Author: A.T.

Conservative columnist Max Boot:  Israel’s biggest security threat is Benjamin Netanyahu.

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. . . [He] doesn’t seem to care that his policies are undermining Israeli democracy . . . Like Trump, he seems to care about nothing but holding onto power . . .

President Biden, a true friend of Israel, has been trying to warn Bibi off the destructive path he is on — but to no avail. . . .

Unfortunately, Biden’s positive influence is being diluted by Bibi’s fervent Republican supporters, who ridiculously accuse Biden of being anti-Israel. Republicans seem as eager to enable Netanyahu’s assault on Israeli democracy as they are Trump’s assault on U.S. democracy.  . . .

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Worth reading in full.  (What’s that?  You don’t have a few bucks to subscribe to the Washington Post? “Democracy Dies in Darkness!”)

Even more important, Tom Friedman:  Only Biden Can Save Israel Now.

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. . . Mr. President, when we met last Tuesday and you gave me your very measured statement urging Netanyahu not to “rush” this legislation through without “the broadest possible consensus” — which he so clearly does not have — it came as an electric shock to the Israeli political system, dominating the news for several days.

It was such a shock because a vast majority of Israelis believe — rightly — that you are a true friend and that your advice came from the heart.

But I’m afraid this Israeli government needs another dose of your tough love — not just from your heart but from the heart of U.S. strategic interests as well.

Because Netanyahu is plowing ahead despite your urgings. Despite a warning from more than 1,100 Israeli Air Force pilots and technicians that they will not fly for a dictatorship. Despite an open letter signed by dozens of former top security officials, including former heads of the Israel Defense Forces, Mossad, Shin Bet and police beseeching the prime minister to stop. Despite Israel’s top business forum warning of “irreversible and destructive consequences on the Israeli economy.” Despite fears that this could eventually fracture unit cohesion in the base of the Israeli Army. And despite a remarkable, largely spontaneous five-day march by everyday Israelis from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the likes of which had never happened before. . . .

. . . If I may suggest, Mr. President, what is needed is that your secretary of state, your secretary of defense, your Treasury secretary, your commerce secretary, your secretary of agriculture, your U.S. trade representative, your attorney general, your C.I.A. director and your Joint Chiefs call their Israeli counterparts today and let them know that if Netanyahu moves ahead — without a consensus, fracturing Israeli society and its military — it will not only undermine the shared values between our two countries but also do serious damage to our own strategic interests in the Middle East.

And U.S. interests are very much our business. Because as the Knesset moves to vote on this issue on Monday, something very important could break in Israel and in our relationship with Israel. And once it’s gone, it will never come back.

I hope that it is not already too late. . . .

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Also worth reading in full.  (What’s that?  You don’t have a few bucks to subscribe to the New York Times?)

But before we get to that, some reading suggestions . . .

Sweat is a prize-winning play so powerful that reading it as I just did — with my eyes, not my ears — may actually beat seeing it on stage.  More time to stop and reflect on what these characters are going through.

I can’t begin to do it justice.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, by contrast, is Bill Bryson’s memoir about growing up in the 50’s, and how amazing America was back then, even without the polio vaccine, Novocaine, widespread air conditioning, the Internet, frequent flier miles, index funds, or iPhones.  (What am I leaving out?)

Like everything Bryson writes (most recently plugged: One Summer: America, 1927): fascinating and fun.

If you’re looking for a short page-turner before Jack Smith’s “January 6” indictment is released, try his current indictment — a 10-minute read about Trump’s theft of documents, refusal to return them, and lying about having them.

And for something heartening and even shorter:  Morgan Stanley credits Biden’s leadership with “much stronger” than expected GDP growth.

Inflation has fallen for 12 straight months, real wages are rising, predictions of an almost certain recession are being walked back — you knew all that — but did you know this?

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In the four years of Donald Trump’s administration, total spending on manufacturing facilities grew by five percent. During the first two years of Biden’s administration, manufacturing investment more than doubled, and about 800,000 manufacturing jobs were created. These remarkable results are the outcome of Biden policies, including the Inflation Reduction Act and its green technology provisions, the infrastructure bill, and the CHIPS Act. — Robert Reich

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And now the olive branch.

I am strongly pro Israel . . . anti Netanyahu‘s attempt to destroy Israeli democracy . . . pro the Palestinian people.

Read Israel: A Simple Guide to The Most Misunderstood Country on Earth to see how one can be all three — and why many superbly well-meaning American college kids (and others) have it wrong.

In any event, here is a new, non-political, peaceful, productive way to help: Treedom For Palestine.  Not just “an olive branch” — a whole olive tree grove, if you’re wealthy enough to sponsor a whole farm, or else what works out to $24 a tree.

Have a great week.

The party that once stood for individual freedom wants to:

> have the final say in women’s reproductive health care decisions;

> get between parents, kids, their doctors and mental health professionals and have the final say on gender-affirming care.

Who better than middle-aged straight white non-professionals to make these decisions?

Ideally, of course, the once-Grand Old Party would prefer that trans people simply not exist.

(It’s analogous to the way many Republicans — including their undisputed leader — wish non-white people would go back to where they came from.)

But at present, all they can officially do is treat trans people badly and not much care when they’re murdered.

One wonders what might be next.  Banning contraception?

As you may know, 195 House Republicans last year voted to block the Right to Contraception Act.

Have you seen this 30-second spot?

Talk about contrasts!

This guy asked President Obama if he’s depressed.

So cool.

(Obama’s overarching life advice, albeit not part of this interview: “Be kind and be useful.”)

The current former president (“I’d like to punch him in the face”), meanwhile, kept a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bedside and now is gearing up to be America’s first Mussolini, ending our 247-year experiment with democracy:

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. . . Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House, according to a review of his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him. . . .

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In case you haven’t read the full story, it’s worth your time.

We all have demons and angels battling within us, like wolves.

(“But grandfather!” the children ask.  “Which wolf will win?!”  To which the old Cherokee replies: “The one you feed.”)

For the past 7 years, the G.O.P. has been feeding the wrong wolf.

Sure, Bush 43 was a terrible president in tremendously important ways.  And Jimmy Carter was in many ways a failed president.  But in retirement, Bush has been gracious and sane; Carter has been a terrific force force good — as have been former presidents Clinton and Obama and, for that matter, former vice presidents Gore and Biden.

(Their former veeps, Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney, and Mike Pence, may not have done much for the world since leaving office, but all three have endorsed democracy and the rule of law, in defiance of today’s G.O.P. leadership.  That may be a low bar, but in today’s G.O.P. it actually takes a lot of courage.)

Trump is in a totally different ballpark.

It’s not conservative versus liberal or taciturn versus gregarious or handsome versus brainy or tall versus short — or any of the other contrasts we’re used to seeing.

It’s fascist-dictator-wannabe versus all the other men and women who have ever run for the presidency since 1789.

ANIX

A hopeful update on one of our crazy speculations, made only with money we can truly afford to lose.

I’m forever writing speeches in my head.

Here’s a piece of one I’d like to see the President give:

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My team wanted me to call what we’re doing Bidenomics.  That’s what the Wall Street Journal and some others have been calling it.  But you know, folks:  it’s not about me, it’s about you.  It’s not Biden economics, no matter what the Wall Street Journal says.  At the end of the day, it’s KITCHEN TABLE economics.  Middle out, bottom up, Democratic KITCHEN TABLE economics. 

As contrasted with Republican trickle-down PRIVATE JET economics. 

And do you know what history has shown us?  KITCHEN TABLE economics — growing the economy with an emphasis on opportunity and a strong middle class — has always worked.  But trickle-down, PRIVATE JET economics — with its tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy — has never worked for anybody but those at the very top. 

PRIVATE JET trickle-down Republican economics has just increased inequality.  The rich have gotten dramatically richer — trillions of dollars richer — while most hard workers have found it tougher and tougher to get by.

Until now.  We’re still early days, but with inflation coming down for 12 straight months and unemployment lower than it’s been in 50 years, real wages have begun to rise.  Getting a little ahead of the game for a change.  That’s the kind of economics — whatever you call it — I want to keep coming.

And it will keep coming as we put people to work at good jobs revitalizing America’s infrastructure.  We’re just getting started.

And by the way? 

Two things.

One:  You know where a majority of those infrastructure dollars are going?  To the states of Republicans who voted against our MAKING these investments — but are now taking credit for them.  I don’t care: all 50 states matter to me.  But imagine that.

Okay, that’s one.

Here’s two:  When I talk about PRIVATE JET economics only helping the rich — that’s true.  But I want to tell you something.  I love the rich.  Or at least a lot of them.  I’m serious!   Some of my strongest supporters are rich, God love ’em.   And they’ve worked hard to get rich and done a helluva lot of good along the way.

KITCHEN TABLE economics isn’t about punishing the rich.

It’s not about hurting folks with private jets and 200-foot yachts.

It’s about helping America’s middle class, and those busting their butts to climb INTO the middle class.  THAT’s who Democrats are fighting for.

And do you know the best part?  When the middle class does well, the economy does well, profits grow, and the ultra-wealthy do great.  KITCHEN TABLE economics winds up working well for everybody.

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I couldn’t fit it in anywhere, but maybe a line, too, like, “You know, I’m basically an Amtrak guy.  All my life.  But I get the appeal of private jets.  Mine’s called Air Force One.  You own it; but for a while, I’m the guy who gets to ride in it.  Thank you for that, folks.  It makes my job a whole lot easier.”

What do you think?

CHRA / CHRB

Those of us who bought CHRA three months ago — with money we could truly afford to lose — as suggested here, here, and here at around $2.75, $2.20, and $1.40, respectively — got bought out Thursday at $6.  And I like to think the game may not be over.  The company was arguably worth much more.  But for now, at least, we’ll have to settle for a quick double, triple, or quadruple.

Those who bought CHRB instead (or in addition) between $9.50 and $13.50 as suggested here and here saw it close at $16.49 last night, even as we pocketed the first of what should a dozen or so 53-cent quarterly interest payments before being paid $25 at maturity.  So that one, too, may be a winner.

RECAF / PRKR / BOREF

To emphasize the “money you can truly afford to lose” part of this game, I would note that those of us who bought these three — among lots of others — have not fared.  The game’s not entirely over, to be sure.  (What’s another year or five when we’ve been waiting 24 years for BOREF?).  But of RECAF, my primary source writes:

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I’m at a loss.

They didn’t drill all the wells they said they would. Instead they’ve been gathering more seismic and aero mag data. Unfortunately they’re now running out of money and will need a partnership/farm-in/buyout by a large company to pay for more drilling.

The geology turned out to be different from what they expected to find. But I know a couple of geologists who still like the prospects. And another who’s sold most of his.

Then there are respected folks in the online communities who think the company is nothing but a scam and have sold out entirely. I have to admit that their pessimism makes some sense given all the missed targets and broken promises. I’ve sold half of my holdings at prices between $0.90 and $1.15.

I sure never expected we’d be in this position at this point. I am not in the camp of “it’s a scam,” as buying a rig, shipping it to Africa and drilling three wells seems like a lot of effort just to fleece shareholders. But it’s getting ugly.

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You know me well enough to know that — except for shares on which I can take a tax loss — I’m holding on.  Not out of any logic.  The prospect of losing $1  just hurts me less than the prospect of missing out on making $5 — vanishingly slim though that prospect may be.  If I were fully rational, I’d be Star Trek’s Spock, with pointy ears.

CUTTING RED TAPE

Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania:

We fixed I-95 in 12 days. Here are our lessons for U.S. infrastructure.

SAVING DEMOCRACY

Got five hours, spread over four Saturdays?

We perhaps owe it to our forefathers who died fighting for it — and to future generations — not to let democracy slip through our hands.

Check it out!

THE DOG ATE MY COMPUTER FAN

I turned on my trusty old Lenovo a couple of weeks ago to the sound of a stiff breeze whooshing through the room.  The fan had suddenly been given voice.  It caused no harm, so for those couple of weeks I just lived with foreboding.

This past Thursday I turned it on to find the whoosh gone — replaced by a loud persistent buzzzzzz.  As if someone were at my door.  I thought the whole laptop might fly apart and closed the cover immediately.

If you’ve ever tried migrating to a new PC, especially if the old one is suddenly kaput (or stolen), you know the feeling I had.

But guess what!  The repair guys around the corner from me cleaned the fan and tightened a loose wire that was hitting it 50 times a second, producing  that loud buzz, and — $100 and a day later — I was back in business, ready to annoy you once more.

I count my blessings quarter-hourly.

Have a great week!

Journalists Need To Sound The Alarm, writes Mark Jacob.  “It’s high time for news media to confront the rise of fascism.“

He asks why “journalists covering the biggest story of their career—the attempted overthrow of democracy—treat it like routine politics?” 

And he offers four reasons. 

E.g.:

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Some journalists see the alarming fascist turn of the Republican Party as a temporary error in judgment, like a basically good dad staying out drinking with his pals all night. Except it’s been eight years and dad hasn’t come home yet. He may never come home.

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“It’s time,” he concludes, “for journalists to panic responsibly.”

It’s a big deal that Joe Biden has led NATO’s reinvigoration and expansion to include Finland and now, it seems, Sweden.

It should be heartening to anyone, Republican or Democrat, who wants to live in a peaceful, largely democratic world.

And did you notice that unemployment has been under 4% for 17 months now — the longest stretch in more than 50 years?

Or that inflation has fallen for 11 months in a row — back to where it was after 8 years of Ronald Reagan’s presidency — and is getting ever closer to where it needs to be?  Used car prices fell 4% last month alone, down 10% year over year.

DNC Treasurer Virginia McGregor:

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While the GOP is running across the country taking credit for legislation they didn’t support when it was up for a vote and hoping people will be distracted by the micro issues they keep trying to bring to the forefront, Democrats are focused on the macro issues. Inflation is down, job creation is up, and our country is getting back on track.

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Oppenheimer — the film that will get you back into the theater: July 21.

And speaking of movie theaters, APE ($1.91) — the intrinsically ever so slightly more valuable twin of AMC ($4.39) — will almost surely be converted into AMC shares fairly soon, at which point there will be just one set of shares — AMC — and one stock price.  Just where that price will settle, and then move over time, will be interesting to watch.  Having bought our APE last November at around $1.05, I’m comfortable hanging on for a while to see what happens.  (Famous last words?)

Either way, I’m going to see Oppenheimer.

Why liberals protesting cluster munitions for Ukraine are wrong.

Executive summary: The reason so many countries ban them is that the unexploded ones can later kill or maim civilians — in this case, Ukrainians — long after the war is over.  Max Boot argues that if, knowing this, the Ukrainians have decided they must use them anyway, despite the risk to their own people, it is their decision to make, not ours.

The blame for their use, really, falls not on us, or even on the Ukrainians, but on Putin for launching his invasion, committing countless war crimes, and firing his own cluster munitions (which are leaving far more “duds” unexploded on Ukrainian soil than ours will).

Biden acknowledged it was a difficult decision, but I think made the right one.

It’s a little embarrassing that my best investment — ever — was in a deeply sophomoric musical about 52 dead nuns (poisoned by tainted vichyssoise, so the surviving nuns had to put on a talent show to raise the money to bury them), called Nunsense.  It played throughout the world and spawned spin-offs that included Nunsense A-Men (the all-male version), Nuncrackers, and Meshuggah-Nuns.

The creator of all this silliness, Danny Goggin — a boyish 34 when I invested, now a boyish 80 — tells the tale here.

Fun.

Linda Greenhouse reviews John Roberts’ 18-year regime.

Sad.

Depoliticize the Court!

The Laptop — How Credible Are Giuliani, Et Al, Really?

A former Republican Congressman suggests there may be less here than the Right would have us think.

I’m not sure it’s worth the full 7 minutes, but you’ll get the gist pretty quick.

However the laptop stuff turns out, Hunter Biden has no role in the Administration, so who really cares?  (Versus, say, Jared Kushner and his deal with Qatar.)

Here’s 4 minutes on the Republican front-runner. who actually was the previous Administration and plans to be the next one.  So we should care a lot.

President Biden, by contrast — for all the Right makes of his occasional stumble — is all the things you’d want in a President: thoughtful, wise, and steady.  Watch this past weekend’s interview with Fareed Zakaria and see if you agree.

Sorry to give you so many links.  Take the rest of the week off.

Not original with me, but true:

We’ve had 46 Presidents.

They’ve been indicted on a total of 71 felony counts.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Presidents    # of Felony Counts

1-44                           0

45                              71

46                              0

Most Republicans think Ronald Reagan’s economy was terrific.

After 8 years of his magic, the unemployment rate was 5.3% — versus today’s 3.6%.

Inflation was the same 4% that it is today.

So Joe Biden’s economy is perhaps even more terrific?

A perpetually surprised media isn’t doing its job, argues Jennifer Rubin in the Washington Post:

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You might find it remarkable that outlets touting their economic foresightedness and keen analysis could be continually surprised about the economy’s strength after 29 consecutive months of job growth, inflation steadily declining, durable goods having been up for three consecutive months, 35,000 new infrastructure projects, an extended period in which real wages exceeded inflation and outsize gains for lower wage-earners. It’s as though outlets are so invested in the narrative of failure and imminent recession that reams of positive data have had little impact on their “narrative.”

Part of the problem might be the media’s preference for political horse-race coverage over events on the ground. “What do voters think?” (about what? about the media’s own negative spin on the economy?) replaces “What is going on?”

We have seen far too little coverage of the economic transformation in little towns, rural areas and aging metro centers brought about by new investment in plants, infrastructure projects and green energy related to the Chips Act. . . .

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So far.

The once-Grand Old Party overwhelmingly favors him to reflect their values.

Who wants their kids to grow up to be like Barack Obama (“be kind and be useful”) — or Joe Biden — when they can grow up to be like Donald Trump (“I’d like to punch him in the face”)?