Think of the filibuster as a check valve that only goes one way. To the right. — I can recall the days of Trump. I distinctly recall Trump calling for the end of the filibuster. Then Senate Leader Mitch McConnell refused to consider the notion, much less put it to a vote. Former President Donald Trump (the former guy), one of the most popular politicians in history…

You’re too late — The mantra of the Republican Party is “states’ rights”. Everywhere I turn I see them extolling the virtues of states’ rights. Lately, states’ rights have been the GOP’s defense of new rules enacted in many states that impose greater restrictions on voters. It seems to them that states have the…

There is no escaping the consequences of our actions. — It is pretended by some that we can destroy without consequence, that we can give without consequence and that we can separate our own fate from that of another, whether we do good or bad. …

Imagine you’re on the beach, hip-deep in water. The sun is shining, there is a gentle breeze, and the water feels cool around you on a warm day. You feel the waves go in and out. The scene is almost like a dream. And then you notice a big wave…

Simplicity and transparency in the tax code have never been promoted by Republicans like this. — I’ve seen a lot of unhappiness about the Inflation Reduction Act, the giant budget bill just passed by the Senate with a vote scheduled soon for the House. You can find a one-page summary here. The highlights of the bill are shown below:

Evan McMullin is a lot closer to winning than the “champion of term limits” Senator would like. — I am relieved to see that one of the biggest shills for Big Business, has a worthy challenger on his hands. I don’t like Mike Lee. I will admit that he has had a tiny few ideas that I’ve liked. But he’s a member of the Party of No. He’s…

And an American mercenary says, “Who cares?” — Boy did they take that down in a hurry. The video below was a great documentary on the present state of weapons deliveries to Ukraine. It’s not on YouTube, and it’s not on CBS, either. Maybe my search bubble has failed me. We are dumping tons of weapons in…

Let’s look for some really uncomfortable common ground. — Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled in Dodd vs. Jackson Health, I got my first wind of the concepts of fetal personhood and the rights of the fetus. Until then, I had never really considered the rights of the fetus. I really don’t think that conservatives have thought their little…

Pay attention to what they do, not what they say. — There is a myth floating around that says that the GOP stands for freedom and that the Democrats do not. I’ve seen this over and over again. The GOP says that they want lower taxes, fewer regulations, and a smaller government. Then they point to the Democrats and call them…