The Commentariat -- February 20, 2021

Afternoon Update:

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here.

Darlene Superville of the AP: "A month into the job..., [President] Biden is seeing his disaster management skills tested after winter storms plunged Texas, Oklahoma and neighboring states into an unusual deep freeze that left millions shivering in homes that lost heat and power, and in many homes, water. At least 69 deaths across the U.S. have been blamed on the blast of unseasonable weather. The White House announced on Saturday that the president had declared a major disaster in Texas, and he has asked federal agencies to identify additional resources to address the suffering.... The president is getting regular updates from his staff and already declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana -- adding the disaster designation announced Saturday for Texas.... Biden has spoken to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. He tweeted a photo of himself on the phone with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas. Oklahoma's Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, a staunch supporter of Trump's, was quick to praise Biden for swift action on a disaster declaration."

Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal judge in Washington on Friday formally referred a Minnesota lawyer for potential discipline over a lawsuit filed in December seeking to overturn President Joe Biden's wins in at least five battleground states. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg said the suit was so flimsy and legally flawed that it could merit the attorney who filed it, Erick Kaardal of Minneapolis, facing some sort of punishment from the court."

Florida. Matt Dixon of Politico: "Florida is getting four federally-backed Covid-19 vaccination hubs in largely low-income communities of color, an announcement that comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis initially clashed with the Biden administration over federal vaccine help. The new sites, which were announced Friday, will be in areas of Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Orlando picked through a federal vulnerability index that considered things like minority population, socioeconomic status and housing types.... DeSantis made no mention of the four new federally backed vaccination sites during a public event held shortly before they were announced. That event in Palm Beach County was set up by DeSantis' taxpayer-funded office, but had the appearance of a campaign rally, including a [MB: maskless] cheering audience and at least one attendee wearing a shirt that said 'Masks are Slavery.'... Last month, DeSantis dismissively referred to the Biden administration's planned vaccine sites as 'FEMA camps.'" MB: DeSantis really does not want minorities & Democrats to get the vaccines.

Vladimir Isachenkov of the AP: "A Moscow court on Saturday rejected Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's appeal of his prison sentence, even as the country faced an order from a top European rights court to free the Kremlin's most prominent foe. A few hours later, a judge in a separate case ordered Navalny to pay a fine for defaming a World War II veteran. During the first court hearing, Navalny urged Russians to stand up to the Kremlin in a fiery speech mixing references to the Bible and 'Harry Potter.'"

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Anne Gearan of the Washington Post: "President Biden delivered a stark warning to global leaders and policymakers on Friday that 'democratic progress is under assault' in many parts of the world, including the United States and Europe. 'Our partnerships have endured and grown through the years because they are rooted in the richness of our shared democratic values,' Biden said during remarks by video to the Munich Security Conference. 'They're not transactional. They're not extractive. They're built on a vision of the future where every voice matters. Where the rights of all are protected and the rule of law is upheld. None of us has fully succeeded in achieving this vision....' The speech came on a day when Biden is delivering his most extensive remarks on foreign policy as president and inviting Iran to begin face-to-face diplomacy. Earlier Friday, the president addressed leaders of the Group of Seven in a virtual meeting." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ David Sanger, et al., of the New York Times: "President Biden used his first public encounter with America's European allies to describe a new struggle between the West and the forces of autocracy, declaring that 'America is back' while acknowledging that the past four years had taken a toll on its power and influence. His message stressing the importance of reinvigorating alliances and recommitting to defending Europe was predictably well received at a session of the Munich Security Conference that Mr. Biden addressed from the White House. But there was also pushback, notably from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who in his address made an impassioned defense of his concept of 'strategic autonomy' from the United States, making the case that Europe can no longer be overly dependent on the United States as it focuses more of its attention on Asia, especially China. And even Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who is leaving office within the year, tempered her praise for Mr. Biden's decision to cancel plans for a withdrawal of 12,000 American troops from the country with a warning that 'our interests will not always converge.'"

Matt Viser of the Washington Post: "President Biden toured a sprawling Pfizer manufacturing plant [in Portage, Michigan,] on Friday, seeking to draw attention to his plan to increase the number of coronavirus vaccine doses available to Americans and bolster the $1.9 trillion package he is pushing in Congress. The 1,300-acre facility, the largest Pfizer manufacturing site, is where millions of the first doses of the vaccine were produced and shipped out in December -- two of which were injected into Biden's own arm.... He touted some of the work he has done -- and also laid significant blame at the feet of ... Donald Trump, even as he hailed the development of the vaccine that occurred while his predecessor was in office." ~~~

     ~~~ Erica Werner of the Washington Post: "President Biden mounted a strong defense Friday of his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan, addressing GOP critics who say it's too big and asking, 'What would they have me cut?... Should we not invest 20 billion dollars to vaccinate the nation?' Biden asked during a visit to a Pfizer plant in Kalamazoo, Mich. 'Should we not invest 50 billion dollars to help small businesses stay open when tens of thousands have had to close permanently?... How many people do you know will go to bed tonight staring at the ceiling saying, "God, what is going to happen if I don't get my job, if I don't have my unemployment check?"' Biden added."

Oliver Laughland of the Guardian & Agencies: "Joe Biden said on Friday he was ready to declare a major disaster in Texas after a deadly winter storm cut power and disrupted water supplies for millions across the state. Biden said the declaration, which follows a request from the Texas governor, Greg Abbott, would open up broader federal aid for immediate and long-term recovery efforts. A presidential visit to the state is being planned for next week. 'As I said when I ran, I'm going to be a president for all Americans,' said Biden, who won November's election without winning Texas, of his plans. 'If I can do it without creating a burden for folks, I plan on going.'" MB: In fairness to Donald Trump, he did go to San Juan to throw paper towels at Puerto Ricans & to California to tell them to vacuum the forest floors.

Darryl Fears of the Washington Post: "As Rep. Deb Haaland prepares for a Senate hearing Tuesday that could make her the first Native American in history to lead the Interior Department, her supporters are listening to Republican opposition to her nomination with worry -- and anger. Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, is expected to face sharp questioning from GOP members on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee regarding her opposition to new oil and gas drilling leases on federal land -- a position she shares with President Biden. Her lifetime score on environmental issues with the League of Conservation Voters is 98 percent. In addition to breaking a barrier at Interior, Haaland would be the first Native American Cabinet secretary. In a letter to Biden last month, congressional Republicans asked him to revoke her historic nomination over their concerns. At least one Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, the committee chairman, has said he has not decided how he will vote."

Jeff Stein & Colby Itkowitz of the Washington Post: "Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) on Friday announced his opposition to President Biden's choice to lead the White House budget office, imperiling her nomination in a narrowly divided U.S. Senate. Neera Tanden, tapped to be director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, has emerged as a lightning rod for criticism over her prior attacks against Republican lawmakers and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).... Asked while leaving Air Force One if he was going to pull Tanden's nomination, Biden told reporters 'no' and expressed confidence that 'we are going to find the votes and get her confirmed,' according to a pool report. The White House also issued a statement defending Tanden." The New York Times' story is here. The NBC News story is here.

Spencer Hsu & Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "The Justice Department and FBI are investigating whether high-profile right-wing figures -- including Roger Stone and Alex Jones -- may have played a role in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach as part of a broader look into the mind-set of those who committed violence and their apparent paths to radicalization, according to people familiar with the investigation. The investigation into potential ties between key figures in the riot and those who promoted ... Donald Trump's false assertions that the election was stolen from him does not mean those who may have influenced rioters will face criminal charges, particularly given U.S. case law surrounding incitement and free speech, the people said.... However, investigators ... want to determine whether anyone who influenced them bears enough responsibility to justify potential criminal charges, such as conspiracy or aiding the effort, the officials said. That prospect is still distant and uncertain, they emphasized.... Shortly after the riot, Jones said on Infowars that he was invited by the White House on about Jan. 3 to 'lead the march' to the Capitol.... Jones ... told his viewers on Jan. 1, 'Roger Stone spent some substantial time with Trump in Florida just a few days ago, and I'm told big things are afoot and Trump's got major actions up his sleeve.'"

Katie Benner of the New York Times: "Justice Department officials are adding prosecutors and agents to their sprawling investigation into the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol as it moves into a more complicated phase and they strategize about how to handle the large caseload, including trying to stave off a potential backlog in the courts, according to law enforcement officials."

Marshall Cohen & David Shortell of CNN: "The Justice Department unsealed an indictment Friday tying together nine alleged associates of the right-wing Oath Keepers in the largest insurrection conspiracy charged to date related to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Prosecutors say the nine defendants from four states allegedly coordinated plans to travel to Washington to breach the Capitol and disrupt the certification of the presidential election. Three defendants were first charged last month, while six new defendants were arrested this week. The indictment unsealed Friday is the most significant step yet by federal prosecutors as they've mapped out organized activity within the massive mob that stormed the Capitol.... Searches of the defendants' cell phones and email accounts revealed coordinated logistics.... Some of the alleged co-conspirators were spotted in video footage moving in a military style formation through a crowd on the east side of the Capitol, and later congregated in the rotunda. And some of the defendants appeared to take their cues directly from ... Donald Trump, citing his public appeal for supporters to come to DC for a 'wild' rally on January 6." The New York Times' story is here.

Jane Winter in Yahoo! News: "The U.S. government is acknowledging for the first time that right-wing extremists were responsible for the majority of fatal domestic terrorist attacks last year, according to an internal report circulated by the Department of Homeland Security last week and obtained by Yahoo News. A review of last year's domestic terrorist incidents by a DHS fusion center -- which shares threat-related information between federal, state and local partners -- found that although civil unrest and antigovernment violence were associated with 'non-affiliated, right-wing and left-wing actors, right-wing [domestic violent extremists] were responsible for the majority of fatal attacks in the Homeland in 2020.'"

What Are Top Republicans Doing Today?

** International Mega-Criminal & Friend of Trump. Declan Walsh of the New York Times: "Erik Prince, the former head of the security contractor Blackwater Worldwide and a prominent supporter of ... Donald J. Trump, violated a United Nations arms embargo on Libya by sending weapons to a militia commander who was attempting to overthrow the internationally backed government, according to U.N. investigators. A confidential U.N. report obtained by The New York Times and delivered by investigators to the Security Council on Thursday reveals how Mr. Prince deployed a force of foreign mercenaries, armed with attack aircraft, gunboats and cyberwarfare capabilities, to eastern Libya at the height of a major battle in 2019. As part of the operation, which the report said cost $80 million, the mercenaries also planned to form a hit squad that could track down and kill selected Libyan commanders. Mr. Prince, a former Navy SEAL and the brother of Betsy DeVos, Mr. Trump's education secretary, became a symbol of the excesses of privatized American military force when his Blackwater contractors killed 17 Iraqi civilians in 2007.... The accusation that Mr. Prince violated the U.N.'s arms embargo on Libya exposes him to possible U.N. sanctions, including a travel ban and a freeze on his bank accounts and other assets...."

If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you. -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, February 2016 ~~~

~~~ Hating on Ted Is a National Pastime. Lisa Lerer of the New York Times: "For a politician long reviled not just by Democrats but also by many of his Republican colleagues in Washington, Mr. Cruz is now the landslide winner for the title of the least sympathetic politician in America.... Throughout his political career, Mr. Cruz has united politicians from former President George W. Bush to Senator Rand Paul in mutual distaste.... His opportunism often enraged fellow Republicans. After voting against federal aid for Hurricane Sandy, Mr. Cruz lobbied Congress five years later for billions of dollars as Texas cleaned up from Hurricane Harvey." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ "One Night in Cancun." Ashley Parker of the Washington Post: Ted Cruz's "brief tropical sojourn yielded at least two unflattering nicknames on social media -- Cancun Cruz and Flyin' Ted -- and prompted a Twitter-fueled news cycle that seemed to unite a broken nation.... Cancun-gate checked nearly every possible box of a scandal. The sad-sack black roller suitcase and oversize canvas tote, awaiting its beach debut! The fleece half-zip as part of the classic frumpy Dad ensemble! The 6 a.m. scramble to book a return flight! The politician seeming to blame his preteen daughters! The adorable family dog, possibly left home alone! The police escort! The leaked text messages, with a 'Real Housewives of Houston' mood!" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Some of Ted's few defenders argued that there's nothing a U.S. senator can do about a local distaster. Apparently Ted didn't agree with that a couple of years ago:

~~~ AND There's This. Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post: "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has helped raise $2 million in direct relief for Texans struggling with power outages and freezing temperatures, and she announced Friday that she's heading the state to help distribute supplies to people in need. In other words, the Democratic congresswoman from New York City is doing more to help Texans rebound from the state's duel crises ― a devastating ice storm in the midst of a pandemic ― than their own Republican senator, Ted Cruz.... Ocasio-Cortez said she'll be meeting with Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) in Houston to help get supplies out to people and amplify the region's needs and solutions." Thanks to RAS for the lead.

Constitutional Amendments Are Bad. Or Something. David Moye of the Huffington Post: "If you're a politician who has promised to uphold the Constitution, it might help if you're actually familiar with what document includes. Apparently, freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) isn't, based on a tweet she posted Friday morning. 'Protecting and defending the Constitution doesn't mean trying to rewrite the parts you don't like.'... Many Twitter users decided to give her the civics lesson she apparently missed in high school. Parker Molloy [tweeted,] 'That is literally what amendments are.'... Others pointed out that Boebert's alleged actions before and after the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection don't suggest someone who really is interested in 'protecting and defending the Constitution.'... One man pointed out the real irony of Boebert's tweet: She is currently co-sponsoring a Constitutional amendment to limit the number of terms a person can serve in Congress."

Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit Rep. Devin Nunes filed in 2019 claiming he was libeled by CNN in reports alleging he was involved in an effort to dig up Ukraine-related dirt on Joe Biden. In a ruling Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain granted the news network's motion to dismiss the suit, which sought a whopping $435 million in damages.... Swain dismissed the suit against CNN on a technical ground: She found California law applied to the case and Nunes had failed to request a retraction as required under the laws of the Golden State."

Robert Barnes of the Washington Post: "A federal judge whose son was killed and whose husband was critically wounded in an attack at their home in New Jersey said in a televised interview released Friday that the gunman also had targeted Justice Sonia Sotomayor. U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas told CBS's '60 Minutes' in an interview that will air Sunday that authorities found a locker used by the killer, Roy Den Hollander, a lawyer who had a case before Salas and who committed suicide after killing her 20-year-old son, Daniel, in the summer. 'They found another gun, a Glock, more ammunition,' Salas said. 'But the most troubling thing they found was a manila folder with a work-up on Justice Sonia Sotomayor.'" The CBS News story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Marie: Yesterday, I linked to a "Fresh Air" interview of Heather McGhee, who has written a book about how "discriminatory laws and practices that target African Americans also negatively impact society at large." Today, Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times has more on McGhee: "McGhee's book is about the many ways racism has defeated efforts to create a more economically just America. Once the civil rights movement expanded America's conception of 'the public,' white America's support for public goods collapsed.... McGhee is trying to shift the focus from how racism benefits white people to how it costs them." MB: Smarter confederates, like Mitch McConnell, have long since figured out McGhee's thesis, and they use racism as a tool to advance their nasty preference for "small government." So-called "conservatism" is about conserving "white privilege," but only for those at the tippy-top of the economic and/or power scales. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The Washington Post's live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

New York. Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "Trying to quell a growing outcry over the state's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday launched into a 90-minute defense of his actions while lashing out at critics he said were operating in a 'toxic political environment.' Mr. Cuomo said he understood the outrage over his monthslong undercounting of deaths in those facilities, but insisted no state policy contributed to that toll. At the same time, however, the governor unveiled a series of reforms to address the management and safety of nursing homes, saying, 'that is the only way families will have peace of mind.'"

Beyond the Beltway

New York. Nick Niedzwiadek & Anna Gronewold of Politico: Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) over-the-top angry phone calls "have become commonplace in recent years and transcend political affiliation and other dividing lines. Many describe receiving angry calls late in the evening, or at other inopportune times, and being unable to get off the phone with New York's most powerful official. Warnings and browbeating aren't unusual, say those familiar with the governor's approach.... Now, Cuomo's cutthroat tactics -- already the stuff of legend in Albany's halls of power -- have been on full display as the Democratic governor faces his biggest firestorm in years over his administration's handling of nursing home fatalities during Covid-19 and his unsparing treatment of lawmakers who have dared to step out against him." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Texas. Andrew Freedman of the Washington Post: "The operators of Texas' electrical grid as well as state leaders and officials in surrounding states had ample warning that a winter storm would bring record cold that could cause power demand to spike and threaten electrical infrastructure, according to a review of publicly available data from the National Weather Service. In fact, forecasters warned of the Arctic outbreak's severity more than a week in advance, which might have been enough time to take some steps to help mitigate against the need to cut power to millions in Texas.... As early as Feb. 5, which was 10 days before the Arctic air moved into the South, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) highlighted the risk of unusually cold weather and winter storms across the central and southern U.S.." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Giulia Nieto del Rio of the New York Times: "Judge Mark Henry, [Galveston C]ounty's top elected official, said he would have evacuated some of his most vulnerable residents in advance of the winter storm had he known that power outages would plunge the county into darkness for a few days. He said the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state's power grid, had warned only of rolling blackouts.... Coming into clearer view were the dimensions of a public health crisis exacerbated by poverty, desperation and, in some cases, a lack of understanding of cold-weather safety. Texas hospitals and health providers saw more than 700 visits related to carbon monoxide poisoning between Monday and Wednesday. Thayer Smith, division chief with the Austin Fire Department, said his city had seen dozens of incidents of toxic exposure from people burning charcoal in their homes. The weather also hampered the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The White House on Friday said six million doses of coronavirus vaccines had been held up because of snowstorms across the country, creating a backlog affecting every state and throwing off the pace of vaccination appointments over the next week." ~~~

~~~ Hannah Knowles of the Washington Post: When the power failed at an H-E-B grocery store in Leander, Texas, near Austin, clerks allowed shoppers to take home their groceries without paying. "The show of kindness this week at the H-E-B grocery store in Leander, Tex., has gone viral, a bright spot in a crushing week for Americans weathering a deadly winter storm that left people scrambling for food and clean water after mass power outages.... A Friday op-ed in the Houston Chronicle contrasted the generosity in Leander with authorities' failures: 'Why H-E-B comes through in a crisis when Texas government doesn't,' the headline read."

~~~ Annals of Journalism, Ctd. Elahe Izadi of the Washington Post: "Among millions of Texans who survived without electricity or water this week were hundreds of local journalists, responsible for publishing crucial information about the deadly winter storm while they were at its mercy. Reporters, many of whom have spent nearly a year with no physical newsroom because of the coronavirus, wrote articles from cars and backyard sheds, searched for cell service on overloaded towers and met deadlines as their water pipes burst and gas leaked into their homes.... Smaller papers such as the Amarillo Globe-News and Midland Reporter-Telegram were forced to halt deliveries, but kept their websites going.... The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit news outlet based in Austin, has become a lifeline for people looking to find or give help. The outlet, which shares its work free with other news organizations, launched an emergency text message service after many Austin residents failed to receive official notices about unsafe tap water." CNN has a similar story.

News Lede

AP: "Debris from a United Airlines plane fell onto Denver suburbs during an emergency landing Saturday after one of its engines suffered a catastrophic failure and rained pieces of the engine casing on a neighborhood where it narrowly missed a home. The plane landed safely, and nobody aboard or on the ground was reported hurt, authorities said. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the Boeing 777-200 returned to the Denver International Airport after experiencing a right-engine failure shortly after takeoff. Flight 328 was flying from Denver to Honolulu when the incident occurred, the agency said.... The Broomfield[, Colo.,] Police Department posted photos on Twitter showing large, circular pieces of debris leaning against a house in the suburb about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Denver. Police are asking that anyone injured come forward. Passengers recounted a terrifying ordeal that began to unfold shortly after the plane full of vacationers took off.... The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating."

Comments

[PD Pepe]

And who stepped up to help in the frozen Texas tundra? AOC––she of the Green New Deal that many Republicans have tried to take to the cleaners––"who the hell does she think she is"––heard from the chorus of climate change deniers. And my boy Beto, right at the start, began organizing phone banks to locate people unable to manage this catastrophe plus helped the distribution of food and water. Cruz beat him in the last election by a hair; next time the votes might very well be otherwise.

Many thanks bestowed to all those reporters who managed to get out the word despite their own harrowing circumstances.

... "As early as Feb. 5, which was 10 days before the Arctic air moved into the South, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) highlighted the risk of unusually cold weather and winter storms across the central and southern U.S.."

IT'S CALLED SCIENCE––IT'S CALLED A WARNING! It called for planning for the worst. It is now called lack of leadership and ignorance––no ears to the ground but noses stuck in the sand whose ground is now frozen solid.

[PD Pepe]

I found this argument from Jackson Lear, a history professor at Rutgers, worth mentioning in light of Biden's "getting back to normal" in re: to foreign policy. He agrees that Trump's amoral embrace of pure power politics is indeed a menace but his nihilism is not the only possible consequence of an honest reckoning with the murderous and antidemocratic history of American foreign policy since 1945. His list of democratically elected governments overthrown and leaders assassinated by the CIA, not to mention its failed attempts to accomplish those goals, is long. Then he mentions the shorter list of countries that the U.S. has reduced to rubble and social chaos.

"everybody does not do this: the United States does."

Lear says to recognize the bloody history of US foreign policy is not to equate this nation with amoral oligarchies but to call it to account for violating its own professional ideals and aspirations.

Some years ago we discussed David Hallberstam's "The Best and the Brightest", the title was used ironically revealing highly educated men creating the catastrophe of the Vietnam War. Despite this unveiling the post Vietnam era policy makers increasingly turned toward meritocratic criteria as a means to organizing an entire society. We need to weed out the educated fakers–-looking at you Teddy –-–-and ascertain the REAL from the "let's pretend I'm all for a better, fairer country" bull. And the real includes dealing with this country's racism and poverty––big time!

[Ken Winkes]

Picking on Douthat, again.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/20/opinion/sunday/rush-limbaugh-conservatism.html?

"I'll grant Limbaugh's entertainment chops, if one likes that sort of thing...

As I remember, the early Limbaugh offered some wit as a garnish on Reagan's genial grin, but it didn't take all that long (the election of a Democrat President) for the entertainment to darken to the nastiness that had always been hidden just behind Reagan's sunny smile.

For American conservatism has always been nasty: its economic principles, those of the robber barons, its social philosophy, selfish, its elements tied tightly together by enduring cords of racism, resentment, and authoritarian sentiment.

Because it consists of mere wishing that things were other than they are (whites are naturally superior, capitalism is good for everyone, there is no climate change, guns make you safe, and let's not forget: Democrats eat babies), American conservatism is a fundamentally unrealistic and sour view of life that requires a steady diet of lies to sustain it.

And as over the years since Reagan and his destruction of the fairness doctrine, demographic, economic and even physical realities (I hear it's real cold down there in Texas) diverged farther from conservative dreams and wishes, the lies conservatives liked to hear had to get nastier, angrier, more personal and extreme.

As did Limbaugh and his imitators, and the entire political party they came to represent."

[citizen625]

Compare AOC vs. Mrs. Ted Cruz: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/19/just-how-unpopular-is-ted-cruz/. This is why Republican need to make up "facts": their truth is so unattractive you can't believe it. Their friends can't believe it either which is why they share text chains of the Cruzes. And then there is the poor dog; we can only hope the pup was able to pooh in the Cruzes bedroom.

[RAS]

Politico has an article about QAnon and what it is doing to people and their families. ‘This Crap Means More to Him Than My Life’: When QAnon Invades American Homes

What a Reddit forum for "QAnon casualties" can tell us about the conspiracy theory scrambling American politics.

On January 10, Steven Hassan, a mental health professional and cult expert who wrote a book called The Cult of Trump, held a Q&A session on five Reddit groups including r/QAnonCasualties in which he talked about mind control and how one might try to de-radicalize a Qultist."