When I was in high school, pregnant girls were sent away to have their babies...

And it was never spoken of. It never happened. She got herself in trouble. The baby was taken away to be raised by a good family. It was done for her own good.

It was not until my middle years that I was able to crystallize my thoughts into words: that a young woman’s first-born child was to be sacrificed on the altar of respectability. I was a good girl: deep down inside I was terrified.

So many sons and daughters were sacrificed for the “sin” of their unauthorized sexuality, while their parents were outraged and heartbroken and righteous and grief-stricken, sometimes all at the same time. Some of those parents only did the best they knew how, and some did the worst.

Times have changed. Oh, how glad I am that times have changed.

Political assassination is a special crime because it disrupts the course of government & replaces i

… with violence. We see this in Mexico and all over South America, where mayors and judges dare not pursue their callings honestly against the cartels or the government lest they join myriads of their fellows in the grave.

We thought we were better than that. We thought we were different. Political assassination was a once in a generation event, so I thought when I was 16 and shattered by the assassination of Bobby’s older brother Jack.

I don’t know when it finally dawned on me that maybe we aren’t better than that any more. But I will tell you this: the insurrection of 1/6/21 is the far end of an arc that started in the Civil War, carried forward by people who believe violence is the answer. Those who assassinated the Kennedy brothers are only markers on that bloody arc.

Political assassination doesn’t just bereave a family: it kills a culture. Them’s the rules.

I really want to know for which conditions "countless human lives" have been saved using dewormer

At the moment I know of only a few for which it may be prescribed for humans: head-lice and scabies, and they are not usually fatal. In addition, in greatly reduced doses Ivermectin may be useful for things like Guinea worm, which is very serious, and several other parasites.

It has no use in the treatment of viruses, ever.

Ivermectin is, in fact, a livestock dewormer, and the size of doses for cattle and horses is dangerous to humans.

Altho you joined several years ago, apparently you haven’t been lurking much throughout the pandemic. Let me clue you in about where we are now.

DU has passed through the flames of overwhelming grief and has given support for attempts at education and compassionate understanding of those who will not get vaccinated, and we have come way out the other side of those flames of grief to rage at realizing most of non-vaccinated have swallowed Trump’s lies and have no capacity to accept reality.

There are nurses who experience patients so deluded that they will not accept a COVID diagnosis even when hospitalized, and waste what precious breath they have left demanding medication that will “cure” them of the “flu” — they yell at the nurses right up until the point they are intubated. Other patients find all their delusions get stripped away when they get hospitalized, and tearfully ask if they can have the vax now, only to be told it it too late for that.

There are DUers with loved ones who are among the refusniks, and there is nothing we can do about them except pray to whatever god we think will listen for the safety of these fools. And we weep for them.

There are DUers who have been exposed, who have been sick, who have been very very sick.

Chances are extremely good that COVID fatalities have been undercounted. All things considered, I think the US will lose 1,000,000 people of all ages before this is over.

We are not the enemy.

You are right: that's some Class-A Ratfcking right there. I assume you have it bookmarked...

… for yourself. I had a whole collection of research articles on Tulsi Gabbard back when she was running for President that I would drag out as needed.

Inserting your post into my reply so I can add it to my Journal. I don’t know how else to save it by itself.

Celerity
On a serious note, she and Manchin are advising the renegade 9 conservadems who are trying to

ratfuck Biden and Pelosi with the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill.. Also involved are the odious RW backed 'centre-right-wearing bi-partisan clothes' stalking horse Problem Solvers and their Lieberman-run (and RW billionaire founded and funded for the most part) No Labels parent group. Many from that Problem Solvers group where the ones who led the charge against Pelosi for speaker as well.


Manchin and Sinema lead the Democrat mutiny against Nancy Pelosi by telling moderates NOT to back the $3.2TRILLION budget until the $1.2trillion infrastructure deal is signed

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9908843/Manchin-Sinema-lead-mutiny-against-Pelosi-telling-moderates-NOT-3-5-TRILLION-budget.html





Manchin and Sinema advising House centrists

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/democratic-standoff-manchin-sinema-advising-230407254.html

Centrist Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema are reportedly advising — and encouraging — the nine moderate House Democrats who are threatening to derail the party’s $3.5 trillion budget plan containing major portions of President Biden’s economic agenda.

The nine House members have threatened to withhold their support for the budget blueprint unless House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) agrees to a quick vote on the $ 1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by the Senate.

Axios’s Hans Nichols reports that Manchin (WV) and Sinema (AZ) “are helping allies in the House to stake out — and defend — their centrist position” and are providing advice on negotiations with the White House and congressional leadership. Both senators voted for the budget resolution but have expressed concern about the cost of the Democratic spending plan it outlines. No Labels, a group that advocates for bipartisan legislation, is also backing the House moderates with a reported six-figure ad buy on national cable.

Pelosi reportedly referred to the House moderates’ pressure tactics as “amateur hour” on a leadership call early this week and has held fast to her plan for a vote next week on the $3.5 trillion budget resolution. “Pelosi’s plan is, essentially, to stare them down and to let them feel what it’s like to have the sensation of an entire party, and the future of that party’s agenda, bearing down on them,” Slate’s Jim Newell writes.







9 Moderate Democrats Threaten To Derail Pelosi's Infrastructure And Budget Plan

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/13/1027371749/moderate-house-democrats-infrastructure-budget-vote-pelosi

Nine moderate House Democrats warned Speaker Nancy Pelosi they won't vote for a budget resolution critical to passing Democrats' $3.5 trillion social policy package unless the House first passes a Senate-approved infrastructure bill, a move that threatens to derail the party's economic agenda.

"Some have suggested that we hold off on considering the Senate infrastructure bill for months — until the reconciliation process is completed. We disagree," the lawmakers wrote Thursday in a letter to Pelosi. "With the livelihoods of hardworking American families at stake, we simply can't afford months of unnecessary delays and risk squandering this once-in-a-century, bipartisan infrastructure package. It's time to get shovels in the ground and people to work."

The letter is signed by Reps.

Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey,
Carolyn Bourdeaux of Georgia,
Filemon Vela of Texas,
Jared Golden of Maine,
Henry Cuellar of Texas,
Vicente Gonzalez of Texas,
Ed Case of Hawaii,
Jim Costa of California and
Kurt Schrader of Oregon.

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/house-moderate-letter/5b8ef8791c8e4abe/full.pdf


We’ve obtained the donor list for No Labels. It’s filled with the biggest names in private equity and hedge funds

How No Labels Went From Preaching Unity to Practicing the Dark Arts

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-no-labels-went-from-preaching-unity-to-practicing-the-dark-arts


The Slick “No Labels” Plan to Duck Debate, Cut Social Security and Coddle the 1%

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-slick-no-labels-effor_b_1678389


Policy group No Labels hires Mark Halperin years after sexual harassment scandal

https://www.axios.com/mark-halperin-sexual-harassment-hires-no-labels-053919e1-486a-4c77-97d8-c1dbd2a73723.html




Bipartisan ‘No Labels’ group’s super PAC network revealed: mega Chicago donors

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/3/12/18316470/bipartisan-no-labels-group-s-super-pac-network-revealed-mega-chicago-donors

With a boost from Chicago-area mega donors, including White Sox and Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, No Labels, a group advocating bipartisanship in Congress, has created a network of super PACs to influence the 2018 elections — but doesn’t want its fingerprints on the money.

One of the super PACs, United for Progress Inc., has spent $740,334 as of Sunday to bolster Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., in his March 20 Illinois Democratic primary battle with Marie Newman in the 3rd Congressional District. The names of the super PACS don’t link them to No Labels. A Sun-Times investigation determined super PACS related to No Labels include: United for Progress Inc.; Citizens for a Strong America Inc.; United Together; Govern or Go Home; and Forward, Not Back.

The Sun-Times inquiry included interviews with donors or their representatives and an examination of documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. United for Progress, Inc., is playing political hardball, attacking Newman in the commercials and direct mail pieces it paid for. Lipinski is part of a No Labels offshoot, the congressional “Problem Solvers Caucus.”

snip

THE ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS: Last year, a No Labels leader, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, was a draw at a meeting at the Chicago Club, 81 E. Van Buren. Lieberman was the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who became an Independent senator from Connecticut.

snip



No Labels funds dishonest attacks against Marie Newman to boost Blue Dog Dan Lipinski

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/13/1748758/-Centrist-group-No-Labels-funds-dishonest-attacks-against-Marie-Newman-to-back-Blue-Dog-Dan-Lipinski

Well what do you know: It turns out the mysterious super PAC called United for Progress, which has spent at least $740,000 to help conservative Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski in his primary against progressive challenger Marie Newman, received much of its funding from the aggressively centrist group No Labels and billionaire mega-donor Jerry Reinsdorf, who is chairman of both the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls. No Labels promotes the same sort of naive #bothsides mentality that plagues the world of cable news punditry, and even went so far as to moronically label Donald Trump a "problem solver" during his presidential campaign.

While support from No Labels itself should be a mark of shame for any Democrat running in a safely blue district like this one, the mailer they've been funding is even more disgraceful. It takes the guise of an ominous fake-but-official-looking letter from "Illinois Restaurant Enforcement" that claims the restaurant Newman once owned was guilty of health code violations, then proceeds to outright lie about the economic impact of the single-payer healthcare plan Newman supports.



One would expect to see Republicans launch these sorts of dishonest attacks against a progressive challenger, not those who support a nominal Democratic incumbent. And it's one more reason why Democrats in this 55-40 Clinton district can do a whole lot better than Dan Lipinski.

snip




Delusional Group Declares Donald Trump a ‘Problem Solver’

The only problem Trump could solve is that we don’t have a dumb enough president

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/delusional-group-declares-donald-trump-a-problem-solver-58107/

Here are some labels that apply to Donald Trump:

–Racist
–Egomaniac
–Bloviator
–Delusional
–Liar
–Asshole

On Monday, the nonpartisan group No Labels gave him a new, and hilarious, one: problem solver.

Six presidential candidates – Democrat Martin O’Malley and Republicans Ben Carson, Chris Christie, John Kasich, Rand Paul and Trump – signed the organization’s Problem Solver Promise, officially making them No Labels Problem Solvers. The group says it will bestow the label on any candidate who signs its meaningless pledge.

No Labels declined to make an exception for Trump – the candidate who has proposed, among many other things, building a giant border wall, deporting 11 million people, banning Muslims from entering the country and shutting down mosques. In just the last two days, he’s come out in favor of direct head-to-head collisions in the NFL and elephant torture.

snip



‘Holocaust Denier’ Smear Hits Tight Chicago Area Congressional Primary

https://forward.com/fast-forward/396658/holocaust-denier-smear-hits-tight-chicago-area-congressional-primary/

A heated Democratic congressional primary race in suburban Chicago has reached a new low, as accusations of Holocaust denial are falsely hurled at progressive challenger Marie Newman.

Newman, who is seeking to unseat the incumbent Dan Lipinski as the Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 3rd congressional district, has staked a liberal position, hoping it would convince Democrats to chose her way over that of Lipinski, a “blue dog” Democrat known for his more conservative views.

In recent days, Newman claimed, voters have been receiving text messages from activists with the Washington-based No Labels group, trying to convince voters not to support her. In one instance, a voter receiving the text message informed the sender that he has already decided to vote for Newman, not Lipinski. “His opponent is a Holocaust denier among other things,” the Lipinski supporter texted back. In a second exchange, the voter was told again about Newman: “Did you know she’s a Holocaust denier.”

Newman accused Lipinski of “playing politics with a tragedy in human history that cost the lives of millions—and which deeply affects those of Jewish heritage, including my husband and his family.” Lipinski is considered one of the few endangered Democratic incumbents in the nation due to the tight primary. The winner should easily beat a Republican challenger in the district that voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a healthy 16% margin.

snip


Group Tied To Lipinski Says Marie Newman Is 'A Holocaust Denier'

IL-3 Democratic challenger Marie Newman claims group tied to Congressman Dan Lipinski is texting voters saying she's a 'Holocaust denier.'

https://patch.com/illinois/oaklawn/group-tied-lipinski-claims-she-s-holocaust-denier


LA GRANGE, IL -- Challenger Marie Newman is calling out Congressman Dan Lipinski for running a "dishonest machine-style campaign" after some of her supporters complained of receiving text messages stating that Newman is a "Holocaust denier." Newman and Lipinski are said to be in a statistical dead heat in the contentious Democratic primary in Illinois's 3rd Congressional District. Supporters said they began receiving the text messages this past weekend.

A woman who identifies herself as "Leslie Benjamini" from the Washington, D.C.-based No Labels group -- a political centrist organization comprised of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who aim to combat partisan dysfunction in politics by focusing on bipartisan problem solving -- texted a voter asking him if he planned to vote for Dan Lipinski in the March 20 Democratic primary. When the the receiver stated he is voting for Newman, Benjamini states that Lipinski's opponent is a Holocaust denier. Benjamini tells the receiver to look up "No Labels, a new group that is trying to get government working again." The message goes on to state that Lipinski is a "believer in this group."

"His opponent is a Holocaust denier among other things," the text goes on to say. "Please educate yourself before you vote. All I ask."

Lipinski does have an opponent who is a Holocaust denier who is running as the lone candidate in the Republican primary in Illinois' 3rd District, avowed neo-Nazi Art Jones of Lyons. In the second message sent to the Newman supporter, Benjamini mistakes the receiver's phone number for his mother's.

"For the second time I am NOT [NAME] … she is my mother and she hosted a fundraiser for Marie Newman. And for the record, I voted for her early Saturday [March 10]." "Thanks for voting," Benjamini texts back. "Did you know she's a Holocaust denier."

The No Labels group based in Washington, D.C., was founded in 2010. The group strives to "create a vibrant New Center that supports leaders who put country before party." No Labels inspired the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of congressional members that includes Lipinski. A Chicago Sun-Times investigation has also tied No Labels to such Super PACS as United for Progress Inc. As of late, United for Progress Inc. has been sent out a flurry of political hit pieces attacking Newman's progressive agenda, as well as TV and radio commercials

An angry Newman demanded an apology from Lipinski, accusing the congressman of running "dishonest machine campaign."


snip





‘No Labels’ Needs A Warning Label

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-no-labels-mark-pocan_n_5c06b110e4b0cd916fb0b042

I was duped.

When I was elected to Congress in 2012, I attended the Bipartisan Program for Newly Elected Members of Congress at Harvard University. I was so excited to be a member of a branch of government for the most awesome country on the planet. At the program, one of the presentations was from a group named No Labels. The organization put forward a proposal for governing that meant working across the aisle to solve problems and stopping the gridlock in Washington. I was excited! While I was a strong progressive in the Wisconsin Legislature, that was my governing approach. By working with people who do not always agree with you, you find out what you have in common and you can get good things done.

snip

However, things quickly went south. I attended a few meetings at the outset, but the rhetoric wasn’t about finding ways to get things done and breaking gridlock ― rather it was more about finding more centrist, more corporate and more special interest-focused things to do. Soon thereafter, No Labels became involved in elections with a closely contested U.S. Senate race in Colorado, backing Republican Cory Gardner over Democrat Mark Udall. That didn’t seem right. A group that wasn’t supposed to pick labels was doing exactly that: picking a label. When asked to join the Problem Solvers Caucus, members were never told that this would be part of the program.

snip

I drifted away from the organization, as apparently did most people who thought it was focused on trying to break through the gridlock in Washington. No Labels’ membership has dwindled steadily since 2015. Fast-forward to the past few weeks, when No Labels’ Problem Solvers Caucus tried to threaten Nancy Pelosi’s speakership. While No Labels was originally advertised as a group committed to getting things done and breaking gridlock, it now seems more focused on stopping Pelosi and providing a fast track for special interests and lobbyists.

Worse, this past week I’ve read a few articles regarding what No Labels has been up to in the last couple of years. First, the organization spent almost twice as much helping re-elect Republicans as it spent helping Democrats. Second, reporters reviewed email correspondence that showed No Labels contemplating a plan to attack Pelosi and use her leadership as a wedge to divide congressional Democrats. And third, it’s clear that No Labels never had any meaningful ultimatums or demands on rules for leadership during eight years of a Republican-led House, or over the last four years of a Republican-led Senate. No Labels only has challenges for Democratic leadership in the House, specifically, for our next speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

That sure seems like a label to me. Look, I get it. No Labels is slick, and I got duped. But no other current or newly elected member of Congress should fall for its shtick. No Labels is a centrist, corporate organization working against Democrats with dark, anonymous money to advance power for special interests. Period.

snip

If you get MSNBC at all I highly recommend DVRing both Nicolle Wallace & Rachel Maddow...

They seldom have an off day or bad guest, but today they were both superb.

Rachel had the sleepless Richard Engel on from Afghanistan, and she let him say his piece in full. She also gave a stunning rundown of how Trump and Pompeo set this up with their “deal” with the Taliban 18 months ago, complete with telling the Taliban when we’d be pulling out.

The Taliban used their time to the fullest, going out to villages and provinces and making deals of their own, all the way up and down the line. So when the great day came, the so-called president flew out with his family and friends and a shit tonne of cash — and the Taliban took Kabul without firing a shot. They took possession of the Capitol rather professionally, in the sense that unlike our 1/6 insurrectionists they were neatly dressed and didn’t feel the need to desecrate the building. They now have themselves a country. That doesn’t make them nice people, but it does show they are a lot smarter that we’ve given them credit for.

Furthermore, while I'm doing this brain dump, Rachel posed 2 questions about the US contributions to this fiasco, namely incredible sums of money and incredible amounts of military hardware. The country was poor when we came and it is still poor now. The elites skimmed off most of the money and the poor in the city got jobs building fancy gated neighborhoods for them, in full-on dictator-chic (as she called it). The poor in the countryside got approximately bupkis.

As for the military hardware, a lot of it has been destroyed by our troops on the way out, but so much remains that she reckons the Taliban are now the best-equipped of their kind in the world. All that and their own country, too.

Nicolle’s show is called Deadline Whitehouse and airs at 4:00 Eastern/1:00 California. They decided to give her 2 whole hours, but I can’t always do all of it.

Rachel’s show is of course The Rachel Maddow Show, and airs at 9:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm California, and repeats at 12:00 midnight Eastern/ 9:00 pm California.

Here's a 2017 article in The Diplomat about how many empires were broken in the Hindu Kush....