Awesome end-of-the-year TNT!

Last night’s TNT wasn’t just a great show, but a powerful experience. I feel really privileged to be teamed up with these women who are not only talented, but deeply passionate. Unfortunately Yana couldn’t be there, but thank you for the invitation Linda, and thank you Lorna and Brenda. Thanks also to Katie who did an awesome job engineering – a bit of a challenge last night.

I’d like to do more team-ups in the future!

If you missed it, the archive is ready.

On Presidential Cabinet Corruption

And no, Clinton doesn’t count. She was never investigated for wrongdoing for either Benghazi or the private server. The Republicans in charge went out of their way to make it clear that they were simply “fact finding.” The distinction is their’s, not mine, so take it up with them.

Thursday Night Talk – Year in Review

TNT 2016 retrospective – Linda will be hosting with Brenda, Lorna, and myself as guests to talk about our shows of the past year, with some clips. Unfortunately Yana cannot be there. It was brought to my attention a few months back that since Kevin left I am the only male member of the TNT pantheon. I also want to note that if there were four male hosts and only one female, nobody would have bothered to notice. Anyway, join us at 7:00. Should be fun.

So let’s keep track

When Obama came to office we were losing over 800,000 jobs per month and the economy was in free fall. It isn’t hard to measure the economic success of his Presidency.  And he did it, unfortunately, with monetarist stimulation rather than the fiscal stimulation which had pulled us out of every recession since the Depression.  Republicans know this which is why Trump is pushing for a trillion dollar stimulus package and the Freedom Caucus is buckling under pressure.

Thing is, we have over 3 percent economic expansion and unemployment, which had reached double digits at the beginning of Obama’s time in office is now at 4.6 percent.  And, for what it’s worth, stock prices are breaking records.

Trump has tweeted that he should have credit for it, which is stupid and petty, but he has to do it politically.  Because as of this time next year he will have been expected to improve those numbers.  He has to deliver lower than 4.6 percent unemployment, and higher than 3.2 percent economic expansion.

And he has to do it without generating too much inflation, which looks like it may become a factor such that the Federal Reserve is going to up interest rates.  Sure, he can blame the Fed for it, which will play well to his base, but not to the Wisconsin and Michigan voters who expect him to bring industry back to the rust belt, and quickly.

So, this time next year, let’s see how he’s performed.  I’ve said that about local officials as well.

Hey, by the way, how about that General Plan Update?  You know, the one which was supposed to be finished three years ago after a conservative majority came to power in 2012 and was going to get things done?  How’s that going?

Anti-Semitic vandalism rises with Hanukkah and a Nazi March – Happy Holidays!

It’s probably a little worse this year because Hanukkah coincided with Christmas.  Vandalism in California and Arizona.

And an armed Nazi march has been planned for Montana, but it may be cancelled if the town gives in to the demands.

Four years.

It was a “mistake”

This Republican figure says it was “a mistake” to say that he hoped President Obama would die and that Michelle Obama would move to Zimbabwe with a gorilla.

Four years.

 

Eight Years of Anger

On blame for the Clinton loss

Those who backed Clinton in the primaries really need to hear this guy’s pitch. Yes, the Comey letter hurt Clinton. Yes, the Wikileaks/ Russian hacking, whatever, hurt Clinton. Yes, sexism hurt Clinton. Yes, racism hurt Clinton. But the Comey letter would not have happened if Clinton had not been so obsessed with personal privacy (and no, Powell and the others did not do exactly what she did). The Wikileaks revelations would not have drawn blood but for the insular elitist culture of the DNC. The biggest problem was the complacent liberal elitism her campaign represented.

Those of us who supported Sanders in the primary, most of us, did turn around and support her. She was the candidate who could defeat Trump. The “progressive who gets things done.” And then instead of showing up for rallies to encourage and expand her base she was attending high donation fundraisers – late into October for crying out loud! Even as she was outspending Trump by huge amounts! Then afterwards, I’ve seen so many Clinton supporters blaming Sanders (who actually ran about the most kid gloves primary campaign I’ve seen in my adult life). Blaming young people for not turning out. Blaming third party candidates for running. Blaming the media for covering Trump events while she was attending private fundraisers. Blaming everyone and everything but Clinton and the campaign itself, and the insular culture which continues to permeate the Democratic Party as Nancy Pelosi barely held onto her leadership position and then cluelessly exclaims, “I don’t think Democrats want a new direction.” Well if she’s right, then the Democrats will continue to lose and lose, as will the rest of us. Cenk Uygar is right. Either the Democrats become populist now, or they will continue to lose. It’s really that simple.

I can’t find the video on youtube.  You’ll have to go to Facebook.

Three million vote difference!

Just astounding.

Electoral-college system – affirmative action for reactionaries.

Add this to the rising number of cro-mag incidents across the country

Racist woman harasses Latina shoppers.  Shame on the JC Penny employees for not kicking her ass out of the store on the first comment.

Any guesses as to whom she might have voted for in November?