@10:20, 11/18/19

|

1

House Republicans Want Ukraine Information From a Republican Senator

Catie Edmondson at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 47 minutes ago

Senator Ron Johnson traveled to Ukraine as part of a delegation attending the president’s inauguration in 2019 and has repeatedly found himself drawn into the impeachment inquiry.

Trump will not benefit.

2 

The White Nationalist Websites Cited by Stephen Miller

Katie Rogers and Jason DeParle at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

Newly released emails show President Trump’s chief immigration adviser was a young Senate aide who promoted his anti-immigrant views by referring to the sites.

Stephen Miller is appointed for his anti-immigration position.

3 

230 Years and Zero Presidents: Why Mayors Haven’t Jumped Straight to the White House

Emily Badger at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

A cultural suspicion about big cities seems to be part of the problem, but that attitude might be changing.

Cities are much more dominant than they have been.
That is demonstrated by the composition of the house.
The senate represents the land of the various states.
There are enough states without dominant cities that the senate will remain rural.
Rural interests should recognize they are inextricably bound to the cities as the cities are dependent on the countryside.
Debt rules everyone.
Debt can be regulated by the actions of the whole in concert.
Debt cannot be destroyed.

4 

‘No One Believes Anything’: Voters Worn Out by a Fog of Political News

Sabrina Tavernise and Aidan Gardiner at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 7 hours ago

Paying attention to the impeachment inquiry and other developments means having to figure out what is true, false or spin. Many Americans are throwing up their hands and tuning it all out.

It is the intention of all parties to hide their actions.
People must apply the scientific method to news.
Build a comprehensible model of reality.
Understand what is unknowable.
Try to fit the reported facts to your model.
If they conflict examine the conflicts.
The report may be wrong.  Your model may be wrong.  Either may be incomplete.
Fix your model.  The reports are mostly beyond ones control.
"Its a great life if you don't weaken"

5 

How Moderates Are Seizing the Moment in the Democratic Primary

Alexander Burns at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 9 hours ago

New entrants into the race. A nod from Barack Obama. Centrist victories in governor’s contests. Moderates sense a favorable shift.

Moderation offers an easy way to perdition.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perdition

6 

Abortion Is New Litmus Test for Democratic Attorneys General Group

Lisa Lerer at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 10 hours ago

To win financial backing from Democratic Attorneys General Association, candidates will be required to publicly state their support of abortion.

Women will have abortion.
Women should not be condemned for unwanted pregnancy.
People should not be condemned for accommodating women.

7 

Hope Is Bullshit

Ian Welsh at Ian Welsh - 10 hours ago

I am unintersted in “hope.” Or as we called it in the Obama bullshit years, Hopium. Hope is not a plan. Hope is bullshit. Luck is real, but you don’t count on luck other than in the sense that the harder you work, and the more things you do, the more likely you are to […]

Ian Welsh has his own blinders. 
He takes a short view of history.

Progress is real in my view. 
More is learned most of the time.
Often what is learned is wrong.  That is an opportunity for more learning.
It is a duty to teach all of what is known.
It is a duty to increase what is known.

Still:
"I am a prisoner of hope "
Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

8 

President Trump Bet Big This Election Year. Here’s Why He Lost.

Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

In Louisiana and Kentucky, Mr. Trump’s political pleas appeared to energize Democrats and political moderates as much as his own base, sending turnout in cities and suburbs soaring.

Donald Trump is not a politician.

9 

Republicans Shift Defense of Trump While He Attacks Another Witness

Sheryl Gay Stolberg at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 16 hours ago

With Gordon Sondland prepared to testify this week, Republicans backed away from complaints about secondhand information and instead offered a blunter defense: The president did nothing wrong.

The offer of a quid pro quo is enough.
 

========================================================================

10 

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 17, 2019

Tony Wikrent at Ian Welsh - 23 hours ago

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 17, 2019 by Tony Wikrent Economics Action Group, North Carolina Democratic Party Progressive Caucus Strategic Political Economy Senate Democrats Join GOP to Back ‘Automatic Austerity’ Bill That Would Gut Social Programs, Hamstring Bold Policies [Common Dreams., via Naked Capitalism 11-15-19] I include this here because the next link […]

Scary stuff.

11 

Too Far Left? Some Democratic Candidates Don’t Buy Obama’s Argument

Jennifer Medina and Lisa Lerer at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

no


12

Michael Bloomberg Pushed ‘Stop-and-Frisk’ Policing. Now He’s Apologizing.

Shane Goldmacher at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago
 

Apology not accepted.


13

How Elizabeth Warren Got to ‘Yes’ on Medicare for All

Shane Goldmacher, Sarah Kliff and Thomas Kaplan at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

She did it by listening and thinking.


14

How FedEx Cut Its Tax Bill to $0

Jim Tankersley, Peter Eavis and Ben Casselman at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

Intentionally.


15

Trump Went for a Medical Checkup That Was Not on His Public Schedule

Neil Vigdor at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

The White House said that the president wanted to get a head start on portions of his annual physical exam and that he was in good health.

Heart or stroke, possibly cancer.

16 

Pete Buttigieg Jumps Out to Lead in Iowa Poll

Sydney Ember at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

Mr. Buttigieg had a surprisingly robust lead in the latest Des Moines Register and CNN poll. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Joseph R. Biden Jr. were in a statistical tie for second.

Yes.  No votes are committed.

17 

Preview: Tonight’s Runoff in the South

The New York Times at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

The Times will have live elections results at 9 p.m. Eastern.

The Democrats won.

18 

Preview: Tonight’s Governor’s Race in Louisiana

The New York Times at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

The Times will have live elections results at 9 p.m. Eastern.

John bell Edwards won.

19 

Open Thread

Ian Welsh at Ian Welsh - 1 day ago

Use the comments to discuss topic unrelated to recent posts.

Sooner is better.   As soon as you can is best.

20 

Conservative Groups Are Teaming Up to Defend Trump, and Raise Money

Catie Edmondson at NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

A coalition of conservatives.

No luck yet.

||