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It's just possible that anyone who hangs their A$$ out there to be Ki$$ed might be more likely to have it kicked - or even bitten and infected with 'god knows what' ... unless, if you are in line to kiss up, I can only say, by the grace of creation I am alive ... it is not by Ki$$ING A$$ ... you do not have to kiss anybody's anything without your consent ... your self worth is your own wet clay.
I do not know any respect oriented person of true worth who wants their ass kissed, anyway. So, if that is your view of this chapter in our growth, I only can say,
... truth and love are the medicines that will heal our broken soul ...
If we can cultivate those grounds between us - not one without the other - we will heal ...and those who do, will.
" ... how do the folks who live in less populated states have their voices heard?"
That is a good question - not just people in less populated states, but also, people everywhere who have just cause, with no recourse ... in my world, that leads to prayer ... or meditation, or any practice that calms the mind, quiets the heart, allows us to embrace truth in our lives and carry on - and that does vary so widely, at least, in my world, people have to define themselves ....
Back to the question at hand, it seems like communication and interaction are key ... whether through family/friends ( if so blessed ), independent networking - so many ways people coalesce at the community level ... not all in agreement, or kind, just and true - as, no doubt, we already know....
Now the orange fruitcake is blaming the president of the United Steelworkers 1999 union in Indiana for United Technologies' decision to move jobs to Mexico. Yup, kick down at the unions and kiss up to the corporations. Anyone who voted for this demented pervert, thinking he's on the side of working people, deserves to lose their job.
Then judge's ruling that the recount shouldn't continue because Jill doesn't have standing, as a candidate who couldn't possibly be "aggrieved" because she couldn't possibly win, shows another flaw in the way we activists have to go about verifying our elections (it's sadistic and deliberately imposed.) It should be we, the voters, who have standing as the aggrieved parties! Our votes are being mashed, stolen, eaten, robbed, flipped, fractionalized - OUR votes! We are the aggrieved! But for US to bring suit? That was never offered as an option; it was always, legally, "Well a candidate has to come forward." Talk about goalpost movement! Thank you, Thom, for covering the slow train wreck of this election for years and interviewing the many people who saw it coming. The mainstream media has to do the same. Their crisis coverage finally made it forward from page 17 or so. But crisis coverage is not enough. We are being gaslighted, every election, and the nation is going insane because of it!!!!!
Thom says in this blog that because MI has this law that any voting irregularities discovered will disqualify that county for any recount, that this crushes any Democratic hopes of changing the outcome of the election.
Where did Thom get this notion that this recount was about changing the outcome of the election? This is a Right-wing talking point that is causing A LOT of angst and abusive division on the internet.
There is a video on YT where one of the heads of the committee tasked with doing the recount clearly states that the purpose of the recount is NOT to change the outcome of the election, but rather to identify (1) if there were any irregularities, (2) to identify how the irregularities were accomplished, and (3) to take corrective measures in an effort to ensure that future elections in that area/precinct are clean, fair, and honest. Go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMEOcuAyHZM&t=11s
Why is Thom giving out this Right-wing TV rhetoric as gospel truth when a key member of the recount team has gone onto YT to tell people what they were doing and why they were doing it?
Instead of making assumed, unfounded and incorrect allegations, Thom needs to do a better job of researching the subject, and if that is not possible, to refrain from making assertions as if they are valid and accurate.
No wonder people on the internet think this is about changing the Trump win. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. The Electoral College put Trump into office over and beyond the populace vote.
What makes me so angry about this is that it's the Michigan Legislature pissing on the citizens of a black Majority city again. First it was Flint, which cried out for 18 months before anyone seriously paid attention, and even then our screwed up Congress couldn't decide for several more months whether or not to authorize some spending to fix all those lead pipes. Now it's Detroit, and a possibly an entire city disenfranchised if the Electors don't act and refuse to cast Michigan's votes. Detroit needs to revote with the best machines available, and THEN count the vote.
I agree that Jill Stein is really making her mark with this voting controversy, but where is Hillary, who wanted to be President so badly? Will she stand up for the black voters of Detroit? Bubba was so 'in' with African Americans when he was President, and now the Clintons sit in silence.
Crosscheck is being treated like it's just a concocted left-wing fairy tale. You don't hear a peep about it from the corpse media, which is kind of expected, but not a word from high ranking dems either.
If the dems would just constantly repeat these two truths...The republicans sent your jobs overseas, and the republicans want to end social security and medicare as we know it......the tide would turn. For god sakes it only took the republicans two propaganda words repeated over and over...Benghazi and emails to get close enough to pull off election fraud.
Speak simple and carry a big stick!..otherwise we alienate those we need to reach most.
Makes me sick. I am so sick of the republicans in michigan. Their lame duck legislation is trying to take away pensions an health care away from teachers, police officers and fire fighters. What they are trying to do is discourage democratic voters from even voting. Hell if your vote does not get couted why vote.
Just read an AP blurb report: A U.S. District Judge stopped the recount in Michigan in its tracks; another District judge scheduled a hearing Friday for Pennsylvania only 4 days before the states have to file their election certifications; Wisconsin is 70 percent through their recount with only 82 new-found votes for Clinton. Corporate media are still ignoring all the evidence of "Crosscheck" purged voters, spoiled ballots, voter-machine shenanigans, and the history of massive election fraud, etc.
Fascism marches on...
In Michigan (and USA): 1. Throw the voting machines in the garbage. 2. Go back to paper. 3. Exclude Michigan from Electorial Votes like you said.
Is Pennsylvania out of the picture now, or is there still a chance the courts can give a go ahead before it's too late?
I have been receiving messages from Jill Stein on how it is going. Of course - she is trying to raise another $3.5M - as the total cost has risen to $9.5M. She cites getting help from 2 judges.
I am having much more faith in Jill Stein than I had before. She is taking the bull by the horns and doing something.
Isn't it interesting that Trump said that the election is rigged - and now when the chance of making sure that the voting was counted and conducted correctly - he is fighting it? How many times and ways can that man lie??
"Such widespread problems with electronic machines is a big enough story on its own, but what makes this a bigger deal is a Michigan law that says precincts with discrepancies between issued ballots and recorded ballots are ineligible for a statewide recount."
That's just contributing to having illegalities. When was that made a law in MI?
Thom, what a great idea you have!!! - then don't count any of the MI electoral votes!
If the judge already said the count should go forward, couldn't he make the provision in an addendum?
Man, ain't that the truth! Constantly lying and cheating and muddling the news cycle about almost everything that really matters -- from healthcare, taxes, debt, regulations, the economy, war, climate change, to you name it -- is the only way Republicans can "win" elections. Now their top dog is a narcissistic pathological liar with his grubby little hands on all the main levers of power. The rest of the human race should be very worried!
Wondering if it was republicans involved in the writing of such an outlandish law. Seems when there is a distortion of truth, the GOP, is involved.
I agree. Or get a federal judge to over rule state law.
I don't suppose there's anything in the Constitution to allow delaying the inauguration until Michigan can re-vote, under close supervision. It seems to me, that would be the only fair thing to do.
Heehaw ... "Intelligent" seems a bit of a reach to describe your one-sided, canned Republican talking points/lies/whines/insults.
Sniff, I'll miss you though. By the looks of your avatar, I hope you enjoyed riding this horse. Cheerio...
A very nice and good post this. I really like it very much. Keep this quality of your work on articles going on and please do not let the quality of your articles fall to bad. Cheers! Snapdeal coupons
I Deepspace :
I give up. You are too emotionally traumatized to have any sort of intelligent conversation. Maybe after the denial and shock of loss sinks in I'll try again. Goodbye
More on Democrats: They haven't a clue how to package their programs and ideas. They do not know how to boil down a complex idea to one or two words, let alone one or two phrases. Obama's biggest problem was that by mid-2009 he had lost control on the national conversation and continues to right to the end. He had no Karl Rove, there was no Frank Luntz and most disheartening of all he got rid of Howard Dean as the Chair of the DNC.
He won in 2008 by mastering social media but by 2016 it was and is all Trump all of the time. Trump has controlled the national conversation for at least 18 months now.
In addition to working at the local and state levels to elect progressives, it will all be for naught if there no accompanying savvy social network campaign that can take complex progressive proposals and distill them into a few words that people can understand.
Thom: you just mentioned that the event held by Bernie, Keith, Danny did not get coverage by the MSM. Of course not. We have to FEED the media because they are lazy, indolent and used to having videos and tweets sent to them.... They don't have anyone to go out and cover an event at the Capitol...forget it. What is one thing Trump has taught us? It is that you have to create something, anything...standing in front of the Capitol building isn't something no matter what the issue....you need to TWEET it at 3 am...that is FEEDING the media...so they don't have to or want to work...they will, however, give you a call at 5 am and ask you...hey, what's this all about anyway??? Isn't that what Trump does multiple times a day???
Ew, no thanks, darling; that's your department! But with the pathological liar, clinical narcissist, megalomaniacal authoritarian, pussy-grabbing sexual pervert that you are enabling, the more proper metaphor would be for his throngs of fools to bend over, because here it comes. He's in the process of breaking nearly all of the campaign promises that spewed forth from his creepy, blow-fish lips. :-o
Pucker up Deepspace. You have a lot of asses to kiss :)).
Heehah... "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
What, you want eight more too-long paragraphs on when you have repeated easily verifiable lies and misrepresentations of other people's comments, with which you disagree, in an insulting manner throughout your numerous snide posts and then whined when someone dared to call you out? Have you no self-awareness? Okay, I will comply, but even I grow weary of typing into the wind.
When time permits, I do try to read and understand everyone's posts, including yours. However, since you asked, I will address your subtle form of whining/lying/insulting, but only in your last response, as just one example.
First, please allow me to explain that I have no ego to defend while engaged in political discourse and don't take anything personal; therefore, nothing anyone says ever "hurts." Quite the contrary, I thoroughly enjoy the battle and love to punch back at anyone willing to poke their head out of their foxhole. I suspect you do too. Politics is war, one of ideas but war nonetheless. If someone lobs a grenade, I lob one right back. Such is life in the trenches.
So, yes, I fully admit that I insult those (primarily Republicans) who, in my humble opinion, earn and deserve it. Nothing personal; you are the enemy. It wasn't always this way. If you look back at decades of the ubiquitous right-wing smear campaigns on hate radio, Fox so-called news, and the internet, you must admit that Republicans have made Democrats their mortal enemy in every way possible, not the other way around. Please do not deny the obvious. Democrats are infamous for Namby Pamby compromises. Remember? And where did that ever get us? No more; it's time to fight back. Hard!
Back to your last post: "deep in denial" is a subjective personal attack. I never said that I don't "except (sic) that Donald Trump will be President" (just not my President). Why would I ever want my enemy "on my side?" "You need us, but we don't need you" is a transparent passive-aggressive attack. I'm a realist and never said or expect to amend the Constitution (in this generation anyway) -- because of the high hurdle that you accurately described and the hopeless Republican intransigence that you failed to mention -- but only meant that it should be part of a larger battle for a more perfect union ... someday over the rainbow. I also never dismissed "those Hillibillies" (sic), but only pointed out that their vote should not count for more than a city-slicker's vote in a true democracy. As your final, interactive lesson, you may pick out all the whines, lies and insults not so cleverly disguised in your post.
Whoops, I just committed another one of my own insulting, passive-aggressive attacks. So, how does it feel when your own grenades get lobbed back atcha? At least I will never intentionally lie or whine. Call it constructive criticism. Enjoy!
This last sentence makes it eight paragraphs...
What are you talking about? Where have I whined, lied, or insulted you. You are so deep in denial you can't except that Donald Trump will be President. One other suggestion calling people names is not a way to get them on your side. You need a lot of us to amend the Constitution, we don't need you to leave it as it is. You are not going to amend the Constitution without those Hillibillies you dismiss. Remember 2/3 of both houses of Congress and ratification by 3/4 of the States is required to remove the Electoral College.