January, 2024 archive
Chaos Agents, a Notion of Immigrants Dept. 0
E. J. Montini points out the obvious. Donald Trump and his dupes, symps, and fellow travelers exacerbate problems, not solve them (emphasis added).
A bipartisan deal to address the border problem is the best thing for the country.
But it is the worst thing for Donald Trump . . . .
They want the chaos. They need the chaos. And Speaker Johnson goes along. These are Republicans putting Trump over party, and then putting party over country.
Follow the link for the evidence.
Flooding the Disinformation Superhighway 0
At the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gene Collier suggests that the liars are winning, benefiting from the “liar’s dividend.” What is the “liar’s dividend”? In his article, he defines it (emphasis added):
Methinks he has a point. Read the full piece and decide.
“Taylor Swift Is the Trojan Horse” 0
Sam and the crew find themselves somewhat taken aback by the right wing’s sudden obsession with Taylor Swift.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
The 4-year-old reportedly sustained “a non-life-threatening gunshot wound” and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Thus passeth another day in NRA Paradise.
Fly the Fiendly Skies 0
Just when you think they can’t get more fiendly, they go right ahead and prove you wrong.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
The New York Times reports on a internet user who used “AI” to compose a false and misleading obituary just to get clicks (and advertising revenue), spreading lies and drowning truth along the way.
Just go read it. The “intelligence” may be “artificial,” but the stupid is real.
QOTD 0
Alexis de Tocqueville:
Afterthought:
If you have not read his Democracy in America, do so. In my opinion, the only one person understood America better than de Tocqueville, and that was Mark Twain.
“The Godfather” 0
Chauncey de Vega argues that Donald Trump is analogous to the boss of a crime organization whose followers are loyal to him and him only. Here’s just a tiny little from his essay.
Furthermore, there is large base of support for authoritarian and fascist politics in the United States. Many Americans are strongly attracted to political strongmen autocrats willing to “bend the rules” in order to “get things done” for “people like them.”
Negative and affective partisanship — meaning a situation when a political party or movement becomes someone’s primary identity, creating an us-versus-them worldview in which the other side is not just wrong but evil — along with asymmetrical polarization, white identity politics and racism, misogyny, and hostility toward sexual or gender minorities also contribute greatly to Trump’s persistent levels of support.
The whole thing is a relatively long read, but it is worth it.
Republican Family Values 0
Dick Polman identifies an inconsistency.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
I was taught that a “responsible gun owner” makes sure that a firearm is not pointing at a living being while it’s being “manipulated” (or, for that matter, at any other time unless harm is intended).
Also, one wonders what precisely “manipulating” means in this context. One suspects that it is “fondling” dressed up in Sunday go-to-meeting clothes.
We are a society of stupid.
Still Rising Again after All These Years. 0
Michael Paul Williams visits a museum and explores America’s first and arguably biggest “big lie.”
(Broken link fixed.)
Have Cake, Eat It Too 0
Business Insider cites examples of Republican congresspersons voting against appropriation bills, then boasting to their constituents about the appropriations. In at least of them, the Congressperson in questions claims not to recall voting against the bill in the first place.
A snippet:
And Now for a Musical Interlude 0
Martha Mears performs “Dancing in the Dark” with Sgt. Meredith Willson and the AFRS orchestra.
Where Is My Fainting Couch? 0
David Jolly, in a letter to the editor of the Bangor Daily News, advances a shocking proposal:
Instead of fighting the poor, maybe we should fight poverty.
I must search for my pearls, as I must needs clutch them.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
LZ Granderson tries to understand the appeal of Texas Governor Abbott’s pursuit mean for the sake of mean to the Texas electorate which keeps him in office.
The short answer is: most Texas voters, because he’s been in office since 2015. The economy is strong, and the cost of living is relatively low. Most important, the same traits that make him notorious across blue America keep him in power here in the Lone Star State.
Now, if “racism” popped in your head, you’re not all wrong.
But it’s not the full story. And that’s where progressives tend to go wrong.
Follow the link for Granderson’s take on the “full story.”
Once We Had the “Know Nothings.”
Now We Have the “Do Nothings.”
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Farron discusses Republicans’ refusal to deal with issues.
