Super Tuesday

First off, Prof. Marcia Zug (last name on most lists) has an excellent new book (Steve "Shadow Docket" Vladeck supplied a blurb) entitled You'll Do: A History of Marrying For Reasons Other Than Love. Great cover too. 

The book discusses how people marry for reasons other than love, including money, status, sex, etc. It does not address religious reasons though it factors into the sex angle (basically natural law as compared to statutory law). It is chock full of pictures and generally down to earth.

The book has a vignette of Melania Trump delaying her stay at the White House to renegotiate her prenup. That is what we call a bridge.

Yesterday, a range of elections had primaries, largely in the South. California selected the two candidates for the November Senate race in a "jungle primary." This time, we have a Democrat (Adam Schiff) and a Republican (an empty suit), two other Democrats splitting the rest of the vote. The jungle primary usually gives us two Democrats in that state. This time, it ultimately probably provided what a usual two-party primary would.

Nikki Haley suspended her campaign. She followed up her win in D.C. by winning Vermont. She lost by margins somewhat less than expected. She has not endorsed Trump yet (I bet she does in the end) but notes Trump needs to "earn" her votes. He started by responding to her losses with the usual over-the-top bluster of his. 

Hopefully, the anti-Trump side here will matter somewhat more than they did in 2016. Republicans are starting to rally around him. As he said he would, Mitch McConnell (who in early 2021 said he deserved consequence, just not from Senate Republicans, for 1/6). Trump's daughter-in-law is due to at least be the co-head of the Republican National Committee. The party wasn't enough totally in hock to him in his view.

On the Biden side, we just have footnotes. American Samoa (who gave Mike Bloomberg his only delegates in 2020)  gave delegates to someone other than Biden. Not the two usual suspects either.  Jason Palmer. 

There are also a few more uncommitted delegates (we have ten in all). Minnesota, for whatever reason, decided to have a protest vote. Biden received 71%. As of now, five of those uncommitted delegates are from there. Is this another dissent to flag the problem in Gaza moment? 

Trump is much worse than Biden there. Biden has also done some good things. If you want to say he didn't do enough (though he did more than some would have and doubtful anyone realistically in his position would have done more), fine. 

But, there are two candidates. Multiple states are going to turn on tiny percentages. Voting against Biden or not voting can very well net support the guy horrible in every way, including on this issue. There are still more primaries. As of now -- it would not surprise me if they cancel it -- this includes my own state. Still, this is a moment to get real. Biden deserves more respect and support than he gets. Either way, voting is serious business. At least, it should be. You have two choices now.  

Anyway, these races also lead me to look at the margins. Marianne Williamson, for whatever reason, received more than microscopic support in a few places. For instance, over twenty-seven thousand people (about 8%) voted for her in Virginia. Dean Philips continued to be so laughable (I guess that former gelato business didn't help) that he rarely came in ahead of her. 

There are two options. One has done a good job in a deeply divided country, including managing to get Republican support for some things. The other is a sexual predator, fraudster, criminal, and traitor to our system of government. Oh, his platform is really horrible and he is a wannabee strongman / Christian nationalist.  On the last point, Amanda Tyler is a guest at the State of the Union. Keep up your great work.  

Meanwhile, voting continues. Sen. Sinema, whose sense of style is okay but is bad for other reasons, will not run for re-election. A horrible person is now the Republican nominee to replace one of the sane Southern governors (North Carolina).  Elections matter locally and nationally. If Republicans control the Senate (even with the expected -- knock on wood -- House win), they would tie the hands of President Biden (knock on wood) in many ways.

Some Eeyore continued to moan and said our nation is "dying." No, it is not. We fought through a lot in this country, including slavery, wars, and the Great Depression. Our country is hurting. Let us continue to fight to make it better and hold on to the good stuff we had thanks to the Democrats, the sane and reasonable party.