thebulwark--2020-12-24--Six Things to Know about Trump’s Defense Veto

On Wednesday , President Donald Trump vetoed the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) .
For the past 59 years , the NDAA has become law with comfortable congressional majorities and uneventful presidential signatures .
Trump ’ s veto is another first in an administration of regrettable , norm-busting firsts .
Here are six things to know about it .
1 .
The NDAA is the first of two steps for funding the military .
It authorizes spending , but it is the separate from the legislation—a defense appropriations bill , or an omnibus appropriations bill , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasury to give money to the Department of Defense for the coming fiscal year .
Even though since 1961 there has never been an appropriation without authorization , “ unauthorized ” spending regularly happens for other departments .
Most of the military can be funded via appropriations without a new authorization bill being passed .
However , the NDAA does more than merely direct cash flows .
First , it authorizes funds for compensation for military personnel and civilians in combat zones , which expire on December 31 .
It also includes renewal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as healthcare for National Guard members , parental leave , and housing .
Mac Thornberry , chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services , warned that if the bill doesn ’ t become law , “ Members of Congress [ would be ] going home for Christmas while many military families would have their pay go down.
” It looks like that ’ s what ’ s now happening .
2 .
Without the NDAA , several military construction projects can not proceed .
According to Bloomberg Government , “ the Pentagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion for new construction projects to protect military bases , munitions , and nuclear weapons ” if NDAA does not become law .
This is part of the reason that , for almost six decades , the legislation has been considered “ must pass ” even though the military can technically operate without it .
3 .
Most importantly , the NDAA helps set the national military policy .
Sometimes , these changes are not very significant .
Sometimes they are .
The 2015 NDAA included the European Reassurance Initiative ( originally called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the embarrassing state of American forces in Europe when Russia seized Crimea and invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014 : Faced with the first armed seizure of territory on the continent since World War II , the United States had no tanks anywhere in Europe .
The new NDAA that Trump vetoed has a similar provision strengthening American military posture in Asia called the Pacific Deterrence Initiative ( PDI ) .
Under the new NDAA , it would be the military policy of the United States to rapidly increase deterrence of China in Asia-Pacific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate funds for all of the items that the NDAA calls for , such as three new “ silent ” submarines and 79 F-35 stealth fighter jets , and the Department of Defense can deploy however many of them to the Asia-Pacific region it deems fit .
Under the NDAA , however , it will be a part of national policy , enshrined in law , to direct these additional resources towards that region .
Making such policy through law ensures congressional buy-in , telling allies and adversaries that both elected branches of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , Congress is signaling that , after Trump is gone , the United States will still recognize the threat from China .
Trump has said that the NDAA is a gift to China ; in reality , his veto of the bill is a gift to General Secretary Xi Jinping .
5 .
There are two reasons that Trump vetoed the bill .
The first fight came over the military bases named after Confederate generals .
It is ridiculous that the United States military has for so long honored those traitors who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States government .
It makes just as much sense to have a base named after Robert E. Lee as it would to have a Fort Benedict Arnold .
Many respected military leaders have expressed support for renaming the bases , most prominently retired Army Gen. David Petraeus .
Another retired Army general , Stanley McChrystal , wrote that he had thrown out the portrait of Lee that he used to own .
Marine Corps Commandant David Berger banned the rebel flag on Marine bases .
Trump says he doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exception for rebel leaders like Lee and Braxton Bragg , he ’ s willing to stonewall ( so to speak ) the military ’ s funding and policy process .
Someone ought to tell the president that Bragg was captured .
6 .
The second reason for Trump ’ s veto is somehow even more ridiculous .
He is annoyed that some social media have been fact-checking him .
The easy way to fix the problem is to stop lying .
Trump , however , wants to get rid of section 230 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from being legally liable for what their users post .
How will that help with the fact-checking ?
It won ’ t .
It will require them to be even more rigorous to avoid legal problems .
But Trump threatened earlier this month to veto the NDAA if it did not also repeal section 230—which , to be clear , has nothing to do with military policy .
The commander-in-chief brags about being tough on China and loving the troops , but he is trying to cut benefits for uniformed servicemembers and reject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can honor treason and annoy Twitter .
January 20 can ’ t come soon enough .

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump vetoed the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). For the past 59 years, the NDAA has become law with comfortable congressional majorities and uneventful presidential signatures. Trump’s veto is another first in an administration of regrettable, norm-busting firsts.
Here are six things to know about it.
1. The NDAA is the first of two steps for funding the military. It authorizes spending, but it is the separate from the legislation—a defense appropriations bill, or an omnibus appropriations bill, or a continuing resolution—that instructs the Department of Treasury to give money to the Department of Defense for the coming fiscal year. Even though since 1961 there has never been an appropriation without authorization, “unauthorized” spending regularly happens for other departments. Most of the military can be funded via appropriations without a new authorization bill being passed.
However, the NDAA does more than merely direct cash flows. First, it authorizes funds for compensation for military personnel and civilians in combat zones, which expire on December 31. It also includes renewal for other compensation and benefits, such as healthcare for National Guard members, parental leave, and housing. Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services, warned that if the bill doesn’t become law, “Members of Congress [would be] going home for Christmas while many military families would have their pay go down.” It looks like that’s what’s now happening.
2. Without the NDAA, several military construction projects cannot proceed. According to Bloomberg Government, “the Pentagon would miss out on almost $6 billion for new construction projects to protect military bases, munitions, and nuclear weapons” if NDAA does not become law. This is part of the reason that, for almost six decades, the legislation has been considered “must pass” even though the military can technically operate without it.
3. Most importantly, the NDAA helps set the national military policy. Sometimes, these changes are not very significant. Sometimes they are. The 2015 NDAA included the European Reassurance Initiative (originally called the European Deterrence Initiative) to correct the embarrassing state of American forces in Europe when Russia seized Crimea and invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014: Faced with the first armed seizure of territory on the continent since World War II, the United States had no tanks anywhere in Europe. The new NDAA that Trump vetoed has a similar provision strengthening American military posture in Asia called the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI). Under the new NDAA, it would be the military policy of the United States to rapidly increase deterrence of China in Asia-Pacific region.
4. Congress can still appropriate funds for all of the items that the NDAA calls for, such as three new “silent” submarines and 79 F-35 stealth fighter jets, and the Department of Defense can deploy however many of them to the Asia-Pacific region it deems fit. Under the NDAA, however, it will be a part of national policy, enshrined in law, to direct these additional resources towards that region. Making such policy through law ensures congressional buy-in, telling allies and adversaries that both elected branches of the government are unified. In this case, Congress is signaling that, after Trump is gone, the United States will still recognize the threat from China. Trump has said that the NDAA is a gift to China; in reality, his veto of the bill is a gift to General Secretary Xi Jinping.
5. There are two reasons that Trump vetoed the bill. The first fight came over the military bases named after Confederate generals. It is ridiculous that the United States military has for so long honored those traitors who killed its members and sought to topple the United States government. It makes just as much sense to have a base named after Robert E. Lee as it would to have a Fort Benedict Arnold.
Many respected military leaders have expressed support for renaming the bases, most prominently retired Army Gen. David Petraeus. Another retired Army general, Stanley McChrystal, wrote that he had thrown out the portrait of Lee that he used to own. Marine Corps Commandant David Berger banned the rebel flag on Marine bases.
Trump says he doesn’t like losers, but to make an exception for rebel leaders like Lee and Braxton Bragg, he’s willing to stonewall (so to speak) the military’s funding and policy process. Someone ought to tell the president that Bragg was captured.
6. The second reason for Trump’s veto is somehow even more ridiculous. He is annoyed that some social media have been fact-checking him. The easy way to fix the problem is to stop lying. Trump, however, wants to get rid of section 230 of the Communications Decency Act that liberates websites from being legally liable for what their users post. How will that help with the fact-checking? It won’t. It will require them to be even more rigorous to avoid legal problems. But Trump threatened earlier this month to veto the NDAA if it did not also repeal section 230—which, to be clear, has nothing to do with military policy.
The commander-in-chief brags about being tough on China and loving the troops, but he is trying to cut benefits for uniformed servicemembers and reject a policy of deterring Chinese aggression so he can honor treason and annoy Twitter. January 20 can’t come soon enough.


thebulwark--2020-12-22--Holding the House 32 Accountable

Holding the House 32 Accountable

Woody Guthrie ’ s “ The Sinking of the Reuben James , ” a ballad honoring World War II Navy sailors who died at sea , poignantly asks , “ What were their names ?
” The same question should be asked about the 31 lawyers among the 126 House Republicans who recently signed a “ friend of the court ” brief asking the Supreme Court to overturn four battleground states ’ election results .
The 100 officers and enlisted sailors who died on the torpedoed Reuben James were heroes ; the 31 lawyer amici curiae were anything but .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be known and renounced before the episode fades .
The brief to which they lent their names abused the process of the highest court in the land .
Their constituents and fellow bar members should know what they did .
The House members endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ’ s startling effort to persuade the Court to overturn President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory in Pennsylvania , Georgia , Michigan , and Wisconsin .
Paxton ’ s petition was preposterous .
Its argument violated conservatives ’ core belief in federalism , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s theory were the law , chaos would engulf every election because states supporting the loser could contest the results in states voting for the winner .
The Court summarily dismissed Paxton ’ s effort on December 11 .
Frivolous claims like this violate the American Bar Association ’ s Model Rule of Professional Conduct 3.1 , which states that “ a lawyer shall not bring or defend a proceeding .
.
.
unless there is a basis in law and fact for doing so that is not frivolous.
” As Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at NYU Law , stated , From the biographies on the Congress.gov website , it appears that 31 of the 126 representatives who put their names put on this meritless , unprincipled brief have law degrees : Importantly , these representatives also violated the oaths that they took as lawyers and members of Congress to uphold the Constitution .
Attempting to disenfranchise millions of Americans in other states is antithetical to that duty .
Constitutional scholar Garrett Epps called the claim to which they lent their names a “ deliberate effort to destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adherence to oaths and professional standards requires vigilance .
Bar leaders in these members ’ districts should disavow these lawyer-politicians ’ unprofessional behavior .
Doing so may take courage , since the bar in a congressional district can be tight-knit .
Many lawyers may have contributed to the 31 members ’ campaigns , or even practiced with them .
But election to office does not exempt a lawyer from criticism by fellow practitioners or from potential bar discipline .
Their breach of the rules of professional conduct was visible to the entire nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this case , the country , calls upon the bar to find its voice .
If our fellow citizens are to have an ounce of respect for the law and its institutions , the profession must condemn these 31 lawyers ’ abuse of the legal system for self-serving political purposes .

Neal R. Sonnett, Eugene R. Fidell, and Dennis Aftergut

Woody Guthrie’s “The Sinking of the Reuben James,” a ballad honoring World War II Navy sailors who died at sea, poignantly asks, “What were their names?”
The same question should be asked about the 32 lawyers among the 126 House Republicans who recently signed a “friend of the court” brief asking the Supreme Court to overturn four battleground states’ election results.
The 100 officers and enlisted sailors who died on the torpedoed Reuben James were heroes; the 32 lawyer amici curiae were anything but. Their role in this sordid affair should be known and renounced before the episode fades.
The brief to which they lent their names abused the process of the highest court in the land. Their constituents and fellow bar members should know what they did.
The House members endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s startling effort to persuade the Court to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Paxton’s petition was preposterous.
Podcast · August 15 2023 A.B. Stoddard: All the Ex-President’s Conspirators Donald Trump has been a low-rent mobster for his entire career, and now he’s getting…
Its argument violated conservatives’ core belief in federalism, that each state is sovereign. If Texas’s theory were the law, chaos would engulf every election because states supporting the loser could contest the results in states voting for the winner. The Court summarily dismissed Paxton’s effort on December 11.
Frivolous claims like this violate the American Bar Association’s Model Rule of Professional Conduct 3.1, which states that “a lawyer shall not bring or defend a proceeding . . . unless there is a basis in law and fact for doing so that is not frivolous.” As Stephen Gillers, an expert in legal ethics at NYU Law, stated,
Ethics rules forbid lawyers to file garbage claims. . . . Lawyers who filed or joined [Paxton’s suit] ill-treated the Court, harmed the rule of law, and ill-served the public. Disciplinary investigation is necessary.
From the biographies on the Congress.gov website, it appears that 32 of the 126 representatives who put their names put on this meritless, unprincipled brief have law degrees:
Robert B. Aderholt (AL)
Andy Biggs (AZ)
Gus Bilirakis (FL)
Dan Bishop (NC)
Mo Brooks (AL)
Ken Buck (CO)
Bradley Byrne (AL)
Ben Cline (VA)
Doug Collins (GA)
Tom Emmer (MN)
Chuck Fleischmann (TN)
Matt Gaetz (FL)
Louis Gohmert (TX)
Morgan Griffith (VA)
Michael Guest (MS)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Jim Jordan (OH)
Trent Kelly (MS)
David Kustoff (TN)
Darin M. LaHood (IL)
Doug Lamborn (CO)
Robert E. Latta (OH)
Guy Reschenthaler (PA)
Tom Rice (SC)
Mike D. Rogers (AL)
John Rose (TN)
Jason Smith (MO)
Ross Spano (FL)
Greg Steube (FL)
William Timmons (SC)
Joe Wilson (SC)
Lee Zeldin (NY)
Importantly, these representatives also violated the oaths that they took as lawyers and members of Congress to uphold the Constitution. Attempting to disenfranchise millions of Americans in other states is antithetical to that duty. Constitutional scholar Garrett Epps called the claim to which they lent their names a “deliberate effort to destroy American democracy for political advantage.”
Ensuring adherence to oaths and professional standards requires vigilance. Bar leaders in these members’ districts should disavow these lawyer-politicians’ unprofessional behavior.
Doing so may take courage, since the bar in a congressional district can be tight-knit. Many lawyers may have contributed to the 32 members’ campaigns, or even practiced with them.
But election to office does not exempt a lawyer from criticism by fellow practitioners or from potential bar discipline.
Their breach of the rules of professional conduct was visible to the entire nation. Duty to the profession and, in this case, the country, calls upon the bar to find its voice.
If our fellow citizens are to have an ounce of respect for the law and its institutions, the profession must condemn these 32 lawyers’ abuse of the legal system for self-serving political purposes.
Correction (December 26, 2020): We have added to the list of members of Congress with law degrees who signed the amicus brief the name of Gus Bilirakis of Florida, and updated the number in the headline and body from 31 to 32 members.


thebulwark--2020-12-28--Daphne’s Fight Against Gangster Government

If you have not already done so , read Ben Taub ’ s clear , understated New Yorker piece about the big life and horrible death of Malta ’ s most famous journalist , Daphne ( whose formal name was “ Daphne Caruana Galizia , ” but who now needs only a first name ) .
Read it not only because hers was in many ways an exemplary life , but because we in the United States now know firsthand how important the struggle against kleptocracy is .
She died for it , on October 16 , 2017 .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( which you can still find , here ) was a passionate act of what we now call citizen journalism .
That may not sound like much to American ears—the original group of bloggers in the early 2000s referred to themselves as “ citizen journalists.
” But in Malta , the stakes are much higher .
To give you an idea of what the sunny Mediterranean island of Malta—population 400,000—is like , Daphne was the fifth person killed in a broad daylight car bombing in just a four-year span .
Aside from Daphne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more or less un- solved—and likely to stay that way—because they involved people in the fuel smuggling criminal underworld .
And the only reason we ’ re figuring out who killed Daphne is because of the intervention of the FBI and the European Union—and the constant work of her three sons to unravel the plot .
I ’ m honored to say that I met Daphne Caruana Galizia twice .
It was in Malta , first in the summer 2015 and then again in April 2016 .
On both occasions she dressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor a hipster , but actually a revolutionary .
She seemed to spend no time giving a performance of herself .
In the right circles Daphne was already legendary , but I ’ ve rarely met a person with less vanity .
One of the reasons she was able to accomplish so much is that she got out of her own way .
I was introduced by a friend who knew that I was researching Libyan fuel smuggling .
I wanted to talk to Daphne about two men : a Libyan named Fahmi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( soccer ) player named Darren Debono .
I had been told ( by very brave Libyan and Maltese sources ) that the smugglers ’ connections reached high up in the government of Malta , one of the world ’ s most corrupt .
( This is the piece that I published . )
To give you another sense of Malta , while Fahmi Slim has been jailed in Libya since August 2017 , until very recently Darren Debono was running around the streets of Malta after having been arrested by Italy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to eat at his seafood restaurant ; when I tried to get a table in the empty room quite early one evening , I was told they were all reserved .
It was like a bad movie about the Mafia .
Malta is like that .
As it turned out , while Daphne knew some things about smuggling , that racket was ancillary to her main interest : exposing and bringing down the criminal government of Joseph Muscat .
And while I could laugh at the cartoonish misdeeds of the governing class , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and then go home to the States , Malta was Daphne ’ s home .
Which is why the more time I spent in Malta , the more incredible her courage appeared .
Think of it this way : When Daphne was killed , no one was surprised by her murder .
Daphne ’ s story has always resonated with me as a portrait of courage and bravery .
But these days it ’ s also a reminder that , no matter how “ civilized ” or modern a society may appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thread .

If you have not already done so, read Ben Taub’s clear, understated New Yorker piece about the big life and horrible death of Malta’s most famous journalist, Daphne (whose formal name was “Daphne Caruana Galizia,” but who now needs only a first name). Read it not only because hers was in many ways an exemplary life, but because we in the United States now know firsthand how important the struggle against kleptocracy is. She died for it, on October 16, 2017.
Her brilliant, scathing blog, Running Commentary (which you can still find, here) was a passionate act of what we now call citizen journalism.
That may not sound like much to American ears—the original group of bloggers in the early 2000s referred to themselves as “citizen journalists.” But in Malta, the stakes are much higher. To give you an idea of what the sunny Mediterranean island of Malta—population 400,000—is like, Daphne was the fifth person killed in a broad daylight car bombing in just a four-year span.
Aside from Daphne, all of the other car bombings are more or less un- solved—and likely to stay that way—because they involved people in the fuel smuggling criminal underworld. And the only reason we’re figuring out who killed Daphne is because of the intervention of the FBI and the European Union—and the constant work of her three sons to unravel the plot.
Podcast · August 15 2023 A.B. Stoddard: All the Ex-President’s Conspirators Donald Trump has been a low-rent mobster for his entire career, and now he’s getting…
I’m honored to say that I met Daphne Caruana Galizia twice. It was in Malta, first in the summer 2015 and then again in April 2016. On both occasions she dressed conservatively and without fuss, neither hip nor a hipster, but actually a revolutionary. She seemed to spend no time giving a performance of herself. In the right circles Daphne was already legendary, but I’ve rarely met a person with less vanity. One of the reasons she was able to accomplish so much is that she got out of her own way.
I was introduced by a friend who knew that I was researching Libyan fuel smuggling. I wanted to talk to Daphne about two men: a Libyan named Fahmi Slim and a Maltese fisherman and ex-football (soccer) player named Darren Debono. I had been told (by very brave Libyan and Maltese sources) that the smugglers’ connections reached high up in the government of Malta, one of the world’s most corrupt. (This is the piece that I published.)
To give you another sense of Malta, while Fahmi Slim has been jailed in Libya since August 2017, until very recently Darren Debono was running around the streets of Malta after having been arrested by Italy. Judges and high police officials were said to eat at his seafood restaurant; when I tried to get a table in the empty room quite early one evening, I was told they were all reserved.
It was like a bad movie about the Mafia. Malta is like that.
As it turned out, while Daphne knew some things about smuggling, that racket was ancillary to her main interest: exposing and bringing down the criminal government of Joseph Muscat. And while I could laugh at the cartoonish misdeeds of the governing class, joke about its unbecoming E.U. membership, and then go home to the States, Malta was Daphne’s home.
Which is why the more time I spent in Malta, the more incredible her courage appeared.
Think of it this way: When Daphne was killed, no one was surprised by her murder.
Daphne’s story has always resonated with me as a portrait of courage and bravery. But these days it’s also a reminder that, no matter how “civilized” or modern a society may appear to be, democracy often hangs by a thread.


thebulwark--2020-12-29--George Is a Quiet Place for Republicans

George Is a Quiet Place for Republicans

David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler didn ’ t plan on orienting their Georgia run-off campaigns around a lame-duck president ’ s crackpot election conspiracies and cuckoo coup attempts .
Yet , here they are , both desperately trying to signal to Republican voters that they ’ ll fight for Trump all the way to the bitter end .
Even with their well-funded and heavily-staffed campaign arsenals , these two incumbent senators believe that this is the only way they can keep their seats .
It ’ s the perfect distillation of the dead-end conundrum of Trumpism : Republicans know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kooks .
Republicans also know that they definitely might lose with them .
And this dissonance has left the GOP too paralyzed to think of any other way forward .
Think about this : Trump just lost Georgia .
But , if the incumbent senators running for re-election in Georgia acknowledge that reality , it would constitute instant grounds for rejection from their base .
Accordingly , the Peach State has become the quiet place for GOP realists : Utter one negative word—or even a positive word that laments his loss—and suddenly dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hunt you down .
“ Someone ’ s going to get hurt , someone ’ s going to get shot , someone ’ s going to get killed , ” Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling warned during a press conference where he specified the threats being posed to fellow Georgians who supported the electoral system .
Lest anyone thinks this is a one-off occurrence , look to Pennsylvania , where elected Republicans were pressured to sign a letter supporting Trump ’ s baseless election claims .
“ If I would say to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to do it , ' ” Kim Ward , the GOP leader of the Pennsylvania Senate , said , “ I ’ d get my house bombed tonight.
” Not to mention the numerous other occurrences of election officials being staked out and threatened in their homes and offices .
It ’ s like a horror movie .
But in real life .
To hear Republican campaign experts tell it , Loeffler and Perdue had no choice but to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ’ s absurd lawsuit to cancel votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply had to ask Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to resign ; nevermind there wasn ’ t any evidence of wrongdoing .
GOP voters in Georgia wanted shows of fealty to Trump and standing with Republican Governor Brian Kemp to say something like We love Donald Trump ; it ’ s a damn shame he lost ; and we hope he runs in 2024 would have been taken as heresy by their supporters .
Whether you agree or not with this analysis , it ’ s how Loeffler and Perdue see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their political future depends on supporting the overthrow of a free and fair election , it ’ s hard to see how they climb back down .
Because now they ’ ve laid down a marker with their supporters and legitimized the idea that the official party line should be pro-authoritarianism .
Still , Trump ’ s base wants more from Perdue and Loeffler .
They want more than co-signed letters expressing support for overthrowing an election .
They expect them to actually do something about it .
When Trump went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally ( ostensibly to support Perdue and Loeffler ) , the crowd came with pre-made “ Stop the Steal ” signs .
Trump spoke for nearly two hours , airing his various unfounded grievances .
The senators talked for only about two minutes .
At their own rally .
Loeffler tossed out a line about how the Dear Leader had stood up to “ cancel culture , China , Big Tech , the fake news , ” but the crowd could sense that she was trying to gild the election question .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot potato .
Purdue barely managed to say “ God bless you , we love you , Mr. President , ” before the crowd drowned him out with screaming chants demanding that the two senators “ Fight for Trump !
Fight for Trump !
” Nobody wanted to hear thoughts from sitting U.S. senators about the coronavirus , jobs , economic stimulus , or even how the GOP Senate could serve as a check on the Biden-Harris administration .
Trump ’ s crowd only wanted to know only one thing : Would these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the election .
And if not , then GTFY .
Sedition or bust , baby .
The leaders of this mob are trying to hold Perdue and Loeffler hostage .
Politically speaking , of course .
Let ’ s not confuse Georgia Republican voters with their comrades in Michigan , who targeted their governor with an actual kidnapping plot .
Lin Wood , Atlanta ’ s MAGA celebrity lawyer , is urging Georgia Republicans to boycott the run-off races .
He ’ s demanding voters sit out in retaliation for the supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kemp , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue against President Trump ” and others .
And a fair number of people are concerned about the “ Lin Wood effect ” and how his calls could depress GOP voter turnout .
Wood ’ s attempts to undo Biden ’ s election could undo Perdue and Loeffler , too .
But Trump and Wood are playing to the same roaring crowd .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are inconsequential figures when it comes to the Republican party ’ s future .
If they win , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
If they lose , the Democrats will have an extremely narrow majority where nothing to the left of Joe Manchin has even a chance of passing .
Either way , the future of Georgia Republicans , the Republican Senate , and the GOP itself is in the hands of fanatical conspiracists .
At this point , Loeffler , Perdue , and Republican party elites are just lagging indicators .
They realize this truth .
But they don ’ t dare say it out loud .
Because the only way to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @

David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler didn’t plan on orienting their Georgia run-off campaigns around a lame-duck president’s crackpot election conspiracies and cuckoo coup attempts. Yet, here they are, both desperately trying to signal to Republican voters that they’ll fight for Trump all the way to the bitter end. Even with their well-funded and heavily-staffed campaign arsenals, these two incumbent senators believe that this is the only way they can keep their seats.
It’s the perfect distillation of the dead-end conundrum of Trumpism:
Republicans know that they can’t win without the kooks.
Republicans also know that they definitely might lose with them.
And this dissonance has left the GOP too paralyzed to think of any other way forward.
Podcast · August 15 2023 A.B. Stoddard: All the Ex-President’s Conspirators Donald Trump has been a low-rent mobster for his entire career, and now he’s getting…
Think about this: Trump just lost Georgia. But, if the incumbent senators running for re-election in Georgia acknowledge that reality, it would constitute instant grounds for rejection from their base.
Accordingly, the Peach State has become the quiet place for GOP realists: Utter one negative word—or even a positive word that laments his loss—and suddenly dark forces will appear out of thin air to hunt you down.
“Someone’s going to get hurt, someone’s going to get shot, someone’s going to get killed,” Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling warned during a press conference where he specified the threats being posed to fellow Georgians who supported the electoral system. Lest anyone thinks this is a one-off occurrence, look to Pennsylvania, where elected Republicans were pressured to sign a letter supporting Trump’s baseless election claims. “If I would say to you, ‘I don’t want to do it,'” Kim Ward, the GOP leader of the Pennsylvania Senate, said, “I’d get my house bombed tonight.” Not to mention the numerous other occurrences of election officials being staked out and threatened in their homes and offices.
It’s like a horror movie. But in real life.
To hear Republican campaign experts tell it, Loeffler and Perdue had no choice but to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s absurd lawsuit to cancel votes in their own state. And they simply had to ask Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to resign; nevermind there wasn’t any evidence of wrongdoing. GOP voters in Georgia wanted shows of fealty to Trump and standing with Republican Governor Brian Kemp to say something like We love Donald Trump; it’s a damn shame he lost; and we hope he runs in 2024 would have been taken as heresy by their supporters.
Whether you agree or not with this analysis, it’s how Loeffler and Perdue see the environment. And once political actors believe that their political future depends on supporting the overthrow of a free and fair election, it’s hard to see how they climb back down. Because now they’ve laid down a marker with their supporters and legitimized the idea that the official party line should be pro-authoritarianism.
Still, Trump’s base wants more from Perdue and Loeffler. They want more than co-signed letters expressing support for overthrowing an election. They expect them to actually do something about it.
When Trump went to Valdosta on December 5 to hold a rally (ostensibly to support Perdue and Loeffler), the crowd came with pre-made “Stop the Steal” signs. Trump spoke for nearly two hours, airing his various unfounded grievances. The senators talked for only about two minutes. At their own rally.
Loeffler tossed out a line about how the Dear Leader had stood up to “cancel culture, China, Big Tech, the fake news,” but the crowd could sense that she was trying to gild the election question. She handed the microphone to Perdue like a hot potato. Purdue barely managed to say “God bless you, we love you, Mr. President,” before the crowd drowned him out with screaming chants demanding that the two senators “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!”
Nobody wanted to hear thoughts from sitting U.S. senators about the coronavirus, jobs, economic stimulus, or even how the GOP Senate could serve as a check on the Biden-Harris administration. Trump’s crowd only wanted to know only one thing: Would these two elected officials help overturn the results of the election.
And if not, then GTFO. Sedition or bust, baby.
The leaders of this mob are trying to hold Perdue and Loeffler hostage. Politically speaking, of course. Let’s not confuse Georgia Republican voters with their comrades in Michigan, who targeted their governor with an actual kidnapping plot.
Lin Wood, Atlanta’s MAGA celebrity lawyer, is urging Georgia Republicans to boycott the run-off races. He’s demanding voters sit out in retaliation for the supposed “fraud committed by anti-Trump RINOs Brian Kemp, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue against President Trump” and others. And a fair number of people are concerned about the “Lin Wood effect” and how his calls could depress GOP voter turnout. Wood’s attempts to undo Biden’s election could undo Perdue and Loeffler, too.
But Trump and Wood are playing to the same roaring crowd.
Which belies the real underlying problem.
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are inconsequential figures when it comes to the Republican party’s future. If they win, then the GOP will retain control of the Senate. If they lose, the Democrats will have an extremely narrow majority where nothing to the left of Joe Manchin has even a chance of passing.
Either way, the future of Georgia Republicans, the Republican Senate, and the GOP itself is in the hands of fanatical conspiracists.
At this point, Loeffler, Perdue, and Republican party elites are just lagging indicators. They realize this truth.
But they don’t dare say it out loud. Because the only way to be safe, is to stay quiet.


thebulwark--2020-12-29--Rubio vs. Fauci Is Amazing

Rubio vs. Fauci Is Amazing

In the course of his young political career , Marco Rubio has been a Tea Partier , a Reformicon , and a neoconservative .
Now he ’ s auditioning for the role of MAGA FAN # 7 by trying to paint Anthony Fauci as the real villain of the pandemic .
His strategy seems to be : Dazzle the Trumpenproletariat so completely that they adopt him as their new king .
It ’ s adorable .
The political equivalent of leaving your husband in hopes of catching the eye of pharma bro Martin Shkreli .
Over the weekend , Rubio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suggest .
.
.
well , I don ’ t want put words Liddle Marco ’ s mouth .
See for yourself : Of course , being “ elite ” is really a state of mind .
If you went to the University of Pennsylvania and live in a private , oceanside , gated club , you ’ re not elite .
If you went to Harvard and own a tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan , you ’ re not elite either .
And if you ’ re a healthy 49-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the COVID vaccine line just because you ’ re a U.S. senator ?
That ’ s not being elite either .
The poor guy was tricked into getting the shot .
By that awful Fauci guy .
Probably .
For guys like Rubio—and Joni Ernst , who also jumped to get the vaccine ahead of front-line healthcare workers after claiming that she thought COVID was NBD and that the real number of deaths from the virus was under 10,000—this is all just kabuki theater .
They belong to a party that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elites.
” So they have to hate “ elites , ” too .
And since the definition of who or what is “ elite ” is infinitely elastic , Rubio tries to butch up whenever there ’ s a clear target .
And since Donald Trump hates Anthony Fauci , then Fauci is , ipso facto , an elite .
Period , the end .
For instance , Fauci did not “ lie ” about wearing masks .
At the very beginning of the arrival of the virus , Fauci counseled against wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging people to wear them .
Why this change ?
In mid-February , there were few cases of COVID-19 in America , and Fauci has said he thought it would be best to save the masks for the first responders and medical professionals dealing with the sick , since masks were , at the time , in very short supply .
You can try to lawyer this basic truth seven ways to Sunday if you want , but that ’ s all it is : lawyerly word games .
And these word games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ll notice that there are still people—big , famous , Republican people—who ostentatiously refuse to wear masks in high-risk situations .
And Marco Rubio , who is absolutely outraged that Fauci didn ’ t command every American to go out and buy up N95s in February , has absolutely nothing to say about them .
It ’ s also bad faith because calling Fauci a liar purposefully ignores how little was known about SARS-Cov-2 in February and March .
For instance , remember how much time and energy was spent worrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pandemic ?
But it turns out that the virus does not spread easily through surface transmission .
In the same vein , our understanding of asymptomatic transmission of COVID has changed as well .
As Fauci told the Washington Post in July , “ We didn ’ t realize the extent of asymptotic spread .
What happened as the weeks and months came by , two things became clear : one , that there wasn ’ t a shortage of masks , we had plenty of masks and coverings that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloth…so that took care of that problem .
Secondly , we fully realized that there are a lot of people who are asymptomatic who are spreading infection .
So it became clear that we absolutely should be wearing masks consistently.
” No matter how Team Red Hat wants to categorize Fauci ’ s statements , this is not a “ lie.
” This is changing one ’ s position based on new information as it becomes available .
Ditto Fauci ’ s statements on the proper level America needed to obtain to achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the New York Times , Fauci acknowledged that he has slowly been adjusting the necessary herd immunity rate upwards , from 60 percent to 70 percent , then to 75 percent , then to “ 75- to 80-plus percent.
” Fauci noted he changed his projections “ partly based on new science , and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks.
” A group of prominent epidemiologists supported Fauci ’ s position when they told the Times the early range of 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too low , ” and with the virus becoming more transmissible , “ it will take greater herd immunity to stop it.
” Again , contra Rubio , this was not a “ lie.
” For one , Fauci ’ s estimate is essentially meaningless—it is an estimate of something that will actually happen , independently , in the real world .
We will achieve “ herd immunity ” when the number of people who have developed antibodies , either through infection or immunization , slows and then stops the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find out what it is when we get there , but even that final tally will be a statistical construct based on approximations and surveys .
Will the final number for “ herd immunity ” be 68 percent ?
Or 72 percent ?
Or 74.684021 percent ?
No one knows and further , it does not matter .
To claim that an epidemiologist is “ lying ” when their ballpark estimate of what it will take to reach herd immunity for a novel coronavirus slides around by a few percentage points is blinkered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true .
Because Rubio isn ’ t doing this because he ’ s stupid .
He ’ s doing it because he ’ s an ambitious coward desperate to earn the approval of a deranged man who still has a chokehold on the Republican party .
And it only serves to sow distrust among the segment of the population which already views scientific expertise as a marker of the evil “ elites.
” Since the pandemic began , Donald Trump has belted out falsehood after falsehood , downplaying the virus and costing Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For months , Trump claimed the cases were only going up because testing was being increased .
He continued to hold superspreader campaign events in states where cases and deaths were surging .
In early February , Trump literally told Bob Woodward he knew how dangerous the virus was , but was downplaying it to the public “ in order to reduce panic.
” Does Marco Rubio have anything to say about this “ lie ” ?
Of course not .
Trying to undercut Fauci is simply a tactic meant to appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP—the QAnon-friendly conspiracy theorists who bought into the “ Plandemic ” hoax that suggested Fauci had created the coronavirus as a money-making scheme .
And when Rubio beats up on Fauci , what he ’ s really doing is signaling that he thinks those people are in charge of his party .
Which , if you squint real hard , might be a public service .
Of a sort .

In the course of his young political career, Marco Rubio has been a Tea Partier, a Reformicon, and a neoconservative. Now he’s auditioning for the role of MAGA FAN #7 by trying to paint Anthony Fauci as the real villain of the pandemic. His strategy seems to be: Dazzle the Trumpenproletariat so completely that they adopt him as their new king.
It’s adorable. The political equivalent of leaving your husband in hopes of catching the eye of pharma bro Martin Shkreli.
Over the weekend, Rubio paused from tweeting Bible verses in order to suggest . . . well, I don’t want put words Liddle Marco’s mouth. See for yourself:
Dr. Fauci lied about masks in March Dr. Fauci has been distorting the level of vaccination needed for herd immunity It isn’t just him Many in elite bubbles believe the American public doesn’t know “what’s good for them” so they need to be tricked into “doing the right thing” — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 27, 2020
Of course, being “elite” is really a state of mind. If you went to the University of Pennsylvania and live in a private, oceanside, gated club, you’re not elite. If you went to Harvard and own a tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, you’re not elite either. And if you’re a healthy 49-year-old with no risk-factors who jumps to the head of the COVID vaccine line just because you’re a U.S. senator?
I know I looked away from the needle And yes, I know I need a tan But I am so confident that the #Covid19 vaccine is safe & effective that I decided to take it myself pic.twitter.com/TQbog6fu7i — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 19, 2020
That’s not being elite either. The poor guy was tricked into getting the shot. By that awful Fauci guy. Probably.
Podcast · August 15 2023 A.B. Stoddard: All the Ex-President’s Conspirators Donald Trump has been a low-rent mobster for his entire career, and now he’s getting…
For guys like Rubio—and Joni Ernst, who also jumped to get the vaccine ahead of front-line healthcare workers after claiming that she thought COVID was NBD and that the real number of deaths from the virus was under 10,000—this is all just kabuki theater. They belong to a party that is populated by people who hate “elites.” So they have to hate “elites,” too. And since the definition of who or what is “elite” is infinitely elastic, Rubio tries to butch up whenever there’s a clear target.
And since Donald Trump hates Anthony Fauci, then Fauci is, ipso facto, an elite. Period, the end.
Nothing else matters.
For instance, Fauci did not “lie” about wearing masks.
At the very beginning of the arrival of the virus, Fauci counseled against wearing masks before spending the next ten months urging people to wear them.
Why this change? In mid-February, there were few cases of COVID-19 in America, and Fauci has said he thought it would be best to save the masks for the first responders and medical professionals dealing with the sick, since masks were, at the time, in very short supply. You can try to lawyer this basic truth seven ways to Sunday if you want, but that’s all it is: lawyerly word games.
And these word games are done in bad faith. Because you’ll notice that there are still people—big, famous, Republican people—who ostentatiously refuse to wear masks in high-risk situations. And Marco Rubio, who is absolutely outraged that Fauci didn’t command every American to go out and buy up N95s in February, has absolutely nothing to say about them.
It’s also bad faith because calling Fauci a liar purposefully ignores how little was known about SARS-Cov-2 in February and March. For instance, remember how much time and energy was spent worrying about dealing with transmission through fomites early in the pandemic? But it turns out that the virus does not spread easily through surface transmission.
In the same vein, our understanding of asymptomatic transmission of COVID has changed as well. As Fauci told the Washington Post in July, “We didn’t realize the extent of asymptotic spread. What happened as the weeks and months came by, two things became clear: one, that there wasn’t a shortage of masks, we had plenty of masks and coverings that you could put on that’s plain cloth…so that took care of that problem. Secondly, we fully realized that there are a lot of people who are asymptomatic who are spreading infection. So it became clear that we absolutely should be wearing masks consistently.”
No matter how Team Red Hat wants to categorize Fauci’s statements, this is not a “lie.” This is changing one’s position based on new information as it becomes available.
Ditto Fauci’s statements on the proper level America needed to obtain to achieve “herd immunity.” In an interview with the New York Times, Fauci acknowledged that he has slowly been adjusting the necessary herd immunity rate upwards, from 60 percent to 70 percent, then to 75 percent, then to “75- to 80-plus percent.”
Fauci noted he changed his projections “partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks.”
A group of prominent epidemiologists supported Fauci’s position when they told the Times the early range of 60 to 70 percent was almost “undoubtedly too low,” and with the virus becoming more transmissible, “it will take greater herd immunity to stop it.”
Again, contra Rubio, this was not a “lie.” For one, Fauci’s estimate is essentially meaningless—it is an estimate of something that will actually happen, independently, in the real world. We will achieve “herd immunity” when the number of people who have developed antibodies, either through infection or immunization, slows and then stops the spread of the virus in the population. We will find out what it is when we get there, but even that final tally will be a statistical construct based on approximations and surveys. Will the final number for “herd immunity” be 68 percent? Or 72 percent? Or 74.684021 percent?
No one knows and further, it does not matter. To claim that an epidemiologist is “lying” when their ballpark estimate of what it will take to reach herd immunity for a novel coronavirus slides around by a few percentage points is blinkered.
Actually, that’s not true. Because Rubio isn’t doing this because he’s stupid. He’s doing it because he’s an ambitious coward desperate to earn the approval of a deranged man who still has a chokehold on the Republican party.
And it only serves to sow distrust among the segment of the population which already views scientific expertise as a marker of the evil “elites.”
Since the pandemic began, Donald Trump has belted out falsehood after falsehood, downplaying the virus and costing Americans their lives by the hundreds of thousands. For months, Trump claimed the cases were only going up because testing was being increased. He continued to hold superspreader campaign events in states where cases and deaths were surging.
In early February, Trump literally told Bob Woodward he knew how dangerous the virus was, but was downplaying it to the public “in order to reduce panic.” Does Marco Rubio have anything to say about this “lie”?
Of course not. Trying to undercut Fauci is simply a tactic meant to appeal to the most deranged voting bloc of the GOP—the QAnon-friendly conspiracy theorists who bought into the “Plandemic” hoax that suggested Fauci had created the coronavirus as a money-making scheme.
And when Rubio beats up on Fauci, what he’s really doing is signaling that he thinks those people are in charge of his party.
Which, if you squint real hard, might be a public service. Of a sort.


thebulwark--2020-12-29--Georgia Is a Quiet Place for Republicans

David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler didn ’ t plan on orienting their Georgia run-off campaigns around a lame-duck president ’ s crackpot election conspiracies and cuckoo coup attempts .
Yet , here they are , both desperately trying to signal to Republican voters that they ’ ll fight for Trump all the way to the bitter end .
Even with their well-funded and heavily-staffed campaign arsenals , these two incumbent senators believe that this is the only way they can keep their seats .
It ’ s the perfect distillation of the dead-end conundrum of Trumpism : Republicans know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kooks .
Republicans also know that they definitely might lose with them .
And this dissonance has left the GOP too paralyzed to think of any other way forward .
Think about this : Trump just lost Georgia .
But , if the incumbent senators running for re-election in Georgia acknowledge that reality , it would constitute instant grounds for rejection from their base .
Accordingly , the Peach State has become the quiet place for GOP realists : Utter one negative word—or even a positive word that laments his loss—and suddenly dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hunt you down .
“ Someone ’ s going to get hurt , someone ’ s going to get shot , someone ’ s going to get killed , ” Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling warned during a press conference where he specified the threats being posed to fellow Georgians who supported the electoral system .
Lest anyone thinks this is a one-off occurrence , look to Pennsylvania , where elected Republicans were pressured to sign a letter supporting Trump ’ s baseless election claims .
“ If I would say to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to do it , ' ” Kim Ward , the GOP leader of the Pennsylvania Senate , said , “ I ’ d get my house bombed tonight.
” Not to mention the numerous other occurrences of election officials being staked out and threatened in their homes and offices .
It ’ s like a horror movie .
But in real life .
To hear Republican campaign experts tell it , Loeffler and Perdue had no choice but to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ’ s absurd lawsuit to cancel votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply had to ask Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to resign ; nevermind there wasn ’ t any evidence of wrongdoing .
GOP voters in Georgia wanted shows of fealty to Trump and standing with Republican Governor Brian Kemp to say something like We love Donald Trump ; it ’ s a damn shame he lost ; and we hope he runs in 2024 would have been taken as heresy by their supporters .
Whether you agree or not with this analysis , it ’ s how Loeffler and Perdue see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their political future depends on supporting the overthrow of a free and fair election , it ’ s hard to see how they climb back down .
Because now they ’ ve laid down a marker with their supporters and legitimized the idea that the official party line should be pro-authoritarianism .
Still , Trump ’ s base wants more from Perdue and Loeffler .
They want more than co-signed letters expressing support for overthrowing an election .
They expect them to actually do something about it .
When Trump went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally ( ostensibly to support Perdue and Loeffler ) , the crowd came with pre-made “ Stop the Steal ” signs .
Trump spoke for nearly two hours , airing his various unfounded grievances .
The senators talked for only about two minutes .
At their own rally .
Loeffler tossed out a line about how the Dear Leader had stood up to “ cancel culture , China , Big Tech , the fake news , ” but the crowd could sense that she was trying to gild the election question .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot potato .
Purdue barely managed to say “ God bless you , we love you , Mr. President , ” before the crowd drowned him out with screaming chants demanding that the two senators “ Fight for Trump !
Fight for Trump !
” Nobody wanted to hear thoughts from sitting U.S. senators about the coronavirus , jobs , economic stimulus , or even how the GOP Senate could serve as a check on the Biden-Harris administration .
Trump ’ s crowd only wanted to know only one thing : Would these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the election .
And if not , then GTFO .
Sedition or bust , baby .
The leaders of this mob are trying to hold Perdue and Loeffler hostage .
Politically speaking , of course .
Let ’ s not confuse Georgia Republican voters with their comrades in Michigan , who targeted their governor with an actual kidnapping plot .
Lin Wood , Atlanta ’ s MAGA celebrity lawyer , is urging Georgia Republicans to boycott the run-off races .
He ’ s demanding voters sit out in retaliation for the supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kemp , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue against President Trump ” and others .
And a fair number of people are concerned about the “ Lin Wood effect ” and how his calls could depress GOP voter turnout .
Wood ’ s attempts to undo Biden ’ s election could undo Perdue and Loeffler , too .
But Trump and Wood are playing to the same roaring crowd .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are inconsequential figures when it comes to the Republican party ’ s future .
If they win , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
If they lose , the Democrats will have an extremely narrow majority where nothing to the left of Joe Manchin has even a chance of passing .
Either way , the future of Georgia Republicans , the Republican Senate , and the GOP itself is in the hands of fanatical conspiracists .
At this point , Loeffler , Perdue , and Republican party elites are just lagging indicators .
They realize this truth .
But they don ’ t dare say it out loud .
Because the only way to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thebulwark--2020-12-30--Teaching Our Merciless Racial Politics to the Next Generation

The quality of mercy is not strained .
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath .
It is twice blessed : It blesseth him that gives and him that takes .
—William Shakespeare , The Merchant of Venice When did we become so merciless ?
I ’ m not talking about the 18-year-old kid , featured in a New York Times article , who elected to torpedo a fellow student over a three-year-old video clip—though what he did was cruel .
No , I ’ m talking about all of the supposed adults who created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That includes editors of the Times , officials at the University of Tennessee , and thousands of online voyeurs who threw aside compassion and judgment .
The outline of the story is as follows : Mimi Groves , a 15-year-old high school freshman in Leesburg , Virginia , posted a Snapchat video when she got her learner ’ s permit .
Speaking into the camera , she said “ I can drive , n—–.
” Whoa .
Who uses the n-word like that ?
We ’ ll come to that .
The video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgotten .
Three years later , it surfaced again , this time coming to the attention of a classmate , Jimmy Galligan , who filed it away .
Later , after Mimi Groves had been accepted to her dream college , the University of Tennessee , and welcomed onto the cheerleading team ( apparently the national champion ) , Galligan released the three-second video .
It was May 2020 .
The furor following the death of George Floyd was erupting nationwide .
Groves , the Times reports , urged her Instagram followers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petition , rally , do something ” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement .
Her first hint of the deluge to come was a comment from a stranger , saying “ You have the audacity to post this , after saying the N-word.
” Galligan ’ s little time bomb had exploded on Snapchat , Tik Tok , and Twitter .
Within hours , the University of Tennessee was fielding calls demanding that they rescind their acceptance of Groves .
The cheerleading team acted first , dismissing her .
The call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of days .
The angry parents , alumni , and public must be placated , an administrator explained .
Groves was out .
Nowhere in the New York Times story is there any indication that this young woman , now 19 , has ever been known as a racist .
A black friend told the Times that Groves had apologized for the video long before it became public .
With the exception of that 3-second video , she had no history of racist posts on social media , associations with racist organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s what Mimi Groves told the Times : “ At the time , I didn ’ t understand the severity of the word , or the history and context behind it because I was so young , ” adding that the slur was in “ all the songs we listened to , and I ’ m not using that as an excuse.
” She said “ it honestly disgusts me that those words would come out of my mouth.
” She isn ’ t using song lyrics as an excuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the adults have had a little perspective here about a 15-year-old ?
Hip hop is all the rage and not just for black kids but for teenagers the world over .
So if a young girl tries to be cool by using the word that pop stars use , well , it ’ s a mistake , but is it a crime ?
It takes time to learn the complex etiquette that governs racial matters .
Comedian Trevor Noah felt the need to explain the choreography to his fans : Noah even suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their songs .
One for black people who are allowed to use the N-word , and another for everyone else .
“ They should just make like another version , like a non-black people version that everyone can rap along to [ where ] they find an alternative word.
” Rapper Kendrick Lamar paused a concert in 2018 when he invited a white fan onstage to sing “ m.A.A.d city.
” with him .
Apparently , she sang the N-word too .
“ You got ta bleep one single word , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No harm , no foul .
And that was an adult .
Jimmy Galligan seems to have no regrets .
The child of a black mother and a white father , he reports that he felt the sting of racism growing up .
It ’ s not for us to question that .
But he never says that Mimi Groves was the source of it .
Does that not matter ?
Is she to be branded for life for one stupid comment ?
Galligan , a freshman at Vanguard University , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had “ taught someone a lesson.
” Well , maybe the wrong someone ?
This isn ’ t just a story about kids behaving badly ( both of them ) .
It ’ s much more a story of adults who ’ ve lost their bearings .
Galligan should not be able to inflict such a disproportionate punishment on Groves for a years-old infraction .
And he wouldn ’ t have had the power to do so without the dereliction of the adults up and down the line .
The parents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Tennessee who issued a summary judgment on Groves—declining to speak to her teachers , coaches , or friends—are betraying their duty to act with fairness and to demonstrate a grown-ups ’ understanding .
And every adult who participated in this social media auto-da-fe is guilty too .
The New York Times should not have memorialized this episode of youthful folly .
Anyone who has ever been 18 can imagine that the day will come when Galligan deeply regrets his conduct toward Groves .
We know that Groves already regrets her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lapses are public property .
They are not human beings , but symbols .
Adults have robbed them of the chance to mature in peace—which isn ’ t surprising , since the adults never matured themselves .

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
—William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
When did we become so merciless? I’m not talking about the 18-year-old kid, featured in a New York Times article, who elected to torpedo a fellow student over a three-year-old video clip—though what he did was cruel. No, I’m talking about all of the supposed adults who created the world these kids navigate through. That includes editors of the Times, officials at the University of Tennessee, and thousands of online voyeurs who threw aside compassion and judgment.
The outline of the story is as follows: Mimi Groves, a 15-year-old high school freshman in Leesburg, Virginia, posted a Snapchat video when she got her learner’s permit. Speaking into the camera, she said “I can drive, n—–.”
Whoa. Who uses the n-word like that? We’ll come to that. The video circulated among a few people and was forgotten. Three years later, it surfaced again, this time coming to the attention of a classmate, Jimmy Galligan, who filed it away. Later, after Mimi Groves had been accepted to her dream college, the University of Tennessee, and welcomed onto the cheerleading team (apparently the national champion), Galligan released the three-second video.
It was May 2020. The furor following the death of George Floyd was erupting nationwide. Groves, the Times reports, urged her Instagram followers to “protest, donate, sign a petition, rally, do something” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Her first hint of the deluge to come was a comment from a stranger, saying “You have the audacity to post this, after saying the N-word.” Galligan’s little time bomb had exploded on Snapchat, Tik Tok, and Twitter. Within hours, the University of Tennessee was fielding calls demanding that they rescind their acceptance of Groves. The cheerleading team acted first, dismissing her. The call from the admissions office followed within a couple of days. The angry parents, alumni, and public must be placated, an administrator explained. Groves was out.
Podcast · August 15 2023 A.B. Stoddard: All the Ex-President’s Conspirators Donald Trump has been a low-rent mobster for his entire career, and now he’s getting…
Nowhere in the New York Times story is there any indication that this young woman, now 19, has ever been known as a racist. A black friend told the Times that Groves had apologized for the video long before it became public. With the exception of that 3-second video, she had no history of racist posts on social media, associations with racist organizations, or complaints against her at school. Here’s what Mimi Groves told the Times: “At the time, I didn’t understand the severity of the word, or the history and context behind it because I was so young,” adding that the slur was in “all the songs we listened to, and I’m not using that as an excuse.” She said “it honestly disgusts me that those words would come out of my mouth.”
She isn’t using song lyrics as an excuse, but really, couldn’t the adults have had a little perspective here about a 15-year-old? Hip hop is all the rage and not just for black kids but for teenagers the world over. So if a young girl tries to be cool by using the word that pop stars use, well, it’s a mistake, but is it a crime? It takes time to learn the complex etiquette that governs racial matters. Comedian Trevor Noah felt the need to explain the choreography to his fans:
Some people need to say to themselves, ‘I grew up with hip hop. I may have identified with black culture. But I also understand that I’m not black or I have not lived the black experience. There’s something that comes with that.’ Whereas black people, we go… the one perk to the oppression is getting the N-word. In a weird way.
Noah even suggested that rap artists release two versions of their songs. One for black people who are allowed to use the N-word, and another for everyone else. “They should just make like another version, like a non-black people version that everyone can rap along to [where] they find an alternative word.”
Rapper Kendrick Lamar paused a concert in 2018 when he invited a white fan onstage to sing “m.A.A.d city.” with him. Apparently, she sang the N-word too. “You gotta bleep one single word,” he corrected her. And on they went. No harm, no foul. And that was an adult.
Jimmy Galligan seems to have no regrets. The child of a black mother and a white father, he reports that he felt the sting of racism growing up. It’s not for us to question that. But he never says that Mimi Groves was the source of it. Does that not matter? Is she to be branded for life for one stupid comment? Galligan, a freshman at Vanguard University, told the Times “with satisfaction” that he had “taught someone a lesson.” Well, maybe the wrong someone?
This isn’t just a story about kids behaving badly (both of them). It’s much more a story of adults who’ve lost their bearings. Galligan should not be able to inflict such a disproportionate punishment on Groves for a years-old infraction. And he wouldn’t have had the power to do so without the dereliction of the adults up and down the line. The parents, alumni, coaches, and others at the University of Tennessee who issued a summary judgment on Groves—declining to speak to her teachers, coaches, or friends—are betraying their duty to act with fairness and to demonstrate a grown-ups’ understanding. And every adult who participated in this social media auto-da-fe is guilty too.
The New York Times should not have memorialized this episode of youthful folly. Anyone who has ever been 18 can imagine that the day will come when Galligan deeply regrets his conduct toward Groves. We know that Groves already regrets her three-year-old slip. But now, their lapses are public property. They are not human beings, but symbols. Adults have robbed them of the chance to mature in peace—which isn’t surprising, since the adults never matured themselves.