Defund?

Defund the police? Here's my take. According to the Dem centrists, they've gotten backlash because of "defund the police". By the way, there is no place anywhere in the US that I am aware of that has defunded the police.  I live in Chicago. The police budget has gone up under Lori Lightfoot, go figure.

So, if there is backlash for something that never happened, why not have it actually happen so that we at least get something out of the backlash that's gonna happen anyway.

Pretty simple.

Sunday Pessimism

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• Christianity in this country is dead. Now there is only (White) Christian Nationalism. Believe me, that is not the same thing as Christianity. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS): I am speaking to you, too. You have sold your soul.

• In a conversation with war criminal John Yoo at a recent right-wing conference, Clarence Thomas said that conservatives would never demonstrate simply because they don't get their way. His wife helped instigate an attempted coup because the election didn't go her way. Irony is officially dead.

• It seems that the photo of pallets of "baby formula" supposedly at the border that Hannity displayed on his show turned out to be powdered milk.

• There have always been hundreds of things to worry about in politics, culture, and society. In my lifetime I have watched in amazement as Republican presidents have been elected and reelected. But the last six or seven years have been uncannily bad. I can't think of a single thing that I was worried about in, say, 2015 that hasn't turned out to be worse than expected. Hardly a thing has happened where you'd say, "Well, I guess I was worried for nothing." With that in mind, imagine the worst-case scenario if the Repubs win the Congress and/or presidency. Whatever that scenario is that you have in your mind, it's going to be way worse.

Four Unrelated Opinions

 

• I am honestly totally cool with efforts by police and others to solve the increase in crime that seems to be happening. I am totally not cool with such efforts if they are unconstitutional, which, unfortunately, is usually the recommended remedy.

• On the minus side, I wish Biden would have done something substantial with student loans (he still might). But a big plus is that Biden really is probably the most pro-union and pro-worker president we've had in a long long time.

• I hope Tim Ryan wins the Senate seat in Ohio. But if he wins, it will be framed as proof that moderation (or whatever) is the way to go. If he loses, it will somehow be blamed on the evil Left.

• I think I agree with Osita Nwanevu (a recent thread on Twitter) that the Dems and the left need to recalibrate. We have lost. Some is our own doing and some not. But the recalibration is admitting to that fact and reconsidering how to move forward. Even if the Dems retain power now or regain it in the future, the Supreme Court is ready and willing to undo anything worthwhile that happens. If not them, then the Senate rules will stall most things (for which the Dems largely bear responsibility). I have no solution nor recommendation, but we can start by admitting and internalizing that fact.