Weekend open thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
Last night, President Biden made his case for support and funding to Ukraine and Israel. Here are a few excerpts from his speech tonight. I’m posting a generous portion:
The terrorist group Hamas unleashed pure unadulterated evil in the world, but sadly, the Jewish people know, perhaps better than anyone, that there is no limit to the depravity of people when they want to inflict pain on others.
The President also recognized the Palestinian people’s right to live free of Hamas:
I also spoke with President Abbas, the Palestinian Authority, and reiterated that the United States remains committed to the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and to self-determination. The actions of Hamas terrorists don’t take that right away.
Like so many others, I’m heartbroken by the tragic loss of Palestinian life, including the explosion at the hospital in Gaza, which was not done by the Israelis. We mourn every innocent life lost. We can’t ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who only want to live in peace and have an opportunity.
The President also tied Israel and Ukraine together. Effectively so, I think:
Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common. They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy — completely annihilate it. Hamas’ stated purpose for existing is the destruction of the state of Israel and the murder of Jewish people. Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, and innocent Palestinian families are suffering greatly because of them.
Meanwhile, Putin denies Ukraine has, or ever had, real statehood. He claims the Soviet Union created Ukraine. And just two weeks ago, he told the world that if the United States and our allies withdraw — and if the United States withdraws, our allies will as well — military support for Ukraine would have, quote, a week left to live.
But we’re not withdrawing.
On why it’s vital that Putin not succeed in his quest to destroy Ukraine:
Why does this matter to America? So let me share with you why making sure Israel and Ukraine succeed is vital for America’s national security.
You know, history has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction. They keep going. And the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising.
So if we don’t stop Putin’s appetite for power and control in Ukraine, he won’t limit himself just to Ukraine. He’s — Putin’s already threatened to remind, quote, remind Poland that their western land was a gift from Russia. One of his top advisers, a former president of Russia, has called Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Russia’s Baltic provinces.
These are all NATO allies. For 75 years, NATO has kept peace in Europe. And has been the cornerstone of American security. And if Putin attacks a NATO ally, we will defend every inch of NATO, which a treaty requires and calls for.
We’ll have something that we do not seek. Make it clear — we do not seek — we do not seek to have American troops fighting in Russia or fighting against Russia.
Beyond Europe, we know that our allies, and maybe most importantly our adversaries and competitors, are watching. They’re watching our response in Ukraine as well. And if we walk away and let Putin erase Ukraine’s independence, would-be aggressors around the world would be emboldened to try the same.
About Israel:
In Israel, we must make sure that they have what they need to protect their people today and always. The security package I’m sending to Congress and asking Congress to do is an unprecedented commitment to Israel’s security that will sharpen Israel’s qualitative military edge, which we’ve committed to: the qualitative military edge. We’re going make sure Iron Dome continues to guard the skies over Israel. We’re going to make sure other hostile actors in the region know that Israel’s stronger than ever and prevent this conflict from spreading.
About Ukraine:
On Ukraine, I’m asking Congress to make sure we can continue to send Ukraine the weapons they need to defend themselves and their country without interruption, so Ukraine can stop Putin’s brutality in Ukraine.
What I did not hear from Biden was a commitment to victory in this fight. Hamas, Iran, and Russia cannot merely be contained. This is no time to hedge, or to meet evil halfway. We have draws in chess, but this is not chess. This is a fight for our way of life and it must be won.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) October 20, 2023
Second news item
Always courageous, feminist Phyllis Chessler pulls no punches:
I have pioneered women’s rights for more than 50 years.
Sadly, I must conclude that what was once a diverse and independent-minded movement has become hijacked by a “woke” death cult.
Those American feminists left standing, including the icons among us, primarily favor gender over sex identity; are pro-trans rather than pro-biological-womankind; and are more obsessed with the alleged occupation of a country that has never existed (Palestine, Gaza) than they are with the occupation of female bodies in Gaza — where girls and women are forced into child and polygamous marriages, made to veil and, together with male homosexuals, “honor” killed by their families.
At this horrifying moment in history, when Hamas, an ISIS-like, Taliban-like terrorist group, has savagely and sadistically murdered, tortured, mutilated, raped and burned Israeli civilians alive, including babies, young women and grandmothers, I note a terrible silence, a moral failure, among those women, including women activists, who live in freedom in America.
The bottom line:
We cannot believe feminists’ almost absolute silence after Hamas launched its terrorist attack against Jews this month — which included raping young women next to their dead friends and then parading them, bloodied between their legs, through Gaza streets.
Rape in a war zone is considered a crime — as long as the victims are not Jews.
Third news item
Tearful mourners on Monday gathered in prayer at a mosque and placed white and yellow roses at the gravesite of a 6-year-old Muslim boy stabbed to death by a man who police say targeted him and his mother because they were Palestinian Americans.
…
Police said the 6-year-old and his mother Hanaan Shahin, 32, were attacked by their landlord on Saturday in Plainfield Township, about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Chicago. The boy was stabbed 26 times while his mother suffered multiple wounds. She was expected to survive.
The assailant attempted to choke the mother and said “You Muslims must die,” CAIR said, citing text messages that Shahin sent to the boy’s father from the hospital. The man then stabbed the woman and child repeatedly with what police described as long, military-style knife with a serrated edge.
From one of the mourners:
“It’s heartbreaking. This child did not deserve to die from what happened overseas,” Juhie Faheem, one of the mourners and neighbor of the family in Plainfield Township.
“What happened in Plainfield is going to make people understand that this hits closer to home and this child was murdered for being Muslim, but he easily could have been any race, any ethnicity.”
The brutal killing of the little boy took place a week after the Hamas terror attack on Israel.
Fourth news item
Sidney ‘Release the Kraken’ Powell pleads guilty:
Sidney Powell, who advised Trump during the final frantic weeks of his bid to remain in power despite losing the election, pleaded guilty Thursday to six misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties…Powell’s guilty plea, which she entered in a court hearing in Atlanta, makes her the first member of Trump’s close advisers to admit to crimes related to the 2020 electio…Powell was sentenced to six years probation and will be left without a criminal record if she complies with all aspects of the agreement, Judge Scott McAfee indicated. She also must write an apology letter to Georgia citizens.
Powell also agreed to “testify truthfully” against her co-defendants, which could be very bad news for Trump.
Fifth news item
Term limits on Supreme Court?. Playing politics:
A group of Democratic senators introduced a bill Thursday that would radically change the makeup of the Supreme Court, amid ongoing concerns over court ethics and its increasingly conservative makeup.
The legislation would appoint a new Supreme Court justice every two years, with that justice hearing every case for 18 years before stepping back from the bench and only hearing a “small number of constitutionally required cases.”Only the nine most recently appointed justices would hear appellate cases, which make up a bulk of the court’s work. All living justices would participate in a smaller subset of cases under the court’s “original jurisdiction,” such as disputes between states or with foreign officials.
Sixth news item
A solid analysis of the massive media failure this past week and a half:
Other media outlets didn’t exercise the same patience. Instead of waiting for more information, nearly all of them ran with the accusations from the terrorist group as if they were facts. That’s how eager they were to create a moral equivalency between Israel and Hamas.
The result of their careless journalism was actively misinforming millions about a serious situation and triggering a chain of deadly consequences. Even as the story developed and more information came out, the outlets were slow to react, much less issue corrections. By Wednesday there was overwhelming evidence that Israel was right and almost everything these outlets had originally reported was straight-up wrong. There is even clear evidence the casualty count was not remotely accurate, as confirmed by multiple intelligence agencies from other countries.
Seventh news item
Over at The Bulwark, Jonathan V. Last points to the reasons why he believes President Biden has done a stellar job with Israel:
Given Israel moral, rhetorical, and concrete support.
Rallied Europe to Israel’s cause.
Pulled the main body of the Democratic party even further away from its radical, anti-Israel fringe.
And pushed Israel to be more attentive to humanitarian concerns in its campaign against Hamas.
Eighth news item
I thank @POTUS Joe Biden for his powerful address. Together, we will not allow hatred destroy freedom, and we will not let terrorists destroy democracy.
Ukraine is grateful for all the U.S. support and its unfaltering belief that humanism, freedom, independence, and rules-based…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 20, 2023
Ninth news item
If you haven’t yet heard NYC Mayor Adams’ speech on Israel, do so:
Gotta give credit to NYC Mayor Eric Adams for this phenomenal speech on Israel. It’s a few minutes that everyone should watch. pic.twitter.com/SBbJDNmQA1
— Eli Klein (@TheEliKlein) October 13, 2023
Have a good weekend.
—Dana
Happy Friday!
Dana (0e9337) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:38 amthe United States remains committed to the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and to self-determination.
Insanity is repeating actions and expecting different results. Gaza needs to spend some time as a protectorate of a stable Arab nation that has reason to prevent a re-emergence of something like Hamas.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:18 amWe need to call Trump, Vivek, Jordan and other appeasers just that. Appeasers, no better than the cowards who let Hitler have Czechoslovakia.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:22 amKenneth Chesebro takes last-minute plea deal in Georgia election interference case
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:36 amA group of Democratic senators introduced a bill Thursday that would radically change the makeup of the Supreme Court
Odd that the Democrats were fine with the heavily liberal Courts of the 60’s and 70’s, where ethics was so poor that LBJ was getting weekly reports on the Court’s Conferences from one of the justices, who he later attempted to elevate to Chief, but was only stopped when it became clear the man was a crook.
How did the Right take over the court? Fifteen GOP appointments over 50 years, versus 4 for the Democrats, and many of those GOP appointments turned Left the moment they were confirmed (Blackmun, Stevens and Souter to name three). The Democrats want a quick fix, no better than the “Impeach Earl Warren” crowd of the late 50’s.
Bah.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:39 amGood news regarding Jordan and Chesebro.
Regarding term limits on judges, it seems to me that any legislation that curtails judges’ terms is unconstitutional. Per Article III, Section 1, they “shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour”, which is taken to mean a lifetime appointment. It’s too bad our founding document didn’t say “good Behaviour and Health“, but the latter would open a can of legal worms.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:40 amGotta love the Democrats and their new Court-packing lite scheme. True to form, there’s apparently no problem we face as a society which can’t be solved by hiring more government employees, at least according to our progressive friends.
JVW (1ad43e) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:40 amKenneth Chesebro takes last-minute plea deal in Georgia election interference case
Rejoicing in the DA’s office. No October trial, no early discovery for Trump. I doubt that Cheseboro is much of a witness against Trump, but maybe his fellow election-machine raiders will start pleading guilty now.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:41 amany legislation that curtails judges’ terms is unconstitutional.
They would argue that the legislation doesn’t do that, just moves them into “senior” status after 18 years. Note that the first 3 to go would be Thomas, Roberts (maybe) and Alito.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:44 am“Good behavior” includes stepping down when they can’t remember where the Court is.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:47 amOf course the President has to say that. However, as with any oppressed people controlled by maniacal and religious radical thugs, there are some that don’t want to live under the boot. We can only hope that at some point, a rebellion takes hold. It seems nearly impossible but even China, Iran, and Russia have their resistance.
Dana (8bcc83) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:52 amI expect that Powell and Cheseboro, both unindicted co-conspirators in Trump’s election subversion case, will be indicted by Jack Smith.
I think all of those indicted by Fulton County and are unindicted in federal case will eventually be indicted by Jack Smith.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:58 amHeh:
Now let’s see the Judge do it
Dana (8bcc83) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:59 amBack then it was the Republicans attacking the Court; remember the “Impeach Earl Warren” movement? Or William O. Douglas?
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:12 amHere are the numbers: 20, 22, 25. If there is a fourth vote, I fearlessly predict there will be 29 Republicans voting against Jordan.
(Are there are more willing to vote against him, if there is a fourth vote? Probably.)
Does the Little Loser still have the Big Loser’s backing? Proabably.
Reminder: According to some reports, the Big Loser was encouraged to run for president by his friend, Democrat Bill Clinton.
Jim Miller (19045a) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:15 amSo far in the past 10 months there have been 18 votes for House Speaker.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:17 amMore good news. Two American hostages released by Hamas, but 18-20 to go.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:19 amBack then it was the Republicans attacking the Court; remember the “Impeach Earl Warren” movement? Or William O. Douglas?
Not only did I remember it, but I mentioned it in my post.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:41 amIf there is a fourth vote, I fearlessly predict there will be 29 Republicans voting against Jordan.
I’d say 30, not 29. Fibonacci sequences (2, 3, 5, 8, 13) are more interesting than simple increments (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:44 amAllahNick trashed Jordan last night.
(Gleeful emphasis mine)
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:46 amMy bad. Ford’s attempt to impeach Douglas is more relevant today, since he alleged financial improprieties.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:47 amIt’ll be great news if a majority of House Republicans, by secret ballot, vote against Jim Jordan’s run for Speaker.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:48 amEventually Douglass’s mental infirmities became an issue for the other Justices, and they told him to resign. Had he not, that impeachment might have happened after all.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:49 amHouse GOP votes Jordan out as its speaker pick
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:10 amIf the MAGA fever breaks, we may look to this week as the break point.
Appalled (d8bfb3) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:31 amAny sanctions will be monetary. Former federal prosecutor and CNN legal analyst Elie Honig said on Dan Abram’s Sirius XM show he’s never heard of anyone being incarcerated for violating a gag order.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:36 amAgain, this reflects the weakness of parties generally. There’s should be a compromise candidate that would not be viewed as too close to McCarthy or too close to Gaetz/Jordan. This is one of those service moments when it’s time to take one for the team….meaning who would want to try to lead such a divided caucus let alone Congress. I would almost prefer someone from outside coming in and trying to diffuse some of the animosity. Normal outsiders will probably not appeal to the MAGA side of the aisle.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:37 amMAGA fever will only break when Trump leaves the political scene permanently.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:40 amSomething about SALT deductions…cue the Denzel Washington Training Day Ride Along Meme with an objectional 6 letter slur:
https://news.yahoo.com/jim-jordan-trying-buy-speakership-145332002.html
urbanleftbehind (cea89b) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:40 amMcHenry or Scalise will do. Even McCarthy.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 11:42 amAs long as a Speaker is elected and it’s not Jordan. Or Marge. Or Gaetz. Like that.
Trump’s lawyer Christopher Kise made this apology:
Kise said the post was taken down from Trump’s Truth Social network after the judge’s ruling, “and Trump never made any more comments about court staff, but it appears no one took it down on the campaign website. It is unfortunate and I apologize on behalf of my client.”
That probably will appease Judge Engoron (and it should).
I agree that the Judge should follow through on any new outbursts. I’ve been a big proponent of the school that says all this simply makes Trump stronger and causes his base to burrow in like a tick on a dogs butt, but we seem stuck in this place where we are trying to appease by not escalating, which is not serving us well because in the end we will never win any war from Trump to Ukraine to Hamas decisively. The decision is made to have an indecisive conclusion.
steveg (f167f4) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:07 pmWe have slow walked weapons to Ukraine out of fear of what Putin will do if his army is crushed decisively and expelled completely from Ukraine.
We are afraid that by allowing Israel to crush Hamas, this will draw Hezbollah, other assorted Iranian proxies, led by imbedded Iranians, into the fight.
We are afraid of what Trump will do in court and what his crazies will do. We went down this road with a former President and now have to finish stronger than before. It will be hard because what is the Judge really going to do with Trump after another outburst? Trump won’t be shipped off to Rikers Island. He will at worst get sent to an interview room for a few hours. The Secret Service will be with him and they’ll bring whatever Trump says he needs, short of a firearm
If the MAGA fever breaks, we may look to this week as the break point.
If not, we may look to it as the point where the GOP finally split, into a Conservative Party and a MAGA party.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:15 pmhe’s never heard of anyone being incarcerated for violating a gag order.
It depends on what happens after a fine. Trump has issues with authority.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:16 pm#19 Good point. (I almost wish there will be another vote, so we can test our predictions.
Jim Miller (a4e134) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:16 pmAlmost.)
Bring back Newt.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:17 pm@22
…and there you have it. Jordan’s no longer the candidate.
I wonder if there’s a respectable GOPer who could do the job who doesn’t hold that seat….
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:31 pmNot enough, nowhere near enough. The judge should’ve had added a couple extra zeroes to the fine.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:32 pmThe Biden defenders are saying that these was a loan repayment.
Cool, cool… is there documentation that substantiate that? Should be easy to prove it so…right?
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:35 pm#37
In this case, the story is plausible. (It took the court a while to find it, after all.) so I am good with the smallish fine. After all, this trial is going to reduce Trump’s net with by 3 or 4 billion at least.
Appalled (bdb40d) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:42 pmSource
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:49 pmOversight Committee
Expect that to get busy again, now that members aren’t distracted.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:52 pmWell, Hunter is reported to have looted his high school age daughter’s college fund in 2018-9 when he was running short of money, so he might have used money belonging to his father also, which was later repaid by a political donor.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12598997/Hunter-Biden-withdrew-20-000-daughter-Maisys-college-fund-spent-hookers-drugs-bankers-warned-just-44-cents-left-account.html
That he sentenced to death could only have been a guess
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 12:57 pmBiden now has more followers than Trump on Trump’s Truth Social network
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-campaign-launch-account-trumps-truth-social
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/18/trump-truth-social-promotes-biden-campaign-account.html
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-campaign-already-more-followers-trumps-truth-social-1836022
Four days after joining.
Sammy FInkelman (c5132f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:02 pm@40
I actually like Byron Donalds, but he’s too much of a Trump mouthpeice imo, so he’s zero chance while Trump is running. But, he’s a guy who can wrangle the factions together and campaign/raise money.
I kinda want Mike Johnson to throw his hat in the ring.
Otherwise, bring back McCarthy (I think he’s sincere in that he doesn’t want it anymore).
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:03 pmhttps://www.newser.com/story/341670/hamas-says-it-freed-us-woman-daughter-held-hostage.html
Sammy FInkelman (c5132f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:06 pmKevin McCarthy was prepared to make the nominating speech for Jim Jordan
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:07 pmThe attempt to impeach Supreme Court Justice WilliamO. Douglas was in 1970.
Douglas had a stroke in 1974.
His colleagues agreed to not let any case be decided by his vote.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:10 pmWhat Sidney Powell was charged with in Georgia was not related too much to most of the attempts to charge the election was stolen, but she could testify about all that. Cheesbro was at the heart of the legal maneuverings with counting the Electoral votes, where the facts are basically not in dispute – the law is.
But Cheesbro may know something about somebody’s plans for the storming of the Capitol. He went there and documented Alex Jones(using a bullhorn) and Ali Alexander (who got what permits he could) telling people not to go in but instead go to where Trump was going to speak..
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:16 pmThe 2nd paragraph below from Catoggio made me laugh, for the visual.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:23 pmWho added the music to Mayor Adams’ speech?
Captions were added in Hebrew so this probably comes from something somebody prepared in Israel for TV or more likely, just the Internet…
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:23 pmhttps://carolineglick.com/hamass-deception-and-our-self-deception
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:28 pmMcCarthy nominated Jordan before the “three strikes and you’re out” vote today.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:32 pmEvidence? He’s a real newbie-only in his second term. What are his accomplishments?
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:37 pmSelf-styled expert on what to after Hamas is defeated
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/what-comes-after-hamas
Another expert – involved in drawing up the plan for Iraq that Donald Rumsfeld discarded:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/opinion/israel-gaza-iraq-iran.html
he most important thing that went wrong is that they didn’t figure that other dictatorships – and not just Iran by the way -would try to make any good outcome fail.-
There are some possible insights included in what they write – and errors too.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:39 pmAnother article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/opinion/israel-gaza-war.html
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:41 pm@53 My opinion.
His background is prior to politics is in the banking, finance, and insurance industries.
He’s an impressive conservative with a pragmatic streak. That pragmatism, which he articulates really well, suits him well in working with others.
Currently, though, he’s a Trump mouthpiece so he really doesn’t have a lane in the near-term. Trump is that toxic imo.
Frankly, I don’t think he’ll be a lifer in politics, unless he climbs that ladder somewhere (ie, Senator/Governor/etc…).
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:43 pmDavid French on not limiting yourself to abiding by the laws of war:(although in his examples, it would be possible to have better judgment in assessing the situation)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/15/opinion/gaza-israel-war-morals.html
And he says you can’t say it’s better not to engage in combat.
Sammy FInkelman (c5132f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:49 pmThe 2nd paragraph below from Catoggio made me laugh, for the visual.
Yeah, me too. I bolded it in #20.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:49 pm200k direct payment to Joe Biden from his brother the same day Americore loaned his brother 200k.
Corruption beyond belief
NJRob (ef977b) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:51 pmOh no Byron… what is you do’n?
He just threw his hat in the ring.
He’s not going to shake off the Trump stench… if Jordan can’t win, what makes you think you can?
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:53 pmBeing a “Trump mouthpiece” and “pragmatic” seems oxymoronic, except in Donalds case it probably isn’t, since he represents a district that is close to Mar A Lego.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:53 pmMar A Lego=Mar A Lago
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:54 pm@60
Woah, woah NJRob… let’s not be hasty!
The memo literally states it’s for “loan repayment”.
So, all Joey Joe needs to do is to show documentation that this was a loan.
Easy-peasy.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:54 pmSelf-styled expert on what to after Hamas is defeated
Blind wishing. A better plan would be making Rachel Maddow Queen of Gaza.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:54 pmYou have to be careful about what CAIR says. In court, prosecutors said it was triggered by the call for a “Day of Rage” which would make this more paranoia than hate.
This is based on what the mother said:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/fatal-stabbing-6-year-palestinian-refugee-wadea-al/story?id=104008295
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:55 pm@62 Rip, as I said, it’s my opinion as Byron is someone I follow quite a bit.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:56 pmMar A Lego
If only.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:58 pmThat’s fine, I just never heard of him until now, and his qualifications to be Speaker just seem rather thin. I can’t find any reference to him as being a particularly high fundraiser for other GOP candidates.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 2:07 pm@70 I’m confident he could do it. But he has that Trump baggage currently that I think makes the same Jordan-malcontent hold him against.
I’m actually surprised he’s throwing his hat in the ring, as like you, he needs to be in politics a wee bit longer imo.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 2:23 pmIt’s like the Senate, where every Senator thinks they can President. In the House every Representative thinks they can be Speaker.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 2:50 pmI note that Chesebro had to take a felony, while Powell got off with misdemeanors.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:02 pmIn agreeing to pause the rulings on Friday, the high court also said it would take up the case, though it didn’t say when it would hear oral arguments in the dispute.
The problem is not that the government talks to these companies, but that it is asking them to do things that the government cannot do by itself. Absent coercion that may be fine, but government has a lot of power and isn’t shy about using it. Musk and Twitter, um, X may be a case in point. Censorship by proxy, “or else” may be worse than flat out censorship.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:06 pm@73
Quite a step down from RICO…
However Powell/Chesebro would need to take the stand as a witness for prosecution.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:07 pmThere are also two cases this term about states (TX and FL) attempting to block companies from placing content restrictions on those using their public services.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:08 pmQuite a step down from RICO
Yes, but a felony has severity that a misdemeanor does not.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:09 pmThe check was dated March 2018, after Joe was VP, when he was a private citizen, so it’s not a bribe.
Was the check to Joe illegal? Unknown, and that’s on Comer to prove.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:11 pmSome folks at The Dispatch like Mike Gallagher. More of the middle-ground-to-attract-Dems theory, but that may be where we finally are.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:12 pmwhen he was a private citizen, so it’s not a bribe.
Does the check have to come before the action?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:13 pm@77
True, but still no jail time? Weakest of weak felony severity.
A reminder: just because someone pleads guilty, it still doesn’t actually mean what they did was illegal or they thought so (even theough they have to tell the judge that they do).
People plead guilty for many reasons and people plead guilty to things that courts later say are not crimes all the time.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:18 pmOh no Byron… what is you do’n?
He just threw his hat in the ring.
He’s not going to shake off the Trump stench… if Jordan can’t win, what makes you think you can?
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 1:53 pm
He’s black but not not black conservative nerd (i.e. Daniel Cameron?) and with some urban agenda BS might wrangle in some CBCers?
urbanleftbehind (f0fc0f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:22 pmBefore what action?
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:28 pmAssuming Joe actually did lend his brother $200k, I don’t see an illegality. Where James got the funds to repay his brother is a James issue, not a Joe issue.
6th item Hamas releases to hostages to red cross after cong. Rashida Tliab asks for release of hostages.
asset (fe401c) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:33 pmJames comer finds $200,000 check payment to joe biden from bankrupt company seeking govt. help laundered thru his brother james. James sex it was repayment of handshake loan (no evidence of loan exists) (ACE.)
asset (fe401c) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:40 pmIt’s as if no one but Ms. Tlaib were demanding the release of Hamas hostages, asset.
On the subject of hostages, Graeme Wood is a stellar journalist, especially when it comes to militant Islamist affairs, and he found a Hamas hostage-taking handbook, part of which says to “kill the difficult ones” and use hostages as “human shields”. Some excerpts.
Unfortunately, it’s behind a paywall.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:43 pmFelony guilty pleas never look good to a bar disciplinary committees.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:46 pm@86 I hope your not upset cong. Tlaib called for their release and Hamas released the hostages.
asset (fe401c) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:59 pmNone of these candidates will be the next Speaker, as they are all McCarthy or Trump/Jordan acolytes.
Hern, Bergman, Donalds, Johnson, and Emmer are election deniers, having signed onto an amicus brief supporting Texas in Texas v. Pennsylvania and/or voting against ratifying the 2020 election results.
Mike Johnson also served on Trump’s impeachment legal defense team.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 4:23 pmDonalds has stated as recently as July 2023 that he doesn’t believe that Biden is the “legitimate President.”
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 4:27 pmWe now are told the incident off the coast of Yemen went on for 9 hours with 3 cruise missiles and several drones shot down using SM-2 missiles which according to this site cost $2.1M each
https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-defense-systems-2/missile-defense-systems/missile-interceptors-by-cost/
The US Military needs to develop cheaper weapons for the cheaper drones quickly
steveg (f167f4) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:11 pmStepping into this late, but: the idea for yhe 18-year SCOTUS term came from Rick Perry in 2011 during his campaign for president.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/perry-term-limit-judges-make-congress-a-part-time-job/
SamG (4e6c22) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:27 pmRe: the check from James to Joe – it’s from 2018. Joe was neither an elected official nor a candidate. Another nothingburger.
SamG (4e6c22) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:30 pm@90
And?
A lot of people feel that way.
So do I.
And he’s not saying Joe Biden isn’t the President…that’s obvious.
No one can convincingly state that the last election was conducted fairly. The sheer number of mail-in ballots stipulates, alone, lack of chain of custody.
There’s no way to know, that Biden won fair in square or if any fraud made up his margin of victory. That’s impossible. Folks can conduct all the forensic they want, and even if such investigation can show a likelihood of fraud after the fact, there is zero appetite to overturn it because folks are going to want a smoking gun sort of evidence to overturn the election.
This is the “messy” part of our elections, and going forward we have to hope additional safeguards are put in place so that these sort of things don’t happen again.
Like I said, Donalds is a Trump mouth-piece.
He got zero chance for Speakership with this House. Especially if the malcontent’s rejection of Jordan is also a Trump mouth piece.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:36 pm@93
Requires a constitutional amendment.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:39 pmGlad to know where you stand.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:43 pm@95 I know. It’s just important to note that this was most prominently proposed by a GOP candidate for POTUS.
Judge the idea on the merits, not the source.
SamG (4e6c22) — 10/20/2023 @ 5:44 pmAsia Times disputes USN claims by saying that the Cruise missiles could not have been aimed at Israel due to the distance being at the far end of their range. USN also does not explain the eight kamikaze drones.
Says only logical explanation is that they were launched at the USS Carney. The Houthis tactic against the Saudi’s has been to launch a swarm of kamikaze drones to try to hit the anti air radar system and then follow quickly by hitting the now blind target with the cruise missiles.
It is possible the US is lying by being nonchalant, or maybe the Houthi’s were over enthusiastic about their chances given the boost Allah might give the cruise missiles if they all chanted Allah Akbar enough times in a row to get his attention. If the kamikaze drones were brought down by Phalanx/SeaRAM CIWS type systems then they had to be passing fairly close because those have a effective range of 9000 meters(although that number is usually a lowball). It looks like the drones might have been within 6-7 miles of the USS Carney.
The USS Carney is an anti ballistic missile destroyer that is described as “always looking up” which makes it vulnerable to low flying systems
I think the USN is going to start traveling in pairs in the Red Sea for a while because it could be a disaster if a defensive system goes down at the wrong time.
That said, well done to the crew of the USS Carney.
steveg (f167f4) — 10/20/2023 @ 6:03 pmHow’s the human vegetable “President” doing?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/20/2023 @ 6:05 pmhttps://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/10/11/rand_paul_anything_fauci_and_his_cohorts_were_saying_publicly_they_were_saying_the_opposite_privately.html
Massive fraud from the government. Who knew?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:25 pmI have shown on this site before how the 2020 election was illegtimately stolen not only from trump ;but from the voters who had the candidate they wanted to vote for removed from the ballot in az, ga, mi. and wi. by the democrat party so voters did not have their prefered candidate on the ballot. Republicans don’t complain because they were trying to get the libertarian party removed in the same way! Even those who claim the election was “fair” don’t deny this happened to prevent voters from voting for their candidate.
asset (c8d5e4) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:45 pmJordan’s mistake was that he called for a secret ballot vote without knowing if he would win. He didn’t have the experience of whipping a vote. He assumed the public roll call votes reflected his true support, when in fact it represented a only a minority view. Reportedly, he lost the secret ballot vote 86-122, with the 86 yeas roughly equal to the House Freedom Caucus membership.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:45 pmIsraelis love him more than Netanyahu.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:52 pmRip
steveg (f167f4) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:07 pmThat is what happens when Great Grandpa shows up and showers the kids with $100B in gifts
Felony guilty pleas never look good to a bar disciplinary committees.
Or federal firearms dealers.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:34 pmOne way to know you’re talking to a circus performer versus a politician: The number of times they appeared on FoxNews.
James Comer: 200 times in 2023 alone.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:38 pmJim Jordan: 565 times from 2017-2022.
Requires a constitutional amendment.
Don’t think it does. They still have their jobs, but Congress can regulate the courts.
Article III, Section 2, Paragraph 2:
The older justices remain on an enlarged court that handles original jurisdiction cases — something that COngress cannot change. But they CAN regulate how the Court acts on Appellate cases, and limiting those to the most-recent Nine would seem to be within their power.
I’m not saying it’s a good idea, and may be too cute by half. It’s reminiscent of Gingrich’s plan to disband Circuits (and thereby making their judges redundant), and later adding new Circuits with new judges. Of course, the current Court would have to rule on it….
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:41 pmReportedly, he lost the secret ballot vote 86-122, with the 86 yeas roughly equal to the House Freedom Caucus membership.
While the actual membership of the HFC is unknown, there are 43 who claim to be members, and 46 were members in 2022. Ken Buck of Colorado, an HFC member, voted against Jordan three times.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:48 pmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Caucus#Membership
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:49 pm@107: You lawyers out there, am I missing something here?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 10:49 pmI think this covers anything you missed, Kevin M.
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:33 amIsraelis love him [Biden] more than Netanyahu.
Another stab in the heart to poor Mr. Former President Donald Trump who is nourished by love the way a budding blossom is nourished by the morning dew and the glow of the breaking dawn.
Seriously, Israel suffers a pogrom not seen since 1945 and the orange baboon’s response is to badmouth Netanyahu for congratulating Biden after the election? Wingnut Central should pray for a cult leader who is only as cognitively diminished as Biden.
nk (011e83) — 10/21/2023 @ 5:55 amShould congresscritters who refuse to do their jobs, for example, AOC, MTG, Gaetz, and more, refund their paychecks?
I think so. (And, though it is unlikely to happen to many of them, voters should fire them in 2004.)
Jim Miller (99a2be) — 10/21/2023 @ 8:16 amGaza invasion delayed so Biden can pay more ransom to terrorists. Israel goes along because otherwise the American taxpayer ATM stops dispensing.
Yet another war bankrolled by future taxpayers not even born yet, and $100B can’t even buy straight up honesty. These wars will be going on for years and years and years, and $100B is just the promotional introductory rate, and our investment will underwrite the killing of good people. But, good luck finding anyone in this administration or their fan boys admitting it. And you’d have to be on fentanyl passed through Biden’s southern border (for which $10B for a wall is just way too much) to pretend the target is Israel, when it’s really us and we’re playing right into our enemy’s game plan. History is filled with evil doers who went unchecked, and it’s also filled with top dogs who allowed themselves to get stretched too thin.
The squad and the radical left hates Israel and the US. Biden and his fans hate the US only, and for that he’ll always get good marks from the usuals.
lloyd (7c49a3) — 10/21/2023 @ 8:30 amYes, good people are getting killed, but let’s put the blame where it belongs, the terrorist Russian state and the terrorist Hamas organization.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/21/2023 @ 8:42 amBoth Ukraine and Israel have every right to defend themselves from their enemies’ attacks, and we’re in the right for helping them defend themselves. This isn’t Iraq or Afghanistan.
@114, is the alternative allowing Ukraine to be subsumed by Russia…with a fair number of good Ukrainians paying the ultimate price?
We are not losing young men and women in combat. We are allowing Ukrainians to fight for their country and in the process hollowing out Russia’s war machine. For a military budget north of $700B, that seems like a pretty good return on investment. Putin’s Russia is evil. It’s a cancer that needs to be aggressively opposed….with the hope that the Russian people can get something better.
Population normalized, on October 7th, Israel faced a senseless slaughter that was 13x that of our 9/11. Babies butchered, people lit on fire, women raped, and hostages terrorized. Is there not a right side to choose here as well? Describing previous Gaza as an open-air prison insults the normal Palestinians who were going to school, working businesses, raising families, and peacefully coexisting. But a terrorist organization was in charge and now needs to be rooted out. It’s an immense job that the Israelis are taking on. I’m still struggling to understand why we wouldn’t help them.
We certainly need to pressure the Arab world to be constructive. It’s unclear to me that Trump has the intelligence, discipline, or character to be relevant to a solution. The GOP needs to choose better…or else Biden will win again. We don’t need to get involved in every world dispute but morally I think Ukraine and Gaza should be easy calls.
AJ_Liberty (3f500a) — 10/21/2023 @ 9:08 amMeir Kahane is looking down, shaking his head, and reminding Israeli leaders that they should have listened to him decades ago. There is no peace to be had, and since Israel is worse than North Korea in the minds of many worldwide, the Israelis might as well do in Gaza what Kahane suggested as they will be condemned no matter what they do.
Ex Pat (5b7af8) — 10/21/2023 @ 9:16 am“No justice for Palestine, no peace for the world” dates back to Black September (1970) when Jordan expelled the PLO. They were not going to make war only against Israel but against everyone, everywhere. Dramatically at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
So, yes, good people are being killed. By the Palestinians. Wherever they can be reached and are a soft enough target. Including Gaza, where if they are not adequate human shields, they can still be used for propaganda.
nk (d21096) — 10/21/2023 @ 9:20 amDo you object to Biden’s political and military support of Israel after 10/7?
Rip Murdock (b72d38) — 10/21/2023 @ 9:44 amJust for comparison, Joe Biden is worth $10 million (according to Forbes), and around three-quarters of that wealth was acquired after he left public office, and Trump is worth $2.6 billion (also according to Forbes), which is over 260 times more than Biden, yet Biden paid $4.1 million more in taxes than Trump in the years 2015-2020.
One could say that Trump has better CPAs than Biden, and that’d probably be true, but it seems like a member of the “Biden crime family” would do a better job at minimizing his tax liability.
BTW, until there’s some real evidence, I still maintain that “Biden crime family” is a right-wing trope to deflect from Trump (the Real Criminal) and his most corrupt presidency in American history.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/21/2023 @ 9:46 amDoes this mean that I support Biden? No, I’m just as much NeverBiden as NeverTrump, and I’m hoping there’s a path for Ms. Haley after Trump’s criminality is adjudicated in courts of law.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/21/2023 @ 9:48 amTom Emmer’s speaker bid In trouble even before it begins:
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 10:03 amIsraelis support for Biden also reflects the lack of empathy from Netanyahu as well as lack of assuming responsibility for the security failures.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 10:25 amLink for post 123.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 10:27 amTom Emmer’s speaker bid In trouble even before it begins
So, with Republicans alone, no one will vote for a Trumpbot, and Trumpbots will not vote for someone who is not. Time to form the coalition of the willing. The Congressional GOP is dead. Accept that and move on.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 11:10 amBTW, my take on the hostage releases: It’s propaganda using people as pawns. Those who want to distract from the Hamas savagery, or that want to undermine Western resolve, are going to try to focus everyone on some extended “hostage-release process” with murderous kidnappers and rapists.
Don’t be fooled. It’s a cruel stalling game and aimed at torturing families further.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 11:19 amShould the West reject any hostage releases?
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 11:30 amDeclaring the Congressional GOP “dead” still doesn’t resolve selecting a Speaker, unless they are willing to concede the Speakership to the Democrats.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 11:39 amRip
I’m going to wait and see how Biden does in the long game.
Predicting there will be at least 1-3 more large scale war crime, genocide claims that come out of Gaza in the near future if Israel invades.
We will see how resolute Biden and his handlers are then.
If Biden was coming through my town with $100B, I’d put up a billboard too, and my town doesn’t have any billboards. The sign ordinance here is 4 feet high max, but I’d gladly build an illegal billboard, slab a 2000 era photo of Joe on it (for the flattery) and probably get more jail time for the illegal sign than criminals in LA get for a smash and grab because priorities
steveg (b621d6) — 10/21/2023 @ 11:56 am“War crimes” are an illusion because there is no enforcement mechanism (the post war tribunals in Tokyo and Nuremberg are the exceptions). Both sides (in any conflict) commit atrocities that go unpunished. They are a fact of life in wartime.
The left is already screaming about Israeli “war crimes”, but they have been doing that since 1948.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 12:04 pmAnd Israel (like the US) doesn’t recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
Call a cop if Israel commits a war crime.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 12:09 pmunless they are willing to concede the Speakership to the Democrats.
They already have. The extremist wing of the GOP refuses to accept the party consensus, so to get a speaker they will need Democrat votes. The HFC has chosen to be its own party and there is no majority.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:04 pmShould the West reject any hostage releases?
They should not stand around, hat in hand, in hopes that the killers will dribble out hostages over the next 6 months.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:05 pmThe majority opinion Friday was written by D.C. Circuit Judge Florence Pan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, and joined by Judge Cornelia Pillard, an appointee of President Barack Obama
And there we have it. The Supremes will take the case.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:06 pmWhen I said the House Republicans “are willing to concede the speakership to the Democrats” I meant that Hakeem Jefferies would be elected Speaker. I think the prospect of that should force the Republicans to come up with a compromise candidate.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:18 pmWhat interpretation of the obstruction statute do you favor?
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:20 pmYou didn’t answer my question.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:22 pmI would say yes, the West should refuse any additional hostage releases from Hamas.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:28 pmYou didn’t answer my question.
Well, I did, just not a yes/no. They should accept any such release, but it should not alter what they have to do, nor should they wait around for the next release. Hamas’ game here is to divide public opinion, left-brain vs right-brain.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:54 pmWhat interpretation of the obstruction statute do you favor?
If the statute requires “corrupt” motives (intended, I think, to differentiate that from demonstrations), then there should be evidence that the individual was acting for some corrupt purpose. The DC Circuit seems to have whited out that “corrupt” word.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/21/2023 @ 2:59 pmJewish leader samantha wolff found dead outside her detroit home. (DU)
asset (ac31a7) — 10/21/2023 @ 3:21 pmThe west should reject freed hostages. Really? I am sure the families of the hostages. the media, most americans and their politicians wont say Oh. OK! Think about the consequences of your suggestions Oh I forgot the rest of the world too!
asset (ac31a7) — 10/21/2023 @ 3:31 pmIsrael calls Hamas’ claim it rejected hostage release ‘propaganda’
It is lawful to lie to infidels.
nk (de0ec9) — 10/21/2023 @ 4:09 pmYes, the 20 Republicans that refused to support Jordan are extreme and harming the party.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/21/2023 @ 4:49 pmThe mother and daughter who were released before were released to the Red Cross but it was not clear how or where they would get out of Gaza
They might be out by now, since 20 trucks crossed the border from Egypt.
If Hamas thinks it is postponing an attack, it’s best to let them continue to think so. The preparations are being revised. There are medical preparations being made.
Sammy Finkelman (f6bb19) — 10/21/2023 @ 5:46 pmI thought the vote on the floor is by name, and the vote in the Republican conference is by secret ballot. Was there any exception in either case?
Sammy Finkelman (f6bb19) — 10/21/2023 @ 5:51 pm@145 20 had the courage to stand up to the death threats. In secret ballot only 86 supported pedo “gym” jordan. Update. Jewish leader samantha wolff was srabbed to death in detroit similar to 6 year old palestinian boy stabbed to death in chicago. Your side is always threatening to kill AOC and the squad now the wolves are devouring each other! (darkness at noon.)
asset (2ce084) — 10/21/2023 @ 5:52 pm@146 Sammy they are in Israel now, home soon. Just saw them on CBS news.
asset (2ce084) — 10/21/2023 @ 5:54 pmApparently those 20 (25 in Jordan’s third election attempt) weren’t the only ones who didn’t want Jordan in the end, since lost his Conference’s confidence vote 86-122.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 6:01 pmasset (fe401c) — 10/20/2023 @ 3:33 pm
Did she specifically call for the release just of those two? If so, I’d say she had inside information.
Hamas may have released them because 1) they were related or known to to media friends, and 2) They were female.
Sammy Finkelman (f6bb19) — 10/21/2023 @ 6:08 pmOr a ransom was paid.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 6:22 pmOf course Hamas would coordinate their propaganda campaign with their friends in the West, including Rashida Tlaib. The friends in the West know better than Hamas does what strings to tug on. And by elevating their Rashida Tlaibs, they make them more influential and more useful.
nk (a45df0) — 10/21/2023 @ 6:29 pm@151 Tliab called for release of all hostages and so did the rest of the squad.
asset (2ce084) — 10/21/2023 @ 7:38 pmRon DeSantis’s Polls Continue to Fall:
Let’s look at the RCP averages for those early states:
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 7:45 pmCurrent RCP Polling Averages-Republican Presidential Primary:
National
Trump 59
DeSantis 19
Haley 7
Pence 4
Ramaswamy 5
Christie 3
Scott 2
New Hampshire
Trump 45
DeSantis 10
Haley 14
Pence 1
Ramaswamy 7
Christie 9
Scott 4
Iowa
Trump 50
DeSantis 17
Haley 10
Pence 4
Ramaswamy 6
Christie 2
Scott 6
South Carolina
Trump 48
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 8:13 pmDeSantis 11
Haley 15
Pence 3
Ramaswamy 5
Christie 5
Scott 10
This is the day the Lord had made, let us rejoice and be glad. Today i would like to remember those past commenters of good will, who no longer grace us with their thoughtful comments, I shy from naming them for fear of leaving out the most deserving. But I would not wish to fail at my position as President and founder of a certain fan-club. So…
God bless you, MD, wherever you are.
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:45 amQatar took credit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Inn-Xl-bUEs
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/22/2023 @ 6:07 am154. asset (2ce084) — 10/21/2023 @ 7:38 pm
Then what was the point of mentioning it? Did they call for a unilateral end to the rocket fire?
And for Hezbollah to stop also?
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:08 amLA Times article on George Gascón’s challengers. There are nine of them.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-10-22/los-angeles-district-attorney-2024-election-candidates-george-gascon
Our host is not among them.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:29 amYes, the 20 Republicans that refused to support Jordan are extreme and harming the party.
1. Eff McCarthy!!!
2. Eff Scalise!!!
3. If you don’t support the guy behind 1 & 2, you’re hurting the party!!
Spare me.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:39 amApparently those 20 (25 in Jordan’s third election attempt) weren’t the only ones who didn’t want Jordan in the end, since lost his Conference’s confidence vote 86-122.
Those 122 were probably relieved by the secret ballot, and were not happy about Jordan’s winged monkeys.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:41 amNice to see Liz Cheney with Jake Tapper this morning. Reading behind her words, it sounds like if Trump is nominated, then a conservative will run to divide the GOP vote. She is also actively campaigning for normal candidates to oppose MAGA-extreme candidates. We cannot have a sociopath in the White House. If the primary process will not work and the legal process is not timely enough, then everything should be done to isolate the MAGA vote.
AJ_Liberty (6c2151) — 10/22/2023 @ 8:49 amI think people really overestimate the influence of third party or independent candidates. Ross Perot was a unique case, but it is unlikely that there is someone who has the same name recognition and can self finance their own campaign like him.
Is there an example you have in mind?
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/22/2023 @ 9:09 amAbout the Biden loans.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/22/2023 @ 9:10 am“We cannot have a sociopath in the White House. If the primary process will not work and the legal process is not timely enough, then everything should be done to isolate the MAGA vote.”
Gaetz tactics seem to be catching on. Pound your feet and pout, and hold the conservative agenda hostage. Then when the other tribe does it, shake your head in disgust. If we want to be honest, this didn’t start with Gaetz anyway. Trump has been NeverTrump’s McCarthy for eight years now, and Cheney your Jordan, though that’s hilariously unfair to Jordan who at least got close.
Trump is one sociopath. Biden is a sociopath who runs an administration he’s filled with sociopaths, and will appoint sociopath judges as the cherry on top. But two wars, Bidenflation, anti-business regulatory jihad, paragliders running our law enforcement, turnstiles as border security, and prosecutions as a campaign strategy would rightly make sociopaths out of an entire citizenry.
You can’t win, don’t even know how to win, so make the Republicans lose. Yes, that’s normal thinking. Keep hoping the ransom gets paid.
lloyd (7c49a3) — 10/22/2023 @ 9:33 amAnd who has the charisma to gain the attention of the voters? I can’t think of anyone.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/22/2023 @ 9:35 am“I think people really overestimate the influence of third party or independent candidates”
I’m not saying that a 3rd party candidate will win. It would require a perfect storm. I’m saying get a candidate who will strip off 20% of the GOP vote (or more)….who will be unable to vote for Trump. Though I suspect that Trump’s federal cases will inevitably hit some delays, I think there are strong odds that Trump is convicted of something prior to election day. Polls this summer suggest that that will tank Trump’s electability and that many Republicans will be unable to vote for a convicted felon. Again, Perot is only moderately relevant since his situation did not involve a major candidate facing potentially multiple convictions. I’m skeptical that polling history has much relevant to say about a quite historic situation.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:53 am@166, “You can’t win, don’t even know how to win, so make the Republicans lose.”
The fact that you seem content with a candidate who will likely be a convicted felon….with multiple convictions before election day…I don’t think you should lecture anyone about knowing how to win. Polls right now have Haley decisively beating Biden. DeSantis has a narrow advantage. Yet, 50+% of the GOP want to go with the guy who is neck-and-neck who will crater once his trials begin. Every day from the start of that trial we will be reminded about how awful Trump and his team acted. There’s only so much damage control Sean Hannity and FNC can provide. If you want to beat Biden, could you pick a worse candidate?
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/22/2023 @ 11:06 amIs there an example you have in mind?
Mitt Romney can self-finance and has great name recognition.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 11:12 amA third party candidate who is NOT in the political middle has little chance. Now, what the “middle” is with Trump running is hard to say, of course, since his only policy is “what’s in it for me?!” BUt nearly every third party ever has been on the fringe (Green, Libertarian, Dixiecrat, etc). The only two broad-based candidacies in the two-party era have been the Bull Moose and Reform candidacies of 1912 and 1992. Wallace was a Dixiecrat.
A centrist, or even center-right, alternative could have legs. If it has to be extablishment politicians, then a rerun of Romney-Ryan, or either one of them and Manchin as VP, could have a chance. If they got early momentum, they could eclipse one or both party candidates, depending on events.
A Felon vs Senile election is not similar to previous elections.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 11:21 am@166, “You can’t win, don’t even know how to win, so make the Republicans lose.”
The one who doesn’t know how to win is the one pushing the false Republican felon and rapist ignoramus.
Other Republicans can win, even with MAGA staying home. Although in the end I think they’ll punish a GOP that doesn’t nominate Trump by voting for Biden, and the Democrats will pander to them if they have to.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 11:35 amBTW, I think it’s clear that Iran has a bomb.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 12:29 pmI doubt Since MAGAWorld views the 2020 election as stolen byghe Democrats, they wouldn’t vote for the “Biden Crime Family” or any Democrat. Not voting at all will be their best option.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/22/2023 @ 1:23 pmLOL! He would win far fewer votes than the last time around.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/22/2023 @ 1:24 pmIf someone runs without intending to win, what is the incentive for a someone to vote for them? If someone doesn’t want to vote for Trump, they easily do so by just not voting for President at all.
Romney, Ryan, and Manchin are so out of touch with the electorate (of both parties) they would probably only get enough votes in few states to throw the election to Trump. And Romney and Ryan have given no indication that they are interested in running again.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/22/2023 @ 1:38 pm@165
Did he release the documents?
Because, I’m not taking Aaron Rupar’s word as he’s a known democrat hack.
whembly (6df546) — 10/22/2023 @ 1:51 pmTrump, DeSantis, and Haley are essentially tied with Biden in general election. Haley leads Biden by less than 2%, but polling comparing the two head to head is rather thin.
Rip Murdock (23618e) — 10/22/2023 @ 1:51 pmIt should be just as easy for Comer to release his “documentation” that the transaction was corrupt.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:01 pmOuch!
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:11 pmLizzie wouldn’t know a conservative if he smacked her in the face. She’s a DC stooge that got hoist upon her own petard.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:27 pmWas the world safer and less dangerous under Trump or Biden.
That’s not a nuance question. No trying to make excuses. Answer it.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:28 pmPaul,
how many far leftists do you follow that you always quote them, but you never have a quote from a conservative?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:31 pmThe House Republican Merry-Go-Round:
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:37 pmThat’s why he’s conducting this investigation.
whembly (6df546) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:41 pmRep. McCarthy didn’t deny that he is willing to serve as Speaker again. The problem is that the House Republicans had the opportunity to vote for McCarthy during the last three speaker votes, and he only received a handful of votes.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:50 pmIn other words, the response to Comer’s announcement should be “so what?”
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 2:55 pmIt’s a bad sign when Reps. Matt Gaetz and Matt Rosendale think Comer’s impeachment investigation is “not legitimate” and a “smokescreen.”
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 3:11 pmGaetz is one of the worst of the people who glommed onto the populist wave. He comes off like a spoiled, rich frat boy (which he may be, I don’t care to look) but he is smart enough for Washington DC because he was smart enough to see what was happening in 2016 and burrow in.
steveg (2a2f07) — 10/22/2023 @ 3:27 pmI don’t follow Rupar, Rob, and I don’t accept your feelings as to what a leftist is.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/22/2023 @ 3:52 pmWhen a professional journalist says he has obtained documents, I’m inclined to believe him.
For example, your idjit remark about Liz Cheney, who voted with Trump 93% of the time.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/22/2023 @ 3:53 pmAnd I’ll also note your lie that I “never have a quote from a conservative”. I quoted a conservative in this very thread.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/22/2023 @ 3:56 pmWas the world safer and less dangerous under Trump or Biden.
The world was never under Trump. Neither is it under Biden now. But I would say that Biden is paying more attention to the dangers it poses. Trump only wanted his ego stroked.
nk (2ae384) — 10/22/2023 @ 4:31 pmI doubt Since MAGAWorld views the 2020 election as stolen byghe Democrats, they wouldn’t vote for the “Biden Crime Family” or any Democrat. Not voting at all will be their best option.
If Trump says to do it they will.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:08 pmLizzie wouldn’t know a conservative if he smacked her in the face.
Rob, just because you confuse fascists with conservatives doesn’t mean everyone does.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:09 pmIt should be just as easy for Comer to release his “documentation” that the transaction was corrupt.
It is easier for Biden to show that it wasn’t than it is for anyone else to track it all down.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:11 pmWas the world safer and less dangerous under Trump or Biden.
Biden’s problem is that Trump’s allies are on the other side.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:12 pmhe was smart enough to see what was happening in 2016 and burrow in.
Like a tick.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:14 pmWorst case scenarios:
1. Iran has the bomb.
2. Israel is attacked by missiles from Hezbollah and Iran, killing 10s of thousands in Tel Aviv.
3. Russia goes for the Baltic states.
4. China invades Taiwan.
5. All of the above.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:16 pmAll this global stuff did not kick off during the tenure of America’s craziest President. It kicked off during the tenure of its most befuddled President (befuddlement punctuated by drug induced scintillas of clarity).
Russian adventurism in Ukraine has been managed by Biden (and his ventriloquists) with titration rather than toward a decisive Ukrainian victory. Israel is being managed similarly. Granted, Hamas was smart (or lucky, I say smart) to take multinational hostages which moves the Bidenites towards prioritizing hostage rescue which buys Hamas time and draws the conflict out towards no result.
Bidenites are playing for a tie after initial losses which simply establishes a new status quo.
Russia looks like it will be able to keep Crimea plus Donetsk and Luhansk (and a bit of buffer here and there)
Hamas looks like it will be able to stave off a full scale invasion as long as it holds hostages, which it will do until the Bidenites fold.
Iran, China and Russa… even the hermit kingdom NK emerge as the winners
What good is an ally who won’t let you beat your adversary decisively
steveg (2a2f07) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:28 pmDemocrats always go for “proportional responses” and incremental engagement. It’s how they fought Vietnam, and also how you cook a frog. Republicans go for “overwhelming force” and “shock and awe.” Neither is really good at the “after” since they give that to the State Department and the State Department is no good at anything but talking forever.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:38 pmI suspect that there will be a nuclear explosion in the next year in Iran. I’m just hoping it’s a small bomb in Qom and not a huge one on Tehran. The “why” will have something to do with that, more, I think, than the “by whom.”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:40 pmOf the nine Speaker candidates, seven objected to the certification of Arizona and/or Pennsylvania’s certified electoral results. The only two which didn’t were Tom Emmer and Austin Scott.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 6:16 pmThe “after” of Operation Swords of Iron isn’t our problem-it’s the Israelis.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 6:22 pmComer made the allegation, he must have evidence to back it up. He wouldn’t have alleged the payment was corrupt without being able to prove it.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 6:26 pmWhy Qom but not Tehran? Why not both?
I think the “why” and “by whom” is fairly obvious today-and it won’t be the US. It will be the country most threatened by Iran.
Another baseless, vague, and speculative prediction.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 6:32 pm“Comer made the allegation, he must have evidence to back it up. He wouldn’t have alleged the payment was corrupt without being able to prove it.”
As the pretext which launched the Mueller investigation showed, proof has nothing to do with it.
Based on that precedent, a special counsel should be appointed. Anyone who opposes that at this point is a hypocrite.
lloyd (53f5d2) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:01 pmA special counsel’s investigation would be a great opportunity for the Biden Administration to delay Comer’s impeachment investigation; much as the Congressional investigation into Hunter Biden has been hamstrung by that special counsel prosecution.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:21 pmThe normal metric is that the longer the delay, the more casualties when ground operations do finally start.
We can say the hostages have more value, but have to remember the guys going in, who will take the casualties are aware of the metric.
They are aware of the risk and willing to take some extra casualties but…
Then there is the risk of units being rendered combat ineffective due to losses in excess of that metric
If I was in Israel, sending young people into harms way, I would consider arguments that tell me that the Bidenites would be perfectly content to see hostages returned in exchange for much higher Israeli losses and a stalemate of an outcome.
steveg (2a2f07) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:25 pmThe Bidenites get to keep the Jewish voter base and donor base intact for Biden, and prevent any peeling off of (or sitting out the election) of the Arab, Palestinian, Academic special interest groups.
Always consider their calculations about gaining, holding power in the next 2-4-6 year cycle. It is a predictable cycle, so why wouldn’t the Iranians, Chinese, Russians be able to exploit it?
I’d still try to deliver a decisive outcome despite Uncle Sugar’s perfidy.
US Military Buildup Continues Supporting Israel
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:32 pmWould you be okay if “Uncle Sugar”’ stopped providing military aid to Israel? The advantage is that Israel wouldn’t feel constrained by any American squeamishness.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:37 pmNo, but lets admit restraints that come along with it (see Ukraine) may result in an indecisive conclusion
steveg (2a2f07) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:58 pmIndecisive being totally on brand for Uncle Befuddled. Verbally project decisiveness but deliver inadequate means to win
steveg (2a2f07) — 10/22/2023 @ 8:03 pm“If someone runs without intending to win, what is the incentive for a someone to vote for them?”
And yet Libertarians and Green Party candidates still manage to get votes. It is a form of protest vote. A non-vote just gets lumped into the bin of lazy, uninformed, and/or serially nihilistic voter-eligibles. If someone like Liz Cheney or Larry Hogan puts forth a platform that is more conservative than Biden and more sane than Trump, it seems rational to express one’s political preference for normal and quasi-energetic. That vote is perceived as winnable back by the GOP; a non-vote conveys much more uncertainty.
I would also argue that starting in March we will enter into the great unknown. No one knows how these trials will go for Trump though it does not look promising for him. Maybe people circle the waggon, but maybe they lose excitement and it becomes the bridge too far. People could literally have to vote for a felon…who tried to scam the system.
Saying we know is like polling about the 9/11 attack before the 9/11 attack. Well, maybe not exactly but people don’t want to lose…and a death stench will start to build. Who wants to support a candidate wearing an ankle monitor!? Even if his detention might be more cushy, the impression won’t be.
Biden looks older by the day. Yes, his recent speeches were effective. Someone wrote them well. But could you imagine him stroking out before election day? I imagine a lot of people can. It’s dead man running…or maybe shuffling is more apt. No one hesitant about Democrat rule will be soothed by Kamala Harris taking the reins. If there was ever a shot for an alternative…it might be 2024.
AJ_Liberty (5686f3) — 10/22/2023 @ 8:21 pmThe “after” of Operation Swords of Iron isn’t our problem-it’s the Israelis.
Wishcasting. When have we not butted in?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:24 pmOf the nine Speaker candidates, seven objected to the certification of Arizona and/or Pennsylvania’s certified electoral results.
Arizona seemed solid, but PA’s election was conducted contrary to the PA constitution. I might have protested that, too.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:26 pmWhy Qom but not Tehran? Why not both?
Because Qom is the mullahs and EVERYONE hates the mullahs.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:27 pmAnother baseless, vague, and speculative prediction.
The clue might ahve been “I suspect….”
Why do you go all negative on everyone. Do you really think you are God’s gift to Reason? It’s tiresome.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:28 pm@164 Ralph nader and jill stein.
asset (ee0076) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:58 pm@211 Israel who now depends on America’s largess would be far more constrained and at the rest of the worlds lack of interest.
asset (ee0076) — 10/22/2023 @ 11:03 pmWith now over 2,000 dead palestinian children to avenge the loss of 200 Israeli children is not enough will 20,000 dead palestinian children or 200,000 dead palestinian children be enough to satiate the blood lust?
asset (ee0076) — 10/23/2023 @ 12:00 amHow did the world manage to survive before Trump?
Which particular flea is sucking on a dog’s butt is of great consequence to the flea. It is of little consequence to the dog.
Only Trump could have gotten Biden/Harris elected. Sure Biden is a befuddled dotard and a second-rater to begin with. But so is Trump, on amphetamines and steroids.
Given a choice of befuddled dotard and maniacal old loon, I’ll take the one not endorsed by David Duke.
nk (684ff1) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:48 amConsidering Pennsylvania’s own Court said that the way Pennsylvania conducted the election was illegal, I don’t see what your issue is.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 5:22 amhttps://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/interview-with-german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-we-have-to-deport-people-more-often-and-faster-a-790a033c-a658-4be5-8611-285086d39d38
Even Germany is starting to wake up to the danger of immigration from those with a culture different than your own.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 5:35 amThe Trump of Argentina did below expectation but it also be where the old right hasn’t gotten its promises in writing just yet and the Peronist ends up like Mary Landrieu 2014.
But the Swiss will be the Swiss, just like Argentines will be Argentines.
urbanleftbehind (37a378) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:12 amThe pretext was Papadopolous and the hacked DNC emails, both of which were evidence of Russian meddling in an American election, and it was properly predicated according to the Inspector General who investigated the investigators.
Comer has to use “Biden crime family” in a dishonest attempt to corral Joe with the sketchy activities of his nephew and brother but, to date, there’s no actual evidence of criminal activity by Joe. It’s an act of political deflection away from Trump’s long litany of lies, corruption and crimes.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:31 amHow do you know that? Actually, you don’t know that because the people giving you that number are the same terrorists who claimed 500 were killed at Al Ahli Hospital by an Israeli missile.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:37 amHey Rip and NJRob,
The folks who objected to Pennsylvania also objected to Meuser. The one exception was a Pennsylvania congressman who only objected to Pa.
Appalled (bdf02c) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:06 amNot sure what you mean by this, Meuser is the Pennsylvania congressman who objected to the Pennsylvania electoral certification.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:43 amUntrue.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:47 amRip,
your link has nothing to do with what I said. Troll harder.
NJRob (9900e0) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:56 amYour claim is unsourced. Try harder.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:56 am“Hamas was justified in attacking Israel as part of their struggle for a Palestinian state”
It’s all in how you ask the question. “Attack” is a pretty mild description. IF they had asked
“Hamas was justified in murdering a thousand Israeli civilians in their homes, raping girls and killing babies, as part of their struggle for a Palestinian state”
they might have got a different result.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 11:41 amThe Trump of Argentina did below expectation but it also be where the old right hasn’t gotten its promises in writing just yet and the Peronist ends up like Mary Landrieu 2014.
Being beat by the Economy Minister must hurt as that is a badge of total incompetence, if not abject idiocy.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 11:43 amUntrue.
Non-sequitur. The claim was that in 2020, PA conducted an election where absentee ballots were sent to everyone, while the PA constitution specifically limits absentee ballots to the disable or actually-absent. And it was an Appeals court that ruled.
And an AP fact check (about something else)? Really?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 11:48 amYour claim is unsourced. Try harder.
Nah, it’s been sourced ad infinitum. Sorry you have such a poor memory. You referenced the AP (as Truth!!!) fact-checking something else entirely.
What is true is that the PA Supreme Court allowed a law to stand that, on its face, was contrary to the state Constitution. An Appellate Court had ruled a year back that the Constitutional language was clear, and that the law was invalid, but the current D-packed Supreme Court ruled (5-2) that they didn’t give a crap. Because!
Does not mean that the election was valid, only that they felt it necessary to say it was, as it provided significant advantage to their Party.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 11:56 amKevin, what you’re saying in #237 is very different than what Rob said. If the PA court allowed the law to stand that is the opposite of “Considering Pennsylvania’s own Court said that the way Pennsylvania conducted the election was illegal.
Laws concerning elections are challenged all the time, sometimes successfully. That does not invalidate elections that occurred before those decisions; these rulings carry weight for how elections are conducted in the future.
Nate (f52876) — 10/23/2023 @ 12:33 pmRip Murdock (23618e) — 10/21/2023 @ 11:39 am
The logical outcome is Democrats selecting a Republican speaker with no, or very minimal, change in committee assignments, except possibly on the Rules Committee, and/or some change in the rules allowing say, some Democrats to put things to a vote.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 12:42 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 10:27 pm
You need the people who are actually running things, which is not all the mullahs.
If things reach that eventuality, Israel is likely to attempt to decapitate the Iranian regime with a number of conventional bombs, which, at a minimum, will chase Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei into a bunker. He won’t be able to show his face, any more that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi did after his one appearance at a mosque in Mosul.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12657495/Israel-attack-against-Iran-Hezbollah-joins-war-Hamas.html
Sammy Finkelman (7a85f9) — 10/23/2023 @ 12:55 pmThe only problem with that is that the head of the snake is probably at Latitude 40 degrees North and Longitude 116 degrees and 20 minutes East approximately.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 12:58 pmKevin, what you’re saying in #237 is very different than what Rob said. If the PA court allowed the law to stand that is the opposite of “Considering Pennsylvania’s own Court said that the way Pennsylvania conducted the election was illegal.
No, a PA court did say what Rob claimed, as I pointed out. They had pointed to some VERY clear language in the state constitution, allowing mailed ballots only for certain reasons. The PA Legislature has ignored those provisions in their law, and the Appellate Court had called them on it.
But the PA Supreme Court decided to ignore the Constitution as well, since the law as passed favored the Democrat Party, to which five of them (“All five of the justices who upheld Act 77 were elected as Democrats.”) owed more fealty that to some musty constitution.
One dissent:
The Supreme Court’s Democrat majority not only erased long-standing words in the State Constitution, but eliminated 160 years of case law, so as to retroactively support the legislature’s gross overreach in 2020 that continues to redound to be benefit of the Democrat machine..
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:03 pmLink to dissent: https://www.pacourts.us/Storage/media/pdfs/20220802/170620-aug.2,2022-dissentingopinion(justicebrobson).pdf
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:03 pmsteveg (2a2f07) — 10/22/2023 @ 7:25 pm
Where’d you get that? The exact opposite is true. The United States now always precedes aground assault with bombing. It did that in Iraq in 1991, in Afghanistan in 2001, and in Iraq again in 2003. Hamas can;t re-arm and they’ve already made all their preparatons – they expected an invasion. Israel needs to take Hamas “out of the book” and come up with some totally new war plans which they can’t possibly have stolen and/or made counterplans against. And then there’s the matter of deterring Hezbollah and Iran. Israel is preventing resupply by bombing airports, There’s the idea of a pre-emptive strike, but that could only reduce the number of missiles slightly.
Iran’s going to want to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:09 pmR.I.P. Dusty Street, DJ, 77.
https://thiswastv.com/dusty-street-wikipedia/
I knew Dusty in the late 80s and early 90s. She was a classy lady, one of a kind. Those who know my backstory might be able to guess the context.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:09 pmYour link goes to 404-File Not Found
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:12 pmIran’s going to want to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier.
A fool move.
Israel is preventing resupply by bombing airports
They are also concerned about warheads containing Sarin, something that Iran would not provide until time for use.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:13 pmThere’s the idea of a pre-emptive strike, but that could only reduce the number of missiles slightly.
What do you suppose Israel’s reaction would be to 130,000 missiles raining down on Tel Aviv? They’d want to stop that quick, and wholesale.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:15 pmYour link goes to 404-File Not Found
Try it with the “.pdf” that my browser helpfully omitted from the link.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:16 pmThere are some additional United States citizens (of Palestinian origin) being held hostage (although not prisoner) by Hamas in Gaza, but the Administration is being very calm about this and hoping this will go away. And they may succeed.
They are also in danger in Beirut.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/antony-blinken-secretary-of-state-face-the-nation-transcript-2023-10-22
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:17 pmFull link
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:17 pmI’m sorry I don’t keep track of Pennsylvania Supreme Court decisions from three years ago. Even then there were more than one involving the election.
Since NJR (and yourself) were unable (or unwilling) to provide the name of the case, I may have picked the wrong one to which he referred.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:20 pmThe US is pressuring Israel to delay the invasion, so that hostage negotiation can proceed. Then, after the months that would be required, they’ll say “What difference, at this point, does it make?”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:20 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:15 pm
The problem is,a pre-emptive strike, as some want, would not do too much to limit it and might precipitate it.
Now the thing is, Hezbollah/Iran has no tanks and can’t occupy much territory, although they can be expected to kill (have to be assumed to want to) any civilians they encounter, so Israel has evacuated its northernmost towns. Hezbollah can only bomb. There’s Iron dome etc, which Biden has promised to add to.
Israel’s trying to rely on deterrence for now, and has to try to strengthen the effect before doing too much in Gaza, and then the United States wants a little opportunity to get some of its people out.
It’s a war of nerves.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:24 pmMcLinko et. al. also waited too long to bring their challenges to the universal mail-in voting law:
Procrastination didn’t pay off.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:25 pmThe point, Rip, was not that it was an obscure case, since it wasn’t. It was just one that folks who were concerned about the irregularities and partisan “emergency measures” in the 2020 election noticed, and those who wanted to pretend it was all on the up and up ignored.
The real opposition to what happened in 2020 has very little to do with vote counting and a lot to do with the special voting rules. Even Putin counts the votes correctly, but the rules are what really matters.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:26 pmRip,
The remedy was not possible, but that does not mean that they had to accept the illegality going forward.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:28 pmI’m sure Republican State Supreme Courts have made rulings that benefit Republicans legislators. We have seen that with redistricting.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:29 pmSadly, Pennsylvania is not one of the states with a citizen initiative process.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:31 pmThe solution is for the State Republican party to organize and win legislative elections to repeal the law. It’s doable, Republicans have a slight majority (+6) in the State Senate and the House is virtually tied (Democrats +1).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:36 pmThey may want to, but it won’t happen, because if they did, Iran should be turned into glass.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:40 pmAnd whose decision was completely opposite of what NJRob said. He must have forgotten too.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:44 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:20 pm
That’s not the policy of the Biden Administration:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/antony-blinken-secretary-of-state-face-the-nation-transcript-2023-10-22
And also if you think, there can’t be another round, because surely another round would go nuclear.
The problem is, Israel has no idea what to after victory, and indeed what would be a victory. That’s one reason why, I think, they are not demanding surrender. They just seem to want to free the hostages and get rid of Hamas and kill or capture or hunt down in other countries chase after all 2,500 or so people left alive who were involved in the mass murder of October 7.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:51 pm262. The Department of Defense aims to prevent the sinking of an aircraft carrier. Iran may not have that capability.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 1:53 pmMiranda Devine writes about Sidney Powell – that she was not acting on Donald Trump’s instructions. I’d say she was acting on her own but probably somebody was paying her, or promising to pay her, or get her money.
Miranda Devine says she was fired three times, and Donald Trump called Giuliani to tell him whether what she was saying made sense, and listened to Giuliani.
You may find this comic, in a way, but it also has the ring of truth. And I’d sure like to find out who was behind Sidney Powell’s efforts.
Here’s the key excerpt:
https://nypost.com/2023/10/22/trump-and-giuliani-never-fell-for-sidney-powells-crazy-s-t-but-the-left-sure-did
Sammy Finkelman (7a85f9) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:06 pmNewt Gingrich said yesterday they should lock all the Republican Congressmen in a room and not let them out except for bathroom breaks and a shower and not leave till somebody has 217 votes.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:09 pmhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/why-hamas-atrocities-lead-the-left-to-hate-israel-more-15abdc6
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:12 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/22/2023 @ 5:16 pm
3. Iran uses the bomb and either
A. It gets retaliated against, massive riots in western countries and and Israel gets condemned and every country swears not to do anything like it.
OR
B. Nothing much happens.
In either case, China later drops the bomb on Taiwan, nuclear deterrence having failed or proved to be a bluff..
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:18 pmPaul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/22/2023 @ 3:52 pm
This was clearly a leak from the Biden people, and it is probably accurate as far as it goes, but there must be something very embarrassing about the whole thing for this not to be openly released by Biden.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:22 pmHere we have what seems to be the closest thing to a beheaded bay. (not axed babies as the headline in the printed paper has it)
https://nypost.com/2023/10/22/tomer-peretz-describes-horror-of-clearing-bodies-from-hamas-attack
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:28 pmHamas had all sorts of half developed plots. They had a bomb hidden in a girl’s book bag to be triggered by radio – but there was no Hamas person nearby. They had instructions on a USB drive – for thing they didn’t have – there were instructions for a cyanide dispersion device – originally conceived by al Qaeda in 2003.
This was accelerated. They threw all forms of murder or attacks into this.
One thing they did was light fires to make people go out of their safe rooms.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:33 pmOn bombardments: In WW II, we generally used very long bombardments against isolated Japanese-held islands — because they almost never could resupply them. (I think, in a few cases, they brought in supplies by submarine.)
Before the Normandy invasion, we used a very short bombardment, because the Germans could resupply, and move reinforcements in.
The Hamas terrorist situation is more like those isolated islands.
Jim Miller (afc9a4) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:44 pmSince this is an open thread, I’ll pass along this little story, with thanks to Miss Manners, for what she has taught me over the years:
I was waiting for my hamburger at a local Shake Shack, when I saw a large, middle-aged lady come in, and pick up two large sacks. Since it was crowded, and the door rather heavy, I opened the door for her. She smiled and called me a real “gentlemon” — from which you can probably guess more about the lady.
(It still surprises me to see how pleased how many girls and women are by such ordinary acts of politeness. I think that’s especialy true of those who aren’t sure everyone thinks of them as “ladies”, because they are too young, or too poor.
But, as with presents, it probably does more for me, than for them.)
Jim Miller (afc9a4) — 10/23/2023 @ 2:54 pmNewt Gingrich said yesterday they should lock all the Republican Congressmen in a room and not let them out except for bathroom breaks and a shower and not leave till somebody has 217 votes.
Why the shower? Also, I’d feed them only beans.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 3:18 pmOnly if you are trying to count the number of angels on the head of a pin. The Court overturned the illegal act of sending out ballots to everyone. They said it was never authorized and not permissible. I never stated that they said the election should be overturned.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 4:15 pm@275 why don’t you want ballots sent all registered voters not everyone. Too many democrats voting? The left (we hate the evil bottle deposit crook netanhayu not Israel at least I do.) Is demanding that when we get control of the house they pass a law making it a crime for any american citizen to be prevented from voting by 10 years in prison. You can pass all the voter restriction laws you want ;but if you stop a citizen from voting you go to jail for 10 years!
asset (e20349) — 10/23/2023 @ 4:31 pmMany Israeli’s in politics and military like former prime minister ehud barak are calling for the bottle deposit crook netanyahu to resign for not taking seriously egypt and jordan’s warning of hamas attack. Also telling Israeli military and intelligence he was not sending troops protecting settlement building on the west bank to gaza as settlers were part of coalition that got him in power, tell them to say it was only a drill.
asset (e20349) — 10/23/2023 @ 4:39 pmThere is no Pennsylvania Supreme Court case that says it was an “illegal act of sending out ballots to everyone.” For example, in Kelly v. Pennsylvania:
In fact, all challenges to the Pennsylvania primary election were dismissed.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 4:42 pmHouse Speaker candidates and four key votes: Ukraine aid; debt ceiling; continuing resolution; and certifying the 2020 election.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 4:58 pmIn fact, all challenges to the Pennsylvania primary election were dismissed.
An appeals court in 2021 ruled that the election law was invalid. Article VII, Section 14 of the PA COnstitution reads:
The list of reasons for an absentee vote has always been considered to be exhaustive. But suddenly it is not.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 5:05 pmLink to PA Appeals Court ruling (delivered Jan 2022) McLinko vs PA et al
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/23/2023 @ 5:07 pmBiden telling Israel to not defend itself while he “negotiates” is about as big a betrayal as can exist. Keep pretending the left is just politics as usual.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 5:15 pmWe’ll see what happens in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. While you may say the result will be entirely predictable, that is the problem of having judicial elections. The courts turn into partisan affairs which achieve partisan results. For example, when the NC Supreme Court recently went from a Democratic majority to a Republican one, the court flip flopped a gerrymander ruling that initially benefited voting rights advocates to a decision that benefited the GOP and prevents future challenges to redistricting.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/23/2023 @ 5:35 pmhttps://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1716521196756541890
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:05 pmhttps://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1716521196756541890
You’ve got to be kidding me. She was asked about anti-Semitic attacks and she turns that into saying Muslims are the victims who deserve the government’s concern.
(fixed formatting)
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:08 pmNJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:08 pm
Unbelievable!
felipe (9bcc73) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:41 pmhttps://freebeacon.com/media/associated-press-wont-let-reporters-call-hamas-a-terrorist-organization/
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:45 pmSammy, you are right, it depends on the war and the battles within.
An example in todays world are the Russian defenses that are stalling Ukrainian counter attacks and the Ukrainian defenses doing the same to the Russian counter attacks further north. The time both had to prepare has resulted in a “meatgrinder”
Speaking generally, the longer Hamas has to prepare defenses, IED’s, rig buildings with explosives, the more it will cost the Israelis in blood.
steveg (31fdd9) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:48 pmThis would be similar to the American experience in Fallujah II where the US, UK and Iraqi’s fought around 4000 militant fighters with US, UK and Iraqi’s losing 100+ dead and about 600 wounded even with total air superiority
@285 you forgot the 6 year old palestinian boy stabbed to death in revenge for Israel killings. Conservatives: Cancel culture is wrong we all have freedom of speech! Oh and by the way cancel all pro-palestinian speakers on campus and else where! Right NJ Robb
asset (3c29a2) — 10/23/2023 @ 7:51 pmYou are evil asset.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/23/2023 @ 7:57 pmWhite House spokesman John Kirby rejects calls from Republicans to cancel student visas for anyone supporting Hamas.
“I would just tell you, you don’t have to agree with every sentiment as expressed in a free country like this to stand by the idea of the First Amendment and the idea of peaceful protest. I’ll leave it at that.”
There is no constitutional right to a student visa. You can be denied a green card if you support the communist party, a restriction that has never been unconstitutional. This has nothing to do with peaceful protest. If you are peacefully supporting a terrorist organization, you are a threat to the US.
As with the southern border, Biden’s policy is about future voters not about the security of the US.
lloyd (04571a) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:27 pm@290 Thanks for letting me know I got thru to your soul. Feedback is great!
asset (3c29a2) — 10/23/2023 @ 8:56 pmThe former Israeli PM pushes back against the BBC.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:50 amIf you want to really know how pissed off the Israelis are, Mr. Bennett is a barometer.
Orban can leave NATO anytime he wants, too. Putin won’t mind.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/24/2023 @ 4:40 amThe EU is to NATO as the Ministry of Silly Walks is to Scotland Yard.
lloyd (b81098) — 10/24/2023 @ 5:48 amHamas frees two Israeli women as U.S. advises delaying ground war to allow talks on captives
Netanyahu angers Israel’s military chiefs as he delays invasion of Gaza to eliminate Hamas, with western allies in the EU pushing for a ceasefire
Israel will not survive if they stand down here.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 5:54 amYou can be denied a green card if you support the communist party, a restriction that has never been unconstitutional.
It also hasn’t been enforced for more than 50 years. Not sure that a security clearance is still refused for that reason.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 5:56 amwhy don’t you want ballots sent all registered voters not everyone.
Because voting should take some small effort. Because ballot provenance is important. Because people move and don’t tell the government about it. Because there is, as yet, no strong validation of who filled out the ballot; signatures are a piss poor method.
Not that you care.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 6:00 amShould the US plan for evacuating the half million Americans in potential war zones in the Middle East? OR should we simply suggest that they leave now, or plan to shelter in place?
U.S. readies plans for mass evacuations if Gaza war escalates
I imagine that Americans in Israel have strong connections to Israel and its defense, and these are probably the bulk of the group at risk. Americans in, say, Lebanon or Iran should probably leave, but they probably won’t. Should we care? What about those in Saudi, the Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, etc?
Considering the record of the Biden administration in evacuations, it’s probably not going to work anyway.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 6:25 amYou let us know what you were the day you supoorted reeducation camps. Just another Billy Ayers without the writing skills.
NJRob (d97714) — 10/24/2023 @ 6:56 amFour down, fifteen to go.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:05 amThe lies that got Ms. Ellis censured in Colorado got her convicted in Georgia.
Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis pleads guilty in Georgia to a felony charge that she participated in an effort to make false statements to Georgia lawmakers about election fraud.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:06 amNote to GA defendants: Those that plead first get the better deal.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:13 am@301: Four?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:14 amPowell, Chesebro, Ellis, and the bail bondsman.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:17 amThe Chaotic Urban Hellscape That Awaits Israel in a Gaza Invasion
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:19 amRe-education camps? Either I missed a banger to a comment section or NJRob has wandered even further from the herd.
Time123 (e195fa) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:22 amGoing Easy on a Tax-Return Heist
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:28 amThe Chaotic Urban Hellscape That Awaits Israel in a Gaza Invasion
Between artillery and tanks, it will be a pretty flat hellscape.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:31 amRe-education camps?
Asset did advocate them, and perhaps worse, some time back.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:32 am@303
This is FAFO imo, but we should also recognized that its a mostly political prosecution.
One side is creating new rules and precedents.
Don’t be shocked if some red-state AG starts prosecuting the likes of this.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/24/2023 @ 8:42 amI can only pray that this drags down Trump’s support so that the other GOP candidates can overtake him.
It’s still lightyears from now to the first primary/caucus votes….
whembly (5f7596) — 10/24/2023 @ 8:48 amBallot provenance is made probable by the fact that it was mailed to a specific address; that the exact style of the ballot is different where any ooffce to be voted n is different; and by the fact that there are nt supposed to be two or more ballots returned by the same voter. Authenticity is a problem when another family member can fill out the ballot even of someone who moved or passed away, but this kind of fraud tends to cancel out, and if done on any large scale, get discovered, and most people wouldn’t do that.
Sammy Finkelman (23306a) — 10/24/2023 @ 8:48 amI’m sure you read the article-it will be far from flat and seen the concrete building wreckage throughout Gaza City. The collapsed buildings from the Israel bombings have created myriad sniper positions:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 8:50 amsteveg (31fdd9) — 10/23/2023 @ 6:48 pm
Hamas has already had 15 years to devise methods of defence and several years to build something v
The United States is advising Israel to attack Gaza, if it attacks, like Mosul and Raqqa, not like Fallujah.
Sammy Finkelman (23306a) — 10/24/2023 @ 8:54 amIt’s 83 days until the Iowa Republican Caucus and 140 days to New Hampshire primary.
Tick tock.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 8:59 amHouse Republican Speaker Vote:
Only two candidates remain: Reps. Tom Emmer of Minnesota and Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 9:08 amByron Donalds withdrew from the race after the 4th round where he received 25 votes (down from a high of 33).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 9:14 amHouse Majority Whip Tom Emmer has been elected as the GOP speaker nominee. It’s not known if he has the 217 votes required for the floor vote to become House Speaker.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 9:24 amPotential? I would say the Middle East (specifically Israel, Gaza, Jordan, the West Bank and Lebanon) are perpetual war zones. For Americans that live in those areas, that’s a risk you take.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 9:35 am@318
Good.
He needs my time in Congress and build his fundraising reputation.
He’ll get his shot if he stays in politics.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/24/2023 @ 9:38 amIf necessary, B-52 bombers would be available from bases in Europe and Diego Garcia, along with US-based B-1s and B-2s.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 10:30 amDonalds will also need to develop a legislative record beyond just introducing bills.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:18 amHouse Majority Whip Tom Emmer has been elected as the GOP speaker nominee. It’s not known if he has the 217 votes required for the floor vote to become House Speaker.
My plan: This is a mandatory vote. Anyone who votes NO will be deemed to have resigned from the Caucus.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:31 amBut there are about 20 Jordan dead-enders who refuse to vote for anyone not named Jordan.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:32 amIf necessary, B-52 bombers would be available from bases in Europe and Diego Garcia, along with US-based B-1s and B-2s.
If Necessary = Hezbollah enters the war. raining missiles down on Tel Aviv. The US will be frantic to avoid Israel nuking South Lebanon.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:34 amMy only quibble against Tom Emmer is that he advocated for the National Vote Compact to elect POTUS via popular vote.
Other than that, he’s just a more moderate McCarthy.
Plus, he’ll be in an even weaker position that McCarthy ever was.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:46 am@326
All the US/NATO assets in the Meds and the Persian Gulf is for Iran.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:48 am#327
It’s not Emmer. Trump just harpooned him. He’s a RINO and internationalist, don’t you know. Now, will the GOP caucus dare defy him?
I laugh. Back to the drawing board, folks.
Appalled (a1a6dc) — 10/24/2023 @ 12:10 pmI was thinking more about turning Iran into glass. I doubt the US/Israel would nuke south Lebanon since the winds would blow fallout into Israel.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:23 pmGiven the choices, Emmer is about the only House Republican Democrats might support. Looks like they won’t get the chance.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:29 pmKneecapped:
Rep. Tom Emmer has dropped out of the speaker’s race, a source familiar told CNN, just hours after becoming the House GOP’s nominee for the position.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:34 pmMy only quibble against Tom Emmer is that he advocated for the National Vote Compact to elect POTUS via popular vote.
Idiotic, unworkable and perilous in a near-tie.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:54 pmRep. Tom Emmer has dropped out of the speaker’s race
There have got to be Republicans threatening to vote for Jeffries if this goes on. There’s more than one way to play “chicken” and we are now down to the choice of suicides.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:56 pmI was thinking more about turning Iran into glass. I doubt the US/Israel would nuke south Lebanon since the winds would blow fallout into Israel.
That would result in other nukes flying, and Israel cannot withstand even one H-bomb.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:58 pmI was thinking more about turning Iran into glass.
There is a good chance that everyone involved would be hanged, by Israelis.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:59 pmEmmer drops Speaker bid after winning conference vote.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/us/politics/house-speaker-election.html
The only way out is to make a deal with the Democrats that doesn’t give away too much. (after all the majority of the House is not Democrats)
Slightly more than half of the Republican conference will go along.
It would include no change or almost no change in committee memberships and something like the right to bring anything that had 40% or 45% of a committee support to the floor for a vote.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:01 pmThis was expected.
Meadows should’ve cut a deal with Willis, too, but now he’ll likely have to take a plea.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:02 pmHuh?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:03 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:59 pm
I assume you quoted the wrong thing here or misread it.
Israel seems to go in much more for extrajudicial executions in foreign countries. They still haven’t maintained the principle of no release of terrorists who have blood on their hands, although that may change now.
Nobody has been executed in Israel after a trial since Adolf Eichmann in 1962.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:06 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 1:29 pm
Emmer probably wouldn’t want to do that without an endorsement from a majority of the Republican conference. (and they are not yet ready for that)
But really, getting some votes from Democrats is probably the only way out.
Otherwise nobody can win. Unless the Trumpists decide an institutionalist as Speaker is better than a deal where they are cut out/
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:11 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 11:32 am
And more anti-Jordan or his friends dead enders
They have to go outside the Republican membership to win the vote for Speaker.
Sammy Finkelman (e0dccb) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:14 pmMTG has filed a censure resolution against Rashida Tlaib for “antisemitic activity, sympathizing with terrorist organizations, and leading an insurrection at the United States Capitol Complex.”
Too bad their isn’t a House speaker so it can go forward.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:32 pmTough gig:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:47 pmThere is a good chance that everyone involved would be hanged, by Israelis.
Genocide is a transcendental crime. Even if it was justified in retaliation (and it would not be here), it’s still one of those things that MUST be punished. Like the old thing about correcting the King — it’s OK if you don’t mind being hanged for it.
Israelis would be aghast, the nation would be a pariah, with all moral capital destroyed. They would damn sure make an example of the monsters who acted in their name.
Nobody has been executed in Israel after a trial since Adolf Eichmann in 1962.
Eichmann was not responsible for murdering 87 million people, but the parallels would be obvious.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:48 pmAnd more anti-Jordan or his friends dead enders
20 people will only support Jordan. 200 would support any of the nominees so far. The majority is not the intransigent ones. I say expel them from the Caucus if they won’t vote with the Party. Might as well make the break now, as McCarthy’s molly-coddling didn’t work.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:51 pmThe proper response to Iran is to put about 10 KT on the Shi’ia holy city of Qom, killing as many mullahs as possible. The Iranians can hang the rest of them.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:53 pm@338
He’ll take the plea for the same reason as to why the others took the plea.
It’s extremely expensive to mount a defense AND risking jail time if taken to trail.
All “guilty pleas” are actually deferred adjudications under Georgia’s First Offender Act (§ 42-8-60) which means, as that each defendant will be “completely exonerated of guilt” if they complete probation.
Zero judgements of guilt. Zero convictions.
The only thing I’m not sure of, if it includes felony counts.
Either way, it just shows that Fani Willis doesn’t have a real RICO case and is abusing her office and overcharging.
Going from RICO (a minimum of 5 years in jail) to plead-out probably seems hella swingy.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:54 pm* 200 would support any of the OTHER nominees so far
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:54 pmWhy would Israel hang “everyone involved” if Iran was turned into glass (meaning nuked)?
Turning a country into glass is a genocidal use of nuclear weapons. No nation can commit genocide and survive — all men’s hands would be against them — and Israel least of all. Even H-bombing Tehran would be a horrific event, killing mostly (99+%) non-combatants. Aiming is actually important with nukes.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:58 pmIf this goes on in the House, I expect 5 centrist Republicans from D+ districts to switch parties, out of both disgust and self-preservation. The House will go heavily Democrat in 20204, something the Gaetzians actually want.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:01 pmShe’s just gathering witnesses for Trump’s (and Meadows and Giuliani) trial, and from her perspective there is the advantage of not previewing her case against them. I believe part of deals for Powell, Ellis, Chesebro, etc. would include testimony in Trump’s federal election subversion case. Both Powell and Chesebro are unindicted co-conspirators in that case, and they could easily become indicted conspirators if they decline to cooperate.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:02 pm<blockquote>Turning a country into glass is a genocidal use of nuclear weapons. No nation can commit genocide and survive — all men’s hands would be against them — and Israel least of all.
I never said that Israel would attack Iran with nuclear weapons.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:03 pmThat’s a long way off……. 😉
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:04 pmEnd times wishcasting.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:07 pmThat’s correct. But to be fair, when I challenged him about the re-education camps, he said he was joking.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 10/24/2023 @ 3:17 pmShe’s just gathering witnesses for Trump’s (and Meadows and Giuliani) trial
So, Meadows has federal immunity for his federal testimony. What happens if some of that bleeds back into the state proceedings, either directly or through some chain of actions? Would that taint any charges against Meadows? And it’s pretty clear why Meadows wanted his case in federal court now. Maybe Willis needs to cut a deal with Meadows to simplify matters.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 4:19 pmMcCarthyScaliseJordanEmmersome dwarfsWhat a sh1t show.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 4:21 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 10/24/2023 @ 2:53 pm
The honest mullahs aren’t with the government, and there are lots of them. And their real holy city is in Iraq.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/24/2023 @ 4:41 pmThis is good news. The Franklin TN mayoral candidate who was openly endorsed by actual Nazis lost her race, and badly. The campaign became so prominent that John Oliver talked about it. And Mrs. David French made it a thing, too.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:04 pmRIP Richard Roundtree (81); Star o Shaft.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/24/2023 @ 7:18 pmEven if the rocket that hit the parking lot near Al Ahli Hospital came from Israel’s Iron Dome, responsibility still lies with Hamas because the Israeli rocket was defensive.
This is akin to the Ukrainian rocket that inadvertently killed a couple of Poles, because it was fired in self-defense at offensive Russian missiles.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/24/2023 @ 9:07 pmIf the 20 Republicans that refused to vote for Jordan had switched their botes, we’d already have a Speaker.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/25/2023 @ 4:34 amFor some years I have thought that we should understand that Iran was waging a low-level war against us, mostly through proxies. Columnist Josh Rogin thinks we should respond more to their recent attacks:
I agree, but think we must be very smart about how we respond.
Jim Miller (05bdb7) — 10/25/2023 @ 7:44 am@365
Best thing to do, imo, is to bankrupt Iran with effective sanctions and the likes.
What the Biden Administration, in continuous of Obama Iranian foreign policy… ain’t it.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/25/2023 @ 7:54 amXi Jinping is purging people he himself promoted last year. He now fired the Defense Minister who was last seen in public at the end of August, and he’s been removed from the Central Military Commission. That makes three out of the six members other than Xi himself.
All these purges in China are gradual – only announced or made official after one or two months
Sammy Finkelman (ebe4de) — 10/25/2023 @ 9:00 amIf the 20 Republicans that refused to vote for Jordan had switched their botes, we’d already have a Speaker.
Won’t vote for McCarthy … patriot!
Won’t vote for Scalise … patriot!
Won’t vote for Emmer … patriot!
Won’t vote for Jordan … dirty low-down traitor!
I’ll also point out that a month ago we HAD a Speaker.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 9:15 amI agree, but think we must be very smart about how we respond.
I’m reminded of the newspaper headline in “Wrong is Right!”: “WAR AT LAST!”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 9:17 amLeft to his own devices, Xi Jingping will destroy everything Deng built. He won’t last out his current term and should avoid high windows.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 9:18 amDonald Trump cannot die soon enough.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 9:19 amThat’s one reason to delay, but not the only reason, but it’s a reason that would convince anyone. Another is that their plans are not worked out, are probably the wrong plans – and Lloyd Austin should know – he was in charge of defeating Isis in Mosul and Raqqa – and there is no clear political objective or goal in mind – and there are people who don’t want to bother their heads about it now.
The Israeli military is more hawkish than Netanyahu, and, probably also, Aryeh Deri of the Shas party, who although he is not in he government, his advise on matters of war and peace is cherished by Netanyahu, so much so that he was called out of a synagogue when the attack happened.
Prohibiting him from being in the government was one of the two underlying issues in the fight about Israel’s Supreme Court they had earlier this year. The other was the drafting of yeshiva students. In both cases the Supreme Court won but yet did not win.
Sammy Finkelman (e0dccb) — 10/25/2023 @ 1:23 pmhttps://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/house-speaker-vote-10-25-23/index.html
The stories are all within the hour, but I think I heard it on the radio before (but not completely)
It must be they knew before the vote was taken or before it was complete.
This story dates from 2:40 pm EDT:
https://www.newser.com/story/341861/meet-the-houses-most-powerful-republican.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/25/2023 @ 1:31 pmThat’s one reason to delay, but not the only reason, but it’s a reason that would convince anyone.
The US needs to get that other carrier there, the Marine forces in place, and any number of air assets moved to Diego Garcia and the like. If Hezbollah/Iran enters the was, the US will do so as well and want to be able to act.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 1:38 pmIsrel has cut off the electricity, and most of the water (water to southern Gaza was restored some time ago) but not telephone service because they listen in or in some cases, telephone warnings..
Hamas probably has fuel, but of course they won’t divert any of that to hospital generators.
The tunnels, or some of them, can function as bomb shelters but only the hostages have been put in there. They are grouped according to where they came from, what kibbutz for instance, soldiers probably treated differently..
Sammy Finkelman (7a85f9) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:07 pmhttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/04/04/world/middleeast/isis-documents-mosul-iraq.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:19 pmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/us/politics/israel-us-gaza-invasion.html
Not pressing, but asking tough questions and reviewing plans
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:23 pmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-invasion.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:30 pmNYT still brooding over the hospital story:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/world/middleeast/gaza-hospital-israel-hamas-video.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:34 pmWSJ Op-ed says Israel should ask for unconditional surrender:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-needs-unconditional-surrender-from-hamas-c56d725d
The problem is, for this to work, you’d probably need unconditional surrender from Iran also, or a complete cutoff of contact (like the Vichy French surrender in North Africa in 1942, but it would be hard to make that believable to their forces.)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:37 pmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/world/europe/israel-hamas-gaza-war.html
Sammy Finkelman (e0dccb) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:41 pm@375
This is kind of harrowing if you think about it.
The US has massive interests and assets in the region, yet they’re telling Israel to hold off until we move ADDITIONAL assets to protect our interests.
This tells me, that despite the Biden Administration of their dovish handling with Iran… they’re expecting Iran (Hezbella) to join into the fray when Israel destroys Hamas.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:46 pmIt’s called blowback, the unintended consequences and unwanted side-effects. The US is Israel’s biggest patron, so whatever Israel does the US will get blamed for it.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:55 pmwhembly (5f7596) — 10/25/2023 @ 2:46 pm
Not to hold off altogether – the U.S. is not telling Israel not to shoot down rockets, or halt the bombing altogether or restore electricity etc – just nit to escalate or commit troops into Gaza, which might prompt Iran/Hezbollah to escalate.And presumably, not to play into Iran;s possible war plan. Whicch might have an element of thinking that response is less likely if it looks like it was sort of unplanned,
The United States is holding off too – not responding when missiles are fired at its troops by Iranian proxies,
Sammy Finkelman (1f563c) — 10/25/2023 @ 4:49 pmIsrael Says It Will Destroy Hamas. But Who Will Govern Gaza?
There are a number of answers, but the MSM just wants to ask questions. Is EVERYONE a back-seat driver?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 5:19 pmThis tells me, that despite the Biden Administration of their dovish handling with Iran… they’re expecting Iran (Hezbella) to join into the fray when Israel destroys Hamas.
It also tells me that McClellanism is rife in the Pentagon.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 5:20 pmThe United States is holding off too – not responding when missiles are fired at its troops by Iranian proxies,
Doing wonders for the morale of our troops.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 5:21 pm.
Protecting our interests should be paramount.
Rip Murdock (37fadb) — 10/25/2023 @ 5:22 pmIf there is a wider war, regime change in Iran needs to be on the table.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 5:26 pm“If there is a wider war, regime change in Iran needs to be on the table.”
yes it has worked so well in the past
Davethulhu (34559a) — 10/25/2023 @ 5:43 pmGunman on the loose: 22 reported killed, 50-60 wounded by a mass shooter in Lewiston, Maine, but those numbers are not firm. Shooting was at at least two different places – at a bar and a recreational center and for some reason they were worried he was heading toward a hospital. Gunman appears to be white – later identified as 40 years old with a record for child molestation (?) .
Sammy Finkelman (1f563c) — 10/25/2023 @ 9:11 pmShooting suspect from camera
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 10:21 pmyes it has worked so well in the past
This time the war will come to us, and there is no way we would allow the Iranian regime a mulligan.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/25/2023 @ 10:22 pm4.9% GDP growth in Q3.
SamG (4e6c22) — 10/26/2023 @ 7:15 am@395
We’ve have had consecutive quarters where they were positive only later to be massively adjusted downward.
I’d wait a few months before considering chiseling that in stone.
They do this, because they’re playing the PR game of avoiding to announce that we’re in a recession.
whembly (5f7596) — 10/26/2023 @ 7:23 amOnce again Biden fails, this time at stagflation.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/26/2023 @ 7:52 amSamG,
heavy inflation and government spending. Expect future downward adjustments.
NJRob (ae6822) — 10/26/2023 @ 7:57 amDetails on gunman
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/26/2023 @ 7:59 amheavy inflation and government spending.
The 4.9% number is seasonally and inflation adjusted. But it’s not great news, as that rate of expansion reflects continued inflationary pressure.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/26/2023 @ 8:01 amThey report growth in gdp but lower tax revenue for the government, One possible partial explanation is that the beginning of 2023 saw a tax cut – income tax brackets indexing kicked in.
Another statistic has inflation up 18% since the beginning of 2021 and wages up 11%
If anything is wrong with the inflation adjustments that could make economic growth or decline statistics wrong too,”Meanwhile rents and housing prices go up. There is an algorithm increasingly used by landlords that tends to slightly increase vacancies but also increases total income from a building. There’s an antitrust law suit against that sand also against real estate brokers,
Sammy Finkelman (1f563c) — 10/26/2023 @ 8:05 amOne thing that happens with inflationary periods is that people save less and spend more. This drives up both interest rates and GDP.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/26/2023 @ 8:45 amKevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:18 am
Can’t be done without ending the regime in Iran.
Something like Hamas also exists in Lebanon, Yemen, and parts of Syria.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/26/2023 @ 4:37 pmSF: Another statistic has inflation up 18% since the beginning of 2021 and wages up 11%
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/26/2023 @ 8:45 am
Yes, that could account for the contradictory statistics.
It can drive up GDP but not interest rates. Interest rates are controlled by the federal reserve Board, which overwhelms any market factors.
Maybe only the lowest most short term interest rates are controlled by the Fed (when it says out of long term markets) but that rate determines all other rates.
Sammy Finkelman (e0dccb) — 10/26/2023 @ 4:41 pmI have lots of different topic things to say but will see if I can do tomorrow in the new weekend thread.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/26/2023 @ 4:42 pmSo, will the attack on Israel turn out to be like:
1. The Mayaguez
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/26/2023 @ 9:57 pm2. Grenada
3. The Maine
4. 9/11
5. Sarajevo