GO TO AN ART MUSEUM DAY UPDATES
You're Gonna LOOK at Abstract Expressionism - And You're Gonna LIKE It!
-How bad were the election results for Republicans on Tuesday? So bad that they even got devastated nationally in usually little-noticed elections that are actually incredibly important for localities: school board elections. Hard right forces have focused for years on these elections as incubators for candidates that can move up the ladder while also imposing (often through bullying and stealth tactics) budget limits, gender discrimination, book bans, and rewriting of curricula to reflect their narrow social/political/religious views. In this cycle, that mantle was taken up by the UltraMAGA favorite group "Moms for Liberty," who supported dozens of school board candidates from Alaska to Iowa to Minnesota to Pennsylvania to North Carolina to Virginia - and, according to the Daily Beast, virtually all MfL candidates lost, often in slates, leaving their anti-woke agenda in some tatters as yet another voting cycle shows increased Democratic engagement in off-year Presidential cycles.
-So, one would think the GOP would look at their results and try to adjust their strategies. You would THINK that - but you would then forget that the GOP is now controlled by a fringe of a fringe who do not belive in backing down. EVER. Thus, in the face of yet more evidence that the Dobbs decision is an absolute anchor on their necks, UltraMAGAt House members continued to insist that the way to power is ... a national ban on abortion rights as supported by the GOP House and its 4-vote majority.
-But lest their platform sit solely on the backs of that horrifically unpopular policy choice, yesterday the House decided to grab their biggest binky they have, signing subpoenas to bring into the House for a deposition The Least, The Worst, The Most Horrible and Despicable Being to Ever Be Allowed To Walk the Streets of the Beautiful United States of America ... HUN-TERRR BIIII-DENNN (ddDDDDUUUMMMDDDUUUMMMDDDDUUUMMMM!!!). President Biden's brother James was also subpoenaed over something something China corruption blah de blah de blah.
-Oh, and under the new leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Jay-EE-Zus!, LA), the entire House has been held in late-night sessions passing legislation to reduce the salaries of multiple Biden Cabinet officers (including Defense Secretary Austin, Transportation Secretary Buttigeg, Energy Secretary Granholm, Interior Secrtary Haaland) to $1.00. They have also called for defunding the office of the Vice President, EPA, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the White House Communications Office. Legislation to fund the government, Ukraine (SLAVA UKRAINI!) and border security have yet to be dealt with. LEADERSHIP!
-Candidates who are not Ex-President Trump XCI had something they called a debate last night in Miami, and apparently the big moment was Nikki Haley calling Vivek Ramaswamy "scum."
-Moving on ...
-As Israel continues to hammer Gaza City in its hunt for HAMAS members, the world continues to build a demand that their attacks somehow try to allow Palestinians caught in the literal crossfire to find some safe haven while also trying to cope with hundreds of Israelis who continue to be held hostage after last month's terrorist attacks. A defiant Benjamin Netanyahu insists he will continue to attack, even as his declaration that Israel will occupy the Gaza strip is getting heavy diplomatic criticism from the White House. This as U.S. jets launched attacks in Syria in an attempt to hold them and Iran (and Hezbollah) out of the war in Israel. The world holds its breath ...
-At 12:01 am last night East Coast time, the actors' strike was officially ended, as SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood producers came to a 3-year tentative agreement that ended the longest strike in actors unio history. Film productions are gearing up to get going (with sequels to DEADPOOL, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE and VENOM at the top of the calendar) as picket lines have been called off, membership reviews the parameters of the contract and prepares for a vote. The contract is expected to be ratified.
-And, in foreign diplomatic zoo news, the three giant pandas that China had given to the United States that have been cared for and shown in Washington DC's National Zoo were returned to China at their request yesterday. It turns out the creatures have merely been on loan, and the rising tension between the two countries over China's posturing against Taiwan, support for Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine, and industrial policies that have seen China's manufacturing sector plunge as America shifts much of its production back to the U.S. (thanks, President Biden!) is thought to be the motivation to the move. You will be missed, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and your cub ...
-On this date in 1888, the killing spree of Jack the Ripper came to an official end. On this date in 1923, the Beer Hall Putsch began and ended - a defeat (but sadly not the last) for Adolph Hitler. On this date in 1938, Kristallnacht began throughout Nazi Germany. On this date in 1984, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET premiered. On this date in 1989, East Berlin opened the gates to West Berlin to allow free passage to both citizens, effectively destroying the Berlin Wall. And on this date in 2020, BionTech and Pfizer announced their COVID-19 vaccines were over 90% effective in preventing serious infection from the worldwide pandemic.
-Happy Birthday to Gail Borden, Ed Wynn, Hedy Lamarr, Dorothy Dandridge, Severn Darden, Whitey Herzog, Carl Sagan, Bob Gibson, Mary Travers, Tom Fogerty, Lou Ferrigno, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chad Ogea, Chris Jericho, Susan Tedeschi, Nich Lachey, and Sisqo.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Henry Cabot Lodge, Chaim Weizmann, Dylan Thomas, Charles de Gaulle, Yves Montand, Art Carney, Stieg Larsson, John Hillerman, Tom Heinsohn, and Fred Hickman.
-Feed the Worms: Spiro Agnew and Byron de la Beckwith entered Earth on this date. Neville Chamberlain and John Mitchell bought it on this date.