Political Theatre category archive
A Tune for the Times 0
Mangy comments at the Youtube page:
For a number of years, I held onto the optimistic belief that, little by little, America was getting smarter, better, more compassionate and more enlightened. Trump came along and suddenly, out of the woodwork (and from under rocks) came the most hideous, horrible, uninformed, brain-dead, unenlightened, angry, entitled, whiny weasels America had to offer. (Did I miss anyone? My apologies.)
Durham’s Bull 0
Margaret Carlson dissects John Durham’s spectacular failure to discredit the FBI’s investigation into Donald Trump’s Russian impulses.
Her article defies excerpt or summary. Just go read it.
Disparate Treatment 0
The writer of a letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun notes a contrast (and, I must say, minces no words in so doing).
Dis Increasingly Coarse Discourse 0
Methinks Atrios has a point.
Afterthought:
Back in the olden days, when I was a young ‘un, Walter Cronkite on CBS and Huntley and Brinkley on NBC could bring us the day’s important news in half an hour.
KYW-AM in Philadelphia, one of the first “all news” stations, advertised “Give us 48 minutes and we’ll give you the world” (I used to catch KYW on the skip while I threw the weights around in the back yard at Pine View Farm; before the station moved to Philly, back when it was still in Cleveland, I would listen to Harv Morgan on KYW Cleveland in the evenings on my first transistor radio which Santa Claus had given me as a Christmas present).
There’s just not that much significant news in a day–a lot, but not 24-hours worth–so the 24-hour television news channels fill the void time with vapidity and with vile (and, natch, some are more vapid and vile than others).
Short Attention Span Political Theatre 0
Some issues matter more than others. I would argue that the survival of the American Dream should trump (you will pardon the expression) a temporary price spike caused by a war of aggression initiated by a delusional dynast on the other side of the world.
We are at a crossroads.
It’s not the time turn down a side street.
The Republican Platform 0
In a longer post responding to some farcical musings on the possibility that Donald Trump will testify before the House January 6 committee, Steve M. offers his synopsis of the concerns of Republican voters.
1. Winning.
2. Hurting their enemies, and making them howl in outrage.
That’s it. That’s the complete list.
I wish I could disagree, but I think he’s onto something. Heck, in the last presidential election, Republicans didn’t even have a platform . . . .
Follow the link for context.
“Pay Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain” 0
In Pennsylvania, practicing physicians have some–er–issues with Dr. Mehmet Oz’s campaign for a Senate seat. Here’s a bit from Philadelphia’s WHYY (emphasis added):
Follow the link for examples.
Full Disclosure:
When I lived in the Philly area, WHYY was my go-to radio station.
“Well, Isn’t He Not Special” 0
Above the Law’s Liz Dye takes a look at the Supreme Court’s rejection of Trump’s latest ludicrous attempt to avoid accountability as regards his theft of government documents. A snippet:
Because from the very moment he filed this preposterous action, Trump’s only justification for his demands has been that he’s the former president, and so he should be treated differently from any other person in the same situation.
The Art of the Con 0
In a longer piece about Donald Trump’s crumbling credibility (with everyone except the cultists and the craven pols who fear them, that is), John Young suggests that Donald Trump considers himself to be brand royalty. A snippet:
Among many of the tricks Donald Trump employed to inflate the worth of all that is him, now called “BS” by New York’s attorney general, is what analysts call a “brand premium.” In other words, he deemed his properties vastly more valuable simply because they had his name on them.
Follow the link for context.
Campaign Pain 0
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gene Collier is not looking forward to four more weeks of campaign ads on the telly vision.
Tempus Fugits 0
PoliticalProf is feeling his age.
The Galt and the Lamers 0
David talks with Professor Andrew Koppelman about Libertarian delusions about the role of government. Koppelman points out that
the formula of the Republican Party for a long time has been to talk populist while doing big favors for rich supporters.
A Tune for the Times 0
Mangy comments at the Youtube page:
After watching a video about Ted Cruz, or Marjorie Taylor Greene, or Lauren Boebert, or Jim Jordan, or Donald Trump, or some similarly despicable character, Mangy Fetlocks has often thought, “My God. How low can they go?” His dear wife suggested that Mangy write a song pointing out the similarities between sycophantic MAGAts and the dance where you see who can get the lowest. With help from his friend and percussionist, Roger Risley, (a.k.a., ‘Rodeo Roger’) Mangy put together this little song.