The posturing popinjays of the American legislature - who all ran for their lives & abandoned their positions when the riotous mob came, the Cowards - putting on yet another one of their periodic cases for Monarchy - indeed for an absolutist Monarchy.
As @rohancct sagely noted, the inability of the American republic to cope with elections and their results has pushed the ill-thought out republican cause in the rest of the Anglosphere back, which is a true blessing. These periodic nerdish faux-regicides are worse than any King
The American republic's impeachment amounts to the best legislators literal money can buy sitting in judgment of the man who won the prize they all seek. It is essentially a losers' court & an indicator of deep regret for not having a Monarch, merely a document none of them read.
The sight of the cowardly (and in many cases crooked) American legislators running for their lives - and leaving the poorly paid and vulnerable interns to secure the electoral college certificates - is as good a summation of modern liberalism as one can make

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More from @GrayConnolly

15 Jan
Noticing this map going around showing the long term impact of Communism on the former East Germany (noticing also there were underground churches in the former DDR as well as an official church in which Angela Merkel's father was a pastor). In the West, the pre-war continues.
Germany's Reformation settlement had, generally, Protestantism strongest in the North & East with Catholicism strongest on the Rhine and in Bavaria. To survive as a large minority, Catholics (of all classes) had their own party (and best art) from 1870s: the Zentrum/Centre Party
In simplex, the electoral history of Germany pre-1933 was the Catholic Centre Party winning the Rhineland & Bavaria versus whoever won periodic battles between the Old Right, Social Democrats, Communists & Nazis.
Read 10 tweets
15 Jan
Noting Sal's disappointment: a Bill of Attainder is a legislative judgment of guilt. In the 17thC esp the Parliament could function as/usurp the role of a Court to judge persons for crimes & vote on their guilt (with or without a trial) & assign a punishment, including death.
To be clear: the major vice of a Bill of Attainder is that the legislature invades the realm of the Court .... also that the legislature may vote X as guilty of vague crimes otherwise not previously be known as to law & entirely on the basis of prejudice against X & not evidence.
Bills of Attainder often specified in the Bill that X was guilty of crime Y and must suffer death - we are most horrified by death as a punishment but historically it was very common, especially in political cases involving loyalties & success/corruption in governmental workings
Read 11 tweets
10 Jan
Good morning all & OTD in 49BC, Gaius Julius Caesar & his Army crossed the Rubicon. Caesar had served as a military tribune, quaestor, praetor, Consul & pro-consul, conquering Gaul. When a corrupt Senate sought Caesar's recall, he commenced his march on Rome. "Alea iacta est"
Not sure if it is the date but noticing a lot of very bad Roman history takes. The Romans of 49BC did have massive senatorial corruption problems. But also a huge problem of underemployed Romans, as empire's growth meant slaves (product of conquest) doing formerly paid work doing
I find Roman history endlessly fascinating - #SPQR and all that - but in 49BC, everyone (even people I otherwise despise like Cicero and Cato) were serious people, not grifting, not performing. What should worry was Caesar & his Army pushed at an open door, winning many over.
Read 5 tweets
10 Jan
Australia setting up a good lead here - 4/182 at lunch with a lead of 276. The pitch at the SCG historically falls apart in the last two days and is terrible for the last innings, which will be India's dilemma.
#AUSvIND
The problem with this Australian summer is we simply do not have enough Test cricket. Even with Covid, we need a longer Test series. It is great for national morale amid the plague and esp as we are playing against India, one of our favourite rivals. #AUSvIND
India's lunchtime discussion seems to have been about helping Smith to get to his century as soon as possible
#AUSvIND
Read 5 tweets
9 Jan
Watching the American Right finally realise that their hitherto venerated corporations - which are creatures of statute dependent on public goods - have too much power over the lives of others, even in today's unmeritorious scenario, is really something. Whither minimum wages?
If you want to be really "conservative" while hurting the over-mighty corporations, and "conserve" families & civic virtues, then legislate to mandate corporations paying living wages, employees get parental and carers' leave, and broad tax anti-avoidance provisions.
One downside of social media is its (ceaseless) promotion of the political pantomine where the partisan grifters & performance artists engage in these kabuki fights ("most important election ever" etc) when, in reality, elections are held & yet nothing of substance ever changes
Read 4 tweets
9 Jan
I know this is a very unpopular opinion (as pretty much all of mine are) but everyone here should be verified in some way. I realise this means it is harder for the Ruritanian dissident to get her/his voice heard, but I cannot help thinking it would make this a more civil place.
I am happy for people who feel they cannot tweet under a legal name to have some useful pseudonym but the platform would be infinitely better if all users were verified by Twitter, had to pay a nominal fee, with some accountability mechanism implemented.
I have a reasonably ursine/rhino hide when it comes to abuse - I went to a Jesuit school & some of it is actually quite funny, esp after going on the ABC - but many people do not do broader media here (who well could) because the anonymous abuse directed at them is so bad.
Read 5 tweets

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