CanonRay
CanonRay's JournalYesterday was my 20th DU anniversary!
I didn't post because I was traveling all day, but I did remember it. I joined in the midst of the Kerry campaign, in my first sojourn into politics since college. I was unable to do so previously because of the Hatch Act, but I jumped in with both feet. I started as a Precinct Committeeman, and got to go to the Colorado state convention. By happenstance, one of our members was seeking the post of State Party Treasurer, on a ticket that was trying to oust the old guard of the party.
I knew folks in some of the other county parties, so I went wandering the floor in search of votes for our guy and the hopefully new state party chair. I managed to get a couple of smallish counties to come over to our side, and low and behold our Chair candidate won, by only a couple of votes. Because the new state party chair was female, the vice-chair had to be male, so my local guy threw his hat in the ring for that position instead of Treasurer. I got to go up and nominate him in front of the whole convention, what a kick. Then he won! So now we had the Vice-Chair of the party from our little county. Unfortunately, Kerry, one of my true heroes for the way he protested the Viet Nam war, lost.
Now that progressives controlled the state party machinery, we really took off, and in the next four years Colorado turned from reddish purple to solid blue. In 2007, our Vice-Chair was instrumental in getting the Dem convention to Denver, and I got to go (although not as a delegate). It was great, as I was there the night Hillary threw her delegates to Obama. I ran unsuccessfully for the DNC that year as well.
So that was my re-introduction to politics and introduction to DU. This week's events are as exciting as any political movement I've ever seen! Let's kick that Orange Turd to the curb.
"A republic, madam. If you can keep it."
Those prophetic words from Dr. Franklin were going round and round in my head all night long. I am deeply saddened, and angry, and frustrated all at the same time.
I took an oath to preserve, protect, and defend our Constitution, but I see it being shredded before my eyes and I am powerless to stop it.
Yes, I am going to vote for Joe, and try to get as many as I can to join me. And I hope and believe we will win. If that happens, we will have four more years to fix this. But the other side won't quit. Look at the last four years; we've fixed virtually nothing, and we're closer to the precipice than ever. We, like good dems and citizens relied upon the guardrails that no longer exist, the institutions that are crumbling, the laws that are being ground to meaningless dust. They have either failed us, or seem to be in the process of doing so.
The other side, or at least those who pull the strings, have a long range plan, and money to finance that plan. They use the very institutions meant to protect us, against us. I now realize if we beat them back, it will be the same thing in 2028, only worse.
So, it seems to me that in order to finally defeat these forces arrayed against democracy, we must become, against our will, the very thing we loath and fear. We are at a crossroads and we must choose. Our leaders must use the awesome powers at their disposal in ways we would, in normal times, despise.
The leadership of this slow coup must be dealt with harshly. Its back must be broken. Whoever they are; office holders, judges, oligarchs, religious leaders, proud boys and all their fascist minions must be removed from anywhere they can do damage. This may mean suspending habeas corpus, as Lincoln did. This may mean using military power internally to detain people, as Washington did in the Whiskey Rebellion (which was far less a threat). I hate the very idea of this, as I'm sure you all do. It may prove to have serious unintended consequences. But do we have a choice, really? The SCOTUS immunity decision has taught me that the deck is stacked against us in the long term. We may very well stave off Trump, but realize that door has been opened and there will be another; smarter, smoother, and more deadly. We must slam that door shut.
The President has tremendous powers under the Patriot Act, and I do not claim to know what actions need to be utilized. I leave that for minds greater than mine. Today we hold those levers of power. Tomorrow we may not, and rest assured our enemies will use them next time, be that January 2025, or January 2029, or 2033. We know now that they are relentless. Lincoln would not hesitate. Washington would not hesitate. What will Joe do?
Early morning rant over.
An armed uprising has broken out in several cities in Dagestan
Dagestan is southwestern Russia and one of the largest sources of manpower for Putin's war. Video shows automatic weapons fire in city streets and reports of multiple casualties.
Yesterday I lerned my best friend had passed.
We were roomies in college, and met 54 years ago. He was a year younger than I. I had a missed call at 6am from his phone, and he was no early bird. When I called back his brother answered so I felt my gut tighten. Sure enough, they found him the evening of the 16h. He had apparently come in his house and lay down on the bed and never got up. The bed was not even mussed. He had a pacemaker but otherwise was in great health, and very conscious of his diet and exercise.
One of the truly nice guys in this world...he is and will be missed. He never married, but was very content with hi life in the town where he grew up. He was always happy.
I stayed at his house last June, and I'm so thankful I got to spend some time with him. You just never know when you are going to lose someone close.
This one hit me hard.
Top Five Westerns Ever
Jeremiah Johnson
Nevada Smith
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
The Missing
The Revenant
Just finished a disturbing documentary on Netflix: Ordinary Men
About the Nazi execution squads on the Eastern Front in WWII. It focused on a particular unit, the 101st Police Battalion from Hamburg and how utterly ordinary they were, most weren't party members, just average people. A look at the psychology of mass killing and how they justify it to themselves. What is terrifying is I can imagine the MAGAts doing this if Shitler gets back in.
Wagner troops have allegedly entered Rostov-on-Don
according to Prigozin's Telegram channel. I am watching Inside Russia with Konstantin. The conscript troops send out to stop Wagner allegedly stepped aside and let them in. A second report stated that National Guard troops fired on Wagner but were overwhelmed and fled, dropping their weapons.
Konstantin says that we'll know more in 24 hours, lots of bits and pieces coming in.
Why we can't cut a deal with Trump.
The short answer? He can't be trusted.
Bandied amongst the talking head set, I hear speculation about Jack Smith cutting a plea deal with Trump, along the lines that he agrees never to run for office in his life and wears an ankle monitor or some such shit.
Imagine if this was done. Along comes the Iowa primary and the liar-in-chief decides he's just what the country needs. He cuts the ankle monitor and off he goes to his first rally and announces his candidacy for President. . Now the government is in the position of having to arrest him for a parole violation solely because he's running for elected office. Exactly what the Magats are screaming.
So please, cut the fairy tales of dealing with this psycho. A hard fought trial and life in prison is the only option.
Fearing for their trans daughter's safety, a Texas family flees to Oregon
“I would always say, ‘Well, I’m going to stay here and fight until they try and take my kids away.’ And I would say it as, like a, well, you know, that’s never going to happen. But then it did,” Karen said.
“We were advised to leave before we couldn’t leave.”
https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3038885644429-fearing-for-their-trans-daughter-s-safety-a-texas-family-flees-to-oregon?_f=app_share&s=a1&share_destination_id=NDcxNjU3NjYtMTY4NTExNjI0ODY1NA%3D%3D&pd=03BtyAOP&hl=en_US&send_time=1685116248&actBtn=fb&trans_data=%7B%22platform%22%3A1%2C%22cv%22%3A%2223.20.0%22%2C%22languages%22%3A%22en%22%7D
I'm glad I live in a free state.
What we are witnessing today in the House
is the result of winning elections through gerrymandering.
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Gender: MaleHometown: Illinois
Current location: Oregon
Member since: Fri Jul 23, 2004, 10:38 AM
Number of posts: 14,474