At about this time of year, every year, I remind myself I have two things to which I can look forward - getting the latest Burpee catalog (AKA planning this year's garden), and looking forward to the upcoming season of Major League Baseball.
Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training on February 1st./ Full-quad workouts began on the 8th. The first Spring Training / Exhibition game is scheduled for Friday the 28th.
Given the Kafkaesque nature of the Season of Trump (at least, one can hope it will prove to be only one season), looking forward to a season characterized by skill and wry humor is a singular palliative.
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
Super Tuesday
Super indeed . Fifteen states or regions, as well as Democrats Abroad , will hold their Presidential primaries on Tuesday, March 3rd.
Our two most populous states, California and Texas,containing about 40% of the U.S. population, have their primaries on March 3rd.
To win the Democratic Presidential nomination on the first ballot (AKA without a contested convention), 1991 votes are needed. Before Super Tuesday, only about 824 will have been allocated, leaving 1367 up for grabs that day.
Here's a map of Super Tuesday.
Our two most populous states, California and Texas,containing about 40% of the U.S. population, have their primaries on March 3rd.
To win the Democratic Presidential nomination on the first ballot (AKA without a contested convention), 1991 votes are needed. Before Super Tuesday, only about 824 will have been allocated, leaving 1367 up for grabs that day.
Here's a map of Super Tuesday.
Veto-ing Peace
This week, the United States Senate passed a bi-partisan resolution concerning foreign policy. Specifically, that vote reinstated the War Powers Act of 1973, and applied it to Iran.
Almost immediately, Donald Trump said he would veto the bill. One wonders what he thinks about statements today by the Iranian Foreign Minister on the idea of war between Iran and the U/ S.
Almost immediately, Donald Trump said he would veto the bill. One wonders what he thinks about statements today by the Iranian Foreign Minister on the idea of war between Iran and the U/ S.
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
So Much for Justice
Major fireworks at William Barr's Department of Justice. It was announced yesterday that a sentence of seven to nine years would be recommended by Federal prosecutors for Roger Stone, former Trump advisor and associate.
That was then, this is now. After Mr. Trump complained (via Twitter, of course, at about 2 AM today), that such a sentence would be horrible (Trump's word), the Justice Department, one would assume at the direction of the Attorney General, announced that the sentence would be greatly reduced, if not even rescinded.
That in turn caused three Federal prosecutors involved with the Stone case to resign in protest.
Mr. Trump's pursuit of autocracy may yet decimate the government.
That was then, this is now. After Mr. Trump complained (via Twitter, of course, at about 2 AM today), that such a sentence would be horrible (Trump's word), the Justice Department, one would assume at the direction of the Attorney General, announced that the sentence would be greatly reduced, if not even rescinded.
That in turn caused three Federal prosecutors involved with the Stone case to resign in protest.
Mr. Trump's pursuit of autocracy may yet decimate the government.
Bloomberg and Black Voters
It appears that approval numbers for former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, once Republican, then independent, and now Democrat, continue to rise, not only in general, but in the African-American community as well.
Dr. Jason Johnson, politics editor for The Root, and professor of political science at Morgan State University, suggested recently that 2020 is a life-or-death election for black voters, and that Mayor Bloomberg might very well benefit from that.
Dr. Jason Johnson, politics editor for The Root, and professor of political science at Morgan State University, suggested recently that 2020 is a life-or-death election for black voters, and that Mayor Bloomberg might very well benefit from that.
Monday, February 10, 2020
Six of One, Half-Dozen of Another
In a Quinnipiac University poll released earlier today, any of six current candidates for the Democratic nomination for President beat Donald Trump in a head-to-head.
According to this poll:
According to this poll:
- Micheal Bloomberg has the most significant lead, winning 51% to 42%
- Sanders shoots Trump down, 51% to 43%
- Biden brains Trump 50% to 43%
- Klobuchar kills him, 49% to 43%
- Warren wipes him out with 48% to 44%
- Buttigieg beats him 47% to 43%
Sunday, February 9, 2020
The Brothers Karamazov
Like most 19th Century Russian novels, The Brothers Karamazov leaves you almost hopeless.
In the Dostoevsky work, a father, Fyodor Karamazov, must choose an heir from among his four sons. Dmitri, Ivan, Alexei, and half-brother Smerdyakov. Each brother wants the inheritance entirely for himself; that leads to betrayal and murder.
Sue me for stretching a metaphor, but the plot reminds me of the internecine warfare among Democratic Presidential candidates . Let's hope they can stop fighting among themselves and unite behind one of their political siblings. That's the only way to defeat Donald Trump.
In the Dostoevsky work, a father, Fyodor Karamazov, must choose an heir from among his four sons. Dmitri, Ivan, Alexei, and half-brother Smerdyakov. Each brother wants the inheritance entirely for himself; that leads to betrayal and murder.
Sue me for stretching a metaphor, but the plot reminds me of the internecine warfare among Democratic Presidential candidates . Let's hope they can stop fighting among themselves and unite behind one of their political siblings. That's the only way to defeat Donald Trump.
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