Happy Thursday!
According to polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight, Joe Biden’s approval rating currently sits at 39.8%, the lowest third-year approval rating of any US President since Jimmy Carter — both a humbling and harrowing statistic, especially if we’re meant to place any faith in historical precedent. The thought of a second Trump presidency is a tough pill to swallow.*
I’m sure we can reasonably assume this has a lot to do with how Biden has handled a myriad of recent issues — for one, his slip into rightwing ideology made apparent by his insistence on cutting the hallmark of immigration reform, the pathway to citizenship, despite the bill failing to clear the procedural threshold (with 50 Senators, predictably and laughably, immediately voting “no”), all in the name of even more unnecessary aid to Israel.
Of course, it is precisely this, Biden’s abominable handling of the ongoing bombardment of Gaza, underscoring his slip in the polls. As many Arab voters in Michigan can certainly attest, with each passing day that the horrors in Gaza continue, the warning signs for a loss in November become ever the more apparent. The administration’s reluctance to call for a ceasefire also seems to be alienating Black voters. A survey back in October 2023 (well before the astronomical death toll had even accumulated) showed that 95% of Black Americans rejected the notion of unconditional support for Israel. With high rates of Black American military service and a history of solidarity for the cause, this isn’t a group Biden can afford to lose.
And if you hadn’t heard, as if being questioned on his mental acumen wasn’t humiliating enough, apparently his dog Commander bit Secret Service agents “at least” 24 times — a beautiful metaphor for the weaponized incompetence that is the US Democratic Party as a whole.
This week’s issue is a continuation of Brunch at Sera’s, vol. 14, so we’ll be taking a closer look at the landscape of textiles, this time focusing on blankets. Also in this issue are my top weekly art recommendations under 100 and 200€.
*I spent Election Night 2016 at my friends’ Gramercy apartment in New York City for a watch party that all too quickly turned from a very assured hubris to utter panic. I spent the next day at work researching a move to Toronto, contributing to the infamous Canadian immigration website crash. Obviously eight years later, I’m glad to have followed through on my goal of leaving the country.
All about blankets
I’ve written extensively about my ever so dear blue blanket, and while I do of course have a great deal of love and admiration for it, it’s no secret that I’m ready for something new. With that said, I obviously think a well-placed throw blanket really has the potential to make or break a room.
Every element within your space plays a crucial role in shaping its ambiance and overall aesthetic. While furniture, color schemes, and decor certainly take center stage, it's often the smaller details, like a great blanket or throw pillow (more on this in pt. 3), that add the most memorable touches, tying everything together seamlessly.
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