https://www.dw.com/en/hitlers-henchmen-killed-for-promotions-and-recognition/a-77473037

«For Christian Gläßel, this is a side effect of systems — like meritocracies — that produce winners and losers. “The losers are a human resource that an autocrat can exploit,” he says.

Gläßel believes that meritocracy neither protects against the erosion of democratic institutions nor against authoritarian rule. On the contrary, his and Scharpf’s research suggests that performance-based systems can drive ordinary people to commit extreme crimes.»

Background:

«The researchers’ interest was sparked by an offhand remark. During a visit to Argentina, Adam Scharpf met someone who casually commented that during Argentina’s military dictatorship, the secret police had been full of “idiots.”

…

“It’s really a puzzle,” says Gläßel. “Why would a dictator, who depends on an effective secret police force, rely on idiots?”»

I read this, and I thought, “Huh. I wonder if there’s any connection with the fact that Trump people appear to largely be morons?”

And, sure enough, Pete Hegseth shows up later.

Interesting framing, speaking of liberals convincing moderates, rather than vice versa:

«So, even though the Republican Party has become thoroughly right-wing, Republicans still have a baked-in edge. Conservatives outnumber liberals in the electorate — and always have — so a left-wing coalition needs to win over a bunch of moderates in order to get to 50% plus one.»

https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/why-centrists-cant-win-the-democratic

https://wapo.st/4unUNTY (gift)

Conservatives say they follow the pope and we should, too, until, one day, ….

And then they change their “the pope is annointed by God to lead the one, true church” song. So, what did they really believe, all along?

….

On a separate note, I’m imagining the pope having coffee with Bad Bunny.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/02/media/scott-pelley-60-minutes-cbs-meeting-bari-weiss-cibrowski-bilton

Huh. Didn’t see that coming.

https://www.wired.com/story/he-blew-the-whistle-on-doge-then-his-brakes-were-cut/

This will be all over social media, right?

Brake lines cut, driver-side air bag impact sensor removed but leads wired together so car wouldn’t detect the missing component and activate limp mode.

That’s attempted murder.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5905922-paxton-divorce-trial-canceled/

Aww. They reconciled!

♥️🥲

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-slush-fund-irs-taxes-b2988294.html

So, I keep seeing headlines like “Trump is taking a wrecking ball to U.S. alliances around the world”.

No, that’s the American electorate, not Trump. There’s no excuse. There’s no “we didn’t know!”

The American electorate has decided that science, art, international alliances, the lives of marginal people in this country and around the globe, social justice, all of it, just doesn’t matter.

The only thing that matters, the only thing, is the price of food and gas.

You knew. You knew what you were getting. And you chose. Don’t lie.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/opinion/business-economics/groceries-expensive-price-fixing-consolidation.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mFA.aqux.MbQfAPJanStK&smid=url-share (gift)

Thanks, Ronald Reagan. Yet another awesome thing you left us with.

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/very-low-iq-trump-too-stoopid-to

This isn’t just Trump. We spent a decade or more getting ourselves into this position, including four years under Biden.

But Trump did take us over the line between tiger and paper tiger. And this just so much fun to read.

«For a certain type of MAGA, Trump’s performance as commander-in-chief is judged entirely by how many helicopter rides the Army gives Kid Rock.

But for people who prioritize winning wars, deterring adversaries, and protecting America’s interests, Trump has presided over the single biggest technological failure since Sputnik.

He did this. He did it because he is vain and stupid. And now we will all pay for his idiocy.»