Could you please strike a blow for sanctuary cities?

The mayor of Frederick Maryland is receiving a great deal of hate as a result of a statement he made recently about establishing some funding for offices that can assist undocumented people with legal advice in fighting the Trump administration. If you have Facebook and you are willing to please give a thumbs up and perhaps even leave a comment of support because right now it’s overwhelmingly negative. It breaks my heart because this is a good dude who is wanting to do the right thing. Many of the comments are coming from people who don’t even live in Frederick because it got some right wing media national attention.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15bT6SyCWK/?mibextid=WC7FNe

As a retired fed...

…let me tell you how ludicrous the plan is to require federal employees to return to the office. Huge swaths of the federal government no longer have office space to which employees can return. They have given up their leases, which actually saves money. The vast majority of federal jobs can very efficiently be done remotely, because they involve analysis and information management.

In a region like Washington with traffic gridlock, removing cars from the road is a bonus. As is the overall happiness of the workforce. But then these people are all about just causing misery. There’s no real efficiency to requiring people to come back to the office. It’s pure spite.

Gaetz pulled out. If only his father had.

Yeah, I said it. Y’all were thinking it.

Muffin Therapy

Two days ago, a friend mentioned to me that she had just ordered muffin tins from Target, as part of her search for an online alternative to Amazon. Yesterday, another friend asked me if I had ever used silicone muffin tins, as she was considering them as a replacement for her current set.

Are people making muffins as comfort food post- election?

Is this like baking bread during Covid lockdown?

Muffin therapy. Go for it.

SNL Reflections

I’ve only watched about half of it thus far, but pretty disappointed in this week’s SNL. I know that guests are booked far in advance, but I certainly wish that in this week in particular, we had a host that didn’t so strongly reflect white guy bro culture, even if it’s just a surface impression. It feels a little tonedeaf. Regardless of what his personal politics might be.

The female cast has been almost invisible and unrepresented. Sounds like they need a few more women in the writer’s room.

What a stark contrast from Kate McKinnon in 2016, who reflected the pain that so many women were feeling.

Thus far in the episode, I feel unseen and unheard. Do better, SNL.

Edit: finished the whole episode, and my mouth is agape. In a week like this, of all weeks, they end with a sketch whose entire premise is “women aren’t funny.” Yeah let’s end on misogyny. That’s a real winner. 🤮🙄🤮🙄🤮

As a retired Federal manager, let me warn you about something

What I don’t think is sinking in yet is how profoundly an autocratic government shakes the very foundations of the things we take for granted now. I was just listening to a Meidas touch podcast in which he told people to take note of the current economic figures. Inflation at 2.1%, unemployment at 4%, GDP at 3% And he said to remember those numbers and to throw them in the face of MAGAts when they want to talk after January about how things are so great under Trump.

But here’s the thing. WE know the economy is going to tank. We will feel it viscerally. But the numbers that the government is going to report are not going to reflect that. Those numbers come from federal agencies. Under Trump, you will not be able to trust the rosy numbers picture that they are going to release, if they even do release numbers. And you know why? Because they plan on firing any civil servant or senior civil servant employee who doesn’t toe the line. Who doesn’t take a loyalty oath. All of the principled Senior people who work in government will be gone, and replaced with toadies who understand their role with regard to propaganda.

So there will be no “gotcha” moment for us. No throwing the numbers in their face. Because they will never ever release a single number or report that shows that they are ruining the economy. Or any other kind of negative numbers. Climate change numbers Morbidity and mortality reports from the CDC.

I was there in 2016. I directly felt the pressure from political appointees who tried to control the narrative, to suppress reports, to kill programs. This time around it will be on steroids because they know more about how government operates. During 2017 transition, I was dealing with a high level Trump appointee in his mid 20s whose last job had been managing a rental car outlet.

So be aware. Don’t assume we will even have access to the truth. The truth will be what they want to tell us it is. Think about that as you make your battle plans. Don’t assume you will have the same tools you have now.

Thank you, DU, for a gift you gave me today. It didn't "sink"

Last night I posted some thoughts here, mostly as a way to relieve the stress we are all feeling. I said that I hoped some people would read my words, and that my post wouldn’t sink too quickly. instead of sinking, so many of you gave me a gift that will always be a part of my memories of this day. For a while, my little post has occupied a place on the “Greatest” list. Thank you to all of you for whom my words resonated, for your likes, and for your gracious comments.

No matter what happens in the next few hours there’s one thing that I will always know. There are very good people here in this community. And I’m not going to be shy about posting again, and none of the rest of you should either.

Be kind to one another. It’s all any of us have in a world that sometimes seems to have gone mad.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219654430

Drag queen re-creates Donald's new Dark Donald make up.

If you’re not familiar with this artist, he recreates on himself the make up looks of lots of Republican women. His latest is Trump’s new dark Donald look.

We all need to laugh today. Hope this helps you do that.

Swing State Poll Closing Times

Thank you to the several people who posted the NPR link showing all of the poll closing times. I thought maybe some of you might also want to just jot down just the swing state poll closings. Here they are. All times are Eastern Time.

7:00 Georgia
7:30 North Carolina
8:00 Pennsylvania
9:00 Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota
10:00 Nevada

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/04/g-s1-32076/election-day-polls-closing-times

Classic West Wing clip. We are all Josh today