What Family Rifts at Funerals can Teach Us About Pardoning Presidents
The House of Windsor is learning that healing a broken family takes honesty and hard work. We could learn from them in dealing with Trump.
Author Archive for: Peterr
About Peterr
I'm a Lutheran pastor with a bachelors degree in math and economics to go with a masters and Ph.D. in religion. Like Marcy and others here at Emptywheel, I've got a lot of experience in the close reading of various texts, whether religious texts, legal opinions, political speeches, or governmental regulations. Years ago, before it was a dirty word, I was an intern at the State Department. While my career path took me into the ministry rather than the Foreign Service, I continue to follow the ins and outs of international affairs. For several years, I also regularly blogged at Firedoglake on religion and politics, foreign affairs, and just about anything else that caught my attention, and am delighted to return to blogging here at Emptywheel.
Entries by Peterr
That Bratt-I-Am, That Bratt-I-Am, I Do Not Like That Bratt-I-Am
/98 Comments/in 2020 Presidential Election, Intelligence, Leak Investigations, Trump Administration/by PeterrIn the far-away land of Mar-A-Lago
sits a once-vaunted leader, now brought very low.
And then come his lawyers, with news of a guest,
A visit un-looked for, unwelcome, unblessed. . . .
Merrick Garland Preaches to an Overseas Audience
/32 Comments/in Biden Administration, Department of Justice, Foreign Policy, Intelligence, State Department, Trump Administration/by PeterrLegal folks, politicians, media people, and ordinary Americans are watching the DOJ’s handling of the theft of documents from the White House. But around the world, a whole lot of others are watching as well, and how DOJ moves this case forward is critical to the future of US foreign policy.
Two Possible End Games in Ukraine
/223 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War, War/by PeterrHow does it end? A limited Russian victory in the Donbas? A negotiated cease fire of some kind? Perhaps, but there are two other possible end games that appear increasingly likely to me, though I don’t see anyone publicly talking about them.
“I Want to Thank My Two Closeted GOP Colleagues”
/92 Comments/in January 6 Insurrection, Republicans/by PeterrAmid all the speeches today as Democrats remembered last January 6th, Adam Schiff had some surprising words for two of his colleagues.
James Taylor, King Herod, and January 6th
/25 Comments/in 2020 Election, January 6 Insurrection, Music/by PeterrBut Herod’s always out there, he’s got our cards on file.
It’s a lead pipe cinch if we give an inch
That Herod likes to take a mile.
It’s best to go home by another way . . .
GOP Denounces Barry Goldwater, John Tower, and Richard Nixon?
/31 Comments/in Biden Administration, COVID-19/by PeterrToday GOP governors are angry with Biden over vaccine and testing requirements, but maybe they really should be angry at some other folks.
Flashbacks to the 2015 Campaign
/72 Comments/in 2016 Election, 2016 Presidential Election, emptywheel, Impeachment, January 6 Insurrection, Media, Press and Media, Trump Administration/by PeterrJanuary 6, 2020 wasn’t the first time Trump riled up a mob and aimed them at his target. Just ask Katy Tur about Raleigh NC in 2015.
Laughing in the Face of Denial
/110 Comments/in Impeachment, January 6 Insurrection/by PeterrDavid Schoen and other Trump defenders claim the impeachment trial “will divide the country.” Earth to Schoen & Co: January 6 did that already.
Amanda Gorman Made Silvester Beaman Sad, Joe Biden Happy, and John Lewis Dance
/52 Comments/in 2020 Election, 2020 Presidential Election, Biden Administration, Civil Rights, January 6 Insurrection/by PeterrJust as the 23 year old John Lewis spoke on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, so the 22 year old Amanda Gorman stood at the other end of the Mall, on the steps of the Capitol in which John Lewis served until he died, and she is taking this nation one more step forward.