Dean Clough

June 27, 2022

Portico Darwin: Courting Disaster

TODAY'S RAMBLINGS
You know, at least for today, it is America that needs support.  In addition to Ukraine.  

 
That is because the highest court in our country, The Supreme Court, has been compromised.  We now have to face the likely reality of a biased, partisan referee - for decades.  The court's radical right wing is the direct result of:

  • Mitch McConnell's illegal obstruction of Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland
  • A (filthy and vile) President - not elected by a majority of citizens - putting 3 Republican/Federalist Society stooges (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett) on to the court 

So yes, I am back to harping on politics and the woeful state of our country.  Is there anyone that sees a bright side to any of this week's Supreme Court decisions? 

Abortion Rights

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Summary:  according to the radical right, women do not have a fundamental right to privacy.  I am not the first to observe that if men could get pregnant, there would be legal access to safe abortions in all 50 states.

However - maybe there's a bright side?  Because specifically discriminating against women in America might just bring new meaning to the phrase "fuck around and find out".   

(If you're as upset as I am about this, watch this approx. 1 minute video and you'll see you're not the only one.)

Guns

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Summary:  the wingnut Republicans are getting closer to their dream of universal "permitless carry".  A reminder:  if more guns with no restrictions on access to them made us safer, we should be the safest country on Earth.  News flash:  we are not 

Separation of Church and State

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Summary:  great - does this mean that churches will start paying taxes?  DOUBTFUL!  So no, governments should most definitely NOT be funding religious schools!  Why Freedom of Religion and Separation of Church and State are not enough for everyone, I will never understand.  See the video above - it applies here, too.

Now What?
It is the Republican party that has done this - does anyone disagree?  For all of the problems with Democrats, they have not attempted a coup nor packed the Supreme Court with radical extremists that are taking freedoms away.

I will ask again:  are your artificially low taxes and legitimate distaste for the hyperwoke really worth destroying our country over?

Maybe my fellow Americans will consider that in November and surprise me.   

FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
Much like with my timing around the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, I hit "send" on Friday's blog about an hour before the Roe v. Wade bomb drop.  Hunter Deuce was rightly pissed off and warned us these fascists  aren't done.

Friendly reminder that they aren’t stopping here.  They are coming for Griswald, they are coming for Obergefell, they are coming for everything.

Hunter is right.  At this point, would you put anything past today's Republican party?  For the millionth time:  Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell could bring America together tomorrow, simply by admitting the obvious about Trump and putting our country ahead of their insatiable hunger for power.

It isn't all Sturm and Drang.  We now turn to (the non-war-ravaged part of) Europe, and it's almost like my pal Dr. Doreen Downs is rubbing our noses in her wonderful trip.  I, for one, would never do that

Portico,

"The Pope of Greenwich Village" sounds intriguing for future viewing, but it won't be this weekend since I am focused on enjoying France.

By all means, stay focused, Dr. Downs!  

And my neighbor and friend, the sailor Laura Gonzalez, sent along some kind words on me scaling a refrigerator as a toddler:

Haha, love that baby pic of you!🍻

Rest assured:  there are a LOT more where that came from.  Let's just say I was treasured as a child.

But let's go back to the beginning, the very beginning.  Here are my parents (and my father's brother, my Uncle Sidney) on their wedding day, May 30, 1949.  It would be less than 15 short years later that I would arrive. 

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There are plenty of super fun vintage photos "BP" (Before Portico) of my parents that I'll be sharing over the coming days and weeks.  There's something to look forward to:  old pictures of strangers!  No thanks necessary!

Thank you to any one that is reading this newsletter.

KLUF
Obvious, but I don't care.  At least it's fun and it rocks.  Here is Molly Hatchet and "Flirtin' With Disaster".

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About Dean Clough