Political Theatre category archive
“My Way or the Highway” 0
Trudy Rubin analyzes Donald Trump’s case of “autocrat envy.”
“The Right To Be Stupid” 0
Watch the Republican spin wildly as he attempts to blame the victim.
Via Raw Story, which provides detail and a summary.
All the News that Fits 0
Ralph Peters, ex-Fox News commentator, has more. Here’s a bit:
This wasn’t a case of the rats leaving a sinking ship. The best sailors were driven overboard by the rodents.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/syndicated-columnists/article207476394.html#storylink=cpy
Image via Job’s Anger.
All the News that Fits 0
Sinclair Broadcasting is making its stations push wingnut propaganda. Here’s a bit of a report from SeattlePI:
Many KOMO employees view the segments as propaganda that doesn’t meet the station’s editorial standards, according to the Times article. In the past, they have tried to limit their exposure by scheduling them during times of low viewership.
But Wednesday’s segment shows Sinclair, which currently owns or operates 193 television stations in the U.S., has succeeded in getting the must-runs on during prime time.
I gave up on broadcast news long ago, not for being slanted (though some of it is, much more often to the right than to the left), but for being superficial.
About the only time we turn on TV news is when there’s a snowstorm . . . .
The Start of the Deal 0
Reg Henry wants in on the deal. A nugget:
Well, I wish some lawyer would give me $130,000 to keep quiet about something that never happened. Hey, mum’s the word, as far as I am concerned. I’d take a secret like that to the grave for $130,000. In fact, I am open to negotiation — $130,000, $100,000 or $56.43. Lawyers of America, let’s make a deal.
Follow the link for the rest.
Putting the “Con” in Conservative 0
Paul Krugman marvels at the number of crooks seeking office as Republicans. A snippet:
Their sustained, invariant agenda has been upward redistribution of income: cutting taxes on the rich while weakening the social safety net. This agenda is unpopular: Only a small minority of Americans wants to see tax cuts for the wealthy, and an even smaller minority wants cuts to major social programs. Yet Republicans have won elections partly by denying the reality of their policy agenda, but mainly by posing as defenders of traditional social values — above all, that greatest of American traditions, racism.
Facebook Frolics 0
In related news, Daniel Ruth points out that Facebook’s targets users are hardly blameless. A snippet:
After all, Facebook is nothing more than a huge, honking privacy violation machine. It is not an egalitarian social network uniting the world in a common bond of friendship and sharing. Like so many other cyber platforms, Facebook has become a propaganda weapon, a troller’s paradise and an opportunity to sell all manner of stuff. It’s the General Motors of hubris.
Owed on Intimations of Immorality 0
I’m not really following the Stormy Daniels affair, because there’s nothing new to see; it’s just one more wreck at a Trumpled demolition derby, and, frankly, if you’ve seen one demolition derby etc. (Except for the gymnastic gyrations of evangelical “Christians” to rationalize their fealty to Donald Trump). Can anyone who has paid attention (not “followed,” simply paid attention to headlines) to Donald Trump’s career be in any way surprised or shocked?
Over at Above the Law, though, Elie Mystal has looked at some of the legal maneuverings and suggests that Michael Cohen may have hoisted himself on his own petard. A snippet:
Cohen claims he paid off Daniels, without Trump’s knowledge. If true, that’s a massive ethical violation. If false, it’s an illegal campaign contribution. By allowing this information to become public, Cohen has shown Mueller’s people a roadmap for how Trump — I mean, David Dennison — might try to launder money. Great job, counselor.
Whether any of that matters is another issue, as the “rule of law” seems increasingly a quaint and passe concept.
