Day’s End and Night Watch

by Ed Kilgore
Politics

Kinda got wrapped up researching past presidential primary elections and got behind schedule. Here are some final news/views items of the day:

* Italian elections produce Euro-shaking, global market-bumming gridlock, and pivotal role for anti-politician (and comedian! and blogger!) Beppe Grillo.

* WaPo’s Greg Sargent reports electoral-vote-rigging schemes alive not only in Pennsylvania, but also in Michigan. Time to get out the wooden stakes.

* At TAP, Dean Baker makes the definitive brief case for ignoring budget deficits until the economy fully recovers.

* At Ten Miles Square, Seth Masket offers reality check to one of House of Cards‘ dramatic congressional scenarios.

* At College Guide, Daniel Luzer reports rare good news on education front: high school graduation rates on track to hit 90% by 2020.

And in non-political news:

* Well, never heard this at one of those NGA meetings I attended for years: Dr. Oz tells governors to have sex at least twice a week. Stow that away in your damage control files, gubernatorial staffers!

To close the day, here are The Pretty Things performing “Sickle Clowns” in 1971. Straight-up rock/blues, and no mimes!

Selah.

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Ed Kilgore

Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.