I have always tried to keep politics and religion off this blog because it divides us, not unifies us, but this time it is different because the Dodgers, by being part of MLB got involved in something that is so polarizing that it divides this country even more. This all started when MLB moved the All-Star game from Atlanta.
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box,” Manfred said. “In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
In a time when 33% to over 50% (depending upon the polls you believe) of the voter base in America have serious questions about the accuracy and validity of the voting process, we need to make sure that what Rob Manfred says happens: Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
The only problem here is that Rob Manfred is a liar! Now, plenty of my friends on the Right and Left hate Manfred, so would it really surprise you that he has it all wrong? If he isn’t telling you the truth, he is a liar! Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do? I have and I really hate it. When I was 10 or 11, I was playing with this kid at our house and our parents told us to be back at a certain time. Well, we were late (as kids are prone to be) and as we came to the house, both of our parents were scolding us for being late. Charlie said “Well, we were late because Mark hit me in the stomach.” I was incredulous (because nothing of the sort happened), and I guess my parents could tell by the look on my face. I never ever played with that kid again.
I dislike Liars and Bullies. As a gangly 6′ 4″ Freshman in High School, a Senior named Ernie Varvel caught me in the bathroom and as was customary, he tried to give me a “swirly”, which is putting someone head in the toilet and flushing it. What he didn’t count on was the years I had spent on the farm baling hay and lugging around 100 pound burlap feed bags. When we can out of the restroom, his hair was wet and his lip was bleeding. My hair was dry. I hate bullies! I still do to this day.
Some of you know this story. Some of you don’t. In 1987, I was convicted of a crime I did not commit and sentenced to 40 years in prison after turning down a plea bargain for a suspended sentence. My attorney lost an appeal 3-2 in the Indiana Supreme Court and I ran out of money, so I had to represent myself. It took me 7 years, 5 months and 5 days to have it overturned and I literally had my handcuffs and shackles taken off in the courtroom and I walked out a free man. That was August 31, 1994 and all I had left was the shirt on my back! I never looked back and still realize that life is lived through the Windshield, not the Rear-View Mirror! Oh, you should glance back at the windshield once in a while, but that is not where you live.
It has never been about making money. It has always been about helping people and doing good things, but in the process, I have been greatly blessed with more than I will ever need. I can identify with the Biblical figure Job, who lost everything and gained back ten-fold.
I was accused by my ex-wife in a divorce of molesting my 3-year-old daughter. There was never any evidence, but two psychologists told the court that my daughter told them it happened. I refused to plead guilty and was convicted in Kangaroo Court and sentenced to 40 years. It took a long time for the truth to come out, but it did and right about now, my wife and I, My Youngest son and My Daughter and her entire family are in Ft. Meyers, Florida celebrating her 40th Birthday. We have been reunited for nearly 12 years and a couple of years ago, she gave me permission to finish my book (“The Mountainmover”) which I am finally ready to finish.
When we initially got back together, she said “Are you just doing this for your book?” I said, “No, I will not write it if you don’t want me to.” So I shelved it for about 10 years. A couple of years ago, she said: “Dad, you can finish your book. I’m in a different place.” So, I am compelled to finish it this year.
I tell you all of this because I hate false accusations, having experienced in my life. I hate it when people are marginalized and this voter law in Georgia does nothing of the sort. How this all came about is very telling.
Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams spent weeks spreading misinformation about the state’s new voting reform law. She called it “a redux of Jim Crow in a suit and tie.” Next, the President parroted the same thing. Now that her false claims about the bill have resulted in Major League Baseball announcing that it would move its All-Star game and draft out of Atlanta, Abrams has released a statement denouncing the decision.
Here’s Abrams full statement on the MLB:
Republicans who passed and defended Senate Bill 2020 did so knowing the economic risks to our state. They prioritized making it harder for people of color to vote over the economic well-being of Georgians.
Like many Georgians, I am disappointed that the MLB is relocating the All-Star game; however, I commend the players, owners and League commissioner for speaking out. I urge others in positions of leadership to do so as well. As I have stated, I respect boycotts, although I don’t want to see Georgia families hurt by lost events and jobs. Georgians targeted by voter suppression will be hurt as opportunities go to other states. We should not abandon the victims of GOP malice and lies – we must stand together.
Georgia Republicans must renounce the terrible damage they have caused to our voting system and the harm they have inflicted on our economy. Our corporate community must get off the sidelines as full partners in this fight, acknowledging that the provisions of SB 2020 do not expand voting rights. They restrict those rights, affecting employees and consumers alike. And leaders must publicly support the voting rights provisions in the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to mitigate the harm being done in Georgia and other states.
As other events, productions and businesses weigh whether to patronize Georgia, I urge those who can to come and speak out, and I urge those who are here to stay and fight, to stay and vote. We need you.
The Washington Post fact-checked various complaints about the Georgia bill, ultimately finding that the experts it spoke to said: “the net effect was to expand the opportunities to vote for most Georgians, not limit them.” In fact, the Post gave President Biden “Four Pinocchios” for his falsehoods.
Specifically, the Post found that while Biden and others claimed the new law “ends voting hours early so working people can’t cast their vote after their shift is over.” As the Post noted, the new law does no such thing.
Critics of the bill also falsely claimed the new Georgia bill would prohibit food or drink from being passed out to people waiting in line to vote. The bill does not prevent people waiting in line to vote from receiving food or water, but politicians and their staff cannot provide it in an effort to secure votes. Poll workers can pass out water or food as they see fit.
The main thing this bill does is to expand voting places, times to vote, and requires voter I.D., and therein lies the problem. I keep hearing “There was no evidence of mass voter fraud in the past election.” Well, duh! How can you prove any voter fraud if no I.D. or signatures are required? California is in the process of recalling their governor and they are painstakingly checking each and every I.D. and signature and invalidating ones that can’t be confirmed. Is that also Racist? It’s called logical and necessary, not racist.
Now, if your side won the election, you may think otherwise, but no rule of law should be forsaken. There is nothing about the Georgia voter law that is racist and Coke, Delta, and MLB all have it wrong. It’s ignorance, intellectual laziness, or deliberate lying… and I am waiting for someone to say that poor or black people don’t have access to I.D.s. Yes they do and the Bill also helps facilitate that.
Dead people should not have a right to vote. People who have moved out of State should not have a right to vote, and someone else should not vote for someone who doesn’t vote. That is exactly what voter I.D. and signatures prevent. It assures us of valid elections… something that many do not feel is happening. It restricts no one, except the fraudsters!
MLB and the Dodgers have taken this position. This is a baseball site and that is why I am going to address it. LA Dodger Talk has been in existance fir nearly 20 years and is one of the best Dodger sites on the web. That’s why I am using the platform to address injustice. In this case, we cannot separate politics and baseball. Feel free to disagree, but don’t reduce it to name-calling. This is America and we have freedom. I want to be sure that process stays fair.
More about Dodger Blue Mom
2 Demeter2 sent this to me:
This song made it on the charts in Canada. Here’s a link:
Someday soon, it will be back to Dodger Baseball
But this is important and we have to address it. I believe that when you see something that is very wrong, you have a duty or an obligation to help right it. I am just one voice, on one blog, but forest fires are sometimes started with one little spark.
There is no way to respond to this political post without stating a political opinion. I don’t know why you do this, but, you often do, so, on the topics you’ve presented I’ll just say this:
I think you are completely off base with your position on what Republican legislators are attempting to do.
Bullies left me alone. I had the reputation of a badger at age 6. I climbed up on a garage roof, jumped on a big kid named Don and damn near killed him. Almost bit his finger off too. He had been beating up on Timmy and I couldn’t have that. I was left alone after that.
MLB is an enormous business looking for new income streams. China? I don’t know the details but I’m certainly not surprised.
I’m sorry for Mikki’s family loss. DBM was always gracious, often in the middle of testosterone storms. I admired her for that. I don’t believe in death, it’s my belief our consciousness moves on to higher dimensions.I believe DBM is flying the inner skies now. Good for her.
Thank you for keeping the board open. I’m of the belief that mature adults should be able to talk about anything if they remain respectful. Slamming the door shut with a political comment (and a visual of how stupid we may be) is not exactly exemplary of mature behavior. Let’s all try to do better and we should be fine talking about Dodgers moves, Georgia, China, all lives matter, Covid, and its effects on baseball, or banning firearms at MLB ballparks in Open Carry states.
Hope everyone had a relaxing Easter. I became a grandfather for the 4th time over the weekend. All boys.
Congrats on the new grandchild Badger! When I make my trip to Oregon later this month, I will finally get to see my 14 year old granddaughter that I have never seen. She is a special needs child. She loves John Wayne and the movie Frozen. I totally agree, firearms have no place what so ever at sports venues.
My son is finishing his teaching credential for special needs kids. He has a heart of gold. Just know that there are people who care deeply for special needs kids.
My credential was in Adaptuve PE. Curriculum Development Specialist. Was working on my Masters, then California pulled the plug on 94-142 after Prop 13 passed and education in California went into the crapper. I lost my job and scrambled for years. Still have a love for that field and support Special Ed in every way I can. 2 of my grandsons are mildly autistic. It’s more common than most want to admit. I wish your son success.
My granddaughter had problems right from the beginning. Her cap did not close immediately after her birth and she ended up having to have surgery. So she has learning disabilities and more health problems than anyone should have to endure. Through it all, my daughter, who works with the elderly, has held her hand and done one hell of a job.
Congratulations!
Congratulations on your 4th grandchild! Grandchildren are the best! I share your joy as my daughter is having our eight, a boy, this Friday. She’s having a c-section so we know the day and time.
Well said Mark. I have not read the bill, just the reactions to it. There are going to be strong opinions on both sides. Me, I want to keep politics out of sports. But that is nearly impossible. I have seen our government go after various sports for different reasons. For baseball, it was it’s anti trust exemption back in the day. I was in Munich when the terrorists killed the Israeli athletes. We sat up by the Olympic stadium watching the police and German army surround the village with armored cars. And it still ended badly. We were camped not far from the airport and were awakened by gunfire and explosions. One of the few times in the 70’s when I saw people of all races and religions join together was that day we all went into the Olympic Stadium for the memorial service for the athletes. Probably one of the most heart wrenching and moving moments I have ever been a part of. One thing I know more than anything else. I love this country. Always have and always will. There have been those in charge who I did not believe in or trust. And others that I would have willingly followed into hell defending this country. I took and oath in December of 1965. And that oath in my mind has no expiration date. To those who seek to destroy it, you are my enemy. I may be old, and my reflexes are not what they used to be. But I will always fight back. I do not agree with the policy’s of the left. And I do not support the far right. I support what is best for everyone, not just a select few. You had to fight being unjustly accused. I had to fight being brought up in poverty and thrown into a system which by it’s nature lends itself to child abuse. There are things that happened to me I never have and never will speak of. But they have made me a stronger person. What I lack in education, I make up for with drive and determination to not let my past control my future. Baseball, music and the Dodgers kept me sane. I am not dumb by any means. I have a lot of street smarts, and common sense. I know what is right, and I know what is wrong. I spend probably 80 percent of my time alone. Especially since the pandemic started. But being a part of this blog with all these fans has been a godsend simply because it’s keeps my mind active. And those of us who are older know how important that is. Sometimes I cannot remember where I put my frippen car keys, but my mind can go back to a game I was at in 1973 and I see everything as clear as if it was today. I thank all of the posters on here who’s support and acceptance of my posts has been appreciated more than I can ever express.
I won’t even address the politics because I’d rather talk about the Dodgers.
Congrats, Badger!
Anyone from this group going to Opening Day this Friday? If so, it’d be great to meet up and toast to our champs!
Too rich for my bank account Bobby and it is 1000 miles to the ball park. But i will be out there soon.
Thank you Mark
I am conflicted as to what to do as well. My initial response was to say I’m done with baseball. I turned off the game I was watching when I heard about the decision to move From Atlanta. I also cancelled all subscriptions I have related to MLB.
After thinking over things this weekend I realized that what I missed most was the camaraderie of fans with a common interest. The word that DBM passed reminded me that I look forward to reading everyone’s posts and comments. Community and friendship is part of what makes us human.
I will be watching less games and sources of information are more limited, but like days of my childhood, I will still be checking the box scores, reading about the games and listening to some games on radio.
As I read in a comment on MLB trade rumors a few day ago (I think the comment or was “David C.” that baseball if as much a game of sounds – crack of the bat, ball hitting the mitt – and stories as a visual game. It works in the imagination. That’s part of why Vin was special. That’s how I got hooked with my transistor radio under the pillow.
I will do my best to avoid directly enriching the coffers of MLB but friends are still friends despite our disagreements.
Thank you again to Mark and all the writers and commentators.
I appreciate you response Mark. I’m so tired of all the misinformation presented in the headlines of all the news media. I’m also so sick of corporations inserting themselves into politics, which is nothing more than bribes when it comes right down to it. I hope going forward we can stop the talk of covid and other political issues on this site and just make it a safe space for people who just want to talk about sports. I’m really disappointed that MLB took this stand and got involved in the way they did. It isn’t fair to the Braves, the people of Atlanta and fans of baseball to punish them for something that Georgia’s politicians did. It’s especially disgusting that the same party who opposes ID in Georgia embraces it in California when it comes to the recall effort. If that doesn’t open people’s eyes, nothing will.
Mark, the Washington Post link you posted the other day (April2) highlighted Biden’s misstatement on ending early voting hours. The article you site specifically sight, says there are others issues that are of concern. You make it sound like the Post is stating they feel that the law is fine when they don’t (check the editorial board). This past election was, in the words of DHS “this was probably the most secure election that’s ever been run in the United States.”
You have your beliefs, fine. But to quote Singing the Blue’s post;
“Although I do not share your viewpoint, I understand your anger and frustration with the MLB decision. We, as a country of citizens with very divergent opinions need to stay connected somehow or we will all go down in flames. Baseball brings people together. This site is one way we can do that, as long as you continue to keep a handle on the way we treat each other here.
And may DMB Rest In Peace.
The article you site specifically sight, says there are others issues that are of concern.
You are a smart guy. Tell me what else. The Post said that just about everything Biden said was incorrect, but there are “other things?” I have read it and it enhances to opportunity to vote. The other things are signatures and ID. Please explain how doing away with that makes elections safer?
Ok, from your link;
The law has come under fire for making it harder to cast absentee ballots, reducing drop boxes for mail ballots, barring mobile voting places and for making significant procedural changes that potentially give more power to the GOP-controlled legislature in the election process.
Biden has echoed many of those concerns. But there was one line in both his news conference and his statement that has kept us puzzling until our puzzler was sore. It also puzzled experts who have studied the new law.
As for what else;
Absentee ballots are more difficult to obtain; drop boxes for mail ballots will become nearly nonexistent; photo-ID requirements are potentially prohibitive; Sunday voting hours are now left to local election boards to regulate.
It is that last item that is critical. Do you think that a Republican controlled legislature would have stood up to Trump? If so, why is the GA Secretary of State an anathema within his own party now?
While You insist that these efforts are aimed at enhancing voting “integrity,” they’re operating under the false premise, otherwise known as the Big Lie — that President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election because of massive election fraud. Although this is provably false.
As for ID’s;
These restrictions operate to the particular detriment of Black voters, who tend to have less access to acceptable forms of identification (one study I read had the number at 11 percent. Among certain demographics, the percentage is even higher. According to the Brennan Center study, 25% of African Americans, 16% of Hispanics and 18% of senior citizens lack government issued photo identification.)
Now if showing a Social Security card is sufficient that I would think is ok. However, that’s not supposed to be used for ID. Getting a photo ID may or may not be problematic .
Now you can say, we’ll get an ID. However, to that obtain that identification, the state office must of course be open. The Brennan Center found that many ID-issuing offices have highly restricted or irregular hours of operation.
Ok I was waiting for exactly that. I am on the beach but will respond later.
MT-I commend you for the honest and straight-forward blog and appreciate that you are a man of common sense and integrity. Thanks for offering this space for us to comment and we should all commit to keeping this a Dodger blog once this all passes and it will. After my comments on this topic I will endeavor to keep it all baseball moving forward.
The notion that we must “cancel” someone by erasing history, encouraging lawlessness, muting or shaming others we don’t agree with, or violating the free exchange ideas, thoughts and speech has to stop. The never-ending public backlash, often through social media to end careers, a call for boycotts or worse yet an employer cancelling an employee for words expressed on their own time and not at all related to their employment, must end.
For me the hypocrisy is what is so alarming. Coke, Delta Airlines and others encourage a move of the All-Star game out of concern they won’t be “woke” enough if they don’t call for such move. Will they rebuke an actor when one makes a homophobic comment, will they chastise an Hollywood elite who wants to lecture us on climate change but yet take a jet to Palm Springs from LA rather than drive? You’re immediately called a religious zealot if you believe in the right to life or the looting we saw last Summer is a movement or a right borne out of an oppressive society. Your opinion doesn’t matter and to prove I’m right and you’re wrong I’ll just yell louder and worse yet I’ll label you a racist, homophobe or xenophobe just because you have an opinion that doesn’t match mine.
Some cop in middle America is involved in a shooting by himself and while facing a life threatening event and before the facts are known some politician is calling it a racist act and calls for the officer to be fired. The officers who lost their lives at the Capitol were heroic and courageous and I pray for their families, but don’t we find just a bit hypocritical when the politicians laud those officers for protecting them, but they’re all too quick to question an officer who acted to protect himself or others via social media without the benefit of at least minimally gathering some facts before rendering an opinion. It’s all done for power and politics.
It’s time for all of us to blur the lines between entertainment and sports and politics. If I want to learn about current events I’ll read or watch the news. If I want to be entertained with sports I’ll watch a game. If I want to learn who won the Best Actor award I’ll watch the Academy Awards. Unfortunately, we are all now lectured at when watching sports by athletes and actors who make millions by hitting a baseball or by making a movie and is my soft drink of choice socially diverse enough for my business or is the flight I need to take going to be from an airline carrier that is woke enough.
It’s a complete disconnect from corporate America and the consumers who buy their product. I buy my soda by what is on sale and I purchase airline tickets by the cheapest fare without consideration to brand. However, if this “woke cancel culture” continues with corporations preaching to the masses about what is politically correct, I’ll make my purchasing decisions accordingly.
The PGA made the right decision when it elected to keep the Tour Championship in Georgia while sending a message that the PGA efforts has generated more than $38 million for local charitable organizations and noted that effort helped transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and thriving ones, which is a key to ending the cycle of intergenerational poverty. The PGA further said they fully support efforts to protect the right of all Americans to vote and to eliminate any barriers that may prevent citizens’ voices from being heard and counted. It is the foundation of our great country and a critical national priority to listen to the concerns about voter suppression – especially from communities of color that have been marginalized in the past – and work together to make voting easier for all citizens.”
That’s real leadership. Manfred is a joke. And as Vinnie would say after announcing the out-of-town scoreboard, “lets get back to this one.” It’s all about baseball and ITFDB!
One of the earlier comments said baseball and music kept them going. That is really all I have left also. Politics took over the NBA, NFL, and now MLB. I know I should dump baseball as what they did truly makes me sick to my stomach. But there is not much left. All the media and television shows focus on politics and their slanted viewpoints do nothing but make me mad. I will continue to follow my Dodgers but do whatever I can to make sure I spend nothing on baseball. I sure hope a lot of other fans to the same. The elite group of socialist running our country can’t continue to run the US off a cliff with so many good people sitting back wondering what happened. I fear for my 14 grandkids. Mark, I agree with your concerns and am so sick of politics coming into all parts of our lives. I will continue to enjoy discussions about the Dodgers.
Mark, I agree with u a 100percent on what u have written today. I am also saddened that u were falsely accused. Lastly, thank you for re-opening the blog.
i actually wouldn’t mind if the All-Star Game was cancelled and not just moved. It’s a stupid game, and of an era long gone. There’s no need to have a special occasion or “play” or “see” the All-stars from other leagues/cities, you can see them anytime you want.
Give the players some R&R for a week and start the ‘second half’
ps: This will never happen.
I’m on board with this take. I lost interest in this spectacle years ago.
I agree. I lost interest in the all star game long ago.
I think the All-Star game is mainly for the young fans and those who never grew up but want to re-live their fantasies through sports worship. Collecting baseball cards and the all star game went together. I was excited growing up watching this spectacle. Politics didn’t exist in my world and the world of most other kids that I knew. We cried when our team left for L.A. just like the Giant fans who cried when they picked up and left for S.F. Change happens, but when you are a kid, you just react to the circumstances and don’t see the bigger picture.
Politicizing all of this is what opinionated adults do. Exaggeration is what a great majority of adults do that haven’t dealt with their own emotional problems in life. Mark, who needs a platform for everything that happens in his life created this board and wants to still control it. He said he wanted to hand it over to others but that is clearly not the case. Did I miss something? He doesn’t want politics to enter this board yet chooses a political situation to shut it down and then reopens it with nothing but political discussion. Did I miss something? Since he is hell bent on having his own way, nothing has changed.
So……………I’m really mesmerized by the new Dodger pitching rotation and BP selections and usage. The starters have been giving up HR’s wholesale but that may have more to do with Coors stadium than anything else yet they haven’t been getting their own HR’s. We’ve seen Bauer go from champ to chump after pitching 6 innings of no hit baseball and giving up 2 HRs and getting pulled. The reliever comes in and gives up 2 more! Wow, how exciting. It’s a good thing our hitters had an enormous lead to stop the bleeding. We can hit but the power has not been there.
Kershaw and Buehler do not look good and haven’t looked good in Spring Training. 2nd year in row for Buehler. Treinen looks vulnerable. Jansen looks unhittable. Gonzalez looks confused. The Seager stud is making his case for MVP and will get his $300M contract next year. Will it be from the Dodgers? His fielding is atrocious, but heck, that kid can hit.
All in all, the team looks good and ready for the fight. I’m enjoying the games and not even complaining about Doc. The jury is still out on Alanna. What happened to her? She’s a bright gal but talked too much for my taste. She lost style points from me just like Orel, endless point making. Davis still imitating Vin. Ah well………………..
I have a few thoughts;
1 – I prefer not to see sports or other entertainment conflated with politics unless the 2 are directly related – for example, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, it was an inherently political/social act. Neither the athletes nor the owners should be using their notoriety to inflict a viewpoint on their fans. It ultimately hurts the sport as this kind of posturing alienates a substantial number of fans which are the source of the money which is the lifeblood of the sport.
2 – In an era where Americans seem to be more divided than usual, baseball is something that can bring people and communities of all kinds together — unless they screw it up.
3 – Similarly, the confluence of baseball and politics at LADT threatens to divide readers and posters in the same way and detracts from the primary purpose of thet blog – to follow the Dodgers.
4 – We can choose to boycott baseball in light of the posturing, but I refuse to let the posturing separate me from one of my favorite interests – the Dodgers. I won’t let them control me.
5 – DBM’s family’s great e-mail is an example of the reason why LADT should remain as a platform for fans to come together and express their views. It is a community of sorts and in this day and age, community is a good thing.
Great points
I agree
Excellent take Rick. To that extent I am of a mind that Roberto Clemente’s jersey number should be retired right alongside Jackie’s. He did for Latino’s what Robinson did for Blacks. I despise politics poking it’s snout into sport. But no matter what, that is the times we live in. And it is not just sport, it is all forms of entertainment. I have not bought anything from MLB since the announcement and that will continue. But I did get some series gear after the win. I will continue to write and support the Dodgers A lifelong love cannot be snuffed out all that easily. But I will also continue to oppose Manfred and his idiotic idea’s,
Sweet, you can do the same for Nomo following the same logic. Maybe we can have a number for each race retired around baseball. My vote for Italians would go to Lasorda.
You have your opinion and I have mine. Unfortunately, Italians are considered white. Nomo was not the first Japanese player in the Majors. That distinction went to Masanori Murakami who pitched for the Giants in 1964. And if any Italian deserved the honor it would probably go to Joe DiMaggio.
Humans are inherently divided. They choose sides constantly. It is in our culture and condoned on a daily basis. Acting nice is not going to change any of this, nor writing any commentary. All of our opinions are just that, opinions. A dime a dozen. Entertainment is a stronger pull because it represents escape, escape from the madness of one’s mind. If you can’t admit that your own mind is mad, nothing can change. No philosophy or religion will do it.
You my friend a a True, Thinking American ,,, maybe people like us, speaking out can right the ship, its kinda looking like (as we have lost the Fourth Estate to partisanship ) like its too late ….
Mark, you raise some fundamental questions, so I would like to raise a few as well.
1. Is this a political blog or not?
2. Who decides when it is political, and when it is not?
3. Was cancelling us your intention when you closed the blog?
4. When are we going to move on from this?
Keep it to baseball Mark, if you can’t, leave.
Agreed.
I am on the beach but will respond later tonight.
I always like to respond, even if my better self tells me not to. Enjoy your beach time. I’m hoping that politics on this site stops after today, but support your judgement.
Back to baseball. Julio’s change up takes him to another level. We all saw that yesterday. He will be another number one for us. Tonight we will see May’s curveball. If that improves and he continues to throw more 4 seamers then he’s another #1 in our rotation. Cmon this isn’t fair!
Thank you Cassidy for bringing baseball back to this site. I love Julio and hope that this is the year he finally gets what’s coming to him. And that would be many Cy Young votes. I think the Dodgers set him back on his career trajectory holding him back and then thrusting him into the rotation over the years. “Fixing the horizontal movement on his curve, just to let him go back what made him successful in the first place. I absolutely love this kid and am hoping for the best for him.
The 2020 elections were free and fair, that was stated by every reputable person who had knowledge of such things, including former Attorney General William Barr, who spent his time in office doing everything he could to help Trump win a second term and escape any legal challenges.
Georgia’s vote was counted and then recounted three times. The governor of Georgia is a Republican, as is the lieutenant governor, the attorney general and secretary of state. The secretary of state, Brad Raffernsberger, said over and over that the Georgia election did not have an iota of fraud. Trump called Raffernsberger and told him to find 12, 000 votes to overturn the election. That is a crime if proven.
So why did Georgia pass this law? Not because of fraud, there was no fraud. It was in order to insure that Republicans would never lose another state election in Georgia. And they will not, if this bill is not superseded by HR1. Otherwise, Georgia will be a totalitarian state, where it is impossible for Democrats to ever win.. That would make some people happy, even though it is completely inimical to the concept of democracy.
The bill requires anyone casting an absentee ballot to send in a copy of a state-validated ID. Many do not have one, or cannot find it, or cannot copy it, because they do not have the devices. For those who do, the number of drop boxes to drop off the ballots are reduced. And these drop boxes will close four days before the election, so that people who mail in their ballots will have them come in too late. For those people who vote in person, the number of polling places in larger districts with many Black voters are so reduced, that people had to stand in line for eleven hours last election. That is horrific. And now, the bill makes it a CRIME for someone to give water to someone standing in line .
If anyone wants more, the bill actually takes the administering of elections away from Raffensberger, allows Republican legislators to appoint the boards which will administer it, and to actually revoke the results in any district where the board does not like it; i.e., Democrats won it. They can just declare the Republican the winner. How’s that for fascism?
After the Republicans agreed to pull out of the troops out of the South in exchange for enough Congressional Democrats choosing Hayes over Tilden in the election of 1876 which went to the House to be decided, this left the South open to the Jim Crow laws. The three devices they used to make sure that Blacks could not vote, were the poll tax (most Blacks, having been slaves, had no money), literacy tests (there were all sorts of Southerners who could not read or write, but there was a provision that the registrar could decide if there was sufficient passing of the test, and of course, most Whites passed, and most Blacks were deemed to fail). Ant then grandfather clauses, where you did not need to pay a tax or own property to vote, If you or your ancestors had voted before 1865. Blacks were not allowed to vote until 1870., so that took care of that.
Historians have written that by 1905, virtually no Black person could vote in the South. Only when the Supreme Court and federal laws stepped in decades later, did this change.
This bill is the modern equivalent of the Jim Crow laws. I will guarantee you that if this is not superseded or thrown out in court, Republicans will win every significant state election in Georgia for many decades, if not forever. They will keep electing Republicans because not enough Black people can vote. Those elected will pass even more draconian laws. We will have the equivalent of Russia or China. And Republicans are busily passing comparable bills in any state where they control the legislature.
There was no voter fraud, it is a myth and lie. There is no evidence of it, it is a convenient mythology. There are no dead people voting that is another lie, which is used by Republicans to change voting laws so that they cannot lose.
Now, you disagree, but for those many people who believe that the Georgia voting laws is abhorrent what do you suggest? Nothing, just put up with it and the Republicans win all the future elections? Send letters to newspapers, which do no good at all? “Eat that, libs!?” Give up? Or try to punish Georgia by boycotting companies and events which are centered there?
That latter is what the moving of the all-star game is. I am no fan of Manfred. But I do believe that something must be done if we want to save our democracy, which would have been gone if the Trump people had managed to kill Pence, Pelosi, and everyone else they wanted to kill when they stormed the Capitol with guns, knives, zip restraints, and bear spray. They didn’t manage to do that so the Republicans in suits are doing it for them, by bootstrapping onto a lie about a fraudulent election, and passing laws designed to make it as difficult as possible for poor people or Black people who live in big cities, to vote.
They have elections in Russia, too, but they are just for show. The Republican officials in the South learned from their forebears in the Jim Crow era, and they will be damned if they let Democrats win in those states. If these bills are allowed to stand, American democracy will be finished forever. Land of the Free will be as meaningful as the slogans in Orwell’s “1984.” I think that they are the biggest internal threat to American democracy in our history.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my opinion on this. I would rather follow the baseball season, but some things are too important to let go without at least a last-ditch fight for the American republic, and free and fair voting. Most countries encourage the vote, and make it as easy as possible for eligible people to vote. Here, we have one of the major parties doing everything it can to make it exceedingly difficult to vote. All they need is to get rid of, say, 10% of the Democratic vote, and they win, forever. Jim Crow’s effects lasted for at least fifty years. MLB is not a part of this, but if good people do not stand up for the democracy, then it just crumbles away. There is a famous speech and poem by former Protestant pastor Martin Niemoller which says this better than anyone can.
William, I have already had my say below and will not belabor the political nature of the present situation, but this post is absolutely saturated with falsehoods, half-truths and deceptions, and as a History teacher I cannot let it go. I will not question your integrity by calling you a liar, but you clearly only read one side of the political spectrum. Your tour of the past 150 years of our history conveniently leaves out that it was the Democrats who created and imposed the murderous and humiliating Jim Crow system, not to mention opposing votes for women, opposing anti-lynch laws, interning Japanese-Americans during WWII and sending desperate Jewish refugees back to Europe to face the Nazis. I could write a book on the falsehoods of your post, but I will leave it there.
We are a nation of Democrats and Republicans and maybe we haven’t explored to deeply why. The more we tie ourselves to a political party the more we forfeit independent thinking. We become biased. If we believe something as true it is hard to recognize when it is not. Mark Twain said it best: It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.
Republicans and Democrats can be found everywhere. They are both part of car pools, they are neighbors, they are parents of our children’s friends, they are co-workers, and they sit next to us in church, at ball games, at graduations, and at parades. We can’t tell if someone is a Republican or a Democrat unless we talk politics or put up a yard sign. That is true here in LADT. And yet we have such a harsh view of the “other” Party.
That harsh view is usually well beyond being realistic or accurate. We can be gullible the more our emotions are tied to a subject whether it is buying a Ford or a Chevy, rooting for the Dodgers or the Giants, or becoming an adherent of one of the major political parties.
The Founders of the United States warned against Parties because they thought politics was supposed to be rational and collaborative, not competitive. Competitiveness has resulted in Americans voting for President and the US Congress based on Party and not person. It started in the 1970s and has been significantly increasing to where voters overwhelmingly voted for their party’s nominee in the 2016 national election.
Do we need to free ourselves from the bonds of political party affiliation that divides our nation and makes it difficult to keep our nation in balance? Balance is found in the middle between far left and far right dogma. I think moderates in both parties should join forces and free themselves from the money and rigidity in the wings of the two parties. It may be too late for an affiliate of one party to vote for a candidate from another party. So, maybe a third party is needed, a moderate party.
We didn’t have political parties when Washington was President. They gradually formed as we were trying to figure out what our fledgling country needed from Washington DC such as a central bank and national policy.
Long before there were Republicans and Democrats, there were Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the Anti-Federalists led by Thomas Jefferson. In 1787 The Federalists became the first American political Party. They were businessmen and merchants who wanted a strong central government to protect industry.
The Federalists were opposed by Anti-Federalists; a group mostly made up of small farmers and planters that wanted a smaller government that wouldn’t interfere with their lives. The Anti-Federalists would later form a party called the Democratic-Republicans.
In 1828, Andrew Jackson changed the Democratic-Republican Party’s name to the Democrats. Jackson’s opponents changed the Federalist Party’s name to the Whig Party.
The Democratic Party was well on its way to splitting between North and South when in 1854, the Civil War finalized the split into the Northern Democrats and the Southern Democrats with the Southern Party being pro-slavery pro-states’ rights members. Shortly thereafter the Whig party split and the Republican Party was added. There were essentially four parties—Northern Democrats, Southern Democrats, Whig, and Republican.
After the Civil War the Republicans grew and the Democrats shrunk. Republicans would favor business interests and taxes on imports. Democrats supported free trade and attracted farmers and immigrants. Democrats didn’t expand until 1932 when Franklin Roosevelt created economic relief and social security. Democrats wanted the federal government to actively help those affected by the Depression. Republicans, being more pro-business, preferred to not burden business with those costs.
The next major shift in party affiliation came when huge numbers of southern state democrats became republicans after President Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
So, when did you decide to be a Republican or a Democrat? Why are older working class white men especially in rural areas generally Republicans? Why are college educated younger men and women generally Democrats?
Newer research that includes brain maps, gene pool analysis, and unconscious attitudes shows the following generalizations:
People who prefer a simple vision of good and evil, are cognitively inflexible, are fond of hierarchy, are inordinately afraid of uncertainty, change, and death, and are unaware of their unconscious fears tend to vote Republican. Republicans want to spend on the military and the military industrial complex.
People who are more open to reason and nuance and complex policy tend to vote Democrat. Democrats want to spend on people.
The Republican Party of today is pro-business and the Democratic Party is pro-people. Being pro-business does not mean people support greed and being pro-people does not mean people do not want businesses to be very successful. Does being pro-business mean someone is materialistic or does being pro-people mean someone is more spiritual? No! But if it did we would again need balance between the two parties. Material prosperity without spirituality leads to greed, lack of inner and outer peace, and war. Spirituality without material development leads to poverty and famine.
A very good and in-depth historical post.
Lots of good history there. Lots of nonsense too.
Democrats are pro- people?
People want to be able to remove their kids from failing schools and choose where to educate them. Democrats say no!
People want lower taxes. Democrats say no!
People want to develop family wealth by investing some of their SS deductions in the stock market like wealthy people do. Democrats say no!
People want lower energy bills. Democrats say no!
People want freedom of speech. Big Tech Democrats say no!
Those people turning dogs and fire hoses on blacks in Birmingham? Democrats
Those people blocking the Little Rock 9 from getting into school? Democrats
Those people assaulting blacks at lunch counters? Democrats
I tried to leave names and labels out of my posts but others choose not to so I will respond. I am quite fed up with the persistent falsehoods we are all drowning in.
Exausting
The Democratic Party was the Party of slavery, and the Republican Party was the Party of abolitionism and big business, in the 19th century, up to the Civil War. After the War, the South stayed Democratic because they hated Lincoln and Reconstruction. The parties shifted,, albeit slowly. In 1948, the Dixiecrats walked out of the Democratic Convention because Truman supported a strong civil rights plank
In 1964, some southern states went for Goldwater. In 1968, Nixon and his brain trust developed the “Southern Strategy,” designed to take advantage of the shifts, including that JFK had sent the National Guard to the South to enforce integration of schools; and LBJ had pushed for the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. So the South then turned into a Republican stronghold in every election except occasionally when Democrats ran a southerner such as Clinton or Carter. Take a look around the South and tell me how many Democratic senators there are, or how many times a Democrat has recently come close in any of those states.
But finally, Stacey Abrams organized voters so well, that Democrats actually won n Georgia, and that was too much for Republicans. Referring to antebellum South is interesting historically, but it in no way reflects the affiliations of today. There is not a doubt in my mind that Lincoln, were he alive today, would be a Democrat; after all, he cared about the common man. The South is Republican territory, and they are determined to keep it that way, even if they cancel many people’s right to vote.
RC,
I think what you have missed that when the civil rights laws were passed in the 1960’s by Democrats. The parties just switched. So all the horrible things you put on Democrats are now just the main platform of the Republican Party
That is the false narrative of the DNC. It cannot be backed up by facts. Completely ahistorical. Yet another falsehood produced by those who do not value truth.
William – I thoroughly enjoy your baseball posts. Your political posts, not so much. As you have stated before, you and I have a different world view, most certainly as it relates to the what the “unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” means.
As to your comments about there being no voter fraud, you may want to familiarize yourself with Garland Favorito and voterga.org and the legal actions they have brought in Georgia. He’s neither a Republican or Democrat. They have uncovered ample evidence of fraud.
As William stated there were several recounts in GA. No fraud found. Let’s get real here, Trump stated there was fraud when he lost the Iowa caucuses. He claimed there was fraud when he thought he’d lose to Clinton. This is what he does. If he can’t do something legally he will try other means. Again, DHS stated this was the most secure election in our history.
2demete2, I also appreciate your baseball posts, and your politeness here.
The Republican Secretary of State in Georgia found no discernible voter fraud. They recounted the vote twice. I have no idea who Garland Favorito is.
There is no voter fraud..outside of single digits.There was a massive study a few years ago which looked at tens of millions of votes, and found something like fifty possible instances of voter fraud. The most significant I heard of, was in North Carolina, in a Congressional district, and it was done by Republicans. In my very strong opinion, this is absolute propaganda designed to allow the suppression of votes. I have not seen one single halfway credible officeholder state or federal, who has documented one instance of voter fraud in this election. To me, this is indeed “the big lie,” and the goal of it is to take away the right of people to vote. And they may well get away with it, and we will have a totalitarian state, where, as Stalin once said all that matters is who gets to count the votes.
The Republicans stripped Raffensberger over any influence in future elections. That is because he vouched for election integrity, and because he would not “find” 12,000 additional votes when Trump demanded him to.
William, I’m sure you’re a decent person. What I think when I read your post is how we get stuck in our own echo chambers. Funny, but your main thesis is that all of this is designed to guarantee a permanent Republican government is exactly what I think the motivation is for the Democratic Party. Why do you think there are calls for DC statehood? I’m sure you’re all in favor of abolishing the Electoral College. Why would that be? Packing the Supreme Court? What would the permanent results of those actions be? Would they guarantee Democratic Party or Republican Party dominance in perpetuity? Oh, I’m sure you’ll have an argument about fairness or something, but we both know it comes down to power.
I ordered take out this last Friday night. When I ordered my hamburger on the phone app, the instructions at the end cheerfully informed me that I had to present a valid ID when picking up my order. I heard from a friend who orders out a lot that he routinely has his order go missing by folks who walk in and take his food from the to-go rack.
We are not talking about a poll tax. We are not talking about a literacy test. Merely having an ID to prove you are actually who you say you are IS AN EXTREMELY LOW BAR, and suggesting black or brown people don’t have the ability to engage in the most basic of civil functions is so patronizingly racist I would be livid if I were a black person. You’d have to assume they can’t drive, open bank account, get a COVID vaccination, etc.
Fraud is rampant in our culture. Identity theft and other frauds cost this economy billions. It’s why we have safeguards. As polarized as our politics is, as much as we believe the stakes are so high – that our civilization and our democracy will literally end if the other side wins, does that not create immense incentive for fraud? When the motivation for fraud is high and the barriers to engaging in it or being punished for it are low to non-existent, what do you think will happen? Should we just leave voting to the honor system? Maybe mass fraud happened. Maybe it didn’t. I personally think both things can be true – that fraud happened but not enough to account for the Biden margin of victory, but I honestly don’t know and no one else does because there’s to way to audit it. There are no published studies on the scope of election fraud, and it is hard to look for evidence when there is no ID requirement. At the same time you can claim there’s no evidence of it. Pretty convenient how that works.
I think it is REASONABLE to require voter prove they are who they say they are, especially if we expand mail in ballots. The potential for mass fraud is just too great.
As for some of your other talking points, they are either falsehoods repeated by the media or histrionics. The water prohibition is for political operatives giving gifts to people standing in line to vote. The reasons for this are obvious. It does not prohibit poll workers from handing out water, or friends and family, or you bringing water yourself. You’re still allowed to hydrate.
Trump’s demanding the governor come up with X amount of votes is, we now know, after the election, a lie. That’s not what he did or said at all. But…doesn’t matter now, the damage is done. Same thing with Biden’s claim that polls will close at 5. He got his research from the Star Tribune, which issued a correction later, but not before that lie was repeated, which then gets repeated some more …and so and on and so on.
You had a response to someone who is a History teacher. I did that myself at one point. One thing about warfare is that, as the stakes get higher, it gets more brutal and desperate. In the first battle of Bull Run, there were actually spectators who showed up to watch. It was assumed the whole thing would be over soon; that there would be a few skirmishes, Americans would come to their senses and we’d all go back to the way things were. That’s not how things work out. One side suffers a setback and they counter with tactics that are more aggressive or violent. The other side counters with something more brutal and savage. It becomes a spiral. The concept of Sherman marching through the South and burning farms and razing whole cities – total war – was new at the time. I hope we step back from the precipice now
Want voter ID. Then make it easy for people to get the IDs required. That is t always the case. People in inner cities don’t all have or need drivers licenses ( I know this first hand)
100%
At least here in California, you can get a valid ID that is not a driver’s license. Do what we can to ensure that all people have a verifiable ID.
I would even support a national holiday for election day – every two years for Presidential elections and mid-terms. Open more polling stations.
I would absolutely ban ballot harvesting.
Let me also begin with my deepest condolences to the family of Dodger Blue Mom. Her death was quite a shock to us all and we will all miss her kindness, dignity and overall badly needed feminine touch.
Regarding Mark I think that many on this blog do not understand the impact that his eldest son shunning him has had on him, and would have on anyone. This is about politics, but on a deeper level it is about basic honesty. Our political world is saturated by lies at a level of viciousness never seen before in our history, and those lies have overtaken Mark’s son to the extent that he has shunned him. Mark is very well aware that this can be not only for a few years but very possibly for the rest of his life. That is a devastating thought and I am angry for him at those who brainwashed his son and are working very hard at brainwashing the rest of America.
As a History teacher of high school students with mild to moderate learning disabilities for 26 years, I have to say that I am very worried for our country and the future of my students and of my own four daughters. We recently had a Senate leader who accused the other Presidential candidate of not paying his taxes. When asked, after the election, what he had to say when released returns proved that the candidate had paid his taxes the Senator replied, “well we won didn’t we?” “They” lie about racist police shootings when statistics clearly refute their narrative, “They” lie about women being discriminated in their pay relative to men doing the same job, “They” lie about the rich paying their fair share, “They” lie as easily as they breathe. Anything to divide Americans and gain more power, and now “They” are lying about Georgias election reforms. The idea of supporting one’s assertions with evidence has gone out the window, and emotions have taken their place. It would be nice if some of their supporters took note and held them accountable, but the brainwash is too effective, their hate is too strong, and now it is involving baseball and our Dodgers.
I hope Mark keeps LA Dodger Talk open, but I understand if he does not. It is a difficult decision, when you think you might be promoting the people and causes that have torn your own family apart.
In any case, many thanks to all who have contributed over the years. Your time and talent have been very much appreciated.
I am impressed that are able to be a teacher despite your learning disabilities. I salute you for that.
I could come back with something meaner, but that kind of shit will get you banned FOREVER!
There is no call for that kind of 8th-grade rhetoric!
I will add a few words against my better judgement. I think Manford was concerned that if the All Star game were played in Atlanta that sponsors would bail and maybe half the players might boycott the game and that could hurt baseball more than moving the game. Agree or not, it is part of the story.
The Georgia voter law vote was not timely. The majority now believe the 2020 election was as fair and accurate as any of the previous 58 Presidential elections. Perfect? Maybe not but if it were not for the loser of the 2020 election repeatedly saying the 2020 election was rigged, Georgia would not have decided to pass their voter law and we would not have had the Capital raid.
The feelings of the American people are still too raw for any state to try to change their voting laws. It won’t be a trusted process and people will be split over its fairness and objectivity. Those that think the election was rigged will probably say the Georgia voting law is a good one.
There are quite a few other states that are in the process of changing their voting laws and the reaction to the Georgia law will affect how those states go forward.
While Americans have moved from state to state, job to job, young to old; there has been a political battle for control of the direction America takes. The direction is dependent on how we incorporate into our voting these words from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth and shall have a new birth of freedom.
Does America move in the direction where we become a nation where all people are equal before the law and have unrestricted participation in self-governance? Or, does America move in the direction where only some us enjoy the full blessings of liberty; where only some of us can decide on who is granted privilege and who is capable of self-governance?
Here’s a word for everyone. I don’t care about your political beliefs. I’m here for Dodger baseball. Find another venue to spout off on all your other viewpoints!
The problem is that Mr. Timmons wrote the post, left it up, and set out his political and factual viewpoints, many of which I respectfully disagree with. I could not just let that sit up there on top of the page without attempting to refute much of it. I realize that he owns the blog, and does a fine job of putting up interesting baseball content. But I disagree with much of his politics, and if he wants to express his, as he well can, I thin k it is important to try to present countervailing positions, even if many here might disagree with them. This happens to be a time when we simply cannot let it all go, because it has such profound implications. What is the mob storming the capitol had killed Pence and Pelosi and all the others they wanted to kill? Would we be able to focus on baseball?
I was shocked to hear of the passing of Dodger Blue Mom, she was invariably kind, elegant, and intelligent in her posts. She will be missed by very many people, even outside of her grieving family.
Cassidy, if I might add a little religion to your comment.
AMEN BROTHER.
Sorry if this is controversial, but I think Matt Beaty might suck.
I was born in California but left in 1997 right before I turned 25. I saw California changing for the worse and so I left and it has a lot to do with the subject that is being talked about here, politics. My political beliefs DO NOT line up with California’s political beliefs and unfortunately with most Dodger fans. I have followed the Dodgers since the 1977 world series and even though most Dodger fans are liberal and Democrats I don’t want to look for another baseball team to follow because of politics and it’s because I have followed the Dodgers for so long (43 seasons). This will be my 44th season.
You guys can’t help yourselves
You enjoy it too much
It’s sad and a sign nobody listens to them in the real world if they insist on talking about it here.
I despise it Watford, always have. Despite what some think, politics should stay the hell out of sports.
Let’s keep it civil. The lawyers in here should understand what constitutes evidence and opinion. Dispense with the opinion. You are really short on evidence and I will prove it.
Back to the game. May makes his first start of 2021 in Oakland. Oakland has some pop in the lineup, but it is April and the evening air might cut down some balls that would otherwise go out. Kind of harsh to judge Beaty on 3 at bats. But that is how fickle some fans are. I dispute your assumption that most Dodger fans are liberals Eric. Makes absolutely no sense at all. I am a baseball fan over all else and no matter how I vote politically it has nothing to do with baseball. They could cancel the All Star game permanently and it would not bother me. Reason one it won’t be, it is a cash cow for MLB and the city that hosts it. Remember, the Dodgers lost the 2020 game because of the pandemic and a huge chance to show off the improvements made to the stadium. Kersh makes his second start tomorrow and it looks like Buehler will get the home opener. Throw out all of the stats from the weekend in Denver, now they get to sea level and everything will be different.
Dr. Cassidy: I”m with you. Urias looked absolutely filthy yesterday, and that changeup, IN COORS FIELD, was dominant.
This is going to be a fun year. It’s going to be a fun Friday. I’ll forward pics of the stadium to Mark to post here.
Excuse me. I must have made a wrong turn. I was looking for LA Dodger Talk and apparently stumbled into “I’m right and you’re wrong and nothing you do or say will convince me otherwise”
Must be looking at an old map.
This is where you and I meet at Presidente off the 405 and Rinaldi and have a drink
Presidente? Enough with the political statements Bobby. 🙂
Have a great time on Friday. Bring us a victory!
Some very well presented arguments on the topic given to us today. I want to thank you all for the work you put into your words. Good reads abound today.
I don’t believe for a minute Georgia Republican legislators would have done this if they hadn’t lost in the election.Republicans don’t want to “get out the vote” and that should be obvious to everyone. I think Bum is right about sponsorships bailing. It’s happened before. No matter the question the answer is money. And on that topic my simple take on policy is it’s the people’s money, spend it on the people, don’t spend it on tax breaks for the Uber rich. There is enough wealth in this nation that nobody should be hungry or homeless. It’s shameful that so many are.
I think it’s quite possible Seager may want to win a championship in a Yankee uniform and Lux, who is already a better shortstop than Corey, could have some Trevor Story in him. The Dodgers looked sloppy at times in Colorado, but they took 3 out of 4 from a team that might lose 100 and start the season in first place. Urias is the pitcher most of us thought he was, Batt Meaty should be sent to batting school and the pen will eventually be very good.
Make getting IDs easy. Them make everyone have proof of ID when voting…especially mail in/absentee votes. We want ALL Eligible people to vote and a system that helps ensure integrity of the vote. When the integrity is so easily questioned, it hurts our democracy. Voting is a right and a privilege. Citizens should have to be somewhat intentional to vote. Voting laws and rules should be decided/changed by our elected legislatures as put forth in the Constitution not executive branch ideologs
It’s always easily questioned when you don’t need a basis in reality to question things.
I could question the integrity of your life as easily as with as much grounding as those who questioned the integrity of the Georgia election.
You last sentence was a doozy on a myriad of levels. Should voting laws be changed by ideology in the state legislatures, or is ideology only verboten from the executive branch?
We all know there isn’t going to be a winner in this fools errand we are running, can we just hand the trophy to Badger and get back to the other thing ?
Dodger Lover,
Don’t bring your 6th Grade Education to an MBA meeting!
You are right. I did say that Max Muncy could be left off the playoff roster “IF he did not get it together.” He did! I also said this:
https://ladodgertalk.com/2020/09/27/corey-the-key-to-the-playoffs/
You are snarky to everyone with your double-digit IQ. I guess I need to make an example of some moron and you are the chosen one!
GOODBYE SIR!
I’m on the older side of life. I have learned that politics is really only about money and power. Both parties are the same – the only thing different is the message. Whenever I took a stand or got angry about a political issue – in the end it was just me that lost out on things. I learned that the only real way to make a difference in politics is with your wallet. I’ve played that game and don’t do it anymore.
So now I totally ignore politics and my life is much better. I’m happier and nicer to people. I enjoy baseball for what it is – a game – and not for anything else. I enjoy this blog for the baseball talk. I pretty much skip everything else.
If Mark wants to end LADT that’s his right. He’s earned it. After all it will end sometime. But I hope it isn’t soon. For some reason this blog is different. The passing of DBM made that crystal clear.
I totally agree John. Her passing is reaffirmation that life is short. 80 years may seem like a long time, but it is just a wisp of smoke to the universe.
I see that Joc and Kike off to a tough start. 1-20 combined
I don’t get it. They were great in spring training.
damn, I guess spring stats mean bupkis anyway.
I read Verdugo is 0fer the season Slow starts. Happens a lot.
Most of us cannot agree on the Dodgers, let alone our political slants. Baseball is a release. A way to tell the world to go screw itself, I am watching a ball game. Thus I do not need the powers that be injecting their politics into my entertainment. I quit watching the NFL because of all the kneeling for the anthem crap. I quit watching the NBA because it is more of a forum for BLM than sport. I will not allow my love of baseball to be ruined by a bunch of self serving millionaires who care less about what we think. Play ball and screw politics. Denver among 3 city’s trying to get MLB to award them the All Star game, which I won’t watch anyway.
There’s a DH today. I looked at who is starting and man we have depth on offense. Rios is the DH. Taylor and McKinstry are in for Pollock and Lux.
I have absolutely no worries about our offense this year. Pitching is a different story though.
Muncy was the DH and Rios is playing first. Taylor pulled after being hit in the elbow. Smith homers again.
I’d prefer CT3 to be the primary LF over Pollock
I think I do too.
I’ve said that a few times myself.
I still believe in Pollock. Taylor is the Swiss Army Knife on this team. I’d we had another one of him (McKinstry?) then maybe. But Pollock projects near 30 home runs with an .800 OPS. That is considerably higher than Taylor.
Jacob deGrom now has a 2.07 ERA since 2018 and the Mets are 36-41 in his starts.
Smith bomb
Gonzaga bomb.
Just heard Tatis left game with shoulder discomfort.
It was his elbow Badger. Guess he went down in a heap after striking out. All Star game moved to Denver.