WELCOME
TO THE EVENING SHADE
A SANCTUARY OF SANITY AFTER A LONG HARD DAY OF FIGHTING FASCISM
YOU WILL FIND in the DIARIES a LOT of POLITICS
(Or NOT As the CASE MAY BE)
THE PERSON who MAKES the FIRST COMMENT WILL GET TWO CRITTERS
EVERY PERSON WHO COMMENTS WILL GET A CRITTER
RULES IN THE DIARY
WHEN YOU FIND SOMETHING in the DIARY that you LIKE
YOU CAN REPOST IT AS COMMENT in the DIARY
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Good evening, everyone! This is my last Evening Shade with the old Daily Kos site. I’m apprehensive about what to expect going forward, but hopeful we’ll all get the hang of it shortly. More importantly, I really hope we are able to figure out how to keep our comment section the best place on the internet!
🤞💙🤞💙🤞💙🤞💙🤞
I want to copy a comment from sweetthesound in last night’s Shade. This sums up the way I feel, and she said it perfectly. In case any of you missed it, it’s definitely worth a repeat. Thank you, sweetthesound!
Good evening shady friends!
Hail, Nanny Ogg!
Happy Taco Tuesday!
I admit that I am extremely relieved that WWIII isn't starting tonight, according to the NYT.
Every statement coming from the remains of the WH is a lie, of course, but I think dump has found a way to skate, to postpone, to “infrastructure week” his reckless spree of war crimes.
And for that I am grateful to the Resistance.
Yes, I am grateful to the Americans who show up in court to slow and prevent the destruction of our constitutional system and I am grateful to the elected officials who stood their ground against the murder clowns, and most of all I am grateful to the American citizenry, yes us’ns, you and me baby, who have turned out, spoken up, and interposed our bodies between the Madamin and everybody else in the country.
It is We the People, who have made it impossible for dump’s
doings to be papered over in the oligarchical press.
Whatever happened today, I know that the Resistance made dump’s popularity nosedive so low that he can’t explain away the gas prices and the murders of white people in the streets of our cities.
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Our Democrats are standing up while the spineless Rs are hiding and making excuses.
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What Happens When a Presidency Fails?
✂️The American system rigidly hands out four-year leases on the presidency, so we don’t have the option to hold new elections and withdraw the authority to govern from a president who has lost the support of the country.
There is impeachment and conviction, of course, and a very apt method of removal from office via the 25th Amendment. In a rational world these would be options. But they are political devices lacking sufficient Republican support to be enacted at this time. Unless and until that changes there is no way around the fact that Trump will remain until his term of office runs out.
We have to continue to live with him.
But there will be political and policy implications. ✂️
Every Republican at every level is going to have to defend Trump’s failures. Given the impossibility of this task, we would expect to see movement by endangered Republicans away from Trump in the weeks ahead. At least, that’s what would happen in normal times. The usual move for fellow partisans saddled with a failed president is to try to create distance from the administration. This is when senators routinely have “scheduling conflicts” when the president is in their state and wants to be seen in public with them. Officials in political survival mode typically look to brandish their independence and autonomy. ✂️
The way Republicans position themselves with respect to Donald Trump will also have long-term implications after the MAGA convulsion is over. It can haunt a party for a long time when it is tightly associated with a president the public widely perceives as a failure. Republicans successfully ran against Jimmy Carter for twelve years. Democrats successfully ran against Herbert Hoover for two decades.
This may not matter much to Republicans who are in survival mode and focused on November, but it will be a huge factor in two years when we ask the country for a mandate to rebuild, and for years to come afterwards. ✂️
Whether or not Republicans can quit Donald Trump, it is becoming clear that the county already has. Presidents who lose the support of the American people across the board find they cannot readily gain it back, in large part because people stop listening to them.
Trump is at a point where people will tune him out. There were alarm bells in the strong disapproval he has registered for months from close to a majority of the country. Now, he will become increasingly unable to move public opinion through the fabled presidential “bully pulpit” that allows presidents to set the agenda. ✂️
The November elections hold the promise to change this. If Democrats win in November—especially if they win overwhelmingly—the political conditions that have allowed Donald Trump to act imperiously will change dramatically. Immediately afterwards, the next presidential campaign will emerge in full force, and attention will turn to the selection of Trump’s successor. ✂️
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Senate Republicans refused to convict Trump after Jan 6.
Republican SCOTUS appointees gave him immunity.
Republicans in Congress today stand idly by as he unleashes death and destruction across the globe.
We are now at the whims of a mad king because GOP leaders have refused to constrain him.
— Robert Reich (@rbreich.bsky.social) April 7, 2026 at 1:45 PM
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This is older news, but I am thrilled about it, and I think it needs to be repeated often!
From The Dworkin Report:
Judge Rules Trump Can Be Held Liable For Jan 6, The Pope Rebukes The Regime By Name, and MAGA’s Church Weaponization Scheme Gets Crushed
✂️More than five years after the attack on the Capitol, a federal judge ruled that Trump can be held personally liable for what happened that day.
US District Judge Amit Mehta rejected Trump’s claim that his Ellipse speech and social media posts on Jan 6 were official presidential acts shielded by immunity. Mehta found the rally was “an unofficial act of an office-seeker,” clearly organized and attended largely by Trump’s campaign—not the White House. Mehta had rejected the garbage First Amendment argument once before, but Trump tried again anyway.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of the Democratic lawmakers who filed the lawsuit and has pursued it for five years, didn’t hold back: “This case is for my colleagues, the brave Capitol Police officers, Americans everywhere, and the future of our nation. Those who incited and fueled the violence must be held responsible.”
Attorney Joe Sellers explained what this means: “For the first time in our nation’s history, a court has determined—based on the evidentiary record—that a president may be held personally liable for harms caused while in office.”
Trump tried to bury the case. It’s going to trial. ✂️
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Just a reminder that jdivance is absolutely horrible and not a sane replacement for the insane felon.
Is double impeachment a thing?
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no offense to the hungarian people but i’m sorry, the idea that hungary is some last bastion of “western civilization” is absurd. can’t overstate how much this post-liberal, national conservative nonsense makes you sound like a putz
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— jamelle (@jamellebouie.net) April 7, 2026 at 12:38 PM
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Life in Activism: Six Common Reasons Why Republicans Don't Stand Up to Trump
From Chris Bowers of Wolves and Sheep, he offers 6 reasons and I will refrain from direct quotes, but will do my best to summarize his thoughts.
1. Because they agree with him.
Republicans voluntarily joined the R party and they, more often than not, agree with him.
2. Because they are team players
Most people who disagree with the leadership of the teams with which they are members do not rise far in said team if they consistently speak out against the team. The Rs want to make their donors, leaders, colleagues, and district happy with them and do not generally want to rock the boat.
3. Because they disagree behind the scenes
There is more dissention behind the scenes than is made public. The arguing and infighting stays largely hidden. While some Rs disagree with him, they are too chicken shit to stand up to him in public.
4. Because leaving is a lot easier
This is why 1 in every 6 R members of the House has already announced their departure. More often than not, they can leave congress and make more money in the private sector. If they have qualms about the insane felon, why set themselves up for a big messy fight when they can quietly slip out the door?
5. Because they think they can still make a positive difference for the causes in which they believe
The Rs who stick around do it because they are willing to support things they don’t like in order to get things they do like. In other words, they sell their souls.
6. Sustaining a long-term career as a dissident within your own party is extremely difficult
Rs who constantly disagree with leadership tend to be weeded out.
This is a good list, but I think another reason is that the felon has dirt on them, possibly via putin and epstein, and keeps their loyalty through extortion. Still, many of these points make some sense. Bottom line: They all largely agree with the felon!! Reason enough for us to vote every one of them out of office!!!
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This! From Heather Cox Richardson:
Letters from an American -- April 7, 2026
✂️ Trump has painted himself into a corner in his impulsive war against Iran. His job approval is dismal and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil travels, is sending the cost of oil soaring, squeezing the global economy. Always in his life he has had someone to fix his mistakes—his father, Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, the “adults in the room” in his first administration who distracted him from catastrophic errors, and so on—but no one was willing to bail him out of the global disaster of his war on Iran. ✂️
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Sheldon Whitehouse has a prediction! Hahahaha!
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Good grief.
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Good news regarding LaMonica McIVer!
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BREAKING: On behalf of bipartisan former lawmakers, @democracydefendersfund.org filed an amicus brief urging the Third Circuit to dismiss charges against @replamonica.bsky.social
She was overseeing ICE — her constitutional duty
The Trump admin prosecuted her for it
The Constitution bars this -TN
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— Norm Eisen (@normeisen.bsky.social) April 7, 2026 at 10:16 AM
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DebtorsPrison’s latest diary is here!
Nonfiction Views: The week's notable new nonfiction
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Today is
A day to celebrate Roma culture and history and the contributions of Roma to our societies. It is a day to acknowledge historical and systemic discrimination against this population, one of the largest minority groups in Europe (at 10 to 12 million Roma).
The day was officially declared in 1990 in Serock, Poland, the site of the fourth World Romani Congress of the International Romani Union, in honour of the first major international meeting of Romani representatives that place in April 1971 in Chelsfield near London.
This day is symbolic of the beginning of the Roma civil rights movement. At that time, the official flag of the Roma and the anthem (“Gelem, Gelem”) were two important symbols of the global Roma community, which are still the subject of controversial debate today – as is the use of foreign and self-designations.
Today, International Roma Day is recognized by all European and international organizations and institutions and is also used as an opportunity to make the diverse contributions of Roma and Sinti*zze in history, art and culture visible.
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National All is Ours Day is about noticing nature and the world around you and taking pleasure in the beauty you see.
The holiday also encourages people to appreciate our surroundings and embrace the gifts that we all have in common.
Another way to view National All Is Ours Day is to be grateful for and sharing what we have. Don’t dwell on what we don’t have and to live more simply and more happily.. All that we have is a blessing, and our lives are a blessing.
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The empanada's origins can be traced back to Galicia, Spain, where the word "empanada" itself comes from the Galician verb "empanar," meaning "to bread" or "to wrap in bread." However, these tasty turnovers have journeyed far and wide, adapting to local flavors and ingredients along the way.
In Latin America, empanadas are a staple, with each country boasting its unique variations. Argentina, for example, is famous for its beef-filled empanadas, while Chile favors seafood fillings. In the Philippines, empanadas are often filled with ground pork, potatoes, and raisins, reflecting the islands' diverse culinary influences.
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Imagine walking through a zoo where the roar of a lion isn’t a manufactured spectacle, but a glimpse into the complex, natural world these magnificent animals inhabit. Where animals are not performers, but respected ambassadors of their wild relatives. In an age when the ethical treatment of animals has become a burning question, some zoos are leading a quiet revolution—placing animal welfare, science, and conservation at the very heart of their mission. These institutions challenge our expectations, showing that a zoo can be more than just a place for entertainment; it can be a sanctuary, a classroom, and a beacon of hope for wildlife. Let’s journey through eight inspiring zoos around the world that have made animal welfare their guiding star. ✂️
Across the globe, these eight zoos are proving that animal welfare and meaningful public engagement don’t have to be at odds. By prioritizing science, empathy, and conservation over spectacle, they are setting new standards for what it means to care for animals in human care. Their stories remind us that every animal deserves respect, and that the true measure of a zoo’s value lies not in how many visitors it attracts, but in the lives it touches—animal and human alike. Isn’t it time we all demanded more from the places entrusted with the world’s most precious wildlife?
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Pygmy Hippo Day is celebrated on April 8 to raise awareness about the endangered species of hippos. A pygmy hippo is the smaller cousin of a hippopotamus. They are an endangered species that are rapidly moving towards extinction. There are about 2,000 pygmy hippos left in the world, and these are mainly found in Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Pygmy hippos are about half the height of a hippopotamus and weigh less than a quarter of a full-sized hippo. They are believed to have diverged from the common hippo about 10 million years ago.
What adorable little critters!
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Tomorrow is
These seem to go together, somehow.
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Welcome to the comments, Shady people! 😎
