Happy Thanksgiving

No pontificating on turkey day–just a heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who reads this blog, and especially to those who comment here, send me articles, and/or otherwise provide valuable feedback.

I appreciate you all!

See you tomorrow.

16 Comments

  3. Thank you Sheila!
    I collected this alarming data for a piece of art I am making.
    Not a very nice holiday gift, but important.

    There are more Democrats than Republicans in North Carolina,
    but Gerrymandering gives Republicans 10 house seats and Democrats 3

    There are more Democrats than Republicans in Pennsylvania, but there
    will be 10 Republican districts and 8 Democrat-leaning districts in 2022

    More than a third of West Virginia’s population voted for Democrats in the last
    election, yet all of the state’s congressional representation remain Republican.

    Kentucky: 35% of the vote goes to Democrats, but five
    out of six representatives are Republican

    Louisiana Republicans figured out how to make Baton Rouge and New Orleans fit into one
    district. 5 Republicans, 1 Democrat in Congress in state with more Democrats than Republicans

    30% of Utah residents are Democrats.
    100% of Utah Reps in Congress are Republican.

    Houston, Dallas & San Antonio- carved up to rob blue Texans of representation.
    25 Republican districts, 11 Democrat. More registered Democrats than Republicans

    Arkansas: Horseshoe shaped District 3 dilutes city voters by taking chunks out of deeply rural areas. 35% Democratic voters- 100% Republican representation

    Ohio: More Democrats than Republicans- 12 Republican seats, 4 Democratic seats

    Wisconsin party affiliation: Equal Democrats and Republicans
    Representatives in Congress: 5 Republicans 3 Democrats

    Armed with the ability to make new maps, the GOP created safe
    Republican districts. Michigan voters: 47% Democrat, 34% Republican.
    Representatives in Congress: 7 Republicans, 7 Democrats

    “Indiana’s House districts, redrawn by Republicans, are some of the worst gerrymandered in the entire country.” Voters: 42% Republican, 37% Democrats.
    Hoosier representation, 9 Republicans, 2 Democrats.

    The Kochs and their billionaire cabal bought this arrangement after the 2010 census- bought state legislators and paid for the data collection and creation of the blueprint on how to precisely pinpoint and disenfranchise Democratic voters
    This data is in plain sight- I just googled worst gerrymandering in US, and party affiliation by state. The Koch info is from Jane Mayer’s excellent book Dark Money

  4. Thanks, Michele, for the evidence that screams to us how gerrymandering is destroying our democracy more than any flat-earth campaign slogans and marketing. I too have read “Dark Money” – more than once. The inherent evil associated with the power-mad billionaires is astonishing in its fecklessness and wrong-headedness. Gerrymandering must be outlawed because, for no other reason, Republicans screw up EVERYTHING they touch.

    Thank you, Sheila, for the generous holiday wishes of good cheer.

  5. Michele, my comments here are a continuation to my offering yesterday.
    First, we as a nation need to go back to the reason for the Congressional system we have. Back when the system was devised the idea was to allow the voting citizens an equal voice in who would represent them. The states were each divided up so that the different economic /social factions from different parts of each state could each have a representative. Fast forward to today and how this original plan morphed into a divide between rural conservatives and the urban liberals in which all of the different economic and social factions mingle freely, communicate freely, and district boundaries no longer mean anything except to those working to amass power. So, the first step toward reform needs to be moving away from divisions based on areas of land.
    Next, an examination of the very reason for a legislative body to exist needs to be undertaken. What do we want to achieve? Do we want reform? Advancement of civilization? A method of response to crisis? What?
    I would go on here, but the kitchen awaits. Maybe later.

  7. Best wishes to all for a meaningful holiday. Given our times, may it mean more than stuffed stomachs and Black Friday bargains.

  10. Anxiety,

    In these tumultuous times, we all look for comfort in something or someone with a common bond. We don’t like to feel hopeless or hapless. But, does being anxious add one cubit to one’s lifespan? Absolutely not. Anxiety will definitely shorten that lifespan and will have a nulling effect on any burgeoning happiness.

    Person of faith, whether it be religious or a staunch philosophical dogma, can be stronger than those without it. Try and let anxiety roll like water off of a duck’s back.

    In Matthew the 6th chapter starting in verse 31, it reads; “so never be anxious and say what are we to eat? Or, what are we to drink? Or, what are we to wear? For all these things the nations are eagerly pursuing. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you. So never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.”

    Jesus Christ also stated, ” you received free, give free. ” Christ and his apostles and all of those who accepted his preaching commission, never expected money. It was always known that if you do the right thing, that you follow God’s law, those promises that everyone has had faith in, shields a person. If you are not just looking out for yourself interests, but have genuine compassion and concern about your neighbor and their needs and interests, you’re doing the right thing, and it feels really good. When you genuinely have love and concern for your fellow man, it is returned to you many many fold.

    These factories of riches, mankind’s religions, always have their hand out, but very rarely do they ever use that wealth to help the poor. Money is put in pockets and bank accounts! There are huge internal chains of command to watch the money. People are judged unfairly most of the time if they can receive assistance. This goes against Christs Tenet. This was also a mosaic law Tenet.

    When Abraham died, when Job died, when Moses died, when Christ was killed, the Christian and Jewish communities were thrown into complete and utter chaos. Men got away from explained and functional dogma and put their faith in Greek philosophy. Babylonian philosophy. Even Roman which was based on the first two.

    So, always trust but verify. Be curious, be diligent, research constantly, teach, show concern and compassion! If everyone did that, the here and now would be so much better, and the future would be even brighter yet. No gloom, no doom! Unfortunately, extremely narrow fields of vision and self-aggrandizement dramatically shorten that field.

    Just as most cities now put signs underneath stop lights warning folks not to feed the panhandlers. And, we should also look at the same for politicians, and religious leaders! Because if they are not fulfilling their own personal commissions to society and one’s fellow man, they are not worth one more wasted second of time or finance!

    Look at this holiday, we want to be thankful? Absolutely thankful?!?! But are the native Americans thankful? Are the Africans in this country or around the world thankful? Are those that believed the conspiracies and lies put forth by blathering fools thankful for their lost loved ones or possessions? Are we thankful for our grief? I miss my brothers! All young and died too soon.

    I give thanks not for this holiday, I give thanks for my faith I give thanks for the amount of hope I have, I have faith that my wife will get out of the hospital and be home with me again. And even though we don’t have those siblings in our lives anymore, those that have a certain enlightened and common bond, fill that void to an extent. And that I’m appreciative for!

    Enjoy your families today, for tomorrow is not promised to anyone! Folks need to know that they are loved and respected. Christ said, trust in faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of those is love.

    Cheers to all!

  11. What makes me happy is family nuclear and global, and human knowledge because it’s much of the glue that unites us. This is a place that has taught me a great deal which makes all of you family. This is a place where “everybody knows your name”.

    I hope that your celebration of family today is as happy as the day I am looking forward to.

  12. On this day of all holidays I feel the loss of those who have gone before, getting more numerous with every passing year. I miss them but know that they live in memory as long as we hold them in our minds and hearts.
    Thank you to all those who have been our forefathers and mothers, those who have given us so many precious gifts of their talent and treasure, their commitments and lives to allow us to be where we are in this time and place.
    Enjoy the moment, embrace the joy, share the love. Peace be to you all.

  14. John:
    nothing better than giving a hand up, or in my travels, immediate needs to others. pass it on all, dont be affraid of the dont do that syndrome. its provided my time tight lifestyle a smile to someone.
    yesterday it was the rural postman,er person, who slid off in the snow over edge delivering da mail.
    4 wheel drive and a chain and one muinutes time. pass it on..

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