Corruptly each day

Mark Sumner of Daily Kos reminds us that antifa as an organization doesn’t exist. There is no affiliation, no membership cards. But antifa – anti-fascism – is an attitude that is is everywhere.

Which is why William Barr, head of the Department formerly known as Justice is creating a task force dedicated to “countering anti-government extermists.” In part of Barr’s statement I want to ask, project much? However, Sumner handles it well:

In that memo, Barr claims that the people at the focus of his task force are extremists who, “profess a variety of ideologies [but] are united in their opposition to the core constitutional values of a democratic society governed by law. . . . Some pretend to profess a message of freedom and progress, but they are in fact forces of anarchy, destruction, and coercion.” Ignoring the half-dozen contradictions implicit in Barr’s description, there’s no doubt that Barr’s task force exists to play up a threat that does not exist, while ignoring the genuine threat of right-wing militias who regularly invade state capitals with AR-15s in hand.

Sumner wrote that if one is anti antifa, as Barr is, than one us is pro fascist.

Walter Shaub tweeted:

Barr impeachment

Pros
-the right thing to do
-expose his wrongdoing
-impede his election interference
-impede his interference in cases
-show future AGs that abusing power has risks
-give the media something to cover other than Trump rallies

Cons
-Trump's base will be mad

Limericking put it this way:

Bill Barr was a big power-seeker
Who made checks and balances weaker.
He ran DOJ
Corruptly each day.
“Ah, well,” said Pelosi, the Speaker.

As for why that impeachment should come soon, Lean McElrath tweeted in response to a memo from the nasty guy alleging local governments have “surrendered to mob rule” – likely rhetorical groundwork for…

What I’m saying is I don’t think this is about statues/BLM.

I think Trump is using Barr to try to feel out ways to mobilize state and local law enforcement agencies as his personal armed forces—likely in coordination with right-wing extremist militias.

In advance of November.

Sarah Kendzior replied:

Yes. It's also a loyalty test. They're seeing which people are departments are most malleable and/or complicit in advance of November, and which are most likely to reject anti-constitutional orders. This is especially true with the military.

Yeah I’m a bit late on noting the number of new unemployment claims reported last Thursday. It was just under 1.5 million.



An opera tonight. This one is Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte or The Magic Flute. While I readily declare Mozart to be a top composer I prefer his music in small doses – so an entire opera can be a bit much. However, this production was designed to Julie Taymor, the leading artist behind the stage version of The Lion King. For that it is definitely worth watching. And watching Papageno is always fun.

Alas, some of the opera’s age is showing. There’s the duet about the joys of being married and that it is to be desired. That’s a bit much for this lifelong bachelor. Then there was a bit by Sarastro’s guard about how one shouldn’t believe women. Granted, there is plenty of reason not to believe the Queen of the Night. But it isn’t good to smear all women.