#Ryan writes vt

[rumor-weed]

have as much time as u need! cant wait for it! ill be happy with the result!

(Larry-Boy and Dark Crow drabble request, captured by the villain, Larry-Boy is being emo about it)

(sorry I humanized them again. I write with too much body language.)

The room was dark and damp and cool, and it smelled faintly of mold. In the corner, far from where he woke, tied to Larry-Boy with a coarse rope, Dark Crow could make out the faintest shape of boxes. They were in a basement. "I cannot believe this! Larry-Boy, what is wrong with you? If you had just let me -" He stopped himself, cutting off as he felt the superhero's body convulse against his back, and a soft hiccuping sob followed. "Larry-Boy... are you crying?" "No," Larry-Boy squeaked out. "Heroes don't cry." Dark Crow sighed. He relaxed his body as best he could, though the rope still held taught. "Heroes cry," he said quietly, "Everybody cries. Don't be silly." "You're right. If I didn't get us into this mess, I - I messed up, D.C. I shouldn't have... wasn't trying to sabotage your suit, you know? I was jealous, but I'd never -" "It's okay. I know." "And then I should've let you drive. I shouldn't have tried to be the only hero." "I was being a jerk. I knew you were feeling... inadequate, and... instead of building you up, I tore you down. You felt like you had to prove me wrong, right?" "I just wanted... to impress ya, ya know?" Larry-Boy said, sniffling. "But I... I just proved ya right." Dark Crow's cheeks burned with embarrassment, and he bit his lower lip, contemplating what to say. "You know, you never had to prove yourself to me. I already was impressed by you. I have been for a while." "Really, D.C.?" Larry-Boy's voice perked up hopefully. "Really," Dark Crow answered, and he sighed. "My name, by the way, is Raul. I... I wanted you to know that." "Your secret identity," Larry-Boy gasped softly. "You're not supposed to tell anyone that! Not even your closest friends!" "I would say we're very close right now," Raul teased, laughing slightly as he nudged his head back into Larry-Boy's. "Mine's Larry," "Hm?" "My... my name, it's Larry." "Oh, I... I figured," Raul said, "But thank you. That means a lot." "You... knew?" "Larry... Boy. Larry." "Oh." "Larry's a very common name, though! There's like six Larrys in Bumblyburg alone!" Raul assured him. "You could be any one of them." "Yeah... or like, maybe two." "What?" "Never mind. Uh, ya know, when we get out of this, maybe... Raul and Larry... should get a coffee sometime. I think they'd be really good friends." Raul snickered. "Yeah. what's your order, caramel mocha frappe with sprinkles?" Larry gasped. "How'd ya know?" The moment was warm despite the chill in the basement. Raul pressed himself into Larry's back, trying to take in some of his body heat. "You seem like the kinda guy who likes sweet things. Lucky guess." "Well, we ought to be gettin' out of here, right?" "Oh? You have a knife hidden in those boxers of yours?" Raul asked with a teasing smirk. "Don't need one. These knots are terrible!" Larry stood up, and Raul fell backward onto the box. He could see Larry smiling sheepishly down at him. It was too dark to make out much detail, but the smile stood out even in the dim lighting. "Oh, sorry, hah, guess the guy who did your knots was a little more careful." Raul stared up at him in surprise. "This whole time?" "I mean, not until after you told me your name, but... I didn't want to break the mood."

Raul tested the knots on the rope around his hands. Tight. Sturdy. It figured as much. Larry knelt down next to him and took the rope, testing if he could find where to untie it. "So, uh, we'll just go up those stairs," Larry said as he undid the knots, "And find out whose house we're in. Then we'll know who we're fighting!" "Actually, I think... if you don't mind my suggestion, we should go through that window up there. They'll expect us to try the door." Larry helped Raul to his feet, and Raul stiffened when Larry threw an arm over his shoulder in a hug. "Those dastardly villains won't know what hit them! They may be prepared for Dark Crow and Larry-Boy, but wait until they see what Raul and Larry have in store for them!"

[unofficial-book-of-quotes-tm]

Well then, that was Champion of Champions 1!

Now, as of writing this, I don't remember much from watching Champion of Champions 1 - and I'm pretty sure that's going to become a trend for the specials, which doesn't mean that they're bad, but as they're usually just one episode with comedians who often have been on a previous series (or people I'm completely unaware of), it tends to mush things together in my head. My three main take aways from Champion of Champions 1 are: 1. Bob losing 'cos he didn't really want to do CoC1, 2. Josh being incredibly exhausted when filming the VTs and probably a hair's width away from a total breakdown as he became a dad shortly beforehand and not getting a lot of sleep as a result, though still winning in the end, 3. the Greg and Alex bit about Josh's nub.

I do enjoy both episodes, however, I don't mind that they shortened it down to just 1 episode for specials in the future. The tasks are fun and because the competitors have all been on before, you kind of know what to expect from them and what approach they'll most likely choose. Josh's champion's outfit is a joy to behold and (as far as I remember) the most creative of the bunch. I felt really bad for him after the first VT, because you can tell he's utterly exhausted and trying so hard. And I was quite surprised at myself for finding Katherine Ryan entertaining and not insufferable (especially during the 'create a mess' task). Now, as there are fewer art-related tasks, Noel doesn't have much space to shine, though I think he does alright overall. Rob is still a man I can't figure out - and I don't know how he manages to get second place here as he seems to just wing it at every turn (as opposed to the others, I know). And Bob, well, you can tell he isn't in it to win and presumably just following his contractual obligation here, though he still manages to entertain.

So, yeah, overall nothing too exciting, but fun nevertheless. It was nice seeing the champions of the first 5 series again and have them compete against one another once more. I am aware that people are asking for a loser of losers, though, honestly, I'm not sure I want that (unless those people are 100% on board with the idea). One more thing: I wish the 'nub outtake' had made the final cut. I get why it got cut in the end, though I believe this is an excellent piece of the power dynamic between Greg and Alex.

Well, see you in series 6!

[pornosophical]

The 2020 primary is filled with straight white men over age 45 with almost no shot at the nomination and no clear reason to run. Why would voters choose an RC Cola centrist like former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) or Montana Gov. Steve Bullock when there’s Coca-Cola Joe Biden? Does anyone really need New York Mayor Bill de Blasio when there’s Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)? Like Inslee, all of them are polling at 1% or less.

But to write off Inslee as yet another quixotic also-ran would be blind to what his campaign has already accomplished. Since launching as the self-declared climate candidate in March, the governor’s campaign developed one of the most prolific and sophisticated policy shops in the race. Unlike Andrew Yang ― another fellow low-polling candidate who made his debut Wednesday night as the “doomer,” declaring “we’re already 10 years too late” to avert climate disaster ― Inslee’s team has cranked out nearly 200 pages of dense policy offering a detailed blueprint for how to cut planet-heating emissions and secure millions of lives at the rate scientists say is required to maintain a recognizable planet. 

[benningtonwritingseminars]

Bennington Writers Reading Series

Critically acclaimed, award-winning authors and faculty of the Bennington College Writing Seminars will offer an evening reading series during the MFA program's winter residency—Thursday, January 3 through Friday, January 11, 2019.

If you are in the area of North Bennington, please come! Or tune into our live stream on Friday, January 4.

SCHEDULE:

Douglas Bauer and Carmen Gimenez Smith 7PM on THURSDAY, JAN 3

Jenny Boully and David Gates 7PM - Live Stream on Facebook on FRIDAY, JAN 4

Benjamin Anastas and Lynne Sharon Schwartz 7PM on SATURDAY, JAN 5

Deirdre McNamer and Natalie Scenters-Zapico 7PM on SUNDAY, JAN 6

Jill McCorkle and Clifford Thompson 7 PM — followed by Alumni Fellows J. Mae Barizo, Hannah Howard, and Erin Kate Ryan 8 PM on MONDAY, JAN 7

Derek Palacio and Craig Morgan Teicher 7 PM on WEDNESDAY, JAN 9

Sarah Messer and Alice Mattison 7:30 PM on THURSDAY, JAN 10

Garth Greenwell and Mark Wunderlich 7 PM on FRIDAY, JAN 11

Tishman Lectur Hall

Bennington College

One College Drive

Bennington, VT 05201-6003

802-442-5401

[opedguy]

CNN’s Two-Night Democrat Debates

LOS ANGELES (OnlineColumnist.com), Julyt 30, 2019.--Tonight’s CNN Democrat debate feature Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, both of whom have few degrees of separation between their political views.  Both Sanders and Warren want free college tuition, student loan debt forgiveness, national health care and comprehensive immigration reform, a euphemism for open borders.  Eight other Democrat candidates including, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobucher (D-Minn.), former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Tx.), best-selling author and spirtual guru Marianne Williamson, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.) and Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), round out the debate with no discernable differences among the candidates.  Only Bernie and Warren promise to make headlines tonight, whose message are already well known.

            Going through the debates, there’s very little the public can learn from the candidates that they don’t already know. When you consider the similarities among the candidates, the differences come out in personality, largely auditioning for either the VP pick or possibly some Cabinet position if it gets that far. Yet when you listen to Bernie or Warren, they’ve run their campaign on ripping Trump, calling him a raft of names ranging from racist to common criminal.  There so little difference between Sanders and Warren, there’s almost no reason for CNN to host debates, other that showcasing candidates with the job of slamming Trump.  Democrats have become so cookie-cutter, there’s almost no differences to debate, especially with a crowd of 10 candidates on stage.  With Sanders and Warren running about 15%, there only hope is taking votes away from each other.

            Tomorrow night’s debate promises to continue the fireworks between front-runner former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), whose first debate June 26 on NBC had Harris embarrassing Binden. If Biden doesn’t rebound on tomorrow’s debate, it could spell problems for his candidacy.  Harris made Biden look bad for his past work with known segregationists in the U.S. Senate, as well as supporting the crime bill that locked up too many black citizens.  Harris let Binden have it when it came to his past votes against school integration, something Harris admitted helped her education.  Biden, a few months from turning 77, showed his age in the NBC debate, unable to articulate real facts related to any topic.  Harris, on the other hand, looked  sharp with the facts whether on domestic or foreign policy. If Biden looks old again, he could lose more ground to Harris.

            When it comes to health care, Bernie and Warren will give the CNN audience an earful of their Medicare-for-All plans, Bernie’s unfeasible plan that would bankrupt the national treasury, probably imploding the health care system for seniors and the disabled.  Whether admitted to or not by Bernie or Warren, there are simply not enough doctors, hospitals and clinics in the Medicare system to accommodate potentially 200 million more subscribers.  Biden’s probably right on health care to keep Obamacare intact, despite objections by Trump and the GOP.  So far, the GOP has zero health care plan to accommodate the millions of U.S. citizens without health insurance.  Medicare-for-All is so unrealistic, so extravagant, no matter how much Bernie or Warren raise taxes, to accommodate the millions of citizens needing coverage.  When it comes to immigration, both are equally unrealistic.

            Sanders and Warren slam Trump’s borders polices, whether building out more border fence or detaining immigrants seeking asylum. Nether has a realistic plan for doing anything differently, other that changing border laws to open up the border for unrestricted immigration.  Sanders and Warren complain that Immigration and Customs Enforcement  [ICE] detention centers are akin to concentration camps, exaggerating living condition for those trapped at the border.  When it comes to foreign policy, Sanders and Warren blame Trump for all the problems in the Persian Gulf with Iran because Trump withdrew the U.S. from Obama’s Iranian Nuke Deal.  Neither Warren nor Sanders have any answers for dealing with Iran’s malign behavior, including supplying arms-and-cash to Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon terrorists.  Both criticize Israel more than Palestinians and other Mideast groups.

            Tonight’s NBC debate promises to offer no differences among the major Democrat candidates.  Listening to Sanders and Warren try to jockey for more votes, there’s nothing new voters can expect.  Tomorrow’s night’s rematch between Biden and Harris promises more interesting because Biden’s the undisputed front-runner, looking to hold on to his 10% lead.  If Biden stumbles tomorrow night, the race could tighten, with Biden losing ground to other candidates.  Trump can only sit-and-wait to find out who’s going to eventually emerge as the Democrat Party’s nominee, something that looks like Biden today but could easily change.  If you look at the top tier candidates, only Sanders, Warren, Biden and Harris have any shot of making it to the convention.  There’s no dark horse in the pack, only a lot of tweedle-dee, tweedle-dum candidates, looking more alike than ever.  If Biden doesn’t distinguish himself from the pack, he’s likely to fall to a younger, more vibrant candidate.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

r

[weeklyreviewer]

NAACP Convention 2019: Bipartisan Parade of Candidates Touts Reforms, Bashes Trump

The one message in common among the nine Democrats and lone Republican who showed up to a presidential forum in Detroit Wednesday was their disdain for Donald Trump and lack of surprise over Wednesday’s testimony from former special counsel Robert Mueller incriminating the president.

A week ahead of ahead of next week’s official Democratic debate, frontrunner and former Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and more, and Republican Bill Weld, former governor of Massachusetts, all took the opportunity to call out the president for fomenting hate. 

The candidates for next year’s White House race appeared before the annual conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People during a two-hour event. In a departure from a formal debate, the NAACP gave each candidate a few minutes to speak and answer questions from host April Ryan, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks.

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) participates in a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this year’s Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

President Trump declined an invitation to appear before the civil rights organization, which typically draws multiple public figures and thousands of attendees to its annual conference.

The most-mentioned suggestion among the candidates was that President Trump is spreading white supremacist thought and setting the United States apart in the world as a place of hate. Even Weld, the lone representative from the president’s political party, opened up by calling Trump a “raging racist.”

Weld also mentioned that the Trump Management Corporation was charged in 1973 with discriminating against black housing applicants in New York.

“Unless the Republican Party rejects the racism of Donald Trump, they will come to be universally viewed as the party of racism in America,” Weld told the crowd at Detroit’s Cobo Center. 

Democratic presidential candidate former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden participates in a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this year’s Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Weld also said he was not surprised by Wednesday’s Congressional testimony by former special counsel Robert Mueller that, while tepid in terms of drama, underscored allegations that the president attempted to obstruct justice by blocking investigations of Russia’s alleged involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign.

“Mueller’s report paints the most vivid picture of a scofflaw and one-man crime wave as I’ve ever seen,” the former governor said. “This man is a moral leper. He has no clue, no compass.”

The NAACP forum comes on the heels of widespread reaction to the president’s suggestion that four first-term congresswomen should “go back” to where they came from. In the past, the phrase has been used to denigrate people from other countries. 

During the forum, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said the current White House has brought the United States to a critical crossroads.

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is interviewed by moderator and White House correspondent April Ryan at a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this year’s Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

“We have an existential crisis in this country which is the presidency of Donald Trump ripping this country apart,” said Booker, former mayor of Newark. “That (Mueller) report is enough of an indication that the House of Representatives should begin impeachment proceedings against this president.”

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg said he believes the country may be “underreacting” to the Trump presidency. 

“White supremacy brought this nation to its knees once,” he said. “I believe that systemic racism is the thing that could unravel the American project if we do not confront it.”

Outside of the topic of Trump, candidates detailed plans designed to address access to education, what some view as an imbalance behind bars, and police-involved shootings.

Democratic presidential candidate, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) participates in a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this years Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Biden touted a criminal justice plan that would give former inmates a boost once they are released in terms of housing and grants for education. 

“Don’t just given them $25 and a bus ticket,” he said. 

He also addressed the 1994 crime bill which he helped write as a U.S. senator from Delaware. Critics have blamed the legislation for an imbalance which put many people convicted of low-level drug offenses—especially people of color—behind bars.

“We had a giant epidemic in America—violence—particularly in African-American communities,” Biden said, adding that the Congressional Black Caucus and black mayors agreed with him. 

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) participates in a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this years Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

“We have now a systemic problem of too many African Americans in jail right now, so I think we should shift the whole focus to rehabilitation,” he said. “I don’t think anybody should go to jail because of a drug crime unless they’re a major seller or dealer.”

Democratic presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg is interviewed by moderator and White House correspondent April Ryan at a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this years Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Harris offered a twist on how the country should treat those who were formerly incarcerated for low-level drug offenses. She said she advocates decriminalizing marijuana and that those who have been imprisoned for low-level drug offenses should get first dibs at jobs in the burgeoning industry of legal marijuana.

Harris said in cases of police-involved shootings, the thoughts of the Department of Justice should take precedence and there should be an independent investigation of such offenses.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., offered details of a comprehensive plan that would impose a wealth tax of two cents on every dollar starting with the first dollar after $50 million. The funds raised by this plan would pay for universal child care for children up to five years old, universal pre-K, cancel a majority of student loan debt, raise the wages of child care workers and send $7 billion into an entrepreneurship fund.  

Democratic presidential candidate, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julian Castro participates in a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this year’s Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

“Whites are twice as likely to start small businesses because black Americans don’t have capital,” Warren said. “I’m not talking about loans.”

Republican presidential candidate Bill Weld, a former Governor of Massachusetts, participates in a Presidential Candidates Forum at the NAACP 110th National Convention on July 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The theme of this years Convention is, When We Fight, We Win. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont opened and closed his time on the stage by saying that anyone 18 and above should be able to vote, a nod to some state measures to prevent former inmates from casting ballots temporarily or permanently.

“We win when the voter turnout is high,” Sanders said. “We will take on voter suppression from one end of this country to the other. When youare 18-years-old in this country, you are eligible to vote—end of discussion.”

The Democratic candidates will meet again in Detroit next week at the next official Democratic debate. This one is being organized by CNN and will take place July 30th and 31st at Detroit’s Fox Theatre.

More Mueller testimony coverage from Fortune:

—Robert Mueller testimony: What we learned so far

—Trump goes on Twitter rant before, during Mueller testimony

—Robert Mueller’s opening statement: Read full text

—Trump 2020 campaign team using Mueller testimony to raise $2 million

—How 2020 democrats are responding to Robert Mueller’s testimony

Get up to speed on your morning commute with Fortune’s CEO Daily newsletter.

Credit: Source link

The post NAACP Convention 2019: Bipartisan Parade of Candidates Touts Reforms, Bashes Trump appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.

from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/naacp-convention-2019-bipartisan-parade-of-candidates-touts-reforms-bashes-trump/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=naacp-convention-2019-bipartisan-parade-of-candidates-touts-reforms-bashes-trump

[gyrlversion]

5 key takeaways from 1st night of the Democratic debate

The first night of the second Democratic primary debate in Detroit was billed as a battle between moderates sounding the alarm over progressive policies they say will make it harder to defeat Donald Trump in 2020, and on that front that billing was right.

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Senators Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the two highest-polling candidates at center stage tonight, both forcefully defended their policy agendas from frequent attacks from candidates like former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, Montana Go. Steve Bullock and Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan. A major point of contention between the candidates was an issue that continues to take center stage during the Democratic primary: health care.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Democratic presidential candidates take the stage at the beginning of the Democratic Presidential Debate at the Fox Theatre, July 30, 2019, in Detroit.

Tuesday night was also seen as the last best chance for the moderate candidates, many of whom are mired towards the bottom of the pack in terms of polling and fundraising, to get their message out to a national audience before the Democratic National Committee imposes stricter rules to qualify for the debates in September and October.

Beyond the policy discussions, candidates also took aim at President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, all hoping to earn the chance to deny him a second term in the Oval Office.

Here are five takeaways from night one of the second Democratic primary debate.

Warren, Sanders defend the progressive agenda

Much was made about Warren and Sanders, two of the most visible leaders of the modern progressive movement, taking center stage on Tuesday night, and sure enough a consistent theme Tuesday night was their defense of that movement’s agenda.

Amid frequent attacks on their policy prescriptions and visions Sanders and Warren remained steadfast in the face of criticism that their ideas are unrealistic or impractical.

Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren shake hands before the start of the first night of the second 2020 Democratic presidential debate in Detroit, July 30, 2019.

“You can’t just spring a plan on the world and expect it to succeed,” Hickenlooper said during a back-and-forth with Sanders on health care.

“I get a little bit tired of Democrats afraid of big ideas,” Sanders said later responding to an attack from Delaney on “Medicare for All.”

“I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for the President of the United States to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for,” Warren, who frequently clashed with more moderate candidates, said in another response to the former Maryland congressman who said her and Sanders’ agenda is anti-private sector.

Despite the constant contrasting, neither Sanders nor Warren or anyone on the debate stage Tuesday said the name of the candidate currently leading the pack in polling: former Vice President Joe Biden.

Health care takes center stage once again

Democrats made health care a centerpiece of their successful campaign to re-take the U.S. House in 2018, and once again the issue continues to dominate the debating heading into 2020.

Roughly the first 30 minutes of Tuesday night’s debate were dominated by one subject: health care. More specifically it was about one policy, Medicare for All, which remains a dividing line among the Democratic contenders.

Sanders and Warren both vociferously defended Medicare for All from attacks from multiple candidates, including from both a clearly aggressive Delaney and an eager Tim Ryan.

“I wrote the damn bill!” Sanders said when Ryan challenged him on the specifics of what would be covered in his Medicare for All plan.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (C) speaks while Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (L) listen at the beginning of the Democratic Presidential Debate, July 30, 2019, in Detroit.

O’Rourke, Buttigieg and others tried to make the pitch that America will eventually transition towards a Medicare for All system by offering a public option to compete against private health insurance.

The former Texas congressman also pledged that middle-class taxes will not be increased under his healthcare plan, a point of contention and disagreement among those pitching Medicare for All.

Moderates try to make their mark, maybe for the last time

Tuesday was also billed as the last best chance for candidates mired towards the bottom of the polls to break out before the DNC imposes stricter debate rules for the fall.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Democratic presidential hopeful former Rep. John Delaney participates in the first round of the second Democratic primary debate in Detroit, July 30, 2019.

That urgency was evident for candidates like Bullock, Delaney and Hickenlooper, who each repeatedly tried to pitch a broader and more succinct argument for why they’re the best candidate to unite the party and defeat Trump.

“I’m running for president to beat Donald Trump, win back the places we lost, and make sure that Americans know that where Washington’s left them behind in the economy and political system, I’ll be there,” Bullock, who was appearing on the debate stage for the first time, said in his closing statement.

“I have actually got a track record as a small business owner, as a mayor and as a governor,” Hickenlooper argued.

The effects of their performance won’t be fully known for a few days or weeks, but many of these candidates may have to face the reality that this was their last chance to stand toe-to-toe on a national stage with their fellow Democratic contenders and make their pitch.

Candidates address Trump, recent racial controversies head on

Not surprisingly many candidates took time on the debate stage to directly call out President Trump in concise and stark terms.

“The racism, the bigotry, and the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight, if you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days,” said author Marianne Williamson, who had a few standout moments Tuesday evening.

“We need to call out white supremacy for what it is, domestic terrorism. And it poses a threat to the United States of America,” Warren said in response to a question from CNN’s Don Lemon about President Trump running a re-election strategy based on “racial division.”

Both Williamson and O’Rourke brought up the idea of reparations for the descendants of slaves.

“The legacy of slavery and segregation and Jim Crow and suppression is alive and well in every aspect of the economy and in the country,” the former Texas Congressman said, also pledging to enact a bill to study reparations authored by Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

O’Rourke tries to regain his footing, Buttigieg takes aim at Trump, GOP

O’Rourke faced lofty expectations when he got in the race back in March after his electrifying run for the U.S. Senate in 2018, and thus far has struggled to deliver. Prior to Tuesday, he made it clear that this debate was an opportunity to regain his footing and boost himself back into the discussion as a legitimate contender for the nomination.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Democratic presidential hopeful former Rep. Beto O’Rourke delivers his closing statement during the first round of the second Democratic primary debate in Detroit, July 30, 2019.

On Tuesday the candidate was prepared for a question on decriminalizing crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, a topic that tripped him up during last month’s debate. The candidate also brought the focus to his home state of Texas, which will be critical to his chances of clinching enough delegates to capture the Democratic nomination.

“Bernie [Sanders] was talking about battleground states in which we compete. There’s a new battleground state, Texas, and it has 38 electoral college votes,” O’Rourke said to applause and agreement from the crowd his fellow candidates.

Buttigieg, who has arguably been on an opposite trajectory from O’Rourke, leading the pack in fundraising in the second quarter, unleashed sharp attacks on Trump and Republicans in Congress.

“if you are watching this at home and you are a Republican member of congress, consider the fact that when the sun sets on your career, and they are writing your story of all the good and bad things you did in your life, the thing you will be remembered for is whether in this moment with this president you found the courage to stand up to him, or you continue to put party over country,” Buttigieg said in one of the night’s most memorable moments.

Paul Sancya/AP

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg participates in the first of two Democratic presidential primary debates, July 30, 2019, at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.

O’Rourke and Buttigieg are both running as aspirational candidates of generational change, and the competition for voters looking for just that type of candidate likely won’t get any easier after Tuesday’s debate.

The post 5 key takeaways from 1st night of the Democratic debate appeared first on Gyrlversion.

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[notesonnotes]

Notes on Hello Control

Alright everyone! We’re doing a little blast from the past! Hello Control is a band I saw perform A LOT when I was in college (which was about 7 years ago, I was a junior in college when I first saw them). The last time I saw them, they’d gone from a full band, to Milo and Ryan. This band was what really got me started in the local music scene and finding local, or at least closeish, venues to see bands perform. Needless to say, when I saw that they had released a new song, I got very excited, and a little nostalgic. 

Hello Control is great to dance to, and picks you up when you’re having one of those days where it feels like nothing is going right. Ryan took a little time to answer some questions for me. Take a little and check them out. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

NON: How did you meet?

 HC: Mikey and I (Ryan) had been friends since roughly 2003 when he worked at Peacock Music in Plattsburgh, NY and played in a band I looked up to called Perfect Salesman. Fast forward to 2006...we heard United Mess and knew we had to get Milo to play with us. We approached him...and the rest is history!

NON: What spurred you to start the band?

HC: Mikey and I worked together starting around 2005 and would talk all day about starting a band that wasn't like anything else going on at the time in our town. All the local music was very hippy, or heavy, and we just wanted to write fun pop rock that made us happy.

NON: Who came up with the name?

HC: I (Ryan) came up with the name because my buddy Bruce had it as his myspace user name. I didn't realize that Hello Control was actually an album by the band Brandtson and that's where Bruce got that from!

NON: You did have 5 members, you're now down to 2, and both live in different cities. How does the writing process go?

HC: Writing process is actually so great. Through videos, and cell phones, it's so easy to send ideas back and forth. And since I (Ryan) have a studio in my house (I recorded/Produced our newest song "Life Without You") it's fairly easy for me to flesh out the ideas until Milo is home and can lay down the vocals.

NON: Do you still perform live?

HC: We really don't. Recording is easy because one person can wear multiple hats and play multiple things....but for us to organize people and gear to play out, it's usually not worth the effort which is sad, but just a fact of life now that we're all a little older with families, jobs, and priorities. (This honestly makes me a little sad, because they were so fun to watch live).

NON : What was your favorite song to play live?

HC: Was......hmmm I don't recall having a favorite. Certain ones got better reactions than others (like Hear You Sing or I'll Find You) but I enjoyed them all equally because they were all satisfying to write and perform.

NON: What was your favorite venue to play live?

HC: Probably Higher Ground in Burlington, VT. It was close enough where we could get that home crowd vibe, but just far away enough where we always gained new fans also. Not to mention, we opened for many cool bands there like All Time Low and the All American Rejects.

NON: What's your most memorable show?

HC: Probably All Time Low at Higher Ground. It was a packed sold out crowd on their first headlining tour. My amp ate shit and died half way through the first song, we had to improvise a few acoustic songs, then we joined ATL on stage and covered Blink 182's "Dammit" with them in the end and there's video still on YouTube of that!

Shout outs: Anyone who still plays and enjoys our music. I meet people fairly often who liked the band and it makes me feel great every time. And thank you Mellyssa for having me for this interview <3

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

No, Ryan, thank you. I miss seeing you guys perform, and wish you all the best. 

I was at this acoustic set (my friend and I were sitting behind the camera)

Their new song, Life Without You. 

[rumor-weed]

{{Omg can I request a Petunia and Vicki Drabble LMAOOOO}}

Some women just wanted to watch the world burn. Vicki would’ve settled for just one particular redhead.

Okay, maybe burn was a little… harsh. It wasn’t Petunia’s fault that things went south between her and Larry. If nothing else, she should’ve been mad at Larry. This wasn’t her Misery Business moment, or her Better Than Revenge moment for that matter.

Jealousy, however, was a very human feeling. It was also an inescapable monster who could snatch you up and consume you before you even knew you should run, and that monster dined on Vicki like she was a five course meal.

She curled her long blonde locks between her fingers, tilting her head to the side as she read over old email exchanges between her and Larry.

“Larry,” she read out loud to the empty apartment, “I’m going into town today to apply for that TV reporter job. Do you want to go get lunch together? Xoxo, Vicky.”

Then, in a cartoonishly mocking voice, Vicki answered,

“Gee Vicki, I sure would like to, but I promised someone else I’d meet them for lunch so she could interview me! Uh, I mean, interview my friend, Larry-Boy, who is super reclusive so I have to answer for him, and anyway, maybe we can meet for a movie after?”

She rolled her eyes, turning her office chair around so she was facing the wall. Newspaper articles she had written. Pictures of Larry-Boy. Pictures of Larry, if she could sneak them. An old office photo they took together at the Christmas party a year ago.

They kissed under the mistletoe. They went on dates, had serious discussions about their individual futures, and then…

Petunia Rhubarb came to town.

She snatched up that TV reporter job right from under Vicki. Told her they already found someone and sent her on. And when Vicki waited for Larry at the movie theater after the interview, she waited over an hour. She tried calling, he didn’t pick up. She paged him. Nothing. At one point she called his home phone number, one he had said was ‘only for emergencies’, but… this felt like an emergency. For all she knew, Larry could’ve been dead on the sidewalk. However, when she called, a British voice answered, “Master Larry’s residence, how may I assist you?”

A fake number. He had given her, all this time, a fake number. Or he had answered and was playing a cruel trick on her, pretending to be someone else. She hung up in tears.

When Vicki was particularly sad, she’d stop and get her favorite coffee from the Bumblyburg Bean. Just a macchiato, warm enough to comfort her, enough caffeine to keep her focused.

Looking back on that day, Vicki now wished her comfort treat had been pizza, or a burger, or an ice cream sundae, or literally anything else other than coffee. She might’ve still fooled herself into two more weeks of blissful ignorance.

Instead, she opened the doors to a rude display of PDA between Larry and a giggling, airheaded ginger girl.

“I’m so proud of my girl,” Larry was saying, pushing away some ginger curls to make room on her cheek to plant a kiss. “You nailed that interview, ‘Tunia!”

Vicki stared in shock at the blatant display of affection. Larry hadn’t even noticed her come in. She stalked over to their table and slammed her palms down flat on the surface, and Larry and Petunia jolted away from each other as if Vicki had struck lightning between them.

“Oh! Hey, Vicki! This is Petunia! I meant to introduce you to her -“

“You were supposed to meet me an hour ago,” Vicki snapped at him.

Larry’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, dumb brown caterpillars contemplating their desired closeness. His eyes widened behind wireframed glasses, and he gasped. “Oh! The movie! Shoot, Petunia, I told you I was forgetting -“

“So, this is your ‘girl’, huh? Isn’t she pretty? Do you kiss everyone who interviews you?” Vicki spat out the words.

Petunia looked at Vicki with wide, innocent eyes. “I’m so sorry, I’m lost. What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Larry assured her. “Look, Vicki, I just made a mistake and forgot. This is my girlfriend Petunia. She’s a reporter. She just got hired like, on the spot for -“

“The TV reporter job at channel 3,” Vicki answered in a soft, disbelieving voice. “The one I was supposed to interview for today. And they said it was filled. And you’re… dating her?”

“Oh, shoot! I had no idea that was the same interview. Gee, Vicki, I’m sorry!”

Vicki felt burning rage in her heart. “So like, what is this? You’re just going to be blatant about… cheating on me with this…?”

“Cheating?” Petunia echoed, and she looked at Larry with that same confused, wide-eyed look. “You were dating someone?”

“No! We were just friends! I mean, we kissed once but that was because of the mistletoe, and you hafta kiss under mistletoe, and -“

A sob escaped Vicki’s lips, the crack of her heart’s escaping echo. She covered her mouth. “Oh my god.”

Petunia stood up from her chair. “Vicki, I’m - this is -“ she touched Vicki’s shoulder, and Vicki screamed,

“Don’t touch me! Don’t you dare even talk to me!”

Petunia recoiled. Larry stayed seated, offering a pitiful, “I’m sorry if you thought…”

He didn’t bother to finish the sentence. Vicki was already at the door.

She quit her job the next day, packed her things, and moved back home to her small town. Until now. A year later she was back in Bumblyburg, trying to figure out how to rebuild a bridge from the ashes she left behind. It was as fruitful an attempt as you’d expect.

She turned back to face her computer, opened a browser, and typed in the address for her yet unused blog.

“The Truth About Larry-Boy” was written in big letters across the website banner, but she wasn’t going to start with dessert. She had several appetizers to offer first.

She put her fingers to the keyboard and typed out her first blog post’s title:

“Secret Identities Are Not An Excuse to Be a Two-Timing Asshole.”

[theconservativebrief]

Senate Republicans have made yet another unusual procedural move in an effort to jam through more judicial nominees, according to the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Not only did Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley hold a confirmation hearing for a slate of nominees this week — even though the Senate is in recess and not a single Democratic senator was in attendance — the panel also considered a Ninth Circuit pick who doesn’t have the explicit approval of either of his home state senators.

That approval is typically conveyed via what’s known as a “blue slip.” It isn’t required to move a nomination forward, but it is one of the rare courtesies typically given to home state senators. If a senator doesn’t give approval — it’s previously been considered poor form to advance the nominee to the confirmation hearing part of the process.

That’s exactly what happened, however, with Ninth Circuit nominee Eric Miller, someone who multiple activist groups have cited as controversial for previous positions he’s taken regarding Native American tribal sovereignty. He has not gotten blue slip backing from either Sens. Patty Murray or Maria Cantwell, the Democratic lawmakers who represent Washington, where Miller is currently working at law firm Perkins Coie.

Despite Miller’s lack of support, however, Republicans granted him a confirmation hearing. Democrats are furious.

“This is just the second nominee in history advanced over the objection of both home-state senators,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the top Judiciary Democrat, said. “Sens. Cantwell and Murray have made clear they were not consulted on this nomination, which bypassed the bipartisan process in their state.”

Democrats have also noted that developments like this point to a larger and more troubling theme: In eroding the weight that’s given to the “blue slip,” Republicans are continuing to dilute the means that the minority has to register its opposition.

During the Obama administration, Grassley maintained the practice of honoring blue slips, when evaluating federal judges, according to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) — a former Judiciary chair himself. If blue slips were returned with favorable comments by both of a nominee’s home state senators, that indicated support. If they were withheld, however, that signaled opposition. As the practice went, when blue slips were withheld, nominees did not receive a confirmation hearing.

Grassley has pushed back on this characterization, however, and argued that he’s employed the same approach across both the Trump and Obama administrations. Historically, different Judiciary chairs have also treated blue slips differently — with many holding hearings even if nominees didn’t have full home state senator support — a Grassley spokesperson added.

As Vox’s Dylan Matthews has reported, Democrats, including Joe Biden when he was Senate Judiciary Chair, have previously interpreted blue slips more as guidance about certain nominees than the deciding factor in whether that person proceeds.

Blue slips have been broadly respected for the feedback they offer in recent years, however. “Last Congress, no judicial nominee received a hearing without both home-state senators returning positive blue slips,” Leahy noted during a floor speech earlier this year.

He also indicated that he followed this practice when Democrats had control of both the Senate and the presidency during the earlier years of Obama’s White House tenure, adding that Republicans were the ones who emphasized the need to respect this tradition, at the time.

“When I was chairman of the Judiciary Committee at the start of the Obama administration, every single Senate Republican signed a letter making the case for the importance of this tradition, and requesting that it be respected during the new administration,” he said.

There has, in fact, been a sharp shift between how things were handled by senators between the Obama and Trump administrations.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated last October that he was comfortable weakening what blue slips represented, a departure from how things were handled under Obama. McConnell signaled that “their withholding would be taken an indication of how a home state senator will vote, but not kill the nomination,” Matthews writes.

McConnell’s office quickly walked back those remarks, but Grassley’s recent moves suggests that they are, in fact, indicative of how Republicans intend to approach this practice.

Democrats no longer have filibuster rules to block judicial nominees, so the watering down of the “blue slip” rule means they’re left with fewer and fewer forms of recourse to stop the appointment of objectionable judges.

All this back-and-forth over blue slips wouldn’t matter so much if so many Trump judicial nominees hadn’t already prompted Democratic concerns.

In addition to Miller, Ryan Bounds — a Ninth Circuit nominee who was ultimately withdrawn over concerns about his past racist writings — was the first to ever receive a confirmation hearing despite a lack of support from both of his senators.

Others including David Stras, David Porter, and Michael Brennan have already been confirmed for various judgeships with just one blue slip from their respective states.

Republicans’ consideration of Miller — even after Bounds’s nomination failed — marks just how willing the party is to do whatever it takes to fill judicial vacancies, Democrats say.

With McConnell laser-focused on confirming more judges in the months to come, Democrats can only expect more breakdowns of norms on this front.

Original Source -> Republicans keep eroding checks on judicial nominees

via The Conservative Brief

[citizentruth-blog]

The Wave Of Roses: Three Progressive Candidates Who Could Flip Congressional Districts In November - U.S. NEWS

New Post has been published on https://citizentruth.org/the-wave-of-roses-three-progressive-candidates-who-could-flip-congressional-districts-in-november/

The Wave Of Roses: Three Progressive Candidates Who Could Flip Congressional Districts In November

The Wave Of Roses is a Citizens Truth series which highlights progressive candidates and organizations which challenge corporate Third Way control of the Democratic Party. This entry looks at key United States House of Representatives races for the reignited movement in the United States. This entry showcases candidates with the opportunity to win in currently Republican controlled districts.

While commentators and reporters with mainstream outlets doubted the viability of progressive candidates, the Justice Democrats organization saw twenty-six candidates win primary elections during this election cycle. Most of those victories came by those running for seats in the United States House of Representatives, leading to several intriguing races against Republican adversaries.

Ammar Campa-Najjar vs Duncan Hunter, 50th Congressional District of California

via campacampaign.com (top) and hunterforcongress.com (bottom)

Since being featured in the Citizen Truth, The Wave of Roses series earlier in his campaign, Ammar Campa-Najjar’s incumbent opponent Duncan Hunter has been indicted on 60-counts due to alleged illegal use of approximately $250,000 of campaign money. He and his wife Margaret are said to have used the money to fund their lavish lifestyle, going as far to file false campaign records with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

A survey conducted by KGTV-TV and Survey USA from August 22-26th show that Hunter holds a 47-39 lead among likely voters in the heavy Republican district. However, the poll was taken immediately after news of the indictment broke, meaning the full brunt of the negative attention may not have taken effect. Campa-Najjar’s grassroots campaign has time to continue spreading his message as Hunter continues to deal with the indictment. It’s likely this election will fall between two to four points.

In what is expected to be a wave election for the left, Campa-Najjar is a serious threat to an incumbent whose credibility is in question.

Matthew Morgan vs Jack Bergman, 1st District of Michigan

via mattmorganformichigan.com (top) and bergmanforcongress.com (bottom)

While FiveThirtyEight projects Jack Bergman chances of victory are extremely high, progressive Marine Veteran Matthew Morgan has an opportunity to the Republican incumbent. The campaign between two Marine officers is highlighting their stark political differences. Despite being booted off of the Democratic primary ballot over a technicality, Morgan was able to garner over 29,000 write-in votes to place his name on the ballot in November, “In order to make it onto the ballot, Morgan needed to win 5 percent of the total votes cast in the district for governor on the Democratic side, a figure that came to roughly 3,700 votes. His Marquette County total alone should qualify him for the ballot,” explains Ryan Grim of the Intercept and The Young Turks.

While Morgan is not receiving help from establishment Democratic groups he has the endorsement of labor, nurse, and teacher organizations. While there has yet to be any public polling for the race, Michigan’s 1st district could be a measure of how Social Democratic ideals play in blue collar districts.

James Thompson vs Ron Estes, 4th Congressional District of Congress

via votejamesthompson.com (top) and estesforcongress.com (bottom)

Progressive James Thompson has the opportunity to avenge his 52-46 2017 special election loss to incumbent Ron Estes in the 4th district of Kansas. Thompson was easily able to defeat Laura Lombard in the recent Democratic primary and has the opportunity to take advantage of his heightened name recognition.

During the primary, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D – NY) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joined Thompson at the Unite For America Rally in Wichita, Kansas. During the primary, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joined Thompson at the Unite For America Rally in Wichita, Kansas. FiveThirtyEight projections do not give Thompson a high percentage chance of winning, despite most recent polls showing Thompson being within four points of Estes with nearly 20 percent of ‘likely voters’ being undecided.

Those numbers are key for Thompson as grassroots, and especially progressive campaigns have shown to energize voters who do not routinely vote, especially those under 50. Polling methodology lists these individuals as ‘registered voters’ not ‘likely voters.’ Thompson being with four points with likely voters is a great sign for his campaign if the gap closes to two points — he could unseat Estes, placing another progressive voice in the House of Representatives.

Thompson’s race is important for the progressive movement, as a victory would dampen Classic and Conservative-Liberal talking point of progressive policies not being popular outside of the costs or with white voters.

[go-redgirl]

Watch: Bernie Sanders Pretty Much Admits Democrats Can’t Defeat GOP Tax Bill Townhall.com ^ | December 19, 2017 | Matt Vespa

Well, it passed the House. Now, a Senate vote will occur later today. It’s going to pass. It’s going to President Trump’s desk. And it will be law. The GOP has the votes. Despite concerns from Sens. Lankford (R-OK), Corker (R-TN), Johnson (R-WI), Collins (R-ME), and Rubio (R-FL) over a range of issues relating to the deficit and expanding child tax credits, all of these senators are projected to vote “yea” in the coming hours. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will not vote, as he’s flown back to Arizona for the holidays following cancer treatments. Yet, unlike the health care fiasco, he was another “yea” vote. With pretty much universal Republican support in the Senate, this bill will become law. Even Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who had been going ballistic over this bill for weeks, admitted defeat on CBS’ Face The Nation this past Sunday, which is why he resorted to prolonged trashing of the bill.

Sanders signals defeat on GOP tax bill: 'We did everything that we could'

JOHN DICKERSON [Host]: And we're joined now by Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders. He's in Burlington, welcome Senator. This looks like it's going to get passed through the Senate and the House and signed by the president, this tax cut bill. Is there anything more that opponents like you could have done to stop this?

BERNIE SANDERS: Well I think we did everything that we could -- but at the end of the day what you had is people like Mr. Mnuchin, who himself is worth three or four hundred million dollars, or the president of the United States who is worth several billion dollars, as you mentioned, some four or five thousand lobbyists doing everything that they could to write a bill which significantly benefits the wealthiest people in this country and the largest corporations. The latest analysis that we have seen suggest that 72 percent of the benefits go to the top 5 percent. My guess is that 60 percent of the benefits will go to the top 1 percent and at the end of the decade because the benefits for the middle class are temporary while- while the corporate benefits are permanent, at the end of the decade over half of the middle class will be paying more in taxes. What we are seeing here is a real massive attack on the middle class and what I worry very much, John, is that if you listen to what the Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan is talking about, what he is saying is that as a result of this bill, the deficit will go up by $1.4 trillion dollars. And what Ryan, in my view, will come back with are massive cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, in order to offset that deficit-

JOHN DICKERSON: Let me ask yo-

BERNIE SANDERS: So massive tax breaks for the rich, cuts to Social Security, this is a grossly unfair tax bill.   

Unfair, huh? Attack line very focused on the wealthy and corporations, I wonder why? Maybe that’s because even a left-leaning tax analysis says this bill will benefit 80 percent of Americans:

Left-leaning tax policy center finds that 80.4% of Americans would see a tax cut in 2018. The average decrease would be $2,140. Only 4.8% would see a tax increase.https://t.co/2UVcvrom6d pic.twitter.com/52F9uDx90Z— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) December 19, 2017

The Senate vote is set to occur later tonight. 

Friendly reminder: Across-the-board tax cuts will "kill" zero people. Chant moronic, chanters insufferable. https://t.co/WAKBSRj9p0— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) December 19, 2017

[frontstreet1]

Trump Plan Promises Huge Tax Cuts, But Big Questions Remain

President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON — Promising big tax cuts and a booming economy, President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans unveiled the first major revamp of the nation’s tax code in a generation Wednesday — a sweeping, $5 trillion plan that would deeply cut levies for corporations, simplify everyone’s brackets and nearly double the standard deduction used by most Americans.

Trump declared repeatedly the plan would provide badly needed tax relief for the middle class. But there are too many gaps in the proposal to know how it actually would affect individual taxpayers and families, how it would be paid for and how much it might add to the soaring $20 trillion national debt.

There clearly would be seismic changes for businesses large and small, with implications for companies beyond U.S. borders. The American middle-class family of four could take advantage of a heftier child tax credit and other deductions but face uncertainty about the rate its household income would be taxed.

“Under our framework, we will dramatically cut the business tax rate so that American companies and American workers can beat our foreign competitors and start winning again,” Trump boasted at a speech in Indiana.

Democrats predictably felt differently.

President Trump and Republicans are proposing a $5 trillion plan that would cut taxes for corporations and individuals, simplify the code and nearly double the deduction used by most Americans. But questions remain about how much it will cost. (Sept. 27)

“Each of these proposals would result in a massive windfall for the wealthiest Americans and provide almost no relief to middle-class taxpayers who need it most,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said at the Capitol.

Some Republicans, once fiscally demanding but now desperate for a legislative win after a yearlong drought, shrugged off the specter of adding billions to the federal deficit. Failure on taxes, after the collapse of health care repeal, could cost the GOP dearly in next year’s midterm elections with its House majority at stake.

“This is a now-or-never moment,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who built his reputation on tax and budget issues.

Likewise, Trump said in Indianapolis, “This is a once in a generation opportunity.”

But the bitterly divided, Republican-led Congress faces critical decisions on eliminating or reducing tax breaks and deductions, with the GOP intent on producing a package without Democratic votes by year’s end. The last major overhaul in 1986 was bipartisan, and Trump was courting Democrats. One vulnerable incumbent, Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly, accompanied the president on his trip to Indianapolis.

Trump and the architects of the Republican plan insist that the overhaul is aimed squarely at benefiting the middle class and wouldn’t favor the wealthy. Still, a cut in the tax rate for Americans making a half-million dollars or more would drop by almost 5 percentage points as the wealthiest sliver of the nation reaped tremendous benefits.

Corporations would see their top tax rate cut from 35 percent to 20 percent. For a period of five years, companies could further reduce how much they pay by immediately writing off their investments. That’s all part of an effort that Trump said would make U.S. businesses more competitive globally.

The plan would collapse the number of personal tax brackets from seven to three.

The individual tax rates would be 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent — and the plan recommends a surcharge for the very wealthy. But it doesn’t set the income levels at which the rates would apply, so it’s unclear just how much change there might be for a typical family or whether its taxes would be reduced.

“My plan is for the working people, and my plan is for jobs,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “No, I don’t benefit. ... I think there’s very little benefit for people of wealth.”

Reopening the debate over economic inequality that rippled through the 2016 presidential campaign, the Republicans’ defense of the plan was met with scorn on the opposite side.

“President Trump’s tax plan is morally repugnant and bad economic policy,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

In the absence of details on the plan’s cost, one back-of-the-envelope estimate by a Washington budget watchdog estimated the tax cuts at perhaps $5.8 trillion over the next 10 years. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget analysis said Republicans had only identified about $3.6 trillion in offsetting revenues, meaning the cost to the federal deficit could be in the $2.2 trillion range.

That’s more than the $1.5 trillion debt cost allowed under a tentative agreement by Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee — and the real battles will come as lawmakers quarrel over which tax breaks might be eliminated to help pay the balance.

The plan would nearly double the standard deduction to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for families. This basically would increase the amount of personal income that is tax-free.

Deductions for mortgage interest and charitable giving would remain, but the plan seeks to end most other itemized deductions that can reduce how much affluent families pay.

A battle is already brewing among Republicans over a move to eliminate the deduction for state and local taxes, which is especially valuable to people in high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey and California. Republicans from those states are vowing to fight it.

The plan also would:

—Retain existing tax benefits for college and retirement savings such as 401(k) contribution plans.

—Seek to help families by calling for an increased child tax credit and opening it to families with higher incomes. The credit currently is $1,000 per child. Also proposed is a new tax credit of $500 to help pay for the care of the elderly and the sick who are claimed as dependents by a taxpayer.

—Eliminate the estate tax — paid by those with multimillion-inheritances, a boon for wealthy individuals who inherit businesses, investments and real estate. Also slated for elimination is the alternative minimum tax, a supplemental tax for certain individuals, corporations and estates that enjoy exemptions that lower their income tax bills.

—Allow companies to pay substantially lower tax rates, part of an effort to make U.S. businesses more competitive globally. The plan would impose a new, lower tax on corporate profits stashed overseas, and create a new tax structure for overseas business operations of U.S. companies.

—Give new benefits to firms in which the profits double as the owners’ personal income. They would pay at a 25 percent rate, down from 39.6 percent. This creates a possible loophole for rich investors, lawyers, doctors and others; administration officials say they will design measures to prevent any abuses.

By MARCY GORDON and ANDREW TAYLOR - Sep 27 4:57 PM EDT

[larryland]

Williamstown Theatre Festival Engages the Berkshire Community

by Barbara Waldinger

Williamstown Theatre Festival, in its second season of COMMUNITY WORKS, has proven that is it no longer the distant “Theatre on the Hill,” but an active participant in the life of the Berkshires.  With over eighty performers gathered during a year of community workshops with nine local partners, director Laura Savia and playwright Lucy Thurber have demonstrated their commitment to another all-inclusive experience with their new show : Once Upon a Time in the Berkshires.

(Click HERE to read Gail M. Burns’ interview with Laura Savia and Lucy Thurber.)

Savia, the Associate Artistic Director of Williamstown Theatre Festival, directs and runs workshops throughout New York City, assistant directed Broadway’s The Merchant of Venice, won an IAMA-Ovation Award, a Drama League Directing Fellowship, and is on the faculty of Fordham University, NYU/Strasberg Institute and The New School.

Thurber, hailing from Western Massachusetts, is a highly decorated playwright, having won first Gary Bonasorte Memorial Prize for Playwriting, a Lilly Award, a Manhattan Theatre Club playwriting fellowship, and a 2014 OBIE Award for her five-play cycle The Hill Town Plays.  She has taught at Columbia University, NYU, Sarah Lawrence College and The New School.  Her play Orpheus in the Berkshires had its World Premiere last year as WTF’s first COMMUNITY WORKS production, also directed by Savia.

Producer Mandy Greenfield, the Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival

Playwright Lucy Thurber

Director Laura Savia, the Associate Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival

Over the course of the year, Savia and Thurber travel from New York City to run workshops with WTF’s community partners, to which everyone is invited.  After Thurber announces her subject, participants respond by writing, then reading their work aloud, after which Savia arranges for groups to act out the stories. Meanwhile Thurber takes notes, incorporating the ideas into her play, ensuring that what emerges onstage reflects community concerns and ideas.  All participants are encouraged to perform in the finished product.  (Anyone who would like to be on their email list should write to community@wtfestival.org.

Working with scores of community members, many of whom have never acted before, alongside professional performers and a huge artistic team and production staff, Savia and Thurber have created something approaching miraculous.  While both of Thurber’s community plays deal with problems facing Berkshire residents, Orpheus in the Berkshires, focusing on the opiod crisis and performed in a non-air conditioned old mill last year, was less cohesive (and significantly less comfortable) than her current production, which was mounted on WTF’s Main Stage. Once Upon a Time in the Berkshires is both poignant and relevant.  The story opens with an upcoming funeral for a young man who served in the military (special forces) but never recovered after returning home.  We are told: “No matter how hard we try we can’t get over the things we’ve seen.”  What a brave beginning for a play with so many young children both on the stage and in the audience!  There are two plots that eventually coalesce:  the struggles of the mourning family, and the oft-told story of their mythical ancestors, which the young children implore the grandmother (Penny Bucky) to repeat.

In this play-within-a-play, it seems that once upon a time, Miriam (Katasha Acosta), the leader of the Water People–fluid shape-shifters who worship Mother Octopus and Father Whale, married John (Brendan Dalton), the leader of the Rangers, a solid, camouflage-clad marching army.  John’s brother Scott (Keshav Moodliar), could not accept the blending of the two cultures, resulting in each losing the identifying characteristics of their tribe–the Rangers become more fluid and don the blue streamers of the Water People, while the latter become more solid and can no longer shift their shapes.  While John celebrates these changes as necessary and inevitable evolution, Scott feels threatened by them, believing that the Rangers are disappearing to the point where their children will not remember who they are—leading to a lovely and meaningful song questioning time and change, the fear of moving forward, the need to hold onto what we know and the obligation to adapt.  Each of the children, cuddled on a staircase listening to the story, asks the grandmother:  “Do we adapt?”

Meanwhile, the family, preparing for the funeral, begin to squabble.  Sue (Alexandra Templer), cousin of the young man who died, has gone off to live in the city, leaving her family behind to deal with the problems of rural life:  things don’t improve for future generations, jobs disappear, everything they strive for moves farther away and no one helps in their struggles.  Her relatives try to convince Sue, who has found happiness and success in the city (though she won’t talk to her family about her boyfriend because—heavens, he’s a liberal Democrat!!), to return home to help out.

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How to solve these two situations—the issues between the Water People and Rangers, and Sue’s problem with the demands of her family?  Clearly, what is required are the Banshees:  dressed in earth colors, swinging multi-colored lights and dancing to the music of drums, the Banshees  live inside every one of us, representing all the “hope and horror hiding in our throats”—they assure us that we are not alone.  With their aid, the inner feelings of the characters are expressed aloud and their love, buried under fear and anger, comes shining through.  The audience joins the cast in the title song, composed by Heather Christian, lyrics by Lucy Thurber, included in the programs.

The design team is top-notch, including the amazingly creative costume design (by Anna Blazer) for each of the different and distinctive groups (Miriam’s billowing water dress is exceptional); exciting and colorful lighting (Aaron Tacy, designer); a terrific band under the direction of Jack Mitchell; various styles of choreography, including hip-hop, by the talented Jenn Rapp, a simple, effective scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten, III that allows for quick changes and smooth transitions; all helped by actors like Templer, Acosta, Moodliar, and Dalton, who bring their professionalism to this worthy effort.

But the most moving element of this production is the diversity of the cast—senior actors paired with children, performers of every race and type, including Banshees in wheelchairs escorted onstage by assistants, and a message of inclusion that teaches us what can be possible in our fractured world.

Once Upon a Time in the Berkshires runs from August 13-16 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Main Stage.  For tickets call 413-458-3253 or online at wtfestival.org.

Williamstown Theatre Festival presents Once Upon a Time in the Berkshires.  Director:  Laura Savia; Composer:  Heather Christian; Choreographer: Jenn Rapp; Music Director:  Jack Mitchell; Scene Designer:  Lawrence E. Moten III; Costume Designer:  Anna Blazer; Lighting Designer:  Aaron Tacy; Production Stage Manager:  Brendan O’Hara.  Running Time:  one hour fifteen minutes, no intermission; at Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Main Stage, ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance, 1000 Main Street, Williamstown, MA., from August 13, closing August 16, 2017.

CAST

Grandmother: Penny Bucky – North Adams, MA

Sue: Alexandra Templer – Atlanta, GA

Jim: Andy Hogeland – Williamstown, MA

Tom: Hiram Delgado – San Juan, Puerto Rico

Carol: Judy Sellman – Jacksonville, VT

Auntie Gene: Shirley Edgerton – Pittsfield, MA

Uncle Nick: Bill Sellman – Jacksonville, VT

Abby: Amanda Lyn Jungquist  – East Tawas, MI

GRANDCHILDREN:

Sean Colletta – Pittsfield, MA

Ari Kraiman – Philadelphia, PA

Devon Lennon – Lanesboro, MA

London Martin – Pittsfield, MA

Crystal Moore – Pittsfield, MA

Abdul Peoples – Pittsfield, MA

Cloey Parlapiano – Pittsfield, MA

Ethan Shaw – Pittsfield, MA

Nick Trapiani – Pittsfield, MA

Naomi Tayi – Pittsfield, MA

Job Vengali – Pittsfield, MA

Grace Wallis – San Marino, CA

WATER PEOPLE:

Miriam: Katasha Acosta – Gainesville, FL by way of Havana, Cuba

Pastor: Ryan Haddad – Parma, Ohio

Tameka Bennett – Mobile, AL

Jetta Berthiaume – Pittsfield, MA

Zachery Berthiaume – Pittsfield, MA

Aileen Bliss – Stockbridge, MA

Chloe Boehm – Pittsfield, MA

Gael K. Bryant – Williamstown, MA

Jennifer Daley – Pittsfield, MA

Lyndsay deManbey – Sandisfield, MA

Joan Diver – Williamstown, MA

Maura Dubuque – East Greenbush, NY

Carolyn Fabricant – North Adams, MA

Isaac Gotterer – Lenox, MA

Emma-Margaret Gregory – North Adams, MA

Krishan Gutschow Rai – Williamstown, MA

Tashi Gutschow Rai – Williamstown, MA

Chris Hall – North Adams, MA

LouAnn Hazelwood – Leeds, MA

Piper Jacobs – North Adams, MA

Tess Johnstadt – Williamstown, MA

Kameron Knott – Katy, TX

Kate Lauzon – Pittsfield, MA

Michael Lively – North Adams, MA

Carter Marks – Lee, MA

Bella Maisonneuve – Pittsfield, MA

Karen McNulty – Pittsfield, MA

Meghan Mongeon – North Adams, MA

Eva Moser – North Adams, MA

Michael Ortiz – Stamford, FL

Maggie Seckler – New York, NY

Courtney Pontier – North Adams, MA

Keya Robertson – Pittsfield, MA

Ed Sedarbaum – Williamstown, MA

Ginger Sumner – Pittsfield, MA

Sam Tucker-Smith – Williamstown, MA

Regina Velázquez – Williamstown, MA

Serafina Velázquez – Williamstown, MA

Xavi Velázquez – Williamstown, MA

Sonal Vyas – Williamstown, MA

Arya Vyas – Williamstown, MA

Stella Waynick – Williamstown, MA

Linda White – Williamstown, MA

Maxine Wisbaum – Pittsfield, MA

RANGERS:

Scott: Keshav Moodliar – New Delhi, India

John: Brendan Dalton – Upper Darby, PA

Ranger Dad: Christopher ‘BIGZDAKING’ Barton – North Adams, MA

Hook: Xaida Brazeean – Chesire, MA

Steel: Michael Obasohan – North Adams, MA

Dead Drop: Danny Trotter – North Adams, MA

Julian Abelskamp – Santa Cruz, CA

Marion Cimini – Pittsfield, MA

Lottie Dustin – Williamstown, MA

Wendy Jones-Gregory – Williamstown, MA

Jeff Kosharek – Rochester, NY

Marilyn Larkin – Pittsfield, MA

Barbara Mahony – Pittsfield, MA

Yamalia Marks – Malibu, CA

Bradford Rosenbloom – Pittsfield, MA

William Valles – Barrington, RI

BANSHEES:

Lead Banshee: Jessy Yates – Broadview Heights, Ohio

Drums: Otha Day – North Adams, MA

Cindy Keiderling – Lee, MA

Fatima Anaza – Houston, TX

Mary Ellen Cangelosi – Williamstown, MA

Phil Case – Westfield, MA

John Chapdelaine – Westfield, MA

Natalie Celebi – Bath, ME

Mary Deyo – Westfield, MA

Karel Fisher – Richmond, MA

Karel Fisher – New Rochelle, NY

Carolyn Kettig – New York, NY

Donna Leaf – West Springfield, MA

Shira Lynn – Williamstown, MA

Chrissy Margevicius – Cleveland, OH

Doris McNabb – Williamstown, MA

Carol Neuhaus – Housatonic, MA

Angel Rathbaum – Lee, MA

Phyllis Riley – Williamstown, MA

Kathleen Ryan – Housatonic, MA

Leslie Scarlett – Lenox, MA

Rachel Skalka – Woodbridge, CT

Shannon Spargo – East Berne, NY

Susan Taylor – Pittsfield, MA

Reiko Yamada – Williamstown, MA/ Sapporo, Japan

BAND:

Vocals: Cali Cybulski – Pittsfield, MA

Saxophone/Guitar: Zev Jarrett – Richmond, MA

Vocals: Grace Ida Marks – Lee, MA

Guitar: Dan O’Connell – North Adams, MA

Guitar: Vladimir Zeleny – Pittsfield, MA

Bass: Tyler Shaw – Adams, MA

Drums: David Ball – Stephenville, TX

dysFUNKcrew:

Becky Ahamad – Chesire, MA

Jamal Ahamad – Chesire, MA

Ashton Darrett – North Adams, MA

Michael Obasohan – North Adams, MA

                    REVIEW: “Once Upon a Time in the Berkshires” in Williamstown Williamstown Theatre Festival Engages the Berkshire Community by Barbara Waldinger Williamstown Theatre Festival, in its second season of COMMUNITY WORKS, has proven that is it no longer the distant “Theatre on the Hill,” but an active participant in the life of the Berkshires. 

[themusicenthusiast]

Pokey LaFarge confirms extensive summer tour, new album out May 19

Pokey LaFarge and his longtime band will embark on an extensive summer tour, including stops at Chicago’s Metro, Nashville’s Mercy Lounge, New York’s Bowery Ballroom and Rough Trade and Philadelphia’s World Café Live. Tickets go on-sale this Friday, March 10. See below for complete details.

The tour celebrates LaFarge’s anticipated new full-length album, Manic Revelations, which will be released May 19 on Rounder Records. In advance of the release, the album’s lead track, “Riot In The Streets” recently premiered at KCMP’s The Current (stream/purchase now). Of the song, The Current praises, “Pokey LaFarge tries to make sense of trouble he’s seen and trouble he’s been in. This is the Great Why of his unending passion for songwriting. Each chord, each riff shades the stories he sets up in his lyrics, always in search of the purest truth within the 10 forlorn, haunting melodies on Manic Revelations. A musician, a storyteller, a narrator of the messy, unkempt American experience…Pokey LaFarge sits, he watches, he writes. Everything that’s worth happening happens in his songs.”

Of his inspiration behind the song, LaFarge shares:

It is a tough thing to write about, but as a citizen of St. Louis and as an artist, I had to say something. Hopefully this song does more good than bad and, ultimately, gets the dialogue started. Although it’s also important to not forget the peaceful protests and those that spread the message of love in the pursuit of justice and equality, this particular song is about people being marginalized and brought to the brink. It was only a matter of time before they fight back. I hope you feel that tension in the songeven from the first bass click.

Recorded in LaFarge’s hometown of St. Louis, Manic Revelations features 10 new original songs and was produced by the Southside Collective—LaFarge, Joey Glynn (bass), Ryan Koenig (harmonica, guitjo, electric guitar), Adam Hoskins (electric guitar), Matt Meyer (drums, percussion), Luc Klein (trumpet, euphonium, piano, glockenspiel), Alec Spiegelman (saxophone, piano, tubax, organ, clarinet, flute), David Beeman (tambourine, stylophone, guitar, organ)—along with additional production by Tony Hoffer.

“The manic revelation is the state where artists create,” says LaFarge. “I got to the point in writing these songs where I felt like a house on fire that just kept burning.” He continues, “This album is about confronting yourself. It’s about confronting your city, its relation with the world, and all its people.”

Tour Dates:

June 15—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue 16—Chicago, IL—Metro 17—Detroit, MI—Magic Stick 18—Grand Rapids, MI—Pyramid Scheme 21—Indianapolis, IN—The Vogue 22—Nashville, TN—Mercy Lounge 23—Hamilton, OH—RiversEdge Amphitheater 24—Owensboro, KY—ROMP: Bluegrass Roots & Branches Festival 25—Asheville, NC—The Grey Eagle 29—Milwaukee, WI—Summerfest* 30—Cleveland, OH—Beachland Ballroom July 1—Pittsburgh, PA—The Rex Theatre 2—Toronto, ON, Canada—Horseshoe Tavern 6—Ottawa, ON, Canada—RBC Blues Ottawa Festival 7—Burlington, VT—Higher Ground 8—Cambridge, MA—The Sinclair 9—Portsmouth, NH—Prescott Park 12—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom 13—Brooklyn, NY— Rough Trade NYC 14—Philadelphia, PA—World Cafe Live Downstairs 15—Greenfield, MA—Green River Festival 16— Mt. Solon, VA—Red Wing Roots Festival @ Natural Chimneys Park August 4—Wichita, KS—Wichita Vortex Music Festival†

*appearing with Brian Setzer

†appearing with Dwight Yoakam