The Republican Party and its Antics Stink

 

That's right! The Republican Party has a distinctive stench that has been building for the last several years and threatens to develop into a full blown putrid, rancid, rotting cult of denial and incompetence. And they are determined to take democracy down with their ineptitude. CNN says that it is, "The biggest news story of 2021? Our imperiled democracy," with this comment...

"The headlines began in January with the first serious attempted coup in US history and have been running ever since, highlighted by the unceasing machinations by supporters of Donald Trump to either restore him to office or find some extra-legal way to eliminate the possibility he could ever lose if he ran again."

In this piece, Bill Carter, a media analyst for CNN, points out that, even with a raging coronavirus pandemic, "our imperiled democracy is the biggest story of the year." Considering the impact of Covid-19 with 64,789,362 U.S. cases and 868,128 deaths, this statement should scare the hell out of any American that cares about the future of their country. Carter comments further...

"I certainly don't believe I have seen any other news story in my own lifetime, which goes back to the 1950s, that has shaken the nation to its foundations as this one has."

Former President Barack Obama says, "Democracy is at a greater risk today," adding...

“while the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at a greater risk today than it was back then.”

Former Pres. Obama warned about democracy's loss a year ago...

In other words, we, as a nation, learned absolutely nothing from a gang of Trump Republican double-digit hoodlums attacking the U.S. Capitol, doing damage to the premises and making the first real charge on our democracy in years. There are those who support this kind of insurgency, those who don't, and then there are the apathetics. It seems the latter is a growing majority, the ones who stay at home for elections, then bitch and moan when they don't like the results.

Obama puts it all in perspective by chastising the GOP, going all the way down to state legislatures...

“Historically, Americans have been defenders of democracy and freedom around the world — especially when it’s under attack,” he continued. “But we can’t serve the role when leading figures in one of our two major political parties are actively undermining democracy at home. We can’t set an example when our leaders are willing to fabricate lies and cast doubt on the results of free and fair elections.”

CNN's Jake Tapper says, "Americans aren't hearing the 'democracy in danger' alarm," and I believe he would agree that those who have are not doing enough. But the warnings are there...

There is "a dagger at the throat of democracy," President Joe Biden said

 

Thursday.

The country "teeters on the brink of a widening abyss," former President Jimmy Carter.

In her remarks Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris put the January 6 insurrection alongside Pearl Harbor and 9/11 as a wake-up call for Americans.

And here's another important point of view, "Majority of business leaders believe democracy is threatened," a faction that the GOP should be listening to. Karl Evers-Hillstrom of The Hill says...

"Seventy-two percent of business leaders say they are concerned that U.S. democracy is under threat, according to a Morning Consult poll of 400 company executives released on the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riot."

That is significant and a group that President Biden should tap into to support his voting rights legislation. Here's the scenario...

“This research clearly shows that the leaders in America’s business community view democracy and voting rights as an economic issue,” said Rhett Buttle, founder of Public Private Strategies. “Now, it is important that advocates, policymakers, and leaders in Congress and the administration engage the business community to advance solutions that will stabilize our democracy and protect access to the ballot for every voter.”

Joe Biden's voting rights legislation hangs with barely a thread and it would appear he does not have the votes to save it. When you think of it, the right to vote is so basic under our Constitution...the way in which individuals express their political preferences. Then ask yourself, why do Republicans want to deny the right to vote for a selected few? The answer, of course, is that they lose elections when these select individuals are allowed to vote. Keep this in mind when voting in November.

 

 

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to health workers...'Shut up and save us.'

 

E.J. Montini, local Phoenix columnist, strikes again, and as before, he castigates the current governor-thank God! only one more year-Doug (the DUD) Ducey for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Arizona. In his recent State of the State address, Ducey's emphasis was on education and border security, each of which is important, but this idiot ignored the state's 1.5 million Covid-19 cases, and 25,000 deaths. Basically, his reaction,"Shut up and save us."

Montini's response...

If I was one of them I’d be tempted to respond, “Fine, then save yourselves … jerks.”

If I was one of them, I would organize state healthcare providers and come up with a recall petition to dump this moron in disgrace before the end of his last year. More than "1,000 physicians, nurses, caregivers and others have signed an open letter to Gov. Doug Ducey, health care leaders and state and county officials asking for immediate action to help combat the latest omicron surge of COVID-19 cases in Arizona," according to the Arizona Republic.

Here is an excerpt from the letter...

“Our healthcare workforce is suffering from moral injury and burnout from the sustained onslaught that wave after wave of COVID has had on us, our families, and our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic is running unmitigated throughout the state and is straining our hospitals and affecting patient standards of care. Our current situation is unsustainable.”

"Unsustainable," should ring bells and send up flags all over the governor's office.

So, one must assume that Ducey's aides are as stupid as he is? Two top aides left last August, his Chief of Staff, and Deputy Chief of Staff, to take jobs in Washington and Arkansas. The COS is a key position for any politician and you have to wonder if what little brains Ducey had...left with them. The letter also clearly states healthcare workers are suffering from moral injury and burnout.

Here's the scenario...

"The group is asking Ducey, lawmakers and other officials to implement indoor mask requirements, increase access to COVID-19 testing, provide free, high-quality masks to the public and increase funding for air filtration systems in schools and businesses. And they want a safer workplace for themselves.

"They’re asking us this collectively, and they’re asking it individually. You can see some of their stories online."

Recognize CDC protocol? Wearing a mask indoors, increase COVID-19 testing, increase funding for air filtration systems in schools and businesses. This doesn't sound unreasonable to me and these moves could help suppress future outbreaks of the virus. Phoenix-based Dr. Christina Bergin is one of the letter signers and had this to say on her Twitter account...

“We are the ones seeing the devastation of this pandemic day in & day out. We know the realities of working in the hospital and in outpatient settings right now … And that earlier thread didn’t even get into single rooms turned into double rooms, or physicians trying desperately to find beds for critically ill patients but not being able to find any. And it didn’t address the deep moral injury that comes from seeing so much death … .”

Montini wraps it all up with nurses on the frontline begging for help with both Covid cases and deaths soaring. The totally obtuse Ducey chose to ignore all of the above in his State of the State address. But even after all this Montini notes that none of the healthcare workers said, “Fine, then save yourselves, jerks.” They have an oath they keep, which they do. Politicians have one too, but do not keep it.

I would like to thank E.J. Montini for his excellent commentary, which provided the substance for this blog post.

Doctors Venting Misinformation Guilty of Malpractice?

 

NBC says "doctors spreading lies are facing almost no consequences for what they’re doing." You've heard it before...you should be honest with your doctor so he or she can provide you with the best medical treatment. And, the Hippocratic Oath demands as much of physicians. You trust the doc, so, if they go online and come up with some disinformation for either attention or for profit, some will believe it, no matter how false or bizarre. It's happening every day on the Internet.

The Associated Press reports that 70% of Americans trust doctors "according to the poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research." This is bipartisan among Democrats and Republicans; as well as equal among men and women; and white, Black and Hispanic Americans. In addition, nurses are trusted 79%, pharmacists 75%, but hospital executives only 22%.

NBC's opinion piece, THINK, continues...

"But a vocal minority of doctors are undermining this relationship and taking advantage of the public’s trust by intentionally spreading Covid misinformation and disinformation."

And here's how...

"From making false claims about vaccines to offering to sign medically unnecessary mask exemptions in exchange for payment, these “disinformation doctors” are amplifying lies and often profiting from a cottage industry of social media posts, websites, live and virtual conferences and podcasts."

‘I think you’re crazy’: CNN reporter confronts doctor spreading Covid-19 lies...

This is scary as hell since it is obvious that some of this misinformation must have resulted in deaths. And that is why physicians who do this must be held accountable. Have you heard this one?...

"Across the country, physicians have falsely claimed that Covid vaccines change people’s DNA, that the vaccines have been proved ineffective at preventing Covid and that the vaccine has killed more people than the disease itself."

One must wonder why those poor souls out there who believe this crap don't take the time to check it out. But, the fact that they don't is what these bogus physicians depend on. And the worst part is...

"these doctors are facing almost no consequences for what they’re doing. Data shows that nearly every state medical board — the state-sanctioned government agencies with the authority to license, investigate, discipline and regulate medical doctors — is failing to hold these doctors accountable."

They stick together and protect each other. Bet you have been in the position where

you criticized one doctor to another and the doctor you are talking to makes excuses for a colleague, just because they are another doctor. There have been warnings from the Federation of State Medical Boards, which represents the nation's 71 state medical boards. Here's the scenario...

“Physicians who generate and spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation or disinformation are risking disciplinary action by state medical boards,” including having their licenses suspended or even revoked. In December, the federation shared survey findings showing that two-thirds of state medical boards had seen an increase in complaints “related to licensee dissemination of false or misleading information.”

Here are the results...

only 12 of the boards — just 17 percent — reported taking disciplinary action against those disseminating false or misleading information.

The figure of 17% is abysmal and just proves doctors are bound together to protect each other, which puts patients in a precarious position, in some cases a life or death situation. So what do you do? You've heard the age-old phrase, 'If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.' Take a minute to check out what you hear, especially from the Internet, and report anything that looks fraudulent. It could save your life, as well as others. 

Insurrection Index Lists Names of Those Connected with Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol Riot

 

It has been said that Donald Trump sat in the Oval Office watching "with glee" the mayhem going on at the U.S. Capitol. And just yesterday Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan told the Jan. 6, commission that he would not cooperate. Many double-digits across the country agreed with Jordan, but many did not and are giving their testimony. This includes Trump's vice president, Mike Pence. Here is what the Insurrection Index is all about...

Insurrection Index is a searchable database of records on individuals and organizations in positions of public trust who were involved in the deadly attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. As of January 2022, the Insurrection Index has over 1,000 records of those in public trust who played a role in the insurrection.

There are gobs of information on "elected officials to extremist groups, individuals and organizations mobilized thousands for an egregious attack on democracy." All led by one man, the ex-White House maniac. If you want people, just select "View all profiles." You'll find a host of names including the infamous Wis. Sen. Ron Johnson, who is doubles as an anti-science advocate. Also Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Roy Blunt, Rand Paul, Rick Scott, Pete Sessions, Louie Gohnert and more.

WATCH: Capitol insurrection: Tracking the attack 1 year later...

With each picture is the position of the person. It goes on for 20 pages and I am horrified by the number of participants alone. Next is a U.S. state map, listing the numbers of individuals, elected officials, candidates from office and individuals arrested from that state. There are 1,404 records in the database that include people of trust in this country, those that should be protecting our democracy. These number 214 elected officials, 393 organizations and 1,011 individuals.

There is a box where you can search by insurrectionist name, state or affiliation. There is also a place to donate if you want to support this group. My gut tells me this is a work in progress, and one that will be a top priority for Democrats in the 2022 and 2024 elections. In the meantime, NPR is bringing us up to date on the Jan. 6, riot investigation with the reminder...

"It's been one year since a mob of Donald Trump's supporters, armed with everything from pipes and flagpoles to chemical sprays, smashed their way through police lines and into the ornate halls and chambers of the U.S. Capitol.

"The deadly assault on Congress, as lawmakers met to certify Joe Biden's election win, temporarily forced them to scramble for safety and disrupted the peaceful transfer of power."

Christopher Wray, FBI Director, has branded the attack an act of "domestic

terrorism," initiating "a sprawling federal investigation to track down and bring to account those who took part in the mayhem." Attorney General Merrick Garland says Justice is working hard to "identify, investigate and apprehend defendants from across the country." But based on Garland's handling of the Trump corruption investigation, some think it is not enough.

You'll want to check out the Insurrection Index now to see how many culprits are in your state. And then I suggest regular visits in the future, if you are interested in keeping up with the Jan. 6, investigative committee. 

The Agony of Stupidity...Will Pissing Off Anti Vaxxers Result in More vaccinations?

 

French President Emmanuel Macron is doing it in his country due to the recent surge of the Omicron virus hitting France and the rest of the world. Macron said...

"he wanted to “piss off” millions of his citizens who refuse to get vaccinated by."

Now that's novel and am sure heads of government worldwide are watching to see the results, hopefully Macron's success. But politics are involved as the president indicated it was better to alienate anti-vaxxers who would never vote for him anyway. There's more...

"Using his harshest language yet to urge the recalcitrant to get their shots, Mr. Macron said he would not “throw them in prison” or “vaccinate them by force.” But he made it clear he meant to make their lives harder."

I don't know exactly what the strategy of "squeezing them out of the country’s public spaces" means but if it refers to isolation and ignoring them, I am for that. No one likes to be ignored and this act could help shut down the anti-vaxxing movement. As of today, France has 11,511,452 cases, 314,604 deaths. The country just picked up 328,214 more cases and added 193 deaths. Right now they are running close to the U.S., a much larger country, in new cases.

Watch the out-of-control partiers on Sunwing Airlines...

And speaking of the U.S., we are currently seeing 60,002,978 total cases, 857,165 total deaths. There were 438,862 new cases on Friday, 1,063 additional deaths. Still, we are facing people dying by the day because they did not get a vaccination. Here's a case from Orange County, California...

"Kelly Ernby — a GOP activist known for her opposition to vaccine mandates — has died of COVID-19 at the age of 46, according to the Daily Pilot."

Ernby was an anti-vaxxer even before coronavirus, objecting to req1uiring children to get their shots before going to school. It seems to me only a complete imbecile would object to protecting the school population against things like measles, chickenpox or other diseases. 

Turning next to an Arizona couple who apparently thought they were invincible, as

have so many other anti-vaxxers. The article says Bob and Sue Walker were inseparable during more than 44 years of marriage, "they were soulmates." Neither was vaccinated and they both had health issues, and they were separated in the end, dying on different floors of a Phoenix hospital.

And here is one of the best anti-vaxxing stories I have heard so far. A Canadian group chartered a Sunwing plane to take them from Montreal to Mexico. They filmed themselves partying without masks...

"Videos of the 30 December flight shared on social media show
unmasked passengers in close proximity while singing and dancing in the aisle and on seats. In one video, a large bottle of vodka appears to be passed among passengers and a woman appears to be smoking an electronic cigarette."

The gang was so unruly that Sunwing cancelled their return flight. Later, three other airlines refused to provide them passage back to their home in Canada. It was so bad, Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, called them "idiots," one of the best descriptions of anti-vaxxers I know of since it represents the lowest level of mentality. They face fines (U.S.) $3,900 for each infraction. If they can't pay, I say throw them in a Mexican jail.

Maybe Macron and Trudeau can get together and come up with a strategy between the two countries that will get vaccinations going worldwide. Unfortunately, we haven't had that luck in the United States.

FINALLY...GOOD NEWS...About the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

Several of the media have published articles lately that purport to know both the current status of and projected direction of Covid-19. They are enlightening but don't carry the credibility of DATELINE'S, "What, Me Worry? Government Officials Downplay Covid-19 Panic Even As Case Counts Soar." Has someone finally discovered the approach to measuring and reporting the coronavirus pandemic? The analogy with the Stanley Kubrick film, Dr. Strangelove, strikes gold...

more and more of those with pandemic fatigue across the nation are starting to recognize the film’s sub-title as the way they should be carrying on: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

The author, Bruce Haring, sets the stage with comments like, "some officials appear to be tossing up their hands," and "The federal government has already said they have no solution, kicking the can to the states." Sounds like the wheels are coming off but in retrospect, we can actually see light at the end of the tunnel. That light comes from states with governors that realize the potential damage from Covid, but take a levelheaded approach.

It does not include governors like Florida's Ron DeSantis, Texas' Greg Abbott or South Dakota's Kristi Noem. Currently these states have a total of 4,610,197 cases of coronavirus, 62,625 total deaths, 5,003,717 cases, 76,838 deaths, 189,411 cases, 2,522 deaths, respectively. The recent antics of DeSantis and Abbott are ample

reason to brand these two lunatics, killing machines, their two states alone with a total death toll of 139,463. That's 16% of total U.S. deaths.

Here's the scenario from four governors, one, Phil Murphy, a Democrat...

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has suggested Covid-19 and its variants could be treated more like the flu. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is focused on voluntary mask wearing and vaccinations. “We don’t have the practical ability to really put on a statewide mask order at this point,” DeWine said in late December. “I don’t think it’s appropriate at this point. We have the vaccine. We have the tools.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy echoed that approach. “Here is what we need everyone to really take to heart — the need to mask up, to get boosted and to just practice common sense,” Murphy said.

South Carolina set a record for positive tests over the New Year’s weekend. But Gov. Henry McMaster took it in stride. “If you get real sick, there will be room in the hospitals,” he promised. “There’s no need to panic. Be calm. Be happy. We just had a great Christmas season. Business is booming.”

Haring calls California a "nanny" state where Gavin Newsom feels his people will "self-enforce and do the right thing.” However...

Over the last week, California has seen an average of 54,695 new coronavirus cases per day. That’s the highest rolling total of the pandemic. The previous high in the surge was about 46,000 cases per day last winter.

At least Newsom has his head on right and not up his hind end like Abbott and DeSantis. Continuing...

hospitalizations are also not skyrocketing in the big picture. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the rate of those infected with Covid-19 who are hospitalized has dropped 50 percent in many locations compared to the record highs seen a year ago. Three percent of cases are admitted to hospitals, the CDC data shows. While percentages may be up, that’s not indicative of imminent armageddon.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Assn., feels the recent events are a transition of the virus and that we will be able to live with it. Just like the bomb. This is somewhat confirmed by a number of recent assurances by experts that the major variant, Omicron, is peaking. This article supports these assertions. 

Axelrod: It is Way too Early to Count Joe Biden Out

 

President Biden is taking hits from every direction, mostly the right, but some from his own people because he is not aggressive enough. Well, that all changed yesterday at the U.S. Capitol when he figuratively decapitated Donald Trump. His castigation of the ex-president was very thorough without even mentioning the former White House maniac's name. The Daily Beast says Biden "struck the perfect balance" in assailing Trump on "the day that Biden became president."

Here's the scenario...

"It was serious, but not whiney. And he didn’t just mock Trump for losing. "You can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t obey the law only when it’s convenient. You can’t be patriotic when you embrace and enable lies,” Biden said. "Those who stormed this Capitol, and those who instigated and incited, and those who called on them to do so held a dagger at the throat of America.”

 Biden addresses nation year after Jan. 6 Capitol attack...

If ever there was a condemnation of the attacks on U.S. democracy by Republicans, led by Donald Trump, this is it. Alex Henderson of AlterNet likens Joe Biden's current status--before the Jan. 6 speech, that is--in this manner...

"As 2021 draws to a close, President Joe Biden finds himself in a position that recalls President Barack Obama around late 2009 and 2010, President Bill Clinton around 1993 and President Ronald Reagan around 1982. Biden’s poll numbers are disappointing, and he is facing the possibility of the opposition party enjoying a midterms wave election — not unlike Obama, Clinton and Reagan before him."

And the idiot replies to Biden's speech...

 However, DB calls the defense of democracy, preachy, alarmist, and even weak, adding...

(this was the same problem liberals faced in the 1930s, when they looked weak and impotent in the face of more dynamic and energetic fascist leaders).

Going back to that era, The Washington Post reports three reasons fascism spread...

• The first was a major economic depression and social dislocation that undermined people’s confidence in democracy and led them to look for alternatives.
• The second factor was fear of communism, which led many leading intellectuals to embrace fascism as a bulwark against Bolshevism and as the lesser of two evils.
• The third factor was the rise of Nazi Germany as an economic and military powerhouse.

Addressing each, we currently have a great economy, the threat of communism is

nil, but there is concern over communist China's latest moves as an economic power, but not a threat. So, one must face the fact fascism's recent rise is due almost entirely to Donald Trump and his administration. WaPo mentions other factors, inequality, unemployment in certain areas and a massive drug epidemic. Most encouraging, though, is former Obama adviser, David Axelrod's comment...

"that it is way too early to start writing an obituary on Biden’s presidency."

This is good news that Biden and all of us lefties have been waiting to hear, and from a political pro at that. Now, all you Biden naysayers can bite the bullet and get ready for 2022, then 2024.

Republicans Don't Want Democracy. They Want a Concentration Camp

 

The GOP has long forgotten the mission of Congress, which is to make the United States, and the world, a better place to live in. They don't want a better place. They only want control, and led by Moscow Mitch McConnell, they have been working in this direction for several years now. If they succeed in taking over Congress and the White House in 2022 and 2024, they will get their wish. They will have Democrats in the concentration camp of their making.

Here's the definition of a concentration camp...

internment centre for political prisoners and members of national or minority groups who are confined for reasons of state security, exploitation, or punishment, usually by executive decree or military order.

At this point, Democrats will be the minority group of power, destined to live under a dictatorship of the chosen one that next rules the Republican Party. Currently in authority is, of course, Moscow Mitch and Kevin McCarthy. Others might include Mike Pence, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, John Cornyn and a host of others. I would doubt id if any self-respecting leftie would agree on any of this gang of idiots.  Mitt Romney, now, might work.

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post says in an opinion piece, "The GOP isn’t even trying to sound coherent anymore." And in the disjointed rhetoric is an indication of how this body of morons is acting. There is a picture of Ron Johnson, Sen. from Wisconsin, in the article, which I assume is an illustration of current GOP idiocy. An avid anti-vaxxer, instead of getting vaccinated, Johnson just this past December recommended gargling with mouthwash to "kill the coronavirus."

Republicans Are Running Against Democracy Not Democrats | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Unmentioned in the potential dictators above, is ex-president Donald Trump, not an oversight, just anticipation that he has finally become a has-been. Not so when Rubin designates him as "the undisputed head of the party," and she is much closer to the Washington political circus than I. She describes his "babbling" cancellation of his Jan. 6, press conference at Mar-a Lago, adding...

"Even nuttier than the statement itself was the entire Republican Party’s refusal to remark upon his aberrant behavior."

And here lies the horror of seeing the GOP in control of this country. A lunatic as the dictator, and hundreds of maniacal minions bowing at his feet. In the meantime, the U.S. slides back into the downward spiral we went through from 2016 to 2020. In the Guardian, "One-party rule is now the credo of Trump and his followers," with a sub-headline, "An illiberal democracy, similar to Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, is increasingly the model for Republicans."

This is scary and could be partially realized by the end of this year. More from the

Guardian...

"The first anniversary of the invasion of the Capitol approaches, our cold civil war grows hotter by the day, and the numbers tell the story. A majority of Republicans view the attack as a defense of freedom (56%) and just under half (47%) cast it as an act of patriotism. For good measure, one in six Americans approve of the events of 6 January 2021, including nearly a quarter of Republicans."

The Democrats are a pathetic bunch who mean well but apparently have completely forgotten how to wager a political fight for their life. If someone on the left doesn't turn up the heat soon, we'll only be able to experience democracy in the history books.

Is There Some Way to Get Rid of Governors like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott?

 

As if Donald Trump didn't do everything in his power to demolish democracy in the United States, the focus of late has shifted to states like Texas and Florida. The GOP governors from these two states, Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis, respectively, are now hammering away at our freedoms at an alarming rate. As an example, Abbott recently issued an Executive Order prohibiting vaccine mandates by any entity. And DeSantis refuses to address the current surge of the Omicron virus.

This is not contrary to their past deeds, rather, it just compounds what these morons have been doing to destroy their states during the Covid-19 pandemic. As of today, Florida has 4,213,301 coronavirus cases, 62,480 deaths. In comparison, Texas has 4,752,113 cases, 76,353 deaths. Between the two, 138,833 of their citizens have died, many of which were surely caused by the ineptitude of these two idiots who continue to deny the science of the virus.

Here's the overall picture from Greg Sargent, The Washington Post...

"As the political world stumbles into 2022, the GOP’s grip on state governments appears as formidable as ever. Republicans will fully control the governorship and legislature in nearly half of states, while Democrats will have less than one-third. Republicans control either legislatures or governorships in Democratic-leaning swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia.

Remember Debbie Wasserman Schultz, when she chaired the Democratic National Committee, falling asleep at the switch while the GOP was doing their state-by-state takeover? This was between 2011 and 2016 and the Democrats have never caught up. Actually, they haven't really put in a lot of effort, concentrating, instead, on the national political scene. Sargent believes a host of factors are "dramatically raising the stakes" in this control including a threat to democracy.

Democratic super PAC Forward Majority warns the dems to do something now aggressively to recapture control among the states. However, a combination of Republican gerrymandering in drawing new political districts and a very worrisome 2022 midterm and 2024 elections are keeping them busy now. The Forward Majority study...

ran dozens of potential scenarios over the next decade, adjusting various factors, such as the national mood and support for Democrats among college-educated and non-college-educated voters. It concludes: “We anticipate a defensive map over the next decade.”

And here's a very productive idea...

"The report recommends a major effort to register millions of voters in states that show such growth opportunities. It also suggests a big push to focus more on the importance of suburban and exurban voters in state legislative contests, among many other things.

“There is so much unregistered opportunity,” from David Cohen, a co-founder of Forward Majority."

No matter what strategy the Democrats decide to use, for governors it must focus on the likes of Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas.

There is much more from Greg Sargent's opinion, which I urge you to read. 

 

 

 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a hoax...timeline numbers prove it

 

Ron DeSantis has been flaunting his success with the Covid-19 pandemic for months, noting how his methods defy the science of the virus, telling Floridians how lucky they are to be free of the federal regulations. Well, all you pathetic sunshine souls, it isn't working and it never has. I have been posting on this overrated lunatic for some time and can thank this moron for an increased readership due entirely to the fact they portray DeSantis as the imbecile he is.

As an example, here's a post from Aug. 16, 2021, he shares with another idiot, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, that garnered 486 readers, "Republican killing machines: Gov. Ron DeSantis/Gov. Greg Abbott."

Here's an excerpt...

Who should know more about addressing the coronavirus than the scientific community, which all Republicans seem to disregard with disdain: "More than 800 Florida physicians implore Gov. DeSantis to allow local school mask mandates."

 And during the same month, "Ron DeSantis: Almost successful destroying Florida," brought in 516 readers, both of these numbers significant due to the concentrated focus on just one person. Maybe it was this paragraph that did it...

Here's a quote from DeSantis that now reverberates "loudly" for him in the state of Florida: "My actions will speak louder than words." Actions, let's see, his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic: 3,039,988 total coronavirus cases, 41,937 deaths. His latest daily case count, 15,402. If your state is #3 in the U.S. for total cases, #4, total deaths, looks like Ron DeSantis' actions are either piss-poor or virtually non-existent.

A year ago, Ron DeSantis booed for lying...

Moving into September of 2021, "Watch Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis caught in a lie," saw 539 readers, obviously interested in the fact that DeSantis has a knack for lying like his buddy, Donald Trump. Watch the video for the lie. And here is the one that tells it all, in November of 2021, "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a "Fraud" and a "Phony," produced a whopping 837 readers, which accounts for the fact that there is high interest in the corruption of Ron DeSantis. Here's an excerpt...

This, (referring to the headline) according to the Orlando Sentinel while the Miami Herald reports this loser is descending into 'anti-vax Crazyville.' Any way you want to look at it, the state of Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis has had 3,695,945 COVID-19 cases resulting in 59,497 deaths. Here's what the Orlando Sentinel's editorial board had to say...

There's more...

"Between the start of July and the end of October, about 21,000 people died of COVID in Florida, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Those four deadly, tragic months accounted for one in every three of the total COVID deaths—nearly 60,000 victims — since the pandemic began 20 months ago," the board wrote.

Throughout all my posts, and the extensive national press coverage of what was going on in Florida, DeSantis maintained his superiority in controlling coronavirus. And the people of his state, and many other dull-witted Republicans across the country, believed it. But then recently, Omicron cases rose 948% in Florida in just two weeks, and during the surge, DeSantis was nowhere to be heard from or seen as his state literally went down the pandemic tube.

I should mention here that Florida newspapers have chastised the governor regularly like The Florida Times-Union, "Omicron surge: Florida moves up on Top 10 list of states where COVID-19 is spreading the fastest." There are more. But I think you get the idea. Here is a national laughingstock who says he "might" run for president in 2024, and who mirrors the lunacy of Donald Trump right down to the lying. And it is that double-digit Republican base that worries me.

READ MORE...

"Florida mayor: DeSantis has been MIA during omicron surge"

"'Where is Ron DeSantis now?' Florida mayor slams governor amid new surge'

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? "DeSantis Blames Feds, Slams ‘Hysteria’ as Florida Shatters COVID Records"

HERE'S EVEN MORE, OBVIOUSLY DICTATED BY DESANTIS: "Florida surgeon general's call for people to stop relying on testing is a 'me first, forget everybody else' approach, health expert says"

Omicron surges in U.S. While So. Africa Passes Peak

 

So. Africa was the first to discover the Omicron variant, then it rapidly traversed the world. It was first found in this country in California, in Dec. of 2021, and from there has spread across the nation. We are luckier (over Delta) with this new mutation which has milder effects. But it spreads like wildfire, with a new U.S. daily record set recently of over 580,000 cases in one day with at least 551,000 Omicron. At the end of Dec. 2021, there were 79,161 U.S. hospitalizations, 17,282 in ICU.

Compared to Delta peaking last July/August, with 7,000 hospitalizations then, and patients aged 50 and older who died or were admitted to intensive care “ it generally trended upward in the Delta period," according to the New York Times. Deseret News reports, "The death rate dropped from 29.1% with delta to 2.7% with omicron." I'm perfectly willing to go with the good news, but do you wonder after Delta's ugly impact, is there something we still don't know about Omicron?

Fareed Abdullah of the South African Medical Research Council told the New York Times...

“The speed with which the Omicron-driven fourth wave rose, peaked and then declined has been staggering. Peak in four weeks and precipitous decline in another two. This Omicron wave is over in the city of Tshwane. It was a flash flood more than a wave."

President Biden on the Omicron Variant: Vaccination and Boosters Offer High Level of Protection...

 

Even Abdullah doesn't sound completely sure about the So. African stats, and the virus' "precipitous" decline does sound unreasonable to me, a layperson. But it happened and the studying will go on just like it has since the 1918 flu pandemic, which has produced a vaccine that protects us today. So far the experts still insist a peak to Omicron will occur by January 15, of this year, but Dr. Fauci and other well-known virologists are telling us to continue to maintain Covid protocols.

It has been suggested that statistical data during the holidays could be distorted due to reduced testing so the next two weeks will be crucial in determining the immediate future of the coronavirus. Especially Omicron. Which means there is hope just over the horizon.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022

 

Call me naive, but I'm hoping and wishing for a 2022 that will surpass all other new years in history for understanding, concilliation and respect between the people in the United States, and the world. You've all heard my dooms day posts, and most have their purpose. But after over two years of a pandemic that almost shut down the world plus political chaos in the American government that has no precedent in history, liberty and democracy need a break.

Democrats and Republicans want different things, and both sides have done their share to literally beat the other side up. The time has come for both the left and the right to step into the center of the ring, shake hands, and come out swinging for their cause. However, the swings do not have to include the weapons and armor used in the past several years. If those who run this country cannot find middle ground, then the politicians have failed with voters responsible in the end.

POLITICAL FRAGMENTATION: Here's What It's all about

 

The United States is already suffering the attempted destruction of our democracy by the Republicans, and now we learn it is already in pieces and needs to be reassembled. Richard Pildes, of the New York Times calls it Political Fragmentation...

"the dispersion of political power into so many different hands and centers of power that it becomes difficult for democratic governments to function effectively."

That is certainly a switch from the autocratic style of government we were experiencing under Donald Trump, but is it something that can be fixed in this country? Or, does it need to be fixed? Pildes says Joe Biden has identified the "challenge" a “battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.” But at the same time with Democrats controlling Congress and the White House, Biden couldn't pass the Build Back Better Bill.

The author believes this sets up authoritarianism because the public thinks this

form of governing can bypass all the political furor. This is, in itself, enlightening with the realization that this kind of attitude could, in part, account for the support for the Republican Party. in spite of its discord the likes of Donald Trump, and congressional lunatics like Marjorie Taylor Greene. There's more from the Times...

"The struggle of the Biden administration to deliver on its policy agenda offers a good example of the political fragmentation of politics taking place throughout Western democracies. It takes different forms in the multiparty systems of Europe and the two-party system of the United States."

The question is, just how long will the U.S. have a two-party system, or have any party system at all? We are dangerously close to losing our democracy, and it is the Republican Party we can thank for its demise. Now, what does the American public plan to do?

I urge uou to read Richard Pildes' article in the NYT.

EMERGENCY! U.S. Animal Shelters Need Your Help NOW!

 

In the Phoenix area, where I live, animal shelters are loaded following financial hardships stemming from the pandemic, according to the Arizona Humane Society. There are also the cases where Christmas presents didn't work out and are returned. To begin with, giving animals as gifts is not a good idea since they are looking for a forever home and most people aren't qualified to judge their recipient. Stick to the typical holiday fare and let the professionals place the pets. 

Here's the scenario, from Kelsey Dickerson, spokesperson for the Arizona Humane Society...

Dickerson said shelters have reported negative room numbers every morning for the past weeks and have had to find ways to accommodate the increasing number of injured and abused pets that come in every day.

"In the summer months, the Arizona Humane Society especially is used to the overcapacity that we're seeing," she said. "But this is something we've had to get really creative with the fall and winter months because it is usually not as huge of a problem."

This is a problem that exists throughout the U.S., one that will only worsen as the

Covid-19 pandemic continues. The first thing to go, unfortunately, is the animal when times get tough. A quick trip to the shelter and that ends the dilemma. I have a post I publish regularly about thoughtless people who say to themselves, it's just an animal. Well, it isn't. A pet is a sensitive being that has feelings and expresses love for its owner. It should be treated like one of the family. Yes, just like your kids.

Dickerson says, "People are losing their homes, they're losing their jobs, they are having medical emergencies pop up," and most recently evictions. There are currently 85 million pet owning households in the U.S. according to the American Pet Products Association's National Pet Owners 2019-2020 Survey. There is no way of knowing how many of those households would take in an extra pet, but if only a portion kicked in the 6.3 million annual shelter intake could be reduced significantly

Here's the shelters' appeal..."We just need help in every possible way," according to the folks at the Arizona Humane Society. This plea no doubt applies to most every animal shelter across the U.S. PLEASE help the animals this holiday.

READ MORE...

Would You Leave Your Child on the Side of the Road Like This Dog?

Abolish Puppy Mills NOW!!!

Animals to Humans: All we want is to live

UPDATE...The Agony of Misinformation...Anti-Vaxxers Continue to Spread Propaganda as Scientists Labor,

 

UPDATE: CNN Medical Analyst...

“I’d say that he’s [Sen. Ron Johnson] so misguided that it makes me wonder whether this is all just an act. And if it is an act, what does that say about what he thinks his constituents want to hear?”

“And if this is not an act, then he is just the most ignorant man in the United States Senate. And that says a lot.”

The noxious Republican Senator from Wisconsin is still at it with a new hit for the Covid stage. Ron Johnson says if you gargle with mouthwash every morning, you're safe from the coronavirus. Johnson is a long-term spreader of coronavirus misinformation...

"YouTube this year suspended his account for violating the company’s medical misinformation policies. He has also expressed skepticism about the efficacy of coronavirus vaccine mandates and doses, which have undergone vigorous health testing."

While this wingnut spouted his crap, other anti-vaxxers challenged the credibility of the newly announced Omicron variant back in November of 2021, first noticed in the U.K. They questioned the virus' validity by releasing a bogus schedule of new variant disclosure dates exclaiming the whole pandemic was orchestrated...

"Other false claims about the new variant have leaped across the Internet in the two weeks since it was first identified. One post in a group with more than a million members on the Telegram messaging app claimed the vaccines had caused the omicron variant, according to First Draft, a nonprofit that investigates misinformation. Another conspiracy theory posits that the variant is being pushed by governments and pharmaceutical companies to undermine ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug that vaccine skeptics have said treats covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. (There is no scientific evidence supporting that claim.)

A Kaiser Family Foundation Study says most parents still are skeptical of the

vaccine for their children with one in ten saying. "they will "definitely not" vaccinate their children against Covid-19. This, no doubt accounts for the surge in children's cases across the U.S. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports 226,000 child COVID-19 cases from Sep 9 to 16. They represent 25.7% of weekly reported cases.

Here's more from the KFF study...

"Vaccine uptake has slowed among adolescents ages 12 to 17 in recent months. Only about half of parents say that their child in this age group has received at least one dose of vaccine, a share that has changed little since the fall, KFF found.

"And among parents of younger children ages 5 to 11, about 29% say that their child has already been vaccinated or will be "right away." But another third of parents of children in this age group say that they want to "wait and see" before vaccinating their child against Covid-19."

Finally, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr... how could he have gone so wrong? Along with other politicians and celebrities, this medical lowlife is the worst. Not even going to get into his father, who must be throwing up in his grave. Here's an example of what this moron spews, in this case a far right conference, branded as standing for “health and freedom,” at a Southern California church...

“It is criminal medical malpractice to give a child one of these vaccines,” Kennedy contended, according to a video of the event, one of his many assertions that ignored or went against legal, scientific and public health consensus.

More...

Then, Kennedy hawked his book. If just 300 attendees preordered it on Amazon that night, he told the crowd, it would land on the bestseller list and they could “stick it to Amazon and Jeff Bezos.”

READ MORE... 

The Agony of Stupidity...39 Million Unvaccinated Idiots on the Street Worse Than 390 million Guns

Misinformation was Conceived and Launched by Republicans

Anti-Vaxxers a Steel-Trap of Misinformation

The Agony of Stupidity..."Misinformation is Literally Killing People" says Utah GOP Gov.

Utah's head of state, Spencer Cox. is a Republican and a Mormon, who has served his time in the missionary trenches of his church. His inauguration, a year ago, just days before the Jan. 6, U.S. Capitol insurrection, was the beginning of a year of massive misinformation on Covid-19, involving mask and vaccine protocols. The results, distrust between Democrats-Republicans as bad as Israelis and Palestinians. But something else was going on that day unnoticed by most...

"It was a Sunday night. A small crowd that included Cox and his wife sat silently in the pews of the St. George Tabernacle. The governor’s voice and the voice of a former federal judge sounded from the speakers, which broadcast a prerecorded conversation between the two men.

"Former federal Judge Thomas Griffith made a chilling assertion: the U.S. Constitution is in grave danger amid the U.S.’s polarized political environment.

“The Constitution is built for vigorous disagreement,” he said. “But it cannot withstand contempt. ... And that’s the problem that has seeped into our system right now. The contempt.”

The key here is judge Griffith's statement, "The Constitution is built for 

vigorous disagreement. But it cannot withstand contempt." Here are two definitions of the word, contempt, from Thesaurus.com...

• the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.
• the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.

So, in Griffith's view, that's the way the insurrectionist mob felt about American Democracy on that fateful day, bordering on treason at a time when the United States is as fragile as it has been since, perhaps, the Revolution. Taking this another step, this riot group represents the heart of the Republican Party with the ex-president, Donald Trump, orchestrating the whole affair. After January 6, the GOP can no longer deny its leadership in the destruction of U.S. democracy.

And here's the shocker in my opening statement...

Griffith pointed to surveys that have shown “Republicans and Democrats think so ill of each other that they don’t trust each other at all, and the level of distrust is at the same level that Israelis have for Palestinians.”

“The Constitution won’t survive with this level of contempt,” he said. “It has to be addressed and has to be rooted out.”

 I guess the next move is, where will the Gaza Strip be drawn, and how long will it take the GOP to start launching rockets?

The Agony of Stupidity...39 Million Unvaccinated Idiots on the Street Worse Than 390 million Guns

 

There are almost 400 million guns on the streets of America which are responsible for over 40,000 gun violence deaths each year and increasing every year. But that can't even compare with the over 800 thousand deaths annually from Covid-19, now spreading more quickly with the Omicron variant. It isn't known for sure how many of these deaths are caused by anti-vaxxer misinformation, but considering the amount of this propaganda out there on social media, it is probably high. 

And now Republican lawmakers are pitying these freaks by passing legislation that prevents the health care industry to do its job. Protect the American public from coronavirus. Here is a headline from the Washington Post that should infuriate anyone who believes in science over the disinformation being disseminated: "Anger over mask mandates, other covid rules, spurs states to curb power of public health officials," Can you believe it...curbing the power of truth over death?

WaPo uses an illustration from Columbus, Ohio, and one of its suburbs, where a mixture of mask requirements exist...

"Under a new law in Ohio — one of at least 19 states this year that have restricted state or local authorities from safeguarding public health amid the coronavirus pandemic — Franklin County’s health commissioner Joe Mazzola can no longer intervene. The county health department was stripped of its power to compel people to wear masks even as the omicron variant fuels a fifth coronavirus surge in the United States."

In effect, this law tells Franklin County’s health commissioner Joe Mazzola that he cannot save lives. This is unconscionable, but a regular move by Republicans across the country. The great GOP killing machine in motion. And here's another headline from the New York Times: "Another Christmas of Death and Distress in America’s I.C.U.s." Healthcare workers are putting their lives on the line this holiday season, while at the same time these imbecilic anti-vaxxers spread more propaganda.

How Republicans protect anti-vaxxers...

Here's an example of what's going on from Ronda Stevenson, intensive care unit nurse at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis for the past seven years...

"Instead of taking holiday vacations this weekend, workers at strained hospitals across the nation are working 16-hour shifts. Some have been on the job every day for weeks. Festive meals have been replaced with protein bars and sports drinks."

It's frightening, since Ohio is only an example of what is going on all around the country with over sixteen states adopting similar laws, and more on the books for 2022. Here is the tragedy of the situation by Amy Goldstein of the WP...

"These laws — the work of Republican legislators — inhibit health officers’ ability to require masks, promote vaccinations or take other steps, such as closing or limiting the number of patrons in restaurants, bars and other indoor public settings. Often, the measures shift those decisions from health experts to elected officials at a time when such coronavirus-fighting strategies have become politically radioactive."

The piece's author makes it clear that the GOP is responsible for what is going on

with this blog's assumption their goal is to kill off the U.S. population. The Times reports vaccinations have hit a "plateau" with the Omicron variant in full swing during the holidays...

"Around 20 percent of children 5 to 11 years old have gotten a dose of vaccine. And only around one in three fully vaccinated Americans has gotten a booster."

And finally, Sarah Bahr and Mike Baker of the New York Times wrap up the status of the current situation...

"Nearly two years into a pandemic that shows no sign of abating, doctors, nurses and other frontline workers have already faced the emotional toll of mass death in their hospitals. They have endured the frustration of pleading with the public to take precautions only to watch outbreaks unfold as people ignored the call for help. They have suffered the moral distress of not being able to give patients the ideal level of care." 

The question is, what will 2022 bring? With 53,121,847 cases and 837,804 deaths already in the U.S., we can only hope it gets better. We also should ask the question, did the anti-vaxxing community completely ignore science courses in high school?

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Is it possible we could start a new year with peace in the world, and that also includes the U.S. political arena? This applies to both sides of the aisle.

Misinformation was Conceived and Launched by Republicans

 

And it has never been the same. It brought on Fact Checks by several media publications and the well-known Pinocchios from the Washington Post. Fact checking had to work overtime during Donald Trump's time in the White House, but even clearly defeated by Joe Biden, this lunatic continues to rack up the lies. Well over 30,000 to date with some classics by POLITIFACT. It is unreal, as you scroll through these lies that they are attributed to an ex-U.S. President.

The New York Times starts their article with'''

"A few weeks ago, Representative Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican, falsely claimed that the centerpiece of President Biden’s domestic agenda, a $1.75 trillion bill to battle climate change and extend the nation’s social safety net, would include Medicare for all."

It does not and never has, but the pathetic Republican supporters either don't have the brains to check things like this out or they just don't care. And by the way, Crenshaw used this outright lie to raise money for his candidacy. Emails, that's how he spread his message of deceit, the manner in which many politicians communicate these days. I was working in the junk mail industry when emails were first initiated but this political crap far outdoes the junk emails.

In a New York Times project info on how "to track how widely false and misleading statements were being used to help fill political coffers." Republicans and Democrats are guilty"...

"One Republican, for instance, declared that Democrats wanted to establish a “one-party socialist state,” while a Democrat suggested that the party’s Jan. 6 inquiry was at imminent risk because the G.O.P. 'could force the whole investigation to end early.'”

There was a huge percentage difference between Republican and Democrat misinformation. The former 15%, the latter 2%. Like I said earlier, The GOP invented misinformation. Here's an interesting fact...

"In addition, multiple Republicans often spread the same unfounded claims, whereas Democrats rarely repeated one another’s."

There is so much more to discover in the NYT article that I urge you to read the entire piece.