Atticus
Atticus's JournalDecades ago, I recall a lecture in a political science class that explained how, at least
in theory, the political orientation continuum was actually a circle, not a line. The extreme right and the extreme left seem to get increasingly further apart until they eventually sort of "go round the bend" and merge---become indistinguishable.
At the time, I thought this was nonsense, but now---not so much.
Crazy is crazy.
If you watched President Biden's press conference yesterday and watch cable TV this
morning, you have to be amazed at the mischaracterizations and repeated GOP talking points.
The talking heads are asking with some alarm whether Joe blundered and "gave permission" to Putin to invade Ukraine by mentioning the possibility of a "minor incursion" and stating his frank assessment that, despite what it will cost him, Putin would likely cross the border.
I have heard no reference to the specific question, later in the presser, asking Joe if he intended to "give permission" to Putin to invade. He then explained that a "cyber" assault was one of the possibilities and the response could also be cyber.
For whatever reason, it seems to be "open season" on President Biden. While most of the biased comments are not direct attacks, the "just asking" approach used for years by right-wing media has now spread to the main stream.
I thought President Biden's remarks were refreshingly blunt and honest. For example, contrast his statement that, yes, there were things in his administration's covid response that could have been better or more timely, but this was because science was dealing with a brand new virus and it was a learning process. He acknowledged that, while covid would be defeated, it had not yet been and that the struggle was difficult.
Contrast that with Trump's repeated assurances that we should just not worry about covid, it would just magically disappear by Easter and that the warmth of summer would eradicate it.
Yes, the media absolutely should be reporting on the Biden administration's successes AND failures. I just wish there were fewer on-air personalities starting to sound like Tucker Carlson.
I recall that a cynic once defined an "honest legislator" as one who "once bought,
stayed bought", even when others offered him more money and no matter how loud his voters screamed.
The news just seems to get more difficult to listen to each day. It is not that it is all bad; it
is not. What makes it almost painful to hear is that it is consistently incomplete---unfinished.
Hearing that there was new evidence of Trumpian criminality used to cheer me: "Wow! This will bring him down and end this long nightmare!" But, now, there is almost daily news of "substantial" evidence of their crimes and there has never yet been news of any of these smarmy traitors paying a price for their wrongdoing.
Aside from a couple indictments for criminal contempt, no charges have been filed against the Trumps or their accomplices.
No trials.
No convictions.
No penalties.
I used to sort of roll my eyes when a DUer posted something like "Trump has never paid a price for his crimes and he never will! Count on it! He will never be convicted of anything!"
But, now------?
I am to the point where I do not really want to hear about new evidence or cooperative witnesses or possible criminal charges. When one of these thugs is handcuffed and marched into a courtroom for their arraignment, THAT I want to hear about.
Until then, I'm catching up on some reading.
"Show me the pig!"---a demand not made often enough.
In an ancient open air market---who knows how many centuries ago--- a pig was an item on some folks' shopping lists. At least some were after a small pig--- the size for roasting with apple in mouth. Once purchased, the pig was often toted home in a sack or "poke".
Apparently, on one such shopping trip, a hurried purchaser paid for a "pig" already in a cinched up poke and rushed home with it only to find when he opened the poke that he had paid good money for a stray pup or cat or some other critter that was definitely not a pig. From this sad experience sprang the oft-repeated common wisdom: "NEVER buy a pig in a poke!"
Today, few of us buy live pigs, but the wisdom is still useful. If someone tries to "sell" you something but offers no proof that it is genuine---say, a poke full of "Trump won" or "covid vaccinations are dangerous"---step back, give them the once-over and demand "Show me the pig!"
They'll usually mark you down on their "Not a sucker" list and walk away.
A wannabe POTUS named Donnie
Daily slathered his face with Armani
But, his fingers were short
And, per Stormy's report
His "performance" was---shall we say---"yawny"?
Justice Thomas, legal question for you:
In any jurisdiction you care to name, state or federal, those who wear the robe in a courtroom are ethically required to not only avoid actual conflicts of interest, but also the "appearance of a conflict of interest". The purpose of this is to assure the parties before the court that the judge has no interest in the outcome of the trial---financial, political or otherwise--- and will be impartial in deciding their case.
Your wife, Ginny, has openly criticized the House of Representatives January 6th Committee as engaging in "partisan persecution". In fact, she recently signed a letter to House Minority Leader McCarthy which contained that and other partisan attacks on the Committee and its members.
The Supreme Court currently has a case before it which will require the Court to rule on the validity and authority of the January 6th Committee. CLEARLY, at the very least, you APPEAR to have a conflict of interest which would mandate that any other judge RECUSE himself from taking part in this decision.
My question is simple: will you do what everyone knows you should do or do you just not care about whether you---and the Court---are viewed as impartial?
Why all this talk on cable of GOP candidates having to kiss Trump's ring?
That's not what he demands they kiss!
Tell it like it is!
Haikus for your consideration---or not:
Why are we silent
as the ship of state steams on
Toward the world's edge?
Tell me please just why
you tell me I must reach out
to traitors and fools
Dishonest people
No matter how far they run
Must live with themselves
We waste time and effort when we try to "understand" why the Trump party says or does anything.
I am not criticizing those of us who strive to find a "reason" for the "outrage du jour". I often fall into that trap myself. It is how we have been taught to respond to people we consider "way out there" on the fringe. But, these folks are different breed of cat: they are "nihilists".
You can find a lot to read on line about these folks, but all you really need to know is that "the true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy." That's about as accurate a description of a Trump loyalist as I have ever read.
They do not care about truth or facts or morality because, in their view, none of those concepts actually exist.
So, how do you "reason with" such people? You don't because you can't.
And, how do you "work with" those whose word, whose promise, whose sworn testimony, means absolutely nothing? You don't.
Finally, why would you trust someone with the safety and security of you, your family and your way of life when you know that their only purpose is to destroy?
Wrap your head around it: nihilism is the official philosophy of the Trump party.
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