Should President Biden Take a Lesson from FDR about SCOTUS?

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

The headline from last week’s Christian Science Monitor lays it out bluntly: “Majority of voters no longer trust Supreme Court.”

An entire series of outrages from the radical Republicans on the Court have ginned up calls for President Biden and Congress — should he be re-elected and Democrats take both the House and Senate — to “pack” or expand the size of the Court.

Outrages include Republicans on the Court overturning Roe v Wade, gutting affirmative action, spitting on the Voting Rights Act, limiting civil rights, and a growing anticipation that the Court will soon go after the rights of queer people while further restricting access to abortion and birth control medications.

How did we get here, and what can we do about it?

There’s a remarkable history here, from which we can learn important lessons and take inspiration, as I laid out in greater detail in The Hidden History of the Supreme Court and the Betrayal of America. It should guide President Biden now.

With the 1929 onset of the Republican Great Depression and the 1932 election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Supreme Court and the president were about to seriously clash for the first time in nearly a century.

Four of the justices, Pierce Butler, James Clark McReynolds, George Sutherland, and Willis Van Devanter, were collectively known as the Four Horsemen. As FDR had success after success in passing major legislative initiatives to rescue America from twenty years of Republican maladministration, the Four Horsemen were invariably joined by one of the other justices to strike down New Deal legislation that attempted to address unemployment and poverty, no matter how popular it was.

The Four Horseman claimed to be originalists (“strict constructionists” was the term of the day) who somehow could read the Founders’ intent from the Constitution; like the Republican justices on today’s Court, they flagrantly disregarded the historical reality that the Founders were almost never of a single mind.

Interpretations from that era’s justices didn’t even honestly reflect the Constitution’s framers’ 18th-century colonial understanding of the world; they reflected a 19th-century industrialist perspective, steeped in social Darwinism. They pushed for “survival of the fittest” economics along with pseudoscientific rationales for racism and sexism.

Ideologically, those four justices were the predecessors of conservative ideologues on today’s Supreme Court such as Thomas, Roberts, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett, and Alito. Economically, they embraced laissez-faire economics and rejected any federal powers that were not explicitly granted by the US Constitution.

For 40 years during the prior Lochner era, the Court had struck down dozens of state laws protecting workers, including women and children. During the period between 1897 and 1929, the Court was ruling largely with the booming industrialist economy and saw the labor movement as disruptive rather than positive.

However, with the onset of the Great Depression, those industrialists lost the popular support they had enjoyed in the aftermath of the Haymarket bombing, but, like today, the radically conservative Supreme Court had not caught up with popular opinion.

In 1935, the Court ruled that both FDR’s Agricultural Adjustment Act and the National Industrial Recovery Act were unconstitutional. The rulings gutted Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation.

The Agricultural Adjustment Act had passed in 1933 with 73 percent of the House of Representatives voting for it. The bill passed the Senate with 64 percent of the Senate voting for it. After it was struck down, William Leuchtenburg writes for Smithsonian magazine:

“Many farmers were incensed. On the night following [Justice Owen] Roberts’ opinion, a passerby in Ames, Iowa, discovered life-size effigies of the six majority opinion justices hanged by the side of a road.”

The National Industrial Recovery Act, with its famous “Blue Eagle” logo, had likewise passed with 80 percent of the House voting for it and 70 percent of senators voting for it.

When the Supreme Court used its power of judicial review to overturn these laws, it wasn’t viewed just as an assault on FDR’s New Deal; it was, in the opinion of many Americans (and FDR himself), an assault on the very basis of our democratic republic.

But they were federal laws, and supporters of the Court’s decisions argued that the laws in question were not in the realm of the federal government. If those laws were passed by states, supporters of the Court argued, the Supreme Court would allow them to stand as constitutional.

Then, shortly before Roosevelt was reelected in 1936, the Court struck down a New York state law that established a minimum wage for women and children in Morehead v. New York ex rel. Tipaldo. The pendulum of popular opinion swung against the Court almost overnight. One Republican newspaper in New York declared its opposition to the ruling:

“The law that would jail any laundryman for having an underfed horse should jail him for having an underfed girl employee.”

And, as historian David B. Woolner, author of The Last 100 Days: FDR at War and at Peace, noted:

“Over . . . 13 months, the court struck down more pieces of legislation than at any other time in U.S. history.”

In 1937, the National Labor Relations Act and the Social Security Act were on their way to the Court. Considering how the Four Horsemen had ruled during FDR’s first term, the president knew that he needed to do something quickly or risk losing both pieces of legislation.

If the Court overturned both acts, the New Deal would be dead and America might slide back into depression.

With the New Deal and America’s future as a democratic republic on the line, Roosevelt went on the attack. On February 5, 1937, just months after his landslide reelection, he announced his plan.

Roosevelt asked Congress for the authority to appoint one justice for each justice over 70 who would not retire. The justices on the Court could remain, but each would be called “justice emeritus” and collectively they would have only one single vote.

In 1937, the average life expectancy for men in the United States was only 58 years. The average age of the Supreme Court justices at the time was 71 years old, and six of the justices were 70 years or older. A book mocking the Court, called The Nine Old Men, “was rapidly moving up the bestseller lists.”

Roosevelt’s plan took advantage of the widespread public opinion that the age of the justices was negatively affecting the Court’s decision-making along with the Court’s ability to quickly rule on cases.

FDR directly called into question the “capacity of the judges themselves” to dispose of the growing number of cases facing federal courts. The United States’ population had nearly doubled between 1900 and 1936, and the number of cases facing federal court dockets had exploded. Citizens were waiting longer and longer to go in front of older and older judges.

Roosevelt’s plan would have immediately given him six appointments to the Supreme Court and up to 44 appointments for federal lower courts. Roosevelt argued that “a constant and systematic addition of younger blood will vitalize the courts.”

On March 9, 1937, Roosevelt told the nation in a radio address that the Court was ruling not just against himself and Congress, but against the will of the American people, themselves.

“Last Thursday I described the American form of Government as a three horse team provided by the Constitution to the American people so that their field might be plowed. The three horses are, of course, the three branches of government—the Congress, the Executive, and the Courts.

“Two of the horses are pulling in unison today; the third is not. Those who have intimated that the President of the United States is trying to drive that team, overlook the simple fact that the President, as Chief Executive, is himself one of the three horses.

“It is the American people themselves who are in the driver’s seat. It is the American people themselves who want the furrow plowed.

“It is the American people themselves who expect the third horse to pull in unison with the other two.”

“The Courts,” Roosevelt boomed, “have cast doubts on the ability of the elected Congress to protect us against catastrophe by meeting squarely our modern social and economic conditions.”

Roosevelt’s critics were aghast at his plans. They claimed he was trying the “pack the Court” with justices who would simply be his yes men.

Reacting to his critics, Roosevelt cut to the heart of the matter:

“[I]f by that phrase the charge is made . . . that I will appoint Justices who will not undertake to override the judgment of the Congress on legislative policy, that I will appoint Justices who will act as Justices and not as legislators—if the appointment of such Justices can be called ‘packing the Courts,’ then I say that I and with me the vast majority of the American people favor doing just that thing—now.”

Congress never voted on the plan; it’s unclear whether it would have succeeded, or if a more moderate plan that would have given him only two or three justices might have worked.

On March 29, 1937, a Washington state minimum wage law came before the Supreme Court in West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish. The law in question was nearly identical to the New York state law that that had come before the Court and been struck down a year earlier. But this time, Justice Owen Roberts abandoned the Four Horsemen to uphold Washington state’s minimum wage law in a 5-4 decision.

In a series of 5-4 decisions two weeks later, the court upheld the National Labor Relations Act as constitutional. The ruling, reflecting the success of FDR’s pressure campaign, was astonishing.

Labor Secretary Frances Perkins was close friends with Justice Roberts’s wife, Elizabeth. When the decisions came down, according to Perkins’s biographer Kirstin Downey, “she rushed that afternoon to Roberts’ home” and “threw her arms around the man and hugged him.”

“Owen, I’m so proud of you,” Perkins told the Supreme Court justice. “A man of your standing and intelligence who is not afraid to change his mind!”

Downey writes on how Roberts was embarrassed by the affection, but also very pleased. “Really, do you think so?” he replied to Perkins, preening.

Less than two months later, the Court declared that Social Security was constitutional.

The New Deal had been saved from execution by the Supreme Court. Social Security had been salvaged and the National Labor Relations Act gave labor and unions a lifeline after 40 years of fighting to stay afloat.

Shortly after the Supreme Court upheld Social Security, Willis Van Devanter, one of the Four Horsemen, retired from his position after 26 years on the bench. This gave Roosevelt his first Supreme Court pick: Hugo Black. Less than a year later, Roosevelt got his second pick when Justice George Sutherland announced that he was retiring.

By the end of his 12-year presidency, Roosevelt ended up appointing nine new members to fill eight of the nine seats on the Supreme Court (one, Byrnes, only served a year and a half and was then replaced by another FDR appointee).

Roberts’s about-face in West Coast Hotel was referred to at the time as “the switch in time that saved nine.”

But despite the catchy phrase to describe Roberts’s switch, the relationship between Roberts’s vote and Roosevelt’s plan is not clear. Historians still argue over why Roberts switched and whether he was already planning to switch his vote on these cases before Roosevelt introduced his plan to pack the Court.

They also argue over why the Democratic-controlled Senate buried Roosevelt’s court-packing bill in July 1937. At the beginning of that year the American people were overwhelmingly supportive of Roosevelt, Congress, and the New Deal. At the same time, the American people showed nothing but contempt toward the Supreme Court for “legislating from the bench.”

There’s already legislation before Congress to expand the Court, and a growing consensus among Americans that it’s time for just that. President Biden should take a lesson from FDR, although he’s probably wise to wait until after the election so as not to stir up too much Republican outrage.

Eventually, however, America is going to have to undo the damage of the rightwing billionaires who’ve paid to fill today’s court with radical ideologues.

Orban’s Grip Over Hungary Is More Brittle Than It Seems?

Irontortoise

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Screenshot_1-5-2024_132750_www.worldpoliticsreview.com.jpeg

Today there was a deep dive into the current Hungarian political situation in World Politics Review that is well worth reading (it only requires an email address to access the whole article by Alexander Clarkson, a lecturer in European studies at King’s College London who has a weekly column in WPR):

The recent surge of infighting within Fidesz’s political machine has taken many observers in and outside Hungary by surprise.

...

With the shock resignation in early February of President Katalin Novak and former Justice Minister Judit Varga over efforts within the government to cover up a child abuse scandal, tensions within Orban’s power structure have now burst into the open. In response, Peter Magyar—a senior figure within the Orban regime as well as Varga’s ex-husband—resigned from his positions at state-owned enterprises and founded a new political movement with the aim of dismantling a corrupt status quo. By early April, Magyar’s new opposition Tizsa Party was leading mass protests in Budapest and rapidly preparing a nationwide network designed to peel off elected officials and voters among Orban’s political base in smalltown Hungary.

The sudden defection of a figure like Magyar, who had long worked at the heart of the Fidesz political machine, is not just the result of a sudden discovery of moral scruples. As with many similar semi- or fully authoritarian regimes, the longer Orban has remained in office, the more entrenched various figures within his inner circle have become at the highest levels of power. For ambitious mid-40s careerists like Magyar, the grim prospect of waiting another decade for Orban’s inner circle—all 60-70 years old—to finally leave the scene was already fueling impatient frustration even before the current wave of scandals engulfed Fidesz.

…

Even if Magyar falters, the speed with which Fidesz’s internal tensions have turned into an external challenge to its political machine is an indication of how brittle Orban’s grip on power has become. Even the most dominant authoritarian leader will always face dilemmas when it comes to rewarding ambitious young talent without alienating older cronies whose loyalty is the glue that holds a clientelist system together. If Orban is eventually toppled, it should surprise no one if the figures who were once closest to him turn out to be the ruthless operators that finally take him down.

And now from Bloomberg (sorry, paywall), and the Daily Wrap (no paywall), we have evidence that Peter Magyar’s new political movement is starting to gain serious traction:

Peter Magyar's support surges in polls amid Hungarian political upheaval

The Hungarian party TISZA, recently taken over by Peter Magyar, a new critic of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, is gaining traction in the run-up to the European Parliament (EP) elections, as shown by the latest survey from the Median agency.

Having announced his political entry just six weeks ago, Magyar's party has swiftly become the leading opposition force. By the end of April, 24 percent of voters were inclined to support him.

Despite these changes, the ruling coalition in Hungary, Fidesz-KDNP, still holds the majority of support at 46 percent. However, Orban's party is currently grappling with the fallout from a scandal that broke in February over the pardoning of an individual convicted of covering up paedophilia. This controversy led to the resignation of President Katalin Novak.

The findings from Median are consistent with those from other research institutions. The Iranytu Institute recently revealed that Magyar's party has surpassed all other opposition groups in popularity nationwide. At the same time, the IDEA Institute highlighted the most significant decline in support for Fidesz in years.

Polls suggest that the Fidesz-KDNP coalition may struggle to retain its current 13 seats in the EP from Hungary's total allocation of 21.

The EP elections in Hungary, set for 9 June, will be held simultaneously with local elections. Orban's government is particularly focused on increasing its representation among those who are critical of aid to Ukraine amid the Russian invasion and those concerned with migration issues.

Let’s hope that Magyar’s party continues to pick up steam and that Orban suffers a very rude surprise in the June 9 elections!

Earth Matters: Biden puts up $7 billion for low-income solar; 7 win Goldman Environmental Prize

Meteor Blades

Daily Kos Staff Emeritus (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Screenshot2024-04-30at9.10.32PM.png — President Joe Biden on Monday celebrated Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in grants for residential solar projects that will power nearly a million low-income households.

Solar for all. That’s what we were about 45 years ago at the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Research Institute in Golden, Colorado. While solar thermal panels were getting a lot of attention then, rooftop photovoltaic systems were exceedingly rare, generated tiny electricity output, and were frightfully expensive. A cohort of us were anxious over how long it would take for improved technology to bring the price down to the point where most Americans could afford one. Prices have come way down since then, especially since 2005. But the upfront costs—around $20,000 depending on where you live—remain daunting for a large portion of the population.

To help remedy this, on Earth Day this year, President Biden announced a real Solar for All, a $7 billion grant program overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency to make solar energy available to more than a million low-income and disadvantaged American households, saving them at least 20% on their electricity bills. All 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico are included in the 60 selected programs chosen for grants. States, tribes, municipalities, and non-profit groups will use the grants and low-cost financing to provide solar and energy storage for single-family homes and multi-family dwellings. As Biden could rightly say, this is a BFD.

The money is part of the $27 billion the Inflation Reduction Act includes in what is called the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Early last month, $20 billion was awarded to get a national network of green banks up and running. This is another attempt to lower energy costs.

Of Solar for All, Warren Leon, executive director of the Clean Energy States Alliance, told Alison F. Takemura that “There’s never been an initiative anywhere near as big for expanding solar for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households across the country. This is going to give a tremendous boost to an important share of the solar market that has not received sufficient attention in the past.”

For people in 25 states and territories, this will mark the first time they’ll have access to low-income solar programs. For other states the grants will help grow existing programs. The EPA plans to issue the money over a five-year period, with a goal of adding 4 gigawatts of rooftop and community solar power. To qualify for a grant, a project must cut customer electric bills by at least 20%. That, the administration calculates, will save 900,000 households $8 billion during the estimated 25-year lifespan of the solar installations.

In addition to these grants, the IRA created a new tax credit of 40%-50% to lower the costs of community solar projects if they directly benefit residents of affordable housing (IRA section 13103). Non-taxable entities like cities and non-profit housing companies aren’t usually eligible for tax credits, obviously, but IRA section 13801(d) makes an exception. Additionally community solar interconnection costs are now also included in the federal investment tax credit.

Simply put, community solar allows multiple customers to get some or all their electricity needs from a solar array, but not one installed on their dwellings. Community solar programs can be run by municipalities, utilities, private third parties, or cooperatives. In this way, people who can’t buy or install their own solar panels can still get the clean energy they provide. That doesn’t mean just renters. The National Renewable Electricity Laboratory, the successor to the Solar Energy Research Institute, reports that only 1 in 4 residential properties is suited to rooftop solar for structural and logistical matters.

Community solar offers affordable clean energy to lower-income neighborhoods, apartment buildings, schools, small businesses, and government properties. This expansion of accessibility is one reason NREL so enthusiastically supported community solar back in 2010 with this report, noting that “the on-site solar market comprises only one part of the total market for solar energy … Clearly, community options are needed to expand access to solar power for renters, those with shaded roofs, and those who choose not to install a residential system on their home for financial or other reasons.”

The financial picture is stark. There’s truth to critics’ complaints that it’s mostly the elite who can afford solar installations. And that hasn’t much changed in the 14 years since the NREL report was published.

The disparity is a product of the high up-front cost of a solar installation and the fact that less affluent Americans are less likely to own their home. The federal tax incentive lowers costs, but availability depends on a household’s tax liability, and most lower-income people don’t have enough of that to get full advantage of the credit.

Community solar can go a long way in reducing that inequality. But it matters what kind of community solar. The we’re-all-in-this-together tone of the word “community” is violated in many cases of private third-party ownership of a solar array. Customers in such programs get far fewer benefits than they would if they owned the array. Utilities offering monthly billing credits to customers who subscribe to clean energy generated with community solar installations also get more of the benefits than customers owning or in control of their own systems. This is why it’s heartening to see the Biden administration encouraging cooperative ownership of community solar projects.

Now $7 billion is a lot of moolah. But to actually attain the goal of Solar for All, it will ultimately take a lot more than that. Given the caterwauling from Republicans about the IRA and the Democrats’ “radical green agenda,” it’s obvious—as on so many other issues—that keeping certain people out of office is essential to keeping, much less expanding the program.

Here are three examples of projects that will be receiving funds from Solar for All. You can see all of them here.

New Hampshire:

The New Hampshire Department of Energy (NHDOE), The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, and New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority have jointly designed a comprehensive and complementary approach to bring the benefits of residential-serving community solar to those least able to afford this new technology. The Community Loan Fund will target resident-owned communities through their existing program, which helps the residents of manufactured housing parks buy the park from owners and convert them into cooperatives. NH Housing will use funding to install residential-serving community solar on workforce housing projects. Lastly, the NHDOE, serving as the Coalition lead applicant, will scale up its existing community solar program with these funds, serving as a catch all to those communities or projects that do not neatly fit into any of those programs by the Community Loan Fund and Housing Finance Authority.

Wisconsin:

Through a combination of grants to homeowners, incentives, tax credits, loan offerings, and partnerships, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will remove barriers to solar energy throughout Wisconsin. The main pathways of the program will assist disadvantaged communities in Wisconsin by installing solar on single-family and multifamily residential properties. Wisconsin SFA will ensure that participants have limited or no up-front costs to participate in solar programs. The overarching goal of the program is to reduce household energy bills. The strength of the Wisconsin Technical College System and other workforce partners will be leveraged as they are already training individuals for clean energy careers, particularly solar installation.

Three Affiliated Tribes (The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation)

The Northern Plains Tribal SFA program (NPT-SFA) will transform energy and economic systems in disadvantaged communities with deep and concentrated investments. Expanding to broader areas over time, NPT-SFA will focus first in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana, with additional participation of tribes in Wisconsin, and Wyoming. NFP-SFA's strategy is based on a successful pilot program on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana and includes the establishment of Tribally-owned and managed portfolios of solar systems sited at the homes of Tribal members. The high electricity prices, frequent power outages, and inefficient housing stock will be leveraged as opportunities for deep, impactful programs. Innovative apprenticeship programs, education, and training partnerships will also attract industry leaders, building capacity in the region to deliver continuing benefits that will endure long beyond the period of the grant.

Related Stories Community Shared Solar (EPA)

Inside Community Solar: Benefits and Challenge

How To Tell A Good Community Solar Program From A Bad One

Biden Hands Out $7 Billion to Expand Solar Access

mastergardener2k

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

www.washingtonpost.com/…

Democrat New York State Senator Tim Kennedy is projected to win the special election for New York’s 26th US congressional district. Kennedy will represent the district which contains part of Buffalo and Niagra Falls for the remainder of the current term.

With 94% of the vote counted, Kennedy is leading Republican Gary Dickson 68.2% to 31.8%. Cook’s rating for the district is D +9, and Biden won the district with 62% in 2020. Kennedy was receiving 71% in Erie County and 55.5% in Niagara County.

Brian Higgins, the Democrat who has represented the seat since 2013, resigned in February to take another job. He won the 2022 election for the 26th District with 63.9% of the vote.

The fact that Kennedy is likely to beat both Joe Biden’s numbers as well as Higgins’ 2022 percentage is promising. While it would be easy to read too much into this decisive win, NY CD-26 has similarities to old industrial areas in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

When Kennedy is sworn in, the Republican majority in the US House will shrink to one vote temporarily.

www.nytimes.com/…

Once Mr. Kennedy is seated, Mr. Johnson’s margin will effectively shrink to just a single, tenuous vote on partisan issues. A handful of special elections in Wisconsin, Ohio, Colorado and California are expected to offer Republicans reinforcements, but not until this summer.

www.washingtonpost.com/…

A liberal Democrat who ran with the support of the Working Families Party, Kennedy served as a state legislator since 2011 and dominated the congressional race against Dickson financially. He spent more than $1 million on the race — compared with Dickson, who spent around $21,000, according to the latest campaign disclosure reports. Kennedy also is running for the seat’s full term in 2024.

Liwww.msn.com/…

Like Higgins, Kennedy hails from a heavily Irish pocket of South Buffalo where people identify where they live based on their Catholic parish. Few people who know him expect that his style in Washington will be drastically different than that of his predecessor…

The state Legislature redrew New York’s congressional maps earlier this year, and the lines that will be used in November are slightly more favorable to Democrats than the lines won by Kennedy on Tuesday.

Arizona Senate repeals 1864 abortion ban, sends it to Gov. Hobbs

Mother Mags

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (L) and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (R) — Gov. Hobbs and AG Mayes. Just imagine if it were Gov. Lake and AG Hamadeh.

After weeks of debate following the Arizona Supreme Court’s approval of a near-total 1864 abortion ban, the Senate repealed the law this afternoon with hardly a vote to spare. Two Republican Senators voted with Dems, which made the tally 16-14. The vote in the House last week was nearly as close: 32-28.

The Arizona Senate on Wednesday finalized repealing a near-total abortion ban that the state Supreme Court ruled earlier this month trumps a 15-week restriction that was implemented in 2022.

But that doesn’t mean the 1864 abortion ban won’t go into effect — or that it will be repealed quickly, even though legislation to do so has now passed both legislative chambers.

Gov. Katie Hobbs has said she’ll sign the repeal as soon as it lands on her desk, but even after she does the current ban will not end. The repeal will take effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session but it’s not clear when that will be because they’re still trying to pass a budget, and I have little doubt some of those bozos will try to attach abortion-related amendments to the spending bills (they tried some phony baloney BS like that during today’s debate but were silenced).

In the meantime, AG Kris Mayes has asked the Arizona Supreme Court to pause implementation of the 1864 law they approved but there’s little indication they will do that. That might leave a gap of time when the 1864 law would go into effect, but AG Mayes says she will not prosecute women or doctors during that period, and Gov. Hobbs signed an executive action that gives the AG that authority.

Onward to November, when Dems will flip the Legislature, defeat two of the Supreme Court justices who approved the 1864 law, and pass a referendum enshrining reproductive rights in the State Constitution.

4 Reasons Trump is Toasted in '24, & Coping with TDFG Anxiety. GNR for 5-1-24

lemay50

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

One of my favorite posts (from my own past GNRs) was the one in which I listed “16 Reasons Trump is Toast”. GNR for Wed 3-6-24”. Why? Because Kos readers responded with enthusiasm to the “reality” that I presented, and to the sense that the Former Precedent could and would be defeated soundly by Joe Biden & Kamala Harris in Nov. 2024. Nothing has changed since then to dissuade me that TDFG is a failed candidate of monstrous proportions. In fact, several of the reasons I presented have been reinforced by actions of the BLOAT (Biggest Loser/Liar of All Time).

I have very recently returned from a 9 day vacation/family visit to DC and Plymouth, Mass. , with visits to the Smithsonian and 2 Mass. art museums. During the drive from Plymouth to Amherst to Boston, I saw only 3 (three) signs for Trump, incl. in conservative NW Mass., in 7 hours of driving time!

I’ll get into details of why I think the BLOAT has slipped, and why the Biden-Harris team is solidifying it’s lead, after some Hope and Perseverance. I’ll also take a look at the question of anxiety, which is interconnected to the Fear and Loathing that is a prominent part of this Presidential election. In the main, I am trying to give readers a few more ways to deal with- and then overcome- the anxiety which seems worse than most general elections of the past 75 years.

*** Regular Scheduled Programming (H/T to chloris creator)

No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember:

💙 There are more of us than there are of them.

💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!

💔 They want us to be demoralized. The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.

*********************************************************

Before I launch into the real meat of the topic, I wanted to repeat a few big good-news items from recent events.

*** The United Auto Workers Union (UAW) won a unionization vote for workers at the Chatanooga, Tenn. plant of Volkswagon! One of the first successful votes in the South, which has usually favored the so-called “Right to Work (for less) forces. So, this is a BFD!

*** Biden-Harris Administration Announces Overtime and Retirement Rules www.whitehouse.gov/…

*** Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Rules to Protect Air Travel Consumers www.whitehouse.gov/…

*** Biden-⁠Harris Administration Sets National Goal of Zero-Emissions Freight Sector www.whitehouse.gov/…

NOTE: H/T to T. Maysle for those 3 biggies from last week!!! Has the Biden Admin. been really busy delivering for the voters of the USA? Oh Yeah!

*** FTC bans contracts that keep workers from jumping to rival employers

I.e., banning of most non-compete clauses that tied workers to one employer.

H/T to 2thanks!

*** apnews.com/… Biden signs new military aid bill on Wed., April 24th. Finally!!!

Biden immediately approved sending Ukraine $1 billion in military assistance, the first installment from about $61 billion allocated for Ukraine. The package includes air defense capabilities, artillery rounds, armored vehicles and other weapons to shore up Ukrainian forces who have seen morale sink as Russian President Vladimir Putin has racked up win after win.

I am glad to see this resolved for now to counter the Russian invasion into Ukraine. And I would love to have heard what finally moved him (Mikie Johnson) to get moving on this critical bill.

H/T to Mokurai for this one.

P.S. Niftywriter revealed on Tues. (4-30-’24) that intense Dem political pressure is the answer- which makes perfect sense. H/T to Niftywriter!

*** More on Hope and Optimism ******************************

** “Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.” – Mary Lou Retton

** “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” – Christine Caine

** “True hopefulness and optimism are what leads one to dare. It is also what lifts one back up to dare again after a failed attempt.” – Bibi Bourelly

** “Optimism isn’t a belief that things will automatically get better; it’s a conviction that we can make things better.”
— Melinda Gates

** “Hope confronts. It does not ignore pain, agony, or injustice. It is not a saccharine optimism that refuses to see, face, or grapple with the wretchedness of reality. You can't have hope without despair, because hope is a response. Hope is the active conviction that despair will never have the last word.”
— Cory Booker

****************************************** End of Hope and Optimism (for today!)

Five Reasons (updated) to believe that TDFG will NOT be re-elected to the US Presidency. An update to my previous GNRs on the topic.

Before I dive in, I think we have to ignore most or all of the national polls comparing Biden and Trump favorability for 2024. There’s too much propaganda and manipulation of the polls, very much like we saw in 2022. The Republicans actively worked to change public opinion (and partly succeeded) and convince voters that TDFG would help lead a “Red Wave” that year. All of it was total… horse pucky.

First, Trump is his own worst enemy! I am convinced that the vast majority of voters are either ignorant of TDFGs true mental state, or are not seeing enough evidence of it or explanations about it in the press. What a surprise, you say! The MSM sees it’s role as creating controversy and revenue/Money!- yet another surprise??

But for some people who actually enjoy watching/scrutinizing him (like me), there is a reward in selective viewing to catch his new patterns of speaking and performing for the people at his rallies and in his MAGA cult. The more recent video/audio clips are sad, yet very revealing. The man, (person, candidate, patient), is visibly deteriorating before our eyes. Based on some writing by professional psychiatrists, TDFG is exhibiting several symptoms of dementia. This is not a joke, nor an exaggeration.

“Dr. John Gartner, a prominent psychologist and contributor to the bestselling book "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President," has repeatedly warned in a series of conversations about Trump’s apparent challenges in cognition and communication that something seems to be very wrong with the ex-president:”

“Not enough people are sounding the alarm, that based on his behavior, and in my opinion, Donald Trump is dangerously demented. In fact, we are seeing the opposite among too many in the news media, the political leaders and among the public. There is also this focus on Biden's gaffes or other things that are well within the normal limits of aging. By comparison, Trump appears to be showing gross signs of dementia. This is a tale of two brains. Biden's brain is aging. Trump's brain is dementing.”

(Above from Salon Newsletter, PUBLISHED MARCH 25, 2024 5:45AM (EDT), by Chauncey Devaga)

His condition is continuing to deteriorate, and at a faster rate, according to multiple professionals. Exactly what this means for Rep. leadership, for TDFG, and for the Repub. Convention remains to be seen.

Second, Abortion Rights continues to be the albatross round the necks of TDFG- and Republicans. This is not new, just a little worse for them. Several states have put either Reproductive Freedom- or new restrictive measures- on the ballot in their states.

A week after the Florida Supreme Court approved an abortion rights ballot measure for November, Arizona's high court followed suit, giving voters a chance to have their say on statewide abortion access this fall.

The two ballot measures, along with one already set to appear in Maryland, are likely to juice turnout and help Democratic Senate candidates in the process.

While the measure is not explicitly about abortion, New Yorkers will decide whether to amend the state constitution to add language related to pregnancy and personal freedom.

The Equal Protection of Law Amendment is designed to ensure people can't be denied rights based on their "pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy," along with other classes like ethnicity, disability, age, sex and sexual orientation.

Arkansas: Arkansans for Limited Government are pushing for an initiative that would establish a right to abortion within the first 18 weeks of pregnancy and in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomalies, and to protect the physical health and life of the pregnant person.

Colorado: Colorado voters will be looking at competing ballot measures on abortion: guarantee constitutional access or ban it and make it a crime, Axios' John Frank reports.

Abortion is protected in Colorado with a 2022 law, but advocates want to strengthen the protections in the state constitution.

Missouri: The state effectively banned abortions after Roe was overturned.

Montana: Democrat-aligned groups are working to put a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on Montana's ballot. They have until June 21 to collect more than 60,000 valid signatures.

Nebraska: Voters in the state may have several different measures relating to abortion on the ballot. Abortion is currently legal in the state up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

Nevada: The Nevada Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment would protect the right to an abortion in a state where the procedure is already legal up until 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Following a challenge on the scope of the amendment, the state Supreme Court ruled on April 18 that the language of the petition meets Nevada's legal requirements for a ballot measure.

South Dakota: The South Dakota Right to Abortion Amendment would provide a trimester framework in the state constitution for regulating abortion. The procedure is currently banned in the state, except to save the life of a pregnant person. *****

*** Conclusion: As many as 10 states could see abortion rights/Reproductive Freedom

on state ballots.

In addition, many House and Senate candidates will be touting their own positions on this topic, not to mention Biden-Harris and the Trump Team.

Third, Fundraising is going the wrong way for TDFG!

Who could have guessed that the Former Precendent would be so bad at raising money for his campaign? Though I could find the most recent reports, the story seems to be consistent.

“President Joe Biden raised more than $90 million for his reelection campaign and the Democratic Party in March, topping Republican nominee Donald Trump’s haul and widening his financial advantage.” (from Bloomberg News: April 6, 2024)

” * President’s $192 million record stash twice as big as Trump’s

Total includes $26 million raised from glitzy New York event

Spending most of the week in court is cutting into TDFGs FR time. And he seems to prefer golf to going into the FR arena- though his legal costs are taking a huge bite out of his funds. FAFO is a new reality for the BLOAT!

*** Small-donor FR thru Act Blue (the Dem-affiliated processor of donations/campaign contributions) has been vigorous, though well behind (at the moment) 2020 FR. That year featured multiple Democratic candidates for President, unlike 2024, as well as several debates.

*** Act Blue reported about 10,781,709 donations, for $460,697,830 during this quarter. I am not

at all concerned now. Money raised for House, Senate, and local races is ahead on 2020, and average contributions are $42.73- up sharply from 2020!

More details below:

Q1 2024 Senate and House races increased their total contributions and dollars raised by 12.7% and 18.7%, respectively, compared to Q1 2020.
Q1 2024 Senate races had a 19.9% increase compared to Q1 2020.
Q1 2024 House races had a 28.6% increase in dollars raised compared to Q1 2020.

*** Based on recent history of Dem & Act Blue FR, I expect these numbers to all rise rapidly as the election approaches. Nov. 5th is 6 months and 4 days away.

So far, TDFGs takeover of the Rep. National Committee is Not a big plus for Rep FR efforts. Ces’t la vie!!!

On a very closely related topic, campaign spending and organizing is moving in a parallel direction to Dem vs Rep fundraising. Let’s look at some of the nitty-gritty.

*** Fourth, TDFG and Repub campaign efforts are, well, floundering (which is an early step that precedes floundering (i.e., sinking)!

If your fundraising is too low, you need to boost efforts and/or slash expenses. So that is what Repubs. are doing to campaign offices and staffing in most states.

“Biden’s growing tally of campaign offices marks a rare bright spot for the president”, according to CNN (by Jeff Zeleny; Tue April 30, 2024)

“Wilmington, DelawareCNN —

Inside President Joe Biden’s reelection headquarters here, a sign boasts of some of the campaign’s most significant metrics: Pennsylvania, 24; Michigan, 30; Wisconsin 44.” That’s the total of campaign offices the Biden team has opened this year in those battleground states.

Republicans in several battleground states told CNN that Trump is far behind what the Biden team is building, pointing to steep disadvantages in fundraising and local organizing.

So, could it really be that Rep internal division, turf wars, and fiscal incompetence in state-level Repub. offices is causing them to lag badly on the most basic steps in campaign organizing?? It sure looks like it!! I say hallelujah.

*** Next, let’s briefly talk about issues for Biden vs. the BLOAT.

tRump is slowly but steadily moving further and further to the right , as in RWNJ- rather than right as in correct. As I’ve noted before, the closest comparison to Donald Trump (the BLOAT) in modern times may be Barry Goldwater. Better historians may differ (I invite anyone to find a better example, as I am, ahem, known to be wrong on occasion) on that choice. In any case, Goldwater fell to LBJ (Johnson) in 1964 shortly after passing the landmark Civil Rights Law.

Maybe, just maybe, the whole country has moved more right. But the pendulum of politics may be swinging slowly back to the center. I hope so, and hope that same dynamic drives out TDFG in Roevember.

1st While TDFG is talking (in veiled terms, of course) about cutting Soc. Security, Medicare, and the ACA (ObamaCare), Biden is talking about improving & solidifying Social Security. So far, seniors seem to be paying more attention, and leaning more toward Joe Biden.

2nd As joe Biden and company secured aid to Ukraine et. al. in an effort to move Russian invaders out of Crimea and E. Ukraine, TDFG has continued to voice support FOR Russia. Meanwhile, about 80% of the public regards Russia as an enemy of the US. IIRC, that’s what I read from very recent Civiqs Poll info (avail. to readers on DK). This is consistent (in a negative way) with TDFGs position on NATO. He still appears to favor leaving that pact, though it has been exceptionally successful since being established on April 4, 1949.

3rd For many voters, Abortion Rights (or Reproductive Freedom for the Midwest et al) is the top issue in 2024. Whereas Biden-Harris are completely in favor of restoring (or improving on) Roe v. Wade, TDFG has worked very hard to ban abortions in the US. At the moment, he is avoiding questions on his position. But he- and the Republican Party- own the position based on the Dobbs Decision. It Will cost them in the Roevember elections; the only question is how much it hurts the Repubs. Will it be enough to win a decisive Dem House majority?? I think it will, with maybe 25-30 seats won back by Dems.

4th Democracy and the rule of Law . I think it’s too obvious to spend much time on at this moment. But while Biden and his Admin seem very comfortable with most aspects of Democracy, it’s equally clear the TDFG and his accomplices have plans to make drastic changes. If implemented, TDFG would be a quasi-dictator. Current laws would be altered considerably in TDFGs favor. That fact, and his statement that he would “become a dictator only on Day 1”, has many voters concerned. (understatement of the day/year??? )

TDFG has also pledged “We will demolish the deep state.” In practical terms , that means he wants to: Trump seeks to sweep away civil service protections that have been in place for more than 140 years. He has said he’d make “every executive branch employee fireable by the president of the United States” at will. Even though more than 85 percent of federal employees already work outside the DC area, Trump says he would “drain the swamp” and move as many as 100,000 positions out of Washington. His plans would eliminate or dismantle entire departments.” www.cnn.com/…

NOTE: There is so much more I could add, but the author is running out of steam.

Enough of politics for today! Next up, the return of my fav Taylor Swift dance video, also

a not-to subtle segue into coping with the anxiety of the election, and Anxiety in general!

YouTube Video

**** Dealing with Anxiety; advice for anyone, including Kossacks

www.healthline.com/… Do you live with anxiety? Here are 13 ways to cope!

Here’s a very brief list of ways to cope, or at least deal with it better.

1) Exercise

2) Practice focused, deep breathing

3) Aromatherapy

4) Music- Listening or Playing

5) Get grounded (or centered)

6) Question or interrupt your thought pattern

7) Go online for Advice, or Talk to Friends

8) When it’s serious, Get professional medical advice!

9) Socialize more

10) Keep a Journal

11) Practice meditation

12) Try over-the-counter Medications- (Non-prescription)

13) Get a Prescription

****** OK, that’s a simple and very quick hit on the topic. If readers would like to see the topic expanded, I am happy to oblige in a month or less!

*** The End of it for now. Sorry it’s so brief, but I ran out of time due to life happening!

Please feel free to make (almost) any comment you like. After some sleep, I’ll reappear .You know what to do!

Wednesday Woozles: Off to the Vet

Ice Blue

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Hello, Peeps.

I don’t remember ever having a woozle who enjoyed going to the vet. A pootie, either, so there’s a few images of them in the exam room, too.

A gentle reminder of how we do things: 🐱🐶🐦

Do not troll the diary. If you hate pootie diaries, leave now. No harm, no foul.

Please do share pics of your fur kids! If you have health/behavior issues with your pets, feel free to bring it to the community.

Pooties are cats; Woozles are dogs. Birds... are birds! Peeps are people.

Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog. If you’re having “issues” with another Kossack, keep it “out there.” This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly.

There are some pics we never post: snakes, creepy crawlies, any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals. These are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated. If we alert you to it, please remember that we do have phobic peeps who react strongly to them. If you keep posting banned pics...well then...the Tigress will have to take matters in hand. Or, paw.

So what’s happening with your critters?

Cartoon: Unions Have Always Done The Impossible!

Barry Deutsch

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

A full transcript and description of this four-panel cartoon about some things unions have accomplished is at https://www.patreon.com/posts/103291731 .

A new cartoon for May Day! This has been an incredible year for unions in the USA - may next year be even better.

Transcript, comments, and a blog post about this cartoon are here, and I’ll also post the transcript in comments.

My labor is paid for by hundreds of supporters pledging low amounts - $1-$3 - and that's just how I like it! Join my small but plucky Patreon!

#policartoon #UnionStrong #union #unionproud #laborday #mayday #Ubi #LivingWage

PWB Kitties Love Facts & Stats

mamajo2k for PWB Peeps

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

There are facts, cat facts, stats, and cat stats, and cat numbers…

But first, the rules…

You are all welcome to join us!

Here are few not-too-onerous PWB rules

Do not troll the diary. If you hate pootie diaries, leave now. No harm, no foul.
Please do share pics of your fur kids! If you have health/behavior issues with your pets, feel free to bring it to the community.
Pooties are cats; Woozles are dogs. Birds... are birds! Peeps are people.
Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog. If you’re having “issues” with another Kossack, keep it “out there.” This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly.

There are some pics we never post: snakes, creepy crawlies, any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals. These are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated. If we alert you to it, please remember that we do have phobic peeps who react strongly to them. If you keep posting banned pics...well then...the Tigress will have to take matters in hand. Or, paw.
If you’re not sure about an issue...please ask. Someone is always glad to help

quaoar

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Monastery_of_Feast_of_the_Cross_Poltava_DJI_003811535151.jpg — Poltava, Ukraina

Ukraine makes good use of its ATACMS, targeting airfields in Crimea. There is no confirmation yet of how much damage was caused. The Dzhankoy base is home to a helicopter regiment.

Naturally, Russia claims it shot down six ATACMS.

Russian milblogger Rybar reports that Ukrainian forces have fired over 30 ATACMS at Russian targets in Crimea over the past two weeks.

Last night, Ukrainian forces reportedly hit targets around Dzhankoy Airbase and Gvardeyskoye Airbase with 12 ATACMS. pic.twitter.com/y8UtjQChwq
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 30, 2024

Those turtle tanks look stupid, but they do provide some protection against kamikaze drones.

When people are laughing at russia protection cages, i get it you enjoy it. but these damn barns on top of armor work unfortunately.

It won't survive direct artillery hit, or probably something like TOW2, but it perfectly capable of withstanding multiple FPV hits.

I don't think… pic.twitter.com/kInbCMDZiL
— ✙ Constantine ✙ (@Teoyaomiquu) April 29, 2024

Why would Russia bother trying to retake this island?

Dmytro Pletenchuk, Operational Command 'South' Spokesman, reported that Russian forces unsuccesfully tried to storm the recently liberated island of Nestryha. After two failed attempts, they retreated with losses, he added. https://t.co/U4S9pZy1KO pic.twitter.com/3On9YCEaPV
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) April 30, 2024

Bavovna.

🔥🔥🔥

🇷🇺Russian T-64BV was vaporised by FPV drone of the 🇺🇦Ukrainian 3rd Tank Brigade near Bilohorivka, Luhansk region.

First drone disabled tank and second one did a HUGE KA-BOOOOOOOM🔥 pic.twitter.com/GVCmHgVrAy
— Cloooud |🇺🇦 (@GloOouD) April 29, 2024

This is like a well-placed golf shot. Notice how the drone pilot dropped the grenade so that it would roll down the roof to the flagpole.

Ukrainian marines put down a Russian rag that was planted on the left bank. pic.twitter.com/2A7BiyeBbC
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) April 30, 2024

This is a good and sober assessment of the situation west of Bakhmut at Chasiv Yar.

2/ Ukrainian forces retreated from Ocheretyne and Solovyove. While the 115th brigade was blamed, the core issue is that many brigades are not in a condition to hold the enemy with disproportional advantage in personnel, artillery, vehicles, and air support along the frontline pic.twitter.com/knA2xvczZh
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) April 27, 2024

3/ Our team has received reports of poor communication, coordination, and leadership. These problems are rooted in deeper systemic issues, like personnel shortages and challenges in preparing skilled officers for senior roles promptly and in holding them accountable

4/ Our assessment suggests that Russians are attempting to flank and launch a frontal assault on Chasiv Yar, similar to Bakhmut and Avdiivka. Additional Russian troops are reinforcing the area, likely aiming to take over the southern and northern sectors of Chasiv Yar.

5/ If Chasiv Yar falls to Russia, particularly the southern part, they could advance towards Kostyantynivka, disrupting logistics for the force south of Bakhmut. The situation could worsen if Russians move from Ocheretyne towards the road as well.

6/ In the Vuhledar-Donetsk area, Russians aim to cut off Kurakhove - a key logistical hub. The establishment of fire control over the road might severe logistics to Kurakhove. The loss of Kurakhove can put the entire grouping of forces in the Vuhledar area into a risky situation.

7/ Russians are trying to exploit the current unfavorable situation to achieve ambitious operational goals. How did Ukraine find itself in this situation? It's the result of several factors: delayed mobilization efforts, delayed Western aid, and inadequate fortifications

8/ Trenches provide good protection, but with the excessive use of munition-dropping and kamikaze drones, it's crucial to have proper top cover for dugouts and trenches, along with concrete structures and drone-catching nets. It requires resources that understaffed brigades lack

9/ Can the Russians realistically achieve these objectives in 2024? According to the military theory, once defenses are breached, mechanized units can exploit the opening and move into an "operational space" - a geographical area where units can relatively freely maneuver.

10/ Overall, due to losses in vehicles and problematic frontline logistics, the Russian army is unlikely to conduct deep maneuvers into Ukrainian territory as they did during the initial invasion stage. Instead, they will likely focus on attempting to envelop Ukrainian forces

11/ The situation on the frontline is expected to stabilize with the arrival of new ammunition, weaponry, and freshly mobilized but trained recruits. However, it is unlikely that we will see stabilization anytime soon, as it takes time to arm, train, and prepare new recruits

Ukraine forms an all-female drone unit.

Ukraine breaks new ground, forming its first all-women volunteer unit focused on unmanned aerial vehicle operations alongside military forces. The unit will undergo rigorous training and selection for roles requiring technical skills and tactical thinkinghttps://t.co/LEL4ciws38
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) April 30, 2024

Another 1,250 Russians off the battlefield and 22 tanks gone.

AFU reported Russian combat losses over the last 24-hours:

Not a good day for the Rashistkiy...#OSINT #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineWar #UkraineKrieg #Ukraine #Russia

Re-Tweet Appreciated pic.twitter.com/ybVQyDc0Ke
— OSINT (Uri) 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@UKikaski) April 30, 2024

Russian losses continue to mount.

WARNING: This video shows a lot of dead Russians.

🔥RUSSIAN LOSSES🔥

🇷🇺Russian soldier films result of their attacks on the one of 🇺🇦Ukrainian position.

The number of corpses per square meter is simply off the charts…

I hope every Russian could see this and realise what is waiting for him. pic.twitter.com/koQiIvLL83
— Cloooud |🇺🇦 (@GloOouD) April 30, 2024

Who the fuck sends peacocks to the war front as humanitarian aid?

Russian Lipetsk Zoo reported about sending peacocks to the frontlines to "brighten up the everyday life"of the Russian soldiers and bring "spiritual peace."

They were sent as part of Russian "Who else but us" campaign.

The posts, as well as photos and videos, were later deleted… pic.twitter.com/WSCTh67zcd
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 30, 2024

Fortunately the damage wasn’t worse.

29.04 #russians shelled near our shelter with aerial bombs. One of our employees is wounded. Dogs are unhurted. All the windows are broken because of an explosion wave.

PayPal: animaladoption.ua@gmx.de#russiaisaterroriststate #animalrescue #animalrescuekharkiv pic.twitter.com/ea5LLXSHtS
— Animal Rescue Kharkiv 🇺🇦 (@AnimalRescueKh) April 30, 2024

Russia thinks it can just erase evidence of its monstrous crime.

Work continues at the Mariupol Drama Theater. Here the criminals will soon organize festivities, in this theater where more than 600 people were killed. https://t.co/dEMLFCuLqA pic.twitter.com/KM0M9OKsC7
— Oriannalyla 🇺🇦 (@Lyla_lilas) April 30, 2024

Speaking of monstrous crimes, using cluster munitions to target civilians in a city qualifies, but as the post says, it has become casual.

Cluster munitions used against civilian population. This is another casual Russian warcrime.

pic.twitter.com/FdGp5pG4iv
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) April 30, 2024

Sweeping up traitors.

Sadly, ruzZia still has a vast net of sleeper agents awaiting for orders in Ukraine. The SBU arrested spy Violetta Biryukova, who became "active" to identify pontoon bridges in the Donetsk region & AFU movements in general. Traitor faces life in prison.#lviv pic.twitter.com/zAre2UNtcT
— TheLvivJournal (@LvivJournal) April 30, 2024

But how do you fit an anti-drone cage around that?

⚡️Electric scooters in service with the Armed Forces of the 🇷🇺Russian Federation pic.twitter.com/qqcE8s1kiG
— 🇺🇦Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) April 30, 2024

What an asshole.

#Slovakia's pro-Kremlin Prime Minister Robert #Fico vulgarly mocked an initiative by the country's citizens to raise 4 million euros to buy ammunition for #Ukraine

"It's like farting into a tree," Fico said.

He added that the funds allocated by the US and the EU for military… pic.twitter.com/9FXUYzqejY
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 30, 2024

This mother of five served as a sapper in the Ukrainian army. She says her kids were glad that she was wounded because it meant she wouldn’t leave again.

"My children were happy when I was wounded, because that meant I won't go anywhere" - Lesia Lytvynova, a sapper and mother of five children who serves in the Ukrainian Army.

📹: DW pic.twitter.com/J30MlgBhwE
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 30, 2024

There’s a happy ending to this story.

The president of @monobankua, one of Ukraine’s most modern banks, announced they will buy her a new house.#StandWithUkraine https://t.co/dbm3Ngu6WF
— olexander scherba🇺🇦 (@olex_scherba) April 30, 2024

Hopefully this is a homecoming.

Instead of a thousand words.

📷: romanpilipey pic.twitter.com/YyO2ENLBzv
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 30, 2024

Future combat cats.

New life on frontline pic.twitter.com/bHqURZKnXS
— UkrARMY cats & dogs (@UAarmy_animals) April 30, 2024

Good thing for Mistake she didn’t live in South Dakota, where naughty puppies go to the gravel pit.

Ukrainian Defender Taras found a puppy when he served in Kherson region.

The dog was very naughty as a puppy, so the soldiers named her Kosiak (Mistake). Kosiak grew up near Taras and got very attached to her human.

Then, Taras had to send her to a shelter because he was no… pic.twitter.com/L6fWivy9P3
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 30, 2024

Cheers and Jeers: Wednesday

Bill in Portland Maine

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Cheers and Jeers is a weekday post from the great state of Maine.

I LOL’d

And when I LOL, I like to share the moment. Via The Daily Show...

Quite the moment in the Supreme Court today pic.twitter.com/qWk2iv3rM8
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 25, 2024

HE. LIKES. BEER!

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TIME Magazine Reports Trump's Agenda [Update: Biden Strikes Back]

Dan K

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 01, 2024 · 11:54 PM PDT

2024/05/01 · 23:54

Earlier this month, a TIME Magazine reporter interviewed Trump at his would-be palace. Today TIME published the story: How Far Trump Would Go. Here are some selected excerpts. He would, or he “would be willing” to:

build migrant detention camps and deploy the U.S. military, both at the border and inland

let red states monitor women’s pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans

at his personal discretion, withhold funds appropriated by Congress

fire a U.S. Attorney who doesn’t carry out his order to prosecute someone

pardon[] every one of his supporters accused of attacking the U.S. Capitol

gut the U.S. civil service

deploy the National Guard to American cities

[let our allies be attacked] if he felt that country wasn’t paying enough for its own defense

close the White House pandemic-preparedness office

staff his Administration with acolytes who back his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen

(All of the above are direct quotes from the article, rearranged as bullet points for more emphasis.)

The TIME writer is hoping that various institutions will restrain him: courts, Congress, whistle-blowers, public opinion. He also seems to believe him when he says he wouldn’t seek a third term. (But of course he would. And if he didn’t, he would try to have one of his kids anointed as his replacement.) The writer somehow overlooked the way he has stacked the courts — particularly the Supreme Court, which is poised to assist him in his delaying tactics — cowed the Republicans in Congress, threatened in the past to prosecute whistle-blowers, and used his tame media and his shameless talent for lying to mold public opinion. (Plus Russian, Chinese, and possibly Iranian and Israeli disinformation.) Plus he is building his private armed force.

The article mention one thing that could hinder Trump:

The same deficiencies of temperament and judgment that hindered him in the past remain present.

And further down:

There’s no telling how his ego and self-destructive behavior might hinder his objectives.

but all that means is that he will make a bigger mess of things than a competent dictator might.

Still, the article is useful for the warnings it does talk about:

Such moves [eg, firing prosecutors] would be potentially catastrophic for the credibility of American law enforcement, scholars and former Justice Department leaders from both parties say.

Trump’s radical designs for presidential power would be felt throughout the country. A main focus is the southern border. . . . The capstone of this program, advisers say, would be a massive deportation operation that would target millions of people.

(See this WaPo story: Harsh deportation tools are just fine with many Americans.)

While Trump has dodged and weaved — and generally lied — over what he would do about abortion, others are openly making plans:

Trump’s allies don’t plan to be passive on abortion if he returns to power. The Heritage Foundation has called for enforcement of a 19th century statute that would outlaw the mailing of abortion pills.

The economy is also going to take it on the chin:

Trump is planning to intensify his protectionist agenda. . . . When I point out that independent analysts estimate Trump’s first term tariffs on thousands of products . . . may have cost the U.S. $316 billion and more than 300,000 jobs, by one account, he dismisses these experts out of hand.

because of course he knows more than the experts. Speaking of which, how well did that go down during the Covid pandemic? (And see Paul Krugman’s column in the NYT: Trump Is Flirting With Quack Economics.(

Trump’s intention to remake America’s relations abroad may be just as consequential. . . . America’s traditional allies were horrified when Trump recently said at a campaign rally that Russia could “do whatever the hell they want” to a NATO country he believes doesn’t spend enough on collective defense.

The article concludes with Trump’s retort to the response to his “joke” about being a dictator on day one; does he understand why this upsets so many people?

Trump says no. Quite the opposite, he insists. “I think a lot of people like it.”

Unfortunately, this is one thing Trump gets right.

[Update 30 Apr 12:00 noon]

The Biden campaign wasted no time at all seizing on the TIME story and running with it:

This is reprehensible.

Donald Trump doesn’t trust women. I do. https://t.co/L0JbgsFWvX
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 30, 2024

The New York Times then ran this story: Biden and Democrats Seize on Trump’s Striking Interview.

The Biden campaign is mounting a concerted push to attack former President Donald J. Trump over statements he made to Time magazine in a wide-ranging interview published Tuesday morning, particularly on abortion. . . .

“This is reprehensible,” President Biden wrote on X. “Donald Trump doesn’t trust women. I do.”

Other Democrats took on other parts of what Trump said:

“Donald Trump’s repeated threats of political violence are as horrifying and dangerous as they are un-American,” said Alex Floyd, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “Trump is hellbent on threatening our democracy, win or lose.”

Pity the Times still cannot break its habit of bothsiderism, not to mention repeating their pique that Biden isn’t genuflecting in their direction:

Mr. Trump’s interview — in which he faced detailed and probing questions about his policy positions — reveals the pitfalls for candidates when they sit down with mainstream news organizations. Mr. Trump does so rarely. But Mr. Biden has been even more averse to being questioned by journalists, a traditional undertaking of those running for the White House.

Maybe because those “journalists” like to play “Gotcha!” instead of doing real journalism?

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