READER BOOK PLUG: From Rob Piccoli, Blessed Are The Free In Spirit.

WHAT IF, INSTEAD OF GROVER CLEVELAND, TRUMP EMULATES JOHN QUINCY ADAMS? “So, Trump will easily win a congressional seat in Florida if he runs in 2022. The census update likely means the GOP picks up 5+ seats in the house to take control. And then the GOP makes Trump speaker. Then Trump has control over the legislative agenda and impeachment. Fun ensues.”

HOW LONG BEFORE WE START HEARING THAT AMERICA IS “UNGOVERNABLE?” Media discovers: Presidenting in a pandemic is unexpectedly difficult.

GOALPOSTS LEAVING A SONIC BOOM BEHIND, THEY’RE MOVING SO FAST: When will life get back to normal? Fauci now says 2022.

OPEN THREAD: When the demon is at your door, in the morning he won’t be there no more.

WHO COULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING? Amazing: Media begins noticing Cuomo’s toxic culture … when aimed at Dems.

SPACE: Northrop Grumman Antares rocket launches Cygnus cargo ship to space station for NASA.

OUT ON A LIMB: The Cruz Cancun story is trivial compared to Cuomo’s actual scandal.

GOOD: French government announces investigation of social science research and ‘Islamo-leftism.’

BLOOD LIBELS: Jewish Leaders and Groups Slam ‘Saturday Night Live’ Over Skit About Israel’s Vaccination Drive.

OF COURSE: Russia says detected first case of H5N8 avian flu in humans. But: “The workers did not suffer any serious health consequences.”

THE DANGER OF MONOPOLY POWER:

Related: Blowback: Canada to follow Australia’s lead in charging Facebook for links. “After blocking links to all news content in Australia, Facebook has reportedly ‘friended’ the country again by coming back to the negotiating table, at least according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. That doesn’t mean that Mark Zuckerberg has dropped his objections to Austrailia’s pending legislation that would force the social media giant to pay for links to Australian news content, however. Neither side seems to be backing down at this point. Australia may not be in this battle alone, though. We’re learning this weekend that Canada is drafting a similar measure and basically daring Facebook to impose a blackout on them as well. . . . This whole “everyone hates Facebook” theme is turning into a trend. According to Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, he was recently in talks with representatives from Finland, France and Germany to discuss what to do about Facebook. He further indicated that the total number of nations considering joining such an alliance could quickly reach 15.”

Background: Facebook may regret blacking out news in Australia. “As the Associated Press notes this week, however, this ‘power move’ on the part of Mark Zuckerberg may wind up backfiring on him. What he’s really accomplished here is a demonstration of just how much power Facebook has over public access to journalism. The Australian government, rather than backing down, may wind up taking the war right to Zuckerberg’s doorstep. And they may not be alone.”

People start to notice monopoly power when you throw your weight around too obviously. Amazon used to refrain from that. So did Facebook.

LAW IN AMERICA TODAY: The Second Set of Books: These books, and the mandarin class that writes and interprets them, are the real law, determining what is permitted and what is forbidden.

BLUE STATE UPDATE: YOU GOT LAID OFF, THEY GOT RAISES. Boston city workers making $100G, $200G, $300G increases.

CHANGE: New legislation would protect drivers who hit protestors. “A bill granting drivers immunity for hitting protestors easily cleared an Oklahoma Senate committee recently on a 8-1 vote. Two others are pending in the state House.”

REVIEW: Mossberg 590 Shockwave: Top-Selling Pump Shotgun in 2020.

“HILLBILLY ELEGY:” Unlike the book, the film is not a political story.. “When a movie’s audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is more than three times its critic score, something may be at work beyond mere differences in artistic preference. Hillbilly pulls back the curtain on a slice of America that many elites would prefer not to think about, especially in a post-Trump era.”

BUT OF COURSE: ‘Climate Change’ Boondoggle Upon Boondoggle.

WELL, YES: Scalise on Trump Meeting: ‘He Still Cares a Lot About This Country’. I trust Scalise. Having been shot by a Bernie Bro, he has absolute moral authority now. Right?

TO BE FAIR, IT FEEDS THEM, TOO: Study: Democratic Governors Feed the Prison-Industrial Complex.