Law, Power, and Justice

We’re All Going to Die Anyway: Life with Republicans

One of the things that keeps be alive while trying to deal with life under Republicans, is cats. This is Sam Clemens, who recently joined our household. We found him in our front yard, screaming his head off, alone in the rain. Have no idea where he came from. He was scared when we first trapped him. We felt we had to trap him since we couldn’t bear his screaming in the yard. The trap terrified him, but as soon as we got him out and on the back screened in porch, he settled down. First, he stopped screaming. Then he stopped scrambling around the porch trying to find a place to hide. Now, a few weeks later. He thinks he owns the place. I have never seen such a tiny kitten who so completely believed himself to be just as large as the nine other adult cats we have living in our house. He fit in perfectly and quickly. He was so smart at learning the routine, breakfast, morning walk, morning nap, treats, dinner, treat time (you have to come in off the porch) then kibble time, then medicine time which is much less onerous than it sounds since it’s medicine sprinkled into either tuna or baby food. They love it. Then, bed time.

When we call them to treat time, all the cats come to the living room and assume their proper places. When their name is called out, they look up and a treat is thrown to them. They don’t go after the other cat’s treat and they wait their turn. Sam comes bouncing all over the sofa in excitement. He knows his name already. He’s not very good at chasing treats. I’m not sure his eyes are fully developed. But, if he doesn’t spot the treat, I point it out to him while he is looking for it. The older cats have adapted to him amazingly. Aside from a few hisses and a couple of whops for behavior not allowed, they have accepted him as one of the family.

Pooper (gray, Russian Blue) is extremely jealous of him, but that’s another long story. Pooper has already taught Sam that he is not to come up to the second floor. Pooper considers the second floor (as our cat sitter said) “his private suite.” If you carry Sam upstairs and put him down, even if Pooper is nowhere around, he will jump down and run back downstairs. Cats. The wonderful, funny, entertaining, baffling world of cats.

PODCAST: BAD FAITH WITH Briahna Joy Gray (9/22/25

Briahna Gray talks to UC Irvine Professor and author of Virtue Hoarders: The Case Against the Progressional Managerial Class, Catherine Liu.

•  According to AOC (speaking against a House resolution to celebrate Carlie Kirk’s life), Charlie Kirk said that Jews controlled not only the colleges, but non-profits and Hollywood, called for a “patriot” to bail out Paul Pelosi’s attacker, believed the Civil Rights Act was a “mistake.”
• Kamala Harris’s new memoir is coming out soon.  She got a seven-figure advance.  The Atlantic first published an excerpt.  During the campaign she was reluctant to criticize Biden, but not so in the book. 
• (Subscribe to hear entire episode)

PODCAST: The Majority Report with Sam Seder. If you are at all interested in current events this is a must listen podcast.

RUSSIA:

The Moscow Times (9/18/25)

• Russia is already using a range of hybrid methods: “physical attacks…information-related measures like propaganda, disinformation, and influence campaigns…”  “The objective is to disorient and undermine the adversary…”
• The violation of Polish airspace with Russian drones was accompanied by Russian denials of responsibility, and the mocking of “exaggerated” reactions.  The Russian media was prepared for the event and “operated as part of a coordinated information campaign.”
• The drone attack was called a “Ukrainian provocation.
• The Russians are trying to acerbate tensions in Poland caused by an overburdened refugee system as well as economic problems. 

RECIPE

Sweet Potato Chocolate donuts

• 1 c cooked sweet potato
• 1 c. almond flour
• 1/3 c cocoa powder
• ½ c maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp nut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Oven 350, grease donut pan.  Whisk together potato, egg, syrup, butter.  Add cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir just until combined.  Spoon into pan.  Bake 20-25 min.  All to cool 5 min. sprinkle with powdered sugar, or simple icing.

Note: Heat pecans and butter and coconut flakes and salt in saucepan.  Put on top of donuts.  Great.

Christina