Entertainment Weekend

“Entertainment Weekend” threads invite you to share anything—including content—on movies, television, and music on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this December 29–31, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.



 UPDATE: 12.30.2017 @ 04:00 p.m. ET 

ERICA GARNER

May 29, 1990–December 30, 2017

Erica Garner died Saturday, December 30, 2017, at age 27.

Following is a link:

Twitter—Erica Garner Dies At Age 27

‘Is Elizabeth Warren Still Acceptable to the Left?’

Jamarl Thomas has a video, partially baring the title of this blog entry, which speaks to a lot of Bernie Sanders’s 2016 Democratic presidential primaries voters with regard for Elizabeth Warren.

Back in 2012, I thought, prior to her first-term election as the now-senior U.S. senator from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren could be a future president of the United States. This was because of how she connected with what has been needed for consumers and workers. I was thinking this, admittedly, in a period when it seemed that Election 2008 was a realigning election for the presidency to be won by Democrats with at least three, but more than likely four, consecutive cycles. But, we know the Democrats—still stuck in the 1990s—so please excuse me for digressing.

It sunk in, after she waited for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination to be determined, and that she just basically aligning with the “winner,” that people had it absolutely wrong to be thinking that Elizabeth Warren had the potential for the presidency of the United States. Come to think—her not tossing her name into the 2016 race told me she was actually not interested. But, I do agree that what Elizabeth Warren did in 2016 was a big disappointment. Her choosing to spend much of Election 2016 out-tweeting a pre-45th U.S. president Donald Trump on Twitter was a colossal waste!

This video, appearing above, is long. It is just over 90 minutes. I know some people are not going to be up for it. But, any amount you can take in will likely be appreciated. As usual, Jamarl Thomas is perceptive. Very perceptive.




A Note to Readers of Progressives Chat

Before getting to my “Note,” I want to wish every person a healthy and enjoyable New Year’s Day, as well as a good night leading into that holiday, and a good 2018. (Today is the last regular day for a thread topic for the year 2017.)

A reminder: For the months of November and December 2017, I made the decision to have thread topics three times per week—regular topics on Mondays and Wednesdays followed by weekend threads beginning on Fridays.

This was due to the last two months typically being the busiest period of the year.

I have made the decision to continue with this regularly. One person responded, after I wrote and posted my November/December decision, with mentioning that day-to-day threads made commenting, after others’ posts, a little less convenient.

One benefit for me, frankly, is that I don’t need to stress over coming up with a new topic each day, Mondays to Thursdays, because news comes so fast that people may go ahead and post the link from such reports or, for another example, provide a link from a social media site like Twitter.

Progressives Chat is a place for people to post freely. There has never been a requirement to post responses which relate only to a given day’s topic thread. (A note about comments: I have the setting to allow comments up to seven days following a given blog entry.)

Thank you, to everyone, for being here!

—Candy83

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all readers!

For those who do not celebrate this particular holiday, please excuse me. I mean to always be respectful. And I wish everyone well.

(This blog thread is launched on Monday, December 25, 2017 at 12:00 a.m. ET.)

—Candy83

Entertainment Weekend

“Entertainment Weekend” threads invite you to share anything—including content—on movies, television, and music on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this December 22–24, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.

The Best of 2017

In the past, but not so much with the more recent of years, I appreciated year-end “Best-of” lists by critics—from print publications—for what they considered stood out in film, television, music, etc.

We are now at that time of the year when one can look back at a year in review.

Since Progressives Chat readers and I commonly posted videos to possibly alert each other for some must-viewing, I have decided to compile a “Best of 2017” citing five videos which really stood out. 

I encourage readers to offer their pick[s].

#01: The Jimmy Dore Show “Ex-MSNBC Host: Democrats Are NOT The Solution To Trump!” (06.29.2017). While a special salute deserves to also go to Jimmy Dore’s accounting of Hillary Clinton’s I Refuse to Take a Look Into a Mirror tour, as she was promoting her book What Happened, in Dore’s “Signs Hillary Clinton Is Having a Mental Breakdown” (09.13.2017), this one gives us Dylan Ratigan nailing the Democratic Party as the biggest reason why the nation now has Donald Trump as its 45th president. (“Think about how bad, how unappealing, how offensive Barack Obama and, ultimately, Hillary Clinton had to be to the American population in order for them to remotely begin to choose someone like Donald Trump as a better alternative.”)

#02: TYT Politics “DNC Unity Member LOVES Superdelegates” (10.20.2017). Although now-disgraced and ex-The Young Turks reporter Jordan Chariton would seem to stick out the most for what he brought to TYT, what was revealed in this video angered me. It had the most impact from TYT. In this video, Emma Vigeland interviews superdelegate Elaine Kamarck, from the Brookings Institution, to discuss superdelegates. Kamarck not only loves them. Kamarck tells Vigeland what she thinks of voters and how, according to Kamarck, they may handle their voting. 

#03: The Ring of Fire “Papantonio: Corporate Sociopaths Are Clearly In Charge Of American Businesses” (04.14.2017). After United Airlines came under fire for having brutally dragged a passenger off one of its flights, Thom Hartmann interviewed attorney Mike Papantonio. Now, one other video had Papantonio describe the Democratic Party [Establishment] as “a party of Martha’s Vineyard.” That was brief. This video, in its entirety, is better. It is about corporate culture. My favorite quote from Papantonio: “They’re graduating more sociopaths from MBA schools nowadays. And those sociopaths go to work as CEOs. Now, add to that, that a CEO typically is moving through a company quickly. It’s about a three-year program. [It used] to be a CEO would stay for a company for 20 years. But, now, it’s quick profits, big risks, [the] hell with everybody else—if we kill somebody in the process, as long as I can report that I made a half of a penny more in this 10k, life is good. I would really like to see a study where they do an MNPI, personal profile, on some of these kids coming through MBA schools now. It would be terrifying.…”

#04: The Humanist Report “Democrat Who Rejected A Mother’s Single-Payer Plea Now Being Primaried by Her” (07.19.2017). Mike Figueredo’s follow-up video was powerful and inspired. U.S. Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D–Nevada #04)—who has since come under fire as one of a number of men accused of sexual misconduct—said no to a constituent who lost her daughter and asked Kihuen to support H.R. 676 Medicare For All. Rather than remain heartbroken and betrayed by her congressman, citizen Amy Vilela made the decision to not accept it. She is going after Kihuen to try to unseat him at least with the 2018 Democratic primaries.

#05: The Rational National “Liberal Voters Trash the Democratic Party on ‘Face the Nation’” (05.09.2017). The CBS program had an excellent panel discussion on the problems with the Democratic Party. One citizen, in the front row and in a blue shirt, did not hold back. The Rational National’s David Doel picks up from that man’s points and adds some more insight explaining what has become of the Democratic Party.

Saluting Jamarl Thomas

Jamarl L. Thomas has a website, The Progressive Soap Box, but he also has a YouTube account, Jamarl Thomas, in which his YouTube-uploaded videos cover current topics. He is a progressive who has been especially direct in stating that the Democratic Party, in its current form, is not a worthy political party for people who are actually progressive.

Jamarl Thomas’s statement reminds me of a scene in the 2005 documentary An Unreasonable Man, which is about the life of consumer advocate Ralph Nader. It comes to a moment in which MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell states he has worked in Democratic Party politics. O’Donnell mentions that the people in charge of the Democratic Party does not listen to The Left (meaning, the faction supportive of not Hillary Clinton but Bernie Sanders). O’Donnell continued with (but this is not an exact quote): The Democratic Party [figures it] doesn’t have to listen to The Left. The only way the Democratic Party will listen to The Left is if The Left shows the Democratic Party they are willing to not vote for the Democratic Party.

That was the summary, in that documentary, from Lawrence O’Donnell. And all these years later, but with a different summary, comes the same conclusion from Jamarl Thomas. I appreciate it. I appreciate it because it is accurate. It is a motivating approach to how I handled my voting during Election 2016. If a major political party is not representing, no amount of saying the opposition party is dangerous makes that non-representative political party—even if it is the one I tend to prefer—worthy of one’s vote. That, when voting, I am voting for; not against. (After all, for are what is in the vote totals.)

Here is one recent video I really like from Jamarl Thomas. He gives focus to the U.K.’s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. At one hour and four minutes, it is long. But, if you are up for at least some of it, you should take in whatever you figure is comfortable and sufficient enough with understanding how intelligent, insightful, and progressive is Jamarl L. Thomas.

Entertainment Weekend

“Entertainment Weekend” threads invite you to share anything—including content—on movies, television, and music on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.



 Notes:

In October 2017, timed for the start of the current two-month marathon of holiday movies on Hallmark Channel, I wrote and posted the following blog thread: “It’s Almost Here: The 2017 Hallmark Channel ‘Countdown to Christmas’” October 2017. Someone, outside Progressives Chat, alerted me to this piece, from December 12, 2017, “White! Christmas!” Slate. Read it for your own entertainment. (Some of it is interesting. But, I didn’t take it too seriously.)

Last Monday, December 9, 2017 came nominations for the 75th Golden Globe for film and television for the year 2017. I personally don’t care much for them; don’t make the point to watch their annual ceremonies; but, they are looked at as a bellwether to the Academy Awards. The list of nominees are here: Hollywood Reporter.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this December 15–17, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.



I do want to share some videos. The first two are parts from an interview with The Young Turks’s Nomiki Konst on The Jimmy Dore Show. The third video is reaction from Jamarl Thomas. (UPDATE—12.16.2017 @ 03:30 a.m. ET: I have added The Jimmy Dore Show video featuring Charles Barkley.)

No, Debbie!

A few days ago, I received solicitation to donate to the 2018 re-election campaign of the senior U.S. senator from my home state, Michigan, Democrat Debbie Stabenow.

I say, “No.”

In fact, I don’t want Debbie Stabenow re-nominated let alone re-elected.

Debbie Stabenow has not come out for Medicare For All. That, right there, is enough. But, there was also the GMO Labeling bill from 2016.

I am also not pleased that Debbie Stabenow, and seemingly nearly everyone else who was or is a Democratic incumbent, endorsed Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democratic nomination for U.S. president before the first contest officially kicked off February 1, 2016 in Iowa.

I suppose I could be persuaded if Debbie Stabenow were to get on board for Medicare For All.

She is not there yet.

I am.

I know how to handle this.

In the meantime, I don’t mind sharing.

If I go by this mailing, I am supposed to be scared of Steve Bannon.

That is the reason, according to U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, why I should mail money to and support Debbie Stabenow.

No, Debbie!

 

 

 UPDATE:  The special U.S. Senate election in Alabama resulted December 12, 2017 in a Democratic pickup for former U.S. federal prosecutor Doug Jones having defeated Republican nominee and ex-state Supreme Court chief justice Roy Moore. The margin is between +1 and +2 for Jones. (Last I checked with CNN’s exit polls: Moore carried men by +14. Jones carried women by +16. Males were 49 percent of the size of votes cast. Women were 51 percent.)

In 2014, then-Republican incumbent Jeff Sessions, now the U.S. attorney general, won re-election—in what was a Republican pickup year for the U.S. Senate—without an opposition-party challenger. Sessions received more than 97 percent of the statewide vote. 

In terms of numbers, this is amazing. But, what it also means is that the White House opposition party, the Democratic Party, is in position to flip the U.S. Senate to follow the U.S. House. (All U.S. House seats are scheduled every two years. The U.S. Senate is one-third. That is why the U.S. House usually goes before the U.S. Senate if they don’t flip in the same cycle. Think 2010 and 2014.) The route would be, with the Democrats heading into Election 2018 with 49, to retain all currently held Democratic seats. (In the midterm waves for U.S. Senate pickups in 1994 and 2014 for the Republicans, and 2006 for the Democrats, the minority party going in ended not losing a single seat.) Reaching 51 would be with flipping Republican-held seats from Nevada (incumbent Dean Heller) and Arizona (an open race now that Jeff Flake bowed out). Anything more would be just presenting a tier of which states would follow (Tennessee and Texas; or reverse that order; it could be fun if the Lone Star State’s Ted Cruz would get unseated.)

Since the governorships have aligned to the U.S. Senate since 1995, meaning just four consecutive years of majorities for the Democrats (2007–2010), I would also say that the Democrats will reach their needed +10 for a majority pickup of governorships. (Team Blue goes in Election 2018 with 16 to the Republicans’s 33.) The Democrats’ route to winning a majority-count pickup is mainly with states carried in 2016 by Hillary Clinton with Republican governors. (Eight are applicable: Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Vermont.) This would be followed by the states which flipped, with Election 2016, Republican for Donald Trump. (This includes my home state Michigan.) After this, it would come states prone to elect governors from the party opposite a sitting U.S. president. (States like Arizona, Kansas, and Tennessee have been on this pattern since at least the 1990s.) Amazingly, 36 of the nation’s 50 states hold their gubernatorial elections in midterm years. This includes nine of the Top 10 most-populous states. So, the Democrats have the advantage here as well. 

The upcoming 2018 midterm elections are very much looking to be on a trajectory of a wave for the Democrats. So, given that I wrote and scheduled “No, Debbie!” ahead of time, the update with that is that she does not need my money. I just wish a lot of these Democratic incumbents would lose their bids for re-nomination. (Dianne Feinstein, specifically, is definitely not needed in California.) But, hey, that’s the difference between Republican and Democratic primaries voters—those from Team Red are more effective in denying incumbents re-nomination. (Think of the late Utah U.S. Sen. Robert Bennett, in 2010, and former U.S. House majority leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, in 2014.)  

What does this mean for Donald Trump’s chances for re-election in 2020? Should the Democrats get these majority pickups, and should Trump want to get re-elected, I think some of his approaches in leadership will change to become more palatable—which would get his approval numbers up. (This could be an eight-year parallel following his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.) And the Democrats would end up a blessing for Trump. (They will likely nominate another empty corporatist.) Yes, this does have to with voting patterns. Don’t ever underestimate that. (Just after Election 2016, Nancy Pelosi revealed she tracks them.) This also goes to show why U.S. politics are sick.

Following is a video of CNN projecting the Doug Jones victory.

Fake News

Over this past weekend, and it really began Friday [December 9, 2017], were the false reports from news programmers both broadcast and cable.

The Intercept’s Glenn Greenwald wrote about it, with the headline “The U.S. Media Yesterday Suffered its Most Humiliating Debacle in Ages: Now Refuses All Transparency Over What Happened,” and here is the link: Greenwald (12.09.2017).

Friday was one of the most embarrassing days for the U.S. media in quite a long time. The humiliation orgy was kicked off by CNN, with MSNBC and CBS close behind, with countless pundits, commentators and operatives joining the party throughout the day. By the end of the day, it was clear that several of the nation’s largest and most influential news outlets had spread an explosive but completely false news story to millions of people, while refusing to provide any explanation of how it happened.

The spectacle began on Friday morning at 11:00 am EST, when the Most Trusted Name in News™ spent 12 straight minutes on air flamboyantly hyping an exclusive bombshell report that seemed to prove that WikiLeaks, last September, had secretly offered the Trump campaign, even Donald Trump himself, special access to the DNC emails before they were published on the internet. As CNN sees the world, this would prove collusion between the Trump family and WikiLeaks and, more importantly, between Trump and Russia, since the U.S. intelligence community regards WikiLeaks as an “arm of Russian intelligence,” and therefore, so does the U.S. media.

This entire revelation was based on an email which CNN strongly implied it had exclusively obtained and had in its possession. The email was sent by someone named “Michael J. Erickson” – someone nobody had heard of previously and whom CNN could not identify – to Donald Trump, Jr., offering a decryption key and access to DNC emails that WikiLeaks had “uploaded.” The email was a smoking gun, in CNN’s extremely excited mind, because it was dated September 4 – ten days before WikiLeaks began promoting access to those emails online – and thus proved that the Trump family was being offered special, unique access to the DNC archive: likely by WikiLeaks and the Kremlin.

There is lots more to read. This was also covered in a YouTube-uploaded video from Jimmy Dore. That video will appear below. I will mention, in conclusion, that I now typically avoid cable-news programmers CNN and most especially MSNBC. I feel that this is wise. But, it is really something else for the people who still tune in and assume they can automatically trust them.

Music | Entertainment Weekend

This will be the last weekend for the “Music Weekend” thread.

Beginning next Friday, December 15, 2017, will be the first “Entertainment Weekend” thread.

Consider this the segue.

“Entertainment Weekend” is not only for music but also for movies and television and anything else covering the world of entertainment. (If anyone wants to mention theatre, that is also good.) So, one can continue to post music videos. But, it is encouraged that you use this new weekend thread to treat it as an overall entertainment mediums thread on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

This was going to begin Friday, January 5, 2018. I wanted to time it with the new year. But, December is the month which kicks off the Oscar season with film group prizes from National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and New York Film Critics Circle. (The Golden Globe nominations are also announced in the month of December. The fourth major film group, National Society of Film Critics, is typically the first weekend of every January.) The following is a list of winners for the year 2017. But, please keep in mind that I’m not saying one has to now talk Oscar. Just go ahead with about anything movies, television, music, and theatre. (Performing arts.) You can even start today. After all, this blog thread’s title is “Music | Entertainment Weekend.”

For his performance in The Florida Project, two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe won the 2017 best supporting actor award from all three of National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and New York Film Critics Circle. He is the Oscar frontrunner.

National Board of Review (announced 11.28.2017)

• Best Picture: The Post
• Best Foreign Film: Foxtrot
• Best Animated Feature: Coco
• Best Documentary: Jane
• Best Director: Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
• Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread [Original]; Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist [Adapted]
• Best Actor: Tom Hanks, The Post
• Best Actress: Meryl Streep, The Post
• Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
• Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

New York Film Critics Circle (announced 11.30.2017)

• Best Picture: Lady Bird
• Best Foreign Film: BPM (Beats Per Minute)
• Best Animated Feature: Coco
• Best Documentary Feature: Faces Places
• Best Director: Sean Baker, The Florida Project
• Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
• Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
• Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
• Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
• Best Supporting Actress: Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (announced 12.03.2017)

• Best Picture: Call Me By Your Name
• Best Foreign Film [Tie!]: BPM (Beats Per Minute); Loveless
• Best Animated Feature: The Breadwinner
• Best Documentary: Faces Places
• Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, Get Out
• Best Director [Tie!]: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water; Luca Guadagnino, Call Me By Your Name
• Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
• Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
• Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
• Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

In the following video, Richard Jenkins, a 2008 best-actor Oscar nominee for The Visitor and 2015 Emmy winner for HBO’s Olive Kitteridge, and Laurie Metcalf, who won three Emmys for ABC’s Roseanne (1992, 1993, 1994) and a 2017 Tony for A Doll’s House, Part 2, were interviewed by Variety about their work. Jenkins stars, and will likely get nominated for the 2017 Oscar for best supporting actor, in The Shape of Water. Metcalf stars in Lady Bird. If Metcalf goes on to win the 2017 Oscar for best supporting actress, she would become the 24th actor to have won the Triple Acting Crown: Oscar, Tony, and Emmy. Since 2015, this has become a trend reached by Helen Mirren, Frances McDormand (facing a likely 2017 best-actress Oscar nomination for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Jessica Lange and, the 2016 Oscar winner for supporting actress in Fences, Viola Davis.  

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this December 8–10, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.

Happy Birthday, Nina Turner!

Thursday [December 7, 2017] marks the 50th birthday of former Ohio Senate member Nina Turner.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Nina Turner was the best supporter of Bernie Sanders and his 2016 bid for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. She is the very type of Democrat who used to represent in this political party—and for its base—a desire to serve and deliver for the people. Nina Turner is the type of Democrat who make this political party truly voter-worthy before the neoliberal turn, traced back to the 1970s, wrecked it.

Nina Turner, who speaks frankly about the bread-and-butter issues which affect people’s lives, should be the next Governor of Ohio. She is the one who should receive the 2018 Democratic nomination for Governor of Ohio. And, after winning a first-term election with the midterms wave in 2018, that would put two-term Ohio Governor Nina Turner in position for the presidency in 2024. But, this Democratic Party—for who runs it—is corporatist and corrupt. They, and especially the Clintons, will do what they can to make sure this does not happen. Perhaps Nina Turner actually may not want this to happen. I actually don’t know if she is wanting to be Governor of Ohio and/or President of the United States. I cannot assume she does. I should not. But, I will write that she is plenty worthy.

Nina Turner not having real power in the Democratic Party—not having support to encourage a run for higher office—is an example why this Democratic Party did not get any general-election votes from me in 2016 and, in all likelihood, will not get my vote in the midterm elections of 2018. (I’m already thinking ahead also to 2020.)

In the meantime, I really appreciate Nina Turner.

Happy Birthday, Nina Turner!

What follows is a video, from YouTube’s The Rational National [David Doel], who salutes a May 2017 appearance Nina Turner had on CNN.

Joy Reid—Then & Now

Interesting controversy over the weekend. It turns out MSNBC’s Joy Reid, who does have a past, has a past of homophobia. Well, perhaps that isn’t surprising to some. (Not Glenn Greenwald.) But, I admit that I have not paid much attention to her over the years. It has been just over the last year or so. Joy Reid’s tweets, on Twitter, against Bernie Sanders are notable because she is a mouthpiece for employer Comcast and appears to be totally against progressives. (Like was privately said of castaways by contestant Kathy Vavrick–O’Brien, on CBS’s Survivor: Marquesas, going back all the way to 2002, “Who knows how much of it is real?” Yes—this is the feeling I get from U.S. politicians and beltway pundits in Washington, D.C.) But, hey, this is Joy Reid! I think Joy Reid knows what she is doing. What about you? What do you think?

.@JoyAnnReid pulls nonsense out of thin air to attack @BernieSanders’ so-called “physical dismissal of women in his presence.”

cc: @janeosanders pic.twitter.com/ok2BFhM35c

— The Young Turks (@TheYoungTurks) December 1, 2017

Joy used to love Bernie: pic.twitter.com/0W29LV3kmM

— beth hates Pai, so (@bourgeoisalien) December 1, 2017

Bernie and his followers are like that college friend who stays at your place for weeks, pays $0, eats your food & trashes your aesthetic.

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) June 12, 2017

MSNBC Host Joy Reid Wrote Numerous Anti-Gay Articles on Her Old Blog https://t.co/Af4dE3rOMh pic.twitter.com/jznlHnIWO4

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) December 3, 2017

That @JoyAnnReid wrote multiple homophobic columns about Charlie Crist ("Miss Charlie") is completely unsurprising. She also repeatedly claimed Chelsea Manning leaked not out of conscience but due to emotional problems over gender and sexuality https://t.co/2iFkIs0lX2 https://t.co/mlIEPtk2ZB

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 3, 2017

Music Weekend

“Music Weekend” threads invite you to share any music—especially a video—with all who participate here at Progressives Chat.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this December 1–3, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.





Notes:

• Now that December has arrived, this is the beginning of the last month of 2017. May it be good for all. (Or as much as each person can hope.)

• I have updated the Recommendations list. As of November 30, 2017, it numbers 15. (The new additions are Chris Hedges, Walker Bragman, and Katie Halper.) If anyone has more suggestions, please let me know. You may also want to post a link. (This includes telling me if anyone should get removed from the list.) For the list to get further expanded, I would prefer a full 20. (Now that Recommendations is over 10, I can’t help but think in increments of five. But, I am also mindful of the possibility of overkill. You can let me know if that may be a problem.) Thank you!

—Candy83



P.S. I will post a tweet, just yesterday from Twitter, which I think people will appreciate.

Latest Harvard-Harris Poll: Democrats prefer @BernieSanders over Hillary, Bernie also more highly-favored than Hillary even among her own voters: https://t.co/AbLMTdzuKm #ThursdayThoughts

Americans are ready for progressive change: #MedicareForAll, #CollegeForAll, #RobinHoodTax pic.twitter.com/mufW9wQqdK

— RoseAnn DeMoro (@RoseAnnDeMoro) November 30, 2017

UPDATE:

Friday, December 1, 2017 @ 02:15 p.m. ET—I added five to my Recommendations list. In order of their listing are The Rational National (host David Doel), which are YouTube-uploaded videos, and then the writings of Glenn Greenwald (The Intercept), David Sirota (International Business Times), Caitlin Johnstone (Medium), and Chris Floyd. If there are any more worth adding—and I have considered The Benjamin Dixon Show—to Recommendations, I would like to get another increment of a suggested five. Thank you! —Candy83

Saluting Tim Black

Tim Black is a true progressive who I will salute. His website, though not appearing to be current, is here: Tim Black. Here is the YouTube link to his program: TBTV.

I have been appreciating Tim Black for a number of his “No Sell Outs” episodes with H.A. Goodman. The latter tends to get mixed reactions. But, this is not the case with Black, who gives some down to earth and incisive takes on the Democratic Party Establishment (such as their exploitations of minority voters by use of identity politics), what the Donald Trump presidency means (for numerous reasons), and other insights on some current issues.

One topic which recently came up, in progressive circles, was that of Jordan Chariton. The former investigative reporter for TYT, who was hailed for having exposed former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile, has been accused of sexual assault. The Tim Black Show recently interviewed the accuser, TYT reporter Carly Hammond, who gave an account of her experience.

Following that interview, Tim Black revealed some information about the controversy from that interview. I will include his video below. But, I appreciate Tim Black for the reasons mentioned in the second paragraph. Although he no longer does “No Sell Outs” regularly with H.A. Goodman, I look forward to more from Tim Black.

‘TYT’

After eight years, I stopped watching The Young Turks, on a regular basis, just after Cenk Uygur endorsed Hillary Clinton for the general election of 2016. I found myself concluding that, when it comes to actually having to draw a line, I was drawing it while TYT was not.

On Election Night 2016, The Young Turks went on the assumption that Hillary Clinton would win. And then…surprise! (I know this because a video, on YouTube, which has been saved by at least one Donald Trump voter took delight in this embarrassment from TYT.)

Last August, there was a report from Variety that TYT Network was gifted with $20 million from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo. Here is a link to that report: Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo Invests in TYT Network as Part of $20 Million Round. 

Recently there have been the reports that TYT investigative reporter Jordan Chariton has been fired over his sexual behavior. Using the word behavior is not the total word to use. There have been more than one incident. To use the words harassment and assault do not mean the same thing. (Admittedly, I have been slow with following this. I find myself checking out YouTube-uploaded coverage on this separately from H.A. Goodman and Tim Black.)

I want to ask, “What are your thoughts on all this?”

Here is a live statement, on the firing of Jordan Chariton, by The Young Turks and Cenk Uygur.

Music Weekend

“Music Weekend” threads invite you to share any music—especially a video—with all who participate here at Progressives Chat.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this November 24–26, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Just one day in advance of the holiday, I want to wish everyone a pleasant Happy Thanksgiving Day!

In the meantime, consider the rest of this an extended “Open Weekend.” (There will be such thread on Friday, November 24, 2017. The time limit for posting a thread comment is five days.)

Giving Your ‘Thanks!’

This Thursday, November 23, 2017 is Thanksgiving Day!

I will be noting this again this coming Wednesday, November 22, 2017.

While thinking of the holiday, two things immediately cross my mind: 1) corporations destroying the holiday by having store openings to shop for the next commercial holiday, Christmas, so there is no longer a point for the people having to work to “celebrate” Thanksgiving; and 2) corporations being in just about all facets of our lives, including the food people will consume on Thanksgiving Day.

What a beautiful holiday!

It is not perfect. One thing that can happen is a person over-eating. If one wants to avoid that trap, thinking outside the box may be wise.

I suggest thinking about the corporations.

Give your “Thanks!” to the United Corporations of America! (And, intentional or not, also salute those corporations outside the nation’s borders.)

Who can you thank?

Here is a suggested list:

• Thank the corporation[s] which manufactured your computer[s].
• Thank your broadband provider for your high-speed Internet.
• If you are still subscribing to a linear cable-television service, thank your provider.
• If you are not with a cable-television provider, but you are streaming with use of a device, thank the manufacturer of that device.
• Thank all the media corporations which deliver the content.
• Make a point of thanking your mobile wireless carrier.
• Thank the manufacturer[s] of your vehicle[s].
• If you are on any medications, especially on a regular basis, thank the company[ies] for manufacturing your pills.
• Speaking of consumables: Thank the company for the turkey you will eat.
• Follow up this thanks by also expressing your gratitude to all companies applicable to all other items you will consume this holiday.
• If you will be drinking any beverage[s], thank all applicable corporations.
• And, finally, give your “Thanks!” to all corporations whose products you will be purchasing for the next major holiday, Christmas! (That it is for the people who do celebrate Christmas.)

Yes, Thanksgiving Day is a holiday which you can enjoy your time with family and other loved ones. (Or, if you choose to not be with any family and other loved ones—that, too, can be enjoyable.) But, if you have any concern about over-eating, it would be wise to give your “Thanks!” to the many corporations who are into your life every single day—including Thanksgiving Day! By doing that, you can curb your enthusiasm for what would otherwise be a rather big appetite.

Music Weekend

“Music Weekend” threads invite you to share any music—especially a video—with all who participate here at Progressives Chat.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this November 17–19, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.

A ‘Special’ Election in Alabama

The special 2017 Alabama U.S. Senate election—pitting Republican Roy Moore, left,
and Democrat Doug Jones—is scheduled for [Tuesday,] December 12, 2017.

Next month is the special U.S. Senate election in Alabama for the seat previously held by current U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions. (Replacing Sessions would be handled by election. The interim U.S. senator holding the seat is the state’s 47th attorney general, Luther Strange.)


The Republican nominee is state judge Roy Moore. The Democratic nominee is former U.S. attorney Doug Jones.

Moore is, of course, accused of sexual misconduct toward female minors from his past. And with the election looming—with the Democratic Party in position to flip with the 2018 midterm elections majority control of the U.S. House—the Republicans are not going to want to lose in Alabama because it would mean the U.S. Sense would likely also flip Democratic.


Here is a report, following the above pic, that majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) wants no more Roy Moore. The latter reportedly shot back at the former.

From “Roy Moore, Mitch McConnell each insist the other should quit,” by Alan Fram and Bruce Schreiner, http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/11/13/roy-moore-should-step-aside-mitch-mcconnell-says/cnmqGTO0sQTrUkRQFRaMsM/story.html : “The Senate’s top Republican said Monday [November 13, 2017] that GOP candidate Roy Moore should quit his Alabama [U.S. Senate] race amid allegations he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl decades ago. Moore fired back that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is the one who should leave, saying ‘[McConnell] has failed conservatives and must be replaced.’”


The party infighting may be interesting. There is no doubt that Roy Moore may be a deal breaker for the Alabama citizenry. Repeating what I mentioned earlier: If this seat flips Democratic, for Doug Jones, and because Moore was too damaging, it sets up the path for Democrats to win a majority-control pickup of the U.S. Senate to go along with the U.S. House. In theory, the Democrats—who need to flip three Republican-held seats—would retain all its party-held seats, currently 48, and would win pickups from the low-hanging fruit which are Nevada and Arizona. If the special election in Alabama flips, it would likely mean the U.S. Senate will become a majority-control pickup for the Democratic Party.

What Moore has in his favor is voting pattern. Alabama has not elected a Democrat to a U.S. Senate seat since Richard Shelby was re-elected to his second term in 1992. After the Republican wave election of 1994, Shelby changed his party affiliation to Republican and—with re-elections as a Republican beginning in 1998—he remains, now in his sixth term, the state’s senior U.S. senator. So, the GOP can look to this past pattern with Alabama. But, the party leadership appears to want Alabama’s next junior U.S. senator to not be Roy Moore.



Side Notes: 

This blog entry did not publish until about 09:00 a.m. ET because, as a mistake on my part, I did not send it to “Publish”; it was still in the mode of “Draft.” I want to acknowledge that this may happen again. But, typically I intend to present a new given day’s blog entry at 06:00 a.m. ET.

The “Recommendations” list—available in a regular full-screen format (not mobile)—now has two more entries: Niko House and RT’s Redacted Tonight. The links are to their direct YouTube pages.

Bernie Sanders Writes…

In a November 10, 2017 op-ed piece for Politico Magazine, titled “How to Fix the Democratic Party,” Bernie Sanders writes perceptively about what needs to be improved with the Democratic Party.

Standing out is his comment about the Democratic presidential nomination system.

“First, it is absurd that the Democratic Party now gives over 700 superdelegates—almost one-third the number a presidential candidate needs to win the nomination—the power to control the nominating process and ignore the will of voters.”

Yes—I agree. But, when describing this, I would use the word undemocratic. 

The reason is because these superdelegates are also human beings who are also private citizens. Thanks to their role in the Democratic Party presidential nomination process, they get to vote more than once. As one who has participated voting in Democratic presidential primaries, from my home state Michigan, for each time I have participated I have been allowed just one vote. So, I have reached the conclusion that superdelegates should go.

I appreciate that the junior United States senator from Vermont mentioned superdelegates.

I will not be quoting anything more from this piece by Bernie Sanders.

I wasn’t particularly moved by enough of what he had written.

Go ahead and read it. You will understand why. (It has to do with what was not mentioned.)

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/10/bernie-sanders-how-to-fix-democratic-party-215813

Music Weekend

“Music Weekend” threads invite you to share any music—especially a video—with all who participate here at Progressives Chat.

Open Weekend

This “Open Weekend” thread is a regular thing for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Please take this November 10–12, 2017 Progressives Chat to wherever you may want it to go.

Reflection: Results from Election 2016

Red: Republican Hold | Light Red: Republican Pickup
Blue: Democratic Hold | Light Blue: Democratic Pickup (not applicable)

Results:
Donald Trump  62,985,134 votes; 45.93%; 30 states, plus Maine #02, 306 (304) electoral votes
—Republican pickup winner; Shift from 2012: +2,115,582 votes and +1.77 percentage points—
Hillary Clinton  65,853,602 votes; 48.02%; 20 states, plus District of Columbia, 232 (227) electoral votes
Gary Johnson  4,489,235 votes; 3.27%; no electoral votes
Jill Stein  1,457,226 votes; 1.06%; no electoral votes




We have an anniversary today [Wednesday, November 8, 2017].

It was one year ago, [Tuesday,] November 8, 2016, which marked the 58th presidential election in United States history resulting in Donald Trump elected the 45th president of the United States.

This was considered devastating to all who believed Hillary Clinton was the correct choice.

They were wrong.

My No. 1 stated reason explaining why Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump is this simple: Participating 2016 Republican presidential primaries voters voted the nomination to the candidate they needed. Participating 2016 Democratic presidential primaries voters, who voted the nomination to Hillary Clinton, did just the opposite.

I could go beyond that. But, that does bottom-line it in describing just how badly out of touch and assuming pro-Hillary Clinton supporters turned out to be with the primaries and the general election. One year later, many of them—and this isn’t limited to party and beltway insiders but also citizens—remain out of touch and assuming and, well, you can have your fun describing them.

Getting into the details on some numbers, for results, and how the map unfolded is another thing.

The above map shows where the election was won: the industrial midwest and Rust Belt states appearing in light red were the 2016 Republican pickups for Donald Trump. (I wish Election Night coverage would use light shades for immediate illustration for switches in party support.) Trump began with carriage with 2016 Republican holds of the 24 states from the 2012 column for losing nominee Mitt Romney. (It typically happens, in a party-flipping year for the presidency, the pickup winner starts with carriage of the same states the party’s losing nominee won in the previous cycle.) These 24 states comprise 206 electoral votes. Trump flipped six states—Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (as well as the 2nd Congressional District of Maine)—for a net gain of +100 electoral votes to finish with an initial and prevailing electoral-vote score of 306. (That number, compared to some previous party-flipping presidential election years, put 2016 Donald Trump on par with 1960 Democratic pickup winner John Kennedy, 1968 Republican pickup winner Richard Nixon, and 1976 Democratic pickup winner Jimmy Carter.)

Not all of Hillary Clinton’s efforts to win the White House were a failure. She actually got Trump to conspicuously underperform margins in Romney/Trump states Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Kansas, and Utah—all which should have solidified Republican margins in a year the party flipped the presidency—as well as Obama/Clinton states California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington, as well as non-state District of Columbia. These add up to 209 electoral votes.

The reason why Hillary Clinton won a 2016 Democratic hold of U.S. Popular Vote was because Donald Trump needed to shift +3.87 percentage points nationwide to be able to win a Republican pickup of the U.S. Popular Vote with a margin of at least +0.01 percentage points. (Mitt Romney lost to Barack Obama by –3.86; it was 47.15% for Romney to 51.01% for Obama.) In this area, Trump failed to achieve. Trump shifted to this necessary level in 26 states. These 26 states comprise 210 electoral votes. (Remember—it takes 270 to win.)

The below map, and when you compare it to the official map (especially the states which appear in light red), help to show why it is possible to have a split outcome—separate winners with the Electoral College (a Republican pickup for Donald Trump) and the U.S. Popular Vote (a Democratic hold for Hillary Clinton). For those states where Trump did have a sufficient shift, at least +3.87, they are shown in red. For those states in which Trump did not have a sufficient shift, they appear in blue.

The U.S. Popular Vote was first recorded in 1824. The presidential election of 2016 marked the fifth time, in a period of 192 years and 49 cycles, that there were separate winners of the U.S. Popular Vote and the Electoral College. This means, for now, there have been 89-percent outcomes in which both were won by the same candidate. That is, of course, a separate topic. One can have that discussion. This blog entry looks back a year ago to reflect on the results of Election 2016.

Red: Donald Trump shifted, at least, by his needed +3.87
Blue: Trump’s shift was not sufficient (to win over U.S. Popular Vote)

The Midterm Elections of 2018

From top to bottom: 
Wikipedia.org’s map of the 2018 schedule for U.S. Senate elections 
Among Democratic incumbent U.S. senators up for 2018 are 
Missouri’s Claire McCaskill and West Virginia’s Joe Manchin 
Former DNC chair and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida #23)
Info on Democratic U.S. House incumbents who—and who does not—support H.R. 676 (Medicare For All)

One year from today [Tuesday, November 6, 2018] are the midterm elections of 2018.

I could write “midterm congressional elections,” but not all election races are congressional. What also stands out are 36 states on the schedule for gubernatorial elections. Of those 36, nine are from the Top 10 populous states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, and Michigan. (The only exception is North Carolina. Its gubernatorial elections are held with presidential elections.)

Based on historical voting pattern, and the fact that the 17th Amendment (allowing direct elections of U.S. senators from states’ voters) dates back to the 1910s, there have been 26 midterm election cycles from 1914 to 2014. From that period, only three were won with overall gains by the White House party: 1934, 1998, and 2002. The remaining 23 were won by the opposition party. This means, based on historical voting pattern, and that the current Republican president Donald Trump has a job-approval percentage rating in the range of the 30s, that the midterms of 2018 should be won by the Democrats.

I have to admit that I don’t care to see the Democrats win the midterm elections of 2018. Oh, sure, let them gain in numbers—especially state houses—to reduce some of the overall Republican-dominated strength. (They are close to being able to change the U.S. Constitution.) But, with a corporate Democratic Party Establishment still in charge—after approximately 1,000 state legislature seats were lost during the presidency of Barack Obama (and he bears some of that responsibility)—I would say that this is due either to incompetence or corruption. Some would say it is a combination of both. But, I lean more toward corruption.

Why corruption? It is money in politics. It is the No. 1 problem with U.S. politics. It is why we have the brands of politics for today’s two major political parties. It is why we have the policies.

Citing which particular Democratic incumbents I don’t care to see get re-elected can feel pointless. That is because I am trying to figure out who I want re-elected. Well, re-election for U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii #02) immediately springs to mind. And, if I wasn’t working on a timeline to get this published (I’m writing this on Sunday, November 5, 2017), I would cite more. (However little more.) It would just be easier for me to list a few Democratic incumbents who really need to go. The reasons have to do with how they vote. (It is also urgent that the ones not on board for Medicare For All to exit the upper chamber.) These names are not listed in order of importance. I am citing, in alphabetical order, five from the U.S. Senate and five from the U.S. House. (This list is certainly not sufficient. And I invite readers to list more names.)


U.S. Senate

• Maria Cantwell (D-Washington)
• Dianne Feinstein (D-California)
• Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia)
• Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri)
• Jon Tester (D-Montana)

U.S. House

• Henry Cuellar (D-Texas #28)
• Ruben Kihuen (D-Nevada #04)
• Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois #03)
• Nancy Pelosi (D-California #12)
• Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida #23)

Reminder: Beginning today [Monday, November 6, 2017], Progressives Chat will have blog topic threads on Mondays, Wednesdays, and “Open Weekend” and “Music Weekend” threads on Fridays. This three-per-week will play out until the remainder of 2017 (with respect for November and December commonly being busier months because of the holidays). 

Additional note: Just yesterday [Sunday, November 5, 2017], I added a “Recommendations” tag which appears on the right-side column and is available with the full-screen format. (I did not see it appear in mobile form.) —Candy83