In other news, NASA says a "wobble" in the moon's orbit will combine with rising sea level caused by climate change to drive significantly more coastal flooding in the 2030s.
Meanwhile, according to excerpts from the upcoming book "I Alone Can Fix It," former Vice President Mike Pence refused to leave the capitol on January 6th because he feared the Secret Service would facilitate a coup by taking him somewhere he couldn't certify the election.
Finally, excerpts from the same book also say Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley also feared Trump would launch a coup.
According to the upcoming book from Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker, "I Alone Can Fix It," Milley was deeply concerned Trump and his allies might attempt a coup after the November 2020 election, and he compared Trump's lies about election fraud to the rhetoric used by Adolf Hitler as he rose to power in Germany.
"This is a Reichstag moment," Milley told his aides, according to the book. "The gospel of the Führer."
Programming note... so this week was the most dead week I've ever experienced here. I was at my desk every day this week, but there simply wasn't jack shit happening in the world of news that is relevant to discussion here. I've seen slow weeks here and there particular after President Biden took office, but nothing like this. For what it's worth, I'm sorry there's no news. I'm convinced the reports about declining readership across political media that you've probably seen are less about disinterest and more about having nothing new to read.
It feels awkward to say I hope I have more material to work with next week because at the same time things sure have been peaceful. The last month has been the most peaceful month I've had in years. Much of that is about making big changes and progress in my own personal social life, but the absence of news that makes me fear for my life certainly helps. The last thing I want to do on a Monday morning is read and write about another anti-transgender bill, but I know we will win that fight.
Have a good weekend and I'll try to do better next week.