Russia's newest American subsidiary, aka the tRump administration, has pleaded ignorance concerning intelligence finding Putin's government paid bounties to the Taliban for killing our soldiers. The president's* spokesman went so far as to say her boss still had not been briefed on the specifics, therefore the whole subject was moot.
Of course, as we all know, if the previous president was found to have been credibly informed of such a threat, the conservative media would have exploded. Hannity and Ingraham would be demanding congressional hearings and the resignation of the commander in chief for cravenly failing to confront Moscow. Instead, crickets.
As with every issue these days, from Supreme Court opinions to the Covid 19 crisis to Black Lives Matter, you are either for or against what is happening based on tribal affiliations. The president retweets a video of one of his supporters shouting " White Power", and the lone black republican senator can barely condemn the action. Similarly, the hate filled expletives being leveled at tRump's supporters are barely given a mention in most media outlets.
Unfortunately, this tribalism carries over to areas which should not be subject to ideological tests. Science is at least one area where both sides can agree one would think. However, in today's cauldron, a significant minority of mostly republican white men would have us believe that science is magical thinking, observed when convenient and denied if necessary to maintain ideological purity. I can only hope the GOP's defeat in November is so convincing that this fever will break.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Monday, June 29, 2020
A world gone mad
Picking up a virtual newspaper today is somewhat akin to catching a live hand grenade. You know it will probably explode, but there is always a chance it may not.
The big story in much of the media was the Russian bounty on US servicemen in Afghanistan. The president's* defense is "Nobody told me". As one former serviceman turned congressman put it, that is tantamount to admitting you run an incompetent administration. And that is the best spin you can put on it.
In other news, the Covid 19 pandemic is picking up steam, mostly in republican led states which opened with no plans to combat the spread of the disease. The glimmer of hope is since most of those catching the coronavirus are young, the fatality rate is probably going to be less than it was. However, as we learn more about the virus, scientists say many of the young victims may face lifetime disabilities stemming from the infection.
Siberia is heating and burning at the fastest rates ever seen. Unfortunately, the lockdown for the pandemic and the resulting pause in fossil fuel use was only a blip in the ongoing increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. A dust plume from the Sahara blanketed much of the American south yesterday and is a harbinger of a drier hotter African desert.
Another possible police killing of an African American man is being investigated in Colorado. It has been over a year, but body cam footage shows the man in a chokehold, basically begging to be allowed to breathe.
Finally, a baptist church in Troy, NY is giving away an AR-15 to some lucky member of the congregation this Tuesday. Let the good times roll...
The big story in much of the media was the Russian bounty on US servicemen in Afghanistan. The president's* defense is "Nobody told me". As one former serviceman turned congressman put it, that is tantamount to admitting you run an incompetent administration. And that is the best spin you can put on it.
In other news, the Covid 19 pandemic is picking up steam, mostly in republican led states which opened with no plans to combat the spread of the disease. The glimmer of hope is since most of those catching the coronavirus are young, the fatality rate is probably going to be less than it was. However, as we learn more about the virus, scientists say many of the young victims may face lifetime disabilities stemming from the infection.
Siberia is heating and burning at the fastest rates ever seen. Unfortunately, the lockdown for the pandemic and the resulting pause in fossil fuel use was only a blip in the ongoing increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. A dust plume from the Sahara blanketed much of the American south yesterday and is a harbinger of a drier hotter African desert.
Another possible police killing of an African American man is being investigated in Colorado. It has been over a year, but body cam footage shows the man in a chokehold, basically begging to be allowed to breathe.
Finally, a baptist church in Troy, NY is giving away an AR-15 to some lucky member of the congregation this Tuesday. Let the good times roll...
Friday, June 26, 2020
Partisanship and the coronavirus
As we have been told numerous times, the coronavirus is non partisan. However, it is opportunistic. It thrives when people deny its ability to infect them and those they come in contact with. As Cheetolini has said, it is an "invisible enemy". I think that if the virus was sentient and had to pick a political identification it would definitely choose today's republican party.
Since denial of science is one of the hallmarks of the GOP, the virus loves the idea of large gatherings of people who feel vaccines are for losers, the disease is a democratic hoax and besides only the olds are at risk.
The botched response at the federal level with little leadership and the waste of time in preparing for the eventual flood of infections allowed the virus to spread in densely populated areas like NYC and its environs. What's not to like if you are an infectious disease!
Finally, the haphazard reopening of much of the country without a plan for contact tracing and isolation of infected individuals is another win for the virus. Republican governors, mostly in thrall to the current occupant of the Oval Office, have resisted elementary steps like compelling everyone to wear masks in public. Instead they have pushed that decision on mayors and other local officials in hopes they won't be blamed for forcing people to protect each other.
Since denial of science is one of the hallmarks of the GOP, the virus loves the idea of large gatherings of people who feel vaccines are for losers, the disease is a democratic hoax and besides only the olds are at risk.
The botched response at the federal level with little leadership and the waste of time in preparing for the eventual flood of infections allowed the virus to spread in densely populated areas like NYC and its environs. What's not to like if you are an infectious disease!
Finally, the haphazard reopening of much of the country without a plan for contact tracing and isolation of infected individuals is another win for the virus. Republican governors, mostly in thrall to the current occupant of the Oval Office, have resisted elementary steps like compelling everyone to wear masks in public. Instead they have pushed that decision on mayors and other local officials in hopes they won't be blamed for forcing people to protect each other.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
The sun rises, republicans lie and other truths
Over in Mother Jones, Kevin Drum has a graph filled article tracing the course and finding out who benefitted from the 2017 republican tax cut. You remember how we were assured the $1.5 trillion dollar cut was going to "supercharge" the economy and help everyone. It turns out just like every other republican sponsored cut in the last 40 years, the 2017 bill was designed to benefit corporations and the rich and it did so with a vengeance.
From Reagan's trickle down theory to the Shrub's disappearing the Clinton surpluses to benefit his wealthy donors to tRump's supercharger, we have been lied to and forced to watch as a generational transfer of wealth from the poor and middle classes to the wealthy has occurred. Wages for most people have been stagnant or declining since the 80s. As tax revenues have declined, the GOP whenever in power has continued to shred the social safety net in order to "reduce the deficit". These cuts have disproportionately affected the poor and middle classes.
If current trends continue, at some point, a majority of Americans will realize they are being taken to the cleaners by republicans with the sometimes tacit assistance of democrats. When the torches and pitchforks come out it won't matter what party you belong to if you haven't done anything about the problems.
From Reagan's trickle down theory to the Shrub's disappearing the Clinton surpluses to benefit his wealthy donors to tRump's supercharger, we have been lied to and forced to watch as a generational transfer of wealth from the poor and middle classes to the wealthy has occurred. Wages for most people have been stagnant or declining since the 80s. As tax revenues have declined, the GOP whenever in power has continued to shred the social safety net in order to "reduce the deficit". These cuts have disproportionately affected the poor and middle classes.
If current trends continue, at some point, a majority of Americans will realize they are being taken to the cleaners by republicans with the sometimes tacit assistance of democrats. When the torches and pitchforks come out it won't matter what party you belong to if you haven't done anything about the problems.
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Jonesing for a Win
Despite the president's* campaign pitch that the American public would be so tired of "winning" we would be begging him to stop, I, for one am tired of losing. It would seem a substantial number of voters are also. In a new poll, Joe Biden has increased his lead over tRump to 14 points. If these numbers hold in November, it will result in a landslide election victory for Biden and democrats.
What brought the GOP and their standard bearer to this pass are the twin crises of the Covid19 pandemic and the protests caused by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Cheetolini fumbled the response to both and he and his party will seemingly pay a high price for failure.
Coronavirus cases continue to rise, especially in states with republican governors and legislatures. Texas, Florida and Arizona lead the way and should all three states go blue in November, there is no path to a tRump electoral victory. Meanwhile, as the European Union opens for tourists again, it looks like Americans as well as Brazilians and Russians will not be invited to the party. The bourgeoning number of new coronavirus cases in these countries have unnerved the Europeans. The Chinese and Japanese tourists will be welcomed, however. This would constitute another blow to American prestige around the world. So much for winning.
Even tRump's most reliable voting bloc, whites with a high school education or less, the classic "low information voters" whom he professes to love are deserting him. The reality distortion field of Faux News and its offshoots are finally at such odds with what is actually happening on the ground that many of this cohort have decided, at least for now they are tired of "winning" also.
A columnist in the NYT noted that perhaps the most reliably conservative of the baby boom generation, those born from 1956-65, the so called Jones generation have also opted out of the tRump coalition.
What brought the GOP and their standard bearer to this pass are the twin crises of the Covid19 pandemic and the protests caused by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Cheetolini fumbled the response to both and he and his party will seemingly pay a high price for failure.
Coronavirus cases continue to rise, especially in states with republican governors and legislatures. Texas, Florida and Arizona lead the way and should all three states go blue in November, there is no path to a tRump electoral victory. Meanwhile, as the European Union opens for tourists again, it looks like Americans as well as Brazilians and Russians will not be invited to the party. The bourgeoning number of new coronavirus cases in these countries have unnerved the Europeans. The Chinese and Japanese tourists will be welcomed, however. This would constitute another blow to American prestige around the world. So much for winning.
Even tRump's most reliable voting bloc, whites with a high school education or less, the classic "low information voters" whom he professes to love are deserting him. The reality distortion field of Faux News and its offshoots are finally at such odds with what is actually happening on the ground that many of this cohort have decided, at least for now they are tired of "winning" also.
A columnist in the NYT noted that perhaps the most reliably conservative of the baby boom generation, those born from 1956-65, the so called Jones generation have also opted out of the tRump coalition.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
What if they started the season and nobody cared
It looks like the MLB season is the latest casualty of the Covid 19 pandemic. The players' union voted down the offer by the owners of a 60 game season plus playoffs. While I am no fanatical baseball fan, I do enjoy watching an occasional game, especially when my beloved Yankees play (and beat) the hated Red Sox. But after casually following the negotiations, I have to admit some disgust with the whole process. In the event a truncated season is actually played, I'm not sure I would care about the outcome.
Greed is the proximate cause of this debacle. The owners are sitting on a virtual gold mine, yet they would not agree to pay the players 100% of their pro-rated salary during a shortened season. The owners can afford to take a one season hit on revenue. As an example, the owners of the Kansas City Royals recently sold the club for 1.1 billion dollars. They paid 96 million originally. The Yankees and Red Sox are valued in multiples of billions. Of course, some will say it is the fault of greedy players also.
It is hard to sympathized with a player whose contract calls for a salary of tens or hundreds of thousands per game. However, the players are the ones whose performances generate the revenue which accounts for the valuation of the clubs. The owners seem willing to blacken the game's reputation in order to save money. Instead of the enhanced reputation they might garner by "taking one for the team", they are counting on fans' amnesia regarding their current stance. I may be getting older, but I doubt I will forget the owners' role in this fiasco of a season.
Greed is the proximate cause of this debacle. The owners are sitting on a virtual gold mine, yet they would not agree to pay the players 100% of their pro-rated salary during a shortened season. The owners can afford to take a one season hit on revenue. As an example, the owners of the Kansas City Royals recently sold the club for 1.1 billion dollars. They paid 96 million originally. The Yankees and Red Sox are valued in multiples of billions. Of course, some will say it is the fault of greedy players also.
It is hard to sympathized with a player whose contract calls for a salary of tens or hundreds of thousands per game. However, the players are the ones whose performances generate the revenue which accounts for the valuation of the clubs. The owners seem willing to blacken the game's reputation in order to save money. Instead of the enhanced reputation they might garner by "taking one for the team", they are counting on fans' amnesia regarding their current stance. I may be getting older, but I doubt I will forget the owners' role in this fiasco of a season.
Monday, June 22, 2020
Bunker Boy's disappointment
Depending on whose story you believe, the president's* first campaign rally in months was a total bust, a moderate success or for those firmly in the tRump bubble, a resounding success. The shots of thousands of empty seats during Cheetolini's self aggrandizing speech put paid the last theory.
As polls have shown, over 60% of tRump's mostly elderly white fans are also worried about the coronavirus and it seems they decided a night of mostly incoherent babble from the liar-in-chief was not worth a trip to the ICU of their local hospital and 2--3 weeks on a ventilator. If this trend continues, the campaign may have to rethink its dependence on the spectacle of thousands of people gathered in enclosed spaces yelling and cheering for hours. Until Saturday night's debacle that was what tRump's supporters were counting on to at least get better polling numbers. Back to the drawing board.
In gardening news, the hot and dry weather continues as the summer solstice has come and gone. Temps in the low 90s and hit and miss thunderstorms will continue at least through mid week. At this point, i am just trying to keep transplants alive in the hope we will get rain at some point. Aside from deep rooted crops like potatoes and garlic everything in the garden is suffering.
As polls have shown, over 60% of tRump's mostly elderly white fans are also worried about the coronavirus and it seems they decided a night of mostly incoherent babble from the liar-in-chief was not worth a trip to the ICU of their local hospital and 2--3 weeks on a ventilator. If this trend continues, the campaign may have to rethink its dependence on the spectacle of thousands of people gathered in enclosed spaces yelling and cheering for hours. Until Saturday night's debacle that was what tRump's supporters were counting on to at least get better polling numbers. Back to the drawing board.
In gardening news, the hot and dry weather continues as the summer solstice has come and gone. Temps in the low 90s and hit and miss thunderstorms will continue at least through mid week. At this point, i am just trying to keep transplants alive in the hope we will get rain at some point. Aside from deep rooted crops like potatoes and garlic everything in the garden is suffering.
Friday, June 19, 2020
Inside the bubble
The NYT's most faithful stenographer, Maggie Haberman and a sidekick published another listless story yesterday. The main takeaway was the insinuation by insiders in the White House that Cheetolini was in effect sabotaging his reelection campaign because he didn't really want to win.
As many people pointed out, one way of looking at these "revelations" is the inner circle has become convinced tRump cannot win the election in the current climate and are looking for excuses when the implosion occurs. Some have even put forward the theory the president* will resign in September or October rather than face the humiliation of a landslide Biden victory. Personally, I don't put much stock in that prediction. The Donald knows he will likely be taking the perp walk if he loses the election. Besides, the campaign is what he lives for. He has been on the trail non stop, excepting during the pandemic.
The problem with both the coverage by newspapers and broadcast outlets is the same that has plagued them since the dawn of the 24 hour news cycle. Instead of covering actual news in the country and the world, the Habermans and Anderson Coopers have limited themselves to covering the reactions of the DC elite to the news. They have become so self identified with these elites of both parties, their coverage is an endless game of "he says, she says" that reverberates through the day. The networks and editors should send these sheltered reporters out into the real world on a regular basis and shuttle new faces into the DC bubble brandishing sharp pins.
As many people pointed out, one way of looking at these "revelations" is the inner circle has become convinced tRump cannot win the election in the current climate and are looking for excuses when the implosion occurs. Some have even put forward the theory the president* will resign in September or October rather than face the humiliation of a landslide Biden victory. Personally, I don't put much stock in that prediction. The Donald knows he will likely be taking the perp walk if he loses the election. Besides, the campaign is what he lives for. He has been on the trail non stop, excepting during the pandemic.
The problem with both the coverage by newspapers and broadcast outlets is the same that has plagued them since the dawn of the 24 hour news cycle. Instead of covering actual news in the country and the world, the Habermans and Anderson Coopers have limited themselves to covering the reactions of the DC elite to the news. They have become so self identified with these elites of both parties, their coverage is an endless game of "he says, she says" that reverberates through the day. The networks and editors should send these sheltered reporters out into the real world on a regular basis and shuttle new faces into the DC bubble brandishing sharp pins.
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Distraction
It looks as though John Bolton's new book and the controversy surrounding it as well as the fallout from the Black Lives Matter protests may push the pandemic off the front pages of newspapers for a few days.
Bolton's supposed tell all will be eagerly debated by the media elite, but mostly scorned by the left and the right. Democrats and never Trumpers are upset Bolton didn't testify at or before tRump's impeachment trial and the trumpanzees will excoriate him for telling the truth as he saw it rather than glossing over the president's* manifest unfitness for office. Personally, I agree with those who say his testimony wouldn't have made a difference in the acquittal vote, except Susan Collins may have experienced carpal tunnel from excessive hand wringing.
Meanwhile, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben and Mrs. Butterworth will finally be retired by their companies. Years of protest as to their racial symbolism failed to convince company executives to end the racist symbolism of black mammys and subservient black men, but the very real threat of boycotts of the products using them, pancake mix, instant rice and ersatz syrup, was enough to get them to reconsider. If only racism was that easily defeated.
Bolton's supposed tell all will be eagerly debated by the media elite, but mostly scorned by the left and the right. Democrats and never Trumpers are upset Bolton didn't testify at or before tRump's impeachment trial and the trumpanzees will excoriate him for telling the truth as he saw it rather than glossing over the president's* manifest unfitness for office. Personally, I agree with those who say his testimony wouldn't have made a difference in the acquittal vote, except Susan Collins may have experienced carpal tunnel from excessive hand wringing.
Meanwhile, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben and Mrs. Butterworth will finally be retired by their companies. Years of protest as to their racial symbolism failed to convince company executives to end the racist symbolism of black mammys and subservient black men, but the very real threat of boycotts of the products using them, pancake mix, instant rice and ersatz syrup, was enough to get them to reconsider. If only racism was that easily defeated.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Tone Deaf
As the Divine Mrs. M noted in a post on Facebook, our Congresscritter, Elise Stefanik is striking exactly the wrong tone regarding police reform. Or is she?
Calling the pathetic response of tRump's administration to the protests started in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing, "An important first step", is like applying lipstick to an increasingly ugly pig. Stefanik knows full well this is the limit of the president's* response to the crisis. She hopes she is merely ratifying the opinion of the majority of her constituents.
Banning chokeholds except when the officer in the moment "fears for his life" is laughable. Maintaining a database to track police misconduct is laudable, assuming said misconduct is actually reported by individual departments. Where was all this concern before massive protests and riots?
Stefanik and other republicans are using the GOP playbook when it comes to policing. Deplore the most egregious examples of police misconduct, but allow the structures which permit and even encourage such behavior to remain in place. Qualified immunity to lawsuits over brutality and killing must go.
The police motto, "To serve and protect" has all to often been ignored and replaced by a warrior mentality and an "us against them" ethos which pervades many departments. Without systemic reform, the eyewash initiatives applauded by Stefanik and her fellow republicans will do little or nothing to change the culture which led to the killing of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and so many others over the years. The reforms will not happen unless republicans are dealt a massive defeat in November. I can't think of a nicer way to celebrate than retiring Ms. Stefanik.
Calling the pathetic response of tRump's administration to the protests started in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing, "An important first step", is like applying lipstick to an increasingly ugly pig. Stefanik knows full well this is the limit of the president's* response to the crisis. She hopes she is merely ratifying the opinion of the majority of her constituents.
Banning chokeholds except when the officer in the moment "fears for his life" is laughable. Maintaining a database to track police misconduct is laudable, assuming said misconduct is actually reported by individual departments. Where was all this concern before massive protests and riots?
Stefanik and other republicans are using the GOP playbook when it comes to policing. Deplore the most egregious examples of police misconduct, but allow the structures which permit and even encourage such behavior to remain in place. Qualified immunity to lawsuits over brutality and killing must go.
The police motto, "To serve and protect" has all to often been ignored and replaced by a warrior mentality and an "us against them" ethos which pervades many departments. Without systemic reform, the eyewash initiatives applauded by Stefanik and her fellow republicans will do little or nothing to change the culture which led to the killing of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and so many others over the years. The reforms will not happen unless republicans are dealt a massive defeat in November. I can't think of a nicer way to celebrate than retiring Ms. Stefanik.
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Busy Days
The Supremes validated LGBT rights yesterday. Protests over police violence continue as does the police violence which caused the protests. The stock market seems ready to collapse again. tRump moves his Tulsa rally back by a day, but doesn't cancel in the face of rising numbers of Covid cases in the city. The virus continues on its not so merry way across the country as states reopen with no special precautions. It looks like the baseball season is a goner thanks to the intransigence of team owners.
In gardening news, the weeds continue to grow, but crops in the garden are at a standstill with the continued dry weather. It is difficult to germinate carrots, beets and other standbys, but the weeds seem to be on overdrive. That's all I've got for today.
In gardening news, the weeds continue to grow, but crops in the garden are at a standstill with the continued dry weather. It is difficult to germinate carrots, beets and other standbys, but the weeds seem to be on overdrive. That's all I've got for today.
Monday, June 15, 2020
Trying to get it
Like most white Americans, I like to believe I understand the anguish and rage that is daily fare on cable news channels. Blacks are coming forward and expressing their collective anger at police and the white power structure in uncomfortable ways, including violence and looting in the wake of George Floyd's death. I think I get it, but I'll never walk a mile in their shoes.
I took a stroll outside of my comfort zone and attended a Black Lives Matter protest and vigil on Saturday evening. It was a modest affair in Plattsburgh with a few dozen people standing quietly as the organizer asked black and white folks to speak to their experiences. The whites who spoke up tried to express solidarity with the goals of the movement, but some of the blacks got right to the heart of the matter. One woman spoke of her 24/7 vigilance in her interactions with any white people and the possibility of violence inherent in each encounter. Another told of the police arresting her father when she was 5 years old and having a gun put to her head during the proceeding.
After exhausting the rhetorical possibilities we marched through the streets, chanting "I can't breathe", "remember his name" and "No justice, No peace". I would like to say it was liberating, but as my daughter, Merry, who also attended said, it felt like we were not entitled to utter these phrases because we have never endured what these people have for hundreds of years.
I'm glad I went to the rally and will probably attend others. Hopefully this is a turning point and a new generation may be able to succeed where most of the others have failed. Maybe my four grandkids will participate in a color blind society, but in this era of intense tribalism, I wonder...
I took a stroll outside of my comfort zone and attended a Black Lives Matter protest and vigil on Saturday evening. It was a modest affair in Plattsburgh with a few dozen people standing quietly as the organizer asked black and white folks to speak to their experiences. The whites who spoke up tried to express solidarity with the goals of the movement, but some of the blacks got right to the heart of the matter. One woman spoke of her 24/7 vigilance in her interactions with any white people and the possibility of violence inherent in each encounter. Another told of the police arresting her father when she was 5 years old and having a gun put to her head during the proceeding.
After exhausting the rhetorical possibilities we marched through the streets, chanting "I can't breathe", "remember his name" and "No justice, No peace". I would like to say it was liberating, but as my daughter, Merry, who also attended said, it felt like we were not entitled to utter these phrases because we have never endured what these people have for hundreds of years.
I'm glad I went to the rally and will probably attend others. Hopefully this is a turning point and a new generation may be able to succeed where most of the others have failed. Maybe my four grandkids will participate in a color blind society, but in this era of intense tribalism, I wonder...
Friday, June 12, 2020
A moment of truth
As the George Floyd protests and the violence some of them engendered quiet down, much of the media has gone back to the coronavirus beat. Cases are rising in many of the states which reopened without testing and traceback protocols in place. Once again we are hearing about overburdened ICU units in city hospitals.
The coronavirus doesn't care about social justice, the economy or tRump's increasingly dim hopes of reelection. However, it does take advantage of mass protests, poorly thought out economic plans and campaign rallies to continue its spread. Now, according to some of the latest research on the disease, as much as 45% of those who contract the virus show no symptoms, but may be able to pass on the contagion for as many as 14 days.
Meanwhile, as we face the possibility some states may have to shut down again, the package of benefits for those who are unemployed will expire at the end of July unless Congress acts to extend them. Wall Street was reeling yesterday as traders realized the pandemic was not going away anytime soon. Pressure will swiftly build to keep money flowing in the economy, but many republicans resist, especially at the prospect of aiding those people. tRump will continue to tell everyone who still listens to him the economy will be great again.
The moment of truth will come when one of the GOP lead states decides it must shut down in order to quell the momentum of the virus. What will happen then?
The coronavirus doesn't care about social justice, the economy or tRump's increasingly dim hopes of reelection. However, it does take advantage of mass protests, poorly thought out economic plans and campaign rallies to continue its spread. Now, according to some of the latest research on the disease, as much as 45% of those who contract the virus show no symptoms, but may be able to pass on the contagion for as many as 14 days.
Meanwhile, as we face the possibility some states may have to shut down again, the package of benefits for those who are unemployed will expire at the end of July unless Congress acts to extend them. Wall Street was reeling yesterday as traders realized the pandemic was not going away anytime soon. Pressure will swiftly build to keep money flowing in the economy, but many republicans resist, especially at the prospect of aiding those people. tRump will continue to tell everyone who still listens to him the economy will be great again.
The moment of truth will come when one of the GOP lead states decides it must shut down in order to quell the momentum of the virus. What will happen then?
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Dress rehearsal
The fiasco that was the Georgia primary must have been excellent news for the White House. It was proof to tRump and his minions that regardless of polling, policies and the economy, the coming election is winnable if they are willing to go all in on cheating.
The long lines in Atlanta, especially in black neighborhoods were appalling, the mostly good humor of the voters nonwithstanding. However, it is one thing to stand outside for hours in clement weather and long daylight hours. It is quite another to stand in a cold rain as the sun goes down on November 3rd.
I have little doubt partisan secretaries of state in GOP held states are noting how closing many polling places and making it hard for citizens to get absentee ballots on time works to suppress turnout. The difference this time is this president* is now so unpopular most of us would wait in a raging snowstorm for hours for the chance to vote against him and everything he stands for.
The long lines in Atlanta, especially in black neighborhoods were appalling, the mostly good humor of the voters nonwithstanding. However, it is one thing to stand outside for hours in clement weather and long daylight hours. It is quite another to stand in a cold rain as the sun goes down on November 3rd.
I have little doubt partisan secretaries of state in GOP held states are noting how closing many polling places and making it hard for citizens to get absentee ballots on time works to suppress turnout. The difference this time is this president* is now so unpopular most of us would wait in a raging snowstorm for hours for the chance to vote against him and everything he stands for.
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
The Racism...it hurts
In his book,, "Condemnation of Blackness; Race, Crime and the making of modern Urban America", Harvard professor Khalil Muhammad traces the roots of American racism to the decades after the Civil War. He starts his case by noting slavery was abolished in the US, except as punishment for crime. Southern politicians used this gigantic loophole to criminalize virtually everything black people did, unless it was submitting to white landowners to become sharecroppers.
When blacks began their great migration to the North during and after WW1, northern politicians and police pointed to the bloated southern crime statistics as evidence blacks were prone to crime and made it a self fulfilling prophecy. According to Muhammad, this is the root of white policing of black neighborhoods and the social distress it causes black society.
What Muhammad doesn't say is that somewhere between 15-20% of the white population is racist. Now, it may be that much of that animosity is driven by the history which has caused the social disparities he notes. However, even in the absence of historical oppression and the hatred it has engendered, I believe that fear of the "other" is a powerful component of racism and is intractable in the short term.
Black activists are seizing this moment in our history to demand equal treatment of all races under the law. Many whites of good will are offering to meet them and take their demands seriously. Unfortunately, the president* is a stone cold racist and has surrounded himself with like minded people, so little can be done before November. After the election, Joe Biden will have an historical opportunity to begin to repair the damage done by slavery and its aftermath. Let's hope he is up to the job.
* Note.. Much of this post was derived from an interview by Journalist Anna North on the Vox website. The opinions expressed were my own.
When blacks began their great migration to the North during and after WW1, northern politicians and police pointed to the bloated southern crime statistics as evidence blacks were prone to crime and made it a self fulfilling prophecy. According to Muhammad, this is the root of white policing of black neighborhoods and the social distress it causes black society.
What Muhammad doesn't say is that somewhere between 15-20% of the white population is racist. Now, it may be that much of that animosity is driven by the history which has caused the social disparities he notes. However, even in the absence of historical oppression and the hatred it has engendered, I believe that fear of the "other" is a powerful component of racism and is intractable in the short term.
Black activists are seizing this moment in our history to demand equal treatment of all races under the law. Many whites of good will are offering to meet them and take their demands seriously. Unfortunately, the president* is a stone cold racist and has surrounded himself with like minded people, so little can be done before November. After the election, Joe Biden will have an historical opportunity to begin to repair the damage done by slavery and its aftermath. Let's hope he is up to the job.
* Note.. Much of this post was derived from an interview by Journalist Anna North on the Vox website. The opinions expressed were my own.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Our tribe and theirs
No Justice, No Peace has been the rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement since at least the time of the Ferguson, Mo. riots in 2015 protesting what was essentially the murder of a young black man by police. It resonates with most people's sense of hopelessness when confronted by what seems to be an intractable problem. If only we could all come together in peace and harmony, we would have that kumbaya moment. At least, that's the way it seems.
Unfortunately, the problems go much deeper than that. While blacks have had to deal with the residual problems brought on by slavery and its aftermath, whites also have issues that make the situation we are now experiencing more complex.
Racism comes in many forms. From burning crosses and lynchings in the South after the Civil War to more insidious by nonetheless racist practices such as refusing to rent or sell housing to blacks and segregating them to less desirable areas in northern cities. Second class schools, job discrimination, etc. all make it virtually impossible for most POC to advance to the middle class. Even reliable jobs like police and firefighting which served as middle class conduits for many white ethnic groups like the Irish and Italians are nearly impossible for blacks to break into.
Many people of good will on both sides of the color line say if we could only just get to know each other things would get better. This is undeniably true. There is much less racism in integrated areas. However, there is a reason integration is the exception rather than the rule. I don't know if there is scientific evidence of this, but, it seems to me there is an underlying hatred of the "other" by some percentage of people on both sides of the color line and despite men and women of good will on both sides, this racist core, especially among whites will cause the healing of racial division to be a long drawn out and agonizing slog for America. In the meantime, the protests will continue.
Unfortunately, the problems go much deeper than that. While blacks have had to deal with the residual problems brought on by slavery and its aftermath, whites also have issues that make the situation we are now experiencing more complex.
Racism comes in many forms. From burning crosses and lynchings in the South after the Civil War to more insidious by nonetheless racist practices such as refusing to rent or sell housing to blacks and segregating them to less desirable areas in northern cities. Second class schools, job discrimination, etc. all make it virtually impossible for most POC to advance to the middle class. Even reliable jobs like police and firefighting which served as middle class conduits for many white ethnic groups like the Irish and Italians are nearly impossible for blacks to break into.
Many people of good will on both sides of the color line say if we could only just get to know each other things would get better. This is undeniably true. There is much less racism in integrated areas. However, there is a reason integration is the exception rather than the rule. I don't know if there is scientific evidence of this, but, it seems to me there is an underlying hatred of the "other" by some percentage of people on both sides of the color line and despite men and women of good will on both sides, this racist core, especially among whites will cause the healing of racial division to be a long drawn out and agonizing slog for America. In the meantime, the protests will continue.
Monday, June 8, 2020
wishing and hoping
The garden remains a work in progress. I finally finished planting all the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant I can reasonably care for. The weeds are germinating and thriving under the present dry conditions. As I explained to my daughter, weeds can germinate more easily than most of the crops we plant and can outcompete them for access to scarce moisture in the soil.
The scant quarter inch of rain we received in thundershowers over the weekend felt like a lot of rain to most folks, but farmers and gardeners know better. We need an inch or two of real rain in an all day soaker, but there is nothing in the forecast at the moment. I'm sure we will get it at some point in the season, but will there be any crops left to benefit at that point. Meanwhile, i keep succession planting lettuce, brassicas and flowers on the off chance Mother Nature relents at some point. Farmers and gardeners are nothing if not optimistic!
The scant quarter inch of rain we received in thundershowers over the weekend felt like a lot of rain to most folks, but farmers and gardeners know better. We need an inch or two of real rain in an all day soaker, but there is nothing in the forecast at the moment. I'm sure we will get it at some point in the season, but will there be any crops left to benefit at that point. Meanwhile, i keep succession planting lettuce, brassicas and flowers on the off chance Mother Nature relents at some point. Farmers and gardeners are nothing if not optimistic!
Friday, June 5, 2020
Starting the avalanche
I don't know if it's true, but it is commonly thought an avalanche can be started by the weight of a snowball thrown at the right spot. Something similar is now happening on the streets of America. The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis 10 days ago has been the snowball which is starting a political avalanche aimed at the present occupant of the White House and the political party he has usurped.
As tRump and the sycophants who surround him prepared to unleash the full might of America's armed forces on the nation's cities, at least a few four star retired generals and admirals added their voices to the growing chorus of those who feel the whole idea is abhorrent and a betrayal of our ideals. James Mattis, once tRump's Secretary of Defense stated the president* is the first in our nation's history to make no effort to bring the us together. Instead, Mattis said he strives to divide us into hostile partisan camps. Others, including a former head of the joint chiefs of staff deplore the plan to use the military against their fellow citizens, absent an invitation by a sitting governor.
I read an essay by Annie Applebaum in The Atlantic yesterday. In it, she compared the present administration to some of the countries of eastern Europe after the second World War. Most of them were run by men who were groomed for the job during the war when they were brought to Moscow by Stalin and indoctrinated by the Communist Party. A few of these men finally realized the error of top down communism and defected to the west, but most became eager collaborators in the subjugation of their countries.
Applebaum feels much the same way about today's republican party and sees the spineless denizens of the Senate who enable tRump's authoritarian dreams as the latter day Quislings and Petains of the Second World War. The Mitch McConnells and Lindsay Grahams will be judged harshly by historians, assuming they are allowed to publish in the America of the 2050s.
Meanwhile, tRump's poll numbers continue to plummet as the weight of his incompetence and anti democratic tendencies become more and more noticeable. By November, I hope the avalanche of votes will sweep him and his enablers from the scene by such an overwhelming defeat that no manipulation of the results can save him or the GOP.
As tRump and the sycophants who surround him prepared to unleash the full might of America's armed forces on the nation's cities, at least a few four star retired generals and admirals added their voices to the growing chorus of those who feel the whole idea is abhorrent and a betrayal of our ideals. James Mattis, once tRump's Secretary of Defense stated the president* is the first in our nation's history to make no effort to bring the us together. Instead, Mattis said he strives to divide us into hostile partisan camps. Others, including a former head of the joint chiefs of staff deplore the plan to use the military against their fellow citizens, absent an invitation by a sitting governor.
I read an essay by Annie Applebaum in The Atlantic yesterday. In it, she compared the present administration to some of the countries of eastern Europe after the second World War. Most of them were run by men who were groomed for the job during the war when they were brought to Moscow by Stalin and indoctrinated by the Communist Party. A few of these men finally realized the error of top down communism and defected to the west, but most became eager collaborators in the subjugation of their countries.
Applebaum feels much the same way about today's republican party and sees the spineless denizens of the Senate who enable tRump's authoritarian dreams as the latter day Quislings and Petains of the Second World War. The Mitch McConnells and Lindsay Grahams will be judged harshly by historians, assuming they are allowed to publish in the America of the 2050s.
Meanwhile, tRump's poll numbers continue to plummet as the weight of his incompetence and anti democratic tendencies become more and more noticeable. By November, I hope the avalanche of votes will sweep him and his enablers from the scene by such an overwhelming defeat that no manipulation of the results can save him or the GOP.
Thursday, June 4, 2020
"
Just as the peaceful protests over the police killing of George Floyd had shed most of their more violent aspects such as the looting and burning which accompanied the first few nights, comes an op-ed by the fascist wannabe senator from Arkansas, Tom Cotton. Published to illustrate its firm commitment to "bothsiderism", the NYT continues a shameful tradition of toadying to republican authoritarians.
Cotton would love to send in the 101st Airborne division and presumably other units of the US armed forces to in the words of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper "dominate the battlespace". He was indeed referring to the cities and towns across America where the mostly peaceful demonstrations were taking place. As with the demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the 60s and 70s, these demonstrations were mostly peaceful and at least some of the violence in the past week was instigated by right wing militia groups, the heart of Cotton's support.
Staunch conservatives such as George Will and Jennifer Rubin have denounced the use of US troops to clear Lafayette Square of demonstrators so Cheetolini could demonstrate his toughness in walking to a closed church for a photo op. This is the same president* who huddled in the White House bunker last week as hundreds of demonstrators surrounded the residence. In this case, tRump inadvertently distracted the nation from his feckless incompetence handling the Covid 19 pandemic by demonstrating his complete lack of empathy for citizens who gathered in the time honored and constitutionally protected right to peacefully protest.
That we have so many people willing to protest injustice is one of the green shoots. Cotton and his ilk are the Roundup presently being sprayed by complicit media. May Dog have mercy on their souls.
Cotton would love to send in the 101st Airborne division and presumably other units of the US armed forces to in the words of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper "dominate the battlespace". He was indeed referring to the cities and towns across America where the mostly peaceful demonstrations were taking place. As with the demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the 60s and 70s, these demonstrations were mostly peaceful and at least some of the violence in the past week was instigated by right wing militia groups, the heart of Cotton's support.
Staunch conservatives such as George Will and Jennifer Rubin have denounced the use of US troops to clear Lafayette Square of demonstrators so Cheetolini could demonstrate his toughness in walking to a closed church for a photo op. This is the same president* who huddled in the White House bunker last week as hundreds of demonstrators surrounded the residence. In this case, tRump inadvertently distracted the nation from his feckless incompetence handling the Covid 19 pandemic by demonstrating his complete lack of empathy for citizens who gathered in the time honored and constitutionally protected right to peacefully protest.
That we have so many people willing to protest injustice is one of the green shoots. Cotton and his ilk are the Roundup presently being sprayed by complicit media. May Dog have mercy on their souls.
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
When you've lost Juan Williams...
I am no fan of Juan Williams. For the most part he is exactly what he seems; a black man who sold his soul for a perch at Faux News. He enables the station to say, "look at us, some of our best friends are black". Nevertheless, Williams used his fame to secure an op-ed in today's NYT where he basically implored black Americans to be monolithic in their support of Joe Biden in the coming election. The catalyst for Williams, as for many of us, was the killings of Ahmaud Arbery by armed white men, Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and finally by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police as recorded in a shocking cell phone video.
Even the for the most part politically apathetic North Country, demonstrations continue. My local paper estimated 4-500 people gathered in Saranac Lake to protest Floyd's killing as nationwide protests continued for an eighth day. Meanwhile in D.C. our feckless leader did his best Mussolini imitation by having peaceful protestors tear gassed and rubber bulleted to clear the way so he could wave a closed bible in front of a nearby church in an attempt to rally his base.
We have seen many spasms of violence over the past 50 years as black Americans seek equality and political power. Many times the catalyst is police violence toward minorities. It seems public opinion has finally come around to support the underlying demands of the present demonstrations.
tRump's supporters will not go away. No matter what he does in the coming days and weeks will shake the close to 40% of the public which enjoys the policies his minions espouse. However, the horrific response Cheetolini has made to Floyd's death is bound to begin the process of peeling off several more percentage points of his support. I refuse to believe so many of my countrymen would vote for the narcissistic proto-fascist who now "leads" America. Juan Williams has given cover for conservative blacks and whites to vote for democrats this fall. After all, to quote tRump, "What do you have to lose?". The answer in this case is our democracy.
Even the for the most part politically apathetic North Country, demonstrations continue. My local paper estimated 4-500 people gathered in Saranac Lake to protest Floyd's killing as nationwide protests continued for an eighth day. Meanwhile in D.C. our feckless leader did his best Mussolini imitation by having peaceful protestors tear gassed and rubber bulleted to clear the way so he could wave a closed bible in front of a nearby church in an attempt to rally his base.
We have seen many spasms of violence over the past 50 years as black Americans seek equality and political power. Many times the catalyst is police violence toward minorities. It seems public opinion has finally come around to support the underlying demands of the present demonstrations.
tRump's supporters will not go away. No matter what he does in the coming days and weeks will shake the close to 40% of the public which enjoys the policies his minions espouse. However, the horrific response Cheetolini has made to Floyd's death is bound to begin the process of peeling off several more percentage points of his support. I refuse to believe so many of my countrymen would vote for the narcissistic proto-fascist who now "leads" America. Juan Williams has given cover for conservative blacks and whites to vote for democrats this fall. After all, to quote tRump, "What do you have to lose?". The answer in this case is our democracy.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
What to say
When America's president* appears on national television to berate protestors who loot and burn and the state officials who have not escalated the violence, I have bad flashbacks to the 60s violence in the streets. When the same man orders the heavily armed federal police to clear a peaceful demonstration in Lafayette Park around the corner of the White House so he can stroll to a famous Episcopal church for a photo op, words fail me.
It has been a week since George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis after his arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. The horrific nature of the killing, kneeling on the neck of the suspect while he begged to be allowed to breathe, caused nationwide revulsion among blacks and whites. The ensuing demonstrations and the burning and looting which accompanied them have continued the fracturing of the social compact which holds our nation together.
As one black academic put it, "America is a failed social experiment". However, he concluded we must continue to fight for our country. Meanwhile, Cheetolini is said to have retreated to the White House bunker on Friday night as protestors surrounded the residence. Emerging over the weekend, tRump fired off a tweetstorm of hate designed to defend his craven abdication of leadership. He has faced 3 major crises since the start of 2020; the Covid 19 pandemic, the related economic storm which has idled over 40 million workers and finally the wave of police and white supremacist brutality which has resulted in the deaths of Ahmed Arbury, Breonna Taylor and finally George Floyd.
The president* has manifestly failed in his reaction to each crisis. We are stuck with this failure at least until November 3rd. I hope the country can wait that long for deliverance from this nightmare.
It has been a week since George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis after his arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. The horrific nature of the killing, kneeling on the neck of the suspect while he begged to be allowed to breathe, caused nationwide revulsion among blacks and whites. The ensuing demonstrations and the burning and looting which accompanied them have continued the fracturing of the social compact which holds our nation together.
As one black academic put it, "America is a failed social experiment". However, he concluded we must continue to fight for our country. Meanwhile, Cheetolini is said to have retreated to the White House bunker on Friday night as protestors surrounded the residence. Emerging over the weekend, tRump fired off a tweetstorm of hate designed to defend his craven abdication of leadership. He has faced 3 major crises since the start of 2020; the Covid 19 pandemic, the related economic storm which has idled over 40 million workers and finally the wave of police and white supremacist brutality which has resulted in the deaths of Ahmed Arbury, Breonna Taylor and finally George Floyd.
The president* has manifestly failed in his reaction to each crisis. We are stuck with this failure at least until November 3rd. I hope the country can wait that long for deliverance from this nightmare.
Monday, June 1, 2020
Yearning for justice
My little corner of America was quiet this weekend even as it seemed the rest of the country was being burned down and looted. I suspect many on either side of the cultural and political divide witnessed the same dichotomy. We had a small demonstration in town on Saturday with a few dozen protestors supporting Black Lives Matter, although the black population of Clinton county is probably less than 2 %. There was no counter demonstration, but I don't doubt a majority is appalled by both the cause and the effects of the violence.
I remember 1967 and the civil unrest, but it was hard to disentangle the anti-war protests from those protesting racial injustice. The nightly news was a litany of chaos and destruction, yet there again, growing up on eastern Long Island my neighbors and i were insulated by distance from the major riots and unrest.
What is missing now from the equation is the calming voices of civil rights leaders and leadership from the president*. No one voice is speaking in righteous tones of Martin Luther King to advocate for nonviolent protests, so hard core activists and opportunists turn legitimate outrage into violent confrontation. Meanwhile, the man who still feels the "Central Park Five" should have been executed not only has not empathy for his black and brown countrymen, but in a tweetstorm of rage suggested "after the looting starts, the shooting starts".
In many ways, we've come a long way from 1967, yet the old wounds still bleed when fresh evidence of white supremacy is rubbed in our faces. Most of us want to believe that racial justice is possible, but we must have the fortitude to demand it and to vote for it in November. Surely it will be denied if we don't.
I remember 1967 and the civil unrest, but it was hard to disentangle the anti-war protests from those protesting racial injustice. The nightly news was a litany of chaos and destruction, yet there again, growing up on eastern Long Island my neighbors and i were insulated by distance from the major riots and unrest.
What is missing now from the equation is the calming voices of civil rights leaders and leadership from the president*. No one voice is speaking in righteous tones of Martin Luther King to advocate for nonviolent protests, so hard core activists and opportunists turn legitimate outrage into violent confrontation. Meanwhile, the man who still feels the "Central Park Five" should have been executed not only has not empathy for his black and brown countrymen, but in a tweetstorm of rage suggested "after the looting starts, the shooting starts".
In many ways, we've come a long way from 1967, yet the old wounds still bleed when fresh evidence of white supremacy is rubbed in our faces. Most of us want to believe that racial justice is possible, but we must have the fortitude to demand it and to vote for it in November. Surely it will be denied if we don't.
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