Entry 549: News of the Universe

Lots going on these days, internationally, nationally, locally, personally, and probably universally too.  I’m sure there are some astrophysicists out there who would be more than willing to talk about all the exciting things happening far outside the confines of our little rock.

Internationally, there is very likely a coup in process right now in Myanmar.  I probably know much more about this than the average American -- S used to do work in Myanmar, and she’s been to the country many times, so I’ve learned a bit about it through her -- and I still don’t know much about it.  That's all I have to say about it.

Nationally, Trump’s second impeachment trial is underway.  He will be acquitted.  Only six Republicans voted to even have the trial, a far cry from the 17 needed to actually convict.  Too many Reps still see their future political prospects tied to Trump.  This doesn’t excuse their hypocritical, anti-democratic positions, but it does explain them.  Trump is a turnout machine both for and against himself.  In the last election, the candidates who did the best were Republicans other than Trump, especially those who didn't totally signoff on all things Trump, but didn't dare explicitly cross him either.  The not-not-Trumpers like Susan Collins.  They played the fence well enough to be palatable to hardcore MAGA-heads -- voters who really only turn out for their man but might tick the box for another R while they’re at it -- and still be preferred by the John Kasich/Larry Hogan-types who switched to Biden or didn’t vote for president at all.  Republicans probably need this “double-dip” of voters to win swing elections (not to mention primaries), so they don’t want to lop off half of it.  I understand the strategy.  I think it's morally bankrupt, incredibly reckless, and very shortsighted.  But I understand it.

Democrats, for their part, still need to make the case against Trump even though they won’t get the votes they seek.  They are, and they are doing a pretty good job of it, honestly.  It might not be totally fruitless either.  You never know what sort of downstream effects this could have.  I believe in compromising and prioritizing and being pragmatic in politics, but sometimes it’s better to just do the right thing, not only because it’s the right thing, but also because it's impossible to perfectly game out the politics.  Take the first impeachment.  You could make the case it didn’t work, because Trump was acquitted, and the whole thing energized his base and galvanized support in his party, many of whom deemed it partisan theater.  However, Jonathan Chait points to an article, written by a conservative, who said it did work because it preemptively neutralized Trump’s Hunter-Biden-Ukraine-corruption talking point.  This was his big "Hillary's emails" move of 2020, but it gained hardly any traction with voters.  Obviously, we have no way to know how much impeachment actually affected this – there could be myriad other reasons those charges didn’t stick to Biden (e.g., not being a woman, not being a Clinton) – but I find it a compelling argument nevertheless.

The other good thing about this impeachment trial is that it will be over soon, and then I can completely focus my discontent with public officials at the local level – specifically, whoever is holding up in-person learning at my kids' elementary school.  It’s time to get everyone back in the classroom -- the real physical classroom (or a workable facsimile thereof).  I know there are risks to returning, but there are also risks to not returning, and right now the latter risks greatly outweigh the former risks, in my opinion.  Covid cases have been encouragingly trending downward in DC for the last few weeks and should continue to do so as vaccines becomes available to larger segments of the population.  More to the point, virtual learning is garbage.  It's extremely ineffective for the kids who have the resources to keep up and essentially nonexistent for the kids who don’t.  And the burden of keeping children at home is becoming unbearable for families financially, emotionally, and even physically.  It’s time for teachers to come back.  (They never should have left, in my opinion, but that’s another story.)  The District and the teacher’s union need to do whatever they need to do – enforce strict protocols, hold classes outside in tents with space heaters (I’ll donate one), lobby to let teachers cut the vaccination line – but these kids gotta get back in the classroom ASAP.

Well, I think that just about does it for this week.  A few personal notes before I go.  I had a root canal done yesterday.  It sucked and to makes matter worse it might not even work.  The endodontist told me it was about 50-50 whether or not it would stop the irritation I’ve been feeling.  

“What do I if it doesn’t?” I asked.

“Extract the tooth and get an implant,” she replied.

I already have two implants, and I’m getting a bone-grafting procedure done to prolong the life of two others that will probably need to be replaced somewhere down the road, anyway.  And now this?  Maybe I should just see if they can give me a discount and get all my teeth pulled and replaced with implants at once, and just be done with it.

My week wasn't all bad though.  I discovered the Sarah Silverman podcast and I’ve been binge-listening to her back catalog -- so hilarious.  Here best joke was about visiting Australia and observing that they shorten everything there, even serious things like the Holocaust: "They'd ask me, 'Were your grandparents in the Holly?'"  Had me rolling, thinking about the year I lived there.  It's funny because it's true. 

Until next time…