Good Morning Good Newsies. I have been so busy at work that I did not have time to write a lovely, inspiring opening for you all today. So I thought, let the rest of the writers do it for me.
From niftywriter:
“On Saturday morning, as the horror in El Paso unfolded, I seriously began to wonder if I was going to be able to write a GNR this week.It seems impossible to find glimmers of hope or good news when so many are suffering and so many bad actors appear to be getting away literally with terrorism.
But then something else started to happen, and by Sunday evening I realized that the tide that had started to turn on November 9,2016 — the tide that rose to a beautiful cleansing wave in November 2018 — has finally, undeniably swept over the barricade of denial, greed and studied ignorance of many in the chattering media corps and even — almost unbelievably — of some in the Republican party. A door has been passed through and there is no going back. The shock of this weekend of bloodshed, on top of more than three years of white nationalist — nazi — stochastic terrorism by the illegitimate pResident, has finally broken through the determined silence of some Republicans and most media outlets.
This is a turning point, Gnusies”.
From Mokurai:
“It's true. We Democrats all want the best of everything for everybody,whether they don't like it, or not. (HT Misterjaw)It's not our fault that a raging but shrinking minority refuses our offer for fear that Those People will get some. We stand for Progressive measures that the real and vocal majority of Americans wants on almost every issue. Even gun safety and women’s medical choices and Global Warming.
Progressives are not “far to the Left”
From chloris creator:
“A question has been asked in the roundups: how do we keep going when faced with so much horrible stuff? (I won’t list the horrible stuff; you can find it literally everywhere else.)
For me — and the answer may be different for you — it’s a balancing act. I don’t follow every piece of news, especially not the bad news. I don’t have the energy.
Instead,I find certain things on which to act and ways in which to fight. I write the GNR, which I believe is really important. When something is bothering me that the government can do something about,I contact my representatives and complain. When I am stateside, I do Postcardsto Voters and I do a little freeway blogging. I financially support the causes in which I believe. I know lots of people here do lots more than I do,and I really admire all of you.
But there’s more to my life than politics. Family and friends. Getting outside. This past week we got the house painted (finally; it looks a million times better) and had some repairs; I got to kitten sit; I finished the first part of a big writing project and sent it to an agent.
So,in addition to fighting for the country and the planet, remember to do something kind for yourself and your friends. It may be something as simple as a tasty sandwich or your favorite TV show, or a walk among your favorite trees. This is a marathon, not a sprint”.
From The Chairwomen:
“It’s not easy to face the pain the world, whether it is through fiction,stories from friends, or the news, but when the pain recedes, we can be stronger and kinder and more dedicated to bringing light to the world.
We all face this right now.
It is hard to see awful happening in the world: babies orphaned by mass shooters; children alone due to ICE raids; people scared in their own country.
You can block yourself off from the pain of it all. You can harden your skin and protect your soul so that the pain doesn’t seep in.
And that will save you from sorrow.
But it will make the next atrocities -- and the ones after that --seem less bad. It will make you less likely to help. It will lead you to withdraw attention from injustice.
And we, those of us still fighting, will miss your amazing efforts.
But more than that, you will be diminished. You will lose some of your own light and your own strength.
So feel the pain the world throws it at you. Sob when you need to. Feel anger when you need it. All emotions are transient; they don’t last.
And when they recede, you will be stronger. You will be kinder. You will be more determined to make a difference.
We can’t hide from the awful things this president is doing. We cannot harden our hearts to the human toll.
But we can fight . We can do it together. There are literally millions and millions of people in this country all feeling what we are feeling and fighting for what is right”.
From jessiestaf:
“If you don’t know, 8chan is a message board which was founded by people too disgusting and awful for 4chan (Let that sink in), and has been a meeting place for white Supremacists and a trading post for child pornographers. You may know it as I do as the breeding ground for Gamergate (AKA what Milo whats his name and the rest of the alt right were up to before they latched onto Trump). So seeing this black bile of the internet get shut down at long last is good news in my book. Lets make an internet where these monstrous sites are purged from the internet once and for all”.
From BeeD:
“A Reasonably Serious Opening Essay.
“In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.”—H.L. Mencken
The chief goal in our political lives is and ought to be assuring the defeat of Donald Trump and his creatures next year. Anything else is secondary.
This is the portion we have been allotted.
Only we can defeat ourselves”.
From arhpdx:
“Welcome everybody, old Gnus and new Gnus! Grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and allow me to share some news nuggets that I hope you will find informative, heartening, and energizing.But first, I have a very exciting special announcement:
Old Hippie Dude has provided today’s opening remarks and most oftoday’s music!!
And our own OHD
There are those who approach our current struggle in a spirit of love and happiness. That’s perfectly OK, and such people are getting a lot done. We’re lucky to have them on our side. But for me and, I suspect, many others, the energy to continue the struggle comes from our righteous anger, from our desire to look Trump and his fellow arrogant bullies square in the face and say, “How dare you!” as we sweep them out of the stream of American history”.
From MCUBernieFan:
“Good Morning, fellow Gnusies, and whoever just happened to wander in.
I know yesterday was a mountain of Mueller hearings, reports,tantrums, reactions, analyses, breakdowns, play-by-plays,summaries, etc. I peeked a bit here and poked a bit there, and am TAKING A BREAK from it all.
And I’m taking you all with me! Mua ha ha ha”!
From 2thanks:
“I went to the Lights For Liberty protest in Detroit on July 12. About 1,500 people attended, and I saw many members of my neighborhood there. I needed to do something more, so I decided to put a candle on my porch the following Friday, and I shared it on Nextdoor.com. This is a continuing effort, although I now use an electric light in a window rather than a candle on my front porch.
I’ll put a light in my window every Friday at sundown for an hour. About 25 of my neighbors have joined me so far, based on comments on Nextdoor.com and other conversations. If you want to use my social-media reminder, please feel free”
From NotNowNotEver:
“There’s a bit of folk wisdom that’s rambling around between my ears this week: “Sometimes you’re the bug and sometimes you’re the windshield.” I’m so very tired of the way we keep encountering senseless gun violence and getting squashed by gun money and influence. It’s well past time for us to rise up and shatter their gory windshield. One death is one too many. Shrugging off thousands of them as a cost of protecting a manufactured right is simply inhuman.
So what can we do? How can we make a difference? There are several organizations working hard to push through the NRA’s constant and deceitful fire hose of pro-gun propaganda. If you aren’t already involved, one of these groups could use your support.
Everytown for Gun Safety — Umbrella for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. — Everytown is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities.
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence — For nearly 25 years, our legal experts have been producing leading-edge legislative analysis and fighting for a safer America by defending the laws, policies, and programs proven to save lives from gun violence.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence — The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement, and effective policy advocacy”.
Good Gnus is good for the soul.
Onward!
Offered without much comment.
May the Great NRA Meltdown of 2019 Never End
Another day, another disaster for the gun nuts at the National Rifle Association, as a fourth member of the group’s board of directors resigned without warning on Tuesday evening, well before her tenure was up.
In a letter on her personal website, professional sport shooter Julie Golob wrote she’d informed NRA President Carolyn Meadows and the rest of the organization’s leadership that was resigning from the board and would not complete her three-year term.
Democrats raise pressure on McConnell to tackle gun reform
A handful of House Democrats returned to Washington on Tuesday to press House Republicans to tackle gun control immediately, and to accuse Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of single-handedly blocking tougher laws at the expense of public safety.
"So far this year more than 9,000 Americans ... have been killed by gun violence — including those killed in more than 250 mass shootings. ... How many Americans will lose their lives, or their loved ones, to random gun violence before the United States Senate takes action?" House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said during a rare recess news conference in the Capitol.
"The House has acted, and it is time — past time — for the [Senate] to act," he said.
For Democrats, the pressure campaign is just heating up. Democratic leaders on the House Judiciary Committee are weighing whether to call the panel back to Washington during the recess, and Hoyer said they're eyeing scores of gun reform proposals — beyond the background checks — for potential consideration. It's unclear what specific legislation Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) has in mind, but Hoyer mentioned several proposals Democrats are eyeing, including a ban on assault weapons and new limits on magazine capacity.
More than 10,000 guns taken out of circulation through New Zealand’s ambitious buyback program
A far-right mass murderer opens fire on a crowd of worshippers. His guns discharge hundreds of rounds in a matter of minutes. Bullets enter dozens of bodies indiscriminately. Fifty-one people die. A further 49 are injured. It is the deadliest domestic attack in modern history.
Within days, lawmakers vow to take decisive action. Legislation is drafted to ban nearly all semi-automatic weapons. High capacity magazines are prohibited. A gun buyback program is announced. These measures receive widespread, bipartisan support, and are signed into law less than a month after the attack.
Oh, what it must be like to live anywhere except the United States.
One of the first steps she unveiled was to announce a voluntary gun buyback program, wherein gun owners could trade in their firearms in exchange for cash at up to 95% of the value of their gun. They included an amnesty clause as well, meaning anyone with a gun obtained illegally could also turn it in without legal repercussions.
Just one month into the buyback program, authorities have taken more than 10,000 guns out of circulation.
22 states sue Trump over repeal of Obama-era power plant rules
A coalition of mostly Democratic-led states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing its rules for addressing power plant pollution are so weak they violate federal law.
Attorneys general from 22 states and several major cities including New York City and Los Angeles argue that the Trump administration's rule violates the Clean Air Act by having virtually no impact on carbon emissions.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had finalized the rule in June to repeal and replace a capstone Obama-era carbon pollution regulation they say exceeded agency authority.
The new replacement rule to the Clean Power Plan (CPP), deemed the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, aims to give states more time and authority to decide how to implement the best new technology to ease net emissions from coal-fired plants.
“Besides ignoring the science of climate change – the text of the ACE rule barely mentions climate change, much less recognize[s] the dire threat it poses to people’s health, the economy, and the environment – the rule disregards requirements of the federal Clean Air Act,” which requires regulators to use the “best system of emission reduction,” New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) said in a press release.
Teen climate activist says meeting Trump would be a "waste"
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg will soon set sail on a solar-powered boat to attend a U.N. summit in New York. But when asked if she'd be open to meeting President Trump during her trip to America, Thunberg said it would be a "waste."
"Why should I waste time talking to him when he, of course, is not going to listen to me?" she said.
She is a peach.
California counties file first lawsuit over Trump 'public charge' rule
Two California counties on Tuesday filed the first lawsuit against the Trump administration's new "public charge" rule that allows the government to deny entry or green cards to immigrants based on their use of public programs like food stamps and Medicaid.
Representatives for Santa Clara County and San Francisco filed the suit seeking a temporary injunction in the District Court for the Northern District of California.
The counties allege the rule change hurts "critical public health and safety-net systems, is arbitrary and capricious, flouts federal law, and seeks to usurp Congress’ authority by administratively repealing its longstanding family-based immigration system."
California's Trump tax return law raises fears of Republican lockout
California’s new law requiring candidates' tax returns may be aimed at Donald Trump, but its most consequential effects would likely be felt downballot if it survives a legal challenge.
For Republicans who already face a steep climb to blunt Democratic dominance here, the possibility of Trump’s absence from 2020 primary ballots threatens to suppress turnout at a time when they need every vote they can get. That risk conjures another scenario that’s keeping conservative strategists up at night:Republicans getting locked out of general election races thanks to California’s primary system, which allows the top two vote-getters to advance to the general election regardless of party and regularly produces Democrat-vs.-Democrat contests.
“We all know that the top of the ticket generally dictates the turnout,” California Republican Party Chair Jessica Patterson told POLITICO. “If the Democrats have a huge intensity — which they likely will, because our primary is so early — and Republicans don’t have their likely nominee to turn out to vote for, this could really affect our legislative and congressional races, where two Democrats could end up in the general.”
Republicans face a mountain of challenges with black voters in 2020 — and Trump isn’t helping
Texas Rep. Will Hurd’s decision not to seek reelection highlights a big problem for Republicans as 2020 nears: their inability to diversify their ranks and connect with the black community. Hurd’s departure will leave Sen. Tim Scott as the only black Republican in Congress.
And even Scott has vowed to leave Congress after his next term.
Both of the above are worth the whole read, and btw too bad so sad.
Advertisers Drop Fox News, Tucker Carlson After He Said White Supremacy’s A ‘Hoax’
Fox News and host Tucker Carlson are losing more advertisers.
Long John Silver’s will no longer advertise on Fox News, as confirmed on Aug. 8 to Media Matters’ Angelo Carusone.
Nestlé and HelloFresh, which have advertised on Carlson’s show in the past, told The Hollywood Reporter the same day that they were no longer running ads on the show. Nestlé said it had no plans to do so in the future.
On Aug. 9, Stein Mart confirmed that it is no longer running ads on Carlson’s show.
I usually avoid the topic of the Dem primary and what each are doing but this is hysterical.
Julián Castro buys 'Fox & Friends' ad to send 'message' to Trump on El Paso shooting
Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro on Wednesday will release an advertisement on Fox News that directly blames President Trump's rhetoric for the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 people dead.
The ad is set to air throughout the day on Fox News in Bedminster, N.J., where the president is residing this week. The Washington Post reported that Castro's campaign paid $2,775 for multiple spots on Fox News, including "Fox & Friends," a program frequently watched by Trump.
New York City raised minimum wage to $15, and its restaurants outperformed the nation
After NYC raised its minimum wage from $7.25/h to $15/h this year -- the largest pay hike for low-waged workers in half a century -- the city's restaurants boomed, posting the highest growth levels in the country.
The findings come from a study undertaken by the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School and the National Employment Law Project.
The study found no negative effects on city business attributable to the pay rise…
But it's still an important set of empirical findings to counter the scare-stories from neoliberals who warn that paying a living wage is a path to economic collapse.
Artist Mitch O’Connell (not Moscow Mitch McConnell) wants to erect his famous Trump/They Live billboard in Times Square
In 2015 my friend, the fabulous artist Mitch O'Connell, created this excellent illustration of Donald Trump as one of the evil aliens from John Carpenter's 1988 science fiction film, They Live. Once Trump became president, Mitch tried to install a billboard with the illustration, but no one in the US would let him. He ended up displaying it in Mexico City, though.
Well, Mitch recently found out that a Times Square billboard company will allow him to display his illustration on a billboard and he's started a gofundme campaign to make this dream a reality. Go, Mitch!
Two Ebola drugs boost survival rates, according to early trial data
For the first time, preliminary clinical-trial results suggest that two experimental Ebola drugs can lower the death toll of the deadly virus, health officials announced Monday.
The data comes from the PALM trial, which is short for the Swahili phrase Pamoja Tulinde Maisha, meaning Together Save Lives. The trial began in late 2018 amid the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is still ongoing and is now the second-largest outbreak on record. Ebola responders in the DRC aimed to enroll 725 patients, but they only used data from 499 for the preliminary analysis of the results.
Parrot enjoys dancing to Super Mario theme song
Am I old or what?
Sometimes I like to drive around to the 'Get Smart' theme
As always your to do’s from Indivisible:
Your 5 weekly to-dos
- Tell us you’re all in for the September fight by texting Defund Hate to 977-79. We’ll send you the latest updates on our plan for the Week of Action, and we’ll let you know when events are registered near you.
- Call your member of Congress right now at 1-844-909-0232 to tell them you demand that they cut funding for ICE and CBP in this September’s budget. We’ll give you a script and connect you directly with your representative’s office.
- Get up-to-speed using our Defund Hate toolkit with tips on planning an August recess event (great practice for September!) or beginning to organize your local September day of action. We’ve even got a leave-behind you can print and use to guide your conversations with your members of Congress and their staff.
- This August, demand your representative publicly support a formal impeachment inquiry in the House. This weekend, we told you more about Impeachment August. The ask is simple: find a town hall or register your own district office visit and demand that your representative in the House support a formal impeachment inquiry. As of today, a majority of House Democrats support an inquiry-- but we need many, many more to speak out to guarantee we learn the truth about Trump’s crime and corruption.
- Use this script to call your senators now to say their thoughts and prayers are not enough. After the mass shooting in El Paso and Dayton, every senator should publicly demand Mitch McConnell call an emergency session to debate and vote on gun violence prevention legislation AND cosponsor S. 42, which would close loopholes and require background checks for all gun purchases. Read more in our updated resource here.
Well folks that is it for me. Not sure when I will be able to be here today, as said work is a busy pain. But you all know what to do, right?
I leave you with this link:
We hired the author of 'Black Hawk Down' and an illustrator from 'Archer' to adapt the Mueller report so you'll actually read it
Now this, apologies to those who are not MCU or Iron Man fans:
But I am a sucker for it…
Peace!