Illiberalism
Gilead
Donald Trump
Coup attempt
Fig. 1. Donald Trump still has his fans. Photograph along Washington Road in Upper Saint Clair, Pennsylvania, by author, April 28, 2024.
Ann E. Marimow, “Supreme Court strikes obstruction charge used for hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters,” Washington Post, June 28, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/28/supreme-court-obstruction-jan-6-trump/
Neoliberalism
Democratic (neoliberal) Party
Joe Biden
Fig. 1. Joe Biden and Pope Francis, unknown photographer, April 29, 2016, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Nothing like a debate to tell us what we already knew: These are two utterly dismal candidates, neither of whom should anywhere near any sort of authority, let alone nuclear codes. But I think what’s really catching my eye is the desperation of some Democrats to defend Joe Biden even as others insist he should step aside.[1]
The real questions here are whether the defenses of Biden will stick, how many voters will forget about this debate performance, and for how many voters the debate performance reinforces what they already thought. When people already think Biden is a doddering old man and he gives a performance that confirms that impression, I would expect that to count a whole helluva lot more than the defenses, and I’m profoundly skeptical that voters will just forget about it. There’s still time—and a lot of it—which is why this performance didn’t move the needle for me further than it did, but if the Democrats actually want to win—I’ve long since concluded they do not—they’ll replace Biden on the ticket.
But since Democrats prefer sitting in opposition where they can complain about the Republicans and where no one actually expects them to accomplish anything, they won’t. And that’s why the fascist now has the edge.
Aaron Blake, “5 takeaways from the first Trump-Biden 2024 debate,” Washington Post, June 27, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/27/presidential-debate-takeaways/
Rachel Leingang, “‘Defcon 1 moment’: Biden’s debate performance sends Democrats into panic,” Guardian, June 28, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/27/biden-trump-debate-democrats-reaction
Elena Schneider, Adam Wren, and Lauren Egan, “‘WTF’: Panicked Dems start looking for alternatives to Biden,” Politico, June 28, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/27/biden-democrats-replacement-00165672
Julia Terruso, Gillian McGoldrick, and Aliya Schneider, “Panicked Pennsylvania Democrats launch into cleanup mode after Biden’s bad debate night,” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 28, 2024, https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/biden-trump-debate-pennsylvania-20240628.html
Imperialism
Israel
Palestine
2024
Tara Copp, “US removes Gaza aid pier due to weather and may not put it back, officials say,” Associated Press, June 28, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/gaza-pier-humanitarian-aid-f3e21c072630c0d9cb9498d3a0e27a55
- [1]Rachel Leingang, “‘Defcon 1 moment’: Biden’s debate performance sends Democrats into panic,” Guardian, June 28, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/27/biden-trump-debate-democrats-reaction; Elena Schneider, Adam Wren, and Lauren Egan, “‘WTF’: Panicked Dems start looking for alternatives to Biden,” Politico, June 28, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/27/biden-democrats-replacement-00165672; Julia Terruso, Gillian McGoldrick, and Aliya Schneider, “Panicked Pennsylvania Democrats launch into cleanup mode after Biden’s bad debate night,” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 28, 2024, https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/biden-trump-debate-pennsylvania-20240628.html↩