I'm in the same kind of town. Voters at town meeting voted to spend the money on schools and a new fire station (which, so far, is significantly under budget - tariffs may change that) but when it came to borrowing a million for downtown beautification, they shut the door. Property taxes are expected to go up this year by $1000 for the average house. There is a school renovation/rebuild on the agenda for next year - I have my doubts. We've got a rising retired (fixed income) population, and we're still paying on $30mil in bonds for the high school, and facing another $25mil for the fire station. The future isn't looking rosy, at all.
Outstanding Bill. Thanks. When I saw the title of the tune, I thought first of the Scorpions tune from 1990 but this relatively rare Starship tune with Grace and Marty Balin sharing leads is excellent. Another of theirs that is appropriate for our time is: https://youtu.be/IsoqRvYqWDg?si=CPn0Y5rHbHbPk7G_
We need to keep up the pressure on our legislators of both parties and the public pressure on Sleepy Don. At some point he'll crack so completely even those who are drowning in the Kool-Aid won't be able to ignore it. In the meantime, as long as we support each other and help whenever and wherever we can, we'll get through with a little help from our friends (might be a song there too, come to think about it).
Between recession, food, public health and safety concerns, I've taken steps to hopefully soften the impact. Doesn't help when our 401K took a major hit, thanks to president dumb f**k.
The only consolation I have is the idiots who who didn't bother reading/watching anything about trump that didn't come from a MAGA viewpoint, won't see the tsunami coming. Dumbasses.
I'm almost as angry at Dem leadership's lack of outrage and connection with voters.
"May you live in interesting times" really is a curse.
Joe Biden was the reliable captain keeping a steady course. We're figuratively already are on the rocks after the first quarter with 47-kleptocracy. We haven't completely broken apart yet but no salvage tug is coming to haul us off. The deliberate wreck benefits Putin's Russian Mafia, China and all autocracies around the world, leaving Americans struggling to break out of cognitive dissonance and prepare for the worst as a first response. A suggestion for next step action is attempt to use massively dispersed effective messaging and Stanley Milgram's 3 steps of separation theory to reach disillusioned but persuadable former 47 voters (DPF47V) to start pushing for across the board recall elections of congress people aligned with the coup d'état. DPF47V aligned with Ds can form the 3 to 3.5% catalyst force needed to make it happen. Pew Research April 23 poll shows "Trump’s approval rating has fallen 7 percentage points since February. Today, 40% of Americans approve, compared with 47% two months ago." ( https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/04/23/evaluations-of-trump-job-approval-and-confidence-on-issues/ ) There's an important bit showing non-voter poll results. Effective face-to-face & small group conversation can harness enough mass to flip congress. Result can be quick impeachment, trial and conviction = removed from office = liable for civil and criminal investigation , indictment, trial, conviction & imprisonment for treason, civil rights abuse and financial fraud. SCOTUS rad right traitors need to go as well. The criminal traitors have to pay a heavy price to keep them from corrupting democracy for the benefit of fascist mafia state oligopolists. <> The ever-intense Anne Applebaum's current Substack post has convincing evidence of 47 & Co kleptocracy. ( https://substack.com/@anneapplebaum/note/p-163059279?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=41pd0 ) For spreading guidance on effective communication people can use Karin Tamerius - Smart Politics ( https://karintamerius.substack.com/ ) and Lakoff & Duran's group - Frame Lab (https://www.theframelab.org/ )
Possibly because we spend so little time interacting with each other. I feel as though I know some of the folks here better than I know my neighbors, at least in part because I don't see some of them at all despite being mostly home by virtue of being retired, and because at least for the folks I follow, we tend to be pretty open and honest with each other even when we disagree.
I'm in the same kind of town. Voters at town meeting voted to spend the money on schools and a new fire station (which, so far, is significantly under budget - tariffs may change that) but when it came to borrowing a million for downtown beautification, they shut the door. Property taxes are expected to go up this year by $1000 for the average house. There is a school renovation/rebuild on the agenda for next year - I have my doubts. We've got a rising retired (fixed income) population, and we're still paying on $30mil in bonds for the high school, and facing another $25mil for the fire station. The future isn't looking rosy, at all.
Outstanding Bill. Thanks. When I saw the title of the tune, I thought first of the Scorpions tune from 1990 but this relatively rare Starship tune with Grace and Marty Balin sharing leads is excellent. Another of theirs that is appropriate for our time is: https://youtu.be/IsoqRvYqWDg?si=CPn0Y5rHbHbPk7G_
We need to keep up the pressure on our legislators of both parties and the public pressure on Sleepy Don. At some point he'll crack so completely even those who are drowning in the Kool-Aid won't be able to ignore it. In the meantime, as long as we support each other and help whenever and wherever we can, we'll get through with a little help from our friends (might be a song there too, come to think about it).
Almost went with the Scorpions. But then I saw Grace's outfit...
Grace always had a gift for getting people's attention. Good voice too.
Between recession, food, public health and safety concerns, I've taken steps to hopefully soften the impact. Doesn't help when our 401K took a major hit, thanks to president dumb f**k.
The only consolation I have is the idiots who who didn't bother reading/watching anything about trump that didn't come from a MAGA viewpoint, won't see the tsunami coming. Dumbasses.
I'm almost as angry at Dem leadership's lack of outrage and connection with voters.
"May you live in interesting times" really is a curse.
Joe Biden was the reliable captain keeping a steady course. We're figuratively already are on the rocks after the first quarter with 47-kleptocracy. We haven't completely broken apart yet but no salvage tug is coming to haul us off. The deliberate wreck benefits Putin's Russian Mafia, China and all autocracies around the world, leaving Americans struggling to break out of cognitive dissonance and prepare for the worst as a first response. A suggestion for next step action is attempt to use massively dispersed effective messaging and Stanley Milgram's 3 steps of separation theory to reach disillusioned but persuadable former 47 voters (DPF47V) to start pushing for across the board recall elections of congress people aligned with the coup d'état. DPF47V aligned with Ds can form the 3 to 3.5% catalyst force needed to make it happen. Pew Research April 23 poll shows "Trump’s approval rating has fallen 7 percentage points since February. Today, 40% of Americans approve, compared with 47% two months ago." ( https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/04/23/evaluations-of-trump-job-approval-and-confidence-on-issues/ ) There's an important bit showing non-voter poll results. Effective face-to-face & small group conversation can harness enough mass to flip congress. Result can be quick impeachment, trial and conviction = removed from office = liable for civil and criminal investigation , indictment, trial, conviction & imprisonment for treason, civil rights abuse and financial fraud. SCOTUS rad right traitors need to go as well. The criminal traitors have to pay a heavy price to keep them from corrupting democracy for the benefit of fascist mafia state oligopolists. <> The ever-intense Anne Applebaum's current Substack post has convincing evidence of 47 & Co kleptocracy. ( https://substack.com/@anneapplebaum/note/p-163059279?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=41pd0 ) For spreading guidance on effective communication people can use Karin Tamerius - Smart Politics ( https://karintamerius.substack.com/ ) and Lakoff & Duran's group - Frame Lab (https://www.theframelab.org/ )
See here for data
https://www.pewresearch.org/2025/05/08/americans-trust-in-one-another/
Possibly because we spend so little time interacting with each other. I feel as though I know some of the folks here better than I know my neighbors, at least in part because I don't see some of them at all despite being mostly home by virtue of being retired, and because at least for the folks I follow, we tend to be pretty open and honest with each other even when we disagree.
Thanks, Bill.
Right after the Jefferson Starship...What...me worry? Keep it up.
Gracie!!!