All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[DanMad1977]

That's what I was going to ask someone from Germany, lol. What do you make of this? https://twitter.com/andersostlund/st...J1BoyBGUyCLOFw
I don't know who is the guy writing it, is it credible or just a lot of speculations?

My guess is as good as yours. Everyone and their mother has an opinion and can create a twitter account.

The question is, if Germany especially the SPD is in cahoots with Russia in some form or way, or is it the typical German defensive behavior that we do since WW2? Better do nothing than be too offensiv? Is it even fair to judge, when we don't know what happens behind the curtain? Maybe the one political party is hindering the other? From what I heard is that our weapons, equipment and so on is not ready for use, yet. Its embarrassing but our army was put on the back burner for decades and got dried out financially. Also, the modern Tanks are so sophisticated that an untrained soldier (untrained as in untrained for that specifically Tank) cannot use it, he has to learn how it works. Its more of a computer than a mechanical Tank.

But what do I know.

I am just a citizen and can only guess.

[Panfoot]

I'm curious to know what Caitlyn Jenner's opinion is on her party's LGBTQ hate bills in FL and TX.

Oh she sold her soul to the devil long ago, she's all in still.

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, as well as 2021, “Fanatical Republican Extremist of the Day” published profiles of Kentucky State Senator C.B. Embry, who we recognized in our first profile as the sponsor of legislation that would offer a $2500 bounty on transgender public school students using the "incorrect bathroom". This was in January 2015 (right after he won a new term in the state senate), and not long thereafter, he killed a bill about trying to decide how school superintendents are picked by trying to sneak an amendment on it for a ban on transgendered citizens using public bathrooms (sadly, Embry's brand of transphobic madness has now become the status quo of Republican domestic policy). Embry has also palled around with Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, supporting her homophobic quest against same sex marriage so much that he sponsored SB 5, a "religious freedom" law to allow for discrimination against LGBTQ citizens. Rounding out Embry's profile, he repeatedly has supported legislation to require mandatory (but medically unnecessary) ultrasounds on all abortions without exception, even, for victims of rape and incest, supported a TRAP law to attempt to shut down all abortion clinics in his state, wants concealed carry of firearms without a permit for all citizens, voted for a bill which would define first responders as a protected class in hate crimes legislation (which he really don't think it's bad, but the fact that he thinks it shouldn't apply to LGBTQ citizens, who are BORN gay, but it should apply to people based on their employment choices is troubling), and under his "legislative priorities" on Project Vote Smart, lists "the coal industry" as his top concern, which is as honest of him as it is downright sad for his constituents. In 2018, Embry supported legislation to ban abortion at 11 weeks, because if a 20-week ban will get overturned by the courts as unconstitutional via Roe v. Wade, surely an eleven week ban would get the support of a judge, right? (NO.)

His current term in office has been marked with fanatical support for even more extreme anti-choice legislation than he’s ever supported, including sponsoring of a fetal heartbeat bill, to effectively outlaw the procedure at 6 weeks (before most women even know they’re pregnant), and a “Born-Alive Infant Protection Act”, which is of course, not based in reality of how abortions even work, whatsoever.

We are relieved, though, to report that the 81-year old C.B. Embry will be retiring at the end of his 23rd term in office in 2022. We would like to wish him our finest “GOOD RIDDANCE” salutes at this time.

[Tami]

Trump-backed hopeful, 2 others booted off Tenn. GOP ballot

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Republican officials have removed three congressional hopefuls from the GOP primary ballot, including one candidate backed by former President Donald Trump.

The late Tuesday night decision by the Tennessee Republican Party was a long awaited result of months of debate over Morgan Ortagus, Trump's former State Department spokesperson, entering Nashville's open 5th Congressional District race.

Even with Trump's endorsement, some Republicans criticized the selection after pointing out that she had just recently moved to the state and did not know the region or its voters.

Tennessee’s Republican-controlled Legislature had sought to nudge Ortagus and others off the ballot by imposing residency requirements on most U.S. House and Senate candidates. However, that attempt fizzled after the state's election office told The Associated Press the legislation — which Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee allowed to go into effect without his signature earlier this month — would not apply retroactively to candidates who had already met the qualifications.

That left the decision up to the state Republican Party, who had received challenges over the voting records of Ortagus, as well as video producer Robby Starbuck and small business owner Baxter Lee. Party officials had until Thursday to decide whether to keep the candidates on the August primary ballot. Tennessee GOP chairman Scott Golden confirmed the three were removed in a text to the AP on Wednesday.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I'm curious to know what Caitlyn Jenner's opinion is on her party's LGBTQ hate bills in FL and TX.

I suspect she’s already bailed on the LGBTQ community and doesn’t give a damn about the terrible harm that will result from those heinous bills. Like all Qpublicans, it’s party before everything else, including people.

[Kirby101]

About that unqualified Trump judge who threw out the mask mandate.
The judge who tossed mask mandate misunderstood public health law, legal experts say

"If one of my students turned in this opinion as their final exam, I don't know if I would agree that they had gotten the analysis correct," said Erin Fuse Brown, a law professor at Georgia State University.

"It reads like someone who had decided the case and then tried to dress it up as legal reasoning without actually doing the legal reasoning," she added.

[Tendrin]

Here's conservative lawyer Greg Doucette mocking the ruling:

https://twitter.com/greg_doucette/st...63640159883266

This judge has literally said paper money is unconstitutional. This is why we have things like ABA ratings.

[Mister Mets]

A friend of mine in Ukraine lost her father earlier today. It's a reminder that these are not abstract questions.

[Tendrin]

https://scroll.in/article/1022256/wh...it-is-too-late

When the “bulldozers” – backhoe excavators to be precise – went to work on the morning of April 20 in the working-class neighbourhood of Jahangirpuri in northwest Delhi, they did so with a partisan brutality and illegality, witnessed over the last two years in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir.

Each of these regions is administered by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, and the message is clear: if Muslims are involved in riots – even as victims – their livelihoods and homes will be reduced to rubble.

In Kashmir, where there were no riots and collective punishment is now administrative practice, it is enough that the homes belong to Muslims. Proof of guilt is irrelevant. In Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, after the ramshackle stall of an alleged stone-thrower was torn down, photographs emerged of an unfortunate – obviously Muslim – man accused of throwing stones. He had no hands.

The backhoe excavator has become a symbol of how Hindu vigilantism is merging with the Indian State, providing official sanction to and making real violent anti-Muslim fantasies. These desires to subjugate or even exterminate Muslims are routinely and publicly expressed by assorted Hindu priests, amplified by social and mass media – both deeply complicit in spreading this hatred – and members of the ruling party and its vast and well-funded Hindu ecosystem, which finds they fetch ample electoral rewards.

Justice is hard to deliver when there is a popular demand for injustice. The BJP and its allies know this, and that is why every new move to marginalise India’s largest minority is accepted by many Hindus with a shrug or a smile. Muslims now face restrictions on food, clothes, marriage, prayer, jobs, healthcare, housing, many of these legitimised by a law, administrative action or court ruling.

I remember getting told I was blowing things out of proportion with my concerns about the growing authoritarian fascism and treatment of Muslims in India, but...

[JackDaw]

A friend of mine in Ukraine lost her father earlier today. It's a reminder that these are not abstract questions.

Sympathy.

It’s strange but although UK has been constantly fighting in one conflict or other since the Second World War, none of them have effected me personally since then. (The Second World War did, although I was born years after….several of mums brothers fought and died then, and dads brother had his mental and physical health wrecked.)

The thought occurred to me this morning that the combination of Brexit, Covid, and the invasion of Ukraine have made this the most troubling period of my life.

[Tendrin]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health on Wednesday offered new guidance on transition-related medical care for young people, bucking advice given by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Department and medical experts including the American Medical Association.

Florida’s health department published a memo claiming that minors should not receive hormone therapies, puberty-blocking drugs or gender reassignment surgery. Instead, Florida’s health agency states that children and adolescents should be provided social support by peers and family and counseling from a licensed provider. The memo serves as guidance and is not a rule or regulation.


The agency released the memo in response to a gender-reaffirming care fact sheet that was published by HHS last month. HHS’ fact sheet states that that gender-affirming care for minors “is crucial to overall health and well-being as it allows the child or adolescent to focus on social transitions and can increase their confidence while navigating the healthcare system.” It can include what’s called social affirmation, such as wearing gender-affirming hairstyles or clothes, puberty blockers, hormone therapies and surgeries, though HHS notes that surgical procedures are typically used for adults.

Florida, jumping on the anti-trans bandwagon hat's been solely generated by conservative gender-panic. It's even signaling a ban on *social affirmation of trans youth*.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/0...-kids-00026593

This is essentially a demand that trans youth endure conversion therapy as their only treatment option. It's a demand that the state be allowed to torture trans youth.

[Ozymandias]

Sympathy.

It’s strange but although UK has been constantly fighting in one conflict or other since the Second World War, none of them have effected me personally since then. (The Second World War did, although I was born years after….several of mums brothers fought and died then, and dads brother had his mental and physical health wrecked.)

The thought occurred to me this morning that the combination of Brexit, Covid, and the invasion of Ukraine have made this the most troubling period of my life.

Sympathy is the goal. Presenting human tragedy on only one side of a conflict, is one of the most effective ways to shape the narrative. For a similar reason, there's nothing strange about seeing your own country, or allies, as conducting business as usual when they're involved in wars of their own. They're always in the right, even when years later, they admit to have been wrong or deny the motive which was initially given.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

About that unqualified Trump judge who threw out the mask mandate.
The judge who tossed mask mandate misunderstood public health law, legal experts say

Why am I not surprised? The only medical knowledge she has probably came from watching Grey's Anatomy.

[JackDaw]

Sympathy is the goal. Presenting human tragedy on only one side of a conflict, is one of the most effective ways to shape the narrative. For a similar reason, there's nothing strange about seeing your own country, or allies, as conducting business as usual when they're involved in wars of their own. They're always in the right, even when years later, they admit to have been wrong or deny the motive which was initially given.

Yes, I nearly always go on the defensive when Britain is critisized.

Of course, I know intellectually that my country has done many bad things, but my gut reaction is that I love the UK…so often leap to the defence without thinking things through.

[Catlady in training]

Watching the Macron-Le Pen debate right now. My impression is that they get caught up in details of plans that the average viewer won't be able to follow.

At least Macron keeps hitting Le Pen on her hypocrisy of now including measures in her platform that she actively voted against as an MP.

I only watched a few minutes, not a fan of her smug look. Her statements about protecting women's freedom by banning a piece of clothing many of them may have chosen freely to wear (as they live in a free country) are something.

On the other hand, I have to commend that they both seemed to be very civil to each other, no shouting. What does it say about the current standards for presidential debates that that's one of the first things on my mind?

My guess is as good as yours. Everyone and their mother has an opinion and can create a twitter account.

The question is, if Germany especially the SPD is in cahoots with Russia in some form or way, or is it the typical German defensive behavior that we do since WW2? Better do nothing than be too offensiv? Is it even fair to judge, when we don't know what happens behind the curtain? Maybe the one political party is hindering the other? From what I heard is that our weapons, equipment and so on is not ready for use, yet. Its embarrassing but our army was put on the back burner for decades and got dried out financially. Also, the modern Tanks are so sophisticated that an untrained soldier (untrained as in untrained for that specifically Tank) cannot use it, he has to learn how it works. Its more of a computer than a mechanical Tank.

But what do I know.

I am just a citizen and can only guess.

Thanks for the reply. I am not sure what to think either. There have been comments about Schröder for years, and now after Ukraine declined Steinmeier's visit I've read that he has also been a fan of Putin, but I never heard anything like that about Scholz. But I only follow German politics very little under normal circumstances.

A friend of mine in Ukraine lost her father earlier today. It's a reminder that these are not abstract questions.

Sorry to hear that, my condolences to her.

Sympathy.

It’s strange but although UK has been constantly fighting in one conflict or other since the Second World War, none of them have effected me personally since then. (The Second World War did, although I was born years after….several of mums brothers fought and died then, and dads brother had his mental and physical health wrecked.)

The thought occurred to me this morning that the combination of Brexit, Covid, and the invasion of Ukraine have made this the most troubling period of my life.

I know what you mean, there have been various wars for years, but this one hits me much differently. Some of it is of course the proximity, then also the fact that we have a lot more coverage of everything that is happening, due to modern technologies. I don't think any war has been documented this much in real time before (a good thing IMO).