Patterico's Pontifications

12/27/2018

Podiatrist’s Daughters Allege That Their Father Helped Donald Trump Avoid Vietnam

Filed under: General — Dana @ 11:13 am



[guest post by Dana]

The New York Times investigates whether President Trump’s medical exemption during Vietnam was the result of a Queen’s podiatrist doing a favor for Trump’s father, Fred C. Trump, who happened to own the building in which the podiatrist rented office space. According to the podiatrist’s daughters, it was:

The podiatrist, Dr. Larry Braunstein, died in 2007. But his daughters say their father often told the story of coming to the aid of a young Mr. Trump during the Vietnam War as a favor to his father.

“I know it was a favor,” said one daughter, Dr. Elysa Braunstein, 56, who along with her sister, Sharon Kessel, 53, shared the family’s account for the first time publicly when contacted by The New York Times.

Elysa Braunstein said the implication from her father was that Mr. Trump did not have a disqualifying foot ailment. “But did he examine him? I don’t know,” she said.

For decades, Dr. Braunstein saw patients in a congested ground-floor office below Edgerton Apartments in Jamaica, Queens, one of dozens of buildings owned by the Trumps in the 1960s. The family sold the building in 2004, records show.

A portrait of Dr. Braunstein from his podiatry school yearbook. His daughters say he made the diagnosis as a favor to Fred C. Trump, Donald’s father.

“What he got was access to Fred Trump,” Elysa Braunstein said. “If there was anything wrong in the building, my dad would call and Trump would take care of it immediately. That was the small favor that he got.”

No paper evidence has been found to help corroborate the version of events described by the Braunstein family, who also suggested there was some involvement by a second podiatrist, Dr. Manny Weinstein. Dr. Weinstein, who died in 1995, lived in two apartments in Brooklyn owned by Fred Trump; city directories show he moved into the first during the year Donald Trump received his exemption.

Dr. Braunstein’s daughters said their father left no medical records with the family, and a doctor who purchased his practice said he was unaware of any documents related to Mr. Trump. Most detailed government medical records related to the draft no longer exist, according to the National Archives.

The doctor’s daughters said his role in Mr. Trump’s military exemption had long been the subject of discussions among relatives and friends.

“It was family lore,” said Elysa Braunstein. “It was something we would always discuss.”

She said her father was initially proud that he had helped a “famous guy” in New York real estate. But later, her father, a lifelong Democrat who had served in the Navy during World War II, grew tired of Donald Trump as he became a fixture in the tabloid gossip pages and a reality television star, she said. The daughters, both Democrats, say they are not fans of Mr. Trump.

Dr. Braunstein’s daughters said his role in Mr. Trump’s military exemption had long been the subject of discussions among relatives and friends.

Dr. Alec Hochstein, who worked with Dr. Braunstein in the late 1990s, said the podiatrist had recalled over dinner with their wives how the Trumps had treated him well, including backing off from rent increases. Dr. Hochstein did not remember any discussions related to Mr. Trump’s medical exemption.

“He spoke very highly of the Trumps, and they were very open to negotiating with him and letting him stay in the space at a rent he was comfortable with,” Dr. Hochstein said.

As a reminder:

Back in 1968, at the age of 22, Donald J. Trump seemed the picture of health.

He stood 6 feet 2 inches with an athletic build; had played football, tennis and squash; and was taking up golf. His medical history was unblemished, aside from a routine appendectomy when he was 10.

But after he graduated from college in the spring of 1968, making him eligible to be drafted and sent to Vietnam, he received a diagnosis that would change his path: bone spurs in his heels.

The diagnosis resulted in a coveted 1-Y medical deferment that fall, exempting him from military service as the United States was undertaking huge troop deployments to Southeast Asia, inducting about 300,000 men into the military that year.

The deferment was one of five Mr. Trump received during Vietnam. The others were for education.

Certainly Trump was not the only politician to receive military deferments. See: Joe Biden, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Bill Clinton, etc.

None of this is surprising. Wealthy individuals using their power and position to help privileged young men avoid the draft was not uncommon. Unfortunately, the accepted practice unfairly impacted low-income families:

According to a report by the American Economic Review, the college-enrollment rate among young American men rose — and then fell — abruptly between 1965 and 1975. According to the report, many have said these patterns resulted from draft deferments.

This led to the majority of those who served in Vietnam to come from low-income families, a point made in 2017 by the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam prisoner of war.

“One aspect of the conflict, by the way, that I will never ever countenance is that we drafted the lowest income level of America,” McCain said in an interview. “And the highest income level found a doctor that would say that they had a bone spur. That is wrong. That is wrong. If we’re going to ask every American to serve, every American should serve.”

Elliot Ackerman, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, wrote in a Time magazine article that “student deferments and various loopholes most often exclusively leveraged by the well-off, or influential, the brunt of that conflict fell to America’s poorest, most marginalized citizens, creating a toxic social rift.”

More of the rich and powerful playing by a different set of rules. But rest assured, years after the conflict in Vietnam ended, Donald Trump shared that he too had endured his own Vietnam. Describing his perilous journey, he noted that he managed to outmaneuver and avoid the dangerous landmines of a feared enemy. Like a soldier. Like a hero:

“It’s amazing, I can’t even believe it. I’ve been so lucky in terms of that whole world, it is a dangerous world out there. It’s like Vietnam, sort of. It is my personal Vietnam. I feel like a great and very brave solider,” Trump said in the interview when Howard Stern asked how he handled making sure he wasn’t contracting STDs from the women he was sleeping with.

Also appearing on Stern’s show in 1993, Trump bragged about his promiscuous lifestyle while single and stated that men who didn’t go to Vietnam didn’t need to feel guilty because dating during the AIDS epidemic in the ’80s was also dangerous.

“You know, if you’re young, and in this era, and if you have any guilt about not having gone to Vietnam, we have our own Vietnam — it’s called the dating game,” Trump said to Stern in a 1993 interview. “Dating is like being in Vietnam. You’re the equivalent of a soldier going over to Vietnam.”

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

186 Responses to “Podiatrist’s Daughters Allege That Their Father Helped Donald Trump Avoid Vietnam”

  1. Second hand heresay way to go.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  2. these girls sound pretty trashy to me

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  3. how trashy?

    like they probably follow tom arnold all up in it on the twatter

    that’s how trashy

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  4. Drag a Benjamin through a trailer park to see what you come-up with…and here you go!

    MJN1957 (6f981a)

  5. The Supreme Court gave them a license to lie in New York Times v. Sullivan, and they’ve been doing 90 in a 35 since.

    nk (dbc370)

  6. They couldn’t even forge their fathers signature, did they ever go that deep on Clinton and colonel holmes?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  7. Given what we know about Trump’s father and Trump’s own less than honest behavior, as well as the nothings-gonna-stop-me mentality, would it really be surprising to find that his deferment was the result of a quid pro quo?

    Dana (023079)

  8. the result of a quid pro quo?

    No need to even know that much. Just Fred asking a tenant to do a quick favor for him….

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  9. Family lore, just like a certain “native American” that we all know.

    NJRob (07da8c)

  10. Given what we know about Trump’s father and Trump’s own less than honest behavior, as well as the nothings-gonna-stop-me mentality, would it really be surprising to find that his deferment was the result of a quid pro quo?

    Dana (023079) — 12/27/2018 @ 11:52 am

    And that is why unsubstantiated junk like this is so dangerous, just because you know in your heart it must be true whether or not it is.

    It’s an unproven smear that people who don’t like the President will run with. Perfect for the Slimes and Bezo’s blog who I’m sure will run a follow up.

    NJRob (07da8c)

  11. #7 This is literally an oral history passed down one generation, substantiated by nothing. I don’t doubt that the Trumps would do something like this, nor do I doubt that DJT would try to get something like this. But this story doesn’t prove anything. Instead, this is an attempt at inflammatory folklore. And since Clinton allegedly draft dodged, and the American people didn’t care, this is likely to be a big nothing. (Does anyone remember the big tax story the Times dropped on Trump a month or so ago? Seems not.)

    Appalled (d07ae6)

  12. The possibility that Fred Trump asked the favor and the podiatrist agreed, would not surprise me at all. The possibility that Donald Trump also knows this to be true and remains tight-lipped about it (for obvious reasons) also wouldn’t be surprising. Considering everything we know about the Trump family and their ethics, it all seems very plausible.

    Dana (023079)

  13. ‘Allegedly’ well sure whatever,

    Narciso (d1f714)

  14. Also, consider this. If someone really has a bonespur, than the podiatrist is the obvious medical person to consult. It’s quite possible Trump had some sort of bonespur which he parlayed into a Get out of Draft card.

    But sleazy son of a sleazy father….

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  15. if a list of super patriotic vietnam war draft dogger chicken hawks and iraq war chicken hawks like romneys kids (they just followed their vietnam war draft dodging old man) the list would be long indeed. at least bill clinton opposed the war he draft dodged.

    lany (370b5b)

  16. #16

    Give me a break — I’m not trying to rewrite history, but I am trying to be accurate without googling to remember whether the draft dodge was ever really proved or not. Plus, I’m on your side of an issue for a change. Luxuriate in the novelty of that.

    Appalled (d07ae6)

  17. ‘According to his 2015 memoir, John Fogerty was thinking about David Eisenhower, the grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who married Julie Nixon, the daughter of then-President-elect Richard Nixon in 1968, when he wrote “Fortunate Son.”
     
    The song has been widely used to protest military actions as well as elitism in a broader sense in Western society, particularly in the United States; as an added consequence of its popularity, it has even been used in completely unrelated situations, such as to advertise blue jeans.

    It attracted criticism when Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, and Zac Brown performed the song together at the November 2014 Concert for Valor in Washington D.C.. Fogerty, a military veteran, defended their song choice.’

    – source, groovywiki

    One, two, three…
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W7-ngmO_p8

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  18. Just for comparison with Cadet Bonespurs, here’s the official record of another young American just out of college around the same time, who volunteered for combat service instead of dodging the draft:

    The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the BRONZE STAR MEDAL to

    SECOND LIEUTENANT ROBERT SWAN MUELLER III

    UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

    for service as set forth in the following

    CITATION:

    “For heroic achievement in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam while serving as Platoon Commander with Company H, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marine Division. On 11 December 1968, Second Lieutenant Mueller’s platoon was the lead element in a company size combat patrol being conducted in the Mutter’s Ridge area of Quang Tri Province when the Marines came under a heavy volume of small arms, automatic weapons, and grenade launcher fire from a North Vietnamese Army company and sustained numerous casualties. Quickly establishing a defensive perimeter Second Lieutenant Mueller fearlessly moved from one position to another, directing the accurate counterfire of his men and shouting words of encouragement to them. With complete disregard for his own safety, he then skillfully supervised the evacuation of casualties from the hazardous area, and on one occasion, personally led a fire team across the fire-swept terrain to recover a mortally wounded Marine who had fallen in a position forward of the friendly lines. Second Lieutenant Mueller’s courage, aggressive initiative and unwavering devotion to duty at great personal risk were instrumental in the defeat of the enemy force and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.”

    and four months later:

    The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY COMMENDATION MEDAL to

    FIRST LIEUTENANT ROBERT S. MUELLER III

    UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

    for service as set forth in the following

    CITATION:

    “For heroic achievement while serving as Platoon Commander with Company H, Second battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marine Division in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 22 April 1969, a squad-sized patrol from First Lieutenant Mueller’s platoon was heavily engaged by a large North Vietnamese Army foce in the northern sector of the I Corps Tactical Zone. Completely disregarding his own safety, First Lieutenant Mueller led the remainder of his platoon in an attempt to relieve the beleaguered squad. While approaching the designated area, the platoon came under a heavy volume of enemy fire from its right flank. Skillfully requesting and directing supporting Marine artillery fire on the enemy position, First Lieutenant Mueller ensured that fire superiority was gained over the hostile unit. Although seriously wounded during the fire fight, he resolutely maintained his position and, ably directing the fire of his platoon, was instrumental in defeating the North Vietnamese Army force. By his courage, aggressive leadership and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, First Lieutenant Mueller inspired all who observed him and upheld the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.”

    Dave (1bb933)

  19. @15. ‘Someone entirely new’ tops the poll…

    Memo to Oprah; your strategy is working.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  20. @21.The Pentagon Papers are a better read.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  21. @24

    You’re more likely to find Cadet Bonespurs’ exploits documented in the pages of Hustler.

    Dave (1bb933)

  22. Although, unlike Donald Trump, Larry Flynt served honorably.

    Dave (1bb933)

  23. Flynt was the radar operator on duty when the USS Enterprise recovered John Glenn’s spacecraft, BTW…

    Dave (1bb933)

  24. The story is almost certainly true. Or half true. Some details maybe weren’t given to the New York Times. Nobody seems to know the role Dr. Manny Weinstein played in this.

    The New York Times writes:

    One possible explanation that has been raised over the years, the Braunstein sisters said, is that Dr. Weinstein had a connection to the draft, as some private practitioners did. In fact, multiple doctors would have been involved in the final determination.

    Before people were inducted into the service, they underwent a physical exam overseen by military doctors, court records from that era show. Men could bring along documentation of medical concerns from private physicians. That information was presented at their exams and considered by a medical officer. Often, a civilian specialist working with the exam station would be asked to review the case and make a recommendation. A local draft board would finalize the man’s classification.

    It could be that Fred Trump found out that Dr Mannny Weinstein was known to
    was that specialist, and what I think could have hapepned is that he told Fred trump he needed another doctor to be the original examining physician and fred found him.

    Most Democrats opposed the Vietnam War and especially the draft and were willing to help out anyone. There was a point when students with good grades but not bad ones got draft exemotions
    and that resulted in a lot of A’s.

    I am reading now that a bone spur would create difficultly in walking which would explain why it was a disqualification.

    Now there is an important point here:

    The original source was someone who gave the New York Times a clue but did not name the doctor.

    How could anyone know all this without knowing the name of the foot doctor? I suspect someone with illegal access to government records, even though the New York Times says all such records are mostly gone. If not, the source is someone who knew this because of Dr Weinstein, not Dr. Braunstein. But the New York Times was contacted by somebody associated woth polictics

    I don’t think Donald Trump was the only person helped in this manner, and it’s possible the other doctor (Dr. Manny Weinstein) was key and he told Fred Trump he had to find someone else to say Donald Trump had a medical disability – then he could approve it.

    Donald Trump himself said in 2016 that the doctor wrote a very strong letter but the NYT thinks nobody but maybe Donald Trump’s lawyer(s) has the text any more.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  25. @27. BTW, the USS Noa, a destroyer, recovered Friendship 7 and Glenn, not the USS Enterprise.

    ‘The Gearing class destroyer USS Noa DD841 picks up astronaut John Glenn and capsule Friendship 7 on 20 February 1962. NOA was part of the US Atlantic Fleet NASA capsule recovery force and this was for the Project Mercury series.’
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaT_Oy2mCAQ

    The Enterprise practiced recovery prrocedures w/boilerplates.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  26. How could anyone know all this without knowing the name of the foot doctor? I suspect someone with illegal access to government records, even though the New York Times says all such records are mostly gone.

    You’re overcomplicating matters. NYT reporter decided to see what he could find out about Trump getting out of the draft. Trump is on record as saying what the reason was, so the most obvious thing is to go through city directories looking for doctors with obvious ties, then contacting them or their families (not necessarily an easy thing to do after such a long time period). Then, when he finds them, get them to tell him stories about the Trump connection….

    That doesn’t mean there is any truth to the story itself, of course.

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  27. 17. kishnevi (bb03e6) — 12/27/2018 @ 12:11 pm

    Also, consider this. If someone really has a bonespur, than the podiatrist is the obvious medical person to consult. It’s quite possible Trump had some sort of bonespur which he parlayed into a Get out of Draft card.

    Well, Fred Trump, when seeking a medical disability for his son would have wanted to start out with something that was a real problem. Otherwise, why pick the foot? Why not some other disability?

    On the otehr hand, it could be that a podiatrist was the only doctor Fred Trump knew who might help. And perhaps Fred Trump could have heard about this from a tenant. Or someone whom he dealt with.

    Now Dr Weinstein and Dr. Braunstein were friends. I think it’s probably Dr Weinstein who told him to go to Dr. Braunstein or perhaps the two had worked together previously in other cases. So that might be the reason it was a foot problem. the doctors couldn’t pverdo it, but they might help a few people who asked.

    I would not be surprised that Dr. Braunstein told close family members and friends about this. He would not have occasion to tell other people. Maybe a little bit when Donald Trump became famous but poeople weren’t terribly against Donald Trump before he died in 2007.

    Donald Trump was kind of famous then though – you can find asides – stray sentences – about Donald Trump in many books published in 2004, 2005 2006 and 2007.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  28. Thank you for the great post, Dana. A good balance with the previous, which I also enjoyed.

    Whether this account is true… We will never know. That many of the men who want or actually become the commander in chief, but never volunteered for military service… That we all know is real. Obama, Hillary, Mitt, Ted, Donald. A reflection of what matters to American voters. I’d take a few years enlistment over an extra MBA for our leaders to be well rounded, but the problem is deeper. The kind of people willing to serve are not the same people who put families through the politics grinder. And voters just don’t care anymore.

    Dustin (6d7686)

  29. kishnevi (bb03e6) — 12/27/2018 @ 1:18 pm

    NYT reporter decided to see what he could find out about Trump getting out of the draft. Trump is on record as saying what the reason was, so the most obvious thing is to go through city directories looking for doctors with obvious ties, then contacting them or their families (not necessarily an easy thing to do after such a long time period). Then, when he finds them, get them to tell him stories about the Trump connection….

    taht isn’t how the NYT says it happened.

    they had looked into it in the past but what started this again was…

    The Times began looking into Mr. Trump’s draft record anew when an anonymous tipster suggested that a podiatrist who was a commercial tenant of Fred Trump’s had provided the medical documentation.

    Key word: anew.

    This person who tipped off the NYT knew the doctor was a tenant, but had no idea of the name?? I think he either just wanted to make the reporter sweat a little and/or his ultimate source was Dr Weinstein – maybe someone who worked in his office.

    That doesn’t mean there is any truth to the story itself, of course.

    Well the thing is: Dinald trump does not have a serious foot problem – in walking – Trump says the doctor – the first doctor that would be – provided a “very strong letter”

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  30. Yes, it is a very smart conservative strategy to re-litigate Vietnam service 50-plus years on. Flavor it by celebrating the Confederacy, too! So pertinent for 21st century America heading to 2020.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  31. Trump humpers: This didn’t happen. You proved nothing.

    Me: Does it even concern you people that we elected someone for whom this scenario is even plausible?

    Gryph (08c844)

  32. handsy-handsy touch-touch Mitt Romney sure didn’t serve in no vietnam did he

    nope

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  33. 36. And Romney even had a binder full of women! What a jerk!/

    Gryph (08c844)

  34. very nasty many not not as nasty as these podiatrist girls

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  35. they wait over a decade after they got daddy in the ground and then squat down and pee pee all over his grave and tell the whirl he was a weak weak man and a sleazy dishonest treasonous doctor that sabotaged the war effort

    sweet girls these ones

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  36. very nasty many not not as nasty as these podiatrist girls

    ugh that was supposed to say very nasty *man but* not as nasty as these podiatrist girls

    i have a replacement keyboard i just need to hook it up

    this one is new but it sucks

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  37. Say, Patterico, is it rude for me to buy this item and have you forward it to the person who most needs it right now?

    https://www.amazon.com/NoCry-Professional-Comfortable-Adjustable-Easy-Fix/dp/B01N0O7CT0/ee+pads

    Simon Jester (984e98)

  38. Meanwhile….

    “Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said authorities identified but won’t yet name the man who killed Cpl. Ronil Singh of the small-town Newman Police Department. Authorities said they believe he’s still in the area some 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco and is armed and dangerous.

    “This suspect … is in our country illegally. He doesn’t belong here. He is a criminal,” Christianson, whose agency is leading the investigation, told reporters.

    Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson fought back tears as he described Singh, a 33-year-old native of Fiji with a newborn son, as an “American patriot.”

    “He came to America with one purpose, and that was to serve this country,” Richardson said.

    https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article223610405.html#storylink=cpy

    harkin (d82f96)

  39. that’s where i got my sucky keyboard from

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  40. harkin (d82f96) — 12/27/2018 @ 2:41 pm

    In addition, the murdered cop left a wife and 5 month old son. How’s that for sad?

    ColoComment (943515)

  41. “Flat feet” used to be enough for someone to be disqualified. But that maybe wasn’t working any more

    I found this:

    http://www.city-data.com/forum/military-life-issues/2235616-when-did-having-flat-feet-not.html

    Apparent;y it was a disqulifier during World War II, but not by the mid to late 1960s. It was actually a medical error that got established somehow.

    https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=262825

    ….My grandfather and his 5 brothers were all rejected from WWI for flat feet, and pretty much told to go back to the farm.

    The restriction as been dropped from U.S. military requirments, and several studies have been made that show that flat feet are everything from a non-significant risk, to an actual benefit for marching.

    You also have to remember that the cuture was different, back WWI and WWII. Although there were jokes about people getting excused from service for fake flat feet, for many people it was an absolutly cruching blow that they wouldn’t be allowed to serve (My grandfather and brothers never forgave the army for refusing them.)

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  42. It occurred to me that this is a true nothingburger. We already knew the basics of the story, from that well known FakeNewsSource Donald J Trump Sr. The only novelty now is the identity of the MD who signed the appropriate medical papers.

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  43. Everybody is talking about how plausible it is for Trump the father and Trump the son to have done that.
    What makes it plausible for me is that the doctors accused of
    1) violation their codes of professional and medical ethics, and
    2) committing federal and state crimes, for
    3) whatever pecuniary consideration they got from Fred Trump,
    are named Braunstein and Weinstein. Who else would love a nickel so much?

    No, not really, just making a point. The sh!t doesn’t smell as good when you stir it, does it?

    nk (dbc370)

  44. Donald trump mentioned in book circa 2005-2009

    The Tyranny of E-Mail by John Freeman (Scribner 2009) page 125:

    …according to AOL, whc=ich blocked 1.5 billion spam messages a day in 2006, the most common jun e-mil subject line was: “Donald trump wants you, please respond.”

    The BEst Science and Nature Writing 2006 by Brian Greene (Houghton Mifflin2006) , page 162 (reprint of a May 2005 Atlantic Monthly article called “The Coming Death Shortage)

    If high level antiaging therapy were expensive enough, it could become aperk for movie stars, politicians and CEOs….Donald trump. a 108-year old multibillionaire in 2054, will be firing the children of the apprenticxes he fired in 2004.

    The Madoff Chronicles by Brian Ross (Hyerion 2009) page 168-9)

    “Unfortunately, about 40 percent of the people at the party had been ripped off by Madoff,” said Trump, who was also there that night. “When he walked in theer were a lot of angry eyes.

    So when he said taht to Megyn Kelly, it wasn’t a reference to menstruation

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  45. OT:

    https://pjmedia.com/trending/ohio-heartbeat-bill-goes-down-in-flames-after-gops-side-with-kasich-planned-parenthood-and-democrats/

    More pretend Republicans who vote as Republicans when it doesn’t count, but defend and vote their true party, the left, when it does count. Pure theater.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  46. well he listens to john weaver, who has led many candidacies to crash and burn, well he still gets paid that’s what mattered, ahia that’s something else again.

    narciso (d1f714)

  47. Or maybe Kasich and others don’t think SCOTUS would actually overrule Roe v Wade, and until it does any court would rule this law unconstitutional.

    BTW pjmedia, or its source, seems to have gotten the science a little wrong. It’s not the presence of a heartbeat (which is what the article seems to imply) but the rate at which the heart beats that can predict miscarriages,

    https://www.babymed.com/can-fetal-heart-rate-predict-miscarriage

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  48. 53
    Narciso, you know Mr Huma Abedin had to be connected to this somehow.

    Although it is amusing that none of the tweets embedded there seem to have considered the possibility that the selfie, if it exists, is of a woman.

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  49. Planned parenthood had fusion running interference re stem Express, why does moloch need more sacrifices.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  50. Kishnevi,

    I’m not bothering with Kasich. He’s a fake and a fraud. It’s not up to him to “predict” how the court will rule and then run interference for them. That’s what Roberts does.

    I’m referencing the fraud Bill Beagle who voted for the bill until it came down to his vote to override the veto, then that sweet sweet baby murder money came to the rescue and he decide to vote with Planned Parenthood (*sic) instead of for life.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  51. And the other frauds that sided with Moloch.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  52. It’s not up to him to “predict” how the court will rule and then run interference for them. That’s what Roberts does.

    The governor of Ohio takes an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, so in fact it *is* up to him to veto legislation that violates it.

    I’m referencing the fraud Bill Beagle who voted for the bill until it came down to his vote to override the veto, then that sweet sweet baby murder money came to the rescue and he decide to vote with Planned Parenthood (*sic) instead of for life.

    Do you have any evidence that he changed his vote due to receiving money from pro-abortion groups?

    Dave (1bb933)

  53. Rob, no need to predict anything. The law would flatly contradict one of the central points in Roe, and upholding the law would require overturning Roe.

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  54. The machinery of death, must go forth like the tanks in terminator, rob.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  55. OT but for sharing a stat with the President and celebrating Life…I didnt know Eddie Murphy was on his 10th kid, born 3 weeks ago and putting his generational span at 29 years, the same span as between Don Jr. and Barron.

    urbanleftbehind (7ef8f9)

  56. Julio Iglesias Sr. has them both beat on span if not numbers. Sixty (yes 60) years between Julio Jr. and Jaime.

    nk (dbc370)

  57. “Me: Does it even concern you people that we elected someone for whom this scenario is even plausible?”
    Gryph (08c844) — 12/27/2018 @ 2:01 pm

    Should it concern me that we confirmed a Supreme Court justice accused by multiple women of sexual assault and gang rape?

    Munroe (8859ef)

  58. Rob, no need to predict anything. The law would flatly contradict one of the central points in Roe, and upholding the law would require overturning Roe.

    Kishnevi (b66096) — 12/27/2018 @ 5:31 pm

    Roe is no more constitutional than Dred Scott and deserves the same repudiation.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  59. It was a cottage industry back then. Meh. There’s a reason we ended the draft.

    Kevin M (cb624b)

  60. And the dems keep floating trial balloons to bring it back.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  61. Should it concern me that we confirmed a Supreme Court justice accused by multiple women of sexual assault and gang rape?

    Should it concern YOU that we elected a President who was accused by several women on sexual assault and rape? Does it bother you that these women had made contemporaneous complaints and had physical evidence? Des it even phase you that when he lied about it on camera, under oath, you supported him still?

    As opposed to someone who comes up with this at an opportunistic time with no evidence? I’d think even you could see the difference here.

    Kevin M (cb624b)

  62. 63…sheeeeet, that beats Anthony Quinn (55 years between eldest/youngest sons)

    urbanleftbehind (7ef8f9)

  63. So this outfit was funded by Russian connected figures
    https://mobile.twitter.com/jeffgiesea/status/1078406147298729984

    Narciso (d1f714)

  64. More pretend Republicans who vote as Republicans when it doesn’t count, but defend and vote their true party, the left, when it does count. Pure theater.

    The bill was patently and obviously unconstitutional, especially if an abortion would be banned at six weeks like this one. Other bills in other states have been struck down for longer gestational periods. Like with presidents, governors take oaths to defend and uphold the Constitution.

    Paul Montagu (de1def)

  65. “Des it even phase you that when he lied about it on camera, under oath, you supported him still?”
    Kevin M (cb624b) — 12/27/2018 @ 6:27 pm

    How odd to be accused of supporting Slick Willy. I feel violated.

    Munroe (774388)

  66. Have you looked at anything coming out of California or New York or Connecticut,

    Narciso (d1f714)

  67. Very little evidence is required, take this Prague chestnut.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  68. The bill was patently and obviously unconstitutional, especially if an abortion would be banned at six weeks like this one. Other bills in other states have been struck down for longer gestational periods. Like with presidents, governors take oaths to defend and uphold the Constitution.

    Paul Montagu (de1def) — 12/27/2018 @ 6:39 pm

    Why hello Bird Dog.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  69. Roe is no more constitutional than Dred Scott and deserves the same repudiation.

    I didn’t say it shouldn’t be overturned.
    But in cold hard fact it is as constitutional as Heller, Citizens United, and Hobby Lobby, all three of which read into the Constitution alleged rights that would have astonished the Founders.

    (Same applies to a number of decisions that enshrined Leftist dogmas, of course.)

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  70. Is abortion an inalienable right?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  71. Why hello Bird Dog.

    Hello back. You don’t have to like it, but the Supreme Court has ruled more than once and it’s the law of the land, and a bright line was drawn at 20 weeks. Elected officials who swore an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution know better than to waste the courts’ time, only to expect the law to be struck down. So as it was, the bill was basic political posturing with no productive result.

    Paul Montagu (de1def)

  72. This would be the appropriate response to their CAGW dogma Narciso.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2018/12/26/will-be-first-year-with-no-violent-tornadoes-united-states/

    Useful since they claim every natural disaster means CAGW is happening NOW and we must destroy our lives to stop it.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  73. They dont make the connection, but the times is like a brainslug in many college classes its required reading. There is little counter unless one actively looks for it.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  74. Hello back. You don’t have to like it, but the Supreme Court has ruled more than once and it’s the law of the land, and a bright line was drawn at 20 weeks. Elected officials who swore an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution know better than to waste the courts’ time, only to expect the law to be struck down. So as it was, the bill was basic political posturing with no productive result.

    Paul Montagu (de1def) — 12/27/2018 @ 7:31 pm

    Telling society and the Supreme Court that we will defend innocent life is political posturing with no productive result?

    Interesting thought process. I disagree.

    After all, these are just “yet to be born citizens” using the equivalent terminology of the left.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  75. Mostly likely dread pirate Roberts@mark o, would refuse the cert petition.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  76. Is abortion an inalienable right?

    You can look it at in several ways. If the government has no right to interfere in private medical decisions, abortion should be legal and Obamacare should not be legal.

    Alternatively, abortion is the Left’s equivalent of the RKBA: each enshrines the right of the individual to terminate the life of another human being at their sole discretion.

    (Take comfort in the fact that saying those things on Twitter to lefties made them apoplectic.)

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  77. Telling society and the Supreme Court that we will defend innocent life is political posturing with no productive result?

    In the context of conservatives who airily dismiss minority concerns about police brutality and the pervasive residue of racism as racebaiting, whi think immigrants come here only because they want to take advantage of our welfare system, that one’s ability to obtain health care should be limited according to one’s ability to obtain financial backing, that one’s influence in politics should be limited only by the amount of money you can spend, that we should not eliminate capital punishment, that foreigners have no rights we need to take notice of…
    Well, yes, if it’s not posturing, it is at least highly selective application of the idea that all human lives are of equal value.

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  78. Almost everyone of those are a left touchstone, so accidental death of some is equivalent to generations of deliberate annihilation, reasonable requirements on legal immigrants is verboten, well we did see in 2008 and 2012 what disparities in campaign funding did, curiously not in 2016 (must be the Russians) tearing down the entire HeAlthcare system for the benefit of one cohort.

    narciso (d1f714)

  79. No, Narciso, they are all instances in which the Right’s position contradicts the principle that all humans are equal. And several boil down to the idea that the only valid measure of a person’s worth is their wealth.

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  80. Mind you, this a good part of the subtext of this attack, you think if trumps policies were pro abortion, the times and half a dozen other publication would put this much effort, you might Nina burleigh that question?

    narciso (d1f714)

  81. And the Right’s position on immigration is not reasonable restriction. The Right’s position is that immigration should be actively dusvouraged. You know as well as I that for some Trumpists, the Fijian police officer was as unwelcome as the man who killed him.

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  82. Ah that chimera, is that why the EU is close to splintery g apart, because they want to take everyone from the third world whether they have resources enough or not,

    narciso (d1f714)

  83. Which is why they dont want the UK to break free, well that has been the dream of tyrants going back to napoleon If not farther back.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  84. And Greenpeace pushes to reinstate the hated carbon tax that set Paris ablaze.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  85. Narciso at 89
    Yes, they would.
    First off, abortion is the focus of radical feminism. Fir the rest of the Left it is dogma that is not challenged, but not a focus .
    Second, the corruption and incompetence of Trump by itself should have every person on this blog working to get rid of him, if only to ensure that the Right is represented by a person who understands what the word integrity means.

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  86. Which is why they dont want the UK to break free, well that has been the dream of tyrants going back to napoleon If not farther back.

    Yes, just ignore the fact that half the UK wants to stay in the EU.

    Kishnevi (7289ba)

  87. I dont see any active resistance by any other part of the left coalition, even though blacks and Latinos are more directly targeted by abortion, as Margaret sanger intended.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  88. Yes but is labeled as a good for reasons, ignoring the fact that Englishman once upon a time would have gone to war to prevent this prussian subjugation.

    Which incompetence Ryan’s sabotage of the promise he had made for eight years, or was it Mccain flake and murkowskis cabal in the senate.

    narciso (d1f714)

  89. Oh we haven’t gone to war with Russia, which could escalate into a nuclear conflict, because one entitled pol had her emails hacked, was that it?

    narciso (d1f714)

  90. Yes get rid of trump and all strife will cease, its throwing more bait to the crocodile we’ve seen this movie before

    narciso (d1f714)

  91. Brexit was such a good idea that the party dedicated to it (UKIP) collapsed immediately after their success, and the majority of its leadership is no longer part of the government.

    Davethulhu (9a0ae2)

  92. I’ll admit tom price was a dissapointment, he did live up to the hype, he left little evidence he was even in office.

    narciso (d1f714)

  93. The stories won their majority in it, and proceeded to squander any good will from the people, but may was never for it.

    narciso (d1f714)

  94. Pruitt, did leave a mark, no matter how matter how many saboteurs had bore into the bureaucracy.

    narciso (d1f714)

  95. There is no basis in reality, in nature, in history, in law, in tradition, in customs and folkways, for the proposition that all humans are equal. It is a sleight of words, like “genuine faux fur” and “rich Corinthian leather” not to mention “jumbo shrimp” and “military intelligence”.

    At best, within the context of the Declaration of Independence, it is an aspiration that all men are equal when it comes to granting their consent to the just powers of their government. And even that aspiration was not, in the end, put to practice in the Constitution. Or “all other persons” would not have been counted as three-fifths of a person, every state would not have two Senators regardless of population and, should you wish, Presidents would not need to have attained the age of thirty-five years, Senators thirty, and Representatives twenty-five, and have been x number of years citizens of the United States.

    nk (dbc370)

  96. And nobody should give a hoot about Brexit. It’s not our problem. It’s the Brits’ problem. Let’s be grateful for America’s Brexit in 1776 from that miserable slave state.

    And for William Shakespeare, its only worthwhile contribution to humanity and the only justification for its existence.

    nk (dbc370)

  97. It’s an imperfect analog, but remember how cambridge analytica was destroyed because of it, its was steeles first sign of agita

    Narciso (d1f714)

  98. Ot who though a pg or pg 13 deadpool was a,good idea?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  99. I guess the same people who thought Holmes and Watson should be greenlighted?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  100. Quite honestly, I think the Family Guy rendition of Deadpool (Not For The Faint Of Heart!) is as good as any of the comics and better than either of the movies.

    nk (dbc370)

  101. Well I only saw the first one and that was because it was a free preview, I wasnt tempted the see the second nor justice league.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  102. And nobody should give a hoot about Brexit. It’s not our problem. It’s the Brits’ problem. Let’s be grateful for America’s Brexit in 1776 from that miserable slave state.

    I love the touching break-up song (“You’ll Be Back”) sung by George III in Hamilton:

    You say
    The price of my love’s not a price that you’re willing to pay
    You cry
    In your tea which you hurl in the sea when you see me go by
    Why so sad?
    Remember we made an arrangement when you went away
    Now you’re making me mad
    Remember, despite our estrangement, I’m your man
    You’ll be back, soon you’ll see
    You’ll remember you belong to me
    You’ll be back, time will tell
    You’ll remember that I served you well
    Oceans rise, empires fall
    We have seen each other through it all
    And when push comes to shove
    I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love!

    Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
    Da da dat dat da ya da!
    Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
    Da da dat dat da…

    You say our love is draining and you can’t go on
    You’ll be the one complaining when I am gone…
    And no, don’t change the subject
    Cuz you’re my favorite subject
    My sweet, submissive subject
    My loyal, royal subject
    Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever…

    You’ll be back like before
    I will fight the fight and win the war
    For your love, for your praise
    And I’ll love you till my dying days
    When you’re gone, I’ll go mad
    So don’t throw away this thing we had
    Cuz when push comes to shove
    I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love

    Dave (1bb933)

  103. D’oh, sorry, here’s the start of the song.

    Dave (1bb933)

  104. If the Brits actually thought that there would be a “soft Brexit, that the EU would not make it as painful for them as possible if for no other reason than to discourage other countries from leaving, then they’re more stupid than their royal family.

    nk (dbc370)

  105. Probably, but may didn’t have go with a ransom of red chief affair.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  106. 50 years had passed, now they could say whatever they want.

    gmail login mail (faa80f)

  107. Telling society and the Supreme Court that we will defend innocent life is political posturing with no productive result?

    You can tell them all you want, but you’re still wasting the courts’ time. Last summer, Alabama tried to illegalize abortion after 15 weeks and it was struck down. How could illegalizing the act after 6 weeks be any more constitutional?

    Paul Montagu (2cadd3)

  108. Paul Montagu (2cadd3) — 12/27/2018 @ 11:28 pm

    We don’ need no STEENKIN’ logic…

    Dave (1bb933)

  109. Kishnevi (#77):

    While the “Founders” wrote the Constitution, they did write the Bill of Rights, which was a different set of folks. And even that group never intended their rights to apply to State Governments. It was the 14th Amendment that did that.

    So the astonishment of the founders is a rhetorical trope that I wish would go away. I like the concept of originalism. But a lot of our constitutional text comes from authors other than Hamilton, Madison and Jay.

    Appalled (c9622b)

  110. 120. And might I add while we’re at it, the founders never intended the supreme court to be able to define and remodel the constitution in the way which they do.

    The framers were mostly (but not all) Federalists, and federalists were against the adoption of the bill of rights because they did not see the need to deny the government authority that they were not proactively given (cf. subsidiarity). It was the anti-federalists, the folks who lobbied against ratification of the constitution, who wanted the bill of rights, and the bill of rights was a bone the federalists finally tossed to them in order to ensure the constitution’s ratification in anti-federalist states.

    Gryph (08c844)

  111. Yesterday in The Nation, Sarah Lindemann-Komarova revealed herself as either naive or an agent her ownself the way she portrayed Russian spy Maria Butina as an “NGO activist”. Ms. Butina did the bidding of one Putin’s pet oligarchs, therefore she was agent for Putin, but curious how Ms. Lindemann-Komarova made not one mention Alexander Torshin, her sanctioned billionaire benefactor.
    Today, we learned that Russian TV is giving Ms. Butina a big media makeover, that she was a “#MeToo movement victim“.

    Paul Montagu (c0e0d4)

  112. And khashoggi was an unregistered agent of Qatar which is in league with the Taliban and Hamas, that’s a bigger concern.

    Narciso (54e0c1)

  113. “The KGB will always be with you.” It’s in the Russian version of the New Testament, I think.

    nk (dbc370)

  114. The oprichna its been the third section, okrana cheka mgb KGB and now fsb,

    Narciso (54e0c1)

  115. We studied the Rudolf Abel case in law school, in Evidence or Trial Practice. In the paranoia prevalent at the time, people were tried (and convicted?) only because he had evinced interest in them even though there was no proof that they had shown any interest in him. Today, in place of Commies-under-our-beds paranoia, we have Trump Derangement Syndrome.

    nk (dbc370)

  116. No he ran an entire network in the states, so trading him for Gary powers seems to have been a bad trade.

    Narciso (54e0c1)

  117. You think this is going to stick to the Teflon Don? Think again my friend.

    JRH (fe281f)

  118. It’s a rumor, with no proof, at least rather preferred a document.

    Narciso (54e0c1)

  119. it’s like how Mitt Romney gave that chick cancer to where she died

    except for this is more about feet

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  120. If he is wise, Happyfeet, he will defy any call to check his heels…they got Bob Marley through his feet, specifically the big toe.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  121. New nickname for Cadet Bonespurs!

    “unhappyfeet”

    Dave (1bb933)

  122. all the soldiers think very highly of President Trump because he’s got the leadership and the vision to help the military recover from its decline into corruption and incompetence

    and i love him too even though I’m not a soldier

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  123. i got soul but

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  124. @128. Without a ‘bad guy’ of some kind to ‘rail and war’ against, American society would turn on itself and collapse from within. It needs a perpetual foe in any guise you can imagine. War on poverty; war on drugs; war on illegals; war on Reds; war on race; war on fat… War of the Worlds… Battle of the Network Stars…

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  125. I find it odd that some people can claim to be Republicans, or even right of center, yet quote without any skepticism the wildest rantings of the Democrat left, so long as the rants are about Trump.

    Kevin M (cb624b)

  126. Well there is a whole host that pretend to be Republicans, pikachu seems from the denis Leary party back in the mid 90s.

    Narciso (b69dc9)

  127. Another whitewash from The Nation. Yesterday, they were trying to rehabilitate a Russian spy, portraying her as an “NGO activist”. Today, they’re downtalking the extent and cost of Putin’s media and social media influence operation. Curious. Maybe they’re taking a page from Glennwald.

    Paul Montagu (c0e0d4)

  128. Agreed Kevin.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  129. “Today, they’re downtalking the extent and cost of Putin’s media and social media influence operation. Curious. Maybe they’re taking a page from Glennwald.”
    Paul Montagu (c0e0d4) — 12/29/2018 @ 8:39 am

    Yeah, why downplay it when overhyping it can get you votes?

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/reid-hoffman-alabama-special-election-senate-race-russia-interference-disinformation-linkedin-a8700941.html

    Munroe (b22c42)

  130. Seeing as the times writer had been at a conference call at the time of the event

    Narciso (db82a6)

  131. Yeah, why downplay it when overhyping it can get you votes?

    I’m not even sure what that means. My point is about calling it out, whether by Putineers or left-wing hacks, not downtalking or “overhyping”.

    Paul Montagu (c0e0d4)

  132. Another Putin connection to Manafort: Viktor Boyarkin, probable spy and Deripaska’s debt collector.

    Paul Montagu (c0e0d4)

  133. An official at rusal, the company being repped by mercury partners which has not been charged for failure to file paperwork

    Narciso (c99e1e)

  134. Trump’s moronic trade sanctions on US producers go into effect

    Dave (1bb933)

  135. Trump did not impose sanctions on U.S. producers. A bunch of short people in Asia did and only if you want to stretch the point. Actually, all they did was continue with tariffs they were already imposing on our products. Why are you trying to fool us like that, Mr. Dave? Is it because you think we’re morons?

    nk (dbc370)

  136. There was an agreement with the short people to remove the sanctions. Trump tore it up with his tiny little fingers.

    If he hadn’t, our producers would now have the same deal as their competitors. Instead, thanks to Trump, they have a worse deal.

    Calling them “sanctions” was intended to be ironic/humorous.

    Dave (1bb933)

  137. Calling them “sanctions” was intended to be ironic/humorous.

    Ah! I get it. Like when a woman accosted Winston Churchill and told him, “Mr. Churchill, I like neither your politics nor your moustache”, and Churchill replied, “Get stuffed!”.

    nk (dbc370)

  138. Zany mad cap humor, so did time or business insider just print out the latest fusion lesflet.

    Narciso (1208a7)

  139. nk (dbc370) — 12/29/2018 @ 7:16 pm

    Exactly like that, but different.

    Dave (1bb933)

  140. Just shadows on the wall:

    https://www.americanthinker.com/

    Narciso (613192)

  141. John Kelly admits that Trump’s fake wall is fake:

    “To be honest, it’s not a wall,” Kelly said.

    Dave (1bb933)

  142. Fake Melania puts in another appearance, too, complete with sunglasses in the middle of the night!

    🙂

    Dave (1bb933)

  143. Narciso (613192) — 12/30/2018 @ 5:51 am

    Which article were you referring to, Narciso?

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  144. So why not vote for it, what’s the harm?

    Narciso (4ea712)

  145. So why not vote for it, what’s the harm?

    Because it means wasting money on Trump’s wasteful program, and not on a Democratic wasterful program.

    kishnevi (bb03e6)

  146. The one at the top,

    Narciso (4ea712)

  147. An actual construction program fancy that, unlike the trillion dollar vapor ware stimulus. Now they dont want to do any about sanctuary cities either.

    Narciso (4ea712)

  148. So why not vote for it, what’s the harm?

    159. kishnevi (bb03e6) — 12/30/2018 @ 11:52 am

    Because it means wasting money on Trump’s wasteful program, and not on a Democratic wasterful program.

    That’s never been an obstacle to earmarks.

    If that was the reason, as opposed to an argument (even a valid argument) being made to Republicans and others, a compromise would be easy – spend money also on some Democrat-backed project Trump considers wasteful or are not interested in. Maybe add money for Gateway or simply raising the pay of federal workers.

    That’s how compromises over spending are resolved in a legislature. One side considers one proposal wasteful, the other considers the others side’s proposal worthless; they compromise by allocating money for both.

    161. Narciso (4ea712) — 12/30/2018 @ 11:54 am

    An actual construction program fancy that, unlike the trillion dollar vapor ware stimulus.

    Now the truth is, that’s not “shovel ready” either in part because of legal obstacles that Scalise says the House bill repealed (without describing what environmental protections etc it would override)

    Trump has now resorted to conceding it is symbolic because the Honduran migranst he says can
    t get in any way, but says this symbolism would deter them from trying/

    Now they dont want to do any about sanctuary cities either.

    yes they do. They want to protext them. Now the killer of the cop in calif was not prot3cted by that – therefore he tried to shoot his way out of things.

    ///

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  149. Duh, you can wrangle the Michigan caucus, even the Muslim lady, by throwing some bonesvon the Flint Water System.

    urbanleftbehind (8241bf)

  150. i would like to make a comment please Mr. Patterico

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  151. i kind of know what it is but if it just goes into moderation then is it really worth all the effort

    maybe sometimes yes and sometimes no i guess

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  152. I think we should call it meet the deranged:

    https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/30/michael-bloomberg-climate-change/

    narciso (d1f714)

  153. I have unmoderated you. Nothing in the thread about Bre Payton.

    Patterico (96650c)

  154. thank you Mr. Patterico I won’t let you down

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  155. let’s make it a new year’s resolution

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  156. I wouldn’t bet money on it,

    Narciso (b6aad3)

  157. “That’s how compromises over spending are resolved in a legislature. One side considers one proposal wasteful, the other considers the others side’s proposal worthless; they compromise by allocating money for both.”

    The Democrats were willing to give $25 billion for the wall in exchange for DACA stuff earlier this year, but President Bigly Deals turned it down.

    Davethulhu (9a0ae2)

  158. “Daca drove the first immigrant wave”

    Well, the wall will stop that, right?

    Davethulhu (9a0ae2)

  159. The same mindset has scuttled the keystone pipeline, if it’s anything constructive it’s not allowed, if it destroys institutions by all means

    Narciso (b6aad3)

  160. OT, but all kinds of weird, one might say misplaced priorities, plus recognizing Jerusalem as the true capital may not be a get out of jail card: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-arrests-jewish-sect-members-kidnapping-children-065513520.html

    urbanleftbehind (8241bf)

  161. Guatemalas ties to Israel go back nearly 40 years, when the us got squeamish supporting that regime, Israel stepped in.

    Narciso (b6aad3)

  162. Lev Ahor is essence a cult. What actually lies behind that story is that the daughter and son of the cult’s founder (who died a little while ago) arguing. The daughter thinks her brother is too extreme.

    One reason they ended up in Guatemala is that the cult was trying to avoid interference by the Israeli government, IIRC.

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  163. Lev is the founders name, derivation of leo?

    Narciso (b6aad3)

  164. In Hebrew Lev is the word for heart, which in biblical terms in the seat of the soul.
    Try Psalms 51:10 and 24:4.

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  165. What’s the acronym for not ontopic, but still relevant?
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/opinions/i-filed-one-of-the-83-dismissed-misconduct-complaints-against-brett-kavanaugh-heres-why/2018/12/30/a1ecf1da-0a19-11e9-88e3-989a3e456820_story.html

    Useful if anyone tells you BK had 83 misconduct complaints: they were all just partisan sniping. And the writer seems not to understand that the Constitution provides the appropriate remedy, impeachment, if the charges truly warrant it.

    Kishnevi (b66096)

  166. The daughter’s story is interesting—but not dispositive. Back in 1969 I was both a member of the California National Guard and a young associate in a large Southern California law firm. I “got the duty” of dealing with young men (usually the sons of either wealthy clients or employees of clients) who had received a draft notice or a classification of 1-A and feared that they would be drafted.

    Future liberal legal icon Michael Tigar created a loose leaf service called “Selective Service Law Reporter”. It was an interesting time. Before the Viet Nam buildup draft boards across the country pretty much did things their own way. As long as they were drafting pimply faced kids from lower income families nobody much cared. Middle class and upper middle class kids had all sorts of deferments–student deferments for those in college, marital deferments (Kennedy Husbands) and parental deferments (Kennedy fathers). If the draft boards screwed up (and they regularly did) and failed to follow their own regulations nothing much happened–the kid got drafted and that was it. And until September 1, 1965 (when the marital deferment ended) you could stack those deferments until you were 26. After you hit 26 the Selective Service by and large wasn’t going to draft you–you’d moved into a less desirable age classification, although theoretically you could be drafted until age 35.

    But when little Johnny Gotbucks, or Sam the upwardly mobile student got an induction notice, they ran to their family’s or employers lawyers. And the lawyer would look to see if the Selective Service had followed its own regulations. If there was a slipup (and Rose Bird, the dear old biddy that had run the San Diego Selective Service office couldn’t find the regulation book with both hands and a seeing eye dog) then the lawyer marched off to the Federal District court and got an injunction vitiating the induction notice. That happened all over the country. Tigar’s Selective Service Law Reporter reported each such District court decision. General Lewis Hershey–a rather superannuated gentleman–ran the Selective Service System. He solved the problem in a simple fashion. If some local Selective Service board had failed to comply with a regulation–resulting in an injunction against the induction notice, he simply withdrew the regulation. It was like pruning a tree, one regulatory leaf at a time. By the time he, the local Boards, and the draft lawyers were done, the danged tree was stripped naked. There were no regulations left.

    The ultimate solution was to dispense with all those regulations and have a draft lottery–which came about circa 1970 or 1971. If the lottery ball for your birthdate was #1, you were going to get drafted–plain and simply. If it was #100 or higher, you could –if you were Billy Jeff Clinton–go back to fornicating with the local roundheels, secure in the knowledge that you were going to be drafted.

    Now as for the bone spurs story. Bone spurs were one of the medical conditions which would cause you to fail your induction physical. If you had them, the military did not want you. That’s just the fact. You would be rated 4-F. Flat feet were another condition. Dental and hearing problems and other diseases would disqualify you. Spinal curvature would get you classed 4-F. I won’t say that the list was long, but there were 20 or 30 conditions that would get you a 4-F–and out of the draft.

    When you got an induction notice, you went for a physical before an Army doctor (or a doctor under contract to the Army). And since there were 50 or 60 different medical examining stations, results and standards would vary. Not all doctors diagnose identical conditions in the same way. Tigar’s Selective Service Law Reporter also identified examining stations that were particularly “favorable” for different medical conditions. So if your client had a hearing problem you might want to steer him to an induction center in Wyoming for his medical exam. It’s been almost 50 years and I’ve forgotten where you sent a kid who claimed he had bone spurs–and who had a letter from his doctor saying he had bone spurs. The examining doc might accept the letter–or he might make his own diagnosis. But if the examining doc agreed that Donny Bone Spurs had Bone Spurs–then Trump was 4-F. Get over it.

    Mike Myers (9d65cd)

  167. Oops–need to edit that last post. Billy Jeff had a high lottery number. He could fornicate at leisure knowing he was NOT going to be drafted.

    Mike Myers (9d65cd)


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