LET THE FUN BEGIN.

Government is not the solution to our problems, government often brings the problems.  There might be another continuing resolution to fund the government for a few more months, but that depends on the willingness of bond traders to buy treasuries, and an agreement is as far away now as it was last summer.  "There is a communist wing and a corporatist wing of the Democratic Party, and a corporatist wing and a populist wing of the Republican Party, and herding cats is nothing compared to getting some sort of agreement on raising the debt ceiling and outlining the next Federal budget."

That fits within the conventional boundaries of wonkery.  The pro-terrorist crazies who argue with Democrats before, generally voting for them, never cease to entertain.  Last October, they came for Hillary Clinton, famous Wellesley protester turned establishmentarian.

Her interlocutor doesn't come off as, either in comportment or in line of questioning, what you'd associate with the mega-ultra-MAGA sort of fascist Dementia Joe yells about. How the world turns: the advocate of more ecstatic modes of expression, or whatever Elphaba sounded off about at that long ago commencement, getting lit up by a contemporary campus protester. Right now, the disunity among the Republicans in the House is concealing the fault lines between the corporatist and communist wings of the Democrats' coalition, and bundling military spending for Ukraine and Israel isn't going to be assuaged by spending a little more on wind farms.

Now it's Dementia Joe's turn.

Demonstrators demanding a cease-fire in the U.S.-backed Israeli war on the Gaza Strip were drowned out by supporters of President Joe Biden chanting "four more years" in Charleston, South Carolina on Monday.

A few audience members disrupted Biden—who is seeking reelection this year—as he addressed a crowd at Mother Emanuel AME Church, where a white supremacist gunman killed nine Black worshippers in 2015.

"If you really care about the lives lost here, then you should honor the lives lost and call for a cease-fire in Palestine," shouted one protester, who was then joined by others in chanting, "Cease-fire now!"

Dementia Joe, being a quintessential politician, attempts to be all things to all constituents.

As the cease-fire supporters were escorted out of the church, much louder chants of "four more years" broke out.

Biden has affirmed his "unwavering" support as Israel has waged war on Gaza since the Hamas-led attack of October 7. He asked Congress for a $14.3 billion package on top of the $3.8 billion in military aid that the U.S. gives Israel annually and his administration twice bypassed congressional oversight to approve recent arms sales to the country.

Appearing caught off-guard by Monday's disruption, Biden eventually quieted the crowd with raised hands and repeated "thank you’s.

"Look folks," the president said, "I understand their passion, and I've been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza, using all that I can to do that. But I understand the passion."

Listen, Jessica Corbett, and all your fellow useful idiots, if a president has the power to cancel student loans with a stroke of the pen (he doesn't) and he has the power to ban my ceiling fan and gas stove with a stroke of the pen (he doesn't) maybe what you ought be doing is vesting less power in the executive, either by presidential order or by "Secretary shall issue" rulemaking, and then Congressional approval of arms transfers might be in the cards.

It's going to be fun, though, watching corporatist Democrats being subjected to the kind of rude behavior they thought was only going to be shown toward Trumpian Republicans.

In response to footage of the event, IfNotNow, an American Jewish group organizing to end U.S. support for Israel's apartheid system, said: "Biden was shaken. He's starting to understand the reality: His war on Gaza is horrifically unpopular, and people are fed up."

Noting that the disruption in South Carolina came after New York City demonstrators on Monday morning shut down the Holland Tunnel and three major Manhattan bridges, IfNotNow added: "Young people are furious. We will not allow Biden and the U.S. to continue to support the starvation and slaughter of Gaza."

Also welcoming the protest in Charleston, Naftali Ehrenkranz of Justice Democrats said: "Hell yeah. Biden and every American politician who continues to support arming Israel as it kills more and more Palestinians in Gaza every day do not deserve a moment of peace in their public lives. Cease-fire now."

No justice, no peace, get up in their faces. These are the rules you made, leftists. Live with them.

Some Biden backers criticized the protesters for "targeting" the president on "hallowed ground," provoking responses that highlighted recent actions by Israeli forces in Gaza—from killing thousands of kids to bombing places of worship—as well as the history of this church, which was co-founded by Denmark Vesey, who was executed for planning a slave revolt.

It's going to get more interesting.  But Dementia Joe is a cretin, and he might be accepting campaign contributions from religious organizations, or perhaps the sophomores running his communications screwed up.

President Biden paid tribute to “the passion” of pro-Hamas protesters in his campaign event at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston yesterday. The White House denominated the speech a “political event” in the transcript of Biden’s remarks. C-SPAN has posted video of the event here. Biden is introduced by his political savior, Rep. James Clyburn, and begins speaking at about 8:00.

I didn’t think the IRS blessed political events in churches. See the IRS note here. Perhaps I misunderstand, or perhaps the church is availing itself of the Hunter Biden exception to enforcement of the Internal Revenue Code.

It would all be amusing, but for the stakes being what they are.