Monday, November 4, 2024
Trump statues appear in D.C., Philadelphia and Portland : NPR
It's not clear if the same artist or artists are behind all four installations. But the style of the bronze sculptures and the tone and font of their accompanying plaques look nearly identical...
How the Christian right is twisting the legacy of an anti-Nazi hero | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
... Christian nationalists have embraced Bonhoeffer, frequently invoking his participation in the 20 July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler as an example of moral courage. In this interpretation, Bonhoeffer is cast not as the contemplative theologian who agonized over his role in the antifascist resistance, but as a Christian warrior with the political leanings of a 21st-century American evangelical.
Tobias Korenke, Bonhoeffer's great-nephew, has expressed frustration about the use of Bonhoeffer by the religious right, saying in a recent interview with Germany's Die Zeit newspaper that Bonhoeffer's name had been "co-opted by extremists".
At its worst, this interpretation of Bonhoeffer has led to violence. Michael Bray, a pastor who was convicted for his role in bombing numerous abortion clinics in 1984 and 1985, cited Bonhoeffer as an inspiration. Paul Jennings Hill, an anti-abortion zealot who shot and killed a physician at an abortion clinic in 1994, too, invoked Bonhoeffer...
In Letter to the American Church, Metaxas, who narrates much of the documentary-style film, and a roster of rightwing pastors and activists take the Bonhoeffer narrative a step further, casting liberals and Democrats as being as destructive as Nazis and calling on evangelicals to take action and oppose evil.
They insist liberal teachings are destroying the family and religion in an effort to strip away freedoms from the American people. The speakers warn that if evangelicals do not rise up against ideas that they portray as evil, such as LGBTQ+ rights and women's rights, the country is headed for destruction.
At the heart of their argument is Bonhoeffer.
"Bonhoeffer effectively told the church that if we're going to see any effective change for the better, they needed to start taking action and getting political," Metaxas tells his audience in the film. "He said those who call themselves Christians have an obligation to God to get political if necessary, and to take a bold and likely dangerous stance against their own government."...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/03/eric-metaxas-christian-right-dietrich-bonhoeffer
Data brokers are selling the ability to track women at abortion clinics
Finally, it's notable that the vast majority of the phones tracked by Babel Street's Locate X tool used Google's Android operating system. Though Apple changed its privacy settings in 2021 to make it far easier for users to stop apps from hoovering up and selling their personal information, Google has failed to do the same. As a result, people who use Android phones are far more vulnerable to surveillance than people who use iPhones. It doesn't take a genius to understand why the largest online advertising company in the world does not want to make it easy for users to stop tracking by advertising companies and their data broker partners. Google could act immediately to limit data broker access to location information and cut this slimy industry off at the source…
What Trump has actually done for Black Americans (Hill)
“I have done more for Black Americans than anybody with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln,” Donald Trump has claimed on multiple occasions. “Nobody can dispute it.”
Well, lots of people have examined his record and drawn a dramatically different conclusion. Here’s what they have found...
Harris and Trump Battle to the Wire in Swing States, Times/Siena Polls Find - The New York Times
Ms. Harris is now narrowly ahead in Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin, the polls show, while Mr. Trump leads in Arizona. The polls show them locked in close races in Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania. But the results in all seven states are within the margin of sampling error, meaning neither candidate has a definitive lead in any of them…
ELECTION PREVIEW with Molly Jong-Fast, Mark Leibovich, Jessica Taylor, & Jeremy Peters (Al Franken podcast)
Live from New York, it’s our pre-election podcast.
After a contentious and exhausting election cycle, we have made it to Election Day. Last week, we gathered with some of our favorite guests to help us understand what we might see in the coming days and weeks.
Can we finally vanquish Donald Trump?
Can he actually win? And if so, what does that mean for America?
We’re joined by Jessica Taylor from the Cook Political Report to break down the Senate races around the country. We also talk to Jeremy Peters from the NYT about undecided voters and what they might be looking for as they head to the polls.
Plus, our friends Mark Leibovich from The Atlantic and Molly Jong-Fast, host of the Fast Politics Podcast, discuss what is at stake in this election and how we move forward as a country.
Interview:
Interview:
- Read Jessica Taylor’s latest for the Cook Political Report: https://www.cookpolitical.com/about/staff/jessica-taylor
- Read Jeremy Peters in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/by/jeremy-w-peters
- Listen to Molly Jong-Fast’s podcast, Fast Politics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fast-politics-with-molly-jong-fast/id1645614328
- Read Mark Leibovich in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/mark-leibovich/
This Just in From Heaven - The Atlantic
Within that world, FlashPoint has emerged as the premier outlet for the most trusted prophets with the largest followings, and a venue for politicians eager to reach that audience. By now, Bailey has interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Trump himself. Most important, the show has become a kind of command center for the people Trump refers to as "my Christians." In a sense, FlashPoint is where God's memo goes out, which makes it all the more noteworthy that, in recent weeks, the prophecies have become more apocalyptic…
Bailey brought on a pastor who cast himself as a reporter, who said that he had "confirmed that the FBI had a busload of antifa people come in and infiltrate the rally." The host tossed to a prophet named Mario Murillo, who said, "I know that there is a spirit in the land that wants to take away our Christian rights and our freedoms and that today we demonstrated to them we are not going to let this happen—and anyone who thinks this ends tonight is totally mistaken." Wallnau Zoomed in from Trump International Hotel in Washington. He described the march to the Capitol as a "giant Disney parade," and said the violence had been carried out not by "our people" but by antifa and Black Lives Matter, calling them "the devil's people." Bailey turned to Kunneman: "What's God showing you?" Kunneman videoed in from Omaha, calling the violence "a smokescreen from the Devil." "Remember," he continued. "Big God, little devil. Big God, little corrupt Democrat rat. Big God, little Republican pathetic person that cannot stand for their democracy." People clapped…
The Ferris Bueller Motion (Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill; Jack: A Special Counsel podcast, Episode #101)
This week, 
- we have Trump's response to the 11th Circuit appeal made by Jack Smith to reinstate the Florida case;
- along with another Trump motion to further delay his response to the immunity brief in DC;
- Judge Cannon says she will not recuse from the Routh case; and
- NBC want to televise the immunity arguments (if they happen) in Judge Chutkan’s court.
- Plus listener questions.
Interview:
PolitiFact | Donald Trump’s Pants on Fire claim that he ‘never mentioned’ ending the Affordable Care Act
"We can't read his mind, but we heard his words. And Trump as a candidate in 2016 and as president not only entertained and discussed that idea but sought to end the law through congressional action and at the Supreme Court…"
Weekly Roundup: Election Week is Here (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
In this weekly roundup,
- Brad and Dan prepare listeners for the 2024 election with insights into the latest election security concerns, voter dynamics, and political strategies.
- They discuss recent FBI and DHS warnings regarding voter intimidation and election-related violence, and examine the protections offered by the Electoral Count Reform Act against election fraud.
- Focusing on early voting patterns, Brad and Dan analyze key demographics, including female and minority voters, and how they may influence the outcome.
- They also address the rhetoric and strategies of figures like Donald Trump and JD Vance, whose approaches aim to appeal to specific voter bases.
- The conversation covers mental preparedness for election week, offering tips for staying safe and resilient.
- Ending on a hopeful note, the hosts emphasize voter enthusiasm and share positive perspectives on the election’s potential outcomes.
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Did Bidenomics work? How the US economy fared over the last four years
The now-outgoing president inherited a US economy battered by Covid and a looming inflation crisis…
Arizona AG to investigate Trump's Liz Cheney comment as potential death threat
Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says her office will investigate whether former President Trump broke the law when he suggested former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney should face "nine barrels" at an Arizona rally on Thursday…
Elon Musk Could Have US Citizenship Revoked If He Lied on Immigration Forms | WIRED
The richest man in the world appears to have worked in the US without authorization. According to experts, if he did so and lied about it as part of the immigration process, he could be denaturalized...
Republicans preparing to reject US election result if Trump loses, warn strategists
"Republicans are clearly strategically putting polling into the information environment to try to create perceptions that Trump is stronger. Their incentive is not necessarily to get the answer right," Joshua Dyck, of the Center for Public Opinion at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, told the New York Times.
Simon Rosenberg, a Democrat strategist and blogger, said it followed a trend set in the 2022 congressional elections, when a succession of surveys favourable to Republicans created an expectation of a pro-GOP "red wave" that never materialised on polling day…
Pregnant Texas teen died after three ER visits due to impact of abortion ban
Neveah Crain died in October 2023 after doctor reportedly called for two ultrasounds to 'confirm fetal demise'…
Tucker Carlson claims a ‘demon’ attack left him bleeding in bed
Tucker Carlson, the former CNN and Fox News political chat host, has said he was "physically mauled" by a demon a year and a half ago, in an assault that he says left him bleeding and with scars from "claw marks"...
Johnson adds to Democrats' 11th hour arsenal with CHIPS Act mishap
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) handed his Democratic foes another last-minute gift on Friday by suggesting Republicans would try to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act…
Election surveys sent by MyPillow CEO-linked group prompt FBI referral - ABC News
A series of emails sent by a group led and funded by MyPillow CEO and election denier Mike Lindell have been referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to federal officials, after election officers across the country began finding what they said were misleading email messages. Those emails included a survey asking for, among other things, sensitive personal information from those tasked with overseeing the voting process and details about their offices' cybersecurity systems. The messages explained the group was looking to help boost the nation's election integrity...
Here’s everything new coming to Apple TV+ in November - 9to5Mac
Two of the best reviewed TV+ series, Silo and Bad Sisters, are getting new seasons this month. Plus there are two high-profile films debuting, and new episodes of Shrinking and Disclaimer keep rolling out. Here's everything new coming to Apple TV+ in November…
https://9to5mac.com/2024/11/01/everything-new-coming-to-apple-tv-in-november/
A Virginia principal went to vote. She was asked if she was a citizen. - The Washington Post
Such actions violated the training given to workers, according to the statement, "and we find any deviation from these standards unacceptable. Effective immediately, the election officer will no longer serve in this election."…
Saturday, November 2, 2024
The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2024-11-01
Domestic
In the final days of his campaign, former President Donald Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden in his home city of New York. The supposed success of the event was unfortunately overshadowed by racist comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who was invited to open for the former real estate mogul.Trump also used threatening language towards former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, conjuring a fantasy of her being shot.
House Speaker Mike Johnson took aim at the Affordable Care Act this week, promising massive reform to the law at an event in Pennsylvania should Trump emerge victorious from the election.
Following Amazon owner Jeff Bezos’ decision to block The Washington Post editorial board’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency, some 250,000 digital readers cancelled their subscriptions.
Interview:
https://the1a.org/segments/trump-tony-puerto-rico/
The Pentagon said this week that North Korea sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia that are likely meant to reinforce Russian troops as the latter army continues its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia’s prime minister is taking a victory lap following a supposed “landslide” election result. Irakli Kobakhidze, however, also took time to reject allegations of vote-rigging and violence in an interview with the BBC.
Interview:
International
Despite multiple warnings from the United States, aid to Gaza has fallen to its lowest level since the beginning of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the region.The Pentagon said this week that North Korea sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia that are likely meant to reinforce Russian troops as the latter army continues its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia’s prime minister is taking a victory lap following a supposed “landslide” election result. Irakli Kobakhidze, however, also took time to reject allegations of vote-rigging and violence in an interview with the BBC.
Interview:
High Weirdness: The United States of Strange (with Aaron Rabinowitz) (Seth Andrews; The Thinking Atheist podcast)
Educator, podcaster, and columnist Aaron Rabinowitz recently published an article on "high weirdness." What does he mean?
Interview:
Judgment Houses: Scaring HELL out of You (Seth Andrews; The Thinking Atheist podcast)
They often LOOK like real haunted houses. In reality, they are torture-porn mission fields designed to scare people into Heaven.
Interview:
Thousands of ballots are at stake as the Supreme Court considers Pennsylvania voting rules
The latest fights — and there may be more to come — present two issues. The first case is about whether a voter who returns a "deficient" mail ballot — for example, a mail ballot missing its "secrecy envelope," or one that was undated or misdated by a voter — can cast a provisional ballot instead on Election Day, as was the general practice in 2022. The state Supreme Court recently said yes, based on state law, but the U.S. Supreme Court may soon weigh in. The NBC News Decision Desk estimates that thousands of votes could be at stake.
The second case is about whether undated or misdated mail ballots should be rejected at all. That issue has been litigated many times, because election officials do not use the date written by a voter on the ballot envelope to determine the validity of a mail ballot — they just consider if the mail ballot was received on time. Previous suits have not succeeded in striking down the state rule, but a Pennsylvania appellate court revived the issue on Wednesday by requiring the Philadelphia Board of Elections to count undated and misdated mail ballots in the context of a September special election...
Prosecutors do fresh harm to one of Trump’s key Jan. 6 falsehoods
Donald Trump recently said about Jan. 6 rioters, "Not one of those people had a gun." Prosecutors keep offering fresh evidence to the contrary...
Friendly Atheist News Roundup 10/31/2024 (Hemant Mehta)
— Pastor: The Bible says Harris can’t be president since her parents immigrated here.
— An anti-abortion influencer insists she’ll continue her high-risk ectopic pregnancy.
— A popular NYC theater is owned by the Catholic Church. Now it’s being censored.
— Pastor: If we “publicly execute a few women,” false rape allegations would end.
— The problem with pleading “religious insanity” in court… and how to resolve it.
— After lawsuit, Catholic hospital in California will provide emergency abortion care.
Interview:
— An anti-abortion influencer insists she’ll continue her high-risk ectopic pregnancy.
— A popular NYC theater is owned by the Catholic Church. Now it’s being censored.
— Pastor: If we “publicly execute a few women,” false rape allegations would end.
— The problem with pleading “religious insanity” in court… and how to resolve it.
— After lawsuit, Catholic hospital in California will provide emergency abortion care.
Interview:
Friday, November 1, 2024
5 Clips from Trump’s Neo-Nazi Rally in New York City (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
In this episode, Brad scrutinizes the unsettling rhetoric at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, featuring Sid Rosenberg, Stephen Miller, and Tony Hinchcliffe. The discussion addresses open racism, xenophobia, and ethno-nationalism, and their alignment with Trump’s broader campaign strategy. Key topics include:
- Trump’s divisive remarks on ethnic demographics,
- potential election interference hinted at through statements about ‘secrets’ with the Speaker of the House, and mass deportation policies suggested by Mike Johnson.
- Additionally, the episode breaks down the Electoral Count Reform Act’s implications, stressing the importance of vigilance against efforts to undermine electoral integrity.
Interview:
Donald Trump Attacks Kamala Harris For Citing His Statements On Obamacare | HuffPost Latest News
The presidential candidate has apparently decided that it's easier to get elected if voters don't know about his record...
Trump sues CBS News for $10 billion over Harris interview
Trump is seeking $10 billion in damages for CBS's alleged "partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference," which the lawsuit claims were intended to confuse the public and "attempt to tip the scales" toward Democrats in the 2024 presidential election...
US economy continues to grow at robust rate days before presidential election
GDP rose by 2.8% in the third quarter, short of economists' expectations of 3.1%, and driven primarily by consumer spending…
Extremists Say the Military Authorized Lethal Force Against Americans Ahead of the Election – Mother Jones
"The provisions in [the directive] are not new, and do not authorize the Secretary of Defense to use lethal force against US citizens, contrary to rumors and rhetoric circulating on social media," Sue Gough, a Department of Defense spokesperson, said Wednesday night.
But as Trump doubles down on his "enemy from within" rhetoric, DOD Directive 5240.01 continues to gain traction among his supporters as ostensible proof that Harris, not Trump, wants to use the military against American citizens…
What Would the Future of Birth Control Be Under Trump? Ask Texas. – Mother Jones
To anyone paying even a modicum of attention, the far-right's plans to limit access to birth control have long been hiding in plain sight. When the Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion in the Dobbs decision in 2022, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the court "should reconsider" other rulings with similar legal principles, including Griswold v. Connecticut, the 1965 decision establishing a right to contraception (and, more fundamentally, a constitutional right to privacy). The ultra-conservative strategists behind Project 2025— including Roger Severino, longtime anti-abortion movement lawyer, and Russell Voght, an avowed Christian nationalist—have spelled out a plan for how a Republican-led White House could gut or rewrite key federal birth-control regulations, building on efforts that began during the first Trump administration. (While Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, even claiming he doesn't know who wrote it, at least 140 members of Trump's team, including Severino and Voght, had a hand in drafting it…
The Catholic Church Is Spending Big to Defeat Abortion Rights Ballot Measures – Mother Jones
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, every state-level campaign to limit abortion has failed. But that hasn't stopped Catholic organizations from stepping into the fight again this election year.
Catholic organizations are bankrolling campaigns against abortion-rights measures, spending more than $1.9 million so far in five of the 10 states where such measures are on the ballot, according to a joint investigation by National Catholic Reporter and Mother Jones...
Elissa Slotkin's Strategy Might Beat Trumpism | HuffPost Latest News
But Slotkin has heard from local Republican officials who say they are tired of Trump's "chaos," and from Republican women angry over their party's attack on reproductive rights. "The window is open," Slotkin said. "These people are deciding, what am I going to do?"…
Trump tells Christian leaders that America would be better off if they were more powerful
The former president also promised to try to permanently remove the so-called Johnson Amendment, which would help clergy turn their churches into more obvious MAGA propaganda machines...
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Elon Musk’s $2 trillion in U.S. budget cuts could bring economic turmoil - The Washington Post
"The idea that one can cut $2 trillion in wasteful and unnecessary programs is absolutely absurd," said Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a center-right think tank. "There's a long history of the fantasy that one smart businessman will just identify trillions in waste, but that's just not how it works."…
Video shows Phoenix police burning man during arrest: ‘Like acid on my skin’
Revealed: officers appear to hold Michael Kenyon, 30, to hot pavement in July, causing third-degree burns
Trump wants you to believe that the US economy is doing terribly. It’s untrue
The public holds this negative view even though there's been very good news for blue-collar workers: the US has added more than 700,000 factory jobs under the Biden-Harris administration, far more than during Trump's presidency, indeed more than under any president since the 1970s. There's also been good news for small businesses – a record 19m new business applications have been filed under Biden. There's also good news for the wealthy – the stock market has climbed to record levels, which is Wall Street's way of saying the economy is in excellent shape. Let's not forget that Trump warned that if Biden was elected president, the stock market would crash. Wrong again, Donald. Under Biden, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is 36% higher than when Trump left office, and the S&P 500 is 53% higher...
Trump cries foul in Pennsylvania, but officials say the system is working - The Washington Post
Officials and voting advocates strenuously disagreed, saying the fact that the registrations were flagged shows there is a system in place to catch ineligible registrations. They also said there is little evidence that the flagged registrations were a nefarious attempt to register fake voters, rather than the sloppy work of a paid canvasser trying to meet a quota. They also noted that these are claims of faulty applications, not votes.
"The idea that there is widespread fraud is completely false and without any evidence, and is designed to sow doubt and ultimately subvert the election," said Neil Makhija, a Democratic Montgomery County Commissioner, who has been actively pushing back against Republicans' election fraud claims...
Meet the Christian Zionists Determined to Elect Trump – Mother Jones
When Trump lost the 2020 election, some of the same NAR pastors who had praised Trump for moving the embassy—including Lance Wallnau, Dutch Sheets, and Paula White-Cain—emerged as leaders in the "Stop the Steal" campaign claiming that the election was stolen. In a 2022 broadcast, Sheets said that Trump had told him in a dream, "'God has put the tools in me to tear down, root up, and confront the system.'"
Fast forward to October 7, 2023, when NAR pastors' commitment to Israel became an all-out obsession. In a forthcoming paper for the religion studies journal Nova Religio, Berry, the St. Lawrence University religion scholar, chronicles how NAR pastors characterized the war in Gaza as part of "a cosmic battle between God and satanic forces." Berry references a broadcaston Rumble titled "Is This WWIII?" that Wallnau published on October 8, 2023. In it, Wallnau claimed that Hamas' brutal attack on Israel was the result of God punishing the United States for electing Biden, abandoning Trump, and allowing trans people to serve in the military. Because of these transgressions, Wallnau says, the United States has become "spiritually vulnerable."…
To some NAR adherents, paradoxically, the October 7 attack and all the bloodshed that followed was actually good news. NAR pastor Cindy Jacobs, another leader in the "Stop the Steal" campaign, told the crowd on the Mall that God had warned her about Hamas' attack—but he also told her that "after the dark time, Israel would come into a great revival"—presumably, the prelude to Christ's return…
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