Politics Corner May 2nd

 

photo mine

We've got a lot to talk about today. Let's start with the farcical discussion in the Senate over oversight of the out of control US Supreme Court. Republicans complain that Dems are only upset due to recent conservative decisions. Dems are focusing in the obvious corruption which so far has sullied four conservatives and liberal Kagan. It's clear that Roberts, who is also fingered, will not clean up his court. Someone must or we're careering down the path to fascism. [NPR]

via NPR

We moved on to other witnesses in the E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald Trump civil rape/defamation case. Lisa Birnbach (yes, she wrote <i>The Preppy Handbook</i> as a satire) was first up. She is a longtime friend of Carroll and testified that Carroll called her within minutes of the rape. Birnbach told Carroll that it was rape and she should go to the police and she would go with her. Carroll was ashamed and begged Birnbach to secrecy. [NBC]

The second witness was Jessica Leeds who was brought in to show a pattern of behavior. She was offered relief from coach to a first class seat. Of course she took it  - I would have. Unfortunately it was next to Donald Trump. It started fine with conversation and then he was handsy and it kept getting worse. Leeds wondered "Where is the stewardess? Why doesn’t somebody come and help me?" After this Leeds cut her hair and stopped wearing skirts but Donald Trump still noticed her at a Humane Society benefit (beside a pregnant Ivana) and he said "I remember you. You're that cunt from the plane." [Daily Beast]

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via NBC

There's a push to get around McCarthy and get the debt ceiling approval passed. I'm cautiously pessimistic. The GOP has been told that the government will not be able to pay the bills that they already passed as soon as June first. They're going to grandstand until then and at the last minute they will listen to their corporate sponsors that will collapse along with the economy. [CNN]

via CNN

This story may seem like it doesn't belong in Politics Corner and should be over in What's on Tonight or Headlines in the morning. I guarantee that there will be talk in the comments of both and probably above the fold as well. But the writer's strike is not just about Hollywood. It's not just entertainment. Writers have always been undervalued in Hollywood and paid less than people that do less. But the shift to streaming and keeping the streaming within the same corporate family is erasing residuals. Cancelation happy networks and streamers (Hello Netflix!) aren't happy either. Now enter AI which threatens to take out writers altogether. So writers who were underpaid to begin with are expected to make less or stand in the unemployment line. Why? Because the bottom line is always the people at the top. So you're going to catch up on shows that you haven't gotten around to and you'll rediscover your physical media. You'll survive. Hopefully the writers will get paid. And in the meantime enjoy .Gutfeld! There's no way anyone could have written that. [Vox] 

via New York Times

Political discussion welcome