What Can You Say

Biden's people are more willing to run with bullshit than even the IDF.

The Israel Defense Forces says public discussions about the state of captives held in Gaza has moved into reckless territory, urging those responsible to knock it off.

“The conversation around the issue is irresponsible, inaccurate and should be avoided,” the IDF says in a rare statement.

The pushback is apparently in response to comments from US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller Monday that Hamas terrorists likely held back on freeing female hostages because it did not want them to speak publicly about being subjected to rape and other sexual violence.

I have no idea what's happening with the hostages, but neither does Matthew Miller (by his own admission). This is Radio Rwanda stuff.

The IDF's incentives are a bit mixed, here.

Voting Rights

I don't think one side is always pure and good, but I think simplifying voting rights is one of those things that left-leaning voters support on the merits and right-leaning voters (and their leaders) support based on their perceived impact on the elections. 

An easy example is Pennsylvania, where Republicans pushed through easier voting by mail until Trump decided it would hurt him, and then tried to overturn the law they pushed through.

Obviously I can't speak for all left-leaning voters, but voting and voter registration should be easy and it has never occurred to me to oppose something strategically. OK I'd oppose things with obvious discriminatory intent - like expanding polling places *only* in certain areas - but not otherwise.

And I think we've learned that higher voter turnout isn't necessarily good for Democrats. Irregular voters are weird.

Anyway, good for Michigan Democrats.

Morning

Another day.

Wednesday Night

Rock on.

Happy Hour

Get happy

Lock'em Up!

Progress.

A Nevada grand jury has indicted six individuals who acted as fake electors in a scheme intended to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election win, according to the state’s attorney general.

IVF

Of course they were going to head there, but fertility treatments are rather popular with their base. At least for those who need it.

YOUNG GUN DOWN

Kevin McCarthy is quitting Congress soon. huzzah.

Lunch

Eat

RIP Norman Lear

Hanging on until Henry died, good for him.

My sorta dumb opinion is that you can draw a straight line from WWII to the present - history marches on, things change, but the future doesn't seem that unrecognizable.  Except the 70s (bracket the decade however you want to, precisely) which just stands out as being almost unrecognizable relative to what came before and after.

Why Not The Rest Of Them

A problem with these half measures is they obviously don't make any sense? I'm a normie voter, don't follow politics that much, don't have any clue how this got through Congress. I'm scratching my head? Why 10? He's the damn president - why isn't he cutting the prices of all drugs, including this very expensive one I need to take?

Anyway, most "swing" and irregular voters are very confused, and I don't really blame them.  

Several Weeks

At least they have Samantha Power making videos about Gaza aid.

US officials expect the current phase of Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza targeting the southern end of the strip to last several weeks before Israel transitions, possibly by January, to a lower-intensity, hyper-localized strategy that narrowly targets specific Hamas militants and leaders, multiple senior administration officials tell CNN.

Read the whole piece. The reporters can't hide how full of shit they think these people are.

Morning

Once again

Area Man At A Loss For Words

Bad blogging recently. I hate any impulse to make this about MEEEEE but sometimes I do find it all a bit much.

Happy Hour

Once again

Henry Kissinger Won't See Your Tweet, But Blinken Will

No justice in this world, but they should know we will cheer their demise.

Lunch

Fish sauce. The Secret ingredient.

Defund the Police

Not sure what they do.

I AM NOT AS POWERFUL AS I USED TO BE

This is true, also a regret. I was never a kingmaker, but I had some opportunities to promote good things. Maybe I didn't do enough of that?

What Are You For

We can discuss all the reasons why conflict in Israel gets more attention than conflict elsewhere, but it does and will continue to. If there's one thing the "leader of the free world" is supposed to do it is solve this shit.