Sen. Ron Wyden announced that he will be hosting an “open-to-all town hall” on Tuesday, instead of attending Trump’s rant in front of a joint session of Congress. Wyden said: “If you’re looking for something to do … besides watching Trump lie for two hours, all are welcome to tune in.”
Funny about those Faustian bargains and the choices of everyday people. I taught so many examples as an English teacher, but I’ve learned it takes many forces beyond an ethical English teacher to shape a person’s morality. Artists have died trying to tell us so, but so many would rather walk too close to the corrupt fire, especially when there’s money or other material gain at hand. Thanks for the modern culture updates. I will keep teaching until I can’t. (Under my own power, of course.)
Instead of these pointless Cletus safaris, I’d really appreciate a think piece about a Trump supporter who saw the light, voted for Harris, doesn’t regret it, and instead talks about how they didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left them.
After the horrors of his first term, after 1MM dead from COVID, after Jan 6, after his adjudicated felonies, FFS, I have no interest in the regrets of a transactional voter who had every reason to know better and chose evil anyway. Screw all of that. No sympathy.
Instead of these pointless Cletus safaris, I’d really appreciate a think piece about a Trump supporter who saw the light, voted for Harris, doesn’t regret it, and instead talks about how they didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left them.
After the horrors of his first term, after 1M dead from COVID, after Jan 6, after his adjudicated felonies, FFS, I have no interest in the regrets of a transactional voter who had every reason to know better and chose evil anyway. Screw all of that. No sympathy.
Very nourishing and helpful piece. Truly. Thanks. That mainstream media facilely and falsely "assumes the IVF treatments were the actual reason Cooper voted for Trump and not, on a subconscious level, her way of rationalizing that decision," is a CRITICAL point. As Isabel Wilkerson points out in "Caste," many white voters who seemingly vote against their material "best interests" are in fact very much voting FOR their (ultimately deluded) "best interests," that of maintaining an infantile, hierarchical supremacy.
I don't know what to do. I'm reaching out to my local community but there aren't that many leftist/liberal militia movements.
I fear the coming rule by assassination and I am a straight white man. It's got to be significantly more terrifying for other people. I guess stay safe and keep yours open.
They are men so they will die but fuck it's going to be a hell of a journey.
We’ve raised a generation on TV shows like “Survivor” in which collaboration with others is only important inasmuch as it helps achieve one’s singular goal of winning the whole thing. Everything to Republicans is transactional. If it doesn’t benefit me, if it doesn’t affect me, then I put blinders on to what’s going on around me and in my community. They are only regretful when the issue they fought so hard against—be it an unplanned pregnancy, a disease that requires stem cell treatment, or thinking “they” were not going to lose their jobs; only those “other people” would—happens to them. Despite this, hopefully, they are waking up. And as much as we hate what they’ve done to the rest of us, we have to include them in the fight moving forward, otherwise we won’t have the numbers.
Last week I fished watching ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ on Netflix. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of Poe. Fare warning, it’s not for the squeamish at times.
Verna, played by the fantastic Carla Gugino has this line: "Like I said to one of my clients, when I'm done, you can stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and it won't cost you a thing."
Stephen - I saw this very conventionally attractive 24 y/o White woman share her "tragic" story of voting for Donald Trump because he promised to make IVF "free". I don't care that he said that (he did) or said that he was the "Father" of IVF (he did) or how many targeted FB ads or partisan bots or IG influencers repeated that "Trumpism" to her. She got conned because a conman told her she was special and he would accomodate her special needs (which he was forced to do b/c his horrible anti-abortion Supreme Court judges enabled state restrictions on abortion led to "fetal personhood" laws that would have ended IVF availability AND THAT WAS VERY VERY UNPOPULAR WITH PEOPLE LIKE RYLEIGH WHOSE BOTES HE NEEDED). I tried to put myself in the shoes of a 24 y/o who had decided that she was entitled to be impregnated with a biological child and that the government should make it possible for her to become pregnant and that her fertilized egg would develop perfectly during an uncomplicated pregnancy and that she would not miscarry and need abortion care during the pregnancy or that if she did she would receive it in a timely and safe manner that would preserve her life and fertility in order to try again with "free" IVF to conceive and carry to term and give birth to a healthy baby. I could not do it. Is infertility a painful reality for some people? Yes. Do I know people personally who have struggled with the emotional rollercoaster and financial nightmare of trying to conceive by "assisted" means? Yes. Do I want people who want a family to be able to raise a child or children? Yes. And I am sorry for the loss of their dream of having a biological child? Yes. That does NOT mean they cannot have a "family" and raise children. If the point of all this is to bring a child to love and nurture and raise into your home, Ryleigh could still do that, with or without government-funded IVF. SHE IS 24 YEARS OLD. Does she want a perfect life and perfect child? Get the fuck over it. Children are a huge crapshoot and enormous financial and emotional risk and I have worked with all kinds of kids from all over and I love and care about all the kids I have ever met to bits. Every one of them deserves and needs a loving family. Boo hoo for Ryleigh. She LET HERSELF be conned by a man who openly proclaimed he was a conman, who openly operated HIS WHOLE LIFE as a lying, self-serving criminal and conman, whose whole existence was a giant lie and series of abusive cons and ripoffs and BETRAYALS, and if his campaign conjob to avoid accountability and prison sentences hadn't meant Ryleigh's personal job loss and healthcare coverage loss and no free fertility treatments for her to conceive imaginary blue-eyed, blonde biological children, she sure seems like she would have been perfectly FINE with millions of schoolchildren going hungry every day and veterans losing their medical care and public schools being bled dry for private profits and penniless seniors thrown out into the streets to die and rural hospitals going bankrupt and pandemic diseases killing and disabling hundreds of thousands and inflation spiralling out of control with unemployment surging and a thousand other evils as we witness the kleptocratic destruction of our democracy and reckless dismantling of the government built with our money to try to serve our collective hopes and needs and dreams...as long as SHE had a perfect little blonde, blue-eyed White baby sharing her and her husband's DNA to cradle in her arms. FUCK HER AND EVERYONE LIKE HER FOR CHERRYPICKING A POOPED OUT BAUBLE FROM THE ROTTING COMPOST PILE OF EMPTY LIES THAT IS TWICE-IMPEACHED, DRAFT DODGING, ACCUSED MONEY-LAUNDERER, CORRUPT CONTRACT-BREAKER, MULTIPLY ACCUSED AND ADJUDICATED FRAUDSTER, ADJUDICATED SEXUAL ABUSER/DEFAMER, ACCUSED SERIAL SEXUAL ASSAULTER, SERIAL ADULTERER, ELECTION LAW VIOLATOR, HUCKSTER AND CONVICTED FELON 34, DONALD FUCKING TRUMP. It's not like we had "no warning" who he was.
I'm just back from a superspreader memorial for a younger extended family member who died tragically of a sudden heart attack. At least half of the crowd in attendance including his immediate family members (so the "mourners in chief") are MAGA, and my "compassion reserves" were used up for March on Days 1 and 2. I welcome the sincere conversion of anyone who turns their back on their politically destructive choices of the past decades and works to atone and make things better for people they were fine with being harmed. And when I can, Suzie, I will try to join you.
I hear that Myra. I didn’t get here overnight and you’re welcome to come sit by me any time. I’m terribly sorry to hear about your young’un, what terrible news! We lost a friend last year who was not yet 45 to a stroke. He was an educator and a coach. The place was jammed to the rafters, it was winter so no open windows, and so many people got very, very sick afterwards. It really piled right on top of the shit- so I understand a bit of that.
"Anyone who could push the button for Trump was just looking for an excuse to do so." I have felt this, but never seen anyone write it down until you did! Absolutely amazing summary!
This is what Stephen does so very, very well...distills what many of us feel/dimly grasp (as "through a glass, darkly") and sets it forth in transcendescent clarity.
Whew boy this was a neat angle I didn't expect. Once again you can learn a lot from so much media we've gotten to see, even as kids!
And the whole thing about IVF reminded me of the people who tried having their cake and eating it too by voting for abortion initiatives in certain states but not voting for the pro-choice ticket...and then they end up screwed because there's always a way (especially in unreconstructed states) to defy the will of the people. It's usually just used for voter suppression but destroying voter initiatives works too.
Sen. Ron Wyden announced that he will be hosting an “open-to-all town hall” on Tuesday, instead of attending Trump’s rant in front of a joint session of Congress. Wyden said: “If you’re looking for something to do … besides watching Trump lie for two hours, all are welcome to tune in.”
Thousands of us will be joining!
https://blogspot.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0890ebdb3902bd4cdf592750a&id=e90dce7948&e=9bd07a9a98
Sympathy’s in short supply these days, so I tend to reserve mine for the people who DIDN’T vote for this.
Funny about those Faustian bargains and the choices of everyday people. I taught so many examples as an English teacher, but I’ve learned it takes many forces beyond an ethical English teacher to shape a person’s morality. Artists have died trying to tell us so, but so many would rather walk too close to the corrupt fire, especially when there’s money or other material gain at hand. Thanks for the modern culture updates. I will keep teaching until I can’t. (Under my own power, of course.)
“The Monkey’s Paw” springs to mind for some odd reason. Probably because of some English teacher.
“Can’t shake the devil’s hand/And say you’re only kidding”
Instead of these pointless Cletus safaris, I’d really appreciate a think piece about a Trump supporter who saw the light, voted for Harris, doesn’t regret it, and instead talks about how they didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left them.
After the horrors of his first term, after 1MM dead from COVID, after Jan 6, after his adjudicated felonies, FFS, I have no interest in the regrets of a transactional voter who had every reason to know better and chose evil anyway. Screw all of that. No sympathy.
Instead of these pointless Cletus safaris, I’d really appreciate a think piece about a Trump supporter who saw the light, voted for Harris, doesn’t regret it, and instead talks about how they didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left them.
After the horrors of his first term, after 1M dead from COVID, after Jan 6, after his adjudicated felonies, FFS, I have no interest in the regrets of a transactional voter who had every reason to know better and chose evil anyway. Screw all of that. No sympathy.
Very nourishing and helpful piece. Truly. Thanks. That mainstream media facilely and falsely "assumes the IVF treatments were the actual reason Cooper voted for Trump and not, on a subconscious level, her way of rationalizing that decision," is a CRITICAL point. As Isabel Wilkerson points out in "Caste," many white voters who seemingly vote against their material "best interests" are in fact very much voting FOR their (ultimately deluded) "best interests," that of maintaining an infantile, hierarchical supremacy.
It's going to be so dumb and violent.
I don't know what to do. I'm reaching out to my local community but there aren't that many leftist/liberal militia movements.
I fear the coming rule by assassination and I am a straight white man. It's got to be significantly more terrifying for other people. I guess stay safe and keep yours open.
They are men so they will die but fuck it's going to be a hell of a journey.
We’ve raised a generation on TV shows like “Survivor” in which collaboration with others is only important inasmuch as it helps achieve one’s singular goal of winning the whole thing. Everything to Republicans is transactional. If it doesn’t benefit me, if it doesn’t affect me, then I put blinders on to what’s going on around me and in my community. They are only regretful when the issue they fought so hard against—be it an unplanned pregnancy, a disease that requires stem cell treatment, or thinking “they” were not going to lose their jobs; only those “other people” would—happens to them. Despite this, hopefully, they are waking up. And as much as we hate what they’ve done to the rest of us, we have to include them in the fight moving forward, otherwise we won’t have the numbers.
I feel like this is apropos.
Last week I fished watching ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ on Netflix. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of Poe. Fare warning, it’s not for the squeamish at times.
Verna, played by the fantastic Carla Gugino has this line: "Like I said to one of my clients, when I'm done, you can stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and it won't cost you a thing."
Great series. Brilliant.
Stephen - I saw this very conventionally attractive 24 y/o White woman share her "tragic" story of voting for Donald Trump because he promised to make IVF "free". I don't care that he said that (he did) or said that he was the "Father" of IVF (he did) or how many targeted FB ads or partisan bots or IG influencers repeated that "Trumpism" to her. She got conned because a conman told her she was special and he would accomodate her special needs (which he was forced to do b/c his horrible anti-abortion Supreme Court judges enabled state restrictions on abortion led to "fetal personhood" laws that would have ended IVF availability AND THAT WAS VERY VERY UNPOPULAR WITH PEOPLE LIKE RYLEIGH WHOSE BOTES HE NEEDED). I tried to put myself in the shoes of a 24 y/o who had decided that she was entitled to be impregnated with a biological child and that the government should make it possible for her to become pregnant and that her fertilized egg would develop perfectly during an uncomplicated pregnancy and that she would not miscarry and need abortion care during the pregnancy or that if she did she would receive it in a timely and safe manner that would preserve her life and fertility in order to try again with "free" IVF to conceive and carry to term and give birth to a healthy baby. I could not do it. Is infertility a painful reality for some people? Yes. Do I know people personally who have struggled with the emotional rollercoaster and financial nightmare of trying to conceive by "assisted" means? Yes. Do I want people who want a family to be able to raise a child or children? Yes. And I am sorry for the loss of their dream of having a biological child? Yes. That does NOT mean they cannot have a "family" and raise children. If the point of all this is to bring a child to love and nurture and raise into your home, Ryleigh could still do that, with or without government-funded IVF. SHE IS 24 YEARS OLD. Does she want a perfect life and perfect child? Get the fuck over it. Children are a huge crapshoot and enormous financial and emotional risk and I have worked with all kinds of kids from all over and I love and care about all the kids I have ever met to bits. Every one of them deserves and needs a loving family. Boo hoo for Ryleigh. She LET HERSELF be conned by a man who openly proclaimed he was a conman, who openly operated HIS WHOLE LIFE as a lying, self-serving criminal and conman, whose whole existence was a giant lie and series of abusive cons and ripoffs and BETRAYALS, and if his campaign conjob to avoid accountability and prison sentences hadn't meant Ryleigh's personal job loss and healthcare coverage loss and no free fertility treatments for her to conceive imaginary blue-eyed, blonde biological children, she sure seems like she would have been perfectly FINE with millions of schoolchildren going hungry every day and veterans losing their medical care and public schools being bled dry for private profits and penniless seniors thrown out into the streets to die and rural hospitals going bankrupt and pandemic diseases killing and disabling hundreds of thousands and inflation spiralling out of control with unemployment surging and a thousand other evils as we witness the kleptocratic destruction of our democracy and reckless dismantling of the government built with our money to try to serve our collective hopes and needs and dreams...as long as SHE had a perfect little blonde, blue-eyed White baby sharing her and her husband's DNA to cradle in her arms. FUCK HER AND EVERYONE LIKE HER FOR CHERRYPICKING A POOPED OUT BAUBLE FROM THE ROTTING COMPOST PILE OF EMPTY LIES THAT IS TWICE-IMPEACHED, DRAFT DODGING, ACCUSED MONEY-LAUNDERER, CORRUPT CONTRACT-BREAKER, MULTIPLY ACCUSED AND ADJUDICATED FRAUDSTER, ADJUDICATED SEXUAL ABUSER/DEFAMER, ACCUSED SERIAL SEXUAL ASSAULTER, SERIAL ADULTERER, ELECTION LAW VIOLATOR, HUCKSTER AND CONVICTED FELON 34, DONALD FUCKING TRUMP. It's not like we had "no warning" who he was.
Well said Myra. No notes.
I understand why you're angry, I am too.
I have to search for our common humanity because it is a better place for my head to live in.
It also happens to be a better place from which to strategize.
I'm just back from a superspreader memorial for a younger extended family member who died tragically of a sudden heart attack. At least half of the crowd in attendance including his immediate family members (so the "mourners in chief") are MAGA, and my "compassion reserves" were used up for March on Days 1 and 2. I welcome the sincere conversion of anyone who turns their back on their politically destructive choices of the past decades and works to atone and make things better for people they were fine with being harmed. And when I can, Suzie, I will try to join you.
I hear that Myra. I didn’t get here overnight and you’re welcome to come sit by me any time. I’m terribly sorry to hear about your young’un, what terrible news! We lost a friend last year who was not yet 45 to a stroke. He was an educator and a coach. The place was jammed to the rafters, it was winter so no open windows, and so many people got very, very sick afterwards. It really piled right on top of the shit- so I understand a bit of that.
How fucking sad, I wish I could give you a hug.
Thank you for your kind words.
I try to be in the habit of using them as much as possible! May today be easier than yesterday, Myra.
People want to be fooled and will never, ever admit they were fooled if they can help it. Often many will double down.
It's why the cynic in me thinks Democrats should just start lying too. Lie big. Lie often. IF the media calls you on it, defame them.
"Anyone who could push the button for Trump was just looking for an excuse to do so." I have felt this, but never seen anyone write it down until you did! Absolutely amazing summary!
This is what Stephen does so very, very well...distills what many of us feel/dimly grasp (as "through a glass, darkly") and sets it forth in transcendescent clarity.
And I love the Twilight Zone examples!
Whew boy this was a neat angle I didn't expect. Once again you can learn a lot from so much media we've gotten to see, even as kids!
And the whole thing about IVF reminded me of the people who tried having their cake and eating it too by voting for abortion initiatives in certain states but not voting for the pro-choice ticket...and then they end up screwed because there's always a way (especially in unreconstructed states) to defy the will of the people. It's usually just used for voter suppression but destroying voter initiatives works too.
That's why I forgive myself this indulgence
https://www.reddit.com/r/LeopardsAteMyFace/
I zen out there sometimes
Excellent piece, Stephen! Thank you.