March 24, 2025

How would you like to be a US military pilot flying a classfied mission,

a dangerous mission taking place over enemy territory.

Dangerous under the best of circumstances.

You are responsible for completing the mission and making sure you safely
bring home the entire flight crew.

You then learn that the Secretary of Defense, and other people in the Pentagon,
have leaked all the particulars of the mission ahead of time.
The time, place, aircraft, etc.

Putting you and your crew in grave danger.

Even if you are lucky enough to make it home in one piece,
it is possible your identity and the crew's identity will be discovered as well.
Putting you in more danger.

If your own government doesn't have your back when you risk your life, you are screwed.
How long will Air Force and Navy pilots fly missions under these circumstances?

August 5, 2024

White males make up only 30% of the US population.

Americans currently live under minority rule

1. White men make up only 30% of the US population, however they hold 62% of all elected offices. (Some studies report white males hold up to 71% of elected offices.)

2. Women make up 51% of the US population, but only hold 31% of the elected offices.

3. People of color make up 40% of the US population, but hold only 13% of elected offices.

“I think if we saw these numbers in another country, we would say there is something very wrong with that political system,” said Brenda Choresi Carter. “We would say, ‘how could that possibly be a democratic system with that kind of demographic mismatch?’”


https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/555503-new-study-finds-white-male-minority-rule/

July 18, 2024

It is a done deal.

It's all over but the crying.

July 15, 2024

So what did Vance have to do to get the VP slot?

We know the competition was fierce, with people pulling all kinds of stunts to impress Trump.

And I am sure there was backroom wheeling and dealing.

We know it is not about who could do the best job.
Or who could get the most votes (that would be Nikki Haley.)

So how much cash did Vance have to pony up?
And what else did he have to promise Trump to get the job?

No way Trump would bestow something so valuable without a quid pro quo.

July 13, 2024

US GOP/oligarchs/bribable leaders/MAGA cult are done with democracy.

Democracy no longer serves their need for unlimited power and wealth.

The GOP cannot win by legal means, democracy gets in their way. The GOP ideas are not popular. Most American voters do not want to live under white male christian minority rule, a dark handmaiden tale of dystopia.

The voters want billionaires to pay their fair share and have some regulation to protect the average person from their greed.

Other politicians and leaders are only too happy to take bribes from the rich, all they have to do is pass laws for their benefactors.

Most voters do not like outright in our face greed and corruption.

So the GOP and the rich have decided democracy is over in the US. Install fascism and they too can have what Putin and Xi have in their countries. Total permanent power and access to all US financial assets.

And the MAGA cult is fine with all of this. Democracy means giving certain groups equal rights which they cannot tolerate.

We can see they will use whatever means necessary to damage a US president who is clearly on the side of the American people and supports democracies around the world.

June 30, 2024

Biden will be the nominee.

The name calling and shaming only divides the party.

Most people here are ardent Democrats who want to defeat the PutinGOP/Trump.

We are on the same side and want the same thing.

We either hang together or we will hang separately.

And if Trump comes to office that may not just be a sentimental comment from long ago.

June 25, 2024

Two most important documents in the history of the human race.

And no, not the gd commandments.


1. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE In Congress, July 4th 1776

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.


2. UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION September 17 1787

We The People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.


Edit to Add:

This is my belief:

The US Declaration of Independence, US Constitution and Bill of Rights are the most important human rights documents in the history of humanity.

They are sacred documents written by geniuses. Yes of course there were prior works they borrowed from.

But none of those works are in the same league as our founding fathers' documents.

The thought of "We The People" aways makes me tear up. It is the single most important concept in history.

June 6, 2024

For my 50,000 post: Thank you and appreciation to DU.

Thank you DU for keeping me sane through the long time political reality we slog through. I have been a Democrat since childhood like my father before me. I became a political junkie at 8 years of age when JFK ran against Nixon. It is hard to find kindred spirits, but they are here on DU.

For day to day news, DU is the best site to get accurate news with commentary. When there is breaking news, the only place I want to be is here on DU. Whether good news or bad news, this is the place to get the best information and support.

Thank you for posting provocative, interesting OPs and comments. The liberal viewpoint from walks of life, backgrounds and values; it runs a fascinating gamut.

Despite the variations, the common thread is aways there. The deep love for democracy, and respect for the worth, dignity, value of all humans and our planet. The belief in a fair, free and open society. We value, truth, honesty. And the advancement of cvil rights and a more perfect union.

This is a true community. We listen, we argue, we get testy with each other, at the same time we are kind and supportive.

I have seen people give me very sharp elbows one day, then turn around the next day and stand up for me if someone else has been unfair or wrong. One time a newbie troll attacked me, making absurd and vile statements. Within minutes, DU members jumped on the troll and sent him to oblivion.

I trust this place, I get as good as I give, but we have each other’s backs.

Thank you to the owners for managing one of the best run forums on the internet.

Thank you to the workhorses on this site. The ones who do the heavy lifting, provide the latest news, the videos, the articles, information from other sites. The specialty information by experts who post here, medical, legal, academic, education, business, etc. And those who post anecdotal information of interest.

Please understand that you are not just touching DU members. I read DU every day. My friends, family and neighbors rely on me to provide news, Dem deep weeds and inside baseball news. One of my close relatives is a young Dem attorney who works for a liberal law firm and is in the know. Thanks to DU, when I am with her, I can give her information of interest she didn’t know.

Thank you for the jokes, the humor, the serotonin boost pictures which gives us a welcome break from jarring news. And the specialty posters the photography, music, labor, science, anthropology, food, etc., too many topics to mention all of them.

On a personal note, for most of the time I have been here, I never made OPs. I made comments. I don’t like attention or the limelight. I am a background helper. And introvert. I like the one on one interaction provided by responding to comments. And I don’t think I have much to contribute of value, meriting an OP.

But recently a long time DU member, one I respect and admire, PM’d me out of the blue. They said I should be making OPs. I was taken aback, and didn’t like the idea at all.

After thinking it over, I realized it was my turn to contribute more. So I got off my duff and stepped up to the plate by making a stab at the OP world. So thanks for listen to my .02.

Thank you for letting me be a part of this site. I don’t always see the world like other people do. I grew up in an Irish Catholic military family, moved from pillar to post as a kid, was not always living stateside. Military bases in Southeast Asia were crowded during the Viet Nam war. So we lived off base on the foreign economy. We tried to fit in. Then coming stateside to non military Americans who lived a different life than we had was a challenge. We tried to fit in there too.

Then getting degrees in political science and mental health gave me more of a unique world view, then being a therapist for over 40 years. Cynicism and idealism baked into my DNA.

So a long way around the barn to say thank you for letting me be a part of this site.

June 4, 2024

My visit to Tiananmen Square.

This is a story about Chinese repression of the Tiananmen massacre, even many years after the event.

About 15 years ago, I had the opportunity to visit China for two weeks. I was part of an American group and we were assigned minders and tour guides as we visited many parts of China. (I had visited China in 1999 so was prepared for some of what I experienced.)

The second trip was spectacular in many ways, however, a harsh reminder in terms of government
repression and control.

The group tour started in Beijing, we had a very nice Chinese tour guide; we liked her very much.

We had had a lovely time, we were in high spirits and enjoying the trip.
We left the hotel to visit Tiananmen Square, where there are important museums, halls and monuments.

But things took a dark turn on the bus from the hotel to Tiananmen Square.

The tour guide stepped up to the front of the bus with her microphone.

She said: We are going to Tiananmen Square and I must talk with you about something very important.

The tour guide went on to say: There was an event which occurred quite some time ago in Tiananmen
Square. I have to warn you that I am not permitted to answer any questions about that event.

There will be some serious consequences to me and to my family in the event you even ask me those questions.

I am respectfully requesting that none of you bring up this topic and not one word be spoken about it. I should warn you that there will be officials at Tiananmen Square in plain clothes who will be monitoring all of our conversations when we are there.

At that point we were all shocked but not surprised; we were familiar with the Chinese government.

We got off the bus and were walking around Tiananmen Square and in fact two or three middle-age men in suits, ties and raincoats quietly joined our group and just did their listening. We Americans either remained silent or asked benign questions about building architecture, etc.

It was indeed a sobering experience. I often think about that experience and the MAGA fake courage, sunshine patriot stance. They talk big, carry guns to intimidate people and anonymously threaten people.

Would any of them have the courage to stand up to a fascist regime like the Chinese student so many years ago standing up to a military tank coming at him. Or even the courage of a regular Chinese citizen earning a living by conducting tours in TS knowing any day things could become dangerous for her.

June 2, 2024

What will the Trump trial jury do now?

Will they all go back to their normal routines and fade into history?

Go the talk show circuit, podcasts, etc?

Will they write books?

Become famous?

Become targets for MAGA?

Can the judge control any of this?