Alby's Latest Posts
Horrible GOP Candidates Show Party Is Dying
Delaware Republicans have been shocked white — well, whiter — by the antics of their congressional nominee, but Scott Walker isn’t an isolated situation. All over the country, GOP candidates, most of them already officeholders, are being exposed as execrable human beings. I’m not talking about the garden-variety graft that goes on in both parties, […]
Sept. 22 Open Thread: Delaware GOP Disavows Scott Walker
It should tell you something about this country’s politics that the three most likely destinations for people with mental problems are the nuthouse, the big house and the statehouse. Russell “Scott” Walker is trying for the latter, but he’ll have to do it with no help from the state GOP, which took the unprecedented step […]
Song of the Day, 9/22: Sylvan Esso, “Coffee”
Electronica usually isn’t my thing, but there are exceptions, especially if there are vocals to humanize the music. Especially female vocals. So I fell hard for Sylvan Esso the first time I ever heard their breakout song, “Coffee”, on WXPN when it came out in 2013. The song has an interesting official video, but the […]
Sept. 21 Open Thread: GOP Is the Party of Failing Upward
The best thing about the Trump interregnum has been the way it shines light into the myriad dark, ugly corners of the American upper crust. Most of the richies Trump assembled into a cabinet either inherited their money, like DeVos, or stole it, like Wilbur Ross. (Those who had no money to start with, like […]
Republicans Shitting Their Pants Over Kavanaugh Klown Show
How worried are Republicans about Brett Kavanaugh’s collapsing nomination to the Supreme Court? About as worried as the rest of us are about Trump. Consider this Wall Street Journal column from Kimberly Strassel (the story is behind a paywall, but this Raw Story summary quotes extensively from it: [I]t is a fabulous issue with the […]
This Is What Passes for Republican ‘Ethics’
Sexual assault allegations about Brett Kavanaugh continue to reveal the uglier side of Republicans, who can’t seem to stop themselves from maligning the woman who raised them. Keep in mind, these people, just like the rest of us, cannot know what happened at a high school party 30-odd years ago. But none of them, from […]
Song of the Day 9/21: “MacArthur Park” live on Letterman
This is my last day as your substitute DJ, so I wanted a big, boffo finish. And there’s no bigger, more boffo way to finish than with a live version of “MacArthur Park.” This one augments Paul Schaffer’s house band with a 23-piece orchestra plus songwriter Jimmy Webb on harpsichord. Will Lee, the bassist for […]
Sept. 20 Open Thread: GOP Senators Want a Justice Who Glows in the Dark
Republicans remain committed to forcing radioactive Brett Kavanaugh on an ungrateful nation, but a few of them fret to WaPo’s Robert Costa about the political fallout of ramming through the nomination. Republican senators are basically putting their hand over the victim’s mouth and pawing at her all over again, a nice image for women to […]
Dotard Congratulates Storm Victim on Swell Yacht in His Yard
This is why they only let Donnie out of the White House to go to his golf clubs or campaign rallies — he can’t hide his mental decline in any other venue. After telling one victim collecting a box lunch to “have a nice day,” his wranglers took him to a neighborhood where Trump talked […]
Song of the Day 9/20: Sheer Mag, “Nobody’s Baby”
OK, I sense this crowd wants some kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll, and given the news this week, I think it should be from a woman’s perspective. Sheer Mag was very hot in Philly a couple of years ago. El Som gave them a shoutout when they were booked at the Arden Gild Hall last year, […]
Sept. 19 Open Thread: Kavanaugh or Bust
Confronted with Brett Kavanaugh’s sudden radioactivity, the GOP has decided on the only course it knows: Full speed ahead. Senators seemed to settle on a narrative by last night, to wit: This whole thing has been unfair to him. Never mind that this woman never wanted to come forward publicly, she had no right to […]
Song of the Day 9/19: James Hill, “Billie Jean”
I love cover versions that give familiar tunes a makeover. You won’t find a more radical yet faithful reinterpretation of a classic than James Hill’s solo performance of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” on electric ukulele. Yes, kids, crazy as it sounds, there’s an enormous ukulele underground out there featuring players who can do things with […]
Rotten People Make Rotten Nominees
So much for that easy win Republicans expected heading into the midterms. Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court has turned into our latest national morality play, and Democrats deserve credit for turning what could have been a dispiriting loss into a midterm rallying cry. Now Republicans will have to fight to get him over […]
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