Civil Discourse Now

Where the far left and far right overlap for fun and enlightenment

Mark Small's Blog (1,679)

Navalny's murder shows the direction trump would take us

Alexei Navalny, opponent of Russia’s President,Vladimir Putin, was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced on charges of “extremism” by Putin’s regime. Navalny was in custody of Putin’s dictatorship. On 2/16 Navalny “felt unwell after a walk” & lost consciousness. [FN1] 1/11

In a video hearing the previous day, Navalny smiled behind the bars of a cell and made jokes. [FN2] There are several points in Mr Navalny’s case relevant to us in the USA.

1: trump takes marching orders…

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Added by Mark Small on February 17, 2024 at 10:48am — No Comments

EXCLUSIVE interview w/Vlad "the Defenestrater" Putin

MOSCOW. Tuesday, Febr 13, 2024. Pres V. Putin granted me an interview. After the transcript was edited to remove graphic descriptions, obscene language & bare-faced lies, nothing was left. What follows is an accurate work of fiction, just like OAN or The New York Post. 1/8

VP: Take off the hood now.

CDN: Where am I?

VP: Good morning.

CDN: Where the ...

VP: Why are you looking around?

CDN: Making sure there aren’t any windows.

VP: That is hackneyed joke.…

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Added by Mark Small on February 16, 2024 at 12:48pm — No Comments

Our republic is about to die & SCOTUS...

I’m relieved that, in the very early 1980s, we did not have kids. I would have been worried sick about their future. Stephen Miller, who was trump’s person on immigration, spelled it out in comments last fall that I only read the past few days. 1/6

“[I]n terms of personnel, you go to the red state governors and you say, give us your National Guard. We will deputize them as immigration enforcement officers. ... And if you’re going an unfriendly state like Maryland, well, there would…

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Added by Mark Small on February 14, 2024 at 7:16am — No Comments

Any crisis at the border is prolonged and appalling

Indiana’s National Guard is sent to help other States in emergencies. (e.g., hurricanes) Statutes provide the Governor “shall order on state duty all or part of the national guard ” in times of war, invasion, insurrection or at any time the governor considers necessary. [FN1] 1/10

An email fr his campaign address [FN2] dated 02/10/24 says Gov Eric Holcomb is deploying our Nat’l Guard to assist w/the ongoing situation at the border” due to “Federal negligence enforcing immigration law”…

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Added by Mark Small on February 13, 2024 at 4:26pm — No Comments

Again w/people unaware of the history of the GOP

A person need not be a “real” druggie to purchase a share of stock in Eli Lilly. Its articles of incorporation state its purpose: “to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Indiana Business Corporation Law. [FN1] 1/7

Indiana’s Republican Party is an assumed name of the Indiana Republican State Committee that was incorporated in 2005 by Terre Haute/Citizens United attorney James Bopp, Jr. [FN2] One person online called me “an anti-2a…

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Added by Mark Small on February 11, 2024 at 7:03pm — No Comments

Do research before you consider a post "LADIES PLEASE conceal and carry"

Implicit in a Feb 6 post, “LADIES PLEASE conceal and carry” [FN1] is handguns “work” as a means of self-defense. Before you [FN2] buy a weapon lethal to you or a loved one, you should research guns and alternatives for self-defense. “Let the people know the facts...”1/10

Peer reviewed studies of gun violence as health risk were prevented, as a practical matter, from 1996 to 2022. The NRA paid for members of Congress to block funding of such studies [FN3] by NIH [FN4] and CDC. [FN5]…

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Added by Mark Small on February 10, 2024 at 12:28pm — No Comments

Fresh Thyme does the right thing in Broad Ripple incident

A few days ago a person was attacked in the parking area of the Coil Building, 6301 N College, north of the canal. The Store Director of Fresh Thyme, the building’s 1st floor tenant, replied to a local resident’s concerns about safety. The reply was damn decent. Major points: 1/5

1) Fresh Thyme is working w/local police to reduce potential criminal activity 2) A video of the incident was given to the police who also had video from a traffic camera 3) The assailant is not a regular at…

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Added by Mark Small on February 8, 2024 at 3:39pm — No Comments

The John Birch Society!? Tonight's entertainment!

#sayitoutloud Tonight’s premiere! Cassie Jackson discusses white privilege!(Tues, 2/6/24, 8:30 pm EDT) Cassie will be my guest at 8 pm on a special civildiscoursenow. @ 9 pm on “Mouthwash,” John Schmitz’s guest is Jon Schrock, head of The John Birch Society. [FN1] 1/11

There is history. The John BS started in 1958. [FN2] Most Americans saw the world on TV in black-and-white, w/only 350,000 color TVs in the U.S. Few shows broadcast in color. [FN3] Near Kokomo, we got 3 stations and, if…

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Added by Mark Small on February 6, 2024 at 5:45pm — No Comments

Destroying a football league is one thing ...

Yet-to-be-convicted donald trump has interfered w/a bipartisan bill (i.e., written by ppl from both major political parties) to address immigration. For a moment, set aside the litany of harms trump has inflicted on the country. [FN1] We should look at his brilliance as a strategist. 1/7

The USFL was started as a pro football league w/games in the spring. One owner said they “had a great league and a great idea. But then everyone let Donald Trump take over. It was our death.” [FN2]…

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Added by Mark Small on February 2, 2024 at 4:17pm — No Comments

Aircraft carriers: giant, expensive targets w/crews in the thousands

History: we learn from experience. In 1588, the Spanish Armada was defeated. [FN1] Weather and the relative inexperience of Spain’s commander were factors. [FN2] Spain’s warships were large, slow-moving and meant to rely “on boarding and close-quarters fighting.” [FN3] 1/6

The smaller, faster ships armed “with long-range naval guns” of the English won. [FN4]

Today, the U.S. Navy has 11 nuclear-powered fleet aircraft carriers; the latest cost almost $13 billion. [FN5] The crew…

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Added by Mark Small on February 1, 2024 at 11:16am — No Comments

Military deployment is counter-productive

I am pro-war. By that I mean that this country should use military only by declaration of war, as set forth in The Constitution. [FN1] Three U.S. military personnel and 34 wounded in a drone attack in Jordan. [FN2] Iran’s denial of involvement means little in a US election year. 1/6

After all, what do these Arab countries have against the US? Iran’s people are of varied ethnicity, but the dominant group is Persian and its most common language is Farsi, not Arabic. [FN3] The people of…

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Added by Mark Small on January 29, 2024 at 9:47pm — No Comments

1) Don't allow Putin's puppet back into The Oval Office and 2) trump's actions, 2017-2021, are void

My favorite TV shows/podcasts involve history & often an interviewee is seated in front of book shelves. Most shelves are neat, but some bear signs of a random chaos of a personal library often used. Factors help to identify books. [FN1] Questions in history? 1/7

How did Germans allow the NSDAP [FN2] to seize power? Most Americans don’t give it much thought. In the “land of the free,” elections transfer power peacefully. Our rights were protected, especially through Brown I and…

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Added by Mark Small on January 28, 2024 at 1:20pm — No Comments

Not the Party of Lincoln, but of George Lincoln Rockwell

The rights to cast a vote and to have one’s vote counted are both constitutionally protected. [FN1]. A person’s interest in participating in the political process through voting and having her or his vote counted is a right both ‘individual and personal in nature. [FN2] 1/7

This iteration of the GOP has been described as a cult. [FN3] Indiana’s GOP is an assumed business name of Indiana’s Republican State Committee, and set up as a not-for-profit (“NFP”) corporation. The Indiana GOP’s…

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Added by Mark Small on January 26, 2024 at 9:29am — No Comments

Messages from a "supernatural source" to Beckwith appear to violate election law

This iteration of the Republican Party decries foreign individuals to the point of xenophobia. The Framers of The Constitution were concerned that foreign powers could attempt to influence our elections [FN1] or simply advance corruption. [FN2] Foreign assistance to a political 1/8

campaign is illegal. [FN3] This proscription applies to Federal, State and local campaigns. [FN4] It applies against a “foreign principal. [FN5] The assistance may be from a citizen or one who owes…

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Added by Mark Small on January 22, 2024 at 12:39pm — No Comments

When will the "Lord" promote Lt Gov Beckwith?

A limited subject is Micah Beckwith [FN1] & what can happen if delegates to the IN GOP state convention [FN2] (many of whom Beckwith will have recruited) choose Beckwith as GOP’s nominee for IN Lt Gov. Beckwith’s said he won’t be a “yes person” or ceremonial Lt Gov. 1/7

At HEPL [FN3] Beckwith parroted behavior of the House GOP in DC. Beckwith’s efforts impaired HEPL’s operations & cost a lot of $$$. Beckwith posted a photo of him & this month’s Speaker. Scant literature…

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Added by Mark Small on January 21, 2024 at 11:17am — No Comments

What about "Lt Gov Beckwith" in office?

Micah Beckwith [FN1] aims to be IN’s GOP nominee in 2024 for Lt Gov. Voters don’t pick that. Delegates to the GOP State convention say who is the running mate voters choose as nominee for Gov. From Beckwith’s words & conduct, we know what he’ll do as Lt Gov Beckwith. 1/10

Words: Beckwith has said he won’t be “ceremonial” or a “yes person.” [FN2] He will be “a proactive Lt. Governor” and “fight for our constitutional rights, lead the war against the woke culture and get the…

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Added by Mark Small on January 20, 2024 at 1:45pm — No Comments

One question someone should have asked Beckwith...?

Micah Beckwith [FN1] is running for IN Lt Gov, the nominee for which is picked by the GOP State convention. Right now Beckwith’s recruiting people to run to be convention delegates. This end-run on voters is how Beckwith previously obtained public office: HEPL board. 1/11

Beckwith was placed on the HEPL board w/neither fanfare nor public notice. [FN2] He was part of a short-lived 4-3 majority that adopted a policy of book banning. Beckwith says no books were “banned.” He is…

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Added by Mark Small on January 19, 2024 at 2:27pm — No Comments

Beckwith: can't win an election, but can load a convention

Tonight on “Mouthwash,” [FN1] Micah Beckwith [FN2] is a guest. Beckwith is in a YouTube video and explains “How to Become an Indiana GOP Delegate.” That’s important to Beckwith. He wants to be the GOP nominee for Lt Gov. That’s decided at the convention. 1/8

1) Beckwith rattles off names of GOP candidates for Governor in May’s primary. He wants “to give the delegates their voices back” because the GOP primary winner for Governor anoints “their favorite yes man.” Typical for Beckwith:…

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Added by Mark Small on January 16, 2024 at 1:27pm — No Comments

The Constitution is soaked in "Slavery"

The word “slave” does not appear in The Constitution submitted to the States in 1787. People who oppose teaching that racism “is embedded in [our] society and [] legal systems to uphold supremacy of white persons” [FN1] highlight this omission. They should study history. 1/6

1) The Constitution refers to slavery. Provision was made for “three fifths of all other persons” to count for seats in the House. (Art. I, § 2) Congress was not allowed to prohibit “Importation of such Persons”…

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Added by Mark Small on January 16, 2024 at 7:23am — No Comments

Spare me: any GOP (esp Beckwith) praising MLK (as they block voter access)

Mel Gibson’s “The Patriot” inspires Micah Beckwith [FN1]: no surprise. The 2000 film is fiction w/little basis in reality, especially when it comes to slavery. E.g., in the film slaves were offered freedom to fight for the colonists. The offer was from the British. [FN2] Tomorrow: 1/7

Federal holiday to celebrate Dr Martin Luther King’s birthday. Any who hold or seek elective office will praise Dr King. In America, voters supposedly have the ultimate say. Dr King worked to secure…

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Added by Mark Small on January 14, 2024 at 10:03pm — No Comments

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