Today’s semi-random thoughts – He sounds like a former mayor –- and that’s a good thing. He also sounds like a presidential candidate – and that’s not so good for those still recovering from last week’s election. We’re talking, of course, about Pete Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Indiana mayor, ex-presidential candidate and current Biden administration cabinet member who was back at Harvard yesterday to give his own views on last week’s election debacle for Dems. Basically, he talked about Democrats getting back to the basics, focusing on issues that really matter to voters, or “politics of the everyday,” as he put, sounding like a former mayor who has actually had to deliver basic services to constituents. … Buttigieg definitely has an appealing, down-to-earth way of talking to people, though it’s a little ironic his call for a more common-sense approach to politics was made at the most elite of all elite institutions. … I liked grad student Hannah Wang’s reaction to Buttigieg’s talk. It’s dawned on her, post-election, that she really has been living in an academic bubble. … OK, now that we’re on the subject of post-election lessons for Dems, I might as well unload here some of my favorite post-election headlines of late, all of them shamelessly reflecting my pre-conceived notions of what the hell happened last week. From The Atlantic: “The HR-ification of the Democratic Party.” … That’s a good headline. But this one’s better, from Rolling Stone via Yahoo: “BlueAnon conspiracy theories explode as libs confront another Trump term.”  Note: There’s not nearly as many BlueAnons out there as QAnons. But still … Back to The Atlantic, where Tim Miller, a GOP strategist, gives his views on why Dems lost. His main observation: “The Democratic message is not landing outside” it’s demographic bubble of “middle- to upper-income, college-educated, not particularly religious, urban- and suburban-dwelling white Americans.”

Purging the generals?

No sooner do I downplay Donald Trump’s threats to retaliate against his political enemies (see my comments today over at Contrarian Boston), along comes news that Trump may be angling to purge U.S. military generals he deems unfit for duty. The purge is still only a proposed executive order, as reported by the WSJ, and the president, as commander in chief, does have the authority to promote and dismiss generals. But Trump has also made clear he opposes the alleged “woke” attitude at the Pentagon and he’s talked of using the military to put down domestic disturbances, and so all of this is rather unnerving talk.

Update – Trump’s pick as the new defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, only deeps concerns of a coming purge.

Rushing ammo to Ukraine, ASAP

Speaking of military matters, Anne Applebaum raises a good point: Before Trump is sworn in, the Biden administration has only a few weeks to deliver critical military supplies that Ukraine desperately needs to keep fighting. … She also notes that Trump’s team may find it harder than they think to broker a cease fire in Ukraine. The reason: Putin wants a clear victory on his terms. 

That old ‘surplus land’ solution 

The Boston Foundation is the latest entity to propose that surplus government land be used for future housing. … It’s a nice idea. But it’s an old idea that seems to work only on paper. The fact is the old ‘surplus land’ idea usually faces a number of obstacles, not least that old nemesis of new housing: local governments.

Everett soccer stadium

The legislature is poised to pass a $4 billion economic development package that includes a provision that clears a path for a new soccer stadium for the New England Revolution across the street from the Encore Boston Harbor casino in Everett. But there’s a catch: the Kraft family, owner of the Revs, must still negotiate community impact agreements with Everett and Boston. I.e., it’s legal shakedown time. Details at GBH and the Globe.

Aren’t teacher strikes supposed to be illegal? 

Yes, they are. But teacher unions know they’ll only get slapped on the wrist with fines they they can afford. So they’re increasingly resorting to strikes these days, such as the current teacher strikes in Beverly, Gloucester and Marblehead. … Mary Bourque and Glenn Koocher are no fans of the illegal strikes, that’s for sure.