Sunday, May 8, 2022

And another day of fact-checking persistent claims, a national abortion ban ‘possible,’ replacing election officials in MI, the Taliban forcing women to cover head to toe, and climate scientists keep hope alive comes to a close:

“Are we still calling it Mother's Day or is it now just Domestic Infant Supplier Day?” -- Keri Blakinger

“My big issue with Roe has always been that abortion shouldn’t be a constitutional right, but left to each state under federalism. But given the hysterics and histrionics coming out about Dobbs, I’m starting to think we need to repeal the 19th amendment. These people are nuts.” -- Erick Erickson (You need to know what the fascists are saying.)

“So, control women's bodies so that you can control their economic power. Then, take away their right to choose their representation, so they have no political voice. When they don't fall in line, call them hysterical and have them committed. Where have we seen this before?” — Aimee Vanderpool

“If Christian Conservatives had the same passion for migrant children, school shooting victims, sick toddlers, young black men, Muslim families, LGBTQ teens, the environment, and women that they claim to have for embryos—they'd actually be pro-life.” -- John Pavlovitz

Deaths

US: 1,024,546

World: 6,276,465

Cases

US: 83,581,715

World: 517,260,241

7 persistent claims about abortion, fact-checked. Current abortion rates are lower than what they were in 1973 and are now less than half what they were at their peak in the early 1980s, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research organization that supports abortion rights. -- It’s a short article. Read all seven claims. Oh, and 60% of women who get an abortion have some sort of religious affiliation.

McConnell says national abortion ban "possible". “If the leaked opinion became the final opinion, legislative bodies — not only at the state level but at the federal level — certainly could legislate in that area,” McConnell told USA Today when asked if a national abortion ban is “worthy of debate.” “And if this were the final decision, that was the point that it should be resolved one way or another in the legislative process. So yeah, it’s possible,” he concluded.

A PR firm that works with Netflix and Starbucks quietly advised clients to 'not take a stance' on abortion rights, a report says. Zeno, whose roster of clients includes Netflix, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola, according to the newsletter, circulated a template email internally to share with its clients. The email reportedly told clients to "steer clear" of news outlets, asking them to "not take a stance" and "avoid media fishing," Popular Information reported. -- A side must be taken. American’s rights and liberties are at stake here.

Gov. Greg Abbott said he wants to revisit the landmark 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe, which struck down a Texas law that denied state funding to educate noncitizens. Texas does not track the citizenship status of students. Therefore, it is unclear how many undocumented students are enrolled or what the financial impact on Texas public schools is. Texas spends a minimum of $6,160 per student, which lags behind the national average of $12,600 in 2018. -- Abbott is a bully, a liar, and a fascist.

“Republicans love the uneducated but religiously indoctrinated.” -- colonygirl

Republicans In Michigan Have Replaced Election Officials Who Certified Biden's Win. Since then, local GOP leaders have replaced many of the canvassers who upheld their oaths and voted to certify the results for Biden — even canvassers who are members of their own party. -- The GOP is showing what they plan to do. Pay attention.

“Dear Good People in America, Whatever you wish more good people in Germany would have done in 1931—do that now.” -- John Pavlovitz

Alabama ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth takes effect. The legislation makes it a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison to provide puberty blockers, hormones and medical procedures to transgender youth under 19. -- The cruelty is the point.

Afghanistan’s Taliban order women to cover up head to toe. Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers on Saturday ordered all Afghan women to wear head-to-toe clothing in public, a sharp hard-line pivot that confirmed the worst fears of rights activists and was bound to further complicate Taliban dealings with an already distrustful international community. — Coming soon to America, brought to you by the White Evangelical Christianity Party, aka the GOP.

How climate scientists keep hope alive as damage worsens. How climate scientists like Gill or emergency room doctors during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic cope with their depressing day-to-day work, yet remain hopeful, can offer help to ordinary people dealing with a world going off the rails, psychologists said. “I think it’s because they see a way out. They see that things can be done,” said Pennsylvania State University psychology professor Janet Swim. “Hope is seeing a pathway, even though the pathway seems far, far away.”

Less immigrant labor in US contributing to prices hikes. The U.S. is experiencing a labor shortage that's partly fueled by a drop-off in immigration, which ground to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic.

Country singer Mickey Gilley, whose bar launched 'Urban Cowboy,' dies. He was 86.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.