I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!
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The Zoom meeting was great! I'm confident the technical issues experienced by a couple of the attendees will be worked out. I have plans to visit my son next weekend, so won't be able to join the Zoom call then, but will certainly take part on future calls. Thanks, Ruth, for coordinating all of that! I hope more of our liberal thread members are able to zoom, too!
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Jackie, many of your memes address how I feel. Like not caring what actions Dems are taking now to clean up the actions and inactions of Republicans the past 4 years. Oh, Biden signed too many executive orders his first week in office? Big whoop! They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for trouble on the new admin.
Also the meme of Trump wanting perks but not problems, power but not accountability, ect., is so apparent yet astounding so many did not see it. I guess people want different things from their president. His followers were happy if he helped the economy. They didn't care if he inflamed and incited hate groups. It was okay of he lied about and ignored the pandemic. Well, the office of president is so much more than the economy. How single-minded some Americans are! Many of us want a president who LEADS and can handle multiple types of issues and difficulties facing Americans and lead us to workable solutions. Trump was never that person.
And BlueGirl, loved the “While you were distracted..."video.
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We gladly offer you one of our Zoom numbers!! Ruthbru, just let us know. It's unlimited!
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There's nothing like a walk in the forest to clear my mind and get my spirit to calm down and slow down. Any time I get away from the mass of people and find a quiet, solitary spot in nature, be it in the middle of the desert, in the forest, on a beach, or even along a lonely country road, I feel myself being refreshed, revived, renewed. It's a wonderful feeling that I don't search out nearly enough. -tom walsh
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Thank you to the moderators for letting us know you have a solution if needed to Zoom. I'm sure all here are very appreciative.
As to memes -- they still manage to say so much. I ( did I ever ) seem often to be inadequate in expressing how I really see things that are going on. They are always a boon to me to use. I'm not sure why it has always been difficult for me -- I never seem to hold my own which is why we don't allow certain discussions when family is together. Then too -- I'm pretty much the last female member and that is never the best place to be when trying to hold your own. My Reps. bill's don't mind overwhelming me at all.
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Isn't this the truth.
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Speaking of the above I hear on the morning news that all of Trump's legal team has resigned due to his wanting them to push the stolen election that he had to endure rather than the truth. It is astounding that he is still hanging onto the same playbook that helped him lose so bigly. So, I'm wondering how his loyal followers will see this. Likely they will think these layers should have been willing to destroy their careers for him.
Sometimes the idiocy just gets phenomenal to say the least. Hopefully these far-righters will find the going leads them well underwater.
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minustwo,
We should set it up as a recurring meeting. Ruthbru mentioned that the mods offered to set up a recurring meeting on their account. They could do this and make one of us the host (the host can then make someone else a co-host). For this week, I will send a meeting invite via pm, so I won’t need to collect personal email addresses.
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FYI, a recurring meeting does not have to "recur" always at the same day and time. I am on a committee that usually meets on the third Tuesday at 1pm. This month we met on a Friday using the same sign in information once the host was there.
Huge thanks to those who are organizing our opportunity to meet by Zoom! Echoing others it was good to put faces to usernames and to learn "real" names (not that I will remember them all until I have several repeats!).
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Let's have exbrnxgrl set up this coming Saturday's Zoom. With her teacher's account I think she has more choices on how to help those who are having issues participating than a regular host does. At that meeting we can brainstorm questions we have for the moderators when they do set up the meetings. I can then bring those questions to the mods. We are the Test Pilots!
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Sunday services: Biden's faith on display in renewed presidential ritual
As the first president in decades to regularly attend weekly religious services, Joe Biden has plenty of options.
Mike Memoli/Carol E. Lee -NBC News correspondents
Jan. 24, 2021
WASHINGTON — As the pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Washington, D.C., Rev. Kevin Gillespie often saw then-Vice President Joe Biden among the faithful on Sundays. And so when Biden was elected just the nation's second Roman Catholic president in November, Gillespie checked the parish files.
"He is a registered parishioner," Gillespie told NBC News. "I looked him up. He's still there."
It's been decades since the occupant of the White House has been a regular churchgoer. Biden, who has often said his faith has seen him through searing personal loss, is expected to end that. But amid heightened security and an ongoing pandemic, a permanent routine may have to wait.
Biden attended the noon service at Holy Trinity on Sunday — one of the few that the church is conducting in person during the health crisis. But administration officials would not say if the new president, for whom mass is a family affair, has decided which, if any, local church he might make his own for the next four years.
Attending church virtually or having a priest come to the White House to hold socially-distanced services are among alternative options under consideration. However he decides to worship, the president, and first lady Jill Biden, are likely to receive weekly "spiritual encouragements" over text message, as they did during the campaign.
Gillespie is among those who've been in touch with the White House about Holy Trinity's adjusted schedule of weekly services — in-person mass held Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon and a virtual mass Sunday morning. He's also offered to send one of the parish's Jesuit priests to the White House to perform mass, if requested.
"That's for them to say yes or no," he said.
Bill Clinton was the last president who regularly attended church in Washington while in office and become a member of a local church. He joined Foundry United Methodist Church, about a mile from the White House. Jimmy Carter also joined a church about a mile from the White House, attending services at First Baptist on 16th Street most Sundays during his time in office.
Donald Trump attended services on occasion, including at St. John's Episcopal Church near the White House, although his most frequent destination on Sundays was to a golf club he owns across the Potomac in Virginia.
Barack Obama also liked to hit the links on Sundays but did attend occasional services at different area churches, including St. John's.
George W. Bush, was deeply religious but didn't become a regular presence at a church while in the White House.
Like his father, George H.W. Bush, he spent time at the chapel at Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in Maryland. After 9/11, there were also concerns about security, but the younger Bush attended services when he returned his home state of Texas.
John F. Kennedy, the nation's first Catholic president, joined St. Matthews in Washington while he was in office and would attend church regularly. After the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy attended a different church, St. Stephen Martyr, because it was smaller and easier to secure. Part of the reason Kennedy went to church while in the White House was "he thought that a president should," said presidential historian Michael Beschloss.
Nixon didn't go to church but held religious services in the White House, which he used to invite political allies.
Reagan did not go to church regularly, and his team said it was for security reasons after the assassination attempt. But he was a devoted churchgoer after he left office and returned to California.
"Almost always we find that we never really understood a president's private religious belief and practice at the time he served," Beschloss said. "And you usually have to wait decades to find out what he believed and what he practiced."
With Biden, that's not necessarily the case.
Through the campaign and into the transition, Biden not only rarely missed weekend mass at his home parish in Delaware, he also attended services on holy days of obligation and made an effort to attend services while traveling. His daughter, Ashley Biden, told the "Today Show" last week about helping her father find a small church to attend mass while on the road in the heat of the Democratic primary campaign, before the pandemic.
But he has also opted for in-home services. Over Christmas, when the Bidens never left their Wilmington home, a close family friend, Rev. Kevin O'Brien, a Jesuit priest who is now president of Santa Clara University, celebrated mass for the Bidens virtually.
O'Brien was asked by the Bidens to celebrate mass on Inauguration Day — a service at Washington's Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle that included bipartisan congressional leadership and close family and friends. He'd held smaller, private masses for the Bidens before his inauguration as vice president in 2009 and in 2013.
"It was something so beautiful because it was so familiar," O'Brien told NBC News. "I just was so happy that I could help offer that — it was really the church offering that to him."
O'Brien first met the Bidens while at Holy Trinity and then at Georgetown University. Biden would attend services at both — sometime the morning masses at Holy Trinity, or the later service at Georgetown's Dahlgren Chapel, depending on his schedule.
O'Brien said he stayed in touch with Biden after he left the vice presidency, and would send him and Jill Biden weekly "spiritual encouragements" over text message during the campaign — something he expects will likely continue with him in the White House.
"I'll be of any support I can to them in the next four years," O'Brien said.
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Dh sees a lot of people on FB moaning that gas prices are gonna soar with Biden as president. Even one alarmist is claiming “$5 a gallon gas is coming!"
I mentioned to dh that gas is generally about 20 cents lower a gallon than it was last year at this same time. So dh used that to counter the raising gasoline claims on FB, but of course, people claimed it wasn't true.
I remember paying $4 a gallon for gas one time in my life. It was when my son was in high school and we were carpooling with a few other families so our extremely bright kids—ds was salutatorian of his graduating class—could to go to a much better school miles down the highway rather than accept the poor conditions of the school in the city we lived. Gas prices kept going up, up....this was some time between 2008 and 2011. And of course, at the time, we're saving for ds's college and our retirement and still needing home repairs, ect. and it was still worth it to send ds to that fabulous high school when gas prices were at their highest I'd experienced. But that was at least TEN years ago.
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Democratic presidents keep having to save the US economy after Republican presidents run it into the ground
Michael Gordon-Business Insider
Repeat after me: The last three Republican presidencies ended in economic turmoil. And their Democratic successors had to clean up the mess. Voters need to be reminded – again and again – that putting Republicans in the White House puts our country in recession.
Republican recessions
It seems quaint compared to 2008 or our current crisis, but President George H. W. Bush ended his one term in office in recession. After what was then the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in US history, in July 1990 the country entered a recession that saw unemployment rise to a peak of 7.8% in June 1992.
His challenger Bill Clinton made the economic pain that families were feeling the mantra of his campaign and handily beat Bush, who came across as out of touch with working Americans.
One of Clinton's first legislative achievements was an economic recovery bill that, among other things, put a greater tax burden on the wealthy and increased tax credits and wage subsidies for the working poor. As a result, during his eight years in office, Clinton oversaw economic growth that averaged 3.5% annual GDP growth but topped 4% throughout his second term. Unemployment fell from 7.4% to 3.9%, and the labor market added an average of 2.9 million jobs per year.
Cut to President George W. Bush and his policies that cut taxes for the rich, grew our national debt and trade deficit to record levels, left the US dollar severely weakened, decreased regulation of Wall Street, and ultimately helped bring about the Great Recession.
The Great Recession was man-made, caused by reckless lending by financial institutions – not the result of the natural cycles of our economy. The devastation was – and continues to be – enormous, with America more unequal, less productive, and poorer because of the severity of the crisis.
President Barack Obama came to office needing to help bail out entire industries that our country runs on. The depth of the decline was the worst in 80 years, and the recovery Obama initiated was slow – but effective.
After taking over in early 2017, former-President Donald Trump maintained the Obama recovery in some ways – but in other ways economic disparity grew deeper. Then, he treated the pandemic more like a political issue than a health issue, and the economy went into freefall on every metric. Millions of jobs were lost – some for good. Unemployment still sits at 6.7% despite some improvement in recent months, with communities of color hit hardest.
Now, as part of the promise of President Joe Biden, we will get through the pandemic and renew our economic strength in turn: another Democrat fixing a Republican mess.
Carter boomerang
Older voters will recall that President Jimmy Carter became the favorite Republican punching bag after his four years in office ended in economic calamity. So many negatives for the economy became associated with Carter – malaise, stagflation, the misery index – that Republicans held onto the White House for 12 years straight, the longest continuous streak in nearly 70 years. The fear of going back to the Carter years kept voters on edge and Republicans in power.
But it's been almost 50 years since Carter took office, and despite their superior record Democrats have failed to capitalize sufficiently on the economic strength they repeatedly ushered in and make it synonymous with their brand.
Much like the GOP did with Carter, Democrats need to make the Bushes and particularly Trump their punching bag for the next generation. The Democrats need to make it clear that they are the stewards of steady, strong economic growth and are always cleaning up after the GOP.
In most election years, voters think first about the economy and their own pocketbooks. That is the primary driver of most elections at most levels. Every Democrat needs to make the contrast in economic success their mantra – for the sake of the party and the country.
Repeat after me: The last three Republican presidencies ended in economic turmoil.
- Michael Gordon is a longtime Democratic strategist, a former spokesman for the Justice Department, and the principal for the strategic-communications firm Group Gordon.
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Something went terribly wrong with Trump's defense
Elie Honig-CNN legal analyst and former federal and state prosecutor.
(CNN) — Just over a week before the start of his second impeachment trial, former President Donald Trump's entire legal team has walked away. What already promised to be an unpredictable and unprecedented show on the Senate floor just got even messier, as it appears that Trump will insist on repeating the same dangerous lie that sparked the Capitol riot -- that the election was stolen from him -- and led to his (second) impeachment in the first place.
Here's what we know. The mass resignations of all five of Trump's lawyers show us something has gone terribly wrong on the defense team. And these lawyers were no hacks -- several of them are Justice Department alums, and the (former) lead attorney, Butch Bowers, was a government ethics specialist. They would not abandon a client this close to trial without darn good reason.
Any defense attorney holds a broad obligation to represent his or her client zealously. That's a crucial part of our adversarial justice system. But there are limits on what a defense attorney can argue. For example, per the American Bar Association, it would be unethical for any attorney to raise an argument "that he knows to be false." The "rigged election" narrative certainly fits that description.
It's telling that the source of the falling-out between Trump and his (former) lawyers was his insistence that they raise the "stolen election" defense. Trump's defenders certainly could have argued in good faith and within ethical boundaries that it is unconstitutional to hold an impeachment trial for a former president, or that Trump's actions were protected political speech under the First Amendment. I disagree with both of these arguments on the merits, but Trump and his attorneys certainly would have been within their rights to make these claims before the Senate. But the "stolen election" argument crosses a line.
What happens next? I see three possibilities. One, Trump could find a new legal team. Time is absurdly short; typically, even in a routine criminal trial, the legal teams would be in endgame crunch-time mode by now -- never mind for a historic impeachment proceeding. But whoever does take on this representation should understand that, if he actually raises the "stolen election" defense, he does so at his own professional and reputational risk. The "stolen election" lie fueled the Capitol insurrection on January 6 and repeating it now from the well of the Senate only threatens to provoke more unrest.
Trump also could choose to represent himself. This is extremely unlikely but legally possible. Criminal defendants can and at times do elect to represent themselves -- it's called "pro se," in the Latin legalese -- and there's no technical reason Trump can't do the same at impeachment. But do not count on this happening.
Or Trump could elect not to defend himself at all. There is nothing in the law that requires a person facing impeachment to have any legal representation. Trump could, in essence, choose to sit this one out, and to rely on Republican senators to make the case for him on the floor. Given last week's vote by 45 senators to consider a motion on the constitutionality of trying a former president -- which signaled, but did not necessarily lock in, support for Trump by those who voted to hear the motion -- Trump might choose to sit back and hope that at least 34 of those senators vote to acquit. Convicting an impeached official requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
We are, once again, in uncharted territory with Trump. His stubborn insistence on continuing to promote the dangerous election fraud lie caused the Capitol insurrection has now cost him his legal team. And if he continues to press that lie, it could cost him -- and the country -- even more.
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Divine, great input above. I've been amazed at much of the news today when I've bothered to listen. Not surprised too much at Trump's Impeachment attorneys bailing on him. In his narcissistic delirium I'm sure he believes they should have every right to paint his loss as the BIG LIE he tells. He is a creature of so MANY big lies, but has no understanding that other people can not indulge his life time lie habit. They are bound by rules he has NEVER had or used and so he pushes others never caring that he is asking them to destroy their livelihoods. He just cannot see ( doesn't care either ) the end result is so harmful.
As to gas. The first thing my Reps. BIL said to my DH after Biden was sworn in was that gas would go up to $5.00 a gallon. I think he has been a little surprised that it has not happened. Then again -- just like Trump ( and he is a pretty good Trumper ) he will just forget that he ever said that and move onto into other territory -- and when he does I hope it is not as arsine but it likely will be.
I totally agree with the fact that Reps. get in ofc. and do all sorts of damage and then we Democrats go in and clean up the mess. I have been watching it since the Reagan days when our personal economy got squashed. It is tiresome as they forever paint us as the REAL problem and try to skirt as much responsibility as they can.
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gas at my local Shell station dropped from $2.35 to $2.27, overnight.
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The price of oil is determined by international markets and not there is not much that any US elected official can do about it.
The price of gas is in part determined by the price of oil, and in part by any interruptions in the chain from refinery to pump, so disruptions from hurricanes for instance, can cause regional spikes.
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I've heard, too, that as people stayed home working and not going out for social activities during the pandemic, that drove the price of gasoline down. Now more people are, rightly or wrongly, moving about a little more since the vaccine started rolling out, so gas prices are rising a bit....but apparently dropping in some places!!
Dh saw Trumper neighbor while he was out shoveling the sidewalk today and told Neighbor that we'd had Covid. Neighbor says, “You'll never convince me China didn't release that virus on purpose to wreck our economy."
Whaaaa???? I hope when Neighbor says stupid shit like that to me, I say things like, “Oh, is that was Fox is telling its viewers these days?" But sounds like Neighbor don't like the taste of sour grapes.
Neighbor was saying last October the virus was going to be gone by the end of November. Glub, glub, glub, drunk on Koolaid.
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Divine, like you -- things go awry from much of the sort of braggadocio that was a part of the Fox News/Reps. frame of mind before Trump just screwed everyone up. Even now though -- easier to believe his pack of lies then to admit you have been had. I think I mentioned my former neighbor who was fairly quiet ( in fact I don't think I noticed so much as a peep escaping her ) right before the election. Smug enough not to even comment or offer one meme. The minute Biden got sworn in memes have turned up from her almost every day. Usually at least two, and sometimes more. I would love to say something, but I resist. We have had some words ( Facebook back and forth ) and she finally removed them. I think someone else may have opined that she wasn't convincing or something ) I so far have just dumped them w/o comment. As we all know -- that KoolAid went down so well their has been the UTMOST reluctance to even approach the idea of giving it up.
I have hopes that in time it will become a bit more apparent that better minds than mine will present the truth in a nearly indisputable way. I don't kid myself as I know plenty will hang on no matter what. I do think though some may not be so far gone that they can't re-think where things are on a very logical level. They will still cling to their party -- I just hope with a few less illusions.
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Devine - I hope Trump does act in his own defense. Hoping that the Republican senators have not drunk so much kool-aide that they will finally see the lies and the danger he is. Enjoying "Squeeze Me" Carl Haiasen. A total farce/romp/laugh out loud book. Florida (Palm Beach); very wealthy seniors who spend their time going from one very posh fund raiser to another; giant burmese pythons, an alligator, inept criminals; "The Mastadon" (Trump,), "Mockingbird" (Melania); a wild crazy take charge former fish/game enforcer but now a wildlife wrangler who removes wildlife from where they are not wanted to someplace more suitable.
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I howled with laughter while reading Squeeze Me. Other than the python, I think it is a pretty accurate description of Trump's Palm Beach.
I got my hands on a master copy of the GOP Conspiracy Theories. In my version, George Soros bought stock in Antifa to keep the Lizard Overlords happy. Sounds about right to me!
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Tom Hanks face swapped with Mike Pence on a socialist dare. My conspiracy -- just Oh Wow !!
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Hate to admit it, but I looked at it just as if it was. Sigh !!
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I mean no disrespect to the three guys who made my childhood so funny:
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Oh if I only had the nerve to post this on Facebook.
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Hey Illinois - I am no longer able to see your memes - only some text. I can still see what Ruth is posting, and Devine & Blue Girl.
It may just be me. Has anyone else had this issue?
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That's interesting Minus Two. I hope there is a fix. Also hope anyone else having the experience will say so. Sorta wild.
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It could be my system since my son tweaked my security on Saturday. However it appears all of your memes are gone back to the first page of this thread. And it looks like everyone else's are still there. Weird!!!
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