Regarding MS Senator Blackmon's bill on male contraception, I would change the wording from "discharge genetic material..." to "discharge pre-born babies..." just to clarify the purpose.
I keep waiting for Politico or SOMEONE FOR HEAVENS SAKE to investigate the "secret" Trump alluded to before the election, and the claim he made about Musk "knowing the computers" after the election.
People who actually know what they're talking about point out that no two counties in PA use the same computer programs for voting, and that 1/3 of PA counties use paper ballots that are scanned in. Unless ELMO had a program for each county, it's just ConvictedFelon34 "owning the libs" again. There are plenty of things they could and did do, as Hartmann's article this morning pointed out, but I really hate hearing smart people sounding like J6 morons.
I hope you are right, TC! It could be him owning the libs--and to anyone truly paying attention, he's clearly in cognitive decline--however, I think that in his ramblings there is always some strange element of truth. That "truth" is often projection of what he, himself does.
I don't wish to don a tinfoil hat either, I'm just astounded that Harris had millions less voters than Biden, while tRump's was about the same. It's incomprehensible to me still.
It's like one of those cases where someone walks up to a sweet little old lady and says "F*** you" and she says "Fine thank you, and you?" because she simply can't hear it or process it. I heard reporters and commenters saying "Oh that's just Tr being Tr. He just does that. He doesn't mean anything by it". Well, put it together with the whole "you'll never need to vote again" comments and you have to wonder if the fight we wage isn't already decided if the Rs have gained control of the levers - because if they have then the real fight will be in determining exactly how and working to intercept their bribes, appointments and other machinations.
They have known for a long time that the only way they could win is by cheating. Suppression, Oppression, Repression and Intimidation. They're thugs.
Community grassroots (there are more of "us" than "them") can turn the tide only by working together in a precise, focused way.
When Republicans control the government, Democrats can still take strategic steps to advance their priorities and build momentum for future elections. Here are several approaches:
1. Grassroots Mobilization and Coalition-Building
Engage Communities: Focus on community outreach to build strong grassroots networks that can mobilize voters and pressure policymakers.
Form Alliances: Partner with nonpartisan organizations, labor unions, and advocacy groups to amplify efforts and build a broader coalition for progressive goals.
2. Strengthen Local and State-Level Power
Invest in Local Elections: Focus on winning key state and local races to build a pipeline of Democratic leaders and influence redistricting and election rules.
State-Level Legislation: Advocate for progressive policies at the state level, even in Republican-controlled states, by finding common ground on issues like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
3. Leverage the Courts
Challenge Harmful Policies: Use legal action to challenge voter suppression laws, gerrymandering, and other policies that harm democracy or undermine rights.
Defend Civil Liberties: Work with organizations like the ACLU to safeguard voting rights, reproductive rights, and other progressive causes.
4. Focus on Messaging and Public Opinion
Refine Messaging: Develop clear, concise messaging that resonates with voters, focusing on kitchen-table issues like jobs, healthcare, and education.
Combat Disinformation: Invest in combating misinformation through fact-checking campaigns and direct communication with voters.
Highlight Republican Failures: Emphasize policy failures and unpopular decisions made by the Republican government to hold them accountable.
5. Work Across the Aisle When Possible
Pursue Bipartisan Issues: Identify areas of agreement, such as infrastructure, veterans' benefits, or rural broadband, to show effectiveness and gain public support.
Create Pressure for Compromise: Use public opinion and grassroots movements to push moderate Republicans toward bipartisan solutions.
6. Strengthen Voter Engagement and Protection
Voter Registration Drives: Launch aggressive campaigns to register new voters, particularly in underserved and underrepresented communities.
Fight Voter Suppression: Monitor elections, educate voters on their rights, and pursue legal challenges to suppression efforts.
Turnout Operations: Focus on boosting turnout, especially among young voters, people of color, and other key Democratic constituencies.
7. Use Media Effectively
Amplify Voices: Use digital platforms, social media, and progressive media outlets to communicate directly with voters.
Storytelling: Share stories that highlight the impact of Democratic policies and the harm caused by Republican policies to personalize political debates.
8. Prepare for the Future
Build a Strong Bench: Cultivate and support a new generation of Democratic leaders at all levels of government.
Plan for 2026 and Beyond: Use setbacks as learning opportunities to refine strategies and strengthen future campaigns.
Develop Long-Term Strategies: Invest in long-term organizing, voter education, and policy development.
9. Leverage Civil Disobedience and Advocacy
Peaceful Protests: Organize demonstrations to draw attention to critical issues and put pressure on Republican lawmakers.
Direct Advocacy: Use petitions, phone banking, and lobbying to influence legislation and public opinion.
10. Focus on Key Battlegrounds
Flip Vulnerable Seats: Target vulnerable Republican districts for Democratic victories in the next election.
Expand the Map: Invest in traditionally Republican areas with growing Democratic potential due to demographic changes.
By staying focused, building coalitions, and maintaining public engagement, Democrats can remain a strong opposition force and set the stage for future electoral victories.
Bradford Blackmon is my new hero. I've admired Michael Bloomberg for many years, but he just went up several notches! You can't make up this crazy shizz happening in our country but at least there is a small shred of decency in a few people. Go, Pamela Hemphill!
It dawned on me as I was sitting in a meeting where we were discussing tedious minutiae about the thing we were working on, was how mump inc. can't even get basic details right - a billionaire dinner, a statement about how gender is assigned at conception (so we're all female!), basic details in a legal briefing. I thought of how German culture is so wired to be detail oriented, and how that is a big difference between 1930's Germany and now - the banality of evil is hard to do when you can't get the banality part right. They even have a Project (2025) plan this time around.
So there's your glimmer of hope that this will all come crashing down - they are not German enough to make it happen.
"met with at least one lawmaker during his visit" Which one? If this is being reliably reported, there should be no problem divulging the name of the Congressperson involved.
Bless Pamela Hemphill! 1 out of about 1600! Now what she said should go viral. However, among all the horror, this one is the best of all. Bless this MS legislator. Someone is bound to go after him. And this proposed legislation has gone viral already!
"From the Department of Tweak The Peckerwoods Whenever You Can: Mississippi Democratic state senator Bradford Blackmon (MS) introduced the “Contraception Begins at Erection Act” to ban men from masturbating. The bill makes it illegal for “any person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo." Blackmon issued this statement: "All across the country, especially here in MS, the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the woman’s role when men are 50% of the equation. This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I can’t say that bothers me." The fine for the first time getting caught masturbating would be $1,000. It goes up to $5,000 for a second offense."
Dems must obstruct, perhaps even fail to show up for votes that are inane in order not to dignify them. Or let them spend all their time with their eyes on their Wordles. The magas are looking for theatrical conflicts. Don't give them any. Use five minutes of committee time to discuss the importance of a strong middle class and a working America. Let every speech be a non-sequitur. Because magas are dismissive of violence, perhaps Dems on the all new J/6 investigation would do better to discuss all the defecation in the Capitol over and over again and nothing more. Let them defend that. Report on how much taxpayers spent on breakage and bleach to rid the place of the maga stench. Keep the poop emoji associated with the magas at the forefront of all the discussions.
Looks like Mr Felon is getting his DOJ Civil Rights division to clear their desks so they can spend all their time filing suits claiming that those on the Hit List violated Mr. F's civil rights.
Note to Tim Burchett (R-TN): No one is going to pay any attention to underwater aliens unless you can show they are undocumented.
Good post, Tom. I applauded Michael Bloomberg's gesture to support climate mitigation yesterday. Bill Gates should join him too. Self centered assholes like the unholy three - Bezos, Musk and Zuckerberg are too blinded by their own self importance to see or understand what's happening on Planet Earth.
TC! IN LA! I rarely shout, and you will just have to picture my hands on my hips, but "We Should Have Ethnically Cleansed The South 160 Years Ago" is not okay. No ethnic cleansing is okay, and you have some readers within the south or within the mid-to-northern regions that could be considered south by some, or who have a mixed bag of ancestry from the south who fought on both sides (myself included). Please believe me I am casting heavy and dark scowls in your direction even though I fully understand the need to spit, stomp and scream, and the pressure to let slip with a little over-generalizing. "Inbred Southern Fuckhead Rep. Andy Ogles" is, of course, completely acceptable because precise, specific and true.
Aside from that one objection, I find your summaries useful and thorough, reliable and well seasoned. Thank you.
One-third of the South were Southern Unionists - who if they had been supported after the war as they built civic groups with newly-freed slaves - would have transformed the South. The other alternative was to occupy the South for 80-100 years to defang it. I've spent too much time around all the rednecks, peckerwoods, shitkickers, whatever you want to call those inbred evolutionary failures. I know many Southerners who are the contemporary equivalent of the Unionists - they're just nowhere near the majority, who love to celebrate their ignorant malevolence.
Tonight ABC National News reported human "deportation round-ups" in "multiple cities" more specifically blue cities including NYC & Boston, MASS.
ABC specifically cited the use of USAFB C-17's for the flights. The open bay C-17's are dubbed "The Moose" were actually used to fly 160 ... yes, just 160 "immigrants" to the country of Guatemala.
"Czar-Man TOM HOLMAN with his threatening stage voice stated on air that deportations would continue "daily" as "we widen the aperture".
Martha Radataz misreported Wreck's policies & I will not repeat her estimate of the intended TOTAL deportation numbers as there was no foundation for any ot her "excited" utterances.
ABC also reported the deployment of United States Marines from Camp Pendleton to the United States border with Mexico. The mission was not reported, neither signal nor posturing.
Regarding MS Senator Blackmon's bill on male contraception, I would change the wording from "discharge genetic material..." to "discharge pre-born babies..." just to clarify the purpose.
PERFECT!
The numbers are in, after an investigation by Greg Palast. Trump "won" only after GOP henchmen systematically suppressed millions of votes. See Thom Hartmann's Substack for the heart-wrenching, gut-punching details. https://hartmannreport.com/p/trump-lost-vote-suppression-won-c6f?r=18458p&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I just read that - it seems pretty comprehensive, and gives a more concrete answer as to why so many Dem voters "stayed home" - they actually didn't.
I keep waiting for Politico or SOMEONE FOR HEAVENS SAKE to investigate the "secret" Trump alluded to before the election, and the claim he made about Musk "knowing the computers" after the election.
Fishy fishy fishy.
People who actually know what they're talking about point out that no two counties in PA use the same computer programs for voting, and that 1/3 of PA counties use paper ballots that are scanned in. Unless ELMO had a program for each county, it's just ConvictedFelon34 "owning the libs" again. There are plenty of things they could and did do, as Hartmann's article this morning pointed out, but I really hate hearing smart people sounding like J6 morons.
I hope you are right, TC! It could be him owning the libs--and to anyone truly paying attention, he's clearly in cognitive decline--however, I think that in his ramblings there is always some strange element of truth. That "truth" is often projection of what he, himself does.
I don't wish to don a tinfoil hat either, I'm just astounded that Harris had millions less voters than Biden, while tRump's was about the same. It's incomprehensible to me still.
It's like one of those cases where someone walks up to a sweet little old lady and says "F*** you" and she says "Fine thank you, and you?" because she simply can't hear it or process it. I heard reporters and commenters saying "Oh that's just Tr being Tr. He just does that. He doesn't mean anything by it". Well, put it together with the whole "you'll never need to vote again" comments and you have to wonder if the fight we wage isn't already decided if the Rs have gained control of the levers - because if they have then the real fight will be in determining exactly how and working to intercept their bribes, appointments and other machinations.
They have known for a long time that the only way they could win is by cheating. Suppression, Oppression, Repression and Intimidation. They're thugs.
Community grassroots (there are more of "us" than "them") can turn the tide only by working together in a precise, focused way.
When Republicans control the government, Democrats can still take strategic steps to advance their priorities and build momentum for future elections. Here are several approaches:
1. Grassroots Mobilization and Coalition-Building
Engage Communities: Focus on community outreach to build strong grassroots networks that can mobilize voters and pressure policymakers.
Form Alliances: Partner with nonpartisan organizations, labor unions, and advocacy groups to amplify efforts and build a broader coalition for progressive goals.
2. Strengthen Local and State-Level Power
Invest in Local Elections: Focus on winning key state and local races to build a pipeline of Democratic leaders and influence redistricting and election rules.
State-Level Legislation: Advocate for progressive policies at the state level, even in Republican-controlled states, by finding common ground on issues like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
3. Leverage the Courts
Challenge Harmful Policies: Use legal action to challenge voter suppression laws, gerrymandering, and other policies that harm democracy or undermine rights.
Defend Civil Liberties: Work with organizations like the ACLU to safeguard voting rights, reproductive rights, and other progressive causes.
4. Focus on Messaging and Public Opinion
Refine Messaging: Develop clear, concise messaging that resonates with voters, focusing on kitchen-table issues like jobs, healthcare, and education.
Combat Disinformation: Invest in combating misinformation through fact-checking campaigns and direct communication with voters.
Highlight Republican Failures: Emphasize policy failures and unpopular decisions made by the Republican government to hold them accountable.
5. Work Across the Aisle When Possible
Pursue Bipartisan Issues: Identify areas of agreement, such as infrastructure, veterans' benefits, or rural broadband, to show effectiveness and gain public support.
Create Pressure for Compromise: Use public opinion and grassroots movements to push moderate Republicans toward bipartisan solutions.
6. Strengthen Voter Engagement and Protection
Voter Registration Drives: Launch aggressive campaigns to register new voters, particularly in underserved and underrepresented communities.
Fight Voter Suppression: Monitor elections, educate voters on their rights, and pursue legal challenges to suppression efforts.
Turnout Operations: Focus on boosting turnout, especially among young voters, people of color, and other key Democratic constituencies.
7. Use Media Effectively
Amplify Voices: Use digital platforms, social media, and progressive media outlets to communicate directly with voters.
Storytelling: Share stories that highlight the impact of Democratic policies and the harm caused by Republican policies to personalize political debates.
8. Prepare for the Future
Build a Strong Bench: Cultivate and support a new generation of Democratic leaders at all levels of government.
Plan for 2026 and Beyond: Use setbacks as learning opportunities to refine strategies and strengthen future campaigns.
Develop Long-Term Strategies: Invest in long-term organizing, voter education, and policy development.
9. Leverage Civil Disobedience and Advocacy
Peaceful Protests: Organize demonstrations to draw attention to critical issues and put pressure on Republican lawmakers.
Direct Advocacy: Use petitions, phone banking, and lobbying to influence legislation and public opinion.
10. Focus on Key Battlegrounds
Flip Vulnerable Seats: Target vulnerable Republican districts for Democratic victories in the next election.
Expand the Map: Invest in traditionally Republican areas with growing Democratic potential due to demographic changes.
By staying focused, building coalitions, and maintaining public engagement, Democrats can remain a strong opposition force and set the stage for future electoral victories.
Bradford Blackmon is my new hero. I've admired Michael Bloomberg for many years, but he just went up several notches! You can't make up this crazy shizz happening in our country but at least there is a small shred of decency in a few people. Go, Pamela Hemphill!
It dawned on me as I was sitting in a meeting where we were discussing tedious minutiae about the thing we were working on, was how mump inc. can't even get basic details right - a billionaire dinner, a statement about how gender is assigned at conception (so we're all female!), basic details in a legal briefing. I thought of how German culture is so wired to be detail oriented, and how that is a big difference between 1930's Germany and now - the banality of evil is hard to do when you can't get the banality part right. They even have a Project (2025) plan this time around.
So there's your glimmer of hope that this will all come crashing down - they are not German enough to make it happen.
The only good news in this post is Bloomberg stepping up to the plate.
Eggs - Great Value brand at
local Walmart - 1 doz.
medium white $7.42. 1doz
brown $10.56. These are all
supposedly free range.
Keep Poking Around Tom.
The incels will burn MS down.
Bring on that hamberder!
"met with at least one lawmaker during his visit" Which one? If this is being reliably reported, there should be no problem divulging the name of the Congressperson involved.
Bless Pamela Hemphill! 1 out of about 1600! Now what she said should go viral. However, among all the horror, this one is the best of all. Bless this MS legislator. Someone is bound to go after him. And this proposed legislation has gone viral already!
"From the Department of Tweak The Peckerwoods Whenever You Can: Mississippi Democratic state senator Bradford Blackmon (MS) introduced the “Contraception Begins at Erection Act” to ban men from masturbating. The bill makes it illegal for “any person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo." Blackmon issued this statement: "All across the country, especially here in MS, the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the woman’s role when men are 50% of the equation. This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I can’t say that bothers me." The fine for the first time getting caught masturbating would be $1,000. It goes up to $5,000 for a second offense."
Dems must obstruct, perhaps even fail to show up for votes that are inane in order not to dignify them. Or let them spend all their time with their eyes on their Wordles. The magas are looking for theatrical conflicts. Don't give them any. Use five minutes of committee time to discuss the importance of a strong middle class and a working America. Let every speech be a non-sequitur. Because magas are dismissive of violence, perhaps Dems on the all new J/6 investigation would do better to discuss all the defecation in the Capitol over and over again and nothing more. Let them defend that. Report on how much taxpayers spent on breakage and bleach to rid the place of the maga stench. Keep the poop emoji associated with the magas at the forefront of all the discussions.
Looks like Mr Felon is getting his DOJ Civil Rights division to clear their desks so they can spend all their time filing suits claiming that those on the Hit List violated Mr. F's civil rights.
Note to Tim Burchett (R-TN): No one is going to pay any attention to underwater aliens unless you can show they are undocumented.
Good post, Tom. I applauded Michael Bloomberg's gesture to support climate mitigation yesterday. Bill Gates should join him too. Self centered assholes like the unholy three - Bezos, Musk and Zuckerberg are too blinded by their own self importance to see or understand what's happening on Planet Earth.
TC! IN LA! I rarely shout, and you will just have to picture my hands on my hips, but "We Should Have Ethnically Cleansed The South 160 Years Ago" is not okay. No ethnic cleansing is okay, and you have some readers within the south or within the mid-to-northern regions that could be considered south by some, or who have a mixed bag of ancestry from the south who fought on both sides (myself included). Please believe me I am casting heavy and dark scowls in your direction even though I fully understand the need to spit, stomp and scream, and the pressure to let slip with a little over-generalizing. "Inbred Southern Fuckhead Rep. Andy Ogles" is, of course, completely acceptable because precise, specific and true.
Aside from that one objection, I find your summaries useful and thorough, reliable and well seasoned. Thank you.
One-third of the South were Southern Unionists - who if they had been supported after the war as they built civic groups with newly-freed slaves - would have transformed the South. The other alternative was to occupy the South for 80-100 years to defang it. I've spent too much time around all the rednecks, peckerwoods, shitkickers, whatever you want to call those inbred evolutionary failures. I know many Southerners who are the contemporary equivalent of the Unionists - they're just nowhere near the majority, who love to celebrate their ignorant malevolence.
Could not agree more.
So. I'll take that as "I adore a third of y'all but the rest suck eggs"?
Tonight ABC National News reported human "deportation round-ups" in "multiple cities" more specifically blue cities including NYC & Boston, MASS.
ABC specifically cited the use of USAFB C-17's for the flights. The open bay C-17's are dubbed "The Moose" were actually used to fly 160 ... yes, just 160 "immigrants" to the country of Guatemala.
"Czar-Man TOM HOLMAN with his threatening stage voice stated on air that deportations would continue "daily" as "we widen the aperture".
Martha Radataz misreported Wreck's policies & I will not repeat her estimate of the intended TOTAL deportation numbers as there was no foundation for any ot her "excited" utterances.
ABC also reported the deployment of United States Marines from Camp Pendleton to the United States border with Mexico. The mission was not reported, neither signal nor posturing.
I couldn’t read all of it, warped my brain. Need a political porn break.