Month: February 2020

Rod Dreher: ‘I also realized that there is no reason at all for him to vote Republican.’

benfell

Meritocracy

There is a new blog post entitled, “Academic meritocracy and the U.S. presidential campaign.”

Oliver Traldi, “Why Academics Love to Hate Mayor Pete,” Chronicle of Higher Education, February 21, 2020, https://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-Academics-Love-to-Hate/248101

Bernie Sanders

Rod Dreher, a traditionalist conservative, apparently took some flak for writing this:

It was an Uber ride, not a political debate. I felt like I should not argue with this young man, but rather just listen. He was really impressive, and idealistic, in the best sense. He explained that he felt that if he wanted things to change for him and his generation, that he needed to get involved in politics. I realized, listening to him, that the things he says he wants are perfectly normal (I would have said that anyway), but I also realized that there is no reason at all for him to vote Republican. Certainly not vote Trump. And again, this is not for any reasons of woke social policy; this is about economics.[1]

Rod Dreher, “Bernie & Solidarity,” American Conservative, February 24, 2020, https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/bernie-solidarity/

Speciesism

A few days ago, George Monbiot, an on-again, off-again vegan, advocated culls of deer, who lacking a natural predator, are destroying woodlands in Britain.[2] Today, the Telegraph offers a possible answer, reintroducing the lynx, absent from Britain for 1,300 years.[3]

Helena Horton, “Setting lynx wild in Britain could cut deer numbers, head of Natural England says,” Telegraph, February 24, 2020, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/24/setting-lynx-wild-britain-could-cut-deer-numbers-head-natural/

  1. [1]Rod Dreher, “Bernie & Solidarity,” American Conservative, February 24, 2020, https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/bernie-solidarity/↩
  2. [2]George Monbiot, “In Defence of Speciesism,” February 21, 2020, https://www.monbiot.com/2020/02/21/in-defence-of-speciesism/↩
  3. [3]Helena Horton, “Setting lynx wild in Britain could cut deer numbers, head of Natural England says,” Telegraph, February 24, 2020, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/24/setting-lynx-wild-britain-could-cut-deer-numbers-head-natural/↩

Sowing discord and confusion

benfell

Bernie Sanders

I think I’m not quite sure what the fuss is about. I had understood from the report I read that the Russians aimed to sow discord by boosting Bernie Sanders’ campaign[1] and frankly hadn’t bothered with reports that the Russians were at again also on behalf of Donald Trump.

Apparently, the correct interpretation, at least for now, is indeed that this mischief is aimed at sowing discord. But other folks understood that this meant the Russians want either Sanders or Trump to win and apparently these are not conclusions that U.S. intelligence has reached.[2] Maybe I missed something.

Jeremy Diamond, Jake Tapper and Zachary Cohen, “US intelligence briefer appears to have overstated assessment of 2020 Russian interference,” CNN, February 23, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/23/politics/intelligence-briefer-russian-interference-trump-sanders/index.html

Richard Nixon’s posthumous impostor

Holy shit:

This is just about the last place I’d expect an endorsement of a John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theory. The posthumous Ron Ziegler replies,

But in the comments, it is clear that Nixon’s impostor meant that exactly as it sounds.

I have long suspected that we’ll never know for sure what happened on that day.

  1. [1]Shane Harris et al., “Bernie Sanders briefed by U.S. officials that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/bernie-sanders-briefed-by-us-officials-that-russia-is-trying-to-help-his-presidential-campaign/2020/02/21/5ad396a6-54bd-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html↩
  2. [2]Jeremy Diamond, Jake Tapper and Zachary Cohen, “US intelligence briefer appears to have overstated assessment of 2020 Russian interference,” CNN, February 23, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/23/politics/intelligence-briefer-russian-interference-trump-sanders/index.html↩

How’s that so-called ‘moderation’ working out for you?

benfell

Nevada

I’m feeling some vindication about now.[1] It looks like Bernie Sanders won the Nevada caucuses[2] with diverse support.[3]

For [Joe] Biden and other moderates who argue [Bernie] Sanders is too liberal to beat Trump and who have been trying to blunt his momentum, however, the Nevada results made the job much harder. . . .

The entrance poll showed Sanders led in Nevada across all age groups except for those older than 65. Around 54% of Latino voters said they backed him, while 24% of college-educated white women and 34% of those who have a union member in their families supported him.

He also won with college graduates, and was the top pick of voters who consider themselves independents. He also was favored over Biden among voters whose top priority is defeating Trump in the November election.[4]

The “over 65” age group is on Medicare already and, especially in Nevada, will consist largely of retired and rural folks. On the Republican side, not in play here, it would include ranchers on Bureau of Land Management land, forever pushing to put ever more cattle on an already-stressed ecosystem.[5] For more on this, see another old blog post entitled, “History and the Bundy uprisings.”[6]

Sharon Bernstein and John Whitesides, “Broad-based support powers Sanders to big win in Nevada Democratic vote,” Reuters, February 23, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN20H078

  1. [1]David Benfell, “All of us,” Not Housebroken, January 26, 2020, https://disunitedstates.org/2020/01/26/all-of-us/↩
  2. [2]Russell Berman, “Bernie Sanders’s Biggest Win Yet,” Atlantic, February 22, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/bernie-wins-nevada/606937/; Sharon Bernstein and John Whitesides, “Broad-based support powers Sanders to big win in Nevada Democratic vote,” Reuters, February 23, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN20H078; Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html; John McCormick, “Sen. Bernie Sanders Wins the Nevada Democratic Caucuses, AP Says,” Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2020, https://www.wsj.com/articles/bernie-sanders-looks-to-build-momentum-in-nevada-caucuses-11582380000; Nidhi Prakash, “Members Of Nevada’s Largest Union Defied Their Leadership To Support Bernie Sanders,” Buzzfeed, February 22, 2020, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhiprakash/bernie-sanders-nevada-caucus-culinary-union↩
  3. [3]Sharon Bernstein and John Whitesides, “Broad-based support powers Sanders to big win in Nevada Democratic vote,” Reuters, February 23, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN20H078↩
  4. [4]Sharon Bernstein and John Whitesides, “Broad-based support powers Sanders to big win in Nevada Democratic vote,” Reuters, February 23, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN20H078↩
  5. [5]I worked as a contractor on software to predict carrying capacity of land consisting largely of sagebrush at the Nevada State Office of the Bureau of Land Management in Reno, Nevada, from August 1980 through most of 1981. The argument over how many cattle can be put on that land will be perennial for as long as the BLM allows ranchers on it or until conservatives (remember the “Sagebrush Rebellion?”) prevail in forcing the federal government to give up control of that land.↩
  6. [6]David Benfell, “History and the Bundy uprisings,” Not Housebroken, January 6, 2016, https://disunitedstates.org/2016/01/06/history-and-the-bundy-uprisings/↩

What catches my eye about the Nevada caucuses results

benfell

Nevada

There are a couple points I’d like to highlight from Chris Cillizza’s analysis of “winners” and “losers” from the Nevada caucuses:

  1. First, among the winners,

    * Electability: Two thirds of Nevada caucus-goers said they would prefer a candidate who can beat President Donald Trump rather than someone who agrees with them on issues. That’s very similar to the number who opted for electability in Iowa and New Hampshire, and serves as yet another reminder of just how important beating the incumbent is for a broad swath of Democratic voters. Here’s the really interesting thing, though: Among those who said electability was most important, Sanders – yes, Sanders – was the leading candidate. [emphasis in original] [1]

    For me, this is a real surprise. And it’s absolutely crucial to overcoming the self-fulfilling prophesy in which Bernie Sanders loses because people think he can’t win. The question, of course, is whether Sanders can in fact win, and Cillizza counts Donald Trump as a winner in part because Trump supposedly thinks Sanders will be easiest to defeat.[2]

  2. Second, among the losers,

    * Culinary Union: The most powerful union in the state decided not to endorse a candidate. But a flier it sent to its members attacking Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan, which would eliminate private health insurance entirely, became a major issue in the race as supporters of the Vermont senator attacked the union leadership. Sanders’ smashing victory – and the overwhelming support for the elimination of private health insurance among Nevada voters – amount to a major rebuke for the Culinary Union.[3]

    It would indeed seem that the Culinary Union, which not only warned against Sanders’ plan for Medicare For All, but rebuked Sanders’ supporters for criticizing its stance,[4] isn’t very much in touch which its members, who, it seems, worry about relatives, friends, and other members of the community who aren’t in the union and don’t enjoy its healthcare benefits. These members like Sanders’ other ideas as well.[5] “[A] major rebuke for the Culinary Union”[6] indeed.

It’s all a very interesting turn of events. I am deeply cynical about the U.S. electoral system for multiple reasons.[7] But a result like this[8] can only lead me to wonder if, maybe, just maybe, there’s some hope after all. (The voice in my head, the voice that’s seen it all before, is adamant that such hopes will be ruthlessly crushed.)

Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html

Nidhi Prakash, “Members Of Nevada’s Largest Union Defied Their Leadership To Support Bernie Sanders,” Buzzfeed, February 22, 2020, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhiprakash/bernie-sanders-nevada-caucus-culinary-union

 

  1. [1]Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html↩
  2. [2]Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html↩
  3. [3]Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html↩
  4. [4]Megan Messerly, “In new flyer, Culinary Union warns members Sanders would ‘end’ their health care if elected president,” Nevada Independent, February 11, 2020, https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/in-new-flyer-culinary-union-warns-members-sanders-would-end-their-health-care-if-elected-president; Caitlin Oprysko, “Nevada culinary union lays into Sanders supporters after health care backlash,” Politico, February 12, 2020, https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/12/bernie-sanders-nevada-culinary-union-114687↩
  5. [5]Nidhi Prakash, “Members Of Nevada’s Largest Union Defied Their Leadership To Support Bernie Sanders,” Buzzfeed, February 22, 2020, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhiprakash/bernie-sanders-nevada-caucus-culinary-union↩
  6. [6]Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html↩
  7. [7]David Benfell, “Why I do not vote,” Not Housebroken, February 23, 2016, https://disunitedstates.org/2016/02/23/why-i-do-not-vote/↩
  8. [8]Russell Berman, “Bernie Sanders’s Biggest Win Yet,” Atlantic, February 22, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/bernie-wins-nevada/606937/; Chris Cillizza, “Chris Cillizza’s winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses,” CNN, February 22, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/22/politics/who-won-nevada-caucuses/index.html; John McCormick, “Sen. Bernie Sanders Wins the Nevada Democratic Caucuses, AP Says,” Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2020, https://www.wsj.com/articles/bernie-sanders-looks-to-build-momentum-in-nevada-caucuses-11582380000↩

Fealty

benfell

Updates

  1. Originally published, February 22, 7:42 pm.
  2. February 22, 8:20 pm:
    • Apparently, Bernie Sanders has won the Nevada caucuses.[1]

Donald Trump

I’m being drawn into paying a bit more attention to Donald Trump’s personnel moves. I hate this. But his demand for fealty has become an issue.[2]

Toluse Olorunnipa, Ashley Parker, and Josh Dawsey, “Trump embarks on expansive search for disloyalty as administration-wide purge escalates,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/were-cleaning-it-out-trump-embarks-on-expansive-search-for-disloyalty-as-administration-wide-purge-escalates/2020/02/21/870e6c56-54c1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html

Nevada

It sounds like the Culinary Union members don’t think their union’s health plan is so indispensable.[3]

A fight between [Bernie Sanders’] campaign and the leadership of the powerful union of culinary workers over Sanders’s Medicare for All proposal did little to diminish his standing among laborers. He fared well among union members in entrance polls, and he won caucus precincts at major Las Vegas casinos dominated by culinary workers.[4]

Russell Berman, “Bernie Sanders’s Biggest Win Yet,” Atlantic, February 22, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/bernie-wins-nevada/606937/

John McCormick, “Sen. Bernie Sanders Wins the Nevada Democratic Caucuses, AP Says,” Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2020, https://www.wsj.com/articles/bernie-sanders-looks-to-build-momentum-in-nevada-caucuses-11582380000

  1. [1]Russell Berman, “Bernie Sanders’s Biggest Win Yet,” Atlantic, February 22, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/bernie-wins-nevada/606937/; John McCormick, “Sen. Bernie Sanders Wins the Nevada Democratic Caucuses, AP Says,” Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2020, https://www.wsj.com/articles/bernie-sanders-looks-to-build-momentum-in-nevada-caucuses-11582380000↩
  2. [2]Ellen Nakashima et al., “Senior intelligence official told lawmakers that Russia wants to see Trump reelected,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/after-a-congressional-briefing-on-election-threats-trump-soured-on-acting-spy-chief/2020/02/20/1ed2b4ec-53f1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html; Toluse Olorunnipa, Ashley Parker, and Josh Dawsey, “Trump embarks on expansive search for disloyalty as administration-wide purge escalates,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/were-cleaning-it-out-trump-embarks-on-expansive-search-for-disloyalty-as-administration-wide-purge-escalates/2020/02/21/870e6c56-54c1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html; Adam Serwer, “The First Days of the Trump Regime,” Atlantic, February 19, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trump-regime/606682/↩
  3. [3]Russell Berman, “Bernie Sanders’s Biggest Win Yet,” Atlantic, February 22, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/bernie-wins-nevada/606937/; see Megan Messerly, “In new flyer, Culinary Union warns members Sanders would ‘end’ their health care if elected president,” Nevada Independent, February 11, 2020, https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/in-new-flyer-culinary-union-warns-members-sanders-would-end-their-health-care-if-elected-president↩
  4. [4]Russell Berman, “Bernie Sanders’s Biggest Win Yet,” Atlantic, February 22, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/bernie-wins-nevada/606937/↩

Look at all the flawed Bernie Sanders comparisons

benfell

Bernie Sanders

It’s a little worrying to see Bernie Sanders assume frontrunner status. Not because I oppose him—on the contrary, he’s the least awful major party candidate, even if he’s still to my right—but rather to see how it’s all playing. I probably just have some learning to do.

One thing that worries me is the comparisons. Some are pretty obviously to be expected. All are dismaying.

I started off last night with David Roth’s extraordinarily well-written takedown of Donald Trump, of Democratic Party “centrists,” and of comparisons between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump,[1] which for completeness’ sake, I’m including below. In this category, we can now add the accusation that Russians are supporting Bernie Sanders, which I address in a new blog post entitled, “Attacking the man for who supports him.”

This morning, I’ve found a couple more bullshit comparisons, one from a few days ago of a billionaire comparing Sanders to the Coronavirus,[2] and another comparing him to George McGovern, who lost in a landslide to Richard Nixon in 1972.[3] The former article simply reports the comparison; the latter rebuts it. I also briefly address the former in that new blog post (see the part about capitalist libertarians).

Gotta tell you, these comparisons just ain’t looking good.

Bess Levin, “Cranky Billionaire Warns Bernie Sanders is ‘a Bigger Threat than the Coronavirus,’” Vanity Fair, February 18, 2020, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/02/leon-cooperman-bernie-sanders-coronavirus

Shane Harris et al., “Bernie Sanders briefed by U.S. officials that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/bernie-sanders-briefed-by-us-officials-that-russia-is-trying-to-help-his-presidential-campaign/2020/02/21/5ad396a6-54bd-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html

David Roth, “Bernie Sanders Is No Donald Trump,” New Republic, February 21, 2020, https://newrepublic.com/article/156639/bernie-sanders-no-donald-trump

Ed Kilgore, “Why Bernie Is Not George McGovern and 2020 Isn’t 1972,” New York, February 22, 2020, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/why-bernie-is-not-george-mcgovern-and-2020-isnt-1972.html

Pennsylvania

WTAE, “New bill to legalize recreational marijuana unveiled by state lawmaker from Pittsburgh,” February 20, 2020, https://www.wtae.com/article/recreational-marijuana-bill-pittsburgh-state-rep-jake-wheatley/31025380

  1. [1]David Roth, “Bernie Sanders Is No Donald Trump,” New Republic, February 21, 2020, https://newrepublic.com/article/156639/bernie-sanders-no-donald-trump↩
  2. [2]Bess Levin, “Cranky Billionaire Warns Bernie Sanders is ‘a Bigger Threat than the Coronavirus,’” Vanity Fair, February 18, 2020, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/02/leon-cooperman-bernie-sanders-coronavirus↩
  3. [3]Ed Kilgore, “Why Bernie Is Not George McGovern and 2020 Isn’t 1972,” New York, February 22, 2020, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/why-bernie-is-not-george-mcgovern-and-2020-isnt-1972.html↩

Things that should not need to be said

benfell

Bernie Sanders

Obviously, comparisons of Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump are facile and disingenuous, right? The neoliberal mainstream of the Democratic Party and other Sanders opponents are making the comparison anyway. It’s a pretty obvious sign of desperation and, so far, it looks like a lot of folks are picking up on that.

Read David Roth’s article[1] anyway. His takedown of Trump is unlike anything I’ve seen; he says everything I do about the so-called “centrists” and oh, so much more. It’s completely worth the hit on your free allowance with the New Republic’s paywall. Oh, and by the way, his writing is amazing.

David Roth, “Bernie Sanders Is No Donald Trump,” New Republic, February 21, 2020, https://newrepublic.com/article/156639/bernie-sanders-no-donald-trump

  1. [1]David Roth, “Bernie Sanders Is No Donald Trump,” New Republic, February 21, 2020, https://newrepublic.com/article/156639/bernie-sanders-no-donald-trump↩

The even scarier delusional raging narcissist-in-chief

benfell

Donald Trump

In general, I’m not much interested in personnel shifts. Mostly they’re about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

But Donald Trump really seems ever more unhinged. It seems like he doesn’t even bother to conceal his demands for fealty.[1]

So thanks, once again, Nancy Pelosi, for “[t]he stupidest impeachment ever, historically notable first for all the offenses it failed to charge Donald Trump with,[2] second for its utterly predictable futility, and third for its transparent (and apparently failed) attempt to protect Joe Biden.[3]”[4] Trump was already scary. Now he’s scarier.[5] And I don’t see how you disentangle our delusional raging narcissist-in-chief’s sudden imperious escalation from that so very stupid impeachment.

Then there’s the really rather baffling puzzlement about why Russia would favor Trump’s reelection when the latter has imposed sanctions.[6] We should note that, apparently, the aforementioned sanctions have produced no change in behavior (which is generally the case); my guess is that some way, somehow they lack sufficient force to outweigh whatever interest Russia perceives in Trump’s reelection.

Ellen Nakashima et al., “Senior intelligence official told lawmakers that Russia wants to see Trump reelected,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/after-a-congressional-briefing-on-election-threats-trump-soured-on-acting-spy-chief/2020/02/20/1ed2b4ec-53f1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html

Afghanistan

A potential peace deal ending a futile war that has gone on for over 18 years[7] seems like good news. But apparently not everyone will celebrate; some dissenters have the ability to disrupt the planned “reduction in violence” that precedes the deal and must be successfully completed. The worst comes at the end of the story:[8]

After the signing of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal, the Afghan government will launch its own round of talks with the Taliban. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that he will build a negotiating team that is inclusive, but following disputed election results announced this week, Afghan politics is deeply divided.

Ghani and his chief rival, Abdullah Abdullah, both declared victory after the results were announced. Abdullah, the country’s chief executive, declared the results illegal and announced he will begin setting up a parallel government. Should this political turmoil persist, it will further complicate the formation of a strong, inclusive team to negotiate with the Taliban.[9]

Which is to say, whoops.

Susannah George and John Hudson, “Pompeo, Taliban announce plan to sign peace deal at the end of the month,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/violence-reduction-in-afghanistan-set-to-begin-after-midnight-saturday/2020/02/21/c3df0fb2-547d-11ea-80ce-37a8d4266c09_story.html

 

  1. [1]Ellen Nakashima et al., “Senior intelligence official told lawmakers that Russia wants to see Trump reelected,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/after-a-congressional-briefing-on-election-threats-trump-soured-on-acting-spy-chief/2020/02/20/1ed2b4ec-53f1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html↩
  2. [2]David Benfell, “The whiteness of impeachment,” Not Housebroken, December 15, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/15/the-whiteness-of-impeachment/; Democracy Now, “Law Professor: Trump Could Also Have Been Impeached for War Crimes, Assassinations and Corruption,” January 24, 2020, https://www.democracynow.org/2020/1/24/donald_trump_senate_impeachment_trial↩
  3. [3]David Benfell, “It’s still a smoke-filled room,” Not Housebroken, December 6, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/06/its-still-a-smoke-filled-room/; David Benfell, “How the neoliberal (usually known as Democratic) party may well lose in 2020,” Not Housebroken, December 7, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/07/how-the-neoliberal-usually-known-as-democratic-party-may-well-lose-in-2020/; David Benfell, “The whiteness of impeachment,” Not Housebroken, December 15, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/15/the-whiteness-of-impeachment/; David Benfell, “The least violent solution,” Not Housebroken, December 16, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/16/the-least-violent-solution/; David Benfell, “The sham (pick your partisan flavor) is on,” Not Housebroken, December 19, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/19/the-sham-pick-your-partisan-flavor-is-on/; David Benfell, “The asterisk,” Not Housebroken, December 21, 2019, https://disunitedstates.org/2019/12/21/the-asterisk/↩
  4. [4]David Benfell, “One farce down, one to go,” Irregular Bullshit, February 5, 2020, https://disunitedstates.com/2020/02/05/one-farce-down-one-to-go/↩
  5. [5]Fred Barbash, “Federal judges reportedly call emergency meeting in wake of Stone case intervention,” Washington Post, February 18, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/02/18/judges-meeting-trump/; Philip Bump, “Trump is making it very clear how seriously he objects to official corruption,” Washington Post, February 18, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/02/18/trump-is-making-it-very-clear-how-seriously-he-objects-official-corruption/; Kevin Johnson, “Federal judges’ association calls emergency meeting after DOJ intervenes in case of Trump ally Roger Stone,” USA Today, February 17, 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/17/roger-stone-sentence-judges-worried-political-interference/4788155002/; Burgess Everett and Marianne Levine, “Republicans plead with Trump to leave Barr alone,” Politico, February 19, 2020, https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/19/republican-senate-barr-trump-116034; Seung Min Kim, “These Republicans said they hope Trump has learned a lesson from impeachment. He said he hasn’t,” Washington Post, February 5, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/these-republicans-said-they-hope-trump-has-learned-a-lesson-from-impeachment-he-said-he-hasnt/2020/02/04/fa68c18c-478e-11ea-ab15-b5df3261b710_story.html; Adam Serwer, “The First Days of the Trump Regime,” Atlantic, February 19, 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trump-regime/606682/↩
  6. [6]Ellen Nakashima et al., “Senior intelligence official told lawmakers that Russia wants to see Trump reelected,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/after-a-congressional-briefing-on-election-threats-trump-soured-on-acting-spy-chief/2020/02/20/1ed2b4ec-53f1-11ea-b119-4faabac6674f_story.html↩
  7. [7]Craig Whitlock, “At war with the truth,” Washington Post, December 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-confidential-documents/; Craig Whitlock, “Stranded without a strategy,” Washington Post, December 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-strategy/; Craig Whitlock, “Built to fail,” Washington Post, December 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-nation-building/; Craig Whitlock, “Consumed by corruption,” Washington Post, December 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-corruption-government/; Craig Whitlock, “Unguarded nation,” Washington Post, December 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-army-police/; Craig Whitlock, “Overwhelmed by opium,” Washington Post, December 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-opium-poppy-production/↩
  8. [8]Susannah George and John Hudson, “Pompeo, Taliban announce plan to sign peace deal at the end of the month,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/violence-reduction-in-afghanistan-set-to-begin-after-midnight-saturday/2020/02/21/c3df0fb2-547d-11ea-80ce-37a8d4266c09_story.html↩
  9. [9]Susannah George and John Hudson, “Pompeo, Taliban announce plan to sign peace deal at the end of the month,” Washington Post, February 21, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/violence-reduction-in-afghanistan-set-to-begin-after-midnight-saturday/2020/02/21/c3df0fb2-547d-11ea-80ce-37a8d4266c09_story.html↩

The surprise that anyone is surprised

benfell

There is a new blog post entitled, “A tipping point.”

Michael Bloomberg

I think what I find most surprising is that anyone is surprised by what happened to Michael Bloomberg last night. A close second would be that Elizabeth Warren was so disproportionately a heavy hitter in the attack.[1]

Amy Davidson Sorkin, “A Very Bad Night For Michael Bloomberg in a Chaotic Democratic Debate,” New Yorker, February 20, 2020, https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/a-very-bad-night-for-michael-bloomberg-in-a-chaotic-democratic-debate

Roger Stone

Jennifer Rubin praises U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson’s sentencing of Roger Stone effusively,[2] but neglects that the sentence Jackson handed down fell within the range specified in the Department of Justice’s revised recommendation.[3]

Jennifer Rubin, “Roger Stone’s sentencing shows what the ‘rule of law’ is all about,” Washington Post, February 20, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/20/roger-stones-sentencing-shows-what-rule-law-is-all-about/

Paul Waldman, “Roger Stone just got 40 months. Get ready for what Trump will do next,” Washington Post, February 20, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/20/roger-stone-just-got-40-months-get-ready-what-trump-will-do-next/

Rachel Weiner et al., “Roger Stone sentenced to three years and four months in prison, as Trump predicts ‘exoneration’ for his friend,” Washington Post, February 20, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/roger-stone-sentence-due-thursday-in-federal-court/2020/02/19/2e01bfc8-4c38-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html

  1. [1]Amy Davidson Sorkin, “A Very Bad Night For Michael Bloomberg in a Chaotic Democratic Debate,” New Yorker, February 20, 2020, https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/a-very-bad-night-for-michael-bloomberg-in-a-chaotic-democratic-debate↩
  2. [2]Jennifer Rubin, “Roger Stone’s sentencing shows what the ‘rule of law’ is all about,” Washington Post, February 20, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/20/roger-stones-sentencing-shows-what-rule-law-is-all-about/↩
  3. [3]Rachel Weiner et al., “Roger Stone sentenced to three years and four months in prison, as Trump predicts ‘exoneration’ for his friend,” Washington Post, February 20, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/roger-stone-sentence-due-thursday-in-federal-court/2020/02/19/2e01bfc8-4c38-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html↩

Pro tip: When you intend to argue that a prosecution is not politically motivated, don’t do this

benfell

Julian Assange

We are in the tricky position here of assuming that just because Donald Trump is a serial liar, everything anyone who contradicts him might say is true, but it seems that Dana Rohrabacher conveyed a pardon offer from Trump to Julian Assange. Assange, who has already denied—apparently almost no one in U.S. intelligence believes him[1]—that the Russians were behind “Gucifer 2.0,” who leaked “stolen” emails exposing Democratic National Committee favoritism for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primaries, was to receive a pardon for doing so.[2] We actually still don’t really know, but merely “believe,” that the Russians were behind it.[3] We do know that Clinton had indeed taken over the DNC.[4]

John Simpson, “Trump ‘offered deal to pardon Julian Assange,’” Times, February 20, 2020, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/trump-offered-deal-to-pardon-julian-assange-zhtcfc2ld

  1. [1]Mark Mazzetti and Katie Benner, “12 Russian Agents Indicted in Mueller Investigation,” New York Times, July 13, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/us/politics/mueller-indictment-russian-intelligence-hacking.html↩
  2. [2]John Simpson, “Trump ‘offered deal to pardon Julian Assange,’” Times, February 20, 2020, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/trump-offered-deal-to-pardon-julian-assange-zhtcfc2ld↩
  3. [3]Philip Bump, “What we know — and don’t know — about WikiLeaks, Julian Assange and the 2016 campaign,” Washington Post, April 11, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/11/what-we-know-dont-know-about-wikileaks-julian-assange-campaign/↩
  4. [4]Donna Brazile, “Inside Hillary Clinton’s Secret Takeover of the DNC,” Politico, November 2, 2017, https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/02/clinton-brazile-hacks-2016-215774↩