Monday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Monday, February 19, 2024
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24 comments
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).
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What would Jesus say? New York archdiocese calls funeral for trans activist at cathedral ‘scandalous’
They were upset by how well dressed some people were?
Oh please, me thinks thou dost protest too much. You guys are the experts at degrading in sacrilegious and deceptive ways.
Heaven forbid! But wait a minute, about that Jesus guy…
But the holier than thou crowd just can’t help themselves:
Yeah well, I desecrate Catholic churches every time I walk into one for a funeral. Don’t worry, I won’t have a funeral service in one. TBH, I doubt there will be any kind of funeral for me.
So horse jumping has an NFL too.
From 60 Minutes episode by Anderson Cooper:
Regretful Wisconsin fake elector says he was tricked into signing phony document claiming Trump won in 2020
Hard to excerpt, so go ahead and read it. And then tell me this can’t happen again.
All it takes is weak men and women.
Boeing’s falling behind Airbus.
Overall, between orders and deliveries, the two companies have historically split the market about 50/50. After the MAX and 787 debacles, it’s closer to 60/40 now, in favor of Airbus.
Meantime, lots of airlines are waiting for deliveries.
IMO, this is what happens when industries consolidate so much.
And I’m 90% sure the aim of Boom, the company trying to develop a commercial supersonic airliner, is to be acquired by Boeing once their plane proves successful.
@Scott: I watched the segment and thought Jack Smith has a couple of potential witnesses here. One woman pointed out how deeply involved Ken Cheesebro was in handling the mechanics of getting the fake electoral votes to DC. As to the former chair of the Wisconsin GOP…he came across as a dupe…a chastened dupe now, but still far too willing to dive into an operation that he knew was wrong at best and illegal at worst because he feared backlash from the MAGA cult.
@OzarkHillbilly:
I do love getting moral instruction from an organization known to have enabled, perpetrated and covered-up thousands of cases of rape of a child.
Under reported story of the weekend.
During Trump’s sneakers appearance, he was scheduled to speak for 45-60 mins. That’s what the organizers were promised. He quit after 1 minute 22 seconds due to booing that didn’t stop.
Remind me again how Trump is connecting to young males…..
Trump booed onstage.
@EddieInCA: Music to my ears. If only they had started chanting “Lock Him UP! Lock Him UP!”
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China has fallen 83%, to the lowest number since 1993. I don’t think that number’s been inflation adjusted, so in constant dollars it’s likely far lower than 1993.
The world has lost faith in the Chinese economic miracle. The Hang Seng (Hong Kong stock) has dropped -22%, Shanghai down as well, in the same year the NASDAQ rose by 37% and the Dow 16%.
Sorry, Xi. Thank you, Joe.
@Kathy: Boeing’s decline is what happens when a company forgets the business they’re in in favor of letting the bean counters make the decisions.
@OzarkHillbilly: Did those Catholic organizations release any such statements about the new reports of child sex abuse within the church — 2,000 children in Illinois (uncovered in May 2023), a thousand in Pennsylvania (uncovered in August of 2018), 200,000 in Spain (uncovered October 2023), or the Tennessee Catholic priest indicted last week for diddling kids?
The Catholic Church has no moral credibility and should shit up until it’s child rape problem is fixed.
@rachel:
I’m more concerned about the lack of other commercial aircraft manufacturers.
Suppose Southwest or Ryanair, two of the largest all-Boeing airlines, decided to order from the A320 or A220 families to expand, or even to maintain their market. Airbus won’t have the capacity to meet their orders quickly.
I’m sure John Oliver would be good for it, but not sure whether it would be legal.
Also, Clarence probably likes the power as well as the money.
@Kathy: IANAL, but I don’t see any reason it would not be legal. In fact we should do it more often. Buying Saddam out would probably have been a lot cheaper than two wars. Putin, however, probably has so much power and money we couldn’t afford to buy him out.
The real problem is that Thomas already has a luxury motor home and is probably doing better than a mil a year with his current arrangements.
Things like this give me hope. From a David French OpEd on being targeted by MAGAs:
@gVOR10:
Paying tribute to enemies was common in ancient times. Often it involved a stronger power extorting it from a weaker one. So in the case of Saddam, Kuwait ought to have paid it before the invasion, or offered to do so after (maybe they even did).
These days this is seen as repugnant, and as encouraging other countries to invade and/or bully smaller ones.
And billionaires to boss around and make demands from. He strikes me as the kind who’d value such power above the money involved.
Even 10-15 years ago I was reading opinion pieces from “sensible” pundits pooh-poohing the idea that renewables would ever be more than a few percent of our generating capacity. Solar + battery storage will make up 81% of new US electric generating capacity in 2024
@MarkedMan:
That was a good column and I too hope that the LEO’s response is reflective of a large portion of the population.
@Kathy:
I would have addressed the offer to Ginny.
@dazedandconfused: annnndddd…. dazedandconfused wins the internet for today!
@MarkedMan:..“You keep speaking, and I’ll stand guard.”…
Reminds me of a time in the distant past when I was sitting at the horseshoe bar of one of the local watering holes. I was not part of the conversation. Across from me I overheard a citizen say: “When I joined the Air Force I took an oath to defend the Constitution, not Richard Nixon’s foreign policy.”
I’ve been reading a bit on how Lardass will manage to pay up the various judgments against him. The subject of bonds comes up a lot.
In our business, we make use of binds all the time (literally, all the time). Each contract we sign with a government agency, includes a guarantee of 5% to 15% of the maximum amount stated in the contract. The most common is 10%.
So, suppose we win a proposal worth 170 million pesos ($10 million US give or take). When we sign the contract, we need to post the guarantee for 17 million pesos. This can be done in three ways:
1) deposit the money to the agency’s account. This would be returned upon completion of the contract (usually valid for one year). But in the meantime the company cannot use the money, and it loses value to inflation.
2) Certified or cashier’s check in the agency’s name. Same objections as above, plus there’s a commission charged by the bank for issuing it.
3) a bond. This is the one we use all the time (see above).
Thing is, I don’t know quite how it works. I’ve been told it works like insurance. In this case, insurance on completion of the contract. In fact, most bond agencies we work with are also insurance agencies. This would mean we pay a premium, and there should be a copay and deductible, should the government cash the guarantee (BTW, while there are various reasons why it can, most often it will be done only if the contract is rescinded).
The thing is that a rescission is a legal matter somewhat open to interpretation. The bond agency will try not to pay, just like insurers try not to pay out claims. They may negotiate a lower payment, convince the agency not to rescind the contract, even take the matter to the courts. Of course, all that would cost us money in legal fees as well.
The various bond agencies we use, make money on the same way insurers do: by taking in more in premiums than is paid out in claims. Bonds are also used in other contexts, though I know really little about any of those. But just for guaranteeing government contracts, the market is HUGE. Especially in public works.
So, does the hypothetical Lardass bond also work as insurance against an unsuccessful appeal? How much would he have to pay the bond issuer after he loses the appeal*? Who’d be stupid enough to put their money on the Drumpfs anyway?
*IMO, the awards might be reduced, but it’s highly unlikely any verdict will be reversed.
Dawg, I’ve never been to NYC but I just gotta love New Yorkers.
My hope and prayer is that people like Michael Jonas have a greater impact in our country’s politics. Not yet a full-fledged supporter, but I have worked with Michael in regard to setting up legal documents for a non-profit. He lifts my heart.