You know one way for YOU to obey in advance?
Is to say, "I can't affect what my Republican Senator does, so I'll go on Bluesky and whine that THEY'LL all comply in advance," when they have ALREADY rejected 2 nominees and forced FBI Background checks at least in some cases.— emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) December 15, 2024 at 6:44 AM
There’s a Guindon cartoon where one of his little people tells another “You shouldn’t wallow in self-pity… but it’s okay to put your feet in it and swish them around a little.”
It feels like some of us are not only wallowing in that footbath, but drinking the bathwater as well. Which really isn’t a good idea, especially since the volume of Epsom salts wasn’t calculated for internal use…
I see A LOT of people claiming that entities — tech companies, Senators, Europe, pissed off GOP judges — WILL bow down, which is a good way to avoid doing work themselves.
They SURE AS HELL will if there's no counterweight. Your job is to ID points of friction and be that counterweight.— emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) December 15, 2024 at 6:46 AM
But the reality is all these entities are showing SOME pushback (or might, if consumer pressure is brought to bear). Rather than making yourself maximally impotent by saying, "it's hopeless, nothing I can do," figure out what you CAN do, and at least try.
— emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) December 15, 2024 at 6:47 AM
A bit depressing if your calls are to be directed to Senators JD Fing Vannce and Bernie Moreno
— Jay Patrick (@motownfan.bsky.social) December 15, 2024 at 6:55 AM
Push anyway. Ask for *written* responses. Make their staff do the hard work of constituent response. Write to the press if their response is nonsense; contains obvious lies, omissions or errors; or they don't bother to respond to you.
Make them go on record. Don't let them hide in the shadows.
— Mike Kellar 🇺🇸 Thank You, President Biden 🇺🇸 (@michaelakellar.bsky.social) December 15, 2024 at 9:56 AM
If you’re disheartened by the election and the impending Trump disaster, read this installment of my free Stop the Presses newsletter. Here’s the mindset we need to survive the rise of fascism and ultimately defeat it.
— Mark Jacob (@markjacob.bsky.social) December 16, 2024 at 9:05 AM
Earnest, and yet: Important!
As democracy defenders, we’re facing hard times when authoritarian Donald Trump takes office Jan. 20. But what will we do about it? For now, I’m focusing on what we won’t do:
We won’t shut up.
We won’t retreat from the news.
We won’t lose our ability to be outraged…
We won’t get exhausted. Instead, we’ll pace ourselves, find ways to relax and enjoy life, and be ready to go at the crucial moments.
We won’t accept the notion that “all politicians lie.” More politicians lie when the news media and public accept lying and thus make it advantageous to lie.
We won’t forget to be kind…
We won’t backbite other pro-democracy advocates just because we disagree with them on style points and other minor issues.
We won’t lose our sense of humor, which sustains us in difficult times.
We won’t accept slander and disrespect toward public workers, who do jobs that benefit us all. In fact, we’ll celebrate any bureaucratic red tape they can create to stall the cruelties that Team Trump attempts…
We won’t dismiss the possibility that friends and family who voted for Trumpism will abandon it when they see the damage it does.
We won’t let the Republican culture of hate cause us to hate our fellow human beings.
We won’t give up our values – our sense of right and wrong.
And we won’t lose hope. Because if we stand strong, we won’t lose our country…
We’re looking at four years (minimum) of fighting back. I for one intend to keep reminding myself that sometimes “I will try again, tomorrow” is the bravest statement possible.
eclare
I know Gaetz withdrew, but I can’t remember who else withdrew. I tried googling and got nada.
JaySinWA
@eclare: They might be referencing Chad Chronister https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2024/12/04/chad-chronister-donald-trump-drug-enforcement-dea-hillsborough-sheriff/
BellyCat
Good reminder, AL!
eclare
@JaySinWA:
I bet that is it, thanks.
WTFGhost
For ordinary people, that’s often true, “I will try again, tomorrow, in the face of reasons to despair” is extremely brave. There are other bravest things to think about.
Sometimes, the bravest thing is, “I’ll still be alive tomorrow; trying is optional,” because they really are that beat down.
Sometimes the bravest thing is “I’ll let hope back out, and not try to quash it, every time it shows up.”
Sometimes, the bravest thing is “I’ll try to have fun, but if feels like if I forget this disaster, I’m letting down the team.”
Perceptions get warped. Emotions tie into knots. Rationally, a person knows that a year from now, they will be alive, but they can’t quite conceive of *how*.
Reminds me of a hymn, friend of mine loved, “how can I keep from singing” is the title, and it addresses this very kind of situation. “All this bad shit is happening, and HOW CAN I KEEP from singing?”
Not “how can I sing?” but “How can I *NOT*?”
Singing is actually very powerful, if you put your emotions into it, and it’s a good way to recharge your emotional, and, (if you believe in that crap) spiritual, batteries. There *is* a reason a lot of people with the time and energy go to church to sing, and pray, and meet bunches of their friends (sometimes *all* of them!), and do fun things centered around a common value.
Where was I?
Sometimes, the bravest thing is to realize you can’t *not* sing, for whatever value of “sing” matters to you, because, again, there’s this emotional block. If I get happy, am I letting down all the people who are scared and in misery?
No; happiness is good, it recharges you and makes you more ready to fight. It makes you more ready to comfort those who need it, and to put up with those who can’t be comforted, and can’t be happy, yet.
So sometimes, the bravest thing is “I will allow myself to be happy; I will allow myself to feel joy; I will remember my anger and fear and pain, and ask what I can do about them frequently, but, I won’t let them dominate my life.”
Good luck.
Ksmiami
Sabotage Republicans at every turn, in ways large and small…
eclare
The latest from AOC
https://bsky.app/profile/aoc.bsky.social/post/3ldhxclo4wk2c
Betty Cracker
I’ve given myself the rest of the year to at least WADE in self-pity, if not wallow outright.
In evaluating possible points of friction that might chafe my shitty Repub senators (the odious crook Rick Scott and whichever appalling hairball DeSantis horks up to replace Marco Rubio), I think RFK the Lesser and Tulsi Gabbard offer the best remaining pick-off opportunities. So I guess I’ll write to the stupid pricks about those incompetent kooks.
WTFGhost
A lot of people dislike the Narnia books, by CS Lewis, because they’re so full of Christian allegory. I would challenge some to read them, and take note of the virtues that are praised, and realize that those virtues are good. CS Lewis is problematic for modern readers for a lot of reasons, but, I would maintain that he’s a sort of Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain, where what he says might be painful for people who aren’t like me (white men raised with middle-to-upper class values), but if you were to judge him on history’s scale, you’d acknowledge he praised courage, loyalty, and a willingness to go to the limit for your core beliefs – he would love Captain America’s “No… *you* move.” bit.
In my child brain, I remember a scene that I actually only read in college. A Narnian Marshwiggle has accompanied two human children on their quest. Marshwiggles are *very* pessimistic, and always expect everything to go wrong. (In Narnia, they should use them as engineers, or, at least in industrial oversight.)
But a Marshwiggle goes above and beyond, when beguiled into believing there is no Aslan (Jesus), no emporer over the sea (God the father), no Narnia, insists that he just doesn’t effing care. He doesn’t care if there’s no Aslan, he’ll follow him ANYWAY. And he doens’t care if there is no Narnia, he’s by-golly a *NARNIAN*
And he wrecks the enchantment enspelling the two humans he’s accompanied.
That, in my mind, is the essence of what churches call “faith”, and CS Lewis made that sort of faith magical, more powerful than enchantment.
I happen to be reading Harvard Classics which includes the old fashioned translation of the 1001 nights of Sheherazad, you see? And in that story, reciting “in the name of Allah, the beneficient, the merciful” warded off evil enchantments, so, true faith would allow one to pierce mere magic or enchantment.
I can almost *see* writing the Marshwiggle scene after reading (one of? the first of?) these stories. “There is an Aslan; there is an Emperor Over the Sea; and true faith to them will guide you to the real truth.” Sure, that may not be true in ordinary reality, but, in Lewis’s universe, it was, because that was how he’d written it.
Now: can you see how Republicans cast a spell on you? Can you find faith with which to counter it? Good. If you can’t, can you believe there is justice, or, at least, there should be, and work in that direction? That’s also good, but, do you see how faith in *something*, be it God or the Truth or Justice might help? Not saying you should have faith, just… do you see how it’s not worthy of mockery (…any longer)?
BeautifulPlumage
Ahhh, back to The Monkey Wrench Gang; oldie but goodie.
I always like the idea of SOME wallowing and then moving on (on your own schedule).
Nukular Biskits
I know this may not be for everyone, but in addition to calling/mailing/emailing your US Senators and Representatives, consider making a personal visit to their local offices if possible.
Most US Senators have several offices in state, usually in the larger cities. Both of mine just so happen to have offices here in Gulfport, not too far from where I live.
Ditto for your Reps.
As always, be kind and respectful should you pay a visit (except for the “true believers”, most congressional staffers are good people trying to provide constituent services, often on behalf of an asshat boss).
satby
They need constituents to be kept in the dark about what they’re doing and voting for and against; it’s why they keep trying to claim credit for popular government programs they don’t vote for. Let them know we see what they’re doing and will tell others. It may not seem to matter, but it always will eventually. Like water eroding stone.
eclare
@Nukular Biskits:
Good advice. I looked up my senators’ local offices. Hagerty’s was easy to find, on his website. I looked all over Marsha Marsha Marsha’s, no local office. When I googled “Blackburn office in Memphis” I got a result.
The few times I have tried to call her office, no answer. IIRC no voice-mail.
My rep, Cohen, actually called back one time!
p.a.
“Anger is an energy”- J. Lydon
TS
No wonder the Washington Post & its owner bow down to trump when I read this in the Australian Press
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-17/amazon-senate-committee-investigation/104735114
WereBear
@Nukular Biskits: Absolutely. Show up!
I was on the phone with a staffer at Schumer’s office for a while in November of 2016, and we were both crying and saying, “Why won’t they fight?”
Why aren’t they telling us what to do? Why aren’t they out rallying action?
Why aren’t they doing anything they can tell us about? Instead they put a 94 year old on the Oversight Committee? For once I would like wisdom instead of Sacred Seniority actions that benefit only themselves.
p.a.
Fixt 4 u.
Ramalama
This is a good pep talk, thanks AnnieLaurie. I also noted the mini thread by Marcy Wheeler last night and took screenshots. Am thinking of posting it to my feed in facebook. I’m thinking if Rick Perlstein is still there, no name me can still hang. Besides friends and family are in and unwilling to leave.
WereBear
@p.a.: Thanks. Our problem is that we are too nice.
A normally functioning adult responds to politeness and “now, now, let’s all calm down” but THEY aren’t in any danger. The Republicans aren’t coming after THEIR money, after all. They will never have to stretch a can of tuna with homemade noodles and dry milk, will they?
They are FINE. We need to disrupt that in ways that reaches them, because “do your job” is highly motivating for me, but not for them.
They are not thinking creatively. Because for them, this is what? Same-old same-old and they want to share that Senate elevator without awkward, “But you are a monster!” realizations.
I was hoping we wouldn’t go full cloverleaf, but look at this messy timeline of the three decades leading up to Civil War. The insistence on two parties — and tripping up all competitors — has been suppressed in our modern age, for at least that long.
Needed change has been stalled by one party degenerating into madness and the other constantly thinking they will “snap out of it.”
How? Where is their “normal” now?
Talk about living in a bubble. Our long time Democrats are in their own dream world. “The Senate” means more to them than their constituents.
That’s what they are protecting.
p.a.
@WereBear: Ties into the R’s century-long attack on unions. Collapsing the union movement deprived the Dems of tremendous sources of $$$ and manpower. The political $$$ has to come from somewhere: corporations & Big Money Boyz. Drove the Dems in another direction. Warps the politics of the Dem Party. Also why the Rs are so persistent in attacking government worker unions: they’re the remaining committed unions standing.
*Not exonerating those unions where racism, sexism, I-got-mine-fuck-you-ism have made their members (if not the organizations) Rethug allies.
The Thin Black Duke
“Be sand, not oil, in the machinery of the world.”
AM in NC
I keep calling Senator Tillis and talking with his staffers about the egregious Cabinet nominees. I am polite and thank them for their work, bit also make it clear that they, too, own all of this. And if they actually support US Nat Sec, how on earth can they be OK with Hegseth or Gabbard? And how can they be OK with Kash Patel and his published enemies list? And I sure hope their kids aren’t going to schools filled with unvaccinated youngsters after JFK gets his way.
They all end up sounding miserable by the end of the conversations. THEY know these choices are deadly bad. They KNOW their “Tillis will vote the way the respective Committees tell him to” is weak, cowardly sauce. And they don’t like when people call them on it (especially from the “more in sorrow than in anger” position).
moonbat
Thank you, AL! Agree on all points. Gumming up the works is worth the effort because I feel sure the faster we push back on 45’s fantasy of ‘dictator on day one’ the more he’s going to spiral in a way that is unexpected and unacceptable to the great uninformed masses. Their buyer’s remorse should be immediate and long lasting.
Princess
I can’t help but notice that among elected Dems, the women, in general, seem way more inclined to push and fight than the men, across the Democratic spectrum, from AOC to Klobuchar.
TBone
I’m upset and missing a friend, a fellow hombre who didn’t deserve harsh treatment received.
Maybe this place isn’t for everyone, but it should be.
Princess
Somewhat related to the theme of the post — how are y’all enjoying Bluesky, those of you who are there? I find I like the BJ feed, but if I stray away from it a bit, I’m not loving it. Lots of boomers, lots of tankies, lots of “do-something’s” who are doing no more than posting on the internet themselves. It’s good for books and hobbies, but I’m not thinking our political/organizational strength is going to come from there.
Liminal Owl
@WTFGhost: Lovely post, thank you.
CSL was a huge influence on my life. Not always for good, and I certainly recognize problematic aspects now, but still a fan.
Baud
@Princess:
Similar to my reaction. It seemed strong right after the election, but now has seemed to have devolved into what social media has always been. I wasn’t on Twitter, but I guess the major benefit to Blue sky is that you don’t encounter right wing trolls as much.
I’m still enjoying it, for now, mostly because I don’t follow a lot of people.
Geminid
A positive item about Syria from Ragip Soylu two hours ago.:
Soylu also had some background reported by Financial Times;
Soylu accompanied his post with a picture of Von Der Leyen and Erdogan shaking hands for the cameras. There’s a Turkish flag over Erdogan’s outside shoulder and Von Dey Leyen has an EU flag over hers. She’s flashing her classic Von Den Leyen smile while he’s flashing his classic R.T. Erdogan deadpan expression.
Soylu is Istanbul bureau chief for Middle East Eye and will likely post a fuller story there.to go with his other Syria stories.
Ragip Soylu began his reportimg career in 2010 while the Syrian Civil War broke out in March of 2011. Soylu has reported on it ever since, first for Turkish newspapers and lately for MEI.
WereBear
@p.a.: Likewise education, while Democrats stand around and wring their hands.
zhena gogolia
@WereBear: What 94 year old?
TBone
Liz:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oHUWcVFF9Ag
Booger
Off topic, but jeeze, “Holiday Inn” is just a terrible movie.
TBone
George Elliott, again.
Another Scott
Thanks AL and everyone. Have a good Tuesday.
Best wishes,
Scott.
Geminid
@Geminid: Ragip Soylu also posted about a more concerning Syria story reported by the Wall Street ::
This might be big story over the next few days.
Liminal Owl
Thank you, Anne Laurie, for inspiration and hope.
I’m struggling lately just to keep up with job and health. Nothing left for activism, but appreciating all of you who do it.
Quinerly
@TBone:
We may be on the same page on this.
I have definitely witnessed some passive aggressive bullying of 2 rather new commenters lately.
Not a good look from some of these “valued commenters” of the male variety.
Quinerly
Very good post AL. Thank you.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I’m hoping Mr DAW comes home from the hospital today and is able to resume his normal life for a while. In the meantime, I’m going to zumba this morning rather than straight to the hospital. For me, exercise is a good way to work off stress and depression. I think we all need to remember what lets us go on.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Princess: I thought that when the President of Mexico took no crap from Trump while Trudeau hurried to Mar-a-Lago. I wondered if she already felt like an outsider, had achieved her position from that place, and had nothing to lose in standing up to Trump
Elizabelle
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Interesting idea. Very possible.
TBone
Theme music by the Dan of Steel
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HBzzdlpISFg
TBone
@Quinerly: I was almost ashamed to still be here today. But I won’t give in or give up as long as I am drawing breath.
Kindness matters.
Geminid
@Elizabelle: Having an outsider’s point of vidw can be a real strength.
Outsiders can often see what the rest of us do not. I know that sounds kind of trite, but I’ve seen this in people I’ve known who were outsiders.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Princess: The fact that Elon Musk doesn’t benefit from Bluesky is all I care about.
TBone
Some of us remember the Wollman Test of Reality.
https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19910829/1302660/wollman-test-of-reality-it-was-an-eye-opener
Yes, I repeatedly post this.
We need not pick others apart – comments are easily skipped over and there is always delicious pastry.
Better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Can’t remember who said that first right now. And yes, it applies to me too.
Elizabelle
@TBone: What posts are you and Q referring to? I missed just about all of them yesterday. (Thank dog for real life.)
Elizabelle
@Geminid: Very true. Outsider, and underdog too.
Raoul Paste
Thank you, AL. This is exactly the type of encouragement and good sense that I needed to hear
TBone
@Elizabelle: I’m averse to putting anyone on the spot and it’s more than merely yesterday. I’m just gonna STFU and continue to move forward!
Elizabelle
@Raoul Paste: Yes. Especially liked the Mark Jacob content. I believe he used to be a journalist in Chicago? Anyway, good advice.
Quinerly
@Elizabelle:
I have witnessed some ongoing stuff (I am choosing my word carefully so just saying “stuff” ) towards a rather new commenter. Maybe she’s been around 6 months or so. Don’t know for sure. Also, I saw something the other day that troubled me re another female commenter. Not a nym I had seen much, if any, before….(but I am not on every thread and sometimes have gone months without reading comments. So I am no expert on who has been here awhile.)
I don’t even know if TBone and I are talking about the same people. I don’t think these two commenters have commented in days now. I scan the comments mostly. Very sick of seeing the same two old nyms saying the same old same shit in almost every thread. I think T Bone and I agree on at least one of those commenters.
Quinerly
@TBone:
If you ever want my email, ask BETTY CRACKER. All cool from my end.
Geminid
@TBone: You took some knocks when you first showed up here. I remember how you shook it off and got back in the game.
But you are a saucy wench. The friend you are talking about might be a little more sensitive, but I think she’ll be back. At least I hope so.
Manyakitty
@Betty Cracker: that’s mostly how I feel about my senators Vance and soon to be Moreno. 🤢🤮
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: 77 year old who won the committee vote against the blog favorite AOC. He has a cancer diagnosis so he should just put himself on a floe and anoint AOC because she knows what the young people want or so I was told by my progressive betters yesterday
I am still waiting to hear about her legislative accomplishments to convince me that she deserves a leadership position despite not voting for Biden’s key legislative accomplishments or not having authored any key legislation.
She is great on social media and TV though. I guess that’s enough. Its government by influencers be they President or in Congressional leadership
Plus she is cute. That definitely helps. It helped Obama and Bill Clinton that they were good looking.
TBone
@Geminid: thank you lovie we both hope so!
VFX Lurker
I do not have a BlueSky account, but I visit it once a day to read Ragnarok Lobster’s feed. I also saved other BlueSky addresses to my notes, and sometimes I read them, too.
I’m more of a reader than a contributor.
Lobo
@WTFGhost: I get knocked down
A song I always keep in mind. Cheers!
BellaPea
I have tried to limit my TV news watching, but briefly tuned into MSNBC today. Mostly school shooting and Syria, not much TFG, thank God. I saw an article on my Apple newsfeed that the Republican House committee chairs are all male, and almost all white with one exception. I guess that tells you where we’re going over the next four years. The author of the article (Rex Huppke of USA Today, always great) said the photos will look like a 1950s country club golf tournament. I just hate all of the sexism and racism, from Dump on down.