Thursday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Thursday, August 21, 2025
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31 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
Follow Steven on
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BlueSky.
Texans are starting early to rig the elections.
Texas county cuts over 100 polling sites as Trump attacks mail-in voting nationally
Tarrant County is home of Fort Worth. County has a 2.4 million population. This is not some unpopulated rural county.
Just as the media reports on tariffs should always note that Trump doesn’t have the constitutional authority to impose them, reports on his obsession with mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines should note his (and the GOP’s) twin goals: making it harder for people to vote, and undermining confidence in the electoral process. Elections are only legitimate if the Republican candidate wins. Such reports should also prominently note that the Constitution says the states, not the POTUS, determine how elections are conducted, and therefore this is another instance of Trump’s astounding ignorance of, and brazen contempt for, the Constitution that he took an oath to protect and defend.
@Scott: the gop must have devastating internal polling in Texas.
I can’t remember which Naomi (Klein or Wolff) said it, but it’s truer today than when I read it years ago, “ voting for Republicans is a character defect.”
11 Texas school districts temporarily blocked from displaying Ten Commandments, federal judge rules
@becca:
No, I think it is just the opposite. They have an absolute majority and they are determined to lock it in by all means necessary. This is the neo-confederate South and it hasn’t changed since Reconstruction.
A follow-up on Daryl’s post yesterday.
Stupid, yes. But silly stupid. Kristi Noem’s silly perforamative directorship, using a roller to paint the border bars (wall!) An actual process will require an industrial coatings with multiple steps, and ingenuity to cover all 5 sides (including the Mexico side!) But hey, Kristi isn’t one to pass up a photo-op no matter the absurdity. Photo-Op Kristi.
I can think of half a dozen ways to surmount that barrier. Those whose lives depend on crossing over can probably come up with dozens more. Static defense invites innovation.
More taxpayer dollars down the drain at the behest of Stable Genius.
Of course, at night in winter the fence will be more temperate to climb, thanks to the black paint.
@Scott: I very much respect your insights and not to argue, but there are fissures. Allred, O’Rourke, and the new kid, Talarico, give me hope. And the ghosts of Anne Richards and Molly Ivins.
Was biblical slavery “fundamentally different”?
Trump Doesn’t Want Museums Talking About How Bad Slavery Was
Earth to Trump:
THERE IS NOTHING GOOD ABOUT SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANYWHERE ELSE!
@becca: What I find interesting is that in Texas you don’t register with a political party. For example, I am “affiliated” with the Republican party for exactly one year because I voted in their primary. I did this primarily for a very local election involving local issues. The point is that who knows what will drive people to vote. And for whom. The structures of control of information whether formal or informal are all in the Republicans hands.
@Michael Reynolds:
I want you to know something, you won’t understand it. You won’t understand it because you both can’t and refuse to.
My “male body”, you ignorant fuck, is currently experiencing period cramps so severe I can’t stand up. My 9 year old daughter just brought me a blanket because I am shaking and crying it hurts so bad.
Your ignorance, on it’s own is bad enough. That you roll around in it barking happily like a dog who found a particular foul pile of shit is breathtaking.
@Beth:
You’re not really up for talking politics, Beth. It’s just the usual narcissism and misdirected rage. I’m sorry for your situation and I hope life turns around for you. But you aren’t my concern, my adult daughter and minor niece, and her parents, and a lot of our readers, are. So you go dance, and I’ll work on finding a way for my niece to get her meds.
@Scott:
@becca:
Tarrant County has been trending more Democratic over time. This is a very clear voter suppression tactic, and I hope that voters there see this move for what it is.
@Beth: Whats interesting is that very tiny few of trans women who play women’s sports have done so for decades, mostly closeted and in secret, without any issue.
Of course, the right can always depend on the usual suspects from the usual demographics to fall for their propaganda and new distractions.
There were all of ten (known) trans athletes in NCAA sports last year. Meanwhile, 14+ million Americans stand to lose healthcare because of incompetent, fascistic pedophile president. And his elitist party of lying, corporatist, anti-American vipers. Not because of trans folks. But guess which story the usual suspects are focused on?
Trump is wildly unpopular and losing ground fast. Why is anyone afraid of him? (USA Today)
Beyond me too.
.@Beth: I was hoping to say this without much context in todays thread. That is perhaps not as clear as it might be. Nevertheless, I will plow ahead.
The coming out and transitioning of my daughter is the best thing that ever happened to us as a family. I have checked with my wife, and she confirms it. We had a family member that was fading away, not really present, and definitely not happy. Now we have someone who is engaging and fun.
Likewise, you are one of the best things about this comment section. I treasure your comments and your attitude. I know I am not alone in this.
I consider trans people a boon to humanity. Not a problem, a boon. They know things that human beings could not otherwise know.
I very much would like to give you a very father-like bear hug and tell you that I love you and that you are very much worthy of being loved. But only, of course, if that’s ok with you.
As a father, I have watched both of my children do things that are dangerous and … how to say it? … not something I would do. Something that seems unwise. It makes me anxious. Anxious for their well-being. I don’t want to see them hurt.
I personally feel that it’s valuable for me to recognize that anxiety and not pass it on as criticism. But I do feel anxious about you. I don’t want to see you hurt.
Love and blessings.
American Businesses in ‘Survival Mode’ as Trump Tariffs Pile Up (New York Times)
Cue hacks like Smerconish and Maher to wax poetic on how the tariffs haven’t been so bad and how Dems should give more credit to the racist Hitler-apologist president who deports even legal migrants to torture prisons without due process.
Beyond her plan to juice housing supply and cap out-of-pocket healthcare costs, Harris had a whole plan to support small business. The Epstein-bestie pedophile ran on bankrupting the country with tariffs. Democrats repeatedly warned Trump’s tariff inflation = economic calamity. 85% of black and LGBTrans voters wisely heeded the warnings.
But Mr. Landfield chose — was not forced — chose and decided to pick an unqualified, incompetent, pathological lying thug, rapist, and convicted felon to destroy his daughter’s business and wreck the economy for a second time — like Republicans always do.
Mr. Landfield made the indefensibly stupid choice to touch the stove again, after being begged not to. Will he and his ilk take responsibility, admit that they were wrong and that liberals were right (as many of us former Republicans have done without the sky caving in), and take their hand off the stove in 2026 and 2028?
Since the usual suspects from the usual demos are still blaming Democratic “messaging,” Biden’s age, and Woke DEI Trans Athlete Cat-Eating Haitian Border Migrants instead of their own poor political judgment, I doubt it.
Has this already been covered? I remember pother presidents going out of their way to avoid financial conflicts. Trump has bought bonds and is now pushing to lower rates. Just coincidental that lowering rates would also help him personally.
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/trump-buys-more-than-100-million-bonds-since-inauguration-disclosure-shows-2025-08-20/
Steve
James Dobson is dead.
The world is a better place today.
@DK:
Here’s a good round-up on Trump’s polling on issues. He’s seriously underwater on the economy and inflation. But his floor is solid. He’s 7-9 points underwater in the overall, but that ~45% has not budged.
Unless that floor cracks his maximum overall underwater number is 10 points. He doesn’t care so long as he has the 45%.
As to why so many politicians are gutless? I used to think I was too cynical about people, but this last decade has opened my eyes. Were Americans always cowards? Aren’t we the descendants of people who crossed oceans in tiny wooden ships? Aren’t we supposed to be the progeny of adventurers and pioneers?
@Michael Reynolds:
Oh, Trump wouldn’t care even if his approval dropped to 5%. He has narcissistic personality disorder with antisocial traits. So it goes without saying that he doesn’t care…at 100% approval, 50% approval, 45%, 35%, 25% or 0%.
I don’t care that he doesn’t care. I’m watching what voters and non-crazy politicians do in 2025 and 2026.
On a lighter note, I object to being baited with tales of a “good roundup” then tricked into giving a click to Nate ‘Eric Adams Will Be A Leading Dem Presidential Candidate’ Silver. Very unfair! Who ever thought a data guy could one day rival Chris Cillizza and Andrew Sullivan for oblivious hot takes?
At the risk of jinxing the comment sections, what does it say about morale among the deplorables that our regular trolls have stayed quiet for several weeks now?
@Kathy: I believe the requirement of establishing an account did them in, not necessarily low morale.
The NYT today ran a piece by Rachel Roth Aldhizer, titled: “I’m a Conservative. My Disabled Son Needs Medicaid to Live.”
She’s also apparently written quite a bit of anti-choice stuff. So, to sum up in a nutshell, she gave birth to a profoundly disabled child and now is upset that conservatives are cutting Medicaid. Which her son needs to live. But she still calls herself a “proud conservative.”
I think we have a new leader of the Leopards Eating Faces Party.
@DK:
Have to bear in mind how few people it takes to swing a primary challenge, a tiny percentage of the US population determines who the candidates will be. General public opinion stats all but irrelevant in the area of R’s in Congress keeping their jobs.
@Kathy:
Doubtless they’ll turn up, in good (or bad) time.
Perhaps I could try filling in for them?
I’d likely make a better job of it.
“What you need to understand is that President Trump is a diplomatic genius, who has got everyone right where he want them. The economy is about to turn to pure gold due to tariffs, the Fed are a bunch of wussies, and the bond markets just love kayfabe.
Nobody else in the democratic West does mail-in voting, or if they they do is doesn’t count beacuse they’re socialist Euro-weenies.
Gerrymandering is a time-honoured American tradition, and slavery was not so bad according to the Founding Fathers.
Also, Joe Biden was doolally, Hunter had a laptop, and True Americans all love Trump!”
How I am doing so far?
@JohnSF:
You were doing pretty well until you said Hunter had a laptop. That part is true.
@Jen:
I hadn’t considered that.
It would mean we only attract minimal effort, low energy trolls.
@Jen:
She knows herself well, in that case, no? By this admission, seems she subscribes to a nilihistic political ideology now dedicated to undermining public healthcare, to blocking government efforts to increase the healthcare safety net, and to stripping public health insurance from the vulnerable. She didn’t care till personally affected: the essence of modern conservativism.
Perhaps testimonies like hers might prompt others on the right to reconsider their un-American opposition to our Constitution-proscribed duty to promote the general welfare. It’s likely too little too late, sadly.
Longish video on the chief nazi’s Vegas Loop. I’d say he did a fair job going from visionary to dystopia in a reasonable time.
This video explains why the vaunted Texlas aren’t self driving. The loop is not a closed system. Though ti seems to me the route is fixed, as are the stops, and traffic and maneuvering outside the closed part of the system is limited.
The author mentions the Vegas monorail and the RTC transit system. I’ve tried both. For tourists, both are good options, especially on the Strip (the monorail is confined to the Strip). For locals, maybe not so much.
I managed to visit some off-Strip casinos using the RTC buses. It was more complicated, and there wasn’t a bus every five minutes for the off-Strip routes, nor articulated or doule-deck buses either.
@Kathy:
The Loop is an amusement park ride, not public transit. Just not a good amusement park ride. It’s really rather shabby in execution. I’m sure convention goers take it from one end of the convention center to the other, but it’s otherwise useless.
We are governed by the LVCVA – the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority – an organization consisting of 8 elected officials and basically 6 casino execs. Which is how you get the Loop.
@Kathy:
I like trolls.
They’re fun.
Just call me Billy Goat JohnSF