Attilatheblond
Attilatheblond's JournalDavid Ignatius on people who have been in the situation room with Harris
Ain't no generals gonna 'have their way with her' as the jackass Jesse Watters from brand FOX insinuated. While she currently serves as Biden's VP and he makes the final decision in each situation, she understands the job and insists on accurate information. She's gonna be fine in the job.
https://wapo.st/3Zi9Mmu]
They all expressed versions of the same basic theme: Harris behaves like the prosecutor she was for much of her career. She’s skeptical, probing, sometimes querulous. She can be impatient and demanding. But she asks good questions. And if she’s convinced of the need, she’s not afraid to act. “She’s more hard-line than most people think,” said one retired four-star general who has briefed her many times.
One top member of her staff put it this way: “She’s always the same person, pushing for information, making sure people aren’t bulls----ing her.” Having watched her often in discussions about using military force, he concluded: “Her approach is to measure twice, cut once. But she’s not afraid to take the shot.”
We need more apprenticeships in this country, and more understanding of the benefits.
We, as a nation, need to get over the idea that anything other than a college degree is somehow less valuable to being employed in a field that can lead to a reasonably secure future. We need to address the fact that going into debt to get a degree is not a sound choice for everyone. And we need people who can do things that require trade skills, as any of us who have tried to find people who can be relied upon to do needed home or appliance repairs have probably noticed.
There are programs available, and Obama got movement made to help people earn while they learn, but much more is needed.
Frankly, I have to wonder if some of the bias against careers that require working with one's hands might be partly the result of making higher education such a cash cow for banking industry units.
My husband lived in Europe in the 70s and was impressed with all the vocational education programs. He also noted that Europe was also way ahead of the US in many industrial innovations/advancements. He felt our nation/people would be better served if we had more focus and programs on vocational training & apprenticeship programs because not everyone is suited for academia, but everyone needs to have education and skills in industries that can provide for a decent living. And we NEED people to do the jobs that can stymie a lot of MENSA members, but that keep our nation healthy.
Skip the paywall with this gift link:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/29/apprenticeships-government-investment/]
...
In recent years, American apprenticeships have successfully expanded beyond the construction trades. Manufacturing, finance and tech have seen encouraging growth. Google and JPMorgan Chase, for example, now offer programs.
...
Two years ago, after struggling to hire new machinists, GT Automation in Fort Wayne, Ind., started an apprenticeship that allows workers to earn $22 an hour plus health benefits and a 401(k) retirement plan. They work on the shop floor during the day and attend classes at a local technical school in the evening. The company pays for all the tools and coursework, which leads to an associate’s degree.
“Apprenticeships are a great recruiting tool,” said GT Automation’s operations director, Ryan Vande Water.
Cochise County: Judd considering plea offer to resolve 2022 felony election interference charges
1/2 of the Disastrous Duo of Cochise County Supervisors who almost got over 47,000 voters disenfranchised in 2022 due to their stubborn, and stupid refusal to certify county ballots. Both are Republicans who had long engaged in a contentious effort to insist on hand counting ballots, despite that being illegal and unwarranted due to sample counts from each precinct matching the machine counts in the regular audits.
Always figured Judd was just sort of a not real bright follower of GOP orders. But she is staring down some expensive court proceedings and probably sees the folly of stonewalling. She might even be able to save her vestment in her state pension if she gets the deal she may be going for.
https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/cochise_county/judd-considering-plea-offer-to-resolve-2022-felony-election-interference-charges/article_12061dae-6188-11ef-9462-5bcd696f14cb.html?utm_source=second-street&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breakingnewsalerts&emailmd5=37e512cee7af50430832a48baacd1e45&emailsha1=87207172136190161966423323216119213314115016621652236184&emailsha256=31f6f5ec1f90ef050f1ae59c2bb87b159b0a965ef349e6e420e467e257f18d3a]
One such question is whether the resolution would involve a guilty or no contest plea to a felony or a misdemeanor. Another question is whether Judd would be allowed to sign a plea agreement but not have it formally accepted by the court until sentencing.
This method ensures a defendant is not considered convicted right away, which would be critical for Judd given that she is an elected county official. If Judd completes this year in office, it appears she would have enough time in elected office to be fully vested for a government pension based on her past service in the Arizona Legislature.
Another question is whether any plea offer would grant Judd blanket immunity for any of her other activities related to the 2022 election cycle, including potential violations of Arizona’s Open Meeting Law and the state’s Public Records Law.
I kinda feel a bit sorry for her, as she sorta seems like a 'low normal', but I am often too kind to idiots who let GOP operatives lead them astray in service to Trump and his puppetmasters. Judd didn't have the backbone to say no to their effort to test a method to hold up election certification to see if it would be of use in 2024.
If she turns evidence that will put fellow supervisor (and constant threat to the well being of this county) Tom Crosby behind bars, I'd be OK with her getting a deal. Her husband is gravely ill and she's no spring chicken herself.
Home from running errands. Tiny clumps of magas parked along a major road from local airport to somewhere at border
Hot and muggy out there. Looks like they spent a lot of cash on Trump flags & forgot to save some money for sun hats. Pretty sure they won't get to see their hero drive by. Read that he is taking a helicopter from the local airport to some point along the border. And yes, I CAN see Mexico from here.
I hear our very own county indicted fake elector will be among the VIPs to greet his fellow indicted, and convicted, jackass. Wonder which of them asks the other for money first.
Sadly, it's probably too early for an afternoon monsoon downpour (yesterday there was a tornado warning in our county) but one hopes Mother Nature might whip up one nasty dust devil to blow evil spirits our of our beloved desert.
But, I am only one person. What can I actually do to help elect Harris/Walz?
A reminder and starter list of what YOU can do. Doing any number of these will make you feel better about things outside yourself, and probably make you feel much more empowered. It's win/win!
Summer repeat of my list of things each can do. Pick one, pick 3, pick 'em all, or feel free to add to my humble list.
We love America. This is the year we really prove it with 'grand romantic gestures'.
Rolling up sleeves, breaking out of boxes of limitations. YESSSSS! Seems a lot of DEM governors are taking cues from the many DEM legislators on the Hill and in state governments who decided not to be doormats. What a team we have!
This is what voters have wanted, needed, and it is encouraging we are being heard. Now, it's up to us to support these brave new faces. Sure, monetary donations are important, but there are more ways to help DEMs win.
Contact your local/county DEM headquarters for candidate signs, and ways to help.
Get in touch with local groups working for candidates you want to see win!
Work to get good legislation into your state's capitol. Support legislative initiatives for ballots.
Find out how to help get voters registered in your state. If people are already registered, ask if their address is current. If not, help them get the correct address on their registration.
Go to local organizational meetings, make friends, find allies, pick an issue or candidate to work for.
Keep track of your registration to assure GOP county officials haven't purged you from voter rolls. Help friends & neighbors find out how to keep track of their active registrations. THIS IS IMPORTANT!
Attend county supervisor meetings if possible, many are available to watch/comment online via zoom. Keep an eye on what local officials in charge of election procedures are doing! This is where fair elections are most at risk.
Write good letters to the editor on issues that matter to you.
Be a good neighbor and show people just what DEMs are made of and stand for.
Take joy in the efforts and the good people you will meet along the way.
And with that, I say to malise: Top 'o the morning to you from the American Southwest. Thank you, dear malise, for all you do to encourage us here.
Do you know about Civic Engagement Beyond Voting? It's a great way to get info and advocate on issues in AZ
If you are in AZ, THIS is a great place to start when looking for ways to dig in: Civic Engagement Beyond Voting https://www.cebv.us/]
Virtually all the experiences in your daily life are affected by local government - from roads and local services to criminal justice, bodily autonomy, individual privacy, funding public institutions and schools, and so much more. 95% of the nation's legal action occurs in state courts. You think "I don't do politics?" Think again: politics is simply the business of everyday life in our communities.
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting is nonpartisan, but not neutral. We support progressive values and seek democratic change. From school boards to city council, all the way up to the state legislature, it's up to all of us to make sure our government reflects our needs and values. Don't stay on the sidelines - join us!
Learn about using 'Request to Speak' methods and opportunities to let elected officials know how you feel on specific issues. You don't even have to actually speak. In most instances, written comments can be sent electronically and read into the record of most AZ legislative bodies during the public comments portion of public proceedings, like the state legislature and your local county supervisor meetings. Make your voice heard! Might be scary at first, but dip your toe into the pool of public participation. You will probably find 'the water is fine'. Many public meetings of government bodies can be attended remotely thru apps like Zoom Meetings. Check your local county government for links & how-to information. If your schedule prevents you from attending meetings in real time, some counties have video replays available. Check your city and county government sites.
Learn about advocacy. Become an advocate. It can be short and sweet actions, or you can find ways to make impact thru deeper methods of engagement in some policy decisions.
If you are in Arizona, THIS is probably the best place to start on your adventure to learn and influence on issues that matter to you and yours.
If anybody knows of such groups or clearing house sites for issue information in other states, PLEASE post links to such sites in General Discussion and state forums. Perhaps we can compile an index of such groups by state.
Info/links to register to vote and registration deadlines by states. Please share information so all can vote.
First things first: If you, or anyone you know, needs documentation for birth certificate, divorce, and so on, in order to get registered to vote, this is the CDC page with state by state links for records. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/index.htm] If anyone needs such documentation, DO IT NOW! It takes time and time is getting short! There may be fees and it is likely stamped, self addressed envelope may be required.
Please share these links with family, friends, neighbors, people you know on various social media platforms. Please courage everyone to check their voter registration status and to make sure they will have any required identification materials needed in their state/county. We REALLY need to lessen the need for casting provisional ballots that might just not go into final tallies. The GOP has already shown us they intend to block as many people from voting as possible.
I always recommend we all check our voter registration status occasionally, and ALWAYS CHECK shortly before the deadline for our individual states. This is especially important if your county has several GOP elected officials who may influence purging the voter rolls.
https://www.usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration]
also, National Association of Secretaries of State https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote]
Check your state's registration deadline: https://www.usvotefoundation.org/state-election-dates-and-deadlines]
Voter Registration Card information: https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration-card]
Your local county DEM Headquarters probably has registration forms or can tell you where/how to get them. Often, public libraries have registration forms. Some places like fire stations and police stations have them in some states. That would make a fun family 'field trip' to get kids to meet a cop or fireman, and see 'the helpers'. Your local city hall may have registration forms, give 'em a call.
Remember any young person who will be 18 by election day can register to vote NOW. Be a good friend/mentor and make sure young people in your life know this. As encouraging as it is that SO MANY groups of young voters are on the registration thing, we still need to help assure they get the word out to all people who will be allowed to vote. Help guide any who need info on getting any documentation needed, and to get it well in advance of their state's deadline to register.
Again, please share these links and help inspire passion for ALL of us to prepare to be able to vote. Write letters to the editor, post on your social media. Assure that everyone gets to have their voices heard. Let them hear us roar!
Intentionally funny NBC header or possibly really connected? I report, you decide
"Trump frustrated as bond deadline nears and key bacteria identified in colon cancer cases:"Morning Rundown
Viral video captures Indiana lawmaker flashing holstered gun at student gun control advocates
Did lawmaker feel threatened by some high school students wanting to advocate for sensible gun laws, or is he just a bully who wanted them to be threatened enough to drop the subject? Is he a dangerous paranoid who needs to be treated for some illness of the head? Are things so dangerous in that statehouse that people feel the need to go around with guns?
Such brave lawmakers, not.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jim-lucas-viral-video-indiana-lawmaker-holstered-gun-student-gun-control-advocates/]
A video taken by a high school student shows an Indiana lawmaker flashing a gun to students who were visiting the statehouse to talk to legislators about gun control.
A student from Burris Laboratory School in Muncie told The Associated Press she and four other students were at the state Capitol on Tuesday to participate in a day of advocacy with Students Demand Action, an arm of Everytown for Gun Safety.
Alana Trissel, 17, said state Rep. Jim Lucas asked the students what brought them to the Capitol and began to defend gun rights.
Lucas, a Republican from Seymour, and the group then conversed outside the elevator and one of the students filmed the interaction, which was first reported by the Statehouse File, a student journalism news site at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana.
In the video, Lucas told the students people have to protect themselves and referenced failures of law enforcement to prevent mass casualties during school shootings in Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas,
More at link, including photo of the 'responsible gun owner', and this little tidbit which seems sorta of like an unintentional self-own on the lawmaker's part:
In public Facebook posts on Tuesday night and on Wednesday, Lucas didn't describe his actions. He said the conversation "was respectful, but it was clearly facts, reason and logic vs. plain emotion."
And:
Indiana lawmakers and their staff are allowed to carry handguns in the Capitol and on complex grounds. A bill introduced this year would extend that right to some statewide elected officials and their staff.
...
Lucas eventually begins to walk away and asks, "Anybody else have any rational concerns they'd like to address?" When the conversation began again, he walked away.
Oh, and Lucas is so responsible that:
Lucas was in the news last summer when he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving charges after police said he crashed his pickup truck through an interstate highway guardrail and drove away. Lucas, who was first elected to the Legislature in 2012, was allowed to keep his position; state law only prohibits those with felony convictions from holding elected office.
[disclosure: we own guns but don't carry and flash people with them and we do NOT drive after even so much a one glass of wine.]
I used to lurk here years ago, when DU was young
and I came lurking again in recent years, when Twitter started getting less and less civil. Have noticed that DU of today is a LOT different than from back in it's infancy and it is flippin disheartening to see. Is it the whole national trend or is it something else? I am truly understanding of your tendency to be here less lately. Sadly, I am feeling the same and that is bad because my recollection of DU was that it was a great place for sharing valid information and filled with a lot of very thoughtful people who came together with different perspectives which enriched all of us. Now? It's like the song says: Paranoia strikes deep
Anywho, I am glad to meet you here, JohnSJ. Glad to know there are still level headed folk here. As much as I would love to run from the degradation of discourse, I know it may be essential for calmer heads to stick it out and battle the knee jerking factions who often run on anger born of misunderstanding. If we allow volume to become more important than genuine concern and constructive questions, this site, and maybe this society, will become impotent to help make life better.
Again, good to 'meet' you here.
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