Practice Your Skepticism

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Someone Other Than Trump

 

Constitutional Convenience

Screenshots of Wisdom

Weekend Reading

'Here we go again': Rand Paul clashes with Fauci (for the 4th time)

You misrepresented someone's argument to make it easier to attack.

When the Top U.S. Tax Rate was 70 Percent—or Higher

Both Fox News and Russian state media are trying to get Biden to debate Putin

Republicans have perfected the troll two-step: The art of being a jerk and then playing the victim

Sheldon Whitehouse Is Following the Money Around Brett Kavanaugh

Biden’s Planned Tax Hike to Hit People Earning Over $400,000 Hardest

Wisconsin Republicans authorize Assembly investigation of elections administration

The Future of Conservatism?

America’s Richest 1% Dodge Taxes On More Than A Fifth Of Their Income, Study Finds

America Is Now in the Hands of the Vaccine-Hesitant

US sinks to new low in rankings of world's democracies

Weekend Reading

Yes, Wisconsin legislators haven’t passed a bill in 6 months

The 50 Richest Americans Are Worth as Much as the Poorest 165 Million

Face masks: what the data say

Every Black Woman Has Faced A Mike Pence

We Must Save Democracy From Conspiracies

Trump Is Killing the Economy Out of Spite

Donald Trump: Biden Better Take COVID-19 More Seriously or He Might Get It and Infect a Bunch of People

Why Wisconsin's largest business group endorses mask-wearing campaign while opposing Evers' mandate (because they're assholes)

‘Wisconsin is what happens when you politicize public health,’ Mayor Lori Lightfoot says

Economists are more like storytellers than scientists – don’t let the Nobel for ‘economic sciences’ fool you

Supercut Exposes Fox News’ Hypocrisy On Kamala Harris Debate Criticism

The “Bluelining” of Cities in Red States

Trump’s Covid Treatments Were Tested in Cells Derived From Fetal Tissue

Disdainful Mark Meadows Refuses Reporter Request To Put On His Face Mask

Do Trump’s Taxes Show He’s a Failure, a Cheat, or a Criminal?

Half of the 20 Metro Areas Worst-Hit by COVID Are All in One State

Mitch McConnell showed his true colors in a Kentucky Senate debate against Amy McGrath

Sheldon Whitehouse Made the Case That Amy Coney Barrett's Nomination Is a Bag Job

The U.S. was the world's best prepared nation to confront a pandemic. How did it spiral to 'almost inconceivable' failure?

Rushed To Judgement

Milwaukee normally has 180 voting sites; because of coronavirus, fewer than 12 polling places will be open April 7

We need not be endangering people, voters and election workers, by encouraging gatherings of many in confined areas. The election can wait. We needn't stress our election processing machinery with exponentially large numbers of absentee ballots to collect and count. We should also not be rushing many voters, now, along with coronavirus, into trying to obtain and mail, or drop-off, their absentee ballot. Democracy shouldn't be rushed, expedited or forced. The election can be postponed to ensure proper debate, turnout and processing. 

Joe Biden Explaining Why Bernie Sanders Is The Best Candidate To Beat Trump

Weekend Reading

Republicans Have Rigged The Maps And Manipulated Elections - Why Won't Democrats Talk About It?
Gerrymandering Is Built On Lies
100-Year Bonds Can Fund Big Infrastructure Projects
No, You Don't Get To Keep 100 Billion Dollars For Yourself
The Green New Deal Is Cheaper Than Climate Change
Vape Safety Requires Legalizing Marijuana
Our Food Is Killing Too Many Of Us
The Looser A State's Gun Laws, The More Mass Shootings It Has
"Unions For All": The New Plan To Save The American Labor Movement
How A Trump Tax Break To Help Poor Communities Became A Windfall For The Rich
The Real Reason General Motors Workers Are On Strike Nationwide
The Future Of U.S. Jobs Look Bleak. Unions Are The Answer.
Trump Just Asked The Supreme Court To Let Him Fire The CFPB's Head. The Implications Are Enormous.
Why Rigged Capitalism Is Damaging Liberal Democracy

More Evidence Of Our Misplaced Priorities & Corrupt-Money Influence

Elena Kagan Calls Out Conservative Justices For Shirking ‘Duty’ In Gerrymandering Decision
Supreme Court OKs Excessive Partisan Gerrymandering
Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs Enbridge In Dane County Case

On 4-3 vote, Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds state's lame-duck laws limiting power of Democratic governor

Trump Is Planning Another Tax Cut For The 1% - Without Congress's Approval

We are precariously close to banana republic status.  Greedy.  Pathetic. Immoral.  Disgraceful.  Heartless.  Embarrassing.

[source]

Weekend Reading

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wants To Raise Taxes On The Rich - And Americans Agree
Economists Get Serious About Harm From Monopolies
Declining Birth Rates: Are We In Danger Of Running Out Of People?
The House Democrats' Colossal Election Reform Bill Could Save American Democracy
Why You're Wrong About Communism: Here Are 7 Huge Misconceptions About It - And Capitalism
Why Scott Walker's Welfare Legacy Will Outlast Him
The Future Of The Great Lakes
Anticompetitive Mergers In Labor Markets
Labor Market Concentration
Beware of Consultants Bearing Rosy News About Mergers

Unions Did Great Things For The Working Class

Midweek Reading: Wisconsin Republicans Are Horrible, Lying, Cheating Douchebags Edition

Republicans To Hold Lame-Duck Session To Limit Tony Evers And Advance GOP Priorities
Eric Holder Says Wisconsin Republicans Risk Lawsuit Over Lame-Duck Plan
Scott Walker Decried Lame-Duck Session And Permanent Political Appointments In 2010
Wisconsin Republicans Are Bending Over Backward To Make Sure The Midterm Election Doesn't Count
Republicans Worked All Night To Limit Power Of Democratic Governor Elect Tony Evers
Lame-Duck Power Grabs Aren't New, But Republicans In Wisconsin And Michigan Are 'More Aggressive'
Wisconsin Gerrymandering Was Awesome
In Stunning Power Grab, Wisconsin Republicans Pass Bill Weakening Governor
Are Lame-Duck Sessions Undemocratic
'Democracy Dies...In The Early Morning Light' As Wisconsin GOP Rams Through 'Lame Duck Legislative Coup'
Wisconsin GOP Scheme To Keep Scott Walker As Zombie Governor
After Raucous Hearing, Bills To Restrict Early Voting, Curtail Evers' Powers Move To Full Legislature
Wisconsin Lawmakers Reject Bill To Protect Pre-Existing Conditions, Scale Back Democrats' Power

For Further Reading:
Paul Ryan Departing Washington In A Blaze Of Fraudulence
Let's Pour One Out For Paul Ryan, The Biggest. Fake. Ever.
Republican Gerrymandering Has Basically Destroyed Representative Democracy In Wisconsin

Retired Wisconsin Law Professor's Supreme Court Case Could Save Democracy

Meet the man who may end gerrymandering: A retired Wisconsin law professor’s Supreme Court case could save democracy

The case with the most promise to deliver a lasting judicial remedy is Whitford v. Gill, from Wisconsin, which advances a fascinating standard called the “efficiency gap.” It is the brainchild of law professor Nicholas Stephanopoulos and political scientist Eric McGhee, but has an elegant simplicity that is easily understandable outside of academia. If gerrymandering is the dark art of wasting the other party’s votes – either by “packing” them into as few districts as possible, or “cracking” them into sizable minorities in many seats – the efficiency gap compares wasted votes that do not contribute to victory. 

In November, a panel of federal judges smiled upon this standard and ruled that the state assembly districts drawn by a Republican legislature in the Whitford case represented an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. “Although Wisconsin’s natural political geography plays some role in the apportionment process, it simply does not explain adequately the sizable disparate” advantage held by Republicans under these new maps, wrote the court. 

The judges ordered new state assembly maps in time for the 2018 election – a big deal, considering these district lines have helped give Republicans their largest legislative majorities in several decades, despite years in which Democratic candidates receive more votes. But just as important, it accepted the “efficiency gap” rationale and sent it toward Justice Kennedy. If Kennedy finds it workable, it would become much more difficult for politicians to choose their own voters and rig maps in their favor.

Voting

What Would Elections Be Like If Everyone Voted?

[source]

Free The Market, Screw The Poor

Recently the Pope opined The Culture of Prosperity Deadens Us. He critiqued income inequality, our worship of money and objects, and the general disregard we seem to have for each other.

I'm no religious scholar (actually an atheist), but I do recall the Christian tenets being about helping those less fortunate, sharing and caring, and general goodwill and concern for our fellow beings.

In fact, to directly quote Jesus, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven."

Yet:

Rush Limbaugh Calls Pope a 'Marxist' For Critique Of Inequality

Stuart Varney Admonishes Pope Francis

Do Republicans even know the teachings of Jesus? For guys who run around waving the flag and thumping the bible, they seem to have no clue about the religious teachings from which they claim their beliefs and motives originate.

For Further Reading:

Pope Francis: Unfettered Capitalism Is "Tyranny"; Economic Inequality "Kills."

Zombie Politics

Warren Gets Mad About Shutdown, Starts Naming Names

                                              [source]

Voting Rights Act

Voting Rights Act Struck Down By Supreme Court

The Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act on Tuesday, the provision of the landmark civil rights law that designates which parts of the country must have changes to their voting laws cleared by the federal government or in federal court.

Where Voting Rights Act Ruling Matters, In One Map

Wisconsin Republicans Push Through Ultrasound Bill After Silencing Democrats

Wisconsin Republicans' latest plan to boost job creation...requiring women to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion.

"Republican state senators in Wisconsin on Wednesday silenced Democratic lawmakers while passing a bill requiring women to undergo an ultrasound procedure before being able to receive an abortion." [source]

Feel the job creation!