Trump Tromped, 14th, Super Bowled, Hur Smear, NATO, Navalny Murdered

Wisdom and generous love are where you find them.

  • tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors has a solid summary of the massive judgment against Trump & sons, and mr Trump’s initial reaction in social media.
     
    Key spoiler (mine):

  • Our favorite Earth-Bound Misfit goes to the text of the $355 million dollar decision to show that Trump’s conduct in court contributed to the amount.
     
    Key personal blunder:
    By being an asshole and by having a witness who admitted perjury, he made it really easy for the judge to whack him with the Ruler of Justice.
     
  • Dave Columbo considers both sides of Trump legal troubles:
     
  • Interesting Thursday in Trumpville. Trump claims he is immune for whatever he did to anyone (that he says he definitely didn’t do to anyone) while he was President.
     
    An appeals panel goes unanimous against, while they avoid laughing. They say that mr Trump can appeal, but just directly to the Supreme Court. Saves time.
     
    Trump lawyers file a request to the Supreme Court to delay whatever they were going to do on his immunity claims. Then mr Trump decides to drop the whole appeal, delay and all, and go to trial.
    But Trump lawfolk say they will keep claiming immunity.
     
    The Palmer Report takes a look at the filing that Trump lawyers dropped, and finds only Trump style gibberish.
     
    So maybe the entire lawyer filing was not intended to win in the Supreme Court. But it might have satisfied the unraveling mind of their client.
     
    Bill Palmer speculates with reason: Senility may have become a major factor in mr Trump’s criminal trials
     
  • Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson manages to slam Trump on Presidential immunity, Trump on border mendacity, and Trump general ignorance all in one brief passage:
     

  • I admit to my own bias on the 14th Amendment case against mr Trump:

    Which leads us to New York Times columnist David French:
     

    Cato Institute’s Julian Sanchez, writing as @normative, has some initial empathy with the judicial predicament:

    …then burns to a cinder all logical bridges that might have led SCOTUS to safety:
    Ouch!

  • Nan’s Notebook considers the actual wording of the 14th Amendment and sees a mostly unexamined, but better, reason Trump should be declared ineligible.

  • CalicoJack in The Psy of Life predicts SCOTUS will allow Trump to stay on the Colorado ballot, not because of law, but because of proportionality bias, risk aversion, and motivated reasoning.
     
    Fortunately, Jack is willing to educate us.
     
  • From Andy Borowitz:
     
  • Super Bowl viewers were treated to the ad -> a literal replay from 1960, with Robert F, Kennedy Jr’s face supplanting JFK’s. Robert the Lessor proudly exhibits it, but then apologizes, insisting he had nothing to do with it.
     
    Vixen Strangely at Strangely Blogged sees it as an attempt to falsely identify him with the values of his Presidential relative, evoking a sort of nostalgia for inspiration lost. She is unmoved.
     
    Key rejection:
    Where the youthful brothers’ Kennedy gave us hope and a new frontier, in the 1960s, this addled Boomer is going to unite the country–with people like Mike Flynn and Steve Bannon.
     
    My thought:

  • SilverAppleQueen doesn’t much care for a derogatory blog post about President Kennedy, and assists the blogging culprit with a couple of plain facts.
     
  • And there are more under-the-bar opinions around the Super Bowl.
     
    One hot topic concerns music listed as Hymn #519 in The United Methodist Church Hymnal. Among the subject headings are Sanctifiying and Perfecting Grace and Strength in Tribulation.
     
    Other denominations also include it occasionally in their song listings.
     
    It is sometimes sung in the church that I attend.
     
    The words are about hardship, hope, and faith in God.
     
    But, because it is often associated with the NAACP and is frequently referred to as the Black National Anthem, a few conservatives object to its inclusion anywhere at any time.
     
    Tommy Christopher brings us hot & bothered SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly who gets mad as a rat under a bucket when the hymn becomes part of a Super Bowl performance by Andra Day.
     
    Personal note:
    Conservatives object to the Black National Anthem at the Super Bowl because, as Megyn puts it, We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE.
     
    They face an interesting paradox.

    1. They recognize that the hymn about struggle, hardship, and strength through faith is intrinsically about Black history.
      If the hardship disproportionately applies to Black folk, how about letting the truth fall where it may?
      How about letting the hymn be part of a national event?
       
    2. They insist racism is not an embedded part of American history.
      If that is true, (It isn’t, but supposing), how about letting a hymn about hardship and faith be part of a national event?
       
  • It’ll never happen. So reparations have become pretty much an academic exercise. Not an active issue, but worthy of interesting discussion.
     
    If you steal from me, I have lawful recourse.
     
    If your parent steals massive amounts from my parent’s estate, I may have recourse through that estate.
     
    What if your ancestor stole 40 acres and a mule from mine? What if that theft formed a substantial inheritance for you and nothing for me?
     
    Given the growing diversity of any genealogy, the further back we go the more practical problems crop up.
    How can we adjudicate the injustices flowing from the Battle of Hastings in 1066?
     
    Now throw in lesser, but substantial, thefts over generations.
    Let’s depart from analogy and think of discrimination, Jim Crow, and lynchings, all more recent than slavery.
    How do we mix that in?
     
    Libertarian Michael A. LaFerrara ignores all that and argues against reparations because the topic has, as he calls it, a collectivized premise.
     
    Seems one libertarian size fits all arguments.
     
    Michael’s primary reasoning is that today’s people should not be saddled with, or credited with, what happened in past generations.
     
    He seems unaware that his central argument is also the best potential case against any inherited wealth.
     
    Key libertarian guidance:
    My advice to the questioner is to stop living in the past, and start looking forward to making your own life the best it could be by your own efforts.
     
  • Iron Knee at Political Irony has examples of how Democrats started making fun of, then stole the entire theme of, Dark Brandon.
     
    One example is the Dark Brandon plot (evil, but convoluted) to

    • infiltrate the NFL
    • getting them to throw the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs (Yay Missouri!)
    • which would promote the popularity of KC tight end Travis Kelce
    • who has lately been seen pretty often with singer Taylor Swift
    • thus giving the phenomenally popular Swift yet another platform

      •  
      (with me so far?)

    • from which she can endorse Joe Biden
    • thus ensuring a Dark Brandon re-election victory in November.

     
    Whew!
     
    On that quantum metaverse bank shot type Taylor Swift conspiracy, our favorite Iron blogger separately brings us this from Brian Tyler Cohen as Fox hosts melt down into a panicked puddle:
     

  • Master of Rant Max’s Dad sets his baleful eye on Special Council Robert Hur who cannot, for the life of him, find any wrongdoing by Joe Biden, so instead goes to MAGA type insults of his age and memory.
     
    Goes like this:
    He’s innocent.
    Sorry!
    But lemme give you the lowdown. Boy, is he ol‑l‑l‑l‑d!
     
    Key motive, discerned by Max’s Dad:
    Did Robert Hur get pats on the head? Oh yeah. Who’s a good boy? You are that’s who!
     
  • Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger remembers FBI Director James Comey’s dirty trick against Hillary that helped mr Trump claw into the White House. Comey issued a report giving Ms. Clinton a clean bill of health on false accusations from her opposition, then publicly scolded (scalded) her for carelessly following established procedures.
     
    In a report clearing President Biden of any wrongdoing concerning classified documents, special council Robert Hur repeated the partisan tactic, this time slamming his cognitive ability.
     
    He’s totally innocent but, boy-howdy, what a bad memory!
    Seems President Biden misspoke the name of the current President of France, and forgot the date of his son’s death.
     
    Ted McLaughlin has five important points that seem to have escaped Mr Hur’s own memory.
     
  • Frances Langum watches yet another conspiracy theory fall apart as a Biden corruption accuser gets arrested. Turns out it’s illegal to lie to the FBI.
     
    Donald Trump Jr can’t shut up about it, but Hannity, who actively pushed the flattened theoretical plot, suddenly doesn’t seem to put anything into words.
     
    Frances brings us Chris Hayes, who helpfully helps out, recalling the 85 times Hannity promoted the fantasy:
     
  • News Corpse looks into mr Trump’s separate weird fantasies about Taylor Swift and NATO.
     
    Taylor Swift owes him undying loyalty because of legislation he thinks benefited her pocketbook. Sadly she is disloyal to him.
    Trump thinks that this inane argument will win him Swift’s political support. He thinks that she is as stupid as his MAGA minions, and that she has no values of her own.
     
    He makes up a conversation with an unidentified leader of a “big country” about NATO, dues, and potential Putin attacks.
    Treaties are not mere handshakes between the signatories. They are explicitly cited in the Constitution’s Article VI as the “supreme Law of the Land.”
     
    Key NATO provision:
    The funds that he is referring to are not even owed to the U.S. They are goals, not requirements, for the member nations’ own internal defense budgets.
     
  • Disaffected and it Feels So Good reminds us that mr Trump and the Republican party encourage Putin to attack the US and NATO.
     
  • At The Moderate Voice, Putin foe Alexy Navalny has died in custody, and Joe Gangelman tells us the one thing we know for sure.
     
  • Dave Dubya goes to reports and intelligence experts to consider a Russian military threat revealed by a Republican Congressional representative. A more immediate threat seems to be Putin’s allies in the US.
     
  • The Onion teaches us everything there is to learn from Tucker’s interview with Putin.
     
    Key known unknown:
    Carlson Failed … To Ask Putin His Thoughts On Sexy M&M’s
     
  • In Letters from an American, Heather Cox Richardson goes to podcast (worth the listen) as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson holds up a vote on aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian aid for Gaza. Speaker Johnson says the House will not be rushed on the bill, regardless of the urgency.
     
    We can see his point.
    After all, President Biden seems to expect rapid action on a request made only … well, October of last year actually.
     
    A transcript is included for the convenience of those for whom audio is impractical.
     
  • In Hackwhackers, a Republican strategist wonders why Republicans wonder why Republicans are losing elections.
     
  • M. Bouffant at Web of Evil has the links as comically fraudulent, now former Congressional whatever, Republican George Santos gloats at Republicans about a Republican defeat.
     
  • driftglass beats up on Never Trumpers for irrationally imagining they can persuade Trumpers into rationality.
     
    My thought:
    driftglass is justified in resenting past dismissals of his warnings.
    And current condescending attitudes do veer toward the insufferable.
    But the danger to democracy is so imminent as to justify alliances, however temporary, where we can find them.
     
  • Imani Gandy and Jessica Mason Pieklo of Rewire News Group go to podcast about the Supreme Court’s coming hearing in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a suit on whether to prohibit abortion medication.
     
    Problem for the plaintiffs: their case is based on the junkiest of junk science: studies that have been retracted by their academic publishers.
     
    Key point:
    The “evidence” is 98 anonymous blog posts.
     
    A complete transcript in pdf format is also thoughtfully provided
     
  • Mark Waulberg (No, not Mark Wahlberg, the other Mark) listens to the NRA and explains why he likes living with gun control laws in Britain:
     
  • Scotties Playtime tells of yet another tragedy as a 9-year-old commits suicide over bullying.
     
    Key cost of hatred:
    Kids dying because some adults are back to pushing hate and intolerance for their god and political reasons, at the cost of kids lives.
     
  • PZ Myers discovers that former Elon buddy Matt Taibbi has discovered what so many others have discovered: that you can’t be friends with Musk.
     
  • In The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser, atheist Bruce, in a well written and thoughtful piece, interprets how Christians interpret the Bible.
     
  • It can be hard to find words of comfort for those finding themselves in the pain of loss and grief.
     
    North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz helps us with five things not to say.
     
  • Vincent at A Wayfarer’s Notes goes to market, forgets his wallet, and encounters unexpected kindness.
     
    Key motto (from George Whitman):
    …be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise
     
  • YellowDog Granny is back for a short while, as she considers surgical procedures (Let’s hope for the best), with meme thoughts on personal choices, refrigeration, and Republicans.
     
  • Among other topics, science writer Marc Abrahams brings us a Canadian study of available data to answer the burning question of whether left handed people are more liberal.
     
  • Clickbait satirist Reductress covers a CEO who says remote work is hurting company culture after a 3rd round of layoffs.
     
    Key reaction to office is like a real family
    Sources confirm most “real families” do not leave their “real family members” high and dry after one unmet quarterly goal, but Peter does not seem to understand this.
     
  • In Happiness Between Tails da-AL interrupts her anxiety attack to host Italian biologist and natural health investigator Mariarosaria, writing about her love for roadtripping through the United States.
     
  • @whiskeywhistle98 expresses yet another downside to motherhood:
     
  • Infidel753 provides logical ways to improve definitions.
     
    Key redefine (which is to say my favorite, by a narrow margin):
    Conspiracy: Prison inmates’ predatory behavior on the high seas
     

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