Thom, virtually every point you make here underscores the failure of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries to rise to the moment. Both are really good at articulating the abuses of Repugnicans (Jeffries gently refers to them as “MAGA Republicans”, as if there’s a difference), but neither seems to have a notion of how we might address those abuses. And when confronted by the likes of Zorhan Mamdani they go silent or, worse, subversive. They are ineffectual corporate dinosaurs unaware of the meteor hurtling toward them. Your good work has never been more needed or important.
You guys have, as Heather Cox Richardson said yesterday, bought into the Republican depiction of the Democratic Party. It talkes unity to win.
In case you missed it, the next Congressional election isn't until next year, November, 2026. Addressing Congress is not the same as campaigining for office. Comparing apples to elephants.
I'm feeling like I'm the last Democrat left....
Reminds me of one of my characters who keeps saying, "You no know wha' you kno know." He doesn't know that there are two ways to translate "know" from Spanish. And the reader is confronted with double, if not triple endendre.
And apparently that includes Thom.
You miss the forest for the trees, can't spot friend from foe.
Exactly which is why the criticism of old Dems fighting the New Progressive Candidates like Mamdani and how they use to go against AOC is actually the objection. I can't donate to the DNC until after the Primaries to prevent them from using the money against progressive candidates. So I donate directly to candidates usually. Later I can give to the Party. This is unfortunate.
I stopped donating to the DNC in 2015, after the Convention fiasco. I donate directly to the individual and rarely donate out of state.
The corporate Democrats while somewhat more humane than any Republican are deaf and blind to the needs of the ordinary middle class American.
I long for the day I'll be able to vote independent again. Sadly that won't happen in my lifetime. The crazy runs too deep in the Republican gene pool.
Thanks Thom: This comment of yours has been my perpetual rant: "— Democrats need to take a lesson from Republicans, like those who run the Lincoln project, about how to “take names and kick ass." The Democratic party leadership have been, since I can remember, a bunch of (pardon my lanugage and sexism) pussies
And yes Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Corey Booker. Yeh I know Corey stood for 25 hours in a PR ploy, giving a speech, with no bill on the floor to filibuster , if you look at his record and his stance he has been a milquetoast centrist, hardly a warrior, but a middling politician with Presidential hopes in mind, not the needs of the country
Needed are the likes of AOC, Zohran Mamdani, David Hogg, it is time for Gen X, Y and Z to take over, minus the InCels and the Viagra contingent, those are the Trump Humpers
Oh we wuz robbed, and Russia interfered with psyops, and the voting tabulators were hacked. I agree with all of that, yet if the groups I mentioned, turned out and voted for Kamalam Trump would not be president.
And I see the forest very well, in fact that is what I am all about, the big picture, strategy, not tactics and distracting trees.
You and I just see things differently. It is my observation that you are an institutionalist, you were raised in and made a career in the law, you look to the law for relief, and expect a legal remedy.
I on the other hand, see the law as being administered by people who have their own beliefs and loyalties and the proof is in the supreme court
Here we are tripping over each other and Trump now has his own state police, a mukhabarat, that is answerable to no one but him, who violates the 4th and 5th Amendment under the direction of Trump.
You think that 2024 election was tampered with, wait till 2026 and 2028, Trump has his concentration camps and his secret state police, that will come for anybody that the regime fears, and will be standing by, monitoring polling places, with the excuse of stopping immigrants (i.e. brown people) from voting.
Velshi's first hour today, did one hell of a job detailing the problem and it's consequences.
Yes lower courts have ruled against Trump, or issued temporary stays, but wait till they reach the Circuit courts and the Supreme Court.
And lower court rulings don't stop Trump, he just ignores them and trucks on.
So what am I missing Daniel? Who is going to impeach Trump or his cabinet, and if by amiracle the Dems take back control of the House, It will take the Senate to remove him, and guess who controls the Senate?
There you go , you got to the heart of the matter, You believe that the institutions will hold, and I see that the institutions have not only failed, but disappeared.
I am not discouraged or discouraging, on the contrary it is my opinion that the only way to save ourselves and our Constitutional Republic at this time, is via direct action, an uprising, a general strike. "Remember the refuseniks"
I do not see any legal or political solution.
see people jumping up and down with glee when a lower court rules, I just got an email today, doing exactly that The problem is that the ruling hasn't been appealed, when it is appealed and winds up in a conservative, Trump friendly, theocratic oriented District court it will be upheld, if there is a ruling against the theocratic fascists, then Bondi will appeal it to SCOTUS., and as you know SCOTUS will rule for Trump, in the two cases which it didn't Trump ignores. In fact it is policy within the regime to ignore any rulings against it
Those are facts, that is the reality, and I live in reality. We can only save ourselves, the law isn't going to save us, the judicial system isn't going to save us,politics isn't going to save us, especially when Republican states, like Texas, is engaging in super gerrymandering to eliminate any pockets of Democrats in a right wing state.
No Daniel, I am not discouraged or engaging in discouragement, and I don't see any positive results from the groups that you sponsor. You pushed them in 2024, and lost.
The political system has been corrupted and coopted, same with the judicial system.
I see us in the same place as Germany in 1933, literally, because now Trump has the largest state police force in the world, probably second to Russia, with a budget bigger than most government's defense budget. A paramilitary force of secret police that can arrest people off the street, knock down doors, break car windows, and don't have to wear identification and are required to wear masks, while Trump is going to criminalize us for wearing masks
To me yours is passive resistance, hoping that the law and institutions will hold, I see the evidence that both are compromised and the law is weak, and that the only relief is active resistance.
In 2015, when the felon "won" the first time, I toldy husband the country was in dire danger. He patted me on the head and said don't worry, the Constitution will hold.
It only holds for those who believe in the Rule of Law.
He believes me now. I agree we're lining up for direct action.
History is the teacher. People are like kids, who pull the cover over their heads, in the belief that if they can't see the monster, the monster can't see them
Most people don't recognize change, until the axe falls. So long as they go about their daily routine, everything feels fine, and when change comes slowly, they don't notice the change
We are being played for fools, the only country in the world where heathcare is not a human right. You are scammed day-in and day-out by insurance companies and big pharma. Insurance premiums paid monthly only for you to see Claim Denied. Drug costs that are 2-3 times the cost for the same drug in the next country. It is carnage on the American stage. You accept all that. ??????
The USA is a cannibalistic country. That’s the nature of capitalism when left to run wild. Most countries have muted it by installing a safety net and educating their citizens so that decisions are not made by a bunch of dumb f*cks.
Once the winners in the game of capitalism have cornered their share of the market they press on and extract as much wealth as they can from the rest of us. We need someone like Mamdani to heal our system because the dems won’t do anything that will upset their grifting.
Whereas MSM says Red state Republicans won’t discover how badly screwed they are until after the next years’ midterm elections, PAYGO, will activate a MEDICARE cut before the elections.
For sure Fox viewers won't know about the incompetence and delay, because Kristi got all dressed-up and appeared on the FOX couch to deny it. She lies or doesn't answer the question by talking shit about CNN. If she wants to mention "fake", she should go ask: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fakest of them all?". She had time that day to do her "portrait survey" while all the kids were dying.
Just as despicable is Greg Abbot preaching about football and winners and losers. THAT was the stupidest, cruelest thing I've heard him say, but stay tuned, he's running again in 2026. Those poor parents and loved ones of the flood victims!
When these psychos get put on the spot, their acting skills are stretched to the limit. No empathy. None. NADA.
That ad is brilliant---they need to know we are coming for them. The Republicans in the Lincoln Project will be with us.
See you in the streets the 17th for some good trouble.
When they aren't l ying they go on the attack, the latest tactic, as exhibited by Karoline Leavitt when she calls reporters who ask embarrassing questions, evil and disgusting, Trump has followed suit and doing the same.
In another discussion we were discussing "I don't think their end game is simply to deport immigrants."
Trump was the poster boy for employer sanctions for using illegals on his job sites. On his own properties he uses temporary visa workers, so that he doesn't have to pay the locals.
Although "peonage" is illegal, an exception is using convict labor. See Cool Hand Luke. Google says nearly two-thirds of incarcerated individuals work, with over 800,000 prison laborers, primarily performing maintenance and operations tasks within the facilities. These jobs are often crucial for the functioning of prisons but come with a lack of basic worker protections, such as minimum wage, overtime pay, and safety regulations. Incarcerated workers also contribute significantly to the economy, generating billions in goods and services, yet are often paid very low wages, sometimes even nothing.
"One example of incarcerated people working for private employers is the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP), under which they either work directly for the company or are employed by the prison and contracted out. Despite representing a small share of the country’s incarcerated workforce, these workers contribute to large profits for private businesses by producing goods and services for the suppliers of major brands across our economy, often for consumers who are unaware that they were produced with prison labor. Though these jobs tend to pay higher wages than non-industry jobs—jobs that support prison operations—up to 80% of workers’ wages are deducted in room and board, taxes, and victim compensation, and employers regularly exploit the minimal labor standards that do exist with impunity (ACLU and GHRC 2022)." https://www.epi.org/publication/rooted-racism-prison-labor/
I bet that actually the plan includes, in essence, a system of slave labor.
Here is the end game. At the moment illegal immigration is a civil offense, not a criminal offense, and you can't use people in jail for civil defenses for labor, the 13th Amendment says criminals.
I think the plan is to have the Supreme Court interpret criminals to include civil offenses
At the moment the law, the constitution, prohibits people accused of committing a civil offense like immigrating without permission, to be a civil offense.
Alligator Alacatraz is perfectly sited for Florida's fruit growers. I can see them rolling up with buses and trucks and hiring the people, say at $5.00 a day.
The biggest fear I have is that SCOTUS has basically given him permission to round up anyone regardless of citizenship data, and the Trump humping thugs of ICE and CBP are rubbing their hands in delight. Baby steps, push the boundaries today with masked men rounding up brown people in front of Home Depot, then tomorrow, protesters, following day, dissenters on social media.m then neighborhood watch and snitches.
Alligator Alcatraz is only the first of many concentration camps, thanks to the $170 billion budget
I am waiting to see if the Class action route will circumvent Trump, plans since the court ruled that each case filed has no federal jurisdiction and applies solely to that case or the district
John Roberts long ago stated that he has no use for class action suits, and I believe that he repeated that recently in an interview, so when a class action suit reachs SCOTUS, and it will, expect the Roberts court to rule against it.
You didn't pay attention to what I said at the time. SCOTUS left open a window of opportunity. I said all was not lost.
Here Allegator Alley is a state facility. The legislature passed a law outlawing illegals entering or residing in Florida. Just this week, SCOTUS on Wednesday declined to take up a request from Florida to block a lower court's decision that bars the state from enforcing parts of its new immigration law.
"USDC Kathleen Williams temporarily blocked enforcement of the law in April, and last month she found Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in civil contempt over what she said was an effort to defy her order.
"A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Uthmeier's request to pause Williams' ruling last month and expedited the appeal for consideration before the panel in October.
"In documents filed with the Supreme Court, Uthmeier had said Florida was “cognizant” of the federal government’s role in immigration enforcement and argued that the state was “purposefully aligning the law with federal requirements and objectives.”
"The Trump administration had similarly contended in a supporting brief that the measure “complements” federal law and that the statutes “are materially identical to the federal entry and reentry provisions.”"
That doesn't mean that Florida is precluded from attempting to criminalize immigration, although one would think that it is prepmpted by Federal jurisdiction.
..
As to class actions, I assume that DOJ will try to attack the class and/or have the cases removed to the center for multidistrict litigation in Detroit.
Re churches and IRS. POS and MAGA might regret it big time. Black churches can start really calling elections for Ds and others. Catholic churches might realize that Leo wants them to actually follow Matthew 25 and elect people who do as well. The national council of bishops might decide to start endorsing Ds as opposed to MAGA Rs. I could go on. Evangelicals are a very small, if vocal, group of churches.
I could not agree more re: Mssrs Schumer and Jeffries. We need “wartime” Congressional leaders. While I appreciate their rhetoric, strong letter to follow, it is ineffectual. Jasmine Crockett. AOC/Sanders democracy tour. Jamie Raskin. Amy Klobshar. We have fighters. Dems need to connect viscerally with us. Capture the outrage such as the egregious ICE roundups. Call BS on the Trump tariffs. Keep the focus on Ukraine and its struggle.
I, like most, grieve the loss in Texas; and, salute the work and bravery of Texans helping Texans. The question is what next? How do we remedy, foreclose future tragedies? How do we hold accountable those such as Kristi Noem more shot it the ass with a great photo then getting FEMA activated. And, where the hell is the FEMA Administrator? An Administrator reputedly unaware of “hurricane season.”
When I was 12 I drowned in the Ouachita River, my 17 year old cousin rescued me. I know what it feels like to drown, and I shudderat the horror those girls at the Mystic camp went through and all 280 people. But there is a devil sitting on my shoulder, who says karmic justice. This was rural Texas where the people are bigoted, believers and Trump humpers,
Janie Hunt, 9, was the great-granddaughter of the late American oil baron William Herbert Hunt. William Howard Hunt (deceased) was one of the biggest climate deniers.
Here is more karmia, the biggest recipient of his donations is climate denying Joe Barton, whose district includes Kerrville, Texas
From AI generative
Here's a breakdown of his stances and votes on climate-related bills:
Rejection of climate science: Barton was a vocal critic of the scientific consensus on climate change, stating that he was "not a believer CO2 is a pollutant" and that the science was "uneven and evolving".
Opposition to regulations: He actively opposed efforts to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases, calling the Democratic-led climate bill in 2009 "C-R-A-P" and arguing it would harm American workers.
Focus on fossil fuels: Barton championed the use of fossil fuels and advocated for deregulation of the electricity and natural gas industries.
Votes against environmental protections: The League of Conservation Voters scorecard shows Barton consistently voted against measures aimed at protecting the environment and addressing climate change. Examples include votes against:
Mandatory limits on global warming pollution.
Undermining the integrity of the EPA and attacking EPA science.
Blocking wildlife protections and local input on public lands.
Recognizing the cost of climate change.
Support for fossil fuel industry: Barton was a strong proponent of the fossil fuel industry, even earning the nickname "Smokey Joe" from environmental groups due to his championing of a gas additive later found to be a pollutant.
Advocated for lifting the oil export ban: He successfully led efforts to lift the federal ban on crude oil exports, arguing it would boost the economy and create jobs.
In essence, Joe Barton's voting record and public statements demonstrate a consistent opposition to policies aimed at mitigating climate change and a strong support for the fossil fuel industry during his tenure in Congress.
Reducing Global Warming - League of Conservation Voters
Conservationists have long asserted that the pollution reductions necessary to curb global warming will require more than voluntary initiatives. H.R. 2643, the ...
favicon
League of Conservation Voters
Joe Barton - League of Conservation Voters
National Security Threat of Climate Change. National Security Threat of Climate Change. 2017. Roll Call Vote: 368. California Water Resources. California Water ...
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League of Conservation Voters
Joe Barton proud of 'Halliburton loophole,' climate skepticism
Nov 27, 2018 — Enactment of what is commonly known as EPAct05 occurred during the pinnacle of Barton's power, the three years that he led the Energy and Commerce Committew
Oh, for those gentle and bounteous gentle rains of Summer (though not in Texas), lovingly infused with LSD and stirred ever so gently with Jewish Space Lasers! (I wonder whatever happened to the psychedelics poured into the reservoirs?).
As an aside, if the masses were indeed being dosed with Acid they sure as Hell wouldn't have voted for Trump. Or probably for the Democrats either.
The most toxic parts of the OBBBA don’t kick in after the midterm elections in 2026. So are the democrats going to wait for the GOP to crap upon themselves enough in order to hopefully take the house and the senate? We did that in 2024 hoping the inanities at the MAGA rallies would be off-putting enough to drive voters to the Democrats. The opposite happened. Apparently young people reveled in the entertainment.
So, what are the democrats to campaign on from now on? Well, REPEAL and REPLACE the OBBBA. The republicans tried for years to repeal and replace the ACA which was achieved through the reconciliation process. But for the iconic thumbs down👎by the maverick senator John McCain, tons of Americans with preexisting conditions would not have health insurance today. So why don’t democrats craft a companion 900-page legislation that would repeal and replace the very toxic and unpopular OBBBA if and when they win the two chambers of congress. Instead of tax cut for billionaires, more taxes on them to pay for services for common people. Democrats should play hard ball the way the republicans have done over and over again. If they could repeal and replace Obamacare, (even though they had no real replacement plan), democrats ought to replace every page of the OBBBA when they have the power. Hopefully they’ll have enough majority to override a presidential veto when that happens as it certainly would. Am I crazy?
This whole regime needs to be taken out to the woodshed, like they used threaten kids with in the old days. My Mom always quoted "spare the rod spoil the child" Seems like this applies to these bozos big time!
Thom, virtually every point you make here underscores the failure of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries to rise to the moment. Both are really good at articulating the abuses of Repugnicans (Jeffries gently refers to them as “MAGA Republicans”, as if there’s a difference), but neither seems to have a notion of how we might address those abuses. And when confronted by the likes of Zorhan Mamdani they go silent or, worse, subversive. They are ineffectual corporate dinosaurs unaware of the meteor hurtling toward them. Your good work has never been more needed or important.
You guys have, as Heather Cox Richardson said yesterday, bought into the Republican depiction of the Democratic Party. It talkes unity to win.
In case you missed it, the next Congressional election isn't until next year, November, 2026. Addressing Congress is not the same as campaigining for office. Comparing apples to elephants.
I'm feeling like I'm the last Democrat left....
Reminds me of one of my characters who keeps saying, "You no know wha' you kno know." He doesn't know that there are two ways to translate "know" from Spanish. And the reader is confronted with double, if not triple endendre.
And apparently that includes Thom.
You miss the forest for the trees, can't spot friend from foe.
Exactly which is why the criticism of old Dems fighting the New Progressive Candidates like Mamdani and how they use to go against AOC is actually the objection. I can't donate to the DNC until after the Primaries to prevent them from using the money against progressive candidates. So I donate directly to candidates usually. Later I can give to the Party. This is unfortunate.
I stopped donating to the DNC in 2015, after the Convention fiasco. I donate directly to the individual and rarely donate out of state.
The corporate Democrats while somewhat more humane than any Republican are deaf and blind to the needs of the ordinary middle class American.
I long for the day I'll be able to vote independent again. Sadly that won't happen in my lifetime. The crazy runs too deep in the Republican gene pool.
That "fighting" is BS brought to you by psy ops. Blown out of proportion.
Thanks Thom: This comment of yours has been my perpetual rant: "— Democrats need to take a lesson from Republicans, like those who run the Lincoln project, about how to “take names and kick ass." The Democratic party leadership have been, since I can remember, a bunch of (pardon my lanugage and sexism) pussies
And yes Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Corey Booker. Yeh I know Corey stood for 25 hours in a PR ploy, giving a speech, with no bill on the floor to filibuster , if you look at his record and his stance he has been a milquetoast centrist, hardly a warrior, but a middling politician with Presidential hopes in mind, not the needs of the country
Needed are the likes of AOC, Zohran Mamdani, David Hogg, it is time for Gen X, Y and Z to take over, minus the InCels and the Viagra contingent, those are the Trump Humpers
I still think we wuz robbed. We won. And you miss the forest for the trees.
Oh we wuz robbed, and Russia interfered with psyops, and the voting tabulators were hacked. I agree with all of that, yet if the groups I mentioned, turned out and voted for Kamalam Trump would not be president.
And I see the forest very well, in fact that is what I am all about, the big picture, strategy, not tactics and distracting trees.
You and I just see things differently. It is my observation that you are an institutionalist, you were raised in and made a career in the law, you look to the law for relief, and expect a legal remedy.
I on the other hand, see the law as being administered by people who have their own beliefs and loyalties and the proof is in the supreme court
Here we are tripping over each other and Trump now has his own state police, a mukhabarat, that is answerable to no one but him, who violates the 4th and 5th Amendment under the direction of Trump.
You think that 2024 election was tampered with, wait till 2026 and 2028, Trump has his concentration camps and his secret state police, that will come for anybody that the regime fears, and will be standing by, monitoring polling places, with the excuse of stopping immigrants (i.e. brown people) from voting.
Velshi's first hour today, did one hell of a job detailing the problem and it's consequences.
Yes lower courts have ruled against Trump, or issued temporary stays, but wait till they reach the Circuit courts and the Supreme Court.
And lower court rulings don't stop Trump, he just ignores them and trucks on.
So what am I missing Daniel? Who is going to impeach Trump or his cabinet, and if by amiracle the Dems take back control of the House, It will take the Senate to remove him, and guess who controls the Senate?
Despite your discouragement, behind the scenes some people are actually working toward a resolution.
There you go , you got to the heart of the matter, You believe that the institutions will hold, and I see that the institutions have not only failed, but disappeared.
I am not discouraged or discouraging, on the contrary it is my opinion that the only way to save ourselves and our Constitutional Republic at this time, is via direct action, an uprising, a general strike. "Remember the refuseniks"
I do not see any legal or political solution.
see people jumping up and down with glee when a lower court rules, I just got an email today, doing exactly that The problem is that the ruling hasn't been appealed, when it is appealed and winds up in a conservative, Trump friendly, theocratic oriented District court it will be upheld, if there is a ruling against the theocratic fascists, then Bondi will appeal it to SCOTUS., and as you know SCOTUS will rule for Trump, in the two cases which it didn't Trump ignores. In fact it is policy within the regime to ignore any rulings against it
Those are facts, that is the reality, and I live in reality. We can only save ourselves, the law isn't going to save us, the judicial system isn't going to save us,politics isn't going to save us, especially when Republican states, like Texas, is engaging in super gerrymandering to eliminate any pockets of Democrats in a right wing state.
No Daniel, I am not discouraged or engaging in discouragement, and I don't see any positive results from the groups that you sponsor. You pushed them in 2024, and lost.
The political system has been corrupted and coopted, same with the judicial system.
I see us in the same place as Germany in 1933, literally, because now Trump has the largest state police force in the world, probably second to Russia, with a budget bigger than most government's defense budget. A paramilitary force of secret police that can arrest people off the street, knock down doors, break car windows, and don't have to wear identification and are required to wear masks, while Trump is going to criminalize us for wearing masks
To me yours is passive resistance, hoping that the law and institutions will hold, I see the evidence that both are compromised and the law is weak, and that the only relief is active resistance.
In 2015, when the felon "won" the first time, I toldy husband the country was in dire danger. He patted me on the head and said don't worry, the Constitution will hold.
It only holds for those who believe in the Rule of Law.
He believes me now. I agree we're lining up for direct action.
History is the teacher. People are like kids, who pull the cover over their heads, in the belief that if they can't see the monster, the monster can't see them
Most people don't recognize change, until the axe falls. So long as they go about their daily routine, everything feels fine, and when change comes slowly, they don't notice the change
We are being played for fools, the only country in the world where heathcare is not a human right. You are scammed day-in and day-out by insurance companies and big pharma. Insurance premiums paid monthly only for you to see Claim Denied. Drug costs that are 2-3 times the cost for the same drug in the next country. It is carnage on the American stage. You accept all that. ??????
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/claim-denied?r=3m1bs
The USA is a cannibalistic country. That’s the nature of capitalism when left to run wild. Most countries have muted it by installing a safety net and educating their citizens so that decisions are not made by a bunch of dumb f*cks.
Once the winners in the game of capitalism have cornered their share of the market they press on and extract as much wealth as they can from the rest of us. We need someone like Mamdani to heal our system because the dems won’t do anything that will upset their grifting.
Whereas MSM says Red state Republicans won’t discover how badly screwed they are until after the next years’ midterm elections, PAYGO, will activate a MEDICARE cut before the elections.
https://democrats-budget.house.gov/resources/fact-sheet/house-passed-fy25-reconciliation-bill-triggers-535-billion-medicare-cuts
For sure Fox viewers won't know about the incompetence and delay, because Kristi got all dressed-up and appeared on the FOX couch to deny it. She lies or doesn't answer the question by talking shit about CNN. If she wants to mention "fake", she should go ask: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fakest of them all?". She had time that day to do her "portrait survey" while all the kids were dying.
Just as despicable is Greg Abbot preaching about football and winners and losers. THAT was the stupidest, cruelest thing I've heard him say, but stay tuned, he's running again in 2026. Those poor parents and loved ones of the flood victims!
When these psychos get put on the spot, their acting skills are stretched to the limit. No empathy. None. NADA.
That ad is brilliant---they need to know we are coming for them. The Republicans in the Lincoln Project will be with us.
See you in the streets the 17th for some good trouble.
When they aren't l ying they go on the attack, the latest tactic, as exhibited by Karoline Leavitt when she calls reporters who ask embarrassing questions, evil and disgusting, Trump has followed suit and doing the same.
That's just show biz.
In another discussion we were discussing "I don't think their end game is simply to deport immigrants."
Trump was the poster boy for employer sanctions for using illegals on his job sites. On his own properties he uses temporary visa workers, so that he doesn't have to pay the locals.
Although "peonage" is illegal, an exception is using convict labor. See Cool Hand Luke. Google says nearly two-thirds of incarcerated individuals work, with over 800,000 prison laborers, primarily performing maintenance and operations tasks within the facilities. These jobs are often crucial for the functioning of prisons but come with a lack of basic worker protections, such as minimum wage, overtime pay, and safety regulations. Incarcerated workers also contribute significantly to the economy, generating billions in goods and services, yet are often paid very low wages, sometimes even nothing.
"One example of incarcerated people working for private employers is the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP), under which they either work directly for the company or are employed by the prison and contracted out. Despite representing a small share of the country’s incarcerated workforce, these workers contribute to large profits for private businesses by producing goods and services for the suppliers of major brands across our economy, often for consumers who are unaware that they were produced with prison labor. Though these jobs tend to pay higher wages than non-industry jobs—jobs that support prison operations—up to 80% of workers’ wages are deducted in room and board, taxes, and victim compensation, and employers regularly exploit the minimal labor standards that do exist with impunity (ACLU and GHRC 2022)." https://www.epi.org/publication/rooted-racism-prison-labor/
I bet that actually the plan includes, in essence, a system of slave labor.
Here is the end game. At the moment illegal immigration is a civil offense, not a criminal offense, and you can't use people in jail for civil defenses for labor, the 13th Amendment says criminals.
I think the plan is to have the Supreme Court interpret criminals to include civil offenses
At the moment the law, the constitution, prohibits people accused of committing a civil offense like immigrating without permission, to be a civil offense.
Alligator Alacatraz is perfectly sited for Florida's fruit growers. I can see them rolling up with buses and trucks and hiring the people, say at $5.00 a day.
The biggest fear I have is that SCOTUS has basically given him permission to round up anyone regardless of citizenship data, and the Trump humping thugs of ICE and CBP are rubbing their hands in delight. Baby steps, push the boundaries today with masked men rounding up brown people in front of Home Depot, then tomorrow, protesters, following day, dissenters on social media.m then neighborhood watch and snitches.
Alligator Alcatraz is only the first of many concentration camps, thanks to the $170 billion budget
I am waiting to see if the Class action route will circumvent Trump, plans since the court ruled that each case filed has no federal jurisdiction and applies solely to that case or the district
John Roberts long ago stated that he has no use for class action suits, and I believe that he repeated that recently in an interview, so when a class action suit reachs SCOTUS, and it will, expect the Roberts court to rule against it.
You didn't pay attention to what I said at the time. SCOTUS left open a window of opportunity. I said all was not lost.
Here Allegator Alley is a state facility. The legislature passed a law outlawing illegals entering or residing in Florida. Just this week, SCOTUS on Wednesday declined to take up a request from Florida to block a lower court's decision that bars the state from enforcing parts of its new immigration law.
"USDC Kathleen Williams temporarily blocked enforcement of the law in April, and last month she found Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in civil contempt over what she said was an effort to defy her order.
"A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Uthmeier's request to pause Williams' ruling last month and expedited the appeal for consideration before the panel in October.
"In documents filed with the Supreme Court, Uthmeier had said Florida was “cognizant” of the federal government’s role in immigration enforcement and argued that the state was “purposefully aligning the law with federal requirements and objectives.”
"The Trump administration had similarly contended in a supporting brief that the measure “complements” federal law and that the statutes “are materially identical to the federal entry and reentry provisions.”"
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-florida-immigration-law-enforcement-rcna217871
That doesn't mean that Florida is precluded from attempting to criminalize immigration, although one would think that it is prepmpted by Federal jurisdiction.
..
As to class actions, I assume that DOJ will try to attack the class and/or have the cases removed to the center for multidistrict litigation in Detroit.
I paid attention Daniel, I just don't see it the way you do
As regards the law, it is obvious that the regimes M.O. is two steps forward,one step back (maybe)
Re churches and IRS. POS and MAGA might regret it big time. Black churches can start really calling elections for Ds and others. Catholic churches might realize that Leo wants them to actually follow Matthew 25 and elect people who do as well. The national council of bishops might decide to start endorsing Ds as opposed to MAGA Rs. I could go on. Evangelicals are a very small, if vocal, group of churches.
Is FEMA acting director, David Richardson, still alive? Has he been deported?
Perhaps his boss Christi Noem has locked him up in solitary...
I could not agree more re: Mssrs Schumer and Jeffries. We need “wartime” Congressional leaders. While I appreciate their rhetoric, strong letter to follow, it is ineffectual. Jasmine Crockett. AOC/Sanders democracy tour. Jamie Raskin. Amy Klobshar. We have fighters. Dems need to connect viscerally with us. Capture the outrage such as the egregious ICE roundups. Call BS on the Trump tariffs. Keep the focus on Ukraine and its struggle.
I, like most, grieve the loss in Texas; and, salute the work and bravery of Texans helping Texans. The question is what next? How do we remedy, foreclose future tragedies? How do we hold accountable those such as Kristi Noem more shot it the ass with a great photo then getting FEMA activated. And, where the hell is the FEMA Administrator? An Administrator reputedly unaware of “hurricane season.”
When I was 12 I drowned in the Ouachita River, my 17 year old cousin rescued me. I know what it feels like to drown, and I shudderat the horror those girls at the Mystic camp went through and all 280 people. But there is a devil sitting on my shoulder, who says karmic justice. This was rural Texas where the people are bigoted, believers and Trump humpers,
Janie Hunt, 9, was the great-granddaughter of the late American oil baron William Herbert Hunt. William Howard Hunt (deceased) was one of the biggest climate deniers.
and donated to the Climate Denier Caucus https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=william+herbert+hunt
Here is more karmia, the biggest recipient of his donations is climate denying Joe Barton, whose district includes Kerrville, Texas
From AI generative
Here's a breakdown of his stances and votes on climate-related bills:
Rejection of climate science: Barton was a vocal critic of the scientific consensus on climate change, stating that he was "not a believer CO2 is a pollutant" and that the science was "uneven and evolving".
Opposition to regulations: He actively opposed efforts to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases, calling the Democratic-led climate bill in 2009 "C-R-A-P" and arguing it would harm American workers.
Focus on fossil fuels: Barton championed the use of fossil fuels and advocated for deregulation of the electricity and natural gas industries.
Votes against environmental protections: The League of Conservation Voters scorecard shows Barton consistently voted against measures aimed at protecting the environment and addressing climate change. Examples include votes against:
Mandatory limits on global warming pollution.
Undermining the integrity of the EPA and attacking EPA science.
Blocking wildlife protections and local input on public lands.
Recognizing the cost of climate change.
Support for fossil fuel industry: Barton was a strong proponent of the fossil fuel industry, even earning the nickname "Smokey Joe" from environmental groups due to his championing of a gas additive later found to be a pollutant.
Advocated for lifting the oil export ban: He successfully led efforts to lift the federal ban on crude oil exports, arguing it would boost the economy and create jobs.
In essence, Joe Barton's voting record and public statements demonstrate a consistent opposition to policies aimed at mitigating climate change and a strong support for the fossil fuel industry during his tenure in Congress.
Reducing Global Warming - League of Conservation Voters
Conservationists have long asserted that the pollution reductions necessary to curb global warming will require more than voluntary initiatives. H.R. 2643, the ...
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League of Conservation Voters
Joe Barton - League of Conservation Voters
National Security Threat of Climate Change. National Security Threat of Climate Change. 2017. Roll Call Vote: 368. California Water Resources. California Water ...
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League of Conservation Voters
Joe Barton proud of 'Halliburton loophole,' climate skepticism
Nov 27, 2018 — Enactment of what is commonly known as EPAct05 occurred during the pinnacle of Barton's power, the three years that he led the Energy and Commerce Committew
Oh, for those gentle and bounteous gentle rains of Summer (though not in Texas), lovingly infused with LSD and stirred ever so gently with Jewish Space Lasers! (I wonder whatever happened to the psychedelics poured into the reservoirs?).
As an aside, if the masses were indeed being dosed with Acid they sure as Hell wouldn't have voted for Trump. Or probably for the Democrats either.
The most toxic parts of the OBBBA don’t kick in after the midterm elections in 2026. So are the democrats going to wait for the GOP to crap upon themselves enough in order to hopefully take the house and the senate? We did that in 2024 hoping the inanities at the MAGA rallies would be off-putting enough to drive voters to the Democrats. The opposite happened. Apparently young people reveled in the entertainment.
So, what are the democrats to campaign on from now on? Well, REPEAL and REPLACE the OBBBA. The republicans tried for years to repeal and replace the ACA which was achieved through the reconciliation process. But for the iconic thumbs down👎by the maverick senator John McCain, tons of Americans with preexisting conditions would not have health insurance today. So why don’t democrats craft a companion 900-page legislation that would repeal and replace the very toxic and unpopular OBBBA if and when they win the two chambers of congress. Instead of tax cut for billionaires, more taxes on them to pay for services for common people. Democrats should play hard ball the way the republicans have done over and over again. If they could repeal and replace Obamacare, (even though they had no real replacement plan), democrats ought to replace every page of the OBBBA when they have the power. Hopefully they’ll have enough majority to override a presidential veto when that happens as it certainly would. Am I crazy?
Still, waiting for them to come up from the bottom Thom.Don’t believe that will ever happen though. Great, photos! What to do what to do?
God help us.
Thank You, I think.
This whole regime needs to be taken out to the woodshed, like they used threaten kids with in the old days. My Mom always quoted "spare the rod spoil the child" Seems like this applies to these bozos big time!