Thoughts on the historical roots of our current conflict. When you're agog at the latest affront from McConnell or Graham, at their utter disdain and disregard for established procedures and precedents, consider this: they are the heirs to a long regional political tradition.
They're steeped in the tradition of Richard Russell, James Eastland, Strom Thurmond, John Stennis and the other members of the segregationist "Southern Caucus."
I don't mean they're necessarily steeped in racism, but that they are heirs to a tradition of no holds barred minority resistance to the national will. They are imbued with an 'ends justify means' ethos. They're unembarrassed by its exercise.
Don't underestimate the grit they bring to the fight: their predecessors fought for every inch of ground from 1865 to 1964. Dip into Robt. Caro's bio of LBJ. Try Vol. 3, pp. 215-218, for a reminder of how this Southern tradition played out in the Senate in the 1940's.
My point: We continue to struggle with a clash of political cultures that has important roots in the Civil War and its aftermath. End.

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More from @RickPetree

Feb 13
For essential background on what may be abt to happen in Ukraine, please watch "Winter On Fire" (Netflix), a documentary abt Ukrainians' overthrow of the corrupt, pro-Putin Yanukovych regime in 2014, rising out of the resistance movement in Maidan (Kyiv). Timely, and very moving.
In response to a tweet yesterday asking if Poland was ready to cope with a possible deluge of Ukrainian refugees, I said there would be no such deluge. Ukrainians will stay and fight. "This is who they are." See if you don't agree after watching 'Winter On Fire.'
For those who do see 'Winter On Fire,' which concludes with surveillance video of President Yanukovych fleeing the country by helicopter at 4.00 a.m., please remember that Yanukovych was Paul Manafort's *main client and source of income* for 10 years.
theatlantic.com/magazine/archi…
Read 4 tweets
Jan 29
A thread: The Watergate scandal sprang from much simpler crimes than those we're confronted with in the J6 investigations. Nevertheless, it unfolded over more than 2 years, from commission of the break-in to Nixon's resignation. For those interested, a brief timeline:
6.17.72 Break-in at DNC
6.20.72 First WaPo report of possible WH link
9.15.72 Hunt, Liddy and burglars indicted
1.8.73 5 burglars plead guilty
4.6.73 Dean starts cooperation w/ fed prosecutors
4.30.73 Ehrlichman, Haldeman, Kleindienst resign
5.17.73 Senate Watergate Comm hearings start
5.19.73 Special Prosecutor Cox appointed
7.23.73 Nixon refuses to turn over tapes
10.20.73 Saturday night massacre (Cox fired)
3.1.74 GJ names Nixon unindicted co-conspirator
3.4.74 'Watergate 7' indicted
Read 8 tweets
Dec 26, 2021
I take the liberty, as an outsider, to comment that (i) there's a big disparity in the quality of Muezzin's around Istanbul, and (ii) I happen to live 100 meters from the loudspeaker of one of the worst. He blasts Azan into my bedroom at 6.00 a.m., and he's bad at it.
My son, who was born here and first came to consciousness in this same house, came to believe that this voice was, in fact, the Voice of God. He informed us of this when he was 4, telling us that he did "NOT like God's voice."
Here are some guys (in a competition, actually) who know what they're doing. In fairness, you can see it takes some skill to do it right.
Read 5 tweets
Dec 22, 2021
We got a light dusting of snow last night on our hilltop in Istanbul and the day came up bright and sunny. An early stroll round Bebek produced this pictures.
A 19th century palace owned since Ottoman times by the Egyptian government. Now the Egyptian consulate (recently restored).
Read 6 tweets
Dec 17, 2021
Something that’s becoming evident in the current Turkish financial crisis is that since, say, the major financial crisis of 2001, which wiped out 10% of GDP, GDP has more than tripled. Image
In the process, the middle class has accumulated far more wealth than it had in 2001 (when many were forced to sell their real estate, cars, any hard asset to pay debts).
Some of that middle class wealth is held in hard currencies, and has actually risen by as much as 40% as a result of the lira’s depreciation. Additional wealth is held in gold, which has similarly gained value against the lira.
Read 8 tweets
Nov 18, 2021
A tragedy is unfolding in Turkey. Any vestige of central bank independence has vanished: a further rate cut ordered by the President today sent the lira to 11.11/$ at one point (now 11.03). Another rate cut next month is expected, with the predictable Fx effect.
The Minister of Finance, who opposes the President's wrongheaded interest rate policy, is likely to be sacked. Leaked video of an AKP party caucus today made his isolation clear. The last remaining voice of sanity in ruling party circles.
Inflation is officially 20%, but actually at least 30-40% month on month. Hoarding of basic supplies has started: some markets are reported to be limiting customers to one bottle of olive oil per purchase, for example.
Read 7 tweets

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