Wisconsin voter suppression

I won the race for governor by less than 30,000 votes. This move pushed by Republicans to remove 200,000 Wisconsinites from the voter rolls is just another attempt at overriding the will of the people and stifling the democratic process. https://t.co/SQDjdsQ6HW
— Tony Evers (@Tony4WI) December 13, 2019

A right-wing lawsuit triggered a 200,000-voter purge in Wisconsin yesterday. But we still have same-day registration in this state. So now our job is to organize harder than they can suppress. https://t.co/jDF89Xn7Mr
— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) December 14, 2019

State judge orders huge purge of voters in predominantly Democratic areas in Wisconsin. https://t.co/MIy5WpFVR6
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) December 14, 2019

7% of Wisconsin’s registered voters could now be purged from voter rolls. Milwaukee & Madison account for 14% of state’s registered voters but 23% of purge list. This could have big impact on 2020 election https://t.co/e19GNQurjj
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) December 13, 2019

Good thread to follow up on my tweet earlier on the WI court case https://t.co/HM8uNNbkGd
— Jonathan Robinson 🤘 (@jon_m_rob) December 14, 2019

another point of view

Covers: Always on My Mind

The most famous version of “Always on My Mind” is by Willie Nelson. It was co-written by Wayne Carson who also wrote “The Letter” which was a hit for the Box Tops.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vpD_NqACYs

https://youtu.be/ESycrwzmxKk

The effect of climate change on baseball

Climate change has hit the Lone Star State, and the Texas Rangers baseball team is feeling the heat.

⚾️That's why they're ditching their old field for a $1.2 billion air-conditioned stadium https://t.co/5qCfZnTGMf
— Bloomberg Opinion (@bopinion) October 2, 2019

I think Baltimore, where I live, will have this problem eventually. It was sure hot this summer. Rain could be a problem too. You also have to wonder how it affects the players and the game. Doesn’t the ball travel further in hot weather?

I am guessing that the next Baltimore stadium will have a dome (and be in the suburbs).

I think you will see more domed stadiums in the future to counteract the heat and rain.

Could Climate Change Affect the Future of Baseball?

How Will Rising Temperatures Change Baseball?

Whether it’s a change in the baseballs themselves, better analytics or more robust player training, many have speculated about what could be behind the upward trend in MLB home runs.

But new research has raised another potential factor: climate change. https://t.co/m5KEwX63kn
— CNN (@CNN) April 7, 2023

NEW: Baseballs are flying further in a warmer #climate a new study finds. By @KashaPatel https://t.co/EC3ZyCntTl
— Juliet Eilperin (@eilperin) April 7, 2023

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A post shared by The Game Day MLB (@thegamedaymlb)

Covers: Land of 1000 Dances

The original version of “Land of 1000 Dances” was by Chris Kenner in 1962. There are well known covers by Cannibal & the Headhunters and Wilson Pickett.

A version by the Walker Brothers is in the 2021 film Last Night in Soho.

https://youtu.be/QDxfCywWgaE

Trump and farmers

Trump has shafted farmers with his trade wars but many support him anyway. Could that have something to do with white nationalism?

Farmers were given $32 billion bail-out just last year largely due to the anti-conservative trade war started and lost by @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/CDs4vjEzzt
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) August 16, 2020

Farmers stick with President Trump over trade: "We've gone this far" https://t.co/NLcUdE7yAx pic.twitter.com/Gsmiy5TpXZ
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 7, 2019

Half of the Trump administration’s latest trade-war bailout for farmers went to just a 10th of recipients in the program https://t.co/ldqL7oi8vR
— Catherine Rampell (@crampell) November 30, 2019

South Dakota farmer Chris Dykshorn took his own life, despondent over what the trade war and flooded fields had done to his family's finances. A chilling, gut-wrenching @anniegowen piece that must be read by all. https://t.co/WeowUpeZX8
— Damian Paletta (@damianpaletta) November 9, 2019

Gulp…

“Almost 40% of projected farm profit this year will come from trade aid, disaster assistance, federal subsidies and insurance payments, according to the report, based on Department of Agriculture forecasts. That’s $33 billion of a projected $88 billion in income.” https://t.co/xziDPhxoHl
— Shawn Donnan (@sdonnan) October 30, 2019

Billionaire West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s farming company took in $121,398 in soybeans subsidies and $3,602 for corn — despite the fact that the median payments for the federal program designed to aid farmers are $6,438 and $152, respectively.https://t.co/Ab6htatHld
— Axios (@axios) October 18, 2019

Make Brazil Great Again?

Trump administration gives crooked Brazilian meatpacker another taxpayer-funded bailout despite bipartisan outrage https://t.co/IwhCKCOzlv
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 10, 2020

If you're following along at home, conservatives are supporting a huge bailout for farmers, to offset a trade war, to buy off rural voters… https://t.co/qoT7ajUzDc
— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) January 10, 2020

Update on Trump Judges – 12/13/19

Trump has made a lasting impact on the federal judicial system through his many appointments. McConnell blocked Obama from making appointments which created vacancies for Trump. Some of Trump’s appointments are unqualified but he doesn’t care. I don’t think Trump, who is clearly a criminal (based on payments to women, his foundation, Trump U, emoluments in addition to the Russia/Ukraine stuff), should be appointing judges.

McConnell confirmed as many circuit court judges this week as he did the entire last two years of Obama’s presidency.

It’s no accident that Trump inherited so many vacancies. All part of their plan to stack the courts with lifetime judges who’ll roll back our rights for decades. https://t.co/Xg6DTDpzsb
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 13, 2019

This is as cynical and ugly as it gets. McConnell openly and giddily admits that he embarked on what he calls "the judges project" — deigned to keep federal judgeships vacant under the Democratic president and hold the #stolenseats so they could ONLY be filled by a Republican. https://t.co/2vvqmunPBm
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 13, 2019

The American Bar Association warned that VanDyke was too lazy to be a judge. The ABA's assessment was corroborated internal emails at VanDyke's workplace.

Rather than saying to Trump "can you send us someone who wants to work?" GOP senators attacked the ABA. https://t.co/3e4rIZHak5
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) December 11, 2019

APPALLING: Senate Republicans just confirmed Lawrence VanDyke to the 9th Circuit – Trump’s 50th circuit court judge. Yes, FIFTY.

VanDyke has a TERRIBLE civil rights record and was rated Not Qualified by the ABA. Now he has a lifetime seat on a federal appeals court.

Wow.
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 11, 2019

Devastating piece. Hard to fathom.https://t.co/m1P45LWiHc
— The Mr Sir Luke (@mrlukealexander) December 9, 2019

Trump is getting plenty of Democratic help in confirming these judges — the latest five were confirmed 76-13, 68-21, 88-4, 89-4, 64-29. https://t.co/dw7nchFL5p
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 6, 2019

It's like they're racing to place as many far-right wing judges as possible before impeachment lands in the Senate's lap. Never forget the real priority for the GOP: controlling the courts for a generation, so that the demographic & ideological change that's coming won't matter. https://t.co/jUZh2d9MGQ
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 5, 2019

The Senate confirmed EIGHT new federal judges this week, bringing Donald Trump's total to 170.

—120 on district courts
—48 on circuit courts
—2 on Supreme Court

Nearly all are in their 40s or 50s with lifetime appointments and positioned to shape American law for generations.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 5, 2019

Senate Republicans are about to confirm Sarah Pitlyk to a district court in Missouri. She was rated not qualified and has a highly controversial record on reproductive rights. She should not have a lifetime seat on the federal bench. I'll vote against her nomination. #StopPitlyk https://t.co/RwPVN9k02q
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 4, 2019

Stunning: Sen. @ChrisCoons asked 11th Circuit pick Brasher for ONE example of a discriminatory voting restriction instituted after SCOTUS gutted the VRA. He said “I have not researched that issue. I have not researched the issue of voting law changes after Shelby County.”

What?!
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 4, 2019

Today the Senate will vote on the nomination of Sarah Pitlyk to serve in a lifetime judgeship. Pitlyk once claimed that fertility treatments and surrogacy have “grave effects on society” and “disrespect motherhood”. She is unfit to serve. The Senate should reject her nomination.
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) December 4, 2019

This video is terrifying for many reasons. There's also this: McConnell’s tweet celebrating Trump’s circuit court picks ignores that – nearly 3 years in – Trump STILL hasn’t named a single Black circuit court nominee.

Trump-McConnell whitewashing of federal bench is outrageous. https://t.co/0JnxlcP9Nc
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) November 25, 2019

It's all about enduring minority rule. @ejdionne puts the pieces together and explains exactly what's at stake. https://t.co/hfC17C5NA1
— David Daley (@davedaley3) November 25, 2019