I've signed up for one month of Bulwark+ because I want to participate in these discussions. Up front: I'm a Democrat.
I appreciate Charlie Sikes' comments on BLOC in Milwaukee, a group I've supported in the past. I would like to see some discussion of the following topic:
It seems to me that most Republicans, pro-Trump or never-Trump or all points in between, seem to believe that Democrats always cheat. I have a personal friend from High School (I'm 69) who is proudly a Republican and a conservative, who has no use for Trump whatsoever and yet insisted to me recently that Democrats always cheat. He "proves" this assertion by saying that cities always come in later. My friend has never been a poll watcher. I have. There are many reasons why urban areas come in later:
1. Simply more votes to count
2. Inexperienced election officials in many precincts
3. More chances for random glitches to occur.
I might retort then, why don't we always win? Couldn't we have cheated just a little bit more and kept the damned House of Representatives?
It's bullcrap, and yet "speak no ill of fellow Republicans" should not mean that this canard should go unchallenged by other Republicans.
I’m no military strategist, but maybe piecemeal increases in the weapons systems we provide Ukraine is the right way to do it. Maybe it lessens the chances of a catastrophic escalation from the Russian side. (I do think they are now ready for faster, stronger battle tanks, though.)
Re: Sam B. Gurgus piece On American Jews and the American Idea. Aside from the anachronistic and gratuitous swipe at George Washington's "notorious position as a major slaveholder", an excellent essay.
Just when I thought Charlie and Adam Kinzinger giggling about what a piece of sh*t Kevin McCarthy is was the ultimate in podcast listening pleasure, along comes Charlie and Michael giggling about Matt Schlapp “pummeling”. Whenever I’m upset about the state of the world I’m going to play these two episodes! Thanks Charlie!!!
Instead of looking at the differences between the two cases, what is the same? It is unacceptable to take classified documents with you when you leave the government. They are not your property, and you can't provide the degree of protection from compromise that they receive while stored in special safes, within buildings with armed guards and technical security like alarms, CCTV, etc.
Doesn't the information the CPSC has released indicate that its concern is based on the release by gas stoves of air pollutants that are particularly harmful to children prone to asthma — documented by both recent and earlier health studies? And that banning the manufacture of new ones is only one of a number of potential actions, including emissions limits and other performance standards? My spouse is susceptible to breathing difficulties. We would regretfully but cheerfully replace our current gas cooktop, when its condition degrades from inconvenient to unsatisfactory, with an electric model if the evidence indicates that will keep our household healthier.
RE: Gas Stoves. Years ago my grandmother and I nearly died and almost blew up our apartment building due to a leaking gas stove. 30 years of owning stoves and they have always been electric. I think cooking over an open flame is so old fashioned and should go away like land lines and typewriters..
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Give Ukraine what it needs to push Russia back. I believe that's what our former president Ronald Reagan would have done. Russia will keep pushing it's boundaries even into Europe if giving the chance.
This is what voter fraud is: not adding fake votes, but hindering voters from casting votes. Long live hypocrisy and racial animus. I must have been naive thinking this is a free country.
Oh please, the gas stove/appliance issue is one that impacts future installations in California. It's not an unreasonable move, and I say this as someone who has a gas stove that was converted from electric a number of years ago. When I need a new stove, I'll go back to electric. In Washington state future construction will require heat pumps rather than oil furnaces as well...I'm about to take advantage of the IRA and convert our oil furnace to a heat pump even though no one is forcing me to do so. I hope to both save $$$ and do the right thing to move away from fossil fuels. The migration from appliances that negatively impact our carbon footprint is not unwise and does not mean current homeowners have to change anything. However, with incentives in place, I imagine more people like myself will choose to do so. I'm also thinking of taking advantage of the incentives to have an EV charging plug installed at the house even though I don't currently own an electric vehicle. Eventually, I'll replace my current car and so why not take advantage of this now so I can easily purchase an EV when the time comes. Gradually weaning consumers off fossil fuels is prudent is it not?
Banning gas stoves is one of those remarkably dumb ideas to stick out there.
Currently, Natural gas is burned all over the place to generate electricity which is in turn being sold back to us by the equivalent hedge fund utilities at exorbitant rates.
Here, in New Hampshire, Eversource doesn't care if it ever generates another watt of electricity. It wants to charge for delivering it at a staggering price. Quite frequently, the cost of delivery exceeds the actual cost of power. Anyone who associates themselves with this being good government is a fool.
This Biden docs thing is a tempest in an old Tea Party pot. But thanks to ATTS (All Things Trump Syndrome, the current dominant syndrome affecting the health of our politics), the gathering storm will likely see efforts from the Rs to blow it into at least a Cat 4 or more hurricane, with the able and willing help of the media, which these days never whiffs a political faux pas or fart it doesn't relish exponentially augmenting the odor of. Speaking of noxious fumes...
ATTS and its overall health effects are not completely understood at this point but are, perhaps, a bit more hazardous than gas stoves, the main hazard from the stoves being their ability to easily accommodate the impulse generated in some by this malady - such as myself on occasion - to stick their heads in the oven, sans match. I should probably ditch mine in favor of electric, since that would require a much more determined and less spontaneous effort, but, being of a certain age, I can't really justify the cost of a new unit and the rewiring needed to install it, since I've made it this far just fine.
Instead, I'll depend on the fact that since it hasn't happened so far, I'm probably gonna' be ok. Unless, of course, some well-intentioned Lefty reads this and mounts a successful effort to have new gas units come with a prominent warning display regarding their hazards vis a vie ATTS until they can be banned altogether. If that happened, I'd probably just cut the incoming propane line in my basement, give it a few minutes, and toss a match down the stairwell.
(Note: After reading this, my wife diagnosed me - in all likelihood correctly - as suffering from Cranky ol' SOB Syndrome. Sadly, I don't think there's a cure for COSOB. Well, other than the natural one.)
Much respect to Adam Kinzinger for reasonably good judgement (select committee contribution, 2nd impeachment vote...but not his 1st) and principled behavior.
With due respect to President Biden, he should not seek reelection because the hole he is in is deep and will continue to get deeper. By that, I mean voters will not reelect President Biden because: (1) age; (2) improper retention / storage of classified information is a gift to the GOP and Illiberalism Inc; (3) Hunter, Hunter, Hunter; and (4) the GOP and Illiberalism Inc will flame up / mix the aforementioned talking points and all other real and imaginary talking points to come. Illiberalism Inc's information warfare cocktail will be too potent for President Biden to be reelected. Democrats, kindly find a viable / electable / alternative candidate for POTUS fast!
I've signed up for one month of Bulwark+ because I want to participate in these discussions. Up front: I'm a Democrat.
I appreciate Charlie Sikes' comments on BLOC in Milwaukee, a group I've supported in the past. I would like to see some discussion of the following topic:
It seems to me that most Republicans, pro-Trump or never-Trump or all points in between, seem to believe that Democrats always cheat. I have a personal friend from High School (I'm 69) who is proudly a Republican and a conservative, who has no use for Trump whatsoever and yet insisted to me recently that Democrats always cheat. He "proves" this assertion by saying that cities always come in later. My friend has never been a poll watcher. I have. There are many reasons why urban areas come in later:
1. Simply more votes to count
2. Inexperienced election officials in many precincts
3. More chances for random glitches to occur.
I might retort then, why don't we always win? Couldn't we have cheated just a little bit more and kept the damned House of Representatives?
It's bullcrap, and yet "speak no ill of fellow Republicans" should not mean that this canard should go unchallenged by other Republicans.
I’m no military strategist, but maybe piecemeal increases in the weapons systems we provide Ukraine is the right way to do it. Maybe it lessens the chances of a catastrophic escalation from the Russian side. (I do think they are now ready for faster, stronger battle tanks, though.)
Re: Sam B. Gurgus piece On American Jews and the American Idea. Aside from the anachronistic and gratuitous swipe at George Washington's "notorious position as a major slaveholder", an excellent essay.
Just when I thought Charlie and Adam Kinzinger giggling about what a piece of sh*t Kevin McCarthy is was the ultimate in podcast listening pleasure, along comes Charlie and Michael giggling about Matt Schlapp “pummeling”. Whenever I’m upset about the state of the world I’m going to play these two episodes! Thanks Charlie!!!
Instead of looking at the differences between the two cases, what is the same? It is unacceptable to take classified documents with you when you leave the government. They are not your property, and you can't provide the degree of protection from compromise that they receive while stored in special safes, within buildings with armed guards and technical security like alarms, CCTV, etc.
Perfect tshirt or bumper sticker: "There go the people. He must follow them, for he is their leader."
Doesn't the information the CPSC has released indicate that its concern is based on the release by gas stoves of air pollutants that are particularly harmful to children prone to asthma — documented by both recent and earlier health studies? And that banning the manufacture of new ones is only one of a number of potential actions, including emissions limits and other performance standards? My spouse is susceptible to breathing difficulties. We would regretfully but cheerfully replace our current gas cooktop, when its condition degrades from inconvenient to unsatisfactory, with an electric model if the evidence indicates that will keep our household healthier.
RE: Gas Stoves. Years ago my grandmother and I nearly died and almost blew up our apartment building due to a leaking gas stove. 30 years of owning stoves and they have always been electric. I think cooking over an open flame is so old fashioned and should go away like land lines and typewriters..
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Give Ukraine what it needs to push Russia back. I believe that's what our former president Ronald Reagan would have done. Russia will keep pushing it's boundaries even into Europe if giving the chance.
It's not just Wisconsin. Heritage Society Action has poured all kinds of money into reducing voter access in swing states all over the country. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/13/heritage-foundation-voter-suppression-lobbying-election-action-plan
This is what voter fraud is: not adding fake votes, but hindering voters from casting votes. Long live hypocrisy and racial animus. I must have been naive thinking this is a free country.
I was talking about the candidates
Oh please, the gas stove/appliance issue is one that impacts future installations in California. It's not an unreasonable move, and I say this as someone who has a gas stove that was converted from electric a number of years ago. When I need a new stove, I'll go back to electric. In Washington state future construction will require heat pumps rather than oil furnaces as well...I'm about to take advantage of the IRA and convert our oil furnace to a heat pump even though no one is forcing me to do so. I hope to both save $$$ and do the right thing to move away from fossil fuels. The migration from appliances that negatively impact our carbon footprint is not unwise and does not mean current homeowners have to change anything. However, with incentives in place, I imagine more people like myself will choose to do so. I'm also thinking of taking advantage of the incentives to have an EV charging plug installed at the house even though I don't currently own an electric vehicle. Eventually, I'll replace my current car and so why not take advantage of this now so I can easily purchase an EV when the time comes. Gradually weaning consumers off fossil fuels is prudent is it not?
Banning gas stoves is one of those remarkably dumb ideas to stick out there.
Currently, Natural gas is burned all over the place to generate electricity which is in turn being sold back to us by the equivalent hedge fund utilities at exorbitant rates.
Here, in New Hampshire, Eversource doesn't care if it ever generates another watt of electricity. It wants to charge for delivering it at a staggering price. Quite frequently, the cost of delivery exceeds the actual cost of power. Anyone who associates themselves with this being good government is a fool.
This Biden docs thing is a tempest in an old Tea Party pot. But thanks to ATTS (All Things Trump Syndrome, the current dominant syndrome affecting the health of our politics), the gathering storm will likely see efforts from the Rs to blow it into at least a Cat 4 or more hurricane, with the able and willing help of the media, which these days never whiffs a political faux pas or fart it doesn't relish exponentially augmenting the odor of. Speaking of noxious fumes...
ATTS and its overall health effects are not completely understood at this point but are, perhaps, a bit more hazardous than gas stoves, the main hazard from the stoves being their ability to easily accommodate the impulse generated in some by this malady - such as myself on occasion - to stick their heads in the oven, sans match. I should probably ditch mine in favor of electric, since that would require a much more determined and less spontaneous effort, but, being of a certain age, I can't really justify the cost of a new unit and the rewiring needed to install it, since I've made it this far just fine.
Instead, I'll depend on the fact that since it hasn't happened so far, I'm probably gonna' be ok. Unless, of course, some well-intentioned Lefty reads this and mounts a successful effort to have new gas units come with a prominent warning display regarding their hazards vis a vie ATTS until they can be banned altogether. If that happened, I'd probably just cut the incoming propane line in my basement, give it a few minutes, and toss a match down the stairwell.
(Note: After reading this, my wife diagnosed me - in all likelihood correctly - as suffering from Cranky ol' SOB Syndrome. Sadly, I don't think there's a cure for COSOB. Well, other than the natural one.)
Much respect to Adam Kinzinger for reasonably good judgement (select committee contribution, 2nd impeachment vote...but not his 1st) and principled behavior.
With due respect to President Biden, he should not seek reelection because the hole he is in is deep and will continue to get deeper. By that, I mean voters will not reelect President Biden because: (1) age; (2) improper retention / storage of classified information is a gift to the GOP and Illiberalism Inc; (3) Hunter, Hunter, Hunter; and (4) the GOP and Illiberalism Inc will flame up / mix the aforementioned talking points and all other real and imaginary talking points to come. Illiberalism Inc's information warfare cocktail will be too potent for President Biden to be reelected. Democrats, kindly find a viable / electable / alternative candidate for POTUS fast!
I still believe those documents were planted.