On Saturdays, the True Blue Report “Blue Ribbon” will be awarded to individuals or groups with the most successful, dramatic, or encouraging act of resistance in the previous week.
Some winners will be named in the body of the diary and you can nominate other worthy ribbon winners in the comments.
People who keep saying GA-06 wasn’t a win are beginning to get on my nerves.
I understand the folks who say that about Kansas. Thompson did lose to Estes. Still, the Kansas race was worth celebrating for putting the fear of God into Republicon political operatives, who were rightly terrified at having to fight that hard for a House seat in an R+27 district that was supposed to be a cakewalk. Rcons had to pull out all the biggest guns in their arsenal to squeeze out a win by 7 points, and the 20 point swing started Rs worrying about how they will defend the dozens of seats that are R+20 or less next year.
But Georgia *was* a win. It was a primary win! It was a Democratic candidate coming in first in a jungle primary of 18 candidates. Excellent turnout in an off-off year special election in the Spring is a harbinger of fresh blood and renewed energy for the Democratic party in Georgia. Now he heads to a June 20 runoff where GOTV and passion will make all the difference. We have it, and right now Rcons do not.
Some folks are playing the reverse expectations game, noting that Ossoff failed to outperform HRC, but that does not negate the fact that he won the primary in a red (purple?) state where infighting kept Rs from uniting behind a single candidate. Rs have less than two months to resolve serious turf wars between major players (Club for Growth/Freedom Caucus/45 Committee) representing R constituencies that have been at each other’s throats for quite a long time. Can they do it? Do they have any energy behind their runoff candidate and her baggage?? We don’t know yet. But we can still celebrate that Dems are not conceding the Deep South, and with the right candidate Georgia could be purple in 2020.
So here is a flurry of blue “I voted” ribbons for all the folks who voted for Ossoff in GA-06. We’ll need all of them and more to turn out on June 20th!
DJT said multiple times that no one cared about his tax returns except reporters. He tried the old Rcon tactic of simply stating what they want to be true as if it were true, and for once it didn’t work!
When he said it in his January 11 press conference, Twitter jumped on it right away, with hundreds of people posting variations on this:
A few days later, the idea for a protest took hold:
Petitions flew around the blogosphere, and plans for the April 15 marches came together ridiculously fast, since April 15 was a Saturday and therefore was not the actual day taxes were due.
It's always fun to call this President* out and prove he is a liar in a way he and his base cannot ignore. DJT is a visual person who only reads printed information that agrees with him, so he can ignore polls, but he couldn’t ignore protests in 150 cities in 48 states. So he switched to another favorite tactic, suggesting that all the tax day protesters were paid!
Let him deal with his cognitive dissonance with whatever coping skills he can manage.
In the meantime, look closely at the photo above and you can see all those people are wearing TBR virtual blue ribbons!
One week after the tax day protests, even more people marched in even more cities all around the world in support of, um, The Enlightenment?
Officially, the March for Science organizers were planning a non-partisan event to emphasize the urgency of listening to evidence-based climate change experts, and generally celebrate the many ways science “serves the common good.”
But such a protest cannot be non-partisan in the United States where one of the two major political parties has made a deliberate choice to avoid reality-based policy decisions.
So Earth Day 2017 saw protests in over 600 cities all over the world, and it was a thing of beauty, with some really creative and inspiring signs, some of which required specialized knowledge to even understand:
Click here for more wonderful photos at Politico, the New York Times, CNN, and woozle pix from Buzzfeed.
Blue ribbons are flying all over the world to everyone who marched for science and everyone who wanted to be there but couldn’t get off work (like me!).
Plus on general principle it is really encouraging that mass demonstrations are continuing throughout the first 100 days and are actually getting worldwide press coverage.
if by some chance you never saw this movie, please watch it this week in honor of the International March for Science! Just $3 on YouTube.
PREVIOUS TRUE BLUE REPORT diaries
Apr 21: But he’s not *running* as a “pro-life” candidate?
Apr 20: Is it good or bad that DJT has no idea what he is doing with respect to North Korea?
Apr 19: What Huckabee actually DID say, about journalism, was totally outrageous
Apr 18: Another 20 point swing means the Rs are scrambling to regroup
Apr 17: The number of persuadables is growing as people lose confidence in DJT
Apr 16: TBR SUNDAY: He shook up the world—Easter fears can be overcome with Easter JOY
Apr 15: BLUE RIBBONS: David Fahrenthold, Amariyanna Copeny, Chasity Wells-Armstrong, the ASAN
Apr 14: Everyone talking, everyone reaching out—is it helping?
Apr 13: Three ways to respond to the stress overload of current political news
Apr 12: Republicons--the party of cruelty
Apr 11: Spicer’s comment was MUCH more than just an “insensitive reference to the holocaust”
Apr 10: If DJT changes policy based on televised images... let’s show him some
Apr 9: TBR SUNDAY: DJT supporters do not realize nuclear war could mean the end of the world
Apr 8: BLUE RIBBONS: Jeff Merkley, Gina Mathew & Connor Balthazor, 70 (!) advertisers dump Bill-O
Apr 7: Not taking our eyes off Heitkamp, Manchin and Donnelly—they should be primaried
Apr 6: Take Me to Your Leader
Apr 5: DJT ran for POTUS to get back at Obama but the person he is discrediting is himself
Apr 4: Obama’s is bigger—Twitter following, inauguration crowd size, and approval rating
Apr 3: Filibuster a SCt nominee? Ds are changing the rules! This never happened before !1!
Apr 2: TBR SUNDAY: Put Your Lights On
Apr 1: BLUE RIBBONS for 4/1/17—Dick Cheney, Richard Burr, Rick Wilson
MARCH
Mar 31: The possible reasons Flynn was refused immunity are all good for the Blue Team
Mar 30: Special Assistant Ivanka—every word she says from now on is a DJT advertising ploy
Mar 29: “It’s just that valuable” — do you know the MAIN reasons Ryan wants to pass the AHCA?
Mar 28: Nipping at their heels
Mar 27: In cheering Republicon failures, think like a surgeon
Mar 26: TBR SUNDAY: Dare we hope the tide is turning? Or is that unrealistically optimistic?
Mar 25: BLUE RIBBONS: Sheldon Whitehouse, Al Franken, Bobby Brooks, Betsy Anderson, ACA phone callers
Mar 24: HaHaHa-Ha-Ha You’re gonna need Congressional approval and you don’t have the votes
Mar 23: Rcons hate Obamacare for selfish, greedy, racist reasons, but not enough to fix it.
Mar 22: Neil Gorsuch’s attempt to seem wide-eyed and innocent makes him look even worse
Mar 21: Using Trump as a bad example—no Trump Sleep, Trump Food or other Trump habits
Mar 20: Is DJT a compulsive liar, or out of touch with reality? Five scenarios...
Mar 19: TBR SUNDAY: A budget is a moral document—a statement of public compassion
Mar 18: BLUE RIBBONS: CBO scorers, Senate Intelligence Committee, Judge Derrick Watson
Mar 17: They know DJT is lying. Here’s one sad reason they follow him anyway.
Mar 16: Mick Mulvaney's ignorant, callous, evil, Republicon definition of compassion
Mar 15: Message Discipline 101—Pushback against Rcon talking points re DJT 2005 tax return
Mar 14: Message Discipline 101—Pushback against Rcon talking points about Obamacare repeal
Mar 13: Culture, Civilization, Rural America, Working Families—the missing word is a “tell”
Mar 12: TBR SUNDAY: The Rcon definition of Christians is as wrong as the Rcon definition of Democrats.
Mar 11: BLUE RIBBONS: A Day Without a Woman, Native Nations Rise, Voting Rights Act still lives
Mar 10: How to talk to people who have trouble understanding actions have consequences
Mar 9: Where’s the fire? The real reason Rs are trying to rush TrumpCare through Congress
Mar 8: Message Discipline 101: TrumpCare, RyanCare, GOPCare, DonTCare—what’s in a name?
Mar 7: How very hard it is for a woman to go a day without paid (or unpaid) work
Mar 6: Can DJT really be stumbling into the exact investigation we want?
Mar 5: TBR SUNDAY: How is it even possible that deplorables see a man of faith when they look at DJT?
Mar 4: BLUE RIBBONS: Chris Hayes, Malcolm Nance, Cierra Fields
Mar 3: I’m glad Bannon, Conway, Carson, Sessions, Miller, et al. are in the DJT Administration
Mar 2: “In every major fire it always starts with smoke. And smoke is what kills you.”
Mar 1: Am I the only one whose skin crawled at the Carryn Owens BIRGing moment?
FEBRUARY
Feb 28: Spinspotting 101: Special Prosecutor for what? It’s so easy to answer that question
Feb 27: Spinspotting 101: I’ve seen no evidence because I haven’t looked for any evidence!
Feb 26: TBR SUNDAY: If Neil Gorsuch were a man of integrity, he would decline the S.Ct. appointment
Feb 25: BLUE RIBBONS: Russia Flag trolling, Dixie Swastika grabbing, District Days demonstrating
Feb 24: There is no such thing as a compassionate conservative
Feb 23: Chief of Staff, Nat’l Security Advisor, GOP Head, President Bannon—too many hats!
Feb 22: DJT has a few questions for you—SMURF THIS POLL!
Feb 21: The end of “access journalism” means it’s time to #sendtheinterns
Feb 20: KAC lying low for now… can we banish her (and all her ilk) from the airwaves completely?
Feb 19: TBR SUNDAY: DeVos cartoon, Ruby Bridges, unearned unhappiness and childlike faith
Feb 18: BLUE RIBBONS: Vice Adm. Harward, Melissa McCarthy, and intel whistleblowers
Feb 17: And Ain’t I an American?
Feb 16: Please tell your family and friends—If you regret your DJT vote, speak up NOW
Feb 15: R-supported forced childbirth laws deny the autonomy of women
Feb 14: What did the president know? Everything. When did he know it? From the beginning.
Feb 13: Coping with The Madness of King Donald by hoping political comedy will save us
Feb 12: TBR SUNDAY: The Poverty and Justice Bible
Feb 11: BLUE RIBBONS: Swastika removers, Ninth Circuit Panel, and the Persisterhood!
Feb 10: The first three words of the Constitution are “We, the People” not “I, the President”
Feb 9: Who first inspired your political activism? Who inspires you now?
Feb 8: We cannot and will not be silenced—Here’s what to do if they try to silence you
Feb 7: Plain Talk Tuesday: Tell people the Affordable Care Act is the same as OBAMACARE
Feb 6: Interview Skills 101—Internalized oppression and what Ryan Lizza did right. BRAVO!
Feb 5: TBR SUNDAY: These protest signs with Bible cites will confuse and befuddle RWNJs
Feb 4: BLUE RIBBONS: Temple B’Nai Israel, Judge Robart, CNN, Senate Phone Callers
Feb 3: Not rich, not smart, not a good businessman, not a winner—DJT is NOTHING he claims to be
Feb 2: Thursday action—Encouragement, thanks, and apologies (pick one or more)
Feb 1: July 7, 2009 to August 25, 2009 and September 25, 2009 to February 4, 2010
JANUARY
Jan 31: If you’re on overload that’s part of their plan—there’s more than one way to #resist
Jan 30: Interview Skills 101 for reporters attempting to interview KAC and other Rcons
Jan 29: TBR SUNDAY: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness
Jan 28: BLUE RIBBONS: Women's March participants and #NoMuslimBan demonstrators and...
Jan 27: I wish Steve Bannon would tell me to keep my mouth shut
Jan 26: Thursday Action—Have you ever written a letter to the editor? Here’s how to start
Jan 25: The Asch Conformity Study, inauguration crowds, and the importance of speaking out
Jan 24: #ResistTrumpTuesday—good news day or another paying dues day?
Jan 23: Spy the Lie 101: How to enjoy watching Rcon spokesbot interviews, even KAC!
Jan 22: TBR SUNDAY: Why I prayed for the President* today
Jan 21: The only silver lining in the midst of these clouds
Inaugural (!) diary: Stop expecting Republicons to make sense