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Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. I talk with WGN-AM 720 host John Williams about what’s making news and likely to be grist for the PS mill. The WGN listen-live link is here.
From a transcript of Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s senatorial campaign speech Sunday at a concert hall in Atlanta:
Our government made a tool of one man’s vengeance, power and wealth. Prices soar while the president rakes in billions. Cancer patients lose insurance while the rich get another tax cut. We’re plunged deeper and deeper into another reckless war. Private prisons full of families grow in size and squalor. The Justice Department and even our intelligence agencies are twisted to serve this president’s vendettas. …
Now remember, he promised to lower prices on Day 1. You remember that? And I want—I want the president’s remaining supporters to hear this, because it was all a lie. Under Donald J. Trump, it costs more than ever to stock your fridge, to power your home, to make a cup of coffee, to buy school supplies for your kid or a tractor for your farm. Gas is up 30% since inauguration. Diesel 47%, coffee 35%, ground beef 23%.
They doubled your health insurance premiums and slashed Medicaid to cut taxes for their corporate donors and the ultra-rich. They made you pay more for everything and took us to war on lies and spent most of last year trying to cover up for the world’s most famous pedophile while the crook president and his crook family raked in billions while your tax dollars were put to work backing Trump’s businesses! …
He also promised peace and gave us war. Now in its sixth month, they drained our stockpiles to achieve nothing. Iran still has its uranium. Hormuz is still closed. And it was all lies. … Remember last year they claimed Iran’s nuclear program had been obliterated? Then this year they claimed it posed an imminent nuclear threat? Both times, lies. …
On Day 4, he declared victory. Today is Day 170. …
There’s something uniquely despicable about lying a nation into war, treating citizens as fools and those who serve as pawns. … the sailors on the (USS. Abraham) Lincoln fight his war while he fruitlessly drains our munitions and oil reserves … sleeps through his meetings, golfs and trades stocks. …
And you saw now he’s offering paid subscriptions to presidential announcements, right? Just understand what’s for sale here: the sitting president’s pronouncements on war and peace and economic policy delivered first to paying customers? What an absolute crook!
Just think, 250 years on, what the Founders would see if they visited us today. They’d see…. a nation that, at the height of its wealth and power, fell into the very traps they most feared: consumed by bitter conflict between factions, captured by special interests, losing touch with the great national spirit that defeated fascism, with the spirit that landed men on the moon and passed civil rights laws. They’d see that we did those great things, but then we succumbed to a small and self-serving politics, unmoored from fixed moral principles, incapable of great inspiration or national achievement, with no real horizon beyond the next election.
Ossoff is my early favorite for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
The White House Director of Communications appears concerned:
U mad, bro?
In The Atlantic, Jonathan Chait writes about the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization/party that is currently having a moment:
Communist organizers … began to reshape the DSA as an ally of any anti-Western force, even the most murderous and oppressive. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the DSA opposed the invasion but blamed it on “the expansion of NATO and the aggressive approach of Western nations,” and opposed any military aid to allow Ukraine to defend itself. … On the day after the (Oct. 7, 2023) attacks, the New York City chapter of the DSA affirmed the Palestinian “right to resist” and joined a rally to celebrate them. …
It proclaimed its solidarity with Venezuela under the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro, and with Cuba under that of the Castro brothers. The DSA now locates its vision of the ideal society in the world’s most despotic regimes. …
(Hassan) Piker himself has followed the DSA’s militant line, repeatedly praising authoritarian regimes such as China’s, Cuba’s, and Russia’s, as well as terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. He has said that his closest existing model for an ideal society is China—which does not have progressive social values or an especially generous welfare state but does have a Communist ruling party. …
The Democratic Party is waging an existential struggle to save democracy, the rule of law, and liberal norms. The DSA … holds those values themselves in contempt as resistance-wine-mom frivolity.
Dienne Anum — You think it’s a “blessing in disguise” that progressive Francesca Hong lost the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary to a conservative Democrat who supports surveillance and data centers, opposition to which is probably the strongest bipartisan issue. It’s funny how you centrists (you are hardly on the left) think that the moderates are more electable in general elections. How did that work with Hillary Clinton?
I just looked through all of Hong’s policy positions and I didn't see anything in there about abolition of prisons or some of the more extreme positions you ascribed to her. Perhaps you could direct me to something I might have missed? And I doubt the man who beat her, David Crowley, stands a chance when the Republicans are already using his support of data centers against him.
Zorn — Looking at Crowley’s positions I see him as a pragmatist, not a conservative — he’s made achieving racial equity a central focus of his administration as Milwaukee County executive, has worked to promote affordable childcare and healthcare access, is pro-labor pro-abortion rights and pro public transit.
Part of that pragmatic approach has been to call for tighter regulation on data centers, instead of a moratorium:
“We have to focus on making sure that we have accountability with these data centers. They have to pay their own way, they need to pay for their own infrastructure and they need to bring their own new clean energy. I am committed to working with the state Legislature to make sure we have as many guardrails as possible.”
This approach seems realistic. AI is going to play a huge role in our future economy, and acting like it will just go away if we tell these companies to stop is fantastical petulance. I’m reminded of the “No Nukes!” protesters who were so active in the 1970s — they were right to demand better safety measures, but excessively alarmist about a technology that would have greatly reduced dependence on fossil fuels that has accelerated global climate change.
I will be interested to see how Wisconsin’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany contrasts his stance with Crowley’s. Tiffany is also opposed to a moratorium and favors regulation; as a congressman, Tiffany voted for the SPEED Act to accelerate AI infrastructure development, and he backed measures that would restrict state and local governments from imposing immediate regulations on AI models.
Hong has some excellent ideas but in other respects she was way out there, judging by her history of support for police and prison abolition. That old social media post bashing Thanksgiving, also withdrawn, rang a bell that she didn’t successfully unring. She was a lousy campaigner. Bernie and AOC didn’t endorse her. Republicans were so eager to run against her they spent millions in ads designed to boost her chances.
I keep saying this: The Democrats need to meet the voters where they are, not where they wish they would be.
Jake H. —A Democratic agenda that embraced economic populism is a plausible winner and not so very far from Democrats’ traditional focus. A message focused on fairness for the little guy could do a lot to reset and revitalize partisan attitudes along their traditional lines. The appeal should not degenerate into a shrill, dumb “eat the rich” temper tantrum that itself would tank the economy, little guys and all. Smart economic populism could bring together a large majority of voters. The Democratic Socialists of America, by contrast, leans into culture war divisions that will only put those more salient and unifying economic goals further out of reach.
Don “Crash” Battaglia — You urged people to text first to see if it’s OK to call. Screw that. If I have to make an appointment to call you, maybe I don’t need to speak with you that bad after all. And no, calling without texting is not the same as showing up unannounced at your door. That’s a physical presence that is mostly unavoidable, which is what makes it truly intrusive and disruptive to whatever you are doing. Not so with a phone call, where one who wants privacy can turn the phone to silent or simply let it roll into voicemail. Why would a pinging text be a lesser intrusion, where you feel a need to respond by explaining why now may not be a good time to call and figuring out when to call back? No thanks. Just leave a voicemail — or not. I’ll know you called, and will proceed accordingly.
Bob E. —I’m quite disappointed by being manipulated by my adult children into text in advance if I want a phone conversation. But, of course, they call me when they want something. Now you are aiding and abetting their disrespectful behavior.
Wendy C. — I prefer texting over calling, and it’s especially useful when you’re not free to speak on the phone. I don’t agree that one should text before calling, but a simple text would cover the intent of most calls, at least for me, so why bother calling at all?
Mark K. I prefer texting and email over phone conversations because I get time to think and formulate my reply. Maybe I’m just not a skilled communicator, but I worry I’m saying something wrong or in a way that can be misinterpreted, and then I replay conversations in my brain wondering if the other person got the right message.
Also texting or email eliminates the horrible game of phone tag. No, I don’t want to call you back when I get a chance, just tell me what you need and I’ll respond, or give me a specific time to reach you if you might have follow up questions (even then, we can have a text chat).
Nancy Meyer — Telephone calls are by far the best for relationship-enhancing conversation with someone you personally care about. Just try to imagine making friends with someone solely by text message.
Tom Krish — Yes, but never, ever text simply: “call me.” I always take that as code for an emergency or that someone has died.
Zorn — Oh yes! Totally agree. Right up there with “We need to talk.”
Rick Weiland — Our children have perfected the fine art of never answering a phone call, so we have sort of resigned ourselves to texting, even when a call would have been much less effort on everyone’s part. One wonders why we continue to call these pocket devices “phones.”
Zorn — So true. Calling the device you carry around your “phone” is like calling it your “camera” or your “alarm clock” or your “GPS navigator,” all features I use more often that I use more than the voice-calling feature. In fact, telephony is pretty far down the list of things I use my pocket computer for. “PDA” — personal digital assistant — would be a better term for the device, but that term was already used and discarded by PalmPilot (1996-2011), Apple Newton (1993-1998) and similar devices that have long been rendered obsolete.
Leegee — You wrote in praise of the “sign of peace” ceremony at the “Pope Hat Night” White Sox game last week in which fans were urged during a break in the action to recreate the moment at some church services where the officiants asks members of the congregation to turn to those around them and offer the greeting “Peace be with you.” Well I was at that game. The sign-of -peace moment was at first a bit odd and uncomfortable but that quickly faded into a mass of brother/sisterhood with all the handshaking, smiles, and greetings which felt completely different than high-fiving them after a homer. While it was spurred on by a religious moment, there is nothing that says you need to be religious to love thy neighbor. It was a warm moment that I wish the Sox would continue, akin to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” being sung. This is how traditions start. Ya listening out there on 35th Street?
Lynne Allen Taylor— Yuck. For an introvert with a personal bubble the size of Wyoming, the peace ritual is torture. I put up with all this Midwestern hugging, but only with close family members. What? Shall we now share the peace during movie previews, at intermission at the theater or opera, at high school graduation? If I had been at that game I would have run for the exits.
D. Dale Walker — Given the context — the Pope hats, the priest offering instruction — I get that peace ritual coded as Catholic. But in addition to Catholics, other liturgical Christian groups pass the peace: e.g., Anglicans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Disciples, and even some Baptists. As for Muslims, the traditional Arabic greeting is “Peace be upon you.” Jews cut to the chase with Shalom (”peace”). Given the prominence of Catholicism in Chicago’s history, I like the idea of a mid-inning ritual of greeting the people who sit nearby. The biggest problem I see is when only 5,000 fans show up and no one is sitting nearby. Friendly hand gestures will be required.
Steve T. — Once on the special night was fine, and if fans want to adopt the regular “sign of peace “ on their own — like chants or “the wave” (eww) — also fine. But, turning the gesture into an organization-endorsed regular custom, you inject the “you should be doing this too” vibe into it. Add competition and alcohol and you have something else to worry about while trying to enjoy a fun, and expensive, night out.
Zorn — OK, this seems like a question for “The Pulse.” See below to cast your vote.
Last week I wrote in opposition to no-taxes-on-tips laws and one-fair-wage laws, and I noted an experiment at Popeye’s where customers who order from a kiosk are asked if they want to leave a tip.
Jay G. — The person who packed your to-go order is making at least minimum wage (not the sub-minimum “tipped wage”). Why, since COVID, does everyone who is not an office worker deserve a tip?
Steven K. — Why is it reasonable (with card-only payment systems) to prompt for a tip BEFORE the service has even been completed?
Mike Koetting — You quoted Laura Washington’s column saying that Mayor Brandon “Johnson’s ideology may save his day. He is the only true, prominent progressive in the race, and progressives are surging. … Voters who are cheering on this progressive moment and supported Johnson four years ago will think twice before abandoning an incumbent who has delivered. The left will be with him. Their agenda and their movement are at stake.”
I disagree. I consider myself a progressive, but I am not a fan of Johnson. Progressive ideals do not trump competent leadership. He may be in favor of many things I want and value, but he does not have the wherewithal to handle the politics or management of Chicago. This city, like the country, needs someone who has both the right ideas and the skillset to make them happen. One without the other — to use a hackneyed phrase — is one hand clapping.
Annie M. —In News & Views you were understanding of the way Donald Trump sneaked off Air Force One in Turkey, leaving the press and many top officials on the decoy plane. But I agree with what I read in the Atlantic: “Trump missed a major opportunity. Had he brought a few reporters with him, they could have told the story of a clever evasion. The 747, meanwhile, could have been temporarily held and its passengers delayed until Trump emerged in Britain, when the Iranians would find out they’d been had.”
Which is to say — there was a way to protect that guy while not putting all the others in danger. Trump’s failure to do so is just another demonstration of his cowardice and narcissism.
Zorn — The problem with that approach is that it can only work once. When adversaries know this sort of fake-out is on the menu, they’ll be on the lookout for it. This is why, on The Mincing Rascals podcast last week, I did wonder if there had been value in reporting on this story at all.
Readers know I am no fan of Trump, but the general proposition that the life of the president of the United States is very important to protect and some secrecy is required seems to supersede the public’s right to know exactly how that life is protected.
Geoff Norfleet — You referred to the final line from the Eagles song “Hotel California” (“You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”) as a “leaden oxymoron”. But I think Don Henley was singing about a drug like heroin, that lets you “check out,” but never lets you leave the addiction behind. I think it’s substantial for substance abusers.
Zorn — I see where you could hear it that way, and of course one of the virtues of poetry is that how you read certain ambiguous passages depends on your own experiences and observations. The Wikipedia entry on the song discusses the ambiguity in the lyrics and quotes Henley as having said the song is about "a journey from innocence to experience ... The hotel itself could be taken as a metaphor not only for the myth-making of Southern California, but for the myth-making that is the American Dream, because it is a fine line between the American Dream, and the American nightmare.”
Janet Williams — I appreciate you alerting us to the Tribune’s subscription-pricing issues but the Sun-Times also no longer credits you if you suspend your paper for vacation holds. You’re still charged. Then why even bother suspending service if you have someone to collect and save your papers for you. It’s bad policy to not give credit.
Zorn — I’m sure at one point the paperwork and processing involved in updating accounts with vacation credits was onerous, but given how automated everything is these days that can no longer be a factor. I suspect most newspapers don’t offer pro-rated credits because it would cost them and because most cable/satellite services and membership gyms don’t offer them (generally unless the hold is a month or longer.)
I don’t mind this myself when it comes to newspapers because I almost exclusively use digital access and like to keep up with the Sun-Times and Tribune and other publications when I’m traveling.
(formerly Unpopular Opinions)
I wrote last week in support of the one-off “sign of peace” moment at Pope Hat Night Aug. 11 at Sox park. I wasn’t at the game I’m not a churchgoer, but whenever I’ve attended services, one of the most meaningful moments for me is when the officiant asks the congregation to turn to those around them, shake hands and say “Peace be with you.”
Fans were asked to do just that during a break in the action, and they appeared to be into it. It’s a bit corny and can feel quite forced, but the moments of human connection leave me with a warm feeling. Could it hurt for the Sox to make this a 5th inning tradition at home games?
Reader response — see the sample above — was mixed but mostly negative. But let’s take a click poll, shall we?
I consider these results based on last week’s introduction to be incoherent:
Both polls pose essentially the same question: Do employees who work for tips deserve special, favorable treatment under the law compared to employees who don’t work for tips? The equal wage question may be deceptive in that it appears to simply level the playing field. But the law already requires employers to be sure their tipped employees take home at least the minimum wage, so “one fair wage” laws will very often to nearly always result in higher than minimum-wage take-home pay for tipped employees.
I’m not saying they don’t deserve to be paid better — I’m all for increases in the minimum wage — but that they don’t necessarily deserve special treatment.
I’m hoping that some of you who voted “No” on both questions can explain your rationale in comments below.
Inspired by the WordWheel puzzle in the Monday-Friday Chicago Tribune and other papers, this puzzle asks you to identify the missing letter that will make a word or words — possibly proper nouns; reading either clockwise or counterclockwise — related to a story in the news or other current event. See the end of the newsletter for the answer.
Two puzzles this week, this first one comes from national news:
The second one is for those who follow Chicago news closely:
Here are some funny visual images from the distant Picayune Plus archives:
There’s still time to vote in the conventional Quip of the Week poll!
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Eric Zorn is a former opinion columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Find a longer bio and contact information here. This issue exceeds in size the maximum length for a standard email. To read the entire issue in your browser, click on the headline link above. Paid subscribers receive each Picayune Plus in their email inbox each Tuesday, are part of our civil and productive commenting community and enjoy the sublime satisfaction of supporting this enterprise.
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National puzzle: MANGIONE
Chicago puzzle: GABRYSCH
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