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Parents of Besieged Hong Kong Protesters Come to the Front Lines
The parents of young people under siege at a university emerged as a humanizing call for compromise.
Craig Calhoun
See remarkable photo. A reminder that this is a struggle of the government and armed police not only against students but against the ordinary people of Hing Kong.
nytimes.com/2019/11/19/wor… via @NYTimes
42h
How Not to Plot Secret Foreign Policy: On a Cellphone and WhatsApp
American officials expressed wonderment that Rudolph W. Giuliani was running his “irregular channel” of diplomacy over open cell lines and communications apps penetrated by the Russians.
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Craig Calhoun
Ego and arrogance can easily overcome common sense. And of this Giuliani is not the most important example - though he is pretty amazing.
nytimes.com/2019/11/18/us/… via @NYTimes
42h
Jewish settlements no longer illegal - US
The US says Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are not inconsistent with international law.
Craig Calhoun
Is this because the US (or at least its President) no longer believes in international law?
58h
Republicans Shift Defense of Trump, While He Attacks Another Witness
With Gordon Sondland prepared to testify this week, Republicans backed away from complaints about secondhand information and instead offered a blunter defense: The president did nothing wrong.
Craig Calhoun
Are the Republicans who defend Trump actually more base than he is? Or are they just dumb? It will be interesting to watch him turn on those he deems insufficiently supportive or just ineffective.
nytimes.com/2019/11/17/us/… via @NYTimes
3d
Stephen Miller is no outlier. White supremacy rules the Republican party | Cas Mudde
Republican voters made Trump the white-supremacist-in-chief. That’s why a resignation from Miller wouldn’t change much
Craig Calhoun
More complex, but this is too true for comfort. Miller is among the worst people ever appointed to any White House job. He should go, but getting rid of him won’t produce a commitment of the Republicans to justice and a better future for all Americans
4d
Opportunity Zones — for Billionaires
A federal tax break intended to draw investment to lower-income areas has become one more way for the rich to avoid paying taxes.
Craig Calhoun
Should not surprise anyone. Trying to steer investment with subsidies gave too much say to politicians, creating too much temptation to corruption. One more tax cut for rich, no help for poor - like many such gimmicks before.
nytimes.com/2019/11/16/opi… via @NYTOpinion
4d
Republicans Redrew a Gerrymandered Map. Try Again, Say Democrats.
North Carolina Republicans introduced a new congressional map giving Democrats more potential clout. It’s still not enough, Democrats say, vowing to go back to court.
Craig Calhoun
North Carolina's Republican Party is interested mainly in its own power. It even subordinates its far-right agenda to naked self-interest. It certainly doesn't care about the actual future of the state or the country.
5d
Trump Pardons Three Service Members in War Crimes Cases
The moves signaled that as commander in chief, Mr. Trump intends to use his power as the ultimate arbiter of military justice.
Craig Calhoun
Trump to military: It's ok to ignore the officers above you. It's ok to let the colleagues who fight with you down. It's ok ignore the discipline you were taught. Unfortunately, a military without discipline is dangerous to itself as well as others.
5d
Ethnic Rifts in Bolivia Burst Into View With Fall of Evo Morales
As the country’s first Indigenous president has tumbled from power, Indigenous Bolivians fear the loss of their hard-won political gains, and say a racially tinged backlash has begun.
Craig Calhoun
No doubt Right vs Left, competence, and corruption all matter. But everyone should be clear that Bolivian opposition to Morales was based largely on the determination of wealthy and middle class whites not to share with indigenous Bolivians.
5d
In Kentucky, a Governor Who Picked Fights Loses a Big One
Matt Bevin, Kentucky’s sharp-elbowed governor conceded defeat after a recanvass of votes confirmed the victory of Andy Beshear, son of a two-term Democratic governor.
Craig Calhoun
May this please be an omen for @realDonaldTrump.
nytimes.com/2019/11/14/us/… via @NYTimes
6d
Italy to declare emergency over Venice flooding
The damage from the 1.87m (6ft) high waters is a "blow to the heart of our country", PM Conte says.
Craig Calhoun
Awful to see the damage and risk to glorious Venice.
Venice floods: Italy to declare state of emergency over damage
7d
'Boeing was at my father's funeral and I was not'
Few victims' families were able to attend the covering over of the Ethiopian Airlines crash site.
Craig Calhoun
Terribly sad and in the case of Boeing adds careless neglect and heartless abuse to the murder already committed.
Boeing was at my father's funeral and I was not'
7d
Clinton 'under enormous pressure' to run in 2020
The former Democratic nominee refuses to rule it out, telling the BBC: "Never say never."
Craig Calhoun
I guess the big donors really don’t like the candidates small donors and ordinary voters back!
Hillary Clinton 'under enormous pressure' to run in 2020
8d
A.I. Systems Echo Biases They’re Fed, Putting Scientists on Guard
Researchers say computer systems are learning from lots and lots of digitized books and news articles that could bake old attitudes into new technology.
Craig Calhoun
This really shouldn't surprise anyone.
We Teach A.I. Systems Everything, Including Our Biases
9d
Brown Is the New Black
In Trump’s America, African-Americans and Latinos have a new kind of solidarity.
Craig Calhoun
Perhaps the Trump administration will lead to greater solidarity between Latinos and African-Americans. Then it will have done one good thing. And with luck, that solidarity will help end Trump's reign.
Brown Is the New Black
9d
Who’s Afraid of Elizabeth Warren?
Quite a few people, and they have something in common. It’s not poverty.
Craig Calhoun
I do hope this is still a democracy, though that requires that the role of money in politics be very limited (and right now it's not). Who’s Afraid of Elizabeth Warren?
9d
Bursting the Billionaire Bubble
No, America isn’t waiting for a tycoon savior.
Craig Calhoun
Pretty much on target. The main problem is an economic system that produces so many billionaires. Some are good people and try to do good things with their wealth. But their wealth encourages a distorted view of the world (and themselves).
9d
Nikki Haley Ignores the Real Problem in the White House
It’s not that top aides sought to undermine President Trump, it’s that they thought they had to.
Craig Calhoun
One of the oddest things in the Nikki Haley story is that Tillerson and Kelly thought she might care more about the future of the country than her own career ambitions. Nothing about her record supports this.
9d
New York’s Jails Are Failing. Is the Answer 3,600 Miles Away?
City officials are looking to Norway, whose correctional system is a radical departure from cold, harsh American prisons.
Craig Calhoun
Reform of New York’s Jails is so long overdue and so deeply needed. They are failing. Norway's approach is lightyears better. Not only more humane and better for social justice. More efficient and better for society.
9d