17 thoughts on “Tuesday Open Thread”

1. Walker Stapleton stinks, too!

   Call it what it is: Staplestink!

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2. Looks like the Senate may let us down. No doubt the Dem leadership is being hammered by lobbyists of their Christian/corporate donors to let T***p have his way, must be why they are so squishy.

   This is the time to fight like hell…with everything you have. The Senate gave up last time and stood by while Yurtle stole a seat. This is your moment, Senator Bennet. Show us that of which you are made. Lead.

   Stop this train.

    

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   1. Duke, you're just going to set off a Zappy-bomb by mentioning He Who Must Not Be Named.

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3. Trump's trade war is about to get very real, and very damaging — and not just to his base:

   But both the scale and the motivation behind the Trump tariffs — their obviously fraudulent national security rationale — are something new. They amount to rejecting the rules of the game we created; the E.U., in its warning, bluntly calls U.S. actions “disregard for international law.” Sure enough, Axios reports that the Trump administration has drafted legislation that would effectively take us out of the W.T.O.

   The U.S. is now behaving in ways that could all too easily lead to a breakdown of the whole trading system and a drastic, disruptive reduction in world trade.

   How will all of this affect the U.S. economy? Exporters will be hurt, of course — and exports support around 10 million jobs.

   And what’s especially striking right now is that even industries Trump claims he wants to help are protesting his policies, urging him to reverse course. General Motors warns that proposed auto tariffs could lead to “less investment, fewer jobs and lower wages for our employees.” The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association has urged the administration to stand down, declaring that “counterproductive unilateral actions” will “erode U.S. jobs and growth” while doing nothing to protect national security.

   But there are no grown-ups in this administration, which basically makes policy by temper tantrum. A full-blown trade war looks all too possible; in fact, it may already have begun.

   One plank of every Democratic campaign should be a call to Stop Trump's Illegal Trade War!

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4. Out of curiosity, I just checked out Stumbleton's web site to see what he has to say about healthcare — one of the biggest issues facing millions of Coloradans — either because they still lack coverage (~350,000) or would lose coverage if Republicans got their way (~588,000), or have coverage, but struggle with either the premiums or the deductibles (most of the rest of us).

   The New York Times had this to say:

   

   Maria Cramer✔@GlobeMCramer

   Awful scene on the orange line. A woman’s leg got stuck in the gap between the train and the platform. It was twisted and bloody. Skin came off. She’s in agony and weeping. Just as upsetting she begged no one call an ambulance. “It’s $3000,” she wailed. “I can’t afford that.”

   3:45 PM – Jun 29, 2018

   In the face of a grave injury, a series of calculations follow: The clear and urgent need for medical attention is weighed against the uncertain and potentially monumental expense of even basic services, like a bandage or a ride to the hospital, and that cost, in turn, weighed against all the known expenses of living that run through any given head on any given day.

   Health care is a complicated problem, one exacerbated by the gridlock in Washington. But the trade-offs that everyday people are being asked to make, the calculations they are being forced to undertake in the scariest of situations, suggest that far too many of America’s politicians have placed too little value on the well-being of its citizens. Nothing will change until their fellow citizens step into the ballot box and insist on something better.

   Stumbleton's answer?  Nothing, nada.  Problem, what problem? He's got his, so go get your own!

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   1. The ISSUES differences between the 2 is interesting.

      Jared

      Economy
      Energy
      Health Care
      Education
      Environment
      Gun Violence Prevention
      Transportation
      CO Workers
      Animal Welfare
      Broadband Infrastructure
      A Dignified Retirement
      Criminal and Social Justice

       

      Walker

      Sanctuary Cities
      PERA
      Education
      Energy and Land
      Transportation
      Second Amendment
      Jobs

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      1. Exactly. What healthcare problem?

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      2. Shhhhh…don’t let Stapler know that Jared’s energy plan is going to bring billions in new investments to rural Colorado. Let’s let that be our little secret, K?

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5. Polis needs to roll out some TV commercials asap to "define" his opponent before his opponent defines him.

   And speaking of TV commercials, I've seen a couple of the Supreme Court appointment commercials on CNN. I'm supposed to call my senators to tell them to confirm some "independent and fair" like Neil Gorsuch.

   Yeah, right…….

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   1. Heinrich Himmler's daughter just died.  Guess that takes her off Trump's list.

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      1. 

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      2. About time. *spit*

          

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6. Another Joe Paterno or Denny Hastert?

   https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/03/politics/jim-jordan-sexual-abuse-allegations-ohio-congress/index.html

   Isn't Jim Jordan one of the leaders of the House Freedom Club? Kind of reminds me of the way Denny Hastert looked the other way when faced with the accusations of Mark Foley's actions. 

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   1. Maybe history will be as kind to abuse enabler Congressman Jim Jordan as it has been to former speaker Denny Hastert. Hastert's booking photo, posted by WGNTV.

      

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7. On the horns of a dilemma or a case of really bad timing?  Just as Democrats might be on the verge of taking control of many state legislatures and the House due to the abuse of power by Republicans, the movement towards "Fair" reapportionment is just now picking up steam. 

   Are we cutting our own throats by allowing Republicans (if they are in the minority in 2020) a larger voice after decades of their gerrymandered majorities in state and federal legislatures letting them cling to power without a clear popular mandate?

   It is very tempting, if we get the chance, to spend a few years rubbing their noses in their elephant poop as penance for all the havoc they have, and continue to this day, wreaked.

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   1. "On the verge of taking control" seems like a pretty long way off in many states.

      I recommend following the sage advice of Mark Twain:

      Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
       

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      1. Yes, thus my dilemma

         

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