Independent tribunal, be damned! A GOP majority Cobb County Board of Education needs to pander to its base, so elementary school teacher Katie Rinderle simply *had* to lose her job to please the (not so) "silent (not at all) majority." Plenty to say about that, as did the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Speaking of the minority party still running roughshod over the idea of "democracy" in now-solidly blue Cobb, commissioner Jerica Richardson - who got drawn out of the district she was elected to serve a full term in - got a reprieve of sorts this week. Did I mention, by the way, the attorney working the GOP case to gerrymander out of office was indicted this week with Trump?

For those of a certain age, the Oliver Anthony "Rich Men North of Richmond" phenomenon may not be anything new. It was a 1970 anti-welfare country song ( Guy Drake's "Welfare Cadilac") that draws parallels, from Slate writer Josh Levin. He's a bit of an authority on the "welfare queen" trope, after all.

Lastly, what, pray tell, is state senator Colton Moore doing (other than shining Donald's boots with his tongue)?