The Commentariat -- March 21, 2021

Afternoon Update:

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

Brittany Shammas of the Washington Post: "Miami Beach officials declared a state of emergency and implemented a curfew Saturday in response to large and unruly crowds of spring break visitors. Speaking during a news conference, Mayor Dan Gelber said the crush of vacationers in the city's entertainment district had overwhelmed law enforcement, even with reinforcements from other local agencies. He said city leaders wanted to act preemptively.... The first night of the curfew saw large crowds lingering on Ocean Drive, according to footage captured by local reporters. As squad cars attempted to clear the road, some people danced and twerked on cars. One man tossed money into the crowd. Pepper balls were shot at the revelers, briefly prompting a stampede, the Miami Herald reported. About an hour and a half after the curfew went into effect, the Miami Beach Police Department shared photographs showing an empty Ocean Drive." A CNN story is here.

Lindsey Bever of the Washington Post: "Pregnant women who receive a coronavirus vaccine not only acquire protective antibodies against the virus for themselves but also may pass along immunity to their babies, emerging research shows. Several preliminary studies suggest that women who received an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) during pregnancy had covid-19 antibodies in their umbilical cord blood. Another study also detected antibodies in their breastmilk, indicating that at least some immunity could be transferred to babies both before and after birth."

Jennifer Steinhauer of the New York Times: "Older people, who represent the vast majority of Americans who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, are emerging this spring with the daffodils, tilting their faces to the sunlight outdoors. They are filling restaurants, hugging grandchildren and booking flights.... For now, about two-thirds of Americans over 65 have started the vaccination process and nearly 38 percent are fully vaccinated, compared with 12 percent of the overall population, giving the rest of the nation a glimpse into the after times." A related AP story is here.

Devan Cole of CNN: "Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas declined Sunday to provide a timeline for when the Biden administration will open new facilities capable of handling the surge of unaccompanied children at the southern border. 'We established three new facilities last week. ... We are working on the system from beginning to end. We are working around the clock 24/7,' Mayorkas told CNN's Dana Bash ... when pressed on the administration's timeline.... The comments from Mayorkas, who insisted the southern border is currently closed to migrants even though the administration is making an exception for unaccompanied minors, come as the situation there worsens amid a surge in unaccompanied children in US custody."

** How to Get a Trillion Dollars -- Without Raising Taxes. New York Times Editors: "The [income tax] withholding system [-- begun during World War II --] remains the cornerstone of income taxation, effectively preventing Americans from lying about wage income.... But the burden of taxation is increasingly warped because the government has no comparable system for verifying income from businesses. The result is that most wage earners pay their fair share while many business owners engage in blatant fraud at public expense.... Billions of dollars in business profits, rent and royalties are hidden from the government each year. By contrast, more than 95 percent of wage income is reported.... Charles Rossotti, who led the I.R.S. from 1997 to 2002..., says that Congress needs to change the rules, by creating a third-party verification system for business income, too.... The proposal would not increase the amount anyone owes in taxes. It would, instead, increase the amount paid in taxes by those who are currently cheating."

John Ismay of the New York Times: "Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III landed in Afghanistan's capital Sunday morning, becoming the first member of President Biden's cabinet to set foot in the country that is home to America's longest war. The United States is tentatively set to withdraw American forces from the country on May 1, the date set in an agreement signed by the Trump administration and the Taliban more than a year ago.... Mr. Austin's trip to Kabul was kept secret, and was to remain confidential until two hours after he left, but local reporters broke news of his visit after he met with President Ashraf Ghani.... The defense secretary's visit came at the end of more than a week of travel across the Pacific during which he reassured allies that they would have the United States' support in countering potential threats from China.... Flying ... to Japan and South Korea, Mr. Austin joined Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken for talks with the foreign and defense ministers of both nations.... In New Delhi, where Mr. Austin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the defense minister, Rajnath Singh, senior U.S. defense officials said that Indian leaders spoke mostly about their concerns regarding China." An NPR story is here.

James Laporta of the AP: "Iran has made threats against Fort McNair, an Army base in the nation's capital, and against the Army's vice chief of staff, two senior U.S. intelligence officials said. They said communications intercepted by the National Security Agency in January showed that Iran's Revolutionary Guard discussed mounting 'USS Cole-style attacks' against the base, referring to the October 2000 suicide attack in which a small boat pulled up alongside the Navy destroyer in the Yemeni port of Aden and exploded, killing 17 sailors. The intelligence also revealed threats to kill Gen. Joseph M. Martin and plans to infiltrate and surveil the base, according to the officials.... The base, one of the oldest in the country, is Martin's official residence. The threats are one reason the Army has been pushing for more security around Fort McNair, which sits alongside Washington's bustling newly developed Waterfront District."

Turkey. Kareem Fahim of the Washington Post: "President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a surprise decree early Saturday withdrawing Turkey from a landmark European treaty that women's rights groups said had played a critical role in protecting Turkish women from gender-based violence. The treaty, the Istanbul Convention, sought in part to ensure equal legal protections against abuse for women across Europe. Turkey was the first country to sign the convention, in 2011, when Erdogan was prime minister. But some conservative Muslims who form a critical bloc of support for the Turkish leader had criticized the treaty from the start, framing it as part of a Western plot aimed at harming the country's traditional notions of family and encouraging divorce.... President Biden on Sunday harshly criticized the decision by Turkey, a NATO ally, calling the withdrawal 'sudden and unwarranted' and 'deeply disappointing.'"

~~~~~~~~~~

It's Springtime in America. Today is another day we are inching our way back to living in a normal country. The Scourge of the 21st Century is isolated on an island not unlike Elba (though with more rich people), and the president in the White House is once again a normal person who knows the job but won't always do it right because normal presidents are human -- and humane. The people are getting shots in their arms & emerging from their homes just as daffodil shoots begin to emerge from muddy ground in parts of the country. The idiots will always be with us, and these days they are wearing their ignorance with a certain pride we shall smack down with glee.

Priscilla Alvarez of CNN: "The Biden administration is preparing to expand the phased entry of migrants who were forced to stay in Mexico under a Trump-era policy to two additional ports of entry, the Department of Homeland Security told CNN on Friday. 'Beginning next week, after registering virtually and being tested for COVID-19 at staging sites in Mexico, approved individuals with active (Migrant Protection Protocol) cases will be processed at the Hidalgo, TX port of entry,' the department said in a statement, adding that processing will also start in Laredo, Texas, thereafter.... Three other locations have already been allowing the entry of migrants under the program.... President Joe Biden ended the [Trump] program, formally known as Migrant Protection Protocols, and kick-started the process of allowing gradual entry of those subject to the policy. For months, officials meticulously planned the rollback of the policy and engaged with immigrant advocacy organizations along the border that have directly worked with migrants. The Biden administration has since estimated that some 25,000 migrants still have active cases. That group will be eligible for the first phase of the rollback. The administration started the gradual entry of migrants at three ports of entry -- in San Diego and in El Paso and Brownsville, Texas -- last month." ~~~

~~~ Dan Balz of the Washington Post: President "Biden and his team now face what every administration eventually confronts: the unforeseen events that can disrupt the best-laid plans and choreography of a White House. The surge of undocumented immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border has done just that -- and amplified an issue that long has been a vulnerability for the Democrats.... The Biden administration has found itself with a humanitarian emergency and a political mess-in-the-making that it is ill-prepared to handle... Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this past week said the country is on pace for the highest number of individuals crossing the border in 20 years. Administration officials have blamed the Trump administration for some of its problems, claiming they inherited a broken and punitive system. But they have come face-to-face with the issue that has long nettled many Democrats: What to do when someone crosses the border illegally?... Biden has had little to say about the matter, and administration officials have, so far, not allowed reporters to get a firsthand look at conditions for the children in custody.... Republicans ... have seized on the surge of migration to pummel Biden as favoring open borders." ~~~

~~~ David Smith of the Guardian writes a fairly comprehensive overview of the severity of the problem. For instance, "when 100,441 migrants were reported attempting to cross the border last month, it was the highest level since March 2019 and included a particular rise in unaccompanied children." MB: If I knew of a magical fix, I would share it. But I can't think of one that doesn't have an Emma Lazarus ring to it.

HOWEVER. Biden Dares to Outperform Expectations. Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "With a boost from Black Democrats, if not the most famous one, [Joe] Biden achieved what pretty much no one -- especially bratty Obama disciples -- had thought possible. At 78, nearly half a century after he arrived in D.C. as a senator, he became the oldest man ever sworn in as president. So now comes a delicious twist: President Biden is being hailed as a transformational, once-in-a-generation progressive champion, with comparisons to L.B.J. and F.D.R. aplenty, while Obama has become a cautionary tale about what happens when Democrats get the keys to the car but don't put their foot on the gas.... Creaky, old-fashioned Joe moved fast and broke things. Unlike the sleek, modern Obama, who kept trying to work with obstructionist Republicans, Biden blew them off, calling it 'an easy choice.'... Democrats think [Biden is] really kind of cool. Imagine that."

Biden's Advisors Are Rich! Brian Schwartz of CNBC: "President Joe Biden's closest advisors have ties to big business and Wall Street, with some making millions of dollars in their careers leading up to entering the White House, new financial disclosures show. The senior Biden aides listed in the disclosures include chief of staff Ron Klain, deputy chief of staff Jen O'Malley Dillon, senior advisor Mike Donilon, White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeffrey Zients, and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese. These disclosures show that many of the president's closest aides have deep ties to the business world and have made more money in their past corporate careers than previously known."

There's a New Education Sheriff in Town. Carole Feldman of the AP (March 18): "Thousands of students defrauded by for-profit schools will have their federal loans fully erased, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy that had given them only partial relief. The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said.... The department said it was rescinding the formula used by the Trump administration to determine partial relief and putting in place 'a streamlined path to receiving full loan discharges.' The decision applies to students who already had their claims approved and received only partial relief, the department said. A senior department official briefing reporters said the agency was continuing to review both the backlog of claims yet to be decided and those that have been denied. The department described Thursday's action as 'a first step' and said it would be looking at rewriting the regulations down the road."

Ian Millhiser of Vox: "Last fall, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appeared as adamantly opposed to filibuster reform as any Democrat.... But ... in a statement released Friday night, Feinstein now says she's 'open' to changing the Senate's filibuster rules, if necessary to pass legislation such as expanded background checks for firearm purchases, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, or a voting rights bill.... Even Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), a senator who has repeatedly said that he wants to keep the filibuster alive in some form, has indicated that he's open to requiring talking filibusters -- although Manchin's been reluctant to open the door to other kinds of filibuster reform. That leaves Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), who said last month that she'd even support strengthening the filibuster by rolling back previous reforms, as the primary Democratic holdout on filibuster reform." Thanks to Ken W. for the link.

What the Senate Needs Is More Honest Problem-Solvers Like Ted Cruz. Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Claiming Democrats want to expand voting rights to 'illegal aliens' and 'child molesters', the Texas senator Ted Cruz warned that if Republicans do not block the For the People Act, major legislation now before the Senate, they will be out of power for years." MB: I should have read the full bill the House passed. I was completely unaware of the "aliens & molesters" clause. The Senate should just remove the clause & pass the bill by voice vote.

The Detritus of the Former Guy

Ken Vogel & Nicholas Confessore of the New York Times: "The efforts to seek clemency [from Donald Trump] for [certain] wealthy or well-connected people benefited from their social, political, or financial ties to a loose collection of lawyers, lobbyists, activists and Orthodox Jewish leaders who had worked with Trump administration officials on criminal justice legislation championed by Jared Kushner. That network revolved around a pair of influential Jewish organizations that focus on criminal justice issues.... Mr Kushner ... had become interested in criminal justice and developed ties to members of the loose network of allies on the issue after his father, Charles Kushner, was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison.... The overwhelming majority of Mr. Trump's pardons and commutations bypassed [the Justice Department's selection] process, and were instead awarded through an ad hoc system run by a handful of White House aides, with assistance from outside advisers."

The Policing of American Protests -- Proved the Point of the Protests. Kim Barker, et al., of the New York Times: "For many long weeks last summer, protesters in American cities faced off against their own police forces in what proved to be, for major law enforcement agencies across the country, a startling display of violence and disarray. In Philadelphia, police sprayed tear gas on a crowd of mainly peaceful protesters trapped on an interstate who had nowhere to go and no way to breathe. In Chicago, officers were given arrest kits so old that the plastic handcuffs were decayed or broken. Los Angeles officers were issued highly technical foam-projectile launchers for crowd control, but many of them had only two hours of training; one of the projectiles bloodied the eye of a homeless man in a wheelchair. Nationally, at least eight people were blinded after being hit with police projectiles. Now, months after the demonstrations that followed the killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police in May, the full scope of the country's policing response is becoming clearer.... From midsize departments like the one in Indianapolis to big-city forces like New York City's, from top commanders to officers on the beat, police officers nationwide were unprepared to calm the summer's unrest, and their approaches consistently did the opposite. In many ways, the problems highlighted in the reports are fundamental to modern American policing, a demonstration of the aggressive tactics that had infuriated many of the protesters to begin with." ~~~

     ~~~ New York Times: New York City Police said they used restraint during last year's protests. That's not what the videos show.

Ginia Bellafante of the New York Times: "... despite dramatic transformations in our collective understanding of sexual harassment at work, recent polling around Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's current scandals suggests a lingering confusion -- the reality that we are not merely arguing about consequences but, 30 years after Anita Hill, about the nature and substance of misconduct itself.... New York State's Labor Department supplies a sample training video on harassment meant to convey the bare minimum of what should be offered. In it, the labor commissioner, Roberta Reardon, explains that sexual harassment falls essentially under two large umbrellas, one in the form of quid quo pro exchanges (If you want that new job, you really ought to consider coming over for strip steak), the other in the creation of what has long been known as a hostile work environment. It is here that popular clarity seems to fade.... In August 2019..., Governor Cuomo signed legislation that strengthened protections against discrimination and harassment."

The 51st State. Another Reason to Dump the Filibuster. Mike DeBonis & Meagan Flynn of the Washington Post: "... a fast-evolving political landscape has propelled D.C. statehood up the Democratic priority list after it passed the House for the first time last year. The issue, once a fanciful dream of local activists, now enjoys near-unanimity inside the Democratic Party.... D.C. statehood would probably result in two additional Democratic senators.... GOP leaders are mobilizing against the statehood push, labeling it a partisan 'power grab' by Democrats.... The House Oversight and Reform Committee on Monday will convene a hearing on a statehood bill, and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said in an interview that he expects that the bill will pass the House before summer. Statehood advocates still face major obstacles: They do not yet have 51 allies inside the Senate, and as long as the body's filibuster rule requiring a supermajority margin for most legislation remains intact, it will take even more support than that."

Congressional Primary Race. Jonathan Martin of the New York Times: "The first competitive special congressional election of the Biden era is most likely heading to a runoff next month, but the battle lines are already drawn ahead of the initial balloting on Saturday in the race to succeed former Representative Cedric L. Richmond of Louisiana. At the center of the debate: which of two New Orleans Democrats positioned to face off in April can better leverage their connections to lift a South Louisiana district hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Dave Weigel of the Washington Post: "Louisiana voters will nominate candidates in two open House seats Saturday, as Democrats battle over a safe seat in the New Orleans area and Republicans decide whether the widow of a 2020 candidate should take the seat he won last year. The special election in the 2nd Congressional District, which stretches from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, became necessary after Cedric L. Richmond (D) resigned from the seat to become an adviser to President Biden.... If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will head to an April 24 runoff. The same is true in the 5th Congressional District, where Republican candidate Julia Letlow is running to 'pick up that torch' after her late husband, Luke, won the seat in November and died of covid-19 complications before his swearing-in." ~~~

     ~~~ Update. The New York Times has Louisiana's primary election results here. ~~~

     ~~~ Ally Mutnick of Politico: "Republican Julia Letlow won a special election Saturday to fill the seat won last year by her now-late husband, who died in December from Covid. She took 62 percent of the vote in the 12-way race, a commanding victory that cleared the majority threshold needed to avoid a runoff." MB: Letlow looks like a nice, intelligent woman. Appearances can be deceiving: "Letlow campaigned on a vow to uphold conservative Christian values and protect unborn children and the right to bear arms." ~~~

     ~~~ Danny Monteverde of WWL New Orleans: "Karen Carter Peterson and Troy Carter, who sought to replace former U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond in the state's 2nd Congressional District, will face each other once more in a run-off April 24, according to WWL-TV projections. With 646 of 657 precincts reporting late Saturday night, Troy Carter had 36 percent of the vote to Karen Carter Peterson's 23 percent and Gary Chambers with 21 percent."

May Jeong of Vanity Fair writes an op-ed piece in the New York Times on the nexus of race, gender and class in the Atlanta murders. (Also linked yesterday.)

News Lede

AP: "Kent Taylor, founder and CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, has died. He was 65. His family and the company say he took his own life after suffering from symptoms related to COVID-19, including severe tinnitus."

Comments

[Akhilleus]

How quickly would the District of Columbia have been made a state if it were populated by a majority of confederates? The district pays more in taxes than many states and is larger, by population than both Wyoming and Vermont, and close in size to North Dakota and Alaska.

Whatever happened to no taxation without representation?

Democrats need to be bold and act swiftly. R’s are gearing up to steal elections from now until rapture. They have gerrymandered the crap out of all the states they control, so they can insist on draconian voting laws that further disenfranchise voters who aren’t down with treason.

Like that warning on car side mirrors, 2022 is closer than it appears and the loss of one senate seat means the evil turtle is back in charge. Two additional Democratic senators from the District would provide a nice bulwark against the traitors.

[Akhilleus]

Did I miss it??!

Oh noes! Those lovely Qanon people working day and night (well, okay, from 3:30 to 4:41 AM on days beginning with “G”) to save us all from baby eating monsters who hide in the broom closet, sed that yestiddy wuz Trumpy Inogarashun Day. Again. You guys remember when they were yelping that March 4 was gonna be the day of the triumphal return of the Orange Menace?

Yeah, well, a...a thing happened. Liars in the media, um, made that up, they think. Well, no one really knows. Anyway the very real, not at all kidding, fingers-crossed, baseball bats and heavy clubs ready, and no way Jose a bullshit fake date for Interplanetary Fatty Redux, was moved to March 20.

I had my tinfoil hat and MAGAAA (make America great again again, assholes) shirt ready to go, but then...

The dog needed a bath.

Did I miss it? And I had my 78 rpm wicked high quality recording of “Trumpland über alles” cued up on the old Victrola for the big celebration.

Damn dog!

[Marie Burns]

@Akhilleus: Blaming the dog is a nice touch: very Q, super Trumpy.

[Ken Winkes]

Should anyone wish to sully their fine Sunday morning by getting to know some of the insurrection crowd a bit better:

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/politics/elections/2021/03/21/police-charged-capitol-riot-reignite-concerns-racism-extremism/4738348001/

Thuggery has alway been a problem endemic to policing, IMO.

[PD Pepe]

What a pleasure to start my morning out by reading the opening "Springtime in America"––of course I immediately thought of "Springtime for Hitler" but nevertheless I breathed in the possibility of this coming fructifying season.

And since it's Sunday a bit of the old time religion must be rendered. When we are amazed and somewhat horrified by those numbskulls who believe in all matters of abstruse theories we might want to pause and realize that a goodly portion of the human kind believe in a deity that doles out punishment or rewards, has a son that joins in the arrangement born of a virgin who also gets a lot of attention, and a side kick called The Holy Spirit––once called the Ghost–-but changed the name as to not scare off little children. So as we soon plant our seeds in our fertile soil, let's rejoice in the real resurrection that will sprout sometime in the summer.

And here is something from that friend who always sends me little nuggets of pleasure.:

The L.A. Times crossword in the WAPO today contains this clue:

"The Great" pope between Sixtus III and Hilarius

I thought : "Pope Hilarious, that has to be something from Monty Python."
But, it turns out there really was a Pope Hilarius, and, he was made a saint.
Of what, I've not been able to find. So I assume he's the patron saint of sketch comedy.

Now I'm going to watch Life Of Brian, again.

"He's not The Messiah, he's a very naughty boy"
~ The Virgin Mandy

[Ken Winkes]

A money where his mouth is moment for Chuck?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/climate/chuck-schumer-fema-flood-insurance.html

[Akhilleus]

The Times report on police violence against largely peaceful protesters (linked above) gets right to the heart of the matter when it references “officers on the beat”.

And leave us not forget how nice certain members of the Capital Police were to violent (all white Trump supporters), vicious thugs who had invaded the senate chamber and who stole documents from various senators’ desks.

Had this crowd been BLM protesters, none of them would have made it up the steps. First, the Pentagon would have authorized RPG armed national guard troops with orders to shoot to kill. Second, any who did manage to breach the barriers would have been hit with flame throwers. There’d be no kindly treatment and joking, selfie sharing with the cops.

[PD Pepe]

What a pleasure to start my morning off with "Springtime In America" which of course made me think of that rousing song and dance number, "Springtime for Hitler"–-but the scent of Spring dissolved that memory. Now since it's Sunday we need a bit of religious reckoning:

When we get ourselves in a tizzy over the abstruse renderings of the Republican numskulls let us muse on the fact that a multitude of humans believe in a Deity that doles out punishments and rewards on a daily basis along with his son, ( less of a "smite this and that" but just as ruthless) born of a virgin, and thrown in for good measure is our perennial favorite, The Holy spirit–-once named the Ghost, but that changed when little children were spooked by it.

So when you go forth this Spring planting those seeds that will sprout and become flowers, fruits and veggies think of it as the REAL resurrection and rejoice!

And––here's a finishing piece sent to me by that friend who has a wit and a lot of winsomeness:

The L.A. Times crossword in the WAPO today contains this clue:

"The Great" pope between Sixtus III and Hilarius

I thought : "Pope Hilarious, that has to be something from Monty Python."
But, it turns out there really was a Pope Hilarius, and, he was made a saint.
Of what, I've not been able to find. So I assume he's the patron saint of sketch comedy.

Now I'm going to watch Life Of Brian, again.

"He's not The Messiah, he's a very naughty boy"
~ The Virgin Mandy

[Akhilleus]

PD,

While Life of Brianing it today, don’t miss the Latin grammar scene and the one about Biggus Dickus, friend of highly placed woe-muns.

[Ken Winkes]

It's not the death tax that's killing us. It's its absence.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/19/we-need-rein-billionaires-start-with-south-dakota/

[Ken Winkes]

@PD

"When we get ourselves in a tizzy over the abstruse renderings of the Republican numskulls let us muse on the fact that a multitude of humans believe in a Deity that doles out punishments and rewards on a daily basis..."

No kidding!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/dallas-suburbs-capitol-riot/2021/03/21/468646f2-8299-11eb-ac37-4383f7709abe_story.html