Friday, December 31, 2021
Good Boys and Good Girls
Not a lot of self-doubt, not a lot of self-recrimination. Among other things, it's a worldview which is very unsympathetic to the failure of others, failures that could not have resulted from anything other than a failure to check the boxes.
Do Clap Popular Things Clap
A big problem with the Biden White House is they love the absolute worst fucking people in The Discourse, and Yglesias is one of the ones they love (all the smartest boys on the internet basically, who tend to approach most things from a Trumpesque "nobody thought of this before I did" perspective). Ron Klain is regularly retweeting the worst shit.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Hot Dog Guy Dot Gif
Statement on interview with Alan Dershowitz pic.twitter.com/MlXkqdJI8u
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) December 30, 2021
Oh Elon
New York (CNN)Over 475,000 Tesla (TSLA) cars have been recalled due to technical defects that may increase the risk of accidents. Two separate recalls are in place, one regarding the rear-view camera in the Tesla Model 3 and the other involves the frunk, or front trunk, latches in the Model S.The large recall nearly equals Tesla's total global deliveries last year, as just under 500,000 total cars were delivered in 2020, according to Tesla's annual report.
Don't Look Up
I was quite amused that a lot of journalists were complaining about the movie using the "trope" of a woman journalist sleeping with her source. And, yes, movies do that and it is a very bad movie trope!
But if all the very serious journalists consider the host of a morning infotainment show character a "journalist" and a guest on the show to be a "source" then, I dunno man, I think the problem is with the concept of journalism and maybe the movie has a point.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Never Go The Full Conservative
Bring on its snarling id!
RIP Harry Reid
I honestly mean this as a compliment. Of course we all want BRAVE UNFLINCHING TRUTHTELLERS, or think we do, but that's not the road to success in many roles. A politician who is careful with his bullshit is actually showing some respect for his audience.
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
The Ghouls Are Always At The Table
They are always there, they have immense influence, and they aren't dissuaded by pesky things like "mass death."
Imagine That, Huh, Me Working For You
Dems got wiped out in 2010 midterms, and the often expressed view from both Obamas was something like "our voters got complacent and didn't bother to turn out" and, well, there were almost 6 million foreclosures total in 2009 and 2010 (more in 2010 than 2009) and the unemployment rate on election day was almost 10%.
Again, choose which villains to blame for that, but I do not think the correct diagnosis of the moment was simply "our voters got lazy."
Welfare For Rich White People
Sorry we can't offer you anything like the benefits that people in literally every other developed country have had for decades, we needed to help a strategic consultant fill out the last bay in his McMansion's 8-car garage with new Tesla.
— Matt Duss (@mattduss) December 28, 2021
Declaring Victory
Learn to code!
They don't have superhuman powers, but they should use the powers they do have. The Obama administration's whocouldanode, notourfault, nothingwecando, thepeoplearetoblameactually was... not good!
Monday, December 27, 2021
Oh Elon
BEIJING -- Chinese citizens lashed out online against billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday after China complained that its space station was forced to take evasive action to avoid collision with satellites launched by Musk’s Starlink programme.
Resurrections
8 Can't Wait
0 of them have had guns (not that that would make it okay by any means).
— no thats a different one who’s dead (@AdamOfTheSmiths) December 27, 2021
The Answer Is Not More Cars
This is a solvable problem, but less solvable when "government should just take care of stuff" is heresy. Of course I just hate cars and think they should be banned, but minor land use changes allowing more people to not have to drive for every single trip they do are actually "free" or better. Replicating our world, but electric, is actually expensive and there still are a lot of unsolved problems.
King of the Ghouls
Larry's at the pretending not to understand things phase of his career, because he's got nothing else, but everybody else doesn't have to pretend to not see what he's doing..@LHSummers is supportive of @POTUS’s competition agenda but scoffs at non-serious non-economists who suggest antitrust is relevant to combating rising prices.
— Sarah Miller (@sarahmillerdc) December 27, 2021
Summers 5 months ago: https://t.co/t447VF9knW pic.twitter.com/izJ4uFeRZR
Orszag, another ghoul.Arguing with Larry Summers on this is like arguing with Bozo the Clown, but for what it's worth you only need to see market power in one area of the economy to have it show up economy-wide in inflation: the logistics industry. https://t.co/WqF9LX3OKv
— David Dayen (@ddayen) December 27, 2021
Come for your man, Larry's friends. You should have come for him decades ago instead of swatting his critics.Curious are you with Larry now or Larry five months ago? https://t.co/GkGIrS61j8
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) December 27, 2021
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Ghouls
I've long said that economists aren't as bad as some people think, but the public face of economics is absolutely horrendous and part of the reason for that is not enough economists, like Gray, call their colleagues (appropriately) ghouls.Typical Philipson column: after he misapplies average inflation measures, he makes his usual claims (without evidence) that Trump somehow caused an economic boom and that Biden is waging an "explicit war on capital," presumably at least in part by sending cash to parents. pic.twitter.com/PSbmAJSy3t
— Gray Kimbrough (@graykimbrough) December 25, 2021
Owning The Libs Is The Force That Gives Us Meaning
Lazy Sunday
Are they weirdo fringe beliefs? Consider how <20% views are normally treated except when reporters think they are the views of Real Americans? Or rich assholes, I guess.
Saturday, December 25, 2021
Books? What Are They?
I did recently run a 5k in 23:04, which is old man respectable, so I did *something*.
Happy Life Day!
Now we all get to enjoy it!
Friday, December 24, 2021
Lab Leak "Theory"
More people need mirrors.
"Agreed"
Tesla has agreed to modify software in its cars to prevent drivers and passengers from playing video games on the dashboard screens while vehicle are in motion, a federal safety regulator said on Thursday.I remember a few years ago when the telsa fanboys were super excited because (I think) they could now watch Netflix on their car dash. And when would that actually be a thing you would want to do? Kids on their tablets in the back seats, sure, but...
Holiday Week
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Guilty
Former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter has been found guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright.
Holiday Cheer
The sad thing is that all the things that made that possible (economic support, widening direct federal involvement in public health) seem to be embarrassing for people, something best swept under the rug as quickly as possible so we can return to "normal."
The right lesson is those things are good, akshually.
Fix It
USDOT Nudges States To Prioritize Fix-It-First Infrastructure Spending
The People Who Should Know Better
It actually isn't that easy now for them, but they get the regular assist from the centrist dipshits (marks or participants, depending) who take all their nonsense seriously. Oh no, inflation! Terry Mac was too woke and people are mad about CRT! The caravan in Mexico (1300 miles away from the border!)! Real Americans in the Ohio diners are concerned about [spins wheel] the use of the term 'Latinx' by DC issue groups! Despite all polling on the issue saying the opposite, the data nerds are convinced that the people (the data nerds) hate all covid related mandates! Polls are everything until they disagree with me!
I actually had an exchange with a reporter (a civil exchange, a good reporter) about the migrant caravan issue in 2018, and this reporter did seem to honestly believe the story was an important one that would continue to be covered after the election and, well...
But that was actually an issue that was worthy of coverage, just not at that moment because Donald Trump said so. Sometimes these types of stories are worthy of news coverage, just not obsessive what-does-it-mean-for-politics coverage. Often they're just bullshit. Short term gas price spike! No Christmas gifts! A one month decline in real wages in 3 deciles of the income distribution! Corporate HR anti-racism! One month of inflation after a pandemic!
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 22, 2021
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Snitches
Greene has agreed to a cooperation deal with the government.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 22, 2021
Don't Worry, Mr. Manchin, There Will Always Be Plenty Of Poor People
The Schools
(Obviously "schools" are not one thing, there are thousands of school districts under all kinds of political jurisdictions, but generally...)
Aside from physical mitigation issues (ventilation, etc.), people just flat out ignore the unsolvable personnel issues that schools face daily when staff/teachers are getting covid and there isn't exactly a large pool of willing substitutes. There has been a lot of wishing away of the health risk to children, and a lot of just ignoring the issue of spread (in school and at home), but even if "we" accept those things, the very practical issue of making sure there are sufficient people watching your 8-year-olds every day is unsolved and often unsolvable!
I'm not saying, "close the schools!" I'm saying that, well, you try being a principal of one right now.
Our Sister Outlet
During the post-9/11/Iraq era (always going to be fun trying to explain that link to the kids), Fox was hardly different than much of the rest because the rest were toxic, too! And when Obama came in, they all loved the idea of a loyal opposition, even though it was not loyal and largely full of nonsense. At best.
Nonsense is a valid perspective as long as conservatives believe it has long been the standard. Weirdly much more valid than, say, "maybe we should have some sort of free at point of access health care system." That one is subversive shit, communism even.
Just Solve Problems
Sometimes it's useful to think, "what if Trump was doing this?" Or if that's too psychotic, "what if George W. Bush was?" How would you react?
I'm cautiously optimistic about Omicron (if I were Nate Silver I'd call this MY PRIORS and decree it's SCIENCE instead of just some bullshit in my head), but to a great degree the plan now is get vaccinated and hope for the best and, well, we'd better hope!
Whether or not they're particularly helpful in reducing the spread in the aggregate, the tests certainly help people manage their own lives and reduce personal anxiety. That's important!
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
More thread
Weeping For The People Of Afghanistan
Do What You Can Do
I wouldn’t hold my breath, but executive action is a duty regardless. The function of the president is to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. If Biden wants a successful presidency, the only path forward goes through using his own prodigious authority. We wrote the Day One Agenda precisely as a counterpoint to the despair of legislative paralysis. There’s not a ton we can do about the paralysis, but a president can govern. And we know what he can do. We wrote it down and everything.The force of LAW.
Well If Goldman Sachs Says So
I think concerns about the Biden Boom fizzling out are very valid! Especially if Mr. Biden does not do some things he personally has the power to do! But this tic of left-leaning people to point to conservative/wealthy authorities as if they are Serious Adults Who Need To Be Listened To is a problem!Goldman Sachs says not passing BBB will cause an economic slowdown. Campaign on that 24-7 and hang it around 50 Republicans and Manchin. Bring it to a vote and make all vote against it.
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) December 20, 2021
I do not think "we'd better follow the sage advice of Goldman Sachs!" is a particularly wise long term strategy!
Same thinking leads to recruiting ex-military/cia for candidates, running to The Generals (former) to get blessings for your foreign policy, or trying to get Mitt Romney to support your economic legislation.
Yesterday Is The Day Donald Trump Became President
I Blame The Bernie Bros
"The Left" in Congress basically went to bat for the supposed Biden agenda, supported by most of the supposed moderates in Congress, attempting to strategically shepherd the bill through while compromising every time. They were still being blamed at every step.
And now Mitt Romney is going to save us!
Really it's the centrist pundits who think (their versions of) drum circles and giant puppets are the major agents of change.
Holding The Public To Account
All the ways in which the public is sliced up into deserving/undeserving for things is like this. Sure team R thinks "richer white people are deserving and eerybody else isn't" which is really bad! But team D has their own model of deserving/undeserving.
Complex eligibility requirements, to make sure people are obeying all the (abritary, complex, inconsistently applied) rules.
That model drove everybody into student debt, of course. The success sequence required college, those without it were undeserving.
Enablers
There's also a second "maybe Mitt Romnney will support something!" plotline.After all we've been through, do you really, truly think there's a tangible deal to take here? Regardless of whatever's on a piece of paper?
— David Dayen (@ddayen) December 20, 2021
We can all stop playing dumb any time. https://t.co/xED1M8kbJg
And they say The Left is full of unreasonable dreams and magical thinking.
Monday, December 20, 2021
Happy Hour Thread
We lie. That's how.
Oh No Mr. Manchin My Stonks
Better Things Aren't Possible
Corruption is part of it, of course, but there really is deep deep ideological opposition to the idea that the government should do anything except build unncessary highways and buy yachts for middle aged guys in Northern Virginia.
Use It
I Dunno If This Is Such A Good Idea
The savvy take coming out the end of this will be that the BIF is great and wonderful, and the two track plan was necessary to get that passed, and otherwise nothing would have passed.
The great thing about twitter is you see the talking points in fairly raw form, who has them, and who repeats them.
We all gotta eat, I guess.
A cursed aspect of DC is that everyone is supposed to pretend that obviously bad faith operators are AKSHUALLY operating in good faith. It is very rude to point out that the Lobbyist from Chevron-Raytheon is in fact paid to lie, or at best not let the truth ever get in the way of the interests of his clients. Pointing it out is much much ruder than lying for money.When we suggested this months ago, people were outraged, accused us of insulting people’s character, called us disruptive, etc
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 20, 2021
Capitol Hill is full of folks who convince themselves they’re 3 steps ahead by rationalizing to themselves why the obvious isn’t true. A hustler’s dream https://t.co/2LYbuHyASy
MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
gonna speak some truth to power here - not gonna make any friends this way, might hurt my career - but wow nobody could have done better than Joe, Chuck and Nancy
— Atrios (@Atrios) December 19, 2021
Easily Flattered Fools
We aren't ruled by wise and benevolent people, for the most part. The best you can say is, "Members of Congress, they're just like us! (only richer)."
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Face Up, Make Your Stand
Bad faith operators aren't just liars, they're sociopaths who truly don't consider most other people to be people.
I feel bad when I waste your time with a bad post.
I don’t think this is being emphasized enough: he didn’t just blow up the Democrats’ agenda, he strategically timed it to blow up the Democrats’ agenda with the largest possible explosion.
— August J. Pollak (Taylor’s Version) (@AugustJPollak) December 19, 2021
Mad Now
Who needs coal, really?
Predictable
...Capitalism!
And Then It All Went Wrong
Choose your own villains. But they're there and their voices are much more influential than this very fine blog will ever be.
Saturday, December 18, 2021
Nobody Could Have Predicted
“We didn’t see Delta coming. I think most scientists did not — upon whose advice and direction we have relied — didn’t see Delta coming,” she said. “We didn’t see Omicron coming. And that’s the nature of what this, this awful virus has been, which as it turns out, has mutations and variants.”Variants were not a surprising development. And certainly not after Delta.
Entering the ugly phase of this administration.
Green Shoots
Also what we're supposed to think.
Normies are just going to know if things seem better or worse, and blame the people in charge (that's team D).
Friday, December 17, 2021
Clap Louder
I don't imagine this very fine blog frequently has much influence on the world, but I do know that there are many more voices saying "don't do more, do less, all your problems are because of all the socialism [you haven't even done]" in earshot of the people in power.
I apologize in advance for the midterm losses I have caused.
Windows Hell
Vacuuming Up All The Money
The psycho economists are aware, but they are dedicated to the idea that not rich people must suffer.
Gonna be some economic and political headwinds if they don't do something!
Me complaining about it, and not offering up the very elaborate excuses circulating in the talking points, is the problem, of course.
If You Don't Do This Thing, I'll Do This Other Thing
That there are things to bargain with is my point.
Maybe read that Art of the Deal book (joke).
Thursday, December 16, 2021
The Cost Of Vaccinating The World
I suspect much cheaper than not!
There has always been a noncontroversial nontrivial risk that letting Covid run wild too many places instead of stamping it out as fast as possible would be catastrophic.
And catastrophic for "us" not just those other people we don't care about.
"We" got the miracle vaccine and then hoarded it.
What A Moran Flanagan
...confused my Caitlins. Flanagan, not Moran! (correction from reader el)
The Vibes, They Are Bad
For the largely mythical regular swing voter, the focus of all of our politics for some reason, politics is horrible. They don't want to hear about it, ever, and it's a trip to the dentist whenever they do.
(Most 'independent' voters are not swing voters at all, I'm talking about the genuine weirdos who go through life being genuinely confused about which party they should vote for.)
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Long And Winding Email
But, really, stop with the excuses.
I think I have a point here.
Free Market Economy
There's no amount of possible transparency that mitigates the harm of this.Pelosi, says lawmakers/Capitol staff shouldn't be prohibited from trading stock: "This is a free market, we are a free market economy, they should be able to participate in that."
— Mariana Alfaro (@marianaa_alfaro) December 15, 2021
Ah, Well, Nevertheless
Requiring 50+1 votes so they don't need 60. What a system!NBC News: Senate expected to shelve Build Back Better bill, moving forward aggressively now on voting rights
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) December 15, 2021
Liars
Pretending To Believe
Can't fake some behaviors, but you can fake "not getting vaccinated." Tell all your MAGA buddies that you didn't do it, but just go do it!
The Party of Mark Meadows
But, yes, Trumpism without a few of Trump's particular quirks existed before Trump.
Don't See How Donnie Two Scoops Is Going To Wriggle Out Of This One
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected former president Donald Trump’s long-running effort to block the Treasury Department from turning over his tax records to the House Ways and Means Committee, but put the ruling on hold pending an expected appeal.Trump Judge. For the cynics:
As I was saying: https://t.co/jKBsHzf3Zi
— Cristian Farias (@cristianafarias) December 14, 2021
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Just Liars
The idea that news judgment, framing, language and traffic don’t shape news coverage, and that reporters simply write about what pols talk about, is an insult to readers. https://t.co/vjrhDySvAv
— Adam Serwer 🍝 (@AdamSerwer) December 14, 2021
Grand Old Police Blotter
Three Republican residents of the hedonistic Florida retirement haven The Villages have been charged with casting multiple votes in the 2020 presidential election, according to local reports.
Justice
Sowing, Reaping
Three Fox News hosts who have been among Donald Trump’s most ardent media boosters were so horrified by the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol that they begged the then-president’s chief of staff to convince him to intercede, according to newly aired messages from that day.
Monday, December 13, 2021
Good Things Happen To Good People
Cancel Culture
This is no less ridiculous than most "cancel culture" stories, of course.My campaign is gaining momentum, so the @PhillyInquirer and the @theView believe it’s time to cancel me because of my strong conservative values...well, I am not going to let that happen. pic.twitter.com/ovLxyVY2ka
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) December 13, 2021
The Plot Against America
Also there are laws against such things.
Vote Harder
Just Get The Damn Shots
Or, you know, you could JUST GET THE DAMN SHOTS!
Sunday, December 12, 2021
The Good Fox
The Cost Of Doing Nothing
MAYFIELD, Ky. — A desperate search and rescue operation unfolded Saturday across six states mauled the previous evening by rare late-season tornadoes that may have left more than 70 people dead.
Saturday, December 11, 2021
If you ever need something to read
When you hear "one size fits all," think "universal"
The demonization of "one size fits all" didn't find its way into the neoliberal Devil's Dictionary by accident. As Lawrence Glickman writes for the Boston Review, it was tied to a deliberate, late-1970s effort to kill the New Deal's ethic of universal services:I've noticed this on social media when discussing health care that's free at the point of use under some kind of single-payer (or similar) system. "Haha, one size fits all!" they crow, as if, you know, *free* wasn't literally one size fits all. Look, we're not talking about fitting your 38DDs into a training bra. Never being sent a bill for your cancer treatment really is something that fits all sizes.https://bostonreview.net/articles/in-praise-of-one-size-fits-all/
Take Ed Clark, the Koch-backed Libertarian presidential candidate in 1980 (his running mate was David Koch). Clark used "one size fits all" to attack on the idea of universal, public education, calling the system an "educational straitjacket."
By the 1990s, "one size fits all" was the go-to way to criticize any universal program, including (and especially) programs that protected the civil rights of minorities. In 1990, James J Kilpatrick used the phrase to damn "motor voter" laws that automatically combine voter registration with drivers' licenses. The trick worked so well that he used it again to attack a family and medical leave bill.
Mysteries
Friday, December 10, 2021
Ah, Well, Nevertheless
Freak Show
Fight Club
Even when the bastards are winning, probably helps to signal that you're fighting. Not, oh, well, the judges told us no, what can we do, the senate has rules, oh no. Can't win, not gonna try.
Everybody's Fault But Mine
Right now, the moderate Democrats who run the party have a narrow and slipping hold on Congress against an opposition that relies on structural advantages, which could be mitigated, or at least undermined, with federal power. They have failed to act, and there’s no sign, so far, that anything will change.I blame my bad blog posts.If and when Democrats lose one or both chambers of Congress — and when we all face the consequences of their failure — I am confident that we’ll hear, once again, how it’s everyone’s fault but their own.
Where Are The Celestial Hall Monitors
Don't have to convince me of certain asymmetries in the way the press deals with the parties, but they aren't going to do your job for you. Dems have this need for NONPARTISAN INDEPENDENT actors to deal with their problems for them, and that just isn't how it works, especially as all those actors (including the press!) are corrupted.Can someone explain to me why this isn’t the only thing in the news? I deeply respect the fourth estate, but, holy shit they had a plan to just end democracy, and is the press gonna just be like “are democrats using the wrong words again?” https://t.co/HpgZjOpZNp
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) December 10, 2021
I can complain about the press not doing their jobs, but Schatz isn't doing his by complaining on twitter, either (complaining on twitter is my job, because I am not a senator).
Use power, including (but not limited to) access to the big microphone.
Thursday, December 09, 2021
Oh No The Regulators
Last August, Vince Patton was watching a YouTube video of a Tesla owner who had made a startling observation: Tesla drivers could now play a video game on their car's touch-screen dashboard — while the vehicle is moving....
On Wednesday, NHTSA confirmed that it's looking into the matter. News of Patton’s complaint was first reported Tuesday by The New York Times.
Grand Old Police Blotter
Huckabee stood by Duggar even when child molestation accusations came out. If he were a Democrat you’d hear this constantly on Fox and the mainstream media https://t.co/XiGaZvKLfC
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) December 9, 2021
The Grift Must Be Getting Pretty Good
Obvious thing is the various "Congressional insider trading" scandals that no one ever seems to want to talk about too much (what happens when the whole system is corrupt). Of course there are future job promises, not just for Senator Atrios, but for his entire network of family and friends. And, well, let's not discount giant sacks of cash maybe just being placed on the desks (that one might - might - be illegal).
For decades the entire Congressional impure thoughts conversation was about campaign donations. But, really, that's silly. No one is going to dance to the tune of their donors simply because they need campaign cash, something which is absolutely easy for incumbents to raise in other ways.
Do Clap Popular Clap Things Clap
But if we pretend that, say, $30 billion of that budget (the amount of the annual increase just passed by the Democratically controlled House) could be spent on "popular things" instead of, say, yachts for my friends in Northern Virginia, the way we pretend that these hard tradeoffs exist for everything else...
Sorry my "defund the military" post has now ruined the midterm chances!!!
Thursday Is New Jobless Day
By normal measurse, or at least measures in normal times, the recovery has been pretty amazing. Things are a bit more complicated because of the weirdness of Covid (still ongoing!) and there are some not good things on the horizon (expiring student loan payment freeze, for example). But at the moment, surprisingly good!
The really horrible jobless recoveries of the past few recessions did not have to happen.
Wednesday, December 08, 2021
America's Worst Police Department
Torrance police traded racist, homophobic texts. It could jeopardize hundreds of casesImagine many if not most of those case should be in jeopardy.
What Do You Think You Get Paid The Big Bucks For
Sure sometimes they do take the blame for something which wasn't entirely of their making. That might feel a bit bad! But that was part of what the giant salary was for. It included the "you might have to fall on your sword" duty! It was a nontrivial part of your job duties!
Easy Peasy
I remember back in the early Obama administration when KagroX (David Waldman) would argue that getting rid of the filibuster was, actually, that easy, and all of official Washington reacted in horror and disbelief at such insanity.News: McConnell says he’s “confident” he’ll have the votes to pass a temporary filibuster exception to the debt ceiling. He says the vote will be Thursday
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) December 7, 2021
Turns out it's true!
Clown People
Trump aside, I think kids grow up now just seeing a constant parade of adult clowns shoving pies into their own faces and so when The Kids Today roll their eyes at gramps (I'm gramps, in this), that might be part of it!
I'm not making the 90s Republicans-weeping-as-if-in-pain WHAT WILL WE TELL THE CHILDREN ABOUT BILL CLINTON'S PENIS, AS WE TALK ABOUT NOTHING BUT HIS PENIS morality point. I just mean... these people are fucking ridiculous.
Tuesday, December 07, 2021
No Hurry
A federal judge on Tuesday set a tentative July 18 start date for the trial of former Trump advisor Steve Bannon on charges of contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with a probe of the Capitol riot.
Whoopsy Daisy
Phobia
The politico boys are in full whine mode as they always are when they get criticism. This is especially funny.
Oh the piece that essentially called her crazy is a serious look at her security practices is it? Let's check with the author.Also, the security practices of the vp are newsworthy, thanks for stopping by all.
— Tyler Weyant (@tweyant) December 7, 2021
Just meant to be a bit of fun!I try to make the newsletter a mix of fun but revealing reporting on the ppl in power, personnel moves, and policy.
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) December 6, 2021
This top in that first category (I hope, at least).
I understand if you disagree but appreciate you reading regardless.
Monday, December 06, 2021
Don't Have A Cow, Man
People is weird!
And Then There Were 9
Making Up Something To Be Mad At
"This is proof of what I have been saying all along" is another, of course.
I try!
Oh, Elon
Hardware choices have also raised safety questions. Within Tesla, some argued for pairing cameras with radar and other sensors that worked better in heavy rain and snow, bright sunshine and other difficult conditions. For several years, Autopilot incorporated radar, and for a time Tesla worked on developing its own radar technology. But three people who worked on the project said Mr. Musk had repeatedly told members of the Autopilot team that humans could drive with only two eyes and that this meant cars should be able to drive with cameras alone.Two eyes are attached to a very big brain with memory, and as neato as Tesla's computers might be, they're basically reacting moment to moment without any kind of model of the future or memory of the past.
At 75mph your big brain has a reasonable chance of realizing that police car up ahead is actually parked in the lane in time to stop, based on the input from your eyes and your big brain. Not the car computer. More "senses" can provide extra information to supplement the limitations of the car computer.
They Rarely Actually Admit This
Most of the time it's more, "oh, yes, of course we bump into each other socially sometimes at parties but that's inevitable." Not "yah of course it's all one big happy family."> @SaraFischer on Reliable: "So many people in news have personal connections to people in power. Does this change the way that we think about how reporters and correspondents and anchors deal with those personal situations? I assume it will. But we will only see as time goes on"
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 5, 2021
"Absolute Liars"
A former D.C. National Guard official is accusing two senior Army leaders of lying to Congress and participating in a secret attempt to rewrite the history of the military's response to the Capitol riot.Flynn is Michael's brother, and while that isn't necessarily damning, it certainly invites a little bit of extra scrutiny!In a 36-page memo, Col. Earl Matthews, who held high-level National Security Council and Pentagon roles during the Trump administration, slams the Pentagon's inspector general for what he calls an error-riddled report that protects a top Army official who argued against sending the National Guard to the Capitol on Jan. 6, delaying the insurrection response for hours.
Matthews' memo, sent to the Jan. 6 select committee this month and obtained by POLITICO, includes detailed recollections of the insurrection response as it calls two Army generals — Gen. Charles Flynn, who served as deputy chief of staff for operations on Jan. 6, and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the director of Army staff — “absolute and unmitigated liars” for their characterization of the events of that day. Matthews has never publicly discussed the chaos of the Capitol siege.
The Army falsely denied for days that Lt. Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the brother of disgraced former national security adviser Michael Flynn, was involved in a key meeting during its heavily scrutinized response to the deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol.That all the nation's "cops" think they can act with impunity is a problem!
Defund the military! (oh no I just doomed the midterm elections)
The Good Republicans
Though those causes are never portrayed as unambiguously good at the time, or even later when they are contentious again. Later being now.
Sunday, December 05, 2021
If You're A Star They Let You Do It
Dylan's an incredibly dumb guy who has a buzzer on his desk that starts sounding every time a rich person is facing criticism. But being an incredibly dumb guy, he occasionally says the things that the rest of his colleagues are smart enough not to say.Here to explain this to the outraged & angry: News media is a business. Cuomo just re-upped his contract for many millions per year. CNN ratings aren’t going down bc of this. They’ve invested in him; don’t want to pay him to go away & don’t have good replacement. So life goes on! https://t.co/x3QQeOBm9E
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) May 20, 2021
In this case:
What you fools don't understand is that journalism is just for profit entertainment, this is just how things are, and nobody cares about anything except money and it's absurd to expect any different, you stupid cretins. You might as well be criticizing the "ethics" of the Real Housewives of Chattanooga or Love Island.And, well, ok buddy.. you said it!
Saturday, December 04, 2021
Dignitude
Young millennials and the oldest Zoomers grew up seeing George Fucking Bush as the president. I know Bush was packaged on teevee as Commander Bunnypants, the great savior of Western civilization, Giver of Turkee to the world, but he was almost as absurd as Trump was.
That's separate from their policies or governance. Just, look at those fucking goofuses! The presidents!
Lock Him Up
And, I dunno, he ain't my guy and I don't know who 'our' is and how we all got teamed up this way.
Federal prosecutors have broadened their scrutiny of former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to include a civil rights investigation after the New York attorney general’s office concluded that he had sexually harassed female employees and fostered a toxic work culture.Not that Trump should go free, of course.
But What Are You Going To Do About It
I'm not even entirely unsympathetic to the perspective of the reporters. Like anything else they should put such a development in context, making clear how this was or wasn't "normal" and not just doing a "one side says, the other side says." This of course did not always happen! That's a big failure of journalism, if we define journalism as "telling readers important things they need to know to understand what's going on" and not "performing a bizarre ritual which pretends to do that but doesn't."
But still, well, what are you going to do about it?
Oxford School Shooting
Friday, December 03, 2021
Time Keeps On Ticking Into The Future
I was a college sophmore in 1991 and I don't think I knew all that much about anything that happened in 1974...
2004 was a long time ago, already, is my point.
GOP Daddies
This thought inspired by remembering that there hasn't been much news about the ultimate GOP Daddy, Rudy 911, lately.
Tell Me How To Do This
There is tons of unused executive authority, and one can get creative until someone (a corrupt judge) tells you to stop.
I'm not referring to anything specific here, but in general it's a way to possibly achieve things as well as a way to make clear that you aren't going down without a fight.
But for some specifics.
Glibertarian Josh Barro And Neoconservative Bill Kristol Agree
Also, even our too-expensive tests are not that expensive, so the cost of claims processing here relative to the cost of the underlying tests is going to be enormous.
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) December 2, 2021
True for covid tests, true for all health care.2. So a cashier who wants to be sure some unvaxxed shopper in the supermarket where she works hasn't infected her (and wants to be sure her kids are fine) is supposed to spend a hundred of dollars a week on antigen tests and then...send the receipts to her friendly insurer?
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) December 2, 2021
Thursday, December 02, 2021
Can We Occasionally Err On The Side Of Doing Too Much And Not Declare Mission Accomplished Too Early
Best not to take credit for peoples' health insurance, because, uh, that's usually not a pleasant customer service experience.
The Stupidest Man On The Internet
Two Georgia election workers who were the targets of a right-wing campaign that falsely claimed they manipulated ballots filed a defamation lawsuit on Thursday against one of the nation’s leading sources of pro-Trump misinformation.Though I often I think that I am, for various reasons, the stupidest man on the internet.The suit against the right-wing conspiratorial website The Gateway Pundit was filed by Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, both of whom processed ballots in Atlanta during the 2020 election for the Fulton County elections board. It follows a series of defamation claims filed by elections equipment operators against conservative television operators such as Fox News, Newsmax and One America News.
Boycotts
I don't run a big company, but if I did I couldn't in good conscience put an employment center of my company in a state where women couldn't receive necessary and proper medical care.
(I am not dumb, I am not claiming CEO's consciences drive many decisions)
And even if you're wrong and you don't think abortion itself is "necessary and proper medical care," once the supposed interests of the fetus are more important than the health and life of women, women will be unable to get treatment for their own health problems if "might disturb the fetus" is a concern.
Women already can barely step in a doctor's office without getting a pregnancy test, though that's for insurance/malpractice reasons mostly now. "Can't treat you, might hurt the fetus" will become the norm.
Addicted To The Show
Subsidy Truffle Pig Needs More Subsidies
On Black Friday, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk sent an anxious email to his company’s employees, urging them to work over the weekend on SpaceX’s Raptor engine line and describing the production situation as a “crisis.” In the email, a copy of which was obtained by The Verge, Musk argued that the company faces a “genuine risk of bankruptcy” if production doesn’t increase to support a high flight rate of the company’s new Starship rocket next year.SpaceX is suppose to supply the rocket for a NASA moon mission, which will never happen, because Elon needs more money. Spend your own, rich boy.
He always pulls this "SLEEPING ON THE FACTORY FLOOR" bullshit.
"I was going to take this weekend off, as my first weekend off in a long time, but instead I will be on the Raptor line all night and through the weekend,” Musk wrote in the email. He also urged employees to come in for an “all hands on deck” situation unless they had critical family matters or could not “physically return to Hawthorne,” the location of SpaceX’s headquarters in California.Whatever the merits of this sentiment, it's probably not the right approach at the moment.
Let’s set an age limit after which you can’t run for political office, perhaps a number just below 70 …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 2, 2021
Wednesday, December 01, 2021
I Think My Opinion Is: "It's Bad"
How They Fall
Trump'd
I suppose it would be too much to ask of journalists (some who were infected!) to go back and see what they were told at the time by sources who undoubtedly knew the truth.
I suppose it would.
These Are Not Very Bright Guys, And Things Got Out Of Hand
One thing about social media is that very many people do not obey the simple rule of, "never tweet," and we see quite regularly how most of our elites are, in fact, not very bright guys.
I've Been Trying To Explain The New York Times To People For Years And He Just Tweeted It Out
Clyde isn't just Maggie's Dad, he was at the Times forever.I confess to some ambivalence about Chris Cuomo’s suspension. It’s deserved on many levels. But wouldn’t you help your brother if he fell into trouble, even of his own making?
— Clyde Haberman (@ClydeHaberman) December 1, 2021
(ht reader TW)
A lot to work with here ("fell into some trouble" lol), but I would submit that most of us would not actually do what Chris Cuomo did, or anything analogous, to help our "brothers." Sure I would help my brother, but I wouldn't do *that* to help my brother. Make sure he had a good lawyer. Help him figure out how to stop abusing people. That kind of thing.
And the point here isn't simply, "oh, well, family is family, you can sympathize a bit," it's "since you can sympathize a bit, it seems a bit harsh for the man to be suspended from his job." This is "there should be no consequences for people who are, in many ways, qwhite like me."
This is something I would do myself, therefore it isn't really wrong and there should be no negative consequences for it. QED. Boom!
Who amongst us would not abuse our power to smear victims of sexual harassment and assault (whatever "groping" would legally be in your jurisdiction)? Disobeying my employer's rules and edicts and lying to them? Why would we ask for anything different from the most powerful people in the country? And should we really face consequences for that? Famiglia.
What would elite journalists do to protect their families and people in their close social circles? People who they cover, but are also quite friendly with, even party with and see on vacation? What happens in the Hamptons... Believe people when they tell you who they are.
Birds of a feather.If my brother ever gets embroiled in scandal, I’m gonna do some unethical shit to help him out.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) December 1, 2021
Tucker Carlson praises Chris Cuomo: “It may have been the best thing he ever did”...(yglesias deleted that tweet, because the top troll game these days is to troll, and then act the victim when people read your provocations and get provoked)
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Freak Show
Welcome to Congress pic.twitter.com/UvZDUjd53s
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) November 30, 2021
Fish Hook
Some people love covid, love not seeing anyone, love being isolated, want everyone else to suffer in that glorious fashion, and that's why we published dozens of articles about this based on the fact that some people were spotted wearing masks outside last July.
That was the party line from a certain clique of centrists, before they moved onto to "akshually, black people are the real racists."
Priorities Change
That doesn't mean people inevitably oppose these things as they age, just that they will fall down the list at least a little bit.
I'm less likely than I once was to get excited about new infrastructure projects (SUPERTRAINS!!!) than I was a few years ago, in part because, well, by the time they come online I'm going to be not quite as young as I used to be.
Small shifts in priorities as the population ages (and the median age of members of Congress) can easily lead to big shifts in actual policy outcomes.
Technocracy
Even the best most expert staffed agency filled with nothing but benevolent public-minded civil servants are only on one piece of the puzzle at a time, and sometimes an agenda needs to be comprehensive.
Of course there's no reason to assume such expertise and benevolence, and in fact maintaining a sense of independence moves corruption into the hands of much less accountable individuals.
Some happy balance exists, but I'm pretty sure that for a lot of things we're waaay off balance all in one direction.
Nothing guarantees the people running these shops are smartest than the average blogger.
You're Making Us Look Bad, Chris
I'm regularly struck by who supposedly serious journalists include "in the club." It can be a big club, but some members degrade brand journalism quite a bit, to put it mildly.
In any case, if Chris Cuomo gets to remain in the club, then, well...
The Election is Over, Campaign Season Begins
Monday, November 29, 2021
Oh Dear Time For Another Blogger Ethics Panel
CNN host Chris Cuomo used his sources in the media world to seek information on women who accused his brother Andrew Cuomo, then the governor of New York, of sexual harassment, according to documents released Monday by the New York Attorney General’s Office.
Gotta Play The Game Well
Still it is the game, and you gotta suit up even for a rigged game.
I have various theories (there isn't one reason) about why they continue to be bad at it, but ultimately Dems can't expect the news outlets to do their job for them, and they can't expect a duck to be a swan.
No point in yelling "unfair" after the final buzzer, either. Too late then!