DramatistDreamer

Apparently, both sides of Congress have come up with some reconciled tax bill which, to no surprise, is said to favor the wealthy and corporations.

Oh well. via GIPHY

Very informative thread on the grassroots efforts to get out the votes. I have had my critiques of the effectiveness of today's NAACP but the Alabama chapter really stepped up their efforts in this special election! Believe it or not, I try to avoid Trump's tweets but I did hear stirrings about what many described as his insulting, rabidly sexist and misogynistic comments about Sen. Gillibrand. And this is the president that we all are supposed to treat as a "normal" head of state?? Are we supposed to give this respect??

Despite voter suppression, this happened.

Seven months pregnant? Where?? Seriously, though, she looks fantastic!

I posted this in the harassers thread but this does take on a political edge since this man was one of the pundit/journos who helped to frame how HRC was written about during her candidacy. Yes, ANOTHER one!

Unfortunately, it already had before Batali. John Besh is not as well-known but he had been in the news for sexual harassment allegations. Famed New Orleans chef steps down from his company amid sexual harassment allegations

Although I don't watch The Chew, I just know that next new episode is going to be uncomfortable for the hosts.

People keep trying to make the criticisms against Trump a Democrat thing while slyly forgetting to mention that many Republicans have become staunchly anti-Trump. @juppiter you may want to take a look at this. It's not simply along party lines. Personally, I don't see Franken coming back but I posted this because I think it's interesting that a Republican views Trump as a serious threat and he's not the only one, by the way.

Do people really think that Baldwin and Apatow are liberal heroes? This is the first time I've heard of this! I know that Baldwin has a history of being verbally abusive toward the women in his life (and possibly physically abusive) and Apatow's portrayal of women in films has been described as leaving a lot to be desired (I admit to seeing very little of Apatow's work). Didn't we discuss t he Murray Miller/Lena Dunham matter a few pages back? There was a black blogger who used to write for Dunham's blog and quit and wrote and open letter that put her on blast for her comments about Perrineau. Perhaps it was discussed elsewhere and I'm thinking it was here. I would be surprised if anyone was checking for anything Dunham says. Her narcissism is well documented by now. I've talked to other friends about the very interesting dynamic of how Black women's views have continually been disregarded from the election to the revamped #MeToo movement (see the reaction to Lupita N'yongo compared to everyone else). Those of us who are Black women are not surprised by the immediate pushback on Perrineau's allegations-- this the history of Black women in America (see Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, to Anita Hill ) whose stories and feelings are usually discounted. This is only new and a surprise to others.

The media doesn't want to talk about many things, they simplify the narrative to the most basic criteria, therefore many people have a simplistic view of topics, especially in politics. I've been mentioning voter intimidation and suppression since before the election and many people didn't want to discuss it but it is real and it is active. Alabama for example has closed DMVs in areas with concentrated Black populations while they simultaneously implemented a strict voter I.D. law. As for Ruffalo, I wouldn't be surprised if his tweet (Trump has made tweets outsized declarations now) were being used for some last minute campaigning and fundraising. The GOP is always decrying 'elitist Hollywood'. He's entitled to his views and opinions like anyone else but he seems misguided here. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and I don't want to keep going in circles but I will have to simply agree to disagree with you @juppiter. Anyone who is reading beyond the superficial news that the media chooses to focus on daily knows that the Trump administration is doing real and lasting damage. Scott Pruitt's changes to the EPA are creating lasting damage by undoing protections for the air and water quality, as well as land. The way that the Trump has gone into overdrive to remake the federal bench is horrifying. This is unprecedented (or "unpresidented" as Trump would tweet). Perhaps this is why the response has been unprecedented. It's not just words, with the Trump administration, it is also actions that are doing lasting damage.

A highly rated and experienced diplomat wrote a fiery resignation to Rex Tillerson, complaining of how little regard the Trump administration has for the State Department and that it is driving the most experienced diplomats right out the door. Star U.S. Diplomat Quits With Fiery Letter To Rex Tillerson

I don't equate Trump to Obama. Trump has never tried to be civil. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the response has been so vehement. I do think that the Bernie faction has helped steer the Democrats further left than they used to be. Obama, if you recall, also had detractors on the left as well. There were some things that Obama did not do, for various reasons but he achieved a great deal with a far different economy, one that was under duress. Trump simply doesn't have the type of problems and challenges that Obama had. Also, Obama didn't get into screaming matches with various people on twitter. Many of the things that said about Obama about 'death panels', etc were fallacies. Sadly, many of the regressive policies that Trump promotes are not fiction, they're real. I discuss politics passionately on this message board but as for social media, I have blocked any and all tweets from Trump. Unfortunately tweets about and from him still cross my TL. I'm sorry but as a Black woman from an immigrant background, I was never going to support a president who is racist and xenophobic. I don't have that luxury. I don't know what else to say but comparing Trump and Obama are non-starters for me. Trump has forever changed the presidency, he doesn't operate within the same rules of engagement and he gives as good as he gets. He has shown that he has no interest in being the president of all, just some, it should come as no surprise that others who feel disrespected, do not feel the obligation to show him the type of deference usually afforded to a head of state. He has been insulting right from the campaign and he persists in insulting people still, not just with words but with policy. The articles that I have read about what goes on behind the scenes at the White House are frightening and appalling. He still speaks to neo-fascists and alt-right. I don't know how anyone of good conscience is supposed to be cool with that. By the way, Mark Ruffalo, in the past has also criticized Obama (as has Susan Sarandon). Obama acted civilly to everyone, even to all of his detractors and didn't carry a persecution complex about it. He just went on about doing his job.

Does anyone actually believe that this would not backfire? What is he thinking??

Yeah, I was looking at the map and thinking that VA and IL are the only two states that I could realistically see signing on. VA especially.

Okay, we know that Moore can be a rank opportunist but it is valid to bring up this issue, which is especially timely.

Yes, around '89 when Bianca was living/working at Tonio's after recently being brought from Montega, she and Paul did briefly date. This was around the time Paul would have a fling with Emily (who threw him over for Brock), that his friendship blossomed to a sweet little romance with Bianca. Ironically, Karina Arroyave has remained in touch with Melanie Smith who played 80s Emily.

Numbers don't lie, even when the president does.

By the way, I do recognize that there are levels. I don't regard Franken to be near the same level as Weinstein or uh Trump. Franken, at the very least expressed shame which I don't believe Weinstein feels, certainly Trump feels no shame as he as bragged about it. Until I have reason to doubt his sincerity, I will take Franken at his word that he intends to 'do the work' required to make amends and bring more light to this issue, particularly how it affects women and helps in bringing about improvements. That personal work will have to be done on his own, as it will for any other man who has in any way harassed or undermined women and wants to make amends. I feel there should be space for everyone to bring about reform, not least of all, in themselves. Men from all walks of life need to be involved in the process of making fundamental change, provided that they are sincere. We need men to be involved. I am in no way trying to imply that we leave men out of the process-- that would be foolish. I am simply (not so simply) stating that I think that the women (including those who have not come forward) who didn't get the opportunities to reach their potential due to sexual harassment, assaults, intimidation haven't been considered as much as the fallen men and that needs to change.

Yeah, despite the fact that I think it's cool when a show can bring back so much of its original cast and I even mused about it in the show's thread, I don't intend to watch.