hotair--2020-06-17--One researcher predicted 2020 chaos a decade ago... and what comes next

One of the most constant points of discussion on social media , along with being the source of seemingly endless memes , is what a craptastic disaster the year 2020 has been turning out to be .
From the pandemic to the murder hornets , the swarms of locusts and the possibility of either a supervolcano or a meteor strike looming , there ’ s no shortage of horror stories to worry about .
If only somebody could have warned us , right ?
Well , it turns out that somebody actually did try to warn us a full decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention .
They might start listening to this guy a little more closely now .
His name is Peter Turchin and he ’ s a professor of cultural evolution ( whatever that is ) at the University of Connecticut .
Back in 2010 he published the results of a study he conducted that examined the repeating cycles of global unrest that have disrupted human societies for centuries .
His conclusion was that 2020 was going to be ripe for the next period of precisely the things we ’ re experiencing .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from here , too .
( Time ) Not everyone took Peter Turchin seriously a decade ago when he said widespread civil unrest would sweep through the U.S. in 2020 .
“ They had no reason to believe I wasn ’ t crazy , ” says Turchin , a 63-year-old researcher who teaches cultural evolution at the University of Connecticut .
In 2010 , after analyzing historical cycles of instability , Turchin made a prediction that was published at the time in the journal Nature : America will suffer a period of major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were skeptical , Turchin says , because “ people did not understand that I was making scientific predictions , not prophecies.
” According to Turchin ’ s research , the United States in particular has been on a seemingly scheduled calendar of mayhem that goes back to at least the early 1800s and it ’ s repeated itself every fifty years , give or take a couple .
Why ?
Nobody seems to know , but the data is definitely repeatable .
But looking on the bright side ( or at least trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got this out of the way it should be smooth sailing for the next half of a century , right ?
Well… sort of .
But according to Turchin ’ s calculations , we ’ re not nearly out of the woods yet .
This isn ’ t all going to magically go away once the giant ball drops in Times Square on New Years Eve .
We could be in for a decade or more of this craziness unless some of the driving factors are significantly mitigated .
Turchin says societal crises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek an outlet , can typically last for five to 15 years .
If the underlying roots of unrest are not properly addressed , turbulent events are easily set off again .
In South Africa , for example , which is one of the world ’ s most unequal countries , according to the World Bank , intense protests and anger over race and wealth inequality still rankle the country , 26 years after apartheid ended… “ Unfortunately , ” he says , “ things are not as bad as they can be.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ synchronicity in my running across this story this week and it ’ s making me take this professor a lot more seriously .
I only very recently finished listening to an analysis of a number of books by people who have been studying cycles in both nature and human behavior for well over a century .
Some of the findings are beyond amazing .
They are almost beyond belief .
There are almost continuous cycles that have been studied in everything from population growth or declines in fish , land mammals and birds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
steel and coal .
Animal migration patterns line up with incidents of mass revolts against governments .
And many of these things happen in cycles predictable down to a period of months every 6 , 9.5 , 17 or 26 years .
( Those are only a few examples . )
There are people who have gotten quite wealthy in the markets by following the work of the people who study these cycles and it ’ s simply fascinating .
I ’ ll close with a few of those links in case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for yourself .
Cycles : The Mysterious Forces that Trigger Events by Edward R. Dewey The World According to Cycles : How Recurring Forces Can Predict the Future and Change Your Life by Samuel A. Schreiner Life/Death Rhythms of Ancient Empires – Climatic Cycles Influence Rule of Dynasties : A Predictable Pattern of Religion , War , Prosperity and Debt by Will Slatyer The Fourth Turning : an American Prophecy – What The Cycles of History Tell Us About America ’ s Next Rendezvous with Destiny by William Strauss

One of the most constant points of discussion on social media, along with being the source of seemingly endless memes, is what a craptastic disaster the year 2020 has been turning out to be. From the pandemic to the murder hornets, the swarms of locusts and the possibility of either a supervolcano or a meteor strike looming, there’s no shortage of horror stories to worry about. If only somebody could have warned us, right? Well, it turns out that somebody actually did try to warn us a full decade in advance. But nobody was paying attention.
They might start listening to this guy a little more closely now. His name is Peter Turchin and he’s a professor of cultural evolution (whatever that is) at the University of Connecticut. Back in 2010 he published the results of a study he conducted that examined the repeating cycles of global unrest that have disrupted human societies for centuries. His conclusion was that 2020 was going to be ripe for the next period of precisely the things we’re experiencing. And he claims he can predict where it goes from here, too. (Time)
Not everyone took Peter Turchin seriously a decade ago when he said widespread civil unrest would sweep through the U.S. in 2020. “They had no reason to believe I wasn’t crazy,” says Turchin, a 63-year-old researcher who teaches cultural evolution at the University of Connecticut. In 2010, after analyzing historical cycles of instability, Turchin made a prediction that was published at the time in the journal Nature: America will suffer a period of major social upheaval beginning around 2020. Some were skeptical, Turchin says, because “people did not understand that I was making scientific predictions, not prophecies.”
According to Turchin’s research, the United States in particular has been on a seemingly scheduled calendar of mayhem that goes back to at least the early 1800s and it’s repeated itself every fifty years, give or take a couple. Why? Nobody seems to know, but the data is definitely repeatable.
But looking on the bright side (or at least trying to) now that we’ve got this out of the way it should be smooth sailing for the next half of a century, right? Well… sort of. But according to Turchin’s calculations, we’re not nearly out of the woods yet. This isn’t all going to magically go away once the giant ball drops in Times Square on New Years Eve. We could be in for a decade or more of this craziness unless some of the driving factors are significantly mitigated.
Turchin says societal crises, which are triggered when pent-up pressures seek an outlet, can typically last for five to 15 years. If the underlying roots of unrest are not properly addressed, turbulent events are easily set off again. In South Africa, for example, which is one of the world’s most unequal countries, according to the World Bank, intense protests and anger over race and wealth inequality still rankle the country, 26 years after apartheid ended… “Unfortunately,” he says, “things are not as bad as they can be.”
There’s a bit of synchronicity in my running across this story this week and it’s making me take this professor a lot more seriously. I only very recently finished listening to an analysis of a number of books by people who have been studying cycles in both nature and human behavior for well over a century. Some of the findings are beyond amazing. They are almost beyond belief. There are almost continuous cycles that have been studied in everything from population growth or declines in fish, land mammals and birds to swings in the prices of wheat. steel and coal. Animal migration patterns line up with incidents of mass revolts against governments. And many of these things happen in cycles predictable down to a period of months every 6, 9.5, 17 or 26 years. (Those are only a few examples.) There are people who have gotten quite wealthy in the markets by following the work of the people who study these cycles and it’s simply fascinating.
I’ll close with a few of those links in case you want to check out the work for yourself.
Cycles: The Mysterious Forces that Trigger Events by Edward R. Dewey
The World According to Cycles: How Recurring Forces Can Predict the Future and Change Your Life by Samuel A. Schreiner
Life/Death Rhythms of Ancient Empires – Climatic Cycles Influence Rule of Dynasties: A Predictable Pattern of Religion, War, Prosperity and Debt by Will Slatyer
The Fourth Turning: an American Prophecy – What The Cycles of History Tell Us About America’s Next Rendezvous with Destiny by William Strauss


hotair--2020-06-17--"Dog whistle"? RNC slams Durbin for calling Scott-led police reform bill a "token" effort

Is this a case of a rhetorical fumble , or a dog-whistle slam on the Senate GOP ’ s black caucus member ?
Or just a case of Republicans pouncing ?
The RNC accused Dick Durbin of making a dog-whistle remark after he called Sen. Tim Scott ’ s reform package a “ token ” effort toward resolving policing issues in the US .
That ’ s a fairly common term , but then again , if a Republican had said it … Guy Benson also makes the double-standard case while allowing for the probability that Durbin didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I ’ m loathe to assign ill will to this without more evidence that Durbin meant it in that way .
Conservatives get accused of this dog-whistle nonsense all the time without any evidence of racist motives , so enabling that doesn ’ t exactly play to our interests .
On the other hand , the T-word has come up of late with Scott — for instance , on NBC ’ s Today last week : CRAIG MELVIN : Senator , you have faced a fair amount of criticism , especially over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the only black Republican senator , some have said that your party is using you , they ’ ve even thrown around the word ‘ token , ’ as well .
Your response to that criticism ?
SCOTT : Well , I am also the only person in my conference who has been racially profiled , driving while black .
I ’ m the only one in my conference that ’ s been stopped seven times in one year as an elected official , perhaps the only one in my conference wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming into the building .
So if there ’ s someone in the conference who understands discrimination and profiling , it ’ s me .
It ’ s the reason why I asked to lead this charge , because it is a personal issue , it is the right issue .
And frankly , I think it helps to have someone who has been a victim of this situation and who still has a tremendous respect for where our country can go together .
So I shrug those comments and criticisms off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when you ’ re a black Republican , you ’ re like a unicorn .
People are going to criticize you when you wake up , when you go to sleep .
If you say you like apple pie and football , there ’ s a lot of critics for that , too .
So God bless their souls .
So Scott ’ s not exactly in the mood to hear nonsense about tokens .
He proved that shortly after Durbin ’ s speech on Twitter .
In response to Durbin ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in return .
Operator , I ’ d like to report a slaying … In case you missed it , here ’ s the event Scott ’ s referencing in the tweet .
Talk about tokenism .
And frankly , in this charged environment , Durbin should have known better than to use that term .
In fact , its problematic nature is so easily spotted that it ’ s tough to think it wasn ’ t purposefully included .
That ’ s exactly the standard applied to conservatives anyway , so … @ @ @ @ @ @

Is this a case of a rhetorical fumble, or a dog-whistle slam on the Senate GOP’s black caucus member? Or just a case of Republicans pouncing? The RNC accused Dick Durbin of making a dog-whistle remark after he called Sen. Tim Scott’s reform package a “token” effort toward resolving policing issues in the US. That’s a fairly common term, but then again, if a Republican had said it …
Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin pushes a racist dog whistle on the Senate floor, using the word "token" while discussing the Sen. Tim Scott led bill on police reformhttps://t.co/cB7LG8U8qS pic.twitter.com/QUbksEeazU — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2020
Guy Benson also makes the double-standard case while allowing for the probability that Durbin didn’t exercise much care in his prepared remarks:
At the very least, this is tone deaf and insensitive wording. And if a Republican Senator has said something similar, the ‘dog whistle’ whisperers would be out in full force. https://t.co/iSSBzGmnHd — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) June 17, 2020
I’m loathe to assign ill will to this without more evidence that Durbin meant it in that way. Conservatives get accused of this dog-whistle nonsense all the time without any evidence of racist motives, so enabling that doesn’t exactly play to our interests. On the other hand, the T-word has come up of late with Scott — for instance, on NBC’s Today last week:
CRAIG MELVIN: Senator, you have faced a fair amount of criticism, especially over the past few days, because you are the only black Republican senator, some have said that your party is using you, they’ve even thrown around the word ‘token,’ as well. Your response to that criticism? SCOTT: Well, I am also the only person in my conference who has been racially profiled, driving while black. I’m the only one in my conference that’s been stopped seven times in one year as an elected official, perhaps the only one in my conference wearing this senate pin that was stopped from coming into the building. So if there’s someone in the conference who understands discrimination and profiling, it’s me. It’s the reason why I asked to lead this charge, because it is a personal issue, it is the right issue. And frankly, I think it helps to have someone who has been a victim of this situation and who still has a tremendous respect for where our country can go together. So I shrug those comments and criticisms off. But you’ve got to know, when you’re a black Republican, you’re like a unicorn. People are going to criticize you when you wake up, when you go to sleep. If you say you like apple pie and football, there’s a lot of critics for that, too. So God bless their souls.
So Scott’s not exactly in the mood to hear nonsense about tokens. He proved that shortly after Durbin’s speech on Twitter. In response to Durbin’s zinger, Scott fired this bazooka in return. Operator, I’d like to report a slaying …
Y’all still wearing those kente cloths over there @SenatorDurbin? https://t.co/h3WETXn3We — Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) June 17, 2020
In case you missed it, here’s the event Scott’s referencing in the tweet.
Talk about tokenism. And frankly, in this charged environment, Durbin should have known better than to use that term. In fact, its problematic nature is so easily spotted that it’s tough to think it wasn’t purposefully included. That’s exactly the standard applied to conservatives anyway, so … let Durbin answer for it.


hotair--2020-06-17--Beijing raises coronavirus alert level, closes schools and cuts flights

There ’ s a new outbreak of the coronavirus in China , this time in Beijing .
In response , China has raised its virus alert level , closed schools , locked down certain neighborhoods and shuttered a massive food market where the virus appears to have spread .
The new coronavirus outbreak in Beijing grew to 106 cases Tuesday , with 29 communities in the sprawling Chinese capital back on lockdown .
Health officials confirmed another 27 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday , a smaller increase than in previous days but still a worrying resurgence after Beijing enjoyed almost two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet again , a coronavirus outbreak in China is linked to a food market .
The vast Xinfadi wholesale market is at the epicenter of the country ’ s latest battle against COVID-19 .
The size of more than 250 football fields , Xinfadi claims to be the biggest wholesale food market in Asia , supplying up to 80 % of the meat and vegetables to the capital ’ s 22 million people .
This graphic shows the difference between the Wuhan market where the virus originally spread and Xinfadi market in Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market will have a big impact on the entire local economy .
In addition to raising the alert level , Beijing is now testing an estimated 200,000 people in an attempt to identify everyone who might be spreading the virus .
Schools have been closed but , at least so far , China isn ’ t locking down the entire city the way it did in Wuhan .
Beijing has ordered all schools to close in an escalation of containment measures as it struggles to halt a new coronavirus outbreak which has already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to close schools and limit people leaving signals the severity of the growing crisis , officials have so far taken a more targeted approach towards the latest outbreak compared to similar resurgences in Wuhan and in the country ’ s northeast region .
The stakes are higher in Beijing , where the country ’ s business and political elite reside , and an aggressive lockdown risks undoing China ’ s economic re-opening and nascent moves to restart travel with other countries .
Still , the number of flights in and out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70 percent .
While the market seems to be the place where the virus spread , China ’ s CDC chief is suggesting the sudden uptick in cases suggests the virus has been spreading quietly since May .
Online news portal Caixin reported on Wednesday that the Xinfadi cluster may have already begun in May , according to Gao Fu , director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ It is possible that there were already a lot of asymptomatic or mild carriers during that month , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of the virus in the environment .
This is our estimation and needs to be further verified , ” Gao told a meeting with public health officials in Shanghai on Tuesday , according to Caixin… Party mouthpiece People ’ s Daily reported on Twitter that 1,255 flights were cancelled at two Beijing airports , accounting for 70 per cent of scheduled trips , on Wednesday morning .
Passengers who booked train tickets in and out of Beijing have been allowed to refund tickets without fees .
Other residents have been advised not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and must first be able to show a negative nucleic test result within the past seven days , according to Chen Bei , deputy secretary general of the Beijing municipal government .
Case numbers are expected to keep going up for several more days despite the “ wartime ” effort .
It looks like Beijing caught this in time but it ’ s a reminder that we ’ re still a long way from herd immunity and any reopening efforts risk creating a second wave of the infection .
Here ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Beijing .

There’s a new outbreak of the coronavirus in China, this time in Beijing. In response, China has raised its virus alert level, closed schools, locked down certain neighborhoods and shuttered a massive food market where the virus appears to have spread.
The new coronavirus outbreak in Beijing grew to 106 cases Tuesday, with 29 communities in the sprawling Chinese capital back on lockdown. Health officials confirmed another 27 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, a smaller increase than in previous days but still a worrying resurgence after Beijing enjoyed almost two months without a single new infection. Yet again, a coronavirus outbreak in China is linked to a food market. The vast Xinfadi wholesale market is at the epicenter of the country’s latest battle against COVID-19. The size of more than 250 football fields, Xinfadi claims to be the biggest wholesale food market in Asia, supplying up to 80% of the meat and vegetables to the capital’s 22 million people.
This graphic shows the difference between the Wuhan market where the virus originally spread and Xinfadi market in Beijing.
📍Whoa- Beijing district now in full “wartime emergency” over the new outbreak. And this Xinfadi market where it start is not some dinky Wuhan wet market – it’s a mega market scale on order of 1/3 of Central Park! Epidemic potential huge. https://t.co/GyOpatf7RU pic.twitter.com/BsGVBoeJov — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) June 14, 2020
CNBC reports that closing this one market will have a big impact on the entire local economy.
“Since Xinfadi is the largest farmers market in North China, its shutdown will drive up food inflation and depress restaurant businesses,” said Dan Wang, analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). “The official policy lacks clarity on how cities and individuals should respond.”
In addition to raising the alert level, Beijing is now testing an estimated 200,000 people in an attempt to identify everyone who might be spreading the virus. Schools have been closed but, at least so far, China isn’t locking down the entire city the way it did in Wuhan.
Beijing has ordered all schools to close in an escalation of containment measures as it struggles to halt a new coronavirus outbreak which has already spread to neighboring provinces. While the decision to close schools and limit people leaving signals the severity of the growing crisis, officials have so far taken a more targeted approach towards the latest outbreak compared to similar resurgences in Wuhan and in the country’s northeast region. The stakes are higher in Beijing, where the country’s business and political elite reside, and an aggressive lockdown risks undoing China’s economic re-opening and nascent moves to restart travel with other countries.
Still, the number of flights in and out of Beijing has been cut substantially by approximately 70 percent. While the market seems to be the place where the virus spread, China’s CDC chief is suggesting the sudden uptick in cases suggests the virus has been spreading quietly since May.
Online news portal Caixin reported on Wednesday that the Xinfadi cluster may have already begun in May, according to Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. “It is possible that there were already a lot of asymptomatic or mild carriers during that month, and that’s why there is a high amount of the virus in the environment. This is our estimation and needs to be further verified,” Gao told a meeting with public health officials in Shanghai on Tuesday, according to Caixin… Party mouthpiece People’s Daily reported on Twitter that 1,255 flights were cancelled at two Beijing airports, accounting for 70 per cent of scheduled trips, on Wednesday morning. Passengers who booked train tickets in and out of Beijing have been allowed to refund tickets without fees. Other residents have been advised not to leave the city unless absolutely necessary and must first be able to show a negative nucleic test result within the past seven days, according to Chen Bei, deputy secretary general of the Beijing municipal government.
Case numbers are expected to keep going up for several more days despite the “wartime” effort. It looks like Beijing caught this in time but it’s a reminder that we’re still a long way from herd immunity and any reopening efforts risk creating a second wave of the infection. Here’s a CBS News report on the new outbreak in Beijing.


hotair--2020-06-17--Quaker Oats: "Aunt Jemima" is canceled

Quaker Oats: "Aunt Jemima" is canceled

First they came for Aunt Jemima .
And I did not speak out — because I don ’ t care .
Correction : They came for the Land O ’ Lakes maiden first , then Aunt Jemima .
Uncle Ben ’ s days must be numbered too .
We have all the makings here for a terrible political cartoon set on the “ Isle of Political Correctness ” where discarded ex-mascots based on racial stereotypes forlornly welcome new arrivals .
“ You too , Ben ?
” says a plaintive Frito Bandito .
Trump should demand that Quaker Oats not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the package but restore the “ mammy ” kerchief that the character used to wear before it was modernized .
( “ Tradition !
” ) If he ’ s going to fight a culture war to protect Confederate names on U.S. military bases , he might as well fight on all fronts .
“ While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful , we realize those changes are not enough , ” said Quaker Oats ’ head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their choices at the present moment were either to drop the mascot “ voluntarily ” or eventually be forced to do so under pressure .
The history here isn ’ t great : Aunt Jemima ’ s appearance has evolved over time .
The brand ’ s origin and logo is based off the song “ Old Aunt Jemima ” from a minstrel show performer and reportedly sung by slaves .
The company ’ s website said the logo started in 1890 and was based on Nancy Green , a “ storyteller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the website fails to mention Green was born into slavery .
Richardson said the Aunt Jemima logo is based on a “ ‘ mammy , ’ a devoted and submissive servant who eagerly nurtured the children of her white master and mistress while neglecting her own.
” A statue of a slave mammy stereotype was approved by the US Senate in 1923 , but it was never built .
The company also ran racist ads for several decades , with actresses personifying the mammy stereotype .
It evolved the logo over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Knight as a spokeswoman in the 1990s .
The Aunt Jemima brand will donate $ 5 million towards “ engagement ” with the black community in addition to finding a new logo .
The Onion has a suggestion : Not to be outdone , ConAgra foods announced today that Mrs. Butterworth is actually a trans woman born with male genitalia .
Pronouns : She/her/hers .
No , just kidding about that .
It ’ d be foolish to announce such a thing right now , when the country is distracted by the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SpongeBob Squarepants is gay .
The American imagination has only so much capacity to track the sexual and cultural identities of fictional characters day to day .
Speaking of problematic mascots , when is Quaker Oats going to do something about their general brand mascot , “ Larry ” the Quaker ?
He ’ s extremely caucasio-normative .
But he also looks trans so maybe he ’ s safe .

First they came for Aunt Jemima. And I did not speak out — because I don’t care.
It’s pancake syrup.
Correction: They came for the Land O’ Lakes maiden first, then Aunt Jemima. Uncle Ben’s days must be numbered too. We have all the makings here for a terrible political cartoon set on the “Isle of Political Correctness” where discarded ex-mascots based on racial stereotypes forlornly welcome new arrivals. “You too, Ben?” says a plaintive Frito Bandito.
Trump should demand that Quaker Oats not only keep the image of Aunt Jemima on the package but restore the “mammy” kerchief that the character used to wear before it was modernized. (“Tradition!”) If he’s going to fight a culture war to protect Confederate names on U.S. military bases, he might as well fight on all fronts.
“While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough,” said Quaker Oats’ head of marketing today in a statement, recognizing that their choices at the present moment were either to drop the mascot “voluntarily” or eventually be forced to do so under pressure. The history here isn’t great:
Aunt Jemima’s appearance has evolved over time. The brand’s origin and logo is based off the song “Old Aunt Jemima” from a minstrel show performer and reportedly sung by slaves. The company’s website said the logo started in 1890 and was based on Nancy Green, a “storyteller, cook and missionary worker.” However, the website fails to mention Green was born into slavery. Richardson said the Aunt Jemima logo is based on a “‘mammy,’ a devoted and submissive servant who eagerly nurtured the children of her white master and mistress while neglecting her own.” A statue of a slave mammy stereotype was approved by the US Senate in 1923, but it was never built. The company also ran racist ads for several decades, with actresses personifying the mammy stereotype. It evolved the logo over the years, and even hired singer Gladys Knight as a spokeswoman in the 1990s.
The Aunt Jemima brand will donate $5 million towards “engagement” with the black community in addition to finding a new logo. The Onion has a suggestion:
Quaker Oats Replaces Historically Racist Aunt Jemima Mascot With Black Female Lawyer Who Enjoys Pancakes Sometimes https://t.co/OPI1BnYVaD pic.twitter.com/87rr9ZZ7yG — The Onion (@TheOnion) June 17, 2020
Not to be outdone, ConAgra foods announced today that Mrs. Butterworth is actually a trans woman born with male genitalia. Pronouns: She/her/hers.
No, just kidding about that. It’d be foolish to announce such a thing right now, when the country is distracted by the news about Aunt Jemima and the revelation that SpongeBob Squarepants is gay. The American imagination has only so much capacity to track the sexual and cultural identities of fictional characters day to day.
Speaking of problematic mascots, when is Quaker Oats going to do something about their general brand mascot, “Larry” the Quaker? He’s extremely caucasio-normative. But he also looks trans so maybe he’s safe.


hotair--2020-06-17--Should Juneteenth be a paid holiday? Philadelphia, companies say yes

Juneteenth is experiencing new publicity thanks to the Black Lives Matter protests .
Companies are rushing to show how woke they are by making Juneteenth a paid holiday and some cities are doing the same .
President Trump can take some credit for the new enthusiasm for celebrating Juneteenth , too .
His campaign rally scheduled on that day in Tulsa , which has now been moved to the next day , set off a firestorm from critics that the bad Orange Man is showing his racist self again .
Even if his first public rally since the pandemic shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in Tulsa – the site of the worst race massacre in American history – he would have been criticized for the choice of date .
Trump says he didn ’ t know the history of Juneteenth and I believe him .
I don ’ t think a majority of Americans knew the history of the date before the rally was scheduled .
Even some of us born and raised in the South – what is known as the deep South , specifically – didn ’ t know the history of the date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to the forefront .
I became aware of the date when we moved to Houston in the late 90s .
It made sense to me that this area enthusiastically celebrates the date because Juneteenth originated in Galveston .
On June 19 , 1865 , Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston , Texas , that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free .
Texas was the most remote of the slave states , with a low presence of Union troops , so enforcement of the proclamation had been slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freed them almost two and a half years earlier , and the American Civil War had largely ended with the defeat of the Confederate States in April .
Most states recognize the day as a special day of observance .
Texans began celebrating the date a year later with parades and parties .
It is a state holiday in Texas .
Only four states don ’ t acknowledge special celebrations – Hawaii , Montana , North Dakota , and South Dakota .
It is not , however , a federal holiday .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a paid holiday .
Companies in Chicago , for example , announced the decision this week .
Thousands of employees will get a day off Friday , with pay , in recognition of Juneteenth , while the city works toward making it an official holiday without a huge price tag .
In the wake of George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of police and the Black Lives Matter protests that have followed , Illinois companies are joining employers elsewhere in marking the day on Friday — by closing offices and giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois observes Juneteenth on the third Saturday of the month , June 19 is not a federal holiday .
In Chicago , an ordinance introduced last year proposing June 19 be made a city holiday , with all municipal offices closed , is on hold .
But some employees say having workplaces recognize the day is a step toward improved diversity and inclusion .
Fifth Third Bank plans to close all branches and offices at 2 p.m. Friday .
The bank has 186 branches in the Chicago area .
It is the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all employees will be paid for the time off .
In Philadelphia , Mayor Jim Kenney announced Tuesday that he has declared Juneteenth an official city holiday this year .
City offices and facilities will be closed to the public on Friday .
And in Virginia on Tuesday , Gov .
Ralph Northam announced he will make Juneteenth a paid holiday for all executive branch employees and introduce a bill making it a statewide paid holiday .
“ Northam said in his announcement that “ it ’ s time we elevate this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some Virginians , but one acknowledged and celebrated by all of us.
” I ’ ll note the irony of Northam , now nicknamed Governor Blackface for his youthful days of attending parties in blackface , virtue-signaling on elevating Juneteenth .
Nike was the first big company I noticed that was making Juneteenth a holiday for its employees .
Nike CEO John Donahoe said the paid holiday is an “ important opportunity to better commemorate and celebrate Black history and culture.
” This is the first year that Nike is doing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the first time this year , it has been announced that Target will observe June 19 as a company holiday .
Eligible employees will have the option to take the day off with full pay , while its headquarters in Minneapolis will be closed .
Target , by the way , is also raising its starting hourly wage for employees to $ 15.00 .
You get the picture .
Due to the unrest in the streets of cities across the country , CEOs and mayors don ’ t want to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a holiday that , up until this year , they ignored .
I won ’ t be surprised to see a push to make Juneteenth a federal holiday , too , like Martin Luther King , Jr. Day .

Juneteenth is experiencing new publicity thanks to the Black Lives Matter protests. Companies are rushing to show how woke they are by making Juneteenth a paid holiday and some cities are doing the same.
President Trump can take some credit for the new enthusiasm for celebrating Juneteenth, too. His campaign rally scheduled on that day in Tulsa, which has now been moved to the next day, set off a firestorm from critics that the bad Orange Man is showing his racist self again. Even if his first public rally since the pandemic shutdown the country wasn’t going to be in Tulsa – the site of the worst race massacre in American history – he would have been criticized for the choice of date. Trump says he didn’t know the history of Juneteenth and I believe him. I don’t think a majority of Americans knew the history of the date before the rally was scheduled.
Even some of us born and raised in the South – what is known as the deep South, specifically – didn’t know the history of the date until this year’s events brought it to the forefront. I became aware of the date when we moved to Houston in the late 90s. It made sense to me that this area enthusiastically celebrates the date because Juneteenth originated in Galveston. On June 19, 1865, Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free. Texas was the most remote of the slave states, with a low presence of Union troops, so enforcement of the proclamation had been slow and inconsistent. The Emancipation Proclamation formally freed them almost two and a half years earlier, and the American Civil War had largely ended with the defeat of the Confederate States in April.
Most states recognize the day as a special day of observance. Texans began celebrating the date a year later with parades and parties. It is a state holiday in Texas. Only four states don’t acknowledge special celebrations – Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. It is not, however, a federal holiday. Now some cities and companies are making Juneteenth a paid holiday. Companies in Chicago, for example, announced the decision this week. Thousands of employees will get a day off Friday, with pay, in recognition of Juneteenth, while the city works toward making it an official holiday without a huge price tag.
In the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police and the Black Lives Matter protests that have followed, Illinois companies are joining employers elsewhere in marking the day on Friday — by closing offices and giving employees a paid day off. Though Illinois observes Juneteenth on the third Saturday of the month, June 19 is not a federal holiday. In Chicago, an ordinance introduced last year proposing June 19 be made a city holiday, with all municipal offices closed, is on hold. But some employees say having workplaces recognize the day is a step toward improved diversity and inclusion.
Fifth Third Bank plans to close all branches and offices at 2 p.m. Friday. The bank has 186 branches in the Chicago area. It is the first time the bank has observed the holiday and all employees will be paid for the time off.
“Juneteenth means a lot. And right now, in the wake of everything that’s happening, you have these political movements, you’ve got Black Lives Matter … it’s a steppingstone,” said Sharnette Katherine-Keith, an assistant vice president and financial center manager at a Fifth Third branch in the Hyde Park neighborhood. “It’s like, ‘OK, we understand. We understand that this is an important day. … Let’s honor that day.’”
In Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney announced Tuesday that he has declared Juneteenth an official city holiday this year. City offices and facilities will be closed to the public on Friday. And in Virginia on Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam announced he will make Juneteenth a paid holiday for all executive branch employees and introduce a bill making it a statewide paid holiday. “Northam said in his announcement that “it’s time we elevate this, not just a celebration by and for some Virginians, but one acknowledged and celebrated by all of us.” I’ll note the irony of Northam, now nicknamed Governor Blackface for his youthful days of attending parties in blackface, virtue-signaling on elevating Juneteenth.
Nike was the first big company I noticed that was making Juneteenth a holiday for its employees. Nike CEO John Donahoe said the paid holiday is an “important opportunity to better commemorate and celebrate Black history and culture.” This is the first year that Nike is doing it. The same is true with Target. For the first time this year, it has been announced that Target will observe June 19 as a company holiday. Eligible employees will have the option to take the day off with full pay, while its headquarters in Minneapolis will be closed. Target, by the way, is also raising its starting hourly wage for employees to $15.00.
You get the picture. Due to the unrest in the streets of cities across the country, CEOs and mayors don’t want to be left behind in the rush to virtue-signal about a holiday that, up until this year, they ignored. I won’t be surprised to see a push to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, too, like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.


hotair--2020-06-17--Hmmm. Popular Mechanics offers advice on how to tear down a statue

Think of this as less of a racial unrest story and more of a curious media analysis mystery .
By now you ’ re surely aware of the recent spate of statues being torn down by rioters exploiting the George Floyd protests .
Originally , we were seeing the usual list of subjects being attacked , mostly in the form of Confederate Civil War monuments .
But since then , it ’ s spread to everything from bronze images of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln to Spanish Conquistadors .
Tearing down a sizable , heavy monument can be hard work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you don ’ t know what you ’ re doing .
Stepping into the breach this week is the magazine Popular Mechanics .
Author James Stout offers up some “ helpful ” advice on how to understand all of the physics involved and the most efficient way to accomplish the task .
The title seems straightforward enough .
How to Topple a Statue Using Science .
The real question isn ’ t so much the accuracy of the engineering information being offered , but the reason for publishing such an obviously confrontational and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally avoids such messiness .
As you ’ ll see , most ( but not all ) of the article reads like a straight engineering paper .
The force required to pull down a statue isn ’ t as great as you think , says mechanical engineer Scott Holland .
Most statues are bronze , using an alloy of 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin and a maximum thickness of 3/16 of an inch .
The Statue of Liberty ’ s copper sheeting is only 3/32 of an inch thick , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a person tops out at around 3,500 pounds .
( FYI : A horse statue is approximately 7,000 pounds . )
Meanwhile , the OSHA-mandated upper force limit for horizontal pulling per person is 50 pounds of force— “ but that ’ s for working every day , ” he says , “ so you could probably do twice that.
” At 100 pounds of force , then , we ’ re talking about a 35-person job to drag the statue , Holland says .
But to pull it down , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ll need twice as many people.
” So before you start toppling , you ’ d better recruit 70 buddies with a bit of muscle .
From there , the author goes on to imagine any number of other ways to destroy the edifice .
These range from using more commonly available tools like propane torches to imaginative ( though highly unlikely ) science experiments using thermite reactions or large quantities of liquid nitrogen .
As I said , much of the article deals with the literal nuts and bolts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranging from the typical weight of statues to the construction materials used in erecting them .
So , was the author just engaging in a fun bit of creative science and engineering geekery , choosing a topic that ’ s been in the news recently as a vehicle to do so ?
Or are we seeing some signs of wokeness sneaking into the pages of this traditionally apolitical publication ?
The first clue might be found in the introduction , which deals far less with science than the social upheaval in our streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racism ” and “ problematic monuments.
” He also refers to the subject of one of these monuments as “ the inanimate racist who ’ s been dead for a century anyway.
” Digging a little further , we can look at Stout ’ s Linkedin page .
He ’ s a professor of history at Mesa College and his varied interests definitely have strong hints of social justice reform running through them .
So while his science may be solid , it ’ s not hard to imagine that this article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other than how to most safely and efficiently remove a large metal object .
Or , you can just go scroll through the most recent entries in Stout ’ s Twitter feed and learn all you need to know .
The mystery will be solved if you do .
Full-blown leftist craziness , publishing under the rather thin veneer of presenting a scientific discussion .
I wonder if Popular Mechanics will come to regret the decision to approve this piece .
I tweeted a link to it before deciding to write about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my followers suggest that Stout ’ s piece may be landing with a thud .

Think of this as less of a racial unrest story and more of a curious media analysis mystery. By now you’re surely aware of the recent spate of statues being torn down by rioters exploiting the George Floyd protests. Originally, we were seeing the usual list of subjects being attacked, mostly in the form of Confederate Civil War monuments. But since then, it’s spread to everything from bronze images of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln to Spanish Conquistadors. Tearing down a sizable, heavy monument can be hard work, however, and potentially dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Stepping into the breach this week is the magazine Popular Mechanics. Author James Stout offers up some “helpful” advice on how to understand all of the physics involved and the most efficient way to accomplish the task. The title seems straightforward enough. How to Topple a Statue Using Science. The real question isn’t so much the accuracy of the engineering information being offered, but the reason for publishing such an obviously confrontational and politically charged article in a magazine that generally avoids such messiness. As you’ll see, most (but not all) of the article reads like a straight engineering paper.
The force required to pull down a statue isn’t as great as you think, says mechanical engineer Scott Holland. Most statues are bronze, using an alloy of 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin and a maximum thickness of 3/16 of an inch. The Statue of Liberty’s copper sheeting is only 3/32 of an inch thick, for comparison. Holland says your average statue of a person tops out at around 3,500 pounds. (FYI: A horse statue is approximately 7,000 pounds.) Meanwhile, the OSHA-mandated upper force limit for horizontal pulling per person is 50 pounds of force—“but that’s for working every day,” he says, “so you could probably do twice that.” At 100 pounds of force, then, we’re talking about a 35-person job to drag the statue, Holland says. But to pull it down, “let’s assume twice the force—so you’ll need twice as many people.” So before you start toppling, you’d better recruit 70 buddies with a bit of muscle.
From there, the author goes on to imagine any number of other ways to destroy the edifice. These range from using more commonly available tools like propane torches to imaginative (though highly unlikely) science experiments using thermite reactions or large quantities of liquid nitrogen. As I said, much of the article deals with the literal nuts and bolts of the problem at hand, positing facts ranging from the typical weight of statues to the construction materials used in erecting them.
So, was the author just engaging in a fun bit of creative science and engineering geekery, choosing a topic that’s been in the news recently as a vehicle to do so? Or are we seeing some signs of wokeness sneaking into the pages of this traditionally apolitical publication? The first clue might be found in the introduction, which deals far less with science than the social upheaval in our streets. Stout speaks about the “legacy of racism” and “problematic monuments.” He also refers to the subject of one of these monuments as “the inanimate racist who’s been dead for a century anyway.”
Digging a little further, we can look at Stout’s Linkedin page. He’s a professor of history at Mesa College and his varied interests definitely have strong hints of social justice reform running through them. So while his science may be solid, it’s not hard to imagine that this article was printed with a message in mind other than how to most safely and efficiently remove a large metal object.
Or, you can just go scroll through the most recent entries in Stout’s Twitter feed and learn all you need to know. The mystery will be solved if you do. Full-blown leftist craziness, publishing under the rather thin veneer of presenting a scientific discussion.
I wonder if Popular Mechanics will come to regret the decision to approve this piece. I tweeted a link to it before deciding to write about it and the initial reactions from a couple of my followers suggest that Stout’s piece may be landing with a thud.
@popmech has long been an apolitical, level-headed magazine, especially compared with Popular Science. I've bookmarked useful articles like "How to Build a Workbench."
I'm angry they published this, and I'll bring it up with my father, who is a subscriber. Shame on them. — Tim Hamilton (@TSHamiltonAstro) June 17, 2020


hotair--2020-06-17--WaPo: All hail the CHAZ "sentinels," or something

Imagine , if you will , a Donald Trump rally , or better yet the four-day Republican national convention , where security consisted of MAGA-hatted volunteers with no training in policing or crowd control .
Police wouldn ’ t come even when those volunteers — some of them armed — confronted people who crossed them .
Those volunteers might even try to collect data on people who patrolled the area around the rally to use against them in some shape or form .
When asked to identify themselves , a few might even call themselves “ Sam Adams , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s founders .
What kind of media coverage would that MAGA force get , do you think ?
Somehow it seems rather doubtful that it would get the kind of sympathetic treatment doled out in today ’ s Washington Post report on Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone , or CHAZ .
Gregory Scruggs lauds the volunteer “ sentinels ” enforcing whatever rules exist in the anarchist commune : Core to the zone is a vision of a self-governed community with no formal policing .
Instead , volunteers , many of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organize their own safety force .
Among other incidents , these volunteers have confronted a man throwing apples and threatening punches , a car driving toward a large crowd of pedestrians and a vehicle circling the block repeatedly and taking photos .
Volunteers say they have engaged with armed visitors from outside the city who came to the zone convinced that Seattle needed saving from left-wing agitators .
They have defused fights , protected store windows from vandals and handled mental-health crises .
Protesters rushed to douse the flames when a lone arsonist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early Friday .
The director of an LGBTQ resource center publicly thanked sentinels from the protest zone Sunday for their assistance watching over a broken window until plywood arrived , attributing the incident to a mental-health or drug-addiction issue with a person who regularly sleeps in the center ’ s doorway .
Volunteers say this work is a way to highlight what a city without police might look like .
“ We have a chance to really build something here , so I have a vested interest in defending that as a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who lives in the city ’ s Capitol Hill neighborhood .
“ I live on the Hill , and the police presence here has always been tense and kind of malicious.
” So what we have is a somewhat-armed neighborhood watch ?
Would George Zimmerman qualify for a position in CHAZ ?
Having untrained activists impose “ security ” is a recipe for disaster , and it ’ s only a matter of time before it gets ugly .
In fact , it already has , but WaPo readers don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article : The model does have its challenges .
On Saturday , dozens of people surrounded a fire-and-brimstone street preacher who regularly disrupts local protests with in-your-face threats of eternal damnation .
When efforts to escort him out peacefully failed , someone dragged him on the ground .
One person briefly put him in a chokehold while others blocked attempts to film the incident with their phones .
Later that afternoon , a couple dozen people marched up to the precinct with U.S. flags held aloft .
A crowd gathered around them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those are also known as civil rights violations .
Why didn ’ t the “ sentinels ” step in to stop them — or did they participate in them ?
Scruggs doesn ’ t give any indication that he even bothered to ask .
Now , imagine once again how this might be reported in our hypothetical RNC convention and the MAGA-hatted forces had allowed a protester to get roughed up or pro-abortion signs to get confiscated .
Would those incidents fall to the twenty-first paragraph of a report , with no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Oh , let ’ s not always see the same hands … Missing from this report on the “ sentinels ” is any mention of reports that supposed CHAZ “ warlord ” Raz Simone has been handing out so-called assault weapons in the zone .
Uncorroborated video of this alleged distribution popped up on YouTube , which if authentic would violate laws on weapons transfers in Washington .
Thus far , though , it hasn ’ t been reported by any American media outlets , nor does Scruggs mention it either : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in weapons safety .
Wouldn ’ t it have been worth asking whether this allegation is on the level ?
Had video like this popped up from our imaginary Republican convention , it would have made the nightly news on every network , even without authentication .
There ’ s another problem here that Scruggs never mentions , either .
In all his blathering about “ sentinels ” and their volunteerism , he never quite gets around to the fact that they have no basis on which to secure peace or enforce rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one gave them explicit authority to govern , and no one thus far has even promulgated a system of rules to enforce in the first place .
They have no legitimacy in terms of self-governance ; they are operating strictly on the basis of self-appointment .
At least police have formal accountability , even if local governments wimp out on applying it .
Where is the accountability for the actions of the “ sentinels ” ?
Who are they to tell others how to behave without that imprimatur ?
This is precisely the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arbery .
People took the law into their own hands , tried to capture someone they suspected of some sort of wrongdoing , and then killed him when he fought back .
It ’ s only a matter of time before the same thing happens in CHAZ , especially if the distribution of high-powered long guns to untrained extremists turns out to be real .
When it happens , will the media give that the same coverage ?
Or will it just be described as another “ challenge ” ?

Imagine, if you will, a Donald Trump rally, or better yet the four-day Republican national convention, where security consisted of MAGA-hatted volunteers with no training in policing or crowd control. Police wouldn’t come even when those volunteers — some of them armed — confronted people who crossed them. Those volunteers might even try to collect data on people who patrolled the area around the rally to use against them in some shape or form. When asked to identify themselves, a few might even call themselves “Sam Adams,” or some other reference to America’s founders.
What kind of media coverage would that MAGA force get, do you think? Somehow it seems rather doubtful that it would get the kind of sympathetic treatment doled out in today’s Washington Post report on Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, or CHAZ. Gregory Scruggs lauds the volunteer “sentinels” enforcing whatever rules exist in the anarchist commune:
Core to the zone is a vision of a self-governed community with no formal policing. Instead, volunteers, many of them avowed police abolitionists, have begun to organize their own safety force. Among other incidents, these volunteers have confronted a man throwing apples and threatening punches, a car driving toward a large crowd of pedestrians and a vehicle circling the block repeatedly and taking photos. Volunteers say they have engaged with armed visitors from outside the city who came to the zone convinced that Seattle needed saving from left-wing agitators. They have defused fights, protected store windows from vandals and handled mental-health crises. Protesters rushed to douse the flames when a lone arsonist attempted to set fire to the precinct early Friday. The director of an LGBTQ resource center publicly thanked sentinels from the protest zone Sunday for their assistance watching over a broken window until plywood arrived, attributing the incident to a mental-health or drug-addiction issue with a person who regularly sleeps in the center’s doorway. Volunteers say this work is a way to highlight what a city without police might look like. “We have a chance to really build something here, so I have a vested interest in defending that as a part of my community,” said Ochoa, who lives in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. “I live on the Hill, and the police presence here has always been tense and kind of malicious.”
So what we have is a somewhat-armed neighborhood watch? Would George Zimmerman qualify for a position in CHAZ? Having untrained activists impose “security” is a recipe for disaster, and it’s only a matter of time before it gets ugly. In fact, it already has, but WaPo readers don’t find that out until far into the article:
The model does have its challenges. On Saturday, dozens of people surrounded a fire-and-brimstone street preacher who regularly disrupts local protests with in-your-face threats of eternal damnation. When efforts to escort him out peacefully failed, someone dragged him on the ground. One person briefly put him in a chokehold while others blocked attempts to film the incident with their phones. Later that afternoon, a couple dozen people marched up to the precinct with U.S. flags held aloft. A crowd gathered around them, and one of the flags was confiscated.
Those are also known as civil rights violations. Why didn’t the “sentinels” step in to stop them — or did they participate in them? Scruggs doesn’t give any indication that he even bothered to ask. Now, imagine once again how this might be reported in our hypothetical RNC convention and the MAGA-hatted forces had allowed a protester to get roughed up or pro-abortion signs to get confiscated. Would those incidents fall to the twenty-first paragraph of a report, with no questions about security involvement in the incidents?
Oh, let’s not always see the same hands …
Missing from this report on the “sentinels” is any mention of reports that supposed CHAZ “warlord” Raz Simone has been handing out so-called assault weapons in the zone. Uncorroborated video of this alleged distribution popped up on YouTube, which if authentic would violate laws on weapons transfers in Washington. Thus far, though, it hasn’t been reported by any American media outlets, nor does Scruggs mention it either:
Whoever this is badly needs a course in weapons safety. Wouldn’t it have been worth asking whether this allegation is on the level? Had video like this popped up from our imaginary Republican convention, it would have made the nightly news on every network, even without authentication.
There’s another problem here that Scruggs never mentions, either. In all his blathering about “sentinels” and their volunteerism, he never quite gets around to the fact that they have no basis on which to secure peace or enforce rules. No one elected them, no one gave them explicit authority to govern, and no one thus far has even promulgated a system of rules to enforce in the first place. They have no legitimacy in terms of self-governance; they are operating strictly on the basis of self-appointment. At least police have formal accountability, even if local governments wimp out on applying it. Where is the accountability for the actions of the “sentinels”? Who are they to tell others how to behave without that imprimatur?
This is precisely the mindset that produced the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. People took the law into their own hands, tried to capture someone they suspected of some sort of wrongdoing, and then killed him when he fought back. It’s only a matter of time before the same thing happens in CHAZ, especially if the distribution of high-powered long guns to untrained extremists turns out to be real. When it happens, will the media give that the same coverage? Or will it just be described as another “challenge”?


hotair--2020-06-17--Here we go again. Kim sending soldiers back to the Korean border

On Sunday , we learned that North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un ’ s sister , Kim Yo Jong , had been placed in charge of the nation ’ s relationship with their South Korean neighbors .
Her first act was to declare that she would order the military to take “ measures ” as required to stop the South Koreans from doing terrible things like floating leaflets over the border or something .
She followed that up by blowing up the liaison office building the two countries had established in Kaesong .
Nobody was injured because the building was empty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get rid of it anyway , but the message being sent seemed clear .
Now , only hours after the detonation , we ’ ve learned that the North is sending back all the troops they pulled out of several border crossing areas .
So I suppose the era of peace , love and flowers between the two Koreas and their hopes for reunification of the peninsula have been dashed .
Or at least for the moment , anyway .
North Korea said Wednesday it will redeploy troops to now-shuttered inter-Korean cooperation sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises at front-line areas , nullifying the landmark tension-reducing deals reached with South Korea just two years ago .
The announcement came a day after North Korea destroyed an inter-Korean liaison office in a choreographed display of anger that puts pressure on Washington and Seoul amid deadlocked nuclear diplomacy .
The demolition was the most provocative act by North Korea since it entered nuclear talks in 2018 , though the building in its border town of Kaesong was empty and the North had previously signaled plans to blow it up .
The North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be deployed to the Diamond Mountain resort and the Kaesong industrial complex , both just north of the heavily fortified border .
Those sites , once symbols of inter-Korean cooperation , have been shuttered for years due to inter-Korean disputes and the economic sanctions imposed on North Korea because of its nuclear program .
As usual , we should view this news in the larger context of Kim ’ s family and their relationship with both South Korea and the United States .
This approach can be modified a bit this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shifting dynamics involving Kim ’ s health issues and his possible line of succession .
There are several reasons why Kim might think there was a potential benefit to taking all of these aggressive and very public measures .
One possibility is that he wants to give his people the impression that his sister is ready and willing to bring down the iron fist of the regime and that she could potentially rule – dare I say it – “ like a man.
” North Korea isn ’ t exactly known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions of power is rare .
The various warlords who might begin revolting if a power vacuum were to appear may be the intended audience for these displays .
If Kim Yo Jong is seen as an aggressive , powerful figure who is willing to unleash hellfire on the regime ’ s perceived enemies , a transition might be made smoother .
There ’ s also the matter of the stalled negotiations with the United States to consider .
Kim Jong-un very badly would like to see his negotiations with Donald Trump result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being imposed on his nation and most of his diplomats .
Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he doesn ’ t plan on offering any concessions until there ’ s a verifiable reduction in Kim ’ s tactical weapons and ICBM stockpiles .
Since the diminutive dictator clearly doesn ’ t want to give up his toys , he probably thinks that aggressive threats like these might shake President Trump up enough to give some ground .
Good luck with that .
One thing Donald Trump despises more than anything else is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything .
He ’ s staked out his terms for this deal , and if Kim doesn ’ t make the first move , he ’ s unlikely to toss him a bone .
Assuming the North Korean troops take up their old stations , what we ’ re probably witnessing is little more than a return to the status quo we were familiar with before the first summit between Trump and Kim .
While not welcome news , it ’ s still something that we know how to deal with , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably be followed by more nuclear tests and missile launches , which Trump can then sadly shake his head over , expressing his “ disappointment ” in Kim ’ s failed leadership .

On Sunday, we learned that North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, had been placed in charge of the nation’s relationship with their South Korean neighbors. Her first act was to declare that she would order the military to take “measures” as required to stop the South Koreans from doing terrible things like floating leaflets over the border or something. She followed that up by blowing up the liaison office building the two countries had established in Kaesong. Nobody was injured because the building was empty and they’d previously threatened to get rid of it anyway, but the message being sent seemed clear.
Now, only hours after the detonation, we’ve learned that the North is sending back all the troops they pulled out of several border crossing areas. So I suppose the era of peace, love and flowers between the two Koreas and their hopes for reunification of the peninsula have been dashed. Or at least for the moment, anyway.
North Korea said Wednesday it will redeploy troops to now-shuttered inter-Korean cooperation sites, reinstall guard posts and resume military exercises at front-line areas, nullifying the landmark tension-reducing deals reached with South Korea just two years ago. The announcement came a day after North Korea destroyed an inter-Korean liaison office in a choreographed display of anger that puts pressure on Washington and Seoul amid deadlocked nuclear diplomacy. The demolition was the most provocative act by North Korea since it entered nuclear talks in 2018, though the building in its border town of Kaesong was empty and the North had previously signaled plans to blow it up. The North’s General Staff said military units will be deployed to the Diamond Mountain resort and the Kaesong industrial complex, both just north of the heavily fortified border. Those sites, once symbols of inter-Korean cooperation, have been shuttered for years due to inter-Korean disputes and the economic sanctions imposed on North Korea because of its nuclear program.
As usual, we should view this news in the larger context of Kim’s family and their relationship with both South Korea and the United States. This approach can be modified a bit this year to include what little we know about the shifting dynamics involving Kim’s health issues and his possible line of succession.
There are several reasons why Kim might think there was a potential benefit to taking all of these aggressive and very public measures. One possibility is that he wants to give his people the impression that his sister is ready and willing to bring down the iron fist of the regime and that she could potentially rule – dare I say it – “like a man.” North Korea isn’t exactly known for its pro-women policies and seeing females in positions of power is rare. The various warlords who might begin revolting if a power vacuum were to appear may be the intended audience for these displays. If Kim Yo Jong is seen as an aggressive, powerful figure who is willing to unleash hellfire on the regime’s perceived enemies, a transition might be made smoother.
There’s also the matter of the stalled negotiations with the United States to consider. Kim Jong-un very badly would like to see his negotiations with Donald Trump result in significant reductions in the sanctions currently being imposed on his nation and most of his diplomats. Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he doesn’t plan on offering any concessions until there’s a verifiable reduction in Kim’s tactical weapons and ICBM stockpiles. Since the diminutive dictator clearly doesn’t want to give up his toys, he probably thinks that aggressive threats like these might shake President Trump up enough to give some ground.
Good luck with that. One thing Donald Trump despises more than anything else is the perception of him being weak on anything. He’s staked out his terms for this deal, and if Kim doesn’t make the first move, he’s unlikely to toss him a bone.
Assuming the North Korean troops take up their old stations, what we’re probably witnessing is little more than a return to the status quo we were familiar with before the first summit between Trump and Kim. While not welcome news, it’s still something that we know how to deal with, having done so for decades. That will probably be followed by more nuclear tests and missile launches, which Trump can then sadly shake his head over, expressing his “disappointment” in Kim’s failed leadership.


hotair--2020-06-17--Nebraska Dems to Senate nominee: Get out -- now -- over sexual harassment

Chris Janicek must have seemed like a dream candidate for Nebraska Democrats hoping to unseat Ben Sasse .
The openly gay moderate might have given them enough credibility on both wings of their party and among Cornhuskers to give a serious challenge to incumbent Republican Ben Sasse , whose occasional clashes with Trump might have left him a little vulnerable .
Instead , Nebraska Democrats have a nightmare on their hands .
E-mails from Janicek have emerged that he sent to a woman on his campaign discussing whether to spend money on “ getting her laid , ” and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to accomplish it .
Now they need him to quit in order to replace him : The Nebraska Democratic Party called on its U.S. Senate nominee to drop out of the race Tuesday after he made sexually repugnant comments about a campaign staffer in a group text with her and other staffers .
The party said its state executive committee voted unanimously on Monday evening to withdraw all of its resources from Chris Janicek ’ s campaign .
… The text messages , which were obtained by The Associated Press , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five other people , including the female staffer .
At one point , he wrote that he had argued with her and then asked whether the campaign should spend money on “ getting her laid.
” “ It will probably take three guys , ” he wrote , before describing in graphic detail an imagined group sex scene involving the female staffer .
Unfortunately for the party , Janicek has already been nominated .
He won a seven-person race for the ballot slot last month , and the party can ’ t remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certified .
A new nomination would first require Janicek to step aside , and he ’ d have to do so before September 11 , when the state certifies the general-election ballot .
That would force the party to hand-pick Janicek ’ s replacement , which would itself create all sorts of headaches for the party , but not as many as having these texts floating around in a general election .
Their biggest problem , though , is that Janicek isn ’ t interested in withdrawing .
He claims he was joking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay man means he can ’ t really be accused of sexually harassing a woman .
Er … Despite the state party ’ s request that he withdraw , Janicek told CNN that he “ did not consider it ever.
” “ I ’ d like to just move on with the campaign , but the Nebraska Democratic Party has taken it in another direction , ” he said .
… Janicek , the party ’ s nominee running against Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse , told CNN that in late May he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including himself , the female former staffer and four other campaign staffers .
He characterized the message as “ simply repeating what she had said earlier in the week , that she needed to get laid.
” “ I ’ m an openly gay man running for senate against Ben Sasse , so it was not sexual harassment , it was something that had been discussed between her and a girlfriend , ” Janicek said , later adding that he had overheard the staffer ’ s phone conversation at campaign headquarters .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual harassment , at least not in a legal sense .
Perhaps Janicek hopes that it will work in a political sense .
He ’ s already trying to reframe this as a set-up by left-wing extremists within his party to oust him over his more conservative views on guns and abortion : It ’ s at this point that Nebraska Democrats will start reaching for the Excedrin , and Nebraska Republicans will start reaching for the popcorn .
Even with all of Sasse ’ s issues , there wasn ’ t much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November .
There is zero chance of Sasse losing it now .
Democrats have to decide whether they will lose more down-ballot seats with Janicek still on the ticket , or with the intraparty feud that will erupt if they get a chance to hand-pick his replacement .
The real question will be whether the media picks up on Janicek ’ s antics and asks other Democratic candidates about them , as they did with Todd Akin ’ s comments about rape and abortion in 2012 .
The media made that a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in practically every race that year , and practically at every level .
Actually , we all know that it ’ s not going to happen , so let ’ s just call it a real rhetorical question .
For now , though , Nebraska Democrats find themselves on the hook with Janicek until he decides to leave .
It seems pretty doubtful that a man who had little qualms about discussing a staffer ’ s sex life and suggesting it would take three men to satisfy her in an e-mail would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord knows , he should be .

Chris Janicek must have seemed like a dream candidate for Nebraska Democrats hoping to unseat Ben Sasse. The openly gay moderate might have given them enough credibility on both wings of their party and among Cornhuskers to give a serious challenge to incumbent Republican Ben Sasse, whose occasional clashes with Trump might have left him a little vulnerable.
Instead, Nebraska Democrats have a nightmare on their hands. E-mails from Janicek have emerged that he sent to a woman on his campaign discussing whether to spend money on “getting her laid,” and that “it will probably take three guys” to accomplish it. Now they need him to quit in order to replace him:
The Nebraska Democratic Party called on its U.S. Senate nominee to drop out of the race Tuesday after he made sexually repugnant comments about a campaign staffer in a group text with her and other staffers. The party said its state executive committee voted unanimously on Monday evening to withdraw all of its resources from Chris Janicek’s campaign. … The text messages, which were obtained by The Associated Press, were from a group chat involving Janicek and five other people, including the female staffer. At one point, he wrote that he had argued with her and then asked whether the campaign should spend money on “getting her laid.” “It will probably take three guys,” he wrote, before describing in graphic detail an imagined group sex scene involving the female staffer.
Unfortunately for the party, Janicek has already been nominated. He won a seven-person race for the ballot slot last month, and the party can’t remove him now that he’s been certified. A new nomination would first require Janicek to step aside, and he’d have to do so before September 11, when the state certifies the general-election ballot. That would force the party to hand-pick Janicek’s replacement, which would itself create all sorts of headaches for the party, but not as many as having these texts floating around in a general election.
Their biggest problem, though, is that Janicek isn’t interested in withdrawing. He claims he was joking, and that his status as a gay man means he can’t really be accused of sexually harassing a woman. Er …
Despite the state party’s request that he withdraw, Janicek told CNN that he “did not consider it ever.” “I’d like to just move on with the campaign, but the Nebraska Democratic Party has taken it in another direction,” he said. … Janicek, the party’s nominee running against Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, told CNN that in late May he sent a text message to a group including himself, the female former staffer and four other campaign staffers. He characterized the message as “simply repeating what she had said earlier in the week, that she needed to get laid.” “I’m an openly gay man running for senate against Ben Sasse, so it was not sexual harassment, it was something that had been discussed between her and a girlfriend,” Janicek said, later adding that he had overheard the staffer’s phone conversation at campaign headquarters.
That’s not actually a defense against sexual harassment, at least not in a legal sense. Perhaps Janicek hopes that it will work in a political sense. He’s already trying to reframe this as a set-up by left-wing extremists within his party to oust him over his more conservative views on guns and abortion:
In a brief phone interview, Janicek said he doesn’t plan to drop out of the race. He alleged that the party was targeting him because he disagreed with its more liberal activists on issues such as abortion rights and gun control. “They’re using this as a crutch,” he said.
It’s at this point that Nebraska Democrats will start reaching for the Excedrin, and Nebraska Republicans will start reaching for the popcorn. Even with all of Sasse’s issues, there wasn’t much chance of him losing this seat in November. There is zero chance of Sasse losing it now. Democrats have to decide whether they will lose more down-ballot seats with Janicek still on the ticket, or with the intraparty feud that will erupt if they get a chance to hand-pick his replacement.
The real question will be whether the media picks up on Janicek’s antics and asks other Democratic candidates about them, as they did with Todd Akin’s comments about rape and abortion in 2012. The media made that a national narrative and challenged Republicans to answer for it in practically every race that year, and practically at every level. Actually, we all know that it’s not going to happen, so let’s just call it a real rhetorical question.
For now, though, Nebraska Democrats find themselves on the hook with Janicek until he decides to leave. It seems pretty doubtful that a man who had little qualms about discussing a staffer’s sex life and suggesting it would take three men to satisfy her in an e-mail would be easily shamed into quitting. Although Lord knows, he should be.


hotair--2020-06-18--Minneapolis firefighters: Our leadership checked out during the riots too

The collapse of civic leadership in Minneapolis in the riots didn ’ t just get limited to Mayor Jacob Frey or the city council .
Now that the aftermath of the violence and arsons have been tallied , with more than 700 buildings in the city either damaged or destroyed , firefighters wondered why their chief didn ’ t start ringing alarms immediately .
While the St. Paul Fire Department leadership called all hands on deck , the firefighters across the river accuse Chief John Fruetel of sitting on his hands : Firefighters within the Minneapolis Fire Department are criticizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unrest following the killing of George Floyd , challenging the fire chief who did not call in major reinforcements as gas stations , post offices and businesses burned across the city .
Chief John Fruetel relied on mobile units of firefighting crews and increased staff by about 10 during the height of the unrest .
He did not follow St. Paul ’ s example in calling in more off-duty firefighters and , with one exception , did not call surrounding city fire departments for help .
The president of the local firefighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was dumbfounded by the department ’ s strategy during its biggest and longest crisis in modern history .
“ There were a couple of nights that some engines didn ’ t run and I know that fires were burning , ” Lakosky said this week .
“ How many buildings have to be on fire before you call people in and start running every rig you got ?
” To be fair , there ’ s more than one difference between St. Paul and Minneapolis .
The police in St. Paul didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which made it easier to bring in more firefighters and keep flames from spreading .
That didn ’ t mean every building got saved , of course ; a Midway pharmacy that had been open for a century got destroyed , for instance .
One has to wonder , too , whether the firefighters union would have been happy to see its members ordered into action while the police retreated .
The rioters meant business , and they drove back the fire department when it attempted to salvage the Third Precinct .
Fruetel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vacuum , after all .
However , Freutel ’ s decisions came of a piece with the decisions made in Minneapolis as a whole — and really , from the state government leadership in Minnesota as well .
No one wanted to take political responsibility for establishing order , even though that is the most basic responsibility of government .
The leaders far preferred to pander to the rioters rather than deal firmly with them , in the hopes that tearful mea culpas in pressers would impress them enough to get them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only after a few days of wanton destruction had passed did any of them do their jobs properly — and by then , it was too late for hundreds of businesses and thousands of workers in the city .
Let ’ s also not forget that the first impulse from leadership at all levels was to blame “ outsiders ” for the rioting .
Now that the feds have unveiled some of the sealed indictments related to the riots , the Star Tribune notes that the riots were “ largely home-grown ” after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of brain surgeons , either ( emphasis mine ) : In the days after protesters set the Minneapolis Police Department ’ s Third Precinct station ablaze , Bryce Michael Williams trekked across the country with a documentary film crew to join other protests over George Floyd ’ s killing in Los Angeles , Las Vegas and Denver .
Recounting the journey on an Instagram interview show this month , the 26-year-old self-described semiprofessional basketball player and “ TikTok influencer ” from Staples , Minn. , explained that he was there when the Third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , I participated in the riots at night of course , cause I ’ m with my people , ” Williams told the interviewer .
They ’ re “ getting teargassed , of course I ’ m going to riot too.
” This week , Williams became the latest in a largely homegrown group of people charged in connection with rioting and destruction of buildings that erupted across the Twin Cities after Floyd ’ s killing by police on May 25 .
What in the heck is a “ Tik-Tok influencer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a legend in his own mind .
Williams isn ’ t the first person caught by the FBI for bragging about his exploits , and he won ’ t be the last .
The Department of Justice disclosed last week that they are digging deep into social media data to find rioters and having significant success with it .
That might not snag the ringleaders of these conspiracies to instigate riots , but it will deliver a very harsh disincentive for others to get instigated by them in the future .
Or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
This is just another reminder of the complete collapse of effective leadership in the crisis of the George Floyd homicide , at all levels in the state .
It ’ s that leadership failure which put the Twin Cities at the mercy of geniuses like Bryce Michael Williams , Dylan Shakespeare Robinson , et al .
Had they acted with firmness and preparation from the beginning , we might still have those businesses and jobs in place today .

The collapse of civic leadership in Minneapolis in the riots didn’t just get limited to Mayor Jacob Frey or the city council. Now that the aftermath of the violence and arsons have been tallied, with more than 700 buildings in the city either damaged or destroyed, firefighters wondered why their chief didn’t start ringing alarms immediately. While the St. Paul Fire Department leadership called all hands on deck, the firefighters across the river accuse Chief John Fruetel of sitting on his hands:
Firefighters within the Minneapolis Fire Department are criticizing their leaders’ response in the nights of unrest following the killing of George Floyd, challenging the fire chief who did not call in major reinforcements as gas stations, post offices and businesses burned across the city. Chief John Fruetel relied on mobile units of firefighting crews and increased staff by about 10 during the height of the unrest. He did not follow St. Paul’s example in calling in more off-duty firefighters and, with one exception, did not call surrounding city fire departments for help. The president of the local firefighters union, Mark Lakosky, said he was dumbfounded by the department’s strategy during its biggest and longest crisis in modern history. “There were a couple of nights that some engines didn’t run and I know that fires were burning,” Lakosky said this week. “How many buildings have to be on fire before you call people in and start running every rig you got?”
To be fair, there’s more than one difference between St. Paul and Minneapolis. The police in St. Paul didn’t retreat in the same manner, which made it easier to bring in more firefighters and keep flames from spreading. That didn’t mean every building got saved, of course; a Midway pharmacy that had been open for a century got destroyed, for instance.
One has to wonder, too, whether the firefighters union would have been happy to see its members ordered into action while the police retreated. The rioters meant business, and they drove back the fire department when it attempted to salvage the Third Precinct. Fruetel didn’t make these decisions in a vacuum, after all.
However, Freutel’s decisions came of a piece with the decisions made in Minneapolis as a whole — and really, from the state government leadership in Minnesota as well. No one wanted to take political responsibility for establishing order, even though that is the most basic responsibility of government. The leaders far preferred to pander to the rioters rather than deal firmly with them, in the hopes that tearful mea culpas in pressers would impress them enough to get them to go home on their own. Only after a few days of wanton destruction had passed did any of them do their jobs properly — and by then, it was too late for hundreds of businesses and thousands of workers in the city.
Let’s also not forget that the first impulse from leadership at all levels was to blame “outsiders” for the rioting. Now that the feds have unveiled some of the sealed indictments related to the riots, the Star Tribune notes that the riots were “largely home-grown” after all. And not exactly the work of brain surgeons, either (emphasis mine):
In the days after protesters set the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct station ablaze, Bryce Michael Williams trekked across the country with a documentary film crew to join other protests over George Floyd’s killing in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Denver. Recounting the journey on an Instagram interview show this month, the 26-year-old self-described semiprofessional basketball player and “TikTok influencer” from Staples, Minn., explained that he was there when the Third Precinct caught fire. “But at night, I participated in the riots at night of course, cause I’m with my people,” Williams told the interviewer. They’re “getting teargassed, of course I’m going to riot too.” This week, Williams became the latest in a largely homegrown group of people charged in connection with rioting and destruction of buildings that erupted across the Twin Cities after Floyd’s killing by police on May 25.
What in the heck is a “Tik-Tok influencer,” anyway? It sounds like Williams is a legend in his own mind. Williams isn’t the first person caught by the FBI for bragging about his exploits, and he won’t be the last. The Department of Justice disclosed last week that they are digging deep into social media data to find rioters and having significant success with it. That might not snag the ringleaders of these conspiracies to instigate riots, but it will deliver a very harsh disincentive for others to get instigated by them in the future. Or at least a disincentive against bragging about it.
This is just another reminder of the complete collapse of effective leadership in the crisis of the George Floyd homicide, at all levels in the state. It’s that leadership failure which put the Twin Cities at the mercy of geniuses like Bryce Michael Williams, Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, et al. Had they acted with firmness and preparation from the beginning, we might still have those businesses and jobs in place today.


hotair--2020-06-18--Trump: Reelect me because we need some new Supreme Court justices to protect conservative values

They warned Never Trumpers in 2016 that voting for Hillary would lead to a Supreme Court that endorses gay rights and amnesty for illegals .
And they were right !
The funny thing about the president getting worked up about SCOTUS today on Twitter is that the Court is still mulling its big decision on whether Congress and the Manhattan D.A .
are entitled to his financial records .
That ’ ll come next week .
He ’ s held back on Roberts ( and Gorsuch ) so far but he ’ s going to flip his lid if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him four more years to make new Court appointments that ’ ll inevitably disappoint and enrage him and his base .
He realizes that he nominated Neil Gorsuch , the author of the “ textualist ” gay-rights decision that gave social conservatives an aneurysm this week , right ?
Gorsuch came from the same shortlist of conservative judicial luminaries that he ’ s dangling right now to try to impress righty voters in September .
Trump has a strange habit sometimes of acting like he ’ s not already president , especially when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ betrays him somehow .
There are too many examples to list here of him unloading publicly on his own former advisors as idiots and lunatics ; John Bolton is just the latest example , although an unusually vivid one considering that Trump handpicked him personally because of his elan during Fox News segments .
Bolton wasn ’ t foisted on him by the “ deep state ” or RINO judicial advisors from the Federalist Society .
Trump went and plucked him from the media institution he trusts most and put him in charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Jeff Sessions and Rex Tillerson and James Mattis and a thousand other people who ’ ve crossed him somehow , Bolton ’ s a “ wacko ” who had no business being in government .
We need new advisors , just like we need “ NEW JUSTICES ” to limit the damage done by … Neil Gorsuch .
If you can ’ t trust the president to appoint competent , trustworthy aides and you can ’ t trust him to appoint reliably conservative Supreme Court justices , what good are his promises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s on his SCOTUS list ?
What ’ ll be different next time ?
Doesn ’ t matter .
According to FiveThirtyEight ’ s new state polling averages , there won ’ t be a next time .
A separate poll out today from the lefty outfit Change Research also found Biden leading in all major battleground states , but by narrow margins in most .
It ’ s a testament to the loyalty of Trump ’ s base and the skepticism with which swing voters view Democrats that the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most despite the various political calamities that have befallen him lately .
As goofy as it is for him to ask voters to trust him on SCOTUS nominees this week of all weeks , he understands that negative partisanship defines modern American politics .
The point of waving around his SCOTUS shortlist isn ’ t to promise conservatives that they ’ ll be happy with his future Court picks , just that they ’ ll be … marginally more happy than they ’ d be with Biden ’ s Court picks .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter who wins but not *as* disappointed and angry if your guy wins .
Sounds like American greatness to me .

They warned Never Trumpers in 2016 that voting for Hillary would lead to a Supreme Court that endorses gay rights and amnesty for illegals.
And they were right!
The funny thing about the president getting worked up about SCOTUS today on Twitter is that the Court is still mulling its big decision on whether Congress and the Manhattan D.A. are entitled to his financial records. That’ll come next week. He’s held back on Roberts (and Gorsuch) so far but he’s going to flip his lid if he loses there.
We should definitely give him four more years to make new Court appointments that’ll inevitably disappoint and enrage him and his base.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1273633632742191106
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1273665329416286219
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1273667868362768386
He realizes that he nominated Neil Gorsuch, the author of the “textualist” gay-rights decision that gave social conservatives an aneurysm this week, right? Gorsuch came from the same shortlist of conservative judicial luminaries that he’s dangling right now to try to impress righty voters in September.
Trump has a strange habit sometimes of acting like he’s not already president, especially when one of his own handpicked personnel choices betrays him somehow. There are too many examples to list here of him unloading publicly on his own former advisors as idiots and lunatics; John Bolton is just the latest example, although an unusually vivid one considering that Trump handpicked him personally because of his elan during Fox News segments. Bolton wasn’t foisted on him by the “deep state” or RINO judicial advisors from the Federalist Society. Trump went and plucked him from the media institution he trusts most and put him in charge of national security.
And now, like Jeff Sessions and Rex Tillerson and James Mattis and a thousand other people who’ve crossed him somehow, Bolton’s a “wacko” who had no business being in government. We need new advisors, just like we need “NEW JUSTICES” to limit the damage done by … Neil Gorsuch.
If you can’t trust the president to appoint competent, trustworthy aides and you can’t trust him to appoint reliably conservative Supreme Court justices, what good are his promises about a second term? Who cares who’s on his SCOTUS list? What’ll be different next time?
Doesn’t matter. According to FiveThirtyEight’s new state polling averages, there won’t be a next time.
A separate poll out today from the lefty outfit Change Research also found Biden leading in all major battleground states, but by narrow margins in most. It’s a testament to the loyalty of Trump’s base and the skepticism with which swing voters view Democrats that the president is competitive in the states that matter most despite the various political calamities that have befallen him lately. As goofy as it is for him to ask voters to trust him on SCOTUS nominees this week of all weeks, he understands that negative partisanship defines modern American politics. The point of waving around his SCOTUS shortlist isn’t to promise conservatives that they’ll be happy with his future Court picks, just that they’ll be … marginally more happy than they’d be with Biden’s Court picks. You’ll be disappointed and angry no matter who wins but not *as* disappointed and angry if your guy wins. Sounds like American greatness to me.