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 ...
Shane says:
I heard the airport situation in Toronto was a nightmare, but once you make it through have fun. I give you full permission to use any and all drink tickets I might have been able to acquire.
Halcyon says:
Oh, no question. As a native boy, everyone in Atlanta goes out of their way to avoid having to go through Hartsfield if at all possible. But you haven't yet had the most fun possible. If you think domestic flights are a nightmare there, wait until you're coming back into the country through that blight upon the landscape. It involves, and I shit you not, checking your bags two more times AFTER YOU LAND to get through security. You get your luggage, then tote it about 100 yards to check it through the customs desk AGAIN. It is honestly the dumbest experience I have ever had.
Patton says:
1. Yeah, technology is insane, isn't it?
2. Yeah, you're probably right.
3. Word.
Daniel says:
Newark is the best airport in the world if you want crippling delays and bottled-up congestion of aircraft. It is a black hole, the Bermuda Triangle, and almost statistically impossible to be anything but 5 hours late if Newark Airport is involved.
Nick says:
Ensuring injury/death of other people to save yourself? Ayn Rand would be so proud.