Here She Goes, Again!

 

I suppose I could have used a more flattering picture of Jill Stein, who has decided to enter the 2024 presidential race as the Green party candidate, but if you know me by now, you know why I'm not going to. She knows her candidacy in 2016 was used by Russia to leach votes away from Hillary Clinton helping set up a Donald Trump win. She raised money for a recount campaign that got used for other things. 

But here she goes! Whither the Cornel West campaign, though? Terrible story, that. First, he abandoned the lush, deep infrastructure provided by the Green party (yes, I'm being snarky), and then he got caught getting a maximum donation from his good friend, Brother Harlan Crow and had to return it. 

Sometimes, if you want good "progressive" third party fuckery, you just have to see to it yourself. So, she's seeing to it. But why? (Could it be because the other supposed "progressive" lane, RFK, Jr., is more likely to take votes away from Trump? One may well wonder.) 

If someone actually wanted a progressive movement, they could build on the progressive wing of the existing Democratic party and mount a serious opposition. Or we could have Marianne Williamson.

Heck, if you wanted an "exactly the same but younger and awkward" movement you could have Dean Phillips, who demonstrates that one of the things you learn when you are older and wiser is, don't fuck with Jim Clyburn. Anyway, his campaign just picked up Jeff Weaver and Zach Graumann, which is exactly what a campaign would do if the Democratic establishment machine was like BRRRRR against it--probably according to their respecting hiring pitches.  

Or if you wanted to go more conservative, I guess there could be Joe Manchin? I'm not saying he's likely to run, but I'm sure conservative billionaire-funded "No Labels" is ringing him up.

All I know is, I'm having some 2015-2016 flashbacks, and I am not liking them. History people--let's be learning from it!

The Best Friends You Could Have

 

Yesterday's early news began with word that Clarence Thomas' good friend, Harlan Crow, paid for his nephew's $100K-plus tuition, and this was undisclosed (in the way the gifts of various trips and the real estate transaction regarding his mother's house, where she resides rent-free were undisclosed) and ended with news that he also obviously very good friend Leonard Leo arranged to make payments to his wife, Ginni, as a consultant via KellyAnne Conway as a cut-out, so as to keep the payment, uh, shall we say, hush?

Who in the world has such generous friends?

Thomas has his strong defenders and I've seen all the "whatabouts", but that so many of these transactions were sub rosa paints a less-than rosy picture--and shouldn't it?  They didn't want the appearance of impropriety, but Ginni and Clarence Thomas took the money nonetheless. 

I stared at the blank blog page wondering what I had to say about this, and I'm shocked anything needs to be. Thomas should be ready to resign, and if not, Senate Democrats should be ready to hold hearings and yes, even subpoena wealthy privileged people who don't want to show up if it comes down to that. 

All this time, we've seen Republicans go on the offensive even when they are holding trash cards. When Democrats have legitimate beef, I never hear sizzle. 

It gets tired. Put conservatives on the back foot. Get on them. It's the only damn way.