David Neiwert of Daily Kos discussed the increasing on the street activity of “patriot” (far-right) militias. They have been showing up to counter valid protests, claiming the left is doing what they are about to do. Neiwert looked a reports from a couple Washington Post investigations. Wrote Neiwert:
Possibly the most disturbing aspect of the report, however, was its description of law enforcement’s hands-off approach, treating threats and intimidation as “free speech.”
…
Police seem slow to recognize any kind of violent threat from the extremist right, including domestic terrorism, despite the reality that far-right terrorism occurs at an exponentially greater rate with even greater lethality. This suggests, in fact, that America’s law-enforcement culture may be so deeply conservative that the authoritarian impulses it shares with the extremist right may lead it to ignore the threat not just to law enforcement, but to democracy itself, that the “Patriot”/militia movement represents.
Gabe Ortiz of Kos discussed the federal thugs who have been in Portland, OR for a while now. A whistleblower said these thugs are from Border Patrol Tactical Unit, or BORTAC and added they are among “the most violent and racist in all law enforcement.” They, like the man who sent them to Portland, “view themselves as above the law—and act like it.”
Jenn Budd of The Guardian wrote that the Border Patrol…
has spent decades waiting quietly in the wings, stocking up on weapons and nearly tripling in size since 2001. Waiting for that moment when a president would see them for the heroes they believe themselves to be. Waiting for that moment when a president would fully activate these extraordinary powers to do his/her bidding. That moment is here.Marisa Franco, Director of the advocacy group Mijente, added:
The difference here is, this time they implemented their tactics openly and under the protection of an authoritarian president. If this is what they do to mostly white U.S. citizens in front of the media, imagine what they are doing to people in their custody, to people who are seeking refuge in isolated parts of the border.
After that we need something nicer to contemplate.
Civil rights icon John Lewis arranged to have some final thoughts published by the New York Times on the day of his funeral. Laura Clawson of Kos had a few excerpts. Lewis wrote:
While my time here has now come to an end I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division. Around the country and the world you set aside race, class, age, language and nationality to demand respect for human dignity.
President Obama spoke at Lewis’s funeral. In addition to giving a fitting tribute to such an important man, Obama also called on us to vote and called on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
Kerry Eleveld of Kos wrote about what she saw dividing GOP senators – whether they’re up for reelection this year or not. That division is showing up as Moscow Mitch tried and failed miserably in putting together another virus aid package.
Those up for reelection are still making nice with Trump, but for others, the wicked brew of future ambition combined with muscle memory has them reacquainting themselves with the age-old arguments they always make when they don't control the White House.An example of those age-old arguments: We can’t spend any money on relief because the deficit and debt are too high! Yeah, we’ve heard that one many times before. And again I note this was not a concern with the 2017 tax giveaway to the rich.
Eleveld added:
On the bright side, the GOP's sheer incapacity to rally around core principles that would normally be driven by the White House is a sure sign that Trump is losing his grip on the party. But naturally it isn't making them better lawmakers, it's only making them more self-interested.
A report this week said the economic growth for the second quarter (April-June) was an annualized rate of almost -33%. No, the economy did not contract by a third in three months. What the number is saying is that’s how much the economy would contract if the size of drop we saw in those three months continued over a full year. The amount of contraction that happened in those three months was about 10%, which is still hellacious.
Brent Staples of the New York Times tweeted a photo of the front page of that paper. The headline says, “Virus Wipes Out 5 Years of Economic Growth.” Below that is a chart of the change in quarterly growth with a long red line on the right side. A couple inches of one column didn’t have text to make room.
odaiwai replied:
It should read: "Inept response to virus wipes out 5 years of economic growth"
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