Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
Asking the question; nothing but crickets:
Egypt, Jordan, I mean, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, all these countries that prepare–that talk about how much they care about the Palestinians, they could help right now. They could help the Palestinians escape. They could say okay, stop bombing and we will go in there and we will help Gaza, like, become a thriving society. They could do all sorts of things. They have money, by the way. Where are they?
Of course we already know the answer…
Second news item
No House speaker in sight yet :
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) dropped out of the race for the House speakership on Thursday after failing to secure enough votes…
“Our conference still has to come together and it’s not there. There are still some people that have their own agendas and I was very clear, we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs. This country is counting on us to come back together. This House of Representatives needs a speaker and we need to open up the House again.”
Just how bad are things in the House? Brett Baier of Fox News tells us:
“I’ve talked to a lot of people up there, you know, private conversations on background,” Baier said. “A number of them told me crazy things, saying that probably Jesus of Nazareth could not get 217 votes right now.”
Thus, Republicans are turning to Democrats for help.
Third news item
The former leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, called for Muslims across the globe to head to the squares and streets this Friday and protest in support of Palestinians and for neighboring countries to join the battle against Israel.
In a recorded statement sent to Reuters, Meshaal is heard saying, “[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday.”
In his statement, he told Muslims the people and government officials in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan have a responsibility to support Palestinians, as the vast majority of Palestinian refugees call Jordan and Lebanon home.
“Tribes of Jordan, sons of Jordan, brothers and sisters of Jordan…This is a moment of truth and the borders are close to you, you all know your responsibility…To all scholars who teach jihad… to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application (of theories),” Meshaal said.
Meshaal‘a comments are being taken seriously:
Local and federal law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are stepping up their patrols of Jewish houses of worship, Jewish-owned businesses and Israeli diplomatic buildings as calls for attacks on the Jewish community in the U.S. intensify online.
Fourth news item
Yes:
Belgium, where most frozen Russian central bank assets are held, expects to collect 2.3 billion euros ($2.4 billion) in taxes on the assets and use them to help reconstruct Ukraine, a spokesperson for Belgium’s prime minister said on October 11. The European Union and the Group of Seven (G7) have been discussing whether they could use the interest paid on more than 300 billion euros of frozen Russian public money to fund Ukraine. The European Commission said in July it would present a proposal on whether there was a legally sound way to use the funds once the G7 agreed.
Fifth news item
Good:
The United States and Qatar have agreed to block Iran’s access to $6 billion in funds recently transferred to the nation as part of a deal between Washington and Tehran that led to the release of five imprisoned Americans from Iran last month.
Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury secretary, told House Democrats on Thursday that Iran would no longer have access to the funds, according to a person familiar with the matter. The money was under close supervision and strict conditions that it be used only for humanitarian purposes.
The move comes amid harsh criticism, mainly from Republicans, that the Biden administration gave Iran access to a vast sum that freed up other funds for Tehran to provide support to Hamas before its attack on Israel over the weekend.
Sixth news item
Irate in the wake of a brutal assault by Hamas fighters that has pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden together, Donald Trump is lashing out with pointed criticism of Netanyahu and his government.
An adviser to Netanyahu said there had been no outreach by Trump in the wake of the attacks. Instead, Trump has leveled repeated broadsides at the leader of a close U.S. ally in remarks on the campaign trail as he seeks a return to the White House.
He’s pissed off because Bibi praised Biden and the Biden White House for being supportive,” said a former Trump adviser, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.
Seventh news item
Palestinians began a mass exodus from northern Gaza Friday after Israel’s military told some 1 million people to evacuate toward the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group.
The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse — almost half the Gaza population — would be calamitous, and it urged Israel to reverse the order. Families in cars, trucks and donkey carts packed with blankets and possessions streamed down a main road out of Gaza City, the biggest city, even as Israeli strikes hammered neighborhoods in southern Gaza.
This is tragic, no matter how you look at it. There will be collateral damage in great numbers. Maybe Hamas should release the hostages, stop using civilians, including children as shields, stop commandeering and destroying necessary Palestinian infrastructure for their own terroristic uses, and most importantly, stop trying to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.
—Dana
Good morning.
Dana (699203) — 10/13/2023 @ 9:13 amThat’s our Donnie! His foreign policy is “Do you like me? Do you really, really like me?”
nk (fcebe2) — 10/13/2023 @ 9:28 amLOL!
As I said earlier, if Mike Rogers wants a favor from the Democrats, blaming them for “(putting) us in this ditch” by voting against McCarthy as Speaker is not the way to go about it. What does Rogers think the role of a minority party should be-bail out the majority for a stupid decision? If Rogers was serious, it should be the Republicans offering concessions first, to entice the Democrats to agree, not the other way around. If the roles were reversed there is no way Republicans would bail out Nancy Pelosi. Either way the price will be high. It is to laugh-the Republicans should be able to figure this out on their own.
Mike McCaul is correct when he says the Speaker Pro Tem should be granted additional powers to actually run the House-Republicans can do that on their own.
While some say that SPT can unilaterally assert powers and dare the House to override his decisions, that is not the way American democracy is supposed to be run.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 9:47 amThey have money, by the way. Where are they?
Up until the Six-Day War, Gaza was run by Egypt and the West Bank by Jordan. Afterwards, neither country was involved. Over the next few years, the PLO became the official voice of the Palestinians and every Arab country refused to challenge them. The Arab League formally established the PLO’s primacy in 1974. From Wikipedia:
Now, we have the PLO offshoot called the “Palestinian Authority” of which Hamas was the faction that ruled Gaza. Israel, having rooted out terrorists in 2005, abandoned Gaza to the PLO and they in turn abandoned it to Hamas. Israel has no interest in ruling Gaza, but they must be searching for someone responsible who will.
The obvious candidate is Egypt, but there are at least three problems with that.
* Egypt doesn’t want to do it
* Egypt is broke
* In a war, Egypt is too close
The only country in the area that is Sunni, stable, wealthy, hostile to terrorists, and can enforce order is Saudi Arabia. They also have immense international connections and alliances with the West. Their new ruler, MBS, has large international ambitions and perhaps some Karma to reclaim.
But that will have to wait until Israel kills Hamas. Saudi will let Isreal be the bad guy while supporting the Gazans with words, or perhaps humanitarian aid. Afterwards, they will look toward rapprochement again, and helping Gaza recover would be a good balance in the Arab world.
In the long run, the answer for Gaza is economic development and integration into the region. The politics of anger and resentment (and for some, violence) are driven by poverty and oppression and despair. MBS has really ambitious plans for the post-oil era and there is no reason why Gaza can’t be part of it.
Left unsaid is what happens on the West Bank, something that Israel continues to make difficult with the settlements.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:05 amWhat I would like to see is the Democrats return McCarthy as Speaker, with an understanding that he will distance himself from Trump and the Gaetz faction. Win-Win.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:06 amWhile some say that SPT can unilaterally assert powers and dare the House to override his decisions, that is not the way American democracy is supposed to be run.
First, the job was created for continuance-of-government purposes, so there was already the idea that the job would be powerful.
Second, the chairperson of any body running on Robert’s Rules (or anything of that sort, like the Senate) can make rulings to further business, subject to being overruled by a simple majority of members.
This is not undemocratic in the least, and is fully within long-held Western tradition.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:10 amThat’s our Donnie! His foreign policy is “Do you like me? Do you really, really like me?”
And “Will you steal me some land so I can build a GREAT hotel?!”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:11 amPalestinians began a mass exodus from northern Gaza Friday
Hamas is telling them not to leave. “Defy Israel” and such. They’d threaten to attack those leaving, but there’s too many and they’d get killed trying. I guess Hamas could try to blend in, but their weapons would be a giveaway, and they’d have to leave their hiding places and armories.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:15 amLOL! As if-not gonna happen. McCarthy can’t even criticize Trump’s remarks about Netanyahu and Hezbollah. And McCarthy has endorsed Jim Jordan.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:19 amWhat concessions should the Republicans make for Democratic votes?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:21 amAnd McCarthy doesn’t want to be Speaker:
Been there, done that.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:22 amI don’t see the Democrats helping, actually.
‘Never interfere with your enemy when he is destroying himself.’ and the House’s crazy fascists are doing just that to the party. Jeffries will happily wait until 2024 for his 50-seat majority.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:22 amThe obvious candidate is Egypt, but there are at least three problems with that.
I was listening to The Editors podcast on NRO, and Noah Rothman pointed out that the border between Gaza and Egypt is even more tightly regulated than the border between Gaza and Israel. So clearly the Egyptian government wants nothing to do with their Palestinian brothers.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:23 amWhat concessions should the Republicans make for Democratic votes?
Impeach Trump again, this time for his recklessness with documents. It’s a valid case.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:23 amThis has been my point all along, even though posters here keep suggesting Democrats must help the Republicans find a Speaker.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:25 amThis has been my point all along, even though posters here keep suggesting Democrats must help the Republicans find a Speaker.
Given the narrow House majority, the Democrats would be shrewd to cut a deal where they help elect a new GOP Speaker in return for getting equal representation on House Committees and implementing a rule for the rest of this Congress that the majority must bring up legislation from the minority for a vote. But given that Democrats probably don’t really want any legislative responsibilities at this time, it likely makes more political sense for them to make the GOP work it out for themselves.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:31 amI’m not sure the GOP is organized enough to negotiate with the DEMs…or unified in what exactly they would be willing to give up for DEM votes or for DEMs voting present. But obviously none of us is in the room. Although, with the rejection of Scalise, that tells me there’s no interest in coming together yet. And there’s no urgency despite the international crises and budget cliff. The GOP is unrecognizable. I’m not sure we can afford to have one of our major parties be THIS dysfunctional.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:37 amEgypt has a big deep wall next to Gaza, prefers Israel as a neighbor Jordan would rather have Israel as a neighbor than Palestine. Lebanon is dominated by the power of Hezbollah, but would probably otherwise choose Israel as a neighbor over Palestine. Syria is a mess because of inbred leadership and the welcoming of the poisonous snakes from Iran (see Lebanon) or they’d probably prefer Israel as a neighbor to Palestine. The Saudi’s seem to prefer sharing the Gulf of Aqaba with Israel despite the recent posturing.
There is that old saying: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If you give the Palestinians lemons, sugar, and water they sell the sugar and then eat the lemons like an apple because they are near terminally addicted to bitterness. They also say that in order to have friends, you need to be a friend. Name one country in the Islamic world that considers Palestinians to be their friends. They don’t. They support Palestinians out of a duty to protect fellow believers.
steveg (1616a6) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:45 am#15
As an observation, at some point, there does need to be a budget passed or, more likely, a CR. Dems do want this, and they won’t get it unless the House can function. That requires the GOP to actually get a speaker candidate through somehow. As long as the GOP anarchists continue their behavior, it will become more likely the Dems will provide a helping hand with a few conditions.
Jim Jordan won’t be the guy. He’s pretty despised. Which makes sense because he is despicable.
Appalled (03f53c) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:46 amI know this is rhetorical… but the real reason is that they don’t want to.
Hamas is the Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood who hates the current leadership of those nations. With Lebanon and Syrian, in the past, let these Palestinians reside in their country, only to have Palestinians foment civil unrest in those countries.
It would be like asking the Russians to come in and help Kiev, Ukraine rebuild.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:57 amI agree, but they would also probably demand an end to Biden’s impeachment, which would be non-negotiable.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:30 amI would take Rep. Scott over Jordan and Scalise, the two fascists who supported overturning popular votes in states.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:31 am#21
Of course they’d ask for an end to impeachment follies. They will probably demand the one vote rule goes as well.
The longer this goes on, the less non-negotiable these demands seem. 5 moderate Republicans can turn the House to the Dems. It starts looking tempting if you are in a Biden majority district and you can cut a deal. Sure more tempting than Jim Jordan whoopin and hollarin as speaker and more flailing about regarding not wanting to fund the government.
Appalled (03f53c) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:45 amTrump Civil Litigation Watch:
Related:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:57 amI agree, but they would also probably demand an end to Biden’s impeachment, which would be non-negotiable.
It would be a shame if the GOP lets that stop them. If I’m in House leadership, I’ll cut a deal to take impeachment off of the table until after the next election. The GOP can still make a very credible case about both Biden’s use of his office in unconstitutional ways and also the general sleaziness of the Biden Family and their peddling of influence for money. But it seems stupid for the House to spend any time in Election Year 2024 with an impeachment proceeding, no matter how much that may cheese the MAGA crowd.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 12:03 pmThe longer this goes on, the less non-negotiable these demands seem. 5 moderate Republicans can turn the House to the Dems. It starts looking tempting if you are in a Biden majority district and you can cut a deal.
How would this be for Machiavellian move: a dozen or so GOP “moderates” defect and elect Hakeem Jefferies speaker, then refuse to vote for the Democrat agenda thereby tying up House legislation next winter and spring. If they are skillful enough, they might also find a way to extract spending cuts and budgetary rescissions in the process of passing continuing resolutions, though that is probably too much to hope for.
The only thing that the GOP would lose out on, it seems to me, is the committee majorities, so yeah, the Biden sleaze investigations would be off the table until after the 2024 elections. But as I wrote earlier, I think that’s a distraction from what could be a solid election message about just how incompetent and awful the Biden Administration agenda and management has been.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 12:09 pmPostponing impeachment until after the 2024 elections misses the whole point. Biden may not be reelected (for whatever reason) and the current impeachment process is designed to destroy any chance of that happening. What’s the point to impeaching Biden if he wins reelection (assuming the Republicans retain control)? It will only make the House Republicans look like sore losers.
Speaking of the MAGA crowd, even Matt Gaetz and Matt Rosendale don’t think much of the current impeachment effort:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 12:44 pmJVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 12:09 pm
They won’t get any of the “Republican” agenda voted on, but that’s not going anywhere anyway. And they don’t have to vote for any Democrtic legislation they don’t want to. And could always remove the Speaker again.
As for committees, the defectors could control them and they could have co-Chairmen like there was in the Senate last Congress.
Best of all, the Republican Party might be spit enough to affect the 2024 presidential election.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:01 pmI think Israel does not have a good end game in Gaza.
The evacuation recommendation is so they can flatten the northern part of Gaza. An Israeli general said early n that (he wants) to turn Gaza in acity of tents – demolish all buildings. That would be so that Hamas cannot store rockets there. It may be crazy.
The siege will continue in full so long as Israeli prisoners are not relessed Hamas is claiming 13 died in Israeli bombings.
The best thing would be a siege culminating in a negotiated surrender of Gaza after the cutoff of food, electricity and water is maintained for several weeks. Like Beirut in 1982.
To whom Gaza should be surrendered to, I don’t know.
But that’s what “neutrals” should be working on. That’s what would have happened in other wars..
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:07 pmRIP “Lost in Space” star Mark Goddard (87).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:13 pmIsrael is careful when it comes to limiting the loss of life, but not about property.
Gaza is on course to be bombed to the point where it will look like a gigantic earthquake hit it. Israel is really not ambitious enough. It needs to have a goal of getting completely rid of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Then they might not have to destroy as much.
Israel told people to leave via the Rafah border crossing to Egypt (of course only those with international connections can leave anyway) but that crossing was closed after some projectile created a big hole on the Gaza side. (Hamas claims Israel bombed it, but who knows what created it and why) The crossing is evidently still usable, but Egypt is keeping it closed.
People are seeking shelter in what they believe to be non-targets, like UN buildings, which are getting overcrowded..
The United States is trying to arrange for the evacuation of some 500 to 600 Gaza residents with U.S. citizenship and other countries are also trying to get their people out, but to no avail. +Hamas does not w
want people to leave Gaza. It doesn’t even want people to leave areas which will be bombed to the ground in 24 hours. It’s telling them that is disinformation.
Israel ordered Egypt to stop sending in some sort of humanitarian supplies. I suppose that will only delay the surrender – but it’s not being asked for yet. Israel is determined, at any rate, to remove Hamas from power. (by perhaps killing as many officials running it as it can) And get Gaza demilitarized – no more rockets.
They are also using facial recognition software to identify those captures on video murdering Jews in Israel. Like video was used with the January 6 rioters only better.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:25 pmEvidently they’re going with Jordan.
Wew lads.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:27 pmJVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:23 am
Hamas is an offshoot or branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which Sisi overthrew in 2013 before it had established dictatorial rule.
Egypt doesn’t want its soldiers attacked, by Hamas or a splinter group, and the Muslim Brotherhood has a history of splintering so that they can try several different options..
Sammy Finkelman (c5132f) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:41 pm#32
We’ll see if that gets them 217.
Appalled (8228cf) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:46 pmThe most important thing that was concealed from mid-level people affiliated with Hezbollah and Hamas and Syria in Dubai was how far back planning for the pogrom in Israel went. They were telling the Wall Street Journal August.
Documents were found on or left by the attackers that went back urther:
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/hamas-militants-had-detailed-maps-of-israeli-towns-military-bases-and-infiltration-routes-7fa62b05
S is evidently the first etter of the Arabic word for hour and the sound of the first letter of the Arabic word for Day. Like D-Day and H-Hour in English
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:56 pmJordan can’t get 217. And they can’t vote now because some Republicans have keft for the weekend.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 1:57 pmI don’t think Netanyahu wants any Hamas officials to be offered safe conduct out of Gaza, so it will hard to negotiate a surrender until most of them are dead.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:06 pmMaybe the Democrats will vote for Jordan, on the “give it to them, good and hard” principle.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:06 pmThey’re just going through the motions with the nomination of Jim Jordan for Speaker. When that fails, it may make it slightly easier to come up with another name. Jorden was earlier prepared to nominate Scalese on the floor of the House. Did that happen?
Sammy Finkelman (c5132f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:09 pmTrump also doesn’t like, or chose to mention it for the first time now that he attacking Netanyahu, that Bibi Netanyahu pulled out of the operation to kill General Qasem Soleimani.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:12 pmsteveg (1616a6) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:45 am
Lebanon was forced to tear up a peace treaty with Israel in 1982. Now Hezbollah as a veto over government policy.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:16 pmI agree, but they would also probably demand an end to Biden’s impeachment, which would be non-negotiable.
They could compromise: Impeach Trump, too. The classified information crap keeps getting worse, and that is a fine reason for impeachment.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:22 pmJordan was earlier prepared to nominate Scalise on the floor of the House. Did that happen?
He claimed to support Scalise, but I’d bet that he wasn’t fully on board there.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:23 pmThe real question is: after Israel leaves again, who picks up the pieces? Israel is not well served by 2 million people living amid abject desolation. People with nothing to live for sometimes decide to take someone with them.
So, they have to allow someone to take over, but it can’t be just anyone, e.g. Iran, and it should be someone with the money to make things a lot better than even before.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:28 pm4 Democratic centrists to McHenry: Let’s make a deal
………..
Specifically, the Democrats are proposing to let McHenry bring up any emergency aid for Ukraine or Israel, a short-term bill that extends government funding through Jan. 11, or general consideration of fiscal 2024 spending bills. Those powers should be limited to 15-day increments, they proposed, with extensions possible if the House GOP continues to remain without a leader.
In exchange, the Democratic quartet suggested, their party would be allowed to fill up 50 percent of the House’s suspension calendar — which is reserved for noncontroversial bills and requires two-thirds votes for passage, not simple majorities.
The letter, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), is an olive branch to a sputtering House GOP that has reached its 10th day without a speaker. ……..
The letter’s other signatories were Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Susie Lee (D-Nev.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine.). All four are leaders of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, whose members briefly discussed a possible way out of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s government funding bind last month.
……….
Related:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:38 pmThere is another possibility for Israel, one that would normally be unbelievable but isn’t now given the extremists at high posts in the Netanyahu cabinet: This was a Reichstag fire. They knew this was coming, and allowed it for their own purposes, namely the annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, followed by expulsion of Arab residents.
It that scenario, I’d expect a wider war, one which Israel is forced to decide that they can never be safe with any Palestinian presence. Hope I’m wrong.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:38 pmMore than 50 Republicans voted against Jordan.
More than 80.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:38 pmPost 45 should have been blockquoted above the word “Related.” Sorry.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:39 pmIsrael will need to install a puppet regime run from Jerusalem.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:40 pmReannex Gaza and turn it into a beach resort.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:41 pmA
Source
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:51 pm@50
And where will the Gazan go? West Bank?
whembly (5f7596) — 10/13/2023 @ 2:58 pmIsrael will need to install a puppet regime run from Jerusalem.
Who will stop them from being hanged?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:00 pmThey can work at the resorts.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:01 pmReannex Gaza and turn it into a beach resort.
This is what the Irgun and Lehi remnants have always wanted: ethnic cleansing on the West Bank and Gaza. Now they have their moment.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:06 pmHorrific story of how bad policy implementation delivered results at odd with the admirable goal of protecting the unborn from harmful choices the mother might make.
Time123 (58bde4) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:09 pmTrump Gaza Beach Resort
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:19 pmI never said anything about ethnic cleansing, to the contrary I expect Gaza Beach resorts will provide hundreds of jobs for Gazans.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:21 pmIsrael is not well served by 2 million people living amid abject desolation. People with nothing to live for sometimes decide to take someone with them.
This. Never leave somebody with nothing to lose.
nk (f57bac) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:22 pmThat describes the Palestinians for the last 50 years.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:36 pmYeah.
nk (f57bac) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:41 pmThere it is. But will it make a difference to anyone who believes that Osrael is always the enemy?
Dana (ed482f) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:47 pmUS intelligence warned biden of hamas attacks on sept.28 , oct.5 from Israeli intelligence ;but netanyahu said he had know warning! (DU) Some one is lying.
asset (c00777) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:55 pmAnd why should conservatives negotiate with you? You talk worse about them than the Hamas supporting leftists.
NJRob (09f7d9) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:55 pm#65
NJRob —
It isn’t me that Jordan or his supporters have to negotiate with. It’s with the 50 no votes among the Republicans.
There are some pretty ugly stories about Jordan’s conduct in this race, which I imagine you have seen. He’s stirred up real hatred from members of his tribe. Will the GOP folks get over it? Depends if they want to reward bad behavior from the Freedom Caucus or not.
Appalled (88914d) — 10/13/2023 @ 4:06 pmJordan is Trump’s catspaw, and Trump wants to shut down the government.
Negotiate? What? Defunding the DOJ? Imposing Reconstruction on the State of New York and Fulton County, Georgia?
nk (dcdf9b) — 10/13/2023 @ 4:25 pmWishcasting About For A Solution:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 4:41 pmPedo “GYM” Jordan now new speaker.
asset (9f51c1) — 10/13/2023 @ 5:20 pmIt says a lot that a majority of Republicans would vote to hand the office of Speaker to a man who is facing credible allegations that, when he was an assistant coach, he turned a blind eye to reports from team members that the team doctor was abusing him.
That Republicans in the House believe such a person should be running the House shows that those particular Republicans haven’t the slightest grasp of morality.
aphrael (8c85c9) — 10/13/2023 @ 5:34 pmAphrael,
take your credibly accused and shove it. The left pulled that game to steal an election in Alaska. You tried to destroy multiple Supreme Court Justices with this bollocks. It’s always about power to the left. And they don’t care who they destroy to get it.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 5:37 pmTake care of the anti-Semites in your own caucus and society aphrael.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 5:38 pmNo, he’s not, and he’s unlikely to be Speaker.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/13/2023 @ 6:02 pmThe allegations about Jordan have been around for years, they are from people who are known to have been victims of a man who has been prosecuted.
There is no reason to believe the men in question are lying.
But you’d rather not believe the victims because their stories are inconvenient for you. The men must be lying if they dare accuse a man you like, right?
Your defense of him on this is despicable.
aphrael (8c85c9) — 10/13/2023 @ 6:12 pmYeah, Jordan probably never reported a black man for looking at white women, either.
For the party of Gerry Studds and Barney Frank to malign Jordan for not helping snitch out an accused pederast (or is that ephebophile?) seems like bearded Spock universe to me.
And Jordan is not a man I like.
nk (601197) — 10/13/2023 @ 6:28 pmAphrael,
I love how you avoid talking about the anti-Semites on your side, but love to claim that Jordan is guilty by association. It’s what I expect from the left. By any means necessary.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 6:36 pmEyal Waldman, the Israeli high-tech magnate, astounded the tech industry and the entire Arab world by creating research and development centers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, all while employing hundreds of Palestinian developers. On Saturday, Hamas murdered his daughter Danielle.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 6:41 pmhttps://nypost.com/2023/10/12/hamas-horror-quickly-reveals-the-bigots-in-our-midst/
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 6:52 pmhttps://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/10/13/mccarthy-jim-jordan-will-get-the-votes-for-house-speaker/
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 7:51 pmBen shapiro is not like me either. 80 palestinian women and children have been killed in a Israeli attack UN evacuation convoy ordered out by Israel.
asset (ac9993) — 10/13/2023 @ 8:14 pmhttps://www.thefp.com/p/marc-rowan-university-donors-close
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 8:26 pmHey asset,
why don’t you take 5 minutes to condemn the squad that you always hype. Or do you not have a problem with their obvious anti-Semitism and desire to eliminate Israel and all Jews?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 8:32 pm@83 Where has AOC said she wants to eliminate Israel and all jews? The squad wants the killing to stop. Are you planning to go to Israel and volunteer to be the first to go into the tunnels to root out Hamas. I remember reading about all the people advocating a second front during WWII who weren’t going to be the ones to have to hit the beach. Already more palestinian children have been killed then Israeli children and many thousands more palestinian children will die. Even before this for the last 60 years many times over more palestinian children have been killed by Israel including in lebanon then Israeli children have been killed if you are keeping score.
asset (ac9993) — 10/13/2023 @ 8:54 pmSen. chuck hagel a vietnam vet ask vietnam war draft dodger dick cheney if he would be on the first helicopter into baghdad since he wanted to invade so bad.
asset (ac9993) — 10/13/2023 @ 8:57 pmAnd why should conservatives negotiate with you?
These are not conservatives. They are radicals. Conservatives oppose change and the Gaetz Gang wants to kick the table over. Why should anyone talk to them, ever? I bet you could get a dozen or so Dems to support a reasonable Speaker if he promised to impeach Trump again.
It’s time to rip the BandAid off.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 9:24 pmThere is no reason to believe the men in question are lying.
There is always reason to believe people are lying when things get political, starting way back with Anita Hill.
“Everyone lies”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/13/2023 @ 9:26 pm— Dr House.
What’s the point to impeaching Biden if he wins reelection (assuming the Republicans retain control)? It will only make the House Republicans look like sore losers.
This defies logic. So if Biden wins reelection then all of the things that he and his family have done prior to 2023 are somehow grandfathered in by a statue of limitations? If you are going to say that it becomes more politically difficult, then sure, that’s a worthwhile argument. But if you are trying to say that what happened prior to this year is somehow forgiven really is a head-scratcher.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:23 pmSen. chuck hagel a vietnam vet ask vietnam war draft dodger dick cheney if he would be on the first helicopter into baghdad since he wanted to invade so bad.
Remember when Bill Clinton claimed that if Israel were attacked by Iraq that he would “fight and die” for them? Did that promise never apply to a Hamas attack or has the syphilis rendered Bubba incapable of holding a weapon?
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:30 pm@89 They have antibiotics for std’s The left loathes the clinton’s as much as the right. Bernie was criticized for supporting clinton/biden by the left. Same when AOC said she would support biden over JFKjr and Mariane williamson. Cenk uyger of the young turks say he will run to represent the left even though he was born in turkey. Biden is rightly scared of challenge from the left because we will vote green party if the DNC doesn’t behave themselves. Had democrats not kicked green party off ballot in az, ga, and wi. trump would have won those states. He still only lost them by a total of 43,000 votes in 2020.
asset (b24c1c) — 10/14/2023 @ 3:12 amBen is dead (spiritually) wrong. Luke 18:9-14. Each of us, it has been said, is only a few days away from becoming a deadly savage, even in the best of times. Humility demands that we say “There, but for the grace of G*D, go I.”
Hamas is the stark reality of man’s capacity for evil action given the right conditions.
Sure, Ben is correct about the evil of Hamas, but lists all the wrong conditions for his audience; some of whom are on board with abortion because of the right conditions.
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:22 amJVW (1ad43e) — 10/13/2023 @ 11:23 pm
I know. Right?
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:28 amAssertion is not evidence. The voting record of Jordan and the HFC is definitely conservative.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:48 amAsset, thanks for refusing the condemn the anti-Semitism of the leftist radicals in the House.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:49 amThere is no Free Will, felipe? There are not thousands of years of evolution in the development of Western civilization?
Are we today, and the Jews, Greeks, and Romans 2,000 years ago, no more ready to receive the Word than our ancestors were 100,000 years ago? Would those ancestors of 100,000 ago have comprehended that Parable the way those of 2,000 years did? And the way we do now?
nk (b93c33) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:02 amThere is no Free Will, felipe? There are not thousands of years of evolution in the development of Western civilization?
Again, review the Dresden bombing, which had no military targets.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:45 amI’m saying the House Republicans never cared about finding the truth “about the Biden crime family.” It is all about political revenge for the Trump impeachments. So far all the committee has produced is evidence against Hunter Biden and his associates (who can’t be impeached), and no direct evidence implicating the President. Forgiveness has nothing to do with it; the impeachment will be dropped because it failed in its purpose to discredit the President before the election.
As I pointed out before, even such hardcore MAGAites like Gaetz and Rosendale think it’s all for show.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:51 amThe fact that as Speaker, McCarthy initiated the impeachment proceedings on his own, without a House vote (another broken promise), shows that he thought he didn’t believe he had enough Republican votes to support impeachment.
The Republicans probably still don’t.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:59 amthe Dresden bombing,
Most prefer to reference Reserve Police Battalion 101, whose activities were so blood-drenched that they made Heinrich Himmler throw up (and caused him to look for a more sanitary Final Solution leading to the gas chambers and ovens). They were all German police officers, above the age of thirty, pillars of society, who had probably never even stolen an apple from an apple cart in their prior careers.
There is a Parable about weeds sowed among good seeds, as well as the one about stony ground, thorns and thistles.
nk (1ddabd) — 10/14/2023 @ 8:02 amAnd postponing the impeachment until after the 2024 election assumes the Republicans retain control of the House. Right now I would say that is an iffy assumption, since right now they are demonstrating that can’t fight of their current political paper bag.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 8:08 amMost prefer to reference Reserve Police Battalion 101
Or, indeed, the entire Shoah. Or the Rape of Nanjing. We really haven’t come a long way since Tamerlane.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 8:20 amThe Republicans probably still don’t.
All McCarthy started was an inquiry. Which will go nowhere unless Biden gets his hand caught firmly in the cookie jar.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 8:21 amLet’s be fair, the Bible had it’s own share of rationalized wanton slaughtering, see Samuel and the Amalekites annihilated by Saul for instance. The Egyptian first born, the Canaanites under Moses and Joshua, and of course the great “cleansing” of the Genesis flood and Sodom and Gomorrah and all examples of excess.
Certainly we can argue that the New Testament gave us a different approach, but religion tends to help excuse things. Atheism…unchained by any absolute morality…promotes even worse.
But we have to unequivocally condemn Hamas’ actions. Maybe the Palestinians have gotten a raw deal, but they remain a free people with options….sometimes they’ve collectively made bad choices. No morality would justify lighting people on fire, raping girls, and butchering infants in front of their parents. We’re all sinners sounds like weak sauce next to that.
AJ_Liberty (0305f2) — 10/14/2023 @ 8:34 amSad to say, but politicians of any party aren’t as high-minded as you or I.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:01 amLOL!
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:05 amIf you don’t think the “inquiry” won’t inevitably lead to articles of impeachment, you are naive, especially if Jordan becomes Speaker (or any speaker elected by Republicans.)
The investigation won’t end with “Never mind, nothing happened, sorry for wasting the country’s time.” It has a momentum all its own. It’s a Republican article of faith.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:18 amECLIPSE!
Albuquerque is along the 100% path of today’s eclipse. Annular maximum in 15 minutes. Pretty cool, although you don’t want to walk around with the eclipse-glasses on.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:20 amJust past maximum. It’s a good thing that wasn’t seen over Israel today. It sure did look like an angry god.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:42 amIt’s a Republican article of faith.
No, the 2nd Amendment is an article of faith. This is just a cause of convenience. Sure MAGA wants revenge, but MAGA and the GOP are not the same thing. Yet.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:45 amThat is correct.
Rip Murdock (5357c6) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:50 amToday’s GOP is convincing the nation that
1) It is hopelessly partisan.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:51 am2) It wants a complete criminal to ru[i]n the country.
3) It is incapable of governing, preferring to focus on internal squabbles.
4) For everything else, all it can do is blame.
That is correct.
Rip Murdock (5357c6) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:50 am
Your humility is awesome.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:52 amBut wait, Rip, are you arguing that the impeachment will fail, or that it will succeed?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:54 amSome 20-30% of Republican voters identify as MAGA,; the percentage that identify as Democrats is less than zero.
Comedy gold!
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:56 amthe percentage that identify as Democrats is less than zero.
The percentage of independents who will vote Republican in 2024 is about the same.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:03 amRip, never wrong, but always uncertain.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:04 amThe crowd waiting for the Rafah crossing to open, many of who are Americans, is looking like a target-rich environment for Hamas.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:06 amThe investigation has already served its purpose by the Oversight Committee’s reports implying wrongdoing by President Biden without evidence, and at some point the Judiciary Committee will need to back up the OC’s findings by passing articles of impeachment. It will be a political imperative to do so.
Given the Republicans narrow majority in the House, whether the articles actually pass or not is an open question. Even if the House fails to pass the articles their goal would have been met.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:12 am#107 Looking forward to your report.
Jim Miller (0cc49d) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:39 am#107 Looking forward to your report.
The maximum was at 10:36 AM MDT, with a thin ring of sun around the moon. Even then there was quite a bit of light — much more than a full moon at night. My phone was unable to take a picture — all it saw was a bright blob — but the cheapo eclipse-glasses I got from Amazon made it easy to see.
So, about 1-3% of the sun surrounding a black disk. If it had happened without warning, it would have seemed quite a bad omen. Good thing it didn’t occur over Gaza.
Unlike the image sequence here (obviously stock images), the shadow moved top to bottom, perhaps from 5 degrees to 185 degrees. But the maximum image is pretty spot on.
While most solar eclipses have a line of “totality”, the moon was at its furthest point in its orbit, so it didn’t occlude the entire sun. The eclipse April 8, 2024 will be total, with a path of totality running from Mazatlan to Dallas to Indianapolis to Buffalo
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:00 amLOL! Kevin M, always certain, usually wrong.
Life is uncertain.
Rip Murdock (5357c6) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:03 amVideo of the eclipse at ABQ: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/10/14/nasa-solar-eclipse-livestream-watch/71152568007/
Maximum at about 1:07L00
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:03 am1:07:00
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:04 amRockets hitting Tel Aviv at this moment
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:05 am@121:
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. You can know the position of something, or its momentum, but not both.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:18 amBegging For Dollars:
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:28 amDarling Nikki is right-it will the billionaires, not the voters, that will decide who the Republican nominee will be.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:33 amReally, when did that happen?
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:39 amDarling Nikki is right-it will the billionaires, not the voters, that will decide who the Republican nominee will be.
Or maybe the Senate. If Trump is convicted of multiple federal felonies under the Espionage Act there will be lots of panicking Republicans willing to reconsider an impeachment and disqualifying conviction.
Threepeat!
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:54 amMs. DeCasper pitched Mr. Scott’s toughness and his willingness to stand up to Mr. Trump. ……..
Real Soon Now™
Scott has a lot of money on hand because he’s spent so very little, and his lack of movement in the polls reflects that. He and the others should drop out, leaving only Haley and DeSantis to challenge Trump.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 11:56 amAssuming that Israel moves in at 0-dark-hundred, 8PM ET seems about right (0400 Sunday in Israel), Five hours from now.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:06 pmLOL! I doubt the current House would impeach Trump before the November election (probably constitutionally suspect), and he certainly wouldn’t be convicted in the Senate.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:17 pmThe Democrats would probably vote “present” to force the Republicans to provide a majority of the votes.
Comedy Gold!
Rip Murdock (5357c6) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:20 pmI’m sure these deaths were all accidental, but Israel needs to ban media coverage of their invasion of Gaza for the safety of all journalists.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:30 pmThe Democrats would probably vote “present” to force the Republicans to provide a majority of the votes.
Any Democrat voting against impeaching Trump would be primaried.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:30 pmYou know, Rip, your LOL! and Comedy Gold stuff is getting really tiring. Reminiscent of someone else, actually.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:32 pm#120 Thanks, Kevin.
Jim Miller (4b4e7d) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:48 pmWhatever.
Rip Murdock (5357c6) — 10/14/2023 @ 12:54 pmAs would any Republican voting for Trump’s impeachment, and that has already happened.
A 20% survival rate for a member of Congress is pretty low, when 98% of incumbents are re-elected.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:05 pmI have specific reasons for labeling comments LOL! or Comedy Gold!, but I won’t divulge them so the posters won’t be insulted. If you can’t figure out why, then you’re not paying attention.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:08 pmAnd of course I have no concerns about labeling news articles or comments by politicians as such. They deserve it.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:14 pmRip it’s clear why you do it. It’s still insulting.
It does get old. You are no DSCA but I think you could do to drop that habit.
Fwiw I appreciate most of your comments.
Nate (1f1d55) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:26 pmI won’t divulge them so the posters won’t be insulted.
Don’t worry, they are.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:26 pmState Level Republican Primary Polling Averages From 538
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:28 pmSome people are just too thin skinned.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:30 pmYou speak for everyone? There’s that absolute certainty again.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:33 pmUnless the GOP field narrows quickly, it will be 2016 all over again, this time with a (divorced?) bankrupt felon seeking “retribution”, no matter what the cost, running against someone who is fading fast.
I expect panic in both camps next May or June.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:36 pmYou speak for everyone? There’s that absolute certainty again.
Self-reference much?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:36 pmMore 538 Republican state primary averages:
California-Trump +40
Florida-Trump +35
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:38 pmNot really. I base my opinions on what I know about politics and history, and try to keep them based in reality without making assertions or interpretations that are not supported by facts or evidence.
As I’ve said before, my opinions are not based what I want the world to be, but what the world is. Otherwise, you’re headed for a big disappointment.
That’s why, for example, it is unlikely that Trump will banned from running for President, why Trump will more likely than not be the Republican nominee, and why it is very unlikely that the Democrats will do anything to help the Republicans select a speaker.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 1:50 pmAll the wishcasting in the world won’t change the political reality on the ground, either in the Republican primaries or the House Speaker race. I refuse to believe in political fantasies.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:00 pmMore jury averages:
0-12
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:06 pmNot really. I base my opinions on what I know about politics and history, and try to keep them based in reality without making assertions or interpretations that are not supported by facts or evidence.
Shorter: You confine your self to inside-the-box and usually keep to the inner part of the box. Dull. Dull. Dull.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:08 pmAll the wishcasting in the world won’t change the political reality on the ground
I remember being in Hamburg in August of 1989, and being told by many Germans that the Wall was permanent. The Americans, it seemed, wanted Europe divided.
This was Realpolitik in action. We just had to accommodate ourselves to the Soviet Union.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:09 pmWhen I refer back to my previous posts, I am revising or extending my previous remarks.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:50 pmIt took 28 years for the Berlin Wall to come down. The first Republican primary contest is in 100 days.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:55 pmWe’ll see whose right soon enough.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:56 pmI don’t expect anyone to drop out in Republican field until at least New Hampshire. Christie is making his only stand there because independents get to vote in either primary, but after that he will drop out because he has no chance in the South.
DeSantis has more staying power to absorb losses in Iowa and NH, but he is counting on South Carolina. If he comes in third there, he will hang until Florida in mid-March, but Trump may have an overwhelming delegate lead by then after Super Tuesday.
Tim Scott needs to score big on Iowa, otherwise he will be toast. He’s polling fourth in SC (7%), which shows you the voters like him as Senator but not as President.
If Trump sweeps all contests mentioned above (and Nevada and the Virgin Islands) , then he will be unstoppable heading into Super Tuesday (and his election subversion trial).
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 3:31 pmIlhan Omar retweets phony images of IDF genocide of Palestinian children in Gaza. Here are the images in their proper original context of Assad’s mass murder in Syria.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:00 pmnk (b93c33) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:02 am
Yes, nk. Of course there is free-will. We both demonstrate it in our comments*. I appreciate the point you made. I was right to call you a formidable man.
*Although, for some, commenting is more of an involuntary response. IYKWIMAITYD.
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:21 pmExcellent point, AJ.
Indeed, it does – to the one who has an equally weak understanding of sin. This is not a dig at you! It is an indictment on anyone (myself especially!) who still sees “darkly as if in a mirror.” It explains why hardened men openly weep at the sight of atrocities firsthand- when the veil is lifted from their eyes.
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:32 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:20 am
Friends collected me and took me into the path to view it. It was wonderful, and was also made even more interesting because there were clouds moving overhead which interfered with our viewing – giving it a suspenseful “will-it-or-won’t-it-be-visible?” experience. It was.
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:45 pmOK everybody, let’s stop talking about fellow commenters and start talking about the issues we face.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/14/2023 @ 4:48 pmIrony alert. LA Times today:
Where have they been?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:37 pmTim Scott needs to score big on Iowa, otherwise he will be toast
And Rubio needed to score big in Florida. He didn’t. But what he DID do was split the anti-Trump vote, depriving Cruz of a big win.
Likewise, Scott won’t get very far in Iowa. The man cannot think on his feet and it shows.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:39 pmIt took 28 years for the Berlin Wall to come down. The first Republican primary contest is in 100 days.
The point being that less than 2 months before it fell, many were repeating tired conventional wisdom. Things are true until they aren’t. The fall of the Soviet Union taught me to hope for better and work for better, rather than resigning myself to the barely adequate. Or, in Trump’s case, a certain doom.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:43 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:39 pm
Tim Scott broke my heart!
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:45 pmTim Scott broke my heart!
I gave him some money when he started his campaign, but I found two things out: His campaign managers are terrible spammers, and his message has only two planks: God Bless America and Abortion Is Bad. Meh.
His debate performances were flat and a lot of stuff went right over his head. He’s not presidential material. He should drop out.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 5:53 pmWe’ll see. I’m not hopeful as Republican voters seem enthralled by Trump.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 6:03 pmGood news here. Word is that those artillery shells from North Korea are older and less functional than the old Soviet kind.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/14/2023 @ 6:15 pmGreat day to be a Husky. #7 Dawgs 36, #8 Ducks 33. What a game. The Ducks are scary good.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/14/2023 @ 6:20 pmWord is that those artillery shells from North Korea are older
Nothing says safety quite like “old explosives”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 6:25 pmWhile DeSantis and Haley are down in Dallas begging for money, Trump is taking control of the Republican primary election process. .
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:21 pmThere are unconfirmed reports that Operation Swords of Iron has been delayed several days due to bad weather.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/14/2023 @ 7:38 pmI think they are mostly waiting for people to move south.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:28 pmTrump is taking control of the Republican primary election process. .
Won’t matter. He won’t be eligible by the time the Convention meets.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 9:28 pmI am reading that Hamas has roadblocks so that Palestinians are prevented from evacuating. They need dead Palestinians to blame Israel for all of their woes.
Dana (169625) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:20 pm@160 free will is an illusion. After reading B.F. skinners Walden II John paul sarte said without freedom man has no dignity. So B.F. skinner titled his next book Beyond freedom and dignity. What is going on in Gaza his behavior modification negative re-enforcement. I was an existentialist. Now I am “determined” to be an existentialist. Read beyond dignety and freedom you might learn something. I did!
asset (622865) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:57 am@159 Don’t worry their are plenty of pictures of dead palestinian children from the last few days. Just today on the news a flat bed trailer evacuating women and children rolls by then blast from bomb and only pieces of children left on flat bed trailer as newsman walks around trailer with cameraman.
asset (622865) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:03 amHow so? It’s unlikely Trump will be disqualified under the 14th Amendment Section 3. And there’s nothing in the Constitution that would prevent him from being a candidate with a felony conviction.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/15/2023 @ 5:03 amRIP actress Piper Laurie (91). Received Academy Award nominations for Carrie (as Sissy Spacek’s mother); The Hustler (as Paul Newman’s girlfriend); and the romantic drama Children of a Lesser God. Also played the villain Catherine Martell in Twin Peaks.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/15/2023 @ 5:12 amIf Trump has the delegates he will win the nomination. It’s not up to convention to decide whether he is eligible or not. That would be the courts.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 10/15/2023 @ 5:46 amDana (169625) — 10/14/2023 @ 10:20 pm
The source is the IDF.
I read a mention of that, too, although it’s not clear if that was what caused the traffic jams, but they are definitely trying to scare them from going on the road. There have been a few bombs dropped on them. I would suspect that Hamas is trying to draw their fire.
https://nypost.com/2023/10/14/desperate-gazans-flee-after-israel-orders-impossible-evacuation
I dion’t believe that Israel has any intention of sending in massive ground forces (as opposed to search parties) anytime soon, because that could be the signal for Hezbollah to fire much more destructive rockets at Israel than what came from Gaza. And there could be further escalation.
Still, they might want the common people out of northern Gaza.
Because Hamas booby traps any normal entrances, the Israeli tactic for entering tunnels and defended places, is to blast new holes in the walls.
This might be done in the street, if it is a tunnel, (Israel destroyed tunnels running across the border before the war, but not tunnels within Gaza) but that could also cause the collapse of a building.
They’ve been doing that for years and years and years.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:24 amRip Murdock (d353df) — 10/15/2023 @ 5:46 am
The convention could pass rules allowing it to do so, and the |Republican National Committee might also remove a nominee, but that’s not likely.
You could also have a walkout of some delegates, but ballot access is much harder than it once was.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:30 amThe real reason they need dead Palestinians is to MAKE ISRAEL OUT TO BE THE BAD GUYS.
Which, if it doesn’t gain victories for them, at least prevents defeat enough to allow them to keep going.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:32 amI think the bigger question is whether the party will have a Titanic moment and upturn the convention. We’ve never been confronted with the spectacle of a major candidate being found guilty of a felony…and facing additional charges…and suggesting unseen vengeance on the justice system. Nothing historical and no poll can point to what is likely to happen.
Few in right-wing media are wrestling with the dissonance and how a conviction will almost certainly sink any electoral viability. Somehow I doubt that 50% of the GOP will continue to support lawlessness and stress-testing the system. I’m unconvinced that NOTHING will move people away from irrationality. People will foremost want to win and defeat Joe Biden. A nominee facing the prospect of prison…or some negotiated alternative…does not offer that.
Most likely we will see the later primaries abandon Trump….which will provide the evidence that delegates must do a re-do based on the new information. No one would suggest to keep a nominee that murdered someone in a rage before the convention. The rules don’t make this a death cult. No one is stuck with a defective nominee.
AJ_Liberty (4222e7) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:33 am154. Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/14/2023 @ 2:09 pm
They should stop attributing the end of the Cold |War to Reagan. Nobody knew it was coming.
By the way, Communism also nearly fell in China.
And then there was the toppling of dictatorships in the Arab World in 2011. Set off, believe it or not, by Wikileaks, no doubt unintentionally, when it leaked a U.S. State Department cable about Tunisia.
It was successful even against a hard core regime like Quadafi’s in Libya but the United States, by non-intervention, allowed it to fail in Syria. It allowed other dictatorships to rescue it. (there are times when it is easy to replace something bad)
It would have been more rescued more peaceful had Assad listened to Saudi Arabia because Saudi Arabia always has a lot of amnesties as part of its stretagy.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:44 amYou know, the local state parties are independent organizations who alone determine who gets their ballot line in November.
The national party doesn’t legally have anything to do with it any more than a television network affiliate has to put on the program sent by the network.
The local party in any number of states state could secede from the Republican Party. Moat likely in states that Trump wouldn’t carry anyway.
It’s not one party for the Congress
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:52 amA (possible) minor correction:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/business/israel-hamas-misinformation-social-media-x.html
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:03 amSince primaries are scheduled through state law but run by the parties, I’m not sure how a “redo” would work. Would you have, for example, the Super Tuesday states re-vote? Would the state legislatures need to meet and pass laws to create a re-vote primary date?
Or would you expect (like some here) for convention delegates (a majority pledged to Trump) to suddenly decide that they don’t want him to be the nominee and change the rules?
I think both are unlikely to happen. Trump’s delegates have internalized their devotion to him and would see any convictions (not yet finalized, pending appeals) as a badge of honor. And his MAGAite voters may just skip voting for whomever the convention does nominate.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:16 amasset (622865) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:57 am
Wanda: You are such an ape, Otto!
Otto: Oh? Apes do not read Nietzsche!
Wanda: Yes they do! They just don’t understand it.
felipe (5e2a04) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:26 amI said that is possible. Not that it is likely.
But anything less is not sustainable.
There can be a quiescent enemy, and a military alliance but nothing in between.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:32 amRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:19 pm
That’s what Trump tried to sell North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un on. He wasn’t interested.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:37 amThey should stop attributing the end of the Cold |War to Reagan. Nobody knew it was coming.
Bollocks.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:39 amIf Trump has the delegates he will win the nomination. It’s not up to convention to decide whether he is eligible or not. That would be the courts.
I think it will be more certain than that. If he is convicted under the Espionage Act, he will be impeached and convicted. The GOP will finally have no choice: take their lumps now, or run him for President and be destroyed.
But I could be wrong (about impeachment). They may yet prove to be cowards.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:42 amfree will is an illusion
Even if you believe it is all chemistry, you really need to review quantum mechanics. The mind is a quantum device and therefore not deterministic. For a really deep dive, check out Hugh Everett’s explanation.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:49 am“Trump’s delegates have internalized their devotion to him and would see any convictions as a badge of honor.”
This is a crass assumption. States who nominate Trump can control who they send as delegates. I’m not arguing that any of this will be pretty….or that an alternate GOP nominee would have much of a chance…but I believe that if the GOP nominates a felon, that WILL be the end of the GOP. Maybe it remains the party of cranks, conspiracists, and cultists…but it will never govern again.
So I’m not going to blithely wish that and instead choose to believe that good people will rise to reject cultism. Haley, DeSantis, or Christie are imperfect…but they’re not felons or charged felons. One will emerge as the normal alternative. Polls will go south for Trump’s general prospects and people will not want to lose….I’m betting on human nature
AJ_Liberty (4222e7) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:53 amState parties determine how their national convention delegates are selected, not state laws. And Trump has been rigging those party rules in his favor.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 8:11 amYou won’t get any argument from me on Trump’s impact on the general election. I just don’t see anything that can stop Trump right now from being nominated.
I wouldn’t depend on human nature to realize the Trump threat. In most national polls Republican voters say Trump is the best candidate to replace Biden (or whomever the Democrats nominate.) And Trump supporters have proven time and again to be impervious to Trump’s toxicity, as shown when his polling continued to rise after every indictment.
Perhaps the GOP should end. Leave it with the MAGAites and start organizing a new party. Run candidates for Congress in 2026 and a presidential candidate in 2028. Now is the time to start.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 8:25 amImpeachment is only a viable option if Trump wins the presidency, not before.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 8:27 am“In most national polls Republican voters say Trump is the best candidate to replace Biden”
August polling suggests that more than half of Republicans will NOT vote for Trump if he is convicted…how does that translate into his electability? Now I acknowledge that there’s some cognitive dissonance here, but my read is that most Republicans believe he’s not done anything wrong…and by extension, of course he won’t get convicted.
But this misimpression will start to evaporate once the first trial starts…and the evidence starts to pile up…including evidence provided by mainly other Republicans under oath…and Trump gets even more erratic and desperate. This will be daily crushing news that really won’t have much substantive rebuke. The committed will stay committed but the rest will start to call for his withdrawal. His resistance will force more desperate measures…most people don’t want a convicted felon to be their President, no matter how much they dislike Biden.
It’s also somewhat ambiguous whether Republicans really do believe that Trump is the BEST candidate. Haley’s current margins against Biden are bigger than Trump’s neck-and-neck numbers. I believe that the electorate is starting to lose confidence that Trump will keep moderates and independents while dealing with all of his legal baggage. Haley comes across as competent, knowledgeable, and quick on her feet during the debates. She’s taking a lead over DeSantis in fundraising and has pretty much displaced Tim Scott as relevant in South Carolina.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/15/2023 @ 9:09 am“The Congressional Research Service report cites the 1876 impeachment of Secretary of War William Belknap. Belknap resigned over allegations he received kickbacks. The House impeached him after his resignation, and while Belknap objected to being tried in the Senate because he’d left office, the Senate heard three days of arguments on the topic and then deliberated in secret for over two weeks before concluding Belknap could be tried. He was ultimately acquitted.”
…”In 1993, in a case involving an impeached former judge, the Supreme Court ruled it had no role to play in impeachment disputes because the Constitution says the “Senate shall have sole Power to try any impeachments.””
Though I think it low odds that Congress would attempt to impeach a Presidential candidate to prevent him from receiving the nomination…the crimes that would now be proven in a court of law were in fact committed while Trump was still President…and disbarment from office is a consequence. No rules or norms could have contemplated Trump…or his fervent supporters. The question would be could the GOP caucus get enough courage to do it? I don’t see a lot of courage from that crowd….
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/15/2023 @ 9:23 am
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 9:49 amI believe it is highly unlikely (if not impossible) ) to believe the current Republican House, especially one led by Jim Jordan (assuming he becomes Speaker), would impeach Donald Trump. Absolutely no chance.
We’ll need to wait and see, but passing DeSantis in polls is a baby step when Trump still holds 30+ point leads in the early primary states, as I posted here.
The RCP averages are similar.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:00 amhttps://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/10/it-has-come-to-this-the-hamas-lockdown.php
We know the cause of this evil.
NJRob (500265) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:05 amIf Trump was impeached prior to the November 2024 election, there would be a rampage at the Capitol that would make January 6th look like Sunday school.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:11 amAJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/13/2023 @ 10:37 am
Hakeem Jeffries said today on Meet the Press that there have been informal conversations. There have to be such conversations because if they stand on ceremony, the Democrats will ne blamed for this too.
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-october-15-2023-n1307411
He’s a tough negotiator, but he knows he has to reach an agreement – and he probably doesn’t want the House Republicans to resolve their disagreements, because that will leave him out in the cold for another year. Republicans would want some promises, although they are not enforceable, except in the 2026 elections, to keep the same rules if they are in the minority again
One important factor:
president Biden wants SOME bills to pass. He’s going for the minimum number of bills (although maybe that’s also because big bills are easiest way to get the most money appropriated)
One bill they’re working on in a military aid bill for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, all wrapped up in oe bill.
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:19 amA prominent House Republican (Chairman of the Intelligence Committee I think) said on one those interview shows that Biden and Trump did exactly the same thing with regard to retaining classified documents and should be treated the same way — what happens to one should happen to the other.
But only Trump persisted so much in hiding them, in the face of demands for their surrender. Of course, Biden batted second here.
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:26 amImpeachment is only a viable option if Trump wins the presidency, not before.
That is just not so. Point to where it says that in the Constitution. Sure, a few Republicans said that in 2021, but those were just CYA memos. Did you actually believe them? Do you think that if Trump had been convicted in 2021 that he would not have been permanently disqualified?
There are two penalties: removal from office and (optionally) permanent disqualification. There is no reason why a president who has committed felonious acts during or following his presidency cannot not be permanently disqualified at any later time.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:38 amState parties determine how their national convention delegates are selected, not state laws.
Why? State parties cannot limit delegates to white people, for example. States could probably exclude felons, or non-citizens. States might even “release” delegates who have been committed to someone later convicted of a felony.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:41 am“In most national polls Republican voters say Trump is the best candidate to replace Biden”
Most Republicans have no real idea about anyone other than Trump. Even those who are not keen on Trump have little idea about the other candidates. We are at the point where TV ads no longer work — few are watching OTA television (and those few are getting older).
So, people vote for their Team, even if they don’t know how well the team is doing lately. Yankee fans are Yankee fans even when their team is in the cellar.
It’s actually a wider problem than just Trump.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:45 amIf Trump was impeached prior to the November 2024 election, there would be a rampage at the Capitol that would make January 6th look like Sunday school.
Fine. Are there no machine guns?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:47 amI of course admit that impeaching a former president should be a rare act. But Trump is a rare candidate. In Asimov’s Foundation series, he’d be the Mule — an utterly unpredictable chaos agent that overturns evertyhing.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:50 amIf Trump was impeached prior to the November 2024 election, there would be a rampage at the Capitol that would make January 6th look like Sunday school.
Traitors 0, Marines 10,000.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:51 amMarried: Captain America
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:01 pmSammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:26 am
Keep on believing. Like Tinker Bell, if no one believes in Trump, he’ll vanish.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:03 pmThe Republicans had their chance to do so in 2021 and they punted. I don’t know if they would have barred Trump from future elections, but it’s a moot point to argue.
Do you see any circumstance where the current House Republicans would impeach Donald Trump, led Jim Jordan or another Trump acolyte?
More wishcasting.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:13 pmWhy limit pre-election impeachment to Trump? Why not make it a matter of course for the opposition to impeach their political enemies?
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:16 pmDo you see any circumstance where the current House Republicans would impeach Donald Trump, led Jim Jordan or another Trump acolyte?
No, but I do not accept your premise.
More wishcasting.
In this case for Jim Jordan.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:17 pmI agree, but the polling speaks for itself.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:18 pmWhy limit pre-election impeachment to Trump? Why not make it a matter of course for the opposition to impeach their political enemies?
If you think that Trump is just a normal politician, then you might have a point. But he clearly is not normal. Or sane. The GOP has a moral duty to clean up their house.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:19 pmScalise got more votes, at every point, than Jim Jordan has at any point. McCarthy got more than either of them. Who do they turn to next, if their goal is to find the least palatable? Santos?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:21 pmOff-topic: If you’ve been following, The LA Times is pretty much in the anti-Israel camp. They have daily articles hand-wringing about the fate of Gaza and how mean Netanyahu’s violent reaction is.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:24 pmCalifornia healthcare workers to get $25 an hour after Newsom approves historic minimum wage
Those of you stuck with Obamacare, but no subsidy, are going to see another giant premium increase.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:27 pmTrump supporters have accepted his victimhood:
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:44 pmThat I agree with, but it probably won’t happen.
Rip Murdock (9d5f88) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:46 pmEvery major news media outlet has the same coverage, which is why Israel should ban the media from reporting about their military operation, and from Gaza. It should be a media blackout.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:49 pmScalise was too close to McCarthy in his politics, and then he turned out to be a quitter.
Jordan is strong arming his way to the speakership.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 12:59 pmThe Price House Democrats Want for Saving the House Republicans:
Just say no.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:08 pmRip,
Just like Trump, Jordan may win the votes of most Republicans through his tactics. Problem is, he needs almost all of them, and Moderates have access to the same stunts Goetz pulled.
Also, Jordan is likely a government shutdown guy and will manipulate things to achieve that. If you are a GOP-er who views that as a disaster, maybe keeping the House closed until his failure is obvious doesn’t make things any worse.
Jordan has real GOP enemies. And he’s not as benevolent or smooth a character as Claude Rains. Nor, unlike Mr. Rains, can he call down the wrath of G*d. So, I doubt he’s coming.
(Use IMDB to decode this last paragraph, if you must.)
Appalled (88914d) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:18 pmI just believe that the Republican majority should select the House Speaker, without interference from the minority party, just as it has been done for 120 years. Republicans should be able to figure this out.
I do get the film reference.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:24 pmR.I.P. Suzanne Somers
Icy (d5df7e) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:26 pmWithout looking it up, do you know who played the pilot in Here Comes Mr. Jordan? He was uncredited and had no lines.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:26 pmThat’s a shame, Icy.
Dustin (3036b1) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:33 pmRip #233,
I don’t. I’ve seen the movie but it’s not one I really care to revisit. (Claude Rains is excellent and Edward Everett Horton is fun, all as usual)
As for the Dems “interfering” — they have bills they want to pass and a government they want to fund. Their stance is good politics. Whether the Moderates try to reach across the aisle — well, the anarchists have created this situation and it would serve them right. Nevertheless, that move would almost require them to go ahead and BE Democrats.
Appalled (88914d) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:35 pmLOL!
Why? Solely to pretend the democrats didn’t commit 99% of the sin here? They are the reason the House lacks a leader, and it’s the House’s leader. It makes more sense to share this responsibility when the margin is narrow. It makes more sense to share this responsibility when the GOP has a kook problem. It makes more sense to share this responsibility if that’s the only way the job gets done, and the difficult times demand leadership, and the democrats swore an oath to the country, not their party.
But hey, comedy gold if you see this as a partisan thing. I think that’s what the birthers and Clintons (but I repeat myself) thought of Trump getting all that free press almost a decade ago, back when the country wasn’t in total shambles.
Keep it up, partisans. Keep pretending this is funny.
Dustin (3036b1) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:36 pmMore on Jordan:
Comedy Gold!
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:37 pmGood point. They can gain much more power by doing the right thing. But they lose a ‘hilarious’ argument, repeated on NPR every morning, that the GOP can’t govern. Granted, most of the GOP didn’t do this. And all of the democrats did do it. And Rip has already admitted that it’s not truthful that no democrat has ever voted for a GOP majority leader… it’s just very unusual (and of course so our these circumstances). There’s no rule that they can’t do the right thing. That’s ridiculous. In fact, isn’t an appeal to moderates who put country ahead of party exactly what we need?
Couldn’t be more obvious.
I don’t particularly loose sleep over a lack of a resolution supporting Israel, but we need a government. We probably need to avoid that shutdown drama ‘lol.’ We need to start protecting the basics. Obviously fate is winding up a curveball as we speak.
Dustin (3036b1) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:40 pmMcCarthy didn’t want Democratic support for the motion to vacate vote, and the Democrats simply obliged him. He was already accused of being too chummy with Democrats, Democrat support for that vote would have simply confirmed it.
Seriously, do you believe that if the shoe was on the other foot Republicans would come running to save Nancy Pelosi from the Democrats “kook” problem? No.
It’s not the responsibility of Democrats to solve this Republican problem. McCarthy and the Republicans enacted the rules, they should live with them. The Republicans alone should solve their own kook problem. It can be done, it just takes compromise within the Republican conference.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:51 pmLloyd Bridges.
Rip Murdock (9d5f88) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:52 pmTrue, it was Jim Traficant who was subsequently stripped of all committee assignments.
Lesson learned.
Rip Murdock (9d5f88) — 10/15/2023 @ 1:56 pmAnd Traficant’s vote was immaterial to final result. Hastert would have been elected anyway.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:02 pmThe price that Hakeem Jeffries will demand will be more than just passing the appropriations and a few other Democratic bills. It will be much higher.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:12 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:41 am
The Democratic Party, backed up by a United States Supreme Court decision with regard to the 1972 Democratic convention, disregards state laws, like winner take all. The Republican Party abides by them
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:12 pmEvery major news media outlet has the same coverage, which is why Israel should ban the media from reporting about their military operation, and from Gaza. It should be a media blackout.
They all have some of that, combined with coverage of the barbarians. The LA Times seems to lack that balance.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:18 pmJust say no.
Why? Extremism in the defense of Trump is no virtue.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:19 pmAn Israeli military spokesman interviewed on one of the Sunday interview shows, used the word “checkpoint” to describe what has elsewhere been called Hamas roadblocks.
Also I heard, Israel was accused of bombing a convoy which killed 70 people. After a day or so, Israel said it wasn’t them. Also said Hamas was putting roadside bombs on roads. Israel did say they would refrain from dropping bombs on two roads for six hours, according to the Financial Times,
Nobody can go in or out of Gaza, although Egypt got the OK for some humanitarian supplies but it;=’s not trying
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:21 pmMcCarthy didn’t want Democratic support for the motion to vacate vote, and the Democrats simply obliged him.
You keep saying this, and it keeps being wrong. What McCarthy said was that he would not offer concessions to the Democrats to get their votes. I’m sure he would have accepted any votes he got — his principles weren’t that strong.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:23 pmSo, Iran now says that, should Israel “invade” Gaza, Iran will enter the war.
https://www.axios.com/2023/10/14/iran-warning-israel-hezbollah-hamas-war-gaza
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:25 pmDo your duty: Go buy a Big Mac.
McDonald’s sparks fury after sending free food to Israeli armed forces
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:27 pmIf there’s no coverage there’s no contact and also that enables Hamas to tell bigger lies,
NYT seems to have some sympathy for Palestinian civilians who are anti-Israel, but has things written from all points of view.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/14/opinion/gaza-poet-palestinians-israel.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/opinion/israel-hamas-hostage.html
They have different headlines in the printed paper,
“a0 Children Are Hiding in My House”
and
“I Don’t Know if I Will See MY Son Again”
I think the best thing she may have to go on is that Hamas terrorists are more afraid of killing prisoners than of killing people at any other time, since Israel haas a reputation of pursuing those who do that longer.
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:36 pm10 children hiding
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:37 pm249, Iran is evidently skipping the Hezbollah stage or does not consider that much of a deterrent. President Biden is prepared to use the aircraft carrier to shoo down any Iranian ballistic missile heading for Israel. Also sent another aircraft carrier, the Eisenhower, from the United States in the direction of the Mediterranean
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:42 pmTragic. But those paragliders didn’t learn how to do that in Gaza. Iran already invaded Israel a week ago as far as I’m concerned.
A lot of people will die over this. But it’s probably better to resolve it now. I just worry that Iran, Russia, China, they all see the way the USA’s government is screwed up, poised for a correction back to normalcy, or worse, there is a technology factor we don’t know (perhaps Iran has nuclear weapons). They think the time is now.
“LOL” a partisan might say.
Putin too. I am sure he’s pretty happy with the headlines lately.
Dustin (3036b1) — 10/15/2023 @ 2:56 pmThis is why the USS Eisenhower and USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Groups are in eastern Mediterranean, to deter Iran and Hezbollah from intervening against Israel, along with F-15E Strike Eagles from the 494th Expeditionary Fighter and the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadrons.
There’s no LOL about this. Hundreds of thousands will die.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 3:28 pmA distinction without a difference. Without concessions from McCarthy, there was no incentive for Democrats to either vote for McCarthy or vote “present.”
Based on his concessions to the “Gang of Eight”, McCarthy’s only principle was to do anything to become Speaker, and it came around and bit him in his rear. After he won, he ran out of principles.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 3:39 pmRepublican policy and spending priorities, which will now include billions for Democratic spending programs, are worth defending. Trump has nothing to do with it.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 3:45 pmAre there any state laws that regulate how delegates to the national conventions may vote? It’s usually party rules that govern delegates.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/15/2023 @ 3:54 pmIn an article discussing what rules, if any, states may impose on delegates (with good argument that they cannot), Ballotpedia says this:
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 4:49 pmthere was no incentive for Democrats to either vote for McCarthy or vote “present.”
How about: Not getting Speaker Jordan.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 4:50 pmor worse, there is a technology factor we don’t know (perhaps Iran has nuclear weapons)
I’m pretty sure they have Sarin gas and other chemical weapons. I’m also pretty sure that Israel would react particularly badly to the use of Sarin against civilian populations.
Note that Israel has been bombing airports in Syria to prevent the introduction of Iranian assets.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 4:53 pmthere was no incentive for Democrats to either vote for McCarthy or vote “present.”
Or, how about: Not having the current dysfunction. I note that they are complaining about it now.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 4:55 pmI’m confident that the House will get the Speaker they deserve.
Not confident at all in how the next two months of the pending world war III will go.
steveg (55b470) — 10/15/2023 @ 5:26 pmGuessing
Ukraine will continue to be fairly hot, brutal but static. (Ukraine can hold Russia by the nose, but can’t kick them in the butt) Iran has green light from Russia, Syria, but only has about two weeks to decide it it takes that green light.
China won’t hit Taiwan unless Biden dies and Kamala is put in charge
I keep saying this, but all the Dems had to do was vote “present” and McCarthy would remain as Speaker, Gaetz would’ve sent to the back bench, and the Trump-acquiescent clowns in the House wouldn’t be pushing Trump’s J6 co-conspirator for the Speakership. But no, they didn’t. They chose chaos and to perpetuate dysfunction.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:05 pmThey learned that in Lebanon. Most of the other new to them tactics they used they learned in Syria. They had about 3,000 men in the murder and kidnapping brigade with 1,500 reserves and something like 1500 or more entered Israel October 7.
The final go-ahead decision was made in Beirut on Monday, October 2 in a meeting at which representatives of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were present according to an official version that was circulated to mid level terrorist operatives.
The next day, October 3, the attackers were assembled and their electronics confiscated, and also that day Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted on X something about Israel being destroyed
Sammy Finkelman (99e328) — 10/15/2023 @ 6:08 pmKevin,
you’re showing you aren’t a Republican. Speaker Jordan would push a strong Republican agenda without giving the radical left what it wants. But you are against that. Why?
NJRob (816372) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:08 pmHow about: they swore to bear true faith to the United States, and to support the United States, and screwing around because “LOL!” is not particularly productive for the House, even if it is terrific for raising money.
Dustin (3036b1) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:11 pmThey did. They showed discipline in how they did. They showed cunning in how they articulated it. They showed coordination in how how this proves ‘the GOP can’t govern’ when 95% of the GOP didn’t do this, and 100% of the dems did.
We are in a special time. We need leaders to think outside the box (to give up the partisanship that took leaps ahead in the calculus around the time of Bush v. Gore). Need.
Dustin (3036b1) — 10/15/2023 @ 7:15 pmHow bad could it get?
Let’s say that Israel invades Gaza, Iran enters the war and Hezbollah fires its 130,000 rockets into Tel Aviv, or maybe Iran hits Tel Aviv with missiles filled with Sarin. Israel responds with a nuke. Maybe Iran has a nuke.
The US finds itself unable to act as there is no Congress. Pretty sure you need a Speaker to declare war.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:32 pmyou’re showing you aren’t a Republican.
No, I’m showing I’m not a fukwit.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:32 pmOf course, if the GOP is now the fukwit party, then maybe you’re right.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:33 pmJim Jordan and the entire House “Freedom” Caucus are the radical right. Pretty much like Trump — national socialists.
They are the furthest thing possible from Conservative. That would be people like Scalise, Pence, Haley and about half the GOP in Congress. You know, the ones you call “RINOs”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:36 pm6 year old palestinian american boy stabbed to death in Chicago and mother wounded in revenge for hamas killing Israeli children. It begins.
asset (291772) — 10/15/2023 @ 11:26 pm“They chose chaos and to perpetuate dysfunction.”
They certainly are jockeying for power and playing with fire over what’s best for the country (which is some modicum of cooperation to deal with funding the government and our international interests).
We do live in a short attention span time. And the narrative that a divided GOP cannot govern is tempting. This allows the DEMs to potentially take impeachment off the table and get a few committee chairmanships to boot. It looks more promising to retake the House in 2024 and wrestle away the agenda.
The DEMs seem to have things that they want to do. There’s always a government solution to implement with someone else’s money. The GOP is legitimately fixated on the border but seems no closer to comprehensively solving anything…and though the renegades are preening over the budget deficit and budget process, they’ve not really taken into account the required votes or prepared the field with the compromise needed to do anything substantive. It’s 100% theater.
AJ_Liberty (f85177) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:47 am6 year old palestinian american boy stabbed to death in Chicago and mother wounded in revenge for hamas killing Israeli children. It begins.
Will County is Chicago the way Appalachia is Chicago. It was their 71-year old landlord who has been accused of doing it. He has made no statement. The allegation that it was a hate crime is speculation by the local sheriff.
nk (3d42ea) — 10/16/2023 @ 5:54 amGovernor DeSantis saw Americans in harms way and got them home safely. Biden told Americans they were on their own. That’s the difference in real leadership.
https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2023/10/16/governor-desantis-welcomed-over-270-evacuated-floridians-from-israel-at-airport-n585062
P.S. Kinzinger is a dirtbag.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/16/2023 @ 6:38 amThat’s the difference in real leadership.
That’s the difference in having the Florida state treasury pay for your political campaign’s publicity stunts. Anybody can organizer a charter flight. Not everybody can get the Florida taxpayers to pay for it.
nk (2651ea) — 10/16/2023 @ 7:17 am@277
Give me this DeSantis “political stunt” every day and twice on Sundays instead of Biden’s “political stunts” *cough*Afghanistan*cough*.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/16/2023 @ 7:22 amI’m sure that the US would retaliate immediately (that’s why the two carrier battle groups are in the eastern Mediterranean) and the Administration would report to Congress the use of force as required under The War Powers Act. Enforcement of the Act against Presidential decisions has been rather toothless.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 7:29 amI wouldn’t mind seeing Biden impeached for the murder by drone of the innocent Afghani family, seven of them children, in hurried CYA for the Kabul airport bombing of our troops.
I would not mind at all. I don’t think that any of the button men suffered any consequences, either.
nk (2651ea) — 10/16/2023 @ 7:59 amOnly one of the Three are left. RIP Ms. Somers.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/16/2023 @ 8:01 am@280
*hands up high* PREACH! *hands up high*
whembly (5f7596) — 10/16/2023 @ 8:30 amInteresting, but since your link did not show the list of states in your post it’s a little hard to verify what the individual state laws are. The link also does not include the quote from Ballotpedia.
In any event, I doubt any of the states restrict voting to candidates without a felony conviction (as that would be something they would not have considered as a problem). As the link states, delegates are bound through the first ballot. If Trump has a majority of delegates, that won’t be a problem.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 8:58 amNot gonna happen, because sometime in the future under a Republican President the same thing will happen. Don’t want to set a precedent.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:07 amInteresting, but since your link did not show the list of states in your post it’s a little hard to verify what the individual state laws are. The link also does not include the quote from Ballotpedia.
My apologies. I had several Ballotpedia pages open and copied the wrong URL. This one has all that you ask for.
https://ballotpedia.org/State_election_law_and_delegates_to_national_conventions
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:15 amIn New Mexico, it is actually a crime for a convention delegate to vote for someone other than they are pledged to vote for on the first ballot.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:17 amWhat the House Republicans may need to concede:
This is just for openers. Look forward to higher taxes and spending as well as the end of the Biden investigations.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:17 amFavor Palestinians? Killing Hamas might be the way to help them.
https://thedispatch.com/article/to-stand-with-the-palestinians-support-israel-against-hamas/
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:19 amThis is just for openers. Look forward to higher taxes and spending as well as the end of the Biden investigations.
Higher taxes: Restoring the SALT deduction, while raising the top bracket back to 39.6% would actually be a tax cut for everyone who benefits from itemizing. Even the rich in any state with an income tax. Even if the SALT limit was only raised to $50K, that would benefit most itemizers who make less than, oh, $500K/year.
The Dems will call it a tax hike because they are incredibly shallow, and the GOP can be happy that it will cut taxes for the upper middle class, a prime constituency.
Stopping investigations into Biden, absent some new information, is simply wise. Stop crying “Wolf!” until there is a wolf.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:26 amThe link also states:
My emphasis. So it is an open question if a state could prevent a felon from receiving convention delegate votes.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:28 amProving my point. Unless NM also prohibits a convention delegate from voting for a convicted felon, it is likely that Trump could receive the state’s delegates on the first ballot (not knowing anything about NM Republican presidential politics).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:31 amKevin, watch out, they might try to box in NM and reefer-addled Colorado…https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/border-coverage/texas-fencing-new-mexico-border/
urbanleftbehind (f7f349) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:43 amHow long can he abide by this?
His people will have to confiscate his phone and all tech devices and keep him away from a mic.
Dana (5a49c9) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:56 amTrump violates gag order in 3, 2, 1…..
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:02 amMy emphasis. So it is an open question if a state could prevent a felon from receiving convention delegate votes.
AS I said in my original post, the article has a lot to say about state laws not being enforceable.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:31 amnot knowing anything about NM Republican presidential politics
Pretty much as you’d expect: the party is hostage to a loud minority, although overall Trump is toxic in the state.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:33 amKevin, watch out, they might try to box in NM and reefer-addled Colorado
The thing about NM is that there is nowhere to go once you cross except Texas. El Paso is right on the border, both of New Mexico and actual Mexico. In NM proper, it is 50 miles of desert until you get to a city, so El Paso is where they end up.
Not that, while NM has the largest percentage of Hispanics of any state, most of those families have been here before America was, mostly because you can’t easily walk in.
Home Depot is not a hiring hall in NM.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:37 am* Note that
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:38 amNever leave somebody with nothing to lose.
nk (f57bac) — 10/13/2023 @ 3:22 pm
That describes the Palestinians for the last 50 years.
Rip Murdock
Israel left Gaza unconditionally. The people of Gaza elected Hamas. They created their own mess. If you have any doubts about this just read their charter.
Mattsky (c3c2f1) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:49 amIt is unlikely that the current NM governor would do anything to stop illegal immigration, even if it was flooding into NM cities.
Lujan-Grisham is a doctrinaire and increasingly leftist Democrat. She is now ruling through her appointees in the administrative state since her part-time legislature is unwilling to pass the laws she wants, despite having Democrat supermajorities in both houses (gerrymander).
Not only on guns, but also on cars, energy and numerous unfunded mandates on businesses. I hope that the US Supreme Court continues its line of “major questions” limits on the administrative state.
Between her attacks on gun rights and her EV and EV-charging mandates, I can see Democrat support in the hinterlands drying up. Maybe, once Trump is no longer the GOP poster boy, the state has a chance to come back.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:55 amThe people of Gaza elected Hamas.
Narrowly, 15 years ago. No elections since, as Hamas would lose them bigly.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 10:56 amLeaving Gaza a rubble-pile with 2 million people dependent on foreign aid will result in the fire being much larger next time. Israel, not being into genocide, needs (for its own security) to create something workable and sustainable in Gaza that gives hope to people there.
Of course, that assumes that Israel survives this time — they have let the problem fester for so long, and been in such denial, that the current peril is existential. Whatever happens now, walling off the problems won’t be acceptable going forward.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 11:02 amNarrowly, 15 years ago. No elections since, as Hamas would lose them bigly.
I’m not so sure about that.
The poll found that 53% of Palestinians believe Hamas is “most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people,
Mattsky (c3c2f1) — 10/16/2023 @ 11:08 amThe link to the AP story didn’t post. I’ll try again.
https://apnews.com/article/hamas-middle-east-science-32095d8e1323fc1cad819c34da08fd87
Mattsky (c3c2f1) — 10/16/2023 @ 11:09 amLeaving Gaza a rubble-pile with 2 million people dependent on foreign aid will result in the fire being much larger next time. Israel, not being into genocide, needs (for its own security) to create something workable and sustainable in Gaza that gives hope to people there.
Hamas needs to be destroyed. Like the Nazis needed to be destroyed. Going forward after that the future depends on what the people in Gaza want. Do they want to return to being lead by another death cult or build a better future? Foreign aid could help them get started. They could use it for rockets and tunnels again but building green houses is a better option. It is up to them. When Israel controlled Gaza there was a thriving industry growing stuff in green houses. It could happen again. They are also on the Med. Peace could make it a tourist destination. Something workable and sustainable in Gaza can only happen if the people there choose it.
Mattsky (c3c2f1) — 10/16/2023 @ 11:33 amRebuilding Gaza will have to involve external supervision. It can’t be Israel, it can’t be the UN (or any other “multinational” group), It can’t be the USA or Europe. It has to be some Arab country that has the kind of skin in the game that makes it imperative for them to avoid another Hamas.
I’ve argued for Saudi, but I guess it could be Egypt. One has money though, and strategic ambition, the other is lucky not to collapse itself.
There are those that say that it has to be Gaza-by-its-bootstraps, but that gave us Hamas the last time.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 11:44 amI don’t think that anyone is arguing that Hamas should survive. However they got there, no matter who was mean to them, they’re a bunch of psychopathic monsters who need to be dead.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 11:48 amNobody was mean to them.
They are like people who join the Mafia- they may not have the usual complete formal education they might be expected to have, probably at east partially because they didn’t want it; they don’t exert much initiative in controlling the course of their life; they may be interested in money; they started very very young; they may feel they can’t drop out – they already did bad things, and also feel there is no way back to ordinary life.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:19 pmFacts not in evidence and Fatah is just as evil.
NJRob (ff6388) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:31 pmRebuilding Gaza will have to involve external supervision. It can’t be Israel, it can’t be the UN (or any other “multinational” group), It can’t be the USA or Europe. It has to be some Arab country that has the kind of skin in the game that makes it imperative for them to avoid another Hamas.
I think that Mahmoud Abbas and the PA may end up administrating Gaza. Considering his recent statement the deal may have already been made.
Mattsky (c3c2f1) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:33 pmSixty-five percent of Gaza’s population is under the age of 24, (with 42% ranging in age between 0-14); with the median age being 18. So the vast majority of Gazans has never had a say in their future.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:39 pmThe people of Gaza elected Hamas.
They were only elected to the national legislature. The only political parties were armed groups, and Hamas based its campaign on being against against corruption.
Hamas took over Gaza by a coup in which they threw a few Fatah members off buildings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gaza_(2007)
The currency in Gaza is the Israeli shekel; personal documents are issued by the Palestinian authority based in Ramallah. The world refuses to allow them to issue passports.
Hamas has a number of political prisoners.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/01/02/even-animals-gets-better-treatment-tortured-by-hamas-man-finds-refuge-in-israel
Overall, however, their government is not too tyrannical to the local population, as tyrannies go (notice this person was able to write quite a bit and was repeatedly arrested. This would not have happened in Stalin’s Russia) , because Hamas concentrated on planning for terrorism, war crimes and a little of what might be called war but it is only support for terrorism and war crimes.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:42 pmAs I said above, Gaza, with its Mediterranean coast line, could be a vacation paradise, with dozens of beach resorts, built by European and Middle Eastern construction firms. This would employ thousands of Gazans in the initial construction projects, and later generate thousands of jobs in the hospitality industry as well as spinoff employment.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:52 pmAnd this is a tyranny in which it is usually possible to conduct what they think are public opinion polls that fairly reflect public opinion.
I would expect that in times of conflict with Israel the responses to the polls would get less honest and more pro-Hamas, as they may be more
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:52 pmsuspicious of who is asking the questions. This may be true also in the West Bank. The effect dissipates after 3 to 6 months according to the AP article. As in most polls, different people get polled at different times.
I think that Mahmoud Abbas and the PA may end up administrating Gaza. Considering his recent statement the deal may have already been made.
Who would trust them, including the Palestinians? Just more of the same, on to infinity. It’s not in Israel’s interest.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:55 pm@313:
I think that Rip and I are on the same page here. None of this is possible if Hamas or Fatah are in control. Heck, the effing Mafia would do better.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:58 pmStill, the Palestinians have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:59 pmThe Palestinian presidential election to fill the position held by Yasir Arafat took place on 9 January 2005 in both the West Bank and Gaza and . was boycotted by both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and was — Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Fatah chairman Mahmoud Abbas but Hamas won the legislative elections held a year later. Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza took place in between in which greenhouses in Gaza were left standing but were destroyed (they were looted)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:02 pmGood News (If True):
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:02 pmAgreed, but someone will need to help the surviving Gazans to build a better future. Leaving them alone to figure it out themselves is a recipe for another Hamas.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:04 pmIt would behoove Israel to be deliberate and patient in exacting retribution against Hamas. Take the time to build an alliance with other Arab nations aimed at declaring Hamas a terror group and get their assistance in removing them from Gaza/life. It’d probably require leaving the West Bank, at minimum – which is likely worth it if that can lead to a lasting peace.
If Abbas/Fatah can be avoided, great: otherwise, use them as necessary.
Sam G (8d2ed1) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:11 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/15/2023 @ 10:32 pm
The United States hasn’t declared war on anyone since 1941, probably because too many provisions of law are kicked into effect by it, and Congress doesn’t want to do that.
What they did after 9/11 was an “Authorization for the use of force” which may be unnecessary. War is a legal state not a military one.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:11 pmWho would trust them, including the Palestinians? Just more of the same, on to infinity. It’s not in Israel’s interest.
What are the other realistic viable options?
Mattsky (c3c2f1) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:16 pm319. (posted quote by Rip Murdock)
And possible military operations against them, as proposed by Republican candidates for president.
Rpn Desantis is trying to sound more unhinged than Donald Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXEvjRt8uRg
Desantis doubled down yesterday on Face the Nation on brutal tough sounding policy based on ignorance and nonsense:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ron-desantis-florida-governor-2024-republican-candidate-face-the-nation-transcript-10-15-2023
Wouldn’t you at least want to see if they’re armed and would resist arrest? And if they are armed and dangerous, do they need to carry a backpack to be shot at? And is that the way most fentanyl is smuggled into the United States nowadays? Well, maybe people just breaking into the business would do that and people new to drug business would be more careless with the fentanyl, so you could give him that, except he’s talking about the cartels.
What happened with Gaza was an invasion. This is not.
It seems like he’s done it already.
Sammy Finkelman (c5132f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:37 pmGood News (If True)
While the heat is on. I expect DeSantis to claim the credit.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:41 pmI think in the late 1940s the Mafia disavowed the drug business, although it continued in secret and/or against orders by some members. The plot of the movie the Godfather includes that.
Of course it’s like John D. Rockefeller I saying: “We will never sell oil.” (borrowed from something Jimmy Breslin wrote in his book about Owney Madden.)
Stopping the cartels (in a mature market) actually could lead to a short term increase in drug overdose deaths.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:42 pmWhat they did after 9/11 was an “Authorization for the use of force” which may be unnecessary. War is a legal state not a military one.
A mistake. Some of those provisions would have been useful and one of the things that happens is that the war eventually ends, unlike an AUMF which (having few domestic effects) can linger forever.
Of course the rationale was that al Qaeda wasn’t a “state”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:43 pmMost Arab countries have already declared their support for the Palestinians. Getting “their assistance” is not going to happen. Their own populations would revolt against the idea of supporting Israel.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:44 pmWhat are the other realistic viable options?
I’ve suggested some. Don’t care to repeat myself.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:45 pm@325
No, Desantis won’t want to say that anything can be done before he is elected president. It’s the totality of the rhetoric coming from a number of candidates and members of Congress also, and some steps by President Biden, who is being pushed around on this issue and maybe having some harsh words with the government of Mexico..
The Sinaloa cartel doesn’t want to wait.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:46 pmIf Abbas/Fatah can be avoided, great: otherwise, use them as necessary.
I fear that the forces of expediency and sloth will control the outcome. What does Biden care about 10 years from now?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:46 pmNo, Desantis won’t want to say that anything can be done before he is elected president.
He’ll claim that he so great that — even before he’s president — the cartels are shaking in their boots.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:48 pmPalestinians, not Hamas.
And it’s worth the effort: either a coalition is put together to remove Hamas (win), or ammunition for the info war is provided when the Arab nations reject Israel’s requests in exchange for leaving the West Bank (which they should regardless).
Sam G (8d2ed1) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:49 pmsteveg (55b470) — 10/15/2023 @ 5:26 pm
Xi Jinping told his army to get ready by 2027.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:53 pmEither way, most of other Arab countries have come out against Israel.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:54 pmThe West Bank is a jigsaw puzzle of jurisdictions now and the Arabs include in it East Jerusalem, which includes the area annexed to Jerusalem in 1968.
And, as IMRA has reminded people in the past, once you have a state it can be taken over by a hostile power.
Israel, at a minimum would have to approve any Arab government in the West Bank. Maybe by its Supreme Court, which leftists want to be all powerful anyway. There cannot be a truly independent Palestinian state anytime soon.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:01 pm332. Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 1:48 pm
Desantis doesn’t have the imagination to do this.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:02 pmOf course, he could claim that that is the right policy, and he (and would he credit other Republicans?) were there first.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:04 pmIsrael has identified 199 people as possible hostages in Gaza.(Hamas now broached the idea of exchanging them for 6,000 people)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:08 pmEither way, most of other Arab countries have come out against Israel.
Absent anything else, of course they did. But Iran and Dubai have different actual policies.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:14 pmIsrael has identified 199 people as possible hostages in Gaza.(Hamas now broached the idea of exchanging them for 6,000 people)
I’d be fine with that. Of course those 6,000 would arrive with tracker chips in them….
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:15 pmand would he credit other Republicans?
Silly boy.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:15 pmThe United States has almost reached an agreement with Egypt.
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/egypt-weighs-letting-in-foreigners-and-palestinians-from-gaza-7df43a5f
To be let out of Gaza would be, in order:
1. U.S. citizens with no other nationality.
2. Dual U.S. citizens and citizens of other western powers.
3. United Nations and other aid workers
4. Employees of international companies.
But this is all preliminary.
Sammy Finkelman (c5132f) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:17 pmDesantis probably doesn’t even realize that anything may have really changed. He’d be too scared to claim credit if it turns out nothing has changed, I know you said quaking in their boots , which doesn’t mean anything has yet stopped, and that’s too subtle..
And it probably won’t fast at the street level (although the FBI is rounding up a whole fentanyl importing network after a 1 year old died in the Bronx in a day care center front for a big distributor..
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:23 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/16/2023 @ 12:52 pm
That’s what Trump told Kim Jong Un about North Korea, but he couldn’t interest the dictator even though he’dalready stated building.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-north-korea-beaches-great-place-for-hotels-condos-2018-6
https://nypost.com/2019/10/19/us-promised-to-build-beach-resort-in-north-korea-during-nuclear-talks
Sammy Finkelman (c5132f) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:30 pmGeorge Will has some bitter thoughts about American politics, including this one:
Too strong? I’m still thinking about that question. But my hesitancy about disagreeing with Will should tell you something.
Jim Miller (6ba8c8) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:33 pmhttps://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/iran-spy-ring-robert-malley-lee-smith
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:34 pmA majority of the Republican conference in the House now opposes further aid to Ukraine.
The Biden Administration wants a national security bill that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the border.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:37 pmThe next paragraph is pretty depressing, too:
Although if the Federal Reserve added a couple zeros to my brokerage account, I’d consider voting for Trump. But probably not Vivek.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 2:50 pm@275 Murder of 6 year old palestinian-american boy now being investigated by feds as hate crime. It still begins. If it had been a 6 year old jewish boy killed by palestinian I wonder if their still would be no comments here?
asset (f51a02) — 10/16/2023 @ 3:02 pmThe Mediterranean is probably warmer.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 3:09 pmIran isn’t an Arab country.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 3:11 pmThat’s because he’s right.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 3:24 pmIran isn’t an Arab country.
So sue me.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 4:54 pmSpecies being delisted due to extinction:
There are a few that need delisting for not being an actual species. Like the Delta Smelt.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 4:55 pmI wonder if their still would be no comments here?
What comment would you like? That is is senseless? How about:
Who would have suspected this guy of being off his nutter?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 4:59 pm
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 5:00 pmIran Warns Of ‘Pre-emptive Action’ Against Israel
Breaking-
Biden to visit Israel on Wednesday.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 5:16 pmSending in the Marines:
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 5:31 pmMore Troops:
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 5:45 pmGovernor DeSantis is 100% correct. Hopefully he will be President DeSantis and implement steps to protect our border.
I’ve asked you this question several times Sammy and you’ve never answered it.
SHOULD ISRAEL BE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS? HOW ABOUT THE RIGHT OF RETURN?
You think our borders are worthless. What about theirs?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/16/2023 @ 6:22 pmhttps://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/10/in-what-sense-are-illegals-illegal.php
Biden’s America where criminal aliens who steal identities are supposed to be guaranteed loans.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/16/2023 @ 6:33 pmhttps://freebeacon.com/democrats/minnesota-ag-keith-ellisons-chief-of-staff-promotes-pro-hamas-rally/
Those that hate America and hate Jews. Near 100% match.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/16/2023 @ 6:39 pm“Biden to visit Israel on Wednesday.”
It must be a lot easier to catch a flight to Tel Aviv than El Paso.
Israel is just another country whose borders Biden cares more about than our own.
Yes, please tell me the two aren’t related.
lloyd (02b27b) — 10/16/2023 @ 7:10 pm@364 NJRob any comment on the 6 year old palestinian boy stabbed to death in chicago as revenge for Israeli children being killed?
asset (bbaf6f) — 10/16/2023 @ 7:23 pmRIP Lara Parker (84). Played the beautiful but vengeful witch Angelique Bouchard on “Dark Shadows”:
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 8:02 pmBiden was invited by Netanyahu to show solidarity with Israel. It would have been an insult to say no.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 8:06 pmLara Parker completes the celebrity death trifecta: Suzanne Somers and Piper Laurie also died within the past week.
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 8:27 pmA Tale of Two Elections:
And:
Rip Murdock (447c40) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:05 pmSending in the Marines:
They’re on the USS Bataan, an amphibious assault carrier. Love the name. It was off Kuwait a week ago, after transiting the Suez in August. Apparently it’s transiting back.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:28 pmI don’t particularly like DeSantis, but he’d be a better president than Trump and, call it a political stunt, but he did the right thing.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:37 pmAlso, this was a much better political stunt than when he fooled Venezuelans in Texas into getting on a plane, landing them briefly in Florida to make it legit, and then shipping ’em to Martha’s Vineyard for a photo op.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/16/2023 @ 9:55 pmTalk about pandering!
Privately owned banks create money, but always in the form of (new) loans, and it’s not political on an individual loan basis, although the Bank of the United States started to do that in the 1830s, after it was accused of that, I think.
Sammy Finkelman (a88efb) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:16 amWhat Iran planned can be compared to someone who studied and prepared a chess opening – it is important to take them out of “the book” I thin their plan included an Israeli invasion of Gaza.I think Iran wanted Hezbollah to attack before they did anything directly or has a time limit.
“Biden to visit Israel on Wednesday.”
Biden is turning himself into a human shield – the only human shield that may work for Hezbollah and Iran.
Sammy Finkelman (a88efb) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:32 amhttps://imra.org.il/story.php?id=74019
Sammy Finkelman (a88efb) — 10/17/2023 @ 3:42 amOn the other hand, Khamenei or the Iranian regime night fall from power before he gives the order to Hezbollsah and his own forces to attack.
Sammy Finkelman (a88efb) — 10/17/2023 @ 3:50 amProsecute the murderer to the fullest extent of the law.
Now will you retract your support for the anti-Semitic squad?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/17/2023 @ 5:45 amBiden is arriving in Israel tomorrow.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 6:25 amWhen Zelenskyy requested a visit to express solidarity, Netanyahu said “neyn”.
@373
No one was fooled by that and Florida agency has documented signatures that those illegal aliens knew where they were going.
We need to stop thinking that these illegal aliens are dumb… they’re far from it, and knows the political realities.
You see, this is a Rorschach test of your own biases not unlike anything we’ve seen under Trump. There are far more, easier legit things to ding them both but for some reason people want to perpetuate outright falsehood.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/17/2023 @ 7:33 amI don’t know what kind of CYA that Florida officials under DeSantis were engaging in, but the Venezuelans who were part of the FL governor’s photo op didn’t know where they were going.
My objections to DeSantis’ stunt remain two-fold: (1) he used Venezuelans, who are victims of socialism every bit as much as Cubans, and (2) he imported them from Texas instead of scrounging around for refugees/illegals in-state. It’s doubtful they knew they were being rounded up by political operatives, to be used as political pawns by a governor with presidential ambitions.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 8:01 amDoes this mean I won’t support DeSantis? No. If I had to choose between him and Trump, it’s Ron every time.
And I’d choose DeSantis over Biden, but I think Haley would have a better shot at winning.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 8:02 amOn the other hand, Khamenei or the Iranian regime night fall from power before he gives the order to Hezbollsah and his own forces to attack.
Yeah, not waiting for that.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 8:34 amAnd I’d choose DeSantis over Biden, but I think Haley would have a better shot at winning.
And would be someone I could whole-heartedly support. Our best shot this cycle at righting the ship.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 8:35 amI’d vote for Haley (or any candidate) who gives a speech like this.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:08 am@382
Same.
I think Haley would actually be amazing POTUS too.
They all have issues, but there’s definitely discernable net positives of a Haley or DeSantis administration.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:13 amNo, that wasn’t the reason. The reason for it was that their landlord had heard of the call for a “Day of Rage” last Friday by former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal (he stepped down just before his 61st birthday, after approximately 21 years, as chairman of Hamas’ Politburo at the end of his term in May 2017, and who knows what’s behind that?)
And their landlord turned murderer had somehow convinced himself that this mother and son would be part of it.
And apparently he decided to kill them first before they killed him or maybe it was that they would point him out to some Islamist killer.
Less paranoid people just took precautions.
Sammy Finkelman (a88efb) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:18 amGood News:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:19 amI’d vote for Haley (or any candidate) who gives a speech like this.
Hurd endorsed Haley
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:40 am“the [Ukrainian] military struck the two airfields after receiving intelligence that Russia was using them as a major base for aircraft, military hardware and ammunition in the occupied territories.”
The pro-Ukraine mil-X’ers have been posting satellite photos of Berdyansk helicopte bases for months saying “if only the US would give us ATACAM’s with cluster munitions, this place is perfect”
steveg (d8884b) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:55 amand the Russians decided not to take preventative measures that might actually work against a 27 year old piece of technology.
The US military would have defended with high tech which is correct vs missiles but the way to attack the US is with low tech, low cost swarms of drones dropping scavenged cluster munitions, old hand grenades, old mortar shells etc.
When I hear Haley give a similar speech, I will endorse her.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 9:57 amIn front of a pro-Trump audience.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:07 amIt looks like Jordan won’t get it this round. 13 GOP votes against so far.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:25 amWhen I hear Haley give a similar speech, I will endorse her.
At which point she will have lost. It’s real white of Hurd, with his 0% chance to make that speech, but Janis explained how that goes.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:27 amHouse roll call vote going on for Speaker. Jeffries voted for himself (with some accompanying cheering afterwards);Jordan voted for himself, (with some accompanying cheering afterwards.
Jordan got some opponents to announce they will vote for him yesterday by making some promises like being open to the combined national security aid bill which would include aid to Ukraine.
It looks like he won’t make it, though.
Sammy Finkelman (a88efb) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:30 amIt’s called political courage. If she did so, not only would she gain brownie points for courage, she would probably win more support.
Rip Murdock (dc18a3) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:30 amshe would probably win more support.
Perhaps. But she’s the one who has to judge that, not you or me.
She has been trashing Trump’s statements on Israel pretty loudly this week. Her aim is getting votes from the persuadeables, not just acting out like Hurd.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:34 amIt’s called political courage.
Courage is going “over the top” with your company. Idiocy is doing it by yourself.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:35 amSo far Jeffries is winning by double digits.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:36 amAll votes in, Jordan doesn’t break 200.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:40 amOOOPs. NY Times list is sorted weird. Still a few GOP not voting.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:43 amJeffries 212, Jordan 200, 20 other, 1 not voting
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:46 amThe question now is: Do votes start going for Jordan on the second round, or away from him?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:51 amI was hoping for a vote for Liz Cheney.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 10:52 amJordan would need to turn 18 of the 20 non-Jordan votes.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 11:07 amI notice that Zeldin picked up a few votes. Better him than Jordan, I suppose.
Mr. Erickson…
Hostage takers and co-conspirators.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 11:24 amJeffries 212, Jordan 200, 20 other, 1 not voting
Total membership in the House right now is 433. Total number of votes cast: 433. Seems to be that Jordan needs only 13 out of 21 more votes, and can lose eight.
Sammy Finkelman (bcd381) — 10/17/2023 @ 11:39 amJordan’s not very honest about things, but he has a good personality.
Sammy Finkelman (bcd381) — 10/17/2023 @ 11:43 amNow that is Comedy Gold! He’s one of the most irascible members of the House. No one would ever describe him as Mr. Congeniality.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:13 pm#408 —-
Are you kidding? That’s like saying Trump is charming and even tempered.
Appalled (9a483f) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:14 pmhttps://bbabylonbee.com/news/hamas-disappointed-leftists-dont-believe-they-massacred-jews-after-they-went-to-all-the-trouble-to-livestream-itabylonbee.com/news/biden-departs-for-israel-to-preside-over-opening-ceremonies-for-world-war-iii
(actually, of course, to try to prevent it)
This one doesn’t make sense.
Better, but still not very good:
https://babylonbee.com/news/9-signs-you-might-actually-be-the-bad-guy
So so:
https://babylonbee.com/news/hamas-disappointed-leftists-dont-believe-they-massacred-jews-after-they-went-to-all-the-trouble-to-livestream-it
It wasn’t livestreamed, but it was sent various places after the fact. They all came with wore body cameras worn on their heads, which preserved footage.
Maybe better:
https://babylonbee.com/news/hamas-clarifies-they-meant-to-start-the-type-of-war-where-they-get-to-do-whatever-they-want-and-no-one-fights-back
Sammy Finkelman (bcd381) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:19 pm408-410. On television, when speaking in public, he comes across as amiable. Although often with subtle twists to the facts.
Sammy Finkelman (bcd381) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:26 pmWell, this is different:
Sherman has not been a big fan of Bush in the past.
Jim Miller (6f9100) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:43 pmAnyone predict Jordan’s loss margin? (I didn’t; I thought he wuld lose, but by a smaller margin.)
Jim Miller (6f9100) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:45 pm“Gaza, with its Mediterranean coast line, could be a vacation paradise”
steveg (8a0cef) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:48 pmThat would require relocating all the Palestinians.
Paradise vacations and Islamist religious fundamentalists don’t really get along.
Lebanon used to be one of the most beautiful places on that eastern coast line and then the jihadis showed up.
Lebanon still has natural beauty, but its hard to soak it in when you have to look over your shoulder.
The beaches in Yemen get great reviews on Trip Advisor even though the US State Dept also has its own advisory against going there
I was more adventurous when I was younger- civil war? We’ll have the whole place to ourselves!
steveg (8a0cef) — 10/17/2023 @ 12:52 pmLOL! You obviously have never listened to him in committee hearings.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:01 pmI get the sense that the whole “durm and strang” that this chaos isn’t impacting the government… yet.
Nothing so dire or serious happening right now that necessitates the need of a new Speaker, so the malcontents are comfortable in being obstinate at the moment.
That calculous changes, though, when a functioning Congress is needed.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:04 pmGood grief. When I think of Jim Jordan, the words “amiable” and “subtle” have never come to mind. He’s as subtle as a jackhammer, and friendly as one.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:19 pmI disagree. It is up to voters to decide if they want to support a candidate that just barely walks up to the line in criticizing Trump without actually doing so. So what if she is trashing Trump’s statements on Israel-who hasn’t? In a couple of weeks no one will remember either Trump’s statements or Haley’s response. Haley hasn’t developed a cogent argument why Trump shouldn’t be the nominee and stuck with it.
The universe of persuadables is disappearing rapidly because those that are left are being persuaded to vote for Trump.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:20 pmFoxNews and this source are saying that the Gaza hospital was struck by a misfired Islamic Jihad missile, not IDF.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:23 pmNo Speaker means no aid to Israel.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:26 pm@422
Israel is doing fine in the near term.
Heck, there’s two Carrier groups in the region now.
Long term? Like, towards the end of the year… Yeah, Israel likely need some help.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:28 pm@421
It’s just best to consider anything out of Hamas’ mouth as propaganda until proven otherwise.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:29 pm13 out of 21 more votes
Uh, no. He needs 217 votes. 433/2 + 1. That’s 17 more than he got.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:35 pmWhy? Thousands of Gazans could be employed in the construction and hospitality sectors, as well as spillover industries. Livable housing could be created, again creating thousands of construction jobs. What Gaza needs is a stable society and governance, all of which has been lacking for the past 50 years.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:37 pmI like the George W Bush idea. Except that he’d be bypassed if it came time to succeed to the WH. Perhaps Paul Ryan?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:39 pmIsrael has requested $10B in emergency aid, including 155-millimeter ammunition, replacement ammunition for the Iron Dome missile defense system, precision-guided bombs, and JDAM kits. Not gonna happen without a Speaker.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:41 pmParadise vacations and Islamist religious fundamentalists don’t really get along.
There are a lot of Christian fundamentalists in the Bible Belt. But they are a minority even there. I really do not get this “Oh, California has gone LEft, so everyone in California is a Marxist!” thing.
It’s a lot like asking someone from Philly if they know your cousin Joe, who lives there.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:42 pmNot gonna happen without a Speaker.
Some of that may not happen with a Speaker. How many Iron Dome reloads do we actually have?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:43 pmI seriously doubt the current Republican House conference would ever consider either Bush or Ryan. They are completely despised by the MAGAites.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:46 pm425. Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:35 pm
He only needs one more vote than Jeffries got, which is 212. 212+1 =213.
Now 433/2 = 216 1/2 – and the next higher whole number is 217.
Are there any votes missing or voters unaccounted for?
No. 212+200+20+1 = 433. I checked it with a calculator.
Where’s the mistake?
Now 200+13 = 213
212+0 = 212
20+1 = 21 and 21-13=8
Finally, 213+212+8 = 433.
Maybe 217 is needed because a plurality doesn’t win?
That could be why most Congresspeople who didn’t vote for either Jim Jordan or Hakeem Jeffries voted for someone usually Kevin McCarthy or Steve Scalise. It was to raise the threshold.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:18 pmAircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower left Norfolk, Virginia, 3 days ago. The intention has to be to relieve the USS Gerald R. Ford after it gets there. It will take it ten days just to get to Gibraltar.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:26 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 1:01 pm
I’ve heard sound bites. He doesn’t raise his voice.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:28 pmHe badgers witnesses, talks over them, speechifies, and doesn’t care if they have an answer or not.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:40 pmhttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/hawley-taps-doj-investigate-pro-palestinian-student-groups-potential-ties-hamas
How come Senator Josh Hawley is the only person doing this?
Who gets the idea for making a demonstration in support of Hamas right after they committed the worst attack on Jews since Nazi times? And if someone gets the idea, who gets the idea simultaneously? There have to be terror ties and probably money laundering.
Of course, he should write, they should carefully examine their tip line. And maybe call, in general terms, for anyone who knows something of the kind to report it. And check and find out what any ongoing investigation has turned up that they maybe didn’t attach sufficient significance to.
The German American Bund never penetrated any significant organizations like seems to have happened here on college campuses and elsewhere.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:40 pmBy the way, somebody has got call “Palestinian” Arab and Islamic self-righteousness, – with that word – and support by others that isn’t even fazed by a major act of mass murder.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:44 pmThe intention is to augment the Ford Carrier Strike Group, so there will be two carriers in the eastern Med. The aim is to provide sufficient deterrent and retaliatory capabilities against Hezbollah and Iran. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:49 pm………..
The New York Times has ‘splaining to do about their bias.
The Times changed their headline shortly afterward, after the IDF put out video footage, but their choice on who to believe at the outset is something else. BTW, AG put out an interesting video here (worth a watch).
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/17/2023 @ 2:57 pmI stand by my statement that paradise vacation places and Islamist fundamentalists do not get along
I’ll use Tunisia as my example because Tunisian are very moderate, women have full status, and it is the least religious country in the Arab world
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/28/tunisia-attack-how-a-man-with-a-parasol-could-38-people-on-the-beach
Palestinians are far more radicalized than Tunisians, down to the very young boys and as long as they remain radicalized and are in Gaza, (at least 2 -3 generations out) Gaza won’t be much of a resort destination
I concede it is possible that someday a bunch of heavily armed West Virginian snake handling Christian folks might travel over towards Atlantic City in their old Bluebird church bus to help a guy shoot that den of iniquity up.
steveg (8a0cef) — 10/17/2023 @ 3:19 pmNever say never when it comes to crazy
Failure to Launch:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 3:24 pmOnce Hamas is eliminated the fundamentalists will be gone.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 3:26 pmMaybe 217 is needed because a plurality doesn’t win?
Where have you been?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:02 pmAircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower left Norfolk, Virginia, 3 days ago. The intention has to be to relieve the USS Gerald R. Ford after it gets there. It will take it ten days just to get to Gibraltar.
Sammy, you’re batting zero today. They are sending the Ike because 1) “more” and 2) they may need more supplies by then. They are also sending several ships to support amphibious Marine landings.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:16 pm@ Squad is not anti-semetic Who has killed more children Hamas or Israel?
asset (72a311) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:17 pmLatest preacher busted for kiddie perversion. Cameron cotrill minister mississsippi coast church. Suffer the little children unto me! The moral majority strikes again!
asset (72a311) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:21 pmI stand by my statement that Scott should drop out and endorse Haley.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:22 pmLatest preacher busted for kiddie perversion
How many leftists do this, or don’t you keep count?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:22 pmWho has killed more children Hamas or Israel?
Hamas has killed all of them.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:23 pmI’m sure that will have the same impact that Hurd’s endorsement had: 0.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:23 pmHurd was a nobody (whom you offer as a somebody). But a train of endorsements is what put Biden over the top. Don’t underestimate the effect of news stories on causal voters (i.e. most voters).
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:27 pmGiven Hayley’s at best ambiguous position on abortion, in contrast to Scott’s, I doubt Scott will endorse her.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:28 pmCasual Republican voters have already made their choice, and it’s not any of the Lilliputians.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:32 pmI don’t see Scott dropping out before Iowa-that is where his (evangelical) voters are.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:33 pmEven though Hurd was at 0%, he was better known among political junkies than Suarez. I still contend this speech is so far the best political moment of the campaign. Nothing like going down in flames by telling the truth to those that don’t want to hear it.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:37 pmAsset,
will you call out the anti-Semitism of the squad or not? This isn’t difficult. Same with our other resident leftists.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:37 pmSF: Maybe 217 is needed because a plurality doesn’t win?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:02 pm
I forgot that detail, and it hasn’t been repeated in any thing I read.
But I remember that’s why (Gaetz I think) voted present in the end when Speaker McCarthy was elected.
Here is a link:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3803334-mccarthy-fails-to-win-speakership-as-gaetz-casts-deciding-vote
I think “present”reduces the number needed.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:43 pmIf the other non-Trump supporting Lilliputians did the same thing as a group they might actually galvanize support among the “persuadables.”
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:43 pmOnly if the Democrats voted present, not fellow Republicans. Voting “present” by Republicans just denies the Speaker candidate a majority.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:45 pm@456 Again the squad is not anti-semetic unless you consider anyone who calls the bottle deposit crook netanhayu corrupt an anti-semite.
asset (72a311) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:46 pm@458 “persuadables” The same daily fairy dust. How do you persuade republicans who loathe never trumpers as rinos. As trump rises in polls fairy dusters pretend he is falling in the polls! How many times do republicans have to tell you to not let the door hit you on the way out!
asset (72a311) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:53 pmI agree. The same applies to “moderate” Republican House members. They usually fold in the end. Today at least a few found their backbones again.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 5:19 pmNJ Robb AOC on monday said Israel has a right to defend itself.(CNN) Please explain how this is an anti-semetic statement.
asset (72a311) — 10/17/2023 @ 5:25 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/17/2023 @ 4:45 pm
Two people voting present (or absent altogether) reduces the number needed to win by 1.
Sammy Finkelman (bcd381) — 10/17/2023 @ 6:24 pmAsset,
does Israel have a right to exist as a Jewish State?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/17/2023 @ 6:56 pmThe squad is virulently anti-Semitic. That’s plain as day.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/17/2023 @ 6:56 pmhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/israel-war-aoc-ilhan-omar-and-rashida-tlaibs-antisemitic-remarks-in-spotlight-after-hamas-attacks/ar-AA1i2Plq
Just the first search on the web.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/17/2023 @ 6:58 pmShow your math.
Rip Murdock (dc18a3) — 10/17/2023 @ 6:59 pm@465 They do “IF” they make it clear to those in likud, other far right and religious parties that their demand to expel Israeli arab citizens will not be tolerated.
asset (72a311) — 10/17/2023 @ 7:10 pmI don’t see Scott dropping out before Iowa-that is where his (evangelical) voters are.
That is exactly what his backers did.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/17/2023 @ 11:40 pmHis super PAC pulled their TV advertising, but they are still conducting grassroots and door knocking activities, which is more effective in a small state like Iowa rather than California.
Rip Murdock (dc18a3) — 10/18/2023 @ 5:03 amKeeping It Classy:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 8:54 amThere goes Mr. Jordan….
At least ten Republicans have voted against Jim Jordan for Speaker.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 9:35 amEven John Boehner (!) received one vote.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 9:36 amThe only question now is whether the non-Jordan votes are higher or lower than 20.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/18/2023 @ 9:41 amI hope it’s higher, which can help the House can move to another candidate for Speaker, a guy who didn’t put Trump above his country. Right now, I’m liking McHenry.
Down goes Jordan! Down goes Jordan!
Rip Murdock (dc18a3) — 10/18/2023 @ 10:21 amHere’s an interesting detail:
“
Jim Miller (5c2a83) — 10/18/2023 @ 10:37 amRep. Ken Buck (who voted to remove McCarthy) felt the same way:
Needless to say Buck voted for Rep. Tom Emmer again today.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 10:55 amSource
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:10 amthey are still conducting grassroots and door knocking activities, which is more effective in a small state like Iowa rather than California.
Given the way that TV is these days, retail politics is probably staging a comeback. It’s really hard to push political ads onto someone’s BluRay, or Netflix stream. Maybe that’s why the big push of ads on streaming — the companies think that they’ll get a lot of political buys — but to me it seems like an off-pisser.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:50 am(GOP Rep. Mike) Waltz against empowering McHenry, calls it a “slippery slope” as House GOP remains split on path forward
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:51 amJordan isn’t converging on a victory, and the more his people squeeze, the more votes slip through his fingers.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:52 amMcHenry is looking like the next speaker. Talk about a greasy pole.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:52 amAlbeit a temporary speaker. He’s made it clear he doesn’t want the job.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:57 amThen they have to go back to Scalise, once Jordan is done.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 12:13 pm#485.
They don’t have to do anything. Except give Gaetz a wedgie when all this finishes. (I bet that guy is starting to miss the attention now that he’s just a backbencher again)
Appalled (9c3cfb) — 10/18/2023 @ 12:47 pmScalise supports Jordan.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 1:30 pmBiden voters making home ownership a pipe dream for the next generation
NJRob (3520ae) — 10/18/2023 @ 1:42 pmNJRob (3520ae) — 10/18/2023 @ 1:42 pm
No, that’s the Federal Reserve Board raising interest rates – and the inflation was not caused by the deficit, which was actually less now. If housing prices collapse, we could get another 2007-8
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:25 pmNo, the people who started this won;t do it.
The House is deadlocked. It may have to be resolved with a deal with Democrats .
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:26 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 11:57 am
They cold elect McHenry Speaker number 56 – with the understanding that there will be a vote to remove him in 35 days.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:28 pmand the inflation was not caused by the deficit, which was actually less now.
Inflation is a lagging indicator. Pumping trillions of new money into an economy, past the point when it is needed, is guaranteed to set off inflation as people spend money carelessly. Doing so, while holding interest rates down, is a classic boom-and-bust move.
Trump did part of it, but what was needed during the pandemic was NOT needed in 2022. But Biden had an agenda. He also paid workers not to work, long after the lockdowns, in a way that drove wages up for unskilled labor (skilled labor wasn’t interested in even doubled UI).
It’s why you can’t get a hamburger and fries from McDonald’s for under $10, and why that can of chili is now $2.79, not $1.69.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:34 pmThey could elect McHenry Speaker number 56 – with the understanding that there will be a vote to remove him in 35 days.
I don’t think you understand the duties and sheer power of the House Speaker. It’s not something you take on for a few weeks. At least not intentionally. Don’t compare it to the toothless Senate President job.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:36 pmScalise supports Jordan.
And Jordan supported both Scalise and McCarthy. Or at least voted for them.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:37 pm411
They did livestream captives later:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/17/technology/hamas-hostages-social-media.html
Not the very initial attacks, which would have lost the element of surrise, and I think the intent wasn’t to spread terror but to disturb Israelis and lure the Israeli army into invading Gaza. (without careful preparation) ..followed by a massive barrage from Lebanon, culminating in an Iranian ballistic missile – the steps being done that way in order to minimize the chances of retaliation on Iran.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:40 pmThe highly popular 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit 8% on Wednesday. Interest rates soared a whopping 20 basis points this week and the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage actually hit 8% for the first time since 2000.
I bought a house in 1997 at a slightly higher rate. Refi’d it several times later. It turned out to be a very good investment — quadrupled my money and lived in it for what turned out to be “free.”
The real problem with today’s 8% rates is that people with 3% mortgages aren’t willing to move. This distorts the market — fewer houses for sale, with fewer buyers — and many people are frozen in, or frozen out.
The answer, though, is not bigger deficits, despite Joe Biden’s best efforts.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/18/2023 @ 2:44 pmLet the Beatings Continue:
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/18/2023 @ 4:59 pmKnow when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
……..
They also serve who get turned down for the job.
Trump is getting what he wants. A paralyzed Congress.
His only stumbling block will be if his catspaws grow some principles. And with the MAGA creepazoids, the chances of that happening are slim to none.
nk (8d17ca) — 10/19/2023 @ 5:38 amSidney Powell just pled guilty. Hopefully, her plea deal includes being a cooperating witness.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:04 amYes, it does.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/politics/sidney-powell-fulton-county-georgia-2020-election-subversion/index.html
nk (8d17ca) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:10 amYes it does, but who would believe her?
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:12 amBut you have to wonder about the two-tiered justice system in this country.
Audie Murphy lied to get into the U. S. Army, and they gave him every medal they had, and a big movie contract afterward.
Poor Mr. Former President Donald Trump exercised his First Amendment rights to challenge a rigged and stolen election, and they’re treating him like he was Italian or something.
nk (8d17ca) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:14 amI’m sure Chesebro is glad not to be the same courtroom as Powell.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:16 amThis may have prompted Powell’s guilty plea:
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:23 amI’m sure Chesebro is glad not to be the same courtroom as Powell.
I’m sure the Georgia DA is happy not to have to give Trump et al a preview of the evidence in their case, earlier than discovery requires. The Chesebro case is a minor subset of the overall RICO case, and I bet you that Chesebro can get a similar deal, without the RICO enhancements.
They’re really after Mr Big anyway.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:39 am“They’re really after Mr Big anyway.”
No, I think they’re after Mr Trump….Mr Small
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:53 amThis may have prompted Powell’s guilty plea:
Nah! It’s a common theme. The female accomplice will fold first and get a sweetheart deal from the prosecution in exchange for her testimony against the other defendant(s). And Sidney had to get in ahead of Jenna Ellis who also has the “pretty girl” defense going for her.
nk (ba2f29) — 10/19/2023 @ 7:57 amSenator Grassley has had many accomplishments over the years. Here’s one I just now read about:
How many divorces among that twenty? One.
(Grassley’s wife and he have set a good example; they have been married 69 years, so far.
Jim Miller (5c2a83) — 10/19/2023 @ 8:31 amhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Grassley )
Jordan Knows When to Fold ‘Em (At Least for Now):
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/19/2023 @ 8:46 amSo, Jim Jordan will cut a deal with Democrats for McHenry. Just yesterday I was hearing that only RINOs would do that.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/19/2023 @ 9:59 amOnly temporarily. He’s still the Speaker designate.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 11:53 amSomeone writes in the New York Times about what went wrong with postwar plans for Iaq. Ge says Donald Rumsfeld threw out his entire plan. One important error: He said it would take three years. He seems to be postulating a total victory for Israel. He says reform of Gaza is difficult but not impossible – and it is also necessary.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/opinion/israel-gaza-iraq-iran.html
More:
I don’t think firing too many Baath Party members really did anything. I think the key mistake was not understanding that Iran and Syria and Saudi Arabia also, would try to undermine the transition to democracy and decent government,
This was not the case in 1991 where it worked in the Kurdish area and would have worked in all of Iraq probably
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/19/2023 @ 4:44 pmThe Democrats are as much to blame for this situation as the Republicans,
Sammy Finkelman (0eae9e) — 10/19/2023 @ 5:05 pmIn the sense that they are putting partisanship and personal ambition ahead of the interests of the country, absolutely, Sammy.
But it was not the Squad that brought the motion to vacate. Partisan they may be, but they maintain party discipline.
nk (aaf24f) — 10/19/2023 @ 6:28 pmOh please. What is the opposition party supposed to do?Save the Republicans from their stupidity?
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 8:21 pm