August 24, 2018

Looks like Putin is throwing Dirty Donald under the bus.

Maybe cutting his losses?

To me it looks as though Putin's finally decided Dirty Donald is more of a liability than an asset. And that the longer he continues where he is, the higher the likelihood that other, more valuable, Russian assets will be exposed and well-entrenched espionage and disinformation operations will be disrupted.

And those have always been Putin's top priority- it's the long, slow game that does deeper, more lasting damage to his "major enemy", the U.S.

If Dirty Donald goes down for money laundering, tax fraud, etc., it'll render the ongoing investigation of Russian electoral meddling, disinformation, and espionage via compromised assets moot.

So... time to cut the losses. Weisselberg, Pecker, Cohen, etc. have their 'new instrutions'. So do the Russian assets in the SDNY Attorney's office.

Once Putin decides he wants Dirty Donald to go away, the dominos will start falling quickly.

I can hear arpeggios coming from the fat lady's dressing room. And an odd, rhythmic splurty clicking that may be Dirty Donald's butthole a-puckering.

speculatively,
Bright

August 22, 2018

Dear GOP Congresscritters: (What I, a Voter, Can and Cannot Forgive)

Dear GOP Congresscritters:

I think many of you are starting to be aware that your political Party is garnering a reputation for being, (to understate the case a trifle) spectacularly corrupt.

This puts y'all in a helluva bind, I suspect.

Because as more and more comes to light about the cabal based over on Pennsylvania Avenue's ongoing smash-and-grab raid on America's economy and the very integrity of our democratic republican electoral and governing processes, the mouselike silence from y'all is becoming deafening. Those of us old enough to remember the Republican heroes of Watergate have been looking for similar courage to manifest itself, and coming up pretty effing dry.

It's fairly clear that mere ideological fervor wouldn't be enough to keep you shtumm, especially since the corruption cabal has done its possible to rip apart the very Constitutional protections of our democracy your party claims to revere, and is in the process of noisily trashing the Holy Free Market Church of the Invisible Hand. Even those with ::koff:: sincere religiously-motivated loyalty to your Party have to be deeply dismayed by the evidence of profoundly (to say the least) un-Biblical behavior among your colleagues.

So what's at the root of this reverberating absence of disapproval?

A lot of us voters out here are triangulating in (reluctantly or eagerly, depending on natural ideological inclinations) on the explanation that y'all have some pretty intimate skin in the 'omerta game'. As in, someone's Got Something On You. That Someone may or may not be based in Moscow-- could merely be an "American" oligarch who's pulled a few strings for you, managed a few kickbacks, helped with the bank account padding, made an embarrassing moment go away, whatever.

Well, so be it. The last few decades have been a notably febrile ride of greed, corruption, and grab-assery by any historical standard.

So, y'all are keeping the lips locked to protect your own asses, which is... well... human.

Not precisely the standard we hope for from our elected representatives sworn to uphold the Constitution, but definitely all too human.

And, you know, we're human, too. We voters. Yep.

So... perhaps we can cut a deal.

We know y'all aren't exactly squeaky-clean. You may have reason to worry about losing the next election, to start with (say, have you noticed how many of your colleagues are grabbing the swag they've accumulated and getting out while the getting is good? Just askin'...). Maybe even public embarrassment, shaming, loss of future career viability if your particular hanky-panky comes under the glare of media scrutiny. Possibly even (gulp!) criminal charges? Ouchie.

We get it. No one contemplates any of that without serious, butthole-puckering anxiety.

But here's the deal, GOPpie Congresscritters:

We need you. We need heroes. And your Party, believe it or not, needs you to be heroes, too.

Right now, your Party is looking like a wavering Jenga tower of shady ethics, power-crazy greed, shameful pandering, and racist fervor, that's going to collapse into a thousand-year night of non-viability.

So think about this: If what's keeping you shtumm is something that falls under the general category of, well, day-to-day sleaze (#MeToo shenanigans, under-reported campaign finance hijinks, etc.), you know what?

All that stuff is reprehensible, but it's forgivable reprehensible. It's human nature shit, and while you may have to go through the wringer a bit, you can still achieve redemption, if you help save the Constitution and the very existence of the Democratic Republic of the United States of America which is currently under a nasty, insidious attack by foreign enemies.

You know who they are. They're the same as they've been for years, in some cases for decades:

Russia tops the list.

But Iran is there, too. So is North Korea. And China. They all share similar goals: create chaos and division in America. Damage American democracy. Interfere with America's ability to promote American ideals of self-government, equity, and freedom on the world stage. Induce America to tarnish its own reputation. Leach the power from our economic models, our technological leadership, our cultural influence.

They've got us on the ropes.

And you can help.

If you even suspect that some of the pressure you've been under might have connections to Moscow or Tehran or Beijing, talk to Mr. Mueller.

And then talk to the press, the real press-- the "fake news", "enemy of the people" media. Confession is damn' good for the soul, yanno? And then join the Resistance. Hold your colleagues accountable.

I'm not saying you'll get a free pass on whatever's in that closet. But you may be able to earn forgiveness, once it becomes clear that America, American democracy, and our Constitution mean more to you than your own bank account. That you're willing to sacrifice to uphold your oath of office.

Give it a try.

I, for one, stand ready to say, "Humans make mistakes. But even humans who make mistakes, can be heroes."

encouragingly,
Bright

August 16, 2018

Never Forget

Never forget that in 2008 America elected a BLACK MAN President. By a decisive margin. And re-elected him, in 2012. Again, by a decisive margin.

Never forget that the Queen of Soul sang "My Country, 'tis of Thee" at the Presidential Inauguration in 2009. And that again in 2015 she sang at the national cultural awards ceremony known as Kennedy Honors, and moved that President and an entire auditorium of eminent people to tears of joy.

Never forget that in 2015 a brilliant young musician of Puerto Rican heritage penned a libretto and music based on the life of a Caribbean immigrant who became one of the architects of American freedom, and broke the mold of Broadway, winning every possible award and blazing across the national cultural consciousness like a comet.

Never forget that >>write in your "so proud of my country and its accomplishments in evolving towards greater unity and greater humanity" accomplishment in a response, and I'll update this post with as many as I can<<

Never forget these things because THEY ARE AMERICA.

More than anything since, they represent the truth and the vision of who we are as a nation.

In 2016, a potent foreign enemy won a crushing victory against America. All the more so because although the attack was made in plain sight, Americans would not recognize it for what it was.

During the Soviet era, Russia built a vigorous and all-too-effective disinformation program against its principal adversary, America.

Soviet intelligence fabricated, produced, and disseminated information specifically targeted at two objectives: One was to sow distrust and opposition in the community of nations, toward American goals and actions. Any time America committed a mistake, or ended up with a lesser-of-evils options set, the Soviets would exploit it. If there was nothing to exploit, they would distort and fabricate. They were all too successful, all too often.

The other Soviet objective was to sow disunity and distrust within America itself, to exploit the fault lines in our diverse culture and population to exacerbate tensions already manifest as we Americans struggled to evolve towards universal civil rights, respect, and equity. Racism was a particularly beloved fault line and the Soviets created and encouraged all kinds of sham organizations, events, distorted press coverage, rumors and gossip to exacerbate the fault line.

Of course, in the early 1990s, "the Soviets" were no longer a factor.

But they never went away. They became simply "Russians."

And in the churning smash-and-grab oligarchy-building era of Russian political evolution, they had less time and energy for their old foreign adversary, until one oligarch managed to claw his way to the top.

And once he'd consolidated sufficient power and eliminated potent rivals at home, Putin set about rebuilding the Soviet empire, without the Soviet, of course. But something was standing in his way.

America had been a potent opponent of Russian hegemony for more than fifty years. And America was a big, fat, vulnerable target.

Sure, communications methods had changed a lot since the old KGB days. But the principles remained the same: Sow distrust, use disinformation. Use rumor and innuendo. Exaggerate and exploit real mistakes. Fabricate plausible fantasies. Aim them strategically. Use the new, cheaper, and woefully less secured new digital methods to the max.

Combine that with the same old, same old- exploiting human assets, using kompromat and bribery and subversion to build networks of enablers and useful idiots and willing shills. Move tools into ever-more-strategic positions.

Russia isn't new at this. They have decades of successful experience. Putin isn't new at this, and he's highly motivated.

This attack has been building for a long time.

And in November of 2016 it looked as though he'd won a major battle in his larger strategy.

Here's the deal: I don't think he's as happy with his victory now as he doubtless was in December of 2016.

Because for all the tools he's suborned and nurtured and moved carefully into position, America as a whole remains AMERICA.

We are too big, too complicated, too chaotic, too American to yield tamely and universally to the kind of subversion the Kremlin delivers.

Too many of us know that although darkness may endure for a night, MORNING COMES. And those things we will not forget, do not forget, those things we love and value, they remain.

And with the slow return of Light, those memories will power a renaissance of American evolution:

We will free our scientists to tackle the challenges of climate change, in concert with the world's best minds.

We will invite in the hopeful, the hardworking, the aspirational immigrants who will help us build a new American infrastructure.

We will reinvent health care and education to serve everyone.

We will reinvigorate economic development and evolve new ways to distribute entrepreneurial brilliance and its benefits more broadly.

We will work creatively with allies and even with adversaries to ensure that the whole world sees hope and experiences greater freedom and security.

We can do all of that, if we NEVER FORGET.

Keep the flame, my dear ones.

Keep the flame.

determinedly,
Bright

August 15, 2018

My White Privilege Moment Today

I feel ambiguous and guilty about benefiting from my white privilege in a very specific way today.

Don't get me wrong: I benefit from white privilege EVERY day. It allows me to walk around in a shielded bubble of never having to think about whether a store clerk is eyeing me distrustfully when I stop in to buy a lightbulb, never have to think about whether some ICEhole will ask to see my papers if I'm picking up a kid at school, never have to be conscious of how many of the people in pictures and movies and advertisements do/don't look like me... oh, all kinds of things, every single day.

Like a fish, I don't notice the water I've been breathing all along, except when I try to remind myself. When I try to pay attention. Which, honestly, isn't nearly often enough.

And then today I got my nose rubbed in my white privilege, pretty hard.

I made an illegal left turn. Right in front of a cop car.

Mind you, I didn't realize the left turn I was making was illegal. There was a sign, according to the cop who promptly pulled me over, but I didn't see it. Bad me.

Anyway, I made the left, and the cop car's flashers went on, and I thought, 'WTF? Is that for me?' even as I proceeded to a cutout and pulled over.

And as I was getting my wallet out of my purse, and opening the glove box for my registration, I was thinking, "What would I be feeling right now if my skin was brown?"

(I am so, so very white... Even in the middle of the summer after plenty of work in the garden, no one would ever mistake me for anything but white.)

And I thought, "Instead of being annoyed about possibly being late for my meeting, and about a potential fine for something, and possible points on my license if whatever I did was really horrific, I would be feeling terrified about possibly being yanked from the car, told to lie down on the ground, handcuffed, otherwise brutalized and/or traumatized, possibly arrested, and a whole cascade of other horrors to follow. I'd probably be worrying about that."

Instead, the pleasant-looking, youngish Anglo cop stuck his face toward the window as I lowered it, and asked nicely (with a "please, Ma'am", even) for my license, proof of insurance, and car registration. And let me reach into the glove box for the one, and into my wallet for the other two, and took them from me politely, while he explained that the left turn I'd just made was illegal.

And that there was a sign. And that it was illegal because it's unsafe to make a left turn there because cross-traffic blah-blah and signal blah-blah, and would I please remain in the car in the driver's seat for a 'few minutes'.

To which I nodded, of course. And he walked back to his car.

And I took out my cell phone to tell one of the people I had a meeting scheduled with, that I might be a few minutes late.

And while I was doing that, I thought, "If my skin was brown, would I reach for my cell phone, and hold it up where the cop could see it, and make this call?"

And I thought, "Fuck, no, I WOULD NOT. I would sit still like a mousie with my hands both on the wheel and pray like hell that the cop isn't in a prove-something mood today."

I finished my call, and put the phone away, and after another minute or two, the nice young white cop approached my window again, and told me he was issuing me a 'written warning', which would not involve a fine or a court appearance, and would I sign here, please?

And I thought, for just a moment I thought, about asking the nice young white cop, "Officer, if my skin were brown, would I be getting an actual ticket this time? Or worse?"

But of course, I didn't. #NotAllCops blah-blah and besides I'm chickenshit. I admit it. I chickened on that.

So I thanked the officer nicely, and signed where he pointed, and accepted my copy of the warning and my license and insurance certification and car registration back from him. And promised to drive safely and pay better attention to signs, yes, officer.

And while the officer went back to his car I put the documentation away and folded up the warning and put it away and started my car, and signaled to pull out, and carefully went on my way, driving as safely as I could for the whole rest of my journey.

And I wasn't even late to my meeting.

Voila'! WHITE PRIVILEGE SAVES THE DAY!

For me.

Because I'm white.

And I'm feeling so damned ambivalent right now. Of course I'm glad that I, personally, had no negative effects from the encounter.

But I'm sitting here wondering where I'd be, now, at this moment, if my skin were brown. Late for my meeting? Worrying about paying my fine and/or possible points on my license? In a holding cell?

In the fucking morgue?

White privilege sucks. Because I have it, that means lots of my neighbors and friends DON'T have it. They have to live with these calculations and thoughts every single day, and I hate that.

I wish it hadn't been white privilege that made my little encounter so harmless. I wish it were just the way things are for everyone.

I'll stay aware of how and why I benefit as I did today. And I'll do my best to just make it the way things are for everyone, in every way I can.

regretfully,
Bright

August 2, 2018

From now on, [Redacted] true believers are "Mumpsimusers" to me.

Or maybe mumpsimusi? Not sure of the correct plural. But the tag is precise.

Mumpsimus

also



ahhh, the English language. There really is a word for everything!

semantically,
Bright

August 1, 2018

Current Manafort Trial Isn't Even About Russia. Why is [Redacted] So Freaked?

Trick question, which WaPo answers in the first sentence of this article.

Boom.

From the nutshell: "His personal fortune was propped up by years of lies to tax authorities and banks."

THAT'S why [Redacted] is crapping his pants all over the tweeter machine right now. If they can actually prosecute a schlub like Manafort for THAT...

...OMG, whatta they gonna do to him?

He thought he'd get away clean. He's been getting away for decades. And now they're prosecuting someone for exactly what he's been doing all along.

Karma, dude.

amusedly,
Bright

July 16, 2018

Dear GOP: Clean Up Your Own Damn' Mess

While it is always heartening to see a GOPpie have a moment of clarity about the state of their Party, the answer is NOT for them to seek refuge with the Democratic Party.

It's not that we're not sympathetic, if somewhat exasperated ("WTF took you so long to figure it out?" )

It's not that we don't share a deep concern for the Constitution and the democratic process in America.

It's not that we don't appreciate their new-found clarity about the hot stinky mess that the GOP has landed in after the final precipitous slide and splash in the septic pool from their long downslope over the past FIVE DECADES (see "Southern Strategy".)

It's not that we don't want to save the nation we mutually love from Russian attacks and the American treasonweasels collaborating with them.

But no, the Democratic Party does not need more conservatives, even conservatives with functional IQs, a modicum of maturity, and an actual conscience.

Those are all good things, but even so, we neither need them nor will they benefit us in our work to restore American democracy and protect our republic from Russian attacks.

Whether it's the "best system" or not, America has evolved over many decades of Constitutional republican democracy into a TWO-Party system. Our political institutions have evolved to respond to the teeter-totter (or pendulum) model, if you will.

I'm not saying it's the best system. But our best hope for returning to a stance where we have full discretion and control over our own political destiny is to return the two-Party model to a fully American-controlled system, and work from there to make improvements in the electoral and political model.

I am old enough to remember when you could count on the GOP for a few things we could use right now:

1. A deep suspicion of Russian geopolitical influence and an implacable determination to oppose it in foreign and domestic policy.

2. A strong attachment to a free trade model that builds ties across nations and markets to enable stability and a modicum of predictability in economic planning.

3. An unshakeable support for the institutional well-being of America's Rule of Law.

It's hard for me to believe those things are gone altogether from your ranks.

But if you GOPpies having your moments of clarity keep jumping off that creaking rotten vessel, instead of staying there, heaving to, and FIXING YOUR OWN DAMN' PROBLEMS, those things will be gone, indeed.

And the Democratic Party will not be able to help.

wearily,
Bright

July 11, 2018

A little suggestion for a Resistance action:

Solicit donations to buy a few thousand copies of the US Flag Code. (I believe the VFW and the American Legion have pamphlet/brochure versions available.)

Show up at MAGAt rallies and politely hand out free copies to anyone/everyone engaging in flag desecration.

Including this individual:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210855677

It's a subtle strategy, but I bet it would have some very interesting effects.

I got a certification in "Flag Etiquette" way back as a child in Campfire. I memorized Chapter 4, Title 1, Paragraph 8 of the US Code, recited it, and did a display on correct flag display.

That stuff sticks with you. It still sets my teeth on edge every time I see a tattered, dirty flag waving from a truck strut, or see some idiot in a flag garment.

We were careful, in 1976 for the Bicentennial, to ensure that our flag-themed apparel was limited to correct display references- colors, bunting-style trim, etc.

"The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing." Treat it with proper respect, do not weaponize it.

wearily,
Bright

June 30, 2018

I'm Not Giving Up

I bought postcards today.

Tomorrow we are going to the Families Belong Together vigil here in my home town.

I will continue encouraging young people to register and vote. I will help with GOTV efforts.

I will write and call and march in support of all I believe in.

I will donate more, to causes and candidates.

I will be alert for opportunities to do more.

I'm not giving up.

I won't give up no matter how long it takes.

I will work for the restoration of America, and the progress to equity and diversity, peace and justice, until life leaves my body.

I will bequeathe this work to my daughter and my grandson.

I am not giving up.

No matter what.

determinedly,
Bright

June 29, 2018

I bought a supply of blank postcards today. And postcard stamps.

I will be sending three post cards each day.

One will always go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The other two will vary.

The ones for Pennsylvania Avenue will always have some variety of this message: "HAVE YOU RETURNED THE CHILDREN YET?"

The others will depend. Ones going to my Democratic Congresscritters, and Dem leadership, will have variations on "WHAT DID YOU DO TO REUNITE IMMIGRANT FAMILIES TODAY?" Or "PLEASE ASK WHEN THE CHILDREN WILL BE RETURNED."

Ones going to GOP Congressional leadership and Federal bureaucrats will be along the lines of the ones going to Pennsylvania Avenue, and maybe "STILL TORTURING CHILDREN?"

You can get 200 printable postcards for about twelve bucks at Amazon. They're a bit more at the office supply store, but it works out to about ten to fifteen cents a postcard.

Postcard stamps are thirty-five cents apiece.

I figured I could afford about a buck-fifty a day to remind those who putatively "lead" us of basic priorities.

For as long as it takes.

When I was about three, we were at summer vacation at the lake cabin. My Mom took me into town with her to do the shopping. She was wearing light blue pedal pushers and white sneakers. When we got to the store, at one point I got distracted by something. I turned and looked for her.

Seeing light blue pedal pushers and white sneakers, I ran after them.

And then looked up.

IT WASN'T MY MOM!

More than fifty years later, I remember the horror and sense of terrified abandonment that overwhelmed me.

Fortunately, my Mom was at the meat counter at the end of the aisle, not being marched off to a bus to take her to her concentration camp.

To anyone who claims that what is being done to thousands of children is not "torture", I can only say that if more than fifty years later I have vivid memories of that incident, I would not want to live with the memories these children-- and their parents-- are going to have.

NOT IN MY AMERICA, DAMMIT!

Yes, I have other priorities, too. I'm upset about the Supreme Court, I'm doing what I can to encourage young voters to register, I will do my best to combat vote suppression, prevent Americans from losing their health insurance, and plenty of other issues.

Those are all important.

But right now, what matters MOST-- the number one priority for me and (I hope!) for every American who has beein either a parent or a child (that would be all of us, wouldn't it?) is to stop the torture of these children and their families, and reunite them as soon as possible.

It's a PRESENT evil, an IMMEDIATE evil, and an evil we have a clear moral mandate and personal power as citizens with voices to fight, for everything we are worth.

determinedly,
Bright