So disappointing. This was a real opportunity to respond to the challenges.
It’s hard to be optimistic these days.
Well, now at least we know who the new chair is. Let’s see how we move forward.
Ken Martin Is The New Chairman Of The Democratic Party
Open thread.
gene108
I have never seen a DNC or RNC chair make much of a political contribution to their party. The closest I’ve seen was Mitt’s niece as RNC chair, and that was only because she was good at getting media coverage. Republicans didn’t do well electorally.
Unless the powers that be in the national party what to elevate the power the DNC actually has, it’s mostly about fundraising and organizing the party’s convention once every four years.
Steve LaBonne
How is electing a Wellstone protege who speaks of following Wellstone’s example for party building, a guy who was the clear choice of state party chairs, instead of the candidate of geriatric leaders like Pelosi and Schumer, a disappointment? I have not seen anyone explain why Wikler was such a strong favorite with some people. This is a genuine question, in no way intended as snark.
Kosh III
I hope he and the DNC will do more than the usual battleground state-only tactics of the past.
As I said in a prior post, Tennessee candidates got diddly-squat in money and resources in 2024–and prior years.
Best wishes for Martin–and the country.
cmorenc
Let’s see what Martin’s first 2-3 moves are and ho effectively they deflect things in the right direction. We can always summon the circular firing squad into action if we are disappointed.
Hope Martin does got game.
tam1MI
I remember when Tom Perez got elected as DNC Chair everybody was all, “Who the hell is Tom Perez?” and “The Dems have blown it again!”, but he turned out to do a pretty good job.
So I guess we will wait and see.
WaterGirl
@Steve LaBonne:
I’m not saying Ken Martin is bad. But in a key year like this, when we really need to change some things up, Ken Martin doesn’t bring the mindset that I’m looking for.
You’ll see what I mean, I think, if you watch 20 minutes of the video.
Go back to my post from this morning and fast forward in the video until the parts where Ben Wikler and then Ken Martin were nominated and gave their speeches. (10 minutes total for each candidate).
Then you’ll have your answer.
Steve LaBonne
@WaterGirl: I did. I don’t care about speeches and “fire”. A party chair is a workhorse, not a show horse. And Wikler was the candidate of the ultimate insiders, Pelosi and Schumer, which doesn’t accord well with the enthusiasm shown him by many “progressives”. Also Minnesota and Wisconsin are both purple states, and Martin’s state is the only one of the two that Harris won.
Jeffro
so it’s Martin – sounds good
Musk & Co have access to the Treasury Department’s entire payments system now, so I feel like we might have bigger fish to fry.
Steve LaBonne
@Jeffro: Ya think?
Glory b
@gene108: Exactly, which is why I never understood why so many people who are smart enough to do some research (like the ones here) get so excited and exercised over the DNC.
It’s NOT the organizing entity that the RNC is, there’s no one Democratic organization that is.
The DNC fundraises, offers support and runs the presidential primaries. The head will sometimes appear in interviews, do media events, etc, but doesn’t run things.
But at least it wasn’t Shakir.
WaterGirl
@Glory b:
I think the position matters a lot. You don’t seem to think so. You seem to think the DNC has to be what it has always been. I don’t.
I thought Wikler was head and shoulders the best. I’m disappointed. I get to be disappointed when I don’t think the best person wins, right?
I don’t want to settle for “at least it wasn’t that other guy who was worse”.
FDRLincoln
Made another set of calls to my GOP congresscowards, this time about Musk controlling our money and data. Not sure what else I can do…call, write, donate to ACLU and like orgs, march when the time comes. Doesn’t seem like enough.
sab
@Steve LaBonne: Good questions.
Steve LaBonne
@FDRLincoln: This may in fact be the time for Democratic Senators to refuse unanimous consent on everything until we get answers.
WaterGirl
@Steve LaBonne:
Anything and everything.
Harrison Wesley
If anybody is counting on one person to save America or the world or whatever, please discard that fantasy now.
BarcaChicago
Agreed. This doesn’t bode well to me for the Democratic Party understanding the moment that they need to meet. And that frightens me. I’m originally from Wisconsin, and spend much of my time there because my elderly mother lives there, so I agree the silver lining is that we can keep doing what we’re doing and get the state legislature majority back in 2026.
BarcaChicago
@Steve LaBonne: Wikler turned a completely moribund state party in Wisconsin totally around, it’s been a dramatic positive change and he’s been extremely effective. Signed, a Wisconsinite.
Betty Cracker
@Steve LaBonne: That time was Jan. 20, but now works.
Steve LaBonne
@Betty Cracker: Holding everything up for its own sake is not a useful tactic. Holding everything up to demand answers on a specific issue is a potentially useful tactic. Tactics need to be in service to a strategy.
WaterGirl
@Harrison Wesley:
It seems a bit insulting to suggest that caring about who fills a position means you are counting on one person to save democracy.
Person by person, leader by leader, we have to build the opposition.
We need the best leaders we can get.
Steve LaBonne
@BarcaChicago: Martin also has a strong track record in his state and the support of his very successful governor. These were two good candidates, a win-win situation.
different-church-lady
Welp, Musk has broken in to The Treasury.
BarcaChicago
@Steve LaBonne: I’m genuinely happy to hear that, but I didn’t appreciate your snarky comments about Wikler being a “show horse” and also putting quotations on the actual progressives like myself that supported his candidacy and have worked with the WisDems over the past 15 years to regain our democracy at the state level.
Betty Cracker
@Steve LaBonne: Some Democrats voted to confirm the Treasury secretary who just gave unelected sieg heil guy the keys to government payment systems and access to all our data. What did Dems gain from that transaction? Besides the contempt of many of their own voters?
ALL of these nominees will do outrageous, fascist shit for Trump. We all knew this. They should do so without a single Dem vote, but that ship has sailed. Maybe everyone will wake the fuck up now.
Glory b
@WaterGirl: Im saying that because I don’t know to what extent the DNC can just usurp local power.
There’s the DCCC, DSCC, every state and every local party aren’t the same.
The local Democratic party in a town in Mississippi can’t and doesn’t function like the local Democratic party in NYC.
Steve LaBonne
@different-church-lady: Besides all the obvious opportunities for tampering, impoundment, and corruption, the most immediate danger may be that they simply fuck the system up altogether because they don’t know what they’re doing.
different-church-lady
@Betty Cracker:
NARRATOR: “Nobody woke the fuck up.”
Bostondreams
Not sure if anyone else posted this elsewhere, but the state department as updated their travel advice for LGBT travellers to remove all reference to Trans folks, so it is now just LGB. Looking at the Web Archive version, they also removed reference to meds.
A Ghost to Most
Last time I checked, it was still the Democratic Party, not the Progressive Party.
Melancholy Jaques
@WaterGirl:
I agree with this sentiment, but what do we want the DNC to be? We really don’t have a national party, do we.
Steve LaBonne
@Betty Cracker: I don’t think there should have been any Democratic votes for him, but I don’t place a lot of weight on symbolic things that make no practical difference. This was not one of the nominations where there was a chance of Republican opposition.
Phylllis
@Jeffro: My social security check is supposed to hit the bank on 2/12, so I’ll keep y’all posted.
FDRLincoln
What can we do at the individual citizen level?
Based on current trends, we may need to be willing to give our lives to stop this, to be gunned down in the streets by the Proud Boys or a trumpified military.
scav
@WaterGirl: It’s also true that leaders and inspirers can be found and listened to at all levels of a hierarchy, we don’t only have to pay attention to the singular entity at the top. Minerva knows the CEOs (or equivalents in different contexts) I’ve experienced weren’t exactly the most clued in critters in the pack and not always the best point of leverage either.
Betty Cracker
@Steve LaBonne: Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously, I believe. His state department just literally erased trans people from the system. They’re all going to do awful, fascist shit for Trump/Musk.
oldgold
Damn, we sure could use a charismatic leader. Not as party chair, but someone to lead the righteous resistance. Someone outside the DC political cauldron. I think he or she is coming. The time is ripe for it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bWcASV2sey0
Baud
Looks like Trump started his trade way, but takes effect Tuesday.
ETA: Lots of market manipulation on Monday.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Betty Cracker:
I’ll find out that kittens poop rainbows first.
I hope you’re right and I’m right. ;)
different-church-lady
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
Depends on what you feed them.
different-church-lady
Apparently the order to crash the economy now officially has a signature.
Miki
@different-church-lady: I have a friend who has a friend who worked in a Gummi Bear factory who blew rainbow boogers every time she blew her nose.
Literally.
Renie
These are the Democrat Senators who voted for Scott Bessent to be Treasury Secretary? If yours is listed, go after them for a response on this bullshit
Lisa Blunt Rochester Delaware
Cory Booker New Jersey
Maria Cantwell Washington
Christopher Coons Delaware
John Fetterman Pennsylvania
Ruben Gallego Arizona
Kirsten Gillibrand New York
Margaret Hassan New Hampshire
John Hickenlooper Colorado
Timothy Kaine Virginia
Mark Kelly Arizona
Angus King Maine
Gary Peters
Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire
Elissa Slotkin Michigan
Mark Warner Virginia
I already went after mine – Gillibrand
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@different-church-lady:
Heh heh, well, over the years of fostering typically sick litters and their mommas, we’ve seen some colorful material but nothing aking to a true rainbow. ;)
Glory b
@WaterGirl: An example of what I’m talking about, as told to me a while back by a friend there:
After Hillary’s loss, Tom Perez agreed to meet with a group of Bernie representatives to rewrite the DNC bylaws after Sanders victory was stolen from him/s/.
Perez gave them pretty much everything they wanted, which included the formation of multiple caucuses, a youth caucus, etc.
In Alabama, the state party had a dust up over establishing them, with the accusation that the progressives were trying to dilute the strength of the black party reps (some said in retaliation for Sanders losing the black vote so badly).
Things wound up in court, I’m not sure exactly how, but there was the acknowledgment that the state party was not obliged to follow the DNC’suggestion
It was getting ugly and “racially charged.”
I think they got over it but I haven’t spoken to my Alabama friend in a while.
prostratedragon
Ridiculous!
lowtechcyclist
@Glory b:
And maybe that’s a problem. There’s no way we can make up for the GOP’s media advantage. But we should be able to out-organize the fuckers.
That’s why I supported Wikler, because I thought he’d be the guy we needed to start turning the DNC into more of an organizing outfit as well as a fundraising outfit. Hopefully Martin will see the need to turn the DNC into more than a fundraising outfit. After all, we have ActBlue to handle a lot of that load already.
Glory b
@Steve LaBonne: Same here. There are bigger things going on than getting all exercised over votes that don’t matter anyway.
Those less than attentive voters we’re supposed to be looking for don’t pay much attention to committee (or full senate for that matter) votes.
John S.
@Betty Cracker:
Mark Kelly
Ruben Gallego
John Hickenlooper
Lisa Blunt Rochester
Chris Coons
Gary Peters
Elissa Slotkin
Maggie Hassan
Jeanne Shaheen
Cory Booker
Kirsten Gillibrand
John Fetterman
Tim Kaine
Mark Warner
Maria Cantwell (sigh)
That’s an awful lot of Democrats who were ok with Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary. And they all look pretty stupid right now.
prostratedragon
A small but valued sign of resistance:
Adding to the number of places trying to shelter these records.
Another Scott
@Baud: It was supposed to start today, February 1, with no chance of it being delayed.
So, progress? Or, yet another example of his words being meaningless? Or both?
I expect some new bloody shirt on Monday – he has to start something new to attract attention to himself every 3 days or so.
He’s such a needy, needy child.
Grr…
Best wishes,
Scott.
Steve LaBonne
@Betty Cracker: And again, Democrats couldn’t have prevented that and there is no reason to believe that the next nominee wouldn’t have been worse. I would like for no nominees to get any Democratic votes but compared to 99 other things that are happening I can’t spare much energy to care about it. We get all worked up about symbolic things that normies never notice in the first place and even politics junkies will have forgotten about in a few weeks. A slowdown specifically in response to the Treasury breakin makes sense and could even produce some kind of result, though I’m not terribly optimistic about that, and if Democrats are very vocal about the reason it could lead to better news coverage of what Skum is doing. Using the debt ceiling as a pressure point makes all kinds of sense and has real potential for significant results.
tobie
@FDRLincoln: Feb 5 is supposed to be a day of protests in all 50 state capitals. I read about it on this reddit thread: r/50501. I have no idea if this will take off but I guess I’ll go to DC or Annapolis that day just to howl in rage.
Baud
@Another Scott:
They floated postponing it to March 1 then walked it back when it looked weak.
We’ll see if it happens and if it does, how long it lasts.
Jay
@tobie:
You can always go out for Ice Cream afterwards.
Dan B
@prostratedragon: The erasure of LGBTQ people continues. Since Bessent is gay I wonder what he’ll do but he’s already handed the keys to Musk it seems he’ll help in the belief he’ll be left alone. History says it doesn’t often work that well.
tobie
@Jay: Let me check the weather. Hot cocoa may be better that day.
pajaro
@Steve LaBonne:
Wisconsin had the worst partisan gerrymander of any state in the country. Wikler moved back from his job at MoveOn to attempt to tear down, brick by brick, that structure. He succeeded, by helping get people to vote, in record numbers, for State Supreme Court positions and other state level offices. His get out the vote results were really good. Wisconsin is a totally purple state, as the last several Presidential elections have shown, so what he achieved is really significant. I don’t know Martin, so I’m not criticizing the folks who voted for him, but if he is ever close to as good as Wikler, the Dems have done well.
Kayla Rudbek
@John S.: goddammit, both my senators (Kaine and Warner) on that list. I used their website to contact them this morning about the Musk coup, and my representative as well. Beyer at least has the automatic email going out that my message was received, but Kaine and Warner? Frickin’ crickets and it’s infuriating.
Mel
@Renie: The one that really surprised me on that list is Gallego. I had hopes that he would be a fighter, but the last couple of months seem to indicate otherwise.
I am utterly heartsick.
John S.
@Dan B:
I think he’s also comfortable in the belief that $500 million will keep him safe.
Glory b
@lowtechcyclist: I also wrote that to point out that way too many people got mad at previous DNC chairs for not doing what they had no authority to do anyway.
gene108
@lowtechcyclist:
Need buy in from the DCCC, DSCC, and state and local parties, and LGBT+ allied groups, and African American groups to do any meaningful organizing,
Too many factions of potential Democratic voters to get everyone to agree to cede power to the DNC and lose their leverage within the party.
What would be helpful is to have an effective campaign kit ready to go for any new candidate at any level. Have money, staff, etc. available, have local contacts for fundraising and support, etc.
The RNC is light years ahead of Democrats in this.
WaterGirl
@Glory b: I’m not saying Wikler would have usurped local power. I don’t believe he would have.
But they can control what they fund and how much. How much goes to consultants who are lining their pockets? How much goes to ads? How much goes to organizing?
etc
Steve LaBonne
@pajaro: The point is that they were both strong candidates. I certainly wouldn’t have been upset if Wikler had won.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@lowtechcyclist:
That was pretty much the pitch by the white woman from NC, Anderson Clayton, who according to BlueGuitarist is the youngest state party chair. She hammered on the “we need year round organizing” on behalf of Wikler…and she’s right.
WaterGirl
@Bostondreams: Page not found.
I don’t know what their original document was.
So are you suggesting that it’s a good thing or an alarming thing that trans references have been removed?
Steve LaBonne
@Dan B: Don@Dan B: Don’t worry, the leopards will never eat HIS face, or Thiel’s.
Redshift
@Steve LaBonne: I agree the fight over the debt ceiling is going to be a big point of leverage.
Whether or not the votes make any difference to the eventual outcome, I want to see filibusters and not votes to proceed on nominations, because the thing we learned all through the McConnell era is that the calendar is limited, and taking time to overcome filibusters limits how much else they can do. (Maybe they think that won’t matter because they’re going to roll everything into one reconciliation bill and call it a day, but I wouldn’t bet on them being competent enough to pull that off.) Yeah, that won’t stop executive actions, but it’s not nothing.
Another Scott
Meanwhile, …
I think we need to remember that last time around it took weeks for things like the “Muslim ban” to work its way through the courts, etc.
Yes, things are bad. But there is resistance and it will take time for that resistance to work. Courts are stepping up quickly, and Democrats are as well. It’s not as fast as we would like, but it is happening.
Hang in there, everyone. Keep the faith, and keep letting your elected peeps know you appreciate them working to protect the country.
Best wishes,
Scott.
Steve LaBonne
@Redshift: These appointments are not subject to the filibuster. The maximum the Democrats can do is drag things out for a few days.
trollhattan
@Baud: Isn’t this goddamn week over yet?
Redshift
@Glory b:
Maybe start by explaining why the DNC trying to stand up ongoing non-campaign media and organizing operations would be usurping local power, instead of just stating it like it’s a given.
geg6
@Betty Cracker:
THIS.
Redshift
@Steve LaBonne:
Last I heard, the calendar is made up of days. I read an analysis (Josh Marshall, maybe) that these nominees are getting confirmed faster than Biden’s.
Redshift
@Steve LaBonne: Also, I could be wrong, but as I read it, motions to proceed are subject to the filibuster, and beginning debate on a nomination requires a motion to proceed.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
Yeah, I’ll contact good ole Hick’s office and let him know how much I appreciate his vote to confirm the Treasury Sec and how that’s working out so far, vis a vis, protecting the country.
That feeling brought to you by BCrack’s comment at #25.
I’d invite everyone to come to Denver, we can go down to Hick’s place on Wynkoop and take a gigantic dump out front, then go somewhere else for drinks and food.
Baud
@Redshift:
Biden had a 50/50 Senate where two of them where Manchin and Sinema.
pajaro
@Another Scott:
the three versions of the Muslim ban took years, from the start, to unwind, but the preliminary orders stopping the Administration came really quickly, within days.
Baud
@Redshift:
I don’t think so. We got rid of the filibuster when McConnell was blocking all of Obama’s.
Jay
Okay, I just finished my 30 Day Free Trial of 2025 and I decline to sign up for the offer.
Redshift
The is, I am way way more understanding of the very limited power of the minority in either the House or the Senate, and to my elected reps wanting to preserve some semblance of normality than most activists yelling “why aren’t the Dems doing anything?”, but I think if you’re in that situation with the house-on-fire situation we’re in, you’d better damn well be doing everything you can, even down to the symbolic, so you’re in a position to explain to people “we’re really using all the power we have; a lot of which is just repeatedly calling out the Trumpists and working to make sure everyone knows how they’re hurting ordinary Americans, here are the other things that are going on that you should support.”
I get that as legislators, their best shot at beating all this back is being in a position to win back the majority in two years, and they need solid fundraising, but I feel like fundraising off all this stuff without explaining that (which I’m not hearing) just feeds the false narrative that they’re not trying. And with what happened with the least informed voters in the last election, I think that really matters.
sab
OT It ia dusk here in eastern standard time. Clear skies sun has set. There is a beautiful cresecent moon and a big bright planet nearby.
Is that planet Venus or Mars? My guess is Venus.
schrodingers_cat
@sab: Venus. Most likely.
schrodingers_cat
OT: Question for the hive mind. Any suggestions for a new cable modem? I am retiring my 8 year old Arris gateway.
Also is a gateway better (modem+ router) or is it better to get both separately? Wirecutter says getting two separate devices is better. Any recommendations, suggestions much appreciated.
Thanks!
OT2: Got myself a used Nissan Leaf. Thanks Biden!
John S.
@Redshift:
I think many of us would just settle for our representatives not voting for some of these unqualified monsters.
It doesn’t matter if Democrats don’t have the votes to stop all of these nominees, there is simply no reason to vote for them.
There’s a simple litmus test: As [insert role], would you give an unelected citizen access to your systems and allow them to influence your job?
MagdaInBlack
@Jay: For cancellation please visit our website currently under destruction. Or call our AI phone tree cancellation hotline hell.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
Congrats on the car.
WTFGhost
I’m curious if anyone’s seen this (Tom Anderson, over at Digby’s place), because:
https://digbysblog.net/2025/02/01/the-worst-people-in-the-world/
… seriously, are they *painting over* a word cloud of (I assume) what qualities agents said the FBI should have? If the pic is right, it’s actually an Quantico, so we should post on social media *what* words Trump hated. Integrity. Fairness. Leadership. Compassion.
It’s teeny and petty, and yet, I bet the Lincoln Project would agree it’s one of those ways to bleed him from a million million cuts. AND, unlike saying “no, no, the orange fart cloud is what he leaves in his wake, ol’ don von schitzenpantz,” it’s not a petty jab at a legitimate medical condition. It’s actually *ethical*. It’s *moral*. It’s part of *resisting*. Just don’t do it if you’re a government contractor, because we’re *not* kidding when we say he does *not* like virtues of “compassion” and “fairness”.
sab
I think spouse could use a telescope for his birthday. We used to live in a ravine. Now we are on top of a hill with not too many trees. I haven’t seen sunsets like this since I moved back east 25 years ago.
JanieM
@sab: Check this out. You can rotate the sky map, try different times, etc.
(PS, it’s Venus.)
John Revolta
@sab: I was just out in the yard looking at it too. Way cool.
sab
@schrodingers_cat: I googled it and it is indeed Venus.
Stella
@Redshift: This is basically my position. At this moment symbolic matters, because people need absolutely any sign the Dems understand the situation.
Unlike this. This isn’t great optics to send to the rank and file right now.
https://bsky.app/profile/kenklippenstein.bsky.social/post/3lh5lucffj22i
Democratic Party’s newly elected Chair, Ken Martin: “There are a lot of good billionaires out there that have been with Democrats, who share our values, and we will take their money. But we’re not taking money from those bad billionaires.””
Not, uh. Really hopeful for this guy.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@sab:
OT more: You said you bought an “EV Honda Civic”.
The only EV Honda makes is the Prologue and it’s built/mostly designed by GM.
Do you mean a hybrid?
Yes, I’ve turned into an EV geek after getting a Bolt.
schrodingers_cat
@sab: Venus is the brightest planet you can see from the earth.
Juju
@WaterGirl: I’m disappointed as well, but not surprised. You are entitled to feel however you want to feel.
TBone
Is this not good for the DNC? I don’t know because I haven’t had time to catch up yet
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: Thanks! Was looking at Volkswagon too, but that was too spendy. Husband kitteh will be using it first because he has the longer commute.
schrodingers_cat
@Stella: You want him to fight elections without any money? DNC chair is mostly a fundraising position.
Why are you criticizing the Democrats for the stuff that the Republicans are doing? That is what weakens us a party’
This relentless DO SOMETHING no matter what it is the Ds do or don’t do.
Another Scott
On the lighter side, DJ Cummerbund’s latest – Everybody and The Sunshine Band (14:02)
He’s’ not kidding!
Best wishes,
Scott.
Baud
@Stella:
Is that in response to a question?
Pritzker is a billionaire and he’s been amazing. Mark Cuban is on our side too.
Stella
@schrodingers_cat: Look, I don’t want the Democrats to go over fully to optics and making empty promises, to be full on salesmen to the base at every moment. But they’ve gotta at least do some! There has to be at least minimal understanding of how the people in the party understand the things they say, and this is just absolutely not something the people they need to get out and win want to hear. This is holding pattern talk when they desperately need to rally people.
NotMax
@schrodingers_cat
Did someone say Venus?
;)
Stella
@schrodingers_cat: Sorry, this is in response to the stuff you added after I’d already posted.
Every single fellow Dem I know right now is voting for them and feeling like it’s going through the motions. None of them *believe* in the party. It doesn’t matter how much you tell people like that how grateful they should be, they feel abandoned.
I’m not criticizing the Dems because I want to weaken them, but because I am absolutely desperate for them to pull out of what feels like a talespin. People have to feel like they have a reason to fight. They have to feel like their pain matters. And I look around at the people I know, and it’s not there.
Republicans, if absolutely nothing else in the world, understand the power of actually rallying their base. I just want Democrats to be able to tap into that even a little.
Stella
@Baud: The Democrats outraised Trump by a huge margin and lost. This fight absolutely cannot be won with money alone.
zhena gogolia
@schrodingers_cat: Yeah, and at this point I don’t give a shit who votes for which nominees. This is not where we should be putting our energy.
If I had any.
WTFGhost
Regarding wanting to “decline to accept the offer of the full year,” I just want to say, if someone-like-me said that, you should be worried, and asking “are you going to be okay?”
Now: I don’t want to suggest anyone needs help if they don’t need help (hence, no nym in the post). And I *sure* don’t want to sound like some kind of scold, “OMG you can’t SAY that!” because of *course* you can.
But sorry pal, it was a 30 day free trial, and it’s day ***32***.
Depressed people *do* take anniversaries seriously. Knowing that means *IF* you know a depressed person in your life, and *IF* you’re wise (and close) enough to do a proper depressed-person wellness check, you might find you can save a life. You might also just make a few depressed people feel someone *cares* and *gets it*. If *that* isn’t enough payment for you, you’re not yet wise enough to do that welfare check I imagined.
Um. Your village weirdo now returns you to your regularly scheduled top 10k blog, which makes me think it’s 6.2 miles.
Similarly, the hippogriff was half griffin, half horse, but the *griffin* was half lion, half eagle, which means a hippogriff was a quarter eagle, which is $2.50 in gold. You never know what random facts might make their way into a response with me.
sab
@JanieM: My dad ( born 1924) had this cool thing from his childhood I found when we cleared out his house. It was a cardboard wheel that can be rotated to show what constellations are in the night sky at any given date.
What kids used when they didn’t have an internet.
Baud
@Stella:
You want to win with less money?
And I’m not so sure about fundraising given all the dark money Trump had.
Regardless, if that was in response to a question about whether we would take money from billionaires, then it was an honest answer. If he just broke out into a song and included that impromptu, then not so good.
chrisanthemama
@WaterGirl: We needed a wartime consigliere.
WTFGhost
@sab: As long as it didn’t have bells, and get named a Ding-A-Ling, I think it’s not the *worst* thing before the internet.
sab
@schrodingers_cat: I had a couple of VWs. Fun cars, but very high maintenance and we all know they lie on fuel mileage.
Hondas are little tanks. They just keep rolling along. Minimal maintenance. I think that is typical for most Japanese cars.
tobie
@Stella: Dems outraised Trump in reported contributions. Republicans and foreign adversaries outraised Dems many times over with unreported contributions. Republicans don’t rely on small donors. They don’t have many. It’s dark money that keeps them going. At this point they own just about all communication channels (print, digital, cable). Bluesky, Mastodon and reddit are a pittance compared to the platforms they control.
kalakal
Right now the most important thing elected Dems can be doing is getting the story of Musk’s takeover of the Treasury out into the wider world. The more normies are made aware of what is happening and what the implications are the better. They ( literally) did not vote for this. Trump has handed the nation over to an unelected tax avoiding subsidy junkie Nazi.
This should be a 6 Alarm Fire.
Dem reps should be talking to and posting on any and all media.
Ksmiami
@chrisanthemama: except most elected Dems don’t seem to recognize we are actually in an existential War
Lobo
@Redshift: I don’t understand the upside of voting for the nominees. In a way voting for them makes you complicit and provides an inherent stamp of approval. I also think it makes them look like idiots after the nominees start doing crap like the new Sec. of Treasury is doing.
Now is this where I make my stand on these Senators? But it is demoralizing and bewildering. What are you getting out of approving these nominees? Gum up the works. Make things go slow. The Senate only has so many days.
Soapdish
12-year old me: “Don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it…”
(Also 55-year old me)
kalakal
@NotMax: Fooled me, I was expecting Shocking Blue
trollhattan
@Jay: Careful, I hear the call center for cancelling 2025 subs is in Greenland and you have to speak Akkala.
Chief Oshkosh
I go biking for one day, ONE DAY, and OPM and Treasury get handed over to a ket-head?
Seems like this should be THE topic of discussion…EVERYWHERE…maybe?
Soapdish
Got myself a 2023 Chevy Bolt. Thanks, Biden!
WTFGhost
@Stella: Not with campaign spending, for sure. Citizens United means issue ads are “free” for Republicans. And one of the things you should think of, was, how when Afghanistan went down, there was already a prepared ad campaign for social media to throw “LOSER” in the face of every likely Biden voter.
Now, me, I live with “LOSER” getting thrown in my face every single day, so, I don’t “get” this, but, I bet it grinds most people all the way down, because the same thing happened with inflation, and immigration, and crime (*NO* fact checking required for vague, first amendment protected speech!), and, by the time he stood on the debate stage, I think the ticket had already lost.
Am I right? Beats me, I don’t waste my time on social media, so I don’t know about the ads. (TV? I don’t watch TV. Radio? Only when I’m in the car and my ancient iPod Touch is busted. Billboards? Look, NOTHING was ever proven, and the witness, a lovely lady widowed after a loveless marriage….)
TBone
@different-church-lady: I’m WIDE awake like a long tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs!
trollhattan
@sab:
Planisphere! They’re neat, with different models for varying latitudes and hemispheres. DIY:
https://in-the-sky.org/planisphere/
Would be a wonderful project to partner with a kid.
Soapdish
*no longer able to contain myself*
ARE YOU SURE IT’S NOT URANUS???!?
sab
OT Again. Comity be damned. One reason to slow walk confirmations is that as each of these bozos are approved and step into their job, they do appalling stuff that Trump approves.
The more of them that come on line, the more appalling stuff. Like Musk taking over the GSA computers with Treasury Secretary approval.
We need time to publicize this stuff, and the more we know about the early misdeeds the easier ot will be to block the later misdoers.
MagdaInBlack
@Chief Oshkosh: I am anticipating a post about it because holy shit !
Ksmiami
@FDRLincoln: we turn guns on them too. I’m not willing to just lay down and take it. And people forget that even in the 60s, there were armed protesters too.
TBone
@Chief Oshkosh: you’d think…
I will see what Rachel Maddow has to say tonight.
suzanne
Hey WaterGirl, I’ve been busy today, but I wanted to answer your question to me in the other thread. When I noted that I was stopping political donations because I am seeing just endless begging for donations and I’m really unconvinced that it’s spent well…. IMO, that applies to the Party and campaigns. So I’m putting those donations on pause for a while. Issues-based organizations and representation groups are, I think, good. I think BJ, and in particular, you, do great work there.
Soapdish
Hello, comrade! (2023 EUV in that sexy red)
John S.
@Lobo:
There’s plenty of folks who feel exactly the same way. Unfortunately, too many Democrats either don’t agree or don’t care. So we just keep getting the same old lecture about keeping our powder dry for something, something…
In the meantime, I want to understand from Sen. Cantwell’s office how she feels about her vote for the guy who just gave Elon Musk the keys to Treasury, and why she keeps voting for Trump nominees.
sab
@Soapdish: Depends how you pronounce that. I am an old when things were respectable. Suitable for teaching to children.
Harrison Wesley
@WaterGirl: I agree totally. I’m not insulting anybody who isn’t itching to be insulted already. Shouldn’t we be learning that everything starts from the ground up? Having the best people at the highest level is important, but building local is essential. I don’t come here to slag anybody, and I don’t expect many to agree with me (I’m a very right-wing Democrat). My intent is never to offend.
sab
@suzanne: I second you on WG doing good work here, and I think it helped even in a bad year.
stinger
@sab: I bought a Civic, new, and drove it for 12 years. Traded it in only because it was starting to look a bit dated. Replaced it with a new Civic and drove that for 8 years. Traded that one for an HR-V because I wanted more cargo room; I’ve driven it now for four years.
All three got/get regular oil changes/other basic maintenance, new battery and tires when needed. The first Civic had to have the speedometer replaced, and the second one needed the gas intake pipe (?) replaced, in both cases Honda notified owners and paid for it. No other work was ever needed. Lots of people talk about “their” mechanic. I’ve never had one — I drive Hondas!
Melancholy Jaques
@Stella:
Symbolic always matters. It tells people who the Democrats are and what Democrats stand for.
Dan B
@John S.: I wonder if Maria Cantwell believes that if she votes for some of these nominees that the GOP will vote for some of her projects. If so she has no clue what the GOP has become. They’re dismantling the US starting with the federal government.
Mel
@trollhattan: Thank you, Sab and Trolhattan! I’m sending that link to my nephews. My grt. nieces and nephews absolutely love science and nature, and they’re in the mountains near Reno, with a great view of the sky, so astronomy is one of the many outdoors activities they can enjoy now. What a cool project for them to share!
John S.
@Dan B:
I honestly would love to understand what her rationale is. I’ll be sure to post something if I get some sort of answer when I call her office on Monday.
WaterGirl
@chrisanthemama: Yes, we do.
Baud
Reddit
Eolirin
@Steve LaBonne: I keep saying this, but it’s hard to overcome the emotions of the moment. It won’t be clear what we’re actually going to be able to do and what steps leadership is actually taking for months and maybe over a year, because we have no power beyond what the courts deign to allow until at least 2026, so most of the strategic effort will be on winning big there, and honestly even then it’ll be minimal since they’re not going through the legislature and they’re willing to break the law blatantly. And the courts are going to let them to some, still to be determined, degree.
It’s sad and disappointing to me that people are transferring their anger about what’s happening onto the Dems though. There’s a lot of demand for immediate gratification to messaging demands, but this is a marathon and we’re not going to be able up evaluate how good a job anyone’s doing for a very long time.
@Betty Cracker: Okay, but they’d be doing that with or without Dem votes, and the broader public isn’t going give a shit about the nomination votes. I can’t see how it matters. Most people aren’t even going to know who the Treasury Secretary is.
Focusing people’s ire on Musk will be a lot easier than getting them to pay attention to that kind of level of political detail. But it requires that he starts breaking shit in ways that affect people’s lives. We aren’t going to get any traction trying to preempt this stuff, just reacting to it when it happens.
If we were going to be able up convince enough people that Republicans are going to do bad things before they did them Harris would have won. So just letting certain things go so we can focus on the more important fights feels legitimate to me. We aren’t actually going to gain anything one way or the other.
hrprogressive
@Betty Cracker:
“We hope to work bipartisanly with President Elon Musk on using the federal payments system judiciously, in a way that benefits all hardworking Americans while cutting the deficit”
-Elected Democrats, probably.
NotMax
Frontloading as a strategy in advance of tariffs.
Not something businesses dealing in perishable goods such as restaurant suppliers can do.
trollhattan
@Mel: Wonderful, they’ll be excited I’ll bet!
And you’re right about the night skies; here in the murky Sacramento Valley we are not nearly so lucky, either for clarity or escape from city lights. Nevada and eastern California are dramatically better.
trollhattan
@NotMax:
I’m waiting for him to slap tariffs on California wine, sold to Californians.
We know what we did.
schrodingers_cat
@sab: Never had a Honda. I have had Toyotas, Subarus and Nissans.
Eolirin
@Baud: Just working out the power sharing agreement for committees so the senate could function took over a month if I’m remembering correctly.
schrodingers_cat
@Soapdish: Its a 2023 Leaf. Congrats on your Bolt.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Soapdish:
2023 EV in the same sexy red.
I get compliments on the color constantly.
Another Scott
@Steve LaBonne: @Redshift:
Made me look.
ConstitutionCenter.org (from December 2016):
Yes, indeed, these are not normal times. Yes indeed, too many of these nominees are dangerous and unqualified. But someone appointed by Donnie will have the job. And it’s not clear that voting against his nominees is a way for the minority to somehow stop them or prevent them from doing harm.
This 3 page CRS report talks about the Holds on Nominations process. Without unanimous consent, the Senate goes through the Cloture process that only needs a majority to overcome. And apparently the majority can “stack” Cloture votes (rather than taking them individually). It looks like it would likely only result in short delays, but that’s just my impression and may be wrong.
The old folks who have been doing this a long time, like Schumer and Durbin and Klobuchar, know how all this stuff works, how to count votes, and understand the ramifications. Sure, they might be wrong, but I don’t think they are unaware of the stakes. (And of course, we should remind our senators of the stakes.)
While yes we must get on the record the appalling positions and views of these monsters, I don’t think we should beat up our team about votes for confirmation or not. Every state is different, every party in every state is different, and a one-size fits all approach probably isn’t going to help Democrats build popular support in close states. The problem, as always, is the GQP and Donnie and their minions. We have to be smart in how we fight them, and tactics have to fit the locals.
I think our own David Anderson is likely correct that the place Democrats have leverage for the foreseeable future is in the House (because it is so close and the GQP is so divided there).
My $0.02.
Best wishes,
Scott.
Glory b
@pajaro: Trump has three more Supreme Court justices in his pocket than the last time.
Chief Oshkosh
@TBone:
Yes, but I’m thinking more like – I don’t know – SCHUMER? JEFFRIES?
…not with a bang, but with a whimper…
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: My outrage is reserved for the destruction of scientific reputation of the United States with the self destructive policies of the current iteration of the OE.
Glory b
@Melancholy Jaques: As I’ve said efore, people know who we are and what we stand for. They just don’t want to vote for the party with the black people in it.
schrodingers_cat
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: Mine is red as well!
bluefoot
@FDRLincoln: I think it’s going to come to that, sooner or later, whether we want it or not. If nothing else, FFOTUS had been talking before the election about indemnifying law enforcement for harming and killing people. Considering what he and Musk have done so far, I don’t doubt it’s coming.
FDRLincoln
If Trump and Musk want an economic calamity, they can just not worry about raising the debt limit and let everything crash.
Steve in the ATL
@trollhattan: I never thought east California was a thing outside of this song
zhena gogolia
@Melancholy Jaques: They didn’t stand for their incumbent president and primary winner, so . . .
Glory b
@Stella: Why just bring a knife to a gun fight?
Why promise to fight with one hand tied behind your back?
I want someone who will promise to use EVERYTHING at his or her disposal.
THAT’S a fight.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: That was a big mistake.
Almost Retired
@Steve in the ATL: Kind of like how “South Detroit” only exists in a Journey song.
Eolirin
@schrodingers_cat: I don’t know that it was. Even as pissed off by it as I was at the time.
Ageism and ableism are also a huge problem in this country, and Biden may very well have done even worse than Harris, who at least had really strong charisma.
Steve in the ATL
@Almost Retired: I blame conservatives for the poor geographical skills of our songwriters. And for pretty much everything else wrong with world, some of which are arguably more important than the geographical skills of songwriters.
Steve in the ATL
@Almost Retired: I’m assuming that “Toledo” didn’t fit the meter
Glory b
@chrisanthemama: A wartime consilglieri wouldn’t turn down money from people who are on our side.
Is no one here from the “inner city” but me?
Almost Retired
@Steve in the ATL: Nothing rhymes with Windsor.
NotMax
@Steve in the ATL
And then there’s West New York … in New Jersey.
schrodingers_cat
@Glory b: I agree with you, check out my reply to Stella. I am nth gen Mumbaikar. I was able to navigate the London tube with zero difficulty on my first day there,
NotMax
@Almost Retired
The British have a house name of Windsor
The Austrians a torte name of Linzer
:)
Gloria DryGarden
a@different-church-lady: paywall article.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Eolirin:
I’ll never understand what Biden’s team were thinking putting him up on stage if he were like the way he was during that debate. It may have looked bad to cancel, but I doubt it would equaled what ended up happening.
And he never really got much better.
“Vice-President Trump”, the BET interview, etc.
I think it’s clear he had experienced some kind of decline and the WH hid it from us. I recall Momsense mentioned that Biden had mostly disappeared for at least a year up until the June debate.
There was also reporting from Bob Woodward from last July that there were reports of Biden having had these moments going back a year
zhena gogolia
@Glory b: I am! Originally, at least.
TBone
@Chief Oshkosh: I just checked the Democratic messaging apparatus on BlueSky because the MSM is not gonna platform Dem politicians, as per usual in our recent past. It appears that, so far, Bernie Sanders is the only one doing much of anything.
https://bsky.app/profile/factpostnews.bsky.social
tam1MI
The replies don’t exactly fill me with hope either.
tam1MI
My decade was the 80s. Bananarama all the way!
Miss Bianca
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: Yeah, I think I’ll be sending Hick a communique on the subject myself…
tam1MI
I think she helped to save what we could save in 2024.
Miss Bianca
@Eolirin: Strangely, ageism and ableism didn’t seem to be issues for GOP voters when they looked at Trump. Maybe Democratic voters are just more shallow than theirs.
Or maybe it’s because the press was so busy braying about Biden’s age and alleged senility that they just never could get around to pointing out that Trump was only three years younger and considerably less fit both mentally and physically.
sab
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): He fucking had Covid just before the debate. Since when is recoverimg from Covid not a legitimate reason to postpone a debate? Being a trouper is admirable but that was nutz to go on.
sab
@trollhattan: Thank you. So cool that it has a name and people still use them. Dad saved his for ninety plus years.
Miss Bianca
@sab: If I could go back in time and do just one thing, I’d gather whichever of Biden’s advisors were behind the whole debate idea to begin with, and slap them all with a brick.
KatKapCC
@different-church-lady:
Until they do something other than criticize, I don’t really wanna hear it.
Darkrose
Schiff and Padilla both voted for Rubio, who is currently working hard to erase the existence of trans people from the State Department, changing sites with resources for LGBT folks to LGB.
Both of my California senators voted to confirm the patently unqualified Sean Duffy as Transportation, best known for being on The Real World. First thing he does after taking office? Orders any references to diversity, equity, inclusion, climate change, and environmental justice removed, along with ordering that funding priorities go to places with high marriage and birth rates.
Schiff and Padilla voting against these nominations wouldn’t have stopped them. What it would do is send a message that they’re not going to sit by quietly while the civil rights that so many people fought and died for are being dismantled. They’d send a message to me, a queer Black disabled woman in California, that they have my back and that they’re going to be looking out for my interests, not the crypto bros who funded them looking at you Schiff. At the very least, they could stand up and say that they absolutely do not support this bullshit, and say it loud.
But they’re not. And this tells me, who’s called myself a Democrat since I was 6, some 49 years ago, that my senators don’t seen up for the job of fighting for me.
WaterGirl
@sab: @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Yes, let’s definitely rehash this. Just what we need to make a bad week even shittier.
Another Scott
@Darkrose:
Rubio was confirmed 99:0.
Tammy Baldwin was a supporter of Duffy, he moved out of committee 28:0, and he was confirmed 77:22.
I think our senators are picking their battles.
I’m sorry for the pain these votes have caused you and many others. I agree that they are bad and dangerous people to have in these positions. I understand, at least I try to understand, what it means.
If it’s any consolation, noted twitter Rubio hater has thoughts:
Maybe! :-)
Just my $0.02.
Best wishes,
Scott.
Darkrose
@Another Scott: I think our senators think the old norms and rules still apply, and they don’t realize that they are never going to come back. What’s the point in “keeping your powder dry” when the GQP is dropping a nuke on the norms and traditions and doing whatever the fuck they want?
FFS, if you honestly feel you have to vote for these chucklefucks, can’t you at least issue a statement when they do bullshit? I haven’t seen anything from any Dem senators about Rubio’s bullshit; are they “keeping their powder dry” by not calling Republicans out when they do horrific things? Because that’s what it looks like from here.
Sorry. I’m scared and I’m hurt and I’m angry, and the people who are supposed to be representing me are silent.
Ramalama
@Miki: I feel I need to do something with this information, but don’t know yet exactly what. I mean, wow.
davek319
@Betty Cracker:FIFY: “We pledge to always work in a bipartisanly bipartisan joining of hands and hearts across a narrow aisle, vowing together with our Nazi Republican colleagues, to always shank our party’s voters first, last, and forever, as regards our true constituency, our plutocrat masters’ wants and needs, as t’was ever thus.” Regards, all centrist Democrat quislings who mouth such twaddle.
Lynn Dee
@Steve LaBonne: Agree.
Ben Wikler was my favorite, largely b/c I’ve followed him and was more familiar with his success. But I’m *very* optimistic about Ken Martin as well. His background, experience and record of success all seem quite similar to Wikler’s, and I liked what he had to say in his acceptance speech.
Lynn Dee
@Betty Cracker: I sure hope so
Ella in New Mexico
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
In my experience kittens and cats truly believe their poop is made of rainbows, even if the rest of us beg to differ.
The Lodger
@NotMax: And people from Pittsburgh a nickname of Yinzer.