dailykos--2020-11-17--He's Melting!  He's Melting! - Good News Roundup, Bluesday, November 17th, 2020

A couple of weeks ago we threw water on the Wicked Witch of the West Wing and he melted down just like we expected .
The not-a-surprise surprise is that the remaining puddle of stale testicular sweat refuses to evaporate .
It ’ s surreal .
We have a clear winner and an obvious loser .
That fact is becoming more and more immutable .
Yet , the whining from the bigliest loser becomes increasingly strident the closer he comes to irrelevance .
His Million MAGgot March consisted of twenty or thirty thousand knuckle dragging Redhats dressed up in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in support of their shared “ My like sucks , so let ’ s burn down the country ” philosophy .
It was not a good look .
The frivolous lawsuits are being tossed almost as fast as they are filed .
The lying tweets now come with a warning label .
However , we still have two months to go and the Don of Denial is flailing about , concocting new grifts and continuing to push all the old ones that his feeble mind can still remember .
He is a spiteful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spew .
On the other hand , Tish James and Cy Vance are drooling in anticipation of indictments to come .
All of the potential Attorneys General for the incoming Biden administration are planning for some very uncomfortable deposition sessions for outgoing tRump aparatchiks .
There is a feeling of almost freedom in the air .
The last time I wrote a GNR was on the morning of election day before any of the results were in .
I asked for your help in deciding what to call his most typical behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s having another tRumper tantrum .
We ’ ve put up with this crap for three years and ten months .
We can continue to resist the depredations for another two months .
We ’ ve got this and then comes the reckoning .
Stephen Colbert had a lot to say last night Let ’ s take a look at the news , Hi ho .
Hi ho .
A debunking we will go .
Mother Jones : Trump ’ s Latest False Fraud Claim Came From an Anonymous Internet Poster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet falsely claiming a computerized voting system vendor had switched or deleted millions of his votes .
The unfounded allegation appears to have originally been concocted by an anonymous poster on a pro-Trump forum , illustrating a common chain of right-wing disinformation : A baseless conspiracy theory is posted anonymously , a right-wing blogger cites it , a conservative news outlet picks it up , and , next , the president of the United States spreads it as supposed fact .
In this instance , Trump sourced his information to a “ report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a right-wing cable network with a penchant for pumping out propaganda and completely made-up conspiracy theories .
In doing so , Trump helped them boost another one .
The anonymous forum poster alleges that the supposed irregularities took place on Dominion voting machines and that the company worked to steal the election from Trump .
The New York Times has debunked this , reporting how Dominion software neither caused widespread voting problems nor affected the final counts .
Trump ’ s own Department of Homeland Security released a statement late on Thursday saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting system deleted or lost votes , changed votes , or was in any way compromised.
” Turns Out , You Can ’ t Just Say Whatever Ranting and raving like a lunatic only works if you are orange and played a giant asshole on TV ( not actually acting ) .
CNN : Dean at Virginia university resigns after alleged Facebook post calling Biden voters 'anti-American ' and 'anti-Christian' ( CNN ) Paul Ewell , the now former dean of the Virginia Wesleyan University Global Campus , resigned from both his deanship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Facebook post on his since-deleted account that referred to voters for President-elect Joe Biden as `` anti-American '' and `` anti-Christian . ''
When asked for additional comment and whether he stood by his words in the post , Ewell told CNN in an email he `` apologized profusely '' and had `` nothing left to add . ''
Ewell did not acknowledge CNN 's inquiry as to whether his resignation from VWU came in response to the post .
Ewell 's alleged post , a screenshot of which was originally reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook friends who may have voted for Biden or are Democrats to unfriend him on the social media platform .
CNN has not independently seen or verified the post .
`` If you were ignorant , anti-American , and anti-Christian enough to vote for Biden , I really do n't want to be your social friend on social media , '' the alleged post said .
`` I would n't hang out with you in real life , I do n't want to hang out with you virtually either .
You have corrupted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth .
You have corrupted our country .
I have standards and you do n't meet them .
Please remove yourself . ''
What Is Happening in Evangelical America ?
Not all of the evangelical leadership is mired in the tRump slop trough .
Maybe , just maybe , there some room for positive change .
I ’ m not terribly optimistic , but I ’ m hopeful some sanity will return .
I think John would make a fine replacement for PA Senator Pat Toomey ( R-retiring ) .
I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign trail and he ’ s someone to watch .
He has strong opinions about why tRump did so well and a prescription for progressives moving forward .
Rolling Stone : Big John Fetterman Can Save the Democratic Party — if the Democrats Let Him Jasper Craven at Mother Jones took a deep dive into the corrupt practices of the leadership of The Independence Fund ( TIF ) .
I ’ m betting he had to take a lot of showers to wash off the Verdado-tRump stench .
Mother Jones : Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Very Good for Its CEO .
What Now ?
On June 23 , 2017 , Sarah Verardo , now the CEO of a veterans ’ charity called the Independence Fund , and her husband , Mike , a two-time Purple Heart recipient and double amputee , attended a White House bill-signing as Donald Trump ’ s guests of honor .
Mike , a former infantryman in the Army ’ s 82nd Airborne Division , told the crowd that a “ new day ” had dawned under the president .
Minutes later , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised sweeping changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs .
Then he signed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act into law and gave his pen to Mike , who beamed .
But according to internal charity documents and interviews with 30 current and former board members , staffers , and volunteers closely involved in the group ’ s operations , TIF ’ s positive public image obscures years of improper spending and dubious charity work .
( Twenty-two of the 30 TIF officials I interviewed requested anonymity , citing either fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
After reviewing TIF ’ s publicly available tax documents , Stephanie Kalivas , an analyst at the watchdog group CharityWatch , described some of the group ’ s accounting practices as “ suspect at best , ” adding , “ I ’ ve never seen such inconsistent 990 reporting from one charity.
” Trump ’ s failed reelection could put the Verardos ’ influence over veterans ’ issues into flux—and possibly bring further scrutiny to TIF ’ s practices .
In February 2019 , McKellips , then still TIF ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns that the charity might “ sometimes go too far into the lobbying space.
” “ The IRS won ’ t mess with our 501c3 status as long as Trump is in office , ” he wrote , characterizing TIF as being “ tied-at-the-hip with Trump/Pence.
” “ But during the next Democrat administration ?
Who knows.
” A Little Satire to While Away the Day Today you get a double dose of Borowitz , helping to prepare you for the double doses of vaccine in our futures .
The New Yorker : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine to Look for More Votes The New Yorker : The Borowitz Report : Obama Offers to Read His Book Aloud to Trump Pressley has requested some input into the article selection process .
Here ’ s her choice for today .
Good News Network : Man Opens Up His Home to Shelter 300 Dogs From a Hurricane : ‘ It doesn ’ t matter if the house is dirty ’ Ricardo Pimentel may not have had an ark to ride out the storm , but he ’ s being hailed as something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly hurricane Delta bore down on Mexico ’ s Yucatan Peninsula tearing a path of destruction directly to his door , Pimentel herded hundreds of animals—including more than 300 dogs , numerous rabbits , chickens , and even a hedgehog—inside his home to shelter them from the storm .
( A flock of sheep huddled for safety on the patio . )
Although his house took a beating , inside and out , the entire menagerie survived .
“ It doesn ’ t matter if the house is dirty , it can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The things they broke can be fixed or bought again , but what ’ s beautiful is to see them happy , healthy and safe , without wounds and with the possibility of being adopted.
” I made it a point to visit this bookstore anytime I was in Paris .
I haven ’ t been there this century , so I ’ m really glad to see they are still in business and weathering the pandemic .
It ’ s one of those delightfully quirky places that make travel worthwhile .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gets So Many Orders After Pleading With Fans , They Had to Shut Down Website to Catch Up I couldn ’ t choose , so you get them both .
Our resident history professor ’ s always interesting history lesson will appear here as soon as I notice he ’ s posted it in the comment section .
Until then look for it in the comment section .
I would prefer even to lose with honor than to win by cheating .
— Sophocles , Philoctetes Sometimes you lose .
Nothing you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dessen , Along for the Ride I never thought of losing , but now that it 's happened , the only thing is to do it right .
That 's my obligation to all the people who believe in me .
We all have to take defeats in life .
— Muhammad Ali , comment after losing to Ken Norton , Mar .
31 , 1973 One of the first businesses of a sensible man is to know when he is beaten , and to leave off fighting at once .
— Samuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigorous and realistic , contemporary conservatism is an ideology of denial .
Its symbol is a smile button .
— Christopher Lasch The only atheism is the denial of truth — Arthur Lynch

A couple of weeks ago we threw water on the Wicked Witch of the West Wing and he melted down just like we expected. The not-a-surprise surprise is that the remaining puddle of stale testicular sweat refuses to evaporate.
It’s surreal. We have a clear winner and an obvious loser. That fact is becoming more and more immutable. Yet, the whining from the bigliest loser becomes increasingly strident the closer he comes to irrelevance. His Million MAGgot March consisted of twenty or thirty thousand knuckle dragging Redhats dressed up in their finest Confederate and Nazi regalia, marching in support of their shared “My like sucks, so let’s burn down the country” philosophy. It was not a good look.
The frivolous lawsuits are being tossed almost as fast as they are filed.
The lying tweets now come with a warning label.
However, we still have two months to go and the Don of Denial is flailing about, concocting new grifts and continuing to push all the old ones that his feeble mind can still remember. He is a spiteful ugly soul with buckets of bile left to spew.
On the other hand, Tish James and Cy Vance are drooling in anticipation of indictments to come. All of the potential Attorneys General for the incoming Biden administration are planning for some very uncomfortable deposition sessions for outgoing tRump aparatchiks.
There is a feeling of almost freedom in the air.
The last time I wrote a GNR was on the morning of election day before any of the results were in. I asked for your help in deciding what to call his most typical behavior pattern. The consensus tells us, he’s having another tRumper tantrum.
We’ve put up with this crap for three years and ten months. We can continue to resist the depredations for another two months. We’ve got this and then comes the reckoning.
Tyrannis sedito. Sic semper tyrannis.
Up the Resistance
Stephen Colbert had a lot to say last night
x YouTube Video
Let’s take a look at the news,
Digging Into the Fraudulent Fraud Claims
Hi ho. Hi ho. A debunking we will go.
Mother Jones: Trump’s Latest False Fraud Claim Came From an Anonymous Internet Poster
On Thursday, Donald Trump posted a tweet falsely claiming a computerized voting system vendor had switched or deleted millions of his votes. The unfounded allegation appears to have originally been concocted by an anonymous poster on a pro-Trump forum, illustrating a common chain of right-wing disinformation: A baseless conspiracy theory is posted anonymously, a right-wing blogger cites it, a conservative news outlet picks it up, and, next, the president of the United States spreads it as supposed fact. In this instance, Trump sourced his information to a “report” from One America News Network, a right-wing cable network with a penchant for pumping out propaganda and completely made-up conspiracy theories. In doing so, Trump helped them boost another one. The anonymous forum poster alleges that the supposed irregularities took place on Dominion voting machines and that the company worked to steal the election from Trump. The New York Times has debunked this, reporting how Dominion software neither caused widespread voting problems nor affected the final counts. Trump’s own Department of Homeland Security released a statement late on Thursday saying there “is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”
Turns Out, You Can’t Just Say Whatever
Ranting and raving like a lunatic only works if you are orange and played a giant asshole on TV (not actually acting).
CNN: Dean at Virginia university resigns after alleged Facebook post calling Biden voters 'anti-American' and 'anti-Christian'
(CNN)Paul Ewell, the now former dean of the Virginia Wesleyan University Global Campus, resigned from both his deanship and his faculty post after allegedly writing a Facebook post on his since-deleted account that referred to voters for President-elect Joe Biden as "anti-American" and "anti-Christian." When asked for additional comment and whether he stood by his words in the post, Ewell told CNN in an email he "apologized profusely" and had "nothing left to add." Ewell did not acknowledge CNN's inquiry as to whether his resignation from VWU came in response to the post. Ewell's alleged post, a screenshot of which was originally reported in The Virginian-Pilot newspaper, implored any Facebook friends who may have voted for Biden or are Democrats to unfriend him on the social media platform. CNN has not independently seen or verified the post. "If you were ignorant, anti-American, and anti-Christian enough to vote for Biden, I really don't want to be your social friend on social media," the alleged post said. "I wouldn't hang out with you in real life, I don't want to hang out with you virtually either. You have corrupted the election. You have corrupted our youth. You have corrupted our country. I have standards and you don't meet them. Please remove yourself."
What Is Happening in Evangelical America?
Not all of the evangelical leadership is mired in the tRump slop trough. Maybe, just maybe, there some room for positive change. I’m not terribly optimistic, but I’m hopeful some sanity will return.
The Atlantic: The Evangelical Reckoning Begins
Andy Stanley’s evangelical megachurch was empty on Election Night, with only a few cars in the Disney World–style parking lot out front. North Point Community Church and its nine satellites in the Atlanta area have been mostly closed since the coronavirus pandemic began in March. When Stanley decided to cancel in-person worship until at least early 2021, dozens of families were so unhappy that they decided to quit his church. “Never once did I hear, ‘We’re upset because we miss coming to church,’” he told me, leaning back in a heather-gray wingback chair. The vibe of his church offices is tasteful and inoffensive, as if his decorator was trying to channel that magic Fixer Upper quality of looking distinctive while appealing to almost everyone. “What I heard was, ‘We’re upset because you bought into a political agenda. We’re upset because you believe the Democrats’ narrative.’” Stanley has spent his career in ministry deliberately avoiding this kind of politicization in his church. The 62-year-old pastor is a child of the religious right: His father, Charles Stanley, is a televangelist and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention who wrote the devotional that President George W. Bush used to read each morning. “I grew up in a family that was very, very right-leaning,” Stanley said. “I saw the hypocrisy there.” He yearned to reach people beyond the conservative Christian world, to make the story of the resurrection irresistible to the unchurched. So he rejected his culture-war inheritance and struck out on his own, and now the son has arguably surpassed the father: Andy Stanley leads a congregation of more than 37,000 adults and children each Sunday, second in size in the U.S. only to Joel Osteen’s Houston empire, according to some estimates. He’s written roughly two dozen books, mostly Jesus-y self-help, including one that came out in October called Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets. North Point has a network of roughly 90 churches around the world, and young Christian leaders flock to the church for guidance on how to expand their influence. Sam Collier, a Black pastor and friend of Stanley’s who is about to open Atlanta’s first branch of Hillsong, the Australian mega-ministry network, told me North Point is like “the Christian Gap.” The rise of Donald Trump, however, has made it harder than ever to separate evangelicalism from politics. Exit polls suggest that three-quarters of white, self-described evangelicals who voted chose Trump in 2020—a slightly smaller share than in 2016, but still an overwhelming majority. “To his credit, he’s figured out how to leverage that group,” Stanley said. “I mean, he’s not evangelical. But he owns them. And they’ve loved him.” The pastor likened the relationship to a lyric from Bob Seger’s “Night Moves”: “I used her, she used me, but neither one cared.” Soon, Trump will be gone, he said, but the conservative judges and justices he appointed will be in place for a long time. “It’s like: ‘Got what we wanted!’”
An Interesting Guy
I think John would make a fine replacement for PA Senator Pat Toomey (R-retiring). I’ve met him a couple of times on the campaign trail and he’s someone to watch. He has strong opinions about why tRump did so well and a prescription for progressives moving forward.
Rolling Stone: Big John Fetterman Can Save the Democratic Party — if the Democrats Let Him
John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and one of the more intriguing figures in the Democratic Party, sounds exasperated. He’s exasperated that Democrats saw a blue wave in 2020 and underestimated the enduring appeal of Donald Trump. (“I call him the Bulworth president. [He] has created a brand loyalty that is really unprecedented.”) He’s exasperated that Republicans will defend imaginary claims of voter fraud at the expense of democracy itself. (“When you understand how grossly disingenuous every last thread of their argument is, you can’t help but be outraged by it, because there isn’t one true sentiment, idea, concept, accusation coming out of their mouths.”)
Lift a tRump Rock; Find a MAGgot
Jasper Craven at Mother Jones took a deep dive into the corrupt practices of the leadership of The Independence Fund (TIF). I’m betting he had to take a lot of showers to wash off the Verdado-tRump stench.
Mother Jones: Trump’s Favorite Veterans Charity Has Been Very Good for Its CEO. What Now?
On June 23, 2017, Sarah Verardo, now the CEO of a veterans’ charity called the Independence Fund, and her husband, Mike, a two-time Purple Heart recipient and double amputee, attended a White House bill-signing as Donald Trump’s guests of honor. Mike, a former infantryman in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, told the crowd that a “new day” had dawned under the president. Minutes later, Trump cited the Verardos’ experience while he promised sweeping changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Then he signed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act into law and gave his pen to Mike, who beamed. ... But according to internal charity documents and interviews with 30 current and former board members, staffers, and volunteers closely involved in the group’s operations, TIF’s positive public image obscures years of improper spending and dubious charity work. (Twenty-two of the 30 TIF officials I interviewed requested anonymity, citing either fear of retaliation or the nondisclosure agreements they signed.) After reviewing TIF’s publicly available tax documents, Stephanie Kalivas, an analyst at the watchdog group CharityWatch, described some of the group’s accounting practices as “suspect at best,” adding, “I’ve never seen such inconsistent 990 reporting from one charity.” ... Trump’s failed reelection could put the Verardos’ influence over veterans’ issues into flux—and possibly bring further scrutiny to TIF’s practices. In February 2019, McKellips, then still TIF’s chief flack, wrote to Sarah with concerns that the charity might “sometimes go too far into the lobbying space.” “The IRS won’t mess with our 501c3 status as long as Trump is in office,” he wrote, characterizing TIF as being “tied-at-the-hip with Trump/Pence.” “But during the next Democrat administration? Who knows.”
A Little Satire to While Away the Day
Today you get a double dose of Borowitz, helping to prepare you for the double doses of vaccine in our futures.
The New Yorker: The Borowitz Report: Giuliani Arrives in Ukraine to Look for More Votes
KYIV (The Borowitz Report)—Now the mastermind of Donald J. Trump’s post-election strategy, Rudolph Giuliani, has travelled to Ukraine in search of more votes for his client. Speaking to reporters at the Kyiv airport, a highly animated Giuliani said that he expected to return to the United States with “bags full of votes” for Trump. “Joe Biden is leading Trump by about sixty thousand votes in Pennsylvania,” the former mayor of New York said. “The population of Ukraine is forty-three million! You think I can’t find sixty thousand votes in this country? Get out of here! Get out of here!”
The New Yorker: The Borowitz Report: Obama Offers to Read His Book Aloud to Trump
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Saying, “It’s the least I can do,” former President Barack Obama has offered to read his new book aloud to Donald J. Trump. “There’s a lot in there about democracy, governmental norms, and the rule of law,” Obama said of “A Promised Land,” which is being published this week. “I think he’d get a lot out of it being read to him.” Obama said that he had thought about sending Trump the audiobook version, but then realized that “there would be no one to help him when he got to a word he didn’t understand.”
Pressley Approves
Pressley has requested some input into the article selection process. Here’s her choice for today.
Good News Network: Man Opens Up His Home to Shelter 300 Dogs From a Hurricane: ‘It doesn’t matter if the house is dirty’
Ricardo Pimentel may not have had an ark to ride out the storm, but he’s being hailed as something of a modern-day Noah nonetheless. As deadly hurricane Delta bore down on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula tearing a path of destruction directly to his door, Pimentel herded hundreds of animals—including more than 300 dogs, numerous rabbits, chickens, and even a hedgehog—inside his home to shelter them from the storm. (A flock of sheep huddled for safety on the patio.) Although his house took a beating, inside and out, the entire menagerie survived. “It doesn’t matter if the house is dirty, it can be cleaned,” Pimentel told AP. “The things they broke can be fixed or bought again, but what’s beautiful is to see them happy, healthy and safe, without wounds and with the possibility of being adopted.”
The Palate Cleanser
I made it a point to visit this bookstore anytime I was in Paris. I haven’t been there this century, so I’m really glad to see they are still in business and weathering the pandemic. It’s one of those delightfully quirky places that make travel worthwhile.
Good News Network: Iconic Paris Bookstore Gets So Many Orders After Pleading With Fans, They Had to Shut Down Website to Catch Up
What happens when a world-famous independent bookshop finds itself in dire straights due to the global pandemic? It gets creative, of course. As with other struggling bookstores like New York City’s venerable Strand, landmark Paris bookstore Shakespeare and Company experienced a devastating drop in revenue as the COVID-19 lockdown forced them to drastically change the way they did business. “We’ve been [down] 80% since the first confinement in March, so at this point, we’ve used all our savings,” second-generation proprietor Sylvia Whitman said in an interview with Afar.
x 2 weeks ago we told you sales were 80% down & you lovely folk responded so hugely you crashed our site! Today we launch a new way to support us, giving access to exclusive content & the chance to get one-off artwork from @neilhimself & Dave Eggers. More: https://t.co/eBsIN9g2h8 pic.twitter.com/vqZs0PsbhT — Shakespeare&Company (@Shakespeare_Co) November 12, 2020
Musical Interlude
I couldn’t choose, so you get them both.
x YouTube Video
x YouTube Video
WineRev’s History Lesson
Our resident history professor’s always interesting history lesson will appear here as soon as I notice he’s posted it in the comment section. Until then look for it in the comment section.
Take it away WineRev,
>>>>>The GA Secretary of State is making a strong bid to win The Last Honest Republican in America Award. The news that Lindsay Graham asked him point blank to throw out LEGAL VOTES in Georgia and the SOS refused is a big deal in a lot of ways. After January 20th, with a new AG, The Hoop-skirted One may found out just HOW big a deal. (Especially if there is a full blown probe into how Lindsay went from a nip-and-tuck Senate race to a 10 point win in mere days; smells like a dead rat behind the wainscoting to me…..)
>>>>Over in Wisconsin, 2 items. A) The Scotty Walker Recount Law (YESSS! Irony lives! Petard Hoists are just through that door on the right…...) specifies if a candidate wants a recount outside a paper-thin difference, they have to PAY FOR IT up front, cash or certified check. Hard deadline just announced for the 20,000 vote LOSER in the WI Presidential Race: TOMORROW, 5:00pm local time. If Trump wants a Recount, he needs to sign for it before then. Estimated cost: $7.9million, payable by TOMORROW, 5:00pm. If it costs MORE than that, candidate owes the difference before official results of the recount are released. If it costs LESS than that estimate, the state of Wisconsin will refund the difference. So we will see if that crack Legal Team meets THIS deadline (and the issue may be more, do they have the money?)
B) Back in the spring, Donald repeatedly said, in different venues and events, Covid-19 was a hoax, or a Democratic hoax. The media printed it and a liberal SuperPac paid a media firm to create a 30 second spot of Trump saying it repeatedly. The Trump campaign sued (of course) various media outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, AP, etc.) that reported this “fake news”…..including the (count ‘em, one) TV station in Rhinelander, Wisconsin that ran the 30-second spot per their contract. (Very bully-like behavior; pick on the small kid when you can.) Yesterday the Trump legal team announced they were dropping the suit against the TV station, so I’m sure the owners are letting out a sigh of relief.
November 17ths that have prime numbered their Good and Goofy way across the timelines of history so that this blazing 17th of November may keep you and friends warm and cozy.
1734 New York City Newspaper editor John Peter Zenger was arrested. He was accused of printing libel against the New York Colonial governor, William Cosby . When a grand jury refused to indict Zenger, Cosby ordered the New York Attorney General to bring charges and prosecute the case. At his 1735 trial Zenger’s lawyer came out of retirement and made a ringing case that printing the truth was an ironclad defense against libel . Zenger was acquitted. Andrew Hamilton’s closing address arguing for freedom of the press was so stirring, the Zenger case and trial are THE American taproot for Freedom of the Press.
1790 Schlupforta, Germany Birth of August Ferdinand Möbius, mathematician, astronomer, inventor. A direct descendant of Martin Luther, Möbius was home-schooled until age 13. Attended a local college and then was admitted to the University of Liepzig, studying under Professor Carl Gauss. He discovered the Möbius strip (a 2-dimensional object in 3-dimensional space; you can make your own with scissors and tape) and after that, the Möbius plane, the Möbius inversion formula. In numbers theory, among other discoveries (as Wikipedia notes it: “the first to introduce homogeneous coordinates into projective geometry. He is recognized for the introduction of the Barycentric coordinate system.”) While GNusie Mokurai will have to stop by and unpack this for us mere mortals, I say anyone who introduces the barycentric co-ordinate system will always hold a special place in all our hearts.)
1800 Washington DC The US Congress, having started out in 1789 holding its sessions in New York City while its new house (and city to go with it) is being carved out of the District of Columbia; an area known locally as Foggy Bottom Swamp), this day holds its 1st session in Washington, D.C. The Capitol Building is incomplete, (although it does house the US Supreme Court,) and will not be finished until the dome is completed and the statue of Justice hoisted into place during the Civil War. 1836 Rotterdam, Holland Birth of Wilhelmus Antonius Coenen, pianist and composer. From a very musical family, Willem learned piano from an early age and was already playing professionally by age 18. At age 20 he moved to Dutch Guyana (Surinam) in South America, earning a daily living as an organist and making significant extra income from piano concerts in Surinam, French Guyana and the Netherlands Antilles. He made an American tour with his (musical) brother in 1860, playing on the stage in Boston. In 1862 he migrated to London and became instructor of piano at Guildhall School of Music and Drama for the next 40 years. He wrote a number of cantatas and fantasies, especially for the piano, along with some concertos. When we injured his right hand and was slow healing, he afterwards composed several piano pieces for the left hand, including a famous Fantasie. 1842 Boston, MA A Fugitive Slave Act was passed by the US Congress already back in 1793. In the last weeks, a mulatto man, George Latimer, is the first fugitive slave ever caught in the state of Massachusetts. Abolitionism has taken root in New England and now has a case in their front yard. This night an abolitionist meeting was held in Marlboro Chapel, Boston. Four hundred dollars was collected to buy Latimer’s freedom, (which his Virginia owner accepted) and, failing that, plans were made to storm the jail to secure his release that way. A massive petition was got up, “The Great Massachusetts Petition” that collected over 65,000 signatures from Massachusetts voters (about 18% of the eligible voting age men in the state) that in 1843 resulted in MA enacting the Personal Liberty Law (nicknamed ‘Latimer’s Law’), Massachusetts authorities were banned from assisting in capturing fugitive slaves and no state property (like jails) could be used to hold such. Seems the Abolitionists weren’t kidding; neither were the slaveowners, and one day it would likely come to war. 1869 Egypt. After several years of construction by a French & British collaborative enterprise, on this day the 100-mile Suez Canal opens, linking Mediterranean and Red seas. While in ancient times there was also a canal, it connected an arm of the Red Sea to the Nile, and shipping would pass through the delta into the Mediterranean. This was a full-scale canal that reduced the distance (and fuel costs, and days at sea) between Europe and Asia by 4000 miles 1873 The Middle of Hungary Two rival cities on opposite banks of the Danube River, Buda and Pest, finally agree to end centuries of rivalry and merge into one city with a merged name: Budapest (now the national capital.) 1913 Panama After 10 years on a massive engineering project, the Boston-built steamer for both cargo and passengers, the SS Ancon, becomes first ship to sail through the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 1928 South Bend, Indiana Its football season, and every college fan has heard of Notre Dame. They are a long-time powerhouse in the sport and its been that way for a LONG time. On this day Notre Dame took a homefield loss. So? It was the first time Notre Dame had lost a home game since 1905…..23 years before. Talk about a home field advantage! 1970 Menlo Park, California In 1967 Dr. Douglas Englebart had applied for a patent for an invention he and grad student Bill English developed, a palm-sized wooden box, open on the bottom, with wheels and wires inside. On this day, 3 years later, the patent was issued for an "X-Y position indicator for a display system." Because the connecting cord to the computer came out the back, Doug called the gizmo a ‘mouse.’ On-screen computing just took a big step forward. (Englebart didn’t make any money off the design; Stanford Research Institute held the rights and was thrilled a few years later to finally get some money for them: $40,000 to use the design from two guys both named Steve in a garage with a computer named for a fruit, Apple.) May all your News be Good, comforting and inspring. Shalom.
On the Lighter Side
Quote(s) of the Day
I would prefer even to lose with honor than to win by cheating. — Sophocles, Philoctetes Sometimes you lose. Nothing you can do but admit it. — Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride I never thought of losing, but now that it's happened, the only thing is to do it right. That's my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life. — Muhammad Ali, comment after losing to Ken Norton, Mar. 31, 1973 One of the first businesses of a sensible man is to know when he is beaten, and to leave off fighting at once. — Samuel Butler, Samuel Butler's Notebooks Ostensibly rigorous and realistic, contemporary conservatism is an ideology of denial. Its symbol is a smile button. — Christopher Lasch One picture is worth 1,000 denials. — Ronald Reagan The only atheism is the denial of truth — Arthur Lynch
Required Pet Photo
Don’t look! The Big Fat Orange Thing is still there.
Closing Notes


dailykos--2020-11-17--Republicans are the "Don't" party.  And this is a serious problem we must address.

I am overjoyed that Joe Biden won the presidency , but am also aware of the serious damage presented by the Republicans potentially controlling the Senate , giving them a major blocking tool .
We all know this .
The key to understanding the Republican Party , and its serious threat to the nation , is that they are almost entirely the “ Don ’ t ” Party .
So , the crucial differences between Democrats and Republicans requires one to understand how much Republicans don ’ t want to do anything Assuming that Republicans retain control of the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not exhaustive ) .
: • engage in democracy at the basic level — judicial appointments , cabinet appointments , keeping government open or not defaulting on the debt • listen to scientists or experts on any range of issues , including Covid • expand , or care , about access to health insurance • financially support “ first responders , ” such as doctors , nurses , EMT , etc .
• alleviate the financial crunch on states and civil servants such as police , firefighters , nurses , school teachers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • provide necessary economic stimulus to help all injured economic sectors • provide relief to tenants and college loan debt to millions suffering through no fault of their own • repair and upgrade ( see Climate Change ) the nation ’ s infrastructure The list goes on and on — and it is noted by one thing : opposition , blocking , “ don ’ t do ” anything .
So .
.
.
once all the recent punditry fades , I expect that this is where we will be — Republicans blocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , policy-wise .
Maddow Blog ’ s Steve Benen has written a whole book about how Republicans have become a post-policy party .
It is obviously a massive , nihilistic challenge .
How do we deal with this ?
I am not sure .
Jonathan Chait recently argued that Democrats need to give Republicans tax cuts for the rich in exchange for whatever we can wrangle in exchange .
It ’ s not an unrealistic argument , except for it being depressing and utterly unworkable on any meaningful scale .
And , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you do when the other side has no positive agenda , coupled with an obstructionist agenda ?
No problem they want to solve — even Covid , a Covid wracked economy , Climate Change or even something simple like Infrastructure ?
This is n't “ a Joe Biden problem.
” This is n't temporary problem , a personality thing or a matter of “ hard feelings ” based off some election .
This is permanent .
It aint ’ going away .
It is our new reality .
So .
.
.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have said that the answer is to win elections .
That is still the answer , but num-nut Trump just got 70 million votes and Republicans over-performed on down-ballot races .
FFS .
Because I am at a loss , the only thing I can say is that Democrats need a special , ( presumably ) younger and charismatic candidate .
A talent appropriate to the times .
It won ’ t be a Republican ( and , tragically , it was n't going to be an African-American Obama ) .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I think we are approaching something like one of those past , recurring periods when we needed to discover a talent like FDR or Lincoln .
And , depressingly , neither of them was able to do anything without historic calamity ( Civil War Great Depression , WWII ) .
We are facing some tough prospects .
I am confident that I ’ m on the right side of the divide , but that is no longer enough .
The current trajectory is unsustainable .

I am overjoyed that Joe Biden won the presidency, but am also aware of the serious damage presented by the Republicans potentially controlling the Senate, giving them a major blocking tool.
We all know this. The key to understanding the Republican Party, and its serious threat to the nation, is that they are almost entirely the “Don’t” Party. So, the crucial differences between Democrats and Republicans requires one to understand how much Republicans don’t want to do anything
Assuming that Republicans retain control of the Senate, here is what that means (not exhaustive). Republicans don’t want to :
recognize Biden’s presidency
engage in democracy at the basic level — judicial appointments, cabinet appointments, keeping government open or not defaulting on the debt
address Climate Change
have a national health policy response to Covid-19
wear masks
listen to scientists or experts on any range of issues, including Covid
expand, or care, about access to health insurance
reform and modernize immigration laws
financially support “first responders,” such as doctors, nurses, EMT, etc.
alleviate the financial crunch on states and civil servants such as police, firefighters, nurses, school teachers, sanitation workers, and so on.
provide necessary economic stimulus to help all injured economic sectors
provide relief to tenants and college loan debt to millions suffering through no fault of their own
address income stagnation and wealth inequality
repair and upgrade (see Climate Change) the nation’s infrastructure
provide or assist child care and parental leave
expand access to healthcare or education
The list goes on and on — and it is noted by one thing: opposition, blocking, “don’t do” anything.
So . . . once all the recent punditry fades, I expect that this is where we will be — Republicans blocking everything and Republicans not caring about anything, policy-wise. Maddow Blog’s Steve Benen has written a whole book about how Republicans have become a post-policy party.
It is obviously a massive, nihilistic challenge. How do we deal with this? I am not sure. Jonathan Chait recently argued that Democrats need to give Republicans tax cuts for the rich in exchange for whatever we can wrangle in exchange. It’s not an unrealistic argument, except for it being depressing and utterly unworkable on any meaningful scale.
And, so, what is the alternative?
What do you do when the other side has no positive agenda, coupled with an obstructionist agenda? No problem they want to solve — even Covid, a Covid wracked economy, Climate Change or even something simple like Infrastructure?
This isn't “a Joe Biden problem.” This isn't temporary problem, a personality thing or a matter of “hard feelings” based off some election. This is permanent. It aint’ going away. It is our new reality.
So . . . what are our next steps?
I would have said that the answer is to win elections. That is still the answer, but num-nut Trump just got 70 million votes and Republicans over-performed on down-ballot races. FFS.
Because I am at a loss, the only thing I can say is that Democrats need a special, (presumably) younger and charismatic candidate. A talent appropriate to the times. It won’t be a Republican (and, tragically, it wasn't going to be an African-American Obama).
I get that this sounds vague and weak. But I think we are approaching something like one of those past, recurring periods when we needed to discover a talent like FDR or Lincoln. And, depressingly, neither of them was able to do anything without historic calamity (Civil War Great Depression, WWII). We are facing some tough prospects.
I am confident that I’m on the right side of the divide, but that is no longer enough. The current trajectory is unsustainable.


Ranting

We 're on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway .
The Driver knows the destination .
He 's told us where he was going all along .
We kept not listening well-enough And we kept forgetting .
Maya Angelou got it right : When someone tells you where they 're driving ?
Believe 'em the first time .
The Butcher is going to Tulsa And everywhere else COVID can go .
The Butcher 's been driving , now .
While we 're driving on the BQE People are dying in droves at St. Elizabeth's And in the West And everywhere else ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told us where he was headed .
He told us , too , that He said it : We 're driving on the BQE .
`` Nothing is yours anymore .
Nothing is the People's Get your own ventilators !
These are ours , not yours anymore . ''
We 're on the BQE and We pretend to be surprised .
When the Butcher of Queens is driving And Aunt Sadie is dead in a freezer truck .
While we 're being driven on his BQ Expressway .
We 're sittin ' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Jared is singing on the radio And the Bible thumpers are calling him God .
And the Black Men are dead in the Street .
And the Stock Market is Drunk .
And the Butcher walks about with No Mask .
The pace is picking up , now .
The Carolinas , Georgia and the Sunshine State .
The Butcher is still driving .
Says he may not give up the wheel .
No one else is licensed to drive .
He promises to drive close to the Wall .
Passengers scared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're headin ' straight for Texas and Arizona .
Never been a more beautiful wall !
Nobody coulda kept the Butcher in Queens .
But most of us know : His toast is buttered on both sides .
Just bathed in Lard and Pork Grease !
And the Butcher drives on .
`` The Northwest already got fried .
They got it covered .
And still , I can hear Still , you can see The Black Men dead in the Street ... You can still smell the Pepper Gas And the sweat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Bars And on the Beaches ?
The Butcher 's Elves dance about with No Mask To the rhythms of Evagrius Ponticus ' Seven Deadly Sins And the Butcher of Queens ?
Who would be both King and Queen .
Alas , he has come to rest No more rallies for now .
No more meetings with the Fake Press .
Met his match ?
No less !
How we miss the halcyon days Being driven in his back seat .
As the Butcher regaled us With the loveliest of truths None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grandma 's had a long enough life !
The word goes out among the Brotherhood Christie is down and KellyAnn , too .
But she 'll be better and soon .
`` Lewandowski ?
I do n't need him no more . ''
And he entertains them with a tune : And I 've flushed with Chlorox , too .
And my docs say I 'll be fine And bring AR 's to the polls . ''
Meanwhile and still Is on the Fence .
`` Do I dare take my shot And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will guide me though the darkness .
Mother will let me seize the Presidency If I 'm a good boy and say please .
But we , the passengers Minus the 210,000 we 've dropped from the trunk What do we Evangelists do ?
Without you , Oh , Great Butcher ?
Who will lock her up ?
Who will grab pussy ?
If not you ?
Who will lie to us so beautifully ?
Who will tell us what is real ?
Or whether it 's OK to feel for those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new guy How will we ever know what 's True ?
Who , I ask : Who ?
Will tell us to `` stand back and stand by ?
Who but you ? ''
The elections now over And most of the lawyers are still .
The Butcher 's in the basement What could be next ?
What could possibly be next ?
The Butcher 's License has been suspended .
His rights to the driver 's seat upended But he drives with a fleet of armored cars .
And Moscow Mitch says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` I do n't want to be around When all this shit goes down . ''
Low-Barr has his sights on competitors And Deutche Bank and the other Creditors And our secrets to the highest foreign bidders .
And the Butcher says his driving Has never been better .
Pompeo says `` the dictatorship is firm That it really is Better to be a little Red than Dead . ''
And the Butcher of Queens just drives His putter through the heart of America .
Get rid of all them spies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
Black-eyed tits will get my crowds to boil Let 's see who ca n't drive now ?
My Boy Barr will get that Nigger Bitch And the Old Guy whose son made'em rich And me ?
I 'll never die !
Now that my Network 's going ... '' Teacher , Teacher ... tell me , please What happened to the Butcher ?
Did he move to Leningrad Did Moscow Mitch come out And get hitched to Lindsey ?
Did we solve the Social Security Crisis By killing off all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off : Mikey and Spray Tan ?
I 'd ask grandpa ... but you know .
He moved away and Mommy doesn't '' Johnny , Oh , Johnny , we must move along And I 'll teach you to sing one more song Before we return to the Three R's That 's where our studies belong .
This is how it goes : '' Where have all the flowers gone Where have all the flowers gone ?
And the children learned all the verses .
It was too painful for Mrs. Geiger To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.5 million of the herd who died .
Too hard to tell them That the end was but a splash Ran out of its last vapors of gas Right on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Where it all began .
It rolled into the River

The Butcher of Queens
Anno Covidi I & II & Postscript
Anno I
We're on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
Driving at a pretty good clip.
The Driver knows the destination.
He's told us where he was going all along.
We kept not listening well-enough
And we kept forgetting.
Maya Angelou got it right:
When someone tells you where they're driving?
Believe 'em the first time.
The Butcher is going to Tulsa
And Jacksonville and ...
And everywhere else COVID can go.
The Butcher's been driving, now.
Five years ... 24-7.
While we're driving on the BQE
People are dying in droves at St. Elizabeth's
And in the West
And the South
And everywhere else?
Drips and drabs, but goin' strong.
photo compliments of Hal Brown
The Driver told us all along.
From the beginning.
He told us where he was headed.
Too bad: Hearing Aids aren't covered by Medicare.
The Driver told us
That giving people jobs
Was a sacrifice.
He told us, too, that
"Soldiers who get captured?
They're fools."
He said it:
"I am America.
America is First.
I never get captured."
We're driving on the BQE.
The Blaupunkt brings us Jared's voice.
"Nothing is yours anymore.
Nothing is the People's
Not Of.
Not By.
Not For.
Get your own ventilators!
These are ours, not yours anymore."
We're on the BQE and
We pretend to be surprised.
When the Butcher of Queens is driving
And Aunt Sadie is dead in a freezer truck.
While we're being driven on his BQ Expressway.
We're sittin' in the back seat
Together but alone …
While Jared is singing on the radio
And the Bible thumpers are calling him God.
And the Black Men are dead in the Street.
And the Stock Market is Drunk.
And the Butcher walks about with No Mask.
Oh, my ...
The pace is picking up, now.
Heading down the East Coast.
Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland
The Carolinas, Georgia and the Sunshine State.
The Butcher is still driving.
Says he may not give up the wheel.
Laughs
Says
No one else is licensed to drive.
We're coronating Alabama, now,
He promises to drive close to the Wall.
Breakneck speed.
Tach touches 9,000.
Tires screeching.
Passengers scared but the Butcher is yelling:
"The Wall is beautiful ..,
Realmente bastante hermosa."
"We won't hit Louisiana, again.
Got'em good the first time.
We're headin' straight for Texas and Arizona.
Never been a more beautiful wall!
Yee-ha!"
Truth is ...
Nobody coulda kept the Butcher in Queens.
Well, maybe Turtle McCurdle?
But most of us know:
His toast is buttered on both sides.
Okay.
Not buttered.
Just bathed in Lard and Pork Grease!
And the Butcher drives on.
"The Northwest already got fried.
They want masks?
I'm sending masked troops up there.
Tonto and my Loan arrangers.
Wilbur, Barr and Minuchin.
They got it covered.
That'll keep'em busy.
California, here I come!"
And still, I can hear
The Bible thumpers calling him God.
Still, you can see
The Black Men dead in the Street ...
You can still smell the Pepper Gas
And the sweat of the troops from nowhere.
And in the Bars
And on the Beaches?
The Butcher's Elves dance about with No Mask
To the rhythms of Evagrius Ponticus' Seven Deadly Sins
Of Pride, Greed, Wrath, and Envy,
Of Lust, Guttony and Sloth
And the Butcher of Queens?
He remains at large.
Anno II
Stop the presses.
The Butcher of Queens
Has that lost-looking gleam
Of a little rich kid
Who would be both King and Queen.
Alas, he has come to rest
At Walter Reed.
No more rallies for now.
No more debates
No more meetings with the Fake Press.
Has the Butcher
Met his match? No less!
The Proud Boys gather and proclaim:
"Long Live the Butcher!
Long Live the Butcher of Queens."
How we miss the halcyon days
Being driven in his back seat.
Our heads snapping back
As the Butcher regaled us
With the loveliest of truths
And with Daytona Beach speed
24/7 ... Butcher, Butcher, Butcher!
"America First!
Best Economy Ever!
None of the Good die young.
And Grandma's had a long enough life!
Amen!"
The word goes out among the Brotherhood
Christie is down and KellyAnn, too.
The Mrs is sick
But she'll be better and soon.
"Lewandowski? I don't need him no more."
And he entertains them with a tune:
"I'm flush with hydroxychloriquin
And I've flushed with Chlorox, too.
I shoot it up
Right outa the Box.
Remdesivir is mine
And my docs say I'll be fine
Stay Cool, my Friends
And bring AR's to the polls."
Meanwhile and still
Back at the Oval
Little Mikey Pence
Is on the Fence.
"Do I dare take my shot
And get rid of that bloviating Bot.
The Amendment, the 25th
will guide me though the darkness.
Mother will let me seize the Presidency
If I'm a good boy and say please.
Please, Mother."
But we, the passengers
Minus the 210,000 we've dropped from the trunk
What do we Evangelists do?
Without you, Oh, Great Butcher?
Who will lock her up?
Who will grab pussy? If not you?
Who will lie to us so beautifully?
So meaningfully?
Who will tell us what is real?
Or whether it's OK to feel
for those who might replace us?
What if the new guy
Decides to choose the Jews?
How will we ever know what's True?
Without you?
Who, I ask: Who?
Will tell us to "stand back and stand by?
Who but you?"
Anno III
The elections now over
And most of the lawyers are still.
Rudie, Rudie, come blow your horn
The Butcher's in the basement
Hunkered in the Bunker! Feeling forlorn.
What could be next?
What could possibly be next?
The Butcher's License has been suspended.
His rights to the driver's seat upended
But he drives with a fleet of armored cars.
And Moscow Mitch says "He has a right to drive."
Sancho Panza leaves town.
"I don't want to be around
When all this shit goes down."
Not Little Mikey Pence.
He's got more sense
Than that.
Low-Barr has his sights on competitors
And Deutche Bank and the other Creditors
Are selling his debt
And our secrets to the highest foreign bidders.
A quarter million are dead
And the Butcher says his driving
Has never been better.
Pompeo says "the dictatorship is firm
And we'll eventually learn
That it really is
Better to be a little Red than Dead."
And the Butcher of Queens just drives
His putter through the heart of America.
"Let's drive over the DNI
Get rid of all them spies
And the head of the FBI, too.
Screaming Kimberly of Guilfoyle
Black-eyed tits will get my crowds to boil
Like Jeremiah's seething pot.
Let's see who can't drive now?
My Boy Barr will get that Nigger Bitch
And the Old Guy whose son made'em rich
And me? I'll never die!
Now that my Network's going ...
Trump: Eye on I."
Ten Years Later
"Teacher, Teacher ... tell me, please
What happened to the Butcher?
Did he move to Leningrad
To ride horses with Ras-Putin?
Did COVID end with a whimper?
Did Mother forgive little Mikey
For meeting onstage with Kamala?
Did Moscow Mitch come out
And get hitched to Lindsey?
Did we solve the Social Security Crisis
By killing off all those grumpy old folks?
Did the Butcher Bomb, Bomb Iran
Before he ran off: Mikey and Spray Tan?
I'd ask grandpa ... but you know.
He moved away and Mommy doesn't
Have his address."
"Johnny, Oh, Johnny, we must move along
And I'll teach you to sing one more song
Before we return to the Three R's
That's where our studies belong.
This is how it goes:
"Where have all the flowers gone
Long time passing.
Long time ago.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Young girls have picked them
Every one."
And the children learned all the verses.
It was too painful for Mrs. Geiger
To tell her third grade class
About the 2.5 million of the herd who died.
Too hard to tell them
That the end was but a splash
And a whimper:
The Butcher's armored car
Ran out of its last vapors of gas
Right on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Where it all began.
It rolled into the River
Where it lies
On the Bottom
Quietly
Today.
.


dailykos--2020-11-20--Rudy and the Black Knight

Rudy and the Black Knight

I am always reminded of the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail

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dailykos--2020-11-20--HOW  THE  DRUMPF  (ALMOST)  STOLE  CHOOSMUST

HOW  THE  DRUMPF  (ALMOST)  STOLE  CHOOSMUST

The polls had just closed on that Choosmust Day .
A record was set .
People wanted their say !
There ’ s the Drumpf in DC , where he ’ d done so much taking ( In his comfortable swamp that was of his own making ) .
For weeks he had rallied and shouted invective While his followers were stranded , frostbit and infected .
Then in his safe space watching news of the fox ( Having just put up fencing that went on for blocks ) ... “ To hell with the voters who don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s House is mine , surely you ’ ll see !
As votes roll in , I know what libtards will do .
Their mouths will hang open for a minute or two , Then my foes in America will all cry ‘ Boo-Hoo !
’ ” '' That 's a sound , '' humphed the Drumpf , `` I simply MUST hear ! ''
So he paused , then he put a small hand to his ear .
And he did hear a fuss rising over the land .
He was hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned .
This sound wasn ’ t crying .
This sound was happy .
“ It just can ’ t be so .
It ’ s supposed to be crappy !
” As the news came from Bluville , the Drumpf popped his eyes !
He saw on TV , dem votes on da rise !
!
Every Blu down in Bluville , every kind so diverse , Were winning , in spite of conditions adverse .
He HAD N'T stopped votes from all being counted .
His plan hadn ’ t worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drumpf stood there fuming , “ There must be a crime , ” He lost the election , though poll places fewer ?
He lost the election , though ID laws crueler !
He lost the election , though his man with much joy , Had messed up the mail with a Post Office ploy .
How had he not won ?
Many governors red , Had worked so damn hard for the rules to be shred !
Litigating for weeks , ‘ til all was dismissed The Drumpf finally realized ( while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened then ?
Well ... in Bluville they say , The Drumpf ’ s little hands , got smaller that day .
They continued to weaken and shrink by the hour , ‘ Til his fingers too paltry to hold reins of power .
And all of the praise from his every schmoozer Could not hide the fact that the Drumpf was a loser .
So celebrate knowing there ’ s no second term .
But he ’ s not gone away , that parasite worm .
Don ’ t think you won @ @ @ @ @ @ @

© 2020 Mark Fickert
...apologies to the good Dr.
The polls had just closed on that Choosmust Day.
A record was set. People wanted their say!
There’s the Drumpf in DC, where he’d done so much taking
(In his comfortable swamp that was of his own making).
For weeks he had rallied and shouted invective
While his followers were stranded, frostbit and infected.
Then in his safe space watching news of the fox
(Having just put up fencing that went on for blocks)...
“To hell with the voters who don’t cast for me.
The People’s House is mine, surely you’ll see!
As votes roll in, I know what libtards will do.
Their mouths will hang open for a minute or two,
Then my foes in America will all cry ‘Boo-Hoo!’”
"That's a sound," humphed the Drumpf, "I simply MUST hear!"
So he paused, then he put a small hand to his ear.
And he did hear a fuss rising over the land.
He was hearing a noise, but not the one planned.
This sound wasn’t crying. This sound was happy.
“It just can’t be so. It’s supposed to be crappy!”
As the news came from Bluville, the Drumpf popped his eyes!
He saw on TV, dem votes on da rise!!
Every Blu down in Bluville, every kind so diverse,
Were winning, in spite of conditions adverse.
He HADN'T stopped votes from all being counted.
His plan hadn’t worked, and he was dumbfounded!
The Drumpf stood there fuming, “There must be a crime,”
Wading knee-deep through lawsuits, so asinine.
He lost the election, though poll places fewer?
He lost the election, though ID laws crueler!
He lost the election, though his man with much joy,
Had messed up the mail with a Post Office ploy.
How had he not won? Many governors red,
Had worked so damn hard for the rules to be shred!
Litigating for weeks, ‘til all was dismissed
The Drumpf finally realized (while still being pissed),
“Democracy,” he growled, “is there’s something I missed?”
And what happened then? Well... in Bluville they say,
The Drumpf’s little hands, got smaller that day.
They continued to weaken and shrink by the hour,
‘Til his fingers too paltry to hold reins of power.
And all of the praise from his every schmoozer
Could not hide the fact that the Drumpf was a loser.
So celebrate knowing there’s no second term.
But he’s not gone away, that parasite worm.
Don’t think you won’t hear from him anymore,
‘Cause he’s already saying...
“Twenty Twenty-Four!”


dailykos--2020-11-19--A Repeat of a Diary from 15 years ago.  As requested by Chimpy.

On May 4th , 2005 , I posted this diary .
Chimpy asked me to put it out there again .
It is nice to be remembered , all these years later .
Thanks , Chimpy .
-=-=-=-=- When I was 4 ...
There were hippies hanging out in the park next to my school , and , as we were driving to school , my mother pointed to the hippies , and said to me ( I swear she did ) , `` Honey , do you see those people over there ?
Well , they 're communists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that . ''
That evening , I went upstairs to ask my grandfather about what she said , and he said to me , `` Honey , we 're Jews .
Always remember that .
And in every generation , people have wanted to hunt us down and torture us and make us beg to be killed .
And these are the same people who will want to kill other people .
Black people , poor people , Gypsies .
They lie to us , but they never lie to the Black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote with the Black people .
Because your life depends on it . ''
That 's when I got political .
But my brother 's story is much cooler .
Later that year , my brother , who was three at the time , was standing in line to vote with my mom , and he broke ranks with the line and ran into a voting booth , closed the curtain , and pulled the lever .
He swore he voted Democrat , and my grandfather praised him as a hero .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since then .
Well , who could blame him , really ?

On May 4th, 2005, I posted this diary.
Chimpy asked me to put it out there again. It is nice to be remembered, all these years later. Thanks, Chimpy.
-=-=-=-=-
When I was 4...There were hippies hanging out in the park next to my school, and, as we were driving to school, my mother pointed to the hippies, and said to me (I swear she did), "Honey, do you see those people over there? Well, they're communists, and we're capitalists. Always remember that."
That evening, I went upstairs to ask my grandfather about what she said, and he said to me, "Honey, we're Jews. Always remember that. And in every generation, people have wanted to hunt us down and torture us and make us beg to be killed. And these are the same people who will want to kill other people. Black people, poor people, Gypsies. They lie to us, but they never lie to the Black people. Always always always vote, and vote with the Black people. Because your life depends on it."
That's when I got political.
But my brother's story is much cooler.
Later that year, my brother, who was three at the time, was standing in line to vote with my mom, and he broke ranks with the line and ran into a voting booth, closed the curtain, and pulled the lever. He swore he voted Democrat, and my grandfather praised him as a hero.
And he's been a big ol Democrat since then.
Well, who could blame him, really?


dailykos--2020-11-19--Seattle mom calls out teacher for cancelling class because she lives in a forest and lost power

I saw this just a few moments ago and feel that the headline is inappropriate based upon the problems that are unduly dumped on teachers across the nation .
Its difficult enough to engage youngsters in face-to-face teaching , but even more so remotely .
However , I feel the teacher should not be called out because her school district has closed all face-to-face classes .
It rightfully belongs in the lap of the school district this teacher is employed by .
The district has failed not only the youngsters , but they have totally failed to provide their teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning .
The teacher can not be held to account for something she has no control over .
And bashing her for living in a forest is just asinine .
I understand this mother ’ s issues , but feel she really needed to turn this around and start to shake the tree of the school district instead .
Its very possible , because of her irate and totally irrational logic in this particular situation , that teacher may lose her job .
That will not help anyone and will only overwhelm and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is in dire need of upgrading .
Bashing the teacher in this situation does not solve the underlying problem .
Our nation needs to turn our priorities around to those things that matter the most .
But because of the current political climate , I see nothing happening on that front .
I blame our political parties for a lot of this disconnect with every day citizens ’ needs .

I saw this just a few moments ago and feel that the headline is inappropriate based upon the problems that are unduly dumped on teachers across the nation. Its difficult enough to engage youngsters in face-to-face teaching, but even more so remotely.
Jenny Feldman tells ‘Fox & Friends’ there is a ‘systemic failure’ happening in schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. www.yahoo.com/...
However, I feel the teacher should not be called out because her school district has closed all face-to-face classes. It rightfully belongs in the lap of the school district this teacher is employed by. The district has failed not only the youngsters, but they have totally failed to provide their teachers with all the necessary tools for remote learning.
The teacher cannot be held to account for something she has no control over. And bashing her for living in a forest is just asinine. I understand this mother’s issues, but feel she really needed to turn this around and start to shake the tree of the school district instead.
Its very possible, because of her irate and totally irrational logic in this particular situation, that teacher may lose her job. That will not help anyone and will only overwhelm an already underfunded and overextended educational system, that is in dire need of upgrading. Bashing the teacher in this situation does not solve the underlying problem.
Our nation needs to turn our priorities around to those things that matter the most. But because of the current political climate, I see nothing happening on that front. I blame our political parties for a lot of this disconnect with every day citizens’ needs.


dailykos--2020-11-19--An unremarked upon give-away: If Trump believed he won, he wouldn't request recounts in Dem counties

Just a short note to recognize something important and telling that has been left out of current news coverage .
In Wisconsin , the Trump campaign has asked for a limited recount of only two Democratic-leaning counties that went heavily for Biden : In a statement , the [ Trump ] campaign said it was asking for recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties , mostly Democratic areas in which Biden defeated Trump by large margins .
Biden captured more than 75 percent of the vote in Dane and more than 69 percent of the vote in Milwaukee .
This recount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because a losing candidate needing to make up ground with additional , missing votes would ask for a recount in counties favoring him , not his opponent .
Given the 69 % to 75 % bias favoring Biden , a recount of these two counties would likely only increase Biden ’ s lead , and certainly would not be fertile ground for Trump to meaningfully gain ground .
For example , in the disputed 2000 election , the Gore campaign requested recounts only in counties that heavily favored Gore/Democrats : Miami-Dade , Broward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Volusia County is a bit of a toss-up county but significant computer tabulation errors there in favor of Bush were the original impetus of the entire imbroglio. )
.
This makes sense because a candidate behind in the vote count , logically , would only care about the possibility of gaining additional votes by recounts in counties favoring that losing candidate .
But Trump is doing the opposite — asking for recounts only in two counties that were demonstrably committed to his opponent .
It shows that Trump has no belief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WI to actually surmount his deficit and , thus , he is purely fishing for the non-existent voter fraud claims that his campaign has utterly lacked to date .
And , lo and behold , The Washington Post has roughly confirmed this in a story last night headlined “ As defeats pile up , Trump tries to delay vote count in a last-ditch attempt to cast doubt on Biden victory.
” To put it more simply — imagine that a then-losing candidate Biden declared that he thought he had actually won and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a recount in Mississippi ( ? )
Everyone would see right through that , and everyone should easily do the same here .

Just a short note to recognize something important and telling that has been left out of current news coverage. In Wisconsin, the Trump campaign has asked for a limited recount of only two Democratic-leaning counties that went heavily for Biden:
In a statement, the [Trump] campaign said it was asking for recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties, mostly Democratic areas in which Biden defeated Trump by large margins. Biden captured more than 75 percent of the vote in Dane and more than 69 percent of the vote in Milwaukee.
This recount request gives away Trump’s game because a losing candidate needing to make up ground with additional, missing votes would ask for a recount in counties favoring him, not his opponent. Given the 69% to 75% bias favoring Biden, a recount of these two counties would likely only increase Biden’s lead, and certainly would not be fertile ground for Trump to meaningfully gain ground.
For example, in the disputed 2000 election, the Gore campaign requested recounts only in counties that heavily favored Gore/Democrats: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Volusia Counties. (Volusia County is a bit of a toss-up county but significant computer tabulation errors there in favor of Bush were the original impetus of the entire imbroglio.). This makes sense because a candidate behind in the vote count, logically, would only care about the possibility of gaining additional votes by recounts in counties favoring that losing candidate.
But Trump is doing the opposite — asking for recounts only in two counties that were demonstrably committed to his opponent.
Why? It shows that Trump has no belief that sufficient additional votes exist for him in WI to actually surmount his deficit and, thus, he is purely fishing for the non-existent voter fraud claims that his campaign has utterly lacked to date. And, lo and behold, The Washington Post has roughly confirmed this in a story last night headlined “As defeats pile up, Trump tries to delay vote count in a last-ditch attempt to cast doubt on Biden victory.”
To put it more simply — imagine that a then-losing candidate Biden declared that he thought he had actually won and, as a result, demanded and paid for a recount in Mississippi(?) Everyone would see right through that, and everyone should easily do the same here.


dailykos--2020-11-20--#REpeachNow for Abuse of the Public Trust

We can ’ t wait another day .
New articles of impeachment for Abuse of the Public Trust must be drawn up immediately .
Every day Trump tries new ways to choke the life out of American democracy .
On Jan. 20 , 2017 , Trump vowed with his hand on the Bible to preserve , protect , and defend the Constitution of the United States .
He could not belie that oath of office more directly than to pressure county and state officials to violate their own oaths of office and refuse to certify election results for nothing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero evidence .
In an era of jaw-dropping abuses of power , this latest one deserves to be the final Trump gut-punch to the American psyche .
It shows just how far he and McConnell have strayed from honorable democracy .
Together they already redirected the course of America towards # RepubloFascism , where domestic oligarchs and CEOs dictate policy and budget for their own needs with nary a care for 99 % of Americans .
The pivot point came when McConnell led his # OathBreakersCaucus in denying live witness and documentary evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We now are seeing naked partisanship strip away every honorable facet of American governance .
McConnell gave Trump not only a pass on all previous transgressions , but also a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card for future travesties .
That choice to leave a severely flawed leader in office has cost perhaps 200,000 America lives , put our economy on the brink of a deep depression , and allowed the destruction of integrity within every government agency to protect or deflect his lies .
Now , the US House can make this week ’ s actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution has spelled out the processes for a smooth transferral of power , and Trump has put his own desires above that .
He knows that NY state indictments await his return to the private sector , and retaining the presidency is his only shield against that .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can and should announce that Congress will start to # REpeachNow , citing Abuse of Public Trust .
The levers of Trump ’ s conspiracy to flip the election need to be investigated , with the paper trail and co-conspirators exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there can be no claims that impeachment is merely being used to sway them .
The justification for taking this step will be undeniable .
McConnell and most Congressional Republicans have gone along with Trump ’ s baseless insistence that he won the election , and they have to pay for that .
And there ’ s still time to make that happen .
With wins in both US Senate seat runoffs in Georgia on Jan. 5 , Democrats can flip the Senate .
Then the filibuster can be voted out , paving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court seats to offset the ones stolen by McConnell and the GOP .
GA Senator David Perdue is a proud member of the # OathBreakersCaucus , and every ad that Jon Ossoff runs between now and Jan. 5 should label the incumbent as such .
Both races should be an indictment of the GOP brand , and spotlighted as the only path to removing McConnell as Senate Majority Leader .
It ’ s also time to define McConnell and his ilk as # CORPservatives , not conservatives .
They are pious with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ servitude to corporations and billionaires .
By differentiating between good-hearted conservatives and CORPservatives , the groundwork is laid for a more honorable incarnation of the Republican Party to take shape .
Trump will not want to be the only President to be impeached twice .
The Senate will not want to vote to save his neck again , knowing his power to lash back at them will soon be minimized by the NY charges .
# HumptyTrumpty will soon fall , and the upside of standing in the way will be short-lived .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the spine at the very top .
REpeachment starts , dominating the headlines and exposing the methods of Trump has used to chip away at democracy .
Knowing that an impeachment vote in the House is likely to end any chances to win at least one of the two GA Senate races , pressure will be put on Trump to resign before that point .
That will present Trump with the favorable notion of Pence taking office briefly , doling out pardons to Trump , his family , and perhaps some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what many Republicans in Congress secretly want , because once Trump resigns his retribution powers will be largely gone , limited to the Twittersphere and right-wing talk radio .
And that industry will see a comeuppance of its own .
So let ’ s make Trump the lamest duck ever .
Please spread the # REpeachNow hashtag .
And someday we will look back at Jan. 5 and call it our # REindependenceDay , the day America sent RepubloFascism to the doghouse and welcomed back honorable , middle-class-centric democracy again .
Progressives throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will point our nation back towards calmer seas , and a rightful return to the leader of the free world .
And lost in our wake will be this damaging flirtation with the most destructive aspects of capitalism .

We can’t wait another day. New articles of impeachment for Abuse of the Public Trust must be drawn up immediately. Every day Trump tries new ways to choke the life out of American democracy.
On Jan. 20, 2017, Trump vowed with his hand on the Bible to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. He could not belie that oath of office more directly than to pressure county and state officials to violate their own oaths of office and refuse to certify election results for nothing more than partisan desperation, claims based on zero evidence.
In an era of jaw-dropping abuses of power, this latest one deserves to be the final Trump gut-punch to the American psyche. It shows just how far he and McConnell have strayed from honorable democracy. Together they already redirected the course of America towards #RepubloFascism, where domestic oligarchs and CEOs dictate policy and budget for their own needs with nary a care for 99% of Americans.
The pivot point came when McConnell led his #OathBreakersCaucus in denying live witness and documentary evidence testimony in the impeachment removal trial. We now are seeing naked partisanship strip away every honorable facet of American governance.
McConnell gave Trump not only a pass on all previous transgressions, but also a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card for future travesties. That choice to leave a severely flawed leader in office has cost perhaps 200,000 America lives, put our economy on the brink of a deep depression, and allowed the destruction of integrity within every government agency to protect or deflect his lies.
Now, the US House can make this week’s actions by Trump the final straw. The Constitution has spelled out the processes for a smooth transferral of power, and Trump has put his own desires above that. He knows that NY state indictments await his return to the private sector, and retaining the presidency is his only shield against that.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can and should announce that Congress will start to #REpeachNow, citing Abuse of Public Trust. The levers of Trump’s conspiracy to flip the election need to be investigated, with the paper trail and co-conspirators exposed daily. With the elections over, there can be no claims that impeachment is merely being used to sway them. The justification for taking this step will be undeniable.
McConnell and most Congressional Republicans have gone along with Trump’s baseless insistence that he won the election, and they have to pay for that.
And there’s still time to make that happen.
With wins in both US Senate seat runoffs in Georgia on Jan. 5, Democrats can flip the Senate. Then the filibuster can be voted out, paving the way for Biden to add more Supreme Court seats to offset the ones stolen by McConnell and the GOP.
GA Senator David Perdue is a proud member of the #OathBreakersCaucus, and every ad that Jon Ossoff runs between now and Jan. 5 should label the incumbent as such. Both races should be an indictment of the GOP brand, and spotlighted as the only path to removing McConnell as Senate Majority Leader.
It’s also time to define McConnell and his ilk as #CORPservatives, not conservatives. They are pious with a corporate bias, legislating only in servitude to corporations and billionaires. By differentiating between good-hearted conservatives and CORPservatives, the groundwork is laid for a more honorable incarnation of the Republican Party to take shape.
Trump will not want to be the only President to be impeached twice. The Senate will not want to vote to save his neck again, knowing his power to lash back at them will soon be minimized by the NY charges. #HumptyTrumpty will soon fall, and the upside of standing in the way will be short-lived.
This is what can happen if Democrats have the spine at the very top. REpeachment starts, dominating the headlines and exposing the methods of Trump has used to chip away at democracy. Knowing that an impeachment vote in the House is likely to end any chances to win at least one of the two GA Senate races, pressure will be put on Trump to resign before that point.
That will present Trump with the favorable notion of Pence taking office briefly, doling out pardons to Trump, his family, and perhaps some of his other enablers. That outcome is what many Republicans in Congress secretly want, because once Trump resigns his retribution powers will be largely gone, limited to the Twittersphere and right-wing talk radio. And that industry will see a comeuppance of its own.
So let’s make Trump the lamest duck ever. Please spread the #REpeachNow hashtag. And someday we will look back at Jan. 5 and call it our #REindependenceDay, the day America sent RepubloFascism to the doghouse and welcomed back honorable, middle-class-centric democracy again. Progressives throughout Congress can send bills to President Biden that will point our nation back towards calmer seas, and a rightful return to the leader of the free world. And lost in our wake will be this damaging flirtation with the most destructive aspects of capitalism.


dailykos--2020-11-20--Calling Trump Racist Doesn't Work and We Need an Alternative: Why Hispanic Men Voted For Trump

It ’ s cathartic , I admit , but we just came through a campaign where there was a whole lot of that and the result , not so good .
It turns out this strategy is old , and it has never worked .
It started with Nixon , and failed , and has been failing ever since .
Nixon honed dog-whistle racism and began the Southern Strategy .
And he had more success with his strategy than those who opposed him had in calling him a racist .
Ian Haney Lopez is a UC Berkeley scholar and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class .
This week he was interviewed by Ezra Klein and while the interview was awkward , it took them some time to get to the meat of the issue , it was informative .
The current strategy , laid out by Lopez , is to run with the notion , “ See how obvious their racism is , we are going to side with Blacks and Latinos.
” It turns out that this is ineffective .
It doesn ’ t work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling with Demos to get to these conclusions .
Real-world data instead of finger-pointing , like what happened at the end of this last cycle .
The interview spends too much time defining how right-wing politicians first honed dog-whistle politics , how they work , and how Trump has turned it into bull-horn racism , but the end conclusion , “ We will side with minorities against your racism , ” doesn ’ t work for minorities .
Why ?
It turns out that selling racism doesn ’ t just work with whites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it also works with Blacks and Hispanics at a rate of 60 % .
That is , Trump ’ s message reaches 60 % of all Americans and they believe it .
Chew on that .
This tells us that Blacks and whites and Hispanics might be more similar across more issues than pundits would like to believe .
In other words , calling folks racist , and calling Trump a racist , is getting under the skin of 60 % of all Americans .
Whoops !
Lopez lays this research out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Class , Winning Elections , and Saving America .
How you approach these diverse groups becomes interesting .
Because calling someone an overt racist is ineffectual , no matter who they are , even if it ’ s true .
And calling Blacks and Hispanics racist , against those of the same race , is a disaster at best .
Lopez tells us that while racism exists and is widespread , that the vast majority of Americans believe that racism is wrong .
Those same folks are also prone to having some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t fixed , we are split in how we respond to these issues .
That makes it hard to go directly after racism .
You need a different approach .
Lopez has data that answers the question , what approach should we use ?
And the answer is , unite those groups against a unified foe .
In this case , all of us against the monied elite , the rich .
He adds to that concept , you need to explain that it isn ’ t just us vs the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rich are using racism to divide us for their benefit .
Yeah , that ’ s what the polling shows .
What makes this story really fun is that a number of politicians have been saying parts of this for years .
Some are easy to identify and are much maligned in the Democratic party , Sanders , Warren , and the Squad , but some are quite popular .
Sherrod Brown for example .
Of course , Sherrod has never taken the party on , directly .
Klien asks Lopez about Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t win .
Lopez answered .
Sander ’ s message is to leave racism behind and to point out that economic equality will lift all boats .
That argument didn ’ t appeal correctly to minorities .
But at the end of his last run , he switched to the idea that the rich use racial divides to keeping us separated .
This is a better message in Lopez ’ s opinion , but it was too late to be effective .
I don ’ t know if I buy that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going .
Lopez points out that post mortem analysis of the 2020 election is just folks going home to where they were before the election .
Moderates blaming the progressives and progressives blaming the moderates .
Then he talks about Minnesota .
In 2018 , there was a labor/religious coalition in Minneapolis that actually used Lopez ’ s recommendations .
Distrust greedy elites who are dividing us , demand the government work for working families , and use the race class fusion idea .
They put this on the ground and it worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used the methodology and it worked spectacularly .
A bunch of positions switched to blue and the Dems won the statehouse .
Lopez gives some other examples where the race-class approach has been used effectively to communicate differently to voters .
The underlying message , cross-racial solidarity in the face of powerful elites who are using race to divide us , as shown by experimentation , seems to be effective .
Certainly , race-baiting countered by , “ You ’ re a racist !
” is not working for the Democratic party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond the last election to see this .
Lopez tells you exactly why dog-whistle politics works and it is n't for the reasons folks want to believe .
It isn ’ t a secret handshake where all those participating are on the take and are secretly racist .
It isn ’ t about gaining an advantage or blaming others for your job loss .
Dog-whistle politics triggers fears that exist in all of us .
I ’ m not arguing that we are born with those fears or that they are built by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m just telling you what Lopez says .
This is the only way you can get to the outcome that Blacks and Hispanics are impacted by those techniques .
And the solution can ’ t be to attack racism .
As a finish .
In 2016 , some 25 % of Hispanics voted for Trump .
In 2020 that ticked up by 3 or 4 points .
There was much made of this change in the media , yet we can see , it was n't much .
The bigger question , why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him the first time was never discussed .
Lopez now you know why .

It’s cathartic, I admit, but we just came through a campaign where there was a whole lot of that and the result, not so good. It turns out this strategy is old, and it has never worked. It started with Nixon, and failed, and has been failing ever since. Nixon honed dog-whistle racism and began the Southern Strategy. And he had more success with his strategy than those who opposed him had in calling him a racist. Ian Haney Lopez is a UC Berkeley scholar and the author of Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class.
This week he was interviewed by Ezra Klein and while the interview was awkward, it took them some time to get to the meat of the issue, it was informative. The current strategy, laid out by Lopez, is to run with the notion, “See how obvious their racism is, we are going to side with Blacks and Latinos.” It turns out that this is ineffective. It doesn’t work with either Blacks or Latinos. Lopez did polling with Demos to get to these conclusions. Real-world data instead of finger-pointing, like what happened at the end of this last cycle.
The interview spends too much time defining how right-wing politicians first honed dog-whistle politics, how they work, and how Trump has turned it into bull-horn racism, but the end conclusion, “We will side with minorities against your racism,” doesn’t work for minorities. Why? It turns out that selling racism doesn’t just work with whites, at a frequency of 60%, it also works with Blacks and Hispanics at a rate of 60%. That is, Trump’s message reaches 60% of all Americans and they believe it. Chew on that. This tells us that Blacks and whites and Hispanics might be more similar across more issues than pundits would like to believe. In other words, calling folks racist, and calling Trump a racist, is getting under the skin of 60% of all Americans. Whoops! Lopez lays this research out in, Merge Left: Fusing Race and Class, Winning Elections, and Saving America.
How you approach these diverse groups becomes interesting. Because calling someone an overt racist is ineffectual, no matter who they are, even if it’s true. And calling Blacks and Hispanics racist, against those of the same race, is a disaster at best. Lopez tells us that while racism exists and is widespread, that the vast majority of Americans believe that racism is wrong. Those same folks are also prone to having some racist beliefs in certain situations. We aren’t fixed, we are split in how we respond to these issues. That makes it hard to go directly after racism. You need a different approach.
Lopez has data that answers the question, what approach should we use? And the answer is, unite those groups against a unified foe. In this case, all of us against the monied elite, the rich. He adds to that concept, you need to explain that it isn’t just us vs the rich, it’s that the rich are using racism to divide us for their benefit. Yeah, that’s what the polling shows. What makes this story really fun is that a number of politicians have been saying parts of this for years. Some are easy to identify and are much maligned in the Democratic party, Sanders, Warren, and the Squad, but some are quite popular. Sherrod Brown for example. Of course, Sherrod has never taken the party on, directly.
Klien asks Lopez about Sanders and Warren and points out that they didn’t win. Lopez answered. Sander’s message is to leave racism behind and to point out that economic equality will lift all boats. That argument didn’t appeal correctly to minorities. But at the end of his last run, he switched to the idea that the rich use racial divides to keeping us separated. This is a better message in Lopez’s opinion, but it was too late to be effective. I don’t know if I buy that, but I see where he is going.
Lopez points out that post mortem analysis of the 2020 election is just folks going home to where they were before the election. Moderates blaming the progressives and progressives blaming the moderates. Then he talks about Minnesota. In 2018, there was a labor/religious coalition in Minneapolis that actually used Lopez’s recommendations. Distrust greedy elites who are dividing us, demand the government work for working families, and use the race class fusion idea. They put this on the ground and it worked so well that the local Democratic party used the methodology and it worked spectacularly. A bunch of positions switched to blue and the Dems won the statehouse. Lopez gives some other examples where the race-class approach has been used effectively to communicate differently to voters.
The underlying message, cross-racial solidarity in the face of powerful elites who are using race to divide us, as shown by experimentation, seems to be effective. Certainly, race-baiting countered by, “You’re a racist!” is not working for the Democratic party. You don’t have to look beyond the last election to see this.
Lopez tells you exactly why dog-whistle politics works and it isn't for the reasons folks want to believe. It isn’t a secret handshake where all those participating are on the take and are secretly racist. It isn’t about gaining an advantage or blaming others for your job loss. Dog-whistle politics triggers fears that exist in all of us. I’m not arguing that we are born with those fears or that they are built by politicians and the media, I’m just telling you what Lopez says. This is the only way you can get to the outcome that Blacks and Hispanics are impacted by those techniques. And the solution can’t be to attack racism.
As a finish. In 2016, some 25% of Hispanics voted for Trump. In 2020 that ticked up by 3 or 4 points. There was much made of this change in the media, yet we can see, it wasn't much. The bigger question, why did 25% of Hispanics vote for him the first time was never discussed. Lopez now you know why.


dailykos--2020-11-20--Time to Move Forward Together

Time to Move Forward Together

I worry that we ’ re not going to move forward despite President-Elect Biden ’ s win .
70-plus million @ @ @ @ @ the monster despite all his rhetoric and hate-mongering , and now his efforts to save @ @ @ @ @ many crimes .
We are truly two Americas : the one striving to better ourselves @ @ @ @ @ the other clamoring to hold on to the mistakes of our past .
This nation @ @ @ @ @ other ’ s acceptance that their position is not only flawed but unacceptable and that @ @ @ @ @ century with us .
They ’ re better than this .
Senators Romney and Sasse @ @ @ @ @ Allowing our nation to be destroyed is neither patriotic nor God ’ s will .
@ @ @ @ @ move forward together .

I worry that we’re not going to move forward despite President-Elect Biden’s win. 70-plus million people allegedly voted to keep the monster despite all his rhetoric and hate-mongering, and now his efforts to save himself from prosecution for his many crimes. We are truly two Americas: the one striving to better ourselves and our nation, and the other clamoring to hold on to the mistakes of our past. This nation cannot heal without the other’s acceptance that their position is not only flawed but unacceptable and that they must enter the 21st century with us. They’re better than this. Senators Romney and Sasse should not be alone. Allowing our nation to be destroyed is neither patriotic nor God’s will. It’s time to move forward together.