The Dunces of August: The Month's Most Foolish Politicians and Pundits
Offensive Images, Reverse Racism, Nepotism and Trump Derangement Syndrome
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My monthly search for unintelligent life in America’s political class usually focuses on national politicians and pundits. While I have a bunch of those this month too, I am in the unusual position of highlighting some really dumb behavior from local organizations, including a school district, a teachers’ union, and a state political party.
The Terrible T-Shirts
Please take a look at the picture below. What jumps out at you?
T-shirt handed out by the Hanover County Public Schools in Virginia.
If you're like me and the dozen or so people I've showed it to, the answer is obvious: a swastika.
A Virginia school district has now apologized for distributing T-shirts and conference materials with that swastika-resembling design. The superintendent of Hanover County Public Schools explained in an online message that "One of our teachers designed the logo intending it to represent four hands and arms grasping together." He added that they are "confident that the logo was created without any ill-intent."
Maybe no ill-intent, but an awful lot of incompetence. Multiple people must have seen the logo before it was used. How could nobody speak up?
THE DUNCE RATING
For carelessness that led to a logo that insulted many, Hanover Public Schools deserves:
Count to 10 Before You Tweet
This is the "dunce" column that will test your visual acuity. Take a look at this other picture and what do you see?
Image posted on Facebook by the Lawrence County Alabama Republican Party. The picture was apparently posted in error after being lifted from a Mother Jones article from the September/October 2020 issue entitled, “The Republican Party is Racist and Soulless.” (Courtesy Mother Jones/Woody Harrington)
It may not be as obvious as the swastika in the prior example, but you probably noticed the three Ku Klux Klansmen at the bottom. Believe it or not, the image was posted on Facebook by the Lawrence County Alabama Republican Party.
The chairman of the county party has apologized, explaining that he did not properly review a cut-and-paste image after an internet search for “GOP elephant.” The one he found and used had been published in Mother Jones to illustrate an article that criticized the Republican Party as “racist and soulless.”
As we say in Spanish, ay ay ay.
THE DUNCE RATING
For not paying attention and posting an offensive image, the Lawrence County GOP chairman deserves:
Fire the White Teachers First
If the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers union will have its way, White teachers will be laid off before teachers of color, regardless of their seniority. I won’t bore you with the legalese of an agreement that goes into effect in March, but that’s what it says. In other words, a great teacher, beloved by kids, and with lots of experience, can be laid off just because of skin color.
Minneapolis Public Schools is defending the agreement saying its necessary to remedy “the effects of past discrimination.”
I am all for diversity among teachers, but come on. It seems kids keep getting the raw deal these days. In this case, racial politics are taking precedence over employing teachers based on merit and experience.
And, by the way, I seriously doubt this discriminatory agreement will hold up in court, as it almost certainly violates legal and constitutional protections against discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment, on the basis of race and color.
DUNCE RATING
For putting politics ahead of kids, the MFT union deserves:
He Told Us He Was Above the Law
Former President Donald Trump told us he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" and not lose any voters.
So, why is anyone surprised that he thought he could violate all sorts of laws on presidential records and handling of classified materials?
Some of the documents seized at former President Trump's home at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on August 8, 2022. FBI agents recovered numerous documents "with classification markings." (Courtesy: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach Division)
Even if he had appropriately declassified the documents (no reasonable person, including former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr, believes he did), Trump still had to comply with a subpoena.
And, if they contained highly secret information that in the wrong hands could threaten national security, how can anyone worth one’s salt defend Trump holding onto those documents at a country club? Weren’t Republicans traditionally seen as strong on national security? Suddenly that doesn’t matter because it involves Donald Trump?
Please.
A Wall Street Journal poll indicates a majority of voters now believe the raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home was justified. After initially thinking the raid would help Republicans in the midterms, reports indicate that many GOP leaders are frustrated that Trump has again become an unwelcome distraction.
DUNCE RATING
For his cavalier handling of presidential records, if they do contain important national security information, Trump deserves:
For his cavalier handling of presidential records and not fully cooperating with the National Archives, even if the documents don’t contain national security information, Trump still deserves:
Trump Derangement Syndrome?
Are MAGA Republicans some sort of collective Antichrist? That's what some on the left would have you believe, including President Biden, who's called their philosophy semi-fascism.
On the extremes, some MAGA folks are a threat to American democracy, as they proved on January 6, 2021. But are they and all Republicans the most “nihilistic, dangerous and contemptible” political force the world has seen in the past few decades?
That is exactly what Edward Luce, an associate editor of the Financial Times, said in a tweet, which was then retweeted by the former director of the CIA, retired four-star General Michael Hayden. Hayden added: “I agree. And I was the CIA director."
Maybe we should be glad Hayden no longer is the CIA director. After becoming a liberal gadfly pundit on CNN who supported Joe Biden, Hayden has either lost his memory or his common sense. Maybe both.
Like about 90% of American adults (according to analysis from the Washington Post), I am no fan of extremists on the right and their cult-like devotion to Trump (see my comments above or any of my columns on the 1/6 hearings). But is Hayden serious? MAGA folks are worse than ISIS and al-Qaida? Worse than Iran’s mullahs or North Korea’s Kim family?
Give me a break.
THE DUNCE RATING
For thoughtlessly retweeting divisive and inaccurate statements, Hayden deserves:
Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey
Few major Republican leaders have gone through more political gyrations in recent years than Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Once a McCain Republican and harsh Trump critic, he called the former president a “jackass,” a “kook,” and “a race-baiting bigot.” After the January 6 riot, he turned on Trump with harsh words: “All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.”
But Graham spent most of the Trump presidency as an apologist and cheerleader for the man he’s called “a friend.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.-S.C.) participates in a panel at the America First Policy Institute's America First Agenda summit at the Marriott Marquis on July 26, 2022, in Washington, D.C.The non-profit think tank was formed last year by former cabinet members and top officials in the Trump administration to create platforms based on his policies. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
He's still singing Trump's tune. In a Fox News appearance on Sunday, August 28, he said that there will be "riots in the street" if Trump is prosecuted for taking classified documents to Mar-a-Lago.
Graham’s inflammatory comments are outrageous, and his attempt at a “both sides” excuse is silly. Should the possible illegalities committed by Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden be more aggressively investigated? Possibly. But two wrongs don’t make a right, and does he actually want a former president to be above the law?
Worse yet, Graham’s “riots” comments add fuel to the fire of the real anger that exists on the extremes in this country. Sorry, Lindsey, but your defense that you were just stating “the obvious” doesn’t fly. Suggesting violent protests would somehow be legitimate is irresponsible and just plain dangerous. He did walk things back a bit by saying, “I reject violence. I’m not calling for violence. Violence is not the answer.”
THE DUNCE RATING
For dangerous and irresponsible comments that he only partially retracted, Graham deserves:
Nancy, Nancy, Nancy
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi must not have heard of the Hunter Biden scandal, the dangers of nepotism, or that public officials should avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
I’m not one of those who objected to her visit to Taiwan. Whether it was wise or not is debatable, but I’m no fan of cowering to Chinese belligerence. The “dunce” problem is that she took her son along on her tour of a handful of Asian countries.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (second from the left in the first row of the audience) visits Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park in New Taipei, Taiwan, on August 3, 2022. Her son, Paul Pelosi, Jr., is seen on the far right of the first row. He accompanied his mother on an official trip to Asia. (Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
American politicians are allowed to do so, but Paul Pelosi, Jr. was not on the official list of people accompanying the speaker. Worse, he is an investor in Asia who is reportedly involved in the lithium industry. Taiwan is an increasingly large lithium battery producer.
The speaker insists her son conducted no business while on the trip. I guess she doesn’t get that simply having him along on an official delegation promotes his business interests.
THE DUNCE RATING
For creating a clear appearance of impropriety in taking her son along on her congressional junket, Nancy Pelosi deserves:
Boebert Babbles Balderdash
If I had a Hall of Fame of Dunces, the Democratic members of the “Squad” and the Republican members of what I call the “Gang,” would be original inductees.
They provide so much fodder, it’s hard to choose. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R.-Ga.) was a top candidate this month with conspiracy theories and other idiotic ramblings surrounding the killing of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
But her fellow Gang member, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R.-Colo.) beat her out when she said on Sebastian Gorka’s Newsmax show that “In Venezuela they eat the dogs and it started because they don't have firearms.” She added, “They do not have a way to protect themselves, to defend themselves against a tyrannical government.”
During the worst of the economic crisis in Venezuela that was greatly caused by the incompetence of a socialist and kleptocratic dictatorship, some Venezuelans reportedly did resort to hunting pets.
But to contemplate that gun control laws are stopping Venezuelans from overthrowing the thugs who run the country is just plain silly. The Venezuelan military is the fourth largest in Latin America and it’s armed to the hilt. Unless the armed forces turn on the government, there’s not much citizens can do.
Also, Boebert’s attempt to weaponize the Venezuelan crisis to support her pro-gun agenda is just plain dumb.
THE DUNCE RATING
For cynically and inaccurately manipulating Venezuelan suffering for political purposes, Boebert deserves:
New "dunces" are already out in force after Labor Day, so I'll have plenty for my next "dunce" column, which I'll publish in early October.
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