July, 2017 archive
Colludal Suspension 0
The one ray of hope is this: These persons, however malignant they may be and certainly are, however protected they have been by their (illusion of) wealth, are truly and fundamentally stupid.
Via Job’s Anger.
Trumpling the Art of the Con 0
Tony Norman thinks that Donald Trump may have gone one con too many. A snippet (follow the link for the rest; it is worth your while):
Methinks Mr. Norman waxes optimistic. Trump’s true believers, even among the punditocracy, will continue to believe the con because they want to believe (and their paychecks depend on their believing, or, at least, on professing that belief).
If they were willing to see through the smokescreen, they would have done so years ago.
Loyalty Oafs 0
At Above the Law, James Goodnow contrasts Donald Trump’s conception of loyalty with ethical lawyers’ (no, that is not an oxymoron) loyalty to their clients. It’s an interesting take on the concept of loyalty and worth the three minutes it takes to read.
Here’s a bit:
Cavalcade of Crazy 0
Thom rounds up a few stories that haven’t gotten much notice in the furor over healthcare.
In Contempt of the (Scout) Law 0
Daniel Ruth parses Donald Trump’s speech to the Boy Scouts. A snippet:
Much more at the link.
So Much Winning 0
Dick Polman looks back over this week in the Trumpling. A snippet:
Indeed, humiliation turns out to be the theme of the week. Finally, we’re starting to see some pushback, on virtually all fronts . . . .
Follow the link for his list of fronts.
By the by, I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised the John McCain finally did something McMavericky. It’s been a long time coming.
Real Big Men, Uncivil Discourse Dept. 0
Elise Viebeck discusses the bullying behavior of the macho, macho men of the Republican Party and their nasty, nasty attitudes towards women Republican. A snippet (follow the link for the rest):
The language of retribution increasingly adopted by Republican men reflects Trump’s influence and underscores the challenges Republican women can face when opposing the consensus of their party, which remains dominated by men, outside experts said.
I think an argument can be made that the bullying impulses have always been there in the party of family values. What has changed is that the bullies now believe Donald Trump’s ascendency has given them permission to be what they always have been.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
More random acts of responsible politeness . . . .
The elderly driver calmly paid his bill and drove off.
QOTD 0
John Dickson Carr:
Among unthinking chroniclers it is much the fashion, at certain movements of mysticism, to embark on a reflection as to how, if it were not for such-and-such a small thing happening, then such-and-such larger thing would not have happened, until they have ultimately proved King Priam’s bootblack responsible for the fall of Troy. Which is, demonstrably, nonsense.
Carr, John Dickson, The Blind Barber (New York: Collier Books, 1962), p. 149
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Elie Mystal comments on Attorney-General Sessions’s latest strategy to foster racism and bigotry. A snippet:
It’s like saying “the races shouldn’t swim together, so I’m going to pull the lifeguards until all the non-segregated pools are forced to close down.” Even if you agreed with the disgusting point, making everybody less safe is the worst possible way to force everybody backwards.
