LABOR DAY UPDATES
It's NOT About the Picnics - It's About Your Workplace and Your Rights as Workers!
-We start this American holiday in Israel, where the deaths of six HAMAS-held hostages (including one American-born hostage) over the weekend in what appears to have been an execution has led to mass protests and calls demanding Benjamin Netanyahu resign. Netanyahu is being responsible for the deaths for his perceived refusal to complete a deal with HAMAS that could have released them, instead opting to continue to prosecute a full-out war which is increasingly making Netanyahu and Israel estranged from the rest of the West.
-A 24-hour general strike is currently taking place in Israel to try to pressure Netanyahu to, at a minimum, return to the table with HAMAS to set up a hostage exchange, or at maximum to make Netanayahu resign and/or call for elections, which Netanyahu is reluctant to do because of polling that indicates he would lose and potential subsequent criminal investigations that would begin once he left office (amid a belief among his opposition that Netanyahu continues the war against HAMAS more for his own personal political motivations than Israeli security).
-This morning, President Biden added to the chorus by publicly charging Netanyahu with "not doing enough" to try to both free more hostages and end the war with HAMAS - and the White House's constant negotiations that seem to come close to a deal only to fall short is one of the weights that led to his decision to end his 2024 re-election campaign. That is of import because of persistent reports that Netanyahu has been in touch with Republican nominee Old Weird Convicted Felon Ex-President Trump - and rumors that Trump has encouraged Netanyahu not to cut a deal in order to help Trump win and, in turn, receive Trump's "100% endorsement" to conduct the war against Palestine and Palestinians with whatever level of savagery Netanyahu chose.
-In short, it is another low point and the level of volatility is off the charts, though at the moment it does not appear Netanyahu is swayed to change his policies or behavior. So, eyes open for developments here.
-This is Labor Day in the U.S., and there is plenty of action - at least on the Democratic side. It is led by Biden going to Pittsburgh to make a joint appearance with Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris, which most believe is the first of what will be a number of such appearances as the traditional start to the Presidential campaign is today. Harris will also be appearing in Michigan today, while Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz and wife Gwen will campaign in Wisconsin and their home state of Minnesota, where both were pictured enjoying a pork chop sandwich at the Minnesota State Fair yesterday. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will be campaigning in Virginia.
-The Harris campaign has also announced it will spend over 200M in digital ad buys between now and Election Day, which will be far and away the largest such amount in American political history for that form of media. With Harris' strength in use of such programs as TikTok and Instagram, huge reported increases in voter registration of voters under the age of 30, and polling that claims women under 45 now rank abortion rights as their top issue in the race (the economy now second), the decision to focus on that over traditional television and cable (not that either will be ignored given Harris' financial advantage over Trump) seems to make logical and tactical sense for the campaigns.
-As for Trump and his designated driver, the unctuous JD Vance, neither have events scheduled. That could be in part because of Trump stepping in it again over abortion rights in a series of speeches last week where a question about a Florida ballot initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state over a draconian GOP-drafted-and-passed abortion ban solicited more flip-flops than a fisherman reeling in his catch in a boat. A comment about wanting to set up public monies to pay for in-vitro fertilization nationally led to a howl of donor protests, leading Trump to backtrack and announce he will vote against the measure, leading to alienation of more women voters rather than the abortion abolitionists whose plans to ban all abortions along with IVF and similar technologies and more are central parts of Project 2025.
-That could also be because, despite polls from major outlets like ABC now having a 52%-46% Harris lead, Axios reports that there is literally only one demographic who polling says is moving towards Trump ... white men. According to Axios, Trump is up 51%-46% (a 2% 'swing') in what is still the largest voters demographic nationally. The gender gap among women is also increasing, however, with Axios reporting Harris' lead among female voters is now 51%-46%, along with every other demographic you can think of - IF you believe in such things, of course.
-Labor Day is the end of the Summer, and with it we can review what happened throughout the
cultural firmament. The top grossing summer movie was INSIDE OUT 2, beating number two DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE by $50M, but giving Walt Disney Pictures the top two slots in the box office. According to the evil Spotify, Billie Eilish's "Birds of a Feather" was the number one downloaded song of the summer, although a big case can be made that Summer 2024 was the Summer of Chappell Roan, who had multiple hits and a record-breaking midday set at Lollapalooza that may set her up to be the next pop megastar (assuming Sabrina Carpenter doesn't have a say, since "Espresso" was third on most download lists). The album charts remain Taylor Swift's domain with THE TORTURED POETS SOCIETY the top of the sales list there, and HOUSE OF THE DRAGON from our old GAME OF THRONES universe was the top-streamed summer TV series.
-Today may be a good day to catch up on some streams, as it's pretty much Fall 2024 starting tomorrow, with lots of court dates for Trump and the September 10 debate - which some in the Trump camp are reportedly believing is make-or-break for the bad guy - looming. So chill today and ease into what will be a rather dramatic season ...
-On this date in 1666, a fire began in a house of the king's baker in London that would ravage the city over the next four days, destroying 13,000 dwellings and Old St. Paul's Cathedral. On this date in 1945, Japan signed the formal terms of surrender that ended World War II. Also on this date in 1945, Ho Chi Minh took advantage of the big news and declared Vietnam independent from France. And on this date in 2005, Kanye West said George (W.) Bush doesn't care about black people" during a televised benefit for victims of Hurricane Katrina next to a shocked Mike Myers.
-Debuts on this date: the United States Treasury (1789), "Speak softly and carry a big stick" (1901), Bing Crosby (1931), THE THIRD MAN (1949), the automated teller machine (1969), the Dead Kennedys (1980).
-Happy Birthday to Adolph Rupp, Cleveland Amory, Allen Drury, Martha Mitchell, Hal Ashby, Victor Spinetti, Andrew Grove, Peter Ueberroth, John Thompson Jr., Billy Preston, Christa McAuliffe, Mark Harmon, Jimmy Connors, Linda Purl, Steve Porcaro, Eric Dickerson, Carlos Valderrama, Keir Starmer, Sam Mitchell, Keanu Reeves, Lennox Lewis, Salma Hayek, and Katt Williams.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Henri Rousseau, Pierre de Coubertin, J.R.R. Tolkein, Allen Drury, Dr. Christiaan Barnard, Troy Donahue, Abe Lemons, Bob Denver, and Bob Mathias.