Wednesday, May 08, 2024

One Out Of Three?

Or you’re mentally competent to be a fascist and a dictator?
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☕️

Americans are addicted to caffeine but not to Starbucks, it seems.
When I started going to Starbucks it was novelt, and certainly a better cup of coffee than the mass-brewed Folgers (usually percolated, I suspect), available outside my home. 

I was already grinding my own beans at home, but I still just brew in a Chemex without calling it “pour over coffee.” Starbucks was welcome when I didn’t have coffee brewed; and let’s be honest, it convinced almost every food service operation in the country to up their game.

I’m not a coffee fanatic. My son in law is. He has more equipment just to brew an espresso than I knew existed. It’s his thing, not mine; and his coffees are excellent. I stick with beans from a roaster in Austin I’ve been buying from since I lived there. That’s as fanatical as I get.

But it didn’t take long to realize Starbucks was little better than McDonalds. Remember the “hot coffee” case, where McD was sued over third-degree burns? They were brewing water under pressure to superheat it above 212F in order to extract more coffee from fewer grounds. The result is shit coffee. Starbucks tastes like that to me.

The famous Starbucks roast is, to my palate, grossly over roasted. I like dark roasts (prefer them, really), but I call Starbucks plain black coffee “burnt water.”

This became really clear to me when a coffee shop (another chain) opened in my local grocery (it’s a big store). The coffee was actually mellow, flavorful, and above all not heated to 300F. That’s when I realized how bad Starbucks is, because lattes don’t have to taste like theirs.

Starbucks is a victim of their own success, for me. They raised our expectations of coffee, but against a Folgers/Mr Coffee backdrop. Compared to that, Starbucks was good. Compared to what’s available because of them, Starbucks sux.

I still go to Starbucks, but only when I’m out of town and want to find a familiar cuppa. But I look for local places when I can, and I’m usually much happier. Even small towns in Texas have good coffee available now. Starbucks did that, but it’s leaving them behind.

Ironic. But I’m not crying for ‘em. Mostly I still drink my home brew.
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🪱

Honestly, it’s so bizarre and unfamiliar I think most of us just wonder if it could possibly be true. Not true for RFK, but true at all, for anyone.

My suspicion is, he’s delusional.
Which opinion will be reinforced if that happens. Now I’m not shocked or mildly surprised. But that’s just beneath contempt.
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Polls Are Vibes, Too 🍩

Polls don’t matter. Elections matter. Part of Trump’s schtick is our excessive reliance on polls. Part of Trump’s fraud claims is that polls show he was winning. Selected polls? 

They’re all “selected polls.”

Watch the donut, not the hole. 🍩 
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I’m Old Enough To Remember…

...when Trump was complaining that he could be in Georgia campaigning, if not for being on trial in NYC.

It was just yesterday, I think…🤔
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It’s Vibe Racism

We don’t know how many are doing it, so it could be alot. More than the number of Republicans charged with voter fraud? Well maybe not as many illegal immigrants voting, but who knows?

But who knows how many more Republicans are illegally voting? Could be a lot more!

But the vibes say the problem is brown people. The vibes, and Stephen Miller.
Trump speechwriter Stephen Miller attended the press conference.
Gotta make sure the monkey dances to the right tune.🎵 

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Hot 🥵 Legal Takes Will Be The Death Of Me

I don’t know what discretion, if any, the Georgia Court of Appeals had to take this appeal, but I also think Trump is a long way from getting it dismissed or Fani Wallis removed from it. Especially since most of what was alleged against her office was proven groundless, and what was established wasn’t as sleazy as a one night stand with Stormy Daniels. And was a lot less significant.

But that’s what makes horse races. Sure, this may delay the trial, but if you’re counting on the courts to save the country from Trump, you’ve already lost.
And once more, with feeling: If you despise Trump and want to see him suffer, this: Is actually good news. Trump is not going to win in November (remember the “red wave” of 2022? Put not your faith in pollsters, for they are reading chicken entrails. 20% of Indiana GOP voters voted for Haley. Trump is not cruising to reelection. Is he even campaigning today? Biden’s opening 200 offices in battleground states.), and he’s still going to face three more criminal trials. His funding is already sputtering. What does it do as November comes closer and he’s more clearly a loser? And it drops like a stone when he loses on Election Day. But the cases continue.

Not to mention all the appeals. Two Carroll cases, the fraud case, the NY criminal case. Those things cost money, which is why only rich people and corporations pursue them. Trump isn’t rich; he’s spending other people’s money. And when they stop giving it to him…

His reelection chances are nil, and his future is black. No one else is claiming his power and authority, because he doesn’t really have any. He’s the Joe McCarthy of Presidents: when he’s gone, everyone will disavow any knowledge, or support, of his actions.

And the GOP, which brought this on itself decades ago, will have to repudiate the Koch Bros./Murdoch freak show, to even begin to crawl out from under the wreckage.

Meanwhile, RFK, Jr. says he has a dead brain worm living rent-free in his skull. 💀 
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Rich White Man Privilege Must Be Defended! 😭

Cake?🎂  Or death? 💀 

(So, death is preferable to being a criminal defendant? “Lock ‘em up!” was only meant for me, not for thee? Nice work, if you can get it. Too bad you can’t anymore.)
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Tuesday, May 07, 2024

Chip Roy Has Thoughts

Pretty sure it was a higher percentage in 1776. What about the 20% who want to impose Trump on us? Pretty sure it’s supposed to be majority rule, right? Or maybe it’ll be the 20% of GOP voters. Roy’s only a Representative. McCarthy was a Senator. And Hesse Helms. Strom Thurmond. Mitch McConnell. The scary ones are the ones who know how to get things done. Roy was on Ted Cruz’s staff. That explains his inability to do anything but bitch to an empty room. And if the jury disagrees, it was not correct. That’s how jury trials work. OJ died NOT a convicted murderer. Words not said in court, therefor not evidence. Are we sure she has a law degree? Glass houses. Rich white man privilege is strong ju-ju. Trump’s Dream Team.

And interesting tidbits NOT on Twitter:
The conversation also included a moment when Hayes burst into laughter while reading about Trump audibly cursing in court. 
"Take a step back," Hayes said. "You can't do that." 
Rubin took a somber tone when she recalled her past experiences covering Trump trials. 
"I have seen this movie before," Rubin said. "He does stuff like this."
But…but…but…the polls!
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He Knows It When He Sees It

But he don’t have to see it, to know it. Saves time and money.
"You bring up the elephant in the room," McEntee told Knowles, "which is a stain on not only society but the entire dating culture as well, which is pornography. Whenever America bans that, which will be happening at some point, everyone will be much better off." 
The Project 2025 plan specifically lists a ban on pornography stating, "[Pornography] is as addictive as any illicit drug and as psychologically destructive as any crime. Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned." 
"The minute that goes away, this country will flourish," McEntee told Knowles.
Why do these people all think prison is the solution to all our ills, except when it applies to Donald Trump?
McEntee was Donald Trump's former personal aide but was fired from the White House over a gambling debt issue that prevented him access to a security clearance. Trump hired McEntee back in 2020 and made him director of the White House Personnel Office. 
In that role, McEntee was instrumental in drawing up the policy proposal for Trump's immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan right after Biden won the 2020 election in order to throw the early days of Biden's term into chaos. McEntee's plan was not implemented, and Biden withdrew troops from Afghanistan in August of 2021. 
After leaving the White House, McEntee received seed money from billionaire tech investor, and Trump supporter, Peter Thiel to create a dating app for conservatives called "The Right Stuff." McEntee subsequently gained a large following on social media promoting the dating app with short videos reciting pithy MAGA talking points while out at restaurants. 
In the interview with Knowles, McEntee, now the CEO of a dating app, also said he was "rethinking the 19th Amendment," which gave women the right to vote, after being shown a TikTok video about feminism.
He seems nice.
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A Very Revealing Day Indeed

I don't think Trump realized how revealed he was.
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I Agree With Trump

That doesn’t mean he and I and Joner are saying the same thing. Who’s gonna tell him these days in court do count as “campaign time”? As much as staged visits to bodegas and fire stations do.

Pretty much how I felt about it, with one ear on MSNBC transmutating what was going on in court into bones the “panel” could gnaw, while I cooked meals for the week (I haven’t eaten, but now I’m not hungry. Cooking will do that to you.).  Can’t tell which questions are for the jury, and which are for Trump. Spending this much time on a witness tends to reinforce the importance of the witness.  And cross-examination is best done with a rapier, not a sledgehammer.

There is, IOW, a law of diminishing returns that definitely applies to questioning a witness.
Pretty much what I got from the day.
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The Vague And Glittering Grneralities Are A Tell

More likely it’s the Ted Cruz strategy: let your mouth write checks you know your ass is never going to have to cash. Congressional investigations of Fani Wallis and even the Special Prosecutor have already failed to even get started. Johnson is just squawking for MAGA. Congress can’t do jackshit short of rewrite federal criminal jurisdiction to exclude ex-presidents from criminal prosecution.

And it’s too late to do that. Not that it would get through the Senate, anyway.

But this is really just Johnson’s hostage video: And arguably, he’s trying to distract from this:
Which is a real thing: Not that there’s any more substance to appliance regulation concerns than there is to “every possible way.” Especially when there is no possible way.

Unless, as I say, Congress tries to retroactively change the criminal jurisdiction of the federal courts. Which doesn’t touch the state cases, but Congress can’t reach those anyway. Not without just passing a law that Presidents/former Presidents, have absolute criminal immunity, starting with 45.

It’s a possible way; but about as possible as the GOP House assembling on the shore and commanding the tide not to come in.
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Trump Did All This For You, America 🇺🇸

Sidebar: That’s really for the jury to worry about. Almost no one in America thought OJ was innocent, but he didn’t die in jail. That road runs both ways.

Back to the testimony (which I’m reporting with even more discretion than Merchan enforced, because…ew!)
[Off camera: Trump hears cell door opening, goes directly to lunch] I think we’re done, here. Was it good for you?
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Spot The Looney Lawyer

Bonus: Just gonna drop this here, for context: This connects to the testimony last week that documented Ms. Daniels visit to Trump Tower, and why she was there. As well as paint Trump as a real pig.🐷 

Back to “Spot the Looney Lawyer.”

Filipkowski doesn’t count in this contest. But remove the names from the three entries (and the bonus round) and try to tell which one is by a law professor. If your answer is “That’s a trick question!”, you win.🏆 
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Brave, Brave Sir Robin 🐓

I still say that’s pure frontier gibberish, but FoxNews translates as meaningful: So Trump walks up to the line: And then, as quickly, erases what he said and bravely runs away:
Trump posted and then quickly deleted that he had been notified who the next witness would be, in possible violation of his gag order in the case.
According to her lawyer, the next witness will be Stormy Daniels. Which is a lot more interesting than anything Trump has to say.

Brave, brave Sir Robin.
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Monday, May 06, 2024

It’s Been A Day

The Fourth Estate takes its responsibilities seriously. 😳  I don’t know what journalists this actually “works for”: But Miller and Fox are sure desperate to find some way to say the laws don’t apply to Trump. Maybe because they see the handwriting on the wall. 🤔
Trump may rant and rave, but he understands who holds the whip hand. Tell me that all you know about trials is what you’ve seen on TeeVee.  A “star witness” is a TV/newspaper term. There’s no such thing in real life.

(Did I ever tell you the story about when I met Kirk Douglas? “Met” is an exaggeration. I was working for a law firm which was local counsel for a firm representing a movie studio sued by a local theater over…well, how movies were booked, in short. Doesn’t matter, except as an excuse to bring in Mr. Douglas. He came in as an expert witness defending industry practice for how studios sold theaters on taking new releases. A contracts case, IOW.  It was a jury trial, so Kirk Douglas was literally brought in as a “star” witness. (It didn’t work, IIRC.) Closest I’ve ever seen to a “star witness.”) (How did I “meet “ him? Walking down the hall to a partner’s corner office. Short guy. Surprisingly so. But definitely Kirk Douglas.)

And tell me you aren’t paying attention to the trial:
Cohen is the cherry 🍒 on the sundae; not the ice cream under the toppings. He’ll play a role; he won’t be the entire play.

Meanwhile…
Trump only feels safe complaining about the gag order, now. Not that it’s making him more coherent. Those last three sentences are just gibberish. How does this situation make Trump in jail a sacrificial act for the Constitution? (If that’s what he said. I just don’t know what he said.)

And then he derided the State’s announcement it needed two more weeks to finish their case was a bridge too far. Which came out pretty hollow, too, since Trump did no campaigning last weekend, while Biden continues to campaign while holding down a full time job.
Wait for it... What a dilemma! If they don’t promise taco trucks on every corner, I’ll have no choice but to vote for RFK, Jr. If you can’t beat ‘em , join ‘em. Or at least make their complaints, your complaints.
Before or after he breaks his Diet Coke addiction? Has anyone seen her law school transcript? Do we know there is one?
Well, 9 out of 10 MAGAts think “former president” is a super-citizen. At least when it’s the right former President.

The 10th just thinks it’s an adjunct of rich white man privilege.
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The Other Importance Of Contempt Hearings

Much of Trump’s contempt has happened outside the courtroom. That means his tweets and his rants are not part of the court record. Contempt hearings make them so.

And that record protects the justice’s decision to punish Trump’s contempt by not requiring the prosecution to reveal its witness list.

Protects the ruling from review by the Appellate Division.

Trump would be better off to leave things to his attorneys.
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Deja Vu All Over Again

The first time I saw this today, I thought it was on odd callback to last week.

Speaking of re-runs:
"It's all this to smear Trump," Bannon opined. "The only thing you've seen in the narrative in the courtroom in the last couple weeks is Trump's a scumbag — Trump's a scumbag, and it's put out and reinforced time and time again on MSNBC and CNN."
"I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”—Truman 
"They threatened President Trump!" he exclaimed. "They threatened President Trump with jail. They threatened President Trump with jail because of this unconstitutional gag order. And my question is why are we not going on offense?"
Offense against who? The legal system? The State of New York? “Little man, your arms are too short to box with God.” Or the law.
"Nobody cares about locker room talk," Bannon bellowed. "Why don't we go on offense and bring the people that Bill Clinton raped and Bill Clinton sexually molested?"
Statute of Limitations. Didn’t happen in New York. Irrelevant to Trump’s case. See also: the legal system. (And didn’t your mama teach you that what matters is what you did, not what everybody else did?
"Let the American people compare and contrast the words of Donald Trump in locker room talk versus the actions of the Clintons and let the American people decide."
This is becoming repetitive, but what part of “court of law” do you not understand?
"You have to go on offense on this vast criminal conspiracy against Donald J. Trump," he complained. "And the House of Representatives and the feckless, gutless leadership over there has to step up to the plate, and they need to step up to the plate today; it's absolutely outrageous what's going on President Trump's taking incoming from everywhere."
You answered my last question. You understand as much as Trump does.
Somebody has got to come to his defense!"
That would be what he’s paying his lawyers to do. The House has no role in this at all.

These people aren’t dangerous, they’re idiots.
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Rich White Man Privilege*

*(They have lawyers who can appeal. Judges don’t like to be overturned. Ordinary people don’t have that kind of money to burn.)

Not that it’s doing him a lot of good.
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Is It An NYC Thing?

No, seriously. Parody can’t keep up with reality. I don’t mean slavish devotion to the polls: I mean the inability to admit error, ever. Question the Grey Lady, and the defenses go up faster than a stray plane alert in D.C. scrambles jets.

And really, following the polls? Is that what a newspaper should do? (Except, of course, it does. Even Trump’s fraud trial didn’t convince reporters and editors to call Trump a liar. Although he lies with such frequency and alacrity he lies about his own lies. For example: And that is fucking on the record!)

The more the NYT defends itself, the more it beclowns itself.

 No, I guess it isn't limited to NYC:
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Overperformance And You

 This is worth quoting at length:

As you often hear me say we’ve had a repeating electoral dynamic since Dobbs - Dems overperform, Republicans struggle. My explanation for this dynamic is that Dobbs broke the GOP, and for many non-MAGA Rs the party had at that moment just become too extreme, too dangerous. Since Dobbs Republican candidates have had performance problems because a chunk of their coalition just isn’t enthusiastic about following MAGA candidates and the escalating extremism of the GOP. And where this reticence manifests is when Republicans vote and have to make an actual decision on whether to support MAGA. While they may want to vote R in a poll, when voters have to pull the trigger and actually vote Republicans repeatedly perform worse than expected. 
We’ve seen this dynamic - Republicans repeatedly struggling - show up in 2024 now too. We saw it in the Tom Keen January special election in Orlando; in the Suozzi win in February; in Alabama a few weeks ago; in NY-26 Tuesday; and most importantly we’ve seen it again and again in Trump’s Presidential primary performances, where he has repeatedly underperformed public polling and Haley repeatedly performed far better than anyone expected, even after she dropped out of the race. Remember in 2024 Trump has been repeatedly *underperforming* public polling. 
I also think we’ve seen this dynamic in the recent Marist polling that breaks out likely voters from registered voters, something few polls are doing right now. In this week’s Marist poll Biden leads 50-48 (+2) with registered voters, but 52-47 (+5) with “definite” or likely voters. My explanation for this is as people move from being an adult to registered voter to likely voter to actual voter and are faced with pulling that lever for MAGA Trump and Republicans lose ground. As voters get get closer to voting, and go through the process of having to consider the options in front of them, a meaningful number just can’t go for MAGA and either don’t vote or choose another option (Haley, the Dem). This 2024 MAGA ugliness and extremism is too much for too many, and the GOP coalition doesn’t stay together, Republican candidates struggle, underperform and lose, again and again. 
Will this happen again this November? Will Americans, as they check into the election, and see Joe Biden good President, Donald Trump the ugliest political thing we’ve ever seen, become more Dem and propel us to victory? I continue to believe this is the most likely scenario this year. And this is why our work in helping voters understand the choice in front of them, and in building our big, muscular campaigns that will also help voters understand this stark and consequential choice is so vital. It’s why every day we need to do more, worry less. For doing more is what is going to make sure we win this November.
Not because it means everything’s coming up roses, but because it’s a good analysis and a strong argument for the virtues of campaigning. Besides: history, and polls suck, and “overperforming” for lagniappe.

What’s not to love?
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And Now A Word From Hard News Twitter

And retweeted by Ms. Haberman: Trump’s complaint about the indictment of Rep. Cuellar is truly one for the ages . Unhinged Hall of Fame quality rant.
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Sunday, May 05, 2024

Our Story Thus Far

That book has already been printed and shipped. So it may be that people buy this book as some kind of collector’s item, prompting the publisher to reprint an edition that goes straight to the remainders.

Although I wouldn’t count on it:
I mean, everybody knows what the good parts are by now. There aren’t any good parts; to her story, or her. We already Noem too much.
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Who Will Tell The Supremes?

The legitimacy of the Court rests on perception. Scalia was perceived as Benjamin Cardozo and Learned Hand’s love child. But he never stood among such giants; his friend RBG did. But she had to be recognized, and Scalia purchased his recognition much the way Solomon purchased his reputation for wisdom (just go with me on that one). Scalia really purchased it by inventing “originalism,” which, largely because of my training in literary analysis, I knew was baseless bullshit.

In brief, modern literary theory (and the work of Derrida, among others), divorces the text from the author ab initio. You can (in the case of Hemingway, especially), connect the author’s biography to the text; or the history of the author’s times (Shakespearean studies especially benefit here), but crossing over from the text to authorial intent, is a mug’s game.

Originalism plays that game, but it’s a completely illegitimate leap from the statute or constitution provision to the intent of the Congress (all 500+ of them?), or the men at the constitutional convention (or when an amendment was drafted).

There is a standard statutory analysis in law that does examine legislative history, when necessary. Originalism piggy backs on that, but also supplants it, because that leg of analysis is one among many, and never tries to divine intent of the authors as the last word. And certainly not the first word; which is where originalism turns statutory interpretation on its head. Originalism allows judges to replace all the tools of statutory and constitutional analysis with the preferences of the judge/justice. It always remarkable how the intent of the Founders (who were of one mind on all things, right?) coincides with the thoughts of Scalia or Thomas or Alito or Barrett. Standard legal analysis, even at the dangerous level of determining legislative intent, recognizes this problem. Originalism declares that problem the solution.

And there our problems begin.

Modern literary analysis understands that reading is interpretation; which means no interpretation can be definitive. This is not a “post-modern” invention. Midrash is the conversation over centuries about the Torah. The gospels themselves provide four different versions of Jesus of Nazareth. Which is the true original? Originalists say there is one, and they know which it is. Nothing in the history of legal analysis supports such a blinkered method, and even Scalia only used it when it suited him, more often in dissent than in the majority. 

Mostly he used it to tell people how smart he was for coming up with it. He never mentioned his real genius was in selling it to journalists so gullible they thought he must be smart. But then, he was smart enough not to give the game away. And he was a Supreme, so he had the position, and with enough power to sell his BS and tell people it was gold.

Am I trying to say it’s all a con? Yes; yes, I absolutely am. And what does that do for the legitimacy of the Court? Nothing good; nothing good at all.
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People Of The People

We’ve been doing that for a couple of centuries, now, and it’s worked out pretty well so far. What’s changed? You’re losing? That’s not a problem with the ballot counting. These are not serious people. She also said the book will be “corrected” and still released by its release date. Which is physically impossible. Not to mention expensive as hell. "Have you stopped being a sociopath?” Say "goodbye," Kristi." Mar A Lago-ology. Do we need to show you the door, Kristi? Why this is bad news for Joe Biden. They could, though off the top of my head I expect these lawsuits to be as successful as the 60+ filed to overturn the 2020 election. Or the tweets of Hans von Spakovsky influencing Justice Merchan: Face it, Kristi. Richard Nixon couldn’t come back from this one. If not for Justice Merchan, Trump could be campaigning today.
It is absolutely impacting the campaign," Cai responded. "My reporting shows that everything had to be shifted. Three morning meetings have been shifted - that's on the campaign side." 
She also said the gag order has complicated things. 
"The campaign side has also had to refer to Trump's legal folks about how and when Trump can talk about the case," she said. 
Further, according to the reporter, "the campaign has also had to really fit all his campaigning into weekends or Wednesdays, a day where there is no court hearing, for him to it out there and go to the swing states." 
"That makes for a very long day for Trump. On the campaign side, they have to manage Trump, and kind of fulfill his wishes of seeing crowds, being out there and getting a pat on the back. It has been a very stressful time for them, and they are working for a candidate that is in criminal trial."
As that picture shows.

Tacking on:
As I was saying.
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Sunday Morning: Time To Make Madeleines

NYPD warns campus protestors may be armed with intemporality, nostalgia, aestheticism, weird stubby cookies
Caption and photo courtesy of Popehat. And the inspiration for breakfast at Chez Adventus.

I really should read the last volume of Proust, too.

Wel, at least I’m sure I’ll make madeleines.
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Versailles

According to the Post, "About 400 people who gave at least $40,000 each attended, according to people familiar with the planning who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private event. He spoke for about 90 minutes, and the remarks veered widely," before pointing out Trump's complaints. 
"At another point, he complained about having to take so many pictures with donors and told people in the crowd that if they didn’t get a picture, it was because they didn’t give enough money," the report continued. "He also claimed that a wedding at the property got preference over the donors because the wedding was paying more per person to be there."
Wait a minute. Somebody wanted so badly to have their wedding at that portal to Hell (I refer to the interior decoration) that they paid more than $40,000 per person for the “privilege”?

Yes, Trump whinging about the lack of money he’s raising tells you Trump doesn’t want to be President as badly as he wants his legal bills paid. And probably he’s exaggerating how much somebody paid for a wedding there, because that money can’t all go straight to his legal fund (it’s probably bankrolling the cost of his fundraiser). But really, the exaggeration just makes it worse. Can anyone honestly hear that and think “$40,000 a head for a wedding? That sounds about right.”? I mean, a royal wedding in England doesn’t cost that much. And there you at least get access to Westminster Abbey and a gilded carriage.

Trump is worried about his bills more than he’s worried about anything. 
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So, Here’s The Thing

So, here’s the thing… Trump runs (metaphorically) to FoxNews and Jonathan Turley and Tom Fitton for the comforting lies he can’t get from his lawyers. (Who could fight so hard Roy Cohn would look like a kitten, by the way, and Trump would still lose.) And they can all huddle together and say Trump should win.

The nation watched the OJ trial, and the nation said as one that OJ was guilty, but the jury said as one that he was not. And he wasn’t; and he never would be. Even though the nation still said he was.

Juries get the final say, and while Trump and MAGA and Judicial Watch may say it’s wrong, it will still be true. Can Trump deal with it? In the end, it doesn’t matter.

And another thing: elections are won by campaigns.

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Saturday, May 04, 2024

Your Regular Reminder

Reagan launched his Presidential campaign in Mississippi, and introduced the phrase “welfare queens” into the national political discourse. Everything new is old again.

Trump is setting up the explanation for his loss in November. But he’s also rallying the base, like Reagan did. Interesting, the through lines.
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May The Fourth Be With You

Lock him in a room with Tom Nichols. We’ll let the jury decide that, huh? You can whinge about it in jail. Say "Good night,” Gracie.
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Rallying Around Which Specter?

“That is the archaeology I am unearthing: The specter of police violence and state control over the bodies of young Black and Brown people all over the world.” 
—Kehinde Wiley
Mr. Wiley is the artist for President Obama’s official portrait. I’ve never seen as many blacks at the MFAH as were present the day the Lovely Wife and I went to view that portrait when it was on exhibition. And only then did I realize that, and how sad it was. Not because they didn’t come more often; but because they didn’t see a reason to.*

But I quote Mr. Wiley because Texas, and other states, have proudly outlawed “DEI” from public schools and agencies. And because of the fear of what an authoritarian Trump re-elected to the Presidency would mean. And because I remember Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle watching the white characters freak out over Trump’s election in the SNL opener in November if 2016, as they finally came face to face with the reality Rock and Chappelle had grown up with.

What are we fighting for, and who are we fighting?


*The quote is from an announcement of a new exhibit of Mr. Wiley’s work. I’m not casting shade on the MFAH. But the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow has hardly started to fade.
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Tom Nichols Needs To Get Out More

I did not, for example, think it possible that state troopers would stop women who might try to leave their state to seek an abortion. In his concurrence with the Dobbs v. Jackson decision that threw out Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested that such travel bans on pregnant women might be unconstitutional, and no state has tried to enact one—yet.
He hasn’t heard of Texas? Or Ken Paxton? No, Texas Rangers don’t check cars at the Texas border and question pregnant women at airports, but near enough for dammit.

And, of course, now that it affects white people.
Actually, Nichols’ argument seems to be that, once Trump said (again!) what he said in the TIME interview (TIME is still in existence?), the country should have risen up as one and demanded: “LOCK HIM UP! LOCK HIM UP!! LOCK HIM UP!!!” And failure to immediately do so is a failure of the collective and individual imagination for which we will all pay.

Jonathan Edwards was never so bleak or dour.

Tom Nichols really needs to disconnect himself from the national self and face the real existential “threat:” that he is one self among many, and we don’t all have to think like him for things to be okay.
Likewise, Americans had a hard time conceiving of a nuclear war until 1983, when ABC showed the made-for-television movie The Day After. The movie (as I wrote here) made an impact not because anyone thought a nuclear exchange would be a walk in the park but because no one could really get their head around what would happen if one took place.
Tom’s a young man; too young to remember CONELRAD and “duck ‘n’ cover” and emergency sirens to be used only for the emergency of a nuclear strike. Dr. Strangelove was a documentary taught to school children. We lived with the threat of tornadoes 🌪️ and nuclear holocaust, and one was as likely as the other. Home underground fallout shelters were a bigger business than tornado rooms in Oklahoma. The whole “prepper” food industry started with the need to stock those shelters with supplies. I watched “The Day After” when I was 28, and the news shows about people weeping after they saw it because they didn’t know the threat. (ABC ran the movie and the prime time news special about audience reaction. It was a win-win.) And all I could think was: “HOW COULD YOU NOT??!!!???” But those were the days of Reagan and “Morning in America” and we’d given up on the national consciousness of surviving nuclear war in the public fallout shelters (all of which, according to TeeVee, seemed to be in downtowns of Eastern seaboard cities far from my suburban home in East Texas). CONELRAD had disappeared from the faces of AM car radios (along with AM radio as the only broadcast game in the car), and my childhood was no longer the childhood of the weeping teenagers in the TeeVee news. Swept away as if it never happened.

Still being swept away, in a critique based on national historical amnesia. Ironic, no?
If Trump returns to office, he will not shoot democracy on Fifth Avenue. He and the people around him will paralyze it, limb by limb. The American public needs to get better at imagining what that would look like.
I’m fairly certain they already are, if only because of history. How many incumbent Presidents supposedly face fierce headwinds every time they stand for re-election? And how many times do incumbents get returned to office, despite the assurances of pundits that the polls show they are in trouble? Gotta have a horse race or it’s not “fair and balanced” and “objective” coverage. Even Trump got more votes in 2020 than he got in 2016, probably because of incumbency. It’s true Biden has to GOTV. It’s also true that campaigns matter; and all predictions of the future are bunk. 

But “Run in circles, scream and shout,” is neither a political strategy nor a way to win friends and positively influence people. Sure does draw eyeballs, though. And keeps you in the “serious” pundit club. Where the elite meet to weep. And shake their heads at the sheeple who don’t immediately recognize the sagacity of agreed upon pundit wisdom.

Agreed upon by pundits, of course. Who else could judge them?
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