"the burning would be part of a "continued series on deliverance from demons."
"We have stuff coming in from all over that we will be burning. We're not playing games. Witchcraft and accursed things must go."
"Eight Senate Republicans — Cynthia M. Lummis (Wyo.), Mike Lee (Utah), James Lankford (Okla.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Ted Cruz (Tex.), John Hoeven (N.D.) and Rick Scott (Fla.)."
Their objection took the form of a letter to AG Merrick Garland this past Monday to protest a no-fly list based on the recent unruliness of some passengers in the air. This is what they said...
They claim the list “would seemingly equate them to terrorists who seek to actively take the lives of Americans and perpetrate attacks on the homeland.”
Doesn't their behavior qualify these idiots as borderline--at least--domestic terrorists?
Violence, Unruly Acts Of Behavior Break Out On Planes..."In reality, the problem of violence against airline personnel and disruptive conduct requiring pilots to turn flights around has become pervasive. That’s why Delta Air Lines chief executive Ed Bastian asked Garland earlier this month to address the problem by creating the no-fly list."
I was following Jennifer Rubin in another of her opinion pieces recently, "Republicans are trying to turn red America into a dystopia," with my take on the issue, "Are Red States Pursuing Apocalypse?" Rubin agrees that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is running a dictatorial government in his state with no hope in sight of reigning him in. Republicans deny their intent is violence, but their actions and the recent events are proof enough.
Each time I hear these denials I think of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection of the U.S. Capitol, led by Trump supporters and given credence by leading Republicans, including state and federal lawmakers. Enough said!
Why do I bring this up? Because of the absurdities Carlson claims on his show; plus the fact, this moron actually admits he lies when cornered. In late January...
Tucker Carlson claimed that the political violence the United States has been suffering is coming from the left, not the right — insisting that the right, unlike the left, has remained “peaceful.”
This is beyond unbelievable since we recently went through four years of the ex-White House maniac, Donald Trump, in his quest to stir up violence almost on a daily basis. The Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S, Capitol is an excellent example of GOP led violence. Carlson, of course, is a lunatic, but it is his statements and and a trove if misinformation that is so indicative of Minow's "wasteland."
It has been 60 years since Newton Minow's "Vast Wasteland" remark, and I do think television has made some very positive strides. As an example, in my day, TV news and weather was something offered by local stations as sort of a public service, much of it unsponsored. Today, news departments have huge budgets and most strive to provide comprehensive, in-depth news. Admittedly, there are some that slant the news, and, of course, those who completely misrepresent it.
MUST SEE: Still a ‘Vast Wasteland’? Newton Minow on the State of TV...
I have heard the opinion, 'Really...nobody could be that stupid,' referring to Tucker Carlson. Well, he certainly looks the part, but if any of you readers have any insight into this please email me. I have given considerable attention to Fox News in this blog over time because the network stands for everything class journalism isn't, and they are so easy to make fun of and criticize with the largest number of buffoons to ever hit the American airwaves.
The AlterNet's Alex Henderson leads us through a number of radical right wing violence incidents that have happened in recent years completely ignored by Carlson...
"from the January 6, 2021 insurrection to an alleged plot to kidnap and possibly murder Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to White nationalist terrorist massacres in El Paso and Pittsburgh in 2019. Pro-Trump groups like QAnon and the Proud Boys openly advocate violence, and the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, is facing seditious conspiracy charges for his alleged role in the Capitol insurrection."
Back to Newton Minow's observations testifying to Congress...
“When television is good, nothing—not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers—nothing is better,” he told Congress. “But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.”
But this was 60 years ago when Congress was populated with at least a modicum
“I think the issues for the next generation are the government’s role in social media,” Minow said, adding that he was proud of the strides television has made in educational TV but that local stations needed to remain diligent in ensuring unbiased coverage to their viewers. He also supports reinstating the FCC’s “Fairness Doctrine,” which was repealed in the 1980’s.
"Unbiased coverage," two words neither Fox News nor Tucker Carlson are familiar with.
She wades right into Florida with one of the state's most dictatorial moves yet in a bill, fully supported by the demented Gov. Ron DeSantis, explained by Robert P. Jones, head of the Public Religion Research Institute ...
The most pernicious part of the bill is its bizarre definition of “individual freedom,” consisting of eight principles plainly written to protect white people. The final one is the most sweeping: “An individual should not be made to feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race.” The bill then proceeds to define “discrimination” under Florida state law as a violation of “individual freedom.”
This provision effectively gives any single white person veto power over the content of history curriculum in schools or trainings in the workplace. White discomfort governs historical truth.DeSantis has commented he wants to put the people in power, which the above
Rubin cautions...
"Keep in mind that Florida Republicans have no problem making gay children uncomfortable. They have also introduced legislation that would hobble education about gender identity and sexual orientation. The Tampa Bay Times reports, “Critics, who call the measures Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ bills, argue the measures are an attempt to weaponize the idea of parental rights to marginalize LGBTQ people.”
And here's the rub, "The legislation would encourage parents to sue if they find school curriculum, even at the high school level, is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate." The LGBTQ rights group Equality Florida's Nadine Smith, is in opposition to the bill, reports the Tampa Bay Times. The TBT says further, we're dealing with a "Non-existent problem...
"There is no developmentally inappropriate curriculum about sexual orientation or gender identity being taught to young kids, she contended.”
The Dictator DeSantis in Action...
Rubin agrees that, as in other cases of misdirected advocacy, the ones who win are the lawyers...
"The bills also encourage frivolous litigation that would make trial lawyers blush. Incentives to harass teachers and tie up schools in endless litigation suggests that Republicans would rather spend time and money fighting these legal battles than on education. It’s a peculiar position for a party that used to look askance at tort litigation."
The Republican Party has no direction, no agenda; their only mission being the destruction of anything proposed by Democrats, and the complete annihilation of democracy. And the tragedy in all this...the American public is supporting it.
Overshadowed within all this is the agenda of Joe Biden which he describes as the perfect storm, consisting of four crises that must be addressed. They are, "fighting the coronavirus, restoring the economy, combating climate change and making the country more equal." Here's the scenario from The Washington Post...
Those four issues remain central to Biden’s presidency. “I think if you take a look at what we’ve been able to do, you’d have to acknowledge we made enormous progress,” President Biden said Wednesday [Jan. 20] of his first year in office.
From WaPo's Post Pundit Power Rankers in the beginning of the Prez's administration he was given a B+ on his first 100 days in office. Fast-forward through the crises to today and...
"Now, we’re back to assess a full year’s worth of White House decision-making. Like last time, our rankers have assigned Biden a grade A+ to F, taking into account such issues as the pandemic, the economy, foreign policy, voting and human rights, and presidential leadership. Also as last time, our readers — more than 4,400 of you! — got in on the grading. Your scores factor into the final average just like our pundits’."
Biden highlights wins, struggles and top priorities after 1 year in office...
But, Matt Robison from AlterNet exclaims, "The reality is that Biden has done a great job — but the pundits can't admit it." He gives President Biden an A+ commenting, "Anything else is insane."
Robison points us back to a glut of Donald Trump stupidities...
water cannon of lies
a cabinet of grifters and thieves
disastrous and deadly Covid denial
child separation
the Helsinki Putin bootlicking affair
This is only five. There are fifteen more. This is how he visions another four
"Faster global warming. Endless vendettas. Jailing dissidents. Clawing back LGBT rights. MAGA budgets and widespread hunger. Endless trade wars and rising nuclear standoffs. An impenetrable wall of judges. A chokehold on immigration. The end of democracy."
Then, Jennifer Rubin comes along with her opinion, "Biden is on a roll as commander in chief." A great read! That's good enough for me.
"Finchem and Kern were at the Capitol that day.
"Biggs and Gosar gave more aid and comfort to those attempting to overturn the election and stage a coup than just about anyone in the country."
There is also the case of the moron from North Carolina running for reelection to the U.S. House, Madison Cawthorne, who has been challenged by the state's Board of Electors saying he "fails to comply with an amendment." Here is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment...
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Montini isn't finished with the Arizona radical right...
"And then there is every member of the fake slate of Republican electors who filed paperwork to try to overturn the will of the people. None of them should be permitted to hold office. Ever."
"If we believed in oaths – believed that those who swear to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” must be held to that promise – then none of the insurrectionists from Jan. 6, and none of those who gave them aid or comfort, would be permitted to hold elected office."
I'm sorry but I believe that Republicans worship only one thing...POWER. Moscow Mitch McConnell has paved the way for the thirst for political influence. Now look at Kevin McCarthy, who would likely take over as Speaker if the GOP wins back the house. It is frightening for those of us who believe in democracy, and the thought of living under another Republican rule in the future is not only disheartening but very, very daunting.
Donald Trump - Laura Loomer The Donald Trump mass firing across the U.S. government are unconscionable on their own, but letting a fellow ...
