Rashida Tlaib & Friday 8/10 Open Thread
Good piece on Rashida Tlaib posted on The Guardian by Khaled Beydoun, a man with solid credentials (whom I follow on Twitter).
My friend Rashida: far more than the first Muslim American congresswoman
I walked into Rashida Tlaib’s election watch party shortly after midnight.
Rashida sounds like the sort of candidate we need to pull this country back from the brink.
Hip-hop, salsa, Detroit house and Arabic music thumped from the speakers. The cafe walls, where the party was being held, were adorned with the work of local artists. There were no suits or gowns, just the squeak of sneakers and blue campaign T-shirts filling the room. Tlaib’s party felt like a real party, where millennials of all races mingled naturally with middle-aged and elderly supporters that were celebrating as the results rolled in.
When I read about her primary win I was surprised that I’d never heard of her before. How did I miss her?
Her message was intersectional long before “intersectionality” was catapulted into the prevailing social justice lexicon. Fighting American Islamophobia was her mandate before the phenomenon became a catchy buzzword. She tenaciously challenged anti-black racism years before the Black Lives Matter movement mainstreamed it into popular consciousness. Rashida defiantly stepped up against the state, and land-seizing billionaires, to defend the rights of vulnerable elements in her community, south-west Detroit, which was predominantly Latinx.
“brilliantly diverse sea of people”
Twelve years later, this commitment to social justice and grassroots organizing is what fueled Rashida to knock down the ultimate door, and make history as America’s first Palestinian and Muslim congresswomen. And indeed, that was the very spirit represented by the brilliantly diverse sea of people that celebrated until Rashida was ready to declare victory, at 2.46am on Wednesday morning.
And she has such a positive message that resonates:
Flanked by her son, Adam, her younger brother Rachid, and her campaign staff, Rashida, in tears, shouted: “I love this campaign and what it represents. It inspired people around the country to know that you do not need to sell out, you do not need to change who you are, to run for office. Be who you are – it’s what our country needs right now.”
Khaled is doing his part on pushing back on the hate and the fear (two negative forces that so often seem bound together). That is also what this country “needs right now”.
Please share anything you’ve picked up on the beaches of our media below!
Thanks Mags I was just going to open one.
https://theintercept.com/2018/08/10/ohio-special-election-ranked-choice-voting/
Thank you so much for this jcitybone! I’d seen the ripples of this situation on twitter, with the latest round of Green Party-bashing, and wondered what was going on over there in OH.
I found a ‘discussion’ about ranked choice voting. There are some strong opinions on the matter under this tweet, I’m still mulling the concept over myself.
Democrats Complain About Green Party “Spoilers,” but Few in Congress Back a Solution: Ranked-Choice Voting
Needless to say, the Palmer Report is nothing more than a propaganda arm of the Democratic party, so it’s very disconcerting to me to hear them accuse GP voters as being “even worse” than Trump supporters.
Dems just can’t seem to stop blaming everyone but themselves.
Maybe O’Connor just didn’t have the chops! This is from his web page:
When will the Democratic party wake up and realize that the word “access” in that context is a total turn-off for progressive voters??!! I have “access” to health care right now! I just don’t happen to have $12,500 sitting in the bank to spend in order to get actual health care! Too many Dems treat us like idiots who don’t see what they’re doing with that crap. 🙁
Maybe if the DNC would open their eyes and figure out that their so called big tent isn’t as big as they think it is. they need to embrace Berniecrat ideas and support them. Funny some Dem talking head on CNN the other night said this years mid terms and 2020 are to important to vote for Berniecrats. He said that we need to suck it up and hold our noses for the lesser of to evils dem wise–couldn’t believe that bullshit and i’m done with that scenario as evil is still evil no matter what.
Same old same old ????
Its not their eyes that need opening as much as their wallets that need shutting.
I’m very uneasy with this new ranked voting system. So, the top 2 vote getters are it (regardless of party). They go into the general election with no other opposition? Correct me if I’m wrong. T and R, mags!! 🙂
Yes, I share jcitybone’s reservations.
On its surface ranked voting sounds promising. But it also sounds like the sort of thing that can be…finangled. Still mulling.
I think its unequivocally good in the general election. The primary—it depends.
Another snippet for anyone who doesn’t have time to click on the article right now:
It sounds wonderful. 🙂
Under ranked choice voting, Jones likely would have beaten Tlaib in the regular primary, so ranked choice doesn’t always bring a result we would hope for.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2018/08/08/brenda-jones-congress-conyers-race/934566002/
I think she probably should have ignored this one. No need to engage this asshole. It did make me LOL though.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-conservative-commentator-ben-shapiro_us_5b6d3267e4b0bdd06208193c?utm_source=reddit.com
I agree jcitybone. She’s giving that asshole, as you say, way more attention than he deserves.
But, hopefully, it’ll just make the MSM talking point shows want her on some more and give Alexandria more of a platform to talk about the real issues? That’s what I’m hoping anyway. 😉
Do you remember this fellow from TOP’s BNRs? He’s even saltier now. 😉
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/08/floridas-plan-bullied-lgbtq-kids-send-christian-schools/
(Wrong place for this post)
The so-called teacher pre-employment background checks don’t exist at these ‘schools.’ There are already scandals brewing over ex-felons including sex offenders ‘teaching’ at these places. Central FL is the second ground zero for the DeVos infestation.
Sometimes it seems like you are at ‘ground zero’ over there in Florida, orlbucfan.
How long have you lived there? What happened??
When I was a kid Florida was a place to vacation, to retire to, to enjoy, but now it seems like it’s a political cauldron with corruption rising to the top in some kind of stinky froth.
Good luck!!!!
Hi mags! 🙂 I guess you could say that about me living at ground zero here in east central FL. LOL. I have spent more than 50 of my 65 years here. My father was one of the very first American civilian scientists tapped for NASA back when it was established. It was the military’s answer (funded by the Navy and Air Force) to Sputnik. I was born in Washington, D.C. The fledgling agency needed the brain power of civilian scientists. The MICC didn’t have it. My family was a civilian one mirroring a military family. We moved back and forth between the research centers like Goddard in Greenbelt, MD. and the launch sites in Cape Canaveral. So, I’ve lived in the 3 counties in the area: Brevard, Volusia, and Orange. I graduated from HS in So. Florida. I’m married to a proud Democratic FL cracker. I’ve been a rock solid ecology nut and political Futurist my whole life. Thanks for asking. 🙂 🙂
Sounds like a wow! kinda life. 🙂
Wow. As a kid who loved science and NASA growing up in Canada, I’m somewhat envious! My dad had a white collar job which I doubt was very fulfilling, but he made the best of it I think.
But I would have been ecstatic to grow up near Cape Canaveral. Did you hear stories about the goings on there and at Goddard? It sounds like you could probably write a book!
Thanks for sharing. So interesting! 🙂
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/401250-trump-administration-calls-current-endangered-species-protections-a
My late friend worked for Fish and Wildlife, and they already do take into account the economic impact, often to the detriment of the species. This might make it more prominent and more of a priority.
Sorry about your friend, polarbear. 🙁
I recently lost a dear friend suddenly. She was only 55 yrs old. It was quite a shock, they don’t even know what felled her. I miss her.
Thanks for sharing. I truly appreciate your perspective. XO
Thanks, mags. I still talk with her. 🙂 She was my best friend and went way too soon. Hep C. When I talk about Sabina coming up for the weekend, that’s her daughter (and her son) who moved up here from Tucson. So that’s a really nice connection. She calls me her aunt so i call her my niece. :O)
Sorry about your friend, too. It’s hard.
I have to say, the earth and all living things will be happy when we elect a progressive in 2020. Seems like we already have some mighty mo!
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/10/millions-of-government-workers-paid-poverty-wages-study-says
Let me count the ways I love you, private/public partnerships.
Since I first mentioned the desire to do a full piece focusing on public-private partnerships I have yet to see any evidence of any real good that has come from them.
Considering how enthusiastic Hillary Clinton was for them, I really hope that whomever attains the 2020 Democratic nomination does not favor them any more than you and I do polarbear!!
Maybe this is why…
“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power” ― Benito Mussolini
M2!
This article is from 2013, but it’s pretty good:
I think this is a great point. Ultimately the people do have to pay for those projects…somehow. It might be through the loss of what used to be common ground, or “through tax dollars” or through something as relatively benign-sounding as tolls.
But tolls, for example, can hit the less well-off much harder, and are far from progressive.
A worker who has to drive through $20 worth of tolls every day who only makes $25k/year feels the financial effects much more keenly than the person who makes $75k/year.
And then there’s the way that (often local) governments seem to always shoulder the risk:
http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-public-private-popular.html
How bad are our roads when Dominos pizza runs an ad campaign to fix pot holes!!!
True that.
How bad are things when we are supposed to be glad that a pizza company is driving around filling potholes (very badly) and then stamping their corporate logo on top??? Crazy!
Yes, we pay MORE in the long run. Hey, how about using some of that MIC money? They are even similar products much of the time.
Not surprised about this as you can go on the Wisconsin jobs website for state jobs and you can apply for a 40 hour a week job as a janitor for the uw system at the wage of $11.52 an Hr. so if your a single parent of one child you qualify for all sorts of state benefits snap ,assisted living ect. and your working for the state of WI. That’s life in walkers Wisconsin unbelievable that you can work for the state and qualify for these programs!!!!!
Yes! In CT it used to be that state jobs were at least a TINY bit better than many others due to pensions and a little bit higher wage. The idea that when you’re working at a state job AND you have to take advantage of SNAP? That’s mental!
Its actually worse now in WI for state jobs, Walker/ALEC cost each state employee any where for $100-$200 a month for health care and an $200 a month increase in pension contributions which was unnecessary for the pension as its one of the best funded and solvent in the nation. Its well managed- state workers are still worried that Walker is going to privatize it if he wins reelection. Then you can throw in the first raise of 2% for state workers in 8 years since Walker took office. Wi is so short on correctional officers they are offering signing bonus’s if you stick around x amount of time. But its now helping as forced 80 hour work weeks for low entry wages isn’t helping retention. Most study’s for the Midwest say entry level wages for correctional officers are around $2.50 and hour more than what Wi is offering. Of course Walker ignores the woe’s that are going on for the DOC and wont set for in a prison as he would piss himself like Percy in the green mile
80 hour work weeks??! Does that mean that the hours over 40 hours are time and a half? That’s ridiculous, I’m pretty sure I’d snap.
From what my friends tell me yes and its been reported that the state has shelled out over 50 million in OT wages due to staff shortages this year alone and then the media here sensationalizes it when a few correctional officers make 80 to 100 thousand a year but they neglect to tell the pubic the hours that are worked to earn that salary. The missed family functions, sleep deprivation, hypertension high divorce rates,alcoholism assault’s on staff by inmates are increasing and kept quiet by the DOC unless an letter reaches the media and an FOIA is requested by the media. The media and the public ignore the inherent danger that any prison worker faces on a daily basis– will I get shanked or assaulted today? a guard was recently killed by an inmate in Minnesota last month. Mortality rates are higher due to poor working conditions as the results of walkers ACT 10. My two friends are due to retire in the spring earlier than they wanted to but they’ve had enough they say its not worth the stress and long hours. They tell my employee retention is like reverse thunder dome, 4 new employees start then 5 retire or quit over the working condition. The sad thing is Walker doesn’t give a damn about this or the fiasco at the Lincoln hills youth prison where and inmate won a settlement for about 20 million dollars against the Wi DOC for abuse of an inmate. As governor Walker is the so called leader of the DOC– yeesh
I see in the comments of Khaled’s twitter post that there are some Arabs who are not as thrilled about her as Khaled is, and bring up her ties to J Street.
Why does Rashida Tlaib support US military aid to Israel?
Uh, yah, $3,000 is a tiny amount of money these days. So hopefully her critics from the left are overreacting. Who could blame them after all? Political realities do not tend to favor them.
Troubling, though. Remember, lots of morphing starts with seemingly small concessions to aforesaid “realities.”
I’m not even going to be here to keep discussing, so i guess this is a drive-by. 😉 thx.
Yes, I think that might be why the writer said that the $3,000 might be only a “downpayment”.
?? Not getting the objection to supporting US involvement in negotiations for a two state solution. Right now, Trump is supporting the one state Israel solution. What do the objectors prefer? The one-state Palestine solution? That’s not going to happen. J Street is pro-Israel but is definitely not pro-Netanyahu, and it’s certainly not AIPAC. For example, JStreet was a big proponent of the Iran deal
If you read the article you may understand better. I also have a relatively favorable view of J Street. But it would seem that many Arabs are suspicious of them.
Do you really think, though, that a two-state solution is even possible at this point? Life in Gaza just keeps getting worse, and worse, Gaza is getting to the point that it’s barely habitable-I can’t imagine that Gazans won’t all have to leave at some point, and the settlers just keep stealing more and more land in the occupied West Bank.
Yeah it definitely is but maybe Netanyahu and certainly Trump won’t be here for ever. The alternative is scary.
I don’t see the situation for Palestinians getting any better under, let’s say, Kamala Harris. Therefore I’m feeling discouraged about their fate.
Btw, while I was up in Canada this past week, my somewhat politically-involved sister mentioned Kamala as a possible remedy to Trump. I really don’t see Kamala Harris as an option. The people need someone with a much more hopeful vision, imo. Kamala very quickly aligned herself with Netanyahu. I sure do hope TPTB don’t try to push her, or Bloomberg, or Biden, or so many others on us. Otherwise Trump will get re-elected in 2020.
Well I’m not pro Harris, but she is better than Biden and definitely Bloomberg. She’s not all that we want, but she’s on the record for M4A and no corporate donations. (Thank you Bernie)
I always appreciate your feedback jcitybone. You seem to have your experienced fingers on the pulse and have serious political chops.
I did not know that Harris claims to be against receiving corporate donations. The images of her visit to the Hamptons are still seared in my brain, not to mention her cozy meeting with Netanyahu. So forgive me, but I have some serious reservations about her sincerity.
Btw, I thought of you this past week up in Canada. That same sister of mine brought Gillibrand up as a possible contender against Trump. Perhaps you and my sister would be able to have a genial chat! 🙂
Once Trumpcorp is out of office (2020) the next president is going to have on hell of a mess to clean up foreign relations wise!!!
Ah, my ignorance blossoms yet again. More research needed, as always.
My impression is that “2-state solution” is often cover for doing nothing.
You are so NOT ignorant! You’re one of the savviest people I know.
There’s only so much time in a day. Personally, I’m always learning and, to me, it’s amazing that it’s taken me this long to even gain the knowledge that I have attained so far. And by that I mean that I’ve still got so far to go.
For me, when it comes right down to it, I’m just hoping that whoever ends up being the Dem candidate to oppose Trump is able to pull it off.
Kamala still has a ways to go to endear herself to enough voters to do it, imo. But there’s still time, I suppose, for her to reveal an inner progressive eager to shake off establishment ties that would compromise any real reforms.
Aww, thanks, but I do tend to speak from a rather entrenched place often. Working (playing) on it. I have distanced myself a bit from a long time obsession that was becoming unhealthy.
But yeah, I could say it without putting myself down. As could we all. I will work to ensure that Kamala is not the candidate. Then she can really shine as a progressive working to elect progressives, if she chooses. I will welcome her with open arms.
I may be jaded but I start from a taking-them-with-a-grain-of-salt stance on DINO/Democrats. I’m also focused on this November, NOT 2020!! 2020 is 2 years off, and we could be dead from thermonuclear war by then. 🙁
thanks for brightening my day, orlbucfan–LOL. :O)
Uh oh. 🙁
Hey orl, you’re just revealing that you grew up during the cold war like I did! The bastards traumatized an entire generation with their threats of nukes in the back of our minds constantly. (bastards!)
I have a vague memory of hiding under desks in school or moving into a hallway but not understanding the significance of it being that young
I was serious–i LOLed! :O)
I’d like to see a full out boycott like we did in Africa.
Me too. It worked, after all.
Okay, this made me feel a bit better about Whitmer, and I appreciate this tweet, although with the uproar over the tweet it could be argued that it was a relatively safe stance to take on Whitmer’s part:
Corey Stewart called Michigan gubernatorial candidate ‘ISIS commie’ in since-deleted tweet
I think it’s a good sign that the uproar was loud enough that Stewart felt the need to disavow the tweet (and potentially lie and/or throw some “vendor” under the bus). The xenophobic racism (not to mention the anti-left rhetoric) currently running rampant (here, in the UK and, unfortunately, even in Canada) surely needed some serious pushback!
The attached screenshot, from The Hill’s piece linked above, includes the tweet that was supposedly written by Stewart’s “vendor”.
But it took her over 24 hours, and after it was mentioned on Morning Joe.
I’m thinking that she was urged by a decently savvy political operator to send that tweet.
I’d love to know who is running things behind her campaign.
T& R mags and jcitybone! just dropping in for a sec….
A email I got from my Rep. Debbie Dingel
Not sure what to make of this
Who do you suppose she means by the “Socialist”?
Here in CT there is an actual, real-deal, Socialist running against Chris Murphy. I’ve met him. He’s a young Iraq veteran, very likeable and polite, knowledgeable, intelligent, and passionate.
But, he’s unlikely to get many votes, and very unlikely to be a real challenge to Murphy.
Fred ‘Mitch’ Linck: Why I am running for U.S. Senator from Connecticut
The scary socialist must be the Green Party candidate Steve Young who appears to be running a threadbare campaign. Not crazy about Dingell equating the threat from Republicans to that from Socialists. Actually, in her district, neither are threatening.
Unknowns have to get their name out so the public/voters know who they are. I’ve mentioned this fact before. If you’re not a money bag and/or some scion of a political family, it’s a must! It may take him a couple of cycles to get elected depending on what he runs for. He’s got to have name recognition, just basic common sense.
It sounds like we may be in for another tumultuous year in the world of professional football!
And, of course, Trump always has something to say about NFL protests, and he seems to see it as a winning issue for him politically. He can rage about it, pleasing the most racist of his supporters, and pretend that he’s willing to talk to the protesting players about it, and address it:
What a dumb dipshite the Orange Blob is!! BTW, that photo is the pregame activity between the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Bucs (my team LOL) in Miami. There was no uproar. It is the preseason anyway. 🙂
I used to work with a rabid Tampa Bay Bucs fan, lol, up here in CT. He used to give me a lot of grief until one day when I gave him a Bucs baseball cap a sales rep had offered to me. I had the choice of teams, chose the Bucs so I could give it to him as a peace offering. The cap was gorgeous! That was about 4-5 years ago & the colors then were I gather that brown-ish grey (very sort of ‘classy’ color) along with a nice dark orange. Really nice as far as sports caps go.
Honestly? I think he liked the Bad Boy look of their logo. 😉
An apt illustration of how fear plus ignorance can equal hate.
I’d like to throw insecurity into the mix.
https://twitter.com/Vioman2016/status/1027871919549370370
I just found a couple of inspiring videos of Samoan firefighters from last fall.
The “Singing Samoan Fire Crew” in Northern California
https://activenorcal.com/the-singing-samoan-fire-crew-in-northern-california/
and this link from facebook, not sure if that will post properly, facebook so annoying sometimes.
https://www.facebook.com/jeri.bridgen/videos/10209903602161958/
p.s. the second link, the one from fb, did post for me, but I had to refresh my page first to see it! It’s worth the trouble, imo.
???. So great
🙂
May they be and stay safe! Hopefully, the singing will protect them. 🙂
Democratic National Committee Proposes Reversing Its Ban On Fossil Fuel Donations
In about an hour? That certainly gives plenty of time for citizens input..
Because that is so where the future is.
Big UGH!! US campaign financing is the root of all evil ?
From Kate Aronoff
Rashida Tlaib Wants To ‘Humanize’ Palestinians Once She’s In Congress