Politics Plus

Yesterday (I’m calling it yesterday because it came in after midnight, but she probably wrote it the day before), Joyce Vance took on the subject of “legacy admissions.” Legacy admissions refers to preference given to children of alumni (and alumnae.) But she also points the three other categories which receive preferential consideration: children of big donors, children of faculty and staff, and athletes. Of course one thinks “football,” but, at least in the “ivy league”, most athletic admissions are for sports not played in minority high schools (e.g., fencing.) This essentially comes down to money. Not only athletes, but also faculty and staff are recruited, and those policies are a recruiting tool. And in the case of big donors and legacies (small donors) the connection is even more obvious. I knew that private schools did these things, but I wasn’t aware it had come to the point where state colleges and universites were so starved for cash that they needed to adopt the practices. Another reason the far right wants to abolish the Department of Education.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Daily Beast – This Melting Planet May Reveal How Venus Became a Hellscape—and Why Earth Was Spared
Quote – Venus, the second planet from the sun, isn’t just Earth’s neighbor. It’s roughly the same size as Earth—and rocky, like Earth is. But while Earth evolved into the wet, breathable planet we know and enjoy, Venus apparently got so hot that its oceans evaporated. Poisonous carbon dioxide vapor then blanketed the planet, trapping the heat and making everything even hotter: a process of runaway global warming that gives climatologists here on Earth nightmares. Why Venus got hot and toxic while Earth stayed relatively cool and liveable (for now) is one of the big mysteries of the solar system—and one with immediate implications for us as we pump more and more carbon into Earth’s atmosphere and risk our own greenhouse-gas calamity.
Click through for details. I think it’s safe to say that no carbon life form is ever going to survive on Venus any time soon. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt to know how it got to that point.

Crooks & Liars – Buttigieg Drops Truth Bomb On The GOP About Biden’s Economy
Quote – Well, look, we’re seeing extraordinarily low unemployment, some of the most job creation under any president ever,” Buttigieg said. “We’re seeing, by the way, with that also unusually high rates of job satisfaction. We’ve seen inflation falling. We’ve seen manufacturing returning to the U.S. Now, obviously, a lot of effort and a lot of money goes into negativity to try to get people focusing on other things, like some of the things that we’re talking about in the culture wars that certain figures are bringing to the fore again and again, I think because they don’t want to talk about the economic work that they’re doing.”
Click through for story (and short video). Secretary Pete is very good at this. But I think this goes beyond just messaging. See Robert Reich’s take.

Robert Reich – Competence isn’t enough. Biden must also confront America’s economic bullies
Quote – Biden has framed that choice as competence or craziness. His new “Bidenomics” blueprint makes clear that America has done well under his quietly competent leadership — featuring significant public investment, taming of inflation, and rebirth of manufacturing. Trump has framed the choice as strength or weakness. I’d rather have someone in the White House who’s competent (even if weak) than someone who’s crazy (even if strong). But I fear voters may choose strength over competence. Strength is one of the central narratives of America. In the mythic telling, America was borne from grit, guts, and gumption.
Click through for his rationale. Messaging, yes – but more than that. I think Bob is on to something. Unless – do you suppose Joe could claim the mantle of the myth by messaging “Good old American know-how”?

Food For Thought