Open Thread
Open Thread Dec. 12: The Devil Fools With the Best Laid Plan
All eyes are on Alabama for the special election, and the polls are all over the place — some have Jones up by several points, others have Moore up by double digits. That’s a sign that pollsters don’t know how to calculate the “probable” voters, not unusual for a special election. Those who specialize in […]
Open Thread Dec. 11: The Women Are Coming for Trump
Denying reality is trending, as the kidz say. Republicans have been doing it for decades, but lots of Democrats are giving them competition. Consider this essay by Sean McElwee, who declares “the Democratic Party is fine,” and argues it is “the most united American party in modern political history.” Given that his head shot makes […]
Open Thread Dec. 5: This Is Why They Don’t Let Clowns Run the Circus
The Republican Death Star tax bill is not yet fully operational, because the House and Senate versions must be reconciled. The first think pitched overboard: some of the special deals granted to senators Susan Collins and Jeff Flake to win their votes. The party has sold the bill with outright lies about whom it would […]
Open Thread Dec. 1: Flynn Pleads Guilty, Cotton Unqualified
Well, now we know why Crazy Uncle Donald has been crazier than usual. Mike Flynn is pleading guilty today to a single count of lying to the FBI. Given how much else he could be charged with, this seems a pretty clear indication that he’s going to talk, if he hasn’t already. The earthquake that hit […]
Open Thread Nov. 29: Matt Lauer, Closing Schools and Police Behaving Badly
Whoever had the Today Show’s Matt Lauer as the next media heavyweight to fall in the sexual harassment pandemic, contact management to claim your prize. The ax fell just this morning, so no details have emerged yet — that’s all people really care about, isn’t it, the dirty details? — which should keep reporters on […]
Open Thread Nov. 27: Pressure Gonna Drop on You, GOP
Democrats have one thing saving them in Washington: Their opponents are Republicans, and hence not very bright. Politico says the White House screwed up again by having billionaires like Steve “I Can’t Write” Mnuchin and Gary Cohn try to sell this as a cut for the middle class. One more thing Democrats have in their […]
Open Thread Nov. 25: Trump Golfs as Mueller Closes In
Long read for a long weekend: Bill Moyers and retired lawyer Steven Harper put together a timeline of known Trump campaign contacts with Russians, resulting in a (relatively) easy-to-follow version of what we know so far. Short version: It’s a three-pronged pincer movement. Sen. Al Franken’s hand problems continue, with Franken issuing an apology on […]
Black Friday Open Thread
Black Friday isn’t called that because stores get “into the black” from all the retail shopping — it was coined by Philly cops in the 1960s to describe their day-after-Thanksgiving, when they had to work 12-hour shifts to handle the traffic (all the department stores were in the city then; there were no malls). Henry […]
Open Thread Nov. 21: Sex and Politics Don’t Mix
With liberals arguing over Al Franken, Bill Clinton and the political power of opposing sexual harassment, here’s a reminder that Republicans’ Roy Moore problem, which is only partly about sexual harassment, remains a problem. Both Steve Bannon and the White House have vacillated about their strategy, and the result has been silence from Ol’ Stumpy […]
Open Thread Nov. 20: Manson, Moore and Trump; UPDATE: Franken Groped Another One
There is literally NO NEWS today worth talking about, unless you consider the death of an 83-year-old boogieman notable. Yes, Charles Mason, the nutcase “hippie” whose murderous mutterings caused the deaths of seven people and gave Middle America the weapon it needed to demonize the hippies, died in prison. Also, the sun rose today toward […]
Open Thread Nov. 16: County Council Clown Show
The News Journal is too busy dredging up the Capano case (it’s an anniversary thing) to bother covering New Castle County Council, but WDEL was there for an epic meltdown by council President Karen Hartley-Nagle when she was stripped of her last committee assignment by a vote of council. The back-and-forth with Councilman George Smiley […]
Sunday Breakfast Links: Open Thread, Nov. 12
Question of the day comes from Lucian Truscott, who asks “WTF is wrong with rich people?” I have to say, I don’t have a clue what’s up with rich people. I mean, I’ve got friends here in Sag Harbor who do stuff like building teak decks and painting houses and plumbing and electrical work, and […]
Open Thread, Nov. 11: Saturday Scrapple
When it comes to judges, I like ’em well-seasoned. Republicans like ’em raw. Yesterday every Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted for a 36-year-old twerp who has only practiced law for three years and never tried a case. Real raw. Bellyache raw. Louis C.K.’s apology got a mixed reception from critics and the public […]
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