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Dec 11, 2024 | 
open.substack.com | Ben Connelly
In a twist nobody anticipated, on December 3rd, President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared martial law and ordered the arrest of various opponents. In courageous defiance, 190 members of the South Korean legislature gathered in the national assembly hall and voted unanimously to lift martial law. Yoon blinked. The military stood down and impeachment proceedings were begun against him.
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Nov 25, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” – Rudyard KiplingBefore the election, I wrote that both Harris and Trump presented threats to America’s constitutional order and that neither was fit to be president. When we woke up on Wednesday morning, we learned which threat we were going to face.
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Nov 20, 2024 | 
open.substack.com | Ben Connelly
All of the talk about recess appointments is related to the inability to get all 53 GOPers on board. In regard to RFK Jr - that might not be a problem. After all he believes in single payer, is pro choice, loves gov. intrusiveness and before trying make polio great again he was a rabid environmentalist that Greta Thunberg would approve. Forget Susan Collins. Liz Warren, Mazie Hirono and Patty Murray will carry him across the line.
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Nov 20, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
The news of the past ten days has been dominated by Trump’s nominations for various cabinet positions. Before we go into the pros and cons of each one, it’s worth dwelling on the sheer number of them who have sexual peccadillos which rival even Trump’s own philandering. Admittedly, (as far as we know) Donald Trump is the only one who has been credibly accused of sexual assault, although Matt Gaetz is almost unquestionably guilty of statutory rape and in a just society would be serving his time.
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Nov 13, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
Nobody should be under any illusion. Despite his claim of a "mandate," Trump's victory had less to do with the American people's ratification of his agenda and more to do with their rejection of his opponent's. In this century, with the possible exception of 2008, Americans have in every election voted against the candidate they most disliked, rather than for the candidate who represented their vision of American governance.
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Nov 6, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
Against my better judgment, I stayed up last night to write this column and watch the results. Given that events move hour by hour, you will read this knowing what I didn’t know writing it. Keep that in mind. Polling showed Donald Trump and Kamala Harris neck and neck going into Tuesday. This bore out as the results trickled in. The results stayed close. Neither candidate decisively jumped out to a lead. In all likelihood, we are in for some period of litigation.
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Nov 4, 2024 | 
experiencelife.lifetime.life | Ben Connelly |Elizabeth Millard |Alyssa Ford |Courtney Helgoe
Skip to content Join Members Experience Life Work Living Store More Sites Life Time Athletic Events Life Time Foundation Life Time Academy Culture of Inclusion Get the latest content and program updates from Life Time. Subscribe Life Time Member * I’m a Life Time member I’m not a Life Time member First Name * Last Name * Email Address * Nearest Life Time Club * If you are human, leave this field blank. Δ Feeling hermetically sealed in your own opinions? Opening your mind to other viewpoints...
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Oct 30, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
After John Kelly sat down for interviews with the Atlantic and the New York Timesto go on record calling Donald Trump a fascist, the debate last week fell out in predictable ways, with Vice President Harris also calling Trump a fascist, Democrats and Never-Trumpers subtweeting Kelly’s comments as much as they could, Republicans coming out to deny charges of fascism, and Trumpist shills denouncing Kelly’s character.
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Oct 26, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
With the election coming up, I wanted to offer some quick thoughts about a development this week which will have been long forgotten by next Wednesday. In this stage of the race, the narrative moves quickly. Liz Cheney’s recent comments when asked about abortion while campaigning for Kamala Harris have turned many heads.
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Oct 23, 2024 | 
freemennewsletter.com | Ben Connelly
At times during this dispiriting election, it’s been tempting to imagine that America and the West are in decline. Has it really come to this – an embarrassing reality-show-host who had a hand in a disgraceful attack on the seat of the American government running against a hackish politician who has threatened to pack the Supreme Court? But sometimes news from across the world brings us hope.
