Patterico's Pontifications

11/5/2018

Election Open Thread: Why Does It Matter?

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:50 am



The polls still seem to suggest that the Republicans will lose the House but retain the Senate. As someone increasingly annoyed with partisan politics, I have a question for you: if that happens, so what?

As long as Republicans keep the Senate, they will be able to confirm judges and block any bad legislation they want to block. (Whether they will want to is another question!) Other than tax cuts (if you believe that was good; I don’t), what good legislation has been passed under Republicans? Bueller? Bueller?

Republicans warn that under Democrats there will be more investigation of Donald Trump. That strikes me as a feature rather than a bug. We know, thanks to the New York Times, that he was a tax cheat in the past — a story that deserved a lot more coverage, frankly. It stands to reason that he still is. It’s popular to pooh-pooh the notion that Trump is violating the Emoluments Clause, but a court case that accuses him of that Constitutional violation strikes me as not implausible, and is going to discovery. I’m not sure what the courts can do with that, but House Democrats may follow up with their own investigation if they take over the lower branch. Why is any of this supposed to bother me?

It’s not enough to get me to vote Democrat. But it’s enough to make me yawn if other people want to — as long as Republicans don’t lose the Senate.

Tell me, in terms that comply with this blog’s commenting rules (no personal attacks), why my argument is wrong.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]

413 Responses to “Election Open Thread: Why Does It Matter?”

  1. Ding.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  2. It would be nice to read book reviews without reading how Trump is Hitler and how fascism is descending on America.

    You don’t reward crazy.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  3. And here we go with Patterico Comment Thread Bingo: points for bashing Romney, McCain, using variants of “harvardtrash,” infantile nicknames, overstatements, the term “burn it down,” the term “RINO,” the term “slicked up,” and accusations of pedophilia.

    People who don’t do that: thank you. I’ll try to find your comments amid all the nonrelevant trash.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  4. It’s as simple as that.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  5. I agree with you; so what? I consider us (all of us) fortunate to have gained what we already have, and I look forward to the gravy. But anything we permit our government to give us, can be taken away, by them, so there’s that.

    felipe (5b25e2)

  6. Right like chaim Saban or Carlos slims, are we really going there the first owns Univision the second keeps the lights on at the times.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  7. felipe, our government in general is so big and so prone to cheerleading and bumper sticker thinking.

    I used to love P.J. O’Rourke’s idea: the person who is still awake during proceedings gets to spend the tax money.

    I think we kind of live there now.

    I’m glad that the Senate will hold. But the horror show of Side A screaming and Side B, and Side B screaming at Side A will continue. Overstatements and dishonesty rule on both sides. Demonization.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  8. But this Congress will be 25% less possum. Then again we’ve seen across the pond how civil the opposition is.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  9. I just keep wondering, what if Trump didn’t act like a jackwagon on Twitter? What if he responded with humor to silly attacks (“…there you go again…”)?

    I will praise Trump’s decisions when they are good (Supreme Court Justices, North Korea). I’ll shake my head at his Tourette’s Syndrome approach to communicating with the electorate.

    Anyway, here is hoping for good turnout.

    I was just thinking: what if there was a segment who didn’t vote normally, who tended to vote R. Do you think that the Left would be as concerned with ease of voting then? I doubt it, but we’ll never know.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  10. We’ve already seen this movie Simon 12 years ago, and don’t bring up Nixon, his greatest offenses was what wasn’t on the charge sheet.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  11. That would be wage and price controls, and probably the EPA, just trying to feed the cric still loses your foot.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  12. Mark felt wasn’t some noble whistleblower, but some passed over civil servant.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  13. The betrayal of the Cambodian people, that was the fringe benefit of the Mao handshake, that should fill us with shame.

    narciso (d1f714)

  14. As for if even turn bad in this state, something wicked this way comes,

    narciso (d1f714)

  15. I will now make a prediction: To the debil with the polls – Republicans hold the house, the deplorables take the day. I base this on a good friend, who is a life-long Democrat, who said that this time she is voting for Republicans because “economy.”

    felipe (5b25e2)

  16. Chances are likely, whenever they tell its a sure thing, more often it isn’t,

    narciso (d1f714)

  17. Yes cbo scoring rules are ridiculous, the whole thing plays out like the Monty python election sketch,

    narciso (d1f714)

  18. Somehow there are never any charges against gillums aides how is that possible?

    narciso (d1f714)

  19. dirty mitt romney’s little boy paul ryan ran out the clock on the house majority so the dirty head lice people wouldn’t run into a wall

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  20. the idea that an illiterate dumb-ass like maxine waters is gonna find something fruitful to investigate that sleazy corrupt fbi dingleberry bobby mueller has overlooked strikes me as fanciful at best

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  21. Ryan will handle the hot dog account for some firm, his pitch will be ‘that’s not who we are’

    narciso (d1f714)

  22. That’d not the point, pikachu its about poisoning the well like kathleen Kennedy has done to the star wars franchise.

    Meanwhile I discovered some deleted scenes from the avengers

    narciso (d1f714)

  23. With Democrats seemingly likely to gain several governorships, I would expect to see significant effort to increase opportunities to vote and also to undo gerrymandering.

    John B Boddie (41beaf)

  24. I’m voting Democrat for Congress in my district, but mostly because of a kindness he did for my son in recommending him for the Air Force Academy. It does look like the GOP will keep the Senate, which means Trump will continue to get his judicial nominations confirmed, a good thing.
    I won’t lose sleep if the House goes to the Dems. It’ll keep Trump from getting his more brainless legislative proposals from passing, and this administration could use some Constitutional oversight and less cheerleading from the likes of Nunes.

    Paul Montagu (6afc17)

  25. John Burton has a wry chuckle at that,

    narciso (d1f714)

  26. Vote like you are proud of the young mayor of a town in Utah, father of 7 young children, who just gave his life for his country while serving in Afghanistan.

    Vote like you want to be worthy of that sacrifice.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  27. Vote like you are not some dilettante who – after trips to Bali, Cambodia, Nepal and France – brags about experiencing life to its fullest.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  28. Ah stocking up on scorpion venom, well that’s why Seattle is so well adjusted, how has gov inslee impressed you.

    narciso (d1f714)

  29. it’s about poisoning the well

    i agree with this

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  30. what do people “serve” in Afghanistan exactly

    it seems more like something you’re whimsically subjected to

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  31. Obligation, pikachu, 17 years later I couldn’t tell what the right course is, Obama was very good at poisoning the well against Karzai for all his faults and that dweeb farrow cheered him on.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  32. Ryan is going to be soros’s boi toy.

    mg (9e54f8)

  33. They serve their country, happyfeet. This young man was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mormon to you.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  34. When the republicans hold the house, they should investigate the boooosh disaster of Iraq.

    mg (9e54f8)

  35. Jack and poop in IL- the resignation of a higher income tax (make lots of greasy food for JB, Springfield), settling for that plus the Rush-Davis-Kelly-Underwood “eclipse” while nearby locales continue their good work or go back to pre 2010 condition.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  36. That didn’t take long, did it, Patterico?

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  37. We hope the wrong lizard doesn’t get in,

    Narciso (d1f714)

  38. Because some of those members in the House will go on to become Senators. They will gain experience, name recognition, and create fund-raising networks. Eventually, they will get a Bill Clinton or Obama out of their new team. Politics is partially about their farm team against ours.

    It is like saying your sports team is at 55% and you don’t care how they do the rest of the season as they can’t win it all. Winning is a habit, and it is better to have it on your side. What’s more, one of the most annoying things for many Republicans over the last 25 years has been the unwillingness to fight back or try to win when things got tough. It finally got so bad with Kavanaugh that even GOP Senators showed they had a pulse. Do we want to go back to the days when we could assume that we couldn’t win as that was the natural state of things?

    Deplorable (c00a79)

  39. If I go to the Narciso glossary, who is listed under the right type of lizard? The phrase seems to cover a lot of ground.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  40. Gillum Pritzker polis (Beto is the figment of some ones deranged imagination, as 60 minutes sowed last night)

    Narciso (d1f714)

  41. I agree with patterico…. so what?

    I’m fairly confident that GOP keeps the Senate and that a likely Democrat House will lead to a more gridlock governance.

    I’m okay with that.

    whembly (b9d411)

  42. Anyways you want cynicism watch the bodyguard series,

    Narciso (d1f714)

  43. i think i put that in my list as a maybe

    it’s one of those where you have to suspend disbelief and take the british seriously

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  44. crazyhead was a win though

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  45. I find the Emoluments Clause argument a little absurd. His private business interests are in a trust run by his sons, he doesn’t have a say in their running. Yes, it would be better if it was a blind trust, but I remember reading an article saying you can’t run a corporation via a blind trust. So, it appears to me the primary objective of complaining about Trump benefiting from the Trump Hotels, et al business while he is in office is to force him to divest himself of the company. The reason I find this absurd is while Obama had all of his financial assets in a blind trust, he was making bank from the book sales. Nobody ever complained that he was being compensated illegally or influenced by his legitimate book sales. This is also the same MBM that ignored and whitewashed the Tony Rezko angle and the fact that Michelle got a huge bump in pay and perks from her job when Obama became Senator. Do you think she got that because of her accomplishments or because the hospital was looking for a friend in Washington?

    CygnusAnalogMan (9c66ec)

  46. Actually it’s quite plausible although home secretaries are rarely as attractive as keeley hawes, but as a bond I don’t see the lead.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  47. If I be a fool, fine.

    If we are to have any hope to reign in the DOJ and the intelligence community, the House must remain GOP. If we are to have any hope of a reasonable Defense budget, the same.

    Now for a feature: The Over/Under for government “shutdowns” is 1.5 I want the over.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  48. hawes is adorable in Durrells

    love that show more than beans and fishsticks

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  49. Yes they could never film the Alexandria series

    Narciso (d1f714)

  50. is that a fun read?

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  51. I agree. I don’t think it will be the end of the world if the GOP loses the House. Because it hasn’t mattered all that much that they had it. The ones who only care whether they keep their phony-baloney jobs will always be the majority.

    nk (dbc370)

  52. If you read The Times story carefully, you will notice that none of Trump’s actions were found actionable by the IRS. I have been reading the Times since the 1940’s and have found that, unless you read each story fully & carefully, you will be getting the story wrong.

    Michael Keohane (947544)

  53. Pat, you’re not wrong at all. And that’s why I am abstaining from all partisan voting for at least this cycle. Republicans don’t get my vote anywhere on the ballot, but neither do Democrats. A pox on both their houses.

    Gryph (08c844)

  54. I would like to see Trump impeached, though. I’d watch that show, and TiVo Phineas and Ferb.

    Just kidding. I wouldn’t like to see Trump impeached. I would love to see him impeached.
    (And I don’t have TiVo. I’ll watch Phineas and Ferb on YouTube.)

    nk (dbc370)

  55. Actually, I’d want to mention something that sticks in my craw…

    This whole liberal/democrat talking points that the GOP “controls all three branches” of government. Subliminally implying that they can’t effectively run the government.

    While it’s true that we have a House majority, Senate majority and a GOP potus… they keep forgetting that the Senate majority isn’t enough to overcome democrat cloture requirements.

    The GOP can’t really get any major policies passed, because democrats are obstructing every chance they can get. Hence why the political appointees has been thoroughly nuked, and why much of the tax reforms were done via budget-reconcilations process that only requires simple majority.

    Have you run into this argument like this before?

    Usually, I respond by saying “do you civics bro?”… but, it falls on deaf ears…lol.

    I mean, the closest a party has near full control recently was 2009-2010 when Democrats had 60 seats for awhile. (seriously, democrats missed their chance there…)

    I mean, both parties seems to have no desire to really get down to brass tact and compromise on things that BOTH sides get a win.

    We’re left to either, advocate that the Senate fully nukes the cloture/filibuster threshold for legislative packages, or voters would need to elect 60+ senators and hope that the House and POTUS remains in their party’s control when that happens.

    Frankly, it’s much easier to meaningfully compromise…

    Am I wrong here?

    whembly (b9d411)

  56. “Republicans warn that under Democrats there will be more investigation of Donald Trump. That strikes me as a feature rather than a bug. We know, thanks to the New York Times, that he was a tax cheat in the past”

    We also know, thanks to the New York Times, that Sarah Palin shot Gabby Giffords and John McCain had an affair with a lobbyist before he became a hero for the Left and NeverTrump.

    But, none of this should “bother” anyone. Why was anyone supposed to be bothered by the Kavanaugh confirmation? Was that a feature or a bug?

    Munroe (73facf)

  57. there’s no such thing as impeaching President Trump the CNN Jake Tapper fake news just made that up so they could have another news hook to hang mindless trump-bashing fake news stories on

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  58. Admittedly I’d love to see a no more than 220 D blue puddle splash and see if there are any Ben Nighthorse Campbells to be had amongst the blue dogs to knock it down to 217.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  59. Not wrong, but historically their “compromises” have resulted in the Devil’s details being worked out either through the courts or through administrative regulations. So they get along and we still get screwed.

    nk (dbc370)

  60. and fire is the devil’s only friend

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  61. Anyhow, I’ma gonna vote for Mr. Rauner because I care about the hungry children who are hungry because J.B. Pritzker has been eating all their food.

    nk (dbc370)

  62. Once again, open my ‘top stories’ feed that’s always on my iPhone whether I want it or not and all three stories are pro dem or anti conservative or both.

    How many points is that worth?

    harkin (fc9aef)

  63. In that overindulgence scenario, Illinois (Lt, Gov candidate Juliana Stratton) might just make up for the 1 or 2 southern states that will be denied a black governor between 2019 and 2023.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  64. “…what good legislation has been passed under Trump?”

    Bearing in mind that any legislation is always good for somebody and bad for somebody else, and that whether a law is “good” or “bad” tends to vary with which of these groups you ask, and that hindsight is always 20/20, I’d suggest that the significant deregulation and surge of economic activity has been good for quite a lot of people. I’m generally in favour of tax cuts as a rule, but am open to arguments why specific amounts or allocations may be, or have been, counterproductive in specific circumstances.

    As for there being more investigation of President Trump, I would agree that this was a feature rather than a bug if I trusted the motives and ethics of those doing the investigating. The sad truth is, I don’t. (I wouldn’t take the motives and ethics of a Republican-appointed special counsel investigating a Democratic president at 100% face value either — but I would at least be willing to consider the possibility of honest objectivity there, a possibility that the Democratic Left’s behaviour over the past two years has sadly disabused me of.)

    As always, being a Canadian this is all just an academic exercise for me, so I will bow to those for whom it’s not. God bless the United States of America and her people, and may all work out for the best.

    Stephen J. (308ea7)

  65. If the Democrats have a real legislative agenda, I have not seen it. As far as I can tell all they want to do is investigate the Trump Administration. He has plenty of tools to keep them at bay. As far as investigating his personal tax returns, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103 seems to limit (Section f Disclosure to Committees of Congress) what and how they can access his personal data. He would doubtless seek protection from the courts. I don’t see any advantage whatsoever to our country in making Nancy Pelosi House Speaker or putting a gavel in the hands of Maxine Waters.

    Stu707 (3a9737)

  66. Yes new York magazine is at the top of my feed?? And the walgreens email had recommended three times pieces

    narciso (d1f714)

  67. To get through to the truth, its like swimming through Stuart Wilson’s shark battalion in aquaman.

    narciso (d1f714)

  68. And don’t forget that Mueller will prove Trump colluded with Russians to steal the election!

    AZ Bob (885937)

  69. Well that’s a go on, theyaid a million dollars to Stephen helper, to make that a certainty, guess who he wee. Connected to?

    narciso (d1f714)

  70. Paid, answer a former? Deputy svr chief.

    narciso (d1f714)

  71. what good legislation has been passed under Republicans? Bueller? Bueller

    You actually need a smaller House majority, or a very narrow, unstable, Democratic majority to pass legislation.

    Right now the House will only pass important legislation that the Senate will not pass, and while legislation can pass the Senate that would pass the House, it never gets put up for a vote because of the “Hastert rule.”

    The Republicans would have to give up the idea of passing legislation that got a majority of the Republicans. That’s not what some other people want maybe.

    210-215 in favor of the Republicans might possibly be best – or maybe a small, unstable, shaky, Democratic majority. So small that that Nancy Pelosi would not be able to be elected Spaaker, and in fact no one would be able to be elected Speaker without some Republican votes.

    But would the Republicans they get be the ones to go along with senseless investigations?

    Sammy finkelman (102c75)

  72. 53. Michael Keohane (947544) — 11/5/2018 @ 8:41 am

    If you read The Times story carefully, you will notice that none of Trump’s actions were found actionable by the IRS.

    Some of that could be because they played the IRS.

    They would let the auditor go home with a quick victory, recovering a fantastic sum of money for the IRS compared to an average taxpayer. The IRS agents get scored on how much they bring in in how little time. So they could often got it, and in exchange got some other things not challenged.

    The audits are said to be incomplete, or subject to revision based on other tax years, so they are still negtiating.

    Of course there was alwaya at least a semi-plausible grounds for taking the tax position they took. Charging a crime would not be easy. That requires intent. Probably no false figures were ever prepared.

    Congressional tax writing committees can look at individual returns, but they are not suppose d to release it, but if they decide to do so no one can stop them.
    .

    Sammy finkelman (102c75)

  73. 65 Stephen J. (308ea7) — 11/5/2018 @ 9:52 am

    I would at least be willing to consider the possibility of honest objectivity there, a possibility that the Democratic Left’s behaviour over the past two years has sadly disabused me of.

    Just think of Brett Kavanaugh.

    Senator Charles Grassley seems determined to expose this.

    https://thefederalist.com/2018/11/05/7-top-takeaways-grassleys-report-brett-kavanaughs-accusers/

    Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee differed in many respects from statements she made to her therapist, the Washington Post reporter who broke the story, and even from her initial letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein…The location of the assault went from a home near her parents’ country club to a house somewhere between the country club and her home, which was a 20-minute drive away….At the time of Ford’s testimony, the public only had available the statement by sex-crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell, who questioned Ford on behalf of Senate Republicans, that Ford had told the Washington Post reporter the assault had occurred in the mid-80s. However, Grassley’s report now confirms that information, providing Ford’s own text message to the Washington Post, which states Kavanaugh and his friend assaulted me in the “mid 1980s.”

    … [mentions the polygraph discussions she had] …Ford testified under oath that the primary effects of the sexual assault happened in “the initial four years after the event.” Given Ford’s claim that the attack occurred in 1982, that would mean the main after-effects of the assault largely hit her from 1982 until 1986.

    Ford expanded on the effects, stating: “I struggled academically. I struggled very much in Chapel Hill and in college. When I was 17 and went off to college, I had a very hard time, more so than others, forming new friendships and especially friendships with boys, and I had academic problems.”

    However, a former college acquaintance told the Judiciary Committee that Ford had “a fairly active and robust social life” in college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His letter added that Chrissy “seemed to have a number of other non-dating male friends, more guy friends perhaps than females,” and that she attended “frat house parties, some crowded and lasting very late in the evening,” as well as “smaller gatherings in male friend’s rooms or apartments.”

    https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2018-11-02%20Kavanaugh%20Report.pdf

    Sammy finkelman (102c75)

  74. 13. narciso (d1f714) — 11/5/2018 @ 7:19 am

    The betrayal of the Cambodian people, that was the fringe benefit of the Mao handshake,

    No that was all the Democrats forcing the end of the Vietnam War by cutting off military in 1975. Hanoi thought they still controlled the Khmer Rouge but Peking had stolen it from them. So, no dominos fell besides Laos.

    Then, in 1977, Jimmy Carter stopped Thailand from invading Cambodia. When Hanoi finally did (they were provoked – the Khmer Rouge obeyed no outside law and provoked everybody) he sided against it and that policy was maintained by Reagan who helped support a war that was fought solely for the sake of a vote in The United Nations General Assembly! That lasted about ten years.

    Technically the United States was not suppporting Pol Pot, but his “allies.”

    Sammy finkelman (102c75)

  75. “We know, thanks to the New York Times”

    Nothing can logically follow from this statement. The New York Times is partisan at best, flat out wrong every day.

    Like it or not, Trump’s tax returns, as a high earner, have been scrutinized every year by both the Federal IRS and the notorious New York State and New York City version of same, all eager for their pound of flesh.

    To state that he could truly break the law under that scrutiny is ludicrous.

    You can state other things, like how dare he make so much money and ‘he MUST have done something wrong!’ and try to gin up outrage. You could also claim that he bribed various officialsback front and center up and down the line by pressuring the politicians in charge of them who had come to rely on him. After all, he donated heavily to politician’s charities and events and re-election campaigns.

    But you can’t claim he just broke the law flat out. Why didn’t they stop him?

    (This is the bit with Christine Ford’s story as well. She knows that Kavanaugh has been subject to 6 FBI background investigations where they talked to teachers and kids from his school. So she has to make up a story that no one at school would know – it happened during the summer. And so on, and so on.)

    Ingot9455 (f12c00)

  76. I pretty much agree with Patterico.

    Ideally, I’d like to see a hold or at most 1-seat gain in the Senate (which would be far smaller than what was predicted given how many more seats the Dems are defending) so Trump can’t credibly spin it as a victory (even though he will spin anything that happens as a victory, and his cultists will cheer on cue…).

    I was going to vote for my embattled GOP congresswoman (who is only embattled, in this formerly deep-red district, thanks to Trump, of course), but last week she sent me two text messages parroting Trump’s hateful demagoguery on the “illegal caravan” (what laws have these people nearly 1000 miles from our border broken, exactly?).

    Anybody who adopts Trump’s tactics and rhetoric needs to be out of politics, as far as I’m concerned, so I am now planning to leave the House ballot blank. Sorry Mimi.

    Dave (9664fc)

  77. 66/ Stu707 (3a9737) — 11/5/2018 @ 10:16 am

    As far as investigating his personal tax returns, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103 seems to limit (Section f Disclosure to Committees of Congress) what and how they can access his personal data. He would doubtless seek protection from the courts.

    That section of the US code is trumped by:

    Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1:

    The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.6 They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

    http://constitutionus.com/

    Speech and debate has been held to include actions in committee. The on;y thing stopping any member of Congress would be internal discipline, but they could officially vote to release it.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  78. “But you can’t claim he just broke the law flat out. Why didn’t they stop him?”

    Same question, except Hillary Clinton.

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  79. It disappoints me that you think the tax cuts weren’t a good thing simply because your state punishes you with obscene rates and the cuts didn’t allow you to deduct the abuse your state inflicts upon you. I have the same issue in NJ, but I can clearly see that the results of the cuts have helped the nation as a whole. The economy has grown at a rate that we haven’t seen in a decade. We no longer have a malaise. That matters.

    We need more sustained economic growth and to continue to unshackle the economy.

    P.S. Opening ANWR and allowing coal to be viable again are huge successes of this administration and were promises that a former administration never followed through on.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  80. Hopefully, the cut one’s nose off to spite one’s face will be limited to teh two-faced brigade.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  81. Well sammy we embraced the Chinese, who embraced pol pot, cooper church did the rest some survivors of lon nol retreated to Thailand to fight the vietnamese backed govt.

    Narciso (00433c)

  82. 59 urbanleftbehind (22b95a) — 11/5/2018 @ 8:52 am

    59.Admittedly I’d love to see a no more than 220 D blue puddle splash and see if there are any Ben Nighthorse Campbells to be had amongst the blue dogs to knock it down to 217.

    Ben Nighthorse Campbell (and Richrd Shelby) joined the republicans after they had alreasdy won a majority of the Senate in 1994.

    I don’t think Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a real Indian either. He later I think got membership in a tribe. (Wikipedia tends to credit Ben Nighthorse Campbell as being an Indian maybe because of the biograohy of living person policy.

    If you can’t even be sure what tribe his father had a connection to, what have you got?

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  83. The Chinese were not known to control the Pol Pot regime until after the fall of Phnompenh. They were thought only to be providing military aid. The Khmer Rouge had been organized by Hanoi.

    Peking stole them from under the North Vietnamese’s noses!

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  84. the standard deduction wass riased so high that on;y people at relatively high incomes are asffected by the loss of tax deductiability (that still makes the tax law unfair between residents of different states.

    Very high to extremely high people get the eliminaiton of teh alternative minimum tax.

    There’s a certain income range that loses.

    Of course lots of unfair things have bene left, many done by states.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  85. Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1:
    […]
    Speech and debate has been held to include actions in committee. The on;y thing stopping any member of Congress would be internal discipline, but they could officially vote to release it.

    You forgot that Trump can amend the Constitution by executive order.

    Dave (9664fc)

  86. I would like to see Trump impeached, though. I’d watch that show, and TiVo Phineas and Ferb.

    Just kidding. I wouldn’t like to see Trump impeached. I would love to see him impeached.
    (And I don’t have TiVo. I’ll watch Phineas and Ferb on YouTube.)

    nk (dbc370) — 11/5/2018 @ 8:44 am

    For what other than personal dislike which isn’t an impeachable offense?

    NJRob (1d7532)

  87. Ingot9455 (f12c00) — 11/5/2018 @ 11:10 am

    (This is the bit with Christine Ford’s story as well. She knows that Kavanaugh has been subject to 6 FBI background investigations where they talked to teachers and kids from his school. So she has to make up a story that no one at school would know – it happened during the summer.

    Not exactly.

    The Democrats knew that FBI background checks didn’t cover anything thgat hapepned before age 18, except for basic biograohical facts. So anything made up had to take place then. Summer is just better on general grounds. she kept moving the time around.

    And yet remember how the democrats argued that therapists notes are very accurate. All the while they knew it contraducted her testimony. It was public knowledge, to soem degree, and also known by the committee to some degree. Four boys and mid-teens. Now CBF said the therapist got itwrong about the number of boys, and taht was the number of boys at the event. We still don’t know how this originated but we do know that several false accusations were made. It’s not even true about the front door – or rather the extra front door had bene built a few years before 2012, and probably in order to rent space.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  88. I got a solution for the caravan for every woman and child we let in from honduras el salvador and guatamala we send one iran-contra traitor to nicaragua starting with ollie north.

    lany (418d91)

  89. For what other than personal dislike which isn’t an impeachable offense?

    Accessory after the fact to a foreign military attack on the United States.

    Obstruction of justice (multiple counts).

    Conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws (multiple counts)

    Dave (9664fc)

  90. The Emoluments Clause? Didn’t Hillary outright sell access to foreign powers?

    AZ Bob (885937)

  91. 92… that is hilarious! Moar please!

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  92. The only good legislation proposed by the House was the FIRST Ryan plan for Obamacare and entitlement reform. Our host opposed it and signed on to the complaints by the House Liberty Caucus. He’s since called the leaders of the HRC crazy people (with which I agree) but the changes to Obamacare that Ryan proposed (on a path towards rolling it all into his Medicaid entitlement reform) would have helped middle class and self-employed people who got the complete shart with Obamacare. I still resent this.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  93. Oh, yeah, the dubble sekrit Russian plan where Trump told Putin’s stooge that he’d be more flexible after the election.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  94. Put on your ‘it’s-always-about-him’ glasses.

    Legislation is relative; our Captain campaigns for insurance. If/when the House flips and Mueller’s report leads to any articles of impeachment, it’s doubtful two-thirds of the cast of characters in this particular GOP Senate majority would vote to convict. There are no statesmen among them and our Captain would wear a mere presidential ‘censure’ as just another piece of bling among his many bad-boy-badges-of-honor. But ‘Trial By Senate’ – oh, those beautiful ratings! The spotlight would be on him, center stage, worldwide… and a win is a win. Beating the rap; what a show! For as we know, American don’t want to be governed, they wish to be entertained. And our Captain, who knows his audience well, excels at that.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  95. The Emoluments clause is 1) non-justicable, 2) has nothing to do with normal business. GEORGE WASHINGTON would have been in violation if it meant what the lawsuits say it does. This whole thing is socialist opportunism, so that entrepreneurs are forbidden to hold federal office.

    Feh!

    Kevin M (a57144)

  96. The only Republicans who will say anything different about immigration are probably those who have absolutely, absolutely no chance – so that nobody even tried to tell them the party line:

    https://www.teamgayot.com/immigration

    This is him on health care:

    https://www.teamgayot.com/health-care

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  97. Put on your ‘it’s-always-about-him’ glasses.

    The main post has got those specs on already.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  98. @101. Adjust your entertainment lenses; it’s all about the show.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  99. His network would 500 million inflation adjusted for 1789.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  100. Now some of these sanction loopholes for relief for Iran, are concerning.

    narciso (d1f714)

  101. ‘Trump’s hateful demagoguery on the “illegal caravan” (what laws have these people nearly 1000 miles from our border broken, exactly?).’
    Dave (9664fc) — 11/5/2018 @ 11:11 am

    I guess those dead Iraqis 7000 miles away broke some kind of law for making us believe in bogus WMD.

    No, the caravan doesn’t break any laws. They’ll just game the asylum laws we put on the books once they get here, at taxpayer expense — yet another Bush gift that keeps on giving.

    But, don’t let that get in the way of blaming Trump.

    Munroe (f533ee)

  102. Nothin’ from nothin’, but I was just reminded what an amazing exellent song “Slippin’ Into Darkness” is.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  103. The Emoluments Clause? Didn’t Hillary outright sell access to foreign powers?

    Exactly, impeach her. She should definitely not be President because of that.

    Colonel Klink (Ret) (744849)

  104. I guess those dead Iraqis 7000 miles away broke some kind of law for making us believe in bogus WMD.

    Umm, so we should kill the caravan people in Mexico because the IC got intelligence wrong in Iraq 16 years ago, or something? I’m not sure I see correlation, causation, or anything else in that. Care to rephrase into coherence?

    Colonel Klink (Ret) (744849)

  105. 80 Sammy Finkelman

    The section of the US code I cited was enacted by Congress. IANAL but it seems to me that they limited themselves to what kind of individual income tax information is available to them and how they must proceed in obtaining it.

    The Constitutional provisions you citied have to do with Congress’ compensation, privilege from arrest, and traveling to and from sessions of Congress. I don’t see how they bear on Congressional access to the information contained in a citizen’s tax return.

    Stu707 (3a9737)

  106. 80. 110. Stu707 (3a9737) — 11/5/2018 @ 1:32 pm

    The section of the US code I cited was enacted by Congress.

    But that doesn’t trump the constitution.

    IANAL but it seems to me that they limited themselves to what kind of individual income tax information is available to them and how they must proceed in obtaining it.

    It’s been said that maybe trump could chalelnege the legitimacy of the subpoena. It is not clear that there is any grounds to do so, though.

    The Constitutional provisions you citied have to do with Congress’ compensation, privilege from arrest, and traveling to and from sessions of Congress. I don’t see how they bear on Congressional access to the information contained in a citizen’s tax return.

    You’re overlooking the last clause, which I put in italics AND boldface

    and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

    So they violate the law. The president, and any court cannot do anything about it.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  107. The Emoluments Clause? Didn’t Hillary outright sell access to foreign powers?

    That’s maybe bribery, if you can draw a quid pro quo.

    The truth is, an emolument is some kind of regular payment – for nothing special.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  108. “Care to rephrase into coherence?”
    Colonel Klink (Ret) (744849) — 11/5/2018 @ 1:15 pm

    In an effort to achieve coherence, I should emulate those who blame Trump for insane asylum laws he didn’t sign and a ridiculously lenient immigration policy he inherited from multiple predecessors.

    Colonel, I ask for patience. It takes me time to learn these things.

    Munroe (25ff1e)

  109. Members of Congress might be violating their own rules, but not if they change the rules or aiuthirize an exception. Only the public can punish them, on the next Election Day.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  110. In an effort to achieve coherence, I should emulate those who blame Trump for insane asylum laws he didn’t sign and a ridiculously lenient immigration policy he inherited from multiple predecessors.

    Yes, because that’s how laws work in America. You don’t get to only follow laws you like. That’s not how any of this works. If he wants a different set of laws, there’s a way to go about doing that.

    Colonel Klink (Ret) (68437d)

  111. #80 Sammy

    The Constitution trumps any and all statutes. We will just have to agree to disagree that the statute in question violates the Constitutional provisions you cited. The statute does not attempt to limit debate. Of course, they could amend or rescind the statute if they so chose.

    Stu707 (3a9737)

  112. The truth is, an emolument is some kind of regular payment – for nothing special.

    An emolument is a “tip.” It’s something you give for well-executed service. Like when Hillary got $25 million from the Saudis after they got their military toys. She didn’t even get 10%, they are such bad tippers.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  113. You don’t get to only follow laws you like. That’s not how any of this works. If he wants a different set of laws, there’s a way to go about doing that.

    Obama’s people called. They want to rebut your criticism of them. I told them you were criticizing Trump and after several minutes of, well, laughter, they came back on the call and said “Well, OK then.”

    Kevin M (a57144)

  114. The Constitution trumps any and all statutes. We will just have to agree to disagree that the statute in question violates the Constitutional provisions you cited. The statute does not attempt to limit debate. Of course, they could amend or rescind the statute if they so chose.

    And, in fact, the speech or debate clause involves libel and slander, mostly. Perhaps a few other speech-related things. It does not cover, say, bribery, or espionage, or assault. Even if you give a Senator $10,000 to insert something into a speech it’s still not protected.

    If it is against the law for any employee of the United States to release a tax return, then someone does it, it’s a prosecutable crime. That’s not to say it will be prosecuted.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  115. Of course, it will be released by a staffer and they CERTAINLY don’t have that privilege.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  116. Pardon me, but please tell me how Donald Trump instructed his much smarter father on how to diddle the tax man? The NY Times article is about as convincing as the SNL “Mastermind” skit where Ronald Reagan is lecturing George Shultz on using the intricacies of global banking to launder the money going to the Contras.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  117. I think we could reasonably assume that saddam had stockpiles of cbw, yet an intervention might risk transfer of said material, same with his intelligence services ties to radical islamists

    narciso (d1f714)

  118. Oh, yeah, the dubble sekrit Russian plan where Trump told Putin’s stooge that he’d be more flexible after the election.

    Nice try with the predictable “Whaddabout Obama?”, but no.

    Trump attempted countless times to deny and cover-up the Russian military attack on our country carried out for his benefit, and to intimidate and interfere with those attempting to investigate and respond to it.

    He’s a traitor, plain and simple. Even Steve Bannon agrees.

    Dave (9664fc)

  119. but it was pulled off with greater panache, there was a degree of truth in that sketch, Reagan wanted the hostages out, and he wanted the Nicaraguan resistance funded, the middle step he wasn’t too particular on,

    narciso (d1f714)

  120. what can I say I’m being charitable today, back then, irans ties to the revolutionary guard and hence Hezbollah were not as well understood,

    narciso (d1f714)

  121. yes ace lyons knew, but he was always a Wildman think Michael ironsides in top gun,

    narciso (d1f714)

  122. how wild he was rogue warrior dick marchenkos patron.

    narciso (d1f714)

  123. Pardon me, but please tell me how Donald Trump instructed his much smarter father on how to diddle the tax man?

    Nice strawman. He doesn’t need to be one who thought it up, and the article doesn’t claim that he was.

    If he knowingly participated, he’s guilty.

    Dave (9664fc)

  124. If it’s from the New York Times, it’s a lie.

    nk (dbc370)

  125. It’s even more tough to be a Democrat this year…

    Economic boom
    GDP
    Wage growth
    Jobs, jobs and more jobs
    Progress on trade
    Foreign policy
    SCOTUS
    Keystone
    Rebuilding military
    Consumer confidence up
    Productivity up

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  126. in addition to Hezbollah, in that era, there was abul abbas and abu nidal, both sponsored by Iraq,

    https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/author/mihai_4daveed_ali_2019

    narciso (d1f714)

  127. You’ve read the ranting straight outta Comp… er, teh Faculty Lounge.

    Consider the source.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  128. You’ve read the ranting straight outta Comp… er, teh Faculty Lounge.

    Consider the source.

    Textbook (forgive the pun) ad hominem attack on me.

    Dave (9664fc)

  129. ot, since the wb sans arrow so far, seems to have gone full sjw, what do you think of the live action titans on amazon

    narciso (d1f714)

  130. Your posts speak for themselves, Dave. Strong arguments for conservative values.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  131. Dave,

    It’s not all about you. No one cares.

    The left is delusional. They think socialism will be different this time. Facts be damned.

    NJRob (031be7)

  132. It would take an Ivy League schiff-for-brains prof to argue against capitalism.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  133. #23. They won’t “undo” gerrymandering. They’ll just re-gerrymander to favor their team.

    DarrenM (a4eb00)

  134. That’s why I made the John. Burton reference, also that initial Contest with mike pence

    narciso (d1f714)

  135. i’d bet the vast majority – better than 97% – of the mewling lick-lick nevertrumps what would prefer speaker pelosi and maxine water in charge are living in deep blue districts where their votes are about as meaningful as their much-vaunted principles

    for example where does staunch republican ana navarro live?

    ugly-butt ana lives in Miami, which voted for hillary over trump 65/35

    this who they are, these nevertrumps

    they mewl and whine and carry on

    but they disenfranchised themselves many many moons ago because the idea of living among actual republicans repulses them

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  136. If he knowingly participated, he’s guilty.

    In Dave’s American, kids rat out Dad to the tax man.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  137. If it’s from the New York Times, it’s a lie.

    And it’s ONLY from the NYT. If Patterico could have found ANY source more credible, he would have. And that article does not say that he cheated on taxes, only that his dad did — according to the NYT theory of tax law — and he was along for the ride. Frankly, most trust and estate law practices are ABOUT how to diddle the IRS out of the death tax. If lawyers do it, it can’t be illegal.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  138. That’s why I made the John. Burton reference,

    Most people don’t know that it was John Burton who discovered the joys of computers and redistricting. Mainly so that brother Phil could have a safe seat. That was back when a Democrat could lose in San Francisco.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  139. In Dave’s American, kids rat out Dad to the tax man.

    At no point did Dave say he was “ratting out” his dad. Donnie was the architect of the scam. Fred was perfectly happy being a 3rd tier developer in a borough raking in a decent amount of cash. Donnie was the one who wanted to be a great Manhattan developer. He failed at that, a lot, but he did get to be a reality TV star and President, that ain’t nothing.

    Ratting daddy out or not, if you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. Plus, it always gets out, especially for someone who has shown zero personal loyalty in his life, Donnie has no friends, never has.

    Colonel Klink (Ret) (abc493)

  140. It’s about the death tax, not business taxes? Oy vey! The Schmaltzberger (sic)* family could withstand such scrutiny? I don’t think so, bubeleh.

    *schmaltz
    /SHmälts, SHmôlts/
    noun INFORMAL
    excessive sentimentality, especially in music or movies.

    nk (dbc370)

  141. “Most people don’t know that it was John Burton who discovered the joys of computers and redistricting. Mainly so that brother Phil could have a safe seat. That was back when a Democrat could lose in San Francisco.”

    Was this before or after he discovered the joys of nose candy?

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  142. There could be a law school and business school course, maybe even two semesters, on the legal shenanigans the Ochs-Sulzbergers have pulled to keep control of the New York Times.

    nk (dbc370)

  143. Probably before, context is left out of too many diacussions.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  144. I sure hope they catch the miscreant d-bags behind this. My old stomping grounds…

    “Last month, Rep. Mimi Walters (R., Calif.) called out her opponent’s supporters for stealing and destroying yard signs. A few weeks ago, Minnesota state representative Sarah Anderson was punched in the arm after seeing a man destroying Republican yard signs.”

    https://freebeacon.com/politics/university-lecturer-caught-stealing-gop-yard-signs-in-new-york/?fbclid=IwAR1iG33ue8nwxfiLY6_Hg0tzqqSnQfjiPco8EiVMLu6KApAlQFuLJW849X4

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  145. I agree that the Executive Branch needs oversight from the Congress, the press, and ultimately, the voting public. But the Dems flipping the House will do nothing to assist the press or the voting public in their respective oversight roles. As far as the House’s own oversight role, that’s unlikely to happen either, because (1) the Dems are interested in the politics of personal destruction and, in particular, the destruction of Trump, to the exclusion of anything else, including good government; and (2) enforcement of either chamber’s subpoena power runs through the DoJ en route to the courts, which means that even when in the majority in one or the other chamber, Congressional oversight is pretty much limited to jawboning and mischief-causing (see item 1) anyway. Don’t hold your breath waiting for Sessions, or whoever his successor might be, to cooperate closely, fully, or briskly with Pelosi, or whoever her successor might be, in going to court to enforcing House subpoenas directed to Trump, the White House, or any executive department (including of course the DoJ).

    Winning the House, though, will give the Dems a far more bully pulpit to rail against Trump. Dem success tomorrow will super-glue the output knob at 11 — and will plug in a giant new amplifier to assault our ears and sensibilities — for the next two years.

    The 115th Congress’ accomplishments are indeed hugely disappointing. The poor results were inevitable given the death of comity/bipartisanship combined with the continued zombie existence of the legislative filibuster: As whembly pointed out above (#56), on ordinary legislation, ours has still been a divided government in reality, despite GOP control of the Senate sufficient (post-Gorsuch) to get Trump’s nominees confirmed. If the GOP holds the House and increases its majority in the Senate, I think there is a small but real chance that a GOP majority will nuke the rest of the filibuster. And that might actually break the legislative logjam on a whole bunch of topics on which Trump and the GOPe are in line — e.g., reciprocal concealed carry. Thus, one of my main reasons for wanting not to lose the House actually has to do with the Senate; if the Dems take the House, they’ll certainly block anything and everything that could get 50 votes in the Senate.

    I doubt I’ve persuaded our host to change his mind. But no one who announces that he doesn’t care about election results is likely to change anyone else’s mind.

    I have many, many minds I’d like to change — or, really, to better educate — on both the left and the right. Giving up on any election is a very poor strategy for doing that. I’m not sure what our host meant when he wrote, “[I]t’s enough to make me yawn if other people want to — as long as Republicans don’t lose the Senate.” I’m reasonably sure he hasn’t given up on changing minds or better educating folks; this blog is a conspicuous contrary example of him not giving up on that! So I’m not sure why he’s inclined to yawn.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  146. Emolument is a salary, fee, or profit from office. He received money from the hotel beforehand, so it’s clearly not related to his holding the office

    But even assuming for argument’s sake that foreign governments paying Trump’s companies is the same as paying him, these payments are not for presidential services. They are for hotel rooms, or other products and services.

    Dale Holmgren (cf70bf)

  147. Mr Holmgren @152
    The point is that the profits and losses go directly via the corporation into Trump’s bank account, and that as long as his children are running things, he has direct access to the detailed transactions. So if the Saudis book a floor for one week, he gets the profit from that and knows that the Saudis are the source. And if the Saudis cancel the reservation he knows that too.
    If the corporation was run by someone who would keep this sort of information from POTUS there would be no problem. But it’s being run by Donny II and Eric….

    kishnevi (6b8fa6)

  148. Our host’s post focuses exclusively on Congress — and given where he lives, in a state with an overwhelming Democratic majority statewide, the results may be so much a foregone conclusion that they don’t motivate him to do other than yawn.

    Not so in the state in which I live, Texas. And there are a ton of state-wide and local races that I very much care about — both in terms of wanting to see specific GOP candidates win, and wanting to see specific Dem candidates lose. Those races, plus a handful of other ballot issues, are certainly worth caring about and turning out to the polls for.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  149. The OED’s definition of emolument includes:

    > Profit or gain arising from station, office, or employment; dues; reward, remuneration, salary.

    this definition is attested as early as 1480 and has contemporary usages cited from 1480 through 1881.

    i don’t understand the allegation that it’s synonymous with a tip — that seems inconsistent with the OED’s understanding of historical usage. absent some convincing citations, my inclination is to believe the OED.

    aphrael (3f0569)

  150. Living in Chicago, Beldar, I have also come to depend on the kindness of strangers, and it is discouraging.

    nk (dbc370)

  151. The original intention of the Founders referred to a common practice of the era, in which governments gave pensions or appointments to nominal positions with a salary to elected officials, as a form of bribery. Often a foreign government but 18th century UK had plenty of domestic examples. Most flagrant example I know is from the 1670s-1680s, when Charles II received a secret pension from Louis XIV. An office with salary was deemed a bit less blatant than a bare pension.

    The basic idea is that an elected official would receive money from a government which would then expect him to promote policies favorable to it. Founders said no to that.

    kishnevi (6b8fa6)

  152. — Mr. Logician, will the Democrats or the Republicans win tomorrow?
    — Yes.

    nk (dbc370)

  153. It disappoints me that you think the tax cuts weren’t a good thing simply because your state punishes you with obscene rates and the cuts didn’t allow you to deduct the abuse your state inflicts upon you.

    NJRob,

    Try clicking the link I provided and see if you fairly summarized my arguments.

    Hint: you did not.

    Try again.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  154. You’ve read the ranting straight outta Comp… er, teh Faculty Lounge.

    Consider the source.

    That’s a warning. Cut it out.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  155. OT: Some or all of y’all may have seen this already, but I just came upon it tonight, and thought it was amazing:

    Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) sings the Star Spangled Banner at the ASU game, a cappella — and belts the notoriously difficult anthem out with gusto, pretty much on key without wandering, without missing a syllable, with obvious feeling, and with dramatic gestures of celebration. I don’t know why I was surprised at seeing such confidence, even vocal confidence, from a Warthog pilot, but my jaw literally dropped upon watching this. If that doesn’t motivate some marginal number to get to the polls tomorrow to vote for her who otherwise might not have bothered, I’d be surprised.

    Lest you think ASU was being partisan: Her opponent did the coin flip. Gosh, that took courage!

    Beldar (fa637a)

  156. (In my memory of this, I’m going to edit it so that Col. McSally is in her flight suit, and Sinema is in her tutu.)

    Beldar (fa637a)

  157. I dunno, Sinema has done a lot of things that ASU coeds are notorious for on film. But I will disagree with those who underestimate Col. McSally in another arena: she cleans up real good!

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  158. I don’t have a legal opinion at all about the emolument clause litigation. I disapprove of Trump’s holding this office while his and his family’s net worths are still tied to his company’s ongoing business operations, and I’ve often expressed my conviction that he navigates every decision tree by asking himself what, at that particular moment, he thinks would be best for the Trump Brand. He’s been a political influence purchaser for his whole adult life, and his general election opponent had been a political influence seller for hers. This alone would have pegged my “unfit” meter for Trump, whether there were an emolument clause in the Constitution or not, and I could come up with a long list of similar items (e.g., refusal to produce his tax returns) which likewise pegged my meter. Unchecked though it may be, there are practical limits to how much outright graft Trump Brand promotion he can manage, even with his extended family’s help, and so this specific aspect of his unfitness doesn’t make my top 20 list now that he’s in office. I’m reminded of Darrell K. Royal’s quip about the then-lackluster TCU Hornfrogs, after an improbable #1-ranked Longhorns’ 6/0 loss: The Hornfrogs, quoth Darrell, are “like a bunch of cockroaches. It’s not what they eat and tote off, it’s what they fall into and mess up that hurts.” I’m likewise less worried about what the Trump Brand eats and totes off, but very worried about vastly more consequential things that they’ll mess up for the rest of us.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  159. She’s a wrong lizard, like the special guest stars on stargate the original.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  160. Before you Trump fans start on me about how Trump’s business is his own business: Answer me one question first, please: Why do we have essentially zero legal precedent about the emoluments clause, even though it was part of the Constitution as originally drafted and ratified in 1787? We’ve had lots of wealthy presidents in the past, for instance. We’ve had presidents who used their political power to enrich themselves — Lyndon Johnson being a spectacularly conspicuous example. There were no shortage of lawyers ready, willing, and able to sue LBJ — personally, professionally, and in his official capacity. So why has no President before Trump been challenged, either in court or through impeachment proceedings, under the emoluments clause?

    Beldar (fa637a)

  161. “So why has no President before Trump been challenged, either in court or through impeachment proceedings, under the emoluments clause?”
    Beldar (fa637a) — 11/5/2018 @ 9:57 pm

    Why has no president before Trump been accused of colluding with a foreign power to meddle in an election?

    Why has no president before Trump been so opposed by members of his own party, yet won anyway?

    Munroe (a5391e)

  162. Putrefaction. Seriously. How does it work? It gets worse and worse, right? Washington was not as rotten before now as it is now. This is the rottenest President we’ve had and the Democrats are the rottenest they have ever been.

    nk (dbc370)

  163. Why has no president before Trump been accused of colluding with a foreign power to meddle in an election?

    Because no president before Trump was guilty of it, duh.

    Why has no president before Trump been so opposed by members of his own party, yet won anyway?

    Because Donald Trump is a Republican like Bruce Jenner is a woman.

    Dave (9664fc)

  164. The rino electorate is a disgrace.

    mg (9e54f8)

  165. Why has no president before Trump been so opposed by members of his own party, yet won anyway?

    Perhaps because no president before Trump had so heavily favored the opposite party until he decided to run for president, swaggering about with an “I alone can fix it” arrogance and a habit of declaring everyone before him incompetent and stupid.

    Radegunda (9e0773)

  166. As to why he won anyway: Why did so many people view Obama as a leader of unprecedented, messianic greatness? It’s possible for many, many people to be gullible at once. It should also be noted that the mass media gave vastly more (neutral) coverage to Trump in the primaries than to any of his rivals, plus he had more celebrity going in. Since he had no political record, people could imagine that in office he would be whatever they wanted him to be, and the antidote to all the sins of “politicians.” And since the fandom is loyal to him personally, what he actually does in office is entirely secondary.

    Radegunda (9e0773)

  167. I absolutely smile when reading trumps hate mail.

    mg (9e54f8)

  168. Deplorables are the best.

    mg (9e54f8)

  169. Kerry\Edwards/2020
    Versus
    Shapiro/kristol

    mg (9e54f8)

  170. The Dems wet dream matchup would have been Jeb-Jindal vs. Edwards-Webb c. 2012, but damn that floozy actress.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  171. REMEMBER WHAT HEINLEIN SAID? IF THERE’S NO ONE YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR, THERE’S SOMEONE YOU WANT TO VOTE AGAINST: Vote No On Democrats.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  172. “Nobody knows anything, but dear LORD. Even if you hate your local GOP knucklehead, even if he is a RINO loser…. do you want Nancy “Grey Goose” Pelosi in charge of the House again? Do you want those idiots on the left to think — as they have since they successfully demonized the squishy GWB — that they need to keep turning up the insanity and drama and lies? They’re already too crazy. Worse, do you want them to enact their contract on America, from higher taxes to throttling our energy production? Are you NOSTALGIC for the Obama years?
    I for one would like a chance to dig myself out of the financial hole those years left me in.

    Vote for your local Republican knucklehead. Even if you’d like someone better. You go to war with the underwear you got on. Vote against the democrat lunatics. It’s important.”

    —- Sarah Hoyt

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  173. Let ‘em know the mud they throw just ain’t sticky anymo’…

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  174. Good point about Hillary. In her case it was obvious corruption. So you can accuse Trump of bribing the NY tax officials or those in charge of them. But that means a different can of worms that the NYT ignores.

    Ingot9455 (b6fd59)

  175. “So why has no President before Trump been challenged, either in court or through impeachment proceedings, under the emoluments clause?”
    Beldar (fa637a) — 11/5/2018 @ 9:57 pm

    Why has no Supreme Court justice before Kavanaugh been accused of rape?

    Munroe (d1c730)

  176. “Why did so many people view Obama as a leader of unprecedented, messianic greatness?”

    People like shiny objects. We like guys that talk a good game, look good in a suit, smile, have confidence out the wazoo. I know this is anathema to ideological purists, but John Kasich would have made a great President. He’s been an actual conservative since he wrote to Nixon as a teen. He has shown by actions — not just bloviations — that he cares about balanced budgets. He’s creative, he cares about people, he’s not afraid to work with the other side. That’s what we need, not more entrenchment and poo flinging. I know he doesn’t have a snowballs chance in a fireplace to win though.

    JRH (f51cae)

  177. Great question, Munro!

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  178. “I know this is anathema to ideological purists, but John Kasich would have made a great President.“

    He would’ve made a meh president.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  179. 181… I know, felipe… the writers go to great lengths to discount something that their data shows is important.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  180. Don’t sit on your hands and don’t reward crazy.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  181. it’s the best election today cause president trump’s got everybody so excited

    i love it!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  182. Tell the TDS sufferers to stuff it in their bums!

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  183. in their bums!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  184. The poor, dear snowflakes…

    “The NYT is working to avoid triggering panic attacks among people who felt the election needle duped them into believing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would easily win. The needle supposedly created confusion between real-life election data and flawed predictive polling.

    “Until we get a sufficient sampling of early results to make that model meaningful, we won’t even surface the needle,” Managing Editor Joe Kahn told Vanity Fair’s Joe Pompeo Monday. There will now be two needles – one for the House and one for the Senate – and neither will be placed high up on the front page, he said.

    “People have expressed a concern that even though our real-time election model is extremely valuable, that despite that, we should still be very cautious about featuring the needle prominently in our coverage on Election Night—not because we’re not confident in it, but because certain readers may have a nervous reaction to the re-introduction of the needle,” he added.

    https://dailycaller.com/2018/11/05/trump-clinton-elections-new-york-times/

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  185. let’s revisit an oldie, butt a goodie:

    Naughty Nina took an axe,
    gave teh voters 40 wacks.
    When she saw what she had done,
    stuffed their votes into her bum.

    felipe (5b25e2)

  186. Colonel Haiku (f2bc98) — 11/6/2018 @ 6:51 am

    Euthanize the vote, colonel?

    felipe (5b25e2)

  187. ha! into her bum!

    i love it!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  188. The last season of house of cards (I’ve heard) has Greg Kinnear and diane lane, et tu as their version of the koch’s they are six years out of date.

    Narciso (a36d4a)

  189. 194… sounds like they are down for it, felipe!

    Good Lord… teh Return ot Naughty Nina!

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  190. I just got back from voting. Precinct workers were complaining about the heavy turnout. And it looked it, too.

    nk (dbc370)

  191. They can be shaded closer to the Mercers to at least be within recency- either way I hope diane Lane gets freaky like how they did Lisa Edelstein with Cheadle’s character.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  192. Which domicile, nk? You’re not captive to LG/Chuy’s district?

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  193. harkin (e81e20) — 11/5/2018 @ 8:06 pm

    So you too follow Good Tweetman. I did while I was on Twitter.
    I deactivated my account when I realized that all I was doing was wasting time (and data bytes) haranguing perfect strangers in bursts of 140 characters, with no real benefit to myself or anyone else.

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  194. I was, urbanleftbehind, but while it was still Lipinski. I moved back to the Fifth (Rostenkowski/Blagojevich/Emanuel/Quigley now) at the same time as the redistricting.

    nk (dbc370)

  195. I spent the 2004 election cycle in the 1-block sliver between Roosevelt Rd and 13th St in Berwyn then relocated to Lake Co in ’05. Now in Hultgren’s (IL-14) farthest NE corner.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  196. Before you Trump fans start on me about how Trump’s business is his own business: Answer me one question first, please: Why do we have essentially zero legal precedent about the emoluments clause, even though it was part of the Constitution as originally drafted and ratified in 1787? We’ve had lots of wealthy presidents in the past, for instance. We’ve had presidents who used their political power to enrich themselves — Lyndon Johnson being a spectacularly conspicuous example. There were no shortage of lawyers ready, willing, and able to sue LBJ — personally, professionally, and in his official capacity. So why has no President before Trump been challenged, either in court or through impeachment proceedings, under the emoluments clause?

    Beldar (fa637a) — 11/5/2018 @ 9:57 pm

    Not a Trump fanboi per se… I’m more Trump-curious who’s working hard to call “balls and strikes” even in the face of democrat’s asshattery. The treatment of Justice Kavanaugh by Democrats/Media/#TheResistance broke me. Right now, I’m not giving democrats and their allies even the dignity of considering their viewpoints.

    So… from this point forward, I’ll look like a rabid Trumper… but please factor in what I’ve just stated of what I’m going to say.

    To answer your question, the emoluments clause seems like an artifact of the time when the founders were worried about undue influence of elected officials in a brand spanking new country. I’ve read up on the debate a bit and I don’t believe it meant that the POTUS is required to give up control over his business, so I’m not sure where that idea started.

    So why now?

    Simply stated, the democrats have abandoned the idea of comity and the principle of compromise. Anything that GOP or Trump does/advocates gets an immediate rejection by democrats.

    It’s all about regaining power at all costs… principles be damned.

    whembly (b9d411)

  197. > Anything that GOP or Trump does/advocates gets an immediate rejection by democrats.

    This is different from 2011 era Republicans how?

    aphrael (3f0569)

  198. This is different from 2011 era Republicans how?

    Because “we” are good and “they” are bad. Therefore anything “we” do is good and anything “they” do is bad.

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  199. I think Romney still cared about principles, aphrael.

    DRJ (15874d)

  200. Obama had the media on his side to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and latch on to the affirmative, so that he didn’t never need to mess with Mister-In-Between.

    nk (dbc370)

  201. Granted, Romney moved right to please the GOP base but there w as a line he would not cross. He cared about values.

    DRJ (15874d)

  202. Obama was the perfect example of Patterico’s theory that it’s good to have a Congress not of the President’s party to keep him in check.

    nk (dbc370)

  203. I am thinking more of the rest of the party when I said that. Outstanding example was even before then, when McConnell said the GOP needed to oppose the thing that became Obamacare not because it was a bad idea, but because opposing it was the best way to defeat Obama in 2012.

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  204. Obama was the perfect example of Patterico’s theory that it’s good to have a Congress not of the President’s party to keep him in check.

    Which is an argument for Democratic victory this time around.

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  205. We must not reward crazy. Democrats can stuff it.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  206. How many voters actually vote on that basis, though, Kishnevi?

    How many would have voted for the GOP to thwart Obama, and for democrats to check Trump? I would love it if there were millions of such people, and honestly I have no idea if that’s a major thing.

    Dustin (6d7686)

  207. The downside to this Dem drubbing is the Democrats will double triple quadruple quintuple-down on teh crazy

    No… wait a minute… there is no downside!!!

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  208. Obama really could have shot someone, dead, on Michigan Avenue, and the media would have covered it up. (The Chicago police, too, but they do that for everybody.)

    nk (dbc370)

  209. First time i’ve voted where i’ve had to leave the choice for US Senate blank, as there is no way I’d ever vote for Feinstein and I’d chew my own right hand off before I’d vote for that nitwit socialist deLeon.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  210. We must not reward crazy.

    If only more Republicans who fawn over Trump would have this epiphany…

    Dave (9664fc)

  211. Well Miriam Carey in that roundabout in dc, yes they covered that with half a pillow.

    narciso (d1f714)

  212. Maybe she was the pre-Kanye

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  213. “If only more Republicans who fawn over Trump would have this epiphany…”

    If only more professed Republicans were actual Republicans…

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  214. Yet the congress really didn’t do so, a congress with teeth imposed cooper church nowadays Warner Durbin would probably do Iran and turkeys bidding re the kingdom

    narciso (d1f714)

  215. And if the Kavanaugh hearings and the last 2 years didn’t make things clear around the choice to be made, nothing will.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  216. If only more professed Republicans were actual Republicans…

    “Some men change their party for the sake of their principles, others their principles for the sake of their party.” – Winston Churchill

    Dave (9664fc)

  217. 223:

    And what’s that choice? Fashionable occasional neglect of due process (l’affaire Kavenaugh) vs. racism and vote thievery (my state’s GOP Gubernatorial candidate)?

    If you want to make every choice binary, sometimes I will be forced to not choose you.

    Appalled (96665e)

  218. Don’t forget the helpful black panthers voting, no the lack of due process was one state west.

    narciso (d1f714)

  219. > Anything that GOP or Trump does/advocates gets an immediate rejection by democrats.

    This is different from 2011 era Republicans how?

    aphrael (3f0569) — 11/6/2018 @ 8:49 am

    You probably meant when Democrats held the House/Senate between 2009-2010???

    Did GOP act like democrats in the last two years? Like Kavanaugh bs? Antifa? Violent Protests? Literally delaying/obstructing every political appointment to the extent they’re allowed?

    I don’t think so.

    whembly (51f28e)

  220. anyone voting for Abrams deserves what he or she gets… good and hard.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  221. 224… tipsy Churchillian ruminations are often the last refuge of myopic individuals…

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  222. Churchill was a liberal when he was young, wee a Tory when he knew better.

    narciso (d1f714)

  223. Dave (9664fc) — 11/6/2018 @ 9:58am

    That still holds true for those with principles; those without principles – not so much.

    felipe (5b25e2)

  224. Some people realize that another party better represents their principles; others that their party’s principles are superior to their personal ones; still others realize that, regardless of compatibility of principles, their party’s material goals are worthy.

    Just because something has a famous person’s name after it does not make it profound.

    nk (dbc370)

  225. #228 — Kemp is making sure we get it good and hard early.

    Kemp is perhaps the most Trump like mini-me (he just is missing the billions), though, so I can understand your support.

    Appalled (96665e)

  226. Kemp would be a solid governor. Abrams, like her counterpart Gilliam if Florida, is a gun grabbing, leftist who supports racial demagoguery to win.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  227. NJRob:

    Kemp is Secretary of State. Georgia has one of the least secure against hacking electoral systems out there and the system itself has no proper audit trail. He has proved both partisan and inept in his current job.

    He deserves to lose, and if wins by a few hundred, it’s going to be a real ugly scene here, because Kemp has done everything to indicate that he might try to steal the election. And, yes, I know that is harsh, and I can’t think of another GOP candidate I would say that about.

    Appalled (96665e)

  228. Haiku and Rob:

    Just think of an Abrams victory of saving america from more of this:

    https://thefederalist.com/2018/11/02/5-excerpts-from-stacey-abramss-hilarious-romance-novels/

    Appalled (96665e)

  229. Wasnt that cagle, didn’t he have a vendetta against the airlines, what do you want from abrams?

    narciso (d1f714)

  230. So why has no President before Trump been challenged, either in court or through impeachment proceedings, under the emoluments clause?

    I think your question answers itself, Beldar, given the politics, but the person who’s had more clarity on the subject than most is Dr. Tillman. The only real authority that has the power to demand that Trump divest some or all of his assets–as well as set rules on gifts and so forth–is Congress. By their inaction to date, Congress has spoken, and I expect any lawsuits by CREW and other hack organizations to eventually be tossed.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  231. Why has no president before Trump been accused of colluding with a foreign power to meddle in an election?

    Because no president before Trump was guilty of it, duh.

    A whole bunch of Chinese financiers from Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign would get a chuckle out of this, as they look at pictures of Charlie Trie and Johnny Chung hobnobbing in the White House.

    JVW (42615e)

  232. Well then you’d complain about who bought the assets, remember how Cheney resolved his Halliburton issues, arc.

    narciso (d1f714)

  233. Its just a matter of moving the goalpost.

    narciso (d1f714)

  234. narciso:

    what do you want from abrams?

    To be a typical Georgia governor — never as radical as the party base wants, generally pretty pro business, and pretty good at reaching across the partisan divide, and good at not inflaming the business community, which now includes a high entertainment component. Deal and the Atl mayor got on very well, and this has been the case with all the GOP governors. Before Perdue, we had a string of quiet, responsible Dem governors, going all the way back to Jimmy Carter.

    (Before Jimmy was Lester Maddox and many similar horrors.)

    Appalled (96665e)

  235. You haven’t been paying attention, again,

    narciso (d1f714)

  236. in georgia everybody wants oprah to lose and for that one guy to win

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  237. #243.

    So you say. In this case, I’ll take my experience over whatever you are getting from Breitbart and FoxNews. There’s a reason Kemp keeps losing in the courts.

    Appalled (96665e)

  238. every vote counts

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  239. So many conservatives of the Kristol stripe who say the only way forward is to keep electing leftists. Why is that?

    NJRob (1d7532)

  240. The beatings will continue till morale improves.

    narciso (d1f714)

  241. 245… favorite-go to focus of hate: Fox News and Breitbart. It’s as if the Left can’t be satisfied with 99% of the media in the tank for them.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  242. 236… like I said… good and hard.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  243. Look i voted for Charlie cheetah, I admit I was more naive then,

    narciso (d1f714)

  244. It’s really hilarious the way the Leftists think that they MUST be in the center of the mainstream because all the media agree with them. I bet there were good Soviets who felt the same way.

    When in fact there are only a couple outlets (and not how they have to stoop to a website to find a second one) that tell the other side(s) of the story. As side that routinely polls about 50%.

    WE all get the liberal slant on things. It’s hard to breathe and not hear it. It infests the body politic. It actually takes effort to find the stuff the MSM hides.

    It is impossible to be on the Right, and cocoon.

    But for liberals all they have to do is avoid a few annoying voices and everything is cozy warm.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  245. *note

    Kevin M (a57144)

  246. If the corporation was run by someone who would keep this sort of information from POTUS there would be no problem. But it’s being run by Donny II and Eric….

    So, the only businesspeople you would allow in high office are bankers, retired people and others who are willing to sell all their holdings and put the proceeds into a blind trust.

    Never again a David Packard as SecDef. Or anyone who is still a player, since by this logic even holding stock in a company disqualifies one from office.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  247. @173: “Why did so many people view Obama as a leader of unprecedented, messianic greatness?”

    My personal conviction is that it was because a small but electorally-significant demographic thought that by voting for him, they’d get basically the real-life equivalent of the fictional black President David Palmer on the show 24.

    Stephen J. (f77922)

  248. A whole bunch of Chinese financiers from Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign would get a chuckle out of this, as they look at pictures of Charlie Trie and Johnny Chung hobnobbing in the White House.

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but Trie and Chung were not active duty personnel in the Chinese military, or agents employed by the Chinese government, and none of the principals in the US was initially aware that some of the money might have come indirectly from Chinese government sources; once they did become aware, the money was immediately returned.

    You may disagree, but I think that’s a bit different than this:

    To Donald Trump Jr:

    The Crown prosecutor of Russia met with his father Aras this morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father.

    This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump – helped along by Aras and Emin.

    From Donald Trump Jr:

    Thanks Rob I appreciate that. I am on the road at the moment but perhaps I just speak to Emin first. Seems we have some time and if it’s what you say I love it especially later in the summer. Could we do a call first thing next week when I am back?

    Dave (9664fc)

  249. Yes Dave and they got nothing for that information, it was so obscure that Putin had to bring it up two years later.

    Narciso (942a13)

  250. “Yes Dave and they got nothing for that information, it was so obscure that Putin had to bring it up two years later.”
    Narciso (942a13) — 11/6/2018 @ 1:38 pm

    In other words, it didn’t makes its way into a golden showers dossier.

    Munroe (03afec)

  251. Unclear how relevant exit polls are anymore, but if the blue wave materializes, we’ll know why:

    Voters who said their House vote was cast:

    To support Trump: 26%
    To oppose Trump: 39%
    Trump not a factor: 33%

    Dave (77df18)

  252. Why do I think of toothless terriers when I read comments regarding teh Russian Collusion?

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  253. Election Night Special!!!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUp_XgBjEUo

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  254. so far the number one thing this stupid day lacks is closure

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  255. Joe has to go, Joe has to go.

    felipe (023cc9)

  256. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Trie and Chung were not active duty personnel in the Chinese military, or agents employed by the Chinese government. . . .

    Oh sure, they were just freelancers operating on behalf of Chinese interests without any knowledge of their actions by the totalitarian government in Beijing. That’s totally believable. And the Clinton Administration approving collaboration between US and Chinese aerospace interests and later the sale of satellite hardware with practical defense applications to China was a complete coincidence.

    We might have learned more about all of this, but the Janet Reno Justice Department was under heavy criticism from Democrats for having appointed a Whitewater Independent Counsel, so she kept the Clinton Campaign Finance investigation in-house and her team of partisans and hacks never bothered to give anything other than a cursory glance at how these shady characters were connected to the White House. And any chance that the Senate might have learned something interesting was scotched when ranking minority member John Glenn decided to stonewall the investigation. Shortly before the hearings started, amazingly enough, Glenn was selected to be the septuagenarian who gets to ride the space shuttle, allegedly upon the intervention of Clinton. Again, a total coincidence, of the sort of coincidences that are so remarkably prevalent where the Clintons are concerned.

    JVW (42615e)

  257. my terrier takes exception coronello, but otherwise on point, they went after Thompson who was doing the investigation, because he was friends with a bit player, farhad azima, the same excuse they used to fire jay Solomon, the reporter who followed the odious iran deal, and the oleaginous john Kerry,

    narciso (d1f714)

  258. Voters who said their House vote was cast:

    Trump voters voted early and often.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  259. It is impossible to be on the Right, and cocoon.

    I disagree. I think a lot of conservatives are totally able to go through their day reading Daily Caller, listening to Rush Limbaugh, watching Sean Hannity, and reflexively dismissing MSM content as fake news. Many folks do not receive broadcast network TV at all, do not subscribe to a newspaper, etc. In 2018 it’s actually pretty easy to cocoon almost any point of view.

    Dustin (6d7686)

  260. but you have to go through the ap, the nets, the 15 minute newsbreak

    narciso (d1f714)

  261. but you have to go through the ap, the nets, the 15 minute newsbreak

    narciso (d1f714) — 11/6/2018 @ 4:26 pm

    Definitely a generational thing, and if you watch SNL, MTV, listen to what Beyonce says on twitter, then yes, the bias is there, but the right media has absolutely surpassed its critical mass. Plenty of people disregard the left’s point of view at this point. Case in point: who is the president?

    Dustin (6d7686)

  262. “Unclear how relevant exit polls are anymore, but if the blue wave materializes, we’ll know why:”
    Dave (77df18) — 11/6/2018 @ 2:33 pm

    What — Russian meddling, again??

    Munroe (589f00)

  263. you have to be very diligent, to avoid the hive mind.

    narciso (d1f714)

  264. they say the top issue for Republiu8cans was illegal immigration

    but Mitt “bad touch” Romney’s slathered-up sex toy Paul Ryan didn’t

    do

    a

    damn

    thing

    about it

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  265. oopers *Republicans* i mean

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  266. barbara comstock, a lick-lick member of cowardly former senator john mccain’s “Republican Main Street” clubby-club

    was taken out with the trash tonight

    bye barbara

    bye bye

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  267. Prediction: Florida will go red: the races are close, the panhandle polls close a hour later and the panhandle is solid red. Both DeSantis and Scott will win going away.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  268. good prediction Mr. M!

    i predict California will go blue

    that’s where i buy my grapes from by the way

    hey guess what we didn’t get any of the cotton candy ones this year or i missed em (they go fast)

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  269. I think Kevin is right about Fl. Which is a shame, since Scott is the worst governor in Florida has had in all the years I have been living here…which goes back 50 years. Senate deserves something better.

    kishnevi (2717fb)

  270. OTOH, it seems Shalala will beat Salazar for the seat Ros-Lehtinen is vacating.

    kishnevi (2717fb)

  271. My prediction is that if the Democrats win it will be because certain loud and obnoxious ostensible Trump supporters are not even registered to vote and spend every Election Day just sitting around and eating grapes.

    nk (dbc370)

  272. I share your opinion of Mr. Scott, Mr. kishnevi. Not so much as governor since I do not live in Florida, but as a person. He is not a good person.

    nk (dbc370)

  273. i was all set to register but i couldn’t find a postage nowheres

    i been disfranchered!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  274. just sitting around and eating grapes.
    Sour grapes I presume.

    kishnevi (2717fb)

  275. Scott is a better choice than Nelson. To reward the violent left is to ask for more of their behavior.

    Bye bye Donnelly.

    NJRob (5aab82)

  276. Dustin,
    They may well dismiss all the MSM as fake news, but they HEAR it. The Left doesn’t
    oesn’t have to do that. They can go all day and never hear it.

    Kevin M (cc33be)

  277. virulent anti-semite Bob Corker was replaced by a Republican

    this is good news

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  278. Rob, no way that is true regarding Scott. Remember he was elected governor despite running a company that defrauded Medicare for about $300 million, and then proceeded to annoy a legislature dominated by his own party.
    And Nelson is relatively centrist.

    kishnevi (2717fb)

  279. Good news for Roger Stone’s future; Florida has voted to restore voting right to convicted felons.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  280. Sour grapes already. A good sign.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  281. Nelson voted with the Schumer wing every vote that counts. And he was there for Obama when it mattered as well.

    NJRob (5aab82)

  282. Declaring war on white people was a brilliant election strategy on the part of the Democrats.

    nk (dbc370)

  283. Yet they never went after the frists that ran hca,I compared the Florida leg with herding gators.

    narciso (d1f714)

  284. 288 One of the few good ideas among the host of bad ideas which seem to destined to be approved. Although even the dog tracks seem okay with banning dog racing, since their income now comes mostly from card rooms. The Constitutional Revision Commission came up with a group of amendments that managed to make sure every good idea could be approved only by approving some bad ones.

    And my county seems to have decided to increase the sales tax by one percent because the local transportation funds are apparently not misspent enough.

    kishnevi (2717fb)

  285. Why do they waste our time with these amendmment

    narciso (d1f714)

  286. 8.5 % sales tax, are they crazy, rhetorical.

    narciso (d1f714)

  287. Fox News has called the House for the Dems.

    Shrug.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  288. Rob, Scott will make a good companion to Menendez. One corrupt Democrat offsetting a corrupt Republican.

    Meanwhile, I took another look. You may be cheering for Scott and DeSantis too early. It seems the Panhandle is already fully reported in except for Bay County, which is where Michael hit hardest. The unreported precincts are mostly in metro areas, especially Broward and Dade. IOW, if the local Democrats are actually voting dead people they know how many corpses they need and where to find them.

    kishnevi (2717fb)

  289. hillbilly bigot Kim Davis is out of a job

    🙁

    my body my choice

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  290. ikes!

    dirty nevertrump snot-snot Carlos Curbelo?

    also out of a job

    seems like a lot of good hygiene happening tonight

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  291. Dustin,
    They may well dismiss all the MSM as fake news, but they HEAR it. The Left doesn’t
    oesn’t have to do that. They can go all day and never hear it.

    Kevin M (cc33be)

    I think that’s true.

    Dustin (6d7686)

  292. poor ted cruz did he lose

    if i could point to one cause it’s how he’s so smarmy and repugnant

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  293. two causes

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  294. Well mcturtle like Menendez, curbelo had a death threat this week for what that matters, he was pro amnesty they threw him over like a side of beef.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  295. curbelo’s a big climate change hoaxer

    now he can do that all day on his own dime

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  296. haven’t seen anything on oprah yet

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  297. Remember wrinkle in time, well nobody did that’s the point

    Narciso (d1f714)

  298. yeah that’s on netflix but i don’t click

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  299. Cruz will win.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  300. Patterico (115b1f)

  301. You don’t miss with a beloved classic, that’s like wrapping yourself with a black cat.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  302. Cruz will win but he’ll be chastened by this and become withdrawn and introspective, shunning even those closest to him

    who am I and how did i get here

    what do i believe anymore

    his family will grow to hate him as he becomes increasingly dour and his self-loathing becomes all-consuming

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  303. @311. Mr. Trump saved his Canadian Bacon, Mr. Feet!

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  304. Yay! Rafael Cruz beats Robert Francis O’Rourke

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  305. No the way to look at it is so many mash notes to beto will go unmailed.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  306. 311… you’re projecting, happyfeets

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  307. President Trump’s soaring to new heights of popularity tonight that’s for sure

    this is one for the history books

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  308. Glad Cruz got reelected. Doubly glad that happyfeet is unhappy it happened.

    NJRob (5aab82)

  309. Fox News has called the House for the Dems.

    Shrug.

    A prediction: this shrug will be thrown at you from time to time in the future, and it will piss you the hell off.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  310. MSNBC just confirmed that we have divided government, with the GOP keeping the Senate and losing the House. The remaining question is whether Pelosi returns as Speaker or whether the Dems pick someone younger than 70 to lead them.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  311. @316. Standing Executive Order: extra greasy slabs of Canadian bacon on all White House cheeseburgers from now on, Mr. Feet!

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  312. A prediction: Before this evening is over I will say something really, really nasty in response to happyfeet unless I block him.

    nk (dbc370)

  313. New leadership at Fox News absurdly called House before calling the Senate for GOP. Rupert’s sons are going to ruin that channel.

    Biggest Dem winner tonight? Kamala Harris. She has clear field to get the nomination.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  314. DCSCA too.

    nk (dbc370)

  315. Agreed nk.

    NJRob (5aab82)

  316. This also means that Mueller will be able to conduct and finish his investigation without undue interference from Tool Nunes, who has just been back-benched.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  317. The Constitutional Revision Commission

    A procedure by which they get rid of things, like rights and criminal defenses, that you never knew you had until they were gone.

    Example: when I was in high school, CA’s constitution listed a “right of revolution.” After the revision, it was gone. It still exists in NH, KY, TN, PA, NC and TX.

    Here’s New Hampshire’s: “Whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.”

    Kevin M (a57144)

  318. And here we remain in California… in dire need of a massive coffee enema and an epidemic to hit the public employee unions and the statehouse.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  319. @316. Payback is a b-tch, Mr. Feet; and Tedtoo will be The Donald’s on his re-election trail in 2020.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  320. CNN doing their best to characterize a small shore break as a Blue Wave.

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  321. @329. Carville all but called it little more than a bathtub ring two hours ago.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  322. Paul,

    Do you have anything good to say about any Republican?

    NJRob (5aab82)

  323. Kasich can kiss my grits. GOP retains Governorship in Ohio despite his best efforts to stop it.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  324. Interesting that CNN calls Senate for Rs, but haven’t yet called the House for Ds.

    Chris Matthews looks depressed on MSLSD

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  325. in dire need of a massive coffee enema and an epidemic to hit the public employee unions and the statehouse.

    Measles.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  326. Carville all but called it little more than a bathtub ring two hours ago.

    If the Dems fail to take the House, I have his trashcan ready.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  327. Interesting that CNN calls Senate for Rs, but haven’t yet called the House for Ds.

    If they do take it, it won’t be by much.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  328. Do you have anything good to say about any Republican?

    Yes. Voted for three of them in WA State. Do you have a point?

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  329. Yes. Voted for three of them in WA State. Do you have a point?

    Paul Montagu (4575b4) — 11/6/2018 @ 8:05 pm

    Your posts on here is why I asked. Who were they?

    NJRob (5aab82)

  330. I thought the Senate would end up at 55 seats. Looking like it might be true.

    NJRob (5aab82)

  331. @335. All signs point to yes on that; some House committee wag has already said tonight they plan to request Trump tax returns.

    Newsom won; Feinstein as well. And a lot of women have been elected to the House- nearly 100 or so.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  332. Lots of simultaneous bleeding, DCSCA.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  333. Your posts on here is why I asked. Who were they?

    Your previous personal attacks on me is why I say it’s none of your goddam business.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  334. Now will someone write a book called What’s the Matter with Iowa?

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  335. It is no way over for Abrams in Georgia. She can’t win outright tonight, but there are ~400K votes in very friendly areas for her to be counted. I still think it’ll be a runoff.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  336. I think all the at risk Ds that voted against Kavanaugh lost, the only one voted for him won… that being Man Chin.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  337. I thought the Senate would end up at 55 seats. Looking like it might be true.

    Well, that depends. MO, FL, IN, ND look like flips. MT, AZ and NV still to come. If those are all holds, it would be 56 – 42+2.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  338. The White House should show the same respect for Dem demands for questioning in the House as 0bama’s posse showed the Rs

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  339. For about 1 minute (2% in), Feinstein was 51 v. 49 on DeLeon, oh well.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  340. Those were all seats o’Keefe identified right?

    The dems only have 17 firm seats

    Narciso (d1f714)

  341. Hawley beat Svetlana. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/missouri-senate-hawley-defeats-mccaskill Nobody tells me anything.

    nk (dbc370)

  342. The unreported precincts are mostly in metro areas, especially Broward and Dad

    Assuming the precinct reporting numbers aren’t a lie, there’s maybe 4,000 extra votes for Nelson. Of course, there may be 400,000 uncounted absentees and votes in newly found ballot boxes and car trunks. Never know.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  343. For about 1 minute (2% in), Feinstein was 51 v. 49 on DeLeon, oh well.

    And Cox was leading Gavin Noisome.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  344. The White House should show the same respect for Dem demands for questioning in the House as 0bama’s posse showed the Rs

    Yes, because if they are known for nothing else, clever management of legal proceedings is their Thing. Better than Bill Clinton if you ask happyfeet.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  345. Nk, I didn’t know the Underwoods from House of Cards had an adopted black daughter, now my Congresswoman.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  346. “This also means that Mueller will be able to conduct and finish his investigation without undue interference from Tool Nunes, who has just been back-benched.”
    Paul Montagu (4575b4) — 11/6/2018 @ 7:31 pm

    For those who missed it, Congressional oversight = “undue interference”.

    Well, thankfully prosecutorial discretion gets a free hand at last! That was certainly a gaping hole that needed filled.

    Munroe (e8478c)

  347. Man… another sheep in wolf’s clothing…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  348. So much for demographics, eh, urbanleftbehind?

    nk (dbc370)

  349. Yeah but the 14th is the exurbs and the suburbs of the paisa/black collar hood towns (Oswego to Aurora. Huntley to Elgin, Antioch to Waukegan).

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  350. “Shrug.”

    Insofar as a nominally Dem House is unlikely to do much against solid Repub Senate control, I understand this sentiment; I do either, though, if we should not be uneasy at the prospect of Maxine Waters being in charge of the Financial Services Committee, along with other similar positions.

    Stephen J. (c9e1a2)

  351. “I do *wonder*, though.” Damn autocomplete.

    Stephen J. (c9e1a2)

  352. Last poll to close was in Atlanta. 11 freaking 30.

    GOP insiders are insisting that here are enough Kemp precincts who have yet to report to stave off Abrams’ bid for a runoff. The Libertarian is at 1%, or so. That 1%, though, would have given Kemp the win for sure.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  353. “at the prospect of Maxine Waters being in charge of the Financial Services Committee…”

    Talk about the rabid fox in the henhouse…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  354. Maybe the Blexit did just enough to sink Abeams and Gillum and get John James up to 47%.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  355. Indicted Congressman Duncan Hunter (R. CA), re-elected. Another Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham in the making.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  356. For those who missed it, Congressional oversight = “undue interference”.

    Actually, it doesn’t mean that, so thanks for the false equation.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  357. Bye-bye, Heidi Heitkamp, too. Is good.

    nk (dbc370)

  358. They’ve just “found” 47K votes in Milwaukee. Buh bye, Scott.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  359. And another political commenter I follow, SF author Sarah Hoyt, is also less sanguine:

    “Yes, yes, I know, ‘but we got the Senate.’  Fine. It’s not a complete disaster.

    OTOH this is how I see it:

    The dems get two years to hide whatever inky stuff has been going on with the FBI/CIA.  After another two years that swamp might be permanent.

    Trump is by nature a deal maker. After the first two government shut downs, he’ll meet them halfway.  This will wreck our economy and yep his presidency with it.  As they did with Bush in 2006, they now have a chance to wreck the economy and have it blamed on the sitting president.

    Border security? What border security? Moar Dem voters, citizenship being insignificant.

    Seriously, yeah Judges.  Not all is lost.  But this is bad, very bad.  We failed to beat the margin of fraud.  Maybe it was inevitable.  Maybe Trump won in 16 because they seriously underestimated him.

    Yeah, they threw a lot of money at this.  But let’s be real, if they can win the House on promises to raise our taxes and throttle our energy production and, oh, yeah, impeach the president that finally got the economy going?  We need to up our game, and somehow we need to clean up vote fraud. Which is now infinitely harder to do, since the loons got the power. No, I’m not giving up.  But this is a heck of a corner we’ve got ourselves painted into.”

    I’d certainly be happy to hear counterarguments for this gloominess, if there are other reasons for optimism.

    Stephen J. (c9e1a2)

  360. Dems will drastically overplay their hands in House.

    I do agree the inevitable deep state takeover was accelerated.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  361. Your previous personal attacks on me is why I say it’s none of your goddam business.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4) — 11/6/2018 @ 8:33 pm

    You have a history of attacking those on the right. I asked who you supported on the right and you say it’s none of my @#$$% business.

    Interesting.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  362. Hoyt got on my damn nerves this past couple of days.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  363. Well, Sarah Hoyt is not a particularly good SF author and her mediocrity is not necessarily limited to that craft and may extend to her punditry. Moreover, she is a woman and women are naturally insecure. They want everything nice and tight and tidy and perfectly safe.

    nk (dbc370)

  364. Stephen J,

    Sarah Hoyt has a reason to feel the way she does. There is a major downside to giving the leftists more power. They were handed seats thanks to the courts and people who split their ballot for some reason. Will need to take those seats back in 2020.

    The good thing is we do get rid of some poor placeholders for those seats. Get some new blood in there to run who care about issues that matter to our citizens. There’s an opportunity for people who are willing to take it.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  365. No feels for the heartbreak suffered by Taylor Swift? She endorsed Bredesen in Tennessee.

    nk (dbc370)

  366. That was a “plant” move, she famously wore an (unmarked plain) red hat in the 2016 voting line.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  367. You have a history of attacking those on the right.

    You have a history of personal attacks, and your latest mischaracterization is no exception. I have a history of criticizing Trump when he says or does something stupid, and supporting him when he abstains from stupidity and blatant dishonesty.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  368. You have a history of personal attacks, and your latest mischaracterization is no exception. I have a history of criticizing Trump when he says or does something stupid, and supporting him when he abstains from stupidity and blatant dishonesty.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4) — 11/6/2018 @ 10:19 pm

    You’re the one personally attacking me. I asked a question to see your point of view and you’ve responded hostilely. I find it interesting that you’d rather see Nancy Pelosi with the gavel running the House and that you want Nunes to get what’s coming to him.

    I asked who you supported. I still do.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  369. Indicted Congressman Duncan Hunter (R. CA), re-elected. Another Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham in the making.

    Either he convinced his constituents that it was a pile of hooey*, or his district is immune to Democrats.

    —————–
    considering that 1) some claim that ANY expense by a candidate is a campaign expense (and have used that theory in prosecutions) and 2) it was his wife who did all the spending while acting as campaign manager, this seems likely.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  370. Glad to see Dan Crenshaw elected to the House. Nice to see the public rewarding a man who has sacrificed so much for our nation.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  371. Yes the courts redrew the Pennsylvania districts right there they got 4, no she has reason for concern, as the left has tried to purge all media with the russia/alright guise.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  372. And the left reelected a pedophile in NJ and a spousal abuser in Minnesota to Attorney General.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  373. Well let us say a corrupt weasel and good grief what’s happened to minnesota.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  374. Apparently Abrams wont concede, maybe she believed her own narrative.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  375. In all the commotion, I missed the frost sisters origin story.

    But hoyt is right if you cared about immigration enforcement on a federal level, if you didn’t want Cavanaugh harassed this isn’t good if you wanted to slash defense on the other hand.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  376. If you wanted to give Iran and Qatar a free hand, that’s what you gave them. If you wanted single payer you’re one step closer.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  377. You’re the one personally attacking me.

    Um, no, quite the opposite, which tells me that you don’t understand the concept of personal attacks.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  378. No feels for the heartbreak suffered by Taylor Swift? She endorsed Bredesen in Tennessee.

    Oh God, she’ll probably write a maudlin song about her hurt and perform it on SNL while Pete Davidson gets high and dances next to her.

    JVW (42615e)

  379. Davidson on the rebound from ariana, yes it could happen.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  380. Uh-oh, Clark County must have come in and Rosen just took a huge 50,000 vote lead over Heller in Nevada, with nearly 3/4 of the state’s vote counted. This doesn’t look like it will end well.

    JVW (42615e)

  381. With 65% reporting, Rosendale now leads Tester 49% to 48.1%

    NJRob (1d7532)

  382. Um, no, quite the opposite, which tells me that you don’t understand the concept of personal attacks.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4) — 11/6/2018 @ 11:01 pm

    You attacked me instead of responding to my questions. Pretty straight forward.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  383. Gosh that’s totally surprising, sarc.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  384. You attacked me instead of responding to my questions. Pretty straight forward.

    Your initial question was itself hostile, and you’ve gone personal with me before, so I take your comment as unserious and disingenuous.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  385. Paul,

    you said above you voted for the Democrat in the House. You said you want Nunes to lose the ability to not give Mueller free reign. But you seem to want to portray yourself as a Republican. So I asked who you supported on the right. It’s a fair question.

    You responded hostilely. If you were Aphrael or the other lefties that post here I wouldn’t ask. I don’t question Davethulu on his beliefs. Pretty simple.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  386. Damn that Culinary Workers Union!

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  387. Sherrod brown and Keith Ellison, elected in the social #metoo era, that is the definition of irony.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  388. Anyone know what areas of Arizona are late to count? I’m wondering if they have any casinos like Nevada did to create a huge turn from the current results?

    NJRob (1d7532)

  389. Mostly Maricopa, Pima (Tucson) and 2 reservation counties, uff!

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  390. Thanks ulb.

    I love that ABC still refuses to call Florida for Scott. They wouldn’t hesitate if the results were flipped.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  391. But you seem to want to portray yourself as a Republican.

    There’s no “seem” about it. I was in the GOP for 33 years, left five years ago, and rejoined three weeks ago. As for how I voted, here’s a summary (replace “*dot*” with “.”):
    http://theforvm*dot*org/last-day-summer-videos-and-imagesand-another-open-thread-less-dire-and-more-happy-hopefully-0#comment-392922
    My choice for the Dem in the House was more personal than political. My choice for the other Dem was because he’s a friend of several conservative friends, and his opponent opted for dirty tricks and gutter politics.
    As far as I’m concerned, there are some issues where Trump is a Republican and others where he’s a Buchananite so, IMO, a divided government is more likely to stop Trump from his Buchananite impulses and restore more checks and balances when his incompetence goes too far. I support a GOP majority in the Senate because his judicial picks have been decent.

    Paul Montagu (4575b4)

  392. @378. Nixon suckered his ‘constituents’ too – a whole country- in the ’72 landslide. By ’74, he was gone. Like crooked Cunningham, Hunter’s base constituents have many military and retirees around San Diego and the name carries cache; his father was an extremist who held the same congressional seat for years and retired– but he wasn’t a crook. Redistricting favored the kid, too, a few years back. The indictments aren’t pretty; young Hunter and his wife have their next court date in early December.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  393. The Ds actually are underperforming in CA us house flips, only 2 called thus far. And the gas tax repeal failed.

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  394. last night decimated the influence nevertrump had cause people didn’t vote for their slimy snot

    (unless you count mitt romney but those people are just kinda special)

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  395. “Oh God, she’ll probably write a maudlin song about her hurt and perform it on SNL while Pete Davidson gets high and dances next to her.“

    Or write another song about her poor choice in men…

    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98)

  396. Or write another song about her poor choice in men…
    Colonel Haiku (f2bc98) — 11/7/2018 @ 5:19 am

    Pink has a song about her poor choice in men.

    felipe (5b25e2)

  397. 404….or ends up in an Oldje video release

    urbanleftbehind (22b95a)

  398. Nixon suckered his ‘constituents’ too – a whole country- in the ’72 landslide. By ’74, he was gone

    Yeah, because McGovern was just soooo close to winning. If it hadn’t been for the Watergate burglary …. I cannot mock this enough.

    The fact was that Nixon won 49 states. Even after Watergate, even after the pardon, Ford came close to winning in 1976 and Reagan won in a landslide in 1980 and did not elect a Democrat again until 1992 — with 43% of the vote.

    The tide was turning against the Democrats after the excesses of Johnson. Nixon pissed the Dems off by triangulating them on their issues and by being Nixon. So they staged a coup.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  399. Anyone know what areas of Arizona are late to count?

    There are only a few thousand votes available to Sinema in those counties, but there maybe uncounted provisional, car trunk and other straggler votes that prevent a final call.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  400. Rent control failed miserably in CA, losing 2-1, so there is some hope. The governor’s race had a 10 point spread with the usual county split. It’s not all communism there yet.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  401. The economy tanked after the 73 oilshock that’s why Nixon was impeached stop believing in fairy tales.

    Narciso (d53c51)

  402. Whoops. I was looking at old returns. Noisome won by closer to 20%. Communism is nigh.

    Kevin M (a57144)

  403. Gordon Liddy went to jail for the same hijinks felt did against the weatherman

    Narciso (d53c51)

  404. Felt’s BS let Bill Ayers off the hook.

    Kevin M (a57144)


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