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 ...
Sam says:
I kind of hate football, but I love both the Conference Championships and the Super Bowl. It's my understanding that the Super Bowl is the Great American Party.
Take care, and have a blast! I'm happy for you (and I'm cheering for the Cardinals too).
j says:
First a black president, and now THIS???
Jeff says:
Wait for the Royals to win the World Series this year, then I'll be floored.
dbsmall says:
I won my Last-man-standing pool this year. I picked Arizona in week 2.
I had no idea, or expectation, they'd make it this far. Almost sent you in an offer to bet on this playoff game. (The letter would have started "how can you win a playoff game without defense?")
Congrats.
My Raiders aren't faring nearly as well. But, then, Al Davis is still being listened to.
Patti says:
Yes j, it's a world gone mad. If the Cubs win the World Series in 2009 as well, can the apocalypse be too far behind?