Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The current Supreme Court is a dangerous, rogue court.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

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

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

This really is a full service blog.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

Shut up, hissy kitty!

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Sampling the Local Media

Sampling the Local Media

by | 154 Comments

This post is in: 

This isn’t local media, but here’s the whole AOC speech that I posted a snippet from yesterday.  As usual, she has a lot of good points expressed in simple, straightforward language. “America is not for sale.” “The key here is make them – don’t agree in advance…put it in an email.” “We can overwhelm them.” “We outnumber them.” “Every small action matters.”

Now let’s turn to local media. Fan favorite Bernie Sanders is out stumping blue parts of red states, trying to get on the local news to cover what he’s saying. He started in Omaha and now he’s in Iowa City.

Ron Wyden had a tough series of town halls, according to this paywalled column in the Oregonian (I’m breaking my personal rule about using archive links with this one.). An oncology nurse named Beth Champion stood up and said this:

“This is not ‘political quackery.’ It is a coup,” she said. “The purse strings have been taken from Congress. ‘Betrayal’ doesn’t begin to encompass my feelings.”
[…] “I need to know that Oregon has a plan on how to remain solvent when federal money is withheld, when we have forest fires, when ICE, or whatever goon squad is formed, enters our cities,” Champion continued. “It is not alarmist to plan for worst-case scenarios. We are dealing with people who do not care about decorum, do not care about judges’ orders, and do not care about the law.”

The applause was resounding, part recognition, part relief. Many in the audience rose to thank her. Finally. Someone understands why we’re here.

Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal also had a tough town hall with Democrats saying “not enough”. Jared Huffman, D-CA-2, told his audience that the US is “speed walking toward authoritarianism” and took a question from a 16 year-old who noted the parallel between our current situation and Hitler’s rise in Germany. Maxwell Frost took questions that included a veteran concerned about them being used as “bargaining chips”.

Trumpers protested outside some of these town halls, such as the one near Napa for Rep Mike Thompson, D-CA-4.

The Republicans who have been having town halls are also not having a very good time. Here’s a rundown from Axios via Tom Sullivan at Digby’s Blog:

Driving the news: Angry constituents flocked to House Republicans’ town hall events and district offices this week to protest DOGE’s efforts to slash spending and lay off huge chunks of the federal workforce.

What we’re hearing: One swing-district House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid thoughts, told Axios they have “zero concerns” about a protest they’re expecting outside their office.

  • “It’s 2017 all over. They’ve hated Trump since 2016. Same folks largely,” the lawmaker said, although they added, “Most hate [Elon] Musk based on the calls.”

  • “That’s all manufactured bulls**t for likes and clickbait,” said another House Republican, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about the upswell in protests.

LOL at the cope there.

Nick LaLota (R-NY-1) has been getting hounded by constituents to have a town hall.  He’s one of the vulnerable recently-elected Republicans (NY-1 is R+3 PVI), so he’s bravely running away from this town halls.

Here’s TPM’s report on Cliff Benz’ (R-OR-2) not-so-great town halls. Not local media, but they didn’t go well.

Checking in with leadership, Chuck Schumer is appearing in Schenectady, Syracuse and Rochester.  For the Rochesterians in the audience, he went to Jines to talk about the price of eggs.  Hakeem Jeffries is on a book tour to promote his children’s book.  I wish I was kidding about that last one.

I’m out for a while so I’ll make this an open thread.

Reader Interactions

154Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    British tabloids. Via Reddit

    Kid Rock reportedly splits from fiancée after being seen with Lauren Boebert

    The MAGA musician and Audrey Berry had been engaged since 2017

    Elon Musk’s ‘baby mama’ Ashley St. Clair sues him for custody of son and demands he take paternity test

  2. 2.

    Baud

    One of the good guys.

    Pedro Pascal posts in support of the trans community: “I can’t think of anything more vile and small and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you, except the right to exist.”

  5. 5.

    Ten Bears

    A local though on walkabout, I too commented on Cliff Benz’ not-so-great town halls: when you’ve lost Baker City Oregon you have lost it all. I’ve got no sympathy: the Repubs gerrymandered Dist2 into what it is and where I come from ~ which is right frickin’ there ~ when you buy your ticket you take the ride

  6. 6.

    TurnItOffAndOnAgain

    Hakeem Jeffries is on a book tour to promote his children’s book.  I wish I was kidding about that last one.

    You are, because it’s not a children’s book, dude. You can look up an excerpt on Amazon that makes this abundantly clear. Took me less than a minute.

    Hell, even if it were a book specifically aimed for the younger crowd, he’d be following in the footsteps of the late and great John Lewis, who made an autobiographical graphic novel series about his protesting days so that an impressionable, younger demographic could see what it was like in a format that was familiar and easy to parse for them. It’s called March; it’s really good and everyone should check it out.

    You keep erroneously saying that the first black speaker of the house is out “promoting his children’s book” while Rome burns, and it’s not a good look. You can say you think Jeffries is not using his time wisely without the condescension.

  7. 7.

    RaflW

    Like that Oregonian nurse, I’ve been wondering since Walz accepted the invite to be the VP on the ticket, what he’s planning to do when Trump & Bondi find some utterly fictitious pretext to arrest him.

    I’m was way out on the bleeding edge of worry, but it’s probably coming. Trump has already intervened to prevent MN from accessing $200,000,000 in federal funds, and he’ll get more punitive as he is universally known to hold lifelong grudges.

  8. 8.

    cckids

    I have a sad update on one of BJ’s/satby’s rescue kittys – my Bunny.

    She had a day or two of some vomiting & not eating well, I took her to my vet. After tests and x-rays, I got the heartbreaking news that she had a large mass around her liver, which had spread to her lungs, and there really was no treatment that would work. I took a day to just be with her, then said goodbye.

    Bunny was only with me from October to February, but she quickly fit into my life like a lost puzzle piece. She went from hiding out (every time I’d find her hiding spot she’d abandon it & find a new one) to sneaking in bed with me for cuddles to being very snuggly and super bossy about breakfast and play time. She LOVED “da bird”- a clump of feathers on a whippy stick/string combo so much that I thought it must be sprinkling catnip as I twirled it around the room.  She had lived with a group of cats most of her life, but took to being the queen of her castle and reigned supreme here. Then, in just over a week, she went from normal to ill to gone, and honestly I’m just gutted.

    So give all your furbabies scritches, and all the love you can.

  10. 10.

    Elizabelle

    Some good news:  Kevin Drum of Jabberwocking is back writing, analyzing, calculating and posting like crazy!  He put up seven posts yesterday, and three on the 20th.

    Welcome back KD!  Sorry the times are so insane, but lots of blog fodder.

    He even has a post on China’s raccoon dogs (cute critters; may they not be endangered).

  11. 11.

    RaflW

    “Hakeem Jeffries is on a book tour to promote his children’s book. I wish I was kidding about that last one.”

    Kinda feeling like Nancy Smash really, badly whiffed on this pick. But, that said, I am glad to see other Dems pick up the team effort. Like, I saw that Mark Pocan showed up in WI where all the GOP House members were chickenshit and wouldn’t face their angry ag sector constituents.

    Pocan’s FB (with a pic of a snowy, classic WI dairy farm – red barn, two silver-topped silos, barbwire fencing along a county road):
    It’s genuinely unfortunate that Republicans didn’t show up to hear the concerns of Wisconsin farmers who are very worried about what Trump & Elon cutting their federal funding & contracts could mean for their livelihoods and the future of their family farms.

  15. 15.

    different-church-lady

    …and took a question from a 16 year-old who noted the parallel between our current situation and Hitler’s rise in Germany.

    Even teenagers can figure this out, but half the electorate can’t.

  16. 16.

    different-church-lady

    One swing-district House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid thoughts, told Axios they have “zero concerns” about a protest they’re expecting outside their office.

    “Kash will take care of them.”

  17. 17.

    ArchTeryx

    @Baud: Good for Pedro Pascal! Looks like he’s an ally in this fight. And considering the popularity and sheer breadth of characters he’s done – people are actually shocked when I tell them he played both the Mandalorian and Fink the fox in The Wild Robot – he’s damn good to have on our side. He’s a very, very good communicator.

  18. 18.

    Elizabelle

    @TurnItOffAndOnAgain:  I would say it is an all ages book.

    Mix might have bothered to mention that Hakeem Jeffries’ book is called The ABCs of Democracy.  (Dude!  Don’t just listen to what your BernieBro friends and other sneermeisters are saying, please.  An apology is in order, methinks.)

    Has an introduction aimed at junior high school readers and up.  Looks like the alphabet is presented in pictorial graphic form. (Have just looked at the sample from Amazon.)

    American Values over Autocracy.

    Benevolence over Bigotry.

    The Constitution over the Cult.

    Democracy over Demagogues.

    Economic Opportunity over Extremism.

    And that’s the end of the sample.

    Anyway:  readers will get to look up some of the terms he uses, or maybe he explains later in the book.

    Sounds like less than $14 well spent.  Good luck to him.

    And yes, the graphics remind me very much of John Lewis’s March.

    Comic books and graphics were a big way of passing along information during the civil rights era.

    Now we are using it in the fascist-curious era.  Good for Jeffries.

  19. 19.

    Grover Gardner

    @Ten Bears

    Yeah, Cliff stonewalling as usual, but folks in the red parts of Oregon and other states also love, love, love their big RVs.  Wait until all those campgrounds are closed down, the rest rooms and showers locked, the trash piling up, no way to make reservations.  We’ll hear some howling then.

  21. 21.

    Elizabelle

    LOL.  Some of the Amazon reader commenters are complaining they bought Jeffries’ book for young children, and it went right over their heads.

  22. 22.

    Another Scott

    I haven’t watched it yet, but here’s a long interview with Jeffries from November about the book and other things. Liz Cheney is the interviewer.

    The ABCs of Democracy

    House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) spoke about his journey to becoming a House representative and his new book, “The A-B-Cs of Democracy,” during a conversation with former Republican Representative Liz Cheney (WY). Several topics were discussed including 2024 election results, Trump administration nominations, and the House Democrats’ agenda moving forward.

    One of the supposed messaging problems is that too many normies didn’t understand what Democrats stand for. Jeffries seems to be working on that.

    FWIW.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  24. 24.

    Elizabelle

    @Baud:  Funny!  I am gonna see if my library has the book. Published just after the 2024 (sob) elections.

    I think a lot of young adult authors have written a lot on protagonists who survived the WW2 era.  Maybe that’s another reason for MAGA’s attack on libraries.  Don’t remind of their similarity to the Nazis.  (Reader, they are the Nazis, repackaged for the digital era.)

  25. 25.

    ArchTeryx

    @Elizabelle: Thank you for helping clear that up. This is war, and at this point, rather than play armchair tactician, I’m looking for evidence that our side has engaged the fight now that the blitzkrieg phase is ending.

    The Germans looked unstoppable during the blitzkrieg – but that only lasted until they outran their supply lines and pushed too far, too fast. Then the counterattacks started cutting their thin supply lines apart and left their panzerkorps on the end of a rapidly cracking branch.

    The right’s been fighting a multifront war for decades. And now, finally, the Ds are realizing that if they keep their powder dry any longer, they’re going to be overrun and destroyed. Along with the rest of human decency in this country. At this point, I’ll take any goddamn ally I can get in the trenches with me.

  27. 27.

    RaflW

    Also, in response to reading Robert Reich’s 10 Reasons for Modest Optimism post from earlier today, I wrote this:

    I think there is something about the slow-boil anger and rage that is developing which will be much harder to dissipate than the Trump Admin imagines. Partly because I think it is a continuation of the “throw the bums out” fury that swept away Biden + Harris. Only now that the new bums are installed, *everyone* is seeing that things are getting worse, not better.
    The new (retread) guy said he’d fix grocery prices on day one. Shoe-drop! He didn’t, and now says he can’t. Wah-wah.

    Firing 200,000 people and hobbling research universities and associated hospitals will quickly drain the leading economic engines of many cities and mid-size towns. That won’t go unnoticed by the “He was supposed to fix things” crowd. And so on.

    There will be the bitter clingers like Russell Vought who I think believe the malarkey about ‘freeing capital’ by doing all this destruction, but most of us will watch the grand experiment in libertarianism crash very fast and very hard and know that Vought messed up tragically and spectacularly.

    —

    Adding since I wrote that: I went to one of the 2017 Women’s Marches. I do not fault that effort one bit. But it was in response to the concept of Trump. He hadn’t done any official acts yet, and while the solidarity was cool – and the networking that was created in the planning and execution of those marches built a significant cadre of organized women (and their allies) who are at work to this day, like my partner’s mom – I think the protests that are rising now in response to specific wrongs will get through to normies in ways the first wave protests in early 2017 didn’t.

  29. 29.

    Elizabelle

    Speaking of blitzkrieg:  was delighted to see the WaPost use that term in a headline for what Musk is doing with DOGE.

    @ArchTeryx: I don’t think most of us realized how deep the rot in our society went.  The GOP was counting on it.  And fomenting it.

  30. 30.

    John S.

    @TurnItOffAndOnAgain:

    You are, because it’s not a children’s book, dude. You can look up an excerpt on Amazon that makes this abundantly clear. Took me less than a minute.

    You probably should have spent more than a minute. It’s literally a picture book.

  31. 31.

    RaflW

    @Elizabelle: Wow. I hadn’t heard anything about KD for a bit, but I recall his terrible update of a few weeks ago (? time is weird now) that sounded like the very end for him. Myeloma is awful, and I know all too personally in my fam about that. Glad he’s feeling feisty now.

  32. 32.

    Jay

    @John S.:

    Given the average intelligence of the American Public and their reading level skills, a picture book is probably the only way to try to get them to “get it”.

  33. 33.

    Elizabelle

    @John S.:  Did YOU look at it?

    Is every picture book or comic book automatically geared to young children?

    I wonder if this one was partly to school the kids’ parents and whoever was reading with them, too.  Get them curious in looking some terms and history up again; the reachable ones who can succeed in doing their own research, anyway.

  34. 34.

    hells littlest angel

    One swing-district House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid thoughts, told Axios they have “zero concerns” about a protest they’re expecting outside their office.

     

    Ell oh fucking ell. Sure Jan.

  35. 35.

    TurnItOffAndOnAgain

    @John S.:
    Did you read my post, dude? Because in it I mentioned March: an autobiographical graphic novel series that does not pull any punches in its portrayal of the violent dangers inherent to Lewis’ history of activism.

    @Elizabelle: One thing my privileged, literate ass hadn’t realized until I was thinking about this book and March again is that Lewis’ and Jeffries’ books might be taking into consideration what I didn’t: there are a lot of smart, competent folks out there who aren’t that literate. People whose schooling failed them, people whose parents didn’t have time to help them, people with dyslexia or other learning disorders, people whose first language isn’t English, etc.

    Putting out graphic novels or beautifully illustrated books doesn’t just give illustrators work, it’s practicing inclusivity for folks who have a hard time with literacy. Said folks are being treated as deserving to know, learn and benefit from Lewis’ and Jeffries’ experience despite having problems with the written word, and that’s great on both a compassionate level and a strategic level.

    Because for the latter, you don’t lose people you would if you didn’t make it easier for them to take in what you’re putting out.

    It’s actually a great example of molding our messaging so it’s accessible to a greater number of our potential voting block.

  36. 36.

    Elizabelle

    LOL.  Hakeem Jeffries’ children’s book: M is for

    Maturity over Mar-a-Lago.

    Illustrated with Lincoln, George Washington, FDR, and the dreaded Obama.

  37. 37.

    John S.

    @Elizabelle:

    Yes, as a matter of fact I did. Given the construct of pro/con for each letter along with some more advanced terminology, it’s probably most suitable for middle schoolers.

    Look it’s cute, but I don’t see it as some ground breaking effort to educate anyone about democracy. If anything, it’s a Trump diss track in book form.

    I don’t think the point here is about the book itself. More that one of our top elected leaders should have much better things to do with his time right now than put “My Pet Goat” vibes out there.

  39. 39.

    Jay

    U.S. and Russian figures have held secret back-channel discussions on Ukraine in Switzerland since Donald Trump’s election victory in November, Reuters reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.

    The so-called “track two” talks, which involve unofficial expert dialogues rather than government negotiations, are aimed at “improving communication and floating ideas” rather than drafting concrete proposals, according to the report.

    Participants in the meet-ups have included non-government officials with diplomatic and security experience, and at least a “small number” of Trump advisers were aware of the discussions.

    https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/02/21/us-and-russia-held-secret-talks-on-ukraine-in-switzerland-reuters-a88103

    So, treason from November 2024 on,………………………………

  40. 40.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    I just looked up Jeffries’ book on Amazon. It looks like it plays off of that alphabetical speech he gave in Congress when he first took over D leadership. Its listed categories are

    Books » Books » Politics & Social Sciences » Politics & Government » U.S. Political Science,(Sales Rank: 82)
    Books » Books » Politics & Social Sciences » Politics & Government » Specific Topics in Politics & Government » Civics & Citizenship,(Sales Rank: 25)

    As far as I can tell, it’s not listed as a book for young readers.

  43. 43.

    laura

    Hey mistermix, I forwarded you an email from my Congresswoman Doris Matsui in hopes that you might add her to the pantheon of Representatives who are “Doing the Thing” but are not being noticed like the few who are. I’m a grateful and proud constituent.

  45. 45.

    Elizabelle

    Here’s the transcript of Leader Jeffries’ remarks upon the Election of the Speaker of the House, January 7, 2023.

    Here’s the alphabet.

    House Democrats will always put:

    American values over autocracy.

    Benevolence over bigotry.

    The Constitution over the cult.

    Democracy over demagogues.

    Economic opportunity over extremism.

    Freedom over fascism.

    Governing over gaslighting.

    Hopefulness over hatred.

    Inclusion over isolation.

    Justice over judicial overreach.

    Knowledge over kangaroo courts.

    Liberty over limitation.

    Maturity over Mar-a-Lago.

    Normalcy over negativity.

    Opportunity over obstruction.

    People over politics.

    Quality of life issues over Q-Anon.

    Reason over racism.

    Substance over slander.

    Triumph over tyranny.

    Understanding over ugliness.

    Voting Rights over voter suppression.

    Working families over the well-connected.

    Xenial over xenophobia.

    Yes we can over you can’t do it.

    And zealous representation over a zero-sum confrontation.

  46. 46.

    Another Scott

    @TurnItOffAndOnAgain: US literacy rates are not as high as most of us assume. Wikipedia:

    Adult literacy in the United States is assessed through national and international studies conducted by various government agencies and private research organizations. The most recent comprehensive data comes from a 2023 study conducted by the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).[1] Basic literacy results are grouped into three groups of proficiency: Level 1, 2, and 3.[2] Overall, just over half of U.S. adults, 54 % or 130 million people, are deficient in basic literacy.[3]

    In 2023, 28% of adults scored at or below Level 1, 29% at Level 2, and 44% at Level 3.[1] Adults scoring in the lowest levels of literacy increased 9% between 2017 and 2023. In 2017, 19% of U.S. adults achieved a Level 1 or below in literacy while 48% achieved the highest scores at Level 3.[4]

    Anything below Level 3 is considered “partially illiterate.”[5] Adults scoring below Level 1 can comprehend simple sentences and short paragraphs with minimal structure but will struggle with multi-step instructions or complex sentences, while those at Level 1 can locate explicitly cued information in short texts, lists, or simple digital pages with minimal distractions but will struggle with multi-page texts and complex prose.[2] In general, both groups struggle reading complex sentences, texts requiring multiple-step processing, and texts with distractions.[2]

    A 2020 analysis by Gallup in conjunction with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy estimated that the U.S. economic output could increase by $2.2 trillion annually—approximately 10% of the national GDP—if all adults were at Level 3.[3]

    This 2020 Library Journal story has an unsurprising map of states ranked by percentages of adults demonstrating 5th grade reading proficiency.

    :-(

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  48. 48.

    New Deal democrat

    I don’t mean to be only doomish, but here is historian Jack Rakove:

    The problem is not, are we having a constitutional crisis? Only an idiot would deny that. The real problem is that we are experiencing overt constitutional failure.

    https://bsky.app/profile/jrakove.bsky.social/post/3liqltadvi22m

    I think there are only two distinctions left before we arrive at complete failure:
    1. T—-p isn’t openly defying Congress. Rather, Congress is allowing him to usurp their power due to the total acquiescence by the GOP in both Houses of Congress (because they believe they will mainly like the ultimate outcome of destroying the post-FDR regulatory and economically progressive State).
    2. He is also not openly defying any courts (yet).

    I may have to start drafting something long form about what effective resistance might look like, what the road back might look like without need of Constitutional reforms, and what Constitution reform in the future might look like.

  52. 52.

    TurnItOffAndOnAgain

    @Another Scott: Yeah. I didn’t have the numbers in front of me or anything, but all this picture book talk reminded me I’d seen that issue brought up in other places.

    Kind of like how, despite what you might assume, we’ve got a significant number of young people who aren’t computer literate because they grew up with tablets and iphones.

  53. 53.

    Baud

    @Elizabelle:

    Xenial

    of, relating to, or constituting hospitality or relations between host and guest and especially among the ancient Greeks between persons of different cities

     

    Nice.

  55. 55.

    Nukular Biskits

    This:

    “It’s 2017 all over. They’ve hated Trump since 2016. Same folks largely,” the lawmaker said, although they added, “Most hate [Elon] Musk based on the calls.”

    “That’s all manufactured bulls**t for likes and clickbait,” said another House Republican, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about the upswell in protests.

     

    Folks, this is why I keep nagging you to call/write/show up at their offices.

    Trump Republicans either fear Trump/MAGA or they hold those of us who do not support Trump in contempt. Regardless, they should be hearing from you why that is not acceptable.

    And, WRT to what reported yesterday about my phone conversation with the staffer at Senator Hyde-Smith’s Gulfport office, I neglected to mention she how I knew where the office was, a question that astounded me.  I told her  it was on the Senator’s own damned web page.

    It later dawned on me they really don’t expect (or want) people to show up there.

    Tough shit. I have an “appointment” at  2pm Monday.

    ETA: A couple of corrections.

  56. 56.

    John S.

    @Elizabelle:

    LOL, that’s a good one — but you’ll need to find another patron. There’s a lot of words people use to describe me, but curmudgeon ain’t one of them.

  57. 57.

    tobie

    @Elizabelle: I don’t like being manipulated. The taunt about Jeffries’ peddling his children’s book is misinfo and possibly disinfo.

    Different Dems will speak in different ways. Tim Kaine had me bawling when the Dems staged a filibuster against Russ Vought. I can well imagine he didn’t move others as much and that is OKAY! We’re a diverse coalition, and we respond to different styles of politicking.

    We don’t have the luxury right now of a circular firing squad. What the Republicans are doing is so awful that we need to channel our protests and our rage.

  60. 60.

    RaflW

    Rebecca Solnit amplified* this little tidbit of senatorial weasel-wording from Utah’s Senator John Curtis:

    “I believe DOGE is moving so fast that it isn’t fully factoring in the human element. These are real people with real families, and the uncertainty surrounding their jobs is creating tremendous stress–even for those whose positions are not being eliminated.”

    Now, he said that right after claiming that Muskrat’s “experience in streamlining operations is well known.” But even that is faint praise if parsed. Notorious fits right in that sentence.

    *Sorry it is an FB link, this didn’t rise to a separate blog post for her off-Meta work.

  62. 62.

    Elizabelle

    @tobie:  I agree.  I tire of Mistermix’s BernieBros Uber Alles approach.  That said, we all know way more now about Jeffries’ book and speech before MM loaded in his misinformation, so that’s good.

    Agree about the circular firing squad.  Why I don’t participate in a lot of BJ threads.

  64. 64.

    Elizabelle

    The Vatican informs that Pope Francis is in critical condition.

    Bilateral pneumonia is rough at any age, but particularly in an 88 year old with a previously damaged lung.

  65. 65.

    Jay

    @RaflW:

    They are used to using weasel words to make it appear that they heard the question and are “responding to the issues”, while doing nothing.

  67. 67.

    Elizabelle

    @Baud:  They call themselves “Patriot Front”?

    Well, of course they do.

    Patriot.  Liberty. Freedom.

    Perfectly fine words and concepts that the rightwing has appropriated and damaged.

  70. 70.

    RaflW

    @Jay: Yep. But another one to put in Josh Marshal’s  “Repub M.O.C.s know their constituents are mad, worried and upset, here’s evidence, and reason to think folks back home will gradually turn against the lying liars” file.

  71. 71.

    John S.

    @Elizabelle:

    I too do not delight in these whipsaws between commenters who either refuse to hold Democrats accountable or those who slag on them for no reason.

    Maybe one day we can find a happy medium around here.

    ETA: I took the “children’s book” dig as hyperbole meant to exaggerate how unserious MM views Jeffries actions. Frankly, Cole could (and has) said something similar, and I doubt so many people here would have taken offense.

  72. 72.

    Elizabelle

    @Jay:  Doesn’t the Pope have a Master’s in Chemistry?

    I would bet he did.  But.  88 years old, big job, and a lung that had to be operated on decades ago.  I think he was at half function in that lung already.

    I think the pneumonia vaccine reduces the occurrence and severity of pneumonia, but cannot eradicate it entirely.

  73. 73.

    Jay

    @Elizabelle:

    It’s like the “Oath Keepers”. If you are a common “know nothing” it sounds as if it’s the Oath they took as military and Police to protect the Constitution, but it’s not.

  74. 74.

    RaflW

    @Nukular Biskits: For some reason, my mind’s eye is picturing a modest trebuchet and some fake Boston cream pies made with cardboard, shaving cream, and ‘frosted’ with congealed, dark brown used motor oil….

    FOOMP! Splat.

     

    (Edit: The filling is usually vanilla pudding. Gotta rethink the shaving cream. Ideas, friends?)

  76. 76.

    JMG

    “I’m not worried about the protesters, but don’t use my name because then more of them will show up” is quite a message. Anonymous bravado is a contradiction in terms.

  81. 81.

    Another Scott

    @John S.:

    refuse to hold Democrats accountable

    You’ve used this construction quite a bit.

    We just had an election a few months ago. Those elected officials just took office a few weeks ago. Our side is in the minority.

    How is it helpful to use that construction now? The next election for most of the country is 618 days away. We have the players and the teams set. Griping about it isn’t going to change the players – only the next election is. There are no waivers and 15 day injured lists and trades in politics. Telling folks on our side that “you’re doing it rong” continuously doesn’t seem likely to change the next election results in a beneficial way.

    As others have noted, circular firing squads aren’t helpful.

    Unity, perseverance, and directing our criticism at the other side in ways that the normies notice is probably the sensible way forward.

    YMMV, and apparently does.

    FWIW.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  82. 82.

    Geminid

    @TurnItOffAndOnAgain:  Hakeem Jeffries’ so-called “children’s book” tour took him to Oakland last night, for a talk at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts:

    The Elihu Harris and Barbara Lee lecture series features Hakeem Jeffries, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?”

    The poster might look down on Hakeem Jeffries, but the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Committee does not:

       We are proud to sponsor the  Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center Elihu Harris and Barbara Lee Lecture Series presents Hakeem Jeffries during Black History Month.

    This stuff is not hard to find. I have more coming.

  85. 85.

    NeenerNeener

    So the “Sooner or later everybody goes to Jines” jingle is somewhat true. Go figure. But I lived in Rochester for over 30 years and never went near the place as far as I know. I suppose it matters more that Chuck Schumer went.

  87. 87.

    Melancholy Jaques

    Hakeem Jeffries is on a book tour to promote his children’s book.  I wish I was kidding about that last one.

    Perhaps he’s given up on the current population & is building for the future

    But seriously, in American politics, any African American must constantly engage in these soft & fuzzy activities to reassure white people that he isn’t a dangerous & scary black man.

  88. 88.

    Nukular Biskits

    One more thing I’ll add to my constant haranguing everyone to flood their Republican officials with emails/letters/calls/visits is this:

    It may not be cool or hip in some circles, but we legitimately do need a massive amount of people to run for office.

    Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.

    Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.

    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Bluesky

    She’s right and this is something I’ve said repeatedly on here and on social media:  EVERYONE should run for public office at least once in their lives.  First, you’ll learn a lot. Second, you can make a huge difference.

  89. 89.

    Jay

    @Elizabelle:

    The vaxx is 50% to 80% effective at preventing pneumonia in older and vulnerable people, and very effective at reducing the severity of pneumonia when combined with prompt medical diagnosis and treatment.

    So, if you have a history of pneumonia or are in the vulnerable class, it’s well worth getting.

  91. 91.

    Jay

    @RaflW:

    Well meringue is too expensive, but Fluff or Jiff are cheap and semi firm, a mixed wazz of silken and medium tofu would work as well. Borth would hold well when launched from a catapult, but I think proper trebuchet would just destroy the pie during the launch.

  94. 94.

    Jay

    @Nukular Biskits:

    “assault”, unless it’s in self defence. You will still need video and the Popo won’t react kindly to their best buddies being “assaulted”, so have a lawyer handy and everything you need for a couple of days in jail.

  96. 96.

    John S.

    @Another Scott:

    And you keep talking apples when I’m talking about oranges — or you have me confused with someone else.

    You won’t see me around here extolling the virtues of messaging for the sake of messaging. I don’t slag on Democrats just for the hell of it.

    But when a Democrat votes for a shitty bill or an unqualified nominee, holding them accountable for it is important. And there is a huge chorus of folks here who don’t even want to do that much.

    In this case, the minority leader of the House is out promoting a book. It’s not inappropriate for Democrats to believe he has more important things to do, but that doesn’t even remotely rise to the level of say Fetterman being the only Democrat to vote for Trump nominees.

    There are those of us who are vocal about calling our representatives and telling them what we think, what we expect and why we are angry with them. And there are some who want to give a pass to Democrats for the “greater good”, and because they don’t want to speak ill of “the team”.

    I understand what your position is. At least do me a favor and try not to misrepresent mine.

  100. 100.

    RaflW

    @eclare:

    @chriswarcraft.bsky.social‬
    Just got our first sieg heil from a truck driving by (complete with heil Hitler) if you’re wondering whether or not this protest is necessary
    February 22, 2025 at 12:32 pst

    IMO, this is why the namby-pamby from the press regarding the (drug addled freaks) Musk + Bannon sieg heil-ing is extra-toxic. It should be flat out condemned.

    I know, it’s ‘reporting’ but there are ways to say “In Shocking and Controversial Moves, Musk Used Nazi Hand Salute at Speech”

  101. 101.

    Geminid

    @John S.: The Amsterdam News reported on Jeffries’ ABCs of Democracy, published last November 14:

      Jeffries’ new book, the ABC’s of Democracy, comes from the first floor speech he delivered to Congress….Once the vote for McCarthy was finalized, Jeffries took to the podium to poetically affirm the values of Democracy, one letter at a time, alphabetically.

    This technique came from from the sermons Jeffries heard in the Black Brooklyn Chuch he grew up in.

    The Amsterdam News article described the first stop on this alleged “children book tour”:

       At a promotional event for his book at Medgar Evans College in Broolyn, Jeffries spoke about his upbringing in Crown Heights….

    In the Q&A period, Jeffries spoke about the realities of preserving the central values of Democracy, and pushing back whenever it being systematically attacked; restoring the Voting Rights Act and protecting the Civil Rights Act of 1964; analyzing how Republicans led Donald Trump to another term in office; and developing new strategies going into the midterm elections for the Senate and House in 2026.

    This was not a stop on a children’s book tour.

  104. 104.

    Professor Bigfoot

    Here to ask for good thoughts for my Yorkie Cooper; my athletic, “utility infielder” suddenly started walking funny Thursday night; turned into straight ataxia yesterday so we got him to the vet.

    Nothing seemed to be off other than his balance, and the doc said we COULD get him an MRI, but that it would be very expensive and even then, what are you going to do if you DO find something?

    He prescribed gabapentin and prednisolone twice a day and while it may be wishful thinking, he seems to be a bit better today.

    Anyway, send him some luck, he’s a very bad dog but I love him a lot.

  108. 108.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @New Deal democrat: every single member of the Federalist Society gets permanently banned from ever practicing law ever again, Opus Dei gets put on the list of organizations in which membership bars you from all sorts of government jobs or from entering the country or getting US citizenship, etc.

  109. 109.

    Elizabelle

    @Geminid:  And it ain’t no goddamned My Pet Goat.  (Wiki informs it’s actually The Pet Goat, and was written to help children learn about silent Es.)

    Like sore. Asshole. What have you.

  110. 110.

    John S.

    @Geminid:

    I already said way up top:

    I don’t think the point here is about the book itself. More that one of our top elected leaders should have much better things to do with his time

    I get that you and others are put off by the characterization of “children’s book”, but for me that is completely besides the point.

  111. 111.

    RaflW

    I’ve said it a lot, but will again: Run For Something has a well-tested support system for first time candidates. Caveat is that they’re targeting Millenials and Gen-Zers.

    We do need infrastructure for older first-timers. Things like a library board can be a great place for a 40-, 50-, 60-something person (heck, my partner’s mom shoulda run a few years ago when she was like 76!) in small or mid-size towns.

  113. 113.

    John S.

    @Glory b:

    Seriously? You are trying to equate a graphic novel with a picture book that has one picture and line of text per spread?

    That’s even more ridiculous than calling it a children’s book.

  114. 114.

    eclare

    @RaflW:

    I just saw that.  Absolutely.  As others have noted, the remaining WWII crowd is very small, people forget how quickly countries can be overtaken from within and how expensive it is, both in material and human life, to stop them once they try to expand by force.

  117. 117.

    mrmoshpotato

    “That’s all manufactured bulls**t for likes and clickbait,” said another House Republican, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about the upswell in protests.

    What bullshit – the entire GOP?

  119. 119.

    Another Scott

    @Baud:

    I do what I can in other ways.

    I’m glad to see you saying this. I was a bit worried about you a few weeks ago.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  120. 120.

    Geminid

    @Geminid: The Ebell is a Los Angeles non-profit organization:

       Arts, Culture, Service, Education, Porwerd by Women

    Last December 2nd they sponsored an appearance by Hakeem Jeffries and Bryan Tyler Cohen. They discussed the themes of Jeffries’ so-called children’s book ABCs of Democracy. Event organizers described the book as:

       Equal parts inspiring and urgent…paints an alphabetical road map for a brighter future, and warns of the perils of taking a different path.

    Some children’s book!

    The Ebell says they posted the conversation between Jeffries and Cohen on YouTube. Those interested can see for themselves.

  123. 123.

    Geminid

    @John S.: The poster can criticize Jeffries without misleading people about a “children’s book tour.”

    That was manipulation. It brought to mind something I saw a few months ago:

       Those easily angered are easily manipulated.

    If you cannot control your emotions someone else will.

  124. 124.

    RaflW

    @Jay: I hope Dan Drezner has some cash stashed for legal defense.

    Daniel Drezner‬ ‪@dandrezner.bsky.social‬
    This guy is gonna get pelted with so many Dunkin’ iced coffees.

    ‪@thetnholler.bsky.social‬
    Trump border czar Tom Homan: “I’m coming to Boston and I’m bringing hell with me.”

  126. 126.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    @cckids:

    I’m so sorry but you made a difference.

    In a world of pain you created this one intensely bright spot of peace and empathy for a random cat and she flourished and loved you back.

    She never wanted. She never went hungry.

    You gave her the best life that a cat could want and you should be proud of that.

    For at least one small soul, you erased the terror and uncertainty of life on the streets and replaced them with a spot of warm afternoon sunshine on the floor and some dangly pieces of string.

  128. 128.

    tobie

    @John S.: I dunno…but judging from what Geminid reports he did at Oakland, I’d say the book tour is a pretext for traveling around the country to talk about what democracy is and how we we can protect it.

  130. 130.

    Another Scott

    @Matt: Congress has to do a lot of stuff at the same time, all the time. The world doesn’t stop just because Melon and 47 are trying to break everything.

    Durbin (the guy that’s the subject of Masnick’s ire there) isn’t an idiot. He may be wrong about this proposed legislation, but simply looking at the text of Section 230 doesn’t tell half the story. It has a matched set of judicial baggage with it as well. A lot has changed in the Internet space since 1996. It would be more than naive to think that protections and prohibitions could or should be static over that time.

    A decent summary of the issues with Section 230 is in this 55 page CRS Report from January 2024.

    FWIW.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  131. 131.

    Geminid

    @Another Scott: The illustrator, Shinaya Carrington, is a Black graphlc artist who is a fashion illustrator besides more general work.

    Google Books describes the ABCs of Democracy:

       Congressman Hakeem Jeffries ABCs of Democracy speech is brought to life in this vividly illustrated book: the perfect gift to inspire the whole family.

  133. 133.

    Geminid

    @tobie: The events at Medgar Evers College and The Ebell that I detail at comments #101 and #119 are more representative of this “book tour.”

    The Oakland event last night was unrelated to the book. Jeffries spoke of themes from Dr. King’s writings: “Where do we go from here: chaos or community?” This was a Black History Month event.

    I brought it up because the poster was ridiculing Jeffries over this book tour yesterday, and this was Jeffries’ first event after that misrepresentation. The poster could have looked it up to check on the information he’d gotten. But that might have contradicted the invidious narrative he was pushing.

  135. 135.

    tobie

    @Geminid: i genuinely appreciated the info you provided. We’re all trigger happy because the situation is desperate. I’m sitting at the airport right now waiting for a long flight and I find myself wondering if the other passengers are as anxious about what’s happening to our country ad I am.

  136. 136.

    David_C

    @Geminid, @Elizabelle, @TurnItOffAndOnAgain: Thank you all for providing the context for the book and the tour.

    Our Maryland Democratic delegation and governor are pushing hard against the attacks on federal workers, as expected. Much more so than the Virginia side. We are also getting articles about fired federal workers in the local (not WaPost) press.

  137. 137.

    Geminid

    @John S.: Hakeem Jeffries put his time into the speech he delivered on the House floor after Kraven McCarthy was finally elected Speaker; time well spent in my opinion.

    The alphabet part was the conclusion. There, Jeffries borrowed a rhetorical tecnique from the Black Church he grew up in.

    That was the sum of the work whose value you question. The rest was handing the project over to the publisher, although Jeffries might have had some input into selecting the illustrator, Shinaya Carrington. She is also New Yorker, so Jeffries or a friend may have known her or known about her.

  140. 140.

    LAC

    @TurnItOffAndOnAgain: Thank you for at least trying to clarify this. I give up with this poster and just skim through for any useful updates. Bernie Sanders spittling into a microphone is always going to get a glow up from him.

  141. 141.

    Glory b

    @LAC: Bernie gets nothing from me until he explains how and why he came to hire as his presidential campaign manager Paul Manafort’s partner in the firm that represented Russian oligarchs.

    Coincidence?  I kinda think not.

  144. 144.

    Geminid

    @Glory b: I saw the funniest protest sign while I was looking up Hakeem Jeffries. There was a demonstration outside his Brooklyn office yesterday. One of the sponsors was a local chapter of Extinction Rebellion.

    Anyway, someone put up video of about 75 people walking in an oval in front the office. There was a white lady carrying a sign that said:

    Stop Whining and Start Leading.

    Learn From Game of Thrones!

  145. 145.

    @mistermix.bsky.social

    I’ve had a few margs because it’s national marg day but anyone who thinks that there’s some 4d chess going on with Hakeem Jeffries’ children’s book is a fool.

  146. 146.

    TurnItOffAndOnAgain

    @@mistermix.bsky.social: Dude, multiple people have pointed out to you in this thread why it’s not a children’s book. As I said, you can look at the Amazon excerpt yourself.

    The fact that you’re still calling it that tells me you not only don’t actually know anything about the book but that you’re determined to rant about it (and Jeffries) despite all evidence to your preconceived notions.

    We can criticize Democrats, but maybe before we do, we should know what we’re criticizing them for, huh? Politicians have enough sins and blind spots; we don’t need to waste our energy getting upset about failures spun out of whole cloth. Especially since they can take our eyes off our very real and dangerous enemy.

    Was I wrong to think you were better than that, man? Come on now.

  148. 148.

    Planetjanet

    @John S.: For folks who talk about messaging being everything, it is surprising that the first Black Speaker of the House reaching out to new voters where they are during a Black History Month lecture is an “unserious” activity.  Are you going to count his bathroom breaks next?

  151. 151.

    Starfish (she/her)

    @TurnItOffAndOnAgain: How are you comparing “The ABCs of Democracy” that barely has a sentence per page to “March?”

    March is a historical illustrated novel.

    These two books are not the same just because they are both illustrated.

  152. 152.

    Matt McIrvin

    For the record, I *really* do not want the opposition to Trump to devolve into a battle between white socialists and Black Democrats about who is best suited to be the anti-MAGA standard bearer, and fuck if I don’t see that happening already.

  153. 153.

    TurnItOffAndOnAgain

    @Starfish (she/her):

    These two books are not the same just because they are both illustrated.

    The whole point of using March was to highlight how ridiculous it was to judge a story as for children just because it is illustrated. And how it can be foolish to dismiss a piece of media wholly because of its style.

    Whether the two are comparable in terms of content (and I don’t think they are) is besides the point.

    I thought that was fairly easy to parse; my apologies.

Comments are closed.