Political Amusements, or Not!
Originally we wrote that these irregular musings aren’t easily described, then realized the high risk of inviting easy descriptions. Let us just note that so far, this grab bag has been totally inept at recruiting the influence of cascading conglomerates, whether owners or advertisers, and does not enjoy largess from being in the pocket of a political party’s well-heeled leadership. Corruption, influence peddling by the big money and engineered dysfunction are often unavoidable tangents. Such a broken system, who would bother, but for occasional glimmers of hope? A Hobson’s Choice now and then, perhaps a snipe hunt for Washington DC’s moral high ground.
This is not an open invite for PR companies pushing their clients’ brilliance, but for T-Boy readers and contributors who’d like to express a well-thought-out viewpoint on our interesting times. If you’d like to throw us a pontification for consideration, send it to Skip Kaltenheuser. Political topics relevant to travel are welcome, but as you can see from the past menu we’re very free-ranging…
These money-back guarantee scribbles comprise a kitchen sink that keeps getting thrown about. Perhaps a topic or two might be of interest. Given the tangents, most include themes with an ever-green shelf-life. If nothing else, you might enjoy frequent appearances of dagger-sharp political art, courtesy of the kindness of Nancy Ohanian, who’s just published one of the most mischievous coffee table books that will cross your path: Between The Tweets, Editorial Cartoons by Nancy Ohanian.
Read ‘em and weep.
For more on politics, see below:
Now at least 12 GOP senators are on board with overturning the election, over 100 House Republicans, and Pence has joined the chorus. Analyze each of these Republicans and they fall into 3 distinct and often overlapping categories.
Thomas Neuburger has written political analysis for numerous publications for nearly two decades. You might have come across him as his nom de plume, Gaius Publius. He has long been a professional writer, venturing into fiction, poetry, essays and non-fiction books.
(A guest post by Elliott Negin, with Intro by Skip Kaltenheuser) You might already know Elliott Negin, whose writings I worked into with Dance with the One that Brought You — BERNIE! on NPR’s red-baiting of Bernie, and Scott Pruitt’s Doublespeak Clarifies Him, on yet another disastrous industrial strength Trump appointee hellbent on ransacking the environment. If not, it’s never too late.
John Grisham, meister of legal thrillers, must look at the Dark Money flying about Supreme Court nominees and think, “You stinking thieves, give me my book plots back!”
One thing we know for certain about what weighed on Bernie’s decision to suspend his campaign is that there are things we do not know for certain. Before and after the October 1st medical adventure his heart embarked on, I wrote he’d be ticking like a Timex and coming from behind like Seabiscuit, both prediction and prayer. I acknowledge my disappointment but refrain from judgment on what I believe to be a clean call.
Banks, including on Wall Street, fear no one like they fear Bernie. I’m sure they’re not keen on Elizabeth Warren, but Bernie strikes a unique terror, because banks know anyone taking them on will have to wield the bully pulpit against them like FDR did.
Even for those already in the climate choir, Jane Fonda’s sermon last month at the National Press Club is well worth your time to read or watch and listen to. I’ve logged loads of press club luncheon speeches over the years. This was one of the finest I’ve heard.
Two Washington exhibits, terrifyingly timely for the stark options before us, demand attention from the recently returned 116th Congress. The Warmth of Other Suns, an exploration of the plight of migrants and refugees, at the Phillips Collection, departs Sept. 22nd. The David H. Koch Fossil Hall — Deep Time, at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum is, like its fossils, here for the long haul
In Washington, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Except when they get worse. The recent Democratic Party Presidential Debates had me thinking on the enclosed essay on campaign finance, fished out of the wayback machine, that appeared in Barron’s. Way back, over two decades.
If you haven’t seen it, the long version of Matt Taibbi’s critique of journalism over Russia-gate, is worth your time as an exercise in grappling with media herd instinct and the folly of putting our grand papers of record at the head of the herd.
