Open Thread - Thurs 15 Jan 2026 - Whatcha Think?
Whatcha Think?
We've found, and introduced to others here at Caucus99%, various opinion and news sources; from mainstream news, podcasts, webpages, videos and more. Some of these sources have changed in political orientation it seems, others are a bit more mainstream than they used to be. That's kinda natural, I guess. One has to go where the money flows, or something. I've really enjoyed learning about all these different sources from my fellow Caucus99%ers, watching the videos and reading the stories and opinions. Sure has taught me a lot!
So recently I happened across a news/opinion/podcast/wev station on youtube called 'Really American'. And I like it, so I wanted to post about it here. It's far more left wing than most anything I've seen recently. 'Really American' does some pretty good reporting and coverage of other news sources' reporting. The channel often joins in with the 'US Democratic Socialists' group which is also pretty cool.
Here's a very recent sample of 'Really American' about one of Trump's war crimes:
And another clip - Joe Rogan calls ICE the Gestapo!
I realize that this left wing point of view can be just as skewed, sensationalistic, and blind as any of the other news/podcasts/etc points of view. One must look at everything, even if one disagrees with, say, the center-right point of view. But even if one looks at that point of view it doesn't mean one has to believe it, or support it! We learn from doing this; learn what to support, what to ignore, what to love, what to hate. And man, it's taken me a while to learn all this stuff 
. So, there's probably lots more to be seen! What do you watch/listen to now? What group(s) produces a mostly believable narrative of what's happening now? Whatcha think about Really American?
Here's the open thread! What's up, whatcha doing? Reading? Thinking? Listening to? Remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Happy Thursday!
I hope everyone is doing well, and the middle of January is not too bad. I know some places are getting lots of snow, eeek!
I started watching this channel after Renee Good was shot by that Ice asshole. I just couldn't turn away and ignore it all anymore. So, here we are. There was/have been protests on the corner in my little town, I'm offering support to the protestors. And I'm doing all I can to learn about this absolute sh*tstorm, and all the other ones Trumpster has started.
Ahh well, enough of that. I hope you all are doing good! Whatcha learning, listening too, having fun with?
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I know, eventually
the younger generations will take over the levers of power. Yes, the Greta Thunbergs of America will be seeking positions of legislative power. And they will be bought off after each and every election, just like now.
But if we refuse to vote for any incumbent, even ones who have already served once in legislatures, we will slowly begin to dilute , then remove all the crooked ones.
It's about the only path forward for taking out the trash. The controlling cabal may have lots of money, but if they have to fund every new winning candidate across the nation, every election, they will slowly lose more and more money and disband to save their own wealth, which is the most important thing they live for.
This is their Achilles heel. They can't stand to lose money on losing propositions.
IMHO
Thanks for the link and the OT.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
The idea of not voting for any incumbent...
makes a lot of sense.
This is definitely true, I think. 'The controlling cabal may have lots of money, but if they have to fund every new winning candidate across the nation, every election, they will slowly lose more and more money and disband to save their own wealth, which is the most important thing they live for.'
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning...
Thanks for the new channel. I'll check it out.
ICE does seem like the US version of the SS. "Show me your papers". Not to mention covering their face and providing no identification.
Our country is in a dark place.
Thanks for the OT!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yep! maybe we should call them...
US SS. ICE the US SS. Heh. Too many S's? Could maybe add a vowel, USA SS, Which becomes US Ass. Works for me!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Took a look at video titles on the site - thought of this song
i
The main difference since 1949 is the deliberate expansion of teacher categories working to influence us and others to be foot soldiers unquestioning on their side.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Mandy Patinkin did
a great mashup of that tune and "Children Will Listen", which is one of the better live performances of this material that I've seen. There's no question about whether he believes in it or not...
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Wow that was GOOD!
Thank you!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Yes, that was good
Vaguely remember visiting the Riverside Church as a child. I've got this notion about the acoustics in a cathedral from some architecture studies I had to take in college. I did visit a couple of the famous cathedrals in France, once upon a time...
己所不欲，勿施于人。
More complete message by combining the two songs
Thank you for providing the performance. Made my heart ache with the intense message.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Long ago...
I learned a lot from that musical, even though it was like 15 years old or so when I was born... But then I haven't listened to it for a long time. Thank you for reintroducing me, and what a great version of this song!
And yes, it seems like we all have to be carefully taught, doesn't it? Me, I lucked out. I was in a school, in a location in the country, where we were taught to NOT be racist. And that was luck and the fact that my parents willingly moved the family to a location with one of the best high schools in the state. Credit to them. Much Credit.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning Sima. Thanks for the tip on the new channel.
I've more of less abandoned the use of "left" and "right" because the US left died so long ago. Not to say no "lefties" exist, but there are so many issue and behavior spaces and so many vantage points from which to view them that everybody not on the right gets lost in the fog. Also, I've always had a warped view, which includes the fact that there is, imo, no such thing as a center or a centrist. They are generally identified as moderates who wish for some sort of calm, peaceful, mean exemplified by the lack of significant change in either direction. That, to my way of thinking, is a conservative.
Reactionaries wish to go back to some mythical golden age of lords, ladies and serfs
Conservatives wish to preserve the status quo
"liberals" (generally self described) - see below
lefties wish and act to bring about change in the form of a levelling, an increase in equality, freedom, and rights of and for all, in part by reducing the power, control and influence of existing elites.
Part of this is an awareness that the ability to elect one's master does not mean that there are no masters nor serfs.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I basically agree with the abandonment of...
left and right (and center). Although that's what people call these 'positions' and so, here we are. I never really though about center as being conservative, but it certainly is. Thank you for opening my thinking on this, and for the good song! I wonder if the younger generation has political and satirical songs like this?
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Woke up "not dead"
again this morning. Knocked over with a feather again.
I sometimes struggle to describe what I'm doing as "living", though, things being what they are. It is perhaps best described as "waiting to be killed". That occupies altogether too many of my waking hours- and what feels like the vast majority of my sleeping hours, here lately. I'm actively working on it with my counselor (yes, I am seeing a professional, and have been for some time), but there is no obvious relief in sight.
At times, I really do wish that I could be as casually oblivious as 95% of the American people clearly are. It must be nice to not know, and to simply not care about not knowing. Those are the people that the modern US was made for: coppertops, to be stripmined, and be happy about it.
Ah, well. There'll be sportsball on the teevee- and the media will carefully launder any mention of any of this unpleasantness to preserve the preternatural somnolescent calm of the populace. Gawd forbid that any of them should take notice of any of this.
Sounds like Cruella de Lago's surging stormtroopers will be targeting Maine next. Maybe there, they'll ballistically freedumb someone with enough money that their estate will be able to establish standing in the courts.
One can always hope. And, despite the thinness of that gruel, hope is all we've got.
Be safe out there.
And on edit: study this information. It will become necessary for all to know it, and quite soon. Quite soon indeed. We're now no longer sliding down the slippery slope: we are in full free fall.
https://uslawexplained.com/insurrection_act_of_1807
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Just another day
on the streets of that well-known terrorist hangout: Columbia Heights, Minnesota.
https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/2011839455829594448?s=20
It really is too bad that he (and all the rest of the stormtrooper victims) won't have standing to do anything about it through our legal system.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Living is 'waiting to be killed'
or waiting to die, in some ways. I've struggled with that myself. Getting older, I can see the 'end', even if we don't all die in a big Trump induced ball of nuclear flame. I never thought I'd get old enough to see the end, but here I am. And part of me wonders why I should keep on going, with the pain at times, the old age stuff like arthritis and sickness and... BUT, then I see the sun, hear the birds, get hugged by Nikko, loved by my hubby. I love driving down the local roads, promising myself that one day me and Nikko are going to hiking on a local trail or whatever, the entrance to which I see off the road (yea, I'm probably wishful thinking). SO, I keep on keeping on, and you do too!
If Cruella targets Maine, I hope she gets whooped. Dang it!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hey, sima!
It is hard to find honest news sources. Seems most of them get started by funding from an agenda pusher. I will check this channel out, and see for myself if it fact-based.
Meanwhile, it did get colder here for a few days. Sort of a refreshing change.
I hope you and your critters are all doing well, and thanks for the OT, chica!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Colder!
We've had a week or two of 'normal' weather temperatures here, but mostly our temperatures have been too warm for the season. We need snow pack!
I'd love to know what you think about the Really American channel! Everyone is doing ok here, despite having old age stuff happening, so there is that! Even our super old cat, Ashe, is still here and meowing up a storm because she's gone deaf. But, she's here!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so