Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Disagreements are healthy; personal attacks are not.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

The way to stop violence is to stop manufacturing the hatred that fuels it.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

I would gladly pay you tuesday for a hamburger today.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Nothing worth doing is easy.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Thursday Morning Open Thread

Thursday Morning Open Thread

by | 156 Comments

This post is in: , , ,


(h/t Steeplejack)

If you would, spare an extra thought for commentor GreenNotGreen and her family.

The Washington Post has front-paged a long and magisterial article on the latest kerfuffle, but I’ll schedule a different post to discuss that.
.

What else is on the agenda as we buckle down for another day?
.

Reader Interactions

156Comments

  3. 3.

    satby

    Repeating from below: Wishing as easy a transition as possible to gnG, and love to her and her family. Peace and comfort at this time.

  4. 4.

    bystander

    All best hopes and wishes to gnG and her loved ones,

    Also, Moanin’ Joe is shocked that Sean Spicer and Sara Huckleberry are liars who lie for their lying liar employer.

  6. 6.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows Trump’s disapproval rating rising to 58 percent — a new high in Quinnipiac’s regular polling and the highest in a high-quality, non-tracking poll since his inauguration. Just 36 percent approved of Trump’s job performance.

    Joe Scarborough ‏@JoeNBC

    TRUMP SLUMP– 36% rating shows POTUS support skidding. And this is before the Comey firing (soon-to-be scandal).

    279 replies 1,075 retweets 2,367 likes

    Robert Costa‏ @costareports

    After Comey, Republicans worry about 2018 ‘wipeout’

    456 replies 888 retweets 1,897 likes

    Even the liberal Josh Kraushaar is ringing the alarm:

    Josh Kraushaar @HotlineJosh

    WAVE ALERT from Quinnipiac: Trump approval 36/58. Most important: D+16 (!!!) on generic ballot

    11:06 AM – 10 May 2017

    117 replies 709 retweets 899 likes

  8. 8.

    Currants

    Holding gnG in the light. Lost a dear friend to brain cancer in the end of January, and the last days are hard.

  10. 10.

    Arm The Homeless

    All of the best for gnG, as well as family and friends. To be remembered fondly is the only thing we take with us from this crazy journey.

    I don’t know if this was posted, but “Rep. MacArthur confronted at town hall: ‘You have been the single greatest threat to my family'”

    We need many more engaged (enraged?) voters such as this guy. Fuck every fascist and their fascist voting base.

    youtube.com/watch?v=3uTTn9uDZzc&t=7m35s

  12. 12.

    Emma

    I am often clumsy in trying to express my thoughts in moments like these so I will just add “me too” to all of your statements. Blessed be, GnG and the whole family.

  13. 13.

    Elizabelle

    Reposting this from below, more updates from greennotGreen’s valiant family:

    We had a few updates (that I saw) from greennotGreen’s family overnight on yesterday’s Tamara thread. How’s Everyone Holding Up? with the photo of the mouse.

    First one: from 12:23 am

    gnG’s sister reporting: Sorry to not report earlier today, and thank you to everyone for your good thoughts and wishes. The last 2 days have definitely been downturns. gnG is not often lucid now, and when she is, she gropes for words. She has expressed the idea that she is ready to move on. It’s not a pleasant time – she retches fairly often and indicates that both her throat and her abdomen are uncomfortable. This morning, she decided to take a full dose of lorazepam because she was so sad, and that knocked her out for most of the day. She has has an amazing attitude throughout the ordeal, at peace with her approaching death; however, her extreme weakness has made her vulnerable to the lassitude of spirit which is normal in these circumstances.

    Adding to the emotional turmoil of the day, our mother said goodbye to gnG today. Our mother was hospitalized due to sudden failure to walk or stand when gnG entered home hospice. I brought her by my sister’s house on her way to inpatient rehab. So difficult for a parent to go through.

    So, all-in-all not a good time. Sorry this report is so disjointed – it’s late, but I wanted to keep everyone (who is interested) updated.

    Second one, from the niece at 1:10 am

    Niece’s turn! gnG went to the bathroom, passed out from pain (throat pain from the NG tube, slight abdominal pain as well). Got her back into bed and gave two morphine doses (1 cc total) in quick succession. She doesn’t want to be in pain, and wants the NG tube out. She and my mother had a tearful goodbye, and now my brother is sitting with her, as are three of the dogs. Her main thought after pain was that someone needed to be blogging!

    Update: gnG told my brother to put more ice in her mouth and less on the floor. Glad we all still have some humor!

    A third entry:

    greennotGreen
    May 11, 2017 at 1:36 am
    Niece again: rotating between dilaudid and morphine now. She asked for ice since her throat is still (not literally) killing her. I was not quick enough on the draw so my ice-giving privileges were revoked.

    And then sister addressed an email to cckids about cystic fibrosis, and addresses others who have lost loved ones before their time. Such empathy and strength:

    greennotGreen
    May 11, 2017 at 1:57 am
    @cckids: (gnG’s sister writing) I’m so sorry to hear about your son. As gnG may have mentioned, her nephew (my son) has cystic fibrosis, and we have consequently worried about that eventuality since he was born. Nevertheless, I can’t imagine how difficult that would be. Nor do I really want to try. My heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones, but especially those who have lost ones “before their time.” (You could argue that everyone dies at their time, but I think you know what I mean.)

    Did I miss any other comments from the family?

    Best to them all.

  14. 14.

    Mike in DC

    Best wishes and prayers to gng and her loved ones.
    This whole thing (Trump-Russia) feels like things could continue the slow disintegration, or fly apart at high speed. The latter became more likely with Corey’s firing, because now the leaks are flying like katyusha rockets. Rumors of imminent arrests are now starting to circulate. Lies are getting exposed as swiftly as they are being told. As this happens, support of Trump by the GOP will become untenable, and his popularity will erode further. In this scenario, we are looking at days and weeks, not weeks and months.

  15. 15.

    aimai

    I want to thank Greennotgreen and her family for keeping us in their thoughts and letting us know how greennotgreen is doing. Even though we are an internet community, it is still a community, and its a terrible thing to lose a member of the community and not even know in time to send thoughts, love and prayers.

  17. 17.

    Elizabelle

    @Mike in DC: I think so too.

    The bureaucrats will bring him down, and our court system, even while our political institutions (speaking of Republicans here) rot from within.

    In the future, once we have Democrats in control or in greater numbers, I would like to see a lot of the Senate’s practices change.

    Make the institutions more representative of their constituents, not their funding base.

    Maybe we will get a do-over of Citizens United and public financing of elections out of this. The rich have too much influence. We are not government for the plutocrats, by the millionaires and hereditary politicos.

    Everything that turned the GOP into party over country: burn it down. Fox News and its ilk included. They’re poison, not something that should be allowed to hide behind the First Amendment.

  18. 18.

    Elizabelle

    Love and strength to greennotGreen and her family. You had a good run, and have a loving family. Yours was a good life, too near its close.

  20. 20.

    Immanentize

    @Elizabelle: Thank you for this report. It makes me both sad and so filled with the sense of the great power of compassion.

    GnG. If you are reading you have to know what a model and inspiration you have been as my family starts this journey you are now completing. I am also grateful to all in your family who showed us what love looks like in real time. Peace to all.

  21. 21.

    Elizabelle

    Blurb on the front page of FTF NY Times:

    IN WASHINGTON
    Republicans’ Legislative Agenda May Be Imperiled
    by Carl Hulse

    The dismissal added another volatile element to the partisanship in the capital and raised the prospect of a confirmation fight.

    Ya think? That is the least I would expect out of this!

  23. 23.

    JPL

    @Elizabelle: Thank you for putting their thoughts up, although reading it caused my allergies to act up.
    .
    Hugs to gng and her wonderful family. Rest green.

  26. 26.

    satby

    @Immanentize:

    as my family starts this journey you are now completing

    I’m sorry to see this, the news at the doctor’s doesn’t sound like it was good for Ms Imm. Hoping there are more good days than bad, and wishing for comfort and as much peace as possible to all of you too.

  27. 27.

    jacy

    Thinking good thoughts for greennotGreen and those surrounding her — may they have peace and good memories to see them through.

  28. 28.

    geg6

    Holding greennotGreen in the light. She’s an amazing person whose strength, dignity and unstoppable sense of humor is an inspiration to me.

    In happier news, my John became the grandfather of a bouncing baby girl yesterday.

  31. 31.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    James Comey @jamescomey

    Disappointed to leave the FBI, a career I’ve loved for 27 years. During this difficult time I just want all America to know that the pee tape is real. (link)

    Retweets 11,355 Likes 41,708

  32. 32.

    Elizabelle

    @satby: I know. I hope Mrs. Immm has lots more time, quality life, ahead of her.

    @geg6: Well that’s wonderful. Circle of life.

  33. 33.

    Cermet

    So sorry for GnG and her loved ones; I too have been there and endured but always realized that it is best since we all go that route in some manner sooner or later. I’ve seen too many ones that were terribly painful and drawn out so pain treatment is a must and I am glad they had time to be there.

  42. 42.

    HeleninEire

    @Elizabelle: Thank you for taking the time to keep us all informed. Because I am in Dublin, I miss a lot of evening threads. I try to catch up the next day when most Balloon Juicers are still asleep. For the past few days, my first morning thought is I need to go through all the overnight threads and look for gnG.

    And to greennotGreen – you are in my thoughts all day long. Peace to you and your family.

  44. 44.

    Elizabelle

    I think it would be cool for folks to post good news on this thread too. Points of light for greennotGreen and her marvelous family, and all of us.

    Also think we should do a fundraiser for cancer research in her name, and in honor of those here, past and present, affected by that dread disease. It’s amazing to me that, with all the advances we’ve made against so many other killers, a cure for cancer still eludes us.

  46. 46.

    debbie

    @Elizabelle:

    Yeah, there really should have been a cure by now, but where medicine has really excelled is in pain management. My parents both died of cancer 31 years apart, and the difference between their ends was astounding.

  47. 47.

    Elizabelle

    @mike in dc: I keep hoping that Trump’s awash in disaster, and people are counting down the end of his regime, by the time I fly back to the US of Cray Cray in July. Reading a good book, in event laptops are not allowed in the cabin.

    It’s not a probability, but a strong possibility. Once Republicans start running for the exits.

    Also: I am tired of hearing the Democrats described as powerless. They are in the minority in Congress, that is true. GOP steering this ship over the falls.

    But Dems are hardly powerless. We have moral authority. Push back on that word and descriptions like it. I see it in (newspaper) comment threads, and we have to change the tenor a bit. Powerless people cannot come to the rescue of others. We can.

  50. 50.

    Baud

    @Elizabelle: You’re correct. But you know how it goes. Haters want to blame Dems for not stopping the GOP. That’s where the powerless talk comes from.

  54. 54.

    Elizabelle

    @debbie: Yeah, that’s true re pain management. Same thing here; parents gone in 1990 and 2014. A sea change.

  55. 55.

    debbie

    @Baud:

    I sure hope so. I remember taking my mom to the James Center, a research and treatment facility dedicated to cancer that’s part of OSU. There were so many patients being wheeled from area to area, it was like the place was its own city. Very sobering.

  56. 56.

    Betty Cracker

    Strength, love and courage to gnG and family. And may there be many good days ahead for the Immanentize family.

  57. 57.

    Lapassionara

    @Elizabelle: thank you for reposting. Such a sad time for her family. Ditto what others have said. Words don’t seem to be adequate, but they are all we have to express our caring.

  59. 59.

    SiubhanDuinne

    May your transition be gentle and pain free, dear greennotGreen. Carry with you love and light, and gratitude for your boundless generosity, humour and honesty. You have made a difference in many lives, and you will be deeply missed.

    To gnG’s loving family, thank you all so much for serving as her scribe and keeping us informed. I hope the knowledge that so many scattered strangers hold your sister/aunt/daughter in such affection will be a bit of comfort to you all in the days and weeks ahead. Along with condolences, I wish you strength and peace.

  62. 62.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Elizabelle: My father died of pancreatic cancer over 30 years ago, when the 5-year mortality rate was over 95%. Now the 5-year mortality rate is still around 95%, which I find remarkable.

  64. 64.

    MomSense

    Sending my love and support to gnG and sister, mom, niece, brother, and the pups who have been by her side.

    @Immanentize:
    We jackals will support you every step of your journey even as our hearts are breaking for you.

  67. 67.

    SFAW

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Josh Kraushaar @HotlineJosh

    WAVE ALERT from Quinnipiac: Trump approval 36/58. Most important: D+16 (!!!) on generic ballot

    Unfortunately, the “generic ballot” doesn’t mean shit at this point. So the Dems need to keep hammering on the Party of Traitors, every day in every way. I’m hoping Tom Perez has someone dedicated to being the Dems’ attack dog(s). The Rep. Maloney “I’ll hold a Town Hall in my chickenshit Rethug neighbor’s district, since he’s too much of a chickenshit” thing should continue to be replicated, I’m hoping the DNC is helping do that as well.

    And the rest of us need to keep hammering on the non-national Rethugs, as well as on Congress.

  71. 71.

    pamelabrown53

    Peace, love and light to green not Green and her family. Her courage, equanimity and humor are an inspiration.

  74. 74.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Steeplejack:

    Peace to greennotGreen
    Be at ease, free from trouble
    Ever green at heart

    Lovely, especially the last line. Thank you.

  75. 75.

    Soprano2

    I will hold gnG and her family in my thoughts. Peace and love to her and her family, as many others have already said.

  76. 76.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I am so fucking tired of all this winning!

    Jim Acosta‏Verified account @ Acosta
    WH furious over Russian government photos of Trump meeting with Lavrov/Kislyak. “They tricked us,” an official said of Russians “They lie.”

    Matthew Yglesias‏Verified account @ mattyglesias 7h7 hours ago
    Trump can’t even negotiate foreign governments’ access to the Oval Office

  77. 77.

    Elizabelle

    Another good thought: Jimmy Carter is still with us, and lived to vote in 2016. Wish we were not so heavy on assholes in the US of A; would have liked to see his candidate in the White House, once again.

    But JEC still lives, and I am grateful for that. Lot of strides in keeping people with us longer, in better comfort.

    Except for pancreatic cancer.

  81. 81.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @NotMax:

    Sadly, I won’t be seeing it — it’s not part of the Live in HD schedule (wish the Met had seen fit to include Cyrano and refrained from giving us yet a third iteration of a fairly tedious Traviata production). Have always loved the story of Cyrano, and by all accounts Roberto Alagna is perfect in the title role. I’m glad your mom enjoyed it.

  84. 84.

    SFAW

    @amk:

    What an asshole.

    Asshole, buffoon, moron, sociopath, bully, infant, dickhead, moron, prick, patsy, liar, grifter, moron, or clueless fuck?

  88. 88.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @SFAW:

    Asshole, buffoon, moron, sociopath, bully, infant, dickhead, moron, prick, patsy, liar, grifter, moron, or clueless fuck?

    Pretty much obligatory at this point:

    All of them, Katie!

  91. 91.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Elizabelle: I’m truly hard-pressed to come up with something stupider: “We didn’t realize the guy with the camera would take pictures.” Really? And you’re going to say that to a reporter?

  92. 92.

    SFAW

    @Gin & Tonic:

    “They tricked us We are fucking morons and want the world to know it,” an official said of Russians “They lie.”`

    I’m wondering whether openly and savagely mocking the Moron-in-Chief will hasten him stroking out/imploding more than other methods. Of course, that runs the risk of having President Dense before ALL those motherfuckers can be indicted. And, of course President ZEGS might be even worse, at least on the domestic front.

  93. 93.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @amk:

    Here are some worthy additions (William S. Gilbert, Ruddigore):

    Coward, poltroon, shaker, squeamer,
    Blockhead, sluggard, dullard, dreamer,
    Shirker, shuffler, crawler, creeper,
    Sniffler, snuffler, wailer, weeper,
    Earthworm, maggot, tadpole, weevil!
    Set upon thy course of evil,
    Lest the King of Spectre-Land
    Set on thee his grisly hand!

  94. 94.

    Elizabelle

    Moar good news, for gnG and the rest of us: from FTF NY Times:

    Workers in New Orleans in the wee hours of Thursday took down a statue of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War

    . </blockquote.

    It was the second of four such statues or monuments targeted for removal as city officials seek to erase the vestiges of an era that celebrated white supremacy and racism.

    Crews, wearing masks to cover their faces, worked under a heavy police presence starting at 3 a.m. to dismantle the statue, which was erected in 1911, nearly 50 years after the end of the war, and commissioned by the Jefferson Davis Memorial Association.

    All this stuff went up decades after the Civil War. They wanted to sanitize their forebears’ actions.

    And, somehow, I don’t think we are ever going to see a “Donald J. Trump Memorial Association.” Leaving aside the unfortunate fact that the gentleman is still walking among us.

    ETA: not sure what went wrong with formatting. Oh well. Thing is: pedestal where JDavis used to stand is empty. They improved it.

  96. 96.

    clay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Jim Acosta‏Verified account @ Acosta
    WH furious over Russian government photos of Trump meeting with Lavrov/Kislyak. “They tricked us,” an official said of Russians “They lie.”

    So what, exactly, are they “furious” about? The fact that the photos were taken at all? (Which, duh, they knew they had cameras.) The fact that the photos were published? (Which, again, duh.) Or was it the fact that no one even knew that Kislyak was there until the photos were published, making an already sketchy situation even sketchier?

    And if it’s the last one, then that means they are more upset about the reveal than they are about the action itself.

  98. 98.

    SFAW

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Never heard/seen Ruddigore, I guess I’ll have to remedy that.

    There’s also some epic cursing/insulting in Lear, I think, but I’ll have to look it up. I think it’s either Lancaster or York that does the insulting, but as I’m not anything approaching knowledgeable regarding Billy Shakes, it could be Brutus or Puck, for all I know.

  100. 100.

    martian

    @Immanentize: Is it certain? I thought you had some weeks yet to know. I am so sorry.

    Keeping greennotGreen and all of you seeing her through this final passage in my thoughts. I’m so glad you have each other, a tight circle of love. Thank you for letting her friends and well wishers here keep a distant vigil.

  101. 101.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @clay: So what, exactly, are they “furious” about? The fact that the photos were taken at all? (Which, duh, they knew they had cameras.) The fact that the photos were published? (Which, again, duh.) Or was it the fact that no one even knew that Kislyak was there until the photos were published, making an already sketchy situation even sketchier?

    people were tweeting last night that having TASS photo (and sound?) equipment in the Oval Office is a pretty big security risk. I meant to ask Dr Silverman about it last night, but forgot. I imagine it will come up again.

  104. 104.

    SFAW

    @SFAW:
    So it was neither Lancaster, nor York, nor Puck, nor Gandalf:

    OSWALD
    What dost thou know me for?
    KENT
    A knave; a rascal; an eater of broken meats; a
    base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited,
    hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a
    lily-livered, action-taking knave, a whoreson,
    glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical rogue;
    one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a
    bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but
    the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar,
    and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I
    will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deniest
    the least syllable of thy addition.

    If nothing else, calling Shitgibbon all those things would probably tie him up for days: first having someone explain it to him, then having him tweet endlessly about that loser Shakespeare, calling President Shitgibbon all those mean things.

  105. 105.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @geg6:

    In happier news, my John became the grandfather of a bouncing baby girl yesterday.

    Congratulations! So nice to read happy things!

  106. 106.

    Svensker

    Peace and blessings to green not Green and her family. Holding you all in the Light.

  108. 108.

    Bruce K

    @SFAW: The sooner Pence is forced to show his true colors, the better, I think; he’s managed to stay relatively obscure even as VP because of the chaos stirred up at 1600. And remember, Jerry Ford only managed to pull off one pardon. If we get a wave election next year, there might just be a historical argument in a hundred years about who our first woman President actually was…

  110. 110.

    Elizabelle

    @SFAW:

    finical rogue;
    one-trunk-inheriting slave

    Will!

    That riposte is the hip hop of its day. It’s like the REM lyrics (End of the World).

  112. 112.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Former Obama FP adviser

    Colin Kahl‏ @ ColinKahl 20h20 hours ago
    Deadly serious Q: Was it a good idea to let a Russian gov photographer & all their equipment into the Oval Office?
    I was in the Oval daily. Had to leave phone/camera outside. Apparently that doesn’t apply to Russ Gov in this WH

    Former Dep. Director of the CIA

    David S. Cohen‏ @ cohendavid 20h20 hours ago
    Replying to @ ColinKahl
    No, it was not.

  113. 113.

    Elizabelle

    @SFAW:

    And it sounds like a baud/bawd is a good thing. May it ever be so.

    one that wouldst be a
    bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but
    the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar,
    and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch …

  115. 115.

    clay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Yeah, absolutely. Gee, letting Russian state media with recording equipment into one of the most sensitive offices in the world is a security risk! Whothefuckcould’veknown?!?!

    But I’m just wondering about whatever WH official is “furious” about the Russians. Being “furious” implies that the Russians broke some kind of agreement. I want to know what that original agreement was. What did the Russians tell them? What did they tell the Russians? What in the nine circles of hell is going on?!?

    Worth noting: It’s been reported that the photo op originated from a personal request by Putin.

  116. 116.

    laura

    @Elizabelle: count me IN!
    Love to gnG and her family in the transition. Peace and Grace as you ease on over.
    Immentize, I wish you the best as the coming days come on. There’s moments of joy, in a world of suck. Minimizing suffering and maximizing joy is my prayer for you and your wife.
    And to Rikyrah, I hope you are doing well after the long stand into your workday.

  119. 119.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @Elizabelle:

    All this stuff went up decades after the Civil War. They wanted to sanitize their forebears’ actions.

    It also demonstrates how much wealth the planter class had left over after all the antebellum labor theft and 50 years of near-slavery labor theft after, for their widows, kids and grandkids to have so much left to dump into ridiculous displays of grandiosity celebrating their theft.

  122. 122.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Elizabelle:

    Also think we should do a fundraiser for cancer research in her name, and in honor of those here, past and present, affected by that dread disease. It’s amazing to me that, with all the advances we’ve made against so many other killers, a cure for cancer still eludes us.

    Yes, by all means. Does anyone know the current status of Joe Biden’s cancer task force? I’m pretty sure he said around the time of the transition that he’d be continuing the initiative, but haven’t seen or heard anything more.

  123. 123.

    amk

    MacArthur ask for “respect.” Audience: “Can I be disrespectful on behalf of all the people you’re going to kill.”— Katie Jennings (@katiedjennings) May 10, 2017

    Loving this.

  126. 126.

    sherparick

    Thoughts with greennotGreen and her family. Showing us what love and courage are.

  127. 127.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @debbie:

    That article is very odd. It never once mentions the fact that US media were barred from the session with the Russian officials. So not only did the Russian photographer have access (despite the fact that WH vetting was so casual they couldn’t even find out that he worked for Tass as well as the foreign minister), which is sketchy enough on the merits, but American journalists were denied the same access. Why didn’t the WaPo article note that fact?

    I’ve said it before: if a film or TV screenwriter submitted a script with only a fraction of the stuff the Trump administration has pulled, they’d be kicked out of the producer’s office.

  128. 128.

    LurkerNoLonger

    @Arm The Homeless: That kind of anger is what we need, not the ginned up, AstroTurf, bullshit anger of the Tea Party circa 2010, but real, richeous anger.

  129. 129.

    schrodingers_cat

    @SiubhanDuinne: Cancer is not one disease though, its a family of diseases. For example blood cancers behave significantly different than solid cancers.

    ETA: Many cancers that used to be death sentence have become chronic and manageable now. There has also been a significant amount of progress in childhood leukemia etc.

  132. 132.

    bupalos

    I’m a bit peripheral here but just want to note that it is incredibly kind of GnG’s family to be keeping this community close at what must be an excruciating time. It’s really heartening to see.

  133. 133.

    Ohio Mom

    Wishing greennotGreen all she needs for a peaceful transition, and serenity to her family.

    Also hoping Immentize and his wife all they need as they grapple with their new reality.

    Finally, missing Yarrow, and eager for you to come back!

    Ah…so much nicer to start the day wishing people well than calling my Congressmen. But I’m afraid that has to be next on my agenda. My elderly aunt asked me why I was aggravating myself so and I replied, “I’m a middle-aged woman, it’s my duty!” She didn’t disagree.

  134. 134.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @SFAW:

    That scene from Ruddigore is really wonderful. Portraits of all the ancestral baronets of Ruddigore come to life to curse and threaten the current holder of the title. Done properly, it’s very effective.

  135. 135.

    Ohio Mom

    @schrodingers_cat: I have to agree, it is extremely unlikely that there will ever be what people mean when they say “a cure for cancer.”

    As you said, there are too many different kinds, too many variables, and also, cancer is just about inevitable. Our bodies give rise to cancerous cells all the time but our immune system usually is able to kill them.

    We will continue to make progress in treatment, and I think we will also progress in helping cancer patients who are beyond treatment with more comfortable last days. Those are not small things.

  136. 136.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    greennotGreen: through tears, because it seems like the time is very near, I offer you many many blessings to you and your loving family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this time with us. Your bravery, equanimity, selflessness and dignity are inspirational. Go in peace and dwell in light.

  137. 137.

    artem1s

    thinking of you and your family. Be at peace. you are helping us all remember our own loves and losses. And that is a good thing. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

  138. 138.

    Mary G

    So grateful to gnG’s sister and niece for keeping us updated. Doing hospice at home for my mom was as hard a thing as I have ever done, but also the most rewarding.

  139. 139.

    sherparick

    On the topic of the thread, as long as Trump has 80% of Republicans backing him, the Republicans in Congress will back him. And as long as McConnell and Ryan back him, he can get away with murder (I think pretty much literally). In the Red States and districts, they fear a primary from the populist Right, funded by one or more of the hard Right billionaires, near billionaires, and high multimillionaires that fund Republican Party. And this group will stand by Trump and don’t care a wit about Russian involvement, Hell, they are grateful for it as long as it helps them achieve their prime goals: 1) Always number 1 on the Republican goal, tax cuts for the rich, especially the ultra rich; 2) elimination of all regulations that hinders their ability to make a buck, whether pollution control, consumer protection, or worker protection; 3) and for the religious minded in this donor class, imposing a patriarchial rules to put “women” back in their place; and 4) for the racists among them, putting minority groups back in their place and asserting white supremacy, which is also why you will get a hard core 35% of the population that will never abandon Trump. This is the 35% that say Comey should have fired because Hillary was not indicted, and I believe Trump will move to that as his anger that his Presidency is not considered legitimate increases.

  140. 140.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Elizabelle:

    Well, I was thinking (after you posted your excellent suggestion) that (a) Uncle Joe would probably be very moved and inspired, as are we all, by gnG’s journey, and (b) whatever funds we are able to raise in the BJ community could be well-leveraged by some kind of informal partnership with Biden. Personally, I’d rather we hook up with him than with one of the big faceless ACS-type organisations. Just my opinion and random thoughts at this point.

  143. 143.

    hovercraft

    Wishing you peace and love at this difficult time to gnG and her her wonderful family.

  144. 144.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @schrodingers_cat:
    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Tried to edit but the time for doing so elapsed while I was typing.

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Yes, of course I know that, and I imagine everyone here knows it as well. “Finding a cure for cancer” is shorthand.

    ETA: Sorry, cat, that came across as brusquer and crankier than I intended. I appreciate your pointing out that there are, indeed, many cancers with an entire spectrum of research challenges, treatment protocols, and symptom management.

  145. 145.

    hedgehog the occasional commenter

    Holding gnG and her family in Light and Love. gnG, thank you for being here. Wishing you a peaceful and easy transition. (I’ll also echo what Conster said; would that I had such eloquence.)

  148. 148.

    sharl

    My thoughts go out to greennotGreen, as well as my thanks – to her and her family – for the generosity they’ve shown in sharing her journey with us. For you, greennotGreen, I wish as much comfort as is possible, and for you to go in peace when you are ready, surrounded by those who love you. (Clearly you’ve got that last bit covered.)

    I’ve never been a particularly brave person, to put it mildly, and I hope this will be an inspiration for me when my time approaches.

  149. 149.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Immanentize: Peace to you too. I hold you, your wife, and whole family – along with gnG and all who know and love her – in my heart.

    What are those stupid onions doing in my office?

  150. 150.

    BruceFromOhio

    Her version on Live at Blues Alley always brings tears, and seems very appropriate here.

    May Gaia bless your lands, your loves, and your lives, GreenNotGreen, and may your journey bring you peace at last.

  151. 151.

    Elizabelle

    Popping by to say that brave greennotGreen and her family are in my thoughts today. I hope green is comfortable.

    My best to you.

  153. 153.

    manyakitty

    Sending peace, love and strength to gnG and familly, the Imms, and everyone else who needs it. We are all connected.

  154. 154.

    greennotGreen

    @Elizabelle: (gnG’s sister writing) gnG wanted me to say that, while she wished she had had more time here, she is not bitter about the inability of her doctors to save her. It’s been hard to find a cure because cancer actually encompasses a wide range of diseases, and one approach doesn’t fit all. For her memorial, she has instead suggested donations to three different causes, only one is cancer (American Cancer Society). The others are Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (because of her nephew) and the Avielle Foundation (because her very good friends lost a daughter, Avielle, at Sandy Hook). As throughout her life, and approaching her death, her first thought is of others.

  155. 155.

    Elizabelle

    @greennotGreen: Please tell gnG that it will be done. It will be our pleasure to support all three very worthy causes.

    I know I speak for everyone here when I say that we send our strength and love to you and yours as you keep gnG company in her final days. What a brave and noble sister. (Is something we could say about both of you.)

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