Inflation, Inflation

Stalling Tactics:  We’re not going to see all those implicating January 6 files that document the coup efforts of the FG and his cronies, at least we’re not going to see them yet.  Yesterday, as expected, the Court of Appeals for DC granted a temporary injunction while it considers the FG’s request to hold off the files’ release pending his appeal of a lower court’s decision.  The Appeals court judges fast-tracked oral arguments setting a hearing for November 30.  Two of the three judges on the randomly selected panel are Obama appointees with the third recently appointed by Biden, not that any of that is supposed to matter except that sometimes it does.  The expectation is that they’ll rule in favor of releasing the information and that the FG’s lawyers will again appeal, requesting a full court review and then that “his” Supreme Court get the final say.  Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice still hasn’t done anything about the Steve Bannon contempt issue which is why former chief of staff Mark Meadows is unlikely to show up to testify in front of the January 6^th committee because unless someone suffers some serious consequences for refusing, why would he bother?  As to the courts in general, some really strange stuff is happening at the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager who shot three, killing two in Kenosha, Wisconsin and in the trial against the three Georgians who are being tried for murdering jogger Arnaud Arbury.  The Rittenhouse judge seems more interested in adopting the teen than seeing justice done, and also seems to think that it was perfectly normal for him to cross state lines with a military style weapon he shouldn’t have had to play vigilante in Kenosha.  It’s even been reported that the judge’s phone played the FG’s campaign theme when it “accidentally” rang during the trial.  Then there’s the bizarre racially tinged comment he made about Asian food yesterday.  On the Arbury front, referring to the presence of Al Sharpton who was sitting with the victim’s family, a Defense attorney complained about too many Black pastors being present in court and how that could influence jurors, not just odd because of the race reference but also strange since there’s only one Black person on the jury as the defense team excluded all others from the jury, something the judge hearing the case allowed even as he noted it wasn’t all that Kosher. It got even worse when the Defense counsel  added that no one would be happy if his side invited a bunch of people dressed like Colonel Sanders in white masks. What? And because odd things are also happening outside of court, in another one of his Twitter alternate statements the FG announced that he had sent his “Envoy Ambassador” Ric Grenell to the Kosovo-Serbia border to promote “peace.”  To state the obvious former presidents don’t have or get to send ambassadors anywhere.  As if that isn’t bad enough, today’s NY Times reports on how Don Jr and Steve Bannon have been working hard to help Brazil strongman Jair Bolsonaro get reelected. The FG recently took to his Twitter alternate platform to endorse Bolsonaro’s reelection, not surprising given how the two have so much in common and by that think their similar responses to the “fake” coronavirus pandemic and their ongoing criminal enterprises.  Sadly, with inflation now the story of the day, we could end up with the FG and all of his best and most corrupt buddies in charge again because nothing spurs voter dissatisfaction more than increasing fuel prices and inflation fears.  What’s a lot of hate mongering, death threats, pollution and the like if the alternative is more expensive gas at the tank?  One more thing, reports are that NJ Republican Ciattarelli plans to finally concede that he lost his race by about 74K votes.  

 

Viral Musings:  So after all those reports came out about actor/possible Texas governor candidate Matthew McConaughey not vaccinating his kids, he responded by making it clear that he’s not opposed to vaccinations, just nervous.  He added that he, his wife and  his 13 year son are vaccinated but that he’s taking it slow with his younger kids which is sort of relatable so credit to him for clarifying his position. Perhaps the experiences of the 1 million or so 5 to 11 year-olds who have gotten the shot so far will help him through his angst.  On the COVID front, spurred on by those who remain unvaccinated, rates are rising again in too many places.  Let’s hope that those experts who insist that the incoming wave won’t be as bad as last winter’s because so many are vaccinated are correct.  Notably two anti-vax leaders have cancelled their plans to attend their own planned anti vax events.  One of them a North Dakota lawmaker is missing his North Dakota rally because he’s sick with COVID, the other white supremacist/anti vax advocate Nick Fuentes is “sick” with a mystery disease that sounds awfully like COVID and won’t be able to go on with his plans.  Horse paste anyone? Singapore where the inappropriate disposal of chewing gum can get you into bigly trouble has had it with people like Fuentes, they announced plans to stop covering the hospital medical bills of those who remain unvaccinated by choice. 

759K: US COVID deaths

74K: 7 day average of new cases