The Colorado GOP’s Slow MAGA Suicide
The Colorado GOP’s Slow MAGA Suicide
Plus: Now Is No Time to Abandon Our Allies
Recently in The Bulwark:
CHARLIE SYKES: Why Not Pence?
JVL: The Id Theory of Politics 🔐 and Build. More. Housing.
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TIM MILLER: The Colorado GOP’s Slow-Rolling MAGA Suicide.
It was the early hours of November 5, 1998, well past my bedtime on a school night. Sister Sledge blared over the house speakers in a nondescript ballroom in a south Denver suburb. I was dancing giddily on stage looking out at a pack of my fellow awkward whites: donor types in their formal wear for the occasion, campaign hacks in our garish purple tees, inspired by our candidate’s love for the town’s new baseball team.
All of us were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Bill Owens, the man who had just been declared the winner in the gubernatorial election reversing a nearly three-decade streak of Democratic victories in Colorado.
Mike Pence is trying win over the DC press corps but still refuses to do his part to hold Trump accountable for January 6. Plus, the new too-big-to-fail banks, more Fox dirt, and DeSantis is not a natural people person. Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.
Mike Pence seems to think that he’s destined to be president. The evangelical Christians in our focus groups did NOT get the memo. McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic joins Sarah to talk about the future of social conservatism in the Republican Party and Mike Pence’s 2024 prospects.
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DALIBOR ROHAC: Now Is No Time to Abandon Our Allies.
I have nothing but affection for my former colleagues and friends at the Cato Institute, so it gives me no pleasure to point out that on one of the most important issues in the world today, libertarians find themselves in remarkable alignment with the nationalist-MAGA right.
A report by Cato’s Justin Logan argues that the way to bolster U.S. alliances is to create uncertainty about our commitment to them. The essay paints a stark picture of U.S. allies’ free riding on the efforts of “Uncle Sucker”: While the United States has accounted for only 36 percent of allied GDP since 1960, it has contributed more than 61 percent of allied defense spending. He notes, correctly, that defense spending by our allies such as Japan or Taiwan has tended to increase when their security environment worsens.
DANIEL MCGRAW: Five Things You Should Know About the Evolving Market for Electric Vehicles.
We have in recent months reached a few critical benchmarks in the massive shift from gasoline to electric vehicles—but it’s easy to miss the developments that matter when they’re drowned out by the din of politics.
On the right, you see a Fox News host describing electric vehicles (EVs) as “make-believe nonsense” from “green lunatics.” And lawmakers in Wyoming tried to pass a bill last month that would have banned sales of electric vehicles in the state by 2035, in a sort of symbolic retaliation for the fifteen states phasing out the sale of gas-powered cars. “If you don’t like our petroleum cars, well, we don’t like your electric cars,” said the bill’s sponsor.
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
Happy Monday! Selection Sunday wasn’t so great for Billikens fans, but The Dance is set, and we have our first Overtime NCAA March Madness Bracket! Nothing complicated, just standard ESPN rules. Fill out your bracket today! Keep the bracket names clean. Don’t make me pull this car over.
There will be prizes. I haven’t picked them all yet, but some free Bulwark+ subscriptions, some merch, and a couple surprises. I’m open to ideas, too, so reply to this message if you have any creative prize ideas—that are realistic.
TRW bites the dust… It started out making bolts and later ended up making ICBMs. Cleveland-based Cold War contractor TRW’s spooky HQ was right down the road from me as a kid, and as TRW got absorbed by Northrop Grumman, the straight-out-of-a-movie complex became part of the Cleveland Clinic. Decades later, with no buyer, the Clinic is tearing it down. Sort of like Bell Labs took on a new role in the hit show Severance, it likely survived because of its famous architect, Eero Saarinen. Sadly, this one, is slated for demo, but you can enjoy some pictures here. I still want to know if the rumors of a bunker beneath it were true. Thankfully, the historic mansion that was once owned by Congresswoman Frances Bolton will be saved.
Shame on WMAL… For giving this yahoo air time. (But if you look at their roster, he’s hardly alone.)
President Camacho ‘2020Fo: “China owns the moon! Big Macs cost $80! The DMV bought HBO!” he bellowed. “Tony Stark died for our sins!” Thankfully, this is a parody, but be careful, Texas might elect him.
The woke wars… A valuable discussion on “virtuous lies” by our friends at Connors Forum.
The Oscars… Didn’t disappoint. At least what I was able to see of them, as my cable died over the weekend. But the Naatu Naatu dance is stuck in my head. And the Overtime award for best acceptance speech goes to… RRR! (Top Gun should have won best picture though, come on.)
Now that TV is back… I got to watch some of Rob Manfred’s disgusting modified baseball, and pined for the old days, so I turned off Spring training and played this documentary about Old Comiskey in the background.
Do not taunt Ivermectin… An Ivermectin Influencer (seriously) died as a result of a side effect of the medication.
Drill baby, drill… The catchphrase is back as the Biden administration OKs a big Alaska energy project.
The VC temper tantrum… Over the failure of SVB. When Slate and the Journal agree the VC bros "frantic panic spreaders" that should tell you something. But then again, there’s also… this. Congressional Republicans handled this about as responsibly as you’d expect.
The mystery millionaire of Gage Park… How a man who froze to death turned out to be worth $11 million. (Kids are expensive!)
That’s it for me. Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message.
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