Counting

Sitting here watching the AL Senate results... it's pretty fascinating.  On the one hand, of course, how can anyone, especially a GOPer, vote for Roy Moore; on the other, of course, how can you not if you are a GOPer... I mean, it's hard enough to get things done now with a majority, and with less of one...   On the other hand, it's one thing to vote for a crazy guy who puts up statues of the Ten Commandments, but another -- in this day and age -- to vote for a groper.  At the very least... well, watching people try to predict a race where polling is... well, inexperienced...this is theater in and of itself.  For the record, I had Moore winning by 4 last week, but, as we discussed at work... no one would put any money on that bet or any other.  And my own sneaking suspicion is that many GOPers decided to sit on their hands.

I am also amused by the reaction of the Stanton trade.  This could be me, but if the object was to get rid of his contract, well, Mission Accomplished!  The Yankees are picking up $265 million of it, which is pretty nifty.  They also added a bat and got rid of Starlin Castro, who didn't quite seem to fit in.  One of my coworkers complained about how this oppresses Marlins fans, which is true, save for the fact they don't really have any... sort of like being a Browns fan, I guess.  More seriously... does anyone think they would be selling if Jose Fernandez is alive?  I mean, he would be the ace, and you could build around that...instead, yet another tear down...

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/12/grandparents-raiding-grandchildren/548117/

Yet another reason why I believe in the complete privatization of Social Security... did I mention immediate?

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/12/wisconsin-drug-testing-food-stamp-program-walker/547997/

I go both ways on this.... I mean, it is good politics and thus good policy, but let's face it, the drug testing really doesn't catch anyone, save for those dumb enough to get caught.  The work requirements, though, I think are wise... My own sneaking suspicion, based on years of social justice work, is that plenty of people can work, but not too due to a combo of laziness and economic calculation that it is better not to and collect the benefits... so removing the benefits pushes people into doing something semi-productive...