The Reductio ad Absurdum/reduction to nonsense/proof by contradiction is a venerable logical device, important to Euclid and many others. But we are not used to the Reductio ad Nihilum, the reduction to nothing at all that E. Jean Carroll recently remarked on.
'He is nothing': E. Jean Carroll on the biggest surprise of confronting Trump in court
Now, if he had realized that he is nothing, that his maniacal narcissism has always been a snare and a delusion, that would be a Big Deal, and the best possible news—what Zen Buddhists call a kensho or an Awakening to No-Self. I’ll tell you about that in a koan post on Sunday, along with Jewish and Christian and Muslim and other examples.
But no, that is too much to hope for today. Instead, we have this—a court calling out Trump’s lawyers for a bonehead move in the most elementary logic.
One particularly interesting Paragraph from today’s Court of Appeals Ruling — cites Error in Logic
Stating that “if the President is convicted, he can be prosecuted,” does not necessarily mean that “if the President is not convicted, he cannot be prosecuted.”
This is the Fallacy of Affirming the Consequent. As a result of this and other nonsense, the Court has ruled that there is no Emperor Trump, just Citizen Trump, subject to indictment and trial like any other (alleged) citizen criminal, and then possibly to conviction and sentencing.
Good News for Us
It turns out, as ever, and indeed more than ever, that
- Wrong-Wing overreach is our best weapon in the next election cycle.
- They are still driving out millions of their own children every year, and now they are going after their own women and elders.
- As hpg and others constantly remind us, our prospects in 2024 are excellent. (Remember, repetition is good. I repeat, repetition is good.)
- We are beating back voter suppression in the courts and through GOTV.
- The DOJ has plans to arrest another thousand election terrorists.
- Marc Elias, the ACLU, the NAACP LDF, CREW, and others are on top of the states asserting a right to overturn Presidential elections and name their own electors, among other crimes.
- Dems are increasingly getting our messages out.
- Some in the MSM are at last taking notice, most notably Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow. Even Fox Business and Fox News have had to admit that the economy is doing well, and consumer confidence has been rising.
- Rs are no longer in disarray—It’s total chaos and fog of internal civil war now.
- They are scared to death of us. All of us. Each and every one of us. And Taylor Swift
more than, well, almost all of us other than Dark Brandon. And his companion dove.
And there’s plenty more where that came from. See also Boosting Biden, by GoodNewsRoundup, and MVP Kamala Harris Roundups by lpeacock.
Good News Links
The Muppet Show - 314: Harry Belafonte - “Turn the World Around” (1979)
- Civil Eats—A Florida Immigration Law Is Turning Farm Towns Into ‘Ghost Towns’: Florida is one of a growing number of states threatening to use E-Verify as a way to intimidate and control farmworkers. As farmers face worker shortages and farm communities lose residents, are GOP lawmakers shooting themselves in the foot?
- Future Crunch—Good News on Cancer in Europe, Gun Violence in America, and Conservation in Bolivia: Plus, child marriage in Zambia, crime in Mexico, parking in Paris, snow leopards in India, sea otters in California and ocean protection in Spain and the UK
- Good For All News—Planting Hope: How JGI teamed up with HP and the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a million native trees in the past year to restore vital ecosystems.
- GoodGoodGood—Good News This Week: February 3, 2024 - Tents, PSAs, & Gaming
- Good News Network—Child Naturalist Discovers a Giant New Stick Insect Then Co-Authors the Paper and Names the Bug
- Hopium Chronicles—The US Economy Is Strong, The Republican Party Is Broken, Flipping NY-3 Really Matters
- Optimist Daily —Nurturing young minds with mindfulness at Sullivan Elementary
- Positive News—Gamechangers: the sports stars speaking out on the climate
- Progress Network—Chile outlaws cosmetics testing on animals
- Reasons to Be Cheerful—This camel has a very important job: A new solution to save the iconic Joshua tree uses a distant relative of one of the Mojave’s ancient seed distributors: The camel.
- The Brighter Side of News—Life-changing implantable tactile sensors offer new hope for paralyzed individuals
-
- The Smile News—Research shows that spicy foods may help you live longer
- Today: Good News—FDA names likely source of lead in contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches
Ecuadorian officials said that the lead-contaminated cinnamon, which made its way into applesauce pouches that sickened hundreds in the U.S., likely came from one processor.
-
- Upworthy—NICU nurse adopts 14-year-old patient who delivered triplets alone
- Waging Nonviolence—Why Israeli army refusers are crucial to ending the cycle of violence
- Yes!—Love Is Good Medicine
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE Clip - Cantina (1977) Harrison Ford
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, amirite? Even if we are wretched scum and villains to those who declare us the enemy of all that is good and true, especially their privilege.
Bad News for Them
They are throwing themselves and each other under the electric garbage truck with ever more fervor.
Oh My 👆👆😂😂👆👆
Israel & Gaza
AOC was on with Chris Hayes last night to talk about Netanyahu as a war criminal, and explain why she will not vote for military aid to Israel.
I’m on the side of the peacemakers. None of the principals on any side of the killing has any moral high ground.
Congress
Mayorkas Impeachment Vote on Tuesday
Just before the end, the vote was tied at 214-214, which would have defeated the impeachment resolution. With Green it ended at 216 against to 214 for.
There was much pointing and laughing at Johnson and his leadership team being unable to count votes, and whining that the Democrats unfairly kept their plan that they would all vote against it secret, for a value of all that was unfairly big. That’s on Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who was apparently so hot to impeach Secretary Mayorkas that he didn’t do his job correctly, and missed at least two of the four Republicans who voted against the measure, in addition to counting Green out.
They are going to try again.
They won’t bring up the border and aid bill that Sen. Lankford negotiated with Senate Democrats, so Chuck Schumer is now going to bring up a clean Ukraine/Israel bill.
The Courts
Trump is appealing the DC Circuit Court decision that he has no more immunity from prosecution than any other citizen, and that he is in effect a personal reductio ad nihilum. The mandate from the court is on hold while SCOTUS decides whether to take the appeal or issue a stay, or leave the Circuit Court ruling alone and let the trial get back on schedule.
Hillary Clinton was on with Alex Wagner to talk about Trump’s derangement and his cult last night, and the insanity around the border/foreign aid bill and the trials.
Today we have the audio of oral arguments before the Supreme Court on taking Trump off state primary ballots. Early analysis starts at 9 AM on CNN, and the main event starts at 10 AM there, on C-SPAN and on MSNBC. Fox will not play the audio, but presumably will comment on it. Trump’s team goes first, followed by those suing plus the Colorado Solicitor-General.
MSNBC will have two hours of analysis of the case at 8 PM, starting with Rachel Maddow and four evening anchors.
There will be much further discussion all night and the next day, particularly about ways SCOTUS might seek to cut the babies in half, and when.
You are going to need this.
YouTube Brain Bleach Channel, starting with Cat mom hugs baby kitten
Science! Animals! Weirdness!
Remember to look for PWB (Pooties, woozles, and birdies) Peeps, and Backyard Science, including the Daily Bucket.
Wednesday Woozles: Midweek Jollies
Daily Bucket - Noon, Groundhog Day 2024
Song Sparrow bathing
Coldplay, Music Of The Spheres
Watch this spacetime.
Funny or Fuggedaboudit
Support your local cartoonists.
Look for “cartoon” in the DK image library. Check out DK’s Stories from Comics, too. And various DK authors and commenters provide excellent material all over the place.
Search for “political cartoon” on Twitter and elsewhere. Learn how to embed tweets and other posts.
Closing Music
Sorry, I remembered this wrong last time. It’s played on a viola, where there is more room, not on a violin. Peter Shickele’s historical notes for this piece explain
PDQ arrived late for the premiere of his father’s concerto for two violins, and was not allowed into the hall. Thus he got completely the wrong idea, and rushed back to his room to compose—that is, slap together—this.
PDQ Bach Sonata for Viola 4 Hands and Harpsichord, S. 440
0:00 I. Andanteeny 3:08 II. Molto Fast 4:55 III. Ground Round 6:21 IV. Allah Breve