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November 17, 2022
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/11/gov-youngkin-proposes-removing-any-mention
Youngkin: Don't Mention MLK In School Instruction
Governor Glenn Younkin proposes removing any mention of Martin Luther King from Virginia schools' curricula. Hey, GOP, I think you're taking this a little too far.
By Conover Kennard — November 17, 2022
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is seen as a rising star in the GOP, and that's probably because he's good at doing things that are utterly useless to his state. Youngkin recently shut down a call-in hotline designed to file complaints about "critical race theory" because people weren't sending in tips. The reason for that could be, and stay with me here for a second, because CRT isn't taught in schools.
But he's not going to let that stop him. No, sirree, he's going to root out the problem, There will be no teaching history on his watch.
So, now Youngkin has introduced a new proposed K-5 history curriculum, removing all mention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from the curriculum.
Via 13 News Now:
I'm not sure if Youngkin is emulating Gov. Ron DeSantis's Don't Say Gay bill with Don't Say MLK or what. And yet, both are ostracizing groups of Americans simply because their feelings are hurt by the LGBTQ+ community and Black Americans. Don't count on the Black vote any time soon, Youngkin. History isn't taught to make you feel comfortable. It's supposed to be a learning experience. We can propose things, too. I propose that we change Youngkin's name to Gov. Whitey McWhitersonFace. And so it is written.
Youngkin: Don't Mention MLK In School Instruction
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/11/gov-youngkin-proposes-removing-any-mention
Youngkin: Don't Mention MLK In School Instruction
Governor Glenn Younkin proposes removing any mention of Martin Luther King from Virginia schools' curricula. Hey, GOP, I think you're taking this a little too far.
By Conover Kennard — November 17, 2022
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is seen as a rising star in the GOP, and that's probably because he's good at doing things that are utterly useless to his state. Youngkin recently shut down a call-in hotline designed to file complaints about "critical race theory" because people weren't sending in tips. The reason for that could be, and stay with me here for a second, because CRT isn't taught in schools.
"The help education email was deactivated in September, as it had received little to no volume during that time," a Youngkin spokeswoman said.
But he's not going to let that stop him. No, sirree, he's going to root out the problem, There will be no teaching history on his watch.
So, now Youngkin has introduced a new proposed K-5 history curriculum, removing all mention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from the curriculum.
The proposed Standards by @GovernorVA removes MLK, Jr. from the elementary curriculum. This selective erasure of one of the most prominent people of color in American history calls into question this entire revision of the proposed Standards. #erasure https://t.co/AQaGsXt5u6 pic.twitter.com/u2zigj2aZs
— Wesley Hedgepeth (@wehedge) November 15, 2022
— Wesley Hedgepeth (@wehedge) November 15, 2022
Via 13 News Now:
In the 53-page document, policies outline what and when certain subjects are taught to Virginia students. Many difficult topics such as lynching would not be taught until 6th grade, and Christopher Columbus' role in the slave trade by 11th grade.
"There is also a removal of content of Martin Luther King Jr from the K-5 standards, no mention of Juneteenth, removal of content of LGBTQ+ histories," Fedderman said.
"There is also a removal of content of Martin Luther King Jr from the K-5 standards, no mention of Juneteenth, removal of content of LGBTQ+ histories," Fedderman said.
I'm not sure if Youngkin is emulating Gov. Ron DeSantis's Don't Say Gay bill with Don't Say MLK or what. And yet, both are ostracizing groups of Americans simply because their feelings are hurt by the LGBTQ+ community and Black Americans. Don't count on the Black vote any time soon, Youngkin. History isn't taught to make you feel comfortable. It's supposed to be a learning experience. We can propose things, too. I propose that we change Youngkin's name to Gov. Whitey McWhitersonFace. And so it is written.
November 17, 2022
5 GOP Megadonors Distance Themselves From Donald Trump: Not 'A F**king Nickel'
The Republican heavies are calling for “fresh faces” and leaders who “are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday.”
Lee Moran
Nov 17, 2022, 05:32 AM EST
At least five Republican Party megadonors say they’re done with Donald Trump as GOP unease with the former president continues to grow following the party’s poor performance in the 2022 midterms.
Andy Sabin, Ken Griffin, Ronald Lauder, Steve Schwarzman and Thomas Peterffy this week all said they were distancing themselves from Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
more...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-megadonors-donald-trump-2024-election_n_6375fef0e4b07a02ca7fcd0d
5 GOP Megadonors Distance Themselves From Donald Trump: Not 'A F**king Nickel'
5 GOP Megadonors Distance Themselves From Donald Trump: Not 'A F**king Nickel'
The Republican heavies are calling for “fresh faces” and leaders who “are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday.”
Lee Moran
Nov 17, 2022, 05:32 AM EST
At least five Republican Party megadonors say they’re done with Donald Trump as GOP unease with the former president continues to grow following the party’s poor performance in the 2022 midterms.
Andy Sabin, Ken Griffin, Ronald Lauder, Steve Schwarzman and Thomas Peterffy this week all said they were distancing themselves from Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
“I’m not going to give (Trump) a fucking nickel,” said New York metal mogul Andy Sabin, who plans to back Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis if he decides to run.
“At the end of the day, people stayed away (in the 2022 midterms) because of Trump,” Sabin told CNBC. Trump “endorsed candidates who were not necessarily qualified unless they said ‘I love you, Donald.’”
“At the end of the day, people stayed away (in the 2022 midterms) because of Trump,” Sabin told CNBC. Trump “endorsed candidates who were not necessarily qualified unless they said ‘I love you, Donald.’”
more...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-megadonors-donald-trump-2024-election_n_6375fef0e4b07a02ca7fcd0d
November 17, 2022
Rick Wilson On GOP House: 'The Lunatics Are Running The Asylum'
Can Kevin McCarthy control his caucus? Ha, ha!
By Susie Madrak — November 17, 2022
Video @ link~
Ari Melber asked his panelists to predict how Kevin McCarthy will handle his new House majority.
And that's the point. The 2024 campaign begins now. And the American electorate will be reminded what happens when you hand Trumpers a majority.
Rick Wilson On GOP House: 'The Lunatics Are Running The Asylum'
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/11/rick-wilson-gop-house-lunatics-are-runningRick Wilson On GOP House: 'The Lunatics Are Running The Asylum'
Can Kevin McCarthy control his caucus? Ha, ha!
By Susie Madrak — November 17, 2022
Video @ link~
Ari Melber asked his panelists to predict how Kevin McCarthy will handle his new House majority.
"I think that what we're seeing right now is, McCarthy will have a little 30-second victory lap, but the crazy runs the party," said Rick Wilson, former Republican consultant and cofounder of the Lincoln Project.
"Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Jim Jordan -- the lunatics are fully in charge of the asylum. They're going to drive the agenda, and if Kevin gets off the reservation, they're going to be in a position where basically they have full control of this thing, and unless Kevin stays on an agenda for them and for Trump, with endless Hunter Biden laptop investigations, endless conspiracy theories, persecuting Dr. Fauci -- they will eat him alive. The crazy is in charge," he said.
"I will say this. Nancy Pelosi's able to hold her coalition together, her caucus together, keeping the Squad and moderate Democrats all in relative harmony."
But the nihilism of the MAGA bunch is much more intense, he said.
"They're not going to try to govern, they're going to try to own the libs and they're going to try to set up a big culture war for 2024. And they're going to try to pave the way for Donald Trump, who is the person they're most loyal to in the House, above Kevin McCarthy by an order of magnitude.
"So I think the insanity is going to begin very quickly, and they're going to go through two years of show trials and hearings and persecutions and it's going to become something I think most voters will roll their eyes at first, and then get irritated with and look at it as a political repellant in the '24 cycle."
"Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Jim Jordan -- the lunatics are fully in charge of the asylum. They're going to drive the agenda, and if Kevin gets off the reservation, they're going to be in a position where basically they have full control of this thing, and unless Kevin stays on an agenda for them and for Trump, with endless Hunter Biden laptop investigations, endless conspiracy theories, persecuting Dr. Fauci -- they will eat him alive. The crazy is in charge," he said.
"I will say this. Nancy Pelosi's able to hold her coalition together, her caucus together, keeping the Squad and moderate Democrats all in relative harmony."
But the nihilism of the MAGA bunch is much more intense, he said.
"They're not going to try to govern, they're going to try to own the libs and they're going to try to set up a big culture war for 2024. And they're going to try to pave the way for Donald Trump, who is the person they're most loyal to in the House, above Kevin McCarthy by an order of magnitude.
"So I think the insanity is going to begin very quickly, and they're going to go through two years of show trials and hearings and persecutions and it's going to become something I think most voters will roll their eyes at first, and then get irritated with and look at it as a political repellant in the '24 cycle."
And that's the point. The 2024 campaign begins now. And the American electorate will be reminded what happens when you hand Trumpers a majority.
November 16, 2022
Credit: @bluegal (Composite) via Wikimedia Commons
Again, Shifting Campaign Dollars To Benefit Himself
The Grifter-in-Chief is transferring PAC money to benefit himself in violation of Federal Law. Again.
By Common Dreams — November 16, 2022
A day ahead of his expected 2024 announcement, former President Donald Trump on Monday was hit with a campaign finance complaint that accuses him of unlawfully transferring a "colossal sum" of money from his leadership PAC to a super PAC that spent millions on this year's midterms—and is positioned to spend millions more on Trump's presidential bid.
The Campaign Legal Center (CLC), the watchdog organization that filed the complaint, alleges that Trump "directed the transfer" of $20 million last month from the cash-flush leadership PAC Save America to Make America Great Again, Inc., which dumped nearly $12 million into the midterm elections to boost Trump-friendly candidates.
MAGA, Inc., thanks to its status as a super PAC, is legally able to spend unlimited sums to support or oppose political campaigns.
CLC said the $20 million transfer, disclosed in a recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing, amounts to a "brazen attempt to circumvent the fundraising restrictions that apply to federal candidates, which are crucial to preventing corruption and its appearance."
Specifically, CLC's complaint argues that the move violates Federal Election Campaign Act provisions barring candidates and officeholders from spending unregulated "soft money" on federal elections.
more...
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/11/again-shifting-campaign-dollars-benefit
Again, Shifting Campaign Dollars To Benefit Himself
Credit: @bluegal (Composite) via Wikimedia Commons
Again, Shifting Campaign Dollars To Benefit Himself
The Grifter-in-Chief is transferring PAC money to benefit himself in violation of Federal Law. Again.
By Common Dreams — November 16, 2022
A day ahead of his expected 2024 announcement, former President Donald Trump on Monday was hit with a campaign finance complaint that accuses him of unlawfully transferring a "colossal sum" of money from his leadership PAC to a super PAC that spent millions on this year's midterms—and is positioned to spend millions more on Trump's presidential bid.
The Campaign Legal Center (CLC), the watchdog organization that filed the complaint, alleges that Trump "directed the transfer" of $20 million last month from the cash-flush leadership PAC Save America to Make America Great Again, Inc., which dumped nearly $12 million into the midterm elections to boost Trump-friendly candidates.
MAGA, Inc., thanks to its status as a super PAC, is legally able to spend unlimited sums to support or oppose political campaigns.
CLC said the $20 million transfer, disclosed in a recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing, amounts to a "brazen attempt to circumvent the fundraising restrictions that apply to federal candidates, which are crucial to preventing corruption and its appearance."
Specifically, CLC's complaint argues that the move violates Federal Election Campaign Act provisions barring candidates and officeholders from spending unregulated "soft money" on federal elections.
more...
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/11/again-shifting-campaign-dollars-benefit
November 16, 2022
Donald Trump Makes People Gag With Potential New Slogan For 2024
“If it makes you gag, get used to it,” joked Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe.
Lee Moran
Nov 16, 2022, 05:39 AM EST
Twitter users mockingly suggested Donald Trump debuted a new campaign slogan during his 2024 announcement on Tuesday night.
Wags on social media joked that “Make America Great And Glorious Again” ― or MAGAGA ― would replace Trump’s “Make America Great Again” MAGA acronym.
more...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-magaga-2024_n_6374b3b6e4b0afce04694b20
Donald Trump Makes People Gag With Potential New Slogan For 2024
Donald Trump Makes People Gag With Potential New Slogan For 2024
“If it makes you gag, get used to it,” joked Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe.
Lee Moran
Nov 16, 2022, 05:39 AM EST
Twitter users mockingly suggested Donald Trump debuted a new campaign slogan during his 2024 announcement on Tuesday night.
“In order to make America great and glorious again I’m announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump declared at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Wags on social media joked that “Make America Great And Glorious Again” ― or MAGAGA ― would replace Trump’s “Make America Great Again” MAGA acronym.
“The hats’ll have to say MAGAGA — make America great and glorious again. If it makes you gag, get used to it,” cracked Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe.
“I tried to say #MAGAGA and activated my gag reflex,” actor and comedian John Fugelsang wrote.
more...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-magaga-2024_n_6374b3b6e4b0afce04694b20
November 16, 2022
Another GOP Megadonor Comes Out Against Trump
November 16, 2022 at 7:25 am EST By Taegan Goddard
Another GOP Megadonor Comes Out Against Trump
https://politicalwire.com/2022/11/16/another-gop-megadonor-comes-out-against-trump/Another GOP Megadonor Comes Out Against Trump
November 16, 2022 at 7:25 am EST By Taegan Goddard
“Stephen Schwarzman — chairman, CEO and co-founder of private-equity giant Blackstone — says in a statement to Axios that he’s defecting from former President Trump for the 2024 presidential race,” Axios reports.
Said Schwarzman: “America does better when its leaders are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday. It is time for the Republican Party to turn to a new generation of leaders and I intend to support one of them in the presidential primaries.”
Said Schwarzman: “America does better when its leaders are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday. It is time for the Republican Party to turn to a new generation of leaders and I intend to support one of them in the presidential primaries.”
November 15, 2022
GOP in Massive Turmoil — And It’s Delicious: Can Mitch and Kevin Survive?
by Heather Digby Parton | November 15, 2022 - 8:10am
— from Salon
snip//
Recriminations are coming in fast and furious from the right-wing media establishment, starting with the Murdoch empire. The Fox News celebrities haven't all abandoned Trump quite yet — they're no doubt waiting for the smoke to clear before they decide their next moves. But there's a shiny new candidate on the scene who also says he was called by God to lead the nation. Many in the GOP have turned their lonely eyes to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, hoping he can save the day. That of course has finally uncorked Trump's resentment against the man he sees as his creation, which has reportedly been boiling up for years now. Trump even claimed in a post on his Truth Social platform that he had ordered the FBI and Department of Justice to intervene in DeSantis' very close 2018 election to ensure his win. (Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly, has said that's not true.)
Trump is righteously angry that he's being blamed for all the nutcases he encouraged and endorsed going down to defeat, but even more upset that DeSantis is being held up, in contrast, as the party's only big 2022 success. Let's just say that the gauntlet has been thrown down and the battle between Trump and DeSantis is on. It's not going to be pretty. Trump is already going dirty, apparently spreading rumors about DeSantis' personal life.
snip//
Meanwhile, back in Washington all hell is breaking loose in the Republican caucuses in both houses. Trump is blaming Mitch McConnell for losing the Senate, but somehow Kevin McCarthy (who is said to be on the horn with Trump several times a day) escapes his wrath for failing to produce the eagerly-awaited red wave in the House. Nobody knows whether McCarthy will have the votes for speaker, assuming Republicans finally manage to eke out a majority — probably by just a couple of seats — and the newly empowered Marjorie Taylor Greene Caucus is already flexing its muscles, planning to create chaos at every turn. Even if McCarthy finally gets the gavel, odds are good that he lasts less than half the time of his last GOP predecessor, Paul Ryan.
McConnell is also under fire from some senators who want to use him as the scapegoat — largely to avoid having to blame Trump. A bunch of prominent right-wing senators, including Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Senate campaign chair Rick Scott of Florida and the aforementioned Lindsey Graham, have weighed in to say that the vote for Minority Leader should wait until after the Dec. 6 runoff election in Georgia between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker. It's hard to know which of these ambitious vultures are trying to whip votes for themselves (although Scott almost certainly is) and why they think the Georgia race should be decisive, since Democrats have already won the majority. But it's backstabbing season, and McConnell has a target right between his shoulder blades. On the other hand, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas just came out in support of McConnell, a few days after Cotton announced that he won't run for president in 2024. The games run deep.
As you can see, the Republican Party is in serious disarray. As if that weren't enough, Donald Trump himself says he will make a "major announcement" on Tuesday night to pour more gasoline on the fire. Word is that he will make a "very professional, very buttoned-up" speech, rather than his usual unhinged rally rant, which I have to admit is a savvy move. Trump understands that being unpredictable gets him attention and I can just see all the TV pundits declaring that he is a changed man, more sober and serious after the election debacle.
more...
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/heather-digby-parton/103976/gop-in-massive-turmoil-and-it-s-delicious-can-mitch-and-kevin-survive
GOP in Massive Turmoil -- And It's Delicious: Can Mitch and Kevin Survive?
GOP in Massive Turmoil — And It’s Delicious: Can Mitch and Kevin Survive?
by Heather Digby Parton | November 15, 2022 - 8:10am
— from Salon
snip//
Recriminations are coming in fast and furious from the right-wing media establishment, starting with the Murdoch empire. The Fox News celebrities haven't all abandoned Trump quite yet — they're no doubt waiting for the smoke to clear before they decide their next moves. But there's a shiny new candidate on the scene who also says he was called by God to lead the nation. Many in the GOP have turned their lonely eyes to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, hoping he can save the day. That of course has finally uncorked Trump's resentment against the man he sees as his creation, which has reportedly been boiling up for years now. Trump even claimed in a post on his Truth Social platform that he had ordered the FBI and Department of Justice to intervene in DeSantis' very close 2018 election to ensure his win. (Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly, has said that's not true.)
Trump is righteously angry that he's being blamed for all the nutcases he encouraged and endorsed going down to defeat, but even more upset that DeSantis is being held up, in contrast, as the party's only big 2022 success. Let's just say that the gauntlet has been thrown down and the battle between Trump and DeSantis is on. It's not going to be pretty. Trump is already going dirty, apparently spreading rumors about DeSantis' personal life.
snip//
Meanwhile, back in Washington all hell is breaking loose in the Republican caucuses in both houses. Trump is blaming Mitch McConnell for losing the Senate, but somehow Kevin McCarthy (who is said to be on the horn with Trump several times a day) escapes his wrath for failing to produce the eagerly-awaited red wave in the House. Nobody knows whether McCarthy will have the votes for speaker, assuming Republicans finally manage to eke out a majority — probably by just a couple of seats — and the newly empowered Marjorie Taylor Greene Caucus is already flexing its muscles, planning to create chaos at every turn. Even if McCarthy finally gets the gavel, odds are good that he lasts less than half the time of his last GOP predecessor, Paul Ryan.
McConnell is also under fire from some senators who want to use him as the scapegoat — largely to avoid having to blame Trump. A bunch of prominent right-wing senators, including Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Senate campaign chair Rick Scott of Florida and the aforementioned Lindsey Graham, have weighed in to say that the vote for Minority Leader should wait until after the Dec. 6 runoff election in Georgia between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker. It's hard to know which of these ambitious vultures are trying to whip votes for themselves (although Scott almost certainly is) and why they think the Georgia race should be decisive, since Democrats have already won the majority. But it's backstabbing season, and McConnell has a target right between his shoulder blades. On the other hand, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas just came out in support of McConnell, a few days after Cotton announced that he won't run for president in 2024. The games run deep.
As you can see, the Republican Party is in serious disarray. As if that weren't enough, Donald Trump himself says he will make a "major announcement" on Tuesday night to pour more gasoline on the fire. Word is that he will make a "very professional, very buttoned-up" speech, rather than his usual unhinged rally rant, which I have to admit is a savvy move. Trump understands that being unpredictable gets him attention and I can just see all the TV pundits declaring that he is a changed man, more sober and serious after the election debacle.
more...
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/heather-digby-parton/103976/gop-in-massive-turmoil-and-it-s-delicious-can-mitch-and-kevin-survive
November 15, 2022
https://www.salon.com/2022/11/15/ivanka-made-a-terrible-mistake-by-cropping-don-jrs-girlfriend-kim-guilfoyle-out-of-wedding-photo_partner/
Ivanka made “a terrible mistake” by cropping Don Jr.’s girlfriend Kim Guilfoyle out of wedding photo
A source "close to Ivanka" insisted the pair have a "really have a wonderful relationship"
By Sky Palma
Published November 15, 2022 11:40AM (EST)
This article originally appeared on Raw Story
rawlogo
Ivanka Trump posted numerous photos from her half-sister's Florida wedding, but one particular photo caused some speculation because Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend was cropped out.
Ivanka posted a photo showing the bride Tiffany Trump, who married billionaire Michael Boulous, along with Lara Trump, who is married to Eric, the mother of the bride Marla Maples, former first lady Melania Trump, and herself.
The original photo showed Kimberly Guilfoyle standing at the far-right of the group, but the photo Ivanka posted to Instagram had Guilfoyle cropped out.
snip//
A source told The Daily Mail that the Instagram post was "a terrible mistake." In addition, the unnamed source -- who was described as "close to Ivanka" -- said the pair have a "really have a wonderful relationship."
Ivanka made "a terrible mistake" by cropping Don Jr.'s girlfriend Kim Guilfoyle out of wedding phot
https://www.salon.com/2022/11/15/ivanka-made-a-terrible-mistake-by-cropping-don-jrs-girlfriend-kim-guilfoyle-out-of-wedding-photo_partner/
Ivanka made “a terrible mistake” by cropping Don Jr.’s girlfriend Kim Guilfoyle out of wedding photo
A source "close to Ivanka" insisted the pair have a "really have a wonderful relationship"
By Sky Palma
Published November 15, 2022 11:40AM (EST)
This article originally appeared on Raw Story
rawlogo
Ivanka Trump posted numerous photos from her half-sister's Florida wedding, but one particular photo caused some speculation because Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend was cropped out.
Ivanka posted a photo showing the bride Tiffany Trump, who married billionaire Michael Boulous, along with Lara Trump, who is married to Eric, the mother of the bride Marla Maples, former first lady Melania Trump, and herself.
The original photo showed Kimberly Guilfoyle standing at the far-right of the group, but the photo Ivanka posted to Instagram had Guilfoyle cropped out.
snip//
A source told The Daily Mail that the Instagram post was "a terrible mistake." In addition, the unnamed source -- who was described as "close to Ivanka" -- said the pair have a "really have a wonderful relationship."
November 15, 2022
Can Joe Biden Save America’s Soul?
The president has made historic strides in the face of Republican intransigence, but the real test may be how he grapples with the nation’s inner demons.
Charles P. Pierce
Published: Nov 14, 2022
snip//
Since taking the oath of office in January 2021, Biden has pulled American troops out of Afghanistan and signed both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which together addressed the country’s screaming need for infrastructure improvement and made the most serious bid to confront the climate crisis ever attempted at the federal level. He got a gun law passed, and a law to relieve the suffering of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and elsewhere. He put his money where his mouth was in Ukraine. He put Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on the Supreme Court; has had more federal judges confirmed, as of August, than any president to that point in his tenure since JFK; and has managed both the Covid pandemic and the aftermath of the Trump administration—twin plagues that fed off each other.
He’s done all this FDR-LBJ legerdemain with a razor-thin majority in the House and a de facto stalemate in the Senate. He’s done it in the teeth of a radicalized Republican party still in thrall to a nihilistic narcissist and its frenzied media ecosystem—and with an approval rating that, month to month, struggles to stay in the low 40s. This is, politically, nothing short of miraculous. A very big part of why is that Biden understands that he’s reached the Davy Crockett, “make sure you’re right and go ahead” portion of his political career.
snip//
Like it or not, the shadow of Donald Trump’s crimes falls as heavy over the politics of this administration as the shadow of the pandemic falls over the national economy. A proper reckoning with both is as important to the country and to history as Secretary Haaland’s efforts to preserve the memory of the boarding schools are to the history of Indigenous peoples. Rightly or wrongly, the legacy of Biden’s presidency will be defined by what his administration does about the previous presidency.
However frustrated he may be by the pace of the proceedings, Biden has done an admirable job of giving Garland a free hand, staying out of the investigations into his predecessor’s assorted misdeeds. It is essential to his strategy of unwinding the chaotic politicization of the DOJ under Bill Barr. Without some sort of credible legal resolution to these matters, Biden will stand arraigned for having left unfulfilled his most significant campaign promise: to win what he called—rightly—the “battle for the soul of America.” This is not a battle that can end in a tie, nor one that can end in a half-a-loaf negotiated settlement. It’s a battle that must be won decisively, and in the full light of day. It’s a battle that gives life to everything else he’s trying to do.
Victory in this battle means more than all the shiny new bridges in the world.
Charles P. Pierce: Can Joe Biden Save America's Soul?
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a41918532/joe-biden-americas-soul/Can Joe Biden Save America’s Soul?
The president has made historic strides in the face of Republican intransigence, but the real test may be how he grapples with the nation’s inner demons.
Charles P. Pierce
Published: Nov 14, 2022
snip//
Since taking the oath of office in January 2021, Biden has pulled American troops out of Afghanistan and signed both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which together addressed the country’s screaming need for infrastructure improvement and made the most serious bid to confront the climate crisis ever attempted at the federal level. He got a gun law passed, and a law to relieve the suffering of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and elsewhere. He put his money where his mouth was in Ukraine. He put Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on the Supreme Court; has had more federal judges confirmed, as of August, than any president to that point in his tenure since JFK; and has managed both the Covid pandemic and the aftermath of the Trump administration—twin plagues that fed off each other.
He’s done all this FDR-LBJ legerdemain with a razor-thin majority in the House and a de facto stalemate in the Senate. He’s done it in the teeth of a radicalized Republican party still in thrall to a nihilistic narcissist and its frenzied media ecosystem—and with an approval rating that, month to month, struggles to stay in the low 40s. This is, politically, nothing short of miraculous. A very big part of why is that Biden understands that he’s reached the Davy Crockett, “make sure you’re right and go ahead” portion of his political career.
snip//
Like it or not, the shadow of Donald Trump’s crimes falls as heavy over the politics of this administration as the shadow of the pandemic falls over the national economy. A proper reckoning with both is as important to the country and to history as Secretary Haaland’s efforts to preserve the memory of the boarding schools are to the history of Indigenous peoples. Rightly or wrongly, the legacy of Biden’s presidency will be defined by what his administration does about the previous presidency.
However frustrated he may be by the pace of the proceedings, Biden has done an admirable job of giving Garland a free hand, staying out of the investigations into his predecessor’s assorted misdeeds. It is essential to his strategy of unwinding the chaotic politicization of the DOJ under Bill Barr. Without some sort of credible legal resolution to these matters, Biden will stand arraigned for having left unfulfilled his most significant campaign promise: to win what he called—rightly—the “battle for the soul of America.” This is not a battle that can end in a tie, nor one that can end in a half-a-loaf negotiated settlement. It’s a battle that must be won decisively, and in the full light of day. It’s a battle that gives life to everything else he’s trying to do.
Victory in this battle means more than all the shiny new bridges in the world.
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