Escalating violence, the RNC wraps up, and teachers. 🧑🏫
we’re back and feeling as awful as ever
Good morning folks. We’re back in action after taking the last two weeks off to watch both the DNC and RNC. Two weeks of sheer awfulness from the worst people that inhabit our planet. Yeah, it was pretty exhausting, so we’ve just got two big stories today: let’s get right to it.
Violence seems to be ramping up around the country once again: with 2 dead in Kenosha and another fatality in Portland, it seems fair to suggest that shit is getting outta hand. Trump and the Republicans are trying to fuel the fires while Biden suggests there are issues on both sides.
The RNC is finally over: after a week of absolute insanity, it’s done with! Let’s take a look at how the DNC and RNC stacked up against each other. Hint: one involved a lot more inane lies and rabid stupidity but they both sucked.
Let’s get this bread. Have we said that before? Whatever.
PROTESTS
The Right is Escalating Protests to Violence
With two people dead at the hands of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha and another death in Portland on Saturday, it’s clear that protests are getting violent. Unfortunately, it seems that things are just going to get worse from here!
A Strategy in the Making
In a way, this is the logical conclusion of the Republican establishment’s strategy as of late: get people thinking that cities are under siege and that the police as an institution are being so eroded by defunding such that they’re now powerless. That power vacuum needs something to fill it. Queue militias and vigilantes.
It’s no surprise that Kyle Rittenhouse showed up to Kenosha with a gun. Whether you think he’s an ideologically racist piece of shit or not, it seems non-controversial to say that it’s a bad thing for our society to start making teenagers feel like they need to take the law into their own hands.
It’s also no surprise that violence broke out in Portland, where a Trump supporter ended up getting shot and dying. The victim seemed to be a member of Patriot Prayer, an extremist right-wing group that shows up to fuck with protesters all the time. These are the same people caravanning through Portland, pepper spraying folks from their trucks and trying to run people over.
Trump and co have tried to escalate violence in the past. We saw it during the 2018 midterms. We’re seeing it again.
On the Other Hand...
Joe Biden’s strategy seems baffling too. He’s attempting to phrase it as this whole “there are bad apples on both sides” type of deal when it’s clear that the right is instigating much of this violence and is there to cause problems.
It seems that it’s a failing strategy too. As we write this, “#BidenRiots” is trending on Twitter with a whole lotta folks blaming Biden and other Democrats for the violence.
If we were running, we’d just come out swinging against right-wing instigators. The protests are a just and good movement and that there may be some destruction of property is not a good reason for militias to start showing up. Sure, people shouldn’t be burning down small businesses, but since when is vigilantism ever cool?
Bottom line: if you head out to a protest, be safe. Now that there are casualties on the left and right, it may get much worse.
ELECTION 2020
The RNC and DNC Are Both Finally Done With
The RNC and DNC are finally over. Thank God, they are finally over. Let’s hit some major points real quick.
Talking Points
The DNC: mostly focused on Trump’s abysmal COVID-19 response and a general “restoring the soul of the Nation” shtick. It was weirdly devoid of discussions on policy.
Obama warned of our democracy slipping away from us, Michelle tried to reach apathetic suburban folks by saying she too hates politics, and Hillary reminded us that everyone thought she was going to win too.
Biden was shockingly coherent and pointed even though his point was “I’m less of a dick than the other guy.”
It would have made us feel a little less unhinged if they talked about Biden’s public option, threw out more direct support for Black Lives Matter, or gave more airtime to progressives instead of trying to appease Republicans by having some of the worst people alive tell us that everything will continue being the same.
The RNC: was a confused mess honestly and not nearly as fun as we’d have liked.
Just a lot of nods to brainworm shit like “cancel culture” or how Biden wants to defund the police. Much of it felt like it was intended to target Bernie Sanders but when he backed out they just forgot to update the script.
They also spent a lot of time rewriting the COVID-19 response as a success story. Yay, we did it! We’re the worst!
There was a shocking amount of identity politics going on from the party that supposedly doesn’t care for that kind of thing. A lot of black speakers to tout Trump as being totally-not-racist and actually a very cool guy. Maybe this was meant to contrast the hoorah law and order type shit that otherwise might play as too racist for these cowards.
All in all, very boring but probably doesn’t matter since Trump’s supporters will eat anything he does up. His speech sucked and he looked very sweaty during it. Say something crazy! Come on!
Bottom line: did this change anything? Does anyone know? What a sad circus.
BREADCRUMBS
Where the News Gets “Fun!”
“A Kenosha Militia Facebook Event Asking Attendees To Bring Weapons Was Reported 455 Times. Moderators Said It Didn’t Violate Any Rules.” For how long will Zuckerberg’s hands-off policies lead to more death and the degradation of America’s norms?
“Republican leader shares faked video of disabled activist on Twitter.” Steve Scalise tweeted out an edited video of Ady Barkan, who has ALS. The edited video used Barkan’s artificial voice to make a question directed towards Biden much more heavy-handed.
“Justice Dept. Never Fully Examined Trump’s Ties to Russia, Ex-Officials Say.” Whoops! We’ll get him eventually!
“Wisconsin Man Who Says He Marched With Rittenhouse in Kenosha Was Immersed in White Supremacist Propaganda.” Ah fuck yeah it turns out Nazis really don’t like Black Lives Matter protests.
“‘Bills kept coming’: families of US Covid victims forced to crowdfund funerals.” Who needs a “good” “society” that “functions” and “reduces” “suffering” when we can just crowdfund away all of our problems?
“All options on table to end violence in Portland - acting Homeland Security secretary.” Errr, all options? That seems bad.
“Some Teachers Are Being Required to Come to School — to Teach Virtually.” Seems pretty shitty and unnecessary but ok!
END OF THE LINE...
That’s it for today.
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Have a good one,
The Bread Line
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