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I keep reciting your mantra ---- we will win - eventually. But I can not shake my feeling of dread. Except for Jennifer Rubin - (and only another handful - minus thumb!) - I despair of the Mainstream Press. Twitter does not surprise in its depravity - the mainstream media simply disgusts me. The assault on the Pelosi family is truly horrifying and overwhelmingly disturbing. The thunderous silence of Republicans appalls. I pray that we have a sleeping giant of voters that will support the Dems and are not featuring in the polls - which I do my best to ignore. As you point out, Biden's and the Dem's incredible accomplishments barely feature in the news. No wonder so many American voters are so ignorant. And yesterday, Ezra Klein's by line 'Do the Dems deserve to win?' Not a word asking the question of the Republicans. It's sickening

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I would like to suggest that we all send a get well card/wish to the Pelosi family. Maybe thousands of cards, emails, etc would help the family know how many people support them.

From her site:

Washington, DC Office

1236 Longworth H.O.B.

Washington, DC 20515

phone: (202) 225-4965

hours: M-F 9-5:30pm

US Capitol Building

San Francisco District Office

90 7th Street

Suite 2-800

San Francisco, CA 94103

phone: (415) 556-4862

hours: M-F 9-5:30pm

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I hate that I have to use the term "fellow Aspergian" to describe Elon Musk. He is emotionally permanently the 12-year old who got so badly bullied it affected him mentally, as he demonstrates daily. Aspergians are really smart where we are "interested," plus we can be very successful in those areas when we apply ourselves because of our 8-10 hour spans of attention. Where we aren't interested, it's "in one ear and out the other" and we might as well be morons. I learned at an early age that "the mark of the intelligent man is to know where he's stupid," as my Aspergian (only they didn't know that was what it was then) father once told me. I stick to what interests me and all of you think I am really smart. Which I am. In those things. Trust me, I can be a moron's moron when it comes to what doesn't interest me, which is a long list.

Musk, because he was interested in computers and able to apply his span of attention, got rich with what became PayPal at an early age. Once that happened he was in danger, because being rich means being in "a world where there is no 'no,'" which eventually drives the inhabitant crazy but his enablers say nothing and he comes to believe because he is rich he is a genius in all things. The result is what we see with Musk (who I call Muck and that's not a typo).

Personally, I'd like to take the worthless piece of shit and stick him in one of his tinny toys, then stuff that in one of his rockets and fire it into the sun. Make the universe great again.

But god I hate the fact I understand him because he's one of us.

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This "rant" is from my friend on FB Rosemary S. Lawler. She is brilliant. To the gentlemen on this page, I am sorry if this offends you. Apologies if it is not in keeping with Today's Edition Newsletter, but I couldn't let it go un-read. Thank you.

"Election Day is coming up fast. My rant for the day.

"I really hope all the conservative men out there have taken to heart (since you vote for people behind that concept) that *every life is sacred from the moment of conception.*

"I talk about voting for people behind the concept because religiously that concept has been debated for centuries. Politically, our Founding Mothers understood the necessity of using certain medications that would *bring on* or *restore* the menses. Certainly, women on some portion of the Oregon Trail did.

"Feel free, Gentlemen, to do a bit of research about that. Lots of journal entries, recipes, herbal remedies for you to find from centuries before I was born.

"Gentlemen, given who you vote for, obviously, you believe someone else’s body - regardless of circumstances, since you vote for that concept - can be used to sustain another’s life.

"So, Gentlemen….

"1. You’ve all been blood and tissue typed, yes?

"2. You’re on a living donor list, yes?

"3. You’re prepared to donate a kidney, 1/2 your liver, some of your skin, any and all blood products, any donation science will conceive of - at whatever moment - without respect to if it is inconvenient for you, or economically disadvantageous to you, or would be academic or career suicide for you to go through donation and recovery at a time NOT OF YOUR CHOOSING.

"4. And you COMPLETELY disagree with the concept of “no Medicare after age 90” right? (I thought *death panels* were one of your objections to the ACA) but no, you just want the healthcare people paid into for decades to stop after age 90. Because?…..you don’t want the program to stay solvent by increasing salary limits for SS, or instituting an equitable tax on wealth, or any of the other ways to guarantee people the care they’ve been GUARANTEED. Just say it. *I don’t care about other people’s health.* It’s freeing to admit the truth.

"If you’re in agreement with the Republican platform - have not done the blood and tissue typing, have NOT set aside funds to pay for your parents or grandparents medical care - you’re just, I dunno, a hypocrite? Like a HUGE hypocrite?

"Or maybe you were just voting for taxes and guns..

"I don’t even know what to say to women who vote Republican, on any level, at this moment in time. I’m just shaking my head at the desire to turn back time."

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Oct 31, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

What is going on with the mainstream media? Robert, you are right to call attention to it - first they don't cover Biden's speeches and long list of legislative accomplishments designed to help the middle and working class voters. No wonder he is sinking in the polls. All they do is repeat endless Trump, Musk/Muck, and Kanye/Ye stories, plus all the anxiety-provoking stuff about a GOP takeover. What is going on? Are some marketing algorithms determining the news that is fit to print? Democracy does indeed die in darkness. Regarding the Pelosi's, Robert, you articulated it perfectly and this is not rocket science: someone just attempted to assassinate the third in line for the presidency. Paul Pelosi, 82, nearly lost his life. What happened to the news? Why is The NY Times and WaPo helping the GOP undo democracy in the midterms? Can't the White House be more effective in promoting its Administration's many successes?

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Thank you, Robert, for your elaboration of the details of the break-in of the Pelosi residence. Though I'm a subscriber to both WaPo and the NYT, I did not receive any of their follow-up news accounts about this.

I remain hopeful about the upcoming election next week! FYI, Brazil got it right in their recent election where "Leftist Lula" of the Workers' Party candidate defeated Bolsonaro. We must be copycats and do the same for the U.S. He used Twitter by tweeting one word: "Democracy."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/30/brazil-hope-leftist-lula-defeats-far-right-bolsonaro-presidential-runoff

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Oct 31, 2022·edited Oct 31, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I especially resonated to Robert’s call that we train ourselves and acquire the knowledge to pursue what is true (and, in my view, valuable). I imagine we’ve all observed that the one thing the radical right loathes more than liberals is the truth. And the quickest way to agitate them is to tell the truth.

Indeed, I don’t expect that going on the offensive and exposing truths Republicans don’t want told will have much, if any, impact on MAGA extremists. Nonetheless, I do imagine, a week before Election Day, there still are sufficient numbers of “persuadables,” who—were they to see data, for example, confirming that the biggest driver of inflation is corporate pricing—could help Dems hold the House, pick up some Senate seats, and also win contests in battleground state and local elections.

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Robert, you hit the nail on the head of Elon! I used to think that Trump was the devil incarnate but now that Musk has his hands dipped into the muck, it is he who has taken that role. He will never apologize. He’s a narcissist, like Trump, and they never acknowledge their role in any wrongdoing. I understand that Jack Dorsey actually invited Elon, his good friend, to take Twitter over. No telling where he got his money to do so but I have my thoughts on that. Elon is a no good SOB and more than likely, a true fascist like the rest of the Pro-Rape Party members. It will be interesting to see what tactic Nancy uses to combat these lies and terrorists. I want to say that I am on Twitter and I had been thrown off before because I said Trump and his family should be brought to the town square and hung upside down until the blood ran out of them. I did use his name and I didn’t curse. The algorithm didn’t approve and blocked me. Was it wise for me to say that? No, it wasn’t but I felt so abused, so angry. I am back on albeit using a different name but I am trying to hold myself back from doing what I did before. I also am attracted to getting the news right away. That’s really one of the magnets drawing me to Twitter. That and being able to speak my mind in real time.

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Re: speaking the truth, that sometimes requires engaging with Trump supporters rather than disengaging and saying there’s no point. I once again had the pleasure of canvassing this weekend outside Harrisburg PA in a working class neighborhood that was racially and politically mixed.

I met mostly enthusiastic Democratic voters, but at one home the Democrat was not home. I asked the guy who answered the door which party reflected his beliefs and he said the Republicans. I asked what attracted him about Republicans. He said things were better under Trump, the economy, etc. I pointed out that. Idea has created 10 million jobs and we lost millions of jobs under Trump because he did nothing about the pandemic. The guy said the pandemic came at the end of his term, and I said it was early 2020. He had plenty of time and did nothing.

Then I asked a series of questions. Did he want a 10-year-old rape victim to have to give birth, as an abortion ban with no exceptions would require? Did he want Social Security, Medicare, and health coverage for 20 million Americans repealed, as the GOP proposed? Did he want his vote to count, or is it ok for politicians to abide by elections only if they win? Did he want a state legislator in the room with a woman and her doctor, as Oz proposed? We discussed a few more issues such as Ukraine and Putin. He opposed Republican positions every time. I have no idea if he will change his vote, but if I introduced some facts and doubt, it was a victory.

Stan

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When a social media vehicle hits a certain mass - becomes a dominant source of information and discussion - that platform becomes responsible for the distribution of that information. It becomes responsible for the accuracy of that information. There is no neutral position in a free for all that is not supervised. There is only complicity. FB and Twitter are now the "National Newspapers".

Amazon holds its sellers responsible for the quality of their products and accuracy of its advertising. Amazon is huge and sells millions of items. How does it keep on top of that? They pay people to work on the issue. It's called a commitment to reputation. It's hard work and takes a lot of people and payroll. Amazon is way far from perfect - at least they TRY.

I refuse to accept the whining from Musk or Markie that it is too hard to do. You guys have billions and billions and you spend those billions on your projects and toys. But the vehicles in question here - that influence the entire world - you have abandoned to chaos.

By posting verifiable nonsense on the platform he purchased hours ago, Musk has revealed his bias and his intentions. Twitter will now be an unstoppable megaphone for his bullshit. As TC has so well explained, Musk is a genius in the areas that made him the richest guy in the world. But when it comes to politics, the influence of the media and reality, I think he is clueless and diabolical. And perhaps, now he is as dangerous as "45". What to do? I don't have a solid opinion yet.

But here are my fun possibilities:

1. Advertisers flee Twitter, revenue dries up, the floggings and firings continue until any minimal content supervision becomes a greater joke than it is now. Most folks also dump it for another vehicle. But some stick around thinking they have a responsibility to tell the truth and fight the good fight.

2. Musk's Council that is to supervise and prevent "a Hellscape" finds it needs to delete Musk's comments because they are so stupid, carelessly false and destructive. He fires them all. The process described in number 1 is sped up dramatically. Twitter files for bankruptcy and limps along with a reputation worse than Parler.

3. Musk finds that Twitter occupies much too much of his time and energy. He gets frustrated and bored with his new toy and steps away from day to day management. He really would rather play with his cars, trucks and rockets. Then he finds a new project. He is inspired by the HBO series "Raised by Wolves" which is about two robot androids named "Mother and Father" who are assigned the task of finding a new planet for a few of the surviving children of a decimated Earth. Mother and Father need a good rocket to perform their duty. Musk decides to build the androids and refine one of his rockets so it can travel the way the "Enterprise" did. At the last minute, Musk realizes that everything on Earth is boring - including all of us. He boards the rocket joining his newly created parents. The US government cancels his passport. The global sigh of relief is Earth shaking.

4. Or in another complete fantasy, but my favorite, all social media platforms are taken under wing by the FCC. Strict adherence to truth is supervised by teams of super bright enlightened young people. All lies and false political conspiracies are taken down before they can "go viral". In other words, somebody holds these punks accountable. Algorithms are adjusted to reward verifiable truths, stories about lost puppies and kittens , babies doing amazing things are boosted. Heroic behavior is featured. The latest advances in medicine and scientific research are a focus. The impacts of the Climate Crisis and the obvious solutions are posted hourly. In other words, a benevolent takeover and rejection of hate, lies and violence. The FCC will promote truth and planetary survival.

That was fun. Still not sure what my personal path will be re: Tweetdom. I only go there occasionally as I see it as more of a place for people to rant with little bombs of comments - too little thoughtful fact finding and discussion. Although, some do try. I guess maybe it will just dry up and die of its own dysfunction. There are thousands of other ways to communicate and enjoy life.

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Oct 31, 2022·edited Oct 31, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Couple of notes:

1. The name of the troll site, the "Santa Monica Observer" - it is not a "website" as much as it is the blog of a single person to spread falsehoods. Giving these sorts of sites names that make them seem like legit news sites is a common troll tactic because repeating "as reported in the Santa Monica Observer" makes it seem more likely to be true than "as reported on John Trumplover's blog."

2. The trolls are still spreading a story that "well, maybe the Observer story isn't true, but how do you explain the fact that when he called the police, Pelosi knew his attacker's name." - this is another falsehood but it's also being put out there to help create the impression this was something shady, not an assassination attempt. Be on guard for that one.

3. What makes the Mush situation even more frightening is that many journalists seem to be afraid of getting on the wrong side of Musk - both because they are afraid he will throw them off Twitter, where they need a presence to stay relevant with other journos and because they are afraid he will turn his Army of Trolls against them.

4. It is notable that Musk's tweet was in response to Hillary Clinton. It gives him an out -- "I was just trolling Hillary" which for many on the right will sort of excuse everything.

5. Let's see if TPTB in the Democratic Party are able to figure out a way to use this whole scenario to our advantage - remind people of the chaos that results from putting Trumpists in power and giving them a voice.

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Here is a tidbit that popped up when I logged on this morning. I hope it helps those who are worried about the polls and the midterm outcomes.

"Political expert tells media to stop 'getting played' by Republican polling averages 'flooding the zone'

Raw Story - Yesterday 11:16 PM

By Sarah K. Burris

provided by RawStory

Two major sources of the political rankings include RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight, both of whom average out public polls done for campaigns.

According to Democratic political expert Simon Rosenberg, the polls they're pulling in to generate those averages are leaning more Republican, lending the averages to be skewed more conservative.

"There is a ferocious campaign GOP campaign right now to flood the zone with their polls, game the averages, declare the election is tipping to them," tweeted Rosenberg on Sunday. "No question they could win but the early vote and polling this week DO NOT confirm this trend. Sorry. "

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Oct 31, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I have long opposed Twitter as a swamp populated largely by trolls and other hideous creatures unworthy of anyone's time or attention. Now that Elon Musk has become its "Chief Twit" I do not expect that it will be anything more than yet worse than before.

Musk dramatically overpaid to acquire Twitter by any reasonable valuation metrics. Twitter is an unprofitable and shrinking business. Musk's plans and early steps following closing of the acquisition are unlikely to turn it around. Advertisers are fleeing the forum and for good reason. Most advertisers do not imagine a troll farm as their target market space. Musk owes over $1 billion annually in interest payments alone to the lenders who supported his acquisition. It is clear that to support that Musk will need to increase revenues dramatically and to do so he will need the pick the pockets of the trolls who populate Twitter. His announced plans to charge a monthly "troll fee" (my own characterization of Blue Twitter "verification") shows where he expects to find some of that revenue. His management style of threatening employees with layoffs to "inspire" their productivity shows he has similar disdain for both his employees and his customers.

He might well be simply sitting in front of a $44 billion burning dumpster fire and pouring gasoline on it.

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Oct 31, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

OT: If Hillary Clinton had died, and they brought her remains to debate T___p, she still would have won.

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And yet, even with all this going on, good news from Brazil and for the world as Lula defeats Bolsonaro to win as Brazil’s president. There is hope.

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Oct 31, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

You missed that Musk's tweet is probably the strongest endorsement for the removal of the exception given to social media the para 230 that protects them from the lawsuits the other media as responsible for damage their content causes.

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