Update on gerrymandering in Pennsylvania

To intervene vs. Dem-majority state court rulings in NC & PA would seem to contradict SCOTUS's earlier (and highly disputed) rationale for rescuing the AL GOP's map: that it's too close to the election for changes. https://t.co/Pl7VQ6zv4i
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) February 28, 2022

NEW: Pennsylvania Republicans have asked SCOTUS to block the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's congressional map, arguing that the U.S. Constitution gives the state legislature a near-unlimited right to regulate federal elections. https://t.co/PXKZnMo9Pt
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) February 28, 2022

NEWS: In a 4-3 decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has picked the Carter plan as the commonwealth's new congressional map. More TK. pic.twitter.com/lFtajvkSv1
— Stephen Caruso (@StephenJ_Caruso) February 23, 2022

Full story here, more context coming as able https://t.co/m53mWntr9l
— Stephen Caruso (@StephenJ_Caruso) February 23, 2022

🚨BREAKING: Pennsylvania Supreme Court ADOPTS new congressional map. Court selects maps put forward by our clients (Carter) as new statewide map!

Proud of the work @EliasLawGroup and @RedistrictFdn did to ensure fair maps in Pennsylvania.https://t.co/L8iDXaDR1l
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) February 23, 2022

Today, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court chose this map (the "Carter map") as the commonwealth's next congressional map. https://t.co/uzDOnLgKtg pic.twitter.com/flVoW37prB
— Nathaniel Rakich (@baseballot) February 23, 2022

PENNSYLVANIA changes

Fitzpatrick: Biden +5.8 -> Biden +4.6
Wild: Biden +4.8 -> Biden +0.6
Cartwright: Trump +4.4 -> Trump +2.8
Perry: Trump +2.9 -> Trump +3.1
Lamb (OPEN): Biden +2.7 -> Biden +5.8
— u〽️ichvoter 🌴🏳️‍🌈 (@umichvoter) February 23, 2022

Banjos were created by Black Americans

From the description of the video below:

“The banjo’s sound is synonymous with country, folk, and bluegrass—music as “white” as it gets. For many, it’s the quintessential American instrument. Its origin, though, lies in Africa, in various instruments featuring skin drum heads and gourd bodies. Slaves fashioned them into the modern version in the colonial Caribbean, from where it traveled, via 19th-century minstrel shows, into the very heart of American popular culture. Duke University historian Laurent Dubois, one of the world’s foremost experts on the Caribbean, traces the banjo’s extraordinary trajectory and the part it has played in the very concept of America.”

The Baltimore Museum of Industry had an exhibit on banjos in 2014 that featured a concert by Tony Trishka and Dom Flemons which I saw.

From West Africa to Baltimore: New Exhibit Explores The History Of The Banjo

In 2014, BMI’s Making Music programs allowed for collaboration with renowned banjo scholars and musicians #IndustrialSizedFact #ThankYouNEA pic.twitter.com/3BzZugwpRI
— Balt Museum Industry (@BMIatWork) May 12, 2017

@WAMUGary Renowned banjo artist Tony Trichka @tonytrischka plays BMI waterfront 7/17.Tix: http://t.co/PDmc2JQHEP … pic.twitter.com/1O81GjnHLs
— Balt Museum Industry (@BMIatWork) July 10, 2014

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Baltimore “solves” a sidewalk problem

Several nearby trees fell during a storm in June 2021. One of them uprooted the sidewalk on Scott St. near Pratt St. By the time I got there, only a stump was left. The city recently “solved” the problem but did nothing to level the sidewalk. Sad!

Update: It was finally fixed in June 2023 – see last photo

Another tree that fell on Scott St. in June 2021.

The public doesn’t support terrible Republican book banning/teaching policies

Striking new poll numbers:

* 76% support teaching history that causes discomfort

* 66% say schools teach the right amount or too little about Black history

* 58% say racism is still a serious problem

Don't run from these arguments, Democrats. Win them:https://t.co/3GWK06hKmF
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) February 23, 2022

Three numbers from this poll:

87% of US adults say books should never be banned from schools for containing discussions of race

68% say teaching the history of race makes students understand what others went through

35% say they've heard a lot about critical race theory https://t.co/gdQOKlP3y8
— Ariel Edwards-Levy (@aedwardslevy) February 23, 2022

In Dallas News/UT-Tyler poll, 65% in TX (!) say they have little/no confidence in elected officials to decide which books should be allowed in school libraries. Similar to VA/TX/ntl polls showing most oppose state limits on teaching race in classroom https://t.co/cOC4RpcHwy
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) February 23, 2022

NEW POLL: 71% of likely voters – including 66% of Independents and 64% of Republicans – believe that local school boards should not have the authority to ban books from school curriculums.

Read the analysis from @LeahGreenb of @IndivisibleTeam.https://t.co/1VlNlpv69T
— Data for Progress (@DataProgress) February 18, 2022

New @CBSNews poll finds GOP efforts to ban books are toxic.

"Large majorities — more than eight in 10 — don't think books should be banned from schools for discussing race and criticizing U.S. history."https://t.co/Fb3FkV7zFQ pic.twitter.com/THhpCZdBKu
— James Singer (@Jemsinger) February 23, 2022

As you may know, efforts to ban certain books in schools and libraries are spreading in the United States. Do you think these efforts are more about the content of the books or more about politics?

Content of books 15%
Politics 79%

(Quinnipiac U. Poll, 2/10-14/22)
— PollingReport.com (@pollreport) February 17, 2022

Misleading Cillizza post

Chris Cillizza has a post on the 2024 election but the picture was of Trump instead of the incumbent, Joe Biden. All of this 2024 coverage is premature but the media does it because they had better ratings with Trump and are trying to get them back.

I agree that it will be close but Cillizza fails to note that Democrats have won the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 presidential elections. https://t.co/WwDM2QGbTi
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) February 22, 2022

Remember, Democrats won the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 elections.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) February 23, 2022

Covers: Will You Love Me Tomorrow

“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” was co-written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was a 1960 hit for the Shirelles and was also released by King in 1971.

Ishmael Reed

I haven’t read all of Ishmael Reed‘s books but Mumbo Jumbo is my favorite and I strongly recommend it. I also suggest Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down. I have seen him in person at a bookstore in Washington in the 1990s.

fascinating profile with ishmael reed.

I Ain’t Been Mean Enough https://t.co/vjBrIwP2QI
— darryl robertson (@dvrobertson88) February 20, 2022

Ishmael Reed, one of a kind: "I must write in a variety of genres, because if you stick to one, it’s easier for them to shut you down." Re-upping his interview with @KeishaBlain. Still good. ]https://t.co/Okljq8K31N
— Geraldo Cadava (@gerry_cadava) February 18, 2022

Happy birthday to Ishmael Reed who once published a book with only negative blurbs pic.twitter.com/Sfwl7LIS2U
— Julian Lucas (@jcljules) February 22, 2022

“The university was like a trade school for me.” —Ishmael Reed https://t.co/0hEchNcKX7
— The Paris Review (@parisreview) February 16, 2022

Good Twitter thread and article on payment for films scores

Streaming has hurt the people who write scores for films. This article is very enlightening about how the process of film score composition works.

PUNCHING THE AIR THAT THIS ARTICLE WAS FINALLY WRITTEN!!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/pxfi4ZYzrV
— James Allen (@jallencomposer) February 21, 2022

The GOP and Fox are pro-Russia

Terrible. I blame Putin’s stooge Trump for getting them to change to this position.

Trump’s new comments are disgraceful. He’s on Russia’s side, not ours. Let’s see if any Republicans stand up for our country. I doubt that many will. They’re too afraid of Trump and their Trump cult voter base.

Putin is not looking to go be a peacekeeper. And this isn’t the southern border. https://t.co/C03WmBs7JV
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 22, 2022

Putin's success in America on display https://t.co/qGUi82rV3H
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) February 22, 2022

I suggest every American who wants to know what’s *actually* going on in Russia and Ukraine, read this transcript of Putin’s address. As I’ve said for month— NATO (under direction from the United States) is violating previous agreements and expanding eastward. WE are at fault. https://t.co/NDmou8I36H
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) February 22, 2022

In the aftermath of the Trump presidency, polls show more Republicans have a favorable view of Vladimir Putin than of their own President of the United States.
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) February 22, 2022

This is perfect example of successful Putin efforts to destabilize @GOP & America as unified force for democracy. Press Sec for potential presidential candidate delivering Putin talking points. Collapse of @GOP as pro-democracy force is historic win for Putin & other dictators. https://t.co/14vJ2TUtlm
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) February 22, 2022

Putin's approval rating with Republicans on 2015 was 12% before Trump came along.

By mid-2017 it shot up to over 30%.

Source: Gallup
— Grant Stern is boosted! (@grantstern) February 22, 2022

JD Vance: “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine.”
A Republican Ohio Senate candidate rooting for Russia.
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) February 22, 2022

Dude once spent July 4th in Russia along with other Republican elected officials. Comrade doing his part. https://t.co/0EMXseLXw8
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) February 22, 2022

Official Republican statement: All-In for Russia. https://t.co/vZoEp8I8iM
— David Rothschild (@DavMicRot) February 22, 2022

The current GOP who likes to call themselves “Patriots” approve of Communist Putin more than Democratic Biden.

That says it all.#ONEV1 #FreshVoicesRise https://t.co/1uhCCSphh6
— ᗷridget PASS VOTING RIGHTS NOW (@bridget123goooo) February 17, 2022

Gosh, imagine how terrified Putin must have been when Trump was elected https://t.co/cnbz57DZ6J
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 22, 2022

You should say “ Why do Republican American politicians…” Democrats support the US.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) February 22, 2022

Republicans are loyal…to Putin.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) February 22, 2022

Upcoming Supreme Court cases

In case you've lost track of the Scotus culture war cases, a partial list…

This term:
– abortion
– guns
– climate change
– religious-school tuition
– remain-in-Mexico
– praying football coach (prob this term)

Next term:
– affirmative action
– gay-wedding objections
— Greg Stohr (@GregStohr) February 22, 2022

The US Supreme Court’s 2022 docket is set to be historic. #BULawProf @ProfLMcClain, @JPYgold, Jacobs, and @nhuberfeld1 break down the four major case areas SCOTUS is expected to rule on, and their potential implications. https://t.co/Mlcz8kvTpR
— Boston University School of Law (@BU_Law) February 21, 2022

There are no good reasons for the Court to take this case. The Supreme Court is on the ballot for Democrats in November; pulling out a stronger majority in the Senate is critical to civil rights in multiple fronts. https://t.co/PhmgmgCKFN
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) February 22, 2022

The Supreme Court’s decision to hear a redistricting case from Alabama next term puts the #VotingRightsAct — and redistricting protections for communities of color — at risk for a wholesale rollback. https://t.co/fcxruCAWhx
— Brennan Center (@BrennanCenter) February 17, 2022

“The Supreme Court should absolutely side with the majority of Americans and reject this dangerous agenda,” Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, says as the Supreme Court takes on its biggest guns case in more than a decade. https://t.co/FYXVf5UWHM
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 9, 2021