People Are Afraid To Express Their Opinions? Not Me

YouGov did some polling for the Cato Institute that found that 62% of Americans say "the political climate these days prevents them from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive." Majorities of Democrats (52%), independents (59%) and Republicans (77%) all agree they have political opinions they are afraid to share." CATO's interpretation concluded that "a significant majority of Americans with diverse political views and backgrounds self‐censor their political opinions. This large number from across demographic groups suggests withheld opinions may not simply be radical or fringe perspectives in the process of being socially marginalized. Instead many of these opinions may be shared by a large number of people. Opinions so widely shared are likely shaping how people think about salient policy issues and ultimately impacting how they vote. But if people feel they cannot discuss these important policy matters, such views will not have an opportunity to be scrutinized, understood, or reformed."

I've been urging my political friends who still ignore Twitter to give it a try. Among other things, I find it a good place to express myself. This morning, around dawn, my twitter feed began with an observation about the issue that's most important to me: "The so-called 'moderates' insist Biden shrink his rescue plan from $1.9 trillion to $0.6 trillion. The #SurvivalChecks would drop to a $1,000 payment but only for people earning less than $50K/year. It also guts the parts about increasing the minimum wage & aiding cities & states."

Then I couldn't help taking a poke at Overstock.com ex-CEO and deranged Trumpist fanatic, even though doing so strayed from what I was most intent on discussing today: Biden's and Bernie's rescue plan.

I soon got worked up into a lather about the murder of two FBI agents (and wounding of others) and tweeted these unkind words about Florida's elected politicians of the right-wing/gun-nut persuasion: "2 FBI agents are dead & at least 3 others are wounded. Who shot them? EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE. Are they having a celebration in Tallahassee?"

And, of course, I know I have twitter followers who don't subscribe to DWT, so I give them a taste of my posts. The first two today were about Marjorie Taylor Green and Mitch McConnell calling each other "cancers" and then the one about how Maxine Waters acted out of petty jealousy to kick progressive super-star Katie Porter off the House Financial Services Committee, where Katie was outshine Waters and going "too far" in protecting the rights of the working class over the interests of the banksters. I soon took an opportunity to underscore my point about McConnell and Greene by quoting McConnell's latest description of her in a meme I put together:

The horrific Mayo Pete got confirmed as Transportation Secretary, turning my stomach a little. Let's see: one, two... just two? I'm surprised I had that much restraint. But I did feel an obligation to keep pounding away on the importance of passing the Biden-Bernie rescue plan with:

a sharp attack on Joe Manchin

a celebration of Manchin's surrender + a sharper attack on #PsychoSinema

another sharp attack on#PsychoSinema

A note of clarification that Manchin is still opposing an increase in the minimum wage to $15. He thinks it should be $11. I think West Virginia voters need a new senator.

Then there were these two important retweets (above)-- one right after the other-- one that was written by Digby and one from Stephanie Kelton, two people everyone should be following.

I couldn't resist this... it goes with the overarching theme of the day/the week/the month... the forever. It was about poor Tim Kaine (D-VA) explaining why he felt forced to withdraw his penny-ante and utterly pathetic censure resolution against Trump.

That was followed by a little gratuitous slap at the Putin-Trump love affair--because why not?-- and a lucky guess-- which she retweeted-- that Marquita Bradshaw is going to run against Nashville-based reactionary Blue Dog Jim Cooper.

There's also a poll I put up. Most people knew the right answer so... not much drama there. I was just askin' which senator said "When we had a Republican president & House & Senate, we kept on spending massively & adding almost a trillion dollars a year to the national debt. Now we say this is outrageous adding so much to the debt?" The poll is still up if you feel like voting (or if you're not certain of the answer)..

So that was my morning on Twitter-- I find it a good way to share information and passions. And I never did have time to put up this great action shot of Missouri Senator/insurrectionist Josh Hawley that my old pal Hugh Brown took on a recent visit to Cape Girardeau: