Archive for August, 2021
How Democrats lose seats during mid-terms:
Media narratives typically favor conservatives. (eg. “Biden Debacle!” Instead of “Biden Successfully Ends 20 Year War!” Eg. “Biden Fails to Reach Vax Goal!” Not “Conservatives Literally Killing Themselves to Frustrate Biden’s Vax Goals!”)
Many Democrats allow the media narrative to influence their level of engagement.
Republicans play Democratic “moderates” against the base to drive down engagement.
Dem “Moderates” and campaign “consultants” propose timid and mostly useless tinkering with the tax code polices that appeal to conservatives but are impossible for Dems to run on.
As Dem losses begin to appear likely, Democratic “moderates” take part in vilifying the Democratic base for not supporting the timid and mostly useless agenda.
Republicans with no rational or popular policies, but a highly engaged base, win mid-term elections.
Song of the Day 8/31: Little Feat, “Dixie Chicken”
Now that the Dixie Chicks have dropped the “dixie” from their name, I got to wondering. They named themselves after the Little Feat song, not the Confederacy, so if the word dixie is tainted, should we call the song “Chicken” going forward? Maybe we should, since a restaurant sign inspired the lyrics. Lowell George wrote […]
In Praise Of State Rep. David Bentz
You may have missed it, but in typical low-key fashion, Rep. Bentz announced he would not seek reelection in 2022. During his relatively short legislative career, Bentz has passed a lot of significant bills, and he has been a consistent supporter of progressive initiatives in Dover. Bentz earned his MPA from the University Of Delaware, […]
DL Open Thread Tuesday August 31, 2021
#We_won! Of course “winning” is relative. Biden brought Cheney and W’s ill-conceived, misbegotten adventure in Afghanistan to an end and we aren’t going to be in there for another 20 years. That’s my benchmark for wining. YMMV. #Oh_Snap! Wildfires are now threatening the homes of rich people in Lake Tahoe. We should see some […]
Song of the Day 8/30: Haim, “Strong Enough”
Everybody has their favorite bands, and these sisters are one of mine. The radio studio is a perfect setting for this stripped-back version of one of Sheryl Crow’s earliest hits, and it shows off the ladies’ musical dexterity — Este, normally their kick-ass bassist, plays the drum while Danielle shows off both her guitar chops […]
DL Open Thread Monday August 30th 2021
Here are a couple of Delaware headlines (and a song) to start off your week: Delaware Takes in Climate Change Refugees: Over 100 shelter pets from Louisiana airlifted to New Castle County as Hurricane Ida looms On the Covid front – Its like DejaVu all over again. Delaware’s COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations continue to rapidly […]
Song of the Day 8/29: The Clovers, “Love Potion No. 9”
If it smells like turpentine and looks like India ink, Trumpers would probably take it before they’ll take that commie socialist vaccine. Though it’s been covered by scores of groups, the best version remains the first. The Clovers debuted this Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller classic in 1959, when they took it to No. 23 […]
DL Open Thread Sunday, August 29, 2021
We can now definitively state that Joe Biden was wrong when he predicted that the Republican fever would break once Trump was out of office. A nation in which Republican governors push experimental antibody treatments but shun vaccines and masks and the public responds by consuming large-animal dewormer, causing an enormous spike in poison control […]
DL Open Thread: Saturday, August 28, 2021
Floridians Turning Against DeSantis? Signs point to yes: Covid infection rates continue to climb as the state faces shortages of health care staff, morgue space and even oxygen for patients. About 16,000 people are hospitalized. Child infection rates have shot up. School districts — even in Republican strongholds — have rebelled against DeSantis’ anti-mask mandates. […]
National AFL-CIO To Gerald Brady: “Resign”.
No, not from the General Assembly. From his position as the Executive Director of the Delaware AFL-CIO: Liz Shuler, national president of the AFL-CIO, said in a statement on Friday that she was “sickened” by Brady’s “despicable remarks,” and called for his immediate resignation from the union chapter. The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of […]
Conservative media has created the perfect economic and cultural environment for the spread of Covid19
Conservative media complex is a mechanism for tricking gullible retired people into buying gold coins, brain pills and reverse mortgages. It has created a docile flock of uncritical dummies who are easy pickings for cynical grifters hawking everything from armed insurrection to border wall segments, to horse dewormer.
Song of the Day 8/27: They Might Be Giants, “I Can’t Remember the Dream”
There aren’t all that many ’90s bands still making new music, and fewer still sound like they did back then. The Johns, Flansburgh and Linnell, have a new album — actually some sort of album/book project — coming out soon, and this is one of the tracks. It’s pop tunecraft that would fit right into […]
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