November 2, 2020

I see Matt Yglesias is doing a sunrise picture... but it's for politics, not, apparently, for any love of nature.

I've got 2 poetry posts this morning, and I thought Yglesias's quote might be another poem... Maya Angelou, perhaps? But, no, it's Benjamin Franklin:
On the last day of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin observed that he had often wondered whether the design on the president's chair depicted a rising or a setting sun. "Now at length," he remarked, "I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun."

It's okay to use nature metaphors in politics. Reagan has his "Morning in America." It's nice to see the optimism, even though, I assume, Yglesias's optimism is an expression of the belief that Biden will win. If Trump wins, it will be... I had the transitory glimmer of happiness believing I was looking upon a rising sun, but no, no, it was a setting sun and darkness has fallen upon us once again.

Ah, whatever. Here's the sunrise I saw this morning — witnessed and loved purely as a sunrise and not any sort of metaphor:

IMG_0941

41 comments:

Lurker21 said...

If Biden wins, buckle up for some really hokey New Yorker covers. Remember the shining "o" in the magazine's title rising over the Lincoln Memorial at night?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS!

-WaPo, Official Hillary lost butthurt revenge for democratics publication movie film

J.R. Marr said...

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."
-Sigmund Freud

tcrosse said...

Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!

Temujin said...

"The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

We are aiming to keep it. At least for the time being. Democrats would undo the entire thing. It is their goal, their stated purpose. Let's take them at their word.

Tina Trent said...

So Yglesias quoted a poem without giving credit because Benjamin Franklin is a dead white man, or because Maya Anjelou isn't the source?

Her Clinton poem was the worst thing I've ever read in half a century of reading. Yet I was assigned it in three separate classes in grad school.

Not poetry classes.

We are indeed doomed, as a cancelled writer has said. I wasn't assigned him in graduate school.

Caroline said...

This is a weird election. I just came off 3 weeks working early voting polls. I could not tell you which way it’s gonna go. At first, seeing all the young first time voters, I thought, Biden Sweep! But the last week the deplorables came out in force. Grizzled, older people who had never voted before. Seeing that, plus every blue collar white male solidly in the trump camp. These used to be a Democrat voters. Another thing I noticed- the trump voters are the ones who come in with a bit of an edge, fists clenched, often defiantly maskless, and they don’t want ANY help from the poll worker. Naturally I developed a theory about this. Outside the polling place, the Funky East Dallas Democrats held court in a tent with party music, voter guides, and Instagram frames— “I voted for Biden!” Signs that say “Honk if you voted for Biden!” So...lots of partying, lots of honking, echoing the papering of neighborhoods with annoying virtue signal yard signs, my theory is trump voters have PTSD. They are very, very jumpy, and sick to death of being lectured by our Betters.
Matt Iglesias’ post is all that.

AlbertAnonymous said...

That’s a nice, serene setting in the morning. Screams out for a cup of coffee though.

Thinking of taking a 36 hour break from “news”.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

that big, yuge, bright, uplifting Orange Ball of Energy!

fuck it. Trump's gonna win, so I'm abstaining from metaphors

Gusty Winds said...

I don’t agree that his “rising sun” post is a prediction that Biden will win. He is worried. His sun will rise again is just comfort that after Biden loses, that sun will return despite all the dooms-day predictions made my Democrats. Elizabeth Warren said just last week “Trump is and existential threat to all life on planet Earth”. Even frothing liberals know that isn’t true.

DanTheMan said...

Matt Yglesias: "I think fighting dishonesty with dishonesty is sometimes the right thing for advocates to do, yes. That's an honest view."

Why would anyone believe anything this guy says?

Stv30 said...

But I do see a sort of metaphor -
light obliterates the dark folly of abstention.

Just an old country lawyer said...

"A republic, madam, if you can keep it." B. Franklin

tim in vermont said...

Remember when Hillery said “If that bastard wins, we’ll all hang from nooses!”

Blue checks say that the quote didn’t come from a reliable source, in other words not from the New York Times, it was a guy who worked at the hotel who overheard her say it, this was when she was so pissed off at Matt Laur for asking her an actual question, poor innocent naif, he probably believed she was “the smartest woman in the world” and thought would lay the issue to rest on the spot.

Anyway, each day that goes by, I doubt the veracity of that quote less.

Birkel said...

Democraticals go so far as to claim the sun appears on the horizon for their political goals?
I thought they were Moon God People.
Perhaps they are polytheistic.

BarrySanders20 said...

Amazing difference from the lake yesterday when it was angry and violent. 3-4 foot waves crashing on shore and whitecaps throughout the entire lake. Quite impressive. After mere seconds, the wind from the north forced tears out and turned man, woman and (chicken-hearted) beast away to shelter.

Joe Smith said...

Seems to be a bit high in the sky to be a 'rising' sun.

The composition of the photo is awful.

tommyesq said...

Yglesias is not much of a photographer.

Kate said...

Matt is a terrible photographer. That sun glare! The under exposure of the campus? industrial park? setting! Quoting Franklin is the only worthwhile thing in that tweet.

Begonia said...

Do you touch the Art Hove plaque every morning for the "official picnic point run"?

https://news.wisc.edu/art-hoves-legacy-lives-on-across-campus/

rcocean said...

Matt Yglesis is scum who wants to destroy America as we know it, by letting in 100 Million immigrants for the next 10 years. Of course, Matt owns some expensive real estate in a wealthy high-density neighborhood, and he has a well paying job insulated from competition. So those 100 million new immigrants aren't going to hurt HIM. Matt will be the same or even better off.

It'll all those other American citizens and workers who will be fucked over. What a piece of shit Matt Yglesis is. He's also an ugly little twerp who sang and danced when Brietbart died. So spare me the "Oh, you shouldn't insult poor Matt".

Big Mike said...

If Matt Yglesias thinks it's a rising sun, then it's a setting sun. Because he's wrong nearly 100% of the time.

madAsHell said...

I have an old, gay friend that is convinced Tuesday will be a landslide for democrats.

rhhardin said...

Wagner, if one may be permitted a little of the grandeloquence that suits the man, was a beautiful sunset that has been mistaken for a sunrise. - Debussy, in his music critic column

Andrew said...

The most beautiful sunrise:
https://youtu.be/2uDiT3uBDQU

Barry Dauphin said...

Yglesis' picture is neither a rising sun nor a setting sun. The sun's way up in the air. Maybe he doesn't know any better.

Temujin said...

Caroline- I had a very different early voting scene here in my corner of Florida. There were people clearly going for Trump, having a grand old time while standing in line, an hour long line, I might add. Many of us got to chatting amiably. There were a few stern faces in line, looking solemn. My gut told me that they were Democrats, terrified to see Republican voters having so much fun while voting. But they could have just been people who hate waiting in line for an hour.

Inside the early voting location, it was also very upbeat. Volunteers, I am sure of both persuasions, were very friendly and helpful, moving people along. And upon leaving I saw both booths- the Trump booth out front looked to be a party. The Biden booth on the side looked smiley, but quiet.

Actually the entire atmosphere was friendly and upbeat. I even got an invitation to go fishing with a voter. I met people from Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York while in line. Very interesting time.

Robert said...

On a different subject ran across this word. analemma. Have we seen the evidence?

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

The local banks have closed their lobbies. Wal-Mart has pulled guns and ammo from their display cases. And the gun store nearest the freeway is closed until Wednesday. I think Biden is going to win but the view of the Democrat voter has become very tainted in the American psyche. It’s assumed that they’re a violent, anti-democratic cohort. Sometimes when people take your threats seriously they’re spitting in your face.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Morning for Americans, mourning for Leftists.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Also Yglesias:

"At any rate, if Trump ends up stealing the election in a way that makes you want to smash windows I would suggest his luxury hotel rather than random office buildings or the Walgreens."

Asshole.

n.n said...

Using Polaris to orient our travel, the sun rises (dawn) in the right frame, and sets (twilight) in the left frame. That said, democracy (the People and our Posterity) literally dies in darkness. I wonder if WaPo recognizes the signifance of their double entendre.

Bill Peschel said...

I was just thinking that "Mr. Blue Sky" would be a wonderful song to play if Trump manages to win. Great minds ...

rehajm said...

Trump claims Democrats have already cut ads with the 'Red Mirage' talking point in order to delegitimize Trump's election day victory.

Red sky in the morning...

narciso said...

yglesias is not a particular sharp fellow, I've found when he had his blog at the Atlantic,

n.n said...

Also Yglesias:

"At any rate, if Trump ends up stealing the election in a way that makes you want to smash windows I would suggest his luxury hotel rather than random office buildings or the Walgreens."


Oh, wow. So Pro-Choice. Why Pro-Choice? #HateLovesAbortion

Sydney said...

He does not have a good eye, that's for sure.

Bunkypotatohead said...

The sun also sets.
On Wednesday we may see the running of the donks, as they destroy their blue neighborhoods.

The Godfather said...

I hope the result is decisive. One way or the other. And I hope the Democrats accept it if Trump wins. If Biden wins, the Republicans will accept it and focus on 2022 and 2024

DavidUW said...

Matty is not just a liar, he's not very smart.

But he got into Harvard as he'll state within 5 seconds and not mention it was due to affirmative action on account of him being "Hispanic" thanks to 1 white Cuban grandparent, while the other 3 were European Jews.

Lying dumb ass.

tim in vermont said...

https://twitter.com/jordylancaster/status/1322271791411273735

We know, we know, Biden didn’t drop out of the race, but he should have.