Sep 10
2023
Monday Morning Read
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For whatever reason, political reporters at The Buffalo News keep treating Chris Grant of Big Dog Strategies with a lot more respect than he deserves. I mean, Grant and his company employ the type of election tactics that give politics a bad name, often works for toxic candidates, including George Santos, and often spins without regard for the facts. Grant should be treated as a pariah, not a sage. Yet The News based a story Sunday in large part on his analysis that claims Mark Poloncarz might actually lose to Chrissy Casiliom, aka ChrissyCoBoom. Sorry, it’s not gonna happen.
I don’t know what the answer is, but something has to give. This past week Buffalo police had to break up numerous fights during a high school football game between Bennett and McKinley at All High Stadium. (There was also trouble Saturday at a Lockport-Kenmore West game.) The school district told the parents of high school students to tell their children to stop congregating at Fountain Plaza after school because of fights. The NFTA has curtailed the use of transit passes in the wake of, you guessed it, an increase in fighting. Back in March, the downtown library had to curtail hours to give officials time to figure out how to deal with rowdy students. And, of course, Buffalo teachers have complained for years about fighting in and around schools. Authorities are responding to all this trouble, but it remains to be seen if their measures will work.
The talking points from Republicans include histrionics about increasing crime. Except it’s not true. Another talking point: the problem is rooted in cities governed by Democrats. Again, not true. Stories from the Los Angeles Times and New York Times lay out the facts.
Authorities in Georgia have charged 61 people in connection with protests against “Cop City” in Atlanta. We’re talking felonies, including use of the RICO Act and anti-terrorism laws. But, as Grist points out, more than half of those charged were engaged in activities that include handing out leaflets, trespassing, camping, and sitting in trees in the forest where the project would be built.
Speaking of Big Brother, the federal government is spending millions to develop clothing that spies on people. Reports The Intercept: “Garments slated for production include shirts, pants, socks, and underwear, all of which are intended to be washable.”
For those of you who can’t get enough of JFK conspiracy theories, a former Secret Service agent positioned just feet from the president when he was shot departs from the version of events as determined by the Warren Commission.
Saudi Arabia has a brutal human rights track record. It looks like Elon Musk has aided and abetted them. Looks like he’s helping the Russians, too.
I know NFL owners are making tons of money, thanks in part to generous public subsidies of the stadiums their teams play in. (Yeah, I’m talking to you, Terry Pegula. And Jerry Jones. And Robert Kraft. Etc.) But I cringe when I read about the kind of salaries some of the players are making. Last week, Joe Burrow, quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, signed a contract that will pay an average of $55 million a season. Then there’s Kansas City Chief defensive lineman Chris Jones. He’s under contract for $20 million this season – that’s more than $1 million a game – but is holding out for a raise. Really? Maybe he needs the money to treat his tone-deafness.
Paul McCartney took some pictures. Lots of them.
