The Commentariat -- May 26, 2015
Afternoon Update:
Robert Barnes of the Washington Post: "The Supreme Court said Tuesday that it will decide an important 'one person, one vote' case next term to determine whether states should consider total population -- or only eligible voters -- when drawing roughly equal legislative districts. A shift from using total population would have an enormous impact in states with large immigrant populations, where greater numbers are children or noncitizens. It would shift power from urban areas to more rural districts."
Lori Aratani of the Washington Post: "Amtrak will install inward-facing video cameras on a majority of its Northeast Corridor trains by the end of this year, officials announced Tuesday, another in a series of safety measures the rail company has taken since a fatal May 12 derailment that killed eight people and injured more than 200. In a conference call with reporters, Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman said the cameras will allow railroad officials to monitor the actions of engineers while they are on the job."
Joe Heim of the Washington Post: "... Indian American kids have placed a stranglehold on the Scripps National Spelling Bee, winning it now for seven years in a row and all but four of the last 15 years.... Bee organizers were appalled by the reaction to last year's contest, when Sriram, then 14, and his co-winner Ansun, then 13, were greeted with a barrage of racist comments on Facebook and Twitter." CW: Hay reel American kids arent dum. Sumbuddys cheeting.
*****
** "The Myth of the Hero Cop." David Feige in Slate: "... if you compare the murder rate among police officers with the murder rate in several American cities, you find that it is far safer to be a NYPD officer than an average black man in Baltimore or St. Louis.... Arguments about the dangerous nature of police work drive the increasing militarization of police departments. The life-and-death nature of the job is used to push for extremely generous medical leave, overtime, and pay packages. Most insidious of all, the exaggerated danger and trumped-up heroism drives an us-versus-them mentality that suffuses contemporary big-city policing and bleeds into the criminal justice system, causing systemic imbalances that chronically favor the police over citizens. Together, this creates a sense of invincibility and righteousness among the police that is used to justify even outrageous behavior while simultaneously creating the perception among the public that the police are untouchable."
** Robert Pear of the New York Times: "They are only four words in a 900-page law [the Affordable Care Act]: 'established by the state.'... Who wrote them, and why?... The answer, from interviews with more than two dozen Democrats and Republicans involved in writing the law, is that the words were a product of shifting politics and a sloppy merging of different versions. Some described the words as 'inadvertent,' 'inartful' or 'a drafting error.' But none supported the contention of the plaintiffs, who are from Virginia." Read the whole article. And hope Roberts & Kennedy do, too. ...
... Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar of the AP: "A Supreme Court ruling due in a few weeks could wipe out health insurance for millions of people covered by President Barack Obama's health care law. But it's Republicans -- not White House officials -- who have been talking about damage control. A likely reason: Twenty-six of the 34 states that would be most affected by the ruling have Republican governors, and 22 of the 24 GOP Senate seats up in 2016 are in those states." ...
... "Eerrrrrrntt!" Jennifer Haberkorn & Rachel Bade of Politico: "Preparing for a Supreme Court decision that could strike down Obamacare's subsidies for nearly 7.5 million people this summer, Senate Republicans are coalescing around a plan to resurrect them -- at a steep price for the White House. With several Senate Republicans facing tough reelections, and control of the chamber up for grabs, 31 senators have signed on to a bill written by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) that would restore the subsidies for current Obamacare enrollees through September 2017. But the administration would have to pay a heavy price -- the bill would also repeal Obamacare's individual and employer mandates and insurance coverage requirements... But even if Johnson could somehow persuade Obama and Senate Democrats to accept his plan -- a herculean task -- the bigger problem will be his Republican colleagues in the House."
Michael de la Merced of the New York Times: 'The Daily Show' developed [a five-week industry boot camp designed to bring young veterans into the television business] over the last three years without publicizing it, but now, because [Jon] Stewart is preparing to leave the show, he has taken it into the open, urging other shows to develop their own programs to bring more veterans into the industry. 'This is ready to franchise. Please steal our idea,' Mr. Stewart said in an interview at his Manhattan studio recently."
Darlene Superville of the AP: "President Barack Obama on Monday saluted Americans who died in battle, saying the country must 'never stop trying to fully repay them' for their sacrifices. He noted it was the first Memorial Day in 14 years without U.S. forces engaged in a major ground war." (Also linked yesterday afternoon):
Charles Pierce wrote quite a nice piece on the way to celebrate Memorial Day. CW: While Pierce does not speak ill of parades, one has to wonder how many of the dead would like to be celebrated in a noisy parade. I suppose it's better than being celebrated by a sale on electronics, as I was urged by Best Buy to do today.
Kevin Drum of Mother Jones: "A pair of grad students surveyed 2,000 state legislators and asked them what they thought their constituents believed on several hot button issues. They then compared the results to actual estimates from each district derived from national surveys.... Both liberal and conservative legislators -- thought their districts were more conservative than they really were." CW: So why are these hip liberal voters choosing Neanderthals to represent them? (As usual, apologies to actual Neanderthals, who were definitely smarter than the average Republican.)
Sinan Salaheddin of the AP: "Iraq on Tuesday announced the launch of a military operation to drive the Islamic State group out of the western Anbar province, where the extremists captured the provincial capital, Ramadi, earlier this month. Iraqi state TV declared the start of the operation, in which troops will be backed by Shiite and Sunni paramilitary forces...." ...
Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: "American and allied warplanes are equipped with the most precise aerial arsenal ever fielded. But American officials say they are not striking significant -- and obvious -- Islamic State targets out of fear that the attacks will accidentally kill civilians.
... Nahal Toosi of Politico: "Vice President Joe Biden is trying to calm tensions with Iraq's leaders after the U.S. secretary of defense [Ash Carter] accused Iraqi troops of lacking the 'will to fight' Islamic State. Biden spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi on Monday to reaffirm U.S. support for Iraq's government and to recognize 'the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces,' according to a White House statement."
Thomas Erdbrink of the New York Times: "Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post correspondent accused by Iran of espionage who has been imprisoned for more than 10 months, went on trial in a Tehran courtroom on Tuesday morning, state news media reported. The trial, which is not open to the public, began at 10:30 a.m. at Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, the semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported. Mr. Rezaian’s wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and a photojournalist also went on trial alongside Mr. Rezaian, according to the state news agency IRNA." ...
... UPDATE: "The trial was adjourned after two hours, and the judge in the case, Abolghassem Salavati, will announce a date for the resumption of the proceedings...." ...
... NEW. The Washington Post report, by Carol Morello, is here. ...
... Here's a statement from Martin Baron, executive editor of the Washington Post.
Jeff Amy of the AP: "U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran -- the Mississippi Republican whose 2014 primary campaign drew national attention over an aspiring blogger's photos of his bedridden wife -- has married his longtime aide, his office said Monday. The wedding to Kay Webber took place privately Saturday in Gulfport. The senator's former wife, Rose Cochran, died in December at age 73 from dementia after living in a nursing home for 13 years. Political blogger Clayton Kelly took pictures of a bedridden Rose Cochran in April 2014, and officials say he intended to use the images to advance allegations that the senator was having an inappropriate relationship with Webber." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Presidential Race
Ken Thomas of the AP: Bernie "Sanders, who is opening his official presidential campaign Tuesday in Burlington, Vermont, aims to ignite a grassroots fire among left-leaning Democrats wary of Hillary Rodham Clinton. He is laying out an agenda in step with the party's progressive wing and compatible with [Elizabeth] Warren's platform -- reining in Wall Street banks, tackling college debt and creating a government-financed infrastructure jobs program." ...
Hadas Gold of Politico: "Hillary Clinton may feel like the press hounds and harasses her, but there's one segment of the media from which she's getting the kind of coverage you just can't buy: women's magazines.... A Politico review of several of the magazines' past few months of coverage suggests that readers will be getting a heavy dose of liberal cheerleading this campaign season along with their skincare, makeup and fashion tips.... It's enough to make Republicans scream."
Ringmasters Aim to Kick Some Clowns off the Car Running Board. Paul Waldman: "By saying they're going to support several candidates in the primaries, the Kochs are pledging to accelerate the winnowing process, by which the race's chaff can be sloughed off and the focus can stay on the serious contenders.... If the Kochs are ready to put some of their ample resources into the primary campaign, it's a sign that the enormous size of the primary field is generating some serious concern at the top of the GOP."
Is the Pope Catholic? Ben Schreckinger of Politico: Pope Francis is causing consternation among conservative Republican Roman Catholics & their pandering presidential candidates. "Like so much else about [Jeb] Bush, his embrace of Francis places him in sync with a majority of Americans but at odds with large swaths of the Republican primary electorate."
Beyond the Beltway
Mitch Smith & Matt Apuzzo of the New York Times: "The city of Cleveland has reached a settlement with the Justice Department over what federal authorities said was a pattern of unconstitutional policing and excessive use of force, people briefed on the case said Monday. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)"
See today Comments, near the end:
News Ledes
Guardian: Texas governor Greg Abbott has expanded the emergency disaster zone in his state, adding 24 counties to a list of 13 affected by storms and flooding. Three people were reported dead and 12 missing as Oklahoma was also hit hard, while a tornado left 13 dead in a Mexican town just beyond the border." ...
... New York Times Update: "Flooding brought Houston[, Texas,] to a near-standstill Tuesday, sending normally tame rivers and bayous surging out of their banks, inundating streets and homes, and leaving highways littered with hundreds of abandoned, ruined cars. As much as 10 inches of rain lashed the Houston area overnight, and added to floodwaters flowing downstream from areas of central Texas that were swamped over the holiday weekend, causing waterways to rise from trickle to torrent faster than people could get out of the way." ...
... See also Jeanne Pitz's comment on this in today's Commentariat.
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Reader Comments (16)
Ironic how governors in red states are all about LARGE government when it comes to disaster relief for tornado and flood victims. Otherwise, it's all about gittin' that nasty ole large gubmint outta their faces.
I don't get it: We finally have a Secretary of Defense that tells the truth and lickedy- split Biden has to soothe the feathers of Al-Abadi. Why? If anyone's feathers should be handled it should be ours, I would think. We have spent millions in training, equipment, lost lives, etc. trying to get the Iraq military up to snuff. Would appreciate some explanation from someone on this.
I can't resist this ... to add to your laughs for the day.Here are a couple of paraphrased comments by out of state city people told to us by a real estate agent for ocean side rentals in the Ellsworth-Bluehills- Bucksport area of Maine. " I just looked out and my sand beach is disappearing" and "The water is disappearing and there is seaweed on the beach. You need to come and clean the beach up".
Dede,
Oh, woe, betide.
PD,
By no means am I an expert, but unlike the war mongering fools who started this whole thing, I have a reasonably good view of what I know and, more importantly, what I don't know.
A few days ago there was an op-ed piece in the Times by Ahmed Ali, a fellow at the Iraq Center in Washington, DC cautioning readers not to take a nutty over the loss of Ramadi. Mr. Ali, whose portfolio seems reasonably substantial on such matters, suggests that although the fall of Ramadi seems to have happened overnight, it has been under attack by IS for many months, and has the earmarks of desperation on their part (I don't know enough about it either way to say how much I believe that but...). He does state that this could be a good thing in that it would wake up Iraqi leaders who seem to have forgotten about how bad IS can be and might lead to better engagement strategies.
If all of this sounds a bit whacky it's largely because of the Byzantine nature of relationships in that part of the world, between factions, governmental departments, various political and religious leaders, militias, and individuals. It's a very complicated situation greatly exacerbated by someone who had no time or patience for anything more complicated than "With us or against us". Yes, that's right. The Decider, bringer of all things deadly and stupid, is the most culpable figure in this scenario of war and death. The policies he established, and the idea that he and his pet shark VP thought they could impose western style democracy with all its inherent safety mechanisms and workings intact (all the better for their oil buddies) within a couple of years, unleashed forces he neither understood nor cared to know about.
In fact, as late as 2003, Bush had no idea that THE central problem, the political, religious, and social disparities between Shiite and Sunni tribes even existed (how he found out is comical, but also underlines his essentially stunning incurious "What me worry?" nature). It's not unlike a non-American power trying to insert itself into the American Civil War without realizing that not only were there differences between the North and the South, but having no clue as to what those differences might be. In fact, it's worse than that. The Sunni/Shiite split has simmered for centuries. Not to know how those differences might affect an invasion and an attempt to restructure Iraqi society after the bodies were buried, killing tens of thousands in the process, must go down as the single biggest blunder in American history, a monument to ignorance and hubris.
So there's that. It's a holy mess. Someone with a basic understanding of Middle East and Iraqi history and social psychology might have had a chance in navigating all the competing interests and centuries old hatreds. But a guy who thinks painting his toes in the bathtub is a contribution to peace and understanding? Fuggedaboutit.
I have to say I was surprised by Carter's assessment (though not at all displeased). Foreign policy types tend, typically, to be dispassionate in their public pronouncements. But just as there are complications in Iraq, so too are there in our political landscape. The Obama administration is spinning a lot of plates, or trying to. They need the Iraqis to keep their heads in the game which reminds me that Mr. Ali, in his Times piece, argues that the president is taking the right step in insisting that Iraqis themselves solve their IS security problems on the ground.
Maybe the Carter/Biden statements were a bit of good cop/bad cop theater, a way of saying get off your asses and do something, followed by, but we know you're good guys and you'll do that little thing very shortly.
As always, I could be completely wrong, but at least I know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites.
Wonder if Jebbie knows?
@Akhilleus: Just to be clear, Sunnies are the happy ones & She-ites are the feminists.
I believe this proves I'm just as informed as our former POTUS.
Marie
Gov. Abbott must now inform the citizens of the Republic of Texas that the National Guard units will not be able to offer assistance with the flooding. All available guard units will be preoccupied monitoring the Federal Troops massing on the frontier.
The old line about lies, damned lies, and statistics, is useful for blunting the effect of numbers employed in underhanded or susicious ways. But now and then statistics present a stark look at fundamental realities obscured in their absence, in the way that mathematics, used to describe the universe, cuts through the galactic smoke and mirrors and super nova sideshows.
David Feige's piece on the "Myth of the Hero Cop" presents an argument against the exaggerated claims of the dangers of police work in a very simple way: "Loggers have a fatality rate 11 times higher than cops, and sanitation workers die in the line of duty at twice the rate that police do." In fact, as Feige relates, "...it is far safer to be a NYPD officer than an average black man in Baltimore or St. Louis."
Wow.
None of this is to suggest that cops have a life of ease, although, if brought before a court of law when charged with wrongdoing, they are accorded privileges and safeguards, including the protection of shield laws, that none of the rest of us will ever enjoy.
In Feige's estimation, this is due in part because of the hero myth, unquestioning political support, and the effectiveness of police unions.
Speaking of which, I checked on other jobs which are far more dangerous than being a cop. These include electrical line installers and repairers, truck drivers, construction workers, employees in the fishing industry, and airplane pilots and engineers. Workers in most of these occupations also have unions. Unions that have been under attack from the right, for decades, because, you know, FREEEDOM, but mostly because they're effective at protecting their employees (regardless of what Walmart says).
When was the last time you heard a Confederate complain about special protections for members of police unions? Have you heard Scott Walker bragging lately about his efforts to scuttle or disrupt those unions?
Anyone?
Marie,
Quod erat demonstrandum.
Next, we ask him about Hutus and Tutsis.
I'm giving 2-1 odds that he thinks "Hutus" is a competitor to Tootsie Rolls. Next thing you know, he'll be pushing Jebbie for a new campaign plank.
"Invade Rwanda! Free the Tootsies!"
Dan,
Ha! He will, however, if the budget allows, be sending Dixie Cups to affected areas to help with bailing water.
Delusions sure are hard on Confederate state fiscal affairs.
Western Civilization has received many gifts from the Ancient Greeks (you're welcome), but you know what they say about Greeks bearing gifts.
Anyway, it appears the Koch Brothers (TM) aka Evil, Inc, are taking another page from Ancient Greek history, or at least literature. And that is the idea of Single Combat, or Champion Warfare in which a champion selected by the king, or kings, for one side, meets the champion of the opposing forces in a winner take all duel to the death. (Sci-Fi fans will immediately recall the Fredric Brown story "Arena").
The kings, of course, sit on their thrones with slaves feeding them grapes and honey while they observe the carnage from a distance, so as not to soil their luxurious raiment with anything so unbecoming as mud and blood.
I, er, I mean, Akhilleus the Original, once fought Hector this way. You may recall that not turning out so well for ol' Hector. But all those trips around the walls of Troy? Man, that was tiring.
So I can see how the Kochs are envisioning sending their selected champion up against Hillary of the Clintons in 2016.
So much for that other Greek gift, Democracy.
We're constantly reminded, and rightfully so, not to forget the Supremes.
As the time draws closer for Little Johnny and the Dwarfs to rule on the fate of healthcare for millions of Americans based on four little words out of 900 pages, the outcome of which should not, in any conceivable universe, be in doubt, I urge everyone not to forget the Moops.
Here's some interesting backstory on Edward Blum, the confederate behind the "one person, one vote" challenge linked above.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/us/edward-blum-and-the-project-on-fair-representation-head-to-the-supreme-court-to-fight-race-based-laws.html
He's been a busy boy, up to a lot of mischief. And successful.
Okay, I thought I was done, but this is too good to pass on.
The Men's Men of Fox and Friends, Scott (racist beefcake) Brown and Brian (sexist pig) Kilmeade try to demonstrate how manly they are by....changing a tire. And failing. Miserably.
It's funny, but for a guy who routinely degrades women on the air in typical frat boy caveman fashion, Brian Kilmeade A.) needs help tying a tie and B.) doesn't know not to remove all the lugnuts on a tire before the car is jacked up. Scott Brown is no better, although he does help both Kilmeade and their manly Navy Seal guest who is there to show them how MEN DO IT, make sure their ties are on straight. Fox Co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck is along to play the "admiring girl" role.
Idiots. Just imagine the fun Fox would have if this were Jon Stewart and Keith Olberbaman failing so horribly at such a basic task. But it's also revealing that they equate knowing how to change a tire with being "manly". Knowing how to change a tire is something that most men and women know who actually have changed a tire once or twice in their lives. It has zero to do with manhood (even if you've never done it, the manual in the glove compartment tells you how). It's more a question of regular person vs. pampered elite. I'm surprised they weren't asked to disassemble, clean, and reassemble an AR-15 in under 60 seconds. Blindfolded. Isn't that "manly"?
I have another use for a tire iron, but I'd prefer to show Brown and Kilmeade in person.
Here's a good view. Bernie Sanders blasting the Koch brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5tAT6ciJ4s. I watch this and think Hillary needs to pick up her game and take a few cues from Bernie.
This is a pretty interesting piece on Charles Murray's newest book and ties in with the work of Edward Blum.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/05/26/3662560/jeb-bushs-favorite-author-publishes-318-page-rant-democracy/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tptop3