Peter Daou going full DEFCON V on leaving the West campaign

Peter Daou had this to say to people questioning him on his announcement yesterday on leaving the Cornel West presidential campaign as its campaign manager, discussed by me in an update to both where West stands after leaving the Green Party and also an update as to who was more daft, Daou or West.

I'm embedding the whole Tweet, in its expanded full version, with boldface also on the original.

Commentary comes at the end.

To armchair Twitter quarterbacks who keep questioning my motives, here's a reality check: 

I saved Cornel West's campaign (and Marianne Williamson's, for that matter) from financial insolvency and complete internal disarray. 

I created solid infrastructure, stabilized finances, built effective teams, encouraged unionization, and led both candidates to their highest poll numbers of the race. 

Importantly, Dr. West's tweets, statements, and political/strategic decisions were entirely his own. 

And frankly, it's repulsive to suggest a Black man of his intellect and stature is not making his own decisions. My only policy role was to help refine and launch his platform, written by his policy director, which has received praise from many quarters. 

People who spew b.s. about me don't have the slightest idea the mess I inherited at the Williamson and West campaigns, and the tireless work I did to get both campaigns on track to challenge the duopoly. At a toll to my own well-being. 

Another fact: My personal beliefs are significantly to the left of both candidates I've worked for this cycle. 

Finally, I remain deeply grateful to @JillStein for bringing me to Dr. West's campaign, and to him for giving me the opportunity to support his mission.

Seeing what I have of West, and taking a guess at Williamson, I have no doubt that he brought better financial stability and organization to both. Knowing Williamson's anti-union past and other things, I don't doubt he's to the left of her politically. 

But, having read West's platform fairly closely? Unless he pushed West to move his platform further left after taking over (and he explicitly denies it), I find it laughable that a 2016 Hillbot, a 2020 neutralist who was OK with Bernie after helping Williamson then, and helping her again this year, suddenly became a secret member of the Marxist-based Party of Socialism and Liberation.

To take one example? West favors actual socialism in health care, a British-type NHS government ownership of the health care system. (So do I.) NEVER heard Daou talk about that one, from 2020 on, and of course, certainly not before that. Others that are beyond the GP and more in line with traditional social democracy, European style? Workers on corporate boards of directors; 

Others domestically left that I've not heard Daou mention before? Black reparations; 

Outgreening the Greens to essentially make the Green New Deal Global? (I agree with that one too.) Oh, and also globally, disbanding NATO and other things.

And, it's not just "to the left," but "significantly to the left." Sure.

Per what others have said on Twitter in response to the original announcement, I don't doubt that PTSD may be behind the emotional rage.

But, as to why they're hating? Peter, it's your own history. You've put yourself behind the eight-ball, PTSD aside. And, I doubt you'll be asked to help another presidential campaign, with bridge burning like this..

Gaza grifting on Substack

I've hit multiple paywalls in the past week from both Seymour Hersh and Andrew Cockburn. (I typed "Patrick" yesterday by reflex memory.)

And, I'm sure if I were a paid subscriber, below the fold (their paywall "folds" have been set at well, well above the halfway point on the Substack page), I venture I would read in more detail about just what we don't know about Gaza, Hamas, motives, etc. at this time.

If one of these two, or others like them, had something really earth-shattering, somebody else somewhere would have reported it by now. That's the way the biz works, except when your alleged scoop is all wrong, then others report how it's wrong, then yet others rally to your flag and it becomes a game of political opining tribalism, not journalism.

Credit to Norman Finkelstein who just posts away some thoughts.

Personal proof that veggie burgers aren't totally healthy

Or totally tasty, for that matter.

Four years ago, I blogged about the Genetic Literacy Project touting the wonders of the Impossible Burger, and how healthy it supposedly is.

And now, I have the personal angle.

Courtesy of Donald J. Trump's presidential trade war with China, Tarrant Area Food Bank has been coming beyond Greater Fort Worth to my small burg on a monthly basis since shortly after the start of COVID, and with "flexible" income eligibility. 

Anyway, in the last two months, I've gotten a set of four Greek-made (no, really) veggie burgers and Kraft's fake Cheddar cheese slices.

So, with smartphone photos at hand, let's talk and compare, first the veggie burger, then the fake cheese.

OK.

First, note near the bottom, that whopping amount of sodium. A veggie burger is as unhealthy as a frozen pizza there. A quarter-pounder, actual beef? 76 grams. Sodium in general, and sodium chloride in particular, is used to camouflage either bad flavor or no flavor, or else to goose pretend but not actual spiciness. (Look at your nacho cheese tortilla chips vs plain.)

Related? While the quarter-pounder has more overall fat (the veggie burger was actually 3 3/4 oz, not 4) and thus a few more calories, less than half of the fat on it is saturated, and in fact, it also has as much of the good MONOunsaturated fat as polyunsaturated. Interestingly, it has a little bit of bad trans fat. (The link is to an 80 percent lean level of beef.)

While I'm here? The ingredients? TVP, as it's known in the food biz, presumably mainly from soy, but with added straight up soy protein. I've had a black bean burger more than once, and in years past, occasionally made a 50-50 meat loaf, using the dehydrated black bean stew mix that Central Market used to sell. (It's more hit and miss now, it's pricier, and I've not bought beef in geez, 3 or 4 years.) Anyway, the taste is "off," per what I said above about salt as an attempt at camouflage. 

Pass on this (and other veggie burgers that are similar), on flavor and otherwise. Want to eat less meat? Eat less fake meat products that, per Michael Pollan, are themselves processed foods.

Now, the fake Kraft, since I had this, and made my fake burger a fake cheeseburger instead of a fake hamburger.

I'm going to jump on flavor first, then we'll drop a picture of real Tillamook Cheddar below and compare nutrition profiles.

The flavor? Not that close to mild Cheddar and not at all close to medium Cheddar. Not in the same universe as something like Tillamook sharp. It IS Kraft, for whom the entire cheese world is generic, neutered versions of whatever type of cheese it claims to be peddling.

Related? In my microslave, it seemed  to want to take longer to melt than real cheese, same 4/5 ounce slice would. Mouthfeel was similar but not exactly the same.

 

OK.

 

Skipping down after I type in some lorem ipsum type placeholders.

 

So that we have:

Tillamook extra sharp Cheddar, an 8-ounce brick. Its serving size is 1 ounce, so I'll multiply the fake cheese by 25 percent.

Calories then are 95 vs. 120. Fake is a winner, but if you're weight watching, you need to do more than this. Fat is now 6.5 vs 10. However, all the fat in the fake cheese is saturated. See above.

Sodium is now 235 mg vs 200. Even on something with naturally high sodium levels like cheese, the fake cheese is WORSE!

Finally, environmental issues.

The veggie burger is surely somewhat better than Big Ag feedlot-raised methane-farting and belching cows. But, it's not THAT much better. Note coconut fat among ingredients. Anything using coconut or palm fat or oil is suspect for promoting plantation agriculture and its own environmental destructiveness. Plus, it takes a non-insignificant amount of electricity to process this and other processed foods. Unless that all comes from renewable electricity, that's an issue. Finally, this veggie burger is made in Greece. Takes a few tons/tonnes of marine diesel to ship it to the US of A.

The fake cheese? Coconut oil is the base. See above. It's processed. See above.

You know what's healthier and tastier than a veggie burger? My homemade black bean stew, below. (This version with whole black beans, not Central Market's dehydrate, and it is vegetarian.)

 

Or (semi-) vegetarian chili. Or my rice and lentils with curry sauce, often goosed with ancho chiles in winter.

Observer peddling religion/spirituality/ghosts

Other untrue metaphysics to come?

For the second time in a month, the Observer seems to be touting religion as a get-out-of-jail card (literally), ignoring that secular people, including secular inmates, can be just as moral or "spiritual" as the religious. Here's the previous one, about which I said, I hate the death penalty, but, re the Observer's story about people seeking clemency for a man on death row, and especially regarding the headline, what's being Jewish got to do with it? Per the body of the story, what's being religious in general got to do with it?

Both are by Michelle Pilcher, who apparently has an agenda of sorts in regard to this. And, is a bit frou-frou. This story about an old Confederate women's organization's building in Austin could have been written without the haunted house front half. Or conclusion.

Texas Progressives discuss Warmonger Joe and more

As shown in the Louisiana governor's race, Black Democratic backing for Warmonger Joe is getting softer. There, turnout was way down; nationwide, Biden's percentage of support is softening. I think that's in part because, contra turd-polishing on the economy by the likes of Krugman, lower income people of any race are facing economic headwinds.

Warmonger Joe is getting the support of Warmonger Greg in Tex-ass, as Abbott tells Texas public schools to teach Zionism propaganda courtesy of the Anti-Defamation League and others. (Is Tim Dunn OK with this? Former Fetus Forever Fuckwad Jonathan Stickland and best bud Nick Fuentes?)

Speaking of? SocraticGadfly said he would accept no new Speaker of the House, even a government shutdown in a few weeks, if that's what ti takes to block $100 billion in new foreign aid bribery. 

And, lots of Arab-Americans of all religious backgrounds, along with Muslims of all ethnicities, who voted for him in 2020 appear likely to take a pass on Biden this time. I'll assume they're not voting Trump. Since Justin Amash opted not to run Libertarian, that means Green or Cornel West wherever he might be on the ballot. Bob Jr. also cuts blank checks to Zionism, so that's not happening.

City of San Marcos has to cough up $175K to Wendy Davis, three others, over 2020 Trump Train incident and city police non-responsiveness. TML is paying half on insurance; the city's half, under $100K, meant no city council vote needed. A bit weaselly! Police officers required to undergo training re voter intimidation and related policing issues.

So far, Colony Ridge is a nothingburger.

Wingnuts pissed off that Denton ISD is starting a school health clinic funded in part with Medicaid money.

Art Briles, bullshitter extraordinaire. The former Baylor head coach and football player sexual abuse facilitator claims he knows nothing about his ghostwritten bio, among the BS. (The ghoster has called Briles a liar.)

Off the Kuff gave a couple of campaign finance updates for Houston City Council. 

Dos Centavos is excited about about Los Texmaniacs and La Marisoul's Grammy noms. 

Neil at the Houston Democracy Project made his recommendations for 2023 Houston municipal elections. 

 Raise Your Hand Texas urges us to listen to Texas teachers. 

The Austin Chronicle reported on a protest of Berry Aviation at the San Marcos Regional Airport for its role in flying migrants out of Texas at the behest of Ron DeSantis. 

The Current writes about the controversy surrounding singer Joe Lopez, a convicted sex offender who was going to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tejano Music Awards in San Antonio before a public outcry scrapped it.  

Evil MoPac has some advice for new arrivals in Austin from California.

Philly Dems boot out Working Families Party member. But why? WFP people all vote Democrap beyond the local level in the end anyway.

Myths of rural America: a new book

Small town rural America is generally bullshit as a myth, unless, per the link, you're an American Indian living on a Southwestern pueblo or a larger, still semi-isolated non-puebloan tribe, like Sioux, Apaches or Navajos. Arguably, it was a myth before coming to America for White folks; look at the closure of the commons for sheepherders in Britain and Scotland. And, for Tex-ass White folks hating on Ill Eagles, do you want to pay a White (and unionized) workforce double the wages that Ill Eagles, or even legal immigrants get at places like Tyson in towns like Center? (The piece is by Daniel Immerwahr; if you're like me, that's a sign of goodness right there. It's in part a review of a new book exposing these rural myths in more detail.)

In terms of modern politics, yes, the Electoral College. And yes, gerrymandering for US House and state lege seats. But, that doesn't explain all of Democrats' problems, contra Immerwahr. Dear Leader's guns comment in 2008, as well as his backdown from it, are more illustrative. Obama never explained WHY rural White folks were clinging to their guns, nor did he talk about stopping or even slowing down the hollowing out.

Socialist Party has presidential nominee: Stodden doesn't impress

The Socialist Party USA (an actual political party of actual socialists, not a "lite" interest group within the Democratic Party) has its presidential and vice presidential nominee, per Twitter.

The Socialist Party is excited to announce our 2024 Socialist presidential ticket of Bill Stodden (Iowa) for President and Stephanie Cholensky (Minnesota) for Vice President!

There you are.

Several thoughts, both on the candidates and on background issues.

First of all, who are these people, focusing on the presidential nominee?

One weird thing about Stodden right away. The Salvation Army is a church, not just a religious organization, and a fundagelical one on doctrines at that. (In this current century, the Army, both in the US and abroad, has put this fundagelicalism into action with anti-gay activity and other things.) Why is he a Salvation Army bell ringer and not just an individual one, but a PR flak in his area? Indeed, per below and even more, why is he the "executive director" of the Ames, Iowa, "chapter" if I'm correct? I'm positive that's him as Google and Duck Duck both return hits from old newspapers that have a man with same last name, presumably either father or grandfather, in a "story obituary," and this person was part of the music faculty at Iowa State.

Secondly, I'm sure it's this guy, former Marine vet protesting Iraq war in Rapid City, South Dakota. (That's confirmed below.)

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bill Stodden was trained for possible war in Iraq before his honorable discharge in 1999. Now with the Socialist Party USA, he helped organize the Spearfish march and also marched Sunday. 

"I wanted the veteran's voice to be heard. It's important for people to know that not all veterans support the war," Stodden said. He understands why the U.S. entered World War II and Vietnam. "I just don't see a reason for this war … and I don't want to see my brothers and sisters in uniform die."

If that's the case, the obituary person would be his grandfather, or a great-uncle? Probably not enough age difference to be a great-grandfather. And, given that he was a delegate to an SPUSA national convention back in 2007, the timeline fits.  

NOTE: I am updating and editing my original update based on additional comments by Stodden, and inserting them in-line in the original, rather than all at once.

First, contra one of Bill's more sneering comments? I'm not an investigative reporter with the NYT, as far as misidentifying his grandfather. I didn't address that in comments, but, Bill, if you want to keep doubling down on the Obama vote and other things, be careful; I might just do a full second blog post.

Second, Bill, re the claim the Rapid City paper had a retraction?Per your additional comment, I've deleted that. I accept that you were anti-war on Vietnam as well as later. Duly noted that you weren't a Quaker at the time. That said, one doesn't have to be religious to have antiwar activism. It's also duly noted that, while your grandfather wasn't on the music faculty, you haven't said what your dad was, career-wise. And, since I said I have cut off comments, and have no desire to get into a big swinging dick contest, I have no desire to further discuss families of origin or income levels.

That said, genealogy aside, even with him being anti-war going back to Vietnam, in combination with his flacking for the Salvation Army, and his defensiveness about the 2008 election, I doubt I'll be signing his ballot access petition here in Tex-ass if he has one. (So, it's back to trying to make a decision on both stratchery and ethics grounds on whether to sign Bob Jr or Cornel next spring. And, even should Stodden get on the ballot, it's a decision between Cornel, if HE gets on the ballot, the official GP nominee, or undervoting.) If you want to reform something, start with the Salvation Army.

Stodden also answered a party questionnaire (PDF) courtesy of Independent Political Report and its piece on the nominations. So did Cholensky, below.

INNterestingly, he became an ex-Socialist Party member, at least on leadership, when he drank the Dear Leader Kool-Aid in 2008, per Stodden's questionnaire. He came back in 2012, but says he doesn't regret his 2008 Obama vote. As someone who did my duopoly exit back in 2000 and never looked back, this also isn't good.

Other background? PhD in political science, not being used professionally. Runs a non-profit that focuses on food and shelter. If not the local Salvation Army chapter, what is it? Because the Iowa public radio station linked above says:

Salvation Army's Bill Stodden visits with us about Bell ringers and the Red Kettle Campaign, the Food Pantry, the Fresh Food Market, rental assistance, The Angel Tree gift shop, Toy Drive, and the need of support as needs increase and past support has diminished.

And, there we go. No wonder he said he runs a "small non-profit." And, as "executive director," not "captain" or whatever his Salvation Army military rank is. A lot of SPUSA people would, or will, probably balk at the Salvation Army.

So, we have a guy in a fundagelical church that conflicts with SPUSA thoughts on personal sexual liberty, and beyond that, is quasi-fundagelical on "you must believe in Jesus." We have a guy with the two-party party line on the Vietnam War who then voted for Dear Leader. Pass. 

Re the Salvation Army? Per my one response to Bill, doesn't matter in my book if the fundraisers are a separate division from the individual churches. Catholic Charities is still part of the Catholic Church, as a counterexample. I give money myself to the area regional secular food bank. Haven't bought items from a Salvation Army thrift store in 20 years.

As for voting? Bill, it's a pure sneer. You're both unrepentant AND hugely defensive about what I'm going to call, per a common Twitter phrase, your "duopoly re-entrance" in 2008. And, by your logic in your comment to me, per BlueAnon screeds, you should have voted Biden in 2020, and per their claim that "democracy is at stake" in 2024, you shouldn't be running for president on the SPUSA line this time around.

And, even more than per my earlier italics, if you get more defensive yet on comments on that, here, I will do a follow-up piece.

Again, since I said I have cut off comments, and have no desire to get into a big swinging dick contest, I have no desire to further discuss families of origin or income levels. And, since you decided to go sneering on that, I'll do so at some point in the future.

It's nice to beat the rush and get disenchanted right away rather than have to be disillusioned months later.

Cholensky, here, rejects the SPUSA's outright opposition to GMOs and nuclear power. As do I with both it and Greens.

Now, the big picture stuff.

First, a stragery one. As for the question of why the early nomination, the party doesn't have ballot access in most states, so it's usually subject to the even higher hurdle of independent candidate ballot access petitioning. I used to wish it would wait until early 2024, but if this is part of why (I assume, but don't know) that it does this in 2023, then I accept that.

Second, Bill Stodden is not a Green and not a Green Party candidate, so unlike 2019/2020, there will be no co-nomination.

Now, the Texas angle. SPUSA has no party line ballot access, so Stodden's campaign will have to do like Mimi Soltysik in 2016 and get on the ballot as an independent. I can sign only one ballot access petition, and he's third in line behind Bob Jr. and Cornel. (For various strategery reasons, I may sign Bob Jr.'s petition and not Cornel's.)

Oh, as for the number of signatures? Here in Tex-ass, it's 113,000 and change. I think it was a lot lower for Mimi Soltysik in 2016; the high presidential turnout in 2020 plus increased population has jacked the number. It was 90K in 2020.

I mention Soltysik because I nearly voted for him in 2016. Had the Hillary Clinton campaign allowed for early voting in its oppo research against Jill Stein (Al Gore didn't have to consider that vs Ralph Nader in 2000), seeing her with oil/defense/tobacco stocks via mutual funds, just like St. Ralph in 2000, would have been the tipping point for me to write in Soltysik, who was available here in Tex-ass in 2016. Knowing what I do off the bat against Stodden, though, I don't have to worry about that road this time. I was hoping that the SPUSA would have had a better alternative for next year, but ... it doesn't.

Indeed, mentioning both the SPUSA and the Greens? I don't follow the Socialists as closely as I still do Greens, let alone as I did pre-2020, but if the party chose Stodden, it must have had at least as craptacular of an overall presidential candidates list this year as the Greens do without Cornel West.

Texas House-Senate battle over vouchers officially underway

Rural House Rethuglicans have tentatively halfway caved on school vouchers, passing a combo bill of vouchers-lite vs the Senate Bill 1, plus public school aid lite vs SB 2, that Strangeabbott has already rejected. I don't get the House on this. A piddly increase in the state allotment, a moderate raise on teacher pay and no additional funding for school security (something else private schools don't have to do at all). HB 1 does have things modestly better on the vouchers than SB 1, but nothing big. HB 1 IS much better than the Senate bill in one way: it bars Abbott, under guise of the Legislative Budget Board, from engaging in budget thievery like he's used to fund Operation Lone Star. If that's not in a final bill, assuming the House caves on vouchers otherwise, it will be a big cave indeed.

I said tentatively, above, because as of the end of last week, the bill had just been filed. No committee hearings, let alone committee or full House votes. It's a kind of placeholder bill, open to being Christmas-treed all to hell.

Tex-ass const amdts: Just Say No — TPWD conservation fund

When I posted a few weeks ago about why Texans should vote "no," or even more loudly, "NO," on just about all the constitutional amendments on next month's ballot, I promised to do more in-depth breakouts on a few, and here we go.

The main reason I oppose this, Prop. 14, is Fairfield Lake State Park — and the several other state parks in similar circumstances. Tis true that the ballot language talks about "creation and improvement" of state parks, not just "creation." But, buying the currently-rented land, the land surrounding cooling ponds at old coal-fired power plants that's the basis of several other state parks besides Fairfield Lake, isn't as "sexy" as creating new parks. It should have been mandated in the ballot language that TPWD do that first. (Of course, that might have led the power companies to hold TPWD hostage.) Given TPWD's dilatory actions, aka fuck-ups, on the whole process of eminent domain re Fairfield Lake, a process that looks like it was deliberately designed to fail, it's not trustworthy.

Per that last link, there are FOURTEEN state parks with the same situation as Fairfield Lake. FOURTEEN. And, this amendment says nothing about TPWD acquiring ownership of their land before buying sites for new state parks.