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Monthly Archives: June 2017

Video

Dana Loesch’s NRA rant

30 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Dana Loesch, Fascism, Gun policy, Incitement, missouri, National Rifle Associaiton, NRA

By now,  if you hang out on the Interwebs at all, you’ve seen or heard about the latest NRA fundraising atrocity, a video featuring former St. Louisian, Dana Loesch. Normally, I’d think  twice about  directing traffic to such an abomination, but, it’s everywhere now –  I’ve linked to it on Vox – and it should be. We need to know who it is we’re dealing with and what they’re capable of – which this video amply illustrates.

Here’s the script Loesch reads against a backdrop showing images of seething street violence:

They use their media to assassinate real news. They use their schools to teach children that their president is another Hitler. They use their movie stars and singers and comedy shows and award shows to repeat their narrative over and over again. And then they use their ex-president to endorse “the resistance.”

All to make them march. Make them protest. Make them scream racism and sexism and xenophobia and homophobia. To smash windows, burn cars, shut down interstates and airports, bully and terrorize the law-abiding — until the only option left is for the police to do their jobs and stop the madness.

And when that happens, they’ll use it as an excuse for their outrage. The only way we stop this, the only way we save our country and our freedom, is to fight this violence of lies with the clenched fist of truth.

I’m the National Rifle Association of America. And I’m freedom’s safest place.

In case  you haven’t guessed, “they” are “us,” or at least a subset of the American “us,” the folks represented by the hated liberal trifecta of academia, entertainment and politics, all neatly “targeted” by the NRA in this  fundraising exercise. As Zack Beauchamp observes in the Vox article, the message conveyed is that “the ‘only way’ to protect yourself from this surge in left-wing violence (a made-up threat, to be clear) is to donate to the NRA — an organization that exists solely to help people buy guns.”

So, was it money and/or notoriety that tempted the former St. Louis Tea Party maven, Loesch, to identify herself with this exercise in fascist rhetoric, or has she always been this toxic? She’s had her low moments to be sure – during her short-lived tenure as a “political analysist” on CNN, she once expressed her willingness to “drop trow” and defecate on a Koran – but the NRA ad which she narrates is not just distasteful, but crosses the line into incitement. It offers, as Richard Wolffe puts it, “the kind of argument made by the fascist paramilitaries and dictatorship who terrorized Latin America for several decades.”

Apart from whether or not Loesch is really a true-believer or just depraved, the video also suggests why efforts to claim that “both sides do it” fails to capture the dynamic that motivates the levels of political polarization that we are now experiencing. Beauchamp notes that:

The problem with this rhetoric isn’t, again, that it’s telling people to use violence against others. It’s that it functions as a kind of anti-politics — casting the NRA’s political opponents as devious enemies who can’t be opposed through normal politics. Republicans control all three branches of government and a large majority of statehouses nationwide. There is literally zero chance that any kind of major gun control passes in America in the foreseeable future.

The threat, instead, is from a kind of liberal-cultural fifth column: People who are acting outside of legitimate political channels to upend American freedoms, through protest and violence. It’s a paranoid vision of American life that encourages the NRA’s fans to see liberals not as political opponents, but as monsters.

In other words, the goal is to manufactures a hobgoblin for the gullible. There’s no there there, nothing but fake images used to ratchet up division and if it  creates the potential for violent confrontation, well, that’s just collateral damage in the service of the almighty dollar.  At this time, in this country, as Kurt Eichenwald pointed out in a report published in Newsweek, rightwing militias – Trump’s spiritual homeboys – pose a greater threat to public safety than Muslim  terrorists. That’s the mindset that the NRA now serves.

The Loesch NRA ad may be one of the more overt manifestations of this false narrative, but it is not unique. It grew from the willingness of the Nixonian Republican Party to exploit white fear and racial resentment and culminated in the racially loaded, apocalyptic rhetoric employed by Donald Trump as he endeavored to aid the Russians in  his election effort. It may have been a winning strategy in the past, but it’s not an invitation to the civility to which “moderate” Republicans and “centrist” Democrats pretend to aspire. Ads like this – and I suspect we’ll see worse – are the natural outcome of a trend that has been developing almost exclusively on the right over several years.

In contrast, the self-labeled resistance, the folks on the left who are making themselves heard in opposition to the current Republican power structure, may use harsh language and, given the ripe target presented by Trump and his cohorts, resort to ridicule as often as not, but they’re frightened too. The difference is that the object of their fear is real and immediate, not a tool for politicians or, as in the case of the NRA ad, a chimera manufactured by a lobbying organization intent on cashing in. It consists of more than turgid emotions. It reflects the intellectual apprehension of destructive policies that will be imposed if they – we, that is, don’t stand up and make  our voices heard. Notice that I said voices, not “clenched fists” or guns – no NRA payola here.

Now we can also add to our list of things of which we are afraid the NRA’s cultural warriors, armed to the teeth and out to intimidate the outspoken. And what’s worst of all about the hate speech and lies promulgated by Loesch and the NRA  is that they serve nothing but greed. No black  bogeyman in the White House to drive up sales, how you gonna keep the good ‘ol boys and girls buying guns? You give ’em another target: their fellow Americans.

Addendum: Francine Prose makes an important point about the message of this video in today’s Guardian:

Interestingly, the video makes no mention of the NRA’s traditional role: to preserve the American citizen’s right to bear arms, a right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the US Constitution. Perhaps this is because Loesch is encouraging her viewers to deter other Americans from exercising their Constitutional rights.

And she’s doing it by encouraging violence.

Welcome to Eric Greitens’ (r) Missouri…

30 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri Governor, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Eric Greitens, Friday News Dump, governor, missouri, social media, Tony Messenger, Twitter

Perfect timing.

Erics Greitens (r) [2016 file photo].


Tony Messenger, via Twitter:

Tony Messenger‏ @tonymess
You know who cuts health care for seniors, K-12 funding and hurts workers on holiday weekend news dump? Career politicians. @EricGreitens
6:14 PM – 30 Jun 2017

Bingo.

Campaign Finance: loading up a “little” more

29 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

20th Senate District, campaign finance, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, republicans

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for a republican 20th Senate District PAC:

C171164 06/29/2017 Lincoln PAC SRC Electrical 2401 E Sunshine St t Springfield MO 65804 6/29/2017 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

$10,000.00 is just so populist and grassrootsie.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: loading up for 2018 (June 26, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Jerry Moran’s (r) office in Olathe, Kansas – June 28, 2017 – signs of the times

29 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, US Senate

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

ACA, AHCA, Indivisible, Jerry Moran, Kansas, Obamacare, Olathe, Trumpcare

Yesterday at 4:00 p.m. one hundred fifty constituents showed up at the Olathe, Kansas office of Senator Jerry Moran (r) to express their opposition to the republican Senate Trumpcare bill. A few of the signs:

“Resist”

“Mean, heartless, deplorable”

“First, do no harm”

“We will not be silenced”

“Being a woman is not a pre-existing condition”

“Medicaid saves lives”

“Wrong!”

“Medicare for All”

“…because we are poor”

Those bundled campaign contributions make a difference.

Previously:

Talking about health care… (June 20, 2017)

Roy Blunt tells it like it isn’t (June 23, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – June 23, 2017 (June 23, 2017)

A Sen. Roy Blunt (r) health care story (June 23, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – June 23, 2017 – signs of the times (June 24, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Jerry Moran’s (r) office in Olathe, Kansas – June 28, 2017 (June 28, 2017)

Campaign Finance: individual commitment

29 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

24th Senate District, campaign finance, Jill Schupp, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission

Senator Jill Schupp (D) [2016 file photo].

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission for Senator Jill Schupp’s (D) reelection campaign:

C131081 06/28/2017 SCHUPP FOR SENATE Jill Schupp 418 N. Mosley Creve Coeur MO 63141 State of Missouri State Senator 6/27/2017 $200,000.00

[emphasis added]

From the last campaign finance report:

C131081: Schupp For Senate
Committee Type: Candidate
Party Affiliation: Democrat
418 North Mosley Road
Creve Coeur Mo 63141
Established Date: 06/03/2013
[….]
Information Reported On: 2017 – April Quarterly Report
Beginning Money on Hand $124,147.74
Monetary Receipts + $56,790.00
Monetary Expenditures – $11,808.72
Contributions Made – $0.00
Other Disbursements – $0.00
Subtotal $44,981.28
Ending Money On Hand $169,129.02

[emphasis added]

Because the eventual republican candidate will probably have all the campaign money they need.

Talking about health care at Sen. Jerry Moran’s (r) office in Olathe, Kansas – June 28, 2017

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, US Senate

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

#resist, ACA, AHCA, Indivisible KC, Jerry Moran, Kansas, Obamacare, Olathe, repeal, Trumpcare

At 4:00 p.m. today close to one hundred fifty individuals showed up outside Senator Jerry Moran’s (r) Olathe, Kansas office on College Boulevard to express their opposition to the republican Senate Trumpcare bill.

“Repealing the ACA will kill Kansans”

“Love trumps money”

“Trump doesn’t care”

“Vote no on any version of Trumpcare”

“Heal Don’t Repeal”

“…the most efficient accessible healthcare”

“Trumpcare is fake healthcare”

As at previous Indivisible demonstrations individuals told their health care stories.

A health care story.

“…Trumpcare is bad for us!”

In the median on College Boulevard:

“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege”

“Single payer now…”

Indivisible organizer.

Previously:

Talking about health care… (June 20, 2017)

Roy Blunt tells it like it isn’t (June 23, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – June 23, 2017 (June 23, 2017)

A Sen. Roy Blunt (r) health care story (June 23, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – June 23, 2017 – signs of the times (June 24, 2017)

Campaign Finance: stepping it up

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

campaign finance, intiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, organized labor, right to get paid less, Right to work

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the initiative to fight “right to get paid less”:

C171127 06/27/2017 We Are Missouri Preserve Middle Class America, Inc. 4501 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd Kansas City MO 64130 6/27/2017 $115,000.00

C171127 06/27/2017 We Are Missouri Gas Workers 11-6 USW 7750 Olive Blvd St Louis MO 63130 6/27/2017 $15,000.00

C171127 06/27/2017 We Are Missouri American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations 815 Sixteenth Street, NW Washington DC 20006 6/27/2017 $100,000.00

C171127 06/27/2017 We Are Missouri SEIU Healthcare IL, IN Operating Account 2229 S. Halsted St Chicago IL 60608 6/27/2017 $20,000.00

[emphasis added]

Yep, that’s a total of $250,000.00. They’re serious about this.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: working people (May 23, 2017)

Campaign Finance: fighting right to get paid less (May 31, 2017)

Campaign Finance: more from working people (June 2, 2017)

Campaign Finance: gaining some ground (June 8, 2017)

Campaign Finance: slowly but surely (June 20, 2017)

Campaign Finance: Working people! (June 26, 2017)

A Summer moment of Zen

27 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, missouri

After the rain:

We all need it.

#resist

Campaign Finance: loading up for 2018

26 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

20th Senate District, campaign finance, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, PAC, republicans

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C171164 06/26/2017 Lincoln PAC Ed Pinegar 769 E Hwy 60 Republic MO 65738 Owner Pinegar Chevrolet 6/26/2017 $20,000.00

C171164 06/26/2017 Lincoln PAC Missouri Soybean Association PO Box 104778 Jefferson City MO 65110 6/26/2017 $5,001.00

C171164 06/26/2017 Lincoln PAC Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters APC 29210 SE AA Hwy Blue Springs MO 64014 6/26/2017 $10,000.00

C171164 06/26/2017 Lincoln PAC MO Truck PAC PO Box 89 Eldon MO 65026 6/26/2017 $5,100.00

[emphasis added]

It’s a brand new PAC, supporting “a” republican candidate in the 20th Senate District:

C171164: Lincoln Pac
Committee Type: Political Action
4304 E Serenade St
Springfield Mo 65809
Established Date: 06/16/2017
[….]
Treasurer
Thomas Dale Replogle
4304 E Serenade St
Springfield Mo 65804
[….]

Jay Wasson (r) is term limited out in 2018.

Campaign Finance: Working people!

26 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

campaign finance, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, right to get paid less, Right to work

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the initiative fight against “right to get paid less”:

C171127 06/26/2017 We Are Missouri UNITE HERE Union Local #74 12105 Bridgeton Square Drive Suite 101 Bridgeton MO 63044 6/26/2017 $21,000.00

C171127 06/26/2017 We Are Missouri Working Families Committee PO Box 20571 St Louis MO 63139 6/26/2017 $7,000.00

[emphasis added]

Working families!

Previously:

Campaign Finance: working people (May 23, 2017)

Campaign Finance: fighting right to get paid less (May 31, 2017)

Campaign Finance: more from working people (June 2, 2017)

Campaign Finance: gaining some ground (June 8, 2017)

Campaign Finance: slowly but surely (June 20, 2017)

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