THE LONG MARCH THROUGH THE INSTITUTIONS IS COMPLETE–THE LEFT CONTROLS TEEN VOGUE: Teen Vogue publishes a column entitled “No Class” written by a leftist union organizer. The most recent installment is “What the Labor Movement Wants from Joe Biden.” Of particular interest to me was its demand for the repeal of the so-called “subminimum wage” for severely disabled workers.

There’s one thing you can count on:  Eliminating the “subminimum wage” will almost certainly eliminate jobs for Down Syndrome workers. I can only assume that’s what unions want.  They’re just not allowed to say it.

A couple of months ago, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issued a report that sided with the labor movement on this issue. (As usual, I dissented.)  It received almost 10,000 public comments on this topic—more than we have ever received on any topic. About 98% of those who submitted comments—most of them parents or other relatives of severely disabled workers—urged the Commission NOT to eliminate the sub minimum wage option.    Apparently, we are supposed to believe that Teen Vogue and the labor movement care more about the welfare of Down Syndrome workers than their own parents do.

JOHN ROSENBERG:  “If Democrats Win in Georgia, Racial Equality Loses.”

BIDEN’S NOMINEE FOR EPA CHIEF IS KNOWN FOR HIS INTEREST IN COMBATTING “ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM”: If he’s confirmed by the Senate, we will likely be in for an interesting few years.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights did a report on environmental racism a few years back. Its empirical research demonstrated the opposite of what my progressive colleagues expected: It showed that coal ash dumps were disproportionately located near whites. Somehow that research got buried in the report. My dissent is here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OZZIE SMITH: My favorite baseball player ever turns 66 today.  (Come for the somersaults, stay for the game.)

ODDEST CHRISTMAS EVER:  I spent the entire day working on the copyedits for the volume of essays my gentlemen friend and I working on for Encounter Books.  The book should be out in a few months.  It will have essays by John Ellis, Gail Heriot, Gail Heriot & Carissa Mulder, Lance Izumi & Rowena Itchon, Peter Kirsanow, Heather Mac Donald, Maimon Schwarzschild, and Peter Wood.

I’m pleased and excited about the book (more details to follow), but … well … working on copyedits would be a tedious way to spend an ordinary working day.  Doing it on Christmas Day felt completely wrong … almost disorienting.

Just wait till next year:  Biggest tree ever.  Decorations for the whole house.  Poinsettias.  Christmas turkey.  Figgy pudding.  Egg nog.  Hark the Herald Angels Sing.  Guaranteed.

BIDEN PROMISES TO END PROLONGED DETENTION AT IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTERS: That’s great if he can do it consistently with enforcing the law.

But it may be worth pointing out that when I inspected an immigration detention center a couple of years ago with the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, my colleagues and I were a bit surprised that it was as nice as it was. Naturally, what we actually saw didn’t make it into the Commission’s report (which instead parroted unsubstantiated rumors, some of which were obviously and even provably false).  But it did make it into my dissent.

ANOTHER DEFECTION:  “A dissident women’s studies PhD speaks out.“

DON’T SELL TOO EARLY:  On this day in 1878, Louis-Joseph Chevrolet, race car driver, car designer, and co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.  Being the co-founder of Chevrolet didn’t make him rich.  He sold out to his partner after just four years (who soon sold to General Motors).  But his name lives on.

IT’S ALL HOW YOU LOOK AT IT: Three different left-leaning media outlets reporting on the same year-end ICE report show that the Washington Post beats the competition at coming up with dramatic sounding but ultimately misleading headlines.

ICE Arrests and Deportations Drop Sharply in 2020, Largely Due to the Pandemic—CBS News.

US Immigration Arrests Down 27% in 2020—A Trend Activists Hope Biden Will Continue—Reuters.

Deportations of Migrant Families Spiked in 2020—Washington Post.

The “spike” that the Washington Post points to is actually good news no matter what one’s views on immigration law enforcement: ICE has entered into an agreement with Central American countries that allows it to verify quickly where illegal entrants are from, thus allowing for quick repatriation without the need for an extensive stay at an immigration detention center.  One has to read well into the article before one learns that deportations are way down.

The original headline for Washington Post might have been something like “ICE Deportation Decline,” since that is what’s on the URL, but the “spike” headline is what’s there now.

MORE “STAND YOUR GROUND” CONTROVERSY:  Ohio governor is deciding whether to sign or veto “Stand Your Ground” law.

OUR COUNTRY IS DYING OF STUPIDITY:  Fairfax County, Virginia judge decides black defendant can’t get fair trial in courtroom featuring portraits of white judges.

IN RED STATES TOO:  Anti-racism training comes to Louisiana State U.

THUS SPEAKS “THE NATION”:  “The Votes of Black Americans Should Count Twice:  Vote reparations would empower us to replace oppressive institutions with life-affirming structures of equality.”

NOT SURE THAT’S CONSTITUTIONAL:  The VA has said that it plans to prioritize racial minority members over whites in the distribution of the COVID vaccine.  My colleague Peter Kirsanow and I express our misgivings here.

JOHN FUND:  California’s Business Climate Deniers.

OF COURSE THEY DO:  Media still largely ignore Hunter Biden story.

AD ASTRA: On this day in 1546, Tycho Brahe was born in Denmark. His astronomical measurements were astonishingly accurate for their time.

He understood the moon to be orbiting the Earth, and the planets to be orbiting the sun (though he erroneously thought the sun was orbiting the Earth).  That’s not too shabby for a guy without a telescope.

LAST TANGO:  On this day in 1972, Eugene Cernan (1934-2017) and Harrison Schmitt (1935-still kicking) took their last moon walk.  They remain the last human beings to set foot on the moon.

(An interesting analogy might be the Ming Dynasty treasure voyages of the 15th century.  During that period, China sent out an impressive expeditionary fleet to Java, Sumatra, India, Ceylon, Persia, Arabia and East Africa.  These voyages were intended to impress the world with China’s immense wealth and power.  And impress they did.  But then the voyages just stopped.  Scholars still debate exactly why.)

ZOMBIE INITIATIVE:  An initiative repealing Washington State’s prohibition on preferential treatment based on race or sex was defeated in 2019.  But they’re already gearing up to launch another one.

THAT’S CHEAP COMPARED TO SOME UNIVERSITIES:  Ohio State University employs more than 100 diversity workers, costing more than $10 million a year.

THIS WEEK THEY’RE COMING FOR PHILIP CARL SALZMAN:  Next week it may be you or me.

McGill University students and student organization have written a lunatic Open Letter Demanding the Overhaul of McGill’s Statement of Academic Freedom.  In particular it targets Philip Carl Salzman, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, which apparently said things about the Middle East that they didn’t like.

The National Association of Scholars has posted a petition on change.org asking McGill to instead issue a muscular defense of Dr. Salzman and of academic freedom.  I signed it.  Maybe you’ll want to as well.

(Bumped — and endorsed — by Glenn).

RADICAL SON, THEN AND NOW:  John Hinderaker has posted on Power Line the new preface by David Horowitz to the second edition of Radical Son.  It’s worth reading.

FUNNY:  Rehab for Vice Bloggers.

ANOTHER SOROS-FUNDED PROSECUTOR:  Newly elected Los Angeles district attorney plans to seek release of thousands of criminals.

CHARLES LIPSON:  Calling people who want to reopen the schools racist and sexist is a terrible way for the teachers’ union to debate important policy questions.