Well, well, well… for those who thought that the National Rifle Association, at least to the extent of the professionals who do its public bidding, was little more than a money-grubbing arm of the culture wars, rather than any kind of “principled civil rights organization,” we have this hit piece on the NRA (as it were) from WaPo. Specifically, the piece notes the deafening silence of the NRA leadership on one of the clearest infringements on Second Amendment rights we have ever seen, to wit, the apparent summary execution (by a White police officer) of one Philandro Castle (a Black...
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Long, hot summer
Amidst protests over police shootings of persons of color in Louisiana and Minnesota, eleven police officers were shot and five killed during protests in Dallas yesterday. Pretty much defies comment– the murder of anyone is a horrendous act, but it seems that something unsettling is happening at an increasing pace, perhaps some wheels are coming off. Why can’t we all just get along? We kind of never have before, btw. In the middle of this civil unrest, we note (Hillary) that if you’re rich and powerful enough, you can, these days, get away with things that will land other people...
Continue reading...Happy Fathers Day, such as it is
For your talking dog, the first such Fathers Day following the death of TD Dad last December falls into the realm of somewhere between confusing and surreal; I’ve spent the day at Stately Dog Manor with Mrs. TD and the Loquacious Pup, but of course, there’s definitely something missing. There’s no question that I grew up with my Dad, and now, an irreplaceable part of my life has moved on. The last two Democratic Presidents have some issues with that sort of thing. Tragically, Bill Clinton’s biological father died three months before the future president was born. And similarly, Barack...
Continue reading...Requiem for the ultimate heavyweight
Muhammad Ali has died at 74. Don’t have to say anymore than that.
Continue reading...“Dangerous Donald”… part ___
The Grey Lady’s Adam Liptak treats us to his exegesis as to why Donald “the Donald” Drumpf Trump (whom his likely opponent Hillary Clinton now calls “Dangerous Donald”… good one, eh Hillary?)… will be constitutionally dangerous. It’s not thematically all that different from what fellow Establishment-writer-named Adam Gopnick, says here in the New Yorker. [Shorter Times/New Yorker: “Trump = Hitler”.] Seriously? What actually makes Trump so popular in certain American circles– his willingness just to say wtf he feels like, which often includes criticism of the rest of government or arguably sacrosanct institutions (such as the judiciary)… is what also...
Continue reading...Happy June
And happy birthday to TD mother-in-law, now 85 years young. Your talking dog is pleased to have made it through the worst part of an appendectomy (that being… the appendectomy) and looks forward to… recovering. And another day, another month even, and more of same in American politics… The Grey Lady’s Tom Friedman tries to give equal “untruth” values to statements of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Have to admire the Establishment’s pluck in its unwavering support of Hillary, even as (sadly, behind paywall), one-time Bill Clinton pollster Doug Schoen observes that a Bernie win in California and...
Continue reading...We make our own reality
Or… is it the day that reality t.v. swallowed reality? Thus is the question as Teflon Don Trump told a California audience that “there is no drought.” Well, that’s the headline anyway… the actual quotes appear to be that drought or not, a President Trump will open up the taps for those he deems politically appropriate (presumably farmers who will vote for him)… overall actual and quite undeniable drought be damned. The irony, of course, is that there is a certain insanity to American water management, especially in the far West, as it is– perhaps paradigmatic of so many other...
Continue reading...Poetic justice delayed…
Today’s amusing anecdote would involve former Grand Inquisitor of the Clinton Presidency, Kenneth Starr, who so efficiently reported on the sexual peccadilloes of former President Bill Clinton as part of an investigative report that formed the backbone of the evidence in support of Clinton’s impeachment (to wit, Bill Clinton set in motion the destruction of the American economy by allowing Bob Rubin to dismantle New Deal era financial safety measures set in motion the possible destruction of the planet by breaching the Bush/Reagan deal not to expand NATO to Eastern Europe in exchange for Russian acquiescence in German reunification failed...
Continue reading...R.I.P. Michael
President Emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights Michael Ratner, one of the “founding fathers” of the “Guantanamo bar” which coordinated representation of GTMO detainees, as well as a life-long fighter for human rights, has passed away; Candace has more. I interviewed Michael in 2006. On issues local, national and international, Michael was a consistent voice for the downtrodden and brought the full might of his legal and rhetorical skills, often representing those who might otherwise be unrepresented. This is a big loss.
Continue reading...Beware the Ides of March
I just love quoting Shakespeare, even if there’s no particular context. The Grey Lady treats us to an analysis of five huge primaries today (for the record, FL, IL, OH, NC and MO). Bottom line: in 24 hours or so, Trump will be a little bit closer to the GOP nomination, Rubio will be gone, and Cruz and Kasich will be emboldened to fight on, and in Democratic action, Hillary will continue her dominance of states with big Black populations, and Bernie will do very well in the Rust Belt… but he ain’t goin’ anywhere will be the real takeaway....
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