Last Time we reflected on how our system is currently poorly designed to represent the interests of the people, focusing on the House of Representatives. Recall that the current number of representatives is paltry, compared to the population of the United States- we are well beyond a number that makes sense for actual representation (e.g. Dunbar’s number), which results in ‘elite’ candidates being elected, instead of someone who is known by their constituents. Previously we suggested increasing the number of representatives, as that was completely consistent with the constitution and has significant historical precedence, now we will depart from the constitutional and look at alternate solutions.
Number of Representatives in the House of Representatives (blue) through time, plotted with census populations (orange) and the ratio of population to Representatives (grey). The image I should have used in the last installment.
Improving The Constitution
How can we improve further on the current constitutional system, and make the House of Representatives more consistent with American’s views? Let us explore 3 facets to a potential solution: proportional voting, unlimited representatives and at-large districts.
A Truly Proportional Voting System
Tackling proportional voting first, as this is the most complicated and necessarily sets the stage for all the other facets. Currently, if one person in your 750,000-person strong district wins a plurality of votes, they are deemed to have satisfactorily gained the approval of the public. In a three-way race where half of eligible voters bother to vote you could have 1/6th of the voting populace ‘represented’. The 5/6ths who were disgusted with all their options or wanted someone else? Well, hope they like their new ‘representative’. Instead, why not have each representative have a weighted vote in the House? All three candidates would ‘win’ the number of votes they received, be sent to the House of representatives and could cast their votes there, with a weight equal to the number of people who had voted for them. This is what I mean by ‘proportional voting’.
This is distinct from ‘proportional representation’ in that under proportional representation systems, you often vote for parties who then get to pick a certain number of representatives to send to the legislative body. As someone who doesn’t find party systems to be very representative, this wouldn’t be much of a system. Under my ‘proportional representation’ system you are still voting for a particular candidate, but the vote of each representative would vary in importance in accordance to how many people voted for them.
We can examine a simple example of a country with 100 voters and 5 representatives, the results of the election are as follows:
Rep. A gets 30 votes, Rep. B received 25, Rep C got 20, Rep. D has 15 and Rep E has 10. Or, in table form:
A measure is brought before the House and the representatives vote as follows:
Aye: Reps. A(30) and B (25)
Nay: Reps. C(25), D(15) and E(10)
Now under a normal system, the motion would not carry, as the vote is 3-2, against. Under our system, the votes each candidate received are combined- Rep A contributes 30 votes to the Aye side, while rep B contributes 25 votes. This gives a total of 55 votes for aye and 45 for nay. Thus, the motion would carry, despite fewer representatives voting for the motion than against it. In as much as they are being faithful to their constituents, they are more representative of the 100 people in our imaginary polity than Representatives C, D and E are. This number of votes that each representative receives I will henceforth call ‘voting strength’.
The use of voting strength solves several problems with other systems which political scientists go through great lengths to analyze and propose solutions to, such as the ‘dead’ votes in uncompetitive districts, where your vote has almost no chance to ‘count’. Winner takes all systems which lack of minor party representation, preventing individuals with fringe or even just less popular views from ever being represented. Gerrymandering to pack or crack political partisans or minority groups… these all go away.
Unlimited Representatives
While proportional voting greatly improves on the representation of the people, it does leave questions, such as- how to divvy up districts, how many candidates per district, etc? How about unlimited representatives per district? Yes, unlimited. This greatly weakens the importance of ‘parties’ in this system. There is no need to be a team player to get somewhere. It obviates the need for primaries to narrow down the candidates, leaves the maximal choice and even theoretically leaves the system open to a complete direct democracy. Yes, you could just vote for yourself and be a representative, and assuming no one else voted for you, have a voting strength of 1. Many people would not want to have to participate in every vote, and thus find it expeditious to vote for another person to represent them.
How about compensation? With unlimited representatives, why not vote for yourself and get some of that filthy lucre? Well, if everyone did it we’d surely have an issue of either needing to make the recompense for the job essentially 0 or else a paltry sum which wouldn’t be worth the time of full participation. My suggestion is a weighted salary- up to a certain value. Earlier I suggested a 1:1500 ratio perhaps we could fashion a sliding scale based on number of votes you represent equaling your salary up until you hit an arbitrary number of votes that is the ‘ideal’. Each vote you received might be worth $100 of salary, e.g. This puts a pretty hefty sum out there as available for representation, without an extreme burden on the populace. I think a cap (say, $150k) would be useful as a cost saving measure, and to keep the representatives a little humbler and more connected to the people. It is also a cost that every person in society could bear. I wouldn’t mind a line-item on your taxes for “$100- representation”. Don’t want to pay it? Vote for yourself and you’ll get it right back.
Districting
The last portion of my solution entails creating one large district out of the United States. Yes, no state-based representation- this is the House of Representatives, the states already have the Senate, which we wouldn’t be touching in any of these proposals. ‘But Lacky’, you say, ‘what about state specific interests?’ Still not satisfied? Go ahead and vote for a candidate from your state if you want.
This last provision is last on purpose as I feel it is least likely to matter and may even be counterproductive. What if everyone votes for the same guy? And we get a single person with 51% of the votes? Doesn’t this provision go against everything you argued for in part 1? Maybe a little- you certainly could vote for someone who is a demagogue, and who you don’t know at all. I guess I prefer the freedom to choose a bad choice, maybe that isn’t the smartest way to set up a government. There is a reason this proposal came last. Still, why shouldn’t I be able to vote for the person I think best represents my views, just because they live somewhere I don’t doesn’t mean they aren’t the best representative for me.
This system of course presents several administrative problems. In-person voting, setting agenda, etc. all become extremely difficult topics. I think I would lean on virtual voting as the only solution, and unlimited number of bills- each representative could propose anything for a vote- with only those receiving enough voting power (50%+1) passing and automatically moving on to the Senate. Those who don’t participate in a vote would not be counted as an abstention, but rather a ‘no’ as there would be far too many bills for each representative to make an informed choice on them all. Something like a database of the proposed bills would be required, and a timeframe equal to the congress’s length (2 years at most) to vote on measures. All measures from a previous congress would be void at the sitting of the next congress.
Conclusion
To review, my proposed system allows you to vote from among an unlimited number of representatives, located anywhere in our country. Each representative has a voting power equal to the number of votes they received, and compensation is in proportion to that. You can vote for yourself, so the system inherently allows for direct democracy while dealing with some of the issues of that system (time commitment of voters being the major problem). We would also use a single district method- you can vote for any person in the entire country, regardless of state boundaries. This system gives the maximum flexibility for public opinion, solves several issues with having equal voting power representatives and greatly improves on representation while still being workable.
Bonus: Remember the issue with all the non-voters lacking representation? Anyone who doesn’t vote gets counted as a negative on all votes. This both encourages participation while throwing sand in the gears of government. This is the governmental equivalent of the need for affirmative consent, so leftists should love it as well.
This is the worst fourth ever.
Consitering today’s the 17th, I don’t see why you’d be celebrating thr fourth today anyway.
Well, you’re in North Dakota. So you have to wait for July. The only month when water doesn’t instantaneously freeze.
Really awful. I feel for you. Watching you effortlessly first is a thing of beauty. It’s so different from that clod who constantly brags about it but rarely delivers.
I’d like to see you do better.
👇🏻
No charts, no graphs. Kinda lame.
My travelogue had lots of pictures.
You did make me want to visit the UP for the first time in my life. Still, we need more posts man. 3 more at least.
Ugh. Fine. I’ll work on something. 3D printer, lathe, mill, or plasma cutter?
Narrator: the answer is always “yes”
yes, but plasma cutter first?
Just what you see, pal.
OK. I’ll try and come up with something. I guess I could cut the Glibs logo out of steel…with a frickin’ plasma.
“the states already have the Senate”
Repeal the 17th.
Seems complicated.
I’m wondering how someone could game it.
Promise to send every voter more than $100?
But given that your vote currently has zero value, it isn’t any worse than the current system certainly, and at least 1 step better.
My biggest fear would be electronic shenanigans.
This is really interesting. File this away, and we’ll come back to it when we are setting up the government for Glibertopia. I mean, assuming the anarchists let us have a government at all.
Let?
True anarchists wouldn’t be able to stop you.
I was clumsily referring to Anarcho-Capitalist libertarians.
Arachno-what?
The problem is something will fill the power vacuum. If not seized directly, some warlord or strongman, or uncollapsed neighbor will do it for you.
I’m sorry, I’m tired and I’m clumsily trying to summarize my issue with all flavors of anarchism in a single sentence.
I wish they’d get this LDOM back online so we can get the rest of the applications running and I can go to sleep.
I used to be a libertarian. Then after 2020, I became an anarchotardist. There is no power vacuum when there is no power to be seized.
Anarchotardist?
Someone who believes people are too stupid for government.
Lol
Who controls the spice?
Who controls barter town?
I am NOT signing up for turning over supreme political power to spiders.
To be fair, spiders have almost no interest in the affairs or humans.
How is that any different than the current system?
How about we reduce the power vacuum by reducing the power?
Because the power is always only limited by the ability and willingness to apply force to ensure compliance or remove opposition.
Again, I ask, how is that different from the current system?
I don’t think there is a way to reduce power. It’s a nice plot point to throw the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom, but we’re rather short of the two hobbits that it took to do that.
(Raises hand and looks around, then slowly lowers hand).
I’m on the squatty side. And I like adentures.
Or just dentures.
You can have what ever fucking government you want, just don’t involve me or make me pay for it.
I mean, that would be ideal, but is even more of a long shot than my theory presented in this post. 🙂
“ To review, my proposed system allows you to vote from among an unlimited number of representatives, located anywhere in our country.”
I used to play a Monopoly – like game that had a stock market component. You could invest money in other peoples property blocks to increase your own wealth and further your ends. Your system sounds like that.
Probably a little bit like that, everybody wins. maybe.
He quotes Hayek extensively, so of course it’s a damn fine article.
My favorite bit:
[emph added]
And that’s the broken part of our under-developed brains (and hence social systems) – that need to have someone else to blame for shit going wrong. And the relevance here is that however we are represented (and that’s only on the legislative side), we’re still looking for – demanding – someone to be in charge.
👆
People don’t want liberty, they want comfort.
It’s part of why I don’t like people.
I had it explained to me today that Democrats running for office have decided, en masse, to quit talking about how they have fucked up the economy, and pivot to talking about how they oppose having it be somewhat harder to murder unborn children in some parts of the country. Because they think that is a winning strategy.
I may not have remembered the exact words they used to explain all that, since they seemed to be using confusing and unusual definitions for words, such as defining fetal murder as women’s healthcare. But that seems to be the gist.
A hallmark of collectivism, agile and communism is new confusing definitions for words. That and manifestos.
Well, look who is the new scrum master!
I still think it very likely that the Democrats get crushed in this election.
Congrats, now you have Republicans in charge of Congress. Call me when you see a difference.
Congress won’t matter but governorships might.
It will get worse a little slower? Maybe.
I agree with that. My local races— There’s no dirt being dug up by anybody because there isn’t any.
The right talks about the taxes, gas prices, inflation, gender bullshit, education (CRT), “They let men in girls’ locker rooms,” “They want to take away your right to [insert hotbutton here].”
The left is down to “You won’t be able to get an abortion.” That’s all they got, man, and it’s weak.
Locally we’re getting mailers informing us that DeSantis is taking away our right to raise our kids… by not letting school districts fill their brains with leftist ideology, gender bending shit and CRT… whatever. The Mailer has 4 KKKarens on it looking very disapproving.
You can’t dispute that logic.
Who did this?
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/10/17/police-naked-man-wearing-cowboy-hat-attacks-woman-with-machete-in-medley/
Was he really naked if he was wearing a hat?
Good point. He was just wearing country casual.
+1 chapsless ass
I still believe we should increase the number of representatives. That should be a major goal. Among other thing it could foster gridlock, preventing shit like “Build Back Better” from going through.
It would also increase exposure to new ideas, as this would no doubt end the two-party system.
Also it would increase bawdiness, to a level surpassing the House of Commons. Poker playing and drinking should become commonplace.
I also suggest bringing back dueling, but no one ever listens to me.
Dueling is too refined, we need to have Thunderdome set up on the plaza below the steps.
I support this option. All in favor?
Aye.
‘I still believe we should increase the number of representatives. ‘
Yuppers. I think it would be a good first step to reforming the system.
Will read later. Quick look and my quick reaction.
https://twitter.com/GraduatedBen/status/1581852555398696960?cxt=HHwWgMCquZSh7_MrAAAA
All boils down to whether you agree with the idea of social contract theory form of government and that therefore citizens have a right to a voice in their government or if anything goes.
I like the middle option. I don’t like the “one at-large district” – the House is supposed to reflect local concerns. Districts should still exist to preserve this, and as a bonus there can be many more of them.
But yeah, the obvious roadblock is the need to eliminate the culture of graft.
That would make a great article. What eliminates the culture of graft?
Lapidation for people who commit graft?
That is a post-crime solution. What inhibits it, other than fear of punishment?
Unicorn farts and fairy dust?
Gay
Enh, whatever it takes.
If you become a representative, you are stripped of all salary, etc…You live in a government cubicle, eat government food until your stint is up. You can vote your conscience. There is absolutely no influence peddling to be had, or benefits to be gained.
How so? since most of the graft today is in off the books remuneration.
Or are you saying it’s like becoming a monk and you have to give up all worldly possessions?
How do you stop graft by proxy using friends and family to handle the assets until your stint is up?
In addition, you are reminded every day that you are a public servant when you look around and see everyone wearing potato sacks. No fancy clothes either! Public service should be the lowest, not the highest option.
Don’t know. I certainly don’t have all the answers. But I do know that becoming a congressman or senator is a “high-falutin’” job. It needs to be knocked down a ton of notches.
I don’t have anything in common with my next door neighbor, how can the same person represent both of us? The elected officials can only represent themselves, their own beliefs.
Most of us probably believe the elected officials are vastly overpaid but still they vote themselves pay raises and we have no choice except to pay. Voting them out of office would only get another person at the same pay.
Elected officials say they are voting for what’s best for their constituents. That’s the biggest joke of all.
To Lack’s point – What if a representative only worked for a few hundred of you, who had common interest? Maybe not your neighbors directly. But yiur neighbors in thought. Like a Glibs rep. Your neighbor might have a different rep, maybe a gimp rep who represents the leather and zipper crowd.
You know who best represents me and my interests?
this guy
*points to self*
Let me vote with my dollars and my feet.
Where’s the fun in that Hobbs?
Yep, as much as I appreciate Lacks effort this is all just re-arranging deck chairs – the ships still sinking. Or without the metaphor, no matter how we elect them we are still putting people in power that they shouldn’t have.
Maybe, I was trying to look at possible steps towards the right direction on a narrow issue. I don’t think we’re going to get to libertopia in one giant leap.
Look, if the founding fathers had that attitude, we never would have gotten this far. We must always try. Libertardians and anarchotardians could unite and become the founding f*ckers who solve this issue.
Yeah, I was least thrilled with the at-large idea, but then it also seemed a bit elegant. Nothing stopping you from voting for a home-grown option.
My solution has always been to add a lottery to the House of Representatives.
Your chances to win the lottery are proportional to the number of terms you have served.
You mean inversely proportional?
Follow the link perhaps.
Sorry, don’t use YT on this machine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lottery
The longer you are in, the more likely you are to win.
For certain values of “winning”.
The longer you are in, the more you look like a cross between SanFran Nan and Turtlehead. That should keep most out.
Is that a poop reference?
That is funny.
Who is Kanye’s favorite 80’s singer?
Noose Jewton.
I lol’d at that. I’m a bad person, aren’t I?
Yep. It makes you anti semantic.
Geez and I’m not even the one who wrote it. Harsh.
Oh damn. I came here to post that joke. Too slow!
(((👍)))
I know this is prolly old news around here by now, but I tried to post this today on the afternoon links and kept getting an error, finally gave up.
Real Population Control
Who says that our self appointed elite cannot meet their goals?
I saw it earlier today, but there were only a few comments on it, certainly worth repeating.
You would think this would be front page news everywhere, but I only found the link on one site. Fauci and Klaus are probably in their bunks.
Saw it on daily fail, I think.
Gates just creamed himself.
This.
We just don’t know when to stop, do we.
City states. No one big enough to take from the rest.
Fed and state voting are delusional.
And flying cars, while we’re at it.
Reminiscing of Snow Crash. No more states, just corporations in their place. Everyone gets a vote because they buy, or not. Can’t be worse than what we have now. At least they will all be a LOT smaller. And flying cars. Personal drones will suffice.
OK, but eventually some will grow larger, and more powerful (or at least able to exert power over more). That cycle will feed on itself. It’s what humans do.
Hence the flying cars.
We’re still good up until the point that force enters into the mix. Like I’ve always tried to tell the progs, I cannot imagine Amazon or Walmart breaking down my door to force me to buy a product.
Not yet any way. Wait ’til the Depression really sets in.
Do the Walmart cops show up in a platoon of Walmart Huverounds , wielding cheap golf clubs? We got a non-purchaser here! Pick up those products and get to swiping that card, citizen!
Eh, but I can definitely see google doing google stuff… I don’t really want to be ruled by a corporation.
Grow larger and more powerful or get crushed by foreign powers.
Lichtenstein?
Vassals states, protectorates, or not having enough of value to be worth it are also good, though not perfect, defenses.
I still don’t understand what a gender reveal is. Is it when you change their diaper?
You sound like a Republican. Probably Utra MAGA.
It’s when your two year old son tells you he’s now your daughter because he likes ponies.
This happens occasionally, normal parents laugh it and the kid forgets the next day and goes back to destroying things with imaginary laserz.
Fuck browser reloads. This shit is becoming untenable.
Representation is the wrong way around all of this. The main problem is cultural with a sub problem that government has too much money and too much power. All of the rest is navel gazing.
Fragmenting or diluting representation even further will fix nothing. A mob sized Congress will just be led around and manipulated like a mindless animal. It’s already too large to where individual members can be sidelined quite easily.
Look, you’re going to be assimilated one way or other. Right now, you think you are free, have free will. You think you are some sort of free thinker, a Glibertarian. But wait, you will be assimilated by the Glibborg soon enough and your false thinking will come to an end!
As long as I get to be 6 of 9.
Seems to me that further reducing representatives would only allow for a more entrenched elite than we already have,
If the people are led around and manipulated as it is, well, there isn’t much you can do to combat that without a more robust culture of civic engagement. I think making your vote count might encourage that.
“The main problem is cultural”
No worries, our Great Reset will make everyone belong to only one big tribe and you will be happy. Or else.
The Great Reset, the real one not the one the elitists daydream about, will introduce a dose of daylight to the current culture. But that doesn’t always (perhaps even rarely) lead to better outcomes.
Yeah, I have a feeling if that really goes down, and they are really pushing in that direction, no one will like the outcome.
Adolph says ‘sup.
That was the old school, only 3rd Reich. Now we have the new 4th
Industrial RevolutionReich. Makes all the difference, totally going to work this time. Mistake we make last time was to only kill teh Joos. This time we’re totally gonna kill everyone.Thanks to all who read the post, and a special thanks to those who read and commented.
It is fun to share my ideas with you cretins, maybe I’ll do it again sometime.
Please do. But next time, get more charts and graphs and shit in it.
You don’t know who you’re messing with- my next post will consist solely of graphs and charts with no other text.
Then I’m going to run an independent campaign for president, no one can stop me!!!
Cherts
It’s a short road to from there to sharts.
Often, sharts are preferable.
Also, a special thanks to Richard- I used his post to make the featured image proportions work out.
Yay!
Who you callin’ a Cretin? You Minoan!
Libertopia cannot exist. Too many people want power over too many people who want to be led, with very few in the middle who are willing to and capable of tending their own business.
And, even if you got a collective of libertarians, about 150-300 is the max size of a community before it falls apart—and sometimes even that’s iffy.
I had a First World problem, so I created a First World solution. Officially known as thing:5571984. Making stuff is fun!
Neat! For export to Germany?
Nice.
Without the context of the second picture I was starting to imagine all the scandalous things you would use it for.
🔴🐟
Excellent, Smithers.
I am betrayed left and right.
I make stuff. I appreciate people who make stuff.
Look at how this villain uses the word First. Look at the sheer disregard for everything that is sacred in this world.
There is a swift punishment coming to MikeS. One that he shall not survive.
🔝
☝🏻
I know a First or two about a First or two.
Just assume i randomly insulted you.
Proportional Representation only works when the voting populace understands the system, which is never. It’s just another scheme for Libertarians and Communists to queer the deal!
Step-son was supposed to meet someone about housing this afternoon. Judi has been working for months. I have my doubts.
Best chance is apparently 2 out of 3. Better odds than I suspected. He’s still sucking all the air from the room. At least he seems to be fucking terrified of me for some reason. It’s been nearly 30 years and I have yet to raise my hand in anger. Good. Crippled old man is crippled.
Well that got real pretty quick. Tried to roust him and he aimed a kick at my head. Crippled old man remembers how to grapple. I just held him down after about three seconds and told him “I’m not going to hit you.” He stopped struggling. He’s still in our house at least until morning. I don’t know how I refrained from what I have wanted to do for months but here we are. I’d be in lock-up and he would be in the hospital. I haven’t engaged in a physical struggle like that in 25 years. I am literally too old for this shit.
He had been poking fun at my cane and the fact that he was much larger and younger than me a little earlier. It was almost too easy. I hate my life today.
Dear Diary, sometimes I just want to cry. Sorry about that.
Oh Festus. 🫂 I wouldn’t have any idea what to do next.
Judi won’t talk to me. The slug has locked himself into the main bath. I just wanted my last few years to be drama free. Be careful what you wish for, I suppose.
Is she away? I’d be having words with her, boy.
She watched it happen. She lets it happen. It’s her first-born. I’ve done my best for nearly 3 decades to stay the fuck out of the way. He has this strange idea that because his mother and I share a home he has some claim to her half of the household.
Awww Festus. I have no advice. 😞
Voltaren between the shoulder blades but none of that is forthcoming.
If nothing else at least my ground game is still solid. I wouldn’t want to trade punches on my wobbly pins but the takedown move still works. It nearly always works. People that don’t know how to fight just get shit-kicked.
Morning y’all.
Morning. It’s not as cold as I expected.
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/southeastern-pa/campaign-signs-found-booby-trapped-with-razor-blades-police-say/article_f36dbbd8-4e81-11ed-b32c-db9f635a60d2.html
Uh huh. Sure. Totally legit. 🙄
Stupidest hoax ever…
That is so not cost effective, and also BS. Just rub them with poison ivy.
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/good-samaritan-helps-get-12-year-old-boy-help-after-he-collapsed-following-stampede-at-florida-festival
“It’s very scary, you’re in a public place with a lot of people, and you don’t know who’s actually carrying a gun or not.”
What does that have to do with the story?
The guy with the gun would be too weighed down.
Any time you’re in Florida with a fair number of people there are a couple of guns being carried at least.
The point of the story seems to be to scare the public. OMG, there is a gathering without a security checkpoint! 😨
Still freakishly warm here. We’ve had no rain for weeks and afternoon temperatures are still over room! No complaints.
Whelp, I’ve taken over the comments for quite long enough. I’ll leave you lovely people with a song to suit my mood – https://youtu.be/Kq5zTznlSJI
“Boston University Creates COVID Strain With 80% Mortality In Mice”
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/boston-university-engineers-sars-cov-2-chimera-80-mortality-rate-mice
These people gotta be stopped.
Yikes! I thought my sign-off was dark…
If it’s any consolation we’ll probably exchange nukes with Russia long before a leak happens. So we got that going for us.
Hah, we’ll show those Chinese how to do bioweapons.
U-S-A! U-S-A!
Good morning, Fes (::big hug::), Stinky, Sean, and RoaT!
Pretty darn cold here for mid-October – a balmy 39 degrees. Last pretty quiet day at work for this month – tomorrow I’ll have another Board Zoom meeting video to sit through to write up the minutes. Still beats attending it live.
…and good morning TO’G, if you’re still here/awake!
Morning, GT
Good morning, U! Get a decent night’s sleep?
No.
I went to bed at quarter to ten because we’d finally wrapped up the after hours work, and then failed to fall asleep despite being exhausted. Sometime well past midnight I eventually dozed off, but it was so late in the night that I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep before I had to drag myself back out of bed and sign in to work.
😟 I hope you’re due some comp time for the after hours stuff and can take it as soon as possible!
4.5 hours yesterday.
Ouch, been there. Since you are now management, you should give yourself a day off.
I’m debating it. My calendar isn’t all that heavy today. One weekly project meeting and one meeting that I scheduled. I just need to make sure the follow-up to last night gets done and everything else I can postpone
Brr. 45 degrees here. Fall colors are good this year, lots of orange and red
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YLgS54u7NUdaBkEi9
Purty! I think conditions around here have been good for photogenic leaves. A tree in the back yard of our across-the-street neighbors – visible from our kitchen window – is particularly vibrant. It’s been blowsy, though, so I don’t know how long the little leafies will be able to hang on.
Some good red and yellow this year around here.
Mornin’, reprobates!
Good morning, ‘patzie! How’s it going so far today?
Hey! Hoping that the baseball team formerly known as the Native Americans emerge victorious this afternoon. Otherwise – well, I am still in NJ 😞
“This is the series that doesn’t end…” 🎶
California Gov. Gavin Newsom to end COVID state of emergency
We don’t expect to need emergency powers at that time. A new state of emergency can be declared if we do.
“Going forward, winter/flu season will automatically be designated as a state of emergency each year.”
What immediately follows winter in CA? Wildfire season? I’m sure we can come up with
excusesvalid, legitimate reasons for a state of emergency every day of the year.California’s seasons: fire, flood, quake, riot
Wait for the next disease then? Or climate change, or immigration, or wildfires started by climate change that aren’t really started by climate change, etc. The President isn’t the only executive that needs his power to be rolled back.
Rolling black outs and food shortages.
You left out the important part.
“On February 27 2023 three virgins will be sacrificed to the Volcano gods at Lassen Peak to end this terrible scourge. Since there are no native Californians who qualify, the maidens will be flown in from Texas by Gov. DeSantis.”