7.04.2017

July 4, 2017

State of the Union? Decades of institutional damage, accelerated daily, as unprecedented looting proceeds from the top. As Bob Schooley says, "I don't think Trump has realized his usual 'break the company, move onto the next grift' method is a little trickier with an entire country." When that behavior is so obvious, so are "You had a good run, America" cracks, in response.

Yet we know millions more voted against this. I like tengrain's don't give up the ship view of the holiday. Fly the flag and celebrate the day, "tell your Facebook Rage Uncle about why we liberals care so much about America," and stay committed to fighting for the future. Because despite all to the contrary, present and historic, the country can survive only by
... moving towards the promise of the Declaration of Independence: all people are "created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
Always, the noble ideals have need to be remembered jointly with the realities. In the words of Frederick Douglass, "Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."

And in A. Philip Randolph's observation: "Justice is never given; it is exacted and the struggle must be continuous for freedom is never a final fact..."

6.28.2017

Highly Successful Audition

State-run media's newest hire.

6.24.2017

Count On It Being Worse

After seeing what made the rounds yesterday...
... There had to be more examples of such confident self-expression. As Steve M. notes today, not only more short form ...
... But previously published long, threatening screeds against chosen targets. Steve cites this from the Washington Post—
In 2015, he resigned from his post at West Point after writing an academic paper arguing the United States should threaten to destroy Muslim holy sites in war "even if it means great destruction, innumerable enemy casualties, and civilian collateral damage."

Bradford also called for legal scholars "sympathetic to Islamist aims" to be imprisoned or "attacked." He dubbed such academics "critical law of armed conflict academy," or CLOACA, which is also a term for the orifice out of which some animals defecate. He suggested journalists with whom such scholars speak could also be targeted.
Bradford's name didn't ring a bell, but the charming fellow naturally has a history. Steve cites a 2015 piece in The Atlantic
To suppress this "fifth column"—which is his actual term for fellow academics with whom he disagrees—Bradford offers a range of options. First, he suggests introducing loyalty oaths and firing "disloyal scholars." Next, he recommends charging them with material support of terrorism and even treason. He even suggests treating these American academics as "unlawful enemy combatants," a legal term used to deny Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters the protections of U.S. and international law.

Shocking and extreme as this option might seem, CLOACA scholars, and the law schools that employ them, are—at least in theory—targetable so long as attacks are proportional, distinguish noncombatants from combatants, employ nonprohibited weapons, and contribute to the defeat of Islamism.

Yes, even "the law schools that employ them"—presumably places like Harvard and Yale—could be legitimate military targets. So, too, could their homes, where their families and children live. Even a journalist like myself could be a lawful military target if I happen to quote one of these professors, Bradford argues:
Further, the infrastructure used to create and disseminate CLOACA propaganda—law school facilities, scholars' home offices, and media outlets where they give interviews—are also lawful targets given the causal connection between the content disseminated and Islamist crimes incited.
Shocking and extreme as this option might seem, CLOACA scholars, and the law schools that employ them, are—at least in theory—targetable so long as attacks are proportional, distinguish noncombatants from combatants, employ nonprohibited weapons, and contribute to the defeat of Islamism.
As much as I try to keep up, this is one that had escaped my notice until now. But he certainly would be known to people around Trump. In particular, people named "Steve Bannon." Surely, Camp of the Saints' most influential fan would find the height of wit in branding opponents CLOACA.

Steve M.—
Let me say it again: This man has a job in the Trump administration.

Johnny Depp joked about a Trump assassination (and has now apologized) -- but he's not in the government. Neither is Kathy Griffin (who's lost work for her Trump death joke).

Phil Montag, a Nebraska Democratic Party official who made offensive remarks about Representative Steve Scalise, has lost his job. Al Baldasaro, by contrast, is still a New Hampshire state legislator.

6.22.2017

Enemies Of The State

The one-party state.
This uncouth rabble forced police to drag them from their menacing wheelchairs. After all, their  language was an offense against the delicate ears of McConnell, et. al.
Uncivil! Everyone knows Senate business is properly conducted through polite bribes and behind closed doors.
Not such great PR for a certain party, you would think.
On the other hand...

Live To Tape (Not!)


Mr. Schooley was on the right track...


Who's In, Who's SOL

Yesterday: some people were let into the secret.
Now, isn't that just fair, when they wrote it themselves?
All will be restored to the deserving.
On the other hand...
Sarah Kliff on "The littlest lobbyist"
This morning...