Things I Thought We'd Never See--Things I though America Was Better Than, Smarter Than

 

I thought we, the US, were all smarter, better, more educated and so beyond the likes of Donald Trump-- and his followers. 

I thought we were better, far better than self-serving, greedy, misogynistic, homophobic, racist, white supremacist Donald J Trump.

I thought we were far better than an insurrection.

I thought we were far better than a treasonous, traitorous attack on our nation's Capitol.

I was so wrong. So very wrong.

Entertainment Overnight -- Memorial Edition

For Eva Cassidy, died this day, November 2, 1996.  So wrong. What a loss. So tragic.

From Wikipedia:

In 1993, Cassidy had a malignant mole removed from her back. Three years later, during a promotional event for the Live at Blues Alley album in July 1996, Cassidy noticed an ache in her hips, which she attributed to stiffness from painting murals while perched atop a stepladder.[11] The pain persisted and X-rays revealed a fracture. Further tests found that cancer had spread to her bones, causing the fracture, as well as to her lungs.[20] Her doctors estimated she had three to five months to live. Cassidy opted for aggressive treatment, but her health deteriorated rapidly. On September 17,[20] at a benefit concert for her at the Bayou, she made her final public appearance, closing the set with "What a Wonderful World" in front of an audience of family, friends, and fans. Additional chemotherapy was ineffective and Cassidy died on November 2, 1996 at her family's home in Bowie, Maryland.[2][11][21] In accordance with her wishes, her body was cremated and the ashes were scattered on the lake shores of St. Mary's River Watershed Park, a nature reserve near Callaway, Maryland.[2]

Entertainment Overnight -- Birthday Edition

Wishing a very, very happy birthday today to one young Ben Platt, Benjamin Schiff Platt, born this day, September 24, 1993. And thank you, so much, already, for the music and memories and such great music.

On This Day, 1933

On this day, May 26, 1933, country music pioneer and legend Jimmie Rodgers died of complications from tuberculosis at age 35 in New York City, somewhat ironically.

Republicans, Our Votes and Our Democracy

Where we stand, Mr. and Mrs. America. They and their csandidates and office holders and platforms and political party are so very unpopular with most of Americans, all they have is still more, heightened vote suppression.

And so, our nation, that Democracy I was talking about?

Vote suppression.Of fellow, tax paying American citizens. It's all they've got. #VoteThemAllOut

We Need the American Jobs Plan

Hoping everyone is on board with President Biden's American Jobs Plan. Americans need it, America needs. Heck, look at Missouri alone. This is from USA Today, June 29, 2013. Missouri was ranked 10th worst, overall, in list of states with bad bridges.

Since 2011, Missouri may have made more strides fixing its bridges than almost any other state in the nation. Although 3,502 of its 24,072 bridges are structurally deficient, this is actually 640 fewer than in 2011. In St. Louis County, just 3.9% of the 865 bridges received a subpar grade. Those 58 bridges in need of repair carry an average of 789,000 vehicles per day. However, the bridges in many other parts of Missouri remain in a serious state of disrepair. In five counties, more than 30% of the bridges are structurally deficient. Phone your Senators, folks. Sure, they're Republicans and it likely won't matter but hey, we have to try.

KCPT Fixed Their "Week In Review" Problem

What a surprise. I've written a few times here that Kansas City Public Television's show "Week in Review" had real issues of representation on their program. It was virtually always 3 white people and a Black man and that was it. Not one Hispanic or Latinx person represented usually on their panel. Once in a while, yes. Usually, regularly, no. Absolutely not.

So how did they fix it? They didn't have even ONE guest on the program for a panel whatever. Problem solved? Ironically, as Nick Haines interviewed Mayor Quinton Lucas on the show tonight, the Mayor mentioned his own going to the West side of the city on Cinco de Mayo to talk to the Hispanic citizens there. Pretty hilarious. At least he recognizes there is a Hispanic community here and they need to be included.

Kansas Lowers Concealed Carry Age to 18??

Couldn't believe what I read. And it took place at the beginning of the month. I don't know how I missed it. Yes, the Kansas statehouse overrode Governor Kelly's veto and lowered the concealed carry age to 18 years. Insane.

And they're not--repeat NOT--putting any exceptions on college campuses or universities. That's going to be a really good mixture right there, isn't it? No permit required and it can't be open carry--big deal--and the students don't have to be registered with the school. Brilliant. Let's have the administration fly blind as to who may or may not have a weapon. Can you imagine if you had a student who clearly didn't seem to care for you and who also might not have a good, stable emotional base but you don't and can't know if maybe he's carrying a weapon? That's brilliant right there. If they do conceal carry on campus, they do have to be 21 but other than that, Katy bar the door. And if they don't have to register anyway, who's to say an 18 to 20 year old isn't going to carry? Legislators? Republicans? Do you ever really think these things out?

They're fighting citizens being able to vote over there, they're that unpopular, but hey, more guns! is always an answer, right? Not be outdone, Missouri Senate approves a bill seeking to nullify federal gun laws. It's that terrific? God help us all. We have GOT to vote out Republicans, state to state, all across the nation. Let's do this.

Question for Kansas City Public Television

You have someone named Vickie Diaz-Camacho telling us how great KCPT is in your advertising but you can't get an Hispanic or Latinx person on "Week In Review" every week?

Seriously?

Why We Need the For the People Act--What It Does

Please contact your Senators this week and ask them to support, vote for the For the People Act.

Explaining Fox, the Right Wing and Today's Republican Party

Carl Sagan said it so right and true, all those years ago. And now it's all made worse, much worse, with Donald Trump and his supporters.

Don't think it's true? Search the headline: Republican reps declare Jan.6 insurgency 'a normal tourist visit' from 'peaceful patriots'

The Craziness That is the GOP Now

So it's been done. Republicans voted to oust Lix Cheney from her positino in their party because she wouldn't support the lie that Donald Trump won the election last November. Insane that's still going on. So here we are.

I love quoting Republicans themselves on this situation.

The insanity that is today's Republicans Party.

Joe Walsh has been speaking up about them for some time.

We must vote them all out.

Don't Let Anyone Say President Biden Is Doing Nothing at the Southern Border

Check this out. For any and every member of the Republican Party who might try to say President Biden is ignoring or doing nothing for or about the situation on the Southern border:

“At the end of March, there were more than 5,000 children in Customs & Border Protection Patrol stations. Today, that number is approximately 600…. The amount of time children spend in CBP facilities is down by 75% — from 131 hours at the end of March to under 30 hours now.” --Heather Cox Richardson

Today's Republican Party, Disenfranchising Millions of Taxpaying American Citizens

We must stop and not allow, no way allow Republican Party vote suppression in any state in our Union. It's un-American. It's un-democratic. It's anti-democracy.

Please contact your Senators in Washington, DC. Tell them to vote FOR the For the People Act so we end gerrymandering by any and all poltical parties and get the dark money out of politics and get ethics back into our government.

Missouri's Senator Josh Hawley Gets More Media

And thank goodness. We can never forget the January 6 treasonous, traitorous, killing insurrection and attack on our nation's Capitol.

Kansans! Last Week in Topeka!

Once again, Davis Hammet of Loud Light does an excellent job of summarizing last week in the Topeka, Kansas Statehouse. It happened to be the last week of the session this year. You can follow him on YouTube and Facebook at Loud Light. If possible and you can support him, you might make a one time contribution to his work and efforts and reporting or, even better, a recurring, monthly contribution.

Let's Be Clear About What the Republicans Are Doing to Our Elections and Vote

I hadn't heard of this man or his quote but it certainly seems to describe the Republicans' efforts, individually as well as by the political party, across the nation, to disenfranchise likely millions of fellow, taxpaying citizens.

Stop vote suppression.

What Gives Me Hope

This is, of course, what's happening to the GOP, the Republican Party presently and it's from the inside. They're doing it to themselves.

I just hope they collapse before they bring down the nation.

The More Things Change...

From the "More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same" file. As it says, this was created around 1930 during the smallpox virus of the day.

Get vaccinated. Get the vaccine, folks. It's for yourself, your family, friends and all of us out here.

Things You Think You Know

I was sure, once Richard Nixon was gone, that Republicans had done their worst and we would never again, at least in my lifetime, ever do as badly as that man in the White House again.

I couldn't have been more wrong.