At least Danny Davis didn't show up at the $cientology cult's grand opening in the South Loop Sunday. The sole almost notable they managed to pay to show up for that clusterfuck was crooked former aldercreature Bob Fioretti.
As for the Moonies, go to this site which belongs to them for some real laughs. It contains pitches for the Moons from all sorts of dead people, from George Washington to Kim Il Sung!
Not everyone is going to get every cultural reference, true. If there is ever one that requires knowledge of any reality show star I would be clueless because I don't watch any of them. But I'm pretty sure more than 5 million people know dick in a box.
I think you are way, way, way underestimating the cultural relevance of Dick in a Box. A quick research says that more than 7 million watched the initial broadcast live alone. It initially had something like 20 million views on YouTube before it left that platform for a while. Then SNL has put it back on YouTube about five years ago and that version alone has 15 million views, that doesn't even take into account the bootleg versions that are on there. And then it's available on streaming so there is no real way to know how many people have seen it there.
I'm sure I quite literally can ask anyone I know and they will all know what I'm talking about. If you ask random people under the age of about 65 or so I'm sure the majority of people will know it. (Not all will say they like it)
If you watched the movie Diner from 1982, you would get the reference. Imagine a date in a movie theater with a box of popcorn and a truly dumbass character.
I have been voting against Danny Davis in primaries since I moved into his district in 2009. I can't believe he keeps getting reelected. I didn't even know about this creepy Moonie thing. I have always found him infuriating because he doesn't actually do anything. Sits in Washington collecting a paycheck and has no real accomplishments. One of hundreds of "do-nothing" congresspeople taking up space in the chamber. And I find him to be a really dumb person. Maybe not Matt Goetz, Louie Gohmert, or Marjorie Taylor-Green level of stupid, but still pretty dim.
In the general election, after he yet again for some mysterious reason wins the primary, I leave that part of my ballot blank.
Interesting response. I live in a small town in Kankakee County. Since the last Democratic gerrymandering, I have been represented by two different southside Congresscreeps that I don't believe have ever been to my town. I have been represented by three different southside state representatives that probably have no idea that my town exists. I mean I am not even considered to be in the suburbs. What am I doing being represented from the southside of Chicago? The issues they deal with have little or nothing to do with the concerns of my town. We, in effect, have no representation in either Congress or the General Assembly.
EZ, very good point about the judges and the time it takes for decisions. Equally outrageous is the delay in so many criminal cases in the Tim Even's run Cook County Court system. As the Tribune recently reported, our court system is much slower than New York's, denying victims and innocent defendants closure. I spent the afternoon yesterday researching the few judges that I can vote on and none of them mention anything about delivering justice faster.
That was a really weak excuse given by Davis in response to your query. Let's compare. All Adolph Hitler wanted was peace. Fair enough. The issue was what kind and the methods he used to get it. Lie to take over Austria and Czeckoslovakia? Another lie to attack Poland? Attacking the USSR, a country with which he was at peace? Wanting peace is wonderful. But at what costs, which you pointed out? Sorry Danny, not buying it. And by the way, Danny, forced religious conversion, is not my idea of peace. We Jews went through that during the Spanish Incquisition. For someone whose ancestors went through slavery, I would think you would have a problem with that.
All were good. I was apparently one of the relatively few who understood the Smurf reference. The Texas TotW was the best, but I voted Smurf to prove (to myself) that I'm not that much of a fuddy-duddy (yet).
Thanks to clever publicity and Hollywood Westerns, Texas has always been overhyped and overrated. The boosterism was greatly aided by a pop song from decades ago, "Deep In The Heart of Texas," notably sung by "Der Bingle,"( Bing Crosby). And when Bob Hope was at his peak of joke-telling popularity, he got off a quotable line that, in part, said "Texas has more cows and less milk and more rivers and less water than anywhere else in America." All of which shows how timely, clever boosterism can raise profiles even when emphasizing the negative. But even as late as the mid-1950's, Texas kept public school segregation in effect, stunting the intellectual growth of millions of its citizens, which sullies its resume despite its "American West" boosterism fostered by 1930's & '40's Westerns, starring Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Gary Cooper and others.
In that same timeframe, trying to show how civilized it was. it clung to pointless rules that prevented such civilized niceties as ordering a cocktail before dinner in restaurants. Instead, one had to bring in his own bottle(s). The unconsumed portion would then be tagged for identification purposes and kept in storage until the patron saw fit to again patronize said restaurant, in which case his bottle would be brought from storage to the table; a klutzy, clumsy compromise between the anti-booze bluenoses and sophisticated restaurant patrons who saw it all as a nonsensical charade. Never mind what it said about the baffling character of Texans writ large. For a Martini, patrons needed to bring in a bottle of gin and a bottle of Vermouth! People who knew better could hardly wait to go elsewhere outside of Texas, where such backwardness was not practiced. Yes, Texas eventually ended that charade, but its asininity as a Texas characteristic lingers.
My memory is a bit fuzzy on this, but as I recall Wisconsin and Oklahoma had similar alcohol practices. I think I was in Oklahoma when I was informed that I needed a bottle with my name on it in order to get a drink. But I only needed to bring it in once, because it was never 'empty'. I think it was a Wisconsin supper club where I was told that the magical bottle also represented any type of alcohol. Neither personal bottle could be opened on Sunday or before noon.
Thanks, Marc & Gary. "Joining the club" was merely a fig leaf. Apparently the practice was a compromise with the self-appointed bluenoses in those states who preferred no alcohol consumption whatsoever, and finagled this much veto power over others' social drinking preferences. A classic case of the prejudiced few vetoing the preferences of the many. Not understandable where personal freedom of choice without endangering others is concerned. It's a form of censorship already proven needless and unwanted by the failure of the Volstead Act, called Prohibition, which only bred lawlessness including organized crime, meeting benign demand. Meanwhile, the rest of the world went merrily along enjoying the nicety of a civilized cocktail before dinner, if wanted. While the nation took a few years to come to its senses and end Prohibition, in certain pockets, the bullheadedness of the self-appointed morality police lingered. "Only in America"? An age limit is understandable. A blanket prohibition is not, with personal freedom at stake. Note that throughout Europe, they laughed at us for it.
Are the Moons still newsworthy? Amazing! Who's their agent? He or she is worth every penny. If by tomorrow they ceased to exist, who would miss them beside their next-of-kin? And said agent? Amazing that their act has lasted this long. As P. T. Barnum said long ago, "There's a sucker born every minute. And they never die." Look how many followers drank the poisoned Kool-Aid in Guiana a few years ago, just because their loony, self-ordained religious leader told them to. People keep proving Barnum was right, generation after generation. They deserve what they get: Nothing. Or worse. Baffling.
Donald Trump is a pustule on the body politic. We gotta take him serious and recognize he can do damage to our system of government. But he is a short term threat, and he may just lose the upcoming election and become a minor factor in politics. I think he leaves the country.
However, I fear we have a long term cancer with the Supreme Court. They have lost the basis of their authority which is integrity.
For example, the 9-0 recent decision on putting Trump on the ballot. The analysis is not complete until the Supreme Court goes on break. We then need to see if Justice Thomas and Ginni go on an expensive vacation paid by a wealthy Trump donor. This will help explain why he did not recuse himself and the basis of his opinion. Impugning the integrity of a Justice or the Court would be almost unthinkable 10 years ago. Now it seems not just reasonable but necessary.
And so Justice Roberts adopts a code of ethics…but does not enforce them. And this 9-0 decision shows me the Court wishes to cover up its rot and not confront it.
I do not see a solution, I see this cancer spreading on the Court and their integrity slowly sinking away completely.
These Justices have high fallluntin degrees, much legal experience and are pretty smart. But right now they are missing the foundation, if the court has no integrity, their opinions and authority become a joke.
I’m afraid there are opinions for sale on the Court and the Court itself is making believe it has no ethics issue.
I think you underestimate the long term effects Trump will have. Understand that no one detests him more than I do. But let's be real. There are public outbursts and policies emerging that lay dormant for a long time. Racism is rising. Christian nationalism is on the rise. Book burnings, the ban on certain topics in education, the denials of certain rights by those with different lifestyles- there are things that Trump has made okay to bring out into the open. I won't blame it all on Trump. I predicted decades ago that the right was eventually going to rebel against cultural progressivism and that whites would worry about losing status in society. But Trump has helped make it okay to say things out loud that are hateful and divisive. So don't put him down as temporary thing. He might be but not his ideas or his followers.
I think you give Trump way too much credit. He is leading his followers like a cowboy in front of a stampede. If he turns to stop or divert them he gets run over.
At one point he started to suggest getting vaccinated, as he got vaccinated. This did not go well with his followers and so he dropped it completely.
He has no original ideas or platform, he is reflecting not leading in these hate positions.
And you have to credit Tucker C, Alex Jones and folks like that to continue the use of hateful dialogue all the time. And they will continue that long after Trump.
Right now Trump is in his final major gamble, win the election and he increases his danger, but if he loses, he loses big.
He is a coward, and I expect him to run if he loses the election.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will not be going anywhere.
I'll bet part of our difference is based on where we live. I live in a town that normally votes 85-90% Republican. My neighbors across the street fly a Trump flag as do others. I've had some discussions on Trump. He can do no wrong. Besides, we need to dump Biden
We need to dump liberals in general who are ruining the country. It's not even about Republicans. You don't see yard stuff about any candidates other than Trump. I agree he has no original ideas. He responds to conservative opinions. It doesn't matter. His followers give him the credit. I told you what I told you because I live among him. I'll tell you something else. If he is elected and things get better, there will be a lot of "See- we told you!". If they don't, it will revert back to the terrible job Biden did. I'll stick to what I said. Don't underestimate his effect on his followers.
I think you make an excellent point. I live in Chicago where Trumpers are few in number.
I talk to my sister twice a week. She lives in Osage Beach, MO and discusses Trump exactly as you do. There are Trump flags everywhere and she is paranoid because people want to know where her Trump stuff is.
Yet we both wonder what happens to these folks if Trump loses the election and perhaps changes countries.
Of course, he will claim the election was stolen. But I do not think he will have the money nor the time to mount much of a response. His other lawsuits will press down on him, and he could not survive any kind of incarceration.
But we need to see what happens first.
By the way, hang in there. Living in the belly of the beast (as my sister calls it) is not easy.
You make several excellent points. In particular, what will happen if he loses? I'm not referring to his finances or jail time, which I don't think will happen. But how will his most ardent followers react? Was January 6th a preview of upcoming attractions? We've had the Capito riots. We had a militia group plan to kidnap the Michigan governor. Timothy McVeigh will live forever in American lore. How would you like to be a vote counter election night if it's close or if Biden seems to be winning? I don't assume that either Trump or his crazed minions are suddenly going to turn into good sports for the good of the country
This is one of the reasons we have trouble recruiting election judges (pollworkers). People are frightened of what crazed far right (or left, I suppose) nutters will do if their candidates lose. I'm an election judge in Cook County where you KNOW Trump has no prayer of winning in the general but still people don't even want to put themselves out there. Two elections ago we had a voter who seemed a little "off." Rambling, very odd. He voted and left. Less than an hour later he was arrested for shooting a gun in a nearby park. We've been screamed at for the polling place having been moved and my fellow election judges who are African American have been openly called racial slurs in the polling place. La Grange Park is a pretty tame suburb, but even we get crazies. I'm not afraid but I can't blame people who are.
I always thought that Danny Davis was from the west side rather than the south side. I am not a big fan of Sun Myung Moon especially in light of his open and virulent hatred of gay people, and his founding and funding of the Washington Times, which promotes extreme right wing views and policies and is significant part of the right wing media group in this country promoting and sustaining the MAGA crazies. But I do understand why Davis might have supported Moon. A review of Moon’s Wikipedia entry shows that he used his celebrity to speak out against racial discrimination in this country in the early 1970s. Davis was in his thirties in the 1970s. For example, the article states, “In 1974 [Moon] urged Unification Church members to support an African American president of the United States: ‘We have had enough of white presidents. So, let's this time elect a president from the Negro race. What will you do if I say so?’” The Wikipedia article stated that at the time of Moon’s indictment for tax evasion, “Several African American organizations and individuals spoke out in defense of Moon at this time including the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Conference of Black Mayors, and Joseph Lowery who was then the head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.” None other than civil rights icon Ralph Abernathy was involved with the Unification Church and protested the use of the term “Moonie” which he compared to the n-word. I’m not a black person, but I try, to the extent that I can, to understand why a black person’s perspective on certain people might be different from my own. I can kind of understand Davis’s chuckling in his distinctive baritone when a white reporter tried to get him to admit that his support of Moon was a mistake.
Davis supposedly being from the west side is how my far western Cook County suburb got looped into Davis' district last cycle. It's been terrible, after having a very responsive, interactive rep (Quigley) for years. Davis and his staff don't seem to know or care about their suburban constituents. Heck even in my old suburb I at least heard from and saw Lipinski around town. Crickets from Davis.
I had Lipinski for a long time as well. Conservative Catholic Democrat like his Dad, anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ+ rights. I’ve never needed to seek constituent services from my Congress person. I did once see Lipinski and talk with him in the Jewel in Countryside. We were both looking for the free item being promoted. It was some kind of yogurt as I remember, and, to give him the credit that is due, he found it first and showed me!
Wasn't a fan of his politics or his tactics when opposed by Marie Newman - campaigning too close to early voting locations, claimed he was "not aware" he had to be 100 ft away - pffft! Like he wasn't a long-time pol who knew better . . . But he was responsive to questions and helpful to constituents who needed things. He also lived just a few blocks away from me so very accessible :-) (to me at least, LOL). I had moved to Quigley's district when Lipinski was challenged by Newman, but I gave money and time to her campaign to get that DINO out of there.
After years with a US Rep I really liked (Mike Quigley), my neighborhood was redistricted into Danny Davis' district last cycle. To say I've been disappointed is an understatement. His office is barely aware that part of La Grange Park is in his district now and that we often have far different concerns than his constituents in the city (not necessarily opposing, just different). In addition to little awareness or concern about suburban constituents, I was also very concerned with his use of franking privileges to appeal to voters in 2022. Apparently I wasn't the only one (and our district wasn't the only district) as the House clarified use of House facilities and materials for reelection campaigns for 2024 (including email). I will be voting for Ms. Conyears-Ervin in the primary. Not a huge fan of hers, just not a fan AT ALL of Mr. Davis.
Interesting Trib article today. Should we have assisted suicide? My take? We're all going to die. Not even the Supreme Court can change that. Why can't we choose when? I know the pitfalls. Can it be misused? Can someone be talked into something they don't really want? Can a fatal medical diagnosis be wrong? Absolutely! We're humans and error is universal. But not enough for me to cede my choice.
Suicide, assisted or not, is TRULY none of anyone's business but the person choosing their own exit. I've never understood why it was ever illegal. And I would really appreciate it if the courts stopped kneeling in the pews of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is free to run its own circus but should not be allowed to run our city, state or country.
The Ten Commandments were given to Moses not to the State of Illinois or its courts.
Suicide should be one's own private business, but when you lay down in front of a train, & I have to see it, as I once had the misfortune to witness & that poor engineer had zero chance of stopping his Metra train, it becomes public business.
I saw an article stating that most deaths on railroads aren't from crashes or derailments, but from suicides.
It became so bad here after Metra's head Phil Pagano did it by one of his own trains, in May 2010, that it happened so often it got a dark nickname for it, Metracide!
It seems like I’ve been reading a lot lately about train suicides and how horrifying and traumatic they are for those who witness them, but that’s all the more reason why peaceful, painless methods should be made easier, not harder to access. I doubt that there is anyone who wishes to take their own life who would not prefer drifting off to sleep after drinking a lethal dose of Seconal rather than have to throw themselves in front of a train.
Of course Davis also took free trips to Africa courtesy of the Moonies. John Gorenfeld, author of the excellent book on Moon's influence on Davis and too many other politicians, has made his book Bad Moon Rising available in a free on-line edition. Highly recommended. https://www.gorenfeld.net/badmoonrising/
At least Danny Davis didn't show up at the $cientology cult's grand opening in the South Loop Sunday. The sole almost notable they managed to pay to show up for that clusterfuck was crooked former aldercreature Bob Fioretti.
As for the Moonies, go to this site which belongs to them for some real laughs. It contains pitches for the Moons from all sorts of dead people, from George Washington to Kim Il Sung!
http://www.messagesfromspiritworld.info/
And I don't understand the Smurfs one.
The Smurfs one is in reference to the viral SNL sketch from several years ago, "Dick in a box" with Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake.
Exactly how am I or anyone else supposed to know that? Less than 5 million watch SNL & I looked up the sketch, it was 18 years ago!
But if you saw it, you'd never forget it!
Not everyone is going to get every cultural reference, true. If there is ever one that requires knowledge of any reality show star I would be clueless because I don't watch any of them. But I'm pretty sure more than 5 million people know dick in a box.
OK, so maybe 10 million know it, it still isn't a common reference point!
I think you are way, way, way underestimating the cultural relevance of Dick in a Box. A quick research says that more than 7 million watched the initial broadcast live alone. It initially had something like 20 million views on YouTube before it left that platform for a while. Then SNL has put it back on YouTube about five years ago and that version alone has 15 million views, that doesn't even take into account the bootleg versions that are on there. And then it's available on streaming so there is no real way to know how many people have seen it there.
I'm sure I quite literally can ask anyone I know and they will all know what I'm talking about. If you ask random people under the age of about 65 or so I'm sure the majority of people will know it. (Not all will say they like it)
Yeah, I remember the SNL vignette. Did not particularly amuse me.
What I find sad about myself is that I remember it but have forgotten the Constitutional Amendments and the Gettysburg Address.
At least I have retained the name of my son.
The key is under 65. I am 79, and was absolutely clueless on the Smurf one. I only watched SNL the first 3 seasons.
Great set of visual tweets this week. FWIW, I'm pushing 60 and I laughed out loud at the Smurf with the box.
As did I! But got here late and couldn't vote--would've run with Men find the church tho A serious LOL
I did not know it ...
If you watched the movie Diner from 1982, you would get the reference. Imagine a date in a movie theater with a box of popcorn and a truly dumbass character.
I saw it in 1982, so I don't remember it from 42 years ago!
I have been voting against Danny Davis in primaries since I moved into his district in 2009. I can't believe he keeps getting reelected. I didn't even know about this creepy Moonie thing. I have always found him infuriating because he doesn't actually do anything. Sits in Washington collecting a paycheck and has no real accomplishments. One of hundreds of "do-nothing" congresspeople taking up space in the chamber. And I find him to be a really dumb person. Maybe not Matt Goetz, Louie Gohmert, or Marjorie Taylor-Green level of stupid, but still pretty dim.
In the general election, after he yet again for some mysterious reason wins the primary, I leave that part of my ballot blank.
Interesting response. I live in a small town in Kankakee County. Since the last Democratic gerrymandering, I have been represented by two different southside Congresscreeps that I don't believe have ever been to my town. I have been represented by three different southside state representatives that probably have no idea that my town exists. I mean I am not even considered to be in the suburbs. What am I doing being represented from the southside of Chicago? The issues they deal with have little or nothing to do with the concerns of my town. We, in effect, have no representation in either Congress or the General Assembly.
EZ, very good point about the judges and the time it takes for decisions. Equally outrageous is the delay in so many criminal cases in the Tim Even's run Cook County Court system. As the Tribune recently reported, our court system is much slower than New York's, denying victims and innocent defendants closure. I spent the afternoon yesterday researching the few judges that I can vote on and none of them mention anything about delivering justice faster.
That was a really weak excuse given by Davis in response to your query. Let's compare. All Adolph Hitler wanted was peace. Fair enough. The issue was what kind and the methods he used to get it. Lie to take over Austria and Czeckoslovakia? Another lie to attack Poland? Attacking the USSR, a country with which he was at peace? Wanting peace is wonderful. But at what costs, which you pointed out? Sorry Danny, not buying it. And by the way, Danny, forced religious conversion, is not my idea of peace. We Jews went through that during the Spanish Incquisition. For someone whose ancestors went through slavery, I would think you would have a problem with that.
I thought all the visual tweets were great this time. Very tough to choose!
Yeah, I was pretty happy with them this time.
All were good. I was apparently one of the relatively few who understood the Smurf reference. The Texas TotW was the best, but I voted Smurf to prove (to myself) that I'm not that much of a fuddy-duddy (yet).
Thanks to clever publicity and Hollywood Westerns, Texas has always been overhyped and overrated. The boosterism was greatly aided by a pop song from decades ago, "Deep In The Heart of Texas," notably sung by "Der Bingle,"( Bing Crosby). And when Bob Hope was at his peak of joke-telling popularity, he got off a quotable line that, in part, said "Texas has more cows and less milk and more rivers and less water than anywhere else in America." All of which shows how timely, clever boosterism can raise profiles even when emphasizing the negative. But even as late as the mid-1950's, Texas kept public school segregation in effect, stunting the intellectual growth of millions of its citizens, which sullies its resume despite its "American West" boosterism fostered by 1930's & '40's Westerns, starring Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Gary Cooper and others.
In that same timeframe, trying to show how civilized it was. it clung to pointless rules that prevented such civilized niceties as ordering a cocktail before dinner in restaurants. Instead, one had to bring in his own bottle(s). The unconsumed portion would then be tagged for identification purposes and kept in storage until the patron saw fit to again patronize said restaurant, in which case his bottle would be brought from storage to the table; a klutzy, clumsy compromise between the anti-booze bluenoses and sophisticated restaurant patrons who saw it all as a nonsensical charade. Never mind what it said about the baffling character of Texans writ large. For a Martini, patrons needed to bring in a bottle of gin and a bottle of Vermouth! People who knew better could hardly wait to go elsewhere outside of Texas, where such backwardness was not practiced. Yes, Texas eventually ended that charade, but its asininity as a Texas characteristic lingers.
My memory is a bit fuzzy on this, but as I recall Wisconsin and Oklahoma had similar alcohol practices. I think I was in Oklahoma when I was informed that I needed a bottle with my name on it in order to get a drink. But I only needed to bring it in once, because it was never 'empty'. I think it was a Wisconsin supper club where I was told that the magical bottle also represented any type of alcohol. Neither personal bottle could be opened on Sunday or before noon.
Utah was even weirder than that. To get a drink in Utah, you had to join a club the place had.
I think they finally abolished that a few years ago.
Thanks, Marc & Gary. "Joining the club" was merely a fig leaf. Apparently the practice was a compromise with the self-appointed bluenoses in those states who preferred no alcohol consumption whatsoever, and finagled this much veto power over others' social drinking preferences. A classic case of the prejudiced few vetoing the preferences of the many. Not understandable where personal freedom of choice without endangering others is concerned. It's a form of censorship already proven needless and unwanted by the failure of the Volstead Act, called Prohibition, which only bred lawlessness including organized crime, meeting benign demand. Meanwhile, the rest of the world went merrily along enjoying the nicety of a civilized cocktail before dinner, if wanted. While the nation took a few years to come to its senses and end Prohibition, in certain pockets, the bullheadedness of the self-appointed morality police lingered. "Only in America"? An age limit is understandable. A blanket prohibition is not, with personal freedom at stake. Note that throughout Europe, they laughed at us for it.
Gee Ted, my name is spelled correctly & you can't even do that? ;)
Are the Moons still newsworthy? Amazing! Who's their agent? He or she is worth every penny. If by tomorrow they ceased to exist, who would miss them beside their next-of-kin? And said agent? Amazing that their act has lasted this long. As P. T. Barnum said long ago, "There's a sucker born every minute. And they never die." Look how many followers drank the poisoned Kool-Aid in Guiana a few years ago, just because their loony, self-ordained religious leader told them to. People keep proving Barnum was right, generation after generation. They deserve what they get: Nothing. Or worse. Baffling.
But the rest of us don't deserve the results of their cruel idiocy. TFG is the ultimate outcome of the cult of personality.
Donald Trump is a pustule on the body politic. We gotta take him serious and recognize he can do damage to our system of government. But he is a short term threat, and he may just lose the upcoming election and become a minor factor in politics. I think he leaves the country.
However, I fear we have a long term cancer with the Supreme Court. They have lost the basis of their authority which is integrity.
For example, the 9-0 recent decision on putting Trump on the ballot. The analysis is not complete until the Supreme Court goes on break. We then need to see if Justice Thomas and Ginni go on an expensive vacation paid by a wealthy Trump donor. This will help explain why he did not recuse himself and the basis of his opinion. Impugning the integrity of a Justice or the Court would be almost unthinkable 10 years ago. Now it seems not just reasonable but necessary.
And so Justice Roberts adopts a code of ethics…but does not enforce them. And this 9-0 decision shows me the Court wishes to cover up its rot and not confront it.
I do not see a solution, I see this cancer spreading on the Court and their integrity slowly sinking away completely.
These Justices have high fallluntin degrees, much legal experience and are pretty smart. But right now they are missing the foundation, if the court has no integrity, their opinions and authority become a joke.
I’m afraid there are opinions for sale on the Court and the Court itself is making believe it has no ethics issue.
I think you underestimate the long term effects Trump will have. Understand that no one detests him more than I do. But let's be real. There are public outbursts and policies emerging that lay dormant for a long time. Racism is rising. Christian nationalism is on the rise. Book burnings, the ban on certain topics in education, the denials of certain rights by those with different lifestyles- there are things that Trump has made okay to bring out into the open. I won't blame it all on Trump. I predicted decades ago that the right was eventually going to rebel against cultural progressivism and that whites would worry about losing status in society. But Trump has helped make it okay to say things out loud that are hateful and divisive. So don't put him down as temporary thing. He might be but not his ideas or his followers.
I think you give Trump way too much credit. He is leading his followers like a cowboy in front of a stampede. If he turns to stop or divert them he gets run over.
At one point he started to suggest getting vaccinated, as he got vaccinated. This did not go well with his followers and so he dropped it completely.
He has no original ideas or platform, he is reflecting not leading in these hate positions.
And you have to credit Tucker C, Alex Jones and folks like that to continue the use of hateful dialogue all the time. And they will continue that long after Trump.
Right now Trump is in his final major gamble, win the election and he increases his danger, but if he loses, he loses big.
He is a coward, and I expect him to run if he loses the election.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will not be going anywhere.
I'll bet part of our difference is based on where we live. I live in a town that normally votes 85-90% Republican. My neighbors across the street fly a Trump flag as do others. I've had some discussions on Trump. He can do no wrong. Besides, we need to dump Biden
We need to dump liberals in general who are ruining the country. It's not even about Republicans. You don't see yard stuff about any candidates other than Trump. I agree he has no original ideas. He responds to conservative opinions. It doesn't matter. His followers give him the credit. I told you what I told you because I live among him. I'll tell you something else. If he is elected and things get better, there will be a lot of "See- we told you!". If they don't, it will revert back to the terrible job Biden did. I'll stick to what I said. Don't underestimate his effect on his followers.
I think you make an excellent point. I live in Chicago where Trumpers are few in number.
I talk to my sister twice a week. She lives in Osage Beach, MO and discusses Trump exactly as you do. There are Trump flags everywhere and she is paranoid because people want to know where her Trump stuff is.
Yet we both wonder what happens to these folks if Trump loses the election and perhaps changes countries.
Of course, he will claim the election was stolen. But I do not think he will have the money nor the time to mount much of a response. His other lawsuits will press down on him, and he could not survive any kind of incarceration.
But we need to see what happens first.
By the way, hang in there. Living in the belly of the beast (as my sister calls it) is not easy.
You make several excellent points. In particular, what will happen if he loses? I'm not referring to his finances or jail time, which I don't think will happen. But how will his most ardent followers react? Was January 6th a preview of upcoming attractions? We've had the Capito riots. We had a militia group plan to kidnap the Michigan governor. Timothy McVeigh will live forever in American lore. How would you like to be a vote counter election night if it's close or if Biden seems to be winning? I don't assume that either Trump or his crazed minions are suddenly going to turn into good sports for the good of the country
This is one of the reasons we have trouble recruiting election judges (pollworkers). People are frightened of what crazed far right (or left, I suppose) nutters will do if their candidates lose. I'm an election judge in Cook County where you KNOW Trump has no prayer of winning in the general but still people don't even want to put themselves out there. Two elections ago we had a voter who seemed a little "off." Rambling, very odd. He voted and left. Less than an hour later he was arrested for shooting a gun in a nearby park. We've been screamed at for the polling place having been moved and my fellow election judges who are African American have been openly called racial slurs in the polling place. La Grange Park is a pretty tame suburb, but even we get crazies. I'm not afraid but I can't blame people who are.
I always thought that Danny Davis was from the west side rather than the south side. I am not a big fan of Sun Myung Moon especially in light of his open and virulent hatred of gay people, and his founding and funding of the Washington Times, which promotes extreme right wing views and policies and is significant part of the right wing media group in this country promoting and sustaining the MAGA crazies. But I do understand why Davis might have supported Moon. A review of Moon’s Wikipedia entry shows that he used his celebrity to speak out against racial discrimination in this country in the early 1970s. Davis was in his thirties in the 1970s. For example, the article states, “In 1974 [Moon] urged Unification Church members to support an African American president of the United States: ‘We have had enough of white presidents. So, let's this time elect a president from the Negro race. What will you do if I say so?’” The Wikipedia article stated that at the time of Moon’s indictment for tax evasion, “Several African American organizations and individuals spoke out in defense of Moon at this time including the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Conference of Black Mayors, and Joseph Lowery who was then the head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.” None other than civil rights icon Ralph Abernathy was involved with the Unification Church and protested the use of the term “Moonie” which he compared to the n-word. I’m not a black person, but I try, to the extent that I can, to understand why a black person’s perspective on certain people might be different from my own. I can kind of understand Davis’s chuckling in his distinctive baritone when a white reporter tried to get him to admit that his support of Moon was a mistake.
Davis supposedly being from the west side is how my far western Cook County suburb got looped into Davis' district last cycle. It's been terrible, after having a very responsive, interactive rep (Quigley) for years. Davis and his staff don't seem to know or care about their suburban constituents. Heck even in my old suburb I at least heard from and saw Lipinski around town. Crickets from Davis.
I had Lipinski for a long time as well. Conservative Catholic Democrat like his Dad, anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ+ rights. I’ve never needed to seek constituent services from my Congress person. I did once see Lipinski and talk with him in the Jewel in Countryside. We were both looking for the free item being promoted. It was some kind of yogurt as I remember, and, to give him the credit that is due, he found it first and showed me!
Wasn't a fan of his politics or his tactics when opposed by Marie Newman - campaigning too close to early voting locations, claimed he was "not aware" he had to be 100 ft away - pffft! Like he wasn't a long-time pol who knew better . . . But he was responsive to questions and helpful to constituents who needed things. He also lived just a few blocks away from me so very accessible :-) (to me at least, LOL). I had moved to Quigley's district when Lipinski was challenged by Newman, but I gave money and time to her campaign to get that DINO out of there.
Best. Visual. Tweets. Ever.
After years with a US Rep I really liked (Mike Quigley), my neighborhood was redistricted into Danny Davis' district last cycle. To say I've been disappointed is an understatement. His office is barely aware that part of La Grange Park is in his district now and that we often have far different concerns than his constituents in the city (not necessarily opposing, just different). In addition to little awareness or concern about suburban constituents, I was also very concerned with his use of franking privileges to appeal to voters in 2022. Apparently I wasn't the only one (and our district wasn't the only district) as the House clarified use of House facilities and materials for reelection campaigns for 2024 (including email). I will be voting for Ms. Conyears-Ervin in the primary. Not a huge fan of hers, just not a fan AT ALL of Mr. Davis.
Interesting Trib article today. Should we have assisted suicide? My take? We're all going to die. Not even the Supreme Court can change that. Why can't we choose when? I know the pitfalls. Can it be misused? Can someone be talked into something they don't really want? Can a fatal medical diagnosis be wrong? Absolutely! We're humans and error is universal. But not enough for me to cede my choice.
Suicide, assisted or not, is TRULY none of anyone's business but the person choosing their own exit. I've never understood why it was ever illegal. And I would really appreciate it if the courts stopped kneeling in the pews of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is free to run its own circus but should not be allowed to run our city, state or country.
The Ten Commandments were given to Moses not to the State of Illinois or its courts.
Maybe it *ought* not to be anyone's business. But it would be the business for whoever is involved in providing assistance.
Then there are unintended consequences, which have been written about. Although this is behind a paywall, it is a good article.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/06/canada-legalized-medical-assisted-suicide-euthanasia-death-maid/673790/
Suicide should be one's own private business, but when you lay down in front of a train, & I have to see it, as I once had the misfortune to witness & that poor engineer had zero chance of stopping his Metra train, it becomes public business.
I saw an article stating that most deaths on railroads aren't from crashes or derailments, but from suicides.
It became so bad here after Metra's head Phil Pagano did it by one of his own trains, in May 2010, that it happened so often it got a dark nickname for it, Metracide!
It seems like I’ve been reading a lot lately about train suicides and how horrifying and traumatic they are for those who witness them, but that’s all the more reason why peaceful, painless methods should be made easier, not harder to access. I doubt that there is anyone who wishes to take their own life who would not prefer drifting off to sleep after drinking a lethal dose of Seconal rather than have to throw themselves in front of a train.
Of course Davis also took free trips to Africa courtesy of the Moonies. John Gorenfeld, author of the excellent book on Moon's influence on Davis and too many other politicians, has made his book Bad Moon Rising available in a free on-line edition. Highly recommended. https://www.gorenfeld.net/badmoonrising/