Extended Links

Two days without a post; bet you thought I was malingering...not hardly.  Rather, I slept early one night (sort of) and have been trying to get through the Whig book; I am at page 810 now... I do enjoy, despite the plodding progress.  Part of the issue is that the author makes pains to look at the fate of the Whig party in each state  every election... in some ways, this is wise, as states had different elections at different times, so a Presidential election would boost votes but then a year later a state could have its own elections for governor, etc. Second -- and he takes pains to note this frequently -- state issues (tariffs, internal improvements, constitutional conventions, etc.) played a large part in party issues; far more so than today. I think this is a bad thing for a bunch of reasons, but one is that (unlike now) fireeaters (to use the term of the day) had a limited ceiling, nationally, for their political ambition; taking an "ultra" position on something (slavery was the most common, but not the only issue) could trip you up in any of a dozen other important states.  I would posit that Lincoln become the 1860 nominee because of his performance in the debates.  Illinois leaned Democratic (then as now), so everyone knew he had a tough road to hoe; but his answers to the questions of the day allowed him to thread the needle, nationally, on such issues as slavery and (to use the period term) "miscegnation." Candidates can't do that nowadays.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/how-republicans-crashed-nancy-pelosis-party

This is a good read (I am in the political mood, can you tell), and speaks well of McCarthy...

https://donsurber.blogspot.com/2020/11/trumpism-without-trump-is-like.html

Um....yes!  I mean, to use the words of a certain musical group, I'm not ready to make nice... I think, quite frankly, that by and large these people will be purged from the GOP, and they have to be, especially if we want to make a new party, Trumpian party... and I think it is correct that this party can win if you can refine the message while also getting a less... polarizing messenger.  More seriously, this is pretty cool, seeing a party remake itself in a few years; I can only imagine what the astronomers feel like when they come across a new star being formed or some supernova...

https://www.wsj.com/articles/parler-backed-by-mercer-family-makes-play-for-conservatives-mad-at-facebook-twitter-11605382430

Good?  I mean, I see these things as a market phenomenon, so if people don't like the rules of a social media site, and join one that better reflects their values.... good for them, right?

https://www.pitcherlist.com/why-curt-schilling-has-no-place-in-cooperstown/

Similarly, being a free speech absolutist, this ticks me off.  For one thing.., not sure he is a HOFer, but I am a small Hall guy.  As for his points... I am not sure being mean to people is a reason to keep people out of the HOF, especially as this wouild entail bumping out many, many players.  And, even if he was...so what?  Be mean back?  Assail him on the merits of his argument?  I think this is the sort of thing that pisses people off, especially as they are making the rules up as they go....

https://www.magzter.com/article/News/Mother-Jones/SACRIFICE-PLAY

Interesting....

In other news, I just realized I have a lot to do tomorrow...brine the turkey, preboil the yams, cut up the onions and peppers, and make the cranberries... I have no doubt it will be done, but....