Monthly Archives: November 2024

Donald Trump (r) is looking for someone with previous experience setting up an informant network to head the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit

09 Saturday Nov 2024

Posted by in Eric Schmitt

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Eric Schmitt (r) [2024 file photo]

[….]
The function of the Stasi in East Germany (the GDR) resembled that of the KGB in the Soviet Union,⁠ in that it served to maintain state authority and the position of the ruling party, in this case the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). This was accomplished primarily through the use of a network of civilian informants who contributed to the arrest of approximately 250,000 people in East Germany.
[….]

News item:

[….]
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.
Schmitt reportedly is being looked at as Trump’s potential attorney general.

That typically independent post will be center stage as Democrats and Trump-opposing Republicans watch whether the president-elect uses the Justice Department to target his political enemies and the prosecutors that indicted him.

Schmitt was Missouri’s attorney general before becoming a senator, and seems to be well-liked in Trump world. Trump often clashed with another senator-turned-AG, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, during his first term. Sessions’ replacement, William P. Barr, eventually left the administration after multiple disputes with his boss.
[….]

Eric Schmitt (r) has plenty of experience, probably more than most:

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s (r) anti-mask public school complaint email address: illegalmandates@ago.mo.gov

illegalmandates@ago.mo.gov – RSMo § 610 – Missouri Sunshine Law – email submissions – part 8 (January 7, 2022)

[….]

[….]
Subject: We stand behind you!

Just kidding. You’re a power hungry fascist. LOL.

No, actually, you are. And that’s sad for you, and scary for me. You don’t represent me, my needs or my priorities. My taxes pay your salary, and that makes me naseous.

Your deperate, unfounded, anachronistic lust for control (guidance) is rationalized by hypocritical religious pablum. You know that, right? In your heart, you do, right. You’re not so dumb that you don’t right?

You’re building a house of cards, Eric, and it will eventually crush you.
[….]

[….]

“…You’re a power hungry fascist…”

Eric Schmitt (r) [2022 file photo].

Campaign Finance: missed it by that much

09 Saturday Nov 2024

Posted by in campaign finance

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On Tuesday:

State of Missouri – General Election, November 05, 2024
Unofficial Results
as of 11/9/2024 10:47:37 AM

Constitutional Amendment 3 3572 of 3572 Precincts Reported
YES 1,527,096 51.605%
NO 1,432,084 48.395%
Total Votes: 2,959,180

[emphasis added]

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission for one of the forced birth entities opposing Amendment 3 (women’s reproductive health and abortion rights) which was approved by Missouri Voters on Tuesday:

C243093 11/08/2024 Vote No on 3 DDI Media 8315 Drury Industrial Parkway St Louis MO 63114 11/7/2024 $95,286.00

[emphasis added]

Meanwhile, from a majority of Missourians:

“Pro Roe”

Previously:

Chutzpah (Kansas) (August 4, 2022)

Campaign Finance: Not too sure about that (January 16, 2024)

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – women’s rights initiative petition for 2024 ballot (January 18, 2024)

Campaign Finance: Remember Kansas? Missouri is next. (January 19, 2024)

Campaign Finance: own it (January 19, 2024)

Campaign Finance: We’re not in Kansas anymore (January 19, 2024)

Mark Alford (r) – failure to read the womb, again (January 21, 2024)
Campaign Finance: More (January 22, 2024)

Campaign Finance: and more (January 23, 2024)

Campaign Finance: It does, but not in the way you think. (January 23, 2024)

Campaign Finance: and even more (January 26, 2024)

Campaign Finance: “No one expects the anti-choice imposition” (January 26, 2024)

Campaign Finance: this is the beginning, not the end (February 1, 2024)

Campaign Finance: keep it coming (February 4, 2024)

Campaign Finance: philanthropy (February 6, 2024)

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – volunteer training, petition signing, rally – Kansas City, Missouri – February 6, 2024 (February 6, 2024)

Rev. Holly McKissick – Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – Kansas City – February 6, 2024 (February 7, 2024)

Rabbi Doug Alpert – Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – Kansas City – February 6, 2024 (February 7, 2024)

Dr. Iman Alsaden – Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – Kansas City – February 6, 2024 (February 8, 2024)

Hartzell Gray – Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – Kansas City – February 6, 2024 (February 8, 2024)

Campaign Finance: the world in which they want you to exist (February 9, 2024)

Signing, Everywhere, All at Once (February 10, 2024)

Campaign Finance: definitely a global impact (February 16, 2024)

Campaign Finance: forward (February 21, 2024)

Campaign Finance: still more (February 23, 2024)

Campaign Finance: more forward (February 26, 2024)

Campaign Finance: keep it coming in (March 5, 2024)

Signing the Petition – Sedalia, Missouri – March 17, 2024 (March 17, 2024)

Campaign Finance: there’ll be more (March 20, 2024)

Signing the Petition – Warrensburg, Missouri – April 5, 2024 (April 5, 20204)

Campaign Finance: sign the petition (April 10, 2024)

Sign the Petition (April 15, 2024)

Signing the petition in Lexington, Missouri (April 23, 2024)

Campaign Finance: on several levels (April 27, 2024)

Signing the Petition in Raymore, Missouri (April 28, 2024)

Campaign Finance: guess what’s next (April 29, 2024)

This morning in Jefferson City, Missouri – delivering the signed petitions (May 3, 2024)

This morning in Jefferson City, Missouri – delivering the signed petitions – part 2 (May 3, 2024)

Abortion Rights Rally in Jefferson City – May 3, 2024 – Press Gaggle (May 4, 2024)

Campaign Finance: coming up on the agenda (August 6, 2024)

Reproductive Freedom and Health Care will be on the November Ballot (August 13, 2024)

Campaign Finance: the tide (August 14, 2024)

Campaign Finance: for the November wave (August 22, 2024)

Campaign Finance: Bam! (August 23, 2024)

Campaign Finance: Dayam (August 24, 2024)

Campaign Finance: no one has forgotten (August 30, 2024)

Campaign Finance: $10,000.00 here, $10,000.00 there (September 1, 2024)

Campaign Finance: Back to the Dark Ages (September 4, 2024)

Campaign Finance: On an express train back to the Dark Ages (September 4, 2024)

Campaign Finance: $10,000.00 here, $250,000.00 there (September 5, 2024)

Campaign Finance: throw down the gauntlet (September 5, 2024)

Campaign Finance: seriously all in (September 6, 2024)

Campaign Finance: “We will not go back” (September 9, 2024)

Missouri Supreme Court: Amendment 3 is on the November 5, 2024 ballot (September 10, 2024)

Campaign Finance: the road to November 5th (September 12, 2024)

Campaign Finance: apparently a guy thing, mostly (September 14, 2024)

Campaign Finance: Why are we not surprised? (September 19, 2024)

Campaign Finance: a friend (September 23, 2024)

Campaign Finance: wedge issue (September 24, 2024)

Campaign Finance: no time to waste (September 26, 2024)

Campaign Finance: time is almost up (October 4, 2024)

Campaign Finance: Who would have thought? (October 7, 2024)

Campaign Finance: unequal and opposite (October 9, 2024)

Campaign Finance: not messing around (October 10, 2024)

Donald Trump’s (r) World: they want you to continue to live in it (October 15, 2024)

Campaign Finance: In 20 days (October 16, 2024)

Campaign Finance: even more for choice (October 21, 2024)

Campaign Finance: what she said (October 25, 2024)

Campaign Finance: after that forced birth, you’re on your own (October 25, 2024)

Campaign Finance: everyone knows someone (October 27, 2024)

Campaign Finance: making it their business (October 28, 2024)

Campaign Finance: gird your loins (October 29, 2024)

Campaign Finance: To spend on what?

Fuck You, Fuck You, Very, Very Much (October 30, 2024)

Campaign Finance: the forced birthers spend their money (November 2, 2024)

On the same ballot (November 6, 2024)

And here you thought you were safe (November 8, 2024)

And here you thought you were safe

08 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House, social media

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The statewide vote on Amendment 3 on Tuesday, approving a constitutional amendment protecting women’s reproductive health and abortion rights:

State of Missouri – General Election, November 05, 2024
Unofficial Results
as of 11/8/2024 7:07:14 PM

Constitutional Amendment 3 3572 of 3572 Precincts Reported
YES 1,527,096 51.605%
NO 1,432,084 48.395%
Total Votes: 2,959,180

[….]

State Representative – District 156 17 of 17 Precincts Reported
Brian H. Seitz Republican 13,352 78.927%
Janis Beacham Democratic 3,565 21.073%
Total Votes: 16,917

[emphasis added]

State of Missouri – General Election, November 05, 2024
Unofficial Results
as of 11/8/2024 7:09:53 PM
Taney County
Constitutional Amendment 3 21 of 21 Precincts Reported
YES 8,462 31.818%
NO 18,133 68.182%
Total Votes: 26,595

On Wednesday:

State Representative Brian Seitz
November 6 at 12:49 PM
On Day One of pre-filing for the upcoming session, I will be filing two pieces of legislation to protect the unborn (among other bills):
– A constitutional amendment to declare the unborn as a person under Missouri law.
– A bill to provide “born alive” protections.
We WILL protect the unborn in MO. #moleg #ProLife
[….]

Some of the responses:

The voters spoke with their ballots, including republicans, and once again members of MOLEG will undue their votes. You don’t accept the will of the people.
Sums up the 22 year Republican supermajority in Missouri in one post.

We voted and you try to defy our vote the vote of missourians. Shame on you!!

It is a pattern in Jeff City.

You should think twice as you attempt to override the majority of voters regardless of gender who voted in this state – Your constituents are not only PROBIRTH folk or Republicans – WE ALL VOTED – Your job is to get out of our WOMBS and let our doctors, therapists, and significant others be present – You are stealing from people of this state and putting children and women’s lives at stake with your lack of research! Don’t throw away our money and our lives… You are throwing the baby out with the bathwater and putting women at risk – Wait – The great exodus of Gynecologists is next and women will be left to drive hours to give birth… some will die

It was never about letting the states decide. It has ALWAYS been about control. The people of Missouri voted to pass it. Leave it alone. Get your religion out of politics.

Exactly – Pro Birth is not the same as pro-life at any rate. They are actually killing women and causing the loss of our ability in some instances to bear future babies with their shenanigans.

I also don’t believe a Government Officials should be showing bias but should stop wasting money stalling on women’s wellness.

Can you clarify your position on In Vitro Fertilization for families that struggle with fertility?

[silence]

Well, I love the fact that you as a man do not understand that women are more at risk where there is no abortion care. Where healthcare, abortion care, education, reproductive care and good medical services are provided – ABORTIONS DECREASE. However, when you force women to have babies – you don’t have a plan of care for them and we just have more poor families. MISSOURI IS A GYNECOLOGICAL Desert now! Moreover, we have some of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in this country because you force birth but don’t provide wellness, daycare, or any other services. Put your money where your mouth is and stop overriding the will of the majority. Do your research and stop putting women’s lives in danger!

and what about the born? Branson MO has a poverty rate of over 26%. MOLEG had federal funds to help feed the impoverished children in the summer months when school was out and y’all blew it off. That’s just one example of how the 22 year Republican supermajority in Missouri wants a baby born and then forget all about them, especially the working poor.

The people have decided with their votes. It is your job to stand-up for voter rights, not ignore or change the choices made. You need to follow the law, not personal opinion.

Brian is another Kool-aid drinking MAGA boot-licker that wants to impose his far right religious zealot views and ideas on everyone else.

Sanewashing on the road to normalcy

08 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by in Resist

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Yeah, no.

You have three choices. You can resist. You can remain silent. You can flee.

“Make America Great Again” – in Russian.

“…If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor…” – Desmond Tutu

“…Washing one’s hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral…” – Paulo Freire

“…We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must – at that moment – become the center of the universe…” ― Elie Wiesel

There are communities which were excoriated by the Trump (r) campaign in the vilest ways. They and we are experiencing fear and uncertainty.

“…All we really have in the end is massive resistance. That is where we are heading–acquiescence or resistance. You and I will all need to make our choices about whether we will stand up against oppression in ways that a lot of our ancestors did not…” – Eric Loomis

Eight years ago:

[….] Donald Trump is uninformed, uncurious, and a narcissist. Believe it when he and his say they will dismantle access to affordable health care and cripple Medicare and Social Security. Believe it.

The national network infotainment complex and their local affiliates will promote the normalcy of it all. Old media will normalize the white supremacist right. Because they worship at the alter of false equivalence and false balance.

Don’t count on institutions to step up for you or others. Media? Forget it. They’re afraid of losing access. Our elected officials? Forget it. They worship at the alter of compromise with those who never compromise. Without the first two our other public institutions will fall into line.

If you’re still outraged you’re still noticing our institutions normalizing all of this. Old media will tell you that all is well. If you disagree by pointing out inconvenient truths you will be labeled, at best, as a difficult malcontent and, at worst, as an unstable person.

Be prepared to fight the good fights. Be prepared to lose. A lot. Be prepared for the people who you thought and hoped represented you pulling the rug out from under opposition movements. Because, for them, comity is more important than holding the line.

For now there are more of us than there are of them. For now. There may be a future. There may not.[….]

Here we are, eight years later.

Do something.

Yesterday I stood silently for an hour and a half in front of the flagpole (with a bronze First Amendment plaque at the base) on the quad on our campus, holding my posterboard sign (with six-inch high Cyrillic letters) “Сделаем Америку великой снова” [Make America Great Again].

The irony escapes right wingnuts. Everyone else gets it.

As people walked past, 99% ignored me. One administrator walked out from the administration building and asked what the sign said. I told him. He laughed.

One international student stopped and asked. When I translated the sign he replied, “Very good.”

Another student stopped to talk. He asked me about the sign. We engaged in a long conversation. It turned out that he had just become a naturalized citizen (but wasn’t able to vote in this election).

One person holding a sign can attract attention. A few people stopped in the distance to take cell phone photos.

The demographic of our student population trends to the right. I was struck by the incuriosity of the majority who passed by.

Silence can’t be an option.

An old two-hundred-fifty-pound tall white guy wearing thick glasses can’t be that intimidating, right? Maybe until they try to engage on the righteousness of Donald Trump…

It has begun

07 Thursday Nov 2024

Posted by in Resist, social media

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Without immigrants Trump would have no wives.

This morning:

Priscilla Alvarez @priscialva
NEW: Trump’s allies and some in the private sector have been quietly preparing to detain and deport migrants residing in the United States on a large scale, sources tell me.

Those preparations are now expected to ramp up.
[….]
7:04 AM · Nov 7, 2024

You were saying?

Resist.

This is why we will never again have nice things

07 Thursday Nov 2024

Posted by in Resist

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Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check…

The Obamas’ statement
[….]
Donald Trump won the election, and that reality has to be acknowledged and lived with, because at least for the moment the alternative is worse. But the last thing Democratic elites ought to be doing at the moment is signaling any willingness to cooperate with his completely explicit goal of trying to destroy the democratic process that just put him back in power. When dealing with fascism, the difference between cooperation and collaboration is non-existent, and statements like this obscure that critical absence of a distinction.

The options for defenders of liberal democracy are to resist, flee, or surrender. Bipartisan cooperation isn’t on the menu with Trump and Trumpism, and anybody who claims otherwise is either a fool, or thinks that they can cut a deal with Donald Trump while somehow still keeping their own hands clean at a time like this.

The Obamas didn’t say this, Paul Campos at Lawyers, Guns, and Money did.

President Barack Obama (D) [2013 file photo].

Resist.

Pointing fingers in the right direction

07 Thursday Nov 2024

Posted by in meta

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Old media, if not anything else, can turn on a dime.

The gaslighting hasn’t infiltrated everywhere just yet. This morning.

Mika Brezinski: “Was Joe Biden’s presidency a failure.”

Eugene Robinson: “No.”

The Democratic Party doesn’t have to figure out anything, nor change its core beliefs.

Look in the mirror. American voters faced an important test on Tuesday. Too many of them failed, by commission and omission.

They deserve what they’re going to get.

Far too many others, our most vulnerable, don’t.

#Resist

On the same ballot

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by in Uncategorized

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“They won’t stop at Roe”

Missouri voters supported the initiative on women’s reproductive rights, women’s health care, and access to abortion which was on the ballot yesterday as Amendment 3:

State of Missouri – General Election, November 05, 2024
Unofficial Results
as of 11/6/2024 4:05:59 AM

Constitutional Amendment 3 3570 of 3572 Precincts Reported
YES 1,511,712 51.805%
NO 1,406,351 48.195%
Total Votes: 2,918,063

[emphasis added]

Too close, true.

“It won’t end here”

You can bet on that.

And yet, a significant number of the same Missouri voters cast their votes for the candidates who have and will undo their will:

U.S. Senator 3570 of 3572 Precincts Reported
Josh Hawley Republican 1,614,638 55.483%
Lucas Kunce Democratic 1,218,527 41.872%
[….]
Total Votes: 2,910,136

Governor 3570 of 3572 Precincts Reported
Mike Kehoe Republican 1,711,887 59.055%
Crystal Quade Democratic 1,122,941 38.738%
[….]
Total Votes: 2,898,809

Secretary of State 3570 of 3572 Precincts Reported
Denny Hoskins Republican 1,640,484 57.603%
Barbara Phifer Democratic 1,130,687 39.702%
[….]
Total Votes: 2,847,904

Attorney General 3570 of 3572 Precincts Reported
Andrew Bailey Republican 1,700,872 59.728%
Elad Jonathan Gross Democratic 1,081,142 37.966%
[….]
Total Votes: 2,847,693

U.S. Representative – District 4 348 of 348 Precincts Reported
Mark Alford Republican 259,496 71.034%
Jeanette Cass Democratic 96,310 26.364%
[….]
Total Votes: 365,313

State Senator – District 31 61 of 61 Precincts Reported
Rick Brattin Republican 60,418 68.510%
Raymond L. James Democratic 27,770 31.490%
Total Votes: 88,188

State Representative – District 54 11 of 11 Precincts Reported
Brandon Phelps Republican 11,594 70.292%
Eric Stevens Democratic 4,900 29.708%
Total Votes: 16,494

State Representative – District 57 22 of 22 Precincts Reported
Rodger L. Reedy Republican 15,226 81.214%
Michael D. Walbom Democratic 3,522 18.786%
Total Votes: 18,748

Campaign Finance: timing is everything

05 Tuesday Nov 2024

Posted by in campaign finance

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Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

091068 11/05/2024 House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc GoPAC Election Fund 1201 Wilson Blvd Ste 2110 Arlington VA 22209 11/4/2024 $40,000.00

[emphasis added]

Virginia. Josh Hawley’s (r) neighbors? Just asking.

Pre 1973 2024 medical equipment.

Previously:

This time, vote like your whole world depends on it. (November 5, 2024)

A tipping point. (November 5, 2024)

And then there were five (November 5, 2024)