The Dunning-Kruger Effect and Others

 The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities. 

Well, this sums up George Santos, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebert's special kind of crazy.

A post on what was formerly Twitter by a user with the screen name, September.

Maybe, but one suspects there is more to it than that. We can probably invoke the Joe McCarthy axiom, "Always accuse the other side of being communists. (Or in Don Trump's case, Communists, fascists, leftwing radicals, Marxists, lunatics, and vermin.) And finally, what I've coined as Howard's law, of 21st century politics, "He, or she who blows the most smoke and makes the most noise wins."

To quote Thomas Jefferson who was writing in a different context, "...these truths are self-evident."

Indeed, how else can you explain a congress that contains people like Santos, Greene, Boebert, and even the cartoon character, Butt Head doppelganger, Matt Gaetz? 

None of these terrible rubes understand how the legislative process works, nor do they care. They aren't in Washington to actually govern. They are there to throw juvenile tantrums and convince their constituents to reward their reprehensible behavior through campaign contributions. 

That's undeniably the case with Gaetz. After leading the charge to sack Speaker Kevin McCarthy because he negotiated with democrats, Gaetz immediately began to fund raise off his actions. Of course things got a little awkward in the following weeks when republicans proved they are such a fragmented, hateful bunch they can't even get along with themselves, much less anyone else. But hey, it all worked for people like Gaetz and Boebert who believe chaos is far more preferable than a functioning government. It certainly worked for Santos. As long as no one was in charge he couldn't be kicked out of the place--a drama which could well happen shortly.

Marjorie Taylor Greene on the other hand has succumbed to delusions. When she isn't talking about the DOJ, or CIA, or maybe even Joe Biden himself spying on her through her television set she seems convinced Donald Trump will pick her as his running mate for 2024. Who knows, she might be right. They both really like Putin and perhaps Don thinks she can find those 11,0000 plus votes n Georgia he has been looking for all these years. 

What we know for sure is of the four, Greene appears to have the most ambition. Santos is on such shaky ground he'll be happy just to stay out of jail. Gaetz is hated by everyone and for all we know that includes his family. And Boebert is too busy being the trailer park skank to focus on the job at hand. 

Greene, however, took charge of the house a couple of times when McCarty was out trying to save his ass. Her only problem was her reputation as a barn burner. When she brought down the Speaker's gavel the first time and called for the House, "To come to order.," the entire floor erupted in laughter. The notion of Marjorie Taylor Greene wanting order in the house was just too hilarious for the membership to handle with any hint of decorum.

Yes, this could all be one big dark comedy, except it is real. These fuckers are in office and Donald Trump wants back in. And for those of you who doubt what will happen if Greene, Boebert, and Gaetz remain in congress and Trump regains the White House there is one more axiom worth sharing, one Donald Trump might even use on the campaign trail between now and next November:

If we have power we will never give it up again unless we are carried out of our offices as corpses.

Jesseph Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda. 

11-29-23

A November Day in 1963

 Thanksgiving Day came late in 1963. On the 22nd of November 60 years ago it was still six days away. In Oklahoma City, OK the 22nd, a Friday, started out mild and unseasonably warm. So much so all that was needed for the bicycle ride to Herbert Hoover Jr. High, located on the north edge of town, was a light jacket. Hoover was in the 2nd year of its existence that year and those of us in the 8th grade were proud we would be in the first class to attend there for a full three years. The school colors were green and gold and our mascot was a hawk. The entire student body as well as the faculty and staff were white. On paper Oklahoma City's public schools were integrated, but in reality integration was still over a half decade away.

I was so unaware of national affairs back then I had no idea, John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States had traveled to Ft. Worth the day before and would be in Dallas later in the day. On the other hand I was enamored with President Kennedy. It was mainly because my parents, especially my father, were admirers and there was a tenuous family connection to him. My Dad was a childhood friend of a guy who knew Kennedy and had some dealings with him. 

This was so long ago Oklahoma's entire House delegation and both U.S. Senators were democrats. However, even then democratic control of Oklahoma politics was starting to show cracks. An omen of things to come had played out the year before when the state elected Henry Bellman its first republican governor. 1964 would be the last time a democratic presidential candidate would carry the state.  

Since the assassination of Jack Kennedy there has been a lot of speculation about what he would have accomplished, or at least would have tried to accomplish in a second term. Domestically there was civil rights legislation in the works, but whether anything would have become law, was questionable at best. Anything at all to do with civil rights drove southerners into violent rages. They might still be democrats in name, but the idea of some Yankee president from Massachusetts forcing them to accept Black Americans as equals was anathema to them. And, to be honest, considering their overt racism, John F. Kennedy probably didn't have the ability, or the willingness to strike what was going to be the necessary bargains to get anything of the sort passed.      

When it came from foreign policy it is popular among progressives to believe Kennedy would have ended the U.S. presence--which was mainly advisory at the time---in South Vietnam. Of course we'll never truly know what he would have done about Vietnam, or Southeast Asia in general, but we all do know too well what happened there after he was gone. 

The truth is these days progressives like to portray Jack Kennedy as a shining example of liberalism. Perhaps, back in 1953 he was, but these days he would be considered barely center-left, Just as his projected opponent in 1964, Arizona Senator, Barry Goldwater would now be sneered at as a treasonous RINO by the MAGA crowd.

Some time between 12:30 pm and 1:00pm the students at Hoover Jr. High in Oklahoma City were told President Kennedy had been shot. TV's were rolled into classrooms that didn't already have one. Personally I heard a commotion at the front of the room, then a girl sitting next to me looked at me with a strange look of excitement--a sort of bizarre smile. "The president has been shot," she told me. My exact words to her were, "You're crazy."  

Around 2pm, maybe a little later, we found out the president was dead. For many of us there that day the news was too stunning to be real. I kept thinking this was all wrong, that something like this couldn't happen. That any minute it would turn out to be some sort of waking dream.

No one at Hoover was allowed to leave early. We all stayed to the final bell at 3:30 pm. By the time we got out what had started as a beautiful day had turned rotten. The temperature had fallen considerably, the sky was filled with battleship gray clouds and a cold, stiff, wind was howling out of the northwest. Yes, there was a metaphor there, or at least some heavy duty symbolism, but I was too cold to take notice of it. The ride home on my bicycle couldn't be over quick enough. 

By the time I entered our house I felt half frozen. As soon as I hit the living room I complained about the wind and cold. My father, who had come home early, glared at me. I immediately knew to shut up and went into my room. to listen to my radio. There wasn't any music though, just more bad news out of Dallas. 

Sometimes it seems like it hasn't stopped since.

All that happened on this day six decades ago. A teacher back then told us when we became old we wouldn't remember much about our 8th grade year at Hoover Jr. High. However, until the day we die, he said, we would remember exactly what we were doing and where we were on November 22, 1963.

He was right. Such is the nature of trauma.

11-22-23

Tough Guys in the Capitol Building

 In May of 1856 South Carolina Congressman, Preston Brooks used a walking cane to beat Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner nearly to death on the senate floor. Two days before the attack Sumner had delivered a fierce anti-slavery speech which included some barbs directed at slave owners who were members of congress. 

Brooks' attack was so savage it took Sumner three years to recover before he could return to the senate. He was considered a martyr in the north and a prime example of the south's hatred of free speech.  Brooks delivered a speech to the house saying, "he meant no disrespect to the senate of the United States." He was proclaimed a hero in the south and won reelection. A couple of years later he died of natural causes. Not long afterward the American Civil War began and neither side used canes. 

Obviously, all that crazy shit happened a long time ago. We are a lot more civilized these days, right? 

Right.

In a Senate hearing on Tuesday of this week Oklahoma junior Senator, Markwayne Mullin read aloud a tweet from Teamster's President, Sean O'brien. It had been posted after the two had a confrontation during a prior hearing back in March. O'Brien had written, "Greedy CEO who pretends like he's self made. In reality just a clown and fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anytime, Anyplace cowboy."

Mullin, facing the Teamster's head once again, then told O'Brien, "Sir, this is a time, this is a place. You want to run your mouth?? We can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here."

Ah, quite the statesman that Markwayne Mullin. It was at that moment things went all schoolyard.

O'Brien: "Okay that's fine, perfect."

Mullin: You want to do it now?"

O'Brien: "I'd love to do it right now."

Mullin: "Then stand your butt up then."

O'Brien: "You stand your butt up."

Mullin, who ran a couple of campaign ads while wearing a tee shirt which read, "Stilwell High School Wrestling," then rose to his feet.

Luckily neither man had brought in canes, or given what goes on these days, worse. The committee chair, 82 year old Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders yelled at Mullin, "Stop it! No, no, sit down! You know you're a United States senator!"  Like a duly admonished grandchild, Mullin sat down.

On the other side of the capitol, Rep, Tim Burchett (R-TN) accused former House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) of intentionally elbowing him in the kidneys. According to Burchett the blow was in retaliation for his vote to oust McCarthy. McCarthy denied he hit Burchett and told the media, "If I had kidney punched him he'd be on the ground." 

Yes, it would seem the republican party is a macho bunch, willing to put up the ol' dukes at the drop of a hat--or in Mullin's case, a months old tweet. 

Well at least they can do something. It's just too bad that something isn't being responsible representatives of the people and actually doing their jobs--you know--like governing the republic. 

11-17-23

Moms For Liberty in Oklahoma and Ryan Walters Save the Children from Books

 In Oklahoma and across the other 49 states an outfit commonly referred to as simply Scholastic is a major vendor to school districts. They publish children's books and provide all manner of school supplies to districts, both urban and rural. They also conduct book fairs across the country so educators and parents can see what is in their current inventory. They've been hosting the book fairs in Oklahoma for a little over 40 years.

On Friday the Oklahoma chapter of Moms for Liberty announced they want Scholastic run out of the state on a rail. According to a press release by the organization, "Scholastic, once a trusted company that happens to be one of the one of the top publishers of children's books, now appears largely focused on indoctrinating youth with radical viewpoints and sexual ideologies from a very young age at an increasingly rapid rate."

The press release prompted one local media outlet to ask a Moms for Liberty spokesperson to provide examples of these radical viewpoints and sexual ideologies that are fanning the flames of commie perversions within Oklahoma's children. The answer was basically, "We will have to get back to you."

Translation: Moms for Liberty doesn't have any proof. It doesn't matter though, in their collective heart of hearts they know it is out there.... somewhere. 

Prior to last week's elections Moms for Liberty--recently awarded the status of right wing extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center--backed slews of candidates for school board seats in a number of states. The most polite way of describing what happened is they got their asses kicked. So much so the group deleted newsletters containing the names of their preferred stooges, presumably not to incriminate them any further.

Unfortunately for those of us in the Sooner state the local version of Moms for Liberty didn't take the hint and is plowing ahead. Luckily for them they have an influential ally. The state Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters thinks they are his kind of women. He even spoke at one of their national gatherings a while back so he could tell them how great they and their 1600's Salem like hysteria is. 

As soon as the press release was--well--released one of his mouthpieces told the media there would be an immediate investigation of Scholastic. According to spokesperson, Dan Isett, "Superintendent Walters is always concerned and vigilant about eliminating woke indoctrination in the classroom."

Of course he is. And now that he is on the lookout he will no doubt find all that radical viewpoint and sexual ideology shit Moms for Liberty haven't been able to track down.

Still not wanting to offend anyone, Scholastic's response was pretty bland for people being slandered. "Scholastic is committed above all to supporting every child's journey to learn to read and love to read, in its partnership with schools and families," they said. Like many they don't seem to realize crazed rubes like Moms for Liberty are perpetual victims and once they go after you any attempt at a civil response is considered an admission of guilt.

Moms for Liberty plan to protest at the next Tulsa School Board meeting while they demand Scholastic be banned from book fairs in the state. According to them the board should seek out other vendors. It is unknown at this time whether they have a list of preferred ones, or if they had to delete those from their newsletters too.

In any case it is clear the only people around here trying to indoctrinate children with radical viewpoints are Moms for Liberty and Ryan Walters. 

But that, of course, is understood. Or at least it should be. 

11-14-23

The MAGAs Charge into a Minefield

 Even though the hard core right wing might not have figured it out yet, it has become obvious to everyone else all those MAGA dominated state legislatures, not to mention scores of statewide and national candidates have finally pushed their extremist act too far. Not everywhere, of course, the bellicose lunatic fringe maintained the status quo in Mississippi during Tuesday's elections, but no one ever expects anything sane to happen there in the first place.

In Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky however the public proved it was tired of putting up with the MAGA's notion that political hacks know more about health care than physicians--that they, not the patient, should decide what medical treatments should be pursued, no matter what the circumstances, or risks.  

In truth, republicans should have known it was coming. A little over a year ago the voters of Kansas rejected an amendment to the state's constitution allowing for prosecution of anyone involved with abortions. The outcome wasn't even close. Nearly 60% of the voters went pro choice.

On Tuesday nearly 57% of Ohio voters approved a measure which guarantees reproductive rights, including abortion, in the state constitution. It was the second time republicans got their heads handed to them on the issue. The first was when state conservatives tried to pass a measure that would require a 60% majority to enact the law. In other words they knew the amendment would pass so they tried to rig the outcome through minority rule.

How oh so perfectly Trumpian of them.

Across the river in Kentucky the incumbent governor Andy Breshear, by all accounts a popular guy, despite being a democrat in a solidly red state, won re-election by a shade over 5%. His opponent was republican state AG and anti abortion advocate, Daniel Cameron. Cameron had the support of Donald Trump, proving as one wag said last night, not everything in America is about Donald Trump, or Taylor Swift.   

In Virginia democrats flipped the House of Delegates giving them control of both houses of the state legislature. Republican governor, Glen Youngkin had campaigned extensively for delegates while promising he would push for a, "compromise," abortion ban. Voters weren't in the mood to believe his, "compromise," as democrats pointed out repeatedly Younkin's bill left the door open to more extremist laws in the future. 

The collective results Tuesday inspired liberal euphoria and pronouncements that Joe Biden isn't doomed next year despite what recent polls might indicate. Well, maybe, or maybe not. Exit polling revealed democratic voters outnumbered republicans by 2% in Ohio. While it doesn't fully explain a 13 point margin of victory it does mean democrats, at least on this issue, are more energized than republicans. That remains to be seen when Donald Trump is actually on the ballot. 

As former Ohio GOP governor John Kasich pointed out in presidential elections the economy is almost always the deciding factor, not health care. The democrats can't rely on abortion rights alone and keep the White House. 

Meanwhile, last night five republican presidential hopefuls came together in Miami for a debate. The affair proved two things. First, the only plausible reason for any of them to still be running is in case Donald Trump keels over after eating one order of fries too many. Second, Vivek Ramaswamy is the single most obnoxious asshole on the face of the planet. 

And given Marjorie Taylor Greene's presence on this blue ball that's quite an accomplishment. 

Let's face it, after this week, there is no predicting what will happen next. The variables have become too many and too complex. Only one thing is certain. When it comes to women's health care the republican party has charged into a minefield it can't escape from. And the weird thing is, a sizable chunk of them are so brutally nihilistic they actually might not want to.

After all, self destruction is the one true dynamic of extremism.

11-9-23

The All Unknowing Trumps

 Ken Lay was the founder of an outfit named ENRON which was based out of Houston, TX. The CEO was named Jefferey Skilling. When ERON, a massive corporation, turned out to be an over rated, wildly over appraised, monument to greed, ego, and fraud the initial defense used by Lay and Skilling was, "I didn't know anything about it, I was trusting others, I was just the CEO." No one in their right minds bought it.

Lay was convicted on 9 counts, but died before he was sentenced. Skilling was found guilty on 19 counts and got 24 years. 

Not quite a couple of decades later Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have dug Skilling and Lay's unique excuse out of the attic and dusted it off, perhaps hoping no one remembers how things went for the two Enron grifters. According to both, yes, they were in charge, yes they certified the grotesquely bloated appraisals, but no they didn't have any idea the figures were wrong. 

That's right. Dad's apartment might be 10,000 square feet instead of 30,000, but to be fair we never measured it. And it looks really, really big.

In other words the signs on Junior's and eric's desks apparently read, "The Buck Stops in Accounting." Man, what a cushy job. All you have to do in order to collect a big ass paycheck is sign your name to shit you don't understand. 

Fortunately for them, none of the Trumps are going to jail--at least in the New York case. However, there is a huge amount of money on the line along with the Trump Organization's ability to do business in the state. In addition the judge has already ruled fraud was committed, it is just a matter of how much the whole enterprise will have to shell out. Pleading abject ignorance isn't going to help their argument.

Of course there is a lot of this sort of thing going on in Trump world right now. Yesterday in Colorado, Amy Kremer, a January 6th organizer was testifying on behalf of Don Sr. in a 14th amendment trial set to determine whether her idol can even be on the ballot in that state next year. 

During her testimony she said she and others believed the 2020 election had been stolen. So, naturally an attorney asked her, who stole it? Ms. Kremer's response was, "We don't know who stole the election. I mean it happened in a number of states and we don't know." When asked if it was, "shadowy figures," who pulled off the crime, Kremer testified, "I can't speak to that. We don't know." 

Is it just me, or does Amy Kremer sound like she fits right in with the Trump Organization. One can only wonder why the HR department at Trump Tower hasn't recruited her as a VP in charge of something, you know, like the Hooker Denial Division. 

Obviously the Trumps and those who are serve them are complete dolts. They willingly sign documents without knowing what they say, and make accusations without a shred of proof, or even the slightest notion who might have committed the imaginary crimes. We don't even have to speculate this is the case. The stupid fuckers have just admitted to it in in open court--under oath. 

And surely they wouldn't perjure themselves before God and everyone. After all, honesty is the best policy.

11-3-23