DramatistDreamer

An ad from Randy Bryce, who will be running against Paul Ryan. His twitter handle is @IronStashe.

The GOP is determined to sneak some damn ACA replacement bill in, no matter how poorly written, even if they have to hide the contents. How despicable. Speaking of despicable, come on, is this really happening? A pro-Trump group is using Obama's voice out of context in radio ad for Georgia's special election

I'm not sure I can even describe myself as cautiously optimistic. Certainly wary. With the current balance of SCOTUS right now and also their recent ruling in the Wisconsin redistricting decision.

Stan's ex-wife and daughter were at the RG finals this year, albeit some rows behind Donna. Stan was getting dragged for it but maybe it was by choice? People also joked that Ilham likely showed up to make sure that she got the child support by getting it directly out of Stan's prizemoney.

Just by looking at the names on this list, you can see the diversity. This is why so many of us were pissed when certain segments on the left tried to suggest that somehow it was problematic to assert the platform of POC, women and LGBTQ to the Democratic agenda. Because often times when it comes time to defend the country and die for the country, these are the very same people who have stepped up in large numbers. What people like Trump and those of his ilk would rather not acknowledge is that there is significant number of undocumented veterans, a good number of whom have been awarded posthumous citizenship after being killed in action, yet you don't hear much of an acknowledgement in political chatter and pronouncements. Has Trump even mentioned these sailors by name yet in the numerous tweets he's rattled off?

I wouldn't be surprised if Russia were secretly happy about the reversal of the U.S.' Cuba policy as it will be yet another country that Russia can tilt toward its sphere of influence. Russia slams Trump's 'Cold War' policy on Cuba Interesting interview on video with an analyst on Cuba from just before the announcement of the rollback of Obama's détente policy was made. Oh yeah, as a surprise to no one, Macron's LREM Party wins the majority of seats in the National Assembly.

It is cool that Jay Z is working with Color of Change who also did the Mother's Day initiative. Hopefully this will bring more attention to the problem of people being incarcerated for minor offenses, in particular.

Oh my.

I'm really happy for Felix Auger-Aliassime! Only 16 and just won his first title on the ATP Challenger Tour, defeating a 23 year old player, Mathias Bourgue! My favorite of the majors tends to be Wimbledon, probably because grass has become so rare and when the tournament first begins, it's almost like you can smell the fresh-cut grass. I like to listen to the clomp of tennis shoes on the lawn and I swear, it's like the acoustics of the ball coming off the strings of the racquet seems amplified! The French used to be my 2nd favorite when I was little but it has shifted behind the U.S. Open, which, for me, hasn't quite been the same, TV coverage-wise since it left USA broadcast but the matches are always exciting, especially in the evening and at night. I like the Australian Open and appreciate that they have probably been the most innovative of the majors- they were the first to get retractable roofs over a tennis court but the time difference is such a killer!

@DRW50 Those talk show clips were fun to watch, thanks for posting them! Marisa Tomei was so adorable back then. Boy, I could imagine the fit some people would have today if a Black man even fake punched a White woman! Kidding, sort of. Where is Eddie Hatch these days? Does anybody know? Tucker had such a strange non exit from the show. And, not for nothing but within a year after Tucker left Oakdale, Steve's business went straight to hell. I guess we know who was keeping the company's budget in line.

More on the Grenfell Tower tragedy. I've seen other videos but I will only post this one so as not to overwhelm. This is searing.

United States Commission on Civil Rights is launching an investigation of the Trump administration. Civil Rights Commission Will Launch Two-Year Probe of Trump Administration Also, 1/4 of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS have resigned in protest of Trump's policies. TRUMP DOESN’T CARE ABOUT HIV. WE’RE OUTTA HERE And speaking of incompetents in charge of nations, Yes @JaneAusten I've been following the tragedy of the Grenfell Towers fire. Just yesterday, I was looking through the online portfolio of an artist who died in the fire. It is heartbreaking, as well as infuriating, seeing as the Kensington area is one of the wealthiest areas in London, England, U.K. and probably the world. The tenants had complained for years and last year, apparently the tenants association wrote on their blog a warning that it appeared that nothing short of a catastrophic event would change the status quo. Sadly, they were right! These are the true snowflakes. Why is it that Delta Airlines felt the need to announce that they were pulling support when they supported the production years ago, when an African American actor bearing a resemblance to Obama was used in the production? These people clearly have no idea what the play is truly about and they're too ignorant to find out.

I agree. When that jury couldn't come to a verdict a few days ago, I knew it was going to benefit Cosby. Between this and the Philando Castile verdict, I just knew not to expect much from anything. Even in terms of Cosby's legacy, I feel pissed because The Cosby show was an entertaining show, a lot of people worked hard on it and now I won't be able to enjoy this. I know I sound whiney about this but that's been snatched away because of Cosby's actions or perhaps because people in charge ignored Cosby's actions as I've come to understand that he had a decades' long history.

None of these Republican Senators seems to have a cogent answer as to what the Senate version of the ACA repeal bill would do, let alone do better. Even more alarming is the fact that many of them appear not to have ever laid eyes on this so-called repeal bill. We asked 8 Senate Republicans to explain what their health bill is trying to do

Speaking of leaders who are mocking the U.S., this seems to be a joke to Vlad.

@adrnyc I'm glad that that there is finally someone who like me, loves 1986, it was my favorite year! 1986- to spring '87, was such good, tight story construction and most of the actors played their roles so well! As for how Barbara was received, I think she and Lisa had had a falling out quite awhile back due to Barbara's growing association with Lucinda. None of the episodes involving Barbara outing herself about her part in Tom and Margo's separation and near-divorce is on You Tube so unless those episodes are posted, you won't get to see 'Aunt' Kim's reaction to the whole thing. It was impressive how long Lily's maternity/paternity storyline went on before it was revealed. Soap writer's today seem to lack that discipline of writers back then. Today, that storyline would've been spoiled withing months of the viewers' discovery that Iva was her mother. Back then, it lasted at least a year and a half from when the audience found out to when Lily found out. I think the key was that Marland assumed that viewers were smart enough to figure that information out, so instead of trying to make the secret about who Lily's mother was, the secret became about when would Lily find out, how she would find out and what would the fallout be? So interesting to hear your thoughts on some of these characters. I know a few are not well liked by some on this board. Like, I heard one or two say that they thought Casey was boring. I always found Casey to be a fairly interesting character and one that is never written by today's soap writers: Working class backround yet highly intelligent, skilled and outspoken yet socially awkward, at times. I especially loved how the character was introduced, in modest doses until he was integrated fully onto the canvas, before driving story. Again, another thing that today's soapwriters don't seem to know how to do-- introduce new characters without having them 'eat the show', or immediately sticking them into a relationship with a veteran character. It's fun to hear your perspective on these stories.

This is what a President with a genuine sense of compassion truly looks like. I've been saying for awhile that a financial forensic expert needs to be hired to search for the money trail. I know it would be an exhaustive search but this man is at the helm of this country, if that isn't a reason to make the necessary time and effort, honestly, I don't know what is!

It is scary when you think of the reality that some of these people are teaching people in classrooms or are in positions of authority. Speaking of the reality of people in authority, take a gander at these statistics.

Not only this (which is bad enough) but the parents and loved ones of the Sandy Hook elementary victims are repeatedly harrassed across social media by these "hoaxers". I reported one a few days ago. Apparently there's been another shooting at a UPS? Madness!

The story of two asylum seekers who were detained by ICE as they waited for their asylum hearings at the USCIS buildings. Torture Victim, Expecting a U.S. Handshake, Was Given Handcuffs Instead First he celebrated the House passing the abominable AHCA, now he calls it "mean". This guy is all over the place! Trump, in Zigzag, Calls House Republicans’ Health Bill ‘Mean’ Business, not America is what really comes first, don't you think? Donald Trump gets preliminary approval for new China trademarks

Per usual, Kamala Harris is the only Senator to be interrupted. I told someone earlier today that I didn't expect anything of merit to come out of Session's hearing because he is patently dishonest and has shown previously that he has no problem perjuring himself under oath. He looked grossly incompetent to say the least.

How convenient that days after McCain remarks that America's standing in the world was better under Obama that Trump makes McCain's wife "Ambassador-at-Large" or some bogus title.

That's all any of us can do is truly try to be better. I wish more people were honest about this. 2016 was the first year that the effects of all those voter IDs were put into action in an actual general/presidential election. I don't think people truly have a sense of how much damage those voter ID laws had in the 2016 election. In most countries, the poor are active, engaged voters. The U.S. has historically low voter turnout because there are large sections of its populace that are marginalized and end up unable to participate in the voting process. Whether they are ex-cons who have not had their voting rights restored or cannot get time off from work to get to the polls before they close on a weekday. Many people fail to see what's the big deal about getting the ID but there are elderly Blacks in the South who don't own their birth certificate because they were never issued one and are prevented from getting acceptable ID because of it. There are people, for various reasons, who may be unable to physically make it to the DMV or low-income & working poor who cannot afford the cost of keeping up their ID so they let it lapse. Even people who switch addresses right before primaries and the information doesn't always get to the correct polling place. Then there is the amount of misinformation that is given to prospective voters (whether intentional or not) that discourages some from pursuing a course of action that would allow them to vote. The voter ID laws have made many existing issues that much worse and caused many not to vote this time around.

But the system has been this way for hundreds of years, it's not just now as some would claim. Still, there have been some very important changes. There just isn't the same level of corruption as when there were poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses and open voter intimidation or when Blacks and women were flat-out not allowed to vote. I do hope that elected officials who claim the system is rigged would not just say this for political points but constructively work to make actual change and fix the flaws in our electoral system. Jimmy Carter began a well respected organization that monitors votes for fair elections worldwide. And then there is Eric Holder's emerging project, that Obama has joined to deal with gerrymandering and electoral red-lining. These aren't sexy talking points but they can foster substantive change that improves the voting/election process.