Bernie snaps Rommey

Another win for Bernie. It's almost unfair beating up these pea-brained Repugs.

AOC responds to Moscow Mitch

Once again AOC beats the crap out of Russian assets.

McCarthyism is the practice of baselessly accusing political opponents of being communists as unjust grounds for targeting and harassment. You are blocking action to protect US elections despite official DoJ pleas. That doesn’t make you a communist. It just makes you a bad leader.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 30, 2019

Vigeland: Sanders/Warren big winners

Strong, authentic progressives represent what we the people want.

Progressive = electible

This Salon piece showed that the two are equivalent, despite both Repug and establishment Dem fake spin to the contrary. Polls also prove that point, with progressive policies getting the approval of the majority of we the people.

"One thing is absolutely certain coming out of the first night of the  CNN Democratic debates in Detroit: Despite months of chin-scratching punditry pitting "electability" against strong progressive views, by the end of the night Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts showed that they're not just the most progressive candidates on stage, they're also the most electable."

Joan Baez - Nasty Man

She updates her activist song writing with one about Dump.

Ball: Sanders and Warren destroy Dem centrists

The debate highlighted the divide in the Party between those who represent we the people and those who represent big money. Sanders/Warren sent them back to the shit hole Wall Street from whence they came.

Light Balance Kids get golden buzzer on AGT

Well deserved.

Some Bernie highlights from last night

We the people approve of this message.

Colbert's monologue on the debate

Colbert was really funny last night with some great Bernie jokes and a big Bernie burn. There's more in part 2, with more Bernie jokes and Warren handing out her own burn.

Trade Joe's check-out doesn't compliment someone's purchases!

If you shop there you know how it seems they're actually trained to compliment on at least one item you buy, like "those are really good." This Onion piece is a take-off on when a customer gets no comments on their purchases.

Woman Spirals Into Vortex Of Self-Doubt After Trader Joe’s Cashier Does Not Compliment Any Of Her Selected Items

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA—Questioning every decision that led her to the crucial moment, shopper Lisa Kolman spiraled into a churning vortex of crippling self-doubt Tuesday after the cashier at her local Trader Joe’s failed to compliment or even comment on any of the items she had purchased. “The woman at the register next to me is practically drowning in accolades from store employees, but my cashier hasn’t said a thing, not even about the olive tapenade hummus or the chocolate babka, and I just don’t understand what I did wrong,” said the self-conscious Kolman, who described bottoming out with deep shame when the cashier scanned her entire cart of frozen appetizers, wines, and assorted baked goods without uttering a single word of praise. “She seemed civil enough, but when she rang up my garlic naan and container of fresh mozzarella cheese, she neither asked what I was cooking nor encouraged me to make a fun pizza with it. I should have known I’d messed up when she scanned the two jars of cookie butter spread without saying anything nice to me. Not even get a simple ‘Yum, I love these!’ or ‘Ooh, have you tried these before?’ Even the guy bagging my groceries seemed to disapprove.” Kolman immediately decided to return all the items in her cart and start shopping all over again.

Reich: Where your tax dollars really go

Repugnantans are always bitching about all the money we spend on welfare and food stamps. Reich explains that it is only about 6% of our discretionary spending. The video below breaks down the entire budget. Guess what gets the most of that money? The military at 54%, more than the next 7 nations combined. Social security, Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare are mandatory spending, not part of discretionary spending.

Repugs won't cut military spending but are going after the social programs from both types of spending to make way for more tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Know the facts when Repugs lie about not having enough money. There's plenty, they just want to steal from the poor and working class and give to the already rich. That is what they value, not we the people.

Moscow Mitch doesn't like his new nickname

TFB Moscow Mitch. It fits like a glove and we're keeping it.

Colbert on Baltimore

And Dump's racist comments. And the Repugnantans incessant apologies for Dump's racism.

The elite and the people

While I am sympathetic to the goals of this article, abstract principle, metamodern or otherwise, in itself is far from enough. To defeat capitalism will require a multitude of ordinary people getting active, not an elite that hands down the next best model. The cognitive science of framing demands that emotional appeal is necessary, which influences people far more than models and theories. Such emotional manipulation of ordinary people is how the capitalists got our unconscious acceptance in the first place. We can turn that around and liberate we the people if we are willing to learn from them.

"We need new rules and new representation. Hell, we need a new game and a new civil society."

And the suggested 'new game' is a rehydrated capitalism? It doesn't sound like the collaborative commons to me. It might be part of the solution, hence policies like Bernie Sanders and AOC. But the CC demands much more if it is to be a 'new game.'

"George Soros is magnanimous, I’ll give him that, but he needs to become more metamodern while he’s still alive. He could start by funding metamodern and abstraction research and policy. We need to resolve abstract capitalism to address concrete problems. Time to bring it back down to earth. [...] Concrete capitalism would rehydrate our cracked out social ecologies, so health and wealth can flourish. Peace and prosperity for all."

The value of identity politics

This article seems to me is criticizing Jacobin magazine for not including the value of identity politics, that devaluing it is missing the boat. Which of course extends to the overall dismissal of it generally as some sort of postmodern excess.

"Both Corbynism in the UK, and the Jacobin-centred public sphere more broadly, have much to gain from a serious engagement with what the latter have derisively termed 'identitarian Leftism'. Foregrounding the histories, victories, and struggles of indigenous, Black, queer, feminist, disabilities, and migrant movements and how they have successfully theorized and contested patriarchal, racial, capitalist, and imperialist hierarchies only deepens a socialist analysis and ensures that the failures of exclusionary, one-dimensional forms of organising are not repeated."

Yet another white supremacist terrorist

This is by far the biggest terrorist problem in the US that Congress is doing nothing about and corporate media highlights for a few days and then ignores. And most horrific, the kind that Dump incites with this hateful rhetoric. Wake the f___ up America and hound your Congress and Executive to act on this, and elect those who will.

Whitney Cummings stand up

One of my favorites with some new material on sex.

Baltimore Sun responds to Dump

They say it best:

Abramson on Dump Tower

From his FB post:

"For the record, *this* is what a 'crime-infested shithole' looks like. Remember the man who died unnecessarily in a Trump Tower fire? Remember the illegal Russian-mafia gambling ring being run from Trump Tower? The election crimes that occurred in Trump's Trump Tower offices?"

Mueller's mistake

Well, one the them, anyway. This article refers specifically to Mueller not issuing a subpoena for Dump to testify, and that was a significant mistake. I do admit their headline was misleading click bait, but it's a technique that works.

As to the legitimacy of Truthdig, this media factcheck belies any claim that it is otherwise:

"Overall, we rate Truthdig Left Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to excellent sourcing and a clean fact check record."

The Green New Deal explained

Informative, short video that shows the urgency of the situation and the necessary action. It is only a first step resolution that needs to be implemented with legislation, but that will never get off the ground unless and until we not only replace the Repugnantans but the establishment Dems who are also bought off by the oil industry. We can and must do this if we have any hope of saving the planet, and ourselves, from cataclysmic catastrophe. And that ain't no exaggeration but a realistic projection from climate scientists. You can read the resolution here.

More yoga soft porn

Flocken' A!

Kacey Musgraves - Oh, What A World

And then there's this: Deep, real and beautiful.

Israel demolishs 70 more Palestinian apartments

Continuing this post, funny nothing about this from those who signed the atrocious anti-BDS BS.

The Pelosey Tale

In fantasy format that is all too real.

Exceptions to free speech

I've been citing the free speech exceptions to the Constitution since forever and the meme below is it in a nutshell. And it's not just incitement but also false statements of fact. Lying is not protected, as well as some other exceptions. Dump has been and continues to be guilty of all of these exceptions, some of which are punishable by law. But again, coward establishment Dems won't do a f___ing thing about it. Replace them so that we can replace him and his fascist Repug enablers.

Steyer: The case for impeachment

On Meet the Press. He's right, of course. Doing what's right will only bring out the base in the next election. Not doing it will only reinforce that the Dem Party is complicit in the crimes and suppress votes. Steyer is asked why Dem leadership doesn't act accordingly.

It occurs to me that perhaps Pelosey and The Squat's motivation is that by not showing spine, by letting these crimes go, it will further disillusion the progressive base in their Party from once again going to the polls. This of course would insure that the establishment Dems are not challenged and defeated in primaries and hence the Demosaurs would retain their power, even when (not if) they lose in '20. I know, that's a sick reason and a horrific speculation, but it seems the most likely one given their refusal to uphold their Constitutional duty.

But we the people will not abide it. We progressives will fight and defeat the neoliberals in our own Party and then go on to defeat the neoliberals and fascists in the Repug Party. We and our candidates have momentum and the courage of our convictions, the spine to do what's right, no matter the opposition.

Left v. right or right v. wrong?

The latter is the case, hence the need of proper framing.

Framing the narrative

See this story. Hence the urgent importance of proper framing of narratives to manipulate how people interpret data. The Repugs are effective masters, the liberals don't even accept the cognitive science on it, weird for those who purport to support science.


And please, don't give me the "it ain't ethical" crap. We all do it so it's better to do it consciously with some ethical integrity than to cede this important ground to those without any of that integrity whatsoever.

"Robert Mueller seems to know that you can’t force-feed a moral realization. You can direct—or try to direct—another person’s attention to a text that draws on the testimony of credible witnesses, but you can’t compel interpretation. You can’t tell someone else what to make of it. In a genuinely free country, the question of what we do with what we know is on us. It can’t be deferred to someone else."

The Map and the Territory

Recent book by Wuppulari and Doria. From the Intro by Penrose. F___ing Amen man:

"Is there a global map that can simulate every other map under some constraint? [...] If two maps cannot be integrated, is this a limitation of our scientific cartography or is it the nature of the underlying territory itself that prevents us from such an attempt? [...] It is safer to let the gaps remain as gaps while we let our maps remain as maps, rather than giving in to the seemingly seductive approach of trading in our understanding and intermingling maps with territory to fill in the conceptual gaps—however, much this may comfort us and appeal to our tastes!"

From the blurb at b-ok.org:

Greta at French Parliament

"There is no middle ground when it comes to the climate and ecological emergency." Listen up to this fact-based siren of reality. This is why I think Luntz's so-called conversion and his recommendations are hidden manipulation to avoid the severity and urgency of the issue. He keeps framing it as 'climate change' and recommends eliminating 'crisis' and 'emergency' language, when in fact that is exactly what this is. Greta rings true, Luntz does not.

Café 1930 (Astor Piazzolla) - Alexandra Whittingham and Esther Abrami

Two exquisite, subtle virtuosos: such technique, control, nuance, shade, timing, feeling.

Moscow Mitch picture

Continuing this post, Mitch is caught in full regalia.

Repug spin meister Luntz now supports climate action?

Yeah, the guy who fought against acknowledging the climate crisis, telling Repugs to create doubt about the science.  Lunz was also the one who told Repugs to reframe 'global warming' as the more innocuous 'climate change,' which liberals have fallen for. (Note Luntz still uses that expression in the video below.) I admit I'm still skeptical about this guy, and that maybe he's a Trojan Horse somehow giving bad advice to defeat the effort. I'm looking forward to liberal framing expert Lakoff commenting on this.

It took him nearly dying in a wildfire caused by climate chaos but apparently he has changed sides. He said: "Rising sea levels, melting ice caps, tornadoes, and hurricanes more ferocious than ever. It is happening." He suggests that Democrats reframe climate issues more effectively. He gives a few examples in the background chart enumerated below (from the link) starting at 23:20 in the video below:

• USE: Cleaner, safer, healthier. LOSE: Sustainable/sustainability.
• USE: Solving climate change. LOSE: Ending global warming.
• USE: Principles and priorities. LOSE: Values.
• USE: Reliable technology/energy. LOSE: Ground-breaking/State of the art.
• USE: New careers. LOSE: New jobs.
• USE: Peace of mind. LOSE: Security.
• USE: Consequences. LOSE: Threats/Problems.
• USE: Working together. LOSE: One world.

Colbert criticizes media on Mueller testimony

Corporate media was more concerned that Mueller's performance was boring rather than focusing on what's of real importance: "Mueller confirmed that the President of the US was not totally exonerated. Mueller also agreed that Dump obstructed the investigation multiple times, Russia tampered with the election in Dump's favor, the President welcomed that help, lied about welcoming it, and encouraged others to lie about it."

It's absolutely sick that corporate media is more concerned with ratings and inciting headlines that with crimes against our country. In that case Dump is right that at least corporate media is the enemy of the people, as their only concern is the bottom line and not we the people. In fact, corporate media's obsession with ratings is in large part how Dump got elected in the first place! Otherwise they'd focus on the actual content of The Report and what Mueller confirmed, which demands justice in the form of impeachment, then a criminal trial after Dump leaves office.

Moore on impeachment and Bernie

The House must do the right thing and impeach. Otherwise what message do we send to our country? And the only way to defeat Dump is with someone who inspires the young, women and people of color. A street fighter who stands up to the 1% and for we the people. When pressed which candidates fulfill that description: Bernie.

Kimmel interviews Sanders

Hopefully the next President in 2021. This really is about what kind of country we want, what we value. And Bernie expresses what we value most: Of, for and by we the people.

Pelosey worries The Sqaud makes the Party look cowardly

A good one from The Onion, not far off.

WASHINGTON—Admitting she had worries about the rise of left-leaning activist groups within her party, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed concerns Thursday that outspoken progressives could do permanent damage to Democrats’ reputation as ineffectual cowards. “They mean well, but if they continue to aggressively push their agenda like this, they run the risk of fundamentally altering the public’s perception of Democrats as bumbling, feckless chumps,” said Pelosi, adding that this brash brand of politics could be easily manipulated by Republicans to paint the party as something other than a bunch of sniveling wimps who are too weak-willed and complacent to stand up for anything with even remote political risk. “I understand where these groups are coming from, but while it might feel good to vent their frustrations about the state of the country, they could undermine what I believe should be our core 2020 argument: We are dithering, incompetent doormats who are infinitesimally less objectionable than our opposition.” Pelosi also noted that her concerns shouldn’t be overstated, as she knew it would take more than a few activists for voters to associate the Democratic party with the vaguest inkling of courage.

Of Monsters and Men - Wars

From their most recent album. I like their overall sound and the visuals are psychedelic.

Someone grabbed Moscow Mitch by the short hairs

Here's a report of the latest Repugnantan-led Senate intelligence report that Morning Joe referenced (in the last post), noting Russia is still at it and others are joining the jiggering. And yet Moscow Mitch refuses to even allow a vote on election security. What's up with that Mitch? Russia got your tongue (and balls in a vice)?

McConnel again blocks election security

Just hours after Mueller testified that the Russians are still at it. It's obvious that McConnell knows very well that the Russians helped Dump and his Party so he's throwing democracy under the bus for power. Despicable monster. Morning Joe reports and discusses below. I like that they call him Moscow Mitch. And that Dems have to wake up and fight like hell to win the war with Dump and the Repugs. Anything less is a loser.

The danger of the Con's entertainment, industrial and political complex

What follows is from Richard Romine's insightful FB post. That's partly the problem with the Dems; they are not united in message. It's a legitimate struggle though, as the establishment Dems are in cahoots with the Repugs on neoliberalistic capitalism. Hence the necessary battle to make the Party  of, for and by we the people again. At least the progressive side is pretty much unified on message, and that is the message that polls show the majority of Americans support, since it is representative of we the people. Our only hope is to elect more progressives so that they are in the majority. Then we too can have the same sort of unified message as the Repugs.


"If you haven’t noticed, the Cons are extremely organized. They are led and controlled by a centralized authority, much like the Communist Party or the Nazi Party. It has been difficult to find the exact mechanism, but the Council for National Policy seems to be a good guess. What I find disturbing, is the extreme coordination and lack of ethics and disagreement in the Republican Party. Somehow very vocal voices within the party, have been silenced as the most corrupt administration in American history, rules the day. But the extreme organization is more on the lines of collusion and intimidation, than ordinary process.

"It begins with the ownership of the media. And it’s ability to frame the discussion. A perfect example is Wednesday’s Mueller testimony. On nearly all of the media, it is portrayed as some sort of failure. I watched it, it was anything but. But framing it as one, takes the feeling of finally hearing the truth, to one where it really doesn’t count. I thought the body language “Expert” hired by Fox News to be an interesting touch. The media is designed to frame the information in the Con’s favor, while hiding that very fact. Bernie Sanders is another prime example, as far as anyone knows his rallies consist of two Boy Scouts and a handful of Antifa. They put him on just enough….to not look like they are doing it.

The man who made the fake Presidential seal

Framing Dump at a recent event. It was actually more realistic than the real seal, given how Dump has shit on the values and principles of the real one. From this piece:

"The last place graphic designer Charles Leazott expected to see his fake presidential seal was on a screen with President Donald Trump smiling in front of it. The seal, which features "45 is a puppet" and a bald eagle holding golf clubs, appeared behind Trump Tuesday when he took the stage at the Teen Student Action Summit hosted by the conservative group Turning Point USA."

Dump's next obstruction and coverup

Here's Abramson's FB post commenting on this article:

"There's no greater evidence that Trump is terrified of the counterintelligence investigation I wrote PROOF OF CONSPIRACY about than the fact that he may be trying to put Nunes atop the nation's intel apparatus.This is the clearest sign yet that he thinks this is his next battle."

Pelosey and The Squat will let this one go too.

What is the BDS?

See it's website here. Note in the FAQ it directly contradicts what the Resolution claimed, that BDS is against a two-state solution. Here is what it is for.

What does BDS aim to achieve? Does it call for a one state or a two state solution? 
 

The BDS movement aims to pressure Israel to respect international law by:

1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall
International law recognises the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza and the Syrian Golan Heights as occupied by Israel.

2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality.

3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

These are three basic rights without which the Palestinian people cannot exercise its inalienable right to self-determination.

The BDS movement does not advocate for a particular solution to the conflict and does not call for either a “one state solution” or a “two state solution”. Instead, BDS focuses on the realization of basic rights and the implementation of international law.

TYT on the BDS fiasco

Continuing this post, TYT puts BDS in context and why it is wrong to sanction them.

Pelosey stalls again on impeachment

Yeah, Pelosey the loser. She wanted to wait for the Mueller Report, which irrefutably proves crimes were committed. Then she wanted to wait for Mueller's testimony, which again irrefutably proved crimes were committed. Now she wants to wait for more and more. It's a stalling tactic, nothing more, and the TYT crew, along with millions of us, know it's just cowardice and will never happen.

Who voted for and against the anti-BDS legislation?

Yeah, Congress passed the anti-BDS law, meaning they are outlawing a specific boycott against Israel's treatment of Palestinians. That is, free speech is legally denied to the BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) movement. In the House AOC, Omar, Tlaib, Grijalva, Jayapal and Pocan voted against it. In the Senate Sanders, Warren, Booker, Jillibrand and Harris did the same. Disturbingly, House progressives Pressley, Porter and Khanna voted for it. Emma explains this unconstitutional law.

V.Unbeatable gets Wade's Golden Buzzer on AGT

And well worthy of being put right through to the live show.

Schiff is still unsure about impeachment?

Schiff said that Dump is "unpatriotic, unethical, wrong and criminal," yet he still doesn't want to impeach because the Senate won't convict. He also said they might not have enough of a case to make to the American people. Will the country suffer if impeachment is unsuccessful?

What complete bullshit. If Dump is guilty of what Schiff just said then do your damned Constitutional duty and hold him accountable. Even the interviewer calls him on his cowardice in light of his valid charges against Dump, more than sufficient charges to impeach. Impeaching will only show your authenticity and strengthen not only your public support but strengthen our democracy, which Americans are hungry to be defended. Anything less is cowardly and we're tired of that from you and your complicit Party. WTF is wrong with these cowards?

Picard cast talks about the new series

For us serious Trekkies. See previous post for the preview.

The changing symbols of hate

Yet the underlying hate remains the same.

Schiff's closing Mueller statement

Russia interfered,  and Dump and his Dumpsters colluded, lied and obstructed. And Dump was not indicted merely due to an Office of Legal Counsel opinion, not any law. Mueller admitted Russia is up to it again, yet the Dumpsters and Repugnantans are obstructing any measures to curtail it. And that Congress is now responsible for taking action on the crimes of this Disadministration.

Jeffries confirming law on obstruction with Mueller

He lays out the elements of the crime of obstruction, and how those elements are in the Report. He can't get Mueller to admit Dump committed obstruction; he won't comment on it. But Jeffries lays out that per the law and the Report it is obvious that that crime was committed on numerous occasions. Now it's up to Congress to pursue these crimes, and we can't do it without Peloser (my new name for her) and The Squat (her corporate and spineless cronies).

Colbert challenges Wallace

Chris Wallace of Pox Views declared that the hearing was a disaster. Colbert said such a denigration doesn't take into account the content of what was revealed about Dump. Colbert: "It was a well-organized recitation of the moral, ethical and criminal failing of the Presidunce." Bottom line: Colbert showed that Wallace's opinion is the disaster that once again highlights the repugnant spin and biased bile that flows out of Pox. To top it off, Wallace claimed he was being an objective journalist, merely calling balls and strikes. This after he just told Colbert that he's part of a biased tribe. Wallace can't even see his own bias.

Highlights from Mueller's testimony

How could this not be sufficient to begin an impeachment inquiry?

Mueller: Dump is generally a liar

Specifically in Dump's written (non)answers to the Special Counsel.

Meuller: Impeach!

Well, in so many words.

Omar's home run on biased Muslim question

She nails it that the very question she's asked about female genital mutilation presupposes that she supports it because of her religion. And this despite her prior public statements and votes specifically condemning the practice. Good job Ilhan.

Mueller: Dump asked staff to falsify records

Question: “So it's fair to say the President tried to protect himself by asking staff to falsify records relevant to an ongoing investigation?”

Mueller: “I would say that’s generally a summary.”

Drechsel v. Carbon on the Power Tower

Drechsel kills it and get a safety pass in the national finals.

Reich: The real reason for impeachment

Congresspeople have vowed to uphold and defend the Constitution, that's why. It doesn't matter whether it's politically expedient or that the Senate won't convict. The House is abdicating its Constitutional duty by refusing to proceed with an impeachment inquiry. So do we want to re-elect Pelosi and her Squat (instead of Squad) when they won't do their duty?

Note that the definition of a squatter is "a person who settles on land or occupies property without title, right, or payment of rent." I extend that meaning to a Congressperson who occupies their office without defending the rights of the American people so is without the title or right to that office. Vote out The Squat!

Mueller: We did not exonerate the Presidunce

And Dump refused to be interviewed by Mueller. Mueller also said that the only reason he would not indict on obstruction is because of the Office of Legal Council's opinion that a sitting President cannot be indicted. However Mueller affirmed that after the President leaves office he can be indicted.

Same story, different day

We will continue the fight until we all have equal rights, got it?

Pelosi capitulates on debt ceiling

From this piece:

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have helped temporarily avert a looming fiscal crisis on Monday by striking a budget deal with the Trump administration, but progressives warned the agreement hands Republicans power to kneecap the next president's agenda by suspending the debt ceiling until after the 2020 elections. [...] Former congressional staffers and other critics said that by agreeing to suspend the debt ceiling until 2021, Pelosi gave Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the ability to extract massive spending cuts and other concessions from a Democratic president in exchange for raising the debt limit."

Thing is, Pelosi and the corporate Dems are wrong about winning elections. Thinking centrist positions win has proven time and again to be wrong. What motivates the progressive Dem base is having the guts to promote progressive positions that have proven by repeated polls to win the majority of approval. The Pelosi Squad (The Squat) are Demosaurs and are hurting not only our chance of winning elections but democracy itself. She and her squandering Squat need to be replaced ASAP with more like The Squad.

Don't eat that!

Same as eating shit.

Hartmann: How to beat Dump

Make Dump's racism an existential crisis for our democracy. And about who we want to be as a country. Basically defining our humanistic heritage and values. Pretty much what Lakoff has recommended all along. Will it change the racists who support Dump? No, but it will incite our base to come out in record numbers to overtake them.

Hartmann: The truth about democratic socialism

He counters Repug lies about it with the truth, something we need to constantly do as well. And Thom educates us on the facts and values so that we can irrefutably defend helping humanity.

He also admits in his diatribe that at least half of the Dem Party is corporatist and part of the problem. Hence the need to get an overwhelming progressive majority in the Party.

Colbert destroys Dump racism apologists

These deplorable hired guns twist themselves into malformed pretzels to justify Dump's racism. Colbert is not letting them off the hook.

Shakira has this effect on me too

Funny.

Why Dump hates The Squad

The real reason. Real men love them.

Israel's nuclear arsenal

This article shows that Israel has around 100 nukes. And it's even more interesting that they are "one of only five nations in the world that refuse to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons." Why does the US finance Israel again? And even criminalize US citizens from engaging in boycotting Israel?

Mueller goes to Congress

Unfortunately in Mueller's testimony to Congress he is only going to repeat what the Report said rather than elaborate. The only benefit to the hearing is that there will be video clips that we can circulate in the hopes that more people will learn what's actually in the Report, as most have never even tried to read it.

Decentralized collective intelligence

Jordan Hall of the Neurohacker Collective on decentralized collective intelligence. Sounds a lot how IPS works, our collaborations creating something greater than our individual contributions, even though the latter are part and parcel of the process. What happens when we node thyself.

AOC questions DHS Security Chief on their FB hate page

When AOC asked if any of the people in that hate group were still employed, the DHS apologist confirmed that they were but were under investigation. When asked if any DHS bosses knew about it, since one of those bosses was in the group, DHS apologist again only repeated it was under investigation. It's no wonder we have serious doubts about DHS.

Cenk's passionate plea for progressives

He makes the case that the number one problem for progressives is the establishment in their own Party. Yes, Repugs are a problem, but by definition Dems are out to defeat them. So how to defeat them? By vigorously supporting what polls repeatedly show what we the people want, like Medicare For All, fair taxation, a living wage and so on. And progressives are the only ones genuinely fighting for those issues. Establishment Dems give lip service to them in order to get votes but their actions belie their facade. And to challenge establishment Dems requires progressives to do so fiercely. Playing nice only enables the Demosaurs to keep up the same old same old, making promises to appease that they will not keep. Hence why  we love The Squad, who are doing exactly that.

Pee paramedic

Some jellyfish humor.

Bjork - Pagan Poetry

Pedaling through
the dark currents
I find an accurate copy
a blueprint of the pleasure in me
a secret code carved.

Morse code signals
they pulsate
they wake me up
from my hibernating.

On the surface simplicity
but the darkest pit in me
and it's pagan poetry.

Star Trek: Picard

Preview of this upcoming new series in 2020. Get ready to Engage!

Morning Joe on Miller defending Dump's racism

Takes one to know one Miller. They discuss Miller's appearance on Pox Views, and how host Wallace vigorously pushed back on Miller's excuses for blatant racism.

Hartmann: Democracy or capitalism?

There is no middle ground between these two. Hartmann breaks down that the Democratic Party must choose, and to date they have chosen corporate capitalism. If we want true democracy then we must elect many more like The Squad and Sanders into Congress, for they have made the right choice. The only way to get the Party to do so is to vote out the corporate supporters and vote in the social democratic supporters.

Time's up

Time to act. This is why The Squad is necessary to enacting laws that address critical issues like impeachment and climate chaos NOW. We don't have time to triangulate and moderate and placate. Our very lives depend on it.

Another AOC reminder

Reminder of what people are calling the “radical, extreme-left agenda”:

✅ Medicare for All
✅ A Living Wage & Labor Rights
✅ K-16 schooling, aka Public Colleges
✅ 100% Renewable Energy
✅ Fixing the pipes in Flint
✅ Not Hurting Immigrants
✅ Holding Wall Street Accountable

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 18, 2019

Who loves America, AOC or Dump?

The winner and still champion by knock out, Alexandria 'Wonder Woman' Ocasio-Cortez!

We fight to guarantee:
- healthcare
- public college & student loan forgiveness
- enviro protections
- living wages
- basic human rights

We don’t take a dime of corporate money, either.

You:
- Jack up drug prices
- Appoint Betsy DeVos to scam student loans
- Hurt immigrant kids https://t.co/bUsXt1h8uT

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 21, 2019

Real and fake Christianity

Good investigation into this key difference, and what constitutes genuine Christianity. I start the video with the real religious response, as we're far too familiar with the fake, inhumane variety.

Jeffries: American work ethic is stupid

He makes a good case while helping us laugh at our insanity.

Patriotic singers respond to Dump

Love it, real Americans fighting for our freedom of speech for the love of our country.

Proof Dump hates America

So he should go back to where he came from: Hell. And before he completely turns our country into that Hell where he came from.

The Four Squadrants

Do these legislators represent the values and ideals of an integral postmetaphysical spirituality (IPS)? I've often said* that the road to the collaborative commons lies through a healthy version of social democracy and/or democratic socialism. Seems Hanzi Freineicht would agree in his two books. So we need to build that sort of functional socio-economic system as a launching pad to move forward. Seems to me The Squad and the likes of Sanders are trying to create such a launching pad. Green New Deal anyone? Medicare For All? The Nordics have implemented this stuff since forever.

*As but one example, "From capitalism to the collaborative commons," where I elaborate how it reflects an IPS. Also see this prior post for my commentary on Freinacht.

 

Fake Christians

Real hypocrites.

Mindfulness v. McMindfulness

From this piece:

"Some mindfulness educators think that meditating and changing the individual is enough to create a new social order. As I see it, mindfulness can help us gain a more sophisticated relationship with those we consider our enemies. Of course, progressives have to actively oppose white supremacists, sexists, and homophobes, but in the vein of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Jesus, we can fight like hell but with the most compassion possible. [...] Personal mindfulness can be step one, but mindful social action is step two. Ultimately, they are inseparable."

Bezos projects capitalism into space

Yes, space exploration is critical but we need to do it for the right reasons. And Bezos and other futurists want it without awareness or regard for the socio-economic system that has created hell on earth. So dump the earth and take our destruction into space? How about we change our worldview and socio-economic system and do it for the right reasons? And invest most of our time, energy and money into saving this world?

"The saying 'it’s easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism' is very clear in Bezos’ future imaginings. He is unable to challenge the capitalist system from which he’s derived so much wealth. Thus the only positive future he can imagine involves leaving the only planet habitable to human beings. [...] We don’t need space colonies; we need to get rid of billionaires and let the future be decided collectively, instead of letting a few powerful men rule the world."

Their are alternatives to capitalism consistent with the above. As but one example see "From capitalism to the collaborative commons" in this journal issue.

Funny massage

Heather Land's routine on a spaced out masseuse and her response to her.

America: Love it or leave it

Ya snowflake bastards!

Why we progressives love Omar

Because we love our country and that love requires we try to correct it when it's wrong. And we love Omar because she speaks out about  "U.S. imperialism -- and against our essential imperial partners in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Americans are so deeply dipped in U.S. military triumphalism -- including our 'entertainment' and our political culture (Republican AND Democratic) -- that it shocks us when we hear someone speak the unvarnished truth about what our imperial juggernaut is doing to other peoples and regions around the world. This brave young member of Congress is trying to wake up America to how we're seen by most of the world."

Hartmann: Dump conspired to break campaign finance law

Continuing this post, Harmann discusses that it was a campaign finance crime that others have gone to jail for. Cohen went to jail for this specific crime in which Dump conspired, so why aren't we proceeding to impeach Dump?

What if the original Americans said this to the European refugees?

If only.

Compare MFA and Bidencare

Pretty stark differences.

Pelosi's triangulation is really self-strangulation

Article in The Nation. Excerpts:

"It's folly to seek the middle ground while fighting Trump."

"The moderate Democrats are right to think that Pelosi is on their side in the battle against the Squad."

"The war between Nancy Pelosi and the Squad boils down to one-word: triangulation. In the tradition of Bill Clinton, Pelosi and moderate Democrats are positioning themselves as the vital center between the radical right (Donald Trump) and the radical left (the Squad). Triangulation explains not just Democratic infighting but also Pelosi’s decision to dampen down impeachment fervor and to slow-walk (and sometimes stall) investigations into Trump and his administration. [...] The prospect of a rising left scares old-school Democrats."

Mindful meta-awareness

New article in Current Opinion in Psychology by Dunne, Thompson and Schooler. The abstract follows.

"Meta-awareness appears to be essential to nearly all forms of mindfulness practice, and it plays a key role in processes that are central to therapeutic effects of mindfulness training, including decentering—shifting one’s experiential perspective onto an experience itself—and dereification or metacognitive insight—experiencing thoughts as mental events, and not as the things that they seem to represent. Important advances in the conceptualization of meta-awareness in mindfulness have recently been made, yet more clarity is required in order to characterize the type of meta-awareness implicated in the ongoing monitoring of attention and affect, even while attention itself is focused on an explicit object of awareness such as the breath. To enhance research on this form of meta-awareness cultivated in at least some styles of mindfulness, a construct of sustained, non-propositional meta-awareness is proposed."

Don't settle for less

This is the least we can do for our people: Join the rest of the developed world.

Good summation of Dem dilemma

And why we need to vote in many more progressives to replace the Demosaurs who are complicit with this monster to protect their own interests instead of we the people.

UK leaders are with The Squad

From this piece: 

"UK politicians are among the signatories of a message of solidarity with Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley after President Donald Trump suggested they should 'go back' where they came from. The Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and Mayor Sadiq Khan of London were among more than 13,000 signatories of an open letter created by a UK anti-racism group. 'We are disgusted by Donald Trump's attack on you,' the letter said. 'His blatant, unashamed racism has appalled people around the world.'"

Sanders: House passes $15 minimum wage

Here's the story. Bernie encourages us to sign his petition to McConnell to let the Senate vote on it. McConnell won't, but we need to pressure him nonetheless, and use his refusal in the next election.

Republican strategist: McConnell is a disgrace

In response to McConnell's lame misdirection about Dump's obvious racism, Sandra Del Percio said:

"Mitch McConnell is a disgrace to the office he holds. He is a disgrace to this country." She went on: "If you didn't speak out against these [racist] policies then you are against this country."

She finds it harder by the day to remain in the Party. But she will keep up the fight to hold Repugs accountable for their actions or lack thereof.

The Raconteurs - Help Us Stranger

"Warning: May cause an immediate loss of inhibition, spontaneous acts of love and advancement to a higher state of consciousness."

Sanders' major speech on Medicare For All

It's a detailed and irrefutable case.

What ya gonna do now Pelosi?

Continuing this post, one of those other investigations has completed. What ya gonna do now? I'm betting nothing as usual.

"The government confirmed that it has concluded its investigation into hush money payments to an alleged mistress of President Trump’s, in a court filing unsealed Thursday that revealed there was an obstruction of justice aspect to the probe."

Pox's blind cognitive dissonance

They accuse Omar of profanity when she's quoting the Presudunce! F___ing idiots.

Repug white nationalist wet dream

From this insightful article. Hence we must utterly defeat them in the next election before the America we know and love is gone.

"The GOP’s membership is nearly 90 percent white and can only envision carnage and extinction as it looks upon a rights-based, religious, racial and ideologically diverse America. Or, as Lindsey Graham had noted as early as 2012, 'We’re not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term.'

"In short, the United States of America is not really their America. They yearn for a white republic. That’s why they are fighting to recreate the days when, as Archie Bunker sang, 'Guys like us, we had it made.' That’s why they’ve willingly gone along with and participated in a sustained attack on the country itself, allowing it to grow weaker so that they could feel stronger.

"Already, Trump and the Republicans have severely harmed the institutional heft of checks-and-balances. But they’re not done. America’s international reputation and influence rest on enormous economic and military strength, as well as the intangible but all-important 'soft power' brought on by a robust democracy. All three pillars are necessary to sustain America’s nearly global respect and position, yet — and this was the rub — all three are increasingly dependent on more than just whites in the United States to build and sustain. For white America to exist, America must die. And the Republicans have made their choice."

Colbert: The Dump-Epstein connection

Predators of a feather prey together. And Dump's so-called dancing makes Colbert wretch.

Harris: Dump is a coward

Among other things. Her interview with Kimmel last night. Dump "has defiled the Office of the President." She also called him a predator, preying on the weak and in need of help. Oh yeah, and he's a racist and a dictator.

Pelosi's never-ending excuses

Continuing this post, Pelosi's excuse is that the House is conducting investigations into the Presidunce and we must wait to see what they uncover. She said that too about the Mueller investigation, which in itself provides ample evidence to begin an impeachment inquiry. It's just Pelosi's stalling tactic. She simply will not bring impeachment no matter what. So what's her real angle behind this?

The rhetoric of enlightenment

For an upcoming workshop. Reminds me of "Collective enlightenment through postmetaphysical eyes."

The Squad loves America

As do we. It's you we hate for destroying it.

Pelosi's squad votes to table impeachment

The same day the House voted to censure Dump for racism Rep. Green filed articles of impeachment. So Pelosi's establishment squad joined Repugnantans to get enough votes to table the resolution, preventing it from coming to a House vote. Pelosi did not vote to save face, but it was her influence that got her squad to vote against it. Note that without Repugnanant help Pelosi would not have had sufficient votes to table it. Just one more proof on where Pelosi's bread is buttered.

Chris Kläfford makes judges cut on AGT

And is moving on the the live show with this original song.

There is no helping these brainwashed women

These are exactly the people we need to write off, for their brainwashing is so complete that only a therapeutic intervention can help. Fortunately they are far from the majority of voters, so we need to turn a few of those Dump voters that are still open to facts and reason.

The House vote on condemning Dump

Update: Final vote here. 4 Repugs and 1 former Repug had a semblance of decency and voted for it. This is what the Repug Party has become, whatever it once was.

Continuing this post, the House voted. 231 Democrats voted yes, 189 Repugnantans voted no. 3 Dems and 8 Repugs didn't vote. It's on the record that Repugs are either themselves racist or at the very least enabling Dump's racism. In either case they all need to be voted out of Congress, for there is no place at all for racism in our country, let alone in our leaders. Let's repeatedly hammer home this vote for the next election.

Kasparian prefers Sanders

Anna discusses how Warren has flat out stated that should she get the nomination she will take big donor money. Anna likes Warren on a host of issues but this sticking point is a major difference with Sanders, who has pledged not to do so and he hasn't. This is also a sticking point for me, since taking big money isn't even necessary, as Sanders has proven time and again.

Vigeland exposes Dump's swamp network

Damp is the swamp and Emma points out exactly how so.

Cognition tied to bodily movement

From this article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:

"Using electroencephalography and virtual reality, our research provides a unique perspective on the centuries-old open-ended debate in cognitive neuroscience and philosophy on the relationship among cognition, movement, and environment. Our results indicate that cortical potentials vary as a function of bodily affordances reflected by the physical environment. First, the results imply that cognition is inherently related to the potential movement of the body; thus, we posit that action is interrelated with perception, actively influencing the perceivable environment. Second, these results indicate that moving in space is to continuously construct a prediction of a world of affordances, suggesting that architects take up the continuity of spaces, given that the unfolding of bodily movement alters perception and experience."

Reich on corporate welfare

It is the main source of welfare by far and extracts our tax money from public needs to corporate greed. Reich explains. Eliminate corporate welfare and we have plenty of money for working people and the poor. And the corporations still make a healthy profit, just not an unjust one. If we really want to drain the swamp this is the way to do it.

House resolution condeming Dump's racism

This is great. It will force Repugs to vote against it thereby showing their own true stripes. The text is below.

RESOLUTION Condemning President Trump’s racist comments directed at Members of Congress.

Whereas the Founders conceived America as a haven of refuge for people fleeing from religious and political persecution, and Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison all emphasized that the Nation gained as it attracted new people in search of freedom and livelihood for their families;

Whereas the Declaration of Independence defined America as a covenant based on equality, the unalienable Rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and government by the consent of the people;

Whereas Benjamin Franklin said at the Constitutional convention, ‘‘When foreigners after looking about for some other Country in which they can obtain more happiness, give a preference to ours, it is a proof of attachment which ought to excite our confidence and affection’’;

Whereas President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, ‘‘Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists’’;

Pelosi could be handing Dump another victory

This article supports other recent posts. Pelosi's establishment agenda turns off a lot of working class Dem voters because we know she and her corporate squad don't represent us. We do however get excited by The Squad because we know they passionately fight for us, motivating us to get to the polls. Pelosi's attacks on them might solidify her power but it hands elections straight over the Dump and the Repugs. Sad to say we must fight not only Dump but those cronies in our own Party if we ever want a government dedicated to we the people. Long live The Squad!

Hartmann: The winning Dem strategy

He notes that Dump is effectively appealing to his fearful, racist base and that works for him. But the focus on The Squad is showing that Dems need to follow them in appealing to their base of a diverse country of people that needs laws to give them a hand up. The centrist corporate strategy is a loser but it does enrich and empower the establishment leaders, which is apparently what they care about instead of helping we the people. Hence we the people need to greatly expand The Squad in the next election.

Samantha Fish - Bulletproof

Her latest. Lyrics here. She's kicks her bad boy to the curb and rocks us out doing it.

Krystal Ball on Bidencare

Biden releases his healthcare proposal and Ball thinks it's wrong on all counts. Basically it's Obamacare with a public option. Medicare For All polls far higher. Bidencare maintains private insurance, which makes employees dependent on employers, not to mention all the extra costs. And millions will still remain uninsured under Bidencare. If healthcare is a fundamental human right then Bidencare falls far short. Medicare for All is the way to go.