Ten states won’t take federal money for Medicaid, and it’s leaving people to die — Mississippi is one of ten states led by Republican legislatures that have refused federal money to provide medical care to people experiencing poverty. According to the New York Times, “A State’s Choice to Forgo Medicaid Funds Is Killing Hospitals.” Let’s rephrase that: it’s killing people. Republicans are afraid that if…

It’s a binary machine with no capacity for empathy — It’s fun to play around and see what apps like Alexa say when you ask them if you’re fat (“It’s what’s inside that counts”). The human-like response may entertain you — but in the end, you should understand that whatever the machine said — that choice was made before you…

Seven simple tips for resisting conspiracy theories — 1. Get off Facebook. Or at least stop reading the news feed. If you can’t bear to cancel your account, at a minimum limit your interactions to people you have met in person (and know they are who they say they are). They could still be crazy, but at least…

Going from bad to worse — Yesterday, September 26, 2023, a judge in New York found that Donald J. Trump is unfit to do business in New York. In a civil suit filed by District Attorney Letisha James, the judge found (in a summary judgment) that the Trump Organization (including Don Jr., Eric, Allen Weisselberg, and…

We should not allow a loser to win by intimidation — Two people have been violent on Trump’s behalf since the Mar-a-Lago search. Both are dead — killed by law enforcement officials before they could do any damage. One attacked an FBI office in Ohio, brandishing a nail gun. The other was killed when he refused to cooperate with law enforcement…

The Fulton County DA is Donald Trump’s worst nightmare — Fani Willis is brilliant. Her strategy in the RICO case against Trump et al. is proving how capable she is. But it isn’t her intelligence or her intimate knowledge of Georgia law that terrifies Trump and his lawyers. Willis has something else that scares the pants off Donald Trump. Willis…

They failed to consider the women involved — The thing about democracy is that once you have it, it’s hard to give up. That’s why, try as they might, Republicans are losing one battle after another. In addition to their questionable tactics, like gerrymandering and attempts at voter suppression, the disingenuousness of their arguments, while perhaps effective in…

Economic gains from clean energy are hitting red states — It’s a sad fact that most people are more concerned about money than just about anything else. At least, that’s how it is in America, where we have bought into the idea that wealth makes a person valuable. It makes sense then to expect most Americans to do the right…

The mega studio cancels shows to halt residuals to striking workers and Trump-era tax cuts help them — Never underestimate the creative power of greed. While actors and writers are striking for the right to make a living wage, Disney is applying its magical powers to deprive writers and actors of residuals while simultaneously reaping huge rewards for itself. Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, collected $499 million in salaries…