Comments by "Virginia Kallianes" (@vdk9797) on "Katie Couric Explains Why People Still Support Donald Trump | Hysteria Podcast" video.
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@GrootsieTheDog I understand what you're saying. I'm speaking from my experience in one city, obviously I could be "in the dark" about tenant/housing laws in the city/town where you/your parents live, and about who decides on those laws. Other places have different regulations. Or sometimes none.
It's great that they have a tenant group working together. In my building we had a tenants group and we went on a rent strike, scary to do on your own but better as part of a group. Sounds like your tenants are organized and on top of the issue, so they probably have done all of the things that I could suggest.
Have they looked at the lease carefully to see what it says about rent increases etc. So they know and to make sure the landlord is following the lease & law.
Again, there might be an organization working on housing / tenant issues in their state/town, they can provide information and referrals and might even have a legal clinic. I did that once here and it was very helpful.
It's important to contact whatever city/town agency deals with housing, find out what the housing regulations are, if any. For example, is it a market rate apartment, which I would guess are not regulated and they might not have too much leeway, sadly. For example where I live there are rent regulated apartments that operate under only specific percentages they're allowed to raise rents, and there are deregulated apartments, which is most new building, which are market rate and give little or no protection to tenants.
Contact their local city/town Council member, find out what they may offer for information or assistance. For example where I live there are sometimes legal clinics where tenants can go and speak briefly with an attorney for free, that might give them direction.
If their council member, or whoever is the local representative can't provide assistance, they can provide referrals and let you know if this is something to go to your state legislator about, for example.
Also they can look into whether there are any rent assistance programs for senior tenants (or low income). For example, where I live there is a program that caps rental costs for seniors at or under a specific income level. One has to apply for that and if it caps the rent at a specific percentage of income. But obviously that is here in nyc, perhaps there is something similar where they live.
Contact the State Department of Aging - it may be called something else in their state, but I believe the Federal DoA has offices in all states. They will have information on various programs that help seniors, regardless of income. (eg sometimes people get confused as to benefits that are offered to seniors, versus means tested types of benefits. For example I know my parents hesitated to apply for any of these benefits, thinking they were "welfare" for poor people) The agency might even know about some other benefits for seniors aside from housing that your parents might not even know about.
A longer shot, obviously NOT for a crisis moment - look into whether there are any lotteries for affordable housing in their area. There may or may not be. And if so, they probably need to get on a waiting list, so that's longer term. I realize that doesn't help you now, but it can't hurt to get on waiting list because you never know when something opens up, could end up being 2 yrs or 6 months.
Maybe try if there's a law school in their area or state, they might provide pro bono lawyers experienced in tenant issues.
I do feel strongly about the issues of housing overall, and especially for, seniors who are living on a fixed income. I have elderly parents too, and I am recently retired, so this is definitely on my mind. I live in one of the most expensive cities in the US, and don't want to have to move as I get older, though I am okay for now in my apartment because of strong regulations. That NY tenants lobbied for, against the real estate industry. Every year these regulations come up for review, and every time the landlord lobby tries to triple the percentage allowable, so every year we have to fight again for affordable rates. Of course this is an important issue to consider and be vocal about when one is voting for local Town Council members, state legislators, governor and mayor. They should be able to tell us their plans for housing in their area. Although it is very hard to face off against the well-funded real estate and developers lobby . They don't care about tenants, they just care about how much money they can bring in on a building.
I do wish I could tell you one thing that would resolve your parents problem, but my suggestion is only that it's important to find out who the appropriate decision maker / agency is and go through that process. I understand your frustration but I seriously don't believe that the US president can do anything about your parents landlord, and that would leave you more frustrated. You could certainly try calling their US senator and House member local offices and ask them for help, can't hurt to try, if they can't, they should be able to tell you who is the relevant point of contact in that state.
I'm just trying to help. And I hope one of these suggestions may be useful to your parents and other tenants.
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Don't disagree with you on cost and lack of affordable housing, but in NYC for 40+ years I can confirm there's nothing about the rents that is the fault of the US president, reps, or senators, or little that they can change. Perhaps funding directly for only multi-level affordable housing - but the governors, mayors, and local folks have to be on board... It's their responsibility and that's where we need to target - but be prepared to go up against very well funded real estate developers. We need to be honest - smart, strategic, targeted. It would help a lot if people understood how governing works at all levels. Letting people blame one person for every little thing that annoys them is dangerous and dishonest, it's just a distraction, unfortunately it will result in all of us losing so much under an authoritarian.
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Yes, and.... The Social Security and Medicare warnings are in fact all out there, online and offline - seniors in particular hear it repeatedly from AARP, something the right-wing AARP members screech about all the time. I can't answer if they don't believe it.
But I agree that the media should be elucidating this subject much better and frequently and on the front pages.
People who are complaining about inflation or the price of food? Just wait until Social Security and Medicare are eliminated or, just as bad, privatized!
Younger folks don't believe it's going to happen or affect them, or they buy into the nonsense that they are being cheated of wealth because they're supporting seniors via SS. Or whatever nonsense.
Meanwhile, right in front of our eyes, Medicare is being gutted, largely by so-called "Medicare Advantage" - which is not Medicare and it's not an advantage - scamming seniors into joining up, most of whom don't even know what they're signing up for.
Already appx 40% of those eligible for original Medicare are signed up for MA.
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Oh yes, this is all true, for a chunk of the Republican Party all along, historically. And, over time, increasingly moving beyond the dog-whistle phase to more overt racist language and behavior of white supremacy/nationalism. Search for & read Project 2025 if you want to learn all about the extremists' plans for us.
And Yes the Fascist finally made it "ok" to be an outright vocal, and even proud, violent racist white supremacist. And, now, even beyond, to using the overt language of fascism...with few people batting an eyelash!
That's why during the 2016 race and immediately in the beginning of his tenure, Many Many MANY PEOPLE WERE SAYING Don't normalize this.... his behavior and speech and that of his followers. We were warning the media as well not to cover the Trump administration and the changing Republican Party/Right Wing as if it was normal behavior.
And especially as we saw the Republican Party being gutted and taken over by the most extremist wing of the party. And the House and Senate and Cabinet and agency heads and courts also being taken over, that eroded the checks and balances over the Executive Branch
And that's why so many of us worked really hard on the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections, to regain the House and Senate, and thereby the cabinet and agencies and, eventually, the presidency, and thereby the courts, to bring back the checks and balances aspect of the government.
Also needing to work at the state level because all of that was seeping down into state legislature and governor and even local level elections as well. Because a lot of what's behind the extremist right wing takeover is a "States Rights" ideology. And as they eliminate our rights at the national level, we now have to fight 50 fights!
I'm really glad you're raising these issues and, I hope, discussing them widely among everyone you know offline and online!, as it seems a lot of voters do not explore beyond the surface.
Plus, understandably, the divisiveness and seeming chaos or complexities of politics does turn some people away. This actually is one of the strategies of the extremists - chaos, division, distraction, and so on. They'd be happy if folks just tune out, eg stay home and don't vote, or argue among ourselves, and ignore what they are doing as they destroy the government and democratic institutions. Until it will be too late to recover.,
But I do want to say that many of us, voters and activists and social justice organizations, KNEW ALL OF THIS in 2016 and before, eg Reagan presidency. We know the history, we connected the dots, and WE WERE VOCAL about it, in ALL of the elections, before and after Reagan. Maybe you have ideas about why people were not listening and BELIEVING then and the media NOT COVERING those messages? And how we can change it no before it's too late?
ALSO... In your discussion of the white supremacist component of the Republican Party you have shown a large part of why a segment of the Right Wing was drawn into the Trump cult and will stand by him (with guns).
But there are also OTHER FACTIONS in the Republican Party, that have joined the cult for other reasons. I'd argue that it's CRITICAL TO RECOGNIZE THESE TOO.
Even if those factions are not themselves white supremacists, the point is they are comfortable with being in the same party as the racist white supremacists, and following the same con man - for their own cause.
They also willing to vote for someone who is incompetent, racist, cruel, immoral, increasingly unhinged, an outright liar, and an indicted criminal, who is rapidly moving toward being an authoritarian.
For example the powerful so-called Religious (Christian) Right - they're willing to support a completely immoral non-religious man who acts against everything nearly all religions stand for! To gain his support for their own issues. There are other examples of these factions, but I won't go into them here. I just think it's IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE there's many components to the "base" of the new Republican Party.
And please don't doubt the level of MISOGYNY in the extremist party now. (Yes I know there are women who vote Republican, but they can be misogynists too! They support their (white) men! That's for another discussion!) All you have to do is listen to the cult leader when he speaks and the cult members too, the low opinion of women, and the misogynistic language. Not to mention seeing their policy proposals and who will suffer the most.
Last, I need to say that we need to recognize WHO/WHAT IS BEHIND the now-changed Republican party, beyond the presidential candidate, behind the senators and representatives, the Right Wing organizations and media promoting the Trump candidacy.
We would be naive to ignore WHO, AND WHOSE MONEY, IS PROPPING UP THE EXTREMISTS AND WHY. That's harder to see and harder to fight. And our side does not have the Right Wing's huge donors and corporate donor base.
We really can make change, but it's not easy it takes work. I hope everyone reading this will volunteer, there's lots to do and it's already started. Hearing podcasts and reading online content can be great, if it motivates us to action. And, in particular, follow black women in voting! If you despair, I can tell you that Doing Something is the antidote to despair!
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@gopher7691 Oh, you can bet he would change his 'mind" again if he needs to, yes he flipped his position when he changed parties, when he ran for president, then further changed his position when the fake religious Right offered their"blessings" in exchange for his vote. Everything depends on who offers him something, money, power, everything is transactional to him since he has no morals or principles.
If gopher or putin can help get him his dictatorship, sure he'll do whatever you ask him. But be careful....if need be he'll throw gopher under the bus too when you are no use to him any longer!!
He already has flipped and flopped, during his tenure, and in the past few weeks even. You can see it just like we all can, it's not a secret. He's not held accountable to anything, not even by his cult members, so he openly lies from day to day. One day he's all for a national complete ban, next day it'll be 6 weeks, next week it'll be 12 weeks, and so on. Whatever, you all will revel in the ignorance and immorality.
Same for Alabama IVF ban, like the other extremists he's all for it, except oops when they realize some of their own family members need it. Without batting an eyelash the next day they flip and start talking about "exceptions". The con man, like the other forced birthers, doesn't even know what he's talking about when it comes to health or medical procedures, so that makes it even easier to lie! The fascist party does not require morals - actually you all prefer none of those - so there's no shame in standing up in public and saying something totally cruel, ignorant, absurd or nonsensical. it all would be amusing to watch if it didn't have deadly effects on people's lives
Besides, it doesn't really matter, because he and you and Mike Johnson and the other forced birthers know you're just affecting other people's lives, not your own...the Mafia thug, the forced birthers, and gopher will still be able to get abortions or IVF for mistresses and daughters.
But one thing I can DEFINITELY POSITIVELY FOR SURE ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE you, NOPE if tomorrow he suddenly flip-flopped yet again and said he supports full abortion rights we definitely for sure absolutely would NOT fall for that. And definitely not "love" him, ICK. Maybe you would fall for something like that over and over again, since you already fell for it this time around.
Maybe you are poorly informed or maybe just cynical. Perhaps you think all Americans are stupid and easily conned just because some portion of the electorate has been scammed? Maybe you just think everybody is cheaply bought like you are. Medical providers who deal directly with patients definitely are not easily hoodwinked. We've all been doing this work for decades and decades, so we're pretty experienced. I've been on this for 45 years, on many campaigns and policy efforts, and we have dealt with innumerable policymakers and candidates at all levels, so we are not so easily swayed, we know who has a track record and who understands the issue, and we know who we can trust vs who is not committed, moral, or trustworthy.
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@gopher7691
Come on, we all know why he flipped his position! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 But I don't really believe that you actually think he gives a damn about abortion....or fetuses or children or living women. Just as you don't. It's blatantly obvious when someone has no morals or principles.
To you and other pregnancy enforcers, "extra-uterine children", already-born babies, living but hungry children, dead children shot in schoolroom, pregnant women, women in labor, etc etc.... are all just pawns for your use.
You show your misogyny and immorality, and ignorance of real life, in your language. "Abortion for convenience"? You are a riot! 🤣🤣🤣 But, in reality, if there is anyone who has used abortion for "convenience" it is the fascist-in-waiting. 🤣. Yeah, it can be quite "inconvenient" when your mistress becomes pregnant. But easily dealt with when you have money and access, legal or otherwise. Or your unmarried daughter, or your teenage son's girlfriend ... that might be rather "inconvenient" for you. Especially if you're a senator running for re-election. Can't have that belly showing in those campaign photos of the perfect white, blond, rosy cheeked family, can we?!
But I do realize that you don't care about the hypocrisy of the extremist Right Wing as long as you get what you want.
YOU may owe him a "debt of gratitude" - and I imagine you've made your campaign bribe, I mean donation - but no, "the nation" definitely does not. You didn't notice that "the nation" is composed of ALL Americans, not only your little group of hypocrites. "The nation" is composed of a MAJORITY of citizens who support legal and safe abortion - who do NOT support the ban imposed by the minority, the forced birthers. The "nation" is HALF composed of WOMEN - who, overnight, were rendered second-class citizens and put into harm's way by a MINORITY group. The "nation" is NOT "grateful" for the stigma, lack of autonomy and bodily integrity, terrorism, physical injury, mental anguish, infertility, poor pregnancy outcomes, and death, that has now been imposed by a MINORITY group on ALL American women and their families, their partners, their children. The "Nation" is not "grateful" for regressing 50+ years, since we already know what life for women was like then.
So, unlike you, I won't be giving thanks. Too much work to do now.
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@gopher7691 Certainly not, not while he's destroying our democratic and civic institutions, creating an insurrection to keep himself in office, trying to overturn a fair election and steal our votes, committing election and financial fraud, destroying the agencies especially the department of education, the CDC, denigrating women, entertaining his cult members by imitating a disabled person.
Nah, unlike his cult and the make-believe christians, we're not willing to overlook his immoral, criminal, and un-democratic behavior, we're not cheaply bought. We have women's lives to save.
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Well, that is a Right Wing rumor that's being pushed around, at least since last year and regurgitated recently as the latest Republican conspiracy theory. Maybe that's what you meant by a "prediction"?
And The Guardian did report on these rumors and speculations, and that is a European source.... Is that what you meant by "European analysts"?
So there are rumors, suggestions, and speculations, but I haven't read any actual fact- based predictions. And not by any actual 'analysts". Well, some of the Las Vegas oddsmakers and betting companies have included Obama in their odds calculations....but I don't think those are the sorts of "predictions" we want to be counting on, or betting on!
One of the right wing extremists who raised this rumor last year is Roger Stone - definitely NOT an 'analyst,' and also NOT a trustworthy source. Especially when speaking at the ultra-conservative Right-Wing extremist Turning Point conference. In addition, if you read this in the New York Post, especially Cindy Adams.... another non-trustworthy source
Since this is a rumor that the ultra right is spreading around, it's obviously one of their strategies.... to muddy the waters... rile up the base...get people anxious, talking about Biden stepping aside, throwing in lots of names of people who could jump in at the last minute. You can always tell when Faux News is promoting some crazy info. Their usual tactics. Create division, uncertainty, rumors, and chaos. Distract and deflect attention from their multi-indicted candidate's court dealings and wacko babblings.
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