Sept. 13 Open Thread: Thin Blue Line? More Like Thick Blue Wall

Filed in National, Open Thread by on September 13, 2018

America’s latest police atrocity is playing out in Dallas, where a cop named Amber Guyger returned from her shift and entered the apartment directly above hers — supposedly thinking it was her own — and shot its occupant, Botham Jean, to death. Guyger’s shifting stories about events show something is hinky here, but despite the fact that she was off-duty, the shooting is being treated as a line-of-duty event, giving her the legal protections and justifications that are all too common for police officers who kill.

Jonathan Chait says Elizabeth Warren should be considered the front-runner for the 2020 Democratic nomination, and backs it up with an analysis of her recent moves to fight corruption public and private that Chait believes will allow her to compete in both the primaries and the general election.

What will life be like after Trump? A lot like life before and during Trump, writes Andrew Bacevich:

Despite the lies, insults, name calling, and dog whistles, almost nothing of substance has changed. Nor will it. To a far greater extent than Trump’s critics are willing to acknowledge, the United States remains on a trajectory that does not differ appreciably from what it was prior to POTUS #45 taking office. Post-Trump America, just now beginning to come into view, is shaping up to look remarkably like pre-Trump America.

I understand that His Weirdness remains in the White House. Yet for all practical purposes, Trump has ceased to govern. True, he continues to rant and issue bizarre directives, which his subordinates implement, amend, or simply disregard as they see fit. … Call it an abdication-in-place. It’s as if British King Edward VIII, having abandoned his throne for “the woman I love,” continued to hang around Buckingham Palace fuming about the lack of respect given Wallis and releasing occasional bulletins affirming his admiration for Adolf Hitler.

Christopher Smith, a Republican who has represented New Jersey’s 4th Congressional district since his election in the Reagan Revolution of 1981, was caught on tape at a high school Q&A back in May voicing disapproval of gay adoption:

“Rep. Smith responded by saying that he does not approve of gay adoption because gay households are not healthy environments for children to grow up in,” Valdes said. “He then stated that ‘numerous household studies’ show that children that have heterosexual parents have better lives than children that have homosexual parents.”

According to the Cook Political Report, the seat is safely red, despite only a +8 GOP tilt to the district. But this isn’t a rural seat, and I have to think a blue wave could wash away this sauropod.

On the non-political entertainment front, actor Doug Davidson has been axed from long-running soap “The Young and the Restless.” Fans are furious, but he’s been on the same show for 40 years, so it’s hard to argue he’s either one.

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  1. RE Vanella says:

    It’s a movement folks. Beachhead established and reinforcements coming.

    It’s a nationwide army & ranks are swelling.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/KerriHarrisDE/status/1040308870193860608

  2. Tom Kline says:

    Ok

  3. RE Vanella says:

    Sometimes he’s sleepy.

  4. RE Vanella says:

    The Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) is NY’s version of the Delaware Way.

    Go look what happened. Not New York City, mind. New York Fucking State.

    Also, join DSA.

  5. puck says:

    Nixon’s victory was in driving progressive GOTV to break the hold of IDC.