiciously. Baase, who is also running as a Republican for the 62nd Michigan House district, has flatly denied most allegations — except that money is missing.
Congress’s stupidest member is stupid
GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert's daughter publicly chides him for ignoring 'medical experts,' getting COVID-19, Peter Weber, Yahoo, August 3, 2020.
Rep. Louie Gohmert's (R-Texas) daughter Caroline is disappointed her father "ignored medical expertise" and didn't wear a mask, and now has COVID-19, she said in a brief statement Sunday night. "This has been a heartbreaking battle [because] I love my dad and don't want him to die. Please please listen to medical experts. It's not worth following a president who has no remorse for leading his followers to an early grave."
💀 ETTD 💀
Literally everyone could see this coming:
After months of favor, Birx raises Trump’s ire with grim coronavirus assessment, Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey and Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post, August 3, 2020.
Birx — who built a career leading public health efforts against HIV/AIDS — quickly garnered Trump’s favor earlier this year for publicly championing the administration’s coronavirus response, becoming a prominent figure both inside and outside the White House. But she soon lost support within swaths of the scientific and medical community for seeming to minimize the virus and to enable Trump’s overly rosy view of the pandemic. This past weekend, Birx lost the backing of the nation’s top Democrat, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), who privately called Birx “the worst” and publicly said she had no confidence in her. And finally on Monday morning, Birx appeared to lose ground with perhaps her most important constituency, Trump himself, who dismissed her as “pathetic.” “So Crazy Nancy Pelosi said horrible things about Dr. Deborah Birx, going after her because she was too positive on the very good job we are doing on combatting the China Virus, including Vaccines & Therapeutics,” Trump wrote in a tweet. “In order to counter Nancy, Deborah took the bait & hit us. Pathetic!”
🌍 World News 🌎
EU, in First-Ever Cyber Sanctions, Hits Russian Intelligence, AP via Courthouse News, July 30, 2020.
The European Union on Thursday slapped sanctions on six people and three organizations, including Russia’s military intelligence agency, accusing them of responsibility for several cyberattacks that threatened EU interests. EU headquarters said in a statement that those targeted include people considered to be involved in the 2017 “WannaCry” ransomware attack, the “NotPetya” strike that notably caused havoc in Ukraine, and the “Operation Cloud Hopper” hacking campaign. The sanctions are the first that the EU has ever imposed for cyberattacks.
Israelis protest corrupt Netanyahu
The winds of change appear to be global; in Siberia, in the USA, in Europe and now in Israel. People are rising up, protesting corruption and demanding justice:
Thousands demonstrate against Netanyahu as Israel protests gain strength, Oliver Holmes, the Guardian, August 2, 2020.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets outside Benjamin Netanyahu’s house over the weekend in what appeared to be the largest protest to date calling for the embattled Israeli prime minister to resign. Rallies on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning were held in Jerusalem, home to the official residence of the 70-year-old leader, as well as his beach house in central Israel, near Tel Aviv, and at dozens of road intersections across the country. Throughout the summer, Israelis have packed roads and squares calling for Netanyahu to resign, protesting against his government’s handling of the country’s coronavirus crisis and charges of alleged corruption. x Israelis are standing up against NetanyahuÃ¢ÂÂs illiberal government by the thousands. We love to see it. https://t.co/SdwlC0kxbF Ã¢ÂÂ T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights (@truahrabbis) August 3, 2020
Anti-Kremlin protests continue in Russia's far east for 24 consecutive days, Alexandra Odynova, CBS News, August 3, 2020.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Russia's far eastern city of Khabarovsk for the 24th consecutive day on Monday, continuing a rare spate of ongoing anti-Kremlin demonstrations in the region sparked by the arrest of a local politician. Sergei Furgal, who defeated an unpopular incumbent for governor from Russian President' Vladimir Putin's ruling party in 2018, was arrested last month on charges relating to murders from 2004 and 2005 and transported to a jail in Moscow. Putin then appointed an acting governor, Mikhail Degtyaryov, who had no connection to the region. While Furgal's arrest was seen by many as politically motivated, Degtyaryov's appointment, which wasn't welcomed locally, pushed the demonstrations in a more anti-Kremlin direction. Chants of "Russia without Putin," "We are power here," and "Give us Furgal back" were heard at the protest on Saturday that drew some 10,000 people despite pouring rain, according to local media. Official estimates put the crowd at roughly 3,500.
🎶 Star Music Time! 🎶
x YouTube Video
⚡ Lightning RoundUp ⚡
⚡ He’s full of it, about everything, always: Trump’s ‘Full And Complete’ Health Plan Promise Joins A Long List Of Unkept Vows, S.V. Date, HuffPost, August 3, 2020.
⚡ Yes, people are on to trump: How Trump’s corruption may doom any attempt at an ‘October surprise’, Greg Sargent, Washington Post, August 3, 2020.
⚡ Max Boot has had it: Trump promises to ‘Respect our Military!’ His hypocrisy is sickening. Max Boot, Washington Post, August 3, 2020.
⚡ Donald Trump is doomed, and he knows it: But will he go out with a whimper or a bang? Andrew O’ Hehir, Salon, August 2, 2020.
⚡ NINE ELECTIONS THIS WEEK COULD UPEND CRIMINAL JUSTICE NATIONWIDE, Daniel Nichanian, the Appeal, August 3, 2020.
⚡ Biden’s Big-Tent Strategy Seems to Be Working, John Cassidy, the New Yorker, August 1, 2020.
⚡ All Your Most Paranoid Transfer of Power Questions, Answered, Ben Jacobs, gen.medium.com, July 24, 2020.
⚡ Stop fretting about Trump and do something about it. Right now., Dana Milbank, Washington Post, July 25, 2020.
⚡ Barack Obama's eulogy for John Lewis signals pivotal day in 2020 election: OPINION, Matthew Dowd, ABC News, July 30, 2020.
⚡ Updated daily! 2020 Electoral Maps from Princeton Election Consortium, 270 to Win.
⚡ Also frequently updated: Forecasting the US elections, The Economist, 2020.
🔗 Helpful Links 🔗
Good News: You can still help save the world in self-isolation!
Here’s a bunch of links to help you stay involved at home:
Check out this amazing spreadsheet: Flip Everything! by Mattrek
Joe Biden’s Action Website
Act Blue — fundraising for Democratic candidates in one easy site.
Vote Forward — whether organizing an effort to encourage voter registration, including providing addressees with voter registration forms — or working toward the BIG SEND (millions of letters to voters arriving in mailboxes in late October),this is one of several “do it at home” projects through which many of us can really make a difference. Voter to voter initiatives have a track record of increasing voter turnout. The Vote Forward letter system is ideal for those who want to contribute but can’t write too much. The letter templates are provided and all you do is put in a line or two of your own and make sure the letters get to the voters on your list!
Postcards to Voters!
Postcards to Voters — Our own gnusie, Progressive Muse posts most days with information about PtV and updates on current campaigns and progress. This is the ideal “do it at home” contribution especially suited to those who enjoy getting a little creative and connecting with fellow voters around the country.
Fair Fight — Stacey Abrams’ initiative which has already made a difference in several elections! Find out how you can help out at this link.
Spread the Vote — wonderful organization which works hard to help eligible voters obtain valid ID so they can register and vote.
⭐ And finally, for one-stop all-purpose voter information (check your registration!):
Everything you need to know to vote — This site covers everything any eligible voter needs to know, from how to register, how to check that you are still registered, how to obtain an absentee ballot and what to do if your right to vote is challenged or you are stopped from voting.
💙 RoundUp WindDown 💙
It’s getting late, so I’m going to stop here.
I’ve had this song in a GNR before, and it feels like a good time to post it again.
My voice feels tiny and im sure so does yours Put us all together we’ll make a mighty roar
🎶 We are resilient! 🎶
Happy Tuesday, Newsies!
(post edited to move around a picture and insert a tweet)


dailykos--2020-08-04--Thrilled to announce Endorsement by the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates (FAPPA)

Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care source , an informed educator , a passionate advocate , and helps similar @ @ @ @ @ They provide vital reproductive health care , sex education , and information to millions of @ @ @ @ @ to working with them in the future .

Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care source, an informed educator, a passionate advocate, and helps similar organizations around the world. They provide vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of people. I look forward to working with them in the future.
Doloresfor27.com
ActBlue Donations
VOLUNTEER
FACEBOOK
TWITTER


dailykos--2020-08-06--2013 questionnaire raises questions about the 'Average' egotism of human beings

If the findings are correct , and a score of 60 % is average for most people , it might @ @ @ @ @ opinion among mystics and the better sort of psychotherapist , that most of us are @ @ @ @ @ good .
What do my readers think ?

If the findings are correct, and a score of 60% is average for most people, it might go to support the long-standing opinion among mystics and the better sort of psychotherapist, that most of us are too self-absorbed for our own good. What do my readers think?


dailykos--2020-08-05--Do you understand what this means?

Do you understand what this means?

Seismic aftershocks continue to rumble through St. Louis , MO , following a political earthquake , yesterday .
When Ferguson activist , Cori Bush , in a rematch of the 2018 Primary , defeated twenty year Democratic incumbent , Congressman , Lacy Clay last night , it shook the foundations of the established political order in this city and possibly the whole State .
But , even more significant than the unseating of a long entrenched Congressional Democrat , Cori Bush ’ s victory was part of a victory wave for Black women and women candidates more generally , across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writing for the St. Louis Post Dispatch this morning — Prominent Ferguson activist and leader , Kayla Reed , reflected on these triumphs in tweets — The attacks on these 3 women were absolutely disgusting .
Their opponents went lower than low .
You know what ended up being the lowest ?
Voter turnout out for them because we won !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
The entire Black political establishment came after Tishaura .
And she put them in the ground .
Do you understand what this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to silence Kim Gardner .
They ran a white south side moderate against her with the backing of the police union and mega donors .
And Kim put them in the ground ?
Do you understand what this means .
Do y ’ all understand @ CoriBush was in the trenches .
I met her during the Ferguson uprising and NOW as the movement is growing , she is going to Congress .
Another harvest from the seeds of the Ferguson Uprising ... ...
Lest you think that this is just a local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Messenger makes some other points — We comin ’ , they say .
Expect us .
Those are the blaring messages in a Tuesday election that could have massive statewide implications in Missouri for decades .
On Tuesday , Missouri Republicans decided to pick a statewide slate running for governor , lieutenant governor , treasurer , secretary of state and attorney general of five white men .
Democrats picked two white women , a black man , a black woman and a white man .
It ’ s the most diverse statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely be led by the most diverse presidential ticket in history , and its path to victory doesn ’ t follow the old white Democratic strategy of trying not to offend rural white voters , but in depending on Black women to carry the day .
But , notwithstanding the obvious and growing importance of Black women in Democratic politics in Missouri , the election elevated many other Democratic women , too .
For example , after yesterday ’ s Democratic , primary , our nominees for the State ’ s eight Congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one African American man , two African American women and five White women , one of whom is disabled .
All but one of their eight Republican opponents for the November 3 general election are White men .
Democrats nominated no White men for Congressional seats this term , perhaps for the first time in State history .
So , to Missouri ’ s comfortably entrenched Republican majorities , I say : Do you understand what this means ?

Seismic aftershocks continue to rumble through St. Louis, MO, following a political earthquake, yesterday. When Ferguson activist, Cori Bush, in a rematch of the 2018 Primary, defeated twenty year Democratic incumbent, Congressman, Lacy Clay last night, it shook the foundations of the established political order in this city and possibly the whole State. But, even more significant than the unseating of a long entrenched Congressional Democrat, Cori Bush’s victory was part of a victory wave for Black women and women candidates more generally, across Missouri.
Columnist, Tony Messenger, writing for the St. Louis Post Dispatch this morning —
In the Democratic primary in St. Louis, Black women won the day. Cori Bush stunned the region and the nation with an upset of Congressman William Lacy Clay. Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner coasted to re-election, winning more than 60% of the vote. Treasurer Tishaura Jones won by a similar margin. Both Jones and Gardner were fighting against the traditional power structure of Democratic politics in St. Louis, including an infusion of dark money tied to the same people who have been pushing a corrupt airport privatization scheme on the city. Black women also played an oversized role in expanding Medicaid throughout the state, as the massive margins in St. Louis and Kansas City, along with wins in traditional GOP strongholds St. Charles and Greene County, pushed the important health-care amendment to victory. Black Women Matter.
Prominent Ferguson activist and leader, Kayla Reed, reflected on these triumphs in tweets —
St. Louis had a huge night!!!! This election was certainly a reckoning for the voters in our city. White status quo and entrenched Black leadership mourned a campaign to unseat Black women incumbents.
They tried to unseat Circuit Attorney @KimGardnerSTL and Treasurer . Their challengers were well funded and received the endorsements of the majority of the elected officials in STL. @tishaura . Their challengers were well funded and received the endorsements of the majority of the elected officials in STL.
The city sent a resoundingly rejected the message of the status quo. Not only did @KimGardnerSTL and @tishaura win, they won by a fucking landslide. That’s not all though. @CoriBush defeated Lacy Clay for Congress!!!!! Black women won tonight.
The attacks on these 3 women were absolutely disgusting. Their opponents went lower than low. You know what ended up being the lowest? Voter turnout out for them because we won!!!!!!!!!!!
And we passed Medicaid in Missouri. @ActionSTL knocked on more than 40k doors to help make it happen. Our political arm supported Kim Gardner. This win belongs to the people.
Cori Bush took down a political dynasty on her 2nd try. She ended a 50 year stronghold. Do you understand what that means?
The entire Black political establishment came after Tishaura. And she put them in the ground. Do you understand what this means?
The white status quo tried to silence Kim Gardner. They ran a white south side moderate against her with the backing of the police union and mega donors. And Kim put them in the ground? Do you understand what this means.
Do y’all understand @CoriBush was in the trenches. I met her during the Ferguson uprising and NOW as the movement is growing, she is going to Congress. Another harvest from the seeds of the Ferguson Uprising......
Lest you think that this is just a local rumble among St. Louis Democrats, columnist, Messenger makes some other points —
We comin’, they say. Expect us. Those are the blaring messages in a Tuesday election that could have massive statewide implications in Missouri for decades. On Tuesday, Missouri Republicans decided to pick a statewide slate running for governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, secretary of state and attorney general of five white men. Democrats picked two white women, a black man, a black woman and a white man. It’s the most diverse statewide ticket in Missouri history, which will likely be led by the most diverse presidential ticket in history, and its path to victory doesn’t follow the old white Democratic strategy of trying not to offend rural white voters, but in depending on Black women to carry the day.
But, notwithstanding the obvious and growing importance of Black women in Democratic politics in Missouri, the election elevated many other Democratic women, too. For example, after yesterday’s Democratic, primary, our nominees for the State’s eight Congressional seats, including Cori Bush, consist of one African American man, two African American women and five White women, one of whom is disabled. All but one of their eight Republican opponents for the November 3 general election are White men. Democrats nominated no White men for Congressional seats this term, perhaps for the first time in State history.
So, to Missouri’s comfortably entrenched Republican majorities, I say: Do you understand what this means?
We comin’. Expect us.


dailykos--2020-08-05--Cartoon: Sir Covid's Wisdom-isms...
"So, you say...Leeches..."

Hope you like my 'Wisdom-isms . '
If you want to try your hand at drawing me , please `` @ @ @ @ @ on FB , share your drawing , here , www.facebook.com/… , and I 'll write @ @ @ @ @ drawing .
In the meantime , stop worrying so much - I 'm here , @ @ @

Hi, Sir Covid, here.
Hope you like my 'Wisdom-isms.'
If you want to try your hand at drawing me, please "like" SirCovid@SirCovidsWisdomisms on FB, share your drawing, here, www.facebook.com/…, and I'll write a Custom Caption for YOUR drawing.
In the meantime, stop worrying so much - I'm here, now!!


dailykos--2020-08-08--Michelle Obama’s Message About Her State Of Mind Was Healing For Many

There are acute emergencies that require an appropriate fight or flight response .
What we are experiencing is a chronic sense of threat from the Covid-19 virus , the economy and a president who is causing mayhem on a hourly basis .
Not everyone has the same degree of disruption to their lives from all this but on some level we are all experiencing something very unpleasant .
We share a common stressor that comes out of swimming in the same pool of possible illness , death and economic disaster .
That this would take a toll on people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tells us that chronic low grade stress uses up our endorphins and chemical messengers created by the brain to help us get back to a pre-stressed condition .
We are depleted in serotonin and dopamine .
When Michelle Obama mentioned in an interview , rather matter of factly , that she is experiencing “ low grade depression ” , she tacitly let people know that even someone like her is susceptible to the malaise the rest of us are feeling .
It is rare for a public figure to inject this level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wellbeing .
I rarely hear any reporting about the toll this pandemic is taking on people ’ s mental heath .
It is not something people talk about openly , or maybe even to close friends and family , yet there she was one of the most famous and respected people in the world opening up about the toll this is taking on her psyche .
I have to think this acknowledgement was a soothing balm for many .
They felt less alone in their personal despair if someone like Michelle Obama can @ @ @ @

There are acute emergencies that require an appropriate fight or flight response. What we are experiencing is a chronic sense of threat from the Covid-19 virus, the economy and a president who is causing mayhem on a hourly basis. Not everyone has the same degree of disruption to their lives from all this but on some level we are all experiencing something very unpleasant. We share a common stressor that comes out of swimming in the same pool of possible illness, death and economic disaster. That this would take a toll on people’s mental health is expected. Neuroscience tells us that chronic low grade stress uses up our endorphins and chemical messengers created by the brain to help us get back to a pre-stressed condition. We are depleted in serotonin and dopamine.
When Michelle Obama mentioned in an interview, rather matter of factly, that she is experiencing “low grade depression”, she tacitly let people know that even someone like her is susceptible to the malaise the rest of us are feeling. It is rare for a public figure to inject this level of honest reality about their state of psychological wellbeing. I rarely hear any reporting about the toll this pandemic is taking on people’s mental heath. It is not something people talk about openly, or maybe even to close friends and family, yet there she was one of the most famous and respected people in the world opening up about the toll this is taking on her psyche. I have to think this acknowledgement was a soothing balm for many. They felt less alone in their personal despair if someone like Michelle Obama can feel it too.