Earlier this year, Penzeys Spices unveiled its latest blend — a salt-free chive and garlic mix for sprinkling on tomatoes, scrambled eggs or salmon. But instead of printing a recipe on the label of Justice seasoning, the owner of the company sent a pointed message to his customers: “Justice is the light that has guided America through every storm. Now one party wants to obstruct it, twist it, steal it away from We the People to gift it to their benefactors. America’s future depends on us not letting that happen.”The statement aimed at the Republican Party and supporters of President Trump was just one of many times Bill Penzey has mixed his politics with his parsley and paprika. Penzeys Spices has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars this fall promoting Facebook ads — long stream-of-consciousness missives — supporting impeachment of Trump or railing against the Republican Party and Fox News. After the 2016 election, Penzey sent an email blast to … [Read more...] about Mixing politics and parsley: Why this spice seller spent $700,000-plus on Facebook ads for Trump’s impeachment
Government politics
France shuts down as Macron touches the third rail of French politics
David A. Andelman, executive director of The RedLines Project, is a contributor to CNN, where his columns won the Deadline Club Award for Best Opinion Writing. Author of "A Shattered Peace: Versailles 1919 and the Price We Pay Today," he was formerly a foreign correspondent for The New York Times and CBS News. Follow him on Twitter @DavidAndelman. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion articles on CNN. Paris (CNN)The one-day general strike that was supposed to shut down France last Thursday is now stretching at least into next week as President Emmanuel Macron perseveres in his efforts to drag his nation into the 21st century. This time, he's leaping onto the third rail of French society and politics, the nation's Byzantine pension system — actually 42 public and private systems that are hell-on-wheels to navigate and give French workers some of the world's most liberal (and expensive) retirement benefits. Macron has declared an all-out campaign … [Read more...] about France shuts down as Macron touches the third rail of French politics
Biden Will Not Rule Out Rewarding Political Donors with Ambassadorships
Former Vice President Joe Biden is refusing to rule out rewarding some of his top political donors with ambassadorships if elected in 2020.Biden, who is facing questions from voters about his son’s lucrative business dealings overseas, told reporters aboard his “No Malarkey” bus tour of Iowa on Friday he would make appointments based on merit, and would not hold it against anyone if they helped underwrite his campaign. “I’m going to appoint the best people possible,” the 77-year-old former vice president said. “Nobody, in fact, will be appointed by me based on anything they contributed.” The former vice president’s stance is in contrast to that of his Democrat rivals, most notably Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Since announcing her campaign, Warren has denounced the political donor class, even refusing to attend high-dollar fundraisers organized by such individuals. Warren escalated her position in June, when pledging to end the … [Read more...] about Biden Will Not Rule Out Rewarding Political Donors with Ambassadorships
On impeachment, Democrats opt for speed even if some questions remain
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the point clear at her news conference Thursday: The impeachment train is heading down the track, and there’s no plan to slow down.“We feel comfortable with all of the time that has gone into this,” Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said when asked about comments from some Democratic lawmakers that their constituents haven’t yet absorbed what the case is about. Newsletter Get our twice-weekly Politics newsletter “If some people have some unease, we’ll catch them up.”There’s a tradeoff for speed, but the Democratic leadership believes it’s worthwhile. Let’s take a look. Advertisement SPEEDY VS. THOROUGHThe most fundamental tradeoff is speed versus thoroughness.As Pelosi’s lieutenant on impeachment, Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), acknowledged this week, there are still “unanswered questions” about President Trump‘s conduct toward Ukraine. Some … [Read more...] about On impeachment, Democrats opt for speed even if some questions remain
Free-Speech True Believer Dave Rubin, the Top Talker of the ‘Intellectual Dark Web,’ Doesn’t Want to Talk About His Own Ideas
Dave Rubin is having a moment. He’s getting name-checked in The New York Times, speaking at college campuses across the country, serving as the opening act for author/clinical psychologist/self-help guru Jordan Peterson on a sold-out tour of theaters, and watching the audience for his YouTube-based talk show The Rubin Report grow by the day. I first heard about Rubin from a friend who thought I would appreciate the erstwhile comedian and self-styled classical liberal’s talk show, particularly for its focus on free speech, civil conversations with iconoclastic thinkers from across the political spectrum, and its rejection of identity politics. Having spent years writing and reporting about the many trans-partisan and international threats to free expression, despising the culture of shouting down or physically attacking political opponents, loathing communist apologia, suffering from no illusions about the threat posed by radical political Islam, and identifying politically … [Read more...] about Free-Speech True Believer Dave Rubin, the Top Talker of the ‘Intellectual Dark Web,’ Doesn’t Want to Talk About His Own Ideas
