Mastodawn

J Odell Jul 1, 2024

Teri Kanefield Jun 30, 2024

The "Biden Replacement Theory": A Joke That's Not Funny

https://open.substack.com/pub/stephaniejones2/p/the-biden-replacement-theory-a-joke?r=4hf2m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The "Biden Replacement Theory": A Joke That's Not Funny

If you're going to engage in any discussions about replacing Joe Biden on the ticket, you should know a few unassailable facts that the media have left out of their hysterical drumbeat "coverage" of what "Democratic insiders" are saying: Democratic "insiders" don't give the President advice through the media. They speak directly to him or to the people in his immediate circle. Anyone you see publicly calling on the President to step down is not close to him and does not have his ear. Yes, they may attend occasional briefings at the DNC or get invited to the White House holiday parties and annual Easter Egg Roll, and have their picture taken with him at fundraisers they pay good money to attend so they can get their picture taken. But they don't have real access to him and they can't be assumed to have his best interests in mind. Because the people who are actually close to him don't call him out on CNN and Twitter.

Stephanie’s Substack

J Odell May 19, 2024

Show thread

J Odell May 18, 2024

@QasimRashid Also the Satanic Temple must be accomodated.

J Odell Jan 25, 2024

Teri Kanefield Jan 25, 2024

Texas Governor Abbott signals that he may (will?) defy the Supreme Court order regarding the border.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/border/2024/01/24/475398/governor-abbott-signals-potential-defiance-of-supreme-courts-border-ruling/

In 1830, Andrew Jackson, as president, refused to heed a Supreme Court order regarding the removal of Native Americans from Georgia.

Jackson's refusal gave us the Trail of Tears.

Jackson remained popular.

The similarity: Both defiances are deeply racist.

The difference: In 1830 only white men could vote.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/indian-treaties#:~:text=President%20Jackson%20nonetheless%20refused%20to,and%20Henry%20Clay%20in%201835.

Governor Abbott signals potential defiance of Supreme Court’s border ruling

Governor Greg Abbott issued a “Statement on Texas’ Constitutional Right to Self-Defense,” following calls by numerous Republican lawmakers to resist the high court’s order, including three state representatives from Houston.

Houston Public Media

J Odell Dec 30, 2023

Teri Kanefield Dec 30, 2023

This is one of Heather Cox Richardson's best:

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-29-2023

She has written about these ideas at length in two of her books, To Make Men Free and How the South Won the Civil War.

I discovered her books while I was writing the Making of America series. When I got to volume 5, FDR, I realized I needed a deeper understanding of how the parties evolved. That was when I found To Make Men Free (a history of the Republican Party.)

December 29, 2023

When asked at a town hall on Wednesday to identify the cause of the United States Civil War, presidential candidate and former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley answered that the cause “was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms, and what people could and couldn’t do…. I think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are…. And I will always stand by the fact that, I think, government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people.”

Letters from an American

J Odell Dec 16, 2023

Teri Kanefield Dec 16, 2023

I'll address the comments about Liz Cheney by telling you what Harvard Professors Ziblatt and Levitsky say about how democracies die and how they are saved.

(The book is fabulous and was quite timely when it came out in 2018)

Basically, they said this (page 299):

When one of the candidates (in this case, Trump) goes off the deep end and embraces autocratic methods, what will save the nation is Republicans to switch and vote Democratic . . .

J Odell Nov 17, 2023

I moved to Mastodon.social Nov 17, 2023

I want to follow up on the reason I see so much anger and cynicism.

(The anger isn't directed at me. It looks like this: "Trump is above the law! There is no accountability! The DOJ dragged its feet!")

There were some interesting comments about why I see so much of it.

I'll add another: People assume that I am liberal and in the same information bubble and therefore, I will agree with them when they repeat the current memes.

It's a group-think thing.

J Odell Oct 3, 2023

emptywheel Oct 3, 2023

A little table to help confused journalists deal with a busy news day.

J Odell Aug 26, 2023

Qasim Rashid, Esq.Aug 26, 2023

Black & Latino ppl arrested 6-9X more than white ppl
•GOP:¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cops not charged for killing unarmed Black kids
•GOP:¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Inmates die in prison due to horrid conditions
•GOP:¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Trump arrested for trying to violently overthrow Govt
•GOP: Two Tier System!!

J Odell Aug 20, 2023

StillIRise1963 Aug 18, 2023

If you know the fascist plan is to psychologically exhaust you with their bullshit, then don't pay so much attention to their bullshit.

J Odell Aug 15, 2023

Jay Kuo Aug 10, 2023

There’s been much criticism of Merrick Garland for taking as he did to get where we finally are. But I see things a bit differently, based on how his Justice Department laid the groundwork for these new and novel charges against Trump. Read my analysis here:

https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/was-merrick-garlands-approach-correct?sd=pf

Was Merrick Garland’s Approach Correct All Along?

I’m going to say something that might make me a bit unpopular. From where I sit, Attorney General Merrick Garland has taken a logical and reasonable legal path all along. How can I say this, though, given that January 6, 2021 is now more than two and a half years behind us, and ex-president Trump was only just this month charged with federal crimes such as obstruction of Congress and conspiracy?

The Status Kuo