Trans people exist everywhere.
We are in every country, in every state, in every city and neighborhood. This Trans Day of Visibility, we celebrate by being more visible than ever before. #TDOV pic.twitter.com/FOWRiWNk20— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 31, 2022
Biden issued a statement today to mark Transgender Day of Visibility:
“To everyone celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility, I want you to know that your President sees you.” https://t.co/VJBe42Vmop pic.twitter.com/ApXZFLLWuQ
— Axios (@axios) March 30, 2022
Elsewhere…
Asked if he could comment on the reports about declassified intel showing Putin doesn't trust his military leadership, Biden, while getting a vaccine shot, answered: “No, I can't." https://t.co/BKESi24bLJ
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 30, 2022
A super political action committee affiliated with Speaker Nancy Pelosi has reserved almost $102 million in ad time in a bid to defend Democrats’ narrow majority in the House https://t.co/JtAmocq6J3 via @gregorykorte
— Mario Parker (@MarioDParker) March 30, 2022
My most unpopular take, at least on this website, is the Democratic Party is extraordinarily skilled at politics. How else could they fight GOPers more or less to a draw, despite the fact that the Constitution — and especially the malapportioned Senate — is rigged against them?
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 30, 2022
The wild thing is one of the GOP’s talking points for this hearing was to all promise KBJ that they’d be fair to her and wouldn’t make personal attacks. They knew going into it that it would backfire on them if they went nuclear on KBJ.
And they still couldn’t help themselves. https://t.co/el3cZQw3Vj
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 31, 2022
Kirsten Sinema now has a big sad, because while Susan Collins may not be very bright, she can tell which way the wind blows…
Biden is “incredibly grateful to Senator Collins for her thorough and fair consideration,” White House spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield says at press briefing. https://t.co/utE4USSpas
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 30, 2022
Facing new political reality, Sen. Murkowski considers a vote for Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Jackson https://t.co/WZ7fegzuL1
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 31, 2022
But one perk of being on the Judiciary Committee is, if you like to demagogue about cultural issues, every few years or so you can be the star of the next SCOTUS confirmation hearing!
I think that explains the quality of the Republicans who sit on the committee.
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 31, 2022
Baud
If you’re not voting blue, you shouldn’t pretend to care about trans people.
Great compilation, AL.
rikyrah
Good Morning Everyone ?? ?
Baud
@rikyrah:
Good morning.
SiubhanDuinne
Hmmmm….
rikyrah
Country1stAlways (@MichaelHargrov1) tweeted at 7:20 AM on Thu, Mar 31, 2022:
What gets me riled is that these Black Blue Checks honestly believe that they are the standard setters for what’s right and wrong with Black behavior, especially Black Men, but many of these same stays oddly quiet when Black Women are being disrespected.
(https://twitter.com/MichaelHargrov1/status/1509505790742302721?t=jf3RHVtPdmXs-Hoc2K6Ssg&s=03)
rikyrah
Veronica McDonald? (@Purify_toast17) tweeted at 7:43 AM on Thu, Mar 31, 2022:
The ⚫️?☑️s say “Protect Black Women” and “Black Girl Magic” but if the black girl is a little too light, too thin and there’s more of an advantage to them to protect, celebrate and defend somebody white, they’ll choose the white personal every time.
(https://twitter.com/Purify_toast17/status/1509511669659090947?t=FIQqBncMGTiB4FMUloMQoA&s=03)
rikyrah
Nope ?
Then again, there are those of us who knew back when that she had paid transportation for the insurrectionists.??
Covie (@covie_93) tweeted at 7:21 PM on Wed, Mar 30, 2022:
So we jus’ gon’ forget that the wife of a Supreme Court justice was plotting with the former president’s chief of staff to overthrow democracy???
(https://twitter.com/covie_93/status/1509324972430442498?t=DNhMCsxz_TH1Z9z_i5lW8w&s=03)
rikyrah
Susan Glasser (@sbg1) tweeted at 9:00 PM on Wed, Mar 30, 2022:
Perhaps worth recalling that it was Mick Mulvaney who set up the infamous July 25, 2019, phone call between Trump and President Zelensky — because John Bolton, the national security adviser, wouldn’t touch ‘whatever drug deal’ Mulvaney & co. were cooking up…
(https://twitter.com/sbg1/status/1509349810540851205?t=ViSQZiVmKLBWSNnW_brAUA&s=03)
Tony Jay
@Baud:
Change that blue to red for the UK market and you’ve got a great message that, sadly, would never get past the Tory-stocked focus groups today’s Labour elites rely on.
Instead they (mostly) prefer to wrap themselves in flags and ‘patriotism’ and hope that will shield them from Kulturkampf attacks*.
* It won’t. It never does. It just cedes victory to the haters.
satby
My friend’s Trans advocacy organization TREES is opening a gender-affirming drop-in and resource center today in downtown South Bend. She worked really hard bringing this vision of a safe, inclusive space for people together, and I’m really excited for her!
Baud
@Tony Jay:
Labour is red?
So weird. Next thing you’ll tell me that you guys drive on the left.
eclare
@satby: Great news!
rikyrah
Not shocked at All???
The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) tweeted at 6:12 PM on Wed, Mar 30, 2022:
“It’s harder and harder to be shocked by Donald Trump, but asking Russia’s leader to interfere in American politics to help him, in the midst of a brutal and illegal war condemned by most of the world, might just do it,” @GrahamDavidA writes:
https://t.co/PFWAHN2bFu
(https://twitter.com/TheAtlantic/status/1509307709476253702?t=4-EfDz9rIg2-fuq5-9eZPg&s=03)
Tony Jay
@Baud:
Not when we’re overtaking.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@SiubhanDuinne: They overreached. I thought they might have, but it’s hard to tell. They can do the most offensive stuff in public, and their base doesn’t react
OzarkHillbilly
Unfortunately, so does Hellspawn Hawley.
rikyrah
This is REAL
It’s not sexy or exciting, but it’s very real. And, another reason why we have to keep the Senate and expand our numbers in November.????
Jenn Taylor-Skinner ?? (@JTaylorSkinner) tweeted at 1:14 AM on Wed, Mar 30, 2022:
Reminder: Biden has appointed more Black women judges than any other president, and I think about this a lot. This shift in judicial representation could reverberate for generations & we should take more notice. https://t.co/jKIwDqop4Z
(https://twitter.com/JTaylorSkinner/status/1509051386436079617?t=VPkVFHYvahjYxrhq3n5DDA&s=03)
MisterDancer
@rikyrah: There is a very direct and painful line to be drawn between the coverage and discussion of soon-to-be Justice Jackson’s hearings, and how the media and a lot of people have marginalized Jada in the Oscar incident’s discussion.
VOR
@rikyrah: Rule #1: Donald Trump cares about Donald Trump. Everything else, from a global pandemic to the largest war in Europe since 1945, is of tertiary importance to Donald Trump.
SiubhanDuinne
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
It’s interesting how that number just persists and persists. I keep thinking, “Naw, 27 isn’t a thing anymore,” and then something like this shows up to prove me wrong, and it’s clear the solid base just ain’t never gonna move.
Geminid
@OzarkHillbilly: I see there is a new candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by Roy Blunt. Brewing heiress Trudy Busch Valentine is entering the Democratic primary field. One of the frontrunners, former state Senator Sctt Sifton, says he’s dropping out and endorsing Ms. Valentine.
Valentine is a philanthropist who has a professional background in nursing. Her family’s fortune did not shield Valentine from adversity; she lost her husband to cancer and a son to opioid overdose.
Bruce K in ATH-GR
@rikyrah: Shocked isn’t quite the right word – we’ve known for a while just what TFG is – but I can’t help but draw comparisons to Vidkun Quisling, who made such an impression that his homeland reinstated the death penalty just so they could impose it on him, and promptly banned the death penalty again after Quisling and the firing squad had completed their business.
Enraged might be a better word, except that I’d cleared that threshold before TFG even took the oath of office.
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: It is eerie, and it is sad.
mrmoshpotato
Hooboy. The generosity…
Betty Cracker
Millhiser, quoted above:
If mostly standing aside and letting Republicans show their asses is “adroit,” then yes. I’m not being altogether sarcastic — sometimes letting opponents overreach and lose their balance is an effective tactic. But IMO, the most adroit thing the party did was put forth an incredibly compelling nominee. The contrast between KBJ and the creeps who tried to smear her was stark.
Geminid
@SiubhanDuinne: One good thing about that solid Republian base: in those battleground House districts where Speaker Pelosi’s $102 million war chest will be spent, Republicans must attract a substantial amount of voters outside their base “base” to win.
OzarkHillbilly
@Geminid: That family fortune is cursed. It’s a black hole of death and destruction. I’d just as soon they keep it to themselves.
On the slightly more serious side, I don’t know anything about her. Never even heard of her before her announcement. I can’t see the Busch name being anything other than an anchor on her candidacy, but what do I know.
Sanjeevs
Jan 6 rioter, struck a Capitol policeman with a lacrosse stick (of course) adorned with a Confederate flag (of course). Was also carrying a knife.
Copped a plea. His attorney expects 8-14 months but DoJ says it will likely be 0-6 months
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/maryland-man-who-attacked-police-with-lacrosse-stick-pleads-guilty-to-felony-in-capitol-riot-david-alan-blair-confederate-flag/65-b809ea3a-4eb5-452d-ad4a-5c293e00623c
https://mobile.twitter.com/JordanOnRecord/status/1509235089678516224
Betty Cracker
Well done, President Biden.
Geminid
@OzarkHillbilly: This will be an interesting primary, with Lucas Kuntz and his beat-up Taurus versus Trudy Valentine and some American-made SUV she might have parked a Range Rover in favor of.
Since the primary is not until August, Kuntz, Valentine and others will have plenty of time to sell themselves to Democrats. They may have some differences in policy and personality, but I expect the principal issue will be who can beat Eric Greitens, the Republicans’ heinous front runner.
Matt McIrvin
@Tony Jay: It seems to me that in the UK, transphobes are far more likely to insist that they’re the true progressives or feminists. They’re trying to drive that wedge here but it’s been less effective so far.
Kay
@Betty Cracker:
Republicans were speaking to their base. Democrats are permitted to speak to their base too. Defending the nominee would be for the D base – the voters who are especially important in a lower turn out midterm.
Omnes Omnibus
@Betty Cracker: Picking the right people is part of good politics.
Anyway
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
The hearings gave an opportunity to showcase Judge Jackson’s impressive intelligence, temperament, humanity — that might have played a role in the polls too.
Anyway
@Betty Cracker:
“To everyone celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility, I want you to know that your President sees you.
I’ve really appreciated President (and President-Elect) Biden’s vocal support of trans folk. There is no ambiguity there.
satby
@Betty Cracker: The biggest burden we have dragging on our democracy are the low-info voters who think all politics and politicians are dirty, divisive, and uninterested in the average citizen’s needs. They are not educated otherwise by our miserable media. It’s against my basic nature to do quiet rebuttals vs. a vicious counter attack, but that’s why I’m not a politician. The Dems did fact check and correct each wild accusation by the repellent Repukes during the hearings, and let the disgusting behavior of the Rs hang them. It seems to have worked.
Omnes Omnibus
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Their base won’t react. They are effectively unreachable.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
I think it’s more of case the Republicans have had the media carry their water for so long they suck at politics now and the Democrats have finally woken up to that.
That KBJ was a well vetted well qualified candidate. My impression is the Republican objection to her is she is far too competent.
O. Felix Culpa
@Enhanced Voting Techniques: She’s also far too black and female, in GQP-world.
satby
Jesus this site just jumps all over the place now on refreshes. It works worse than it did before someone decided Twitter was the source of all problems. Faster isn’t an improvement if the site bounces all over before you can read it.
mrmoshpotato
@O. Felix Culpa:
I was about to say…
But I’m sure the Rethuglicans hate KBJ’s competence too.
Betty Cracker
@Kay: Agreed. We talk about the party’s messaging problems here a lot, and it seems like there’s consensus that some things are out of the party’s control, e.g., the lack of an equivalent partisan media ecosystem, a less cohesive electorate, etc. Maybe this issue — better communication to the party’s base — is something the party can address.
The Republican base is far more homogenous, but I think we can safely assume our base, however you define it, supports KBJ and didn’t like seeing those smug pricks smear her, opposes coups, doesn’t want QAnon kooks running the government, etc. Start there maybe!
Matt McIrvin
@Enhanced Voting Techniques: If anything she is too prepared!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
The react. They cheer. The cruelty– the disrespect, the rage, the bellowing— is the point.
O. Felix Culpa
@O. Felix Culpa:
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
In other words, KBJ hit the GQP nightmare trifecta: black, female, and wicked competent. What could be worse, in their world?
mrmoshpotato
Great minds, etc. :)
mrmoshpotato
@satby: I give it a second to get the ants out of its pants.
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus:
We can reach them by beating them in elections. But too many people continue to cling to quaint ideas of persuasion.
Geminid
@satby: The site’s ju-jumping around for me too, when I hit ref-f-fresh.
I try to refresh only when I’m sitting down, in case I get dizzy.
O. Felix Culpa
@mrmoshpotato: But where it lands, nobody knows.
mrmoshpotato
@Matt McIrvin:
But don’t you think she was overprepared?
-Asshole Upchuck Toddler (I don’t need or want the exact quote.)
Ohio Mom
@SiubhanDuinne: I think it’s related to the bell curve, which seems to be a law of nature, even if it is misrepresented and misused by propagandists (looking at you, Charles Murray).
You’d think that human behavior could rise above chance and the resulting normal distribution — we humans have agency and should have education — but apparently not.
snoey
@Bruce K in ATH-GR: Quisling and the Nazis actually brought capital punishment back. The postwar Norwegians delayed re-abolishing it just long enough.
Wish Garland would take a similar approach to de-politicizing Justice.
Matt McIrvin
@Baud: Beating people in elections requires persuasion–if not persuading people to change their opinions, at least persuading allies that it’s worth their time to vote.
Betty Cracker
@satby: I agree reaching low-info voters who hate politics is an enormous challenge. The noise the parties generate influences perceptions beyond their respective bases, IMO. The dirty business of branding and awareness and generating impressions comes into play.
I think we could do a lot better. The Clarence Thomas issue is a good example. The party is all over the place on that. Some elected Dems immediately said he should recuse from future cases involving Trump and/or 1/6. Some said nothing. Some said he should resign and/or be investigated or possibly impeached. There’s no unified messaging on that.
O. Felix Culpa
@snoey: Are you advocating capital punishment for employees of the DOJ? I hope not, but I wanted to make sure I understood your comment correctly.
snoey
@O. Felix Culpa: No, just advocating a few politically targeted prosecutions before we go back on the straight and narrow.
Baud
@Matt McIrvin:
I was talking about the GOP base. We aren’t going to persuade them to do anything we want. We can discipline them by depriving them of political power for an extended period of time.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@snoey:
and what happens when those “politically targeted prosecutions” run into judges, juries, and defense attorneys ?
Christ, I really wish people would let go of the “SEIZE them!” fantasies about the American legal system.
Tony Jay
@Matt McIrvin:
Not that I’ve noticed. And I don’t mean that in a dismissive way, but it just doesn’t crop up as an issue where I do my reading, other than here. BJ has been my tutor on this issue and I’m very grateful for the education.
I’m aware that there’s a line of argument that ‘women should get to decide what a woman is’ and that, like many other ‘common-sense’ takes, it’s being quite cynically deployed to drive a wedge between cis-feminists and trans-feminists, and I’m well aware that considerable amounts of dark money are certain to be getting funnelled into weaponising that as a kulturkampf issue to benefit the people who want to fold opposition to the very existence of Trans people (of either gender or none) into their wider War on Woke campaign strategy.
Unfortunately, those are the people the current Labour leadership is desperate not to pick a fight with. Cowardice like that doesn’t help anyone. ‘Cultural’ issues like this never benefit from pushing the topic to one side in favour of ‘bread and butter’ issues, that just puts the squishy middle off from confronting their own preconceptions and let’s the vocal haters fill the gaps with toxicity.
It’s about who people are free to be, yeah? That’s an important issue. The people who care about important issues should have that debate out and proud in the public sphere and find a way to work out their problems with definitions. It will be hard and complicated and feelings will undoubtedly be hurt along the way but that’s how things happen, and it’s a shit-ton better than the alternative of pushing the topic offstage ‘until a more convenient time’ and letting the vultures feast.
I hope that makes sense.
O. Felix Culpa
@snoey: Thank you for the clarification. I’d like to see legally targeted prosecutions of the top dogs. It’s essential that the criminals at the pinnacle (finally) pay for their crimes.
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: The lack of a unified message on Thomas might be frustrating, but I don’t think it’s very problematic because I doubt if this will be a salient issue in the midterms. Maybe it should be, but I suspect that other issues will be more consequential.
Formerly disgruntled in Oregon
@satby: That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing about TREES.
J R in WV
President Biden is a Mensch so far as I understand that concept. Supportive of everyone who needs his support. We are so lucky to have him take the place of TFG, SFB.
It is Unbelievable that TFG, in the middle of the worst land war in Europe since the end of WW II, would again ask the hideous dictator who attacked a peaceful democracy for illicit help against the sitting President who is trying to aid Ukraine without tipping Putinsky into worse aggression against NATO and the US.
In previous times of war that kind of thing would get you arrested for “aiding and abetting the enemy!” I guess because this isn’t a declared war right now (or ever as long as Republicans support Hideous Dictator) we can’t enforce laws intended to keep people like ShitForBrains, TFG, from helping our enemies. Sad, if true.
Anyway, thank you President Biden!
Formerly disgruntled in Oregon
@Anyway: He was fantastic on Trans rights as a candidate too!
cmorenc
Don’t underestimate the extent of backlash against (male=>female) trans athletes competing against (biological) women among folks who otherwise are supportive, or at least benignly indifferent to gay or trans people. Nor should you dismiss everyone critical of permitting trans women to compete against biological women as being motivated by bigotry – the criticism is about the unfairness of the residual differential strength advantage lingering from having been born physically male (the Fla. trans swimmer who won a spot in the nationals being the paradigm example). True, you can counter-argue that the hormonal transformation involved in going male=>female largely negates any native strength advantage, and that vanishingly few biological males are lining up to change sex in order to win sports competitions against biological women, so the controversy is being driven by a tiny handful of exceedingly rare cases. But don’t underestimate the potency of this cultural red-meat issue, even among folk who otherwise have supportive or benignly indifferent attitudes about gay and trans people.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Looks like Garland has been Doing Something for a while, but doing investigations and prosecutions correctly, and therefor effectively, takes time
They have asked for over a hundred new lawyers specifically to handle 1/6 cases.
snoey
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: All I am saying is that we are supposed to make impartial charging etc. decisions. I’m not saying that we should make up anything. I am saying that a few improperly influenced selections of the quite probably guilty to investigate and if appropriate prosecute wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Betty Cracker
@Geminid: Salience can arise from circumstances (inflation, for example) or be manufactured. In a sane world, there would be no controversy about CRT in public schools; we know exactly who made that shit up and why — Mr. Rufo was kind enough to explain it! Participants have some power to create salience and the power to influence perceptions of both kind of salient issues.
ian
@snoey:
Miss Bianca
@snoey: In other words, you want Merrick Garland to act more like Bill Barr. Yeah, got it.
snoey
@Miss Bianca: Just for a bit.
UncleEbeneezer
Happy Trans Day of Visibility to all for whom it applies in the BJ community, whether it’s you or your friends, family etc.
I really hope we start to see a sustained push-back on these Transphobic, bullshit laws that will result in making it easier for more Transgender people to be safe, out and proud.
Mai Naem mobile
Nobody’s mentioned KBJs judicial demeanor yet. She didn’t start dry drunk crying like Drunky McDrunkerson did. I just wish she was younger. 50 is too old for these GOPigs. I wish she was closer to 40 so you have less to worry about health wise.
Omnes Omnibus
@snoey: You can’t really do it “just for a bit.”
Miss Bianca
@cmorenc:
I’m not underestimating it. Hell, I heard about it from my trainer the other day, which shocked the shit out of me as he’s normally a pretty apolitical guy.
But I am calling it bullshit no matter how many people get triggered by it. I forget who it was the other day (Martin? probably Martin) who pointed out that even for cis athletes, the notion that elite sports is some sort of – ahem – level playing field that anyone would have access to except oh noes teh tranzz folx is wreckin’ it for us! – is an absurdity on its face.
snoey
@Omnes Omnibus: I know, being emotional about it, but people are inherently political and I worry that Garland is being a little too prissy about things.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I was listening to the New Abnormal podcast a couple of weeks ago and Molly Jong-Fast and her like-minded co-host were droning on about how Democratssuckatmessaging, and then passed on to mocking Cawthorn (I think it was) for saying that we shouldn’t support Ukraine because Zelensky is “woke”. And it occurred to me that the word “woke” demonstrates the problem. It’s less that Democrats suck at messaging (not saying they’re perfect, or always good, but DSAM is reductive), as Republicans don’t need to be good at it. The word “woke”, which none of them knew 18 months ago, now means “anti (John Wayne’s) America”, the way the word “Border” means “Those People are coming in their taco trucks to take over your fishing cabin in Minnesota!” They don’t have to be good, they certainly don’t have to be subtle, they don’t have to make any sense at all, they just have to say one or two words to the pre-existing, paranoid rage of people who think their country is being stolen from them. There just are no comparable triggers on the broad left to motivate people that way. Reasonable discussions of the courts, tax policy, even Social Security don’t provoke the kind of emotional reaction on our side.
schrodingers_cat
@rikyrah: I answered your question on Bridgerton on yesterday’s thread, I haven’t watched either season.
Miss Bianca
@snoey: Fuck that shit.
It never fails to amaze and depress me how many people allegedly Democrats apparently hate democracy and the rule of law as much as Republicans do and yearn for some authoritarian Daddy to lock ’em all up. Ugh.
Tony Jay
@Miss Bianca:
Pfffft. Bill Barr was a bureaucratic bore. All Garland needs is a dead drop, a retired CIA agent and a lot of plausible deniability.
“While the Justice Department deplores the circumstances in which Representative McCarthy suffered his recent… incapacity, it would be a dereliction of duty for us not to fully investigate the accusations he has since levelled against numerous elected officials.”
Shuffle of papers
“While the Justice Department deplores the circumstances in which Senator McConnell suffered his recent… incapacity….”
I keed, I keed.
UncleEbeneezer
@cmorenc: Don’t be surprised if people assume you are a bigot if you hold those positions. They are the same shitty arguments that were used to oppose racial integration of sports. And the people taking them look no better than the racists who opposed Jackie Robinson but tried to do so under the guise of concerns about fast-twitch muscles and other eugenic bullshit. Anyone who is more worried about fairness to the 99% of Cisgender women athletes at than inclusion for the ~1% of Transgender is being Transphobic whether they realize it or not. Trans Rights Are Human Rights. Full stop.
schrodingers_cat
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: People ostensibly on our side need to not repeat R propaganda by reacting to it.
Omnes Omnibus
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Who among us wouldn’t enjoy tacos while fishing?
cain
@rikyrah:
I’m sure the FYNYT will find a way to both sides this – but the answers likely reside in a diner in upstate New York where residents watch Glenn Greenwald raging against the dying of the light.
Miss Bianca
@Tony Jay: Sir! In the words of the late great Jane Austen, “You divert me against my conscience.”
Matt McIrvin
@cmorenc:
These people perhaps aren’t themselves bigoted, but they have fallen prey to lies being promulgated by bigots, who are cleverly cherry-picking their data (since the case of Lia Thomas doesn’t even indicate what they say it does). Revealing that should help for the people who insist “I support trans rights but I think this is unfair” etc., or at least separate out people with sincere concerns from people who are motivated by something uglier.
germy
cain
@Betty Cracker: I suspect all of them have very strong opinions.. the more lefty are quite shouty, while the more conservative ones are dead quiet.
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Speaking of
mrmoshpotato
@snoey:
You got a real strange definition of “prissy” there.
DougL (Formerly EmperorofIceCream)
@Tony Jay: I sometimes wish BJ had a like button for posts. This post needs a love button. Very insightful.
Betty Cracker
@cmorenc: You’re right, and it’s no accident that Republicans chose a small and extremely vulnerable population to target. That’s how they roll.
Brachiator
@J R in WV:
Well said. I am just getting my day started here in Southern California, and one of the first things I see on the Internet is this thread and Biden’s sincere expression of support.
I love this guy.
germy
@ian:
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Baud: I remember a couple years ago, Joni Ernst was caught on a hot mike saying legislators needed to go “behind closed doors” to discuss cuts to Social Security. I thought that was going to cause huge blowback. As far as I could tell, it wasn’t an issue in her 2020 re-election campaign.
Miss Bianca
@Tony Jay:
This, here, is the nub of the gist. Or the crux of the biscuit. Or whatever, but yeah, mate – right on.
mrmoshpotato
@Baud: I suggest we tax the fuck out of rich, greedy assholes like Mittens, and he can take a flying fuck into the Sun.
Betty Cracker
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
The temperament of the electorate within the parties is different, so it won’t work in the exact same way. But I think there are “triggers” that could motivate the base AND better establish what the party stands for with the broader public.
The party is pretty good at deploying some of those triggers and could do a lot better developing others, IMO.
snoey
@mrmoshpotato: How about bending over backwards to avoid impropriety. I’m probably totally off base, just a gut feel.
Garland has to both restore the professionalism of the department and prosecute the many Trump crimes.
I worry that strict adherence to the norms of the former interferes with the latter and I’d rather it be the other way.
mrmoshpotato
@DougL (Formerly EmperorofIceCream): No longer the Emperor?! ? Was it too time (and ice cream) consuming? ?
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I don’t know. One thing Trump was smart about was not touching entitlements. Maybe Iowans thought they were safe to vote on racial issues in 2020.
zhena gogolia
@rikyrah: Amen.
zhena gogolia
@Anyway: Yeah. Makes me proud to be a Democrat.
zhena gogolia
@satby: Yes, I’ve been noticing this too. Chrome on a laptop.
lowtechcyclist
@Betty Cracker: Millhiser inadvertently points out the problem with his conclusion: “How else could they fight GOPers more or less to a draw” – well, a draw isn’t good enough. We need wins.
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: This is certainly so generally. I’m thinking of the practical effect of the Thomas issue on voters, even with the best messaging. Will Val Demings hit this issue hard in her Senate campaign against Rubio? Should she? Or will she choose other issues to try and make salient to voters?
One caveat: we don’t really know yet where this matter will lead. There may be revealed evidence of Thomas’ active involvement in Trump’s attempt to steal the election, and/or evidence of knowledge or support of the Capitol insurrection. There certainly is plenty of circumstantial evidence of both. There also may have been other Justices like Alito in on a plan, and who knows what else.
Tony Jay
@Miss Bianca:
I blame it all on seeing Dirty Harry as a kid.
Hey, Clint, I got yer ‘lack of respect fer constitutional protections’ right here, yer flaming’ hypocrite.
zhena gogolia
@schrodingers_cat: It’s kind of fun. You’re allergic to British imperialism, but that gets kind of tempered by the fantasy aspects, with many of the high aristocrats (and the Queen) being people of color. We’ve only watched the first episode of Season 1 and part of the second episode, but we found it enjoyable.
zhena gogolia
Just had my last P/T for my arm. It ain’t perfect, but it’s kind of working.
Tony Jay
@DougL (Formerly EmperorofIceCream):
That’s very kind of you. Thanks. Rest assured I’m also fully behind any armed uprising you think might lead to your Restoration… except I’ve just remembered where I know that imperial sobriquet from and I’m about to hide behind the couch like I did when the miniseries came out.
Geminid
@Miss Bianca: How is the Congressional race in your new district shaping up? Do you think there will be a good Democrat taking Mr. Perlmutter’s place?
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: Do you know the awful treatment meted to members of Indian royalty who were “adopted” by the British royals. The world I see in promotional materials did not exist.
Besides British policy of genocide by starvation killed over 50 million Indian over the course of 90 years of the British Raj. True representation would be showing the ugliness of the Empire. Instead of this soft focus bs with tones of sepia.
Brachiator
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
Republican opposition to Judge Jackson is purely performative. They must oppose the Democrats on Supreme Court nominations because this is what they do.
When Jackson was nominated to be a District Court judge, she was introduced at her hearing by Republican Paul Ryan, who is also a relative by marriage.
He was effusive in his praise for her.
Frankensteinbeck
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Yes. Republicans are looking for some super short slogan that feels right for their fears and they think they can slam down as a conversation winning insult, then stop thinking or listening. Pretty much how they’re calling everyone against the Don’t Say Gay law a ‘groomer.’ Grade school asshole behavior.
@Tony Jay:
Hey, how often does Rowling come up in these public TERF discussions? Over here, omnipresently, so much so that Putin singled her out. Does she get talked about in politics in England? I’m interested in what her direct reach and influence is.
zhena gogolia
@schrodingers_cat: Okay, it’s not for you!
Matt McIrvin
@Frankensteinbeck: The “groomer” business actually really scares me, since it’s a kind of eliminationist talk: they’re literally accusing everyone who opposes them of child molestation, claiming that their political opponents are all criminals who should be in prison.
Mike in NC
To be a conservative in this country means having to mindlessly hate certain groups of people. For Trump, that obviously started with Muslims, then transgender folks, then Mexicans, then Puerto Ricans and so on (i.e., anybody who wasn’t white and rich).
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: I see a lot Indian Americans being thrilled about it on my Twitter TL. They are happy about the fictitious “representation”.
Betty Cracker
@Geminid: Here’s what we do know right now: Justice Thomas ruled on two cases, siding in both instances with Trump’s attempts to overturn the election and cover up the attempted coup. It was improper; his wife was directly involved in both issues. He should have recused, and he didn’t. That’s enough to call for an investigation, uncover more facts, etc.
I’m not suggesting Val Demings or any other Democratic candidate should make that a centerpiece of her campaign. But I think it’s a missed messaging opportunity for the party not to present a unified front on this. The highest court in the land is completely unaccountable. I think lots of people don’t know that, and reachable people would see that it’s not right if they did know it. We can’t assume they’ll learn that on their own.
Brachiator
@Tony Jay:
I understand that you and some members of your family have been ill. Hope things are getting better.
Tony Jay
@Miss Bianca:
Zaktky. No one benefits when the people who want your vote want you to be invisible and not contradict the people calling you a dangerous monster. They look like cowards, you feel betrayed, and the people who only had easily answered questions based on misunderstandings or an unexplored discomfort with the topic get to have their questions ‘answered’ and discomforts validated by rabid gobshites who just want to steal everything.
Trans people have rights, right? Then the people who want their votes should stand up and have the argument and have the balls (or not) to explain the issue to the people who want to be convinced and tell the haters “No, you move.”
Unfortunately over here courage like that is something the current Labour leadership lacks in abundance. Punching down and to the left is more their thing.
Tony Jay
@Frankensteinbeck:
Honestly, the only time I see her referenced is here, but that’s almost certainly because I’m not on Social Media at all. I am waaaaaay out of the daily whirl on this issue.
I do know that she told Putin to shove his cynical bullshit where the Sun don’t shine. So there’s that.
coin operated
@Frankensteinbeck:
What’s old is made new again. My brother (convicted felon who found Jeebus in prison) was using ‘groomers’ to slag LGBTQ people 30 years ago.
cmorenc
@UncleEbeneezer:
I’m only reporting what I’ve heard enough other assorted people around me say about the issue of trans(M=>F) athletes – and not what I think – which is: let ’em compete. But part of the hurdle of being a trans athlete will be winning respect for their competitive accomplishments, the trans version of the Jesse Owens story.
Anyway
@Betty Cracker:
I agree. What Thomas did was wrong and more people (Dem elected people) should be raising it. The WP front page has a big Hunter Biden story (didn’t click) while the Thomas lack-of-ethics is already hidden somewhere.
Speaking of, Were there similar stories about Jared getting $$$$ from Qatar and other ME royals? (The Hunter Biden story was about his business dealings with a Chinese company – oooh scary)
Lapassionara
@Geminid: The best issue for any Democrat is Scott’s plan to phase out Social Security and Medicare, and his plan to add more taxes to lower income people (which includes retirees). This is an incredible gift that he gave, and it should be the highlight of every Dem campaign, especially in Florida.
Tony Jay
@Brachiator:
Yeah, all three of us housebound with Covid. We’ll be fine, probably. The boy is recovered, Lady Jay is just exhausted, and my malaise has filtered upwards to a sore throat/ear and general cough/headache/sinus block.
I’m hoping the heat of my hatred for bad people will burn off the last dregs of this awfulness before there’s a relapse, but you never know with this crap. 8-)
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Lapassionara: I agree, but if I were a campaign guru, I’d be crafting a speech about Ketanji Brown Jackson, an accomplished, dignified, patriotic public servant who incarnates the American dream, was treated so shamefully by bullies who only wanted to make TV clips for nutty cable hosts, and were sitting in the middle of those important hearings scrolling through their phones, looking for their own names on twitter. Where was Marco Rubio when this historic and patriotic American woman was being smeared and bullied by his friends?
Then again, I can’t understand how anyone would ever vote for that spineless animated JC Penney mannequin anyway, so I doubt Val Demmings is looking for my advice.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: British people with south Asian ancestry who could pass as white kept the subcontinental part of their ancestry on the down low.
You don’t have to go very far to find examples.
Freddie Mercury is but one example.
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: Yeah, Democrats should right now be pounding Republicans on the Thomas issue. They should take every good opportunity to put those assholes on the defensive. I don’t think they have to be unified on an outcome which they cannot control to do this, though.
Democratic members of Congress may all come around to calling, with more or less success, for Thomas to resign, but that won’t happen right away. I expect members of the Democratic Senate Caucus are discussing this, and they may try to develop a consensus on the resignation issue while still publically pounding Republican judicial corruption in the meantime.
Brachiator
@schrodingers_cat:
Absolutely spot on.
But perhaps there is a double focus. British Asians in the UK want to live their lives as citizens of that country, often the only country they have ever known because they were born there.
In the arts, for example, Riz Ahmed is one of the most brilliant actors I have ever seen. He recently won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short. He previously had been nominated for Best Actor for the film Sound of Metal.
He is also a very committed political activist.
He and actors like him should be able to work in any genre, from the lightest puff pieces to anything else.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Geminid:
Exactly. “We need to know what happened, what Mrs Thomas did and who she talked to on, and about, January 6, and what Justice Thomas knew and when.” the just-asking-questions (and never accepting answers) has been very effective for Republicans. If Thomas can be pressured to react, even to recuse, that pressure will come from Roberts, not twitter. (edited)
Miss Bianca
@Geminid:
Brittany Peterson is the front-runner among the Dems. She’s a former…damn, I’d have to look it up…state Senator, I believe. Perlmutter et al have jumped in to endorse her, so I’m guessing she’s all right.
My worry is that the Republicans are going to go all-in on trying to regain that seat. They’ve got some good-hair guy all ready to go right now, and I don’t doubt more will enter the fray.
schrodingers_cat
@Brachiator: Unlike Germany, Britain has never really come to terms or even acknowledged its horrific past. That their wealth and reputation is built on the blood of millions. And many of those countries which were parts of the Empire are still paying the price.
What fiction like Bridgerton does is whitewash that past. That’s why Prince William could say something like what do the British have to do with colonization.
Betty Cracker
@Geminid:
That’s exactly the kind of dithering that’s a problem, IMO. Thomas is never going to resign, and it’s very unlikely that he’ll recuse either since he already declined to do so twice when that was the only appropriate course of action. What Thomas did was egregiously improper, FFS. Demand his resignation and let Thomas and the Republicans explain why he should keep his seat. That’s putting them on defense, and it’s also signaling to the public what a grave crisis this is.
Baud
@Betty Cracker:
You’re more optimistic than me. I see your suggestion working out as follows:
Dems: Resign!
GOP and Thomas: No.
Dems: Justify that!
GOP and Thomas: No.
Media and voters: Dems are weak.
Geminid
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: And there is the evergreen, “What are they trying to hide?!!”
I think that eventually a crowd of Democratic Senators will be gathered around Judiciary Commitee members who will be calling for Thomas’ resignation, in front of the TV cameras. If this happens the Monday after Judge Brown is confirmed to the Supreme Court, that’s just as good as this coming Monday, at least in my book.
In the meantime, no one has to pull any punches. If a reporter asks, well, do you think Justice Thomas should resign, Senators can say, “Of course Justice Thomas should resign!”; or alternatively, scowl and say, “This is very serious. I want answers. For instance…” and then rake the Thomases over the coals again.
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: Republicans might rather fight this matter out on the basis of, should Thomas keep his seat? than to try and defend Thomas on the particulars of his and his wife’s misdeeds. I think I might. But this obviously is just a guess.
Kay
@Geminid:
This is not the way to think about it, IMO. Democrats need to do Party building. Base building. That doesn’t take analysis of whether each phrase will move “voters” .25% in one direction or another.
There’s two groups of voters. The most reliable are base Democrats. Not everything has to be pitched to some statistical median low information voter.
It’s true of live events too, so maybe that’s the way to explain it. When Sherrod Brown comes here he sets up “regular public” events and then “base Democrat” events. They are two completely different things.
It’s odd because I think Democrats have gotten worse at this over time. They used to be pretty good at it, at understanding there’s a “campaign message” and then D base securing. I wonder if the pandemic interrupted it and now they’ve just forgotten or something.
Geminid
@Miss Bianca: Interesting. I’m also in a new, purple-blue district. Our consensus candidate is the incumbent, Abigail Spanberger, who will probably move north into the redrawn VA 7th once school is out for her kids. Republicans will be going all out to retake that seat. They had held it from 1978 on when Spanberger flipped it in 2018.
I don’t think the Republicans will beat Spanberger this November. Over in the coastal 2nd CD Elaine Luria will have a tough race, though. Republicans really want that one, but their primary may not go well.
Brachiator
@UncleEbeneezer:
Nobody knew about these scientific racist arguments about performance in Jackie Robinson’s day. The bigotry was twisted and confused, ranging from the assertion that black athletes were naturally inferior to white athletes but then would say that insolent black athletes dared to competed against white athletes.
@cmorenc:
I noted a recent BBC story where a cyclist was not allowed to compete. This is sadly an international issue.
The insane thing is that in the eyes of some idiots a transgender athlete could only “succeed” by losing to other women athletes.
satby
@satby: Late, but here’s a nice write-up in the South Bend Tribune * about the new TREES center and the other LGTBQ+ resource downtown.
* not a direct link, but it’s on the front page.
Dan B
@satby: Wonderful news. Is there a ceremony or party?
Soprano2
@Geminid: I was wondering if she was the real deal or a “Republican lite” person running as a Dem. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
Sister Golden Bear
Unfortunately when posts go up at 5:30 a.m. Pacific, I can’t really comment while they’re active. But on the off-chance anyone is still reading….
#TransgenderDayOfVisibility is supposed to be a celebration of being able to be our true selves. But in the face of dozens of ever-more vicious anti-trans laws being considered — and passed — in red states it’s pretty clear that the haters know we exist. Which is exactly why they’re trying to eradicate — a word I don’t use lightly — us from public life.
So on a day, I should be feeling celebratory, I’m mostly feeling salty and angry. Being trans is an important part of who I am. But it’s only part of me, and I long for the day when it’s only the third- or fourth-most interesting thing about me. And I’m pissed that those other parts of me keep getting erased, as the haters keep reducing me to my genitals.
Consequently this year, I’d like reframe today as Cisgender Allyship Day, where I ask all my cis folks to take at least one step today to support trans/non-binary folks. Because “ally” is a verb. Here’s some suggestions to get started. On the lighter side, here’s one challenge for you. //
Brachiator
@schrodingers_cat:
Yep. Totally agree.
Actors like to work and eat. Stuff like Bridgerton is fantasy. Why shouldn’t Asian actors be cast in roles?
Should films made in India only be about the evils of the Raj?
ETA: African American playwright August Wilson, author of a number of magnificent plays, once said that black actors should only appear in black plays. Variations of the issue of participation and representation are obviously valid and often debated. I don’t know that there is a single best answer.
Kay
@Geminid:
Is it easier to connect with your base in preparation for a midterm if you speak with them only in the 6 weeks prior to the election OR where you have maintained a kind of dialogue with them all thru the prior two years, using events like a SCOTUS confirmation to speak to them?
Whatever else Democrats do one thing they must have in the midterms is the best base turnout they can get. Stay in touch with them. They’re your people. Are there other people? Sure! But these are ours. Don’t take them for granted.
Soprano2
@Betty Cracker: And it’s a population that most people don’t have a good understanding of (shoot, I’d almost count myself among that number, but I’m trying to learn) and that makes a lot of people uncomfortable. I see lots of nasty jokes on FB now about transwomen, the kind you used to see about black people before it became verboten to do that.
Miss Bianca
@Sister Golden Bear:
Happy Real You Day
Baud
@Sister Golden Bear:
“That’s nice, but this is a Wendy’s.”
Dan B
@satby: Very nice article. South Bend has attracted a good group of activists. It’s quite a turnaround.
schrodingers_cat
@Brachiator: I have nothing against the actors.
Dan B
@Sister Golden Bear: My trash acquaintances and friends run the gamut:
Fun times just shy of getting us in trouble.
Great wine tastings with the great view from your apartment.
Dedicated Democratic activist.
Incredibly gracious.
Pioneering activist whose Ingersoll Center is a Beacon.
Etc. Etc.
Geminid
@Kay: I’m not sayig we don’t speak to the base until six weeks before elections. I clearly said we should be pounding Republicans on the Thomases’ bad conduct. I was speaking to the question of how consequential a united front right now, on the question of his resignation is important in practical terms
So, what is Sherrod Brown saying about Thomas? He’s a shrewd practical politician.
Martin
I’ll second Biancas happy real you day to all of our transgender jackals. Thanks for being here among us, sharing your joys and struggles, and making the world more true. Until everyone can live their true selves, we’re all just living in a kind of Truman Show, and that’s a harm to everyone. Thank you for making all of our lives more real.
Miss Bianca
@Martin: Now I’m thinking “Happy True You Day” has that nice rhyming ring to it…
Martin
@Miss Bianca: Let’s be honest, we all need some ‘true you’. I’m 53, just retired, and just now trying to figure out who ‘true me’ is. Bit envious that Sister Golden Bear is farther along that journey than I am.
Sister Golden Bear
@Martin: I’m 57 and a bit envious you were able to retire at 53. //
Seriously, coming out and transitioning did require a deeper level of self-inquiry and self-knowledge — not just about Teh Tranz — than most cisgender folks engage in, for which I’m thankful for. The irony is that in my several years of work with my gender therapist, gender has been the thing we’ve probably talked about least.
Kay
@Geminid:
This is the part of the base I’m talking about:
Democrats shouldn’t even have to think about it. They dont have to poll on it or ask anyone or do an elaborate swing voter analysis- if the AA nominee for the SCOTUS is getting attacked on tv they should defend the nominee. It should be as natural as breathing. They knew this at one time- I don’t know what happened to them on this stuff.
Geminid
@Kay: Was this poll taken after the Jackson hearings? After the Clarence Thomas revelations? I also believe that Black Democrats are the core of the Democratic base. If there is a decline in enthusiam, I want to know why, and not just use other Democrats to further a narrative.
Martin
@Sister Golden Bear: Yeah, I can believe it. My challenge is that, well, there is no challenge. I’m Mr Revert To Mean. I’m a cis white male, married, single family home in the suburbs, two kids boy and girl, I’m literally average height and weight for a male. The only thing that causes me to deviate from the US mean on the census form is that I’m not religious. That’s it. This culture was otherwise tailor made for me. But that’s also been my life – off to college, off to work, get married, have kids, do all the things expected of me. As you note I think in many ways this moment would have been easier to do if I’d been at least a little further from fitting so nicely into the slot that society expected of me. It was easy to just go along. And then it wasn’t, and I wasn’t really prepared for that.
There’s an adage that Success covers a multitude of sins that I think applies here. All the things that society values was going great for me, so I never really needed to examine if the things I value were going great for me.
And to be clear, we’re not talking about life-altering things. I just kind of lost track of what makes me happy. But yeah, the upside to playing the game as I was supposed to play it is being able to retire young. What I do with that is what will matter.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Kay: I’m sure the failures of police reform and voter protection measures are part of it.
I also have this weird theory that Black and Hispanic voters are a lot like white voters and things like higher gas prices, higher food prices, Covid exhaustion and the general malaise caused by those things are factors, too.
Martin
One of my favorite videos. Appropriate for the day.