In Politico, this interview with Ruth Ben-Ghiat – An expert on autocracy assesses how far America has slipped away from democracy, and what it will take to get it back. Ben-Ghiat: One of the big talking points and strategy of right-wing authoritarianism, is to label democratic systems as tyrannical. Mussolini was the first to say … [Read more…]
The New York Times article about a new coalition of wealthy conservative benefactors that says it aims to “disrupt but advance the Republican agenda.” Our favorite players, Peter Thiel, Rebekah Mercer, et al, are at it again.
In The Guardian: Use of ‘sexist’ and ‘racist’ in the New York Times increased over 400% since 2012. Why? We analyzed 27m news articles published between 1970 and 2019. Our study reveals a substantial shift has occurred, and it may have important implications. by David Rozado, Musa al-Gharbi and Jamin Halberstadt Contemporary US media workers … [Read more…]
Dana Milbank sums up what I’ve felt for years about Newt – he is the pivot point that turned the GOP in to the monster it is today. Opinion: Newt Gingrich started us on the road to ruin. Now, he’s back to finish the job. By Dana Milbank 02/04/2022
Lest we forget what we will get if the GOP ever gets in the White House again Census Memo Cites ‘Unprecedented’ Meddling by Trump Administration from the NY Times. Newly released documents show that top career officials at the Census Bureau had drafted a list of complaints about political interference in the 2020 count. By … [Read more…]
In the Guardian: America is now in fascism’s legal phase Jason Stanley is Jacob Urowsky professor of philosophy at Yale University. He is the author of How Fascism Works. Wed 22 Dec 2021 “The history of racism in the US is fertile ground for fascism. Attacks on the courts, education, the right to vote and … [Read more…]
In the Atlantic, James Fallows reports on the Ancient Rome and Modern American analogies. Now, chapter four: crossing the Rubicon. Schnurer argues that this is more than just a familiar phrase. And he says that a U.S. Rubicon moment is in view—which would be triggered by a possible indictment of Donald Trump. At the end … [Read more…]
Over on the Atlantic, Adam Serwer writes about the Fraternal Order of Police and their reaction to the January 5th insurrection. The Capitol Rioters Attacked Police. Why Isn’t the FOP Outraged? Police unions aren’t usually bashful about defending officers, but they’ve been conspicuously subdued in discussing the January 6 attacks. … What you won’t find … [Read more…]
A comment from ARS TECHNICA which I really like: they’ll even claim a draft-dodging, formally-liberal, Aderrall-addicted, twice-divorced, serial-bankruptor, daughter-curious, porn-star-buying, real-estate huckster, C-list scripted ‘reality’ show host, scam university running failed vitamin salesman is the best President they’ve ever had the chance to vote for – and they’ll try to murder members of Congress to … [Read more…]
In an obituary today in the NY Times describes the life of William H. Regnery II, “Buzzfeed called him ‘the most influential racist you’ve never heard of.’ ” It is interesting to me as I’m wondering of late who the people are who are bankrolling the alt-right, other than the Murdoch and Koch families. Here … [Read more…]