Trump invents a diplomatic breakthrough, his billionaire ally sends Ohio jobs to China, and RFK Jr. rewrites the pandemic to absolve the man who was president.
Perhaps unrelated: I received a phone call at dinner time last night from my brother, Beebo, who is in the throes of dementia, though loath to admit it. (Understandably.) He reported that he took 'the test' and scored perfectly. Sounded all too familiar to me. The good news is that Beebo lacks access to the nuclear codes.
Here in Canada 'the test' was aired on a tv program on CBC for those who wanted to take it. I scored a perfect 30 and then, a month later in a rerun, scored a perfect 30 again. Can I be president???
don't know you, did not know your name until now, but were i a betting man, i would bet that you would do a better job for the American people than what we have now...
I found the part about Conn Selmer very interesting. Both those companies originated in my home town of Elkhart, Indiana, once known as the band instrument capital of the world. Many people in Elkhart spent their working lives making musical instruments. Then the competition arrived and gradually Elkhart lost its factories making all sorts of things. Elkhart became the poster child for these kinds of losses. Obama visited Elkhart at least once. Elkhart County is not D friendly. Today I see the same destruction happening caused by billionaires who probably would like to have slave labor. Then we have the fights over data centers including one here in Salem. The governor took the state property off the board, but the data center company still can deal with people who own private parcels, including a company from Indiana.
I think these old guys need to retire. Why don’t they just take all of their “hard earned money” and go enjoy life. Let the younger people represent the future.
It's getting complicated now, with less than 100 days until the deciding of USA's next Congress and Senate majorities. This weekend I watched Joe Manchin and his daughter who see Independent numbers growing and want to try and make that into a cohesive 'party' (perhaps party isn't yet the right word). The old guard Dems are getting their knickers in a knot about the Democratic Socialists who are starting to show that they have voice and momentum. I still think the old guard are simply too old in many cases and they've had a chance to show what they can do ... not much! So I spent some time drilling down on Democratic Socialists. If course I love Bernie Sanders! I like Ocasio-Cortez but admit to limited understanding of her view of the future. I listened to David Hogg last night (CNN) and I felt good about his cautious participation in left wing of Dem party. Same about Maxwell Frost. A bit concerned about Hasan Piker and his followers ... I'm going to start paying attention to them and watching their platforms but off the bat I'm thinking they may be too far left for me. The world has had enuf shaking up ... I'm dizzy with it all ... so I'm looking for safety, honesty, stability, trustworthiness (financial & legal & Constitutional), wise corrective actions, statespersonship, calm and intelligent handling of world affairs, etc. I'm Canadian and don't get a vote. But the whole world will feel the results of who the Americans vote for ... so you Folks need to get this right.
Mary & Shanley - maybe an essay comparing and contrasting the platforms of each group?
I'm 72 as well, David. Wise elders step aside and give the reins over to youth while we're still around to guide/advise/mentor. No wise elders in GOP or DEMs these days though.
Just now I've been listening to a podcast in which a clip from Hasan Piker was played. The subject was the differences between old guard Dems and Dem Socialists. The Piker clip has Hasan saying very clearly that ALL GOP and ICE who have broken laws, rules, Constitution etc need to be tracked down, arrested and prosecuted. Hasan was crystal clear. So that's a difference right there and personally, I 100% want that. Michigan primary is today (Tuesday). The old guard candidate is totally funded and tied to corporate money and she is supported by Chuck Schumer who I've lost respect for and faith in. The Socialist candidate is not funded by corporate money and I've liked him every tme I've listened to him. In that primary, I'd vote Socialist. Interested to see what the outcome is. Another difference is that old guard are fine with sending money to Israel every year to fund military (I think $40B/year) and Socialists say no more of that. Another point from me for the Socialists. But I'm grasping this a little at a time so I reserve the right to choose later (as if a Canadian choice even counts :-) )
I agree it's way past time to pass the torch. There are a few ideas on the left I feel go too far, but I remember that they'll need to compromise between groups to reach consensus. Some districts will lean to one side or the other, the leftward nudge is welcome after decades of Dems voting more like Repubs. These young people have the energy for the fight!
Thank you again, Mary, for reporting the truth in a way where your choice of words can still make me smile in the midst of this chaos, and where one horror follows another.
Watching and paying attention from the UK, with so many others, who wish you a safe way out of this nightmare.
the fact that you have not one, not two, but three outrageous things to write about in the last few days speaks to the depths to which our government has fallen. any one of these would have been seismic in any other administration other than trump's. and of course in the background are all the other outrageous things such as the arch, the revenge assaults against decent Americans, the mess with the reflecting pool, the mess with the ballroom, the mess with NATO, our economy, our ignoring of sustainable energy, the climate, etc. the list goes on. the truly frightening parts are the lies being broadcast as truths from our government on COVID, on energy, on the history of this country. stunning in the days of computers, Google, the internet, videos, etc. where there are reams and reams (i am dating myself with that expression.. sort of an odd choice given what preceded it..) of data that contradict RFK and the others, yet they simply lie and lie. i dont know if they just say this stuff or expect anyone to believe it, but certainly trump's base believes it. the loss of jobs to China, especially at the hands of a guy who mouthed off about not allowing companies to move jobs over to China was another fine example of just lip service to get votes. they allow factories to close and move to China, they allow tariffs to shut down businesses and farms, and they allow massive movement toward automation, eliminating more jobs, without moving a muscle to re-train people or create new jobs. it is more proof that they do not give a damn about the American citizen, and (I believe) is another indication that they have no intention to leave office peacefully. all this can and would be reversed under a responsible administration. i think that now that the oligarchs have their talons into things, they are not going to risk letting go
Hunter Biden is coming into his own these days. He recently nominated Trump (at least online) for the Nobel Peace Prize, as he has ended the US-Iran war over 30 times already.
Perhaps unrelated: I received a phone call at dinner time last night from my brother, Beebo, who is in the throes of dementia, though loath to admit it. (Understandably.) He reported that he took 'the test' and scored perfectly. Sounded all too familiar to me. The good news is that Beebo lacks access to the nuclear codes.
Here in Canada 'the test' was aired on a tv program on CBC for those who wanted to take it. I scored a perfect 30 and then, a month later in a rerun, scored a perfect 30 again. Can I be president???
don't know you, did not know your name until now, but were i a betting man, i would bet that you would do a better job for the American people than what we have now...
I found the part about Conn Selmer very interesting. Both those companies originated in my home town of Elkhart, Indiana, once known as the band instrument capital of the world. Many people in Elkhart spent their working lives making musical instruments. Then the competition arrived and gradually Elkhart lost its factories making all sorts of things. Elkhart became the poster child for these kinds of losses. Obama visited Elkhart at least once. Elkhart County is not D friendly. Today I see the same destruction happening caused by billionaires who probably would like to have slave labor. Then we have the fights over data centers including one here in Salem. The governor took the state property off the board, but the data center company still can deal with people who own private parcels, including a company from Indiana.
Thank you for your vigilance and diligence, your humility and humanity, Mary! 🙏
I think these old guys need to retire. Why don’t they just take all of their “hard earned money” and go enjoy life. Let the younger people represent the future.
I’m not a big fan of capitalism.
It's getting complicated now, with less than 100 days until the deciding of USA's next Congress and Senate majorities. This weekend I watched Joe Manchin and his daughter who see Independent numbers growing and want to try and make that into a cohesive 'party' (perhaps party isn't yet the right word). The old guard Dems are getting their knickers in a knot about the Democratic Socialists who are starting to show that they have voice and momentum. I still think the old guard are simply too old in many cases and they've had a chance to show what they can do ... not much! So I spent some time drilling down on Democratic Socialists. If course I love Bernie Sanders! I like Ocasio-Cortez but admit to limited understanding of her view of the future. I listened to David Hogg last night (CNN) and I felt good about his cautious participation in left wing of Dem party. Same about Maxwell Frost. A bit concerned about Hasan Piker and his followers ... I'm going to start paying attention to them and watching their platforms but off the bat I'm thinking they may be too far left for me. The world has had enuf shaking up ... I'm dizzy with it all ... so I'm looking for safety, honesty, stability, trustworthiness (financial & legal & Constitutional), wise corrective actions, statespersonship, calm and intelligent handling of world affairs, etc. I'm Canadian and don't get a vote. But the whole world will feel the results of who the Americans vote for ... so you Folks need to get this right.
Mary & Shanley - maybe an essay comparing and contrasting the platforms of each group?
I'm 72. The old guys need to go; the sooner the better.
I'm 72 as well, David. Wise elders step aside and give the reins over to youth while we're still around to guide/advise/mentor. No wise elders in GOP or DEMs these days though.
Just now I've been listening to a podcast in which a clip from Hasan Piker was played. The subject was the differences between old guard Dems and Dem Socialists. The Piker clip has Hasan saying very clearly that ALL GOP and ICE who have broken laws, rules, Constitution etc need to be tracked down, arrested and prosecuted. Hasan was crystal clear. So that's a difference right there and personally, I 100% want that. Michigan primary is today (Tuesday). The old guard candidate is totally funded and tied to corporate money and she is supported by Chuck Schumer who I've lost respect for and faith in. The Socialist candidate is not funded by corporate money and I've liked him every tme I've listened to him. In that primary, I'd vote Socialist. Interested to see what the outcome is. Another difference is that old guard are fine with sending money to Israel every year to fund military (I think $40B/year) and Socialists say no more of that. Another point from me for the Socialists. But I'm grasping this a little at a time so I reserve the right to choose later (as if a Canadian choice even counts :-) )
Without accountability it becomes very discouraging. Like Trump pardoning all the Jan 6 traitors
I agree it's way past time to pass the torch. There are a few ideas on the left I feel go too far, but I remember that they'll need to compromise between groups to reach consensus. Some districts will lean to one side or the other, the leftward nudge is welcome after decades of Dems voting more like Repubs. These young people have the energy for the fight!
Thank you again, Mary, for reporting the truth in a way where your choice of words can still make me smile in the midst of this chaos, and where one horror follows another.
Watching and paying attention from the UK, with so many others, who wish you a safe way out of this nightmare.
the fact that you have not one, not two, but three outrageous things to write about in the last few days speaks to the depths to which our government has fallen. any one of these would have been seismic in any other administration other than trump's. and of course in the background are all the other outrageous things such as the arch, the revenge assaults against decent Americans, the mess with the reflecting pool, the mess with the ballroom, the mess with NATO, our economy, our ignoring of sustainable energy, the climate, etc. the list goes on. the truly frightening parts are the lies being broadcast as truths from our government on COVID, on energy, on the history of this country. stunning in the days of computers, Google, the internet, videos, etc. where there are reams and reams (i am dating myself with that expression.. sort of an odd choice given what preceded it..) of data that contradict RFK and the others, yet they simply lie and lie. i dont know if they just say this stuff or expect anyone to believe it, but certainly trump's base believes it. the loss of jobs to China, especially at the hands of a guy who mouthed off about not allowing companies to move jobs over to China was another fine example of just lip service to get votes. they allow factories to close and move to China, they allow tariffs to shut down businesses and farms, and they allow massive movement toward automation, eliminating more jobs, without moving a muscle to re-train people or create new jobs. it is more proof that they do not give a damn about the American citizen, and (I believe) is another indication that they have no intention to leave office peacefully. all this can and would be reversed under a responsible administration. i think that now that the oligarchs have their talons into things, they are not going to risk letting go
"Sometimes a cancelled disaster is simply a cancelled disaster." Love that.
Hunter Biden is coming into his own these days. He recently nominated Trump (at least online) for the Nobel Peace Prize, as he has ended the US-Iran war over 30 times already.