Thursday Evening

Tomorrow is Friday.

I Am Old

I try to take complaints of ageism seriously, but really I am "only" 52 and my brain is mushifying. I don't mean I have dementia (hopefully not!), but I can see how I am less quick to incorporate new information, less able to react appropriately to stressful situations, and of course much less likely to have any idea what the fuck The Kids are up to these days.

For a variety of reasons (cough boomers cough), many US institutions have failed to provide promotion opportunities for younger people to the extent that "younger people" just about means people who are my age.

I don't think all elderly people need to quit and go away, but my take on Congress is similar to my take on academia: fine, don't retire, keep teaching your students when you are 70, but maybe stop trying to run the place.

Ah, Well, Nevertheless

NEWS: Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is actively working to tank AOC’s bid for the top Dem spot on the House Oversight Comittee, I’m told.

Pelosi has been making calls & campaigning on behalf of Gerry Connolly, who’s running against AOC. More in @PunchbowlNews midday: pic.twitter.com/zYwS628uas

— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) December 12, 2024

Welp

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal praises Elon Musk for the second straight day, calling him "the foremost champion of free speech in the tech industry." pic.twitter.com/iu065wPorG

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 12, 2024

Amazing Stuff

Mace's original brand (helped by NYT puff pieces) was Sensible Moderate Republican In The Age Of Trump

Nancy Mace's former comms director: "her prop of a sling is a pathetic ploy for attention." 👀

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— Ari Drennen (@aridrennen.bsky.social) December 12, 2024 at 6:01 PM

Lunch

Shop while you eat! (Ad, I get a commission).

BURISMAAAAAA

Curious. I guess he pissed off Weiss.

Generational Shift

It's mostly fine if not always ideal if people stick around in the House for a long time, but the seniority deference system means that nobody gets a "promotion" until they've been there for decades.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, and Rep. Gerry Connolly, 74, have been canvassing the entire Democratic Caucus as they compete for the ranking position on Oversight next year — making calls, meeting with influential blocs in the party and laying out their vision for the high-profile panel. But according to interviews with a dozen members and staffers, Ocasio-Cortez has earned the support of the majority of Democrats on the panel, though it’s the Steering and Policy Committee and the full caucus who ultimately decide. The Oversight panel is stacked with younger, more progressive members who tend to align more with her than Connolly.

I'm sure Connolly belives it's his turn, as it's supposed to be and he's been waiting 16 years!

Surprisingly Blunt From The NYT

Not as many euphemisms as usual.

President-elect Donald J. Trump on Wednesday night chose Kari Lake to lead Voice of America, aiming to put a fierce loyalist who has called journalists “monsters” in charge of a federally funded news outlet that reaches hundreds of millions of people around the globe.

Mr. Trump was accused of using his appointees to try to turn Voice of America, whose aim is to offer unbiased news to audiences around the world, into a pro-Trump propaganda outlet during his first term. In his announcement of Ms. Lake, a local TV news anchor turned election denier who lost races for Senate and governor in Arizona, Mr. Trump hinted that he believed he had found an ally to try to reshape its coverage.

Foreign Policy Guy

I do remain amazed at how little the usual suspect pundits want to talk about what is going on in the Middle East. I used to shorthand that "Gaza" but that has expanded quite a bit since.

They are usually so excited to start drawing lines on the map, but most of them are just silent at the moment.

The election's over. The bad orange man won. Why are they so quiet?

Morning

Thirsty Thursday.

Happy Hour

Get happy. 

Ah, Well, Nevertheless

 Sinema's youngish and will eat out for years on this (not a defense, but at least it makes sense), but Manchin is old and he just can't stop.

BREAKING: Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have cast decisive votes against Biden's NLRB nominee. This means the Democrats will not secure control of the national labor regulator through 2026. These two Senators effectively handed Trump control of the board when his term begins.

— More Perfect Union (@moreperfectunion.bsky.social) December 11, 2024 at 6:51 PM

More Normal Schedule Returning

I was traveling and dealing with various life tasks over the past week but that is all over now.  What'd I miss?

Lunch

Eat

Seniority

Republicans already term limited their committee chairs/ranking members - 3 consecutive max.

 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a 35-year-old member of the progressive “squad” who is often mentioned as a future presidential hopeful, is taking on a more senior colleague, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., 74, who is battling esophageal cancer and was just elected to his ninth term.

“If she wins, it’s the end of seniority,” said a House Democrat who has served decades in Congress.

Are Tariffs Good Or Bad

A lot of left leaning people have spent the last couple of months furiously denouncing tariffs and Biden just announced more tariffs on trade from China.

Maybe Biden tariffs are good and Trump tariffs are bad but good luck explaining that.

(My view is, whatever the merits, the trump tariffs won't be as much of a disaster, economically or politically, as many of these critics think.)

 

Morning

Wacky Wednesday

Tuesday Night

It's alright.

Happy Hour

Get happy