The Commentariat -- October 9, 2021
Afternoon Update:
Michael Scherer of the Washington Post: "... as the national [Democratic] party starts to create a new calendar for the 2024 presidential nomination that could remove Iowa from its privileged [first-in-the-nation] position for the first time since 1972, when candidates started flocking to the state for an early jump on the race to the White House. The caucuses' reputation has been damaged by high barriers to participation, a dearth of racial diversity, the rightward drift in the state's electorate and a leftward drift in the Democratic participants. The state party's inability to count the results in 2020 only deepened dismay in the party.... '... Iowa is not representative of America,' [former DNC Chair Tom] Perez said Friday in an interview. 'We need a primary process that is reflective of today's demographics in the Democratic Party.'"
Jim Acosta & Paul LeBlanc of CNN: "Former Trump aide Dan Scavino has been served a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, a source familiar with the matter told CNN, bringing an end to the panel's struggle to physically locate him. A process server brought the subpoena to ... Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday, the source said. While Scavino was home in New York at the time, he asked a staff member to accept the subpoena on his behalf."
Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "Ordinarily staid and silent Supreme Court justices have become whirling dervishes of late, spinning madly to rebut the idea that Americans are beginning to regard the court as a dangerous cabal of partisan hacks.... Many of us have thought that for a long time.... The Least Dangerous Branch, as the court was once known, has become the Most Dangerous Branch.... And please, Justice Breyer, skedaddle. You're playing a dangerous game. You need to get out of there because it looks as if the midterms are going to be bad, and if the Democrats lose the Senate majority, there's no guarantee that Mitch McConnell will let any Biden nominee onto the court, even with two years left on the president's term."
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here.
Rebecca Robbins of the New York Times: "Moderna, whose coronavirus vaccine appears to be the world's best defense against Covid-19, has been supplying its shots almost exclusively to wealthy nations, keeping poorer countries waiting and earning billions in profit. After developing a breakthrough vaccine with the financial and scientific support of the U.S. government, Moderna has shipped a greater share of its doses to wealthy countries than any other vaccine manufacturer, according to Airfinity, a data firm that tracks vaccine shipments.... Of the handful of middle-income countries that have reached deals to buy Moderna's shots, most have not yet received any doses, and at least three have had to pay more than the United States or European Union did...."
California. Azi Paybarah of the New York Times: "The pipeline that spilled at least 126,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean off the California coast may have been damaged up to a year earlier, according to preliminary results of an ongoing investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Officials have said the leak occurred three miles off the coast of Newport Beach, Calif., and involved a failure in a 17.5-mile pipeline connected to an offshore oil platform called Elly that is operated by Beta Offshore.... Investigators are 'fairly certain' that an anchor from a 'large vessel' struck the pipeline's concrete casing, and dragged the pipeline more than 100 feet from its original location...."
Afghanistan. Kathy Gannon of the AP: "The Taliban on Saturday ruled out cooperation with the United States to contain extremist groups in Afghanistan, staking out an uncompromising position on a key issue ahead of the first direct talks between the former foes since America withdrew from the country in August. Senior Taliban officials and U.S. representatives are to meet Saturday and Sunday in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Officials from both sides have said issues include reining in extremist groups and the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans from the country. The Taliban have signaled flexibility on evacuations. However, Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told The Associated Press there would be no cooperation with Washington on containing the increasingly active Islamic State group in Afghanistan."
~~~~~~~~~~
President Biden often talks about a 'foreign policy for the middle class.' Today, is what foreign policymaking for the middle class looks like in practice. -- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, in a statement Friday ~~~
~~~ Alan Rappeport & Liz Alderman of the New York Times: "The world's most powerful nations agreed on Friday to a sweeping overhaul of international tax rules, with officials backing a 15 percent global minimum tax and other changes aimed at cracking down on tax havens that have drained countries of much-needed revenue. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which has been leading the negotiations, said the new minimum tax rate would apply to companies with annual revenue of more than 750 million euros ($866 million) and would generate around $150 billion in additional global tax revenue per year.... The agreement is the culmination of years of fraught negotiations that were revived this year after President Biden took office and renewed the United States' commitment to multilateralism. Finance ministers have been racing to finalize the agreement, which they hope will reverse a decades-long race to the bottom of corporate tax rates that have encouraged companies to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions...."
Maegan Vazquez & Betsy Klein of CNN: "President Joe Biden on Friday attributed the disappointing September jobs report to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic but sought to frame the new data as steady progress toward the nation's economic recovery. In a speech at the White House, Biden pointed to the specific week when the survey for the monthly jobs report was done as one reason the number of jobs added in September fell below expectations. 'Today's report is based on a survey that was taken during the week of September 13. Not today, September the 13th -- when Covid cases were average more than 150,000 per day,' Biden said. 'Since then, we've seen the daily cases fall by more than one-third and they're continuing to trend down, and we're continuing to make progress.'" The full proclamation, via the White House, is here.
Zeke Miller & Ellen Knickmeyer of the AP: "President Joe Biden on Friday issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, lending the most significant boost yet to efforts to refocus the federal holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus toward an appreciation of Native peoples. The day will be observed Oct. 11, along with Columbus Day, which is established by Congress. While Native Americans have campaigned for years for local and national days in recognition of the country's indigenous peoples, Biden's announcement appeared to catch many by surprise." (Also linked yesterday.)
David Sanger, et al., of the New York Times: "President Biden signed into law on Friday a new government program to compensate C.I.A. officers, State Department diplomats and other federal officials who have suffered traumatic neurological injuries that the intelligence community has yet to figure out, launched by assailants it cannot yet identify. With no ceremony and little public comment, Mr. Biden signed the Havana Act, authorizing Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and the C.I.A. director, William J. Burns, to give financial support to employees who have suffered brain injuries. The act is named for what has become known as 'Havana Syndrome,' a series of unexplained injuries whose victims were first identified five years ago at the United States Embassy in Cuba.... The president's signature came just as the episodes appear to be increasing in frequency and some have become more brazen.... Mr. Biden's silence about the new law ..." reflects the fact that so little is known about the cause of the illnesses and the identities of the perpetrators.
Mr. Biden Regrets He's Unable to Cover Your Ass. Tom Hamburger, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Biden rejected ... Donald Trump's request to block documents from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, the White House said on Friday, likely setting up a legal and political battle. Trump has claimed executive privilege in seeking to evade the committee's demands for details about Trump and his aides' activities during the Jan. 6 attack. But in the letter to the National Archives and Records Administration, the White House said Biden 'determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not in the best interests of the United States.' Trump responded with a letter of his own Friday that formally claimed executive privilege over about 50 documents requested by the select committee. At a White House briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden decision reflected the gravity of the attack.... Biden's decision on Friday came after former White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon told the House committee that he cannot comply with the panel's sweeping request for documents and testimony. But the committee said two other Trump advisers -- former chief of staff Mark Meadows and national security aide Kash Patel -- are 'engaging with the committee.'..." The NBC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: According to legal experts who have appeared on CNN & MSNBC, all Trump's claims to executive privilege, real and imagined, ended on January 20 at noon. Bannon, who hasn't even had an administration job since 2017 is, of course, full of it. And frankly, my dear, I think the DOJ is compelled to bring conspiracy charges against Trump and that self-aggrandizing twerp Jeffrey Clark, at the very least. Also too, I don't think executive privilege covers criminal acts. ~~~
~~~ Maggie Haberman & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot threatened on Friday to pursue criminal charges against Stephen K. Bannon, the former chief strategist to ... Donald J. Trump, for refusing to comply with its subpoena, announcing it would consider initiating criminal contempt of Congress proceedings. In a statement after Mr. Bannon informed the panel that he would not cooperate in the inquiry, the panel's leaders [-- Reps. Bennie Thompson & Liz Cheney --] said they would 'swiftly consider' the contempt referral, raising the prospect of what could be a prolonged legal battle over what could be crucial evidence in the investigation." CNN's report is here. MB: Time to clear out the perhaps-mythical cell in the Capitol crypt and fit it with a cot & a bucket. (Also linked yesterday.)
Daniel Lippman & Betsy Swan of Politico: "A former high-ranking Capitol Police official with knowledge of the department's response to the Jan. 6 attack has sent congressional leaders a scathing letter accusing two of its senior leaders of mishandling intelligence and failing to respond properly during the riot. The whistleblower, who requested anonymity for privacy reasons and left the force months after the attack, sent the 16-page letter late last month to the top members of both parties in the House and Senate. His missive makes scorching allegations against Sean Gallagher, the Capitol Police's acting chief of uniformed operations, and Yogananda Pittman, its assistant chief of police for protective and intelligence operations -- who also served as its former acting chief. The whistleblower accuses Gallagher and Pittman of deliberately choosing not to help officers under attack on Jan. 6 and alleges that Pittman lied to Congress about an intelligence report Capitol Police received before that day's riot. After a lengthy career in the department, the whistleblower was a senior official on duty on Jan. 6.... Without naming specific lawmakers, his letter [also] accuses congressional leaders of having 'purposefully failed' to tell the truth about the department's failures."
Rachel Reads the News. Marie: Rachel Maddow did a great job Thursday of reading from the Democratic Senators' report on Trump's January 6 coup attempt. The full show is here, and it begins with the reading. However, I'm not sure you'll be able to access the link, since it may be specific to my IP address. If you cannot access it with that link and you get MSNBC through your ISP, link on the show's general page (here), then click on "Full Episodes," and follow the instructions from there. If neither of those works for you, there could be some pirated copies of the show on YouTube. Anyway, her reading is worth going to a little trouble to watch, as she gives you a very good sense of the report's findings & what they say about the administration's coup-plot participants. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Philip Bump of the Washington Post outlines all of Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, then tears into Senate Republicans' conclusion that since the coup failed, it was okay: "That [Vice President Pence didn't throw out slates of Electors] and that Trump gave up on replacing [Acting AG Jeffrey] Rosen and that the physical violence at the Capitol didn't derail the electoral-vote counting for long have all been elevated as reasons to shrug at Trump's efforts. He tried all these things and they didn't work, this line of argument goes, so why should we be concerned about their working in the future?... This argument has two critical flaws, though. The first is that it misunderstands Trump's intent. The second is that it underestimates the assistance he received....[Trump's] pre-Jan. 6 effort [arose from an] an incoherent strategy except that it was wide-ranging. This is what he always did.... His was a spaghetti-at-the-wall presidency; his was a spaghetti-at-the-wall coup.... But if you learned where the wall was weak, it was worth it."
Carlos Lozado of the Washington Post reviews a memoir by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in which Schiff discusses the January 6 insurrection. In the book, Midnight in Washington, Schiff writes, "What took place inside our chamber, with the challenge to the electors, was every bit as much an attack on our democracy. We can reinforce the doors and put up fences. But we cannot guard our democracy against those who walk the halls of Congress, have taken an oath to uphold our Constitution, but refuse to do so." "In effect, there were two insurrections, not one, Schiff argues, and he is more interested in the insurrectionists wearing suits and ties than in the shirtless ones in buffalo horns."
Even When Trump Uses Corrupt Practices to Prop up His Businesses, He Fails. Jonathan O'Connell & David Fahrenthold of the Washington Post: "Donald Trump's luxury Washington hotel lost more than $70 million while he was in office despite reaping millions in payments from foreign governments, according to federal documents released by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Friday. The committee, chaired by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), released hundreds of pages of financial documents on the property Friday that it received from the General Services Administration, the agency that leased the federally owned property to Trump's company beginning in 2013. Maloney and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) allege the documents show that Trump received an estimated $3.7 million from foreign governments and received preferential treatment from Deutsche Bank when the bank allowed Trump to defer payments for six years on the principal of the property's $170 million loan. The findings 'raise new and troubling questions about former President Trump's lease with GSA and the agency's ability to manage the former President's conflicts of interest during his term in office when he was effectively on both sides of the contract, as landlord and tenant,' the two Democrats said in a news release." The AP's story is here. MB: Worst U.S. President*, Failed Businessman, Horrible Human Being. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Donald Trump hid losses of more than $70m at his eponymous Washington DC hotel while he was in the White House, House Democrats said on Friday.... According to the House committee [on oversight]: 'On his federally mandated financial disclosures, President Trump reported that the Trump Hotel earned him over $150m in revenue during his time in office. However, the records obtained by the committee show that the Trump Hotel actually incurred net losses of over $70m, leading the former president's holding company to inject at least $24m to aid the struggling hotel. By filing these misleading public disclosures, President Trump grossly exaggerated the financial health of the Trump Hotel. He also appears to have concealed potential conflicts of interest stemming not just from his ownership of this failing business but also from his roles as the hotel's lender and the guarantor of its third-party loans.' The committee said that in 2018 Trump received preferential treatment from Deutsche Bank, which allowed him to delay payments on a $170m loan." (Also linked yesterday.)
Philip Bump of the Washington Post: When Donald Trump first became President*, his staff issued hollow denials of reports that he had made cruel, racist remarks. "Now, he just goes on Fox News and says it. 'You know,' he said to the network's Sean Hannity on Thursday night, 'there's one other thing that nobody talks about. So we have hundreds of thousands of people flowing in from Haiti. Haiti has a tremendous AIDS problem.... Many of those people will probably have AIDS, and they're coming into our country. And we don't do anything about it. We let everybody come in. Sean, it's like a death wish. It's like a death wish for our country.'... There is no flood of migrants from Haiti entering the country unchecked, healthy or not."
Andrew Desiderio & Lara Seligman of Politico: "The U.S. government's investigation into the mysterious illnesses impacting American personnel overseas and at home is turning up new evidence that the symptoms are the result of directed-energy attacks, according to five lawmakers and officials briefed on the matter. Behind closed doors, lawmakers are also growing increasingly confident that Russia or another hostile foreign government is behind the suspected attacks, based on regular briefings from administration officials -- although there is still no smoking gun linking the incidents to Moscow. The National Security Council has recently been convening more frequent high-level meetings on the topic, according to a current and a former official with direct knowledge -- a sign that the government's review is accelerating." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: If compelling evidence emerges, the perps should be marched off to the Hague. This is torture.
A Day After Sheathing His Sabre, Mitch Pulls It Out & Starts Rattling. Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "A day after dropping his party's blockade and allowing action to temporarily increase the federal debt ceiling, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, warned President Biden on Friday that he had no intention of doing so again, reviving the threat of a first-ever federal default in December. In a phone call with Mr. Biden, Mr. McConnell, who toiled to corral the votes needed to break his own party's filibuster against the debt limit increase -- and voted himself to do so -- said Democrats should not expect such help in the future...." The Hill's report is here. ~~~
~~~ Karoli Kuns of Crooks & Liars: "According to Beltway media and cable yakkers, Republicans have hurt fee-fees because Chuck Schumer didn't politely look the other way when they broke their own filibuster in order to raise the debt ceiling ... and keep the nation from economic ruin..., as they should have done without a filibuster in the first place." Read Kuns' report and you'll realize anew that as long as the GOP exists, and no matter how many crooks and liars are its stars, Beltway reporters will wallow in both-siderisms.
Looks as if Fossil-Fuel Donors Got to Sinema. Coral Davenport of the New York Times: "Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who began her political career with the Green Party and who has voiced alarm over the warming planet, wants to cut at least $100 billion from climate programs in major legislation pending on Capitol Hill, according to two people.... Last month, Ms. Sinema told The Arizona Republic, 'We know that a changing climate costs Arizonans. And right now, we have the opportunity to pass smart policies to address it -- looking forward to that.'... A spokesman for Ms. Sinema, John LaBombard, forcefully denied that Ms. Sinema requested the cuts." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Sinema may have a reputation for being very smart, but what this report shows is that she is in way over her head. I think her refusal to talk to reporters is a reflection of that; silence is her only defense against public revelations that she is lost or duplicitous.
When the Ordinary Privileges of Wealth Are Not Enough. Alanna Richer of the AP: "Two wealthy parents were convicted Friday of buying their kids' way into school as athletic recruits in the first case to go to trial in the college admissions cheating scandal that embroiled prestigious universities across the country. Gamal Abdelaziz, a former casino executive, and John Wilson, a former Staples Inc. executive, were found guilty after about 10 hours of deliberations in the case that exposed a scheme to get undeserving applicants into college by falsely portraying them as star athletes." (Also linked yesterday.)
Debbie Cenziper, et al., of the Washington Post: "The U.S. government has long condemned prominent offshore financial centers, where liberal rules and guarantees of discretion have drawn oligarchs, business tycoons and politicians. But a burgeoning American trust industry is increasingly sheltering the assets of international millionaires and billionaires by promising levels of protection and secrecy that rival or surpass those offered in overseas tax havens. That shield, which is near-absolute, has insulated the industry from meaningful oversight and allowed it to forge new footholds in U.S. states.... [Investigators combing the 'Pandora Papers'] identified 206 U.S.-based trusts linked to 41 countries. Nearly 30 of the trusts held assets connected to people or companies accused of fraud, bribery or human rights abuses in some of the world's most vulnerable communities.... The trust documents come mostly from the Sioux Falls office of Trident Trust.... Other states competing to lure wealth include Alaska, Delaware, Nevada and New Hampshire.
The Pandemic, Ctd.
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Beyond the Beltway
North Carolina Congressional Race. Timothy Bella of the Washington Post (October 5): "At the beginning of a campaign ad announcing his candidacy for Congress, North Carolina state Rep. Charles Graham reflects on the divisions the country faces today -- but also those of decades ago, when the Ku Klux Klan sought to terrorize his home county.... The campaign video had drawn more than 3.4 million views on Twitter as of Tuesday afternoon." MB: Five million by Friday, according to MSNBC. ~~~
North Carolina. Danielle Battaglia & Brian Murphy of the Raleigh News & Observer: "The Biden White House condemned on Friday North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's comments calling transgenderism and homosexuality 'filth.' 'These words are repugnant and offensive,' said Andrew Bates, White House deputy press secretary and a native of North Carolina, in a statement. 'The role of a leader is to bring people together and stand up for the dignity and rights of everyone; not to spread hate and undermine their own office.' Robinson, the state's highest-ranking Republican, made the comments in June at Asbury Baptist Church in Seagrove. Part of the speech was posted Tuesday at Right Wing Watch's Twitter account, prompting an outpouring of criticism."
** Texas. Paul Weber of the AP: "A federal appeals court Friday night allowed Texas to temporarily resume banning most abortions, just one day after clinics across the state began rushing to serve patients again for the first time since early September. Abortion providers in Texas had been bracing for the 5th U.S. Court of Appeals to act quickly, even as they booked new appointments and reopened their doors during a brief reprieve from the law known as Senate Bill 8, which bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks." The Washington Post's story is here.
Virginia. Graham Moomaw of the Virginia Mercury: "The Virginia Redistricting Commission's first-ever attempt to draw fair political maps collapsed in spectacular fashion Friday, when frustrated Democrats walked out of a meeting after Republicans rebuffed their suggestions for reaching a compromise. The commission, which has been holding regular meetings for more than a month, never came close to reaching an agreement on final General Assembly maps. Partisanship dominated the process from the start, with the commission hiring two teams of overtly partisan consultants and repeatedly failing to agree on how to merge two sets of maps. The process now appears headed to the Supreme Court of Virginia...."
Way Beyond
Afghanistan. Samya Kullab & Tameem Akhgar of the AP: "An Islamic State suicide bomber struck at a mosque packed with Shiite Muslim worshippers in northern Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least 46 people and wounding dozens in the latest security challenge to the Taliban as they transition from insurgency to governance. In its claim of responsibility, the region's IS affiliate identified the bomber as a Uygher Muslim, saying the attack targeted both Shiites and the Taliban for their purported willingness to expel Uyghers to meet demands from China. The statement was carried by the IS-linked Aamaq news agency. The blast tore through a crowded mosque in the city of Kunduz during Friday noon prayers...." (Also linked yesterday.)
Share Article
Reader Comments (8)
Marie: I couldn't leave "aggrandizing twerp Jeffery Clark" alone. He is currently employed by a Koch brother funded group used to fuck up democracy. https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/koch-behind-the-challenge-to-bakers-powers/. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/07/21/2266634/0/en/NCLA-Hires-Former-Asst-Atty-Gen-Jeff-Clark-to-Join-Battle-Against-Unlawful-Administrative-Power.html.
All this is just a friendly little reminder that George Soros is not half as evil a twin as Fascist Kochs. Fascists will always find a little man like Jeffery Clark, smear a little shit on his upper lip and call it a mustache, and push him out into the world to be a Man. Twerp.
So Rick Scott says able bodied workers should get back to work
and save this country.
I'm thinking able bodied senators and representatives should get
back to work and save this country. Isn't that what we elected them for
and what we pay them to do?
And what about that aluminum foil? We should reuse it? Rick, does
your wife reuse aluminum foil. It's usually not reusable when I use it.
Forrest: you can use the foil to tent a turkey, and then wash it off later and it makes a fine hat to protect from the cosmic rays and such.
Best ever video from Charles Graham–-made me cry–-made my minutes on much of the other news easier to digest.
Forest: your "I'm thinking able bodied senators and representatives should get back to work and save this country. Isn't that what we elected them for and what we pay them to do?" We ALL should be asking this question until we get answers that aren't bull pocky. Get Ricky, for one–-since this pertains to the rest of the gang––– alone in an interview and ask "What exactly do you do all day–-since we pay you we'd like to know.
I must confess, Forest, that I do reuse foil if it's clear of foodstuff–-I also save plastic wrap, plastic bags (I wash them out), and cereal plastic bags. I inherited this procedure from a mother who lived during the depression even though she was not directly effected by it. I remember during WW11 we Americans had to save our cans, had ration books for food items and so forth. SO–--in this "throw away" society some of us cling onto old measures that if followed today would cause outrage, yet if followed yesterday we might not have our waters filled with debris like PLASTIC.
Patrick: Hmmm–-didn't want to admit it but I use leftover foil to do just that–-and my hat has a few flowers stuck on it for good measure. Them cosmic rays can be deadly especially if you are vaccinated cuz it causes an electric current that can kill you. As Tuckums always says, "I can't verfify this but it sounds right to me."
At a meeting yesterday over coffee and sweets, one of the guests
said that a relative came up with another excuse not to get
vaccinated. They're putting cancer cells in the vaccine to lower
the population 'cause we have too many old people collecting
social security, medicare, etc.
So you go to the pharmacists and he asks you what kind of cancer
would you like with your vaccine?
Will it never end?
I didn't exactly know what @Forrest Morris was talking about till I read this story in Florida Politics. And sure enough, Rick said, “Most families in this country survive by not being wasteful, but by clipping coupons, by buying necessities when they are on sale, by cutting their own grass and by reusing aluminum foil.”
I think it's great that Rick knows how the other 99% live.
What Ricky means is that the vast majority of Americans should expect no help from him and his rich confederate pals. They’re too busy helping themselves.
You’ll recall that when Thrifty Ol’ Rick ran a hospital company, he was forced out after committing massive fraud. He left with $300 million in his pocket, a $5 million severance payout, and a million dollars a year “consulting” fees for the next five years.
Guess you don’t have to recycle aluminum foil if you’re wealthy enough to buy your own bauxite mine.
Ah, me…those Republicans. So big on responsible living.
For other people.
Can you picture Princess Ivanka reusing aluminum foil? And Jared clipping coupons? How ‘bout Fatty and Queen I Don’t Care?
Save the lectures, Ricky, you snooty-ass thieving prick. You do a day’s solid work sometime, work that doesn’t involve lining your own pockets, and I’ll save foil for a year.
Never gonna happen, will it?