We need to talk about Joe Biden

From what I’m seeing, this is clearly a man in the early stages of dementia. Last night, on national television, one of his eyes filled with blood, which is apparently a symptom of hypertension. I’m only seeing right-wing sites mentioning the latter and no “official” discussion of the former.

This is how the foreign press sees this administration.

Spoiler alert: the titular shit is figurative.

Deep Thoughts With Digby

https://www.pilotonline.com/opinion/vp-ed-column-solomon-20190904-o34m34s7h5ce3juf7uufp6sgfq-story.html

Digby has thoughts on divisiveness. He concedes that racism is bad, but the most dangerous example he seems able to come up with is the concept of white privilege. “We know what that led to,” he ominously intones, though it is not clear what, in fact, that led to.

The most highly educated generation this country has ever produced have been “taught they are helpless victims” and discouraged from excelling, apparently. Also, there’s the usual safe space straw man thrown in for good measure. (I’m looking forward to Digby’s take on the most recent development in fellow wordsmith Bret Stephens’ holy war against safe spaces.)

And then there’s “the Blacks.” They need to “forget” and “let go of the injustices heaped upon them from slavery through Jim Crow.” Seemingly content that he’s made his point, or at least his word count, Digby encourages us all (but especially “the blacks”) to simply “look forward.” Just move on; get over it. Definitely do not talk about his white privilege.

Thanks, Digby!

How Slavery Shaped American Capitalism

https://jacobinmag.com/2019/08/how-slavery-shaped-american-capitalism

Another perspective on the topic du jour: It appears slavery’s influence lies not in crop yields, but as the socio-political backdrop of the framing of the Constitution.

Pilot Letter: Time to scale back on growth

https://www.pilotonline.com/opinion/letters/vp-ed-leta-0829-20190829-tunuyfzlpngyzmulw3vaka7w6i-story.html

I really wish people would stop framing the issue this way. I have no doubt the author means well, but people who do not mean well will take this in a Malthusian direction. You’re ceding the premise of the neo-fascists.