Disappointed!

      Disappointment is the dominant emotion the Biden administration can muster after the unelected Senate Parlimentarian said the minimum wage increase to $15.00/hr. cannot be included in the reconciliation bill moving through the House.   I find it obscene that officials making many times that per hour are willing to throw fellow Americans under the bus without at least expressing indignation at this development.

      Sorry guys, but if you think you can blame Republicans for your failure to fight for the minimum wage by saying you will tamely accept a third party judgement, it won't fly with many Democrats.  It's time to take off the gloves and go to the mat for something that means everything to millions of voters.  Put the issue to a vote on the floor and if it fails there, you can go to the voters and explain how you can't pass essential legislation because Joe Manchin doesn't like it.  If Mitch McConnell was in charge of the Democratic caucus there would be no doubt as to the final  vote.  Time to grow a pair, Chuck!

A new normal

       Amid a slackening of the pace of decline of new Covid 19 infections in the US, comes news more infectious strains have been discovered in New York and California.  So far, the new strains have not overcome the vaccines' effectiveness.  However, it seems only a matter of time until the virus mutates beyond the ability of the various vaccines to control it.  We face the nightmare of a flu like disease with far greater mortality than presently circulating strains of common flu.  

       Will the new normal include the possibility our most cherished friends and relatives face death on a regular basis?   Hopefully the major drug companies can tweak their vaccines to account for new variants, but we must also prepare for a future of mask wearing and social distancing.   Having just received our 2nd Covid shots, the Divine Mrs. M are looking forward to restaurant meals, an occasional movie at the theater and participating in group activities like singing together.  Let's hope our aspirations remain viable as the year continues.

It's a celebrity world

      If you wanted to know about Tiger Woods' physical condition this morning, it would seem every news outlet was panting to tell you.   After a horrific rollover crash in Los Angeles yesterday, Woods is in stable condition but had surgery to insert a rod into one of his legs and rebuild his shattered ankle.  Until the media determines the public has had enough coverage we will probably be subjected to more intimate coverage of the GOAT golfer.

      The incessant coverage of celebrity travails is nothing new.   Most of us grew up or were mature in the People magazine era.  However, with the advent of 24 hour cable coverage, the relentless need for content forces stations and their cyber outlets to give minute coverage to incidents which would barely be noted in the 1970s.  I am certainly not dinging Tiger Woods.  I wish him a speedy recovery.  Having played golf myself, I truly doubt he will ever regain his championship form again, but it sounds like he will have the opportunity to play with his son in the future. 

      The problem I see with celebrity culture is the inability of the media to educate the public instead of titillating us.

Didn't have to, after all

     No sooner than I hit the publish button on yesterday's screed than came the news the Supreme Court had dismissed tRump's suit asking them to bar his accounting firm from passing on nearly a million pages of his financial records to the Manhattan D.A.   Ah, schadenfreude is a hell of a drug.

     Robbed of his Twitter account due to using it to promote armed insurrection, the failed former president was reduced to releasing a word salad of stupidity on something "From the office of".  As one NYT reporter who has seen many years of the Donald's tax returns, the ex dear leader is right to be terrified of the consequences of said tax returns being released to a prosecutor with jurisdiction.

Can't quit him

       One of the sureties of the last 5 years for newspersons, opinion columnists or bloggers was Donald J. tRump.  Even if there was no other news in the world, tRump could and often did fuel enough outrage for a column.  A single tweet would fell acres of trees or trillions of electrons in service to righteous indignation.  Now, with a lifetime Twitter ban hanging over his head, Cheatolini is becoming less and less relevant as we advance into the boring Biden era.

      Competence, fairness and good government are no match for the dysfunctional tRump follies.  While the average man in the street may actually start to enjoy living in 21st century America, his counterpart in the pundit industry is slowly pulling his hair out (or not in my case).   What to do?  Of course there are numerous problems confronting us, from environmental disaster to speculation of the Tampa Bay football team's prospects to the Covid 19 crisis.  Still, it's far easier to crank out a few hundred words either praising or blaming the most polarizing  figure in the country if not the world.  

Weather or climate change

       Lost amid the outrage over Ted Cruz' choice of vacation destination in the midst of a crisis is the lack of a concerted attack on climate science by Republicans.   It may be they haven't marshalled the argument that since it is freezing in Texas, there can't possibly by "global warming" since kids are building snowmen in Austin.

      I doubt this will be a credible explanation going forward.  It seems even the most doughty climate warriors know snowballs are not good ammunition to fight the science behind climate change.   One of the hallmarks of the coming crisis is the extreme variability of weather conditions.   Early frost, unseasonable heat waves, snow in the south and drought all around is the new norm and we had better continue efforts to mitigate the changes as well as provide relief in the case of catastrophes such as the one Texas is experiencing now.

Red and Blue Assholes

       The one party state is proving to be problematic in 2021.   From California to New York, to Texas and Florida, Democratic and Republican governors have flubbed the defining crises of their careers and non of them have had a check on their ability to inflict pain on the citizens in their respective states.  

      Andrew Cuomo has once again proven to be a thin skinned bully who is more interested in covering up his shortcomings than correcting them.   From covering up his stupid decision to return Covid patients from hospital to nursing homes where they spread the disease to threatening state assemblymen who called for hearings, Cuomo is a poster child for term limit legislation.

      Texas governor Greg Abbott is incompetent and downright evil in his inept handling of the winter storm crisis in Texas.  He had already demonstrated his inability in  a previous term, but red Texas re-elected him anyway because that's what you do in a one party state.

      Mini tRump Ron DeSantis in Florida seemingly doesn't care how many Floridians die of Covid, because the most famous resident of the Sunshine State is cheering his incompetence.  DeSantis would have lost the last gubernatorial election without tRump's backing, so he is doubling down on assholery.

     I don't know much about Gavin Newsome in California, but he seems to be the type of political animal who rises in a one party state.   It's all about the power, not how you wield it to improve the lives of your fellow citizens.  Eating thousand dollar/plate dinners while Californians are being told to stay home and suffer in silence is the defining moment of his governorship so far.

     These four men and their hubris and incompetence are cautionary tales for our times.

Texas and climate change

      As millions of Texans huddle in the cold without power, Republicans are more than happy to blame everyone but themselves.   After decades of little to no investment in the Lone Star state's power grid, it predictably failed with the onslaught of a powerful winter storm.   Flailing about for someone or something to blame, the governor, Greg Abbot decided the Green New Deal was responsible for his own failure to encourage investment in the power grid.  As most people know, the aformentioned legislation has not even been introduced to Congress, let alone passed into law.

      Weird weather will more rapidly become the norm in the near future and every aspect of our civilization had better start preparing for it.  Blaming the new technologies, such as wind and solar along with power storing batteries for the problem is counter productive, but that seems to be the hill the GOP is willing to die on.  Let's hope they die quickly so the rest of us can get on with preparing  for the rigors of climate change.

Enough already

         As any northern based reader of this blog knows, I am writing about the weather, not the failed former president*.    Although the winter storm that blew through here last night was not nearly as strong as advertised it will still require some cleanup this morning.   

       Another thing most of us are tired of is the relentless cold weather.  At least here in the North Country we haven't seen temperatures above freezing in over 2 weeks.  Despite the longer days in February, the feeling is we might as well be in the first week of January.   Combine that with the Covid 19 travel restrictions and the fight for vaccination and it has been a depressing winter so far.  Can it get any worse?  Ah, another stupid question!

Sadly predictable

     The hurried end to the impeachment trial of Donald John Trump on Saturday was in hindsight thoroughly predictable, despite the cries of outrage from the Divine Mrs. M and millions of her fellow citizens.    If you were following the process, the tantalizing possibility that 17 Republicans would follow their conscience and vote to convict the failed former president was ever present.  The reality was there was never any possibility that would happen.  

      What is the way forward for the Biden administration?   The president has tried his best to let everyone know he was not following the proceedings, but of course his political advisors could not avoid speculation regarding the fallout from whatever verdict was delivered.   White House pressure on the impeachment managers was probably intense following their decision to call at least one witness before ending the trial.   Biden devoutly hopes this whole problem will just disappear.   Sadly, I don' t believe tRump will not go away, although his laziness and continuing legal problems will impair his effectiveness as head of a fractious Republican party.  I think this is the best outcome we can hope for.

Bidenomics and the GOP

       The farce more commonly known as the second tRump impeachment trial will probably end today with the pathetic bleatings of unconstitutionality providing cover for Republican senators to vote nay on conviction of the sociopathic former resident of the White House.  The more lasting legacy of the present Congress and the Biden administration is the Covid 19 relief legislation and the forthcoming bill on infrastructure.

       As Paul Krugman points out in the NYT today, Biden's 1.9 trillion dollar relief bill has overwhelming support among voters despite opposition by the congressional GOP.   Voters have seen this act before.  In the Obama administration's effort to counteract the Great Recession, they were sold a bill of goods by Republicans who compared a sovereign government with the average middle class family.   During the tRump reign of error, the GOP rammed through a 2 trillion dollar tax cut for the uber wealthy with barely a nod to the middle class.

     This time around, voters see the candid effort to relieve the American public with cash and government programs that target the virus and underlying economic inequality.  Even 61% of Republican voters support the Recovery Act.   More spending on infrastructure is contemplated and is also supported by the public.  It seems our fellow citizens have finally spotted the 3 card monty game Republicans have used for the past 40 years and are not interested in playing any more.

The Fall of Winterfell

      I was going to use Winterfell as a metaphor for the storming and sacking of the Capitol on January 6, but I don't think Robb Stark would have left the seat of his power nearly undefended if Theon Greyjoy had told him every day for nearly 2 months he was prepared to betray his oaths to the Stark family.

      As laid out by the House impeachment managers, Donald Trump told the whole world his oath to the Constitution was null and void if his was not re-elected.  He then set out on a campaign to overturn the results of the election in very public terms.   Whoever was in charge of Capitol security should have seen the threat in real time and made provisions to protect Congress when it gathered on January 6 to certify the election of Joe Biden as president.

      Jaime Raskin's team made a mockery of Republican pretentions Cheatolini was not responsible  for the sacking of the Capitol.  Their presentation was stunning in showing how nearly to disaster the entire Congress was exposed.   The only question is how the spineless caucus in the Senate will explain their votes to their constituents and to history.

What's Goin' On

        Joe Pesci was probably too busy celebrating his 78th birthday to watch the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begin yesterday, but he was certainly there in spirit.  Two "My Cousin Vinnie" wannabes took to the floor of the Senate to say the Senators/jurors should ignore any and all evidence of the obvious criminality of the failed former president* and give tRump a bye on non-existent technicalities supposed to be in the Constitution.

     The difference between Pesci's defense of his cousin and the president's* lawyers' defense of their client is the videotape.  13 minutes of gut wrenching views of an insurrection in action was more than any defense attorney could counter.    tRump's team was weak tea indeed.  It doesn't really matter, because Cheatolini's defense could consist of him taking a hot steaming dump on the floor of the Senate and he would still be found not guilty by the sedition caucus in the senate.

Alternate history

       If the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6 at the behest of a failed former president had been just a little better organized it is possible a whole different story could have been written regarding the 2020 election.   Much as Caesar crossing the Rubicon led to the overthrow of the Roman Republic, tRump's incitement of his MAGA followers could have caused the deaths of many congressional representatives and the declaration of martial law by the president*.

      Fortunately, tRump is too lazy and ignorant to have plotted a successful coup.  However, as incompetent as he is, we still came within a few minutes of losing our democracy nonetheless.  I doubt we will be so lucky the next time.   And there will be a next time.   

      If tRump was successful, what would the political landscape look like right now.   For one thing, the pandemic would continue to rage out of control since the government would remain a shell of its former self with a cabinet of acting secretaries beholden for their titles to the commander in chief.   Legislation to muzzle the  press would probably be passed and any criticism of the president* would be banned.   The results of the election would be overturned and tRump would be declared president for life by the remains of congress.

     I could go on, but you get the idea.   That is why the impeachment trial starting today is so important.  We cannot let tRump's crimes against democracy go unremarked.   He will not be convicted, but he must wear the scarlet letter of impeachment as a deterrent against the coming of a competent authoritarian.

Winning votes and losing the argument

        Paul Krugman in the NYT has it right today.   Paring down the Biden administration's Covid relief bill not on policy considerations but merely to win a few Republican votes is the definition of political insanity and Biden knows it from personal experience.

       Obama listened to his political advisors and cut the stimulus bill by hundreds of billions of dollars in order to win 3 Republican votes in the Senate.   The stimulus saved the economy from immediate implosion, but was not big enough to get it moving quickly enough to blunt the economic suffering that happened in much of the country.   That in turn allowed Republicans to say that government spending is ineffective.

       Now, Congress has another bite of the apple.  There is overwhelming support in the country for Biden's proposals and in particular for the relief checks of $1400.00 for voters making less than $75,000 individually or $150,000 for couples.   The "smart" people seem willing to reduce eligibility to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for couples.  On the surface, this seems like a reasonable compromise.  However, in many areas of the country, the higher threshold is still not a lot of money and there would be pain and a sense of betrayal if these people were not included.  BTW, people in this income bracket tend to vote Republican.  This is Biden's chance to convince them government can work for them.

    Krugman also makes the point that future measures such as infrastructure spending will be more popular if the first relief bill affects a wider cross section of America.   It's time to learn from history and mobilize popular sentiment around policies which help the most people.

Crazy times

         Even with the internet and  the 24 hour news cycle it's undeniable we live in a crazy time, although the aforementioned facilitators amplify the insanity.

        The Gamestop pump and dump scheme played out in public and in real time.  It basically let the public know that for all the financial markets' utility in the capitalist world, they can occasionally be turned into a glorified casino where the chumps can be separated from their money, sometimes in spectacular fashion.  The original take was this was a band of Davids taking on the Goliath hedge funds.  In the end, it turned out the Goliaths probably infiltrated and duped the Davids.

      Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene made a half assed apology to her fellow members of the House.  She admitted 9/11 took place, but on the other hand didn't show any contrition for harassing students who survived the Parkland school shooting, nor did she apologize for liking a post on facebook calling for a bullet to the head of Nancy Pelosi.   She also didn't mention her assurance to fellow Q devotees that the hanging of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was being planned.   Even though she was stripped of her committee assignments by Democrats and some Republicans, she will remain a cancer in the House until the next election.   

    Who knows what will come out in the late Friday news dump.   Stay tuned and be ready.

The urgency of now

      I hope Joe Biden has read Barack Obama's autobiographical recounting of his 8 years in the Oval Office.   In "A Promised Land", Obama recounts  the relentless obstruction of his plans by the republican minorities in the House and the Senate.  In a futile search for a bipartisan unicorn, the president allowed Republicans to downsize relief for the Great Recession and the ACA.  The first 2 years were consumed by the minutia of congressional foot dragging and by the time those programs were enacted, the Tea Party effectively ended the possibility of immigration reform and voting rights legislation.

      It is fashionable to blame Obama for these shortcomings, but to do so would be akin to blaming LBJ for not going to China and opening it the way Nixon did.   Much as Jackie Robinson did when he played for the Dodgers in the 40s and 50s, Obama was obliged to put up with insults and prejudice no white man would have put up with.  He could not call out Republicans for obstructionism without being accused of playing the "race card".

     Fortunately, Biden doesn't have to worry about racist obstructionism and being called to sacrifice his electoral mandate in the name of comity.   So far, the president is politely, but firmly telling Republicans they are welcome to input in legislation, but not obstruction.   Let's hope he continues to do so.

The Revolution of rising expectations

       Democrats in and out of Congress are probably going to be swamped with the importunities from their various bases.   On some issues, such as the economy, Dems can actually meet the expectations they have raised.  $1400.00 checks, money for schools and small businesses and funds to expedite Covid vaccinations are all very popular.  Border security and voting rights are another story. 

  A pathway to citizenship for 11 million immigrants without documents is not nearly as popular, even with the Democratic base.    Tens of thousands Central Americans fleeing political violence in their countries are presently waiting for immigration hearings on the Mexican side of the border and they are not going away.   A minority of citizens are in favor of allowing these people in.   However, the ethno-nationalist frenzy whipped up by former president* tRump and Republicans looking for ways to stay in power may very well erupt  in violence if this policy is embraced by Dems.

      Americans support voting rights in the abstract, but when the rubber meets the road, a large minority of our fellow citizens would happily vote for Jim Crow restrictions meant to disenfranchise large swaths of black and brown voters whom they consider unworthy to exercise our most fundamental right.

     How president Biden handles these rising expectations and steers legislation addressing them will determine how successful his administration will be and whether our democracy will survive.

A Democrat and a Republican walk into a bar

        So the joke will be on us if president Biden spends more than 5 minutes considering the Republican "plan" for Covid relief.   In the process of delivering a 600 billion dollar plan which insults the very idea of bipartisanship, the gang of 10 Republicans are replicating the playbook they used during the Obama years to delay aid until it was so late and inadequate that Democrats paid with the loss of their majority in the House in 2012 and the Senate 2 years later.

       Yes, we have to play the kabuki of bipartisanship, but as many have pointed out, Americans don't care how relief gets out of Congress, as long as it happens.   The dinosaurs who told Obama to delay aid in the name of comity are mostly retired or defeated.   It is left to the press to continue the game of bipartisanship in a bad faith effort to stir up a Dems vs. Repubs meme.  Lucy is hovering the football as we watch in horror.

So much to talk about

      Beware the Jewish space laser.   Watch the former president*' legal team implode.  Gamestop!  Brady or Mahomes.   Putin or Navalny.  If I had the time and the audience who cared enough to read it, I could come up with a few thousand words on any of these topics.   Alas, with no time and a small readership, I'll cut corners and encourage those who care to check out their favorite reliable media for details.

    Marjorie Taylor Greene finally attracted critical rather than mocking media attention this past weekend.  If she had been covered this way during the run up to her election to the House this past fall, she wouldn't be in the spotlight now.

      tRump's latest legal team quit a mere 7 days before the impeachment trial is to begin.  He actually is rumored to have argued he could do a better job defending himself.  Bring it on!

      The Gamestop stock debacle is sure to occupy the comic relief slot in most newscasts this week.  As the details come out I think it will look less like a David vs. Goliath story than a scam being worked on the hapless suckers who in a different life were tRump supporters.

     It looks like Putin will have to repress Navalny supporters all across Russia if his regime is to survive the winter.

     Mahomes in a walk.