Supreme Court justices aren't ‘scorpions,’ but not happy campers either  —  It was pretty jarring earlier this month when the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court took the bench for the first time since the omicron surge over the holidays.  All were now wearing masks.  All, that is, except Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Former Trump administration officials hold call to strategize against former boss' efforts in 2022 and 2024  —  (CNN)Around three dozen former Trump administration officials, disillusioned with their former boss and concerned about his impact on the GOP and the nation, held a conference call …

Democrats ponder Plan B strategy to circumvent voting-rights filibuster  —  Senate Democrats are scrambling for a Plan B to pass voting rights legislation after Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced last week that they would not vote to change the Senate's filibuster rule despite …

Poll numbers are pointing to a midterm shellacking for Democrats  —  WASHINGTON — If it's Tuesday ... Senate Democrats are set to embark on their doomed voting rights push. ...  President Biden is plotting a communications reset. ...  Gov. Kathy Hochul is in the driver's seat for New York governor, per new Siena poll. ...

Florida governor proposes special police agency to monitor elections  —  No state has such a force, which Gov. Ron DeSantis wants empowered to arrest voters and others who allegedly violate election laws  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A plan by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would establish …

Texas Synagogue Attack Smells Like More Evidence Of FBI Corruption  —  This caught-off-guard response from FBI agents is sadly what Americans have come to expect from our top law enforcement agency.  —  After all hostages were released from Beth Isreal Synagogue in Colleyville …

Investor's Uyghur Comments Are Even Worse Than You've Heard  —  On the menu today: Most folks are focusing on the comment from Chamath Palihapitiya, a Sri Lankan-born Canadian and American venture capitalist, that he doesn't care about the Uyghurs in China.  But he went much further, and he said worse things.

Democrats are shattering Dr. Martin Luther King's dream  —  On Monday, the country celebrated the life and legacy of civil rights hero Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King had a dream that all people were created equal — the core tenets of the Declaration of Independence.

Airlines warn of “catastrophic” 5G aviation “crisis” tomorrow  —  If this entire situation goes pear-shaped tomorrow, don't say that you didn't receive plenty of warnings.  We learned over the Christmas holiday period that the nation's airlines were in a panic over the impending launch …

U.S. Senate candidate from Louisiana smokes marijuana in campaign ad  —  Gary Chambers, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate from Louisiana, unveiled a new ad Tuesday in which he is shown smoking marijuana.  —  In the spot, Chambers, who is seeking to unseat Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) …

What Does It Mean If Republicans Won't Debate?  —  Last week, the Republican National Committee announced its plans to prohibit Republican presidential candidates from participating in the official general election debates sponsored by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

Representative Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend granted immunity in sex trafficking probe  —  Prosecutors granted immunity to an ex-girlfriend of Representative Matt Gaetz before she testified last week in front of a federal grand jury hearing evidence in the investigation of the congressman, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The Dallas QAnon Cult Believes JFK Was Disguised as Trump at Arizona Rally  —  Michael Protzman, who leads the Dallas QAnon cult, promised his followers that Trump's rally would have major revelations.  —  DG  —  At former President Donald Trump's rally in Arizona on Saturday …

The savvy turn in political journalism  —  For 15 years I have been writing about what I call the savvy style in the American press.  This post is about the moment when a journalist goes there.  Or refuses to.  —  But first: what is the savvy style?  This is from 2011:

Scoop: Al Jazeera quietly sidelines conservative outlet “Rightly”  —  Al Jazeera, a media company funded by the government of Qatar, has quietly stopped creating new content for its conservative digital outlet “Rightly,” four sources confirm to Axios.  —  Why it matters: The outlet was launched …

Charted: GOP surged as Biden slumped  —  Gallup polling found a huge shift in party preference over the course of 2021, from a 9-point Democratic advantage in the first quarter to a 5-point Republican edge in the fourth quarter.  —  Why it matters: It's the biggest swing in one calendar year for Gallup's 30 years of tracking.

White House plots public reset as Biden's agenda flails  —  With President Joe Biden rounding out his first year in office amid a sinking approval rating and multiple setbacks to his agenda, the White House is planning a new communications strategy, senior administration officials say.

What the Kids Are Reading  —  I'm Paul Musgrave, a political scientist and writer.  This is Systematic Hatreds, my newsletter about politics and the study of politics.  The newsletter takes its title from a line in The Education of Henry Adams: … This week, we're talking about teaching politics to the post-legacy media generation.

Detainees Sue Arkansas Jail That Gave Them Ivermectin to Treat Covid  —  For months, the jail's doctor has promoted the drug, which health experts say should not be used to treat or prevent Covid-19.  —  Detainees at an Arkansas jail who had Covid-19 were unknowingly treated …

No vaccine, no French Open for Djokovic as rules tighten  —  Novak Djokovic risks being frozen out of tennis as he chases a record 21st Grand Slam title, with rules on travellers who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 tightening in the third year of the pandemic and some tournaments reconsidering exemptions.

The Undoing of Joss Whedon … In the fall of 2002, 160 scholars convened at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England.  They were an eclectic group — theologians, philosophers, linguists, film professors — and they had descended on the medieval city for a conference dedicated …