The Progressive Wing

Fire away…

Thank you Benny-Happy Saturday!

I hope everyone is doing well – thank you for all of the posts!
I always learn things at The Progressive Wing.

Good to see you too, Mags!

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/world/europe/nato-russia-ukraine-europe.html

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO was an alliance in search of a role. Some suggested that if NATO did not “go out of area,” beyond Europe, it would “go out of business.”
Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 revived NATO’s central importance as a counterweight to Moscow. But the alliance still seemed on its way to obsolescence, hobbled by a lack of purpose and disunity.
Former President Donald J. Trump ridiculed it and threatened to abandon it. President Emmanuel Macron of France bemoaned its “brain death.” The European Union pressed for “strategic autonomy” from Washington.
But Russian President Vladimir V. Putin’s extraordinary new demands and threats, following his military buildup on the borders of Ukraine, has brought NATO back to basics — containing Russian power and imperium.
Mr. Putin’s insistence that NATO stop enlargement and remove allied forces from member states bordering Russia would draw a new Iron Curtain across Europe, and that threat has concentrated minds. It may be just what a lagging alliance has needed.
“NATO relies on momentum, and a lot of the momentum is generated by a sense of threat and fear,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former senior intelligence officer dealing with Russia, now with the Center for a New American Security.
After last year’s fiasco of Afghanistan and the humiliation of France in the Australian submarine deal, she said, “We were all thinking that we have serious problems in the alliance, and we might need to rethink the foundation of this relationship.”
But in talks this week with the Russians, NATO leaders spoke with exceptional unity for a 30-member alliance whose commitment to collective defense was increasingly in question.
The talks allowed Mr. Putin to revisit Russian grievances over how the Cold War ended, in hopes of placing them back on the table for renegotiation 30 years later. His deputy foreign minister, Aleksandr V. Grushko, even warned the alliance off a “policy of containment” of Russia and insisted that “free choice does not exist in international relations” — suggesting that Ukraine would have to bow to Russian wishes.
But the more the discussion evoked the Cold War — with its firm dividing line through Europe, and its competing Russian and Western systems and spheres of influence — the more it reminded European and American allies of NATO’s purpose.
“Deterring Russia is in the DNA of NATO, because Russia is what can bring existential threats to European nations,” said Anna Wieslander, chair of Sweden’s Institute for Security and Development.
That threat now is more than territorial, she said. Russia is also trying to undermine NATO’s democratic cohesion. “Russia is targeting our elections, our social media, our parliaments and our citizens, and it is become more obvious now that Russia is not part of our value system,” Ms. Wieslander said.
As it drafts a new strategic concept to be ready this year, NATO is concentrating on “resilience” against new hybrid and cyberthreats, highlighting its defense of the democratic institutions of member states, not just their territory.
“NATO is its member states, and it’s what allies make of it,” said Sophia Besch, a defense analyst in Berlin for the Center for European Reform. “It’s not out of business because we didn’t let it, and we’ve changed its raison d’être to what are the major strategic concerns of the day.”
The old joke was that if NATO is the answer, what is the question? Ms. Besch responded: “We’ve changed the question over the years to make NATO the answer. And now we’re back at the old question again, where NATO is more comfortable.”
NATO is especially important now for those states bordering Russia, like the Baltic nations and Poland, a country which has had deepening strains with its European partners over the protection of core democratic principles, which Brussels has accused the government in Warsaw of eroding.
But the current crisis is a reminder, even in Poland, of the importance of the alliance as a whole, and not just the country’s bilateral relationship with the United States, said Piotr Buras, head of the Warsaw office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Ukraine has proved especially vulnerable to Russian threats perhaps precisely because it is not a NATO member.
“In Poland there was concern that NATO would lose its focus on Russian security threats, but now it’s obvious that this is the only framework that can protect us and provide long-term security,” Mr. Buras said.
There was also anxiety that President Biden, in trying to stabilize relations with Russia to pivot toward China, would bargain away forward-based NATO troops in Poland and the Baltics that were deployed after 2014.
“But there is no sign that the United States will give in on fundamental issues to NATO,” like its open-door policy and its right to deploy forces in any member state, Mr. Buras said, and Washington has been rigorous in briefing its allies about all of its discussions with Russia.
Still, he said, the current crisis “is a very clear consequence of the U.S. pivot to Asia and the realization of Russia that it might now take advantage of that reorientation of U.S. fundamental security interests,” he said. “And that issue will not go away soon.”
Russia will continue to press for a new security framework in Europe, and Europe without the United States is not prepared to play any significant role, he said, so “for Poland, NATO is the key and irreplaceable element.”
Even as Poland’s battle with the European Union over the rule of law still festers, it is not an overt issue in the military alliance of NATO. But it was very noticeable that as the crisis over Ukraine mounted, President Andrzej Duda of Poland chose to veto a law, criticized by Washington, which would have stripped majority ownership of an independent television station from an American company.
As the security situation in Central Europe has worsened with Russian aggression and threats, Poland “got what we finally wanted when we joined NATO, which is allied and American troop presence on our soil — to finally bring NATO deployments beyond Germany,” said Michal Baranowski, who heads the Warsaw office of the German Marshall Fund.
That is precisely one of Russia’s current demands — that those deployments in Poland and the Baltic States be removed, a demand rejected by Mr. Biden and by NATO, to Poland’s relief.
Still, Mr. Baranowski said, the Russians have mobilized the largest military force in Europe since 1989, “and that’s scary.” The alliance, he said, “is closer to military confrontation, but at least we have not folded.”
But the crisis has also highlighted the continuing dependence of NATO on Washington. For Ivo Daalder, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, what is striking is how much “this is the old NATO, where the U.S. is the glue, linchpin and indispensable leader of the alliance,” bringing allies together, informing them and “putting on the table the strategy we will pursue.”
What is extraordinary, he said, is that more than 70 years after the alliance was founded, “there appears to be no independent European strategy or even a European point of view different from what Washington brought to the table.” NATO has divisions, of course, Mr. Daalder said. “But all the divisions are dissolved, at least for today.”
Whether that unity will last should Mr. Putin move farther into Ukraine is yet to be seen, said Kadri Liik, an analyst with the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. She sees an unwillingness in Europe to understand that the world is shifting.
“The wider public is not prepared for any change in the arrangements we’ve lived with for the past 30 years,” she said. “People think we can still sanction Russia into obeying the European security order, and that all it takes is Western unity and principles.”
But the United States is leading the world differently, Ms. Liik said. “I’m just not sure we can expect to continue to live in the world that corresponds to rules and norms and expect America to enforce them.”
That applies to Russia and Europe, too, she said. “We’re slowly headed back to a world” of confrontation between systems with different views about obeying the rules and the use of power and force.
Ms. Kendall-Taylor believes that Mr. Putin saw an opportunity to take advantage of a shakier trans-Atlantic alliance, a divided Europe and a polarized America with a weakened president.
NATO unity is real but untested, she said. “It’s too early to declare all restored, because Russia not done anything yet,” Ms. Kendall-Taylor said. “It’s a bit the calm before the storm.”

I’ve been reading the same old war, war, war, PR crap all my life. Russia is afraid of being invaded. The US has already reneged by inviting the smaller countries bordering Russia to join NATO. They told Moscow decades ago, they wouldn’t. What a load of fossilized corrupt BS. Meanwhile, our infrastructure is continuing to collapse, and we’re dealing with climate chaos.

wi63

No kidding Orl, No matter whom is “invaded” the last resort would be nukes and since the MIC profiteers from the major powers know that a nuke exchange would be bad for business they all are in this PR scam to spend unlimited $$$$$

wi63

The MIC PR machine first its Putin in Ukraine then its the L’il Fatman launching a rocket and the airline’s ground flights , their fear mongering rolls on to scare the masses.

I thought this part from the article was interesting, in that she said it out loud (especially from someone with CNAS):

“NATO relies on momentum, and a lot of the momentum is generated by a sense of threat and fear,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former senior intelligence officer dealing with Russia, now with the Center for a New American Security.

From the https://www.cnas.org/mission:

Our dynamic research agenda is designed to shape the choices of leaders in the U.S. government, the private sector, and society to advance U.S. interests and strategy.

polarbear4

omgod. great find.

Also, this:

“Deterring Russia is in the DNA of NATO, because Russia is what can bring existential threats to European nations,” said Anna Wieslander, chair of Sweden’s Institute for Security and Development.

Hard to fear-monger without a ‘threat’.

Oh, horsecrap. Look at a world map and know how to read (and think). Russia has been invaded and gone through all kinds of h3ll for centuries. I HATE the communist totalitarian system, but look at what their country has been through. The USA?? It would collapse if it went through what countries like Russia, Germany, China, etc., etc. have gone through in terms of actual invasion. It’s the usual STUPID, GREEDY (mostly male) mindset that never seems to stop with our species. Man, I am over it!

Ex-Nato head says Putin wanted to join alliance early on in his rule

it reminded European and American allies of NATO’s purpose.
“Deterring Russia is in the DNA of NATO”

I’m old enough to remember some talk about Russia possibly joining NATO:

Thu 4 Nov 2021

George Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary who led Nato between 1999 and 2003, said Putin made it clear at their first meeting that he wanted Russia to be part of western Europe. “They wanted to be part of that secure, stable prosperous west that Russia was out of at the time,” he said.
The Labour peer recalled an early meeting with Putin, who became Russian president in 2000. “Putin said: ‘When are you going to invite us to join Nato?’ And [Robertson] said: ‘Well, we don’t invite people to join Nato, they apply to join Nato.’ And he said: ‘Well, we’re not standing in line with a lot of countries that don’t matter.’”

If NATO needs Russia to be the bogeyman that keeps the MIC happy, I’m kind of thinking that NATO would not have looked favorably upon Russia’s application.

The account chimes with what Putin told the late David Frost in a BBC interview shortly before he was first inaugurated as Russian president more than 21 years ago. Putin told Frost he would not rule out joining Nato “if and when Russia’s views are taken into account as those of an equal partner”.
He told Frost it was hard for him to visualise Nato as an enemy. “Russia is part of the European culture. And I cannot imagine my own country in isolation from Europe and what we often call the civilised world.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/04/ex-nato-head-says-putin-wanted-to-join-alliance-early-on-in-his-rule

See my above comment.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/business/economy/starbucks-union.html

Taking On Starbucks, Inspired by Bernie Sanders

Maggie Carter, a Starbucks barista in Knoxville, Tenn., is a warm and reassuring presence who says she is keen to “go the extra mile” for customers.
She may also be a nightmare for Starbucks executives.
As a union organizing campaign that began in Buffalo and produced the company’s only two unionized U.S. stores spreads to other cities, it is being driven by workers like Ms. Carter: young, well educated, politically liberal.
Ms. Carter, who began circulating union cards at her store not long after the results of the Buffalo elections were announced last month, studies broadcast journalism at the University of Tennessee. She is passionate about climate change, fighting racism and labor rights. And her political hero is Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent.
“Bernie Sanders is my everything,” Ms. Carter said. “I love him more than anything.”
Perhaps more disconcertingly for Starbucks as it tries to contain the union campaign, Ms. Carter appears to be representative of the kinds of people the company has hired over the years to reinforce its progressive branding.
Labor experts say that in seeking such employees Starbucks may have built a work force that is more inclined to unionize and to be energized by the Buffalo campaign.
“If you think about the kinds of employees they have, the stereotype of people that work there seems to be true — a lot of young people, Bernie supporters, D.S.A. types,” said John Logan, a labor studies professor at San Francisco State University, referring to the Democratic Socialists of America. “These are the kinds of people who can take this and run with it. It could be in Knoxville and Arizona just as easily as in San Francisco and Manhattan.”

Several Starbucks workers seeking to organize unions in Buffalo; Boston; Chicago; Seattle; Knoxville, Tenn.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and the Denver area appeared to fit this profile, saying they were either strong supporters of Mr. Sanders and other progressive politicians, had attended college or both. Most were under 30.
“I’ve been involved in political organizing, the Bernie Sanders campaign,” said Brick Zurek, a leader of a union campaign at a Starbucks in Chicago. “That gave me a lot of skill.” Mx. Zurek, who uses gender-neutral courtesy titles and pronouns, also said they had a bachelor’s degree.
Len Harris, who has helped lead a campaign at a Starbucks near Denver, said that “I admire the progressivism, the sense of community” of politicians like Mr. Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York.

Perhaps more disconcertingly for Starbucks as it tries to contain the union campaign, Ms. Carter appears to be representative of the kinds of people the company has hired over the years to reinforce its progressive branding.

Lol

I found this article both amusing and encouraging.

Orl, did you find it somewhat encouraging too? Maybe there’s hope.

Thank you Jcitybone!

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/01/13/after-navient-forgives-17b-progressive-say-cancel-all-student-debt

As one of the largest U.S. educational lenders on Thursday agreed to pay $1.85 billion to 39 states to resolve predatory lending claims, progressive lawmakers and advocates renewed calls for the cancellation of all outstanding student loan debt.
“All student loans are predatory because no one should have to go into debt to get an education.”
CNBC reports that as part of the settlement, Delaware-based Navient—which split from SLM Corporation, or Sallie Mae, in 2014—will cancel $1.7 billion in private student loan debt owed by nearly 66,000 borrowers.
As part of the agreement, Navient gets to deny that it broke the law, even though the company stands accused of preying on customers it knew were unlikely to be able to repay their debts.
“At long last, the student loan borrowers who had been forced to shoulder the burden of dangerous and predatory private student loans made by Sallie Mae and owned by Navient will finally be debt-free,” Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, said in a statement.

This is a drop in the bucket.
All student loans are predatory because no one should have to go into debt to get an education.
Every level of education should be tuition-free, pre-k to college. https://t.co/M6zfm9XYOS
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) January 13, 2022

Today would be a great day to cancel at least $50,000 of student debt per borrower!https://t.co/Kd2O1AESbL
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 13, 2022

.@POTUS can #CancelStudentDebt as easily as I can write this tweet. Let’s get this done. 🖊
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) January 13, 2022

With one stroke of the pen, President Biden could #CancelStudentDebt for tens of millions and show the American people that the government is on their side.https://t.co/7xlJf4SRK7
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 12, 2022

Student debt is holding millions back from homeownership, opening a business, and saving for the future.
Our office has led a few letters requesting @POTUS to keep his promise and cancel student debt.
We're still waiting.
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) January 13, 2022

Hey Nina, you running for that House seat?

I suspect Nina will need to do some polling around March or April to see what her chances are.

Ohio’s high court overturns new congressional map saying it ‘unduly favors’ Republicans

After the way she was treated by the party in that last election, I don’t see why she would.

But if she does run again, it might be better if she held her cards close to her chest for now, give the bastards less time to mobilize out-of-state financial support. Last time she took TPTB somewhat off guard it seemed.

What is the House seat you keep asking her about? (I’ve lost track of a lot of politics)

I saw this though, from yesterday (Friday):

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/14/politics/ohio-congressional-map-overturned/index.html

Nina needs to get off her azz and run. These corrupt DLCers bank on her being scared off.

Aint Supposed to Die A Natural Death

Here’s your girl Nina, obf. I’d say she’s running.

I sure hope so, Aint…. We desperately need her and many, many more like her!

The Supreme Court's invalidation of the vaccine mandate could suggest that the Day One Agenda is dead. And some of it is in peril. But we're also seeing executive action work, in meat prices, in overdraft fees, and much more.https://t.co/BqPJGA8il6
— David Dayen (@ddayen) January 14, 2022

Yeah, but SloMoJoe isn’t using it.

this is based on an excerpt from my book, which you can preorder here if you like: https://t.co/bqPFwX1rGz
— ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper) January 14, 2022

Back for a second to talk about an event I'm really excited about: Ryan Cooper and David Dayen in conversation on the 25th, the day that HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR THAT? publishes. This is going to be so good https://t.co/y4vGMVHGmR
— Erik Hane (@erikhane) January 14, 2022

Sen. @chuckschumer is headed toward a losing vote on changing the filibuster rule, feeding a fresh round of Dems-in-disarray news coverage
But he has a better option
Bring back the talking filibuster. On his own. Without a vote.
My @monthly latest: https://t.co/Hv0Ybs6p2b
— Bill Scher (@billscher) January 14, 2022

polarbear4

about time. geez and he can do it alone!

lol – it’s true!

polarbear4

msm has to join in

wi63

No way will that happen, the congresscritteres wouldn’t make it a hour even with wearing depends

then, Depends it shall be!

(Is what I wish would happen)

.@RepSpanberger's office tells me that she's "very encouraged by Deese's comments this morning" and is "excited about the growing momentum behind this push."
story from me and @leonardkl 👇https://t.co/jJaJE3aW8P
— bryan metzger (@metzgov) January 14, 2022

A ban on stock trading by members of Congress is “sensible” and would “restore faith in our institutions,” says Brian Deese, a top economic advisor to President Joe Biden and head of the National Economic Council.
The comments were in response to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” host Andrew Sorkin asking Deese what he thought about banning members from trading individual stocks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers should be allowed to do so in comments to Insider last month. Deese began by noting that executive branch employees are barred from trading individual stocks.
“I can tell you, the restrictions on the executive branch are quite significant,” said Deese. “There’s no engagement on individual stock transactions.”
He went on to praise the idea more broadly. “I think that’s certainly sensible. It’s a rule that we all operate by and live by in the executive branch, and [it] doesn’t put any real practical burden on our ability to do our jobs,” he said.

I’m glad this topic is still being discussed at least.

If a real ban on member stock trading was enacted, by Democrats, that could just be the thing to tip 2022 elections. It’s a real sore spot for a LOT of voters.

polarbear4

They had the only 2 stores in a 32 mile stretch. They bought an 11 acre lot that went on the market after a business had closed.
The added "no food sales" to the land deed, and sold it again.
Money = Control !! https://t.co/3BNFW2Z31A
— SuperSpreader Biden (@Squanus1) January 14, 2022

Aint Supposed to Die A Natural Death

Scary, but looks like they’re trying to protect their businesses from Walmart.

https://prospect.org/power/rollups-all-monopolies-are-local/

Which chain and where is it?

polarbear4

see long reply or go here.

polarbear4

maybe. are they a lot better, tho? whole foods was considering buying.

Stop & Shop is a large Northeastern supermarket chain now owned by the European conglomerate Ahold Delhaize

In 2012, a golf driving range in Eastham called T-Time shut down, leaving a supermarket-sized parcel of land for sale. There were reports that Whole Foods was thinking of coming in.
More from Robert Kuttner
At that point, in 2013, Stop & Shop swooped in and bought the 11-acre land for $1.3 million, adding a restrictive covenant to the deed that is shamelessly brazen in its intent and its detail. The covenant is worth quoting in all its richness:
No portion of or premises on the Property shall be used, leased, occupied or licensed for a food supermarket, a food superstore, a food warehouse store, a specialty food store (e.g. a butcher shop, fish market, fruit and/or vegetable market or stand), a wholesale club store operation or a convenience store, or for the sale of food or food products for off-premises consumption (whether by humans or animals).
This parcel of land was only a few miles up the road from one of Stop & Shop’s existing stores. So they did not buy the land in order to build another supermarket, just to prevent anyone else from building one. Credit goes to the feisty Provincetown Independent for unearthing this nasty little story.
Once the restrictive covenant was in place, Stop & Shop had no need to tie up that capital in land it did not intend to use. It ended up selling the land to the Town of Eastham for $1.6 million, for a mixed-use redevelopment of affordable housing and retail. But the town, to its frustration, found that retail could not include a morsel of food.

https://prospect.org/power/rollups-all-monopolies-are-local/

Aint Supposed to Die A Natural Death

Wow.

T and R, and thanks, Ms. Benny!! 🙂 I just got an email notification that the People’s Party is now able to put candidates on the ballot in VA. That’s the second state after FL to officially recognize them. I’m keeping an eye on it cos we all know how hard it is to get more choice in candidates in this broken down country. As far as the MICC goes, what a long time, corrupt, sickening joke they are! Supposedly, they’ve got their tentacles in every congressional district in this country in terms of being a jawbs program. Looks like they’re failing at it if less people are enlisting.

Aint Supposed to Die A Natural Death

Happy MLK Day, y’all.

Right back at ya, sister! 🙂

polarbear4

thank you, ain’t. this excellent. sharing

https://www.al.com/news/2022/01/bernie-sanders-elizabeth-warren-others-call-for-end-to-alabama-coal-strike.html

Three U.S. senators are calling for the largest shareholder in Warrior Met Coal to bring an end to the ongoing 10-month-old miners strike in Alabama.
In a letter dated Thursday, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) call on Laurence Fink, CEO and Chairman of BlackRock, the largest shareholder in Warrior Met, to reach “an immediate and fair settlement” with the striking miners.
About 1,100 miners with the United Mine Workers of America began a strike against Warrior Met Coal last April 1. The current agreement with the union was negotiated as Warrior Met emerged from the bankruptcy proceedings of the former Walter Energy, which declared bankruptcy in 2016.
Union members say they made numerous concessions in pay, benefits, holidays, overtime and in other areas to keep the company going and get it out of bankruptcy.
The picket lines at Brookwood in Tuscaloosa County over the last year have seen strife between strikers and the company over workers bused in to fill jobs, resulting in court action that effectively shutdown the picket line.
In a two-page letter, the three senators say it’s time for the company to “do the right thing.”
“Mr. Fink: Our request to you is simple,” the letter reads. “BlackRock’s Board must publicly demand that Warrior Met negotiate in good faith and agree to a reasonable contract that treats workers with dignity and respect.”

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a38768714/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-decision/

Charles Pierce

I miss the days when the Supreme Court had an element of suspense and mystery to it. There would be the oral arguments and then six months of silence until Decision Day, when there occasionally would be a surprise twist ending to our Very Special Episode. As should be obvious to everyone who paid attention during the oral arguments over the president’s vaccine mandates, Thursday’s predictably idiotic decision was a foregone conclusion based on predictably insulting assaults on reason and common sense from the carefully constructed conservative majority.
Look, for example, at this tattered rag of an argument that is central to the majority’s opinion.
The Solicitor General does not dispute that OSHA is limited to regulating “work-related dangers.” Response Brief for OSHA in No. 21A244 etc., p. 45 (OSHA Response). She instead argues that the risk of contracting COVID–19 qualifies as such a danger. We cannot agree. Although COVID– 19 is a risk that occurs in many workplaces, it is not an occupational hazard in most. COVID–19 can and does spread at home, in schools, during sporting events, and everywhere else that people gather.
This is an open-ended invitation to deny OSHA’s authority to regulate anything. Killed when an unregulated fertilizer plant exploded? Well, your car could have blown up on the way home. And the idea that OSHA is empowered only to regulate against threats that existed at the time of its creation—which, essentially, is what the majority apparently believes—is so spectacularly crazy that it might distract you from these amazing goddamn sentences.
But a vaccine mandate is strikingly unlike the workplace regulations that OSHA has typically imposed. A vaccination, after all, “cannot be undone at the end of the workday.”
That’s the point, you hacks. That’s the motherfcking point. That’s why you have as many restrictions as you do in your own workplace. Do these obvious space aliens believe that, once an employee leaves the workplace, the employee will turn into a two-headed zombie monster? Wait, don’t answer that.
You will note that the majority opinion is unsigned. Perhaps the second-graders who actually wrote this mess are still unclear as to how to spell their last names. As for the actual justices who declined to attach their names? Well, you get what you pay for.
Step aside from the cheap irony of a Supreme Court with strict COVID precautions in place ruling that public health is not a workplace issue. Step aside from the cheap irony of the winning side’s having been represented by lawyers who appeared virtually because they were carriers. Step aside even from Justice Neil Gorsuch’s sitting maskless next to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is a diabetic. This was more than an attack on the public health. This was the opening shot against the whole idea of a federal regulatory interest in practically everything.

Somehow, I can’t rev up any outrage. This total prehistoric, greedball stupidity has been planned and carefully executed for around 57 years, if not longer. I will be 70 this fall. Hubster and I have no kids to answer to. So, whatever disaster goes down, so be it. Long live human stupidity and the vicious POS who have feasted off it for centuries.

polarbear4

pic.twitter.com/V3nGr3rUOR
— 🎮LZ (@LZatYT) January 14, 2022

She was supposedly trolling Manchin and Sinema, and this article framed it as ‘cheeky’.

Meanwhile, she and all the other Dem centrists are probably secretly thrilled that things have gotten pushed so far right that now Manchin and Sinema are being held up as the white moderates that MLK was referring to. Next thing you know she’ll be calling herself progressive.

She can go do us all a favor and DROP DEAD!

polarbear4

ALERT: On 1/6/2022 HHS stopped requiring hospitals to report COVID-19 deaths
The effect of this change can be seen in the significantly reduced number of Florida hospitals reporting deaths
1/ pic.twitter.com/7ZbSqUNCDt
— Scott Herr (@scottdavidherr) January 13, 2022

polarbear4

the more i look at this, the Chart does not seem to go with the news.