Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
IDF investigation into deaths of seven WCK workers:
The IDF fired two senior officers and reprimanded a top commander as it admitted a catalog of failures in a drone strike on an aid convoy in Gaza, including that it killed aid workers who had survived an initial attack.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Friday that “those who approved the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives,” calling the attack “a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification.”
It said the strike was carried out in “serious violation of the commands and IDF Standard Operating Procedures,” and dismissed a major and a colonel in reserve. Three other IDF officials were formally reprimanded: the commanders of the brigade and division involved, and the commander of the Southern Command, who bore “overall responsibility.”
Meanwhile, the World Central Kitchen is calling for an independent investigation into the tragedy.
Related
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns that Israel risks becoming indistinguishable from Hamas if it continues to fail to protect civilians amid the Gaza war.
“What happened after October 7 could have ended immediately if Hamas had stopped hiding behind civilians, released the hostages and put down its weapons, but Israel is not Hamas. Israel is a democracy; Hamas, a terrorist organization. Democracies place the highest value on human life, every human life. As it has been said, whoever saves a life, saves the entire world,” Blinken says during a press conference in Brussels, quoting a Jewish proverb.
“That’s our strength. It’s what distinguishes us from terrorists like Hamas. If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront.”
Second news item
Ukrainian officials claimed Friday they used a barrage of drones to destroy at least six military aircraft and badly damage eight others at an airfield in Russia’s Rostov region. Russian defense officials, however, claimed they intercepted 44 Ukrainian drones and that only a power substation was damaged in the attack.
The Associated Press could not independently verify either side’s claims.
The assault appeared to be one of Kyiv’s biggest air attacks in the war, coming as its forces stepped up their assaults on Russian soil. Russia has also escalated attacks on civilian infrastructure, including Ukraine’s power plants, in recent weeks, signaling a new and potentially dangerous phase in the conflict as both sides struggle to achieve significant advances on the ground.
The overnight attack targeted a military airfield near Morozovsk in Russia and was conducted by Ukraine’s Security Service in cooperation with the army, Ukrainian intelligence officials told the AP.
Related
About the House Speaker and that long-awaited aid package for Ukraine:
House Speaker Mike Johnson is pledging to act on Ukraine aid when lawmakers return to Washington next week, but behind the scenes the Louisiana Republican is still undecided on the best path forward and keenly aware of his narrow majority and the threat to his speakership that looms.
It’s a confluence of issues that sources say has left Johnson entertaining a series of options as the speaker has continued his outreach to members about how to proceed during the two-week recess.
“He’s got a gun to his head right now,” Rep. Don Bacon, a swing-district Republican, said of the speaker. “But we need to have a Churchill, not a Chamberlain right now. He could be on the right side of history.”
Third news item
Donald Trump’s conditions for a debate with President Biden:
Asked by Hewitt whether he thinks Biden will agree to a debate before their expected rematch in November, Trump replied: “I don’t think so, but I hope he does … You know that white stuff that they happened to find, which happened to be cocaine in the White House? I don’t know, I think something’s going on there, because I watched his State of the Union, and he was all jacked up at the beginning. By the end, he was fading fast. There’s something going on there.”
“I want to debate,” Trump continued. “And I think debates, with him at least, should be drug-tested. I want a drug test.”
Hewitt asked the presumptive GOP nominee if he was suggesting that Biden is using cocaine.
“I don’t know what he’s using, but that was not ― hey, he was higher than a kite,” Trump replied.
“He’s obviously, he’s being helped some way, because most of the time he looks like he’s falling asleep,” Trump added. “All of a sudden, he walked up there ― and did a poor job ― but he was all jacked up.”
Fourth news item
Israel’s military was on high alert Thursday as the country braced for Iran’s promised revenge after an Israeli strike in Damascus this week killed senior Iranian commanders and stirred fears of widening war across a region on edge.
The strike — in broad daylight, on a diplomatic building adjacent to Iran’s embassy in Syria — was an escalation in Israel’s multi-front battles against Iranian-backed groups, which have intensified during its war in Gaza. The Israeli strike drew threats of retaliation from Tehran’s leaders and condemnation from their Arab neighbors. The European Union, which also condemned the strike, said in a statement that “further escalation in the region is in no one’s interest.”
“We will make them regret this crime and other similar ones with the help of God,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a statement Tuesday, the day after the attack.
Fifth news item
Scotland authorities clarify nutty new law:
Social media comments made by JK Rowling challenging Scotland’s new hate crime law are not being treated as criminal, Police Scotland has said.
The Harry Potter author described several transgender women as men, including convicted prisoners, trans activists and other public figures.
The new law creates a new crime of “stirring up hatred” relating to protected characteristics.
The force said complaints had been received but no action would be taken.Reacting to the news, Ms Rowling posted on X: “I hope every woman in Scotland who wishes to speak up for the reality and importance of biological sex will be reassured by this announcement, and I trust that all women – irrespective of profile or financial means – will be treated equally under the law.
“If they go after any woman for simply calling a man a man, I’ll repeat that woman’s words and they can charge us both at once.”
Good on Ms. Rowling.
More speech, not less.
Have a good weekend.
–Dana
Bonus item from JVW
This is absolutely heartbreaking video from a stroll around Oakland’s Lake Merritt. If you’ve ever been to that city, Lake Merritt is slightly east of downtown and is bordered by nice townhomes and condominiums in a mostly upscale neighborhood. I have taken this very walk a few times, fortunately before it apparently went all to hell. So very sad, and a complete indictment on a very left-wing city in an increasingly left-wing state. This is from the Twitter feed of Seneca Scott, who proclaims himself “the Mayor of Gotham Oakland.”
🚶🏾♂️WEEKLY WALK THROUGH DYSTOPIAN OAKLAND 🔥🌆
LAKE MERRITT – THE CROWN JEWEL OF OAKLAND
This week, I visited Lake Merritt to highlight the concerning conditions our beloved crown jewel is facing. Here are some crucial points:
1. The state of the playground 🤬😔 – How can we let… pic.twitter.com/55LiILawjw
— Seneca Scott (@SenecaSpeaks21) April 6, 2024
There were a few more items I wanted to add but I’m due elsewhere. Apologies.
Dana (8e902f) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:56 amOn one side of his mouth, Trump says he wants to debate. On the other side of his mouth, he withdrew from the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Also, the person refused to debate in 2020 was Trump, skipping Debate #2 because he didn’t want to Zoom it.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/5/2024 @ 10:52 am#2 Trump says things. Whether they have any correlation to anything he intends to do or actual reality is not something I find it profitable to figure out.
Appalled (659bb3) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:05 pmIm sure Trump’s lawyers wouldn’t want him to debate.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:09 pmPaul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/5/2024 @ 10:52 am
It’s not on general principles that he wants to debate or doesn’t want to debate – he doesn’t even pretend it is, unless his agreement to debate would be on the basis that it is a competitive election
And we don’t even know that when he says he wants to debate Biden if that’s being said on the assumption that Biden will decline because he is supposedly unable to carry on an error free presentation. (and if he is wrong about Biden avoiding it, and wants to avoid it himself because he is in the lead, he can come up with a dozen excuses or conditions for a debate to avoid it himself. Like include RFK Jr or not. Or notes. )
Also, the person refused to debate in 2020 was Trump, skipping Debate #2 because he didn’t want to Zoom it.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:35 pmWhen Biden refuses to debate Trump, I don’t know what excuses will be offered here but I’m sure they’re already teed up.
lloyd (8ebf55) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:37 pmDebating Trump is a no win situation. Trump will spew a constant stream of absolutely idiotic nonsense and lies, but his supporters won’t care and it’s already baked in for everyone else who just expects that from him at this point. He won’t lose any standing no matter how poorly he performs.
Meanwhile, it actually will be a story if Trump’s opponent has even the slightest misstep, because his opponents are still held to actual standards and expected to perform like professionals. This has been going on since the 2015 primaries.
“Wow, can you believe how bad Rubio was in that debate when he repeated himself and stumbled on an answer?”
“Yeah, I guess that wasn’t great. And what about when Trump started talking about his penis size, got confused and thought we could declare bankruptcy to get rid of the national debt, praised Putin instead of NATO, made comments about the moderator being on her period, and suggested the women accusing him of sexual assault aren’t pretty enough for him to try to rape them?”
“Well, what was wrong with any of that? Trump isn’t a politician! You can’t expect him to be perfect!”
Turd Ferguson (e9e4c8) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:41 pmTrump in 2020 wanted to take a stand against Covid isolation.
In 1980 Reagan agreed to a debate with John Anderson alone – then later there was one Carter-Reagan debate a week before the election.
That was in the days before early voting and with much less absentee voting,
That was the debate in which Reagan said “There you go again” and “Are you better off now than when you were 4 years ago. That last was really said because in 1976 the AFL-CIO had endorsed Carter late in that election – it was the very reason many people had voted for Carter over Ford. Democrats were supposedly good for the economy said the AFL-CIO. Now it was 4 years later: Time enough to tell.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:41 pmIt is an act of war, but because Israel is a third state it is not a violation of diplomatic immunity. It is covered by protected place status, like a school, but that can be lost if used for military purposes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/world/europe/interpreter-israel-syria-embassy.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:54 pm6. lloyd (8ebf55) — 4/5/2024 @ 12:37 pm
I don’t think he will refuse. He can’t. He’s behind. But Trump may be listening to people telling him that Biden can’t afford to risk debating him. But they’ll give him vitamins or something. Not cocaine, of course, like Trump pretends to believe is possible. Not even coffee. They probably have things that work better and are safer. Biden will have to debste at least one time.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:00 pmNo he didn’t, because he used the exact same phrase in 2009 to describe how angry some people might be at Bernie Madoff.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:03 pmlloyd,
Biden has conditioned debating Trump on his “behavior”. So he has his excuses all locked and ready to go.
As for mine? I don’t feel a debate between these guys would change a vote. It would just give all the influencers and trash talkers something to go on about for a few days. However, I think I would prefer that Trump and Biden do a debate, but not under the awful joint news conference format they have used. Lincoln/Douglas — where the politicians talked at each other — would be a better approach.
Appalled (659bb3) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:05 pmPrediction: Biden and Trump won’t debate because they will be unable to agree on when to hold them; where to hold them; who will moderate them; what the ground rules will be; and whether to include RFKJr.
And we will be the better for it-it’s not like they are unknown candidates.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:08 pmThis has me wondering if there is a little underground in the Israeli Defense Forces that violates rules of engagement.
The convoy was attacked on the way back, not the way to its warehouse, which could mean after some people stopped watching it, and it was said to be a partially protected by (two?) armed guards – whether that is true or not I don’t know. And there could be elements of nearly autonomous AI.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:09 pmWhat are the IDF’s rules of engagement (link please)?
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:15 pmThe bombing of the WCK convoy is as much of an “accident” or “mistake” as the attack on the USS Liberty in 1967.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:20 pmThey’ve lost it when it comes to Hamas members, even those not trained in terrorism, probably because of the previous prisoner trades where Hamas murderers were released, so the policy seems to be very much to kill (they use the word eliminate *) Hamas members even though the instructions from the civilian government are to seek surrender.
The more sensitive a place is, the more surrenders they get. There were 500 surrenders and 200 killed inside the hospital in the latest assault, although some of the 500 detained may have merely been suspected collaborators with Hamas.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:21 pm———————–
* or at least “eliminate” is the common English translation of whatever word they use. Only Netanyahu seems to regret killing even Hamas fighters.
All members of Hamas should be killed, as the whole organization is devoted to terrorism-it’s impossible to distinguish non-fighters from fighters.
What is your source for the assertion that “ instructions from the civilian government are to seek surrender”?
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:41 pmIsrael cannot afford to take prisoners-doing so just encourages Hamas and other Palestinian groups to take hostages.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:44 pm16. Rip Murdock
Exactly. That was also misidentified.
It was originally identified as a US ship. They were keeping track of ships on some kind of a board. Then a new shift came along and somebody in charge cleared all the clutter off the board, and then it was identified again, this time as Egyptian. (and of course no pilot would have trusted the flag if he saw it)
This didn’t come out for years afterwards, and then not really officially. Most explanations don’t go into that part.
There was no motive for Israel to sink the Liberty. Several suggestions have been made for why Israel would have wanted to destroy the ship, (like to conceal its plan for attacking Syria that Saturday) but they don’t really add up.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/history-and-overview-of-the-uss-liberty-incident
In October 2003, the first Israeli pilot to reach the ship broke his 36-year silence on the attack. Brig.-Gen. Yiftah Spector, a triple ace, who shot down 15 enemy aircraft and took part in the 1981 raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor, said he had been told an Egyptian ship was off the Gaza coast. “This ship positively did not have any symbol or flag that I could see. What I was concerned with was that it was not one of ours. I looked for the symbol of our navy, which was a large white cross on its deck. This was not there, so it wasn’t one of ours.” The Jerusalem Post obtained a recording of Spector’s radio transmission in which he said, “I can’t identify it, but in any case it’s a military ship.”7
Spector’s plane was not armed with bombs or, he said, he would have sunk the Liberty. Instead, he fired 30mm armor-piercing rounds that led the American survivors to believe they had been under rocket attack. His first pass ignited a fire, which caused the ship to billow black smoke that Spector thought was a ruse to conceal the ship. Spector acknowledged in the Post interview that he made a mistake, and said he admitted it when called to testify in an inquiry by a U.S. senator. “I’m sorry for the mistake,” he said. “Years later my mates dropped flowers on the site where the ship was attacked.”
None of Israel’s accusers can explain why Israel would deliberately attack an American ship at a time when the United States was Israel’s only friend and supporter in the world.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:45 pmRip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:41 pm
For instance, this:
https://www.nairaland.com/7893448/israel-idf-drops-leaflets-hamas
Actually more is needed, like stripping down to underclothes.
Remember, 3 Israeli hostages attempted to “surrender” and they were not successful
And Netanyahu has specifically spoken of that.
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-777461
Also mentioned in an Arab source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=458_zTQg6TY
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:58 pmRip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 1:44 pm
First of all, they are not going to have no prisoners. Second, it is better that Hamas take prisoners than they kill every person they can.
What Israel maybe can not afford to do is to have any people taken prisoners, and for years they avoided it, but then Hamas did the attacks of October 7.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/5/2024 @ 2:01 pmLOL! Nobody takes Israel’s leaflets seriously-least of all Hamas. At best they are directed to the “civilian” population.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 2:21 pmThe explanation is easy-Israel didn’t want a US spy ship spying on them.
Both the US and Israel “investigated” the incident and came to the same “misidentification” conclusion. Otherwise support for Israel in Congress and among voters would have been seriously damaged.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 2:27 pmIt’s much easier to do that kind of surveillance from a safe distance (space) today.
Rip Murdock (3d201b) — 4/5/2024 @ 2:29 pmThe Gallup survey in Catoggio’s latest explains Biden’s clamoring for a meaningless ceasefire.
Biden’s not a leader on the Israel-Hamas issue, nor for Russia-Ukraine, because he’s too afraid of his Democrat base on Israel-Hamas, and he’s too afraid of Putin. Biden should be outspoken in saying that Putin needs to lose his dirty illegal war against Ukraine. And not only that, Russia should be listed as a terrorist state every bit as much as Iran. Biden should also be less dithering about Israel, but take the aid for Israel and move it over to Ukraine. Israel has the resources to obliterate Hamas, and Ukraine needs the resources to push the mobiks out.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/5/2024 @ 2:40 pmDC Bar panel recommends that Jeffrey Clark be disbarred:
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 3:02 pmDo you have a direct quote of the DC Bar panel making that exact recommendation?
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/5/2024 @ 4:04 pmRumors swirling online that Trump will choose for his Veep… Dr Oz.
qdpsteve again (d7c197) — 4/5/2024 @ 6:20 pmApparently Joel Osteen turned him down. 😛
When Biden refuses to debate Trump, I don’t know what excuses will be offered here but I’m sure they’re already teed up.
LEt me help:
“The Republican Party may think it’s a good idea to nominate a multiple felon and coup plotter, but that does not mean I should give him legitimacy”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/5/2024 @ 6:35 pmDebating Trump is a no win situation. Trump will spew a constant stream of absolutely idiotic nonsense and lies, but his supporters won’t care and it’s already baked in for everyone else who just expects that from him at this point. He won’t lose any standing no matter how poorly he performs.
I disagree. Trump could have won over center-right voters in 2020 in that first debate, but he showed up as everyone’s drunk uncle and played to his base — who did not need to be convinced. It was one of several things that Trump could have done (e.g. embracing mail-in and early balloting) that would ahve won him the election.
Debates are there to fight for that 5% of undecideds. When the election turns, as it did in 2016 and 2020, on very few votes in a few states, it is nuts to throw that chance away. In 2016, Trump was a reasonable debater. In 2020 he was a nut. And the difference is the difference in the result.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/5/2024 @ 6:41 pmIsrael cannot afford to take prisoners
They are not required to, as Hamas does not wear identifying clothing or carry arms openly. The Geneva Convention’s guarantees were in place to protect civilians. A belligerent that hides among civilians gives up those protections BECAUSE they make civilians look like belligerents.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/5/2024 @ 6:45 pmSince the decision was announced just yesterday, the hearing committee report hasn’t been released yet. But somehow I doubt it won’t say any different than what is being reported.
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 7:41 pmSo… no. You do not have any quote that matches your assertion.
It is pretty careless/deceitful to use the hyperlink the way you did.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/5/2024 @ 8:32 pmThere was nothing deceitful at all. My assertion accurately reflected what was reported in the linked article.
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 8:38 pmActually, in Clark’s case disbarment could enhance his chances of joining a future Trump administration.
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 8:43 pmI plan to post the disciplinary report as soon as it is available.
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 8:44 pmWhile RFKJr. has disavowed a fundraising email that described January 6th insurrectionists as “activists sitting in a Washington DC jail cell stripped of their Constitutional liberties”; he is competing with Donald Trump for the votes of their like-minded followers:
Kennedy has since admitted he was wrong when he said that January 6th insurrectionists didn’t carry any weapons.
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 8:54 pmNope.
You cannot find anything in that article remotely close to this assertion:
The reason why is simple. That is not what happened.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/5/2024 @ 8:55 pmHoisted on their own petard! Indiana supreme court throws out state abortion prohibition sighting the states freedom of religion law. (DU)
asset (efdb91) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:02 pmRip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 3:02 pm
Clarification to post 27:
The header should read:
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:14 pmIf only you were just as concerned about being precise regarding accusations against others, like Biden.
Rip Murdock (c0e84a) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:16 pmThat’s closer.
Probably the best your bias allows.
Sleep well.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:17 pmI have no idea what you are talking about with Biden.
The problem here is how totally inaccurate your faux-headline was. None of it was true.
Your seething “correction” speaks for itself.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:20 pmhttps://apnews.com/article/indiana-appeals-court-religious-freedom-law-abortion-4da0cd6d585e69ede87bea2ee2da2896
Hmmn. I have a religious objection to copyright laws, so take that Mr AP.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/5/2024 @ 9:53 pmEven though it shouldn’t require a Supreme Court case to make this clear, there actually is a Supreme Court case that mentions you can’t engage in human sacrifice and then claim you’re just exercising religious freedom and can’t be punished for it. See Reynolds v. United States from 1878 (which was actually about whether the government could make polygamy illegal even though Mormons practiced it as part of their religion at the time – but the Court’s opinion made the obvious point that some religions believe in human sacrifice, and it would be ludicrous to say we can’t make murder a crime).
Then again, I guess if we’re going to explore going back to pre-Enlightenment absolute monarchy with the whole unlimited Presidential immunity thing, it’s probably fitting that we also go back to the Aztec’s understanding of the relationship between religious exercise and killing children.
Turd Ferguson (0cef1a) — 4/5/2024 @ 10:22 pmBonus item from JVW
JVW (b02843) — 4/5/2024 @ 10:25 pmThis is absolutely heartbreaking video from a stroll around Oakland’s Lake Merritt. If you’ve ever been to that city, Lake Merritt is slightly east of down town and is bordered by nice townhomes and condominiums in a mostly upscale neighborhood. I have taken this very walk a few times, fortunately before it apparently went all to hell. So very sad, and a complete indictment on a very left-wing city in an increasingly left-wing state. This is from the Twitter feed of Seneca Scott, who proclaims himself “the Mayor of Gotham Oakland.”
There is no reason that a city with all of the natural advantages of Oakland should be such a dysfunctional shithole, except for the fact that it has been run by leftist radicals, the absolute dregs of the 60s burnout culture, for the past 60 years. Even Jerry Brown as mayor governed much more progressively there than he did for the first twelve of his sixteen years as governor.
JVW (b02843) — 4/5/2024 @ 10:30 pmThat is so disgusting, JVW. I too have taken a walk or two around Lake Merritt. In 2011 it was still a nice place.
Newsom should be ashamed to have his name on that sign.
norcal (b43706) — 4/5/2024 @ 10:50 pmDidn’t feel the small quake yesterday, but plenty of others did.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/6/2024 @ 5:14 amTrue…
The irony is we didn’t want a terrorist state to have nukes–read Iran–but we already have a terrorist state with nukes.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 7:02 amPutin’s best American ally…
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 7:43 amI repeat, Russia is a terrorist state, and Putin is their terrorist Thug-in-Chief.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 7:49 am@52 Where’s the link to that audio, Paul?
lloyd (fc110d) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:00 amAsk Jay.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:16 amTypical…
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:21 amJay in Kyiv is a credible correspondent, so suck it.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:21 amPaul, you told us Trump said “immigrants aren’t people”, when he didn’t say that. Bloodbath. There’s a credibility problem.
lloyd (fc110d) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:26 amYes, lloyd, there’s a credibility problem.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:46 am@59 That was discussed at length in a thread here weeks ago, and your credibility was found wanting. If you want to revisit that and double down on it, I won’t stop you.
The best evidence against Democrats is their own words, quoted honestly and truthfully, but it’s weird how Nevertrump doesn’t think like that. Sad.
lloyd (fc110d) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:54 amhttps://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-speaks-at-rally-in-ohio
Oh..
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:58 amIt was discussed. The quote stands, and there’s nothing wrong with my credibility. What’s wrong is your right-wing hyperpartisan judgment.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:08 amThank you BuDuh and Lloyd. Doing yoeman’s work.
NJRob (935bd6) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:20 amGothamOakland:
This is what happens when you allow unfettered immigration from the third world. Homelessness and shantytowns are direct and indirect consequences of population growing faster than infrastructure can be expanded. In CA’s case, it doesn’t help that infrastructure expansion is actively opposed.
Here we see what happens when NIMBYs find out that it will happen in their back yard regardless, but by the time it gets here the “lower classes” have had this shoved up their ass for some time already. It is only at this point though that “right thinking people” (read: the rich and powerful) begin to address the problem.
Probably by moving the slum elsewhere.
This is a total failure of government, after a “long train of abuses” and self-dealing by the elite. It is how you get “the man on the white horse” who won’t consider nuance when cleaning it up.
In some ways “Trump” is just Daddy coming home.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:53 amDidn’t feel the small quake yesterday, but plenty of others did.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:55 amThe irony is we didn’t want a terrorist state to have nukes–read Iran–but we already have a terrorist state with nukes.
North Korea IS on the list.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:56 amThe Indiana Court of Appeals gave an incremental win Thursday to a group of residents suing the state over its near-total abortion ban, arguing that it violates a state law protecting religious freedom.
What a train of law wreck,
Once we practice to redneck.
Like it says right there, the case was not brought on the First Amendment but on some version of Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Did they think that it was only going to be applied to same-sex wedding cakes?
And, no, I don’t believe that Leviticus obligates us to abort babies with Tay-Sachs or thalassemia major any more than it obligates us to put gays to death. Not in America, anyway.
nk (bb1548) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:00 amI think that GothamOakland shows why Trump will win.
The main opposition to Trump is not about policy, but about his disregard for The Law and Institutions. But that resonates mostly with the upper- and upper-middle-class, whom The Law and Institutions protect a lot better than they protect the hoi palloi. And it’s the latter who have been ill-served for some time by the powers that be.
So, it should be no surprise that they don’t consider those Institutions and Principles that have left them with the wrong end of the stick and opt instead for Caesar.
The sad part may be that Caesar doesn’t really care either.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:05 amQuestion for the Indiana courts:
Why should “religious freedom” allow abortion and not infanticide? Both are based on moral principles that are not universal, even within the history of the West. Extra credit: why should infidels’ lives be protected?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:10 amThe really sad part is they’ve already seen what Caesar does when he’s in charge, and it’s abundantly clear he doesn’t care about them and that he won’t change any of those Institutions or Principles to benefit anyone except himself. They’re just so bitter that, even knowing that, they would still rather watch Caesar hurt people they don’t like.
Turd Ferguson (da1691) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:19 amThey’re just so bitter that, even knowing that, they would still rather watch Caesar hurt people they don’t like.
Indeed. But is that on them? Or is it on the elites that failed them?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:30 amPopulism does not happen in a vacuum. It takes quite a lot of stimuli to get Joe Sixpack out on the street with a pitchfork.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:32 amIn reality, MAGA and BLM are the same movement with different perspectives. If Trump wanted to win in a landslide, he’d pick Patrisse Cullors as his VP.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:35 amOK, maybe not.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:45 amTurd, in this hypothetical you have only two choices for Governor of your state. One is Gavin Newsom and the other is Donald Trump. There is no third option like Paul’s “cower under Electoral College skirt” humdinger, or any other version of none-of-the-above.
You must vote for one or the other. Who do you vote for?
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:45 amYou must vote for one or the other. Who do you vote for?
No one “must” vote. You correctly point out that the two-party system presents terrible candidates. Why do we still tolerate it?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:59 amFalse choice, because you still don’t understand the Electoral College.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:00 amDing-dong, because you don’t understand that I asked about a governor’s election.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:05 amYour first hypothetical question?
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:06 amUm, no. Unlike you, I’m not a fan of hypotheticals and false choices.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:09 amThat is probably because you don’t know how they work and have the sadz when you aren’t asked in the first place.
This was a question for Turd.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:11 amSo what. This is literally called an open thread, BuDuh, and you trolled me in your comment. This isn’t hard, even for you a hyperpartisan asshole like you.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:24 amOTD this day four years ago…
Patterico noted the next day that Modly “resigned”.
Also on this day, there were 1,576 Covid deaths, bringing the total to 16,165, which quintupled a month later.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:24 amShorter version of Paul’s digital vomit: Derp.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:29 amSaid the troll.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:32 amYawn.
As I said earlier. Typical.
Sorry you are having another bad day, Paul.
BuDuh (2165ed) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:36 amLast Wednesday, the State of Texas conceded to a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals panel during that SB 4 (which authorizes state officials to arrest, detain, and deport non-citizens who enter the country illegally) may have gone “too far”:
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:44 amfalse choices.
We must make false choices. The only alternative is cannibalism.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:49 amTaking the trend towards civil enforcement to the Texas law, Texas could establish a civil penalty for “residing illegally within Texas” and assess a $1000/day fine (to support homeless housing). Such fine to be suspended if the individual leaves Texas.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:54 amMe? A bad day?
My life is a movie, bull ridin’ and boobies.
I take pleasure in calling out trolls.
And speaking of bloodbaths…
As Trump said back in Dayton, that’ll be the least of it.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:55 amBrilliant.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/6/2024 @ 12:01 pmLOL! Local governments could solve their homeless problem the same way. Impose fines on those who don’t have a permanent domicile and suspend their fines if they move out (or imprison them for non-payment.)
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 12:24 pm@90 Paul, I guess once you sacrifice your credibility you may as well go all in. Masterful trolling job by Trump and you’re biting down hard. And BTW, but never mind. Why double down on a media hoax when you can triple down on it.
lloyd (7c2d25) — 4/6/2024 @ 12:41 pmNotice Biden still hasn’t done a thing for the Americans held captive by Hamas, but he has thrown support their way.
NJRob (935bd6) — 4/6/2024 @ 12:56 pmI’ve always believed the hostages imprisoned by Hamas are dead, or should be treated as such by Israel and the US. Israel and US policies cannot be determined by the false hope that hostages may still be alive.
Not dealing with terrorists is the only way to stop hostage taking from happening. Israel’s history of exchanging hundreds of Palestinian terrorists for one or two captives only encouraged more hostage taking as well as increasing the number of terrorists.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 1:43 pmThe US is doing what it does best-sending Israel (by drawing down US stockpiles) thousands of bombs, missiles as well as tank and artillery shells, totaling tens of millions of dollars. This doesn’t include weapons orders placed by Israel directly with military contractors.
The US as well has provided a defense shield against missiles and drones from the Houthis, for example. And it will be doing the same when Iran attacks Israel (and possibly the US) in retaliation for their bombing of the Iranian Embassy in Syria.
It’s House Republicans that are stalling the $14B aid package to Israel proposed after October 7 attacks.
Rip Murdock (e0004d) — 4/6/2024 @ 2:25 pmJonah Goldberg wrote about the tragic deaths of the WCK workers in his column yesterday:
********
********
https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/gfile/nations-arent-people/
norcal (88614d) — 4/6/2024 @ 2:29 pmThe attack on the WCK convoy was designed to send a message to international aid groups: stay out.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 2:34 pm“When a surprised cop shoots a kid with a toy gun,” he is reacting to a mistaken but arguably reasonable apprehension of imminent death or great bodily harm. His death or great bodily harm. Imminently.
Those rear-echelon MFs who systematically potshot the aid workers from car to car car (three cars) and finally “scored” in the third car were just adding points to their kill ratio.
nk (bb1548) — 4/6/2024 @ 2:49 pmDoctors Without Borders agrees with you, Rip:
Starvation as a weapon has been around for as long as war has. And the Palestinians have no crops to burn or herds to kill or drive off.
nk (bb1548) — 4/6/2024 @ 3:14 pmBut Biden is. And there is nothing he can do about it. He is under siege too.
nk (bb1548) — 4/6/2024 @ 3:23 pmWhen the Biden Administration stops arms transfers to Israel (political suicide) then I’ll believe it.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 4:28 pmA little good news on the campus front?
https://www.pomona.edu/administration/president/statements/posts/campus-harassment-and-disruption-4524
Maybe the Vanderbilt approach will start catching on?
The news articles are starting to show just how childish the protestors are acting. Which is a good thing.
Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/6/2024 @ 5:07 pmBrilliant.
Blatantly stolen from xkcd
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 5:58 pmJonah Goldberg wrote about the tragic deaths of the WCK workers in his column yesterday
What Jonah ignores is that “Israel” is not a single actor. Among its agents are people who WOULD intentionally target aid workers, or anyone else helping the hated foe. “The only good Injun is a dead Injun” is sadly still part of the modern world. Now I am sure that the IDF strives mightily to keep people like that from positions of authority, but it is not impossible that someone like that was involved.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 6:03 pmAll individual participants not part of The Claremont Colleges community are hereby banned from campus immediately.
Referring them to Claremont Police would be in order. Trespassing, disturbing the peace, assault and threats of assault for starters. The college administration also has a right to direct persons on college premises to leave, and to use force if they will not leave.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 6:13 pmBack when I was at Mudd, there was a black-student group agitating for a BSU and this correlated with bomb threats in the middle of the night to several colleges, including mine.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 6:15 pmhttps://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1776649232453091587
Appellate court smacks down fascist judge.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/6/2024 @ 6:24 pmI’m pretty sure that as native of New York and West Point graduate, Sheridan would have said “Indian” as recorded and not “Injun”.
And he also is recorded as saying, about the Indians: “We took away their country and their means of support…and against this they made war. Could anyone expect less?”
But before that, during the Civil War, he did do to the Shenandoah Valley what the Israelis are now doing to Gaza.
nk (9ca4c2) — 4/6/2024 @ 6:54 pmAssumes facts (a rogue IDF) not in evidence. Israel has never liked outside interference in its military operations; it’s essentially the same reason that they bombed the USS Liberty-they didn’t want the the US spying on their military campaign in 1967.
Israel will do what it thinks is necessary, no matter the international criticism.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 6:55 pmI’m sure the Israeli officers who were cashiered will be promoted within the next six months. Window dressing.
Rip Murdock (e0004d) — 4/6/2024 @ 7:00 pmAnd who is responsible for that attitude? Hamas, Hezbollah, the PLO, and the Palestinian Authority and the Arab governments that support them.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/6/2024 @ 7:20 pm@111: see 110
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:55 pmSo, Rip, what’s your solution to the West Bank and Gaza? Ethnic cleansing? It’s not all that uncommon a position within Netanyahu’s coalition.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 8:58 pmI remember years and years ago– I think it was still the 90s, or at the latest, the early 2000s– watching a show Fox News had, that was a critique of news coverage itself, including its own. I think it was called Fox News Watch? It featured at least four commentators, two of whom were Neal Gabler and Mara Liasson.
I guess at one point back then, they were talking about whether or not Israel should allow the Gazans to hold their own free and fair elections. At one point Liasson responded, “okay. So what if they elect Hamas?”
So today, we’re seeing the results of what happened when they did exactly that.
qdpsteve again (a3a3a5) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:19 pmConservative judges on supreme court want to enforce the comstock act of 1873 to ban metipristone. As sgt. barnes says to chris in movie platoon. Do it!
asset (d2e97e) — 4/6/2024 @ 9:52 pmSome years ago I watched documentary on hitlers rise to power. In the end it said of those who opposed hitler had cared less then he and would not end their party politics and bickering with the industrialists (donor class) trying to figure which way to jump. Beer hall putsch and Jan. 6th. Every one knows a senile old fool is not the one to stop trump and yet…
asset (d2e97e) — 4/6/2024 @ 10:03 pmIsn’t it amazing there are so few movies about Stalin’s rise to power, his Terror, the Holodomor, the sheer awfulness of the Soviet state, or his willing abetters in our country?
No, it’s Hitler, Hitler, Hitler.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/6/2024 @ 11:18 pm@118 most western governments and establishments (ruling class) hated stalin and preferred hitler until he wouldn’t allow them too anymore. The media were liberals who hated hitler and their governments who hated stalin and communism. The book darkness at noon did come out and I saw the movie mr. jones on what he did. Reporters at the time were just not interested as they considered themselves poorly paid proletarians. In 2016 the same thing hampened attacking trump and protecting clinton as much as they dared. Same with biden 2020/2024. Msdnc does a good job of emulating Pravda and treated Bernie Sanders like trotsky. Unbiased reporting is a phony concept pushed by the corporate media to fool the masses. As for movies the studios were mostly owned by anti-nazi jews who didn’t want stalin to get in the way of attacking hitler. Remember jews would escape the concentration camps and wouldn’t be believed or ignored. Same with stalin. The purges of 1937 were misunderstood at the time as the wolves attacking each other. In the 1930’s communists were the main group helping the poor and especially blacks. (paul robeson) Hollywood has always been pseudo leftys. See the movies bound for glory and grapes of rathe. See Hollywood 10.
asset (d2e97e) — 4/7/2024 @ 4:05 amOccupy Gaza and turn it into a beach resort.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 8:15 amTurning Gaza into a beach resort would create hundreds of thousands of jobs to clean up the destruction, construct new infrastructure, hotels, and housing, as well as service jobs supporting tourism.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 8:21 amFamiliar history, easily accessible background materials, and the fact that Germans are more European thus closer to being like us than Slavs.
One of my favorite films is The Death of Stalin.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 8:40 amIn the end I don’t care what Israel does to eradicate Hamas, Hezbollah, etc. It’s up to them and not anyone else.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 8:44 amWhat Rip lacks in originality he makes up for in Trump worship.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:09 amExcept I didn’t. The only sacrifice here is your poor judgment.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:34 amThere’s no need to be insulting. It’s obvious that the Mediterranean beaches of Gaza would be perfect for resorts. Or do you want to see Gaza remain a poverty stricken breeding ground for terrorists?
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:41 amThe Death of Stalin.
Despite Buscemi being entirely unlike Khrushchev, it was pretty wonderful.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:42 amRip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:41 am
Talk about false dichotomies.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:44 amThis is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!
—-
Do not file the following in: Whose Ox got gored?
File under: Hey, I wanted that ox!
—-
Now. I don’t need to read the article because what I say next is informed by a lifetime of Capitalist decadence. The entire world is an example of Real Estate development and its fruits over time.
Anyone* may say “you” exploit the natives by stealing their land, while at the same time maintaining that “‘we’ would teach the natives to responsibly steward their resources.
Real Estate development: Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you.
* Hey! Not you, of course. You are better than that.
felipe (5e2a04) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:47 amIt’s not a false dichotomy. A future Gaza needs economic development if the population is to have hope for the future. Okay, maybe not beach resorts, but given its location, Gazan resorts are an obvious opportunity.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:51 amWhat is your vision of a future Gaza? One with a successful economy that employs its population, or continuing to be the world’s largest refugee camp?
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:54 amEclipse coolness as a function of totality
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:04 amOh, but I did read the article and I lament the author’s takeaway, in spite of what I consider “the money quote.”
Ya’see, right there – if I was Kim – I’d be sayin’ to myself:
I got Trump’s joke, even if the Author didn’t.
felipe (5045ed) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:10 amWhat is your vision of a future Gaza? One with a successful economy that employs its population, or continuing to be the world’s largest refugee camp?
Again, a false dichotomy as you express it. Israel can have no part in what happens next in Gaza, any more than the Russians will be welcome in Ukraine. The question is rather: will it be run by people who are even more angry and radical (and suicidal) than Hamas was, or will it be run by those with a view to the future.
Whatever happens needs to be from the Arab world. You may scoff, but there is VAST wealth there and quite a bit of sanity in the Gulf states. My choice would be a Saudi protectorate, but we’ll probably get some short-term peacekeeping force followed by more Hamas.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:11 amSpeaker Johnson is Putin’s best ally, or second best ally after Trump, because the Speaker doesn’t do anything without Trump’s consent, tacit or otherwise. His stonewalling military aid speaks for itself, because MAGA Mike is giving Russian dictator what he wants.
Trump’s so-called plan to end Putin’s invasion basically gives Putin Ukrainian territory without the Russian thug making any concessions.
This time around, Trump has a track record on negotiating with adversaries, so his empty boasting is just that. It took Trump nine months to negotiate with the Taliban, not 24 hours, and it a surrender agreement that basically gave the terrorists everything they wanted and nothing for us but an embarrassing surrender deal. Even Trump acknowledged that he got his ass handed to him.
Regarding Russia-Ukraine, his proposal presumes there would be a negotiation in the first place, or that Putin would even agree to end his attempted conquest at Crimea and Donbas, but Trump has clearly sided with Putin since 2016, and his plan puts all the pressure on Ukraine without any deterrents to prevent Putin from grasping for more Ukrainian land after his taking of Crimea-Donbas is formalized. Trump must lose.
On Tapper this morning, Rep. Turner rightfully stated that his colleagues are channeling Putin’s lying propaganda.
And that Russian propaganda just manifested itself on Bartiromo, where Trump’s handpicked RNC co-chair weighed in (no, not the bad karaoke singer, the other one).
Whether Whatley was saying the quiet part out loud or just misspoke, we’ll see.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:12 amAbsolutely right. Well said, Kevin M. In my opinion, the Abraham Accord is a possible starting point, and lens, for the Arab world to view Gaza and to formulate their intervention.
felipe (5045ed) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:21 amThe Arab world is part of the problem, not the solution. I doubt Israel would want a Gaza supported by governments that are one revolution away from being overthrown.
The only reason there is peace in the Middle East is Israel’s qualitative military superiority. Israel needs to occupy Gaza on one hand and support its economic development on the other.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:35 amThe Saudi military is pathetic, they can’t even subdue Yemen. I doubt they would want to become responsible for a territory that is not contiguous to their own, certainly not riding on the back of Israeli tanks.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:40 amAs it stands now, with military stalemate, Zelensky is going to have to negotiate. The West is going to have to decide what it is willing to do as well to prevent a collapse of Ukraine now, or in the future.
My plan: NATO decides, in principle, to accept Ukraine as a member. Ukraine then negotiates the Russian withdrawal before they accede to NATO. At this point, Putin has to decide just how far he (and Russia) is willing to go. He can probably get a cession of Crimea, and maybe some bits of land elsewhere, but whatever he gets has got to come before NATO expands to Ukraine or else he gets nothing. Or far less than nothing.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:41 amThe only reason there is peace in the Middle East is Israel’s qualitative military superiority. Israel needs to occupy Gaza on one hand and support its economic development on the other.
Much like the Soviets helped East Germany to rebuild. There’s a reason that every last Soviet client state is now part of NATO.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:44 amAnd the other Gulf states don’t have the military capability to provide the security for 2 million people.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:45 amNon-sequitor. The choices made by the USSR don’t have to be the choices made by Israel.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:48 amRemember the Great Honeybee Die-Off? Things have changed
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:49 amNon-sequitor. The choices made by the USSR don’t have to be the choices made by Israel.
The Red Army and the Israeli Army made similar choices in their operations. The hostility from the people they ran over (in Israel’s case several times) is the same. What they decide to do going forward doesn’t much matter — putting on a happy-face mask won’t convince many.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:53 amThe food menu at The Masters is quite the bargain.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 11:55 amReal
Ana (f2f3b3) — 4/7/2024 @ 12:12 pmThis could be one of the key things that permitted things to go wrong with aid convoys in Gaza. This is more than “deconfliction” The Wall Street reported that they tried everything including deconfliction and couldn’t think of anything else to prevent it, but the New York Times reported:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/05/world/middleeast/israel-military-world-central-kitchen-strike.html
In addition:
Which means they could spot a target” and then obliterate it, even though going ahead like that was against the rules of engagement. The open fire protocols are secret (presumably to prevent Hamas from gaming them) but General Har-Even categorically indicated that the rules of engagement to say it was a legitimate target had been broken,
The Israeli army bombs two types of targets: planned attacks, and then those based on real-time intelligence.
Elsewhere in the same article:
This is peculiar. There is/was also a rumor going around that armed men were on the top of vehicle(s)
On Thursday, they showed some reporters video of what they said were more gunmen at the scene, but the New York Times said it couldn’t independently verify that, I don’t know whether that means that the reporters couldn’t see that there or even whether the NYT was included, or whether they weren’t sure it was video of that convoy.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 4/7/2024 @ 1:00 pm:
As it stands now, with military stalemate, Zelensky is going to have to negotiate.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:41 am
“As it stands now” is not unchangeable. How about giving Ukraine more and better weapons?
norcal (9119e3) — 4/7/2024 @ 1:58 pmFrom that NYT article:
I don’t know why they ran into the next car. They must have assumed it was astray shell. The last car hit was 1 1/2 miles from the first one,
There seems to be some confusion in the media about daylight savings time. Most sources say 10:09 10:11 and 10:13 – CBS News on Friday had it 11:09 etc At night, There was a sign on the top of the car but it didn’t work at night in the dark
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 4/7/2024 @ 2:30 pmWhat makes anyone think Zelensky can negotiate anything half decent?
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 4/7/2024 @ 2:31 pmFood aid in Gaza does get stolen or diverted:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/05/world/middleeast/gaza-food-hunger-starvation.html
Apparently, money, at least in electronic form, is getting in. There’s a lot of inequality in Gaza, There’s also a plant that grows wild that people can eat.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 4/7/2024 @ 2:41 pmIsrael has pulled out troops from southern Gaza (leaving them in the north and along the border) for rest and recreation they say – and Netanyahu has also said they are one step away from victory. Is the o plan to assassinate Sinwar maybe with the help of the United States or some Arab state with the idea that then it will all be over? That is, the hostages will be released, and what’s left of Hamas will cede power.
The troops culd have been moved also because of the Iranian threat,
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 4/7/2024 @ 2:46 pmZelensky will most likely never get to negotiate anything.
When DC/NATO have had enough and become convinced Ukraine can’t win, they’ll strong-arm him aside and make their own deal. Putin will most likely get something, though obviously far less than what he wanted, and whatever’s left of Ukraine will become a NATO member, as well as armed to the teeth.
Then a waiting game for Putin to die and/or disappear will begin.
qdpsteve again (9218bd) — 4/7/2024 @ 2:55 pmExactly right in every particular. A vote for Trump is a vote for a stronger bolder China, an unchecked Russia, and an overall more dangerous world. No self-respecting American conservative (or liberal or moderate, for that matter) could abide this.
Progressives and MAGA nationalists, on the other hand, will be fine with it. Here’s a hint for those who still need wising up: when, on a controversial issue, you find yourself in agreement with both Squad members and MAGA members in our Congress, you are certainly in the wrong.
Hear frickin’ hear.
Demosthenes (fd807c) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:10 pm@154 “A vote for Trump is a vote for a stronger bolder China, an unchecked Russia, and an overall more dangerous world.”
Four years ago, there weren’t hundreds of thousands Ukrainians dead and territory lost, nor tens of thousands in Gaza and Israel dead with Israel fighting a losing PR campaign for its continued existence with a wobbly U.S. president, nor a porous southern border with hundreds of thousands entering our country unvetted with cartels calling the shots, nor talk of an invasion of Taiwan happening imminently on any day. Facts are facts. But hey, are we going to believe Biden fans, or our lying eyes?
lloyd (257133) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:25 pmLloyd,
if they gaslight you.anf silence the truth, they still think they will prevail.
NJRob (b560dd) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:31 pmStates are banning guns at polling places to protect election workers from being shot by trumpsters. (du) RFK jr. is scarring biden campaign and dnc that 2000/2016 will happen all over again! Unlike sabotaging Sanders campaign that he allowed the dnc to get away with RFK jr. left the party to run as independent when dnc starting preventing him running in Iowa and new hampshire and sabotaging his campaign. Had they let him run in the primaries his campaign would be over now, instead the dnc is now reduced to sabotaging his independent campaign and trying to prevent him getting ballot access. RFK jr. will get on swing state ballots as he has gained enough signatures. Dnc is reduced to trying to intimidate voters who signed his nominating petitions to rescind their signatures. (yahoo news) (intercept) (fox news) (TYT network)
asset (beced3) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:34 pm@123 He who pays the piper calls the tune! Also the country that supplies ammunition and aid also calls the tune for netanyahu. Khan yunis today looks like its starting. Too bad it would be better for palestinians as well as Israelis for hamas to be destroyed.
asset (beced3) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:41 pmThe solution for gaza is what I have been posting here for many years: buy, force what ever it takes $$$$$$$ to make egypt take over gaza. Governments do things all the time they don’t want to do. Ask netanyahu about that. The comments on what to do with gaza above are silly.
asset (beced3) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:51 pmWho’s to say they were “misfires”? The Israelis just missed.
Rip Murdock (9622f0) — 4/7/2024 @ 4:32 pm“As it stands now” is not unchangeable. How about giving Ukraine more and better weapons?
Unless we give them nukes, they cannot drive Russia from their land. Their recent offensive did not fail for lack of arms. It’s a war of attrition and Putin has more to attrit. All we can do is bleed both sides some more. What Ukraine needs most is assurance — and NATO membership is that — that Russia can go no further.
So, since what Russia has always wanted — Crimea — is beyond Ukraine’s ability to recover (and probably beyond Russia’s willingness to lose) Zelensky should be prepared to give it up. It the rest of what is on the table that he should concentrate on.
Should the US and Europe support him to the hilt — probably. But there is a point where the support will stop. So the thing to do is to look at the reasons why we are doing this and make sure that, in the end, those needs are addressed. Again, Ukraine acceding to NATO does that.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 4:47 pmCrimea is basically an island with four or five major entry points. Remove the span of the Kerch Strait bridge and a few other bridges, and the peninsula is cut off.
The offensive last summer didn’t succeed in part because Biden was too slow and too niggardly with getting Ukraine the weapons they’d been asking for, so give them the resources and put Putin back on his heels. They have the will, and it keeps Putin stuck in the quagmire he created. He’s got to pay, not be awarded a couple of regions by Trump.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 4:53 pmFaLSe CHoICe!!!!!!
BuDuh (96af43) — 4/7/2024 @ 5:00 pmThe kind of idjits that support Biden 100%, Part 92758:
https://hollywood-elsewhere.com/mondays-eclipse-will-darken-dullest-dreariest-parts-of-u-s/
qdpsteve again (9218bd) — 4/7/2024 @ 5:02 pmShorter 162: “Next time it will be different”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 5:36 pmIf Crimea is cut off from everything, which is harder: defending or attacking?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 5:36 pmhttps://www.app.com/story/news/local/red-bank-middletown-area/middletown/2024/04/05/edison-man-attacked-with-a-sledgehammer-at-middletown-nj-business/73224283007/
NJ man attacked with sledgehammer for being an outspoken Trump supporter.
NJRob (b560dd) — 4/7/2024 @ 6:17 pmNJRob, that’s horrific.
Having seen that, I’ve been trying to look at the upside of things lately. Have you been following the recent stories about John Fetterman?
The more he talks lately, the more I admire him and his open refusal to tow the line on the left’s ugliest positions. Now if only Kyrsten Sinema could be talked into staying in the Senate.
qdpsteve again (9218bd) — 4/7/2024 @ 6:30 pmI’d like to see the attempt at a next time. Why not you?
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 6:35 pmIt’s always harder to attack. The point is that the peninsula would be cut off from getting resupplied.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 6:36 pmYour first sentence here might be true, but has not yet been tested. Your second sentence also might be true, but there is considerable room for doubt.
We have given Ukraine access to more weapons than we did at the start of the war, but access to stuff that would have made a much more significant difference — especially more modern aircraft and more effective long-range missiles — has been either granted with excessive tardiness or withheld altogether. Ukraine finally has some access to F-16s, for example…but they could have had them a year earlier had we not refused to give them ourselves and discouraged our allies from making similar donations. To the extent that “their recent offensive” was missing a proper air component — i.e., a “lack of arms” — one wonders how much difference they would have made.
Perhaps we ought to give them nukes…and yes, that’s tongue-in-cheek, but…our defense guarantee is one of the big reasons they don’t have them, after all.
Demosthenes (fd807c) — 4/7/2024 @ 6:37 pmDemosthenes —
There is no one who understands better than I that Russia must be stopped. But within that one has to work with what is still possible, and consider also that one can demand too much then fail. We have lost too much time and too much goodwill farting around on this.
What was possible in 2022 is different than what is possible today. Biden’s stingy support has allowed Russia to recover from its initial failure, and Biden is still holding back weapons and placing limits on their use.
I see no American impetus for change. I wish there was, but there isn’t. Not any more. To suggest that things might have been different, if only, isn’t much help now. Any sudden change in attitude by Biden now will merely be for domestic consumption — blame it all on those nasty Republicans and hope everyone forgets his foot-dragging when he had bipartisan support.
So, what can be salvaged from this mess? Russia must be stopped. IF they are stopped partway into Ukraine, that’s not optimum, but if the rest of Ukraine joins NATO, Russia is “stopped.” Unless they want to attack NATO, of course.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:00 pmA cynic would say that Biden’s policy has been to use Ukraine to bleed Russia, making it so costly to Russia that they are spent. Japan tried this at Iwo Jima, and it just got them nuked.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:06 pmIt’s always harder to attack. The point is that the peninsula would be cut off from getting resupplied.
The people who are already there have the advantage of having the supplies already. The peninsula is also cut off from the attackers AND their supplies.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:08 pmIf Taiwan was connected to China, it would be China now.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:08 pmI’d like to see the attempt at a next time. Why not you?
Because the political will is no longer there. Even if Biden wins in 2024, it will not be there. Do you expect things to change?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:10 pmThe political will is long gone among the MAGAs, because would rather have Ukraine surrender their sovereignty, hence the importance of this election.
It doesn’t take much political will to provide Ukraine with 5% of our military budget. We’re not sacrificing really anything and providing American jobs to boot by replacing our older weapons with newer and better ones.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:17 pmThe real question is whether Ukraine has the political will to continue defending itself from the Russian terrorist state, and they appear to have that in spades.
The political will is long gone among the MAGAs, because would rather have Ukraine surrender their sovereignty, hence the importance of this election.
Even if Trump loses, MAGA controls the congressional party and will for some time. And you somehow think that BIDEN is on board with your plan. All this is now is domestic consumption. He will get out of Ukraine like he did out of Afghanistan at the first sign of pain.
“More cowbell” isn’t going to work.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:21 pmIt’s not my plan, Kevin. There’s a bill right now that sends military aid to Ukraine, supported by Biden and Democrats and Republicans who haven’t drunk Putin’s borsht-flavored Kool Aid, and MAGA Mike is being Putin’s best ally by stonewalling it.
We were using 5% of our military budget to destroy Putin’s military in Ukraine is one of the best bargains in the history of government spending, because it was working, but Trump has put his own interests above America, and his stooges in the House are going right along.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:27 pm“NJ man attacked with sledgehammer for being an outspoken Trump supporter.”
Davethulhu (43b282) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:35 pmAnd we will send more military aid to Ukraine. But it will just hold the status quo. It won’t turn the tide for Ukraine — the chance for that is past. If it continues past this, it will be because EUROPE realizes they need to step up. It affects them most after all.
My point is that we have a military stalemate. I’m sorry if you still hope for the righteous defeat of the Orc horde. The answer is in negotiations and NATO. There is no military solution, at least not with Ukraine doing all the fighting.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:42 pmI am curious though. When Speaker Johnson uses a coalition of the willing to pass this (possibly last) aid package, what will be the praise he gets for holding off MAGA? I’m guessing only slightly lessened denunciation.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:45 pmOne, Kevin, you don’t know that for a fact. A strong opinion is still just a strong opinion, so don’t pretend you know the future.
Two, Europe has stepped in. They’ve provided more military aid to Ukraine than we have.
Three, the issue still isn’t about American political will, it’s about Ukraine’s will to defend itself, and they were reclaiming conquered ground until Speaker Mike put a stop to military aid. Were doing it fast enough, or to your liking? No, but it’s not about you.
Four, the loss in morale they’ve experienced of late is exactly because a Trumpist Speaker has stonewalled aid.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:52 pmFour, the loss in morale they’ve experienced of late is exactly because a Trumpist Speaker has stonewalled aid.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 9:52 pm
It’s more important to support Trump than support Ukraine. Let’s just focus on the U.S. To hell with the rest of the world. That’s how America becomes great again!
/sarc
norcal (9119e3) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:05 pmDid you know that it is possible to deal with “Ukraine” and not tie it to “what is good/bad for Trump.”
I for one would like to hear someone explain what Ukraine’s path to victory is. What do they need that they 1) can use and 2) they aren’t getting? Missiles to attack Red Square? Not going to happen.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:12 pmDid you know that it is possible to deal with “Ukraine” and not tie it to “what is good/bad for Trump.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:12 pm
Tell that to Mike Johnson.
norcal (9119e3) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:14 pmI’m just wondering why you put “Ukraine” in scare quotes. This whole issue about military aid is tied to Trump and his control over his House Speaker puppet. Why are you in denial about that?
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:25 pmThere’ve been plenty of conversations about how Ukraine can prevail, so I’ll take your question as blithely rhetorical.
Putin’s best ally, Mike Johnson, is enabling Putin to “double-tap” Ukrainians. It’s evil enough for Putin strike civilian targets by missile, but then he does it again when first responders show up. It’s terrorism on steroids.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/7/2024 @ 10:36 pm@168 where is sinema going to get votes? Democrats loathe her and republicans have their own candidates. Two clever by half as the british say. She couldn’t get enough voters to sign petition to put her on ballot. When you stand in the middle of the road you get run over!
asset (ffeaf1) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:40 am@185 Same path we took in 1776. If ukraine doesn’t lose it wins and if putin doesn’t win he loses with someone probably doing his duty like stauffinberg.
asset (ffeaf1) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:47 amLouisiana has a jungle primary. Mike Johnson, who is rumored to have introduced a bill as a freshman Congressman to ban car horns because somebody might get gored (DU), will be dancing on Trump’s strings until November 6 (and longer if there’s a runoff) if he wants to come back on January 3.
(Don’t quote me on that rumor about the car horns.)
nk (bb1548) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:51 amhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TbOUSn_pN8o
I am surprised Paul hasn’t searched for this one on his multiple Trump feeds.
BuDuh (96af43) — 4/8/2024 @ 7:41 amAnd you’re still lying, multiple times over, that I “searched” feeds that came to me, thanks to Elon’s Algorithms. But I guess that’s what butthurt trolls do.
Paul Montagu (895dc0) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:41 amDarn it, I failed to observe National Beer Day yesterday.
Paul Montagu (895dc0) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:48 am@68
I keep seeing this… but too many folks here thinks Trump will win.
I… don’t see it.
The full brunt of the media and Democrats (BIRM) hasn’t even been remotely been unleashed.
The only…ONLY chance that Trump wins, is if Bidenomic takes a turn for the worst, and it doesn’t look like that’s happening.
whembly (86df54) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:03 amPaul, you see everything in the world as Trump/not-Trump. This makes you a tribalist. Try to break free.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:07 amPaul, I put “Ukraine” in quotes because it is a subject different from the “Trump” subject You clearly cannot see that, more’s the pity.
Will your head explode of Johnson brings a Ukraine-support bill despite MAGA’s objections?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:10 amif Bidenomic takes a turn for the worst, and it doesn’t look like that’s happening.
We haven’t seen “Bidenomics” yeat. His proposed wealth tax and 70% marginal tax rates won’t pass without a Democrat victory first. THEN we’ll see the effect, likely a Depression as investors stop taking risks.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:13 amIf he does win and passes even some of those taxes, it would be interesting to see a Supreme Court case about taxing expatriates. No other country does that and there is no specific provision that allows it.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:14 amhttps://www.foxnews.com/us/death-america-death-israel-chants-pour-muslim-protesters-michigan-last-day-ramadan
No wonder they are being wooed hard by the left.
NJRob (2f4b2a) — 4/8/2024 @ 10:09 amhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/politics/trump-hush-money-case-gag-order-venue-appeal/index.html
whembly (86df54) — 4/8/2024 @ 10:10 amHuh… I didn’t think gag orders were appealable…
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2024/04/08/almost-half-of-british-muslims-support-hamas-n3786101
Dearbornistan still isn’t as bad as Islamic-occupied London.
NJRob (2f4b2a) — 4/8/2024 @ 10:17 amHuh… I didn’t think gag orders were appealable…
In a venue appeal it might be “evidence.” Trump will appeal the lunch menu.
It will fail of course.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 10:31 amOr the US Army and Air Force.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 10:36 amOr the US Army and Air Force.
The Air Force and maybe Army helicopters.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 11:35 amIn 1940, England did not want the Nazis to defeat France so they put their entire army into France only to see the French collapse. They were very lucky to get most of their army back.
Just wanting to see democratic, pluralist government win in an existential battle does not mean it will. Betting everything against the odds is a fool’s errand, like betting on the Jets because they’re the home team.
What saved France was the US Army. If we are really serious about Ukraine, it may be the US Army that saves it too.
But we aren’t. Half-measures are all that we will risk, as it is our self-esteem and not Ukraine’s survival that we defend. So, half-results, at best.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 11:43 amKevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 11:43 am
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:33 pmYou need ground pounders and tanks to hold territory. Ukraine is running out of both.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:33 pm192. Not a single donation goes unnoticed?
Maybe by their software – they will ask for more.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:37 pm170. Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/7/2024 @ 7:10 pm
For the worse. But if Biden is re-elected he will send enough to prevent Russia from occupying Kyiv just like Obama prevented the occupation of Baghdad by ISIS. NATO troops aren’t necessary but we could see the French Foreign Legion if necessary.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:42 pmOpinion read, opinion rejected, because it’s false, but thanks for making sh-t up about what I see and don’t see.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:48 pmlloyd (257133) — 4/7/2024 @ 3:25 pm
That’s not for now, but 2027 at the earliest, and China will prefer to get Iran to use a nuclear bomb first, and then see what happens.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:48 pm**Top signs the world is ending because of the Eclipse**
– The president is caught drooling on live national TV
– Dogs and cats living together
– Women become men and men become women
Oh wait… 😛
qdpsteve again (ec3200) — 4/8/2024 @ 12:52 pmBy misfires, I think the NYT means mis-targeting and they are not the same thing as near misfires:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/world/middleeast/gaza-phone-networks.html
The second thing is a misfire.
,,,In mid-December, members of a Paltel team found themselves in the middle of the fighting. They were trying to reconnect a cable submerged in a water-filled crater in the southern city of Khan Younis when clashes between the Israeli military and militants erupted, said Kamel Amsy, 52, an engineer on the team. Overcome with fear, they laid flat on the ground as bullets flew overhead.
“The tanks nearby went crazy,” he said. “The situation was petrifying.”
When Mr. Fares called Palestinian officials to request they inform their Israeli counterparts that his employees were in the line of fire, according to established protocol, the Israelis said that the technicians should stay put, the Paltel executive recalled.
A half-hour later, a soldier emerged from a tank and told the technicians to evacuate eastward, but there was no way for their cars to pass through the crater, Mr. Amsy said. Worried for their lives, they drove westward until they escaped the fighting, he said.
The next day, the technicians completed the job, which was aimed at bringing connectivity back to southern Gaza after a multiday blackout.
Asked later about the event, the Israeli Army said it had given Paltel technicians permission to work in the area, but later told them not to come because of “operational activity” there. It said that the army was not aware of tank fire directed at the technicians, who it said were not a target.
In another incident in December, Nader Abu Hajjaj, 49, a technician from Khan Younis, was fixing cables and replacing batteries on a building in his hometown, when he said it was hit by airstrikes. “It was a disaster,” Mr. Abu Hajjaj said during an interview in January. “We coordinated our movements, but they still fired at us.”
The Israeli military said that it was targeting an anti-tank launching position on the roof of the building and that fire was halted once it was informed that Paltel employees were present.
Two weeks later, Mr. Abu Hajjaj was less fortunate. While returning from a project in Khan Younis, his car was struck by tank fire, killing him and Bahaa al-Rayes, his colleague, according to Paltel. Mr. Fares said an employee who was injured in the episode reported that it was caused by a tank opening fire.
The Israeli army said it is investigating the incident. COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for liaising with the Palestinians, confirmed that Paltel had coordinated the movements of Mr. Abu Hajjaj and Mr. Rayes with it. The agency said that it has coordinated dozens of missions to repair telecommunications infrastructure without incident.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:04 pmPutin’s propaganda operation is working…
When President Biden proposed an additional $24 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine in August, Moscow spin doctors working for the Kremlin were ready to try to undermine public support for the bill, internal Kremlin documents show.
In an ongoing campaign that seeks to influence congressional and other political debates to stoke anti-Ukraine sentiment, Kremlin-linked political strategists and trolls have written thousands of fabricated news articles, social media posts and comments that promote American isolationism, stir fear over the United States’ border security and attempt to amplify U.S. economic and racial tensions, according to a trove of internal Kremlin documents obtained by a European intelligence service and reviewed by The Washington Post.
One of the political strategists, for instance, instructed a troll farm employee working for his firm to write a comment of “no more than 200 characters in the name of a resident of a suburb of a major city.” The strategist suggested that this fictitious American “doesn’t support the military aid that the U.S. is giving Ukraine and considers that the money should be spent defending America’s borders and not Ukraine’s. He sees that Biden’s policies are leading the U.S. toward collapse.”
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:09 pmYou wouldn’t believe the number of trolls in other comment threads who say with absolute certitude that Russian will win and Ukraine doesn’t stand a chance.
Also, the artificial linkage between the southern border and military aid to Ukraine plays right into Putin’s hands, all the more so because that linkage was taken up in Congress and because Trump is killing any border bill that happens before Election Day.
Eh. I didn’t blockquote the 1st three paras.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:25 pmIsrael just missed their targets, not mis-targeting.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:25 pmBTW, Kevin, except for his lie about Democrats wanting to kill babies after they’re born, I’m in near full agreement with Trump’s abortion announcement, which is highly similar to Nikki Haley’s stance. It’s a good federalist approach, consistent with Dobbs, and I agree that there should be exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:38 pmI’m still calling balls and strikes, but there’s been a long, long line of balls coming from this GOP nominee, IMO.
BTW, Kevin, except for his lie about Democrats wanting to kill babies after they’re born, I’m in near full agreement with Trump’s abortion announcement…
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:38 pm
Paul’s agreeing with Trump?!!??!!??? It’s official, the eclipse really is the apocalypse! Run! Panic! Hide! Flee!
😉
qdpsteve again (ec3200) — 4/8/2024 @ 1:56 pmWhich was no stance at all.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:08 pmOr at best Haley’s (and now Trump’s) position on abortion could be described as splitting the ……
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:18 pm@221
How do you figure that?
His stance is a federalist stance.
whembly (86df54) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:20 pmJudge carney frees white supremacist charged in cal. brawl with antifa saying prosecutors should focus on prosecuting antifa not trumpsters! (usa today)
asset (668b60) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:31 pm@207 what saved france was the red army as u.s. army could not have landed against the entire german army till we got the bomb.
asset (668b60) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:37 pmTrump’s stance on abortion is the standard GOP talking point from 1973 forward — let the states decide on abortion, and not have the local laws set by federal decreee. As whembly says, quite federalist.
I don’t have a problem with that approach. I have a problem with the US government mandating something more strict than current state laws. (That would be a good way to lose an election). I have a problem with the Feds mandating Roe v Wade on the states.
This issue should have been resolved over time at the state level. Unfortunately, Roe was reversed after GOP politics turned stupid, so national fist pounding solutions are what too many Republicans demand.
Appalled (e49f5e) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:51 pmThere are apparently fewer hostages for Hamas to return than expected, presumably because Hamas killed some and raped some so badly that they’ll never be returned.
And there’s interesting commentary downthread.
And this is all on Netanyahu’s watch, along with having intel of a 10/7 attack but ignoring all the warning signs.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:51 pmI don’t think federalism should be a bar to protecting the unborn.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:55 pmI’d bet that Trump would sign a federal ban on abortion if one passed Congress. Sadly, that is unlikely.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 2:57 pm#216 Paul – Good to see you already linked that WaPo article. Everyone here should study it.
Jim Miller (1396f2) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:02 pmThe late Joe Lieberman and Gordon Humphrey say we should do better at fighting back in this propaganda war.
(Links omitted.)
“Lieberman drafted this piece with Humphrey in the months before Lieberman died on March 27.” So it was one of the last things Lieberman did before he died. One more reason to honor his memory.
Jim Miller (1396f2) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:09 pmFederalism isn’t a suicide pact.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:14 pmObama prevented the occupation of Baghdad by ISIS.
Not to be a contrarian, but Trump DID oversee the destruction of ISIS in Iraq.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:18 pmOpinion read, opinion rejected, because it’s false, but thanks for making sh-t up about what I see and don’t see.
You really need to read what you post then.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:19 pmHis stance is a federalist stance.
By “stance”, Rip means a statist authoritarian stance.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:21 pmPaul’s agreeing with Trump?!!??!!??? It’s official, the eclipse really is the apocalypse! Run! Panic! Hide! Flee!
Forcast
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:23 pm@207 what saved france was the red army as u.s. army could not have landed against the entire german army till we got the bomb.
What saved the Red Army was American trucks and arms via lend-lease and the near-suicidal American invasion of Italy. Only then could they begin to really fight. Without that support, Russia would have been pushed east of the Urals but 1942. Even with that help, Russia did not gain the upper hand until the summer of 1943, at Kursk.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:31 pmPrediction: Trump will endorse Ukraine aid shortly. He will then say he always endorsed Ukraine aid.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:32 pmNikita Khrushchev once said that “Spam” won the war — and I think he had a point.
The 350,000 or so trucks we sent the Soviets didn’t hurt, either.
Of course, without the Hitler/Stalin pact, there might never have been a WW II in Europe.
Jim Miller (1396f2) — 4/8/2024 @ 3:52 pm#238 I will take that bet. This is the one thing he will not do.
Appalled (f071d1) — 4/8/2024 @ 4:22 pmOceania has always been at war with Eurasia.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 4:24 pmIf Trump did reverse course on Ukraine, would MAGA fall in line?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 4:25 pmOff-topic: Any fans of the original NCIS series out there? Apparently as spin-off is in the works (no, not that one) codenamed #Tiva
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 4:28 pmTrump Criminal Indictment Watch, NY City Edition:
Delay, delay, delay has been Trump’s mantra. He has never been interested in a speedy trial.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 4:40 pmLOL! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 4:41 pmWhen a leftist President has even lost Chris Cuomo.
https://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2024/04/05/cuomo-hostages-have-become-afterthought-biden-unforgivable
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/8/2024 @ 5:14 pmI will take that bet. This is the one thing he will not do.
If it is going to pass, he will want to take the credit. He needs #Haley voters, and some of them are stupid.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 5:31 pmI am a big believer in federalism. The federal government should only do what the states are incapable of doing themselves. For example, I think having a federal Department of Education is ridiculous.
States are perfectly able to craft their own abortion laws.
Since I’m calling balls and strikes, I commend Trump for his stance on abortion.
And, in what may further surprise Trump supporters here, I condemn Biden for proposing yet more student loan forgiveness. What a slap in the face to those who paid off their student loans. This is just another version of squatting/freeloading.
norcal (fb7fca) — 4/8/2024 @ 5:38 pm@216 “Also, the artificial linkage between the southern border and military aid to Ukraine plays right into Putin’s hands, all the more so because that linkage was taken up in Congress and because Trump is killing any border bill that happens before Election Day.”
Because nothing smacks of Russian propaganda like an emphasis on our border security. You see, letting our southern border descend into daily chaos shows Putin we mean business. Notice how impressed he is. Nobody cares about our border but Russian bots.
Honestly, folks who write this stuff are absolutely the worst advocates Ukraine could ask for. Such rhetoric isn’t intended to sway or convince, but rather annoy and insult. Ukraine needs our help, but most importantly right now it needs better friends in the media and in blog comment sections. They are doing Ukraine no favors.
lloyd (02b8ac) — 4/8/2024 @ 5:46 pmI guess we just see the results of abortions differently.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 5:56 pmIf Trump did reverse course on Ukraine, would MAGA fall in line?
Pardon me if I’m wrong, Kevin, but you appear to be of the opinion that half of the MAGA herd is not Putin-financed astroturf, and most of it in the upper half.
What have you seen from MAGA that is not good for Russia and bad for America?
Including their opposition to the massive influx of migrants crossing the border, if you look it from the perspective of the Irish that Lincoln brought over during the 1860 “National Divorce”.
nk (4d5b4a) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:08 pmStates are perfectly able to craft their own abortion laws.
I guess we just see the results of abortions differently.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/8/2024 @ 5:56 pm
My compadre at another site sums it up well:
norcal (fb7fca) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:13 pmAnd, in what may further surprise Trump supporters here, I condemn Biden for proposing yet more student loan forgiveness. What a slap in the face to those who paid off their student loans. This is just another version of squatting/freeloading.
I don’t. Not anymore than I condemn the government for giving VA benefits to wounded Vietnam veterans.
The students were not the bad guys. They were merely the conduits for money to the academic establishment. At their cost of years of their youth, and no benefit to them in return.
nk (4d5b4a) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:17 pmnk (4d5b4a) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:17 pm
I have a friend whom I doubt has paid one dollar towards his student loans. However, he has spent tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, amassing a collection of 90+ boxes of baseball cards, all after college.
norcal (fb7fca) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:23 pmYou can pick up some amazing quotes from cheap hackwork mass market paperbacks. For example: “If the world is not fraught with peril, [our ruling class] has to do some intensive fraughting.
Don’t let Biden turn you against your friend, norcal. Especially if he’s the kind of friend you can call on to help you when you move.
nk (4d5b4a) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:47 pmnk (4d5b4a) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:47 pm
The punchline is that this friend is a big Tucker watcher and Trump supporter!
Biden won’t get between us, but his spouting of MAGA propaganda has come close a few times.
norcal (fb7fca) — 4/8/2024 @ 6:53 pmHey, another good one: “It is the remnants of armies which win wars, not the armies a nation began the war with.”
nk (4d5b4a) — 4/8/2024 @ 7:27 pmI do, hence my comment.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:25 pmJonah had a good segment on goldfish memories. The last six months have unfolded exactly how Putin wanted, thanks to a GOP nominee who hates America and his lapdog of a Speaker.
I won’t take Kevin’s bet because I stopped making predictions after Trump was nominated in 2016, so I’ll just say that I hope Trump and Johnson do the right thing.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:34 pmbut you appear to be of the opinion that half of the MAGA herd is not Putin-financed astroturf, and most of it in the upper half.
I doubt any of it is, outside a few suburbs of DC.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:51 pm“The only truly legal way to grant the authority to the federal government would be through a Constitutional amendment.”
Practically I’m not sure how you pass a 16wk abortion ban without 60 votes for cloture in the Senate. The same would likely hold for codifying Roe too. I’m with Haley that much of this is just posturing that avoids the hard work of persuasion and helping woman in tough times.
Though the commerce clause has long ago left the station…and the substantial effects doctrine IS Constitutional Law….I empathize with the position that Congress should be legislating on this. WE really don’t meaningfully struggle with these questions anymore. It’s all about owning the other side.
AJ_Liberty (4b9d85) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:51 pmIncluding their opposition to the massive influx of migrants crossing the border, if you look it from the perspective of the Irish that Lincoln brought over during the 1860 “National Divorce”.
It’s taking me a while to connect these dots, in part because the Irish were streaming in before the war and streaming in also afterwards. WHo do you think built those railroads?
But even if it was just during the war, what good do the illegals do us now?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:56 pmTrump on states rights to ban abortion will not help very much ;but he doesn’t need very much in swing states. 43,000 votes in 3 states az. ga. and wi. would have won him the election. If trump wins it is not the left who fears a national abortion ban we will be to busy taking over whats left of the democratic party. It is the democratic party establishment and donor class who fears a national ban. Clinton’s loss to trump discredited and badly damaged the d.n.c. and party leaders when all they could do was whine about it. This caused joe crowley to lose to AOC and the rise of the squad.
asset (490f41) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:56 pmMAGA wants to close a lot of DC and fire a lot of bureaucrats, or at least replace them with MAGA bureaucrats. Perhaps incoherently. But even then how does this help Putin?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:57 pm@263: If Trump wins the electoral vote but loses the popular vote, I expect that mobs of irate citizens will descend on the Capitol to protest the counting of these ill-gotten electoral votes. And Biden and the Press will regard them as heroes.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:00 pmWhich is irrelevant to the consequences of aborting a fetus. The Constitution shouldn’t be construed to allow the state (in its broadest sense) to condone the taking of life. Also, once the Republicans gain a stronger House and Senate majority, and the Presidency, they will face a political imperative to ban abortion:
Rip Murdock (d03283) — 4/8/2024 @ 9:04 pm@265 Had biden lost in the electoral collage ;but won the popular vote Democrat party and labor unions were planning a national general strike to shut the country down so those in military leadership who hated trump for the “good of the country” along with the deep state could intervene. The deep state may intervene this time. It could get messy.
asset (490f41) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:11 am@266 You think the majority will just say OK you win? The corporate deep states establishment democrats and their donor class will be completely discredited as the majority will demand direct action and the left will be happy to oblige. AOC will look like a moderate democrat.
asset (490f41) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:17 amIt’s taking me a while to connect these dots, in part because the Irish were streaming in before the war and streaming in also afterwards. WHo do you think built those railroads?
And the Latin-Americans have been streaming in for all living memory. Lincoln paid for the Irish’s passage and cash enlistment bonuses. Now we are giving the asylees food and housing assistance, cell phones and internet, EBT cash cards, and free transportation. And a path to citizenship if they serve in the armed forces.
nk (4d5b4a) — 4/9/2024 @ 3:41 amI was talking specifically about Ukraine, over a specific period of time, and the fake linkage.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/9/2024 @ 4:21 am“First, short-term, pro-lifers will begin pressuring Republicans in Congress to do something about it.”
Though isn’t this a simple exercise in vote counting and reading poll results? Do you have any where near 60 votes? Does any where near 60% of the electorate support your vision of national ban? If the answers are “no”, then shouldn’t the strategy shift to persuasion and building support? I’m not sure if “persuasion” means shifting to banging the wall with the front of your head rather than the back.
16wk bans split the country evenly. They also leave legal most abortions. Then mostly tragic cases get policed. Are we to believe that women intentionally wait as long as possible to abort…elevating their own health risks….in order to maximally own Republican voters? I’m not sure that reality works that way.
We live in a pluralistic society with a government organized under checks and balances intended to promote compromise. Abortion is not an issue that offers much compromise. Generations of conservative thinking would conclude that this is a matter that should smolder in the states …unless you’re willing to take up arms and spastically start killing your fellow countrymen who disagree with you. Of course that would sully your actual pro-life credentials.
The reality is that most people are lazy and don’t really want their comfortable lives interrupted or inconvenienced. They look to government to solve it then complain about government not giving them what they want. Shouldn’t we encourage people to be more rational? People disagree with you. We must learn to accept it and think about ways to persuade them. Calling for yet another vote is more head banging….
AJ_Liberty (4b9d85) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:59 am@265
Let’s hope that they don’t riot.
Because precedent has been set.
All because, these people refuses to understand that the popular vote count is meaningless.
whembly (86df54) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:01 am261. AJ_Liberty (4b9d85) — 4/8/2024 @ 8:51 pm
First, the Democrats abolish the filibuster. Then, the Republicans gain control. This probably requires two different Congressional elections. Maybe three, as the Republicans are favored to take control of the Senate in this year’s elections (and lose control of the House)
Joe Biden is campaigning on the theme that Donald Trump would sign an abortion ban. He’s somewhat quiet on the probability of it passing.
Major media are letting him get away with it, and Donald Trump likely would also in a debate because that would hurt his standing among pro-life people.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:12 am“These people” did not riot for for Gore and they did not riot for Hillary, who both won the popular vote. And the precedent was set by Al Gore who as Vice President counted the Electoral Votes and gave the Presidency to Bush instead of to himself.
2020 is not a precedent. It is a cautionary tale. Don’t let Trumps within a mile of the White House.
nk (856556) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:15 amThe Senate Armed Service Committee is having a hearing on budget request from the Secretary of Defense.
Some highlights so far:
Austin says that the war in Ukraine is great for American munition contractors and their employees.
Austin will not agree that the Oct 7 attack was a genocide.
Austin agrees that feeding Gazans is an American Military operation.
Austin gets tongue tied when confronted by the fact that the only reason there is a supplemental budget request is because the Biden Administration failed to send a complete budget request in the first place.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:38 amApparently the Biden Administration has told Ukraine to no longer attack Russian oil refineries. Austin does not want to explain why. Tom Cotton surmises that Biden can’t risk high gas prices in an election year.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:41 amFor your viewing enjoyment.
(Ramirez is a genius. I have a collection of his, along with collections from Thomas Nast and Matt Pritchett.)
Jim Miller (004f8d) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:42 am@274
And? Way to miss the point.
whembly (86df54) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:40 amWhy wouldn’t Republicans abolish the filibuster when they take over the Senate in January 2025 to pass an abortion ban?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:41 amA Swedish TV station has an excellent analysis on how a Russian lie gets spread across the internet, in this case the fake story about the “man claims that his brother, an Egyptian journalist, has been murdered by Ukrainian special forces after exposing how Zelensky’s mother-in-law bought a luxury villa in Egypt.”
I saw this lie spread by Putinbots and Putin fanbois across multiple websites, so it seems to be working. And that’s just one lie, because Putin is going all out.
Also working are Trump’s lies, some better than better than others. Glenn Kessler noted that the Trump lies with the best traction were his “Russian hoax” rhetoric, the “stolen” 2020 election.
Paul Montagu (895dc0) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:50 amSixty votes aren’t necessary if a Republican Senate (which is likely in the next Congress) suspends the filibuster rule to enact a ban. And whatever percentage of the electorate supports a ban is irrelevant. As you pointed out, a 16 week ban is useless, as most abortions occur in the first trimester, and more than half are chemical abortions (56% in 2021, up from 44% in 2019), rather than surgical abortions. So any ban must be less than that, say 10 weeks.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:53 amMore of those Putinbots grinding out disinformation:
Man… they are tricky.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:56 amSome people admire Schiff the way Trump admired Putin.
steveg (2dc715) — 4/9/2024 @ 9:00 amWhat are the top 10 items of dirty work that Trump performed for Putin that resulted material gains for Putin?
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 9:06 amLOL! Trump’s stance is an electoral stance, not on federalism.
Trump has never expressed any concern before about federalism, except when it concerns his election. Then he uses it to avoid taking a firm position.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 9:06 amApril 26, 2017
Remarks by President Trump at Signing of Executive Order on Federalism Education
https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-signing-executive-order-federalism-education/
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 9:14 am@285
He’s been consistent about how GOP is vulnerable to abortion politics.
And, ftr, stating that it’s a states issue *is* a rather firm position. At least, it’s constitutionally justified.
whembly (86df54) — 4/9/2024 @ 10:30 am“Sixty votes aren’t necessary if a Republican Senate (which is likely in the next Congress) suspends the filibuster rule to enact a ban.”
That’s a nuclear option…and will just result in payback and reversal at the soonest issue. Even dumb senators understand getting rid of the filibuster starts us down a path of wild swings in policy
“And whatever percentage of the electorate supports a ban is irrelevant.”
Except if you wish to remain in control. If the senate enacts policy that most people oppose….especially regarding a lightning rod issue like abortion….in two years, you will be back in the minority. I’m not sure the GOP wants to self destruct on abortion. Why?
“As you pointed out, a 16 week ban is useless, as most abortions occur in the first trimester, and more than half are chemical abortions (56% in 2021, up from 44% in 2019), rather than surgical abortions. So any ban must be less than that, say 10 weeks.”
A majority of people are fine with elective abortions in the first trimester. Neither Presidential candidate is pushing for an early ban. Isn’t it rational that we won’t have a 10wk ban?
AJ_Liberty (1295e6) — 4/9/2024 @ 10:38 am@281
Are you seriously advocating for the GOP to pull a Harry Reid here?
You do know that fundamentally will change the makeup of the Senate forever…don’t you?
It means, that when a political party has all 3, the Whitehouse – House – Senate, the political agenda would be obscenely partisan, and the minority in the Senate would be powerless to stop it.
Do you think Democrats, had they had a time machine, would’ve warned Reid from nuking the filibuster for judges (district/appellate), if the knew about the current makeup of the SCOTUS?
whembly (86df54) — 4/9/2024 @ 11:35 amWhere I depart from Trump on his abortion statement is his lassez-faire prescription, which is to just leave it to the states and leave it at that. I’m not in favor of national legislation (except for the easy parts of the issue such as late-term abortions) but am very much gung ho about the pro-life movement actively working at the state level to restrict the practice (for example, a 15-week ban in New Jersey, a state that is as permissive as there is, it’s not great but a move in a positive direction), but Trump was silent on that, I suspect for political reasons.
Bottom line, I don’t believe Trump really gives a rip about the subject. He was pro-choice before becoming a Republican, and he’s been a little all over the place, like when he told Chris Matthews that women should be punished in the legal system for having abortions. And now this statement, like he’s wiping his hands of the issue, but folks like Lindsey Graham (surprisingly) and Mike Pence aren’t letting him do that, hence his social media fussilade on the meek SC Senator.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/9/2024 @ 11:45 amDo you ever read you comments out loud before you press “submit comment?”
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 11:53 am#291
Paul’s “meek” makes sense in context. Graham has been hilariously Casper Milqtoast in his dealings with Trump after 2016. That’s got nothing to do with his foreign policy ideals, which used to be like McCain’s. Nor does his rightous outburst in the Kavenaugh hearings change that.
Appalled (88a1a3) — 4/9/2024 @ 12:22 pmYes. Your point? It’s not like Graham doesn’t have a very well documented track record.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/9/2024 @ 12:22 pmAhhh.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 12:31 pmBuDuh will be right back after he’s finished his dental appointment. 😉
qdpsteve again (247e1a) — 4/9/2024 @ 12:32 pm“Look ma, no cavities!”
Celibates should practice self-effacement in reproductive matters, and not stick in their noses where they don’t stick something else.
nk (856556) — 4/9/2024 @ 12:50 pmJust not morally defensible.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:18 pmKevin M (and everyone else): remember when I brought up this new movie coming out, Civil War?
I wrote that it looks like it doesn’t take sides.
Turns out I was 100% wrong. I know so because a lefty film reviewer, plus a former lefty I know, have admitted the entire marketing campaign for the film was lying.
Spoiler alert: The movie ends with the execution of the very Trumpy president, played by Nick Offerman, and only after he’s begged for his life. The lefty reviewer I mentioned, Jeff Wells, admits it almost gave him an erection (not joking).
qdpsteve again (247e1a) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:33 pm#296 — Hopefully, this does not relate to Sen. Graham, because the sport hat can be had with that. Well, this is a family blog, and temptation must be resisted.
Appalled (88a1a3) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:35 pmIf the Republicans win control of the Senate by a substantial margin, say around 10 seats, I would expect they could survive any backlash from Democrat states. I doubt we would see a party flip in just two years. Protecting life should not depend on the polling.
Are you seriously advocating for the GOP to pull a Harry Reid here?
You do know that fundamentally will change the makeup of the Senate forever…don’t you?
whembly (86df54) — 4/9/2024 @ 11:35 am
So what? The filibuster wasn’t a gift from the Almighty. Conversely, if Republicans controlled all three branches of government (really four), then campaign promises might actually mean something.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:36 pmAnd the filibuster doesn’t need to be abolished. The Senate could suspend its rules for consideration of any legislation so that it cannot be filibustered.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:42 pmAz supreme court rules territorial ban on almost all abortion in effect. Trump can kiss arizona good bye as ballot measure to protect abortion rights will be on the ballot. Direct action may occur as democrats will demand response from snowflakes who run az dem. party.
asset (328d2f) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:52 pm@302
So… a soft nuke.
No thanks.
Do the bloody hard work to muster up a Constitutional Amendment.
Otherwise, playing with Senate rules to achieve a desired end will ALWAYS be used by the other side.
This “suspension” of rules as you advocate for to avoid the filibuster threshold will be used by the other side to… you know… unban the initial ban.
It’s a path towards legislative insanity…or, at the very least, such a ban would be overturned by SCOTUS due to Dobbs.
whembly (86df54) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:56 pmArizona Supreme Court rules a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable
Kari Lake was for the 1864 abortion ban before she was against it:
Campaign conversion.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 1:57 pmHow many abortions will occur in the meantime? And a constitutional amendment may be unnecessary. Per my post above, and here, its possible to enact a ban under the Commerce Clause.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:02 pmWhembly —-
Rip thinks of abortion as a moral sin akin to slavery. The arts of persuasion are not available.
Rip, I think you and your friends need to do the cultural work before imposing a national ban. Because you will be reaping an electoral whirlwind, otherwise.
Appalled (f74a70) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:18 pmRe: the way I read this from a New York Times article:
Here I think:
1) A “misfire” and a “near miss” are two different things.
2> Misfire usually means a gun or other firearm that goes off accidently, but here it has a meaning different from the literal meaning, which is implausible.
3) It means a weapon that should not have gone off, which in this case means improper targeting, not unintentional firing.
4) Since most of the weapons work accurately, a “near miss” is when their vehicles or personnel are not themselves targeted, but they go somewhere near something that is (or that becomes a target.)
5) It could be close combat, though, where the intended target is not precisely aimed at.
I also think the aid agencies misunderstand how they came to be in danger.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:19 pmYeah, by being in Gaza.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:20 pmPro-life voters have an once in a lifetime opportunity in this election. Carpe diem!
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:22 pmIs that according to the Soviet Constitution of 1936? If the Tenth Amendment protects anything, it protects a State from having its laws dictated by another State.
nk (856556) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:23 pmI swear, comrades, I cannot read any Constitutional argument by Ilya Somin without suspecting that he’s putting us on.
nk (856556) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:27 pmPro-life voters have an once in a lifetime opportunity in this election. Carpe diem!
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:22 pm
What you are proposing would backfire big time, and you’d end up with more permissive abortion legislation in the end.
norcal (3a6333) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:43 pmSomeone gave up on his GMail account:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/07/opinion/gmail-email-digital-shame.html
This, I don’t understand. You can search by topic, by keyword or by sender. He won’t get all but at least he will get what he remembers, or mail from certain senders.
So ignore the priority, Put everything in one lump. Besides the search will go through everything. For instance, do a search for any message containing the term “eBay” Whenever you’re interested in checking.
He could also have forwarded certain email to another address.
Did they stop charging anyone who had agreed to less?
There surely must be a way. When did it spin out of control for him?
More wrong he says:
It got too big – and somehow he couldn’t just search – and send unexpected email somewhere else, hopefully avoiding spam.
Wat if someone changes their email address?
One thing is to have email sent to more than one address you have.
Another thing is to search email by name or email address.
No, that’s no good.
Is that a problem? You have a clear area anyway. And can get an isolated screen with GMail.
Why bother with folders?
He can use GMail for that. I guess his problem is that he wants to read every email he gets.
He can go through his photos slowly – e surely can at least look at them chronologically. And he needs to copy them.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/9/2024 @ 2:52 pmAndy Rooney has come back as Ezra Klein? Or is it the setup to a long version of the “I can’t kvetch” joke?
nk (856556) — 4/9/2024 @ 3:06 pmCatoggio says it better than I could:
https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/boilingfrogs/souljah-boy/
norcal (3a6333) — 4/9/2024 @ 3:22 pmnk: ain’t nuthin’ was wrong with Andy Rooney.
Back in the early 80s, while high school classmates were loving Stephen King classics-to-be such as Cujo, Christine and Pet Sematary, I was reading Rooney’s essay books. (Yeah, I was a ridiculously sheltered kid, but they were still great.)
qdpsteve again (247e1a) — 4/9/2024 @ 3:59 pmFrom norcal’s link:
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 4:07 pmNo, it’s a possible justification to use current Supreme Court precedents allowing the use of the Commerce Clause to regulate abortion nationwide.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 4:44 pmHe clearly states that he does not agree with the analysis of using the Commerce Clause to regulate abortion, but it is there.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 4:46 pmIronically, it was he who wrote what I posted here when he was Allah Pundit.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 4:48 pmThose who support the return of abortion policies to the states should embrace the Arizona Supreme Court decision today.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:28 pmFrom norcal’s link:
Trump is right
BuDuh (4214e4) — 4/9/2024 @ 4:07 pm
On this issue, and for however long Trump maintains that position (i.e., however long he sees it as benefiting him), yes. I said as much yesterday.
norcal (3a6333) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:45 pm“If you can dream it you can live it” is the reason poor John Eastman is facing disbarment. He should have gotten a professorship somewhere instead of going into private practice.
nk (825bbb) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:49 pmThose who support the return of abortion policies to the states should embrace the Arizona Supreme Court decision today.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:28 pm
I do embrace it, just as I will accept the outcome of the Arizona vote in November on a state constitutional amendment allowing for abortion.
norcal (3a6333) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:50 pm“If you can dream it you can live it” is the reason poor John Eastman is facing disbarment. He should have gotten a professorship somewhere instead of going into private practice.
nk (825bbb) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:49 pm
I can only hope that the name John Eastman becomes “a hiss and a byword” (one of those cute little phrases from the Book of Mormon) to future generations.
norcal (3a6333) — 4/9/2024 @ 5:54 pmI have to read that Arizona opinion. I did not know that Territorial laws survived statehood. Or are they pulling our leg with that 1864 date and the law was reenacted in 1912?
nk (825bbb) — 4/9/2024 @ 6:10 pmOk, that didn’t take long:
Link to entire opinion pdf.
nk (23d034) — 4/9/2024 @ 6:19 pmKevin M (and everyone else): remember when I brought up this new movie coming out, Civil War?
Yeah, I saw the trailers, too. What you say about the film’s real goals isn’t surprising.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:22 pmWorse.
I’m just surprised how so many claim to be Republican conservatives yet have no problem with keeping abortion legal. Whether at the federal or state level, it is a moral evil.
Rip Murdock (ab1f13) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:26 pm2020 is not a precedent. It is a cautionary tale. Don’t let Trumps within a mile of the White House.
asset would beg to differ.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:29 pmWhy wouldn’t Republicans abolish the filibuster when they take over the Senate in January 2025 to pass an abortion ban?
Because they have better things to do after they abolish the filibuster?
And who is going to sign it? Not even Trump is that big an idiot.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:31 pmAnd the filibuster doesn’t need to be abolished. The Senate could suspend its rules for consideration of any legislation so that it cannot be filibustered.
Just for this one thing, honest!
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:33 pmArizona Supreme Court rules a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable
It will be repealed.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:35 pmRip, I think you and your friends need to do the cultural work before imposing a national ban.
There might be 20 votes for that in the Senate.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:36 pmIs that according to the Soviet Constitution of 1936? If the Tenth Amendment protects anything, it protects a State from having its laws dictated by another State.
If federalism means anything, it means that no state can control its residents from fleeing to another, saner, state.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:38 pmIf states persist in laws that criminalize helping a woman flee their godforsaken state, the 14th Amendment might give Congress the power to slap that crap down.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:41 pmEastman was the Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service at Chapman University’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1999, specializing in Constitutional Law, Legal History, and Property, and served as the law school dean from 2007-2010. He was forced to retire because of his work for Trump.
Rip Murdock (ab1f13) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:43 pmI’m just surprised how so many claim to be Republican conservatives yet have no problem with keeping abortion legal. Whether at the federal or state level, it is a moral evil.
Rip Murdock (ab1f13) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:26 pm
For *once* I agree with Rip about something.
Also, every time I hear of John Eastman, I think of Eastman Kodak.
qdpsteve again (247e1a) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:45 pmLOL! Trump would sign an abortion ban in a heartbeat.
Rip Murdock (e0004d) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:47 pmLOL! Trump would sign an abortion ban in a heartbeat.
Rip Murdock (e0004d) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:47 pm
Everybody see what Rip did there? 😉
qdpsteve again (247e1a) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:50 pmAfter the next election, probably closer to 50 or more.
Rip Murdock (ab1f13) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:51 pmOne thing that’s been refreshing about X/Twitter (sorry Rip) is finding so many non-Christians and even atheists who are pro-life. (Although of course I love that Christians are such a big part of the movement.)
In fact one of the most interesting voices I know there is @RonCole80482262. He’s taken anti-abortion positions that even many other pro-lifers at X find extreme.
qdpsteve again (247e1a) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:53 pmIf they wish too.
Rip Murdock (ab1f13) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:54 pmWhether at the federal or state level, it is a moral evil.
Rip Murdock (ab1f13) — 4/9/2024 @ 7:26 pm
Do you make any distinctions? Is a morning after pill as evil as an abortion at eight months of pregnancy?
norcal (d93b4b) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:27 pmLOL! Trump would sign an abortion ban in a heartbeat.
OK, you win. That would make him a tremendous idiot.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:34 pmAfter the next election, probably closer to 50 or more.
Because being for an abortion ban is seeping every state in the country! Except every one that has held an election.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:35 pmWhat fukwits.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:37 pmExcept every one that has held an election.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:35 pm
And I predict that trend will continue, including Arizona.
Ordinary citizens may not comprehend economics or foreign policy, but they understand abortion.
norcal (d93b4b) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:59 pmRemember those who take away a woman’s right to have an abortion may have their rights taken away too! Their are no rights only privileges that can be taken away at any time.
asset (8e2fae) — 4/10/2024 @ 12:04 am“I’m just surprised how so many claim to be Republican conservatives yet have no problem with keeping abortion legal. Whether at the federal or state level, it is a moral evil.”
Rip, for months you told us here that polls…correctly…showed the inevitability of Trump. And that individual opinions…however deeply felt….were largely irrelevant to the attitudes of most Republicans. It’s a democracy and there is no way to short-circuit the desires of a majority. Courts only have so much authority as the 14A controversy showed.
It would seem that this same approach can be applied to abortion. There is little doubt about public attitudes about abortion. Politically we’ve seen them tested in conservative venues like Ohio and Kansas with decisive results. In case after case, the majority view is for abortion to be legally available in at least the first trimester. The Alabama IVF fiasco and now the Arizona court conclusion are unpopular….as evidenced by politicians running from them….quickly…Hawley-Quick.
It doesn’t mean that the issue is closed. It’s just that there’s a political reality: you can’t legislate this morality if you don’t have the votes. Practical Rip saw this with the moral quandary that is Trump but refuses to acknowledge it with abortion. The same Rip who believes there is no way to stop Trump at the convention believes that the GOP should nuke the filibuster to thwart the will of the people. As if there’s no consequence to doing this. That there would be no reprisal. That the majority will simply acquiesce and the complex contested matter can be muscled to conclusion.
This is ridiculous.
It ignores what people deeply think about the question. It ignores that legislative initiatives must actually persuade voters. Calling something a moral evil ignores that the majority of society may still see it as the woman’s choice, that it is viewed as a question of bodily autonomy….and that reproduction should not be coerced.
Pornography, drunkeness, divorce…there are lots of things that are morally questionable that remain legal for individuals to choose within limit. Abortion…like Trump….can’t be wishcasted away. It’s difficult to persuade on such an emotional issue…trying to do it by fiat seems impractical.
AJ_Liberty (5be82c) — 4/10/2024 @ 3:20 am@350 It amazes me that contrary to the evidence anti-abortionists think that when their side say they will take my gun from my cold dead hand is meaningful ;but the democrats will just whine and submit as they did with gore and clinton. This is not the lesser of two evil candidates. As your side cares about guns my side cares about abortion. You know what you would do if your gun is threatened ;but think the other side are wimps to be pushed around. Trump is finding this not to be so.
asset (8e2fae) — 4/10/2024 @ 3:47 amNothing makes me as proud to be an American as knowing that Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz, and Marjorie Taylor-Greene will be telling all my female friends and relatives how to have babies.
nk (67f84c) — 4/10/2024 @ 6:18 am@329
It’s not that I don’t have any problem with it…
I wished abortion is never done, outside of the life of the mother…
But… I also believe pro-lifers need to be pragmatic, and embrace that idea that the “fight” is going to be long term, and even generational.
Dobbs rendered that “decision” to be a state decision, rather federal. So, that moved the battlefield and pro-lifers needs to understand that. That is, fortify anti-abortion laws in existing states, and bring the “fight” to those abortion-allowing states.
Furthermore, pro-lifers must MUST embrace policies that gives mothers options to carry to terms: ease of adoption, post-birth welfare, daycare, etc…
In short, pro-lifer’s works is never done. Dobbs was a massive win, but the fight must still go on.
whembly (86df54) — 4/10/2024 @ 6:26 amThe Republican Party opposed Roe, but much of that was because of the terribleness of the Roe decision, not because they wanted to ban all abortions. Ronald Reagan signed a “choice” law in California, he was not opposed to all abortions. He WAS opposed to Roe, because it “settled” a political argument by judicial decree. Much the same way that Dred Scott “settled” the slavery issue.
It’s not surprising that someone who lives in a state where they will never ever seriously restrict abortion wants a federal law to override that, just as someone who favored abortion but lived in Texas liked Roe. But the beauty of federalism is that you can move to another state if you don’t like what’s going on in yours. Demanding federal laws to force your state to “behave” is a two-edged sword. Finagle’s Law says it will hit you more times than not.
The CA GOP sacrificed itself on the altar of abortion. I see no good reason that the national party should do that. But “we’ll see.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:13 amRemember those who take away an infant’s right to life may have their rights taken away too!
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:14 amThis story is hard to believe:
But it is consistent with the changes I have seen in our local monopoly newspaper, in recent years.
For most of my life they regularly ran a variety of columns by religous leaders on Sundays. They stopped, and now are reluctant to even mention any Christian stories. (They do, from time to time, run stories on Muslims and Hindus.)
Jim Miller (59dfcc) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:14 amI should have added that the comics section on Easter Sunday had 8 strips mentioning secular celebrations of Easter, and one religious strip (“The Family Circus”).
The Seattle Times does not control the content of the comics.
Jim Miller (59dfcc) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:24 am@350:
I agree with most of this, but the point that is missed in all of this is that GOP opposition to Roe was in part opposed to the decision and its usurpation, not a particular hostility to abortion in all forms.
There are not 51 votes in the Senate to pass a national ban. Probably more votes to ban guns than abortion, and nowhere near 51 of those either. The filibuster will go the moment a single party has Congress and the WH and has the fire in the belly to make use of it.
The filibuster has been sliced and diced enough already by BOTH parties. It wasn’t just Reid; McConnell nuked it twice, once for appellate court judges and once for Supreme Court justices, then he cut the hours of foot-dragging debate after cloture from 30 to something like 3 — all through the nuclear option.
But the filibuster’s main use of late has not been about abortion, it’s been to block important and substantive legislation. Which is why it has to go.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:24 amThe Seattle Times does not control the content of the comics.
My local Nextdoor feed has a few posts about the religious significance of Easter, and all of them were attacked by atheist activists and taken down.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:27 amGeorge Will: Why the abortion fight will ease into split-the-difference agreement
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:34 amI wouldn’t be surprised if the Seattle Times did that. Like with Berliner and NPR, there’s definitely been a hardening of the left-wing media arteries.
Paul Montagu (638134) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:34 amI was watching MSNBC and CNN kvetch and gnash teeth about the AZ abortion decision, and you could almost see liberal heads explode, but this is the way federalism works, and it’s a good thing.
Paul Montagu (638134) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:39 amIt’s not like AZ doesn’t have a legislature, with a fully formed House and Senate, to come together and change or replace this 160-year old law. It’s what democracy is about.
Trump’s “inevitability” was made only by the squishiness of the Republicans running against him; and pornography, drunkenness, divorce don’t involve life or death.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:42 amhttps://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/09/aimee-harris-biden-daughter-diary-00151311
Woman gets prison time for selling diary that accuses Joe Biden of being a child molester.
NJRob (f86462) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:45 amThe Republican Party has in the past opposed not only Roe, but abortion itself (see the 2016 Republican Party Platform). To say that the party only opposed Roe and not abortion itself is misleading. See also here.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:58 am1. The headline should read: Why the abortion fight will ease into split-the-baby agreement
2. Who cares what George Will thinks?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 9:00 amNo.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 9:01 am“Pragmatism” is just a way to avoid dealing with the core issue. If the North was “pragmatic” about slavery or the US was “pragmatic” about the Holocaust (which it was in the 1930’s). neither slavery or Nazi Germany would have been confronted as they were.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 9:06 amRip:
Roe protected the GOP from getting hammered on the abortion issue, because voters could rationally assume that the GOP noise on this issue would never have an impact. They don’t have that protection now. We will soon see other GOP positions doing a Kari Lake style u-turn on abortion.
I’m not telling you to change your mind on this issue. I am telling you that the immorality of abortion has to become part of the culture in the same way abolitionism became part of the culture of the North. (And that took decades). Imposing abortion restrictions top down, withput the cultural support to do it, will last maybe a year or two, and be promptly reversed. Federalism at least allows some states to maintain restrictions and establishes a pro-life culture in some parts of America that are willing to countenance that.
Appalled (b6017e) — 4/10/2024 @ 10:11 am@368 That’s not at all correct. A pragmatic approach to the lead up of the civil could have involved economic assistance to offset the elimination of slavery. Pragmatic doesn’t mean you give in. It means you’re realistic about what’s involved to get what you want.
For instance a ‘pragmatic’ pro-life approach could involve trading access to abortion with other priorities shared by the pro-choice movement.
For instance (and I’m not advocating this as good policy) Pro-life could ask for an abortion ban with life of the mother/rape/incest exceptions and in exchange offer medical care for pregnant women and small children, high quality public child care up to the age of 12, increased public school funding, and substantially increased public assistance funding for children and parents.
Again, I’m not advocating this, I think it’s bad policy. But I could see it being very tempting for large portions of the left, enough to force them to the bargaining table and ending up with some sort of agreement. The purists on both sides wouldn’t be satisfied. But they never are. As soon as there’s an abortion ban a portion of the right start the discussion to get birth control restricted.
Time123 (35a55d) — 4/10/2024 @ 10:19 am@364 you misspelled “stealing” as “selling”. Don’t worry about it too much, I misspell things all the time.
Time123 (35a55d) — 4/10/2024 @ 10:20 amTime123 (35a55d) — 4/10/2024 @ 10:19 am
Nobody wanted them. It got no positive reception from representatives of slaveowners.
It did pass during the Civil War for the District of Columbia:
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/civil_war/DCEmancipationAct_FeaturedDoc.htm
The “pro-choice” people won’t take anything in exchange for limitations on abortion
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:16 amAJ_Liberty (5be82c) — 4/10/2024 @ 3:20 am
Public opinion is actually quite restrictive – with this important caveat: People would rather have law that is too liberal for them, than one that could prohibit any abortion that they favor. And the pro-choice argument is that it is impossible to draft a law that would not prohibit what you don’t want to prohibit. We see this over and over again although they don’t say this explicitly – it’s just that every law, even one that prohibits only partial birth abortion, is said to stop even abortions that would save the life of the mother.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:24 amIf there had never been a Roe v Wade decision, Arizona would not still be operating under the 1864 law, unmodified. So the decision that it is now in effect is unfair to democracy.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:25 am@364 you misspelled “stealing” as “selling”. Don’t worry about it too much, I misspell things all the time.
IF it was Trump’s lawyer’s defense strategy that was stolen from a locked car, the NY Times would publish it and all right thinking people would defend it.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:30 amIf there had never been a Roe v Wade decision, Arizona would not still be operating under the 1864 law, unmodified. So the decision that it is now in effect is unfair to democracy.
Why? The AZ legislature can pass another law tomorrow.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:31 amNo.
So, a zealot.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:34 amKevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:24 am
There are exceptions codified in various laws, like budget bills. That’s how the Republicans were able to pass a tax bill in 2017, and also zero out the Obamacare tax penalty. Undoing recently issued regulations is another category of law immune form the filibuster.
I think it was Reid who nuked it for appellate court judges, and all other nominations except for Supreme Court justices
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_option
But it was used more than once (you say) to reduce further the time available for debate after cloture.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:35 amKevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:31 am
That status quo is an important factor in what the law is.
It won’t be easy to undo “bail reform” or “raise the age” for example.
Baseball has an antitrust exemption owing to the status quo even after the Supreme Court decision granting it is no longer valid.
Every time they changed antitrust law, it survived
Now I grant you that after 4 to 8 years the law on abortion might reflect current opinion.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:39 amRip, the fact that you consider abortion to be the same as owning slaves does not mean that it is so. I won’t argue that you believe it, just as I won’t argue that a Young Earth Creationist believes their drivel. But I am unlikely to be convinced.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:43 amThat status quo is an important factor in what the law is.
And the public dissatisfaction right before an election is another important factor in what the law becomes.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:44 amOK, Reid did it twice and McConnell did it twice. The “Nuclear Option” isn’t all that clever — it’s been in Robert’s Rules since forever. GEt the chair to rule and then appeal the decision to the floor, majority vote.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 11:46 am“Trump’s “inevitability” was made only by the squishiness of the Republicans running against him;”
Are you now arguing that Trump’s base was in fact persuadable? What’s the evidence for this? Christie grousing about the other candidates is not the same level of evidence as actual polling data suggesting that voters would have been persuaded by harder attacks on Trump. It seems like DeSantis’ and Haley’s data told them something else. I sense you are now projecting what you wanted.
“and pornography, drunkenness, divorce don’t involve life or death.”
I think my point was more basic: simply saying moral evil is not sufficient to persuade many people. Others would argue commandeering a woman’s uterus and risking her life is a greater moral evil. Whose morality? Who decides whose interest takes priority? Conservatives want women to choose life. If you want to legislate that choice, then you need to change hearts and votes. Trying to push even more stringent requirements in the face of Kansas and Ohio comes across as a little tone deaf. For someone compulsively poll driven, this seems out of character. In fact it seems like horrible advice for the GOP.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 4/10/2024 @ 12:07 pm“and pornography, drunkenness, divorce don’t involve life or death.”
OF the three, “drunkenness” eventually does. And not always the drinkers. Children, spouses, people in other cars. More than half of all accidental deaths involve drunkenness in some way.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 12:33 pm279: Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/9/2024 @ 8:41 am
Mitch McConnell will vote against it, and take at least 6-10 other Republicans with him. Besides it is unconstitutional although they could restrict mailing or interstate shipping of abortion pills and abortion equipment.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 1:10 pmIn fact, in what could be coming from the Democratic campaign, some people are saying that Trump would appoint MAGA officials and those officials will want to start enforcing the 1873 Comstock law provisions on abortion.
New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/opinion/trump-abortion-states.html
@ 8:41 am
Then she quotes an unnamed attorney as saying to a writer for the Atlantic, Elaine Godfrey:
“It’s obviously a political loser, so just keep your mouth shut. Say you oppose a federal ban, and see if that works.”
Then it suddenly becomes Trump’s plan.
But as Paul Montagu said @291, Trump doesn’t give a rip about the subject. He could only fall into it.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/10/2024 @ 1:12 pmNo, you misinterpreted my response. No meant I don’t think the morning after pill is as evil as an abortion (within any timeframe).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 1:31 pmSo you admit the diary is real and Joe is a pedo according to his daughter. Good for you.
NJRob (f86462) — 4/10/2024 @ 1:40 pmTrump Criminal Litigation Watch, NY Edition:
Link to letter and jury questionnaire.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 1:50 pmTrump ended roe and now roe will end trump! Even trump is scared of az ruling and republicans are running for the hills. Az republican party tells its candidate don’t mention abortion and change the subject if it comes up and ask conservative talk radio to do the same. (du) (tyt) (stephanie miller show) (mike malloy show) Local abc, cbs and nbc news shows)
asset (3a10c7) — 4/10/2024 @ 1:52 pmMore from Arizona:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 2:02 pm@355 Their are no rights only privileges. As republicans will find out the hard way when biden/clinton establishment corporate shills are replaced by real hard democrats.
asset (3a10c7) — 4/10/2024 @ 2:10 pmRIP Nobel Prize winning physicist Peter Higgs (94):
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 2:12 pm@391 Republicans in az have to go down with the titanic or else demand the fundos.
asset (3a10c7) — 4/10/2024 @ 2:13 pm@362 Corporate media are upset this will help the left take over the democrat party Thats the gnashing of teeth as their job is to keep the establishment in control of the democrat party. In the az house today the establishment democrats were reduce to crying shame! shame! As their corporate masters wont allow them to do more like call for a general strike in az.
asset (3a10c7) — 4/10/2024 @ 2:21 pmNo, you misinterpreted my response.
I did, but you helped.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 2:34 pmApparently leaving abortion to the states has its limitations:
“State’s rights” unless states are doing something Trump doesn’t like.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 4:17 pmStrike Three:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 4:33 pmTrump hush money charges seen as serious by most voters, Reuters/Ipsos finds
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 5:31 pmThis is utterly stupid of Trump’s lawyers as this was a winnable case. Now, it probably isn’t. If this is more victim-posturing by Trump, setting up for a guilty verdict to rally his troops (and I do mean troops), well, good luck with that.
Trump seems to be convinced that his key to winning is to dial up his choir to “11” rather than trying to appeal out side of it. Or maybe he’s actually wanting to start a civil war this time. Hard to say. The Supremes will come to regret their mistake in appeasing him once more.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 5:35 pmI’m sure they are just following orders.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 5:42 pmTrump derails FISA bill.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 5:49 pmThere were enough FISA abuses that they really should have to spend some time in the woodshed.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 5:50 pmNot surprising:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/10/2024 @ 5:55 pmIf Putin says “No FISA for America” there will be no FISA for America.
How did we get to this point? How?
nk (67f84c) — 4/10/2024 @ 6:55 pmHow did we get to this point? How?
By playing cute games with the FISA court. A lot of Democrats voted against. Pogo could explain.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 6:59 pmnk, The vote failed because 19 Republicans joined 209 Democrats to defeat the bill. 193 Republicans and ZERO Democrats voted in favor.
So, maybe this isn’t on Putin. The real takeaway should be that 193 Republicans defied Trump.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 7:02 pmC-Span
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/10/2024 @ 7:03 pmThank you, Kevin. I stand corrected. And educated.
nk (67f84c) — 4/10/2024 @ 7:15 pmMayorkas feigns ignorance about how his border mess works
lloyd (78359a) — 4/10/2024 @ 8:02 pmAlthough I generally agreed with Berliner about the culture at NPR, I didn’t say more because of his wrong comment about the Mueller report, and Wemple weighed in as well.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/10/2024 @ 9:29 pmIf you’re going to criticize a news site for their substandard factual reporting, then you should have your facts right, and Berliner fell short.
From Paul’s expert:
Oh..
BuDuh (b5e4c2) — 4/10/2024 @ 9:40 pm@411 The same folks who quibble with Berliner claiming the Mueller report found no evidence of collusion are the same folks claiming Durham found no evidence of political bias in the FBI. Their standard of evidence is tribal, as when they latched onto the “bloodbath” hoax.
lloyd (78359a) — 4/10/2024 @ 9:55 pmBerliner clearly did not understand what “did not establish” meant, as so many others in the tank for Trump, but your cherry-picking Wemple is noted.
lloyd, Durham had no issues with IG Horowitz, who concluded that he found no documentary or testamentary bias among FBI involved, which is one of several reasons why his investigation of the investigators was a miserable failure.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/10/2024 @ 10:04 pmTrump can’t run away from the abortion issue fast enough.
He earlier pledged that he would sign a national abortion bill, but yesterday said he wouldn’t, obviously for political reasons, because his polling is already underwater with women. For those think he was some sort of anti-abortion champion, no, he was pandering, just like he’s been pandering to evangelicals with his Bible hawking. Two Corinthians says it all.
I also presume that women also don’t appreciate a guy who steps out on his third wife to have unprotected sex a woman who appeared in graphic sex videos for a living, and the trial that will spotlight his behavior in a matter of days.
The AZ legislature isn’t helping him either.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 4:31 amThe news media isn’t helping Republicans on abortion one little bit. I keep waiting for stories about states that allow late-term abortions and the deaths that result from such dangerous procedures in abortion clinics. But they rarely make it past the local papers. (Yahoo free version of ABQ Journal)
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 6:57 amFry in Hell: OJ Simpson, murderer, 76, prostate cancer.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 7:58 amWe will never find the real killers now.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 7:59 amThe Arizona Legislature is just following Trump’s stated position that it is up to the states and that they will handle abortion “very well.”
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/11/2024 @ 9:05 amKevin M, I would assume Patterico’s office is mourning OJ with a big cake and lots of champagne right about now…
qdpsteve again (4f177a) — 4/11/2024 @ 1:15 pmIt never got tot the point were OJ cod no longer deny his gilt with a straight face. It was arranged by his co-conspirators that he would be found guilty in a civil trial (The National Enquirer switched aftwr the verdict from “OJ didn’t do it” to how he did it acting completely alone) and then he was even entrapped into stealing something and imprisoned in Nevada but the tale is still over too soon
And I think there was jury tampering. It’s just that the paid off jurors had to get unpaid jurors to go along.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/11/2024 @ 2:43 pmAnd it wasn’t OJ’s idea or else he would have hired killers. It was other people who talked OJ into it.
I think it was done to stop an investigation Nicole was threatening into tax evasion on money earned by signing autographs.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/11/2024 @ 2:45 pmI know I will regret asking, but what is the evidence of a conspiracy in the murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Simpson?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/11/2024 @ 5:15 pmAnd it wasn’t OJ’s idea or else he would have hired killers. It was other people who talked OJ into it.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 4/11/2024 @ 2:45 pm
I don’t care if other people talked him into it. Murder is murder.
norcal (031e48) — 4/11/2024 @ 5:42 pmOJ cheated a double-murder conviction, but he couldn’t cheat cancer, but he lived a lot longer than he deserved.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 7:04 pmSympathies for the Brown and Goodman families.
So OJ is a murderer? Says who? A jury said no. Are we disregarding jury verdicts?
lloyd (28fd9f) — 4/11/2024 @ 7:54 pmHere’s the tale of an obnoxious dinner guest at the Chemerinsky home and, of course, she’s a Palestinian activist.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:00 pmDavid Lat covered the constitutional issues, which are basically that the guest had no right to spout off and the hosts had every right to kick her out.
Most people know that juries sometimes get things wrong. That’s why defendants can appeal a conviction.
norcal (031e48) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:02 pmOne of the better stunts of the defense team was installing a bunch of African art inside O.J.’s residence just before the jury took a field trip there.
norcal (031e48) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:03 pmLeftist law professors who’ve spent decades coddling and pandering to leftist students are surprised when leftist student dinner guests act like coddled and pandered leftists.
Anti-Israel protester disrupts Berkeley law dean’s backyard dinner, refuses to leave
Nothing personal, but here’s hoping these law professors are fighting multiple lawsuits for many years over this, though even in the hyper litigious world they helped create I doubt it will work out that way.
lloyd (28fd9f) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:05 pmI do, and not “murderer”, double-murderer.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:06 pmThis is a court of public opinion, not law, although a jury did decide against OJ in a civil case, concluding that, on the preponderance of the evidence, OJ was “responsible” for snuffing out the lives of Ms. Brown and Mr. Goodman.
I hope OJ’s family will put him in a grave. It’ll give people the chance to piss on it.
@428 Hold that thought, norcal.
lloyd (28fd9f) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:23 pmbruh
Dustin (8c84ad) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:29 pmSo OJ is a murderer? Says who? A jury said no. Are we disregarding jury verdicts?
You cannot libel the dead.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:49 pm@421: Sammy’s conspiracy theories are never simple ones.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:51 pmSympathies for the Brown and Goodman families.
Question for the lawyers: OJ lost a sizable wrongful death case but much of his wealth was protected in a retirement account. Now, he is dead and that retirement account, or what’s left of it is part of his estate. Can the Browns and Goldmans collect?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:54 pmFrankly, Professor Chemerinsky reaped a pile of Karma.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:56 pmMichael Weiss has a solid source in Estonian intelligence, and he’s gives a good rundown on the status of Putin’s War Against Ukraine.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 8:57 pmThe Ukrainians can really use American military aid, to put it mildly.
The Ukrainians can really use American military aid, to put it mildly.
I have no doubt they can USE it, I just doubt they can drive the Russians out with any aid we could conceivably give short of NATO intervention.
If there is some idea that Putin might give up, then great. Otherwise it’s just a matter of negotiating tactics as Ukraine cannot fight forever.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 9:00 pmSo OJ is a murderer? Says who?
Norm McDonald?
A person can be found innocent by the jury and still be the murderer
steveg (478c0d) — 4/11/2024 @ 9:06 pmThere’s the phrase about getting the best justice money can buy, but OJ got the best injustice money can buy, including his lawyers hiding his history of battering women.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 9:21 pmJonah remarks on the serious business the MAGA Mike House is conducting.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 9:37 pmWe shouldn’t forget that MAGA Mike took $37,000 in donations from Russians connected to Putin (and then returned the money once it was found out).
Oh yeah, Norm MacDonald.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 4/11/2024 @ 9:47 pm@442L Like any conspiracy theorist, it gets tiring.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/11/2024 @ 10:59 pmInteresting side note today white sports radio jocks ramble on and on about o.j. ;but black sports radio jocks mention it and then go on and on about nba.
asset (2855d2) — 4/11/2024 @ 11:18 pmGood article by Williamson on abortion and Trump at The Dispatch
https://thedispatch.com/article/trumps-toxic-touch/
AJ_Liberty (750b71) — 4/12/2024 @ 3:36 amhttps://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1778420790226268232
Seattle is full of commies that hate America. The red, white and blue “triggers” them and if you support America you aren’t welcome there.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/12/2024 @ 4:21 amNaturally, Trump has it all wrong about the renewal of FISA 702, which has nothing to do with the FISA court and warrants (although it did pick up Michael Flynn’s phone call with the Russian Ambassador), but he’s agin it, therefore his lapdog Speaker is also agin it.
Paul Montagu (895dc0) — 4/12/2024 @ 8:37 amThe case for its renewal is here, and hopefully not behind a paywall, and recommended reforms here.
What’s good for the goose….
D.N.C. Helped Pay Biden’s Legal Bills in Special Counsel Investigation
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/12/2024 @ 8:43 amtherefore his lapdog Speaker is also agin it.
But seems to have mistakenly pressured members to pass it today.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/12/2024 @ 8:44 amMAGA Mike shortened the extension to two years, in the hopes that a President Trump will kill it.
Paul Montagu (895dc0) — 4/12/2024 @ 8:55 am