I also detest the currently fashionable idea that the Democratic town hall protests are “just like” what the Tea Party did back in 2009. I don’t care if this idea is expressed by somebody who’s supportive of the current protests  (see today’s NYTIMES), it’s still dumb. 

There is a universe of difference between “Don’t take away the coverage for preexisting conditions” and “Take the government out of my Medicaid” or between “Representatives, do your job!” and “Government is evil.”

God, I hate just-likers. 

I think it’s fantastic to see reports of “Dems in disarray at their yearly meeting.” Sorry for using the obnoxious marketing terminology but if ever a party needed an instance of creative disruption, it’s this one. 

A party that’s had nothing but a string of defeats for years has little to lose and everything to gain from some good, rejuvenating chaos. I haven’t felt this hopeful about Democrats in a while. 

Russians are building a replica of Berlin’s Reichstag building so that youth organizations can practice storming it. 

The Germans are appalled. 

N dropped 2 little rubber bathtub toys into the toilet with predictable results. So I had to have the plumber out to wrestle the toys from out of there. The whole thing took 2 hours during which I found out a lot about the plumber’s life and his political beliefs. 

Of course, the 57-year-old self-employed plumber supports Trump. The reason why he supports Trump is that he (the plumber) hates Hitler. He believes that the crimes of Hitlerism have largely been forgotten, and that’s horrible. By refusing to provide military protection to European countries, Trump will force them to shape up and become vigilant. And as a result, they won’t miss the rise of a new Hitler. 

The plumber would also like to pay less taxes, of course. 

Real people – irrespective of who they vote for – are so much more interesting than the caricatures of them one reads about in the press. 

I just saw on TV this young fellow, a mayor from Indiana who is running for Chair of the DNC. He’s precisely what we need: young, energetic, competent at winning in a deep-red region, and saying the words people want to hear. “Democratic values, we are the party of families” – he’s at least trying to define a message other than “We are not as bad as Republicans.”

The interview with the interesting young mayor was cut short because there was an urgent need to put on the dumb freak Caitlin Jenner who is now upset with Trump after passionately supporting him two minutes earlier. And this is why I hate TV news. They put actual, serious politicians on the same plane with tabloid characters and then go, “What?? Trump won? Incredible . . .”

N’s conference costs $800, and it’s just membership and registration. Food and lodging and airfare are on top of that. Plus, he’s losing pay on the days that he’s there because his company is not covering it. And they are not covering it because they don’t want to lose him. He’s already over qualified for them, and this kind of conference widens the gap.

But he has to be paying these costs not only because he enjoys this kind of conference a lot but because that’s how one keeps oneself fluid. 

Regarding what I say about Rauner as a person – and I’m not sure if I mentioned this before – I know people who hang out with him. I wouldn’t say they are friends but, rather, friendly acquaintances. Republicans, totally in love with him and his policies (while working for a public institution and suffering for lack of healthcare, by the way, so go figure.) And even they recognize that the fellow is beyond lazy. 

On a practical note, if customs agents are checking immigration papers on domestic flights, will a driver’s license be enough?

I’m now worried because N always – and very aggravatingly – leaves his green card at home when he travels. He’s afraid of losing it. I, on the other hand, always lug around both the green card and the passport. What’s the point of having them if I’m not using them? 

As for customs agents, I’ve had a lot of contact with them over the years, and they tend to be a very aggrieved, nervous bunch with very little interest in what’s legal and what’s not. 

Just watched a news report on the town hall meeting with Tom Cotton. Seeing the people chant “Do your job!” was amazing. We really need to do something like this to Rauner. I understand that he’s a Republican and the people voted for him to do his Republican thing. It’s the will of the people, and I accept that. It’s his complete refusal to do a lick of work because he prefers to throw parties and go from one “charity” dinner to another that bugs me. He’s not promoting any Republican goals. He’s not promoting any goals. He parties and parties and parties some more. 

There are two general types of leftism:

1. The old-fashioned class consciousness / class solidarity leftism. The response to issues is based on asking, “Is there a class conflict here? Is anybody getting exploited?”

2. The consumerist leftism. The response to issues is based on asking, “Are any individual choices being thwarted here? Are any individuals prevented from doing what they want to do?” 

I’m obviously in group 1 and feel sad that it’s so successfully marginalized by group 2.