The massive lines, stretching for miles, to pass the Queen’s casket at Westminister Hall suggest, I would think, that the person of Elizabeth, not so much the monarchy, represents in the minds of many some degree of stability and predictability in a world riven by deep crises and unforeseen, life altering changes.

That one country is fighting to defend its independence and right to self determination and the other led by an imperialist minded racist anti-democratic demagogue – is Trump any worse? – is attempting to deny that right by military means remains unsaid in too much of the left converage of the Ukraine-Russia war.

That ommision ranks on my irritation barometer at the same level as the insistence by these same writers that the two sides should negotiate a settlement, but never add that a just peace must include the restoration of Ukraine’s full soveignty over all of its territory.

Any idea of an cross class people’s coalition against Trump and Trumpism that doesn’t include the Democratic Party (as a whole) shouldn’t be taken seriously, because it isn’t serious. It’s playing at politics, not soberly understanding and practicing politics of this moment.