#1. what year will donald trump pass away

[jangillman]

President Trump's Achievements

Hey!! What has Donald Trump done while he was in office (as at July, 2017)!!!

1.Supreme Court Judge Gorsuch

2.59 missiles dropped in Syria.

3.He took us out of TPP

4.Illegal immigration is now down 70%( the lowest in 17 years)

5.Consumer confidence highest since 2000 at index125.6

6.Mortgage applications for new homes rise to a 7 year high.

7.Arranged 20% Tariff on soft lumber from Canada.

8.Bids for border wall are well underway.

9.Pulled out of the lopsided Paris accord.

10.Keystone pipeline approved.

11.NATO allies boost spending by 4.3%

12.Allowing VA to terminate bad employees.

13.Allowing private healthcare choices for veterans.

14.More than 600,000. Jobs created

15. Median household income at a 7 year high.

16. The Stock Market is at the highest ever In its history.

17. China agreed to American import of beef.

18. $89 Billion saved in regulation rollbacks.

19. Rollback of A Regulation to boost coal mining.

20. MOAB for ISIS

21. Travel ban reinstated.

22. Executive order for religious freedom.

23. Jump started NASA

24. $600 million cut from UN peacekeeping budget.

25. Targeting of MS13 gangs

26. Deporting violent illegal immigrants.

27. Signed 41 bills to date

28. Created a commission on child trafficking

29. Created a commission on voter fraud

30. Created a commission for opioids addiction.

31. Giving power to states to drug test unemployment recipients.

32. Unemployment lowest since may 2007.

33. Historic Black College University initiative

34. Women In Entrepreneurship Act

35. Created an office or illegal immigrant crime victims.

36. Reversed Dodd-Frank

37. Repealed DOT ruling which would have taken power away from local governments for infrastructure planning

38. Order to stop crime against law enforcement.

39. End of DAPA program.

40. Stopped companies from moving out of America.

41. Promoted businesses to create American Jobs.

42. Encouraged country to once again

43. 'Buy American and hire American

44. Cutting regulations 2 for every one created.

45. Review of all trade agreements to make sure they are America first.

46. Apprentice program

47. Highest manufacturing surge in 3 years.

48 $78 Billion promised reinvestment from major businesses like Exxon, Bayer, Apple, SoftBank, Toyota...

49. Denied FBI a new building.

50. $700 million saved with F-35 renegotiation.

51. Saves $22 million by reducing white house payroll.

52. Dept of treasury reports a $182 billion surplus for April 2017

(2nd largest in history.

53. Negotiated the release of 6 US humanitarian workers held captive in egypt.

54. Gas prices lowest in more than 12 years.

55. Signed An Executive Order To Promote Energy Independence And Economic Growth

56. Has already accomplished more to stop government interference into people's lives than any President in the history of America.

57. President Trump has worked with Congress to pass more legislation in his first 100 days than any President since Truman.

58. Has given head executive of each branches 6 month time Frame dated march 15 2017, to trim the fat. restructure and improve efficacy of their branch.

Observe the pushback the leaks the lies as entrenched POWER refuses to go silently into that good night!

I hope each and every one of you copy and paste this everywhere, every time you hear some dim wit say Trump hadn't done a thing!

THANK YOU!!!

Oh, yeah, and there's this..........

[mariacallous]

In the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election, speculation was rampant that if Harris won it would be because of a historic gender gap in favor of women, a gap that ran through all the age cohorts in the electorate and that would be magnified by the gap in voter turnout between men and women. Three factors supported this belief: 1) Harris is a woman; 2) the issue of abortion rights being taken away which had played a big role in the 2022 midterms and the 2023 off-year elections; and 3) Trump’s often misogynistic attitudes toward women. Many expected that a gender gap in favor of Harris would counterbalance weaknesses in other parts of the electorate and help Harris win, but it didn’t happen.

What did happen? Of the three possibilities, the most likely one is that abortion ceased to be an issue that would impact the vote beyond matters such as the economy, immigration, and crime. That was not the case in the immediate aftermath of the 2021 Dobbs decision that sent abortion regulation back to the states. In the 2022 midterm elections and in the 2023 off-year elections in Virginia, there was clear evidence that abortion directly affected voting for Congress and voting for the state legislature. But by 2024, two things happened to blunt the impact of abortion on the presidential race.

First, in the two plus years since the Dobbs decision, the pro-choice movement has concentrated on winning state ballot initiatives to protect the right to an abortion. Beginning in 2022, there were state referenda in six states and in every one—even very conservative states like Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana—they passed by comfortable margins. Seeing a way to increase the number of women able to get an abortion and avoid unfriendly courts and state legislatures, the pro-choice movement went into action and placed a referendum on the ballot in Ohio in 2023 (which won easily) and then placed referenda on 10 more states for 2024. Some of these states—Colorado, Maryland, and New York—were blue states where Harris was expected to win. The referenda were expected to pass easily and did. They also passed easily where Trump was expected to win—in the deep red states of Montana (57.6%), Missouri (51,6%,) and Nebraska (55.3%.) In Florida, it did not pass, but that’s because although it got 57.1% of the vote, the legislature raised the bar for winning to 60%. South Dakota was the only state where the pro-choice referenda lost.

In the two swing states with abortion on the ballot, Arizona and Nevada, the referenda won easily, with 61.4% of the vote in Arizona and 63.8% of the vote in Nevada. What is clear from the outcomes in those states is that many people figured they could have their cake and eat it too—so to speak. They could vote to keep abortion legal but then vote for Trump for president. In Arizona, Harris so far only has 46.8% of the vote, meaning that 14.6% of the voters voted for the pro-choice position on abortion and for Donald Trump. In Nevada, Harris has so far received 47.2% of the vote—meaning that 16.6% of the voters voted pro-choice and for Trump. In many states voters have had a way to protect abortion rights while voting for Republican candidates.

The second thing that happened was that midway through his general election campaign, on October 1 to be precise, Trump—after a serious meeting with his staff where he was shown just how costly his support for abortion bans could be—issued a statement saying: “Everyone knows I would not support a federal abortion ban, under any circumstances, and would, in fact, veto it, because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters (the will of the people!).”

By the time of the actual election, the gender gap had been cut in half and Harris’ lead among women had plummeted. A method for protecting abortion (the referenda) had reduced the need for voters to elect pro-choice candidates since they could still vote to keep abortion legal. And Trump, seeing the writing on the wall, clarified that he would take no federal action, clearing the way for large numbers of pro-choice voters to vote for him on the economy, immigration, or many other issues. Although Harris fared much better among women than men, according to election exit polls, she ended up doing no better than Biden with women. That torpedoed her strategy of emphasizing reproductive rights—and in the end helped to elect Donald Trump.

[soliloqueeer]

13 Questions Every Harry Potter Fan Should Be Able To Answer

Question 1: Which house do you belong to?

Ravenclaw. I'm curious, creative and introverted. But I would also be happy in Hufflepuff since I am, at the end of the day, baby.

Question 2: Which Deathly Hallow would you choose?

If I'm being honest with myself probably the stone, to have one final conversation with my mother who recently, and very suddenly, passed away.

If that hadn't happened then I would've chosen the invisibility cloak because I love the idea of not being perceived.

Question 3: Which Character do you have a (not so) secret crush on?

Interesting question. I had to pick someone compliant with their characterization in the books then I'd probably say I'm most attracted to Tonks or Sirius, or the Weasley twins. But if you saw my AO3 history you'd think Tom Riddle.

Question 4: What are your Indepth and controversial thoughts on Severus Snape?

I think that Severus is a very tragic character. He came from poverty, was abused and neglected by his parents. The only person to ever show him kindness was Lily. He was canonically ugly, weird, and had bad hygiene. He was bullied by two classist Gryffindors and craved power and vengence which led him down a dark path. He died a hero who was courageous and self-sacrificing but I don't think she-who-shall-not-be-named wrote a convincing enough redemption story, especially not one in which the hero would give one of his son's Severus's name. He was still a wholly miserable person who was stuck in the past and verbally abused the child of his former nemesis for six years.

My controversial thoughts surrounding Snape was that he was first and foremost a genius - a potions prodigy who literally crafted his own spells as a teenager.

There was an unequal power dynamic between Severus and the Marauders. He was a dirt poor half-blood and they were rich purebloods. There was never any equal footing between them and as much as he participated in the feud, it was always in retaliation to their cruelty. (I can say this without bashing Sirius and James as all people contain multitudes).

I also don't believe Severus was a bigot. I think there's a good chance he hated muggles, as a result of the abuse from his father, but I he was too smart to buy into the idea of blood supremacy when he, a half-blood, was smarter than most of his pureblood peers. And when Lily, a muggleborn, was at the top of their class.

One of the more controversial headcanons I have is that Severus was recruited into becoming a Deatheater, not because he believed in their agenda but because he was allured by the promise of power, influence and vengeance. I believe he probably moved up high in the ranks after graduating Hogwarts because he was cunning, ambitious, and committed to proving himself and gaining Voldemort's respect. I also believe during his time as a Deatheater he most likely had to commit horrible acts of violence and cruelty, and that while Severus does have a sadistic streak (one that gives him the allusion of power), he does not wish suffering upon innocent people. He probably dealt with these peforming these acts by compartmentalizing his responsibiltiies as a Deatheater and using occlumancy.

One final thing I want to add is that I don't think Severus was obsessed with Lily in a 4Chan, incel sort of way (in fact, he kind of gives off ace vibes). In my opinion, Lily was the only person to ever give him love, kindness and compassion, and while he was in love with her, he was above all else, completely wracked with guilt over being responsible for telling Voldemort about the prophecy. He agrees to protect Harry because he feels indebted to her until the day he dies.

Question 5: Who, In your Opinion, Is more evil: Voldemort or Dolores Umbridge.

What a funny question. The first thing that comes to mind for me is Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and the discourse in 2015-17 about which politician was worse. Voldemort (like Trump) is honest about who is is and what he stands for (self-interest and accumulating power). Alternatively Umbridge (like Clinton) tries to create the perception that she is good and righteous.

Umbridge represents the banaltiy of evil. She's sadistic and abusive, even towards children -all while wearing a polite smile on her face. She has the same vibe as a Catholic nun who abuses people in the name of god, and for Umbridge it was about the rule of law.

However, Voldemort's evil can't even be measured on the same scale. He's a meglomaniac eugenicst willing to purge the world of things he deems inferior to him. He was inspired by dictators like Hitler and Stalin.

It's far easier to hate Umbridge because she's not honest about who she is, and we've met a figure of authority who's exactly like her. Voldemort by all accounts and purposes, was far more powerful, influential and destructive, but too grandiose to relate to.

Question 6: Which death in the series is the most heartbreaking?

Sirius, Fred, Remus, but especially Fred. It was cruel to take him away from George. I think it would've been more satisfying if Percy, as a way to redeem himself to his family, sacrificed himself to save his brother during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Question 7: What Quidditch position would you play?

I wouldn't. I'd probably be in the stands or take advantage of the school being empty and fuck around in the empty castle all day.

Question 8: What Wizarding Career would you pursue?

Probably a teacher or academic/Unspeakable as I love research. That or someone who paints the magical portraits.

Question 9: Which book in the series is you favourite?

PoA was always my favourite as a kid because I really loved Lupin's character, and hearing about the Marauders. The time-turner plot gives me an eyeroll now but the climax is still one of the most thrilling to me. We also got a taste of Powerful Harry, which actually never came to fruition, but I really loved the idea that Harry was a very exceptional wizard who was coming into his powers and not just an every-man character.

Question 10: Who should have ended up together? Hermione/Ron or Hermione/Harry?

Hermione/Harry if it was developed earlier on. The author explained that Ron/Hermione was something she pigeonholed herself into in the first two books but later regretted it. I think canonically, Harry and Hermione are like siblings, but if their relationship was developed after PoA then it would've been really satisfying to see.

Question 11: Have you read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

No. Never will.

Question 12: Was Dumbledore a Hero or a Villain?

A hero. His plan worked in the end, as convoluted it may have been. I don't see Dumbledore as an all-good Santa-Claus-Grandpa character like his die-hard fans do, but I also don't see him as a chess-player villian twirling his moustache from the shadows.

I used to really hate Dumbledore because of how secretive he was. It was absolutely insane for him to have put Harry on that wild goose chase with such little information and it was a miracle they won the war at all.

At the end of the day, I think he was a man that feared having too much power due to the mistakes he made in his youth when he was hungry for it. He influenced things from the sidelines because he knew he was imperfect. He made mistakes all the time, and owned up to them, and if he was all-powerful those mistakes would have much graver consequences.

He loved Harry, in the end, and did not want to see him in that mess, but had the pressure of saving the world on his shoulders.

Question 13: Who is the real Hero of the Story? Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom?

Seems like a redundant question to me, but perhaps there's discourse around it I'm not aware of.

Harry is. But he doesn't carry that tile alone.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jonathan Cohn at HuffPost:

“Folks, he’s coming for your health care, and we’re not going to let that happen.” Those are the closing words of a new 30-second ad from the Biden campaign, focusing on the Affordable Care Act and the possibility of repeal if Donald Trump becomes president again. The ad buy is significant: $14 million to run the spot in a half dozen swing states, as my colleague S.V. Dáte reported. And it’s not difficult to understand why.

Trump’s attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017 was highly unpopular. The backlash was almost certainly a big reason Republicans managed to lose both houses of Congress and the presidency over the next two elections. Reminding voters of this history can only help Biden and the Democrats, especially amid polls that show the 2010 health care law to be more popular than ever. And the threat to the law is real. Trump spent his entire presidency trying to tear down the program; when legislation failed, he tried to undermine the law by ― among other things ― taking away funds for advertising and promotion. Last fall, he returned to the subject in a Truth Social post, declaring, “The cost of Obamacare is out of control, plus, it’s not good Healthcare. I’m seriously looking at alternatives.”

Trump followed up with what was supposed to be a clarification, stating, “I don’t want to terminate Obamacare, I want to REPLACE IT with MUCH BETTER HEALTHCARE. Obamacare Sucks!!!�� But of course, that was just another version of the promises he made before taking office last time ― you may remember vows like “I’m going to take care of everybody” or “We’re going to have insurance for everybody.” He then proceeded to push bills that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would have added more than 20 million Americans to the ranks of the uninsured.

[...] Democratic leaders vowed to address that issue by increasing the subsidies, effectively realizing their original vision for the law. And they did precisely that in 2021. The American Rescue Plan, which Democrats passed and Biden signed, boosted the Affordable Care Act’s financial assistance so that nobody has to pay more than 8.5% of household income on a standard plan.

It was a temporary measure tied to the pandemic, but in 2022, they extended the subsidies through 2025. The impact has been substantial. Roughly 15 million Americans are saving an average of about $800 a year on their insurance, according to calculations by the Department of Health and Human Services. And like all averages, that covers a range of people. The savings amount to only a pittance for some, but it’s literally thousands of dollars a year for others. The enhanced subsidies have also had more subtle effects. Some insurers still sell “non-compliant” plans that resemble the old policies. These plans can be sold more cheaply because they have big coverage gaps that can leave beneficiaries exposed to punishing, catastrophic medical bills. (Loopholes in the law allow this.) However, fewer people are now buying those policies, opting for the more comprehensive plans available than the Affordable Care Act, according to a study from the non-partisan health research organization KFF. That’s because, with the extra subsidies, the more comprehensive plans don’t cost as much as they did before.

[...]

A Familiar Debate, An Uncertain Political Future

The new Biden ad says he wants to make the assistance permanent, consistent with a proposal in his latest budget. That wouldn’t be cheap. CBO pegged the cost at about $25 million a year back in 2022. It’d probably require more money more now. The inability to find enough offsetting cuts or revenue to cover that cost is one reason Biden and the Democrats didn’t make the bigger subsidies permanent last time. That could happen again. But it’s safe to assume that, at the very least, Biden and the Democrats would approve another temporary extension if they are in office and have enough leverage in Congress after 2024. If Democrats don’t have that kind of power come next year, the fate of these increased subsidies will be in the hands of Trump and the Republicans. And while they haven’t had much to say about the issue, it’s hard to imagine they’d be enthusiastic about extending the subsidies given their traditional hostility to government spending on social welfare, to say nothing of their animus towards Obamacare. Conservative intellectuals are already laying the groundwork. Brian Blase, the former Trump administration official now president of the conservative-leaning Paragon Health Institute, has assailed the extra subsidies as regressive because they have made higher-income Americans eligible for assistance.

If Donald Trump wins in 2024, then there could be big consequences for Obamacare… and it won’t be pretty.

[dollarbin]

Dollar Bin #45:

Woody Guthrie's Lindbergh

I clearly don't aim to do anything too serious around here but I have periodically ensured that Trump supporters feel thoroughly uninvited to the Dollar Bin.

After all, Donald Trump does not understand the Dollar Bin. Our very own Neil Young is one of dozens of dollar bin artists whose music has been featured at Trump rallies against their explicit wishes and whose sentiments about that fact are well summarized by one of the guys behind Panic at the Disco: "Dear Trump Campaign, F--- you... Stop playing my song."

Plus, Trump wouldn't even know there was such a thing as the dollar bin. To him, there's no such thing as art, let alone art - or anything - that can be purchased for a buck. The shoes with his name on them cost a few hundred bucks; same with his bibles. Sure, he'd pretend to thumb through some old records if those records were in a swing state and there were a few dozen television cameras around recording his pithy and racist nonsense while a wave of nutjobs surged about outside, hoping to see him at it. But, thankfully, that photo op is one of the few he's passed by.

The truth is that my own life won't change too much if he gets reelected. I'm white, male, American by birth and heterosexual so I probably won't lose too many of my rights. But I'd rush home and burn every one my records; hell, I'd even root for the Yankees, Giants, Padres and everyone else to forever trounce my Dodgers - I'm that earnest about this - if I thought any of that would help keep Trump out of the White House for good. I just hate everything he stands for. For my daughters, my students, my neighbors, for everyone. He is evil. And we are better than him.

Why am I telling you all this instead of recommending a Randy Newman record or something? Well, it's my worry that too many of us will leave stones unturned in the next two weeks when it comes to stopping Trump's return to power. I don't want to look back and think "I shoulda..." And so, for this moment only, I'm turning this blog into a political plea.

So, let's listen to some Woody Guthrie!

If you don't teach high school history or haven't read The Plot Against America, here's some context for Guthrie's attack on an American legend:

Throughout the 1920's and 30's Charles Lindbergh was our country's Tom Hanks meets Michael Jordan: he was our biggest celebrity and our most celebrated retired athlete all wrapped up in one handsome package.

The basis for that fame was his record breaking flight across the Atlantic, but he wasn't just a pilot. Get this: the guy also invented some of the foundational technology behind modern surgery and artificial hearts.

What's more, he was a famously tragic figure: his infant daughter was kidnapped and died in what white media at the time described as the "Crime of the Century."

Meanwhile he was a racist, anti-Semitic fascist. There's no hyperbole in that statement.

And in 1940, the Republican party begged him to run for president. Lindbergh, who was shy and paranoid, ultimately declined to run but he made his views clear all the same: the best thing for our country to do was to side with Hitler in the coming war. After all, he reasoned, Jews ran the world and they needed to be stopped.

And here's the crazy part: if Lindbergh had accepted that nomination and appeared on the 1940 ballot he almost certainly would have won and been our President. Really. And then where the hell would we all be?

I see a lot of exasperated headlines at this point: why, given Trump's blatant criminal behavior, his increasing senility and his rampant megalomania, is this year's election so close? Why isn't Kamala "running away with this thing?"

The answer seems fairly obvious to me: 1/2 of our country is either too apathetic or disadvantaged to vote, and just a 1/4 of us plan to vote against Trump because we are neither disadvantaged nor apathetic and we have a healthy moral compass. But that means a full quarter of our country's ethical compass directs them to sexism, xenophobia and a preference for "I alone can fix it" fascism over democracy. And that means Trump may very well win.

It somehow doesn't matter that even Trump's longest serving Chief of Staff calls him a fascist. Our election will be a toss up.

Which brings us back to good old Woody. His song about Lindbergh, the Donald Trump of his day, is tons of fun, I think, plus you gotta dig that hook: in Washington; in Wash-ing-ton.

But Guthrie, though a genius, didn't record Lindbergh until 1944 - a full four years after the American people needed to hear the song and act on it. And Shakey, also a genius, didn't record Ohio until after those bodies were lying dead on the ground.

There are just two weeks to go folks. I'm no Woody Guthrie nor Neil Young, that's for sure. But this post is me singing my own paltry version of Ohio and Lindbergh. My song may suck but I'm earnest about it: I'm trying to sing while there's still time to correct our course.

I should be doing way, way more than this - I know it. But thanks for reading this all the same, and thanks for considering. I think our country, like the dollar bin, is full of wonder and beauty.

So let's save it.

[bopinion]

2024 / 41

Aperçu of the week

“The first casualty, when war comes, is truth”

(Hiram Johnson, progressive US politician, who was Governor of and Senator for California, among other things, on World War 1)

Bad News of the Week

Bavaria is Germany's largest federal state. It is larger than Ireland, for example. Or Denmark. Or Belgium or the Netherlands or Croatia or Switzerland. So it's pretty big by European standards. So if an area is three times the size of Bavaria, that's a lot. And the area of forest that has already been burned in Brazil this year is just as large.

A total of 22.38 million hectares caught fire between January and September, according to a report by the MapBiomas initiative. This corresponds to an increase of 150 percent compared to the same period in 2023. The MapBiomas network consists of universities, non-governmental organizations and technology companies and examines satellite images, among other things, to keep track of environmental developments.

According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), the main reason for the fires is deliberate arson. To create grazing land for cattle and arable land for soybean cultivation. Brazil's President Lula da Silva is committed to better protecting the forests and has already achieved success through stricter legislation and prosecution, as well as defining new protected areas.

So why are the figures still soaring? Researchers attribute this to the ongoing drought stress in the Amazon and its neighboring regions, which simply makes it easier to burn and causes it to spread more quickly. At the same time, the second largest tributary of the Amazon, the Rio Negro, is currently drying up, with the water level at its lowest since records began - in 1902!

The first researchers already fear that the first tipping points have also been passed in Brazil. This would be a catastrophe for the planet's largest C02 reservoir, oxygen producer and biodiversity guarantor. And therefore for humanity. It shocks me that there is still political support for fossil fuels. For example, in the current US presidential election campaign, where even Kamala Harris has backed away from her opposition to fracking because it could cost her the swing state of Pennsylvania. Or in Germany, the automobile country, there is talk of “technological openness”. Or Hungary would prefer to buy Russian gas again. Or...

Good News of the Week

The first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. A sad day. Because it brought immeasurable suffering. First for the Israeli victims of the Hamas act of terrorism. And then on practically the entire Palestinian people. Both triggered by the extremism of individual so-called leaders who accept any victim for their ideologically blinded egoism - except themselves. The fact that there are now (one year after the attack!) still Israeli hostages with unclear whereabouts or conditions and at the same time the number of civilian victims of this war - because it is nothing else - is increasing daily is unbearable.

What I find good in this context is the differentiated view among the population here. In Munich, there have already been demonstrations with different points of view, which have certainly sharpened their own different points of view: “365 days - Munich against anti-Semitism” and “Palestine speaks Munich - 365 days of genocide”. The events took place on the same street. And remained peaceful and no clashes were reported. Even if both are too short-sighted, because not every Jew is a Zionist and not every Palestinian is a terrorist. On the contrary: a demonstrator holds up a sign that reads “Palestinians against Jew-hatred”.

Recently, an acquaintance told me about a video conference that a conversation partner from the USA suddenly left. He later apologized: he had been in his home office, his partner and he were of opposing political opinions and there would have been a huge row at home if he had found out what his international colleagues thought of Donald Trump. Namely nothing.

Such fundamental differences, which run like a deep rift even within families, were previously only known to me in the context of corona, when it seemed that vaccination supporters and opponents could no longer build any kind of bridge to each other. In the current political debate, there seem to me to be very few uncompromising hardliners. On both sides. Because there is consensus on one thing: the suffering must come to an end. That of the Palestinian civilian population and that of the Israeli hostages and their families. As long as we can agree on that, there will still be a basic understanding. For the good.

Personal happy moment of the week

We have been struggling with coronavirus and other colds for some time now and are still not really fit. As a result, real life is only taking place on the back burner: work gets done and we don't have the energy for the rest. Work-life balance looks different. But now we've finally been “outside” again. For brunch with friends. And we'll be doing it again a week later. It's nice to meet other people again without it being a meeting.

I couldn't care less...

...that the European Union can and probably will now impose punitive tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The official reason is that Beijing is promoting car production with so many subsidies that competition is being distorted. In reality, however, the European automotive industry has simply been asleep. And what's more, the subsidy was invented in the European single market, so to speak.

It's fine with me...

...that a large majority of the CDU state associations (of the conservative Christian Democratic Union) are open to black-green coalitions. A corresponding blanket rejection, as repeatedly demanded by the Bavarian CSU (the sister party Christian Social Union) and its Minister President Markus Söder, is “absurd”. Exactly. In addition, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Schleswig-Holstein are recognized as having good, solid and pragmatic governments. In a coalition of conservatives and the Greens.

As I write this...

...the clean-up work in Florida is progressing after Hurricane Milton plowed through the peninsula like Helene shortly before. The extent of the damage was less severe than feared, even though it could run into the billions and there were also fatalities. What is terrible, however, is how even such disasters are being instrumentalized by the Republicans in the US election campaign to support the dystopian future scenarios that Donald Trump is creating ever more blatantly. Particularly perfidious: the Democrats would take away urgently needed funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to “rescue” Americans in order to buy the votes of illegal migrants. Unbelievable: these guys still manage to leave me at a loss for words...

Post Scriptum

Asylum is a hot topic in Europe right now. The increasing popularity of right-wing parties is mainly due to the fact that (too) many believe the propaganda that the entire continent has a migration problem. As a result, even more moderate centrist parties now also have this issue on their radar and in their election manifestos. The lowest common denominator: less immigration is better than more.

It is therefore surprising that the right of asylum is now being extended. But fortunately, justice is blind. The European Court of Justice has now decisively strengthened the protection of Afghan women. It has stated that the repression of the Taliban regime is now so massive that they are generally considered to be persecuted.

They are therefore entitled to asylum in the European Union. In principle and regardless of individual examination and interpretation. Women are systematically discriminated against by the Taliban - simply because they are women. The fact that this discrimination means, among other things, that no woman is even allowed to leave her home without a male escort makes it unlikely that the theory will be put into practice. But for me, this decision alone is a very strong symbol.

[steelbluehome]

"The film mostly succeeds in this monstrous true story due to the transformative and utterly compelling performances of Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Stan’s gradual transformation is entirely believable, avoiding SNL-levels of parody through his eerily uncanny, surprisingly restrained, and frightening portrayal of a total and complete narcissist. He absolutely nails Trump’s body language, speech patterns, and facial expressions, and he does this more progressively throughout the film while never once overplaying it. By the time you reach the end of the film, his version of Trump is completely unrecognizable from the person we met at the beginning of the film, not just in mind and body (courtesy of some convincing makeup work), but also in spirit."

The Next Best Picture

"THE APPRENTICE” (click for article)

May 20, 2024

By Matt Neglia

THE STORY – A dive into the underbelly of the American empire, the film charts a young Donald Trump’s ascent to power through a Faustian deal with the influential right-wing lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn.

THE CAST – Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, Martin Donovan & Joe Pingue

THE TEAM – Ali Abbasi (Director), Jennifer Stahl & Gabriel Sherman (Writers)

THE RUNNING TIME – 120 Minutes

Making a film about former President of the United States, Donald Trump, was always going to be a hot-button topic amongst cinephiles. Such a controversial figure who is still, to this day, a very real presence in our lives and has no intentions of fading away, one would think any form of a biopic about him would want to wait a number of years, perhaps after his passing, to tell any story about him so not to garner intense reactions out of people. But perhaps that’s the goal all along. No matter what the response to filmmaker Ali Abbasi’s (“Holy Spider“) latest film is, it’s going at least get some sort of a reaction out of people. And in a way, such a reckless and blatant approach to making and releasing this film now, while both his supporters and haters are out in full force during an election year where he will be the Republican nominee once again (barring an indictment of any kind) feels right in line with the kind of person Donald Trump is and has always been, well at least after he met Roy Cohn, which is what Abbasi’s film depicts. It’s not concerned with his Presidential years in the Oval Office, but rather the early days in his real estate career, when barely anyone knew who he was and through a mentor/protege friendship, it gave birth to this Frankenstein’s monster who not only became rich and famous, but infamous.

Before he made his billions, Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) was a young, upstart real estate mogul looking to secure a deal with the city of New York under his wealthy father, Fred Trump’s (Martin Donovan) nose, who owned The Trump Organization. After venturing into a bar one night visited by some of the most powerful, corrupt, and wealthiest individuals in the city, Trump meets hotshot American lawyer and prosecutor Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a blowhard, vulgar, and offensive individual who doesn’t care about anything other than winning. Trump elicits Cohn’s help to get the feds to back off his family’s business so he can move forward with building a luxury hotel in the middle of Grand Central Station, and Cohn eventually agrees. He likes the kid and seizes the moment to take him under his wing and teach him his three key principles to winning: Rule 1: Attack. Attack. Attack. Rule 2: Admit nothing. Deny everything. And Rule 3: Claim victory and never admit defeat. This mental attitude would go on to become the blueprint for how Donald Trump would eventually grow his family’s real estate empire through the 1970s and 80s, leading to the unbreakable mindset that would one day lead him to the Presidency.

Naturally, there’s quite a bit of fear and hesitation about how Sebastian Stan would portray Trump in “The Apprentice” (the title of the film applying to Trump’s role under Cohn’s tutelage and a play off of his famous television show of the same name). Is this meant to be a comedy? A drama? Perhaps even a horror film? Abbasi’s film, surprisingly, plays everything mostly straight, giving the film “Succession” levels of Shakespearean drama (backed by some brass-heavy pieces of score which will also remind viewers of the hit HBO show) as the relationship between Trump and Cohn touches upon themes of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. The two start off the film in totally different places, and, by the end, they swap as one eventually becomes humbled by life, and the other displays a total disregard for it and its rules based on the teachings he inherited from the other. By telling such a story, “The Apprentice” does not shy away from showing audiences what a driven but naive young Donald Trump once was but also the notorious scumbag he would grow to become.

The film mostly succeeds in this monstrous true story due to the transformative and utterly compelling performances of Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Stan’s gradual transformation is entirely believable, avoiding SNL-levels of parody through his eerily uncanny, surprisingly restrained, and frightening portrayal of a total and complete narcissist. He absolutely nails Trump’s body language, speech patterns, and facial expressions, and he does this more progressively throughout the film while never once overplaying it. By the time you reach the end of the film, his version of Trump is completely unrecognizable from the person we met at the beginning of the film, not just in mind and body (courtesy of some convincing makeup work), but also in spirit. The same goes for Strong as Cohn, who captures Cohn’s voice, slight head bob while speaking, and, more importantly, his viciousness, ruthlessness, and cruelty. The latter human qualities are particularly noteworthy for how Strong manages to pry even the slightest degree of pity for Cohn from the audience by the end after watching what a despicable human being he was earlier in his life is nothing short of fantastic acting from the Emmy Award-winning actor. Watching those almost inhuman powers transfer from one actor to the other seamlessly over the course of the two-hour runtime is the film’s best asset, as Abbasi never asks us to sympathize with Trump but instead seeks to give us a better understanding of how anyone could ever think and behave the way he does. By the time you’re done watching Abbasi’s cautionary character study, it starts to make a bit more sense.

Some will feel that none of this is new information and the film’s very act of existence is objectionable, given how much of a prevalent force Trump remains in our daily lives. While Stan and Strong’s exceptional work makes the film worth checking out, there are still numerous flaws to be found within its storytelling. The decision to shoot utilizing different video formats, such as celluloid filmstock and camcorder footage, provides a clear distinction between the time periods, accentuated by the film’s soundtrack comprising various hits from the time. Some of these needle drops feel appropriate, while one in particular during a physical assault by Trump on his former wife Ivana Trump (a sadly underused Maria Bakalova) feels completely out of place and cuts the horrifically violent act’s knees right from underneath it. Abbasi wisely avoids showcasing any and all contemporary scenes during Trump’s presidential run and eventual Presidency, but that doesn’t stop screenwriters Jennifer Stahl & Gabriel Sherman from constantly eluding to it in some heavy-handed ways. Whether it’s played for laughs or for a cheap wink at the camera to tell audiences unnecessary indicators such as, “See! That’s how he got his campaign slogan!” it never hits as hard as the drama conjured by Stan and Strong, nor the queasy feelings it produces in your stomach knowing what this power-hungry, nonsensical fraud of a businessman would later go on to do.

While Trump constantly fabricates the truth to create a scenario where he comes out ahead, Abbasi’s film is about getting as close to the truth as possible to paint a picture of a figure where he comes out not as low as possible but across as honestly as possible. That honesty is rotten to the core, and Stan’s immersive portrayal never breaks away from that truth. There is no breaking of the fourth wall to over-explain details to the audience, nor is there a sharp divide between the film’s drama and comedy, causing us to question whether we should take the film seriously or not. It’s as serious a film for our tumultuous times as any other. Although it might not be perfect, and some will rightfully question whether the timing of “The Apprentice” is justified, Stan and Strong provide awards-worthy work that will get people talking and hopefully convince them to see Trump for who he is and has always been.

[dankusner]

LGBTQ Texans prepare for new Trump administration, state legislature

Many LGBTQ Texans say they are finding hope in action, as they prepare for new federal and state governments that ran on promises to roll back some of the communities’ rights and representation.

That reality didn’t come easy.

Texas is home to the country’s second-largest population of LGBTQ adults.

Many community members now say they are preparing for a two-front fight over gay and trans rights, as Republicans in federal and state governments are poised roll back some of their rights and representation.

“There was a split second there, a voice in the back of my head that was saying, ‘I need to hide, I need to shut up, I need to not engage as much as before,’” said Ren Dobson, a non-binary artist and co-founder of Dallas Social Queer Organization.

On Election night, Callie Butcher couldn’t fall asleep.

24092203

A trans woman and attorney in Dallas, Butcher said her mind was racing with thoughts about what the results would mean for her family.

These emotions also dominated the social media feeds of Marco Roberts, a longtime openly gay Republican.

“On one hand, you see [conservative gay groups] celebrating in very boisterous ways,” he said. “And on the other hand, you see this other feed �� which, I will grant you, was much bigger — of people lamenting and being despondent. It’s like we’re living on two different planets.”

As Texas and the U.S. move beyond the election, many LGBTQ advocates are working to prevent what they see as further erosion of rights they fought hard to win.

State legislators have previously passed major bills, including those banning gender-affirming care for trans minors and limiting the sports teams trans athletes can compete on up to the collegiate level, saying they are needed to protect children and women.

Some like State Rep. Brian Harrison, a Midlothian Republican who voted for these bills, have also framed efforts under this legislative agenda as reducing wasteful public spending.

And with a more conservative incoming federal and state government, LGBTQ advocates worry legislation impacting their rights could go further in 2025.

In the meantime, Dobson and Butcher have been combating their anxiety by supporting their community instead of running away.

They are not alone.

“It’s feeling ominous right now,” said Cece Cox, CEO of Dallas-based Resource Center.

“But there’s a lineage of advocacy and victories and moving forward a step and going two steps back, but ultimately prevailing.”

An explosion of preparation

Texas is home to the country’s second-largest population of LGBTQ adults, according to the Williams Institute.

Among them are around 93,000 trans adults, or less than 1% of the state’s population.

Over the past four years, many of these LGBTQ Texans say the federal government has acted as a counterbalance to the state.

This dynamic will now shift, they say.

Roberts, who chairs the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum, said he welcomes the change.

But he “[does] not think anyone should ever be given a free pass.”

Others have raised alarms about President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises.

Trump has said he will push the Republican-controlled Congress for a national ban on gender-affirming medical care for trans minors as well as legislation recognizing only two genders as assigned at birth.

He has vowed to reinstate the ban on trans military members.

And he could quickly move to exclude trans students from Title IX protections, according to the Associated Press.

As a result, the Resource Center and others are ramping up or sharing resources for mental and physical healthcare and legal assistance.

The day after the election, Cox said she got “a lot of calls and texts” from people asking if they should push up their weddings or if they would still be able to get the health care they need.

Within one week, Butcher said she fielded at least 10 calls from LGBTQ Texans looking to hire her to help update their federal documents, especially as Texas agencies have banned trans people from being able to change their birth certificates and driver’s licenses to reflect their gender identity.

Workshops have popped up to provide information on how LGBTQ individuals and families can protect themselves.

“We’ve definitely seen this [preparation] explode and rightfully so,” she said.

On the flip side, some local organizations are seeing an influx of volunteers.

Juan Contreras, president of Texas Latino Pride, said new faces are reaching out and offering expertise, such as Spanish translation.

“People are wanting to help, like ‘Hey, I’m more than just a vote,’” he said.

“There was this one young gentleman who said, ‘I’ve been watching for years. I just never knew how to get involved, but I’m wanting to give back to my community.’”

‘We’re looking out for more attacks’

Many LGBTQ Texans are also bracing for the next state legislative session, which starts Jan. 14.

“We’re looking out for more attacks on transgender Texans,” said Brad Pritchett, interim CEO of Equality Texas.

“We’re looking out for additional censorship bills.”

Roberts agrees there will continue to be a heavy focus on the trans community.

For him, the big issue is how to provide support for those who decide to detransition, but it’s also critical to address concerns in a way that doesn’t fuel a backlash.

The solution, he said, is to lobby for legislation that defends everyone’s freedom.

As of Monday, over 1,800 pieces of legislation have rolled out since the first day of bill filing on Nov. 12.

Within a week, some LGBTQ organizers have noted around 20 bills.

Several would again try to prohibit instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools through the 12th grade, which the Texas GOP considers a legislative priority.

Some look to bar people from using private spaces that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth, revisiting a bathroom ban proposal that led to a major fight in 2017.

Others seek to ban funding for gender-affirming medical treatments or raise the civil liabilities for doctors who provide them, which organizers say would make this care inaccessible for trans adults.

Harrison, the Midlothian Republican, said he filed House Bill 847 to ban the use of public funding — such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as state and prison healthcare expenditures — for gender-affirming surgeries and prescriptions as a way to “defend taxpayers.”

“I do not take the position that the state of Texas should make those procedures illegal for adults,” he said.

“However, as a fiduciary of tax money, I think it is an inappropriate use of tax dollars to force any Texan to ever have to pay for their neighbors’ sex change procedures.”

Organizers are also still watching out for priority bills, which have yet to be filed.

“The fact that we’re seeing these Day One is a little scary … but I don’t think that means they’re all going to pass,” said Butcher.

Joshua Blank, director of research for the Texas Politics Project, agrees.

He also says it remains to be seen how effective the bills will be if they go further than the GOP’s current messaging around protecting children.

“What Republicans found was success in attaching the transgender issue to the protection of minors. They’ve been less successful at prohibiting and restricting the rights of transgender adults,” Blank said.

“The question is whether they’ll lean back into that in this session, given their electoral success.”

Meanwhile, Texas Democrats have been filing bills to end discrimination in various settings based on sexual orientation or gender identity, though most are unlikely to go far in the Republican-dominated Legislature.

Among them, legislators are trying to repeal the unconstitutional criminalization of gay sex from state law.

The long-running effort advanced the furthest last year, amid worries that the U.S. Supreme Court rulings striking down the gay sex ban and legalizing same-sex marriage could be reconsidered in future cases after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

This legislative attempt has seen some bipartisan backing, but it remains an uphill battle.

LGBTQ community members on both sides of the political spectrum said they are now gearing up for the session.

Pritchett said Equality Texas is planning advocacy days online and in person to teach people how to drop cards and write testimonies about bills.

He said safety plans will also be revamped, after state police booted protesters from the Capitol and arrested two during a House vote on the bill to ban gender-affirming care for trans minors last year.

Roberts agrees it’s important to keep showing up.

“Whether you like Republicans or not, those are the ones that are in the Capitol running the state, so you’re going to have to talk to them,” he said.

‘I belong here’

LGBTQ Texans tout their communities' resilience.

For Dobson, this is evident in the history of Oak Lawn as a hub for LGBTQ life in Dallas.

If the neighborhood could survive police raids and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, they too can weather the challenges ahead.

“There’s a long list of horrible things that have happened in this country, and we are still here,” Dobson said.

“And not only that, we have a very visible and big space, and I’m safe to walk around in this space.”

Several emphasized the importance of community organizing — regardless of who is in power.

The sentiment follows an election that has left some Democrats soul-searching about what went wrong, including whether Democrats’ support for trans rights contributed to losses.

Republicans unleashed a deluge of election ads on issues like trans youth in sports and gender-affirming care for trans minors, painting Democrats as being out of touch with average voters.

“This election was about the economy — and in Texas, to a lesser extent, was about the border,” said Blank.

“Democrats [were] spending their valuable time and resources trying to tell people what they’re not, as opposed to what they are. … And to the extent that you’re talking about these issues … [and] talking about minors, it ultimately activates a protectionist, paternalistic mindset that I think benefits Republican legislators and elected officials.”

In Texas, Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa told The Texas Newsroom that the issue didn’t help.

The comment prompted swift criticisms, and he quickly apologized.

Hinojosa announced his resignation days later but will stay in the role until March.

Correy Carrasco, vice president of the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas, which spoke out against Hinojosa’s comment, said the Democratic Party does need to get back to its roots on kitchen table concerns.

But he and others like Carter Brown, executive director of the Carrollton-based National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, pointed out economic issues and LGBTQ rights are not separate.

They said many community members are working class, and many face barriers to accessing employment or housing due to gender and racial discrimination.

Brown said this makes protecting LGBTQ Texans even more important because not everyone has the means to leave.

It’s also a matter of principle.

“Where do I go?” Brown said.

“I’m an American. I’m a Texan. I belong here. This is where I’ll be.”

[trumpnewsinternational]

Trump 2024 Save America Kindle Edition

by Jason Burns (Author)  Format: Kindle Edition

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars    1 rating

See all formats and editions

Trump 2024 Save America : A Deep Dive into Donald Trump's Presidential office achievements and future policies

In this riveting and insightful book, we delve into the world of Donald Trump's presidential campaign and eventual election as the 47th President of the United States. Jason Burns comprehensive narrative uncovers the intricate layers of the political landscape that lead to his victory. It provides informative information for undecided voters as well as helping Republicans have the skills to engage in this election cycle.

Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, we explore the key moments, strategies, and personalities that shaped Trump's journey. From the primary elections to the general campaign, we provide an in-depth analysis of the issues, controversies, and turning points that have captivated the nation and the world.

This book offers a unique perspective on the role of social media, public opinion, and the electoral college system in shaping the outcome of the election. We also examine the impact of Trump's political background, business acumen, and unconventional approach to politics on the American political landscape.

Trump 2024 Save America is the best book on Donald Trump's Presidential Journey it is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of modern politics, the power of the presidency, and the ever-evolving dynamics of the American electoral process. This book is a must-have for political enthusiasts, history buffs, and those seeking to comprehend the forces that continue to shape our nation's future. You must have this book. It will give you Political and Spiritual resources to be effective defender of Democracy .You need this book as it brings you back to the founding principles of the nations history and documents. The Christian faith is also explored as an important foundation for the Trump strategy for 2024.Every grass roots Trump supporter will find this book a wealth of information and encouragement as the elites try to take away your freedoms .You need this book it will keep you strong campaigning in this election term. You cant sit on the side lines. You have to get in the trenches and this book will help you do that. Jason Burns is simply:

The genius behind this captivating narrative is a writer of exceptional talent, whose words not only inform but also inspire. With a unique ability to weave complex information into engaging and accessible prose, the author has crafted a masterpiece that delves deep into the heart of political intrigue.

Jason has a keen eye for detail, coupled with a profound understanding of human nature, allows him to bring the political issues and events to life in a way that resonates with readers from all walks of life. This author's gift for political writing transcends the pages, leaving a lasting impression on the minds of those who have had the pleasure of experiencing his work.

As you embark on this unforgettable journey through the world of politics, you will witness the brilliance of a writer who has mastered the art of captivating the reader's imagination. Prepare to be enthralled by the words of a true literary prophet.

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. The only way they can inherit the freedom we have known is if we fight for it, protect it, defend it, and then hand it to them with the well fought lessons of how they in their lifetime must do the same. And if you and I don’t do this, then you and I may well spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free. – 1961 Ronald Reagan

[ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly]

By Jim Rutenberg and Alan Feuer

Former President Donald J. Trump and his allies are rolling out a late-stage campaign strategy that borrows heavily from the subversive playbook he used to challenge his loss four years ago, this time with reinforcements from outside groups built on the false notion of a stolen election.

With Election Day only three days away, Mr. Trump is already claiming the Democrats are “a bunch of cheats,” as his allies in battleground states spread distorted reports of mishaps at the polls to push a narrative of widespread fraud.

Mr. Trump and his most prominent supporters have pointed to partisan polling and betting markets to claim that he is heading for a “crushing victory,” as his top surrogate Elon Musk recently put it. The expectation helps set the stage for disbelief and outrage among his supporters should he lose.

And in a direct echo of his failed — and, prosecutors say, illegal — bid to remain in power after the 2020 election, some of his most influential advisers are suggesting he will yet again seek to claim victory before all the votes are counted, a move that ushered in his efforts to deny his defeat four years ago and helped set the stage for the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

In many respects, though, the effort that led to Jan. 6 never ended.

“It’s been four years of spreading lies about elections and recruiting volunteers to challenge the system, filing litigation,’’ said Joanna Lydgate, the chief executive of States United Democracy Center, a nonprofit group that works with state officials to bolster confidence in their elections. “What we’re seeing today is all of that coming to fruition.”

The Trump campaign did not respond to an email seeking comment.

In a statement, Dana Remus, a top lawyer for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, said, “It isn’t surprising that he is already questioning the results of a still ongoing election” and added, “He failed when he tried this in 2020, and he will fail again.”

Polls show the race is effectively tied, leaving the possibility that Mr. Trump will win and have no reason to dispute the outcome. In that case, the question of whether to accept the results would fall to Ms. Harris, who has said she would uphold “free and fair elections” and the “peaceful transfer of power.”

For all the similarities, there are important differences between now and 2020, some of which reassure the coalition of civil rights lawyers, Democrats, Republicans and election administrators working to prevent a repeat of 2020:

Congress has passed a new law, the Electoral Count Reform Act, meant to make it harder to stop the final certification of the results by Congress on Jan. 6, as Mr. Trump tried to do four years ago.

Mr. Trump no longer has control of the federal government — which he sought to use to press his 2020 case. In the states, there are fewer like-minded Republicans in key positions of power than there were four years ago.

Some of the loudest clarions for stolen election theories have paid heavily for circulating them, including Fox News, which last year paid Dominion Voting Systems $787 million to settle a lawsuit over the network’s promotion of false theories that Dominion’s machines had switched votes.

And the experience of 2020, along with more recent clashes over voting issues, has taught election administrators lessons about fortifying themselves against a similar effort this year.

“You have the benefit of something having happened once before,” said the Pennsylvania secretary of state, Al Schmidt, a Republican. “You learn from it to guide you moving forward.”

But the threat of another chaotic post-election period remains.

While Mr. Trump no longer has control of the federal government, a movement of activists has succeeded in putting election-doubting conservatives in position across the voting system, as poll watchers, election workers and even local officials in charge of certifying local results.

The new law has loopholes that Mr. Trump could try to exploit. For instance, the law sets a new, hard deadline by which states must send their final, certified election results to Washington ahead of the Electoral College vote. But some Trump-aligned officials have called for blocking certification at the local level, raising the possibility that the process could be stalled ahead of that deadline. The law has no clear remedy for cases where it is missed.

blob:https://www.tumblr.com/1a9bd5cd-e5eb-4efc-a32c-03dc9af494fe

Finally, though some news organizations like Fox and Newsmax have faced serious defamation claims for spreading conspiracy theories about Dominion voting machines, the major social media platforms have dramatically scaled back efforts to curb false content.

None have gone farther than X, formerly Twitter, whose founder, Mr. Musk, has actively used the platform to promote the sense that Mr. Trump is destined to win and to spread his own false voting claims.

“There has been a lot of investment by allies of President Trump to suggest that his victory is inevitable,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, a nonpartisan organization that advises election officials. “That’s the expectation being set among some of his supporters.”

Step 1: Claim Victory

The period leading up to Election Day has featured several scenes that seem to be ripped from court filings in the federal case charging Mr. Trump with election interference over his actions after his defeat in 2020. (Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty.)

When Stephen K. Bannon, an influential right-wing media figure and close Trump adviser, was released from prison on Tuesday, he quickly told reporters that Mr. Trump should act preemptively on election night and simply claim victory.

As Mr. Bannon said: “He should stand up and say: ‘Hey, I’ve won this. And we have teams right now that are going to make sure that this thing is not going to be stolen.’”

In recently filed court papers naming Mr. Bannon as a co-conspirator in Mr. Trump’s federal election interference case, the special counsel, Jack Smith, noted that Mr. Bannon had said the same thing four years ago.

“What Trump’s going to do is just declare victory, right?” he said, according to the records, later adding, “That doesn’t mean he’s the winner, he’s just going to say he’s the winner.”

Mr. Trump did just that, unleashing a barrage of lawsuits challenging swing-state results, nearly all of which failed as various judges found claims of fraud to be lacking.

That legal failure did not stop his efforts. He and several allies then sought to convince Republican legislators in states that President Joseph R. Biden had won that they had the power to submit their own slates of pro-Trump Electoral College delegates, effectively rejecting the popular vote. Several of those involved in that operation were later indicted.

The new law specifies that only governors or other executives can send electors to Washington, cutting state legislatures out of the process. Yet, some Trump allies have already suggested they could again turn to state lawmakers.

An architect of the 2020 strategy, John Eastman, recently told Politico that he believed the new law was unconstitutional. (Mr. Eastman is under indictment in Arizona and Georgia over his 2020 election activities and has pleaded not guilty in both states.)

Step 2: Sow Doubt

Elections always bring a range of human and technological errors, but Mr. Trump and his allies have distorted the nature of such events, painting them as evidence of Democratic wrongdoing.

“They’ve already started cheating in Lancaster,” Mr. Trump said at a rally on Tuesday night in Allentown, Pa. A day earlier, he had posted on Truth Social that Lancaster County, Pa., had discovered “Fake Ballots and Forms.”

Pennsylvania was “cheating and getting caught at large-scale levels rarely seen before,” he declared later in the week.

In reality, the episode in Lancaster was worrisome but was not evidence of widespread of malfeasance. Election officials said that a batch of suspicious registration applications — not ballots — had been turned in by a canvassing firm. Officials reported them to law enforcement agencies.

In 2020, it was a fringe of Mr. Trump’s advisers and allies that cheered him on. Now, the entire party machinery — and prominent and influential allies — are using various levers to claim publicly that the only way Mr. Trump can lose is through cheating.

The Republican National Committee, which is now under the joint leadership of the former president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, and the one-time party counsel, Michael Whatley, has made “election integrity” a top priority. (The lawyer in charge of the committee’s “election integrity” team, Christina Bobb, was charged with conspiracy by the Arizona attorney general in connection with her efforts to keep Mr. Trump in power four years ago; she pleaded not guilty.)

Last week, Mr. Whatley posted online about the arrest of a woman at polling station in Delaware County, Pa., who had been urging voters to remain in line, calling the incident election interference. The local authorities later defended the arrest, saying the woman had been acting disruptively.

Using another tactic from 2020, Mr. Trump and his allies have also complained this year that states like Pennsylvania and Arizona are unlikely to finish counting votes until well after Election Day, suggesting the delays are somehow improper or nefarious.

In 2020, conspiracy theories about the pace of the vote count were some of the first to swirl in the days after Mr. Trump’s defeat.

Election officials note that mail ballots can take more time to count and that delays are not a sign of trouble. Still, they have been working to speed the process, knowing they are in a race against misinformation.

“You’ve got to decrease the amount of time,’’ said the secretary of state in Nevada, Cisco Aguilar. “Shut down the chatter.”

Step 3: Disrupt

While Mr. Trump’s 2020 effort was chiefly focused on disrupting the last step of the election — certification of the results in Congress — Mr. Trump’s allies this year have also zeroed in on vulnerabilities at the beginning of the process.

That starts with about 10,000 local jurisdictions where officials have a mandate to certify the votes before sending them up to their state capitals, which upon their own statewide certifications then send their totals and delegate slates on to Washington.

Though the task is prescribed by law as mandatory throughout the states, board or commission members in at least 20 counties across eight states have moved to block certification, in some rare cases succeeding at least temporarily.

Officials across the swing states have prepared legal papers to force any recalcitrant boards to certify results on time.

Both sides are paying close attention to the process, which Mr. Bannon seemed to hint at during his remarks this week.

“The only thing that matters,’’ he said, “is votes that can be certified from American citizens, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/02/us/politics/donald-trump-kalama-harris-campaign.html

[jangillman]

Here's a long list of President Trump's achievements whilst in office. You Koolaid drinking democrats better get yourself another cup, because this is going to take some time:-

What has Donald Trump done while he was in office (as at July, 2017)!!!

1.Supreme Court Judge Gorsuch 

2.59 missiles dropped in Syria.

3.He took us out of TPP

4.Illegal immigration is now down 70%( the lowest in 17 years)

5.Consumer confidence highest since 2000 at index125.6 

6.Mortgage applications for new homes rise to a 7 year high. 

7.Arranged 20% Tariff on soft lumber from Canada. 

8.Bids for border wall are well underway. 

9.Pulled out of the lopsided Paris accord.

10.Keystone pipeline approved. 

11.NATO allies boost spending by      4.3%

12.Allowing VA to terminate bad employees. 

13.Allowing private healthcare choices for veterans. 

14.More than 600,000. Jobs created

15. Median household income at a 7 year high. 

16. The Stock Market is at the highest ever In its history. 

17.  China agreed to American import of beef. 

18. $89 Billion saved in regulation rollbacks. 

19. Rollback of A Regulation to boost coal mining.

20. MOAB for ISIS

21. Travel ban reinstated.

22. Executive order for religious freedom. 

23. Jump started NASA 

24. $600 million cut from UN peacekeeping budget. 

25. Targeting of MS13 gangs

26. Deporting violent illegal immigrants. 

27. Signed 41 bills to date

28. Created a commission on child trafficking 

29. Created a commission on voter fraud

30. Created a commission for opioids addiction. 

31. Giving power to states to drug test unemployment recipients. 

32. Unemployment lowest since may 2007. 

33. Historic Black College University initiative

34. Women In Entrepreneurship Act 

35. Created an office or illegal immigrant crime victims. 

36. Reversed Dodd-Frank

37. Repealed DOT ruling which would have taken power away from local governments for infrastructure planning

38. Order to stop crime against law enforcement. 

39. End of DAPA program. 

40. Stopped companies from moving out of America. 

41. Promoted businesses to create American Jobs. 

42. Encouraged country to once again

43. 'Buy American and hire American 

44.  Cutting regulations 2 for every one created. 

45. Review of all trade agreements to make sure they are America first.

46. Apprentice program

47. Highest manufacturing surge in 3 years. 

48. $78 Billion promised reinvestment from major businesses like Exxon, Bayer, Apple, SoftBank, Toyota...

49. Denied FBI a new building. 

50. $700 million saved with F-35 renegotiation. 

51. Saves $22 million by reducing white house payroll. 

52. Dept of treasury reports a  $182 billion surplus for April 2017 (2nd largest in history). 

53. Negotiated the release of 6 US humanitarian workers held captive in egypt. 

54. Gas prices lowest in more than 12 years.

55. Signed An Executive Order To Promote Energy Independence And Economic Growth

56. Has already accomplished more to stop government interference into people's lives than any President in the history of America. 

57. President Trump has worked with Congress to pass more legislation in his first 100 days than any President since Truman.

58. Has given head executive of each  branches 6 month time Frame dated march 15 2017, to trim the fat. restructure and improve efficacy of their branch. 

Observe the pushback the leaks the lies as entrenched POWER refuses to go silently into that good night!

I hope each and every one of you copy and paste this everywhere, every time you hear some dim wit say Trump hadn't done a thing!

THANK YOU!!!

[khawthorneofficial]

Ethics of the Military- an essay

Final essay for Writing 122. Fair warning, this was an argumentative assignment, not informative, so it has a lot of my own beliefs in it.

"When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one." ~Tombstone of gay Vietnam veteran Leonard Matlovich (1943-1988)

You walk out of the mall with your friends on a sunny day, laughing and joking. You have drinks and snacks, and shopping bags full of your scores in your arms. As you walk down the sidewalk, you spot an elderly man sitting on the curb. He looks like he hasn't bathed in a while, and he's accompanied by a yellow lab in a service dog vest. Upon looking closer, you see he has a prosthetic leg. He holds a flimsy cardboard sign in his hands. Written on it in thick black sharpie are the words Homeless Disabled Veteran- Anything helps. As you pass, he holds out his grimy ballcap. Feeling pity for him, you fish a ten-dollar bill out of your wallet and drop it into the hat. He smiles at you with yellowing teeth and says, "God bless." As you walk away, though, you feel a guilty sensation in the pit of your stomach. You wish you could have done more.

We all know that the United States has a major homelessness problem, but did you know that out of a homeless population of over 630,000, 1 in 10 are military veterans? The institution of the military doesn't always pay people back by setting them up to thrive after their service is done. Militaries as we know them have been around for centuries, and certain forms of similar institutions date as far back as history itself goes, and many people see a military as a necessary institution. But is it? The institution of the military has many ethical problems that cause both physical and mental harm to both members, and the people caught in the crossfire of their wars. Veterans are abandoned by the system as soon as they are no longer able to serve, certain people are never given the chance, and war takes a tremendous toll on both soldiers and victims.

The first military as we know it was the Order of St. George, founded in Hungary in 1326, but armies for the sake of fighting wars can be traced as far back as ancient Mesopotamia, which is also the earliest recorded civilization, going back as far as 5,000-8,000 BCE, though the exact number varies depending on the source. For as long as humankind has had civilized society, we've been fighting wars. From the black blood-stained fields of Homer's Iliad, a fictionalized account of the probably-historical Trojan War, to the desolate trenches of World War 1, to the conflict taking place between Russia and Ukraine right now, war seems to be an inescapable human experience. As such, countries have naturally developed forces to fight them for us. But, contrary to what some people believe, it's far from a perfect system, and if you look into it enough, you begin to see that the good outweighs the bad. Most people currently and formerly enlisted in militaries are genuinely good people, but that's just what makes the institution itself so heinous and despicable.

It's no secret that our society has always been very patriarchal. Ergo, for centuries, social institutions like armies and militaries only permitted men to be members. Nowadays, most militaries allow women to join, but the standards are still different. For instance, women are not required to sign up for the draft when they turn 18 like men are. But women aren't the only group militaries have historically discriminated against. Prior to Abraham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation in 1863, African American men were not allowed to serve in the US military. However, in case anyone thinks discrimination in the military is a thing of the past, remember that only 6 years ago in 2017, then-president Donald Trump passed a law that would bar transgender individuals from serving in the military. However, fortunately, in 2021, current president Joe Biden lifted said ban, allowing trans people to serve again. There have also been multiple harsh policies about gay people's involvement in the military. The quote at the beginning of this essay is engraved on the tombstone of Leonard Matlovich, a man who fought in the Vietnam War as a member of the US Air Force. During his time in the military, he earned high honors in the form of a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, but was ultimately discharged from the Air Force after 12 years of dedicated service simply for disclosing that he was gay. He would go on to become a champion of the gay rights movement, but ultimately died in 1988 due to complications related to AIDS.

Discrimination is not the only problem with the military. Service, especially in active war zones, can take an enormous physical and mental toll on survivors. In a study conducted in 2022, a whopping 76% of surveyed US veterans stated that they suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a disturbing amount compared to the just 5% of normal Americans who struggle with the disorder as of 2023. PTSD is a relatively new term. Around the time of World War I, conditions that would surely lend themselves to a PTSD diagnosis were known colloquially as "shell shock" and "war neruroses", as at the time they were solely associated with war veterans. This thinking continued to World War II, albeit with "shell shock" being replaced by the term "Combat Stress Reaction" or CSR for short. The condition was not dubbed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder until 1980 in the DSM-III, after research revealed that the psychological disorder could affect those who had suffered non-battle forms of trauma, such as sexual assault and traumatic accidents.

One place in which you can always look to for an idea of the horrors of wartime are accounts written during or about the first World War by those who fought on either side. While there are many poems, songs, and books attempting to glorify and romanticize the war, there are also many that employ the true horror. Such pieces include British poet Wilfred Owen's works, such as Anthem for Doomed Youth and Dulce et Decorum est and the book All Quiet on the Western Front, a fictionalized, semi-autobiographical account written after the end of the war by German veteran Erich Maria Remarque. The latter has been turned into several movies, with versions released in 1930, 1979, and 2022. (I watched part of the 1979 version as part of my study for this essay.) Anthem for Doomed Youth is a tragic meditation on all of the innocent young lives lost to a war they thought would bring them glory and fame, while Dulce et Decorum est is a harrowing and haunting account of what it was like to live through a gas attack, written about a real one that Owen himself was caught in, and aptly describing the brutal memories and flashbacks that followed. All Quiet on the Western Front, however, tells the story of a class of schoolboys who were convinced by their teacher to join the army and are brutally killed one by one. Depressingly enough, the plot of the book was largely inspired by Remarque's own experience in the military during the great war. In the video Modern Classics Summarized: All Quiet on the Western Front by YouTube Channel Overly Sarcastic Productions, narrator Red employs a "War is Hell" counter in one corner of the screen while she talks about the book and footage from the 1979 movie plays. Tellingly enough, by the end of the review, it has reached 54.

Another similar poem from the same era is Glory of Women by Siegfried Sassoon. While the overall concept of the poem is more than a little misogynistic, implying that women shallowly romanticize and glorify war, while men suffer the consequences, it does happen to have some excellent anti-war lines. "O German mother dreaming by the fire, While you are knitting socks to send your son, His face is trodden deeper in the mud." (Sassoon, Glory of Women. 13-15.) If you take this line at face value, there is something almost comforting about it. Sassoon was an Englishman, and thus in writing this part, he shows some sympathy for this other side- while the tone of the rest of the poem make it clear that he is mocking the oblivious mother for thinking her son would live, he is portraying the son's death as a negative.

As recent as the concept of PTSD is, trauma from war has been known for a long time, so long that what we might now diagnose as this disorder appears as far back as the plays and epics of the Trojan Cycle, some of the oldest literature in existence. Particularly in Homer's Odyssey, we see Odysseus, Menelaus, and other veterans of the Trojan War are still grappling with the reality of what happened in Troy even ten years later. At one point it is even mentioned that Helen, wife of Menelaus, has to drug her husband to prevent him from being overwhelmed by brutal flashbacks of the war. This is a testament to the adverse mental effects the decade-long Trojan War has on those who fought in it. Also in the Odyssey, we see Odysseus in disguise break down when a song about the Trojan War is played in the hall he is dining in. This incident is ultimately what causes him to reveal his true identity to his hosts, so it's safe to say that even this cunning hero has been shaken by the horrors of war. Even back then, people knew war wasn't always something to romanticize.

There is also the matter of POWs, or prisoners of war. Many military veterans who were held captive during wars such as the Vietnam war or Korean war still hold a lot of trauma from those situations. Rather recently, news channel CNN interviewed two former POWs who had been captured in Vietnam. One of the men, Staff Seargent Ken Wallingford was crammed into a 5-by-six "tiger cage". (The particular article makes it unclear whether it was a cage actually designed to house tigers or if it was just called that, but a quick Google search reveals the latter). No actual tigers were kept inside with Wallingford, although that didn't make the experience any more pleasant. Wallingford reportedly spent ten months inside the cramped cage. At 5 feet 11 inches tall, he was unable to even stand up in the tiny space. His comrade, Mark Smith, was captured at the same base and endured even worse conditions. Smith was forced to stay inside a hole in the ground, with any protection from the elements he was allowed rotting around him. He ended up contracting two different types of malaria from the mosquitoes he was left at the mercy of, and was lucky to make it back to the US alive.

Most people who enlist in the military or go off to war have genuinely good intentions. They're brave, selfless people who want to give their life to protecting their country and people. They aren't the problem. The institution of the military, however, is. It's perfectly fine to have National Guard officers out in the community, giving people their Covid shots, but when it comes to wartime, the military as an institution has no problem throwing these young people's lives away, and coming back to the statistics of homeless veterans in the US, leaving them by the wayside when they can no longer serve the cause. We are taught that it's a form of glory, the ultimate perhaps, to sacrifice ourselves for our countries and the nebulous concept of patriotism. "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori." (Owen, Dulce et Decorum est. 25-28). The Latin phrase at the end of this particular Wilfred Owen poem, from which the title is taken, translates to "it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country." This very ideology is part of why the military as an institution is highly unethical in its expectations of members.

One counterargument that might be brought up in response to these statements is the fact that if military institutions were done away with, we would have no one to fight for us when wars break out. However, perhaps without militaries, there wouldn't be as many wars to fight. There are 15 total countries without official militaries, including Lichtenstein and the Marshall Islands, and several more with unofficial institutions but no proper armed forces, including Mauritius. Many of these countries still do have treaties with others in the case that they do require assistance in a wartime situation, but the system seems to have worked, with these countries staying out of those kinds of conflicts.

Ultimately, while having a military can be useful in some cases, the system is very flawed, and in a better world we wouldn't have to put up with those problems- and maybe we don't in this one either. Militaries pretend to care about their members, but throw their lives away nonchalantly and cast them by the wayside when they decide that they've served their purpose. Is it really worth it?

Works Cited:

Leonardmatlovich.Com, www.leonardmatlovich.com/. Accessed 30 May 2023.

Elflein, John. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during Service after 9/11 among Veterans U.S. 2022." Statista, 19 Apr. 2023, www.statista.com/statistics/1202701/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-during-service-after-911-by-problem-veterans/.

"How Common Is PTSD in Adults?" Va.Gov: Veterans Affairs, 13 Sept. 2018, www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp#:~:text=About%205%20out%20of%20every,some%20point%20in%20their%20life.

Starger, Martin, et al. All Quiet on the Western Front. CBS, 1979.

Overly Sarcastic Productions, Modern Classics Summarized, all quiet on the Western Front

"History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5." Va.Gov: Veterans Affairs, 17 Aug. 2018, www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/history_ptsd.asp#:~:text=In%20World%20War%20II%2C%20the,became%20battle%20weary%20and%20exhausted.

Homer, The Odyssey

Homer, The Iliad

Owen, Wilfred. Anthem for Doomed Youth

Owen, Wilfred. Dulce et Decorum Est

Sassoon, Siegfried. Glory of Women

Lendon, Brad. "One of These Vietnam War Pows Spent 10 Months in a 'tiger Cage.' What Happened to the Other Was Even Worse." CNN, 29 May 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/05/29/asia/vietnam-cambodia-pow-50-years-reunion-intl-hnk-ml/index.html.

"List of Countries without Armed Forces." Wikipedia, 7 May 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_without_armed_forces.

[pashterlengkap]

DNC criticized for featuring no trans speakers while shying away from trans issues

For the first time in over a decade, the Democratic National Convention (DNC) did not feature a single trans speaker. Additionally, the event has been called out for failing to feature discussions of trans people. This came to light when Harvard CyberLaw Clinic instructor and trans activist Alejandra Caraballo posted on X: “This was the first DNC since 2012 to not feature a trans person speaking. ‘We’re not going back’ doesn’t apply to the trans community.” Related From the DNC floor, Kamala Harris is ready to stand up against bullies. Here’s how. In an LGBTQ Nation exclusive, senior spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign Kevin Munoz offers perspective on what to expect from the Democratic ticket. This was the first DNC since 2012 to not feature a trans person speaking. "We're not going back" doesn't apply to the trans community.— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) August 23, 2024 Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The two prior DNC events were held in 2016 and 2020. In 2016, Sarah McBride, who at the time was national press secretary with the Human Rights Campaign and not yet a state lawmaker, spoke at the convention. In 2020, then-Virginia state Delegate Danica Roem (D) spoke. McBride was the first out trans primary speaker at a DNC event, and both DNCs had talked in detail about trans issues. However, almost none of the speakers at the DNC this year discussed transgender rights issues. There were only two direct mentions of trans people at a main speaking event: Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, and Sen. Corey Booker (D-NJ) both mentioned trans issues in passing. However, the DNC this year featured the largest number of LGBTQ+ delegates ever. Delegates are the individuals selected to represent their state or territory in order to officially nominate the presidential candidate. Over 800 delegates out of the total 4,700 were members of the LGBTQ+ community. Of that number, only around 50 were trans, according to the Harris-Walz National LGBTQ+ Engagement Director Sam Alleman. This was reportedly the largest number of trans delegates in history, in spite of making up just 1% of total delegates. Among those delegates were Congressional candidate Sarah McBride, Maine LGBTQ+ advocate Gia Drew, drag queen John Hellman (also known as Belle Pepper), and Dr. Joeigh Perella, a New Jersey county official. Another update: more than 50 trans and non-binary delegates were elected to nominate Kamala Harris — the most ever sent to a DNCC!— Sam Alleman (he/him) (@SamAlleman) August 19, 2024 Perella also had a brief speaking role during the New Jersey delegate roll call, however this was not a main speaking role and her speech lasted less than a minute. She spoke about making New Jersey and America as a whole a safe place for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Democratic platform this year states the party’s commitment to transgender rights and desire to oppose restrictions on transgender healthcare. The Republican National Convention (RNC), on the other hand, openly attacked trans people in multiple speeches, including those by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Additionally, Eric Trump made remarks disparaging trans people, and former President Donald Trump (R) made an offhand attack on trans people. Republicans have pushed transgender-related culture wars in the country, resulting in an influx of anti-trans bills introduced across the United States. Many of these bills have been targeting gender-affirming care for minors, with some states instituting bans on the practice. This has led thousands of trans people to flee their home states for other states that present themselves as trans-friendly.  A representative from the DNC sent LGBTQ Nation a statement via email: The 2024 Democratic National Convention has been one of the… http://dlvr.it/TCM4sB

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

August 6, 2024

GOP TO SAVE EMBRYOS — GOD TO SAVE GREAT SALT LAKE

Our wonderful Republican lawmakers here in the Beehive State want to save zygotes. Bless their hearts. They don't care that the Utah Supreme Court ruled that their legislation calling for a total ban on abortion flies in the face of the state Constitution. Nah, they're just gonna work around that, 'cause saving embryos is God's work. So, they'll pass another bill with different language and hope to get a different ruling, which, as we know, is the definition of wisdom. Can't let a little thing like the Constitution get in the way. You know Wilson, it's amazing how our blessed GOP brethren spring into action when it comes to abortion, DEI, critical race theory or trans access to public restrooms. But for some reason when it comes to the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake and air pollution... well it's just another matter. As the lake dries up poisons from the exposed lakebed blow right into Salt Lake County, adding PM 10 particles to the smaller PM 2.5 respiratory challenges that make our air some of the worst in the nation. But what's the hurry. Maybe it'll snow a lot in coming years adding lots of runoff to the Bear River so that all the water sucked up by alfalfa farmers won't affect lake level. Our GOP lawmakers will save the embryos and God will save the lake. Yeah, that's it. Good plan.

TOP 10 THINGS AMERICANS FEAR

We live in fear. So says a nine-year study from Chapman University. Americans on the left fear MAGA will get even meaner. Folks on the right fear that Hollywood and progressives will take away their liberties. We've been terrorizing each other since Sen. Joseph McCarthy went on communist witch hunts in the '50s with his committee on UnAmerican Activities. For 2024, the staff here at Smart Bomb has updated Americans Top 10 fears:

10 – That Bitcoin might be a mirage

9 – Real Housewives will get cancelled

8 – Kid Rock will perform at Super Bowl halftime

7 – Inflation could push up beer prices

6 – Victoria's Secret will go out of business

5 – J.D. Vance is a bot

4 – Mountain Dew is fascist soda

3 – Elon Musk will buy Disneyland

2 – American Idol gets axed

1 – And the #1 fear Americans have is that Donald Trump will never go away

MOUNTAIN DEW IS RACIST — WHO KNEW

Hey Wilson, did you know that Mountain Dew is racist? J.D. Vance, the weird dude running with Donald Trump, told a campaign rally that white people are always being accused of racism. “I had a Diet Mountain Dew yesterday and one today, and I’m sure they’re going to call that racist, too.” And you thought Mountain Dew was just caffein-loaded soda. That brings us to DEI that used to stand for diversity, equity and inclusion. DEI programs in colleges, corporations and government agencies sought to help make room for minorities in a white majority society. But now we find that it makes white men feel bad and is actually racist against them. DEI is the right's new four-letter word. You might have heard, Wilson, that Kamala Harris is a DEI hire — roughly translated: she was only selected to be vice president because she is a woman and a minority. You might also have heard that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is actually an African. You may have heard that the husband of Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who is black, is a “thug.” And you may have heard that Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas is a “reptile with no balls.” As we now know from Chief Justice John Roberts, racism is no longer a problem in this country — so for goodness sakes hide the Mountain Dew.

Post script — That's going to do it for another enchanted week here in Zion where the state motto is, “Don't Worry Be Happy.” The Republican-dominated Utah Legislature came up with the new slogan for more insurance that GOP lawmakers won't have to pay a political price for their white male Mormon views on everything from open government to women's healthcare. The journey from the priesthood to the legislature is a short one — but you can always count on a free lunch. The priesthood makes its decisions behind closed doors for good reason. What the people don't know can't hurt them. The runner-up for the new state motto was, “Ignorance Is Bliss.” Nice. Speaking of mottos, the Trump campaign has apparently adopted a new one, too: “Don't Worry Be Angry.” Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are tearing it up on the campaign trail. Man, are they pissed off — and you should be, too. Kamala Harris is not only a “bitch,” according to Trump, but she uses AI (artificial intelligence) to make her campaign rally crowds look big. It's bologna because no one has bigger crowds than Trump — not Martin Luther King, Jr., not Gandhi, not even Jesus. That's what Trump said and he almost never lies... Well, OK, only when he has to.

So Wilson, it wasn't too long ago that folks were describing Kamala Harris as the invisible vice president. But now she's like the Phoenix risen from the ashes of the Biden campaign. She's on fire, kindling hope wherever she goes. Truth is, she was always there waiting for her time. You and the guys in the band know the theme song, Wilson, so hit it:

You can get it if you really want You can get it if you really want You can get it if you really want But you must try, try and try, try and try You'll succeed at last Persecution you must fear Win or lose you got to get your share You've got your mind set on a dream You can get it though hard it may seem now You can get it if you really want You can get it if you really want You can get it if you really want But you must try, try and try, try and try You'll succeed at last Rome was not built in a day Opposition will come your way But the hotter the battle you see Is the sweeter the victory now You can get it if you really want You can get it if you really want You can get it if you really want But you must try, try and try, try and try You'll succeed at last

(You Can Get It If You Really Want — Jimmy Cliff)

[bopinion]

2024 / 36 - Abridged vacation edition

Aperçu of the week

“Human dignity is inviolable.”

(Article 1 of the Basic Law, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany)

Bad News of the Week

It is well known that life in Afghanistan is not exactly a paradise. The Taliban rule with an absolute power that interferes so deeply in people's everyday lives that it can safely be described as invasive. Now a new law of the guardians of morality is coming into force, which - of course - further restricts the lives of women.

Men are not allowed to wear shorts or to practice martial arts. And must grow a beard if working in public service. But that is nothing compared to the restrictions for women. They are only allowed to attend school up to the 6th grade, are virtually excluded from working life, must always be fully veiled and are not even allowed to leave the house without a male escort. Now even singing or speaking out loud is forbidden - with the threat of a prison sentence. Why? Because the female voice is seductive and men should not be tempted.

Ravina Shamdasani from the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva puts her horror at this development into words: “The newly passed law cements a policy that completely erases women in public life, silences them and takes away their independence by trying to turn them into faceless, mute shadows. That is intolerable!”

The fact that the German government wants to negotiate with the Taliban right now about the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers is at least as intolerable. This is, of course, a reaction to the completely exaggerated cries of the extreme parties that the allegedly excessive migration is the root of all evil. And, in my opinion, it calls into question the principle of asylum. Because the definition of “imminent threat to life” should also include the absence of fundamental human rights: a life that is not worth living is just an existence.

Good News of the Week

German democracy is celebrating its 75th anniversary. After the darkest chapter in its history, the Germans have created the foundations of a liberal, egalitarian society with a democratic basic order. With a classic division of powers in the legislative, executive and judicial branches, unshakeable principles of human rights, freedom and social participation as well as balanced federalism.

The Bundestag (parliament) and Bundesrat (representation of the federal states) are therefore celebrating their birthday. They look back on the past with satisfaction, but express concerns about the future. Liberal democracy is under pressure from authoritarian forces worldwide, says former Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhart Baum in a speech. At 91, he is also a contemporary witness and knows what he is talking about. Bundestag President Bärbel Bas commented: “We can overcome crises - despite tough controversies. Our democracy is strong and resilient against all those who want to harm it." If she is right, Germany can look to the future with confidence.

Personal happy moment of the week

My own children finally got to meet my sisters' children (from my youthful stay abroad in Canada 37 years ago). And it was as if they had known each other forever. I would be very happy if that would last - even across the Atlantic and across time.

I couldn't care less...

...that the US Republican campaign team feels disadvantaged that the film “The Apprentice” about the dubious rise of Donald Trump is now being released in US cinemas before the elections. The guy is already getting away with his delaying tactics in so many (even court!) proceedings that I'm pleased about every confrontation that actually takes place. And that confronts him with his infinite body of lies.

It's fine with me...

...that an international comparative study has now also confirmed the positive effect of a cell phone ban in schools. Researchers at the Chair of School Education at the University of Augsburg came to this conclusion and published their findings in the journal Education Sciences: a smartphone ban has measurably positive effects on the social well-being of pupils and on their learning performance. Our school has been doing this since the first iPhone. And is obviously right to do so.

As I write this...

...the - voted out - democrats in the eastern German states are trying to form majorities without the radical right-wing AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany). This party owes it above all to the very young and the very old voters to have become the second strongest (in Saxony) or even the strongest (in Thuringia) party in the state elections. Sometimes democracy has to act against the declared will of the voters in order to protect itself.

Post Scriptum

The summer of 2024 was warmer than ever before since complete records began in 1940. According to the EU climate service Copernicus, the current year as a whole is also heading for a record high. In the past, people would have been happy about “the nice weather”. Today, people are afraid of the next forest fire and water sources drying up. And we are still not prepared to do what is necessary.

[almaqead]

"The Jihad." Introduction to Surah At Tawbah.

At-Tawbah (Arabic: ٱلتوبة, lit. 'the Repentance') is the ninth chapter (sura) of the Quran. It contains 129 verses (ayat) and is one of the last Medinan surahs. This Surah is known by two names, At-Taubah and Al-Bara'at.

It is believed by Muslims to have been revealed at the time of the Expedition of Tabuk in Medina in the 9th year of the Hijrah. The Sanaa manuscript preserves some verses, on parchment radiocarbon dated to between 578/44 bh and 669/49 ah.

I ended Surah Al Anfal with a call for Jihad against the United States of America for failing to deal with grandest threat to world peace and order in history, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and its assmeat puppets the Repubican Party who in spite of the obviousness of the requirements, committed the greatest sin a man, woman or government can commit: in spite of the accumulation of great wealth, all they have done is been stingy. They refused the people of Ukraine when they came to them for military and financial assistance and now millions are going to die.

When Zakah cannot be observed because of corruption, then there must be Jihad.

Further, the White House has failed to end oppression against women, LGBTQ persons, and has not addressed the Capitol Coup on January 6, the election fraud of 2016 and has allowed organized crime and the trafficking of minors to persist within a stone's throw from its front lawn, all perpetrated by Donald Trump, whom it jeers at during election campaigns rather than dousing him with gasoline and putting him to death for his crimes.

All of the above negligence resulted in the terror attacks by the Mormons and Hamas on the innocent people of Israel on October 7, 2023. There has been no honesty about this and everyone is blaming Israel for the defense of itself. Attacks on Israel or its people, the birthplace of the Religion are forbidden, they are utter blasphemy.

This means America is also violating Hudud, Iman, and Sadaq- rule of law, belief in the Sacred, and the Truth. The end result is a dire threat to the hopes and dreams of believers for Masjid, the creation of an international Sacred Precinct that envelopes the entire earth.

All Muslims are required therefore to do what is needed to peacefully curtail the ability of the US Governmnet to continue to promote the existence of Donald Trump, the Republican Party or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Upon public acknowledgement by Joe Biden of the demise of Donald Trump et al for the grave harm they have done to this world by what they have been done and left undone and release of their plans for remediation, AKA their Repentance, the Jihad will end.

Thus begins the Surah.

9: 1-15:

˹This is˺ a discharge from all obligations,1 by Allah and His Messenger, to the polytheists you ˹believers˺ have entered into treaties with:

“You ˹polytheists˺ may travel freely through the land for four months, but know that you will have no escape from Allah, and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.”1

A declaration from Allah and His Messenger ˹is made˺ to all people on the day of the greater pilgrimage1 that Allah and His Messenger are free of the polytheists. So if you ˹pagans˺ repent, it will be better for you. But if you turn away, then know that you will have no escape from Allah. And give good news ˹O Prophet˺ to the disbelievers of a painful punishment.

As for the polytheists who have honoured every term of their treaty with you and have not supported an enemy against you, honour your treaty with them until the end of its term. Surely Allah loves those who are mindful ˹of Him˺.

But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ˹who violated their treaties˺ wherever you find them,1 capture them, besiege them, and lie in wait for them on every way. But if they repent, perform prayers, and pay alms-tax, then set them free. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And if anyone from the polytheists asks for your protection ˹O Prophet˺, grant it to them so they may hear the Word of Allah, then escort them to a place of safety, for they are a people who have no knowledge.

How can such polytheists have a treaty with Allah and His Messenger, except those you have made a treaty with at the Sacred Mosque?1 So, as long as they are true to you, be true to them. Indeed Allah loves those who are mindful ˹of Him˺.

How ˹can they have a treaty˺? If they were to have the upper hand over you, they would have no respect for kinship or treaty. They only flatter you with their tongues, but their hearts are in denial, and most of them are rebellious.

They chose a fleeting gain over Allah’s revelations, hindering ˹others˺ from His Way. Evil indeed is what they have done!

They do not honour the bonds of kinship or treaties with the believers. It is they who are the transgressors.

But if they repent, perform prayer, and pay alms-tax, then they are your brothers in faith. This is how We make the revelations clear for people of knowledge.

But if they break their oaths after making a pledge and attack your faith, then fight the champions of disbelief—who never honour their oaths—so perhaps they will desist.

So˺ fight them and Allah will punish them at your hands, put them to shame, help you overcome them, and soothe the hearts of the believers—

removing rage from their hearts. And Allah pardons whoever He wills. For Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Commentary:

Rage against Jerusalem is forbidden. Deviations from the Law and the laws are forbidden. We are all bound by treaties and agreements and Constitutions that compel us to behave in certain lawful and righteous ways.

Why is this not happening then? There must be a repentance so there can be a pardon and peace and unity can prevail. The White House must lead this effort, of this there is no doubt. Then the world must follow, unify Jerusalem and Israel, establish government and citizenship for the world's suffering, and put all non-believers and usurpers into the fire.

This world cannot be left to wander into the darkness.

Thus begins the Jihad.