Ladies and Gentlemen, Today's Republican Party

Robert Reich rightly calls out the Republicans for who and what they are and work for. I love who he put on the opening screen, don't you?

Entertainment Overnight -- Birthday Edition

First birthday up today, wishing a very happy, if posthumous, birthday today to one Audrey Kathleen Ruston, Audrey Hepburn, born this day, May 4, 1919. Second, a happy birthday to Walter Maynard Ferguson, born May 4, 1928. Then there's Richard Anthony Monsour, known professionally as Dick Dale, born May 4, 1937. Next up, a happy birthday to Tyrone D. Fettson or Tyrone D. Branch, professionally known as Tyrone Davis, born this day, May 4, 1938. On to Robert Alan Deal, born either May 4, 1951 or April 4, 1955, known professionally as Mick Mars,co-founder of Motley Crue. And a very happy birthday to Randy Bruce Traywick, known professionally as Randy Travis, born this day, May 4, 1959. Finally today, happy birthday to Lance Bass of NSync, born this day, May 4, 1979.

The Republican Party/USA/Democracy Dilemma

People are fleeing the Republican Party. Democrats are as popular as they've been in a decade.

Overnight Entertainment -- Birthday edition

A lot of crooners born today. First up, the unequaled Pete Seeger, botn this day, May 3,1919. Next up, the King of Soul, the one, the only James Brown, born this day, May 3, 1933. Next is Frankie Valli, born this day, May 3, 1934. On to Mary Hopkin, born this day, May 3, 1950, because those were the days. On to Christopher Cross, born this day, May 3, 1951. Finally today, our last crooner born this day, May 3, 1977, Eric Church. Happy birthday to these and all. Including one Greg Camp.

Quote of the Day -- Surprising Source Edition

“Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, who help you when you’re in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in your life. Everyone else is just passing through.” ― Karl Marx

Missouri's Senator Josh Hawley Getting Real Coverage

Yes, Missouri's Senator Josh Hawley is getting coverage on media and social media---but it's not positive. It's fair but it's not in his favor. Here's one good example. Vote him out, Missouri. Let's get this known treasonous, traitorous, self-serving seditionist and insurrectionist out of office soon as possible.

Missourians! Did You See Where Your Senator Voted Against a Hate Crimes Law?

Yes, fellow Missourians, did you see where, last week, our own Senator Josh Hawley was the ONLY SENATOR to vote against a hate crimes law? At a time when Asian Americans are being accosted and assaulted more and more lately, he actually voted AGAINST a bill that would work against these racist hate crimes.

The man is unreal. Nearly unbelievable. God help us. #VoteHimOut

Republicans' Right to Carry

Republicans across the country in different states are pushing for more "right to carry" laws so virtually any of us can have a gun, a weapon on us anywhere, everywhere, at any given place or time in our cities and on our streets. This is what that gets us.

The Republican Party Rebuttal to President Biden's Speech This Week

The Republican Party's response to President Biden's speech to Congress this week was given by Senator Tim Scott of South Carolins. He is Black, in case anyone doesn't know that and he said America isn't racist.Really, Senator Scott?

--Black Americans are far more likely to be stopped by police than white Americans, --far more likely to be arrested than white Americans, --more likely to be charged than white Americans, -- more than 3 times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans, --more likely to be found guilty than white Americans, --more likely to be sentenced to jail or prison than white Americans, --once sentenced, they get dependably longer sentences--for the same crimes--as white Americans. But not racist, you say?

Quote of the Day -- Sunday Edition

“Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity.

If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism." --Albert Einstein

Big Money in Elections, Politics and Government

Americans need to know we can change this. I think we all know we should, that it's not good.

Americans need to learn how we can change this.

Make DC a State

Yes, America. It's time. Time to make Washington, DC a state. No more taxation without representation.

DC pays more in federal taxes than: Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Utah, Nevada, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Idaho, Mississippi, New Mexico, Hawaii, Maine, South Dakota, West Virginia, North Dakota, Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont. But DC residents have 0 say in how that money is spent.

Happy May Day

That we never forget.

On May 1, 1886, Lucy Parsons helped launch the world’s first May Day and the demand for the eight-hour work day. Along with her husband, anarchist and activist Albert Parsons, and their two children, they led 80,000 working people down the Chicago streets, while more than 100,000 marched in other U.S. cities. A new international holiday was born. Parsons went on to help found the Industrial Workers of the World, continued to give speeches, and worked tirelessly for equality throughout the rest of her life until her death in 1942. Read more about Lucy Parsons in this profile by William Loren Katz at the Zinn Education Project website: http://bit.ly/1cSoMvm and at the Lucy Parsons Center website: http://bit.ly/1fTZ3Tb Here are free role plays and writing activities on labor history from the book The Power In Our Hands (download for free on the Zinn Education Projectwebsite): http://bit.ly/RU5oFp Learn about the history of May Day and the Haymarket affair from an interview with James Green on Democracy Now!: http://bit.ly/1ububmN

KCPT and "Week In Review", Covering That White Person's Point of View

Yes sir and ma'am, Kansas City. If you're a contributor to KCPT, rest assured, Kansas City Public Television will cover the white person's point of view. And they'll do so with more white males than anyone else.

This week's version had, yes, two white men, one white woman--very blonde--and thank God for Eric Wesson, showing up week after week.They'll ask for money from everyone--including the local Hispanic community--but have a Hispanic, Latinx person on the show? Fuggedaboudit. I say again, in the year that the Kansas City Star so publicly apologized for covering only the white person's point of view over the years, KCPT keeps giving more of same old, same old. Stunning. Really stunning. And know this. I wouldn't write these things, time and again, if I thought what KCPT and PBS did and stood for was unimportant.

What We Need In Washington

Two things, immediately, we especially need in and from Washington, besides the American Jobs Plan. The two things we need: First we must end the fillibuster at long last so minorities in Congress can't and don't block what most of the nation needs and wants. Second, we must follow that by passing the For the People Act. It would end any political party's ability to gerrymander voting districts for their own benefit, ends dark money in our elections and increases, adds ethics rules to our government. This is good for all and important for the nation. We must. Please sontact your Senators and tell them to vote for SR1 in the Senate. Thanks, in advance.

Entertainment Overnight -- Birthday Edition

Happy birthday today to Thomas Gregory Jackson, aka Tommy James of Tommy James and the Shondells, of course, born this day, April 29 1947.

President Biden and Trickle Down Economics

A lot of people, myself included, weren't sure how far Joe Biden as President would go with Progressive ideas. Last night gave great hope. We saw the disaster trickle down economics was in Kansas. We knew better.

What the Democrats Must Do

Yes, what, exactly, the Democrats must do, at long last, to break the logjam that is the Republican Party in Congress currently. Then, once that's ended, we must pass the For the People Act so we end gerrymandering, get the dark money out of our elections and put ethics back in government. We must.

The Republican Party Response

The Republican Party's response to anything President Biden and/or the Democrats present. #VoteThemAllOut

Question for America Tonight

After this speech tonight from President Biden to Congress, could we now, at long last, be done with the Right Wing & Republican Party idea that he can't speak in public and/or, worse, that he has dementia?

Finally? At long last?

The Very Real Dangers of the Republicans' Vote Suppression

I don't think enough Americans realize what Republicans are doing and trying to do to our vote and votes, to our elections. That they even tried in Georgia to disenfranchise fellow citizens is horrible enough. That it has now expanded to 46 more states threatens our Democracy, no overstatement. Fortunately, people like Stacey Abrams, from Georgia are doing their best to get the word out across the nation. So what can we do? Glad you asked. Please support the For the People Act Contact your/our Senators today. Tell them to vote for and support it. Thanks in advance.Let's do this. We must.

Quote of the Day -- On Insurrection and January 6

"If we minimize what happened on Jan. 6th and if we appease it, then we will be in a situation where every election cycle, you could potentially have another constitutional crisis, If you get into a situation where we don't guarantee a peaceful transfer of power, we won't have learned the lessons of Jan. 6." --Liz Cheney, Republican, Arizona

GOP Finds Ways to be Worse

It's not bad enough the Republicans tried to deny our entire presidential election---and some still are. It wasn't bad enough they then began attempts at vote suppression in Georgia and then took it to 47 other states. No, all that wasn't bad enough. Now they want to punish Americans for our First Amendment right of Free Speech, too. As always, click on picture for larger picture, easier reading.

We have got to, got to vote them out. We've got to vote them all out.

Entertainment Overnight -- Birthday Edition

Happy birthday to our one and only Ella Jane Fitzgerald! Botn this day, April 25, 1917! Shown here with Kansas City's own Duke Ellington. Thanks for all that great, great music, Lady Ella!

The For the People Act!

Know this, Americans. HR1 in the House of Representatives and S1, in our US Senate, are both the For the People Act. Here's what it is and what it means.

We have GOT to stop having or letting political parties gerrymander voting districts across our states and across the nation so results go their way instead of for us, the peole. We need to get the big, "dark money" out of our government and elections that's coming from who knows where. We need to get ethics back into our Federal Government. These bills go a long, long way to doing just that. Please phone your Senators and tell them to please support these very important bills. Thank you in advance.

Important Note On a Sunday

Think about it.

We can do this.

Quote of the Day -- Sunday Edition

"My own view on religion is that of Lucretius. I regard it as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race." --Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, historian

Great Group; Great Song; Great Video

Who else but Michael Stipe and R.E.M.? Again, great group, of course, great song, terrific video and excellent statement on news media, local, especially but national, too.

Republicans Were Already Suppressing American Votes Back in 2012

Check out this memory I found today from back in 2012.

None other than a former GOP Party Chair Jim Greer revealed the details of conversations his fellow GOP colleagues had about changing election laws to suppress youth and minority voters that would "never vote Republican." And now, as we know, it's gotten much, much worse, their vote suppression work and efforts.We must vote them out. We must vote them all out. And to do it, we have to, have to stop vote suppression, on the state and federal level, both.

Republican Party Wingnuts of the Week

Actual things these people, these 6 Republicans said and did this past week. As always, click on picture for larger view, easier reading.

If they weren't members of today's Republican Party, we'd never believe they said it. Sadly if not also not surprisingly, our own Missouri Senator Josh Hawley is in the bunch, too. We have got, got to vote these people out of office, America.