Today, documents released by the House Oversight and Reform Committee confirmed that the Trump administration’s attempt to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census was a strategy to skew population data to benefit Republicans. Trump had refused to turn over the documents, but the Biden administration agreed to allow the House committee to see them.
I don’t understand why President Biden’s approval ratings are low. I guess I blame main stream media. He has done amazing things considering the mess he inherited. I think he’s been one of the best presidents in my lifetime.
It's unfortunate that many judge on form rather than substance. Our President is a man of substance in a world where people think style and charisma are what's important.
What do they get out of knocking a President who is actually working for the good of the country for a change? Why don't they have a feeding frenzy over Manchin and McConnell who couldn't care less?
They get money. They have all, even the best of them, turned on Biden. I expect it's a simple truth--whatever backing they get from the people with the most to gain from bringing Biden down is more cash than whatever they get from their regular subscribers. What burns me the most about the NYTimes is that, in the midst of this kind of obvious corruption, they hold fast to their insufferable self-righteousness about neutrality.
Once upon a time, really not that long ago, the nation's media was geared to inform and educate the public. Then a man named Murdoch came to town and instead of information sharing the focus changed to money, money, money. In our present time a lot of people still think if it's in print it's the truth. As a former journalist I know better. Still it is the Murdoch and trump types that are the loudest and most stringent and therefore most believed by the non-thinking public. End of lecture.
Feeding frenzy, yes. About a week ago someone here used the expression "rabid skunks" which, if youve ever been close to a skunk or even close to anyone or any animal that was close to a skunk, you quite adequately describes most of the RepubliCONS, Rupert Murdoch and their cronies.
It is very easy to stop watching MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, et etc. We stopped last year and now watch local news and PBS Newshour. We read and support independent media outlets such as ProPublica, The Guardian, etc. So far, we haven't missed much...pretty much all the reporters are on Twitter and easy to verify their posts. Editorial and commentary are the opinion of those who write the pieces. If you don't trust the writer not trusting what they write is not hard.
Maybe businesses should surprise themselves and see what happens if they actually did a little cheerleading for a change. I think people are fed up with doom and gloom because deep down they know that's no way to make change.
I feel the same as you, as I should because I am a person.
Since the 2010 Corporations, growing in power since mid 1980's have a different ethos, or no ethos, they maybe considered people in the eyes of law and can donate infinitely to campaigns, but when it comes to profit corporations do not care about democracy nor compassion. Profit is the only goal, leaving no space for morality or ethics. When this happens all businesses suffer that are and are not corporations. Its eat or get eaten, the era of hyper competition / winner take all mentality. This applies to all of News/Journalism as it does to any industry. I think this hyper competitiveness has degraded our overall quality of citizen participation, as profit is the only measure of success in life any more. The era of American Exceptionalism is coming to end or has ended. We either can't let that happen, or we need a rebirth of progressivism.
What is there point of making those editorial decisions to undermine his attempts at creating a fairer system based on the principals of Democracy and our constitution. So I guess they support Trump and the travesty of the Supreme Court who has taken away a women’s right to get healthcare. They are murdering women. This is outrageous. Do we have laws prohibiting men to healthcare. I thought we were equal. Guess not. How many women are on the editorial board of the New Yourk Times?
That's a good question. Let's find out. And who are their mothers, father's, husband's, children? Not just their collegues. These women are part of a constellation, a power clique.
Here is something I found when searching for who owns the NYT. It has changed since 2016. It has grown it's digital presence and here is an interesting article.
That’s interesting! Carlos Slim is a Mexican billionaire who bought the times after the Great Recession. This is another thread in the theme of foreign investment after the Great Recession. In all industries, these investments by foreigners saved them. This is also around the Citizens United decision, unlocking unlimited funding of political campaigns by corporations. Are we beginning to see a pattern?
This is an encouraging thread. I was beginning to think I'd missed something. I believe there are a lot more people out there that respect this President than is reported in the press.
Even the NY times needs to compete for our attention. If only the wealthy can afford a subscription, who do newspapers need to cajole with their headlines? We will either have economic, racial, gender equality, or we will have none.
According to Snyder, The Road to Unfreedom, pp. 213-214, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine (which netted them Crimea), both The Guardian and The Nation echoed Russian propaganda. In Snyder's telling, Russia won the information war during that time. I was sorry to hear that because I thought those 2 publications were reliable. (Of course, one can ask about Snyder as well. He has impeccable credentials, but cites a mountain of references, which it would take a lifetime (for a young person) to check.)
I've had it with catering to the wealthy. If the wealthy had as many brains and power as they think they do we wouldn't be having this discussion. There is a monument in Italy to money which I need to track down. I remember only two lines, but there are a lot more. The two lines I remember are: Money makes the ugly man handsome. Money makes the foolish man wise.
How much does it matter how mad we are about inequality?
What matters most, is how many more we can get to vote in November. We have to start to considering that the next election could be our last. If we don’t adopt this mentality, it could be our last real election.
I'm ordering 500 postcards to work with Seniors Taking Action to encourage people to get out and vote. I feel that if I'm not working to overturn this bunch of bigots I'd never forgive myself. We have to work together on this. Ignorance is not bliss.
It's like the childhood game of gossip. One person whispers in the ear of the next in a circle, and so on until the last person responds out loud. Often it's indistinguishable or a mockery of the original comment. Basically, they repeat each other, with slight tweaks, until finally there is only a meme.
Read: Nothing is True and Everything is Possible-Peter Pomerovsky
Book by Former Russian TV news entertainment producer. It’s really good insight into what Paul Manafort brought back from advising Russian backed Ukrainian politicians: the strategies and tactics of Russian political fiction to confuse everyone in order to seize and cement power.
Dont blame a headline. It can have the best effect for teaching. A headline can draw in a diverse group of people, appealing to their curiosity and then educate on the issue.
Did anyone else see Mayor Pete handily shut off the question from the TX rep asking if the cabinet had considered invoking the 25th Amendment? He is brillant at the well-spoken bon mot. The best.
Nehl’s questioning/badgering of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg was solely for him to get a video clip/sound bite for the congressman’s re-election campaign.
Yep. And is true for anyone else around this hallowed hall that there are many many moments when it is simply not possible to stand these people. At All??
Absolutely agree. It is a world wide issue. On a European Leadership post on LinkedIn there were two photos of homes. One a contemporary massive mansion and the other an idyllic but large French farmhouse regarding which was better for the environment. Someone posted ¨neither´. They both translate to money, and as long as money is the goal for too many, climate or anything else that needs changing will lose.
Morning, Alexander! Do you subscribe to Blue Virginia News? They're a free newsletter. I read about their criticism of WaPo for "whitewashing" our new governor. They don't hold back!
Here it is in case you want to read it but haven't done so yet.
We watch a lot of Brit TV and other than things made here in the US....it's about acting in GB; here, it's just who looks best. And this permeates much of what we do. But, sometimes good things happen....last night the local news had a story about a summer program ongoing here in Salem's school district. It puts regular students together with special needs kids in fun games inside and outdoors. It also builds good relationships.
Morning, Michele. I agree with your sentiments about GB actors compared to the U.S. Our local news, also, puts out many positive stories that don't make national news but, IMO, should to balance the negative.
Morning, Lynell. The last series we watched and the episode from an ongoing one both have women in them who are missing part of of one arm. There is an attempt at our local station (KGW, the NBC affiliate in Portland) to feature good news and people doing great things in their communities. NBC national news often has a stories on inspiring America. Of course they are last usually, but at least they have them.
Evening to you on the Atlantic coast. A little. I get exasperated at times. I am sitting here having a kombucha and looking forward to tuning in at 5 PST to the hearing. Should be interesting to see Cheney as chair. I spent a good part of the day picking blueberries and enjoying birdsong. The baby finches are out and hoo hawing for their parents.
Hollywood is all about $$$. It is a money machine. If you watched The Holiday and remember Arthiur's (Eli Wallach) speech about Hollywood, it was true when I was there and more so now. It is more than actors, it is writers, directors, producers. Film is a craft practiced in Britain, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Movies are fodder cranked out in the U.S.. If we watch one, I know the lines before they are spoken and the beats before they happen. The Queens Gambit on Netflix was a refreshing change.
Oddly enough, Abraham Lincoln suffered from the same issues — insufficient charm and charisma. Now McClellan, he had both, yet couldn’t be a successful General due to focusing on his presidential ambitions. To his credit, however, he did get a cavalry saddle named after him . . . 🐴
'Progressives win some small victories. What will it take for them to add up to big victories?
In February 2021 the US Postal Service announced its plans for an $11.3 billion contract with a military contractor called Oshkosh Defense for a new generation of mail trucks—powered by gasoline. The 150,000 new vehicles would have gotten 8.3 miles per gallon, about the same as the three-decade-old ones they were replacing, and would have produced pollution equal to that of 4.3 million passenger cars.'
'This week, succumbing to pressure from Congress, the White House, and lawsuits from 16 states and four leading environmental groups, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a notorious Trump holdover, backed down and revised the contract so that the Postal Service's new trucks will be mostly electric.'
'By 2023, the fleet of 217,000 vehicles, the civilian government's largest, will be about 40 percent electric. The two leading Democrats in the House who have pressed for this reversal, Jared Huffman of California and Carolyn Maloney of New York, want the fleet to be close to 100 percent electric.'
'It's the kind of incremental progress that progressives are occasionally winning. Meanwhile, President Biden's larger climate and social investment agenda remains totally blocked, and the future of democracy itself hangs by a thread.'
'By coincidence, the Postal Service today released a stamp honoring Pete Seeger. Despite the reign of DeJoy, postage stamps have continued to feature occasional lefties. Other progressives recently featured on stamps include James Baldwin, W.E.B. Du Bois, Woody Guthrie, Yip Harburg, Harvey Milk, Paul Robeson, and even Malcolm X.'
'Could this be the work of some lefty mole buried deep in the administrative state?'
When Joe McCarthy was at the peak of his power, he went after an obscure army dentist named Irving Peress, who served as a captain during the Korean War. Peress had leftist leanings. In October 1953, he was routinely promoted to major.
One of McCarthy's lunatic raves became, "Who promoted Peress?" If we ever become a full-blown Republican police state, one can imagine a future Congressional investigation demanding to know, "Who honored Pete Seeger?"
'The right is now on the verge of destroying American democracy. We get some EVs at the Postal Service, and Pete Seeger on a stamp.'
May Pete's memory inspire us to larger struggles, bolder visions, and political coherence.
Oh, Fern, you are a treasure! Thanks for the Postal detail. Hopefully, we will get to 100% e-vehicles soon!
And...I was so uplifted watching/listening to Pete Seeger and company's performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I don't believe I've ever seen a more joyous community of citizens as they watched and sang along. I was moved.
Maybe that's it. It's disgusting to think that people would go for the film flam glam over substance, but maybe so. We are facing incredibly difficult problems and it's time for people to get their heads out of the sand or expect the second coming to free them from thinking.
It is stunning to me that he isn't praised to the heavens - look at what he faces! Look at the mess that he was given! Look at the obstruction by the oligarchs who keep the Republicans in office.
Joe Biden has done more than I ever thought possible. Were we convinced that we could repair our international reputation? He took the pandemic seriously! He bailed out the average citizen instead of Goldman and Citicorp! I am proud of our President.
Here is why Biden polling is low. Too many people are fracking selfish and whine about inflation when they should be screaming at Congress to do something about the Climate Catastrophe and our utter dependence on computer chips made in a country about to be absorbed by China. The list is wicked long. But Jack and Jane SixPack are clueless. They think a President controls prices at the pump - it's just stupid.
It's not just Jack and Jane six pack Bill in their Ford F150. It is also champagne Edward and Paula in their Lamborghini. Ignorance is an equal opportunity event.
Umm. Could Ed and Paula be smart and educated enough to know the truth? Perhaps they just don't care about anything other than their personal luxuries. We know a lot of folks like that. A lot. Here is a direct quote from an affluent someone who votes for Republicans: "We like our money and we want to keep it."
Those in the Lamborghini know damn well what is happening, but think their wealth will save them. In the meantime making tons of money is all they care about and if they can keep Jack and Jane roiled up, so much the better. They will vote against their own economic interests and with no, little, or weak regulations, the big wigs laugh all the way to the bank.
I am talking about the super rich in this case. In our neighborhood, very few make that kind of money as more than half at the local school are on free or reduced lunch. As it happens, the couple who has the most wealth in our immediate area, partly inherited it. Yes, they are Rs, but didn't vote for death star. They do have blind spots. I had a discussion with the male about public projects that include nice plantings or as in Oregon, one percent for art. He would rather live in Soviet style places I guess. She, at our last neighborhood dinner (meaning they stopped after that), decided to give me and my hubby the PERS lecture, PERS being our retirement system here in Oregon. Yes, we are tier one and have the best benefits. Newer hires are either tier two or tier three which means that they don't get the same. Both of us gave lots of unpaid time to our jobs and I, being in a school, paid for certain things myself. And we didn't make the rules about PERS either. She wouldn't last five minutes in a classroom either. Why she decided this was OK at a neighborhood dinner is beyond me, so they are no more.
There’s plenty of ignorance, but that’s not what determines their votes. They have solid reasons for voting R: namely, because they know Republicans will do everything they can to preserve systemic white advantages and Democrats won’t. That’s why the dog whistle “woke” is the only message Republicans need.
Just checked on line for gas prices in Europe and around the. world, Hong Kong $11/gal, etc. "Several European countries pay north of $7 or $8 per gallon, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. At the top of the expensive list is Hong Kong, where prices per gallon are higher than $11, followed by Norway at more than $10.Jun 17, 2022"
The US gas prices have always been way better than Europe. The whiners we are hearing from daily are the same people (in major urban areas) who reject the expansion of public transportation. My most recent time in Texas, 15 yrs, I heard discussion and rejection of more urban trains and a high speed rail connection for the major cities Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Cars are less important only to guns and right-wing control.
You're right Joan. America is the land of spoiled, self-absorbed people who care only about themselves and screw everyone else. Yes, there are exceptions but anyone who has traveled the world and experienced different cultures, realizes that American exceptionalism is only in the mind of the individual who thinks they deserve more and are better than others.
I think you're right about that. Americans have become selfish. The only response to that is to not be selfish yourself. I think individual actions can make a difference. I just got back from taking a three-week course in Italy at The International School for Ceramic Art and the most self-absorbed students were the Americans. No matter how much they had they always wanted more. It was eye-opening.
“Better” is the wrong adjective for comparing US gasoline prices to European prices. It would be better if gasoline in the US were $50 a gallon and even better if prices had reached that level 40 years ago.
I get your point but a better way to manage prices is to establish an Oil Reserve Board that controls oil prices based on supply/reserves and national economic conditions and priorities. Oil is a commodity but think of it as a form of currency that can be manipulated to reduce major fluctuations in price that in turn can have a significant economic impact. The Federal Reserve raises and lowers interest rates and expands and contracts the money supply all in an effort to stabilize the economy. The Oil Reserve Board can do the same.
We would have fewer ups and downs, expansions and contractions if the government managed oil prices. There would be little or no inflation today if an Oil Reserve Board kept oil prices lower. If the 4-month-old Russia and Ukraine war is responsible for higher per barrel prices, then the Oil Reserve Board could make temporary adjustments to compensate. This is why the U.S. has a formidable level of reserve capacity.
Oil prices are not based directly on supply and demand but are based on the highly speculative oil futures market. The more you learn about this, the crazier it gets. The action in the oil futures market is determined by sentiment and traded by hedgers and speculators. It's a crap shoot and is not an efficient or reliable method of determining oil prices.
All good ideas, I think, if we’re going to continue to burn oil. We surely are, probably until it destroys civilization, but what we should do, instead, is stop burning oil, which we could do in the US and Europe within ten years, max, if we took the issue as seriously as we took, say, WWII.
I had a friend who posited that public transportation routes were planned to make sure that maids in poor areas could get to their jobs in great houses quickly. Might have some truth in it?
They are ignorant and often not well educated. They are often angry, because as my neighbor says, they know something is wrong, but don't know what exactly it is. Rs and death star have been very good at playing on these fears. Often like my relatives in the midwest, they are in scut jobs (if they have one) and they are busy trying to survive. At least one of my great nieces is angry about Roe which was interesting because we had a conversation a while back about the necessity for abortion to be safe and legal with me explaining why.
" They think a President controls prices at the pump" - Yes, that is really weird. You have a capitalist country, and in oil business pretty much capitalist monopoly, and don't even notice who is making record profits out of your excess payments!
Like most commodities, the fundamental driver of oil's price is supply and demand in the market.
The cost of extracting and producing oil is also an important factor.
Oil markets are composed of speculators who are betting on price moves, and hedgers who are limiting risk in the production or consumption of oil.
Oil supply is controlled somewhat by a cartel of oil-producing nations called OPEC.
Oil demand is driven by everything from gasoline for cars and airline travel to electrical generation.
What Drives Oil Prices?
The Determinants of Oil Prices
With oil's stature as a high-demand global commodity comes the possibility that major fluctuations in price can have a significant economic impact. The two primary factors that impact the price of oil are:
Supply and demand
Cost of production
Market sentiment
Factors That Affect Oil Prices
Investopedia / Alex Dos Diaz
Supply & Demand
The concept of supply and demand is fairly straightforward. As demand increases (or supply decreases) the price should go up. As demand decreases (or supply increases) the price should go down. Sounds simple? Not quite. The price of oil as we know it is actually set in the oil futures market.
An oil futures contract is a binding agreement that gives one the right to purchase oil by the barrel at a predefined price on a predefined date in the future. Under a futures contract, both the buyer and the seller are obligated to fulfill their side of the transaction on the specified date.
In the spring of 2020, oil prices collapsed amid the economic slowdown. OPEC and its allies agreed to historic production cuts to stabilize prices, but they dropped to 20-year lows.
Oil Market Participants
The following are two types of futures traders:
Hedgers
Speculators
An example of a hedger would be an airline buying oil futures to guard against potential rising prices. An example of a speculator would be someone who is just guessing the price direction and has no intention of actually buying the product. According to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the majority of futures trading done by speculators whereby the purchaser of a futures contract takes possession of the commodity is less than 3%.
Sentiment
The other key factor in determining oil prices is sentiment. The mere belief that oil demand will increase dramatically at some point in the future can result in a dramatic increase in oil prices in the present, as speculators and hedgers alike snap up oil futures contracts.
Of course, the opposite is also true. The mere belief that oil demand will decrease at some point in the future can result in a dramatic decrease in prices in the present as oil futures contracts are sold (possibly sold short as well), which means that prices can hinge on little more than market psychology.
Well, I was trying a simple understanding that most voters possibly could get: who is paying more and who is gaining more?
To make things more complicated I could add: here in Sweden 50% of gas prices are taxes, and they go by percentage, so that the government automatically gets compensated for higher costs. The prime minister could maybe be accused of not trying to level out fluctuations on the market, but the US president couldn't possibly decide the price at the pump. Some countries are extremely dependent of selling fossile fuels, and Putins Russia is relying on oil and gas to reestablish the Soviet empire. Humanity could not possibly have reached the number we have today without fossile fuels, and I don't think there is any guarantee that we will be able to maintain the worlds population without them. As I understand it OPEC convinced Russia to lower oil prices in order to shut down US fracking industry, which I think was an under cover operation with Saudi Arabia and the US. The fracking industry was well able to compete with the low prices, but only SA could still make money off their conventional production. The fracking was very important to reestablish the credibility of the US dollar, make the US a possible exporter of gas and oil, and sizably lower the US emissions of CO2, by switching from oil to fossile gas.
Capitalism is great. And it works well. Why throw the whole concept out when people are greedy? Name me a better system. I look at the most prosperous Countries and they all follow some form of Capitalism.
To put it simply. I like living in a Capitalist Country. I don't patronize Walmart (bad history of personnel mismanagement, Overstock, Hobby Lobby and other MAGA owned/supporter entities. I've been doing this for years; before MAGA. I don't shop Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I go to the local bookseller. I maybe pay $5 a year extra because I patronize our local bookseller. I make a practice of going to local businesses. And it is because I live in a Capitalist Society that I can make those choices. Recently a local coffee company wouldn't support their workers unionizing. So. The workers formed their own very successful coffee shop.
Yes! Our press, mainstream and trash, continues to highlight/criticize every misstep, every blink or hesitation of this president, who has done more for all Americans than TFG ever did in his entire tenure. President Biden’s work to reverse the evil and move forward must be recognized. We don’t have time for any less.
If we don't keep the House and we lose the narrow margin in the Senate, he won't be able to do anything productive and the media will have a field day. And then comes 2024.
You know, the ancient Celts vin Ireland had very similar requirements for their leaders — not the least of which was a public show of masculine potency that allowed them to stay in power (until they couldn’t, then they didn’t). This type of policy didn’t work out very well in the Bronze Age, either.
President Joe Biden has chosen and has been approved by citizen vote for years as he has served our country. He is not only a politician but he loves this country. He is knowledgable regarding the workings of our democratic system.
Jill is a strong compliment as well as the many young men and women who surround him and support so many activities that contribute to freedom and the physical care of our country here and throughout the world.
He and his adminiistration have had little help from the Republicans who ....not all.....but most have sold their souls for power and money and have supported candidates who know nothing to little about governing this country .
I do not agree with the approval ratings and those ratings have no influence over my common sense judgement. I am so grateful for President Biden and his team. I pray for continued strength and wisdom as he/they continue to fight for freedom here and throughout the world and for a clean planet. By the way we also need to clean up the junk we have left in outerspace!
"He and his adminiistration have had little help from the Republicans who ..." Correction - NO help. MOF, "negative help". Great comment though. I cannot exaggerate the dangerous nature of the Republican party. Climate change is the primary reason, next to their scary move toward fascism. A nation full of smart and courageous voters would give this party approximately zero percentage of the vote. Alas, that is not the USA, where insanity grips a large percentage of the electorate. It is the US Democratic party and its leader Biden that (if we can) will save this world. We and the senior European nations (England, France, Germany, etc),and perhaps Canada. We blame Joe Manchin for dooming humanity. And that is justifiable. But to be sure, it is the entire Republican contingent that refuses to budge for climate action, which makes Manchin's vote so important. Even Romney, who recently penned a great opinion piece "America is in Denial", in The Atlantic, cannot be found when it comes to supporting the president and the climate agenda. What a hypocrite - apparent when he ran for president against Obama, and apparent now. History books (if that institution survives what may be a dystopian future for those we leave behind) will look back on today's Republican Party as one of the true evils in the long history of humanity.
Like you, I have noticed that the main stream media has become a megaphone for the Republicans whose complaints, outrageous claims ( cf. Ziegler's statements as reported in today's HCR Letter), and downright lies are consistently front and center in news reports. They have learned from experience that howling, vicious criticism, name-calling draw attention. The drum beat of criticism that inflation is so high and Biden does nothing about it has given unearned traction to the GOP who provide no solutions. It is frustrating and infuriating.
Biden became president under circumstances no other president has. Trump made any pre-existing problems worse, and intentionally “set fires” creating problems on his way out the door. Main stream media gave people such unrealistic expectations. How could a president with a 50/50 Senate get big things done with filibuster in place and two saboteurs like Manchin and Sinema? I doubt Manchin would switch parties at this point because then he would just be one of the crowd. He and Sinema are enjoying their time in the spotlight, country and planet be damned.
The NYT had a story in their "On Politics" newsletter about Manchin and compared him to Richard Shelby, another borderline Dem who the party shamed. He crossed over to the R's and became a thorn in the Dems' side for almost 30 years. So, they need to be careful Manchin doesn't switch sides. Meanwhile, we grit our teeth.
Thank you for this comment. I am totally in agreement with it. I don't think enough Americans realize that he is the difference between competent and responsible management of government and authoritarian chaos. He is constantly blamed for events over which he has no control- the most reactionary Supreme Court since before the Civil War, an obstructionist senate committed to non-cooperation. My only small consolation is that other presidents of sterling character have also been unappreciated in their time- Lincoln comes to mind- but this is Heather's department and she excels at putting the events of today in proper historical perspective.
It may be true that most Americans fail to recognize good management, but if that were the problem, it would be addressable. Unfortunately, R voters know why they don’t vote for Democrats: because they know Democrats won’t help them preserve systemic white advantages. No strategy or tactic can address that problem. The only hope is to outvote them, and that requires Abrams-level get-out-the-vote effort, nationwide.
Did I miss something? Is Joe Biden running for re-election this year? No? Then why is there this obsession with his poll numbers? Indeed, why are there so many polls about his popularity? In part this is the search for clickbait, in part the herd instinct among lazy “ reporters,” and in part, I think, a way to distract attention from real issues like the ongoing attempt to impose an authoritarian system in this country, and climate change.
Agree. All the focus on top of the ticket. Sure, his numbers,bers say something about the entire ticket, BUT we gotta stop obsessing about the top and get the votes blue down ticket. Right now, no Republican has earned the right to a seat in Congress. None. Vote against them the way we did against Trump in 2020 ... and gave a pass to most Republican encumbents. Ignore his ratings. Let the Repubs talk about that. Keep the press on platform, the agenda, what has been accomplished for working and farm families. Getting Lincoln project to help down ticket? Don't know if that is going to happen anymore than I think the Republicans testifying on record will say anything negative to what tfg accomplished for them.
Jon, I take your point. I hate that, weeks after Biden’s inauguration, the media started talking about 2024. I wish there was a rule that forbade talking about the 2024 election until at least 2023.
That said, I think presidential approval ratings are helpful forms of feedback. It gives a president a sense of how his actions are perceived by voters. Gallup and others have been doing them since Truman’s administration. Low approval ratings because of the Viet Nam war convinced LBJ not to run for re-election.
I got a call from Suffolk Poll (a Conservative polling entity) . The questions were designed to elicit a particular outcome against the Democrats and Biden. I called them on it and refused to answer the biased questions. On polls I also question their polling base.
Suffolk University polling? They are rated as non-biased, reputable. Is there another Suffolk? I’d be surprised that Suffolk University would resort to “push polling”.
I agree. He truly is, but something needs to be corrected for him to be heard and perceived as a leader. Even his Instagram and Twitter posts seem to lack something for too many people.
I just think people got hooked on Trump's anger and insult tweets like they get hooked on right wing talk radio. I don't need to know everything on my president's mind, every thought that crosses his brain, every personal opinion. I just want to trust that he will compartmentalize the personal stuff to the higher obligation of serving the nation and the Constitution.
Yup. And for right now, the less he puts out there for faux news et al to smear with, the better. Somehow though, I hope (his crew) has a plan for the 2 yrs leading into 2024 for his pitch to take an exponential curve upward leaving the miscreants fumbling.
Thus, is the poor messaging practice by Democrats , Gailee. I wish they’d hire people from the Lincoln Project to effectively say what needs to be said.
Marlene, you are absolutely spot on. Lincoln Project messaging is superb! So frustrating that the National Democratic Party leadership has deteriorated to nothing since Howard Dean held the job. IMO. I consider myself above average in intelligence and awareness of news, and yet I had to Google the name of the current leader who turned out to be Jaime Harrison. At least I knew the leader of the National Repubs was a female Romney family member! We almost never hear from Harrison. He has even admitted that “the job isn’t what he expected”… duh?.. but he’s “agreed” to stay in the job until his term ends. Lazy leadership at best and his non-action so destructive to the party, again, IMO.
Harrison has been overwhelmed and he simply should release himself from that duty or hire competent people who can assist him. It is very disheartening not to hear from him, yes. Romney’s niece is a true pain and another liar.
Yes. I don't know why they don't. There is not only the Lincoln Project but Repiblicans Against Trump and now a new group, Republican Accountability (not real name). We have Politics Girl.
At this point I wouldn't say "poor" messaging - how about NO messaging?? Seriously, all this crap is going on and what are they saying about it? It's so frustrating.
Careful. Too much.. too soon gives the miscreants "front page" material (smear-food) which can only be refuted way back on page 44... which hardly gets read, while 'the smear' continues.
This is exactly why RWNJ garbage is so hard to counter. In my tiny corner of the world, I have friends who make ridiculous, outrageous claims, I spend time and effort researching and then inform them of my findings; if they bother to reply they either have a well-reasoned "Nuh-huh" or they tell me their source is more trustworthy that mine (usually Prager U, or Faux Noise).
I listen some to the Pod Save America podcast, and there are consise critiques that pop up there that it’s not just the President, but the whole White House messaging team on the Presidents staff that has to fight the daily (hourly) messaging battle, and do so effectively. There seems to be something amiss in the way messaging responses are being formulated and articulated. This aspect of Bidens team needs more work, and it is messaging war.
What president prior to tfg spent his whole days and nights on Instagram and Twitter? The rest of the world thought it was funny to start with, thought it was bound to change. It didn't.
Trump created a new era putting a burden on the elected. Now it is expected and the expectations for many are not fair. Every tweet and every Instagram post can make or lose voters. Now President Biden not only had to do more than any president before, but he is in a fish bowl and has to 'perform' daily on social media for the misinformed as well as his supporters. It must be an incredible extra burden.
ScannyDo "I don’t understand why President Biden’s approval ratings are low."
The mainstream media has played a huge, underappreciated role in President Biden’s declining support over the past year. Its flawed coverage model of politics and government is bad for more than just Biden — it results in a distorted national discourse that weakens our democracy. The media needs to find a different way to cover Washington.
And Americans consume massive amounts of disinformation because they are lazy. Blame the media but include the American consumer of the information being produced.
It’s pretty simple (and simplistic). Polls show voters’ most urgent concerns are inflation and gas prices. Not climate change. Not democracy. Not Ukraine. Not covid. Biden is president. Voters blame him for inflation and gas prices. Most voters are neither nuanced nor thoughtful. If gas prices and inflation fall before November, Biden and Democrats will benefit. Otherwise they’ll vote for Republicans.
Yes, right? The Texas GOP bragged about deregulating their power grid, and disconnecting from the regional grid. And hundreds of Texans have died because of preventable power failures. But, it’s Texas.
We’ve grown too used to be appalled. It energizes us, not in a good way. Negative press and train wrecks get eyeballs no matter the subject matter, and politics is very fertile ground. Follow the money, to paraphrase from another infamous period in our country. I’m guilty of clicking on links with TFG’s name in it because I know I won’t believe he just did what he just did and I want to be angry. We’ve been angry and appalled for 7 years, and the media capitalizes on that. Why print adulatory pieces about all the good Biden - vaccine distribution, US standing aboard, infrastructure and relief monies - has done when that will be glossed over by readers in favor of pearl-clutching over his latest stuttered remark or inconsequential gaffe? As happens so frequently, I am SMH.
I "grew up" idolizing the Beatles. And then one day, I turned around and was shocked to discover that there are many folks walking around who never heard of them. This is my wish about TFG.
I do understand, although I do not approve. A whole lot of first time voters and uber-progressive voters helped vote him in in 2020. Thank god. These people are disappointed, and naive. Naive that they expect big action immediately, not realizing the nature of the federal government when the majority is so thin. Put a poll together and they along with 100% of Republicans will say they are not happy campers. There you have it - low approval ratings. And, it doesn't help that Joe is getting old, and is showing it occasionally. I can see it, partly because I am also getting old, and I know my memory is not what it used to be. It doesn't engender confidence in the electorate (like Obama could for example). I wish he was 10 years younger; then a second term would not be such an issue. He is right on with his agenda, and he knows how government works. And yes, with the headwinds he has been facing, he has done great things and the press has been terrible pointing this out. I honestly do not know what the DNC ought to do about 2024. But there is time. If Joe starts flirting with dementia (like Reagan did, except it was worse than that), Joe would help the country and the world by announcing that he will stand aside and let (a recommended replacement) carry on. RBG should have done same, but hindsight is 20-20.
Given the shenanigans with the SCOTUS via McConnell, what makes you think we could have gotten a democratic replacement for RBG if she had stepped down? Just curious. Perhaps I missed something in the run-down.
"So, too, has the insistence of Republican senators, as well as Democratic senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, that short-term economic interests outweigh the imperatives of climate change. Days ago, Manchin said he would not support new investment in clean energy out of concern over inflation. Without him, the Democrats' plans for addressing climate change through legislation can't move forward, since no Republicans are on board. "--Thank you for this phrasing. I, too, am furious at Manchin, but when all the anger is directed just at him, it lets the entire Republican party off the hook for their unwillingness to do anything at all to address climate change. It is the GOP plus Manchin, not just Manchin!
Thank you. I am sick of the Manchin mantra. Yes, he is a selfish jerk. Yes, he is corrupt. But he is one of 51. Let's put the blame for the Climate Disaster where it belongs. With the oligarchs who are the puppeteers of the Republican politicians. And the absolutely clueless voters who keep voting against the planet and their own self interests. They redefine stupidity.
Redefine it in an incredible manner. I am reminded of a scene in "Animal House": Neidermeir getting paddled by some sadist in his frat house, and saying "thank you sir, may I have another". As long as these people have their "sincerely held belief" that BIPOC are inferior to them and will "replace" them, they will continue to vote against their best interests.
I get a kick out of this replacement theory. The indigenous have been here for thousands of years, half of the entire west was once part of Mexico, Africans have been here since 1619. All of this long before the Irish, the Italians, the Scandinavians and nearly everybody else. Who replaced who(m)? Meanwhile, people in congress rationalize going along to get re-elected because someday there will be a really historic vote and they want to be there to do the right thing and vote their consciences. Meanwhile every day there is an important vote, and they go along to get along. They are like Californians, waiting for the Big One. No matter how bad the earthquake, it’s not the Big One. No matter how important the vote, it’s not the Big One.
Agreed. The problem is that what's repeated ad nauseam is that it's all Manchin's fault, leaving the GOP's obstructionism completely out of the conversation.
Thank you, Ellen. But Machin is like Ted Cruz. He is so thoroughly despicable that he makes an easy target. I sometimes wonder if any of these morons realize they are parodies of themselves, SNL skits. The short-term thinking (which is both cause and effect of pure greed) goes back further in time and spreads its ugly wings over all of us. At least I confess that I am certainly not immune. Somehow the combination of forces from which we formed this perfect union just hasn't prepared us for long-term thinking, historical context, moderation, sacrifice, all the virtues that President Biden is trying to introduce as he makes a truly radical turn from Reagan era economics and the culture it has created. I am haunted these days by the now much quoted Edmund Burke line that all that is required for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing and, from the 1971 Pogo cartoon, the really painful one, We have met the enemy and he is us." Although I certainly agree that the GOP has made a career, as a group, of mean-spiritedness and often hideously cruel behavior, at some point surely we could have done something to at least slow their relentless pace. I sometimes think we have too many morals and not quite enough rage. In my own defense, those Republicans are awfully good at what they do.
Thank God that Joe Biden is ready to use the power of the presidency to act on climate change. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it demonstrates resolve and changes the narrative from attempting to rely on a congressional majority that is too fragile to act with decisiveness. Manchin chooses to see federal expenditure only in the context of budget and deficit. Some expenditures do not yield a return on investment to the government itself; but infrastructure expenditures, investment in new technology, development of existing but as yet not widely distributed technology and dollars put into the hands of individuals who will in turn inject them immediately into the economy are not wasted. Growth includes growth in the tax base. One time expenditures can yield multiple years of tax related returns. I think the near-term value of more activism in the use of presidential declarations, tailoring use of already allotted funds is the projection of an image of power, decisiveness and courage, shining a spotlight on the ineptitude and entrenchment of congress on both sides of the isle. Biden's instincts borne of 40 years in the Senate have caused him to wait patiently far longer than someone without his background. Certainly, a congress dedicated to addressing these urgent issues would be a better means of doing so, writing law instead of finding work-arounds. However, one uses the tools at ones disposal and I, for one, am pleased to see the president choosing to use every tool at his disposal to create action. This is the kind of action that can change predicted outcomes in the mid-terms as well. Strong president, improving poll numbers, trickle down effect to congressional and senate races will be welcome changes from the recent narrative in the press.
Manchin sees federal expenditures as a means to line his own pockets. He must be made irrelevant in November. My number one goal besides kicking chump’s arse.
In the welter of so many pieces of dismaying news, Professor HCR’s inclusion of the Dept of Commerce v New York decision stands out as an example of the methodical, long-term planning that is going into making the US a dystopia of Republican-wet-dream minority rule through overt, unapologetic interference in the Constitutionally prescribed Census. Roberts cobbled the majority opinion, but that foul carbuncle Thomas’ dissent (predictably joined by Kavanaugh and Gorsuch) sends up a lot of five alarm trial balloons of legal avenues to explore to tamper with 2030’s census, and Alito’s separate dissent breaks ground on other legal antidemocratic angles to try to establish as precedent before the next decade’s count. The decisions show an astounding attempt to instruct and shape future plots to warp our very simple national manner of ensuring fairer representation for all people in the US; their potential impact must be recognized, then thwarted vigorously. Anti-authoritarians in and out of government need to start playing as hard and smart as these long-term strategists have been doing since the late 1970s.
Laura, I just gave Roberts opinion a cursory look & quickly glanced through the opinions authored by Thomas and Alito, so thx for your thorough review. Even Roberts states that the Dept of Commerce would only need to justify the citizenship question w a non-pretextual rationale.
And since the current majority claim to be “originalists,” it’s worth noting that Roberts points out that the question was asked of all households from 1820-1950 (excepting 1840). Lots of craziness in those opinions.
And here they all are, quite a motley crew set on making America an authoritarian country. They operate with two things in mind, money and power. I see them as jealous of MBS...he has everything. Palaces, multitudes of women, weaponry, and of course, oil. The Pro-Rape Party’s goals are being revealed by these 1/6 hearings and tonight’s should be no exception. Liz Cheney, the one white woman who stood up to her party and to its chair, holds the gavel this evening. All of the MSM’s will carry this particular event because it will be staged at prime time. Plenty of people in the US and the world will be watching. We have a party “gone wild”. Time to tame the savage beasts.
Americans have had the opportunity, science, technology, engineering and financial strength, ever increasing since the end of WWII to make ourselves energy independent with sustainable, regenerative, clean green energy.
FDR supported a tidal hydro power plant near Eastport, ME that would have contributed significant power to northern Maine. Congress refused to fund it.
In the 1970s with the Saudi oil embargo, Federal & state energy councils, HUD, conservation departments, architects and engineers published energy conservation, passive and active solar energy design solutions. Some of these ideas dated back to WWII when petroleum was not always guaranteed in unlimited quantities for domestic or military needs.
The fossil fuel industry managed to promote plenty of cheap fossil fuels to discourage these conservation and green energy solutions. Automotive companies had quickly designed and produced 50+ mpg cars that were popular c for a few years and then were gone. Unavailable for consumers.
Every rural farmer, homeowner and small business could be generating their own energy, effectively off the grid or with some grid support. We have the total systems technology from electric heat pumps, LED lighting, electric cars and appliances, and many battery operated tools. Many islanders in Maine are fully electrified. We have had solar on our islands for ten years, only turning on a gasoline generator to run larger construction tools. The quiet is only interrupted by 1,000 hp diesel powered lobster boats that have potential to be replaced by hybrid electric & hydrogen powered engines. Toyota is testing hydrogen tractor trailer trucks. We are way behind though in implementing what we are capable of.
And as a farmer - you could be producing biogas - for cooking, if not running engines. An example www.homebiogas.com. (we have one). Saves a lot of hydrocarbon fuel.
1. So here's the latest re USPS' efforts to electrify. 40% of e-vehicles will now be purchased, up from 10%. According to Common Dreams, this is a direct result of all of us putting pressure on the No Joy postmaster. For the past couple of years, I had been hand-writing "Save the USPS!" on all my mail. When I heard that the USPS was "saved," I edited my message to say "Electrify the USPS!" I think this is helping!
3. Senator Mark Warner of VA is Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence. He's a cyber security guy, and IMO he's really good at it. I will post the article for you to read for yourselves, but here are some take-aways that I think warrant our nation's attention.
"On the 'security conditions around the website TikTok,' Sen. Warner said this is somewhat of an 'I told you so' situation, that TikTok is 'a company that is controlled by a Chinese parent,' and that 'these Chinese tech companies…by Chinese law are required to share their…data with the Communist Party.' Sen. Warner called this a 'huge national security threat.' Sen. Warner added that he personally would not any of his devices, given that the data could end up with the Chinese Communist Party.
On possibly cutting back on import tariffs against China, Sen. Warner said he’s open to that, but that he also thinks 'our biggest long-term economic, strategic and technology challenge in the 21st century is China' under the Communist Party. He added that 'we should not long term be reliant on particularly Chinese products, oftentimes for example rare-earth minerals, we all want to move to electric vehicles, where China controls most of the materials…that go into an electric battery, that is a long-term bad solution for America…We need to secure a domestic , or at least a domestic combined with our allies, supply chain.' Sen. Warner also stressed the importance of passing the CHIPS Act."
This article from Blue Virginia News (a left-leaning website) covers the above with an accompanying 47-minute video of Senator Warner's remarks and Q&A:
But, DeJoy is still there! Why? This is a small example of the "not hardball" play that demoralizes voters. That % should be nearly 100. Plus, what fresh hell will he bring to the November elections. We can't be happy with a little better, I think.
My take is because the USPS is headed by a Board of Governors who are the only ones who can fire DeJoy. Biden does not have that power. Without doing in-depth research into this, it's my memory that Biden was able to appoint the open seats of the nine-member board who have that power. Don't remember whether he is able to fire the Republicans who remain on the board. And don't know why the board hasn't fired DeJoy.
Lots of great links, Lynell. I’ll just comment briefly on the CHIPS Act. While I fully support the building of microchips in the US, I also firmly believe that Bernie’s amendment is necessary, prohibiting subsidized companies from using the “funds to buy back their own stock, offshore U.S. jobs, or crack down on unionization efforts.” I don’t trust corporate handouts without strings. It has to end.
A very good letter Heather. As a Census team leader for the 2010 Census, I was gob-smacked when I heard about Trump's attempt to insert a citizenship question into the 2020 Census. In the Census training, it was explained to us we were to count persons: which could include au pairs living in homes, students in off-campus housing, migrant farm workers, and simple visitors who were at a domicile on "Census Day". The information gathered concerns the persons present at a given address on Census Day. In the 2020 Census, Census Day was April 1st. Keeping that in mind, Census workers must work very fast to get the count done. Computers are doing more of the canvasing today, and that trend will certainly continue in the years ahead. If a citizenship question had to be asked, citizenship documents would have to be checked for every person in a household to verify the information, and most ordinary citizens would be hard pressed to show documents proving citizenship status. It would not be permitted to just selectively ask the citizenship question to non-white people. A birth certificate might prove where and when a person was born in the United States, but it would not prove the status of citizen had been continuous. In fact, our 'transactional President' just wanted to scare people away who might have irrational fears about participating in the count. In the field, we had to talk fast often to get people to participate; we had to explain that only the Census Bureau had the right to connect household data with anyone's name. The police were not allowed access to that information either. The canvasser cannot say anything to the police except if she was witness to the commission of a crime in progress. If the canvasser stumbled on an illegal pot growing operation, he was not allowed to report it to law enforcement. We would go so far as to tell reluctant persons that we did not have the right to deny anyone the right to be counted in the Census. Census workers, for their own safety, had to win the confidence of people to get valid information; we had to bend over backward to explain that the applicable law governing the Census since forever did not allow us to spy on people. In the rural community where I worked, there was often open hostility to us because we "worked for the government"; we were given a document with the exact text of the US Constitution that required a decennial census. Trump and his shill Stephen Miller did not care how much damage they were doing to the enormous effort taken every ten years to get reliable data on the US population for planning and districting purposes. Instead of doing the governing work, the "King of Corruption" Tweeted, played golf, had his hair done up, campaigned, and commuted most weekends to Mara Lago with the full contingent of Secret Service in tow, all on the taxpayer's dime. We got what we paid for, a Jerk with a facial suntan and an attitude.
trumps M.O. is not to make hard policy, only to signal. The signal serves the purpose he wants. “Saying there is going to be a citizenship question.” Does not mean there WILL BE a citizenship question. But the fear and suppression of cooperation was achieved all the same. Asking Zelensky just to “Say” they were looking into Hunter Biden & Burisma was all trump needed. Have the DOJ just “Say” they were looking into the question of fraudulent voting in the 2020 election “And let me and the republicans do the rest” was the real objective. Inject distrust. It’s like the Coronavirus of Politics.
Forgive me as I've been binge watching the Godfather movies. To your point Michelle about Trumps MO made me think about a key difference between Dem and Repub thinking, where the later is strategic and the former is goal fixated. In GF2 Micheal Corleone discovers his brother Freddo betrayed the family. He tells his buttonman, I don't want a hair on Freddo's head hurt as long as our mother is alive. Protect him at all costs. At the funeral Michael agrees to meet with Freddo, who confesses, and Don Corleone gives him his kiss of forgiveness. Freddo dies, with never another word said. So, if we were to be strategic in these times of Manchin (goal, get his vote), perhaps we should not focus on his vote, but be strategic in conviencing some one or two Republicans to not vote or take some time off from the Senate or resign under pressure. Surely, there are at least one or two who might be enduced to so consider. 🤷 Think like the Don. Offer them the fishes, just as something to consider? Just kidding.
Biden stopped short of formally declaring a climate emergency, which would grant him further powers.
'Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. were joined by seven Democratic legislators in an effort to urge Biden on Wednesday to immediately decare a climate emergency to unlock the powers of the National Emergency Act (NEA) and pursue regulatory and administrative actions to curb emissions.'
“Declaring the climate crisis a national emergency under the NEA would unlock powers to rebuild a better economy with significant, concrete actions,” the senators wrote in the letter. “Under the NEA, you could redirect spending to build out renewable energy systems on military bases, implement large-scale clean transportation solutions and finance distributed energy projects to boost climate resiliency.”
'Biden has vowed to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% by the end of the decade and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. But without major climate legislation, the country is on track to miss the president’s target, according to an analysis by the independent research firm Rhodium Group.'
“A historic climate-emergency declaration is exactly what we need from Biden to match the scale and urgency of this crisis,” said Jean Su, Energy Justice program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “By unlocking crucial climate powers, Biden can put Manchin’s gaslighting behind us and get busy getting us off fossil fuels and building the renewable-energy powerhouse we desperately need.” (cnbc) See link below
But we as a culture are obsessed with GROWTH. It is deeply embedded in our psyches - from long long ago. "Be fruitful and multiply". Unfortunately, our culture will resist to the utmost any obstruction to growth, and that will be a major problem - Joe's Diner will want to open another store in the next suburb.. that's also growth.How do you stop that?
Maybe by redefining what “Growth” means. If you only factor in GDP, “Growth” is defined in a particular way that masks the horrible extra “Costs” of something. Drilling for more fossil fuel may temporarily make the price at the pump cheaper. But if you create a mechanism to measure total costs like environmental clean up, health problem costs, disaster clean up, etc. Then the “Growth” seems not like “Growth at all, but a huge waste of money. This reorients our thinking. This is controlling the narrative.
Biden, for all the good he has done, remains overly deliberative and cautious. This has been his MO throughout his career. And while these are qualities in less tumultuous times and have no doubt served him well, the planet — and humanity — face an existential crisis from climate change. And Republicans and an energy tycoon masquerading as a Democratic senator could care a whit.
Please, Joe, more boldness. It's a war for survival.
I am keeping my eye on the story involving Tony Oronato and Pence on January 6. I have a really bad feeling about him, as a political appointee of the treasonous 45. I hope Biden is doing a big house cleaning of the Secret Services.
Hate to be a contrarian here, but how does making GAS more affordable by releasing reserves and other such silly actions work with the reduction of fossil-fuels and a 'greener' future agenda? I appreciate the short-term political gain, but it seems like double-speak. I understand the regressiveness of lack of cheap gas for those that have to drive to get to work, I do, but if we are serious about this stuff, consider the petroleum we watch go out tail-pipes in NASCAR and other 'motor' sports and the jetting-about that every professional team or individual is responsible for carting their cars or asses all over to 'compete' in sports. Nevermind the gas used to bring a trinket from China to your door via amazon-prime 'free'. And then there is ethanol (i understand the benefit calcs so don't @ me) which made sense only when and if gas is cheap... and then there are the subsidies to the energy producers... Can SOMEONE explain to me why taxpayers continue to subsidize this industry?! Hey, Joe, that is an easy bird to pick off the wire (and if not the POTUS then where is the leadership in the Congress to eliminate it?) but if you focus on the country converting to alternatives you will be met with anger, apathy and/or a lot of laughter. Oh, and: no chance in 2024. Im not suggesting any easy way out or in for Democrats, but the message as is currently being sent is confusing and doesn't do shit to the contra of "burn baby burn." When you are losing the public to the likes of BoBo you really need to re-evaluate your message and get better advisors. On the current tack, the mid-terms are in the hands of the GOP. Get a clue get a message and get it fast.
Convenience is killing the planet. Gasoline is cheaper in America than most countries I know of, but complaints about high gas prices are drowning out the truly important problems facing the world.
And the country. I have friends who believe with all their stony hearts that high gas prices are both the President's fault AND worse than the assault on the Capitol.
Fascist Trump, fascist Wilbur Ross, corrupt Goldman Sachs arbitrage, coward Pence, fascist state, fascist population rising, Robert Swan Muller ignored, Wilbur Ross, the USPS, the Secret Service, txt message caper, capitol cops committing suicide, January Six and DOJ.. AG Garland .. Trump will be charged, convicted and jailed. ... and Secret Service top down... will be charged by Chair Benny Thompson ... they said Never Again... examples everywhere, let’s roll America. It’s now or never Adam Schiff... Senators Manchin and Sanders are opposing symptoms... it’s all in plain view. Civil War II threatens... Jews will not replace us .. the signs are everywhere.. a Republic If You Can Keep Itg. Can We? Can We?
"Monday, the secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, warned world leaders gathered at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, where they are gathered to advance multilateral climate negotiations: “Half of humanity is in the danger zone from floods, droughts, extreme storms and wildfires. No nation is immune. Yet we continue to feed our fossil fuel addiction…. What troubles me most is that, in facing this global crisis, we are failing to work together as a multilateral community. Nations continue to play the blame game instead of taking responsibility for our collective future. We cannot continue this way,” he said. “We have a choice. Collective action or collective suicide. It is in our hands.”
I am so grateful the Joe Biden has been our president after the destruction of the previous four years. But. On his tweet today which is a video of his speech regarding climate change, many of the replies were variations of ¨then do something¨. The fist bump with the murderer was such a huge mistake. No matter that he may be thinking of the future and need for the U.S. and other countries to depend upon oil. I've watched Instagram posts and Twitter posts of Pete Buttigieg's conversations with the spreaders of misinformation. He is a voice one listens to. He has composure. He does not let them interrupt. President Biden's posts are beginning to be puffs of air against a firestorm because too many - Republicans and Democrats - are seeing him as being ineffectual. He is all over the country and the world trying to develop plans and put out fires, but is hamstrung by the minority party. The energy for a better future rests in the hands of the Committee. Also for those brave Republicans who believed in our democracy when counting votes. We need to all begin to take action at local level governments and state level governments which the Repubs have been doing for these past years. It may be too late in many states. Joe Biden won by more than 8 million votes. This means that there are more ethical, caring Americans than those on the far right. Some here keep talking about Progressive, and many Progressives didn't vote out of spite. Now is not the time to go to extremes. Now is the time to bring as many as possible to the middle - left and right - to create a swell of voices which will save our country.
We are in a environmental crisis. Progressives have been the ones who have continued to bring this to our consciousness. They have been aware of the issues and solutions. Maybe it is time to recognize their expertise.
Progressives are not the only ¨group¨ to include the environment in a platform. Unfortunately, they are seen as too far left for all on the right and many on the middle left. Most people are not able to feel comfortable with sudden changes - even if it is for their benefit. Scientists have been warning all for decades. Bernie failed to distinguish between the socialism of Venezuela and the democratic socialism being practiced in the countries now enjoying the best quality of life. The repubs have been using the words ¨socialist¨ and ¨communist¨ since the 50s to scare Americans. It works. Before the election of 2020 I read posts by many who were afraid Biden would make our country a socialist country like Venezuela. Bernie never corrected any Republican in office who called him a socialist with a socialist agenda. Language is very important in painting pictures in people's imagination. Also Bernie never had a clear plan regarding his free education and taxation of the 1%. Most people I know are not Progressives and climate is a huge issue for them. They volunteer with local organizations. It is actually probably too late. Which doesn't mean we should not try, but 15 years ago scientists were saying that that was the moment. If things didn't change then, there would be no recovery. I believe that scientists have the expertise. They've been ignored for decades.
It appears that fighting climate change, fossil fuel addictions, the GOP Senators, Manchin and authoritarian bullies like Trump & friends all go hand in hand. We found a way to ban fracking here in MD against a powerful Gas & Oil Industry who was aided by a corrupt democrat in a position to stall legislation...she no longer is a senator...Jamie Raskin was part of making the ban happen. I'm glad he is where he is right now. We need Senate seats, Manchin be damned...and to retain the House. Mid Terms are EVERYTHING.
I don't understand why red state senators and representatives who are representing prime solar industry locations like those from Arizona and Texas aren't all over the growth and expansion and jobs that are implicit in getting behind alternative energy solutions. Why not jump on board?
Because Gas & Oil bought these folks...If G&O saw themselves as energy companies, instead of pump all the crap out of the ground companies, things would be different. They believe God made the earth their warehouse. It's like Kodak invented digital photography and then went out of biz because they thought they were a "film" company. Not an image company.
To those who seem to believe that moving away from fossil fuels towards more sustainable energy solutions would result in a loss of jobs, there are HUGE economic opportunities in solar and wind power and weatherizing homes and buildings. Industries change and evolve over time, and that's not a bad thing; products go through life cycles.
I think about the typewriter: as we transitioned to computers for word processing, the companies that produced typewriters closed plants and laid off workers. But look at what the computer and electronics industry has done: it's created millions of jobs. The same can happen with alternative energy.
[1] Does anyone else remember the behavior of the Secret Service in the first couple years of the Obama administration? That the racist white boyz working the presidential detail were sending racist text messages to each other and some even clearly were being dilatory about protecting the president? That it was clear that the Secret Service had a real problem with the idea of protecting a Black man from being assassinated? If folks think that the tendencies of the Secret Service toward white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, and autocracy are of recent vintage, I think you should reconsider that notion.
[2] I listened to all the rhetoric around Biden's speech in Massachusetts that came out of the White House both before and after his visit and it was clear that any "executive" orders short of declaring a climate emergency are utterly toothless. Moreover, the administration rep, Gina McCarthy, interviewed yesterday morning on NPR did not help him because she clearly decided to stick to a script that had nothing to do with the questions--good questions, I might add--being asked by Rachel Martin.
Do I blame the Rethuglicans every damn day for their despicable policies and fascistic tendencies? Yes, of course I do. But what has changed in 40 years among the Ghastly Oligarchs? Almost nothing. And yet Dems persist in thinking they can use the same old tired anemic strategies and get a different result. So the juggernaut can plow right over them. I think Biden is doing a good job with what he's got to work with, and with his own limitations in the sense of his persistence in fantasizing about some kind of bipartisanship that never existed in the first place (especially when the Ghastly Ones controlled Congress). But I am really tired of the Dems wringing their collective hands and saying woe is me every time the press highlights that the Fascists have a much more united front.
Linda, this is the frustration I hear from our adult children and their friends. While they'll vote, and vote for Biden if he is the candidate, they are seeking new ideas and candidates that will shift the conversation and our nation to address their existential concerns.
Not to put too fine a point on it: the boomer generation must "yield back" and permit the next generations to take the ball and run with it. Obama is technically a boomer himself, so we have had control of the executive branch since 1992 (I find it interesting that the guy elected in '92 and the guy elected in '16 were born in the same year, but I digress). Let the next generations take over. Bring us into the 21st Century.
Well, Nancy, I am 65 years old and this has been a frustration of mine since forever! I'm with your kids and their friends. And I also hope they all vote--because that is the thing missing, alas, from the equation all too often. People seek perfection, which is the enemy of the good.
A thought on your thought [1]...... "presidential detail were sending racist text messages to each other..." Why do we know about those text messages but not the more recent ones? 🤔
I don’t understand why President Biden’s approval ratings are low. I guess I blame main stream media. He has done amazing things considering the mess he inherited. I think he’s been one of the best presidents in my lifetime.
It's unfortunate that many judge on form rather than substance. Our President is a man of substance in a world where people think style and charisma are what's important.
Biden has substance. I don’t understand how even the New York Times fails to see this IMO.
IMO they don't fail to see it - it's an editorial decision.
What do they get out of knocking a President who is actually working for the good of the country for a change? Why don't they have a feeding frenzy over Manchin and McConnell who couldn't care less?
They get money. They have all, even the best of them, turned on Biden. I expect it's a simple truth--whatever backing they get from the people with the most to gain from bringing Biden down is more cash than whatever they get from their regular subscribers. What burns me the most about the NYTimes is that, in the midst of this kind of obvious corruption, they hold fast to their insufferable self-righteousness about neutrality.
Once upon a time, really not that long ago, the nation's media was geared to inform and educate the public. Then a man named Murdoch came to town and instead of information sharing the focus changed to money, money, money. In our present time a lot of people still think if it's in print it's the truth. As a former journalist I know better. Still it is the Murdoch and trump types that are the loudest and most stringent and therefore most believed by the non-thinking public. End of lecture.
Feeding frenzy, yes. About a week ago someone here used the expression "rabid skunks" which, if youve ever been close to a skunk or even close to anyone or any animal that was close to a skunk, you quite adequately describes most of the RepubliCONS, Rupert Murdoch and their cronies.
RepubliCONS is right. Thank you for expanding my vocabulary.
It's getting very hard to bear.
To paraphrase Les Moonves, what’s very bad for the country is too often very good for the news media. If it bleeds …..
It is very easy to stop watching MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, et etc. We stopped last year and now watch local news and PBS Newshour. We read and support independent media outlets such as ProPublica, The Guardian, etc. So far, we haven't missed much...pretty much all the reporters are on Twitter and easy to verify their posts. Editorial and commentary are the opinion of those who write the pieces. If you don't trust the writer not trusting what they write is not hard.
I find I'm checking Al Jazeera more and more frequently.
Ugh! I'm fed up with this.
"Give me dirty laundry," - Don Henley
Agreed.
Business decision to draw in readers attention.
Maybe businesses should surprise themselves and see what happens if they actually did a little cheerleading for a change. I think people are fed up with doom and gloom because deep down they know that's no way to make change.
I feel the same as you, as I should because I am a person.
Since the 2010 Corporations, growing in power since mid 1980's have a different ethos, or no ethos, they maybe considered people in the eyes of law and can donate infinitely to campaigns, but when it comes to profit corporations do not care about democracy nor compassion. Profit is the only goal, leaving no space for morality or ethics. When this happens all businesses suffer that are and are not corporations. Its eat or get eaten, the era of hyper competition / winner take all mentality. This applies to all of News/Journalism as it does to any industry. I think this hyper competitiveness has degraded our overall quality of citizen participation, as profit is the only measure of success in life any more. The era of American Exceptionalism is coming to end or has ended. We either can't let that happen, or we need a rebirth of progressivism.
What is there point of making those editorial decisions to undermine his attempts at creating a fairer system based on the principals of Democracy and our constitution. So I guess they support Trump and the travesty of the Supreme Court who has taken away a women’s right to get healthcare. They are murdering women. This is outrageous. Do we have laws prohibiting men to healthcare. I thought we were equal. Guess not. How many women are on the editorial board of the New Yourk Times?
That's a good question. Let's find out. And who are their mothers, father's, husband's, children? Not just their collegues. These women are part of a constellation, a power clique.
$$$$$$$
Here is something I found when searching for who owns the NYT. It has changed since 2016. It has grown it's digital presence and here is an interesting article.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mexican-billionaire-carlos-slim-save-new-york-times-hundreds-millions-161135904.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIodAcesJONRURWHEMtdYMB2sqch0bO1hBRYTgSkqnVhJFMj7Sv3zxHGkfnhdgjmPsUYtR_GRrX2_cNyE1FKz8YBH0L8JrnrOlAAg1WbkaVx5I4qsDY0AK553OknoFobJqGEMPXK1314lRDBaYIwRzVJVrOIeBNWw8Ia7m1_wYnW
That’s interesting! Carlos Slim is a Mexican billionaire who bought the times after the Great Recession. This is another thread in the theme of foreign investment after the Great Recession. In all industries, these investments by foreigners saved them. This is also around the Citizens United decision, unlocking unlimited funding of political campaigns by corporations. Are we beginning to see a pattern?
Interesting! I'm going to think about this.
Thanks for this. That was a very interesting article.
You're welcome 🙂
Entirely underestimating Biden.
Purposely undermining Biden and attempts to right the ship!?
This is an encouraging thread. I was beginning to think I'd missed something. I believe there are a lot more people out there that respect this President than is reported in the press.
Even the NY times needs to compete for our attention. If only the wealthy can afford a subscription, who do newspapers need to cajole with their headlines? We will either have economic, racial, gender equality, or we will have none.
Ted
I am sure you are aware of such news resources as:
the BBC,
CBC,
ProPublic,
Frontline, Etc.
none of which cost a penny to become better informed about the truth...
Also The Guardian. Did you know that The Guardian is free. They would like you to pay for it but if you can’t they don’t have a paywall.
According to Snyder, The Road to Unfreedom, pp. 213-214, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine (which netted them Crimea), both The Guardian and The Nation echoed Russian propaganda. In Snyder's telling, Russia won the information war during that time. I was sorry to hear that because I thought those 2 publications were reliable. (Of course, one can ask about Snyder as well. He has impeccable credentials, but cites a mountain of references, which it would take a lifetime (for a young person) to check.)
I subscribe to The Guardian
As do I. I think it’s a great news source. I subscribe to way too many digital papers.
NPR and PBS, also.
I've had it with catering to the wealthy. If the wealthy had as many brains and power as they think they do we wouldn't be having this discussion. There is a monument in Italy to money which I need to track down. I remember only two lines, but there are a lot more. The two lines I remember are: Money makes the ugly man handsome. Money makes the foolish man wise.
They may not have the brains, but they do have the power.
How much does it matter how mad we are about inequality?
What matters most, is how many more we can get to vote in November. We have to start to considering that the next election could be our last. If we don’t adopt this mentality, it could be our last real election.
I'm ordering 500 postcards to work with Seniors Taking Action to encourage people to get out and vote. I feel that if I'm not working to overturn this bunch of bigots I'd never forgive myself. We have to work together on this. Ignorance is not bliss.
Same with CNN. There must be some ratings or profit benefit for them.
They are the left's Fox. Not as false, but get attention with their style
NYT has some very competent Journalist in the newsroom. Unfortunately the Publisher and Editorial Staff don't seem to be in the same ballpark.
It's like the childhood game of gossip. One person whispers in the ear of the next in a circle, and so on until the last person responds out loud. Often it's indistinguishable or a mockery of the original comment. Basically, they repeat each other, with slight tweaks, until finally there is only a meme.
Read: Nothing is True and Everything is Possible-Peter Pomerovsky
Book by Former Russian TV news entertainment producer. It’s really good insight into what Paul Manafort brought back from advising Russian backed Ukrainian politicians: the strategies and tactics of Russian political fiction to confuse everyone in order to seize and cement power.
Thank you, Ted. I always appreciate your comments.
I'm about to unsubscribe to the NYTs
Dont blame a headline. It can have the best effect for teaching. A headline can draw in a diverse group of people, appealing to their curiosity and then educate on the issue.
Despite my comment below, you raise a good point!
Podcasts, news articles, other major papers. It's like newscasters drone of "Chicken Little". Deeply disturbing.
Did anyone else see Mayor Pete handily shut off the question from the TX rep asking if the cabinet had considered invoking the 25th Amendment? He is brillant at the well-spoken bon mot. The best.
Check out The Daily Shows version. Pete crushed it. And we need more of that.
Agreed. I think I'll go check it out now. My husband got (and recovered from) Covid, but passed it on to me, so I could use a lift. Thanks.
Huge HUGS! Take care of yourself. 🌹🌹🌹
The best, absolutely. A thoroughly class act. I hope the world survives long enough for us to see more of him
Pete is very intelligent and articulate in contrast to the R rep who is a robot asking what he thinks is a clever question.
Agreed.
Nehl’s questioning/badgering of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg was solely for him to get a video clip/sound bite for the congressman’s re-election campaign.
Yep. And is true for anyone else around this hallowed hall that there are many many moments when it is simply not possible to stand these people. At All??
I am very glad for the professor and all of you.
Well if that was the purpose, that was a pretty pathetic sound bite. Easter bunny poster boards? Give me a break.
Oh, my. Does anyone have a link or something?
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5024310/rep-troy-nehls-asks-secretary-buttigieg-president-bidens-mental-health
Such an embarrassment. Troy Nehls. He should not be representing anyone in any form or fashion.
Thanks ML!!
I missed that but I think I'll see if I can find it. It would be refreshing.
Absolutely agree. It is a world wide issue. On a European Leadership post on LinkedIn there were two photos of homes. One a contemporary massive mansion and the other an idyllic but large French farmhouse regarding which was better for the environment. Someone posted ¨neither´. They both translate to money, and as long as money is the goal for too many, climate or anything else that needs changing will lose.
Hard to compete with money, Gailee, unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow...
So, so true! I love even contributing to young people that are campaigning or running campaigns.
Unita. 🗽
❤️
Or, as the Unsinkable Molly Brown said, "Money is like manure; it only works unless you spread it around."
❤️can't with clicker
Haha, morning, Kathleen! That quote always stuck with me when I first heard it on the Hello, Dolly musical/movie.
Do I have the wrong musical? Or did they both say it? Anyway, it's my philosophy, too. Can't spend it after I'm dead.
Thanks for that statement, Lynell, and good morning!
Morning, Alexander! Do you subscribe to Blue Virginia News? They're a free newsletter. I read about their criticism of WaPo for "whitewashing" our new governor. They don't hold back!
Here it is in case you want to read it but haven't done so yet.
https://bluevirginia.us/2022/07/wapo-publishes-yet-another-fawning-credulous-whitewash-of-glenn-youngkin-whos-now-supposedly-a-friendly-can-do-conservative-a-gop-star-an-inspirational-winner-with-a-message-of-pa?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
That's a good way of thinking about it. Encouraging young things to grow.
It is, indeed, Susan!
❤️
That will change in the next 2+ years of his administration. In my opinion, he is just winding up to his famous curve ball.
Yes, ma'am! Did I mention I love substance?
If the Republicans control Congress, don't bet on it.
Where is your bet, Cate? C’mon, bet on We the People, all of us this time!
May you be right!
We watch a lot of Brit TV and other than things made here in the US....it's about acting in GB; here, it's just who looks best. And this permeates much of what we do. But, sometimes good things happen....last night the local news had a story about a summer program ongoing here in Salem's school district. It puts regular students together with special needs kids in fun games inside and outdoors. It also builds good relationships.
Morning, Michele. I agree with your sentiments about GB actors compared to the U.S. Our local news, also, puts out many positive stories that don't make national news but, IMO, should to balance the negative.
Morning, Lynell. The last series we watched and the episode from an ongoing one both have women in them who are missing part of of one arm. There is an attempt at our local station (KGW, the NBC affiliate in Portland) to feature good news and people doing great things in their communities. NBC national news often has a stories on inspiring America. Of course they are last usually, but at least they have them.
So maybe there's a bit of hope for at least the TV media? Evening, Michele!
Evening to you on the Atlantic coast. A little. I get exasperated at times. I am sitting here having a kombucha and looking forward to tuning in at 5 PST to the hearing. Should be interesting to see Cheney as chair. I spent a good part of the day picking blueberries and enjoying birdsong. The baby finches are out and hoo hawing for their parents.
❤️
Hollywood is all about $$$. It is a money machine. If you watched The Holiday and remember Arthiur's (Eli Wallach) speech about Hollywood, it was true when I was there and more so now. It is more than actors, it is writers, directors, producers. Film is a craft practiced in Britain, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Movies are fodder cranked out in the U.S.. If we watch one, I know the lines before they are spoken and the beats before they happen. The Queens Gambit on Netflix was a refreshing change.
Oddly enough, Abraham Lincoln suffered from the same issues — insufficient charm and charisma. Now McClellan, he had both, yet couldn’t be a successful General due to focusing on his presidential ambitions. To his credit, however, he did get a cavalry saddle named after him . . . 🐴
LOL?
For your birdsong and all subscribers:
'Going Postal'
'Progressives win some small victories. What will it take for them to add up to big victories?
In February 2021 the US Postal Service announced its plans for an $11.3 billion contract with a military contractor called Oshkosh Defense for a new generation of mail trucks—powered by gasoline. The 150,000 new vehicles would have gotten 8.3 miles per gallon, about the same as the three-decade-old ones they were replacing, and would have produced pollution equal to that of 4.3 million passenger cars.'
'This week, succumbing to pressure from Congress, the White House, and lawsuits from 16 states and four leading environmental groups, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a notorious Trump holdover, backed down and revised the contract so that the Postal Service's new trucks will be mostly electric.'
'By 2023, the fleet of 217,000 vehicles, the civilian government's largest, will be about 40 percent electric. The two leading Democrats in the House who have pressed for this reversal, Jared Huffman of California and Carolyn Maloney of New York, want the fleet to be close to 100 percent electric.'
'It's the kind of incremental progress that progressives are occasionally winning. Meanwhile, President Biden's larger climate and social investment agenda remains totally blocked, and the future of democracy itself hangs by a thread.'
'By coincidence, the Postal Service today released a stamp honoring Pete Seeger. Despite the reign of DeJoy, postage stamps have continued to feature occasional lefties. Other progressives recently featured on stamps include James Baldwin, W.E.B. Du Bois, Woody Guthrie, Yip Harburg, Harvey Milk, Paul Robeson, and even Malcolm X.'
'Could this be the work of some lefty mole buried deep in the administrative state?'
When Joe McCarthy was at the peak of his power, he went after an obscure army dentist named Irving Peress, who served as a captain during the Korean War. Peress had leftist leanings. In October 1953, he was routinely promoted to major.
One of McCarthy's lunatic raves became, "Who promoted Peress?" If we ever become a full-blown Republican police state, one can imagine a future Congressional investigation demanding to know, "Who honored Pete Seeger?"
'The right is now on the verge of destroying American democracy. We get some EVs at the Postal Service, and Pete Seeger on a stamp.'
May Pete's memory inspire us to larger struggles, bolder visions, and political coherence.
~ ROBERT KUTTNER
Follow Robert Kuttner on Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnvCPQqQWds
Oh, Fern, you are a treasure! Thanks for the Postal detail. Hopefully, we will get to 100% e-vehicles soon!
And...I was so uplifted watching/listening to Pete Seeger and company's performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I don't believe I've ever seen a more joyous community of citizens as they watched and sang along. I was moved.
Maybe that's it. It's disgusting to think that people would go for the film flam glam over substance, but maybe so. We are facing incredibly difficult problems and it's time for people to get their heads out of the sand or expect the second coming to free them from thinking.
Lynell.....Preach, woman! Amen! I am so grateful for him and his leadership!! A really good man and a terrific president.
Or worse yet...that corruption is everywhere and everyone has a game.
It is stunning to me that he isn't praised to the heavens - look at what he faces! Look at the mess that he was given! Look at the obstruction by the oligarchs who keep the Republicans in office.
Joe Biden has done more than I ever thought possible. Were we convinced that we could repair our international reputation? He took the pandemic seriously! He bailed out the average citizen instead of Goldman and Citicorp! I am proud of our President.
Here is why Biden polling is low. Too many people are fracking selfish and whine about inflation when they should be screaming at Congress to do something about the Climate Catastrophe and our utter dependence on computer chips made in a country about to be absorbed by China. The list is wicked long. But Jack and Jane SixPack are clueless. They think a President controls prices at the pump - it's just stupid.
It's not just Jack and Jane six pack Bill in their Ford F150. It is also champagne Edward and Paula in their Lamborghini. Ignorance is an equal opportunity event.
Umm. Could Ed and Paula be smart and educated enough to know the truth? Perhaps they just don't care about anything other than their personal luxuries. We know a lot of folks like that. A lot. Here is a direct quote from an affluent someone who votes for Republicans: "We like our money and we want to keep it."
Good point. Yeah most likely true. Ed and Paula are selfish.
Is it not true that the taxpayer pays for the corporate tax cuts? If so, penny wise and pound foolish, it seems.
Those in the Lamborghini know damn well what is happening, but think their wealth will save them. In the meantime making tons of money is all they care about and if they can keep Jack and Jane roiled up, so much the better. They will vote against their own economic interests and with no, little, or weak regulations, the big wigs laugh all the way to the bank.
That is really the sad part--thinking wealth will save them. It won't.
No, it won't, but they will do all they can to save themselves and throw everyone else under the bus.
So sadly true. We have to fight back.
That way, they can build a rocket to Mars and escape the aftermath.
Are you talking about Oligarchs or the folks down the street making 200,000?
I am talking about the super rich in this case. In our neighborhood, very few make that kind of money as more than half at the local school are on free or reduced lunch. As it happens, the couple who has the most wealth in our immediate area, partly inherited it. Yes, they are Rs, but didn't vote for death star. They do have blind spots. I had a discussion with the male about public projects that include nice plantings or as in Oregon, one percent for art. He would rather live in Soviet style places I guess. She, at our last neighborhood dinner (meaning they stopped after that), decided to give me and my hubby the PERS lecture, PERS being our retirement system here in Oregon. Yes, we are tier one and have the best benefits. Newer hires are either tier two or tier three which means that they don't get the same. Both of us gave lots of unpaid time to our jobs and I, being in a school, paid for certain things myself. And we didn't make the rules about PERS either. She wouldn't last five minutes in a classroom either. Why she decided this was OK at a neighborhood dinner is beyond me, so they are no more.
There’s plenty of ignorance, but that’s not what determines their votes. They have solid reasons for voting R: namely, because they know Republicans will do everything they can to preserve systemic white advantages and Democrats won’t. That’s why the dog whistle “woke” is the only message Republicans need.
Yes!
Just checked on line for gas prices in Europe and around the. world, Hong Kong $11/gal, etc. "Several European countries pay north of $7 or $8 per gallon, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. At the top of the expensive list is Hong Kong, where prices per gallon are higher than $11, followed by Norway at more than $10.Jun 17, 2022"
The US gas prices have always been way better than Europe. The whiners we are hearing from daily are the same people (in major urban areas) who reject the expansion of public transportation. My most recent time in Texas, 15 yrs, I heard discussion and rejection of more urban trains and a high speed rail connection for the major cities Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Cars are less important only to guns and right-wing control.
You're right Joan. America is the land of spoiled, self-absorbed people who care only about themselves and screw everyone else. Yes, there are exceptions but anyone who has traveled the world and experienced different cultures, realizes that American exceptionalism is only in the mind of the individual who thinks they deserve more and are better than others.
I think you're right about that. Americans have become selfish. The only response to that is to not be selfish yourself. I think individual actions can make a difference. I just got back from taking a three-week course in Italy at The International School for Ceramic Art and the most self-absorbed students were the Americans. No matter how much they had they always wanted more. It was eye-opening.
“Better” is the wrong adjective for comparing US gasoline prices to European prices. It would be better if gasoline in the US were $50 a gallon and even better if prices had reached that level 40 years ago.
I get your point but a better way to manage prices is to establish an Oil Reserve Board that controls oil prices based on supply/reserves and national economic conditions and priorities. Oil is a commodity but think of it as a form of currency that can be manipulated to reduce major fluctuations in price that in turn can have a significant economic impact. The Federal Reserve raises and lowers interest rates and expands and contracts the money supply all in an effort to stabilize the economy. The Oil Reserve Board can do the same.
We would have fewer ups and downs, expansions and contractions if the government managed oil prices. There would be little or no inflation today if an Oil Reserve Board kept oil prices lower. If the 4-month-old Russia and Ukraine war is responsible for higher per barrel prices, then the Oil Reserve Board could make temporary adjustments to compensate. This is why the U.S. has a formidable level of reserve capacity.
Oil prices are not based directly on supply and demand but are based on the highly speculative oil futures market. The more you learn about this, the crazier it gets. The action in the oil futures market is determined by sentiment and traded by hedgers and speculators. It's a crap shoot and is not an efficient or reliable method of determining oil prices.
All good ideas, I think, if we’re going to continue to burn oil. We surely are, probably until it destroys civilization, but what we should do, instead, is stop burning oil, which we could do in the US and Europe within ten years, max, if we took the issue as seriously as we took, say, WWII.
I had a friend who posited that public transportation routes were planned to make sure that maids in poor areas could get to their jobs in great houses quickly. Might have some truth in it?
Hi Sandra, today here in the U.K I have paid the equivalent of $2.23 per litre.... for gas/petrol.
Stay safe in this turbulent world we have at the moment. Best wishes to you and yours.
The common good is not a dirty word.
They are ignorant and often not well educated. They are often angry, because as my neighbor says, they know something is wrong, but don't know what exactly it is. Rs and death star have been very good at playing on these fears. Often like my relatives in the midwest, they are in scut jobs (if they have one) and they are busy trying to survive. At least one of my great nieces is angry about Roe which was interesting because we had a conversation a while back about the necessity for abortion to be safe and legal with me explaining why.
" They think a President controls prices at the pump" - Yes, that is really weird. You have a capitalist country, and in oil business pretty much capitalist monopoly, and don't even notice who is making record profits out of your excess payments!
Like most commodities, the fundamental driver of oil's price is supply and demand in the market.
The cost of extracting and producing oil is also an important factor.
Oil markets are composed of speculators who are betting on price moves, and hedgers who are limiting risk in the production or consumption of oil.
Oil supply is controlled somewhat by a cartel of oil-producing nations called OPEC.
Oil demand is driven by everything from gasoline for cars and airline travel to electrical generation.
What Drives Oil Prices?
The Determinants of Oil Prices
With oil's stature as a high-demand global commodity comes the possibility that major fluctuations in price can have a significant economic impact. The two primary factors that impact the price of oil are:
Supply and demand
Cost of production
Market sentiment
Factors That Affect Oil Prices
Investopedia / Alex Dos Diaz
Supply & Demand
The concept of supply and demand is fairly straightforward. As demand increases (or supply decreases) the price should go up. As demand decreases (or supply increases) the price should go down. Sounds simple? Not quite. The price of oil as we know it is actually set in the oil futures market.
An oil futures contract is a binding agreement that gives one the right to purchase oil by the barrel at a predefined price on a predefined date in the future. Under a futures contract, both the buyer and the seller are obligated to fulfill their side of the transaction on the specified date.
In the spring of 2020, oil prices collapsed amid the economic slowdown. OPEC and its allies agreed to historic production cuts to stabilize prices, but they dropped to 20-year lows.
Oil Market Participants
The following are two types of futures traders:
Hedgers
Speculators
An example of a hedger would be an airline buying oil futures to guard against potential rising prices. An example of a speculator would be someone who is just guessing the price direction and has no intention of actually buying the product. According to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the majority of futures trading done by speculators whereby the purchaser of a futures contract takes possession of the commodity is less than 3%.
Sentiment
The other key factor in determining oil prices is sentiment. The mere belief that oil demand will increase dramatically at some point in the future can result in a dramatic increase in oil prices in the present, as speculators and hedgers alike snap up oil futures contracts.
Of course, the opposite is also true. The mere belief that oil demand will decrease at some point in the future can result in a dramatic decrease in prices in the present as oil futures contracts are sold (possibly sold short as well), which means that prices can hinge on little more than market psychology.
Well, I was trying a simple understanding that most voters possibly could get: who is paying more and who is gaining more?
To make things more complicated I could add: here in Sweden 50% of gas prices are taxes, and they go by percentage, so that the government automatically gets compensated for higher costs. The prime minister could maybe be accused of not trying to level out fluctuations on the market, but the US president couldn't possibly decide the price at the pump. Some countries are extremely dependent of selling fossile fuels, and Putins Russia is relying on oil and gas to reestablish the Soviet empire. Humanity could not possibly have reached the number we have today without fossile fuels, and I don't think there is any guarantee that we will be able to maintain the worlds population without them. As I understand it OPEC convinced Russia to lower oil prices in order to shut down US fracking industry, which I think was an under cover operation with Saudi Arabia and the US. The fracking industry was well able to compete with the low prices, but only SA could still make money off their conventional production. The fracking was very important to reestablish the credibility of the US dollar, make the US a possible exporter of gas and oil, and sizably lower the US emissions of CO2, by switching from oil to fossile gas.
Barbara. Don’t forget profit.
Exxon Mobil’s profit is a significant fraction of the price of gas.
But. That is ok right? Capitalism is great right?
Capitalism is great. And it works well. Why throw the whole concept out when people are greedy? Name me a better system. I look at the most prosperous Countries and they all follow some form of Capitalism.
To put it simply. I like living in a Capitalist Country. I don't patronize Walmart (bad history of personnel mismanagement, Overstock, Hobby Lobby and other MAGA owned/supporter entities. I've been doing this for years; before MAGA. I don't shop Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I go to the local bookseller. I maybe pay $5 a year extra because I patronize our local bookseller. I make a practice of going to local businesses. And it is because I live in a Capitalist Society that I can make those choices. Recently a local coffee company wouldn't support their workers unionizing. So. The workers formed their own very successful coffee shop.
All of this is what I love about America.
Yes. And stupid is a choice.
Oil monopoly for too long. They are in the energy supply business. They don’t have competition, which is always necessary for innovation.
“Too many people are fracking selfish”
The problem with America is Americans.
😊
Yes! Our press, mainstream and trash, continues to highlight/criticize every misstep, every blink or hesitation of this president, who has done more for all Americans than TFG ever did in his entire tenure. President Biden’s work to reverse the evil and move forward must be recognized. We don’t have time for any less.
If we don't keep the House and we lose the narrow margin in the Senate, he won't be able to do anything productive and the media will have a field day. And then comes 2024.
“When we keep the house and when we gain more of a margin in the Senate….”THAT IS OUR STATEMENT!!!
The health of the planet depends on marginalizing Manchin and McConnel.
Yes. So “WHEN”, not “IF”.
The Universe responds to our words.
Salud, Ted.🗽
Amen!!!
Sorry to be late to heart your poignant comment, Irenie. Agree 100%!
You know, the ancient Celts vin Ireland had very similar requirements for their leaders — not the least of which was a public show of masculine potency that allowed them to stay in power (until they couldn’t, then they didn’t). This type of policy didn’t work out very well in the Bronze Age, either.
P.S.
I do take the long view of history, by the way!
President Joe Biden has chosen and has been approved by citizen vote for years as he has served our country. He is not only a politician but he loves this country. He is knowledgable regarding the workings of our democratic system.
Jill is a strong compliment as well as the many young men and women who surround him and support so many activities that contribute to freedom and the physical care of our country here and throughout the world.
He and his adminiistration have had little help from the Republicans who ....not all.....but most have sold their souls for power and money and have supported candidates who know nothing to little about governing this country .
I do not agree with the approval ratings and those ratings have no influence over my common sense judgement. I am so grateful for President Biden and his team. I pray for continued strength and wisdom as he/they continue to fight for freedom here and throughout the world and for a clean planet. By the way we also need to clean up the junk we have left in outerspace!
"He and his adminiistration have had little help from the Republicans who ..." Correction - NO help. MOF, "negative help". Great comment though. I cannot exaggerate the dangerous nature of the Republican party. Climate change is the primary reason, next to their scary move toward fascism. A nation full of smart and courageous voters would give this party approximately zero percentage of the vote. Alas, that is not the USA, where insanity grips a large percentage of the electorate. It is the US Democratic party and its leader Biden that (if we can) will save this world. We and the senior European nations (England, France, Germany, etc),and perhaps Canada. We blame Joe Manchin for dooming humanity. And that is justifiable. But to be sure, it is the entire Republican contingent that refuses to budge for climate action, which makes Manchin's vote so important. Even Romney, who recently penned a great opinion piece "America is in Denial", in The Atlantic, cannot be found when it comes to supporting the president and the climate agenda. What a hypocrite - apparent when he ran for president against Obama, and apparent now. History books (if that institution survives what may be a dystopian future for those we leave behind) will look back on today's Republican Party as one of the true evils in the long history of humanity.
Just call them the party of death.
Yes!
Like you, I have noticed that the main stream media has become a megaphone for the Republicans whose complaints, outrageous claims ( cf. Ziegler's statements as reported in today's HCR Letter), and downright lies are consistently front and center in news reports. They have learned from experience that howling, vicious criticism, name-calling draw attention. The drum beat of criticism that inflation is so high and Biden does nothing about it has given unearned traction to the GOP who provide no solutions. It is frustrating and infuriating.
All boils down to who pays their bills and gives them pretty presents.
Biden became president under circumstances no other president has. Trump made any pre-existing problems worse, and intentionally “set fires” creating problems on his way out the door. Main stream media gave people such unrealistic expectations. How could a president with a 50/50 Senate get big things done with filibuster in place and two saboteurs like Manchin and Sinema? I doubt Manchin would switch parties at this point because then he would just be one of the crowd. He and Sinema are enjoying their time in the spotlight, country and planet be damned.
The NYT had a story in their "On Politics" newsletter about Manchin and compared him to Richard Shelby, another borderline Dem who the party shamed. He crossed over to the R's and became a thorn in the Dems' side for almost 30 years. So, they need to be careful Manchin doesn't switch sides. Meanwhile, we grit our teeth.
They "need" to invest serious $$ and team work in grooming promising new candidates who might contest the fossil fuel and Manchin "Dem?" lock on WVA.
Indeed. But it's doubtful that any even middle-of-the-road Democrat could be elected in West Virginia.
Thank you for this comment. I am totally in agreement with it. I don't think enough Americans realize that he is the difference between competent and responsible management of government and authoritarian chaos. He is constantly blamed for events over which he has no control- the most reactionary Supreme Court since before the Civil War, an obstructionist senate committed to non-cooperation. My only small consolation is that other presidents of sterling character have also been unappreciated in their time- Lincoln comes to mind- but this is Heather's department and she excels at putting the events of today in proper historical perspective.
It may be true that most Americans fail to recognize good management, but if that were the problem, it would be addressable. Unfortunately, R voters know why they don’t vote for Democrats: because they know Democrats won’t help them preserve systemic white advantages. No strategy or tactic can address that problem. The only hope is to outvote them, and that requires Abrams-level get-out-the-vote effort, nationwide.
Good news does not sell advertising.
Bingo!
THIS!!!
Did I miss something? Is Joe Biden running for re-election this year? No? Then why is there this obsession with his poll numbers? Indeed, why are there so many polls about his popularity? In part this is the search for clickbait, in part the herd instinct among lazy “ reporters,” and in part, I think, a way to distract attention from real issues like the ongoing attempt to impose an authoritarian system in this country, and climate change.
Agree. All the focus on top of the ticket. Sure, his numbers,bers say something about the entire ticket, BUT we gotta stop obsessing about the top and get the votes blue down ticket. Right now, no Republican has earned the right to a seat in Congress. None. Vote against them the way we did against Trump in 2020 ... and gave a pass to most Republican encumbents. Ignore his ratings. Let the Repubs talk about that. Keep the press on platform, the agenda, what has been accomplished for working and farm families. Getting Lincoln project to help down ticket? Don't know if that is going to happen anymore than I think the Republicans testifying on record will say anything negative to what tfg accomplished for them.
It's click bait junk for sure.
Jon, I take your point. I hate that, weeks after Biden’s inauguration, the media started talking about 2024. I wish there was a rule that forbade talking about the 2024 election until at least 2023.
That said, I think presidential approval ratings are helpful forms of feedback. It gives a president a sense of how his actions are perceived by voters. Gallup and others have been doing them since Truman’s administration. Low approval ratings because of the Viet Nam war convinced LBJ not to run for re-election.
I got a call from Suffolk Poll (a Conservative polling entity) . The questions were designed to elicit a particular outcome against the Democrats and Biden. I called them on it and refused to answer the biased questions. On polls I also question their polling base.
Suffolk University polling? They are rated as non-biased, reputable. Is there another Suffolk? I’d be surprised that Suffolk University would resort to “push polling”.
Hmmm. Maybe it was another pollster that begins with an "s"
Anyway see this link.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/pollster-ratings/#:~:text=10%3A00%20AM-,FiveThirtyEight%E2%80%99s%20Pollster%20Ratings,-Based%20on%20the
I agree. He truly is, but something needs to be corrected for him to be heard and perceived as a leader. Even his Instagram and Twitter posts seem to lack something for too many people.
I just think people got hooked on Trump's anger and insult tweets like they get hooked on right wing talk radio. I don't need to know everything on my president's mind, every thought that crosses his brain, every personal opinion. I just want to trust that he will compartmentalize the personal stuff to the higher obligation of serving the nation and the Constitution.
Yup. And for right now, the less he puts out there for faux news et al to smear with, the better. Somehow though, I hope (his crew) has a plan for the 2 yrs leading into 2024 for his pitch to take an exponential curve upward leaving the miscreants fumbling.
Thus, is the poor messaging practice by Democrats , Gailee. I wish they’d hire people from the Lincoln Project to effectively say what needs to be said.
Marlene, you are absolutely spot on. Lincoln Project messaging is superb! So frustrating that the National Democratic Party leadership has deteriorated to nothing since Howard Dean held the job. IMO. I consider myself above average in intelligence and awareness of news, and yet I had to Google the name of the current leader who turned out to be Jaime Harrison. At least I knew the leader of the National Repubs was a female Romney family member! We almost never hear from Harrison. He has even admitted that “the job isn’t what he expected”… duh?.. but he’s “agreed” to stay in the job until his term ends. Lazy leadership at best and his non-action so destructive to the party, again, IMO.
Harrison has been overwhelmed and he simply should release himself from that duty or hire competent people who can assist him. It is very disheartening not to hear from him, yes. Romney’s niece is a true pain and another liar.
Yes. I don't know why they don't. There is not only the Lincoln Project but Repiblicans Against Trump and now a new group, Republican Accountability (not real name). We have Politics Girl.
It boggles the mind. Leigh, Politics Girl, is one oh my faves! She’s like a female George Carlin.
At this point I wouldn't say "poor" messaging - how about NO messaging?? Seriously, all this crap is going on and what are they saying about it? It's so frustrating.
Careful. Too much.. too soon gives the miscreants "front page" material (smear-food) which can only be refuted way back on page 44... which hardly gets read, while 'the smear' continues.
This is exactly why RWNJ garbage is so hard to counter. In my tiny corner of the world, I have friends who make ridiculous, outrageous claims, I spend time and effort researching and then inform them of my findings; if they bother to reply they either have a well-reasoned "Nuh-huh" or they tell me their source is more trustworthy that mine (usually Prager U, or Faux Noise).
Ugh
Yes. Solution. Get rid of them for 1 year.
I listen some to the Pod Save America podcast, and there are consise critiques that pop up there that it’s not just the President, but the whole White House messaging team on the Presidents staff that has to fight the daily (hourly) messaging battle, and do so effectively. There seems to be something amiss in the way messaging responses are being formulated and articulated. This aspect of Bidens team needs more work, and it is messaging war.
What president prior to tfg spent his whole days and nights on Instagram and Twitter? The rest of the world thought it was funny to start with, thought it was bound to change. It didn't.
Trump created a new era putting a burden on the elected. Now it is expected and the expectations for many are not fair. Every tweet and every Instagram post can make or lose voters. Now President Biden not only had to do more than any president before, but he is in a fish bowl and has to 'perform' daily on social media for the misinformed as well as his supporters. It must be an incredible extra burden.
ScannyDo "I don’t understand why President Biden’s approval ratings are low."
The mainstream media has played a huge, underappreciated role in President Biden’s declining support over the past year. Its flawed coverage model of politics and government is bad for more than just Biden — it results in a distorted national discourse that weakens our democracy. The media needs to find a different way to cover Washington.
[Gift Link] https://wapo.st/3cse8B2
And Americans consume massive amounts of disinformation because they are lazy. Blame the media but include the American consumer of the information being produced.
GIGO Garbage in, garbage out,
It’s pretty simple (and simplistic). Polls show voters’ most urgent concerns are inflation and gas prices. Not climate change. Not democracy. Not Ukraine. Not covid. Biden is president. Voters blame him for inflation and gas prices. Most voters are neither nuanced nor thoughtful. If gas prices and inflation fall before November, Biden and Democrats will benefit. Otherwise they’ll vote for Republicans.
I would think Texas Republicans would be thrown out by a mob. Their failure with the power grid in winter and now summer.
Yes, right? The Texas GOP bragged about deregulating their power grid, and disconnecting from the regional grid. And hundreds of Texans have died because of preventable power failures. But, it’s Texas.
Sad but true, JR.
I suspect that younger voters are much more concerned about climate change... unfortunately, a lot of them don't vote.
We’ve grown too used to be appalled. It energizes us, not in a good way. Negative press and train wrecks get eyeballs no matter the subject matter, and politics is very fertile ground. Follow the money, to paraphrase from another infamous period in our country. I’m guilty of clicking on links with TFG’s name in it because I know I won’t believe he just did what he just did and I want to be angry. We’ve been angry and appalled for 7 years, and the media capitalizes on that. Why print adulatory pieces about all the good Biden - vaccine distribution, US standing aboard, infrastructure and relief monies - has done when that will be glossed over by readers in favor of pearl-clutching over his latest stuttered remark or inconsequential gaffe? As happens so frequently, I am SMH.
I "grew up" idolizing the Beatles. And then one day, I turned around and was shocked to discover that there are many folks walking around who never heard of them. This is my wish about TFG.
I do understand, although I do not approve. A whole lot of first time voters and uber-progressive voters helped vote him in in 2020. Thank god. These people are disappointed, and naive. Naive that they expect big action immediately, not realizing the nature of the federal government when the majority is so thin. Put a poll together and they along with 100% of Republicans will say they are not happy campers. There you have it - low approval ratings. And, it doesn't help that Joe is getting old, and is showing it occasionally. I can see it, partly because I am also getting old, and I know my memory is not what it used to be. It doesn't engender confidence in the electorate (like Obama could for example). I wish he was 10 years younger; then a second term would not be such an issue. He is right on with his agenda, and he knows how government works. And yes, with the headwinds he has been facing, he has done great things and the press has been terrible pointing this out. I honestly do not know what the DNC ought to do about 2024. But there is time. If Joe starts flirting with dementia (like Reagan did, except it was worse than that), Joe would help the country and the world by announcing that he will stand aside and let (a recommended replacement) carry on. RBG should have done same, but hindsight is 20-20.
Given the shenanigans with the SCOTUS via McConnell, what makes you think we could have gotten a democratic replacement for RBG if she had stepped down? Just curious. Perhaps I missed something in the run-down.
Good point.
I think our comments are a better indication of Bidens approval ratings than commercial pollsters. We can't be bought.
100%, Susan Lorraine!
"So, too, has the insistence of Republican senators, as well as Democratic senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, that short-term economic interests outweigh the imperatives of climate change. Days ago, Manchin said he would not support new investment in clean energy out of concern over inflation. Without him, the Democrats' plans for addressing climate change through legislation can't move forward, since no Republicans are on board. "--Thank you for this phrasing. I, too, am furious at Manchin, but when all the anger is directed just at him, it lets the entire Republican party off the hook for their unwillingness to do anything at all to address climate change. It is the GOP plus Manchin, not just Manchin!
Thank you. I am sick of the Manchin mantra. Yes, he is a selfish jerk. Yes, he is corrupt. But he is one of 51. Let's put the blame for the Climate Disaster where it belongs. With the oligarchs who are the puppeteers of the Republican politicians. And the absolutely clueless voters who keep voting against the planet and their own self interests. They redefine stupidity.
Redefine it in an incredible manner. I am reminded of a scene in "Animal House": Neidermeir getting paddled by some sadist in his frat house, and saying "thank you sir, may I have another". As long as these people have their "sincerely held belief" that BIPOC are inferior to them and will "replace" them, they will continue to vote against their best interests.
I get a kick out of this replacement theory. The indigenous have been here for thousands of years, half of the entire west was once part of Mexico, Africans have been here since 1619. All of this long before the Irish, the Italians, the Scandinavians and nearly everybody else. Who replaced who(m)? Meanwhile, people in congress rationalize going along to get re-elected because someday there will be a really historic vote and they want to be there to do the right thing and vote their consciences. Meanwhile every day there is an important vote, and they go along to get along. They are like Californians, waiting for the Big One. No matter how bad the earthquake, it’s not the Big One. No matter how important the vote, it’s not the Big One.
Not a news flash, but needs to be repeated ad nauseam…
Agreed. The problem is that what's repeated ad nauseam is that it's all Manchin's fault, leaving the GOP's obstructionism completely out of the conversation.
I never forget. I remember 2000.
Thank you, Ellen. But Machin is like Ted Cruz. He is so thoroughly despicable that he makes an easy target. I sometimes wonder if any of these morons realize they are parodies of themselves, SNL skits. The short-term thinking (which is both cause and effect of pure greed) goes back further in time and spreads its ugly wings over all of us. At least I confess that I am certainly not immune. Somehow the combination of forces from which we formed this perfect union just hasn't prepared us for long-term thinking, historical context, moderation, sacrifice, all the virtues that President Biden is trying to introduce as he makes a truly radical turn from Reagan era economics and the culture it has created. I am haunted these days by the now much quoted Edmund Burke line that all that is required for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing and, from the 1971 Pogo cartoon, the really painful one, We have met the enemy and he is us." Although I certainly agree that the GOP has made a career, as a group, of mean-spiritedness and often hideously cruel behavior, at some point surely we could have done something to at least slow their relentless pace. I sometimes think we have too many morals and not quite enough rage. In my own defense, those Republicans are awfully good at what they do.
Thank God that Joe Biden is ready to use the power of the presidency to act on climate change. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it demonstrates resolve and changes the narrative from attempting to rely on a congressional majority that is too fragile to act with decisiveness. Manchin chooses to see federal expenditure only in the context of budget and deficit. Some expenditures do not yield a return on investment to the government itself; but infrastructure expenditures, investment in new technology, development of existing but as yet not widely distributed technology and dollars put into the hands of individuals who will in turn inject them immediately into the economy are not wasted. Growth includes growth in the tax base. One time expenditures can yield multiple years of tax related returns. I think the near-term value of more activism in the use of presidential declarations, tailoring use of already allotted funds is the projection of an image of power, decisiveness and courage, shining a spotlight on the ineptitude and entrenchment of congress on both sides of the isle. Biden's instincts borne of 40 years in the Senate have caused him to wait patiently far longer than someone without his background. Certainly, a congress dedicated to addressing these urgent issues would be a better means of doing so, writing law instead of finding work-arounds. However, one uses the tools at ones disposal and I, for one, am pleased to see the president choosing to use every tool at his disposal to create action. This is the kind of action that can change predicted outcomes in the mid-terms as well. Strong president, improving poll numbers, trickle down effect to congressional and senate races will be welcome changes from the recent narrative in the press.
Manchin sees federal expenditures as a means to line his own pockets. He must be made irrelevant in November. My number one goal besides kicking chump’s arse.
Jeri, this Country is his personal ATM.
In the welter of so many pieces of dismaying news, Professor HCR’s inclusion of the Dept of Commerce v New York decision stands out as an example of the methodical, long-term planning that is going into making the US a dystopia of Republican-wet-dream minority rule through overt, unapologetic interference in the Constitutionally prescribed Census. Roberts cobbled the majority opinion, but that foul carbuncle Thomas’ dissent (predictably joined by Kavanaugh and Gorsuch) sends up a lot of five alarm trial balloons of legal avenues to explore to tamper with 2030’s census, and Alito’s separate dissent breaks ground on other legal antidemocratic angles to try to establish as precedent before the next decade’s count. The decisions show an astounding attempt to instruct and shape future plots to warp our very simple national manner of ensuring fairer representation for all people in the US; their potential impact must be recognized, then thwarted vigorously. Anti-authoritarians in and out of government need to start playing as hard and smart as these long-term strategists have been doing since the late 1970s.
Here, here. Lot of catching up to do
Laura, I just gave Roberts opinion a cursory look & quickly glanced through the opinions authored by Thomas and Alito, so thx for your thorough review. Even Roberts states that the Dept of Commerce would only need to justify the citizenship question w a non-pretextual rationale.
And since the current majority claim to be “originalists,” it’s worth noting that Roberts points out that the question was asked of all households from 1820-1950 (excepting 1840). Lots of craziness in those opinions.
Lots of craziness everywhere. As the planet burns.
And here they all are, quite a motley crew set on making America an authoritarian country. They operate with two things in mind, money and power. I see them as jealous of MBS...he has everything. Palaces, multitudes of women, weaponry, and of course, oil. The Pro-Rape Party’s goals are being revealed by these 1/6 hearings and tonight’s should be no exception. Liz Cheney, the one white woman who stood up to her party and to its chair, holds the gavel this evening. All of the MSM’s will carry this particular event because it will be staged at prime time. Plenty of people in the US and the world will be watching. We have a party “gone wild”. Time to tame the savage beasts.
Americans have had the opportunity, science, technology, engineering and financial strength, ever increasing since the end of WWII to make ourselves energy independent with sustainable, regenerative, clean green energy.
FDR supported a tidal hydro power plant near Eastport, ME that would have contributed significant power to northern Maine. Congress refused to fund it.
In the 1970s with the Saudi oil embargo, Federal & state energy councils, HUD, conservation departments, architects and engineers published energy conservation, passive and active solar energy design solutions. Some of these ideas dated back to WWII when petroleum was not always guaranteed in unlimited quantities for domestic or military needs.
The fossil fuel industry managed to promote plenty of cheap fossil fuels to discourage these conservation and green energy solutions. Automotive companies had quickly designed and produced 50+ mpg cars that were popular c for a few years and then were gone. Unavailable for consumers.
Every rural farmer, homeowner and small business could be generating their own energy, effectively off the grid or with some grid support. We have the total systems technology from electric heat pumps, LED lighting, electric cars and appliances, and many battery operated tools. Many islanders in Maine are fully electrified. We have had solar on our islands for ten years, only turning on a gasoline generator to run larger construction tools. The quiet is only interrupted by 1,000 hp diesel powered lobster boats that have potential to be replaced by hybrid electric & hydrogen powered engines. Toyota is testing hydrogen tractor trailer trucks. We are way behind though in implementing what we are capable of.
And as a farmer - you could be producing biogas - for cooking, if not running engines. An example www.homebiogas.com. (we have one). Saves a lot of hydrocarbon fuel.
Hugh, how interesting! I've never seen anything like this.
And….we are capable. 2+ years remain in Pres Biden’s administration. I like our odds.
Salud, David. 🗽
David Souers, thank you. YES! “We are way behind though in implementing what we are capable of.” It’s more than critical. It’s about survival.
I’m wondering why geothermal is not mentioned more often. George W. . Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas runs its HVAC off geothermal
I also have geo thermal. It’s fantastic and has paid for itself.
Your comment is so informative, David. Thank you!
Absolutely!!!
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!!
1. So here's the latest re USPS' efforts to electrify. 40% of e-vehicles will now be purchased, up from 10%. According to Common Dreams, this is a direct result of all of us putting pressure on the No Joy postmaster. For the past couple of years, I had been hand-writing "Save the USPS!" on all my mail. When I heard that the USPS was "saved," I edited my message to say "Electrify the USPS!" I think this is helping!
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/07/20/public-pressure-works-postal-service-boost-electric-vehicle-purchases-after-backlash?utm_source=daily_newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter
2. Merrick Garland Speaks! (3 minutes) https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1549858277458006016?s=20&t=aDcYbqibNaE-kJY0cDOsVg
3. Senator Mark Warner of VA is Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence. He's a cyber security guy, and IMO he's really good at it. I will post the article for you to read for yourselves, but here are some take-aways that I think warrant our nation's attention.
"On the 'security conditions around the website TikTok,' Sen. Warner said this is somewhat of an 'I told you so' situation, that TikTok is 'a company that is controlled by a Chinese parent,' and that 'these Chinese tech companies…by Chinese law are required to share their…data with the Communist Party.' Sen. Warner called this a 'huge national security threat.' Sen. Warner added that he personally would not any of his devices, given that the data could end up with the Chinese Communist Party.
On possibly cutting back on import tariffs against China, Sen. Warner said he’s open to that, but that he also thinks 'our biggest long-term economic, strategic and technology challenge in the 21st century is China' under the Communist Party. He added that 'we should not long term be reliant on particularly Chinese products, oftentimes for example rare-earth minerals, we all want to move to electric vehicles, where China controls most of the materials…that go into an electric battery, that is a long-term bad solution for America…We need to secure a domestic , or at least a domestic combined with our allies, supply chain.' Sen. Warner also stressed the importance of passing the CHIPS Act."
https://www.csis.org/blogs/perspectives-innovation/chips-america-act-why-it-necessary-and-what-it-does
This article from Blue Virginia News (a left-leaning website) covers the above with an accompanying 47-minute video of Senator Warner's remarks and Q&A:
https://bluevirginia.us/2022/07/video-sen-mark-warner-comments-on-tragedy-thats-taken-place-down-in-buchanan-county-i-told-you-so-regarding-tiktok-freedom-to-travel-act-inflation-etc?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Way to go for the future, so tired of our one step forward and ten steps backward.
Now, Jeri, you know what Poor People's Campaign mantra is....Forward Together, Not One Step Back!
Morning 🙋🏽Lynell.
1. 📧⚡️✔️
2. 🧓🏼⚖️✔️
3. 📲👎🏽🇨🇳✔️
Great links. Unita! 🗽
🙋🏽♀️🌞 Morning, Christine!
But, DeJoy is still there! Why? This is a small example of the "not hardball" play that demoralizes voters. That % should be nearly 100. Plus, what fresh hell will he bring to the November elections. We can't be happy with a little better, I think.
His ass needs to be GONE, and indicted.
My take is because the USPS is headed by a Board of Governors who are the only ones who can fire DeJoy. Biden does not have that power. Without doing in-depth research into this, it's my memory that Biden was able to appoint the open seats of the nine-member board who have that power. Don't remember whether he is able to fire the Republicans who remain on the board. And don't know why the board hasn't fired DeJoy.
This is excellent information Lynell. Thank You. From now on I write "Electrify the USPS! on my mail"
Yay, Barbara!
Fabulous! You are an inspiration. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Lots of great links, Lynell. I’ll just comment briefly on the CHIPS Act. While I fully support the building of microchips in the US, I also firmly believe that Bernie’s amendment is necessary, prohibiting subsidized companies from using the “funds to buy back their own stock, offshore U.S. jobs, or crack down on unionization efforts.” I don’t trust corporate handouts without strings. It has to end.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/07/20/sanders-files-amendment-limit-76-billion-corporate-welfare-microchip-industry
Agree 100%, Linda. Thanks for this link. I missed it somehow.
Lynell Thank you for 1, 2, 3 and all the rest! I enjoyed watching the short clip of AG Garland getting fired up. “No one is above the law” right on💙
Morning, Lynell! Lots of good information here!
Hold that thought, Ally. I'm late to your party so will "Morning" you tomorrow!
Morning, Ally!!
A very good letter Heather. As a Census team leader for the 2010 Census, I was gob-smacked when I heard about Trump's attempt to insert a citizenship question into the 2020 Census. In the Census training, it was explained to us we were to count persons: which could include au pairs living in homes, students in off-campus housing, migrant farm workers, and simple visitors who were at a domicile on "Census Day". The information gathered concerns the persons present at a given address on Census Day. In the 2020 Census, Census Day was April 1st. Keeping that in mind, Census workers must work very fast to get the count done. Computers are doing more of the canvasing today, and that trend will certainly continue in the years ahead. If a citizenship question had to be asked, citizenship documents would have to be checked for every person in a household to verify the information, and most ordinary citizens would be hard pressed to show documents proving citizenship status. It would not be permitted to just selectively ask the citizenship question to non-white people. A birth certificate might prove where and when a person was born in the United States, but it would not prove the status of citizen had been continuous. In fact, our 'transactional President' just wanted to scare people away who might have irrational fears about participating in the count. In the field, we had to talk fast often to get people to participate; we had to explain that only the Census Bureau had the right to connect household data with anyone's name. The police were not allowed access to that information either. The canvasser cannot say anything to the police except if she was witness to the commission of a crime in progress. If the canvasser stumbled on an illegal pot growing operation, he was not allowed to report it to law enforcement. We would go so far as to tell reluctant persons that we did not have the right to deny anyone the right to be counted in the Census. Census workers, for their own safety, had to win the confidence of people to get valid information; we had to bend over backward to explain that the applicable law governing the Census since forever did not allow us to spy on people. In the rural community where I worked, there was often open hostility to us because we "worked for the government"; we were given a document with the exact text of the US Constitution that required a decennial census. Trump and his shill Stephen Miller did not care how much damage they were doing to the enormous effort taken every ten years to get reliable data on the US population for planning and districting purposes. Instead of doing the governing work, the "King of Corruption" Tweeted, played golf, had his hair done up, campaigned, and commuted most weekends to Mara Lago with the full contingent of Secret Service in tow, all on the taxpayer's dime. We got what we paid for, a Jerk with a facial suntan and an attitude.
trumps M.O. is not to make hard policy, only to signal. The signal serves the purpose he wants. “Saying there is going to be a citizenship question.” Does not mean there WILL BE a citizenship question. But the fear and suppression of cooperation was achieved all the same. Asking Zelensky just to “Say” they were looking into Hunter Biden & Burisma was all trump needed. Have the DOJ just “Say” they were looking into the question of fraudulent voting in the 2020 election “And let me and the republicans do the rest” was the real objective. Inject distrust. It’s like the Coronavirus of Politics.
Forgive me as I've been binge watching the Godfather movies. To your point Michelle about Trumps MO made me think about a key difference between Dem and Repub thinking, where the later is strategic and the former is goal fixated. In GF2 Micheal Corleone discovers his brother Freddo betrayed the family. He tells his buttonman, I don't want a hair on Freddo's head hurt as long as our mother is alive. Protect him at all costs. At the funeral Michael agrees to meet with Freddo, who confesses, and Don Corleone gives him his kiss of forgiveness. Freddo dies, with never another word said. So, if we were to be strategic in these times of Manchin (goal, get his vote), perhaps we should not focus on his vote, but be strategic in conviencing some one or two Republicans to not vote or take some time off from the Senate or resign under pressure. Surely, there are at least one or two who might be enduced to so consider. 🤷 Think like the Don. Offer them the fishes, just as something to consider? Just kidding.
And we still are getting what we did NOT vote for. Enough already. Make them irrelevant.
I did not know all this about how the nitty gritty door to door works with the Census. Thanks for your work.
I have a dear friend who has worked on every census since 1990. She said that 2020 was "weird" in so many ways.
Biden stopped short of formally declaring a climate emergency, which would grant him further powers.
'Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. were joined by seven Democratic legislators in an effort to urge Biden on Wednesday to immediately decare a climate emergency to unlock the powers of the National Emergency Act (NEA) and pursue regulatory and administrative actions to curb emissions.'
“Declaring the climate crisis a national emergency under the NEA would unlock powers to rebuild a better economy with significant, concrete actions,” the senators wrote in the letter. “Under the NEA, you could redirect spending to build out renewable energy systems on military bases, implement large-scale clean transportation solutions and finance distributed energy projects to boost climate resiliency.”
'Biden has vowed to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% by the end of the decade and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. But without major climate legislation, the country is on track to miss the president’s target, according to an analysis by the independent research firm Rhodium Group.'
“A historic climate-emergency declaration is exactly what we need from Biden to match the scale and urgency of this crisis,” said Jean Su, Energy Justice program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “By unlocking crucial climate powers, Biden can put Manchin’s gaslighting behind us and get busy getting us off fossil fuels and building the renewable-energy powerhouse we desperately need.” (cnbc) See link below
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/20/biden-announces-new-climate-change-programs-no-emergency-declaration.html
Do it Joe, dot every i and cross every t. It is a battle we must win
But we as a culture are obsessed with GROWTH. It is deeply embedded in our psyches - from long long ago. "Be fruitful and multiply". Unfortunately, our culture will resist to the utmost any obstruction to growth, and that will be a major problem - Joe's Diner will want to open another store in the next suburb.. that's also growth.How do you stop that?
Maybe by redefining what “Growth” means. If you only factor in GDP, “Growth” is defined in a particular way that masks the horrible extra “Costs” of something. Drilling for more fossil fuel may temporarily make the price at the pump cheaper. But if you create a mechanism to measure total costs like environmental clean up, health problem costs, disaster clean up, etc. Then the “Growth” seems not like “Growth at all, but a huge waste of money. This reorients our thinking. This is controlling the narrative.
Degrowth is the answer: https://degrowth.info/en
You are not going to make money by growth if our environment does not survive, because we will not survive.
There was an interesting article in the NYT Magazine on Sunday with economist Herman Daly on steady-state (no growth) economy. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/07/18/magazine/herman-daly-interview.html
Great read; thanks for the link!
Biden, for all the good he has done, remains overly deliberative and cautious. This has been his MO throughout his career. And while these are qualities in less tumultuous times and have no doubt served him well, the planet — and humanity — face an existential crisis from climate change. And Republicans and an energy tycoon masquerading as a Democratic senator could care a whit.
Please, Joe, more boldness. It's a war for survival.
Merkley is one of my senators. He is there where he needs to be.
I am keeping my eye on the story involving Tony Oronato and Pence on January 6. I have a really bad feeling about him, as a political appointee of the treasonous 45. I hope Biden is doing a big house cleaning of the Secret Services.
Hate to be a contrarian here, but how does making GAS more affordable by releasing reserves and other such silly actions work with the reduction of fossil-fuels and a 'greener' future agenda? I appreciate the short-term political gain, but it seems like double-speak. I understand the regressiveness of lack of cheap gas for those that have to drive to get to work, I do, but if we are serious about this stuff, consider the petroleum we watch go out tail-pipes in NASCAR and other 'motor' sports and the jetting-about that every professional team or individual is responsible for carting their cars or asses all over to 'compete' in sports. Nevermind the gas used to bring a trinket from China to your door via amazon-prime 'free'. And then there is ethanol (i understand the benefit calcs so don't @ me) which made sense only when and if gas is cheap... and then there are the subsidies to the energy producers... Can SOMEONE explain to me why taxpayers continue to subsidize this industry?! Hey, Joe, that is an easy bird to pick off the wire (and if not the POTUS then where is the leadership in the Congress to eliminate it?) but if you focus on the country converting to alternatives you will be met with anger, apathy and/or a lot of laughter. Oh, and: no chance in 2024. Im not suggesting any easy way out or in for Democrats, but the message as is currently being sent is confusing and doesn't do shit to the contra of "burn baby burn." When you are losing the public to the likes of BoBo you really need to re-evaluate your message and get better advisors. On the current tack, the mid-terms are in the hands of the GOP. Get a clue get a message and get it fast.
Couldn’t agree more. We follow the siren’s song at our peril. Messaging for those with ears, so many are deliberately deaf.
Convenience is killing the planet. Gasoline is cheaper in America than most countries I know of, but complaints about high gas prices are drowning out the truly important problems facing the world.
And the country. I have friends who believe with all their stony hearts that high gas prices are both the President's fault AND worse than the assault on the Capitol.
There are none so blind as those who will not see!
I couldn't agree more. Well put. We can't be satisfied with mincing steps.
Fascist Trump, fascist Wilbur Ross, corrupt Goldman Sachs arbitrage, coward Pence, fascist state, fascist population rising, Robert Swan Muller ignored, Wilbur Ross, the USPS, the Secret Service, txt message caper, capitol cops committing suicide, January Six and DOJ.. AG Garland .. Trump will be charged, convicted and jailed. ... and Secret Service top down... will be charged by Chair Benny Thompson ... they said Never Again... examples everywhere, let’s roll America. It’s now or never Adam Schiff... Senators Manchin and Sanders are opposing symptoms... it’s all in plain view. Civil War II threatens... Jews will not replace us .. the signs are everywhere.. a Republic If You Can Keep Itg. Can We? Can We?
"Monday, the secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, warned world leaders gathered at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, where they are gathered to advance multilateral climate negotiations: “Half of humanity is in the danger zone from floods, droughts, extreme storms and wildfires. No nation is immune. Yet we continue to feed our fossil fuel addiction…. What troubles me most is that, in facing this global crisis, we are failing to work together as a multilateral community. Nations continue to play the blame game instead of taking responsibility for our collective future. We cannot continue this way,” he said. “We have a choice. Collective action or collective suicide. It is in our hands.”
FINALLY, some leadership. Thank you professor.
I am so grateful the Joe Biden has been our president after the destruction of the previous four years. But. On his tweet today which is a video of his speech regarding climate change, many of the replies were variations of ¨then do something¨. The fist bump with the murderer was such a huge mistake. No matter that he may be thinking of the future and need for the U.S. and other countries to depend upon oil. I've watched Instagram posts and Twitter posts of Pete Buttigieg's conversations with the spreaders of misinformation. He is a voice one listens to. He has composure. He does not let them interrupt. President Biden's posts are beginning to be puffs of air against a firestorm because too many - Republicans and Democrats - are seeing him as being ineffectual. He is all over the country and the world trying to develop plans and put out fires, but is hamstrung by the minority party. The energy for a better future rests in the hands of the Committee. Also for those brave Republicans who believed in our democracy when counting votes. We need to all begin to take action at local level governments and state level governments which the Repubs have been doing for these past years. It may be too late in many states. Joe Biden won by more than 8 million votes. This means that there are more ethical, caring Americans than those on the far right. Some here keep talking about Progressive, and many Progressives didn't vote out of spite. Now is not the time to go to extremes. Now is the time to bring as many as possible to the middle - left and right - to create a swell of voices which will save our country.
No “buts” right now. It’s not time for either-or. We are moving very rapidly into “both-and”.
Unita! 🗽
We are in a environmental crisis. Progressives have been the ones who have continued to bring this to our consciousness. They have been aware of the issues and solutions. Maybe it is time to recognize their expertise.
Progressives are not the only ¨group¨ to include the environment in a platform. Unfortunately, they are seen as too far left for all on the right and many on the middle left. Most people are not able to feel comfortable with sudden changes - even if it is for their benefit. Scientists have been warning all for decades. Bernie failed to distinguish between the socialism of Venezuela and the democratic socialism being practiced in the countries now enjoying the best quality of life. The repubs have been using the words ¨socialist¨ and ¨communist¨ since the 50s to scare Americans. It works. Before the election of 2020 I read posts by many who were afraid Biden would make our country a socialist country like Venezuela. Bernie never corrected any Republican in office who called him a socialist with a socialist agenda. Language is very important in painting pictures in people's imagination. Also Bernie never had a clear plan regarding his free education and taxation of the 1%. Most people I know are not Progressives and climate is a huge issue for them. They volunteer with local organizations. It is actually probably too late. Which doesn't mean we should not try, but 15 years ago scientists were saying that that was the moment. If things didn't change then, there would be no recovery. I believe that scientists have the expertise. They've been ignored for decades.
“Now is the time to bring as many as possible to the middle - left and right - to create a swell of voices which will save our country.” Critical!
It appears that fighting climate change, fossil fuel addictions, the GOP Senators, Manchin and authoritarian bullies like Trump & friends all go hand in hand. We found a way to ban fracking here in MD against a powerful Gas & Oil Industry who was aided by a corrupt democrat in a position to stall legislation...she no longer is a senator...Jamie Raskin was part of making the ban happen. I'm glad he is where he is right now. We need Senate seats, Manchin be damned...and to retain the House. Mid Terms are EVERYTHING.
I'm grateful to live in MD and that's something I never thought I'd say. Rep. Raskin is a national treasure
Let’s do it!
Salud, Mike. 🗽
I don't understand why red state senators and representatives who are representing prime solar industry locations like those from Arizona and Texas aren't all over the growth and expansion and jobs that are implicit in getting behind alternative energy solutions. Why not jump on board?
At their peril, apparently. Let’s make them irrelevant. Vote and “take ten” to the polls with you.
Salud! 🗽
Because Gas & Oil bought these folks...If G&O saw themselves as energy companies, instead of pump all the crap out of the ground companies, things would be different. They believe God made the earth their warehouse. It's like Kodak invented digital photography and then went out of biz because they thought they were a "film" company. Not an image company.
To those who seem to believe that moving away from fossil fuels towards more sustainable energy solutions would result in a loss of jobs, there are HUGE economic opportunities in solar and wind power and weatherizing homes and buildings. Industries change and evolve over time, and that's not a bad thing; products go through life cycles.
I think about the typewriter: as we transitioned to computers for word processing, the companies that produced typewriters closed plants and laid off workers. But look at what the computer and electronics industry has done: it's created millions of jobs. The same can happen with alternative energy.
Deep pockets in the oil industry. Only when those deep pockets see their profits in advanced technologies will they change.
I think that's it. Bought and paid for. But still...it's looking in the rear view mirror, not to the future.
Two thoughts:
[1] Does anyone else remember the behavior of the Secret Service in the first couple years of the Obama administration? That the racist white boyz working the presidential detail were sending racist text messages to each other and some even clearly were being dilatory about protecting the president? That it was clear that the Secret Service had a real problem with the idea of protecting a Black man from being assassinated? If folks think that the tendencies of the Secret Service toward white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, and autocracy are of recent vintage, I think you should reconsider that notion.
[2] I listened to all the rhetoric around Biden's speech in Massachusetts that came out of the White House both before and after his visit and it was clear that any "executive" orders short of declaring a climate emergency are utterly toothless. Moreover, the administration rep, Gina McCarthy, interviewed yesterday morning on NPR did not help him because she clearly decided to stick to a script that had nothing to do with the questions--good questions, I might add--being asked by Rachel Martin.
Do I blame the Rethuglicans every damn day for their despicable policies and fascistic tendencies? Yes, of course I do. But what has changed in 40 years among the Ghastly Oligarchs? Almost nothing. And yet Dems persist in thinking they can use the same old tired anemic strategies and get a different result. So the juggernaut can plow right over them. I think Biden is doing a good job with what he's got to work with, and with his own limitations in the sense of his persistence in fantasizing about some kind of bipartisanship that never existed in the first place (especially when the Ghastly Ones controlled Congress). But I am really tired of the Dems wringing their collective hands and saying woe is me every time the press highlights that the Fascists have a much more united front.
Linda, this is the frustration I hear from our adult children and their friends. While they'll vote, and vote for Biden if he is the candidate, they are seeking new ideas and candidates that will shift the conversation and our nation to address their existential concerns.
Not to put too fine a point on it: the boomer generation must "yield back" and permit the next generations to take the ball and run with it. Obama is technically a boomer himself, so we have had control of the executive branch since 1992 (I find it interesting that the guy elected in '92 and the guy elected in '16 were born in the same year, but I digress). Let the next generations take over. Bring us into the 21st Century.
That's precisely what we're hearing around our political dinner table....
❤️
Well, Nancy, I am 65 years old and this has been a frustration of mine since forever! I'm with your kids and their friends. And I also hope they all vote--because that is the thing missing, alas, from the equation all too often. People seek perfection, which is the enemy of the good.
Same here, Linda!
A thought on your thought [1]...... "presidential detail were sending racist text messages to each other..." Why do we know about those text messages but not the more recent ones? 🤔
Linda, champion comment of the week. I totally agree.