April Politics

[neverfstop]

I need a place to put all the news...

Edited since the Thomas thing has thread now

www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/04/03/texas-anti-trans-legislation? 

Texas leads in anti-trans bills

Texas has more anti-transgender legislation filed this session than any other state with 57 bills, and more than half of those are sponsored by Houston-area representatives.



Driving the news: The flood of state-level efforts to restrict transgender rights is being fueled by many of the Christian and conservative groups that led the charge against Roe v. Wade.



Groups including the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Family Research Council, the Liberty Counsel and the American Principles Project are behind a multimillion-dollar effort targeting LGBTQ rights through "parents' rights" bills, per Axios' Russell Contreras.


How it works: The groups, which have raised millionsf dollars in recent years, have provided templates and support for similarly worded bills in statehouses across the country that seek to ban minors from attending drag shows, prevent trans minors from receiving gender-affirming care, and restrict their participation in high school sports.

[smock]

Turns out Clarence Thomas has been palling around with a billionaire and accepted millions in gifts and luxury travel.

"The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court."

www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

[smock]

But don't worry, guys, Thomas says he prefers Walmart parking lots to beaches, so I'm sure there's nothing to see here.

Yes, this is an ACTUAL QUOTE from a SCOTUS justice: "I prefer the RV parks. I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. There’s something normal to me about it,” Thomas said. “I come from regular stock, and I prefer that — I prefer being around that.”

[smock]

Just started a thread on this! Maybe pixy0stix can combine them.

[pixy0stix]

Apr 6, 2023 10:41:22 GMT -5 smock said:

Just started a thread on this! Maybe pixy0stix can combine them.

Done

[beetea]

Anyone keeping up with the goings-on in Tennessee with the "Tennessee Three"? For reference:link

[neverfstop]

Apr 6, 2023 11:31:42 GMT -5 beetea said:

Anyone keeping up with the goings-on in Tennessee with the "Tennessee Three"? For reference:link

yes- I can't believe they are threatening to remove these legislators b/c they protested against guns with students who were protesting.  Two out of the three are young and black...the other is a woman.


GOP Lawmakers to Vote on Expelling Democrats in Gun Protest

Tennessee’s GOP-dominated House is preparing to vote on whether to expel three Democratic members for their role in a demonstration calling for gun control following the Nashville school shooting

[mysteriouswife]

Tennessee is as bad as Florida. Fuck this state and especially fuck racist assholes

[seeyalater52]

I cry every day. This country is a hot fucking mess.

[neverfstop]

Resolution to expel Rep. Johnson fails by one vote
House Republicans fell one vote short in an attempt to expel Rep. Gloria Johnson from the Tennessee House of Representatives, in a shocking vote of 65 to 30, falling just one vote short of the 66 votes needed to prevail.

[neverfstop]

FUCKERS

Tennessee Democratic Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville was expelled from the state House by Republicans on Thursday in a 72-25 vote — all the result of a Republican leadership effort to equate a peaceful gun protest in the state House to the Jan. 6 insurrection

[seeyalater52]

Apr 6, 2023 18:13:58 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

Resolution to expel Rep. Johnson fails by one vote
House Republicans fell one vote short in an attempt to expel Rep. Gloria Johnson from the Tennessee House of Representatives, in a shocking vote of 65 to 30, falling just one vote short of the 66 votes needed to prevail.

They just blatantly expelled two Black legislators and couldn’t get enough votes on the white one for the same thing? Jesus Christ. I was glad to see her pointing out racism as the difference - she’s the real deal.

[scm1011]

Perhaps we should put a trigger warning for anti-trans news. I know it’s incredibly triggering for some of our posters.

[mrsd2006]

Trump is suing Cohen for $500 million. LOL.

[neverfstop]

More lolz...the photos are fantastic.

Meet the 'RuPublicans': GOP lawmakers are reimagined as AI-generated drag queens
Amid a wave of state bills seeking to restrict drag performances, one couple took a creative — and comedic — approach to their advocacy.

www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/meet-rupublicans-gop-lawmakers-are-reimagined-ai-generated-drag-queens-rcna79136

[basilosaurus]

Well, ain't this just speshul. SHS has applicants to state boards answer an application question on what accomplishments of hers they most admire. Child labor in slaughterhouses? Skilled at blatantly lying to the country?

boingboing.net/2023/04/12/sarah-sanders-now-requiring-applicants-for-arkansas-state-boards-to-write-out-what-they-admire-about-her.html

[neverfstop]

The mess with Feinstein is getting ugly...lots of people are starting to call for her publicly to resign, apparently she's had Shingles & hasn't been in the Senate since February, holding up a ton of important judicial appointments. Honestly, this is why most 89 year old's have no business being a nationally elected official.

www.politico.com/news/2023/04/12/dianne-feinstein-condition-senate-return-00091765

[timorousbeastie]

Some good news: Whitmer expands background checks, enacts safe storage with gun safety bills (some @@@ mentions in article)

www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2023/04/13/michigan-whitmer-gun-safety-bills-school-shooting/70041872007/

[TR]

Apr 12, 2023 20:30:45 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

More lolz...the photos are fantastic.

Meet the 'RuPublicans': GOP lawmakers are reimagined as AI-generated drag queens
Amid a wave of state bills seeking to restrict drag performances, one couple took a creative — and comedic — approach to their advocacy.

www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/meet-rupublicans-gop-lawmakers-are-reimagined-ai-generated-drag-queens-rcna79136

I don't understand how this is advocacy.

ETA: It seems like it's the opposite point trying to be made. Like, the GOP shouldn't give a shit about drag queens because they're not hurting anyone, no one is forcing anyone who doesn't want to participate to participate, so if you don't want to, don't, but don't take it away from others - that's the whole thing. Just let people do their thing. Not...let's force this image onto people who don't want it (no matter how repugnant those people are). I don't know, it just doesn't seem helpful, though I understand the anger/urge.

[dove]

Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas.
www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-real-estate-scotus

“A federal disclosure law passed after Watergate requires justices and other officials to disclose the details of most real estate sales over $1,000. Thomas never disclosed his sale of the Savannah properties. That appears to be a violation of the law, four ethics law experts told ProPublica.”

[seeyalater52]

Apr 13, 2023 12:19:00 GMT -5 TR said:

Apr 12, 2023 20:30:45 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

More lolz...the photos are fantastic.

Meet the 'RuPublicans': GOP lawmakers are reimagined as AI-generated drag queens
Amid a wave of state bills seeking to restrict drag performances, one couple took a creative — and comedic — approach to their advocacy.

www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/meet-rupublicans-gop-lawmakers-are-reimagined-ai-generated-drag-queens-rcna79136

I don't understand how this is advocacy.

ETA: It seems like it's the opposite point trying to be made. Like, the GOP shouldn't give a shit about drag queens because they're not hurting anyone, no one is forcing anyone who doesn't want to participate to participate, so if you don't want to, don't, but don't take it away from others - that's the whole thing. Just let people do their thing. Not...let's force this image onto people who don't want it (no matter how repugnant those people are). I don't know, it just doesn't seem helpful, though I understand the anger/urge.

100% and I really dislike this.

I don’t see how making conservative policymakers the butt of a nonconsensual drag joke is helpful in any way. It’s like when people misgender trans people who are being anti-trans bigots (usually C Jenner) or other anti-trans bigots who are cis because we don’t like them. When your method of pushback serves to marginalize what you’re supporting maybe… don’t.

FWIW this got a very mixed reception in LGBTQ+ spaces, not just in terms of whether it is advocacy but in terms of appropriateness.

[suburbanzookeeper]

Apr 13, 2023 14:29:37 GMT -5 dove said:

Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas.
www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-real-estate-scotus

“A federal disclosure law passed after Watergate requires justices and other officials to disclose the details of most real estate sales over $1,000. Thomas never disclosed his sale of the Savannah properties. That appears to be a violation of the law, four ethics law experts told ProPublica.”

This guy also bought other properties on the street and paid less than he paid for the home so it wasn't even a comp purchase. 

[picksthemusic]

Apr 13, 2023 14:29:37 GMT -5 dove said:

Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas.
www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-real-estate-scotus

“A federal disclosure law passed after Watergate requires justices and other officials to disclose the details of most real estate sales over $1,000. Thomas never disclosed his sale of the Savannah properties. That appears to be a violation of the law, four ethics law experts told ProPublica.”

Can we just impeach him now?

[basilosaurus]

Apr 13, 2023 14:49:23 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Apr 13, 2023 12:19:00 GMT -5 TR said:

I don't understand how this is advocacy.

ETA: It seems like it's the opposite point trying to be made. Like, the GOP shouldn't give a shit about drag queens because they're not hurting anyone, no one is forcing anyone who doesn't want to participate to participate, so if you don't want to, don't, but don't take it away from others - that's the whole thing. Just let people do their thing. Not...let's force this image onto people who don't want it (no matter how repugnant those people are). I don't know, it just doesn't seem helpful, though I understand the anger/urge.

100% and I really dislike this.

I don’t see how making conservative policymakers the butt of a nonconsensual drag joke is helpful in any way. It’s like when people misgender trans people who are being anti-trans bigots (usually C Jenner) or other anti-trans bigots who are cis because we don’t like them. When your method of pushback serves to marginalize what you’re supporting maybe… don’t.

FWIW this got a very mixed reception in LGBTQ+ spaces, not just in terms of whether it is advocacy but in terms of appropriateness.

Agreed. I really hate the Miss Lindsey memes.

[BlondeSpiders]

Apr 13, 2023 14:49:23 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Apr 13, 2023 12:19:00 GMT -5 TR said:

I don't understand how this is advocacy.

ETA: It seems like it's the opposite point trying to be made. Like, the GOP shouldn't give a shit about drag queens because they're not hurting anyone, no one is forcing anyone who doesn't want to participate to participate, so if you don't want to, don't, but don't take it away from others - that's the whole thing. Just let people do their thing. Not...let's force this image onto people who don't want it (no matter how repugnant those people are). I don't know, it just doesn't seem helpful, though I understand the anger/urge.

100% and I really dislike this.

I don’t see how making conservative policymakers the butt of a nonconsensual drag joke is helpful in any way. It’s like when people misgender trans people who are being anti-trans bigots (usually C Jenner) or other anti-trans bigots who are cis because we don’t like them. When your method of pushback serves to marginalize what you’re supporting maybe… don’t.

FWIW this got a very mixed reception in LGBTQ+ spaces, not just in terms of whether it is advocacy but in terms of appropriateness.

This reminds me of the time I had to explain to my 72-year old (Trump hating) mother why referring to Trump and Putin as "butt buddies" was more harmful than funny. She thought she was being edgy, but when I asked her why she thought that was the ultimate insult, she started to get it.

[basilosaurus]

Apr 13, 2023 21:18:19 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Agreed. I really hate the Miss Lindsey memes.

What really gets me is that it's a family member in his 70s who's been out since well before I was born, in the deep south, and is very liberal, who shares them most. It does make me wonder if there's something generational in there. Not that I'm excusing it.

I'd never thought there was a negative connotation to butt buddies. If asked, I'd probably have said it was akin to attached at the hip. It's something else? That is entirely new to me.

[minzy]

Just reading more of the Clarence Thomas stuff today. www.npr.org/2023/04/17/1170517112/clarence-thomas-undisclosed-luxury-trips-and-supreme-court-ethics

I was asked to speak at my alma mater a couple of months ago (for what wound up only being a handful of people) and the ethics review (which wasn’t even a full blown analysis) on me as a federal employee was intense. I needed approval from my supervisor and an ethics officer, I couldn’t accept the “free” $14 salad for lunch, I had to cover my own lodging, I had to take leave and could not participate or do any prep during work hours, to the extent I discussed my job I needed to “give equal weight to other aspects of [my] biography,” I was not allowed to represent my office/the government, I was told I could not disclose any internal info (obviously) and needed to make clear my views were my own, etc. etc. etc. Of course I complied with all of it, but it was legitimately more of a pain than it was worth. And this was just for me to participate in a brief educational discussion at an academic institution!

The disparate levels of contemporaneous scrutiny are perplexing to me. I mean what the everloving hell makes anyone think what he has done is okay?

[seeyalater52]

Apr 18, 2023 2:32:23 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Apr 13, 2023 21:18:19 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Agreed. I really hate the Miss Lindsey memes.

What really gets me is that it's a family member in his 70s who's been out since well before I was born, in the deep south, and is very liberal, who shares them most. It does make me wonder if there's something generational in there. Not that I'm excusing it.

I'd never thought there was a negative connotation to butt buddies. If asked, I'd probably have said it was akin to attached at the hip. It's something else? That is entirely new to me.

It is, uh, definitely something else.

[Jalapeñomel]

Apr 18, 2023 2:32:23 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Apr 13, 2023 21:18:19 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Agreed. I really hate the Miss Lindsey memes.

What really gets me is that it's a family member in his 70s who's been out since well before I was born, in the deep south, and is very liberal, who shares them most. It does make me wonder if there's something generational in there. Not that I'm excusing it.

I'd never thought there was a negative connotation to butt buddies. If asked, I'd probably have said it was akin to attached at the hip. It's something else? That is entirely new to me.

Um, yes…it’s referring to anal. And people say it as an insult as if there’s something wrong with men who have sex with men.

[maudefindlay]

Our primary is in 2 weeks and it just occurred to me I'm going to need to ask for a Republican ballot if I want a say in who becomes our mayor (only 2 candidates and both are Rs, so primary will determine winner). It's basically a lesser of 2 evils, but damn this will hurt to do.