The fireball lit up the sky like a harbinger of alien arrival, like H.G. Wells’ Martian capsules crashing in the outskirts of London. And it was broad daylight.
It was Feb. 15, 2013, and many Earthlings, especially those with scientific leanings, already expected to see something. We knew that Asteroid 2012 DA14 was going to pass close by the Earth, closer than the Moon, and perhaps, tugged by our gravity, break into fragments above us, leaving bright streaks for careful observers.
But one fragment, 10 tons or more in weight, exceeded all expectations. It burst into flame above the central Russian city of Chelyabinsk with a sonic boom. It streaked across the sky, bright enough to create shadows on the ground as well as a trail of smoke that lingered for several minutes. Its violent arrival in our atmosphere blew out windows, set off alarms, strewed debris through the air and injured a reported 500 people.
It was covered in news broadcasts around the world, illustrated by dramatic video footage from an unexpected source: the thousands of cameras mounted in the dashboards of Russian cars. It was one of those “Freakonomics” moments, one facet of life leading to a seemingly unrelated result.
Millions of Russian cars have cameras, you see, in case they’re needed to provide evidence in the event of accidents. The evidence is needed because Russian police are notoriously corrupt. A little grease in the right palm and the other guy caused the fender-bender. A refusal to grease the palm and you’re charged for the damage.
According to Voice of America, corruption is rampant in many aspects of Russian life: law enforcement, politics, health care, real estate, immigration, financial services — even sports. Practically every aspect of Russian life operates with some degree of corruption involving bribery or coercion.
Successful Russian entrepreneurs often fall victim to “raiding,” John Kenney and Elena Grossfeld wrote recently for Rand, “whereby a variety of means, including prosecution, intimidation, and violence, are used to seize a business, which is then transferred to new owners, usually connected to senior figures in the system. …
“In other words, corruption in Russia is not a problem that can be eradicated by a change of policy or personnel; it is a function of the system itself.”
This is the same Russia, incidentally, that American conservatives — not just Tucker Carlson, but MAGA activists and members of Congress — portray as a good Christian nation, a model for the United States.
“Well,” they might say, “that’s not what we mean when we praise Russia. We’re not thinking about that.”
No, they’re thinking about the persecution and imprisonment of LGBTQ people, which they’d love the U.S. to imitate.
But surely, as they tout Russia’s righteousness, they’re aware of the numerous incidents of Russian politicians accidentally falling out of windows or contracting radiation poisoning. Surely they’ve heard the name of the Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich, held in Russia on bogus charges of being a spy. (Former president and convicted felon Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin would free Gershkovich as a personal favor … if he wins the election. Funny how his victory would be required to cash in that marker.) You’d have to have your head buried in the sand, or your eyes glued to Fox News, to have never heard about the violence, extortion and murder perpetrated by their second-favorite strongman, Putin. Not to know at this point is an abrogation of moral responsibility.
And surely they’re aware that their preferred presidential candidate has been convicted of various forms of corruption over the years, including being fined $2 million in 2019 for using his “charity” for personal benefit. This same candidate has pardoned several of his corrupt friends, including Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, and Paul Manafort, for various crimes, claiming the convictions were “very unfair.” Never mind the victims of their scams.
Do these examples of corruption not bother his supporters? Or is it OK because he’s supposedly corrupt on their behalf?
I’ve been trying to think of some personal story of cheating, bribery, or some other form of corruption to share with you, but I’ve come up short. We’re blessed to live in a country in which, generally speaking, you pays your money and you gets your goods. (Maybe pandemic price-gouging would apply?)
And I’m not trying to say that only conservatives are corrupt (nor that all conservatives are corrupt). Former N.C. Democratic House Speaker Jim Black comes to mind, convicted of accepting bribes and sentenced to 63 months in prison back in 2007, and deserving of every day he spent behind bars. I’m sure there are plenty of others.
But is it fair to say that conservatives are more tolerant, more accepting of corruption? To the idea of rich people (presumably blessed by God) receiving special favors and special treatment?
Is it fair to point to the deadly effects of climate change, now displacing and killing the poor (for whom they have such disdain), to this day denied by Republican senators who accept campaign donations from oil and gas corporations? Is it fair to mention Trump’s promise to the heads of oil conglomerates to weaken environmental protections and allow rampant air and water pollution — a long-term conservative goal — in exchange for a $1 billion campaign donation? Is it fair to refer to the epidemic of sexual abuse covered up by the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as other conservative Christian organizations, while they unjustly point fingers at harmless drag queens? Is it fair to point to their fealty to the NRA, whose approval is required to run for office, even as they sacrifice our children on the altar of “gun rights”?
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just signed an ethics bill that places new restrictions on how watchdog commissions can investigate alleged corruption. Our own Republican-led state legislature just overrode Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a new law that promotes unlimited and anonymous financial contributions to political candidates. This, after they passed a law allowing legislators to withhold information they don’t want the public to see. What is it they want to hide from the press, from taxpayers, while they receive government salaries and make decisions about our lives?
The conservative majority in the U.S. Supreme Court, last month in Snyder v U.S., all but guaranteed that government will be more corrupt by giving a pass to a small-town mayor who received a $13,000 “gratuity” from a constituent he favored with a city contract.
And what about the corruption we’ve witnessed in the Court itself? What about the millions of dollars’ worth of lavish vacations, yacht trips, and family financial assistance offered by Republican billionaire megadonor Harlan Crow to Justice Clarence Thomas, who saw fit to accept but not to report the gifts? What about his failure to recuse himself from cases involving the Jan. 6 insurrection, in which his own wife participated?
Some would no doubt consider watchdog organizations and anti-corruption laws to be meddlesome and needless impediments to commerce. Rich folks need the flexibility to get things done.
But eliminating reasonable checks and balances allows more damage than a 10-ton meteor streaking across the Russian sky.
There are various kinds of corruption, of course: Bribery, pay-for-play, lying, suppressing information. I think of the growth of light pollution as a corruption of the night sky, which is our birthright.
Gerrymandering — essentially stacking the deck in an election — is corrupt, no matter which party is behind it, even if it’s legal. Especially if it’s legal.
Is this what we want life in America to be? Should we have to grease some palms to get potholes filled? Donate to the proper politician to allow our business to receive a license? Pay off a judge to keep a child out of prison?
When we boil it down, the November election isn’t between President Biden and Trump. It’s between an American way of life based on the constitutional values of liberty and equality and the Trumpist notion that some people — rich people, religious people — have more rights than others.
Corruption places costs on an economy. It leads to deadly collapse after building codes are bypassed, crumbling infrastructure and growing societal pain because millionaires have found ways to avoid paying their taxes. But beyond that, it degrades people. It turns us into cynical and paranoid money grubbers and cheats, willing to sacrifice conscience and honesty for personal gain. The dark money that flows into our political system — thanks to the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision — also degrades us as it sponsors the spreading of disinformation and lies, polluting our minds and hearts. No moral person can accept that.
Asteroids continue to come our way — one described by NASA as a “planet killer” passed within an uncomfortable five million miles of us on June 27. It’ll be back in three years.
Considering the current political chaos, some of us may be tempted to hold our arms up to the sky and shout, “Take us now!”
But I’m glad we’ve lived to see another day and the next one, and the next one.
There’s good news to be found, victories for justice and compassion. In our state, almost 480,000 new residents now have access to health care thanks to the legislature’s tardy acceptance of Medicaid expansion. Long threatened and almost extinct, North Carolina’s red wolves are making a comeback.
We had rain on Friday.
And, for now, we can keep fighting for truth, justice, and the American way.
Every day in which the asteroid misses us is a good day.
…..
Overflow:
Russian meteor compilation:
Dashboard cam defense:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/48952/why-do-so-many-russian-drivers-have-dashboard-cams
https://www.wired.com/2013/02/russian-dash-cams/
Russian corruption:
https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/06/corruption-and-the-russian-government-reshuffle.html
DeSantis’s bill invites corruption:
The N.C. legislature makes public information private:
Of the conservative Christian infatuation with Russia:
With bolstered resources that Republican legislators tried to prevent, the IRS has collected more than $1 billion in back taxes owed by millionaires:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/irs-just-collected-staggering-1-161900818.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
I guess Trump was asking for a “gratuity” for destroying environmental protections:
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-asked-oil-execs-for-1bn-2024
Bannon indicted:
Stone convicted:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/roger-stone-found-guilty-counts/story?id=67015102
Manafort convicted:
https://time.com/5369058/paul-manafort-trial-verdict/
Trump, guilty of fraud:
https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-7b8d0f5ce9cb4cadad948c2c414afd57
Trump’s history of corruption, written before his presidency began:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/9/28/12904136/donald-trump-corrupt
If you’re a Times reader:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/28/opinion/trump-administration-corruption-conflicts.html
The Supreme Court has made a habit of narrowing the scope of anti-corruption laws:
The Atlantic calls out the Supreme Court’s culture of corruption:
Or, as these writers put it, the Court is making America safe for corruption:
Kudos to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for calling out the Supreme Court. Even if her articles of impeachment go nowhere, they will increase awareness of the Court’s corruption:
https://qz.com/clarence-thomas-might-face-consequences-1851587422
“I know nothing about Project 2025,” the former liar-in-chief says, which means he knows all about Project 2025:
I can’t help but wonder about the Republicans vying to be Trump’s vice president, like Sens. J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio. Do they not care about his corruption? About his sexual assault conviction? Do they not care what happened to Trump’s last vice president? Ambition is a terrible taskmaster.
Democrat Jim Black was found guilty of taking bribes in 2007:
https://www.wral.com/story/1579731/
Megachurch pastor blames his sexual abuse on its 12-year-old victim:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/lawyer-megachurch-pastor-blamed-12-150012933.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
“Conservatism is a failed ideology and a failed world view and it is the true enemy of American progress and advancement,” Oliver Willis says:
A more benign meteor shower is heading our way in August; who wants to go see it?
https://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html
Closing in on 600,000 new Medicaid recipients:
https://www.wfdd.org/story/nc-medicaid-expansion-closing-goal-600000-enrollments-less-one-year
Neither here nor there, Rep. Lauren Boebert takes on North Carolina’s EPA administrator Michael Regan and, man, what an idiot she is:
On days like Friday, I always think of my friend and fellow author Sam Barbee:
Red wolves are thriving:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/20/us/red-wolf-pups-endangered-north-carolina-trnd/index.html
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/awwww-endangered-american-red-wolf-pups-thriving-birth-111778438
A fun tune for the day:
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I appreciate the “bibliography” at the end of your articles that support what you are saying. You are a research potentate! Thank you!