‘We’re all stocked up here’
Jack Nicholson’s advice is ‘As Good As It Gets’
Our guess is that a few in the progressive caucus this morning — maybe Madison’s own Mark Pocan — are wishing they had taken Jamaal Bowman aside and told him (both wearing kefiyas over a snack of of knafeh and sobia) that’s it’s all over. You’re an embarrassment. You make Cori Bush and Ilhan Omar look like the heads on Mt. Rushmore. You damage the brand.
Bowman is the foul-mouthed racial arsonist who pulled a fire alarm to prevent the House of Representatives from a bipartisan vote to keep government from plunging into default. Like other members of The Squad, Bowman defends Hamas and condemns Israel. Instead of keeping a discreet distance, progressives like that old wobbly Bernie Sanders stood shoulder to shoulder with the legislative thug and the inimitable A.O.C. Whither Bernie, John Nichols was sure to follow.
“We are going to show f**king AIPAC [the pro-Israel political action committee) the power of the motherf**king South Bronx,” Bowman shouted at that rally. Not exactly Lincoln’s better angels of our nature.
Tuesday 06-25-24, voters in Westchester County/Bronx NY put Bowman to the curb, giving mainstream challenger George Latimer a whopping 17-point, 58% to 41% victory. Wounded, pro-Hamas progressives will take it out on Joe Biden in Chicago this August, it sez here.
We interrupt this program!
• The feds criticized management at Lincoln Hills “school” for being too tough on the young offenders. Presumably, guards then eased up on the young toughs. Result: one of them sent two guards to the hospital, one in critical condition [UPDATE: Now deceased]. From 16 assaults reported between July 2013 and June 2014 attacks have increased 10-fold in 2022-2023 — to 166. Maybe the guards were justified. Can anyone explain why Lincoln Hills should be shut down? The place is not that antiquated; first portions built in 1969. But it’s not air conditioned.
• WMTV 15 reports that police issued 80+ citations after unsanctioned Fast and Furious racing at East Towne Mall Saturday night 06-22-24 after the mall closed. The mall reported that car racing and burnouts have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage within the last few months.
• Blaska can now do a reasonable vocal impression of the BLATT! BLATT! BLATT! that announces those National Weather Service emergency broadcast interruptions. We’re available for parties.
Mitt Romney is smiling
Republicans in Utah just said NO to the candidate Donald Trump anointed to succeed “RINO” Sen. Mitt Romney. By a two-to-one margin, they chose Rep. John Curtis over Trump-endorsed Trent Staggs. Trump’s criteria? Loser Staggs is an election denier; Winner Curtis is sane. His wife even supported Nikki.
Looneyism isn’t dead. On the Republican side, Freedom caucus make-out artist Lorene Boebert won a crowded primary on the high plains of eastern Colorado with 43% of the vote.
Here in Wisconsin, the Janel Brandtjen/Gableman/Ramthun/Proud Boy wing of the GOP may have enough signatures to force a recall vote of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos — never mind that the Republican leader is up for election in a little over four months, anyway. Or that Vos has Democrats on the defensive.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Is it possible that party elders, aghast at Joe Biden’s pratfall at the CNN debate Thursday 06-27-24, nudge the old guy to reserve television network time to announce: “I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president.”
Blaska Policy Werkes 
What do you think?