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It’s 2026, we still can’t fix stupid … and Midterm Elections are just weeks away

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Stupid

Just another rant…

In 2015, I posted an article by George Heymont, “You can’t Fix Stupid,” from 2012. Sadly, it is still relevant.  We have those leaning right in several industries; some voted into office at the local and state levels, others have seats in Congress and continue carpetbagging, voting against their own constituents, clearly acting out, doing the best they can to make sure certain types of people never get close to the highest office, lest we talk about how our first opportunity for a Woman at the helm in 2016 would have been if folks had turned out.

It’s now 2026-27,  and the stupidity continues to spread … and the questions keep stackin

The thing that keeps coming to my mind is what the character of “Forrest Gump” says, “Stupid is as stupid does.” The fact is, voters have gotten a box of chocolates, like the character “Forrest Gump” says, “We never know what we are going to get,”  which is not how a POTUS or a democratic republic should govern. When Republicans are in charge of Congress, they get on the airwaves and say whatever their base wants to hear, and then get on the floor of Congress to pass legislation with nasty riders that ultimately hurt our fellow Americans.

MAGA voters get that the job in Congress is all about disagreeing and debating, but few push back or demand that MAGARs stop setting up last-minute votes for bills or passing legislation knowing it will hurt constituents? When will they get that a Congress led by republicans, is always on the extreme right on most or all issues, and now they are in both chambers, who believe that most, if not all, legislation should be designed for the rich? After years of experiencing a MAGA Congress that cannot seem to debate and/or vote so that all Americans have a chance to prosper, and pushing for that trickle-down financial system, which doesn’t work.  Nothing has changed. Their voters watched the House of Bush fail Americans; banks, folks like AIG, and hedge fund managers decided that their best business practices were acting in a good-faith effort that actually turned out to be for themselves.

If you’re listening, voters who sat on the sidelines helped guarantee that the ole’ Republican attitude, or Southern Strategy, is not only close, alive and well, but still very active with the new  GOP trifecta in charge …

 ~ Nativegrl77 

… just another rant

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

1935 – FDR signs the Social Security Act

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs into law the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935. Press photographers snapped pictures as FDR, flanked by ranking members of Congress, signed into law the historic act, which guaranteed an income for the unemployed and retirees. FDR commended Congress for what he considered to be a “patriotic” act.

socialsecurityposter1

Roosevelt had taken the helm of the country in 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression, the nation’s worst economic crisis. The Social Security Act (SSA) was in keeping with his other “New Deal” programs, including the establishment of the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, which attempted to hoist America out of the Great Depression by putting Americans back to work.

In his public statement that day, FDR expressed concern for “young people [who] have come to wonder what would be their lot when they came to old age” as well as those who had employment but no job security. Although he acknowledged that “we can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life,” he hoped the act would prevent senior citizens from ending up impoverished.

Source:

history.com

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

1985 ~On this day ~ Live Aid


On July 13, 1985, at Wembley Stadium in London, Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially open Live Aid, a worldwide rock concert organized to raise money for the relief of famine-stricken Africans. Continued at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia and at other arenas around the world, the 16-hour… read more »

Congress enacts the Northwest Ordinance »

Rockefeller announces new peace proposal »

Live Aid is held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia and broadcast live throughout the world »

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What happened to Sandra Bland ? In Memory and Women’s History Month

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Justice for Sandy

“You just slammed my head to the ground. Do you not even care about that?”

These were some of the last words of 28-year-old Sandra Bland. On Friday, Texas State troopers pulled Sandra over as she was driving to her new job for allegedly not using the turn signals during a lane change.1 What happened next was all too familiar and terrifying.

An eye-witness says police ripped Sandra out of the car, violently slammed her on the ground, and arrested her as she screamed for help. Just 72 two hours later, she was dead.2 Police are claiming Sandra took her own life, but her family and friends don’t believe it. Local District Attorney Elton Mathis has already said he has no reason to expect foul play and handed over the investigation to the same police agency that arrested Sandra.

Police cannot police themselves. Urge Attorney General Lynch to thoroughly investigate Sandra’s death and hold all those responsible fully accountable.

DA Mathis said there was no reason for concern, despite the fact that an allegedly routine traffic stopped turned into a violent arrest is itself a cause for concern.3 Sandra’s family says that Sandra would never kill herself and that police seem to be covering up her death.4 We must demand that local officials release all video, information and photographs relating to Sandra’s unjust arrest, imprisonment and death.

The local police department and prosecutor’s office have a long history of racism and corruption. Last year, DA Mathis threatened a local Reverend who spoke out about racist prosecutions, saying he would release his “hounds” on the Reverend.5 Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith was fired from the police department in Hempstead, Texas for documented cases of racism.5

According to her loved ones, Sandra Bland was a loving, compassionate woman, with a bright future ahead.6 Today would have been the first day at her new job working student outreach at her alma mater, Prairie View A&M University. Loved ones described her as bright, spirited, and having a thirst for life. She was also a vocal advocate against police brutality and often spoke about ending racism and police violence. Our hearts and minds are with her friends and family as they move through this unimaginably hard time.

But in a world where Black people are stereotyped as “violent” and police exist to enforce the boundaries of a deeply divided and racist society, who Sandy was or the life she was creating, did not matter. What mattered was that she was Black, and therefore, in the eyes of the law, didn’t deserve respect, didn’t deserve her civil rights, her freedom or her life. To be Black in America, is to be safe nowhere. Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to be targeted by police and incarcerated than white women.7

The Department of Justice and Attorney General Lynch have the power and responsibility to address the systemic police violence targeting Black communities. The reality is, racism, corruption and a deep-seated culture of secrecy prevents local and state police from holding themselves accountable. Without independent oversight, police will continue to kill and prosecutors will continue to do nothing. We should not have to demand justice, every time a Black person is murdered, but we will continue to do so until the justice system respects Black lives.

Urge US Attorney General Loretta Lynch to secure justice for Sandy and help end discriminatory police violence targeting Black people in Texas.

Thanks and peace,

— Rashad, Arisha, Shani, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
July 16th, 2015

References,https://justanother2cents.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=91304&action=trash&_wpnonce=5a36e5f072

1. “Sandra Bland Drove to Texas to Start a New Job, so How Did She End Up Dead in Jail?”, 07-16-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5001?t=5&akid=4541.1174326.9WpvtL?

2. “Family says woman found dead in jail cell would not kill herself; Texas Rangers investigating”, 07-16-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5002?t=7&akid=4541.1174326.9WpvtL

3. See reference 2.

4. See reference 2.

5. “Pastor says Waller DA threatened him”, 06-03-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5003?t=9&akid=4541.1174326.9WpvtL

6. “The Texas Sheriff Where Sandra Bland Died Was Previously Suspended for Racism”, 07-16-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5004?t=11&akid=4541.1174326.9WpvtL

7. “Incarcerated Women”, The Sentencing Project 08-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5005?t=13&akid=4541.1174326.9WpvtL

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Discrimination Beyond Marriage


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Despite Victory At The Supreme Court, Discrimination Remains Beyond Marriage

It has been less than two weeks since the Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, granting same-sex couples the freedom to marry nationwide. But despite our progress on marriage equality, LGBT discrimination persists. In 28 states, same-sex couples can now be legally married one day, and then legally fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, denied credit, or refused services or goods simply because of their sexual orientation. Similarly 31 states lack explicit protections from discrimination based on gender identity in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations. Check out this infographic below for more details. To find out more about the need for nationwide, explicit protections from discrimination for LGBT Americans, check out the infographic below and this report from the Center for American Progress.

BOTTOM LINE: The Court’s decision was a huge step forward for LGBT rights, but the fight is not over. All Americans deserve the opportunity to live free from fear of discrimination.