Entertianment Overnight -- Happy Birthdays Edition

Wishing happy birthdays today, posthumous and otherwise. First to Harry James,trumpet playing jazz musician born March 15, 1916.

Then, importantly, to Ruth Bader Ginsberg, born this day, March 15, 1933, Thank you and we miss you, ma'am. Do, by all means, rest in peace.

Next up, Mike Love, famously of the Beach Boys, born this day 1941. Thanks for all the great music.

Next up, the incredible Sylvester Stewart, far better known as Sly Stone of, of course, that so-famous and enjoyed group Sly and the Family Stone, born this day 1943. Again, thank you for all that great music and memories. There is only one Sly and there was certainly only one Family Stone.

Then there's Ry Cooder, born March 15, 1947.

Then wishing happy birthday to Daniel "Dee" Snider of Twisted Sister, born today, 1955.

And finally today, last entry, wishing a very happy birthday to William Adams, will.i.am, born this day 1975.

Simple, Intelligent Things We Need to do on Taxes

Republicans are frequently concerned about deficits and deficit spending. At least they are when there is a Democratic Party President like now. Herwith, 3 easy and intelligent things we could do to help solve this problem.

--Raise the corporate tax rate so they pay the same as small businesses. --Raise the tax rate on the rich so they pay the same as the middle-class. --Remove loopholes and increase enforcement. --Dan Price @DanPriceSeattle

Kansans! Do You Know What Your (Republican) Representatives Did Last Week in Topeka?

Seriously, Kansans, do you know what your state government representatives did last week in Topeka? Especially the Republican Party Represntatives? Davis Hammet, once again, gives an exellent, factual recap of just what went on over there.

I personally cannot recommend enough that Kansns at least follow Mr. Hammet and his organization, Loud Light, if not also support him and the group (please). He's doing great work and giving great information on Kansas Statehouse business that literally no other source is, Kansas City Star and all local TV news stations combined and included. If you could and would support him, howver large or small, it would be money extremely well spent, I assure you.He gives these excellent, concise summaries weekly, as this suggests. For me, it's a "don't miss" video each week---and I don't eeen live in the state. Now if Steve Kraske at KCUR would have him on his program and Nick Haines at KCPT on his. If only.

Further Proof Why the US Owes Reparations

Anyone who knows American history--REALLY knows American history--knows we owe African-Americans reparations. This is just one more example and reason. Segregation, legalized segregation, is why our cities all across our nation, including, of course, our own Kansas City, are split by race to this day. Then we had them go to inferior schools, have fewer jobs, if any job at all because they were further away from those jobs and certainly farther away from the better jobs, farther away from transportation and so, finally, they got and would get less money. It's all outrageous. And blatant.

When Will KCPT Stop Blackmailing Us?

Every Spring and Fall, for one week, our local KCPT, Kansas City Public Television, PBS , turns insipid. It's all for fundraising. Like now, this week.

The other 50 weeks it's intelligent and/or entertaining and usually informative. For these 2 weeks, it turns into a blackmailing jukebox. It goes from intelligent to insipid and isnulting. It makes no sense. There has got to be better ways, much better ways to raise money than playing music for Boomers. And trust me, this is coming from a Boomer.

Breonna Taylor, One Year On

It's one year today Breonna Taylor lost her life.

The whole idea that an American citizen, a hard-working, smart, honest ER Technician and former EMT, no less, could be in her own home, at night, around midnight, only to have her front door knocked down and then be shot by police, dead, with 6 shots. Un-freaking-believable. #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor

The Cold Insanity of Our US Capitalism

We, the US, Need Amber Ruffin

The woman is spot on.

America's Inanse, Immoral, Unconscionable Health Care System

No other country in the world does health care the way we do.

And it's killing us. LIterally killing us.

But first, it bankrupts a lot of us. Crazy when what is supposed to be your "health care system" is actually murderous. No?

Quote of the Day -- On Fascism

“The American fascists are most easily recognized by their deliberate perversion of truth and fact. Their newspapers and propaganda carefully cultivate every fissure of disunity .…They claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution..."

"...They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective toward which all their deceit is directed is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection.” --Vice President Henry A. Wallace, April 9, 1944.

Our Gross Wealth Inequality in the US

"Warren Buffet just became the 5th American worth $100 billion. A year ago, there was 1..."

"...The pandemic has minted 50 new U.S. billionaires. Think about how a system that causes so much pain allows for those at the top to gain so much." --Dan Price @DanPriceSeattle

Quote of the Day -- On Today's Republicans

"The D.C. press corps has operated under one basic assumption: both Democrats and Republicans, whatever their ideological differences, ultimately believe in the norms of America’s constitutional government..."

"...Sadly, this assumption is no longer a given." --Dan Rather @DanRather

Know This About Republicans, America

The Republican Party, every member of Congress in the Republican Party, voted against the COVID Relief Plan to help America and Americans just now during this, the most deadly international pandemic in the last more than 100 years. Do you know what they ARE working on and for just now, presently? They have the chutzpah to be working to pass a repeal of the estate tax. It would only benefit the top .1% of the already-wealthiest Americans.

Seriously.From an article at Truthout today: The legislation was unveiled on Tuesday by Senators John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) and John Thune (R-South Dakota) and has been co-sponsored by 24 other Republican senators, or about half of all Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), according to a Kennedy press release. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Missouri) has also introduced similar legislation in the House. The federal estate tax’s current top rate is 40 percent, but thanks to exemptions that grow every year, an estate in 2021 would have to be worth $11.7 million for individuals and $23.4 million for married couples before the estate tax kicks in. The exemption was previously around $5 million but was doubled by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. Because the threshold is so high, an estimated less than 0.1 percent of estate tax returns will pay the federal estate tax for 2020. In other words, Republicans are fighting for a repeal of a tax for the richest 0.1 percent of dead people. These people, these Republicans are not for you and me, America. Well, they aren't for you and me unless you're already wealthy, anyway. And they're blatant about it, too.

The Ever-Changing Chameleon That is Ted Cruz

The beauty that is Ted Cruz. Immigrant bashing Ted Cruz.

Republicans, Crushing American Votes

From The New Yorker today. Their cartoon.

If only it were funny. If only it were only funny.

Question of the Day -- Self-Serving, Greedy Congress Edition

Members of Congress should not be allowed to buy and sell stocks. How is this even a thing? --Citizens for Ethics @CREWcrew

We know why it's a thing, of course, because they benefit from it. The question is, why is it still a thing? This is nuts. We should have put an end to this long ago, long before now. The $174,000 per year salary and all-inclusive, fully paid for health care all their benefits should be enough. It should be more than enough. We must demand an end to even the possibility of this self-serving greed and insider trading.

Sure, the COVID Relief Plan Passed But...

The COVID Relief Plan passed today, thank goodness. It will be signed into law by President Biden this Friday. Meanwhile, something to keep in mind.

Just a reminder that the overwhelming majority of Republicans supported trillions in COVID relief up until the moment Biden became president --Judd Legum @JuddLegum

Just Glad the Republicans Know What's Important

Yes,during the worst, most killing, deadly international pandemic of the last more than 100 years, it's great to know the Republicans and their political party know what's important and on what to focus. So glad they're supporting the COVID Relief Plan in Congress the nation knows we need so badly just now.

Yes, those terrific Republican Party priorities.Political party first and last for these guys, nation, people and Democracy be damned. Thanks, fellas!

Quote of the Day -- On All-Consuming Capitalism

-- Frederic Bastiat, 1801-1850, born Claude Frederic Bastiat, French economist, statesman, and author Mr. Bezos? Mr. Zuckerberg?

Entertainment Overnight -- Mr Biden, Bring My Vaccine

From--who else? Randy Rainbow!

Good night, y'all! Sleep well. And if you haven't already, get that vaccine soon as possible!

On Republicans Disenfranchising Fellow American Citizens So They Win Elections

“American democracy means every eligible person has the right to vote in an election that is fair, open, and secure. Our goal always should be to increase, not decrease, voter participation.” —Former President Jimmy Carter

Our Insane US Healthcare System

No other nation in the world does health care the way we do in the US.

--We have, far and away, the most expensive health care system in the world. --We are the only nation that ties health care to profit. --We are the only nation where citizens go bankrupt from health care costs. --We are the only nation where our number one cause for bankruptcy for citizens is health care costs, approximately 40% of all bankruptcies in the US are from this, year after year, consistently. Insane. Obscene. Immoral. Fixable.

Quote of the Day -- On Un-American Vote Suppression

"43 states are debating 200 different voter suppression bills right now. Today alone, Iowa shortened early voting by a week, and the Georgia Senate passed a bill ending no-excuse absentee voting. We must end the filibuster and pass HR1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act." --Julián Castro @JulianCastro

Republicans, Jim Crow much? Again? Some more? Now? In 2021? Really?

Incredible Missouri Senatorial News Today

Big and surprising news broke this morning as Missouri's own Republican Senator Roy Blunt announced he will not seek reelection in 2022. That was out of the blue. ---Senator Blunt is now the fifth Republican Senator to announce he won't be seeking reelection next go around. It is big news and, I think, a good indication of the state of the Republican Party, too. It's in a shambles, mostly after and because of Donald Trump and his presidency but it's also been tearing itself apart in recent time.

---On top of this is that it's also been announced Mitch McConnell over in Kentucky is setting things up for his exit. It's not enough he is signalling his exit, however, he's apparently trying to set it up within the state that he must be replaced by another member of the same Republican Party, people's wishes be damned. Anyway, it seems at least some of the old guard of the party are moving on and out. ---Jason Kander already came out and said he will not be getting in the race for the job. It will be interesting to see if former Senator Claire McCaskill does get in the race. I would think this helps Scott Sifton in his already running campaign for the job. ---Anyway, fascinating, even positive stuff to start the week, folks! ---Have a great day and week, campers! Onward!

The Incredible Republican Party Year -- So Far

Think about it. In about 2 months this year, it's nearly unimagninable what the Republican Party has done---has gotten away with, really. First, on Janurary 6, of course, the Republican Party President lead an insurrection, an attack on our nation's Capitol and our government resulting in death and harming fellow citizens.This from the supposed "law and order" party. Then, more recently, they followed that up just last week with voting down, every one of their members in Congress voting down a financial relief plan for the nation, for Americans during the worst, most killing, deadly international pandemic in the last more than 100 years. Incredible. Loet's hope, hope, they have now, with this last one, done their worst. For the rest of the entire year. Hey, we can hope.

Quote of the Day -- Republican Party Hypocrisy Edition

"While Trump was president, EVERY Democrat voted for the $2 trillion CARES Act, even though doing so helped Trump. While Biden is president, ZERO Republicans voted for the $1.9 trillion American Relief Plan, because hurting Biden is more important than helping Americans." -- Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen "The disconnect and hypocrisy of elected officials honoring front line, healthcare, daycare, grocery store workers, etc who many don’t make a living wage/$15 an hour, while simultaneously voting against a increase in the minimum wage is absolutely appalling." --Matthew Dowd @matthewjdowd

BREAKING: US Senate Just Passed Biden 's COVID Relief Plan!!!

Fantastic!! It just broke! Our US Senate just passed President Biden's COVID relief plan for Americans and America 50-49!! Fantastic!! Yahooooo!!

The only thing better than this is that NOT ONE Republican voted for it. America, you're getting help. And Republicans didn't support it in any way! Have a great day and weekend!!!

Quote of the Day -- Where We Are Now Edition

"It's so depressing that Donald Trump can incite a violent insurrection and mismanage a pandemic catastrophically in ways that destroy countless lives and livelihoods, but then GOP voter loyalty remains unwavering because they get truly fired up about Dr. Seuss & Mr. Potato Head." --Brian Klaas @brianklaas

The Insanity of What We Let Corporations Get Away With

Dan Price @DanPriceSeattle Amazon, Delta, JetBlue, Alaska, Starbucks, Chevron, GM, FedEx, IBM, Netflix, Halliburton, Deere, Prudential, Coors, Salesforce, Olive Garden, MGM, Eli Lilly, Whirlpool, Goodyear, U.S. Steel, Levi's, Avis. Sorry, just listing a small sample of companies that pay $0 income tax.

Examples of How and Why Jeff Bezos Is Now Worth About 200 Billion?

Check these out as just two examples.

Dan Price @DanPriceSeattle Dec 22, 2020 1. A small business began selling camera tripods on Amazon 2. It reached $3.5 million in sales, 0.001% of Amazon's revenue 3. Amazon copied the tripods exactly and sold them as AmazonBasics tripods 4. Amazon banned the tripod company from Amazon And number two-- Dan Price @DanPriceSeattle · Dec 22, 2020 1. A small business began selling camera tripods on Amazon 2. It reached $3.5 million in sales, 0.001% of Amazon's revenue 3. Amazon copied the tripods exactly and sold them as AmazonBasics tripods 4. Amazon banned the tripod company from Amazon These two examples came from articles in the Wall Street Journal and then CNBC, too, to be clear.