Really proud

 My sister hates Michelle Obama, because she said "this is the first time I am really proud of my country."

Never mind that she was misquoted and her words were taken out of content. I told sister she was proud that youth were engaged in the process. She did not say she was never proud, just that this time she was really proud. Kind of hard to be proud of a country that enslaved your ancestors. Hard to be proud of a country that allowed lynching of black/brown children and men. Hard to be proud of a country that allowed Jim Crow laws in the south.

Hard to be proud of a country that jailed women force feeding them, or allowed husbands to lock up wives in insane asylums. 

I was really happy with citizens of the U.S. who voted for a man not based on color of his skin, but based on content of his character. I would not say I was not happy with the country; it is all I know. I stopped saying the pledge of allegiance years ago. My allegiance belonged to god, not country. Even though I no longer worship a god, I did not go back to pledging allegiance. 

I could not pledge allegiance to a government lead by a Nazi, or a dictator like Putin. After the glorious day when people of all skin colors, elected President Obama, they went back to voting for a man of low character. What happened?

The Light We Carry

 The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times is Michelle Obama's newest book. Talk about rude comments.  I forgot to mention comments on Facebook posts. Michelle gets a lot, mostly positive.  Lately she posts about empowering girls. 

One guy (I assume it is a guy, could not tell by the name) posted several times asking why not empower boys, boys need to be empowered, and so on. Another said they should be empowered to make him a sammich. I believe he meant sandwich. People like those two, are the reason girls need encouragement. 

Girls are discriminated against in many countries. They are forced to marry older men at young ages. They are not allowed to get an education; if they do go to school, they do not last more than two years. Woman are forced to comply with men's mandated dress code. 

Even in the United States, some religious sects adhere to Old Testament dictates. Female heads need to be covered, they are to be subservient to husbands. It was many, many years after 1776 men declared all men are created equal, that women were given the right to vote.

Silly me; when I first learned about U.S. history in elementary school, I thought "men" meant "human beings." I did not feel inferior to males. That came later. 

When men (and some females) stand outside, and break into the Capitol Building wanting to find and kill an 80-year-old woman; when the Supreme Court decides states have a right to deny liberty to citizens based on gender, you know little girls need to be empowered.

I Am Woman, sang Helen Reddy, watch me grow, see me standing toe to toe, yet, a million did not march in 2022. And way too many women are gaga over Trump and agree with denying women equal rights. It appears the anti women are more powerful than empowered. 

Perhaps Michelle Obama will help more little girls to aspire to be president some day.  There needs to be more strong women in Congress, and less MTGs, Sarah Palins and others like them.

You Talk Too Much

 You Talk Too Much is an old song by Joe Jones. I used to dedicate it to my now ex husband. We were to go on a double date with a co-worker. He asked if my husband talked. I said, "you can not get a word in edgewise."

After reading a headline: Will Trump Sink Herschel Walker, I am again reminded: they talk too much. They endlessly talk about coming elections; during elections; after elections. You know what theysay, if you don't have anything to say, never say it outloud.

We do talk too much, myself included. Article comments become a political forum. Can not call them debates. Insults, rude comments, distorted truth, whataboutism, deflection. Some will mention the number of Dislikes or comments by another poster.  That comment is aimed at a person gaga over Don the Con, or "baby killer" types. 

A recent article about the mass shooting in a nightclub being called "gay club." Maybe lesbians are considered gay? Trans, bi? Because, it seems the club is a mixed crowd, not just homosexual males. I digress.  

It did not take long for those commenting to turn it into a political debate: "people in PA voted for a vegetable", Joe Biden, DJT, Hunter Biden, Hillary Clinton, evil "baby killers." A few did offer sympathy for the deceased's loved ones. I am surprised they did not call the former First Lady, Michael. 

My mother always told me, to keep your words, tender and sweet, for tomorrow you may have to eat them. She did not, really. I have not yet credited my father for saying: keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool; open it and remove all doubt. 

Parents do use quotes, such as my mother saying "thou dost protest too much." My father was fond of saying: "fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice shame on you".

My latest is to reply to a rude, crude comment: "why you are pointing fingers, someone else is judging you," name that tune. 

Woe is U.S.

 "Trump’s admiration for someone who can be “president for life” comes through here loud and clear." article author

I believe if he were, our troops would already be in Ukraine helping his genius buddy Putin to destroy the country. 

Can't say Nuclear because nuclear is devastating?

Yeah, I know, when you were 30 something, your uncle explained to you that nuclear was devastating. Most citizens were much younger when they learned that ~ Hiroshima ring a bell?

I am guessing, now, that his prio wondering why we could not use nuclear weapons if we have them, is why he said he can't say nuclear? 

9. “And Ukraine, which would have never happened if I were your president.”

19. “I said, ‘If you just keep a little bit lower standard, you’re going to have a big victory.’”

He should know. 

I have been saying in comments for a long time that T wanted to be president for life. It seems GOP voters would prefer a T dynasty. Tired. Maybe tomorrow I will search for what he said about Putin, and wanting to do the same. Too bad he lost, else he would be well on his way to emperor status.

Okay, so when it was built what more would he want to do?

How effective was the wall in keeping millions and millions of unknown people out? 

Was the border erased, or was the wall completed? Did the alleged completion of the wall erase the southern border? 

Do MAGA's ever pay attention to the contrary things he says?

Sounds like he says these things for his unquestioning parrots to repeat. Maybe they will obey and stop saying "fake news." That they will stop taking sides, They will no longer complain and criticize. 

38. “We built the wall. We completed the wall. And then we said, ‘Let’s do more,’ and we did a lot more.

7. “Our southern border has been erased and our country is being invaded by millions and millions of unknown people, many of whom are entering for a very bad and sinister reason. And you know what that reason is.”

Blue Ribbon Committees

 What are blue ribbon committees?

In the United States, a blue-ribbon committee (or panel or commission) is a group of exceptional people appointed to investigate, study or analyze a given question.

Oh, no, please the don does not want exceptional people anymore. Obvious he only wants the Walkers, MTGs, Sarah Palins, DeVos tax evaders, unqualified people who are GAGA over him in government. 

Reminds me of those old TV shows: white man speaks with forked tongue. 

Maybe he thinks blue ribbon committees means Democrat committees, but even though he does not criticize, complain or take sides...

He is, after all, elegant, even though he does not like the U.S. of A. very much he wants to leave his nice life and get elected to the highest office in the country? 

What person belittles his country and calls himself a patriot. I know, I know (yikes, now I am starting to talk like him) because only the great and all powerful Oz can fix things. Not the Dr. Oz. A little humility would be a great asset. 

Talk about an outsized ego = Grandiose Narcissistic personality disorder. 

Elegant

"We" are not going to be critics or complainers? Um... 

The new elegant and glorious campaign:

7. “Our southern border has been erased and our country is being invaded by millions and millions of unknown people, many of whom are entering for a very bad and sinister reason. And you know what that reason is.”

8. “The blood-soaked streets of our once-great cities are cesspools of violent crimes.”

12. “Under Biden and the radical Democrats, America has been mocked, derided and brought to its knees, perhaps like never before.”

13. “I believe the American people will overwhelmingly reject the left’s platform of national ruin.”

20. “There are a lot of bad things, like going to Idaho and saying, ‘Welcome to the state of Florida, I really love it.’”

32. “Everybody will agree with us because everybody sees what a bad job has been done during this two-year period, and it will be a four-year period.”

36. “You can’t get anything. And good luck getting a turkey for Thanksgiving.”

39. “The cities are rotting, and they are indeed cesspools of blood.”

Hershel?

 I should mention "Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large" added his comments after each of T's recorded lines from his speech.

BTW, I wonder if he paid for his airtime campaign ad? Is it normal for TV stations to interrupt regularly scheduled programs to run candidate announcements. I had CNN on while I was reading and doing a puzzle. I wanted to see State names listed on banner running below the talking heads. I would glance up and it seemed the banner was only showing a few States. When a map showed up, I did get one of the names of a State I was seeking. 

Suddenly I hear him, look up, see his face, and made haste to leave CNN for some Lifetime movie background noise. FOX was the other channel that covered his announcement on live TV. If Pence or DeSantis throw their hats into the ring, will they also air their announcements? 

18. “Despite the outcome in the Senate, we cannot lose hope and we must all work very hard for a gentleman and a great person named Herschel Walker.”

I do not think any misogynist is a great person. Well, it seems Herschel loved women, enough to impregnate more than one. I am, however, talking about wanting to deny females liberty. 

He thinks he graduated college with honors. He left after 3 years to play pro foot ball. Another great Trumplike liar. I do not know if Hershel is a gentleman. I know he says he has DID. He likes to watch horror films, but does not remember name of movie he watched "Last night." Werewolves kill vampires, is an important Lawmaker issue, now, eh. 

Lets work hard for him. T is talking to his GAGA audience, but:

24.” This will not be my campaign. This will be our campaign.”

25. “And we love both sides.”

31. “We don’t want to be critics. We don’t want to be complainers. I never wanted to be a critic.”

Blue Ribbon Committees

 What are Blue Ribbon committees? I will search to find out after I finish up here. 

Why did he create them previously if he hates them so much?

Is he saying during Obama's administration unifying people was going on? 

Still the same ole don, claiming to invent words. 

43. “That’s the only answer, no more ‘blue ribbon.’ I refuse to create them anymore.”

26. “We’re going to unify people. And it was happening in the previous

40. “In the caravans. I love the name. I came up with it. I love the name.” administration, previous to the previous.”

Verbal Abusive Bully

 51. “I go home and she says, ‘You look angry and upset.’ I say, ‘Just leave me alone.’”

Nuff said? 

I remember in an interview when he said when he gets home from work, he expects dinner on the table and gets very upset if it is not. 

He took his domestic verbal abuse to a nationwide level. 

I miss Barack; he clearly loved Michelle. He might have been the one to say to her: you look angry and upset. Followed by, Do you want to tell me about it? Can I get you a glass of wine? Give her a hug, massage her shoulders, cracked a joke to make her laugh. 

I do not know if Bill/Hillary would have barked: leave me alone. Ladybird and LBJ? Most definitely not Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. 

Everyone has bad days. Married partners might snap at each other, and ask to be left alone. Yet it seems he rejected his wife's offering comfort. 

I needed

 I needed this laugh.

The 51 most outlandish lines from Donald Trumps announcement speech

33. “I didn’t need this. I had a nice easy life.”

45. “I don’t like to think of myself as a politician, but I guess that’s what I am. I hate that thought.”

46. “I’m a victim. I will tell you.”

Poor, poor baby, so, then, go home and do not do it. I mean who is holding a gun to his head, forcing him to force himself on citizens of the world.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/16/politics/trump-campaign-announcement-speech-2024/?dicbo=v2-915f34f310ba629dd162dfcb6ea3f8b4&hpt=ob_blogfooterold

MAWA

 I used to believe MAGA was actually Make America White Again. Now I think it is Make America Worse Again. Save America? Destroy America is more apt. We do need to be saved from him, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Q publicans, Christians who should not be involved with earthly affairs.

Insomnia, I went back to an article I read comments on last night. I wanted to comment on the love note to #45, "he is right ~ they do rape, increase crime, bring in drugs" lots of hearts, praying hands, blessings, and a U.S. of A. flag flapping in the wind. 

I did not find that comment, even though I went to "show oldest first." I did reply to some asine comments. Even to a T-hater who said "okay boomer" to Fred who ranted about liberals have DESTROYED the country. I mentioned to "okay boomer" that this old lady boomer knows that it is the GOP who are trying to destroy liberty for women and that Democrats want liberty for all citizens

I wanted to ask the lady why she is waving a flag, if she is such a good Christian; Jesus said you can not serve two masters. (I assume it was a she.) Do they realize that there are Christians worldwide? So the person is gonna hate thy Christian neighbor? Lots of Mexican Christians. Mexican/Americans also. 

She might do well reading her Bible, than listening to that man. Especially Matthew 23/24, and Luke "he will say I never knew you."

May the gullible

 May (expressing possibility) the gullible fact check. Um, did I make that clear? I do not want to say, "pray that the gullible fact check." I wanted to post on my Facebook Timeline and add:

Can I get an amen? 

However my sarcasm will likely be missed. A cousin who recently joined FB is fond of typing those Amens, causing me to post (again) about phisher bots. 

The other day I almost removed a fairly new friend. Her mother, my cousin's wife, had died. I used to babysit the girl and her brother, when they were young. I will see if she applauds T's announcement, then she goes bye, bye.

I am considering removing a sister and a long time friend. Better for me to finish up Farm Town game, clean up my wall and bid FB goodbye.

Ageist

 People called me ageist when I mentioned candidates being too old, yet I do believe Nancy Pelosi, at 82 needs to retire. 66 or 67 are retirement ages to receive full earned SS benefits. Both T & Biden should also opt out and let some younger candidates take over.

I have lived in two senior buildings and do know that senior's activity and health varies among them. Some in their 90s are sharper than others much younger. 

I did not know much about Nancy other than T's peeps hate her, until a friend mentioned hating her voice. I listened to Biden speaking for the first time. There voices sound aged. The world changes rapidly; I want elected officials that grew up in a modern world, not those who grew up in the same years or slightly before than myself. 

I recall Bill saying Hillary had 'senior moments.' Yikes, I have had them; would not want a president answering a 3AM red phone call, having a moment.

don't be so smug or else

 A lot of cheering about the red wave being a red dribble. I recall the line from a song: don't be so smug, or else. It was about a girl, and the guy who warned her about another guy. Now he can laugh, laugh, because she got just what she deserved.

Reminder: there was not much of a blue wave either. GOP candidates that lost to Democrats, did not lose by a large margin, some just %age points. I saw one Democrat that lost by a large number of votes. The rest were basically neck in neck.  Gloat now, cry later. 

I hope the trend continues. I am happy Mastriano and Oz lost. Walker should have lost as well. I understand Warnock is not popular. Yet peeps compare Walker's DID to Fetterman's stroke. None of those 3 have prior government experience. They are Trump extremists. If they could not be defeated by a large number of votes, we, the sane, people are still in trouble. 

For the record, I am not Blue, I am Green. I think I voted for the Peace & Freedom party candidate, or some Women's party, that appealed to me. Due to Roe v Wade and #45, I no longer bother checking out other parties, just vote straight Democrat ~ blue no matter who. I like Fetterman's vision, but not so sure about his Charitable foundation.

It seems it is legit, yet I think elected officials should hold off on starting not for profit charitable foundations, until after they no longer hold office. Mainly a way to avoid paying taxes, me thinks. 

Response to Twitter comments

 I do not do twitter. Even if I did, it is useless to reply to the cocksure stupid. 

("The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.Z" Bertrand Russell.)

Kay B, duh. Did you know that a recently defeated GOP wannabe governor wanted to ban all abortions, because all abortions are murder? Protestors do not want individual states to deny liberty to citizens based on gender. Got that?

The others are bigots, men have sex with females of all shapes, sizes, ages (elderly and children,) who are they to judge a women's sex appeal. They also commented about education level. How is it possible to know if someone is a college student or not (the comments said, "not." from a video. Idiots. My daughter stresses being kind; Michelle Obama says when they go low, we go high. Apologize for expressing my true feelings, no matter how low or unkind.

Several jumped on some lengthy code, saying it is illegal to blah, blah, blah. I did not copy it. Others pointed out that the ladies were parading on public sidewalks, not standing in front of the Justice's house. They could be guilty of "trying to influence" a Justice. Justice's are more likely to be influenced by lobbyists like Ginny Thomas showering them with $$$$$$$$$. Barret is as uneducated and misogynists as the men who do not know about D & C's, non-viable pregnancies, and everything else I keep saying.

Castem Embers Saved $8 & KingFreak49

We read the book, we comprehend it. You know that old saw, first they came for...women's liberty, but I did not speak out, because I am not a women (or I am a Christian)...

We are aware of Hitler's tactics aped by #45. We are aware that they want to ban contraceptives next. LGBTs are still fighting for liberty guaranteed all citizens. Same Sex marriage is next on the GOP/Christian chopping block. 

States are not allowed to make laws that violate Federal law. The Supreme Court just handed states the right to deny liberty to women. Women in Handmaid's tale were denied liberty. Get it, Castem Embers Saved $8 & KingFreak49?

Twitter comments

 Twitter comments on video showing women dressed as Handmaids protesting in front of  Justice Amy Coney Barrett's home.

From KingFreak49

They need to read and comprehend the book. Not being able to abort a child is no where near the Handmaid's Tale.

Castem Embers Saved $8

It's like they don't realize the book is about a shutdown of free society and imposition of religious coverings due to a pandemic and to show piety by religious zealots, and that they are religious zealots doing this.

My favorite, Kay B

Do they understand that abortion is not banned just going back to the states to vote on so maybe just maybe spend their time focused on the voters in their own states.

Ian Howorth

You know this is just like the Handmaid's Tale because they are allowed to protest and then go home afterwards, all while no-one is raped to procreate for the wealthy elite.

ManimKos

So we have a bunch of women that no one would sleep with protesting for abortion rights. This is laughable.

It goes on, with criticizing them for wearing masks; another shows an image of Patriot protesters wearing masks, with comment saying they refuse to wear a mask on airplanes, yet...

Knife threat

 A 38 year old man was arrested after he walking into a polling place in West Bend, Wisconsin, with a knife, demanding they stop the voting. No one was hurt, voting was stopped for 30 minutes. Library staff, poll workers and citizens hid in a closed voting room location until police cleared the location for more possible violence. 

***

"Austin Gene Combs confessed to shooting Anthony Lee King “several times with a revolver” while the 43-year-old victim and his wife were doing yardwork..." Okeana, Ohio. 

Austin killed King because he thought King was a Democrat. 

Comments about political violence:

John wrote

It started with Gingrich as he demonized Democrats by referring to them as the "enemy" instead of opponent. Trump made it worse and now we have this...welcome to GOP's America.

Casey replied:

No, it started with Medal of Freedom "winner" Rush Limbaugh becoming popular and creating syncophants and imitators on right wing "news" radio in the early 90's. Before that there was division but at least a moderate amount of respect to those with diverging opinions. Now it's just unbelievable how unstable this whole right wing has become towards their fellow Americans. Sorry not sorry, but patriotism is more than just how many flags you can stick on your pickup truck, and there is more to the Constitution than just the 2nd Amendment.

Zelda's 'two cents'

Yes, Rupert Murdoch has contributed to the destruction of journalism in multiple English-speaking countries, including the U.S.

Happy in his ignorance, Cas

Cas: 
 Yes, i heard this on conservative talk radio. think for yourself instead of repeating whatever u hear.

I am not sure who Cas was replying to. Just in the middle of debate about slow election returns. One person said to be patient, we have been voting for 200 years. We get projected winners soon after polls close. Might have to stay up past ones bedtime to see how Alaska and Hawaii citizens voted. 

Oh, but, Cas, you must be extremely happy. He heard something then admonishes others to think, not repeat what he heard. Oh, man, laughing at his idiocy. 

Andrew wants a Skew code (bar code) issued to every voter, scan, move on. Simple, except for peeps in a hospital bed, or the military person overseas. Does the U.S. send machines to all those remote locations, hire poll workers to man the machines? Oh, excuse me a moment, Captain, I need to go vote, hold the fort until I get back.

I got bumped from article comments I was reading. I tried using the back arrow, but it went to Yahoo news page and I do not know which article I was reading. I was enjoying the sparring.

Ignorance is Bliss

 You must be very happy. 

I loved that reply to a comment. I got signed out of Yahoo. Relapsed, and replied to a lot of comments earlier. I truly want to use that posters words to reply to:

LauraJ

no reason to allow for mail in votes, just because you dont feel like going to a booth. Lots of others tried to educate her. I would add: Write that down, date it, and read it again when you are in the hospital, having a baby, recovering from bad car accident, gall bladder surgery. Or when it is your mother, father, sister, brother, grandparent. When you are 74, or 82, or 95. And it is do not, or don't.

Caren wrote Lotto drawing can tell us exactly where the tickets were sold within hours and there are hundreds of millions of those sold weekly. But we wait days or weeks for people to count votes with machines.

Do those machines tell the name of the person who bought the tickets? Their proof of age (will need to be 18+ to cash in, I believe,) their SS# (for tax purposes,) their address?  

People who buy lottery tickets are not casting votes for multiple candidates in various districts, states, nor voting yes or no on referendum issues. Would a small rural town have enough funds to buy a super computer and program to make all those calculations?  

Nice in theory, impractical to implement. Not to mention candidates that cry: foul! Machine manipulation. Shortage of poll workers to feed the ballots into machines. Failure of some districts to report the voting totals for their district. Some big cities have more ballots to feed in the machine.

Voters here put their own ballots in the machines. I doubt the calculating began until after polling place was closed. Small town with say, 500 or a thousand voters, will finish a lot faster than a city with 1/2 a million voters.

Stan has a lot to say:

There is no way the state should say otherwise. I have seen poll workers sitting around drinking coffee and doing nothing while the people vote. People pointed out, to his comment, there is not reason poll workers could not start feeding mail in ballots in the morning, stating some states have a law forbidding that.

I have never seen poll workers sitting around drinking coffee during a presidential election. Mid terms, I would look around wondering where all the voters were, so few compared to presidential election. What I have seen is long lines, waiting upon workers to check for their name on rooster, have them sign it, handing out stickers after they cast their ballot into the machine. I have never seen any with food and drink at the check in or check out tables. They do take lunch elsewhere, bathroom breaks. I wonder if Stan ever worked a 15 hour day for low pay, and did not have coffee or coke or bottled water.