Atticus
Atticus's JournalIn my distant childhood, one could actually understand how a politician could get away with---
or benefit from---"talking out of both sides of their mouth".
Hard to imagine, I guess, but not only was there no internet, there were only three television stations and a lot of folks didn't have a set anyway. Even those who had a set and watched a nightly "news round-up" seldom saw anything more than the most important---i.e., sensational---national news.
The result was that most Congressional candidates and all those running for state or local offices could say they were "strongly in favor of" a proposal in one town and then, often the same day, insist they were "dead set against" the very same thing 75 miles away and not ever be challenged about their duplicity. ( In those days, 75 miles was at least an hour and a half away and few people ventured that far from home more than once or twice a year. )
So, that was then. What the hell is the reason for all the "flip-flops" and "one-eighties" the Republicans get away with these days?
They vote against bill's that build and repair roads, bridges and harbors---and hurry home to take credit for the repairs and the jobs created.
They insist that it is "totally inappropriate" for a black Democratic POTUS to fill a SCOTUS vacancy in the last year of his term---but cram through the approval of a white Republican POTUS's nominee mere weeks before the end of his term.
They vote against aid to Ukraine---and then not only insist on providing the aid, but criticize our POTUS for not sending more aid quicker.
The list of such transparent hypocrisies is endless, but that's enough to frame the questions: after 4 years of Trump, does lying really matter anymore? Is lying still considered wrong and the "gateway sin" to a career of more serious dishonesty?
Given that nearly everyone has access to dozens of diverse news sources, "I never knew that!" is no longer a credible excuse for re-electing these craven liars, so why does their "base" keep sending them back to us?
" 'Tis but a scratch!"
Putin is demanding that each Russian soldier play the "Black Knight".
A question for those who "don't always vote": Do you really WANT to vote in November?
I put it that way because in many states, you are going to HAVE to "really want to vote" in order to make your voice heard thanks to all sorts of roadblocks and "inconveniences" the Trump worshippers have created. Early voting, absentee voting, voting by mail---these have been limited or eliminated in Republican-controlled states across the nation. They have also decreased the number of polling places and voting machines in some states.
In short, these people DON'T want you to vote and they are counting on you being too uninformed, disinterested, busy or just plan lazy to do what you need to do to cast a valid ballot. Do not let these #%&@*'s prevent you from voting.
Find out NOW where, when and how you can vote in these crucial midterm elections in November. If you have questions, concerns or will need transportation, CALL YOUR LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY!
The GOP is willing to lie to you, trick you or intimidate you in order to prevent your vote from being cast and counted. REMEMBER---people have DIED to get the right to vote! How can you not honor their sacrifice by exercising that right?
Do you know what's worse than born-wealthy people who have no idea what challenges
poor people encounter daily?
People who started off dirt poor, became wealthy and then forgot where the hell they came from.
J. D. Vance is a disgusting example of the latter type. Beginning in very humble circumstances, he wrote a best-selling book---"Hillbilly Elegy"--- and is now a Trumpie candidate for Senate.
His "See? I'm one of you!" attitude while he sucks up to Trump is nauseating.
Let me begin by stating that it is not my intent to limit or prohibit anyone's privilege to
(reposted from General Discussion )
post about their religious beliefs or lack thereof. I would simply ask that we, the readers, acknowledge proselytization when it takes place.
I think it would "clang" if a poster repeatedly argued that religions A, B and C were silly, but D was reasonable and worthy of respect.
Does it not "clang" when ALL religions are ridiculed and the "alternative belief system" of atheism is advocated as what intelligent people believe?
If proselytizing by atheists is somehow different than proselytizing by Jews or Catholics or Baptists, how?
Are there not a dozen or more Republicans who deserve to be referred to
as the "Traitor's Caucus"?
Let me begin by stating that it is not my intent to limit or prohibit anyone's privilege to
post about their religious beliefs or lack thereof. I would simply ask that we, the readers, acknowledge proselytization when it takes place.
I think it would "clang" if a poster repeatedly argued that religions A, B and C were silly, but D was reasonable and worthy of respect.
Does it not "clang" when ALL religions are ridiculed and the "alternative belief system" of atheism is advocated as what intelligent people believe?
If proselytizing by atheists is somehow different than proselytizing by Jews or Catholics or Baptists, how?
I read today that US intelligence believes Putin is SERIOUSLY paranoid and actually does have "food
tasters" who sample some of everything he eats before he eats it.
It's also been reported that he has discharged and replaced 1,000 of his staff for fear that one of them might poison him.
In this state of mind, I wonder how he would feel if somehow we could let him know every now and then that we know where he is---i.e. in his Kremlin office, at the Duma, in transit in his limo near ____________ ( fill in the blank ).
Or maybe have him open a file and find a note, in Russian, saying "Are you SURE about that new guy? You know the one. Just sayin'---Joe."
An apology: mea culpa
Several days ago, I posted what I thought was a joke at the expense of women Trump supporters at a recent rally. Bluntly, the OP thoughtlessly mocked their missing teeth. This was wrong. I could waste your time explaining how and why that post was made, but there simply is no excuse or justification for it.
Several DUers rightly criticized what I had said in the OP and, because I respected them, I started to have 2nd and 3rd thoughts about the OP. Sadly, I allowed myself to be distracted from those critics by other posters who saw my mistake as an opportunity to expand the thread with accusations of misogyny, racism and bigotry. If I understand their "reasoning", if I mocked women with missing teeth---which I thoughtlessly did---then, of course, I also was a racist who used the n-word and a bigot. One poster said that I always or frequently picked on women in my posts.
I did not delete the post because, if I understand correctly, that would have erased WHAT I ACTUALLY POSTED and for which I was rightly criticized, but NOT the made-up smears for things I did not---and would never---post. That would paint me as a racist woman-hater, and I just could not bring myself to allow that.
I am certain this will in no way satisfy those who enjoyed my error and sought to magnify it. I hope that others will accept my sincere apology. I hope that maybe those who have put up with me for twenty years will decide to forgive my insensitive---and, as one DUer put it, "crass"---post.
A question I haven't heard asked: who will pay for rebuilding Ukraine and how many hundreds
of billions---trillions?---of dollars will it take?
If the West were to militarily defeat Russia, the billions of Putin and his criminal inner circle could be accessed, the nation of Russia could be ordered to make reparation payments and we and our allies could give substantial help in the form of loans or outright grants. But,----
---we will not militarily defeat Putin because we are not militarily opposing him. Either some form of extorted "compromise" will allow Putin to declare victory or he will so completely level the nation and slaughter its citizens that he will simply abandon the rubble and mass graves to a cadre of trusted military "caretakers" and go home.
Putin needs to be "removed from power" and Russia and its oligarchs need to pay for his misguided cruelty to Ukraine.
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Member since: 2002Number of posts: 15,124
