March 1, 2017

Tomi Lehren /Tabby Lexus/Toni Lobotomy blocked me on twitter - Akilah

This vid is so worth it ...

And I love Akilah

"Tabby Lexus represents the paradox that is rampant in the anti-sjw , meninist, alt-right segment of the universe where every opinion is reactionary, and while they rail against people who actively want to make the world better ( regardless of how they are sometimes misguided ) they contribute nothing but their own hurt feelings at actions that really do not affect them"

March 1, 2017

Jimmy Carter and Trump. Compare and Contrast.

President Carter, April 25, 1980:

"Our rescue team knew and I knew that the operation was certain to be difficult and it was certain to be dangerous. We were all convinced that if and when the rescue operation had been commenced that it had an excellent chance of success. They were all volunteers; they were all highly trained. I met with their leaders before they went on this operation. They knew then what hopes of mine and of all Americans they carried with them.

To the families of those who died and who were wounded, I want to express the admiration I feel for the courage of their loved ones and the sorrow that I feel personally for their sacrifice.

The mission on which they were embarked was a humanitarian mission. It was not directed against Iran; it was not directed against the people of Iran. It was not undertaken with any feeling of hostility toward Iran or its people. It has caused no Iranian casualties."

Tropicana Jong Ill:

February 28th, 2017

"This was something that was, you know, just - they wanted to do...... And they came to see me and they explained what they wanted to do, the generals, who are very respected....

"And they lost Ryan..."

February 25, 2017

Keith Ellison:

"We don't have the luxury to walk out of this room divided."

A good result with Perez heading and Ellison as deputy.

Now we move forward.

February 24, 2017

Remember the amazing question that BBC reporter asked Pence at the NATO press conference?

"Who should European Leaders listen to?"

"Can they be certain that what you say, the assurances you give, won't be contradicted in a tweet or a statement at a press conference tomorrow?"

One of the assurances Pence gave was that press freedoms are not under attack.

Our allies now know his answer to that question is a lie.

Good luck with damage control in the future Mike.

February 24, 2017

The Shallow State

"The shallow state is in many respects the antithesis of the deep state. The power of the deep state comes from experience, knowledge, relationships, insight, craft, special skills, traditions, and shared values. Together, these purported attributes make nameless bureaucrats into a supergovernment that is accountable to no one. That is a scary prospect. But the nature of bureaucracies, human nature, inertia, checks and balances, and respect for the chain of command makes it seem a bit far-fetched to me. (The bureaucracy will drive Trump, like many presidents, mad, and some within it will challenge him, but that’s not the same thing.)

The shallow state, on the other hand, is unsettling because not only are the signs of it ever more visible but because its influence is clearly growing. It is made scarier still because it not only actively eschews experience, knowledge, relationships, insight, craft, special skills, tradition, and shared values but because it celebrates its ignorance of and disdain for those things. Donald Trump, champion and avatar of the shallow state, has won power because his supporters are threatened by what they don’t understand, and what they don’t understand is almost everything. Indeed, from evolution to data about our economy to the science of vaccines to the threats we face in the world, they reject vast subjects rooted in fact in order to have reality conform to their worldviews. They don’t dig for truth; they skim the media for anything that makes them feel better about themselves. To many of them, knowledge is not a useful tool but a cunning barrier elites have created to keep power from the average man and woman. The same is true for experience, skills, and know-how. These things require time and work and study and often challenge our systems of belief. Truth is hard; shallowness is easy."

- David Rothkopf, The Shallow State

February 24, 2017

Lawrence O'Donnell picked up on something I missed...

.. having to do with dress and fashion.

Trump is obsessed with personal appearance, was annoyed by Sean Spicer's* suit, even John Bolton's moustache was too intolerable for him, yet Steve Bannon, his closest advisor, looks like a bum.

What you wear speaks volumes, whether you dress to impress or dress to offend - even if you dress without a care.

Trump's rules of attire don't apply to Bannon and the message he's sending is: Trump has no power over me.

February 24, 2017

How many times must the intersection of class and racial discrimination be explained?

I've run out of paper to draw road maps.

Run out of pencils and the ink in my pen is dry.

I don't even have a crayon for this ish.

I am tired repeating myself to people online and offline.

But I now realise it should not be my burden to explain shit.

February 23, 2017

Utah leaders acknowledge immigrants' contribution to state's economy

An analysis of cost vs contribution.

This is why presidents have largely kept silent on this, and why immigration reform makes sense.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/4966627-155/utah-leaders-acknowledge-immigrants-contribution-to?fullpage=1

February 23, 2017

Tim Wise is bringing it..

"Aside from the sheer spitefulness and bigotry the lay behind the Trump Administration's decision to rescind the Obama guidance for schools (which had required schools to allow students to use restrooms corresponding to their gender identity), there is something else I think we need to note and which is rarely discussed. Namely, that transphobia is, at its root, largely about fragile masculinity.

How do we know this? Simple: in all the uproar over which bathroom trans folks should use, the only example ever dredged up by transphobes is the "biological" (at birth) male, who dresses as a woman (note, transphobes often think trans people are basically just cross-dressers), and then molests little girls in the women’s room at Target or some such thing. Aside from the obvious responses — there are no examples of this ever happening, and men have never needed trans bathroom protections to molest little girls, nor have they felt the need to dress as women for the purpose — notice what the example signifies. These fears imply that all trans people are trans women (persons whose sex and gender assignment at birth were both male). But what of trans men?

If someone is born biologically a woman and assigned that identity at birth, but their true gender identity is male and they live as a male, present as male — and perhaps even have undergone gender confirmation surgery — do the transphobes really want that person to go to the women’s room? I doubt it. But that is what their preferred policy would dictate that person should do. Which means they aren’t thinking about such persons at all. Because if they were they would probably be freaked out that these masculine looking “women” (in their limited worldview) were going to be in such restrooms with their little precious Becky. The fact that they don’t think of trans men in the least suggests that their phobia is more about policing masculinity and punishing those “men” who do not meet their expectations of manhood or who fail to identity with it at all. It is as if they are so afraid of their own sexuality and identity that any consideration of a person born “male” but who is actually a woman confounds their very sense of self.

Transphobia, in short, is less about fear of the other and more about fear of the self: fear of one’s own often complex sexuality, fear that perhaps gender identity and sexual identity are fluid and not binary — and thus, are complicated and messy and not simple and easy to understand. Simple minded people like simple minded answers about the world. Complexity scares them. Indeed complexity and nuance and ambiguity are the first casualties of, and the greatest fears of, reactionary thinking.

Which is why when people suggest that trans folks are disordered they have it exactly backwards. It is they who are disordered. They operate on the basis of irrational fears and biases, and an irrational hostility to human complexity. If anyone needs counseling it is the transphobe, not the trans man or woman."

- Tim Wise

February 23, 2017

I'm beyond the silliness of "establishment" arguments. Let's remember..

The lesson of 2016 should be the importance of Unity. Regardless of who wins the DNC chair - I honestly don't give a squirrel's ass who wins - should be supported.

21stCentury brings with it challenges- and I care because I'm a millennial. Solutions to dealing with these challenges are baked in Democratic policy.

Manufacturing jobs were a big concern during the election but they began to wane in the 70's and started to reach crisis levels in the 80's. Wages were no longer in sync with productivity gains. Worse yet, businesses/corporations obsessed with short term profit were only too eager to throw workers under the bus and lay them off whenever there was a whiff of economic turmoil.

Now we're approaching the age of automation, and it won't be stopped. Trump thinks unlimited drilling will bring back jobs, however while Oil production is on the rise, jobs in this industry have dwindled... and why? Because drilling rigs are fast becoming robotized and operated by someone with a computer so there are fewer opportunities for field hands. Trump's proposed tax cuts won't be a respite either because whatever increased profits businesses gain will likely be spent towards automation, mechanization and computerization of their businesses or they'll simply share these profits in dividends to shareholders.

Trump claimed he won't touch Medicare, yet he appointed Tom Price and Mick Mulvaney: two extremists who have different ideas.

Democrats, on the other hand, understand the need to push for higher wages, ensure a secure safety net, shifting to renewable technologies and the importance of a social dividend. As middle class jobs and even service jobs become threatened, it will be Democrats who have the right vision to steady us in uncertain times.

So I am beyond the silliness of who is establishment and who is not, once party leadership grasp the importance of these things and messaging our solutions to constituents we have a fighting chance because we have the better policies.