My latest mish-mosh of thoughts and opinions:
+ The fallout of Dobbs v. Jackson was bound to make at least one anti-abortion candidate look like a hypocrite. There is substantial evidence that Herschel Walker, a football star turned political novice running for US Senator in Georgia, paid for an ex-girlfriend's pregnancy termination. In spite of the scandal, the notoriously inarticulate Walker is in a toss-up race with incumbent Dr. Raphael Warnock, because... it's Georgia. He's even playing the Christian card, even though Warnock is a prominent minister. Pro-lifers historically don't waver, but the campaign is well-funded enough to make one of the most incompetent campaigns in recent memory (hi Dr. Oz!) an ungainly deadlock.
+ Why are the senate and house both contested this close to the election, when the president's party historically loses ground in their first midterm? Two wedge issues: Democrats and progressives are motivated by Dobbs v. Jackson and women's health rights, while Republicans and conservatives are concerned about the economy. The Big Lie is a secondary factor, demonstrating that of the dueling echo chambers, the Republicans' reinforcement of ideals is the most airtight. The spectrum of liberal politics are setting their differences aside for a little while for the greater good, a GOP that is still tied to Trump and hijacked by jerks, rubes and wahoos.
+ As I write this, every team in the reconfigured National League playoffs with home field has been eliminated. The 5 and 6 seeds will face each other in the NLCS, two playoff spots that didn't exist as recently as 2011. If the pattern persists, a Phillies team that ran hot and cold all season will defy the odds and face either the Yankees, Guardians, or Astros in the World Series. I mention this because... I don't know if I like this or not. Several more deserving teams faltered at the worst possible time. It became the Friars or Phils almost by default.
(701)
