The photos of the "crowds" at the tank parade remind me of when Bill Hicks would come on stage in an almost-empty club, scan the room slowly, and announce "I've had more people in bed than this" ...
When the president sends a cabinet member on TV to announce "We are using the military to liberate an American city from its elected leaders," where do you go from there. What is left to say. The idea of that being anything short of a near-universal "Wait, what the fuck is going on" moment proves how far we've backslid.
This is from 2022 but it was absolutely right. The practiced buffoonery of Trump 1, all the "just kiddings" and "seriously but not literallys" absolutely succeeded in desensitizing people who are hardly paying any attention to the harder stuff they always intended to do next. ...
The basic fallacy in chasing votes by being "tough on immigration" is that the modal American's position on the issue is "Deport the Bad ones and keep the Good ones," and they alone know who is which, and that simply does not translate into workable policy. So this kind of gestapo stuff horrifies some of the same people who cheered when Trump promised to do it. There are true sociopaths who love this, but "No, I meant only the BAD immigrants! Not my coworker/friend/neighbor!" is as likely a reaction as enthusiasm. You cannot do immigration policy that satisfies these people because what they want is nonsensical.
So by the time center-left parties fully commit to chasing the far right by "getting tough" on immigration, the backlash has already begun to build and they walk right into it. "I thought you people wanted this!" No, they want something impossible and convinced themselves they'd could have it - the "eat whatever you want AND lose weight!" of immigration policies.
It is hard to grasp but large masses of Americans are both racist/xenophobic AND not racist/xenophobic enough to applaud what Trump is doing. It's goldilocks shit, they want a level of racism/xenophobia calibrated exactly to their personal preferences, and you just can't make that policy. Don't try. ...
AP: Trump extends olive branch, invites Musk to White House cellar to taste some brand new amontillado ...
d.a. madigan says:
Congratulatoins! I'm deeply, bitterly jealous, but you rock!
Ryan says:
"…since state capitols are the source of the real nightmare legislation in recent years."
I can't remember where I heard it (perhaps here, perhaps Charles Pierce), but I remember a telling description of our system describing the state legislatures as the "Meth Labs of Democracy." I think that's a term that deserves wider use.
DH says:
Nice! It's about time somebody paid you for this!
mothra says:
Wheeee! Good job, Ed, and fantastic call to arms where it really matters. I keep telling people that the best thing they can do to resist is get involved at the local level. As you point out, that is where it really matters and it is also where the politics are likely to affect you more immediately. Trumpcare being a notable exception, of course.
sluggo says:
Way to go Ed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ux3-a9RE1Q
ronzie says:
Don't forget, state legislatures dominated by republicans may soon be sending delegates to a new Constitutional convention. http://www.commoncause.org/issues/more-democracy-reforms/constitutional-convention/executive-summary.html
Katydid says:
ED! That's GREAT! Congratulations on a long-deserved sale!
Alice Walker says:
Congrats Ed!
Periscope says:
Good job Ed. Nice for you to get recognized in the non-academic realm.
One thing to consider is the relative plasticity of public opinion in the timeframe of a single election cycle versus the rigidity of legislative district demarcations over many election cycles. Public opinion and party affiliation seems to be more plastic, especially when the party falls out of favor by being duplicitous and working against the interests of their constituents (both D and R). Drawing district lines may be guided by 'scientific' principles, but the assumptions surrounding affiliation are as reliable as election polling – like driving with only the rear-view mirror.
An example of plasticity: https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UdIDT9PSiFY/WVJznoxE_cI/AAAAAAAAwHg/lxjWAYOVwE8yGDJpUzEqJml2KcytJ8NgQCLcBGAs/s1600/PG_2017.06.26.US_Image-00-0.png
Geoff says:
Congratulations! Great article.
anotherbozo says:
Congratulations, Ed, and I look forward to you becoming a household word! Well, at least as famous as Thomas Frank or Paul Krugman or Robert Reich. Go team!
other bill says:
Congrats! Keep it up…
Bitter Scribe says:
Nice work, Ed.
democommie says:
Good for you, Ed:
Let me know if you need any help "Punching things up!". Dude, throw me a bone, I'm dyin' here!
geoff says:
FUCK YEAH ED!!
I'm REALLY happy for you : )
(Do I need to change my name to othergeoff?)
geoff says:
(Tho the snarkster in me finds it kinda ironic that just the other day you ended your "both political parties are void of ideas" piece with a link to the Hill article on "Dems push leaders to talk less about Russia". But THAT'S OK.)
Anyway, SUCK IT TAIBBI!! THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN!!
Major Kong says:
Woo hoo!
Stephane says:
What took you so long?! xo
c u n d gulag says:
HUZZAH!!!
(Pre-20th Century, for "YAY!", or "HURRAH!").
Congrats, Ed.!
And, of course, you're right.
schmitt trigger says:
Let's Rock & Roll!! Congrats.
Scepticus says:
Is Everything still Terrible All the Time?
This seems not so terrible.
democommie says:
Everything ELSE is still terrible all of the time.
greatlaurel says:
Congratulations, Ed. I am very proud of you. Outstanding topic for your article with a very timely message. Keep up the good!
RosiesDad says:
This is really cool. Pretty soon, maybe we'll be able to say, "I was reading Ed when he was just a frustrated college professor…"
Congrats.
Leading Edge Boomer says:
Nice article Ed. I hope this opens more doors, but I also hope your "developments" do not include walking away from a day job, just yet. Hang in there.
mago says:
Ride ride ride the wild surf. . .
Emerson Dameron says:
An impressive major-label debut – mazel tov!
xjmueller says:
Congrats! Well done.
Stephen Johnson says:
Congratulations! Nice article, too.
swkellogg says:
Congratulations. One caveat — brace yourself when/if you read the comments. RS seems to be one of the worst troll gardens on the toobz (at least if Taibbi's stuff is any indication) with enough RWNJ posting to form a singularity of stupid.
Wim says:
Make of this what you will, but: years ago I saw Ed doing stand-up in Athens GA and I had the thought that his material was just a little too cerebral for drunken undergraduates. What this guy needs to do, I thought, was write for some magazine like Rolling Stone.
Tteddo says:
Congrats Ed!!
Squeaky Wheel says:
EXCELLENT Rolling Stone piece! Congratulations!
But everything is still terrible!
J. Dryden says:
Came to this late, but it'd be churlish (callback!) not to say Congratulations, Well Done, and Well Deserved.
Greg Eckhardt says:
Longtime lurker here but a big fan, so I wanted to chime in as well. It's about time you received recognition and compensation for your great work. Congratulations, Ed!
Vinny says:
The death knell of ginandtacos :(
gbbalto says:
Ed – Congratulations! I hope you write (and get paid for) many more.
democommie says:
Ed:
Just in case, I've already secured the domain name:
"Cristal and Canapes.com"
Lemme know.
Jack the Cold Warrior says:
Glad you hit the Big Time! Congratulations!
Bjm says:
I've been reading G&T for about ten years now and couldn't be more joyously happy to see you achieving this. You should pitch them a weekly RFONPR / NPF column. I'd buy it at the damn store just to support you.
Talisker says:
Coming in late here, but: Congratulations, Ed!
I've been a fan since sometime in 2007 or 2008, and you deserve it.
Nathan says:
Well done man…….Congrats!!