I’m not supposed to say this but a certain pop megastar and her football playing boyfriend are having dinner right now in the restaurant my sister is a server at in New Orleans. They are not in her section.

They have good taste, apparently.

For those following along, my talking points for my calls to my congress critters today were from Talking Points.

I’ll add, I’m impressed that I’ve gotten a live human most days when calling Rep. Betty McCollum’s office and he’s been quite nice, receptive, and encouraging (sometimes commiserating).

Hey, local folks.

If you’d like a respite from… (waves hands around regarding the general state of the nation) go see A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Guthrie. Easily the best production of this play I’ve ever seen. An important reminder of what really matters.

Even in chaos there is art.

Because I need to think and post about other things than all of this …

Gosh, the advertisement for Hooked on Phonics was, perhaps, the most effective marketing ever created. I still spell out Eso Si Que Es every single day when I put on my socks.

Opinion | There Is No Going Back - The New York Times

At this point in any argument like this one, the question arises of what should be done and, more critically, what can be done? The sad answer is not that much. Those with the direct institutional power to slam the brakes lack the will and those with the will lack the power.

Yep. This is basically what my congresspersons aide told me.

I absolutely agree with the conclusion by the way, sad as it is. But, we must accept things as they are, because how we wished them to be is gone.

At least the guy I talked to today at Betty McCollum‘s office was honest in that there’s not much Democratic members can do at this point besides being vocal and passing legislation that will go nowhere but at least we go on a record somewhere before it gets burned.

In addition, a reminder…

14.3 million. That’s how many people that showed up to vote Biden did not show up again to vote for Harris.

14 point three MILLON.

Donny Dictator actually lost 3 million votes in that time.

If you are one of those 14.3, you own all that is happening in my mind.

If you did not vote for Harris because of Gaza, you own this in my mind.

Furthermore, this video from AOC is long (but necessarily so) and lays out some “why’s” behind what’s going on and what congressional dems and regular citizens should be doing about it.