(#4897) Where to start with my rant!

      Still fuming over the Roe dismantling by the 6 injustices on the not supreme court, yet there is so much more to be angry about! The century old New York gun law dismissal got me primed then the Roe decision, then the testimony about trump, then this morning the EPA  enforcement rollback by, you guessed it, the 6 injustices on the not supreme court. At least Ukraine is still fighting hard and making progress against the maniac coward putin. Yet here in the states the shock and dismay that is being felt with the gut punches we have been receiving is excruciating. We have to do something about the fucked up court!
     Joe Biden has not been supportive of expanding the not supreme court but I say that with 13 circuit courts of appeal there needs to be a justice to oversee each. Having a real supreme court justice oversee each circuit is a great way to chose to make the court balanced. On another topic, Biden wants a filibuster carve out for Roe codification, like he wanted a carve out for voting rights protections. The manchin/sinema block however is still here and getting past them for abortion protections may be just as difficult given that manchin and sinema are fucking idiots who are protecting republicans as they destroy our nation. Go figure!
     Anyway, now that the 6 injustices on the not supreme court have stripped the EPA of it's enforcement power to regulate greenhouse gases, I am just simmering with discontent and resentment as is my correct response to those who put greed and dishonesty above logic and common sense. There is no nuance to be had from their ruling no matter how they try to massage the narrative. We are losing our way as a democracy because we are letting 6 unelected extremists dictate our fate. Yet, we keep on trucking like we have no problems except when the problem does appear and does its best to harm us in ways that could have been avoided if we had just stood up and stopped the deadly nonsense we are living in right now!

(#4896) A very long simmering hot summer ahead

      It is now almost July and for that I am glad because it means June is almost behind us. Both May and June here in Sacramento have nearly always been hot. Now we come to July/August which is hotter than the two previous months. So as the beginning of the stay out of the sun days approach, of course I am older and not young and ready for summer, I will have not only an environmental factor of heat to deal with but a political one as well. The 6 injustices on the not supreme court have made women lesser beings than men. Which pisses me off because that is wrong on two important levels. First individually women are as viable as men so there should be no lesser status piled upon them. Secondly, our democracy demands equality and the ending of Roe is the antithesis of equality.
     What to do? There are ways to alleviate the effects of this unjust ruling but will we be able to gather them all up and institute them? Will our national democratic leaders force the solutions such as they may be into reality? I am not seeing an urgency with our national democratic leaders. They seem to think that the midterm elections will provide the solutions but in the meantime too many women will see their options to control their own body disappear. I am of the opinion that doing little for now is not the best strategy. Because I am a realist and as such define my life by not being subject to wrongs when I can fight them. I don't necessarily take political calculations into my thinking when compromise is just less wrong.
     So as the summer plays out and the unjust 6 on the not supreme court get to dictate the demolishing of our democracy I will be seething with little recourse outside of trying to stay cool. It is my expectation that continued pressure on our national democratic leaders will get them to commit to more aggressive measures that disregard the "feelings" of the guilty republicans who caused all of this frustration and diminution of women's rights. There has to come a time when we the democratic party just put on our boots and kick every republican out of office without any concern for their "feelings". They don't care a whit about our feelings so let us give them the same measure of disrespect that they have buckets loads for us.

(#4895) The truth will out!

      Try as they might, stupidly of course, republicans are trying to keep their agenda to themselves. Foolish ignoramuses! They cannot keep their mouths shut because they are arrogant and incapable of containing that arrogance. All over the country they are talking about how they will proceed forward with their agenda of killing democracy while trying to divert and downplay their words. The one that really sticks in my craw is that representative republican woman at the trump rally who when told of the ending of Roe said out loud on the stage that "the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a victory for white life." Even unjustice thomas wants to end more rights established under the privacy doctrine.
     A republican senator from Texas, no, not the walking turd one cruz, the other one cornyn, wants to end segregation. He said it out loud as well in a tweet. The republican party is full of itself at the moment and it is lucky for those who don't already know what a bunch of bastards/bitches they are. It is as if they don't realize that most Americans are against their agenda but they wouldn't care anyway because they are unable to fathom anyone voting against them. Their arrogance is so far gone into the ether that they are just giddy talking about how they will make life miserable for the working middle poor class. I am just smiling my ass off over their strategy of stabbing themselves in the back with fatal force.
     But the proof of the republicans caustic behavior won't really be found out until the votes are counted in November. I have no doubt now that we democrats are going to vote in record numbers because the republicans have given us such a kick in the guts. We don't like being kicked in the guts so we will kick them in the guts back, right out of public office for their attempt to destroy our society with their fascist outlook on life. This afternoon, eastern time we will get a more detailed look from the January 6th committee on the insurrection of republicans and it wouldn't surprise me if republicans actually took pride and crowed about their efforts to destroy our democracy!

(#4894) Give Ukraine what it needs to end this invasion now!

      Quit pussy footing around hurting putin's feelings. He is a murdering psychopath that needs his conclusion. So let us give Ukraine everything short of nuclear weapons to defend their sovereignty and chase the Russian horde back across the international borders circa 2013. We in the west are far too timid in our approach to defending democracy. We should be like crazed animals who fight to the death at any attempt to erase democracy from our planet. We cannot sit back and let the interlopers who murder and rape the world have any ground to claim for victory.
     The Ukrainian people are dying every day we choose not to help them with what they need. There is a long list of asks by President Zelenskyy that would absolutely help them end this murderous putin invasion and then make putin a very real sitting duck among his own Russian hierarchy to dispense with. The world needs this invasion to end now and the Ukrainian people deserve that result. We in the west need to get off our collective asses and get to work making sure Ukraine ends this abominable invasion now! I don't know how to say this any clearer. End this shit now!
     The longer it takes to force the Russian horde back into it's space the longer it will be for the world to heal from this cancer caused by putin. We owe nothing to putin and in fact he owes us for his mass murdering war crimes. He gets no dispensation or a pass for what he has already done. What he will get is his punishment for the multitude of crimes he has committed. So again, give Ukraine everything under the sun except nuclear weapons to help them defend and defeat the putin led murderous invasion. I did say murderous invasion correct? So what will it take for the rule of law to get off its ass and make the criminal pay? What will it take? More unnecessary murdered Ukrainians? Give Ukraine what it needs now!

(#4893) We the white race males in the States are an arrogant and insolent lot!

      I am just numb more than anything this morning. Just a couple of things that are pissing me off. First and foremost the disbanding of Roe has me boiling hot. In the year I turned 18, 1973, which is as significant a year for any emerging adult, Roe was established and after all those years before hearing of the horror stories women had to endure, to get an abortion, was a cause for real celebration. Then in 1974, yes, a year later after Roe, through the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, women were allowed to get a credit card in their own name. So when I was in my 18th year of life women were finally allowed more autonomy over their own bodies. In my 19th year of life women were allowed to get their own credit card and define their own economic future.
     It seems to me that we men have a shameful history here that cannot be glossed over. We white men kept women as chattel instead of equal human beings in life. The pattern was similar to black folks whom we enslaved for centuries until they were finally given some autonomy over their lives. Although the Freedom attained from the Civil War and the 15th Amendment gave black folks their right to vote it left states to determine how that right would be allowed. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, my tenth year of life, that the states were prohibited from blocking blacks from voting.
     I bring these, yes, that really happened facts up just to show that the dismantling of Roe is just another example of how we white men and our accomplices are still trying to keep women as chattel and still trying through gerrymandering and horrendous voting obstacles that skirt the now watered down Voting Rights Act of 1965, to keep blacks from voting. We white men and too many white women are responsible for the ongoing attack on women as equal members of our society and blacks, with other folks of color, being discriminated by us to deny democratic principles. We the white race males i9n the States are a scourge and if anything is wrong with our society it is obvious and clearly created by us!

(#4892) extra something for alito and thomas

      I cannot explain to anyone just how infuriated I am except to say that those who are as infuriated know exactly how I feel. I would usually hesitate to give my feelings on a matter or persons who are so wrong that there is no other response bur to curse at the sky. Now I know that I am sugar coating this whole post in order to stay within the boundaries of acceptable speech. Yet I am no shy person when it comes to righting a wrong and giving my reasons for it with vociferous force. But I have mostly learned that polite society, even when it is being ravaged by wolves, must maintain a sense of decorum regardless of the scenario.
     Like with putin and his murderous invasion of Ukraine. We mustn't call it what it is otherwise sensibilities become bruised. Well I can only guffaw at the sensibilities of some when the ravaging is not at their doorstep. Be that as it may be I am still curbing my verbiage to more general and less specific demonstrations of examples and actions. I am muzzling myself in the name of maintaining a less bombastic and unruly behavior. Be that as it may be as well I will say this about alito and thomas. Given my druthers I would make extra sure that they both understood my point of view with absolute clarity. To the point of them being acutely aware of my argument.
     Along with putin, trump, now thomas and alito, the time for being pleasant is over. My graciousness extends to those who are helpful to the people of the world, not harmful. Whether dictator, want to be dictator, or self considered wise men, I would not give them any deference beyond I would give a recently convicted psychotic murderer. They have no respect from me and as such can expect a deliberately harsh and motivated response if they ever did ask for anything from me. These four soulless living cadavers need to be removed from positions of power and then treated in the manner they richly deserve.

(#4891) The Senate passed an incremental gun bill last night

      Yesterday was different in one way, the Senate passed this modest gun reform bill with all 50 democrats and 15 republican votes yes votes, which means that 35 republican senators voted no or didn't vote. Now it isn't anything to trumpet to the world about but it is a small step in the correct direction. Small by all means, but it some particular instances it will save some lives. That is the key, saving lives. I and so many others like me had hoped for a more expansive gun bill that had far more restrictions to ownership but again republicans are not going against their donors on this.
     Today, actually right now, a set of procedural votes in the House is taking place to get to a final vote later today to pass the Senate bill in the House and get it to Joe Biden's desk for his signature. From what it looks like right now in the early voting on procedures the House republicans are voting no on the bill which is what their leadership, such as it may be called, had asked them to do. It is insane to me, much like the conservative not supreme court ruling on New York and it's gun law from yesterday, that anyone would be against this very watered down bill to help stop mass shootings in our public at large.
     There has to be a reckoning on the political spectrum for those who keep obstructing common sense and logically reasoned solutions to our problems here in US of A. Now I see that the conservative not supreme court has overturned Roe v. Wade. This conservative court and the republicans in Congress must be held to account for their willful destruction of life and liberty through a strategy of undermining democracy. As we saw yesterday in the House Committee on the attack on our Capitol, the republican party is moving full bore to destroy our democracy while using what is left of it to consolidate power. I am just so determined now to do everything in my power to end the rule of republicans as best I can and hopefully the rest of we patriots to democracy will do as well.

(#4890) Today Ukraine plus Moldova, and Georgia to a lesser extent, were accepted as nominees to the EU

      The screw has turned on putin. Today not only Ukraine but Moldova and Georgia have been accepted as nominees to join the European Union. What this means is huge and although nothing much will change on the ground the symbolism is devastating to Russia and it's few allies. The growth of the EU and NATO is progressing while the forces against them are dwindling. The putin led murderous invasion of Ukraine has kicked this all off and the sheer force of will by the Ukrainian people not to be overcome by Russian forces has given new lifeblood to those who do not want putin to power grab their homelands.
     With Sweden and Finland up in the queue to be admitted into NATO, the impossible has become regular order. Russia made a fatal mistake on February 24th invading Ukraine and the history books will show that the end of the putin led Russian empire building gambit began on that day. No one in their right mind could have foreseen the magnificent defense of Ukraine and the abominably managed attack by Russia. Both have contributed to a changing world order that now projects toward democratic rule over authoritarian rule. When this all started it looked like putin had the upper hand and now it looks like putin will get a knuckle sandwich, if not worse, for all his efforts.
     The killing fields in Ukraine are filling with Russian blood and for how much longer the Russian elite are willing to let their young die for putin is still an open question. A brain drain of intelligence leaving Russia for a better life and the death of so many young Russian citizens will harm Russia no matter how long this inept and murderous invasion of Ukraine continues. There will be no ceding of Ukrainian soil to putin so his only option is to completely withdraw from all of Ukraine and sue for peace. If not then his dead man walking persona will be his result and the Russian elite will be left holding the bag of one hell of a mess to clean up.

(#4889) Russia must be knee capped at their oil refineries

      The only way to end this murderous invasion by putin is to hit him hard where his wallet is, his oil refineries. This has been the lifeblood to continue to murder in Ukraine and threaten neighboring nations. Without his blood money oil refineries he has no income to replace it. He will have to beg for peace because he cannot sustain his armies nor keep the Russian economy moving along. All will come to a standstill if putin is deprived of his ill gotten gains from oil refineries. Now I know it will cause hardships around the world but it will end the immediate suffering in Ukraine and then remake the world order in that region of the world.
     With putin and his acolytes no longer in control of Russia guys like Alexei Navalny have a chance to sweep into power and begin the arduous cleanup of the putin mess. Like all tyrants, when they are deposed the mess they leave behind is abominable. So the sooner the oil refineries are put out of commission the sooner they can be retooled to accommodate the wishes of the new leader who is not putin! So I hope the States and Europe come to the same conclusion very soon and begin the process of arming Ukraine with what is needed to end this wretched invasion and restore order to Europe, and ultimately to Russia.
     Like all things decisions have to be made that exemplify our courage and not our cowardice. We have to be strong every time when life and death is on the line. Even if it means taking chances with the unthinkable. There is no other alternative other than to stand up to bullies lest we end up ruled and debased by them. So let us give Ukraine what they need to do as what their duty requires of them and then back them 100% of the way through it. A new world order is coming so now is the time to lay the foundation for it not tomorrow or the next day when our choices for fighting become even more difficult and treacherous to decide.

(#4888) If Ukraine had the needed firepower this Russian invasion would be obliterated!

      There is no doubt that the Ukrainian people are a fierce and determined culture. There is no comparison between them and the Russian horde. The Russians are not fully determined to fighting at all costs to defeat the Ukrainians whereas the Ukrainians are more than determined to kill every invading Russian on their soil. the difference is stark and exemplified. The only thing holding back a complete annihilation of the invading Russian army is the lack of the military equipment Ukraine needs to get the job done. We in the west who have promised to help Ukraine are being subdued by the right wing fanatics in our individual political arenas.
     In Europe there are those who still have allegiances to putin and make fighting against his murderous invasion difficult. Same here in the States. We have practically the whole of the political republican party betraying their oath to defend democracy even here at home, let alone in Ukraine. Despite that though there are enough of us to force the reluctant and obstructing putin supplicants to bow to our demands to protect and defend Ukraine. The pressure we apply here at home on our politicians can have a positive effect even when it seems impossible. Fortunately there is an election in little over 4 months so the republicans are nervous about their individual futures and publicly observed connections to putin.
     I have been so impressed with the Ukrainian fighting spirit and am jealous that I am not over there fighting with them. If I have learned one thing in life over the span of all the days I have lived it is this; fighting to maintain democracy like with our ancestors in the two previous world wars is an honor and worthy of participating in whenever democracy is threatened. Ridding the world of the power of the Russian horde is a bonus alongside the prominence of Ukraine rising to a level of distinction that deserves the world's applause and gratefulness. Long live Ukraine and hopefully they will get the armaments the need to stop the putin murderous onslaught as quickly as possible!

(#4887) The American electorate had better wake up!

      We see in Texas that the republicans at a convention want to do away with democracy! Do you know why? It is because other Americans who are not them have the same rights as them, period! Sure there is the built in racism and misogyny but mostly it is about others having the same rights as them. They are predominately a white nationalist party along the lines of nazis. They want a race war that if they win will usher back in slavery and an end to women's rights. It is insane what they are trying to foment in Texas and spread across the country. They are the dictionary definition of an unruly and ignorant crowd heightened to a feverish pace.
     They are being fed the delirium of their base instincts by none other than trump and his acolytes who are blathering a call to arms. The insurrection that occurred in January 2021, is but the beginning and the blueprint for what we are likely to see in 2024 if the republicans succeed in important races in 2022. Which is why the American electorate needs to wake up and make a choice, democracy or autocracy. That is the choice and before you decide make sure you know what autocracy is. A one man rule with absolute power. So just imagine trump back in power with no checks or balances on him. He will rape and pillage our society in every paradigm because no one can stop him!
     So as you go about your life in the best form of government, democracy, ever devised, try to stop for a moment and think about what it would be like without that best form of government. Think about trump doing whatever he wants, Selling our nation off to anyone who would give him treasure. Selling off your and my things because we can't stop him. Making us do what he wants when he wants it without a judicial system to stop him. Instead the judicial system would help him. A tyrant like trump would destroy all of the middle class and leave only the wealthy who lick his boots or the poor who have to beg for his by your leave.

(#4886) As to this coming election

      With the latest polling showing that republicans are not on a red wave we democrats can breathe just a bit easier knowing that the republicans are not hoodwinking independents. The republican base will most likely stick with republican candidates although I do believe that more republicans will defect to democrats than democrats will defect to republicans which does bode well for us. The crucial voting block however are the undecided, the independents. Who seem to also be breaking for democrats more so than republicans. This is the key to the midterm success of either party.
     Bringing independents over to the democratic side is being helped tremendously by the exposure of the insurrectionist republican party. Who wants to be an American who protects democracy and vote for republicans? I would say very few. So with independents siding with democrats in majority ways the election will then hinge upon voter turnout. With a large democratic turnout the House and the Senate will remain with democrats with margins greater than those currently numbered. Especially the senate where getting 53 seats in the majority is not difficult at all to attain. The House will be trickier but also either an increase or maintaining the current advantage.
     But this scenario will not come into being if we don't get our voters to the voting booths or by mail. The voting by mail makes voting so much more convenient for the working middle poor class as it doesn't require taking time off of work to get a vote cast. For those states that are controlled by republicans and therefore voting has been made more difficult, devising a plan to vote is never too soon a strategy. If voting in person, know where you have to go as to your precinct. Vote as early as possible to avoid same day voting on election day and the lines that will be long. This election is so damn crucial so make sure that if you are a democrat or democrat leaning independent that you vote for every democrat on the ballot. State and national public offices are equally crucial to keep the trumps of the world from attempting to steal this election and the one in 2024.

(#4885) Defeating putin in Ukraine and republicans in the States!

      This year will be a memorable one either for democracy or against it. We shall see but I like democracy's chances. The Russians bit off more than they can chew and will soon be choking on their poor decision. The republicans want to protect insurrectionists while trying to win the midterm elections. Good luck with that strategy republicans, most Americans here in the states are not in line with your strategy. So no later than just after the election in November we will know the outcome of both current events. The Russians are not in position to last much longer as their troop and armaments are dwindling each and every day.
     The Russians have committed to winning over Ukraine by force but what they cannot do is win over the Ukrainians by force or talk. The Ukrainian people are a mighty force that will not succumb to the pressures and threats of putin and his acolytes. Instead the Russians will be met with a ferocity that they themselves cannot muster. In fact their troops are demoralized and unwell given how little putin cares for his cannon fodder. I still expect the end of putin imminently if he cannot pull out even a symbolic victory in the east and south of Ukraine. What is more likely to happen now is that the Ukrainians will be pushing the Russians out of the occupied Ukrainian territories thus further weakening putin's hold on power in Russia.
     Here in the US of A, the republicans are trying a similar tactic, Trying to usurp power by undermining democracy. They have their followers who are much like a cult and that won't change but what they don't have and dearly need are the ones who are independent. However with their strategy of blowing up democracy the independents are breaking much more toward democrats who are fighting to preserve democracy. The economy, which the republicans do not want to get better because it helps them attack democrats for being ineffective, is their number one weapon against democrats. Well as each day goes on our nation is seeing just how much the republicans are working to keep the economy a mess and will soon shift the blame for the economy to where it rightfully belongs. On the heads of every republican candidate!

(#4884) January 6 committee is doing great work

      I know what hype is. I lived through the disappointment of it when it comes to legal proceedings that were supposed to rectify an injustice. I am referring to the Mueller report. So many of us expected that Robert Mueller was going to show us and prove that trump manipulated the 2016 election with help from Russia. But as time wore on we all finally became aware that with trump in office the Mueller report wasn't going anywhere or do what we thought it was going to do. It hardly did anything, thanks to bill barr, and nothing that stopped trump from his sketchy victory over Hillary Clinton.
     Now we have the January 6 committee and although we democrats are in positions of power I expected little to come of it because of the history of teflon don. He never seems to have to answer for any of his many and obvious crimes. So with little fanfare from me I sort of dismissed the idea that trump would be found out by the committee let alone possibly be charged with insurrection. Well it seems that my low expectations were unfounded. There is a real chance that trump may have to pay a severe cost for his attempted coup and the rats that fled the ship when it was sinking at the end of his appointed term have found a voice and that voice is exclusively anti trump.
     We all have been informed that there will be no criminal charges coming from the committee although legal recommendations to the Attorney General's office may be forthcoming. What the committee is doing however is weaving together in a magnificent fashion the evidence they have obtained under oath. It is this timeline of events that is proven to be factual which is the basis for the committees narrative. A narrative of disregard for the rule of law and the lives he manipulated to do the dirty deed of insurrecting on January 6th. Included is the grift of a quarter billion dollars from his donors that didn't go to the purpose he raised the money for. Typical for trump and family since grifting has always been a family staple. Half of the committee presentations are yet to come with likely more revelations of just how corrupt and greedy the trump administration was and still is. Stay tuned!

(#4883) The republican party is hellbent to end our democracy!

      Let me be perfectly clear about the intent of the republican party. They do not want a melting pot equality at all. Not only here in the United States but in the world in general. Since the republican party has embraced aspects of the nazi regime of last century it wouldn't be surprising to me if they also embraced a genocide solution to non white growth. Maybe not ever voicing their support for it but at minimum being silent about its institutionalization. As we see with republican campaign promises to roll back protections for social security, medicare and medicaid, along with their assault on women's rights, the idea that democracy is safe in the hands of republicans is absurd!
     With increasing frequency we are seeing candidates for state positions on the republican side announce that they will not certify election results unless those election results are in their favor. Nothing is further from democracy than not allowing democracy to process unless it is anti democracy. Which in this case is blatantly apparent. Will the American electorate here in the States willingly go along with the end of our republic through republican arrogance? We have less than 5 months to find out and if we do see the erosion of our democracy when the votes are counted in this coming election then we will know that our time as a democracy will have ended on November 8th, 2022.
     For those Americans who still refuse to see what everyone else can see, especially in the world, then you will be the cause of the end of the great American democracy experience. 246 consecutive years since our declaration of Independence was published will come to an end. No longer will there be a one person one vote. No longer will the will of the majority decide our futures through the ballot box. I know we are currently hampered with the senate and the filibuster, but there are enough new candidates for senate on the democratic side if elected in 2022, that the filibuster will be overcome and put in the trash bin of history. So much is at stake in November and it isn't wise of us to think that logic will win the day. We must work our asses off to make sure democracy survives the republican  propaganda onslaught!

(#4882) Always darkest before the dawn

      The invasion of Ukraine has slowed due to concentrated fighting in the eastern and southern part of Ukraine. The Russian horde through putin has focused on taking the Donbas and holding Crimea. They have a strategy of bombing just about everything in those sectors to oblivion. While Ukraine, who is short on missiles to defend from the bombings must weather the bombing for now until the Cavalry arrives in the form of west supplied defensive artillery. Over the last few days the Russians have made incremental advances and held defenses in what appears to be a winning strategy as reported by most major news reporting agencies in their inability to see the bigger picture.
     Well the bigger picture is about to show itself and with the newly acquired and in place missile systems, the Ukrainian army et al... are about to show the world that putin is a loser and his invasion is a failure. The Ukrainians are about to launch their offensive attack to push back the arrogant Russian army and destroy their hopes of taking a big chunk of Ukraine. The Russians will get no part of Ukraine! The only thing they will get is a soundly beaten ass in the form of death and injury to their ranks. The Ukrainian army will have little mercy for the going to be retreating Russians and that is how this response to putin and his horde should be.
     The Russians staged an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation and for their due they will get a slaughtered army and a scared Russian populace. The Ukrainian army is not to be toyed with so every Russian in their sights will feel their last breath escape their lungs before they feel no more. If you come onto my property with bad intent I promise you that you will not be allowed to leave my property without a souvenir in the form of pain. Such is the example that will be laid upon the heads of the invading Russian horde. This is real life and real life is hard and demanding when bad intent is manifested into action. A response equal to or greater is required and the Ukrainian army understand this very well!

(#4881) According to republicans, your hourly wage is worth about a gallon of gas

      So after working hard for an hour at the minimum wage price, you too can buy a gallon of gas. So the value of labor, as republicans see it, is nothing more than a pittance when viewed in the light of the cost of a gallon of gas. $7.25 is the federal minimum wage. We democrats have been trying hard to get the federal minimum wage up to at least $15 an hour but republicans keep filibustering any bill we try to pass in the senate to right this obvious wrong. How is a vast majority of our population who are paid the minimum wage supposed to keep themselves alive or their families? How I ask?
     This is insane that we cannot get rid of republicans out of our politics so that we can right the wrongs that republicans perpetuate in our society. I just don't get it. Are we as US Americans so ridiculously ignorant to our own plight that we are unable to distinguish who is trying to help us and who is trying to harm us? It is evident that we are because there is no other way to explain why we keep republicans in power. As the January 6th committee is showing us about the last republican administration being so devoid of principle and honor does that not sink in about the republican party that worked overtime to keep them in power? Is their no shame in the republican voter? Are they all psychos?
     It is difficult for me to understand the apologists for republicans and their narrative of being good for our society. They are the opposite! From insurrection to racism to misogyny, the republican glide path has been consistently chaotic. They have no pride in the melting pot concept even though all of them are products of the melting pot of cultures here in the states. The hatred they have for people who are not them is boiling over into their speech. Now even they are looking for hitler like qualities in their candidates in the upcoming election. I am disgusted with the republican party and how every one else is not disgusted as well is what has me flabbergasted!

(#4880) Many years ago I quit being associated with republicans

      It seems like forever now since I have allowed myself even the inkling of thought about those I have vanquished from my life. I actually didn't vanquish them they chose to make it happen. By keeping their association with the republican party, the most despicable political party since the secessionist days of the Civil War. I will not tolerate otherwise normal and caring people who are now hypnotized by the lies and depravity of republican politics. I have only one way of dealing with them, since they refuse to discuss through logic and common sense, and that is to banish them from any part of my life.
     My principled stand is not easy either since it splits my siblings and I pretty much evenly. I am not the only member of a family that has had to face this dilemma. But I refuse to associate with anyone who will not be objective about politics. One family member, a married in cousin who often speaks for my cousin said that her family has always voted for republicans and she isn't going to change from that. So her excuse is because her family in the past always voted a certain way that she should do the same. Not taking into account where the party stands and it's current state of affairs is besides the point with her, she just will not vote differently despite her life choices and the positive differences democrats have made in her life. So butting heads with a cognitive dissociative is not my thing so it was later dudes!
     My life was no different for the most part than anyone else's life when it came to gatherings of family for holidays and vacations. Yet several decades ago I found that I could not handle the ineptitude of too many of my family members and the better course for me was to eliminate them from my life. It has worked well for me and although I don't know if they miss me or not but I know one thing for sure, they don't have me around them anymore. Those who do have me around are the ones who appreciate the hard and tireless work of democrats to improve lives any way we can. The filthy republican party keeps making things harder and harder but we democrats still keep on fighting for positive change.

(#4879) Already Russia is being pushed back

      Despite the pro Russian news coming into America, Russia is not advancing in Ukraine. They are stuck or retreating. Sources on the ground in Ukraine are telling a different story than those reporters who are not at the battle scenes. It irks me to hear even our more progressive news stations reporting a more putin line on the what is happening. These reporters are not in the battles and are getting their information from sources that seem to have a pro Russian tilt. I am not accusing them of deliberately misreporting the news but the slant on it is not panoramic.
     We are not hearing that Russian forces have basically abandoned Mariupol because of the cholera outbreak, caused by the many deaths Russia created and then buried in shallow graves. Causing the groundwater to become infected and infecting Russian soldiers. We are  not hearing about the land bridge in Crimea being destroyed enough to cause the Russians to retreat back into the Russian staging city of Rostov. We are not hearing about the 100's of thousands of missiles that are just now being deployed by Ukraine in the east to overcome the constant Russian indiscriminate shelling. We are not hearing about how Russia is on the defensive in the east now.
     The lack of intelligence by the news networks is appalling and leads me to believe they would rather sit in their safe zones and just report what they are told to report. So be it because the reality of this murderous invasion by putin will eventually expose just how bad it is going for Russia. No amount of sugar coating this attempted genocide of Ukrainians will make it easier to swallow that putin is a monster that needs his end to come sooner than later. I am also sick of hearing about how some in the west want to protect putin despite his diseased mind and crazed behavior. The US national coverage of the Ukraine invasion by Russia is not what is truly happening there.

(#4878) putin in his death throes

      The end of putin is imminent. He is acting crazily now by threatening Ukraine with Belarus, Threatening Poland to partition, and sending 1000 tanks to the Finnish border and initiating conflict. It is bad enough that he is getting his ass whipped in Ukraine right now but he would extend his dismal forces even further to a head scratching degree. The only conclusion to draw is that putin is losing it and is in a desperate mode to try to scare his enemies. Well fear can only come from someone who is feared and now putin is not that. He has shown he is a weak coward who would spend the lives of others for his own gain.
     As Ukraine gets stronger in the eastern half of Ukraine the Russian horde gets weaker and is now even more weak with the illogical threats to other nations. Belarus is not being wise either by allowing putin to dictate their moves. If the two numbskulls in moscow and minsk think they can outthink Zelenskyy and Biden they are sadly mistaken and about to find out that underestimating a more talented and motivated force is not without pain and suffering. The era of putin is in the past and anything he does now that relies on his past reputation is a failure to begin with. The putins and lukashenko's of the world are null and void when it comes to being feared. They have shown that their bluster is greater than their bite.
     I expect the Ukrainian forces to start their assault on the eastern sector of Ukraine and make the Russians move back to the real international borders. Donbas and Crimea will once again become solely Ukrainian and the Russian horde will be lucky to keep their original borders. This invasion by putin has royally backfired and instead of annexing Ukraine Russia will be lucky to keep it's own territory intact. Too many hatreds over the years instigated by putin and his previous predecessors will come home to roost and the Russia of today will be but a shadow of it's strength yesterday. This will end soon and the Ukrainian people will be heralded as the bravest nation to save itself from a murdering madman.

(#4877) The shift in Ukraine winning it all began the last few days

      The battle for Kherson will decide this invasions outcome. The fighting has been fierce and relentless yet the Ukrainians are not to be defeated. The Russians on the other hand are being killed and wounded at an astounding rate. If the Russians cannot take Kherson they will be bum rushed out of Ukraine swiftly. Russia has put all its forces on taking Kherson so as to complete the takeover of the eastern region of Ukraine, yet without Kherson they cannot hold what they already have taken. They will be shoved back to their international border and beyond.
     So as the fighting continues over the next few days the outcome of this murderous invasion of Ukraine by Russia and specifically by putin will be decided for all intents and purposes. The west has been hesitant in describing this invasion for reasons that escape me but those who are on the ground are more specific in their assessment of what is happening. The Russian army is being slaughtered and putin is not doing anything to retreat so the Russian blood that soaks Ukrainian soil is going to continue. The ego of putin will not allow him to admit defeat because for one it will end badly for him with the kremlin and secondly he is a psychopath who would rather kill all of his citizens than admit he failed.
     By the beginning of next week we will know that Ukraine has successfully defended the takeover of the eastern section of it's sovereignty. The new weapon systems coming to Ukraine from the west are being deployed now and it is just a mater of time before the Russian horde is on it's bloody trail home with their tails between their legs. When Russia is shown that they cannot take the east of Ukraine the real battle for putin begins. Instead of a victory he could herald to his kremlin buddies he will be hiding from his kremlin buddies as they realize that putin is no savior nor a strongman.

(#4876) Russia's last ditch push into Ukraine is about to fail

      The news out of Ukraine is that Russia is making small gains and holding ground currently, but that is about to change. The Ukrainians are about to deploy their long range missile systems with the express intent of knocking out the Russian long range missile systems. So far it has been advantage Russia with not much to show for their advantage but now that the Ukrainians are about to equalize the battle the Russians will soon be the ones at a disadvantage. They have spent a lot of missiles to this point and their supplies are hardly abundant. Meanwhile the Ukrainians have been weathering the onslaught of Russian missiles and are about to break out of their bunkering positions.
     Once that occurs the Russian army will fall back and retreat like the dogs they are since they are not well cared for by the greedy putin who starves his military to pad his own bank accounts. The demoralized Russian army will retreat and the Ukrainian army will advance and push the Russian invading horde back across into Russia. So as we put up with the chest pounding of putin for the moment but the end of that nonsense is about to happen. I would not want to be on the running away from Ukrainian soldiers end of this since the Ukrainian soldiers are not happy about the invading Russian assholes. There will be hell to pay and putin and his lemmings will pay it!
     Some think putin will be gone in the next few months but I still hold to the opinion he will be gone in less than weeks. Once the retreat is in full flight putin will not be able to propagandize the reality of it and the cowards in the kremlin will no doubt force themselves to make a move. The end of the invasion of Ukraine by the putin assholes is in sight and with help from the west the Ukrainian army and their volunteers will make quick work of the lied to Russian cannon fodder. Much blood is still left to spill but that blood will be dominated by what a friend calls dead and injured Russian zorcs.

(#4875) The republican party will do worse than anything Biden is being blamed for

      I find that the national pundits, following suspect polling think that the democrats will lose big in the midterms. It almost makes me laugh since it is the republicans who always lead our nation into a mess and then when they are voted out they block any kind of help that would clean up the mess. Then they blame the democrats for the mess they won't help clean up. It isn't that confusing after you have seen it for many election cycles. Yet the media acts like they know nothing about it. I am so disappointed in the media for being stooges to the horrendous and dangerous republican party.
     The republicans point at the democrats and say; see, the democrats are worthless! yet the 60 vote filibuster in the Senate keeps democrats from achieving any solutions that will last long term. So instead of listening to republicans complain about the ineffectiveness of democrats, the media should be focusing hard on what solutions the republicans have for cleaning up what is essentially their mess. That is the real story, how can republicans explain that they are an alternative to democrats when they are the ones keeping us in messes? Make them explain their answers logically and without bullshit evasion! But no, the media keeps on the narrative of why haven't the democrats solved the problems without asking why republicans are creating the problems.
     So voting for republicans in the midterms is a solution to what? What will republicans do to solve our problems? I haven't heard any solutions to any problems from any republican. So why would I vote for them when an easier solution is available? Like electing a few more democratic senators in order to abolish the filibuster. While also electing a stronger majority to the House. Then the problems all become solvable. Easy enough to do and also we keep the republicans out of the majority so that they cannot keep making messes. Win/Win. The republican party is not an alternative to the democrats, they are an adversary to democracy when democracy is considered "all" the people.

(#4874) Waiting for the cowards in the Kremlin to do their duty

      The big bad scary Kremlin has been exposed. They are a bunch of house mice when it comes to helping the people of Russia. They sit back in their scared postures and let a madman rampage through Russia and the neighboring countries without a peep. All the while the death toll to the ordinary Russia citizen keeps climbing to horrendous heights. Sure, they are soldiers but they are the youth of Russia and with them go all the future advances Russia could have expected from them and all for what? For putin to exercise his ego and smack his lips in the mirror?
     What a freak show we in the world are witnessing. The exposed Russian society is now seen as culpable and ignorant. I am not embellishing here. It is insane that the Russian people are so clueless to the murderous intent of their not strongman tyrannical leader. With all the capabilities technology has afforded everyone in the world, Russia it seems has no idea how to access the facts and truths of things. They remind me of our republican voters over here in the states. Clueless and stubborn about their right to being ignorant. Well I have no mercy in my soul for those who willingly choose to remain adamantly dumb to reality. They will get what they deserve but in the meantime they will keep throwing away lives and treasure to an impossible ill fated conquest of the good and decent people of Ukraine.
     I keep waiting for what is left of courage in the Kremlin to activate the means to unseat the current piss poor tyrant and then begin the process of reversing the damage he has caused to Ukraine and then to their own people. Letting Navalny out of prison and allowing him to unite the Russian people through democratic means would be a huge step in the correct direction and ease the angst of all the nations surrounding Russia. Yet it will take some balls in the Kremlin if there is any male left with any. Maybe a Russian woman high ranking officer would be better suited to doing what used to be considered man's work. However it becomes reality, the sooner the better for all the world.

(#4873) putin is a war criminal who has murdered more people than I can count here.

      I don't care about the nuance of politics when it comes to murderers. They shall not have any dispensation at all when it comes to murder. When we as a human race begin to treat all murderers with the same fate of justice is when our planet will finally become a civilized one. It doesn't matter what station in life a person holds, if they murder then they must pay. So the calls by the afraid ones who still want putin to keep power are clanging noises in my ears. The fear these other world leaders are exhibiting in the name of protecting a mass murderer like putin is shameful and full on cowardice.
     Our species is better than this and those who are afraid of meting out the proper punishment for murder need to move out of public offices and let those of us who are not afraid of the murderers do our best to make them pay every time! Cowards have no place in leadership and neither should anyone support them for being cowards. Our species has a moment in time to right the inherent wrongs that have built up over centuries of evolution toward democracy. The old forms of rule that were oppressive and brutal need to be weeded out and exposed for all to see. Much like what is happening with the Russian horde invasion of Ukraine.
     There cannot be any mercy for the leaders who decided to murder for their own gain. None! This is not some game that has no pain or suffering attached. This is real life and those who are harmed need justice to prevail on their behalf. So the western countries that are fearful of harming putin should just step aside and let the heroes of our species do their best to right the wrongs of despicable people. I have no time for the fear of some among us. The time for courage is now and if any need an example of courage just look to Ukraine and watch how it is performed. Be the better and best of who we are and not some weakling cowardly shade of it!

(#4872) The time on earth for putin is almost gone

      I still say we should space putin but then again many do not hate the murdering piece of shit as much as I do. Instead they will settle for a timely demise based upon civil procedures or even a lifelong prison sentence. However his disposition is arrived upon the when of it will be shortly. There are too many people within Russia that are being asked to sacrifice beyond their own limits and that is not a sustainable status. There are also Russian troops being led to slaughter with generals and higher staff officers being held to account where they have no say in the tactics.
     So much sooner now then later one of them, either military or becoming poor oligarch will orchestrate a coup to stop the putin madness and end the brutal annihilation of the Ukraine people and their nation. A better Russia will emerge that will be less a threat to world order and more likely to answer to the demands of their citizens and not to a tyrant. Early in May I announced that my opinion was that putin would be removed permanently before June, well I may have been off only a week or two. Because the unraveling of putins mind has been obvious but the reaction to it has been slower than I anticipated.
     There is no doubt to me at all that putin will be gone shortly because the Kremlin and those who manage it won't take this much longer. The pain and suffering coming to Russia only increases exponentially every day with putin still in control of a failed invasion and failed economy. Russia has been known for it's dictators in the past and failure on any level in Russia is not a survivable event. I do expect and hope for putin to be gone one way or another in the next week now. We will see but the angst in Russia over his miscalculations and disdain for his own people cannot endure in a logical world. So it is badbye real soon putin and know this, if I had my way you would be made to feel the pain you have ever caused in your life 10 times more deeply before your end occurs being spaced into the heart of the sun!

(#4871) No compromise with putin!

      I know when I go to the dentist and he is drilling on a tooth I don't stop him and say let us make a deal that includes no more pain! I push on and let him finish his work. Then I feel better afterwards. I know it isn't much of an analogy but the principle applies here. No letting putin off the hook and letting Ukraine continue to suffer for putin's pleasure. That putin tried and failed to eliminate Ukraine out of existence does not warrant him getting anything other than a bad loss for his murderous gambit. We don't negotiate with murderers to let them off the hook for their crimes at least we shouldn't so it is with putin. He must pay for his evil intentional acts!
     So no to any brokered deal that stops the invasion by the Russian horde where they get to keep captured Ukrainian territory. Nothing in the Donbas area nor the Crimea shall Russian be gifted with for their most atrocious acts of murder. Do not reward cowards who murder with prizes for their efforts. The only thing putin should get for his invasion crimes is a death sentence. The fact that Russia chose to try to commit genocide on the Ukrainian people is enough evidence to thwart any compromise with them. They will suffer their lot in life as they chose it. I don't give a gnat's ass about the Russian citizens being lied to by their dictator. Lying is what dictators do and their ignorance of that simple fact does not absolve them of their share of putin's blame.
     Russia should consider itself lucky that Ukraine doesn't take their land as spoils to the victor. So no compromise with the loser and dead man walking putin who should be behind bars or in the ground for his actions. We in the west are followers of honorable principles but sometimes rightly or wrongly we put economic and social practices ahead of what is right and good. This had better not be one of those times as the murderer putin needs to be made an example of so that the whole world knows that there is no escape from justice, even when that justice is still less than what the culprit perpetrated! No compromise!

(#4870) putin is done for

      Not only do the rumors persist that putin has pancreatic cancer but his forces in Ukraine are being handed their asses when they are not blown to smithereens. The writing is on the wall and the only ones who can't read it are the Russians and their dismal allies. Even Turkey is fucking up badly now with support for Russia outweighing support for Ukraine. Turkey's leader Erdogan may not face the same fate as putin but he is putting himself down to putin's level. Regardless, the end of dead man walking putin is so near that I can actually feel his demise coming as I write this post. Whether by disease or coup he is done for and nothing now will change that. He cannot survive under any scenario.
     Neither will the murderous Russian invasion of Ukraine survive. Many more Russians will die until the end is called but that is what happens in ill fated invasions. The Russian military is being systematically wiped out because the Ukrainian people refuse to be victims of genocide at the hands of Russia and it's lackeys. The fact that democracy is under threat also gives Ukraine a needed boost in armaments from around the world in order to stave off the Russian horde and their tyrannical leader putin. This moment in history is so damn important and the end of this moment must be in the victory for Ukraine over the authoritarian murderer putin et al...
     The Turkish situation is an anomaly so far and if Erdogan doesn't find his way back to democracy then his fate is subject to uncertainty. The same with China and their overtures of military display in sovereign airspace. I have some words of advice for both Turkey and China, don't fuck with the United States of America. We have no tolerance for tyrants and their allies. If they want war then they can expect it from us. There will be no turning back for them and with the rest of the west ready to defend its way of life the Chinas and Turkeys of the world would be well advised to play nice or find themselves much like the Russians, battered and bruised to no end!

(#4869) The next few days we will hear about Ukraine running the Russians out of Donbas and then Crimea!

      I had a post the other day entitled all quiet on the eastern front. Well it wasn't all all quiet as the media was reporting Russian minimal gains. Yet for the Ukrainians it was all quiet as they have been strategically downplaying their plans and actions. Avoiding giving putin any info he might use against the Ukrainian army and volunteers. But in reality it was Ukrainians stiffening their defenses despite the onslaught of Russian missiles raining down consistently. Well the missile attacks are still ongoing but with less effectiveness and with Ukraine being resupplied with anti missile defenses to shoot down the incoming Russian missiles the ground troops can now move back the Russian horde from their earlier minimal gains.
     Not only move them back but send missiles themselves that will reach the Russian missile launchers and put them out of commission. Russia has a finite supply of missiles to send at Ukraine whereas Ukrainians are gifted with an almost unlimited supply of missiles to fire at Russian positions. Plus President Biden is giving Ukraine longer range missiles that will now reach into Russian territory to thwart and destroy supply lines and armament depots. This invasion by Russia's putin is about to turn on it's head and instead of being a Russian invasion into Ukraine it will become a Russian retreat far into Russia with Ukrainians chasing them in hot pursuit!
     The tide of this invasion has turned and Russia will now feel the wrath of Ukrainians who have lost so much because putin is an ego maniac who murders at will. What becomes of Russia in the end is neither here nor there but know this, Russia will no longer be a powerful force. With President Biden telling putin that nuclear missiles are aimed at Moscow and every major Russian city to destroy Russia for all time the idea that putin would threaten nuclear war now is remote if not moot! The Russians are going to learn a valuable lesson. Invading to murder should never be acceptable and if done so like with what putins are doing now in Ukraine, will be repaid with a harsh and brutal just response.

(#4868) putin is still with us

     I had really thought that the end of putin would have happened before we hit June. Of course it is always wishful thinking on my part even though the soundness of my logic is still strong. The Russian people are what failed me as I thought they would have had more courage in understanding and reacting to their tyrant. But like many here in the Untied States of America, the disappointment is vast and never ending it seems. One culture of people who are not disappointing are the Ukrainian people. They have said what they were going to do and have not only done it but even more than they said they would. 
     I was wrong about the timing on putin's ending but I am not far off. He is increasingly being made less relevant and with him Russian society. How much more the Kremlin will take of the abject failure of putin to secure victory in Ukraine is surely not long. He may try to appease his countrymen with the new narrative of keeping the Donbas and Crimea but that is not going to happen either. He is losing in every phase of his invasion and although he is dumping all his missiles on eastern Ukraine now his ability to do so for much longer is highly doubtful. That is when the Ukrainian army and volunteers will advance and move the Russian forces back to their side of the border and beyond.
     So I did miscalculate the end of putin before June but I won't be far from accurate when the final end of him comes. He overplayed his hand and now the Russian people are humiliated and dying. Life in Russia has been somewhat isolated from international sanctions so far but not for much longer when the real struggle for food, shelter, clothing and transportation become much harder to acquire. The end for putin is inevitable and now the only unanswered question is when does he diminish to nothing. I say sooner than later and in the meantime his forces will be getting their asses kicked all over Ukrainian soil!