«Among independent registered voters, … 56% who said the conviction would have no impact on their decision.»
Ok, I know I’ve been cynical about the electorate, but: SERIOUSLY??
At this point, I feel like reading a book about historically stupid democratic voting decisions, like maybe Brexit and Hitler’s rise to power, just so I can feel we’re not alone in our stupidity.
Some stupid news story about Marjorie Taylor Greene not doing well in polls in Georgia or somewhere.
Irrelevant. Really stupid “news” story.
She won her primary unopposed. The Cook Partisan Voting Index has GA-14 at R+22.
We’re stuck with two more years of her antics, and the northwestern corner of Georgia supports that.
Just gonna put this here, mostly because I’m too disgusted* to write anything coherent:
«The [National] Park Service purchased 23298 E. Beacon Rd. for $471,000, as the 1,920-square-foot house still had a working septic system and was livable. The purchase price for 23292 E. Beacon Rd. — a 1,568 square foot, four-bedroom house that had lost its septic tank and been deemed unsafe for habitation — was $260,000.
“There was an opportunity to get out, and I thought I should take it,” said Daniel Kerlakian, 36, of Cincinnati, who bought 23298 E. Beacon Rd. for $380,000 two summers ago, both as a rental investment but also a place to vacation with his wife and three young sons in a area they had grown to love.
…
“Why continue the stress? Why continue this battle with the ocean?” said Kerlakian, who said he basically broke even, but walked away with a mixture of relief and sadness.
Next door, Erick Saks received $100,000 less than his family paid in 2021 for 23292 E. Beacon Rd., when he and his wife bought the vacation home they christened “Mermaid’s Kiss.” A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, Saks and his wife had gotten married in the Outer Banks, and he had cherished memories of past trips there.»
https://wapo.st/3KruTtH (gift)
*Wait, I’m not quite too disgusted. The stupidity of people to buy a house on the beach recently in the Outer Banks, no matter what the real estate agents told them. The necessity of the US taxpayer to bail them out because otherwise hazardous trash goes washing down the shore for miles. (Boards with nails, broken glass, glass wool, septic waste, whatever else I can’t think of, ….)
Now we’re hitting the next level. Trump is a clown. But Cotton….
He and his people would take this nation back 100 years, no kidding.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/tom-cotton-is-suddenly-among-the-top-candidates-for-trumps-vp-report
Interesting opinion from The Guardian‘s economics editor on China and US industrial policy, which I am sort of realizing is what I’m using instead of “protectionism” because it’s more palatable to me.
«The thinking behind the tough stance being adopted by the US goes as follows. First, it was a mistake to assume that China would become more liberal once it was plugged into the global economy.
Second, allowing China’s rapid industrial growth has hollowed out manufacturing in the US. Third, China’s model does not lend itself to free thinking and innovation, but instead relies on intellectual property being imported, often through unfair means, from the west. Fourth, it makes sense to make it as hard as possible for China to acquire this knowhow. Fifth, China’s aggressive use of industrial policy needs to be matched by the US.
If that all means the US becoming more interventionist and more protectionist, then so be it. In these circumstances, interventionism is justified and protectionism is good.
Biden thinks parts of the US economy are too strategically important to allow them to fall into Chinese hands and he is right about that. He also thinks the US needs to build up its own industrial strength and he is right about that too.»
For those who are curious (spoiler: climate change, in short):
https://wapo.st/3WK1PoI (gift)
Bernie Sanders has written a great essay.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/15/bernie-sanders-election-biden
I’m not the only one saying 50% of the US electorate:
«“Just to sum up,” Stephanopoulos said, nailing shut the coffin lid on whatever was left of Sununu’s reputation as a serious politician. “You support Trump for president even if he’s convicted in the classified documents case. You support him for president even though you believe he contributed to an insurrection. You support him for president even though you believe he’s lying about the last election. You support him for president even if he’s convicted in the Manhattan case. I just want to say, the answer to that is yes, correct?”
“Yeah. Me and 51 percent of America,” Sununu said, exposing himself as a craven opportunist once and for all.»
…
«The mainstream TV interviews are humiliating for Republicans — but maybe that’s the point. Right-wing media outlets are less likely to challenge Republicans about January 6 or accepting the 2024 election results, so the true loyalty test is on the major network shows.»
https://www.publicnotice.co/p/stephanopoulos-mace-sununu-gop-sunday-shows
Suuuuper interesting article I’m only halfway through:
This is good stuff, but, at $75, mixing it is a sin.
https://www.liquor.com/nikka-coffey-grain-whisky-review-8424268
Here, Read This 