The End of the Good Republicans
The End of the Good Republicans
Plus, Putin’s ‘Outright Satanism.’
Recently at The Bulwark:
CHARLIE SYKES: Is Romney's Non-Endorsement Really Puzzling?
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MATTHEW J. MILLINER: On Putin’s ‘Outright Satanism.’
The very day after Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of “outright Satanism” in his war-justifying tantrum, I met a Satanist. I was exploring downtown Salem, Massachusetts when a black-robed man with dramatic eyeshadow and waist-long tresses announced a “Satanic Salem” tour.
In his speech, Putin complained of slavery and Native American genocide, which I also lament. He pointed out that Americans used nuclear bombs unjustifiably, and I’m not sure I disagree. To those points of tentative agreement with select moments of Putin’s speech, I could now add my encounter with a proponent of the “outright Satanism” he had decried.
REUBEN JOHNSON: Ukraine Needs Missile Defense.
Warsaw
This past week almost every major Ukrainian city was hit by dozens of Russian missile strikes—on the order of Vladimir Putin. The missile launches were targeted to destroy critical civilian energy infrastructure as winter approaches, but also to terrorize the Ukrainian population at large.The day of these attacks the Washington Post ran an editorial calling on the West to provide the Ukrainians with more effective, US or European-design air defense systems. I spent some time recently with the Ukrainian air and missile defense forces and most of the world has no idea as to the limited technology and capabilities of the systems the Ukrainians are currently working with.
Georgia is a closely divided state, but we're likely to see a lot of ticket splitters there this year - specifically a lot of people voting for arch-conservative Gov. Brian Kemp and Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Partly because they think Kemp is doing a good job, and partly because Warnock's opponent, Herschel Walker, is a total mess. TIME Magazine national political correspondent Molly Ball joins Sarah to discuss her reporting out of Georgia and listen to a group of Georgia swing voters.
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SARAH LONGWELL: The End of the Good Republicans.
Ben Sasse is retiring from the Senate at the youthful age of 50. We know why. Politicians who thought they could wait out Trump now see the writing on the wall.
The party’s over.
For years we watched the GOP defenestrations: Will Hurd, Jeff Flake, George W. Bush, the memory of John McCain, Paul Ryan, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and any other Republican who stood up to Donald Trump—or even just opposed Trump’s attempted coup. Some fell on their swords. Some were tossed aside involuntarily. The result was the same.
TIM MILLER: Furrygate: A Litterbox of Lies.
What are the teachers doing with their students’ poo poo? Does the smell just waft through the room until class is over? Doesn’t that embarrass the little kitties . . . errr, kiddies?
These are just some of the questions that have been nagging at me for the last few weeks. Ever since an episode of The Focus Group that made me aware of the great Furry Panic of 2022: an apparently widespread belief that children are “identifying” as cats in school, with said phenomenon being an outgrowth of the woke critical race theorizing / trans / groomer ideology that invaded American classrooms beginning January 21, 2021.
LAURENCE H. TRIBE AND DENNIS AFTERGUT: The Munich Model for Trump’s National Security Extortion.
In the annals of successful political extortions, few rival the one that took place in Munich more than 80 years ago.
On September 29, 1938, two days before a deadline that Hitler had announced for invading Czechoslovakia, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain yielded and agreed to meet with the German chancellor. In the Bavarian capital, they signed a “nonaggression” pact that ceded the territory to Hitler without consulting the Czechs.
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
Cleveland Rocks! The Guardians are still in it, and the season is on the line. I’ve seen us blow worse leads, so while I am emotionally invested, I’ve had my heart broken before, far worse. I can handle it. But, for the Guardians faithful: keep the faith! Drew Carey’s TV show may have popularized the cover of Cleveland Rocks, but Ian Hunter is a great honorary Clevelander, though most people know The Presidents of the United States cover of his song, and not his. Which is 100% better. The Guards are livin’ in sin with a safety pin. While the game is in the Bronx, hopefully, Cleveland will be rocking tonight. Just remember your SpongeBob canon.
“Please hug your people…” The obituary for my late, great intern, Conor Beck. Vaquero, mi amigo.
Elvis and Hershel… And the badges.
Baffled by pumpkins… Me and Jim Gaffigan.
Belarus is ready… For what, though, we don’t know.
This Parler takeover is going great! Always use BCC, you nincompoops.
NatConfusionism… I remixed the remix, and it was back to normal, as the late Mitch Hedberg joked. But it wasn’t normal.
That’s it for me. Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message.
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