The Breakfast Club (Fear Corrupts)

Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungover we’ve been bailed out we’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:00am (ET) (or whenever we get around to it) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.

This Day in History

Rutherford B. Hayes declared U.S. President after disputed election, Mikhail Gorbachev born, “King Kong” and “The Sound of Music” premiere in NYC.

Breakfast Tunes

Something to Think about over Coffee Prozac

Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power.

John Steinbeck

Breakfast News

US News

VIRUS TODAY: States ease restrictions despite warnings

Plunging demand for COVID-19 tests may leave US exposed

Some GOP state lawmakers help spread COVID-19 misinformation

States easing virus restrictions despite experts’ warnings

Tensions over vaccine equity pit rural against urban America

Deal reached to get California children back in classrooms

Twitter cracks down on COVID vaccine misinformation

Biden says workers in Alabama have a right to vote on union

USDA puts brakes on land transfer for Arizona copper mine

Texas power company seeks bankruptcy protection after storm

Calls for Cuomo’s resignation mount as 3rd accuser emerges

AI panel urges US to boost tech skills amid China’s rise

Heavy rains lead to rescues, road closures in Appalachia

Comic-Con to remain virtual in 2021, cites financial strain

Churchill painting owned by Angelina Jolie sells for $11.5M

US Politics

Minimum wage hike all but dead in big COVID relief bill

Senate confirms Cardona as Biden’s education secretary

Democratic voting bill would make biggest changes in decades

Georgia House passes GOP bill rolling back voting access

Romney knocked unconscious in fall, but ‘doing better’

Supreme Court skeptical about patent judge appointments

International News

The Latest: Brazil health officials urge lockdowns, curfews

WHO: ‘Premature,’ ‘unrealistic’ COVID-19 will end soon

Slovakia signs deal to acquire 2 million doses of Sputnik V

Countries urge drug companies to share vaccine know-how

Swiss bask in reopened shops as COVID-19 cases drop

Defying deadly crackdown, crowds again protest Myanmar coup

Biden tries to reset relationship with Mexican president

New US envoy urges ramped up pressure on Myanmar military

In Peru, sterilization case against Fujimori goes to court

EU urges parties in ex-Soviet Georgia to ease tensions

German Social Democrats unveil program for September vote

Czechs send 30,000 police, soldiers to enforce travel limits

US announces $125 million defense aid package for Ukraine

Israel’s high court says non-Orthodox converts are Jews

Sports

Next Big Ten Showdown: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 4 Illinois

Raptors-Pistons postponed, tentatively set for Wednesday

Mets to honor Seaver with 41 patch on jerseys this season

In-game video returning to baseball for 2021

Chiefs expect Mahomes by summer; Fisher, Schwartz by fall

Cardinals agree to terms with free agent edge rusher JJ Watt

Breakfast Blogs

This Is the Other Shoe Dropping From When John Roberts Gutted the Voting Rights Act Charles P. Pierce, Esquire Politics

The Expected Plateau in New January 6 Defendants became a Stream of New Assault Suspects emptywheel aka Marcy Wheeler, emptywheel

Just get a shot, any shotdigby aka Heather Digby Parton, Digby’s Hullabaloo

Fixing what wasn’t brokenTom Sullivan, Digby’s Hullabaloo

Oregon Court: A Stop So Pretexual Cops Forgot About The Pretext Is A Rights Violation Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Utah’s Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Terrible, Censorial ‘Free Speech’ Bill Is A Disaster In The Making Mike Masnick, Techdirt

Ex-French President’s Conviction Shows ‘First-World Countries’ Can, Do, and Should Punish Their Former Leaders for Wrongdoing Elura Nanos, Law & Crime

Left-Liberal Alliance Introduces House and Senate Bills to End Qualified Immunity for Police Officers Colin Kalmbacher, Law & Crime

Texas Sues Over Energy Retailer Griddy’s ‘Astronomical’ and ‘Outrageous’ Price Hikes Following Recent Outages Adam Klasfeld, Law & Crime

SCOTUS Will Decide Two New Cases, Including One That Could Send Billions of Dollars to Puerto Rico — Here’s What You Should Know Jerry Lambe, Law & Crime

What a difference a decade makes Scott Lemieux, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Why hasn’t Stephen Breyer retired yet? Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Erik Visits an American Grave, Part 798 Erik Loomis, Lawyers, Guns and Money

No Conservative Left Behind: The Return of Strongarm Williams driftglass, at his blog

Joe Did What? Labor Edition Yastreblyansky, The Rectification of Names

STOP SAYING “FAR RIGHT” WHEN YOU MEAN “MAINSTREAM REPUBLICAN” Steve M., No More Mister Nice Blog

It’s Hard To Be Friends With Republicans While They’re Suffocating You With A Pillow Stephen Robinson, Wonkette

What Do We Want? Elizabeth Warren’s Wealth Tax! When Do We Want It? Now Would Be Terrific! Robyn Pennacchia, Wonkette

SD Gov. Kristi Noem Lied Her ‘Face The Nation’ Off Michael Mora, Wonkette

GOP Pauses ‘No Civil War’ Truce To Receive GOP Hit List From General Trump Liz Dye, Wonkette