Thoughts as my The Bulwark Subscription ends

What started as a breath of fresh air, and some common ground has become toxic. Not as toxic as MAGA, but they aren't really the allies they think they are. I am done.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Today, about 11:00AM, my paid subscription to The Bulwark ended. That means I got to see Charlie Syke’s “Morning Shots” today for one last time, and I was reminded (again) why I can no longer send them my $100 a year.

The staff at The Bulwark (TB) has very often painted the left as a monolithic pit os shit. Today, and indeed several times this week, he and the rest of the editorial staff at TB have surfaced a few of the far left cranks who have elevated the abhorrent opinion that Israelis “deserve” the atrocities perpetuated on them by Hamas from the Gaza strip.

And yes, if you are too online, you will see fringe-y far left people (and far too many young people) who spew this vitriol. Indeed, the Jayapals, Ilhan Omar’s, and Cori Bush fringe of the “Squad¹” were beyond indelicate. But they aren’t the mainstream in the Democratic party, and have little actual power, and they were swatted down by both the Biden administration (Karine did a great job smacking them down BTW) and a large contingent of the caucus.

But, if you read the “hair on fire” articles in TB this week, you would think that the majority of the left side of the aisle was parroting the horror that they believe Hamas is justified, and the Israelis deserved this.

That is disingenuous at best, dishonest at worst, and frankly it erased any temptation to cave and renew my subscription.

Nope, I can live without the nuggets I like. I am a JVL fan, I adore Tim Miller (he is probably the most reformed from his past life of the lot of them) and listening to “The Focus Group” podcasts where my jaw drops hearing the words come out of my fellow citizens (note: they are fucking awful.

But Cathy “both sidesing - whattaboutit” Young, right leaning Democrat Will Saletan, AB “the sky is falling” Stoddard, and the bad-take of the day artiste - Mona Charen? They can all fuck right off.

Charlie is a strange case. He acts reformed, but dare to question his past as a right wing talk-radio host, a key enabler on the path to the current shit-show that is the MAGA-fied Republican party, and he will likely flame you in the comments. But he helped Ron Johnson, a senator who give Tommy Tuberville a run for the money, as well as supporting the abysmal Scott Walker, cheering on his illiberal actions before he tripped on his dick and got shown the door. Yes, he has good takes, but he still is defiant that a lot of what is happening can trace its roots back to the congenial idiot that was Ronald Reagan.

The staff loves to discuss how the Democrats are “bed wetting” about Biden’s age, harping on how they would prefer another candidate (not Kamala Harris) but then they bitch that the Republicans are beyond redemption. Are they doing anything to help Biden? No, they run article after article, podcast guest after podcast guest to bemoan the risk of Biden’s age.

You can just fuck right off, and I will not renew for a 4th year (or any other year) to fund this anymore.

Yes, I made the right call.

1. I will note the other oft mentioned squad member, Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, was quite good in her public statements. I am impressed!