Recesspool

Checking Balances, The Onion Strikes Back

When confronted by the parade of cabinet nominees from the warmups like Kristi Noem and Fox and Friends' Peter Hegseth to the main and inane acts like Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and ... (I'll pause to provide you a chance to grab another handful of anti-nausea chewables) ... Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, even a longtime Trump watcher like Charlie Sykes had to admit that he "had no idea of the avalanche of grotesqueries headed our way." As this WaPo (Gift Article) headline suggests, Trump picks Gaetz and Gabbard for top jobs, daring Senate GOP to defy him. The big question is whether or not the Senate will confirm all of these picks. The scary answer to that question is that we have little reason to believe that the incoming GOP majorities will stand up to Trump on any appointment or issue. Why would they stand up to Trump on Gaetz and the others when they didn't stand up to Trump on Trump? The scarier answer is that the Senate may not even get a say in the decision. In an effort to quickly obliterate the balances that keep a president in check, Trump could use recess appointments to push through all of his picks without any vote at all. Vox: "President-elect Donald Trump is pushing for the next Senate majority leader to allow recess appointments, which would allow him to install some officials without Senate confirmation." I used to joke that recess was my favorite subject. At this point, even with a Senate GOP majority, I'd much prefer we stick with math.

+ Philip Bump in WaPo (Gift Article): There’s a plan in case Senate Republicans aren’t as pliant as Trump wants.

+ This is really worrisome stuff for democracy. Don't take my word for it. Let's check in with the Antonin Scalia chair in constitutional studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Edward Whelan in WaPo (Gift Article): Mike Johnson must block Trump’s scheme on recess appointments. "The Senate’s power to approve or reject a president’s nominees for Cabinet positions is a fundamental feature of the Constitution’s system of checks and balances. As Alexander Hamilton explained in the Federalist Papers, that power 'would tend greatly to prevent the appointment of unfit characters,' including those “who had no other merit than that … of possessing the necessary insignificance and pliancy to render them the obsequious instruments of [the president’s] pleasure.” Almost as if Hamilton were describing Matt Gaetz, Trump’s pick for attorney general."

+ The other angle on the Gaetz story. House Ethics committee was set to meet this week to vote on releasing Gaetz report. "The long-awaited report was expected to be released as soon as Friday, those sources said. But with Gaetz’s resignation, it’s uncertain if the information will ever be made public." Going from the edge of being held to account to the height of power. It's all the rage these days.

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Area Man Buys Infowars

Here's some good news from the NYT (Gift Article): The Onion Buys Infowars, Alex Jones’s Site, Out of Bankruptcy. (And they did it with the blessing of the Sandy Hook families who have spent years working to hold Alex Jones to account for the spreading of his sick conspiracy theories.) "The publication plans to reintroduce Infowars in January as a parody of itself, mocking 'weird internet personalities' like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements." Infowars fans will not get that it's a parody. So maybe this is a win for everyone.

+ From The Onion: Here’s Why I Decided To Buy InfoWars. "With a shrewd mix of delusional paranoia and dubious anti-aging nutrition hacks, they strive to make life both scarier and longer for everyone, a commendable goal ... No price would be too high for such a cornucopia of malleable assets and minds. And yet, in a stroke of good fortune, a formidable special interest group has outwitted the hapless owner of InfoWars (a forgettable man with an already-forgotten name) and forced him to sell it at a steep bargain: less than one trillion dollars."

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Household Consumption

A few months ago, my niece suggested to my family that we watch Tell Me Lies, a show that "follows a tumultuous but intoxicating relationship as it unfolds over the course of 8 years." Cut to my wife and me sitting in the living room with our two teens watching a series of softcore sex scenes that would have made Cinemax blush in its heyday. I complained to my niece that she set us up for some uncomfortable moments, but maybe she was just directing our family toward what apparently is a new trend these days. The Cut: It’s Family ‘Sex Scenes’ Night. "Sex educators I spoke with say parents today need to provide counterprogramming for their kids because the mainstream p-rn that teens stumble on, in addition to being full of racist stereotypes and short on body diversity, is now dominated by violent BDSM." (I could barely watch Ginger and Mary Ann with my parents in the room.)

+ At the risk of stating the obvious, once my kids left the room, I proceeded to binge every episode of the two seasons of Tell Me Lies. And that was before I knew it had educational value.

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This is Forty

"Lindsey Vonn is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, she announced Thursday, intending to race again at age 40 -- and six years after her most recent Olympics." Competing in a demanding sport at that age won't be easy. But it's not like Vonn doesn't have some contemporaries to look to for inspiration. LeBron James just completed three triple-doubles in a row a month before his 40th birthday.

+ Sometimes competing at a comparatively advanced age carries additional risks. Like when the sport involves getting punched in the head. Mike Tyson returns to professional boxing 19 years after his last bout. There are neurological concerns for the 58-year-old.

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Extra, Extra

Age Old Bond: "Dorot, a nonprofit that has been operating for decades, is being joined by newer organizations with similar missions to pair older people and younger people for the benefit of both. The mission has a new sense of urgency in light of an epidemic of loneliness and isolation that was exacerbated by the pandemic and has serious consequences." NPR: These matchmakers connect teens and elders. The friendships benefit both sides. Spending time together, being empathetic, and supporting each other is more necessary than ever.

+ Humane Course: "An overwhelming majority of Americans say they’re concerned about the treatment of animals raised for meat, and many believe they can help by simply selecting from one of the many brands that advertise their chicken or pork as 'humane.' But such marketing claims have long borne little resemblance to the ugly reality of raising animals for meat." Most 'humane' farms are lying to you.

+ French Connection: "Paris prosecutors on Wednesday requested a 2-year prison sentence for far-right leader Marine Le Pen and an additional 5-year period of ineligibility to run for office, in a trial over the suspected embezzlement of European Parliament funds where her ability to participate in the 2027 presidential race is at stake." (They're not going to slow down the prosecution long enough to let her gain office and shut down the investigation?)

+ A Dish Best Served Cold: "The food price inflation that stunned the U.S. — and other parts of the world — in 2021 and 2022 had complicated causes that are difficult to unwind, from the pandemic to the Ukraine war to avian flu. And many economists think Trump’s plans, including putting tariffs on imported foods and deporting undocumented workers, could actually make food prices rise."

+ Packing Heat: "Unlike the ordinary Americans who joke each election cycle about leaving the country when their preferred candidate loses, this group of anxious retired officers or government officials includes people whom the incoming president and his allies have subjected to withering criticism. Even before the election, some were subpoenaed by Trump-aligned members of Congress. Others were placed on watch lists compiled by pro-Trump activists." Go bags, passports, foreign assets: Preparing to be a target of Trump’s revenge.

+ Vend Trend: "Recently, an unusual vending machine appeared on the streets of North Adams. It dispenses clean syringes, pipes for smoking crack or methamphetamine, Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses, condoms and more." Instead of sodas, these vending machines offer needles and Narcan to fight overdoses.

+ Recycled Content: "In an enormous warehouse filled floor to ceiling with plastic, glass and newspapers, Sara Samaniego lip-syncs to a rap song, dressed in her trademark blue jumpsuit and braids. Ms. Samaniego, 32, is filming a video for the hundreds of thousands of followers she has amassed across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. She has won international awards, collaborated with celebrities and regularly gets stopped on the streets for photographs. The topic that has earned her so much popularity? Recycling." NYT (Gift Article): How a Colombian Influencer Made Recycling Cool.

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Bottom of the News

Why didn't people smile in old photographs? It wasn't just about the long exposure times.

+ John Krasinski has been named as 2024's Sexiest Man Alive. (I suppose he's a good choice, but it did take Jim about three seasons to get Pam.)