This week at progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Here is the August 25 edition. Inclusion of a blog post does not necessarily indicate my agreement with—or endorsement of—its contents.
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scharrison at BlueNC writes—Trump whines about NC Gerrymandering ruling during Charlotte visit:
He can't understand it of course, but it seems wrong for some reason:
President Trump suggested Friday that there is “something wrong” with a recent decision by a three-judge federal panel in North Carolina that ruled the state’s congressional map was an illegal partisan gerrymander.
“I think it’s unfair with this whole redistricting thing they’re doing in North Carolina,” Mr. Trump told supporters in a Charlotte ballroom. “It’s very unfair you have an election in a little more than 60 days, and they change the district on you? And you’ve gone through primaries.” North Carolina’s population is closely divided between the parties, but the map drawn by the GOP-controlled Legislature produced a 10-to-3 Republican advantage among its U.S. House seats. The court raised the possibility that the state’s 13 districts could be redrawn for the midterm elections. “There has to be something wrong on this,” he added. “I know you guys are working on it.”
Okay, first of all, only one of those "guys" is actually in Congress, the other is a bible-thumping wannabe. But even the guy in Congress really has no standing, because redistricting is done by the state, not the federal government. You know what, I'm just going to stop right there, because arguing with Trump is about as pointless as predicting which way the squirrel will dash when he senses a car approaching. Even when he's almost all the way across the road, that doesn't mean he won't change his mind and run right under your wheel.
natewithglasses at Bleeding Heartland of Iowa writes—Post-modern queer youth experience:
Since 2007, I have served as the executive director for Iowa Safe Schools, a non-profit founded in 2002 to support LGBTQ youth through education, outreach, victim services, and advocacy. The organization works on the overall improvement of the queer youth experience for thousands of students across the state. The queer experience is the culmination of events and relationships a person has based on their LGBTQ identity. LGBTQ students are more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience a range of issues such as bullying, homelessness, and suicide.
In early April, I gave a Tedx Talk at Wartburg College about the Post-Modern Queer Youth Experience.
Working in the LGBTQ equality movement for over a decade has given me a front row seat to its inner workings. What I’ve found is that LGBTQ youth take a back seat in this broader conversation on equality, even though LGBTQ youth represent one of the most marginalized and at-risk populations.
LGBTQ youth represent 40 percent of all homeless youth in America, 80 percent of LGBTQ youth report being bullied, and LGBTQ youth are 10 times more likely to attempt suicide. The LGBTQ rights movement is focused intently on marriage equality and wedding cakes while many LGBTQ youth are not even making it to the age of 18 due to suicide or hate crimes.
Chris Savage at Eclectablog writes—Austerity STILL being imposed on Detroit schools, teachers’ list of classroom supplies tragically inadequate as the school year begins:
As classes began this week in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD), teachers learned they are beginning the year with the sort of austerity and inadequate supplies that has become the tragic hallmark of this neglected school system.
A teacher at one of the high schools in the DPSCD sent me an email received by all of the teachers in their building shortly before school opened for 2018-2019 school year. This particular teacher works with over 170 students every day. Here is a list of supplies they were informed they’d be starting the year with:
- 1 Case Of Paper
- 36 Pencils
- 1 (individual) whiteout
- 1 box of staples (5000)
- 6 Dry Erase Markers
- 2 Highlighters
- 3 Rolls of Tape (normal size rolls, nothing bulk)
- 1 Sharpie
- 15 pens
- 35 Dry erase boards (to use with the six markers, apparently)
- 1 Whiteboard Spray
- Scantrons
The teacher went on to tell me this:
We have also been told that our classroom printers will not be provided with ink. If we wish to use them, we will have to buy our own. So my building has 1200+ students and ONE accessible copier in the main office teachers can sometimes use. No alternative has been given to us, and we are not equipped with the technology we need to go paperless. Clearly the expectation is that we are expected to once again dig into our pockets to meet the gap, or suffer the consequences.
Not only that, classrooms in DPSCD schools are literally ovens this week as temperatures soared into the 90s. Teachers were told, basically, to suck it up and tough it out because, thanks to Republican policies, largely crafted and promoted by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and her family, they are in direct competition with charter and private schools for students (and the money that comes in with each student):
Jason330 at Delaware Liberal writes—Will Tom Carper’s “Keep Turn Out Low” Strategy Pay Off?
Obviously, I hope Carper’s strategy of keeping primary voter turnout low blows up in his face. Not only because he will lose if new voters come out tomorrow, but also it will mark a turning point in Democratic Party strategy.
Unlike DC-based politicians, insurgent Democrats see that the way to beat Republicans in November is by providing voters a real alternative. The DLC/Carper/Coons system of trying to sell watered-down versions of GOP talking points in order to peel away one or two percent in the mythical “middle” needs to be buried for good. A Carper loss will be a nail in the coffin.
Duncan Black puts it this way: [...]
When DC-based Democrats like Coons and Carper identify themselves as ersatz Republicans, the voters stay home in droves. How do I know that? I have eyes.
But if my word isn’t good enough for you, just check out Trump v Clinton vote totals.
Clinton didn’t win 51% of the vote. Her total was 26%, because 48% of eligible voters voted “no thanks.”
We can’t to continue to leave 48% of eligible voters on the sidelines. We need to end the Carper/Coons model once and for all.
Note: The 71-year-old Carper won his primary on Thursday.
Edwin Santana at Blue Virginia writes—Are Some Debates – White Supremacism? Climate Science Denial? – Worth Having?
Twitter isn’t the best place for thoughtful debate, but I managed to have one Tuesday. You can read the entire thread here. The debate revolved around this central issue; are some debates worth having? The question was posed by Jamelle Bouie, Slate’s Chief Political Correspondent, when he said “people should just be open and clear about whether they think white supremacism is an ideology worth debating”. To cut straight to the chase; no.
This all began with the New Yorker inviting proud White Supremacist Steve Bannon to a “festival of ideas”, which would give him a platform to further his white nationalist ideals. After an outcry and outrage, the invitation was rescinded. This led to the comment by Mr Bouie.
I argued that debating the human worth of someone based off their skin color is not worthy of debate. I don’t believe we should revisit the Nazi ideas of anti-Semitism and genocide simply for a good debate. The other gentleman believed that the power of a strong argument could sway those on the fence, yet I strongly believe that anyone who can’t make their mind up on the equality of all men is incapable of having a reasonable debate in the first place.
What many individuals who push these racist ideas want more than anything is validity. Allowing these people a spot on the stage next to others can give the impression that their ideas are just as worthy to be considered. Whether or not their arguments are dismantled by a superior debater is unimportant, just being there is all that matters
deciminyan at Blue Jersey writes—Andy Kim’s 60 Days to Go Rally:
With two months to go until the election, campaigns are entering the home stretch and rallying the troops. Last night, over 300 volunteers attended such a rally where Andy Kim thanked them, reviewed why he is running, and energized the group for the home stretch.
The work done so far has paid off. Over a year ago, when Kim entered the race, New Jersey’s Third was a solid Republican district. The latest polls show the race a toss-up. So if the momentum continues, there’s a good chance this swing district, which has primarily sent Republicans to Congress, can go blue.
Juanita Jean Herownself at Juanita Jean’s writes—That’s Why I Like Jeanine Pirro – When She’s Wrong, She’s Not Just Wrong, She’s Mountain-Moving Wrong:
Lord help us all, Jeanine Pirro caught whatever the hell it is that Rudy Giuliana has.
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro said Sunday that she believes various forces in Washington have conspired to “frame” President Trump and bog down his administration with scandal and controversy.
I do not know who these various forces are but I like to think of myself as being one of them. Please feel free to join me in these happy thoughts.
Right off the bat she says that she knows why Trump was framed —
“The crisscrossing and the incestuous nature of our government in an attempt to prevent the outsider president that we wanted from getting elected is frightening.”
Good Lord, she does know that Donald J Trump is president, right? I mean seriously, don’t you think it’s probably not smart to say incestuous with Ivanka in the room? I don’t know for sure what crisscrossing is, but I think it’s one of the top ten words I’d use to describe Trump’s staff problem.
She also thinks that Democrats are guilty of all the things Trump is accused of. You know, like spend government money at their own properties, kissing up to Putin, putting their kids on the government payroll, letting Jared Kutcher be in change of everything, giving our security clearances like birthday presents, and cheating at golf.
That’s mountain-moving wrong.
Don Pogreba at The Montana Post writes—Matt Rosendale Must Explain Why He Opposes Pell Grants and Student Loan Programs:
Video surfaced last week of Senate candidate Matt Rosendale calling for an end to federal funding for colleges and universities, completing the challenging Burns-Rehberg-Rosendale maneuver of attacking students, veterans, and firefighters as a Montana politician.
You really must see the video in all its eloquent glory to appreciate just how out-of-touch Rosendale is with the needs of Montana students and their families.
What Rosendale, who attended, but did not appear to graduate from Chesapeake College, seems not to understand is that federal assistance in the form of Pell Grants and student loans is critical for Montana families. […]
The financial challenges faced by Montana students and their families are, in part, caused by the unwillingness of Republican legislators like Rosendale to adequately fund Montana’s colleges and universities. A story from 2017 notes that Montana ranks 40th in the country in college affordability. It takes a special kind of thoughtless cruelty to inadequately fund public universities at the legislative end of the process and then call for reductions in the loans that make college more affordable on the other end.
Rosendale’s remarks echo those made by Congressman Denny Rehberg back in 2011, when he called Pell Grants “the welfare of the 21st century.”
Jim Fuglie at The Prairie Blog of North Dakota writes—Conservation Groups To Refinery: “Cease And Desist!”
Lest we let the threat of an oil refinery beside Theodore Roosevelt National Park slip from our minds as we go about our busy fall lives, here’s an update on where things stand right now.
Meridian Energy has started dirt work at the site beside I-94 on the road into the park, flouting the attempt by conservation groups to require a site compatibility review by the North Dakota Public Service Commission.
So last Friday, the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) and the Dakota Resource Council (DRC) filed a request to the PSC to “issue a cease and desist order requiring Meridian to halt all construction activities for the Davis Refinery to preserve the PSC’s jurisdiction over whether Meridian is required to obtain a certificate of site compatibility for the Davis Refinery.”
That’s the latest volley in the ongoing paperwork battle over whether the state’s PSC should step in and conduct a full site review to see if the proposed location for the refinery is a good one. Public Service Commissioners Randy Christmann, Julie Fedorchak and Brian Kroshus have seemed a bit skeptical of the location, and are weighing whether to step in and order such a review.
At issue, though, is what the conservation groups are calling “bait and switch” tactics by the refinery company, changing its story on the refinery’s capacity to come in just under the 50,000 barrels per day limit which would subject them to regulatory review by the PSC.
I’ve written about this a number of times, but we need to watch these (expletive deleted), because they can’t be trusted after all the times they’ve changed their stories about this project.
Kevin Ridder at Appalachian Voices writes—Federal fund for black lung healthcare in danger:
If our representatives in Congress fail to act before next year, a fund supplying health care for coal miners diagnosed with black lung disease will be put in danger.
Coal companies are currently taxed $1.10 for every ton of underground coal mined and 55 cents for every ton of surface coal mined to finance the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. But in 2019, those rates are scheduled to drop to 50 cents per ton and 25 cents per ton, respectively.
The fatal, incurable disease is caused by long-term exposure to coal and silica dust in and around coal mines, and is estimated to have killed more than 76,000 people since 1968. Today, one in five Central Appalachian coal miners who have spent 25 or more years working underground suffer from black lung, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health in August.
“We can think of no other industry or workplace in the United States in which this would be considered acceptable,” the study’s authors wrote in the journal.
The rise in black lung isn’t limited to underground coal miners, either. A 2012 studyexamining black lung in surface miners found that the prevalence of progressive massive fibrosis — the worst form of the disease — had reached 0.5 percent, five times higher than reported in a similar study in 2003.
On Aug. 14, the Big Stone Gap, Va., town council unanimously passed a resolutionin favor of keeping the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund at its current level. It is the first town in the nation to do so.
dirtgirl at Plunderbund of Ohio writes—Mike DeWine’s “Rape” Ad Tries To Paper Over His Law And Order Problem:
Mike DeWine has a big problem trying to follow the Republican playbook of running on “law and order,” and it’s obvious just by looking at his first campaign ad.
President Trump has signaled through racist dog-whistles about immigration and outrageous claims that “A blue wave means crime,” that Republicans should run on law and order issues this fall.
In Ohio, that’s a problem for Mike DeWine, the Republican Attorney General who’s running to be Governor.
Why? To start, DeWine won’t rule out signing a Right to Work law that would cripple public safety unions. DeWine won’t commit to restoring local government funds–cut in half by his predecessor–that enable cities and counties to pay for safety services. And DeWine shows no evidence he understands how weary first responders have grown with the failed approach of trying to arrest our way out of an addiction crisis.
Perhaps it was for those reasons that the Fraternal Order of Police–the state’s largest law enforcement organization–recently announced it would endorse DeWine’s opponent, Democrat Richard Cordray. Adding insult to that injury, DeWIne is engaged in a dispute with his in-house law enforcement unit at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). They say the Attorney General has for years ignored their pleas to replace their outdated safety equipment and 53 of 99 agents are wearing expired body armor.
A staffer at Colorado Pols writes—Stapleton, Tancredo, Racism–And One Disastrous Interview:
This morning, former congressman and controversial supporter of Republican gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton, Tom Tancredo, went on the Peter Boyles Show to address the recent controversy over a fundraiser Tancredo headlined for Stapleton’s campaign. Tancredo’s high-profile support for Stapleton has turned seriously problematic after local reporters questioned Stapleton’s repudiation of his own family ties to the Ku Klux Klan, noting that Tancredo is a past board member of the white nationalist organization VDARE.
So who did Tancredo bring on the radio to vouch? The founder of VDARE, Peter Brimelow!
Which, as you’re about to discover, was a very large mistake:
Here’s the transcript of the two separate clips of audio playable above:
BOYLES: But I want to ask you a principled question, first: Before either of those media outlets smeared you, did any of them ever call you and want to talk to you?
BRIMELOW: Oh, no! Of course not! They never…
BOYLES: That’s my point! There! I rest my case! Tommy…
BRIMELOW: What they do, Peter, is they rely entirely on the Southern Policy Law Center–which, of course, is a racket, you know–it’s in the business of frightening out all the Jews into giving large amounts of money [Pols emphasis] by turning up those Neo-Nazis roaming around. And it’s raised close to a half a billion dollars, doing that. And so they need to find neo-Nazis around. And if they can’t find any, they make it up.
[…]
TANCREDO: He took over my seat–the Sixth Congressional District–promising to be a strong, strong supporter of the positions I had taken on immigration. Well, that lasted until–of course–redistricting and he lost a little bit of Republican support, and all of a sudden he turned…
You know, it’s one thing to say, “Well, let’s be judicious,” but not be a complete chameleon.
BRIMELOW: Tom, that’s still a 70% white district, isn’t it? I mean, it’s not–he doesn’t really have to cuck so hard. [Pols emphasis]
It shouldn’t be necessary to remind readers and listeners that Brimelow was–we assume–trying to refute the allegation that VDARE is a racist organization. As you can see, that goal was not accomplished! It’s extremely difficult to imagine how Stapleton can let this go without some kind of response–that is, unless it’s true that Stapleton is counting on voters who align with Tancredo to win and dares not alienate them.
But for anyone trying to hold together the farce of Stapleton hugging Tom Tancredo and “condemning racism of all forms” at the same time, this is the end of the road.