‘Uncommitted’ voters have to face political reality | The Seattle Times
by David Horsey
[…]
Voting for Biden in the general election is this country’s only chance to avoid the national disaster that would be a second Donald Trump presidency. Trump’s return to the White House may not mean the end of American democracy, as some fear, but it would certainly install a chaotic government run by the unqualified cronies of a morally corrupt, pathologically narcissistic, authoritarian blowhard.
Biden may be old, but he is far from the debilitated, weak-minded caricature drawn of him by right-wing media. He has run a largely successful government, maintained a rational demeanor while dealing with extremist screwballs in Congress and has overseen a dramatic economic rebound that is the envy of the world.
Sure, it is past time for a new generation of political leadership to take over and there is probably someone among the impressive list of Democratic governors who might be a surer bet in a campaign against Trump, but that is not a viable option this year. And, yes, the Biden administration has failed to rein in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s horrific response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, but, starting with Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech in Selma last weekend, the administration is finally demanding a cease-fire in Gaza while significantly increasing humanitarian aid to the displaced Palestinians.
Do the protesting college students — many of whom would likely not have been able to find Gaza on a map six months ago — think things would be better with Trump, a callous admirer of bullies and despots who has encouraged Netanyahu to do whatever he pleases in Gaza?
The choice is between Biden and Trump. That is it. Yes, we’ve been here before and, yes, many people in this country are longing for a more inspiring choice. And, yes, it is going to be a dismal campaign with the possibility of a Trump victory weighing heavily on the psyche of millions of voters. But it is what it is and the only chance for a positive outcome is for Democrats, independents and traditional Republicans to stop quibbling, put on our big-boy pants and work hard to send the man from Mar-a-Lago back into permanent retirement in the humid Florida sunshine.
The House GOP did not get what they hoped for from the testimony of Special Counsel Robert Hur, a former Mar-a-Lago employee told CNN that Trump was moving boxes to the airport the same day the feds searched his home, and Stephen looks into allegations of royal infidelity.
At least uncommitted vote in Washington yesterday was about half the 16% result in Michigan, despite a campaign by pro-Palestinian organizers. While a warning sign for Biden this seems like a manageable issue for him in the long run.
Not so manageable is Trump’s consistent loss of about a quarter to a third of Republicans voting in primaries — even when he was the only candidate left in the race yesterday:
Bad news on Tuesday for Trump’s November chances — He lost almost 80,000 Georgia Republicans (13%) to Nikki Haley after she dropped out — in a state he only lost by 12,000 last time. Although some of that was probably early vote cast before she quit the race it means a lot of disgruntled GOP voters out there he’s doing nothing to attract.
Despite being a ghost, Haley got around 30% in Atlanta suburbs like Cobb County (Gingrich’s old district), 45% in Dekalb County — and 25% across the state in Savannah.
In Washington Nikki got 22% — where a lot of the early vote was likely cast before she dropped out.
While Haley was still running she was close to 40% in some states. Hard to imagine these Republicans showing up for Trump in November if they’re voting against him now.
votevets ad pushing for ukraine funding
Ukraine is fighting back, but without support, US Troops could be next to fight if Putin advances west. VoteVets will be in DC DEMANDING Speaker Mike Johnson bring the Senate bill to a vote.
The voters behind the pro-Palestinian protests have ONLY a binary choice – not between Biden and Dumbass, but between support for and lack of support for a workable solution leading to Palestinian autonomy. They have exactly one choice on that issue, that is voting for Joe for President and voting for Democrats for Senate and the House if US support for
https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2024/03/13/rfk-aaron-rodgers-jesse-ventura-running-mate
“RFK considering Aaron Rodgers, Jesse Ventura for 2024 running mateRFK considering Aaron Rodgers, Jesse Ventura for 2024 running mateRFK considering Aaron Rodgers, Jesse Ventura for 2024 running mateRFK considering Aaron Rodgers, Jesse Ventura for 2024 running mate.”
Jesse Ventura was a governor, at least, but if he’s even considering Aaron Rodgers as VP, he’s crazier than imagined.
RFK Jr. is appealing to black voters and giving Orange Adolf a second term.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4485625-rfk-jr-courts-black-voters-looking-to-chip-away-bidens-support/
“Kennedy is pitching himself in Black churches, roundtables and among entertainers, believing he can build enthusiasm around a third option on November’s ballot.”
“The groundwork has caught the attention of Black political and media figures, with some fearing that Kennedy will further cripple Biden’s White House prospects and others being admittedly more receptive, even intrigued, by his message.”
“Kennedy’s flood-the-zone approach is a visible contrast from Biden’s, who has turned down many off-the-cuff interview opportunities this cycle as he tries to capture the same firm support from Black voters he enjoyed last election.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9618913/
“Black Americans report disproportionate rates of general vaccine hesitancy, leaving this community more susceptible to various diseases.4,5,14,15 Trust in institutions that contribute to influenza immunization, for example, is markedly different by race, with Black people reporting lower trust in the flu vaccine compared with White people across various measures.4,15 Compared with White people, Black people report lower trust in the government, lower trust in the healthcare system, and medical mistrust resulting from years of systemic racism contributing to a lack of vaccine confidence, in addition to reporting more cost concerns and barriers to access.14-17 Historical events that contribute to medical mistrust are often cited as a reason for Black resistance to vaccination and clinical trial participation. While entirely valid, acknowledging only historic reasons for distrust may oversimplify hesitancy and neglect a host of other reasons why this population does not accept COVID-19 vaccination.18,19 Special attention to groups with increased rates of vaccine hesitancy is necessary to inform strategies and policies that are intended to increase immunization.20.”
And, it looks like black voters are more likely to listen to RFKJ’s anti-vax nonsense.
RFK jr needs to consider getting a vaccination. Then let the Gates brain-chip go to work.
Do folks really think tRUMPsky would be sympathetic to Palestinians? Remember, he’s the one who moved our embassy from Tel Aviv, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Also, anyone who is “other” is persona non grata in tRUMPsky-land, and while there is a hierarchy with him at the tippy-top, everyone in that part of the world is pretty far down on his list.
… a resolution of the Gaza situation that does not involve Israeli occupation of the strip is their goal.*
RFK Jr. heeds to consider his priorities for the future of the US. He should talk with Hillary Clinton about the effects of third parties on the outcome of presidential elections. Then again, if he’s considering Aaron Rodgers as a VP choice he obviously doesn’t give a shit.
* Sorry, got up to fix Mrs. P a cuppa and reflexively hit “Post Comment” then got distracted and forgot to finish my thought.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/13/bridge-funding-rfk-jr-super-pac-00141260
“The super PAC supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. padded its war chest with millions of dollars in contributions from one of the best-known private security executives in the country, Gavin de Becker.”
“De Becker’s contributions helped the PAC report a high fundraising total that can, in turn, be seen as a sign of legitimacy for the committee. All told, de Becker made $10 million in donations to the super PAC; $9.65 million of which was returned.”
“High fundraising totals — like the ones American Values PAC has been touting over the last year lend a veneer of validity to a super PAC — beget even more contributions from other donors. Using a series of back-and-forth transactions to take on de facto loans without having to report them as debt also obscures American Values’ actual finances. If others adopt its practices, outside groups could have another tool for shirking transparency.”
“Both de Becker and Tony Lyons, co-founder of the super PAC, said there was no sleight of hand in the arrangement. They both called it “bridge funding” in separate responses to questions from POLITICO. They said de Becker can ask for the donations back at his own discretion if the money has not yet been spent.”
“Excluding refunds, de Becker is the second highest donor to American Values 2024 — only behind Tim Mellon, a GOP mega donor, who gave $15.5 million in 2023. None of Mellon’s contributions have been refunded.”
RFKJ is a sketchy dude.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rfk-jr-super-pac-ballot-democrats-illegal-rcna139261
“The pro-Kennedy super PAC, American Values 2024, has announced plans to spend at least $15 million to help Kennedy get on the ballot, hiring at least three canvassing firms to gather signatures on his behalf in multiple states.”
“But attorneys from the powerhouse Democratic election law firm Elias Law Group, representing Third Way, argue that it is impossible to steer clear of federal rules barring coordination between a candidate and a super PAC while simultaneously complying with state laws that they say require candidates themselves to submit signatures for ballot access.”
So, a GOP donor gave $15.5 million and they were expected to give at least $15 million to get signatures to get him on all ballots, which is illegal because the PAC is not the campaign and can not coordinate with the campaign?
And in TikTok world (WaPo)
Bills of attainder. There’s a provision of the Constitution you don’t hear every day.
today’s meme…
and FYI… the conservatives in this area that tried to cut a millions dollars from the school budget in yesterday’s town election lost. The kids won!
The sfb-magat party has fired the diversity office. No need to have any color voting for the white supremacist party.
Somehow “sfb-magat” seems to not be a party, it is strictly for funding a criminal family/organization. I hope the judges modify the documents sfb has regarding who is monitoring and approving his financial dealings.
BB, I love the SFB-MAGAt designation as a name for what was once known as the Republican party.
https://www.axios.com/2024/03/09/tiktok-ban-trump-republicans
“Former President Trump stunned Republican China hawks this week when he appeared to argue against banning TikTok, the juggernaut video app owned by Beijing-based Bytedance and beloved by young Americans.”
“One potential factor at play is Trump’s newly repaired relationship with billionaire Jeff Yass, who has a huge financial stake in Bytedance and has spent millionsbacking lawmakers who support TikTok.”
Whoever the bulk of “uncommitteds” are comprised of, and I don’t know, but if any bunch of them are naturalized citizens, immigrants from other countries, they are supposed to have renounced their allegiances to the old country. If you’re basing your votes on “foreign interests,” you’re not fulfilling your newly-minted duty to America.
Just saw the WaPo Spring is arriving earlier (Leaves, that is) article and map. As compared to 1981 the expected first leaves of Spring are arriving @ 12 days earlier than way back then. It’s March 13 and daffodils are already blooming, and have been for a couple of weeks.
Cuban-Americans who have been here for two or three generations, or more, tend to lean right. They are not showing allegiance to Cuba.
Americans who are Muslim and are upset about Gaza aren’t feeling allegiance toward the many countries their families came from, many generations ago. They are upset by US support for folks with whom they identify.
The only ones who seem to be overtly supporting a foreign country, are the Russo-Republicans and their orange leader.
The trees already have leaves here, although they are still light green/yellowish. They finished blooming early last week.
Next up, June bugs, which usually show up around tax day.
Weird phone call from Richard Nixon to Biden after wife/daughter killed in car wreck. Seems to say ‘get over it, at least you won your election”.. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRT8nfLq/
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/13/1238227682/orphans-gaza-rafah-israel-west-bank-sos-childrens-village-international
“An international non-profit organization has evacuated 68 children without parental care as well as 11 employees and their families from Rafah, in southern Gaza, to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.”
“The United Nations said that the transfer was carried out with the approval of Israeli authorities — a decision that has sparked anger among hardliners inside the Israeli government. The far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the transfer one in a series of “fake ‘humane measures,'” saying “the citizens of Israel continue to pay the price.” Meanwhile, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), finance minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded to know who gave the “immoral order” while the children of Israelis are held hostage.”
“The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on the transfer.”
There are monsters everywhere, it seems. Resenting someone else’s safety, especially that of a child…wow.
Dick wasn’t trying to be one. He just wasn’t good at the task before him. The call started off OK, but the toxic positivity at the end was cringy.
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2024/03/13/king-gives-cheery-greeting-to-baroness-scotland-during-palace-audience/
King Charles has some major edema. Look at his sausagey fingers.
Aced it ✔️
Lucky for me, no math.
“Students took a new SAT on Saturday. It’s all digital, and the reading and writing sections do away with page-long reading excerpts with eight to 11 questions. Now, there are short passages followed by just one question each. Try your hand at five sample questions.”
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/03/08/us/sat-online-quiz.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20240313&instance_id=117508&nl=from-the-times®i_id=72667539&segment_id=160668&te=1&user_id=87003e1eb754f9d40574ce526134d300
Ronald Reagan Narrates New Ad Urging Republican House Leaders To Call A Vote On Senate Ukraine Aid Package – VoteVets WASHINGTON, DC — VoteVets Action Fund, the national Veterans organization representing over 1.5 million Veterans, military families, and civilian supporters, is out with a moving 60-second ad today, urging House Republican leadership to call a vote on the security aid package recently passed by the Senate. The ad features the words of Ronald Reagan on the 40th Anniversary of D-Day juxtaposed over footage of the current war Vladimir Putin is waging in Ukraine. The ad will be running for one week, starting Thursday, on FOX News at a cost of $100,000. A video billboard of the ad will be circling the Capitol building all day, today, as well. The ad uses only Ronald Reagan’s words, with no voice-over or any other speaker. From his 1984 speech at Pointe du Hoc, France. In the ad, he says: “You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you…. These are the things that shaped the unity of the Allies. We in America have learned bitter lessons from two World Wars: It is better to be here ready to protect the peace, than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost. We’ve learned that isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent…. The strength of America’s allies is vital to the United States, and the American security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe’s democracies. We were with you then; we are with you now.” Jon Soltz, Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets said of the ad circling the Capitol and the buy on FOX News, “Republican Leaders in Congress like to claim Ronald Reagan and his legacy… Read more »
Ivy – that was fun. I wonder what the version I took in 1968 had for those questions? Call me a product of my generation for questioning the biases of these tests, and a lot of tests in general. We were going through riots, and assassinations because of race. Discrimination was blatant, and we were trying to change the world. I often wonder how badly we failed, or is what we are going through the last slap of racisim?
Blue Bronc, what happened to the other kids like us? All I see on my tv now are crazy old people in red hats.
“We were looking for other people who felt like we felt.”
— The Girl Who Went to Woodstock
Are you better off than you were four years ago?
Four years ago this week COVID was declared a pandemic.
Four years ago Trump was holding daily news conferences confusing and scaring us with lies and bogus remedies.
Are you better off than you were four years ago?
Four years ago there were portable morgues on our streets.
Four years ago we were stockpiling toilet paper.
Are you better off than you were four years ago?
December and January as the news of a nasty virus was spreading a team of people from my agency, and my floor in the building, were in Wuhan. They were returning from there and did return in late January. This week in 2020 I was at the Veterans Administration D.C. Medical Center being checked on post surgery on my hand. It was eerie being in a large hospital which previously was a bustling noisy people filled place, and now there were echoes. Only those with immediate medical care were allowed in. Many doctors were in full PPE with facemasks and shields. All medical staff were in mask and gowns, including the reluctant.
I am better off, in that my medical staff are no longer wearing PPE. Life in the medical building is returning.
The former cafeteria is no longer. It is a shell of what was there. People order out or carry their own. What used to be a packed, sit with strangers, active part of the hospital, is now a couple of grills and a drink dispenser (which was horrible before and maintains its reputation).
Of the world? Yes. With sfb out of office and many of his cult, including staff, are going to prison, yes that is good. The damage that idiot caused in the world and the U.S. is ongoing.
There are more than a million American families like mine with one or more empty chairs at their kitchen table. Many were the main breadwinners, the dad or mom; or the grandparents, the history, the legacy. Or like mine, the next generation whose future was stolen. All victims of a mass casualty on account of one administration’s ineptitude and cravenness. All those families are forever changed. We’ll never be the same as we were. We’ll always have the mark of those traumatic days in our psyches. But we are now recovering, thanks to Joe and his wise and compassionate leadership.
Why would we want to go back to ineptitude and cravenness, or worse, the utter depravities they are now openly plotting?
I’m an American, i don’t bow down to bozo kings
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/13/politics/georgia-trump-mcafee-election-interference-case/index.html
Is tRUMPsky going to say all of the indictments are going to just disappear by spring, like magic?
Most will stick around like cofeve in 2020, but he will use the dismissal of some charges at his Nitwit-ler rallies.
They will believe that the dismissal of a fee charges means they should all be dismissed.
This plays right into his tiny hands. Dammit!
Proposed bumper sticker: Better off with Joe.
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/tiktok-ban-bill-house-vote-03-13-24/index.html
“If enacted, the bill, which passed on a bipartisan 352-65 vote, would give TikTok about five months to separate from ByteDance, or app stores in the US would be banned from hosting it on their platforms. It’s not yet clear what the fate of the measure will be in the Senate.”
The folks crying because they might not be TikTok famous anymore. Jeez. Their livelihoods are just siphoning money off of folks who do actual work. The marketing budgets of companies going to micro-influencers will just find new outlets on other social media platforms.
The crying and hand-wringing says there’s an addiction aspect, or at least a compulsion.
I still like the one Seth Meyer came up with, as originally used as a swipe by Faux Noise: Jacked-Up Joe!
ABC News footage of 30-year-old Joe Biden entering the Senate..
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRTLJuWy/
BID: why not both?
Better off with Jacked-Up Joe!
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/13/politics/kristi-noem-smile-texas-video/index.html
“Nearly 48 hours after she posted an uncanny, infomercial-style testimonial video – running nearly five minutes – in praise of the deluxe work she received at Smile Texas, a Houston-area cosmetic dentistry firm, Noem and her political team have not responded to questions over why she traveled so far for the procedure and whether the clip, which features images of her speaking at a political rally, was used to pay or defray from the cost of the work.”
“Noem is also facing a new lawsuit, filed by the consumer advocacy group Travelers United, accusing Noem of doing an “undisclosed advertisement” for Smile Texas.”
“There are many dentists and cosmetic dentists in South Dakota,” the lawsuit claims, adding, “No one with an extremely important job in the South Dakota would fly to Texas to receive dental treatment and then sit in that office and film an advertisement without some form of compensation.”
She probably did it for name recognition in Texas, if she didn’t pay for it.
“I can be confident when I smile at people and know that they can actually appreciate and see the kindness in my face and the love that I have for them.”
A store-bought smile is not love, it’s just pretty. Republicans are the worst.
Ivy, I love that. I keep checking the merch store, because in 2020 they did some really cool artist collabs. So far this time, I only have a glow-in-the-dark Dark Brandon tee.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/12/business/former-boeing-whistleblower-dies/index.html
“Former Boeing whistleblower found dead from apparent ‘self-inflicted’ gunshot wound”
“A statement provided to CNN by his lawyers says, “John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end. He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it. We are all devasted [sic].”
“A police incident report says officers were dispatched to conduct a welfare check at a Holiday Inn in Charleston shortly before 10:20 am on Saturday. When they arrived, responding officers found Barnett in the driver’s seat of a truck in the parking lot, with a gunshot wound to the head. He was holding a handgun. Barnett was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.”
He shot himself, but he was still holding the gun?
NEW THREAD