From Pine View Farm

Political Theatre category archive

“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0

At the Idaho State Journal, Kim Shinkoskey hears a rhyme. Here’s how he opens his article:

The MAGA movement in America is currently using methods perfected by the Soviet communist movement in Russia.

Follow the link for his evidence.

________________

*Mark Twain.

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In Memoriam 0

Picture of a coffin draped with the U. S. flag at a state funeral.  Donald Trump stands next to it holding wreath labeled

Click for the original image.

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Tax and Spin 0

The Arizona Republc’s E. J. Montini decodes de code. A snippet:

. . . Goldwater lawyers sued the Town of Gilbert over increases in sales taxes that were approved by the Town Council in order to pay for parks and public safety projects.

That is how legitimate news operations described what the council did, anyway.

The Goldwater folks, taking a page from the playbook of what they themselves might call “fake news,” put out a press release under a headline reading: “Goldwater Sues To Stop Gilbert’s ‘Illegal’ Pickleball Tax.”

Follow the link for a description of the decryption.

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What’s in a Word? 0

Mangy Felocks explains some neologisms. (Warning: Tasteless. Accurate, but tasteless.)

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“Get Me Rewrite!” 0

At the Des Moines Register, Lyle Miller digs into Republicans’ efforts to portray Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election as a good thing.

I commend his article to your attention.

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Lopsided Legacies 0

Joe Biden stands before a monument labeled

Click for the original image.

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The Burial Plot 0

If we bury it somewhere away from the front page, maybe nobody will notice it.

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Stray Question 0

Does this remind you of anyone in the news?

Read more »

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A Tune for the Times 0

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Speaking of Gulfs . . . . 0

Caption:  Gulf of America.  Image:  Body of water with crowd of

Via Balloon Juice.

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What’s in a Name? 0

In the midst of a longer column regarding Donald Trump’s threat promise to rename the Gulf of Mexico, the Tampa Bay Times’s Stephanie Hayes clarifies the actual reason behind his desire to do so.

The whole piece is an absolute hoot and I don’t want to spoil your fun.

Just go read it for yourself.

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Facebook Frolics 0

Sam and the crew dissect the dissimulations of the digital despot.

The EFF also has–er–qualms after a second reading of the Zuckerborg’s new policy. A bit from their post:

(W)e became aware that rather than addressing those historically over-moderated subjects, Meta was taking the opposite tack and—as reported by the Independent—was making targeted changes to its hateful conduct policy that would allow dehumanizing statements to be made about certain vulnerable groups.

One more time, “social” media isn’t.

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Making Sense of the Nonsensical 0

At the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, David Mills considers Donald Trump’s recent statements about–er–annexing Greenland, Canada and Panama–something that in saner times would be considered shall-we-say somewhat aggressive and warlike.

Mills offers a theory as to why Donald Trump says some of the things he does. Here’s a bit of his article:

Some people . . . try to lead by creating confusion and the fear that follows confusion. They keep everyone else always off-balance because people who are off-balance can’t defend themselves very well or go on the offensive. Being continually off-balance makes them afraid, because they never know when they might fall, or get knocked down.

Many of us have had bosses like that. I think Donald Trump is that kind of boss. He creates confusion and then fear by being so cavalier with the truth.

He may be onto something.

My own theory is simpler.

I don’t think Trump and truth or on speaking terms, but that’s just me.

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Twits Own Twitter X Offenders, Truth-in-Advertising Dept. 0

Caption:  Musk updates his logo.  Image:  Elon Musk with paint labeled

Click to view the original image.

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Prioritization Nation 0

Methinks Atrios makes a valid point.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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Twits Own Twitter X Offenders 0

The Portland Press-Herald’s Victoria Hugo-Vidal has had enough of Elon Musk’s antics. Here’s a tiny bit from her article:

The functions of the site degraded — more errors, more downtime — as he fired a huge chunk of Twitter employees. He allowed Neo-Nazis, conspiracy theorists and violent misogynists back onto the platform. He didn’t seem to think the moderating department was necessary, so harassment and spam on the website has multiplied.

Remember the porn bots? They’re everywhere now. And there’s a lot more vitriol and insults. Musk’s management has turned it into an angry, stewing right-wing playground. I logged in just now and the first notification I received was someone commenting, “Leftist filth destroys states and communities.” It was a reply to a picture I had retweeted of Maine Gov. Janet Mills dressed as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

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This New Gilded Age 0

Thom follows the money.

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Under a Spell 0

At Psychology Today Blogs, Robin Stern discusses a topic which methinks sheds some light on the appeal of Donald Trump.

Go give it a read.

In a similar vein, Michael in Norfolk addresses a contributing factor.

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Facebook Frolics 0

Shorter Mark Zuckerberg: Facts schmacks.

Here’s a bit from the CNN report:

“Fact checkers have been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created,” Zuckerberg said in a video announcing the new policy Tuesday. “What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it’s gone too far.”

Zuckerberg, however, acknowledged a “tradeoff” in the new policy, noting more harmful content will appear on the platform as a result of the content moderation changes.

Methinks “politically biased” in the passage above is Zuckerspeak for “keep calling out right-wing lies,” but that’s just me.

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