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Jenn Montgomery
@JustJennRN
Joined August 2010
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The last few weeks I've been intermittently oscillating between anger, sorrow, and worry over the pending election.
And most of that isn't even over the MAGAs. They're going to do what they're going to do. And their minds can't be changed.
What bothers me is people suggesting they're not going to vote for Biden, even though they know that Trump is a terrible person, President, alternative, and human being. The people who detest him as much as I do are willing to let him take office "because the Dems should have chosen someone better" or some such nonsense.
It is the most "cut off the nose to spite the face" thing in all of human history.
But if you say that, you're the bad guy. How DARE you LECTURE us?!?!
So I'm not lecturing you. I'm just telling you some things.
When Biden had a Congress he could work with, they passed
The Inflation Reduction Act: The single largest investment in climate and energy in American history,
American Rescue Plan Act: Lowered health insurance premiums and provide 100% federal COBRA subsidy. Allowed 1 million Americans to gain coverage.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Invests $1 trillion to fix our nation's infrastructure while creating over 2 million jobs over the next decade
Postal Service Reform Act: Contains financial reforms intended to improve the Postal Service's financial sustainability, and operational reforms intended to increase efficiency, accountability, and transparency.
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: Makes changes to gun control, mental health, and school safety. The law includes over $13 billion in federal funding for programs to improve public safety. The most significant gun-control legislation in 30 years.
CHIPS and Science Act: Provides $50 billion to revitalize the U.S. semiconductor industry and strengthen the country's economic and national security
Honoring Our PACT Act: Expands VA health care and benefits for veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances like burn pits and Agent Orange
Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act: Reforms and modernizes the outdated 1887 Electoral Count Act to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state's public vote for President.
Respect for Marriage Act: RFMA officially repealed The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and requires the federal government to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, codifying parts of Obergefell, the 2013 ruling in United States v. Windsor, and the 1967 ruling in Loving v. Virginia.
Under Joe Biden's leadership the US has led the world economically in recovering from Covid.
Unemployment has been below 4% for the last 27 months, the lowest in over 50 years, and the longest since we've had primarily two-income households.
Underemployment (those who are settling for lesser jobs) is at 7%, the lowest number recorded since they've started tracking it in 1990.
And yes, international inflation has impacted the US (just as it has impacted every country in the world,) but among advanced nations, it currently has the 2nd lowest core inflation.
Wage growth is up to, even more than inflation. As of February, the average worker was making 6% more than they were pre-pandemic after adjusting for inflation.
Overall, personal income increased $122.0 billion (0.5 percent at a monthly rate) in March.
Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—increased $104.0 billion (0.5 percent).
Personal saving was $671.0 billion and the personal saving rate—personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income—was 3.2 percent in March.
And for once, the most income growth is going to the poorest Americans. Here is the wage growth since pre-pandemic levels.
Low-wage (10th percentile): 12.1%
Lower-middle-wage (avg 20th–40th): 5.0%
Middle-wage (avg 40th–60th): 3.0%
Upper-middle-wage (avg 60th–80th): 2.0%
High-wage (90th percentile): 0.9%
Nationally, the GDP has grown from 20.93 trillion to 27.36 trillion in 2023. That's an increase of over 30% since Biden took office.
And, for whatever it's worth, the Dow is up over 25% under Biden.
So please, stop telling me Biden is terrible for the economy.
And while we're at it, show some consistency. If you're going to blame Biden for all the inflation, give him all the credit for jobs recovered. If you're going to give Trump a pass for the jobs lost because of Covid, give Biden a pass for inflation caused because of Covid.
And while we're at it, the jobs that were lost during Covid (mostly the hospitality jobs) are the last ones coming back. But that's another axe to grind.
He has also repaired NATO to defend Ukraine, and helped add Finland and Sweden.
And for all the talk about the "wars" under Biden, America isn't at war--as we were under Trump. And no, America is not fighting "proxy wars." A proxy war is instigated by the major power.
Ukraine did not invade Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine. Hamaas attacked Israel.
Those aren't proxy wars. You may agree or disagree with funding them, but they aren't proxy wars, so stop calling them proxy wars.
But I digress.
The point is shit happens elsewhere in the world. There were 151 different wars and conflicts while Trump was President, but we didn't blame him for them. There sure wasn't "world peace."
In fact, more people globally, and more US servicemen died in conflicts under Trump than under Biden.
And Trump ordered nearly 20,000 drone strikes in just 4 years. Biden has ordered fewer than 500. So no, Trump is not the dove people say he is.
So yes, Biden has accomplished a lot. And we'll get to Gaza, but first let's talk about not what Trump "did" but what he promises to do.
These aren't darkly hidden campaign conspiracy theories. These are campaign promises available in interviews and published on the Interwebs.
Trump wants to replace over 10,000 federal employees with ideologically motivated "applicants." There is LITERALLY an application online with Project 2025. That's not some rumor.
He wants to SELL climate policy to the Oil Industry for $1 billion in campaign contributions. How's that going to work for climate change?
He wants to "round up" over 10 million undocumented workers and put them in internment camps. Again, campaign promise he made in an interview. Not something I'm making up.
He is happy to let red states force women to register their pregnancies.
What about trans rights? Gay rights? Do you think those are safe? What if Mike Johnson is still Speaker and Ted Cruz is the Senate Majority Leader? Those are very real possibilities if Trump wins.
Do you think a MAGA Senate is going to keep the filibuster in place? Do you doubt for a second that Thomas and Alito wouldn't resign so that Trump could appoint two more conservatives? How do you feel about a Trump-majority court?
Now on Gaza. Do you really believe that Joe Biden wants to "genocide" Palestinians? You can argue he hasn't done enough to hinder Israel's attacks, and I won't begrudge you that. But do you really believe Trump wouldn't be infinitely worse?
And I really do feel that people need to recognize that Biden is in a precarious position here. If he is too hard on Israel, he loses the election. If he's not hard enough on Israel, he loses the election. Either way Bibi (not Israel) wins.
You've already got Republicans trying to conflate him threatening to withhold support with Trump and Ukraine (which they were apparently OK with, but whatever).
Trump has promised (again, a promise) to "spill a gallon of blood for every drop they (the Palestinians) spill.
Then there's RFK Jr. The man who can't even host a dinner party for a brain worm. What does he offer? You say you don't want to vote for the lesser of two evils?
How is he less evil than Joe Biden? Honestly.
If you're going to vote FOR him, then please elaborate on why. I don't even know what his platform is beyond his last name and his pro-Polio stance.
My point is:
1. Joe Biden has actually been a pretty damned good President if you actually look at it.
2. Donald Trump will literally ruin 10s of millions of lives.
So if you're going to pretend that it's all the same, then fine. Go ahead. Watch the country burn to the ground so you can be pompous about it.
But don't bitch about it and blame the Democrats for running an incumbent President with the most successful first-term record in 50 years.
I fact-checked all the data in this post as I wrote it. But if you see an actual error, feel free to point it out and I will include it. But only if it's actually an error.
WOW.
History Dr. Timothy Snyder just completely debunked and embarrassed Marjorie Taylor Greene after she kept pushing the narrative of Nazis in Ukraine.
“On the question of Nazis, I’ve written two books as a historian about Nazis and the holocaust. On the question of Ukrainian nationalism, I am the leading scholar of that subject in North America. I’ve been writing about it for 20 years.
"If the chamber is interested in the degree of far right participation in Ukrainian politics, you can be assured that no far right party has every surpassed 3% in a Ukrainian election. So of course there are bad people in any country but by any comparative standard, it’s a very small phenomenon.
"In Russia, on the other hand, the army includes openly Nazi formations… The government, itself, is fascist in character, and is carrying out a war that includes the deportation of children by the 10s of thousands, the open intention of destroying a state, as well as mass torture.
"So if we’re looking for fascism, and if there is anyone who is sincerely concerned about halting fascism or racism, you’d look to halt Russia."
.@RepMTG Shut what down 🤡? The laws of our nation? The Government? How does that help? It's all on you. Stop misleading the American public.
Contrary to your claim, the Biden Administration has not neglected border security. Efforts to negotiate a bipartisan Senate deal were aimed squarely at enhancing border security and improving the immigration system. This deal included provisions for increasing resources at the border, such as more agents and immigration judges, which would expedite asylum decisions from years to weeks. The intention was to deter migrants from making dangerous journeys, knowing the swift processing and higher likelihood of deportation if their asylum claims didn't meet the criteria. But YOU and the rest of the Trump first, America last crowd bowed to Trump to stop the bill. This is all on you. YOU DID THIS! #Immigration
I live in South Texas. I have watched our border for years. The one thing that really pisses me off is when some MAGA cult member who has been drinking from the right-wing propaganda hose for years tries to tell me what I have experienced, what I have lived. Here’s the reality…
Under Obama/Biden the border was its most peaceful in 20+ years. When Trump took office everything blew up, caravans, disgusting detention centers in shopping centers, horrific child separations. A paper quagmire that the Biden administration is still sorting out. Nobody working for Trump was serious or had a plan. They just escalated cruelty and didn’t do any of the paperwork. Like everything Trump did it was inept, incompetent, more harm than good.
Trump’s entire administration was a series of incompetent missteps. Covid, body bags, billions in misplaced or stolen stimulus, 8 Trillion added to the deficit, stock market crash, rising inflation, security breaches, loss of classified documents, fake electors scheme, the ridiculous, violent, seditious insurrection at the capitol. All of the above while his corpulent ass golfed over 365 days out of four years.
Don’t come on my timeline trying to impose your artificial reality that Obama (Black man bad!!!) caused the border crisis and the fantasy that the border was secure under Trump. There’s a difference between what Trump says and what he does. He has always been all talk and no action.
Right wingers today are manipulating the gullible, using footage that was taken months ago and screaming “invasion!”. It’s important to remember that Republicans want it to be crazy, they need it to be crazy. That’s why they blocked the most significant border reform legislation in decades. They can’t complain about Joe Biden if we fix the problem. I for one am tired of our border culture being used as a political piñata by hacks that don’t understand it.
The border can not be closed. If it is closed it has a negative impact on US GDP of $2 Billion a day. Families live on both sides of the border. People cross the border everyday, each way, to go to work, school, volunteer.
Right wing ignorance supposes that the Mexico side of the border is a no-man’s land. It’s not, our border cities are half in the US and half in Mexico, divided only by a checkpoint. They are communities. Unfamiliar to some, but a way of life for us. Non-nuanced black and white thinking is why Republicans keep losing elections. Ignorance about the border, ignorance about women’s health, ignorance about the fascist threat that they are so hellbent on putting back in the White House so he can do more damage to our economy, security and standing in the world.
Do me a favor. Understand that reality is nothing like the Russia-fueled disinformation that is constantly spewed by Fox, Newsmax, OAN and all of the fear monger podcasts. It’s all nonsense. Life here isn’t perfect but it isn’t a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie either. Life in South Texas is peaceful and pleasant and nothing like the hellhole depicted on Right-Wing Propaganda outlets. Neither is the rest of America.
Don’t be like this guy below, a “Christian” that has the nerve to call me a liar, when his entire worldview is built on a steady diet of lies and fear from the media puppet masters that control him. If you want to comment on the border, come see it with your own eyes. When the drunken MAGA “take back our border” people came down here they couldn’t find any migrants to threaten. So after making a mess in our yards and our streets, they left. And we cleaned up after them. Migrants aren’t as messy.
If you want to make a difference, call your Congressperson and tell them to support the bipartisan border security legislation. Get these National Guard members back to duty and out of our streets, hotels and coffee shops… end the congestion caused by Greg Abbott’s desperate audition for VP.
Quit spreading the Republican lie that the border is in crisis.
#ProudBlueEditorials
Is…is this woman OK?
@thejackhopkins This is sad. Not her story, but her phony presentation
@thejackhopkins Is she real . I feel like I’m watching General Hospital
Did the Republicans hire a daytime soap actress to deliver their response?? The voiceover actress for abused animal commercials?? At least hire an actress with an Emmy next time!!! This gal is terrible!
.@annvandersteel Just because you can spit out lies quickly, doesn't make them true. Truth has a way of standing firm on its own. Ann Vandersteel's take on President Biden's policies? It's a mix of exaggeration and misinterpretation. Let's break it down, shall we? 👇
Let's get something straight, Ann Vandersteel. Your portrayal of President Joe Biden's actions as 'emperor-like' with 'unstoppable' decisions is way off base. Biden, unlike the picture you paint, is bound by the Constitution, working within a system of checks and balances. Calling him 'Emperor Biden' for proposing immigration reform and addressing inequalities? That's not just misleading; it's wrong.
Now, to the 'open border' myth you're spreading. Biden hasn't thrown open the gates. His administration is enforcing laws while seeking humane, orderly immigration management. Painting it as a free-for-all is not just misleading; it's dangerous, fueling traffickers' narratives.
Your take on undocumented immigrants getting 'everything for free' couldn't be more off. They're largely ineligible for federal benefits but still contribute billions in taxes. This rhetoric isn't just false; it's harmful.
And questioning the democracy, constitutionality, and legality of Biden's actions? He's navigating complex issues within the framework of U.S. law, calling for Congress to step up for comprehensive reform. This isn't a rogue operation; it's democracy in action.
Let's not forget the real issues here. Trump's policies exacerbated the immigration crisis, making things worse, not better. His executive actions, many of which were challenged for their cruelty and constitutionality, didn't solve anything. Biden's approach, backed by a Senate bipartisan solution, seeks real, lawful change, not band-aid fixes or executive overreach.
Republicans' refusal to address immigration, guided by a 'Trump-first' mentality, is stalling crucial reforms. It's a failure to the American people, prioritizing political allegiance over actionable solutions. This isn't about Biden acting alone; it's about the GOP blocking meaningful progress for their gain.
So, Vandersteel, your narrative? It's a mix of LIES, fearmongering, and political bias, ignoring the efforts towards a balanced, effective immigration policy. We need less distortion of facts and more constructive action. Let's focus on real solutions, not scapegoating and misinformation. #TruthMatters #ImmigrationReform #BorderCrisis
I told my mom that her apple pie tasted a little weird this year, and she goes “Really? I always use the same recipe. The nutmeg was a bit clumpy, maybe it didn’t blend well…”
She takes out the jar to show me, and after a very long pause, I say “Mom…this expired 24 years ago.”
Incredible. Why did they make this a bar chart
Over the holiday season I caught up with a few of the people that I served with in the United States Navy. People who had also held their hand up and taken the oath “…to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..”
When the topic of Trump came up, without fail, the phrase, “That motherfucker!” was used as frequently as “the” and “and.”
I think I also heard a few “Treasonous piece of shit…” getting sprinkled in with a generous shake.
It’s always nice to touch base and catch up with good friends. Like minded friends, who, unlike Donald Trump…weren’t too scared to serve their country.
#USArmedForces
Paul Alexander is one of the last people living in an iron lung after he contracted polio in 1952 at the age of six. He has been using the iron lung for over 70 years and has become an advocate for polio awareness and the importance of vaccines.
The iron lung, also known as a negative pressure ventilator, is a large horizontal cylinder designed to stimulate breathing in patients who have lost control of their respiratory muscles. The patient's head is exposed outside the cylinder, while the body is sealed inside. Air pressure inside the cylinder is cycled to facilitate inhalation and exhalation.
In the mid-20th century, iron lungs were widely used to treat patients with polio, a highly contagious viral disease that can cause paralysis and respiratory failure. However, with the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s and 1960s, the incidence of polio decreased dramatically, and the use of iron lungs became less common.
Today, there are only a handful of people in the world who still rely on iron lungs for their survival. Paul Alexander is one of them, and his story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of vaccination and the impact that polio has had on the lives of many people.
Hi, ER Doc here.
RT if you’ve ever done CPR on someone and they survived.
Trying to prove something.
Saturday morning I awoke to a text from a friend: “War in Israel.”
More texts…TV…checking websites…talking to experts…checking in with friends, as layers of horror unfolded before our eyes. By the end of the day the full extent of the catastrophe was clearer. There will indeed now be a long and difficult and evil war.
Innocent civilians who had nothing to do with the actions of the Israeli government are, even as I write this, either being tortured or killed or are dead already. Children have been taken hostage. A nation is terrorized. Israeli Military Intelligence, who everyone thought had such vast operational superiority that no one would ever dare do what Hamas has now done, has spectacularly and tragically failed at its job.
And yes, I know. These events did not occur in a vacuum. I could write about - and indeed I have, and at length - the myriad injustices Palestinians have endured at the hands of Israel. Pretty much anything anyone could say about that…I get it, I know.
But not today.
Today I simply want to grieve. I don’t want to argue. I don’t want to take a position or argue policy. I just want to grieve. I grieve for the Israeli children and Palestinian children and Israeli parents and Palestinian parents. I grieve for the world that we could not do better than this. I grieve the fact that any sliver of hope for peace in that region is probably set back for decades, possibly even longer now.
I will have much to say in the coming days about what is happening in Israel and how I feel the United States should respond. For now, I stand with Israel. And I stand with the Palestinian people.
I do not stand with Hamas, nor will I ever. For their cause is not justice. Their cause is terror.
May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - the God to whom Jews and Muslims and Christians all pray - please help us in this agonizing hour.
I’m joining parents, students, librarians and teachers to oppose the GOP's MAGA federal power grab over local schools, a phony "Parents' Bill of Rights" designed to extend their rampant book banning and suppression of history.
One of the most useful pieces of advice I ever heard, came from an Emergency Room Physician. I was a young Corpsman.
While dealing with a teenager-as I recall-who was involved in a horrible auto accident, and just clinging to life, a nurse was starting to go into an observable tail-spin of frantic thinking.
In the middle of it all, the Dr. paused, placed his hand firmly on the nurses hand, looking her right in the eyes, and very calmly said “It’s his emergency, not yours.”
There was an instant re-set for everyone in the room.
The Dr. knew that if we allowed their emergency to become our emergency, that mistakes would be made, and things would be rushed, or even forgotten.
He knew that the only way you could be at your best, and offer the patient the most, was to let it remain their emergency, while you calmly effectively and efficiently went about doing what you could to save their life.
I used that mindset the rest of my days as a Navy Corpsman, and continue to, this very day.
Let that concept permeate you on a deep level. It’s a life changer.
BREAKING: President Biden, moments ago, just praised the amazing nurses in America. He said something I couldn't fathom Trump ever saying. #BidenIsBeatingBigPharma
Biden said,
"I’ve been a significant consumer of healthcare. Doctors let you live. Nurses, male or female, make you want to live. I’m serious. The single most underrated profession in America are nurses. I mean it!
Thank you Joe Biden for giving America's nurses the credit that they deserve, especially after COVID!
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