5/4/2023

JRB,

            Did you enjoy your evening with the Combatant Commanders last night? Since you like using the terms “inflection point” & “hyperbole,” I encourage you to learn their math origins. You will sound smarter.

I wish you had acknowledged the accomplishments of the two female commanders, Jaqueline Van Ovost & Laura Richardson in the group. Leading a bunch of “proud & passionate” officers who “exude confidence” is no easy task. I’d love to know how they do it.

            Do you think that the sanctions on Burma are working? Did you hear that Adani finally completed its sale of its Yangon port at a big loss? The risk of owning it was too high. Have you made progress on keeping aviation fuel away from the junta? Limiting their ability to fly over villages to drop bombs would help the people a lot.

            What are you thinking about the debt ceiling? According to the WP, even though Janet Yellen says we have until June 1 before we start defaulting, if everyone sticks to their schedules, you only have May 9 – 16 to figure this out. You’d get 2 more days by postponing your trip to Asia. Please make some kind of compromise to show the world peace requires giving in a little. How about cutting the social security benefits of rich people?

            Are you worried about the possibility of a 3rd candidate for POTUS? I am! As Gail Collins cautioned in today’s NYT, “the attraction of third parties. So tempting. So disaster-inducing.”  Jamelle Bouie was less alarming in yesterday’s NYT, when he poked fun at the GOP for being obsessed with the “woke mind.” He thinks, “taken together, it’s as if the Republican Party has committed itself to being as off-putting as possible to as many Americans as possible. .. Normal isn’t fun & normal isn’t exciting. But normal has already won one election, & I won’t be surprised if it wins another.”

            Please keep being normal,