This is politics in plain English for normal people and the common good.

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Wednesday is Mueller’s time

Everyone is talking about Robert Mueller’s testimony tomorrow. Here are few thoughts. Mueller is going to tell us what he’s already told us. It’s important for people to see that on TV.GOP says if Mueller doesn’t have anything new, Trump’s in the clear. That’s nonsense.Did the Dems wait too long? I don’t think so.But Thursday…

I was wrong. Trump really is like Hitler

Tim Wise wrote this Twitter thread over the weekend. It influenced today’s edition of the Editorial Board. He related his experience campaigning against David Duke’s bid for Louisiana governor. He said the key was treating Duke as a threat to democracy, not as anything close to a normal candidate. Not long after Trump took office,…

Weekend caption contest!

Nobel winner Nadia Murad of Iraq tried explaining how and why ISIS murdered her family. This was the president’s face during that discussion. (I know; it’s hard to believe.) Who can come up with the best thought bubble? The winner gets a special citation in Monday’s edition! And while you’re here, consider giving the Editorial…

A theory I’m working on

My theory is that children are the final frontier of human rights, and I’m thinking this because so many Americans don’t seem to give a good goddamn about what’s happening to children at the border or about the former child victims now seeking justice as Jeffrey Epstein’s adult accusers. The late scholar Elisabeth Young-Bruehl called…

An important question

Are we experiencing a revival of American fascism? Or are we experiencing the chaos that occurs when one political regime gives way to another? That’s what Corey Robin claims in this piece. He and Jack Balkin think of Trump as a “disjunctive president.” As Balkin notes, in disjunctive regimes, the dominant party coalition fractures. Tensions…

I need some help

I need some help thinking about this piece from Jonathan Bernstein. I normally agree with his takes, but this one rubs me the wrong way. I can’t quite tell why though. I’d love to hear your thoughts. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-06-26/democrats-should-stop-the-lock-him-up-chants-about-donald-trump