Monday’s Forum

FILED UNDER: Open Forum
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. DK says:

    The Putin-apologists sure are quiet these days. Must be tough tryna figure out how to blame NATO for Russia attacking Russia.

    5
  2. Bill Jempty says:
  3. Kathy says:

    I just read a short novel called Immortality Inc., by Robert Sheckley.

    It has an interesting take on the afterlife, though we don’t get to see it. Since the author sees fit not to explain a thing until about one third in, it’s hard to say much about it without potential spoilers. More interesting, perhaps, are the effects on Earth. We do get to see ghosts, reincarnations, and zombies, all with a rational, scientific explanation (in the novel’s internal logic, not in any real sense).

    It’s a short novel that took me just over one day to get through.

    1
  4. Bill Jempty says:
  5. charontwo says:

    https://twitter.com/DavidCornDC/status/1672975738679468032

    We’re well beyond Fox ever being embarrassed or shamed. But here’s Bartiromo saying the Biden admin. cooked up the Russia coup story to deflect attention from Hunter Biden. Yes, she really did, noting the possible coup in a nuclear state wasn’t important to the US.

    2
  6. charontwo says:

    https://twitter.com/MattBinder/status/1673154672004149248

    one of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s neighbors accidentally tried to screen cast to the wrong TV

    so naturally her first thought is that this means someone is trying to assassinate her

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fzg9TkxX0AMTPaJ?format=jpg&name=medium

  7. CSK says:

    @charontwo:

    And I have seen speculation that the Titan immersible catastrophe was created to deflect attention from Hunter Biden.

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  8. charontwo says:
  9. charontwo says:

    @CSK:

    Shows how easy it is to manipulate people. People in the conservative bubble keep hearing Hunter Biden, so they think it is a big story outside their bubble as well.

    1
  10. CSK says:

    @charontwo:

    Indeed. I was amused by the thought of two competing equally ludicrous conspiracy theories.

  11. Barry says:

    @DK: “The Putin-apologists sure are quiet these days. Must be tough tryna figure out how to blame NATO for Russia attacking Russia.”

    They did not know from where their next paycheck would be coming.

    1
  12. OzarkHillbilly says:

    For 24,248 days, my eldest brother successfully fought off the demons of despair. Yesterday he finally succumbed. In death, he has found the peace he could never fully grasp in life. I love you Brother Dave, always and forever. I hope your wife, children, stepchildren, and grandchildren can find acceptance, because understanding will always be denied them.

    12
  13. charontwo says:
  14. MarkedMan says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: So sorry to hear.

    2
  15. CSK says:

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I’m so sorry. You have my very deepest condolences.

    2
  16. Jen says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: I am so very sorry. You and his other loved ones are in my thoughts.

    2
  17. Sleeping Dog says:

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    My condolences to you and his family.

    2
  18. Bob2@Youngstown says:

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    My condolences as well, it’s hard to fully grasp the pain and confusion unless one has personally experienced it.

    1
  19. Scott says:

    I’m so sorry to hear this. My thoughts will be with you and your family.

    1
  20. Neil Hudelson says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: Fuck, I’m so sorry man.

    1
  21. Mister Bluster says:

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    Peace, Love and Tears

    1
  22. SC_Birdflyte says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: Losing a sibling has its own special pain. Most sincere condolences to all who loved your brother.

    1
  23. Joe says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: My condolences to your family and his.

    1
  24. just nutha says:

    @charontwo: I was going to link to an article I saw on Yahoo late yesterday about this. Interesting to know the background to “my TV was spying on me. ” Sounds a lot less para schizo now.

  25. just nutha says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: My condolences to you and yours. May your brother rest in peace finally.

    1
  26. gVOR10 says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: So sad to read this.

    1
  27. CSK says:

    Judge Cannon has denied the special counsel’s request to keep the names of the 84 witnesses in the doc case under seal.

    2
  28. Jax says:

    @CSK: She should be removed from the bench for this. She is literally putting lives in danger.

    2
  29. CSK says:

    @Jax:

    The MAGA hordes will love this information.

  30. Bill Jempty says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: My deepest condolences.

    I lost my half-sister Patty 9 years ago. Patty and I were closer than I was with my only full sibling, my brother George. My very first ebook, published just a little a month before her death, was dedicated to Patty.

  31. Jay L Gischer says:

    @CSK: Well, I think the more mundane consequence is that Trump gets to do witness tampering. I find it hard to imagine that he won’t try.

    Some of those witnesses, though, might wear wires. Some might be wiretapped. Some might quit their jobs and change their phones, etc. Some might take an inducement. It’s going to be a real show though. My money is heavily against “nothing will happen”.

    I wonder if a decision like that is subject to appeal? I wonder if the Special Counsel thinks its worth the time?

    UPDATE: Marcy Wheeler does not feel it’s anything to get too excited about. I generally trust her on the details: https://www.emptywheel.net/2023/06/26/aileen-cannons-not-abnormal-orders/

    1
  32. CSK says:

    @Jay L Gischer:

    I think the witness list is already available to Trump’s lawyers. Will Trump personally threaten or intimidate those witnesses? Of course not. He’ll assume–correctly–that the MAGAs will do it on his behalf.

  33. Mikey says:

    @OzarkHillbilly: I am so sorry for your loss, Ozark. May his memory be a blessing.

    1