The Sunday @washingtonpost print edition devoted six full pages to a profile of democracy darkener #jimjordan. That was the same amount of space as the paper’s entire local news section. That is at a minimum a stunning waste of newsprint, especially for an article with a headline that appears to herald this reckless, feckless legislator as an all-caps “RELENTLESS WRESTLER.” Was there a point to this? If so, get to it in 1,000 words and allow more stories to be told in that space.

Let this sink in for a minute: From The Washington Post: “[House Speaker Kevin] McCarthy’s allies, in a briefing with reporters on Friday, suggested the [budget] negotiating process with fellow Republicans took so many months because so many newcomers had never been in the majority and didn’t understand how government funding works.” Republicans ran for office and got elected without even knowing (and arguably caring about) key basics about the job they were asking voters to assign them.

Clarence Thomas needs to be removed from the Supreme Court. He is actively supporting the Koch network as it moves cases through the court that are fundamentally and adversely changing the law, a fundamental violation of jurisprudence. His disdain for judicial norms and standards are disqualifying. He ibas been exposed as an umpire who wines and dines with the owners of one of the teams on the ball field. It’s time for him to go. https://mastodon.social/@waldoj/111108652503264246

This must-read article by Astra Taylor shines a light on “manufactured insecurity.” Once we realize that extractive capitalism needs our fear and anxiety in order to survive, we can imagine a new order built on something akin to FDR’s “Four Freedoms,” especially a expansive understanding of “freedom from fear.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/18/opinion/inequality-insecurity-economic-wealth.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Here's one reason the Federal Trade Commission needs to come down HARD on Amazon: Right now Amazon takes HALF of the sales price of goods sold by Amazon Marketplace merchants. And that was before Amazon levied a 2% fee on merchants doing THEIR OWN shipping instead of paying for Amazon's fulfillment service. Amazon uses its monopoly to extort merchants who feel they have no choice but to use Amazon. This must be stopped.

One of the best ways to fight inflation: Build more affordable housing. And when the private sector won’t step up, the public sector must. https://apple.news/Aup8yjoOfQzWjFLN6Gg4_XQ

My husband asked me a question I don’t have a good answer for: If social media influencer Kai Cenat can be arrested for inciting a riot over a PlayStation giveaway in New York, why wasn’t Donald Trump arrested for inciting a riot at the US Capitol over an attempted coup?

Feeling optimistic about American democracy right now…

The fact that certain states are allowing children to serve alcohol in bars is a shocker, but the people leading this effort are not: Republican legislators and the National Restaurant Association. https://www.theguardian.com/law/2023/jul/31/republicans-child-labor-bars-alcohol-service-age-wisconsin