It looks like the billionaires who control the MAGA movement have learned from January 6th and won’t make the mistake of having an independent military, FBI, press, or Department of Justice again...
Is there no way to get those military promotions through? Why can one Senator hold these up?
One thing the last 7 years has done is shine a light on how our government works. And it isn’t pretty. From the Electoral College that handed Trump the Presidency, the obscene power of Mitch McConnell that gave us the current SCOTUS, the ridiculous manufactured debt ceiling crisis (over and over), to Tubberville’s stranglehold.
Why do the other 99 members of the Senate bring pressure to bear to get Tubberville to relent?
Why are the citizens not up in arms and marching in the streets?
Se my response above, which includes Brevetting: a document entitling a commissioned officer to hold temporarily a higher military rank without the appropriate pay and allowances. verb Word forms: -vets, -vetting, -vetted, -vets, -veting or -veted.
Lt George Armstrong Custer was brevetted ti General.
It is an option Biden has, and another option he is not using, another was Art II and t he 14th Amendment. His failure to use this and acting positions, which Trump used extensively causes me to question his judgement or loyalties.
By the way Chris Sununu is predicting that, because of Hunter Biden and his falls and faux pas, that at the Democratic National Convention he will step aside and nominate a replacement and who else could it be, considering the DNC policy of choosing to put a race horse in the starting gate, that has paid it dues, stood in line, demonstrate loyalty and conservatism, even if they are un electable, and Kamala is all of that.
The question for Democrats is do they want to win the election and keep the fascists out of the white house, or are they so blinded by chauvinistic impulses that myopic demographics demand that they have a representative even though they are unelectable and leads to full fledged fascism. I sense the latter. That's why the DNC moved the S.C. primary to 1st in country.
Edit: For some reason my responses are not showing up, my replies are though
You are absolutely righteous! I didn't make the connection, shall we say, in time. Metaphors are such a landmine field. (Is that one OK?) Hope you have some sense of humor: I was getting away from "lipstick on a pig." I try not to be long-winded in comments. What I meant, of course, was that "even Thom Hartmann could not persuade me that all of the characteristics and qualifications of Vice President Harris could overcome certain matters of style and personality (which I realize it is also politically incorrect to reference) that in my opinion, informed by extensive experience of audience response both on stage and in the courtroom, would be a significant handicap in her being successful as the leading spokesperson for issues on the right side of which I sincerely believe her to be." Something like that. p.s. I substantially disagree with friend Farrar's even more long-winded response.
Whatever the case, you have character. Character is everything and such a critical part of U.S. society that is missing. Sometimes we simply don't view the mental "chyron" before our lips (or pens) start to move. I will be the first to acquiesce that it requires special training. The problem is that one cannot un-ring a bell and, oftentimes, forfeits a sound message to what would, otherwise, be an ally...at least in thought.
Here is an example; and I admire your character, courage and candor.
You are so sensitive about your race, that you wear it on your sleeve. A self confident person, who knows where they stop and start, are not walking around looking for offense.
I was making an analogy about the DNC, It only brings to the starting gate, old horses that have been padding around in the paddock, paying their dues, marking time, building creds only to lose.
And out of that you pick up RACE, as if that was all it is about. Man you are one pathetic dude. And don't even think of playing the racist card with me.
I've got into an argument with my wife, who reflexively defended Kamala (because she is a woman and a woman of color). I tried to tell her, that you may be madly in love with Kamala, but she is not electable. The problem is that liberals fall in love, with unelectables.The very attributes that liberals love, are the very attributes that motivate the racist, misogynistic fascists to turn out to vote
As I keep saying the DNC hates progressives, because their mega donor's hate them, and they can't do politics without money and money hates and fears progressives.
Also the popular dialogue has muddied the waters, equating populism with racism, sexism, fascism, because of the likes of William Jennings Bryan (a right wing religious fascist who got one thing right..The Cross of Gold speech, also Huey Long, a grifter, and Trump a grifter, Hitler was a populist as well.
But there is left wing populism, and the closest we came was Bernie Sanders, but in retrospect watching him after the 2016 election. I am not so sure he is what he presented himself to be.
There is no one in the Democratic party, other than the Progressive Caucus (and I am fearful that the beltway is corrupting them), I would trust and none of them has the experience, knowledge and connections to govern.
In 2020 81 million people, a record number, turned out to vote out Trump. Biden was not a known quantity, we only knew that he was St Obama's VP, we didn't know that he was a bipartisan, compromiser. Despite his speeches he really hasn't changed. He refuses to use
Art II and the 14th Amendment to lift the debt ceiling, he refuses to get involved (Trump had no problem) in prosecuting the sedionists, he let Garland choose Aileen Cannon as the judge for Jack Smiths indictment of Trump, and he and Schumer are allowing Tuberville to screw the military so Trump can appoint his own Generals, and thus solidify his dictatorship.
Tuberville took a break and went on campaign for Trump, and during that time Schumer could have rushed through, en masse, approval of the over 300 leadership positions in the Pentagon, and he sat on his hands and did nothing. He is worthless, not at all a leader., better than a Republican but that isn't saying much.
You speak of a Black Woman in the United States that has reached the pinnacle of U.S. politics (a person whom I have met and do not like, at all for reasons way different from yours) and use the term "RACE Horse".
You have a serious problem. I speak of people whom I think don't have a chance, male, female, black or white. Get a grip. I never said race horse and frankly you are too effin serious and touchy about race. In a way I don't blame you, considering the history of race in this country.
From slavery, to lynching to Jim Crow to MAGAts.
FYI, you can't bully or intimidate me, especially with not so subtle allegations.
I suggest you get over yourself. What you have revealed, with your defensive aggression is an inferiority complex and it doesn't look well.
"race horse in the starting... " Apparently, you are too illiterate to decipher your own words on top of being a poser. As far as the rest of your bloviating I posit to you this: you lack the intelligence, erudition, education, cultural savvy and linguistic dexterity to engage me in any meaningful way. For me to interact with a pathetic inbred like you would be akin to intellectual necrophilia and it is a felony to screw dead people in the State of California.
Shove it where the sun doesn't shine. You are a real arsehole with a chip on his shoulder, your personalize everything; Evidence of an inferiority complex.
You take a word race horse and all you see is race. My go man, you really have a problem, then sling insults and innuendo because you have no response. Fact is tis you that displays a lack of intelligence
You start by seeing insult where none exists, then you can't admit error then respond with insult upon insult. Ain't working bud. You do have a role model, I can think of one person who is expert at your defensive tactic..; Trump.
That was most clever. Did you think that up all by yourself? Or, did you get some assistance from the other malt-liquor doused inbreds in the trailer park?
Either way, impressive whether from one buffoon or a group of buffoons.
So you are not going to tolerate. what are you going to do, huh.? I have often said that black people can't be racist, but you are proving the exception.
So now you graduate from attempts to insult, to threats.
I certainly share your sentiments. Thom would be best to answer Q#1, but it has to do with time-consuming procedure. Schumer should have started the hard slow-walk right away, but probably thought Tuberville could be gotten around easier. Now it's a huge backlog. Sorry I'm not a very good geek on that stuff. (paging Lawrence O'Donnell?)
Sadly, I can only give a cynical defeatist answer to your last question. The commencement of the Iraq War proved that marching in the streets was futile.
"A good heart and a good mind - those are what you need to be a chief."
--Louis Farmer, ONONDAGA
The combination of heart and mind is very powerful. The Medicine Wheel teaches that two worlds exist - the seen and the unseen. The seen world is the physical and the unseen is the spiritual world. Both of the worlds are necessary to discover true reality. The seen world is easiest seen by the male side. The unseen is easiest seen by the female side. The heart is the unseen and the mind is the seen. Blessed is the leader or person who has developed the heart and the mind. Truly, the person is of tremendous value to the Creator and the people.
My Great Spirit, help me this day to develop both my female side and my male side. Let me know all the feelings of each, let me develop and grow my intuition and my mind. Let my development only serve You.
This is why I'd choose Marianne Williamson if I was American. Your country is fortunate to have such a politician with a spiritual mind - I can't think of any other, perhaps even in the world, who has this heart/mind combo. The patriarchy is very deeply ingrained in your politics and history; becoming more matriarchal is a pipe dream. All things are possible though.
Spiritual mind equals air head. She won't be able to get anything done, she has no personal power, no connections, she will be at the mercy of Congress and the media which will dig up and thrive on scandals.
America is not England or Europe where the parliamentary system, enables a variety of parties that can form coalitions. It is an either -or political system, sadly.
Since most men barely act 1/2 human, if the matriarchal pushers want to cut the male vote in, half I would go for it! But the control freaks won't. Progressive males don't want to be blamed when America becomes a failed third world nation, where the living envy the Dead.
I agree, but that is America and humans. We want simple answers, simple solutions the kind that fit on a bimper sticker. People are lazy, and don't want to or can't afford to spend energy, even mental energy thinking and using critical thinking skills. That's why religions have billions of adherents. thinking is not necessary, Quran dispenses with thinking, Bible does too, didn't the Christian IHSus say something to the effect of have faith like a child?
Sadly, as Thom details the malevolent fascist attempts to destroy our democracy, too many Americans are willing to look the other way and justify violence while blocking basic human rights for the rest of us. Anything these fascists don’t like from voting rights for minorities,including women, to self determination of health care, to books they object to, to workers having a voice in workplace safety conditions, is fair game to destroy. These fascists are BS artists, full of self- righteousness, their ideology based on false claims and total bigotry. As an American I am totally disgusted with the Republicans who sit on the fence and are waiting to see which way the legal cases against tRump are blowing to take a stand against the mafia lawlessness of the fascist Maggat infestation in this country. Hopefully when tRump is finally convicted of his many crimes some of the electorate and legislators supporting this career conman criminal will peel off and support the rule of law but I’m doubtful we’ll see these people coming back from their conspiracy filled la la land of Opposite Day beliefs. In the meantime we have Opposite Day in Congress with “weaponization of government” hearings by Republicans (blaming Biden which is laughable on its face), whistleblowers who are actually indicted as foreign spy’s and on the run from prosecution, presenting tainted evidence as “something something “ to nail the “ Biden crime family “, UFOs ARE AMONG Us!!! and on and on. What a total clown show. If I was a card carrying Republican I would be cringing and running as fast as I could toward the sane party- the Democrats are trying to improve the lives of average Americans.
The Republican Party is a bat-shit crazy party. We need principled people in office. All these useless trouble making goons need to be impeached. Let’s start at the top with Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. All there decisions based on conflict of interest need to be reviewed. Then work down to the senate and house. There is a lot of garbage there. It’s time to clean house. Thankfully we have Jack Smith on it.
Biden has the tools to bypass the senate, he can use the same tools that Trump used, appoint acting commanders and heads, he can also use the method historically used, a good example is George Armstrong Custer, who was a Lt and Brevetted to General. Brevetted is a way to skip the regular promotions, the brevetted wear the rank, but not the pay and benefits, but can be officially promoted later.
Also the Senate can over ride the rules that give one senator so much power, that he can bring the Senate and government to a grinding halt. Perhaps even Biden using Article II to declare and emergency and an executive order to fill the vacancies.
He could have done that with the debt limit crisis, but didn't, causing me to wonder, whose side is he really on and why.
Good place to start, but Goldman Sachs has a head lock on both parties, but I can't forget Bill Clinton giving speeches, at least 20, in which he lauded international financial institutions and no coincidence that they set up the Clinton Global Initiative, to provide him funding after he left the residence. The Clintons were broke when they retired.
Menendez of NJ is primarly funded by PhRMA, Hakeem Jeffries by AIPAC, and the DNC hates and fears progressives, there only campaign talking point is we aren't MAGAts.
They may not be MAGAts but they greased the slide.
I do understand the blacks who express distrust and disdain, because when Democrats control congress and the executive. the ignore their constituency. Even Women, during the interregnum between the 117th and 118th congress , a short period when Congress could have passed legislation like women's rights protection, civil rights protection, the only bill that they passed was the Defense of Marriage Act, that federalized gay right to marry.
My take. by that time America had accepted gay marriage, but abortion was a hot button issue even among some Democrats. And Democrats are terrified of the misogynist and Christian Rights.
Back in the late 1990''s I was on a board called Liberty Forum, probably funded by a Libertarian like the gay Peter Thiel (can't wrap my head around gay Republicans, except money is more important than anything, or David and Charles Koch.
There was a self proclaimed Libertarian, who went by the name of Nuke Buzz Cut, he advocated that women who have abortions be executed for murder.
This scares me much more than the packed Supreme Court. Ultimately they are 9 people and could be ignored or dismissed. Not true of a heavily armed military, considered the best in the world.
I do not understand how one senator can be a hold on appointments. Does not the senate have the means to overide or censure Tubverville, for subverting national security?
Biden should at least follow Trumps lead and appoint acting this or that. Also the military has a method for promotion that doesn't require approval,
Brevetting: a document entitling a commissioned officer to hold temporarily a higher military rank without the appropriate pay and allowances. verbWord forms: -vets, -vetting, -vetted, -vets, -veting or -veted. The official promotion with pay and allowances can come later, with back pay.
Waiting over 2 years to start prosecuting the instigators of the coup is actually just enabling them. If Biden had appointed a different attorney general, he would probably have a 20-point lead in the polls and we would have a democratic Congress and supreme Court by now! I think Biden is controlled by the same people who control the Republican party. I vote Democrat for socialism, not for Biden. The fascist cannot name one nation without ANY socialism, that is not a failed third world mess. Ask them sometime to name one. I would like to see a reporter ask that question to any of the fascists.
Now that I agree with Bob. As we know Obama and Biden dipped into the right wing pool of religions and neo fascists to select Garland, I would like to assume good faith, and think that it was to show bipartisanship, but I can not and will not, by choosing Garland, he has not only placate the fascists, or so they thought, just to get a win, but they have facilitated the downfall of democracy. ant eh triumph of MAGAistic fascism
Again, chilling history, largely invisible in most of our news sources. Thanks Thom.
Generally speaking our 3 branches of government are unstably dependent on narrow margins of victory, which lead to complete overturns ...magnifying the power of individuals. Yet we also hear that countries with one of the many forms of parliamentary democracy lack our checks and balances, which today are failing us. Isn't there a softer, more proportional way to define power and reach, across the spectrum of election winners and losers?
The Senate can change the rules and they should, but why give-up your own fiefdom to have democracy.?! Can't publicly say what I really want to do about the likes of Tuberville, Cruz, and Rand Paul because I don't need anything else added to my FBI file. Maybe I flatter myself, but I have created my share of good trouble.
Great info. Everyone needs to know the name of their plan to destroy anything and anybody that would stop corporations from decimating the planet and our lives. We really are back to the basics of fascism. Heritage's publishing of Project 2025 makes it easy for us to understand, even if the word fascism has become a little more complicated.
And back to Tuberville, does he even understand that he's a senator? Someone that is easily traced and regularly photographed? Lying about being at the Jan 5th meeting just makes him look stupid. That tracks, since he belongs to Trump and apparently is just like him.
Just yesterday we were discussing the tuberville fiasco. Why does 1 person in the Senate have the power to stop this .
We thought then hes waiting till there is authoritarian rule of this country so they have control
Over the military . Its a very important position . He should be charged w some kind of obstruction. He was involved in the January sixth insurrection.
Charge him.
The apparent plans of the
Right throughout are to continue to reestablish our Democracy as an authoritarian nightmare.
And its well funded by the same people that supported another nightmare , DJT.
Who has caused more anguish and disgrace to this country in these last several years, not to mention , expense,
But they think its well worth it to have the power to establish themselves as director of a shield erected to keep wealth and power in a few , the rest of us can rot.
If trump is reelected, the rubes who fall for his con will be tremendous losers. They will cling to their deification of trump and place the blame on those who stand to lose even more. It's perfect. Bill Murray's movie, 'Larger than Life,' has a quote that sums up trump's entire existence: "Always be a carny. Never be a rube."
Can't something be done to get past one crooked old man with daddy issues? For me it's seems impossible that one person can stop the inner workings of the U.S. military. How is that not impossible?
Can you please compile a list with the names of these morbidly rich billionaires? I’d like to know who specifically is behind this fascist puppet show. My sharpened pitchfork is restless.
Well, let me break it down for you, white boy. First, I am not on defense when it comes to the horrific treatment of my people by those like you; I am on offense. My initial comment simply quoted what YOU wrote and followed with "aren't you special." You were speaking of a Black Woman in the United States and should have had the maturity and erudition to choose your words more carefully. Obviously, you have issues as you had indicated that you "got into an argument" with your wife about the matter.
YOU, then, launched into ad hominem, personalized attacks and insults. And, though I tend not to engage in urinating contests with skunks, I thought I might have a bit of amusement with you (and it has been fun). However, you see, I am not one of those Alkebulanians that am waiting for the melanin deficient to acknowledge what they are. I know what they are. I have seen it manifested in all walks of life for I am a direct product of my experiences; which will be denied by no one. I approach life as I have experienced it and it has come to me; not as I, or you, wish it were.
As for the paltry, pathetic and unimaginative indictment of "victimhood," that simply exhibits your ignorance for there are no greater victims of European violence, wanton disregard for other people and American Apartheid that the Black Person in the United States. Oddly enough, something you, yourself, acknowledged; but I know its hard for palefaces to keep up with their lies. Your white supremacist arrogance tells you that you are qualified to measure something you are abjectly unqualified to measure as your inbred brethren shoots and kills our children, women and men to this very day.
As for you finding me "interesting" perhaps I am, perhaps not. LookingNWords is read in 14 countries with hundreds of subscribers. How many countries is your newsletter read in? Please forward me the link so that I may subscribe to it.
Now, I have terminated any further interaction with you (because I can). You do not merit further attention. I should not have given you any at all and I don't need to pollute Mr. Hartmann's thread with silliness for most of his readers are very intelligent people that want to be, shall we say "enlightened." I strongly suggest you should look inwards.
Is there no way to get those military promotions through? Why can one Senator hold these up?
One thing the last 7 years has done is shine a light on how our government works. And it isn’t pretty. From the Electoral College that handed Trump the Presidency, the obscene power of Mitch McConnell that gave us the current SCOTUS, the ridiculous manufactured debt ceiling crisis (over and over), to Tubberville’s stranglehold.
Why do the other 99 members of the Senate bring pressure to bear to get Tubberville to relent?
Why are the citizens not up in arms and marching in the streets?
Se my response above, which includes Brevetting: a document entitling a commissioned officer to hold temporarily a higher military rank without the appropriate pay and allowances. verb Word forms: -vets, -vetting, -vetted, -vets, -veting or -veted.
Lt George Armstrong Custer was brevetted ti General.
It is an option Biden has, and another option he is not using, another was Art II and t he 14th Amendment. His failure to use this and acting positions, which Trump used extensively causes me to question his judgement or loyalties.
By the way Chris Sununu is predicting that, because of Hunter Biden and his falls and faux pas, that at the Democratic National Convention he will step aside and nominate a replacement and who else could it be, considering the DNC policy of choosing to put a race horse in the starting gate, that has paid it dues, stood in line, demonstrate loyalty and conservatism, even if they are un electable, and Kamala is all of that.
The question for Democrats is do they want to win the election and keep the fascists out of the white house, or are they so blinded by chauvinistic impulses that myopic demographics demand that they have a representative even though they are unelectable and leads to full fledged fascism. I sense the latter. That's why the DNC moved the S.C. primary to 1st in country.
Edit: For some reason my responses are not showing up, my replies are though
Ditto about Kamala. Dispiriting. Even Thom can't put a shine on her.
Did you just refer to a Black Woman in the United States and employ the racial epithet "a shine?"
Congratulations.
You are absolutely righteous! I didn't make the connection, shall we say, in time. Metaphors are such a landmine field. (Is that one OK?) Hope you have some sense of humor: I was getting away from "lipstick on a pig." I try not to be long-winded in comments. What I meant, of course, was that "even Thom Hartmann could not persuade me that all of the characteristics and qualifications of Vice President Harris could overcome certain matters of style and personality (which I realize it is also politically incorrect to reference) that in my opinion, informed by extensive experience of audience response both on stage and in the courtroom, would be a significant handicap in her being successful as the leading spokesperson for issues on the right side of which I sincerely believe her to be." Something like that. p.s. I substantially disagree with friend Farrar's even more long-winded response.
Whatever the case, you have character. Character is everything and such a critical part of U.S. society that is missing. Sometimes we simply don't view the mental "chyron" before our lips (or pens) start to move. I will be the first to acquiesce that it requires special training. The problem is that one cannot un-ring a bell and, oftentimes, forfeits a sound message to what would, otherwise, be an ally...at least in thought.
Here is an example; and I admire your character, courage and candor.
https://medium.com/@kenyattasgal/black-to-africa-part-ii-the-spook-who-sat-by-the-door-perhaps-1a479946da61
You are so sensitive about your race, that you wear it on your sleeve. A self confident person, who knows where they stop and start, are not walking around looking for offense.
I was making an analogy about the DNC, It only brings to the starting gate, old horses that have been padding around in the paddock, paying their dues, marking time, building creds only to lose.
And out of that you pick up RACE, as if that was all it is about. Man you are one pathetic dude. And don't even think of playing the racist card with me.
I've got into an argument with my wife, who reflexively defended Kamala (because she is a woman and a woman of color). I tried to tell her, that you may be madly in love with Kamala, but she is not electable. The problem is that liberals fall in love, with unelectables.The very attributes that liberals love, are the very attributes that motivate the racist, misogynistic fascists to turn out to vote
As I keep saying the DNC hates progressives, because their mega donor's hate them, and they can't do politics without money and money hates and fears progressives.
Also the popular dialogue has muddied the waters, equating populism with racism, sexism, fascism, because of the likes of William Jennings Bryan (a right wing religious fascist who got one thing right..The Cross of Gold speech, also Huey Long, a grifter, and Trump a grifter, Hitler was a populist as well.
But there is left wing populism, and the closest we came was Bernie Sanders, but in retrospect watching him after the 2016 election. I am not so sure he is what he presented himself to be.
There is no one in the Democratic party, other than the Progressive Caucus (and I am fearful that the beltway is corrupting them), I would trust and none of them has the experience, knowledge and connections to govern.
In 2020 81 million people, a record number, turned out to vote out Trump. Biden was not a known quantity, we only knew that he was St Obama's VP, we didn't know that he was a bipartisan, compromiser. Despite his speeches he really hasn't changed. He refuses to use
Art II and the 14th Amendment to lift the debt ceiling, he refuses to get involved (Trump had no problem) in prosecuting the sedionists, he let Garland choose Aileen Cannon as the judge for Jack Smiths indictment of Trump, and he and Schumer are allowing Tuberville to screw the military so Trump can appoint his own Generals, and thus solidify his dictatorship.
Tuberville took a break and went on campaign for Trump, and during that time Schumer could have rushed through, en masse, approval of the over 300 leadership positions in the Pentagon, and he sat on his hands and did nothing. He is worthless, not at all a leader., better than a Republican but that isn't saying much.
You speak of a Black Woman in the United States that has reached the pinnacle of U.S. politics (a person whom I have met and do not like, at all for reasons way different from yours) and use the term "RACE Horse".
Aren't you special.
You have a serious problem. I speak of people whom I think don't have a chance, male, female, black or white. Get a grip. I never said race horse and frankly you are too effin serious and touchy about race. In a way I don't blame you, considering the history of race in this country.
From slavery, to lynching to Jim Crow to MAGAts.
FYI, you can't bully or intimidate me, especially with not so subtle allegations.
I suggest you get over yourself. What you have revealed, with your defensive aggression is an inferiority complex and it doesn't look well.
"race horse in the starting... " Apparently, you are too illiterate to decipher your own words on top of being a poser. As far as the rest of your bloviating I posit to you this: you lack the intelligence, erudition, education, cultural savvy and linguistic dexterity to engage me in any meaningful way. For me to interact with a pathetic inbred like you would be akin to intellectual necrophilia and it is a felony to screw dead people in the State of California.
Now go have a mayonnaise sandwich and be gone.
Shove it where the sun doesn't shine. You are a real arsehole with a chip on his shoulder, your personalize everything; Evidence of an inferiority complex.
You take a word race horse and all you see is race. My go man, you really have a problem, then sling insults and innuendo because you have no response. Fact is tis you that displays a lack of intelligence
You start by seeing insult where none exists, then you can't admit error then respond with insult upon insult. Ain't working bud. You do have a role model, I can think of one person who is expert at your defensive tactic..; Trump.
That was most clever. Did you think that up all by yourself? Or, did you get some assistance from the other malt-liquor doused inbreds in the trailer park?
Either way, impressive whether from one buffoon or a group of buffoons.
This is no "card" game lightweight and I will not tolerate you or any other melanin deficient individual to trivialize it as such.
So you are not going to tolerate. what are you going to do, huh.? I have often said that black people can't be racist, but you are proving the exception.
So now you graduate from attempts to insult, to threats.
Exactly - many of us are asking such questions, and are tuned into the same frequency of your thoughts Sky 777.
I certainly share your sentiments. Thom would be best to answer Q#1, but it has to do with time-consuming procedure. Schumer should have started the hard slow-walk right away, but probably thought Tuberville could be gotten around easier. Now it's a huge backlog. Sorry I'm not a very good geek on that stuff. (paging Lawrence O'Donnell?)
Sadly, I can only give a cynical defeatist answer to your last question. The commencement of the Iraq War proved that marching in the streets was futile.
if only we were a matriarchal society;
Native American
"A good heart and a good mind - those are what you need to be a chief."
--Louis Farmer, ONONDAGA
The combination of heart and mind is very powerful. The Medicine Wheel teaches that two worlds exist - the seen and the unseen. The seen world is the physical and the unseen is the spiritual world. Both of the worlds are necessary to discover true reality. The seen world is easiest seen by the male side. The unseen is easiest seen by the female side. The heart is the unseen and the mind is the seen. Blessed is the leader or person who has developed the heart and the mind. Truly, the person is of tremendous value to the Creator and the people.
My Great Spirit, help me this day to develop both my female side and my male side. Let me know all the feelings of each, let me develop and grow my intuition and my mind. Let my development only serve You.
This is why I'd choose Marianne Williamson if I was American. Your country is fortunate to have such a politician with a spiritual mind - I can't think of any other, perhaps even in the world, who has this heart/mind combo. The patriarchy is very deeply ingrained in your politics and history; becoming more matriarchal is a pipe dream. All things are possible though.
Spiritual mind equals air head. She won't be able to get anything done, she has no personal power, no connections, she will be at the mercy of Congress and the media which will dig up and thrive on scandals.
America is not England or Europe where the parliamentary system, enables a variety of parties that can form coalitions. It is an either -or political system, sadly.
Definitely not airhead. You know anything about scandals?
Ginger, there are more female voters than there are male voters! How much more matriarchal do you want?
More female voters does not a matriarchy make!
Bob my friend. The number of female voters is irrelevant to the patriarchy, it's like saying that there is no racism because POC vote.
This is a patriarchy, women still get paid less, women are the subject of rape and abuse, more than men.
It is men that run the country, that determine what is and is not news. The majority of the Congress and the executives are and have been men.
It is mostly men, and mostly white men, that are CEO's and sit on Boards of Directors.
Since most men barely act 1/2 human, if the matriarchal pushers want to cut the male vote in, half I would go for it! But the control freaks won't. Progressive males don't want to be blamed when America becomes a failed third world nation, where the living envy the Dead.
I agree, but that is America and humans. We want simple answers, simple solutions the kind that fit on a bimper sticker. People are lazy, and don't want to or can't afford to spend energy, even mental energy thinking and using critical thinking skills. That's why religions have billions of adherents. thinking is not necessary, Quran dispenses with thinking, Bible does too, didn't the Christian IHSus say something to the effect of have faith like a child?
Scapegoating is the default in Humans, Hitler had a wide class of scapegoats Jews, Socialist, Unions, Slavs there is even charts of color coded patches for concentration camps. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/classification-system-in-nazi-concentration-camps
In Europe until the the 20th century it was women and Jews, as well as the neighboring countries.
In America it was, until the 19th Amendment, women, but also and still is People of Color, and LGBT
Sadly, as Thom details the malevolent fascist attempts to destroy our democracy, too many Americans are willing to look the other way and justify violence while blocking basic human rights for the rest of us. Anything these fascists don’t like from voting rights for minorities,including women, to self determination of health care, to books they object to, to workers having a voice in workplace safety conditions, is fair game to destroy. These fascists are BS artists, full of self- righteousness, their ideology based on false claims and total bigotry. As an American I am totally disgusted with the Republicans who sit on the fence and are waiting to see which way the legal cases against tRump are blowing to take a stand against the mafia lawlessness of the fascist Maggat infestation in this country. Hopefully when tRump is finally convicted of his many crimes some of the electorate and legislators supporting this career conman criminal will peel off and support the rule of law but I’m doubtful we’ll see these people coming back from their conspiracy filled la la land of Opposite Day beliefs. In the meantime we have Opposite Day in Congress with “weaponization of government” hearings by Republicans (blaming Biden which is laughable on its face), whistleblowers who are actually indicted as foreign spy’s and on the run from prosecution, presenting tainted evidence as “something something “ to nail the “ Biden crime family “, UFOs ARE AMONG Us!!! and on and on. What a total clown show. If I was a card carrying Republican I would be cringing and running as fast as I could toward the sane party- the Democrats are trying to improve the lives of average Americans.
The Republican Party is a bat-shit crazy party. We need principled people in office. All these useless trouble making goons need to be impeached. Let’s start at the top with Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. All there decisions based on conflict of interest need to be reviewed. Then work down to the senate and house. There is a lot of garbage there. It’s time to clean house. Thankfully we have Jack Smith on it.
First we have to get a Democrat elected president. Any GOP will just pardon Trump and all the other traitors.
Yes, we do!! Voting Blue every time!!
Biden has the tools to bypass the senate, he can use the same tools that Trump used, appoint acting commanders and heads, he can also use the method historically used, a good example is George Armstrong Custer, who was a Lt and Brevetted to General. Brevetted is a way to skip the regular promotions, the brevetted wear the rank, but not the pay and benefits, but can be officially promoted later.
Also the Senate can over ride the rules that give one senator so much power, that he can bring the Senate and government to a grinding halt. Perhaps even Biden using Article II to declare and emergency and an executive order to fill the vacancies.
He could have done that with the debt limit crisis, but didn't, causing me to wonder, whose side is he really on and why.
Yeah. Isn’t that something.
There’s quite a few things the ‘Dems’ have dropped the ball on . Kinda makes you wonder who’s really in charge now, doesn’t it?
I say follow the money. Right Goldman Sachs?
Good place to start, but Goldman Sachs has a head lock on both parties, but I can't forget Bill Clinton giving speeches, at least 20, in which he lauded international financial institutions and no coincidence that they set up the Clinton Global Initiative, to provide him funding after he left the residence. The Clintons were broke when they retired.
Menendez of NJ is primarly funded by PhRMA, Hakeem Jeffries by AIPAC, and the DNC hates and fears progressives, there only campaign talking point is we aren't MAGAts.
They may not be MAGAts but they greased the slide.
I do understand the blacks who express distrust and disdain, because when Democrats control congress and the executive. the ignore their constituency. Even Women, during the interregnum between the 117th and 118th congress , a short period when Congress could have passed legislation like women's rights protection, civil rights protection, the only bill that they passed was the Defense of Marriage Act, that federalized gay right to marry.
My take. by that time America had accepted gay marriage, but abortion was a hot button issue even among some Democrats. And Democrats are terrified of the misogynist and Christian Rights.
Back in the late 1990''s I was on a board called Liberty Forum, probably funded by a Libertarian like the gay Peter Thiel (can't wrap my head around gay Republicans, except money is more important than anything, or David and Charles Koch.
There was a self proclaimed Libertarian, who went by the name of Nuke Buzz Cut, he advocated that women who have abortions be executed for murder.
This scares me much more than the packed Supreme Court. Ultimately they are 9 people and could be ignored or dismissed. Not true of a heavily armed military, considered the best in the world.
I do not understand how one senator can be a hold on appointments. Does not the senate have the means to overide or censure Tubverville, for subverting national security?
Biden should at least follow Trumps lead and appoint acting this or that. Also the military has a method for promotion that doesn't require approval,
Brevetting: a document entitling a commissioned officer to hold temporarily a higher military rank without the appropriate pay and allowances. verbWord forms: -vets, -vetting, -vetted, -vets, -veting or -veted. The official promotion with pay and allowances can come later, with back pay.
Waiting over 2 years to start prosecuting the instigators of the coup is actually just enabling them. If Biden had appointed a different attorney general, he would probably have a 20-point lead in the polls and we would have a democratic Congress and supreme Court by now! I think Biden is controlled by the same people who control the Republican party. I vote Democrat for socialism, not for Biden. The fascist cannot name one nation without ANY socialism, that is not a failed third world mess. Ask them sometime to name one. I would like to see a reporter ask that question to any of the fascists.
Now that I agree with Bob. As we know Obama and Biden dipped into the right wing pool of religions and neo fascists to select Garland, I would like to assume good faith, and think that it was to show bipartisanship, but I can not and will not, by choosing Garland, he has not only placate the fascists, or so they thought, just to get a win, but they have facilitated the downfall of democracy. ant eh triumph of MAGAistic fascism
Again, chilling history, largely invisible in most of our news sources. Thanks Thom.
Generally speaking our 3 branches of government are unstably dependent on narrow margins of victory, which lead to complete overturns ...magnifying the power of individuals. Yet we also hear that countries with one of the many forms of parliamentary democracy lack our checks and balances, which today are failing us. Isn't there a softer, more proportional way to define power and reach, across the spectrum of election winners and losers?
The Senate can change the rules and they should, but why give-up your own fiefdom to have democracy.?! Can't publicly say what I really want to do about the likes of Tuberville, Cruz, and Rand Paul because I don't need anything else added to my FBI file. Maybe I flatter myself, but I have created my share of good trouble.
Great info. Everyone needs to know the name of their plan to destroy anything and anybody that would stop corporations from decimating the planet and our lives. We really are back to the basics of fascism. Heritage's publishing of Project 2025 makes it easy for us to understand, even if the word fascism has become a little more complicated.
And back to Tuberville, does he even understand that he's a senator? Someone that is easily traced and regularly photographed? Lying about being at the Jan 5th meeting just makes him look stupid. That tracks, since he belongs to Trump and apparently is just like him.
Just yesterday we were discussing the tuberville fiasco. Why does 1 person in the Senate have the power to stop this .
We thought then hes waiting till there is authoritarian rule of this country so they have control
Over the military . Its a very important position . He should be charged w some kind of obstruction. He was involved in the January sixth insurrection.
Charge him.
The apparent plans of the
Right throughout are to continue to reestablish our Democracy as an authoritarian nightmare.
And its well funded by the same people that supported another nightmare , DJT.
Who has caused more anguish and disgrace to this country in these last several years, not to mention , expense,
But they think its well worth it to have the power to establish themselves as director of a shield erected to keep wealth and power in a few , the rest of us can rot.
If trump is reelected, the rubes who fall for his con will be tremendous losers. They will cling to their deification of trump and place the blame on those who stand to lose even more. It's perfect. Bill Murray's movie, 'Larger than Life,' has a quote that sums up trump's entire existence: "Always be a carny. Never be a rube."
Can't something be done to get past one crooked old man with daddy issues? For me it's seems impossible that one person can stop the inner workings of the U.S. military. How is that not impossible?
I agree, C. Jacobs. PS You do not need to write me back, but yes, your writing here is correct IMO. Sincerely Harriet
Can you please compile a list with the names of these morbidly rich billionaires? I’d like to know who specifically is behind this fascist puppet show. My sharpened pitchfork is restless.
Well, let me break it down for you, white boy. First, I am not on defense when it comes to the horrific treatment of my people by those like you; I am on offense. My initial comment simply quoted what YOU wrote and followed with "aren't you special." You were speaking of a Black Woman in the United States and should have had the maturity and erudition to choose your words more carefully. Obviously, you have issues as you had indicated that you "got into an argument" with your wife about the matter.
YOU, then, launched into ad hominem, personalized attacks and insults. And, though I tend not to engage in urinating contests with skunks, I thought I might have a bit of amusement with you (and it has been fun). However, you see, I am not one of those Alkebulanians that am waiting for the melanin deficient to acknowledge what they are. I know what they are. I have seen it manifested in all walks of life for I am a direct product of my experiences; which will be denied by no one. I approach life as I have experienced it and it has come to me; not as I, or you, wish it were.
As for the paltry, pathetic and unimaginative indictment of "victimhood," that simply exhibits your ignorance for there are no greater victims of European violence, wanton disregard for other people and American Apartheid that the Black Person in the United States. Oddly enough, something you, yourself, acknowledged; but I know its hard for palefaces to keep up with their lies. Your white supremacist arrogance tells you that you are qualified to measure something you are abjectly unqualified to measure as your inbred brethren shoots and kills our children, women and men to this very day.
As for you finding me "interesting" perhaps I am, perhaps not. LookingNWords is read in 14 countries with hundreds of subscribers. How many countries is your newsletter read in? Please forward me the link so that I may subscribe to it.
Now, I have terminated any further interaction with you (because I can). You do not merit further attention. I should not have given you any at all and I don't need to pollute Mr. Hartmann's thread with silliness for most of his readers are very intelligent people that want to be, shall we say "enlightened." I strongly suggest you should look inwards.