WTF-Beta

MTG:

“Both sides need to take off their political blinders,” she said. “You are all being incited into civil war, yet none of it solves any of the real problems that we all face, and tragically people are dying.”

What? Does she think we take her as some sort of sage? Ha! No. I appreciate that she is speaking out, but she defends an assault on the Capital, and has spent years being a disrespectful, hard line, nasty so and so. It's not like she's had a major epiphany, it seems to me. I don't trust her. Still, the more people like her who turn on the orange bastard and his fascist administration, the better.

I don't know much, but several Dem Senators have said, "no way", including Schumer, which is good to see (so long as he holds the fort). DHS funding was a separate bill in the House, which would theoretically--it seems to me--make it easy for the Senate to vote on the other bills separately to keep the government open. But I don't think it has to remain a separate vote in the Senate, and I imagine it's up to the republicans. So, not getting any hopes up. And Fetterman is up to his usual nonsense, we can count him out for sure.

Been snowing all day. Due to get 12"-18". Won't do anything until it's over, some time tomorrow. Snowblower will have it taken care of in less than an hour. Today's high, so far, is 6 F.

French Onion; Corn Chowder; Split Pea; Lentil; Cabbage; Potato & Leek: a few of my faves. Very rarely from a can.

@CHAS Who will rid us of these troublesome republicans!

@jon-nyc Your talking pipe dreams. If you think the Democrats are going to be allowed to win this fall, dream on. Reality is going to be very harsh.

Since when is performative a bad thing? It is, literally, one of the very few weapons we have.

There is a glimmer of hope, I will admit, that the Democrats in the Senate will do something about the funding bill next week. I'm writing my two traitorous Senators pronto.

@Rontuner As jon-nyc notes above, 213 House members thought it was worth a fight. 7 didn't. Jeffries, once again, dropped the ball. As long as we continue to give up before the fight even happens, cold blooded murder of American citizens will continue. As long as we continue to justify not putting up a fight, there will be blood. Today is further proof. ICE is wildly unpopular. Democrats getting into good trouble would have shone a spotlight on the republican congress. What a crying shame. We have lost the country. It's over. Not enough people in power (in all sectors, not just the government) would fight. Biden's four years were a colossal waste of time. That's when the bud should have been nipped. Merrick Garland dropped the ball big time. Yes, I have reached the belief that it's too late now. It's over. I would like something to happen to change my mind, but it's been getting increasingly difficult to see how we get out of this while the powers that be succumb to the easy way out.

Great news, jon-nyc! Coming back to the US sounds like pins and needles.

If we have elections, they will not be fair. Trump told his supporters they would never have to vote again. Woe to anyone who didn't take him seriously.

@Mark It is certainly true that the Democrats have the right intentions, at least on paper. And it's also true that no party is perfect.

But I, for one, am not seeking perfection. I am looking for a fight. Time and again, in the last year, we've seen weak kneed responses from Jeffries and Schumer. They are not up to the task.

Re, ACA. The ACA never had a public option because of a Democrat (Joe Lieberman) who was beholden to the same interests as the other side of the aisle.

@jon-nyc No. And good point. However, "pretty much any issue" misses the mark. This isn't just any issue. Government sponsored murder and kidnapping--that will only escalate. Geeze. It's easy to see, now that we're living through it, how Hitler was able to do what he did. The oligarchs fund the regime, the capitalists cower and crawl, men and women of standing fall over themselves placating a tyrant.

The issue is party leadership. Jeffries is acting as if the time we are living in is the same as any other. These are extraordinary times and they call for extraordinary measures. If he can't muster the where with all to even try to get his party coalesced (the article states he had no intention of doing so) around the most appalling abuses against American citizens, he needs to go. And one measure of anyone running for Congress is whether or not they continue to support the "leadership" of Jeffries and Schumer, If so, they won't get my support.

As for leaving the party, yes, a real possibility. But not just over this unbelievable shitshow.

@jon-nyc I remember it well. I remember the pauses we took during our walk to the restaurant so you could catch your breath. I was worried. So glad those days are behind you.

...and the party is going to splinter.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/democrats-ice-funding-bill

Their sentiments are expected to influence the vast majority of the Democrats’ 213-strong House caucus to vote no – although sufficient Democrats are believed to be ready to vote in favor to enable the legislation to pass. The party has no plans to whip its members into line to enforce the leadership view.

I can't believe this BS. With innocent American citizens being dragged off to who knows where, murdered, and/or beat up, this tepid--to be kind--response from Democratic leadership is beyond pathetic. What in the $&#( ##& are they waiting for? Is what we see with our own eyes not enough of a transgression to merit whip?

I have to say, I'm almost done with the party. I hope Democratic Socialist party takes off.

“I share their frustration with the out-of-control agency. I encourage my colleagues to review the bill and determine what is best for their constituents and communities.” -- Rosa DeLauro (CT)

How did the party get so many brain dead nitwits in power?

Oh, lovely! It puts a smile on my face. It feels longer than 17 years, to be honest. I've been up here going on 13 years in April (egads!). That picture would have been only 4 years prior to my move. I guess it makes sense; I've lost track of the furniture arrangement iterations the place went through. Who would have thunk at the time that I'd be moving in 4 years. I was in that apartment for 20 years! Was very lucky to have it for well under market price.

I miss hearing from KathyK. Last I heard she was moving to Vieques. I wonder if she's still playing? I imagine so.

Thanks for posting it, jon-nyc. 17 years! Sheesh.

Look for the brand name on Amazon then search for them and the item name. Sometimes the same items come up on eBay.

@AdagioM The dances in Norwich, VT (right across the border from NH), where my friend invited me to join in do not require prior knowledge or experience (but I imagine it helps). They teach the steps needed for each dance sequence. I suspect a lot of places do the same. Wiki has what looks like a decent write-up of the individual moves (of which there are many). The sequence of moves--the choreography--that make up a dance are probably constantly being invented. There also appears to be a lot of room for individual expression and style.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance_choreography

Also, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance

Cool! I love the line of salt buyers.

Shortly after moving here, a fellow orchestra cellist tried to get me to go to contra dances not far from the music school (where we both were taking cello choir). I never did make it, despite her multiple efforts to get me there. It just wasn't catching my fancy. But I've recently become interested, after watching traditional Fair Isle dancing videos. It's all closely related.

There's a square dance coming up near me in early Feb. It's not contra--but similar, with a shared history, I believe. I'm seriously considering it.

Doesn't this look like fun!? I love seeing a whole room of people making the same moves; mesmerizing after a while.

History Hit released an interesting video about Greenland this week. . .