@17:28, , 11/25/20

 |

 

1

White House Weighs Pardon Blitz Before Trump’s Exit

Kenneth P. Vogel and Eric Lipton, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 52 minutes ago

Political allies and associates are starting to press for clemency as the president also considers extending his criminal justice overhaul by commuting lengthy sentences for other offenders.

 

State charges are waiting for him.

 

2

Stock Trades by Senator Perdue Said to Have Prompted Justice Dept. Inquiry

Katie Benner, Adam Goldman, Nicholas Fandos and Kate Kelly, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

Investigators focused on a sale of at least $1 million of stock in Cardlytics, a financial firm whose board the senator once sat on. They closed the case this summer without charges.

 

Senator Perdue was probably guilty.

3

Trump Pardons Michael Flynn

Charlie Savage, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

The president’s former national security adviser twice pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his conversations with Russia’s ambassador.

 

His career is over 

4

C.I.A. Officer Is Killed in Somalia

Julian E. Barnes, Eric Schmitt and Adam Goldman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

The officer’s combat death came as President Trump considers pulling back on American operations in the region.

 

The C.I.A. should not have a paramilitary unit.  They are supposed to be more skilled.

 

5

No, President Trump Did Not Pardon Himself

Mark Leibovich, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

Speculation had swirled in recent days that the president might make incendiary news by pardoning humans, but Corn and Cob got the honors at the annual White House ceremony.

 

The third turkey is unpardonable.

 

6

U.S. Economy Stumbles as the Coronavirus Spreads Widely

Ben Casselman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 2 hours ago

Claims for new unemployment benefits and other data suggest that the recent increase in infections is threatening the economic recovery.

 

There is no consciousness involved.

 

7

Ivanka and Jared Look for a New Beginning As Their D.C. Days Dwindle

Elizabeth Williamson, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 7 hours ago

The end of President Trump’s time in office leaves his daughter Ivanka Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, looking for a new home — but they appear to have plans in New Jersey.

 

There is probably a fool who will pay their price.

8

5 Ways That David Dinkins Shaped New York City

Jeffery C. Mays and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 7 hours ago

The former mayor was remembered as a mentor who inspired Black leaders to run for office and began to bring down the crime rate.

 

News to me.  I was a kid.

 

9

Trump Stress-Tested the Election System, and the Cracks Showed

Alexander Burns, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 8 hours ago

Even in the absence of a questionable outcome or any evidence of fraud, President Trump managed to freeze the passage of power for most of a month.

 

The redistricting system needs fixing.

10

Trump Is Said to Plan Pardon of Flynn

Maggie Haberman and Michael Crowley, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 16 hours ago

The expected pardon of President Trump’s former national security adviser, who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I., is said to be one of a string Mr. Trump plans to issue before leaving office.

 

He did that.

 

11

Why Stacey Abrams Is Confident Georgia Will Stay Blue

Astead W. Herndon, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 18 hours ago

Democrats agree that Ms. Abrams’s political vision helped deliver Georgia to Joe Biden. In an interview with The New York Times, she lays out why 2020 was the year it came together.

 

I care about the Georgia race for the Senate.

I expect the Democrats will win if they can keep up their effort.

 

12

Markets Throw a Welcome Party of Sorts for Biden

Matt Phillips, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 19 hours ago

Wall Street notched records, as relief settled in that the election is over and Janet Yellen will be the Treasury secretary in the next administration.

 

The confidence fairy may win the day. 

The house majority is thin.  The senate is still in doubt.

13

Biden’s National Security Team Offers a Sharp Turn. But in Which Direction?

Annie Karni and David E. Sanger, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 20 hours ago

The picks are a repudiation of President Trump’s isolationism, but they will have to resolve tensions between an Obama-era approach and the “fresh thinking” the president-elect says he wants.

 

Trump will be repudiated.

I will not try to second guess the professionals on how to proceed from here.

 

14

Biden Transition Gets Underway as Team Fans Out Across Capital

Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 20 hours ago

Within hours of the Trump administration’s decision to stop blocking the process, representatives of the president-elect began coordinating the handover of power.

 

We have asked Biden to fix trade and international relations.

We must allow him to try to do it.  

War is not a real option. 

Let the diplomats work.

 

15

Fox News Reaches Settlement With Parents of Seth Rich

Katie Robertson, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 21 hours ago

A lawsuit they filed in 2018 over the network’s coverage of the murder of Mr. Rich, who had been a Democratic aide, comes to an end.

 

The parents are satisfied with Faux News.  Keep them so.

16

Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty to Role in Opioid Crisis

Katie Benner, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 21 hours ago

The admission in federal court brought a formal end to a major investigation that resulted in a multibillion-dollar settlement between the drug maker and the government.

 

This mess is not over.

Relations with much of the world must be mended.

 

17

Yellen Would Assume Vast Policy Portfolio as Treasury Secretary

Alan Rappeport, Ana Swanson, Jim Tankersley and Jeanna Smialek, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

From trade and sanctions to tax policy and financial regulation, the former Fed chair will be at the center of the new administration’s agenda.

 

Let her work.  

If she is getting wrong answers she will be told. 

18

The Transition Formally Begins (Finally)

Giovanni Russonello, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

The G.S.A. administrator faces reality as Trump creeps closer to it: This is your morning tip sheet.

 

Trump will try to play Sampson.

 

19

Virginia Democrats, Thrilled With Biden Victory, Aren’t Looking for Carbon Copy

Reid J. Epstein, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

Suburban women who played a huge role in Joe Biden’s victory are not convinced that they need a white man to win their governor’s race next year.

 

Virginia has tried to run the country in other times.

Let them run themselves as one among many.

 

20

Janet Yellen Has Excelled at Big Jobs. This Will Be the Hardest One Yet.

Neil Irwin, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

The nominee for Treasury secretary will face the tricky politics of generating a strong recovery out of the pandemic.

 

Janet Yellen can have all the help she wants.  

If we are very lucky she will have all the help she needs.

Solve the pandemic first.  The economy can be patched after the pandemic is solved.

 

Single payer Health Care would be a good first step.

 

||

@1:22, , 11/21/20,

 |

 

1

Republican Resistance Looms in the Senate for Biden’s Nominees

Carl Hulse, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 51 minutes ago

The polarization of the confirmation process, once a matter of giving the president the team he chooses, will present the new administration with a challenge in filling out its upper echelons.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/21/us/joe-biden-trump

 

More FUD.

 

2

Trump’s Legal Team Sets a Precedent for Lowering the Bar

Mark Leibovich, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 2 hours ago

President Trump and his lawyers are engaged in a spectacle that would be funny if it weren’t so dangerous, and if the stakes weren’t so high.

 

Trump and his Republicans believe in privilege. 

3

Business and World Leaders Move On as Trump Fights to Reverse Election

Michael D. Shear, David Gelles, Mark Landler and David E. Sanger, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. is seizing the moment, not to aggressively confront the president he defeated, but to act presidential in his stead.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership

It is an earned role in democratic politics.

There is no Mandate of Heaven or Divine right of kings 

 

4

Meeting With Schumer and Pelosi, Biden Keeps Focus on Virus and Economy

Michael Crowley, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

On his 78th birthday, President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. ignored President Trump's continued efforts to subvert the election results.

 

The Biden team is working. 

 

5

Donald Trump Jr. tests positive for coronavirus. He has been isolating since Monday.

Maggie Haberman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 4 hours ago

 

Covid-19 is infectious and present in the Whitehouse.

 

6

Melania Trump Announces a Noguchi Sculpture for the White House

Sarah Bahr, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 4 hours ago

Isamu Noguchi’s 1962 installation, “Floor Frame,” will be the first piece by an Asian-American artist in the White House collection.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isamu_Noguchi

I like his work.  Why is it in the Whitehouse now?

 7

Tucker Carlson Dared Question a Trump Lawyer. The Backlash Was Quick.

Jeremy W. Peters, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 4 hours ago

The president’s allies quickly closed ranks behind Sidney Powell and her pro-Trump conspiracy theory, accusing the Fox host of betrayal.

 

Voting machines should be "air gaped". 

There is no magic 

There is no sign of vote theft.

8

Georgia and Michigan Deliver Blows to Trump’s Efforts to Undo the Election

Richard Fausset, Nick Corasaniti and Maggie Haberman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 4 hours ago

Joseph R. Biden Jr. was certified as the winner in Georgia, and Michigan Republicans said they had no information that would change the tally in a state Mr. Biden also won.

 

There is no sign of vote theft.

 

9

Senate Republicans could be an obstacle for Biden’s Cabinet nominees.

Carl Hulse, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

 

They may try.

 

10

Republicans in Congress Stay Largely in Line Behind Trump

Nicholas Fandos, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 6 hours ago

A few top Republicans called for a smooth transition, but the critical mass of the party remained silent as President Trump continued to try to subvert the popular vote and falsely claim he won re-election.

 

Trump should receive government housing . . . in prison.

 

11

Jonathan Pollard, Convicted Spy, Completes Parole and May Move to Israel

Julian E. Barnes, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 6 hours ago

The former Navy intelligence analyst served 30 years in prison for stealing American secrets during the Cold War.

 

It is the theft that mattered.

 

12

A Final Try by Trump to Cut Drug Prices May Stumble in Court

Margot Sanger-Katz and Noah Weiland, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 6 hours ago

A new rule would base the price Medicare pays for certain drugs on the lowest price paid among similar countries. But a rushed process means legal challenges are likely.

 

Let Medicare bargain on the cost of prescriptions. 

13

Trump Campaign Lawyers Step Up but Are Swiftly Knocked Down

Zach Montague and Alan Feuer, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 6 hours ago

The race to file lawsuits challenging the election results has forced lawyers into mistakes and uncomfortable court appearances.

 

Trump lost reelection.

 

14

What We Know About Trump's Election Meeting with Michigan Officials

Kathleen Gray and Maggie Haberman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 7 hours ago

Two of the state’s leading Republicans are headed to the White House on Friday, as the president continues his efforts to subvert the election results in their state.

 

The Michigan officials will not interfere.

 

15

Mark Meadows says he won’t run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022.

Annie Karni, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 7 hours ago

 

Mark Meadows is a Trump loyalist.

 

16

“Intellectual Property” Law Set To Kill Millions By Slowing Covid-19 Vaccine Access

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 7 hours ago

Worldwide deaths from Covid-19 sit at 1.39 million, though that’s certainly an understatement, especially when one adds in people who died of other causes who wouldn’t have if Covid-19 wasn’t soaking up resources. (I recently read of a man dying of a perforated gallbladder in the US who wouldn’t have pre-Covid.) We have vaccines coming […]

 

Fiduciary responsibility is a terrible way to run a government.

 

17

Georgia certifies Biden’s victory, hours after premature announcement.

Richard Fausset, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 8 hours ago

 

Georgia has acted properly.

 

18

Pfizer Applies for Emergency F.D.A. Approval for Covid-19 Vaccine

Noah Weiland and Katie Thomas, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 10 hours ago

A large team of regulators at the agency will take about three weeks to review an application spanning thousands of pages.

 

Bitter experience lead to the procedures.

 

19

On Transgender Day of Remembrance, Biden pledges protections against discrimination and violence.

Eileen Sullivan, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 12 hours ago

 

Legislation will be required.

 

20

A Michigan Republican who will meet with Trump has said he would not override Biden’s victory.

Eileen Sullivan and Glenn Thrush, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 13 hours ago

 

Biden's victory in Michigan is not overridden

 

||

 

@15:22, , 11/20/20

 |

 1

Pfizer Applies for Emergency F.D.A. Approval for Covid-19 Vaccine

Noah Weiland and Katie Thomas, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 20 minutes ago

A large team of regulators at the agency will take about three weeks to review an application spanning thousands of pages.

 

Still no Federal plan.

 

2

What We Know About Trump's Election Meeting with Michigan Officials

Kathleen Gray and Maggie Haberman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 38 minutes ago

Two of the state’s leading Republicans are headed to the White House on Friday, as the president continues his efforts to subvert the election results in their state.

 

These Republicans do not have the power to override the result of an election.

 

3

Why Trump's Attempts to Overturn 2020 Election Are Unparalleled in US History

David E. Sanger, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

The president’s push to prevent states from certifying electors and get legislators to override voters’ choice eclipses even the bitter 1876 election as an audacious use of brute political force.

 

Black Operations should not be part of the C.I.A.

Intelligence is news gathering.

The assassins need their own flag.

 

4

Economic Policy Has Become a Partisan Game. That Could Do Long-Term Harm.

Neil Irwin, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 2 hours ago

Mnuchin’s move and Shelton’s near-confirmation suggest a future of greater risks each time party control changes.

 

The Trump economic policy has been extremely abusive.

It demonstrates a failure to learn from two hundred forty years of experience.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_North_America 

5

The Certification of the 2020 US Election Results is on Schedule. Here's a Timeline.

Maggie Astor, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

Despite Republican efforts to undermine the process, state officials say they fully expect to meet their upcoming deadlines.

 

The process is quite mechanical.

 

6

After Trump’s Embrace, Saudis Brace for a Chillier Tone From Biden

Ben Hubbard, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

Saudi Arabia’s leaders counted on President Trump’s unwavering support, but President-elect Biden has vowed to take away the kingdom’s “dangerous blank check.”

 

The U.S. economy must cease to run on oil.

The Republicans cannot comprehend the thought.

 

7

Whatever It Is, It’s Probably Not Hair Dye

Jonah Engel Bromwich, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

Hairdressers weigh in on Rudy Giuliani’s drip problem.

 

"Thursday’s event was the latest in an unusual series of public appearances for Mr. Giuliani. On Nov. 7, he delivered remarks from the parking lot of Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a Philadelphia landscaping company close to a crematory and a pornography shop."

 

Rudy Giuliani has chosen the wrong client.

 

8

Could limiting corporate candidates complicate Biden’s diversity push?

Ephrat Livni, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

 

Foolishness is not a Republican monopoly.

 

9

Mitt Romney lashes Trump for trying to ‘subvert the will of the people.’

Neil Vigdor and Emily Cochrane, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 6 hours ago

 

Mitt Romney would like to survive 2024

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney

10

Trump’s Latest Gambit

Giovanni Russonello, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 8 hours ago

The president appears to meddle in Michigan’s electoral process: This is your morning tip sheet.

 

Gambit refused.

 

11

Will Lara Trump Be the Next Trump on a Ballot?

Annie Karni, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 10 hours ago

The president’s daughter-in-law is said to be considering a Senate run in her native state of North Carolina.

 

Only if her constituency votes for her.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Swamp_(North_Carolina)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dismal_Swamp 

12

Trump Targets Michigan in His Ploy to Subvert the Election

Maggie Haberman, Jim Rutenberg, Nick Corasaniti and Reid J. Epstein, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

In a brazen step, the president invited Republican state leaders in Michigan to the White House as he and his allies try to prevent the state from certifying Joe Biden’s clear victory there.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/us/politics/georgia-trump-michigan-election.html

 

13

Trump Tax Write-Offs Are Ensnared in 2 New York Fraud Investigations

Danny Hakim, Mike McIntire, William K. Rashbaum and Ben Protess, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 16 hours ago

Inquiries into the president and his businesses, one criminal and one civil, are now looking at tax deductions taken on consulting fees. Some of the payments appear to have gone to Ivanka Trump.

 

The charges have been piling up.

 

14

Biden Calls Trump’s Attack on Electoral Process ‘Totally Irresponsible’

Michael Crowley and Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 17 hours ago

Choosing his words carefully, the president-elect stepped up his criticism of President Trump and warned that the delayed transition sent “a horrible message about who we are as a country.”

 

Trump did not win.

 

15

A Third Member of the Cincinnati City Council Is Charged With Corruption

Michael Levenson, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 19 hours ago

The charges against Alexander Sittenfeld, a mayoral hopeful, stunned local political leaders and reinforced what federal prosecutors have called a “culture of corruption” that has undermined trust in City Hall.

 

The Republican party went hunting.

 

16

A Washington Tragedy

Lisa Lerer, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 20 hours ago

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have died. Coronavirus cases are surging again. There’s still no federal plan.

 

Trump is in denial.

 

17

And Here I Had Some Faint Hope for Biden

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 21 hours ago

After the election, Senate minority leader Schumer noted that Biden, using an administrative order, could wipe $50K worth of student debt off every student loan debtor. Coming from someone so senior, this seemed like a serious proposal. It was hard to believe Biden would do something like that (after all, the bankruptcy bill that made […]

 

With Biden there is change.  

Trump promised no change.

 

18

Seeking Restart With Biden, Palestinians Eye End to Prisoner Payments

Adam Rasgon and David M. Halbfinger, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 23 hours ago

The Palestinian Authority pays stipends to prisoners held by Israel in a system critics call “pay to slay.” The worse the crime, the higher the payment.

 

Still no peace or any solution in the Levant.

 

19

With Senate Control Hanging in Balance, ‘Crazytown’ Cash Floods Georgia

Shane Goldmacher, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 23 hours ago

After the state went blue in the presidential race, more than $135 million in TV ads have been booked in two Senate runoff elections.

 

Two years is a long time to wait for congressional action.

 

20

No, judges don’t overturn elections because of isolated irregularities.

Jeremy W. Peters, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

Courts have set the bar extremely high for throwing out election results, and the discrepancies cited by the Trump campaign don’t come anywhere close.

 Trump lost the election.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 1

And Here I Had Some Faint Hope for Biden

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 21 hours ago

After the election, Senate minority leader Schumer noted that Biden, using an administrative order, could wipe $50K worth of student debt off every student loan debtor. Coming from someone so senior, this seemed like a serious proposal. It was hard to believe Biden would do something like that (after all, the bankruptcy bill that made […]

 

Ian Welsh is jumping to conclusions.

 

2

Our Society Is Built on Lying and Breaking Faith

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 days ago

Came across a long story about a man’s military career. Basically, he was a West Point graduate and refused to lie: He wouldn’t sign forms that he knew were wrong. He lasted four years in the military, because almost everything he had to sign was a lie, and he wouldn’t do it. This is worth […]

 

A sad tale of the peace time army.

 

3

I Suffered, Therefore So Must Others

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 3 days ago

I want to expand on this idea, ably put my Amal El-Mohtar here: So much of folks' stances on issues boil down to one of the following: "A bad thing happened to me & I got through it so I want to make sure it doesn't happen to other people" vs "A bad thing happened […]

 

Fixing bankruptcy would be a good thing.

If the states paid the colleges the subsidies  they promised there would be fewer bankrupt students. 

4

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 15, 2020

Tony Wikrent, Ian Welsh - 5 days ago

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 15, 2020 by Tony Wikrent America is an undeveloping state Trump Is Staging A Coup — Why Are Dems Not Sounding The Alarm? David Sirota, November 10, 2020 Most ominously of all, Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Arizona are already insinuating the results may be fraudulent, even though they haven’t produced any […]

 

The electorate will not vote for a program named Socialism.

They do vote for programs that are socialist.

 Communes rarely outlive their creators.

5

Full Interview on the Current Situation and the Future

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 6 days ago

I put up a couple excerpts from this interview before, but this is the full shot. Some of it is around the election, but I redirected those questions, generally speaking, to either discussion of the the logic of the current situation with Covid, oligarchy, and neoliberalism (which has not changed significantly), or to what you […]

 

Ian Welsh has no confidence that the U.S. government can heal.

 

6

The US Can Have a Boom Economy Six Months from Whenever It Gets Serious

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

One of the great problems in the US — and most of the Western world — is that we have been unable to accomplish anything important for over 50 years. The last significant US project was the moon landing. Failure or muddled success is the norm, now. The US even loses or muddles all its […]

 

The Republican ability to block legislation would have to be ended.

 

7

The West Proves Its Incapacity With Covid

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

With rare exceptions like New Zealand, the Western response to Covid-19 has been beyond pathetic. This isn’t a complicated problem. You do a lockdown at the start, then ease when cases are essentially extinguished. You build up track and trace, you put in support for businesses and for people who have to isolate. You test […]

 

The Republican senators are unbowed.

 

8

2020 Fundraiser

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

I am raising funds for 2020. The more funds I raise, the more I write. DONATE OR SUBSCRIBE The specific goals for this year are: A Political and Economic Concept Web Series This will be a collection of articles, all online, linked and available from top menu bar. The goal is to explain various concepts […]

 

It is not worth getting excited ahead of publication.

 

9

The Good Scenario For America’s Future

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

So, the default scenario is that Biden rules for 4 to 8 years, maybe Harris for another 4, then we get a more disciplined right wing “populist.” In the meantime, nothing that will actually change the trend-lines has been done about climate change or the continued concentration of wealth and power. America continues to be […]

 

I am reluctant to bell the cat.

 

10

What Will A Biden Presidency Be Like?

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

Trump is done and Biden is on the way in. Let us first acknowledge that Biden is senile. The man is not what he was 8 years ago. He is well known to both be lazy and unwilling to delegate, and this may become a problem. Hopefully his increasing incapacity will force him to delegate, […]

 

Unproven slander does not help.

 

11

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 8, 2020

Tony Wikrent, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 8, 2020 by Tony Wikrent x x The 277 Policies for Which Biden Need Not Ask Permission [The American Prospect, via Naked Capitalism 11-5-20] FAST FACTS: We found 277 policies that can be enacted through executive branch powers in the Biden-Sanders unity task force document. 48 of the […]

 

Trump and Mitch McConnell have been busy doing nothing and saying no. 

12

Open Thread

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 1 week ago

Feel free to use the comments to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts.

 

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

 

13

The Deep Green and the Shore

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

I’m not a big fan of the wilderness. My father was a forester, and as a child I was hauled along on enough unpleasant and uncomfortable trips to develop a distaste for jolting pickup truck rides and boring conversations about varieties of trees. The Boy Scouts didn’t improve things—I mainly remember the long nights of […]

 

I am not Ian Welsh.  I like the forest though I don't want to live in the pacific north west rain forest. 

14

It’s Essentially Over

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

Trump’s losing Georgia and he’s going to lose Pennsylvania. His law suits are being tossed. He’s done.

 

15

We Do All Understand The Trump Play To Win The Election Even If He Loses?

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

Trump’s election plan (in addition to standard voter suppression, like having almost no machines in poor ridings.): Tell Republicans not to vote by mail, and claim there is a lot of fraud. Have DeJoy, his man in the Post Office slow down and damage mail delivery, slowing down ballot delivery and losing ballots. Have Republican […]

 

Trump tried.  It was not enough.

 

16

Why Is The Election So Close?

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

It’s a little after 2 am, and the election still isn’t called. It could go either way. It looks fairly sure that Dems won’t retake the Senate (and if they do it’ll be by one Senator.) Let’s put this in perspective, Donald Trump is clearly mentally defective, and he fumbled Covid-19, the result of which […]

 

There is a price to be paid. 

17

Election Day in the US

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

Well, we’re here. Feel free to use comments for discussion of the election.

 

People voted without flaw. 

18

The Day Before The US Election

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

So, the big day is nigh. Another 4 years of Trump, or four to eight years of Biden and whoever actually runs his administration? Trump’s domestic record has been pretty bad. The economy was doing well before Covid-19, but his complete bungling of the response has thrown millions into poverty and enriched oligarchs. It was […]

 

Puritanism in politics is ugly. 

19

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 1, 2020

Tony Wikrent, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – November 1, 2020 by Tony Wikrent See something? Report voter suppression and obstacles to voting. [Twitter, via Naked Capitalism Water Cooler 10-8-20] “State Fact Sheets” [Georgetown University, via Naked Capitalism Water Cooler 10-30-20] “[F]act sheets for all 50 states explaining the laws barring unauthorized private militia groups and what to do […]

 

Things have mostly worked out.

Covid-19 is spreading exponentially.

 

20

“Will The System Work” & Open Thread

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 2 weeks ago

In this excerpt I answer a question about what happens if Trump disputes a marginal Biden victory. This may seem ludicrous, but remember that something like this happened in 2000, just not with an incumbent. Again, I redirect to what you personally can do. Feel free to use comments as an open thread as well. […]

 

The system is working.

 

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

 

||

@11:15, , 11/17/20

 |

 

1

New Pfizer Results: Coronavirus Vaccine Is Safe and 95% Effective

Katie Thomas, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

The company said it planned to apply for emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration “within days.”

 

There is a big difference between a vaccine and a vaccination.

 

2

As Grassley Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Virus Threatens to Stall Work in Congress

Emily Cochrane, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

Two of the oldest members of Congress, Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Representative Don Young of Alaska, now have the virus, underscoring the risks on Capitol Hill.

 

Covid-19 is not aware.  Politics do not matter to it.

 

3

A Trump Memoir Would Sell. Will Publishers Buy It?

Elizabeth A. Harris and Alexandra Alter, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

Some publishing executives worry their authors and staff might rebel, but they say their bigger concern would be ensuring the book’s accuracy.

 

Sell Trump's memoir as fiction.

 

4

Republicans Stall in Challenging the Election

Giovanni Russonello, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

G.O.P. elections officials backtrack in Michigan: This is your morning tip sheet.

 

https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/gold-price

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Hedge

https://www.zerohedge.com/

 

5

Adam Schiff, Trump’s Chief Antagonist, Ponders Life After Trump

Nicholas Fandos, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

Having raised over $40 million this election cycle, the California Democrat is weighing his next moves, including the possibility of a Biden administration post, a Senate run or even House leadership.

 

He must decide or his constituency will decide for him.

 

6

The Challenge of Black Patriotism

Theodore R. Johnson, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

For Black Americans, loving the country and criticizing it have always been inseparable — something other Americans have often struggled to understand.

 

Consider the pattern as partisan differences.

 

7

Michigan Republicans Backtrack After Refusing to Certify Election Results

Kathleen Gray, Jim Rutenberg and Nick Corasaniti, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 10 hours ago

G.O.P. members of the elections board in Wayne County, which includes Detroit and is heavily Democratic, reversed their decision to hold up approval of Joe Biden’s victory after an outcry.

 

Faith is powerful.

Another faith is also powerful.

 

8 

In Georgia Recount, a Republican Feud With Trump at the Center

Richard Fausset and Jonathan Martin, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 11 hours ago

Double-crossing. Accusations of lying and incompetence. And a bitter divide over whether to endorse President Trump’s false claims of fraud. The G.O.P. in Georgia has a messy feud unfolding, with two Senate seats up for grabs.

 

The struggle in Georgia's senatorial runoff is with the Democrats.

 

9 

Trump Fires Christopher Krebs, Election Cybersecurity Official

David E. Sanger and Nicole Perlroth, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 13 hours ago

Mr. Krebs had overseen election cybersecurity efforts, and had joined other officials in declaring the 2020 election “the most secure in American history.”

 

Christopher Krebs ftred as the bearer of bad news.

 

10

Dana Remus Has Taken an Unlikely Path to the White House Counsel’s Office

Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 13 hours ago

Ms. Remus, who clerked for Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., will help guide Joseph R. Biden Jr. through politically charged legal fights with Republican lawmakers.

 

She may be a good choice,

 

11

U.S. to Drop Case Against Mexican Ex-Official to Allow Inquiry in Mexico

Michael S. Schmidt and Natalie Kitroeff, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 13 hours ago

The announcement by the Justice Department was an abrupt turnaround a month after the high-profile arrest of a former defense minister.

 

The Trump regime is ending.

 

12

Steve Ricchetti Is Tapped for the West Wing’s Wise-Man Role

Glenn Thrush, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

Mr. Ricchetti, who was named Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s counselor, has been a key player in Mr. Biden’s life since joining his vice-presidential staff in 2012.

 

The president gets his cabinet

 

13

Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s Campaign Manager, Will Tackle Another Difficult Job

Lisa Lerer, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

She ran the campaign remotely, including conducting late-night meetings from the seat of her Peloton bike. Now she will assume the role of White House deputy chief of staff.

 

Communication with the Democratic party coalition is essential to a progressive

future.

 

14

Lindsey Graham’s Long-Shot Mission to Unravel the Election Results

Stephanie Saul, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

With unsubstantiated claims of vote-counting errors and calls to officials in several states, the South Carolina senator seems bent on reversing Joe Biden’s clear victory over President Trump.

 

Sisyphus was punished. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus

15

Mike Donilon Is Named a Biden Senior Adviser

Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

The veteran Democratic strategist, who was the chief strategist during the 2020 campaign, will be the defender of the Biden brand.

 

The Democratic coalition has no simple single theme beyond not Trump.

16

Rep. Cedric Richmond Set to Be a Senior Biden Adviser

Katie Glueck and Jonathan Martin, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

Mr. Richmond, a House member from Louisiana for a decade, will be one of the highest-ranking Black officials in the Biden administration as the head of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

 

It is not a bad idea.

 

17

Denied Briefings by Trump, Biden Meets With Former National Security Officials

Michael Crowley and Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 15 hours ago

The president-elect’s Covid advisers repeated his warning that failing to give the incoming administration enough information on the virus and the vaccines that could prevent it could be disastrous.

 

Biden will learn what his problems will be.

 

18

In Georgia, a Republican Feud With Trump at the Center

Richard Fausset and Jonathan Martin, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 15 hours ago

Double-crossing. Accusations of lying and incompetence. And a bitter divide over whether to endorse President Trump’s false claims of fraud. The G.O.P. in Georgia has a messy feud unfolding, with two Senate seats up for grabs.

 

 Republicans fighting among themselves in Georgia pleases me.

19

As Grassley Tests Positive, Coronavirus Threatens to Stall Work in Congress

Emily Cochrane, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 15 hours ago

Two of the oldest members of Congress, Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Representative Don Young of Alaska, now have the virus, underscoring the risks on Capitol Hill.

 

The Democrats in congress will not be allowed accomplishment in the remains of this congress.

 

20

How Real Clear Politics Made a Sharp Right Turn. What Steered It?

Jeremy W. Peters, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

Real Clear Politics has been catering to campaign obsessives since 2000. It pitches itself as a “trusted, go-to source” for unbiased polling. The Trump era changed its tone, and funding sources.

The owners and editors at Real Clear Politics have developed a strong bias toward

conservatism.  It has obscured their former reputation.

 

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@10:24, , 11/17/20

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1

Dr. Céline Gounder, Adviser to Biden, on the Next Covid Attack Plan

Apoorva Mandavilli, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 42 minutes ago

Schools are essential while restaurants are not, said Dr. Gounder. And manufacturers may soon be ordered to produce protective gear for health workers.

 

The Biden team is learning.

 

2

Biden’s Economic Plan for the Virus

Giovanni Russonello, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

Biden and Kamala Harris speak to C.E.O.s and union bosses: This is your morning tip sheet.

 

Not yet a plan.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/17/us/joe-biden-trump 

3

Can America Restore the Rule of Law Without Prosecuting Trump?

Jonathan Mahler, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

Donald Trump’s potential criminal liability is the key to understanding his presidency. When he leaves office, it will present the country with a historic dilemma.

 

He should be prosecuted.  Presidential powers must be reduced.

 

4

With All Eyes on Senate Runoff in Georgia, Here’s How Residents Can Vote

Stephanie Saul, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

Control of the Senate depends on Georgia, with the election set for Jan. 5. But absentee and early voting will begin in the next few weeks.

 

Nothing should be stopping the runoff vote.

 

5

A Popular Political Site Made a Sharp Right Turn. What Steered It?

Jeremy W. Peters, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 7 hours ago

Real Clear Politics has been catering to campaign obsessives since 2000. It pitches itself as a “trusted, go-to source” for unbiased polling. The Trump era changed its tone, and funding sources.

 

Trump and his supporters are consistently wrong.

 

6

As Tensions Among Republicans Mount, Georgia’s Recount Proceeds Smoothly

Richard Fausset, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 11 hours ago

Election officials discovered about 2,600 new ballots, but they are not enough to affect the outcome of the presidential race in the state.

 

There have been no significant errors found in the Georgia recount.

 

7

Biden on Trump, Covid-19: 'More People May Die Because of Transition Delay'

Michael Crowley and Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 11 hours ago

Adopting a graver tone, the president-elect said that President Trump’s refusal to authorize a transition could have deadly consequences.

 

The responsibility for anti infection measures rests with the states.

 

8

Trump Sought Options for Attacking Iran to Stop Its Growing Nuclear Program

Eric Schmitt, Maggie Haberman, David E. Sanger, Helene Cooper and Lara Jakes, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 12 hours ago

The president was dissuaded from moving ahead with a strike by advisers who warned that it could escalate into a broader conflict in his last weeks in office.

 

Some actions are crazier than others.

 

9

Biden to Name Richmond, Ricchetti and O'Malley Dillon to Key Staff Jobs

Michael D. Shear and Katie Glueck, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 12 hours ago

The appointments of Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, Representative Cedric Richmond and Steve Ricchetti suggest the importance that the president-elect is placing on surrounding himself with people he trusts.

 

A president should have his choice of cabinet and other staff.

 

10

‘More People May Die’ Because of Trump’s Transition Delay, Biden Says

Michael Crowley and Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 13 hours ago

Adopting a graver tone, the president-elect said that President Trump’s refusal to authorize a transition could have deadly consequences.

 

The mechanism is not clear to me.

 

11

Trump Is Said to Be Preparing to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia

Eric Schmitt, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Charlie Savage and Helene Cooper, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

Facing the end of his time in power, the president is pushing to accelerate withdrawals from counterterrorism conflicts. He campaigned on ending the longstanding wars.

 

The U.S. must take in the refugees.

 

12

Trump, Trying to Cling to Power, Fans Unrest and Conspiracy Theories

Michael D. Shear, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

The president’s refusal to concede has entered a more dangerous phase as he blocks his successor’s transition, withholding intelligence briefings, pandemic information and access to the government.

 

Trump is ineffective.

 

13

How Obama Sees This Moment

Lisa Lerer, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

Barack Obama’s former vice president will soon have his old job. But he sees deep divisions that no president alone can heal.

 

“If we do not have the capacity to distinguish what’s true from what’s false, then by definition the marketplace of ideas doesn’t work. And by definition our democracy doesn’t work. We are entering into an epistemological crisis.”

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology

 

14

Biden Calls for Stimulus Ahead of a ‘Dark Winter’ for the Country

Jim Tankersley and Alan Rappeport, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 15 hours ago

The president-elect looked to forge unity between business and unions in a speech on the economy.

 

Biden is correct.   

The relief program should be funded. 

The Republican party wants more suffering.

15

Biden’s China Policy? A Balancing Act for a Toxic Relationship

Ana Swanson, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 17 hours ago

As president, Joe Biden will face deep dilemmas, and a lot of unfinished business, stemming from President Trump’s multiyear onslaught against China.

 

Diplomacy is a better option.

 

16

I Suffered, Therefore So Must Others

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 18 hours ago

I want to expand on this idea, ably put my Amal El-Mohtar here: So much of folks' stances on issues boil down to one of the following: "A bad thing happened to me & I got through it so I want to make sure it doesn't happen to other people" vs "A bad thing happened […]

 

Ian Welsh has a good point here. 

Fix the student loan trap.

 

17

The Cities Central to Fraud Conspiracy Theories Didn’t Cost Trump the Election

Emily Badger, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 19 hours ago

Yet Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Detroit have become the targets of G.O.P. allegations of voting shenanigans.

 

Racism has been a continuing theme of Republican politics.

 

18

States Vow Extra Scrutiny of Coronavirus Vaccine

Ellen Gabler and Abby Goodnough, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 22 hours ago

Special committees, mostly in Democratic-led states, will seek to reassure the public that an F.D.A.-approved vaccine is safe and effective amid doubts about the Trump administration’s virus response.

 

The Trump administration has not responded well to Covid-19.

 

19

Claims of voter fraud are common. It’s the fraud that’s rare.

Jeremy W. Peters, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

President Trump is far from the first losing politician to cast doubt on the system, but no modern president has done it more.

 

Get some evidence.

 

20

Trump Admits Defea … Never Mind

Giovanni Russonello, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 day ago

The president briefly acknowledges Biden won before changing course: This is your morning tip sheet.

 

Donald Trump will not plead guilty.

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