Political Theatre category archive
The Apostate 0
Via The Japan Times, Steve Pincus argues the Trump maladministration is busily abandoning America’s founders’ principles. Here’s how he opens his article:
As the United States celebrated its 249th birthday on July 4, the determination of President Donald Trump’s administration to abandon these founding principles has become starkly apparent.
Follow the link for his evidence.
A Tune for the Times 0
(Warning: Mild language.)
Suffer the Children 0
Once again we are reminded that that’s not scripture. That’s a Republican family value.
“But It’s the Only Possible Explanation” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Sam Goldstein explores how evolution has predisposed us to be susceptible to conspiracy theories. Given the current state of dis coarse discourse, methinks it a timely and worthwhile read. Here’s a tiny bit:
This creates fertile ground for pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. Considering the role of the “illusion of causality,” where people perceive non-existent causal links, especially in areas like alternative medicine and superstition, is critical (Blanco & Matute, 2018). These illusions persist because they exploit our evolved cognitive tendencies.
The rise of social media further worsens this problem.
Devolution 0
We seem to be going from a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, to a governemt of the Donald, by the Donald, and for the Donald.
Election Defiers 0
Thom talks with Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State for Michigan, about what it was like when armed Trump supporters turned up at her house because Trump lost the 2020 election and about what may motivate such extremism.
Hmmmm. Seems Sort of Familiar. 0
Does this remind you of anyone in the news?
The Climates They Are a-Changing 0
And pretending oherwise won’t make it go away.
Deportation Nation 0
Farron discusses the Trump maladministration’s plan plot to denaturalize naturalized citizens because they have the unmitigated gall to exercise their rights as American citizens.
Ironically, my local media celebrated a naturalization ceremony at Fort Monroe that took place on the Fourth.
News You Could Lose 0
At AL.com, Kyle Whitmire notes that some government officials and agencies, including the Trump maladministration, are suddenly interested in freedom of repress. He gives several examples of government threats against reporter for, well, reporting.
Here’s a tiny excerpt, in which he talks about Trump’s threatening to sue news agencies for reporting that his bombing of Iran may not have been the glorious shattering victory that he claimed it to be (emphasis added):
Follow the link for the rest.
“Get Me Rewrite” 0
For those who haven’t read it, the Declaration of Independence is primarily a list of grievances directed at King George III. (If you have read it, you know that, after the preamble, it becomes a rather tedious read.)
At the Tampa Bay Times, Daniel Ruth suggests an updated list for today’s wannabe king.
No excerpt of summary would do his article justice. Just go read it.
The Privatization Scam 0
In the midst of a longer article about a school voucher scheme buried in Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bilk, Monica Dickson, almost as an aside, gets to the heart of the privatization scam:
Define Your Despot 0
At the Des Moines Register, Steve Corbin offers a taxonomy of tyrants.
Go read it and ask yourself whether any one of them sounds familiar.