The shape of things to come?

Early voting began yesterday in Georgia and people stood in line for up to ten hours in Atlanta and its suburbs.  It's a popular red-state tactic -- never enough machines, machines that don't work, get used to it.  "I'm on the floor," said an astounded Jordan Fuchs, deputy secretary of state.  Somebody didn't understand the "process," because there were long lines in conservative districts, too.  

Before you bemoan America's antipathy to democracy, however, pay attention to Belarus, where people have been in the streets for two months protesting the "election" of Alexander Lukashenko.  His opponent had to flee the country lest he "lock her up," and his interior ministry is starting to talk about using lethal weapons.  The deputy minister blames "groups of fighters, radicals, anarchists and football fans."

It's completely different here, of course, where Trump would blame basketball fans.  Trump does not like basketball, probably because it moves too fast for his druggy eyes to follow but also because so many players have been vocal supporters of Black Lives Matter.   So instead of the traditional presidential call of congratulation on winning a championship, the NBA Los Angeles Lakers and WNBA Seattle Storm got abuse.   "Maybe they were watching in China but I doubt it.  Zero interest!" tweeted the Nielsen Media Ratings company's biggest fan, and his pathetic Giuliani parroted, "How about a big parade in Communist China, Beijing.  That's where it belongs."  The Lakers would love to hold a big parade in California, Los Angeles, but Trump's bungling of the pandemic continues to make that impossible.  Why all the "Communist China" stuff?  Because NBA equals BLM equals Communism equals Biden/Harris.  Whaddaya need, a glossary?   The last real president tweeted, "Proud of all the NBA and WNBA teams and players who've been using their platforms to take a stand for racial justice and encourage civic participation this season."   Will Obama never stop plotting that coup?

Gretchen Whitmer needn't think she's so special:  An FBI agent testified today that the same group of right-wing terrorists who planned to try her for treason discussed kidnapping Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia.  Both issued shut-down orders in March because of the Trumpandemic, but so did many others including a few Republicans.  Could it have involved this April 17 tweet:  "LIBERATE VIRGINIA and save your great 2nd Amendment.  It is under siege!"?  Northam says he was never told about the plot, but he can't remember ordering the seizure of all guns in the state, either.  I guess it was implied.

What's the difference between a precedent and a super-precedent?  To the surprise of nobody, Amy Covid Barrett says Roe v. Wade is the former and she just can't wait to destroy it for Jesus.  (I paraphrase but only a little.)  Don't be surprised if Brown v. Topeka Board of Education also dies on the super-precedent of Plessy v. Ferguson, if not Dred Scott.  We need an eleven-member court and the other two need to be Eric Holder and Emmet Sullivan.  Gloves off, Joe.

Speaking of forced birtherism, no one has yet asked Trump how he feels about being treated with stem cells from an aborted fetus, so plenty of "pro life" hypocrites have stepped up to say it's a miracle from cod that their precious leader was saved.   What's sauce for the gander is definitely not sauce for the goose, right, Amy?

Last week Keith Olbermann returned to the internet with a nightly ragecast on YouTube.  Today he got a boost from Mitt Romney, who singled him out as one reason "the world is watching America with abject horror."  He and "the children" are frightened for our country,  "so divided, so angry, so mean, so violent."  So dumb.  Does he really think a Breonna Taylor "Say Her Name" shirt is the equivalent of telling storm troopers to "stand by"?  That ripping a copy of a speech is the same as tear gas and Apache helicopters?  That defacing a statue is just like praising Kyle Rittenhouse?  Mittens, we already told you to fuck off once.  Continue to fuck off.  Mitch will call you when it's time to vote for Judge Amy.

Don't miss Olbermann.  He hasn't lost a step.

I spared myself the ghoulish sight of Mitch McConnell laughing about the devastation of covid.  I don't live in Kentucky, he's not my problem.  Here's my fantasy about his future:

  January 3 - Mitch flies to Taiwan to beg his in-laws for a job.

  January 5 - Mitch dies on a flight to Ulan Bator when a condom full of cocaine bursts in his stomach.

Too vile and vituperative, Mitt?  Keep fucking off.