Wednesday, October 6, 2021

News Of The Week

 

If the current big and predictably evanescent story is the “Pandora Papers,” which confirmed – surprise! -- corruption among many world leaders and other wealthies, and how states like South Dakota, governed by one of Trump’s biggest sycophants, are welcoming tax cheats, there are other indicators, too, of how close to collapse we are. 

Anyone remember that “forensic” audit of votes in Arizona’s Maricopa County? By a group headed by another Trump-fluffing faker? Which would prove Trump won and sell lots of pillows? Well, months and millions later, it released its findings: Biden still won. By more votes than previous recounts had found. Which might surprise Fox “news” viewers; after pre-hyping it incessantly, Fox made nearly zero mention of the final report.

But that’s not the story. The story is that, after the results became public, Trump stood before an enraptured crowd and, preceded by his usual hallucinatory word-salad, uncorked the following grotesquetude: “We won on the Arizona audit yesterday at a level you wouldn’t believe.” 

They would, though. In a functioning democracy, having borne witness to real-time, living proof he’s a liar or insane, everyone in attendance would have flown the coup. They didn’t. Didn’t even blink. Which underscores the success of perpetual Trumpic election fraud claims: suborning rejection of elections past, present, and future in which Republicans lose. To that end, despite multiple audits showing no fraud, more are underway in other red states, the outcomes of which don’t matter. To the pre-softened, it’s show, not substance.

Like the debt ceiling charade. Per usual, Republican tax cuts broke the budget. Then, predictable as Trump’s next confabulation, when the bill comes due, they threaten default, dishonestly blaming Democrats’ future plans, which include pay-for.

Speaking of duplicity, a member of the right-wing, white-supremacist group known as Boogaloo Bois just admitted posing as a BLM member while shooting up a police station in Minneapolis. It’s not the only instance; the FBI has said so. In fact, it’s a solid bet that nearly all violence at BLM demonstrations was by racist poseurs. Another instance of convincing the eagerly susceptible. “BLM is a terrorist group” is ubiquitous Foxotrumpian fake news. And believed. 

In another threat to the Republic, we’ve now passed 700,000 deaths from Covid-19; even as red-state governors do all they can to keep the pandemic alive. Even as deaths are now nearly exclusively among the unvaccinated. Doesn’t matter. If Trumpists believe he “won” the Arizona audit, they’ll believe anything, literally to their dying day.  

And they’ll believe, for another democracy-killing example, that Texas’ egregious anti-abortion law, based on lies, religious hypocrisy, false promises, and bad science, represents no threat to anyone other than young women and their doctors; because who cares? Monday, in a New Yorker interview, Attorney General Garland warned of disturbing possibilities.

The law, for technicalities that challenge comprehension, avoids judicial review of its blatant unconstitutionality by having “deputized” citizens, not state agencies, to become watchdogs and bringers of lawsuits against anyone exercising what remains, for now, a constitutional right. That’s as cynical as it gets.

The same approach could be legislated against any other right, avoiding judicial review, Garland stated. Not worried? What if it were guns? Or religion? No worries: it’d only be Islam, right? Judaism, maybe. Sikhs. Heads covered by anything but white sheets. Hyperbole? Texas is the latest red state proposing to make the Bible its “state book.”

Speaking of head-coverings, we learned last week that the anti-masks-in-schools movement gets funding from Koch-related money. Same with groups pushing the lie that Critical Race Theory is taught in our K-12 public schools. So virulent is that duo of disinformation that school boards around the country need federal protection. But, hey, it's okay with Republicans.

Clearly, Koch and other involved billionaires believe the way to keep their money safe from taxes that help average people, is continual, manufactured outrage. Truth being unprofitable, they opt for lying to reliably gullible Trumpists. 

But there’s no more sickening example of manufactured outrage than Fox “news” latest attack on Tammy Duckworth. What horrible people they are. 

Finally, there’s President Biden’s $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” bill. An unimaginable amount of money, causing predictable splits within the perennially suicidal Democratic Party, and fainting-couch hypocrisy from Republicans. How unimaginable? Well, it’d be spent over ten years. Meaning $350 billion per year, on programs that’d make millions of Americans safer, healthier, more secure, less impoverished, better prepared for employment. How much is that, in context? Less than half of what’s spent, annually, on the military. Makes you think. Or would, if thinking were still a thing.

24 comments:

  1. One little piece of good news is the injunction granted in Texas by a federal judge against the five-week-old abortion bill. It's an opinion over 100 pages long and more than a bit scathing.

    I know there are so many things on the Democrats' plate right now, but I believe one of them needs to be reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine. We have to figure out a way to shut down the "mis and dis" information sources. I was very happy to see the former Facebook employee/ whistleblower testify so clearly to the Senate committee a couple days ago! Maybe it's a turning point? Between common sense regulation of the internet and reinstating the FD we can again, have at least a common set of facts.

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  2. "Can't we all just get along?" is the question Rodney King asked in 1992.
    My personal answer to this question is yes, if all humanity would follow the teaching and living example of Jesus. Your religious affiliation or lack of affiliation is irrelevant.

    We all must love one another. It's worth a try. "Beat your weapons into plowshares"

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    Replies
    1. As I've said before, Seeker, you're much more kind than I. My answer to that question is, "No, not right now". I can't get along with people who believe and expound lies, who persecute others from prejudice and bigotry, who would only be happy in subjugating others to lift themselves.

      I'm just a mouthy old woman raised by June Cleaver and educated by Gloria Steinem. I do agree with you though, that if people really tried to be like The Rebel Jesus (thanks, Jackson Browne), the world wouldn't need as much help as it does.

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    2. Part 1

      My brother...

      ""Can't we all just get along?""

      No, we can not and refuse to...

      Are you bum rushing the capitol to hang Pence?
      Are you on my bus w/o a mask?
      Are you beating up some poor SOB while wearing a badge and your gang colors(blue)?
      Are you cheating on your taxes?
      Are you exploiting workers?
      Are you harassing teachers?
      Are you intimidating women at the clinic?
      Are you being a violent POS on my airplane?
      Are you the vicious MAGA alt right animal intimidating teachers, nurses and poll workers?
      Are you plucking people off the streets Stasi style?
      Are you using weapons of war unrighteously? Especially the cops on citizens. Gassing Kurds is in the same category btw.

      Are you simply refusing to do the right thing because your twisted thought is "that's freedom" to every failed coup??? "We have the God given right in 'merca to keep on trying to overthrow anything we disagree with w/o fear of imprisonment via any means necessary!"

      Ummm...I can see a lot of ways "we'll" (meaning me, moi, I)...will never agree to disagree. If that's the kinda shit you are pullin'? Then don't be surprised when someone calls you on it. Simple as that. Real life is real. It's not the MAGA-verse. It's this dimension in this universe. As much as some would like it to be otherwise.

      I will not let someone's ignorance kill me or anyone around me ever. I will not let someone perpetrating violence affect people that way. I don't like bullies. I especially loath the ignorant bullies. It's open season on ignorant bullies...Sorry brother. That's just the way it is in the real world.

      Wishful thoughts are great but, many times they are ill-equipped to deal with the situation at hand. The Bible is not a guide to life, self help, conceiver, believer, achiever head trip faith booster mantra. It's an historic accounting rewritten by normal humans so many times it's a wonder it makes ANY sense at all. It is not all a fairy tale. But 'they' have messed it up to the point that it's propaganda and not a lot else.






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    3. Part deux

      Most people with any dignity will stand up for themselves if they can. But many must swallow that daily. Just riding the bus to work everyday, with unmasked passengers, that refuse to wear a mask, and a driver who pretends they don't see shit. It's the "go-to excuse" now. It's "well I can't see everything, I need to drive the bus...." and I say yup and pull the digital tape. That was the script after the first victory vs. liars and cheats. Then I make a phone call. After 2 years of this, they now know I am comin' for them once I pull the tape. So the phone call/email is redundant but, it's what werx!

      They used to ignore me. So instead of being "Mr. Nice Guy", I decided they were endangering everyone, drivers included and illustrated with videos and declarations for each video as an eyewitness. I also started making phone calls as an "Introductory" step. just feeling around. Bullies are everywhere. It's a good 'ol boys club Jackson. A good 'ol boys club...I am just one person, but I know I have a larger army behind me if, as those MAGA hillbillies say, "when the shit hits the fan". I will fight them tooth and nail. These people want a fight. You can't "nice" your way around it brother.

      I was raised the old fashioned way. By my Grandmother...
      She taught me how to be a man. I had no "role model". I was raised by single women. They helped reenforce what my Grandma taught me. I was the 3rd grader opening doors for women. Giving up my seat, taking their jackets. Pushing in seats at the table. Not wearing hats inside.(smoking was encouraged I think..I mean I was young, perspectives...lol.) but yes, I would get many smiles and compliments.

      One of the things I was taught is that you speak up for the ladies. Back in the day women were to be seen and not heard a whole lot in some places. But it's like on the bus. There's someone on that bus unhappy and uncomfortable because someone isn't wearing their mask properly AND they are afraid to say something about it. AKA: stick up for themselves. I know what that feels like. I think we've all been there if you live long enough, even in the best of circles.

      I learned a long long time ago. Sometimes, you just need to refuse to "get along to go along". The bully never stops until stopped. Darwin's law.

      I think the worst has not yet come. I think we better be ready for it to get much much worse before it gets better.

      I ain't gonna sit around and wait for someone else to fix it either. Sorry man. Just know that people are trying to make the world a better place. There's also people wanting to destroy pretty much everything.

      no, the mob can not be president.

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    4. Part one contains all the detailed reasons my answer to Seeker was "no". Thanks for elucidating each infraction so clearly.

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    5. I got more...lol...I always got more. It's a gift and a curse.

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    6. And like mana from heaven...This gem crosses my path today. It further explains what I wrote the day before this aired. It's a master class on bullies. It's also a glimpse of what we are in for. Some of us will batten down the hatches and others will fight. Tis the way of the whirled brother.

      Please explain to me how you get along with people like this?...Oh...In other news...One antivaxxer brother shot his pharmacist brother dead for poisoning 'mercans. He shot up the whole place last I heard. I have not read the story yet. I just heard about it 5 mins. ago.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqlM3PUHQcQ

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    7. How would you handle this Jack?

      https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/watch/showtime-s-the-circus-host-mark-mckinnon-says-there-s-no-compassion-left-in-conservatism-in-texas-123382853655?cid=eml_mra_20211013&user_email=fc66f1f7269b229e2460170946fa6f41e6153bc57ef9c5d002f9aa613fcb2eea

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  3. I digitized my Vax card and got this for my mobile device.

    https://www.nhl.com/kraken/arena/clear-health-pass

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  4. I try to time my errands around the area for Saturday or Sunday morning, so I can listen on KIRO to "Intelligence Matters". It's hosted by Michael Morell, a former acting director of the CIA. Last Saturday, he recommended an interview on YouTube from 1985 footage of a KGB defector. If you want to know when the disinformation and subversion of our democracy started, watch that interview. His name is Yuri Bezmenov and he tells a story that had its origins in 1950. Active measures. You'll see what dupes and patsies we have been.

    The weekend before, Morell interviewed a professor at the University of Chicago, Robert Pape, who has a website with data mapping of the January 6th Insurrection. Astonishing details and facts.

    These are the kinds of stomach-dropping, anxiety producing, fear-based pieces of information that keep me on alert. I was gently taunted months ago for being afraid of where the country is now and appears to be heading, and frankly--I think my fears are warranted.

    Sorry no links. Everyone can use the Google machine, yes?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the heads up regarding the Pape study. I found it eye-opening with findings that are fairly counter-intuitive compared to the coverage we've seen by the press.

      It took me a few clicks to find it, so here's the link for anyone else who might be interested:

      http://d3qi0qp55mx5f5.cloudfront.net/cpost/i/docs/americas_insurrectionists_online_2021_04_06.pdf

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  5. This is the kind of stuff I want to see a lot more of. That being people coming foreword to blow whistles on thier own companies that they work for. Facebook especially but any company like Tabaco, medicine, fossil fuels/fracking etc.

    It's one thing to bash Boomers and have a great self righteous understanding of pronoun vocab. But it's entirely different when the lil rotten do-gooder has to walk the walk. When they got to have their Jerry McGuire moment. Take the fishbowl and walk. Scream "Who's with me?!" as you go. All these young smart people are the problem, not the solution. It's nice to see a couple of brave women step up in Bro-land USA.

    But until I see droves, I am not impressed at all with "the progressive movement" in that regard. Show me your ledger and I'll tell you what your real priorities are :O) Me and my 9th grade education will figure you out, don't you worry.

    All that money and not a one of them stood up till now? Hmmmm...I guess once you've made your money and are out of the company is as good a time as any.

    CNN News

    "Another Facebook whistleblower says she is willing to testify before Congress about her former employer. Sophie Zhang said she felt like she had "blood on her hands" after working as a data scientist at the tech giant for almost three years. After she was fired last year, she wrote a lengthy memo detailing how she believed the company was not doing enough to tackle hate and misinformation -- particularly in developing countries. Zhang said she was encouraged that there appeared to be bipartisan support for action on the protection of children online following Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony to a Senate subcommittee. Zhang said she's passed on documentation about the company to a US law enforcement agency."

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  6. MEH and Smoothness,

    Believe me, I understand your frustration regarding our polarized world battle over who is right and who is wrong in how to survive peacefully.

    I don't think we can revert once again to armed conflicts to solve this age old dilemma.

    My conclusion depends on a force greater than humanity for ultimate resolution. WWJD?

    Your solution appears to be "give me liberty or give me death".

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    Replies
    1. What JWD is exactly the opposite of what so-called conservative Christians are doing in and to America.

      And, for all intents and purposes, they're in charge; leaving even J with little to be done about it.

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    2. Yes, those so called Christian conservatives believe that overturning Roe vs Wade is going to save the world. If they succeed, what are they going to do, jail and fine every offender? I doubt the result would reduce abortions.

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    3. If "the Christlike people" would police themselves it'd be a different story. But they willing let alt right extremists hijack their religion. I wonder why? They continually turn a blind eye when it comes to abuse.

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    4. Part numero uno...

      "Your solution appears to be "give me liberty or give me death"."

      No brother that's not it...

      There's no more virtue in turning the other cheek than any other "proper solution" to a problem brother. There's virtue in doing the right thing. That's it. There's virtue in solving problems. That's it. Granted, how one goes about it, is also a factor. There's many ways to fix things. Some better than others and some that are downright counter productive and spills over onto others as a result.

      "Doing the right thing" requires you have the proper tools in your toolbox to successfully complete the tasks at hand. Most people do not have "Turn the other cheek" in their box of tools that we all/they carry around everywhere, everyday, in their/our entire life.

      These people are the same people who will use vice grips for every job. Pliers if you can't find the vice grips. The nuts in their lives are all tight, but, they are also all stripped, and now a wrench will no longer work to untighten/tighten that nut. The next person who comes along will have to tap the hole and replace all the hardware. $Time$ $consuming$ and costly because a tap and die is something 99.9999% of the population won't have in their boxes. So renting a tap and die set will add to the costs. Sometime Cletus will let ya walk for free on the rental.

      The folks with few tools, generally, are woefully, embarrassingly, inadequate for life's daily tasks. Saying "I tightened the bolts" then expecting to get paid for that work is how a lot of people go through life. "Have vice grips will travel!"





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    5. numero dos

      These vice grip jockeys do the best they can. Same as the rest of us with more tools in the box, or say even all the proper tools for 100% of all life's twists and turns. The only 100% tool I can think of is called "common sense". AKA: NOT the Bible

      New tools are invented all the time (Like the Bible) to take care of new special fasteners. But, vice grips will still get you there in 99% of the cases and any upcoming cases as well if history holds true.

      It costs a fortune to have all the tools for every job.

      It costs someone else (mommy) a fortune when someone has not done their best efforts to get new tools for all the new complex tasks. Usually, the one wants to borrow tools all day everyday from the other. Thus eating away more time from their task at hand, and the other persons to help someone else who clearly doesn't give a shit who they've inconvenienced along the way or will inconvenience in the future, and can't understand why everyone is so impatient, hostile and angry all the time. That through their perspectives the world is full of impatient, irrational, angry people. Then changes nothing, over and over forever because they don't understand people and what they have been or are doing, is comfortably habitual. They get by, until they don't. Then from there it's bad because an old dog learning new tricks is a rare bread. Much of 'merca is geriatric. Geriatric KY is a place and a lubricant I am told. Does this make Lumpy a tool? I think it does! I'll check the facts on that later. I don't want to be disappointed yet! Hopefully forever cuz I'll forget about it and never look it up! Vice Grips!



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    6. tres...

      Like a hand grenade. Stand to close to these types of thinkers and they will take everyone with them. Then complain about lack of teamwork when everyone's had enough of the guys stripped nuts to last a lifetime! You get tired of fixing other peoples problems if in fact that person is simply self inflicted and will never learn because they can't or won't.

      The Confederacy are vice grip jockeys. They cry about "self reliance" yet all their financial independence was/is based on free/cheap labor. The economy was built on it and they went to war to make it permanent. History repeats itself is a saying for a reason. Nothing has changed in the Confederacy brother. Not a damn thing. If anything, it's worse.

      Vice grips...
      AKA: God and Guns...are the solution for everything you ain't got a tool for. And to have some MAGA infested snowflake say "If you had God, and the guns to enforce your faith you wouldn't need all them tools you fools. My Bible and my AR-15 will bring Jesus and freedom to 'merca!...YEE HAW!" From there they extend their "God Given" rights. AKA: The right to work laws throughout the entire south. God and guns in schools, women's healthcare, voting rights etc.

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    7. Quatzee!

      This notion you have "Liberty or Death" is my ultimatum or whatever for lack of werds, is not correct.
      "Liberty or Death" is the 2nd best game ever on SNES console IS correct. Kyle Petty No Fear Racing is the best, then Sim City...Where was I?

      Oh yes, vice grips...

      Brother, there's a lot more going on than an old, reliable set of dollar store vice grips can properly handle. Life is a lot more complex than that. If Democracy can't be fixed with these vice grips then I shall turn the other cheek. Or worse do nothing at all and label itself virtues top dog. Naw, ya start with a great day/night camera, so that when the day/night time comes, when you will, in fact, need more than the 2 facial cheeks Darwin provided most humans.

      Because of that preparation, I am here today. It's called being a boy scout, always prepared. About being a Marine, attention to detail and initiative. I don't run around life paranoid at all, ever. I don't run around with my head up me bum. I live my life. How can I do that (live life fully) with someone clearly wanting to kill me somewhere out there somewhere? Well...

      I have more than a pair of vice grips and a Philips screwdriver, used as a one size fits all Phillips head, that's now an ice pick because it's stripped. But it still is in the box, just in case, and never leaves the box as anything other than a handy device to effectively shotgun a beer.


      Sorry brother but I have to live life. Sometimes it means you have to ruin a snowflakes day. I don't do dumb stuff like try to overthrow govt. Nor do I support anyone who does. I make damn sure of it too. I don't lend my support to anything destructive in any shape or form. If I am not sure, I don't give my support. I do lend my support to things that are good that I know about. I support stuff like abortion. That can get me hurt if I am picketing outside the Planned Parenthood office and a snowflake MAGA piloted AR-15 shows up 6-12 shotgunned brew-skies to the wind. So while I support Planned Parenthood, I can't attend their gatherings for a couple reasons. I can't stand, walk, wiggle my ears, breath or blink w/o having some level of pain. And I am my kids only parent. But I can be effective in many other ways. So I do everything I can to help the cause.

      I am down with the struggle just like all my brothers and sisters. It means understanding everyone involved. It doesn't mean one size fits all or everything is a compromise. Those are simply common mental mistakes people have.

      Civil War oversimplified feat. NZ family reacts
      This is what we are fighting today in as small a nutshell as you can keep it in. Real information. It will enlighten you as to who we are dealing with really. What makes them tick and most importantly WHY.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60NoVYYTmw8

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    8. I would not have believed it possible until this year, but I don't know if we can avoid armed conflict. There is, effectively, a Cold Civil War happening right now, and it wouldn't take much to push those Confederate/ Traitors over the edge again.

      I live with an Anti-Vaxxer, pro-Trump, former Marine, conspiracy believer, racial bigot, misogynist. My beloved brother, who taught me to play chess and with whom I would play in the dirt with his little green army men as 5 and 7 year olds.
      Who was kind and generous enough to let me build ranches for my Breyer horses with his Lincoln Logs.
      I can hardly believe sometimes what has happened to him.

      I once thought he was among the smartest people I've ever known but I am reminded every day that he is entrenched in his beliefs and ideas. He thinks Fox TV tells the truth. I don't know for sure, but I suspect he listens to Steven Bannon. He swore twice, to uphold the Constitution of the United States--first as a Marine Corps officer and then as a lawyer. His now twisted thinking has led him to think I am an enemy for my belief in multi-culturalism and multi-racialism as the only real path forward for our country. It breaks my heart a little every day.

      WWJD? I don't know, but I think it is about love. This man, my big brother, I will always love even through this. Oh, and BTW, folks like you continue to give me hope in true Christian ideals.

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    9. "There is, effectively, a Cold Civil War happening right now, and it wouldn't take much to push those Confederate/ Traitors over the edge again."

      I think that is a keen observation. There's no talking these people down. My little brothers are mean and irrational as well. I can't be around them.

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  7. Nancy Pelosi talking out both sides of her corporate ass...She also can't even speak. These people are going to keel over in office because the gig is too sweet to quit. I think we need more people hanging onto the grift till death. yeah, just get accept it and move on.

    Nancy Pelosi Announces Concessions To Manchin & Sinema:
    This is nothing surprising. I am so tired of 70-80-90 year old people hanging on well beyond the pull date. It's sad that TYT has to explain a simple fact about this stuff. She's more than a little out of touch just like the majority of them. They live in a bubble and are in positions of great power.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq5swCaEA4c

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