Department of Good News
Tired of doomscrolling? Tired of me? Actually, I’m a little tired of myself. Day after day, it’s pit vipers and Komodo dragons all the way down, and not even Lexapro is sufficient to keep the demons at bay. That’s why I’ve decided to debut this new feature. It won’t appear often (who really knows?), but I thought it was time to lighten the mood. We are rapidly sliding into a hellish brand of tyranny and authoritarianism, but some people persist in doing the right thing. Go figure!
So here goes:
Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said that he could not imagine voting to confirm Paul Ingrassia, candidate to head the federal Office of Special Counsel. Ingrassia is accused of denigrating Black People and Jews in a notorious group chat. Two Republican Senate colleagues promised to join Lankford in blocking the appointment. Yesterday evening, Ingrassia withdrew his application
The No Kings rally in Tulsa this past Shabbat afternoon was a roaring success. I counted a million people on the streets, although Alice, my wife, said that the number was closer to 3,000. That’s still a great turnout, especially on the first rainy afternoon in three weeks. There were hundreds of clever signs, and many people wore adorable, mocking costumes. Props to the guy in the squirrel outfit, who had choice things to say about Trump and nuts. United mass action now seems like a real possibility.
James Comey has come out swinging against the prejudicial charges of the Department of Injustice. The general consensus in the press is that he will win his case based on the testimony of a key witness and the irregular hiring of the federal prosecutor who has come after him. You may not like James Comey (I know I don’t), but none of us would benefit from his conviction at the hands of repulsive federal actors.
J.B. Pritzker, governor of Illinois, is shaping up as a necessary defense against predatory behavior on the part of the Administration. He seems utterly unafraid, and his silverback performance as a spokesman for the Resistance is convincing and Impressive. Also, he’s got great hair and doesn’t goop it up with gel, a la Gavin Newsom.
The Democrats are holding firm on the shutdown and seem to be winning the public relations contest. For once, no one is sh-tting the bed. The key thing is a simple soundbite that properly foregrounds the venal behavior of Speaker Johnson. He is, in fact, on permanent vacation to avoid seating Representative Adelita Gijalva, who would force a vote on the Epstein files. Johnson would rather do that than guarantee health care for millions of Americans.
And there you have it: five pieces of good news to hold us together while we catch our breath until the next round. Remember: it’s not over ‘til it’s over!