Political Theatre category archive
Who Woulda Thunk? 0
A President who believes he must obey the law, even when he doesn’t agree with it.
Lies and Lying Liars 0
Tyler Cowen argues that we’re looking at the problem of proliferating mis- and disinformation from the wrong perspective. A snippet (emphasis added):
Speaking in economic terms, the problem with misinformation is demand, not supply
Check out his reasoning. Methinks he makes a persuasive case.
Car Wars, Reprise 0
David talks with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about electric vehicles, public transit, and related issues.
“Look Over Here at This Shiny Thing” 0
Farron unslights the slight of hand.
Dis Coarse Discourse . . . 0
. . . has completely gone to the dog.
Another Voter Fraud Fraudster 0
And, natch, like almost all the others who have been caught, it’s a Republican.
Methinks Republicans’ allegations of voter fraud are a massive example of psychological projection.
They cheat, so they reckon everybody else does too.
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
Disinformation campaigns are nothing new. So too are disinformation campaigns on the Disinformaation Superhighway, particularly in the past two decades via “social” media.
At his website, security expert Bruce Schneier offers a thoughtful take on the effects chatbots and large language models on dis coarse discourse. Here’s a bit:
The entire piece is worth the few moments it will take you to read it.
Manipulation Nation 0
Retired psychology and business professor Dale Hartley looks at the differences between psychopaths and manipulators (he uses the term “Machiavellians”). Here’s one that he notes.
Follow the link and see if the characteristics he describes remind you of anyone in the news–or, for that matter, anyone who appears on Fox News or any of its clones and imitators.
The McCarthy Error 0
Stephen Colbert points out the perfidy and emphasizes the emptiness.
Qualification Nation, Reprise 0
At the Portland Press-Herald, John A. Danaher provides a real-life example of one who would fail the test cited in the previous post.
Squeaker of the House 0
PoliticalProf runs the numbers.
A Prophecy Fulfilled 0
H. L Menchken:
The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
The Rising Star 0
Methinks that Texas A & M student Hudson Kraus has a bright future in today’s Republican Party.
Foxy Shady 0
Fox News host almost tells a truth, then breaks for a commercial.
The Transmogrification 0
At the Las Vegas Sun, letter writer Darryl Cornelius traces the path of the Republican Party from the party of Lincoln to the party of stinkin’.
Lies and Lying Liars 0
Here’s Kevin McCarthy claiming that it was Democrats who wanted to shut down the government:
And, for more commentary on the Squeaker of the House . . . .
Via C&L, which has commentary.