DL Open Thread Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023
Observing conservatives over the decades, I’ve noticed they usually fall into the same trap: They believe their own bullshit or, in the parlance of our times, they get high on their own supply. They delude themselves that their policies are popular and act on that conviction, then seem surprised at the backlash. That’s probably why newly minted Speaker Mike Johnson said sure, we’ll pass aid to Israel – as long as the money comes out of your intended IRS focus on rich tax cheats. Mitch McConnell joined the White House in trashing that proposal.
GM became the last of the Big 3 automakers to reach an agreement on a new UAW contract. Now the rank and file has to vote. I’m not about to predict which way they’ll go – a lot of these people are Trump voters, so by definition they don’t know what’s good for them.
This headline seems straight out of Bizarro World: Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has introduced a bill that would ban political spending by publicly traded corporations. See, ever since the culture war got a new name, the War on Woke, MAGA types have declared publicly traded corporations – but only publicly traded corporations – as evil promoters of wokitude. They’ve still got nothing against billionaires bearing gifts.
Bethany Hall-Long isn’t the only female politician whose career is being rocked by an irresponsible partner. Giorgia Meloni, prime minister of Italy, 86’ed her partner of 10 years, a TV news anchor, after leaked audio of him flirting and making lewd comments to colleagues was released. At least he didn’t steal her opponent’s campaign signs.
Medicare Advantage plans aren’t just bad for the health of retirees. They’re also dooming rural hospitals by denying care in areas where government subsidies are the only thing keeping them afloat. Turns out that the older-than-average populations in rural areas are heavily dependent on government spending – you know, the government spending they’re always bitching about because somewhere a Black person is also taking advantage of it.
Reminder for gardeners: Northern Delaware is expected to see temperatures below 30° F tonight, part of a cold front stretching across much of the nation. Before you scoff about global warming, this will also be the first frost of the season, coming 10 to 20 days after the historically established date for that annual event, a trend that’s been going on for at least two decades now.
The floor’s yours.
“we’ll pass aid to Israel – as long as the money comes out of your intended IRS focus on rich tax cheats.”
This approach doesn’t sound too bad if it could be reworked as follows:
We pass appropriations to house homeless Americans cuz the money comes out of Israel’s intended focus on making the people of Gaza homeless.
Are ya listen’ Lisa, Tommy, Chris ?????
It is Hamas that is making Gazans homeless by imbedding its infrastructure among innocent civilians. Israel targets Hamas; civilians suffer.
Zionism was the problem waaay before there was a Hamas.
No zionism, no Hamas, no problem.
Amen
Zionism was not and is not the problem. There is nothing inherently problematic with the idea of self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people.
Y’know, there WAS such a thing as the Holocaust. There WERE the Russian pogroms. If you’re not familiar with them, familiarize yourself.
Then come back.
And what did the Palestinians have to do the Holocaust and Russian programs?
Nothing.
So why should they have to pay for them?
They shouldn’t !
I’m thinking of shutting down these threads on the war. There seems to be little room for nuance on the part of most commenters.
Just thinking about it, though…but the next comment might push me over the edge.
Anyone participate in this “three rivers” dog and pony show? This unholy alliance between Darius brown, mayor Mike, and various functionaries of the chamber of commerce/commercial real estate should make everyone nervous.
May mean nothing, but when I saw Darius Brown’s name, I reflexively reached for my wallet. Just to make sure it was still there.
Grab your wallet while taking a step back, heard he’s got a mean right hook…
Does the DE GOP intend to nominate any candidates for statewide or national offices, or are they just going to sit this next one out?
Their most recent Senate nominee has interesting things to say about recent events.
I had the unfortunate experience of listening to a livestream of a GOP “town hall” downstate a month or so ago. It was basically Julianne Murray and some guy airing out their white MAGA grievances. But someone did ask if the GOP was going to contest every race, and Murray said something like “No – we’ll be selective. There will be some races where we do not field a candidate.”
They’ve got a candidate for Congress–Donyale Hall. Although she doesn’t sound like a MAGAt, so perhaps she will run w/o Party assistance.
Paging Lee Murphy…
Bobby Knight. Dead.
Nobody mourns:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/sports/ncaabasketball/bobby-knight-dead.html