Chit-Chat: The Feels

[PRgal]

20 minutes ago, tessaray said:

Maybe your friends or co-workers can recommend their favorite places? And it doesn't have to be dinner... lunch or afternoon snacks might be good baby steps. 

In my area, libraries usually have regular story times and kid lit is pretty diverse. No guarantees, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out. 

Lunch is the problem.  We can’t get anywhere that isn’t easily assessable by public transit.  Our nearest library is small and not that diverse.  Work-wise, I work for family/WFH.  For diversity, I’d be looking at various Caribbean and African cuisines as well as Latin American and Indigenous (this would be the most challenging).  We can access most Asian and European ones easily.  

Edited June 9 by PRgal

[StatisticalOutlier]

4 hours ago, ProudMary said:

We'll have to agree to disagree on this.

Actually, we don't disagree.  I was being sarcastic.

What bugs me is that "we" decry people who believe what Fox News tells them, but don't do any better than them when it comes to verifying information before believing it, never mind before spreading it.  

Upthread, there were quotes from Thomas Friedman about the lack of second order thinking, how everything is a riff these days.  And it's what drives a lot of us crazy about how Trump is running things.  

But how is that different from how the tech companies move fast and break things?  Just do it, and fix it if it turns out to be a bad idea.  

And yet we're no better if we start whipping around misinformation that's no more confirmed than what Fox News dispenses.  It's like there's a race to get information out there (move fast) regardless of whether it's actually true (break things). 

My main question is, Why?  Why do people choose misinformation in 15 minutes over facts in an hour?  Is this just human nature that we were never able to indulge before the internet?

 

 

Edited June 10 by StatisticalOutlier

[ECM1231]

 

NIH scientists publish declaration criticizing Trump’s deep cuts in public health research.

https://apnews.com/article/nih-letter-bethesda-declaration-bhattacharya-89724aee201f3e99fc1159adcbf9ac94?user_email=9cbfcccdba79d9b14db9f7b4f82d2e70222f52555e534ff77d915fc9579f06d8&utm_medium=Afternoon_Wire&utm_source=Sailthru_AP&utm_campaign=AfternoonWire_June9_2025&utm_term=Afternoon Wire

Quote

On Monday, scores of scientists at the agency sent their Trump-appointed leader a letter titled the Bethesda Declaration, challenging “policies that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.”

It says: “We dissent.”

In a capital where insiders often insist on anonymity to say such things publicly, 92 NIH researchers, program directors, branch chiefs and scientific review officers put their signatures on the letter — and their careers on the line. An additional 250 of their colleagues across the agency endorsed the declaration without using their names.

 

Edited June 9 by ECM1231

[Bastet]

I don't really share her optimism, but according to someone who follows her closely, this hope for Americans seeing the light is at a recent new level for historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat (author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, about what modern authoritarian leaders have in common and how they can be stopped); yesterday, she posted via Substack What Trump and Hegseth Really Fear:
 

Quote

By now you have heard that President Trump has taken the exceptional step of deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles, on the grounds that any act of protest or violence directed at officials constitutes “a form of rebellion.”

As legal scholar Steve Vladeck writes, the federalization of 2000 California National Guard members to support Department of Homeland Security operations — including the ICE raids that have led people all over the country to turn out in support of those targeted—does not mean the Insurrection Act has been invoked. Those 2000 troops can only provide “force protection” and logistical support for ICE personnel. Anything more would be a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.

However, there is no question that Trump is accelerating the creation of a police state in America. To justify the escalation, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is parroting propaganda that is straight out of the authoritarian playbook in its creation of a fake emergency.

Hegseth’s X post from yesterday bears analysis. Note his internalization of Trump’s messaging style, where slogans are capitalized (Criminal Illegal Aliens) so that the public is conditioned to see all undocumented immigrants as criminals. Note, too, the classic authoritarian attempt to deliver a one-two psychological punch by evoking an enemy within (“Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil”) and an enemy without (“Foreign Terrorist Organizations”) which together are a “NATIONAL SECURITY RISK.”

And —the punchline—both of these enemies, and the “dangerous invasion,” are aided by a third party: the protesters who become “a violent mob” for peacefully (in almost all cases) contesting ICE. Thus it is “COMMON SENSE” to threaten the American public that “active duty Marines” will be mobilized against them next.

As I show in Strongmen, conjuring a “dangerous invasion” to justify states of exception and crackdowns that involve state security forces is one of the oldest authoritarian tricks. In Chile, the military dictatorship justified the mass repression that followed the 1973 coup by claiming they were defending the state against “foreign agitators” and “extremists” who had come over the border illegally.

This line (and lie) became a staple of the regime’s domestic propaganda and was repeated by Foreign Affairs Minister Ismael Huerta when he spoke to the UN General Assembly a month after the coup. No matter that the vast majority of those targeted were Chileans: the specter of foreign criminals flooding into the country proved useful to Augusto Pinochet, as it does now to Trump and his collaborators.

The real problem, for the Trump regime in the making, is that Americans are turning out in large numbers to defend the vulnerable by exercising their right to free assembly and protest.

Authoritarianism depends on breaking the horizontal bonds of solidarity and empathy that lead people to risk their safety to protest injustices against others. The massive and exaggerated deployment of state security personnel and the display of arms and uniforms is designed to frighten people into hiding. There is nothing stronger than solidarity shown publicly, which is why the state responds with outsized threat and violent acts.

Weak authoritarians fear empathy, a sense of justice and morality, love for others, and collective action. All they have is force and lies. They may feel immensely empowered right now, but those protesting them are on the right side of history. A reckoning will come for the aggressors as more Americans open their eyes to the criminal nature of this administration.

 

[tessaray]

11 minutes ago, PRgal said:

For diversity, I’d be looking at various Caribbean and African cuisines as well as Latin American and Indigenous (this would be the most challenging).

Sounds like you have the beginnings of a plan. At least you'll be ready to take advantage of any opportunities that come around. 

[tres bien]

8 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

This is what I want Trump voters to explain.  If you (Trump voters) don't agree with everything he is doing what is it exactly you do agree with?  I voted for Clinton, Obama and Biden. And I can tell you exactly things I didn't agree with. With Clinton it was NAFTA.  With Obama I thought he should have fought for the public option for the ACA and with Biden I think he should have taken a harder stance against Israel. And they all things I did agree with. But if any of them had done just a fraction of what Trump has done I would have disavowed them.

I agree although I think that President Biden did the best he could regarding Israel given that Bibi’s BFF hasn’t got any influence over him either 

My biggest disappointment with Biden is that he appointed Garland AG

He should have had Trump arrested on day one. He should have been jailed 

[ProudMary]

6 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Actually, we don't disagree.  I was being sarcastic.

What bugs me is that "we" decry people who believe what Fox News tells them, but don't do any better then them when it comes to verifying information before believing it, never mind before spreading it.  

Upthread, there were quotes from Thomas Friedman about the lack of second order thinking, how everything is a riff these days.  And it's what drives a lot of us crazy about how Trump is running things.  

But how is that different from how the tech companies move fast and break things?  Just do it, and fix it if it turns out to be a bad idea.  

And yet we're no better if we start whipping around misinformation that's no more confirmed than what Fox News dispenses.  It's like there's a race to get information out there (move fast) regardless of whether it's actually true (break things). 

My main question is, Why?  Why do people choose misinformation in 15 minutes over facts in an hour?  Is this just human nature that we were never able to indulge before the internet?

I'm sorry I misread your sarcasm. It's hard to tell online. I'm very glad we are like-minded here! I like to use this emoji when I'm being sarcastic. 😏

Back to misinformation. I completely agree with you on the paragraph I bolded from your quote.

Yes, the right jumps on misinformation very quickly, but people on the left can, too. The Wyatt Russell misidentification is a good example. The video appeared on many accounts (originally on TikTok) with none of them identifying the man in the video. ALL the "It's Wyatt Russell" stuff were replies from random people. I knew it wasn't him and was surprised at how many people jumped on the bandwagon.

In the RS article I linked, they noted that the video had been picked up by Occupy Democrats and they actually identified the guy as Wyatt Russell. 🤦‍♀️ A lot of people on the left love Occupy Democrats and think of them as a credible source, when in reality, it's left-wing propaganda! There's usually a base of truth in the item, but then they twist it to present it to the liberal audience in a more appetizing manner.

My search for quality sources for truthful information went into high gear in the days after 9/11. Information was flying at us from all over. What was happening? What was real? Living in the NYC media market, I was mostly relying on local NYC news, but I do remember watching CNN after several days had passed and the locals dropped 24/7 news went back to their regular programming schedule. 

This was the first time I recall CNN having the continual headline scroll at the bottom of the screen. I don't know if others remember this, but in a very short period of time, CNN had to issue five or six retractions to stories they had "broken" erroneously. The big three networks had waited for proper source verification and got the stories right. Three weeks after 9/11, I stopped watching ALL televised news because I had been so nauseous from constant coverage that I couldn't eat. But I NEVER went back to watching CNN. They'd lost me.

That also led me to value local journalism over national. I was getting a lot more of my news online by that time and when a story would break on national news that was based in say, Miami, I'd pull up the Miami Herald and read their coverage. Same for other cities in the US and internationally.

Of course, it's gotten more difficult to do that now as most major local newspapers are paywalled. What's most galling is that right-wing sites are free and Fox News is basic cable. 😡

TL,DR:  Much of America needs a course in media literacy, right and left. Misinformation abounds.

 

[peacheslatour]

[Annber03]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I sympathize with your point but I don't agree with feeling that it's OK not to be kind to someone for their opinions. Not to equate the two but people have killed with that mentality. And ideally we don't do our own cause any good being unkind to people for their opinions. It will only further divide us and alienate them. I just make my good points and hope it might help. If not, at least I did my part. I generally try to live up to the Golden Rule about this stuff. You know, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". It's been widely associated with Christianity but it also has counterparts in other faiths and traditions, including the ancient Greeks.

Different pinions are one thing. I can deal with that. Continuing to post blatant misinformation despite being told repeatedly that what they're saying is not true, and continuing to support and defend people who tried to violently overthrow a democratic election and who are actively trying to push a police state with the events in Los Angeles, and who continue to care more about punishing immigrants becuase they listened to a bunch of fearmongering nonsense and so forth...I can't respect that. I just can't. And I don't think people should have to be polite about that. 

And I say all that despite trying to remain as polite as possible in my comments. But I think it's perfectly valid to get frustrated and angry when people continue to do all of the above and are okay with all this insanity going on right now and don't seem to care about the suffering and pain the rest of us are going through because of this administration and its policies. Or at least, it doesn't bother them enough to stop constantly defending Trump and his administration at every turn, no matter what. 

[peacheslatour]

I think it would be great if the people of L.A. started bringing bottled water and snacks to the military folk there. It would diffuse some of the tension and make more of a liar out of Donald than he already is.

[Dimity]

40 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

My search for quality sources for truthful information went into high gear in the days after 9/11. Information was flying at us from all over.

This was when I discovered Snopes.  It became my go to  thanks to all the ridiculous ULs that were out there at the time.

[shapeshifter]

8 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I think it would be great if the people of L.A. started bringing bottled water and snacks to the military folk there. It would diffuse some of the tension and make more of a liar out of Donald than he already is.

I was picturing flowers in baionnettes like at Kent State, but…

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, shapeshifter said:

I was picturing flowers in baionnettes like at Kent State, but…

For some reason Neil Young's "Four Dead in Ohio" has been on my mind today.  I can't help thinking that Trump wants deaths in LA and he won't stop pushing until it happens.

[Kemper]

8 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I was picturing flowers in baionnettes like at Kent State, but…

We remember it well.

[ProudMary]

6 minutes ago, Dimity said:

For some reason Neil Young's "Four Dead in Ohio" has been on my mind today.  I can't help thinking that Trump wants deaths in LA and he won't stop pushing until it happens.

I've been thinking about Kent State a lot, too but mostly I'm thinking of Andor S02,E08 and wondering where Ghorman, USA will be. And it's terrifying.

[bluegirl147]

10 minutes ago, Dimity said:

For some reason Neil Young's "Four Dead in Ohio" has been on my mind today.  I can't help thinking that Trump wants deaths in LA and he won't stop pushing until it happens.

He 100% wants protesters shot.  He thinks it will make him look tough.

4 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

I've been thinking about Kent State a lot

I was too young to know about Kent State when it happened so last year I read a book about it.  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised so many people thought the victims deserved it.  If the worst does happen in LA I wonder how many people will think they deserved it. 

[kittykat]

32 minutes ago, Dimity said:

For some reason Neil Young's "Four Dead in Ohio" has been on my mind today.  I can't help thinking that Trump wants deaths in LA and he won't stop pushing until it happens.

Rage Against the Machine released an album in 1999 called The Battle of Los Angeles. They've always been political but that album is suddenly very relevant.

[Bastet]

22 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

He 100% wants protesters shot.  He thinks it will make him look tough.

He also wants law enforcement/military to provoke protestors into using lethal violence against them in retaliation, giving him an excuse to formally invoke the Insurrection Act.

[ProudMary]

I bet no one in the Oval will share this with the Toddler-in-Chief. There'll be ketchup on the walls again. 🥫

Pope Leo XIV sells out US event clashing with parade on Trump’s birthday

https://stitchsnitches.com/pope-leo-xiv-sells-out-us-event-clashing-with-parade-on-trumps-birthday/

[Browncoat]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

‘Well, could Gov. Newsom or Mayor Bass be arrested?'” Homan continued. “I said, ‘Well, no one’s above the law. If they cross the line and commit a crime, absolutely, they can.

Somehow, that "no one's above the law" just isn't ringing true to me at the minute.

[Anela]

9 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Somehow, that "no one's above the law" just isn't ringing true to me at the minute.

MAGA keeps bringing that up as a joke now. They were laughing at the judge being arrested, claiming she obstructed ICE. 

[graybrown bird]

11 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Somehow, that "no one's above the law" just isn't ringing true to me at the minute.

Irony of ironies.

[tres bien]

Don’t want this to fall through the cracks 

Today Jr fired the 17 members of the CDC vaccine advisory panel 

The panel advises the CDC on the safety, efficacy and clinical needs of vaccines 

He’s going to replace them with his own people 

Like Joni Ernst said we’re all going to die 

Edited June 10 by tres bien

[fastiller]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

I was picturing flowers in baionnettes like at Kent State, but…

If you're referring to this event, it was from DC, in '67, during the March on the Pentagon.

 

[graybrown bird]

1 hour ago, tres bien said:

Don’t want this to fall through the cracks 

Today Jr fired the 17 members of the CDC vaccine advisory panel 

The panel advises the CDC on the safety, efficacy and clinical needs of vaccines 

He’s going to replace them with his own people 

Like Joni Ernst said we’re all going to die 

NY Times article (shared):  Kennedy Removes All CDC Vaccine Panel Experts https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/health/rfk-jr-cdc-vaccine-panel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.N08._ZRe.F1mZGzEgYXZg&smid=url-share

[annzeepark914]

39 minutes ago, graybrown bird said:

NY Times article (shared):  Kennedy Removes All CDC Vaccine Panel Experts https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/health/rfk-jr-cdc-vaccine-panel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.N08._ZRe.F1mZGzEgYXZg&smid=url-share

Well...have no fear. That great physician from Louisiana, Sen. Cassidy, said he'll continue to talk with RFK Junyah as a new committee is formed. Bill Cassidy is just Susan Collins in a dark suit with a drawl. 

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, kittykat said:

Rage Against the Machine released an album in 1999 called The Battle of Los Angeles. They've always been political but that album is suddenly very relevant.

I keep hearing What's Going On by Marvin Gaye.

Father, father

We don't need to escalate

You see, war is not the answer

For only love can conquer hate

[Salacious Kitty]

[ProudMary]

I do wonder what morale is like among these now-federalized California National Guard troops. They would have been pulled from their regular jobs and taken from their families. To do what? At this point, nothing. Upcoming, to illegally point their weapons at fellow Californians and perhaps use them? Absent Trump's invocation of the Insurrection Act, all they can do legally are logistical tasks. Are they thinking about what they're going to do in that moment when they're given an illegal order to shoot other Americans?

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Different pinions are one thing. I can deal with that. Continuing to post blatant misinformation despite being told repeatedly that what they're saying is not true, and continuing to support and defend people who tried to violently overthrow a democratic election and who are actively trying to push a police state with the events in Los Angeles, and who continue to care more about punishing immigrants becuase they listened to a bunch of fearmongering nonsense and so forth...I can't respect that. I just can't. And I don't think people should have to be polite about that. 

And I say all that despite trying to remain as polite as possible in my comments. But I think it's perfectly valid to get frustrated and angry when people continue to do all of the above and are okay with all this insanity going on right now and don't seem to care about the suffering and pain the rest of us are going through because of this administration and its policies. Or at least, it doesn't bother them enough to stop constantly defending Trump and his administration at every turn, no matter what. 

Every time we allow ourselves to get snotty and nasty with people we don't agree with, we let the people that want to divide Americans for their own gain win. Feeling angry and frustrated is fine and IMO appropriate, but taking it out on the people that you don't agree with in ways that insult and disrespect them is in my opinion not constructive either, and also a little bit hypocritical. If we want them to care about other people we have to care about THEM. We complain about how nasty the "other side" is but then how do we think about THEM? And I don't care how nasty they are, as my mother used to say to me, "You have to be above their level". As soon as you lower yourself into hate and vilify people, the situation devolves and we ALL lose.

I think we all need to step back and stop hating and disrespecting people for their opinions and who they support. This situation has escalated to a dangerous point. And it's not going to get any better if we demonize each other and don't think we need to understand what each other feels and wants before jumping to conclusions about them.

Not all Trump supporters are hateful racists that want to take down "the libs". Some of them are good people who have just been taken in by a charlatan and brainwashed by "fake news". They aren't evil and don't realize how we see what they're supporting. They may honestly think the cuts are only going to trim the fat and not hurt anyone who legitimately needs help. It's not that their hearts are that hard or that they are out to screw over people. Sure, some of them are those things, but I can't say I disrespect anyone who voted for Trump on that basis alone. I'm just saying that a little understanding may go a long way. Understanding and even sympathizing with people and their issues doesn't mean you are agreeing with them. You can take a stand against what they believe in without cutting them down as people. And isn't that really what you'd want them to do for you?

[Lantern7]

11 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

He is Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn.

Hell of a thing to get cussed out not by Captain America, but by the WORST Captain America.

I know, that was by design. I didn't see the Falcon/Winter Soldier series, so I don't know how John Walker wound up looking like the old man from Up in the Cap uniform.

I gotta remember there will be a protest near me. I'm thinking parking will be a nightmare, though.

[shapeshifter]

11 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

…who have just been taken in by a charlatan and brainwashed…and…may honestly think the cuts are only going to trim the fat and not hurt anyone who legitimately needs help

…or themselves.

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

…or themselves.

That's really the only time they seem to care, isn't it?

[tearknee]

On 6/8/2025 at 1:39 PM, tearknee said:

Tank you for listening to the telecast

sarcastic humor = not visible in text

[tres bien]

7 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I keep hearing What's Going On by Marvin Gaye.

Father, father

We don't need to escalate

You see, war is not the answer

For only love can conquer hate

Or a little edgier 

Uprising (Muse 2009)

[Affogato]

5 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Hell of a thing to get cussed out not by Captain America, but by the WORST Captain America.

I know, that was by design. I didn't see the Falcon/Winter Soldier series, so I don't know how John Walker wound up looking like the old man from Up in the Cap uniform.

I gotta remember there will be a protest near me. I'm thinking parking will be a nightmare, though.

Kurt’s a libertarian and pro gun activist for what it is worth. I don’t know anything about Wyatt’s politics. I think many of Carpenters leads were people he could have a lively discussion with about their political views. They all get along, though. Maybe an example for all of us. 

Edited June 10 by Affogato

[PRgal]

School shooting in Austria

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/world/europe/austria-school-shooting.html?unlocked_article_code=1.N08.LVgy.N7BDOmF8rQ9y&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
 

this is really unusual in Europe. 

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

That's really the only time they seem to care, isn't it?

Do they? Many of them seem to be willing to endure anything for their leader. They believe the myth that he has the solution to their problems. Not all of them are motivated to "screw over the libs.". They may actually buy the BS that enduring a little hardship now will result in a payoff later. 

[bluegirl147]

1 hour ago, Affogato said:

So, willfull ignorance will be their excuse to St Peter. At a time when so much information is available, is that an excuse? 

No.  They are choosing to only expose themselves to what is essentially propaganda.  And when they are confronted with anything that counters that propaganda they instantly dismiss it as lies.

30 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

They believe the myth that he has the solution to their problems. Not all of them are motivated to "screw over the libs.". They may actually buy the BS that enduring a little hardship now will result in a payoff later. 

But the thing is they don't seem to have that line in the sand.  Will there be anything that will make them wake up?  

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think we all need to step back and stop hating and disrespecting people for their opinions and who they support

Before Trump I probably would have agreed with you. I mean I thought Bush supporters were dumb but I didn't hate them. But Trump changed things.  With all the evidence that what is happening would in fact happen people still voted for him a third time.  The man damn near succeeded in causing an insurrection when he lost in 2020. He promised to be a dictator if only for one day.  And  he is now destroying not only our democracy but our country.  And he has lost no support among his base. They not only support what he is doing but cheering him on.

 

[DrSpaceman73]

12 hours ago, tres bien said:

Don’t want this to fall through the cracks 

Today Jr fired the 17 members of the CDC vaccine advisory panel 

The panel advises the CDC on the safety, efficacy and clinical needs of vaccines 

He’s going to replace them with his own people 

Like Joni Ernst said we’re all going to die 

And rfk jr flat out lied to Bill Cassidy, a doctor, to obtain his approval and the nomination. Without his vote he never makes it out of committee for a floor vote. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-panel-advances-rfk-jrs-nomination-health-secretary-rcna190438?fbclid=IwY2xjawK1CN5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHs2eOoqjbWGcb0dddpYif25Xlkafg5tEyiS6DmzEl_eenk-tIYvzX1lZqZ1O_aem_pMnA2qQsJ27zI13ALial7A

 

 

10 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well...have no fear. That great physician from Louisiana, Sen. Cassidy, said he'll continue to talk with RFK Junyah as a new committee is formed. Bill Cassidy is just Susan Collins in a dark suit with a drawl. 

Cassidy is an idiot with no spine. 

[tres bien]

 Congress has the power to impeach a cabinet member 

Flashback to January 2024 the GOP House members introduced articles of impeachment for DHS Alejandro Mayorkas

Unfortunately for the American people that care about our health wellbeing and futures the Dems are powerless at this point and good God what could happen if this goes on into 2027

Maybe? You Senator Cassidy (and MD) could sound the alarm and take action instead of I made a phone call 

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think we all need to step back and stop hating and disrespecting people for their opinions and who they support

My habit is to react with what I consider to be a healthy amount of fear rather than hate.
All my life people have chided me for this fear, but it's kept me alive.
Now I'm wondering what a world would look like if only trumpsters survived.
 

This is Joan Baez from May 1 (I think?)
youtu.be/CCA9b2UPTLM

 

[tres bien]

I’m glad Governor Newsom has been out front criticizing Trump and his “administration” loudly 

From the governor yesterday: as governor Kristi Noem was condemning the Biden administration because there was some discussion in her words of a threat to freedom and state sovereignty, since there was a chance “her National Guard” might be federalized. She condemned it on Hannity’s show to which Hannity called it Biden administration incompetence 

At this moment I’m fully supporting Newsom. This isn’t the first time he’s stood up to Trump when things in CA have been out of his control especially devastating fires and Trump’s issued threats because he has no boundaries in the safety and welfare of the people that are impacted by his made up lies emergency 

Edited June 10 by tres bien

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

Before Trump I probably would have agreed with you. I mean I thought Bush supporters were dumb but I didn't hate them. But Trump changed things.

I have never in my life, as far as I can remember, hated anyone the way I hate Trump.  But in the last few weeks I am beginning to realize that I don't just hate Trump, I hate anyone who supports this fascist would-be dictator.  I am unapologetic about this.  

Not only is the road to hell paved with good intentions, the road to a fascist dictatorship is lined with people who say "now, now there's good people on both sides".  

Edited June 10 by Dimity

[bluegirl147]

5 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Not only is the road to hell paved with good intentions, the road to a fascist dictatorship is paved with people who say "now, now there's good people on both sides".  

Yes.  You know who support fascists?  Fascists.

[Yeah No]

Chris Murphy is fast becoming one of my heroes. I got this from a friend on Facebook but it's being shared in multiple places online and I have no doubt that it is genuine:

Read this report from the Senate Floor:

Last night in the Senate, something really important happened. Republicans forced us to debate their billionaire bailout budget framework. We started voting at 6 PM because they knew doing it in the dark of night would minimize media coverage. And they do not want the American people to see how blatant their handover of our government to the billionaire class is.

So I want to explain what happened last night and what we did to fight back. The apex of Republicans’ plan to turn over our government to their wealthy cronies is a giant tax cut for billionaires and corporations. And they plan to pay for it with cuts to programs that working people rely on. Popular and necessary programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, are all being targeted. In order to pass the tax cut, Republicans have to go through a series of procedural steps. Last night, they took the first step which requires them to pass an outline of their plan, but with it, any senator can offer as many amendments as we want. So my Democratic colleagues and I did just that.

Now, we knew that Republicans would largely unanimously oppose them, but we had two objectives here. One, Republicans were forced to put their opinion on record — many for the first time — on the most corrupt parts of Trump and Musk’s agenda. Two, as I’ve been saying, I am going to make every process and procedure as slow and painful as possible for as long as my colleagues choose to ignore the constitutional crisis happening before our eyes.

So what did we propose? We proposed no tax cuts for anyone who makes a billion dollars a year. We made them vote on whether or not Elon Musk and DOGE should have limitless access to Americans’ personal data. We made them vote on whether to protect IVF and require insurers to cover it. Every single amendment Democrats proposed was shot down. On almost every single amendment, Republicans universally opposed it. Every Republican voted against our proposal to prevent more tax cuts for billionaires. The corruption and theft is happening in the open here.

The whole game for Republicans is taking your money and giving it to the wealthiest corporations and billionaires — even if it means kicking your parents out of a nursing home or turning off Medicaid for the poorest children. They know what they are doing is deeply unpopular. They are offering a tax cut to the most wealthy that is 850 times larger than what they are offering working people. Oh and by the way, any tax cuts for working people are going to be washed out by higher costs for basic necessities, like health care and food. It’s a fundamental injustice.

Thanks to your pressure and support, many of my Democratic colleagues have joined my effort to do everything we can to make sure they cannot destroy democracy and steal your money in the dark of the night. We are being loud about what is happening. I’m going to continue to grind the gears of Congress down as much as possible to make it that much harder and slower to get away with this corruption. That’s why the votes lasted until nearly 5 AM.

This is a five-alarm fire. I don’t think we have two years to plan and fight back. I think we have months. It’s still in our power to stop the destruction of our democracy with mass mobilization and effective opposition from elected officials. So we can’t miss any opportunity to take advantage of opportunities to put Republicans on the record and shine a light on what is happening.

And you have a role to play in this as well. I need you to amplify what’s happening, support the leaders who are fighting for you to make sure they can continue speaking truth to power against Musk and Trump’s billionaire cronies, and show up at rallies and town halls. Use every tool at your disposal to send a message loud and clear about how you expect my colleagues to lead and fight in this moment.

Every best wish,

US Senator Chris Patrick Murphy

DO NOT PRESS SHARE. JUST COPY THE ENTIRE POST AND PASTE IT ON YOUR WALL.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Dimity said:

I have never in my life, as far as I can remember, hated anyone the way I hate Trump.  But in the last few weeks I am beginning to realize that I don't just hate Trump, I hate anyone who supports this fascist would-be dictator.  I am unapologetic about this.  

Not only is the road to hell paved with good intentions, the road to a fascist dictatorship is lined with people who say "now, now there's good people on both sides".  

I went through this hate phase. I think it's part of the grief process.
 

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

Chris Murphy is fast becoming one of my heroes.

I've been watching his speeches to Congress whenever they come up.
Always enlightening and encouraging in so far as at least one person is clearly sounding an alarm.

[tres bien]

Trump is sending another 2000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles and 800 Marines for what Mayor Karen Bass calls his experiment

The Pentagon already said the initial 2000 National Guard troops cost about $134 million in addition add to that the cost of more military presence and the as much as $45 million for his megalomaniac parade

Between Pope Leo hopefully stealing his thunder and the war zone he’s creating in Los Angeles playing on TV screens I hope his parade is a monumental disaster 

Edited June 10 by tres bien

[annzeepark914]

1 minute ago, tres bien said:

Trump is sending another 2000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles and 800 Marines for Mayor Karen Bass calls his experment

The Pentagon already said the initial 2000 National Guard troops cost about $134 million in addition add to that the cost of more military presence and the as much as $45 million for his megalomaniac parade

Between Pope Leo hopefully stealing his thunder and the war zone he’s creating in Los Angeles playing on TV screens I hope his parade is a monumental disaster 

Trump is mad-drunk with power now. I won't be surprised if he tries to declare martial law. Hope there will be lots of TV coverage of the Pope's virtual "visit" in Chicago. 

[bluegirl147]

6 minutes ago, tres bien said:

Between Pope Leo hopefully stealing his thunder and the war zone he’s creating in Los Angeles playing on TV screens I hope his parade is a monumental disaster 

I'm assuming the 24 hr news networks are covering it in it's entirety but I hope the broadcast networks don't cover it.  Why keep feeding into  his ego? And is it going to be tank after tank in the parade? Is he going to be in the parade? Or is he going to be on some grandstand (appropriate word for Trump) surrounded by his family and friends enablers waving to people? 

I used to think Bush flying in to land on that "mission accomplished" aircraft carrier to celebrate the (non) victory in Iraq was the most self aggrandizing thing a president could do but Trump has proved me wrong.  Having a multi million dollar parade to celebrate your birthday takes the cake.