#banksyartwork
Hello My Sky Dancing Friends!
I’m finding this post more difficult to write than I thought it would. We’ve been thrown into a country that we will have to rescue so just find some compassion for yourself and others right now and prepare for the difficult work ahead. I’ve tried to look for the vision of folks already planning the fight and the suffering that is about to come. Over the past two days, I’ve worried about folks I know and suicide thoughts, folks I know and tears over the dreams they had for the daughters (and this one came from a white man), and the reasoned and worried thought by my fellow economists.
I’ve seen these signs in my beloved neighborhood. I’m giving and receiving hugs on every dog walk. Please come and find me and the Poland Avenue Greeter Dog. We’re also hanging at the Safe Space on the corner ready with music and games and friendship with many, like minds. You are loved and valued for who you are.
The LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention group The Trevor Project said in a statement it had “an approximately a 125% increase in crisis contact volume” on Election Day through Wednesday morning compared to typical days.
Their website says this.
TrevorText and TrevorChat are currently experiencing long hold times due to the election. If you need immediate assistance, please call the TrevorLifeline at 1-866-488-7386. A film about women’s resistance in World War 2
The celebrating people think they’re going back in time to a better place. Let me say, I no longer need to wonder what happened to Germany in the 1930s because we’re living in an American version of it now.
As you know, I’ve been carefully watching the markets. It looks a lot like probing for the new ceiling in the spot markets to me before we see a sell-off when it’s found. The first of the markets to be worried about found a headline today at Reuters. There will be more of this coming. “US natural gas markets point to steep price rise in 2025.” Financially, you should “hunker down.” This is the first of the futures/forwards market to come to a consensus.
The northern hemisphere summer has not yet officially finished, but United States natural gas markets are already sizing up supply and demand balances for this winter and the next year, and indicate that sharply higher prices may emerge.
Forward markets for Henry Hub futures, the benchmark U.S. natural gas price, indicate that prices will average $3.20 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) in 2025, compared to an average of $2.22 so far this year, data from LSEG shows.
If realized, that roughly 44% year-on-year price increase would be the steepest annual climb since 2022, and could worsen energy product inflation trends despite a slowdown in broader price gains in the United States.
Look for more of this. It’s not only Climate Change that will continue to disrupt energy markets in 2025. These are the guys that can gloat because they will not be the ones to suffer. This is from Vanity Fair. “Surprise: Elon Musk, Who Stands to Gain Billions Under Trump, Is Gloating About the Election. “The future is gonna be so 🔥 🇺🇸🇺🇸,” the tech billionaire wrote, above a photo of himself speaking with Donald Trump and Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.” This is so true. We have an authentic kleptocracy now. Let’s not keep it.
Elon Musk was gloating publicly even before the polls closed Tuesday night. And as the evening wore on, the tech billionaire grew both brasher and more triumphant. “The future is gonna be so 🔥 🇺🇸🇺🇸,” he wrote above a photo of himself speaking with President-elect Donald Trump and Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White. “Let that sink in,” he added, next to a meme of himself in the Oval Office late on Tuesday night.
Musk has plenty to celebrate, from Tesla’s soaring stock price to the continued tax cuts Trump has promised corporations and ultra-wealthy households. The Republican mega-donor, who dropped almost $120 million on Trump’s reelection effort, is now poised for a prominent role in Trump’s second administration. His various companies also stand to gain billions of dollars in federal contracts under Trump, and the new administration could potentially curtail the numerous investigations and other regulatory actions that federal agencies have initiated against his business interests. “The future is gonna be fantastic,” Musk wrote Wednesday morning, next to a picture of a SpaceX rocket.
How “fantastic” that future looks to non-billionaires remains to be seen. Trump has said he’d like to task Musk with leading a new government efficiency commission, which could slash as much as $2 trillion from the federal budget. Leading economists, as well as Musk himself, have both warned that the level of austerity could cause widespread economic hardship for Americans. There are also significant outstanding questions about how Musk wielded his wealth and public influence in the lead-up to the election.
Two lawsuits now allege that Musk and his pro-Trump political action committee violated state or federal laws with their $1-million-a-day pseudo-lottery. Under Musk, X—formerly Twitter—has also become a hub for misinformation, with two recent investigations finding that the platform appears to favor right-wing content. Musk seemed to mock those criticisms on Tuesday and Wednesday, insisting that X was a bastion of truth, while falsely claiming that “legacy media lied relentlessly to the public.” In a Tuesday evening livestream, Musk vowed that his pro-Trump PAC would continue to operate past the election and “weigh in heavily” on future races.
In his acceptance speech to supporters, Trump called Musk “a new star,” “an amazing guy,” and “a super-genius.” “We have to protect our geniuses,” he added. “We don’t have that many of them.”
Do not forget that he also warned there would be at least two years of chaos as the markets and life transition. Now is not the time to surrender ahead. That’s a path for their success. Not ours. It’s already started. Do not overdo it with spending. Hoard your cash.
Brittany, 16 August 1944. Members of the FFI (French Forces of the Interior). Their uniforms show the French flag with the Free French emblem, the Cross of Lorraine.
Elizabeth Warren already has a plan. Remember, 2 years isn’t that far away. We get another chance to vote for Senate and House. Meanwhile, resist. Protect Yourself. Be Compassionate to yourself and others. We cannot surrender mentally, emotionally, and in action. This is from Time Magazine. “Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Here’s the Plan to Fight Back.” We have Senators, we have Governors, we have Representatives. Gird them up for the fight they will take on.
To everyone who feels like their heart has been ripped out of their chest, I feel the same. To everyone who is afraid of what happens next, I share your fears. But what we do next is important, and I need you in this fight with me.
As we confront a second Donald Trump presidency, we have two tasks ahead. First, try to learn from what happened. And then, make a plan.
Many political experts and D.C. insiders are already blaming President Joe Biden’s economic agenda for Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss. This does not stand up to scrutiny. Even though the Biden economy produced strong economic growth while reining in inflation, incumbent parties across the globe have been tossed out by voters after the pandemic. American voters also showed support for Democratic economic policies, for example, approving ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage in Alaska and to guarantee paid sick leave in Missouri.
But good economic policies do not erase painful underlying truths about our country. For my entire career, I’ve studied how the system is rigged against working-class families. On paper, the U.S. economy is the strongest in the world. But working families are struggling with big expenses like the cost of housing, health care, and childcare. Giant corporations get tax breaks and favorable rules while workers are gouged by higher prices. Billionaires pay paltry taxes on their wealth while families can’t afford to buy their first homes.
Americans do not want a country where political parties each field their own team of billionaires who then squabble over how to divvy up the spoils of government. Vice President Harris deserves credit for running an inspiring campaign under unprecedented circumstances. But if Democrats want to earn back the trust of working people and govern again, we need to convince voters we can—and will—unrig the economy.
What comes next? Trump won the election, but more than 67 million people voted for Democrats and they don’t expect us to roll over and play dead. We will have a peaceful transition of power, followed by a vigorous challenge from the party out of power, because that’s how democracy works. Here’s a path forward.
First, fight every fight in Congress.
We won’t always win, but we can slow or sometimes limit Trump’s destruction. With every fight, we can build political power to put more checks on his administration and build the foundation for future wins. Remember that during the first Trump term, mass mobilization—including some of the largest peaceful protests in world history—was the battery that charged the resistance. There is power in solidarity, and we can’t win if we don’t get in the fight.
During the Trump years, Congress stepped up its oversight of his unprecedented corruption and abuses of power. In the Senate, Democrats gave no quarter to radical Trump nominees; we asked tough questions and held the Senate floor for hours to slow down confirmation and expose Republican extremism. These tactics doomed some nominations entirely, laid the groundwork for other cabinet officials to later resign in disgrace, and brought scrutiny that somewhat constrained Trump’s efforts.
When all this work came together, we won some of the toughest fights. Remember Republicans’ attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act? Democrats did not have the votes to stop the repeal. Nevertheless, we fought on. Patients kept up a relentless rotation of meetings in Congress, activists in wheelchairs performed civil disobedience, and lawmakers used every tactic possible—late night speeches, forums highlighting patient stories, committee reports, and procedural tactics—to draw attention to the Republican repeal effort. This sustained resistance ultimately shifted the politics of health care repeal. The final vote was a squeaker, but Republicans lost and the ACA survived.
Democrats should also acknowledge that seeking a middle ground with a man who calls immigrants “animals” and says he will “protect” women “whether the women like it or not” is unlikely to land in a good place. Uniting against Trump’s legislative agenda is good politics because it is good policy. It was Democratic opposition to Trump’s tax bill that drove Trump’s approval ratings to what was then the lowest levels of his administration, forcing Republicans to scrap all mention of the law ahead of the 2018 midterm election and helping spark one of the largest blue waves in recent history.
Second, fight Trump in the courts.
Yes, extremist courts, including a Supreme Court stocked with MAGA loyalists, are poised to rubber-stamp Trump’s lawlessness. But litigation can slow Trump down, give us time to prepare and help the vulnerable, and deliver some victories.
Third, focus on what each of us can do.
I understand my assignment in the Senate, but we all have a part to play. During the first Trump administration, Democrats vigorously contested every special election and laid the groundwork to take back the House in the 2018 midterms, creating a powerful check on Trump and breaking the Republican trifecta. Whether it’s stepping up to run for office, supporting a neighbor’s campaign, or getting involved in an organization taking action, we all have to continue to make investments in our democracy—including in states that are passed over as “too red.” The political position we’re in is not permanent, and we have the power to make change if we fight for it.
Finally, Democrats currently in office must work with urgency.
While still in charge of the Senate and the White House, we must do all we can to safeguard our democracy. To resist Trump’s threats to abuse state power against what he calls “the enemy within,” Pentagon leaders should issue a directive now reiterating that the military’s oath is to the Constitution. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer must use every minute of the end-of-year legislative session to confirm federal judges and key regulators—none of whom can be removed by the next President.
To those feeling despair: I understand. But remember, every step toward progress in American history came after the darkness of defeat. Abolitionists, suffragettes, Dreamers, and marchers for civil rights and marriage equality all faced impossible odds, but they persisted. Now it is our turn to pull up our socks and get back in the fight.
An iconic photograph from the Spanish Civil War. This is Marina Ginestà i Coloma, born in Toulouse on 29 January 1919 after her family had emigrated to France from Spain. Aged eleven, Marina returned to Spain, to Barcelona, with her parents, who were tailors. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, she served as a translator and reporter. July 1936, when Marina was seventeen years old. The location is the rooftop of the Hotel Colón in Barcelona.
Get back in the Fight. Stay in the Fight. Do nothing with Trump voters. It will catch up to them soon enough. Help yourself and your true friends and family. If you can find it in yourself today to ready this Politico article about their Agenda here is the link. Deporting is high on the list. It will not bode well for our food. I’m going to go work in my Victory Garden. My goal has been to turn my small land area into edible and beautiful things to help pollinators.
Another read I suggest, even though it is tough, comes from the best journalistic endeavors in this country these days, ProPublica. “Trump Says He’ll Fight for Working-Class Americans. His First Presidency Suggests He Won’t. From cutting children’s disability benefits to allowing employers to pocket workers’ tips, Trump tried to slash protections for the working poor in ways that have been forgotten by many.”
This is all I’m up to for the moment. My self care is to not watch the news or anything where I have to see that Orange Monster say anything or move. I’m staying on social media but not interacting much with X. It’s not a helpful place.
My last suggestion is to keep your eyes on the ones that are not lost to Advanced Dementia. They’ll be implementing Project 2025. Here’s a place to start with that. “Trump allies say Project 2025 is on as Heritage affiliates vie for cabinet posts. Clear links to president-elect and rightwing document emerge after his attempts to distance himself from project.” This is from The Guardian.
What’s in your heart and mind today? What can we do for each other to make it better?
Take heart from the French Experience with NAZIs, although we can do it without guns because we know our tormentors well. This song was written by Anna Marly. Worry also about our friends in Kyiv and in Europe as this cancer will spread.
My friend, do you hear the dark flight of the crows over our plains?
My friend, do you hear the dulled cries of our countries in chains?
Oh, friends, do you hear, workers, farmers, in your ears alarm bells ringing?
Tonight all our tears will be turned to tongues of flame in our blood singing!
Climb up from the mine, out from hiding in the pines, all you comrades,
Take out from the hay all your guns, your munitions and your grenades;
Hey you, assassins, with your bullets and your knives, kill tonight!
Hey you, saboteurs, be careful with your burden, dynamite!
We are the ones who break the jail bars in two for our brothers,
hunger drives, hate pursues, misery binds us to one another.
There are countries where people sleep without a care and lie dreaming.
But here, do you see, we march on, we kill on, we die screaming.
But here, each one knows what he wants, what he does with his choice;
My friend, if you fall, from the shadows on the wall, another steps into your place.
Tomorrow, black blood shall dry out in the sunlight on the streets.
But sing, companions, freedom hears us in the night still so sweet.
My friend, do you hear the dark flight of the crows over our plains?
My friend, do you hear the dulled cries of our countries in chains?
You may want to watch this Ted Talk also about Tanzinia. “How to Fight for Democracy in the Shadow of Autocracy | Fatma Karume | TED” is a great explanation of how to live in a transitioning democracy that turned back into an autocracy by “The Bulldozer.” This is about how bad it can get and this is how she rediscovered herself in the 4 years of hell. It’s worth the watch.
https://skydancingblog.com/2024/11/08/vive-la-resistance/
#Autocracy #banksyartwork #DonaldOfAdvancedDementia #ElizabethWarren #Facism #FatmaKarume #FrenchResistance #grandWizardsOfTheKleptocracy #idiocracy #RESIST #ResistanceWomen #SpanishResistance #ViveLaRésistance
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