Why Did the Biden Administration Give Egypt $170 Million?

TODD RUFFNER AND LUCI MEADE: Human rights aren't at the center of the administration's foreign policy. Again. Why?

🏒 FACEOFF 🏒

Republicans are ‘Frigging Crazy’

Adam Kinzinger talked with The Atlantic recently about the GOP, and his conclusion is spot on.

There’s a guy running for local office who lives not far from me. Every time he or his campaign has come to my door, despite working from home, I have not answered. Maybe the “NO SOLICITORS” sign helped. The real reason is Rusty the new dog, as well as Old Man Gus lose their minds when the doorbell rings. I don’t know why. But they do. (Condos in a high rise don’t have doorbells and this is new territory for Gus, who is 7.)

I agree very much with Mona Charen’s item yesterday about being a single issue voter. I will never vote for anyone who was part of Bad Orange Man’s reign of terror. If you were in office then, you had an obligation to have stood up to it. Few Republicans in existence meet this exacting standard. I realize I am not most voters. I know that perhaps my standards are too high.

But this is what fixing the GOP requires. Exacting standards and an adherence to principle. This guy running to be state rep. seems like a nice guy. He’s not playing any of the Glenn Youngkin games about election integrity, pussyfooting to conspiratorial nutjobs. But before the election, I’m going to ask him about all of these things if he’s going to get my vote. As a political professional, I’ve gotta say his chances aren’t great but rather OK. But being honest is always the best policy. Always.

I spent my afternoon talking with neighbors about issues facing our HOA. Change requires voices, which requires efforts at the grassroots level. And most people are apathetic about HOAs. After all, we’re busy. But it’s also basically your government.

Don’t be apathetic. Go door to door and seek change if that’s what you want.

Leading The Bulwark…

Why Did the Biden Administration Give Egypt $170 Million?

TODD RUFFNER AND LUCI MEADE: Human rights aren't at the center of the administration's foreign policy. Again.

🎧 On the Pods… 🎧

Rick Wilson Sounds Off on Trump, Dems, and Coups

On today's podcast, Rick Wilson joins host Charlie Sykes to offer some tough love to just about everybody.

For Bulwark+ Members… 🔐

MORNING SHOTS: The Right's Snowflakes Are Banning Books 🔓

CHARLIE SYKES: Let them fight.

THE TRIAD: Stagflation? ayfkm? 🔐

JONATHAN LAST on why we're gonna need a bigger boat.

From The Bulwark Aggregator…

• This Is Why Cops Shouldn’t Handle All Domestic Violence Calls - Melissa Jeltsen, The Cub

• Trumpworld’s Star Lawyers Exit as Storm Clouds Gather - Asawin Suebsaeng, Maxwell Tani, Roger Sollenberger, and Adam Rawnsley, The Daily Beast

• The Five Coup Schemes of Donald J. Trump - Adam Serwer, The Atlantic

• Jan. 6 investigation accelerates as it turns toward Trump - Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu, Politico

• Crowded National Parks Have Turned to Reservations. Some Are Considering Keeping Them. - Allison Pohle, The Wall Street Journal

• Biden Huddles With Democrats as Divisions Threaten His Agenda - Jonathan Weisman, Emily Cochrane and Jim Tankersley, The New York Times

• EPA finalizes first new climate rule under Biden, targeting refrigerants - Dino Grandoni, The Washington Post

In Today’s Bulwark...

Not My Party: Long Live The Moderate Kings

TIM MILLER: This is not Rep. Anthony Gonzalez's party, either.

The ‘We’re Just as Bad as Russia’ Crowd

CATHY YOUNG: No, Glenn Greenwald and Sohrab Ahmari: Censorship in the U.S. is not comparable to what goes on in Putin’s Russia.

Nicki Minaj and the Death of Responsibility

CHRIS TRUAX: All dunking aside, the my-cousin’s-friend’s-swollen-balls thing was really bad.

🚨OVERTIME 🚨

Happy Thursday! Back in 1949, the Cleveland Indians made a mistake that may have cursed them to this day. Bill Veeck was a guy who wanted press, but maybe there are ends to which you should not go.

Baseball by BSmile @BSmile

Today In 1949: Having been eliminated from the American League pennant race, Bill Veeck and the Cleveland #Indians hold a mock funeral to bury their ‘48 World Series flag in center field! #MLB #Baseball #History

Good Vaxx PSAs…

Freedumb.

Justin Baragona @justinbaragona

Here's our write-up of Lt. Col. Doug Hague telling Hannity that while he has gotten 8 anthrax vaccines and every other shot the Army has required, he's drawn the line at the covid jab because "freedom"

thedailybeast.comArmy Officer: I Took All the Other Vaccines but I Won’t Get COVID Jab Because ‘Freedom’Admitting he’s had the other immunizations the Army has required, Lt. Col. Doug Hague said he’s refusing the COVID-19 shot because he “swore an oath” to protect the Constitution.

Jon Stewart is coming back to TV. Welcome back.

A decade ago, I met Jon Stewart at the GOP Convention in Minnesota. I was a staffer back then, not a journalist, so I didn’t go to both conventions. I always got a kick out of The Daily Show’s coverage, and I binged it the night before.

As a fan, I mentioned this to Stewart, who asked what I did and why I was there. Not before telling me to get a life. I often think of that, because it was good advice. And it was before I joined “the news.”

People in our business spend their days reading, often obsessively (note that I said reading, not watching) so we can curate things for you. It is taxing. Now with my twins and our two dogs, I try to heed Stewart’s advice when for years I did not.

Life and balance is important. And your support of The Bulwark makes that possible. So, thank you.

That’s it for me for today. We’ll see you tonight on TNB! Tech support questions? Email support@substack.com. Questions for me? Drop me a line: swift@thebulwark.com

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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.