19 Comments

I do not have school age kiddos anymore. My daughter is a new teacher. I have a grandson who will be "school age" before too long (though we are fairly certain he will be homeschooled). And I am horrified by what is happening.

The organization yes. every kid. has put out their guide for opening schools. My first read says its good. I still want to go over it again but I think I will be sharing it widely.

Here in Tennessee we were told last week we were opening first week of August, all in person classes. Last night they announced they are considering partial in class weeks. In the same "newscast" we heard that Tennessee was again considered a "hotbed" by national media - and an article on NBC was fully devoted to our city's nightmare. There are protesters organing as we speak because the Order to wear masks in public is not fair. But no worries - the county has planned an impromptu three day weekend festival to distract us.

Honestly I did not want to babble, I just wanted to thank Eric. I love getting notification of your posts. I know I will find intelligence and common sense. But I absolutely love that you always include something fun. We need that. Thank you.

Oh and thanks for increasing my toddler playlist! Kepie Ghoulie is a fave around here.

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This, to me, is the classic example of where the media need to have two standards. Some of them once followed Chelsea Clinton and Bill lowered the boom, as he should have. When the Bush twins were having a little too much fun, well, their father certainly thought he had the right to impose his views on our lives, so he and his family sacrificed their right to privacy. And since republicans believe that it's fine to infect children and their teachers, it's worth knowing about his son with Melania and his three children with Ivanka.

I did not make a typo at the end.

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I didn’t even think about Barron. The media really needs to be repeatedly asking this question, not just moving on to the next outrage of the day.

Eric, could you let us know when you are going to be on television? I see Joy Reid is taking over Tweetie Matthews’s slot. Hope to see you on her show often!

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Yes! and very excited for Joy’s big move

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I would like to see links to Twitter & Facebook etc so we can share your writings.

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sure thing! you can usually find links to share here:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/eric.boehlert.5?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricBoehlert

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Mr. Boehlert,

First off, I agree entirely with the ability of bluegrass music to brighten the start of any day. Thank you. One day we need to discuss the Southern or even Confederate roots of bluegrass and how the current "cancel culture" might/should effect it. I'm still with Theodore Roosevelt that honoring those Americans who valiantly fought for the Confederacy does not mean that we honor the cause for which they fought. I believe the quote is, "their devotion and courage deserved a better cause".

I think you miss the point of Trump's comments on school openings. The Federal Government has next to no authority over local school systems. It's a local issue. And St. Andrews is a private school under the authority of, perhaps, the Local Episcopal Bishop and it's own Board of Trustees. St. Andrews will almost certainly, comply with the laws and regulations of the State of Maryland and the local county.

My point is that Trump is bluster. He talks about one issue and later contradicts himself with no apparent concern. He is "sound and fury signifying nothing".

The problem will arise when Republican Governors, seeking to curry favor, follow Trump's blather to the injury of their constituents. One would hope that Tulsa would serve as an example. Jacksonville seems to have learned the lesson.

Oh yes, and as for defunding local schools if they don't open. Lord Willing in 6 months it won't matter as long as Democrats hold a majority in the Senate & Trump is retired to Mar-a-Lago.

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here’s to your “Lord willing”!

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So who and where is our Malcolm since the press is clearly unwilling to ask the necessary questions to metaphorically behead him? PS: Teacher here and this is one Barron related question that is wholly legitimate, not that Trump or Ivanka will answer it.

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Mom, if you’re truly in Texas, stay safe.

Barron, like all the other kids at St. Andrews, will be protected. Period.

You give Trump too much credit to compare him to MacBeth. Imagine instead John Falstaff with a vicious streak.

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It may be more apt to compare him to Rosencrantz or Guildenstern.

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Bluegrass is Appalachian, not "Confederate." Banjoes are rooted in African tradition.

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Like Tennessee didn't secede? Kentucky didn't supply some major Confederate Generals? Georgia wasn't the heart of the Confederacy? Or Alabama troops charge up Little Round Top? Or several bluegrass hits come from the songs sung by the Confederate Soldiers?

Sorry Jim, bluegrass music comes right from the heart of Dixie.

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Of course Baron won't go back to school. He'll stay sealed up in the whitehouse bunker while all the commoners attend super spreader classes. The dumbest part of it is that will crash the economy within weeks. When hundreds of thousands get sick daily and we go into complete lockdown again.

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Mr. Boehlert, apologies for the intrusion on your time. A few random thoughts on Barron Trump.

First, any number of ostensibly liberal people seem intent on visiting the sins of the father on the son. I’ve always objected to “blood guilt” and can’t stop now.

Second, any number of people seem convinced that Barron has lead a life of pleasure and enjoyment. I concede that he’s had anything money can buy. But as Richard Corey taught us; money can’t buy everything.

His Father referred to him as the son of his Mother. Normally a slip of the tongue but Trump insisted on a paternity test for Tiffany.

Barron is at least 6’3”. At 16. He’s significantly taller than his contemporaries at a particularly awkward age.

Unless children have changed radically, Barron’s been shown the pseudo-pornagraphic pictures of his Mother. He’s heard of the payoffs his Father made to cover up cheating on his Mother. While his Mother was recovering from his birth.

Tiffany had an older Ivanka to be a sister. Barron has? Junior? Eric? With brothers like that I’m surprised he doesn’t have his food tasted.

I submit Barron deserves his privacy and I can’t help but sympathize with a kid in his unenviable position.

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We all know where Barron is enrolled. It's public knowledge where the other trump children go to school. Nobody is asking Barron or the other kids a thing. We wanna know if the trump clan is sending their kids to school in-person. Not asking for secret info, or shaming kids at all. trump is asking the country to risk our health, is he willing to do the same with his family?

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Just how damaged is Trump? I would have expected that an unethical corrupt dictator wanna-be would have embraced Covid 19 at its outset as a political tool for his own benefit. All he had to do to improve his odds of being reelected would have been to follow the advice of the CDC and other scientists' recommendations, provided all the essentials that the states needed then sat back and become the hero who led the "curve" into the ground. Instead he followed his sick pathological instincts and has just about insured (dare I say it out loud) his annihilation at the polls come November. The story is not about kids going back to school or whether there is a double standard for son Baron or that the virus will just go away or we should be protecting confederate statues. The question is why is Trump hell bent on destroying our country? Either he is doing Putin's bidding or he is such a dolt, that he honestly believes that catering to his "own the libs" base is going to get him reelected. Trying to hold your base who make up maybe 40 percent of the electorate on a good day at this stage during the campaign is not a good election strategy.

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i think Mary Trump's new book offers some valuable insight into Trump's psychological disorders

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I think cruelty is the point.

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