Politics Plus

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Don Pasquale” by Gaetano Donizetti, a comic opera (with elements of farce), written especially for four particular singers (so the four leads’ part are ver showy.) It’s very critical of old age,although the libretto makes it pretty chear ir isn’t Pasquale’s age that’s his problem – it’s his gigantic ego (thinks he’s “he who must be obeyed.” Sound familiar?) Unrealistic though it may be (if only it were that easy to cure a narcissist!), it has moments of great humor and moments of great beauty, and also quite possibly the best “patter” song (a duet for baritone and bass) outside of Gilbert and Sullivan. That’s not just my opinion – it gets encored in many productions – not today, though it was warmly applauded. Like all comedies, this one is best when the principals do their utmost to play it dead straight. The humor of a comic character is in who the character is, and normally he or she should not be aware that he or she is funny Which may be one reason (though I believe there are many) why good comedians have so much more strength that they are usually given credit for. In other news, the snow was almost gone (by today it will have disappeared) under the brightly shining sun. In still other news, the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) newsletter for the week was all about the Fourteenth Amendment. I can’t link to their newsletters, but I can link to their report and to their press release on the report.

Cartoon – 20 1120Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

The New Yorker – Larry Krasner and the Limits of “Law and Order”
Quote – Republicans blame Krasner for the spike in violent crimes in [Philadelphia] since 2020, and claim that his refusal to prosecute to the fullest extent allowed by law is the reason why. After the recall of Chesa Boudin, then the district attorney of San Francisco, following a campaign that was bankrolled by a few wealthy activist donors—the more typical affront to democracy—Pennsylvania Republican Party officials seek to abuse their power and simply remove Krasner from office themselves. On Wednesday, remarkably, lawmakers began that process, voting for his impeachment.
Click through for details. Of course any “spike in violent crimes … since 2020” is going to be directly traceable to the pandemic, and the failure of Republicans to deal with it or protect the citizenry. But they don’t even believe their own BS. This was a stunt to rally their base to the midterms. If the facts in this article don’t make you angry, check your pulse and oxygen.

truthout – Dem Lawmaker Circulates Letter in Congress Calling for Trump’s Disqualification
Quote – “Give[n] the proof — demonstrated through the January 6th Committee Hearings, the 2021 impeachment trial, and other reporting — that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection on January 6th with the intention of overturning the lawful 2020 election results, I have drafted legislation that would prevent Donald Trump from holding public office again under the Fourteenth Amendment,” Cicilline wrote…. Cicilline’s bill “details testimony and evidence demonstrating how Donald Trump engaged in insurrection against the United States” based on revelations made during the January 6 committee’s hearings, his letter says.
Click through for full article. One would think the Fourteenth Amendment would be enough. It was enough to disqualify Couy Griffin in New Mexico, and that verdict has stood up in the New Mexico Supreme Court. But there is not yet a comtemporary Federal precedent (to set a precedent a verdict must come from an apellate court or higher) and solid legal backing is needed sooner than that is likely to happen.

The Real News Network – In Key Swing States, Union Members Are Democrats’ Last Line Of Defense
Quote – And that’s what we’re here to talk about today, because we’ve got a really exciting panel here with folks with the amazing UNITE HERE union canvassing in states around the country including key battleground states like Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. And we’re going to introduce y’all to those folks in just a second, and we’re going to talk a bit about the canvassing work that they’re doing, what it means for them as union members to be fighting this fight, what they are hearing from people on the ground that they are talking to by knocking on countless doors in these states. They’re really, really doing the essential work that needs to be done to reach people, to understand what people are going through and what they want from these elections.
Click through for full transcript of panel. It’s a long transcript, and I realize I am preaching to the choir here, but it has some good information.

Food For Thought