Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
Excellent:
Liz Cheney: "In this election, putting patriotism ahead of partisanship is not an aspiration. It is our duty." pic.twitter.com/cUrQdNj00Y
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 3, 2024
This is why Republicans are voting for Harris. Listen to the entirety of Cheney’s speech. You won’t be disappointed. Well, unless you’re ‘party before country’…then you will be rolling your eyes.
Second news item
No welcome from Trump for the Haitians in Springfield, Ohio:
Former President Trump said Wednesday he would revoke immigration status for Haitian migrants who are living legally in the U.S.
. . .
Trump, speaking to NewsNation in Houston, Texas, said he would revoke the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants and “bring them back to their country.”
“In my opinion, it’s not legal. It’s not legal for anybody to do,” Trump said.
TPS is a federal program that allows migrants from some countries to legally live in the United States for a certain period when the conditions in their home country are unsafe.
Migrants from Haiti, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Venezuela are among some countries eligible for the program, requiring participants to re-register with the Department of Homeland Security each year.
A Haitian organization in Ohio filed criminal charges against former President Trump and running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) on Tuesday, alleging the pair has caused harm by spreading baseless smears about Haitian immigrants.
Third news item
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, former President Donald Trump has blasted the Biden administration for its handling of the disaster — going so far as to accuse Democratic leaders of ignoring the needs of Republican storm victims.
But a review of Trump’s record by POLITICO’s E&E News and interviews with two former Trump White House officials show that the former president was flagrantly partisan at times in response to disasters and on at least three occasions hesitated to give disaster aid to areas he considered politically hostile or ordered special treatment for pro-Trump states.
But of course:
Mark Harvey, who was Trump’s senior director for resilience policy on the National Security Council staff, told E&E News on Wednesday that Trump initially refused to approve disaster aid for California after deadly wildfires in 2018 because of the state’s Democratic leanings.
But Harvey said Trump changed his mind after Harvey pulled voting results to show him that heavily damaged Orange County, California, had more Trump supporters than the entire state of Iowa.
Fourth news item
With a bit of pressure from President Biden, there is a tentative agreement on the port strike:
“Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume,” the ILA and USMX said in a joint statement Thursday evening.
The tentative agreement would increase workers’ wages by 62% over the life of the 6-year contract, sources familiar confirm to ABC News.
This represents a significant increase from the shipping industry group’s offer of a 50% wage increase earlier this week. The union had been pushing for a 77% pay hike over six years.
Note:
The ILA, the union representing 50,000 East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers under the contract at issue, was seeking higher wages and a ban on the use of some automated equipment.
Fifth news item
Anne Applebaum on the folly of “red lines” in the Ukraine-Russia war:
But in truth, the imaginary red lines, the slow provision of weapons, and the rules about what can and can’t be hit are not the real problem. On its own, a White House decision to allow the Ukrainians to strike targets in Russia with American or even European missiles will not change the course of the war. The deeper limitation is our lack of imagination. Since this war began, we haven’t been able to imagine that the Ukrainians might defeat Russia, and so we haven’t tried to help those who are trying to do exactly that. We aren’t identifying, funding, and empowering the young Ukrainian engineers who are inventing new forms of asymmetric warfare. With a few exceptions, Ukrainians tell me, many allied armies aren’t in regular contact with the people carrying out cutting-edge military experiments in Ukraine. Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine’s minister of strategic industries, says that the Ukrainians have spare capacity in their own drone factories, and could produce more themselves if they just had the money. Meanwhile, $300 billion worth of frozen Russian reserves are still sitting in European clearinghouses, untouched, waiting for a political decision to use that money to win the war. Biden is right to tout the success of the coalition of democracies created to aid Ukraine, but why not let that coalition start defending Ukraine against incoming missiles, as friends of Israel have just done in the Middle East? Why isn’t the coalition focused on enforcing targeted sanctions against the Russian defense industry?
Worse—much worse—is that, instead of focusing on victory, Americans and Europeans continue to dream of a magic “negotiated solution” that remains far away. Many, many people, some in good faith and some in bad faith, continue to call for an exchange of “land for peace.” Last week, Trump attacked Zelensky for supposedly refusing to negotiate, and the ex-president continues to make unfounded promises to end the war “in 24 hours.” But the obstacle to negotiations is not Zelensky. He probably could be induced to trade at least some land for peace, as long as Ukraine received authentic security guarantees—preferably, though not necessarily, in the form of NATO membership—to protect the rest of the country’s territory, and as long as Ukraine could be put on a path to complete integration with Europe. Even a smaller Ukraine would still need to be a viable country, to attract investment and ensure refugees’ return.
Right now, the actual obstacle is Putin.
Sixth news item
What is it with bigoted Republican politicians:
Thinking before you speak publicly is an important skill. Idaho State Sen. Dan Foreman, a conservative Republican, apparently did not get the memo.
As Boise State Public Radio, an NPR affiliate, reported on Thursday, a “meet the candidates” forum was held on Tuesday evening in Kendrick, a town with a population of about 300. Foreman attended, as did others running for District 6 state House and Senate seats…
After Trish Carter-Goodheart, a Democrat running for a House seat, pointed out that discrimination and racism exist in Idaho, Foreman reportedly lost his temper and told her to “go back where you came from.”
Among the various problems with that statement, Carter-Goodheart happens to be a member of the Nez Perce tribe, which has a reservation smack in the middle of District 6. She was where she came from. Foreman, as the radio piece noted, was born in Illinois.
Seventh news item
Hurricane Helene’s aftermath leaves 215 dead, and 200 individuals unaccounted for. You can make donations here to help with disaster recovery.
Have a good weekend.
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (b3a824) — 10/4/2024 @ 8:49 amThe news sources I follow mostly seem to describe the anti-Israel activists here in the US as “pro-Palestinian”.
A better phrase — in my opinion — would be “pro-Hamas”, especially if they followed that with “a terrorist organization”.
(That Hamas has been especially bad for the Palestinians should be obvious to anyone who knows even a little about the organization.)
Jim Miller (da2968) — 10/4/2024 @ 9:06 amBut a review of Trump’s record by POLITICO’s E&E News and interviews with two former Trump White House officials show that the former president was flagrantly partisan at times in response to disasters and on at least three occasions hesitated to give disaster aid to areas he considered politically hostile or ordered special treatment for pro-Trump states.
You would find the same thing in Obama’s time, too. Particularly with Texas. Day late and a dollar short.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 10:41 amRegarding FEMA money that went to immigrants, of course Trump lied when he said, “They stole the FEMA money just like they stole it from a bank so they could give it to their illegal immigrants. This is the worst response in the history of hurricanes. This is worse than Katrina.”
The monies were from CBP, administered by FEMA…
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/4/2024 @ 10:42 amItems 3 and 5 seem similar
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 10:42 amCalifornia had more Trump voters in 2016 than any other state.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 10:43 amItem 6: #NeverTrump seems to be drifting toward #NeverRepublican.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 10:44 amThe ILA, the union representing 50,000 East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers under the contract at issue, was seeking higher wages and a ban on the use of some automated equipment.
The union got their 62% raise, and the ban on automated equipment is somehow still on the table; in other words, the union apparently didn’t trade any tangible concessions for their big fat payday. Please try to convince me that Election Day considerations weren’t paramount to the Biden/Harris Administration when negotiating this deal.
And worst of all, when these massive pay raises start affecting the price of goods unloaded at our docks, Kamala Harris-style Democrats are going to insist that it is just “price gouging” by greedy corporations. And dimwitted economically ignorant voters and the Dems’ academic and media allies will go along with it. Look for the 5,000 word think-piece in The Atlantic titled “Why Wage Increases on the Docks Don’t Explain the Rising Costs of Imported Goods.” Already Twitter is suffused with lefties insisting that there’s no connection between the two.
JVW (d17bc5) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:00 amAfter Trish Carter-Goodheart, a Democrat running for a House seat, pointed out that discrimination and racism exist in Idaho, Foreman reportedly lost his temper and told her to “go back where you came from.”
It’s a stupid thing to say, but I’m willing to believe that this guy assumed that this was yet another Californian or Oregonian or Washingtonian who had relocated to Idaho to get away from the dysfunction there, yet still wants to bring their ruinous leftist politics to that generally conservative state. I think that politicians have to be very careful when using that phrase and should probably avoid it altogether, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone arguing against teenage gender transitioning in West Hollywood or Greenwich Village wouldn’t be told the same thing.
JVW (d17bc5) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:04 am#7
#NeverTrump seems to be drifting toward #NeverRepublican.
Appalled (f24838) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:06 amKevin @ 5,
Thanks. Fixed now.
Dana (45fdbf) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:09 am#8
If you think the ILA didn’t have the election in mind when they called this strike…
Kicking the modernisation bit until after the election was probably smart. What’s likely is that there will be a fund established to take care of jobs lost through modernization. That’s likely going to be a hard, long negotiation, which could cause a long strike. If I’m the owners, maybe I cave on wages to stop things now, and hope for a less union friendly administration when the hard part of the negotiation comes up.
Appalled (f24838) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:16 amItem #3: Pure Whataboutism.
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:45 am#13
No it’s not. Item 3 is Trump telling a lie; then we find it was based on what he did in office.
Appalled (44c4b2) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:54 am“This is why Republicans are voting for Harris. Listen to the entirety of Cheney’s speech. You won’t be disappointed. Well, unless you’re ‘party before country’…then you will be rolling your eyes.”
Heh. Worth repeating:
Paul Ryan not voting for Trump or Harris is putting country before party. W staying out of the fray is putting country before party. Liz voting for policies that “would be devastating for America” (her words) is putting herself before the country.
lloyd (5de4a9) — 10/4/2024 @ 12:28 pmOnly because the California electorate is larger than any other state.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 12:34 pmlloyd:
Are Paul Ryan and W following your example when they not vote for Trump? Or is your real stance a vote for Kamala putting party or prejudice over country?
Appalled (f24838) — 10/4/2024 @ 12:44 pmItem 3:
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 12:50 pm@17 I believe Liz, before getting primaried turned her into Firestarter girl.
Did Ryan and W say voting for Trump is putting party before country? Hard to believe they’d be that insufferable and arrogant but if so, I’ll follow that example.
lloyd (5de4a9) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:00 pmRe Third News Item:
Trump wasn’t conditioning aid to California based on politics, he was mad that they hadn’t swept the leaves from the forest floor.
This is also when Trump recently claimed that he was involved in a helicopter crash with Willie Brown. He still hasn’t produced any records supporting that story.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:00 pm@18 That explains the slow response of Biden Harris. Putting country before party as usual. /s
lloyd (f2785d) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:03 pmMTG knows why Republican voters were disproportionately affected by the hurricane.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:05 pmlloyd,
Can you demonstrate that FEMA’s response is *historically* slow? Like, everyone wants their aid faster — but is that even possible?
Appalled (f24838) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:27 pm…….unless you’re ‘party before country’ ……or you recognize Kamala/Walz for the disaster they are and think any hysterical ‘feelings’ people have on ‘danger to democracy’ can is overblown and mitigated……..doesn’t mean necessarily ‘party before country’. Let’s remember, there are also Ds supporting and voting for orange man, and Cheney isn’t really an R anyways.
Dick Dutton (ddc02c) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:28 pm@23 Come on. We heard the same regarding the border mess for four years. Now, they’ve magically got it under “control” in an election year.
I’m not going to do data analysis. As I’ve said before, Biden Harris is capable of anything and is above nothing. The past four years are my evidence.
lloyd (5de4a9) — 10/4/2024 @ 1:53 pmHuh? Item 6 has nothing to do with Trump; unless you equate calling out bigotry with attacking Trump.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:05 pmUnder the heading that “every accusation is a confession,” Trump actually did what he (and others) are lying about what the Biden administration has done:
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:15 pmSo pulling $100M from an already slower-than average hurricane season to strengthen the border is the same as pulling $1B from an active season to give benefits to already-crossed illegals is the exact same.
GOT IT!!
SaveFarris (ccd5ab) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:25 pmLook for the 5,000 word think-piece in The Atlantic titled “Why Wage Increases on the Docks Don’t Explain the Rising Costs of Imported Goods.” Already Twitter is suffused with lefties insisting that there’s no connection between the two.
It’s just another tariff. But in this case I expect to hear how these pay increases are paid for by the importing companies, not American consumers.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:29 pmKicking the modernisation bit until after the election was probably smart.
They fought computerization of records for the longest time, as they had control of the clerical positions, too, and paper records required a lot of clerical workers (all well paid).
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:33 pm#25
What that means is you are just going to say stuff because you know in your heart it must be true.
And all you need to do is maybe link to someone saying it’s historically slow who is putting some support behind it.
Appalled (f24838) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:35 pmWe can all talk about how hurricane preparations weren’t made, but that’s a systemic fault where this year’s budget negotiators generally don’t care about problems well down the road. The faults that led to Katrina’s destruction went back decades.
How much money is going into building a resilient electrical grid in case of another Carrington Event? At a first estimate, none.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:39 pmOne of the things that I don’t get is why #NeverTrump keeps talking about J6. There are about 1000 insane things that Trump has said or done that give me greater pause than that feeble attempt to act out.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:41 pmMTG knows why Republican voters were disproportionately affected by the hurricane.
Well, MAGA voters anyway.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:42 pmAre Paul Ryan and W following your example when they not vote for Trump? Or is your real stance a vote for Kamala putting party or prejudice over country?
You conflate things. Ryan and W did not endorse Harris the way that Liz has.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:44 pmFortunately, we have neither a monarchy nor a parliament….and a President’s policies are not enacted by sheer force of the vote. There are political and institutional checks and balances. If Trump may lose, then it’s incumbent upon the GOP to win at least one house of congress. They should plan and spend accordingly. Harris is also on record walking away from her more extreme positions on fracking and guns. That’s good. Nothing says that she can’t backtrack but she will lose the support of independents and Republicans who crossed over and she will suffer politically. The danger with Trump is using his office’s power in illegal ways and continuing not to care. There is less institutional check in him withdrawing military support for NATO as he IS the commander in chief.
AJ_Liberty (564808) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:45 pmHuh? Item 6 has nothing to do with Trump; unless you equate calling out bigotry with attacking Trump.
No, I equate attacking a Republican like that as attacking Republicans. Or do you think he was mentioned simply for being a bigot.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:47 pmFortunately, we have neither a monarchy nor a parliament….and a President’s policies are not enacted by sheer force of the vote. There are political and institutional checks and balances.
What are the institutional checks and balances against the EPA regulating cow farts or shower duration? There used to be a simple Legislative Veto, but now we have a hodge-podge of judge-made law and murky procedure. Maybe dumping Chevron will help, but I would not call the legal gauntlet we have an “institutional” check.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:50 pmWhat does holding the House do when most of the things that happen are EOs and bureaucratic ukases? What recourse does Congress have, even if the GOP controls both houses, to make Harris approve a single fracking application, pipeline or power plant? Other than shutting down the entire government?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:54 pmHi AJ! Any luck?
BuDuh (79e4a7) — 10/4/2024 @ 3:32 pmFour More Years! Four More Years!
If nothing else, it will be four more years of NeverTrump saying that garbage like this isn’t their fault.
BuDuh (79e4a7) — 10/4/2024 @ 3:34 pmI think you overestimate the influence of this forum. I’m sure he wouldn’t received the media attention if he had kept his mouth shut. For example, here’s another one who would have been better off doing the same:
Senator Amy Klobuchar is polling around +11 in the race, in no small measure due to the candidate she is running against.
If I didn’t like what was being posted here I would leave.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:04 pmWhy the f would you be willing to believe it? It’s not like he just showed up from…oh yeah, carpetbagger wouldn’t know the neighbors.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:04 pmOnly the best and brightest.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:05 pmSo Republicans behaving badly should be immune from criticism?
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:05 pmFunny you never mention them. But wouldn’t that be “ attacking a Republican like that as attacking Republicans”?
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:09 pmIn Trump’s that exactly what he did; the Biden administration did no such thing. Facts matter.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:13 pmSo an attempted coup is 1000 down the list? Wow.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:13 pmThe FEMA disaster relief fund covers all natural disasters, all of which are unpredictable: tornadoes; floods; earthquakes; volcanic eruptions; etc. It’s shortsighted to focus on hurricanes. T
The real solution is stop subsidizing people through government insurance programs that encourage them to live in disaster prone areas; and make it clear that Uncle Sam is not riding to the rescue. That would encourage more self reliance and for communities and individual families to prepare for the inevitable consequences.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:23 pmCongress can directly forbid an administration from taking certain actions, by either forbidding them outright or denying the use of Federal funds to enforce Executive Orders or agency actions. Congress can also mandate an administration to take certain actions; and if an administration refuses to do so, challenge their actions in the courts. And outside parties (such as states or business groups) can also sue an administration for failure to comply with the law.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:40 pmIt was CBP money, approved by Congress.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:47 pmBecause Trump won’t shut his piehole about a “rigged” election, and it was a lie that precipitated J6. If he stops lying about it every single goddam day, then he wouldn’t be called out on it.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:50 pmHave you thought about yoga or something like that, Paul?
BuDuh (79e4a7) — 10/4/2024 @ 4:54 pmTrump believes that the COVID Mail in election was full of opportunities for fraud, and he keeps saying it. I’m tired of hearing it, but it is in his best interest to never concede the point.
steveg (650a22) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:04 pmYou’re right, Appalled. I gave you a specific example, when I should’ve designed simulation models, done data collection, detailed statistical analysis, then got it peer reviewed. Just for you. But, I didn’t. So, Biden Harris are unassailable. QED
lloyd (03f31e) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:10 pmSo Republicans behaving badly should be immune from criticism?
They were mentioned because they were Republicans. Are no Democrats behaving badly?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:24 pmI think you overestimate the influence of this forum
I think you overestimate my tolerance for that repeated inanity.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:25 pmIf I didn’t like what was being posted here I would leave.
OF course you would. Just like you left California.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:26 pmKevin M:
I regret my last comment at post 42. I don’t think you should leave. My apologies.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:27 pmFunny you never mention them. But wouldn’t that be “ attacking a Republican like that as attacking Republicans”?
1) I do.
2) Attacking Trump is attacking Trump.
3) Attacking a rando Republican, while emphasizing that he’s a Republican, is different.
If one was just going after a loud bigot, one could do that without naming the party. But it’s the party label that’s the motivation, isn’t it?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:30 pmPerhaps because this is a conservative oriented opinion forum that the focus is on Republicans. Just guessing.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:31 pmI actually did leave California. The weather is not worth the aggravation. I was talking to a friend who still lives there about the toilets that he’s allowed to install. My first thought was he should be grateful they still allow toilets.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:32 pmYou mean the head of the Republican Party and presidential candidate? That Donald Trump?
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:34 pmThere’s no difference between Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Get used to it.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:36 pmSo an attempted coup is 1000 down the list? Wow.
Well, that’s your characterization. It’s was unlikely to work in the extreme. Calling the problem at the southern border an “invasion” is more reasonable (even though it’s pathetic as an invasion).
Besides, Trump brings the crazy daily and a man that crazy is a LOT more scary in the Oval than an incompetent putschist.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:36 pmThe fact that you divide by zero does not mean I have to accept your math.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:37 pmAttacking a rando Republican, while emphasizing that he’s a Republican, is different.
If one was just going after a loud bigot, one could do that without naming the party. But it’s the party label that’s the motivation, isn’t it?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:30 pm
I think the salient point is this guy said the same toxic thing Trump did to the Squad (“go back where you came from”). I’d bet good money that he’s a full-on MAGA cultist.
norcal (4b66b5) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:38 pmFor the first time since 2020, Gov. Brian Kemp and former President Donald Trump will appear together. It’s not a campaign event, it’s a briefing on Hurricane Helene’s aftermath in east Georgia. But it’s still a significant moment in the November race.
#GetUsedToIt
BuDuh (79e4a7) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:42 pmI have no idea what you mean. I have lots of reasons to stay in California-family, work, my home (no beaches in NM for example), the ocean, etc. I cope with the politics, both local and state. I live comfortably, and I see no reason to change.
To each his own.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:43 pmFOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!!
Good choice Liz!!
BuDuh (79e4a7) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:47 pmDon’t depend on others, feel free to post your own links.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:49 pmAn arrest has been made in Springfield OH for killing geese.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/4/2024 @ 5:53 pmThat is newsworthy, Rip! Excellent find!
BuDuh (79e4a7) — 10/4/2024 @ 6:03 pmShe’s favorably quoting Aaron Rupar.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/4/2024 @ 6:15 pmhttps://hotair.com/john-s-2/2024/10/04/angry-about-the-hate-that-never-happened-n3795421
A dirtbag made an AI clip faking the principal of his school saying awful things. The principal lost his job and had to leave even after it was proven fake. People still act like the remarks are real.
Seems like a lesson somewhere.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/4/2024 @ 6:44 pmAs I’ve pointed out each time you’ve made that claim, those legislative scorecard rankings are easily manipulable bullsh1t. So as long as you keep repeating it, I’ll keep calling bullsh1t. And I’ll keep reposting this Heritage Action scorecard which claims Mitch McConnell’s voting record is also to the left of Bernie Sanders’. (As well as Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins allegedly being to the left of the entire Squad, and other such implausible hierarchies.)
lurker (c23034) — 10/4/2024 @ 7:34 pmbullsh1t.
McConnell’s score is 57%. Bernie’s score is 14%
(Hint: drill down on the link for each.)
Really, it’s one thing to say “Harris is hard Left, but Trump is worse for the country.” I can almost (almost!) respect that. Saying “Harris isn’t hard Left” is simply bonkers.
Scorecards aren’t gospel, and Heritage’s isn’t the only one. (BTW, Heritage tells you exactly how they got every score — really not a mystery). Liz gave her own scorecard, right there in her tweet: “raising taxes, banning gun sales, taxpayer $ for abortion and illegal immigrant health care, eliminating private health insurance.” Did you miss it? Seems right to me, but I guess Liz is just full of bullsh!t.
lloyd (d93773) — 10/4/2024 @ 7:56 pmFour More Years!!! Four More Years!!!!!
Exactly what true conservatives are begging for!!
BuDuh (4214e4) — 10/4/2024 @ 9:01 pmElon Musk lying about stuff? With $250B, and one of the largest, well large, well a, “social media” site, I’d bet he’ll continue to be lying on the daily for decades, at least until he’s en route to Mars.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/4/2024 @ 11:52 pmIt’s weird that Elon’s “engineer on the ground being blocked by FEMA” installing Starlink…doesn’t exist.
I know, Elon Musk lying, oh my heavens. BTW, he won a lawsuit this week about lying for years about FSD with the novel defense that it’s puffery.
That’s his lawyers.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:04 amKlink doesn’t show how Elon is wrong. He just goes for the distraction. Funny how that works when it comes to defending this leftist administration.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:30 amhttps://thefederalist.com/2024/10/04/comparing-helene-to-katrina-suggests-americans-are-left-to-die-because-democrats-run-the-white-house/
The answer is in there.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/5/2024 @ 4:38 am—> 1. It isn’t happening.
2. Nobody proved it happened.
3. So what if it’s happening.
4. It’s a good thing that it’s happening.
You are here.
SaveFarris (ccd5ab) — 10/5/2024 @ 5:12 amThose are lifetime scores. For the session, the scores were McConnell 37%, Sanders 46%. Which is obviously what lurker was referring to. Mitch McConnell has never been to the left of Bernie Sanders on anything, not even for a session. If Heritage thinks otherwise, Heritage needs to check their methodology.
The answer is never in The Federalist. Or anywhere else that published 2020 election denial garbage.
Demosthenes (f1890e) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:24 amLifetime scores, for those not broken by partisanship, are obviously the more meaningful scores. You can’t cherry pick a lifetime score. Again, Heritage gives you the data but you just don’t want to do the homework. That session happened to include several appropriations and supplemental bills on which Bernie and McConnell voted the same. Not really ideological stuff. Heritage and Bernie agreed on thumbs down on the warrantless searches bill, McConnell was thumbs up. So, McConnell gets the lower score – for that session. Why don’t you simply go through the bills in that session (it’s not many, and Heritage gives them to you) and score it yourself? You won’t, of course.
Again, Liz offered her own scorecard, which I guess you think is bullsh!t. Really, these attempts to refute the obvious (that Kamala is hard Left) are revealing.
lloyd (d93773) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:23 amWell, Elon’s attorney’s straight up stated he’s a fabulist.
He continues to amplify lies on blog, I mean, it’s not every post, I’m sure in the fullness of time one won’t be. He’s slightly more truthful Trump. In 5 days he’s going to lose $50B again, tsla is a more successful version djt. It actually makes a thing, and was a leader in starting EV’s, and his hobby did create the supercharger network. They’ve been a driver in driving down costs and margins for EV’s. Being lucky enough to fail up starting with a mining fortune and buying into the bubble and getting fired with stock to play with a some hobbies that ended up being wildly successful. Especially when he takes a hands off approach. In every endeavor that he’s focused on has problems, but when you are the pinch runner at third with Reggie Jackson at the plate, the score is still the score. I doubt that anyone is going to argue that he’s smarter or a better manager Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, or Warren Buffet. But luck is a skill too, just because he’s a crappy human and manager doesn’t mean he can’t see the future. But, like posted, his attorney’s specifically argued that his pontifications about his company were lies, but like a used car salesman, it’s not actionable, which is something. He convinced himself and his brother to give him a $50B bonus, and reverse paid his cousins a few billion for Solarcity, so good on him I guess.
If Musk had a “SpaceX Engineer” in the hurricane saying what he claimed, it probably would not be an anonymous tweet. BTW, SpaceX second largest terminal installation is in the Appalachians. Of course, it’s also being used by the Russian’s and Ukraine to pilot drones too, and the federal government subsidizes SpaceX’s operations. I note that Gwen specifically didn’t confirm it, and since he’s specifically not allowed for direct management of SpaceX. But since he’s been lying about everything, why believe an anonymous tweet. At least MTG straight up just says the US “flew” the hurricane into Appalachia to defeat Trump, Musk just reposts RT, and AI generated content that is A) fake, B) obviously fake. It’s not like every government official, from the Biden Whitehouse to the local MAGA mayors all say it’s a lie, that anonymous bleat is absolutely gold. That the clip has been shown on the news from a news helicopter and just straight up copied as if it’s another. No, heaven forfend.
But hey, it’s just puffery, no big deal.
I’m glad you like getting puffed, but know going in, it’s not true, it’s just a sweetheart european auto, low miles, built in the fabulous city of Kragujevac, Serbia.
I’ll just “amplify”
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:32 amNot being allowed directly interact with daily management of SpaceX’s launch capabilities. He does get to go to the launches and tweet about it, but has had to “defer” from operational briefings as of January for fear of his inability to pass a drug test becomes a financial issue. And, Gwen is an actual rocket scientist and doing a great job.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:36 amOh.. so your money quote has nothing to do with Musk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnC9hYnG5S0
BuDuh (4214e4) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:46 amFixing the link from #4 above.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:57 amhttps://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/former-trump-national-security-aides-endorse-turmoil-overseas-rcna173741
Hundreds of fore8gn policy and national security experts endorse Trump for president.
NJRob (df9dde) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:24 amRob, I’m not sure “Former Trump officials endorse Trump” is as big a story as “Former Trump officials refuse to back Trump” which has happened more than any other President in my lifetime and I think is quite telling.
Nate (cfb326) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:54 amWSJ: The Harris Broadband Rollout Has Been a Fiasco
I expect that all 43 billion will be consumed by the bureaucracy.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:01 amRob, I’m not sure “Former Trump officials endorse Trump” is as big a story as “Former Trump officials refuse to back Trump”
Well, that latter also included a lot of folks who just didn’t return phone calls. For all his many faults, Trump is driving a realignment and a lot of folks preferred the status quo ante.
Personally, I find his temperament and increasingly insane comments to be a far greater problem than any policy matter (yes, Paul, including Ukraine) or past even (e.g. J6). But I’m not sure what those who are “refusing to endorse” are basing that refusal on.
And there are few who endorse Harris, which is what those reports are attempting to imply. If we were to compare the numbers of former Trump officials who endorse Trump to those who endorse Harris, I think it would be rather overwhelmingly in Trump’s favor. Abstentions are not votes.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:16 amThe answer is never in The Federalist.
The Federalist Society and/or the heirs of George Washington should sue that rag for trademark infringement.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:20 amDog trainer:
Endorsement: Reelect Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón
It’s about what you’d expect.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:28 amThey literally admitted it.
https://x.com/bonchieredstate/status/1842584220545560866
SaveFarris (ccd5ab) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:37 amIt’s becoming clear that most of the commenters here are so invested in this election that there is nothing that would budge them from their positions. Harris could shoot someone on 42nd street and their views would not change.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:47 amThat would actually change my vote…but it wouldn’t get me to vote for Trump.
You are correct…I won’t. Not because I’m lazy, and not because I don’t have the time. But because I don’t really care. Whether, and to what extent, one politician is to the left or right of another given some particular timeframe isn’t the question I am most concerned with right now.
I’m not trying to refute anything about Kamala Harris, and I agree with Cheney’s scorecard of 2020. However, I also agree with Cheney of 2024, who would be the first to say that her scorecard was incomplete. It left out the category of “did not try to steal an election”…a category where a rating of anything less than 100% ought to be unacceptable and disqualifying to anyone who loves America…and where Trump, in general elections, currently stands at 50%.
As someone once said, you can’t cherry-pick a lifetime score.
Demosthenes (694351) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:04 amKevin, I’m not talking about people who failed to return phone calls.
I’m talking about Trump’s VP not endorsing him for reelection. Defense sectetary. Secretary of State. Etc.
Nothing like that has happened before.
If a bunch of people in the Biden White House were like “Nah, you shouldn’t vote Kamala” that would put up some big red flags.
Nate (cfb326) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:27 amThere is no context for Karine Jean-Pierre’s comments from two years ago, nor is there any connection to what was said or what actions were taken then and today.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:32 amThis is a good point. Trump might just have the largest collection of former Cabinet-level officials of any one-term president in American history. That’s so many of them are unwilling to endorse him is a very special red flag.
Again…you can’t cherry-pick a lifetime score.
Demosthenes (d5b4b5) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:36 amThat you expend effort, then suddenly don’t care couldn’t possibly be because your efforts were found wanting and it’s a losing argument. Nah. Sad!
As I made clear upthread, acknowledging that Kamala is hard Left while concluding Trump is the bigger threat is (almost) respectable. Too bad that wasn’t what you were defending.
lloyd (26218e) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:38 amThe context is “you lied. And the clip proves it.”
SaveFarris (e25247) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:53 amI think the number of officials from Trump’s administration who oppose him is actually must higher than those who’ve gone on record. I think it’s a huge number. I think most of these same officials were against Trump while serving under him. Do you think there was only one Anonymous? Only one Kevin Clinesmith? The “I took a government paycheck so listen to me….” doesn’t sway me, whether it’s for or against Trump. In most cases, the stance is personal and petty. It’s an appeal to authority, made even more of a logical fallacy as it’s an appeal to their own authority.
lloyd (376756) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:57 amCA voters have had enough:
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 11:10 amI’m not sure why that’s a surprise, it’s been evident since before the primaries. Those that viewed Trump as an existential threat to democracy during the primaries still do; and those that backed candidates who ended up endorsing Trump generally don’t consider him such a threat.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 11:24 amThose who think Kamala isn’t hard Left probably are buying this too:
Former First Liar: “There is also an important, interesting part about how people have talked about your role is how your role has reshaped the perception of masculinity. I’m not sure you planned on that, but you are an incredibly supportive spouse. Has that been an evolution for you? Do you think that’s part of the role you might play as first gentleman?”
Future First Gentleman: “It’s funny. I’ve started to think a lot about this. I’ve always been like this. My dad’s always been like this. To me, it’s the right thing to do, support women. It is mutual with Kamala and I. We support each other, we have each other’s back.”
Doug Emhoff accused of slapping ex-girlfriend in 2012
“PS: He impregnated his kid’s nanny”
lloyd (376756) — 10/5/2024 @ 11:26 amAgree, but the LAT endorsement may not be enough. There is this good news:
Right now Gascón is trying to free the Menendez brothers.
Mail-in voting starts this week. Vote early and often! 😏
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 11:50 amHochman has also out raised Gascón by a factor of more than 5:1-$3.9M to $678,000; 83% of Hochman’s contributions have come within LA County v. 57% for Gascón. And independent groups have spent $1.8M on Hochman’s behalf, while $0 has been spent for Gascón.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:03 pm“It’s becoming clear that most of the commenters here are so invested in this election that there is nothing that would budge them from their positions. Harris could shoot someone on 42nd street and their views would not change.”
I think the bigger question is what even is the point of this site? I came here years back because of patterico’s unique and logical writing….of which he’s pretty much relocated to Twitter, an occasional Substack, and some scattered Dispatch comments. That’s fine, I guess…he owes me nothing, and perhaps my expectations of engagement here on the eve of a hotly contested election may not be realistic. But, it seems the comment section…any more…is just about intentional irritation.
NJRob, lloyd, BuhDuh, whembly, and SaveFarris irritate us and we turn and try to repay the favor and “win” the internet. Kevin M tries to ride the fence. Sigh. It’s like a bad Groundhog’s Day episode. The amount of honest information exchange is drowned out by bad-faith argumentation, spin, misinformation, and tedious name-calling. There is no common denominator here except for the apparent commitment to make engagement as disagreeable as possible (ok, Time excepted).
I can understand accepting some level of irritation from friends, family, co-workers, or even neighbors…individuals who I know, respect, and have some trust in. Here, ehh. Just as I’m not a prophecy guy, I don’t especially like watching social pathology and weird personality tics play out in real time. I prefer outlets that tend to tamp down my own. I’m so beyond wanting to hear excuses for Trump and his myriad character flaws. The exercise is just further exhausting my patience with the GOP. The more I hear from our MAGA-wing, the more my protest vote swings toward Harris. At least there is a peripheral respect for our alliances, honesty about our adversaries, commitment to our institutions, and honesty about our elections….it’s a stunning realization
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:18 pmVoting for a leftist means turning back the Supreme Court which I believe is the real goal of a lot of people. They don’t want limited government.
NJRob (df9dde) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:22 pmIf Gascon were running against Trump, we’d be hearing the conservative case for Gascon. Most here would vote for him while claiming he’s not hard Left, not soft on crime, and after all he’s a prosecutor running against a criminal.
lloyd (a99208) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:32 pmIs that because you are “ not a prophecy guy?”
What does that mean anyways?
BuDuh (4214e4) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:38 pmGoing by the three subsequent comments, AJ just confirmed his point.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:43 pmYou meant the four subsequent comments, Paul.
lloyd (a99208) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:44 pmAJ laments that this site isn’t an echo chamber. Paul, looks like you found a deeper meaning.
lloyd (a99208) — 10/5/2024 @ 12:49 pmGascon is not eligible to run for president; he was born in Havana, Cuba.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:08 pmIt’s hard to have limited government when so many are dependent on government payments.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:11 pmExcept he didn’t say that.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:16 pmHe can run. He isn’t eligible to be president.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:28 pmI’m talking about Trump’s VP not endorsing him for reelection. Defense sectetary. Secretary of State. Etc.
The did not endorse Harris. Again, an abstention is not a vote. All you can read into it is that they don’t care. OF course, people who WANT to read something else into it, will.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:42 pmNothing like that has happened before.
People not endorsing? Nothingburgers are usually not reported. Only when someone wants to makes some bones about it. How many of his advisers endorse Harris? You know, the actual news.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:46 pmAgree, but the LAT endorsement may not be enough.
It’s more a disgrace for the Times than a help to Gascon. I hope they fold.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:49 pmKevin M tries to ride the fence.
Rather I try to push back against the ideologues and the heavily partisan. Not easy in a world that has become bimodal.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:52 pmGascon is not eligible to run for president; he was born in Havana, Cuba.
I did not know that, but I am not terribly surprised.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 1:59 pmAJ laments that this site isn’t an echo chamber
Actually he’s not saying that, and neither am I. I’m saying that this has become two opposing echo chambers with VERY little information from one registering on the other.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 2:01 pmIf Hurricane Helene survivors are unhappy with FEMA now, wait until they deal with their insurance companies:
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 2:53 pmOh, lloyd. It’s no effort to gainsay you, believe me.
BTW, there is no contradiction between “Heritage needs to check their methodology”…which I notice you left the condition off of when quoting (cute)…and “I don’t really care.” And also, I wasn’t making an argument. But other than that, kudos!
I mean, I could. That is approximately the position I hold. I have certainly argued enough for the second half of it, at least, at several places on this very site…including this very comment thread here.
But as I said, I am not trying to refute any charge against Kamala Harris. I just don’t really care. I will probably vote for her, knowing that it will make no difference in my state, just to run up her margin in the national popular vote (a fictitious and meaningless statistic that many people nevertheless care about WAY too much, including a lot of Trumpers). However, she could still lose my vote.
But it won’t go to Trump.
Demosthenes (a08949) — 10/5/2024 @ 3:10 pmAJ wrote:
And THAT well stated wisdom is the problem nowadays: this Internet social media-driven lemming hike toward extremist thought.
Why, I have an old friend, a grandmother, married to the same man for over 40 years. Both Republicans. Her husband supports DJT. She does not. And she has become more and more extreme, to the point of calling JRB the “finest President of my lifetime.” I mean, spouses bicker. Even in public. But she is attacking her own husband on a daily basis for not accepting reports from venues she used to not believe.
It’s great to be opposed, honestly, to a politician. Even based on their personalities. But that doesn’t make the other person a holy personage.
Every election, I hold my nose. I have no respect for either candidate, as I have stated before. But because I dislike one doesn’t make the other a saint.
But our modern society seems to only have “over the top” reaction-drive thinking on tap.
And most of all: nearly everyone is seemingly making decisions on people they have never met, based on reports written by people they have also never met. I cannot help but think of us all as being useful fools for a pretty icky establishment.
I fear the future. Whether or not I agree with your political views, there are people here who write things I find valuable.
Simon Jester (c8876d) — 10/5/2024 @ 3:25 pmI am not going to fight with the people close to me just because I don’t want Buggsy MacShtupen and Mammalia von Prenup in the White House. Going out to dinner when I just want to put my feet up and chill at home after a busy day, sure.
nk (cbc730) — 10/5/2024 @ 4:14 pmThis is not a surprise, that users of Trump’s social media stock scam are losing ridiculous sums of money to scams.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/5/2024 @ 4:16 pmSo … what should the U,S. response be when cannibal vampire weather control aliens abduct Marjorie Taylor-Greene into their UFO and probe her?
nk (cbc730) — 10/5/2024 @ 4:17 pmHope they can cure the obvious syphilitic infection that is causing the voices? (It’s Donald J Trump). There’s a reason the cougar troop keeps getting dumped by their husbands.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/5/2024 @ 4:44 pmNo argument Mr. Jester.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/5/2024 @ 4:59 pm“Rather I try to push back against the ideologues and the heavily partisan. Not easy in a world that has become bimodal.”
You also anknowledge that Trump is a threat….a significant one with regards to foreign affairs, NATO, and opposition to Putin. You hyperbolize Harris’ domestic agenda to draw some equivalence, though if anything, Harris is desperately tracking to the middle. Now where she settles will depend on her electoral margin and what she gets in the Congress.
But it’s unclear in a evenly divided country why a President who will want a second term would recklessly out-punt her coverage. As I’ve argued previously, wild Executive Orders or rash regulatory changes will create a backlash that does not justify the temporary “gain”. Her term loses if she induces a big red wave in 2026. I think she is smart enough to understand that.
I think she wins….not because she is an especially gifted politician, diplomat, or leader…but because more people are exhausted by Trump than fear her ordinariness or previous liberal record. A majority want someone younger and less addled by mania. People worry when a candidate runs on retribution and ties his success to the continuation of the Constitution….as if one person was so important.
NeverTrump isn’t actually partisan. Most want a normal and functional GOP. We probably span the gambit of GOP politics. Like Chris Christie, we think Trump is unfit…that his actions and conduct have disqualified him from office. It’s not about mean tweets or misunderstood jokerism. The arguments could be equally applied across party lines — none of us would support anyone who stood by and allowed a riot to engulf the Capitol (sorry Sammy). It’s the final straw. Most NeverTrump suffer a profound sadness of what’s happened to the GOP. We have no hats or crude bumper stickers and have no replacement messiah….it’s really simple in fact
AJ_Liberty (03b468) — 10/5/2024 @ 5:10 pmThis is right. But I would add that there is some anger as well…and that generally speaking, the more a NeverTrump individual was engaged with the GOP, the bigger that sadness and anger is.
Demosthenes (b87d23) — 10/5/2024 @ 5:29 pmLots of appeals to emotion. No actual statements showing critiques of Biden, Kamala or the left.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/5/2024 @ 5:43 pmNone.
Rip Murdock (deb95b) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:03 pm@AJ@110 and @Kevin@126 Part of it is that it’s an election year. Part of it is that Trump is just so polarizing. Part of it is that sometimes it’s easier to bag on a commentor than to discuss an issue.
But I have to say that we also have people here who have experience and have shown themselves to be reasonably clear thinkers over the years, that are good information sources and discussion partners. If Patterico or nk or one of the other lawyers on here is talking about the law, I’m probably more likely to listen to what they have to say vs a link to some professional commentator spouting about how this or that is a violation of this or that amendment. Norcal probably knows more about immigration issues than some random congress person from the midwest. For example. That kind of thing. It is harder to do with someone who hasn’t shared what their area of knowledge is, more has to be gleaned from comments over the years, and some people have shown a difficulty with clear thinking, but of the comment sections I’ve been in, this is probably one of the more reasonable ones.
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:13 pmNotice none of the NeverTrump partisans talked about what a strong job Vance did articulating conservative positions. Why is that?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:14 pmMore of that “not a prophecy guy” stuff, AJ? Do tell…
BuDuh (2cd1ae) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:16 pmWhat do you think of Klink’s “expertise” on General Motors’ different Big Block offerings?
I know what I gleaned from them.
BuDuh (2cd1ae) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:20 pmJ. the “D” is for DeSantis Didn’t Want It Vance is a Yale Law School graduate and the author of a bestselling work of fiction which generated a Ron Howard-directed Netflix movie. He could articulate The Communist Manifesto better than Marx and Engels did if it suited his purposes.
nk (cbc730) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:36 pm@Buduh@142 That both of you are into cars and that both of you are too heated up about the election to manage a reasonable discussion together even on unconnected to the election things. Other than that, I don’t know anything about GM’s Big Block engines, not enough to figure out that one of you is right or wrong or if you are arguing over a trivial difference.
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 6:57 pmTwenty years ago, I clicked and read here daily. Now every six months or so, I take a look. Good God, simply and poetically, this place sucks.
Paul C (d0e4b0) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:16 pmWhen Klink lied about something as trivial as cars, I did not see the pathway towards reasonable discussion of today’s important topics.
His name calling did not help either.
The problem is that he doesn’t get asked to calm down because his hyperbole matches AJ’s echo room desire.
BuDuh (2cd1ae) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:25 pm@BuDuh@146 There have been a number of times when someone here has said that their conversational partner is lying when it seems more like the other person may be wrong, which is not the same thing. Maybe he was wrong, maybe you were, maybe in some cases you were right and in others he was, maybe you are arguing about on which side is best to crack an egg. I don’t know enough about the subject to judge.
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:44 pmYup, don’t know nuthin”bout it. Nope, nobody ever transplanted a drivetrain, nope, never.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:44 pmI appreciate what you are saying, Nic. Thank you for your perspective.
Klink still can’t find anything that backs up Olds big block components bolting onto a Chevy Big Block.
He learned from me about BOP TH400s and that blew another bit of his nonsense out of the water.
It is a very specific topic of which I know a great deal. Klink got caught and it makes him lash out.
That said, I hope you have a great evening, Nic. Goodnight.
BuDuh (2cd1ae) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:51 pmI’ve had a now-banned Trumpie here tell me that the 1987 Cutlass Supreme I owned for 26 years could not possibly have had a V-8 engine.
And who knows? Maybe they didn’t in alt.earth-trump.
nk (6c45b4) — 10/5/2024 @ 7:58 pm@BuDuh@149 No problem. You have a good night too!
@nk@150 😛
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:15 pmI’m with Nic when it comes to the value of this blog. It’s like a bar that’s always open. Come and go as you please. The regulars are mostly interesting. A few can’t seem to graduate from pettiness (I shouldn’t throw stones, though, because I used to be that way), and one is so black and white in his approach that it strikes me as an act.
This blog (and, to a lesser degree, a sports forum that also has political discussions) has contributed to a change in my political thinking. I went from a Trump voter in 2016, to a Libertarian voter in 2020, to a Harris voter now. (That doesn’t mean that I like her leftiness, okay? It’s just that Trump throws a huge wrench into the traditional policy calculation machine.)
Two people in particular helped me to stop being snarky. They are Aphrael and Time. I was once in a heated argument with Victor (a rather liberal person who was very upset over McConnell not moving having a vote on Merrick Garland). Aphrael stepped in and offered a very reasonable take, and did it without any hint of vitriol. I later apologized to Victor. Victor then told me that he likes Time’s approach. I learned a lot from that experience.
I grew up in Utah, and then spent the majority of my career in the Bay Area. I know the religious conservative philosophy as well as how San Francisco liberals think. (A very good friend of mine in the Bay Area thinks Chesa Boudin–the northern CA version of George Gascon–wasn’t given enough of a chance before being ousted as DA. I had to inwardly roll my eyes at that one.)
What many fail to realize is that both sides of the political aisle engage in spin and propaganda, which means that we all have to parse the truth for ourselves. If you can only hyperventilate about what you see on the other side, and can’t accurately describe the faults of your own side, then your opinions are not well-founded.
norcal (7cb16b) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:20 pmHey Nic, are you still driving that manual transmission car? Those are becoming more of a curiosity these days.
I still have my 2020 Mustang GT. Only 16K miles, 3K of which was driving it back from Miami. This year I bought an F-150 4X4 to replace the Jeep Wrangler I sold last year. I needed something for the snow, and the truck can actually haul things. This full-size truck actually gets better gas mileage than my 2-door Wrangler did, and it’s much more comfortable!
norcal (7cb16b) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:29 pmAJ talks the talk. Simon walks the walk.
lloyd (6ae947) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:45 pm@norcal@153 Yep, I had to have a wheel bearing and an o ring replace this summer, but it’s running pretty well other than evaporating oil off somewhere (I have to put in 2 quarts about every three months at this point) I’d like to get a couple more years off of it, but at 14 years, I know I’m starting to push it. Next time I’m almost certainly going to have to get an automatic, since my budget won’t stretch to some of the more high-end manuals and I want something at least mid-sedan sized, so I’d really like to see some advancements with hybrids for gas mileage reasons.
You always have cool cars. Pick-ups are too big for me, though, especially full size. I don’t mind hauling myself up into one from time to time with a friend, but it’s too much on the daily, and I wouldn’t be able to fit one in my garage anyway. 😛
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 8:49 pmDumpster trolls are spreading disinformation that small hill towns devastated by hurricane floods in North Carolina will be bulldozed by biden/harris adm. and the land seized for immigrants! Town mayors are threatened by dumpsters when they say that a lie.
asset (2efedb) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:01 pmThanks, Nic. I don’t have any kids, so the cars are my babies. 😁 I have a third car, which is a 1998 Lexus SC 400. Two-door, V8, 290 HP, 222K miles. I kept waiting for it to die so I’d feel justified in buying the Mustang, but it just wouldn’t die.
I didn’t want to be an old man before getting my dream car, so I decided the Lexus could be my daily driver, thus keeping the miles low on the other two vehicles.
I have a two-car garage and a two-car carport in front of the garage, so all of my vehicles get some shelter.
Yeah, hybrids seem to be the way to go for most people. My best friend has had two Chevy Volts. He loves them.
norcal (7cb16b) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:05 pm@156 asset, isn’t the problem that Democrats have made that kind of lie believable?
lloyd (6ae947) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:11 pm@158 Good question ;but depends on which democrats. Donor class demands that corporate establishment d.n.c. democrats say the party line like trump/russia collusion in 2016/2017 or no $$$. I am a democrat and I don’t lie besides its much more fun to tell the truth and you don’t have to remember what you said!
asset (2efedb) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:32 pm@norcal@157 Might as well have an indulgence if you have the money :P. My home one is a good laptop with a high end graphics card, but that’s way less expensive than a fancy car. Really it’s the Europe trips that drain my bank account :P.
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:39 pmI loved the first gen SC…and then they released the second gen, not good. Well, it was objectively good, but you had to look at it. The LC that’s out now is just beautiful, and this year they put in a touch screen.
I saw a Nissan Murano convertible on the highway today, what a weird thing. And a Hellcat Jeep and a GT500, the sound was glorious. And a Holden Monaro/Pontiac GTO. Construction in Cincy is awful for the next few weeks, so on the interstate parking lot the only thing to do is car spotting.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:51 pmWell, I have 2.5 indulgences, Nic. The .5 comes from still putting money into the Lexus. The most recent tab was almost $2300. However, my mechanic fixed it so it doesn’t leak any oil now, and he changed the timing belt just when it was about to break apart. (My car doesn’t burn oil, unlike your car. This Lexus is quality all the way. They were $50,000 brand new. That was a lot of money in 1998. I bought it for $6800 in 2013, and have put 100K miles on it.)
High end graphics card? Are you a gamer?
I’ve never been to Europe, so I can splurge on cars.
norcal (7cb16b) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:00 pmI’m with you, Klink. The first generation of SC was beautiful, as is the LC now. The SC 430 looked like a stinkbug.
I thought about getting an LC instead of the Mustang (as of 2021, 472 HP versus the Mustang’s 460, but more torque with the Mustang). However, the increased cost to buy (almost twice as much), and pricier cost to service, led me to the Mustang.
norcal (7cb16b) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:06 pmDonald Trump ruins most everything. Including his opposition.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:08 pmMmm…no…not even a little…
The problem is that tens of millions of people on the right have been conditioned to believe this kind of lie by an extremist network of populist radical media “commentators,” at least some of whom are provably being sponsored by enemies of the American experiment…like Russia.
(Russia Russia…like Beetlejuice, it must be said thrice.)
Demosthenes (8b7218) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:10 pm@165 Democrats get criticized and the Pavlovian response kicks in.
lloyd (6ae947) — 10/5/2024 @ 10:33 pm@norcal@162 I am indeed a gamer, mostly Bethesda RPGs (skyrim, fallout, starfield) with occasional forays into Assassin’s creed or 7 days to die (zombie survival). Sims for casual mindlessness I also do some digital photog editing.
My g’mother was a war bride, so we still had family there when I was a kid and we were stationed at the NATO military headquarters when I was a teen in the late 80s (we were there for the fall of the Iron Curtain, it was a bit fraught). So every couple of years the parents and bro and I head over for a few weeks of touristing. At this point we’ve hit pretty much all the major stuff and my parents don’t have that many travel years left, so probably it’ll be slower cultural experience type trips the next few years.
Nic (120c94) — 10/5/2024 @ 11:05 pmSimon: “And most of all: nearly everyone is seemingly making decisions on people they have never met, based on reports written by people they have also never met.”
Aren’t the people we are making decisions public figures with public records….including many statements captured on video….and testimony by other public figures…like John Kelly….who have public records that argue to their honesty?
I agree that not all sources are equal….and some purposefully distort, but you seem to contribute to the notion that facts are unknowable, there are no basic truths, and that everything is spin. If that is what you mean, that’s dangerously naive.
Simon: “But because I dislike one doesn’t make the other a saint.”
Who makes this argument? One candidate is unable to condemn Putin, his invasion, and his deprave targeting of civilians….appears ready to sell out Ukraine and divide up its country….and is hostile to NATO, an alliance that has effectively deterred broader Russian aggression. I don’t need the other candidate to be a saint, just to recognize evil and speak/act accordingly.
No one is looking for a saint….but is it too low a bar to be looking for someone not under criminal indictment….and who acknowledges some respect for the law? Harris’ domestic agenda should be opposed and she should be put on the record as to her plans and priorities, but we should also note that politics and institutions constrain her, whereas they do not constrain Trump. He has no more re-elections to face….and is the only candidate pledged to retribution.
Simon: “But she is attacking her own husband on a daily basis for not accepting reports from venues she used to not believe.”
But are the reports true or not or are you arguing that nothing is knowable? The fact that she may not have believed an organization like CNN previously does not mean that CNN is somehow unreliable. It could mean that she was repeatedly told it was unreliable by other sources vying for her eyeballs and she has now come to another conclusion. Election denialism is indeed ripping families apart. Who is spreading it and based on what evidence? One candidate is making arguments he just can’t support with evidence. That should bother you more than the other candidate not being “a saint”.
AJ_Liberty (03b468) — 10/6/2024 @ 5:04 am“Democrats get criticized” is quite the bizarre misspelling of “lloyd says something indefensible.”
The Pavlovian response bit is more or less accurate, though…
Demosthenes (18f9b8) — 10/6/2024 @ 5:45 amOne, this is the kind of protest that I like to see, provided that the participants are reasonably fit, and it’s a bonus that they’re on the right side of the issue.
Two, there are similarities between Nazis and Russian fascists.
Three, the mobiks finally captured Vuhledar, a town of 20k before the townsfolk left, but the cost in Russian personnel was devastating. I don’t know what the ratios are there but, in Bakhmut, it was around seven dead Russians for every dead Ukrainian.
Four, while it’s true that, for Ukrainians, defending their country has been exhausting, it’s also been exhausting for the invaders.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/6/2024 @ 8:42 amWhile it is impossible to keep track of Trump’s many lies, I wonder why Harris’s campaign ad lies get a pass. Yesterday I was watching the MLB playoff games and a repeated Harris ad asserted that Trump cut taxes for the rich. This at least requires context.
In Trump’s “tax cut” the to federal rate was cut from 39.6% to 37%. This may seem like an obvious tax cut for the rich, but for top-bracket taxpayers in any state with a sizable income tax, the elimination of the SALT deduction more than offset the federal rate reduction. Example: the deduction of CA’s 13% top bracket would have reduced the federal tax from 39.6% to 34.5%, for a total tax federal/state burden of 47.5%. Now it is 50%. Similar increases happened for those paying taxes in NY, HI, NJ and other high-tax states. In low-income tax states there was a tax cut, although that was mitigated by the loss of deducitons for the high property taxes in those states.
Worse, for the upper middle class there was only a single percent reduction in their marginal rates, but the cap on the SALT deduction was well under their local tax payments even in places like Texas with high real estate taxes.
Really, most all of the tax cuts went to those not itemizing (due to the doubling of the standard deduction and child credits) which is pretty much the working class and the non-professional middle class.
What is really risible is that the people in the Harris ad who are complaining about those tax cuts were likely recipients of them.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 8:46 amFour, while it’s true that, for Ukrainians, defending their country has been exhausting, it’s also been exhausting for the invaders.
And this is Biden’s real goal. Saving Ukraine would be nice, but depriving Putin’s military of the ability to continue elsewhere is paramount. So, just enough arms to do that without provoking the nuclear Bear.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 8:52 amIt’s shocking that your explanation hasn’t been used in a 15-second campaign commercial.
Rip Murdock (19ce52) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:00 am“As you can see, I’m not just MAGA, I’m dark MAGA,” he said.
Government contracts or a pardon?
nk (5a208b) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:16 amGreat to see Nevertrump hold their fire in Butler yesterday. Country before party!
lloyd (970882) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:17 amI can’t imagine that there are all that many people outside insane asylums who think that Trump is worth a bullet.
Besides the orange paranoid megalomaniac himself that is. Don’t nobody tell HIM he’s not CONSEQUENTIAL!!!
nk (5a208b) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:34 amIt’s shocking that your explanation hasn’t been used in a 15-second campaign commercial.
This is Trump we are talking about. He’d rather call Venezuelan refugees rapists. I think he’s too senile to work a calculator.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:52 amGovernment contracts or a pardon?
Pardon for what?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:53 amGreat to see Nevertrump hold their fire in Butler yesterday.
It would get Vance elected in a landslide, so unintended consequences.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:54 amIt would get Vance elected in a landslide, so unintended consequences.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:54 am
Vance wouldn’t necessarily be the Republican replacement candidate, that person would be selected by the Republican National Committee under Rule 9:
Rip Murdock (19ce52) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:14 am“I wonder why Harris’s campaign ad lies get a pass. …. This at least requires context….In Trump’s “tax cut” the to[p] federal rate was cut from 39.6% to 37%.”
I too have to turn down the TV whenever the Harris ads claim to make the wealthy pay “their fair share”. But…like the Carly Simon song you probably think this ad is about you. I’m pretty sure the implication is that billionaires and multi-millionaires are the ones that supposedly won the tax derby. For them, the lower top income tax rate, deep corporate tax cuts, a weakened estate tax, and real-estate loopholes dwarf any SALT implication. Critics would also observe that the corporate tax cuts did not fuel as much capital investment as hoped and mainly led to stock buy-backs that favor wealthy shareholders. Now I favored corporate tax rate cuts, though I’m not sure if they should as gone as far. I also don’t think that changing some business incentives to make investment in the US more profitable should require broad tax cuts that just pile on more debt. However, it’s where we are because of politics.
I always feel it’s a fool’s errand to chase after the super rich. They have the ability to shift income and assets about to pay whatever rate they feel is in their interest. My view is that you want those people spending less time on tax avoidance and more time investing in US industries….with appropriate disincentives to ditch their money abroad. However, how any of this shakes out is complicated. Not being a prophecy guy, I won’t hazard a guess.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:15 amI don’t think Trump creates his own campaign commercials, so it’s malpractice on his ad-makers not to produce a commercial with that level of detail.
That said, it seems apparent that Trump is suffering from the same problems as Biden.
Rip Murdock (19ce52) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:21 amFor the sake of argument, why would that be a bad thing?
Rip Murdock (19ce52) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:24 amThat was the plot of The Manchurian Candidate.
nk (5a208b) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:38 amFor the sake of argument, why would that be a bad thing?
The jury is still out. Vance is at least sane. But then so is Ratsaswarmy.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:40 amPardon for what?
If I had a quarter of a trillion dollars, I might be able to think of some things.
nk (5a208b) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:41 amThat said, it seems apparent that Trump is suffering from the same problems as Biden.
I think it’s different. I think that Biden is suffering from the multiple mini-stroke type of senility. Trump exhibits Alzheimer’s.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:42 amIf I had a quarter of a trillion dollars, I might be able to think of some things.
Why would you need a pardon? I’d think that spending your own money would be more reliable than Trump repaying a debt.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:43 am@187, if you look recordings of Donald trump in the 80’s and 90’s and compare it to what we see today the clown on stage looks like a sad SNL impersonator of the man he used to be.
That man was a complete scumbag, but at least he was competent.
Time123 (7b9a59) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:05 pm“I think that Biden is suffering from the multiple mini-stroke type of senility. Trump exhibits Alzheimer’s.”
Well, he did forget how to suppress an insurgency, where he left his VP, and how he was supposed to declassify documents
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:09 pmJVW, this is one where context not only matters, it the most important part of the statemen. I’m not too willing to cut a politician much slack for not knowing his opponents biography. But even if I did;
Time123 (7b9a59) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:11 pm“Go back where you came from” and “You people” are all phrases that have been used a lot by white people to tell non-white people they’re not ‘really’ one ‘us’. If you’re professional politician you need to be very careful in how and when you use them unless you want people to try to figure out if you were trying to racist or not.
Vance is sane and can speak in sentences thoughtfully. Unburdened by being Trump’s lapdog might relieve him of saying dumb things. He suffers from the same worry I have about Harris — not sure either is exactly prepared for the job. Neither has a lot of foreign policy acumen. Not sure what JD’s real perspective is on Ukraine and Putin.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:16 pmKevin, I’m not sure what’s going on with the main topic. (Lloyd and Budah are 99% troll and I’m not bored enough to read their comments ATM) But I wanted you to know that I often disagree with you on some things but I’ve found a lot of value in considering what you have to say and thinking about your POV. Even when it doesn’t change my mind it helps expand it and gives me a better understanding and appreciation for people I disagree with.
So thank you for continuing to share your thoughts in this forum.
Time123 (7b9a59) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:17 pm@192 Neither Vance nor Harris have a resume I would like for a presidential candidate. Both have impressive resumes and have accomplished meaningful things in their professional lives. Both would make better presidents than Trump. If Trump withdrew from the race tomorrow I would likely vote for Vance. I would almost certainly not vote for Harris.
Time123 (7b9a59) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:19 pmSo if you do the math in Texas post abortion ban, live births went up by 16,000 but infant mortality actually increased to 31,000 in 2023. Since 2023 was the first year post Covid and the ban (for those that don’t know, manufacturing a baby takes 3/4 a year), it’s a small snapshot, it makes sense that women with medical issues that would have had abortions would have much higher infant mortality.
Since it takes 9 months to make a baby, those that would get pregnant again are delayed at best.
So these bans appear to be both counter productive and anti-life. For every good story there are 2 bad ones, but the people with bad results are very private, and the successes are public.
Like most things, this reality is complicated. One of the many reasons that turning the US into the Republic of Gilead is a bad idea.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:32 pmNot sure what JD’s real perspective is on Ukraine and Putin.
His domestic policy ideas are pretty much MAGA but competent. But I’d expect him to judge things by their effect, not just for how they play in Peoria on the 11 o’clock news.
“Free trade” needs calibration in a world where that’s more ideological aspiration than reality, but I’m not sure that Industrial Policy and high tariffs are the way to go. Smoot-Hawley rears its ugly head (is it so long that this lesson needs relearning?).
Foreign policy? What is Harris’? I’d expect them both to hire serious experts, but it matters which experts.
I’d expect Vance to pick good judges.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:38 pmSo these bans appear to be both counter productive and anti-life.
The 12-15 week limit on by-right abortions seems a happy medium, although neither side is aiming for a happy medium yet. A few elections might change that.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:41 pmBTW, I was happy to see that New Mexico State upset Alabama yesterday.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:42 pmMeanwhile, my plan for a Dodgers-Yankees World Series proceeds apace.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:43 pmIf Trump withdrew from the race tomorrow I would likely vote for Vance.
I have been on Team Apoplexy for a while now. Bad Karma, I know, but it’s not like he’ll ever leave voluntarily.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:44 pmI didn’t think Trump would pick someone who would disagree with him on Ukraine. As far back as before the Russian invasion, Vance has opposed US support of Ukraine. And his “peace plan “ would be welcomed in the Kremlin.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:52 pmI prefer Vance’s original abortion position.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:56 pmI prefer Vance’s original abortion position.
Of course you do, but here you remain in the “shove it down their throats” camp as opposed to the “find a middle ground” camp.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 1:00 pmAt some point Democrats will want to relieve the pressure on women in “ban” states (and the demands of the abortionists) and accept reasonable limits. After all, 99% of abortions happen in the first trimester, so their insistence of Roe’s 3-trimester “window” doesn’t really play.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 1:04 pmI kind of agree that non medically necessary abortions capped at 16 weeks could be an option. Especially since greater than 95% overall are under that, and over that it’s medically necessary a majority of the time. I can’t find a good number since not all states report, but it’s north of 50% and in most of the states that do report it looks like 20 weeks actually contains nearly every abortion. So last trimester abortions not medically necessary are basically a unicorn. It happens, but it’s a tiny percent of a tiny percent.
I don’t think there is a compromise on the table though. The legislatures in red states are banning, their constituencies are passing constitutional rights because it’s broadly agreed that zero isn’t an option by the public.
If you were to just go on the math, no one is, then zero costs lives, full term saves lives. Choice basically goes to zero after 20 weeks, while medically necessary is, well necessary.
I do know that this patchwork today is unworkable. If my shoulder replacement was banned in my state and I could just drive 30 miles to Ohio it’s a slight inconvenience, but if I was poor and lived in Alabama, and my option was also Ohio, that would make it fundamentally unworkable.
Clinton’s safe, legal, and rare seems like a smart slogan, but details are complicated, and a truism isn’t. It was always that, but the how is the problem.
It’s not even a religious argument any more, or it is, but not in the way it used to be.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/6/2024 @ 1:37 pmI saw a letter to the editor the other day hat said discussion about SALT doesn’t take into account the Alternative Minimum Tax. (SLT deductions need to be added back in. Under current law the increase in the threshold for the AMT is scheduled to reset just like the cap on SALT is set to expire.)
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/big-tax-increases-amt-salt-trump-harris-771f9297
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 10/6/2024 @ 1:52 pmAlmost all abortions (96%) take place prior to 15 weeks, so a 15 or 20 week “ban” is next to useless. Over half (56%) are chemically induced abortions, and do not necessarily take the in a medical facility.
There is no middle ground to compromise around.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 10/6/2024 @ 2:24 pmAnd give up the issue? Unlikely.
Rip Murdock (7ef0a0) — 10/6/2024 @ 2:26 pmTo be useful in reducing the number of abortions, personal choice abortions should be capped at 8 weeks at most, and even that’s too high a limit.
Rip Murdock (7ef0a0) — 10/6/2024 @ 2:29 pmWorth buying: This weekend’s WSJ, if only for the opinion piece by Jonathan Speyer, “A Yazidi Woman Is Liberated From Slavery in Gaza”.
By the Israelis, naturally. With some help from their friends.
(In 2014 Fawzia Sido was captured and enslaved by ISIS. Speyer is vague about the details — as he should be — but she was rescued some time after July of this year.)
Jim Miller (82c93d) — 10/6/2024 @ 3:24 pmHere’s the CNN story on Sido: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/04/middleeast/yazdi-isis-hamas-woman-rescued-intl/index.html
Jim Miller (82c93d) — 10/6/2024 @ 3:34 pmLooks like Kamala Harris’s path to victory depends heavily upon getting out the low-information single female voter, the one who is somewhat-credentialed (at least some college), likely lives in an urban area, and prizes being seen as hip and edgy above all other things. The current Vice-President made an appearance on the Call He Daddy podcast. This podcast came out of Barstool Media, which was largely frat boy-related content centered around women, drinking, sports, and other distractions in life. Call Her Daddy was started by two young women, and their content was pretty much about recounting their own sad, funny, aggravating, and embarrassing sex stories with their listeners, who would in turn send in their own sordid and gross tales. And these are the sort of throwback second-wave feminism women who have no compunction about being sexually voracious, like a 1980s version of Madonna.
Unsurprisingly in our mindless times, the show was a hit. After some turmoil which included an attempt to leave Barstool, the departure of one of the hosts, and various threats of lawsuits, the remaining host (the one who interviewed VP Harris) first signed a $60 million distribution deal with Spotify, then two years later a $120 million deal with Sirius XM. And so the show continues on with it’s unique brand of entertaining content.
So this is who Kamala Harris chooses to visit. It’s pretty easy to see why: she won’t get any nuanced questions about policy or current events, she can skew the discussion towards issues which are favorable to Democrats among young women such as easy abortion and free stuff, and she can hope to counterbalance her image as someone calculating and phony by pretending to be “real” with the young sistas.
What a perfectly awful election we are having this year.
JVW (d17bc5) — 10/6/2024 @ 3:35 pmI mean if Donald Trump can hang out at professional wrestling and mixed-martial arts events, I guess Kamala Harris might as well be crashing sex-positive feminist conventions and trashy podcasts for her part.
JVW (d17bc5) — 10/6/2024 @ 3:40 pmIf Trump withdrew from the race tomorrow I would likely vote for Vance. I would almost certainly not vote for Harris.
Time123 (7b9a59) — 10/6/2024 @ 12:19 pm
I couldn’t vote for Vance over Harris. He thinks Mike Pence did the wrong thing in certifying the 2020 election results. Rather, Vance would have had certain states submit multiple slate of electors, and let Congress decide the 2020 election.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/jul/18/kamala-harris/fact-checking-kamala-harris-claim-that-jd-vance-sa/
Furthermore, Vance promulgated falsehoods about Haitians in Ohio, and he does not want to help Ukraine fight Russia’s invasion.
The fact that he’s more competent than Trump makes him more dangerous.
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:12 pmThat assumes that those who want to impose a 15 or 20 limit on abortions actually want to end the practice.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:24 pmRip Murdock (f6813a) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:24 pm
For me, abortion is not a question of yes or no, but rather when.
The further along a pregnancy, the more uncomfortable I am with abortion.
A 15-week middle ground makes sense to me. Of course, extremists on both sides of the debate hate it.
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:45 pm214. I agree, norcal. Trump is Trump and can only be Trump, but Vance chose to be worse than it’s natural.
nk (ecf830) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:47 pmnk (ecf830) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:47 pm
Both Vance and Cruz are smarter and more competent than Trump. One could argue that Trump doesn’t know any better because he’s never been better. What’s their excuse?
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:53 pmLong ago a saw a sign on a church that read “Man’s greatest vice is a misuse of his virtues.”
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 4:57 pmAs I noted above, 96% of all abortions occur before 15 weeks. How is that a middle ground?
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 10/6/2024 @ 5:04 pmA few hours ago, Patterico said essentially the same thing:
lurker (c23034) — 10/6/2024 @ 5:21 pm“A few hours ago, Patterico said essentially the same thing”
I wish it mattered more….maybe on the very edges. I fear the outcome of this election….either way it goes. We really are stress testing the noble experiment….
AJ_Liberty (10c735) — 10/6/2024 @ 6:00 pmSimon’s next sentence was: “But our modern society seems to only have “over the top” reaction-drive thinking on tap.”
Evil, saint, devil.
And tying in to his telling of the wife/husband interaction… How thick of a line do you think there is between people “actively choosing the devil” and “people are evil”? If the stakes are that high, seems nonsensical to even leave this decision to an election.
lloyd (e41258) — 10/6/2024 @ 6:16 pmnorcal,
what conservative beliefs do you have left?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 6:29 pmAnyone who claims abortions in the 2nd term and beyond “save lives” and Lower mortality is instantly untrustworthy.
They are swallowing the same lies as asset.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 6:30 pmMacron goes full anti-Israel while Biden accuses Israel of interfering in the US election.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 6:42 pmI kind of agree that non medically necessary abortions capped at 16 weeks could be an option. Especially since greater than 95% overall are under that, and over that it’s medically necessary a majority of the time. I can’t find a good number since not all states report,
In the case of non-medically necessary abortions in the absense of a hard limit, I’d argue that anything after about 10-12 weeks is procrastination. It takes some time to be sure that one is pregnant, and more time to schedule the necessary medical visits, especially for people on Medicaid.
Note: The 6-week bans include some excessive hoop-jumping (e.g. two doctor visits and 2 echograms first, pretty much impossible outside of concierge medicine) so I regard them as outright bans.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 7:15 pmI saw a letter to the editor the other day hat said discussion about SALT doesn’t take into account the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Yes, but if you are paying a 37% marginal rate, there will be no AMT.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 7:16 pmI was too nice in 227. A 6 week ban like Florida’s is a fraud and people pushing that are fraudsters.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 7:19 pmVerbal was wrong
“Verbal” WAS the Devil.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 7:20 pm…It was convincing the world that everyone is fundamentally evil, so actively choosing the devil doesn’t really matter.
Well, we are talking politicians here. I admit that Harris’s “evil” side is less evil, but her “good” side is inherently evil.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 7:22 pmOff-topic: A lot of bad blood in today’s Dodgers-Padres game.
Near a I can tell it started when Jurickson Profar (sic) caught a Mookie Betts first-inning home-run ball by reaching into the seats, then pretending he didn’t catch it long enough for Betts to get round to third, showing Betts up like a fool.
Truly bush league.
It went downhill from there after one of the Padres hitters got hit in a later inning. Then fans starting throwing things.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 7:35 pmIt depends how you define “ground.” If you frame it as the number of abortions performed, then you’re right; 15 weeks may not be much of a compromise. If you view the “ground” as the place where a gestating human’s right to continue living competes with a pregnant woman’s right to autonomy over her body, then 15 weeks could plausibly be the point where one decides the fetus’s right overtakes the woman’s. Obviously, some will prefer a higher number, some lower, and the most militant on both sides will refuse to assign any number at all.
I’ve long believed that if a line must be drawn, viability has the strongest rational appeal, so it’s the least bad choice. Reasonable minds will differ, and I remain open to persuasion. The only thing about which I’m fairly adamant is that both sides have a legitimate argument, so there’s no “[X] number of weeks” cliff that won’t violate somebody’s deeply held fundamental interest. That’s the conundrum of mediating competing rights. There’s no compromise without depriving somebody of something they rationally believe no one should be allowed to take.
My threshold question for these discussions is, “do you agree both sides are defending a legitimate interest?” With those who say “yes,” a useful discussion can be had. With those who say, “no,” I find productive discussion is usually beyond me.
lurker (c23034) — 10/6/2024 @ 8:08 pmI couldn’t have said it better, lurker.
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 8:17 pmwhat conservative beliefs do you have left?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/6/2024 @ 6:29 pm
Well, for starters, I believe in the Constitution. Anyone who would suggest terminating it is not a conservative.
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 8:19 pmThanks, norcal.
lurker (c23034) — 10/6/2024 @ 9:19 pmThank you for the advice about my Jack Mormon bourbon idea. 😛
norcal (bf749f) — 10/6/2024 @ 9:29 pmYou’re welcome. My commercial instincts are worse than non-existent — I once told a record company client that I expected the music downloading piracy fad would be short-lived and inconsequential — so it’s probably bad news for you that I love your idea. Of course there are all the little details you’ll have to work out, like producing an actual product, but hey… Bezos and Jobs had naysayers too. I really do love the concept.
lurker (c23034) — 10/6/2024 @ 10:20 pmObviously, some will prefer a higher number, some lower, and the most militant on both sides will refuse to assign any number at all.
Europe, which settled this 30 years ago, seems to center around 13 weeks, give or take. I disagree with “viability” as it simply procrastinates a decision unnecessarily and there may be other stakeholders left in limbo, even if they have less of a stake. Some thought ought to be given to prenatal care if the fetus is to be carried to term, so again procrastination is unhelpful. Another point for fetal rights.
Even assuming, somehow, that a woman is unaware until the second missed period (~6 weeks) and has been unable to obtain a home test, it still gives two months more to procure an abortion.
Medically necessary abortions are different, as are those involving fatal defects. An abortion for incest may also be different as the mother may not have agency. I would think that rape issues can fall within the 13 weeks.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:42 pmI’m in KY, and lots of folks are starting bourbon brands just sourcing juice, mostly from MGP, with generally pretty decent quality. There has been a consolidation of brands though, so the are some tiny micro distillers, then it jumps to New Riff, then the big integrated brands, and MGP and Bardstown doing lots of sourcing, but both are rolling out their own brands too. Remus and actual Bardstown. The bubble has kind of burst for a few of the mid-size sourcers and barrel houses and they’ve been gobbled up.
But as these niche/celebrity brands have shown, you can take a decent product, like BT and throw it in a Traveller bottle and charge 50% more, at least for a while.
I always liked Uinta Brewing, but it wasn’t really a Jack Mormon thing. High West is the same, just really solid and being from Utah, but not playing with the faith.
You’d have to figure out how the trademarks that Intellectual Reserve owns would work casual language. You could always change your name to Jack Morman. Then it could be Jack Morman’s BIB, Rye, etc.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:54 pm@Kevin@239 A pregnancy is counted from the first day of the last period, rather than approximate conception date, so when a woman misses her first period, she’d be counted as abt 4-5 weeks, 2nd miss would be 8-9 weeks, 3rd would be 12-13 weeks. Women skip periods all the time for a variety of reasons (stress, health, low body fat, high body fat, all kinds of things) and there is a very common hormone issue (affects aprox 10% of women) that often causes women to often have only 1 period every 3-6 months.
Nic (120c94) — 10/7/2024 @ 12:13 amhttps://richardpollock.substack.com/p/over-half-a-century-of-palestinian?r=1v5u0a&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:44 amNorcal,
if you truly believed that then there’s no way you could vote for the leftist.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:01 am@23
I’m not convinced that FEMA is any slower than usual.
But, I’m totally convinced that FEMA, like just about every governmental organization, is rife with red-tape and has never been serious about performance.
It can be done, though, just look at DeSantis’ Floridian responses. He’s been amazing* in this regard.
(GOP primary voters… you dun F’ed upped).
whembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:59 amAs long as you branch into coffee and caffeinated products. Might as well spit in both eyes.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/7/2024 @ 7:10 am@135
That sentence really shows the depth of how much you and other NeverTrumpers are missing the point.
“Partisanship” isn’t just about a party or candidate… it can also be about a cause.
…and the causes, besides the always-vote-blue-no-matter-who and vote-like-American-Idol crowed, the causes (aka, issues, policies) will make or break the campaign.
NeverTrumpers are just as animated as the most partisan Democrat or Republican voters out there.
whembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 7:20 am“Partisanship” isn’t just about a party or candidate… it can also be about a cause.
Like the Ten Commandments? The only one Trump probably has broken is “Honor thy father and thy mother”.
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 8:02 amYikes! *probably has NOT broken*
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 8:03 amThe thing is that if you want to call somebody “partisan” or “Lyddl’e Corker” or “Lying Ted” or “Crazy Nancy” or “Birdbrain” or “Coco Chow” or “Meatball Ron” or “Donnie Two Inch” or “Mammalia von Prenup”, etc., etc., etc., you don’t need a reason other than “I just like to call them that”.
It’s a free country. Indulge yourselves.
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 8:25 am#247, #248 Actually, you had it right the first time. The Loser has been openly contemptuous of his father, to whom he owes almost everything.
Off hand I would say he has kept the 6th commandment, but not any of the other 9. https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/10-commandments-list/
Jim Miller (08f827) — 10/7/2024 @ 8:26 amThey may be just as animated, but NTs have far less influence than either Democrat or Republican partisans.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 9:21 am#246
I think you win this one. Per the Oxfored English Dictionary:
There’s nothing wrong with a partisan, or calling opposition to Trump a form of partisanship. Sometimes, partisanship and patriotism are the same thing. 🙂
Appalled (5f3d29) — 10/7/2024 @ 9:34 am@252
I get being anti Trump. I think despite some of his good things, he is toxic and it’s understandable that some wants no part of that.
I get the binary choice argument. It sucks, but ignoring the reality of that is simply ceding grounds, akin to Lucy removing the football.
I get the throwing your vote away argument, for 3rd party votes or even simply abstaining to vote at all.
For former GOP voters, I will NEVER get actively supporting and campaigning for Harris. The Democrat’s entire platform is destructive to our country, that we SEE. EVERY. DAMN. DAY! To get there means you either really do support those policies or you dislike a person so much you are willing to sacrifice what you know is wrong for the country.
Former GOP-voters voting for Harris must be well off, or comfortable enough to “weather” another 4 years of progressive/leftist policies to believe that there’s a “chance” to revert such policies at some future administration. THat mindset is such hubris and elitism to expect others to “weather” the disastrous policies, in a very real “let them eat cake” mindset.
At the end of the day, policies are nothing more than a political rachet going in one direction when the majority party holds the Whitehouse. It’s going to take some time and effort (if even POSSIBLE), to unwind that rachet from the previous administration, such that the time and effort is a cost, when we could’ve had a subsequent adminstration from the same party building on the advances of the GOP’s preferred policies.
whembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 9:55 am#252
All of this comes down to risk assessment and what would be harder to unwind after the American people throw the bums out. If Trump were elected, polarization increases, the tariffs foul us up both domestically and internationally, and simple trust in government takes a nose dive because of the swirl of lies and corruption that is a part of Trumpian governance. And that’s if Trump does not attempt the dictatorial things he likes to threaten in his rallies.
As for campaigning for Kamela — I don’t think you can reasonably continue to be anything in the Republican party if you choose to do that. (Nikki Haley and Brian Kemp and Sununu explained). Other than that, people will vote their consciences and continue to demand that they be called Conservatives. You can disagree, but it doesn’t ultimately matter much.
Appalled (5f3d29) — 10/7/2024 @ 10:33 amNeverTrump apparently includes Trump’s first VP, most of his cabinet, and many of his advisers. Mattis, Kelly, McMaster, Milley, Tillerson, Esper, Bolton, Pence, Mulvaney, DeVos, and Chao. Their conservative credentials speak for themselves. It would be easier for all of them to bend the knee and publicly support Trump….yet they don’t. To me that’s courage. Why don’t they fear a policy ratchet? What can they see that EverTrump apparently can’t? And why isn’t their opinions….based on daily interaction…more dispositive than Victor Davis Hanson…or Sean Hannity?
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/7/2024 @ 10:54 am@255
Because they’re losing influence in their party.
Their opinions is just that.
Again, there’s a difference between not voting or going 3rd party, like most of what you listed above…and then actively voting for Harris/Walz (and actively campaigning for at that), which is what Liz Cheney and Mr. Frey are doing.
whembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:10 amFurthermore, voting for Democrats like Clinton/Kaine, Biden/Harris or Harris/Walz does nothing to your “conservative credentials”.
As much as David French or Allahpundit or our very own Mr. Frey tries to make the “conservative case” for Harris/Walz… there’s nothing conservative, principally, in supporting one of the more leftist/progressive administration in modern times.
I really don’t understand how one can violate all of their principles, voting for the full agenda that they had previously opposed vehemently, because one guy currently running for president violates some of those principles.
We’re currently the frogs in the boiling pot parable…this country is facing numerous crises caused by the failed policies and lack of leadership of the Biden/Harris administration over the past 4 years. It’s just not registering, because we’re living in it right now and old personal animus rarely dies. Trump was president for 4 years and the republic survived. He actually put some policies in place that were sensible and productive, but because of his bombastic narcissism (and with the help of the captive MSM) the Dems & NT’ers were able to sell the “threat to Democracy” pitch. Liz Cheney is just another politician afflicted with Tango Delta Sierra who hopes to profit off of her ‘conservative’ sellout.
whembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:20 amCan’t ya’ll feel how scalding hot the water is now?
whembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:22 amA pregnancy is counted from the first day of the last period
Some places. Others count it as gestational age, which can be determined.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:30 amBiden beat him to it – or wants to appear to:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/05/politics/biden-administration-immigration-nicaragua-cuba-venezuela-haiti/index.html
But actually, it’s been extended for Haitians through February 3, 2026.
https://apnews.com/article/temporary-protected-status-tps-haiti-haitians-biden-e92b8de782d2c1218dd1be1899aa926d
And then Trump said he would revoke it.
Everything on both sides is done sneakily because this is so politically sensitive.
The way this always works, by the way, is that the day it is declared becomes the last day anyone permitted to remain can have arrived,
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:30 amthere is a very common hormone issue (affects aprox 10% of women) that often causes women to often have only 1 period every 3-6 months.
I would assume that they’d be more reliant on home testing then, even now.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:31 am“there’s nothing conservative, principally, in supporting one of the more leftist/progressive administration in modern times”
Except for maybe conserving the rule of law, the Constitution, our long-nurtured alliances, the integrity of our elections, respect for the office, a firm and unwavering opposition to authoritarian regimes, and a commitment to markets over blind trade wars.
“Their opinions is just that.”
Something says that Jim Mattis might have a better read on matters than you. Opinion indeed.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:37 amwhembly (477db6) — 10/7/2024 @ 9:55 am
Showing up at the polls, but not casting a vote for president, makes the drop off between votes for president and votes in down ballot races look smaller than it is, since your vote is mixed with at least some 200 other votes, and may make politicians be more wary.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:39 amI get the throwing your vote away argument, for 3rd party votes or even simply abstaining to vote at all.
When there is no candidate that you can stomach, your vote has been taken away before you got to the polls. There is nothing to throw away.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:55 amIt’s OK to throw away your sh1t sandwich.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 11:56 amHarris, who has openly called for ignoring/abolishing the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th, and 10th Amendments (not to mention Articles II and III) and is currently prosecuting her political opponent via the Judicial system, is your choice to “conserve the rule of law & the Constitution”?
Really?!?
You can not like Trump all you want and not vote for him all you want. You CAN’T claim to be a conservative and vote/support Harris.
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/7/2024 @ 12:28 pm100. 211.
The Wall Street Journal article…
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/a-yazidi-woman-is-liberated-from-slavery-in-gaza-connection-isis-hamas-jihadists-3e94060e
has some puzzles, and the CNN articles clarifies some things in it, and both together are not enough to understand this, but other information may help.it
She was rescued on Monday, September 30.
Her freedom was negotiated. The Israelis has to be involved to ensure safe passage. It was Jordan which prevailed upon Hamas to let her leave. Or rather Jordan prevailed upon the Palestinian Authority to prevail upon Hamas to let her leave Gaza. It might have been the USA that prevailed upon Jordan to help. Jordan was also involved in coordinating with Israel to let her leave. The US also physically transported her to Iraq.
Kidnapped Yazidis are a special interest of U.S. diplomacy.
Hamas runs a peculiar tyranny in Gaza. They are very cautious about executing people because they depend on foreign sources for a lot of their functioning.
Since Iran was not interested in keeping her there, and she had nothing to do with the war, Hamas was free to act in its own interests, and Hamas may have been paid some money to let her go. The money may have come partially from her family in Iraq and partially from a philanthropist. The family that took her to Gaza may have been paid off to release any claim on her, I think.
Alan Duncan may have been involved with the NGO that was instrumental in getting her out.
She was one of several thousand Yazidi girls kidnapped by ISIS in August, 2014. She was 11. She was kept alive as a future slave or wife, while most of the men and boys were killed.
At some point they married her to an ISIS fighter, who was from Gaza, and in his 20s, and she had two children with him, a boy and a girl. (this was presumably before ISIS began instructing their fighters to use birth control or he ignored them) before he was killed in 2019, when she would have been 16.
She wound up in the detention camp at al-Hol in northern Syria, maintained by the U.S.-aligned Syrian Democratic Forces, which is however run internally by ISIS, which maintains its own courts and even carries out its own executions.
Escapes are frequent and her late husband’s family arranged her escape, during which she was never free to leave, and married her off to her husband’s brother, who was also killed probably in the last year in Gaza.
She was first taken to the Hayat Tahrir al Sham enclave in Idlib, Syria, which is protected by Turkey, (Hayat Tahrir al Sham is an offshoot of al Qaeda) and then smuggled across the border to Turkey, where her late husband’s mother took possession of her, and she was provided with a fake Egyptian passport (more proof that the Egyptian government is corrupt) which enabled her to travel into Egypt and then into Gaza. This was in 2020, well before the war.
She somehow established contact with her family in Iraq. Her false Egyptian citizenship and passport may have helped.
Hamas, at one point, seized her phone, or maybe just formatted it, but she either remembered the key telephone numbers or was able to re-establish contact.
She managed to get away from her “family” or her efforts to stay in contact with her family in Iraq drew the attention of Hamas, and by 2021 she was under house arrest by Hamas. (She was repeatedly investigated)
Hamas claims she was provided with a private guest room, but seems to imply that only happened in the last year, while she reported the house arrest dated from 2021.
After the war broke out she was moved around a lot until her release and/or escape, which CNN says was on October 1. (She fled from her last place of house arrest to some hideout after her guard (her first husband’s brother?) was killed.)
At that point she was free but stuck in Gaza.
October 1 is probably when she was transferred to the NGO, (whose name she later claimed not to remember or maybe never knew) prior to getting out of Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel. She was turned over to American officials, who took her to Baghdad.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:09 pmRip Murdock (19ce52) — 10/6/2024 @ 11:24 am
A bad thing for the Democrats so the last thing they would want would be for him to be killed or disabled.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:15 pmMission accomplished.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:18 pmSo a good thing for Republicans.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:19 pmSaveFarris (ccd5ab) — 10/5/2024 @ 9:37 am
No contradiction. And House Speaker Mike Johnson admitted that the streams of funding were separate. (There is more than one FEMA fund)
And there is no money constraint on FEMA, at least not till the end of the year (Mayorkas had claimed they might not have enough money to cover another hurricane) and Mike Johnson said they wanted to see how much money the states spend before approving money to reimburse them.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:24 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:19 pm
Only if Trump was actually replaced as a candidate, de facto or de jure.
Good for Republicans but not for Trump.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:25 pmTrump is not conservative. He is a conman. He has no policies. Only puffery.
Do I trust Liz Cheney more than I trust Elon Musk? You betcha!
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:29 pmDo I trust Liz Cheney more than I trust Elon Musk? You betcha!
Right up until she pimps for the untrustable Kamala.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:31 pmSupreme Court denies X appeal:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:34 pmOn the other hand, Trump has a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin.
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:35 pmBut my real problem with Liz is her advocacy of the Democrat Senate candidate in Texas. This is not because I consider Ted Cruz a man of honor, but because a GOP Senate is needed to contain Harris. Liz talks up the need to defeat Trump, and I’m OK with that, but to then argue to give the Democrats the Senate FOR ANY REASON is a bridge too far.
Really, the Senate has a number of scoundrels in it, on both sides of the aisle. Always has, always will. But with 100 Senators, their malfeasance is limited to what they can do collectively, and right now the threats come from the Left.
There are enough GOP Senators who favor the filibuster (or counting electoral votes correctly) that going after a particular jerk (and ignoring the aggregate result) is political malpractice when the other side has ANNOUNCED they intend evil.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:38 pmI think that Biden was mistaken in barring Russian oligarchs and their families from admission to the US. We should offer them discounts so that we have an adequate stockpile when we need counter hostages.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:40 pmAJ_Liberty (03b468) — 10/5/2024 @ 5:10 pm
The word is “tacking” not “tracking.” It’s peculiar how memory works.
Nobody was asking him to send troops.
If anything, they had earlier been afraid if what the loyalties would be of any outfit Trump would send, and they strove to eliminate the necessity of it by successfully discouraging counter demonstrations and there were none on January 6.
Trump’s saying “So what?” may have meant “So what should I do about it?” He evidently got no answer.
What he decided to do, after first trying to make sure that there would still be votes on whether to reject electors by calling Senator Tommy Tuberville, was to send a tweet justifying or excusing what he was hearing people were saying about Mike Pence.
Jack Smith gets cause and effect reversed: i.e. implying that Trump’s tweet caused the “Hang Mike Pence” shouts or the need to evacuate Mike Pence, rather than the other way around. No one in the mob was scanning Twitter.
Now news that Trump wanted everyone to disperse – that news would travel fast, but nothing less would. That’s what they wanted Trump to do, and he finally did.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:43 pmPresidents have done losing things before.
But members of the Congress would have to end the filibuster, pack the Supreme Court, change voting laws, and so on. Executive orders could be challenged in court.
The easiest thing would be admitting most of the District of Columbia as a state and that would take about one year.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/7/2024 @ 1:48 pmThe Cheney family wants I should always have gasoline for my car.
Elon Musk wants I should only drive a Tesla in his tunnel from Chicago to LA.
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 2:31 pmRepublicans on georgia election board pass rule allowing them to with hold vote counts in precincts (mostly black) that they think shouldn’t be counted. (DU)
asset (aaff04) — 10/7/2024 @ 2:52 pmHarris poll numbers dropping as constant ads turn voters off. Watching youtube the same harris commercial is run every 3 minutes.
asset (aaff04) — 10/7/2024 @ 2:57 pm#267 Sammy, thanks much for the additional info on Fawzia Sido.
Jim Miller (2f7d2c) — 10/7/2024 @ 3:34 pmKevin, I’m with you in being surprised Liz Cheney is pushing Colin Allred.
I don’t like Ted Cruz, but I don’t get where she’s coming from.
Nate (59e225) — 10/7/2024 @ 3:39 pmNeither Buggsy nor Cuddly Bunny are going to turn me against Republicans I have been perfectly fine with since 1988.
nk (bd293b) — 10/7/2024 @ 3:58 pm> The easiest thing would be admitting most of the District of Columbia as a state and that would take about one year.
How do we deal with the 23d amendment?
I *do* think we should admit Puerto Rico as a state, though.
aphrael (9c2ac5) — 10/7/2024 @ 4:26 pmThe easiest thing would be to return the residential areas back to Maryland, and carve out an area from Independence Ave. on the south, K Street on the north, 4th Street on the east, and the Potomac River on the west as the Federal District, which would contain the Capitol, White House, National Mall, and Lincoln Memorial.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 4:44 pm> The easiest thing would be to return the residential areas back to Maryland, and carve out an area from Independence Ave. on the south, K Street on the north, 4th Street on the east, and the Potomac River on the west as the Federal District, which would contain the Capitol, White House, National Mall, and Lincoln Memorial.
At which point, unless the 23d amendment is also repealed, the President and his family get three electoral votes all to themselves.
aphrael (9c2ac5) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:09 pm> The easiest thing would be to return the residential areas back to Maryland
Is there any indication that Maryland would accept?
aphrael (9c2ac5) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:11 pm> https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/10/florida-amendment-4-ron-desantis-administration-prosecute-media-airing-pro-choice-ads.html
Fantastic.
aphrael (9c2ac5) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:13 pmThe residents of Washington may be able to vote for President, but they lack voting representation in the House. In addition they would be able to rule themselves through local elections without their will be overruled by Congress. While the Virginia portion of the District was returned to the state in 1850, it is unlikely that the Maryland portion will be in the near future. It has as much chance as DC becoming a state.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:52 pmReturning the remaining portion to Maryland is a better idea than granting statehood to the District. It should be more popular idea among Republicans since it would not result in additional Senators or House members.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:55 pmKevin, I’m with you in being surprised Liz Cheney is pushing Colin Allred.
I don’t like Ted Cruz, but I don’t get where she’s coming from.
Nate (59e225) — 10/7/2024 @ 3:39 pm
If Trump wins the Presidency, I’d rather have a Senate controlled by Democrats, and if Harris wins the Presidency I would want a Republican Senate.
It’s really frustrating. I’m voting for Harris, but am unsure how to vote when it comes to the race for the Senate seat from Nevada. It looks like the Republicans will win the Senate, so I don’t feel the need to vote for the Republican Senate candidate here in Nevada, which is a relief because he is an election denier. On the other hand, I don’t want Harris with a Democrat Senate.
I might end up not casting a vote in the Senate race.
norcal (a3d835) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:56 pmRon DeSantis hates the First Amendment.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:57 pmHer term loses if she induces a big red wave in 2026. I think she is smart enough to understand that.
Obama and Pelosi knew they were spending their slim House margin on Obamacare. They did it anyway.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:58 pmhttps://hotair.com/john-s-2/2024/10/07/columbia-student-protesters-celebrate-hamas-on-anniversary-of-attack-n3795518
The Islamist Nazis at Columbia do about what you’d expect they’d do.
But some want to give them more power.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:01 pmHow do we deal with the 23d amendment?
They would leave a rump District of Columbia: K street to Independence Ave, 2nd St to the Potomac, and make the rest the new state of Columbia. Then they get two new senators and a congressperson and STILL have the 3 electoral votes from the rump DC.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:05 pm291, Heh! A qui tam action by the TV stations to “abate” the Florida Department of Health under that same nuisance law would have far more merit. Not a greater chance of winning because it’s Floridamanland but far more merit.
nk (256ac2) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:08 pmI see Rip beat me to it.
At which point, unless the 23d amendment is also repealed, the President and his family get three electoral votes all to themselves.
And your point?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:08 pmFlorida might not exist by Friday.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:10 pmWhich reminds me. Has DeSantis restored Trump’s voting rights yet?
nk (a2a126) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:11 pmIs Trump going to stay with the people of Florida and help them through this crisis, like Horatius at the Bridge? Or will he find somewhere else to be? Will DeSantis?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:21 pmWhich reminds me. Has DeSantis restored Trump’s voting rights yet?
Doesn’t he have to be sentenced first?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:21 pmI don’t know. DeSantis said he was not going to rely on New York’s felon disqualification law and just go ahead and restore Trump’s rights under Florida law.
nk (a2a126) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:34 pmWould they, though? Genuine question. I don’t know that most presidents switch their official residence to DC for voting purposes. I think they remain in their home jurisdiction.
Then again, maybe they WOULD switch under these circumstances. But I am not as worried about this scenario as others might be. As soon as it got out that the president would basically get to determine three electoral votes with one single ballot, and that Republicans would then have an actual chance to win them, the bipartisan consensus (especially on the left) for repeal of the 23rd Amendment would be overwhelming.
Demosthenes (7371ef) — 10/7/2024 @ 6:59 pm@291 Democrats like biden/harris/congress are afraid to send in federal troops for desatan’s thugs trying to intimidate petition signers. Desatan may try to intimidate pro-choice voters if biden does nothing. No wonder minority men are hesitant to vote for harris.
asset (e6127f) — 10/7/2024 @ 9:05 pm@297 thats freedom of speech not power. Intimidating petition signers and voters is power.
asset (e6127f) — 10/7/2024 @ 9:08 pmWSJ: Trump’s Plan Boosts Budget Deficits by $7.5 Trillion, Double Harris’s Proposal
lurker (c23034) — 10/7/2024 @ 10:22 pmTrump’s Plan Boosts Budget Deficits by $7.5 Trillion, Double Harris’s Proposal
Two thoughts:
1) I’m certain that Harris’s plan relies on 70% tax rates to cover her spending
2) Harris will rise to the challenge.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 7:20 amMr. Former President written Donald Trump but pronounced Throatwarbler Mangrove has never been shy about spending other people’s money.
I do wonder what valuation he will put on America in the loan application with Gazprom Bank.
nk (a2a126) — 10/8/2024 @ 8:32 amMost Presidents tend to vote in the the state/city they call home, even if they need to request an absentee ballot.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 8:56 amWhich would be valid only in Florida. Trump would still lose his federal voting privileges and ability to possess a firearm (which he had to surrender after his conviction).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 9:19 amAmateur psephologists will find this Pennsylvania early voting data of interest.
Trigger warning: Trumpistas may be shocked by the numbers.
(I assume Professor McDonald will be updating the numbers regularly, so I didn’t include any numbers in this comment.)
Jim Miller (e37b84) — 10/8/2024 @ 9:33 amReal Republicans™ don’t use early voting.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 9:38 am“You know who uses early voting, Mandrake? Illegal immigrants, that’s who! Have you ever seen an illegal immigrant voting on Election Day?!
It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? Foreign voters are introduced into our precious electoral process without the knowledge of the real voters. Certainly without any choice. That’s the way your hard-core Democrat works.
I can no longer sit back and allow this infiltration, citizen replacement, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to replace and impurify all of our native American voters.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 9:51 amWell, of course Trump has been talking to Putin.
I’m not sure what we would have expected, it was obvious from what Trump says. It is funny that his spokesman says that that you shouldn’t trust Woodward because a) He’s old and senile b) he’s mad that Trump sued him for his last book because when Trump said that book was made up, Woodward went to the audio, in public c) he made it all up despite quoting people in the room
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/8/2024 @ 10:44 amThe details from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 11:33 amI know….Russia, Russia, Russia….but I don’t like any illusion of a dictator bromance, especially with the Ukraine invasion and all of the inhumanity that came with it. It’s shocking to me that Trump cannot call out Putin, that it plays coy about supporting Zelensky, and that he is so ambivalent about supporting our allies. It remains my top disqualifier, even above his J6 treachery and failure to act. There are bad men in this world. Putin has revealed himself to be among the worst. He choreographed events leading up to his Ukraine invasion but there is no excuse now. This right-wing fascination with authoritarianism and thuggery is horrible.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/8/2024 @ 11:35 amI’m certain Trump also called Orban and Bonesaw Salman after he left office, but never called Zelenskyy even once, or any other leader of a democratic nation.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/8/2024 @ 11:37 amPromises, promises.
Related:
More promises:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 11:37 amI was wondering why MAGA was freaking out that Harris wouldn’t talk to Putin over Ukraine. So I watched the interview, then went back and looked at MAGAworld.
They’re freaking out because Harris said when asked if she’d sit down with just Putin on Ukraine and she said that these aren’t bilateral talks. Ukraine needs to be at the table to determine their fate, duh. MAGAworld is using Trump’s deal with the Taliban without the government of Afghanistan at the table as a model to create a peace.
That all seems to me an example of what not to do. Do they think that Ukraine would just be cool if the US negotiated giving up their territory without input?
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/8/2024 @ 11:51 amTo help offset the costs of her plan, Vice President Harris has proposed increasing taxes on corporations and high-income households and reducing prescription drug prices. Her campaign also says she supports the revenue-raising provisions in President Biden’s FY 2025 budget, which would further increase taxes on corporations and high-income households.
These include mark-to-narket annual taxation of unrealized capital gains, increasing the capital gains tax itself, increasing the corporate tax rate, removing the cap on Social Security taxes and increasing the top bracket for earned income an unspecified amount (she has said “60 or 70%” in the past).
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 12:03 pmAlso, Harris will find that needs must and she has to spend much more.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 12:04 pmDo they think that Ukraine would just be cool if the US negotiated giving up their territory without input?
And then ban them forever from NATO.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 12:05 pmBlue State Democrat Governor Embraces Vote Suppression
lloyd (9b3cbf) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:07 pmThis same outfit said that Biden’s plan would only boost the debt by$5.6 trillion.
… oops! They were only $3 trillion off.
https://www.crfb.org/papers/cost-trump-and-biden-campaign-plans
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:15 pmLavrov is the most undiplomatic diplomat I’ve ever seen. Instead of talking about negotiations, he’s making demands for surrender.
Paul Montagu (037e5c) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:17 pmAll unlikely to happen.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:18 pmHow to make a podcast out of anything (if you can use the app) using Google’s NotebookLM offshoot DeepDive
Excerpt from Wall Street Journal article:
Brief video about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtqBteYvJnU
his explains the app on its own terms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWPjBwXy_Io
This is the Wall Street Journal article about it:
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/google-notebooklm-ai-podcast-deep-dive-audio-c30a06b3
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:41 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 10/4/2024 @ 2:39 pm
The grid is heading toward failure in less than ten years maybe just with normal policy what with shutting down sources of power generation and increased demand caused by electric cars, heat pumps, and tech companies.
Hopefully they will notice at some point before we go over the cliff.
Solar power isn’t that much of a cause because it can be paired with sodium batteries if we just go slow enough, but there is a lack of new power lines.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:49 pmNo standing:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 1:56 pm284. 210 211 #267
I still don’t have a clear picture, because I only used two sources * which gave quite different takes on this. One was CNN,and the other was the online version of the Wall Street Journal article you mentioned (which I independently read because I get it delivered) I tried to pull them together making judgements as to what was trueor what something meant.
* plus some additional background information I knew,
One question not answered: What happened to the children? I think because they are not mentioned in connection with her leaving Gaza, I think her husband’sfamily kept them, whether she wanted to keep them or not, and she probably didn’t have them when she was under house arrest.
Her marriage (actually it seems two marriages, one to the Jihadist from Gaza and the other to a brother of his- both dead) can justifiably be described as rape – the first one would be statutory rape in any state even of there was consent.
She could leave Gaza(at least once her situation became known and some pressure was put upon Hamas not to detain her) because she had foreign citizenship.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:08 pmI think Bob Woodward, by saying that Trump kept in contact with Putin after he was no longer president, is accusing Trump of violating the Logan Act – depends on what he said.
But Woodward isunreliable. He claimed to have had an interview with brain destroyed William Casey:
https://www.politico.com/story/2012/04/6-bob-woodward-controversies-075738
The real problem with that conversation was that Bill Casey, after his operation, was in no condition to say anything to anybody. It’s not whether or not Woodward could have snuck in.
The Belushi book was probably largely made up.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:18 pmhttps://www.dw.com/en/germany-debates-banning-red-triangle-symbol-linked-to-hamas/a-69840776
The inverted red triangle was originally used in Nazi concentration camps to indicate that a person was there as a political prisoner.
By using it Hamas calls themselves Nazis, and at the same time denies its motivation is anti-Semitism, or maybe just wants to be all-inclusive.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:28 pmAnd members of Congress of course do.
However a president could have some members of his family, or permanent guests, register at the White House.
In New York City, the mayor lives in Gracie Mansion, but does not vote from there. In 2021, the only voter who lived in that election district was his son Dante, with the inadvertent result that his vote became public.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/nyregion/voters-dante-deblasio.html
There were cases of Republicans who were the only Republic to vote in their party’s primary in that election district. When there is a minor party primary, they get special instructions, but this situation can happen with Republicans located in overwhelmingly Democratic election districts.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:39 pmAll unlikely to happen.
Indeed, which makes their entire paper bullsh1t.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:40 pmThen again, Obamacare was “unlikely to happen.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:45 pmNote that Woodward does not say that Trump called Putin 7 times, nor that there is a witness to any one of them. It’s all from an unnamed aide who was sent out of the room while Trump made a call. And even
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:47 pmhethey say “up to 7 times” — which includes zero times.aphrael (9c2ac5) — 10/7/2024 @ 5:09 pm
As I said, more likely a member or member of his family or permanent guests, like Harry Hopkins under FDR, but there are ways this can be avoided short of a constitutional amendment.
A state, or any entity entitled to choose Electors does not have to cast Electoral votes, and the legislation providing for an election, can be repealed, as well, as well as all local government in the rump federal district, and the place treated like a military base or a Post Office
If the old laws are kept and an election run, the electors would not necessarily be chosen by whoever lives in he White House.
Homeless people can register, and members of Congress could have people living in their offices – they would just need to make that their residence for at least 30 days before the
election, I could see the Libertarians and Larouches competing for the 3 Electoral votes, hoping there would be a near tie in the electoral College. Somebody could have done that this year. And if people could register and vote absentee, and get courts to uphold the legitimacy of it, even more so.
Or maybe the Democratic and Republican parties could try to get those 3 Electoral votes, registering people in Congressional offices or RNC and DNC headquarters and the like.
But the simplest way of avoiding this problem would be for what’s left of DC not to hold an election and to have no government that could pick electors for president any other way.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/8/2024 @ 2:57 pmGraham was with MBS when he said they could call Trump, and MBS pulled out his “Trump” burner and there was also a “Sullivan” one too. You would think the leader of a country would have something a bit more sophisticated.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/8/2024 @ 3:08 pmI wonder if that Harris vs Trump calculation included the home healthcare entitlement that Harris proposed today.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 3:37 pmThe links in my post show what programs are included in the CRFB calculation. Given that the proposal was just made today, it wasn’t.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/8/2024 @ 3:41 pmanother new entitlement, this one for home healthcare.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 3:42 pmJust saw a Harris commercial that talks about all the GOP officials endorsing Harris. They show photos of Reagan and George HW Bush among others. Pretty sure that Reagan and GHWB have not endorsed Harris.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/8/2024 @ 3:45 pmKevin, there’s a joke about dead voters in there. 😂
Time123 (756993) — 10/8/2024 @ 4:01 pmGiven that, is Harris going to lower her spending requests accordingly, or is she going to ratchet up the deficit spending in order to compensate?
SaveFarris (ee0615) — 10/8/2024 @ 4:47 pm> Pretty sure that Reagan and GHWB have not endorsed Harris.
And even Bush Jr hasn’t, although it seems impossible that he’d vote for Trump.
I’m really curious about Reagan, though. On the one hand, don’t speak ill of another Republican, on the other hand it’s hard to imagine someone more unlike Reagan philosophically and temperamentally.
aphrael (614940) — 10/8/2024 @ 6:46 pm@347
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
whembly (645bb3) — 10/8/2024 @ 8:05 pmWhat do DeSantis and Florida’s congress members think they are doing? Are they really willing to harm their own people, possibly for the long term, by refusing disaster recovery help?
Nic (120c94) — 10/8/2024 @ 9:58 pm@351 desatan is afraid that j.d. vance will get the 2028 gop nomination so he has to out trump vance. Nothing else matters to him.
asset (16cec5) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:05 amhttps://www.nationalreview.com/corner/illinois-man-charged-with-threats-to-kidnap-and-kill-judge-cannon/
Somehow you missed this Rip.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:11 amFor those still on the Harris/Walz bandwagon because they believe Trump is a greater existential threat to Democracy and the Constitution…
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/08/walz-says-the-electoral-college-needs-to-go-00182981
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:20 amIt is a weird election with both parties calling out to their fringes instead of looking to shift the center.
nk (8ecb8f) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:55 amYeah, Walz is an existential threat. For bringing up a constitutional amendment. There’s a process for that, it’s happened 27 times and that’s what he was discussing.
Of course, your quote happens to miss the rest of the quote. I’m sure that was intentional.
I don’t think the founders pictured a situation where one state was nearly 100X the size of another, and where millions of Americans have no representation. Generally, I think folks would be as knackered about it if Trump wasn’t going to lose by 8 million votes and still it’s razor thin. “But that’s not the world we live in.”
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:44 amWalz isn’t bringing up a Constitution Amendment. He’s trying to backdoor it via the National Vote Compact.
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:04 am> Are they really willing to harm their own people, possibly for the long term, by refusing disaster recovery help?
Yes.
This is the same impulse that caused most of the Republican party to turn against Chris Christie for working with Barack Obama on disaster aid during October of 2012.
aphrael (77a6c0) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:08 am> Democrats and their media allies have been lambasting Cannon
And rightly so; she is clearly a political lieutenant who is deliberately misunderstanding and misrepresenting the law to help her patron.
> Eric James Rennert was arrested based on a six-count indictment charging him with threatening to assault, kidnap, and murder a federal judge and that judge’s family in Florida’s St. Lucie County.
That’s *not* an ok reaction to Cannon’s misdeeds, and the dude belongs in jail.
aphrael (77a6c0) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:10 am> For those still on the Harris/Walz bandwagon because they believe Trump is a greater existential threat to Democracy and the Constitution…
Because states allocating electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote is somehow comparable to the President of the United States lying about how states conducted their election and persuading a big chunk of the country that the states engaged in fraud (despite the utter lack of evidence of same), thereby undermining the legitimacy of the entire political system?
Trump’s actions after the 2020 election clearly show him to be the biggest threat to the Republic since the civil war; he tried to steal an election and his lies have undermined the legitimacy of our entire political system.
Nothing Harris, Walz, or *literally any other politician in my lifetime* has done comes remotely close. (You might be able to make an argument that Abrams is *just as bad* in this regard, but at least she was doing it at a state level and not the federal level).
aphrael (77a6c0) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:13 amMy sister-in-law lives in Tampa; they’re 25 feet above sea level and four miles inland, but they’re driving to Georgia nevertheless. This one is sounding pretty bad.
Paul Montagu (7035ec) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:13 amCompared to the total votes for Trump in 2020, what is the percentage that have been indicted for Jan 6th misdeeds?
BuDuh (4214e4) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:23 am#361
It sounds very bad.
By the way, Georgia hotels along I-75 may be filing up. You may want to steer your family towards Alabama or even Mississippi.
Appalled (4e9037) — 10/9/2024 @ 8:37 amSay Hello to Hillary Clinton!
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/electoral-college-rogues-trump-clinton-232195
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/9/2024 @ 8:49 amGood catch. Thanks.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 8:54 amWhich itself need to survive the inevitable legal challenges as well as approval by Congress. Not gonna happen.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 9:00 am#360
Trump launched off of Stacey Abrams in 2020. The corrosive effects of that dynamic duo were something else — and the way to judge a true noxious Georgia partisan is to see if someone is praising one effusively and condemning the other.
Appalled (dce35d) — 10/9/2024 @ 9:03 am#364:
Did you read the article you posted? It didn’t say “Hillary Clinton and her campaign secretly worked to overturn the electoral college and try to install herself as President.”
It said “Clinton’s team and the Democratic National Committee have steadfastly refused to endorse the efforts spearheaded by a group of electors in Colorado and Washington state.” and “The electors leading the anti-Trump push say they’re operating without regard to the Clinton campaign’s views and without its assistance.” and ““We’re really doing this on our own,” said Polly Baca, a Democratic elector from Colorado and organizer of “Hamilton Electors,” the group encouraging Republican defections from Trump. “This is something we have to do as electors. This is our responsibility.””
Surely you don’t actually think that Clinton & Trump are the same in this regard, despite your words indicating you do.
Nate (59e225) — 10/9/2024 @ 9:12 amWalz isn’t bringing up a Constitution Amendment. He’s trying to backdoor it via the National Vote Compact.
The Popular Vote Compact is a project of the DNC and its “Progressive” wing. Only states where Democrats have total control have passed it, and not all of those.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 9:51 amWSJ (free link): More Americans Identify as Republican Than Democrat
Say what you want about Trump, this didn’t happen in spite of him.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 9:54 amAgain, I predict that if Trump wins the election narrowly, there will be a serious attempt to deny him his electoral votes because he’s an “insurrectionist.” This will easily gain 1/5th of the vote in each House despite current law not permitting such a reason. Just as the filibuster went down to the nuclear option despite Senate Rules, one fifth of each House can act on whatever reason they find useful.
Then we get to see if the Democrats can find a majority.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:01 am* Just as the judicial filibuster went down to the nuclear option
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:02 amIt is a weird election with both parties calling out to their fringes instead of looking to shift the center.
Again, it would have been the idea election to have a credible centrist running. But No Labels’ false-flag operation scuttled that by occupying the niche, while shilling for Biden.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:04 amTrump’s actions after the 2020 election clearly show him to be the biggest threat to the Republic since the civil war; he tried to steal an election and his lies have undermined the legitimacy of our entire political system.
And this will be the motivation of those attempting to save the country, even if he wins.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:07 amThe GOP base in Iowa just couldn’t give us a normal candidate. Thanks Trump apologists.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:12 amThe GOP base in Iowa just couldn’t give us a normal candidate. Thanks Trump apologists.
I’ve considered the possibility that the “normal” candidates were unsatisfactory. Populism happens when the establishment sucks badly, and repeatedly, for so long that people give up. Perhaps they shouldn’t have crushed the Tea Party, which was FAR more reasonable. Now we have a choice between “same old-same old on steriods” and “Yosemite Sam.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:29 amIf the First Rule of Holes is “stop digging”, who do you choose when both sides are digging holes with steam-shovels?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:31 amWSJ (free link): U.S. Frustrated by Israel’s Reluctance to Share Iran Retaliation Plans
Pretty sure that Israel expects that the WH would leak any plan they did not approve.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:33 amI think Ms. Clinton is stand alone despicable. Her position on free speech (or as she puts it “disinformation”) is totalitarian. Ron DeSantis was asked today about disinformation on social media regarding Hurricane Milton and FEMA not permitting repopulation after hurricane passes. 1. He respects his constituents intelligence and their ability to discern between bullsh1t and ice cream. 2. DeSantis then clearly defined the chain of command (FEMA works with and under Florida, not the other way around) and clearly defined how information would flow from his office. Clear, open and honest information will carry the day over disinformation.
steveg (1bfafc) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:35 am@359
Tell me you didn’t read Judge Cannon’s ruling without telling me you didn’t read it…
If you had, you’d know she’s on much stronger grounds than what you’re giving here. Furthermore, Judge Cannon implored Jack Smith’s team to offer up a ‘curative’ solution to keep the case active should she rule that Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional. (the answer: simply move Jack Smith’s team under the federal office in Florida, who’s been nominated/confirmed).
But, Jack Smith’s team chose NOT to offer any curative procedures, essentially daring Judge Cannon to move forward with her unconstitutional ruling.
whembly (477db6) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:36 amhttps://x.com/redsteeze/status/1843680929421938986?
Biden says he’s been working with DeSantis on hurricane prep
Kamala is lying. Who is buying?
NJRob (12bf19) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:40 amhttps://www.construction-physics.com/p/do-us-ports-need-more-automation
It is not a short article so:
Bottom line, you can’t just automate the port, the rest of the infrastructure and systems have to be modernized and streamlined or you are just moving the bottleneck down the line
steveg (1bfafc) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:47 am> I predict that if Trump wins the election narrowly, there will be a serious attempt to deny him his electoral votes because he’s an “insurrectionist.”
That would be absurd *as a practical matter*.
Throw the election to the House and Trump wins.
aphrael (078a66) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:56 amThis is, and has been, amongst the worst in lazy know-it-all types of responses. Whether or not is survives congressional scrutiny has nothing to do with the assessment of a clown that proposes it.
If someone glorifies robbing banks and says he really wants to do it, why is it that the best response you can muster would be a description of security guards and vault doors? Who cares about that nonsense? Concern yourself with the oddball person that proposes outlandish stuff.
BuDuh (71a468) — 10/9/2024 @ 11:10 amHow did declining to take a phone call from the vice president during her softball interview tour become equated with “refusing disaster recovery help”? I realize her ability to get things done is legendary but let’s not oversell it.
lloyd (0e779d) — 10/9/2024 @ 12:27 pmThe hurricane toll will be blamed on DeSantis, just like Katrina was blamed on
the Democrat governor of LouisianaPresident Bush.Now is not the time to play partisan politics, say those playing partisan politics.
lloyd (0e779d) — 10/9/2024 @ 12:36 pmCBS Reveals They Interviewed Kamala For 721 Hours In Order To Compile ’60 Minutes’ Of Usable Footage.
lloyd (0e779d) — 10/9/2024 @ 12:40 pmJust like Biden’s Student Loan plans.
Or Biden’s border policy.
Or Biden’s granting legal status to participants in the secret flight program.
You’re claiming Congress has the ability and wherewithal to un-ring a bell. I see no such reason to believe they can or will, even with a Republican majority in both Houses.
SaveFarris (79ab12) — 10/9/2024 @ 12:45 pmAnd there are not enough electoral votes in the remaining blue states to allow the compact to go into effect. It’s dead bogeyman.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:17 pmAnd yet it was the Biden campaign that was most fearful of No Labels.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:19 pmI never said Congress had “the wherewithal to un-ring a bell,” I have said they have the power to do so. Two different things.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:24 pmKremlin confirms Trump sent Putin COVID-19 tests but denies phone calls
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:27 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:19 pm
Maybe fearful of it turning real or someone else organizing this, or a candidate striking out on his own.
Kevin M I think is saying that some of the people involved never intended for there to be a third party candidate but did what they did to stop a third party candidate from emerging by postponing a decision and tossing out false possibilities and perhaps by proposing an unpalatable platform.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/labels-run-3rd-party-unity-ticket-trump-biden/story?id=108859241
Has anybody heard a word from them?
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:37 pmNobody cares; they had their moment in the political sun and crashed and burned.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:44 pm383. aphrael (078a66) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:56 am
It’s the new House that votes, and as a practical matter, more than 50% of the House is needed because states can be divided and 26 states are needed.
But it only gets into the House is nobody gest 270 Electoral votes, and the only way that can happen with only two people getting Electoral votes is for it to be split 269-269.
You could also have some faithless electors in some states who could drag a victorious Trump slightly below 270 while offering up a third option. (But what if there are several who each get just 1 Electoral vote?)
If Trump’s votes are somehow ruled disqualified (and that would require a simple majority in both the House and the Senate and objections from 20% of each House to get the ball rolling) it only makes the Republican vice-president elect, JD Vance, president unless they vote to disqualify him, too. But he had nothing to do with January 6.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:46 pmAnything less than turning Tehran into glass would be too little, too late.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:47 pmAnd yet it was the Biden campaign that was most fearful of No Labels.
They were fearful that they would renege on their promise not to help Trump and/or that they would find out that Biden wasn’t able to campaign.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:01 pmRead the fine print:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:02 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 1:27 pm
The New York Times reported that some Covid test shipments were stated publicly at the time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/08/us/politics/trump-putin-woodward-book.html
But anybody should have understood given Putin’s paranoia about catching Covid that if limited supplies of U.S. manufactured tests were sent to Russia, first priority would be given to Putin (who didn’t need too many tests personally) and anyone who came in to see him.
The NYT links online to this Washington Examiner story dated May 17, 2020:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/1118964/pompeo-tells-salena-zito-the-world-must-impose-costs-on-china-for-coronavirus/#google_vignette
But you need to register to see more than the first paragraph
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:03 pmKremlin confirms Trump sent Putin COVID-19 tests but denies phone calls
From what I read, the reports on the phone calls are surmises, not something witnessed. But heck, what do you need facts for when rumor and innuendo work as well?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:03 pmThrow the election to the House and Trump wins.
The House at that time would be the result of the 2024 election, as the votes are counted in the new Congress. It seems likely that the Democrats will take the House.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:06 pmMuch like we read here. 😉
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:08 pmBottom line, you can’t just automate the port, the rest of the infrastructure and systems have to be modernized and streamlined or you are just moving the bottleneck down the line
Forcing them to modernize.
I could just as easily say “Why modernize trucks when the ports don’t move fast enough to make it worthwhile.”
This is the kind of thinking that ends up with “Why bother?”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:08 pm@401 but it’s not about majority control, as every state delegation gets one vote: in other words, 26 state delegations.
Sam G (3626e6) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:22 pmNJRob (12bf19) — 10/9/2024 @ 10:40 am
Where’s the lie?
Kamala Harris said that Ron DeSantis won’t take her phone calls. You cite evidence that he took Biden’s
where she, and the entire Democratic Party, are lying is about Republicans’ position about abortion, live and in ad after ad. The Wall Street Journal ran an editorial about it yesterday:
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-abortion-distortion-campaign-election-politics-ca91ec2e
Meanwhile, Donald Trump and others are causing people to believe wrong things about hurricane aid
The claim is that people are being offered only $750 each (which is true, but it’s an advance payment intended mainly to help people buy food) supposedly because the fund for disaster relief was depleted by spending it on other things (what other things the money was spent on varies – Trump mentioned aid to Lebanon in a campaign rally speech)
This leaves out in-kind help, (which doesn’t count against any eventual relief) not to mention help from outside the government, or by states, and that people can file applications to get help in rebuilding etc.
But not mentioned when this debunking is done is that it often takes years for federal disaster aid to come through.
The reason the disaster relief fund is limited in size is that Congress doesn’t want to over-appropriate, possibly for fear that the money will be wasted or there will be fraud.
Something that was not a concern when Covid hit. Then they handed out money freely.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:28 pmKevin M, at 401: what Sam G said in 404.
Each state’s delegation gets a single vote.
Currently 22 state delegations are D-controlled and 26 state delegations are R-controlled with 2 (MN, NC) being evenly split.
So even if the Dems take the house, they would have to take the house in such a way as to flip control of multiple state delegations (which is unlikely as a lot of their pickup opportunities are in swingy districts in states where they already control the majority).
aphrael (078a66) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:29 pmBy automating ports with Chinese manufactured cranes, the US has created an espionage risk:
More:
Chinese cargo cranes used at U.S. seaports around the country have embedded technology that could allow Beijing to covertly gain access to the machines, making them vulnerable to espionage and disruption, according to a yearlong congressional investigation.
The probe, conducted jointly by the Republican majorities of the House Homeland Security Committee and Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, found that the China-based manufacturer of the cranes, ZPMC, had at times pressured port operators to allow the company to maintain remote access.
“Some ports insist on securing their assets, but many cave to the pressure,” the report said, adding that ZPMC had shown particular interest in requesting remote access to its cranes located on the West Coast. Pushing back on ZPMC’s requests, it said, is “difficult for customers who are looking to get the lowest price or guarantee a robust warranty policy.”
Though ostensibly done for diagnostic and maintenance purposes, the committees said the cellular modems built into the cranes could potentially allow access by the Chinese government due to the country’s national-security laws that mandate companies cooperate with state intelligence agencies. In some cases, the investigation uncovered instances where cranes came with cellular modems installed without the knowledge of port authorities and done so beyond the scope of contracts with ZPMC.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:30 pm………..
Earlier this year the Biden administration announced it would invest more than $20 billion to replace foreign-built cranes with U.S.-manufactured ones and slapped 25% tariffs on Chinese shipping cranes. The moves followed a Wall Street Journal investigation last year that revealed U.S. national-security fears about ZPMC cranes, which account for roughly 80% of ship-to-shore cranes in use at U.S. ports.
………..
On post 407, the section below “More” should have been blockquoted.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:31 pmAnd there are not enough electoral votes in the remaining blue states to allow the compact to go into effect. It’s dead bogeyman.
The NPVC has passed in states holding 209 electoral votes. It is pending in NV, for 6 more.
MI (15), VA(13), PA (19), and AZ (11) and NH (4) — totaling 62 additional votes — could pass it with small changes in the legislature, or a flipping of the governor’s seat. 209 + 6 + 62 = 277 votes, enough to enact the damn thing.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:32 pmAnd then Trump had to be stopped by his aides from not sending disaster relief to places that vote Democratic. He sent aid to Orange County California when wildfires hit after he was reminded or informed there was a majority of Republicans there.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/04/us/politics/trump-wildfire-aid-california.html
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:34 pmBut even if the NPVC cannot pass, isn’t the attempt to subvert the Constitution something to take note of? It has a billion % more chance of working than Trump’s coup did.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:34 pmIsrael could disable Iran’s nuclear program.
All they need to do is persist, regardless of what happens in other places with ceasefires.
They can simply block the entrances after Iran has securely put in where Israeli bombs can’t damage it, and promise to return and re-bomb every two or three months.
Incidentally, the killing of Nasrallah and his top lieutenants in Beirut involved coordinated exploding of as many as 80 bombs. Each punched ahole and in the two second interval before debris fell, another bomb punched a deeper hole till it reached him.
His body was found intact and undamaged externally, so some Lebanese thought he was killed by toxic smoke but in reality it was very strong air pressure, like in a hurricane, causing internal bleeding.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/9/2024 @ 2:43 pmSam:
https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1844102039699324997
BuDuh (2425c2) — 10/9/2024 @ 3:08 pmNot “Sammy” in case you thought it was for you.
BuDuh (2425c2) — 10/9/2024 @ 3:09 pmEach state’s delegation gets a single vote.
Yes, I know that, but there have been big swings before.
In 2017, the spit was 32R – 17D + 1Tie
In 2019, the spit was 26R – 22D + 2Tie
Currently it looks a bit unlikely to change much, but that analysis assumes a vote would go strictly on partisan lines. In any event, the chance of it working or not isn’t all that important — lots of things happen in Congress that are not expected to work.
Like, say, Trump’s quixotic attempt on J6.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 3:11 pmPort of LA has levels of automation, but the Port of LA still is one of the lowest ranked ports in the world, (#375 out of 405) coming in behind Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam and Liberia’s Monrovia.
steveg (1bfafc) — 10/9/2024 @ 3:50 pmSo the answer isn’t “why bother?” The answer is to relentlessly upgrade efficiency throughout the chain. I’d add ruthlessly, but union work rules get in the way of ruthlessness
One of the problem/solution mentioned for LA/Long Beach was to simply start giving truckers appointment times instead of the first come first served free for all.
Interestingly the most automated port in the world (Rotterdam) came in at #91 which puts it behind Puerto Limon, Costa Rica- a country known for its beauty, but rarely noted for efficiency
New Mexico is a weird place.
During the recent drought, a lot of folks decided to store rainwater in the back yards for irrigation (or maybe just to store water in their back yards, hard to say). Then the drought ended and we got a LOT of rain. And all those backyard cisterns became stagnant mosquito breeding pools.
It’s been an awful summer. The heat I can deal with, but the mosquitos have been terrible and for a place with so little water, too.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:25 pmAnd all those backyard cisterns became stagnant mosquito breeding pools.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:25 pm
Put that one in the “Duh” file.
norcal (175334) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:29 pm@353 democrats get threatened every day. Numerous trumpsters and other rethugs have been prosecuted for threatening and actually trying to kill democrats like gov. of michigan. If you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen! Truman.
asset (2230ef) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:30 pm@412 And Iran and its allies which include russia and china say thank you very much may I have another. Right? The bottle deposit crook only worries about his next election not what happens to the gulf states and other soft targets.
asset (2230ef) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:38 pm@409 “If” the democrat party were not wimps they could make them an offer they couldn’t refuse. If the trumpsters pull any sabotage in this up coming election the time will be ripe to clean house with federal troops bayonets.
asset (2230ef) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:45 pmSo should those who have voted (or spoken) in favor of the NPVC be prosecuted?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:48 pmNo, but they shouldn’t be treated as defenders of the Constitution, either.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:02 pmIf the trumpsters pull any sabotage in this up coming election the time will be ripe to clean house with federal troops bayonets.
You do remember who has all the guns in this country, don’t you? Why do you think it would be them on the wrong ends of the bayonets?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:03 pmIf the trumpsters pull any sabotage in this up coming election the time will be ripe to clean house with federal troops bayonets.
asset (2230ef) — 10/9/2024 @ 5:45 pm
Your penchant for violence is disturbing.
norcal (175334) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:18 pm@425 Did you find lexington and concord disturbing? Declaration of independence and constitution have always been backed up by bayonets. The military would crush the dumpsters and the nra.
asset (2230ef) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:29 pmStop pretending to care, moby. You love violence against conservatives.
lurker (c23034) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:52 pmBiden indulges in disinformation with his media toadies:
“They are getting everything they need. They’re very happy, across the board.”
My step daughter- die hard democrat- lives in a 2 bedroom apt with two others. They got $750 for their entire household, not each. So they split the $750 and each got $250. They are grateful for the $250, but it is not going to go far. Her job is gone but she still has a roof. She does not have everything she needs and is grateful for the help, but not “happy”.
We were talking about how weird it is to see TV news people making $3000 to $4000 a day- A. misinforming people about the $750, framing it as $750 per person when it is not per person, but per household. B. Knowing that the media people make $3-4000 per day, and are acting like $250 is a big deal. They’d have a heart attack if they only got $250 in per diem
“He [Trump] implies that we’re not doing everything possible,” Biden said. “We are. We are.”
steveg (1bfafc) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:02 pmThis actually may be true. The Biden Administration brain trust may indeed be operating at the peak of their possible capacity. Mayorkas limits out at correctly managing an order of pour your own black coffee
Who needs the military when you have Lon Horiuchi, Michael Kahoe? People get shot, killed so the feds can get a conviction on a failure to appear. The feds got to send the message that they will shoot, kill your dog, your son, your wife (while she is holding your 1 year old baby in her arms)
steveg (1bfafc) — 10/9/2024 @ 7:42 pmThere is a lot of joy in Mudville.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/9/2024 @ 8:33 pmDodgers? Yeah, Friday should be interesting.
lloyd (92244e) — 10/9/2024 @ 8:42 pmYour penchant for violence is disturbing.
norcal (175334) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:18 pm
Stop pretending to care, moby. You love violence against conservatives.
lurker (c23034) — 10/9/2024 @ 6:52 pm
Don’t out me like that, bro.
norcal (175334) — 10/9/2024 @ 11:02 pmYou outed yourself by carrying water for all the water carriers who carry water.
lurker (c23034) — 10/10/2024 @ 3:50 amhttps://legalinsurrection.com/2024/10/pandemonium-at-cbs-news-after-journalist-pushes-back-on-anti-israel-author-ta-nehisi-coates/
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/10/2024 @ 6:38 amCBS has a Maoist struggle session because someone dared to slightly leave the leftist plantation and ask legitimate questions of the anti-semitic Nehisi Coates.
Sammy, Harris lied.
DeSantis wasn’t playing politics as the statements by Biden show. He was focused on preparing for the storm. Harris was focused on getting some free PR about her “leadership.”
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/10/2024 @ 6:51 amFor your viewing enjoyment.
Jim Miller (e6deaf) — 10/10/2024 @ 7:03 amA Trump proposal that is very overdue:
Trump Pledges to End ‘Double Taxation’ of Americans Abroad
The current system to “mitigate” such double taxation is so obscure and complicated that Turbotax does not attempt to support it, offering instead the alternate system of an itemized deduction for foreign taxes paid. Which is less than satisfactory. Currently, the impact on “accidental Americans” is severe — they are often barred from holding financial accounts in their native country due to the IRS’s insistence on taxing them, international money-laundering laws, and those foreign institutions’ not wanting the bother.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 12:23 pmSurprise:
Tampa damage much less than predicted. It seems that people who build in hurricane zones build like they are in hurricane zones. Unless maybe for government work.
Also, the storm surge didn’t happen.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/10/10/tampa-bay-hurricane-milton-storm-surge-damage/
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 12:42 pm435. NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/10/2024 @ 6:51 am
She was trying to support a lie – a lie also found useful by the Republicans – that she had some responsibility for the decisions made by the Bidden Administration, but was it a lie to say that Ron DeSantis refused to take her call?
Taking a call from Biden is not the same as taking a call from her.
Maybe there was an outright lie buried further in her words.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/10/2024 @ 1:45 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 12:42 pm
238.
At the end it was predicted that the storm would likely pass south of the city, and the damage from a hurricane crossing the west coast of Florida is to the south.
So what Harris said on the Colbert show came out looking wrong.
President Bill Clinton rigged the hurricane disaster predicting in the 1990s so as to over-predict disaster.
As for North Carolina, nobody was predicting what happened in Asheville. The cause was that the area was too mountainous, and the water had no place to go.
In Tampa, many people stayed to prevent looting.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/10/10/tampa-bay-hurricane-milton-storm-surge-damage/
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/10/2024 @ 1:56 pmRIP Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, age 96, after a stroke which she had last week. She survived her husband by 56 years.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 10/10/2024 @ 2:04 pmSome good news from Mitch Daniels.
(Links omitted.)
This doesn’t mean the Freedom team will win, but the current trend looks better than it did a year or two ago.
Jim Miller (64d1e4) — 10/10/2024 @ 4:23 pmPresident Bill Clinton rigged the hurricane disaster predicting in the 1990s so as to over-predict disaster.
Bureaucrats will always cover their asses and over-predict.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 4:37 pmSo, Nobel Peace Prize announced overnight. Who will it be?
Hamas, for standing up to oppression?
Hezbollah, likewise?
Joe Biden, for his efforts to annoy everyone in the area?
Donald Trump, for his rapprochement with The Russians/working to end the war in Ukraine?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for standing up to Putin?
The IDF, for its fight against terrorism?
My bet is on Kamala Harris, for … does it really matter?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 4:43 pmOr maybe the students of Columbia University, for their willingness to kill Jews.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 4:47 pmPro-Palestinian Columbia University group calls for armed resistance: ‘violence is the only path’
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2024/10/10/why-the-stats-say-economy-is-good-and-real-people-say-no-n3795642
Link to the Brownstone Institute which has a pretty good explanation of how the government is juicing the numbers and why people know the economy isn’t doing as well as the liars say.
NJRob (d178e1) — 10/10/2024 @ 4:47 pmBut high-end TV sets are cheaper.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 10/10/2024 @ 4:48 pmDesatan tells harris no thanks to your help. If floridians need your help to bad politics come first! The dwarf is scared j.d. vance will get the 2028 republican nomination. As for trump look up pierre laval for some one similar.
asset (52cac0) — 10/10/2024 @ 10:20 pmThe intellectually and morally and financially bankrupt Gateway Pundit took another financial hit, this time from Freeman-Moss, just like the intellectually and morally and financially bankrupt Giuliani took that hit.
Paul Montagu (daaae2) — 10/11/2024 @ 7:07 am