Unavoidable Observation
Kyle Rittenhouse is on trial for killing two people and seriously wounding another using his illegal AR-15 assault rifle. He brought his illegal assault weapon to a BLM protest in the summer of 2020 in Kenosha, WI. His mother drove him there. With his AR-15. His mother! *
He has claimed he went there to help people; plus, he wanted to be famous. Somebody please explain to me why he needed an AR-15 to give first aid to injured people or to put out dumpster fires. On the other hand, the AR-15 did help to make him famous, but not in a good way, unless you’re a hate spewing radical looking for a martyr.
During his testimony on Wednesday he was asked to describe his shooting one of the victims. He became distraught, sobbing to the point of being unable to speak coherently, so the judge called a recess. But here’s the thing.
It’s true that Rittenhouse sobbed, convulsed and scrunched up his face, giving the clear indication that he was very upset about what had happened. The press reported that he, “broke down into tears.”
But he didn’t shed even a single a tear. Not one.
In his apparent crying, he didn’t tear up at all – you know, like people do when they’re actually upset and crying. If his was an act, it was a pretty good one – but it was fatally flawed. It’s possible he isn’t the Boy Scout his defense team made him out to be. See for yourself here.
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Republican Obstruction
The pandemic continues to ravage our country.
Republicans refuse to participate in solutions to make us all safe and they prohibit efforts to contain the pandemic, causing massive suffering and death.
The west is burning and the south and east are drowning because of the climate crisis.
Republicans refuse even to acknowledge the reality of climate warming, much less participate in finding solutions. In fact, they oppose any action that would be a positive step to combat the climate catastrophes that are staring us in the face.
We have millions of angry people and had a murderous insurrection on January 6.
Republicans are blocking the Congressional inquiry into the riot in every way they can, spreading lies and stoking rage every chance they get. Plus, many of them encouraged the insurrection.
Millions believe the anti-democracy lie that the 2020 election was full of voter fraud and that Biden is an illegitimate president.
Republicans actively promote this Big Lie, knowing full well that it is a lie that undermines our Constitution and our democracy. And they are bastardizing our future elections in order to subvert the will of the people.
Donald Trump continues to undermine democracy.
Republicans continue to either help to destroy our country or they chicken out of standing up to Trump’s bullying and sit meekly, watching the ongoing carnage.
Our State Department – the people who represent us to other nations and support our international efforts – continues to be not only understaffed (it’s been that way since George W. Bush formally replaced diplomacy with military invasions), but without ambassadors in dozens of countries.
That’s all due to Republican obstructionism in the confirmation process of ambassadors. That same obstructionism is why hundreds of federal judgeships remain unfilled. Say hello to Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans and say good-bye to diplomacy and justice.
Obviously, this list could be much longer. The point is that all the Republicans have are:
– Obstruction of government
– Culture wars to upset us, to stoke hate and fear and division and tribalism
They’ve made clear that they only care about low taxes for really rich people and ultra-conservative judges who will decide cases in their favor. They haven’t even a single policy that would serve We The People or the country. That leaves us with the key question of our time:
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How long are Democrats and Independents going to let them get away with that?
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The point is that it’s time for Democrats to stop being door mats and start doing what will win elections. That better happen VERY soon, and I’ll show how to do that and put the Republicans permanently in a corner. It’s just three things.
See Winning, Part Three on Wednesday, November 17 for what Democrats need to do to win.
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Must Read
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There’s so much that’s a downer and it’s been that way for so many years, including all the racist dog whistles and outright calls to hatred, the lies and the threats. Sometimes we deeply need reminders that we can be good, decent people, that some are mindful and doing the right things in the face of the brutality of daily life. It turns out that the murder of Ahmaud Arbery has ignited just such a thing.
Read this timely post from CNN about the friends, family and teammates of Arbery, what they are doing and how strong, good men and a united community are being forged in the wake of that hateful tragedy.
Must Watch
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Do you really think that voting is important, perhaps the most important of our rights? Yes? Then watch this video from the RepresentUs folks.
Correction – Sort of
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An earlier post noted that 2 of the last 6 general elections brought us presidents elected by a minority of voters. That’s true, yet the far more important point is that since 1988 Republicans have lost the popular vote in every election but one.
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* Please see the comments below for more specific clarity.
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JA
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4 Responses to Winning, Part Two: Republican Obstructionism
David L. Lindgren November 14, 2021
The damage that Republicans are doing makes softer Democrats stick to intellectual reasoning. Getting into pissing matches, however, will likely just make it work.
We definitely need to find a united front to back BIDEN and support all of the really great things that are being brought forth. How he is handling Covid, the infrastructure, not really being guilty for Inflation, new global interaction, movement on Climate Change, etc. Where is the support for him? It Democrats want to win, then get off the defeat Trump camp and infuse energy into Biden.
David L. Lindgren November 14, 2021
Hi Jack, just getting into your piece. In my judgment, Rittenhouse was sobbing. He was not intentionally crying or trying to make a scene, although that might have been a motive. There is signs in sobbing which appeared to be an involuntary movement.
And yes, I agree, he is an abomination. But he is being cleared of 1st degree charges and who knows how it will turn out.
Debbie Rakestraw November 14, 2021
Please correct one piece about Rittenhouse – he did NOT have the gun with him when his mother took him to Kenosha. The gun was kept at a friend’s house in Kenosha (the friend who bought it for him in WI) and Rittenhouse got it from the friend. The fact his mother took him there in the middle of riots (and probably knew his plans) continues to boggle my mind….
Jack Altschuler November 14, 2021
Debbie, thanks so much for your comment/correction. I did some research and am unclear whether he had the assault rifle in his possession when his mother drove him to Kenosha. His friend testified that he had purchased the AR-15 for Rittenhouse and that the weapon was stored at the friend’s house, but it’s not clear to me who transported it to Kenosha. That might absolve Rittenhouse’s mother from a second count of parental idiocy, but her driving him to a riot remains as a testament to wildly incompetent parenting.
Note that I’ve inserted an asterisk in the paragraph directing readers to your comment.