Sleep More

Maybe we can sleep away the Trump years. Well, that's one advantage. The nice thing about being retired is being able to do things like trying to sleep more. I'm about halfway through Matthew Walker's very enjoyable book on "Why We Sleep." I've had a Fitbit for awhile that measures sleep and the time spent in various stages of it.

If you have time to spend watching it, here's a longish clip. If you were hoping to doze off you probably won't have much luck. He's very engaging.

Comforting Words From Josh Marshall

I tend to be something of an eternal optimist myself. As a Democrat in upstate NY it's a helpful ethos since defeats are so common.

We can lie down. We can stand up. We can walk forward. For my part, I can’t think the future is on the side of the American right when the man who now embodies is it is so consistently unpopular. But I will walk forward regardless.

Link

Seriously Bookmarked

Great editorial post by Josh Marshall blowing up two Trumpian lies.

Sarah Sanders just again complained that Democrats support “open borders and rampant crime” that she claims comes with “open borders.” These are straight up lies, so blatant and frequently repeated that I thought it was important to provide links here which can allow anyone who is willing to state and repeat the actual facts again and again and again.

This is my form of bookmarking. Thanks Josh. Wonderful!

Are You There Applauding, Elise?

Proud to be a Methodist

I didn't realize that Jeff Sessions was as well. That takes some of the luster off. Hillary is as well. In Sessions' case, his membership may be short-lived.

In an official statement issued and signed by hundreds of members of the United Methodist Church on Monday, June 18, the signatories filed a formal church complaint against Sessions that include, among others, child abuse.

Sessions was also charged with other violations of the United Methodist Book of Discipline for Immorality, Racial Discrimination, and for his use of Romans 13 in his recent statement, "Dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church."

The Post Star and I Agree

Tedra Cobb endorsement:

It was very clear early in our meeting with Tedra Cobb that she is a force of nature.

She was enthusiastic, concise, engaging, passionate, and when she wanted to emphasize a point, she would lean far forward in her chair to be sure you understood.

She didn’t quite poke a finger in anyone’s chest, but she carried the room and showed she would not be ignored.

It's really a great field of candidates. I'm not a fan of Dylan Ratigan. Maybe I could grow to like him. Hoping that's not necessary. I could easily support Emily Martz, Patrick Nelson or Katie Wilson, though. 

Rick Wilson on Pledging the Frat

Oh fuck, just go read it. 

Ratigan Letter

In response to:     

I have a number of friends who never vote because they believe democracy is dead. And, if it is, not voting is precisely the reason. If you think there is a problem with the system, remember you are the system. There is a democratic primary election Tuesday, June 26 to choose who will be a candidate to represent us in Congress. All candidates appear to be an improvement over what we now have. But, Dylan Ratigan clearly stands out. One issue in particular brings Ratigan to the front, his stand on seriously addressing how money has corrupted our democracy. Take a close look at the cast of characters and you will choose Ratigan.

This:

I'd like to respond to Frederick Sistarenick's endorsement of Dylan Ratigan. He says, "I have a number of friends who never vote because they believe democracy is dead." I admire his effort to engage people and urge them to be involved in the electoral process, particularly in favor of Democrats. It seems ironic that he is supporting a candidate who has purportedly never voted. I cast my first vote at 19 for Jimmy Carter in 1976. He kept us out of senseless wars while I served. See what voting can do for you.

There's a strong effort by Republicans to disenfranchise some folks now. It's especially aimed at those of a darker hue than Mr. Ratigan and I. It's incumbent upon him to tell us how concerned he is about protecting this right since he's not exercising his own. He and I may not have much to worry about. Some do.

Mr. Sistarenick says, "Take a close look at the cast of characters and you will choose Ratigan." I was at the Moreau Community Center forum. He wasn't. I chose Tedra Cobb. She's been elected to office and presumably exercises her right to vote. I'll take governing experience over television experience. The latter hasn't served us well in the White House, at least in the eyes of us who are not drinking Kool-Aid. Maybe there's a legislative job in the Saranac area that Mr. Ratigan could run for. He might get some valuable training.

A Happy Thought From Charles Pierce

And, through it all, Robert Mueller will reach across his desk and pick up another file folder.

Rich Tourist Go Home!

If it's an ad hom attack it might just be a Funiciello sighting. This is in the comment thread at an article on the five Dem candidates for Congress in the district.

Gillibrand was a rich tourist (Albany) who used money and a scandal to bring down a bad man BEFORE the redistricting that left the GOP with a solid majority here.

Scott Murphy was a nice rich tourist (Missouri) who was lucky to win but who only squeaked by BEFORE the redistricting.

Bill Owens was a rich white tourist (Long Island) and a Republican who disguised himself as a Democrat and won the seat BEFORE redistricting.

Aaron Woolf was a rich tourist (Brooklyn) who LOST TERRIBLY ... AFTER the redistricting.

Mike Derrick was a rich tourist (Colorado) and a Republican who LOST terribly AFTER the redistricting.

There's much more, but it doesn't get better.

Because they are hapless and unobservant, the Dems are most likely to anoint Dylan Ratigan or Tedra Cobb. They will lose terribly as a result of either of these choices because hating Elise/the GOP/Trump is not really a platform and it will not inspire those much-needed crossover votes.

Told ya! This is the guy that ran as a Green in 2014 and remarkably got 11% of the vote mostly because there was no incumbent, he's local and both the other candidates were portrayed as carpetbaggers. In 2016 it was back to reality as people got to know what a jerk he is and he scored a little over 4%. He has never said a discouraging word about a Republican. 

My comment. Some of that references our last tête-à-tête. Yes, I still want to know if Lynn Kahn is vegan. Now I want to know if she's rich, too.  

Matt, how long has Lynn Kahn lived in the district? I haven't been able to find that. I did find that she's originally from NYC and has written a number of books. And what's her net worth? I want to know if she's a rich tourist like all the Dems you're slamming.

And you told me in another thread that I shouldn't vote for any of the Dems in this race because they're not vegans which I'm not you even know to be true. In any case, you didn't tell me if Kahn was a vegan or not.

After you lost in 2014 you said the Dems needed to run a woman. There are 3 in the race and you're still not happy.

And just because I didn't notice it before:

Out of curiosity Matt, though I still want to know if Lynn Kahn is vegan and if she's rich, why is Owens identified as white. Everyone else you talked about is too. 

Bill Owens was a rich white tourist (Long Island) and a Republican who disguised himself as a Democrat and won the seat BEFORE redistricting. 

I'm wearing my faux liberal disguise tonight. Boo!

Obit For a Fellow Letter Writer

I was very sad to see that Dr. Harvey had passed. I didn't know him, but have enjoyed his letters for some time. I was surprised to see that he was 98. A life well-lived.

A link (mostly) to his letters.

To pick one dear to my heart:

Despite the opposition of the gun industry and its ally the NRA who profit financially by opposing gun controls, there are obvious reasons for much more serious controls in the U.S.

And to those who argue that what we really need are more guns in the hands of all the people so that the legally armed can outshoot the illegal ones, I must disagree, that’s civil war. The fact that gun shooting deaths in the U.S. by psychos, grudge holders, emotionally disturbed, enemies, etc. far exceed that of any other modern democracy in the world means we’re doing something wrong. 

A second need  for more gun controls, and heretofore relatively unrecognized, appeared in a recent JAMA article entitled Getting Serious about Reducing Suicide, More “How” and Less “Why.” This point is well taken given the numerous and varied mental, emotional and physical factors involved, all of which are difficult to control and treat (i.e. the “Why”), whereas the use of a gun to actually commit suicide is much easier to control (i.e. the “How”).

The article calls the easy access to a firearm “The most important modifiable risk factor for suicide in the United States.” The case fatality rate for suicidal gun use is 84 percent, while the fatality for intentional self injury using other means is 4 percent. The next most lethal methods of suicide are hanging (69 percent) and falls (31 percent), but these account for fewer than half those by gun use.

This country should begin to treat firearm possession seriously as the rest of the world does.