Overheard

So, will they cremate David Koch's politicians along with him?

Tiny Desk

Women will help us save ourselves - if we can just figure out how to shut up, get outa their way, and let 'em work their magic.

David Crosby and The Lighthouse Band:

What Are Their Names

Looks In Their Eyes

Other Half Rule

Woodstock

David Crosby: vocals

Michael League: guitar, vocals

Becca Stevens: vocals, guitar

Michelle Willis: keys, vocals

Podcast

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

The Professional Left

podcast

Mail those checks to:

The Professional Left Podcast

PO Box 9133

Springfield, IL 62791-9133 

Bag some swag at the Zazzle Store:

Today's Tweet

At first blush this has to be: No one ever went broke underestimating the taste or good sense of the American consumer.

But if the point is to work your shit out, then this makes all the sense in the world.

‘Rage yoga’ takes standard poses and breathing, throws in some bad humor, and invites you release negativity through an unconventional practice pic.twitter.com/40EeSL7zj0

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 24, 2019

In Passing On Passing

Walker Bragman, The Independent:

How does one eulogize a villain? It’s a question I find myself asking today after reading the news that David H Koch has died. What else can we really call a man who spent his entire adult life enriching himself at the expense of the world around him, leaving in his wake millions of destroyed lives, a planet on the brink of ecological catastrophe, and a nuclear superpower governed by a far-right political party? 

While it is generally impolitic to castigate someone after death, in the case of David Koch, it’s hard not to point out that his life’s work was the destruction of others. 

Koch went by many titles — billionaire industrialist, businessman, philanthropist, entrepreneur, conservative activist, libertarian vice presidential candidate — and I expect we’ll see many of those thrown around today. But “villain” is the one that suited him best.

Indeed, such is the appropriate term for a profoundly wealthy man who relies on a shadowy network of political advocacy groups to sell unpopular, detrimental policies to unsuspecting voters for the purposes of personal gain. 

Along with a 42 per cent stake in Koch Industries, David inherited what could be described as a pathological distaste for government from his father, a founding member of the far-right John Birch Society and a man who reportedly once built an oil refinery for Nazi Germany. Together with his brother Charles, David would use both to reshape America for the worse.

David and Charles, colloquially known as the infamous “Koch Brothers,” poured money into causes like climate change denial to ensure their fossil fuel empire remained profitable for as long possible. They went after public education, throwing their cash behind voucher programs in states like Arizona, which ranked 47 in the nation for its public schools last year. They went after unions through proxies like former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. They targeted Social Security for privatization. According to one report, they even tried to hamper cleanup efforts after Hurricane Katrina. 

And these are just some of the worthy causes David Koch and his brother used their vast fortunes to pursue. The reality is, given the porous nature of America’s campaign finance laws, there is no way of truly knowing the complete extent of their political ventures. 

David Koch’s legacy is truly one of injustice. For as much injustice as there was in how he lived, there is much more in how he died. Rather than slip into obscurity, forgotten by the generations that will hopefully do the work of undoing the damage he caused the planet, Koch finds unearned immortality in infamy.

If not for our human need to learn from the mistakes of our past, this man ought to have no legacy. But the world he left behind is undeniably impacted by his actions and riddled with inequities, many of which he should have answered for in life, but instead will have to do so in the books of history.

I've never wished any man dead, but I've read some obituaries with great pleasure.

--Mark Twain (but not really)

Fate Aligning With The Cosmos

So - yesterday, Bernie unveiled his 16-trillion-dollar plan for converting to a green economy, and today, David Koch died.

We may be on to something here.

Bye Now

I make it a point never to celebrate the destruction of any of our fellow human beings.

That said, I won't even do the usual and customary "sorry not sorry" on this one.

David Koch is dead.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my brother David. Anyone who worked with David surely experienced his giant personality and passion for life. Twenty-seven years ago, David was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and given a grim prognosis of a few years to live. David liked to say that a combination of brilliant doctors, state-of-the-art medications and his own stubbornness kept the cancer at bay. We can all be grateful that it did, because he was able to touch so many more lives as a result.

"In those bountiful years, he married the lovely Julia Flesher, had three exceptional children, while remaining dedicated to the long-term success of Koch Industries. David also made institution changing philanthropic commitments to hospitals, cancer research, education and the arts. The significance of David's generosity is best captured in the words of Adam Smith, who wrote, 'to indulge our benevolent affections, constitutes the perfection of human nature.'

"While this is a very sad day for us all, I want you to know that David was proud of the extraordinary work you all have done to make Koch Industries the successful company that it is today. He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten."

David retired as executive vice president of Koch Industries in 2018. He leaves behind his wife, Julia Koch, and three beloved children. David's family released this statement on his passing:

"While we mourn the loss of our hero, we remember his iconic laughter, insatiable curiosity, and gentle heart. His stories of childhood adventures enlivened our family dinners; his endless knowledge rendered him our 'walking Google.' His sensitive heart had him shed a tear at the beauty of his daughter's ballet, and beam with pride when his son beat him at chess. We will miss the fifth link in our family.

"Yet, we wish for all to celebrate the life and impact of this most generous and kind man. He believed he had a responsibility to a world that had given him so many opportunities to succeed. David's philanthropic dedication to education, the arts and cancer research will have a lasting impact on innumerable lives - and that we will cherish forever."

It Gets Worse

Here's a headline for ya -

El Paso hospital forced to call out Trump’s lie that surgeons left the operating room to see him

Raw Story:

President Donald Trump bragged that he got an overwhelming welcome from Ohio and Texas when he went to visit survivors of the mass shootings before his latest vacation. Now, however, El Paso’s University Medical Center is being forced to dispute the president’s account of events. 

“Not only did they meet with me, they were pouring out of the room. The doctors were coming out of the operating rooms. There were hundreds and hundreds of people all over the floor. You couldn’t even walk on it. So, you know, there’s a lot to happen,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn Wednesday.

“At no time did, or would, physicians or staff leave active operating rooms during the presidential visit. Our priority is always patient care,” UMC spokesman Ryan Mielke told ABC-7.

The only survivor of the mass shooting who met with the president was the baby whose parents shielded her body, dying in the process. No one else wanted to meet with Trump.

It's been a lot of years since I hung out with any surgeons, and while I'm no expert, I think I can confirm that no clinician worth their scrubs would ever leave a patient in need of treatment just to meet some smarmy promoter for a photo op. EVER.

45* will literally say anything trying to boost his image and placate his own empty ego.

And the rubes will swallow it whole.

What's Wrong With The Evangelicals?

Y'mean, besides the fact they're a buncha pinch-faced blue-nosed puritanical assholes?

Daniel Schultz, Rewire News:

Late last week, my friend John Stoehr made a daring argument: “white evangelical Christian support for Donald Trump isn’t rooted in hypocrisy, contradiction or merely straying from the straight and narrow,” he said. “The reason they support a fascist president is simple: They’re sadists.”

You have to read the article to capture the nuances of what John is saying. The kind of sadism he’s talking about doesn’t have much, if anything, to do with sexual pleasure derived from the pain of another. Rather—drawing on the work of the philosopher Richard Rorty—”It’s about the pain, humiliation or even violence out-groups deserve by dint of being out-groups.” Sadism also includes the pleasure of seeing “justice” be done against those deserving punishment.

- and -

First of all, let’s clarify that it really is not all white evangelicals who have become sadists. About a quarter of that group is in fact liberal, and many of them are committed to various forms of social inclusion and justice. But conservative white evangelicals by and large believe, perversely, in a world of justice and order. Each part of that equation is important.

White evangelicals and other conservative Christians believe that God has ordained certain ways of being and doing in the world. That’s the order part. Daddies are leaders, then mommies, then kids. This is the traditional cis-het thing you’re familiar with.

Religion is authoritarian. That's why it always fits perfectly with the Daddy State.

Today's Tweet

"Free speech" is a guarantee that the government can't punish you for expressing your opinion...

James Woods says he's leaving Twitter 'until free speech is allowed' on the platform following suspension | Fox News 👍👋👏👍👋😁😁best thing that has happened to twitter in a long time! This pathetic has-been two bit “actor” will definitely not be missed https://t.co/DoPadqZbgQ

— Suzanne's Criteria68 (@criteria681) August 21, 2019

...but no rights are absolute or unlimited.