Pleasant Politics
- The Downside of Trump’s Popularity With Young Men Is That Young Men, Who Are Stupid, Might Forget to Voteslate.com The Downside of Trump’s Popularity With Young Men
Could Trump's recent podcast appearances shift a crucial number of young people into his column?
- Debate in nuclear-armed former colony fails to reassure global communitywww.aljazeera.com Debate in nuclear-armed former colony fails to reassure global community
The chaotic face-off between Trump and Harris added to concerns over the state of US democracy.
- MAGA Is Turning against Laura Loomerwww.newsweek.com MAGA is turning against Laura Loomer
Donald Trump ally Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Laura Loomer of making "appalling and extremely racist" remarks.
Several prominent members of Donald Trump's MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement are urging the former president to cut ties with controversial activist Laura Loomer, with one ally in Congress accusing the former Florida House candidate of making "appalling and extremely racist" remarks.
The anger came after Loomer was pictured with Trump at two 9/11 memorial events on Wednesday after she posted a racially charged diatribe aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris on X, formerly Twitter.
- The Supreme Court’s Effort to Save Trump Is Already Workingwww.theatlantic.com The Supreme Court’s Effort to Save Trump Is Already Working
The conservative justices created so many avenues for challenge and confusion that the Court functionally collaborated in Trump’s strategy of delay.
- Kamala Harris is making climate action patriotic. It just might work.grist.org Kamala Harris is making climate action patriotic. It just might work.
A new study suggests that framing the issue in terms of American values holds promise for motivating people across the political spectrum.
- Donald Trump threatens to imprison Biden, Harris, Pelosi, and others. Experts are worriedwww.usatoday.com Donald Trump threatens to imprison Biden, Harris, Pelosi, and others. Experts are worried
Donald Trump is threatening to prosecute and imprison his political enemies. Experts on democracy and the rule of law told USA TODAY the risk is real.
- Don Jr. confronted by restaurant owner who lost half of customers over Trump supportwww.rawstory.com Don Jr. confronted by restaurant owner who lost half of customers over Trump support
Donald Trump Jr. was confronted by a restaurant owner who said he lost half of his customers because he supported his father's presidential bid.During a live chat on his Triggered podcast, Trump was caught off guard as he read a message from Allen Brenycz, who owns a restaurant in Minnesota.Brenycz ...
- What If Trump Wins? The chaos and lawlessness of the first term could pale in comparison to what comes next.www.rollingstone.com What If Trump Wins?
The chaos and lawlessness of the first term could pale in comparison to what comes next.
- Republicans threaten a government shutdown unless Congress makes it harder to votewww.vox.com Republicans threaten a government shutdown unless Congress makes it harder to vote
The exhausting dance that precedes every single government funding battle has begun.
- Belgium drops terror charge in case involving Israeli weapons firmelectronicintifada.net Belgium drops terror charge in case involving Israeli weapons firm
Trial will take place amid the Gaza genocide.
- Trump lawyer corrects self after saying Clarence Thomas 'directed' defensewww.newsweek.com Trump lawyer corrects self after saying Clarence Thomas 'directed' defense
An attorney for the former president argues is challenging special counsel Jack Smith's authority in the election subversion case.
- Trump wants his bro voters to believe he's a "fun" misogynist — but JD Vance gives up the gamewww.salon.com Trump wants his bro voters to believe he's a "fun" misogynist — but his abortion bans say otherwise
Trump's abortion flip-flop is a distraction from MAGA's true goal: Tie young people down with marriage and kids
- Harris leads Trump in polls, but remains an underdog due to the Electoral Collegewww.msnbc.com Harris leads Trump in polls, but remains an underdog due to the Electoral College
Her campaign is ahead or moving up in all the right places, but Trump still has a path.
- Local election workers are quitting at ‘an unprecedented rate’ because of ‘threats and harassment’www.msnbc.com Local election workers are quitting at ‘an unprecedented rate’ because of ‘threats and harassment’
Scripps News disinformation correspondent Liz Landers joins Ali Vitali to discuss the threats that election workers are experiencing due to conspiracy theories around the 2020 election.
- Neoliberal Policies Associated With Reaganomics Actually Started With Cartertruthout.org Neoliberal Policies Associated With Reaganomics Actually Started With Carter
Historian David N. Gibbs, author of “The Revolt of the Rich,” says we mustn’t whitewash President Carter’s record.
- Unions are taking more prominent roles in U.S. politics as support for labor rises
Back here in the U.S., Labor Day, the holiday to celebrate American workers, is a moment when labor unions hold parades and picnics to celebrate their role in giving members a voice in the workplace. But in an election year, Labor Day is also about politics. And as NPR's Don Gagne reports, this year labor is playing an especially visible role in the presidential race:
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If you're looking for an example of how unions and the election are intertwined, look no further than the United Auto Workers' combative president, Sean Fein:
"Kamala Harris is one of us. She's a fighter for the working class. And Donald Trump is a scab."
That was at the recent Democratic National Convention, where a parade of union leaders spoke. Other high-profile speakers also gave labor a shout-out. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embedded hers in this attack on Trump:
"And I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed, trampling on our way of life."
Democrats need labor to turn out. Liz Shuler is the president of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization. She says in key battleground states, union members make up 20 percent of the vote. Plus, it's also significant that public support for unions is the highest it's been since the 1960s. We've had historic highs the last several years. Young people under the age of 30 are the most pro-union. So what does that speak to? It speaks to the fact that the economy has been broken for young people for way too long. Meanwhile, Donald Trump also sees union support as key. But he doesn't need a majority of voters there. He just needs to shrink the Democrats' traditional lead with labor. That's what helped him carry Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and the presidency in 2016. But four years later, Joe Biden won each of those states, in part by restoring Democrats' level of support with unions. Which brings us to this year. Here's Trump at the Republican National Convention:
"And the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately, and every single auto worker, union and non-union, should be voting for Donald Trump."
Mike Hinton is a General Motors retiree who talked to NPR as he headed to a Trump rally this summer in Saginaw, Michigan. Personally, he says he ignores his union's candidate endorsements. Here's why this former Democrat backs Trump:
"We're a mess overseas. They don't respect us over there. I says our economy is out of hand for the elderly folks especially, and we need a change and we need to get them back in there to get things under control again."
Still more common are union members like Raquel Harvey, who was cheering on the Harris Walls ticket when they held a rally at a UAW local outside Detroit. Harvey says she does want to hear what her union thinks about candidates:
"Anybody the UAW endorses, you know, they support the working class, so it has a big effect on, you know, my decisions that I will make when I'm voting."
Unions are also stepping up their social media presence, like this UAW TikTok with audio of Trump joking with Elon Musk about firing workers who strike:
"But they go and strike and you say, that's okay, you're all gone."
But even with all the increased social media, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler says the most important way to reach union voters is still union members talking at work, in the break room, or after hours:
"Union members will be the ones who will be at the center of their communities, educating voters, bringing their friends and family and their neighbors and coworkers to the polls. That old-fashioned person-to-person getting people to the polls is what the labor movement's bread and butter is."
The election is nine weeks from tomorrow. Shuler sees it as a sprint, with union activists trying to reach a critical group of voters. Don Gagne, NPR News, Detroit.
- Tulsi Gabbard’s journey to Donald Trump is an ominous sign of Putin’s powerwww.salon.com Tulsi Gabbard’s journey to Donald Trump is an ominous sign of Putin’s power
From Democrat to pro-Putin isolationist: How did Tulsi Gabbard get here?
- A bit old but I still can't stop laughing
Look how angry this little turd nugget is. He's a manipulative psychopath who has every reason to be the villain in any story.
- Radical? Far left? Kamala Harris’s policies are just common sense to most Americans | Bernie Sanderswww.theguardian.com The ‘far-left agenda’ is exactly what most Americans want | Bernie Sanders
Fox News and Trump claim that Kamala Harris is a wild radical. This is not the case
- Trump property hosting Jan. 6 awards gala: 'Absolutely horrid'www.newsweek.com Donald Trump hosting Jan. 6 awards gala sparks fury: 'Absolutely horrid'
A gala to raise money for those arrested after the January 6 2021 Capitol Hill riot is being held at a Trump owned resort.
- Russian military bloggers are panicking after Telegram chief's arrestwww.newsweek.com Russian military bloggers are panicking after Telegram chief's arrest
Russian-born Pavel Durov was detained after his private jet landed at a Paris airport on Saturday evening.
- Kamala Harris's housing plan is most aggressive since post-World War II boom, experts sayfortune.com Kamala Harris’s housing plan is the most aggressive since post–World War II boom, experts say
“Our lack of affordable housing will continue to depress savings, opportunity, and growth in ways that will do long-term harm to the nation’s economy.”
- Music legend’s son says emergency court date granted in lawsuit against Donald Trumpwww.pennlive.com Music legend’s son says emergency court date granted in lawsuit against Donald Trump
The legendary singer's son is not backing down as he takes on the former president.
- Hagai El Ad: Israel’s sham investigations cannot whitewash horrific abuse of Palestinian prisonerswww.irishtimes.com Hagai El Ad: Israel’s sham investigations cannot whitewash horrific abuse of Palestinian prisoners
Over decades, the Israeli system perfected its ability to use brutal violence against Palestinians without having to pay a price for it. That may be about to change
- The My Pillow Guy shaved and put on a disguise to troll the DNC - promptly got murdered by a 12 year old in 60 seconds or less
From https://twitter.com/ItsDeanBlundell
- New Mexico 2024: Harris 52%, Trump 42% - Emerson Pollingemersoncollegepolling.com New Mexico 2024: Harris 52%, Trump 42% - Emerson Polling
Heinrich 49%, Domenici 37% A new Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey in New Mexico finds…Full Release & Results
- Disrupting Punchbowl News Event, Climate Advocates Say Exxon 'Should Have No Place at the DNC' | Common Dreamswww.commondreams.org Disrupting Punchbowl News Event, Climate Advocates Say Exxon 'Should Have No Place at the DNC' | Common Dreams
Climate campaigners disrupt a Punchbowl News event sponsored by ExxonMobil on the sidelines of the DNC, calling for an end to fossil fuel involvement in politics.
Pretty pathetic for democrats to be collaborating with Exxon in 2024.
- Are White Nationalists Behind The GOP’s Worker Surveillance Push?www.levernews.com Are White Nationalists Behind The GOP’s Worker Surveillance Push?
A nonprofit with hate group ties is using a major GOP apparatus to push a controversial employee verification system to crush immigration.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Prime-Time Speech Reflects Long March To Mainstreamwww.huffpost.com Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Prime-Time Speech Reflects Long March To Mainstream
The New York congresswoman shook the establishment when she ousted a senior Democrat but has since become a progressive inside player.
- ‘Central Park Five’ member Yusef Salaam invited to DNC for convention speechwww.semafor.com ‘Central Park Five’ member Yusef Salaam invited to DNC for convention speech | Semafor
The New York City Councilman could rebut Donald Trump’s Black outreach efforts.
- 'Huge Win': Abortion Rights Amendment Will Be on Arizona Ballot in Novemberwww.commondreams.org 'Huge Win': Abortion Rights Amendment Will Be on Arizona Ballot in November | Common Dreams
Reproductive rights advocates in Arizona celebrated a key victory late Monday after the state formally certified their proposed ballot measure, which aims to establish "a fundamental right to abortion" in Arizona's constitution.
- At O.C. event, JD Vance said divorces after unhappy, 'even violent' marriages 'didn't work out for the kids'www.latimes.com At 2021 O.C. event, JD Vance said divorces after unhappy, 'even violent' marriages 'didn't work out for the kids'
Vance said Americans beginning to 'shift spouses like they change their underwear' led to 'a lot of very, very real family dysfunction.'
- Universal school vouchers rarely benefit school-aged children, yet conservatives widely support themwww.reckon.news Universal school vouchers rarely benefit school-aged children, yet conservatives widely support them
A growing body of evidence shows school vouchers have the potential to wreak deep monetary and academic havoc on the children those programs claim to serve.
- Manipur: Waiting for peace in Indian state divided by violencewww.bbc.com Manipur: Waiting for peace in Indian state divided by violence
More than a year has passed since deadly violence broke out in Manipur state, but normalcy is a long way off.