{"id":44156,"date":"2021-06-20T07:01:15","date_gmt":"2021-06-20T14:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=44156"},"modified":"2021-06-19T17:21:06","modified_gmt":"2021-06-20T00:21:06","slug":"open-thread-for-june-20-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2021\/06\/20\/open-thread-for-june-20-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread for June 20, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is now possible to hear an opera broadcast on every Saturday all year round, and not just during the Metropolitan Opera’s season. Yesterday’s opera is “Tosca,” by Puccini, which premiered in 1900, based on an 1887 play. In it the political is the personal, and I would ccll it prescient except that, sadly, the struggle between authoritarians and the rest of us has been going on forever. But it does, at least to me, make it more poignant to consider that what happened to Tosca and Mario (and Angelotti) could conceivably happen to any of us at any time if we fail to preserve our democracy.<\/p>\n

Cartoon<\/strong> TomCat has run this cartoon every Father’s Day since at least 2010 (probably before that, but I don’t think the prior blog, which was on Blogspot, remains accessible). He always protested strongly that the litter was not<\/strong> his<\/strong> progeny.
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Short Takes<\/strong><\/p>\n

INDEOENDENT (UK) – The Republican Party has turned fascist \u2013 it is now the most dangerous threat in the world.<\/a> (And apparently everyone can see it except us.)
\nQuote: Two strategies, though never entirely absent from Republican behaviour in the past, have become far more central to their approach. One is a greater willingness to use or tolerate violence against their opponents, something that became notorious during the invasion of the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters on 6 January. The other change among Republicans is much less commented on, but is more sinister and significant. This is the systematic Republican takeover of the electoral machinery that oversees elections and makes sure that they are fair. Minor officials in charge of them have suddenly become vital to the future of American democracy. Remember that it was only the refusal of these functionaries to cave in to Trump\u2019s threats and blandishments that stopped him stealing the presidential election last November.
\nClick through for the full article.<\/a> Share it if you can.<\/p>\n

Crooks and Liars – What\u2019s The ‘Critical Race Theory\u2019 Uproar Really About? Making Enemies For 2022<\/a>
\nQuote : The whole campaign against CRT, in fact, appears to be primarily the work of a handful of astroturfing \u201cdark money\u201d right-wing organizations. And its central figure is named Christopher Rufo, a longtime right-wing think tank activist with a history of promoting various kinds of spurious enemy concoctions.
\nClick through for details.<\/a> But remember, just because only one person is behind it doesn’t mean it hasn’t already infected multitudes. Donald Trump** ia onlt one person too.<\/p>\n

Sad news – Champ has passed. (BTW this looks like a Twitter account worth following<\/a> if one were on Twitter.)<\/p>\n

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Our family lost our loving companion Champ today. I will miss him. pic.twitter.com\/sePqXBIAsE<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 President Biden (@POTUS) June 19, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n