Odds are that even the current SCOTUS won’t overturn Roe but just ignore its limits on restrictions. That is, they’ll okay restrictions like in the Texas law; keep the right, restrict it to the point that it can’t be exercised. You know, like the 15th amendment for one, or the opposite of the 2nd wherein an expansion is seen despite the plain English of the provision.
And I have to be honest: after decades of a tyranny of the minority, of our leaders not giving a shit about the majority of the nation’s people, the thorough corruption of the state, seeing huge turnouts at demoed let’s say doesn’t thrill like in times gone by. Not like it moves our leaders a whit. (Undue cynicism, sure, but there’s a silver lining. If one already doesn’t see us as having much by way of functional democratic institutions now, it won’t hurt as much when the GOP regains control and such democracy as we have is put down for a long time, maybe for good, like the powers that be want.)
Sure. Resistance: there’s no alternative. But let’s say no assurance of success. Hard to beat the powers that be and the propaganda of the mainstream media. Sad as fuck, I know, sorry.
I know. I feel awful about feeling awful. But the idea of demoes influencing the powers that be and their elected officials was triggering. Probably age and watching the system let's say break down since Reagan and no one doing much about it.
Not saying give up, just that the means of effective resistance are damn few.
There are cracks in the system, let's say -- no system is perfect -- wherein some things can be done, people helped, etc. But the change we need, well, see above. Shitty odds from essentially snoozing as the state got corrupted the last couple of decades, back before the media learned that democracy dies in darkness (great sales pitch, observed more in the breach).
Sure. And to be clear, the only way forward is let's say informed, knowledgeable, responsible voting. Demoes, well, they can be fun, but I think their ineffectiveness the past fifty-odd years has been, uh, well, demonstrated.
I know the Dems have been all Lucy with the football for decades, but better frequent disappointment than the full-time disappointment (far worse) of the likely imminent Republican reich. So I totally get Dem voters' apathy.
But the vote is all the power we have, little as it may be.
Too, first vote the GOP out of power then we can purge the Dems.
(Periodic reminder that "Dem voters' apathy" = the Democratic candidate for President receiving the most votes four elections in a row and five out of the last six.)
I took bus rides to Washington in April 1989 for that big abortion rights demo and again in January 2017, but not this time — like you say, it doesn't seem to matter much. And I don't write my gerrymandered Congressman anymore for the same reason. My political activity nowadays consists of hopeful donations ($100!! That should change things!); but when that biggest-of-all-time, $800+ million Powerball lottery went down a few years back, I did fantasize about winning and buying a Senator.
The only real power the average American ever exercises in their life is sitting on a jury and voting. And what the average American thinks of jury duty is beyond cliche. A third of eligible Americans can't be bothered to vote, so the only unanswered questions is how will they react when that is not their choice anymore. Our best hope is that apathetic people don't have the energy to be delusional.
Eh. Hope they you-know-what first, or at least get the long Covid as they fully deserve for their efforts.
And full disclosure: Having spent over a month recently in the heartland, suffice to say I am not without sympathy or understanding for a certain kind of conservatism out there. But the refuseniks who refuse because sociopathic Republican leaders encourage them, those, please. Literal killers deserving of an appropriate punishments, not forgiveness, not in the least.
Our little demonstration was much larger than other recent protests, with no anti-abortion counter protesters, and even a passionate pro abortion, pro universal health care speech from our female physician candidate for Senator, so I agree there’s more activism than usual under a Democratic administration. Also best sign: a kid with an orange and glitter “Pumpkin Spice and Women’s Rights.” This morning we got as much air time on the local news as the Packers, which might mean there’s a rift in spacetime.
Can't remember (or find) which General said, "Clarity of purpose is worth a division", but for decades now, the ban-abortion folks have had all the clarity of purpose, while those of us for abortion rights have been hamstrung by Democratic politicians who won't even utter the word "abortion", because "it doesn't focus-group well with our target demographics."
I'm taking Roy's report as a sign things are changing now, but Goddammit, why do things always have to wait til it's too late before they change?
Recent events have instilled (I should say force-fed) a clarity of purpose in a growing number of liberals. Wasn't it Oscar Wilde who said the prospect of being hanged in the morning focuses the mind wonderfully? Truly we are all Driftglass now.
Samuel Johnson, per his biographer Boswell. “Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”
These Dem-pols are cut from the same cloth as the ilk that refused to say "Civil Rights" or "Marriage Equality" and are right now refusing to say "Single Payer Healthcare".
Is there a school they all go to where they're taught this stuff?
"Here's a ten-page list of things you can't say"
"OK, I'm fine with that, where's the list of things I CAN say?"
"There isn't one. Just say the word 'values' a lot, you'll be fine, and if you want to throw in a 'Children are our future' once in a while, go for it."
Odds are that even the current SCOTUS won’t overturn Roe but just ignore its limits on restrictions. That is, they’ll okay restrictions like in the Texas law; keep the right, restrict it to the point that it can’t be exercised. You know, like the 15th amendment for one, or the opposite of the 2nd wherein an expansion is seen despite the plain English of the provision.
And I have to be honest: after decades of a tyranny of the minority, of our leaders not giving a shit about the majority of the nation’s people, the thorough corruption of the state, seeing huge turnouts at demoed let’s say doesn’t thrill like in times gone by. Not like it moves our leaders a whit. (Undue cynicism, sure, but there’s a silver lining. If one already doesn’t see us as having much by way of functional democratic institutions now, it won’t hurt as much when the GOP regains control and such democracy as we have is put down for a long time, maybe for good, like the powers that be want.)
You got to fight the power that be.
Sure. Resistance: there’s no alternative. But let’s say no assurance of success. Hard to beat the powers that be and the propaganda of the mainstream media. Sad as fuck, I know, sorry.
Happy Monday. Not.
I know. I feel awful about feeling awful. But the idea of demoes influencing the powers that be and their elected officials was triggering. Probably age and watching the system let's say break down since Reagan and no one doing much about it.
Sorry AF.
No need to be sorry — I’m perfectly capable of bumming myself out, as we geezers say!
Yeah this. "I give up" isn't an option for some of us.
Not saying give up, just that the means of effective resistance are damn few.
There are cracks in the system, let's say -- no system is perfect -- wherein some things can be done, people helped, etc. But the change we need, well, see above. Shitty odds from essentially snoozing as the state got corrupted the last couple of decades, back before the media learned that democracy dies in darkness (great sales pitch, observed more in the breach).
Sure. And to be clear, the only way forward is let's say informed, knowledgeable, responsible voting. Demoes, well, they can be fun, but I think their ineffectiveness the past fifty-odd years has been, uh, well, demonstrated.
I know the Dems have been all Lucy with the football for decades, but better frequent disappointment than the full-time disappointment (far worse) of the likely imminent Republican reich. So I totally get Dem voters' apathy.
But the vote is all the power we have, little as it may be.
Too, first vote the GOP out of power then we can purge the Dems.
(Periodic reminder that "Dem voters' apathy" = the Democratic candidate for President receiving the most votes four elections in a row and five out of the last six.)
Not the only race. Every year there’s elections, not just one every four.
I could well be wrong but I believe that there’s more not-voting from the Dem side than the Republican.
Smile's in the making [but] there's no guarantee.
I took bus rides to Washington in April 1989 for that big abortion rights demo and again in January 2017, but not this time — like you say, it doesn't seem to matter much. And I don't write my gerrymandered Congressman anymore for the same reason. My political activity nowadays consists of hopeful donations ($100!! That should change things!); but when that biggest-of-all-time, $800+ million Powerball lottery went down a few years back, I did fantasize about winning and buying a Senator.
"winning and buying a Senator."
You'd be better off buying an Audi.
And a place in New Zealand.
The only real power the average American ever exercises in their life is sitting on a jury and voting. And what the average American thinks of jury duty is beyond cliche. A third of eligible Americans can't be bothered to vote, so the only unanswered questions is how will they react when that is not their choice anymore. Our best hope is that apathetic people don't have the energy to be delusional.
Good to hear about the Afiya Center, “the only reproductive justice organization in North Texas founded and directed by Black women”
Here's a donation link:
https://www.theafiyacenter.org/donate
I wonder how many of the people currently pushing the
TSC/Rural King horse wormer school of Frontier Medicine will segue into shade tree abortion supplies when the time is right?
Good to see all the people out.
Eh. Hope they you-know-what first, or at least get the long Covid as they fully deserve for their efforts.
And full disclosure: Having spent over a month recently in the heartland, suffice to say I am not without sympathy or understanding for a certain kind of conservatism out there. But the refuseniks who refuse because sociopathic Republican leaders encourage them, those, please. Literal killers deserving of an appropriate punishments, not forgiveness, not in the least.
"I ain't usin' no medicamation what I ain't seen in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman."
Unless I get covid, in which case I will eat live babies for their stem cells."
"I'm not takin' that 'sperimental vaccine, just gimme them good, old-fashioned monoclonal antibodies like my grandpappy useta get."
It's all those babies get these days in school: STEM
Our little demonstration was much larger than other recent protests, with no anti-abortion counter protesters, and even a passionate pro abortion, pro universal health care speech from our female physician candidate for Senator, so I agree there’s more activism than usual under a Democratic administration. Also best sign: a kid with an orange and glitter “Pumpkin Spice and Women’s Rights.” This morning we got as much air time on the local news as the Packers, which might mean there’s a rift in spacetime.
Thanks for the person-on-the-street update, Roy.
The one here in KC drew several hundred people, which ain't bad for a nice fall Saturday morning with plenty of other recreational activities calling.
It was a little disconcerting being out in a crowd like that for the first time in almost two years. Still, the stakes seemed to justify the risk.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J87lQLb8D3m3bmrkuoyOfChD0UV2RGHy/view?usp=drivesdk
Can't remember (or find) which General said, "Clarity of purpose is worth a division", but for decades now, the ban-abortion folks have had all the clarity of purpose, while those of us for abortion rights have been hamstrung by Democratic politicians who won't even utter the word "abortion", because "it doesn't focus-group well with our target demographics."
I'm taking Roy's report as a sign things are changing now, but Goddammit, why do things always have to wait til it's too late before they change?
Recent events have instilled (I should say force-fed) a clarity of purpose in a growing number of liberals. Wasn't it Oscar Wilde who said the prospect of being hanged in the morning focuses the mind wonderfully? Truly we are all Driftglass now.
Samuel Johnson, per his biographer Boswell. “Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”
These Dem-pols are cut from the same cloth as the ilk that refused to say "Civil Rights" or "Marriage Equality" and are right now refusing to say "Single Payer Healthcare".
Is there a school they all go to where they're taught this stuff?
"Here's a ten-page list of things you can't say"
"OK, I'm fine with that, where's the list of things I CAN say?"
"There isn't one. Just say the word 'values' a lot, you'll be fine, and if you want to throw in a 'Children are our future' once in a while, go for it."
I do believe children are our future