A couple of my recent topics made subsequent headlines, so let’s hit a trio of “where are they now?” …
Don & Eric Phone It In
Last week, I noted that the “T1” Trump phone had dragged on for months with no actual product release and that the Trump Boys had raked in enough $100 sucker deposits to sit on their hands and make a couple million dollars.
Welp, yesterday, Fortune and others noted that the fine print on that project had been changed. Now, aforementioned suckers are on notice that a phone may or may never be produced. Furthermore, the previously stated full price is no longer operative. If there’s a phone, Team Trump will announce an updated price, and the suckers can take it or leave it.
I don’t think Dad’ll like this. Nobody’s calling this thing the Don & Eric Phone. It’s the Trump Phone, and right now the Trump Phone is one fat butt-dial of bad press. As Kristi Noem can tell you, it’s not what you do that’ll get you fired, it’s whether or not you make the Donald feel like his brand is dented.
Maybe someone can offer these MAGAs the chance to buy an Antifone. They still won’t be able to reach anyone in charge, of course, but at least they’ll be certain that a vast group of magically networked people is always working on its behalf.
From Limbo To No-Go
Two weeks ago, I wrote about how Virginia’s congressional map was in limbo while we waited to see if the state’s Supreme Court would have the gall to trash the popular referendum vote. As you know, it turns out they did. But this part of the post is still relevant:
It’s one thing for a court to overturn the decision of millions of voters. It’s another thing to do that when you already had a chance to avoid such a situation and nothing substantive has changed in the meantime … other than one party has won and one party has lost. Not a good look.
The Court had hoped the voters would do the dirty work for them, and then the Court did indeed punish the voters for refusing the assignment. Not a good look at all. But that’s life in the United States’ Fourth Great White Pushback.
Now, Virginia Democrats are updating what a Hail Mary is by asking SCOTUS to intervene. I won’t say it’s a waste of time. You could fairly describe it as political due diligence. But I would call it a waste of hope. Time for Virginia’s blue majority to redirect that energy to GOTV. Here’s one for everyone who did the right thing at the polls.
Did Someone Say White Pushback?
Finally, last year I wrote about how the president opened a wide immigration door to white South Africans as he was shutting the gates to millions of non-whites. Was it my best First Draft headline so far? I retort, you decide.
I don’t know whether to call this operation the Replacement Replacement Theory, or All-White Flight, or what. The brazen bigotry and racial fragility remains disgusting if unsurprising.
What I do know is that while a few such immigrants have turned tail and gone back home, the administration doesn’t give up on dreams of a white majority that easily. Documents indicate that the new goal is to hike the inflow to 4,500 white South Africans a month.
The government is setting up trailers in Pretoria for conducting interviews. We’ll ease on out of this post with some Tom Petty, since I’m guessing more than a few interviewers are talking up the appeal of swing-state living.
