Month: June 2024

IST Saturday News Dump–22Jun24

Yes children that time again….the weekly ‘Dump’ on your PC from the friendly people at IST.

These are the stories that fell through the cracks in the past week or so….

Welcome to the Summer!

On a personal note:  The garden is still coming along…..tomatoes are great, blueberries are almost finished now I await the figs.  We have had some rain but not enough and the temps have been a bit low for this time of the year…..mid 90s.

Enough of the mundane let’s get cracking….

The Arctic is melting quickly and there is a proposal to try and reverse this trend….

It sounds pretty out-there: to save the snowy Arctic from melting away due to global warming, some scientific experts have been working on plans to hack the entire region’s climate.

This doesn’t entail popping the North Pole into an unfathomably large deep freezer like so much ground beef, but it would involve a slate of projects — some of which are already being undertaken — to cool the region by reflecting sunlight, according to a new video short from The Wall Street Journal.

One experiment involves pumping water to the surface, where it’ll freeze to form a protective layer over the Arctic snow. Another has scientists scattering reflective glass beads on top of snow to reflect the Sun’s harsh rays.

These are all forms of geoengineering, techniques to mold certain aspects of the environment in order to offset harm from climate change. The fact we are even seriously contemplating these experiments means that our collective mitigation efforts aren’t enough — because last year was the warmest year on record for the Arctic.

https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-refreeze-arctic

Thinking outside the box….but sounds a bit too ambitious to me.

Body art, tattoos, can be linked to skin cancer….

New research suggests that there may be a link between tattoos and cancer. But the findings have proved controversial, with experts pushing back against the authors’ conclusions, which they characterize as exaggerated.

The study, published last month in the journal eClinicalMedicine, surveyed close to 12,000 people in Sweden, examining every subject 20 to 60 years old that was diagnosed with a form of cancer called lymphoma between 2007 and 2017. When compared to a control group of random people who never had lymphoma, the researchers found that people that had at least one tattoo were 21 percent more likely to have developed the cancer.

The study only demonstrates that there’s an association, not a definitive link. Still, 21 percent would constitute a pretty significant risk, especially for a form of cancer that’s considered somewhat rare. What’s more, it appears that the number or size of tattoos the subjects had didn’t matter: so long as they had at least one tattoo of any size, they were seemingly at risk as much as someone who had multiple.

“We do not yet know why this was the case. One can only speculate that a tattoo, regardless of size, triggers a low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger cancer,” co-author Christel Nielsen, an associate professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Lund University, said in a statement about the work “The picture is thus more complex than we initially thought.”

https://futurism.com/neoscope/tattoos-links-developing-cancer

Personally I have never thought about decorating my body with anything….other than a cute redhead.

On the political side of life….you know that in a few days Biden and Trump will have a debate….I think it is a mistake for Biden but what the Hell do I know?

Anyway there are some that think the candidates should be asked a probing question….

In the age of fever pitch UFO discourse, one group is urging the US president to declassify it all — and wants debate moderators to grill candidates on the topic.

The group, called the New Paradigm Institute, announced last week the launch of a social media campaign insisting moderators of the upcoming June 27 presidential debate hold both candidates’ feet to the fire when asking UFO questions.

The NPI is encouraging like-minded seekers to lobby CNN, which is hosting the debate between President Joe Biden, presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ask tough questions about whether or not they would release unredacted files about what the US government refers to as “unidentified anomalous phenomena” or UAPs for short.

“The next president of the United States will make critical decisions about UAP disclosure and government transparency,” NPI chief counsel Daniel Sheehan said in the group’s statement. “It’s time for all presidential candidates…to commit to UFOs/UAP disclosure and transparency.”

“Regardless of political affiliation,” the attorney added, “the time has come to inject UAP into the political discourse of our elections.”

https://futurism.com/presidential-debate-ufo-disclosure

I say why not?  Make the debate more interesting than it will be with these two bumbling bozos try to convince me that they are doing all this stuff for me….that is a lie.

Gun violence is out of control in this country so why not let those ‘bump stocks’ be freely available what we need is a good massive shooting again (sarcasm)….

Senate Republicans blocked bipartisan legislation Tuesday that would have outlawed bump stocks after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory used in the deadliest shooting in modern US history. Democrats tried to force a voice vote on the bill to ban bump stocks, a tactic often used by both parties when they know that they don’t have the votes to pass legislation but want to bring an issue to the Senate floor, the AP reports.

  • The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, would ban the sale of the devices, similar to the rule issued by Donald Trump’s administration after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival in 2017 with semiautomatic rifles equipped with the accessories.

“I refuse to stand idly by and wait for the next mass shooting,” Heinrich said as he called for a vote on the Senate floor. “Bump stocks serve no legitimate purpose.”

Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts objected for Republicans, blocking an immediate vote on the bill. He called the legislation a “gun grabbing overreach” that could be interpreted to include other gun accessories beyond bump stocks. “This bill will not pass,” Ricketts said. “It won’t pass because enough people in this building still believe in the Constitution, and the Constitution affords Americans the right to own a firearm.”

  • Many Republicans supported the ban when Trump issued it. But several said this week that they would oppose the legislation to reinstate it, arguing that the vote is another election-year stunt by Democrats, not a serious attempt to pass bipartisan legislation.
  • North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican who worked with Democrats on bipartisan gun legislation two years ago, said that if Schumer were serious about banning bump stocks, “he’d be calling people into a room who have worked on bipartisan bills,” but instead “it’s a political exercise, which is a shame.”

Repubs are really a piece of work….’work’ may not be the best term for them….

More gun stuff….

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal gun-control law intended to protect victims of domestic violence, per the AP. In their first Second Amendment case since they expanded gun rights in 2022, the justices ruled in favor of a 1994 ban on firearms for people under restraining orders to stay away from their spouses or partners, per the AP. The justices, reversing a ruling from the federal appeals court in New Orleans, ruled that the Constitution allows authorities to bar people deemed dangerous from having guns, per the Washington Post. The decision was 8-1, with Clarence Thomas (author of the 2022 decision) the lone dissenter.

“An individual found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another may be temporarily disarmed consistent with the Second Amendment,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion.

The longer Thomas is on the court the more we realize what a POS he truly is……

That is it for thew ‘Dump’ this Saturday and since it is official and Summer has begun….roll out the grill and get to cooking.

Enjoy your weekend and as always….Be well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

America: Love It Or Leave It

A favorite of conservatives and other weak minded individuals…. at least decades ago.

An old tome from days of my youth is making a comeback….well at least in Missouri….I wish I had a nickle for every time some moron used that in an argument….if so I would be a rich man today.

But enough about me.

It seems that some cross-eyed Repub in Missouri has advice for black people….

On Monday (June 17), Valentina Gomez, who’s running for Missouri Secretary of State, shared a video on social media where she denounced Juneteenth as a “rachet holiday” and told Black people to “get the f*** out” of America.

“Reparations from slavery and Black victimization is about to be shoved down our throats for the most ratchet holiday in America,” Gomez said ahead of Juneteenth. “BLM [Black Lives Matter] raised millions. And what did they do for Black lives?”

“It is outrageous to see people ask you for reparations, even though they never went through slavery,” she continued. “These ungrateful people should be celebrating because they were born in the greatest nation to ever exist.”

“Here’s a tip,” Gomez added. “If you don’t like America, kindly, get the f*** out.”

Gomez, one of the candidates vying to become the GOP nominee for Missouri Secretary Of State in the August 6 primary, has been known to hurl homophobic remarks during her campaign. In Monday’s video, Gomez wore a shirt with the phrase “Don’t be weak and gay,” a callback to a remark she made earlier this year in a campaign ad.

Watch Gomez’s message to Black Americans below.

Maybe Ms Gomez might want to re-think her stupidity for there is a chance since she is a minority that it might be used against her….(we can only hope)

I love these people…..actually it is more loathe than love….but that is beside the point.

This antiquated thinking needs to be put where it belongs….in the crapper.

But I guess conservatives and other half wits cannot think for themselves so they have to resurrect stupidity from the past.

On reparations….that is a tricky subject and no one has defined the parameters so to make a blanket statement is always ill advised.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

We Had A Good Year

****Here we go again….there will be harsh language used in this post once again…..so if they offend you….then go away.****

The US has sent billions in money and weapons to Israel and we are preparing to send another multi-million dollar package….and then I read a story about the good news from Israel and their export business.

The Israeli Defense Ministry announced that, for the third straight year, Tel Aviv had set a new record for weapon exports. Israel sold $13 billion in arms last year, with India the largest importer.

In a statement on Monday, the ministry touted Tel Aviv’s ability to distribute munitions around the globe. “For the third consecutive year, Israel set a new record in defense exports, with over $13 billion in 2023, the highest figure to date,” it wrote.

“Israel’s defense exports have doubled within five years, with over a third of the agreements signed – missile, rocket, and air defense systems,” the statement continued. “Israeli defense industries signed hundreds of significant contracts worldwide with the help and support of the Israel Ministry of Defense, including mega-deals amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.”

The exports included missiles, rockets, electronic warfare equipment, radar war systems, weapon launchers, drones, and ammunition.

At $13 billion, Israel is the world’s ninth-largest arms dealer, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). India was the top importer of Israeli weapons during the same period, purchasing nearly $1 billion in gear. The SIPRI research found that the Philippines and the US were Israel’s second and third-largest arms export recipients respectively.

Haaretz noted that the SIPRI report is not comprehensive, and Israel has conducted weapons sales with Azerbaijan that go undocumented by the international arms watchdog.

(antiwar.com)

WAIT a goddamn minute!

They, Israel, sold $13 billion in weapons….were any of it weapons we gave them for the ludicrous lie of self-defense?

If they had fucking weapons to sell then why is the West giving them more?

How about these asswads use the weapons for their own defense and let the rest of the world get on.

What part of this whole goddamn stupidity does not piss me off?

I am sick of these jerk water nations demanding shit from this country and then being fucking disrespectful after they get the shit.

Plus after the video that fucking moron BiBi released…..the US should tell this prick to go fuck himself and walk the fuck away from this massive clusterfuck that has been years in the making.

I have no use for this prick or anyone that admires his worthless ass.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/benjamin-netanyahu-video

Damn!  I feel so much better now.

****This ends the rant you may go about reading the rest of this post….you never know you might learn something.****

In conclusion this is a story that you will not hear on American MSM….it is about the attack on 07 October….

A review by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) set to be released this summer will conclude that Israeli soldiers killed many of their own people on October 7, Israeli media reported. The inquiry is expected to identify multiple failures of the IDF during the Hamas rampage in southern Israel.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, the IDF report due to be released in mid-July found “many casualties due to our forces firing on our forces.” Tel Aviv has been accused of ordering its soldiers to kill hostages rather than allow Hamas to use them in negotiations, a policy long known as the ‘Hannibal Directive.’

The IDF’s October 7 review appears to point to incompetence rather than the intentional killing of its own civilians. However, Israeli outlet Ynet’s investigation of the IDF’s conduct found Tel Aviv had ordered troops to follow the Hannibal policy.

Still, the conclusions from the forthcoming report will amount to an official admission that scores, if not more, of Israelis were killed by IDF soldiers, not Hamas.

IDF Report Found Multiple Cases of Friendly Fire Deaths on Oct 7

No judgment made by me just facts that are mostly withheld to keep the blind support going…..that is not true….I am judging a bit.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Why So Poor?

In case you did not know it the South is the poorest region of the country……but how are they so poor after all they have the same opportunities as the rest of the country, right?

I will try to explain this situation as best I can…..

Lastly we in Mississippi had our state elections and I wrote a letter to a magazine that covers the state with the hopes that it would make a difference but as usual it was ignored for it did not fit the paradigm that the publication pushes….

This is the letter I sent….

Open Letter To The Voters Of Mississippi

I tried to explain why Mississippi ranks at the bottom of the social ladder….to illustrate my point….WalletHub looked at all 50 states and the District of Columbia

Worst economies

  1. Ohio
  2. Maine
  3. Iowa
  4. Rhode Island
  5. Kentucky
  6. Louisiana
  7. Arkansas
  8. West Virginia (last in “Innovation Potential” category)
  9. Hawaii
  10. Mississippi

This is NOTHING new for the state of Mississippi.

I read an article that also tries to explain the poverty thing in the South…..

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022, Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana had the highest poverty rates in the U.S. at over 15% each.

However, understanding how these states became so poor requires an examination of their histories and the structural challenges they face. Let’s look at some factors contributing to these high poverty levels.

The economies of these states have historically been less diverse and relied heavily on single industries. For example, a Mississippi Department of Agriculture study stated, “Agriculture is Mississippi’s number one industry, employing approximately 17.4% of the state’s workforce either directly or indirectly. Agriculture in Mississippi is an 8.76 billion-dollar industry.”

When the agricultural sector is suffering due to declining commodity prices, international competition and other factors, these states acutely feel the impact. Industries in these states often also provide low-wage jobs, contributing to the persistent poverty.

Many of the poorest states are located in the South and have histories deeply intertwined with slavery and plantation economies. Post-Civil War, the South struggled to transition to an industrial economy, unlike the North which experienced rapid industrialization. Compared to the North, Southern states kept taxation and government spending at lower levels, which resulted in less development over time.

The economic model of the South remained heavily agrarian, dependent on low-wage labor and slow to adopt technological advancements.

Educational achievement in these states has historically lagged behind national averages. For example, Arkansas has one of the most undereducated populations in the nation when considering the percentage of adults with college degrees. Poorer states often invest less in education due to limited tax revenues, creating a cycle of underfunded schools, lower educational outcomes and a less skilled workforce.

The state of Arkansas explained that the COVID-19 pandemic worsened an already struggling school system, and students are now struggling to recover from earlier learning disruptions. Although non-profits like Forward Arkansas are committed to growing the state’s education system, just like other poorer states, the historical lack of investment continues to hamper economic growth and limits residents’ opportunities to break out of poverty.

Investment in infrastructure is another critical factor. Poorer states often have less developed infrastructure, which can deter business investment. Poor roads, limited public transportation and inadequate broadband access make it difficult for businesses to operate efficiently and for residents to access opportunities.

The poverty of the poorest states in the U.S. is not the result of a single factor but rather a blend of history, economic structures, social inequities, and political decisions. Addressing this complex issue requires comprehensive strategies that include investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure; promoting economic diversification; and implementing policies that address racial and social inequities.

(Gabriel Vito)

If the South wants to change this downward spiral then they need to learn what real issues are and stop being goddamn stupid and fall for BS issues that nothing to do with their lives.

Sadly this will not happen any time soon….all I can say is “Stupidity Is The Deliberate Cultivation Of Ignorance”……and Mississippi is cultivating a butt-load of stupid.

And the South has ignorance is spades….and they are proud of it.

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

Turn The Page!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Tax Cuts And Jobs Permanency Act

An old con returns!

Fancy name for a con job that is over 40 years old….and still effective, believe it or not.

The title is a fancy name for the old BS of trickle down economics or Voodoo economics if you prefer.

I have been watching this con for decades that started with lover boy Reagan….just a reminder from 16 years ago….

The Humor That Is Trickle Down Economics

And now with an election looming we are hit with the con yet again….

They’re at it again. And it’s not even original: The trickle-down economics that two-dozen Republican governors and former U.S. President Donald Trump are reviving as you read these words has a long history.

“Trickle down,” of course, was the theory advanced by former President Ronald Reagan that if America only made rich people massively richer with staggering tax cuts, ending anti-trust regulation, and government subsidies for their industries, they would use all that extra free money to build new factories, hire people, and the abundance would trickle down to the average worker.

It was a lie, but it wasn’t the first time the GOP had tried that lie. Then knew exactly what they were doing, and what outcome it would produce. Instead of raising the pay of their workers, the rich people on the receiving end of Reagan’s, Bush’s, and Trump’s tax cuts simply added the cash to their money bins and investments, bought new yachts or trophy wives, and blasted themselves into outer space on penis-shaped rockets.

Nonetheless, Republican politicians think we haven’t noticed and they’re trying to pull it off again at both the state and federal level. A bill with 102 GOP co-sponsors (the Tax Cuts and Jobs Permanency Act) is in motion in the House of Representatives right now to double-down on Trump’s tax cuts.

How did we get here, and why are they still pushing something that’s so discredited it’s become a punch-line for late-night comedians?

https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/gop-trickle-down-scam

The more ignorant among us will believe the trickle down con no matter what fancy name they assign to the bill.  They say Americans are wising up to the con…..I ask are they really?

Experience says they are not.

May I suggest that you pay closer attention to what will be your money and less to some smiling con man that tells you everything you want to hear.

One cannot feed or house loved ones on words.

Pay Attention!

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Juneteeth Is Today

I was going to post some marvelous thoughts on this day but instead I will let a fellow blogger and a follower of IST, do it for he did a much better job than I could….

this is an excellent post….enjoy!

Just Hush Up and Enjoy the Holiday

There is so much American history that is overlooked or more correct ignored it is good to see others trying to bring some light into a subject that needs it.

For more information on this subject….

https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

“lego ergo scribo”

Will Demands Be Met?

****Please be advised that there will be harsh language used in this post and if they offend your sensibilities then please move on.****

I read a headline today that makes me see red (no pun intended)….

For the last year or so Zelensky of the Ukraine has been basically demanding that the US and the West send him more cash and weapons so ‘he can finish the job’…..a fucking job he cannot finish.

To this I say to Zelensky ‘piss off’.

And then I read about another ‘demand’ this time from BiBi of Israel….

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a scathing video blasting the White House for holding back weapons shipments to Israel. Washington has blocked one transfer of 2,000-pound bombs but has overwhelmingly provided all the arms requested by Tel Aviv. The PM demanded the US supply the tools Israel needs to “finish the job a lot faster” in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a scathing video blasting the White House for holding back weapons shipments to Israel. Washington has blocked one transfer of 2,000-pound bombs but has overwhelmingly provided all the arms requested by Tel Aviv. The PM demanded the US supply the tools Israel needs to “finish the job a lot faster” in the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu posted the video to his X account. Speaking in English, the PM said “When Secretary Blinken was recently here in Israel, we had a candid conversation. I said I deeply appreciate the support the US has given Israel from the beginning of the war. But I also said something else. I said it is inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel.”

In late April, the White House decided it would suspend the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns about civilian deaths in Gaza. However, President Joe Biden suggested that he would cut off additional arms transfers if Israeli forces proceeded with a full-scale invasion of Rafah. Over a month after that assault began, Biden has failed to follow through on his supposed red line.

According to Netanyahu, the White House will likely reverse course on its vow to scale back this military aid. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these blocks. I certainly hope that is the case. It should be the case,” he explained in the video.

The Israeli leader concluded his message by demanding Biden remove all restrictions on weapons so he could quickly wrap up operations in Gaza. “In WWII Churchill told the US, ‘Give us the tools we’ll do the job.’” He added, “And I say, ‘give us the tools and we will finish the job a lot faster.’”

(antiwar.com)

Demanding?

Fuck this asshole!

Just one I would like to see these douche bags thanking the US instead if demand that we supply their wars.

It is time for the US to do the right thing and kicking these assholes to the fucking curb…..maybe it you cannot afford to fight your lame ass wares then look for another fucking way to solve the goddamn conflict.

Then our dynamite useless dick-less assholes running this thing Biden and that fucking moron Blinken bow down and blow these ungrateful assholes.

Someone grow a set of balls and stand up to these pushy motherfuckers.

Like I said I am tired of their shit.

Sorry about the language but you were warned.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Contraception–Yes Or No?

WE know from the news that the GOP wants to take and some cases already has the right of choice from the people. The battle now is over contraception and the Dems have an attempt to protect access to this form of birth control.

Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic measure Wednesday to codify a federal right to contraception access. The bill would have prevented states from enacting legislation to limit access to forms of contraception including hormonal birth control and intrauterine devices, the Washington Post reports. Many Republicans called the bill unnecessary and government overreach; Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins of Maine were the only members of their party to vote to advance the measure. Every Democrat supported it.

“This should be an easy vote,” Democratic Sen. Patty Murray said before the count, per the New York Times. “It almost shouldn’t be necessary.” But Democrats were maneuvering to put Republicans on the record on reproductive rights, an issue on which the GOP stance is unpopular with voters. In vitro fertilization may be put to a vote next week, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote. “I expect we will see a lot more show votes this summer,” GOP Sen. John Thune had said Tuesday, per the AP. On Wednesday, Schumer countered that: “Today was not a show vote. This was a ‘show us who you are’ vote, and Senate Republicans showed the American people exactly who they are.”

The Democratic effort to codify the right began when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago; Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion said the right to contraception is another issue the court should reconsider. Republicans have opposed the effort while saying they support access to contraception, per the Times. Schumer could bring the Right to Contraception Act up for a vote again later.

This in my opinion is a little late….it should have been waiting for the SCOTUS ruling….but better late than never I guess.

Since the GOP is so concerned wirth women’s right of choice what will they make out of the news about men?

A novel birth control option for men, as easy as applying lotion once per day, appears to be effective within weeks with minimal side effects to boot, according to new research. NES/T, a hormonal solution to block sperm production, is applied to the shoulders once per day. One of 222 participants in a phase 2 trial tells NBC News the gel solution felt much like hand sanitizer. Applying it was “such an easy process,” the man says, adding the only possible side effects he experienced were acne and minor weight gain. In terms of participants’ sperm counts, 20% were sufficiently suppressed within five weeks, 52% by eight weeks, 62% by nine weeks, and 86% after 15 weeks, according to data presented Sunday at the Endocrine Society’s conference in Boston, per Gizmodo.

Developed by researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s Contraceptive Development Program, NES/T gets its name from its two main ingredients: nestorone and testosterone. Nestorone, a synthetic version of progesterone, lowers the levels of hormones responsible for fertility, including testosterone, in the blood and testes. Since this may reduce a man’s sex drive, testosterone is added to the gel “to maintain stable hormone levels in men’s blood, ensuring temporary sterility and minimizing side effects,” per Gizmodo. “We’re pretty pleased with the limited side effects that we have observed,” Diana Blithe, chief of the NICHD’s Contraceptive Development Program, tells the outlet. She was also pleasantly surprised to see sperm counts fall so quickly.

Researchers consider suppression effective for contraception to be no more than 1 million sperm per millimeter of semen, down from 15 million to 200 million per milliliter, per NBC. The median suppression time was eight weeks. But as many participants weren’t checked between weeks four and eight, the true median might be lower. “We’re really pleased with this result. And we think it will make the gel more attractive to people who maybe didn’t want to wait three months for it to reach its effectiveness,” Blithe tells Gizmodo. The research team has since launched a Phase 2B trial involving 400 men, with encouraging preliminary results, ahead of plans for a Phase 3 trial, to be discussed with the FDA next year. If all goes well, the gel could hit the market by the end of the decade, the BBC reports.

Will the GOP try to control men’s sex lives as they are doing with women?

Just wondering.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

As Usual Late To The Game

Back in January the Heritage Foundation released its ‘plan’ for the GOP to destroy our long standing institutions…..Project 2025 lays out a plan for the GOP to embrace…..in case you have not got up to snuff….

Project 2025

For the last 6 months or so the ‘plan’ has been batted around within the GOP and the Dems slept through the rollout and now the Dems are doing what they do best….to late to the game…..

A group of congressional Democrats on Tuesday launched a task force aimed at spotlighting and combating the threat posed by Project 2025, the sprawling far-right agenda crafted by allies of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump.

Spearheaded by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the Stop Project 2025 Task Force “will serve as a central hub for pro-democracy Members of Congress, civil society, and affected communities to coordinate on examining, highlighting, preempting, and counteracting this right-wing plot to undermine democracy,” Huffman’s office said in a press release.

“Project 2025 is more than an idea, it’s a dystopian plot that’s already in motion to dismantle our democratic institutions, abolish checks and balances, chip away at church-state separation, and impose a far-right agenda that infringes on basic liberties and violates public will,” said Huffman. “This is an unprecedented embrace of extremism, fascism, and religious nationalism, orchestrated by the radical right and its dark money backers.”

“We need a coordinated strategy to save America and stop this coup before it’s too late, ” the congressman added.”Through this task force, leaders across the ideological spectrum and experts in every policy area that’s under attack are uniting to protect democracy as we know it. Donald Trump and those behind Project 2025 are ready to turn America into a theocratic regime if they get the chance—and we are going to be ready to stop them.”

The congressional effort was launched with the backing of several prominent Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.)—the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee—and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

“Project 2025 is Donald Trump’s blueprint for destroying our democracy,” said Jayapal. “It attacks the very foundations that this country was built on and seeks to limit Americans’ rights to further embolden MAGA extremists. We can and must stand up to ensure that Project 2025 never sees the light of day, and instead ensure that our Proposition Agenda, bold, progressive, and popular policies, are at the forefront.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/stop-project-2025-task-force

A task force?

Seriously?

A bit late you idiots the time to start this process was when they released the ‘plan’ months ago.

Dems do this all the time…..wait and try to make a difference in a short space of time and it seldom works out for them….they never learn.

Something to think about….the Dems have held task force and summits on climate and look how disastrous that has been.

The Dems have some great ideas they just suck at politics.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Indifference Could Carry The 2024 Election

The election is just a few months away and we already know who the combatants are……I have stated many times that I find nothing admirable in either candidate…..I believe I said something like ‘I would not hit a pig in the ass with either candidate’…..but it looks like I am not alone in my dislike….

One-fourth Americans have unfavorable views of both President Biden and Donald Trump, Pew Research data show—the highest level of any of the past 10 presidential elections. The share has almost doubled since the 2020 election, making this fall’s contest “the most dreaded election in modern political history,” Axios says. On the other hand, Pew’s survey found that 39% of Americans view Trump favorably and 37% feel that way about Biden. The survey was conducted before Trump was convicted in his New York criminal trial. This is a shift: At least one candidate had a favorable rating of at least 50% around this point in every campaign between 1988 and 2012. Through 2004, both nominees had favorability ratings of at least 50%, Pew reports.

  • Trump’s weekend: The Republican candidate campaigned in the battleground state of Michigan. In Detroit, Trump attacked immigrants in the US illegally in speeches at a Black church and to a group known to attract white supremacists, the AP reports. “The people coming across the border—all those millions of people—they’re inflicting tremendous harm to our Black population and to our Hispanic population,” Trump told the Turning Point Action convention on Saturday night. He also challenged Biden to a cognitive test and brought up his “Person, woman, man, camera, TV” success. Trump praised Rep. Ronny Jackson, a White House physician during his presidency, per the AP, but called him “Johnson.”
  • Biden’s weekend: The Democratic incumbent spent Saturday night raising more than $30 million in fundraiser in Los Angeles after skipping the Ukraine summit in Switzerland. Barack Obama costarred at the Peacock Theater event supported by Hollywood stars such as George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Barbra Streisand, the AP reports. Jimmy Kimmel interviewed the former running mates. When he asked Biden what his proudest accomplishment is, Biden said, “We have the strongest economy in the world today,” adding “we try to give ordinary people an even chance.” When Kimmel asked what the president can do about a TV host who makes fun of him nightly, Biden asked, “Ever hear of Delta Force?”

WE have had some unimpressive candidates before but this time it boils down to a hold your nose vote…..it has been a long time since we have had one of those.

Or is this possibly open the field up for an independent candidate to make some small in-road into this rigged system?

I shall be writing about the hold you nose thing at a later date.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”