A Familiar Berkeley Stunt A Berkeley-based bookstore tied to the Revolutionary Communist Party appeared on the UC Berkeley campus on April 2 with a poster depicting President Donald Trump as Adolf Hitler and a sign reading “Mein Trumpf.” It is the kind of performance that thrives in college politics, where cardboard outrage is cheaper than an argument and far easier to carry to a table. The group, Revolution Books, says it is an “intellectual, political, and cultural center” for revolution and has stores in Berkeley and New York. It openly supports replacing the current U.S. system with communism, which at least saves everyone the trouble of guessing what it wants. What Revolution Books Says It Represents Revolution Books is associated with Bob Avakian and the Revolutionary Communist Party, and the group has promoted what it calls “New Communism.” Avakian also has ties to the Black Panther movement, according to the group’s own history and earlier reporting. The store’s inventory reportedly includes progressive and socialist titles, along with children’s books such as And Tango Makes Three. None of that is a crime, and no one is claiming it is. The point is simpler: if a political group wants to make a…

Why Texas Democrats Pick Talarico Texas Democrats have not won statewide office since 1994, so the party's choice of James Talarico says plenty about its mood. Talarico is a 36-year-old state representative and Presbyterian seminarian who is being presented as a man of faith who can speak to churchgoing voters without sounding like a party memo in a tie. In a state where Republicans usually start with a big advantage, that is an ambitious pitch. It also hints at the modern Democratic habit of changing the wrapper before changing the product, which is a lot easier than changing the record. Faith Language, New Packaging Talarico has made a habit of using scripture and church language to defend progressive causes, including abortion rights and LGBTQ policies. That has earned him praise from activists who like a candidate with Bible verses on speed dial and criticism from traditional believers who think theology should not be used as a campaign tool. He has also drawn attention for remarks that critics say stretch Christian teaching to fit a political agenda. The pattern is familiar: take a moral tradition, trim the edges, and hope nobody notices the sharp parts in the room. What Texas Churchgoers…