#maryland politician

[maturemenoftvandfilms]

Steny Hoyer (D-MD 5th District)

United States Representative

Mmm... Steny Hoyer. 

He has no ass at all, but that won't matter with his cock in my mouth.

[cozybearz]

might just be me but i dont think political campaigns should be able to pay to put promotions for their candidate at the top of google search results

[deezyvsthewrld]

✈️

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Writing Advice #?: Don’t write out accents.

The Surface-Level Problem: It’s distracting at best, illegible at worst. 

The following passage from Sons and Lovers has never made a whit of sense to me:

“I ham, Walter, my lad,’ ’e says; ‘ta’e which on ’em ter’s a mind.’ An’ so I took one, an’ thanked ’im. I didn’t like ter shake it afore ’is eyes, but ’e says, ‘Tha’d better ma’e sure it’s a good un. An’ so, yer see, I knowed it was.’”

There’s almost certainly a point to that dialogue — plot, character, theme — but I could not figure out what the words were meant to be, and gave up on the book.  At a lesser extreme, most of Quincey’s lines from Dracula (“I know I ain’t good enough to regulate the fixin’s of your little shoes”) cause American readers to sputter into laughter, which isn’t ideal for a character who is supposed to be sweet and tragic.  Accents-written-out draw attention to mechanical qualities of the text.

Solution #1: Use indicators outside of the quote marks to describe how a character talks.  An Atlanta accent can be “drawling” and a London one “clipped”; a Princeton one can sound “stiff” and a Newark one “relaxed.”  Do they exaggerate their vowels more (North America) or their consonants more (U.K., north Africa)?  Do they sound happy, melodious, frustrated?

The Deeper Problem: It’s ignorant at best, and classist/racist/xenophobic at worst.

You pretty much never see authors writing out their own accents — to the person who has the accent, the words just sound like words.  It’s only when the accent is somehow “other” to the author that it gets written out.

And the accents that we consider “other” and “wrong” (even if no one ever uses those words, the decision to deliberately misspell words still conveys it) are pretty much never the ones from wealthy and educated parts of the country.  Instead, the accents with misspelled words and awkward inflection are those from other countries, from other social classes, from other ethnicities.  If your Maine characters speak normally and your Florida characters have grammatical errors, then you have conveyed what you consider to be correct and normal speech.  We know what J.K. Rowling thinks of French-accented English, because it’s dripping off of Fleur Delacour’s every line.

At the bizarre extreme, we see inappropriate application of North U.K. and South U.S.-isms to every uneducated and/or poor character ever to appear in fan fic.  When wanting to get across that Steve Rogers is a simple Brooklyn boy, MCU fans have him slip into “mustn’t” and “we is.”  When conveying that Robin 2.0 is raised poor in Newark, he uses “ain’t” and “y’all” and “din.”  Never mind that Iron Man is from Manhattan, or that Robin 3.0 is raised wealthy in Newark; neither of them ever gets a written-out accent.

Solution #2: A little word choice can go a long way, and a little research can go even further.  Listen carefully to the way people talk — on the bus, in a café, on unscripted YouTube — and write down their exact word choice.  “We good” literally means the same thing as “no thank you,” but one’s a lot more formal than the other.  “Ain’t” is a perfectly good synonym for “am not,” but not everyone will use it.

The Obscure Problem: It’s not even how people talk.

Look at how auto-transcription software messes up speaking styles, and it’s obvious that no one pronounces every spoken sound in every word that comes out of their mouth.  Consider how Americans say “you all right?”; 99% of us actually say something like “yait?”, using tone and head tilt to convey meaning.  Politicians speak very formally; friends at bars speak very informally.

An example: I’m from Baltimore, Maryland.  Unless I’m speaking to an American from Texas, in which case I’m from “Baltmore, Marlind.”  Unless I’m speaking to an American from Pennsylvania, in which case I’m from “Balmore, Marlin.”  If I’m speaking to a fellow Marylander, I’m of course from “Bamor.”  (If I’m speaking to a non-American, I’m of course from “Washington D.C.”)  Trying to capture every phoneme of change from moment to moment and setting to setting would be ridiculous; better just to say I inflect more when talking to people from outside my region.

When you write out an accent, you insert yourself, the writer, as an implied listener.  You inflict your value judgments and your linguistic ear on the reader, and you take away from the story.

Solution #3: When in doubt, just write the dialogue how you would talk.

[neonyellowanemone]

Here’s some good news Americans:

Missourians raised the minimum wage, gained required paid sick leave, rejected an amendment that would’ve increased police pay, and passed an amendment that legalized abortion until fetal viability, thereby removing one of the strictest bans in the country.

Alaskans raised the minimum wage in the state and gained required paid sick leave.

Arizonans rejected an amendment that would’ve lowered pay for tipped workers and legalized abortion until fetal viability, likely upending the previous 15 week abortion law.

Coloradans passed an amendment that codified abortion rights and removed a section of the statewide constitution that limited marriage between one man and one woman, further protecting same-sex marriage.

Californians added same-sex and interracial marriage rights to the constitution.

Nevadans are a step closer to having abortion protected in the state’s constitution, and if it passes again in 2026, it will add an extra layer of protection for abortion rights.

Marylanders voted so that abortion is now protected under the state’s constitution and it will be incredibly difficult for future politicians to undo without violating the state’s constitution.

Montanans approved abortion until fetal viability under the state’s constitution.

My father once said that America has always been “three steps forward, two steps back.” This election was generally another step back. That’s frustrating and scary, and it’s normal to feel that way, but it’s going to be okay. We just have to keep fighting to go forwards. We accomplished lots this election, now we just have to keep our sights on the next ones and find ways to help our communities. Stay safe, everyone.

Find a helpline here

[gaysails]

The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by American author and former police reporter David Simon . . . Set and produced in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire introduces a different institution of the city and its relationship to law enforcement in each season while retaining characters and advancing storylines from previous seasons. The five subjects are, in chronological order; the illegal drug trade, the port system, the city government and bureaucracy, education and schools, and the print news medium. . .

Simon has said that despite its framing as a crime drama, the show is "really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals. Whether one is a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or a lawyer, all are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution to which they are committed."[5]

The Wire is lauded for its literary themes, its uncommonly accurate exploration of society and politics, and its realistic portrayal of urban life. During its original run, the series received only average ratings and never won any major television awards, but it is now often cited as one of the greatest shows in the history of television.[6]

. . .

Salon has described the show as novelistic in structure, with a greater depth of writing and plotting than other crime shows.[27]

Each season of The Wire consists of 10 to 13 episodes that form several multi-layered narratives. Simon chose this structure with an eye towards long story arcs that draw in viewers, resulting in a more satisfying payoff. He uses the metaphor of a visual novel in several interviews,[7][48] describing each episode as a chapter, and has also commented that this allows a fuller exploration of the show's themes in time not spent on plot development.[5]

. . .

"We are not selling hope, or audience gratification, or cheap victories with this show. The Wire is making an argument about what institutions—bureaucracies, criminal enterprises, the cultures of addiction, raw capitalism even—do to individuals. It is not designed purely as an entertainment. It is, I'm afraid, a somewhat angry show.[52]"

[kittybugz]

An Addition:

Joe Biden has a Maryland shaped birthmark

Barak Obama wears cartoonish heart patterned underwear

I think there should be more weirdly neutral conspiracy theories about politicians, so here are two I'm proposing:

Donald Trump doesn't eat bacon

Kamala Harris has a 3DS and makes her political opponents into Miis

Feel free to expand upon

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Reading the headlines over the last couple of days, you would think the biggest political story about this election is Trump’s pathetic attempt to challenge Vice President Kamala Harris on the size of her rally crowds.  Look at this Truth Social post!  Trump says she used AI to create fake photos of her crowd at an airport in Detroit!  There was even a story in my newsfeed from a polling expert pointing out that you cannot calculate support for a candidate by crowd size.  If crowd size were what mattered, Bernie Sanders would be president by now, he reminded us.

Political narratives are strange beasts – at least they were until Trump came along and made them even stranger.  It used to be that fights over policies and personalities and the pasts of politicians drove elections.  When John Kerry ran in 2006, Republicans took his war record in the Navy in Vietnam and “Swift-boated” him by twisting his service into something it wasn’t.  They’re trying to do the same thing with Tim Walz right now, creating a fake story that he was somehow derelict in his duty when he retired from 24 years of service in the National Guard to run for congress not long before his unit in Minnesota was deployed to Iraq.

Then Trump showed up and proved that you can do it using lies alone.  That’s what his ridiculous story that Kamala Harris is using AI to fake her crowd size was.  Trump proved that if you tell enough lies again and again and again, something will stick, and then you can run with it. 

You will notice in the above paragraphs that the political narratives I gave as examples were all driven by men:  Men running for office; men’s careers being dissected and put on display; men using lies and misinformation to create stories about each other where there really aren’t any.  Even the political narrative about Hillary Clinton during her presidential run in 2016 was created by men:  Roger Stone interfacing with Guccifer II to get Hillary’s emails leaked to the press; Trump taking the fake “issue” about “her emails” and making it a central feature of his campaign.

But this week, a campaign narrative driven by women entered the picture in a big way.  On Monday, Arizona election officials announced that they had received enough signatures on petitions – in fact 50 percent more than was required – to put access to abortion on the ballot in November.  On Tuesday, Missouri officials certified enough petition signatures to allow a measure on the November ballot that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state’s constitution.

Both of these things are a big, big deal.  The drives to collect enough signatures to get the referendum measures on the Arizona and Missouri ballots were run by women.  Referendums on abortion have already been approved for a November vote in Florida, Nevada, Colorado, and South Dakota.  Petitions have been submitted in Nebraska and Montana for similar abortion ballot measures and await approval by election officials.  State constitutional amendments will be on the ballot in New York and Maryland that will guarantee access to abortion as well.  The New York Times reminded us in a story today that ballot measures guaranteeing a right to abortion have passed in all seven states where they have been put to a vote since Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022.  The red states of Kentucky and Kansas were among the states that passed abortion rights measures by referendum. 

Arizona and Nevada are crucial battleground states in the presidential election that will be decided in November.  Having the issue of abortion on the ballot alongside the decision to vote for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, who brags about having appointed three of the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe, is expected to help Democrats from Vice President Harris on down the ballot, including pivotal races that will determine control of the House and the Senate next year.

Abortion is not just a so-called “women’s issue.”  Until two years ago, the right to abortion was embedded in the language of the 14th Amendment which guarantees equal protection of the laws for all.  It was part of the central argument that established a right to privacy in Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965, which involved the right of couples to use birth control.  The fight over abortion rights, often framed as the right of a woman to control her own body, also involves the right to privacy for all of us.  Right wing lawsuit-factories such as the Alliance Defending Freedom have already stated their intention to sue to overturn Griswold, as well as other Supreme Court decisions based on the 14th Amendment involving same sex marriage and the right to love whoever you want in any way you want in the privacy of your bedroom.

With Kamala Harris running for president, Democrats will have the opportunity to emphasize that so-called kitchen table issues such as inflation and taxes are also women’s issues because our candidate is a woman, and that is a good thing.  It is definitely a good thing that abortion will be on the ballot in at least two key swing states, and it's even better thing that the person driving the political narrative for the Democratic Party this year is a woman. 

[mydaddywiki]

Steny Hoyer

Physique: Average Build Height: 6'

Steny Hamilton Hoyer (born June 14, 1939) is an American politician and retired attorney who has served as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 5th congressional district since 1981. He also served as House Majority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. A Democrat, he was first elected in a special election on May 19, 1981, and is currently serving in his 22th term. From 2003 to 2023, Hoyer has been the second ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives behind Nancy Pelosi.

Born in New York City but grew up in Mitchellville, Maryland, Hoyer graduated from Suitland High School in Suitland, Maryland. In 1963, Hoyer received his B.A. degree magna cum laude and graduated Omicron Delta Kappa from the University of Maryland, College Park. He earned his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1966.

Lets see father of three, grandfather, great-grandfather and has been a widower since 97 after the death of his first wife, Judy Pickett Hoyer. A widower for 26 years, Hoyer married Elaine Kamarck in June 2023. I like to image Steny just smashing throughout those 26 years. And maybe, just maybe, he gave THE DICK a try. Yeah it might be delusional, though it can't hurt to try.

[officiallordvetinari]

Below are 10 featured Wikipedia articles. Links and descriptions are below the cut.

On February 17, 1974, U.S. Army Private First Class Robert Kenneth Preston (1953–2009) took off in a stolen Bell UH-1B Iroquois "Huey" helicopter from Tipton Field, Maryland, and landed it on the South Lawn of the White House in a significant breach of security. Preston had enlisted in the Army to become a helicopter pilot. However, he did not graduate from the helicopter training course and lost his opportunity to attain the rank of warrant officer pilot. His enlistment bound him to serve four years in the Army, and he was sent to Fort Meade as a helicopter mechanic. Preston believed this situation was unfair and later said he stole the helicopter to show his skill as a pilot.

J. R. R. Tolkien, a fantasy author and professional philologist, drew on the Old English poem Beowulf for multiple aspects of his Middle-earth legendarium, alongside other influences. He used elements such as names, monsters, and the structure of society in a heroic age. He emulated its style, creating an impression of depth and adopting an elegiac tone. Tolkien admired the way that Beowulf, written by a Christian looking back at a pagan past, just as he was, embodied a "large symbolism" without ever becoming allegorical. He worked to echo the symbolism of life's road and individual heroism in The Lord of the Rings.

The construction of the first World Trade Center complex in New York City was conceived as an urban renewal project to help revitalize Lower Manhattan spearheaded by David Rockefeller. The project was developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The idea for the World Trade Center arose after World War II as a way to supplement existing avenues of international commerce in the United States.

The Coterel gang (also Cotterill, fl. c. 1328 – 1333) was a 14th-century armed group that flourished in the North Midlands of England. It was led by James Coterel—after whom the gang is named—supported by his brothers Nicholas and John. It was one of several such groups that roamed across the English countryside in the late 1320s and early 1330s, a period of political upheaval with an associated increase in lawlessness in the provinces. Coterel and his immediate supporters were members of the gentry, and according to the tenets of the day were expected to assist the crown in the maintenance of law and order, rather than encourage its collapse.

Eunice Newton Foote (July 17, 1819 – September 30, 1888) was an American scientist, inventor, and women's rights campaigner. She was the first scientist to confirm that certain gases warm when exposed to sunlight, and that therefore rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels could increase atmospheric temperature and affect climate, a phenomenon now referred to as the Greenhouse effect. Born in Connecticut, Foote was raised in New York at the center of social and political movements of her day, such as the abolition of slavery, anti-alcohol activism, and women's rights. She attended the Troy Female Seminary and the Rensselaer School from age 17–19, gaining a broad education in scientific theory and practice.

Simonie Michael (Inuktitut: ᓴᐃᒨᓂ ᒪᐃᑯᓪ;  first name also spelled Simonee, alternative surnames Michel  or E7-551; March 2, 1933 – November 15, 2008) was a Canadian politician from the eastern Northwest Territories (now Nunavut) who was the first Inuk elected to a legislature in Canada. Before becoming involved in politics, Michael worked as a carpenter and business owner, and was one of very few translators between Inuktitut and English. He became a prominent member of the Inuit co-operative housing movement and a community activist in Iqaluit, and was appointed to a series of governing bodies, including the precursor to the Iqaluit City Council.

The St. Johns River (Spanish: Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and it is the most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At 310 miles (500 km) long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in elevation from headwaters to mouth is less than 30 feet (9 m); like most Florida waterways, the St. Johns has a very slow flow speed of 0.3 mph (0.13 m/s), and is often described as "lazy".

Warlugulong is a 1977 acrylic on canvas painting by Indigenous Australian artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri. Owned for many years by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the work was sold by art dealer Hank Ebes on 24 July 2007, setting a record price for a contemporary Indigenous Australian art work bought at auction when it was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia for A$2.4 million. The painting illustrates the story of an ancestral being called Lungkata, together with eight other dreamings associated with localities about which Clifford Possum had traditional knowledge. It exemplifies a distinctive painting style developed by Papunya Tula artists in the 1970s, and blends representation of landscape with ceremonial iconography. Art critic Benjamin Genocchio describes it as "a work of real national significance [and] one of the most important 20th-century Australian paintings".

William Samuel Sadler (June 24, 1875 – April 26, 1969) was an American surgeon, self-trained psychiatrist, and author who helped publish The Urantia Book. The book is said to have resulted from Sadler's relationship with a man through whom he believed celestial beings spoke at night. It drew a following of people who studied its teachings.

Zebras (US: /ˈziːbrəz/, UK: /ˈzɛbrəz, ˈziː-/) (subgenus Hippotigris) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi), the plains zebra (E. quagga), and the mountain zebra (E. zebra). Zebras share the genus Equus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae. Zebra stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. Several theories have been proposed for the function of these patterns, with most evidence supporting them as a deterrent for biting flies. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in a variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, and mountainous areas.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Sales of stolen Palestinian land must be stopped!

Across the United States, demonstrations have been organized against the illegal sale of stolen Palestinian lands. Protesters compare these events to the “Indian Land Sales” that were conducted in the U.S. West.

Many of these protests have been viciously attacked by police and Zionist thugs. That was the case in Los Angeles at the Adas Torah synagogue on June 25. Brutal police attacks against protesters have also occurred in Pikesville, Maryland (just outside Baltimore), and Nassau County, New York (near New York City.)

These sales of stolen land are usually conducted in Jewish neighborhoods, often inside synagogues. Protesters — many of whom are Jewish — make clear that they are demonstrating in solidarity with Palestinians, not attacking Jewish people.

That doesn’t prevent the corporate media and capitalist politicians from smearing these righteous protests as “anti-Jewish.” Arkansas statesman Tom Cotton issued a statement demanding “action from DOJ [Department of Justice] and White House on synagogue attack by pro-Hamas mob.”

[mariacallous]

Just before the recent advance of Ukrainian forces into Russian territory, there were signs that Americans were becoming somewhat less confident about Ukraine’s prospects in the war with Russia. Add to this that the United States is in the middle of a heated election season where Republican politicians have been less supportive of backing Ukraine, one might have expected a drop in American public support for Kyiv.

Yet, our new University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll with SSRS shows robust, even increasing, support for Ukraine.

The poll was carried out by SSRS among a sample of 1,510 American adults from their probability-based online panel, in addition to oversamples of 202 Blacks and 200 Hispanics, July 26-August 1, just before the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. The margin of error is +/- 3.0 %.  Here are some key takeaways.

Americans across the partisan divide are far more sympathetic to Ukraine than to Russia

A strong majority of Americans across the political spectrum sympathize more with Ukraine than Russia in the ongoing war: 62% of respondents express more sympathy with Ukraine than Russia, including 58% of Republicans and 76% of Democrats. At the same time, just 2% of respondents said they sympathized more with Russia in the conflict, including 4% of Republicans and 1% of Democrats. Republicans (20%) were more likely than Democrats (7%) to say they sympathized with neither side, while equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats (5%) said they sympathized with both sides equally.

More Americans want the United States to stay the course in supporting Ukraine as long as it takes

The percentage of respondents who said they want the United States to stay the course in supporting Ukraine grew from our October 2023 poll, reaching the highest level in our tracking since the spring of 2023. In our latest survey, 48% of all respondents said that the United States should support Ukraine as long as the conflict lasts, including 37% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats. All these numbers are new highs in our four polls since March-April 2023.

This shift among Republicans is especially striking considering recent campaign statements by the Republican candidates for president and vice president, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. Both members of the Republican ticket have made statements opposing further U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Fewer Americans say Ukraine is winning and Russia is losing

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, our polls have tracked the American public assessment of Russia’s and Ukraine’s performance and prospects in the war, as we had reason to think that this assessment might influence the degree of public support for backing Ukraine. In the previous three polls, since March-April 2023, we found little change in that assessment. In the latest poll, there was a marked drop in the assessment that Ukraine is winning and Russia is losing.

Overall, 30% of respondents said Russia is failing in the latest poll, compared to 37% in October; and 21% said Ukraine is succeeding, compared to 26% in October. A plurality of about one-third said each side was neither winning nor losing. Democrats were more likely to think Ukraine (29%) is winning compared to those who said the same about Russia (9%). Republicans were more likely to express equal attitudes about the extent to which Russia (17%) and Ukraine (17%) are winning.

Fewer Americans view current levels of Ukraine funding as about right

American public attitudes on the level of funding for Ukraine remain highly partisan, with more Republicans saying the level is “too much” (52%) and more Democrats saying it’s about “the right level” (39%). Fewer respondents to the question about the level of U.S. support said, “they didn’t know” (26% compared to 33% last October). At the same time, there was an increase in the overall respondents who said the United States is spending too much (35% compared to 29% in October), and there was a simultaneous increase among those who said it is spending too little (15% compared to 10% in October).

The percentage of respondents saying that U.S. support for Ukraine is at the right level has dropped from 28% last October to 24% in July-August, with Republican support dropping from 18% to 15% and Democratic support dropping from 41% to 39%.

Americans support encouraging Ukraine to engage in conflict-ending diplomacy

We asked: “How much would you support or oppose the United States urging Ukraine to engage in diplomatic negotiations with Russia and the United States as soon as possible to end the war in Ukraine?”

We found strong bipartisan support for American urging of Ukraine to engage in diplomacy with Russia, though Republican support is more intense. Overall, 77% of respondents were supportive of diplomacy, with 40% saying they “strongly support” and 37% supporting “somewhat.” Republicans were more “strongly” supportive (53%) compared to Democrats (33%).

Conclusion

Before the recent advance of Ukrainian forces into Russian territory, the American public was growing less confident about Ukraine’s prospects in the war. Surprisingly, this has not undermined overall public support for Ukraine, especially the expressed commitment to stay the course for as long as it takes, which increased since last October. However, attitudes toward the level of support, while partisan, indicated some decline: A 6-point increase among those who say the support is too much, compared to only a one-point increase among those who say either that support is at the right level or too little (from 38% in October to 39% in July-August).

The most striking finding is the degree of bipartisan overall sympathy with Ukraine that encompasses majorities of Republicans and Democrats. The significant increase in the percentage of Republicans who want to see the United States stay the course in its support for Ukraine for as long as takes is especially notable as it occurs in the middle of a presidential campaign where the presidential candidates have taken contrasting views that might lead to a deeper partisan public divide. Early reports about the success of the Ukrainian advance into Russia may have impacted U.S. public support for Ukraine further, as in our previous studies, we found a positive correlation between the degree of perceived Ukrainian success on the battlefield and the degree of public willingness to support Ukraine.

[callsign-phoenix]

I wrote this for my 1.5k celebration, I hope you like it!

It is a Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x gn!reader blurb requested by @footprintsinthesxnd.

Thank you @topguncortez for proofreading!

The prompt requested is: “You’re the only one I really want to be there”.

Warnings: bad relationship to his parents

Being with Jake Seresin was challenging on many levels, but one of the biggest ones was Jake’s parental issues.

Jake’s family had strict opinions and they were very proud as well.

There was rarely a time when they tolerated someone else’s view on things, or tried to convince them otherwise.

In that manner any of their children wasn’t allowed to get out of line, especially not their first born, Jake.

They hadn’t liked that Jake fell for someone as ordinary as you.

You weren’t from a rich family, like he was.

They had tried to convince him to change his mind repeatedly, being petty to you whenever he brought you along to family gatherings.

You had met Jake at a young age, when you were still in high school.

Your relationship was going strong and steady for years.

You supported him and what he wanted to do, which was a huge contrast to his parents.

Ever since Jake was little, he had played with jets and he had never given his dream up to one day become a pilot.

While he was dreaming of flying jets, his father had already decided that Jake should follow in his footsteps and serve in the Army instead.

His father had served 20 years in the Army before retiring and becoming a politician, a fate Jake was to share.

But he had vehemently refused.

Jake had made clear from the get-go that he wanted to fly jets for a living, but you needed parents that actually listened to you to realise that.

When he was old enough to voice his wish he was shot down time and time again, in angry discussions or screaming matches that didn’t lead anywhere.

His father wanted him to join the Army, telling Jake that he could still be a pilot, but Jake wanted to fly F-18s, not helicopters.

You were the only one who stood by Jake’s side as he began the process of applying to the US Naval Academy.

You helped him pull all-nighters as he studied for the SATs, you sat on his back while he was doing push-ups, and helped make sure he didn’t talk too much about football during his mock-interviews.

You were the first one that Jake ran to when he got the letter in the mail with that shiny blue emblem on it.

It was hard when Jake moved away to Anapolis, Maryland, nearly half way across the country.

You decided to stay in your hometown for school, but the two of you kept in contact via endless phone and video calls.

You both planned out school break trips to see each other when you could, and when Jake invited you to graduation, you made sure to take a whole week off of work to do so.

You chose your outfit carefully and made sure to look your best, excited to see him again and so proud of what he had accomplished already.

He picked you up from the airport and after a long hug and kiss he brought you to stay at his place.

You didn’t talk about his parents even though the topic weighed heavily on you, because you knew he was proud and hopeful enough to have invited them.

When graduation day came you found yourself the only one there for Jake.

While you tried your best to keep a smile on your face Jake could sense your sadness from a mile away.

After you had tapped him out of formation, he wrapped you up in a tight hug, placing a hand on your cheek, and gently running his thumb over your skin.

“You’re the only one I really want to be there”, he whispered against your lips, and the apology you wanted to whisper was swallowed by his lips on yours.

tagging: @starkleila @mayhem24-7forever @green-socks @letsfvckingdance @shadeds-library @kmsryles343 @yespolkadotkitty @whateverbagman @neptunes-curse @sweetheartlizzie07 @top-gun-rooster @iloveprettyboysblog @ateliefloresdaprimavera @imjess-themess @littlebadariell @angstyjellybean @marchingicenotes7 @midget713 @supernaturaldawning @gspenc @adorephina @gigisimsonmars @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @bespinnn @malindacath @aerangi @kassieesworld @kwanimations @18crazybutcutealsopsycho @marvelandotherfandomimagines @luckyladycreator2 @mavericksicybabe @kendra-rose @desert-fern @mavrellover91 @allivingstone01 @rhettabbotts @withakindheartx @trikigirl271 @cherrycola27 @bonitanightmxres @ratcatcher2world @glowingtree @wingmanvenus @classyunknownlover @oliviah-25 @natasharomanoffisbaebby

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[frances-baby-houseman]

Ambitious governors Democrats have a deep bench of governors who are widely seen as influential party leaders. They include Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Wes Moore of Maryland, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, among others. Mr. Murphy is among the potential candidates to be the next chair of the Democratic National Committee who are now having discussions about running for that post. Mr. Newsom and Mr. Pritzker on Friday began the process of putting forward legislation to codify anti-Trump measures into their state laws.

If there's one thing I think democrats should focus on in the next round, it's getting a governor ready to run for president. I think this is a real murderers row of politicians who are winning critical states that feature a mix of the kind of conversations they'll need to have with the general electorate.

Barack Obama is a once in a generation politician, but beyond him, we've been having pretty shit luck with senators. Mondale, Gore (both VP in addition to the senate), Kerry, Hillary, Kamala, all the way back to freaking George McGovern!--All senators who just had trouble getting traction. I think we need something of a cult of personality and you have more of that from someone who is staying in their state and working with the problems of the people.

I personally was happy to vote for these people!! But I think there's something to be said about senators getting hired then leaving the state and working on stuff that people don't care about! Are you possibly better at foreign policy as a senator than a governor? maybe! do the people care? I just don't think so! They like cuckoos and governors and obama! We gotta get a handshakey guy up there kissing babies and sounding like an idiot and yes that include big gretch!

above quote from this story

[militantinremission]

Kamala Harris 4 President: Is She ready 4 Prime Time?

Joe Biden has literally slipped on a banana peel. Following his dismal performance at the 1st Presidential Debate, he has made a series of blunders that now has him under a microscope. It's gotten so bad, that folks are criticizing the way he walks up the stairs of Air Force One... Biden made several appearances to shore up his Social Capital, but few were effective. From his interview w/ George Stephanopoulos, to his 'Big Boy NATO Summit' to his telephone interview on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'; Joe Biden has raised more questions than providing answers. An increasing number of Congressional Democrats, Elites, & Big Money Donors- from Chuck Schumer, to Jeffrey Katzenberg, George Clooney & Rob Reiner are asking him to step down. Political Pundits across many platforms have expressed publicly how Joe Biden is weakening Congressional Democrats running for Re-Election.

Biden has been adamant about staying in Office, but has recently said that he's open to discussion. Black Politicians & Democratic Shills like Whoopi Goldberg, Roland Martin, Symone Sanders, D.L. Hughley & Joy Reid continue to Circle the Wagon, but hardcore Biden advocates like Joe Scarborough & Van Jones have admitted that his Poll #s are damaging the overall Democratic Party. The Question being asked is: if Joe Biden steps down, WHO is capable of defeating Donald Trump in the General Election? California Governor Gavin Newsome, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, & Maryland Governor Wes Moore have been tossed around; but none of them have enough National Recognition to compete against Trump. 'The View's' Sunny Hostin has stated that Black Women will abandon the Democratic Party if Kamala Harris is not chosen as the heir apparent, but is Kamala Harris 'Presidential Material'?

Presidential Politics IS a Blood Sport. When a Candidate runs for POTUS, their Record of Service is on full display. There is a reason why Kamala Harris hasn't been mentioned before now. Many assume that she is being left out because of her Race, but Political Pundits admit that NO ONE really likes her. Kamala has wore several hats during her Political Career, but she has few accomplishments to tout for her Years of Service. As District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, & U.S. Senate Member, Kamala Harris has been detrimental to Black Californians. Her Record is one of disenfranchisement & incarceration of Blackfolk. Harris, Nancy Pelosi, & Dianne Feinstein share responsibility for the Current State of Black America in The Bay Area. She was originally touted as the '1st South Asian (i.e. Indian) American Woman elected into the U.S. Senate', but has somehow been mysteriously transformed into a 'Black Woman'.

For The Record, Kamala Harris is neither Afrikan American or Black. Her Mother is Brahmin & her Father is Brahmin & Irish Jamaican; her Father's Irish side were Slaveholders. She was born in Oakland & later relocated to Berkeley, after her parents separated. Kamala was bused to a predominantly White Elementary School, before her Mother relocated to an affluent Community in Montreal. She attended Junior High & High School in Montreal before returning to America, to attend Howard University. THIS is where Kamala's 'Black Experience' begins. Rumor has it that she became a Sweetheart of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. (a Kappa Diamond) & later pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Post Grad, Kamala returned to The Bay Area, where she became associated w/ Democratic Party Power Broker & former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. The former Mayor positioned Kamala on a couple of Commissions (that paid $400K over 5Yrs) & her 1st run to become San Francisco District Attorney.

Kamala Harris has been very fortunate during her Political Career, but her tenure as Vice President has exposed her flaws. She's had a revolving door of Staffers that cite factions & infighting w/i her Camp. Harris has been described as crass & vulgar towards her Staff- dropping F- bombs & denigrating them during Meetings. Former Speech Writers say they were confounded by her inability to follow Scripts. Aside from Abortion Rights, no one can point to an Issue that Harris has championed w/ consistency. Her tenure as Vice President has been compared w/ Dan Quayle's. Joe Biden put Kamala in charge of the Southern Border, but he was forced to issue an Executive Order; to clean up her inability to stop the flood of Illegal Immigrants coming from All Four Corners of The World. Kamala Harris is not known for promoting Pet Policy Projects, like Al Gore or Michelle Obama; She's better known for:

Wearing Chuck Taylors w/ Pearls

Putting hot sauce on her Collard Greens & washing them in the bathtub (???)

Cos Playing Black Americans &

Cackling when she's flummoxed

Currently, Kamala Harris is a weaker opponent against Donald Trump, than Joe Biden. She's only being considered, because the Biden- Harris Campaign Fund can't be accessed if another group of Candidates are selected. Somewhere between $100M- $300M is at stake. A DNC Super PAC is withholding another $90M in anticipation of Biden stepping down. Michelle Obama's name has been tossed around as a potential Candidate for POTUS, but she has said on several occasions that she's NOT interested. I would be surprised if she changed her mind. Personally, I don't think ANY MAN can beat Donald Trump & the only Woman that could give Trump a Real Fight, is Tulsi Gabbard. She's a Generational Candidate that has the pedigree of Military Service, plus the Political & Social Capital needed to get Voters to the Voting Booths. Tulsi is far from being 'The Perfect Candidate', but People can visualize her having meaningful discussions w/ World Leaders. By contrast, Kamala Harris looks like a cartoon character on The World Stage; few actually believe that she can command the respect of Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, & EU Leaders.

At this point, Democrats are in a No Win situation. Joe Biden campaigned in 2020 as a One Term President, but now he dares ANYONE to take him on at the Democratic National Convention. His selfishness & egocentrism has damaged the Democratic Party's chance of holding on to The White House. He says that he wouldn't have chosen Kamala Harris to be his VP if she wasn't capable of being President, but We KNOW that he only chose her because Black Women DEMANDED a Black Female Running Mate, in return for their vote. Ironically, Kamala doesn't fill that slot figuratively or literally. She let Black Women know early in her 2020 Campaign that she wasn't going to do ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY for Black Americans. Like Joe Biden, Harris offered a 'Lift Act' that promised Blackfolk more of the same 'Rising Tide' Democratic jargon. Despite this, roughly 86% of Black Americans supported the Biden- Harris Ticket; hoping this Administration would reward their loyalty & support w/ Real Policy.

Like Joe Biden, Kamala Harris NEEDS the Black Vote to win the General Election. The Problem is, Democrats have NO INTENTION of offering anything tangible to Black America. Despite the Doom & Gloom scenarios being pushed by Democratic Shills, an increasing number of Black Americans are refusing to vote Blue w/o getting something tangible in return. Democratic Elites thought they could play 'Chicken' w/ Blackfolk, but are beginning to realize how serious We are. Black Democratic Shills have been trying to corral The Black Vote, but they don't have the same influence that they held in previous years. Kamala Harris didn't help her Cause, when she said: 'We all know about the 20 Acres & a Mule'... Her casual disregard of Black Specific Issues rivals Joe Biden's. The Fact that Democrats have been forced to admit Biden's physical & mental decline will set The Party back at least 4 Years.

As I said before, Black America sits in the Catbird Seat! The rest of the Country may dread a 2nd Trump Presidency, but it's just 'Another Day in The Life' for Us. Our Ancestors survived 8 Years of Woodrow Wilson & over 50 Years of J. Edgar Hoover. We KNOW what a Dictator looks like. We also know that Every City will burn before We comply w/ The Heritage Foundation's 'Wish List' known as Project 2025. We just have to Get On Code & Stand Our Ground. Unlike the Millions of Colonists that occupy This Land, We're INDIGENOUS & have a Spiritual Connection to it; Millennia of Blood & Bones in The Soil. Unlike the newcomers, Perseverance is in Our Genetic Memory. Donald Trump is just the Latest 'Flavor of The Month'... We already survived a Trump Administration.

The acknowledgement of Joe Biden's decline puts Democrats in a bad position so late into the Election Season. It's not even clear if Dems can take him off The Ballot in several States. The fact that Kamala Harris cannot make a seamless transition into The Oval Office is creating a Civil War w/i The Party. I heard someone classify this 'War' as a battle between Black Shills & White Donors; The Shills want Biden to Stay, while The Donors want him to Resign. If Kamala Harris was truly 'Ready for Primetime', Sunny Hostin wouldn't have to say anything- EVERYONE would be on The Same Page.

-Ultimately, Money Talks.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Rachel M. Cohen at Vox:

For years, the easiest thing to do about building new housing was nothing. The federal government largely deferred to state and local governments on matters of land use, and states mostly deferred to local governments, which typically defer to their home-owning constituents who back restrictive zoning laws that bar new construction. That’s slowly changing as the housing supply crisis ripples across the country. Experts say the US is short somewhere between 3.8 million and 6.8 million homes, and most renters feel priced out of the idea of homeownership altogether. The lack of affordable housing is causing homelessness to rise.

In Washington, DC, Congress has held more hearings on housing affordability recently than it has in decades, and President Joe Biden has been ramping up attention on the housing crisis, promising to “build, build, build” to “bring housing costs down for good.” But it’s at the state level where some of the most consequential change is taking place. Over the last five years, Republican and Democratic legislators and governors in a slew of states have looked to update zoning codes, transform residential planning processes, and improve home-building and design requirements. Some states that have stepped up include Oregon, Florida, Montana, and California, as well as states like Utah and Washington. This year, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey passed state-level housing legislation, and Colorado may soon follow suit.

Not all state-level bills have been equally ambitious in addressing the supply crisis, and not all states have been successful at passing new laws, especially on their first few tries. And some states have succeeded in passing housing reform one year, only to strike out with additional bills the next. Real housing reform requires iterative and sustained legislative attention; it almost never succeeds with just one bill signing. Trying to determine why exactly a housing reform bill passes or fails on the state level can be difficult, though advocates say it certainly helps when a governor or other powerful state lawmaker invests time and political capital in mobilizing stakeholders together. Given that housing challenges are not spread equally across a state, sometimes it can be hard to decide whether to pass statewide laws that apply equally to all communities or to pass more targeted legislation aimed only at certain areas. Partly due to pressure from voters and from more organized pro-housing activists, legislative trends are starting to emerge. More states and housing experts are thinking not only about passing laws to boost housing production, but also about how best to enforce those laws, close loopholes, and demand compliance.

States can make it easier to build more housing in a wider variety of places

While states typically grant local communities a lot of discretion in land use policy, more lawmakers are realizing that balance may have tilted too far. As researchers with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis outlined last fall, some states are now looking to increase housing production by enabling more multifamily housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be built without having developers first seek approval from local planning agencies or elected boards. This accelerated construction process is known as building “by right.”

For example, Oregon passed a law in 2019 allowing fourplexes (a multifamily home that typically houses four families under one roof) to be built anywhere in large cities and for duplexes to be built anywhere in mid-size cities. Before, a developer would have needed to seek special permission to build such housing. States like Utah and Massachusetts are incentivizing the construction of new multifamily housing near public transit, while states like California and Florida are making it easier to build residential housing in places zoned for retail. Other states, like Maine and Vermont, are making it easier to build ADUs, which are second (and smaller) residential units on the same plot of land as one’s primary residence, like apartments or converted garages.

Vox reports on how states are finally beginning to step on solving the housing crisis.