Trying to figure out how to avoid violating a confidential discussion.
I am back from the assault case.
The possible trial, more likely guilty plea, has been put off.
I did meet with the defendant, a confused, troubled, apologetic teenager.
I am invited to participate in future proceedings by video.
The state is offering to pick up medical expenses not covered by insurance.
Now back to points of interest:
- Vixen Strangely at Strangely Blogged covers Memorial Day, devoted to the ultimate sacrifice too often made by those in the armed forces. Of course, mr Trump and Trump the Lessor both write in solemn memory of themselves.
- In Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson includes the contrasting Memorial Day messages. President Biden dedicates his to the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces to preserve the freedoms presumably guaranteed by our Constitution. mr Trump dedicates his message to the evils of all who oppose him.
Key inescapable observation:
The message behind this extraordinary post was twofold: Trump can think of nothing but himself…and he appears to be terrified.
The same analysis is now available in audio format, as Richardson narrates in podcast.
- @whiskeywhistle98 contemplates thirty four verdicts:
- Max’s Dad reviews the verdicts, the uninformed reactions, and what pundits and newscasters already knew about the jury.
Key spoiler:
…the only thing you can conclude is nobody knows nuthin about juries.
- From trial to campaign, Tommy Christopher recounts, so to speak. How has mr Trump screwed up? Chris Wallace counts the ways.
- North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz makes a moral, as well as political, point. Donald Trump is guilty of being exactly who he said he was.
Key warnings:
Hillary Clinton tried to warn America about Donald Trump.
Barack Obama tried to.
Joe Biden tried to.
The Free Press tried to.
81 million Americans tried to.
Most of all, Donald Trump tried to warn America.
- From The Borowitz Report, mr Trump says it is totally unfair that he was not allowed to be a juror.
- PZ Myers experiences momentary contentedness at some item or other he noticed in the news (edge of seat – what could it be?), then reads the reaction of a famed billionaire. That would be an extraordinarily revelatory reaction.
- M. Bouffant at Web of Evil posts all 34 verdicts, waits for all the promised violent reaction, but is only treated to tough talk from a twerp.
- Trump apologists warn that politically motivated prosecutors will now come for you.
Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson seems unafraid:I have no fear of being found guilty of using my lawyer as a shill account to pay off a porn star in the midst of a presidential campaign. @MikeMaistelman doesn't have that kind of spare cash.
— James Wigderson (@jwigderson) May 30, 2024
- Juanita Jean’s Dangerous Beauty Salon goes all goose and gander on reactions to the verdict.
How would Republicans react if a Democrat was prosecuted for similar corruption? How would Democrats react? Actually, speculation is not necessary. We already know.
- tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors notes that those 34 guilty verdicts mean we can now say the words convicted felon Donald Trump, but reminds us that we still have another 54 charges to go.
- CalicoJack in The Psy of Life suggests that patriots can celebrate, but then must batten the hatches. mr Trump and remaining followers will seek revenge on the country that has failed him.
- At The Moderate Voice editor Joe Gandelman includes video and bits of transcript outside the courthouse as Robert De Niro scorches mr Trump.
- mr Trump, and at least some Fox network personalities, claim the FBI was instructed by Biden to kill him at Mar-a-Lago.
Our favorite Earth-Bound Misfit explains the dangers of the lie, distrusts the honesty of those repeating the lie, and is skeptical about the intelligence of those who believe it.
One of the better social media posts:Saying the FBI planned to use deadly force at Mar-a-Lago because it was briefed prior to the operation is like saying the airlines plan to crash because they give a safety briefing before every flight.
Both are SOP.
— TKeck44 (@TKeck44) May 22, 2024
- Frances Langum brings us the latest accusation against President Biden: he is responsible for the decline in ice cream quality.
- Dave Dubya sees historical patterns repeated as yet another Holocaust survivor warns us about an American movement. Care to guess?
- The Propaganda Professor names Liberal. Politically correct. Social Justice. Woke. DEI. as once respectable terms targeted and discredited by conservatives, most of whom have little idea of their meaning, aside from dim negative connotations. Prop Prof takes on, and disposes of a new member of that family: Identity Politics.
Key contrast:
If liberals should take some magic pill that induced them to forget that race and racism exist, they’d learn about it all over again very quickly if conservatives didn’t take it too. And be assured, conservatives absolutely are not going to swallow. They’re always going to wail that electing a (half) black president was divisive and race-obsessed, just because he was indeed (half) black. They’re always going to rail about the supposed dire threat from brown-skinned refuges “invading” the southern border. They’re always going to characterize Muslims as hateful and violent.
Key palliative:
What you have total control over, however, is which identities you prioritize. You can definitely choose whether to favor empathy or egocentricity.
- An amazing memory!
News Corpse brings us a Fox network host who remembers when ‘Blacks Loved Trump’ and ‘Wanted to Be Trump’.
- In Happiness Between Tails da-AL can relate to her guest Mari, both of whom married others of different races. da-AL has a few thoughts on confronting hatred. Mari has a few bits of advice on how to behave in Japan.
- Libertarian Michael A. LaFerrara argues that Israel should attack Palestinians in general, not just Hamas, because civilians have it coming, too.
My take:
- driftglass takes a look at former CNN reporter and editor, current political pundit Chris Cillizza, and is devastatingly unimpressed.
Key personal prayer:
- Dave Columbo agrees the judge cannot be trusted
- Should Justice Alito recuse? It isn’t just about flags. It’s about judicial impartiality.
Julian Sanchez, on Threads, suggests the definitive evidence comes from Donald Trump.Post by @normativeView on Threads - Iron Knee at Political Irony considers Alito’s flagging (See what I did there?) expressions of judicial philosophy and detects a pattern.
- Justices Alito and Thomas are hopelessly biased, and obviously ought to recuse themselves in cases involving either mr Trump or the January 6 insurrection. But most of us are resigned to their lack of ethics. Nothing can be done about it.
Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger is having none of that, suggesting ways the Constitution and federal law can force recusal.
- Legal expert Imani Gandy urges those of us who are concerned with basic rights to pay attention to these 8 Supreme Court cases.
Key principles:
Reproductive justice has three main principles: (1) the right to have a child; (2) the right not to have a child; and (3) the right to raise your children in a safe and healthy environment. And each of these cases puts at least one of those principles at risk.
- At The Onion, a new Florida law requires all women to produce three healthy white sons by their 22nd birthday.
- Right Wing Watch brings us a far-right pastor who believes democracy should be overthrown in favor of a forceful Christian leader.
His latest fury is directed at part of that same democracy. He insists that women should not be allowed to vote.
- Apparently, documents were uncovered through the Freedom of Information Act. Scotties Playtime has the links as Florida educators are trained to teach Christian nationalism in public schools, regardless of the religion of parents.
- As I read reasonable speculation by Robert Reich, I remembered theorizing with my father so many decades ago about adrenaline addiction and occasional folks we had met who seemed to seek out confrontation.
Reich suggests that one reason so many officials stay in Washington as lobbyists is a need to continue living with intense pressure.
Nan’s Notebook considers the Reich proposition, then goes all Occam’s razor, with a simpler explanation.
- Infidel753 goes to his own life experiences for several brief vignettes on both missed and successful connections with kindred spirits.
- Sarah Cooper makes me remember a conversation where a friend couldn’t accept agreement.
- YellowDog Granny explores pessimism, super charged pessimism, old age, attitude, and how many Earths can fit inside Uranus.
- Sci-fi author John Scalzi watches the newer than new Dune movie and contrasts it with the original. Spoiler: He pretty much enjoys both.
- Guests try to determine if it’s a lie:
Give Mark Waulberg (No, not Mark Wahlberg, the other Mark) any date, and he explains how to tell, with precision, the day of the week:
- We can all relate as clickbait satirist Reductress introduces us to a landlord who just doesn’t understand why it’s his responsibility to provide stairs.
- SilverAppleQueen has cats.
- In Georgia baseball, The Savanna Bananas illustrate the importance of team support:
Welcome back! Frustrating that the trial was apparently postponed, but that’s good news that the state is offering to cover some of your medical expenses.
Joel Webbon is a compendium of everything the Constitution was designed to keep out of our governing institutions. He’s also a good example of why we need women to have the vote. Women seem less susceptible to that kind of barbarian rhetoric.