Reading

A Christmas Present And A Good Piece Of Advice

https://digbysblog.net/2023/12/25/a-christmas-present-and-a-good-piece-of-advic…
Created
Tue, 26/12/2023 - 06:00
Social Security expert Nancy Altman has some news Social Security is in safer hands: Last week, the Senate confirmed Martin O’Malley to be the next Commissioner of Social Security. This is a major achievement: It marks the first time in over 25 years that the Senate has confirmed a Social Security commissioner nominated by a Democratic president. Indeed, commissioners nominated by Democratic presidents have headed the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) for only eight years of the last 40. This fact is important because the Democratic and Republican parties have very different views about Social Security. Democrats created Social Security and in recent years have united around the need to protect and expand the system’s modest benefits.  In sharp contrast, when Social Security was enacted in 1935, Republicans in Congress were overwhelmingly hostile. From the early 1950s until recently, mainstream Republicans largely voted for protecting and expanding Social Security, as the program became established and highly popular among voters across the ideological spectrum.

Thanks And A Christmas Wish For All

https://digbysblog.net/2023/12/25/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-2/
Created
Tue, 26/12/2023 - 03:00
I just wanted to give a shout out to all of my faithful readers to thank them for stopping by Hullabaloo to read our scribbles and put a little something in the old Christmas stocking. I’m a very lucky person and I know it. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, whether it’s about church, football, food, family or extra sleep. Or all of the above. cheers,digby As I have done here every Christmas since 2003, here’s my Christmas wish for all of us: Merry Christmas everyone!

Take Care Of Yourselves

https://digbysblog.net/2023/12/25/take-care-of-yourselves/
Created
Tue, 26/12/2023 - 02:30
It’s gone viral but whatevs Today Show (12/15): A new commercial from the Dutch mail-order pharmacy Doc Morris has left the internet in tears by showing the reason behind a grandfather’s drive to get in shape for Christmas with his family. Also, get in shape for 2024. There’s much work to do. Merry Christmas!

My blog is on holidays

https://billmitchell.org/blog/?p=61483
Created
Mon, 25/12/2023 - 11:56
My blog is on holidays until Monday, January 8, 2024. Here are two photos from the local coast this morning. The day started with a special Xmas day Parkrun in very stormy conditions. On the way back to my house, I stopped at one of my favourite locations nearby on the South Coast of Victoria…

A little Christmas present for you

https://digbysblog.net/2023/12/24/a-little-christmas-present-for-you/
Created
Mon, 25/12/2023 - 10:00
No, Trump isn’t invulnerable A rare article that discusses Donald Trump’s overall vulnerability going into 2024. We all know this, of course, but it’s good to see the media discussing this instead of focusing on him as some sort of juggernaut. He may have a full-blown cult behind him but they do not make up a majority. A significant number of Republicans are leery of him too. He’ll win the nomination easily but all that will do is give him permission to really let his freak flag fly. As Trump and his rivals enter the 2024 election, there are at least three signs of trouble for the front-running former president. Here are some of the things that can and will happen to Trump as he pursues the presidency again. Adverse court rulings The potential of legal trouble is all around Trump, and could pop up any time. This past Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court stunned the political world by ruling Trump is ineligible for public office because of the insurrection by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021.

Important Fact Check

https://digbysblog.net/2023/12/24/important-fact-check/
Created
Mon, 25/12/2023 - 08:30
If your Trumper uncle starts going on about how terrorists, convicts and insane people are flooding into the country, you might want to tell him to take a look at this. Trump’s on record saying that he’ll continue to say that immigrants from shithole countries are “poisoning the blood of America” and it’s worth taking a closer look at his specific claims. Not that there’s any truth in that statement whatsoever. But what exactly is he referring to? The NY Times did a fact check which is characteristically too euphemistic and polite but it does show that Trump’s lies are worse than ever. WHAT WAS SAID “I read an article recently in a paper … about a man who runs a mental institution in South America, and by the way they’re coming from all over the world. They’re coming from Africa, from Asia, all over, but this happened to be in South America. And he was sitting, the picture was — sitting, reading a newspaper, sort of leisurely, and they were asking him, what are you doing? He goes, I was very busy all my life. I was very proud. I worked 24 hours a day. I was so busy all the time.