Of course, the word intended is not really ‘ducking.’
Originally I was going to go with a non-diary diary for Top Comments tonight. Some nights, the Best writing is not to write! (You know the meme!)
More below.
Top Comments recognizes the previous day's Top Mojo and strives to promote each day's outstanding comments through nominations made by Kossacks like you. Please send comments (before 9:30pm ET) by email to topcomments@gmail.com or by our KosMail message board.
BUT
On 12/7, I received an email from the AARP (I’ve bitched about them before!) about ‘protecting’ Medicare. So I have to respond.
This is from Fred Griesbach, with AARP Campaigns.
House leaders are readying their agenda for the next Congress, and they are already talking about dramatic changes to Medicare. I won't mince words: harmful benefit cuts are a real possibility.
Then …
Ben, protecting the benefits that seniors have been promised is not a partisan issue.
And finally …
It's going to take all of us speaking out to make sure Congress gets the message, so take a minute to share this with your friends and family too.
Let’s cut to the chase, FRED. It is not ‘House leaders’ making those plans, it is REPUBLICAN House leaders doing it. NO Democrats, on any level in the House are readying any ‘legislative agenda’ at all. We’re in the minority, and we don’t have the presidency. House Democrats are ALL reacting to agenda plans Republicans are making, to see what can be done to block just the sort of scenario you described. And you damned well DID mince words. Harmful benefit cuts are not a possibility. Without a Democratic firewall, they are a lead-pipe CERTAINTY.
Next, FRED, I would be inclined to agree that, generally, protecting seniors benefits is not a partisan issue. At least, it shouldn’t be. But the AARP’s conduct of the ‘protection’ is absolutely and utterly partisan, because AARP says House, when it is NOT the House. The House is not a homogenous entity, and it has no sentient will. It is REPUBLICANS in the House that are doing this. Refusing to name them, refusing to call them out is the most flagrant partisan false equivalence I have seen in a very long time, and it represents a major reason we are in this predicament: You, FRED, and you, AARP, decline to tell your members the TRUTH about this political reality. It is the highest form of political cowardice and dishonesty. Why would you expect your members to stand up when you REFUSE to??? When you lack the courage to, when you lack the INTEGRITY to do that?
Finally, FRED, I agree that it will take all of us speaking out to make sure that REPUBLICANS in Congress ‘get the message,’ but it has to be REAL speaking out, not this cowardly, partisan, nebulous speaking out that you do. And, that speaking out cannot just come AFTER elections, it has to come during the campaign season. When you said nothing, when you influenced nothing, when you wallowed in your little bullshit not taking sides box. (Failure to speak out IS taking sides!)
You abdicate your responsibility to your members and to ALL US citizens with your purely partisan false equivalencies.
Write me again when you have YOUR ‘House’ in order, FRED. #imnotholdingmyduckingbreath
On to tonight’s comments!
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Note: Especially during this passionate primary season, please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From Jon Sitzman:
Ian Douglas Rushlau has posted, in a few pithy paragraphs, the kind of wholesale turning of the ship that would be required to begin correcting the damage of the RW hate wurlitzer.
Not that this will ever happen, but it's still good to read it. Hope you enjoy!
I am nominating this comment from James Allen, because we have to deal with the truth, even when we don’t like it.
(Ed. note: I think one of the most underrated things is the importance of LEARNING from defeats and setbacks. May we do a great job of this!)
And, regarding the coffee auction, this comment by Sarge in Seattle illuminates one of the most insidious Trump deceptions, when it comes to charity.
Highlighted by Subterra:
Is this diary-length comment by Front Toward Enemy on standing up to bigotry! Well worth the read!
Highlighted by NotGeorgeWill:
Is this detailed comment from Clio2 on impressions of possible new DNC chair, Tom Perez.
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Thursday, December 15, 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
1) Good post. Thanks. … by TomP +162
2) These are bad people. by CwV +150
3) Pretty sure this is how many of us feel these da … by AfricanLived +132
4) Democrats have a long and treasured past of play … by mycomputermachine +125
5) Speaking of which, my favorite line from that cl … by assyrian64 +122
6) yaknow, i essentially agree with you, but i can … by The Idiot +117
7) Well, why do you feel the need to ask this quest … by melaka +110
8) I long for the days of the Cold War … you know, … by AfricanLived +108
9) And he STILL lost by 2.7 million votes … yet 80, … by Tuffie +105
10) Center High School won the game, 66 to 62. by sponson +101
11) So good to hear about things like this. Thank yo … by Therese58 +100
12) The agents are at least, if not more, responsibl … by Christian Dem in NC +97
13) I can’t get OUT of bed some mornings if I contem … by Decorina +96
14) It cost her enough votes in swing states to deny … by Christian Dem in NC +89
14) "liberated territory", I like that. by pollwatcher +89
16) Why can’t the rest of the world be just like Mr. … by Overseas +87
17) Exactly my thoughts. The era of brandishing the … by Catucho +84
17) There are so many good deeds like this which hap … by Catkin +84
19) I’ve gotta admit this is sounding good to me up … by ZhenRen +83
20) You should read the story and say something cons … by Mark Lippman +82
20) How did Trump’s advisor know IN FUCKING ADVANCE … by bejammin075 +82
22) In a much smaller election, Secretary Clinton be … by Tortmaster +78
22) I will point this out but I’m hoping that EVERYO … by JustaJ0e +78
24) It’s also always appropriate to post the original: by Hayate Yagami +77
24) We have the wine, we have the weed; … by kiss my left behind +77
26) Good work, good man. … by CwV +73
27) don’t forget MA — we went for Hillary with over … by biancardi +72
28) What did Trump know, and when did he know it. by LI Mike +71
29) Yes, that was the one thing that lost the campai … by BrighidG +69
29) It's not the agents, but Comey who is the respon … by Paleo +69
2016-12-16, courtesy of jotter!